♡: 2015

Showing posts with label 2015. Show all posts

Sunny Sunday in Southampton

HAPPY FEBRUARY/SPRINGTIME PEOPLE! I hope you all have a great month and enjoy the (hopefully) brighter and more sunshiney, pretty days.

So this past Sunday, my sister Caoimhe was over to visit me in Southampton for the weekend, and we all (Me, Caoimhe, Sarah and Katie) decided to venture to Southampton Common - a GIANT 'park'/common quite near to where we live - about a 15 minute walk.

The gal pals (L to R) Caoimhe, Sarah and Katie ^^

Caoimhe looking super chic in her new hat (H&M) ^^

I will have one of these vans one day .. I LOVE them. She was called Polly!

It was a beautiful day on Sunday, a little chilly but the sky was bright blue and completely clear of clouds. The common is so lovely, a really relaxing place despite Sunday obviously being the most popular day for everyone to come out - families with young children running about excitedly, a group of people dressed in Medieval armour having a battle, elderly couples, people out running, people walking their dogs or having a relaxing stroll with a partner or friend. (I met a black pug and two Frenchies and they were BEYOND ADORABLE. The pug would've fit in my bag... I resisted, reluctantly.)

They were legit playing dead and roaring in 'pain' throughout the 'battle' .. interesting hobby nonetheless!

*Cue dramatic swan-like rendition of Mulan's 'Reflection' song*^^

This house was right in the middle of the common and I just thought it was so cute and pretty, I would love to live somewhere like this ^^

I have decided I am going to start frequently taking a trip to the Common as I found it really cleared my head and I also want to exercise more and it would be the perfect place to do so, while also clearing your head of any built up worries or stresses. What better way to spend some time on a sunny Sunday? Nowadays, I feel like a lot of the time people put their own needs on the back burner in order to give more time to others or doing other things they may not enjoy as much but feel obliged to do. Although it is nice to give time to others, it is also extremely important to take some time for yourself frequently. You deserve it!

Afterwards, a pitstop for waffles and crêpes ensued, and shortly after that Caoimhe and I popped to town for a bit, ending with a mandatory Starbucks run (I got a half-caff (half de-caf) hazelnut latte with cream - this drink verges on the hypnotic. So good). After taking another trip back into town later on for dinner (Mac & Cheese with pulled pork - I couldn't let Caoimhe leave without experiencing it), the night ended with front row seats on the double decker bus home, after an unsuccessful Tesco search for White Chocolate Spread. Your average 11pm activities, you know.

There may be a photo overload in this post, but I couldn't resist. It was such a beautiful day, there was so much to take photos of! I had a lovely weekend with my sister and it was wonderful to have her come and visit. I won't see her again for a while as she is SUPER busy with University exams (being a final year Medical student and all that) so it was nice to get to spend the weekend together. Hope you enjoyed having a peak into how we spent our Sunday :)

OUTFIT:

This facial expression appears to be a combination of unintentional sass and concentration on trying to take a steady photo ^^

Jeans - Topshop Leigh ripped black jeans

Boots - Primark

Jumper - Oxford University shop

Jacket - Vintage (I am absolutely obsessed with this jacket, Caoimhe bought it the day before and I just HAD to wear it for a day)

Fringed bag - H&M

Sunglasses - Primark

Thank you so much for reading!

Siofra

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January Favourites

Well would you look at this, I am ON TIME for a monthly favourites post. These are some of the things I have been loving throughout the month of January. Some of these you may have seen mentioned in various other blog posts and some are new additions. Happy reading!

MAKE UP:

Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette - I have briefly discussed this palette before when I showed it in a post about the palettes I got for Christmas(here), and upon using it religiously since then, I have grown to love it more and more. The shadows are incredibly buttery and pigmented, and almost bouncy when you swatch them with your finger. The colours I have been using the most are Milk Chocolate (3rd from the left on the top), Salted Caramel (1st in second row), Marzipan (beside Salted Caramel), Semi-Sweet (beside Marzipan) and the gold shade 2nd from the left on the bottom row (called Créme Brulée I think). The colours blend so easily and have a beautiful finish. My favourite combination at the moment is Marizipan with Salted Caramel and Milk Chocolate through the crease and under the eye... I occasionally get hungry while using this palette, not only do the names of the colours sound divine, but it smells like chocolate too as the ingredients of the shadows include cocoa powder!

Charlotte Tilbury 'The Golden Goddess' eyeshadow palette - Again, this palette I also mentioned around Christmas time in the post linked above and I have been absolutely loving it. The colours all blend together so well and leave a gorgeous neutral look on the eyes, while still allowing you to create a smokey eye look. During the day I would usually wear the top two colours together - the lightest all over the lid and the grey/brown shade in the outer corner/through the crease. Then, to turn it into an evening look (or a slightly more dramatic day look) I add the darker brown shade over where I have first applied the grey/brown shade, and finish with using my finger to put a pop of the shimmery (bottom left) shade right in the centre of my lid. Overall such a glowing, beautiful effect!

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat lip liner in 'Pillow Talk' - This. Has to be the single most amazing lip liner I have ever used. I have the shade 'Pillow Talk' which is the PERFECT neutral 'your lips but better' shade to go with any make up look. I have worn this every single day since I got it and also on nights out, it is just the most perfect colour. So easy to apply (I usually apply a really thin layer of balm before applying it so it doesn't cling to any dry patches on my lips), and super long-lasting. It is gorgeous on its own but you can also layer any shade of lipstick over it for a greater effect - I have layered a pinky nude shade (Cheryl Cole for L'oreal) as well as MAC's Plumful and Revlon's Matte Balm in 'Sultry' and they all look beautiful over it. Trust me, you need to try this if at all possible.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in 'Groundwork' - (below right) I love this product a lot and have worn it frequently within the last month. As it is a cream product it is so easy to work with and blend, I use my finger to apply it and a clean finger to blend out any harsh lines left. It is a beautiful neutral light brown shade, almost like milky coffee (a little lighter than it looks in the pan when blended out, although if you want a darker effect then layering works a treat as it's a cream product). It looks gorgeous on its own on the lid, and perfect for when you are in a hurry because you can just slick on a layer and some mascara and you're good to go (if you have a little extra time it also looks gorgeous with just a slick of black liquid liner)! Alternatively, you can layer other shadows over it and it really makes their colour stand out more, as well as allowing it to last all day on the lids.

MAC Cream Colour Base in 'Hush' - (above left) I have been in love with this cream highlighter for at least three years. I ran out of it about a year ago and as I didn't have the funds to re-purchase it straight away. I had been using MAC's 'Soft and Gentle' Mineralise Skin Finish which I already had in my collection (which I also adore). However, this Christmas my boyfriend's Mom gave this to me as a present and I have 100% fallen back in love with it. I apply it with my fingers on the tops of my cheekbones, in my brown bone, down the centre of my nose and on my cupid's bow. Because of the cream formula it meshes so seamlessly with your foundation and looks so natural and glowing. I also find it looks much more natural than a powder would as a day highlight, and also can be built up as a more dramatic highlight for nighttime (however I tend to wear quite a bit during the day, I like to be GLOWY).

SKINCARE:

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - (below right)I mentioned these next three products in my most recent post about my Skincare Essentials (link here) so I won't go on about them too much. This is an extremely moisturising product which can be used all over the body. I mainly use it on my lips and find it so effective in smoothing out my lips and getting rid of any horrible chapped skin. It has a glossy finish so you could definitely get away with wearing it during the day as it is not majorly thick when applied (unless you want it to be). An amazing product.

EOS Lip Balm - (above right)As I said I did mention this in my last post and I think I pretty much covered everything about it. Really handy size to throw in your handbag, really moisturising and also easy to apply - no sticking your fingers into pots!

The Body Shop Vitamin E eye cream - Also mentioned in my previous post, this is a product I have not been using for that long but have definitely noticed a difference. I notice the difference very clearly when I forget to apply it, as I wake up with the puffiest eyelids in all the land. Like today for example. It's not pleasant.

CLOTHING/JEWELLERY:

Topshop's Leigh ripped jeans - Topshop's Leigh jeans are my favourite style of their jeans I've worn and I had wanted black ripped skinny jeans forEVER and I finally got them. They are so so soft and extremely comfortable to wear (which is unusual for jeans). They go with everything and I love wearing them with black boots, a jumper and my black leather jacket or my black fluffy one (pictured below).

Ring - I had to mention this as I literally have not taken it off since I got it. Seán got me this ring for Christmas and I absolutely ADORE IT. The blue stone is the colour of my birthstone (Sapphire) and one of my all time favourite colours. I adore how delicate it looks and it reminds me so much of Princess Diana's (now Kate Middleton's) engagement ring which I LOVE.

MISCELLANEOUS:

2015 Paperchase diary - This little thing is pretty self-explanatory and basic but I love it. I adore the turquoise shade of the cover with the lilac band, I love the fact that it's a page-a-day diary so you have plenty of space to write whatever you need to each day, and it's such a great size - not too small that you have to write in teeny tiny writing, but not too big that it's heavy to carry around. It helps me on my quest to becoming more organised, WOOP!

COACH card holder/purse - I got this handy little thing in my family Secret Santa/Kris Kringle this Christmas from my cousin Conor and it is honestly the most useful present I have ever received. It is the perfect size to fit in your handbag and I can fit so much in this little thing. There is a keychain so I attach my house keys onto that, a little slot for cards in the back where I keep my Visa card, licence, student cards etc., and the pouch itself is the perfect size to keep loose change as well as some notes if necessary. Plus IT'S SO PRETTY. LOOK.

FOOD/DRINK:

PG Tips - Since living here in England and quickly running out of my stash of my favourite Irish tea, we picked up this GIANORMOUS box of PG Tips tea bags in Sainsbury's on offer and also in aid of Red Nose Day. I have to say I have really been liking them and may need to stock up to bring some home with me in Summer! Also pictured here are our gorgeous baby cacti that we picked up in IKEA (heaven in a building). There are three in total but the third one is a little camera shy (i.e. You could see the washing on the clothes line outside when I got the third one in shot). I'm still trying to pick a name for mine, any suggestions would be great!

DAY/MOMENT:

I'm going to get a little soppy here and say my favourite day in January had to be the last weekend I spent with Seán before leaving for Southampton(post here). We spent the weekend at the market and in Killaloe, our two favourite places to be.

I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know what things you have been loving throughout the month of January!
P.S. We made it past the January Blues - CONGRATULATIONS are in order, we made it to Spring!

Thank you for reading,
Síofra

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My Current Skincare Essentials

I just thought I'd do a quick post on the products my skin is loving at the moment. I have split this into three categories: Lips, Face & Eyes and Hands & Body. You may notice a facial cleanser is missing but I haven't really decided on one I really like yet, so if I do find one soon I shall update you all at a later date. Let's begin!

(^^ as you may be able to see above, 'Hand Food' had to be balanced on the top of a Yankee Candle jar because there was a shine on the front of it that made it really difficult to read the name!)

LIPS:

LUSH Cosmetics 'Mint Julips' Lib Scrub

I think this stuff is absolutely amazing. It has some very basic ingredients so it is not at all harsh or chemical-y on the lips. You just apply it with your finger, rub it all over your lips and (according to the container) lick it off! This particular one tastes like mint chocolate chip, but there are other flavours you can get including Popcorn, Bubblegum (which I also own) and a Limited Edition Santa Clause one at Christmas time! I love this product and find it very effective. I have had this little pot for over a year and I still have most of it left - a couple of these would last you a lifetime!

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

As regard lip balms/treatments I have two current favourites, however this one takes first place I have to say. This has a really thick texture and is extremely moisturing, I usually put in on before bed in a thick layer and wake up with amazingly soft lips, or I'll put a small bit on at the start of doing my make up so by the time I get to the lip colour application it will just glide on smoothly because of this magical product. This can be used all over the body on any areas of dry skin, but so far I have only used it on my lips and once on a dry patch on my nose which it cleared up amazingly. I would really recommend this product if you have dry lips and hate how lipstick sits in the chapped areas. A real game changer!

EOS Lip Balm

This probably seems like more of a trivial, fun product and I'm sure a lot of people think (as I did) that they just looked cool and wouldn't be very good. However, I find this a really lovely lip balm, it feels really light on the lips and smells really good. If my lips are feeling particularly dry I will apply this under whatever lipstick I am wearing and it applies so much nicer. It is also a lot less thick than the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream for wearing during the day if that kind of thing bothers you. It comes in tonnes of different flavours and in the most adorable packaging!

FACE & EYES:

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion

This moisturiser basically does what it says on the bottle. It feels like a really luxurious product and I apply it right before I apply my make up and I find that my foundation and concealor apply so much more smoothly when I have applied this first. I use it every single day and most nights (when I remember) and I really love it. I've been using it for quite a while now and I got this new bottle from Santa for Christmas as it is quite expensive for my budget and I wouldn't have been able to get it myself! If you wanted to try it out I'm pretty sure if you asked for a little tester pot at a Clinique counter they would give one to you.

Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask

This is a charcoal mask which I apply to the 'congested/problem' areas of my face, wherever I am most likely to break out. You apply this mask in a relatively thick layer on the areas of your face which need assistance, leave it on for 5 minutes and relax (I usually leave it on longer, nothing bad happens), and allow it to heat and cool naturally on your face within that time before gently washing it off. I used to absolutely hate face masks that heated up but this has changed my outlook entirely. Sanctuary do another mask specifically for moisturising which I may have to invest in, as they recommend using the different masks on different areas of your face; the charcoal mask for congested areas and the moisturising mask for dryer areas. These also come in small sachets if you wanted to test them out before investing in the bigger bottle. I have used the sachets and have found you can get about three uses out of one sachet.

The Body Shop Vitamin E eye cream

I will admit it, as do a lot of people, I have seriously puffy eyes in the morning. Like, I occasionally look like I got punched in both eyes - not pleasant. It really began to annoy me because even after applying make up, the puffiness was still really obvious and it looked like I was still tired for at least half the day until it calmed down. I had heard many beauty bloggers raving about this product and had refrained from purchasing it due to the slightly ridiculous price tag for such a tiny tube (€13.75) HOWEVER, I got a One-For-All card for Christmas and decided I would use that to treat myself to this product. I haven't been using it for very long but so far I really like it. I put it on after my moisturiser, sometimes before I go to bed as well as when I wake up in the morning. I find it really cooling and soothing under my eyes and have noticed a real difference in the puffiness on days that I don't wear it. I am going to continue using it and will do a full review on it when I have been using it for longer.

HANDS & BODY:

Soap & Glory 'Hand Food'

This little bottle (tube?) is literally my saviour for the cold months of the year (so all of them bar two in Ireland, and now England). It is extremely nourishing and moisturising, making your hands feel soft, getting rid of dry patches and with the added bonus of smelling UH-MAZ-ING. The amazing smell is down to the main ingredients of shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow... GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT! It comes in a bigger size bottle with a pump too (which I also own) but I love this 50ml one as it is great for travelling - the perfect hand bag/hand luggage size. You need to try this, it may change your life. Or, at least your hands' lives.

Soap & Glory The Daily Smooth Ultra Rich Body Lotion

This one is pretty self explanatory but I may just have a little praise-rant about it anyway. I love every single one of the Soap & Glory body products and find them so moisturising and effective, and this little number is no different. A super moisturising thick lotion that absorbs quickly and leaves your skin smelling amazing. Again, like the hand cream, it has ingredients that make it sound good enough to eat, including mango peel extract, rose hip seed oil, shea butter, blackcurrant, vanilla and other more floral notes. I apply this as often as I remember to, but I always have to apply it before applying fake tan as it takes away the dull look of your skin and makes the tan apply much more evenly without showing scaly lizard legs through it (ladies, I know you know what I mean).

What are the skincare essentials you cannot live without at the moment? Is there anything you think I should try out for myself? Please feel free to let me know in the comments, or if you don't have a blogspot account you can tweet me: @Siof !

Thank you so much for reading,

Siofra

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