Current Beauty Favourites | 2022

I don't usually write beauty posts due to being rather loyal to my products I use, but it looks I've strayed a little recently so I thought I'd share my new found favourites!

Body Shop Fresh Nude Tinted BB Cream

I picked up Body Shop Fresh Nude Tinted BB Cream just before Christmas and I've really taken to it. It provides a good coverage that still looks natural, giving you that your skin but better look, as well as providing 24 hydration and SPF 30 protection from the sun. 

Being an oily skinned girl I was a little dubious about how it would sit on my skin but the consistency is non greasy and doesn't transfer, nor does it break me out either. This'll definitely be staying in my makeup bag, especially for spring summer when you don't want full coverage. Love!

Revolution Reloaded Newtrals Palette

Another new addition to my makeup bag is this palette from Revolution. Having seen makeup trends becoming more warm neutrals, I knew I wanted to add some of these shades into my life and for £5 this palette was an absolute steal! 

I particularly love the shade on the first row, 3 in from the left and the shade on the second row, 2 in from the left for my eyes and I've also been using the shade on the first row, 2 from the left as a blush colour. To keep it contemporary, I've also been washing the colour across my nose slightly; a tip I picked up from Lisa Eldridge in this video here.

Clinique Smart SPF 15 Custom Repair Moisturizer

I was gifted some of this magic cream for my birthday as part of a Clinique set and it's safe to say I'm obsessed. Having been a firm lover of the Body Shop's seaweed mattifying cream for well over 12 years, I was again a little dubious of trying something new but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that this moisturiser can be bought for various skin types, including for oily and combination skin like mine! Having had almost a month of being ill with colds and a chest infection in February, this moisturiser saved my skin from becoming chapped, dry and lack lustre thanks to it's skin rebuilding properties. 

It's also saved my skin when venturing out on walks in the cold; being hit with harsh winds and even hail! You'd never know that my skin had been through the ringer thanks to this product. I love the consistency; being somewhat thick, making it feel like a real treat to your skin. I would highly recommend!

Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate

I've touched on some of the drops of youth eye products in previous posts, such as The Shift Worker Skincare Routine, but this time around I've treated myself to the concentrate for the rest of my skin. I've found this to be so refreshing on my skin and sinks in really easily and is perfect under my other night time creams. 

Being a serum, it's a gel like texture and leaves your skin feeling plump and hydrated. As the name would suggest this product contains ingredients to leave you fresh faced with youthful skin, with ingredients such as Edelwess- known to repair itself and Moringa seed oil which is rich in omega 9. My skin has definitely seen an improvement since using it and is far more refreshed when I wake up of a morning- a true beauty sleep is had!

And that's your lot! Like I say I don't tend to steer too far from my firm favourites often which is why I rarely write beauty posts but when it's been mentioned, you'll know I think a lot of it.

What are you loving right now?

Walks Away and a Cotswold Stay | Dog Friendly

It's been a while since I did a travel or holiday type post but I'm back and this time I've been to the Cotswolds!

Me and the mothership decided earlier this year to book a girly break away and take my two pooches: Harry and Olive. When looking for an area to go walking, with quaint villages and pretty scenery the Cotswolds popped up and looked ideal!

 

The accommodation we chose is Parys Lodge (because, how cute does it look right!?), situated within the grounds of the owner's home with walks on your doorstop, it's beautifully secluded and set within miles and miles of beautiful rural countryside with quiet bridleways and footpaths. It's equally in a convenient spot to walk to the village pub! 

The lodge itself is beautifully decorated with modern amenities that include wifi, wood burner, bbq and Nespresso machine to name a few and we instantly felt welcome, cosy and at home when we got there.

The kitchen and living area are small but cosy and the perfect amount of space for the two of us. We both loved the way the lodge was decorated; being fresh, light and inviting. We definitely made the most of the wood burning fire and Nespresso machine during our stay too!

Another thing that was great about the lodge is that you could have two dogs. A lot of places will only take one but thankfully Parys Lodge will accommodate two and as you can see, Harry and Olive very quickly made themselves at home!

Another thing to note is the lodge can sleep 4 with one double bed and two single beds. Naturally I opted for the single bed and gave mama the double! We also hadn't realised that the master bedroom has an en suite which meant mum and I had our own bathrooms each. Result! We also discovered the the beds were equipped with electric blankets which we also utilized, turning off the heating and enjoying the heat from the log burner before coming down to lovely cool bedrooms to sleep in but with the added cosiness of warm bedding. It felt like such a treat to get into and certainly helped us get a good nights sleep.

The lodge was the perfect space and size for the two of us and the dogs to retreat to and relax after a long day of walking. We'd pop the log burner on and listen to it crackle away and enjoy a glass of wine or two whilst our pizzas cooked in the over. On one of the evenings however we did frequent the local pub; a short walk away and enjoyed a hearty meal with drinks; somewhere I'd recommend going if you choose to stay here!

As previously mentioned there are walks literally on your doorstop from the lodge, so we were able to ditch the car and head out for the day on beautiful walks. 

This enclosed field is a 5 minute walk from the accommodation and was perfect for letting the dogs off to run and stretch their legs before a day of walking began. During our stay we did part of the Wychavon Walk and were able to explore the beautiful Worcestershire countryside with its peaceful waterways and scenic views with a sheep or two. 

This is the route we ended up taking and could have walked further but with it being February time the light was soon lost by 4:30 pm. Wychavon Walk is in fact 40 miles in total and starts in Holt Fleet by the River Severn so there's plenty of parts to pick up and do on various visits- something I definitely want to do with my husband Chris!

Another place that's well worth a visit and just a 20 minute drive is Broadway. A lot of people had recommended this place and for good reason. It's incredibly quaint and the epitome of what quintessentially English means to me. I felt like I was on the set of the film The Holiday!

Broadway is often referred to as the "jewel of the Cotswolds" and I can see why! Both mum and I fell in love with how quaint the properties were and cooed over the cute detailing of each house. 

The main street is lined with lots of independent shops, hotels and restaurants as well as plenty of antique shops. It's definitely a place to come for unique gifts or a memento from your holiday. 

It was also very dog friendly which for me was a huge tick and because of this it only seemed right that we popped to The Swan for a beverage with the pooches!

This lovely pub is set in the heart of the village and had a a lovely relaxed feel, with plenty of seating to choose from. 

Here mum and I toasted to a successful mother daughter trip away and before we knew it, it was sadly time to come home!

I adored this trip and definitely want to explore more of The Cotswolds now so if you have any recommendations on places to visit, do let me know! 

I can't recommend our accommodation enough too so if you're looking for a cosy little retreat, definitely check out Parys Lodge.