What's super about Weston-Super-Mare?

 

A road trip to Weston!

 

Today I decided to take a trip back to my childhood and visit a place which holds many fond memories- to Weston-Super-Mare. Those of you who are not familiar with this small seaside town, it holds T4 on the Beach each year and is famous for its "Grand Pier" (which tragically burnt down a long time ago.) Having said that a new and I guess improved pier now stands in its place, which to me, doesn't seem any different and still occupies the fun house and the haunted ghost train, bloody fantastic! (I know I'm a big kid at heart!)

So the day started as every Monday usually does, carrying a slightly heavy head and an iPhone displaying number generator. We chose a number from 1-4, one being North, 2 East (you get the idea.) To my amusement we got number four which meant we had to travel West on our random road trip jaunt. After a short while we hit Weston, a destination I  wanted to visit and we parked up to re-live the vivid memories.

First things first we found a small restaurant and ordered the biggest meal on the menu, which happened to be a chicken melt smothered in bacon and cheddar (diet resumes again tomorrow *winks*)  

 

So with full up bellies we headed to the Aquarium...

And then to the place I've been so exciting for, The Grand Pier! Just as I remembered, a long wooden walkway lined with ice cream parlours and candy floss stalls echoing the sounds of Rod Stewart through the tinny speakers. Eventually we enter the amusement arcade and Maggie May is drowned out with screaming kids and penny slot machines. Armed with pennies we attacked the ten pence machines and rewarded with a string of printed tickets!

After an hour or so among the madness we decided to call it a day and headed back to the car. All in all a great way to spend my Monday off, although I didn't get to go on the donkey rides on the beach or persuade Mike to come on the ghost train with me, I still had a great time and Weston is still as fun as I remember even if I am slightly too big to go on any of the rides, it doesn't matter too much, I still got to blow Noel Edmonds a kiss!

Do you have any childhood places where you remember visiting?
Thanks for reading-xx

 

The Mothers Day Post!

A spot of shopping on Mothers Day.

Happy Mothers day to all the mummies out there! Here's a quick post of a few snaps I took whilst on a shopping trip with my mum.
Although its Mothers day, me and my mum never need a reason to go shopping and today we took to one of our favourite shops in the little town where my mum lives. The shops called "In The Pink" and its a beautiful independent shop that homes lots of little antique and vintage inspired pieces. Its an Aladdin's cave crammed full of lots of little trinkets and treasures, here's a few of my favourite finds...

 

Did you get up to anything special this Mothers Day?

Thanks for reading-xx



 

The Spring Tag

 

As spring is well under way I thought there is no better time than now to do The Spring Tag!

 

Favourite spring nail polish?
 For me, nail varnishes need to be bright and fun for spring time, the first two polishes I've chosen are the Barry M Textured Effects duo in Ridley Road & Sour Apple. Ridley Road is a vibrant mint colour that dries to textured matte finish which is the perfect base for Sour Apple. Sour Apple is a similar colour but contain tiny-winy sprinkles of confetti that looks perfect painted over top. I cheated a little bit and cheekily added in a second varnish- the polish is from Accessorize and although I don't usually purchase any of their cosmetic products I was however completely drawn in with this colour as it just reminds me of a shell of a chocolate mini egg! Very cute!   

What's your must have spring lip colour?
When it comes to lips I like to keep it natural and sheer for spring. I love peachy pinks and colours that resemble a- your lips but better- look so I've picked Revlon Lip Butter in Sugar Frosting. A light sheer shade that feels soft and moisturising on the lips.

 

Show us your favourite spring dress

I have had this dress for well over 2 years now and I still wear it a lot. I picked it up from River Island in the sales and wear it whenever its warm enough to. Apart from the dress being black I feel the coloured detailing adds a pop of colour and warn with some colourful sandals its a great go-to casual spring dress that's very well loved!

 

What's your favourite flower?

I love flowers and try to buy them regularly throughout the year. At the moment I have lots of pink and yellow tulips that sit pretty on my kitchen table with lots of foliage surrounding them, but when I do think of spring I think of newly blossoming daffodils which indicate the arrival of spring time.

 

Favourite spring scarf/accessory?

The moment the sun comes out so do my sunnies and being a sufferer of very sensitive eyes a pair of sunglasses are always an essential accessory for me. Each year I always pick up a pair of aviator-style sunglasses from H&M, they are cheap and cheerful and the only glasses I manage to find that fit well and suit me.

 

What spring trends are you most excited about this year?

I look forward to a lot of trends in the spring, to wearing light-pastel shades to fresh dewing looking makeup but I think if I had to choose one particular trend it would have to be playsuits! I love a good playsuit and last year I managed to accumulate quite a collection. I just think they are flattering, versatile and come in such pretty designs and cuts. Above I've popped a pic of me wearing one of my favourites which I got from Miss Selfridge around a year ago.

 

Favourite spring candle?

 I light candles all year round and I won't lie I may have a slight obsession with Yankee Candles! My preferred preference for a spring time scent is something floral and fresh. Over the past couple of weeks I've been burning Dipyque Rosamundi which was released as a limited edition candle for Valentines day, however Rosamundi smells similar to Diptyque's Roses which is just beautiful and smells like you literally have a hundred fresh red roses lining your house-bliss!

 

 

Favourite body spray/perfume for spring? I am loving Escentric Molecules 01 perfume at the moment although the scent is apparently undetectable and enhances your natural pheromones produced by your body- whenever I wear it I always catch whiffs of something sweet like Parma Violets- as if I'm not sweet enough!

 

What's spring like where you live? So I live in Wiltshire in England and the weather is never predictable. Spring can have it good days but the majority of the time "April showers" stays very true to its name. You're never too sure what the weather can turn like so its always best to be prepared and pack your brolly & sunnies in the same bag!

Favourite thing about spring? Having said its an unpredictable season you are occasionally treated to some sunny spells. Other than that seeing a pretty colourful display of blossoming flowers everywhere is enough to bring a smile to any ones face, oh and the copious consumption of chocolate at Easter is always fun as well.

 

Are you a spring cleaner?

I clean no matter what the season- unfortunately I live with a messy smelly boy so I have no choice in the matter!

 

Any plans for spring break or upcoming vacations? In England we don't really have spring breaks but one week in April me and Michael are off together so we are hoping on jamming the seven days with lots of fun and exciting things- so stay tuned!

 



That's the end of The Spring Tag! I really enjoyed doing this tag, I hoped you enjoyed reading it and please let me know what your answers to these questions are! Thanks for reading- xx


 

March Favourites

My Favourite picks of March

Today I'm going to share with you the products I've been loving this month! There is quite a mix of beauty and non-beauty related products so lets begin...

Beauty:



 

This month has been about investing a bit of spring inspiration into my makeup bag! Out with the matte, high coverage products and in with the sheer, dewy, light essentials. To achieve this look, I've found the perfect illuminating serum that instantly gives my skin a great dewy finish!
Soap & Glory- Hocus Focus Instant Visual Flaw-Softening Illuminator, this serum gives my skin the waking up it needs after a long cold winter and injects an instant glow without looking too shinny or greasy. I've been cheekily mixing a few drops of the serum into my foundation and applying it using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush,, however this product has multiple uses and can also be used as a primer, before you apply foundation or as a liquid highlighter, a very useful product to have in your kit!

 

Benefit- Speed Brow, my eyebrows unfortunately have a life of their own, so when I purchased this quick fix brow gel it made my life instantly easier! I've been using this product on days where I'm either in a rush or need my brows to be trusted to stay put for a long time, it saves me the hassle of carefully applying powder when I can just comb them through with the slightly tinted gel for a quick application which helps re-define and make my brows look a little tamer!
Bourjois- Bronzing Primer (base lissante soleil) - This little number has been in my makeup bag for a very long time and has been my go-to bronzer whenever the sun decides to show its face (so not very often!) However, I've been reaching for this more recently and have re-discovered my love for it!
Its a bit of an unlikely pairing as I'm usually not the sort to experiment with a bronzer of such an unusual texture and that appears very pigmented, mainly because I have quite pale skin, however this product is very easy to apply once you know how.  The bronzer has a moose-type texture that appears to be very similar to Chanel- Soieil Tan De Chanel, personally I like to apply this as a bronzer as opposed to a primer or a contour and to do this I use my Mac 134 Powder brush to achieve an all over sun kissed look.

Hair:

 

Moving on to hair products and this month I've chosen two favourites which I have been enjoying using.
Bumble and bumble- Thickening Hairspray this product has been my go-to hair product of the month, I'm always after something that gives my hair volume and texture and this thickening hairspray does just that! I've been applying this spray to my hair when its damp and been spritzing it in at the roots before blow-drying. After blow-drying my hair looks fuller, thicker and has gained more texture, the results for me are always long lasting  as it is a hairspray as well so it holds the product in at the roots- perfect!
The last hair care product I've chosen is,
Build up Removal Expert Shampoo, Boots This is an old favourite of mine, one of which I keep re-purchasing time and time again. I decided to include this one as I don't feel it gets enough recognition. This product comes from the Boots Expert range which consists of specialised shampoos, conditioners and treatments at an affordable cost. This product in particular I feel is one of my favourite deep cleansing hair care treatments, its designed to remove impurities and build up of products from your hair and scalp and contains detoxifying properties which leaves my hair feeling thoroughly clean and fresh! I use this shampoo around once a week and find it really effective, its great to keep in your stocks as its cheap as well. I may do a blog post on the other products from the Expert range- let me know if you think its a good idea?

 

Skincare:
So only one favourite this month and one that truly deserves a crown. Now I know that the
Emma Hardie- Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm has enough praise but I have just enjoyed every minute of using this since the day I bought it. For me, this is the perfect cleansing balm, it makes my skin feel so soft and smooth with visually clear results. I find it great for removing makeup especially around my eyes, which is a very sensitive area for me and a little really does go a long way, which is relieving as it does come with a hefty price tag.

Non-beauty Favourites Now on to the more random side of things and one mention has to go to Mini Eggs! Oh yes, they are back! Mini Eggs only make an appearance once a year, so when they do you might as well make the most of the chocolatly- sugar coated eggs of joy! I've stocked up and have probably consumed enough to last me well into next year! Ah well its Easter soon, no better excuse than that!
My next random pick goes to my little black bargain boots I recently picked up from New Look. Its not often I go shopping for shoes as I'm very loyal to the ones I have but whilst I was browsing in New Look the other day I stumbled across some lovely Chelsea inspired boots. They are ankle boots with small tassel detailing the zip with a chunky heel. Perfect boots for any season and are so comfortable, but what's best about them is that they were reduced from £27.99 to a fiver! I kid you not, with a bargain like that, I love them even more! ( I couldn't find a link to my exact bargain boots, but I did find another very similar pair with an impressive price tag- http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/boots/black-stirrup-block-heel-chelsea-boots-_294402801
#100happydays This is a little project I've been doing over on Instagram for the past couple of days. I've seen this hash tag pop up occasionally on my feeds and thought I would join in. The aim of the game is to take a photo (preferably everyday) of something that has made you happy. I thought this was a great idea to encourage positivity and to make an extra effort to look for positive, funny and the good things in life which sometimes we all oversee. I'll link below my Instagram so you can see all the little things that have made my day over the past month, and maybe give it ago yourself!?
CTFXC the last favourite comes in the form of a YouTube channel, one of which I have been watching for a long time. This channel belongs to Ali & Charles Trippy and they have been vlogging consecutively for five years, and their content is still as fresh and as enjoyable as ever. They are two really likeable charactors who document their journey through high points and low points in their lives, I think people can learn a lot watching their channel as they are both strong and positive people who appreciates each other and support each other, I've linked their channel below so you can go check them out!
CTFXC YOUTUBE CHANNEL
That is all my faves for the month of March,
Thanks for reading & feel free to comment below your favourites!
-xx

 

Mini Lush & Bodyshop Haul

Lush & Body Shop Goodies

(from left to right-) Lush Bunch of Carrots Bubble Bars, Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel & Grapefruit Shower Gel and King of Skin Body Butter

The other day after work I decided to nip into a few shops on my way home. I didn't have the best of days as it were and after a lot of thought I came to the conclusion that I needed a little cheering up, so off I went into Lush to see what treats they had on offer for me! (Lush always knows how to make me feel better!)
I've been meaning to check out their new Easter range for a while and whilst I was there I fell in love with the cutest bunch of carrots! These are actually Lush Bubble Bars and they come in a bunch of three at £5.95 a bunch. I thought these were a great idea and especially good as a gift for someone at Easter time, partially if they aren't keen on chocolatey treats. The idea for these bubble bars is that you snap a bit of the carrot off each time you want to use one, this creates lots of bubbles in your tub. I could probably get around three/four baths out of one carrot which would mean around 9-10 baths all together, not bad at all!
I can never go into Lush without picking up one of my favourite products- Lush King of Skin Body Butter at £5.50 a bar. Now not the most fancy product to look at I know, but believe me this little guy is amazing! First of all it smells fantastic a mix of coconuts, bananas and chocolate that stays on the skin for hours! I like to use these butters for when I have just gotten out of the bath or shower and my skin is still slightly damp. I generously massage the butter all over my body, as I do so the butter gives off oils that really moisturises the skin making it smooth, soft and smelling great. The body butter is also packed with lots of natural skin-loving ingredients which is also why I love it so so much! The last couple of bits I got from Lush was some testers, I received the Lush Olive Branch Shower Gel and Its Raining Men Shower Gel. I haven't used these yet or previously so I'll be sure to give them a go soon.

Last of all I stopped off at The Body Shop and had a little browse as I haven't been there for a couple of months. I'm quite intrigued by their skincare section so I may have to re-visit there at some point and do a little investigating! What I did get however were  The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel & Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel. The shower gels were actually on offer, two for £6, usually retailing at £4 each! So with that cheeky bargain I couldn't resist and I'm glad I did, they both smell so strong and fills the whole bathroom with the scents, the Satsuma fragrance is really refreshing and the Pink Grapefruit is very zesty, both perfect in the mornings and waking you up for the day!
So that's all my goodies for today, I'm already planning on going back and stocking up with the Body Shop shower gels!
Have you tried any of the testers I got from Lush? If so, what did you think about them?

Bedside Beauties

My Bedside Table Essentials...

Today I've decided to show you all a few of my favourite beauty essentials that sit pride of place on my bedside table so they are close to hand for whenever I need them morning and night!
There's a tough criteria when it comes to selecting a few products which will have my full attention first thing in the morning and last thing at night, each of these goodies have proven the test of time and have made themselves worthy of only being at arm length away!
Having said that I am prone to switching these products up a bit and trying out new things, but for this moment in time its safe to say these guys are sitting very comfortably!

The Moisturisers  

Now I love to moisturise and for me there's three products that do the job.
First up we have Soap&Glory Butter Yourself  Moister Lotion, this is currently my go to evening lotion. The scent is a much more mature fragrance then their signature girly scent, very subtle on the skin and has great lasting power, in fact when I apply this after my evening bath and go to sleep the following morning I can always guarantee catching a whiff of the slightly musky tone while sipping my breakfast tea.
The huge 500ml bottle, which comes with a pump may I add, very convenient, is part of the "Fruitigo" range and is infused with orange oil and green fig that leaves me smelling fresh all night long!
The next culprit is Soap&Glory Righteous Butter- this one is much more feminine and girly scented, perfect for the daytime. This time, packaged in a tub the thick whipped cream which is formulated for dry skin, leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and clean. Smelling very differently to the latter this lotion is more perfumed and slightly stronger bursting with the Soap&Glory's original scent. (We all know the one.)
So finally we come to the "emergency moisturiser" as I like to call it, the go to in-a-rush lotion that's super fast drying but still very effective (yes there really is such a thing!) Behold the god send to all lazy body care fans, Vaseline - Spray & Go Body Moisturiser. This really is genius in a bottle, everything from the easy continuous spray, to the non-greasy formulation, it dries in seconds and perfect if you need sprucing up quickly before rushing out or even if you're having one of those days where you have more important things to be getting on with other than sitting like a manikin waiting for your moisturiser to dry.

Hand & Foot Creams

Moving on I have two hand lotions that I use regularly, one is my daytime hand cream and the other is one that I apply just before bedtime. The daytime cream is Soap&Glory Hand Food (can you notice a recurring trend yet?) This hand cream is lovely, smells delicious and is non-greasy so its perfect to quickly apply throughout the day. Costing only £5.00 this product is a bargain and you can even buy the travel size as well, to fit even more comfortably in your bag!
For evenings I like something slightly heavier, that will work into my hands as an overnight treatment, and for this I've chosen Burt's Bees Beeswax&Banana Hand Cream. This cream comes in the cutest glass jar which looks really nice displayed on my bedside table and smells like banana milkshake- always a plus! Obviously not idea for on the go and because of the packaging it does tend to get a bit messy, but nevertheless ideal for use just before bed.
I suffer from very dry hands, especially after showering so this product is great as its really thick and leaves a slight residue that I tend to leave to soak in over night. I personally wouldn't recommend this if your hands are already in tip-top condition as it may leave them greasy, but for me the formulae is what my hands need after a long day!
I've personally always taken care of my feet, being on them for hours on end at work- they do need some TLC and whenever I have time to spare a good smothering with some scrubs and a good polish up is always needed. Usually I tend to go for the typical peppermint foot lotions, and Lush Fairtrade Foot Lotion is one of my favourites, but at the moment I'm loving Burts Bees Coconut Foot Cream.

I received a tester of this product in a gift set at Christmas and enjoyed it so much I decided to re-purchase it the moment I ran out. What I like best about this cream is the texture- its nothing like what I've experienced with any foot product before. Its got a very thick gloopy feel that coats the feet when applied, I like to put this on any problem areas or if I feel they really need it, all over and then put my big comfy bed socks on and let the cream do its work while I sleep. When I awake the results are always the same- super soft (like baby soft) and smelling strongly of coconuts, makes a refreshing change from peppermint! If you can get the hang of the odd formulae and learn to apply as little as possible (as a lot goes a long way) then this is defiantly a spring essential!

Finally the Face

When it comes to skincare a good night time moisturiser is key. I keep all my skincare products either in my dressing room or in my bathroom (cleansers, face masks and hot cloth treatments) but I do like to have a tub of Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins close by. The main reason is I like to take my sweet sweet time massaging in the cream, sit back and relax in bed and enjoy all the goodness it gives! The "High Potency" cream works as a renewal moisturiser and is ideal to use at night to deeply hydrate, keep care of any dry patches and ensure skin looks bright and awake by morning.
Finally we have Lush Lip Scrub, in bubble gum (of course), if you haven't tried a lip scrub before, you really are missing out. The sugar base treat is applied to rough, chapped/dried lips, for a sweet bubble gum flavoured exfoliate. After you've applied it you can either lick it off (being made of sugar and Jojoba Oil) or dab it off with water, I choose the first option! Your lips are left smooth and soft and perfectly primed for a good date with a lip balm.
When it comes to lip balm I have lots of favourites, all dotted about in various location, to my locker at work, my hand bag, my coat pocket and even in my car, a few top ones I love are Nuxe Reve de Miel and  Elizabeth Ardens Eight Hour Cream! So there we have it- an insight into my bedside essentials! Do you have any essential products you keep close? Or do could you recommend anything for me to try?
Thanks for reading!-xx

Lovely Evening in Lechlade

First Post, here we go...

I believe introductions are in order- I'm Beth and welcome to my little space on the internet, I'm very excited to be here and I hope you enjoy reading my blogs!
So I thought I would kick things off by sharing with you what I've been up to this evening.
We are very lucky to have two sunny days in a row here in England (I know can you believe it!) and what better way to spend the evening by the Thames in a small country pub.
Mondays are the only day I have to spend with my boyfriend Michael, as we both work full time, so we always aim to go out and spend the day somewhere different and today we opted for one of my favourite places- Lechlade.

Lechlade is an old  market town which overlooks the River Thames just outside of the Cotswolds.
Whenever I visit this little town
I can't resist going into the antique shops which line the high street and homes great little trinkets and treasures, as well as visiting the quirky cafés and restaurants that are decked out in the cutest shabby chic furniture, a great place for some home inspiration!

Its also the perfect opportunity to stroll along the riverside and count the sleepy ducks that line the banks, but today however my mission was to get food for a very hungry Michael, who had been (very patently) waiting for my return home from work- that's right I had to do overtime today, on one of the sunniest days of the year so far, typical isn't it! Well that still didn't stop me and Mike spending some much needed time together as we headed up to The Riverside Pub.
The Riverside Pub is a great place to sit and relax, it has lots character and perfect views over the river.
I chose the classic home cooked ham, eggs and chips, while Mike tucked into a flavoursome three bean chilli and even having enough room to finish off some of mine! After our bellies were full we decided to head home (without checking out the antique shops- well theres a first!)
So there we have it, dinner by the river, one of the perks of living in the country, lets hope the good weather keeps up so I can have many more outings like this and maybe next time I will have a little antique haul to share with you all as well!

Do you have any places you like to visit near where you live?