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LIFESTYLE / 5 Things for 2018: an update
We’re now more than halfway through the year, wowzers! Way back in January I set myself 5 goals for 2018 (read the original post here) so this post is an update of how those are going – what has been ticked off, what needs a little more work and what’s next…
Find a new home 🏡
DONE!!! This was the one I wanted to achieve so badly above everything else; you here the phrase “home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling” quite often but I can assure you from experience that having the actual place is much better for your sanity and mental health! Both the Mr and I are so happy where we are now and in the process of figuring out which bits of decor to tackle when we can afford it (see the next section for why we can’t at the moment) although most of the house is very wonderfully decorated to our taste anyway.
Smash my new job 💻
This one hasn’t quite gone to plan, and sadly I had to leave my job at the end of June. It turned out that the role wasn’t quite what I thought I was accepting when the recruitment agency offered to me (they were a little creative with the truth on quite a few things it transpired) which led to me not really enjoying it very much. When you’re travelling over 40 miles to work each day, you kind of want to enjoy what you’re doing. There was no bad blood in us parting ways but once again Ive found myself on the hunt for the next step in my career. So I definitely still stand a great chance of smashing my new job; just not the one I thought.
Get back to my happy weight ⚖️
Honestly, I’ve not been doing so well with this one. A combo of not planning things effectively enough and grabbing food on the go, along with falling out of the right mindset (which, for me, is THE most important thing when making any life change) which has led me to trying more caddy ways to kick start this process that I’ve previously avoided (such as the Insta-famous Boom Bod – find out what happened when I tried it out here). However, I’m finding that my unanticipated ‘garden leave’ has allowed me to get back in the game a little bit – which I’ll do a full blog post in when I’m back in work.
Have eyebrows on fleek 💉
At the start of the year I booked myself in for some microblading sessions, which I fully completed in May, and published a pretty in depth blog post about in June. Since then the shape of them is still looking really good and I don’t feel the need to put product through my brows very often (occasionally I will put just a little in the lower build areas as they didn’t take to the pigment) however I’ve noticed that hair is starting to grow back over the sparser areas which makes the results of the procedure look even more natural which I’m delighted about.
See more of the UK 🇬🇧
This one hasn’t happened to the extend I had hoped to in 2018, so far. I’d purposely held off on taking any UK trips until the second half of the year as I was expecting to get a discount travel card through my former employer, however that obviously won’t be happening now so we will be looking to enjoy more of the UK when I’m back working. I did manage to get to Manchester in February (which I wrote about in my 24 Hours in Manchester post) and Liverpool in March (I didn’t post about this trip as I did a 48 Hours in Liverpool last year, and a lot of stuff I did was pretty similar) so I’ve made a little bit of an inroad.
So, what else is new?
I’m going to Greece 🇬🇷
The Mr and I are off to Santorini soon and I’m sooooo frickin excited! Our first proper holiday together was to the Greek islands and we’ve wanted to go back ever since. I’m very much looking forward to eating lots of local food, seeing the black volcanic sands and taking some nice trips. Feel free to follow me on Instagram to nosey into the whole vacay.
I saw Rita Ora (again) 🎶
After seeing her perform at the 2017 Radio 1 Big Weekend I was given the opportunity to watch her from the VIP area of her free gig at Trafford Centre courtesy of Huawei to celebrate the launch of the P20 Lite (which I was also lucky enough to win).
I got another year older 😬
Ugh. I totally feel like I’m having a midlife crisis now! I’ve been particularly sensitive about ageing this year and have felt a little down about it, however my family and friends did everything to make sure I had a lovely day (I did a post on what I got and did for my birthday if you fancy a nosey) which I’m incredibly grateful for.
I’ve been going beauty ka-razy 💄
Considering I was never hugely interested in makeup and skincare, I’ve become some kind of obsessive monster for it this year! This is partly because my skin has been a bit unloved and I was looking for ways to fix this, so I picked up these products which really helped. With some money I got for my birthday I did a huge fashion and beauty haul that included a lot of Fenty Beauty bits which I’ve been using every day since. I also got a load of other skincare products to tackle other concerns I’ve been having, which I’ll be sharing in a post soon.
From this update it appears as if the year isn’t quite going how I planned it, but when does life ever? I know these are just little blips and that the things that aren’t going quite right at the moment will be fine soon, I just need to make sure I put in as much effort as possible can and keep the faith. I’ll keep,you posted on how I get on in another few months.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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BEAUTY/ Skincare saviours: helping my face to get its groove back
Over the past few months I’ve noticed that my face has become increasingly ‘muddy’ and that my skin has generally not been looking it’s best at all. I put some of this down to the stress of starting a new job and moving home but, now things have started to settle down I feel as if my skin is in need of some serious TLC! I’ve been experimenting with a few different products to try and improve things, and below I’m sharing what’s been working well so far.
La Roche Posay Rosaliac anti redness serum
I’ve noticed that the amount of redness on my face has increased quite a lot over the past year, despite having more make up free days and taking makeup off more thoroughly. Concealer doesn’t do much to cover it either, so I did a little research online and found this. I’ve used LRP products before, the Effaclar duo + cream and Effaclar anti-blemish clay mask have been in my regular rotation for the past year helping to combat occasional breakouts so I knew the product was worth a test (though at £18 it’s not a massively cheap test). I apply a little bit of the product twice a day to my cheeks and nose -the instructions say you should notice a difference in four weeks, I’ve been using it for about 3 and my skin does appear to be less res in my cheek area. I think my nose (specifically is being a bit more stubborn because I have some angry blood vessels that need
The Body Shop Vitamin C daily glow cleansing polish
I picked this up from my friend Mel who is a TBS rep, purely because I liked the smell and there was 35% off, but it’s been a huge help in getting my skin to feel softer and look less icky on a daily basis. It say use for tired and grump skin, which mine most definitely has been! I’ve been using every evening and most mornings with a little water after removing my makeup everywhere except my eye area.
The Body Shop Vitamin C glow revealing liquid peel
I got this to go with the cleansing polish as I thought my face could do with a little extra kick up the butt. It still smells nice but a bit more chemically, which is how you know a product isn’t playing when delivering on what it promises!
I’ve been using it 3 times a week with a little water, rubbing it vigorously into my skin for around 20 seconds until the product becomes a “peely” consistency like rubber cement (not the reason that I thought it had peel in the same but a bit less scary). As well as helping to keep it soft I’ve noticed that my skin is also a lot smoother; all the nasty little fleshy bumps have gone.
And oldie but goody when it comes to, well everything really, but I’ve been using this in particular to combat dry patches and condition my newly microbladed eyebrows (read about my microblading experience here). I’ve been dabbing a little on the very dry areas of my skin and over my brow area in the evening (I’ve stopped dabbing it on my brows now as they’ve healed, and my brow lady has said too much oil will make the colour smudge, which it has a little) so that it can work its magic overnight.
Hopefully this will help anybody reading who may also be suffering with problem skin at the moment, or at the very least give you some inspo for new products to try out.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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FASHION & BEAUTY / Post birthday haul (2018)
After the birthday celebrations comes… the spending of more money! I was lucky enough to get a bit of money for my birthday too so, coupled with some of my own, I hit ASOS and Harvey Nichols hard.
There were a lot more things as part of this haul, mainly fashion, however they’ve had to go back because they either didn’t fit well or look good, so I decided not to include them.
FASHION
Palm print shirt, Wednesday’s Girl at ASOS
If this shirt doesn’t scream summer, I don’t know what does! This is actually part of a coord with some wide leg printed trousers which unfortunately went out of stock before I could get my mitts on them, but luckily this works really well with most things. The material is really light and the not too fitted so it’s going to be lovely to wear on hot summer holiday days/nights.
Faux leather biker jacket, ASOS
I’ve been looking for a new biker jacket for absolutely ages, and saw this one recommended on Instagram for an absolute bargain at £35. I thought for the price it was worth giving a shot, and I’m not at all disappointed. It has a great shape (I really don’t like the look of unfitted biker jackets on me) feels really good and looks pretty decent too, not at all shiny or fake as so many cheaper versions do.
Ruched waist jumpsuit in red… and black, ASOS
This is also one I spotted on Instagram (I actually think this a much better way to shop than browsing the ‘new in’ sections these days) and picked it up in both colours (obviously, it is me after all) and felt like this would be perfect for dressing up or down during the warmer weather.
The fit is really flattering with the waist detailing and wide leg, and the material is really light, the only slight issue is the bra sitch – you can’t wear a normal or strapless bra, and I definitely cannot go without! I’m going to try a stick on bra and see how I go, because I can definitely see these as part of my regular rotation for summer.
BEAUTY
There’s really only one reason why a gal like me is shopping for beauty products at Harvey Nichols…yup, I finally picked me up some Fenty Beauty!
This brush just makes so much sense; how on earth is Rih Rih the first person to bring it out?! I’ve always struggled to find the best highlight brush for me, I have a fan brush and a Real Techniques highlight brush but usually end up applying it with my fingers, so I’m hoping this will help position and blend more easily.
I managed to bend some the strands as I was removing the (very tight) brush cover which is why it looks a bit crazy at the side, boo!
Killawatt foil freestyle highlighter duo
And this is one of the things the brush will be out to work on…how pretty! I spotted this Rihanna’s Vogue makeup tutorial and thought the colours were just fabulous for summer. Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate how pretty the summer product packaging is with all the pinks and florals?
I’d describe these colours as pigmented but more sheer when applied so they are buildable, making them great for subtle and more out there looks.
I’m determined to get better at the base/contour/highlight thing, and these bad boys are gonna help me do it!
I went for the lightest shades as I’m fairly pale and the swatches online seem to match my skin the best. These feel really creamy which I think will help me to blend things more easily, and the contours shade is more cool toned which I think will be a better match to my skin. The concealer is a similar shade to the one I use now and the highlight has a nice shimmer that’ll really pop in the sunshine.
Bomb Baby mini lip and face set
My final FB purchase was this duo of mini products. I couldn’t justify buying both of these as full sized products so this felt like an easy compromise that would also fit into my travelling makeup pouch so much easier. Win win right!
I really wanted to try the lip gloss since the range first dropped, and so far I’m really liking it. Although it looks dark in the tube, it’s actually applies as a really nice neutral sheen that enhances your natural lip colour and pretty much matches any makeup look.
The highlight is the same formula as the duo and also has a nice buildable colour, which is kind of peach-toned and quite similar to cult fave BECCA Champagne Pop. I think I’m going to experiment with this as an eyeshadow to get a kind of cohesion to my look that more natural but with a bit of shimmer.
I also picked up a few non-Fenty products too
Even though I recently had my eyebrows microbladed (you can read about my experiences here) I thought picking up a super-fine brow product would be really useful for enhancing the areas that didn’t quite take the pigment for nights out. I don’t foresee that I’ll use it too much as I’m fairly happy with how things look at the moment, but it’s good to have it on standby.
NARS bronzing powder in Laguna
I’ve become a bit disillusioned with my Benefit Hoola bronzer recently as it’s starting to feel a bit too warm for my skin (I also have Hoola Lite, but it does virtually nothing as it’s just too light). I remembered that the MUA at the NARS counter applied this for me last summer and that it looked really nice so thought I’d try this out since a lot of people seem to love it.
Although the tones are still quite warm, it’s much less severe so I’m hoping it will work a little better alongside the pink and neutral toned looks I’m planning for the summer.
This one is a repurchase of an old fave after temporarily switching to the Eden variation for the past few months (which I’ve been much less impressed with). This version has great tacky-feeling base that keeps eyeshadow put and increased for a good while. I won’t be switching it out ever again!
If you’ve tried any of these products and have some styling or make up looks for me to try please free to link them in the comments; I always enjoy getting inspiration from how other people do things.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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FASHION / Summers days into nights
The weather’s warmer (at last!) and the social calendar is getting more busy with weddings, christenings, summer parties and basically any excuse to go out for some drinks. So then us ladies get to the same tired ass dilemma we have every single time (I’m generalising) – what to frickin’ wear??
I had the said dilemma recently when invited to a country garden wedding from early afternoon to late in the evening – I knew there’d be a church but also grass, burgers and a few chickens running around the place, so had to find something that would suitable for everything!
In the end I decided to go shopping in my own closet – after all, as a regular guest I’m only likely to be in a couple of photos, it’s only really the big white dress everyone will be focusing on (and trust me, this dress was a showstopper!)
This maxi dress was pretty much the perfect solution to all – the fabric was light and floaty which meant it was easy to move in and I stayed relatively cool. Because of the longer length it felt a little more relaxed yet decent for wearing inside Church.
There’s a tie around the waist area that means you can easily control the shape of the dress to be more or less fitted to your figure (I had it tied in a firm but loose bow and pulled some of the fabric over the top slightly to create a neater break, but it had slipped a little before this photo was taken).
The neckline was really interesting with a spaghetti strap halter and bardot section which covered up a part of my arms I’m not loving too much right now.
Finally – floral print in soft colours because, well, ‘cos it’s summer and florals.
I finished the look with some low block-heeled mules that were easy to stand in and wouldn’t sink into any soft ground, and my new straw bag as a nod to the garden vibe of the day.
Dress, AX Paris / Shoes, Public Desire (simar style here) / Bag, Topshop
I don’t have too many formal events happening this summer so I doubt anybody else will be seeing this frock again for a little while which means I can bring it out again easy next year as it’s quite a timeless style. If you’re someone who has a few more big events in the foreseeable future, ask yourself the following when planning what to wear:
– what type of guest are you, day or evening? This helps decide if you need something with staying power and more daytime appropriate, or whether you can have a look that’s more party focused.
– who will be at this event? If you’re attending with a different group of people, they probably won’t have seen what you wore to the last event (or at least, no more than the top half) so it’s totally fine to wear the same thing again. You could mix up the accessories to keep it interesting.
– where is the wedding? Location is important because you have to factor in travel to the venue as well as drinks when you’re there, which in some places can be quite pricey. You’d be better saving your money for these things than buying a fully brand new outfit, by the time you’ve had some drink you probably won’t care much about what you’re wearing anyway!
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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FASHION, FOOD & FUN/ What I got and did for my Birthday (2018)
“You’ve got to grab 35 by the balls and say ‘hey, world, I’m 35!’” Samantha Jones, Sex and the City (2001)
I don’t quite have Samantha’s confidence in ageing, but I hope someday I will! For now I’d simply like to share the positivity of my latest birthday, which is the wonderful thought and gifts I was lucky enough to receive.
Usual disclaimer: I’m not trying to brag about anything, I enjoy reading these posts by others (so if you have one, link me to it in the comments) and my birthday wish list post has proved pretty popular so I thought enquiring minds would want to see if anything from the list appeared…spoiler: my mother-in-law bought me the pretty blue jumpsuit, but it had to go back before the day as my boobs wouldn’t fit to even the biggest size. WTF??
Additional disclaimer: many of the photos were taken on my Huawei phone in portrait mode and haven’t been filtered in any way.
Breakfast al fresco
As I was off work, I started my day by chilling on our very sunny patio with a brew and Pop Tarts. This has become a bit of a traditional birthday breakfast for me – one year I’d asked the Mr to get me some as a treat and it’s kind of stuck around ever since. The mug was a recent impulse buy from the New Look home rang – it gives me total Oliver Bonas vibes but was so much cheaper.
Self care and chill
I took myself off to my gym and had a lovely massage (using a voucher leftover from Christmas so it was super cheap) before heading upstairs for a dance fit class. A nice hot shower and blow dry later, I treated myself to a basic bitch lunch of avocado toast and egg.
Flowers and Baileys Strawberries and Cream
I like most kinds of flowers and adore having them in the house, these are Rainbow lilies which I’ve never heard of but their colour is equally as bright as it looks! They tone in very nicely with this Baileys bottle dontcha think? I’ve wanted to try this for ages so the Mr picked it up for me – first impressions are that it’s very similar to the other different flavours (i.e. You can definitely tell it’s Baileys) but I was excited to see cocktail recipes on the side which involve rum, so I’ll look forward to giving those a go.
Bags of beauty
My mum and nan came though this year! Like almost everybody else online I’ve coveted this Topshop straw bag for ages but it keeps going out of stock, so I’m super impressed that someone managed to snap one up for me! I went to a country wedding last week and this made the perfect accessory.
After a couple of initial tries I can already confirm that the Urban Decay Backtalk palette is going to be my everyday BFF, I really dig pink eye makeup for a neutral daytime look and it looks so cute with the blush and highlight to bring the whole look together.
But the new palette fun didn’t stop there; I’m now the proud wonder of the Urban Decay Beached palette! (Little aside: my mum bought me all the UD products but is currently on holiday in the U.S/Canada where she could’ve bought them cheaper, but she knew I’d be desperate to use them ASAP. That’s modern day motherly commitment! Haha.) The top half of the shades toned in perfectly with the outfit I wore to the same wedding last week and stayed put from 10am until after midnight. Can’t wait to dive into the blue shades next.
The final beauty product I got was the Urban Decay On the Run – Blur and Done which is lovely creamy texture that feels really light on the skin and literally melts in without leaving a strong colour. I need to try it out a lot more so I can figure out the best way to use it for me, but so far I’m digging it.
J’adore
I expected this Boohoo tee to be a bit more of a relaxed fit, but on me it’s much more fitted even in my regular size so I may need to swap it out. I adore the colours f this and wanna put on a bright red lip and just strut down the street in it!
Choccy treats
it’s become a little tradition for the Mr to include some cute foodie items in my birthday gifts – last year it was Popchips (nom) this year it was these bad boys and a pink Kit Kat. I can categorically say these are my new fave choccie – they have more of the velvety malteser chocolate but with a lot less crunch, but there’s still enough to make it them interest but sooooo much easier to eat. Kit Kat is yummy and has a slight berry taste to it.
A much needed chuckle
To kick off my birthday celebrations the Mr picked up tickets for us to watch Tom Allen. We’ve seen him before as a wam up for Sarah Millican but this time we had a whole hour of just him and it was gloriously funny. There’s a lot of satirical middle class material, dry sarcastic wit and impressively lengthy monologues of observational humour which both of us laughed out loud to the whole way through. Brilliant gift.
Team Huawei
I’m so excited to have this new Huawei Mediapad!! I’ve really enjoyed having my phone, so I’m hoping this will be just as easy to use and take on the move with me.
The most sentimental gift
You’re probably looking at this and thinking ‘it’s a Mrs Potts figurine, what’s so sentimental about that? They’re everywhere RN.’ Not this one.
Shortly after the original Beauty and the Beast was released (which I went to see at the cinema aged 8, because I’m that old) I bought my nan this original, bone china figurines of Mrs Potts because she reminded me a bit of her and was voiced by Angela Lansbury who she used to watch on TV. 17 years on I still remember how special I found giving this to her and always said I’d love to have it when she’s sadly no longer here, however she thought the time was now and smuggled it in wrapped in a bottle bag to throw me off. I shed a little tear over the thoughtfulness.
Pizza and Cocktails
Ah, my eternal favourite treat meal combo! We headed out to Craft and Dough where we sipped Mojitos and tucked into a half metre long pizza and fries. They wee also playing some of my favourite throwback choons from the early 00s so it couldn’t have been more perfect.
I was also lucky enough to get some money in lieu of gifts, so I’ll be doing a post-birthday haul post which I’ve done for the last couple of years which always see, to go down as well, so make sure you come back to see what I picked up. ASOS and Harvey Nichols will be in there!
I already know I have a lot of challenges facing me in my 35th year, which I’ll explain more about soon I’m sure, but I can honestly say right now that I’m ready for them.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
About Me
I’m Jenny, nice to meet you. I’m a thirty-something who likes fashion, holidays and wondering about life. A lot.
