Friday 29 May 2020

New Summer Beauty Releases

Glossier Cloud Paints and Balm Dot Com in Diptyque Candle
- All links in this post are affiliate links. For more info head to my disclaimer. -

Although there hasn't been many new beauty releases over the last couple of months, I've been saving up my favourites to share with you nevertheless. If you're looking to treat yourself or you just want to have a nosy at what has come out, then look no further. 

First up I have to mention the new Boots Glow skincare range that I spotted when scouring their website and I've atomically added a few of their products to my wishlist. Everything is £4, so super affordable and they have everything from a Glow Tonic to a Cleansing Oil. I definitely think they'd be worth checking out. 

There's lots of new blushers, highlighters and bronzing out recently and I love that most of them are accommodating for the Spring and Summer season. Estee Lauder comes out with their Bronze Goddess Highlighting Powder every year and although I don't like the packaging as much as I did last year, I have been lusting after it for the longest time as it looks like the dreamiest glow. If I don't treat myself to one of those, I have been tempted to pick up the new Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder Duo as it looks super handy to have in your makeup bag and the blusher tone looks gorgeous for Summer. 

Moving onto skincare, I've made my way through my collection over the last couple of months, so I've allowed myself to take a peek at the new in sections. Glow Recipe has got lots of new exciting products like the Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask and Banana Souffle Moisture Cream which I think both would smell like a delicious fruit salad. 

Below are a selection of products that I've been looking at: 
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Thursday 28 May 2020

Spring Makeup Favourites

Spring Makeup 2020
- If a product is marked with a * it is a PR sample, but it was sent under no obligation to review. All links in this post are affiliate links. -

I can't believe it's almost Summer, it feels like we missed Spring entirely. That being said, I have still been wearing my favourite makeup products to create a glow inducing base with a fresh pop of colour on the cheeks, so I thought I'd share with you what's in my makeup bag at the moment. 

SPF is essential all year round, but I feel like people focus upon it more in the sunnier months. I use the Glossier Invisible Shield (use this code for 10% off your first order!) as it's a trusted favourite that I know won't break me out. I usually struggle with SPF's as it can make the rest of my makeup cakey or cause spots, so once I find one I like, I tend to stick with it. 

I have two options for my base, one being Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter* paired with the Nars Soft Matte Concealer* to create a simple, glowing offering and then the other option is to put the NYX Bare With Me Tinted Veil on top if I want added coverage. I prefer to use a pot concealer with the CT base as I find warming it up in-between your fingers creates a smoother, natural looking finish. 

Cream blushers are a favourite of mine when the weather gets warmer and it wouldn't be Spring without getting my Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge out. It's great for adding to natural makeup for a pop of colour, but if I want something that'll work well with a high coverage foundation, I choose the Glossier Cloud Paints. They can be easily applied with your fingers, building it up for a stronger look or sheered out when you want something a little understated. 

Although it feels like yesterday since I cleared out my beauty drawers, it was actually two months ago! During that clear out, I stumbled across the NYX Liquid Illuminator which I used to use all the time and now it's firmly in my everyday makeup bag. Although it's not as long lasting as it's high end competitors, I really like it when I want to add a glow to the tops of my cheeks. 

On my lips, I would usually wear something like the Charlotte Tilbury The Queen Lipstick* for the evenings when I go out, but obviously that isn't happening right now, so I've been keeping it simple. The Glossier Birthday Balm is an everyday favourite, but I really enjoy using the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments* for when I want to add subtle colour that can be topped up throughout the day. 

What's your favourite Spring makeup products? 


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Sunday 24 May 2020

A Full Houseplant Tour

Satin Pothos Devils Ivy and Watermelon Peperomia
Jade Plant String of Hearts and Variegated Rubber Plant
Living Room Pinterest Decor Houseplants
A few weeks ago, I shared a snippet of my houseplant collection and got an overwhelming amount of messages asking for a full blog post on them. I definitely want to do more houseplant focused round ups including my top tips as well as sharing my favourites as I think it'd be very informative to those wanting to own more and knowing which ones are the best to get. You may need to grab yourself some snacks as this is a super long post, but it's worth it - I promise! 

In my living room, we have my Monstera Deliciosa or as it's commonly known, the Swiss cheese plant. It sits in it's nursery pot inside a rattan basket which is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. As my living room is super long, this particular spot relies heavily on the sun it gets from my kitchen window. That being said, this plant has thrived here, surviving a fire in my home last Summer and being forgotten about a couple of times watering wise. 

The other plant that lives in this section of my living room is my Devil's Ivy also known as a golden pothos. As people said it was super easy to care for and almost impossible to kill, I knew that I had to have it and I hope that it grows thick, luscious vines that can start trialling around my home. At the moment I'd have to say it's in my top three favourite plants as I've loved watching it grow and get new leaves each week! 

I've got some new plans for a corner in my house to be filled with plants, a new shelf and a reading nook, but whilst I wait to collect all the items I need for that, I've been putting together a list of houseplants I want to fill the spot. The Watermelon Peperomia was high up on the list and when I saw it'd come back in stock, I snapped it up. It's one that I would recommend not buying online however, as mine and I've heard others, often come a little damaged, so if you like a look of this dreamy plant then I'd recommend waiting to scour your local garden centre. 
Book shelf houseplants crosley radio player
Kitchen Kilner jar organiser  spider plant
hoya carnosa compact print gallery wall
Another plant I picked up ready for that corner of my living room was the Satin Pothos. Currently it's trialling down from my book shelf which I have to admit I really like and it seems to enjoy the light there too. When I got it, I didn't realise how much I'd love that it was already in full size and it's made me lust after more plants of this size so I can drape them in my bedroom and low light corners too! 

Hanging up over my sofa, I have the Hoya Carnosa Compacta which is one of the most interesting plants I've ever owned. It's so perfect looking that it looks fake as each leaf is thick and rubber-like. It's a slow grower, so if you want a houseplant that gives out lots of new growth regularly then this plant won't be for you. It's pretty low maintenance, but I'd say you just need to keep an eye on the top of the plant as it's known to get a little thin if it's not been given enough light there. 

The only plant I have in my bathroom right now is the Boston Fern, a temperamental houseplant that I would only recommend to those who have the patience and experience. It likes to be kept in a humid environment and if you want to keep it alive, it needs to be kept thoroughly watered. I was having a fair few problems with it, but as the weather has got warmer and we're taking more showers, it's started to look bushy and happy again which is great to see. 
ikea full length mirror urban outfitters home decor and houseplants
string of hearts houseplant
In my bedroom, I have a fair few plants in there, the Jade Plant sits on my shelf with my String of Hearts and they both seem to enjoy their spots. The Jade Plant is pretty simple to look after, it likes it's soil dry and it grows at a minimal rate, so you know it won't outgrow a spot in rapid time. The String of Hearts is a lot faster growing, but as it trials down and doesn't take up too much space, it can be moved around the home with ease. It's one of my favourites and I definitely think I could easily own more than one of these. 

It's only been recently that I found a permanent spot for my Heart Leaf Philodendron as it's finally hanging in my macrame planter. Since it's been there it's a lot more happier and has started creating new leaves and vines, so I reckon this will be a lot bigger plant by the end of Summer. 

I've had lots of plants in my gold standing planter over the years and a lot of them have gone to plant heaven. The Variegated Rubber Plant has stuck around the longest and I think it's because it likes the conditions, however it's not thriving as it has not shown any growth, so much so that I had to double check I hadn't unknowingly got a fake plant. I'll be looking for a new place to put it in the upcoming months and maybe a replacement in that spot too! 

I'm currently hanging my Chinese Money Plant up in a Sass and Belle Planter and despite being worried that the twine won't hold the weight, I'm absolutely obsessed with the way it looks. It's another plant that I would happily own multiples of as I find the disc shaped leaves striking and it gives me out a couple new leaves every week at the moment - incredible! 
chinese money plant in sass and belle planterbedroom polka dot bedding pinterest
Moving onto the kitchen and I have several plants that currently live here. I keep my basil, coriander and sunflower on my ledge as it's always super sunny, so I find this promotes the most growth. In the corner of my kitchen, I keep my propagation station there, but it's on my shelves with my Kilner storage and spice jars that is where the magic happens. The Spider Plant lives amongst my flour and sugar as it always brightens up my mornings seeing it; I can't wait for it to eventually grow babies which I know will be a few more years to come. 

I wasn't planning on getting the Mistletoe Cactus, but when I saw it I couldn't leave the shop without it. It's only been a little while since I got it, but so far it's liking the sunny corner that I've sat it in. It'd be a great plant for those of you who like low maintenance plants, but want something a little more unique to look at than your standard cactus. 

The Snake Plant has gone in and out of my wishlist for some time, but I stumbled across this beast for a good price and I couldn't say no. It's great for low light places in your house and it's pretty good if you forget to water your plants. In terms of watching it grow, you won't see lots of change in this plant for some time as it's a slow grower. 

Another plant I swore I wouldn't get was the Alocasia Polly as I've never really liked the way it looked online and felt like it didn't have a place in my home, however once I saw it in person, I snapped it up. I got it for just over £7 which was a steal and so far so good as I've been keeping it in a place with dappled light and making sure I don't overwater it. 

If there's one plant I regret buying it's the Florida Cactus also known as a Fairytale Cactus as I just feel like I don't get on with cacti and succulents as well as the more leafy, fast growing plants like pothos'. It's quite a full plant, so I feel even more anxious watering it than I would a normal cactus. 

What houseplants do you own? What are your favourites? 
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Thursday 21 May 2020

Summer Transitional High Street Wishlist

- All links in this post are affiliate links. For more info head to my disclaimer. - 

This week's hot weather has made me want to update my wardrobe and scour my favourite sites for some new pieces. There's lots of amazing items to choose from, but I know that it can be a little overwhelming to look through every site's new-in section, so I've put together a selection of my favourites. 

It feels like sunflower prints are super popular at the moment and I recently treated myself to this Button Front Midi Skirt as it was too pretty to miss and it's got my wanting to make it into a co-ord with this Viscose Strappy Top

Summer always calls for floaty dresses and I've been looking at midi and maxi options, but as I'm rather short, I find that they can swamp me. This ASOS Textured Lilac option is high up on my wishlist as well as this Blue Ditsy Smock Dress which is equally as dreamy. 

I'm loving anything with tie details, whether it's at the back or on the shoulder. This Reclaimed Vintage Yellow Check Dress is absolutely gorgeous and I can see myself drinking pimms and having a picnic in the garden in it. I equally I love this ASOS Shirred Waist Jumpsuit which I think is a super slouchy and comfy looking outfit! 
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Tuesday 19 May 2020

The Easiest Baguette Recipe

I've been well and truly inspired by Tik Tok once again (I know!) and yesterday I whipped up these baguettes to have for our fondue night and our lunches throughout the week. Despite thinking that crusty baguettes would be hard to make, I cracked on with it anyway and I was pleasantly surprised at the results! At first I used too much liquid and had to restart the process, but once I had the dough the right consistently, all I had to rely on was my patience. I incorporated Baking A Moment and  Paul Hollywood's recipe, but changed it up a bit to create baguettes that I think would rival his! 

Ingredients (Makes 4) - 

325ml water 
450g Strong Bread Flour
1.5tsp Yeast 
A healthy dose of salt

Method - 

Place 50ml of the water in a bowl with the yeast and wait for it to fully dissolve. 

Whilst waiting, mix the flour and salt in a separate bowl. Make a well in the middle, slowly pour in the yeast mixture and stir. 

Stir in the cold water and continue until it forms a sticky dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rise for 40 minutes. 

Once the 40 minutes are up, tip out the dough onto a floured surface and shape the dough into a rectangle. Fold into thirds, turn 90 degrees and repeat on each side. 

Place the dough back into the original bowl, cover with a damp cloth and set aside to double in size for 1 hour 30 minutes. 

Once doubled in size, split the dough into four. Roll each section until they're 12 inch long. Place all four on a tea towel dusted with flour and leave for another 45 minutes. 

Pre-heat the oven to 230 degrees. Place a baking tray or dish of water at the bottom of the oven as this will produce steam - a tip I got from the original recipe! 

Put the four baguettes on a oiled baking tray. Slash the tops on the then several times, lightly dust with flour and cover a little with olive oil. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until lightly brown. 

Take out the oven, leave to cool and then enjoy! 
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Wednesday 13 May 2020

Styling A Coffee Table For Spring

Styling A Coffee Table
- All links in this post are affiliate links. For more head to my disclaimer. - 

Throughout Winter, I styled my coffee table with a round piece of wood, a trinket dish and  a couple of faux tree accents and although I loved it, it didn't feel like it fit with my new Spring home decor. I decided to switch it up, putting away the wooden tray until the Autumn and instead replacing it with this rattan offering that I found whilst scouring the internet. Today I thought I'd share with you how I prefer to style my coffee table, as well as sharing with you some of my future interior plans for the rest of the season and into Summer. 

I knew that I wanted to add difference accessories, so I started with the big agate bookend that I've had not doing much on my bookshelves. This paired with my rose quartz creates a dreamy pairing as the green and pink compliment each other. I then tend to dot my trinkets around if I need somewhere to store lighters for my candles or hair clips that I've taken out. 

Candles are a must for me, but when the days start to get warmer I tend to forget about them. As I've been enjoying cosy evenings more, I like having one to hand so that I can light them when I please. I've been swapping it out during the day time however for my reed diffuser which fills the room with a delicious geranium, cedar wood and eucalyptus scent. 

One element of Spring I always look forward to is that I can have an excuse to have fresh flowers dotted around the house and my coffee table is always main priority as it's one of the first things you see when you come into my home. I have a chunky Kilner jar that I like to use, but sometimes I opt for a slimmer vase and prop it up on a book for height. 

Now onto the new home decor plans that I wanted to talk about and it's all about a corner of the room that you've probably never seen before. It's by my big open window which is where I take my flatlays and blog beauty photographs so even though I need to keep half of the space free, I thought I'd dress up the other half to look cosy and cute. 

I'm going to be putting a miniature step ladder then to place a handful of houseplants and a Himalayan Salt Lamp on there to create soft, warm lighting. The houseplants that I've been eyeing up are the Syngonium Arrow and Monstera Adansonii. Above it I would like a statement shelf with trinkets on, then to the right I'm going to go a hanging macrame planter. On the floor I want a rattan footstool even though a floor cushion or this Shearling Boo Cushion is my dream option. 

Have you got any interior plans coming up? 
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Tuesday 12 May 2020

5 Things I've Achieved In Lockdown

I've taken a little time away from posting on the blog, so I can replenish my post ideas and plan a few exciting ones to come. Today I thought I'd look back on what I've learnt throughout lockdown as I've been trying to keep busy where I can. That being said, it's totally okay if the only new thing you've achieved is watching that ten series box set like myself, it's perfectly okay to not feel productive or motivated during this uncertain time. 

Learnt More About Houseplants | At the start of lockdown, I treated myself to some new houseplants and took it upon myself to learn more about them all. I'd already had a little collection, but with it ever-growing, I knew that I needed to know more about what type of plants like what sunlight and how often they need watering/fertilising. I feel like I've got my routine down for the 12+ plants I own now, so now I'm starting to look at picking up a few more. 

Explored More Hair Braid Styles | Last Summer, I gave myself the task of learning how to french braid my hair after years of begging other people to do it for me and I surprised myself with how fast I picked it up. I thought now was the perfect time to turn my hand to a few hair styles I'd seen on Pinterest and get practising. I love the hair up, hair down do I did last week where I paired it with baby's breath for a dreamy look!  

I Set Up A Tik Tok | Who would have thought I'd be setting up a Tik Tok during lockdown, but here we are. Even though I'm not sure I'll be doing dances on there anytime soon, I've loved using it as an extension of my blog and Instagram, sharing daily cosy videos, home decor and recipe posts too. I was surprised how quickly my videos have got traction and just how many followers I've gained in the last couple of weeks, you can follow "Pint Sized Beauty" on there now! 

Started Baking Bread | I think everybody has been baking banana bread and sourdough over the last six weeks and I've loved seeing it. I've always turned to baking when I'm feeling stressed, so instead of just sticking to the classics and sweet desserts, I challenged myself to bake some bread for the first time in years. I'm now obsessed and I've loved sharing my loafs to have throughout the week. 

Practised Nail Art | I'm not going to pretend and say my nails have always been in tip-top condition, as a teenager I relied heavily on fake nails and in my early 20's I've just been mostly a 2 layers and go type of girl. Pinterest definitely heavily influenced as I've been practising my galaxy nail design and geometric prints. 


Have you learnt anything during lockdown? 
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Saturday 2 May 2020

Finding The Perfect Prints For Your Home

 - This post is a paid collaboration with Desenio, but all thoughts are my own. -

Now that Spring has rolled around, it's the perfect time to refresh my home and Spring clean in the process. Alongside rearranging my home decor and adding house plants in sparse places, I've also been updating my prints especially the print walls in my bedroom and living room. Desenio once again came to the rescue and although it was a task to narrow down the ones I wanted to add, I just can't wait to share what I picked up with you. 

I shared a snippet of one of the corners in my living room and I couldn't believe how many people messaged about this Orange Illustration Poster. I got in the biggest 50x70cm size and it's a statement in my home that I didn't think I needed. It adds a pop of colour to a usually quite dark area and it also fills a space that I've been meaning to fill for a while. Next to it, I have placed the Be Kind Poster in the 21x30cm size which contrasts the other one perfectly and I love the ombre text effect too. One of the best things about shopping with Desenio is that you can easily pick a frame in the colour, style and size you want when you're shopping for prints, so you can get them up on the wall in no time! 
Moving onto the gallery wall and although I decided to keep two prints the same as I just love the Monstera Three and Pink Sky Poster due to the gold, pink and green details, I thought that it needed a spruce up anyway. As soon as I saw the Vintage Flowers Two Poster I knew I had to have it as it's just so dreamy to miss and then I spotted the Vintage Print Collection No6 Poster and knew that they'd be the perfect duo for my wall. The latter is great as it's in landscape and the 30x40cm size fits the space just right. 

If you're unsure on what your gallery wall will look like or if your prints would match, I can recommend using their gallery wall tool which is super easy and effective to use, so you can create a variety of versions before you decide on the final pieces. 

I've clearly got a thing for fruit at the moment as when I saw the Sunkissed Peaches Poster my eyes lit up and I knew exactly where I wanted it to go. It adds muted greens and pinks to my living room which compliments the other prints on the wall, whilst still giving me room to update it in the future. Then to finish off, I replace my two smallest prints with the Boob Drawing and the Cactus Corner which I both got in 13x18cm, so they're small and adorable.  
Aside from the orange print I mentioned early, the Three Leopards Poster that I've put in my bedroom is definitely a favourite of mine too. The pink adds a pop of colour whilst the leopards add a nice texture and pattern to a rather plain area. 

Upstairs I knew I wanted to incorporate from colour into my gallery wall, removing monochrome and replacing it with pink and beige tones. The first print I picked out was the Abstract Terracotta which has a variety of pink and gold accents that compliment the other Shapes and Faces Print I choose too. Although I've got my eye on another print, I thought that I'd x up the colour by adding the Lunar Hands which is mostly white and gold and still incorporates the moon phases that I love. 

What do you think of the Desenio prints I picked? 
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Friday 1 May 2020

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

May To Do List
- All links in this post are affiliate links. For more info head to my disclaimer. -

April can only be described as strange and it's looking like May will be up in the air too. I've been trying to make the most of the extra time I have at home to bake regularly, take days slowly and read more too. Although I'm not adding anything adventurous to this months to-do list, I've still got a handful of goals I want to achieve this May. 

Keep On Being Active Daily | Before lockdown, I was always active, getting out on my bike several times a week for a couple of hours at a time. I wanted to keep this sort of activity up, so I've been taking walks when I can as well as exercising at home with HIIT workouts, yoga and weights too. This has really helped my mind set at times and I want to make sure it continues into May. 

Spring Clean My Home | I did a first round of thorough Spring cleaning a few weeks back, but I feel like I want to do a second one soon to make sure everything is in an efficient place. There's a certain corner in my home that I'm looking to update and add some new pieces to once we're out of lockdown, so I want to make sure I have what I want for that area planned out in my head. 

Bake More Bread | I baked a loaf of bread the other day after finally getting my hands on some yeast and I can't believe how amazing it tasted. I can't wait to give more types of bread a go, I might even try bagels...or finally sourdough! 

Add To My Plant Collection | I've been slowly adding to my houseplant collection and despite thinking other people would find it boring if I shared my favourites, it was in fact the opposite. I've really taken the time to learn more about caring for houseplants and making them thrive, so I would love to add a few more houseplants that are on my wishlist to my home. 

Sort Out My Summer Wardrobe | Although the warm weather has left us for a little while, as they say, April showers bring May flowers, so I'm hoping the sunshine will come back soon. With extra time on my hands, I'm hoping to clear out my wardrobe from pieces that no longer fit me or that look worse for wear. I've got a wishlist as long as my arm that I'm hoping will replace some of the items I'm planning to sell. 

What's on your May to-do list? 
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