Haute Florist 'Belle In Black' Bouquet

I have been lucky enough to receive various beautiful bouquets from numerous companies but one of my favourites has to be Haute Florist. I've reviewed one of their bouquets previously, if you want my thoughts on that one. I'm always very happy to receive flowers, especially unusual flowers, as they make any room look so much more spring-like and fresh! Thanks so much to Haute Florist for the unusual Belle In Black bouquet.

*Haute Florist Belle In Black Bouquet (from £45)

I was able to choose a bouquet and while I adored the Antique Elegance bouquet and I'd highly recommend it, I wanted something a little unusual this time around so I opted for the Belle In Black Bouquet which is unlike any other bouquet I've received to review on my blog. The bouquet came safely and well protected as the previous bouquet did so there's no need to worry about delivery.

I love the presentation of the flowers as they come with a ribbon and this bouquet also had unusual black paper around it so it looked very elegant. It contains so many unusual flowers including: purple vanda, sea holly, eucalyptus, black cala lilies, memory lane roses, blue eryngium and ruscus. The only flowers I've received before were memory lane roses and eucalyptus, both of which I love but they're even more beautiful within this very striking bouquet.

The reason I chose this particular bouquet is because of how unique it is, I haven't come across a bouquet like it before! I love the deep black cala lilies that look so beautiful and unusual in their shape. I also love the purple vanda which are a variety of orchid so they have to be in plastic stems with water in the top so they'll last longer - I haven't come across that before in a bouquet but they definitely add another unusually beautiful element to an already gorgeous selection of flowers and foliage.

I couldn't choose my favourite flowers from this bouquet as they are all so gorgeous but I think it would be a tie between the black cala lilies and the memory lane roses; although I do love the sea holly too which looks quite thistle like. I think so many bouquets look very similar and while that isn't a bad thing at all (as they are all so beautiful), it's nice to receive one that's so different to many of the others available.

I've had mine for the past five or so days and they are just as I received them as hopefully they'll last for a few more days - you'll have had a sneak peek of the unboxing if you follow me on Instagram (@ofbeautyand). I am so happy with my bouquet from Haute Florist and I cannot recommend their service enough!

What do you think of this bouquet? Have you ordered any flowers from Haute Florist? 

*Gifted

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*The go-to city break style guide

Image from Pinterest

Clear your calendar for the weekend, it’s time for a city break! There’s nothing worse than checking in to your hotel room, opening your bag, and realising you’ve forgotten to pack your favourite pair of jeans, or you didn’t think about picking up a portable power bank. Your essential outfits will of course depend on where it is you’ll be jetting off to. From an educational trip around a historic city to a weekend of retail therapy in the top shopping cities in the UK, we’ve put together this guide to get you ready no matter what break you’re taking!

A weekend spent romancing 

Taking a city break with your special someone? This type of getaway is perfect for recharging your batteries, as well as getting some all-important together time with your significant other. No couple’s city break is complete without date night in a rustic eatery, sampling some exquisite dishes. So, the high priorities for packing are: Your favourite going-out outfit, whether it’s a glitzy dress or a sleek pair of high waisted jeans and a nice top Make-up (if you wear it!)

• Face: Moisturiser, primer, foundation, concealer, translucent powder, highlighter, contour, bronzer, blush.
• Eyes: Eyeshadow primer, eyeshadow palette, mascara, eyelash curlers, fake lashes.
• Brows: Tweezers, eyebrow pencil, eyebrow brush, eyebrow pomade.
• Lips: Sugar-scrub, lip pencil, lip balm, lipstick or gloss. 
• Misc: Perfume, mirror, setting spray, make-up wipes, brushes, chargers

New city, new cultures 

Whether you’re spending time with friends or taking off on a solo adventure, visiting a new city is the perfect getaway. But getting lost in a new city is a little too much excitement. Make sure to pack the following:

• Comfy walking shoes
• A coat or hoodie in case it gets chilly!
• An umbrella
• Power bank for your phone (so you always have your phone GPS with you)
• Chargers
• Emergency money

Especially if you’re travelling to a city on your own, you should have some emergency funds tucked away from your wallet or purse. There’s a number of ways you can do this: you can invest in a money belt or security belt that has a hidden compartment or use a scarf with a secret pocket. A cheap crafty way is to take an old lipstick or lip balm tube, empty it and wash it, then roll up a note or two in there and pop it in your pocket! Adjust this suitcase with some of the items on our romantic city break guide to get a bit more dressed up for evenings spent mooching through the streets, enjoying traditional food and drink.

Sit back and relax- it’s time to go the spa 

Self-care is vital, and the growing trend in spa weekends is a way to guarantee some all-important time to yourself. And let’s face it, any trend that encourages us to slow down, take a breath and just relax is a trend we can get behind! Master spa etiquette before donning the dressing robe, and pack accordingly for optimum relaxation:

• Your comfiest clothes — comfort over style here
• Two swimming costumes; one to keep dry for treatments, and one for swimming in Flip-flops, for hygiene reasons
• A bathrobe (the spa might provide one, but if you have your own favourite, take it!) Towels (better to be safe than sorry)
• Hair ties and/or clips
• A good book — definitely time for a digital detox here

Heading to a convention or gig 

From comic books, movies, TV shows, and musicians, gigs and conventions are the perfect opportunity to let your inner enthusiast out. Make sure you pack the right way to get the most out of these events! Other than your tickets, ID, and spending money, be sure to take:

• Comfy shoes, as you’ll be on your feet a lot 
• An outfit that tells the world what you’re a fan of! Whether it’s your favourite band shirt for a gig, or a geeky reference on a hoodie, this is the place to show it off 
• Deodorant, and a mini-deodorant for when you’re actually at the venue. These places can heat up fast with the amount of people packed into the hall, so you’ll need a top-up 
• A portable charger for all those photos and videos! 

With this guide from Trilogy Stores, you’ll be all set for your weekend away in a new city. Follow our checklist next time to ensure you have the vital components to a great weekend away!

What are your go-to city break essentials? What do you think of these ideas?

*collaborative post

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*How many clothes do we really need?

Image from Pinterest

We are all guilty of, before a night out, going to our chest of drawers or wardrobe, spending twenty-five minutes trailing everything onto the floor, only to end up picking up the same thing we always wear, while simultaneously getting frustrated at the fact we have no clothes.

The general consensus among the population is, that it is easier for men to shop than women, but this isn’t always the case. Take going to a wedding for example — matching a shirt, tie, suit and shoes, along with co-ordinating with the plus one, is by no means an easy feat. A study in early 2018 discovered that men actually spend considerably more on clothes that their female counterparts. The average woman, according to the statistics, spends $105 a month on clothes, whereas the man spends $150. That’s a whopping 43% difference but are all the clothes your buying actually a necessity — perhaps a clear out may be in order.

Let’s take a look at these style guides designed for men and women, to have you looking top notch without having to fork out a fortune.

Pants 

In your wardrobe, there should be at least six to eight garments taken up by pants or skirts section. This might depend on your preference though, if you prefer shorts or dresses in all climates then you’ll probably own less pants.

• Three pairs of jeans — One denim expert recommended owning three pairs of jeans in her wardrobe and it makes sense! The first pair is “this year’s jeans” these are used for casual meetings, posh dinners and night time events. Then you have “last year’s jeans” these are what you would put on to run errands or head out for lunch. Finally, “the year before last year’s jeans” which are essential for housework or painting. 
• One pair of office-appropriate pants — For men this may be a smart pair of chinos and for women a pinstripe tailored trouser. Either way, it should be pants that are suitable for work and interviews. 
• Two pairs of pants for warmer weathers — The garments that sit in this category include skirts and shorts. Feel free to wear them at all times of the year, but they’re always a go-to when the sun is out. 

Again, these options can be switched up to change the category that they sit in — this is what makes a great staple wardrobe!

Outerwear 

A decent piece of outerwear is essential when it comes to completing the look of any outfit. We recommend only having three to four outerwear pieces in your wardrobe, as long as they’re good quality they should last a while!

• Two casual jackets — For the cooler months or daytime events, a casual jacket is an important one to have in the wardrobe. This could be a leather jacket for some protection from the rain or a denim jacket for the warmer days. 
• One blazer — A blazer is great to slip on for a job interview with a slim fit shirt, or skirt and blouse for example. Also great for a dressy night out when paired with more of an informal outfit. 
• One waterproof/warmer jacket — It’s always a good idea to have a waterproof or warmer jacket in your wardrobe for practicality. Choose a staple colour like black, navy or grey so that you can pair it with many outfits. 

There is nothing to say that throwing in a few added extras is to be frowned upon. In the winter you might want to invest in more jumpers, for example. But, overall we think that you only need around 18-25 garments! Choose them well and you can mix and match to create lots of new looks.

Shoes 

If you aren’t making your way down the catwalk in London, Milan or Paris every weekend, chances are you don’t need a bustling shoe rack. Three isn’t a crowd in this instance, it’s just right.

• One pair of trainers — For casual occasions or nights out when you don’t fancy dressing too smartly, a pair of trainers come in handy. Choose white or black so that they can be paired with lots of different looks. 
• One pair of smart shoes — These are great for work, interviews or more formal occasions. Leather is a good choice here as you can keep them shiny and clean and they’re less likely to tarnish in the weather as suede might. 
• One pair of boots — Again good to mix and match between formal and casual events, a good pair of boots can’t go wrong. For women, a black heeled ankle boot can be paired with many outfits including dresses and skirts and for men, you can’t go wrong with a Chelsea boots.

Tops 

You really don’t have to push the boat out in this department. Therefore, we are suggesting you invest in six to ten items, without including what you would use to train in. Of course, it depends on your employment, if you’re always at formal meetings and events your top collection will probably look different to someone who has a manual job.

• Three casual tops — Men’s shirts offer an air of sophistication but they aren’t for every occasion. These are tops that you’d wear for heading out to lunch or local pub with your friends, or for visiting family on a weekend. 
• Two tops for smart business wear— These are tops that you need to have in case of an unexpected business meeting or for an interview. It’s always a good idea to have at least two of these tops in in case you have multiple meetings with the same person or a follow-up interview. 
• Two going out tops — Going out tops are a must-have for men and women to have in their wardrobe. For women this might be a glitzy blouse or cropped top and for a man it may be a good shirt, but not one that’s suitable for the office. 

Of course, you can mix and match tops with other garments to dress the outfit up or down. For example, pairing your formal top with ripped jeans would create more of an informal look and a casual top with smart chinos could become a suitable office outfit.

What do you think of these ideas? Do you have too many clothes? 

*collaborative post

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*Wedding Invites Made Simple

Image from Pinterest

When planning a wedding, nailing the wedding invites is essential. But it can seem like an uphill struggle sometimes. Which style of invitation should you choose? Who should you invite? When should you send out invitations? It can be an administrative nightmare. What follows is a guide to making wedding invites simple. Once you’ve understood the basics, you can create bespoke, impressive invitations that will make your guests want to come to your venue.

Create Something Eye-Catching 

A wedding invitation shouldn’t be a personal indulgence. If you want to grab the attention of your guests, you should tailor your wedding invitations to your guests, creating something eye-catching that they will love. Doing so is easier said than done, but essentially it’s all about marketing. By creating something memorable, you’ll thrill guests and get them interested in celebrating your big day with you, rather than seeing it as an obligation.

Here are some ideas:

• Use a laser cut design, cutting out redundant bits of paper and leaving your message and design intact 
• Create a love timeline, with significant events on your way to marriage 
• Use a passport design with a save-the-date message 
• Use wood instead of paper 
• Use something practical that people can use, like a printed napkin or tea cloth

Detail What Guests Will Enjoy 

At your venue the next step is to give guests a reason to want to attend. Your wedding vows might seem like the most important thing in the world, but most of your guests will have seen it all before, and as joyful as the occasion may be, it’s not the most thrilling of experiences (for many). If possible, use your wedding invitation to sell your wedding as an event. Include any unusual wedding entertainment ideas that will capture guests’ imagination and encourage greater attendance. And make it clear how you will reward guests for spending time with you: great music, food, and company.

Create A List Of People Who You Will Invite 

Deciding who to invite to your wedding can be a challenge. In general, if you invite one person from a family, it’s best practice to invite the rest, so that they don’t feel like they’re missing out. Equally, if you have a group of friends and only invite half, then you could create problems.

Send Out Invites More Than Six Months In Advance 

Shotgun weddings might be all the rage, but if you’ve hired a venue and organized to spend a lot of money with flower arrangers and DJs, then you want to make sure that people can make it. Try to send out invites six months in advance of the wedding to make sure that people don’t do things like book holidays or arrange work events. Ideally, you might want to give your guests even greater notice, especially if you know that certain people have busy lives. Most people will rearrange stuff to fit in with your wedding, but be warned that leaving it to the last minute could create massive inconvenience for those around you.

What do you think of these ideas? What would your perfect invites look like?

*This is a collaborative post (check out my disclaimer for more information) 

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Eczema + Me: Update 2019

Way back in 2013 which seems like a lifetime ago, I wrote a post titled 'Eczema and Me' which was all about the products I was using at that time for my eczema including Protopic which is the only product out of everything I mentioned in that post which I'm still using. If you want the full background information on my eczema then check out my first post but today's update only features two points as together they've almost completely banished my eczema which back in 2013, I never thought would be possible.

I've had eczema for over ten years and initially it started on my eye lids as a basic dry rash of sorts but it slowly spread over my eyes, eyebrows, cheeks and then onto my hands about six or so years ago. I tried a gluten free diet for over a month, I tried so many prescription steroid creams and lots of drugstore sensitive moisturisers, most of which didn't help in the slightest.

The only product that has helped my skin consistently for the past ten years has been Hydrocortisone which I definitely recommend as it dramatically reduces eczema flareups but it is a steroid cream and over time it can thin the skin which is a side effect I have noticed as I have been using it on/off for ten years. Thankfully I don't need to use it anymore and if I do need a prescription eczema cream, I use Protopic which is a non-steroid cream and I'd highly recommend it as well.

Vegan Diet Is A Miracle? 

I have been vegan on/off for the past four years or so (you can see some of my recipes and veganuary posts, here) but since the start of 2019, I have switched to a fully vegan diet which unlike many non-vegan assumptions, it isn't difficult and it isn't restrictive. For the first month of 2019 I didn't notice any difference in my eczema and it was only after about two to three months that I noticed the difference.

I noticed the difference first on my hands which have had a constant patch of eczema on both for years. I haven't ever shown the eczema on my hands or face on my blog as it makes me feel awful about my appearance but just to give you an idea of my eczema: it leaves my skin red, very irritated, incredibly dry, tight, very flaky, puffy and inflamed. Now imagine that all over your eye lids, in your tea ducts, over both of your hands and you have an idea of what I've had to deal with for ten years.

I was incredibly happy to see the difference in my skin as eczema is such a horrendous skin condition, not just in the way it makes the skin look (it looks like burnt, inflamed skin most of the time on me) but it has such an emotional affect too as for the past ten years I've felt incredibly self conscious of how unusual my hands and face looked - it can make me feel so deeply upset.

My hands have been 100% eczema free for a month or two now which I never thought would happen and I'm over the moon about it; conversely it has made me a little more anxious as I'm hoping it doesn't come back and I think that's the reason the eczema over my eyes hasn't completely disappeared because I know that stress/anxiety triggers the eczema on my face.

I personally haven't changed anything else about my lifestyle, the products I'm using or anything else, other than switching to a fully vegan diet so that's my only explanation of why my eczema has completely disappeared from my hands and 70% from my face. To those who haven't had eczema, especially on your face, I can't explain how painful, itchy, uncomfortable and horrendous it can look/feel and I would have given up anything to get rid of my eczema so being vegan isn't a challenge or sacrifice as it's a cruelty free lifestyle and an eczema eliminating diet in one - I couldn't be happier. I wish my dermatologist (or any doctor I've visited about my eczema) had suggested a change of diet instead of being given steroid creams, as I could have been spared ten years of painful and thoroughly upsetting eczema.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume 

One product that has been helping when I've had a mini eczema flareup over my eyes and also when the skin around my nose has just been really flaky and gross from hayfever symptoms is La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume which I've had in my skincare stash for years but I rediscovered after a sort out a month or two ago. I'm so glad that I rediscovered it as it's become an essential product in my current skincare routine.

Whether I have a cold and my nose is all dry and sore or if I have a mini eczema flareup due to anxiety, this cream when applied in the evening has my skin looking and feeling SO much better the next day, it's very impressive. If you have dry skin, irritated, sore or eczema prone skin then I'd definitely recommend checking out this amazing product from la Roche Posay.

Do you have eczema? Have you tried Cicaplast from La Roche Posay? Have you tried a vegan diet?

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Best + Worst Books Of The Year So Far: January - April

Since getting back into reading in 2017, after over ten years of barely reading anything other than peer reviewed journal articles, my own university essays and psychology text books, I've discovered a love of reading. From 2017 onwards, especially this year, I've drastically reduced screen time and used that time for reading instead as I find reading to be calming, entertaining and it helps massively with my anxiety as well as giving me such a nice sense of achievement when finishing a book, particularly if it's a huge book or a classic.

2019 has been a good reading year so far and the first quarter of the year has produced a mixed bag of books but on the whole I've enjoyed almost everything and I have found five books that have become some of my favourite books from the past few years within 2019 already. Here's a summary of my top five books of the year as well as honourable mentions and the most disappointing books I've read this year.

Best Books:

The Lies of Lock Lamora by Scott Lynch ★★★★★
Working Stiff by Judy Melinek ★★★★★
Luck In The Shadows by Lynn Flewelling ★★★★
The Priory Of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon ★★★★
*The Secret Barrister ★★★★

Honourable Mentions 

The Visitors Book by Sophie Hannah ★★★
Medical London by Richard Barnett ★★★★
The Royal Art of Poison by Eleanor Herman ★★★ (3.75)
Half A King by Joe Abercrombie ★★★ (3.5)
Affinity by Sarah Waters ★★★ (3.5)

Disappointing:

*From The Wreck by Jane Rawson ★★★
Waiting On A Bright Moon by Jy Yang ★★
They Mostly Come Out At Night by Benedict Patrick ★★★
*Pale Wolves by Thomas Hulse (DNF)
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova ★★★

In terms of the most books I loved in one month, that month has to be January 2019 which contained three of my favourite books of the year so far. April has turned out to be most best reading month ever based on the number of books I've been able to read; however it has also included quite a few disappointing reads as well as one DNF. You'll see my April reading wrap-up post very soon so stay tuned!

I'm currently reading my 51st and 52nd books of the year so I'll probably publish one of these posts every quarter. Do you want to be friends on GoodReads? Have you read any of these books? 

*Gifted

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