*Winter Workwear Ideas + Quiz

Images from BonMarche 

Winter is definitely here with snow falling around the country but obviously the Manchester weather reuses to take part and stays resolutely rainy, as always. However, it's still very chilly and it's made me realise that I don't have any fully winter proof clothing, particularly more formal clothing. I personally work from home currently but from my time at university, I know how difficult it can be to dress more formally for the winter months!

Dressing for winter and seasonal transition periods can be pretty difficult, especially with the weather we have in England which can be gloriously sunny, then pouring down and maybe throw in some hailstone too...in England it's best to prepare for all weathers which isn't very easy. Winter coats, boots, cosy knitwear and even wellington boots would all make great winter workwear wardrobe essentials.

BonMarche have created a 'what workwear style suits you?' quiz that can you access below which might help you to find new pieces for your workwear wardrobe and make the process of shopping for your workwear this winter a little easier. The quiz only takes a minute and at the end you can shop the style you've been assigned.

I have taken the quiz and I received the 'Karen Brady Power Dresser' result and to be honest I actually love most of the items within the 'get this look' section. BonMarche has such a wide range of clothing from loungewear, pyjamas, causal clothing and great workwear options that I think would be ideal for a range of jobs. Whether you work in an office, at a school, in retail or if you work from home, you'll find something on BonMarche. Opting for items that can be paired with many items, classic pieces and essentials that can be worn again and again will make that rush in the morning a little easier; additionally planning your outfit the day before can save time!

I may currently work from home but that doesn't mean that I don't need to fully get dressed as I would do for a 'normal' or office based job, for example. My typical work day outfit consists of jeans, a thick and cosy jumper and a very warm coat, if I have to take photographs outside, for example. There are so many items I could choose from on BonMarche, you can see some of my ideas above and I also have my eye on pretty much the entire knitwear range as cosy knits are staples of my winter casual and workwear wardrobe!

Have you taken part in the above quiz? What do you think of these winter workwear ideas from BonMarche? 

*Images and quiz from BonMarche
*This is a collaborative post

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The CoffeeBrewer

I don't know about you but my mind is still in christmas mode and I'm struggling so much with getting back into taking photographs, editing and writing which is why my blog has been a little slow recently but thankfully my brain is now realising that it's the new year and I need to be productive. I was very kindly sent this coffee set just a few days before Christmas Day and I've been dying to try it since, especially as it's packaged so beautifully.

*The CoffeeBrewer by Grower's Cup (£15.95)

The set contains a ten piece selection of coffee from various regions such as Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia, Ethiopia and Brazil (three of which are organic). Everything is so well designed, packaged and put together so it would make a great gift idea for coffee lovers, especially those who love camping, travelling, road trips, festivals or hiking etc as there's one unique aspect to this coffee set - all of the coffee varieties come in pourable, portable bags!

The single estate coffee comes in a freshly roasted coffee grounds format so you don't need any other equipment or tools to make the coffee from this set which is one of the reasons why it would be great for on the go or travelling/camping because the only item you need is a kettle or even just a flask of hot water. The pouches are well designed, easily portable and very quick to use; additionally each pouch contains enough grounds for two cups of coffee (20g - 22g of coffee per bag).

The full description of the instructions are on the back of each bag and the strength of the coffee is stated on the front too so all of the information is very clear. The process of making the coffee is very quick, easy and simple but it can be a touch messy if you're not careful when pouring the hot water. I'm such a coffee lover so this set was perfect for me and I think it would be ideal for the people in your life who also love coffee as it's a bit more of an unusual gift idea.

I've only tried the coffee from Brazil so far which is fair-trade (I'm trying to make more ethical and environmentally friendly purchases in 2019). I usually drink lattes so strong coffee is a little different for me but I loved it on the whole. I added unsweetened almond milk to the bag, sugar to my mug and it was great although I think it does have a slight plastic taste to it which I also found was the case with the Tassimo pods I tried years ago.

Overall, I think it's a fantastic, award winning coffee set that would make an ideal gift for coffee lovers. The unusual format of the packaging makes it perfect for travelling, on the go, festivals or for camping. It is easily portable, quick to use and there are a variety of flavours and strengths available in the set. I think the price is amazing for what you get in this beautifully designed set and you can easily purchase it from Amazon.

Will you be trying this set? Do you drink coffee? Would you purchase this set as a gift?

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*2019 Home Renovation Ideas

Image from Apartment Therapy 

I have mixed feelings about the start of a new year as I have so many plans and ideas but it can also be a little nerve wracking too; however I am very excited for some of our home renovation/redecorating plans and ideas for 2019. I love redecorating and organising, it's a great way to refresh your home for the new year.

New Bathroom

At the end of 2018 we had one of the bathrooms renovated and now we're looking at changing the others as they haven't really been updated in maybe ten years! I have to admit that my inspiration is from Pinterest aesthetic level bathrooms with lots of storage, white rectangular tiles (or panelling) and blush pink everything! Just imagine the instagram photos...

Marble is another Pinterest and admittedly former blogger obsession and I do still love the effect! The Marble Store has such a wide range of marble worktops for your kitchen or bathroom. They also have a selection of other materials such as quartz, granite and glass but my favourite has to be the Carrara marble worktop.

Home Gym

Next up is one of the most immediate plans as I've finally found the perfect treadmill and the conservatory would be the ideal location for a home gym as it already contains my well used crosstrainer. Over the past three or so months my exercise routine has been pretty much non-existent and as I live in the rainiest city in the UK, a treadmill is a great indoor exercise solution....if I'll use it is another matter entirely. One of my 2018 goals was to improve my fitness and lose weight which I actually stuck to for the most part and that is very impressive for someone who did everything to avoid PE classes throughout school. I want to re-start this goal for 2019 and lose some of the Christmas weight I've managed to put on.

New Doors

The penultimate home renovation idea is to upgrade some of our doors, especially the front and back doors which haven't been replaced for over ten years. There are so many options to choose from with varying prices, styles and colours. If you're based within Cheltenham, doors of all styles can be found at Albany Windows and Doors.

Garden

Lastly, our garden! You'll have seen some of our garden in my outfit photos but one thing that's missing from it is a plethora of beautiful flowers. I adore our cherry blossom tree but besides that there aren't any other flowers so I want that to change in 2019. Certain flowers are also great for wildlife, bees and butterflies and I'd love to bring more wildfire into our garden besides the adorable squirrel that likes to eat everything in sight!

Do you have any home renovation/redecorating ideas or plans for 2019? 

*This is a sponsored post
*Image from Pinterest

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Top Ten Books + Audiobooks of 2018

Firstly, I read 190 books and audiobooks in 2018 so this post is going to be a little long and I will be cheating...I can't stick to only ten, I have to include a tonne of honourable mentions for the books and audiobooks I read as well. I also wanted to mention that I'm very harsh with my ratings, even though I probably couldn't write a book, so if a book gets four or five stars (as some of these books have) then it's pretty exceptional.

Lastly before I move onto my top books and audiobooks for 2018, I wanted to explain my reasons choosing some of the books that I have. Some of these reads were amazing and they received a star rating of four or five stars so naturally they are on this list; however, other books received a good three stars and they're still on this list, that's because they've stuck with me since I read them.

There are two books that are tied at the very top of the list for my best books of the year and they include: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty and The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton, both of which I would include on the list for my favourite books of all time!

Next up are a few books that are tied at the third(ish) spot on my list includes the following reads: A Winters Promise by Christelle Dabos, Girl Squads by Sam Maggs and A Hero Born by Jin Yong, all of which were four star reads. If you're looking for a great YA magical fantasy read then check out A Winters Promise, for an empowering read all about amazing women then pick up Girl Squads and lastly, if you want a classic asian adventure novel then look no further than A Hero Born.

The next books I'm going to mention are pretty much all on the same level and they include: A Discovery of Witches, The Death of Mrs Westaway, An Unwanted Guest and Flame In The Mist but I think that the first three in the list are my favourites and the books I'll recommend to everyone.

Honourable Mentions

I'm cheating and I'm going to include a list of honourable mentions for the physical and e-books I loved in 2018 including: Career Of Evil, Crucial Interventions, The Last Hours, Alone Time, Ace of Shades, Blackwing, Children of Blood and Bone, Women of the Raj, The Belles, City of Lies, A Gathering Of Ghosts, Wrecker, Bottled Goods and Neverwhere. I think that out of my honourable mentions, my favourites are Blackwing (dark fantasy), Career Of Evil (detective/crime), Bottled Goods (literary fiction/magical realism) and Neverwhere (YA urban fantasy).

Audiobooks 

Now onto my favourite audiobooks of 2018, all of which I listened to on BookBeat which is the most amazing audiobook subscription service as it's so easy to use and you don't pay per book, you pay a set fee each month which means that you can listen to as many audiobooks as you want in that month! I am definitely going to be paying for the subscription myself in the future as it's just fantastic.

As I said, I'm very harsh with my book ratings and even more so with audiobooks - I don't know why! Most books and audiobooks receive a three out of five stars from me which is a good rating but it isn't amazing. However, some of these audiobooks received four stars from me which is rare and those include: Bloody Brilliant Women, Rebecca, Witchsign, Spellslinger and Shadowshow, however the latter isn't on my favourites list despite it's rating as it's now become completely forgettable sadly.

My favourite non-fiction audiobook is definitely The Ravenmaster which was such an interesting and informative read. Very few non-fiction audiobooks end up on my best books list as I tend to forget them quite quickly and that is also the case with The Ravenmaster but I'd still recommend it, along with these fantastic fiction audiobooks: A House of Ghosts, Awakened, Jane Eyre and The Ashes of London.

I only have a few honourable mentions when it comes to the audiobooks I've listened to and those include: Challenge Accepted, Frankenstein and Napoleon, the latter is a fantastic non-fiction audiobook that I'd definitely recommend.

Have you read any of these books or audiobooks? 

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*Winter Haircare Tips 2019

Image from Glaminati

Winter can be a particularly tough time to maintain silky smooth hair as exposure to the cold elements will reduce the moisture in your hair, often leading to damage. On top of this you may be blow drying your hair more often which can cause further harm. All this dry air leads to split ends and dandruff which can be a nightmare! Here are some actions you can take to help prevent damage and care for your hair to keep it looking beautiful in winter.

Cut Down on Heavy Heat Styling 

Gone are the days where you can let your hair dry quickly in the sun, letting your hair dry naturally will take a long time and could put you at risk of catching a cold. When the temperatures outside are cold it’s easy to want to use more heated tools, but you need to use these carefully to prevent hair damage. If it’s warm inside then you’re better air drying, if not then only use a hair dryer on a low setting, don’t hold it to close to your scalp and be patient. If you usually use a curling iron, try out some natural curls and waves or a ponytail.

Shampoo Less Often 

If you usually wash your hair every day and find you have dry hair, try cutting down washing it to every two or three days. Washing your hair too frequently will strip your hair of its natural oils and reduce its moisture, leaving it dry and more likely to become damaged. By extending the period between washes to two days, your hair will keep more moisture and remain healthier. If leaving it two days between washes does not show any improvement, try three days. If you don’t want to leave it that long you can try using a very small amount of shampoo or simply just using condition when washing your hair.

Reduce Hair Dye 

The winter is a good time to give your hair a break from dyeing and bleaching. Blonde or platinum hair does look amazing but it can damage your hair at a time when it’s particularly vulnerable in the winter months. If want to mix up you colours then clip in hair extensions work great as an alternative to dyeing, or you can stick to darker colours until the weather is better.

Stay hydrated 

Your body needs to stay hydrated and so does your hair to remain shiny and prevent split ends. You won’t find yourself feeling as thirsty in the cooler months, but you need to keep drinking a lot of water to help encourage hair health and general good health. Drinking water also helps prevent skin dryness which causes scalp itchiness and dandruff in the cold weather.

Wear the Right Hat 

Wearing the right hat can really make the different in an outfit, and they’re also a great way of protecting your hair from the harsh cold winds. Try to wear a hat with a silk lining, silk is hypoallergenic and helps to prevent hair damage, whilst rough fabrics like cotton can actually cause breakages. If you don’t have a silk lining, try placing a silk scarf underneath the hat so that it keeps your hair protected.

Don’t Go Outside with Damp Hair 

Not only will wet hair put you at risk of getting a chill, it can cause a lot of damage to your hair. If it’s too cold then your hair could even freeze and put it at a high risk of breakage. Double check that your hair is dry before leaving the house to help prevent damage.

Do you have any haircare tips or product recommendations? 

*This is a sponsored post
*Image from Pinterest

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Best Beauty Products of 2018

2018 has been a fairly good year (check out my 2018 highlights post) and I've discovered so many new products that I've been loving for months! The products range from items I've bought, subscription boxes goodies and products I was kindly sent throughout the year. There's a variety of products to talk about from haircare, indulgent bodycare products, makeup, skincare and more.

Haircare & Bodycare 

Let's start with the most recent haircare favourite and that's the Percy and Reed Wonder Balm which I received in the gorgeous LookFantastic Advent Calendar (it was one of my favourite pieces of blogger mail ever!). I haven't tried much from Percy and Reed but this balm has been fantastic for my dry, frizzy and unruly hair as it manages to tame frizz (on the whole), smooth my hair and make it feel incredibly soft!

One of the most indulgent and divinely scented bath products is the Feather and Down Melting Shower Cream, I cannot recommend it enough. Feather and Down has to be one of my favourite brands of the year and it all started with my love for their gorgeous pillow mist which is another product I'd highly recommend.

I have a couple of other haircare favourites including the best dry shampoo I've ever used! I have tried so many dry shampoo options but none of them worked for my dark hair until I tried the heaven sent Colab Dry Shampoo which was created by Ruth Crilly at A Model Recommends (I love her Youtube channel, she's so down to earth and informative). The Colab Dry Shampoo helps to eliminate oil, boost volume and stops my hair from looking like I've dowsed it in hair oil.

My final haircare favourite of 2018 is one that I loved so much, I bought two! I previously had The Wet Brush in an animal print design but I've replaced it with this cute purple one and I cannot recommend it enough. As I said, I have dry hair and it's fairly thick so it is prone to horrendous, 'I might have to cut my hair' level of tangles but this brush makes detangling and simply brushing my hair so quick, easy and painless.

Now onto my body care and pampering products and let's start with the most luxurious and moisturising shower gel I've ever used, the Freshly Nourishing Shower Gel. Freshly products are natural and suitable for vegans which is amazing; they are also very gentle but effective. A shower gel might seem like an unusual and simple product to be raving about but this one leaves my skin so incredibly smooth and moisturised!

Another body product that has a very similar effect is the Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner which smells heavenly, leaves my skin so smooth and helps to keep dryness at bay. I adore Lush products, I need to start using them more as I used to use their products almost exclusively a few years ago and I need to get back to it.

There are two body lotions that I've been loving throughout 2018 and those include the most divinely scented body butter ever, the Crabtree and Evelyn Lavender and Espresso Body Cream (which I cannot get enough of) and the equally as gorgeous Rituals Magic Touch Body Cream, both of which I cannot recommend enough, especially for this time of the year. I am so lazy when it comes to using body lotions and creams, I don't know why, but both of these are so lovely to use. If you're looking for a body cream that smells amazing, leaves your skin super soft and doesn't leave a heavy or greasy residue on the skin then look no further than these!

Skincare 

Let's start with one item that mixes skincare and makeup to create an amazing BB cream for those with incredibly dry skin as I do, the Dear Klairs Illuminating BB Cream from Koja Beauty. I was kindly sent it months and months ago and I've been using it pretty much very single time I wear makeup as it's the easiest, no fuss option. Another BB cream I've been loving is the Skin 79 BB Blemish Balm which I received a sample of in a LookFantastic box and I had to buy the full size!

One of the most important skincare items, for me, is my moisturiser. Eczema has many awful 'symptoms' but one of the most inconvenient (as well as the burning irritation, flakiness, inflammation) is the perpetual dryness which makes finding a deeply effective and gentle moisturiser so important but this year I've found three that my skin loves.

The first, and my favourite of the three, is the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. It is a brand I've wanted to try for ages and I'm so grateful to the lovely people at LookFantastic as this full sized cream was part of their advent calendar in 2018. I also loved the Advanced Moisture Boost from Vitage which came as part of an amazing blogger mail package and it's a cream I'm finally finishing now. The final moisturiser is the Rio Rosa Day and Night Cream, all three of which I'd definitely recommend especially if you have very dry and sensitive skin as I do.

Makeup & Tools

I love applying my makeup, it's such a relaxing process but removing it can be a little annoying especially as I have to wear waterproof mascara thanks to the ever drizzly Manchester weather but there's one product that I have used numerous variations of all year that has been helping me remove my makeup with just water in seconds! I utterly adore these microfibre cleansing cloths, the original being the Makeup Eraser one (I believe) but every variation I've tried has worked so effectively for removing every little trace of makeup, even stubborn waterproof mascara. My latest variation is the fantastic Magnitone Cleansing Cloths which I cannot recommend enough, particularly if you have sensitive skin as I do.

Another long term favourite of mine is the Essence Fixing Powder which I've bought at least three of so far as they are so cheap but so effective at setting my makeup, blotting oil and keeping my makeup looking fresh for longer without making my skin looking dry, cakey or overly powdered. Essence is probably my favourite cheaper makeup brand and I will definitely continue to use their products.

I've mentioned a couple of products that I've loved from the LookFantastic Advent Calendar and I have another, the Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick which is actually green in the tube but it transforms into a beautiful, berry pink on the lips that's fairly natural and gives the lips a very fresh, hydrated and youthful look. The longevity is far better than I thought it would be and I've been using it constantly since receiving it at the end of November. Another lip product I've been using consistently is the Dr Lipp Elderberry Tint which I think I received in a LookFantastic box a few months ago; it's a gorgeous berry tinted lip balm that's ideal for everyday.

For brows, or more specifically brow bone, I've been loving the Eylure Brow Luminizer which in one swipe adds a gorgeous natural, glowing sheen to the skin - it's perfect for an inner corner, cupids bow and brow bone highlight in seconds. Lastly for makeup is a newer addition from the French brand, Avril. As I've said, Manchester receives a lot of rain so I always have to use waterproof mascara but so many of them are incredibly difficult to remove; however, I've found the solution - Avril Waterproof Mascara. It gives me natural fluttery lashes that can survive an English winters day but it is easy to remove with my makeup removing microfibre cleansing cloths.

My final 2018 beauty favourite is one of the most long-lasting nail polish duos I've ever tried, the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish and Top Coat. I received a red shade and top coat from this range as part of my 'beauty guru' box from Latest In Beauty which I adored; so I had to buy another shade! I purchased the Frill Seeker shade from Fragrance Direct and it's the only polish I've been using for months. The polish combined with the top coat can last on my nails for over a week and after that it only had minor chipping which can then last for another few days! I will definitely be purchasing more shades from this range!

Have you tried any of these products? What were your 2018 beauty favourites? 

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