How to keep your Skin & Hair healthy

Recently a few of you over on my Instagram have been asking me what I do to keep my skin and hair healthy. Now, I'm no expert but here are a few tips I've found help towards glossy hair and smoother skin.

First things first is W A T E R. 

Considering our skin is made from 64% water It only makes sense that hydrating it will be beneficial. I find when I really concentrate on upping my daily water intake I feel more energetic, the water helps balance my skin levels out therefore reducing oil and shine. 

I've been working on making my water more exciting in a bid to drink more, by adding lemon, mint and cucumber to icy cold water, it's refreshing, thirst quenching and adds vitamin C. It is also something a bit more interesting without it being bad for you like a sugary squash would be.
Another way I try to push my water intake up is to replace a few of what would normally be tea or coffee with hot water and lemon with a dash of honey, or to really mix it up adding a fresh raspberry to add extra fruitiness and colour. 

Eat more R E D  F O O D S...

Specifically red fruit and vegetables are the best for your hair, skin and nails. Red fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants such as lycopene and anthocyanins that have tons of benefits for your body, such as decreasing the risk of stroke. They are packed full of vitamins and lycopene is said to help protect against various cancers. I eat loads of berries on my breakfast with probiotic natural yogurt, a drizzle of honey, muesli and nuts. Then as my mid morning or afternoon snack I munch on a punnet of tomatoes and sliced red peppers. They strengthen your hair and nails and aid growth, which in turn makes it for more regular hair cuts which also aids healthier hair and reduces split ends. 

S K I N  C A RE 

Whether your skin care routine is high street or luxury it is still so important to look after your skin morning and night. My nighttime routine it more extensive than my morning as unfortunately I'm usually struck for time cause you know...sleep. Looking after your skin with the aid of moisturisers and balms is one of the best ways to revitalise your skin overnight. 

I am totally addicted to these EOS lip balms, not only do I use them for my lips throughout the day and overnight but I also use them as an under eye treatment. Lip balms are the most dense and intense forms or moisturisers out there which is why I opt the use it under my eyes. I honestly haven't found a better alternative product that can provide such a deep treatment. Its also amazing for dry skin patches on elbows or knees or even on hands and feet. Just be sure not to mix up the ones you're using on your face, lips and elsewhere. 

Recently I've been loving Estee Lauder's skin care products, I've been using the Revitalizing Supreme moisturiser a few nights a week alongside the Advanced Night Repair serum when I'm feeling like my skin needs a real good pick me up.
Finally I really enjoy using Garnier products to remove makeup such as their Micellar Water cleansers and their Simply Essentials 2 in 1 makeup remover. Which is a mixable liquid that you shake together to remove your eye makeup. I use it specifically to take off my waterproof mascara. 

In terms of hydration I've started using this Garnier Moisture Bomb it is a gel consistency, when applied feels like it turns into a water on the skin. It doesn't leave an oily feel to the skin and it sinks in very quickly which I like because it doesn't leave my skin feeling sticky.

H A I  R C A R E

I have always used hair serums after showering and before blow drying my hair especially, I prefer to shower in the evening so if I can help it I try to let my hair dry naturally however before styling I apply this Tresemmé Oil Elixir serum. It helps with stray frizzy hairs, conditions your locks and prevents breakages infused Argan and Almond oils, I apply it to my hair wet and now I really notice when I haven't used it. 

What do you do to keep your hair and skin healthy?
I'd love to know any tips you have?

That's all for now beauties, 

Thanks for reading!

Mucho Love,

Liv

♥

Tartelette In Bloom

This palette makes me one very happy bunny!

Firstly, can we just appreciate this packaging!?
It is b-e-a-u-tiful!
Not only does it look beautiful it feels beautiful too. This product isn't overly weighty which is amazing for traveling but still feels heavy enough to stop it feeling cheap.

Unfortunately it isn't the cheapest, yet it's not crazily priced either.
 It's £33 although I was lucky enough to receive this is a present from my brilliant sister who may have recently been to the US and thought of meeeee.
Based on my research if you buy from the Tarte website directly at the moment if you spend £86 or more it is free shipping.

Let's get serious now and talk product. 

These eyeshadows are gorgeous and I'm scared to say it out loud but they are genuinely becoming more of a firm favourite than the Naked pallets.

  I feel like I should take that back, is it even possible to like something more than the Naked pallets? 

With that in mind, the Naked pallets are a perfect comparison as these Tarte shadows are 100% on par in terms of quality. With regards to the texture I would say they aren't as buttery but that doesn't detract from the pay off, plus I think this is actually a pro because they don't have as much fall out as the Naked pallets. These shadows have soft and blendable clay-like texture (in a great way). This would down to containing Amazonian clay which promotes a longer more durable product and a truer pigmentation.

Image from Tarte.com

The pigment of these shadows also lives up to standard. They are all pretty much true to colour, you can see from my shot of the pallet in comparison to Tartes image of them, there really isn't too much difference which is brilliant. This palette contains 12 eyeshadows, 3 lusters and 9 mattes. The mattes all work seamlessly together to create unlimited combinations of looks alongside having the opportunity to add some lusters into the mix to really give what ever look you're going for the perfect finish. 

Here are a few different looks I've created recently using what is fast becoming my favourite nude pallette of the moment... as you can see it can create a look for every occasion and is really versatile.
To see more looks I've created with this pallette head over to my insta for a near enough daily MOTD. 

What's your fav nude pallette?
Have you used this palette or the first Tartelette palette? What did you think?

Let me know in the comments below.

That's all for now beauties, 

Thanks for reading!

Mucho Love,

Liv
♥
 

My Fav 5 Nude Lipsticks

January has been the month of the nude lip for me!!

I've really been loving a natural smokey golden eye and brownie-pinky nude lip so and I've come to realise I have 5 strong winners that are constantly in my handbag and never far from my lips!

These range from the likes high street Bourjois to luxury brands like Estee lauder.

1

First up on my fav's list is has been a big name in my makeup collection for at least a year and it's this Bourjois, Rouge Velvet Edition in Nude-ist, it's a lovely deep pinky nude, one of the deepest of the five but it is a very matte lip lacquer, which has real staying power. Dependent on the overall makeup look I would chose this lippy for a night out or a dinner date, purely for the ease of wear and lack of maintenance. It's a beaut, to be honest I love most of the colours from this range but this and the hot pepper shade are the two I've worn so much I've had to re-purchase which isn't a blow on the purse strings either being priced under £10 Barg! 

2

Next up on the list is this Estee Lauder dream, I got this for Christmas from Mr J. It is from the Makeup Artist Collection which is part of a perfume promotion which is currently an ongoing promotion, when you buy a specific perfume for £54 you can get £290 worth of makeup including this dreamy lip.
Also available in individually for £22 this Pure Colour Creme lipstick in Rose Tea is a very popular seller, you can see from the picture of me wearing it below it is definitely a brown toned nude. Personally I wouldn't say the name describes it well as on my lips I don't see much of a rosey pigment coming through but I can definitely see the tea aspect, cool, brownie nudes are a must have in my makeup bag and this was a welcome edition that is here to stay. 

3

This naughty Mac number is also a Christmas treat but from my ever so lovely sister. I saw Lily Pebbles wearing Mac Fast Play in her youtube video's and recommended it, so couldn't not put it on the wish list. This is reallllly similar to the Estee Lauder lip but I would say it's more pigmented and has a deeper brown untone through it. 

This the the amplified lipstick so it isn't matte but also isn't a creme or a balm, it has the coverage of a matte lipstick but unfortunately not the staying power. However on the pro side it doesn't leave your lips dry or flakey which if it was part of the matte range probably would. Finally it's bang on trend with the Kylie Jenner lip craze this is a perfect colour to add to any collection and luckily it's not constantly sold out like Velvet Teddy or Mare as Kylie hasn't said she wears it...Yet!

So get down to your nearest Mac counter and snap it up, i'm sure it won't be long until it's tagged her next insta upload.

4

On a cold day you want a nice nude lip but don't want your lips to chap in the bitter winter air this moisturising lip butter will be your makeup saviour! 

These Revlon Lip Butters are feel so luxurious and totally affordable!

This is the shade Sugar Plum, it 100% lives up to its name, it is a very plummy not sure that's a word? toned nude. I'm not sure if Revlon designed it to be a nude but as it is such a sheer coverage a few swipes creates a lovely nude. The plum pigment can be built up to create a more intense look but personally I love it as a more subtle nude and if you look back at previous posts you'll know I've been loving this range for a while. However if this shade is too 'plummy' for you then i'd also recommend the shade pink truffle it is less plum more brownie pink.

5

Last but not least is this baby beauty from Tarte in Punch, this is a mini from a lip set I also got for Christmas from a clued up beauty bestie of mine. To put this one on my list is very naughty as it is a Christmas Edition however it's nearly Identical to their full sized version called Mauve Rose.

This lipstick is the closest to my natural lip colour, it's a 'your lips but better' kinda colour. Not too pink, not too brown just naked lip colour.

I love that this is a mini, mainly because it's so freaking cute but partly because it's so easy to apply. Again this is a similar finish to the Mac lip, its not matte or a creamy consistency but a lightweight barely there feel that doesn't make your lips dry out but it doesn't provide them with a moisturising protective layer like the Revlon butters do. Nevertheless I would say it's a happy medium, it doesn't cause any lip problems like cracking but doesn't prevent them either, no complaints from me and I love the final look it gives!!

I'd love to know you're reccommendations on nude lips, I'm always expanding my collection lightening my purse.

Thats all for now beauties, 

Thank you for reading!

Much Love,

Liv
♥

***Makeup Details:My eye makeup in the above shots I used Urban Decay Naked Smog all over the lid and a copper colour from Make up Academy Iconic eyes palette blended out under the lower lash line. Rimmel brown eyeliner in the wet line and tight lined, Soap and Glory Brow Archery in Brownie Points and Estee Lauder extreme sumptuous mascara.
As a base I used L'Oreal True Match foundation in N2, Collection lasting perfection concealer in 1, Rimmel Wake me up concealer in Ivory and set with Bourjois healthy balance powder in the lighter shade.

On my cheeks used, Bourjois chocolate bronzer in 52, H&M Pure blush in golden peach and Make up Academy undress your skin as a highlight. 

Easy like a Sunday morning...

Easy like a Sunday morning...

This sunday I spent chilling out and giving the house a little spruce up while Mr J rustled up a scrummy sunday dinner, bloody mary beef - a Jamie O recipe. As my fingers tap it's slowly cooking away and smells like absolute heaven! Slow cooked beef with mash potato and kale. The beef is slow cooked for 5 hours in a vodka and tomato sauce and my god it's good. Check my insta later as i'm sure i'll snap it for you guys.

Today I have the house a lovely clean... as per every weekend and lit some candles in our room and did my face slowly. I took my time enjoying applying it as it is my favourite thing to do while watching youtube video's. I've recently become totally addicted to the Sacconejolys youtube channel so the fact the upload daily is a W I N !

Today I want for a matte eyeshadow look and a subtle nude lip, really wearable everyday look. I created this look using the Urban Decay Naked pallet using Naked as a base lid colour and Buck blended through the crease line blended out. On my lips i'm using a Revlon lip butter in pink truffle, Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme mascara, Bourjois bronzer, Soap & Glory brow archery and H&M blusher in golden peach.

#OOTD - I'm wearing a ASOS button up aline skirt with a turtle neck ribbed fitted top from newlook and the world's comfiest and warm tights from Primark because it's still bloomin cold out!

How was do you spend your Sundays?

Side note:I've also entered the a competition hosted by Rimmel #londonlookuk and if you like my makeup look I would really appreciate it if you could follow the link and click on the crown, it's a fantastic competition, let me know if you've entered and i'll be sure to put a vote your way.
http://uk.rimmellondon.com/entry/68428

That's all from me for now as dinner's nearly ready and i'm about to jump for j o y!

Thanks for reading

Mucho Love

Liv.

♥

House to Home

October 20th marked a year of me living in the fine city of Norwich which I now call my home. 

What a year it's been, we've made our house this beautiful place to live, we have a purdy little kitty and I'm in a job which I have made amazing friends through and don't dread getting up for, yeah it's not my life on aspirational job but it's nice for now, do the boring grown up stuff and still have the fun 20 something year olds are meant to have. 

Life's pretty good right now.

When I moved in with Mr J our house was a small building site as the water tank had leaked while he was away on a work trip and caused a lot of damage to call of the floors and walls.
A year down the line we have managed to take the house and turn it into our lovely first home. 

I will take lots of lovely shots of each room when they are all completely finished but for now I leave you with a few snippets of my favourite parts of our house, the parts I feel make it a home. 

What we've done so far:
- Re-plastered all the walls and skimmed the ceilings once they were dry that is.
- Painted every room bar the bathroom (which is in working progress as I type).
- Stripped the floors in the upstairs bedrooms and reclaimed the original floorboards to a dark stained wood. We intend to do this down stairs too with the goal to get it done before christmas.
- Painted all the cupboards in our kitchen from a dated fake wood to a matte off white to create the feel of more space.

- Made our own furniture, inspo taken from a amazing website called Ikea Hackers which gave interesting idea's using affordable Ikea furniture  (and other bits and bobs) and turning them into one of a kind pieces. So far we have made a tv stand/cabinet out of Ikea kitchen cabinets and a coffee table from a old pallet. Check it out here.

So with winter knocking at the door and autumn sprinting past quicker than I can get out of bed okay so that's not very quick I feel it's time to get my boots on and kick around in some beautiful leaves or something along those lines.

So on that note I'll leave you with a beautiful picture of St John's College in Cambridge my visit a few weeks ago.

I know it's not topical to my home post but it is very pretty.

That's all for now beauties. 

Mucho Love,  

Liv
<3

Time for a Re-Vamp

So my lovely little blog has had a makeover!

I'm really happy with the final out come, thanks to my clever man Mr J!

Fresh, clean, minimal and stops me & you  from getting distracted by the rest of our fast paced world.

My little tranquil space to say hey, express my opinions and get to know myself and with you joining me along for the ride.

I hope you like the new look as much as I do, it's been as investment of time and a few pennies but I think it is definitely worth it.

That's all for now beauties,
Mucho love,
Liv.
<3

So recently...

It's been a long crazy, amazing, beautiful summer...

However, it's come at the cost of neglecting you lovely lot and little space on the net my blog. 

For that I apologise. Truly, deeply, I do. 

I am sorry. 

So let's get up to date with one another and then we'll get back into the swing of blogging. 

My summer...lots has happened and changed for me. I've got a new job, I've been on holiday, I've got more inspired and best of all...

I GOT A KITTEN!!!

If you knew me better, you'd know how long I've been begging Mr J for a little kitty and how much I love my teenie beaut.

Kitten facts:

• Breed: British blue shorthair cross with Persian (her dad was 1/2 and half and mum was tortoiseshell British blue) 
• Name: Blu
• DOB: 20/07/2015
• Weight: 1.17kg
• Eye colour: Currently between a green and mustard, we are thinking they'll get fairly bright but time will tell. 
• Cuteness: Off the scale 

Holiday deets: 

• Where: Majorca 
• With: Mr J and 4 other amazing friends both couples 
• Accommodation: Amazing villa in the mountains of Alcudia
• Duration: 10 days
• Snaps: 

Now we are up to date, the next post will be more beauty, lifestyle or fashion related, as you can tell I've not written it yet. 

That's all for now beauties. 

Mucho love, 

Liv.

❤️

Wedding Season Must Haves

The Wedding season is quickly approaching!

As I am getting older so are my friends and family obviously, everyone is getting to the age where weddings are being planned and prepped and invites are flying through the letterbox! 

I've come up with a list to get you through the season with minimal spending but maximum fun and glamour! 

First up...

Shoes: 

The most versatile and flatting heel are nude. They will go with essentially absolutely everything and they will give the allusion of a longer leg. My preference in a pointed stiletto - I think the point is very chic- WARNING pointed heels can result in slightly numb toes.

However there is nothing wrong with a open toe, round toe or platform heel, they will all work well with most outfits and extend the look of your leg. DOUBLE WIN.

Some recommendations are:

Boohoo Pointed Heel £22

 

M&S Round Toe Court Shoe £25 

Asos Pointed Heels £30 with Lace details

Clutch Bag:

Again Nude is always a safe bet, however if you pre plan your outfits buying a silver or gold clutch can go with most and also add a touch of sparkle. However, at the hologram bags are perfect and so on trend at the moment. I prefer oversized clutch bags as I like to bring the world share of tissues for the ceremony and some makeup for retouching throughout the day.

Pink Hologram £15 ASOS 

Warehouse Flat Leather Clutch £15

Hologram Clutch £15 ASOS 

Make Up:

Whether your a guest or the bride the one thing you want from your makeup on a long day like a wedding is staying powers so i've rustled up a few makeup must haves for your wedding makeup selection which will get you through the big day with minimum effort and worry resulting in maximum enjoyment.

Lips:

These Bourjois Rouge edition Velvet lipsticks are fantastic!!
They're only £8.99 and have recently extended there colour pallet. The Hot Pepper Red is beautifully bright with an orangey tint and works really will with most skin tones. They have extended there nude collection which is perfect for the Bride as they don't transfer so kissing your new hubby all day A'OK!

Face:
This concealer is the brilliant as I've mentioned in previous High Street Beauty Haul is so long lasting, its none transferable and is fantastic for blemishes and in a lighter tone under the eye and a brightener. Its on sale in Boots at the moment from £4.19 down to £3.99 its a no brainer!!

Eyes:

These cream stick eye shadows are great, there are loads of gorgeous ones on the market at the moment especially in the high end spectrum, the By Terry shadow sticks are a fav! However for the less bank breaking fee of just £4.49 I would say these Rimmel Shadow sticks are just as great! They are long lasting and have high pigmentation and require little effort and have a range of 8 different colours in the range. At the moment and they are on 3 for 2 so its a crime not to snap your favourite shades up now!!

Tools:

This Real Techniques Mini Brush Set obviously isn't for the general and initial application of your makeup but they are so handy, the perfect hand/clutch bag size and give you most tools you need to retouching your makeup throughout the day. They are also so affordable at only £9.99!

I hope this was helpful for your up and coming wedding prep, if you have more than one it can become pretty pricey and get a little stressful which we certainly don't want it to be. Weddings are a celebration of love and a coming together of families and happiness so anything that can be done to lower the stress levels is a bonus, nay?

Thats all for now beauties!

Send me your pictures of your wedding buys and finished outfits throughout the summer I'd love any inspo!!
Let me know if i've missed anything you think is a must have?

Mucho Love,

Liv
♥