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Lounging in Lockdown*

24 May 2020



Cute loungewear outfits are literally getting me through lockdown. Cosy joggers, oversized tees and all the baggy hoodies are what I'm LIVING for during this time. Nothing beats affordable, good quality loungewear so I thought I'd share my absolute favourite looks today to give you some inspo! Big thank you to Femme Luxe for working with me on this post - all opinions are of course honest, and my own. I've loved Femme Luxe for years - the sizing is on point, the variety is amazing and most of all, it is SO accessible because of the affordable pricing.

Here are Femme Luxe lockdown looks:




Gals, if you are looking for the perfect joggers that fit loosely, are super comfortable and available in lots of cute colours...Femme Luxe have you covered! I've been pairing these pink joggers with all my cute white tees and cardis - the ultimate lockdown outfit combo. The elasticated waistband and cuffed material at the ankles are what I look for in my ideal joggers and these tick both boxes. Cannot wait to purchase these in ALL of the colours!

Shop the Joggers
Shop Joggers



Nothing beats an oversized hoodies - on days where you can't be bothered and want to look effortlessly cool, a baggy hoodie is my go-to. This black hoodie is exactly what I was looking for when I was thinking simple, casual but cool. The fleeced lining inside gives the hoodie that extra cosy feel. I usually opt for this outfit with a pair of black cycling shorts for that daily dog walk. Pop on a pair of sunnies and some chunky gold necklaces and you're good to go!

Shop the Hoodie



If you're wanting to bring some normality back to your life, pop on some jeans and a graphic tee to create that casual chic look. I love this Beverly Hills 1990 Black boxy tee paired with my ultimate Levi's mom jeans! To take your outfit to the next level, accessorise with some round lens glasses and some gold jewellery to take your look from 0-100.

Shop the Tee
Shop Tees



Now we are transitioning into the warmer weather, a cropped hoodie is the ideal piece to have in your wardrobe to maintain cosy vibes but avoid the heat! This beige cropped number from Femme Luxe is great for chucking on over a cotton bralet and pairing with your favourite pair of joggers.

Shop the hoodie
Shop hoodies 

Shop Femme Luxe Loungewear

What has been your go-to lockdown outfit?

Lots of love


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*Products in this post were kindly gifted by Femme Luxe; however all opinions are honest and my own*

'Feel Good' Beauty Faves | March 2020

29 March 2020



Whilst noone probably cares, I apologise for the lack of effort and energy I've put into my blog. Blogging is where I first started out in the online industry, when I was too scared to show my face and just wanted a space to write all my thoughts! Since blogging in 2014, I've expanded my platforms, to primarily Instagram and 2 Youtube channels. These have definitely taken off and the visuals of Instagram and Youtube have seemingly overtaken the blogging industry. But fret not, this weird time that we are currently living in (I'm sure you know what I mean...but any future readers, CORONAVIRUS) means I can put all the passion and love back into my blog. I'm a huge lover of writing and I want to get my creative juices flowing on this platform again. Sooooo I thought I'd begin with a good ol' classic beauty faves. 


FACE

Starting with face products, I've been a huge fan of the MUA Pro Base Primer paired with Clinique's Even Better Glow foundation. Together, they make a harmonious duo producing an effortlessly 
glow-y finish...and a full coverage! If you are looking to brighten you under eyes and bring some light to your face, Maybelline's Anti-Age Rewind concealer is the perfect purchase. Again, a full coverage product that leaves no streaky lines and blends like a dream. 

When it comes to bronzing up the face, the warmer tones...the better! I am obsessed with the Tarte 'Park Ave Princess' contour palette. I blend a mix of the last few dark shades with my Tarte contour brush and pop some product on my cheek bones, temples and jawline to define those areas of my face. The high quality powder blends quickly and gives my face a warm glow, as well as the structure I desire. You'll also find me using the Pixi Highlighting palette to add some light into my life on sunny days - I use the 'Clutch' shade on my cheek bones and 'Lace' as an inner corner highlight! I always finish my face makeup with a spritz of the Kandi Cosmetics Glow mist to make my skin glisten. 



EYES

Eyebrows are next in my everyday makeup routine. I use my trusty favourite - the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in the shade CHOCOLATE to carve my brows out. Instead of drawing them on (the way I used to do, really blocky and dark when I first started ze blog), I tend to just fill them in lighter and make them look fluffy, more effortless. I then brush through the hairs and set them into place using the Model Co Clear Brow Gel. Day-to-day, I never really wear eyeshadow - if I do, I just pop the bronze shade I use on my face earlier in my crease to carve my eyes and accentuate them. 

My go-to lashes (when I'm not in my lash extension phase) are the Ardell Faux Mink sets. The Ardell Demi Wispies are a cult classic and have always been one of my favourite fluffy lashes to wear on special occasions, to events and nights out. You need to get your hands on them if you're looking for a good pair of high quality lashes that last a long time! Staying on the lash front, the mascara I've been reaching for over the past couple of months is the Urban Decay Perversion mascara. Great for maximum length and adding that darker, accentuated look to your natural lashes! Oh...and I've gotten back into winged liner now that I've had some extra time on my hands. A cute mini flick with the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner and I'm good to goooooo...

YOU CAN ALSO GET 20% off lashes with the CODE: MARCH20 


My daily lip product is Glossier's Birthday Balm Dotcom. It's my holy grail product in my makeup bag - the smell is sensational, I emit pure joy whenever I'm wearing it and it just makes my lips silky soft! If I'm feeling a little fancier during these stay-at-home self-isolation days, then I'll add some colour with the NYX Abu Dhabi soft matte lip creme. Alternatively, I'll grab my boujee option - my Fenty Beauty Lipgloss in Fenty Glow. A peachy, glistening dreammmmm. Get me back to the club so I can wear Fenty every day! 

What are your beauty faves in 2020? 

See you all soon, lots of love if you've stuck around all these years!


Lots of love


*Lashes were gifted but all opinions are honest and my own* 

Ultimate NYE Outfits 2019

22 December 2019



It's almost that time of year again - are you ready to celebrate?? I literally cannot wait for NYE - it's one of my favourite nights of the year because I get to celebrate with all of my loved ones under one roof! Over the past couple of years, my friends, family and boyfriend have all spent New Year's Eve at our local pub and it's been such an incredible evening! What is your NYE tradition?

Something that gets me so excited for seeing the new year in is the outfit! I love seeing what different people wear - dresses or suits, casual or glam. For me, I enjoy going above and beyond - fake tan, lashes, nails, full beat makeup...THE LOT. It really is that time of year that you can go all out with your look, and for a fashion enthusiast like myself, I love to take that on board. Thus, here are my favourite trends and pieces that I think would look amazing on NYE 2019!

SHOP FEMME LUXE
SHOP FEMME LUXE DRESSES
SHOP FEMME LUXE NEW IN 


Femme Luxe always comes THROUGH with the unreal dresses and night out attire. Mesh has been a huge thing this year and I love how brands have incorporated that into evening outfits. This white mesh number is sexy, fitted and super flattering - I find that is clings to all the right places and a unique style to your standard bodycon dress. If you're feeling daring, this one is definitely for you. Get ya nipple covers at the ready and you'll definitely drop some jaws!!




Keeping with the mesh theme, I fell in love with this black bodycon dress with these extravagant mesh sleeves. I've already styled this for the winter season by tucking it into some flared black trousers to create an alternative look. However, I think this would look unreal on NYE, especially with some gold accessories and even a chunky belt. The neckline is sexy and flattering, the material is super comfortable and I'd definitely pair with some gorgeous perspex heels to top off the look. Black is always a safe option for any night out but I think the mesh sleeves make it VERY NYE appropriate.



Right, now onto my favourite...SPARKLES. This is the showstopper - a blue/purple based dress covered in tonnes of sparkle, glitter and glam. You'll be shining under the lights for sure whilst also being comfortable and sexy. The thin straps were a good design choice and I love that the material doesn't fully cling to your body. This is high up on the list for a glam clubbing outfit - I just need to find the perfect occasion, and my inner confidence, to wear it!



This last number is my absolute favourite of the bunch. Bandeau-style, nude/pink and shimmery - the ultimate combo for a subtle, yet classy, new year's eve look. I couldn't wait to style this with a gorgeous cream bag, dainty gold jewellery and some perspex heels. I literally feel so confident in this one - the exposed chest area is ideal for popping on a pretty little necklace. I'd definitely opt for something like this on the 31st - the corset and cup piping detail makes the dress beautifully structured and sultry. 



What are you going to be wearing on NYE? Which dress was your fave?

Lots of love


*The dresses above were gifted by Femme Luxe; however, all opinions are honest and my own*

Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas

19 December 2019



It's that time of the year again. Christmas is one of my favourite times to hop back on my blog and share some of my fave brands/products that I think would make amazing gifts for your loved ones. Unfortunately, third year has taken its toll on my mental health, time and general wellbeing so I'm super sorry this is later than usual. I suppose this enables my post to be titled 'LAST MIN CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS' at least, haha! I hope you're all doing well, sipping hot choc by the fire and attending as many Christmas markets as humanely possible. I cannot wait to be heading home from university tomorrow to see my loved ones, spend quality time playing board games and FINALLY get into the Christmas spirit!

Anyway, enough of my rambling and moaning, it's time to share with you all the amazing products I've found this year...

 

For The Beauty Lover

No doubt about it, there will always be a beauty fanatic sat around your living room this Christmas. I definitely used to fall into this category and would LOVE a good makeup gift. Something I feel like people forget about, or neglect, are makeup brushes. You can NEVER have too many - especially for a lazy gal like me who can never be bothered or have the time to clean their brushes daily/weekly. This set from Lily England is to DIE for; the black marble and rose gold accents give the brushes a luxurious essence and I honestly adore how they all match. Accompanied by a matchy-matchy makeup bag, this set makes the ideal beauty lover's gift this Christmas. I would be extremely happy if I woke up to this beaut set of brushes on Christmas morning!

Shop the Brush Set HERE

Make sure you order no later than the 20th December to make sure your parcel arrives in time for the big day!

    

For a Sustainable Change

Embedding sustainable products and recycled materials into my lifestyle is something I've made a priority in 2019 - giving back to this wonderful planet is definitely something that's been on my agenda as I've become exposed to the extremities of the climate crisis. Thus, if you know some people in your life who need to get a lil more carbon friendly or want to change some of their everyday lifestyle choices to more 'eco-friendly' ones, here are some products for you. First up is a bamboo toothbrush - they are biodegradable so won't contribute to landfill like your standard plastic toothbrush and are contained in completely recyclable packaging. My next change has been makeup removal with reusable cotton pads! Face Halo do wonders at removing all makeup, just by adding a bit of water and popping into your washing machine weekly to give it a deep clean. Finally, the rCUP has been a saviour this year. I've become addicted to coffee and I find myself popping into Caffe Nero too often to pick up a latte. The rCup is made of 100% recycled cups and helps you avoid opting for disposable plastic cups!

Shop the Bamboo Toothbrush here
Shop the Face Halo here
Shop the rCup here


For The Loved One Who Has Everything

There is always that one friend or family member that seems to have it all. Subscriptions are always a fun alternative to your standard Christmas gift. If they love finding new flavours and snacks, Degustabox is a wonderful box to introduce you to next foods. Alternatively, Glossybox is fab at presenting new beauty products, like skincare, makeup and haircare, into your life! You could even gift someone a Netflix or Spotify subscription to help them save a few pennies through the year!

A meaningful present is my favourite of them all - something you've taken the time to create or deeply think about to make someone's day that little bit brighter. For me, I've utilised my new puppy to the extreme and popped him on all sorts of gifts this year - he's our new family member after all! Printfields are an amazing personalised sock company - you can get pictures of your ACTUAL pet printed onto your socks with your choice of colours and/or style. I've even got this incredible canvas with Barney's head printed as a monarch, which I thought was alternative and hilarious. My brother is honestly going to LOVE it, haha!

Shop Printfields Socks Here
Shop Paw&Bone Canvas Prints Here

For the Tech Enthusiast

Finally, some practical gifts are ideal for an adult into their technology. Whether that's an extra camera battery to avoid the stress of keeping full charge at all times or having an extra SD card to hand incase it corrupts whilst you're on a trip. These are perfect practical gifts that someone like me would definitely appreciate, and not to be dramatic...save my LIFE on some days. Also, a ring light or studio light might be an interesting idea if your giftee loves their photography stuff!

Shop Ring Light here
Shop SD cards here

Which category do you fall into? What type of gifts are your favourite to give at Christmas?

Lots of love


Some affiliate links have been used above - for Degustabox, Glossybox and Ebay.

Best Smoothie Bowls in Bali

9 November 2019



Yep, that's me! The biggest white gal in the world. If you know me or watch my vlogs, you will know how obsessed I am with smoothie/acai bowls. Therefore, it was obligatory to drag my boyfriend to all the pretty places in Bali and indulge in smoothie bowls. Here are my personal top 5 places to visit in Ubud, Seminyak and Gili Air for the best smoothie bowls in Bali...

Alchemy


Alchemy is a wonderful brunch spot on the outskirts of central Ubud - a serene location with a beautiful interior and luxury feel. My boyfriend and I popped in here for my 21st birthday to start of the day with a deliciously healthy acai bowl each, and a smoothie too! The toppings included chopped bananas, raspberries, blueberries, granola and oats! This was honestly one of the best acai bowls I've ever eaten - the staff were super friendly, accommodating and the overall feel is very relaxing. I was to fill my house with white dream catchers and eat acai bowls everyday! 

10/10. The bowl was a little pricier than the other ones we tried throughout our time in Bali, but it was probably the best! If I had to recommend any of the five I mentioned, this is the place you want to go!


Kynd Community

The most instagrammable location for 'kynd' treats and healthy food has to be Kynd Community in Seminyak. This place is just UNREAL - the interior matches every Instagram guy/gals dream and the food is to DIE for. Not only do they make a huge effort with presentation, the staff match the fun and lively colours of the restaurant and the taste of the food does not disappoint. The personalised touches were amazing and I LOVED that they shaped 'Bali' using the melon! My favourite part of this bowl had to be the dragonfruit bowls...soooo yummy. 

9/10. Would definitely be a 10 if there were no dates in the granola but that's just my personal        preference!                      

Balibola

On the quieter side of Seminyak, we spotted a beautiful little cafe called Balibola. Another great place to go for some light brunch or a healthy smoothie bowl. Again, they made a huge effort with presentation and even took me by surprise by popping in a huge sugar-y mermaid tail - my inner 12 year old screamed! This place is very pretty, aesthetically pleasing and ideal if you're looking for somewhere similar to Kynd, but with less hustle and bustle. There were only one other couple inside the cafe at the same time as us so the experience was very peaceful and we didn't feel like we had to rush or pressure to eat quickly. 

7/10. The fruit was absolutely delicious but I wasn't a fan of the oats - the homemade granola at the previously mentioned places topped these for sure!


Gili Bliss

If you ever visit Gili Air, Gili Bliss is the place to go for healthy smoothie bowls. Drizzled in coconut flakes, nuts, melon hearts, cranberry seeds and lots of wholesome goodness, this smoothie bowl makes its way to second place on my personal leaderboard. The staff are welcoming, the location is perfect (just a 2 minute walk from the harbour) and the choice of food is amazing. So many organic options, alongside all of the smoothie bowls. 

9/10 - only lost one point for the dates again, eek! Wonderful service and beautifully presented. 


Auras Bowls

Finally, Aura Bowls had to be the most authentic, adorable little place on the island. This was another place on Gili Air, and OMG were these bowls amazing. Set in a small, family-run little hut, this mini warung was the perfect spot for a Balinese smoothie bowl. The family worked so hard to provide the most incredibly tasting fruity bowls of goodness, and I'm still so grateful for their work. They went extremely overboard with the toppings too...which I'm certainly not mad about!

10/10. A wholesome smoothie bowl filled with my favourite fruits and the kindest service.

Do you love smoothie bowls as much as me? What's ya fave fruit??

Lots of love


10 Reasons I'd Return to Bali

4 November 2019




I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime to Bali, one of the beautiful islands that make up Indonesia. I've never travelled so far East and so far away from home - 24 hours of travelling later, my boyfriend and I arrived in Denpasar airport. The 16 days we spent exploring Indonesia has positively affected the way I think, feel and look at the world. Thus, I thought I'd share this lil blog post pinpointing 10 of the many reasons I'd return to Bali. It's way more than just a pretty island you see on Instagram...


Carefree Nature

One of my favourite things about visiting Bali HAS to be everyone's carefree nature. ANYTHING GOES. The people were super lovely, everything is executed so effortlessly and no-one seems to worry about the little things I always find myself thinking about when in the UK. For instance, something as small as my skin breaking out would have caused me so much distress at home but when the long flight caused a spot eruption all over my face, I seemed to adapt to the nature of the Balinese and didn't give a F*CK! Their love and anxiety-free ways were super infectious, leaving me relaxed and pleasantly mindful after returning home.

Value

The most-asked question on my Instagram during my Bali trip was - 'how expensive is it to go?' Money seems to be the biggest query for anyone lusting to travel to Bali, and to your delight, you'll be happy to know that it is more affordable than you probably think! The flights are definitely the biggest expense - we paid roughly £700 at the beginning of September and I'm sure it reaches the £1000 mark in peak season - however, I believe if you're smart, buy tickets in advance and scope the web, you'll be able to pick up some reasonable flights along the way. Once you've saved for flights, you'll be able to head over to Bali in no time! The food, accommodation and everything in between can be done on a super low budget - many activities seem to be negotiable too on the island.



Versatility 

When picking a holiday destination, you always think of a specific type of place or things you're looking for - e.g. a relaxing two weeks on the beach, a fun city break sightseeing or a bit of both. THIS IS A HUGE REASON I'D RETURN TO BALI. You can have all of your favourite types of holidays rolled into one - Ubud is ideal for visiting lots of interesting temples, Seminyak is perfect for party/nightlife and the Gili islands are sensational for that relaxation holiday of dreams. Bali is, for sure, the most versatile place I've ever visited and it's one of the reasons I'd recommend it over anywhere else I've travelled in the world.




The Food

Oh MY G O D. Balinese food is to die for - I always thought that the Instagram expectations would exceed the reality but WOW. You need to go, just for the food. I didn't realise how much I love Asian food until this trip; trying so many different dishes, exploring new textures and tastes was so fun! Aside from the delicious-ness, the presentation did not disappoint. Every place we visited, from the small family-run warungs to the tourist favourites, all the staff were pleasant and presented our food in the most extraordinary way. My favourite dishes had to be Nasi Goreng and the unreal variations of chicken skewers.

Community Feel

Something I adore about travelling and experiencing different cultures is discovering the majority of collectivist communities there are. I always find that the UK has a strong individualist community and is something I dislike and feel brings about bad personal traits. I love the idea of giving to the community and helping others who live around me. In Bali, I felt extremely welcomed and adored how everyone around you would smile, help and assist you. Something I found so lovely was the amount of people on the side of the roads helping you to cross safely when the traffic was super busy. This community feel just added to our stay and positively impacted our time on the island.

Coffee

Soooo this time last year I despised cof...coffe...I can't even say it. Bali grows some of the world's most incredibly tasting coffees and some amazing places surrounding Ubud offer the chance to visit their plantations, tasting what these family run businesses have to offer. I adored the Bali coffee and continued to drink it at many an opportunity throughout our trip. I'm not usually one to drink hot drinks in hot climates but Aidan and I felt like we couldn't resist! The best coffees we had were definitely at Coffee Cartel in Seminyak and B52 on Gili Air.



Consistent Weather

Yes to consistency. I love a bit of consistency in my life, especially when it comes to weather. The UK weather is soooo awful in summer in terms of consistency and you can NEVER rely on planning a sunny BBQ day with family or going for a picnic with your friends. My plans always seem to flop in England so knowing you're going to get amazingly consistent weather when you're on holiday is a DREAM. You can definitely count on Bali to stay sunny throughout your stay, if you're going September - December then you won't have to worry at all.

Nature

Being able to admire the different plants, animals and lots of species of flowers was something I thoroughly enjoyed during our time in Bali. Seeing new sights that I'm not used to is so special and I can honestly stare at sunsets and landscapes for hours. Breathing in the fresh air from the forests, watching the monkeys run around the sanctuary and getting to bathe in lots of beautifully smelling flowers on our spa day, just made me appreciate the diversity of Bali's nature. If you're a nature lover, or enjoy seeing new things, Bali is the place to go.



Location of Island 

If you are a keen traveller, the location of Bali is ideal when hopping from one country to the next. In the near future, I'm hoping to go travelling all down the East of Asia, meaning heading back to Bali is definitely on the cards. A lot of travellers or people in Bali that we met or overheard were talking about how they'd just come from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand etc etc. I was super jealous of all of their travelling stories and couldn't stop thinking about the perfect location of the island. I'd also love to explore more of the Indonesian islands too.

Sustainability

Something I loved when travelling through Bali had to be the extreme care and passion when it came it sustainability. Most of the island seem to have gotten on board with reducing unnecessary plastic packaging, plastic straws, using sustainable resources when cooking and mainly using ethically sourced foods. It was so lovely being surrounded by people who wanted to spread awareness of the current stress on the environment and the negative impact human's are contributing to the atmosphere. I'm not saying Bali are 100% sustainable, as the amount of fumes from the mopeds/motorbikes is definitely not ideal, but they've made a huge effort to cut down on plastic usage and using locally sourced goods.

To check out my Bali food recommendations, the best hotels, things to do + the cost of travelling, check out my ULTIMATE BALI GUIDE VIDEO!!

Don't forget to check out my Bali vlogs too - here is my BALI PLAYLIST.

Have you ever visited Bali? What was your favourite part? Is it on your travel bucket list?

Lots of love

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