What I Read: March

       

Welcome back to another What I Read. Last month I let myself down by only reading two books but this month I managed to whizz through three amazing books that I couldn't put down. 

             

The Last Piece Of My Heart- Paige Toon

This book was one I tried to get finished in time for What I Read: Febraury but alas didn't manage to. However I did manage to finish this very early on in March. I devoured this book, I couldn't put it down. It revolves around a travel writer who is drafted in to finish the work of a bestselling novelist who recently passed away. On top of that she's also having to deal with having a long distance relationship that she's having second thoughts about as well as trying to impress with a blog about reclaiming the pieces of her heart from her exes. Throw on top of that her ever growing attraction to the novelists widower and you've got yourself a page turning that you won't be able to put down. I love Paige Toon's work already and this was just another amazing story from her. She has a way of creating scenes that are so easy to picture in your head and her characters are realistic and relatable which in turn makes you want them to do well I definitely am going to go back and re-read some of her other works if they're all as good as this. 

                           

The List- Joanna Bolouri

The next book I read this month was one I enjoyed but I also found a little disappointing. The List follows a young woman who after splitting with her ass of an ex decides she wants to become more sexually adventurous and creates a list of ten things she wants to try before the years out. Soon enough she's enlisted the help of her best friend and you can all guess how that ends. Throw in a reappearance from her ex and you've got yourself a humorous drama filled novel that had me up till the small hours reading. However as much as I enjoyed this, I was also a little disappointed. From the reviews on the front and the back, I thought this was going to be a little cheekier, a little saucier than it actually was. Now I'm not asking for a Fifty shades style novel but something with a little more sass, a little more sauce, especially given how the book was advertised, written up as. 

                            

Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe- Jenny Colgan 

And the final book I read this month is probably my favourite. Meet Me At the Cupcake Cafe is the story of a young woman who's passion is baking but she's stuck in a boring office job. Until she's made redundant and her dreams of owning her own little cafe can come true. That being said there is your fair share of drama and ups and downs but throughout the whole story you'll be rooting for her and her cafe. I loved this book, it was heartwarming, it was funny and I couldn't put it down. I believe there are more in this series of books which I've put onto my to read list and can't wait to read if they're half as good as this one was. 

     
      

Monthly Favourites: March

                         

Welcome back to another Monthly Favourites. March has been a bit of a hit and miss month with me. I started the month fully intent on creating amazing content for you all and planned out some amazing things to do with my friends and family but by the middle of this month I lost all my enthusiasm and interest in the blog especially. So as you may have noticed I took some time off but today I'm back with my March favourites and a whole hog of ideas for April's posts as well. 

                       

Elizabeth And James Nirvana Fragrances 

My first and all time favourite of this month comes in the form of a fragrance or six. Last month my best friend Jasmin went to Washington and so kindly brought me back these Elizabeth and James Fragrance Rollerball Sets. The two trio sets contain every scent they've released so far in a travel sized miniature, perfect for trying or travelling with. Now I already knew I loved the Nirvana White but wasn't sure which of the other I'd also like. Turns out I love them all and I've been wearing them all month. Each one is cleverly unique, feminine and sophisticated in its own right. Plus they're long lasting on the skin and can even be smelt on clothing a good couple of days later. I can't pick a favourite out of the six but the ones I've worn the most have to be French Grey, Bourbon and Nirvana Black, French Grey especially as it mixes beautifully with my Rosie For Autograph Rose Gold to create a stunning feminine, classy, sexy scent that's perfect for the evening without being too heavy or musky. 

                          

Palmers Skin Therapy Face Oil With Rosehip 

My skin has been an absolute nightmare this month, with breakout after breakout appearing just as I thought my skin was getting better. As I write this apart from a couple of blemishes on my chin my skin is the best it's looked all month and it's all down to this next favourite of mine. I'd seen people raving about the Palmers Face Oil on Pinterest so decided to give it a go in hopes of reducing the appearance of any marks left behind by my blemishes. And by God has it worked a wonder or two. Lightweight and non greasy this oil absorbs easily into my skin, working not only to leave it feeling hydrated for longer but also reducing any dark marks left from my blemishes. And as I said my skin looks the best it has all month thanks to this oil. If you're struggling with blemishes, I'd highly recommend trying this oil out. 

                         

Rosie For Autograph Brow Pencil/Benefit Gimme Brow 

This month I've really gotten into filling in my brows. Usually I get them tinted and leave them until my next brow appointment but for some reason this month I've started filling them in. And I can't get over how different they look with just a little bit of pencil or tinted brow gel through them which is where my next two favourites come in. For days when I've been feeling lazy I've been loving the Benefit Gimme Brow. It gives just enough for my brows to have a bit more shape and colour but doesn't look like I've spent ages on them. And then for days when I can be bothered to make more of an effort, the Rosie For Autograph Brow Pencil has been my go to product. It is quick and easy to create a defined shape that looks natural but defined. And the spoolie on the end means you can easily brush through and remove any excess product without having to do your brows again. The only problem is because it's so soft, I've already used tons of this already and need to repurchase a new one. 

                           

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 

An old favourite of mine that I've rediscovered my love for this month is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. I featured this in my favourites last year but afterwards found it didn't suit my skin aswell as I thought it did. That is until recently when I pulled out of my collection on a whim. And I've fallen in love with it all over again. It's advertised as a light coverage but I find this gives me a gorgeous medium coverage that can be easily built up to cover imperfections. And what once would have looked like a oil slick mess now looks glowy and healthy. I don't know if it's because I'm using a different powder but it wears differently to what I remember and can easily go a whole day without trasnfereing or fading. 

                           

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer 

Last month Maybelline extended the shade range in their Fit Me concealer now including a paler shade for fairer tones such as myself. So I thought I'd give it a go and it's replaced my much loved Collection Comcealer. It's so good, I've worn it everyday since I brought it as you can tell by the state of the packaging. It's a high coverage concealer that feels lightweight on the skin and doesn't oxidise throughout the day. Perfect for under the eyes as well as to cover redness and blemishes this concealer has been a godsend when it comes to making my nightmare skin look somewhat presentable on a daily basis. 

                         

Benefit They're Real Tinted Lash Primer 

Another old favourite I've rediscovered this month comes from Benefit. They're tinted lash primer was one of the first lash primers I tried and it set me off trying to find the perfect one. I thought I had with the Maybelline Lash Sensational Primer but nothing compare to Benefit's They're Real Tinted Primer. Firstly it gives lashes amazing length and volume which is only amplified when mascaras applied over top. Secondly, it conditions lashes as you wear it and doesn't cause them to droop or lose their volume as the day goes on. And thirdly because it's a brown tint instead of white, you can easily wear it on its own on no make up days to just lashes a lift. I'm nearly out of mine so I'll be hitting up a Benefit stand when I'm in town next. 

                                          

Tomb Raider

And my last favourite of them month is a movie favourite. March has been quiet for film releases but one I'd been highly anticipating is the Tomb Raider reboot. I'm a huge fan of the original Angelina Jolie films but was intrigued by what Alicia Vikander could bring to the role. And she didn't disappoint. Strong, badass and every bit as good as Angelina, Vikander brought a fresh new spin on the Tomb Raider series. It's set earlier in the life of Lara Croft's life and as a whole is the perfect origins story/prelude to the early 2000's Tomb Raider films. If you weren't sure when you saw the trailer, I'd say give it a chance, you might be surprised.

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Bunny Cake Bars

                     

I'm back with another Easter recipe which is quick, simple yet tasty and cute as a button. Recently I brought a bunny shaped cake tin and have been dying to use it. And since I've been off work this week, I thought it was the perfect time to do so.

Ingredients

- 100g Stork/Butter

- 100g Caster Sugar

- 100g Self Raising Flour 

- 2 Eggs

- 50g White Chocolate Chips

- 50g Milk Chocolate Chips 

- Vegetable Oil Spray 

Method 

1- Pre-heat oven to 180c. Spray the cake tin with vegetable oil spray so that the cakes are easier to remove when cooked. 

2- In a bowl or stand mixer, place the butter and the sugar. Combine until pale, fluffy and creamy looking.

3- To the mixture add one egg and a tablespoon of flour. Beat into the mixture until it's completely combined. Repeat with the second egg, mixing until completely combined. 

4- Add the rest of the flour and fold gently into the mixture, making sure not to lose any of the air you've already put into the mixture.

5- Add the chocolate chips and mix until well combined. I chose half and half when it came to the chocolate chips but you could use completely milk chocolate or white chocolate. 

6- Spoon the mixture into the tin, only filling them three quarters of the way so they have room to rise and so there is no spillage when they cook. Pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 

7- Once cooked, leave to cool for five minutes. Then take a pallet knife and gently ease it along the edge of the tin to loosen them. Let them rest for a further five minutes before removing from the tin completely. 

8- Then all that's left is to enjoy them warm or leave them to cool completely before serving. 

3 Things I Do To Unwind

 

The last week has been stressful to say the least and I've just needed some me time. Which got me thinking, what kind of things do I always turn to when I need to unwind and relax after a stressful or particularly hard day. So today I'm sharing with you the three things I do when I want to unwind and relax.

1- Get Comfy
Nothing says unwinding after a long day than getting comfy. To me that means make up off, hair in a pineapple, no bra and in the comfiest pjs I can find. At the moment I'm loving these Aladdin pjs from Primark. They're just the right mix of cosy and cute without being too flimsy or gaudy like a lot of character pjs can. Plus Aladdin is my all time favourite Disney movie so any excuse to wear them is welcome. And occasionally if I'm not feeling too lazy, I'll put on a sheet mask to give my skin a pamper as I make a myself a cuppa and get settled for the rest of the night.


2- Hobbies and Passions
Nothing destresses me like my myriad of passions. So once I've washed the day off, given my skin some TLC and dressed appropriately, I attempt to get some work done on the blog before I indulge in a passion or two. This can be anything from baking to reading a book or snuggling up to watch a film or catch up on the latest show I'm watching. At the moment I'm currently working my way through all the Marvel movies in preparation for Infinity War which releases next month and whilst I'm not indulging in my love of Marvel, I'm trying to get into both Riverdale and Rick and Morty. So far I'm not sure on both but am going to keep watching in hopes I like it as much as the people who recommended them to me do.

3- Baths/Hot Chocolate/YouTube
And the last way I find helps me unwind after a long day is a long soak in the bath accompanied by a large mug of hot chocolate and a good old catch up on my YouTube Watch Later list. I always feel so much calmer, relaxed and less stressed once I've had a good long soak in the tub. And when I do this, I load my bath full of relaxing oils, bath bombs, bath salts and tons of bubble bath. It may seem a lot but it just makes it feel so much more luxurious and that in itself is calming and relaxing to me. They've also been perfect for warming up after that horrid cold snap we had towards the end of February.

Recipe: Mini Egg Rocky Road

                        

We've been inundated with Mini Eggs everywhere since the beginning of the year and with Easter fast approaching, I thought I'd better pull my finger out and get sharing some Easter recipes I've been planning for a while. Now I'm not going to lie, they will consist mainly of Mini Eggs purely because I'm not a fan of a Cream Egg and don't want to mess with the perfection that is Cadbury's Caramel Eggs.

To kick everything off I'm starting with Rocky Road. I'd like to say this is simple and perfect for beginner bakers but it's taken me four attempts to get it perfect. Some of it was down to the wrong amount of chocolate but most of it was down to me burning the chocolate as I melted it over a bain marie. I being the impatient cow I am put the heat too high and essentially let it burn over each time. So let that be the biggest thing you take from this recipe, be patient, keep the temperature low and don't stop stirring the mixture.

Ingredients
- 400g Milk Chocolate
- 125g Unsalted Butter
- 125g Golden Syrup
- 100g Mini Marshmallows
- 200g Digestives, broken up
- 200g Mini Eggs, with a few left over for snacking on

Method

1. Line a baking tray with cling film or baking parchment. The tin can be as big or as deep as you like, it all depends on how you want your rocky road to turn out. And I'd advise lining your tin with a strip of cling film/baking parchment horizontally then another one vertically as it'll make it easy to remove it from the tin later on. 
2. In a bowl over a pan of water place the golden syrup, chocolate and butter. Melt on a low temperature, stirring the mix consistently to make sure everything melts evenly. It's best to make the butter and chocolate as small as possible as it means that's it more likely to melt quicker at a lower temperature. And whilst it may seem tempting to turn the temperature up, don't! It's only going to end in disaster and then you'll be annoyed with yourself, trust me I'm speaking from experience. 
3. Whilst the chocolate is melting, I'd advise putting the rest of the dry ingredients together into a large bowl so that you can just go straight in with the chocolate mix when it's ready. 
4. Once the chocolate mixture is completely melted and combined, pour over your dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon, making sure to cover everything liberally. 
5. Once you're happy with how it looks, pour into your prepared tin and smooth down with a spatula. Then just pop it into the fridge for a few hours to set. 
6. Once it's set all you've got to do then, is cut it and enjoy.

Review: Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator

                                    

 For the longest time I've been wanting to try the Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator but never had the chance to try until I recieved it as part of a Liz Earle Christmas set. And I can't understand why I took so long to try it. 

Packed full of ingredients such as Eucalyptus, Cocoa Butter and Jojoba Beads, this exfoliator is more of a physical exfoliator than a chemical one. It's definitely one you can feel working to loosen and remove any dead skin cells but it's not that abrasive that it irritates or scratches the face. And because it contains more natural ingredients, it's more likely to be suited to those with more sensitive/reactive skins. 

I'd tried this on the back of my hand once but it doesn't compare to how effective it is when you actually use it on your face. I'd like to say a little goes a long way but I found I had to use a substantial amount to make sure my face was evenly covered. As I said, it's abrasive enough to give a good deep exfoliation but it doesn't leave skin feeling irritated or sore in any way. And once you'be washed it off, skin feels baby smooth and soft to the touch. I did find I needed to use a richer moisturiser than normal afterwards but that may just be my particular skin type. 

If you're looking for a decent physical exfoliant and don't mind paying a bit extra, I'd highly recommend giving this a go. It can be used by all skin types; even sensitive skins, and contains a host of ingredients that will nourish and work with your skin unlike other exfoliators that can sometimes leave skin feeling more stripped. If I were to recommend you try anything from Liz Earle, it would be this and the Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. Both may be more than you'd normally pay but both are definitely worth every penny. When I run out of miniatures of this, I'll definitely be buying a full sized bottle. 

Homeware Wishlist

On Friday I shared with you my clothing wishlist of the moment and explained how every few months I want to just throw everything away and start afresh. Well today's post is similar in style to that but instead of clothes it's homeware. Every few months I look at my room and just want to clear it of everything and buy new furniture, bedding, lighting and accesories. So today I'm sharing with you a few things I'd love to get my hands on to redecorate my room.

White Pineapple Bookends- New Look £14.99
 The first thing that I've got my eye on is this pair of bookends from New Look. I've been looking for some pretty bookends that don't cost a fortune for a while and these are perfect. These are white gold and rose and would fit perfectly in with the theme I have going in my room at the moment. I'm not sure how I'd utilise these just yet as I'd like to use them to display some of my 'coffee table' books but I also like the idea of using them to display the books I'm reading during each month.

White Floral Double Duvet Cover- New Look £27.99
The next thing on my list is a duvet cover. I absolutely love buying new duvet covers and absolutely adore this one from New Look. It's perfect for what I hope is some upcoming warmer weather. It's pastel floral design isn't the usual design I'd go for but there's something about this pattern I can't get enough of. The only problem with this is the price. I don't have a problem with paying a little bit extra as it looks like it'll be good quality bedding but I just don't want to spend all that money just to spill coffee or lipstick over it like I do with most of my duvets.

Pale Pink Faux Succelent- New Look £3.99
And the last thing I've got my eye on from New Look is this faux succelent. What caught my attention was it's interesting colour. It's not like a lot of other succelents and that makes it more interesting to me. Plus is doesn't cost a lot and would stand out nicely amongst my other faux succelents that I aready own.

Copper Grid Five Shelf Wall Unit- Oliver Bonas £75
I'm not going to lie, I'm a big fan of rose gold/copper. And this wall unit from Oliver Bonas is right up my street. It's a five shelf hanging unit consisting of copper plated grids melded together to create this beautiful yet sturdy wall hanging unit. It does cost £75, something I'd definitely have to save up for but I can see it sitting perfectly in my room.

Lips Set Of Four Teaspoons- Oliver Bonas £22
Now this next one is a little bit OTT but you can't blame a girl. I am in no need of teaspoons but who am I to try and resist these extremely bougie but gorgeous teaspoons from Oliver Bonas. I'm not sure I'd even use these if I did buy them, they're just so pretty. These are definitely an item that'll be staying on my wishlist as I don't think I can justify them to my mum or trust my stepdad to use/wash them without breaking them.

 Large Solar Jewellery Stand- Oliver Bonas £58
I already a nice Oliver Bonas duper jewellery stand from Primark but I would happily pass that over if it meant I could have this in my life. Over the last year or so I've been obessesed with anythng space themed and this combines that with two of my other favourite obsessesions, marble and rose gold. For me and my budget it's a little over budget but god it's gorgeous and would look stunning sat on my mantel piece.

Copper Grid Nine Shelf Storage Unit- Oliver Bonas £265
Now this last one is more of one that I'd like to replicate to suit my budget but I thought I'd show it so you all get an idea of what I'm looking for. This empty shelving unit style is the kinda thing I'm looking for so I can showcase my books, skincare or (rather nerdy) collection of Funko Pop Vinyls. I like the idea of being able to put decorative baskets in each compartment to keep things tidy but then I also like the idea of just neatly piling my sweatshirts in one compartment as well. I am currently looking for something similar and budget friendly to add to my room. And all these online window shopping has made me really wish I had a seperate beauty room but alas I don't. 

Clothing Wishlist

 

Every few months I go through a phase where I want to throw away all my clothes and create a whole new wardrobe from scratch. And right now that urge is very strong, especially with all the new Spring releases seen throughout every store. So today I thought I'd share with you a few pieces that I've got my eye on and that may be joining my wardrobe after pay day.

 NASA Printed Hoodie- H&M £19.99
The first thing I've got my eye on is this white NASA hoodie. I spotted it a couple weeks back when I was shopping with Jasmin and instantly fell in love. Sure it's just a simple hoodie but it's uber soft to the touch and is something I feel like I'm missing in my wardrobe. And lately I've loved nothing more than wearing a oversized hoodie with jeans and converse or a casual slip on shoe. Now it's a little more than what I normally like to pay for my hoodies but the feel and quality of it when you see it in person makes it totally worth it's price tag.

Three Stand Necklace- H&M £6.99
Now I'm not usually one for accesories but yet again when I saw this in H&M, I was instantly drawn to it. It was shown on a bust as part of an accesories display and something about it caught my eye. It's a three layer necklace but only one clasp, a lot easier than wearing three seperate necklaces. And again I was surprised to see that I preferred it in gold than I did the silver when I normally only wear silver jewellery. This paired with a plain t-shirt, jeans, ankle boots and maybe even a leather jacket would look stunning and would be the perfect causal yet still stylish outfit.

Boohoo Moon Print Long Sleeved T-Shirt- £20
Boohoo wasn't a website I shopped from until recently but now I can't get enough. And at the moment, they have so many gorgeous t-shirts and jumpers which to a lot of people would look basic but to me are the easiest way to create an outfit. And this oversized long sleeved t-shirt with constellation print down the sleeves is one of them. I normally wouldn't go for something with a print down the sleeves like this but there's something about this top I'm drawn to and can easily see it paired with a pair of jeans and converse or some ankle boots for a relaxed vibe/outfit.

Blue Light Wash Short Denim Dungarees- New Look £25.99
One thing I want to add to my wardrobe every year and never do is a pair of dungarees. I think a pair of dungarees paired with a t-shirt and some converse is a simple yet stylish and comfortable outfit, especially through the Summer. And every year I say I'm going to get myself a pair and I never do. But this year is different and this pair from New Look is exactly the kind I'm looking for. They do these in a darker wash as well but I prefer them in the lighter wash, especially for the warmer months as it's going to keep that little bit cooler.

Grey Embrodied Lucky T-Shirt- New Look £8.99
And something that would accompany the dungarees perfectly is this grey t-shirt with lucky embrodied in red thread. There's a lot of t-shirts like this about at the moment with tons of different fonts, messages and slogans. A lot of them aren't very different to this one but I liked the colour combination of this one and think paired with some jeans and some converse or ankle boot would make a nice look that's relaxed but still looks like you've made an effort.

Orange Cross Body Satchel- New Look £17.99
And the last item on this wishlist is a bag that gives me slight Chloe vibes but is unique in it's own right. This cross body satchel from New Look is very bright but is perfect for being a standalone pop of colour in a look. It's not too large but still substantial enough to fit your everyday essentials in. And the silver hoop that is a faux edition to the fastening of the bag reminds me a lot of the Chloe Faye bag, a bag I've been ogling at for a while. And at £17.99 it's not to expensive but it's also not going to break as soon as you use it.