My All Time Perfect Palette | No7

I don't tend to write beauty posts all that much but when I do it's because that particular product is worth a mention and in this case it's the No7 Maple Glow Palette. 

As you can see, I like it so much that I'm now on my second palette! I believe it's meant to be an autumnal palette with the name maple but with my skin tone I've found it to be the perfect combination of colours for all year round!

The palette contains eyeshadows, a blusher, highlighter, contour and bronzer; making it perfect for travelling and having everything you need to make up your face. My favourite eyeshadow colours are the bronze shade as it really emphasises blue eyes and the warm toned neutral I use as wash over the eyelids. The reddy/bronze colour is great to amp up a day look into the evening or if you're going for real autumnal vampey vibes and the maroon/purpley shade I use as an eyeliner!

The eye shadows have a great colour pay off and a great longevity too. I can apply in the morning and it will stay put all day. Admittedly there is some fall out when applying but this is very minimal!

As you can see from the well used and well loved palette, the blusher was a huge hit with me too. Being a beautifully peachy pink with a dusting of gold shimmer, it works to highlight and brighten the cheeks. In the summer the subtle highlight in the blusher really aids in accentuating a tan, whereas in winter it adds a healthy glow up to my skin.

The contour is a beautiful matte which is perfect for defining cheekbones and in my case around my forehead to make it appear a bit smaller! (5 finger forehead here!) It's also not an orange tone so you aren't left looking a tanned mess either which is ideal when you're pale in winter! If however you do want some shimmery bronzed sparkle, the bronzer is perfect for this. I like to use it as an eyeshadow or to dust over my shoulder blades of an evening time in the summer. It's pretty shimmer is subtle too, so you won't over dazzle people when you walk into a room!

As I've already said this palette literally has everything you need and in my opinion the perfect palette! Throw in a mascara, foundation (No7 beautifully matte to be precise) and a concealer and you have an entire face ready to go! It's also a fantastic size for travelling and the large mirror is also ideal for on the go. 

What is your favourite makeup palette?

Gifting During a Pandemic *Ad Gifted

The last year or so has been difficult for everyone and gift giving is something we can do during this time to lift one another up. Be it a birthday, mothers day, a congratulations or even just a pick me up- gift giving is a special thing and today I thought I'd mention a couple of things I've found that I think will inspire you!

Jewellery Gifts

Not being able to meet our loved ones in person can be very hard and with special occasions awry it's time to think outside the box, or rather inside in this case! It's been my mother's 60th birthday and my sister's 30th so I wanted to get them something special and sentimental for their birthdays. My mother's birth stone is opal so I had a ring made with her birthstone in the middle and mine and my sisters either side by the very talented Willow Rise Jewellery. It's also lovely to support small businesses at this time and my mum was so overjoyed she cried bless her!

Engraved Gifts

For my sister's gift I went to Engravers Guild of London and had a personalised Swarovski Birthstone Heart Necklace* made.

It's solid 925 sterling silver so I know it will last the test of time and is a classic design which will never go out of style. The engraving comes in an array of fonts and the Swarovski birthstone adds a lovely personal touch to this necklace. 

Engravers Guild of London do lots of personalised gifts for him too so you're covered for all occasions and all recipients. I am very tempted to get the Marmite lid for the husband!!

Subscription boxes

Subscription boxes are a brilliant way to give the gift that keeps on giving! I recently signed up to Papergang as a gift to myself because who said gift giving is exclusively for others right? Treat yo self! I went for this subscription as I'm a stationary junkie and love nothing more than pretty paper inspired pieces. 

The February box was particularly dreamy, including this gorgeous wrapping paper that I've used as a back drop for my photos, a note pad, pen, scissors, ruler and some origami paper too! Paper subscriptions won't be for everyone but there are so many different ones on the market. From beer and wine, beauty boxes, pet boxes and more; there's a box for everyone. The joy you feel when your subscription box comes through the door is such a treat and will brighten up anyone's day!

A good old fashioned letter and/or letter paper!

Letter writing has seen a real increase during the pandemic and I'm not surprised. As an avid pen paller myself, there's nothing like receiving a lovely letter through the front door. Whether you're giving the gift of a letter itself or gifting letter paper to someone who enjoys writing letters, there are so many beautiful papers on the market. 

I recently set up my own Etsy shop selling the papers photographed above! It's called Par Avion Paper and I've seen people buying paper for their grandparents to write to them and sending it as gifts to those on hospital wards. 

It's something a bit different to your usual present and the gift of a handwritten letter is something quite special. Whether you're buying the paper as a gift or buying it to write a heart felt letter, writing paper is certainly special!

So those are just a few ideas on gifting during a pandemic. They won't be for everyone and of course there are plenty of other ideas out there but these are the ones I've reached for to gift others and myself during this time!

How are you gifting during the pandemic?

* I was kindly gifted the engraved necklace from Engravers Guild of London in exchange for a write up in my blog post. 

5 Tips for Planning the Perfect Proposal

Planning the perfect proposal is something many people strive to get right and something Chris and I get asked a lot about also! For most, proposing to the person you love is the one thing you want to make sure is perfect as people (generally) only plan on doing it the once!

So I've picked Chris' brains on this subject as he's the one that proposed out of the two of us and according to him, the trick to getting the perfect proposal is to really think it through beforehand. You know the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, and as such, you should let them take the lead when it comes to your planning. We don't mean literally, but consider who they are and what they like and incorporate it into your proposal. 

Location

Location is something to consider when it comes to making the perfect proposal. And this in itself is different for every person. For some, big showy displays in an area packed with people who can witness the proposal itself are all part of what will make the ideal proposal. But for others, this will be their worst nightmare. For us, Chris chose an intimate restaurant. It was just the right amount of display for tables nearby to congratulate us but also we had the privacy we wanted too!

Take the time to find out the right location for your partner to make sure it goes without a hitch. Be it at home, with just the two of you, at a restaurant with a few people present or in a truly romantic place such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The Ring

The ring itself is another component of the proposal. Something to bare in mind is bigger, better, more expensive isn't always the way to go. The ring should represent a token of your love and what's important to the two of you. Therefore, it should be something that caters to the tastes of your loved one, from choosing a Whiteflash diamond ring and staying traditional or opt for something slightly different, choosing different gemstones over the diamond such as an emerald or sapphire. It's also lovely to have a story behind a ring. A family heirloom or a handmade ring- these will add to treasured memories.

Logistics

Planning the perfect proposal is something you need help with. Look to your closest confidants and ask for their help in putting together this surprise. You don't want your sneaky antics to give the game away, nor do you want to spill the beans.

Look how young we were!

Make sure you have the diary clear so nothing else can disrupt your plans and if need be, ask others to occupy your fiance to be so you can prepare for the proposal itself without any interruptions. Chris actually proposed on our one year anniversary so we were planning to go out for a celebratory meal. Little did I know he would propose at said meal so that was a very successful logistical plan!

Make Memories

You'll both want to remember this time! As Chris can vouch, it can be stressful making a marriage proposal. In fact poor Chris was fretting about it the entire week leading up to it! After all, it is a life-changing event getting married, and you want to remember exactly how it happened. It can be worth considering hiring a photographer or involving family and friends to take pictures that you can treasure for years to come to give you something to look back on, depending on the route of how you propose.

Enjoy

This should be a happy occasion, and if you are confident you are both on the same page, you need to try not to let the stress overtake the enjoyment and romance out of the event. As much as possible, try to relax and enjoy it! It will most definitely help things run a little bit more smoothly and be more enjoyable for both of you. I remember being absolutely gobsmacked but as soon as the shock calmed down I was truly over the moon and it's one of my fondest memories which led to me marrying my best friend!

If you've already proposed/ been proposed to, do you have any tips for those planing to do so? 

Tips To Find Clothes That You’ll Love To Wear

Hey everyone! It's been a hot minute since I last blogged but I thought I'd come back today and discuss one of my favourites- clothes!

Not everyone is a fashionista and so when it comes to shopping, you might not be particularly fond of trawling the shops and looking for new clothes. At the same time, if you do enjoy fashion, it might be something you love but never seem to find the right pieces that you truly love!

There’s so much out there that it can be difficult to know where to start. However, with these tips, you’ll be able to find clothes that you’ll love to wear, regardless of how few or how much you have in your wardrobe.


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Consider Your Current Wardrobe

The first thing you’ll want to do before you go out shopping for new pieces is to look at your existing wardrobe. What you’ve bought previously is likely to have been purchased for a reason. Perhaps you liked the type of material that was used or the design. It could be the way it fits your size and shape or it could be that you could pair it with multiple pieces and therefore it was versatile.

Doing this is going to help give you an understanding of what you personally look for when shopping and that way, you can start to generate a list or vision board of what clothes you need to purchases next. There are going to be items of clothing in your wardrobe that you might have regret buying and that’s fine because this time around you’ll know that you’re not going to make the same mistakes. Think about what your wardrobe needs and what it’s been lacking in previous clothing options that you have available to you.

Think About Your Shape

Shape is something that is to be considered when buying clothes because not every style or fit is going to suit your shape. Unfortunately, a lot of brands are still failing to provide the same fit and styles for all shapes and most importantly, sizes. However, it doesn’t mean that you’re limited on clothing in any way. Think about your shape and what that shape is when it comes to the options that are suggested online. From pear shape to an hourglass, triangle to square, you are likely to fall into one of those categories or a mixture of two.

By knowing your shape, it’s going to make it easier when it comes to finding the right pieces to complement your shape, rather than covering it up or making it look odd. Your body is something that should be shown off and celebrated in the best way and there’s nothing worse than being uncomfortable in something.

If you’re struggling to figure out your size, you could always approach a personal shopper or style expert to give you some guidance on what you should be looking for.

Find Your Favourites When It Comes To Brands

With the online world being what it is, it’s opened the doors up to so many more online retailers and brands to sell clothing. As customers, this is both beneficial because there’s likely going to be a lot more affordable and cheaper options but also difficult because there’s so much to choose from. Not only that but a lot of brands are different in the styles of clothing that they sell and their sizing options can be different from one another.

With that being said, it’s important to try and find your favorites when it comes to brands. Where are most of your clothes from in your wardrobe currently? That should give you an indication of where to start shopping and what similar brands are available when it comes to those you tend to shop most with.

Picking out your favourite brands is certainly going to make the shopping experience a lot more enjoyable for those who perhaps don’t like to shop as often and want to limit it where possible.

Be Experimental When Shopping

One of the things that many of us don’t like changes and that change in any form can be daunting, anxiety-ridden, and un-nerving. When you’re shopping for new clothes, it can be hard to veer off from what you’re used to. However, it is essential that you try and push the boundaries of what you’d usually buy and what you might tend to avoid when browsing the clothing rails.

When entering a shop or browsing online, stop yourself from using filters to narrow your search and start looking at clothing that you wouldn’t normally pick up or purchase. Our style can usually change as we get older and it becomes more refined and polished from experience.


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Try being more experimental with your shopping and if there’s something that you’re mulling over, pick it up or put it in your basket. You can always return it if you’re not sure and when trying it on in the dressing room, it might sway your initial opinion of the clothing as opposed to when it was on the rail.

There are so many trends and styles, that you’re limiting yourself by not experimenting every now and then with something new!

Don’t Forget Accessories

Accessories definitely complete an outfit and when you’re shopping for clothing, it can be easy to forget things like sunglasses or glasses in a classic style to a chunky belt and a staple bag. There are so many different accessories to choose from and the accessories themselves can transform a look from casual to glam in seconds. It’s something that not everyone thinks about but you want as many accessories as you do when it comes to clothing.

Think about what you currently have and what accessories you enjoy wearing. For example, not everyone enjoys wearing necklaces but they may love wearing bracelets or rings. You don’t have to be dripping in accessories but it can be good to have one or two to help finish off the outfit you’re wearing.

Be Critical When In The Dressing Room

Trying things on can be an important part of the buying process when you’re shopping in-store. It’s something that can make or break your decision on buying an item of clothing, which is why it’s worth taking in a variety. When you try on a piece of clothing, try to be as critical as possible for each garment you put on. Take a good, long look at how it fits and looks on your body and spend a few minutes with it on, instead of just rushing it on and off.

Yes, you can return clothing but it’s better to make the right decision the first time around so mull things over in the dressing room until you know it’s the right one for you.

Remember That Comfort Is Key

Comfort is an important part of finding the right clothing for your style and tastes. Even though you might want to look stylish, feeling comfortable is what brings you the confidence in your outfit. If you don’t feel comfortable, then it’s likely to come across when you wear the outfit or particular item of clothing or accessory. Remember that comfort should always come first and if you don’t feel like yourself in it, then put it down and look for something that will.

Finding clothing that you love to wear is important and it’s something that you certainly want to get right when it comes to refreshing your wardrobe. Follow these tips to make the right decisions and to find clothes that you’ll love to put on every day, regardless of what you choose.

I hope this post has helped inspire you. What are your tips to find clothes that you'll love to wear?