July Goals

July Goals

Wednesday, 4 July 2018

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It's July now, which means three things: 1. This year is flying by at a rate that I'm not comfortable with. 2. We're more than halfway through the year now, 3. We're that little bit closer to Christmas! How exciting?! This month is set to be a good 'un, with me and my friend Steph heading to the British Summertime Festival in Hyde Park in two weeks time, to see Paul Simon and James Taylor, and all of the birthdays. It's going to very busy. So let's set some goals.

May Goals

May Goals

Wednesday, 9 May 2018

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How is it May, already?! How?! Normally I hate starting posts like this, because it's such a bloody blogger cliche - and one I'm very guilty of - but the rate at which this year is moving at is terrifying me. Where has the time gone?! It's frightening! Anyway - existential crises aside - it's been a while since I last set any goals, and now seems as good a time as any for me to make some changes.

Stop procrastinating

I'm a terrible time waster! Seriously, my powers of procrastination are second to none. As I write this I'm also watching old episodes of Bake Off on Netflix and paying way more attention to Mary Berry than what I'm actually typing. I know full well that I'd get this post done quicker, and would do a much better job, if I was giving it my undivided attention but I just can't help myself. I also just took a five minute break from this sentence to scroll through instagram. I have a problem!

Make better use of my free time

I'm always working. Always. I'm either actually at work, or I'm editing videos or working on my blog. I don't stop, and I always have something to do. I really don't have a lot of free time, and usually I'm so knackered that I don't make the most of the free time I do have. I either want to take a little nap, that lasts a whole weekend, or crash in front of Netflix. There's nothing wrong with either of those things, in fact they're both splendid ways to spend some time, but I've recently realised that my time is limited. And I don't mean day to day, although it is, I mean that one day I won't exist anymore. Now, while I'm fully prepared to admit that I am definitely in the throes of a quarter life crisis, it's a very scary thought, and there is so much I want to do. Like learning to play the piano, or reading everything Bryony Gordon has ever written, or getting really, really good at guitar. So I'd better get to doing it really, hadn't I? On that note I'm off to learn the guitar riff from Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight. 

What are your goals this month? xx

February Favourites 2018

February Favourites 2018

Wednesday, 7 March 2018

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Unlike January, which felt like it lasted all of 2018 and well into 2019, February just flew by. I don't feel like I've even had the chance to catch my breath, let alone try and form an opinion on new things. But I have, and here they are.

Bourjois Radiance Reveal concealer in Medium - £7.99 at Boots

It's been a really long time since I've talked about a concealer on here, I can't actually remember the last time, it's been that long. But I've completely fallen back in love with Bourjois' Radiance Reveal concealer and had to talk about it. Radiance Reveal is something of a hybrid that is designed to brighten the skin and conceal imperfections. It’s got a nice light texture that blends nicely into the skin while still providing a decent amount of coverage. It's formulated with hyaluronic acid and glacier water, whatever that is, making it very hydrating and it doesn’t have any annoying bad concealer habits, like caking or creasing or oxidising.

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry in Sprint Finish - £3.99 at Boots

When I first started my blog - nearly 5 years ago... what?! - I was completely obsessed with nail polish. To the point where I couldn't go into a Boots or Superdrug without buying at least one. Now it's really rare for me to even paint my nails. In fact I've just got rid of maybe 80 per cent of my 300-strong nail polish collection. Sprint Finish is one of the few that survived the cull, due to the gorgeous  berry red shade and rather fabulous formulation, which is thick, creamy and dries almost instantly. It also has a wide curved brush which is designed for easier application, and really good colour off so you can get away with just one coat. Love it.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair - £53 at lookfantastic

I've waxed lyrical about my love of this stuff before, but lately, after some very well placed podcast ads, I've found myself obsessed with it. I basically used up this little sample bottle in like two weeks and my parched skin lapped it up. It's formulated with Estée Lauder's exclusive Chronolux CB technology. which is supposedly designed to aid the skin's nightly renewal process and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for 'more beautiful skin everyday.' It also claims to leave the skin feeling smoother, stronger and more hydrated, which is the main reason I've been using it so religiously. It's really lovely stuff, and my skin feels a lot better for it.

Alpha H Clear Skin Daily Moisturiser with Glycolic Acid - £23 at Cult Beauty

I actually got this in the ASOS beauty box back when it first launched, which I think was at the end of November last year maybe, but I've only just got round to trying it... my only excuse is that I have so much skincare. Anyway Alpha H was developed by Michelle Doherty, who designed it specifically to target problem skin, which I have. The Clear Skin Daily Moisturiser is for acne prone skin,  which again I have, and is formulated to moisturise and fight blemishes. It contains 10 per cent glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid to clarify and moisturise the skin, as well as tea tree and aloe vera which have antibacterial properties. It also claims to manage oil production and refine the pores. I've been using it pretty much every day and I really like it. It feels very cooling and refreshing, which is so nice first thing in the morning, and I've noticed an overall improvement in my skin. It's definitely something that I'll be repurchasing once it's all gone. 

Rosie for Autograph Nuit Parfum - £14/£28 for 30/75ml at Marks & Spencer

This is something that I completely forgot I owned until I happened upon it during a clear out. If memory serves I think I got it in a subscription box, but I forget which one. Nuit Parfum is part of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's original collection with M&S from a few years back, and it smells effin' amazing. It's actually a pretty solid dupe for Tom Ford's Velvet Orchid, which you all know I love, but with the added bonus of being less than a third of the price. It's described as being 'infused with vintage femininity'. Now despite the somewhat dubious description it doesn't smell like Grandmas. It's very floral but has a warming sort of spiciness that stops it from being heady and sickly. It has top notes of jasmine and French centifolia rose (?) with base notes of musk. It's floral but definitely more of a winter floral, and it has amazing lasting power. It lasts all day. It's also cruelty free and vegan. Lately I've been more and more interested in where products come from, how they're made, and the impact they have. Without sounding preachy I'm really starting to lean more towards products that are ethical, so it's really nice to know that something I already love is cruelty-free, as well as being suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Plus, and I may have mentioned this already, but it smells bloody gorgeous. 

Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Outlaw - £17 at Debenhams (currently out of stock! Boo!)

I have a feeling that every monthly favourites post from now on is going to feature a Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in one form or another. I love them! They are wonderful. This month's favourite is Outlaw, which is a blue-toned bright red. It's very bold and very, very pretty. I've recently swapped over to Outlaw from Nahz Fur Atoo, which is a deep, rich burgundy, and was the only lipstick I wore for about four months. Anyway Outlaw is more of a spring red, whereas Nahz Fur Atoo is my go to winter lipstick.  At the risk of repeating myself, the formula of these lipsticks is amazing! It doesn't budge, it's so comfortable to wear and it's so easy to apply. I'm obsessed. I love them. I LOVE THEM!

What are your current favourites? xx

March Goals 2018

March Goals 2018

Monday, 5 March 2018

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I can’t believe I’m already setting my goals for March! The passage of time honestly terrifies me!  Seriously, in my head 2006 was only two weeks ago. Nevertheless here we are and my goals aren’t going to set themselves now are they?

January Goals 2018

January Goals 2018

Monday, 8 January 2018

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You guys get a bonus post this week because I wanted to get my January Goals online while they still felt relevant. You know, start as I mean to go on and all that. January is an odd month. It's fun for about two days, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and then it's horrible. It's cold and dreary and I’m still mourning the end of Christmas. Plus springtime still feels so far away. It’s not fun. And there's always a ton of pressure to change everything about yourself (read more about that here), so it's not the best month. Anyway... here are my goals for the next four weeks.

New Year, Slightly Better Me

New Year, Slightly Better Me

Wednesday, 3 January 2018

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I’ve done the whole ‘New Year, New Me’ thing every year for as long as I can remember, and, without fail, have always given in and reverted back to my old ways before the end of January rolls around. This is because I  always set myself ridiculous, unrealistic and unsustainable goals to fix every little flaw. One year I set myself 19 resolutions! 19! Needless to say I didn’t stick to any of them. This year I’m not going to do that. Instead I’m going to set myself goals that are actually achievable, and try to make positive and sustainable changes to my life.