What I've Been Watching and Listening To Lately

I've been making my way through my to-watch list recently and although I'm sure I'll be switching to the Christmas films soon, I'm definitely loving a few new picks and a re-watches too. 

I managed to binge watch Killing Eve in just two days and honestly I'm already thinking about re-watching it as it was just so good. It's currently on BBC iPlayer if you fancy watching it, but I must warn you that once you start you won't want to stop. Jodie Comer is absolutely brilliant in it and I really fell in love with her character. 

The first series of The Sinner has always been up there with Netflix series I tell people to watch and although the second series isn't as good in my opinion, it was still worth the watch and if you're looking for a new series then it's one to check out. 

With the news that Luther is coming back on January 1st, I've suddenly felt the urge to rewatch all the past series and all my other favourite police dramas too. I've gone back to Line of Duty for the third time and it's just so good - you get hooked and despite watching it multiple times, I always forget about the storyline. If you like Luther and LOD then you'll love Unforgotten too. I haven't watched the latest series yet, but once it goes on Netflix I can't wait to see it. 

On a lighter note, the new Joe Lycett DVD has been released and it's from the show that we went to see early in the year. It had me in tears when I saw it live, but it's certainly worth a watch if you're a fan of his other stuff. 

If you want to know what I've been listening to recently I have compiled a playlist full of the songs I've been loving and have been listening to on repeat. I'll probably add to the list as the weeks go on, but I hope you enjoy it. 

What have you been watching and listening to lately? 

A Golden Glow Makeup Look

The festive season makes me want to wear all the glitter, gold and shimmer. There's something about having a simple glimmering eye look, a dewy base and a matte red lip that gets me into the Christmas spirit. Today I wanted to share with you my favourite gold and glow top picks, some of these products will definitely make it into my festive party makeup look which will be up on my blog very soon too! 

For my base, I like to go with a brightening primer so that even if I'm wearing a heavier coverage foundation, I can still get a glowy look. The Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow* is my go-to at the moment, so it won't be surprising to see this in this round up. Another favourite I'm sure you're not going to be shocked at me featuring is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Unlocked Palette either as it's great at perking up the skin with the face powder, adding warmth my the bronzer and then a subtle, yet gorgeous glow with the highlighter. If you're looking for a budget option for the powder at least the Bourjois Java Rice Powder is great at adding a lit-from-within radiance to the skin and doesn't break the bank either. 

On the eyes, there's actually quite a few products I love and I especially like anything with glitter with. The Stila Magnificent Metals Liquid Eyeshadows* are great if you're looking to spruce up your smokey eye over Christmas and if they don't tickle your fancy, then the Pixi Liquid Fairy Lights* will as they have a great array of shades to choose from. For a more subtle look, I love the Charlotte Tilbury Jean Eyes To Mesmerise* which gives a dreamy champagne wash of colour and if I want something a little bit more on rose gold side, I love the MAC Tan Pigment. 

Adding glow to my cheeks is my favourite thing, but I've got so many to choose from it does become hard to just pick one. The Laura Mercier Face Illuminator is absolutely gorgeous and isn't too in your face when used with a light hand. If you're looking for something for intense then I'd definitely recommend the Anastasia Beverly Hills Amrezy* offering as it's one of my favourite releases of 2018. 

I've recently taken out my Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand again as the liquid formula works well to brighten up my whole complexion - it'll probably be my go to over the season! 

What are your favourite golden glow products? 

- This post contains affiliate links. If a product is marked with a * it is a PR sample. -

How I Get A Million Monthly Viewers On Pinterest

When I think about what makes up my blogging routine, Pinterest tends to get overlooked, discharged as the social media platform that's pretty to look at, but probably won't offer much in terms of blog views. After seeing blog posts from the likes of Makeup Savvy and Thirteen Thoughts, I've picked up a fair few tips and tricks over the years, changing them to suit my needs along the way too. 

Posting Twice A Day | So, my number one tip if you're looking to grow your platform is to post regularly, but not all in one go. I like to scroll through Pinterest in the morning and evening for 5-10minutes, pinning at least 10 images each time that tickle my fancy. I've found that above anything that has kept my impressions and followers ticking along nicely.  I'm not really one for scheduling my pins as I like to be in the moment, pinning photographs that appeal to me there and then, but it's definitely something to check out if you prefer to be organised.  

Don't Fret About Followers | Although in the past month I've gained a fair few followers, I'm still in the mid 3000's which isn't a lot in comparison to the amount of impressions and views I get over the month. I think it's easy to start fretting over the numbers, but I like to concentrate on average monthly engaged and activity to my blog too. These analytics can all be found if you switch over to a business account on Pinterest and it's great to check out if what you're doing is working. 

Join Sharing Boards | I joined quite a few sharing boards over the years, but it's only been recently that they've really contributed to how well each of my own photographs does. I simply share my images straight from my blog which a widget that enables you to pin my images when you hover over them (give it a try with the above image now!). This means that everybody in those sharing boards will be more likely to see it and if they like it enough they're re-pin it and share it with their followers too. 

Share Your Own Photographs | As I previously mentioned, I share my own images straight from my blog, but I also do this for any Instagram images I've only uploaded to their too. On the top right hand side of Pinterest, there's a section where you can paste a link and a select images from it to save to a variety of boards. I have a board dedicated to all of my photographs so they're kept in all place. 

One tip I've picked up is to go back to your old photographs too and re-share them every couple of months. People may not have seen it the first time around and it'll mean that you can direct people back to posts they may have forgotten about. 

Seasonal Boards | I used to be quite hesitant of making new boards around different subjects, but it keeps all your pins organised and appeals more too. I have everything from Winter to Christmas, Sweet food to savoury saved on mine and not only do I feel like it offers more in terms of what Pinterest actually has to offer, but it made it easier for people to find my pins too. 

What are your top Pinterest tips? 

Why I'll Never Have A Best Friend

Earlier this year I started up my friendship series, sharing the highs and lows of my mission to make friends in 2018. I've wanted to add to it for a while and this title had been floating around my head for a while. Why I'll Never Have a Best Friend. 

For me, 'best friend' always sounds like such a juvenile thing to say, but I think that's because I always relate it to having that one friend you'd go to and eye up from across the room when you're interested to partner up in class. When I was younger I never had that, even back then, I just used to float and when I got into my late teens, it was the same. As an adult I quickly realised that the term 'best friend' can relate to a variety of different things including who's going to be your maid of honour at your wedding, even a bridesmaid and the person you go to when you need a gossip or just a chat. I don't have that.

If I'm honest my best friend is Tom, but that's a different kind of friendship to the one I've longed for. I can't say that I wouldn't love to have somebody who I could call my BFF4LYF, but as I'm now in my early twenties there isn't many scenarios in which I can meet somebody and have that connection with. I haven't got any friends from school I'm still in contact with, those who I am friends with already have their own established relationships and honestly sometimes I have a little panic that I never will. 

There's reasons why I struggle to maintain friends and if I'm honest it's probably because I have my expectations too high. I love the idea of clothes shopping, going for lunches and doing all the times that you see in those teen flicks we all know and love, but that stuff just doesn't happen - something I've really learnt over the last 12 months. People aren't always going to be your cup of tea and unlike in school when you had no other option but to see them for 8 hours a day, most of the time you can step away and I don't necessarily think that's always a good thing. I'll be the first to put my hands up and say I've given up on a friendship too quickly in the past because of one tiny thing that irked me, but I think it's all a learning curve to find out the perfect balance for you. 

This post seems to be made up of just lots of rambles, but I want it to be a comfort to anybody who struggles to make friends especially to those who really want to. Although I worry often that I'm never going to be able to make up a hen party big enough or have that friend I can talk to on the phone for hours, I'm pretty happy with the friendships I have and where they're going. Time will tell! 

Have you ever struggled to make friends? Can you relate to this post?

Outfit Details 

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Festive Party Prep

Christmas party season is upon us and I don't know about you, but my legs that haven't seen the sun for a few months and my chipped nails need a little extra TLC to get ready. There's something about prepping, polishing and preening the body for a party that just gets me very excited and makes me want to slip on my dress ASAP. 

First up is the body scrubs and I tend to reach for an array of them at this time of the year to get rid of all the dry patches my body has accumulated being wrapped up in several layers. The SBC Cinnamon and Chai Body Polish* is very fitting for the festive season as it smells incredible and the Herbivore Coco Rose Scrub feels extremely luxurious too with it's rose scent and nourishing formula. 

After scrubbing my body from head to toe, I like to go in with a fake tan and my go-to at the moment is the Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam* which I opened early (oops!) from the Latest in Beauty Advent Calendar*. Another addition to my routine is the Maui Shea Butter Hair Mask* which is a rich, luxe mask that makes my locks feel more hydrated and look smoother post-styling. 

I tend to also go for a shower oil when shaving as I get a closer shave whilst hydrating my pins too. The L'Occitane Almond Oil is a long time favourite of mine as it smells delicious (all of their products are beautiful to look at too!), but the Sol De Janeiro Brazilian 4 Play Shower Cream-Gel is a new addition to my shower routine and one that I can't get enough of. It smells absolutely amazing and lingers on the body for hours, perfect if you're going in with their famous Bum Bum Cream afterwards (very recommend!). I got both of these in a miniature set, but will be investing in the full sized versions when I can. 

Another dreamy scented product is the Laura Mercier Creme Brûlée Body Cream which to me reminds me of Christmas every time I use it. It's a regular in my body care routine and one that smells good enough to eat - I'd definitely recommend doubling up with the Laura Mercier Creme Brûlée Honey Bath if you're feeling like adding even more luxe! 

What products do you use when you're prepping for a party? 

- This post contains affiliate links. If a product is marked with a * it is a PR sample. -  

2018 Top Beauty Releases

There's been so many amazing brand and product releases over 2018 that I wanted to dedicate a whole blog post to my top picks and reminisce about all of the products I've used over the past eleven months. I originally was just going to write about all my favourites in one go, but I then decided that I would force my indecisive self to pick one ultimate favourite from each category - wish me luck! Grab yourself a cup of tea and some snacks because you're in for the long haul. 

Face Primer • We're off to a great start as this was a super easy category to choose as there was only one notable primer release this year and that was the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter* which was released back in February. This glow inducing products tackles my lacklustre complexion and smooths too. 

Concealer • I had to skip the foundation category as there wasn't a 2018 foundation that I actually tried as I just kept to my old favourites or tried out offerings from years before. For concealers however there were plenty to choose from. The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away*, Nars Soft Matte Concealer and the Huda Beauty Overachiever* were all in the running as I use these a lot, however it was the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer that came out on top as it's such a great all rounder that covers redness and any blemishes I have with just a sweep of the doe foot applicator. 

Powder • The Huda Beauty Easy Bake Powder* is hands down my favourite powder release of 2018 and it's been one I found in the Autumn of this year. It's great at brightening the undereye if you've got a colour slightly lighter than your skin tone and it mattifies the skin without looking too cakey. 

Bronzer, Blusher + Highlighter • There we no new bronzers for me this year, but the Benefit Gold Rush Blusher* was a gorgeous coral addition to my routine especially during the Spring months. For highlighter, it's the Anastasia Beverly Hills Amrezy* pick that was released back in February that I continue to love and I'm very happy they chose to keep it on. 

Face Palette • Although the winner of this category is one of the newest additions to my makeup collection, it's one that is noteworthy. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Unlocked Palette is so dreamy and offers a lot to your makeup bag too. Of course the Pixi Pretties* have to get a mention too as they were a Spring favourite of mine. 

Eyeshadow Palette • Honestly this is the hardest category as 2018 you done me proud with your eyeshadow releases. The Urban Decay Cherry Palette* has been create for creating warm toned smokey eye looks, but the ABH Soft Glam* just gets it for how much use I've got out of it in the last eight months. 

Eyeliner + Mascara • A surprise favourite of mine this year was the Pixi Lash Line Eyeliner* from the Weylie Hoang Duo* which got me through the warmer months with zero panda eyes. Between Urban Decay, Nars and Benefit, the mascaras in the running for my top pick were of the highest quality and honestly they're all ones that you should check out. Of course I had to stick to my word and pick one so I went for the latter, the BadGal Bang*, a mascara I wrote about for Debenhams back in February that I've recommended to so many people since as it's so amazing for creating long lasting, volumised lashes. 

Lipstick • I had to go with the release that stuck in my mind for this one and it's the Charlotte Tilbury Your Lip Service Trio*. These three lipsticks are made up of a vivid pink, a classic red and a nourishing nude. It's the latter, The Duchess, that I'd probably pick as my favourite as it is one that I've loved wearing on a day to day basis. 

Cleanser • Although not a new release per se, Kate Somerville, Glow Recipe and Drunk Elephant were three new brands to the UK now readily available. The KS ExfoliKate Cleanser* is great for making my skin for super clean and soft too. 

Moisturiser • I've been using lots of moisturisers this year, but there isn't many that were actually released in 2018, so I opted for the Drunk Elephant Lala Retro* which as I said was new to the UK this year. It's thick, it's luxe and it does an amazing job at nourishing the skin super quickly. 

Face Mask • Last up is the face mask category and I've gone with the Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask* which smells good enough to eat and was great throughout the year for creating a plump, healthy looking complexion. 

Here are some other notable releases of 2018: 

What were your favourite releases of 2018?

- If a product is marked with a * it is a PR sample. This post contains affiliate links. - 

What's On My Christmas Wishlist

I always feel funny doing Christmas wishlist posts as I never expect to get anything on it and it's more of "dream wishlist/what wish I could treat myself to" list really. I wasn't planning on doing one this year, but I just had to after spotting some amazing pieces around at the moment that I couldn't wait to share it with you too. 

A candle always sneaks it way onto my Christmas wishlist and this time it's the Hopscotch Fig and Melon that's my favourite. I'm being coveting this since before the Summer when I sniffed it in a local shop and honestly I can't believe I don't own it yet. Another yearly favourite of mine is a Rifle Paper Co calendar and planner, this is my favourite 2019 Diary I've seen as it's just so adorable and I think I'll pick up this unique Lemon offering.  

For the home, I love receiving diffusers and the Oliver Bonas Freesia and Violet pick not only sounds like it'll smell divine, but it looks like it'll match my interior too! Perfect as it means I can top it up once finished too. 

Of course a designer handbag is a huge investment, but it doesn't stop me looking and dreaming every Christmas (lottery win anybody?!). The YSL Sulpice Matelassé Monogram Bag is the newest addition to my wishlist - just look at it! The Gucci GG Marmont Mini Quilted Leather Crossbody Bag has been on my wishlist for years now and it's my dream to own one someday. 

Missoma is one of my favourite jewellery brands and I love receiving anything from them around the festive period. I've got the Celestial Earrings on my wishlist at the moment as they're just too gorgeous and would go with so many outfits, but of course all of their necklaces are stunning too, the Gold Roman Arc Coin offering is something I'd love to own one day. The Astrid and Miyu Mystic Ear Cuff is so pretty too, in fact all of their earrings especially the huggies are worth checking out. 

What's on your Christmas list this year? 

- This post contains affiliate links - 

5 Things I've Added To My December To-Do List

I only realised yesterday that I never turned over the page in my calendar to November, so  that's how this month has been. Super quick, very busy and over in a flash! I want December to go by much slower, so that I can enjoy everything I love about the festive season. The twinkling lights, hot mulled wine and getting together a little more often. Here are five things I've added to my December to-do list. 

Put Up Our Tree | Over this weekend I want to find time to put our tree up. I never like to leave it too late as I like to make the most of it and I can't wait to get decorating. We're looking at picking up our annual Christmas decoration - I'm thinking a ring as a celebration of us getting engaged this year. 

Plan our January Getaway | We've just booked to go away to Prague in January and I'm so excited. I love getting to do city breaks and although it's tempting to book another one (I'm thinking Wroclaw or Riga next), I want to make the most of this trip first. I've turned to Pinterest to pin some gorgeous images of Prague and make a list of the places we want to go whilst we're there. 

Make The Most of The Festivities | Although I sometimes find December a tad overwhelming with Christmas around the corner, several birthdays and parties to go to. I want to make the most of it this year by saying yes to a lot (without getting too overwhelmed) and explore what's going on locally too. I missed going to a firework display this year, so I'm even more determined to go and do ice skating, Christmas drinks and our trip to London later the month too. 

Enjoy Our Weekend Away in London | We go away for the a couple of days to London just before Christmas and it was a way for us to feel festive. Every year I tend to prioritise other things right until the last minute of the festive season so this year I wanted to make sure I had time put aside to stay away for the night, visit the Christmas markets and eat all the food (and mulled wine!). 

Start My Christmas Shopping | I've actually got ideas for everybody this year and I'm taking the more relaxed approached to my Christmas shopping as I tend to get quite stressed out, so it takes the joy out the whole experience. I haven't started as early, but I'm hoping to do it over a space of a couple of days so it's all done and dusted before the big day. 

What's on your December to-do list?