An Essie Haul - Two Dreamy Picks

After visiting as many Essie counters as possible to try and track down these two dreamy shades, I walked away disappointed and took to my laptop instead. A few clicks later and after an online order raced it's way to me, I finally laid my hands on these beautiful shades.

I've been drawn towards muted tones this spring which is a change from the pastel and brights that I normally pull out at this time of the year! These soft hues are so flattering on the nails and ideal paired with delicate, dainty silver or gold jewellery.

My first pick, Essie Cabana Boy is part of the limited edition retro revival collection. A soft, pearl white/grey with a hint of lilac, this heavenly shade is a new staple. It's such a shame that it's a limited edition shade, I already know that I'll get tons of wear from this - paired with floaty dresses, soft fabrics and midi rings, it looks so pretty!

Next up is Essie Ladylike, a creamy muted mauve and perfect year-round neutral shade. The smooth formula makes application a dream, opaque in just one coat it's incredible for a minimal, simple, polished mani. It's one that I can see being great for all occasions, interviews, weddings or lunch dates!

I'm so in love with my new Essie picks, they were a steal thanks to the buy one get one half price deal thats currently on boots online! Ladylike isn't one that I've ever spotted in store and so it was well worth an order to get my hands on this gorgeous shade too.
I'm tempted to splurge on another Essie polish or two, I love the look of Essie Birthday Suit from the revival collection, Starry Starry Night has been on my wishlist for the longest time too!

What do you think of these shades?

Spring Beauty Picks

With the berry and red hues tucked away safely for another year, I've pulled out a few of my lighter, brighter products for spring.

The lightweight Origins Ginzing Energy Boosting Moisturiser has been giving my skin a boost of radiance ready for the warmer months. The gel-like texture means that a little of this heavenly citrus scented moisturiser goes a long way. It leaves my skin so soft, hydrated and keeps oil at bay, I really can't rave enough about this moisturiser, I must be on my fourth pot now!

Spring cleaning has already started to take it out on my poor mitts. The Lush Salted Coconut Hand scrub has been a saviour, packed full of exfoliating sea salt, nourishing Argan and coconut oil this pampering treat leaves my hands feeling so soft, hydrated and completely restored.

On my nails I've been reaching for Essie Maximilian Strasse-Her. It's a great transitional everyday shade that sometimes looks grey, sometimes green/blue depending on the light. I've also pulled out Essie Mint Candy Apple, it's such a fresh, pretty shade, perfect for spring!

I'm planning to keep my make up fresh and dewy this spring and so I've dug out my fail-safe  brightening, shimmery, dewy products. The Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise in Jean is my current go-to eyeshadow. It's creamy, soft, vitamin e enriched and a gorgeous champagne that blends effortlessly over the lids to brighten the eyes.

For blusher, the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat is my top pick for fresh, glowy skin. The perky coral pink shade is ideal for spring, just one swipe leaves you with a flawless, radiant finish. 

For a little extra radiance, the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal looks divine dusted on the top of the cheekbones, cupids bow and down the nose for that runaway glow.  

Lastly, I've pulled out a couple of bright lipsticks for spring, the Charlotte Tilbury Kissing lipstick in Coachella Coral is creamy on application, long lasting and a beautiful fresh coral pink. My second pick is the Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry, a flattering deep rose pink, this leaves lips incredibly soft and gives an effortless stained tint to the lips.

What are your beauty picks for spring?

A Spring Asos Wishlist

Asos is at the top of their game this spring, with bridal collections, spring dresses, jackets galore and dreamy accessories, my saved items are full to the brim with gorgeous things.

I'm beyond impressed with Asos' bridal collection, I'm actually really in love with this dress - it's so affordable for a wedding dress. I've literally just ordered it to try on, it may just be the one! 

Here's a round up of my current favourite picks, from sunglasses to mint coloured rain macs, It has you sorted for spring!

10 Things To Do Over The Easter Weekend

1. Have a huge de-clutter and spring clean.

2. Eat ALL of the easter eggs, Lindt gold bunnies and mini eggs!

3. Treat yourself to a bunny mug, mine's from Sainsburys, the sheep is adorable too!

4. Stock up on M&S Toffee Fudge and Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns - they're heavenly! (Plus, no raisins!)

5. Pick up a spring pastel jumper in the sales, I have my eye on dreamy this pink one!

6. Bake a light and fluffy lemon drizzle cake.

7. Browse the new spring things that are trickling into stores, I love this mint rain mac from Asos!

8. Take a long walk, snapping magnolia trees and cherry blossom along the way.

9. Paint your nails with a transitional shade like Essie Maximilian Strasse-Her (I'm wearing it above).

10. Make an epic, Christmas worthy roast dinner on Easter Sunday, with rosemary roast potatoes, gravy and as many vegetables as you can muster up!

Spring Home Snippets

Around this time of the year I like to have a huge de-clutter, spring clean and an abundance of fresh blooms scattered around the home. Everything is organised and tucked away neatly in it's place, coral and pink lipsticks pulled out and darker tones and autumnal hues tidied away for later in the year.

It's that strange time when bitter cold days combine with bright sunshine. Bobble hats and sunglasses are paired together to compete with the fickle weather and pastels, brights and florals start to trickle into stores again.

After completing a huge spring clean (whilst listening to my dreamy Roberts Radio) I bagged up and sent off many of my old books. I've recently taken to reading from my iPad instead, it's so convenient to store so many books on and gives me plenty more shelf space for trinkets and Diptyque candles! I'm currently reading The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy, so far is pretty captivating!

These rose gold hangers were a steal at just £3 from Primark, they're beautiful and add a luxe feel to my dressing area. I've already stocked up on 4 packs of these gorgeous hangers, they're such an affordable treat!

Lastly, after a clear out of my old make up, I've filled my Muji drawers with my favourite picks. The Charlotte Tilbury Kissing Lipstick in Coachella Coral is my current favourite lipstick, a perky coral pink, it's ideal for spring!

Have you added any spring touches to your home?

A H&M Home Haul

H&M home is quite possibly one of my favourite places to shop for affordable, pretty homeware. Everything from their dreamy cushion covers to their gold and copper wire baskets draw me in, I could literally spend hours in there!

The first thing that I picked up were some soft, fluffy towels. The striped dark grey towel fits in well with my bathroom theme (blush pink, greys, gold, marble and white). They're so affordable and feel great quality, I may pick up a couple of the big striped ones too, the pink and grey ones look perfect!

I just couldn't resist these two gold wire baskets, they look ideal for storing towels, Lush products, blankets or face cloths in. I ordered the round gold wire basket online and snapped up the dreamy flower-esque one in store. I'm actually tempted to pick up another, they're so useful and pretty!

You may have seen here that one of my home goals this year is to add a little more greenery and so I picked up this beautiful gold pot to pop in a hanging plant. Placed on top of shelves or on my bedside table this will make such a dreamy addition to my home!

Lastly, I'm hoping that this fluffy, squashy blush pink bath mat will add a luxe feel to my bathroom.

I was initially undecided about the shade, but now I absolutely love it! It's a little Granny-esque but then again, so am I ;)!

My kitchen is the next place to tackle and re-vamp, I'm already adding mint cushion covers and gorgeous serving boards to my H&M basket!

Have you picked up anything for the home recently?

Spring Goals

With lighter mornings, spring blooms and sunnier days ahead it's the ideal time to refresh and set out a few new aims and goals for the upcoming months. I've listed a few spring goals below, hopefully I can tick them off over the next few months!

De-Clutter

My first goal is to de-clutter and organise my whole home. I read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying last week in record time and it's completely motivated me to have a huge clear out. Old books, DVD's and clothes have been bundled up into bags and sent off to be donated. Even though I've only just started and it's such a big job I'm already feeling inspired, I've been Pinning away my dream home details, it's amazing how much a clear out can make you feel better!

Clean Eating

Another aim is to jump back onto the clean eating wagon, as the days get warmer I'm hoping that I will no longer crave comforting carb heavy meals, instead I'm planning on swapping them for healthier options like soups, veggies and salads. I've been trying to improve my snacking habits too, sipping on lemon water, snacking on dried fruit and veggie sticks with houmous. I've even ordered some almond butter with this weeks shop to spread on rice cakes and dollop on my morning porridge - yum! I'm on the lookout for some good recipe books too, I'd love to know your recommendations!

Bathroom Re-vamp

A goal high on my list is to re-vamp my bathroom. One of my favourite, relaxing rituals involves a pampering skincare routine followed by a long Lush bath. I'd love to create the perfect space filled with fluffy towels, gold accents, a little greenery and as many Lush products as I can gather to relax and unwind in. I've actually placed a huge H&M home order (a haul will hopefully be up later this week!), I've gone with a white, blush pink, grey, gold and marble theme!

Lighter Bases

Lastly, after slathering my dry winter skin with rich, nourishing creams for a while now, I'm hoping that Spring will allow me to switch up my skincare routine. I'm aiming to find a good, fool-proof skincare and make up base routine for the warmer months, I'll definitely carry the dreamy Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel through with me to spring (I just can't get enough of the stuff!) and possibly invest in a tinted moisturiser from Nars, the Origins Ginzing energy boosting moisturiser is ideal for Spring too!

Do you have any goals for Spring?

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushers

It took me a while to pick up an Hourglass Ambient lighting blusher, with so many rave reviews I'm really not sure why I waited so long! I purchased Mood Exposure on a whim last autumn and was instantly hooked. Everything from the luxe packaging to the swirls of complexion enhancing ambient lighting powder make these dreamy blushes some of my top picks.

The finely milled texture of these ambient lighting blushers glide effortlessly over the cheeks for a flawless finish, you only need the smallest amount for flushed cheeks. Although I like to build up my blush, there's no powdery residue, instead it leaves a smooth, soft focus effect to the skin. These blushers really are heavenly.

Throughout the colder months the Hourglass Ambient lighting Blush in Mood Exposure became a daily staple for me. The dusky mauve/pink hue sculpts the cheeks and compliments a bold berry or red lip perfectly! The ambient lighting powder running through the blush keeps the complexion radiant too, which is ideal for lacklustre winter skin.

The latest edition to my stash is the Hourglass Blush in Diffused Heat. This perky coral pink blush gives a dewy glow to the skin which is ideal for spring! Just one swipe of this silky blush leaves you with fresh cheeks that look radiant and bright.

Aside from the dreamy shade selection, winning formula and luxe packaging, these blushers are also paraben, talc and cruelty free. I'm already deciding which shade to add to my collection next!

Have you tried these gorgeous blushers?

17 Instant Mood Boosters

Over the past few weeks I've been feeling a little glum, although I can't quite shake this slump I've found a few great ways to instantly lift my mood. Here's a little list of tried and tested ways to boost your spirits, I hope they help if like me you're still feeling the winter blues!

1. Fresh Bedding.

2. A spritz of your favourite perfume.

3. New socks, especially when they're glittery, pastel pink unicorn socks!

4. Dancing to Beyonce whilst whipping up a batch of Nigel Slater's Heavenly Chocolate Brownies.

5. The sound of rain. (Or rainymood.com)

6. A Parks and Recreation, Friends or Harry Potter marathon.

7. Asos Pyjamas (these ones are dreamy)

8. Spring Blooms and blossoming tree's.

9. Fairylights.

10. The anticipation for your favourite season. Mine is Autumn - I love the colourful leaves, cinnamon spice, pumpkins & cosy knits!

11. Diptyque candles, lighting a luxe candle is such a treat. 

12. A spoonful of Nutella, or Deliciously Ella's Vegan hazelnut chocolate spread.

13. Browsing H&M home and planning a room make-over!

14. Melting into a Lush bath.

15. Peppermint hot chocolate, topped with marshmallows in a cute Anthropologie mug.

16. Michael Buble's Christmas Album. 

17. Painting your nails with a glitter polish, like Essie's A Cut Above.

Lush Spring Picks

As we slowly transition into spring the days oddly seem to be getting colder and colder. Silver frosted mornings, bitter cold days and icy nights are still very much a thing and so baths are always a welcome treat. I've rounded up a few of my favourite Easter & spring picks from Lush, everything in there is so irresistible at the moment!

Flowering Tea Bubble Bar

This reusable tea bag shaped bubble bar is ideal to lift spirits on stormy rainy days. With sunny orange flower, uplifting neroli and filled with blue cornflower petals that float in the bath, it's such a heavenly treat.

Golden Egg Bath Bomb Melt

With a sweet toffee scent, glittery gold lustre and likeness to the Harry Potter golden egg I just couldn't resist this heavenly bath treat. The glittery gold layers melt away and infuse the water with a luxe mix of moisturising olive oil, coco butter and uplifting sweet orange and bergamot oil. It's ideal for parched winter skin!

Rose Bombshell

I have a soft spot for anything from Lush with the Rose Jam scent, filled with yellow rose petals, rose absolute and Sicilian lemon oil, this floral treat transforms the bath into a soft, silky pink hue. The divine sweet yet sharp fragrance fills the whole bathroom and the balancing, restoring and uplifting ingredients help you to recharge and unwind.

Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb

This adorable Easter egg creates a dreamy light pink bath with clouds of pink fluff. The combination of the sweet snow fairy scent, candy flowers and cute design makes this the ideal pick for Easter!

I also picked up this new blush/pale pink bath mat from H&M home, I can't decide whether I love it or whether it looks a little Granny-esque!

Have you pick up anything from Lush recently?

Home Goals

After passing the two year mark for our rental flat this year, I decided to note down some home goals for the year ahead. I'm so grateful to have a lovely light and airy flat but it still doesn't completely feel like home, I've mapped out a few plans to hopefully make it feel a little more so.

Update our Living Room:

Our old, tiny, battered chocolate brown sofa has long seen it's best days and so we've decided it's finally time to invest in new seating arrangements, my dream loveseat from Made is still a little out of reach and so we've settled on the more budget friendly and affordable option of the DFS Angelic sofa in grey.

I've also fallen head over heels for this copper floor lamp from Made, I love it's simplistic design! Lighting brings so much to a room, it's certainly an investment piece but one to treasure for a long time.

Create a Workspace Area:

Having a nice work space with everything organised and close to hand really helps to up my productivity levels. I'm currently on the lookout for a new desk, something along the lines of this Graphix white desk, or a cheap ikea one like this that I can personalise a little with copper or gold spray paint. 

I'm also keeping an eye out for inspirational prints and pretty decor, I love this Gold Alphabet Letter from Oliver Bonas!

Colour schemes: 

My current plans are for a crisp, clean, white canvas with pops of colour (mint, corals, pinks), metallic's and greys. For the kitchen I'm aiming for marble, gold accessories (cutlery, serving spoons), white, wood & grey. My living room is attached to the kitchen and so will hopefully follow a similar theme with a hint of copper/rose gold and pop's of colour. Lastly my bedroom is a little more airy and light with wintry tones and cool hues -white/cream, silver, teal/mint and grey.

Add Greenery:

Not only do plants help to improve indoor air quality, they brighten up the home with fresh bursts of green. After successfully propagating my first succulent (succulent babies are so cute!) I'm planning on creating a little terrarium succulent garden, this terrarium looks like the ideal place to start!

I'm also planning on making a windowsill herb garden, hopefully filled with basil, thyme and rosemary. Tiger have some affordable organic seeds in at the moment, so I might try and start completely from scratch! 

Decor Plans:

My plans are to invest in a set of new bedding - love this ikea set, I'm also planning on snapping up this copper lampshade for my office/dressing table area, Lastly I'm on the hunt for some bathroom storage, I love these gold and copper baskets from H&M home!

Do you have any home updates planned this year?

A March To Do List

1. Spring clean my home.

2. Find the perfect transitional dress, I love this grey one!

3. Bake Mars Rice Crispy Cakes (recipe here) they're divine, sticky, chocolatey and with silky caramel running through them they're so moorish!

4. Pick up a perky spring blusher, I have my eye on the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat.

5. Take early afternoon walks to spot and snap spring blooms, blossoming trees and pastel sunsets.

6. Buy a pastel pom pom for my bag, I have my eye on this blush faux fur one!

7. Indulge in a bag of mini eggs or two....or three.

8. Switch up my make up for spring, invest in lighter bases like the Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint Foundation.

9. Display daffodils and tulips to make the home feel bright and fresh.

10. Treat myself to a new lilac polish - Essie's Lilacism is currently on deal and on the top of my wishlist!

What's on your to do list for March?

New In: A Spring Haul

Despite the occasional frosty morning, there's been a definite hint of spring in the air. I've been doing my fair share of spring shopping, picking up accessories, make up and home decor ready for the warmer months!

After hearing the exciting news about ASOS's new reward system last week, I placed an order straight away. After resolving to find the perfect pair of sunglasses this year (they just don't seem to suit me!) I picked up a variety of pairs to try out. In the end, I fell in love with this pair, they're comfortable, flattering and the gold detailing is beautiful!

For the home, I finally took the plunge and ordered this dreamy brass West Elm Love Sign. Placed among prints, alongside books on a shelf or on a dressing table, it looks so pretty and homely.

I also invested in a couple of Charlotte Tilbury beauty picks. The Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Jean is an everyday staple, this shimmery champagne, vitamin e enriched cream eyeshadow brightens the whole eye area with it's light reflecting pigments, I also opted for the Charlotte Tilbury Kissing Lipstick in Coachella Coral, a perky coral pink, this looks like the ideal shade for spring.

Another beauty pick I snapped up is the Barry M Mani Mask as my nails have been feeling quite dry. This works well as a base coat or as a wash of colour worn on it's own, hopefully it will help to inject a little moisture back into my nails!

Lastly, Topshop currently have an array of dreamy lingerie and I just couldn't resist this delicate mint Lace Triangle Bra with rose gold detailing. Ideal for lazy days at home, this bralette is so comfy, it's elasticated band means that it's easy to size up or down depending on your cup size too! I've already got my eye on the pink and burgundy shade to get next!

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