I feel like the past month has been a really interesting one beauty-wise. There were new skincare loves, a lot of new makeup loves and a new fragrance find which I became absolutely obsessed with.
In case you're not a fan of favourites in video form, below are a few favourites of mine that you absolutely need to give a go...
Lorac Pro Contour Palette: I've never been so happy with my contour as I have been using this. I need this in my life always! Dahlia Davin by Givenchy: Fruity and sweet, with a little bit of depth and warmth to it. Every time I spray this it gets peoples attention - rightly so, it smells delicious! Hourglass Radiant Lighting Bronzer:Warm and glow giving - this one is a strong contender for the number one bronzer spot! Hourglass Brow Sculpting Duo:Not only is the packaging beautiful and weighty. The shade ranges of the Sculpting Duos are brilliant and make filling in your brows super quick and easy. Tom Ford Sable Smoke Lipstick:I've had this lipstick a long time, but with my end of summer glow this has wormed its way in to my everyday makeup bag as it looks awesome with bronzy skin. Kiko Intensely Lavish Lipstick 01: Aside from the fact I'm clueless as to why this lipstick doesn't have a proper name, this is a gorgeous new affordable lipstick. Creamy, non drying with great pigmentation. I'm going to have to grab them all... MAC Tropic Tonic Lipstick:A new MAC addition to their matte range. It's a bright coral that I just can't get enough of. I'm hoping for an indian summer just so I get a few more weeks of wear out of this one. Sarah Chapman Morning Facial:My skin always sits slightly more on the dry side once autumn rolls around, so the Morning Facial is a welcome addition to my morning skin care routine. It's not too heavy and works well under makeup. Big thumbs up! Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting BHA Liquid: I've had some serious spots recently, and using this in place of a toner/serum has definitely helped to clear things up at a faster pace. This hasn't been used long term yet, so I'll keep you posted on this one long term!
Despite the torrential rain and thunder storms we experienced during our stay in Skiathos, there were still some days filled with beautiful sunshine. In these moments we spent our breaks between working down by the pool, staring out at the view of the harbour... and the airport! Some people might think the latter unsightly, but seeing that many planes take off successfully really did help my fear of flying.
Although I knew I'd be spending at least a few days by the pool, I tried not to go overboard with the swim wear seeing as it won't see the light of day again until next summer. But I couldn't resist some of the new embellished numbers by ASOS and after completing a month of personal training sessions, I felt like treating myself! This swimsuit was one of the two I picked up (see the bikini here) and even though it can be a pain to throw on it looks amazing and is super figure flattering. It also has a tiny nod to the super high rise swim wear that is currently the thing, but without showing too much skin.
But right now I'm back on english soil and enjoying the thought that I won't have to be in a swimsuit again until 2016 - pass me the bread basket...
Autumn almost crept up on me this year. Brighton still has green trees full of life and leaves and it wasn't until I returned from Greece and stayed over in London that I realised that the season really had changed.There is a cool breeze the leaves that aren't already beneath our feet are turning a beautiful shade of gold.
Last Sunday the roads by our hotel in Piccadilly were closed off, so we took the opportunity to wander around without fear of being mowed down my the crazy taxi drivers. We walked down to Buckingham Palace and saw the sun starting to set. People on rental bikes whizzed past us, chatting and laughing. It was so relaxed that for a second I almost forgot I was in London.
So the season switch has finally hit - which means a new chapter and a fresh start for this blog. You might have noticed things are looking a little different (fingers crossed that I pull everything off). Have a look around and let me know if there are any features to the new site that you would love to see. But above all, sit back, grab a cup of tea and happy scrolling!
After three days of rain and cloud, our last day in Skiathos was bright, cloud free and hotter than the sun. We checked out of our villa in the morning and spent the afternoon wandering the tiny streets of Skiathos.
After scoffing some ice cream earlier in the morning, we stopped by the harbour for lunch and then made our way to the Ekklisia Agios Nikolaos - once you climb the millions of steps to the point where it sits, you have the most beautiful view of Skiathos harbour.
We ate at so many places during our stay, but my top three have to be Agnadio, Marmita and Cookoonari. All of them were beautiful and had the best food. Agnadio was by far the best for Moussaka, whilst Cookoonari had amazing starters and was tucked away with great views. Marmita is a must visit for its gorgeous outdoor dining area and amazing seafood.
Fake it 'till you make it, right? I'm pretty sure that's how the saying goes? Except when you're five foot nothing and in your twenties you know the "making it" isn't really a reality anymore.
People are always surprised when they hear me say my height via twitter or YouTube - which is good, it shows the effort I've been putting in hasn't gone to waste. However, meeting me in real life has most people coo-ing over how miniature I am - the illusion is shattered every time. Dammit.
I often get questions on where I shop for clothes and how I make myself not look too tiny in photos, so today I thought I'd note down a few points that might help answer some of those questions.
SHOPPING
Sometimes I do find it slightly bizarre that I'm asked where I shop due to my height - the majority of my wardrobe is made up of generic high street stores like Topshop, ASOS, Zara, Miss Selfridge, River Island etc, with more high end high street like Whistles and Cos running throughout (and then the occasional designer bag and shoes - you can be any hight for those!)
"THE DIFFERENCE ISN'T WHERE YOU SHOP, IT'S HOW YOU SHOP."
The difference isn't always where you shop, it's how you shop. For example, I generally only buy pieces for the top half of my body from Zara - coats, t-shirts, jumpers etc. Never dresses or trousers as they're just too long! The same goes for Whistles and Cos - these shops seem to be made for 5'5" and above. (However, this being said if you do find something you love - see if you can wonder-web it - that stuff is what dreams are made of!)
Topshop and Miss Selfridge are perfect for shopping for dresses, skirts, jeans - anything on the bottom half (this is why the majority of my clothes come from Topshop). Although Topshop has it's own petite range I rarely ever have to use it as I don't tend to like dresses that are super short now anyway, so the normal range is usually a very respectable length and their "ankle grazer" jeans are normal full length jeans on me.
However - if you're someone who needs to shop in the petite range more frequently, these are some of my favourites for petite ranges (and other pint sized friendly stores).
Topshop Petite Range
ASOS Petite Range
Miss Selfridge
Brandy Melville
Missguided
Forever 21
"IT'S ALL ABOUT TRIAL & ERROR."
So I generally shop like anyone else would - just being a little more mindful about where I shop for certain pieces. But I ALWAYS make sure I try everything on first - in different sizes and height ranges. I probably spend longer shopping for one outfit than most, but it's all about trial and error - making sure the fit is the best it can be is so important - this ethos works across the board, whatever size you are!
It's also important to know what lengths suit your body shape in terms of hem lines - I've been picking out my own clothes for well over a decade now, and I've learnt the ideal length for different styles of coats - I generally know how something is going to fall and where to straight away by looking at something.
STYLING
Shopping is the makeup equivalent to foundation, you have to have the perfect fit to get things off to a good start, but it's what you do from there that really brings everything to life. Play around with different lengths - short jackets/longer hems, long jackets - shorter hems ect. I find doing this and getting it right can really exaggerate the length of parts of your body.
Shoes also play a super important part in this. Black ankle boots that are tight around the ankle always help to elongate the leg when paired with black skinny jeans. I rarely ever wear chunky boots any more as it doesn't flatter my leg length. Same goes for heels that have a chunky ankle strap!
Although it can be frustrating to have a smaller frame, there will often be times when you can work the length difference to your advantage: crop tops become normal tops, pea coats become trench coats and some dresses become midi dresses!
PHOTOGRAPHY
"FOR EVERY SHOT FROM BELOW - THERE'S A PHOTOGRAPHER BASICALLY LYING ON THE FLOOR"
Although I dress reasonably well for my height, it's all down to the camera when it comes to how tall I want you to think I am! For every shot that looks like it's taken straight ahead of me, my pal behind the lens is actually crouching on the ground and for every shot that looks like it was shot from below - they're basically lying on the floor - I'm sure Alix and Joe could write their own post on what it's like to be the photographer for a pint sized blogger.
I also spend my life on tip toe-ing slightly on camera - there's also the good old "slide & twist" that old school photographers use. Lean back a little, twist your body to face the camera and slide one leg forward a little in front of the other. Sounds complicated - feels bizarre. I only pull that one out when on set, but the foot slide mixed with a slight tip toe works perfectly for adding inches to your legs in full body Instagram selfies - also makes for a great calf work out.
There are some moments that you know you're never going to forget, and I'm pretty sure walking on to a red carpet for the first time is most definitely one of them. After we hopped off the plane from Skiathos, I made my way home to repack my suitcase, catch some Z's and headed back to London for the premiere of The Intern in Leicester Square.
It was a roller coaster of a weekend, with lots of last minute rushing about - fortunately I didn't have to worry about my outfit as Needle & Thread kindly kitted me out for the occasion - kind of perfect seeing as they specialise in beautiful pieces for celebrating memorable moments. I wore their enchanted embellished long sleeve dress which fit like a glove (a rarity when it comes to dresses) with my ASOS payback heels and my Zara feather detail bag. Perfect, perfect, perfect!
Oh, and the film? It's pretty good. I love a happy, heat warming kind of film and this is one of those! I'd definitely recommend seeing it at some point. Also, Anne Hathaway is a total babe.
We all know that I'm a massive fragrance hoarder, there's just something about having a wealth of difference scents at my disposal that feels weirdly liberating. I've been stealing fragrances off my mum since I was a small child, with Cerruti 1881 being my first fragrance of my own. Over the years the collection has changed and has seen the likes of Viktor & Rolf, Lancome, Chanel and YSL, with more recent additions including Tom Ford, Esteé Lauder, Jo Malone, and now... Givenchy.
The Dahlia Divin fragrance is the first from the brand to make it's way in to my hands. It's housed in a beautiful clear glass bottle with a peachy liquid inside and a touch of rosey/gold twine wound just under the head of the bottle.
Better yet is how it actually smells. The composition begins with blood orange and peach. Followed by jasmine and roses at the heart and ending with a base of sandalwood, vanilla and musk. The top notes and heart give it that little something extra which separates it from my already existing fragrance collection, but it's the base that is the common factor which keeps me coming back and solidifies it's place in my stash.
There will always be a certain uniform for me when it comes to a full day of meetings. It generally consists of black, on black, maybe mixed with a little grey. And if I'm running from place to place, always comfortable shoes.
This outfit was shot before the cold strap we're currently experiencing, but it's nothing actually throwing on a coat can't solve. The beauty of the Forever 21 boyfriend style blazer I wore is that its light weight and can be worn under other (more snuggly) pieces, but looks is super figure flattering and perfect for times when a more tailored look is needed. It's been my go-to for the most part of this year when it comes to dressing up a casual outfit.
Looking for something a little more schnug? Tune in next week where I'll be wrapping up warm in one of my favourite winter pieces!
Prepare your stomachs people - things are about to get foody.
Last week Alix and I popped out for lunch in Brighton and after months of talk we finally made our way to Food for Friends in the South Lanes. They're strictly vegetarian, so Alix was in heaven and I was pretty much on cloud nine too as I'd eaten there before and their food is insanely good.
Despite everything on the menu looking super tasty we both opted for the Haloumi Burger, which is the best I've ever had and comes with a hefty portion of chips and honey mustard mayo (my favourite burger side). We drank their strawberry refreshers and followed our main up with a chocolate pudding that oozed and melted right before our eyes.
I'd recommend eating here regardless of your dietary preferences, the food is delicious and the interior is just so cute. I also spotted that they do an afternoon tea, so I'll be making a return trip pretty soon to try that out.
In the past nine months I've finally managed to get the task of filming a YouTube video down to something resembling a vaguely organised process. Back when I started out there were a lot of things I'd forget to do or use and I neglected a lot of things that would help make my life easier.
I now film at least two videos per sitting (always helpful if you botch one of the videos up in terms of lighting or audio) and always prepare the following essentials:
TECHY ESSENTIALS
A TRIPOD: Why on earth I used to attempt stacking muji draws and boxes back in the day I'll never know. They don't cost the earth and will make your life so much easier!
A REMOTE: Up until the start of this year I still didn't own a remote for my camera. This is the cause for a lot of the off focus footage and reshooting that used to occur on a weekly basis. You can start recording from a distance with one of these babies - you'll never need anyone to help focus a camera ever again!
A MICROPHONE: Since I got my microphone I haven't had a single person comment saying I sound too quiet. Having a decent microphone allows you to use a fixed point lens that requires you to sit further away without having to shout your way through a tutorial.
64GB MEMORY CARDS! I used to film on a 16 GB card and constantly had to clear it half way through a video due to a full card. 64GB gives me space to film at least four seriously lengthly videos if I want. (I don't, I usually stop at two/three as I get hungry and stop making sense at four!)
A DIY BOUNCE LIGHT: Or a real one, but a DIY bounce can be anything from a big mirror to a large white piece of card. I use these when the lighting situation is a bit desperate. By popping one under my face (either on my lap or on a surface depending on where/how I'm sitting) and positioning it correctly, the light from my window or soft box hits the surface and bounces on to my face. This usually helps to correct any shadow issues I'm experiencing and can work beautifully for tutorials. It can be hit and miss but always a good item to have at hand rather than writing off a day that you planned to film on.
BEAUTY ESSENTIALS
FACE WIPES: These are great for filming makeup tutorials and taking care of the aftermath of sit down videos. I sometimes have to film multiple tutorials in one day, so I use the Simple Kind To Skin Micellar Cleansing Wipes*. They are amazing at removing my makeup quickly, but without being too harsh or drying on my skin. I keep my micellar waters and cotton pads in the bathroom and this saves me going backwards and forwards to correct mistakes or remove makeup. I'd also recommend these for the cut aways of sit down videos - I would frequently forget to remove swatches from the back of my hand and then end up with product accidentally smeared on to things! Oops. After filming my MAC Lipstick Collection I realised they're an absolute god send if you need to swatch a million lipsticks in a row!
TOUCH UP MAKEUP: This is more for chatty videos, but it's so important to keep your lipstick and a powder to hand when filming. Sometimes I take so long to film that my lipstick starts to wear off (always a good look) and during the summer things can get seriously sweaty.
A TOWEL: You might think this is a random one, but I can't count the number of times I'd put a product or brush down on my bed after taking about it, only to realise it has leaked or brushed on to the bed. Keep a towel by your side and keep the products there - it also makes cleaning up after filming a breeze as everything is on one towel ready to be scooped up!
* Compensation was provided by Unilever Simple via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Unilever Simple.
Simple has over 50 years heritage in caring for all skin types, even the most sensitive. Sensitive skin is not a skin type limited to a few people, we can all experience occasions where skin feels dry or irritated, sometimes when we least expect it.
All Simple products contain triple purified water and only our purest possible, skin-loving ingredients with no artificial perfumes or colours. Our unique formulation helps to instantly hydrate reducing the potential for irritation. You can trust the natural goodness in all our products to care for even the most sensitive skin.
When it comes to a day in the city, I couldn't love the Autumn more. The cooler weather makes tube trips bearable and makes dressing super easy when you can wrap up under a cosy coat.
Lately I've been leaning towards an all black uniform with my favourite Miles Boots from Topshop and my Zara Wrap Coat. It's cosy but not so thick that it becomes stifling when rushing between meetings. A pop of colour is added with my Givenchy Antigona bag in the pebble shade. This is my current go-to for days when I don't need my laptop but have a lot to carry around.
As you read this I'll actually be packing my bag for a few days in London as part of some Halloween fun (I'm also taking the opportunity to cram in as many meetings as physically possible). I know London based content can become a little tedious with so many bloggers already in the city, but with so many businesses based here it's crucial for work and I love every second.
It's been a while since my last catch up post... mostly because editing videos and watching dinosaur documentaries isn't the most exciting thing to write about. But we're coming to the end of a very busy month, I mean, October is just FLYING by - it's almost scary.
So in case you aren't a vlog watch-er, let me catch you up on this month so far...
Firstly, my birthday is now well over and done with and I'm having to think about taking my decorations down *sad face*. I had such a lovely time celebrating and hopefully will be having one last birthday related hurrah in Paris before the Christmas period kicks in. I can't wait to experience Paris before it gets too cold - I've been in December before and thought I was going to freeze! I'm excited to go for Autumnal river side strolls and stuff my face full of bread and garlic related substances.
In preparation for a city break with a chill, I stocked up on some Autumnal knits as well this month (upper right) - when I say "some" I mean "loads". Oops. I blame my friend Tijan, we met for coffee last week (lower right) and she gave me the heads up on some beautiful high neck knitted jumpers from Zara. (Her Instagram and blog are some of my faves so I'll link her here in case you haven't come across her channels before)
I've also spent a lot of time on our flat this month - after a summer of travel I have a few months where I'm going to be using the time to make things a little bit more homely. We have a lot of old hand me down furniture from when we first moved in together but new things are finally replacing them. We're also FINALLY getting a dining table so we can eat like civilised human beings (you really don't know what you got 'till it's gone when it comes to dining tables and dishwashers guys #granniechat.
And on that note I think I'll leave this life update here. Sometimes when bloggers don't writing anything personal for a while it's for a reason - I feel like chatting dining tables should be avoided at all costs but there you go!
We all know I have a little problem when it comes to buying new bags, so with a new month comes a new bag, and a new What's In My Bag video...
This one has a little review of the bag at the beginning as it is far more pricey than most and I know a lot of people like to know the pros and cons when they're thinking about investing! We get down to the good stuff at around 3 minutes in though so skip ahead if you're simple interested in the crap my bag houses!
It's no secret that I'm a major Tom Ford fan girl, the brand ticks every box for me and with each collection I get a little more excited.
They've recently released their Noir Colour Collection and it's a more than a little special. Inspired by the new signature fragrance, Noir Pour Femme, the collection is housed in a matching black packaging with the lipstick case in particular matching the ridged design of the bottles.
First Time is one of the latest lipsticks I've added to my collection. A highly pigmented natural pink shade that feels like a more wearable, grown up version of MAC's Please Me. It's cute and fun but with a matte finish that means business at the same time.
Yes it's another one to add to the wish list, but with such a wearable everyday shade, and a finish that can take you from day to night, how could it not be?
The O.H best be watching his bank balance because back ups of this little number are all over my Christmas wish list...
This month we finally kissed goodbye to Vintage Salt on the Selfridges roof top, but as predicted it has been replaced with something equally wonderful. The Forest Bar & Restaurant on the Roof is their newest take over and it is everything my festive, comfort food loving self could have asked for.
Before I mention food, let's just talk about the hot chocolates on the drinks menu. It's not a vast menu but the quality is most definitely there:
Gingerbread Chocktail
Gingerbread liqueur, rum and hot chocolate.
Spiced Banana Choctail
Banana liqueur, rum and hot chocolate
Chestnut Choctail
Crème de Chataigne, white chocolate liqueur and hot chocolate.
I had the latter and it was insanely good - I'd recommend popping in simply for a hot chocolate if you're not one to eat out. As for the food, I can vouch that the Truffle Risotto is the perfect autumn/winter tasty treat - it's comfort food without feeling too heavy or bland.
Now I didn't get to spend as long as I would like for my first visit, but word has it that the roof terrace is open and comes complete with cosy blankets to keep you warm. On your next trip I highly recommend grabbing a hot chocolate and get a load of the view whilst feeling snug as a bug.
Interrupting your regular Monday content with a little public service announcement...
Aside from a few posts that are scheduled to go up this week, things might be a little on the quiet side on my blog and social media over the next few days/weeks whilst I get back to my normal routine. The past month was a real struggle in terms of editing daily and trying to keep my work and home life running seamlessly. I've been ill for various reasons three times along with migraines every other day due to the sheer intensity of staring at a computer screen for so long. In all honesty I've been feeling super down about everything lately so I'm going to be taking some serious offline time this week.
I often find it super difficult to communicate how I feel online once things start to build up. I'm often met with comments about how hard my life must be "doing nothing" when I say the tiniest thing about life struggles. Not only is this just the most evil thing to say because you never know what someone might be dealing with in their life (and this year has thrown some real crackers at me that never made it online), but it's just not the case and hiding down days whilst vlogging regularly makes me feel guilty and that I'm not being true to myself and all of you.
I'm not ungrateful, and I bloody love my job. But I'm not a machine and sometimes it's okay to admit that you need a couple of days with limited wifi access to refresh your brain.
Designer high street collections don't usually hold my attention - there's never been a designer I liked enough to get excited until recently. When H&M x Balmain was announced I knew I had to own a part of the collection. I'm a bit of an Oliver Rousteing fan girl - I love what he's done for the brand and how fresh his attitude is - it makes the brand feel more accessible. And this launch is one more step in that direction.
There are some designers who I swear are so out of tune when it comes to the fit and shape of women's clothing - but the majority of pieces from their ready to wear collection look amazing on everyone - regardless of body type. It's sexy and mature but fresh and young all at once. And I have been praying that the H&M x Balmain collection would follow this.
Now I was all ready and prepped to be up early on Friday, in the queue, elbows at the ready, for even just a belt from the collection. But H&M kindly sent over a couple of pieces (including the belt - I die.) to style for you! Seriously, H&M, you've made my year.
I instantly fell in love with the black velvet mini dress, despite a long term fear of anything with any kind of shoulder pad. Yep, shoulder pads. This dress has them like I've never seen before but I was actually amazed at how much it accentuated and balanced out my figure (I'm like a slightly uneven hourglass). I love it. I'd even go as far as to say that my "the one" of little black dress world has been found. Whist the dress is gorgeous alone - the addition of the green waist belt synchs in the waist, whilst also making the perfect festive accessory. This whole outfit just basically screams Christmas to me.
Despite being terrified of spilling something on my brand new dress, I threw this on during a whirlwind outfit change on Monday for a launch party (and also a visit to Pizza express where I consumed two plates of dough balls and a pizza - an all time record - well done Suz). I added tights and my suede black boots which I'd been wearing earlier in the day along with my leather jacket. These items relaxed the look and worked perfectly for the evening, but I cannot wait to go all out and wear these with some over the knee boots for a full on Balmain vibe.
So the big question, will you be purchasing anything? Do you have a favourite piece?
The collection will be ready to shop HERE on November 5th - a.k.a tomorrow morning! 9am GMT - happy shopping ladies.
La Maison Remy Martin made a return to Soho this month after its major success last year. The townhouse lies hidden away deep in the heart of London's Soho and is home to four floors of various tastes and experiences.
They kicked things off with their exclusive launch on November 2nd and very kindly gave me membership so I could have access to a wealth of Rémy Martin cocktails and do some serious people watching. The latter is no joke as the place star studded and I was particularly excited about getting a tiny glimpse at their current brand ambassador, Jeremy Renner (no black widow or iron man in tow though unfortunately).
With a plus one available I took Alix along with me, and after a few hours of cocktails and experiencing everything the townhouse had to offer, we wandered through Soho in search of some hearty food before making our way home. The best way to spend a Novemeber evening in London frankly.
Members of the townhouse can attend events hosted by talented London craftsmen and celebrities, as well as to enjoy a selection of fine Cognacs and Rémy Martin cocktails created by some of London’s best bartenders.
La Maison Rémy Martin will be open until Friday 27th November and you can apply for membership here!
I originally wrote this post a few days ago, in the hopes of returning to regular content on a positive note, but given the horrific events that have happened all over the world this week, I didn't feel I could publish todays post without a mention. Sorry if you came here in hopes of a little escapism! My heart goes out to everyone affected by this weeks horrific incidents all over the world. Sometimes it literally feels like the world is crumbling through our fingers and it's easy to feel helpless and scared. But it's important not too lose hope or your faith in humanity during these times and do our best to be the most open minded, compassionate and kind human beings we possibly can. Every. Single. Day.
"Now the pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me, and, reminds us, that though we may come from different countries and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one."- Albus Dumbledore
Stay strong and safe my loves.
Here's a little something I wrote earlier...
I'm finally got my head back in to the world of writing blog posts this week - YAYYYY! After a week off and a week full of meetings and shooting I felt excited to finally put my fingers to the keys and do something other than get RSI for excessive emailing.
I thought today I'd go in for an old school update for you. I'm feeling chatty so just roll with me here...
TIME AWAY IS A GOOD THING
Having a week off really did do wonderful things for me, catching up with family and woodland walks are the best therapy. Of course, once you dive straight back in to a mental week it feels like the previous week never happened. But it's so important to spend time nurturing you life offline, otherwise when the online world is switched off you're pretty much left in the dark.
A CHANGE IN ROUTINE
Weekends are now strictly a family and friends (and dog) only zone. I've always felt lucky that I could space out my workload to the weekends to allow for a more relaxed schedule, but now I'm starting to realise that I need a 9-5 routine. No more Saturday night editing for me! I've also been adding gym sessions back in to my routine again this month. Back in September I went at least twice a week and felt great for it - I also felt less guilty about eating lots of pizza. So big thumbs up for a better gym routine.
EXCITING THINGS ARE COMING
The above says it all really, but I've been working on a few somethings off camera recently, some being content related, and I hate to spoil surprises so it's been a silent work in progress on many aspects recently. But the number one right now thing is some special Christmas content and events coming your way. I really wanted to do something slightly different to the usual this year and it has me even more excited for the festive season than ever before.
WINTER WEATHER HAS FINALLY HIT
... And I couldn't be happier. Prancing around bundled up in several layers under a snazzy coat is one of my favourite pass times. Sure, I'll be totally over it by January, but for now, I'm happy. I'm a huge fan of the one you see here from Mango, but I might have also bought a few more. Totally excessive but just so necessary, right?
I’ve always been pretty good at packing and travelling fairly light, aside from my beauty stash, but 2015 is the year where I really got my travel beauty routine down. My routine is fairly minimal anyway, but when it comes to a short city break, these are the only five products I’ll ever need with me...
SIMPLE MICELLAR CLEANSING WIPES*
Why take Micellar water and cotton pads when you can take wipes! These have saved me so many times when I forgot to bring cotton pads with me, so now I only travel with these instead. They’re super fuss free and don’t make my skin feel parched after use. With all of the time I’ll be spending in hotels during December these will be my saviour!
SUNDAY RILEY BLUE MOON CLEANSER
Don’t panic, it actually comes in a much larger tub than this! This is my sample pot that I take with me everywhere when I stay away from home. I highly recommend asking for samples of your favourite cleanser or decanting your favourite where ever possible. My skin relies heavily on routine, so keeping my cleanser consistent is so important to me. When I travel it’s often for events and parties, so having this to double (and often triple) cleanse with is so important as my makeup is often pretty heavy!
PAULA’S CHOICE BLEMISH SERUM
A dreamy toner/serum combo that helps to clear up my unhappy skin - on months where I spend a lot of time away from home my diet isn’t always the best. By “isn’t always” I mean “is never”. I couldn’t be a jet setter permanently or my face would be a mess most of the time, but for the few days where my skin might have an unhappy moment this helps to dry up any new friends that might appear and generally keeps spots at bay.
KIEHL’S SKIN RESCUE
My all time favourite moisturiser just so happens to come in the worlds most travel friendly packaging, so this one is a no brainer really. It soothes angry skin and hydrates without feeling greasy or too rich. *gives round of applause*
NUXE REVE DE MIEL LIP BALM
The holy grail lip balm - this one may be a little heavy in terms of packaging, but in times of need (usually post party where I’ve been wearing something very matte and long lasting) this is my dry lip saviour. If you ever invest in a high end lip balm, make it this one.
* Compensation was provided by Unilever Simple via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Unilever Simple.
"Simple has over 50 years heritage in caring for all skin types, even the most sensitive. Sensitive skin is not a skin type limited to a few people, we can all experience occasions where skin feels dry or irritated, sometimes when we least expect it.
All Simple products contain triple purified water and only our purest possible, skin-loving ingredients with no artificial perfumes or colours. Our unique formulation helps to instantly hydrate reducing the potential for irritation. You can trust the natural goodness in all our products to care for even the most sensitive skin."
