Thursday 26 October 2017

Nuxe Shimmering Dry Oil Huile Prodigieuse

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Shimmering Dry Body Oil

If your French is a little rusty, you'll be pleased to know that I have a translation for the title of Nuxe's bestselling product, Huile Prodigieuse. It means 'extraordinary oil' - and I've been thoroughly testing it just to see how extraordinary it really is.

I love my oils, possibly a little less than I love creams (and definitely less than I love balms), but I still love them. I feel like you can control creams a little more, whereas I always overestimate the amount of oil I use in one go, leaving me slathered, rather than nourished. Nuxe's Shimmering Dry Oil, however, is one of a few exceptions to that rule. With its spray nozzle, rather than a pump, this product limits your usage to a small spritz instead of a goopey mass of oil, allowing a smooth, non-greasy finish for your skin.

I say 'non-greasy', because this is definitely a dry oil - as it says on the packaging. It feels dry when you rub it into your skin, which is a odd sensation (a neither pleasant nor unpleasant one). And after application, it feels as if nothing is on your skin. It's that light.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Shimmering Dry Body Oil - Before and After

For those of you who love a that shimmering holiday tan, this is an ideal product for you. It screams 'hot summers on a Greek island' (minus the sunstroke, tequila hangovers and falling into the pool wearing wedges that only see the light of day once a year). The Shimmering Dry Oil not only provides you with a very light bronzing effect, it also features a shimmer - and, no, it's not glittery - which only slightly indulges your fantasy of becoming a Victoria's Secret Angel.

On Nuxe's website they suggest mixing this in with your foundation or dabbing a little onto your cheeks and the bridge of your nose for a highlighting effect. They also encourage using it as a hair oil. However, I would stick to using this on your body. I tried mixing a spritz with my foundation and it just ruined the consistency, making it ultra fluid - and using it as a highlighter just made me look as if I had a dirty face. This could be because my skin's so light, so if you have darker skin and you've found that this works great as a highlight, please leave a comment so that others can find out!

Using it on my hair wasn't such a good idea either. My hair has very damaged ends, very oily roots and an extremely dry scalp (basically it's a mass of problems), and this oil didn't seem to do much to help. The Shimmering Dry Oil did seem greasy when used on the ends of my hair, which is strange because it works so well on my skin. I think I'll stick to L'Oréal Professional's Mythic Oil before I can find something better.

When it comes to the scent, this product puts me off. It's VERY floral, a lot like Grandma's perfume - or L'Huile de Leonor Greyl, if you've ever tried it. However, I would think the scent comes from the 95.5% natural ingredients used in the formula, including seven oils which comprise: tsubaki oil, almond oil, camellia oil, borage oil, hazelnut oil macadamia oil and argan oil. Great for your skin, not for your nose.

But hey, some people might like it.

Nuxe's Shimmering Dry Oil Huile Prodigieuse retails at Boots at £29 for 100ml, or £20 for 50ml.

SHOP BODY OILS


Barry M In The Glow Tahitian Body OilLiz Earle Superskin Dry Body OilNuxe Huile Prodigieuse Shimmering Dry Body Oil
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Tuesday 24 October 2017

Live While You're Young

 Live While You're Young by Jen Lou Meredith

When do you start to get older? When are you officially 'old'? When I was in my teens, I thought that people in their twenties were old. I thought that being old meant having your life together - having a full-time job, buying a house, getting married. Now that I'm finally in my twenties, I don't have any of those things. And I know many other women just like me who also don't have those things. So where does that leave us? When are we supposed to feel like we're adults? What even is 'adulting'?

With a rocky start to my twenties, I felt like it would take a lot of hard work to get my life back on track. I tried my hardest to 'be more adult'. I tried to save as much money as possible, to shy away from socialising and drinking with my friends, and spent most of my days and evenings working or Googling things like 'best mortgage rates uk', etc.

Live While You're Young by Jen Lou Meredith

I started dressing more conservatively and speaking in a certain way in the hopes that people would take me more seriously, to make them think that I was older or that I knew what I was talking about. The truth is, I don't know what I'm talking about, most of the time. Do any of us? 

I was faking a more 'grown up' life in order to convince myself and the people around me that my life wasn't falling apart. Why? Because I was afraid that people would say to me 'look, you're [insert age here], you should really get things together and stop acting like a teenager'. I was constantly paranoid that other people were going to judge me and make me feel terrible for not leading a more successful lifestyle, because I already felt terrible - but if I could convince others that I was right on track, then I could escape judgement.

Live While You're Young by Jen Lou Meredith

After a time I realised that this way of living was just plain exhausting. Essentially, it's lying, and keeping up a facade after telling a lie is always more exhausting than telling the truth and dealing with the consequences. So I decided to own my age, and own the way I live my life. Because who writes the rule book? Who said, 'at X age you should be doing X'? Who said that you need to feel like you're under constant pressure in order to succeed in life? 

Live While You're Young by Jen Lou Meredith

Your life, your rules. And if you feel young, live young. Laugh really loud in public, eat pizza and ice cream, daydream. And, more appropriate to this blog, dress how you want. I've decided that I can wear smart trousers and a blazer if I really want to, but at this moment I want to wear a hoodie, ripped jeans and a camo jacket, and go to an arcade and take pictures of my outfit because it's bomb. 

SHOP THE LOOK

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: WHITE FLATFORM TRAINERS, £22 // GREY CHICAGO CROPPED HOODIE, £18 // HIGH WAISTED MOM JEANS, £25 // KHAKI CAMO JACKET, £31.50 (All Missguided)
BELOW: ZEROUV MIRRORED SUNGLASSES, $9.99
Missguided White Flatform Trainers Missguided Chicago Graphic Cropped Hoodie Missguided High Waisted Mom Jeans Missguided Khaki Camo Embroidered Jacket
zeroUV Horn Rimmed Flat Lens Clear Frame Sunglasses

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Tuesday 17 October 2017

7 Classy Halloween Decor Ideas


Halloween is my second favourite holiday - closely following Christmas. I love the chance to dress up and decorate and, having grown up with all the brilliant Halloween films of the nineties (hello, Practical Magic), it's definitely a time of nostalgia for me.

However, I'm not into all plastic mock-horror tat that we buy at the pound store and throw away the next day - I love to really make an effort. And I know some of you who read this blog share my love of (for lack of a better word) 'classy' Halloween decor, so here are a few ideas I've collected from the wonderful world of home decor websites and put together just for you. All images are credited with a source, so please go check them out for more ideas!


1. Floral Skull Centerpiece

Honestly Yum has put together this fantastic DIY using a model skull and fresh flowers. It looks like something that belongs in a Vanitas painting - morbid but beautiful.


2. Gilded Insect Plaques

Don't worry - these aren't real insects. You can recreate this DIY from The Gathered Home by using giant plastic insects, liquid gold leaf and wooden plaques for a classy creepy crawley wall display that will trump any boring old painting.


3. Mantel Bunting

What's a party without bunting? If you're having a Halloween get-together this year, try making some super easy no-sew bunting with alternating orange, black and white shades with this tutorial from Staying Close To Home.


4. Dead Porch Trees

Got a porch? Then this foolproof decor idea is for you. Simply take a couple of long branches, remove any leaves, then prop them up against the side of your house. Find some faux ravens á la Create Craft Love, and finally decorate with some pumpkins!


5. Halloween wreath

Wreaths aren't just for Christmas. They look positively enchanting with a Halloween theme. Etsy shop SignsStuffnThings has some amazing wreaths for this time of year, inlcuding the one above.


6. Nature inspired bottles

Artist Laura Zindel creates white bottles featuring beautiful nature-themed illustrations, reminding me of 'wet specimins' (insects in fluid solutions) in an old abandoned laboratory. The ones with the spiders on the front are my favourites.


7. Alternative pumpkins

You really can't go wrong with a pumpkin (unless you're this person). They epitomise Halloween, and look fun as they are, or with an interesting carving - OR painted gold with ribbons around the stem, like these ones from Decor & Style.

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Tuesday 3 October 2017

The Best Thing About Autumn? My Birthday...


There's always a little bit of excitement in the air for me when October comes around. Yes, it's truly autumn (and if you're a regular reader you'll know that it's my favourite season), Halloween merch has hit the stores, and - most importantly - it's my birthday month.

I could write about what I received for my birthday, but hey, I've got to have some secrets, haven't I? So instead I'm going to talk about my favourite part of the day: breakfast.

When it's your birthday, you don't want to wake up and eat a bowl of bran flakes. You want a delicious tray of yumminess that will set you up for the most fabulous day of your year. Eat what your heart desires - you want pancakes? Eat pancakes? Hell, throw some ice cream and syrup on that. Your birthday is all about you, and your birthday breakfast should reflect that!

If you've been following my Instagram stories, you'll know that it was my birthday yesterday. My partner and I went out for a late brunch, but we had a little bit of breakfast beforehand...


Because I knew I was in for a day of treats (cake, of course - plus my birthday tradition of super cheesy vegetarian lasagne), I decided to keep it fresh and healthy with tomato and avocado on toast, with a cup of strawberries and a delicious mug of English Breakfast tea* from the English Tea Shop.

My partner cut my toast up into heart-shaped slices (is that a collective 'ahh' I hear?), and I drizzled a tiny bit of olive oil onto my avocado and tomato, along with a sprinkle of black pepper. I ate my strawberries plain as we had bought them that morning and they were sweet with just a little tartness - the ideal treat to have with English Breakfast tea.

My tea was made to the specifications of the English Tea Shop's Master Blender, Sampath Amarasena, whose guidelines indicated to boil filtered water in a kettle and pour it over the tea bag in a mug, then leave the tea bag to steep for 3-5 minutes. I left my tea bag in for 4 1/2 minutes, then added a fair amount of milk (which I've been told ALWAYS goes in second), and left the tea to brew for 5 minutes before drinking.

A great way to start my day.


Whilst I was getting ready, I put on the kettle for a cup of Earl Grey*. Somehow I feel like Earl Grey makes me feel more relaxed, which makes it perfect for a morning brew if you know you've got a busy day ahead of you. It's super fragrant - this comes from the blend of Ceylon black tea with fresh bergamot - and tastes so delicate.

Sometimes I like to go against the grain and have this with milk and sugar. Today, however, I went for a teaspoonful of honey, and a slice of lemon. If you've never tried it, do. The combo brings out a totally different flavour and you'll probably be hooked.

Both the English Breakfast tea and Earl Grey are great for when the dark mornings and early evenings start to roll in (which is round about now, I guess). So stick on a hot water bottle and get cosy with a cuppa.

Find out where to buy English Tea Shop teas here.

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*Gifted for review
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