Make-up For the Weekend

Hello there!
I thought I would write a little post about the products I wore during the day time this weekend.

At work I'm sweating in the dance studio so I normally go for a really natural, less is more look on my face.  I never wear bright lipstick and don't usually wear eye shadow and eye liner together.  So when the weekend rolls around I like to make the most of the opportunity to wear something a little brighter and bolder.

I don't like to wear foundation so I skipped that step using just my Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser from The Body Shop instead which I feel adds enough of a glow.  Then I used the Maybelline Fit Me concealer under my eyes and any where else I felt needed a bit of evening out.  I like it's creamy consistency.  Then I went for Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze because it's quick and easy and suits a bold lip well.  I used the Bourjois Liner Feutre Liquid Eyeliner for some bold definition to the top of my eye lids and finished it off with The False Lash Telescopic mascara by L'oreal mainly because this is the only mascara I currently own (it does a good job though!).

On my cheeks I decided to go with my Clinique Blusher in Pink Love because I wanted a true pink fresh looking flush to my cheeks to prevent the bold lip colour washing me out.  Then I applied the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick in Framboise.  I think it's a great bold shade for day time that isn't too neon or too pink.  It also lasts really well.

So that was my current make-up look for the weekend!  Do you change up your make-up routine for the weekend as well?

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

Life Lately: Heart Bunting and Shopping

Hello!  I hope you are having a lovely relaxing Sunday evening.  The day was completely misted over here.  The fog was so thick you couldn't even see things that weren't directly in front of you.  It was very atmospheric.  The damp mist made up a bit for the clouded over sky and zero degree temperature.  We went out for chips and tea, then it was time to stock up on my candle selection as I'd become perilously close to running out.  How would I cope with the gloomy evenings without them?

Ah red wine jeans.  Finally.  I was craving a pair of jeans in this colour last year but never actually managed to buy any.  I spotted the perfect pair in Mango a few weeks ago for only 25 euros (!) but I was not in the mood for trying clothes on!  Typically they all sold out in my size really fast and weren't in the shop again for ages, so when I stumbled across them again I snapped them up straight away.  They are the perfect fit for me and have already ventured outside in them many times.

As I had run out of body butters an emergency shop for replacements had to be made.  I ended up buying two just in case I had a bad reaction to one of them.  I picked the Organic Surge Sweet Blossom Body Cream, and the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Body Cream in Kukui Nut.  They both smell delicious though I've had more success with the Organic Surge cream on my sensitive skin so far.

We bought this heart shaped hole punch to make heart shaped bunting for the wedding!

Bunting being created by the fiancé on my sewing machine, once I had taught him how to use it!

My latest candle stash.  All Bolsius candles as these are the cheapest scented candles they sell at our local department store.  I got vanilla, cranberry and sugar and spice scents.  Just looking at lit candles makes me feel warm and toasty inside.  A lot of shopping seems to be featured in this post, perhaps I should have called it 'Shopping Lately'!

I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and have a great start to the week!

Till next time

Twirlybirdie

Moisturising Empties

Hello!
I hope you are enjoying your weekend.  I have had a long relaxing bath so I am feeling well and truly chilled out.  As someone who suffers from bouts of eczema I get through a lot of moisturisers.  Even when your skin is clear of it you are supposed to keep the skin frequently moisturised to prevent an outbreak from occurring again.  This stash is a selection of items I have recently used up over the last 6 months or so.  I thought I would share my thoughts on them all with you.

The Body Shop Body Butter in Coconut
This body butter I bought the mini version of specifically to keep in my handbag.  The texture of it was creamy but slightly waxier than some of their other body butters I have used in the past.  The smell was delicious but this did seem to irritate my eczema when it was flared up which other Body Shop body butters haven't in the past.  It was great to use though on areas of skin that weren't sensitive and even my sensitive skin when the flare ups had calmed down.

Burt's Bees Fragrance Free Shea Butter and Vitamin E Body Lotion
This Body Lotion is perfect for my eczema prone skin.  It is the perfect consistency, not too thin or too thick, just a soothing creamy lotion.  There's no waxyness to it which means it completely absorbs in to the skin and I can even use it during a flare up without irritation.  I have also nearly finished the Aloe and Buttermilk version which absorbs even more easily in to my skin than this one.  Both I've repurchased in the past and I probably will do again.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser
Fav, fav, fav day cream for my face!  Smells great, paraben free, SPF 30 and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin.  I feel like my skin looks fresh and glowy when I use this.

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Beautifying Oil
I feel like I have a lot of Body Shop products on here but that's because they are usually in my price range, especially as I only usually shop if there's a sale on.  I don't think they do this version of their oils any more which is a shame because I loved it.  I took it on holiday with me and could not get enough.  It felt so moisturising and my skin drank it up after long hot days at the beach.  Such a nice fresh lemon-y scent which went down a treat on my sensitive skin.  I tried the Olive scented one and could not get on with it at all.  It seemed far more strongly perfumed and maybe because of that it irritated my skin.  I hope they bring the lemon one back!

Joik Moisturising Body Oil with Lemon and Bergamot Essential Oils
Initially I compared this unfavourably with the Body Shop Beautifying Oil, because I preferred the stronger lemon scent and the thicker, silkier texture of the Body Shop Oil.  Coming back to this Joik oil later on though I appreciated the slightly thinner texture  more because it seemed to be quickly absorbed by my skin, which is good when you're pressed for time.  The scent is light but not artificial and the product is 100% natural, bonus!

NSpa Shea Butter Body Butter
This has a very thick and slightly waxy texture.  The scent is strong and very sweet but not unpleasant if you like sweet scents.  My skin found this irritating during a flare up but when my skin was calm this was nice to use.  The cream is very moisturising and long lasting because of the thick texture.  It feels like it forms a protective layer over the skin.  Really good for dry skin that needs protecting from the elements but maybe not suitable for very sensitive skin.

Quite a collection.  There are actually a couple more but I think I'll save them for another time to prevent this post from getting any longer!  I hope you have a lovely evening

Twirlybirdie :)

Weekend Plans: Turning your home in to a retreat

Hello!

I often spend my weekends full of plans for projects and chores that I need to get done.  This rarely actually happens and I often end up feeling frustrated with myself that I spent more time lying around doing nothing than tackling my massive to do list.  I end up in a constant battle between what my body and mind want to do (nothing) and the things I wanted to achieve that weekend.  This makes weekends frustrating and stressful.
Equally though I often find myself dreaming of getting away for the weekend.  Going somewhere far away to spend a couple of days relaxing, doing nothing and coming back refreshed.  Eventually I realised it was stupid to berate myself for doing the exact thing I dream about doing for the weekend.  Sure so maybe I can't actually physically get away anywhere for the weekend, but the biggest appeal of going away is quite simply just having the opportunity to relax.  When you travel away for the weekend you're far removed from your home and you're unable to tackle any of your chores.
I thought that perhaps with a little mind reset I could get some of the benefits of a weekend away with out having the need to travel.  I decided to try my best to make my home in to a place where rest and relaxation were permitted.  Even if you can only afford to do this for one day at the weekend I think it could be beneficial.  Here are some of the things I did for my day off in my 'retreat' plus a few other ideas.

The evening before

• If possible try to tidy or do any chores that really will distract you from being able to fully chill out all weekend.
• If you don't already have some at home you might want to shop for any supplies you might need ie. tasty food/drink, candles, bath salts, face mask, new book or magazines to read etc. etc.
• Try to get to bed at a decent time so you can enjoy as much of the day as possible.

Ideas for ways to enjoy your weekend retreat

• Sleep in, just chill in bed as long as you want!
• Take a long hot bath with your favourite products.  I added sea salt to mine and read a book.
• If you don't have a bath enjoy a hot shower with your favourite products
• Do the beauty things you always want to do but normally can't find the time. Paint your nails, do a face mask or a hair mask or even all three!
• Lay on the sofa and read through magazines
• Stretch or do some yoga
• Play some relaxing music or if you prefer just enjoy the silence
• Make yourself a healthy smoothie
• Drink herbal tea
• Go for a walk or to a nearby cafe for a coffee
• Wear comfortable lounge wear
• Cook something healthy and warming for dinner like a stew
• Light candles
• Watch a film

Just give yourself permission to do whatever the hell you enjoy with out feeling any guilt.  This rest time is important for your physical and mental health and the main goal is to feel refreshed afterwards.  Whatever it is that you fantasise about doing on a break try to recreate it as much as possible in your own home.
Maybe this is probably what a lot of people do on their weekend but for if you're like me and constantly feel like you need to be doing or achieving something perhaps this is a good way to look at taking some time off completely for yourself.

Have a relaxing weekend!

Till next time

Twirlybirdie

Life lately: Flowers, Cards and Rice Milk

Hello!  I hope you have had a lovely Monday (haha).  Luckily for me it's my day off as we work Saturdays and (Sundays too sometimes).  As seems to be the usual for my days off it was overcast and cloudy all day long :(.  It was also pretty chilly so I was convinced I was going to achieve little other than spending the day hiding under my duvet thinking of all the things I should get done whilst avoiding going outside.  As it is I actually managed to convince myself to get out the flat and go for some tea with my fiancé as well as go food shopping and even hoover the flat (woo)!  This evening I'm even writing a blog post whilst I wait for the dinner to cook.  A much more productive day than I expected.  So without further ado, here is a selection of photos that I've taken from my life lately.

This is a really beautiful flower I received after the performance on Sunday.  It was given anonymously but was a lovely unexpected surprise!  So thank you mystery person :)

A card I drew to give to my sister to ask her to be a bridesmaid at my wedding.  I tried to draw a relatively accurate picture of what her dress will be like!  Her dress is so pretty, it's a vintage dress I bought from an antiques market in Marylebone.  A lovely 1930's dusky pink number.

My current favourite drink, Sea Buckthorn juice, which is apparently very good for the immune system as it is rich in vitamin C!  Perfect for the winter season when you need to start warding off colds.  I'm addicted right now and trying to stop myself from buying it every day as it's not cheap.

I bought these cute paper index notes to help me to be more organised in my notebooks.  I love writing in notebooks much more than on loose A4 kept in a ring binder, but I do find it difficult to keep track of different notes I've written on different subjects.  My brain skips around like crazy so I have blog post ideas, to do lists, general life plans etc all randomly skattered all over the notebook.  Now I can put a little sticker on a page I need to refer back to and even write on the sticky note exactly what it is.  Should have started using these ages ago!

Ever since I've tried to go dairy free the one thing I couldn't deal with was using a milk alternative in my tea and coffee.  However somehow I've managed to wean myself onto using rice or oat milk in those as well.  I've also developed an issue with caffeine too so now all my tea and coffee drinks are lactose and caffeine free!

Dinner is ready!  It's a lovely stew which is definitely something that appeals to me on these cold, dark evenings.  Unfortunately I put tumeric in it (yellow, stains easily) and then managed to splash it on my lovely cream jumper which is now lying in the bathroom smothered in Vanish.  I'm praying the stains come out!  I am so clumsy and even own the most gorgeous apron so why I never wear it those times when I really should I'll never know!

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara Review

Hello there.  It's the weekend, yay!  Although I'm performing tomorrow afternoon I'm still enjoying the relaxing feeling of knowing it's Saturday night already and I don't have to get up as early tomorrow.
A little while ago I picked up the L'oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara in the sale.  I think I had read it was good on line before and I wanted to give it a go.  Quite soon after purchasing it my other two mascaras both dried out so I ended up using this every day much earlier than I had expected to.

The mascara wand is not a full brush like I am used to but more like plastic combs placed around the head of the wand.  I've always avoided buying this kind of wand in the past because I didn't think I would get on with it but thought this time I'd give it a chance.  It took a little getting used to as I have to make sure I'm using the wand with the spokes in the right place on the lashes to coat and separate them.  Using the wand in the wrong place can just coat the lashes with the formula too heavily.
The formula does seem to do the trick in terms of lengthening the lashes.  I also seem to be able to get a nice curl in my lashes out of it too.  It takes a little more work than I'm used to but I am satisfied with the result.

I don't think it's a bad mascara at all although I will have to see if once this runs out I would buy it again or go back to a mascara with a full brush on the wand like I'm used to.

Till next time

Twirlybirdie

Oliver Bonas Earrings

Hello!

I hope you're having a nice Thursday.  I got a bit stressed at work but came home and had a bath and lit some candles so I'm feeling a bit more chilled now.  In the summer I went to Oliver Bonas for the first time and really loved their jewellery.  I particularly liked the delicate real silver earrings and necklaces they do.  I bought myself these really cute cloud with lightening bolt earrings.

I get lots of comments on them when I wear them!  I checked on the website and they are still available to buy.  My fiancé also bought me a necklace from there with a tiny silver letter on it of the initial of my first name.  I've always had a thing for delicate jewellery.  I'm really tempted by some of Oliver Bonas's other earrings and necklaces which I've just seen are on sale online now!

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

Berry Lipstick - Shopping My Stash

Hello!
 I hope you are having a lovely day.  I'm on my break between rehearsals and feeling pretty tired already.  Phew!  At the weekend I felt like I wanted to switch up my make-up look a little.  Berry lipstick shades always seem to become popular around this time of year.  I really want to try the dark berry lipstick shade that lots of people seem to be sporting at the moment, however I don't have anything quite like that right now so I shopped my stash at home for the most berry like shade I could find.

I came across a lipstick that was one of my faves for dressed up nights out in the past, but I haven't worn it for quite a while.  The lipstick is a Clinique one from their Colour Surge range (I'm not sure it exists any more).  It's shade name 'Berry Nugget' even has the word Berry in it.  It was brighter and pinker than what I'd had in mind but even so it still felt more autumn/ winter than the more fushia toned pinks I've been wearing lately.

I teamed it with brown eye shadow and brown eyeliner as I thought black liner might look too made up with such a strong lip in the day time.  I really liked the look.  I took a picture in my bathroom as the light is much better in there compared with the dull light coming from outside at the moment.

I successfully managed to 'shop my stash'!  I was pleased to find an old favourite lipstick and wear it in a new way.  Maybe this means I will be able to put off purchasing a new lipstick for a little while longer.....maybe.....

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

Sequinned Mini Skirts!

Hello!  I hope you are having a lovely day even though the weekend still seems so far away!
 Last Saturday after work my fiancé and I decided to go out for an early dinner.  We went for some delicious sushi.  Afterwards, as it was still only 7.30 pm, we still had an hour and a half to wonder around the shops before they closed.  Luckily for me the shopping centre we were in had some kind of promotion on which meant lots of things were on sale!
I was trying to convince myself not to buy anything but then I found this black sequinned mini skirt which came to only 12 euros with the 20% discount the shop (Reserved) was offering.
At this time of year I always have a thing for sequins.  I imagine myself wearing them during the day but never seem brave enough to pull it off!  However these sequins were sort of semi-matte and the black colour made it seem like they would be very wearable for night or day adventures.

I already managed to wear it out during the day on Sunday with black tights, flat boots and a black and white jumper.  I didn't feel uncomfortable at all.  It reminds me of the Dahlia mini-skirt I bought last year except that one has much shinier sequins and I definitely feel a bit less brave to wear that one out during the day time!

I do still really love my Dahlia one though and have worn it for a night out.  I'd definitely like to find more reasons to wear it out though!  It's super blingy! 

I love a bit a sparkle for winter time.  That's one good thing about the dark, cold weather then...that and candles!

Till next time

Twirlybirdie :)

Winter Facial Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin

Hello!

This is a follow up to my previous post about how I look after the skin on my body during winter time.  I also change up my facial skin care routine a little.  Last winter I bought The Body Shop's Vitamin C Skin Reviver.  I was looking primarily for a serum and came across this on my search.  It has the consistency more similar to a primer in my opinion but with a very silky feel to it.  It is also quite shimmery looking but once it's spread out over the skin you can't really see the shimmer.  I was originally using this for the the glow effect it claims to have but I started to realise that when I was putting this on and then going out in the cold my skin felt much more protected than usual and less dried out by the cold weather.

Where I live temperatures can get down to -30 degrees celcius in the winter so when I say cold weather I really mean cold!  I have to take extra special care of the skin on my face because it can get dry very easily and the dry patches can turn in to eczema.  The Skin Reviver serum had the most noticeable protective effect when the temperatures were below zero.  This was actually what gave me the idea of using two different moisturisers on my skin elsewhere in the winter weather.  One to sink in to the skin and a heavier one on top to seal in the moisture.
Now that the weather is getting colder again I'm re-introducing this product back in to my make-up routine.  Every morning I use The Body Shop's Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser which is my favourite, particularly because it has SPF 30.  Then putting the Skin Reviver serum on top locks in the moisturiser and prevents the cold winds from reaching my sensitive skin underneath.  It's my perfect winter duo.
When I use the Skin Reviver I do feel the need to step up my face washing routine as well as the extra product on my skin can clog a few pores if I'm not careful.  I will use a face wash with salicylic acid in it and make sure my skin is properly clean and has a chance to breathe over night.
Do you step up your skin care in winter?

Till next time

Twirlybirdie :)

October Beauty Favourites

Hello!  It's November already, I can't believe it!  (Well actually I can because it's so flippin' dark outside).  October seemed to go by so fast I can hardly remember it.  I do remember enough about it though to write a little post on my beauty favourites from that month.  Something that nearly got totally wrecked thanks to a performance hairstyle I had to wear which needed back combing every day (eek!) was my hair.  I had had the Garnier Fructis Goodbye Damage Deep Repair mask in my cabinent but not really needed it that desperately.... until now.
I started putting this on the mid length to end of my ratty locks probably about 3 times a week and it really did make a difference.  I could finally comb through my hair again!  It only needs to be left on for 3 minutes and I spread it on quite liberally because I was desperate and the hair needed it.  Once on I combed through it gently with my finger tips.  Well thankfully it did the trick.  My hair survived.

I've blogged about my latest purchase from TheBalm, the Hot Mama Blush, quite a few times already since I purchased it.  It definitely stood out as something I used frequently this month.  I particularly like the gold shimmer in it and that the colour is quite bright.  Just one quick sweep across my cheeks is more than enough!
Brown eye shadow used to seriously bore me, but lately I've been coming round to the way it can define eyes without looking too obvious or unnatural.  The Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze is a great example of this as the colour isn't too dark and adds a nice sheen to the eye lids.  It's very wearable for day time and although it does tend to slide around a bit on my eyelids eventually, it's something I've been reaching for quite a lot.  It's super quick to apply and a little goes a long way.
So those are my favourites for last month.  Definitely with an emphasis on time saving.  It was a busy month!

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

Life lately: Coffee, Tea and Candles

Hello!

I hope you are having a good week.  I can't believe it's already going to be Friday tomorrow!  I'm really looking forward to the weekend.  I have to work on Sunday next weekend so I'm going to enjoy having two days off as much as possible.
Life lately has been busy thanks to work.  Taking photographs in daylight has been tricky as since the clocks changed it's getting dark before I get home.  My fiancé has just bought a new device called an LED ring flash which might help with photo taking in dark light so watch this space!  For now I've been continuing on my obsession with candles to banish away the gloom.

I love putting tea lights in these pretty glass star shaped candle holders which I got from a friend who was getting rid of some things.

The awesome four tea light holder came with the flat we are living in!  The white large candles are vanilla scented ones from my previous candle shopping trip I wrote about last week and the smaller ones on their own are sugar and spice scented.  Yummy!  Scented candles are such a good way to keep the flat smelling nice.

My new grey throw found it's way on to our sofa whilst the other sofa throws were in the wash.  It matched up well with this grey cushion I bought a few months ago.  I've been noticing how well grey goes with pretty much anything!

We went out for sushi and I drank tea seeing as I'm not allowed to drink coffee any more!  Of course I had to make do with taking pictures of my fiance's instead!

Despite missing drinking coffee I have found that not only is my skin less irritated but I've been feeling less anxious as well.

I had been fancying wearing some new hoop earrings so I made these with some green beads I've had lying around for a while.  I quite fancy making a few more in different colours!  I always seem to get in to hooped earrings more in winter.

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

Taking care of my eczema prone skin in the colder weather

Hi there!
I hope you guys are having a nice day!  I've been trying to rest up after quite a busy period at work.  After sleeping for 11 hours on Sunday night I'm feeling much better though!
As the weather has turned colder I've had to step up my skin care routine a notch or two.  The cold weather can exasperate my eczema if I'm not careful enough.  It's a combination of the icy-chill outside and the drying heating inside which seems to strip every last bit moisture from parts of my skin.  When I was 20 I finally discovered just how important moisturising my skin was in order to keep my eczema at bay although I'm sure this kind of routine could help anyone suffering from really dry skin.  Finding the right kind of moisturiser was also really important as the wrong kind can make the eczema worse.  I find something with natural ingredients (ideally 100%) and not heavily scented works best for me.  Sometimes this is just a case of trial and error, trying to find one that works for you and doesn't irritate/sting your skin.  I've been surprised by some 'sensitive' skin care brands that really stung my skin compared with ones that weren't advertising themselves as sensitive which have been fine.

Recently I've been getting in to a kind of three step routine.  After a bath or shower I pat myself dry with a towel and then as soon as possible (within the next 2 minutes) I apply my first layer of moisturiser.  It's usually a thinner one that absorbs well.  At the moment I'm using the Organic Shop's Organic Strawberry & Milk Body Mousse.  I apply it in a layer on the skin and then leave it to absorb whilst I apply it to the other areas.  For me the most important parts of my skin where I will get eczema if I'm not careful are the insides of my elbows, upper arms and lower back.
Once that has absorbed I'll gently rub in any excess and then follow up with a medium thickeness moisturiser such as Burt's Bees Sensitive Aloe and Buttermilk Lotion.  Once that has sunk in if I feel more is necessary I will cover the skin with a layer of something thicker like a rich body butter or a body oil. Right now I'm using Primavera Organic Sweet Almond Oil.
I only use this routine on the areas of my skin that are the driest/ most sensitive.  Every where else I will just apply one layer of moisturiser.  I've been finding this really helps as since the weather changed one layer of moisturiser just wasn't doing the trick.  Also sealing it all in with the thickest moisturiser or oil you have helps the effect of the moisturisers to last longer.
I still have to top up those areas of my skin with moisturiser during the day but I've noticed a real improvement to the skin since doing this.  It may seem crazy to people with normal skin but with sensitive skin prone to eczema prevention is better than cure and if I don't keep it under control it can very quickly escalate to a situation where a steroid cream is the only answer.  I hate having to use strong medication so I do everything I can to avoid letting my skin get to this stage.
This is just one of a few things I do to keep my eczema under control but it is a huge essential part of it.  If you suffer from eczema too I hope this may have been some use to you!

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie