Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Milkshake

This is the perfect healthy snack when you're having an ice cream craving (I know it's hard to resist that Ben & Jerry's) but this is guilt free and tastes just as good as the 'real thing'. 

What you need...

2 Sliced frozen bananas

1 Tablespoon of cocoa powder (I use Cadbury's Bournville)

1 Tablespoon of peanut butter

2 Tablespoons of agave nectar 

1 Cup of almond milk (I like my milkshakes thick but if you want them less thick then add more milk)

Just throw it all in the blender, mix it up till its smooth... and voila you have creamy milkshake goodness. Enjoy!

xoxo

Bedroom Decor and Storage Ideas

I love moving, moving means I can redecorate and have a clear out. This is not to say that I still don't have a lot of useless things in my room, just less of it. Baby steps, right?

Having just gone into my second year at university this means a proper house, I now have much more space compared to the first year halls and everything looks a bit more homey. I thought I would share some of my ideas for storage and how I decorated.

 I wanted to have simple bedding but with a pop of colour, so I opted for complete white bedding and added some colour and pattern with the pillows and blanket. I recommend Debenhams for cushions and throws they have an excellent selection with good prices. My favourite cushions and throws are from Anthropologie, a bit more pricey but if you're prepared to splurge then this is where to do it!

If you're at university then you're going to want lots of pictures of friends and family from back home, as well as new pictures from university. Photo walls are my favourite way to show them, and one of the cheapest. All you need is a printer, print paper and blue/white tac. I went on Pinterest for some inspiration which you can see here. The great thing about these is you can add to the photo wall throughout the year. A tip to make sure the photos are straight, use the 'Levels' app on your iPhone for the first photo then you can use that as a guide for the rest.

   Mason jars are great for storage, they are super cheap. I got a set of three from Homebase for £9.99. I use these to store makeup brushes and pens, but you can also put candles, cotton buds, etc.

I also use these little white pots from Ikea to hold cotton pads and buds just to make everything look at bit nicer. The white ties in with my bedding and I love the cut outs on the pot. 

    I love these mini bowls to hold rings and earrings and it's easy to keep track of them. The days of only finding one earring in a pair are gone! You can find these anywhere, I have found some nice ones in Anthropologie but I got these from some independent shops in St Ives. 

I was trying to find somewhere to store my winter scarfs that didn't take up lots of clothes space. I was lucky and found these white crates on sale in Sainsbury's. I use these to store all my mess and random bits and it makes everything look a bit more organised. 

I hope you find these ideas useful and would love to hear your storage and decoration ideas!

xoxo

  

The Flannel Shirt

I have been seeing these all over Pinterest, fashion blogs and in the street. When it comes to clothes, simple and comfy is how I like it and a flannel shirt is basically the epitome of that. These are so versatile you can wear them with pretty much anything and with the colder months coming up they are a perfect layering piece to keep you warm, and resemble the feel of wearing pyjamas- which I am always a fan of.

Topshop // £30
 This oversized number is my favourite. I tend to like the oversized shirts more because you can wear them with leggings and boots. I also love how the model is wearing it with the ripped jeans, a simple and casual outfit.

 Pepe Jeans, ASOS // £60
This ones a little more on the pricey side but if you are willing to splurge a bit more, this one is a great choice. I love the light grey colour as it gives a more toned down look as opposed to the usual bright red colours. Perfect flannel to pair with a simple white shirt and jeans.

 Glamorous, ASOS // £28
This one stood out to me because of the texture, you can't see it in this picture but on the website you will see it has a brushed finish on the fabric to add a little something extra to the regular cotton feel.

 Abercrombie & Fitch // £58
Similar to the Pepe Jeans flannel but a little more oversized, again I like the toned down light grey colours. I would also pair this with leggings and boots for a comfy, casual fall look.

Urban Outfitters // £30
If you're looking for a bit more colour, this is the one. The green and blue tones add a pop of colour to your outfit and would give the perfect 'grunge' look layered with a leather jacket and a classic white tee.














xoxo

10 Beauty Tips and Tricks

1. Warm your eyelash curlers

Curling my eyelashes is always a very tedious job, I spend ages getting them to achieve the perfect curl. To make speed up the job, I warm my eyelash curlers with a hairdryer for a few seconds and it makes curling 10x faster.

2. For soft, plump lips

Before any lip product, use an electric or normal toothbrush and massage your lips for around a minute. This will exfoliate and plump them before applying your lipstick or gloss.

3. To brighten and open up the eyes

Apply a shimmery white eyeshadow (I especially love Virgin by Urban Decay) in the inner corners of the eye and the brow bone to make the eyes appear bigger and brighter.

4. When your nail polish gets gloopy

Add a few drops of nail polish remover to the nail polish bottle, then shake it up.

5. When your mascara gets gloopy

Add a few eye drops and swirl the brush around to mix it together.

6. For red, tired eyes

Apply a nude or white eyeliner on your waterline to get rid of any redness and open up the eyes.

7. To stop smudging eyeliner

Sweep concealer then a bit of powder right under the eyeliner on your bottom lash line, this will act sort of like a barrier and stop smudging happening.

8. Make your eyeshadow more vibrant

Smudge out a white eyeliner all over the lids before applying eyeshadow to make the colour stand out, this will also act as a primer.

9. To make lipstick last longer

After applying your lipstick, put a tissue over your lips and apply powder over the tissue. This will also give a matt finish to your lips.

10. Make your lips appear bigger

Apply white eyeliner on the outside of the lips (focusing on the cupids bow), blend it out then apply a gloss.

Five Blogs You Should Be Reading

Vivianna Does Makeup // From classic and stylish fashion picks to high end and drugstore beauty picks, this blog covers it all. If I ever have doubt about a product, before buying it I will normally head over to here and search for a review.

Chocolate Covered Katie // You would not believe this is a healthy recipe blog with recipe titles of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie and Double Chocolate Brownie Batter Pancakes you would think there is no way that could be remotely healthy, but Katie makes it guilt free and it tastes like the real thing (and in my opinion, sometimes even better).

Nouvelle Daily // My favourite posts from this blog have to be the haircare roundups, which include some of the best texturising products on the market. A downside? The amount I have spent in Space NK after reading these posts *shudders*. Plus for bloggers looking to grow and expand your blog like me, there are some great blog tip posts I have found massively helpful!

Blogilates // My favourite fitness blog, she covers recipes, workout calendars and pilates videos for each part of the body your want to tone up. Plus her workout videos are so motivating I can actually get through a few (not pain free of course).

Zoella // Amazing blog look, gorgeous photography and serious blog envy for this one. This is one of the first blogs I started reading and was definitely one of the reasons I started blogging.

The NARS Base

The hype around the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation and Creamy Concealer, plus a trip to Space NK equalled a couple of well loved purchases and a hefty dent in the bank. Also resulting in a new favourite base.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

Medium coverage, dewy finish and natural looking on the skin. Probably one of my favourite foundations I have used in a long time. Having said that, if you have dry skin you will need a very heavy moisturiser before applying this because it tends to cling to dry patches on your face, but if you have normal or oily skin I would recommend this 100%.

NARS Creamy Concealer 

The concealer covers everything from dark under eye circles to blemishes. The best part is the formula, it is by far the creamiest concealer I have ever tried and as long as you set it with some powder it won't crease under the eyes. The thing I dislike most about concealers is when they are too drying and look flaky or cakey on the skin, but this NARS concealer will never disappoint.

This is the perfect pair for a base and leaves your skin looking dewy and natural, for me this definitely lives up to the hype.

 xoxo

5 Healthy Ingredients to Keep in Your Kitchen

Bulgur Wheat, Quinoa or Couscous
I use these ingredients to substitute rice or pasta in salads to add more protein into my diet. I will add lemon and some vegetables which makes a perfect healthy and filling lunch!

 Agave Nectar
This stuff is so good! I use it to sweeten pretty much everything from yogurt to tea. Agave nectar also has some great health benefits including immune system-boosting properties and is a low-glycemic sweetener, meaning it has a lower impact on blood sugar than honey and sugar does.  

Lemon
I use lemon to replace salad dressing and add flavour to my meals. When I have a cold or the flu I mix lemon and agave nectar in hot water which makes a great drink to soothe your throat and it makes you feel a million times better after drinking it! Lemons are high in vitamin C to boost your immune system and is also a digestive aid to help with weight loss.

Coconut Oil
I use this in cooking and baking to replace oil which is not only healthier for you but also adds a sweet taste to your baking. Coconut oil is found to improve bone health, aid digestion and is also great for your skin and hair.






Dark Chocolate
When I get a sweet tooth (which is more often than not) dark chocolate is what I turn to. I melt the chocolate and drizzle it over fruit or just simply snack on some dark chocolate chips. Dark chocolate is much better for you than milk or white so try and get chocolate with 70% Coco or more. However it is still high in sugar and fat so eating in moderation is best! Dark chocolate also has great health benefits with studies showing that a square of dark chocolate everyday reduced risks of heart attacks.

I would love to hear some of the healthy ingredients you keep in your kitchen!
xoxo

July Favourites

 I felt like some monthly favourite posts were definitely in need on this blog and July was a pretty good month to start. After being in America for a month and having a birthday in July, there were some new products to be tested out throughout the summer and these were the finalists that I have been using constantly throughout the month of July.

  Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush, Dim Infusion

For my birthday I received a Space NK gift card, so as you can probably imagine my excitement, I straight away made quite a hefty order of everything I have wanted but couldn't quite bring myself to spend the money on. I have heard a lot of amazing things about this blush so of course I wanted to give it a little go as well, and I was so glad I did. Lets start with the packaging and the look of the blush. The luxurious gold mirrored case and the stunning marbled blush that lies inside of it already sold it to me before even reading the reviews. Well the picture speaks for it's self. Once you apply this onto the skin it gives a lovely fresh peachy glow to the cheeks. This product has great colour payoff and is the perfect amount of pigmented for a blush. 

MAC Eyeshadow, Naked Lunch
In the summer I will usually opt for a shimmery champagne colour all over the lid. It's simple and takes no time at all, plus with a tan it looks even better.

Nars Bronzing Powder, Laguna

In the summer time my face always ends up being lighter than the rest of my body, as a result bronzer is one of my favourite products in the summer to add a little more colour to my face. After reading many blog posts and watching many YouTube videos of favourite bronzers, I found this one to be the most loved out of the lot. Alas, I added this one to the Space NK order and definitely have not regretted it. It has a slight shimmer but nothing that is too recognisable on the face if you're a fan of the matt bronzers. The colour just right by not being too orange or muddy, the perfect brown bronzer that enhances or creates a summer glow. 

Nars Radient Creamy Concealer, Vanilla

This is my favourite concealer I have tired so far, it is super creamy and blends to perfection. I use this for both under my eyes and on any blemishes, it does the job and never creases so a massive thumbs up from me.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
This has come in so useful since I purchased this. I like to use very large brushes for my top lashes for extra volume, however on the bottom lashes it is a pain to apply as I always find it smudges underneath my eyes and I can never get to the outer corner lashes without making a massive mess of it. This mascara has a tiny brush that gets to the outer corner bottom lashes without smudging when you're applying.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder

This adds such a lovely finish to your makeup without adding any colour. It is simply a setting powder to eliminate any shine and make your makeup last all day and works amazingly.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

This is literally volume in a can. If you are like me and have very lifeless hair this is perfect for you. I just spray it in my roots and a little into the ends, it adds the right amount of texture without it being sticky in your hair (and smells great too).

Serge Normant Dry Shampoo

I was on the look out for a new dry shampoo, but with volume. This is just what I was looking for, it smells good, adds volume and gives your hair that freshly washed look. Ticks all the boxes.

    

xoxo

Summer Beauty Guide

For messy, relaxed beachy waves

In the summer, its all about messy, wavy hair for me. Something I can wear for a few days with a little extra help from some dry shampoo, because I think everyone can agree that washing hair is such an effort. 

If you are blessed with naturally wavy hair...

~ Towel dry your hair until damp.

~ Apply a texture gel or cream from roots to ends // Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme

~ Spray sea salt spray throughout the hair focusing on the ends // Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray or Toni and Guy Sea Salt Spray

~ After applying the products blow dry the hair upside down and scrunch the ends while blow drying, use a diffuser to create even more volume and waves. 

~ Once hair is dry, depending on how wavy your hair is naturally and how wavy you want the end result you can add a few more waves throughout your hair with a 1-1 1/2 inch curling iron. 

~ Then spritz a little more sea salt spray in the ends and scrunch. 

If you have straight hair...

~ Go through the same steps above but you will need to curl your whole head. When curling your hair use a 1- 1 1/12 inch curling iron and leave around 2 inches uncurled at the end. When curling swap directions for every curl you do, this will result in a more natural, messy look and won't look too overdone. 

~ Spritz a little hairspray at the roots and ends // Tresemme Volume & Lift Firm Hold Hairspray  

To make this style last for a few days, in the morning lightly brush through the hair then add some dry shampoo and a little sea salt spray for more texture. People with naturally straight hair may need to add a few more curls in the morning after two days.

For glowy, bronzed skin

~ Use a tinted moisturiser or a BB Cream with SPF instead of a heavy foundation. This will give you a healthy, natural glow and feels light on the skin in the hot summer weather // Origins Vita Zing or Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream

~ Add a matt bronzer on under the cheekbones and temples and using the rest to dust over your nose and forehead. This will contour and add colour to your face // Nars Bronzing Powder or Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder

~ Use a peachy cream blush and apply with your fingers onto the apples of your cheeks and work the rest up to your temples // Maybelline Dream Soft Blush

For natural, bronzed eyes

~ Dust a bronzed, champagne colour over the lids and work into the crease // MAC All That Glitters

~ Use a lighter colour to highlight the inner corners and brow bone // MAC Naked Lunch or Urban Decay Virgin

~ Curl your lashes and use a waterproof mascara on the top and bottom lashes to make sure the mascara doesn't budge // Maybelline Volume Express The Colossal Waterproof Mascara

xoxo 

Left image // Found via Pinterest

Right image // Found via Pinterest  

Essie 'Fiji'

This is the perfect shade to compliment and enhance the tan you may be sporting this summer. I love the look of pale nail polishes during the warmer months but I have never been a fan of wearing full on white. Instead, Essie 'Fiji' is an opaque very light pink. I have found with a lot of light pink polishes you have to layer up the coats to make the colour stand out but with this one, two coats of plenty. This is probably my third bottle of this and I wear it constantly on my nails all summer.

Essie 'Fiji' £7.99

xoxo

Summer Swimsuit Guide // 2014

The Triangle Bikini

The classic triangle bikini, these are great for a chilled out beach day. My personal favourite being the Triangl bikinis, they are amazing quality and unlike some triangle string bikinis they stay on well and are very durable. I love the black leather look, as giving a sexy twist on the simple black triangle bikini. For those smaller bust girls the Miu Miu ruffle bikini is perfect! 

Top Left // Triangl , Top Right // Topshop , Bottom Left // Miu Miu , Bottom Right // Triangl

The Bra Top Bikini

These are perfect to give a little more support for the girls, and a little more reliable for more active beach days. The patterns on these are awesome and will definitely turn a few heads on the beach. 

Top Left // Mara Hoffman , Top Right // Topshop , Bottom Left // Topshop , Bottom Right // Topshop

 The Strapless Bikini

I am a big advocate of strapless bikinis, especially when your outside and tanning. Bikinis with straps may be more of a 'safe' option but they normally result in some crazy tan lines. I am not normally a fan of wearing yellow but with a golden tan the Charlie by MZ bikini would look amazing!

Top Left // Mara Hoffman , Top Right // Marysia , Bottom Left // Triangl , Bottom Right // Charlie by MZ

The High Waisted Bikini

I have yet to own a high waisted bikini but I love the vintage 1960s look to them. If you are looking for a little more coverage around the tummy area these are the ones to go for. 

Top Left // Topshop , Top Right // Lisa Marie Fernandez , Bottom Left // Topshop , Bottom Right // Topshop 

The One Piece

For those really active summer days you may want a little more security (no one wants a missing bikini top moment) these one pieces give more coverage but still looks great. The Mara Hoffman especially, the cutouts highlights the waist and that pattern is just, wow.  

 Top Left // Mara Hoffman , Top Right // J Crew , Bottom Left // Topshop , Bottom Right // Suboo

xoxo

Jo Malone // Wisteria & Violet

Nothing excites me more than walking into a Jo Malone store. The beautiful, fresh smell that hits you when you walk into the impeccably decorated room compels me to buy the majority of the shops content, alas that wouldn't do a great deal of good to my bank account (but a girl can dream right?!).

Upon my entrance into the store I had to give the new London Rain collection a sniff, and oh boy I'm so glad I did. The thing that makes this collection so amazing is that there is a scent to suit everyone. After smelling each one a number of times to find my suitor I finally settled on one, Wisteria & Violet.

Jo Malone ~ Wisteria & Violet

I fell in love with it as soon as I smelt it, love at first smell you could say?! This one is the freshest and most floral scent out of the collection. Needless to say, this one is chosen out to be my staple spring and summer scent. The lady packaged it up for me in the well recognised and loved, chic cream and black box. I can say that I am over the moon with this purchase, this might be one of my favourite scents Jo Malone has come out with so far or at least a close second to the English Pear & Freesia.

Jo Malone, you do not disappoint.

xoxo   

Essie 'Luxedo'

Essie's 'Luxedo' black cherry polish is what I have been wearing on my nails pretty much non-stop since I got it. This shade is perfect if you love dark polishes but don't want to jump straight into the deep end with a black. Plus anything Essie is a winner for me. The fact that you only need one coat for this polish definitely puts this straight into my good books and it lasts a good week when paired with Essie's 'all in one' for the base and top coat.

Essie 'Luxedo' £7.99

xoxo

The Review // Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot

After being on the hunt for a powder for quite some time I have finally found 'the one' that is the lovely Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot powder, and let me tell you it really is 'one heck of a blot'. It's so good in fact, I though it deserved it's own post. 

I was on the look out for something with no coverage or colour, just a simple 'shine tackler' with none of that 'cakey' look you often get with powders- just plain natural. This powder does just that. I use a BB Cream normally for my base which can leave my skin a bit too dewy. With my Real Techniques brush to lightly apply this to my t-zone and a smaller eyeshadow brush for under my eyes to set my concealer, it does a brilliant job to last throughout the day. Highly recommend this for anyone looking for a natural finish powder! 

Soap and Glory 'One Heck of a Blot' £12.00 

xoxo

Love

As Valentines day quickly approaching I though it would be appropriate to do a little post on the very topic itself- love. I know what your thinking and no you don't have to be in one of those 'lovey dovey' relationships to celebrate the holiday. It can be celebrated with friends, family and yourself. Everybody has different representations of love whether it be a love for a person, an animal or even something as simple as an item.

"But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous." -Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City.

If your thinking of a nail colour to wear on Valentines Day Essie 'She's Pampered' is the perfect vibrant red to accompany any outfit for any occasion whether your staying in with friends or going out to a nice restaurant.

Essie 'She's Pampered'

Valentines day as well as every other day is also about respect toward others and Brilliant Earth definitely portrays this in their values and jewellery. Brilliant Earth creates beautiful, flawless jewellery with no environmental or human cost as well as donating 5% of their profits in helping to communities who have suffered unethical methods in the making of jewellery. So whether you are getting treated or treating yourself (or even just fancy a bit of window shopping) take a look at some of their pieces and I promise you, you will not be disappointed.

Some other bloggers and I were asked to participate in the 'Create a Little Love' Campaign and create a picture showing the word 'love' so of course I took the opportunity!

Happy Valentines Day!

xoxo

The 2014 'To Try' List

In the year of 2013, after reading many beauty posts and watching a considerable amount of YouTube videos for product reviews, favourites and 'products I have used up' I have accumulated a (very long) list of products I have been wanting to try. As we have entered 2014 I figured a new year brings a time to try new products, so these are a few products on my 'to try' list for 2014...

1. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

Since getting quite a substantial chop off the locks, I can't count how many times I have searched through beauty posts, Youtube videos and Pinterest for that perfect tousled 'I just woke up like this' hair that Alexa Chung sports like a pro. Apparently after much searching for the perfect product, Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray does the job. Plus after reading Vivianna Does Makeup's blog post and watching her hair tutorials the results won me over.

2. Urban Decay Naked Palette 3

I use my other Naked Palettes religiously and love them to bits so I can't see why this one would be any exception. I am especially a big fan of the rosy shades as the other palettes are mostly gold and bronze shades. 

3. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness

If you have seen Meghan Rosette's current foundation routine I am sure you have already gotten your paws on this one. This product is like the queen of the 'clear skin illusion'. Looks like it's quite hard to get it over here in in the UK but I will find it. 

4. Emma Hardy Cleansing Balm

I have heard amazing things about this product. From leaving your skin soft and completely makeup free, it's too good not to try. 

5. Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover

Don't get my wrong, I love my Bioderma but it's not the best for taking off waterproof mascara and I end up having to scrub it off, with the risk of losing a few eyelashes in the process. So as I have heard this 'melts' away any eye makeup, I figured for the sake of my lashes I would give it a go.