The MAC Velvet Teddy dupe

There's a few lipsticks from MAC which have recently become hugely popular and one of those is one of the first nude shades I ever picked up from MAC, as well as my go-to nude for any occasion, any time of year. That lipstick is of course MAC Velvet Teddy. 

The Sunday Post #43 | Blossoming Gifts

One of my favourite things to do is buy flowers for the house. I love having beautiful bouquets of flowers brightening up our windowsills, whether it be the warmer days of spring and summer or something to add a touch of sunshine in the darker days of autumn and winter. Just looking at flowers makes me smile and if they smell as beautiful as they look, well then we're onto a winner!

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London | Harry Potter

I was 11 when I was first introduced to Harry Potter. I had just had my 11th birthday and my best friend's mum had bought me two books, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, knowing there was nothing that made me more content than burying my head in a book. Little did I know when I began reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone that I would become so utterly besotted and obsessed with the world of Harry Potter, a book series which has not only remained one of my favourite book series' of all time, but went on to become one of the biggest book-to-film adaptations ever created.  

Halfway there | 20 weeks pregnant

Stick the kettle on, because this is going to be a long one...

Kiehl's morning and night

When you have oily skin the last thing you'll think will help is putting on facial oils. I for one was really confused when I was told a facial oil could be just what my skin needed; surely putting an oil on already oily skin will just make your skin worse? I still remember the very first time I used a facial oil and how convinced I was that it would end badly, yet after a few days use I saw such positive changes in the condition of my skin, that since then oils have been a daily must-have in my skincare routine.

The Sunday Post #42 | Summer Dine Leicester Highcross

One of my favourite things to do is go out for meals with friends. I love cooking and have always loved experimenting in the kitchen, but there's something really lovely about finding a great place to eat, settling down with friends and enjoying your evening whilst someone else cooks the scrumptious food for you. A couple of weeks ago I got to enjoy such a perfect night like this, trying out some of the tasty offerings at Leicester Highcross shopping centre with some lovely local blogger ladies. 

Everyone wants to know, boy or girl?

When you share the news that you are pregnant, there is one question which passes everyone's lips. It's as if their lives depend on knowing - what are you having, a boy or a girl?

Bagsy Beauty | A must-try brand

New brands pop up everyday and there's a constant stream of new product launches, creating excited beauty babble and product lust. When you spend your time writing about beauty products and are lucky enough to hear about these new products on a behind-the-scenes basis, you often come across brands who you may not have heard of otherwise, a brand which catches your eye and gets your really excited. Bagsy Beauty is one of those brands for me.

The Sunday Post #41 | Hey bloggers, it's OK!

There's a lot of blogger guilt going around the blogosphere lately, so today I'm going to banish some unnecessary blogger woes and let you know it's totally OK. 

Lush Nottingham | New launches + summer collection

Last night I had the pleasure of popping along to Lush in Nottingham for an intimate blogger evening being shown the exciting new products which have just launched in Lush stores around the UK, as well as learning about the new limited edition summer product. 

If you're a fan of Lush yourself you'll know all about the huge new flagship store which has opened up on Oxford Street, London. You may have even had the chance to visit the store (lucky!) and you will definitely have heard all about the 200 new products exclusive to the Oxford Street store. Many of these products have even been created with the Oxford Street store in mind - even with Oxford Street in the name of the product, products which will always be exclusives to that store. For those of us around the UK who don't live in or near London, I am super excited to share the news that some of those exciting new products are finally being shared around the UK, having launched in Lush stores over the past week as well as being available to snap up on the Lush website. Hurrah! 

Nanshy Gobsmack Glamorous Black Onyx Brush Set

I'm a firm believer that you can never have too many makeup brushes. I have quite a collection, so much so that others often comment on Instagram saying it's a crazy amount, but I love it. I love trying different brands, I love all the different styles and types of brushes I have, that each has a different job or can be used with different formulas. Plus, it means I can go longer between brush-laundry as I always have a clean brush to turn to! 

There's been a new brand sneaking it's way into my makeup brush collection over recent weeks, a brand that's left me so impressed with the high-quality that I've become a little bit besotted. So much so, I'm reaching for them over all of my long-time favourite brands...

Fact or Fiction? Avoiding products in pregnancy

When you're trying to get pregnant, or when you finally get that 'BFP' (that's Big Fat Positive, for those who haven't become obsessed with pregnancy forums and terminology), the last thing on your mind is probably how being pregnant will change your life on a day-to-day basis. We all know the basics; you (might) get morning sickness, you'll put on weight, you'll end up with swollen ankles and bigger boobs, etc, etc, etc. You'll soon find out that a few foods are a complete no-no during pregnancy, too, like runny eggs and rare steak (both of which I miss insanely and have requested be cooked for me as soon as I've given birth). But what about products? Surely products don't make a difference? Maybe not...

Too Faced Pink Leopard Blushing Bronzer

You know when you find that perfect product that works as a multi-tasker, gives you the perfect pick-me-up and whenever you wear it, you get a whole ton of compliments? Yup, that is Too Faced Pink Leopard Blushing Bronzer for me!

Beauty Crowd Haul + Swatches

If there's one thing I wish the UK beauty scene had, it is easier access to American brands. There's a few websites I've shared in the past where you can get American brands, such as Cocktail Cosmetics and Beauty Chamber, but I've recently added another to my list that has a few brands I've been eager to try, as well as a brand I've tried before and been wanting to try more products from for years. After placing a recent beauty haul and being pretty darn impressed with the selection of brands, products and super-fast delivery, I thought it was only fair to share a little haul with you all (and make myself less guilty for buying makeup, obvs). 

The Skincare Routine | 1st Trimester

Earlier this year I shared my winter editions of my skincare routine in two parts; my Morning Skincare Routine and my Evening Skincare Routine. At the beginning of 2015 my attitude towards skincare and in particular, my own daily routine, massively changed. Whereas once I was always eager to trial and test new products for reviewing here on the blog, I have reached a stage where I wanted to get a routine in place which meant once I started a product, that was it until I finished it. My skin has always been very easy on me, despite being oily/combination in type, and I've never had issues with swapping and changing the products I am using. But I wanted to get a proper routine in place before issues did start arising, and sharing those routines here on the blog was a good motivation to keep at it.

Top 5 summer scents

Summer is starting to draw to a close with just a few weeks left to indulge before life gets serious again and we head into autumn. I always feel like people in the UK are more carefree when it's summertime, even if we actually rarely get those hot sunny days that really make it feel like summer, and as soon as autumn hits with a hint of winter on it's way, moods drop, smiles disappear and everyone gets serious again. Perfect excuse to spend August making myself smell like summer.

Do you need a body oil in your routine?

I've always liked body oils, but I've never been consistent with using them. I tend to get a new one, use it for a few weeks and then I just forget about it, going back to my usual body butters and lotions. Over the past couple of months that has all changed, with body oils becoming a constant in my body care routine and my product of choice particularly at night before bed. But do you really need a body oil in your routine, or are they more fuss and mess than they're worth?

Helpful pregnancy apps + websites

When we found out we were pregnant, typical of the Google obsessed generation we're in, the first thing I did was put everything I could think of into Google. "I'm pregnant, what do I need to do?", "How do I get a midwife?", "What can and can't I do now I'm pregnant?" are just a few of the dozens of questions I had whizzing around my head. Did it help? Hardly. There are hundreds and thousands of websites, blogs, forums and 'medical experts' floating around the Internet with conflicting advice, all it did was make me more confused (and leaving me with a few more questions unanswered, to boot!). 

It took a couple of weeks before I felt confident with the information I was getting, gathering a little list of incredibly helpful, informative and at times, unbelievably inspiring websites, apps and blogs. As a first time mum-to-be I know how confusing things can be, so I wanted to share these websites, apps and blogs with you, and hopefully they will be as helpful and reassuring to you as they have been to me.

Huge Lush Haul

I have been going more than a little Lush crazy recently, grabbing pampering bubble baths whenever I can and indulging in my box of Lush bath treats to the point where I really needed to make an order to replace some of the products I had used up (and try some new ones, too!). 

The Sunday Post #40

August is here and I feel like 2015 is almost over already. Maybe that's my excitement for 2016, a little bit because I'm prematurely excited about Christmas, but mostly because I always feel like August is when England says it's last goodbye to the sunshine for another year as summer draws to a close. 

Finished Reading | June + July 2015

As life has gotten a little hectic over the past few months and my priorities have been elsewhere, I've spent a lot less time reading and the rate I was going through books slowed right down! Whereas before I was getting through around 5 books a month, I've managed 3 books in the past two months. I decided not to share a 'Finished Reading' post at the end of June as I only managed to get through one book in June, so it seemed a little fruitless to write a post on just the one book - and if I'm honest, I was a little annoyed with myself that I had only read the one book!