Catching Some Zzzz’s

September 30, 2015February 26, 2018 - Vicki 4 Comments

Before I moved house I was having real trouble getting off to sleep & it was starting to get that I was still awake into the wee small hours & that’s not good for being productive or my state of mind. I was finding it difficult to switch off and I was waking up still feeling exhausted which had such a knock on effect to my day. I was making mistakes and generally feeling run down. So I thought I would share with you what I have found helps me most nights to nod off quicker.

This is such a simple one but I was so guilty of always being glued to my laptop. So I have banished all forms of technology from my bedroom – so no watching YouTube in bed, online shopping or scrolling through Twitter. I found having screen time late at night meant my brain wasn’t switching off & the light from the screen was often too bright and stopped me feeling sleepy. So having no devices in bed has meant my brain feels less stimulated and I am able to feel more restful.

Instead of using my laptop in bed I have got back into reading in a big way, I used to be the biggest bookworm until other areas of my life took up my more of my time so it’s been so good to get back on the reading wagon. Reading always makes me sleepy, and I love reading actual books, I do have a kindle that I use more if I am out of the house but reading books just feels so much better & it’s a great way to wind down and take time away from computer screens. If you have any book recommendations let me know in the comments.

Clipper Sleep Easy Infusion, I’m a complete tea addict and my friend Hayley & I always swap tea discoveries (rock & roll). I don’t have many drinks with caffeine in as I don’t enjoy coffee & a lot of my teas are caffeine free. I have found that drinking a specific night time tea really helps me feel calm and sleepy. This tea smells soothing and doesn’t taste too strong or bitter. It contains Cinnamon, Chamomile (25%), Honeybush, Lemon balm (5%), Valerian root (5%), Natural orange flavour. I think this tea tastes like Christmas & so is perfect for those cold Autumn / Winter nights & its become part of my nighttime routine to have a cup of this whilst reading my book in bed, it seems to be doing the trick.

I have had so many people recommend the This Works Can’t Sleep range so to try it out I bought this little Can’t Sleep Kit from Feel Unique for less than £10 and I’m so glad I did. It comes with a mini pillow spray & a roller ball for your pulse points & I have been using them both for almost 2 weeks and what a difference they have made. It contains essential oils of Lavender, Vetivert and Wild Camomile which all smell calming and I instantly associate with a relaxing good nights sleep. I think they do a great job of helping you drift off & are very soothing. I know want to try the candle from this Can’t Sleep range. I have heard people say they use the roller ball in stressful situations like on airplanes and when they feel a little overwhelmed, I think it does have a very calming, restful scent so I am going to pack it in my carry on next time I fly

I’ve also been using an energy-saving bulb in my bedroom lamp so it isn’t as bright and feels more relaxing, I also like to have my fairy lights on my bed because they are also a nice light and make me feel calm and relaxed. So I have been making small changes and it has been helping. My husband likes to go for a walk an hour or so before bed so I might go along with him and see if that helps too.

Let me know if you have any tips for getting a good nights sleep. Or if you do any of the things I have mentioned.

This Weeks Happy #13

September 28, 2015February 24, 2018 - Vicki 1 Comment

As I’m sure most of you are aware that last week I moved house, after staying with family for a little longer than expected we found a house that we couldn’t pass up on. So we packed up all our worldly belongings, which was a lot more than I remembered because 90% of them had been in Storage for 18 months & we made our way 300 miles South. I’m excited to now call the beautiful county of Cornwall my home & although we lived here briefly in 2010 it’s nice to be back and I can’t wait to explore.

So this week I am grateful & thankful we have a beautiful home and its made me burst with happiness. I can’t wait to get cooking all the yummy food in my brand spanking new kitchen, although I have to wait over a week for my fridge to be delivered but as soon as that happens to expect to see some cooking/baking posts from me. Also, the bathroom is STUNNING and the biggest bathroom I have ever had, the shower is epic and I just want to spend many many hours relaxing in the bath which I think is big enough to swim in.

Sorr, the photos aren’t the best quality. I can’t find my camera, it’s somewhere in one of the many boxes.

The property is an old chapel & its beautiful, set in the Cornish countryside. My office has the most dreamy view, I have been wistfully looking out of the window for most of the day which means not a whole lot of work gets done.

Right back to unpacking boxes & attempting to find homes for my ridiculous makeup & skincare stash

Let me know if you’d like to see some more home / cooking / organising posts from me.

My Favourite Fig Scented Products

September 26, 2015April 24, 2017 - Vicki 6 Comments

Fig scented products have always been my favourite & I don’t think that is going to change any time soon. I thought I would share a few of my current favourite Fig products. Let me know if you have any suggestions of Figgy products for me to try. It seems so many brands are releasing fig products!

Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Ultra Nourishing Oil*

This Roger & Gallet Body Oil is incredibly nourishing and leaves your skin with a healthy glow & so hydrated but most importantly the Fig scent in this is beautiful. Its so long lasting and smells divine. It has that signature fresh Mediterranean Fig scent that I love but it has a slight sweetness to it too & I can smell it on my skin for hours. I have loved using this over the warmer months because the oil really hydrated my skin and helped it feel smooth and soft.

& Other Stories Fig Fiction

I like everything about this Fig Fiction Body Lotion, but I have to say the packaging ticks all the boxes for me. Never dismiss the importance of a pump on your body lotion – it makes applying it so much easier, less messy & hygienic. Now on to the product itself, this has a rich Summery fig scent & isn’t too overpowering. The formula is lightweight and absorbs into the skin without leaving it feeling tacky or greasy. This is my second bottle & its safe to say they last a very long time. I can’t recommend the body products from & Other Stories enough, they’re such great quality.

Malmaison Fig & Olive Shampoo & Conditioner

I love the Malmaison hotel toiletries & always take home what I don’t use, well they smell of Fig so they’re too good to leave behind. These are made for Malmaison by a brand called Anatomicals, they’re a brand who always have really fun tongue in cheek sayings on their products. I have used up a couple of these Shampoo & Conditioners, they’re not amazing but they leave my hair feeling quite hydrated and soft considering its a 2in1 product. As far as the scent goes, its a nice fresh sweet scent and I do like that it doesn’t linger on your hair. The Malmaison body oil is amazing & so refreshingly figgy!

The Body Shop Italian Summer Fig Fragrance Mist

I have tried a few of these fragrance mists and they are fantastic value for money. If you don’t like Fig then they have quite a wide variety of other scents. This Italian Summer Fig Fragrance Mist is just beautiful & I really like the bottle too it smells and looks much more expensive that it is. The Body Shop describe this range as

‘This fragrance mist subtly scents your entire body with the green freshness of grape leaf, juicy-milky fig notes and comforting woody facets.’

Its Summer in a bottle & although I will be wearing this well into Autumn it just evokes memories of warm summer holidays. I like that this is quite a feminine scent which smells deliciously sweet at first then settles down to be more woody, the beautiful juicy fig notes are always there. I found this fragrance mist lasts quite a few hours but it does need applying I have put some in my travelo so I can reapply throughout the day. I want to try more from this Italian Summer Fig Range, I bet the candle is incredible.

Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier EDP*

Fleur de Figuier has been my go to perfume over the past couple of months, its such a refreshing crisp scent and people always compliment me when I am wearing it! It has notes of

Top notes: precious essences of mandarin and pink peppers
Heart notes: fig tree leaves, juicy fig and violet wood
Base notes: white musk, candied fig and precious essence of patchouli

Some days I spray it & It smells really musky whilst other days It smells more woody. I love that its such a layered and sophisticated perfume and it lasts for hours without need to be reapplied. I’m hoping we get an Indian Summer so I can continue to wear this throughout October. Roger & Gallet products are always beautifully packaged too & this perfume looks and smells luxurious, packaged in in a glass bottle with touches of gold and purple.

Timothy Dunn Arabian Fig Candle*

I will go as far as saying this Arabian Fig candle from Timothy Dunn is the most beautifully scented Fig product I have ever owned. Its so rich and intense and even when it isn’t lit it still fills my home with the scent of Arabian Figs. It is described as:-

Presenting a complex blend of green fig leaf, basil and clove, tenderly enhanced with frankincense; this deliciously aromatic candle has a hint of wild fig and cassis, rose and jasmine, and the rich base notes of sandalwood, cedarwood and musk.

I’ve sadly burnt the last of this candle but it lasted for months (you get at least 40 hours of burn time), burning it for just an hour or two a day because the scent is that strong it will still fill your room for hours after its stopped burning. This burnt down evenly and wasn’t sooty at all, the Fig scent was luxurious and very rich. I will be treating myself to another one of these because its just such a beautiful scent. I also had to recycle the gorgeous black jar after the candle had finished because its too pretty, I’m currently using it to sore my eyeliners & mascaras!

So thats a few of my favourite Fig scented products, what scent do you love?

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

My Moving Makeup – Cornwall Edit

September 21, 2015 - Vicki 4 Comments

My Moving Makeup

If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen me mention I am moving. I am heading down to Cornwall from Merseyside & I’m so excited for a new adventure. Even though I have moved more than 20 times (I’m an Army child) it never gets easier, I’ve tried to be very organised with this move & have been packing up all my belongings over the past couple of weeks and that includes all my skincare & makeup. I wanted to share with you the makeup I have kept out to see me through the next 5 days.

Essence Plump no Clump Mascara* – Essence is one of my favourite affordable brands & I have been loving this Mascara it makes my lashes look really full and thick and its a very intense black. It doesn’t give much length but if like me you have give naturally long lashes but need help with making them look more healthy and thick then this is a wonderful mascara.

Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner -This is a very intense black felt tip eyeliner, I love how precise the nib is so you can get a very neat thin liner or build it up to be much more dramatic. This eyeliner is so easy to use and it doesn’t bleed or transfer on to my upper lid (I hate it when liner does that) & I really like to use this eyeliner to do cat flicks as its so neat & fluid.

Collection Cream Puff Lip Cream – I have the shade Cotton Candy & the colour is a pretty dusky rose pink which applies evenly and creamy on the lips. It feels moisturising & it dries to a velvet matte finish. Despite this being a matte finish it doesn’t feel drying at all & wears off the lips evenly after a few hours. Its very affordable, it smells so good and the colour is beautiful! Thats 3 reasons you should buy it, if you haven’t already.

Rimmel Glam Eyes in Brixton Brown – I love this small palette, you get 5 really wearable shades. They’re all pigmented and very easy to work with, I do really love the red toned copper colour in the centre, its gorgeous to wear it alone all over the lid. I figured these are very me shades and its a good safe bet to keep out & I can get a few eye looks using these 5 shades. I like the quality of Rimmel eyeshadows and love that their palettes are so dinky and travel friendly.

Clarins Skin Perfecting BB Cream SPF25 – This gives my skin such a even healthy look, its formula feels lightweight on the skin but still offers a good amount of coverage without feeling or looking too heavy (if that makes sense). I have been using this quite a lot over the Summer and its become a staple in my makeup routine, I also really like that it has SPF25, so you’re getting a good amount of protection too.

Seventeen Stay Time Concealer – I love this concealer & I have repurchased it three times now. It gives good coverage without being heavy or looking like you have tried to cover up imperfections. The staying power of this is up there with high end concealers. Its another product that is affordable & if you haven’t tried it already then I highly recommend picking it up.

Soap & Glory Solar Powder – This product gets a lot of love from me & I think I have used it almost daily since I bought it. It gives a natural glow & it never looks orange or muddy. I LOVE it, I have hit pan on it & the rubbish (cheap) cardboard packaging is almost ready to give up the ghost so I am in need of a new one. If you’re quite pale then this is the perfect bronzer for you. Oh & the good news is Soap & Glory have repackaged it & it now comes in more robust plastic packaging, this makes me very happy indeed.

Glo & Ray Nuage Solo Blush in Star Dust* – This is a real gem in my collection & think its just the more beautiful blush. It is a peachy pink with an iridescent finish, it adds a fresh bright colour to the cheek which lifts your whole face and makes you look healthy and glowing. It has fantastic staying power & the colour is still visible after a long day. The formula is so buttery and pigmented, there is no shimmer in it so don’t worry about looking like a disco ball. This has been a gorgeous addition to my makeup bag & I want to try more of these solo blushes as they come in a pretty range of colours.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Lip Protectant Stick – I had this in a pot last year & I much prefer it in stick form, its more hygienic and & I feel like It has lasted a lot longer too. This feels instantly hydrating and nourishing on the lips & it helps lock in moisture and keep lips looking and feeling soft and smooth. It also contains SPF15 which I really like so I know my lips are protected too.

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