Unique Fragrances | Beauty

I have written about fragrances a few times on my little blog and also about finding the perfect fragrance because until last year, I never really used to wear scents! However that all changed when I found my beloved Jo Malone scent. 

I wanted to talk today about the unique scents out there from Miller Harris with their zesty fragrances to Clive Christian gourmand perfume to Jo Malone with their luxurious range. There are so many scents out there that you can't find on the high street and I think that's a big selling point as it also adds a little dash of mystery when people ask what you're wearing. 

Obviously Jo Malone is one of my FAVE brands and the Peony Blush Suede will always be my scent regardless of how cliche it is but the main reason I love it because because the scent combinations are different. It has that floral hit but it mellows and deepens the longer it's on me which really lingers until bedtime! I do also adore the Jo Malone shops as well, I run right in and literally give everything a spritz which makes it easier to find that unique scent. I would also suggest spraying it on yourself because some fragrances do smell a little different when they are actually on you! 

Another way to try unique fragrances is to buy travel sets, let's face it, buying fragrances can be really damn expensive but if you look for those little travel sets not only do you get a few handy sized fragrances but you get to try a few different scents that you probably wouldn't have thought to try before! Most travel sets have about 3 different fragrances but the wonderful thing is they all have similar notes whilst being different, so if you like one of fragrances the chances are you may also like the others. I really love the way this brand layers scents together, it's something more than just "floral". 

If you wanted to go super luxury there are some very expensive but utterly divine fragrances from Clive Christian, I was kindly sent a couple of samples and Cosmos Flower is just so beautiful but way out of my price range but if you have the budget and want something truly unique, you could check them out! 

The best way to find your perfect unique scent is by giving everything a try, keep searching and keep looking for something new. 

What is your favourite fragrance? 

Me and the Blogging Community | Lifestyle

Lately I have noticed that I have never really felt like I'm really part of the blogging community, I kinda always feel like I am on the outside looking in so I had a little think as to why that may be and here are my thoughts...

I'm neutral...
I don't post political beliefs, I don't get involved in twitter drama, I keep the majority of opinions to myself because I know how easily things can get twisted. I like sharing opinions but online you run the risk of putting yourself in front of people who don't want to have a grown up discussion but just want to tell you that you're wrong! I don't need that headache! My blog and social have and always will be a space for my ramblings

I never show my face...
I'm not the most beautiful person but I started out as a beauty blogger and I didn't want my face on the blog for it to get judged. As time has gone on I care less about judgments on my appearance but it's become more of a safety net for me. However this makes it hard for people to connect to me, after all how can people really form a friendship with half of a face?

I'm not a career blogger...

Sorry, I just like doing it as a hobby! I have started to accept money in exchange for blog posts and I do actually affiliate my content via skimlinks these days but it's mainly because I have nothing to lose! I like my job, like my blog, but I'm not about making that my life. This means I kind of don't fit in with a lot of bloggers because I don't actually see the problem in people writing for free if they want to!

I don't fit into a stereotype...
I care not for Disney, nor do I wish to talk about mental health or sex, I don't often shop at ASOS and I don't have a child! I'm in that weird no man's land of blogging where I don't quite fit into any group! Of course there are bloggers that might fit into several different groups or cliques but I kinda bumble along never quite getting the hype!

I'm a private person... 
I think this is probably the main thing that keeps me separated from the blogging community, people can't get to know the real person if that person doesn't open up a little. Like all communities there needs to be a level where people can relate. So I totally get it but the problem is I have always been a private person, I don't share a lot of things even with my best pals so actually the person on my blog or twitter is still me!

I think these are all really fair reasons, but I think the blogging community can be THE most supportive and have some fantastic people part of it but sometimes I just don't quite seem to fit in!

What do you love about the blogging community?

LQ Liquid Health | Beauty

I have spoken a lot about beauty products and skincare and in the past I have tried out different supplements and really liked them. Today I am writing about the LQ Liquid Health Advanced Skin Care, that HelloSkin kindly gifted me but of course all views are my own! 

The LQ Liquid Health Advanced Skin care supplement contains lots of lovely ingredients for your skin such as marine collagen, hyalunornic acid, aloe vera, zinc, even turmeric! It also has vitamin C in it which also help maintain healthy skin and give your skin a bit of a boost if you feel it is looking a little lack lustre. The website actually suggests that if you have dry skin or acne this product can help. 

You get 10 little 50ml bottles for £29.99 so it is a little pricey but personally I consider this type of purchase an investment because it's your skin health. When it come to the taste of the product it certainly has a zing to it! I was expecting something tasting like orange...no idea why but I just thought it would. I will be honest, it doesn't taste the best but it isn't awful either it just has a slight bitter after taste, I would suggest having another drink handy! 

After I finished using the supplement, overall I was really happy with the results. The thing is these types of supplements can't work miracles, I did not wake up with celebrity skin but it's the small things I noticed that I was really impressed with. For example, when I am due on my period, I tend to get spots on my chin however I was drinking the LQ Liquid Health Supplements I noticed that didn't get any spots, like at all! How good is that? My skin overall looked a little brighter and fresher than what it has recently. As with anything you have to use these supplements for a longer period of time to see the best results and my opinion is very much a first impression, I have no doubt that over several months the results would be even more impressive. 

I think there is a lot to be said for supplements and I think it's really important to try and get as many vitamins and minerals into your body and these types of drinkable supplements are a really easy way to do it! 

What supplements do you take? 

Kitchen Wish List | Lifestyle

This year It was one of my goals to save money each month so I can eventually buy my own place. Whilst that is taking FOREVER I can't help but see some really lovely things that I would just want in my own home. Which means today I am sharing with you my kitchen appliance wish list. 

Let's get started with a bit of a random one but I have always wanted a breadmaker just because I frickin' love the smell of freshly baked bread, I mean, who doesn't?  As you know I do like baking and have a rather delish Onion Bread recipe on my blog but it's all the waiting around I can't stand. I have even had a look at the breadmakers by Panasonic, beautiful gadgets that can bake a variety of different breads and I just think it would be so lovely to bake a loaf like once a week or on a weekend! 

Moving onto a Smeg Blender because I love making smoothies but I also like that you can also blitz vegetables up with it and you can even make strawberry daiquiris with it, which let's face it, we all know this is the REAL reason I want a blender. I like the Smeg one because I really love how sleek and simplistic the design is.  

Personally I'm not the biggest fan of stews but I DO love the convenience of it all so I would love to have Crockpot Slow Cooker in my dream kitchen. Much like the breadmaker, I like to the idea of putting the food on then going about my day whilst the machine does what it's gotta do, I'm not really a person who likes to spend hours slaving over a stove! 

Now the Bialetti Espresso Coffee Maker or Moka Pot is something I actually bought when I came back from Italy because I loved the coffee so much! There is something quite special about the way this little pot fills the entire room with the heart warming scent of coffee! It's a little something that will always remind me of the year I spent in Italy And finally no kitchen would be complete without a Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine...of course a George Foreman Grill it's just one of those things that should always be in your kitchen!

There we have my kicthen wish list but what would you love to have in your kitchen?


*Sponsored Post

What's in my overnight bag | Travel

Today I thought I would have a little chat about what's inside my overnight bag for when I am away with work! I go up north every couple of weeks or so and because last year I traveled SO much with work I kinda have my work packing down! 

First we have to talk about my Longchamp bag, I literally take it everywhere and this bag folds down to nothing as you can see BUT it is bloody big which means you have enough room to get everything in and it looks simplistically chic! I also use this as hand luggage on flights even if it looks a little big at times, no airline ever moans. It's a little more expensive than I paid for it in Italy but I would say it's totally worth it and will go with whatever you wear! 


This PJ Bag is not all it seems, so whilst it is technically a bag for your pjs and I got it when I bought some from Boux Avenue, I don't actually use it to store my pjs. Instead I put my bras and underwear in there so if I ever have to root around my bag I won't be embarrassed if it falls out in the train station. You can also use it to put used items in as well which is pretty handy!

Of course I have to have my make up bag and this one is from a cute little garden centre near me but this bee wash bag is quite similar! I love anything with bumble bees on and this bag is just like the perfect size to get my make up essentials in! 

Moving onto the beauty products, I have the obvious stuff such as cleanser, dry shampoo, perfume, moisturiser etc but sometimes I do like to take a little something extra like a face mask or something because most hotels have baths and it's just the perfect time to have a bit of a pamper after you've had your meal and just want to relax for the evening! 

Obviously have a change of clothes in there for the next day and because usually I work from home when I go and visit the Lincoln office I like to dress up a little bit! Right now I am trying to shake up my dress sense and have fallen in love with this leather skirt from New Look  which actually isn't something I ever thought I would wear until I tried it on! I love it, it does kinda draw attention to my hips but in turn it accentuates my waist so its ok. I have paired it with a body suit which is fractionally sexy for work because of the v neck but it's still decent! 

Also I have to admit that I do carry snacks with me, peanuts and raisins are my FAVE but sometimes I gotta have a bit of a chocolate as well and water! I am so surprised how many places don't have bottled water in the room, I'll bloody dehydrate guys, so I always get a bottle! 

What's in your over night bag that you think I should add to mine?

Favourite Car Journey | Lifestyle

I am taking part in The Car People's "Thanks Dad" Campaign and because Father's day is coming up I thought I would share with you all my favourite car journey with my Dad. 

Some of you will know that last year I lived in Italy and but moved back to lovely England in December but what most of you won't know is that I didn't just fly home, no, my incredible Dad actually drove all the way to Italy to come and get me and my stuff. Obviously this was a long journey and I was so grateful that he actually did it. 

The journey itself took 2 days with an overnight stay in a little town called Ettlingen in Germany. As I was based in Florence we had to drive back up through Italy and then onto Switzerland, then Germany the next day we carried on and drove through France towards Dunkirk then a little hop over the sea to Dover and then finally onto Essex. The journey was so damn long and honestly, I don't know how my dad did it because obviously the roads are quite different to the UK roads and driving through Italy is always a bit scary because the Italians drive to their own rules. Whilst it was long it was really fun, I was so excited to see these different places in Europe, even seeing the Swiss alps from a car window was still so lovely! It started to snow and I'm not gonna lie, I got really excited my dad on the other hand - being the driver, wasn't as thrilled but it was just a little flurry so didn't slow us down too much. 

We listened to some great music, obviously I didn't get to choose the tunes but there were some great 80's throwbacks so that definitely helped with the journey. Another funny part about our journey was paying the toll booths all in small change! I left Italy with a giant bag of change mostly 20cents and smaller which meant every time we got to a toll booth I had to count it all out....most of the time they weren't that happy but at least I got rid of it. We also drove back right before Christmas so as we were getting closer I was getting more and more excited and I'm not gonna lie, I totally had Chris Rhea's Driving Home for Christmas stuck in my head on a loop! 

This was easily my favourite car journey because it was so unique to us and I know I am beyond lucky to have a Dad like mine who can and would actually do the journey - Thanks Dad!

Tell me your favourite car journey!

Pro Blo Hair Styling | Beauty

Recently I took part in a #fblchat on Twitter, always a massive fan of this chat and the girls who run it but this one was hosted by Pro Blo so all the questions were hair related which was a fun change in topic! If this wasn't great enough, the Pro Blo team actually sent EVERYONE who took part a couple of goodies, how wonderful is that? 

To give you guys a bit of background into my hair type/style I have naturally blonde hair and a common trait of naturally blonde hair is that the strands of hair are a lot finer than what brunettes or women with black hair have. This also means my hair looks flat 90% of the time, which really grind my gears! When it comes to styling my hair, I must admit I'm a little lazy, 80% of the time I will just give it a quick blow dry and boom that's it! If I am doing something interesting I might straighten it or on very rare occasions I curl it with my straighteners.

I never really know how to style my hair but I have always loved the look of a blowout, a girl I used to work with regularly used to get blowouts and she always looked to glamorous! 

This round brush is something that I have never used before, literally never needed to use one and never really knew how to! However the Pro Blo CurlME is a lovely little tool because the round brush head is actually detachable, if you were to buy this online it would come with several detachable brush heads to wear like curlers which I think is quite handy! If you didn't want to use it in that way, that's also fine because it still works as a really like round brush for people who have a little more skill to help create that gorgeous blowout. In fact, this brush has spurred me on to try styling my hair a little better now however it's gonna take quite a few goes before I get it right! 

Moving onto the Pro Blo VolumizeMe  brush which at first, I'm not gonna lie I didn't really see the point of purely because when I ran it through my hair it didn't actually brush it at all BUT I was having a bit of a div moment and realised that actually it's a really good tool. I have the problem where I will curl my hair but as soon as I run a brush through it, it'll just drop all my curls but this is where this brush comes in. It's literally perfect for just gently combing stray hairs, thus creating a much more natural/sleek look. Also you can use this to get a bit of volume in at the roots which I bloody need. 

These items could not have come at a better time, I just really want to take better care of my hair and actually do something with it. 

What tips do you have for styling your hair?

Easy Pizza Recipe | Food

I mean, easy pizza recipe, like what more could you want? To be honest ever since I moved back from Italy I have wanted to make a pizza and the other week I was in Tesco and saw these little pizza dough packets and thought "yep, me and the geek are making one this week"  obviously you can make it from scratch which is quite easy anyway but if you just wanted to do something quick then these little pizza base mix bags are quite handy!

So let's get started with all the essentials you'll need for a perfect pizza...

Ingredients

• Two bags of pizza mix - one bag makes about an 8in pizza
• 200ml lukewarm water - 100ml per bag 
• Pepper
• Onion 
• Mushrooms 
• Mozzarella 
• Pancetta 
• Prosciutto 
• Salami

But obviously add whatever you want, that really is the best bit...

Method

Before you get started just whack the oven on so it's nice and ready. Throw the pizza base mix into a bowl and add the water until it because a large sticky ball. The on a floured surface you can start to really work the dough and sorry but you're gonna have to knead it for around 5 minutes. After all the kneading, you need to shape it, we went for a more rectangular shape because it would fit in the over a little easier, once you have it shaped you need to put in in a warm place for around 10 minutes. 

Whilst the dough is resting then cut up all your veggies and cheese so you have that all prepared. We decided to cook the pancetta before adding it to the pizza just to make sure it was cooked properly really. Things to consider are the types of meat you use, you have to remember that salami and chorizo is an oily/fatty sausage so you don't want to use too much! 

Once the dough has rested, we added pasata which I prefer to use rather than tomato puree just for the taste, it's runny though so you don't need to be too liberal with it. We then added some italian herbs then went for the mozzarella, meats, veggies and sprinkled the pancetta on last. You then put it in the oven  for 20 mins and you're done! 

Buon Appetito! 

There we have it, a super easy pizza recipe! 

What are your favourite pizza toppings?