Haul... When in Spain!

 

I'm back from 4 days away in not so sunny Spain.. Before I sort through the dreaded mounds of holiday washing and unpacking, I thought I would make some time to share with you a couple of things I bought whilst away.

I love airport shopping - mostly because it's tax free but also who doesn't want to go shopping for new makeup at 5.30am!! I sure as hell do!
Iv been wanting to try the Clinique bottom lash mascara for a while now and at £10 it was a steal! I have naturally long bottom lashes so trying to get them looking natural rather than like spider legs has always been a challenge for me. For those of you who've not heard about this product before, it's a mascara especially designed for your bottom lashes. The wand is super small and cute, which allows you to apply easily to the bottom lash - no more getting top and bottom lashes stuck together at the outer corner.. Something which can often happen with a bigger wand.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara £10 - £12

I have to admit the first time I used this I wasn't as impressed as I expected. Whilst it's a great mascara, I wasn't instantly wowed with the results. It was only when I went back to using my every day mascara that I really noticed the difference.. The smaller wand gives a naturally separated finish whilst the every day mascara left my lashes looking to long and clumpy. Overall this is a good product and I'll be repurchasing once it runs out.

The second buy was a fashion buy from mango! A shop I often skip in England but I think this could soon become one of my favourites. When browsing shops I always say to myself 'would Kate Middleton wear this' and if the answer is yes then it more than certainly gets bought! Mango has loads of great Summer clothes - especially if you're trying to create a Kate look - I'll be recreating some in a future blog.

Mango - £29.99

Whilst in Mango I picked up this beige shopper.. The thing I love about this is the space inside! It's huge! My staple colours for summer are nude, beige and tan so this bag will be perfect! I can already see this bag ending up full of half used beauty products, chewing gum and loose change but I'll try to keep it tidy! Promise!

I packed my bag... Holiday Edition

I’m off to sunny Spain this weekend and wanted to share with you my holiday essentials - everything which I'll be carrying in my hand luggage!

 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

 My flight leaves at 6am which means leaving for the airport at 1am!!! Yawn Yawn Yawn!! Whilst I’ll feel like an absolute grotbags, I don’t want to look like one – therefore it’s essential that I take good care of my skin. I’ll be drinking plenty of water throughout the morning and flight to make sure my skin stays hydrated. Planes are especially bad for dehydrating skin so it’s extra important to take care of it! Before the flight, I’ll be using the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream. This is a beauty essential for most people and it’s great for just about everything. I tend to use it whilst travelling when my face is free of makeup. It adds a glow to your skin leaving you looking fresh faced – not like you’ve been up all night!

This really is the only beauty product I use when flying – I’m terrified of flying so there is nothing worse then getting up in the air with mascara strewn down your face from crying during take off! 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

That leads me on nicely to my second essential

 

Batch Rescue Remedy

If you have a fear of anything, this stuff is a god send. I use it prior to flying, important meetings at work or generally when I’m out and about feeling anxious. You just put a couple of drops of your tongue as soon as you start to feel nervous and the natural remedy of Bach flowers start to calm your nerves. I know what you're thinking – it’s probably all in the mind. I generally believe that this product works for me and would definitely recommend it to anyone who suffers from anxiety and nerves. The great thing about it is that is comes in many different products such as spray, drops and pastels.

 

A good book - In this case 'The List' by Joanna Bolouri

I love reading but usually only get the time to read properly whilst I'm on holiday. I thinks there's something exciting about choosing your holiday book. It's a whole new time of shopping. Rows upon rows on neatly stacked books and I have to admit I do judge a book by its cover - every time! This time, I chose 'The List' by Joanna Bolouri. My friends always laugh at me for the amount of lists I make about everything so this title caught my eye! The books about described as the modern ladies Bridgett Jones. I'll review it when I'm back for those of you wanting to read.

The List - Joanna Bolouri

Sunglasses

There's nothing worse than stepping onto the plane in your English winter gear only to step off in the glorious sunshine - immediately feeling over dresses and reaching for the deodorant. I always wear something cool for the plane but take something to wrap up in during the flight. My sunnies are always at the top of my travel bag - ready to step off the plane into the glorious sunshine but also to hide my tired eyes after the journey! These ones were £1 from Primark. I'm going on a girly holiday so wanted a pair which I don't have to worry about losing!

They'll be loads more in my carry on bag - I'm female after all! We never know what we might need and when so packing for every eventuality is a must! Therefore iv classes everything else as bits and bobs.. Probably should be titled things I probably won't need but nether the less have felt the need to pack!

Bits and bobs! Including ear plugs, hair clips and mini Jo Malone

Apologies for the picture quality in the photos. I also packed my camera already!

 

I hope you enjoyed this post. This will the first in the series of 'I packed my bag' and hope to do, festival edition, shopping edition, first date etc etc!!!

April Favourites

 

There's been so many products I've been loving this month that it was hard to pick a select few for my April favourites! April for me, was all about Spring colours and scents - fresh, dainty and floral!

 

 Jo Malone - Peony and Blush Suede Cologne &English Pear & Freesia Body & Hand Lotion

 I was lucky enough to be invited to consultation with Jo Malone Norwich earlier on in the year. My favourite Jo Malone scent is Pomegranate Noir so for me Peony and Blush Suede is a much lighter, floral scent. At the consultation, I mentioned that I wanted to add another fragrance to it to make it stronger and longer lasting throughout the day. They suggested I try English Pear and Freesia. For those who haven't tried it, you must!! I must admit it's probably not one which I would have just picked up and sprayed, but it fastly becoming my favourite scent for Spring/Summer. I decided to buy it in the body and hand lotion as thought it was a good base for spritzing the perfume on. My favourite flowers are Peonies and Freesias so this makes a great combo!!

Tanya Burr Nail Polish in 'Be bright, be happy, be you!'



 I've been a fan of Tanya's since she appeared in Pixiwoo's videos so when she launched her beauty products, I just had to purchase some!! My Mum bought me 'Be bright, be happy, be you' for Easter and I don't think I've taken it off my nails since! The polish paints on quite thickly which is perfect if your in a hurry, with only time for one coat. Adding another layer creates extra shine with almost a gel look to the finish. I would describe the colour as a Barbie pink - great to wear with light denims, white tops and statement jewelry.

 LOreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Mascara 
 This has been my staple mascara since it launched! The brush is perfect for separating and defining lashes. I wear it in black, but it's also available in extra black (I find extra back a bit too heavy for during the day). I'm lucky that I already have quite long lashes but the mascara still creates additional length. This is available in Boots priced at £10.99 (currently in the 3 for 2 offer - I tend to stock up!!). I'm going to do a separate mascara post with before and after photos so you can see the effect you can create by layering this mascara.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat
I suffer from dark circles under my eyes so the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat is my morning must have for instantly hiding tired eyes! Whilst it's at the higher end of the price range for a concealer, I'm yet to find a product that works just as well (any suggestions please let me know). I wear the colour 2.5 and apply my foundation, powder and bronzer first and then apply under my eyes. I then use the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to dab the concealer in (careful not to rub it in too much or you'll end up making your eyes look worse!). 

 Dior Addict Lip Glow - Colour Awakening Lip balm  
This product claims to beautify and durably enhance the lips natural colour. I don't tend to wear too much colour on my lips so this product is great. It's pale pink in colour but when applied, it just adds a soft tint to your lips. I love this colour for the Summer, teamed with a pale pink blush such as Mac Fleur Power.It also hydrates the lips, leaving them feeling soft smooth.

London.. I Love You!

Pancakes at The Breakfast Club Spitalfields

I love London! Whatever your budget London is the perfect place for a day trip or weekend away.

My boyfriend Andrew and I set ourselves a budget of £150 for a night away. We chose London as there's so much to do there plus it's only a couple of hours in the car away from where we live.

We stayed at the Premier Inn in Redbridge. Whilst they're basic, you know what your getting and this ones located about a 20 minute tube ride out of Central London - perfect for stepping off the tube after a long day shopping!

I've seen so many blog posts about the breakfast clubso I decided to add it to my bucket list for 2014. The food looks amazing, the atmosphere looks amazing and I can confirm it's just that! We chose The Breakfast club in Spitalfields. As soon as I opened the door, I fell in love! It's just like being in an American diner - including the portion size! I chose the pancakes and berries which is 4 pancakes with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and vanilla cream. Not forgetting the drizzling of maypole syrup which the waiter topped up during the meal.

The photo speaks for itself. These pancakes were well worth the money. I have a feeling I'll never try anything else from the menu for fear it won't live up to these!!

Today is going to be a good day!

 

I felt slightly guilty for chomping through these (even thought I accompanied them with a healthy OJ which technically wiped out some of the calories - I can wish!) we decided to take a walk round Camden market and then onto Nottinghill. There's so many pretty places in London we haven't been before so it was great just walking around and taking a look at all of the beautifully coloured houses on Portabello Road.

 

Takeaway from the Hummingbird Bakery - Nottinghill

To finish off the day we cycled through Hyde Park and Kensington gardens - stopping off along the way to visit the Princess Diana memorial and Kensington palace. If you've not been on the Barclays bikes before, I definitely recommend it. It's such a quick way to explore the parks - it also makes a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the busy London streets.

Cycling through Hyde Park

Met this lovely lady in Harrods... Day Made!

London on a budget

Premier inn Redbridge - £40
Day tube tickets - £17
Breakfast for two at the breakfast club - £25
Cakes at the hummingbird bakery - £6
Barclays cycle hire for 24 hours £10
Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe - £35

Total - £133