Last year in November, I walked into my office and set up a meeting with my boss and just said I cannot work here any more and quit.
In 2015, as some of you will know, was just crazy because I left my job in London for a job in Florence, in a country I never even bloody visited before, couldn't even speak the damn language but I did it and never regretted my decision for a second. I think over the year I just realised that this wasn't the best company for me but they were going to renew my contract and I just thought, I could either spend the next year unhappy or just take the leap and go somewhere else.
It was a hard decision because I really loved my job, I was given so many fantastic opportunites but I couldn't work for the company anymore. After, I kept thinking whether I had made the right decision or not, but deep down I knew it was.The thing is, I have never been without a job since the age of 16 so it was a real shock to the system to think that I will be unemployed for a little while.
This meant I had to change my mindset, of course I no longer had a job but I had to turn the concept of "looking for a job" into my actual job for a while. Every morning I would get up turn my laptop on and start searching, I would speak to a variety of recruiters to not only see whether there were any available but to also keep in their inbox - I didn't want to get forgotten. Being without a job gave me the opportunity to really consider my next move, do I settle for a job where I am just earning a wage or do I do something that I gives me long term opportunites? There was so many things to consider but I was fortunate that I had enough time to do this, I wasn't gonna just settle for anything, I couldn't.
I think quitting my job is probably the second best decision I have made in terms of my career because it has made me realise what I want to do and how I can do that.
What kind of risks have you taken in work that has ended in good results?
Beauty is well and truly BACK on the blog and today we are having a bit of a chat about this Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara! Now, guys, you know me, I am all about the eyes I have said this so many times but I believe if eyes are the window to the soul they should always be dressed accordingly! You will never see me leave my house without at least wearing mascara, ever! I fell in love with the Urban Decay Perversion mascara last year and it was only when I was on the Ferry back to the UK that I spotted the Lancome mascaras in duty free, Doll Eyes actually comes with another one which I will be reviewing next week so just hold out for that.
I have never used any Lancome make up products but I have used a beauty product in the past and I have a solid opinion of the brand but it just isn't something I would frequently go to buy from. In terms of design as you can see the bottle is very simplistic and doesn't actually give you a lot of information as to what kind of product it is, however I think that's because the name says it all...Doll Eyes. This mascara is very different to what I am used to, there are a lot of very straight bristles and the brush tapers to a point. This means that as you apply the brush grabs each lash and evenly distributes the product on it leaving you with very delicate and fluttery doll like eye lashes. I really love that the brush does have a point because it means you can reach all of the corner lashes.
I do like this mascara but it doesn't give me another drama on my eye lashes, you can't really build it up for impact which I'm not that surprised about because it does give you Doll Eyes but I like my lashes to look thicker. It gives them a great lift and length and really coats each lash but it definitely doesn't add the thickness and volume I want. I do wait for the first layer to dry and then add another but you can't add much more otherwise it will just clump. I tend to use the Doll Eyes mascara when I am keeping my make up quite simple.
Overall, I like it but I'm not in love with this one!
Have you tried any of the Lancome mascaras before?
Something a bit lavish on Honeypot Blogs today guys! I just had to talk about the Sharing Platter with Champagne for two at Harrods experience which I had the absolute pleasure of sharing with my dear Vernia, in fact she won the experience and shared it with me, what an utter babe. This was my first trip into London since moving back to England and what a wonderful welcome home.
Now, if you know me, you know I love a bit of fizz! I am perfectly happy with a bottle of prosecco, but let's face it if a glass of champagne is on offer, you know I am gonna take it! This Champagne Experience with Harrods actually includes a glass of champagne each and a sharing platter as you can see in the above pictures. I believe that the food changes depending on what's available but this was the selection we were given and I was bloody happy. Vernia booked in advance so I would definitely suggest you do that to if you were considering it because it does get very busy!
Let's get started on the food shall we, as you can see there was a great selection of different food options, but obviously no veggie alternatives on this plate but I am sure if you mentioned this before they could accommodate. We had, Foie Gras with toasted brioche which I know is a kind of risky option because of how Foie Gras is sourced but it's like a pate. Personally, I love anything pate related but Vernia isn't really a fan so I had the whole damn thing and I have to say it was divine! They definitely give you a very hearty slab of it though I found the brioche toast a little delicate so you can't spread it as harshly but I was a big fan of this one. Moving onto the Salmon Croque Monsieur, which is basically like a little cheese toastie but made with salmon as opposed to ham. It was a great option, a little more than a mouthful but just enough really. Next up we had a little Chicken Satay Skewer and I mean, what more can I say? Who doesn't love a little chicken satay skewer!! They served it with a little dish a satay sauce and it was bloody yummy, rather mild though, but the chicken was cooked really well! Then we had, which personally was my fave, a little Crab Cake ball which was served with a tartar sauce, my god that was heavenly! I could have easily eaten a whole plate of those bad boys! So much crab packed in that ball and the sauce really balanced it out, really yummy guys! And finally we had a Thai Spring Roll which had vermicelli and prawns in, I had to sit this one out, I like prawns but I don't like them cold but I got my dear's feedback. She actually said it lacked a bit of flavour which was a real shame because when you think of Thai food, you think of a playful mix of delicate spices and these was a bit bland.
Moving onto the champagne, I mean of course it was lovely, it's usually like £14-£17 a glass so it was very light but fruity and smooth like you would expect for a good quality champagne. We decided to have another little drink after the ones in the package, which was fine because we just paid for them at the end. I went with a champagne cocktail which had Cognac and a little sugar cube soaked in like an orange bitters which really packed a punch. It's safe to say we were a little giggly after.
The environment was super relaxed, I mean you are in the middle of the store but it's like a little moment of calm in the chaos of the elite Harrods shoppers. I think the Sharing platter for Two with Champagne is such a fun experience that is a nice gift anyone would love to recieve.
This year I am gonna spend more of my time doing these types of experiences around London or just at least trying out new places, so this is one I can tick off my list!
Have you had a dining experience at Harrods?
Oh I am happy to be back in the UK with my beloved high street shops where I can try out all the latest beauty products once again! As soon as I saw the L'Oreal Pure Clay masks released I bloody wanted them, I read so many reviews and knew I wanted the Detox Mask. However I think everyone wants this mask so when I went to Boots, it was sold out, not a single one left in stock but I was bloody leaving with a Pure Clay Mask so I opted for the Purity one.
I have recently got back into clay masks, my skin is very temperamental I get a lot of spots around my jawline at certain times of the month so I started using the Australian Skin Care cleansing face mask again and kind fell in love all over again. I think it can be so hard to find a good clay mask that doesn't dry your skin out or make it raw when you try and remove the damn thing. I cannot stand face masks that dry so hard you have to practically chisel it off of your face!
The first thing I really love about the L'Oreal Pure Clay products is that they come in a little jar, instead of a squeezy tube like so many do. I like to apply my face masks with a flat foundation brush so I'm not constantly rubbing or touching my face. I kinda stumbled on this trick because I bought a flat foundation brush which was just AWFUL for foundation but I didn't want to throw it away so I just used it for something different. As the product is in jar it just makes it very easy for me to get the product with my brush as opposed to apply it on the back of my hand and then my face.
The Purity Mask is said to purify and mattify your skin, so whilst it doesn't draw out the imperfections as well as I imagine the Detox Mask would I still hoped it would give me a bit of something that could help with some of my spots at least. I haven't used it long enough to give a long term review but I just wanted to share with you my first impression. For some reason I really love the smell, it's so fresh and clean where as some clay mask can smell a bit too "earthy" for my liking. You only need to leave the mask on for 5 - 10 minutes which is pretty good, I tend to leave it on for about 7 minutes because that gives it enough time to dry but not set too hard. I will say that the Purity Mask does dry harder than I prefer but it's not too bad to remove with my muslin cloth.
I can't say that the mask did anything for my spots, didn't really dry them out but the rest of my skin definitely looked a little more matte and was of course rather smooth so in that respect, it is a nice face mask and I will definitely continue to use it to see whether over time it has a bigger impact. I definitely can't wait to try the detox one as many people have recommended it. They retail for around £7.99 but Boots is currently selling them for £6 as well as Superdrug so now is definitely a good time to try them out.
What are your thoughts on the L'Oreal Pure Clay Masks?
This was a very sweet gift given to me by my dear Vernia, and isn't it just such a cute little journal. In all honesty, I love writing and making notes of stupid little things, so whenever someone gets me a notepad or journal as a gift, they are pretty damn special in my eyes. The problem is some times I struggle to remember to write things down as I make a lot of notes on my phone.
This journal has no dates, no months, no holidays! Just 365 pages numbered as such, I really love the simplicity of it. Another nice thing about this journal in particular is that it is the perfect handbag size, so I can actually carry it around with me in almost any of my bags.
At first I was kind of struggling to think about what to write in it or how to use it but it just totally made sense to use it everyday by writing one good thing that had happened in the day or several good things. I must admit I am a bit anxious about 2017, simply because 2016 was so incredible, a part of me is worried that I'm maybe due some bad luck or that it won't reach the same expectations as the previous year! This being said, I am quite rational and realistic and believe that your mindset has a lot to play for in these situations. I will stay positive and just knuckle down and figure my stuff out but I think this little journal will be a great reminder of all the really nice things that can and will happen this year.
No matter how trivial or how small every day I absolutely must add at least one thing that made me smile and let's face there will be loads. I don't want to use this little book for lists or anything boring, I just want to be able to look back and smile.
Do you have a journal?
Velvet creepers, I mean just UGH!! Velvet is so in this season and I love a bit of tone on tone if it's black so when I saw a teaser for these Rhianna Fenty sneakers I was obsessed right away.
The thing is I am so NOT a "trendy" person, I don't hunt for the latest sneakers, in fact it kind of pains me to call the sneakers because they are trainers right? But it's way more "fashionable" to call them sneakers...whatevs! What I will say about my fashion sense or taste is I buy what I like, if I find something I just buy it right away which means I can be super impulsive about my clothing/accessory choices. I'm the type of person who doesn't mind paying a little more if it's exactly what I am looking for, with in reason. I see no point in spending money on things if they are only kind of what I want you end up wasting money in the long run.
I have been looking for a nice fashion trainer for a while now, something that was a little more than a gym trainer but I could wear with a lot of different outfits. In fact, I really love the Alexander McQueen oversized trainers but they retail for around £360, which is insane to me because they are just a trainer. As soon as I saw the Rhianna creepers though I knew I kind of needed them. What I didn't really anticipate was how bloody popular they would be, I purchased mine through LUISAVIAROMA because I saw on their Instagram that the creepers had just dropped, so I went online bought my size and it was done and dusted really. However later in the day I noticed people saying they had sold out across many online sites, so actually I was pretty lucky to get these. She released 3 colour options all tone on tone, a gorgeous Bordeaux red creeper, a cement grey and a classic black, I think for obvious reasons the red was the most popular.
I'm not the biggest Rhianna fan, I have never bought Puma as a brand but there was just something about these velvet creepers that I really liked. The only thing that was annoying is that I bought them and had them delivered to my parents home in England so I had to wait like 2 weeks to actually get my hands on them!
What trends are you loving right now?
Carrying on my 5 Things series that I started last year, today I just thought I would ramble on about some things I want to do this year. Now, before anyone says it, I don't class these as "goals", I will not be disappointed if I do not do all of them. I do think it's healthy to have goals but I tend to get hung up on these things, so this is just a light hearted, it would be nice if I managed these things in 2017...so let's crack on shall we.
Visit new places...
So last year I went to 14 different cites, all new (apart from two) and I just loved it, so I want to maintain that trend of exploring new places. I think it's easy to forget how close some of these countries are so I want to continue to take advantage of this. I want to go to Poland this year and I also want a beach holiday where just for a weekend I can lay on a sandy beach in the sun and just chill. I want to go everywhere and anywhere, I even walk to explore the UK more.
My own apartment...
Moving back to the UK has meant that I have moved back in with the parents, which of course I am very grateful for but I kinda need my own space again. I'm looking forward to having a space I can faff around with and just make my own. There are a few factors I have to consider, like whether I am moving by myself or not but my personal aim is to start looking for a new place within 3 months of being back home because it means I can settle with my new job and have all those security nets sorted.
See my friends more...
This is a big one, after being in Florence for a year I have missed so many friends and I am going to make a really big effort to make sure that I see them far more frequently. I'm unusual in the sense I don't have a large group of friends, I have cherry picked pals from several different circles so some times it can be hard to see them as I have to do it on an individual basis but I just need to be more organised this year. Plus I bloody love them so I'll find a way!
Try new restaurants and bars in London...
So, you guys know I bloody love London, the city is like blood in my veins! Now I am back I absolutely have to spend more time actually exploring my beloved city, I have already made a pact with one of my pals that once a month (at least) we will do something different in London just to shake things up a little. I can't bloody wait! Also, this will mean more food posts will be back on my blog, I love writing them and they used to be quite well received so hopefully everyone is a winner.
Be more active...
Last year, I was a little lazy! Whilst I did a lot of walking I wasn't that active which was a stark contrast to the year before! So this year I am either gonna join a gym or start running again! It's an absolute must! I don't want to get as obsessed with the gym as I was previously because it did impact on my personal life but I want to make sure that I have something active to do that fits in with the rest of my life ya know, something that is a little more than just going on walks!
There are my 5 things that I want to do this year, what are yours?
If you guys have read my Skincare Routine post, you'll know I'm a big ol' fan of Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. This being said, I actually really hate the standard eucalyptus version so stopped using the product however when I discovered the limited edition Rose and Cedrat version I fell in love. Though, of course, it was a limited edition so I couldn't find it again, Liz, dear, why do you do this to me?
I was forced to settle for the Rose and Lavender version of this hot cloth cleanser. I say forced because I'm not a fan of lavender, I love rose scents all day long but lavender can be very over powering but I bought it regardless. I will say you can still smell the lavender but the rose really tones it down and actually I ended up really liking it! The reason why I love this Liz Earle product is because it is really gentle and I have very difficult skin. If I use this product every day my skin would start getting spotty, like I can only use it once or twice a week but this is because I rarely put skin care products on my face daily, I just wash the make up off and that's it. I used to have horrific acne and whilst the cause of mine was hormonal, I strongly believe a lot of products out there actually make you skin far worse so once I finished my medication for my acne I just stopped using everything I was using before.
The Cleanse and Polish hot cloth cleanser works so well because of that added step with the muslin cloth, like if you haven't tried this product or even use a muslin cloth to remove products, you need to. The muslin cloth is delicate but adds a bit of friction to exfoliate wonderfully. After using this Liz Earle product my skin looks so fresh, a vibrant, it almost mattifies it without making my skin look dry! If the Cleanse and Polish isn't in your skincare regime, bloody should be!
What is your fave Liz Earle Product?
Last year, on New Years Day I was sitting in my cold little apartment, by myself, writing this post thinking " Oh wow, can life get any crazier?" turns out it bloody can. When I start to think about 2016 and everything that happened I don't even know where to being
2016 was the year I got to travel the world and I'm not being dramatic, I really did. I went to, Berlin, Paris, Dallas, LA, Porto, Maderia, New York, Santa Barbara, Atlanta, Budapest, Cinque Terre, Bologna, Pisa and London (not something new though) like how insane is that? The thing is, the majority of places I went, I actually went for work and all of these I have never been before and I loved every second!
2016 was the year I realised how incredible my friends are. There have been 3 little girls born since I have been away who's mothers are just bloody fantastic and who I could not live without. I have others who have taken the time to come visit me, I know Florence isn't a million miles away but the fact they made that effort seriously warms my heart. My weekly calls with my best dear, I mean that girl just knows! Then there is that one friend that turned into something entirely unexpected.
2016 was the year I made yet another life changing decision and moved back to the UK . There are so many reasons for this but the end reason is I will be so much happier in England than what I was in Florence.
2016 was the best year of my life so far.
Now that leaves us with 2017...what the bloody hell is gonna happen there? I don't even know how this year will be for me, like 2016 was so good it could mean that 2017 might be a disappointment in comparison, or will it just be another crazy wild ride? I think it will be the latter, because let's face it, it's all about perspective.
Here's to another year...!
