Friday 29 January 2016

Life Update

Image from Pinterest

Today's post is slightly different as I wanted to share a bit of news with you. Myself and my fiancĂ© are in the process of buying our first home together. It is all still going through and is such a stressful time in your life but hopefully in the next few weeks we will be all moved in and I can start doing some house posts. I'm thinking some before and after posts, DIY projects and I am really keen on getting into gardening so hopefully I can incorporate that into the mix as well somehow.
 
I have been obsessing over interior blogs and Pinterest for the last couple of weeks so am full of ideas and cannot wait to share them with you. I am also looking forward to getting lots of advice from all of you as I am sure a lot of you own your own homes and can give me some words of wisdom. Maybe once it is all complete I can do a list of things I wish I had known before I started the process as it really is such a daunting process.
 
For now though I will be leave you with this framed picture that I cannot wait to buy and have hanging in our hallway. I think it is such a good quote to live by.
 
Have a great weekend
xx

Monday 25 January 2016

My Current Perfume Obsession

For anybody that has been reading this blog for a while you will know that I love perfume and cannot resist a beautiful scent. This being said I have stopped buying myself perfume as I get so much for Christmas and my birthday it keeps me going throughout the year.
 
 
This Christmas my Grandma thought she was buying me one of my favourite perfumes - Prada Candy L'Eau, which I have worn for years and absolutely love. It turned out that she had actually picked up the original Prada Candy. I had never tried this before so had the intention of taking it back and exchanging it for the one I wear all the time but something made me smell it and I am so glad I did.
 
It is stronger than the L'eau version and a bit more ladylike if that makes sense, its not quite as sweet as the other one and I just love the smell. Apparently it has notes of Musk, Caramel and Benzoin (not sure what this is but it sure smells good).
 
I would definitely give this a try next time you are in your local Boots.
 
Have a great day!
xx

Friday 22 January 2016

Beauty Haul

I have changed quite a lot over the last few years, I no longer go to Superdrug on a Saturday and buy a crazy amount of make-up on a whim that I will never use again or that will cause my skin to hate me so much it makes me look like a 14 year old with severe acne! I prefer to buy things that I have researched well and that I know I will get my use out of. Sometimes this will be slightly more expensive than I would have spent a few years ago but I tend to know I will love.

 
Over the last month I have picked up a few bits, either when I have popped into town or Christmas presents. I thought I would show you what I got and if I really like them I will do some reviews over the coming months. So lets get on with it:
 
Skincare

 
With the wedding in 6 months I really wanted to make sure my skin is in the best condition possible so as well as drinking my 2 litres of water a day, I wanted to get some high end skin care. I have  typical combination skin but it is quite sensitive so I have to be quite careful when choosing my skin care. Whilst in my local Debenhams last week I went to the Clarin's counter and had a consultation with their skin care consultant. She gave me lots of great advice and I walked away with the HydraQuench Moisturising Lotion and the Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream as well as samples of their Cleanser and Toner which I am already considering buying the full size of.
 
I also picked up some more of my favourite eye make-up remover from Clinique. This is oil based remover and it is the best at removing mascara and heavy eye make-up. This may be my 3rd bottle of this and I still love it.
 
Make-up

 
Whilst at the Clarin's stand I also picked up a new foundation. I am a bit of a foundation junkie and I am yet to find one that does everything I need it to do. I got the Skin Illusion Natural Radiance Foundation in the colour Nude which is the perfect match for me.
 
For Christmas my best friend brought me this contour pallet from Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour Palette which has 8 beautiful shades in to suit a mixture of skin tones. 2 of the colours are beautiful shimmery baked highlights that I cannot wait to use.
 
As a little mid-January treat to myself last week I picked up something which I have wanted for such a long time but couldn't really justify as I have so many red lipsticks but this is the L'Oreal Colour Riche Collection in the Blake red. It is so beautiful and anything that might make me slightly more Blake Livelyesque is good with me. Turns out it is different to my 2 MAC reds as well so that's my justification.
 
Perfume

 
If you are anything like me then perfume is one of those things that you get a few bottles of your favourite ones for Christmas and then never buy any for yourself throughout the year. I love perfume and have got quite a few favourites now so my family tend to pick and chose which ones they get me and there is always a new one thrown in for good measure just to try out. This year I received 3 bottles for Christmas.
 
The first is one of my all time favourites Vera Wang - Lovestruck. I have been wearing this for about 4 years now and it holds so many memories for me that just a quick spray and I feel like I am 21 again.
 
The second was meant to be another favourite of mine but my grandma got the 2 confused so instead of Prada Candy L'eau she picked up the original Prada Candy. This is not an issue for me as after I smelt it I think I actually prefer it.
 
Finally my newbie for the year was the original Jimmy Choo perfume. I really like this scent and think it will be one of those everyday work perfumes as it isn't too strong which is what I like for everyday.
 
So I think February might need to be a month where I don't buy any beauty products as I have spent far too much over the last few months and have lots of lovely new products to use first.
 
Have a great day
 
xx

Monday 18 January 2016

Our Engagement Story

I suppose before I tell you all about our engagement, I should start by telling you all about us.


We met 7 years ago whilst we were 18 and still in college and have been together ever since. I guess we have grown up together really, we were both very different people when we were 18 and I love that he has made me more laid back and I am now much happier taking the puppy for a walk and siting in watching movies on a Friday night rather than going out, getting drunk and staying in bed all day the next day. And I hope I have had the same influence on him, he has turned into an amazing man who is thoughtful and generous. And I cannot wait to be his wife! (Soppy part over with, lets get on to the engagement!)



For a few weeks before hand we had been planning on taking the puppy to the beach for the day as he hadn't been since he was around 3 months old and had been terrified of the whole situation. My parents had been going on about this trip quite a bit and to be honest I found it a little strange that they were that excited about a trip to the beach that they weren't even invited to. The beach we were going to is around 2 hours from where we live so it wasn't really something I was keen to do in 1 day but I gave in after everybody seemed to be telling me it was going to be great.



So on the morning of the 8th March, we packed the car up and the three of us set of to Wells-next-the-sea. Wells is one of my favourite places and if you have never been then I urge you to add it to you list of places to visit. It is the perfect seaside town with beach huts and little fish and chip shops, you can go crabbing in the harbour and eat ice cream as you wonder around the colourful streets. A truly British seaside resort.


Once we arrived I completely took back all the moaning I had done previously about the long trip as I just feel so at home when I am there and all the memories of summer holidays as a child come flooding back. We took the pup for a walk through the woods which leads on to the beach and then spent what felt like hours playing Frisbee with him. I was taking pictures and we were writing his name in the sand to take pictures with. I turned around to see what the fuss was behind me and there on one knee was the absolute love of my life with what now may be the second love of my life in a little box.


From that moment I can't really remember what happened next but apparently I kept asking if he was joking and I cried a lot and it was all a little overwhelming if I am honest. Although it was a complete surprise on the day and I wasn't expecting it at all, we had been speaking about it quite a bit and we both knew it was going to happen but once it was real and I had the ring on my finger I didn't really know what to do. Of course we called all of our family and friends and then we had another walk down the beach but I think I was in a little bubble of shock for a day or two afterwards.


We got engaged almost 11 months ago now and since then it has been a whirlwind of planning and organising. We only have 5 months left before the big day so the countdown is really on and I have loved every second of it. We still have a lot to do but I just want to enjoy the last few months of being engaged and the whole wedding planning process as I don't ever plan on doing it again. It is such an odd feeling when you get close to your wedding as you have such a mix of emotions, part of me cannot wait for the day to be here so that I can be married but the other part will be so sad when it is all over.
 
Are any of you engaged or recently married? I would love to hear all about you weddings
 
Have a great days
xx

Friday 15 January 2016

Top 5 in 2015




Hi Girls,

2015 was a year of discovery for me beauty wise, I tried lots of new products and feel like my makeup bag is now almost perfect. There are some things that I have been using for years such as the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer or the Gosh Kohl Eye Liner but there was also some new additions which I feel need to be mentioned so I have put together my top 5 new finds in 2015.

This is probably my favourite beauty item of 2015. I put it under my foundation and it just makes my skin look flawless. I plan on doing a full review of it soon but it is just beautiful, you can even use it on good skin days instead of foundation and still get a great even finish. At £26 a go it isn't the cheapest option but in my opinion it is definitely worth it. Oh it has SPF 30 in it as well which is a massive bonus!

A couple of months ago I started looking for a waterproof mascara for the wedding and this was the first one I picked up. I loved it so much I then went and brought the normal version as well. It gives so much volume to your lashes and I have been asked on multiple occasions if I am wearing false lashed when I have this mascara on. It lasts all day and in my opinion there is nothing else as good.

At the beginning of the year I was just like everybody else dying to get hold of Velvet Teddy by MAC and of course it was sold out everywhere I tried so I picked up an alternative in Mehr which for me is the perfect 'your lips but better' colour. I did end up picking Velvet Teddy up too this year and it is just as good as I hoped it would be.

I have always been interested in the concept of sponge applicators and have tried a few over the last year that have always been a bit useless to be honest. Then I decided to that I was going to buy a beauty blender. Before I got the chance to do that I saw the Real Technique version and I have been a big fan of Real Techniques since the first came out and at £5.99 it was a cheaper option. I absolutely love it now and couldn't use anything else for applying my foundation. It leaves such a flawless finish and is so easy to use.

I use this as my evening moisturiser and it leaves my skin so hydrated. I first used it when I flew to California last year and it was great for using on the plane as I often get really dry skin when I have been flying or staying in hotel rooms because the air is never that great but this really helped combat this. If I am having a no makeup day I sometimes use this as my day time moisturiser as well as it just makes my face feel lovely and soft.

So there we go, my top 5 products of 2015. I cannot wait to discover lots of new beauty products this year.

Have a great day

xx

Friday 8 January 2016

2015 Highlights

Hi Girls,
 
2015 was a big year for me so I thought I would write a post looking back at my favourite memories of the year.

1. Getting Engaged!

 
Obviously this is my favourite memory of my life, it was the most magical day and I loved every moment of it. I think I might have to do a whole post on the blog all about it because it was possibly the happiest day of my life. Since then it has been a whirlwind of wedding planning and with less than 6 months to go now I am really going to miss being engaged.
 
2. Travelling around California

 
 
I spent 3 weeks in the spring of 2015 travelling around California with my family. We had the most amazing time and saw the most beautiful views. I think my favourite part was that I got to spend such quality time with my parents and brother. With us all working full time and having our own lives we don't get the chance to spend as much time together any more but it was so lovely having 3 whole weeks with them.
 
3. Buying my Wedding Dress

 
 
It might seem a bit of an exaggeration but buying my wedding dress was one of the best days of my year. It is something most girls dream about for their entire lives and as soon as I got engaged I was on the hunt for the perfect dress. In August I booked the day off work and me and my mum headed to 3 wedding boutiques. I ended up buying something completely different to what I thought I wanted but it is so beautiful and I feel like a princess in it. I cannot wait to go for my first fitting in a few weeks time.
 
I could go on and on with memories from 2015 but I don't want to bore you all too much. It was an incredible year but I know that this year has even more in store and am quite excited to see what next years highlights of 2016 post looks like.
 
Have a great day!
 
xx

Monday 4 January 2016

Goals for 2016


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Hi Girls,


It is that time of year again where we all make resolutions that we never stick to, start diets that last until Monday and spend a fortune on a gym membership we will use once!

But it has become a bit of a tradition on this blog for me to write down my goals for the forthcoming year. I don't think there has been a year that I have stuck to these yet but you never know, 2016 might be my year. I didn't want to choose things that were guaranteed to happen because I feel like that is a bit of a cop out, I could have quite easily chosen Buy a House and Get Married but they are happening anyway so where's the challenge there.

So here we go, my 3 goals for 2016:


1) Save up and buy a good laptop 
We have wanted one for a long time and have just never had the money to buy one. This year I want to save up and take the plunge, with a house and a wedding to pay for it might take a while but we will get there.


2) Buy a good camera and learn how to use it
This is a similar one to above I guess. I really want a decent camera to take my blog pictures with. Also we are going on safari for our honeymoon and I really want to take some amazing photos that we will treasure forever. I may even take a photography class to improve my skills.

3) Work hard on my blog
I think this has been on my list for the last 3 or 4 years but it is still the case, this is going to be an exciting year and I really want to be able to document it and look back this time next year and remember all of the good times. I get so much joy from blogging when I get the chance and I think I need to start making it a priority.


So there you go, my goals for 2016 are now set. It is a big year and I am sure that it will fly by with lots of changes but lets hope this blog is a constant throughout.
Have a great day!
xx