8 A/W Releases To Get Excited About

I'm so ready for autumn now, after glimpsing a peek of upcoming beauty, style and home decor releases, I've been saving up my pennies for a splurge! Here's 8 upcoming releases that I'm seriously excited about: 

1. The Nars Fall Collection - This gorgeous Nars collection is full of heavenly picks, two new gorgeous vampy red matte lip pencils, shimmery copper eyeshadows and velvety eyeliners galore!

2. That Hourglass Marble Palette - Take a peek here! Out October.

3. Primark's A/W Drop - I've already spotted pieces trickling into stores, Primark always does Autumn and winter style so well! I have my eye on a few things so far, like this handy (and instagrammable) travel bag, throw on coat and dreamy cloud light!

4. Illamasqua Extinct Collection - Released here yesterday, I may have already made a cheeky order! Glittering jewel tone polishes, a divine, autumnal eyeshadow palette and shimmery eyeshadow singles, this collection looks ideal for A/W!

5. H&M Precious Glow Collection - I'm a little confused the Precious Glow Collection is noted as a summer release here in the UK but in the US, it seems to be H&M's fall collection. With gilded brows, shimmery foil eyeshadows, and vampy jewel toned lipstick - I think it's well suited for autumn! This swoon-worthy, affordable collection is filled with everything that I love, mettalics, shimmer and lustre sparkles! 

6. Lush Halloween and Christmas - You may have spotted the leaked products all over twitter and instagram earlier this week, with incredible new picks and a few old faves, I couldn't be more excited!

7. Oliver Bonas - Look out for dreamy homewares - cat trinkets, cooper and gold metallic picks, and chic monochrome decor. I love the pretty speckled bowls, monochrome and blush pink lamps and Agate book ends!

8. Netflix - With Once Upon a Time S6 and the Gilmore Girls Revival already lined up for an autumn release, I can't wait to pop on some fairylights, light candles and spend cosy autumn nights in catching up on my favourite shows.

Are there any releases that you're particularly looking forward to this A/W?

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Brightening Tired Eyes

If I've had a late night then my eyes are normally a huge giveaway - bags, dehydration lines and circles for days, not cute! I've pulled together a few of my fail-safe tips and products to brighten up tired peepers, whether you've had a bad nights sleep, binge watched Netflix into the early hours (guilty!) or been out partying and indulged in a cocktail or two!

Prep

My first step is to re-hydrate, pick a heavenly eye cream to inject moisture and radiance back to the eye area. The Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream is my holy grail pick, it's made a huge difference to my skin! With hyaluronic acid, coconut, cucumber, rosehip and lemon peel oils, it brightens, tightens and helps to diminish my dark circles. I'm just about to purchase my 5th pot, it's seriously the best! For an intensive treatment, try popping on an eye mask instead, I love the sound of the Starskin Eye-Catcher Smoothing Coconut Bio-Cellulose Second Skin Eye Mask!

Conceal 

Next up, apply a thin layer of a brightening concealer to reflect and bounce light away from the under the eyes, or try a corrector to neutralise dark circles. Then, build up light layers of concealer and apply a translucent powder over the top to seal in and stop creasing - the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder is a divine pick!

Brighten

Opt for light reflecting, shimmery shades that lighten and brighten up the eyes like the Nars eyeshadow duo in Alhambra, a dreamy champagne gold and rose eyeshadow pair. A dot of highlighter in the inner corner and blended into the centre of the lid looks gorgeous too, it really helps to keep things fresh and dewy! 

Lastly, lining your waterline can make such a difference to tired eyes, pop on a creamy nude like the H&M Soft Eyeliner Pencil in Pale Nude - or try a white liner like the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk to really open up the eyes.

What are your top tips for tired eyes?

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90's Lip Picks

I'm beyond happy that 90's style is back - gorgeous muted pink-brown lips, velvet choker necklaces and TV picks like Gilmore Girls popping up on Netflix! I even have my eye on a cute denim borg jacket for the transition to Autumn! One of my favourite trends is 90's lips, here's a few flattering picks!

Probably one of the most hyped lip products of the year, MAC Whirl is such a classic 90's shade! It's a pretty, muted rosy brown that works so well paired with winged liner and a velvet choker necklace. The texture is divine - soft, creamy and pigmented and as it's a lip pencil, pretty long lasting. There's a lipstick version too, which I'm tempted to splurge on!

The Tanya Burr Matha Moo Luxe Lip Gloss is a gorgeous pick, it looks unreal on the lips, it's SO flattering. This pretty pink brown liquid lipstick dries down to a budge-proof dreamy matte lip that feels comfortable to wear and lasts for hours. This has been my go to pick for everyday wear!  

Next up is MAC Retro, a matte brown red. This is a great alternative to a bright red lip for an evening out, the brown tones give off a sophisticated vibe and it's so pretty on. I like to prep my lips first with a little balm as the matte formula can be quite drying but once applied, it stays put for hours.

Another everyday pick, MAC Brave Lipstick is a gorgeous mauve pink, mlbb hue. It's pigmented, fuss-free and the satin finish feels so comfortable on the lips. 

Lastly, for something a little more vampy, I recommend the NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Vintage. A creamy mauve brown, this looks ideal for the transition into autumn - I love wearing it with winged liner, Hourglass Mood Exposure and a simple grey knit! The formula is great, light on the lips, pigmented and long lasting, a heavenly pick all round.

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Dewy Skin For Summer

I'm pretty much drawn to anything that gives me radiant, glowy skin and with new highlighter releases and glow kits galore, I'm pretty sure (and very happy) that dewy skin looks here to stay! I've pulled out some radiance-boosting make up faves, dewy complexion picks, and skincare for fresh, healthy skin. I'll probably carry these through to autumn too - dewy, highlighted skin looks gorgeous paired with matte berry lips!

To prep my skin, I like to slather on the Sanctuary Spa Therapists Secret Facial Oil before bed - the mixture of heavenly oils works wonders on my skin overnight! Rich in hydrating jojoba, vitamin e, soothing frankincense and strengthening, balancing rosehip oils but lightweight and comfortable on the skin, this is one of my top skincare picks for glowing, plump and nourished skin.

On my cheeks, I've been reaching for the H&M Pure Velvet Cream Blush in Hot Pink, a divine, creamy berry pink. This pigmented blush blends effortlessly as a cream before setting in place as a powder - you only need such a small amount for flushed cheeks! It's a great, brightening pick to freshen up your make up and perk up the skin.

For highlighter, Ive been flitting between two gorgeous picks. The Sleek Solstice Palette is a dreamy quad with shimmery, complexion enhancing shades that when brushed over the high points of the cheeks, on the brow bone and cupids bow imparts a beautiful, luminous glow. The Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish is my second pick - a creamy, iridescent highlighter that leaves you with a dreamy, ethereal glow. The pink and peach tones in this pearlescent highlighter so look flattering on the skin, it's a must-have for a dewy complexion!

Lastly, for the eyes, the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mermerise in Jean is a heavenly pick. This shimmery champagne cream eyeshadow is enriched with vitamin e to keep the eye area hydrated. It brightens up the eye area with light reflecting pigments and gives a gorgeous soft sheen to the lids.

What are your top picks for a dewy glow?

8 Simple Ways To De-Stress

A combination of the weather, general bad news and freaking out a little about life has left me feeling a little stressed lately, let's face it, 2016 hasn't been a great one so far. I've picked up a few ways that have really helped me to relax, de-stress and feel a little more positive about the future, here's a few of my favourite ways to chill out;

1. Lush bath's.

Luckily the heatwave has now passed and the cosy, cooler days that we've had lately are ideal for indulging in a long Lush bath. There's almost nothing better than melting into a bath full of soft bubbles to relax and unwind. I recommend The Comforter Bubble Bar for a heavenly treat, with a divine, comforting blackcurrant and vanilla fragrance it's great if you're feeling under the weather. Also, Lush Intergalactic is one of my top picks for an uplifting, mood-boosting bath time treat!

2. Music.

Plug in and switch off for a while, away from distractions and social media to help reduce stress levels. Whether it's something calm and soothing to relax to or an upbeat song to dance around in the kitchen, a dose of music is sometimes just what you need!

3. Write a gratitude list.

Noting down just 10 small things that you're grateful for each day can really help to lift your spirits. Counting your blessings is a great way to keep happy and focus on the positive things. I like to note down 10 little things that I'm grateful for each day like my family, Alex, rain, fresh flowers, autumn, or a book that I'm loving - keeping note of the positives in life can really help to put things in perspective!

4. Scented candles.

One of my favourite ways to relax, lighting a candle or two somehow makes everything feel calm and bright. Pick a luxe candle for a heavenly treat, Diptyque Baies fills the whole room with a divine scent of blackcurrant and rose and gives a such a cosy feel to the home!

5. Yoga

From soothing yoga routines to calming breathing techniques, yoga is a pretty much a fail-safe way to de-stress. Take your pick from Yoga With Adriene's videos, I love her feel good flow routine, 

Yoga for anxiety and stress is a great option too!

6. Tea and a book.

Grab a cup of peppermint tea and a captivating book for a few moments to yourself to totally unwind. Find a few of my current recommended reads here!

7. Netflix, blankets and comfy loungewear.

An evening on the sofa with Netflix for company, a cosy pair of Asos print pyjamas like these cute rainbow cloud set and squashy, soft blankets is sometimes just what you need to de-stress. A few of my favourite Netflix picks are OUAT, The Originals, Gilmore Girls and Reign. 

8. Colouring in.

There are so many great colouring in books to choose from - Harry Potter, Game Of Thrones or the lovely The Enchanted Forest Colouring Book which is filled with wildflowers, toadstools and dens fit for fairies! Spend some down time colouring in to help you to switch off and indulge in a little me time.

What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

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An August To Do List

1. Pick up a pair (or two!) of these adorable cloud, sparkling stars and moon socks!

2. Savour the last of the summer, spend time outside sipping on watermelon & lime smoothies.

3. De-clutter. Flick through Marie Kondo's Life Changing Magic Of Tidying again to sort and clear my home ready for the transition to a new season - I can't wait for Autumn!

4. Watch Stranger Things on Netflix, probably from behind a blanket - I've heard it's a little scary?

5. Use up some of my Lush stash on these cosy, cooler days, ready for Lush's A/W drop - my fave time to stock up on Lush treats!

6. Get my bake on, ready for GBBO at the end of the month, I've been baking vanilla buttercream cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles - so delicious and instagrammable too!

7. Splurge on transitional pieces like this cosy grey knit, It looks ideal for at home days paired with leggings and a good book!

8. Go on the hunt for an affordable pink statement/accent chair, I can imagine one would look so pretty popped in the corner next to a lamp for reading!

9. Try to stay up and catch a glimpse of the Perseid Meteor Shower on the 11th/12th August - 200 shooting stars an hour?! Heaven!

10. Watch A Very Potter Musical, I started watching it last night and oh my, it's hilarious!! Malfoy is amazing and Darren Criss incredible as per!

What's on your To Do list for August?

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Five Staple Beauty Picks

I've thrown together a few of my staple beauty picks, you know the type - the fail safe products that you're so unbelievably loyal to and continue to re-purchase time and time again! These all have a permanent place in my home, they work such wonders for me - here's a few of my top recommended picks!

Sleek Contour Kit in Light: After all these years, I'm still so faithful to the Sleek Contour Kit. A long lasting, fail-proof pick, this makes sculpting effortless, thanks to the easy to work with shades. Ideal for everyday wear, the contour hue is the perfect deep brown shade to sculpt and contour with, I find myself reaching for the flattering champagne highlighter shade on a near everyday basis, it gives such a heavenly glow.

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel: This dreamy, pink, turkish delight scented gel is so worth the hype. It transforms from a gel into a silky oil as you massage and work it into your skin and with deep cleansing pumpkin enzymes, restorative vitamins c and e and softening vitamin a it leaves skin radiant, smooth and hydrated. This is my go-to to combat dull, uneven skin, it instantly perks up the complexion and leaves my skin so, so soft!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushers: These finely milled, silky soft blushers glide effortlessly over the cheeks for a flawless, polished finish. The combination of the powdered pigments and swirls of ambient lighting powder work together to create a soft focus and radiant glow to the skin. Diffused Heat is a divine pick, a perky coral pink that looks so flattering on!

Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Alhambra: I love everything about this brightening eyeshadow duo - from the heavenly, buttery soft texture to the gorgeous, pigmented shimmery rose and gold champagne shades! This looks gorgeous washed over the lids and brings light to the eyes - I always get compliments when wearing this! 

Essie Ballet Slippers: I'm obsessed with this glossy, sheer pink shade! This looks beautiful painted on fingers or toes - it's ideal for delicate french mani. I've been re-painting this on my toes pretty much all summer, it requires a few coats to become completely opaque but then is long lasting, flattering and looks so pretty paired with a glitter!

What are your staple beauty picks?