Candles and grey eye shadow

Hi there!

Sorry I've been quiet for a week or so.  I was feeling run down for days!  My brain was sooo foggy.  In the end I just had to be nice to myself and do as little as possible apart from the dancing that I had to do for my job.  Luckily I managed to feel much better by the time I had to do a show last Thursday but after that I had a little crash again.  So I'm taking it easy once more.  I've been preoccupied with trying to calm down my system and stop it reacting so sensitively to everything.  I've been drinking lots of tea, lighting lots of candles and having a few baths.

These pictures were taken last Sunday morning when the weather was much brighter than it has been this weekend.  It's horribly grey and overcast.  I've been keeping up trying to drink probiotic yoghurt drinks in the morning.

I had some of my home made banana bread for breakfast.  This time I had smaller bananas which made the bread slightly less moist.  I also added 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon but I didn't notice any difference in the taste so next time I might try adding 1/2 teaspoon.

I thought it would be nice to see some more of the Too Faced eye shadows in action.  I used the two darkest shadows in my Too Faced Palette; the darkest grey all over the lid and the black shadow a little bit on the outside edge of the top lash line.

I kept the rest of my face natural apart from some blusher and mascara.  I'm obsessed with make-up being relatively subtle and natural at the moment.  I've always gone through fazes, not so long ago it was a black eye liner obsession which I would do every day.  Then I got sick of that and now I like to do something quite subtle and natural for the day time.

I hope you're having a lovely autumn.  I've been gathering up any candles I can find lying around the flat to cosy up the evenings!  I need to go and get myself some scented ones for that extra luxurious feel.

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

Hair repair products for a grey autumn day of rest

Hello

How has your weekend been?  I've been resting resting resting.   Trying so hard to feel healthy again.  I started my morning off with a probiotic drink and some tea.  Actually I started off my morning with a lie-in which already made me feel much better.  Then after some tea I stared at my computer for a while before I decided that a hot bath would be the next thing to do to make me feel rested.

I snuck some Body Shop Shea Butter bubble bath in to the water and decided it was time to take care of my hair.  I've been getting really irritated with my knotted hair which seems to be falling out all over the place and generally not in the best condition.  I decided to use all my hair products which I've purchased recently especially with hair repair in mind.

I bought the L'oreal extraordinary hair oil a while ago and just haven't really got into using it yet.  Actually I was a bit put off by the mixed online reviews I read that said it could be drying if used too often and that it has alcohol in it which is drying?  I decided to give it a go today to find out for myself and put a couple of drops in my hair before shampooing and left it on for ten minutes or so.  I quite like the feel and smell of this product but I think next time I might try a more expensive hair oil with purer ingredients?

Then I shampooed my hair with the Schwarzkopf Gliss Kur shampoo which I bought because it was on offer and didn't have any parabens in it.  I was also attracted to the fact it had keratin in it.  It's not my favourite formula to use as I'm not keen on the smell but it cleans my hair just fine.  Normally I go for the Garnier colour protect shampoo which feels very moisturising but as this one was cheaper I thought I would give it a go.

Then I used the Garnier Fructis Goodbye Damage hair mask which you only need to leave on for 3 minutes which is nice as I get impatient if I have to leave anything on for longer than 5!  I bought the shampoo version of this not long ago and was impressed with it and how my hair felt afterwards.  It says it's for 'very damaged, lifeless hair' which is exactly what mine feels like. I also bought this because it seemed like good value for money and I had run out of a more expensive hair mask I had but money is a bit tight lately!

Once I had washed it all out and towel dried my hair I squirted lots of the Garnier fructis nutri repair 3 oils leave in conditioner and rubbed it in a bit with my hands.

I let my hair dry naturally for as long as possible until we were going to go out (for coffee and sushi!) and then I used my hair dryer from as far away from my hair as possible to avoid heat damage.

Overall my hair does feel in better condition and I'm not sure which product exactly has made the difference.  Maybe it was the l'oreal hair oil as that is one that I really haven't been using recently.  Normally I use just one conditioning product at a time so maybe I need to do a hair pampering session where I use everything more frequently.  My hair doesn't feel amazing yet but hopefully it will get there as there is definitely a difference.  It actually smells really nice too.

I will let you know how I get on in the future with these hair products!

I was also inspired take photos of my eye make up today.  I used the gold shadow from my Too Faced palette so you can see what it looks like on .  It's quite an autumnal shade.

A very easy to wear shade of gold I think.  These pictures were taken a few hours after application so I think the shadow held up pretty well!  I hadn't used any primer so it really was the shadow all on it's own.  I also used my Maybelline Gel eyeliner and my Bourjous Beauty Full Volume mascara which I reviewed ages ago and since then has become my favourite.  Other than that I went pretty natural except for some Clinique blusher which I think had worn off by the time I took these photos!  Oh and I had also used some Art Deco Perfect Teint Concealer for under my eyes and the inner corner.  I bought this very recently and am liking it quite a lot.

I hope you're having a nice autumn day.  I'm thinking of baking some banana bread (again!) and maybe this time I'll go crazy and add some cinnamon or something, ooooo!  If you enjoyed this post please subscribe to my blog using one of the links in the right side bar of my blog.  I'd love to hear from you too if you have any tips for repairing stressed out hair!

Till next time :)  Stay rested and warm

Twirlybirdie x

Body Butter Review: Body Shop Hemp and Dr. Organic Vitamin E

Hi there!

I'm so relieved the weekend is finally here.  It's been a hard week again at work.  Not so much because of the workload but mostly because of how run down I've been feeling.  When I get run down my eczema often flares up which is unpleasant.  I've had much worse flare ups in the past with patches up and down my arms and on my neck and face but luckily it hasn't been that bad for about 7 years now.  I just tend to get it on the inside creases of my arms which is still incredibly irritating especially when I exercise for a living which tends to make it bright red.  I can't cover it up in a leotard so I try not to get self conscious about it and hope it calms down again ASAP.  I get asked questions about what it is all the time and although I know people are well meaning it just makes me even more self-conscious of it.
One thing I rely on is using a moisturiser constantly as the patches get extremely dry.  I've recently been trying to avoid using products containing parabens and one of my recent purchases was the Hemp Body Butter by the Body Shop.

This is a really nice product.  It's rich, thick and creamy and suitable for very dry skin.  Importantly it didn't irritate my skin which is very sensitive at the moment.  It has a slight green colouring to it which would be fine if you're just using it normally but for my eczema I have to really slather it on thickly and leave it to soak in and it did end up leaving the skin and any parts of my clothing which came in to contact with it a little green coloured.  So this wasn't an option for me to use for my skin outside of the home.   Because of this once the tub was almost used up I decided to seek out a colourless moisturiser for my next body butter.

My most recent purchase was the Dr. Organic Vitamin E Body Butter.  It is labelled as being a super rich moisturiser with Aloe Vera, Shea Butter and Jojoba.  It is a rich and creamy butter like the body shop one and feels really nice on most of my skin but....it did sting my eczema ever so slightly when I put it on.  It wasn't terrible though and I've had this before but then it's fine after the first application has sunk in.  I'm going to persevere with this body butter because I've had this before with a moisturiser and once the eczema starts to get better the irritated feeling goes away.  In fact it's only ever the first time I apply it that there's a slight tingling sensation and then my skin relaxes and it's fine the second time I put it on.

I'll probably let you know how I get on with it in the future.  I find both these Body Butters are really nice consistency for use on normal dry skin.  My eczema is already getting better since work ended and I've had a nap.  It's definitely related to my body and immune system being stressed out.  I know I've got to get over this flu bug first and then relax as much as possible and my skin will heal.  I've really cut down my dairy intake just in case and today I bought some probiotics.  I just want to heal my body as much as I can from the inside out.

Do any of you have any moisturisers that work well for your skin?

Till next time :)

New pinafore dress from Dahlia

Hello!

I recently wrote a post about my new pinafore I got from ASOS in the sale.  Well not long after that I ordered another one from Dahlia.  It was half price in the sale so I couldn't resist.  I love it's kooky gothic cross print making it stand out from the pinafore crowd!

The dress only came in one size so I was nervous it wouldn't fit me as I'm quite small but I needn't have worried as it fitted me absolutely perfectly.  I couldn't wait to try it on so put it straight on over my jeans.

I didn't realise it came with the side panels sewn in as a lining, I thought the girl in the website picture was just wearing a white top underneath it.  That's a bonus as I can just throw it on in the morning, easy!  I also think it's cute enough to wear out in the evening.  Maybe I'll even goth up my make-up a bit to go with it.  A slightly darker lip colour would look really cute with this.  This dress is still available on their website in white if you like it.

I've spotted even more cute pinafore dresses on ASOS in the sale recently.  Eeek.  I need to control myself or I'll end up with a wardrobe full of them and nothing else!

I hope you enjoyed this post.  Please subscribe to my blog via one of the options on my right sidebar to find out if I indulge in any more pinafore dresses in the future or if I manage to control my new addiction ;)

Till next time

Twirlybirdie :)

What I wore: grey shorts and a floral shirt.

Hello

I thought I would share my new blue handbag with you.  I bought it half price in the sale and I'm really enjoying using it.  It's a great size and has a lot of sections inside which makes it perfect for someone like me who has way too much stuff in there.

It's such a vibrant colour and also comes with a shoulder strap which is useful.

Otherwise I wore my grey H&M shorts that I bought a couple of years ago.  They're a bit big for me now so I added this pink belt to keep them up.  The pussybow floral shirt is by Rare.  I love putting things together in my wardrobe that I've had for a while but never thought to match up before.

Hmmm maybe I should have ironed the shorts!  I'm still feeling a bit under the weather but I hope tomorrow will be better as I have to go to work!

Until next time

Twirlybirdie :)

Bits and Bobs

Hello!

I've got a few photos I've taken intending to either write full blog posts for in the future or include them in posts that have then seemed long enough with out them so I thought I'd collect some of them here.

This was my first attempt at using my new muffin tray.  I made muffins with prunes and seeds in them so they were healthy-ish.... They were good to take in to work for extra energy though.  The recipe is here.

I bought these glass containers to store dry goods.  I love them and want to buy more!

I bought some washi tape for future craft projects ( I just haven't figured out what yet!)  Actually I was thinking of using them to stick labels to the new kitchen jars.

I bought a milk frother so I can make foamy lattes!  My eczema has been flaring up recently so I've decided to go completely lactose free dairy wise to see if it helps.  So anyway I've been drinking frothy lactose free lattes.

I had a premiere of a new role in a show recently and was given this beautiful plant as a gift.  I know nothing about flowers though ( I think the label says Rhododendrons on it) so I hope I wont kill it off too quickly.  I thought the pink blooms looked gorgeous in the autumn evening sun.

I went for a walk today and the weather was gorgeous.  Those autumn leaves.  The sun.  Sigh.

I actually took these pictures whilst running for the bus.

Ahhh the autumn colour scheme.  Just so lovely to photograph.

Till next time!

Twirlybirdie :)

Baking Bread

Hi there

I hope you had a nice weekend.  I've been feeling a bit under the weather.  I don't like to take too many pills so on top of just one Coldrex tablet a day I've been drinking lots of green tea and taking my vitamin C.  I also bought some fresh ginger to put in my tea!

Lately I've been in a baking frenzy and was craving the smell of home made bread.  I've had a go in the past but this time was the most successful.  I like to just launch in to things instead of following a recipe perfectly so after looking at a few different recipes and techniques on line this is what I did.

I mixed 500g of strong white flour with 1 teaspoon of salt and a 6g sachet of dried yeast in a large bowl with my hands.  Then I made a well in the centre and added 300ml of warm water 2tbsp of oil and 1tbsp of golden syrup.  I mixed it all together with a spoon and when it was well mixed I took it out and kneeded the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 7 minutes.

I put the dough in my cake tin to rise and covered it with cling film.  I left it for 1 hour and then I knocked back the dough (pushed the air out of it again gently with my fists) and let it rise for another hour.  After all that it looked like this.

Pretty, haha.  Then I slashed it across the top a few times with a knife and popped it in the oven for about 40 minutes at around 200 degrees celcius ( I think it was actually just under).

I'm definitely no bread making expert but it tasted and smelt delicious.  Next time I really want to add some different flavours to it!  There's something so satisfying about making something as useful as bread at home.

I hope you had a great Sunday!

Until next time

Twirlybirdie :)

Pinafore dress from ASOS

Hello!

I hope you're having a great end to the week and looking forward to the weekend.  I've been internet shopping lately, very naughtily, and one of the things I ordered was this pinafore dress from ASOS.  It was in the sale at 19 pounds and I don't have anything like it so I felt justified in buying it.  Now I want lots of different pinafore dresses, in fact I already have another one on the way from Dahlia!  Oh dear.  I think I have a new obsession!

I'm wearing this with a jumper from Mango and I can't remember where I got the yellow tights from!  I like that I can wear this in summer and winter by just changing what I wear underneath it.  So versatile.  The one on the way has crosses on it.

I also have been doing some baking.  More banana bread, yum!  Using the same recipe as last time from the BBC good food website.  I would like to adapt the recipe a bit to try to make it more my own.  Maybe next time I'll add cinnamon or chocolate chips and see how it works out!

This time the bananas I used were a bit bigger so the whole cake was a bit more moist.  Still super delicious though!  I really want to have a go at making some muffins soon as I recently purchased a new muffin tin.  I find it difficult to eat conventional breakfast but home made treats seem to do the trick.

I also have bought myself a milk frother and been making my own vanilla lattes.  That's also something to look forward to in the mornings!

I hope you have a great weekend!

Twirlybirdie :)