January Favourites

In January, I don't think it's a hard month for anyone to justify not doing a favourites. We are all still using our beloved products from Christmas and for me - it's birthday stuff too! Pro's of having a birthday in January.. Woop woop! There is so much stuff I wanted to include this month but I've narrowed down my favourite picks I got for Christmas (I feel so wrong saying that in February) That's given me a good 2 months (almost) to try and tell you how amazing these products are!   

Pro:Voke Touch Of Silver Shampoo & Conditioner

I've sang praises about many different purple shampoo's in the past, but this is definitely the best one I've ever used! It has to be the cheapest out of them all too. I had heard Meg from Meg Says sing praises of this in one of her videos, so I decided to give it a go. After one wash, with the shampoo and conditioner together - I am not even kidding you when I say it looked like my hair had been dyed! It maintains the blonde, toning down any brass/yellowy colours really well and I love how shiny it makes my hair after washing! If you spend a lot of money on purple shampoo.. Don't! This is your new saviour! 

Clinique 'Take The Day Off' Cleansing Balm

For a higher end cleansing balm, I'd say this is definitely one of the more affordable ones I've seen. I am always looking for quicker ways to remove my make up without too much faff, and this does the job wonderfully. You rub it all over your face without wetting it first, massaging it into all of the days make up and use a flannel/muslin cloth to wash it all off. It's fragrance free for all you sensitive skin types out there and doesn't require too much rubbing. It gets my make up off without any hassle and doesn't leave my skin feeling too greasy (which is good, considering it's quite an oily consistency) The only downside is that if I rub too much product on my eyes, it can leave them a bit blurry. With that being said, I would definitely purchase this again, as it's one of the only things that doesn't make my skin flare up into an oily disaster! If you haven't tried this, you absolutely should.

Lush 'Rub Rub Rub' Body Scrub

This was never going to be a classic Tania favourites without any Lush stuff, was it?!

Obviously, I am a wild Lush fan so I'm slightly biased, but this is the best body scrub I have ever used. This comes in solid form OR a liquid paste, which is the one I decided to go for. I prefer the one in the pot because it's less abrasive, in comparison to a solid form. It leaves your skin feeling SO soft and moisturised, as well as nicely exfoliated. This is a very gentle scrub, which is perfect for anyone who doesn't want to get out of the shower looking and feeling like you've shed your skin. It smells divine and has leaves you with the cleanest, floral smell you could possibly imagine. I couldn't recommend this more! 

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in Porcelain

I popped into Sephora a few weeks ago whilst in Barcelona and darted straight for the Too Faced section. I've heard so many good things about this foundation and I was dying to get matched up. Much to my surprise (not) it turns out I actually needed the lightest shade! #palelife. I got given the primer as a free tester to try out with it and the two work so well together. This is a medium-high coverage foundation which is easily buildable, extremely lightweight and blends so nicely. I apply mine with a beauty blender, as I find it leaves a better finish, in comparison to a brush. It is oil free for all your combination skin types out there and doesn't leave your skin too dewy. POIFIC!!

Make Up Revolution 144 Shadows Palette 2016 Collection

144 eye shadows in one palette.. What more could a girl want? (Probably a lot more is the answer but hey, just go with it) Make Up Revolution are very popular with pretty much all beauty bloggers at the moment (especially me) and the more I use them - the more I can see why. The shadows are really pigmented and you have such a vast range of colours (incase you didn't notice hohoho) They're easily blendable and they stay on for so long. I use the top half of the palette more than the bottom colourful shades because y'know, I'm not THAT daring..! Either way, if you're absolutely make up obsessed or you're just starting out with eyeshadow - this is the BEST palette to experiment with and everyone basically needs it in their lives!  

What did you love in January? Let me know in the comments! :) 

TB x

Velvet Birdcage SS16 Launch & Charity Event

Lush Valentines, Mothers Day & Birthday Haul

Aren't Lush just on top form with their new ranges at the moment? With Christmas long gone, it seemed like forever until they brought out some more limited edition beauties. It didn't take long before their Valentines range was released and sure enough - it fell around the time of my birthday! BEST BIRTHDAY EVER, WOO! The other week also saw the release of their Mothers Day products, which were just as wonderful as the others! Of course, I had to pick up some of my regular bits and stuff that I've also never tried before - so it seemed wrong not to share with you my thoughts/ first impressions! 

Here's what I picked up.. :)

Valentines Day 
(as above)

I purchased Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar last year and I have to say, ever since then it's been one of my favourite baths ever. It turns the water a light pink colour and creates lots of fluffy bubbles! The smell is a mixture between Lavender and Neroli, which brightens your mood - whilst helping you drift away into a relaxing, happy place! I find it leaves your skin feeling and smelling SO great when you leave the bath. I literally don't think I've met a single person yet who doesn't thoroughly enjoy one of these! This is almost too pretty to use, but I need to stock up my stash before Valentine's is over! They seriously need to consider putting this on the shelves all year round. 

My lips have been having a bit of a crisis lately. I notice they get very chapped and dry, especially throughout our unpredictable winters. I used to have the Bubblegum and Popcorn lip scrubs, which just had to be binned because they were basically ancient and very out of date. Don't worry, I wasn't using them like that! The Kiss is basically my new saviour. It's a beautiful, fluorescent pink colour with loads of little tiny red heart-shaped confetti in. *squeals* This smells & tastes of very sweet sherbert, meaning it's pretty much going to be irresistible. I'm still really impressed with how it leaves my lips looking/feeling and it really tackles those dry, tacky areas! Although the £5.50 price tag may seem steep for it's size, it will last you ages so it's totally justified! 

The next thing that made a very quick entrance into my basket, had to be the Lover Lamp Bath Bomb. I think this is the cutest thing ever! It's quite minimal (colour wise) to what I'd usually buy, but it has the little bits of heart shaped confetti to give it that extra special touch. The smell includes tones of vanilla, but not the kind which is too sickly. Aka. Perfection. I'm very excited to use it!

The Roses All The Way Soap caught my eye from the back of the store, the moment I stepped into Lush. It is possibly the prettiest soap I've ever seen and even if I didn't like the smell (which I do) I would just buy it to put on display! Soaps aren't always the best thing to wash my hands with, seeing as they dry them out much quicker than a normal hand wash would. However, this includes the likes of Rose Oil and Coconut Oil - so i'll be interested to see if this is different to the others. I thought this was going to have the Rose Jam scent but it doesn't. It's a much more subtle & floral, rose smell without the sweetness of Rose Jam. Seriously, the more I smell it.. the more I love it! Definitely worth your pennies!

Mothers Day

Now, the Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb isn't new to the Lush Mothers Day collection, it's just come back with a completely different look. I'm glad it has a more bold appearance (in comparison to the white one last year) because it's so much better. AND, wait for it.. IT SMELLS LIKE ROSE JAM <3 I actually think I have a Rose Jam problem. Looks wise, this is a wonderful bubblegum pink bath bomb, with flashes of pastel green running through it. Better still; it has lovely, raised rose shaped detailing all over its roundy goodness, and even has some yellow petals hidden inside to float on top of the water whilst you soak! Oh Lush, you're so good.

The Ladybird Bubble Bar has to be one of the most eye-catching products I have ever come across! It's cute, although I can't shake the sinister feel I get from it. Tell me you see it too?! It smells of strawberries with hints of peppermint - which to be honest, I wouldn't normally go for. If you're familiar with Lush - I would describe this as a mixture between Peeping Santa (from Christmas) and Intergalactic.  I'm intrigued to see how this will smell in the bath!

...Annnnd... The Birthday bits! 

Rosie Gift Set 

(includes Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, Rose Jam Bubbleroon, Jason And The Argan Shampoo Bar, Titsy Totsy Bath Bomb and Rose Jam Shower Gel)

My personal favourites in this set are the Rose Jam Shower Gel, Jason and the Argan Shampoo Bar and Ro's Argan Body Conditioner. They all serve their purpose and do exactly what they say on the tin. This is definitely going to become a permanent fixture in my collection! 

Mask of Magnaminty Face & Body Mask (Self Preserving) 

I have a million and one friends (bloggers or not) who continuously rave about this mask. Like I've said before, I'm not normally a huge fan of mint if it's going on my skin, but it's slowly growing on me. It's incredibly refreshing on your face and tackles all your troubled areas, such as breakouts. It's also self preserving (hallelujah) which is amazing for me, as I always forget to put them back in the fridge (meaning they smell funny or go off) I know with this, I will be able to use it at my own pace and not feel rushed to finish it. Yay! 

Granny Takes A Dip Bubble Bar 

I absolutely loved the Granny Takes A Dip bath bomb, so this Bubble Bar has a lot to live up to. I can't imagine it'll be as colourful as it was in bath bomb form - but either way I wanted to try it! I personally prefer bubble bars over bath bombs, as the inner child in me will always love something that adds a bit of fun! My inital thoughts on this scent reminded me a bit of play dough(?!) Although, I know they always smell a lot different when they're in the tub! It claims to have that spicy, citrussy scent that will pep you up and boost your mood when needed! If anyone has tried this, please let me know if it's any good?! 

Ickle Baby Bot Bath Bomb

This is the kind of bath bomb you need if you're needing a bit a relaxation before sleep. It is aimed at kids, but hey.. We're all children in our own way, right?! It's got subtle tones of lavender and is a soothing light blue colour in the water. Perfect if you just want to drift off after (or during) a long soak!

Miranda Soap

This is a very summery scent for a soap; so it was obvious that I couldn't resist it! It smells of Kiwi with hints of citrus, not making it too much of that sour smell. It includes Juniperberry and Bergamot oils - which claim to break down dead skin cells and brighten up your skin. I can't say I've noticed yet (I've only used the soap once!) but I will report back if it's anything to write home about. 

Outback Mate Soap

The freshest smelling soap I have ever purchased! If you were a fan of 'Baked Alaska' at Christmas, this is the closest you will get to it. It smells very lemony with hints of peppermint, making it one heck of a mood lifting scent. If it was in Air Freshener form, I think I'd be bouncing off the walls all day, every day! I digress.. haha. I love anything blue and turquoise as I just associate it with being clean and sunny holidays! I really recommend this!  

What have you been loving from Lush recently? 

TB x

Taking A Step Back..

Yesterday was a very hard day. A day I never thought my family or I would ever have to be face. My Grandad passed away. It was a huge shock to everyone as none of expected it to happen. We all knew he had ongoing health issues for quite some time, but I think that we all just thought he was invincible and could get through anything. Death of a loved one is something you think you'll never have to go through or face up to, when really, any day could be someone's last and we wouldn't be any wiser.

My Grandad was a very protective and strong-willed family man, who always held his own. He loved decorating, fishing, building new things, especially his garden. If he wasn't doing that, he'd be waving his finger around and dishing out orders from behind his paper. He was always making us laugh with his witty jokes and wicked sense of humour, that's something you could never put a price on.

His health took a turn many years ago now. We all thought on many occasions that was going to be it, but he pulled through and just carried on. It wasn't always going to be the same, as he'd have to give up most of his main passions, which must have been so frustrating for him. The main thing was he was still around. This was a man who could never admit defeat. 

Most importantly, he was a well loved Husband, Father and Grandfather. One that will be truly missed and hold a very special place in our hearts.

Please, if you don't already, I urge you all to just take some time out of your week - no matter how busy you are, just to spend time with family and let them know how much they are loved. It may seem like nothing now, but don't ever assume someone will live forever because you never know when they'll be taken away.

Live each day like it's your last, eat that cake if you want it and let yourself be happy. Do what you love and make memories that will last a lifetime. Most importantly, just take some time out of your day to show someone that you care. If you love someone, tell them and never let go.

Rest in perfect peace, Grandad. You'll never be forgotten <3

x

Stripes, Pinafores & Ponytails | OOTD

Black Wool Boyfriend Coat | Black Cord Pinafore Dungaree Dress | Breton Stripes Long Sleeved Top |

  Black Leather Chelsea Boots | Tortoise Shell Sunglasses 

So, this isn't really an outfit of the day as such, because there is no way *insert name of storm here* would ever not hit the UK this time of the year! I got my boyfriend to take a few casual photos when we were in Barcelona the other week (I really liked my outfit, even if it is minimalistic and not very colourful!) I'm fairly new to this whole outfit post thing, but 2016 is about trying new things and whether it works or not - I'm giving it a good old go! 

Is it just me, or are pinafores high up on the majority of people's wishlists at the moment?! I love how you can literally wear pretty much anything underneath them and they look good. They're so damn comfortable too! I don't feel guilty buying things like this, because I know that in the winter I can throw on a jumper/ long sleeved top and some black tights with ankle boots. Then, in the warmer months (not that we get many here) you can go bare legged with some lace up plimsolls or high heeled sandals/wedges.

(I'd just like to point out that I definitely can't do that flawless 'moody pose' for the life of me, so have my 'blinded by the sun' smile and awkward looking down/away shots instead!)   

For me, I feel like Pinafores fit my hourglass figure so nicely without becoming unflattering. The hips and thighs have put on a bit more timber over Christmas, so I've basically been living in them. I love the corduroy material too because I find it naturally has more give, so I always feel better about myself when I say I can fit into a size down (and say FU to all the chocolate & sweets that were consumed)

I feel like tie up tops are really in at the moment. They seem to be one of those items that stick in the shops for months on end. They started coming out in the Summer and I'm pretty sure I've seen them around ever since. I finally found one in Primark for under £10 just before going away, which was the perfect find. It's a lightweight material, so you know you won't get too hot and it isn't as clingy as all the others I've seen around. You do get what you pay for, but for £8 you can't really complain! I'd easily throw this on with a pair of high waisted shorts in the spring, or jeans in the winter if I wanted to dress it down a little. 

Now, I didn't think my short figure would be able to pull off a boyfriend coat. After spotting one in the Dorothy Perkins window display in December, I knew I had to try it! It was actually a Christmas present so I didn't even end up having to buy it myself either. Thx Santa xoxo. These coats are so practical - not letting you get too cold, but also making pretty much any outfit look that little bit more chic. With it being a wool coat, I did expect it to be a little thicker, although if it was it'd be way too bulky! I think boyfriend coats compliment high neck jumpers and jeans, topped with a blanket scarf just for that extra warmth. 

I always turn to New Look if I'm desperate need of a new pair of boots. I know their shoes will fit me without any problems, and I can almost guarantee they will have exactly what I am looking for - all within a decent price range of course! I needed some comfy black work shoes that were waterproof, but also some boots to dress up or down too. I am a sucker for flats, so these obviously won me over when it came to taking them to the till! They're also elasticated around the ankles so you don't need to faff around with a zip. They are pretty bog standard, basic Chelsea boots but they are those shoes that go well with literally any outfit! 

The ponytail is nothing new to me, it's just the easiest way to keep my hair off my face when it's windy or if I just can't be bothered to spend ages styling it. I'm not completely lazy, I just haven't had my hair cut in ages. Now it's SO long, it takes 10x more time to do anything with! There's nothing I hate more than little strands of hair tickling your face, or a mouthful of hair. *shudders*

Most of my make up by this point had made an exit, my lipstick being the vital one! :( Heartbreak city. I couldn't bring it with me to top up, because we didn't take a bag with us and knowing me I'd probably lose it anyway. Either way, I think a striking red/berry lip would compliment this outfit very well. 

I was originally going to put this in my Barcelona post, but I thought I'd take the plunge and do it as a full on outfit post. I definitely do not claim to be a fashion expert, nor am I a model (obvs) I just love seeing what other people wear, so I thought I'd give it a go myself!  

Let me know if you want to see more of these posts in the future and I hope you enjoyed it! :) 

What has been your go to style recently?! 

Tania x