I BOUGHT *THAT* PRIMARK BAR CART | THE HOME SERIES

There are a few essential bits you need when you’re moving out; a kettle, a mattress, and a gold bar cart..? In true Jasmine-form, I’ve managed to practically bankrupt myself on all those unnecessary bits during this move [peep the mountain of soft-furnishings in the background] and we’re still living life without a toaster in the kitchen, because, priorities?! For those of you who missed it, myself and my best friend Pebbles have moved to Bristol. I’m going to be starting a Home Series of blog posts where I review homeware and do more home-based and decor posts because I’ve loved this part of moving. We’ve been here just under two weeks now, and we’ve been busily making the place feel like home - and trying to surreptitiously stash all our cardboard boxes in as many bins as possible so they aren’t clogging up our living room. High on my list of things to buy was *this* Bar Cart from Primark Home, which I feel like went viral earlier on in the year.

WE'RE MOVING TO BRISTOL!

Well holy moly/sweet baby jesus/crikey/blimey/say whaaaaaat?! 

I am so ridiiiiiiiiiculously excited to be writing this blog post, and it’s one I’ve been keeping under my hat for months. But it’s finally here, and I finally feel like everything’s worked out enough for me to be putting it out into the world. I’m so happy, I’m so thrilled; I am moving to Bristol this week!

This has been quietly in the pipeline for a few months now, and slowly but surely, it’s all come together, and the moment of truth is finally here! It really feels like the beginning of the next chapter of my life.

A LITTLE NEW LOOK HAUL

 

So, it turns out I come from a long line of hoarders. My grandma recently needed some help clearing out her house, and my dad reported back that she had approximately seven million skirts. Rich coming from my dad, by the way, because the man has a very impressive collection of coats and jackets than spans across four cupboards in the house. My brother has a bit of an ASOS fetish, but swears up and down he only buys things when they go into the sale, but the amount of packages that arrive at our house seems a bit suspicious. So, in honour of my family and wanting to respect their traditions, I’ve bought myself some more clothes. 

I’m such a sucker for being tempted when I’m scrolling through Instagram; I constantly click on posts when I spot someone wearing something I love. I found myself on the New Look website after spotting a couple of girls looking fabulous in a couple of New Look pieces, and unfortunately, on this occasion, my willpower wasn’t strong enough to prevent me from clicking the ‘checkout’ button. I had such good intentions to just have a look, and then carry on living my life. I haven’t actually spent money with New Look since I worked for them in 2016 - I genuinely don’t go in the shop and I genuinely don’t have a habit of looking on their website. But it wasn’t to be! I ended up with a couple of bits which I love, so take a gander at what I’ve bought myself this time…

Black Floral Jersey Puff Sleeve Mini Tea Dress | £19.99 | Size 8

I’ve wanted a tea dress in this style for the longest time, and I think this one is so perfect for my body shape. It’s crazy flattering with its puff sleeves and frilled skirt. The puff sleeves give a bit of shoulder drama, and are really comfortable despite the elastic which creates the shape. It’s a beautiful mini-length which, miraculously, is still pretty mini on me despite being 5’2’’. It cinches in at the waist and then flares out, creating a really flattering hourglass silhouette. I also really adore the v-neck cut; I’ve been searching for a neckline that adds a bit of femininity to my lewks. I’ve been obsessed and fixated with the 90s square necks, so this one’s a really nice change and I think it adds to the femininity of the dress.

I was a bit like ‘huh???’ when I took it out of the bag. I was expecting it to be black and white [which it does kind of look like, to be honest] but it’s actually black and beige. I really wouldn’t have bought this dress had I known it was a black pattern over a beige-base, but now it’s here and I’ve tried it on, I really do love it. I’m a monochrome lover and I don’t wear many colours at all, and if I did, it certainly wouldn’t be beige old beige. But when it’s on, it looks more like a black and cream/off white dress, and I think it’s really lovely. The fabric itself feels like lovely quality; it’s quite a far cry from some of the bog-roll-masquerading-as-clothing I’ve bought off Shein in the past. I’m definitely going to be layering this over a high neck top so I get some wear out of this in the cooler months; I think it’ll look so cute over some tights. But it’s also going to be a lovely and effortless throw-on dress for spring that looks really girly. Obviously I’ll be pairing it with chunky boots! But I’m super impressed.

Petite Black Leather-Look Teddy Lined Aviator Jacket | £55.99 | Size 10

First things first; when I took this out of the bag I had to quickly check I hadn’t inadvertently wandered into a public urinal. I hadn’t. But. This. Jacket. Smells. Like. Piss. It smells like the aroma you get wafting into your nostrils from the men’s loos in Spoons on a Sunday afternoon. Stale and offensive. And pissy. This is the second faux-leather jacket I’ve had this year, and both of them have had this really strong, strange smell. I don’t know whether it’s to do with the material or how they treat it whilst it’s being stored in the warehouse, but lordy lord, it do be whiffy. Nevertheless, I’ve currently got it airing out on my clothes rail, and in all honesty, the jacket is so perfect that even if it stank of actual diarrhoea I’d still probably wear it. It came with all the metal wrapped in tissue paper for protection; lovely stuff, and a load of film protectors. This was nice, because this is the first ‘expensive’ coat I’ve ever bought from New Look. I’ve had a few of their twenty-ish-pound jackets in the past, but this is one of their *nicer* ones. 

This jacket is super beautiful though, and I’ve seen it featured on lots of my favourite instagrammers’ feeds. The teddy lining is a lovely, neutral cream colour and the main black outer jacket has a realistic faux-leather look with a pretty lifelike sheen. I absolutely adore the exaggerated collar because it makes the jacket look extra cosy, and the teddy-accents on the bottom of the sleeves and the base of the jacket makes it look warm and luxurious. I got this in a size 10, and to be honest, I maybe maybe maybe could’ve gone up to a 12, because it feels as though I’ll only be able to get a single jumper underneath - which may be all I need as this jacket does feel like it’ll be good and warm. But I do like a slightly oversized-looking winter coat to allow for more layering. Oh well, I still think it fits me and looks well-proportioned on my body. I was super pleased to find this in the Petite section, as well as the regular fit and Curves fit, so nobody is left out. I sometimes find that the sleeves of coats can be quite long on me, and I’ll always purchase from the Petite section from shops if I can. I am properly in love with this jacket though; it looks and feels expensive, and I think it’ll go well with so many outfits over the coming months. It was a bit of an investment and my final coat-purchase for this autumn/winter season, and I’m really happy with it.

This is the first time I’ve ordered with New Look in years, and I’m really really pleasantly surprised. I actually love the items that I’ve bought - and they feel like so much better quality than some of the bits I get from other online retailers. Sure, I spent a little more but I am a firm believer in ‘you get what you pay for’, and I know that I’m going to wear the dress and the coat to absolute death. Coming to an Instagram feed near you!

Lots of love,

Jasmine x

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I HAD MY FIRST SMEAR TEST

It’s the thing we all know is coming; I remember queuing up for my cervical cancer jab at school and being told about our smear tests in sex education. I remember when I had my injection, I milked ‘feeling sick’ and skived off the rest of the day, lying down on the p.e mats with my legs in the air so I didn’t have to go back to double geography. I remember being told we’d need our first smear test when we turned twenty five years old. Twenty five! It seemed like a lifetime away! But a couple of months before I turned twenty five this year, I got the letter through the post, letting me know it was time to book it. 

PIXI BEAUTY SKINTREATS REVIEW | PEEL & POLISH VS MILKY PEEL

I have many loves in this life; eggs benedict, fresh bedding, pinot grigio, Judge Judy, any puppy that walks the earth and, of course, my skincare. I discovered PIXI Beauty Skintreats about a year ago now, and I’m a convert. I remember almost choking in the cashier’s face the first time I bought a few products [I dropped £75 on three items]. But I also remember how amaaaazing I felt after my first go with them. And since then, I’ve been absolutely dedicated to filling my bathroom cupboard with all of the PIXI Skintreats. Of all the things I’ve tried so far, their peels have got to be my favourite. I wanted to do a full review and comparison post on the two I currently have on the go; the Peel & Polish and the Hydrating Milky Peel. Both are LUSH and both are DIVINE, but here’s why…

BLEACH LONDON SMOKY ROSÉ SUPER COOL COLOUR | REVIEW + DEMO

I get so excited when I stumble upon a new Holy Grail product! It doesn’t tend to happen so often now, because I feel like I’ve got my arsenal of amazing products that I’m happy with and will always continue to use. These are things like my Too Faced Better Than Sex Liquid Eyeliner, my NYX Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipstick and my Original Source Raspberry and Vanilla Shower Gel - to name a few! I’ve got such a solid collection of stuff I just luuuurve that I rarely branch out and try many new things lately, so this is a particularly exciting blog post for me to be writing!

I recently won a One4All gift voucher from my work for being simply spectacular and amazing [I’m actually really proud and wasn’t expecting this] and I couldn’t wait to treat myself to a load of stuff from Boots. I wanted to stock up on a few things I’d nearly run out of - the top of my list of bits to buy are the Bleach London Super Cool Colour in Rosé, which I’ve been using on and off since 2014 to get my hair my much-loved pastel pink shade. At the time, Boots were having one of their sales, and Bleach London had 1/3 off their products, so ’twas perfect timing. And then! Tragedy! Shock! Gasp! All of the Rosé shades were sold out, but staring at me from the shelves were plenty of Bleach London Super Cool Colour in Smoky Rosé. 

LOUNGE UNDERWEAR MUSTARD BLOSSOM BALCONY SET | REVIEW + TRY ON

Autumn is upon us! For most bloggers, that means pumpkin spiced lattes, leather jackets and insta pictures of themselves throwing fallen leaves. In my case, it means using it as an excuse to buy yet another set of Lounge Underwear, just this time, in a vaguely autumnal colour. I don’t wanna hear about whether that’s logical or not; I know these two flimsy pieces of lace aren’t going to keep me warm through the autumn months…but do they look good? Hell yeah they look good! So I decided to treat myself again [you know when you stress so much about money, you feel like the only option is to buy another set of pretty underwear? Yeah, that common issue] and I placed an order for the Mustard Blossom Balcony Bra & Thong by my ultimate faves; Lounge Underwear. Here’s what I [and my cat, by the looks of things] think!

KATCH ME | COSY WINTER TRY-ON HAUL*

Hands up if you’ve put the heating on yet! I can’t believe how the weather has changed; autumn is well and truly upon us. I’ve recently acquired some microwavable slippers, and I’m starting to get separation anxiety from the kettle for my endless cups of tea. It’s jumper and wooly hat season, and to be honest, I’m really excited. I love the summer months, but after I’ve worn mini dress after mini dress, I can get a bit bored of the repetitive fashion-side of things. I really love it when the weather changes because I think autumn and winter fashion is a lot more creative; I love the layering and accessorising that comes with the chilly months! I was suuuper excited to be contacted by Katch Me last week, who asked me if I’d like to select a few of their pieces to try for a blog post. I got to choose an item from their Jackets range, their PU range and their Loungewear range - perfect for this time of year! It’s the first time I’ve ever used their site, but I loved having a browse for what I wanted to order. Here’s what I went for…

ALYA SKIN AUSTRALIAN PINK CLAY MASK | REVIEW*

Yep, she’s still a skincare hoarder. Yep, her bathroom cabinet is literally overrun with various pots and tubes and jars of goo. And YES, her skin is still misbehaving. We don’t mind though; it’s just more of an excuse to accumulate more goo and lock myself in the bathroom for an hour a night while I slather myself in skincare. I’ll shut myself in there with a true crime documentary, a cup of tea and I won’t resurface until I’m scrubbed and cleansed to within an inch of my life [you never realise how incredibly rock ’n’ roll you are until you type out your ideal Saturday night, do you?].

SHEIN SUMMER TRY ON HAUL

I’ve put myself on a month-long clothing ban. I am sad. HOWEVER, it does give me time away from endlessly scrolling through online stores’ pages and filling baskets to allow me to write my blog posts for all the orders I’ve had over the last few weeks! I recently placed an order with SHEIN, who I’ve ordered from before, for a few late summery bits. SHEIN is a website which I believe is based in China. It’s known for being a bit hit and miss; but if you try to buy a boujie evening gown for £10 and it arrives looking like a tacky parachute, you’re honestly the only one to blame. I have loved some of the stuff I’ve bought from them before, and I always find myself wondering what bargains I can bag. Once I come to terms with the 2-3 weeks shipping time, I’m always impressed with the things I’m able to find! I don’t need any more dresses, but you better believe I bought some. So here are the late-summer pieces I decided to treat myself with this time…

THE FIVE SENSES GIFT IDEAS

I was BORN to get people presents; I love it, I get so excited to write my to-buy lists and (best of all) could sit and wrap them all day with all my pretty paper and gift bags. I can see into my future, and I’m definitely going to be that middle-aged woman who wears linen trousers and her cashmere jumper tied round her shoulders who puts together a gift hamper to say thank-you to our neighbours, Nigel and Barbara, for having us over for a barbecue. And I am okay with that. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I do get stuck sometimes, and when that happens, you’ll more than likely find me on Pinterest or looking at my fellow bloggers’ gift guides for a bit of inspo. Surfing the ol’ interwebz is where I first came across the ‘5 Senses’ gift idea, and I immediately thought it was the cutest bloody thing I’d ever seen! The basic premise is that rather than getting one ‘main’ gift for that special someone, you get them five gifts; one that relates to each of the five senses. These seem to be more suited to anniversary presents or significant others, but I don’t see why this couldn’t be used for your friends or family. I decided to do this for my boyfriend’s birthday this weekend, but I thought I’d use it for a blog post and include a few ideas for each sense, in case you wanted to experiment with this too!

LOUNGE UNDERWEAR PINK BALCONY BRA SET | REVIEW + TRY ON

Real talk…is this blog just a Lounge Underwear fan account at this point? Very possibly. But these sets are pretty much curing my depression, impeaching President Trump and inventing the covid-19 vaccine at this point, so you’d better believe I’m going to keep investing in them. I’m actually quite surprised I never bought the pink set before now, because I compensate for my lack of personality almost exclusively by plastering myself in as much baby pink as physically possible. I am in absolute love with this latest set, so I wanted to take some pretty pictures and tell you what I think of these; my latest and newest favourite undercrackers…

PIXI BEAUTY SKINTREATS SKINCARE HAUL | BEFORE + AFTER

There are a few things I simply will not compromise on. Don’t get me wrong, I can eat Tesco Value beans and drink cheap, shitty £5 bottles of wine without batting an eyelid. But when it comes to my skincare routine, you’d best believe it’s elaborate and expensive. Skincare is so important to me; the routine and the ritual are all part of it. And having lovely skin is obviously a bonus too. I’ve tried more skincare brands than I’d care to admit [I’d hate to see the total amount of money I’ve spunked on it over the years], but I feel like I’ve found a range of products that I absolutely love using and could not be without now. I recently had to replenish my stash of PIXI by Petra Skincare, and I wanted to show you what I chose this time…

LOUNGE SWIM BLACK MIAMI TRIANGLE BIKINI SET | TRY ON + REVIEW

With all the jet-setting and travelling we’re all doing this year [I am joking, obv], one of my most ridiculous lockdown purchases has to be the Black Miami Triangle Bikini Set by Lounge. I mean, it was hardly an essential buy, but it didn’t half make me happy. The lockdown rule seems to be ‘a parcel a day keeps the sadness away’, and I’ve been testing that theory. It appears to really work! So although I may not have been on my round-the-world trip - as planned for May-August of this year - I certainly have been making a lot of use of the sun lounger in my back garden. Lounge has only recently launched their Swim range, so I did want to be one of the first to order a set and give my first impressions and try it on for you! Here’s what I think…

DAY TO NIGHT FEMME LUXE FINERY | TRY ON HAUL*

 

With the universe seemingly going back to normal - and my Instagram stories flood with brunch, bar and nightclub promotions - I’m getting to think it’s high time I get some outfits sorted out. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know I’m a total sucker for a brunch date, so that’s always top of my list. I also LOVE to think I can manage a night out, and if you discount the fact I’m usually borderline paralytic by 7pm and spooning a kebab by 9pm, then obviously I need some pretty bits to debut on my first post-lockdown night on the town. I’m lucky enough to get to choose pieces from Femme Luxe Finery, who I’ve been working with for nearly a year now (and loving every minute!) to get my wardrobe stocked up and ready for when we can all be unleashed into the world. The shopping centres, cafes and bars won’t know what’s hit it! Here’s what I chose for my day to night leeeewwwks with Femme Luxe Finery this time…

A FEW THINGS I'VE LEARNT ABOUT LOVE

Do any of you remember that ‘A Few Things I’ve Learnt About Dating’ blog post from a couple of months back? It’s been one of my most-read posts this year, and at the time, I really needed to get all my thoughts down in a way that made sense to me. It’s weird to read it back now; it seems worlds away from how I feel sitting here today. I like to think I took my own advice, but everything changed for me within a matter of days of writing it. I genuinely cannot believe I’m getting settled down to put the next few thoughts into words, but I feel like I have learnt even more lessons, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. Allow me to introduce you all to Kyle, and note down a few things I’ve learnt about love…

BOOTS HAIRCARE HAUL

She finally got her hair done! She’s finally living her post-lockdown life and the world doesn’t seem like such a terrible place any more. It’s amazing what a visit to the hairdressers, a bit of bleach and a little trip to the haircare section in Boots can do for a girl’s self-esteem. If you haven’t seen my blog post about my hair, you won’t know that I’ve got the most beeeeeautiful unicorn locks known to man at the moment. I was smothered in treatments, bleaches, toners and other beautiful products, but this means that there’s going to be a fair amount of upkeep for me to handle. So with that in mind, I popped to Boots after my appointment to grab some of the essentials for maintaining my pastel lilac and pink hair. 

ANOTHER FEMME LUXE FINERY HAUL | TRY ON + REVIEW*

If lockdown has taught me anything, it’s that I cannot ever have enough clothes. In normal life, I’m too busy and too distracted to spend 4+ hours a day scrolling through various websites and deciding I absolutely *need* the same dress in six different colours. But being confined to the house has allowed me to spend as much time as I like filling various shopping baskets with stuff to wear to my next lunch in the garden, or my next long and romantic stroll to the kitchen. I’ve been collaborating with Femme Luxe Finery for aaaages now, and I’ve had some great pieces come through the door from them. I’d dress this up and act like I really need these new bits, but I really don’t. I just wanted them! So here’s what I chose this time!

GETTING MY HAIR TRANSFORMED AFTER LOCKDOWN @ LEMONADE HAIR COMPANY

The world finally feels like it’s getting back to normal! I’m so happy that in the last week, I’ve had a drink in a pub, booked a tattoo appointment, but most importantly I’ve had my barnet attended to! On Wednesday I visited Lemonade Hair Company in Exeter. I wanted to take my camera and take some pictures so I could share the experience with you. I know it’s only a haircut, but after so many months of looking and feeling like absolute trash because of the dreaded rona, you can see why I feel like I’ve had such a massive boost! 

LOUNGE UNDERWEAR BLACK BLOSSOM BALCONY SET | REVIEW + TRY ON

“Oops I did it again…I ordered on Klarna….I spent fifty quiiid, ooh baby baby…” Hello, it’s ya favourite moron with zero self-control when it comes to buying shit they can’t afford! The phrase champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget seems appropriate here, because this is my second set of the beautiful Lounge Underwear in less than a month. I’d say I was sorry, but I’m actually really not. I’m hooked like a bloody fish on Lounge, and here’s what I think about my latest set; the Black Blossom Balcony Bra & Thong set. Try saying that after a bottle of wine!

LOUNGE CO-ORDS FOR DAYS | FEMME LUXE FINERY TRY ON HAUL*

Since no-one’s leaving the house, let’s just stock up on PJs! I’m wanting to serve you comfortable realness whilst I recline, eat my feelings, pollute my mind with hours and hours of reality TV and wonder where it all went wrong. We stan a loungewear set, now more than ever. And since I’m just an overgrown princess-obsessed toddler, I went for aaaaall the pastel shades. Shock! I filled my Femme Luxe Finery cart with the best lounge sets I could find, and here’s what I thought when I tried them on!

A FEW THINGS I'VE LEARNT ABOUT DATING

Well, it’s all in the bin. I don’t know if I’m writing this to get it all off my chest, or to try to help myself make sense of everything. Basically, my dating career has all gone a bit Pete Tong and I’m sitting here feeling hard done by. I’d say this was my first venture out into the real world of dating, having been with my ex-boyfriend for five years. It was simpler when I was nineteen; I went up to visit him for the weekend and came back with a boyfriend. Easy peasy! Since that relationship ended, I was adamant I wasn’t looking for another relationship. Months later, I met someone, and my mind changed. And then it all went to shit! Anyone wanna join my pity-party?  After a tub of Ben & Jerry’s, about 24 consecutive hours on FaceTime to my various friends and relatives and a good cry, I’m feeling ready to dump all my thoughts and feelings down in writing. Here are a few lessons I’ve learnt about dating after my first proper dating experience…

WHAT I GOT FOR MY 25TH BIRTHDAY

I think my friends and family have seriously tried to cushion the blow of me turning a QUARTER OF A CENTURY old. Twenty five?? Twenty five??? I can barely believe it. I still want to watch Disney films, eat cake for breakfast and - to be honest - be pushed around in a pushchair, for F’s sake! But I guess all that’s over, and I’ve officially hit my mid-twenties. Wow! So I’ve decided to take a few of the best bits I got as presents and have a little brag about how spoilt I’ve been. 

Just kidding; I’m so incredibly grateful to all the people who went to so much effort to make my day as special as it was. I started drinking Aperol Spritzes at 8:30am, had my family and a couple of *socially distanced* friends over for a big barbecue and then ended the evening on the beach, having a sea swim! I really had the loveliest day, and now it’s time to get super thankful and mushy over the amazing bits I got to unwrap!

MISSGUIDED SUMMER DRESSES | TRY-ON HAUL

I am living my ‘treat yo’self’ fantasy right now. I’m literally typing this out as I’m supposed to be lying on a Fijian beach and being fed melon by some dude who is simultaneously fanning me with a palm leaf. My round-the-world trip continues to be postponed, so the next logical step is to spend inordinate amounts of cash on online shopping. So, yes, I’m spending far far FAR too much on clothing and makeup. But I’m also curing myself of depression, so it’s fine, no? 

LOUNGE UNDERWEAR BLUE BALCONY BRA SET | TRY ON + REVIEW

As I put the finishing touches to my lawsuit against the inventor of ‘Klarna’s pay later’ payment method [just kidding, it’s the best and worst thing that’s ever happened to me though!] I also find myself writing up this review of my first ever set of Lounge Underwear. I struggle to understand why it’s taken me this long to purchase one of their sets; I’ve always thought they are incredibly beautiful and it seems like I’m being stalked by the brand on social media. But I really think lockdown is getting to me and my friends…early this week we were all on a group video chat and all decided to buy a set each. My friend Charlie got the purple set, Pebbles bought mint and I chose this beautiful blue set…

THE SUMMER STAPLES | FEMME LUXE FINERY TRY ON HAUL*

For me, Femme Luxe Finery are bringing new meaning to the phrase ‘all dressed up and nowhere to go’ during lockdown. I cannot stop ordering stuff, for love nor money! Another day, another completely unnecessary parcel comes through the door. I cannot prove it, but there really may not be anybody better dressed for coronavirus than me. And my Klarna and Clearpay accounts can certainly testify. Lucky for me, myself and Femme Luxe Finery have done a fair few collaborations in the past, and I’ve been liking their stock more and more over the past few times we’ve worked together. I wanted to try a few summery pieces for this haul; stuff I’ll need and wear over the next few months. Here’s what I chose this time! 

TO ME, FROM ME | LOOKFANTASTIC BIRTHDAY BEAUTY HAUL

I’m not the only one who uses their birthday week to spend a disgusting amount of money on themselves, right? I turned twenty five [eeek] last week, and what better to cushion that blow than to spunk a fortune on beauty products? I feel like I’ve got to the age now where it’s completely acceptable to rack up several Klarna debts to spend on stuff for myself, and no one’s gonna tell me otherwise. I’ve had this LookFantastic cart lurking in my browser tabs for bloody weeks and I’m thoroughly thoroughly excited now it’s here. Here’s what I treated myself to for my twenty fifth!

ECOTOOLS 360° ULTIMATE BLEND BRUSH KIT | REVIEW

I’m a girl who’s not afraid to admit that I’d much rather buy a new set of brushes rather than wash my old ones. Whether I *should* be afraid to admit that is another story…but here we are. Last month, I found myself perusing the pages of iHerb which is a US-based cosmetics website. I’ve ordered from there a fair bit in the past; they stock RealTechniques and EcoTools brushes for a really decent price. Far cheaper than in the UK! I remember the first time I ordered from iHerb was in around 2013 and my mum intercepted my parcel thinking I’d ordered weed off the internet, but I digress.

THE LINGERIE EDIT | FEMME LUXE FINERY TRY-ON HAUL*

SOMEBODY COME GET ERRRR, SHE DANCING LIKE A STRIPPPERRR! Ahhh, I cannot tell you how long I’ve wanted/needed to get that reference into a blog post, but now here we are in a bunch of beautiful bodysuits for my latest collaboration with Femme Luxe Finery! They're an online store that's extreeeemely Kardashian-esque and I seem to have made it my mission to put my 5'2" flat-chested body into all their garms to prove you don't have to look like a hyper-feminine cartoon character to look good in their bits. How am I doing, lol?

I’ve never really had bodysuits on my radar, but after a few of my favourite instagrammers have started using them as the new ‘jeans and a nice top’, I’d be silly not to jump on the hype. But isn’t it also just lush to have a few pretty pieces of lingerie to eat Haagen Dazs and watch CBS Reality in during lockdown? *Hint* The answer is always yes. 

OCCASION, EVENT + PARTY DRESSES | FEMME LUXE FINERY TRY-ON HAUL*

Everyone still in lockdown? Everyone still living in their PJs? Everyone still ordering clothes like they’re actually going to get to wear them soon? Yep, me too. I’m bringing a whole new level of “all dressed up and nowhere to go” with this latest collaboration with Femme Luxe Finery! And I honestly don’t know what my problem is, because even before lockdown started, I barely left the house in anything but jeans and a t shirt. But is that going to stop me ordering a load of night-out/occasion/clubbing dresses? And by adding them to my basket, am I trying to convince myself that once lockdown’s lifted I’m suddenly going to become a night-out-loving-event-attending lady? Who knows! All I do know is that this dress-filled haul was one of the prettiest and best parcel of things I’ve had for aaaaaages! 

HOW I GET MY PASTEL PINK HAIR | BLEACH LONDON REVIEW + DEMO

In today's blog post, I wanted to share my latest YouTube video where I show how I get my hair this gorgeous baby pastel pink shade using my absolute favourite Bleach London Rose Semi Permanent Colour. I've done a short review and a demonstration showing all the steps, and I think it looks pretty easy! I love having pink hair, I don't feel like myself without it, so I'm happy it's straightforward to maintain at home. Also, lockdown made me shave my eyebrows...let's not talk about it. Don't forget to Like, Comment and Subscribe if you enjoyed watching!

A FEEL-GOOD LOCKDOWN HAUL

We all need a little bit of a pick-me-up at the moment! The shops are shut, we can’t go for our usual comforting brunches or afternoons in the beer garden. Things are weird! Times are strange!  I’m obviously ever-grateful to be isolated with my family; we’re spending so much quality time together and I feel very lucky. I have a garden to sit in, an endless supply of documentaries and maybe a bottle of wine or three in the fridge. But I still felt like I could do with a little treat. 

I’ve not worked for over a month, so I decided to spend what very very very little money I have left on a few bits and bobs to cheer me up a bit…

KNIGHT AND WILSON PUREPLEX BOND RECONSTRUCTING SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER*

I was minding my own business, tweeting some tweets a few months ago when the lovely lot at Knight & Wilson heard my whinging. I’ve suffered some really really rrreeeaaalllyyy bad hair breakage lately; literally half of my hair has broken away around the crown after my last visit to the hairdressers for my usual bleach and toner. Heartbroken doesn’t even come close to describing how I’m feeling about it, and I’ve been reaching out for advice anywhere I can to try to help my hair a bit. 

SPRING PASTELS | FEMME LUXE FINERY TRY-ON HAUL*

It beginning to feel a lot like springtime! I don’t know about you, but I spent the majority of my week last week reclining on a sun lounger in my garden with a glass of wine and my Cosmopolitan magazine. I’m really squeezing every minute out of this last week before I get set up to work from home! The beautiful 20°C weather has blessed me with a bit of a tan [in very annoying triangle-shapes on my chest [fab!]] and inspired me to put a very spring-themed order together for my next collab with the lovely Femme Luxe Finery. I wanted to put together an order that is feminine, fresh and filled with pretty pastels.

Here’s what I got this time…

A LITTLE MAKEUP REVOLUTION NEW RELEASES HAUL + SWATCHES

These are the first bits of makeup I’ve bought in bleeeeeding ages! I can usually sustain myself on birthday and Christmas presents - my family are always great at spoiling me with beauty bits - but I’d forgotten how long it’d been since I actually treated myself! I popped to Superdrug for some quarantine essentials; paracetamol, some shower gel and a toothpaste. But I couldn’t resist having a little look at the makeup counters. It feels like  F O R E V E R  since I had a browse in a shop for something ‘fun’! 

It was like a teeny tiny taste of normality in these strange and uncertain times, and I am really excited to share what I’ve bought with you. 

MY LOCKDOWN SKINCARE FAVOURITES | BEFORE + AFTER

Before we proceed, yes; in the throes of self-isolation mania I shaved my eyebrows off. I’m not proud, I’m not pleased with myself. I honestly thought I’d look like some amazing alien/Jefree Star/drag queen hybrid buuuuuuut…..no……

Abject fails aside, I’m loving having all this time to take care of myself. Long walks along the sea front, marathon-Judge-Judy-watching, and lots and lots of skincare sessions. I wanted to put all my current favourites together and write a little review on each product I’ve been adoring during these strange weeks of lockdown. So, without further ado, here are my top five skincare products at the moment!

THE BABY PINK + BLACK EDIT | FEMME LUXE FINERY TRY ON HAUL*

Welcome to a very sunburnt edition of my usual Femme Luxe Finery hauls! I was extremely lucky to be invited to choose some more items for a review on my blog, and was so excited to build an entire order using my signature colours; baby pink and black. My wardrobe is kind of emulating my extraordinarily ratchet hair at the moment [in hair-salons’ name we pray] - very very washed-out pink and dark roots. 1 Like = 1 Prayer. 

Unfortunately dressing solely in millennial pink and black isn’t enough to constitute a personality, so I’ve decided to get a sunburn in 16 degree heat in the UK to make up for it. But anyway, I’ve been so looking forward for shooting for this post because this is probably my favourite set of items so far, so here’s what I got! 

I TRIED MAKING EGGS BENEDICT

What does a foodie do when they’re presented with self-isolation? Sure, I could plant my backside on the sofa and watch back-to-back episodes of Hell’s Kitchen. But why in the heck would I do that when I can challenge myself to learn new recipes?! One of the saddest things about this whole situation is that, until today, I’d forgotten what Eggs Benedict tasted like. So I set myself a goal to learn to make it myself.

What follows is a tale of intrigue and heartbreak, so buckle up. I don’t even have the nerve to put ‘recipe’ or ‘how to’ in the title because it’d be like the blind leading the blind; I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Nevertheless, here’s the story of a brunch-loving gal who just wants a f***ing poached egg…

WHAT I DID TODAY | A DAY IN SELF ISOLATION

Happy self-isolation day number 97249539! I bet we’re all glad March is over. So far, 2020 has been a complete and utter shitshow. World War 3 loomed, we lost Kobe and now we’re gripped by a worldwide pandemic. I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know it was April until this morning, and I was faced with yet another day indoors. 

I’ve definitely been lacking in the motivation department since this all kicked off. My round-the-world trip has been postponed indefinitely and I’m struggling to set myself up working from home. Not having my big trip to look forward to has certainly upset me a lot. My mental health has suffered from being inside all the time, and not getting to enjoy my usual daily treats. So it’s all been a draining load of nothing, and it’s so easy to feel all bogged down by my first-world-problems. 

SOME REALLY GOOD HIGHER-END FACE MASKS

Last year, I wrote my ‘Some Really Good High-Street Face Masks’ blog post and it got helllllla hits. I actually took the photos for this post on the very same day, but haven’t got around to writing up my reviews of my favourite higher-end masks until today. I think that’s partly because I cringe every time I spend more than a tenner in one go, and also because I hadn’t actually used up a load of these products because I try to make them last and last and last for as long as possible! 

With that being said, I’m a self-confessed goo-hoarder. For those unfamiliar with this very scientific term, Urban Dictionary defines this as ‘When girls hoard large amounts of shampoos, nail polishes, lip-glosses, and general goo-esq. makeups’. My goo-hoarding manifests itself mainly in skincare. I simply cannot resist a serum, a toner or a cleanser. But my kryptonite is a bleeding face mask. So over the years I’ve accumulated a fair old few; including those that are a little eye-waveringly expensive. NGL, I’ve spent some serious coin on some serious crap in my years, but these are the masks from a higher-end point that I really really like…

HALF A COLLAB WITH FEMME LUXE FINERY | TRY ON*

“Half a collab?” I hear you cry! Well, let me tell you a story about Femme Luxe Finery sadly running out of stock for half of my collaboration order; a beautiful corset dress and a longline hoodie failed to make it to me for this order. Part of me thinks they want me to stop taking the p*** and ordering the boujiest, loveliest stuff. But as the wise Red Hot Chilli Peppers once said: Can’t stop, addicted to the shindig. I still received two of the items [perhaps the better two[?]] and since I’m dying to place my next order, here’s what I got this time…

PASTEL FEMME LUXE FINERY TRY-ON HAUL

Can you tell I’m waiting for Spring to spring? I wrote in an instagram caption last week ‘if I keep wearing pastels, it’ll make the weather get warmer faster, no?’. Well, a week later, I have discovered that the answer is, in fact, no. I was invited to collaborate again by Femme Luxe Finery, who I’ve worked with several times in the recent months and I was excited to accept. I’ve felt myself feeling like I know what to choose now, and I understand the things from the website that’ll flatter my body [as well as things that really won’t]. 

Femme Luxe Finery has a very obvious point of view. It’s very Insta-worthy and the models don’t represent a very attainable or usual body shape. They look great, don’t get me wrong, but this makes it difficult for the average shopper to have any sort of idea about how the clothes will look on their body. So this means you can be feeling like it’s a bit trial-and-error. 

With that being said, I’ve really enjoyed being allowed to try lots of different items from the website and I’m getting to grips with the pieces that work for me. For this collaboration, I decided to opt for the prettiest pastels and the more Spring-like wear in an attempt to make myself feel like the warmer weather is on its way. And I’m actually really pleased with this haul, despite it still seeming to be 3 degrees outside. Here’s what I got…

CHRISTMAS STAR FACE + EYE PALETTE | TOOFACED

Not a lot makes me happier than a pretty pastel pink thing. Add in the fact that it’s a makeup palette and by my all time favourite brand Too Faced and I’m practically frothing at the mouth. It’s been a little while since I did an  a c t u a l  beauty review on this blog, so forgive the rustiness, but I couldn’t resist snapping a million pictures of this gorgeous treat and I want to share the absolute gorgeousness with you all. 

Too Faced’s Christmas Star Face + Eye Palette was this year’s festive special. My mum can never fight the urge to send me a limited edition Christmas gift set, and I always end up with something really pretty and special on Christmas morning from her, so big ups Mumma! This luxurious collection has a $213 value and contains 20 eyeshadows, 5 face shades, a mini Better Than Sex Mascara and a mini lip gloss. I was gagged, henny.

COSY WINTER BITS WITH FEMME LUXE FINERY

Well, howdy doody, and isn’t it bloody baltic? I’m sitting here, propped up in bed in my dressing gown, with a cup of tea and three blankets and still shouting for someone to turn the heating up. It was a positively tropical -2 degrees when I got to work this morning, meaning my Gregg’s chicken bake was as good as refrigerated when I finally got to my desk. My extra-hot vanilla latte? Didn’t realise I’d ordered it iced….

But I digress. Basically, what I’m trying to get at is; it is  b l e d d y  f r e e z i n  hun and I want to write about my newest haul from Femme Luxe Finery. They’re an online store that I was initially very skeptical of, but as I’ve tried more of their stuff, I’ve realised it’s not all about the boobalicious models who wear the pieces; it’s more about how you style it. So with that in mind, I decided to dedicate this entire order to cosy winter bits that’ll hopefully make the next few months a touch more tolerable. *hopefully!* Here’s what I got…