I’ve been a fan of Clinique for years! I love their moisturisers, their Chubby Sticks and have their Sonic Purifying Cleansing Brush. I recently tried some of their Pep-Start bits in the summer and I really liked them so when I saw this set as the Star Buy at Boots I had to have it, it was £30 which when you consider the moisturiser on its own is worth £24, was a bit of a bargain.
Skincare wise this set is bursting with it, most of which was new to me and some bit that I haven’t even got around to trying yet. But the things I have tried I love! I’ve tried the other Pep-Start Moisturiser and I have to say I did like it, but I much prefer this Pep-Start HydroBlur Moisturiser. It leaves my skin feeling super smooth and soft, and while it says it’s the perfect base to apply makeup onto, I’ve found this blurs the slight imperfections enough that I don’t feel the need for makeup. It minimises my pores, reduces some of my redness and gives a great hit of moisture. I love to pair this with the Pep-Start Eye Cream, I find that it isn’t too thick that it doesn’t sink in, but it’s thick enough that it feels like it’s doing something. While it doesn’t magically make the bags under my eyes disappear, it does make the area look brighter and I have noticed with extended use the area doesn’t look quite so dark anymore.
The Pep-Start 2-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser is another item I love, it’s a fine exfoliant that doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. It buffs my skin just enough that it gets rid of all the dead skin, making my skin super soft while not making my skin tingle or red like other scrubs have done before. The last skincare item I’ve tried is the Take The Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, lashes & Lips, which I’m a bit torn about. While it did wonders at taking off my eyeliner and mascara with little to no work, it did make my eyes sting. Now I do suffer with really sensitive eyes and prefer using my Simple Miceller water, but I can’t fault that it does a really good job. The other products included that I haven’t tried yet are the Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate and the Take The Day Off Cleanser Balm, both of which I’m excited to try, especially the hydrating concentrate because I do suffer from super dry skin.
I hadn’t really delved into Clinique makeup apart from their Chubby Stick Lip Balms before, which I still really like, so I was excited to try some of their core products and let me tell you I pretty much loved everything. My best find? The Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen. I do not do well with eyeliner, whether its liquid, gel or pencil, no matter how long lasting it promises to be, I find it always either smudges or transfers to the top of my eyelid. But this stuff is magic. I obviously didn’t have massively high hopes the first time I used it but my god am I converted. It goes on so easily, the nib is just thin enough that one stroke across your eyelid gives you a really nice subtle look, but it can be built up for something a bit more heavier if you want. I wore it to work, and it didn’t budge all day, the real test of the day being when I forgot I was wearing makeup and rubbed my eyes (which happens far more that I would care to admit) and it still looked pretty much like I’d just applied it. If you have problems with eyeliner or are just looking for a new one in general I would definitely recommend this one. Keeping with the eye theme, I also really liked the High Impact Mascara, now I’m not really fussy with mascara as longs as it’s not clumpy, separates my eyelashes and doesn’t flake and this one doesn’t move, flake, clump or anything, I was equally impressed with this.
The Pep-Start Perfecting Balm in Guava Tint was another winner. I love a lip balm that gives you a hint of colour because most of the time I cannot be bothered with lipstick. I constantly worry about it smudging or getting on my teeth and I spend the day scared to eat and drink. So I’m definitely more of a lip balm girl and this was perfect. It was super soft and hydrating on my lips, which my very dry, chapped, winter lips loved. The colour is also super pretty, it’s just enough of a colour that you can tell you’re wearing something but it isn’t super bold. Win win. The only item I wasn’t 100% convinced about was the Pop Lip Colour + Primer in Love Pop, I wanted to like this, I really did. The colour is literally my favourite lip colour and when I applied it, it went on beautifully but there was glitter in it. Glitter is a big no no for me, I think it can look great on other people, but not on me. Had this not had glitter in then this would have been a sure fire win, but alas, it will probably be something I put in a drawer and forget about but refuse to get rid of because of how pretty the colour is.
So there you have it, my thoughts on the Clinique Christmas Essentials gift set. I think it would be the perfect gift to give someone who loves Clinique or skincare and makeup in general. Unfortunately it is no longer a star gift, so it’s back up to full price, but I still think it’s worth the price tag, you can buy it here.
Canvas From Photowall Review*.
I was emailed a little while back by the lovely people at Photowall asking if I wanted to review a product. Now anyone who knows me will know that I’m a sucker for a good canvas or print. When I had a look at their website I was actually super surprised at the range of prints they offered. From cartoon and Disney characters to quotes and scenic pictures.
I’m currently attempting to put some more prints up above my desk so I thought that this would be a great start. The website is so clear and easy to use, which makes choosing your print and ordering it a really easy task. You simply choose the print you want, or you even have the option to upload your own picture, then decide if you want it to come on its own or with a frame you can assemble yourself, choose the edging you want and the size and hey presto you’re done.
I chose to have this print and I decided to get it with the frame. I really like the fact you can choose what size you want, I too often find something I like only for it to be too big or small for where I want to put it. Once it had been ordered, the delivery was super quick and it was packaged really well. I was really happy with the quality of the print, it was print on a really nice thick material and the print itself looked great. When I saw the pieces of the frame, I’ll admit I was a little worried, but the instructions were clear enough that I was able to assemble it without any real problems. The only thing I’d think needs improvement, is having a picture that shows you more clearly which way around you have to attach the frame parts because I had to read it so many times, and even got my mum’s help, before I really got it. (Although, this could have just as much been my own problem because I am the least crafty/DIY savvy person in the world.)
I really loved the fact there were no small screws or a million screwdrivers you had to use, you simple placed the bracket over the holes, put the screws in and turn. Even I could do that, so I’m sure you’ll be fine too! I was a little worried about the part where you have to turn the frame inwards so you can screw the parts together, because I had visions of the print not staying attached and then I’d panic, but amazingly it didn’t. Which leads me to a slight word of caution, when you take the tape off the wood to reveal the glue, it is very sticky, so once you’ve applied it, I’d say there is very little chance of you being able to take it off to start again, so bear that in mind.
Once the screws were all in place, it was done. Super easy and honestly quick to do. I’ll definitely be ordering from this website again, I’ve already picked out a few canvas’ that I want for my wall. With an easy to use website, quick delivery, quick assembly and a great customer service team, honestly it couldn’t be easier to decorate your home with a few new canvas’ in the new year.
*This post contains something that was gifted, but all thoughts, opinions and pictures are my own.
Where Have I Been?
Honestly, I’ve been a little bit all over the place. Mentally, emotionally and physically. So I took a step back, at first, because I had to and then I just needed time to focus on me. Which is okay. It’s amazing how many people, myself including, feel like saying no to things or taking the time to heal and focus on yourself is a bad thing. I know that I thrive better under pressure, which is super weird because the thought of being in a situation with a lot of pressure gives me heart palpitation, but if I’m suddenly thrown into a high pressure situation I usually thrive.
It’s the immediacy of it, I think, that I like. My brain doesn’t have time to worry or stress or really process what happening because its immediate, it’s happening right now and you just gotta buck up and sort whatever needs sorting. It’s also one of the reasons that I like to keep busy, because it doesn’t give my brain a chance to process what’s really going on or how I’m really feeling. I just like to be constantly doing something, and while I’m doing it, I’ll be thinking about the next thing that needs to be done, always working one step ahead in my head.
But sometimes we, namely I, need to learn when to stop, when to slow down and listen to what your body, and sometimes even the people around you, are saying. I didn’t and my body decided it’d had enough, physically took to attacking itself just to get me to admit something was wrong. I was still stubborn about it, like I always am, waiting 6 days to go to the doctors and they were amazed I was still standing. I spent the next 11 days after that in hospital, the first 3 of which, I don’t even really remember but if my mums reactions were anything to go by, it was pretty scary for a bit. And while 11 days doesn’t seem like an amazingly long time, I swear to you time passes so much slower in hospital.
At the end of it, I was back on a course of steroids with the prospect of a lot of new medication in the future, more scans and tests, new consultants and nurses. It was a lot. And it made me realise that I needed to allow myself time to heal, to let my body try and fix itself as much as it could before I really got back up and carried on swinging. A week and a half after I got out of hospital I had a butt tonne of University work I had to finish so that I could finally graduate. Which I lived for because there was that good ol’ pressured feeling back and I worked and worked and kicked its butt considering.
Then nothing. I had no uni work, no job, basically no social life, I hardly left the house. I very quickly slipped from being the busiest I’d ever been to not having the physical or mental energy to move from my bed. I’d been down before, but this was bad. There’s a lot I blame on the meds, the insomnia, the heightened anxiety, the mood swing, the weight gain, the hair loss, all of this and more helped bury me into the deep hole that I couldn’t even contemplate climbing out of. So I didn’t. For a really long time.
Skip all the dramatic stuff and what am I really trying to say? Well, in a nutshell I realised it gets better. Not straight away and it isn’t easy, but it does get better. Eventually. I got a little job, nothing fancy, just at the weekend in the local supermarket but it was good. Then I got another job, nothing permanent just during the week for a couple of months, doing the thing I love and sure it meant working seven days a week but that was okay, I could do that for a while if it meant my passion was being pursued. I started therapy, started learning the tools that would making living with anxiety that little bit easier. I went to visit my favourite people in my favourite city a few weekends ago and it did amazing things for my soul. I brought tickets to my first Supernatural con next May which has led me to meet a whole new family that honestly get me through most tough days. I found the desire to sit at my laptop and write something I was proud to call my own.
Taking time out doesn’t make you weak. It allows you the time to heal and reevaluate the things that really deserve to take up space in your life. Every one has bad times but that should never be reason enough to stop fighting. Take the time to stop and really take in what’s happening in your life, remove the negatives and embrace what makes you truly happy and make that the brightest light in your life. It might not be easy, but then again, nothing worth fighting for ever is, and life, I think, is worth fighting for.
Hello Fresh Ready Box
I spotted these new boxes a few weeks ago in my local supermarket and having been tempted in the past to try out the Hello Fresh subscription boxes, I decided to give this a go! I love the fact that all the ingredients are already packaged up and they’re all fresh. Normally with things like this you have to buy the chicken to add, but literally pick up one of these boxes and you can be on your way. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that I could have the chicken stock that was included because sometimes I struggle with stocks and gravy’s because they contain gluten! Also can we just appreciate how cute all the packaging is, I’m a sucker for things like this so this gets a massive thumbs up from me!
Now I love cooking, so I had a lovely time blaring out some tunes and preparing all the food. The recipe does gives some time guides for cooking but to start with, for example when I was browning the chicken, I left it in the pan for a bit longer that it said just to make sure it was cooked. Another great thing about this, is that it can all be cooked in the same pan which means less washing up and I’m all about that life! Once you’ve cooked the chicken and taken it out the pan, you literally just add the peppers, tomatoes, chorizo and rosemary and wait for it all to soften. Then chuck in the rice, stock and parsley (keeping some to garnish the top) and then cover and just let it cook away. Everything in the box was super fresh and tasted lovely and I couldn’t get over how good it tasted considering it only took my half an hour to cook. I think next time I’d like to add more peppers and chorizo because there wasn’t enough for my liking, but the great thing about a box like this is you can add or exclude whatever you want!
Everyone that tried it thought it tasted amazing and couldn’t believe that it had come out of a little box. I will definitely be trying some of the other Hello Fresh meal boxes, and I’m definitely thinking about trying out their subscription service too. Let me know if you’ve tried it and what you think of it!
13 Dates – Matt Dunn Review.
It’s been a while since I picked up a romance novel and when I picked this one up I wasn’t 100% sure on what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. I have to be in the mood for a romance because usually I’m not in the mood for all the fluff and sappiness and bleugh. I’m definitely more of an action and adventure type of gal. But this wasn’t too bad.
‘When Noah Wilson first encounters the quirky, opinionated and very beautiful Angel Fallon, his world is turned upside down. It’s clear she’s not his normal type, but Noah can’t stop thinking about her—which doesn’t bode well for the blind date he’s already late for. Convinced by his friend (and self-professed dating expert) Marlon that thirteen dates is all you need to fall in love, Noah decides to give it a try with Angel. They should be incompatible: she’s impulsive and he’s a planner; he wants to settle down and she doesn’t ‘do’ relationships—or anything, for that matter—the way Noah is used to. But there’s something about Angel, and Noah can’t shake the idea that all they need is twelve more dates. Despite some near-disasters involving rock climbing, saddle sores and jellied eels, it seems his plan may actually work. But even if they do reach the magic number, can that really mean they’ll just fall into their happily-ever-after?’
Truth be told, I downloaded this while I was in hospital because I wanted something that wasn’t too heavy and was going to be a quick and easy read. Which is exactly what it is. It took me maybe two days to finish it, but then I find that it never takes me too long to make it through a romance book. It’s really easy to follow and I was easily able to put it down throughout the day and pick it back up not forgetting what was happening. It’s a very sweet book with some interesting turns you don’t really see coming however I was quite disappointed with the ending. Maybe it’s because I’m not really into the whole overly happy, sappy ending but I just couldn’t help but stare at the last page in a bit of disbelief that that was the end of the book. For someone who loves romances, I wouldn’t say it’s the best I’ve ever read but I didn’t hate it. I needed something to kill some time and something that was going to be a quick and easy read which is what it was so if that’s what you’re looking for then this might just be the book for you.
You can currently buy it on amazon here.
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M&S Gluten Free Lasagne Review.
I love a good lasagne. Key word being good. Being such a simple dish I think it’s incredibly easy to get wrong, but get it right and boy is it amazing. I’m a sucker for anything Italian or pasta based, and 90% of my restaurant orders are lasagne. Mostly though, I’m a bit naughty and if I can’t be bothered to cook, I’ll grab a ready-made one.
However, I’ve found since going gluten-free, I’ve been quite disappointed on the lasagne front. Sainsburys and Tesco I found were both a bit lacklustre and don’t even get me started on the one from Kirsty’s ready meals! (You can read all about my thoughts in this previous post.)
I was just about to give up when I stumbled across the M&S one in their Two Dine for £10 offer and I couldn’t just leave it there. And finally my faith has been restored! I honestly don’t think you’d know that this was gluten-free at all, it’s the closet thing I’ve tasted to a proper lasagne ever. The pasta has just the right amount of bite to it and isn’t too sloppy, the cheese sauce actually tastes like cheese sauce and we all know I’m a cheese fiend but I was very happy with it. As much as you can’t really see in the picture, I promise there were actual layers and they were filled with just the right amount of meat and sauce. I don’t think anything is going to live up to this, but I know where I’ll be going if I can’t be bothered to cook dinner now.
You Had Me At Hello – Mhairi McFarlane Review.
I’ve recently fallen back in love with my kindle, having downloaded so many cheap books to it. However, when I was deciding which book to start with, I ended up with going for one that I’ve had sitting in the library for years!
‘Rachel and Ben. Ben and Rachel. It was them against the world. Until it all fell apart. It’s been a decade since they last spoke, but when Rachel bumps into Ben one rainy day, the years melt away. They’d been partners in crime and the best of friends. But life has moved on: Ben is married. Rachel is not. Yet in that split second, Rachel feels the old friendship return. And along with it, the broken heart she’s never been able to mend.’
Now anyone that knows me knows that I’m not a huge romance fan. I just find them too fluffy and predictable and I usually make it about halfway through before I just give up. However, this one managed to keep me going until the end. The reason I decided to pick this one up was because I’d seen the novella in the store and liked the sound of it, but I wanted to read the novel first. I found it a bit slow in places, for example when Rachel talks about their time together in University, but it picks up relatively quickly so I didn’t mind. Rachel might be one of the few main characters in a romance novel that doesn’t get on my nerves. She’s real, down-to-earth and funny. She’s almost who I think I’ll turn into given a few years. Yes, ending was a bit predictable, but then again aren’t most romance novels and for some reason I wasn’t mad this time. I think it has to do with the fact that I liked both Rachel and Ben and was rooting for them from the beginning. It shows that not all relationships are smooth sailing and sometimes life gets in the way and sometimes you’re too young and stupid, this book was definitely a breathe of fresh air in amongst all the other romance books I’ve before.
If you love romances, or even if you’re like me and don’t, but just think you might want to give one a go, You Had Me At Hello is one I couldn’t recommend more. It’s real and down-to-earth, unlike some of the other romances I’ve read recently.
Why I Love Doing Yoga.*
I don’t exercise. In fact I dislike it greatly, it just isn’t for me I’m afraid. But something I’ve been loving recently is yoga. It doesn’t feel like a chore and I like the fact that some mornings I can do 10 minutes and others I can do 30. It isn’t something I thought I’d ever be into but there are so many benefits and if I can do it, anyone can! If you’re thinking about starting yoga or you’re just looking for some new routines I can’t recommend Yoga with Adriene more. She literally has a routine for everyone, so have a little look and I’ve no doubt you’ll find something that works for you, I’m currently working through her 31-day challenge.
It helps my aching body.
I joke about the fact that I think I secretly have the body of a 60-year-old woman but sometimes its the truth. I have aches and pains that you wouldn’t believe, sometimes all I can do it soak in the bath and hope for the best. But something that has really helped is yoga. It helps with some of the aches and pains, especially the ones in my legs and lower back, this routine is my favourite.
It clears my mind.
I suffer terribly from brain fog some days, so I tend to do yoga because it helps to clear my mind and relax. While I’m doing yoga all I have to focus on is my breathing and nothing else. I feel so much better mentally after, my mind is clearer and I feel almost lighter in a way. If you’re someone who finds it hard to switch off or like me, gets brain fog often, I highly recommend yoga to help slow things down and switch off.
The clothes.
I practically live in yoga leggings. I can’t help it, they are just too comfortable. I was very kindly gifted these ones from Lapasa and I love them. They are unbelievable comfortable and really breathable, both of which are important to me. Something else that’s great about these leggings are the fact they’re shrink resistant because of the lycra, which lets it stretch without changing the shape. I hate when leggings lose their shape or elasticity, especially after a few washes, but no worries of that happening here. I’m planning on buying more of these to replace some of my leggings that have seen better days. My favourite part is how high the waistband is at the back, I hate that when I sit on the floor I have to pull the back of the waistband up because it usually slips down. These leggings are designed with this in mind and having a higher back means there’s no worry of them slipping down, which I love.
Fab news – the lovely people at Lapasa have given me an exclusive 10% code off for you guys, just use the code ‘teabooks’ until the 27th of this month.
Let me know if you do grab a pair and if you love yoga as much as I do!
*This post contains something that was giifted, but all thoughts, opinions and pictures are my own.
The Marriage Pact – Michelle Richmond | Review
I can’t remember the last time I read a good thriller. Until this. Although truth be told, I’ve never been massively into the thriller genre, not for any particular reason other than I’ve never strayed into in. But after reading the synopsis for this I just knew I needed to read it.
‘Newlyweds Alice and Jake are a picture-perfect couple. Alice, once a singer in a well-known rock band, is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Their life together holds endless possibilities. After receiving an enticing wedding gift from one of Alice’s prominent clients, they decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact.
The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. And most of its rules make sense. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly. Plan a trip together once per quarter. . . .
Never mention The Pact to anyone.
Alice and Jake are initially seduced by the glamorous parties, the sense of community, their widening social circle of like-minded couples.
And then one of them breaks the rules.
The young lovers are about to discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life. And The Pact will go to any lengths to enforce that rule.
For Jake and Alice, the marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare.’
Without having many other thriller books to compare it too, I’ll choose instead to say it’s one of my favourite reads so far this year. I honestly finished it within a few days because I just couldn’t put it down, and when I did put it down, it was all I was thinking about and let me tell you, it’s been a long time since a book has managed to do that. I think for someone who was relatively new to thrillers, it was a great introduction, although I did find it a tad slow at times. There are a few chapters scattered throughout the book that look at Jake and Alice’s relationship before they were married, and honestly, I found these chapters dull and didn’t really feel like they added a lot to the story. So I found myself mostly skim reading these chapters, eager to get back to the good stuff. Boy let me tell you, the good stuff was good. I never knew what was going to happen next and there were multiple times I was shouting at Jake in my head because he was being reckless or stupid and The Pact were bound to find out. It continually had me guessing, which I suppose is a solid indicator of a good thriller.
My only slight let down was that the ending was a tad predictable. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t see it coming until the last few chapters but when I started to guess where it was going, I lost a tiny bit of enthusiasm. A tiny bit. I still found myself engrossed and eager to find out what happened but I was a little sad that I’d figured out what was going to happen. Still, every other twist and turn had me on the edge of my seat and I flew through the book wanting to know what was going to happen. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is new to thrillers or already loves them, this has definitely encouraged me to put some more thrillers onto my TBR list.
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Getting Ready To Go Out When You Don't Really Feel Like It.
So me and some other lovely bloggers have decided to do a little bit of a collab. Since friday there has been a blog post every day going up on someone’s blog all to do with beauty, from what to take when you travel to beauty set-ups, it’s all happening. These girls are lovely so be sure to check them all out and give them all a follow:
https://ferniex.wordpress.com/
https://missamymaria.wordpress.com/
http://www.wonderlandwarblings.com/
Now, don’t get me wrong, I do like to get all jazzed up if I know I’m going somewhere special or out for the day but there are times when I simply can not be bothered. A few weeks ago (after an 11-day stint in hospital I might add), my dad phoned me up to tell me we were going out for dinner. You don’t understand the excitement I felt at the prospect of going out somewhere, I guess being cooped up in the same room for nearly two weeks straight will do that to you. But I was tired and my body was having a particularly achey day so I really wasn’t in the mood to spend ages getting ready and making myself look all prim and proper. So I decided to show you how I get ready when I really don’t have the energy!
Skincare is something that I know I should be better at, but let’s be real, who has time to do a double cleanse when their bed is calling? Not me! But I must say that I have got better the last few months, the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is an absolute god-send. Anywho, because I knew I wasn’t going to be spending loads of time on my skin I decided to just used a Simple Cleansing Facial Wipe to get rid of any grime or dirt that had built up over the course of the day. I don’t claim to know a lot, but I know that make up goes on best on a clean, fresh face. Then I used the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer (try saying that ten times fast!), and I just love this. I was first introduced to this tonic in a bottle and you had to pour some onto a cotton pad to use, but I must prefer this spritzer. Yes, I’m lazy, but I also find that it makes me feel so much more refreshed after a few sprays. Also can we just appreciate how good all of the Liz Earle products smell?! I tend to use this before my moisturizer and because its loaded up with aloe vera and cucumber it really helps calm any redness of my skin, of which there’s a lot. (Especially my cheeks, anyone else have this problem?)
Next I go in with a moisturiser. My skin is super-duper dry and I have been searching high and low for a moisturiser that stops the dryness but isn’t super duper thick. And this is as close to a winner I’ve got. The Clinique Pep-Start Hydrorush Moisturizer isn’t too thick and sinks into the skin wonderfully. I wouldn’t call this a heavy-duty moisturizer because at the end of a long day I find that I start to see dry patches on my forehead and around my nose, but the only thing I’ve found so far that doesn’t is E45 Cream (seriously, this is my go to moisturizer always!), but because we were just going out for the evening I knew it would do the trick. It also contains SPF 20 and we all know how important that is and considering I only have to look at the sun to become a tomato, every little helps!
Fortunately, for some strange unknown reason that I won’t question, my skin has been breakout free for the last few months so I decided to skip putting a base on. However, normally I’d reach for the Bourjois 123 Perfect Colour Correcting Cream. It has a light coverage and I find it so quick and easy to blend out. Because of the addition of the green, apricot and white pigments in the formula, it evens out the skin tone perfectly, dark circles and redness be gone! Like I say, my skin was doing okay and honestly if there’s a step I can skip, I’m going to skip it! On days like this when I was feeling tired but wanted to at least look like I had made an effort, I typically just focus on the eyes and lips. I find they’re the quickest and easiest things to do, and I can be out the door in minutes. For my eyes, if I’m in a rush or don’t have the energy to sit and blend a thousand colours to get the perfect shade, I always reach for the Maybelline Color Tatoo in the shade On and On Bronze. I find these eyeshadows are so easy to just pat on and blend out for a nice subtle colour, plus they are super long-lasting without an eye primer (yay for another step we can skip) and they don’t crease. This particular shade is my favourite because it gives a really nice bronze sheen, however a word of caution, because of the staying power of these once its on there, it’s on there so you have to move in quick with the blending.
I always curl my lashes because mine are very straight and I’ve yet to find a mascara that gives me a curl that lasts. Recently I’ve been reaching for this little Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara, I’m not particularly fussy with mascaras, but I like this one because it’s not clumpy and it’s travel size, which is a win win for me. Lastly, lips. This product is probably the holy grail for me, I find myself reaching for it again and again, that at this point it may as well just be a permanent fixture on my face. The Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Tortola, I love everything about it. The formula, the colour, the packaging, even the smell. If there was one product I had to choose to stay with me for the rest of my life, this would be it. Despite being matte, it isn’t drying on the lips and the staying power is amazing, which is great because it means I don’t have to worry about getting up to reapply. (Honestly, it lasted 2 courses and a fair few vodka lemonades before I needed a touch up!) It literally glides on like butter and with one swipe you’re done.
My hair is going through a pretty funky stage at the moment. Because of some medication I was taking, as well as an iron deficiency, my hair likes to go through phases of falling out. So my hair is nowhere as thick or long as it was last year, it kills me to look at holiday photos from last year because I yearn for that hair back. Anywho, it’s getting to the stage where it is starting to thicken up but it just needs a bit of help. I really like this Batiste Texturing Spray because it helps give my hair a bit of texture, obviously, and helps it not look as flat and lifeless as it normally is. The other thing I love is it doesn’t leave behind that tacky feel in your hair, so it literally doesn’t feel like you’ve used any product. I would issue a word of warning though, the spray comes out with a bit of a vengeance, so definitely be careful with that, you get a lot of product in just one spray. Finally I add a touch of perfume, my favourite right now is Si by Giorgio Armani which I got from my dad and step-mum for christmas and I adore it so much, the bottles nearly empty.
So there you have it, my quick and easy routine for getting ready when you really don’t want to. Getting ready to go out still makes me feel good and I enjoy doing it but sometimes the energy and effort it takes puts me off, but I find keeping the steps to a minimum helps and all in all it took me only 10 minutes which is a god send when you can’t stand in front of the mirror for ages. If you’ve got any tips for getting ready when you can’t be bothered let me know down below!
Don’t forget this is part of a collab with some fantastic ladies so be sure to go and check out all their other post’s and give them a follow to keep up to date with the rest of their fantastic content, I’ve linked their Twitter and post’s below.
Fern – Make Up, Set Up
Amy – The Make Up Travel Pack
Ashleigh
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