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Lush Cosmetics haul ❤️

27 February 2017

Well hello to you my reader chums! With the winter chills still amongst us in the UK, it's the perfect opportunity to buy a couple of Lush bits, adding to my ever-growing collection. I picked up a few golden oldies and some new items to try out; let's take a look.

Here's an overview of my Lush Cosmetics haul:

Cupcake fresh face mask

Lush's face masks are truly worth the hype. My go to is their famous 'Brazened Honey' which I purchase over and over again. I wanted to dabble into their other options and chose the delicious 'Cupcake' mask. I've seen this raved a lot about across the beauty community and couldn't wait to give it a go. As its targeted towards oily skin and breakouts, I thought it would do the trick with my t-zone area. It holds a lingering cocoa scent which is dreamy to say the least when you apply it onto the skin.

Lover Lamp bath bomb

I've had this bath bomb once before and loved the creamy texture of the hearts that lay in the water when the bath bomb has dissolved. It may not be the craziest looking bath water colour once used, however the scent is irresistible. If you're a big fan of Dragon's Egg, this bath bomb is very similar with a citrus based, sweet scent.

Avobath bath bomb

This Lush classic, green based bomb always reminds me of the musical Wicked. It creates a tub full of light/emerald green water and holds a slightly muskier, citrus scent than Lover Lamp. With the delicious scent, Avobath is certainly one of their more underrated bath bombs.

Elsie the Giraffe lush cosmetics bubble bar

Elsie the Giraffe bubble bar

A new purchase and release of Lush, Elsie the Giraffe was too adorable to leave in store. I have to admit, I love the design of this because not only is it super sweet but very practical for usage. As there's a stick between both parts of the product, you can break off the first section for one bath and then the other end second time around. The stick will also help to crumble the product underwater without getting the other section wet. I'd describe the scent as overwhelmingly lemon based with a sweetness running through, I can't wait to give it a try.

Sunnyside bubble bar

My favourite bubble bar, Sunnyside is the crazy, glitter version of the Dragon's Egg bath bomb when dissolved in water. Its yellow colour mixture looks as if a sparkly golf mine has exploded - so if you don't like glitter, this isn't for you. The soothing scent is quite subtle and floral with an underlying sweetness to it. To top that, when crumbled under hot running water, this product creates the best bubbles. Be prepared for a glittery, bubbly heaven with Sunnyside.

I hope you enjoyed my Lush Cosmetics haul. What's your favourite product?

Thank you for reading <3

Why self belief is so important ❤️

23 February 2017

Well hello to you my reader chums!

With the society we live in, it's almost deemed as a bad thing to love yourself even though all we're ever taught is to be kind to one another. The being kind mantra to everybody else is such a norm so why do we stop with ourselves? You are the main part of your existence. Your thoughts, flaws, and best qualities are what make you special so why shouldn't you take a stance of not only loving who you are but believing in yourself. You need to be the love of your own life and no1 fan.

Each and every one of us has goals and dreams we'd like to conquer in our lifetime. Whether it's your 5-year career plan or simply to be more of an outgoing, confident person, we all strive towards something.

These goals and ambitions all begin with self-belief. If you don't have the faith in yourself that you will do well in a job interview or any other step to lead you to that goal, it'll be even more difficult to reach. You can do whatever you set your mind to. The world is full of possibilities, opportunities, and any route you want to take. Just like that famous saying 'when one door shuts, another one opens.' In life, you'll constantly have obstacles/criticism, but it's about picking yourself up from these situations, moving on, and learning from that experience.

Self-belief is important for three main reasons:

1) You're important - Caring for loved ones around you is everyone's main priority, but you and your goals are just as important. It's okay to be selfish every once in a while to care and work on yourself, striving towards any of your ambitions. You need to be your own hype girl, focus on being the best version of yourself, and have the belief that you can do it - it'll make you realise how important you are.

2) You need to grow - Life is about growth. Through every stage of it whether by month or year, we're a different person from what we were previously. This can be through confidence, knowledge, love, and more. The possibilities with your growth are endless. Growth is incredibly important for your self-development, and when you look back you'll realise how much you have changed over time - hopefully, for the better.

3) To learn from your mistakes - When you fail a test or get knocked down by your boss, it's only you and your self-belief that will bring you back up. This perseverance and drive will make you into a more confident, ambitious person. We're all human and everybody makes mistakes in each aspect of life so take these times as a learning curve. When things go wrong, you need to focus on how to pick yourself back up, rather than dwelling on the negatives. Having a positive mindset and the focus that things will get better will help you overcome any obstacle.

I hope you enjoyed this little rambly post. What are your best self-belief tips?

Thank you for reading <3

Review: Garnier micellar cleansing gel wash

18 February 2017

Well hello to you my reader chums! If you've been following me for a while then you'd know Garnier's micellar water is my main skincare stable so when I saw Boots were stocking a 'gel wash' version, I had to pick it up. Initially, I wasn't sure what to expect of this product, whether it would exceed the expectations of my beloved micellar water or not. I've trialled it when washing my face without makeup and for taking light/ heavy makeup off to see how it played out.

Bottle design

It goes without saying, a gel wash with a pump is so much easier to use than a squeezy bottle tube. I find with this gel wash, you're able to pump the correct amount of product out without wasting any or creating spillage.

Consistency

When I first used this face wash, I was quite surprised by the watery texture and thin consistency. Once pumped onto your hands, it'll run over your fingers if you don't lather it straight away. However, after lathering it up and using circular motions on the skin, it feels incredibly soothing. The thin consistency works well as you're able to work it into more areas of the skin.

Scent

The product is fragrance-free which is not only good for those with sensitive skin but it means you're not putting additional chemicals onto your face. During application, as there's no scent it smells very fresh and clean which in turn does the job it was designed for.

Makeup removing ability

I tested this out for two different makeup looks, my everyday light, face makeup, and also on a heavy-duty eye look. For the face makeup, the wash worked well, taking off the makeup layers from my skin and leaving no additional product excess. However, I found for eyes it wasn't so successful. I'd rub it in and afterward, it would leave either eye shadow or mascara residue with my eyes feeling quite sore. I wouldn't recommend using it for eyes especially if yours are as sensitive as mine even though it claims it's also designed for this purpose.

Cleansing ability

I couldn't fault this. Whether on makeup-free skin or used as a makeup remover, the face wash once washed off, always leaves the skin feeling fresh and fully cleansed. The gentle fragrance and thin texture don't feel too tough on the skin and do the job with a full clean finish.

Overall thoughts

With the fresh cleansing ability and as a scent-free product, I couldn't say a bad word about it. However, I wouldn't say it's the best product to wash off heavy makeup and prefer to stick to the classic 'micellar water' for that task. Yet, for an everyday face wash and light makeup wear, the product works a treat, rubbing off every inch and leaving your skin clean as a daisy.

I hope you enjoyed this review of Garnier's micellar face wash. Have you tried this product?

Thank you for reading <3

January favourites

12 February 2017

Well hello to you my reader chums! This year seems to be zooming by with the midst of February already creeping up and the season of spring at our fingertips. Over the past few weeks, I've been loving several new products and can't wait to share them with you.

Let's take a look at my slightly belated January favourites -

Sephora eye shadow stick in 'Beige'

I'm a big fan of eye shadow sticks. I find using an eyeshadow stick makes the shadows bolder and extends their wear time immensely. One I've been obsessed with over the past few months is Sephora's in 'Beige'. The stick's pigmentation is insane, a perfect everyday champagne colour. I love to pair this with every eye look and find it a versatile base for all. It's creamy to apply, blends easily and most importantly grips the shadows to ensure lengthy wear for eye makeup.

Too Faced Melted Chocolate Lipstick in 'Chocolate Honey'

Being a chocolate lover, I couldn't resist finally treating myself to one of the Too Face melted chocolate lipsticks. I chose the shade 'Chocolate Honey' as I don't own any brown toned nudes so wanted to try something new. Safe to say, it's become one of my go-to favourites.

The matte yet glossy finish is ideal for many beauty lovers. Given the creamy consistency, it's comfortable to wear and once the lipstick has set to the lips, it feels like nothing is there at all. The colour is a beautiful brown nude which adds a bit of something to the overall makeup look and isn't too bold. With its lovely feel on the lips, the colour pigmentation and creamy, long-wear consistency, I'd 100% recommend it.

Nars 'Cruella' velvet matte lipstick

I never thought anything could replace my love for Mac's Russian Red but Nars 'Cruella' lip pencil has come in at a close second. The pencil-style applicator and creamy texture are enough to make me love a matte finish even more. With its insanely pigmented red colour, quick application and lasting power seamless, I couldn't fault it. If you're a big red lip fan, go and try this one out. Find out more in my full review.

Garnier essentials day cream

I'm not usually one to ever change up moisturisers and tend to use the same cream for a long period of time. However, I ran out of my go-to Garnier moisturiser for normal to dry skin and as Tesco didn't stock my usual, I picked up the hydrating day cream instead. This is an incredible moisturiser; its thick consistency and power to sink into the skin quickly is flawless. I love how even though it's a thicker cream, it doesn't feel heavy at all on the skin and the scent is ever so gentle.

Juicy Couture perfume

I think it's somewhat of a tradition to receive a perfume every Christmas time either from my parents or nan and last year was no exception. At first, I wasn't too keen on the scent of Juicy Couture, however, after a few spritzes, I grew to love it. The scent isn't like my usual Marc Jacobs or Burberry but has a muskiness to it with an underlying addictive sweetness.

I hope you enjoyed my January favourites. What products have you been loving lately?

Thank you for reading <3

36 Hours in Milan - what to see and do

6 February 2017

Well hello to you my reader chums! The weekend just gone, I jetted off for a short city break to Milan with my best friends. We booked the trip with only two weeks to spare, and in that time, planned out how to tackle all the main sites in those 36 hours.

This post contains affiliate links.

Walking through its city streets past the designer shops, iconic architecture, and that lingering scent of delicious cuisine, Milan is a city not to miss. Smaller than expected, the time we spent there was enough to see all its famous landmarks and absorb the Italian culture. With this post, I'm going to show you everything I got to see and offer some advice on how you can see it all in a short amount of time.

Day 1 - Travelling and evening dining

On Friday 3rd February, we headed up to London Gatwick airport and boarded our 1pm flight with EasyJet to arrive in Milan at around 4pm.

After landing in Milan, we took a transfer and taxi from the airport, arriving at our apartment around 5.30pm. We stayed at Dreams Hotel Residenza De Marchi, a charming set of apartments on the outskirts of Milan. The modern apartment provided 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living area, and a kitchen with plenty of space for the 4 of us. Milan is full of accommodation options if you'd prefer a hotel or B'n'B.

Once settled in our apartment, we got dressed up and went to find a restaurant for dinner. In the neighbourhood we were in, stood a charming tucked away pizzeria so we dined there. I chose a classic pizza with prosciutto ham and a pear/chocolate cake for dessert. The wine was the perfect way to toast our first night in Italy and tasted delicious.

Day 2 - Sightseeing around the city of Milan

On Saturday, our final and full day in Milan, we packed all the main sights in. Hopping on the bus to the metro, we stopped off at Piazza del Duomo and had breakfast. On the other side of the square, opposite the Duomo sat a quaint café which served up a mouth-watering breakfast. We had a plate of croissants packed with different fillings and a hot chocolate each which basically consisted of a thick, creamy drinkable mouse!

After eating, we got on the hop on, hop off city tour bus. This basically has 3 different routes around the city, where you pay a day fee and can get on/ off whenever you please. When driving around, you're given headphones to plug in which explain a bit of the route's background history. I would 100% recommend these tours if you're in a city for only a few days as you can get a glimpse of it all.

Our tour began at the square and after taking us around the city, we hopped off at the Central station. Here, we took a few images of the scenery and had a look inside the station, the second biggest in Italy. We stopped off for lunch there and then got back on the bus to resume the day tour.

The next stop was the Sforza Castle, a significant landmark built originally in the 15th century and renovated during the 16th-17th century. From there, it was rebuilt with today housing several of the city's museums and art collections. We took a look around the grounds and fountain which stood outside, soaking up its history.

It wouldn't be a trip to Milan without a shopping spree so we hopped back on the bus and got off at one of its major shopping streets, Corsa Bueno Aires. Next to the city tour bus stop stood this one shop we all fell in love with. They offered clothes and accessories for a variety of price ranges. I'd describe it as an Italian version of Forever 21. At that store, I picked up a few denim pieces and jumper, all for under 30 Euro! We looked around another few shops and then jumped back on the metro to return to Piazza del Duomo. It was then time to visit the Duomo, one of Milan's most iconic sights. I have to say, this was my highlight of Milan. Nothing mesmerises me more than an incredible cathedral or church with the mind-blowing architecture and religious significance. Being religious myself, I find visiting new churches very therapeutic especially when abroad.

To warm up, we headed to a martini bar that stood right next to the Duomo. I chose a hot chocolate as my hands were freezing and just like the morning drink, it tasted divine. After a few chats and giggles, we walked down to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world's oldest shopping malls. It's architecture and design blew me away! Lined with some of the best designers and fine dining restaurants, the place oozed glamour.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II Milan Italy

After window shopping, we browsed round the nearby streets and found a restaurant for our final meal in Milan. I chose the exceptional caprese salad and pesto pasta with a glass of wine, the ideal ending to a swift city break. We then got a taxi back to the apartment and packed up, ready for our early morning flight to London. Ciao Milano!

The rustic and fast-paced feel of Milan was one to remember. With the highlight of the Duomo, endless shops and fine dining, I'd recommend a city break here to all.

I hope you enjoyed an insight of how I spent 36 hours in Milan. Have you ever visited?

Thank you for reading <3

Lush Cosmetics haul ❤️

Why self belief is so important ❤️

Review: Garnier micellar cleansing gel wash

January favourites

36 Hours in Milan - what to see and do

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