Pick Of The Christmas Novelty Jumpers

Christmas is the time of year we get to be tacky and no-one cares. Out come the ridiculous amount of sparkles, the OTT makeup and the novelty Christmas jumpers.
We wouldn't dare wear anything like this at every other time of the year but somehow Christmas makes us all want to put on crazy coloured knitwear with imposing patterns.

I've gone through several different clothing sites eyeing up all the brilliantly striking jumpers and thought I'd share with you my top picks! Bring on the knits!

First up we have the Reindeer Christmas Jumper from Boohoo (£15) - how cute is the little reindeer on the front! I also think the price is great - I personally wouldn't want to spend much on a jumper I'm only going to wear at Christmas.
Next is the Snowman jumper from House Of Fraser (£29.50). This one is a bit more understated but super cute with snowmen all over it!
Then there's the #Crackers jumper from Marks & Spencer (£29.50) which I honestly just want because it's got a roll neck and I love all things with a high neck at the moment! Love the festive red colour too, and the funny hash-tag.
Last but not least is the ASOS Christmas jumper with Embellished Snowflakes (£26.50). This is the prettiest of the 4, and the one you could get away with wearing throughout winter. I think the white knit with the gold snowflakes make it look really festive.

Have you got a Christmas jumper yet?

Which is your favourite

from my picks?

x

Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil

Winter is the season I really amp it up with my skincare. I like to give my skin that extra boost and little bit of help to fight off the cold weather and give it a little extra lovin'.
I was doing some researching into new products to try and saw a lot of people saying how important an oil is and how much it can make a difference to the appearance of your skin, me being the skincare fiend I am decided to purchase an oil to add into my routine.
Pai is a brand I'd wanted to try for a while, having heard lots of brilliant reviews about their products and knowing they're all organic and vegan made me instantly interested in seeing what they had to offer. I took a look at their website and saw they had a Rosehip oil, and I instantly made a purchase.

Life: Staying Positive

I've had more downs than ups during the last couple of months, and staying positive has been quite a challenge. I've been suffering with a hip injury since the beginning of September, which has steadily worsened, resulting in being signed off work and missing out on fun days with friends. I've been having various tests and scans and seen quite a few doctors now, but nothing's given me any answers.
Understandably this has left me feeling down and negative, just as a was getting somewhere with my life I've been knocked back. I'd started driving lessons, was starting to feel fit and healthy after a tough time getting over coeliac symptoms, and was enjoying learning more and more about yoga and fitness but that's all been put on hold.

 I have a history of depression & anxiety, it wasn't until I discovered yoga and the power of a healthy diet that I started to feel more in control, more confident and happier within myself. Yoga and exercise is the way I deal with this part of me, it helps me stay balanced, so not being able to be active has put me to the test. I started off feeling lost, very alone, scared and extremely down but I'm starting to practise other methods which are helping me stay grounded, keep in control of how I'm feeling and stop me going out of my mind!

Night Time Skincare Routine

I've never felt entirely happy with my skincare routine, especially my PM one. I've never felt like it was doing much for my skin, and some steps I was taking seemed pointless. It's taken me quite a while to find products that really work for me, but I think my current routine might be a winner.

I'll start by saying I have normal to dry skin, that's quite sensitive. I luckily don't tend to get many breakouts (touch wood), but I feel like my skin needs a bit of help with evening complexion.
Also, I haven't included any face masks in this post as I tend to change them up a lot and don't have a stand-out favourite (recommendations welcome!), so this is just my typical every day evening skincare routine!

It's All About That Base

I'm all about that base....(refrains from singing Meghan Trainer.....).
Perfecting your base makes a huge difference to your makeup end result, and I love making sure I'm confident with how my skin looks. Over the years I've collected a few holy-grail base products, ones I know I'll continue to repurchase and have become staples in my day-to-day makeup routine.

Primer isn't something I use every day, simply because I don't need it and sometimes I feel it can clog up my pores. But a product I do use, which isn't marketed as a primer but I find helps to prime my skin and prolong the wear of my foundation, is the Elemis Pro-Illuminating Flash Balm. It's a relatively recent find for me, but it's quickly become a firm favourite for it's brightening, skin perfecting qualities. I'll be posting a full review soon.

Autumn Berries

Autumn is my favourite season. I love the crisp, fresh air, the cold but not unbearably freezing weather, the leaves turning beautiful browns and reds, conkers, Autumn fashion and of course Autumn cosmetics.
As soon as the season comes around I get so excited to whip out the berry lipsticks, nail varnish and when I'm feel adventurous the berry toned eyeshadows (think MAC Cranberry....*swoon*).

Berry lipsticks are my favourite. I'm a huge lover of a smokey eye and nude lip, but something about a berry toned lips makes me so happy. I instantly feel put together, confident and a lot more seasonal. I have a few lipsticks in this category, but I've whittled it down to 1 high end and 1 drugstore favourite.

Top Tips For Healthy, Shiny Hair

Rewind about a two years and you'd see I didn't have the best conditioned hair. It felt constantly dry, not very nourished, it was frizzy and dull. Fast forward to now and you'd see I have very healthy hair, that grows quickly, is shiny, healthy and very rarely feels dry. I've made a few tweaks to my lifestyle that have caused my hair health to improve, and I completely swear by them. If you're having issues with dry or lacklustre hair maybe try these things out.

NARS Sheer Glow, Worth The Hype?

As a lover of beauty blogs and discovering the best makeup trying NARS Sheer Glow foundation has been a long time coming. It's a product I've wanted to try out for what feels like forever, and seeing practically every beauty blogger in existence raving about the foundation just made me long for it even more. When it comes to foundation I do like a light/medium coverage every day, but for nights out, special occasions or just when I want to be a bit more dolled up I always opt for a fuller coverage that'll give me that flawless skin effect.

I can tell you now that I love NARS Sheer Glow! I have the shade Mont Blanc and it's a pretty perfect match.
The foundation comes in typically sleek NARS packaging - a glass bottle with a matte black lid, which feels expensive and sturdy. The only downfall when it comes to packaging is the bottle doesn't come with a pump, meaning you have to tip the product onto the back of your end…..often resulting in too much product which'll go to waste. For a foundation that costs over £30 I'd really expect a pump!
The foundation itself doesn't live up to the name 'sheer glow', as it's not sheer and not especially glowy. The consistency isn't runny, but nor is it thick; it's a brilliant in-between that glides onto the skin smoothly, is beautifully easy to blend and although it's a high coverage looks very natural on the skin. The foundation covers imperfections really well, so well that I don't need to use any concealer (except under my eyes), which is a really bonus.
Another winning point is that Sheer Glow is very long lasting. I often find even more expensive foundations tend to wear off by the end of the day, but NARS have done a fantastic job with the formulation because it looks almost perfect all day.

At £31 for 30ml it's quite pricey, but a little bit of this foundation goes a long way and it's definitely worth the money. It's my favourite foundation ever.

Warm Aubergine, Spinach and Avocado Salad

One of my favourite things to do for lunch at the moment is grab lots of fresh vegetables and other wonderful ingredients and throw them in a pan, cooking them with different things every day.
Today I made my favourite one yet, an aubergine and spinach warm salad with a hint of fresh pesto. So delicious!
Along with being super yummy and filling this warm salad is so nutritious; it's high in iron, fibre, vitamins and also healthy fats.

Ingredients

• Half an aubergine
• Red cabbage
• A handful of spinach
• 2 - 3 mushrooms
• Half an avocado 
• A sprinkling of pumpkin seeds
• Pine nuts
• Fresh pesto (I got mine from the co-op)
• Nigella seeds
• Mixed herbs
• Lemon juice
• Coconut oil

(Serves 1 person)

1. First start by putting a teaspoon of coconut oil into a pan. Let that melt and heat up before adding your ingredients. 
2. Chop up half your aubergine into cubed pieces and place them into the pan.
3. While the aubergine is cooking slice your red cabbage…this is one of my favourite ingredients! After the aubergine has cooked for a few minutes add in the cabbage.
4. Sprinkle some mixed herbs and nigella seeds into the cabbage and aubergine for more flavour, you could also add chilli flakes for more of kick.
5. Slice the mushrooms, I used 3 small chestnut mushrooms. Making sure you wash them first, as with all the other vegetables! And add them to your pan when the cabbage has cooked a bit.
6. Grab a large handful of spinach and add that to the pan as well, letting it wilt.
7. When all your ingredients look almost done add in your pine nuts and pumpkin seeds. These give the salad a delicious crunch.
8. Slice an avocado in half, scoop it out of the skin and cut into cubes while the other ingredients are cooking for a further few minutes and then remove the pan from the hob to add the avocado.
9. Stir in a teaspoon of pesto.
10. Add some lemon juice.
11. Enjoy!

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm - Review

I'm a bit of a skincare fiend, I love trying new products and I'm not really loyal to any part of my skincare routine as I like to test different things. I recently ran out of my Body Shop Camomile cleansing oil (which was actually a repurchase) and decided I wanted something new. Armed with a £5 off Feel Unique voucher I browsed the site looking for a new addition to my skincare regime, and I came across the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm…which I'd heard a lot of good things about and it sounded dreamy, so I made the order. 

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (£22) is a lightweight cleansing balm that looks solid when you open the pot, but once you scoop the tiniest amount out (which is all you need) and rub it between your fingers it melts into an oil which you massage into your face. The oil is unscented, which is brilliant for those with sensitive skin, but feels luxurious, calming and really cleansing. 

The oil, although lightweight and not greasy, removes even stubborn eye makeup which I was rather pleased about. My skin is left feeling super clean, moisturised and fresh after using this cleanser.

Although it may be a little on the pricey side at £22 I think it's well worth the money, the 125ml pot will last you ages as you only need the smallest amount of product to cover your entire face, it has fantastic ingredients that won't do any damage or dry your skin out and I always think it's worth paying a bit more for good skincare, because hey…you only get one face, look after it!

5 Countries I'd Love To Visit

Over the last few months I've had a serious case of 'wanderlust'. I think about different places I want to travel to and explore constantly, I read travel blog posts and endlessly search on pinterest. I think it's so important to see as much of the world as possible, to experience different cultures, breath different air, meet new people and see the best the world has to offer.
I'm hoping soon I'll be able to see more of the world, once I've saved up some money, but for now I thought I'd share with you a few countries I'd love to visit. They're not necessarily all my top 5 countries, but they're definitely all in my top 10 places to visit, and they'll probably be yours too after you see the photographs...

Italy
I think Italy looks absolutely beautiful and fascinating. I can't pinpoint one specific place I want to go because I want to see it all! I think Rome is top of my list though; the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps and Palatine Hill look amazing. I'm also dying to visit Pompeii, Venice and Tuscany.

Switzerland
This doesn't seem to be a popular choice when it comes to people going travelling but I really want to visit Switzerland one day. It looks peaceful, calm, beautiful and almost magical.
Lake Geneva is one of the largest lakes in Europe, surrounded by mountains, a hilly plain and the alps with elegant towns and cities too.
 Bern looks utterly picturesque. It's a medieval city which dates back to the 12th century. There's an ancient clock tower with moving puppets, a Gothic cathedral and market stalls.

Vietnam
Ever since I saw the Top Gear special in Vietnam I've had an urge to go there, which has since been cemented in more by EmTalks blogposts on her trip there, which she called life changing.
It looks like such an incredible country with so many different things to see. Ha Long Bay is my number 1 place to visit, with it's aqua-green water and cluster of rocky outcrops rising from the water it looks like something from a fantasy story. It features over 2,000 jungle-covered Islands with caves and grottoes…get me there! The old city of Hoi An is on my list too, for it's historic architecture and traditional culture. It's full of tiny pathways, traditional wooden houses and little shops.

Greece
Greece isn't somewhere I've really wanted to visit before, but after seeing some gorgeous photos and hearing travel bloggers talk about the country I'd love to visit. Namely the Greek Islands Corfu and Santorini (the latter being top of my wish list…I'd give a lot to go there!); they look breathtakingly stunning. But I'd also love to see the mainland, Hyrda is a small town that's arty and pretty.

The USA
Huge country, and so much of it I want to see. New York city is somewhere I've been longing to go for ages, to walk through central park, see the Empire State Building and explore. Then I'd want to go to the Grand Canyon, LA, visit Texas - especially San Antonio, and walk through the cobbled streets of Savannah.

There's so many more places I feel I need to see. Bali, Cuba, Brazil, more of France and Australia is definitely very high on my list; the only reason it isn't in my top 5 is because I think I might do a separate post on Australia…there's a lot of things I want to see in that country.

If you could go anywhere in the world, 

where would you go?

How Yoga Changed My Life

A couple of years ago I was an unhealthy teenage girl, both in mind and body. I was unfit, had back and knee joint paint, and I was not happy. Now I'm a 20 year old who's healthy and happy.
About a year and a half ago I decided to change and become a healthier person, and one of the things I decided I wanted to do was yoga. Yoga has become a huge part of my life now, and I can't see that changing!

If you know me personally then I can pretty much be 100% certain that I've told you to do yoga at least once. It's something I believe everyone would benefit from, and I'm about to tell you why.


Before I started practising yoga I thought it was literally just a bit of simple stretching and mediation. I thought the only benefits you could get from it were flexibility and perhaps a bit of calm in your mind, but there's so much more. The benefits to a regular yoga practise are endless!

1. It builds muscle strength. At first I found some yoga poses quite challenging because of the strength in your whole body you need to achieve them, but now I find my body is strong and it's so much easier to hold more advanced positions. My arms are more toned, my abs are strong and my back & legs are stronger too!
2. Yoga improves your posture. In a world where so many people sit at computers all day posture is becoming somewhat of an issue! Yoga teaches you to stand and sit tall, thus preventing damage to the spine and it makes you look slimmer too.
3. Increases blood flow. Yoga aids circulation by getting more oxygen to your blood cells. Twisting poses wring out venous blood from internal organs. Inverted poses (headstands, should stands and hand stands) allow venous blood from the legs and pelvis to flow back to the heart, where it can be pumped to the lungs to be freshly oxygenated. All this reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney problems.
4. Prevents cartilage breakdown. As your joints are going through a full range of motion this can help to prevent degenerative arthritis and other joint disabilities.
5. Yoga protects your spine. Keeping the discs in your back supple is so important, and a yoga practice with plenty of backbends, forward bends and twists will really help that.
6. Betters bone health. This is something important to me as I have a high risk of developing osteoporosis. Yoga requires you to lift your own weight which strengths your bones, and also reduces a stress hormone which isn't good for calcium in the bones.
7. Lowers blood sugar. Yoga's been found to lower cortisol and adrenaline levels, which encourages weigh loss and improves sensitivity to the effects of insulin.
8. Yoga helps you focus. During your practise you should focus on the present, not the past of the future, just the now. This is important, and it improves co-ordination, reaction time, memory and even IQ scores with regular practise.
9. Contrary to popular belieft yoga can give you a real workout! Sure, yoga can be super relaxing but it can also be tough, it can get your heart pumping and cause you to sweat!


All of those benefits can be found with regular practise, but what real results have I seen from a almost 2 years daily yoga practise?
I'm stronger, more balanced and more flexible than I was before and that's improving constantly.
I find I'm a lot happier in my mind, I feel calmer and more confident as well.
I sleep better and my brain doesn't feel so busy at night.
I'm in less pain…this is the biggest benefit for me. Before practising yoga I wouldn't be able to stand for even half an hour without chronic back pain, and aching legs…..I'd even moan when walking around the shops! Now I never, ever have that problem. When I go to work I'm on my feet for 8 hours and it doesn't bother me at all.
Maybe now you can understand how yoga changed my life for the better, and why I believe everyone should practise it and start enjoying the beautiful benefits that will sure follow.

If you're thinking of giving yoga a try then please YogaWithAdriene on YouTube…she is fantastic and the only yoga videos I watch are hers. There's none of that silly music in the background, she's real - not a yoga robot, she encourages you to 'find what feels good' and adapt poses to suit you if you need to, and her range of videos is superb.

Namaste. 

Lush Wishlist

Winter is the season I fall in love with baths. On a cold, dark evening there's nothing better than running a hot bath and relaxing. Even though I find going into Lush stores pretty intense, and the strong scent scares me off I do adore their products and they make baths so much more amazing.

Here are some Lush products I've got my eye on -

The Comforter 
This is a bubble bar, you break a bit off under running water and it creates gorgeous bubbles whilst turning the water a nice colour and smelling wonderful. I'm a sucker for berry scents, which this is, and whenever I smell it in the shop it makes me feel all calm and relaxed.

Luxury Lush Pud
This is a bath bomb that makes me feel so festive. The scents are calming and warm with lavender and essential oils. It'll also turn your bath all sorts of pastel colours!

King Of Skin
Sometimes moisturising is a chore, especially when you're in a lazy mood and can't wait for it to sink in. King Of Skin is a body butter that you smooth over wet skin and then wash it off, it'll leave your skin silky smooth and smelling lovely. It's got nourishing ingredients like banana and avocado and exfoliating, soothing ingredients like oats and cocoa butter.

You've Been Mangoed
I adore mango, so obviously this bath melt jumped right out at me! The ingredients are designed to wake up the skin and help you feel nourished and hydrated. There's mango butter, cocoa butter, lemon oil, avocado butter and almond oil…dreamy right!

What's your favourite Lush product?

x

Ultimate Christmas Wish List | 2014

Happy December! The countdown to Christmas has begun. 

It's tradition for bloggers to do Christmas wish list posts, right?! So, here's mine for 2014.

As always I'd like to clarify that I don't expect any of these, it's simply a fun post to do at Christmas time and it might give you a couple of ideas if you're looking to get people gifts, or you may even see something you'd like yourself.

Bag
I quite desperately need a new bag. The one I currently have is one I love, but the zips broken and it's falling to pieces really. I've never bought a Zara bag before, but I know they're brilliant quality and I love the look of this one. But a cheaper, and lovely looking other one is this from H&M.

NARS Sheer Glow 
Have I mentioned this enough? I tried a sample of this foundation in the shade Mont Blanc and I fell in love.

Clarins Exfoliating Toner  
I'm ashamed to admit I don't currently have a toner…and I exfoliate my face less than I should. Every review I've read about this product has been outstanding, and it sounds perfect for me.

YSL Black Opium 
It was love at first sniff. This perfume is gorgeous!

Soap and Glory stuff 
A classic. I've run out of all my Soap & Glory products, I'd love some more of their body butter and body wash…their scrubs are pretty fab too. The 'smoothie' scent is amazing.

Hair Straighteners 
I always curl my hair with a waving wa
nd, but because I have layers I get the inevitable flicks which I have to tame with straighteners. I currently have to steal my sisters….sorry Maddie.

Dressing Gown 
Who doesn't want a snuggly, cosy dressing gown for the cold months?!

Purse 
My current purse has been with me for years…it's a bit battered. Any simple, nice, chunky, quite plain purse with plenty of space for money and masses of cards would be great.

MAC Lipstick - Creme In Your Coffee
I really want a MAC lipstick that's an everyday shade. Creme in your Coffee is a gorgeous pinky brown shade that would be ideal. Who doesn't love a MAC lipstick?!


The Mystery Of Mercy Close 
I always like to get a new book for Christmas, and this one by Marian Keyes is on my wishlist.

Topshop Jumper
I need more snuggly jumpers, and I love the colour of this…surprise, surprise…it's grey.

Yoga Mat 
I took up yoga earlier this year and I've become addicted to it. The benefits are get from doing it are amazing, but I need a mat! A towel doesn't really cut it. They do some good ones at TK MAXX.

What are you hoping will be under your

tree this Christmas?

x

'One Of Each' Wishlist

I decided to put a spin on this wishlist post, so I'm allowing myself only one item per category to make it a little more varied and maybe a bit more interested.

Clothing
Ever since this gorgeous dressed graced the Topshop website I've had the tab open, endless staring at it…is that sad? I adore the style, the colour and the simplicity of this dress. I think it could be dressed up or dressed down to look more casual. I saw it in the shop too, it looks and feels very well made, the fabric is thick and expensive feeling and the colour is warm and vibrant.
The only issue is the price…£45! I mean, you can get 10% off if you're a student but that's still a lot of money. *Prays it goes into the sale*

Makeup
NARS Sheer Glow…a beauty bloggers favourite, a cult classic and a makeup product I need in my collection. I tried a tester of this foundation in Mont Blanc and totally adored it, now I would very much like the full sized bottle.

Accessory
Since I lost weight all my rings, apart from my beloved Pandora ring, are too big for me…so I need some more. These silver ones from ASOS are quite unusual and I love the look of them.

Skincare
I've heard a fair few people rave about the PIXI Glow Tonic - bloggers, skincare experts, random people on twitter, and after hearing it's promises I've decided it sounds like a product for me. It's an exfoliating and brightening toner that removes dead skin cells and leaves the skin looking and feeling healthier.

Fragrance
I've mentioned before that I'm very fussy with scents, I don't like anything too sweet, too floral, too musky or too mature. When in Boots the other day I did the obligatory spraying of all the fragrances in the perfume section of the shop. After getting a whiff of Black Opium by Yves Saint Lauren I proceeded to not only spray myself with it, but douse my scarf in the stuff so it hopefully would linger around for a long time. My goodness this perfume smells good! It's got notes of black coffee, white florals and vanilla….SO good, and perfect for all year round. Also, how amazing is the bottle?!

What are you currently wishing for?

x

MAC Lipstick in Fanfare

Everyone raves about MAC lipsticks, and for good reason. There are certain shades that get a hell of a lot of attention, but Fanfare is one that I think is overlooked.

MAC Fanfare (£15) is described as a 'mid-toned yellow pink' on the MAC website. I'd agree with that, but the description does it no justice. It's such a gorgeous mid toned pink that isn't at all dull, not blue-toned, it's bright, cheerful and just so pretty.
Fanfare is a cremesheen formula, this means it's a creamy formulation with mid level colour payoff and a slightly glossy finish. Cremesheen lipsticks give a gorgeous look on the lips, they're really soft (keep out of the sun!) and they're not at all drying. As they are quite creamy they aren't the longest wearing, but for me this lasts a good 3 hours, minimum, which I think is pretty damn good.
I absolutely love this lipstick; it feels so luxurious, both because of the branding and the formulation and the shade is stunning. It looks great when my skin is more tanned, but looks equally nice when I'm on the paler side. Fanfare is a winner!

What's your favourite MAC lipstick?

x

My All Time Favourite Lipgloss

I've always very much been a lipstick over lipgloss type of gal. I'm not one for constant reapplication, I don't enjoy the sticky feeling, and I certainly don't appreciate the inevitable hair stuck to lips situation, however the NARS lipgloss in Stolen Kisses* (£18.50) (one of their new ones!) has got me reaching for it ever so often.

So, what's so great about  this lipgloss? Well, it's just miles better in every possible way to anything I've tried…(I mean, it really should be considering the price).
The packaging is classic NARS, very simple yet it feels classy and expensive, and you do get a fair amount of product.
Now, the gloss itself is extremely pigmenting, and the colour payoff is stunning. Stolen Kisses is a very natural shade, almost 'my lips but better' but darker and much prettier with a slight hint of shimmer…that to be honest is barely noticeable, but I like that. The colour goes well with any makeup look, I've worn it with a smokey eye and with a 'no-makeup' look and both look pretty gorgeous. I do get complimented when I wear it as well…always a bonus.
The texture is spot on, it's not thick and gloopy nor is it running, and it ranks very low on the stickiness scale; meaning it's extremely comfortable to wear and it doesn't feel like my lips are being glued together.
When it comes down to how long the lipgloss actually stays on the lips I was highly impressed, without eating or drink the shade was still there a good 3 or 4 hours later, obviously it fades over time but nowhere near as much as I had expected from a gloss…I was really surprised!
So, NARS, I applaud you!

Fashion Wish List - September 2014

A new season is just around the corner, which means all the shops are getting new stock in, which results in me endlessly pining over new clothes, shoes and accessories.

I went into New Look the other day and saw this top and this jacket put together and the combination made me turn into that love heart emoji. The two colours go together so nicely - the crepe blazer style jacket (£24.99) is a light grey and the top with scallop hem (£12.99) is a dusky pink, both items of clothing are simple yet really pretty, and I really do need some new short sleeve shirts. Also, both the jacket and the top are under £25, New Look is great for bargains.

I have got an obsession with checked shirts. I only own one but I adore it and I always see others I want, this white one (£17.99) from New Look is really nice and inexpensive, I love that it would go with any colour jeans too.
I also saw these shoes (£14.99), which I'm sure will be a love/hate item, but I like them and I reckon they'd be super comfortable, a great style for going from Summer to Autumn and would go with more or less every outfit.

Urban Outfitters jewellery is my favourite, can I have it all? These are the pieces I'm currently dreaming of. Two necklaces - one has a double chain with a circle and triangle pendant (£12), and the other is a shorter necklace with a crystal and a coin on it (£14). This geometric bracelet with black drawstring fastening (£6) is the sort of style I'm drawn to a lot at the moment.

ASOS is a dream, isn't it? I daren't spent too long on the site or I'll end up with 200 items in my wish-list, at the least. But I did find these two items which I adore. The first is a stripy top (£12), such a staple piece that I need in my wardrobe. The second is another checked shirt (£28), surprise surprise, I like this one a lot..the colours are right up my street, I love the oversized style and the fabric looks so soft.

This wish-list was cut down by quite a few items, but still ended up being long….so I do hope you enjoy long blog posts! I'd love to know what piece of fashion you are looking to buy for the new season. 

xxx

Percy & Reed - Wonder Balm | REVIEW

Whenever I get free hair products with a magazine I have this pre-judgment that they're not going to be very good, I don't know why, but I do. So when I got the Percy & Reed Wonder Balm (£18) free with the April issue of ELLE I didn't think much of  it, and kind of forgot about it. However recently my hair has been feeling quite dry, and none of my products seem to be working as well as they used to, so I dug out the Wonder Balm and I really like it.

The 'Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm' is a leave in balm that you apply to damp hair, either on it's own or before your normal products to act as a primer. The balm claims to give you moisture, shine, smoothness, definition, softness, light hold, high humidity protection and manageability…that's a lot of things to promise! I personally like to apply a small amount before my TRESemme Oil Elixir (which is great if you have dry/frizzy hair), the balm doesn't have a particular scent but it's just quite fresh, it's a fairly runny consistency and it doesn't weigh my hair down at all.
I have noticed that it seems to make the oil elixir work better than it normally does - my hair seems to feel smoother, softer and stay that way for a longer time. I feel like it does prime my hair well, as the TRESemme product now doesn't feel so oily or weigh my hair down. It's no miracle product, but it has helped to tame my hair as it can go a little bit crazy.
I'm yet to try about the 'high humidity protection' promise, but I'm off to Menorca in just under 3 weeks, so I'll be popping the Wonder Balm in my suitcase to test it out, I'm hoping it works otherwise I will resemble Monica from Friends when they went to Barbados (not a good look).

All in all I would recommend this product if your hair is feeling a bit limp and lifeless, it will certainly give it a kickstart back to smooth, soft, manageable hair.

Summer Holiday Reads

Long time no speak, I know. I'm sorry! There are a few reasons why I've been very inactive in the blogging world recently, but I won't bore you with them, just know that I'm back and very happy about it.

As we're now in a Summer month and I'm sure a lot of you are going away on holiday soon I thought I'd do a bit of a different post, but one that's been requested quite a lot.
I love a good 'chick-lit', an easy read, a book that I can relate too, that'll make me laugh and warm my heart on holiday - in my opinion they're the best to read whilst laying by the pool or at the beach. I've read quite a few over the years, so I thought I'd share some of my favourites so you can go and grab them before you jet off to somewhere hot.

1. Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella. If you haven't read any of Sophie's books you're seriously missing out, they're my absolute favourite. Her style of writing is brilliant, very witty, funny, clever and easy to digest. Remember Me? is probably my favourite of hers, it's about a woman called Lexi who wakes up in a hospital, thinking she's 25 with crooked teeth, bad hair and a disastrous love life. But actually it's 3 years later than she thought - she's 28 years old, got an amazing figure, great teeth, a brilliant job and she's married to a millionaire. The story is about her getting to know her life again after her accident, and realising it's not as perfect as it first seemed.
It's very funny, interesting, the character's are easy to relate to and you really get to know them. You become very invested in the story and it's definitely one I couldn't put down.

2. The Wish List by Jane Costello. This is a book I only read recently, and it was the first book of Jane's I've read…I adore it. The Wish List is about a woman called Emma who's only got 6 months left of her 20's - she finds a list her and her friends wrote when they were 15 years old of things they wanted to achieve before they were 30. Emma realises she's hardly done any of them, so she sets out to achieve them all before she hits the big 3 0. She wants to sleep under the stars, jump out of a plane, see the northern lights, snog someone famous, and even find the man she's going to marry. Her mission to complete the list is trickier than she thought! This book actually made me laugh out loud, it made me go 'awww' and it made me cringe of embarrassment for Emma. I can't wait to read more Jane Costello books!

3. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. This book is definitely a heavier read, but it's utterly brilliant. The story is of Lou Clark, a young woman who's been stuck living in her little town, she was working in a local tea shop, living at home with her parents, wears quite out there clothes, and has a boyfriend she's not sure if she loves. But one day she loses her job, which sees her having to apply to be the care assistant for Will Traynor. Will is young man who had everything to live for - the great job, beautiful girlfriend, adventurous lifestyle, before he was involved in a motorbike accident which took away his desire to live. Lou bursts into Will's life and they both change each other forever.
This book is heartbreaking, emotional, beautiful, funny, compelling and really is one you won't be able to put down - you'll be too interested in what happens next.

4. Billy & Me by Giovanna Fletcher. This was a much anticipated book for me, as I love reading Giovanna's blog and her tumblr posts. If any of you don't know she is married to Tom Fletcher from McFly, and she's a very lovely and talented lady. Billy & Me is her debut novel and it's about a girl called Sophie May who has a secret, which has made her give up all her dreams of travelling, going to university and living the life she would have liked to stay in her tiny village, working in the local teashop and living at home with her mum. One day a film crew come to the village, which causes a lot of hysteria, and Sophie meets the gorgeous Billy - a famous actor with high ambitions. They fall in love and Sophie is taken out of her comfort zone and into a world of glamour, showbiz and ruthlessness. Can Sophie handle being in the spotlight and the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy Buskin?
I feel like this book could appeal to so many people, it's romantic, funny, charming, heartwarming, heartbreaking, intriguing and has an emotional twist. It's also very honest, real and believable. I love it and I can't wait to read Giovanna's second book on my holiday next month!

There you go, 3 must-reads for this Summer! 

What's your favourite book?

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