Tuesday 3 December 2013

A bit of change

Having been away from this corner of the internet for almost six months (which was definitely not intentional) a lot of things have changed...

I've just moved back home to Suffolk from London having decided that the job I was in just wasn't 'me' and I'm now deciding what I do want to do. It was really tough to make the decision and walk away from a lovely flat and paid job that a lot of people would want (who probably think I am mad) but sometimes you just have to follow your heart and I think it has been the right thing.

This blog for me has always been a chance to document my interests and in the past six months I just haven't been in the right place to do so. I've missed it so much and think with this fresh start it is the perfect opportunity to get this up and running again. I've been getting into beauty a lot more so I'm looking forward to writing about that more and getting my creativity up and running again.

So keep your eyes peeled and there will be a new post in a couple of days!


Sunday 23 June 2013

"We're dressed in black from head to toe"



Jumpsuit: New Look

I've had this trusty jumpsuit from New Look for a while (initially my sister's then passed on to me- thanks Alice) and I always forget how much I like it.

I wore this last night for a delicious meal out at Milsoms at Kesgrave Hall last night- a favourite of Prince Harry's I hear (the restaurant not my jumpsuit!!). It's definitely for smart occasions due to the ruffles at the chest and the zip down the front. Teamed with my nude heels and favourite gold necklaces I felt pretty sophisticated- mental note to self to wear this get-up more!

Are you a fan of the jumpsuit?

Sunday 16 June 2013

My blogging return!


I'm back! Remember me? After a blogging break to finish my final uni exams, move to London, start my new job and turn 21 it has been a crazy month. But I'm hoping now everything is starting to settle down I can begin my move back to blogging- I've really missed it!

So in true instagram style I thought what best way to share with you what I've been up to than to share my snaps.

Top row left to right: 
1) My birthday day out to Brick Lane- Rough Trade and All Star Bowling, 
2) Turning 21 on Wednesday
3) The cupcake tower at my parents' party last weekend.

Bottom row left to right: 
1) Cheeky after work drinks to catch up with my girls- Victoria and Rachel, 
2) My gorgeous new room in my new flat 
3) A trip to One New Change's Madison bar- just round the corner from where I now work with incredible views over London.

I'm now a fully fledged south Londoner and can't wait to share my up and coming adventures!

xxx

Wednesday 1 May 2013

Not a goodbye....


I wasn't sure if I needed to write a post about my planned blogging hiatus for the next month or so but I thought my regular readers deserved an explanation about my approaching disappearance!

For those of you that follow me on Twitter you might have seen me excitedly tweet last week that I have got a job as a marketing recruitment consultant secured for after I finish uni later this month and I'll be working in London...I feel so amazingly lucky to have something to go straight into. However, due to the long hours of the job I'm going to be moving to London too so most of my spare time when I'm not revising for my last uni exams is going into flat hunting.

So while I'm adapting to the transition from uni to the world of work and settling into a new home I'm afraid my little corner of the internet is going to be taking a bit of a backseat. BUT I'll still be on Twitter and Instagram (@racheleprior for both accounts) and I'll still keep up to date with everyone. 

Thank you to everyone who reads my ramblings, stick around- I'll be back soon!!

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Insta-life #2


My latest adventures from the last few weeks documented through instagram.

Top Row: 1) A lovely day trip to Bath with my family on the way back from Devon. I love it there so much.
2) My signature dish- smoked salmon and spinach quiche- if you would like to see the recipe in a post let me know!
3) My friend Victoria and I in Laduree in Covent Garden. I didn't even know there were Laduree's over in England so when Victoria suggested it I didn't object. Such a nice setting and really impressively decorated. We didn't want to leave!

Middle Row: 1) My cheeky cake in Laduree with a rose petal on top.
2) After waiting months for it to come out, Reiss and I went and saw Ryan Gosling's latest film. We had really mixed feelings about it after, it was good BUT they could have made it a lot better.
3) Spent a lovely few days at Reiss' relaxing and exploring a lovely village near him with an amazing tea room (noticing the pattern of everything I have done recently revolving around food yet?!).

Bottom Row: 1) and 2) The latest outfit post on my blog and making the most of the sunshine.
3) Last night was spent with my sleepy cat Ted on my lap and watching the last episode of Broadchurch.


xxx


Monday 15 April 2013

"Morning white mist came across the plain, blue skies and rain"



Blouse and shoes: Primark. Jeans: Jack Wills. 

Finally a spot of sunshine! To celebrate I bought this cute blouse (which reminds me of a plate pattern, anyone else agree?!) and these shoes which I thought were a bit more exciting than the average pair of flats.

I'm enjoying being back at home for a while and relaxing before I need to start my revision for my exam next month. With a cheeky trip to London for the rest of the week on Wednesday I'll be sure to keep my camera on me and hopefully snap some more outfit photos.


Have you been enjoying the sunshine and being able to finally wear your spring clothes?

xxx

Sunday 7 April 2013

Baking: Home-made pizza recipe


For me, there is no comparison between home-made pizzas and shop bought ones. The humble home-made pizza is a firm favourite amongst my family. My dad definitely holds the pizza making crown but my sister and I are determined to give him some competition! This is our trusty recipe we follow for a delicious home-made pizza.

What you will need to make two pizza bases:
  • 500g strong white flour
  • 1 tea-spoon of fast-action dried yeast
  • 1 tea-spoon of salt
  • 350ml tepid water
  • 2 table-spoons of olive oil


Method
  1. Sieve the flour into a bowl, then add the yeast and salt.
  2. Make a well in the flour and add water and olive oil.
  3. Now for the messy bit- use your hands to mix it all together until it goes into a smooth elastic dough.
  4. Once smooth take the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead for ten minutes.
  5. Shape into a round ball and put back into mixing bowl, cover with cling film, leave in a warm place for an hour (e.g. airing cupboard, near radiator, hot plate).
  6. When you return to the dough it should have risen, now turn it out of the bowl, cut in half (as the mixture you have made is for 2 pizzas), knead both for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Using a floured rolling pin roll out the dough until about 1cm thick, and place on two baking trays. 
  8. Spread passata over the two pizza bases (you really don't need too much), sprinkle over mixed herbs/oregano. Add crumbled mozzarella and then add your toppings of choice...we used mushrooms, olives, ham and peppers.
  9. Grate over some more cheese if you like your pizzas cheesy!
  10. Pop in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes.




Serve with a side salad or home-made potato wedges and enjoy! xxx

Friday 29 March 2013

New ASOS Mac "I know I caught your eye because you darling, you caught mine"



This is my latest (very cheeky) addition to my wardrobe. When unidays.com were running their 25% student discount off at ASOS last week I couldn't resist this beauty. I've been wanting a mac for ages but the ones I had seen in the shops weren't quite what I was after.

Hopefully I look a bit more professional in this than my trusty Barbour! I'll be using this as my smart coat now (whilst pretending that I'm Audrey Hepburn in her famous mac). If your after a Mac too I'd really recommend this one- great quality, and a nice tailored fit.

Do you have a trusty mac?

Scarf: Vintage
Leopard flats: Primark
Bag: Urban Outfitters


Tuesday 26 March 2013

Korres: Lip Butters


Hey there...remember me?! The last few weeks of being taught for my undergraduate life are about to end. I'm spending most of my days cooped up writing my dissertation so blogging has had to take a bit of a back seat. But I thought I would make a little re-appearance to share with you all how amazing the Korres lip butter range is. 

Now we all know the weather lately hasn't been amazing, I'm talking wind, rain, snow, sleet- everything. So my poor old lips when I have ventured out of the house (either to the library or food shopping) they have taken a bit of a battering. This is where the Korres lip butters come in!

They are described as "A buttery lip balm that melts on the lips and offers a shiny tinted finish. The combination of shea butter and rice wax offers deep hydration and softness" which I think is pretty spot on. You can find the lip butter pots here for £6 of £7 which I think is really reasonable considering how hydrating they are. What I also really like is the tint of colour they give. I tend to wear 'quince' in the day- a pinky shade and then 'plum' in the evening which unsurprisingly is a plum shade!


Regarding staying power I only have to re-apply every three hours or so which is pretty good. Overall I would really recommend these as they are a reasonable price, have a gorgeous subtle scent, offer a healthy bit of colour for the lips without being as vibrant as a lipstick and really do the job well!

Have you tried any of the Korres lip butters or have a holy grail lip balm?

xxx

Sunday 10 March 2013

Dreamy outfit wishlists- Moneysupermarket.com competition

The generous chaps over at Moneysupermarket.com are running a competiton to win £1000 towards your dream spring/summer wardrobe by designing 3 outfits in the categories: party, casual and beach/holiday under a £200 budget. I thought it would definitely be worth a go so a few hours later (this girl can browse online until her heart's content) and VOILA here is my entry...

Party Outfit: 1) Playsuit: Miss Selfridge £45 2) Platforms: Topshop £60 3) Necklace: Zara £19.99 
4) Nail varnish: ASOS £4.50  5) Clutch: Zara £59.99
Total: £189.48

With my uni's summerball line-up due to be released very soon it's been playing on my mind what I would like to wear to it and this was what I came up with- I adore the floaty but sophisticated playsuit and would help make me stand out from the rest of the crowd in dresses a little. Teamed with some tanned legs (a girl can live in hope...) I chose nude platforms and a clutch to hopefully highlight that tan and keep the look elegent but still young. With a pop of colour on the nails and the statement beaded necklace I think anyone would look the bee's knee's in this outfit.


Casual Outfit: 1) T-Shirt: Miss Selfridge £12 2) Bag: Zara £39.99 
3) Blazer: H+M £29.99 4) Denim shorts: Topshop £22  
5) Lipstick: Nars (via ASOS) £18.50  6) Bracelet: Urban Outfitters £6 7) Shoes: Zara £29.99
Total: 158.47

As soon as I saw this blazer I knew I had to create my 'casual' outfit around it- its so nice and a steal at £29.99 too. With such a statement blazer I figured it was best to keep the t-shirt and bottoms simple- a baggy grey tee from Miss. Selfridge with Topshop denim shorts. Until it gets warmer I'd wear tights under the shorts. The Zara handbag oozes sophistication whilst the pumps keep the look young and a bit cheeky. With the elephant bracelet and a burst of colour on the lips and your good to go!

Beach/Holiday Outfit: 1) Dress: Topshop £75 2) Hat: ASOS £15 3) Sunglasses: Whistles £45
4) Sandals: Zara £19.99 5) Disposable Camera: Boots £7 6) Bikini Top: New Look £12.99 
7) Bikini Bottoms: New Look £7.99
Total: £182.97

This bikini top and bottoms are a steal from New Look coming in at under £21 for the pair, which left me plenty of pennies to spend on the gorgeous floppy wide-brimmed hat and Whistles sunglasses and pretend I'm Audrey Hepburn behind them because no one wants sun damage. A laid back dip-dye dress from Topshop and the lovely Zara sandals to throw on whilst getting ice-creams complete the look. And of course no holiday is complete without a disposable camera to snap all those memories..

Saturday 2 March 2013

Insta-life #1


February was a very busy but equally good month! Just compiled some of my instagram snaps to document the last month.


1) I managed to get back home last weekend and we celebrated my Grandma's birthday. My sister had made this cake for her, complete with Parrots as she loves birds.

2) Tried to get a photo of my dog Mallon and me, he wasn't too keen on sitting still though! He's such a cutie with the nicest personality, we've had him for about 6 years and got him from the RSPCA.

3) Posy self-shot in my new Zara top.

4) I finally branched into the ombre trend and did my hair with the L'oreal wild ombre kit, I took this the day after I had done it but it has faded so quickly in just over a week- bit disappointing!

5) Spring is definitely on its way and I couldn't resist these daffodils in Marks and Spencer the other week- they brightened up my desk and my mood whilst I was essay writing.

6) Reiss and Me on Valentine's Day before our yummy night in with Waitrose food.

7) Trevi Fountain in Rome, we were determined to not leave Rome without seeing the fountain. Such a gorgeous monument.

8) Annaliese, Georgia and Victoria- the gorgeous girls I went to Rome with and me before our last evening out for dinner.

9) The Sistine Chapel, so pleased to have finally seen the paintings. Interestingly two days after we left Rome the Pope resigned... coincidence?!

Let me know if you've done an instagram post recently and feel free to follow me on instagram- racheleprior

xxx

Thursday 28 February 2013

"We're running away from the boys in the blue"

Blouse: Zara
Cardigan: New Look
Jeans: Gilly Hicks
Necklace: Urban Outfitters

It's been a crazy month for me what with my trip to Rome at the beginning of the month and then loads of uni work needing to be done so blogging time has had to take a bit of a back seat. It's so crazy to think that this is my last term and all I'll have to come back to next term is one exam. It does mean there is a lot riding on this term though. My dissertation is taking up a lot of my time so next month will be quiet on the blogging front too I'm afraid. I'll still be on twitter and instagram (@racheleprior on both of them if you fancy following me!) though.

I caved in and bought this blouse from Zara, I really like the mini elephants, giraffes and tigers on it. Expect to see it a lot more when the weather starts getting warmer! This afternoon my friend Kirsty came over for a cuppa (she even brought me a cupcake) and was my photographer! 

A better close-up of my make-up today:


I can't get enough of this song at the moment! The 1975- 'Chocolate'


Friday 15 February 2013

ROMA! Part 2

I can't believe that this time last week I was enjoying my second day in Rome exploring the Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain- and now I'm back to writing my dissertation and worrying about the laundry...I already want to go back! You can see the first part of my trip there by clicking here if you would like to see what we got up to on our first day there.

What I wore:
Jacket: Barbour
Jumper: H+M
Jeans: ASOS
Bag: Urban Outfitters

The weather was certainly a lot better on this day than it had been the previous day which was why we left the more outdoorsy sights to the second day. This was taken by Trevi Fountain and was actually where we ended the day of sightseeing. Do we look exhausted? We were feeling the strain by this point of 2 full days of walking everywhere on cobbles and in desperate need of Gelato...

I couldn't believe how small the Piazza is that the Trevi Fountain is in- really tucked away. It was buzzing with tourists all patiently waiting to throw their penny over their shoulder into the fountain with the hope that it will bring them back to Rome.

 (little fact for you- the money that is thrown into the Trevi Fountain every day is around 3,000 euros and at the end of every day it is collected from the bottom of the fountain and given to local charities.)

Victor Emmanuel Monument in the background (aka 'The Wedding Cake') amazing blue sky too!

The girls and me with the Arch of Constantine behind us...the cheeky bugger stole parts off other peoples arches to make his own !!! 

 Gorgeous view from the Palatine Hill of the Colosseum and mountains in the distance

 Truly respecting the age of the Forum by standing on some bits of old stone!!
 Walking up the Palatine Hill

 Obligatory Colosseum picture

 Inside the Colosseum- its even bigger than you think it is going to be, words can't describe it!

 Our well deserved cheeky lunch that day aka CARBOCIDE... bruschetta, chips and the most amazing spaghetti carbonara ever, I've never tasted anything so good
The girls and I at dinner that evening in our favourite Pizzeria which was just around the corner from our hotel, you could tell it was a bit of a hidden gem as the prices were really reasonable AND locals were eating in there.

So there you have it! My little adventure to Rome summarised in 2 posts- I hope you've enjoyed them. We had such a laugh exploring the Eternal City...we must have looked like serious nerds getting so excited by the ruins but we didn't care. Plus getting into the Forum, Palatine Hill and the Colosseum for free were definite bonuses- perks of the degree.

 I love seeing people's travel posts of where they have been and if you are thinking about going to Rome- DO IT! I can't believe I got to almost 21 without even going...I'll definitely be returning

Sunday 10 February 2013

ROMA! Part 1

After almost three years of studying and seeing the archaeological remains of Rome for my degree in books yet never actually seeing them for myself I decided it was time I finally went and visited the city that my subject focuses on so much. So three of my friends off my course and I ventured off to Rome on Wendesday for three nights. 

We had an absolutely incredible time- I've never been so excited to walk around a city not knowing which sight will be around the corner. Day 1 was spent exploring the Vatican City- wandering around the Vatican museum, going inside St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel and seeing the Ara Pacis.

Victoria, Georgia and I by the Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace) this was created in 13 BC for the Emperor Augustus as a monument to perform sacrifices in.
Outfit:
Shirt: H+M
Skirt: Pull and Bear

St. Peter's Square and Basilica- so impressive and even bigger than I had imagined!

Incredible sculptures in the Vatican Museum

The overwhelmingly beautifully painted walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo- the wall shows the Last Judgement (it took 4 years to paint!!) whilst the ceiling shows 9 stories from the Book of Genesis. It is lit very dimly to preserve the paint and no flash on cameras is allowed hence the poor quality of the picture!

The girls and I with St. Peter's Square in the background- the odd choices of our bottom halves is due to having to cover our knees as a sign of respect in the Vatican- so we had to do a bit of improvising with scarves!!!

Inside St. Peter's Basilica- very difficult to get a picture that does the beauty of it justice. It is vast inside!!!

The infamous Roman gelato!

It is such an incredible place and despite the pervy-ness of the Italian men being annoying it didn't detract from the beauty of the city!

Have you been to Rome before?

xxx

Thursday 31 January 2013

Getting to know me!


Everyone likes to be a little bit nosy don't they?! I am loving watching blogger's '50 random facts about me' tag videos around YouTube at the moment and after I was very kindly awarded the Leibster award for my blog from the lovely Rebecca over at Rose Paddle I had an idea to write a little factsy (that definitely isn't a word) post for you today. I'll start with the 11 questions Rebecca has set and then tell you a further 11 facts!

Rebecca's Questions

1. What is your favourite thing about yourself? This is a really hard question I'm definitely not the type of person that has a long list of things they love about themselves! I would say that I'm happy that I am a positive person and if someone is in trouble or down or in need of cheering up I will do everything I can to make that person smile again.

2. What is your favourite thing about blogging? Not only are the products that bloggers can introduce you to that you would never thought of trying before being such a bonus of blogging but the friendliness of the blogging community is without a doubt my highlight of blogging.


3. What is your current hair care routine? Considering I have long and (at times annoyingly) thick hair my hair care routine isn't particularly lengthy...I wash it every other day and use Pantene Pro V's 'Repair and Protect' shampoo and conditioner and on alternate washes I switch the conditioner for Aussie's '3 Minute Miracle Luscious Long Treatment' which is so nourishing for my hair. Before I dry it I always spritz on a heat protector and I'm using Tresemme's at the moment. If I'm going anywhere fancy or I've styled my hair I finish it with Mark Hill's 'Bedazzled Anti-Humidity Shine Spray' which is basically a de-frizzer and a hair-spray. 

4. If someone was to make a film of your life, who would play you? Another really hard question! I don't know if a film about my life would be very interesting...but if Hollywood insisted (haha) I would suggest Emma Stone because she is pretty cool.

5. Who would play your love interest? As my boyfriend has a massive man-crush on Ryan Gosling I think it would have to be him plus Ryan and Emma have amazing on screen chemistry so that is a bonus!

6. What is the last book you read? 'The man who forgot his wife' by John O' Farrell- it was a really good read and the title is pretty self-explanatory of what happens. I really recommend it.

7. If you could meet anyone still living who would it be and why? This might seem a bit of an odd answer but I'd really like to meet Mary Beard, she is a classicist from Cambridge and seriously knows her stuff. I sent her a tweet the other day asking where she would recommend in Rome for me to visit AND SHE REPLIED!! 

8. What is your favourite season? Although I love the cosyness of winter and Christmas I love the summertime more, it just makes everyone happier and it's so nice to be able to go to places without having to bring a coat, umbrella, sensible shoes etc etc! As I don't live far from the beach back home either I love nothing more than a good day at the beach.

9. Where was your favourite holiday destination? A place called Champery in Switzerland- it is an absolutely stunning place set in the mountains of the Swiss alps about 45 minutes up from Lake Geneva (another gorgeous place) and it was where my great-grandparents met. We went there for my Grandpa's 80th birthday in 2006 and again in 2010. It is such a special place to my family and I think we will always keep returning there. 

10. What would be your dream job? Having a full-time job of testing and trying out new beauty products and seeing new trends so I guess working for a magazine would be where I could do that.

11. What time did you wake up this morning? I was a bit lazy and allowed myself to sleep in 'til 10 as I'm recovering from a cold. 


My Random 11 Facts
1. When I was about 7 or 8 I had been given a little nail varnish set for a birthday (god knows why someone thought I needed nail varnish at that age) and I decided a much more exciting use for the glittery red nail varnish would be to paint my EYEBROWS....I still don't know why I did it and I can still picture my parents' horrified faces when I showed them (explains why I have pretty thin eyebrows now).

2. I was so clumsy when I was younger- I cracked my chin open on the bathroom sink, I fell into a rose bush, fell over practically every week, cut my chin on the ski trip, cut both knees open at separate times and have some lovely scars.

3. If I was a boy my parents would have called me Christopher.

4. Despite living in the countryside I don't own a tractor/farm/cow/sheep or any other typical farm object!

5. Before my sister was born I was the only person convinced she was going to be a girl, everyone else thought she was going to be a boy and were worried about breaking the news to me (apparently I'd said I was only interested if it was a girl...I was 4 so guess I'm excused for being so brattish).

6+ 7. I actually started off studying Business Administration at Uni but changed to Classics after 3 weeks! It was also through starting Business that I met my boyfriend as we were in a seminar together, then a few weeks later he was at my friends' birthday and we got talking about my disappearing act from the course and the rest is history....

8. When I Skype home I always ask to see the pets too.

9. My 'signature' dish is a spinach and smoked salmon quiche.

10. I am quite a clean-freak and can't leave washing-up, I have to do it after I've eaten. 

11. I much prefer main-courses to desserts...(which I know is practically unheard of amongst women :s)


So there you have it! 
Now I tag ANY of you reading this that want to have a go yourselves on your own blog

xxx

Friday 25 January 2013

"When the chips are down I'll be around"


Cardigan: Urban Outfitters
Dress and necklace: H+M
Boots: Next
Leggings: Topshop

This is my outfit for today for just doing some jobs around the house and doing uni work. I snapped the cardigan up in Urban Outfitter's sale at the beginning of the month and have practically lived in it since- it's so cosy! I bought the dress in an H+M when I went to Paris about 5 years ago and it still fits (a little on the short side though hence the leggings).

I've had a good week, I booked the flights to Rome with my friends and we are going in less than two weeks. As classics students we thought it was high time we went- so excited! I also bought this necklace from H+M, it's very different to what I usually go for but I thought I needed a statement necklace in my life and hopefully I don't look like Rachel the wannabe gangster :s

Those looking for a new blog to read check out my lovely friend Mel's over at her blog. She's been an avid fan of the blogging world for a while and I persuaded her to start her own.


xxx

Sunday 20 January 2013

Battle of the Hot Cloth Cleansers: Liz Earle vs. Soap & Glory


After hearing so much praise for hot cloth cleansers at the end of last year I decided to give them a whirl myself. I started off with Soap & Glory's offering: 'The Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser' which promises to "cleanse, smooth and melt away make-up" and boasts having panthenol (no, I don't know what that is either...), sweet almond and orange and lavender oils in it's ingredients. It came with a muslin cloth too. 

However, after using it for about three or four days I started to notice how dry my cheeks were looking and found that I was still having to remove my eye make-up separately after using the cleanser as it was too strong on my eyes. NOT things I was looking for in a supposed 'holy grail' of beauty. I do have quite sensitive skin BUT not to the extent that I expect products to literally remove that top layer of skin!

So the next weekend when I found myself in John Lewis I bought Liz Earle's 'Cleanse and Polish: Hot Cloth Cleanser' which like Soap & Glory's one contained natural ingredients such as: rosemary, chamomile, cocoa butter and eucalyptus oil. I was overwhelmed by how much more gentle the scent of the Liz Earle one was compared to the very perfumed Soap & Glory product. I know Soap & Glory are famous for their great smelling products but the one for the hot cloth cleanser just seemed a little too over-powering.

Here is both products swatched on my hand:


Don't they look really similar in appearance! Soap & Glory's has somewhat more of a 'sheen' than Liz Earle's. So then I trialed Liz Earle's for a week and I was overwhelmed by the fact that: 1) ALL of my make-up including mascara came off, 2) It wasn't too harsh on my eyes, 3) My skin didn't go too dry and 4) Just how smooth my skin felt after use.

So this is my final opinion of the products before revealing the winner (in my opinion!)

Soap & Glory
1) Scent: 7
2) Make-up removing ability: 6
3) Gentleness on skin: 4
4) Packaging: 7
5) Price: 8
6) Overall score: 6

Liz Earle
1) Scent: 9
2) Make-up removing ability: 10
3) Gentleness on skin: 9
4) Packaging: 9
5) Price: 7
6) Overall score: 9

Liz Earle is the overall winner for me due to the product being more gentle yet arguably more effective on my skin which is what I was looking for in a hot cloth cleanser. But if you have more resilient skin than me and like your products really perfumed then Soap & Glory's might be perfect for you!

Do you use either of these products? Or do you have another favourite hot cloth cleanser?

xxx 

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Positivity....

Source: here

I've really wanted to write this post for a while but haven't been too sure how it would be received as it is quite a bit different to my normal topics but anyway I really wanted to share it with you all. For Christmas I was given an amazing book written by Katie Piper  called 'Start your day with Katie: 365 affirmations for a year of positive thinking'. I'm sure you are all familiar with Katie and she is such an inspiring person (for those of you who don't know Katie and her story you can watch her talk about her journey here). The book has a quote or thought for every single day of the year to help you think positively. For example today (the 16th January) the thought of the day is a quote from Marie Curie: "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood" which I think is really lovely. 

I know some days I am definitely in need of a positive thought to help me feel better about myself and this definitely helps you get into the habit of thinking about things with a 'go get 'em' attitude. Now I try to approach situations and even people I am slightly unsure about with a positive angle. 

This is a truly lovely book and I really recommend it if sometimes you are in need of a little pick me up of positivity and from who better than such an inspirational woman! 



Things I do to make myself more positive:
  • Scroll through Pinterest for the gorgeous photography, outfits, ideas etc.
  • Watch Kittencam (live kittens on a webcam- I defy anyone to not feel better after watching these balls of cuteness!).
  • Do some baking.
  • Call/arrange to meet up with a friend and have a long catch up.
  • If I see a friend and I like what they are wearing I actually tell them- everyone loves a compliment!
What things to you do to make yourself more positive?


Tuesday 8 January 2013

Afternoon tea at The Ritz


I was extremely lucky to be treated to an amazing experience of afternoon tea at The Ritz by my boyfriend for my Christmas present. Due to the popularity of its famous tea and cakes the waiting list went on until early January so yesterday we spent our afternoon being treated like royalty and eating delicious sandwiches, pastries and scones.

With a strict smart dress code I wore this dress with a cardigan for added warmth and Reiss wore a shirt, tie and suit. I had hoped to wear heels but I knew walking around London beforehand it wouldn't have been a good idea! 

The Ritz say that they do permit photography but they ask for it to be discreet so I didn't get too many pictures but here are some that I managed to get:

Me at the entrance to the 'Palm Court' which is where the afternoon tea is held. 
Our table with our stand of sandwiches (which were constantly being replenished by the lovely waiters) and cakes. The scones are out of shot.

We had a lovely time and agreed it was such an amazing experience and one we certainly won't be forgetting for a while. It was our two year anniversary together at the weekend as well so there was plenty to celebrate! The service was absolutely incredible- you were made to feel special but not out of place and they were attentive without being interfering. This is the website incase you fancy having a look (or are curious to book it yourself!) here

Where have you had an amazing experience of afternoon tea?