The interior edit: minimalistic spring

There's nothing better than feeling relaxed in your own personal space, be it your house, your flat or your bedroom. For me it's somewhere I can escape to when nothing is going quite right. 

With Spring around the corner it's nice to add a bit of life into your space, I thought I would share with you little ways I changed my loft to step into Spring. 

 notebooks:paperchase & TK Maxx // skulls:Urban Outfitters

 prints:old ballet programme & Davo Howarth // candles:primark

milk carton:tiger // marble slate & cactus:TK maxx & IKEA

plants & candle:IKEA // plant & cushion: garden centre & primark

I'm also looking for a reasonable cheap hanging plant pot to hang from one of the beams in my roof if anyone could leave any suggestions! 

What kind of things do you do to make your space feel like your own?

xoxo

Booking a holiday as clueless teens

Now when it comes to booking holidays in the past, obviously I have had my little input of "oooo yeah that looks nice" or "it better have a pool Mam!" But never have I been put in charge of researching countries, hotels, prices, flights. 

The year of 2015 was the year I had to take charge. Being the one out of my friend group who has their head screwed on (yes I said it and I don't care)does have some benefits, having main choice of country and hotel. However, even just with 3 of us going it was super hard to keep everyone happy! So I thought I would share with you some of the struggles I came across while booking our first girls holiday...

Finding a place and price to suit everyone:

As we are 3 teenage girls who only work part time (and the other two are still at school) we really had to budget ourselves realistically. Santorini was our first option but after looking at prices we knew it was an impossible target, so the search continued... 

After trawling the internet for a good two days we decided it would be best to go and let the professionals have a go, so along we went to the travel agents. 

We basically just told her what our price range was and that we wanted a chilled holiday with the option of beach bars etc if we wanted them. To our total surprise "oh theres a reaaaally good deal for Santorini here girls!" Basically depending on what time of the year you book (January for us) some hotels have huge discounts because they want your business! There was nothing wrong with the hotel it was purely just because we had booked in January.

So I would highly recommend doing your research online so you have sort of an idea of what you want and then letting the professionals do the rest! (Especially when it's your first holiday alone)

What kind of holiday you want to go on:

This is a huge part of booking the right holiday, there's no point in taking a trip to Magaluf if you want a Skiing holiday is there! (Okay I know that was a drastic example) But if it is a party holiday you're wanting then have a look at club 18-30 holidays that will have a rep who promises always to get you "mortal". 

If it's an action packed skiing holiday, a chilled beach holiday, or even a city break, there will always be a specific brochure waiting for you!

Choosing your hotel:

Lets be realistic here, if you're paying £400 pound for a weeks holiday you can't expect to be put up in a 5* All inclusive on-the-beach joint can you? It's all about reviews and research again, check out tripadvisor before booking ANYTHING because it may look perfect from the outside but my god we don't want a Inbetweeners moment do we! 

Just think, does it have everything we need? Is it clean? Will I feel safe? 

Do you guys have any tips on booking your first holiday? Or even any bad experiences? Share your wisdom with others in the comments!

xoxo

Photos sourced from Google

Fashion forecast: vintage western

I'll admit it, this may be quite a one-sided post. Before working in Allsaints it never really stood out to me as a store I would love (mainly because of the prices), however now, every time I go into the store I end up drooling over a leather jacket or new pair of shoes we've gotten in. ESPECIALLY now SS15 has started to be introduced. 

"Our structured signatures have been effortlessly subverted and materials and silhouettes have been reapplied to each other. Nothing is quite as it seems."

The way I would describe it is a take on Vintage Western, adding subtle shades of pink alongside a beautiful silk feathered pattern reapplied over and over again. I thought I would share with you my top 5 pick than have been released online and in stores so far.

Left to right: Farrah coat//Helle Piuma dress//Lance dress//Tripwolf crop tank//Wyatt leather biker jacket

Is there any SS15 fashion forecasts you're loving?

xoxo

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream

So, i've been humming and harring for a good few months on wether or not to invest in the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream. And after reading so many good reviews i thought i would take the plunge. 

And just for the record THIS IS AMAZING!!! Having very oily skin i was weary of putting this anywhere else other than my lips and hands, however, over the past few days my skin has stung when anything apart from moisturiser came into contact with it. 

I decided to try it around my nose area and under my eyes before i went to bed (expecting a huuuge breakout the next morning). And voila! My skin was fixed- and breakout free! 

It is slightly pricey at £26 in Boots but it will last me forever and definitely does the job! (you also get over the smell quickly)

Do you guys have any quick skin fixes?

xoxo

Weekend warrior: packing for city breaks

There's nothing i love more than getting away from the North East for a few days to clear my mind and just to experience something new! This time it's to London. 

When it comes to packing i have lists upon lists of things to do, what to pack, where to eat, schedules! But it never seems to work. So this is my go-to guide of how to pack for a City break.

Basic make-up: now i don't know about you but when it comes to being away, i want to experience everything i can! This means packing a lot of stuff into a short space of time, so i don't want to be wasting time doing my makeup and hair etc.. Take a basic set of makeup and some dry shampoo to touch up on everything quickly!

Change of clothes: i'm guessing most of you would take a small suitcase/holdall with you, so realistically not a lot will fit in, think about what you will be doing when you're there. For me, i'll be going shopping, therefor i'll more than likely buy a new outfit for the night/next day. So i will be taking a dressy pair of shoes (for the evening) and a fresh top (for the next day) and a few bits and pieces such as underwear, pyjamas and a hat. 

    

Is it easy to carry: The suitcase i'm taking is 'cabin size' with four wheels therefore it's super easy to carry round (getting on and off the tube). My tan bag from topshop has a longer strap so both hands will be free. I'll also be taking a carrier bag (Victoria secrets) however this just contains food for the trip which i will dispose of before we get to London. Ideally, both of your hands will be free so there's less risk of you falling or dropping things!

What are your top tips for when you go away? And do you guys have any trips planned soon?

xoxo

Juicing journey

I know i know everyone goes on a health rampage at the start of the year, but guys I seriously needed to sort my eating habits out. I didn't want to loose weight, I just wanted to detox myself. 

It got to the point where I was eating because I was bored and eating the wrong things constantly. 

So I decided to make a change. 

I picked up this Breville blend-active from Tesco for about £20. I'm terrible at eating fruit and veg as i'm such a fussy eater so I thought hey, if I throw it all in one drink it'll be a lot easier.

This one is great because the cup is actually a bottle, so you can just blend and drink straight away! It's mess free!

There's absolutely loads of websites which give you juice recipes and what they're best for, wether you're detoxing, loosing weight or just for a tasty drink.

My favourite one i've tried so far is:

1 cup of chopped pineapple 

1 cup of red grapes

1 cup of chopped honeydew melon

1 handful of spinach

Half a squeezed lemon

Water 

I would recommend starting off with more fruit and then start adding in greens and nuts such as spinach, celery and walnuts. 

Have you got any good detoxing tips?

xoxo

New Year discoveries

When it gets to the end of the year and you're running low on absolutely EVERYTHING, you have no money after Christmas and you're just waiting and waiting for the new year to come around, all you want to do is treat yourself! 

I picked up a few things during the end of December into January and I thought i'd share my favourites so far with you. 

CHANEL coco mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Spray -To me and pretty much every british female, this is a classic. A signature scent, and not to mention super sophisticated! 

Bourjois rouge edition lipstick -(Beige Trench) In 2014, i was all for matte lips, although these always seemed to leave my lips chapped and dry. So voila! I have found the perfect nude nourishing lip. 

Revlon colorstay moisture lip stain -(Stockholm chic) This is such a beautiful burnt orange colour lip, nothing compares to the shade and with it being a 'lip stain' the colour is super buildable. 

MAC lip pencil -(Burgundy) Now I thought I would include this one because i'm a big fan of the shade, however, I was quite disappointed with the way it went onto my lips. It is purely a base and could not be worn alone as it left my lips feeling super dry.

Left to right: MAC lip pencil// Bourjois rouge edition lipstick// Revlon colorstay moisture lip stain

Is there anything you've tried throughout January that you think will stay by your side all of 2015? 

xoxo

They used to call it the moon

This post is slightly different to my old usual stuff, not because it's a 'New Year, new me' but because i decided it was time for me. For me to be myself and do what makes me happy. We spend our minutes, hours, days trawling the internet looking for the next new celeb to obsess over and mimic. But how often do we decide "no, today is going to be a day of Me" it's not being self obsessed or 'in love with yourself', or maybe it is in a sense. Because if we don't love ourselves, how can anyone else? 

So, anyways, on with my point. Today, was my day of Me. It's been way too long since i picked up a camera and took anything more than a selfie, or group photo. So today, me, myself and my iPhone camera went on a wander around my hometown Newcastle. Even the dullest of places are full of little gems if you look close enough. 

Take a step back. Breathe. And keep your head up. 

BALTIC FLOUR MILL- they used to call it the moon

Instagram

☽

Halloween excitement

When it comes to change of seasons, nothing gets me more excited than going on Pinterest and looking at inspirational images. As it's October, and coming up to Halloween obviously, i am super excited!!

Even though i'm not having a party or celebrating halloween at home, i think it's always nice to decorate your house/bedroom to get into the spirit. I thought these house ideas we're super cute and easy to do! Especially the empty wine bottles and apple tea lights!

xoxo

check out my full halloween inspo board on Pinterest

*All images taking from pinterest*

Autumn lips, eyes & nails

Guys, no one understands my excitement for the cold weather, i live for hot drinks, orange leaves and woolly jumpers!! Gaaaaaah! Now with Autumn quickly creeping up on us, i decided to have a rummage through my makeup collection and put away the bright summer shades and replace them with berry tones and daring eye shades. 

When it comes to lips i'm not afraid to try dark tones, the darker the better i say! Well, maybe not black.. So i picked out my top three darkish berry tones. First of all is my all time fave (and a halloween must) MAC Rebel (£15.50), this lipstick has a very bold purple tone, steering away from the normal reddy tones. Next up is a shade i have been wearing non-stop this past week and it's from Collection's 'Gothic glam' range, i purchased this last year but i found a similar one here and it is SUPER cheap at £2.99. Now me and Benefit's Benetint have had a love hate relationship since i first bought it, i've never been sure about the texture or the smell (i know weird) but one thing i do love is the sheer colour it leave on your lips- and that you can build it up as much as you like! *definitely one for those who aren't very brave with lip colour*.

I don't even know where to start when it comes to eye shadows. I have this really bad habit of finding certain shades/palettes that i love and sticking to them for a good 4 month! So when i got given the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette as a birthday present, i knew my other palettes would be neglected. I think rose gold shades go perfectly with berry lips, it just makes the whole makeup look a lot warmer and autumnal! To go along side my naked palette i have a Seventeen shadow pot, i found something similar here (£3.99) as they have been discontinued. And last but not least, is my trusty collection extreme 24h felt tip liner (£2.99) because no eyeshadow look is finished without a bit of eyeliner and this is just the best!!

I cannot leave the house without my nails being painted so when it comes to nail polish, i need ones that will last! An old favourite of mine will always be Barry M nail paint (£2.99) in the shade 365/raspberry, i'm not a fan of pillar box red colours so this warmer shade is perfect for me! I was so upset when Maxfactor stopped selling their Glossfinity nail varnish in the shade ruby fruits, but guess what, THEY BROUGHT IT BACK (wooooo) it's such a beautiful dark berry shade and it's stays super shiny on your nails for days! Last but not least is Essie nail colour (£9.98) in the shade orange, is obvious! Now i know this isn't exactly an autumnal berry colour, but it is super halloweeny and you could do little pumpkin nail art or something!!

What are you favourite lips, eyes & nails tones for autumn?

xoxo

Skincare and Makeup haul

So it reached that point in my Beauty cycle where everything seems to just be running out all at the same time, now as much as i love shopping for new makeup, trawling through shops just getting your basics can get pretty boring. So i thought, while i'm here i might as well treat myself and pick up a few new things to try!

First things first- skincare. Now, obviously straight away i grabbed my trusty Garnier micellar cleansing water (£4.99), as i have oily skin i try and use the least amount of beauty cleansing products i can because i feel the more i use, the worse my skin gets. So this is perfect for an all in one cleanse.

Next i picked up a Simple kind to eyes eye make-up remover (£3.49) I absolutely love the Simple products, this eye makeup remover is oil-free thus making sure no extra oil is added into my skin!

 Sanctuary spa for me, used to be a 'christmas only' brand, the kind of products you get in gift sets at christmas and never bought at any other time of the year, but, that was before i was introduced to the specific range for refining pores, evening out blemishes, everything you need as a teenage girl! So today i picked up the Sanctuary exfoliating pore refiner to try, i've not used this before so if anyone has please leave me a review in the comments!!

I am a huge fan of Benefit at the moment, i think the products are amazing, the packaging is to die for and the Christmas gifts are amazinggggg!!! So when browsing through Boots Christmas section and i found the Benefit Pick N Mix, i was in cosmetic heaven! Basically, you can buy 4 miniatures of Benefits best selling items for £15. So i picked up the benefit porefessional primer.

*Top tip: If you're a money saver like me, buying 4 7ml= 28ml for a total of £15, is cheaper than buying the full sized tube for £24.50!!*

Next up- Makeup. Now i may have gone a little overboard and didn't really buy anything i ACTUALLY needed.. But when you're standing at the MAC counter and the ever so beautiful makeup artist is trying on all of these amazingggg products, it's rude to say no! Right???

One thing i did actually need was new foundation, and i can't resist the MAC studio fix fluid, it even smells good!

 I've been searching for a nice nude lipstick, just slightly darker than my natural colour for ages, so when i spyed Honey Love i really was in love.

Lastly from MAC, i've had a quad palette for quite a while now with two pinky tones in and i've never known what to fill it with, so i decided to get a colour i could use for everything, base, inner corner and brow bone, and it turns out nylon is the perfect colour for that.

While we're on the subject of MAC, i had been eyeing up their new concealer/contour sticks that have been released (i think they're about £21.50) HOWEVER, saving myself 2/3rds of the price, i headed over to Maxfactor and picked up a panstik for £6.99. Now i remember when i was little, this was the ONLY foundation my grandma would use, it's a thick and creamy foundation with a super coverage (more like a concealer if you ask me) but it's perfect for contouring! The darkest shade is 'cool copper' which i purchased and it does exactl the same job as the MAC sticks.

I also picked up from Maxfactor a very autumnal nail varnish in the shade ruby fruit.

Do i even have to explain the wonderfullness of Benefit's they're real mascara? No? didn't think so.

Last but not least, i love myself a Matter bronzer, i just think it gives you so much more of a natural looking tan and can also double up as a contourer or even eyeshadow, if you're feeling brave so i picked up this L'oreal bronzer in the shade 06.



If anyone would like to recommed a fourth shade to complete my MAC palette please let me know! I need your help!

xoxo