NEW YEAR HOME SNIPPETS

With the Christmas decor tucked safely away for another year my home always feels a little bare in January and so I've been busy adding new decor and cosy little touches to our home.

Fresh flowers are a must for me in the New Year, they really help to brighten things up. I recently picked up this gorgeous vase for a steal from Wilkinsons - it was just £3!

Another Muji drawer is high on my wishlist this month, I've switched out a few of my lip products and blushers for winter and the slow transition into spring but I need a little more space for my everyday make up. These clear acrylic drawers make reaching for my make up a dream, I love the clean, minimalistic feel they give too.

These gorgeous Pink Alabaster and Brass Coasters have helped to add a luxe feel to my table top. As well as the dreamy design, they're sturdy, weighted and will hopefully last me a lifetime. I also invested in this adorable cat mug, perfect for a hazelnut hot chocolate on these cold winter days!

There's an abundance of candles scattered around my home for a cosy, homely feel. Ideal for a gloomy winters day they brighten up the home and fill the whole room with fragrance. Diptyque Pomander is constantly burning in my home, it's divine and perfect for this time of the year. With orange, cinnamon and cloves it fills the home with a warming and comforting fragrance.
Among my favourite candles sits a couple of copper lights, this adorable star light is from ikea and my favourite desk lamp from homebase.

Lastly, this beautiful Harry Potter book boxset is the latest addition to my bookcase, my old set was looking a little worse for wear and so I was beyond thrilled when I opened this gorgeous set from my Mum at Christmas. My little Qudditich Harry stands pride of place in front of the set, I've heard that wave 2 with Luna and Yule Ball Hermione is about to hit soon - I can't wait!

Have you picked up anything new for the home recently?

UPDATED ESSIE COLLECTION

Having been around a year since my last Essie collection and with 3 for 2's, kind gifts and far too many treat yourself moments over the past year, my Essie collection has grown quite a bit. I though I would revisit my collection for a little update!

My most recent Essie polishes were actually a gift from Alex - I adore this dreamy Bridal collection set that he picked up for me. My next planned purchase is Essie Starry Starry Night, as soon as it's available again I'm snapping it up, it's been on my wishlist for the longest time - I'm so happy that Essie are bringing it back again!

After looking at my collection as a whole I seem to be missing a few lighter, summery shades, maybe next time boots have a 3 for 2 offer... I'd love to know your favourite picks!

The Berries

First up is my absolute favourite shade to wear, berry. There's something about autumnal hues, rich berries, plums and mulberry tones that I just love, they're flattering on the nails and work so well as the base for a glittery mani!

Essie Sole Mate is one of my top picks, a glossy, vampy shade, Essie Bahama Mama, a rich plum is another of my most worn polishes, then there's one of my latest additions Essie Fashion Flares, a magenta bar glitter that looks pretty simply brushed over the nails, Essie it's Genius - a violet quartz shimmer and Essie Angora Cardi a creamy, dusty mauve.

The Blues/Greens

I'm fairly surprised how many blues I have in my collection! I own - Essie's Midnight Cami a deep blue with twilight shimmer, Essie Aruba Blue, a flattering sapphire foil, Essie A Stroke Of Brilliance, a frosty periwinkle blue glitter, Essie Maximilian Strasse Her - a firm favourite of mine and the cult favourite Essie Mint Candy Apple.

The Pinks/Corals

Next up are three pinks, Essie Peach Daiquiri a dreamy vibrant coral, Essie Cute as a Button which is similar to Peach Daiquiri but a little more pink and Essie A Cut Above, a chunky, soft pink glitter.

The Nudes

Most of the nude shades that I own come from this dreamy bridal set, Essie's Vanity Fairest being the only exception, I've owned and loved this shimmery nude pink for a long time now!

From the set there's Essie Allure aka Kate Middletons Wedding day mani pick, Essie's Ballet Slippers (another cult shade) and Essie Sugar Daddy, one that I've coveted for a while now after spotting it a lot on Pinterest!

The Reds

Mainly pulled out at Christmas, Essie Leading Lady is a gorgeous, sparkly deep red that has flecks of raspberry glitter running through it, perfect for the festive season. Next up is Essie Bordeaux, a deep burgundy and my ultimate favourite shade. Lastly Essie Aperitif is a cherry red that makes the perfect red mani.

The Metallic Glitters

Some of the most aesthetically pleasing of the bunch, my copper/silver/gold glitter collection has grown rapidly over the past year, I just can't get enough of these shimmery shades!

First off there's Essie Sparkle On Top (the last polish of the Bridal set), Essie Frillin' Me Softly, an icy silver bar glitter with flecks of frosty blue, Essie Rock at the Top - my top pick for gilded tips, the divine Essie Summit of Style, a chunky copper glitter and Essie Tassel Shaker, a gorgeous Copper and Bronze glitter.

The only treatment that I own from Essie is the Essie Nail Treatment Apricot Cuticle oil, it hydrates and nourishes the nails and cuticles with a blend of moisturising oils, just one quick swipe leaves my nails feeling supple and strong.

Phew, that's a lot of polishes! What are your favourite Essie Picks?

A NEW YEAR ASOS WISHLIST

My ASOS saved items have racked up again and so I thought I would share some of my most coveted items. I've found a couple of gorgeous wedding guest dresses, this lipstick bag seems like the perfect affordable dupe for the Lulu Guinness version and these super soft Robot Pyjamas are on the top of my wishlist for cosy winter days! These are my current picks for winter and the new year:

A RESTORATIVE LUSH HAUL

This January, instead of harsh detoxes, huge dietary changes and overworking myself with exercise routines that I probably won't stick to, I've decided to take things a little slowly. January is still a cold, bitter Winter month and comforting healthy meals, hot baths and soothing yoga routines are still very much required. As part of my restful, recharging January plan I've picked up a few Lush treats to get myself back on track and to get off to a good start to the year.

The Sacred Truth Face Mask

My skin has been in desperate need of a pamper after Christmas and so the first thing I picked up was The Sacred Truth Face Mask to help to perk up my complexion. This heavenly fresh mask contains nutritional wheatgrass, moisturising honey and exfoliating papaya enzymes to leave skin soft and glowy. 

This luxe skincare treat is packed full of fresh ingredients and so lasts in the fridge for around three weeks, the recommended twice weekly treatments ensures that the mask is used up in this time. I've used it once already and the results are pretty impressive, I'm positive that it will help get my skin back on track this month!

Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar

I just couldn't leave lush without a Unicorn Horn, this multicoloured iridescent bubble bar is such a magical treat. It creates a dreamy watermelon pink bath with clouds of sparkly bubbles whilst the combination of relaxing lavender paired with mood-boosting neroli soothes and lifts spirits - perfect for these gloomy January days!

The Rough with the Smooth

I picked up this scrubby little block after reading so many rave reviews online. Packed with exfoliating sugar and moisturising murumuru butter, it's the ideal quick fix for dry winter skin. This heavenly scented scrub has been a saviour for my parched skin so far, leaving it soft, pampered and smooth.

Beautiful Shower Gel

With a heavenly mix of peach and apricots, this in shower treat is like sunshine in a bottle. This is a fairly thick shower gel that creates a luxe, rich creamy lather to leave skin silky soft. The golden flecks of glitter and sunny disposition of this cute little product makes for the perfect morning pick me up.

Have you picked up anything new from Lush recently?

WINTER BLUSHERS

As we move further into winter and with slivered frosts, biting gales and colder days right around the corner I've pulled out a few frosty pastels, rich wines and shimmery red blushers to pair with the wintry days ahead.

MAC's Gleeful was a welcome addition to my make up bag throughout December, so much so that I've carried it through with me to the new year. This mineralised, soft wine blusher blends seamlessly over the skin, the luminous pigments enhance the cheekbones whilst it gives a rosy flush to the cheeks. Paired with pink glossy lips and tons of mascara it gives a fresh wintry look.

A matte, dusty red rose blush like Nars Dolce Vita is perfect for the transition into winter, best applied with a light hand, this pigmented, blendable blusher packs a punch. It's universally flattering  tones and matte formula sculpts the cheeks and looks divine paired with a shimmery champagne highlighter. 

I picked up this dreamy H&M Pure Radiance Powdered Blusher in Golden Peach last weekend as a wintry alternative to my all time favourite blusher Sleek Rose Gold. They both have the same infused shimmery, complexion enhancing effect which instantly perks up the skin with radiance and light, ideal for the gloomy wintry days. It's also slightly scented with a subtle, divine vanilla fragrance, similar to MAC lipsticks which is a huge plus!

Lastly, MAC Well Dressed has been my daily to go blusher, combined with MAC Soft & Gentle it creates a dreamy cheek combination that I'm currently obsessed with. This powdery pale pink blush works so well with a frosty pink eyeshadow like MAC's Naked Lunch, the icy cool tones match the colder days perfectly!

What are your favourite blush picks for winter?

JANUARY TO DO LIST

1. Nail the perfect smoothie recipe with chia seeds, frozen fruit, agave nectar and a handful of spinach thrown in for good measure!

2. Pick up this Honeycomb Wine Rack, whilst it's less than half price in the sale to coincide with my new year goal of getting organised and sprucing up my kitchen. Maybe this dreamy muffin tray too!

3. Spend a gloomy, wintry day reading Harry Potter with candles burning and a mug of hot chocolate in hand. With winter blues slowly creeping in it's important for me to savour a few good moments to myself. This cat mug is the perfect size for a creamy hazelnut hot chocolate!

4. Snap up these adorable Robot Pyjamas from Asos, I already have this Space set and they are the cosiest, softest pair that I own!

5. Feed the birds. With winter finally setting in the birds will be getting hungry, last year several robins and even a cheeky magpie visited me daily for food!

6. Bake a warming, cinnamon apple crumble with dairy free salted caramel ice cream. Cooking apples are in season at the moment, they're perfect for winter as they're full of antioxidants and vitamin C. Add a dash of ginger or cinnamon and a dollop of ice cream to make it a cosy wintry treat.

7. Find a nice, comfortable, well fitting pair of trainers. This is already proving unbelievably hard for my size 2 feet! I love this New Balance pair, but they're not available in my size. I'm so tempted to ditch the idea of normal trainers and splurge on a pair of Disney Vans!

8. Invest in a new highlighter, with winter bringing me dull, lacklustre skin I'm in desperate need of a glow. I've got my eye on either Becca Champagne Pop or the Kevin Auction The Celestial Powder in Candlelight.

9. Pick up some fresh pink tulips to brighten up the home - things are looking a little bare without the Christmas decor!

10. Aim for 20 minutes of exercise a day - Yoga, Cycling or Blogilaties!

What's on your January to do list?

FESTIVE HOME UPDATES

I'm not ashamed to admit that each year, as soon as December 1st hits I turn my home into a winter wonderland. With tinsel draped over the doors, candles flickering, fairy lights twinkling, SmoothXmas playing in the background and the Christmas tree heavy under the weight of as many baubles, lights and bead garlands as I can manage, it truly feels like Christmas for me.

I've even decorated my dressing table for the occasion with silvers and golds and have pulled out festive red lipsticks and glittery eyeshadows to wear over December. My new Charlotte Tilbury Make up bag has taken pride of place on my dressing table, it's so festive and holds my everyday make up perfectly!

My bathroom is currently full of Lush treats, making it smell incredible. My favourites from the festive selection so far have been these dreamy Lush wands. The Magic Wand creates a heavenly bath full of pink bubbles, with swirling glitter and the sweet scent of candyfloss, it's the perfect winter treat. I'm saving my The Magic of Christmas Wand for Christmas week, with orange, cinnamon and clove it smells divine and just like Christmas to me! 

With my home feeling so festive and with plans to watch Elf, The Holiday and Arthur Christmas with cinnamon hot chocolate in my favourite Harry Potter mug, it's definitely my favourite time of the year!

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