OOTD #26

I think it's fair to say that it's been a long time since I last did an outfit post on my blog, in fact I'm pretty sure it's been almost a year. If I've realised anything whilst attending my first year of university it's that you stop caring about what you look like really, really quickly. I pretty much lived in the same 3 comfy outfits so nothing was ever blog worthy. However I've recently done a bit of clothes shopping and picked up some new summery pieces so hopefully this encourages me to try and get out and take more outfit pictures. One of the items I recently picked up was this dress which is currently in the Motel Rocks summer sale. I have been looking at this dress for so long I can't even begin to tell you. I was so reluctant to pay the full price for it as it's a little different to what I'd usually go for but when I saw it reduced to just £15 in the summer sale I had to snap it up straight away! The material is very flowy and soft so it's perfect for the hot weather we currently have been experiencing here in the UK. (The oversized loose fit of it is also perfect for hiding any food babies from any summer BBQ's you may be attending *ahem*) The sandals I'm wearing in this post are from New Look and are fast becoming my favourite pair of shoes. If you're looking for a chunky sandal for summer then I'd definitely recommend these. They're so comfy and go with so many different outfits, plus they've also just been reduced in the New Look Sale!

P.s. Please ignore my dodgy hair here - I've decided to experiment with growing my fringe out. I've always had some form of a fringe since mid way through year 8 so it's really odd having my forehead so exposed all of a sudden... 

Savannah Cold Shoulder Dress in Geo Maze Print - Motel Rocks
Black Faux Leather Backpack - Primark
Black Sandals - New Look
Round Sunglasses - Primark

My Week in Photos #4

Admittedly not the most exciting weekly round up as I'm currently meant to be recovering and looking after my little brother whilst my mum's away on holiday, but here's a little of what I got up to this week! 

1. Arthur photobombing my blog photos
2. Get Well Soon Flowers
3. Cheese and Red Onion Toastie at Kafe Blok
4. Actually enjoying food again - Chicken Salad Roll and Raisins 
5. Motel Rocks Delivery 
6. Sunday Mornings with Harpers Bazaar and a Bagel.

The Perfect Lip Combo

Around February time MAC's lipstick in Faux entered my life and since then it has become one of my most reached for lipsticks. Faux is a MAC lipstick that I've never heard anyone say too much about, I just so happened to swatch it in store one day and fell in love with how it looked. It's a lovely pinkish brown shade with a Satin finish meaning it's comfortable to wear and not drying on the lips. As Faux is a Satin finish the colour transfers across very well with a slight shine to it and has that usual vanilla like scent to it that all MAC lipsticks seem to have. Very recently I began pairing it with a lip liner from Barry M in the shade Russet. Like Faux, Russet is also a dark nude shade however this liner is slightly more brown toned whereas the lipstick is a little more pinky.

Russet - although a beautiful colour is quite dry and the application can be quite difficult as it's not creamy or velvety in the slightest. However the liner does cost only £2.99 so some faults are to be expected. Despite this, the colour does go on well and it is an incredibly pigmented lip liner so don't let that factor put you off giving it a go. The pairing of the two together creates the perfect dark nude lip which at best could be described as another answer to the "Kylie Jenner" lip colour phenomenon which swept the blogging community. To achieve the look I tend to line my lips first with the liner, then proceed to lightly fill in the rest of my lips using the liner to create an initial canvas for the lipstick to go on. I then apply the lipstick all over to achieve the more intense colour.

If I'm wearing this combination during the day I like to blot it slightly in order to make it look more matte, however at night I much prefer the glossy finish as it feels that slight bit more glamorous. If you're looking for that perfect 90's lip colour that I'd highly recommend giving this combination a go. It's one that I'd believe would suit a lot of different skintones.

A photo of both Russet and Faux on together (after blotting)

White Rabbit Teahouse

As many of my long term readers will already know I've been living in Nottingham the last two years. Having originally lived in a town and then moving to a city it's been really nice having so many cute cafes and restaurants to explore and visit. Not just well established branches, but unique independent places too.Today I'll be showing you the White Rabbit Teahouse - one of my favourite places to stop and get a bite to eat if I'm out in town. If you're ever in the mood to visit a cute traditional English teahouse then I highly recommend stopping by here - you certainly won't regret it! 

There are currently two teahouses based in Nottingham, one on Houndsgate and the other tucked away in a little alley down Bridlesmith Walk. Keep an eye out for the sign as it can be a little tricky to find first time round! The photographs I've included with my post were all taken in the cafe located on Bridlesmith walk. Upon entering the cafe you'll note that it is very small yet very cute with a few tables inside and two outside. On every table is a small pot of flowers and an adorable pair of rabbit shaped salt and pepper shakers. The walls are covered in a variety of frames and mirrors which helps add to the quaintness of the place. 

The menu has a fantastic variety of freshly made cakes, sandwiches, paninis, salads etc to choose from. They also serve a really good breakfast range up until 12pm so if you're in town early in the morning then I'd recommend popping in and giving it a go! They also offer an afternoon tea service from £25 which from what I've seen in photos looks absolutely amazing. As you would expect from a English teahouse, there's a massive selection of teas to choose from, with soya milk and decaffeinated teas available for those who wish. They also have have coffee's, fruit juices and chilled drinks to choose from as well. All food and drink are served on beautiful vintage style crockery and there's even the option to donate old crockery to the cafe so they can re-use it. I've visited here and had lunch a few times now and my personal favourite has to be their delicious Chicken Salad sandwich which comes with a vibrant salad garnish topped with a really tasty homemade dressing and a small handful of crisps. You also get the option of whether it's on fresh white bread or granary, on this particular occasion I went for the white although I've had both and they're both delicious.

The atmosphere is lovely and the staff are so friendly and attentive. It's the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a relaxing catch up with a friend. The only thing I will warn you about is that it can be really busy on the weekend so it's best to try and stop by during the week. Also they only take cash so if you're anything like me and literally never have any cash with you, stop at an ATM first! It's a really lovely, unique little teahouse and I whole heartedly recommend stopping by if you're ever in Nottingham. 

Pamper Evening

Every now and again it's always nice to have a little pamper evening and treat yourself. As I briefly mentioned in my last post I've had a bit of bad luck with my health recently and after numerous blood tests, doctors appointments and the surprising admission into hospital I have actually been diagnosed with Crohns disease. A long term condition with no current cure. So with that being said after a bit of moping around and feeling sorry for myself I decided I was definitely in need of a little pamper evening! So here's a round up of some of the products I reach for when I'm in need of a little pick me up..

Let it be said now that I have a rubbish skin care routine, I make no effort with my skin so when I do have a pamper evening I really like to give it a deep cleanse. Although not everybody's cup of tea I personally really like to use pore strips as I do get quite a lot of blackheads. There's something just so strangely satisfying about ripping one of these off and seeing how many blackheads you've been able to get rid of. (Gross but accurate right?) I don't tend to have a favourite brand, I just tend to pick up whatever happens to be on offer at the time. On this particular occasion I just so happened to have the T-Zone nose strips although I do also use Superdrugs own brand ones from time to time.

Afterwards I like to use a face mask, my favourite one at the moment is the Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask from The Bodyshop. This face mask is catered towards those with more Combination / Oily skin as it does contain alcohol and therefore really does draw out any excess oils and dry the skin out. The Bodyshop recommend using this up to two times per week however I personally think for my skin that's a little excessive which is why I chose to use it very occasionally. If I'm having a bad time with spots or if I'm having a pamper evening I'll simply apply a thin layer of this, leave it for 10 minutes and then wash it off in the sink or in the shower. It really helps dry out any spots you may have and leaves the skin feeling really tight and clean.

After I've cleansed my skin I like to use a little of my Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser to help return some of moisture back into face and to overall help feel really refreshed and clean. As I've said before on my blog this is such a lovely moisturiser, it feels so lightweight and not greasy in the slightest so it's perfect to pop on just before jumping into bed or in the Summer when it's too hot for heavy products.

 If I've had a shower I also like to sit down and take the time to moisturise my body, focusing particularly on my legs and feet as I find they get quite dry from time to time. For this I use The BodyShop Satsuma Body Butter which retails for about £5. This body butter is really thick, creamy and luxurious so you don't need to use a lot of product. I will warn you however that the scent is a dividing point. It is incredibly strong and does hang about so if you don't like strong smelling products or the smell of Satsuma then this isn't the product for you! This product leaves my skin feeling really hydrated, really soft and I truly feel pampered after using it. 

After all that pampering it's time to light a candle, settle down in some comfy pyjamas and pull out a good book. The candle I have at the moment is a Pink Dragon Fruit one by Yankee Candle which smells lovely although my personal favourite has to be the Strawberry Buttercream one which is to die for! The book I'm currently reading is 50 Ways To Find A Lover by Lucy - Anne Holmes, I'm not very far into it so there's not much I can say for now other than the fact that it's the ideal sort of book for me. Light hearted, amusing and easy to get into. An ideal book to wind down with after a stressful day! The chocolate is optional of course but come on, what's a pamper night without a bit of chocolate?

New In: Primark Summer Bits

So I recently took a trip into Primark with my mum as I was helping her pick up some last minute holiday bits. Unfortunately due to ill health and lack of funds I won't be going anywhere this year so I'll be embracing whatever poor excuse for Summer we get here in the UK. Despite the fact I had no intention of making any purchases myself I somehow ended up leaving with a little Primark bag of my own although I guess I can't feel too guilty as it was all so cheap! 

Knitted Cream Vest - £5

Black Pom Pom Print Shorts - £4

Black Round Sunglasses - £2.

I'm hoping to pop back into Primark some time soon to have a more thorough browse of their current stock so keep an eye out for any more potential haul posts coming up!