ARRAN AROMATICS || HONEY & LEMON LIP BALM

Arran Aromatics - Honey & Lemon Lip Balm £3.50 

After hearing wonderful things, I had to get my hands on a little tub of this lip remedy. Arran Aromatics who are a Scottish company have a lotion & potion for just about everything. The scents they capture in their products are spa fresh fragrances that are bound to make you 'feel good' as their packaging suggests.

Despite this being out 'Summer' - booo! I'm still finding it a bit chilly outside sometimes and feel like I'm still reaching for my pocket lip savior. The Honey & Lemon lip balm is beautiful. The texture is similar to Vaseline but feels like velvet when you apply it. It smells good enough to eat & since it's on your lips it's worth knowing that it actually does taste quite nice if you accidentally-on purpose lick a wee bit off! There's nothing worse if your lip balm tastes horrendous. 

I applied this at night as I added it to my bedtime routine and when I woke up it was still on so it certainly stands the test of time! I think I'll be re-purchasing this for my holidays (if we ever get round to booking one) as it is specially formulated with UV filter, a perfect pocket sized beach essential!

What do you think of Arran Aromatics? Do you use any other Scottish brands?

OUTFIT || BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND

 

Black Wrap Skirt / Grey Tank Top / Jewellery - Forever21 || Curb Chain Clutch / Leather Jacket - New Look || Burgundy Litas - Jeffrey Campbell

Hello! 

I hope everyone is enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend! I could certainly get used to these 3 day weekends! We seem to get a whole bunch of them at this time of the year and then hardly any after the Summer which is a bit rubbish, but at least the weather has been quite nice in Glasgow this time. 

On Saturday my Mum & I went shopping in town to find a pair of shoes for her birthday. I was never going to pass up shoe shopping! Why is it that when you're not looking for anything you see loads of nice things? After visiting almost every shop, we went to Aldo & found the most perfect shoes! I was totally impressed with their S/S range with both the footwear and bags. They had a sale on but by some kind of miracle I managed to refrain - majorly regretting this now! If you head to my instagram page you'll see one of the cute little clutch bags I spotted! 

Now to the outfit. I was looking for something I could wear casually but also throw a pair of heels on with and dress up for dinner or a night out. This skirt was perfect! I love the draping detail and the fact that it has a wee modesty skirt underneath too. I've teamed it with a simple grey vest top in a similar material which is also from Forever21 to keep it kind of casual. I've also brought my burgundy Jeff C's out from the back of the closet for this look - they're literally the comfiest shoes I own. Every time I wear them someone always says 'how do you walk in those?!' because they look super high, but the way they're designed with the platform makes it feel like I'm hardly even wearing heels - total bonus when it comes to walking the cobbled street where we went for lunch!

I brought in another texture with my black leather biker jacket with gold details, matching in with my jewellery. I wore some ear cuffs for a little change. These ones were surprisingly comfy compared with some I've had before.

What do you think of this look?

REVIEW || 'GIVE ME A CUDDLE' RIMMEL COLOUR RUSH

I've had my eye on this chubby crayon from Rimmel for a little while now. I've been looking for a long-lasting lip product with a satin finish rather than something glossy or matte. One that i can pretty much apply & forget about for when I'm at work or having a busy day where make-up maintenance is not on the to-do list. I decided to pick up one in this beautiful candyfloss pink colour which stood out for me the most. For those of you who read you'll know that this shade is totally up my street - super girly and versatile too!! 

The I noticed when I opened this product was the gorgeous smell! It's most definitely vanilla creme, absolutely stunning. And what's even better is that the texture totally matches the scent. It's such a buttery creamy consistency but still holds its form together. I must admit, the balm aspect of it does not last very long, but then again maybe that's because I gab too much! In terms of the colours longevity, it gets a glowing review! I quite like the fact that this product gives a slight tint to the lips the way a lip stain would do. For me this is only a bonus however if this isn't something you're looking for then I would suggest it's not for you. You'd be mad not to like these long lasting effects though when people pay a fortune for semi-permanent make-up. Who wouldn't love lovely blush pink lips all day?

This crayon works on a mechanical retracting system for fuss-free application meaning that there's also no need for sharpening! Perfect!

Have you tried Colour Rush ?

OUTFIT POST || FLOWER FIX

Floral Shirt - Primark | Tailored Trousers - Zara £35.99 | Trench Coat - H&M £35.99 | Collar Necklace - Primark | Blush Pink Clutch - Primark | Nails 'Rubble'-CND Shellac | Lashes #020- Eylure £.5.06

Hello ❤

I found my weekend floral fix in this dipped hem over-sized shirt from Primark. I know, right? Primark! I couldn't quite believe it myself when I spotted it hanging on the back wall. I was actually in looking for a nice kimono with this type of design in mind, so although it's not exactly what I had planned to pick the colours and pattern were totally on point. I love the dip hem look, especially of loose summery shirts like this because it can be teamed with a pair of shorts for the less-daring of us who don't want to bare all! What I particularly liked about this little number was the gold detailing with the buttons. Although I already have an abundance of gold jewels I had to channel my inner mermaid (minus the clam bra) with this shell-like collar necklace which tied in perfectly! 

I partnered this look with my new favourite tailored skinny trousers from Zara. They're high-waisted which you can't really see with this look but they're a great alternative to jeans, plus in this gorgeous navy they work in with my wardrobe the way a pair of jeans would anyway making them super easy to just throw on! I love how much of a great match they are for the navy on the shirt too. I've accessorised with the dusty pink clutch from Primark that I wore here too. 

As for my make-up look, I kept it simple with a neutral eye using my MAC paint pot in 'Bare Study' & soft blush lip with my Lancome juicy tube in 'Peche'. I also popped on some natural lashes from Eylure & a lighter brow.

What do you think of this look? Let me know in the comments below! .. Can anyone else see Lola in the second picture? Mirrored furniture!! 


Thanks to everyone who has followed me on instagram, tonight I hit 900 followers - how amazing! It means a lot. You can follow me on my other social media by clicking the relevant links under my bio.

Thanks for spreading the love. ❤ 

REVIEW || DREAM CREAM

'Dream Cream' Hand & Body Lotion | Lush £11.50

In a quest to find my perfect body lotion, I think I've found the one. We all know that I've totally been converted to Lush cosmetics since the start of the year. I find their products so different from any other brand.. they're exciting and come in various forms, whether it's jellies, powders, solids or creams - something is bound to take your fancy when you walk through the scent sensation. What I also love about Lush is their commitment to their core values in terms of remaining natural and fighting against animal testing. Like most of us, I'm pretty ignorant as to what actually goes on to get our products from manufacturer to make-up bag when I shop but in the same breath I'm totally against the cruel lengths that larger companies go to for product testing. 

So with that being said, I headed to Lush to try the 'Number 1 Lush Product' Dream Cream. On arrival, the lovely Victoria of Lush Braehead pointed me in the right direction to this little beauty which is now 'self preserving'. What does this mean you ask? The amazing people in the company have come up with an idea to remove the artificial preservation system from their products. So now the level of 'free-water', the water which occurs as a by-product of the chemical reaction that takes place in the product to keep bacteria from forming, is reduced as these synthetic methods are no longer needed! Although these parabens and synthetics are completely safe, Lush plan on being completely 'self preserving' across all of their cosmetics. 

Dream Cream is just one of the select range of products which has become completely self-preserving & the texture is just, well - Lush! (couldn't help myself!) Not only does the product now last longer but with the reduced amount of free-water it's thicker & more concentrated now too! I struggle with moisture-starved skin already but since I'm taking medication for mild acne this is a side effect too- so double the dryness. I applied this last night after showering and when I woke up this morning my skin still felt like a dream! 

Enriched in soothing Oatmilk, restorative Rose Absolute, calming Lavender oil & conditioning Organic Cocoa Butter, the product significantly changes skins appearance. The beautiful skin-quenching cocoa butter is the most predominant fragrance in the cream which lasts on the skin as I could still smell it this morning when I woke up. 

I've seen a massive difference on the little bit of Keratosis Pilaris I have on the back of my arms. (small bumps). I've never really found a cure for this even at the doctors so fingers crossed that with continued use this might subside! 

Have you tried this product? What's your favourite body lotion?

THE BEST PARTIES ALWAYS HAVE JELLY

It's Lauren's birthday! 

It's my brother's fiancée Lauren's birthday today & I literally find her the easiest person to buy for, probably because we have very similar taste! I thought what better kind of gift to buy her than a little selection of items to get her ready for Summer & her holidays. 

JuJu Maxi Low Jelly Shoes - Office 

These JuJu Jelly shoes were at the top of my list! As much as you can pick up some jelly shoes in other stores for less than a tenner, I find them really uncomfortable! You definitely get what you pay for and Office have an amazing selection of styles and colours. I chose the Maxi Low which are exclusives in this Pale Pink colour. For me, pink is a neutral, not just for Wednesdays (when there's an opportunity for a Mean Girls reference - I'm taking it!)

Topshop was a definite in my list of shops to visit, which by the way has some unreal pieces in at the moment! It honestly took me all of my energy to remember this shop wasn't for my own wardrobe *sob*. I almost died when I spotted these as she's a major pug-lover, she'll totally appreciate these cute little socks as she adds to the drawer of other pug merchandise lol. Topshop have lots of cute printed socks in at the moment, some of them would be cute under some mary-janes to peek through the cut-outs. *wishlist*

Next up, Forever 21. This is one of the shops you could probably go into one day with an empty suitcase, buy your entire holiday wardrobe and then go to the airport. I'm always soooo stuck for choice. It's like a total dream & for such a large store I always find them so well merchandised! Good job F21 ♥.. You can never go wrong with a floral earring. Enamel ones are particularly great because they don't tarnish when they come into contact with perfume and make up! I think you're getting the theme here with the pink pieces!

What's summer without some shades? These oversized numbers are so gorgeous. Since Lauren's a blondie I think she'll suit the colour of them too! They're also from Forever 21 which again was a hard choice because they have sooo many. They're surprisingly sturdy for being plastic too which I was pleased with. 

Festival-chic looks will be on the cards with this cute little headband. Lauren's heading to T in the Park this year so I thought that this would be perfect! I can't resist a little rose either so it was a bit of a selfish buy because I'll be looking at it lol. It's totally on trend with the crochet band too!! 

You'll see from the first picture that there's a cute scarf in there too which is also from F21. This is a total essential for chilly festival evenings which also ends up doubling up as a blanket when you lose your tent lol... A 2-in-1 gift if you will... P.S - You'll thank me for this tip later!

What do you think of this gift? Would you be happy with it ?

MY HOME

Hello everyone ♥...

As most of you will know my Fraser, Lola & I moved into our new house a few months ago. Although we're nowhere near finished I'm going to blog an update & my top tips for interior bliss. 

When we bought our house in November last year we knew we would have to do a lot of work to make it our own. Luckily, my handy man Grandpa & my Dad have helped up to restore our home to allow us to start again from a fresh canvas.

I'm a major fan of simplicity and clean, fresh looks at home. I love nothing more than nice bright spaces. In our flat we had a corner sofa, absolutely torture when you're trying to stay awake to watch a film - especially in the roomy corner because it's so cosy! As much as our sofa is huge, it's actually such a space saver since it is against the wall which is great for floor space when playing with Lola. We picked our sofa in 'Astoria White' & I'll not lie - I was nervous! Fraser & I like to have our family and friends around so I was dreading how the white sofa was going to go but we just picked up some lovely wee throws from IKEA for putting on the sitting part of the couch to stop the dye running from jeans etc. To be honest, it's actually been a lifesaver when we've had our nephews around because the leather cleans up any mess!

We have an assortment of cushions on our couch from fur, cord, woven and the crazy string ones. Like in Fashion, I think it always looks great when you mix & match colour tones and textures to add interest and dimension to any look, even in interiors. To be fair to Fraser, he picked some of them too!

I've always wanted a fire so I can get cosy at night with a cup of tea and watch films! I'm actually looking forward to Christmas time this year already! PJ's, Chai Latte in  hand, ELF on the TV - sounds perfect! I don't know if the picture shows it, but we got an open fire so it's actually built into and flush with the wall. Because we were looking for a grand landscape effect, we got in touch with a company who make bespoke granite frame for fires & ta-da! this is the result. If you follow me on instagram (click to the right instagram icon to follow) you'll know that I sent Fraser to the shop to buy a freezer & then he came back with this TV! Boys will be boys! 

Since I've got this kind of natural woodland theme, with the fire and the trees vinyl wallpaper behind the sofa, I got this gorgeous textured paper for the chimney breast which is like tree bark *if a fairy sneezed all over it* which twinkles when the fire is on. 

Depending on where they are, I sometimes think that radiators totally kill the mood of the room. I picked up this lovely white (naturally) radiator cover from B&Q to use as a little shelf and disguise the ghastly object in the corner! I've popped on a little birdcage which ties in with the theme and some lovely white roses, my favourite. You'll also notice my fav Yankee Home candle 'vanilla frosting' - it's the best smell ever!

And now to my latest addition, the mirrored console table. This was well worth the 9 week wait! I've got mirrored furniture in my bedroom too and the amount of light it brings into a room is unbelievable. It's so fresh and bounces the sunshine around which is sooo pretty! I've got white rose overdose in the house but they bring so much glamour and style to a room that i don't think you can have too many real or artificial! Fraser picked up the little white woven candle holder for me and it's one of my favourite accessories at home. The woven basket on the floor is for storing all of Lola's toys to keep the place nice & tidy.

So basically that's where we're at so far! As much as there are really daring interior fashions at the moment, it's an expensive project! My advice would be to pick items that are not going to become outdated. Adding flowers to a rooms makes a huuuuuge difference. Candles are also a total must to create mood. 

                                                                      ♥ pick a theme

                                                                      ♥ keep it simple

                                                                      ♥ experiment with textures

                                                                      ♥ maximise your space

                                                                      ♥ make it match

                                                                      ♥ be happy!

What do you think of my livingroom? Have you got any suggestions or tips ?

♥

SNUGGLE MUFFIN

Dress - Primark £10 | Coat - H&M £34.99 now £20! |  Crochet Wedges - New Look £29.99 | Pink Clutch - Primark £8 | Clubmaster Sunglasses - Primark £2 | Necklace - Primark £6 | Umbrella - Gift.

Hello!

I've been looking forward to writing this post but I've had a bit of trouble with my pictures but alas! Here it goes...

A couple of weekends ago I had a meet up tea & cake affair with my Glasgow blogging lovelies in Snuggle Muffin, a wee cake tearoom on George Street. The girls & I had a lovely time, we were spoiled for choice between all of the handcrafted cupcakes & homemade scones with jam & fresh cream & brownies & tea & yum, yum, yum... *lost in a cake-filled daydream...* Annnnnyway, it would only make sense to go dressed in my fav cupcake colours and since I had to head straight out afterwards I took the opportunity to dress-up for high tea - I even sported my ruffled lilac umbrella/parasol (which by the way I ended up using for both rain & shine lol!) 

I had a little bit of a Primark haul after work on Friday & to say I was pleased with this dress purchase would be a major understatement. This wave-textured dress was my bargain of the year so far at just £10! I couldn't believe what a gem I'd found! It's sooo comfortable, stretchy in material which made it even more suitable for the indulgent afternoon I was planning on having! I've teamed this with a flat collar necklace that has both the colour of the dress and the clutch bag merged together which pretty much tied the look together. I've been so impressed with the range of clutch bags available in Primark recently, as you will have seen in my overnight stay in Manchester post I've started a mini collection of them! They could easily pass for something that the likes of Zara or even H&M would produce. The blush pink colour is a favourite of mine just now, I'm feeling I could go really matchy-matchy with the shift dress I wore on Easter Monday.

Crochet is all around just now & I'm loving it. It's so summery!! Desperately in need of some Summer wedges I spotted these in New Look - they were a MUST. I love the cut out details plus they're super supportive so I can literally run in them (actually did for the train...)

Now for my new baby, the new H&M trench. Living in Glasgow, the summer is never really a Summer. So although I'll be out there with my shorts & dresses on, realistically we need a little light summer coat to go to & from. Could this one be any more perfect? I think not! I'd been looking at the one they'd brought out at the start of the season, but when I seen this I grabbed my size & headed for the till. However, my heart did sink when I seen it included in the mid season sale with £15 off *sob* but nevertheless I hope that someone picks up the bargain!

I had such a lovely afternoon with the girls. Since I've started blogging it amazes me just how nice everyone is. It's one of my favourite things about being part of the blogging network, thanks for such great company!

For anyone who hasn't been to Snuggle Muffin I'd recommend their beautiful cakes - they're delicious!

What do you think of this look? Do you know you can follow me on instagram for midweek outfit posts?

♥