MORNING ROUTINE: AUTUMN

As the mornings get colder and darker it's becomes even harder to get out of bed. Each year when the colder months arrive, I change my skincare routine to ensure my skin doesn't become dry. I have a dry/dehydrated skin type anyway so I find Winter a constant battle against dry and flaky patches. 

When my alarm goes off the first thing I do is spend about 10 minutes catching up on social media. I then make myself a cup of lemon tea and my breakfast and enjoy both in bed whilst I'm still waking up.

I then begin my skincare routine. I begin by sweeping Garnier Micellar water over my skin to remove any dirt that's gathered on my face overnight.  I then properly cleanse my face using Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal cleanser. This is a luxurious creamy cleanser that smooths over the skin to gently cleanse and remove any excess dirt. I apply 1-2 pumps of this and quickly massage it in using my fingertips, I then remove any excess using cotton pads. 

Next I use Elemis Rehydrating Ginseng Toner. This is a natural toner and works to gently restore the skins pH without stripping the skin of it's natural goodness. It contains a natural toning agent which helps to protect and restore the skin. I use 2 pumps of this on a cotton pad and smooth over my face. 

Next I apply my moisturiser, at the moment I'm trying a new moisturiser by Garnier, it's a daily rich moisturiser designed for dry to very dry skin. It contains camellia oil which is known for its hydrating properties, it also immediately comforts the skin and soothes any irritation. I apply a small amount of this all over my face & neck and allow it to sink in for a moment. 

Once my skin is prepared for make-up, I go ahead and apply it. I have done a separate post on my make-up routine so you can read that here.

Finally I style my hair, if I'm going to work I have to wear it up which makes life much easier and quicker in the morning! The rest of the time I will usually leave it naturally wavy. 

I'm then ready and prepared to face the day!

GARNIER MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER

This is a product that's been around for a while but is one that I haven't really paid much attention to. I've never been a fan of these all in 1 make-up removers in the past so that's why I've sort of ignored this. The reason I decided to try this was because I was looking for a linalool free eye make-up remover, and came across it at £1 for a 125ml mini format bottle!

If I'm honest I wasn't expecting much as it's very cheap but I was pleasantly surprised and love this product! I applied it on a cotton pad and began to remove my foundation with it, my foundation began to come off instantly by just sweeping it over my face. I found it strange to use an odourless product but it caused no irritation at all. Then came the bigger test - my eye make up. I gently sweeped the cotton pad over my eye and after a few sweeps my eye make up was completely gone, again causing no irritation! 

Once I had removed all make-up my face was left feeling clean and refreshed. It didn't feel dry or tight at all which makes a huge change for my skin. I then went on to cleanse my face as usual, the important thing to remember with micellar water is that it's not enough used on it's own. Although it's a cleansing product it doesn't properly cleanse your skin. 

After a week of using this my skin is looking and feeling much better. The appearance is much clearer and my skin feels much smoother. Best of all, I have experienced NO dry patches what so ever! I think this is due to my cleanser being able to do it's job properly as it's not having to fight through make-up to get to my skin. Using micellar water has definitely made a difference in my routine and I can definitely see this becoming an essential of mine and something that I'll repurchase over and over again!  

Have you tried this? What do you think?

MY EVERYDAY AUTUMN MAKE-UP ROUTINE

With every new season comes a new make-up routine. Throughout the summer I prefer a much lighter and minimalistic look but when it comes to Autumn I'm not afraid to go for a much more intense look. I love brown, taupe and any sort of neutral tone.

I start off with a primer and  at the moment I'm loving Bare Minerals 'Prime time'. It's perfect for my skin type and makes my foundation effortlessly glide over my skin. Next I apply my Bare Minerals bare skin foundation. I'm going to continue to use this for a little while yet purely because it does wonders for the appearance of my skin. But as we get further into Winter I usually prefer something with a heavier coverage. I apply this using buffing movements with my Real Techniques buffing brush. Next I apply a small amount of Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer to my dark circles. I blend this in using the same buffing brush.

I finish off my face by applying a small amount of bronzer just below my cheek bone to give my face some shape. I've been using these No. 17 bronzing pearls for about 2 years now and I'm beginning to think they will never run out - not that I'm complaining!

I then move onto my eyes, I begin with Urban Decays eye shadow primer potion. This is amazing and is an essential for every girls make up bag. For an everyday look I usually stick to very natural tones. Recently I've been loving the Naked Basics 2 palette, it's full of matte colours which provide the perfect natural look. I start off with Skimp all over my lid, I then use Frisk in the crease and on the outer lid. I finally blend Primal into the crease to add some depth to my eyes. I then use a little bit of Undone on my lash lines, I think that an actual eye liner looks too dark on me for everyday, so I prefer a dark brown eye shadow. I then apply Mii's Intensifying lash lover. This is one of the best mascaras I've used, read a full review here.

Next up is my brows. Over the years these have changed dramatically but I must say I'm pretty happy with them at the moment. For a while I just used an eye shadow to fill my brows in but recently I've been much preferring a brow pencil. I use Rimmels Brow Pencil in Hazel. It applies effortlessly and isn't too dark for my eyebrows. It's also perfect for creating a more natural brow or a much more defined brow depending on what you prefer.

And that's it! I used to spend ages doing my make-up in the morning but I've now got it down to a fine art and am super speedy to allow myself extra time in bed!!

BIG DECISIONS & NEW BEGINNINGS

Over the past few weeks I've neglected my blog rather a lot. I didn't plan to do this but as we all know sometimes life just gets in the way. At the beginning of September my boyfriend & I went away, in the run up to this holiday I was exhausted and felt like I had spent the whole Summer in work, including all weekend, every weekend. It began to affect my happiness, my health and most of all my life, I had no social life and definitely didn't have that very important work - life balance. 

As some of you may know I work as a Spa Therapist but earlier this year I discovered that I had an allergy to 3 main preservative ingredients, which was the reason for the severe dermatitis I constantly had on my hands & arms. This put a halt to my career and meant I physically couldn't do it. So since then I've had a huge decision to make, I could have stayed within the Hotel/Spa industry, or make a leap and find a new career for myself. 

I used our holiday as a time to think and make a decision once and for all, I took absolutely everything into consideration and made what I feel like is the best decision I've ever made - to take a leap and find a new career! When we returned from our holiday my mission began, after a short while I was called for an interview which resulted in me getting the job - success!! 

This decision was possibly the hardest I've ever had to make as the Spa industry is where my career dreams lay, but since finding out about my allergy my career plan was thrown out the window and it all went down hill. I'm a firm believer of everything happens for a reason and I do think that this is a blessing in disguise. I'm looking forward to the future and am exited for a new chapter in my life. 

I have lots of posts planned for the next few weeks so thank you for sticking with me! 

Lots of love

OUR RELAXING GETAWAY

At the beginning of September my boyfriend & I went on holiday. We booked it back in March and were looking for a cosy little retreat in a rural location. I searched and searched and came across The Barn at Glanoer on a site called Sykes cottages. 

It's between Llandrindod Wells and Builth Wells in mid Wales, about 2 miles from the rural village of Hundred House. The drive was around 2 hours from where we live and the further we drove the more rural it got. The final road we turned down took us 8 miles down a narrow country lane where we didn't see a soul, never mind another house or sign of civilisation. It was perfect.

Upon our arrival we were greeted by the lovely owners and their dogs. We were shown around the cottage and left to explore. It completely exceeded every expectation we had. The barn is beautifully designed and decorated, and every detail has been thought of. There was a lovely breakfast hamper and fresh flowers on the table, bacon in the fridge and lots of information on things in and around the local area.

The Barn is situated within 8 acres of land, the land was ours to explore and was covered in nature. It was completely silent for miles around and the air felt so fresh. We had no phone signal and the wifi wasn't the best, we loved this though as we completely lost sense of time and the world around us. 

The Barn itself was so comfortable and we instantly felt at home, the bed was the comfiest I have ever slept in and the bath was amazing. The window is what makes The Barn so amazing, it gives it such a light feel and adds to the relaxation. It was perfect to lie in bed with my morning coffee and watch the wildlife. 

We had a wonderfully relaxing week and came back feeling totally refreshed. We had no sense of time of the whole week and felt millions of miles away from the real world. It's a gem of a place and I'm so glad we found it. I would return time & time again and recommend to anybody! 

*Just to clarify, this post isn't sponsored. I genuinely can't fault a thing!*

NAKED BASICS 2: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

After giving it a lot of thought, I decided to buy a new palette from Urban Decay. My first thought was to get the Naked 3 but after seeing it properly I decided against it and went for the Naked basics 2 instead. The main reason I chose this one is because it is all matte shadows and that's definitely what my make-up collection needs.

The palette comes in a slim bronze coloured box with the same labelling as the palette. On the back of the box it shows the shades and how the colours are best used. One of my favourite things about this palette is how sleek and compact it is. It's the perfect size for a make-up bag so is great to travel with. I hate it when products have excess packaging, it becomes bulky and is a waste. 

There is a mirror in the top half of the palette, this makes it even more convenient to travel with as the mirror is big enough to do a full face of make-up in whilst you're on the go. The colours start with lightest on the left, and darkest on the right. 

The colours in this are perfect, they're all very natural and easy to create looks with each other or with colours from other Naked palettes. I would describe the colours as the staple eye shadows and perfect for a beginner just starting to use make-up. There is an even mix of light, medium and dark shades so I think I'll get good  use out of all of them. 

REASONS WHY I LOVE AUTUMN

(Pictures taken from Pinterest)

It feels like we didn't even have a summer, the beginning of September has brought very cold weather and a lot of rain. So cold we have already had the fire and heating on in my house! My thoughts are now turning to the next season, my favourite season. I've always loved Autumn for a number of reasons and it's definitely my favourite time of year (apart from Christmas of course).

 

01. Crisp misty mornings

I love those mornings when outside is misty and the air feels crisp and cool. 

02. Autumn walks

I enjoy walks in Autumn so much more than Summer. As the trees begin to change colour and leaves begin to fall, the countryside becomes a beautiful array of burnt orange and red tones. And I'm still a child at heart and love kicking my way through fallen leaves!

03. Style

I find it so much easier to decide what to wear during Autumn. I love layering clothes, wearing big scarves and coats! There seems to be a lot of mustard yellow and burgundy around this year so I'm even more exited for A/W15 style!

04. Food

Finally, I also find it much easier to think of meals when the weather is colder. I pretty much live off home made soup or cottage pie but you just can't beat either!

What's your favourite part of Autumn?

SUMMER FAVOURITES

With Summer now coming to an end I thought I'd do a round up of my favourite Summer products. I haven't done anything mega exiting this summer but I have tried out lots of new products, some great and some not so great! I've narrowed it down to just 4 firm favourites. 

01. Bare Minerals Bare Skin foundation

I have used this right through the Summer and absolutely love it!! It's lightweight and keeps skin feeling fresh throughout the day. The coverage can be built up so it's perfect to wear for a daytime or night time look. It gives a radiant glow to the skin so is perfect for a fresh summers day. Read a full review on this product here.

02. Vanilla Dee-Lite body lotion

As some of you may know I suffer from eczema and I have a few allergies meaning I have to be careful with what I use on my skin. Lately I've talked a lot about Lush as their products seem to be what suits my skin best. This is my go to body lotion, it effortlessly glides over the skin & any dry patches. It sinks in instantly leaving no horrible sticky residue and leaves skin feeling soft and supple. One of my favourite things about this product is the scent, it's simply divine and lasts all day long! 

 

03. Nivea deodorant

This is a random one but it has been a favourite of mine this summer. It's not a wet kind of roll on or a spray, it's like a bar. You simply roll it onto your skin just like you would with a normal roll on but there is no wet residue left. It's kept me feeling fresh throughout the warmest summer days and doesn't cause any irritation. It has a nice fresh scent that isn't too over powering. As far as deodorants go, this is definitely the best I've used.

04. Elemis fruit active mask

This is my final firm favourite for this Summer. The first thing I loved about this was the scent, it contains lots of fruity ingredients which give it a fresh, sweet scent. The fruit ingredients actively work to brighten and boost the skin leaving it feeling soft and looking radiant. It's great if you suffer from dull, tired and sometimes stressed looking skin.

05. Jessica nail polish in Soho in Love 

This is my new favourite nail polish. The Jessica polish applies so well and gives a flawless finish. The colour is the perfect nude and has a gorgeous shine. Although nail polish never lasts more than 5 days on me this does last well and is one I use over and over again! 

THINGS THAT HAVE MADE ME HAPPY

*Pictures taken from my Instagram recently* 

I haven't done a post like this for a while so as Summer comes to an end and dark, cold nights are drawing closer I thought I'd start them again. I tend to find myself reflecting on things a lot, whether it be a positive experience or a negative I always like to take whatever lessons I can from different times in life. September has got off to a good start so I'm feeling positive about this month! 

01. Red nails

I went for a mid week manicure with geleration polish. It's been so long since my nails have had some TLC so having them done has really made me feel good. I went for the colour 'royal red', it's a gorgeous classic red colour that has a beautiful shine. 

02. Catching up with friends

Over the Summer I've seen quite a lot of my friends which has been lovely as a lot of them live away most of the year at university. As they will be going back soon we have crammed in as much time as we can together, we always have such a laugh so seeing them so much has brought a huge smile to my face. 

03. Better skin

Recently my skin has really improved, it's not as dry or stressed. The redness has reduced and the dry patches are slowly smoothing away. I can't put my finger on exactly what has made this change but I hope it stays this way! 

04. A week off work!!

Finally the thing that has made me so happy this week is the fact that I'm now off work for 10 days. Me and my boyfriend are off to mid Wales for the week to stay in a cosy little cottage. It's been too long since we've had a proper break together so I can't wait to completely relax and spend some quality time with him.

I hope your September has got off to a good start!

NAIL POLISH PICKS

I hate having naked nails so always have some sort of polish on them. It'll usually be a relatively natural colour as I'm not allowed anything too bright at work. I have a pretty big collection of polishes but lately I've been loving Jessica, so today I'm sharing my top 3. 

01. Soho in love

This is my favourite out of the 3. It's a very natural pinky toned colour. It looks great on nails of any length and goes with any outfit! The Jessica polishes give a gorgeous shine but as this is a natural colour the shine doesn't show as much. It's easy to apply and a good, solid colour can be built up with 2 coats.

02. Intrigue 

This is the second favourite of mine. It's still quite natural but has a purple taupe like tone to it. I like to wear this colour when my nails are longer as it draws more attention to them. As it's slightly darker it gives a nice shine. This is quite a difficult colour to paint with as the consistency of the polish is quite thin, so the colour takes a few coats to build up. 

03. Tea Rose

Finally this is my go to toe nail polish. I don't like to have anything too bright on my toe nails so I will usually wear this. It's a nice pale pink shade with glitter, it's not bright sparkly glitter but it does add a bit of sparkle. It paints on easily and just adds a natural overlay to the nail. 

The midi polishes from Jessica are the perfect size. Although they may be small to some they're handy for colours that may go out of fashion soon. They're also great if you're like me and get bored of colours easily, you can use it up and then don't have to worry about wasting the rest of the bottle. 

AUGUST FAVOURITES

I can't believe Summer is almost over and before we know it we will be on the countdown to dare I say it... Christmas!! August has been a good month, although the weather hasn't been anything worth talking about. Today I'll be sharing with you what I've loved throughout August.

01. Elemis Fruit Active Rejuvinating Mask

This is something I've wanted for a while and now I've got my hands on it I absolutely love it! It contains fruity ingredients that not only give it a gorgeous scent but have lots of great benefits for the skin. It has a creamy texture that applies easily and evenly to the skin. It leaves skin feeling bright, nourished and refreshed.

02. Jessica Midi nail colour in Intrigue

I absolutely love this colour! It's a pretty natural taupe/purple toned colour that looks great on nails of any length. The Jessica polish gives a great long lasting shine and remains chip free for a good few days. Nail polish never lasts more than 5 days on me so when buying from new brands I never expect a miracle.

03. Lush Butterball bath bomb

As I've mentioned in previous posts I'm very limited with what I can use on my skin. Lush have a handful of products that I can use and this is one of them! It contains cocoa butter so it extremely nourishing on the skin and gives a luxurious feel to the bath. It also contains ylang ylang which relaxes the nervous system, this helps to reduce stress, worry & fear.

04. Aussie 3 minute Miracle Shine

In the past I've never been a fan of Aussie products because of the scent but one of the things I love most about this is the scent! It has a sweet and fruity smell that lasts after using it, leaving my hair smelling amazing all day long! It's a luxurious deep conditioning treatment that gives amazing shine in just 3 minutes. It leaves hair feeling silky smooth and is definitely improving the condition of my hair.

05. Yankee candle in Kilimanjaro Stars

This was one of many candles I received for my birthday. It smells different to anything I've had from Yankee but the scent is hard to describe. You can really smell it when it's burning and the scent stays in the air which is nice.

LUSH BATH FAVOURITES

We all love a nice hot bath every now and again. As I have to be careful with what I use on my skin I'm very limited with what I can use in the bath. So far I've found that Lush have a handful of products that I can use, 2 of which I absolutely love! 

Creamy Candy Bubble Bar

I absolutely love this product! It contains cocoa butter and vanilla absolute so it smells divine. The cocoa butter really helps to nourish and hydrate skin leaving it feeling super soft. Whilst the vanilla creates a sweet and comforting scent. It also contains almond oil that gives it a luxurious feel and also provides great hydration. I can get about 4 uses out of 1 bar, so I crumble a piece under hot running water, it creates lots of bubbles and the new formula also turns the water pink! It's only £2.75 so is an absolute bargain! 

Butter Ball bath bomb

This is the perfect product to sooth and calm irritated eczema prone skin. Like the bubble bar it contains cocoa butter, in this product it's in pieces so melts in a warm bath creating a luxurious nourishing feel. It's great at soothing and hydrating skin and also leaves it smelling delicious. It contains ylang ylang which is often used in aromatherapy blending to relieve stress. It also relaxes the nervous system which relieves anger, nerves and fear. This is £2.65 so is another real bargain!

EASY CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

It's been a while since I've done any baking so a rainy Wednesday afternoon this week called for me to do some. I decided to do chocolate orange cupcakes, they're super easy to make and even more delicious than you're thinking right now.

6oz self raising flour

2oz cocoa powder

8oz caster sugar

8oz baking fat

4 eggs

A generous pinch of baking powder

2 Terrys chocolate oranges

First of all preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Then take your cake tin and lay out the cake cases, this recipe made 16 cakes. Next put your baking fat and sugar into a large mixing bowl and cream the two together until smooth. The consistency should be creamy & smooth but you should still be able to feel the sugar in there. Then crack your eggs into a jug and give them a quick whisk. Gradually add the eggs to your mixture, whisking in between. Once all of your eggs are added, gradually add the flour sieving it as you go. This is where you need to get as much air as you can in, I add about 3 heaped tablespoons at a time and use a folding movement to mix it in. Finally break up 1 of the chocolate oranges and stir it through the mixture. Then divide the mix between your cake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Whilst your cakes are in the oven you can make the frosting, for this you will need:

4oz unsalted butter (room temperature)

3oz (approx) icing sugar

A drop of vanilla essence

First of all whisk the butter until it's smooth and creamy. Then gradually begin to add your icing sugar sieving it as you do. I add about 2 heaped tablespoons at a time. Keep adding the icing sugar until it's sweet enough for you. I usually use around 3oz of icing sugar but I know some people prefer it sweeter so add more. Finally I add a drop of vanilla essence, this sweetens it a little bit more and adds a bit more deliciousness.

Once your cakes are cooked, take them out of the tray and allow them to cool. Then add your frosting in whatever design you like. Finally, break up the remaining chocolate orange and decorate. You can get creative or just place a segment on top like I did! Enjoy!!

6 REASONS WHY I LOVE LIVING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

I live in North Wales, not in the middle of nowhere but it is in the countryside and the middle of nowhere isn't far away. I've lived here all my life and couldn't imagine myself living anywhere with a lot of hustle and bustle.

01. I live in a relatively small village and although there's a lot of houses here it's so peaceful. It's always quiet and the biggest noise I hear is a tractor rattling over a speed bump. 

02. Rolling fields and hills are just a 10 minute walk away so it's easy to take a break. I sometimes enjoy a walk to the middle of nowhere on my own. Just me & the countryside is the perfect way to de-stress.

03. You get forced to be creative. As we aren't surrounded by shops and places to visit we get forced to improvise. I love this aspect of life as it makes you do things you wouldn't usually. It's brought along new hobbies for me and keeps me feeling productive!

04. The views are breathtaking & something that I'll never get bored of. There's rolling hills and green fields for miles and on a clear day it's simply beautiful. Although the sun doesn't shine often when it does it brings out the beauty in what's around me.

05. Excercise is easy because there's so many places to walk, run, cycle or ride horses. Personally I prefer walking and I enjoy a long walk as often as I can. Fresh air is better than any medication and keeps me feeling healthy phycially and mentally.

06. Best of all, it's all free! Going for a walk or a picnic on a sunny day doesn't cost a penny! Money saving days out are easy, but it does mean whenever we go further afield I hate paying an entry fee for national parks etc (even though it does go to good cause)! 

REVIEW: MII INTENSIFYING LASH LOVER

Mii is a make-up brand exclusive to Salons and Spas, so you will never find it in department stores or on a make-up counter anywhere. It's owned by Gerrard international so is a sister for the nail brand Jessica. The products are great and super easy to work with & although it's salon/spa exclusive it's really affordable.

The first thing I love about this is the packaging, the mascara comes in a white box and the actual mascara is plain black with just the pink Mii logo on. It's sleek & simple.

Although the brush looks small, it's great for adding volume and length to the lashes. You can easily build it up depending on how much volume you want. It really helps to open up the eyes and add depth and definition. It's a very dark black so it really does 'intensify' the lashes.

It lasts all day without looking stale or begin to crumble or smudge. The only complaint I do have is that when you first remove the brush from the tube, it brings out a lot of product with it so you do have to take care to wipe it off the brush. I do find that you need to take your time applying this to get the best results so it may not be ideal for someone who is in a rush.

A DAY AT THE BEACH

So far the weather this summer has been nothing but a huge disappointment. We've had a handful of sunny days, but nowhere near as much sun as we'd all like. 

Luckily the weather was gorgeous at the weekend so me and my boyfriend made the most of it and went to the beach. We went to Dinas Dinlle which is about a 10 minute drive from Caernarfon, I have many happy childhood memories here and it's always been a special place to me. It's beautiful there, the views from the beach are gorgeous and the sunshine and clear blue skies made it feel like we could have been abroad. 

We spent hours relaxing on the beach and then went for a stroll up a hill owned by the National Trust. The panoramic views over the countryside were breathtaking and made me appreciate the country we live in a whole lot more. 

If you're ever in the area, this is a place you must visit!