MAY'S GOLD FAVOURITES

Throughout May's gloomy, stormy days I picked up a new hobby, switched up my home decor and indulged in Green & Blacks dreamy salted caramel chocolate thins (the best chocolate). I've really enjoyed completing Scarlet & Gold's webinars after trialling and loving their free calligraphy class. I've learnt quite a lot so far, and found myself practising and writing late into the night.

I've really enjoyed this colder, rainy May because it's been the perfect weather for long hot baths. I love using a rich bath oil like Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath & Shower Oil, it's an uplifting mix of essential oils, it smells incredible and helps you to de-stress and unwind.

Beauty:

After curling my lashes with my beloved Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers I've been switching between Maybelline Eternal Gold, a creamy long lasting light gold (swatched here) and L'oreal Color Riche L'ombre Pure Eyeshdow in Sable Lame, a shimmery gold and buttery pressed pigment (swatched here), both work really well with winged liner and a peachy pink blusher.

Essie Rock at the Top has adorned the tips of my nails this month, it looks so pretty and quite summery paired with Essie Mint Candy Apple, it's a great way to wear glitter without it looking too festive!

Lastly, on my lips I've been wearing Topshop Beguiled non stop, its a beautiful deep red with slight glitter undertones and the rose gold packaging is stunning. Instead of applying this straight from the bullet (which I plan to do in autumn) Ive been using my finger to apply a small amount, patting it onto my lips to leave a slight stain.

What were your favourite products in May?

A FRIDAY CATCH UP – WEDDING PLANNING AND COLDS

I've spent the most part of this week ill in bed, drinking endless mugs of lemon, ginger and honey teas whilst watching Netflix and wedding planning. It's actually been quite nice to switch off for a while, I've felt a little lost with my blog and with life in general and being sick really forced me to take a well needed step back. I've spent hours reading some of my favourite lifestyle blogs including CiderWithRosie, ARosieOutlook and TheLondoner (three Rosie's!) and have fallen back in love with blogging all over again.

As for wedding planning, I'm not much further on than my first wedding planning post. I've poured through magazines and holiday brochures to get an idea of possible locations and honeymoons. I've been browsing for the prettiest bouquets and dreaming of the perfect vanilla sponge cake.

Following an Ocado food delivery on Tuesday and at the joy of having a fully stocked fridge again, I've been making steaming bowls of vegetable chilli topped with jalapeño lime guacamole to help fend off mine and Alex's colds and to build our immune systems back up. I throw in as many vegetables as possible (courgettes, green beans, sweetcorn, leeks) along with a tin of chickpeas, half a tin of kidney beans, a jar of passata and a chilli spice mix. It's lasting us the rest of the week and can be topped on jacket potatoes with heaps of cheese, wrapped in tortillas with rice and salad or enjoyed in a bowl with guacamole and brown rice.

I'm finally venturing out of the house today, I'm on the hunt for a window sill herb garden and have plans to browse Topshop's make up aisles. I've popped on a few of my favourite pinks (Sleek Rose Gold blusher, Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Yu & Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pink Gold) and I'm ready to go.

GETTING READY FOR SUMMER

Although it still feels like winter in England and you can't step outside without the risk of being caught in a rain shower, I've pulled out a few products and pieces ready for Summer. Autumn and winter will always be my favourite seasons but I'm looking forward to ice cold smoothies, watermelon, long walks on the beach (that sea-air!) and wearing floaty summer dresses.

My Lomography camera is now a permanent resident in my bag so that I can finally finish the film roll. With the longer days, hazy summer evenings and perfect lighting, I'll hopefully be able to capture some of the beauty of summer on film.

I've also been looking forward to lounging around the home in my pretty pink and lace shorts from primark, it's still been too cold to even consider bare legs at the moment but these are so comfortable and I can't wait to spend lazy summer weekends at home wearing them.
I've worn my sunglasses (also Primark!) non stop recently, I've spotted this acrylic case from Muji on a few blogs/youtube channels recently and think it looks like the perfect storage for sunglasses!

And a few summery beauty products..

Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream: With notes of blackberry, blue wisteria, jasmine, pear and coconut water, it's such a pretty scent that's perfect for the warmer months. I've been wearing this all throughout spring and will definitely be carrying this through with me to summer too.

Essie Peach Daiquiri: For a bold, bright summer nail polish, this peachy pink offering works so well on fingers and toes. It's a beautiful hot pink with a hint of coral that is opaque in just 1-2 coats and works well with bright lips and gold midi rings.

Revlon Sultry Samba Lipstick: This matte, cool toned fuchsia pink lipstick lasts well on the lips and feels soft and creamy in texture. I love wearing this on rainy summer days with a cosy grey jumper and my hair thrown up in a ponytail. It's quite similar to Chanel La Diva and so is a great affordable alternative, see comparisons here.

MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul: Great for adding a warm glow to your skin on gloomy days, this pretty blusher helps to give you that Victoria's Secret glow. It's a beautiful beige pink blusher with golden shimmer running through it which gives radiance to the complexion. See me wearing it here.

Are you getting ready for Summer yet?

WONDER PRODUCTS

I can always count on these products to work wonders for me, whether its good quality, pigmented make up, oils that brighten my complexion or balms that soothe my lips, they're all products that I absolutely love and can see myself repurchasing for a long time.

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette: This palette has the perfect mix of pigmented shimmery tones and matte browns to create a variety of looks. The buttery smooth texture of the eyeshadows in this palette makes them so easy to work with and blend and every single shadow in this palette is beautiful.

Sleek Rose Gold Blusher: This dreamy peach pink blusher has golden flecks running through it which catch the light and give a beautiful glow as you move. The soft, pigmented formula blends so seamlessly, you only need a light dusting brushed over your cheeks to brighten the complexion and give you a glow similar to Nars Orgasm. See it swatched here.

Sanctuary Therapists Secret Facial Oil: This 99% Organic, lightweight oil is rich in hydrating vitamin e, soothing frankincense and strengthening rosehip oil. You just need a few drops to leave you with soft, nourished skin that's radiant and glowing.

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm: Dab a small amount of this sweet citrus and honey scented lip balm onto your lips to eliminate dryness and keep your lips feeling plump and smooth. It contains honey, sweet almond oil, calendula and shea butter which help to tackle dryness and leave your lips looking and feeling soft and nourished.

MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle: Swept over the top of your cheekbones and onto the brow bone, this golden champagne highlighter gives such beautiful, luminous glow to the skin. It blends so seamlessly and leaves your skin looking radiant and illuminated. See me wearing it here.

5 THINGS I'VE BEEN WATCHING

So the inveitable happened, I finally signed up to Netflix. I've waved goodbye to my social life for the next month and spent hours binge watching TV series, documentaries and films. Here are 5 things that I've been watching:

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: After hearing so many good things about this light-hearted series, I decided to give it a watch. I'm only a few episodes in but I'm already hooked, it's easy watching and really quite funny. It's part created by Tina Fey and tells the story of Kimmy, a girl who's rescued after living for 15 years underground in a bunker as part of a doomsday cult, she restarts her life in NYC with a very positive and enthusiastic outlook on life. Alex said that it reminded him of Elf a little (although slightly more grown up version and minus the Christmas factor!) and I can really see what he means!

The Originals: The Vampire Diaries is one of my favourite TV shows and so I was so happy to see the first season of The Originals on Netflix. Full of werewolves, vampires, witches and hybrids the Originals is a gripping series that keeps you entertained.

Monsters Inc: Monsters Mike Wazowski & James Sullivan work for Monsters Incorporated at the Scare factory where they collect screams from children. Mike and Sully are such a hilarious duo, it's such great viewing from Disney Pixar and the ultimate Sunday afternoon film.

Gossip Girl: I've been wanting to rewatch this for a while now and I'm so happy that Netflix has all 6 seasons available for me to work my way through. Aside from the fact that Blake Lively and Leighton Meester play two of the main characters, the story of Manhattans upper east side socialites is captivating and enjoyable.

Better Call Saul: I've only just started this series but it's already filling my Breaking Bad hole. It shows the challenging path that Saul Goodman aka Walter White's attorney took to become the top 'criminal' attorney he was in Breaking Bad. It has the same feel as breaking bad and is full of wit, guts and humour.

I already have OITNB, Suits and Once Upon a Time on my list to watch next, what are your favourite shows on Netflix?

LITTLE HOME THINGS #2

Lately I've been making small changes to my flat in an attempt to make it feel a little more homely and welcoming. During the warmer months I love having flowers around the home but it can get quite expensive buying fresh flowers so often! My landlady popped round with this beautiful potted plant last weekend, it was so thoughtful of her, the perfect solution and a great way to display flowers!

If you're following me on twitter or snapchat, you probably know that I've been spending a lot of my weekends at Ikea browsing the aisles (and indulging in a few cinnamon rolls!). I picked up this soft, squishy cushion, this beautiful candle holder that I'm planning on using to store all of my Lush products in and the Billy Bookcase after seeing it on Kate's lovely blog (finally some shelves to style!).

I spotted this cute Pineapple Plate in Paperchase, I thought that it would be perfect for storing jewellery or beauty products on. It's the perfect size to fit on my bedside table, or to style onto my new shelves.

Following on from my Copper Home Wishlist I picked up this dreamy Copper Lamp, I also fell in love with this Soft Mint Desk Lamp, it's such a pretty shade and would be the perfect light for my desk!

Lastly, I love these little copper cookie cutters, mine are from Sainsbury's but they don't seem to be available in every store, you can find similar ones here. I'm planning on using them to make cinnamon spiced shortbread or gingerbread biscuits (which are amazing when dipped into hot chocolate!).

Have you bought anything for the home recently?

LIPSTICKS CURRENTLY ON ROTATION #4

As the days are (very) slowly starting to get warmer, I've been switching up my lipsticks ready for summer, favouring corals, oranges and cool toned pinks. These are currently on rotation in my make up bag:

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick in La Diva - The perfect flamingo pink lipstick to brighten up this rainy May, I've been reaching for Chanel La Diva to make the most of the stormy days we've been having. It's a beautiful matte cool toned pink that's long lasting and looks so pretty on the lips, see it swatched here.

Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids Lipstick in Fuchsia Flash - A bright fuchsia pink lipstick and a great alternative to Chanel La Diva, Maybelline's offering is so similar in shade at just a fraction of the price. Although not as long lasting as the Chanel lipstick, the texture is creamy, hydrating and has a satin finish. See comparisons here.

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti - This lightly moisturising and spring-worthy shade translates to a skin brightening sheer orange on the lips (swatched here). It's a hybrid between a lipstick and balm and is so easy to pop in your bag for application on the go.

Sleek Matte Me in Party Pink*: These liquid lipsticks last for hours on me and dry to a velvet matte finish on the lips. Party Pink is the perfect spring shade, a dreamy coral pink that I can imagine wearing throughout Summer with denim shorts and floral crowns!

Relvon Matte Balm in Unapologetic: Despite being a matte shade, Revlon unapologetic feels creamy on the lips, it's a bright, flattering warm coral pink (swatched here) that looks so pretty with shimmery champagne eyeshadows and pink gold blushers.

Which lipsticks are currently on rotation in your make up bag?

HOW I EDIT MY INSTAGRAM PHOTOS

Instagram is my favourite social media app (follow me here), I can spend hours scrolling through feeds as there's an endless supply of beautiful photos and inspiration! I find myself posting snippets of my life, food, flowers and beauty products almost daily and so I thought I would share how I edit my Instagram pictures.

Camera: I use my iPhone 4S camera to take all my instagram photos, I love the quality of the iPhone camera and it's so easy to use. I like to keep my camera switched to the square setting and then tap and hold to lock the focus before taking a photo to keep my images sharp and in focus.

Lighting: Like my blog photos, I prefer to use natural lighting for my photos, I use a clean surface near a window to take my pictures on and I use a DIY light reflector, I followed this tutorial to make mine.

Props: Blankets, rings, pretty make up brushes, anything I'm eating (normally berries or chocolate!) or that I have laying around gets used as a prop onto my instagram feed. I think that Props can really help to complete the photo and I love the little personal touches they give.

Editing: A few of my favourite editing apps are VSCOcam, Afterlight and Instagram. I mainly use VSCOcam to adjust the exposure, sharpen the image and to add filters, I sometimes use Afterlight for light leaks, brightness and filters and I love adding Instagram filters, my favourites are Valencia, Aden, Lark and Amaro.

Something I really need to work on is my grid, I'm completely lost when it comes to making my grid look neat and pretty, suggestions are really welcome!

What's your favourite Instagram/photo editing app?

BODY CARE STAPLES

It's safe to say that Soap and Glory rule the majority of my body care stash, their body washes, moisturisers and polishing scrubs all leave my skin feeling so soft and smooth. Flake Away is an incredible body scrub and although it's not my favourite scent out of the range, the combination of sweet almond oil, shea butter, polishing sea salt, sugar and peach seed powder helps to leave my skin feeling radiant and unbelievably soft. I also own a mini pot of Soap and Glory Scrub Em and Leave Em, this leaves skin silky smooth, contains exfoliating sea salt, moisturising jojoba and mandarin oils and the fragrance is dreamy.

Both Snow Fairy and It's Raining Men from Lush are two of my favourite shower gels, there is something quite whimsical about them, they leave a lovely sweet lingering scent to the skin and help to keep skin soft and moisturised.

For body moisturiser, the Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil Skin Perfector is incredible for ease of use, it's enriched with almond, argan, macadamia and rose oil, smells divine and you can simply spritz a fine mist all over and it leaves you with glowing and nourished skin. If I want something a little more thick and luxurious then I opt for the Origins Ginger Whipped Body Cream, this has a sweet scent of spiced ginger and is packed full of skin softening oils.
Soap and Glory the Righteous Butter contains shea butter and aloe vera and so is great to apply to your legs after shaving, I keep a travel sized pot of this creamy moisturiser next to my shower to keep my legs silky smooth.

Another gem from Soap and Glory, Heel Genius is the perfect, cooling foot cream to leave you with super soft feet. I like to apply a thick layer and then put on some cotton socks for a moisturising treatment that completely diminishes any dry areas!

Lastly, I have to give a little mention to the Aveeno Moisturising Creamy Oil With Colloidal Oatmeal (which I've just run out of and desperately need to repurchase) If I had to choose just one body care staple then this would be it. It moisturises like an oil, absorbs like a cream and is the only body cream that I can use just before bed as it's beautifully light, sinks in so quickly and makes my skin consistently soft and supple.

What are your favourite body care products?

EFFORTLESS SUNDAY PRODUCTS

My perfect Sunday is spent baking, pampering, watching films at home, having a slow stroll to the farmers market or visiting family. I find that there are a few products that help to make the most of a lazy Sunday and ease yourself back into the upcoming week. 

Nails: Sunday is the perfect day to really take your time and care for your nails by giving yourself a manicure. After applying a strengthening base coat like Ciate Underwear Base Coat, slick on a couple of coats of Essie Sole Mate for glossy, long lasting colour. Essie Apricot Care Cuticle Oil will then help to nourish your cuticles, keeping them soft and supple.

Make up: If I decide to venture out on a Sunday then effortless make up is a must for me. Normally I opt for a quick but effective/put together look. I reach for a simple beautiful shimmery eyeshadow like Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow in Champagne Quartz for a wash of colour over my eyes, a pink stained lip courtesy of Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Yu and plenty of L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara.

Bath: A long soak in a bath filled with soft bubbles or rich bath oils is my favourite way to spend a pampering Sunday afternoon. Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath & Shower Oil is an intoxicating mix of positive and uplifting essential oils that lifts and boosts your spirit. You only need to add a few drops to your bath to fill the whole room with an amazing scent that helps you de-stress and unwind.

Body: After bathing, using a moisturising body cream like Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream will help to keep your skin feeling soft and smooth. The sweet spiced ginger scent is divine, the lemon lime and bergamot help lift the spirits and It's packed full of skin softening oils.

I also like to light my favourite Muji candle, drink endless cups of cinnamon tea (or have a very large mug of hot chocolate) and indulge in back to back episodes of Friends!

A COPPER HOME WISHLIST

I've been completely obsessed with copper/rose gold recently and have been adding copper accents to my flat to make it feel a little more homely, these are the pieces I currently have on my wishlist:

Copper Alphabet Letter: I love these copper signs from Oliver Bonas, they would work perfectly on white shelves, next to a small potted plant or as a book end feature.

Ikea Lamp Shade: I spotted this copper lamp in Ikea last weekend, I love the pattern, copper detailing inside and it looked so beautiful lit up - I've tweeted a photo here. 

Copperfield Desk Lamp: I've been after the perfect desk lamp for a white now after falling in love with this dreamy copper light, I ordered it right away. It looks so great contrasted with my white desk and would also make the perfect bedside lamp.

H&M Copper Candle: This candle is really affordable at only £3.99 and would make a welcome addition to my dressing table.

Monki Copper Pouch: I've fallen in love with this cute metallic pouch, it's so affordable and perfect for storing pens, make up or for tidying away odds & ends.

Shortbread Cutter: Rose gold, scalloped edges & baking, such a heavenly combination! I'm planning on making some cinnamon spiced shortbread and this cookie cutter would make the perfect tool! I've also spotted this for just £2 in Sainsbury's, I might have to sneak this in the trolley at our next shop.

Oliver Bonas Copper Honeycomb Tumbler: Whilst my sturdy pint glass is practical for keeping track of how much water I'm drinking, it's certainly not very pretty and I'm in desperate need of some new glasses. I love these copper accent glasses, the honeycomb detailing is such a nice touch and they would make a lovely addition to my kitchen!

What's on your home wishlist?

BEAUTY TOOL ESSENTIALS

I'm fairly faithful to my beauty tools, when I find a product that delivers I rarely replace it for something new. Having worked as a makeup/hair artist I've tried quite a few different hair and make up tools, these are my tried and tested essential beauty tools, including some that i've owned for years and some great new discoveries:

I have an ever growing list of make up brush brands that I love and Zoeva brushes are the latest ones to my collection. After owning the Rose Golden Complete Eye Set for just over a month now, I'm starting to be drawn to a few favourite brushes. I've been opting for the 325 Luxe Brow Light Brush as an everyday brush to pack on eyeshadow before blending it out with the 221 Luxe Soft Crease Brush. I've found the 230 Luxe Pencil Brush perfect for smudging out liner or eyeshadow under the lower lash line or for inner corner highlighter.
Following on with eyes, the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers are hands down the best eyelash curlers that I've used. They hold a fluttery, fanned out curl all day giving lashes the perfect lift.

For my hair, I use the Babyliss Cord Keeper Hairdryer for blow drying. It dries my hair so quickly, has ceramic and ionic technology to leave my hair feeling silky smooth and the retractable cord makes storing and travelling with it a dream.
After studying hair dressing/hair styling I started using Denman brushes and they've been my brush of choice ever since. I use the Denman Grooming Brush to smooth out curls, it helps to give effortless soft curls, waves, removes tangles and adds shine. The Denman Tangle Tamer* has recently replaced my old tangle teaser and changed my world by making brushing my knotted, tangled wet hair so quick and painless. The handle on this detangling brush is so useful (I can't count the amount of times my old tangle teaser flew out of my hand and across the room!) and makes brushing my hair after a shower so effortless. Plus, the mint green looks so pretty on my dressing table!

I keep my Brows tamed with the Tweezerman Pink Mini Slant Tweezers, they're so practical, sturdy and have stayed sharp for years, I've owned these for over 6 years now and they're still as good as new.
Lastly, I use the Royal and Langnickle Brow/Spoolie dual brush for grooming my brows, I use the spoolie end to brush my brows up whilst I trim them or to simply brush through them on an everyday basis to neaten them up.

What are your favourite beauty tools?

SPRING EYESHADOWS

During Spring I love wearing light, shimmery and pastel shades on my eyes. Lilacs and cornflower blues look so pretty lightly blended into the lower lash line and a wash of cream eyeshadow over the lids is a really simple and pretty look for spring. These are my current favourite spring eyeshadows:

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Eternal Gold & Pink Gold: These long lasting cream eyeshadows blend easily and seamlessly onto the eyes. Pink Gold is a beautiful rose shade and Eternal Gold a shimmery light gold that when swept over the eye with a matte pink lip like Revlon Sultry Samba gives an effortless spring look. See them swatched here.

Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Violetta: This dreamy Nars duo consists of smoky lavender and metallic lilac shades. The metallic lilac is so pretty swept all over the eyes and the matte shade is perfect as a crease colour or to give definition, smudged under the lower lashes. See swatches here.

L'oreal Color Riche L'Ombre Pure Mono Eyeshadow in 201 Cafe Saint Germain: A wash of this buttery textured eyeshadow all over the lids and under the eye gives such a pretty look for spring (swatched). It's a shimmery purple/taupe shade that's slightly reminiscent of By Terry Misty Rock and can be applied easily with your finger or a flat shader brush.

Natural Collection Eyeshadows: These little eyeshadow pots are so affordable and are great for adding a hint of colour to the eyes. To achieve this I use my Zoeva 230 luxe pencil brush to smudge a small amount under my lower lash line. (Here's an autumnal version of this look and see the shades swatched here).

What are your favourite Spring eyeshadows? 

HIGHSTREET HAUL

I thought that I would share a few things that I've picked up recently, I found some lovely pieces in Primark and a rose gold travel mug that I just cant get enough of!

Pyjama Shorts: The pyjama shorts are from primark, I think that they'll be perfect for lounging around the flat on warm summer days. I picked them up in a size Small which is a 10-12 and they're pretty true to size. The material is so soft and the white lace trim detailing is so beautiful. 

Primark Sunglasses: I think these sunglasses look quite high end and they're so affordable at just £2. I find it so difficult to find sunglasses that suit me and these are great for now while I save up for a pair of these ralphs!

Primark Vest Top: I own a few of these lace trim vests, at £2.50 each they're a great staple for layering and are such a flattering shape. Primark have so many pretty shades of these available including a beautiful burgundy that I have my eye on next! I think they may only be around for summer as they have 'my summer vest' written inside them, i'll have to make sure to stock up on these!

Travel Mug: Lastly, I bought this rose gold travel mug from New Look, I'm not actually sure whether I'll plan to use it as a travel mug as the pot would look so pretty to store pens, make up brushes or even a little plant in. I can't find it online yet but I've spotted stacks of them by the tills in a few newlook stores!