Category: Fashion/Beauty

This summer is a bit of a funny one isn’t it? We’ve all been on lockdown in our homes and gardens and haven’t really been able to venture out too far, and it seems like most summer holidays have been postponed until next summer. With that i’ve been a bit in limbo about whether to buy anything new without that excitement of ‘going away’ and therefore justifying making a purchase! There’s also a part of me that has embraced this slower way of living and become more aware of the effect of things like fast fashion on the planet and wants to go forward being a bit more considered when it comes to buying new things.

At home i’ve been mostly getting up and dressed and doing my make-up as I find it makes me feel more put together and ready for the day, and like things are normal I suppose. Usually jeans and a t-shirt is my mum uniform and when the weather has been sunny, either a t-shirt and culottes or an easy throw-over dress for playing in the garden. Instead of buying anything specifically ‘summer’ I have invested in a few key pieces which will actually see me through most seasons. it’s a good start to become a bit more sustainable in my clothes shopping to make it a permanent change.

Here are the pieces I have bought during lockdown:

That H&M tee: I’ve seen this t-shirt on so many people via Instagram, especially the WeAreTwinset ladies, it’s a lovely thick cotton t-shirt that will become a wardrobe staple. I bought a S for tucking into jeans and a M for wearing with joggers on lazy days and I bought the sage (my new colour obsession) and grey colours. At £8.99 it was a real bargain as I find good quality t-shirts that have the perfect fit hard to come by.

Veja Esplar 3 Lock Trainers: I’ve had my eye on these trainers for a while, I was drawn to the velcro fastening as I find when I have to get out the door for the pre-school run, I can’t be faffing around with laces. I went for classic white with black hoping to wear them with dresses in the summer and jeans in the colder months. I’m annoyingly a half size which Veja don’t come in, so I sized up and am going to add an insole. I’m hoping they’re comfortable after the hefty investment.

H&M Mom High Ankle Jean: I’ve usually steered away from high waisted jeans for fear they made my hips look huge but I decided to embrace this pair as they’re not as fitted as some which I hope will even out my features. They’ve sold out of my black ones but i’ve linked the style. I find black jeans such a wardrobe staple and these are so comfortable, I instantly loved them as soon as I tried them on. I’ll wear them with tucked in t-shirts or blouses in the summer and a lovely big cashmere crew neck for winter.

Taupe Suede Arizona Birkenstock: I’ve had my eye on this fabric and colourway of the Arizona for a while now having bought the black leather about 7 years ago. They’re such a neutral shoe that will go with anything and the soft suede upper meant they were a lot easier to wear in than my black ones. I love birkenstocks with jeans or dresses in summer and when worn with jeans and cashmere socks when it starts to get a bit colder. I think i’ll be wearing this pair for years to come.

Beauty Pie Smart Powder Blush in Peachy Dreams: It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Beauty Pie having become a member a couple of years ago. Their skincare is amazing but I thought i’d update my blusher to make it feel a bit more summery and this coral does the trick. It glides on so nicely and really perks up my cheeks making me look like i’ve been away for a few days when really i’ve just been hanging at home!

I don’t know if its because we haven’t been physically able to go to a hairdresser since lockdown, but I feel more than ever that I want to do something a bit more drastic than usual when I can finally sit in the hairdressers chair. I had an appointment booked for just before Easter which obviously got cancelled, and while i’m desperate to get my usual free lights re-done, i’m also toying with the idea of having a fringe cut in, or going for a really choppy bob again (I had this last time but it has completely grown out!)

I’ve spent all of my life until I was about 10 with a fringe, which I then grew out when I went to senior school and have dabbled with it a few times since, most usually growing it straight out again, which is such a looooong process. But I think I’ve been inspired by Daisy Edgar Jones when watching Normal People and I quite like the idea of having one again.

My hair isn’t naturally straight, more of a frizz curl that I tame with my trusty hairdryer and GHDs but I find with a fringe it takes a few minutes to tame it and then you’re good to go, although humidity and rain are definitely my hair nemesis. I think fringes look so nice when hair is up in a ponytail too, as it helps to frame the face. The bonus of a fringe is that it will hide when I’ve been slack with my brow upkeep too!

I’m still undecided what i’ll do in a few weeks time when hairdressers and beauty salons will (hopefully) be able to open their doors again, but in the meantime I keep adding images to my Pinterest board for inspiration. Here’s a few I’m pinning right now:

I read somewhere that in times of crisis, when people are watching their spending a bit more such as now, then sales of items such as lipstick rise. People can’t justify spending their hard-earned cash on big ticket items but can justify spending a little on a small item that will bring them instant uplift and joy, and lipstick does just that.

For a long time I felt self-conscious when wearing a strong lip, but inspired by many of my girlfriends who pulled it off with ease, and working on so many lipstick stories while I was a journalist I felt I had the know-how to prep the lips and give my face the right base make-up to wear a strong lip, I just needed to add a touch of confidence.

It took a while to find my go-to, after testing many and I realised my colourings suited more of a reddy/orange than a red with blue tones and I also preferred matte formulas. After reading about Laura Bailey’s description of ‘Tell Laura’ by Charlotte Tilbury in an issue of Grazia magazine I felt like this could be my shade too, not least because I’m also a Laura! I asked for it for my birthday and have been wearing it ever since.

I love how a strong lip can divert from tired eyes, uplift an otherwise monochrome outfit or add that extra colour pop. The trick is to prep the lips by brushing a toothbrush over them first to remove dead skin then add a balm. Apply the first coat and blot on a tissue, then a second and repeat before a third and final layer and blot. I find this process helps the colour to stay put all day.

I’m also a big fan of this dark coral pink shade called Apple Bottom from Beauty Pie and decided to dip into a more nude tone for an everyday lipstick to help me feel a bit more pulled together during lockdown. I went for Futurelipstick in Semisweet (also from Beauty Pie) after I saw @sarahtankelellis recommend it on Instagram – it’s lovely and moisturising even though it’s matte too.

So these three shades are on rotation in my make-up bag, what are your go-to lipstick colours?

I mentioned in a post back in July that i’m a member of Beauty Pie and I’m worried it’s starting to become an obsession!

When I was at uni I used to get really sore and dry cheeks in the winter (I lived in Brighton so the sea air added that extra cold bite) I tried everything to help it, and then my mum paid for me to have a Dermologica facial and after that a love affair with the Ultra Calming range began.

Obviously I have nothing bad to say about Dermologica, I used it for years, but my bank balance always had a little sob when I finished a bottle knowing that I would have to take out a small mortgage to replace my cleansers and moisturisers.

With that I have always been a bit hesitant to change (partly my personality, partly for fear of the dry, sore cheeks making a comeback) but with my bank balance seriously depleted now i’m not working I thought I’d give Beauty Pie a go.

I’d heard great things through people I follow on Instagram and the £10 a month membership fee didn’t seem too bad to get products at factory prices. When I did the maths I worked out it would save me a lot. So I did my order of the recommended Japanfusion cleanser (as well as a few other bits!) to see what the hype was about.

Well, what can I say…it’s love. I use Garnier Misceller water to remove my make-up and then massage a dollop of this onto my face until it turns to an oil and then splash it with water until it turns milky and wash it off as a second cleanse. I’ve actually had compliments on my skin, which for someone who hasn’t had a full nights sleep since Jack’s arrival in May is saying something!

Since then I’ve added to my Pie products, the Super Healthy Skin Tinted moisturiser and the Super Healthy Skin Moisture Creme is a dream. Then there’s the One Palette Wonder which has everything you need for your face in one – bronzer, eyeshadow and blush…genius.

I can’t see this love affair showing any signs of waning, and the fact that I can buy these at a fraction of the price takes the guilt out of shopping. To give you an idea the box of products pictured cost me £62.55. This isn’t an ad…just my honest opinion from a fan!