Words To Live By

     

       

(Sources: Pinterest & Tumblr. Original Sources: Unknown)

I really love the Roald Dahl quote. I think sometimes, as hard as it can be, it's important to try and be positive and think good thoughts. I personally really struggle with that from time to time, well let's be honest... who doesn't?! But I do tend to be a bit of a worrier, and at times I let things bother/upset me way more than they should. Life's too short. I suppose it's about recognising what's worth it and what isn't.

I'd love to hear what your favourite quotes are? :)

Essie - Bahama Mama

Whilst browsing the aisles of Boots I caught a glimpse of an Essie duo that really caught my eye! The duo included Essie's Bahama Mama and Chinchilly and is titled 'favourites to fall for' - got that right! Both shades really complement one another and definitely have autumn written all over them. They were also both shades that I'd yet to try.

Bahama Mama is described as a "warm, rich, creamy plum'. It's a pretty accurate description to be honest. After two coats of this you achieve a dark but warm plum shade which I think looks gorgeous on. I will say that after two coats the shade appears slightly darker than how it appears in the bottle, but it's not a drastic difference and not one that I feel disappointed with. 

This isn't the first time that I've rambled on about an Essie polish so I'm not going to go in to detail about my opinion on the brand/quality etc. But overall I found this polish applied like a dream, due to the nice sized brush, and the completed look gave me a glossy, opaque shade that I can see myself re-applying throughout the rest of the year. I tend to get a couple of days wear from Essie before I start noticing chips. But this always depends on whether I've applied a top coat and what I've been doing.

I'm looking forward to trying out Chinchilly next as it's a polish I've heard lots about, and it looks so nice in the bottle! Boy do I love Essie, they have so many beautiful shades. What are your go-to autumn nail polish favourites?

This Week - What I've Been...

Loving...
The way Charlie climbed under the covers and snuggled up in bed with me yesterday morning
Chunky socks. My feet can get so cold, especially now it's starting to get a bit colder!
Hot bubble baths after a long day at work
The cheeky MAC purchases I made online last night 
Making a yummy apple and sultana crumble for the family, went down a treat :)
Silly, but hilarious, vines that populate my facebook newsfeed


Watching...
Breaking Bad - I've just started watching this, I didn't think it would be my type of thing but I'm hooked!
About Time - This was quite a sweet film :) It was also funny and a little bit sad
Family Guy


Listening To...
Sonnetanz (Sun Don't Shine) -Klangkarussel ft. Will Heard
Hopeless Wanderer - Mumford & Sons
Same Love - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, ft Mary Lambert. I have so much love and respect for Macklemore after this! Couldn't agree more with the meaning of this song. "We become so numb to what we're saying" "It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference! Live on and be yourself" Listen/Watch here.


Eating...
Homemade apple and sultana crumble
Vegetable soup
Chilli and rice, with a handful of salted tortilla crisps
Potato and leek soup
Cheese salad rolls
Indian takeaway
Poached eggs on toast

The Body Shop - Honey & Beeswax Hand and Foot Butter

I had a little browse through The Body Shop the other day and picked up a few bits, most of which were products that I haven't tried before. I do love trying new things. I've bought a few bits in the past from the Body Shop but it's not a shop I regularly pop in to. One of the products that I took home with me was the Spa Wisdom Africa - Honey & Beeswax Hand and Foot Butter. The key ingredients in this product include honey, beeswax, shea butter and Ximenia oil. This product really appealed to me in store for the following reasons; the scent, the cute little jar and how soft and moisturising it felt after trying a dab of it on my hands. 

This butter has a really subtle sweet scent to it which I absolutely adore. I'd describe it as a honey-vanilla type scent. Once applied it soaks in to the skin and leaves your skin feeling really soft. It's not too heavy once applied but is a lovely thick and creamy consistency. It absorbs quickly considering the consistency and doesn't leave that greasy residue feeling. I noticed that my hands and feet actually appeared softer too. My feet can get quite dry and I do tend to neglect them a little, although I do like to use Soap and Glory's -Heel Genius every now and then. I can be quite lazy when it comes to moisturising my body and/or feet so I have to enjoy using the product to be able to stick to it. The packaging is really sweet, I love the little jar. My only issue is with clicking the lid shut, at times it can be a bit fidgety. 

This hand and foot butter is priced at £10 but The Body Shop do tend to have 3 for 2 and discount offers on, so it's worth a look if you're interested. 

The Little Things

-Loved ones. Not such a little thing, but of late I've realised how lucky I am to have some pretty amazing people in my life. Things have been a bit tough recently as a family member of mine has been having some health issues. The last couple of weeks have been a bit of a standstill but thankfully everything is sorting itself out. During those couple of weeks it really meant a lot to know that I had the support there. 


-Falling asleep to the sound of rain. I find it quite relaxing and it makes me feel all cosy. Not so nice when your alarm is going off and you've got to get out of bed though!


-Little treats - my favourite has to be the cream jumper that I picked up from Warehouse.


-I randomly surprised my mum with some of her favourite flowers. They've been sat in the living room and they smell lovely. 


-Music sessions. Browsing itunes, downloading songs and updating my iphone playlist... I love it!


-Homemade vegetable soup


-Days off. I often work twelve hour shifts and recently I've been doing lots of overtime, so days off have been extra special and much needed!


-My boyfriend has got a new job! He's been having a few setbacks recently and has been exploring lots of different routes within the area that he'd like to go in to but unfortunately it can be so competitive. The job is within the public services sector, which is an area he's been aiming for so I'm really pleased for him. He's excited and I'm so proud :)


-Being healthier. I've been trying to take the time to workout when I can and I feel so much better for it. It's really rewarding to notice improvements in my strength and endurance.


-I realise this slightly contradicts the above, but strawberries dipped in nutella - SO good

Botanics - Rosewater Toning Spritz

 This Botanics toner is a product that I'd picked up and forgotten about - mainly as I haven't quite got around to finishing my current toner. However, after running out of cotton pads to apply my usual toner with I remembered I had this toner spray in my little beauty stash! I've now been using this for the last three to four weeks and I've found it really refreshing and handy. 

You use this toner by spritzing the product over your face, you're supposed to wipe away with cotton wool afterwards but due to having a lack of this I've been skipping that step! After the hot evenings we've had during July I have found this a really welcome addition to my skin care routine. The cool toning spray is so lovely, cool and refreshing especially if you're feeling a bit hot and bothered. I have been applying this to my face - when clean and dry and after cleansing. Once I've spritzed this on, after letting the product soak in or patting my face with a towel, I apply my moisturiser or night cream. 

The consistency of this product is of course like water, one spray offers a nice distrubution of the rosewater toner. After it has soaked in to my skin- which doesn't take long at all, my skin feels slightly softer and is left with a faint rose scent. I don't particularly mind the scent, but I'm glad it doesn't really linger on the skin.

I like that there are minimal ingredients in this product, and that these ingredients are supposedly 100% organic. I also like that this toner doesn't irritate my skin and that it gives me a nice refreshing alternative to my usual dab and sweep toner. 

Lip Balm Favourites

I am a bit of a lip balm junkie - for me it's an essential, so I always have one with me. I've tried lots of different lip balms in the past and I tend to switch it up quite a bit but I do have my favourites. 

Nuxe Reve de Miel - Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm

This is one of those products you hear so much about and I'm sure many people will be familiar with this brand and product. I put off purchasing this due to the price, being just under £10, it isn't the cheapest. Although I have to say I really enjoy using this product. This product has a sweet honey scent to it which smells lovely! This balm is a very thick consistency so a little bit goes a long way. It's very nourishing and feels almost like a face mask for the lips as it stays put and seems to almost melt in to the lips slowly. Due to the texture I use this in the evening before bed as it's quite matte, it doesn't offer gloss or colour to the lips as it's more of a nourishing treatment. 

Blistex - Intensive Moisturiser

This is another product that I'd refer to as like a bit of a treatment. It's one that I always like to have about and only tend to ever pick up and use when I feel that my lips need a bit of help. When my lips are looking really dry and chapped a lot of lip products don't seem to actually help. When my lips are sore this is the one. I recommended it to my brother and he loves it!  I only use this product on the odd occasion that my lips need it. Intensive Moisturiser has a menthol scent to it and at times there is a slight gentle tingling sensation on the lips when applied but I don't find it irritating. This product resembles a cream but is quite a thin consistency.

Blistex - Med Plus

This is a clear coloured balm which feels really moisturising on the lips. It adds a slight sheen to the lips and like the Intensive Moisturiser, it feels soothing and has a slight tingle to it when applied to the lips. It also has a menthol type scent, but it somehow seems slightly sweeter in scent compared to the Intensive Moisturiser. This is a must have in the colder months as it really feels like it's working in to the lips and it stays put longer than most lip products- it also feels very soothing and protective.

Soft Lips - French Vanilla

Although this product may not be as effective as the three lip balms above, it is a favourite as I love how it looks on, and the feel of this balm on my lips. This adds a subtle shine to the lips and feels so soft and lovely on. I love the sweet vanilla scent to this as well as the light packaging. 

Palmers - Dark Chocolate & Peppermint Lip Butter

This lip balm is an old favourite of mine! I've been repurchasing this for years now and couldn't be without it. My friend introduced me to this back in sixth form and I fell in love with it. It's no surprise really as it ticks most of the boxes; smells absolutely delicious, feels lovely on the lips and gives the lips a lovely shine. My only gripe is that it doesn't feel as moisturising or hydrating as some of the others- at times it feels as if it just sits there as it's slightly glossy in consistency. But for me I love this balm mainly for the gorgeous scent and how it looks on the lips. 

I do tend to mix it up quite a bit, especially as I tend to pick up new lip balms on a regular basis, but this little handful have consistently been on my favourites list. There are a couple of others that I use on a regular basis and love such as, Burts Bee's Beeswax Balm and Vaselines Rosy Lips.

Do you have any lip balm saviours or favourites?