Hair Refresh

I feel that we have all been there.. Making that one hair decision that we always wish we had never done. Whether it be trying a new cut, styling it differently or being brave and trying a new colour. Back when I was in year 10 at school, I had my first lot of highlights. I loved them! A nice subtle blonde running through the length of my hair. I loved it so much so that I decided next time I went back to the salon, to add a little bit more blonde. I did the same the next time that I went.. Until I was pretty much bleach blonde. 

Now being that age, looking back, I definitely did not look after my hair at all. I would wake up at 6am every morning, to wash it and style it before heading off to school for the day. That being said, the amount of product I would put into my hair was horrendous! It was so dry, it could have literally just been hay used to make a birds nest. Not a good look.. 

As you can guess, it didn't last for very long. Maybe a couple of weeks at max. She was back dying it to be a brunette once more. Even more damage to my hair.. It took years to grow out the bleach underneath the home box dyes, under the semi permanent dyes done at the salon. It was such a long process. The colour never stuck to my hair due to the bleach stripping back any sort of colour or pigment. Of course, there was nothing for the dye to cling too! I always remember being wary of being out in the direct sun as you could see how my roots were growing through. 

Since then, I have always been a bit against doing anything with my hair that's different. Other than minimising the amount of product used on my hair.. After seeing the balayage trend coming in, where colour was added to look natural, or the opposite if you fancied, I was obsessed! After umming and arring, I took the plunge and decided to go for something super natural, with no colour anywhere near my roots. I wanted that look of natural highlights from spending time in the sun. 

I have been over the moon with it! Even a month on from having it done, I still wish that I had done it sooner. Don't get me wrong, I am not going to go back as blonde as my school days (I am not going to insert any photos, to save myself the embarrassment haha), but I am in love with it!

Do you have any hair regrets?

Amber X

Flower Therapy

So, my not posting for a week has turned accidently into not posting for a good 4 months.. Oops. I feel sad that I have neglected my tiny corner of the internet! Here's to hoping (but not promising) that I am now back. Not going to lie, lockdown had me feeling really unmotivated and not sure about what to post on here. Let's hope this is the end of that. She's back! 

One experience that I wanted to document here on my blog, was one that involved the spring sun and picking tulips. Who doesn't see photos of the tulip fields in Holland and swoon over their beauty?! After seeing an email come through from the farm which we visited back in the autumn to pick pumpkins, about the fields of tulips that they had planted for visitors to pick, I quickly jumped onto their website and booked 2 tickets for Sam and I to go.

We were so lucky with the weather. It had been raining all week and wasn't looking promising the morning of. Just as we left, the sun came out and stayed out the whole time we were there. Of course, this wasn't quite on the same scale or level of the Holland tulip fields, but it was more than good enough for me. Something felt so refreshing being under the spring sun, surrounded by fields of cows, and casually strolling between rows of beautiful flowers. 

It was a Sunday morning well spent. Do you plan to go to any pick your owns?

Amber X

New Home Additions

Clear outs and re-arranging have been in full force this lockdown. With tidying and clearing out, comes room for new things. I wanted to add some new touches to certain corners and I found some lovely pieces that I cannot wait to make the most out of. 

Starting with these gorgeous tea light holders. I can remember having seen some floating around on Instagram before Christmas and not thinking too much about them. We visited a garden centre in the run up to Christmas and I saw some there and have never regretted not picking them up so much. Since then, I have searched high and low on the internet to try and track some down. When I finally found some that I liked, they were sold out. A couple of months on, and I have finally got some. The >small< houses were £2.50!!! What a bargain. The >larger< being only £4, I just couldn't say no. Thank you Wilko for fulfilling my need for ceramic house tea light holders. 

Another addition have been these cute little bunny tails. I seem to have a love for dried flowers and pampas grass after having seen pretty vases filled with the most beautiful arrangements. But until I have my own house and space for such vases, I opted for something slightly smaller. The wine bottle vase is only temporary, until I find a vase that I like, or, I was thinking of potentially purchasing some spray paint that has a pebble or stone effect and covering the bottle. I am yet to decide. Don't you worry - the glue on the bottle annoys me as much as it does you. I found >these< beauties on Etsy. They came super quickly and were packaged beautifully. I was a little worried that they may have turned up bent or broken, but I was very happy that they arrived just as I had imagined. 

The frame with the dried flowers in, I created myself last year. I thought it made a lovely addition next to the two new pieces. I'm sure I'll forever be switching up how this looks, but I am happy with it for now.

Have you brought any new decorative pieces for your home? Are you a pampas grass lover too?

Amber X

Winter Styling Edit

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I'm not great when it comes to buying clothes. I'm never one to quickly add an item to my basket or to walk into a shop, find something and go straight to pay. I always end up deliberating over whether I will actually get wear out of the item, and if it will go with the very few clothing pieces that I have in my wardrobe. Yes, I am a nightmare when it comes to buying new clothes haha. Dressing for Winter is definitely my favourite if I had to choose between all seasons. Give me some pointy boots, an oversized jumper and a pair of jeans, and I'm ready for the day. There have been a few items of clothing that I have been loving and I cannot wait to wear them out and about when the time comes.

>This< jumper has been one of my favourite buys. I have been trying to add a couple more knitted jumpers to my wardrobe as they are a piece that goes with everything.. Jeans, work trousers. skirts, and leggings. The quality itself is lovely and it goes so nicely with a thick scarf, on a cold day. The cable knit design always makes a jumper look super cosy and this one is no exception. It's also currently discounted!

I have wanted a pair of leather look leggings for a while, but couldn't seem to find any with a quality that would last. I used to have a pair of leather look jeans from Topshop, but can remember putting them in the wash and the waxed, leather look, just disappeared. I ordered from BecauseOfAlice when Alice first launched collection number 1 and fell in love with the light wash mom jeans. She released >these< leather look leggings and my dreams were finally answered. They're not flimsy in their fabric and don't cling to the legs. They fit just right and the high rise design is beautiful. 

Lastly, the most incredible pair of biker boots you have ever seen. Boots are a love of mine, and >this< pair are just beautiful. Another item that I think will be so versatile - they could be worn with my pair of leather leggings, jeans, skirts, and dresses.. I cannot wait to be able to wear these out properly!

What fashion pieces have you been loving lately?

Amber X

Nars Blush Palette - A Review

It's been a while. I know, I know. Apologies for the lack of posts over the last month or so. I think with all that is currently going on, motivation was lost along the way. I'm sure that many have felt this way through one lockdown to another. I won't carry on, I know we are all in this together. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that we will return to some form of normality sometime soon. 

Ever since starting this blog, I can remember lusting over Nars blush palette posts. Seeing these blog posts, with gorgeous flat lay's showcasing the packaging and the product, made me fall in love. I can remember adding it to my wish list right away, and thinking that one day I may treat myself to one of these beautiful palettes. My dreams came true this Christmas after finding this beauty in my stocking (thank you so much Sam).

Firstly, how pretty is the pink metallic outer packaging?! It's so striking and reflects the light at all angles. The compact itself is slightly weighty, and contains a perfectly sized mirror which will come in handy on the go and when travelling makes a return. The palette contains 6 shades, 3 blusher shades - Let It Burn, Get Lost and Body Talk, with 3 highlighting shades - Tied Up, Deep Down and Drift. I have loved mixing the blush shades together and creating different variations that I can wear on my cheeks. Similarly, the highlighting shades also make such pretty eye lid eyeshadow shades.

The pigmentation of each of these shades is just out of this world. The highlights are so creamy in their texture. If the kind of highlighter you like to wear is more on the blinding side, these shades may not be for you. They're very natural looking on the skin, almost a your skin but better kind of vibe. But I love them for that reason. It's lovely to have the option to wear something more subtle on the daily, but they are definitely buildable, making them more reflective when the light hits the high points of your face. With the blushers, a little goes a long way which is amazing. 

Since opening this on Christmas Day, I haven't put it down. Nars is slowly becoming one of my favourite higher end make up brands. I can 100% see this palette becoming one of my staple make up items in my routine.

Have you tried any Nars products? What are your recommendations?

Amber X

Makeup Picks For Sitting In Your Christmas Jumper

Let me be honest, I intend to spend my Christmas Day doing nothing but eating and sitting around in my Christmas jumper. For those of you who also plan on doing the same and taking in all of the Christmas TV that is planned to be showing, I thought to share some of my makeup picks to add a little bit more glam to sitting on the sofa. 

Huda Beatuty Matte Lipstick

How gorgeous is this shade?! Nothing speaks Christmas like wearing a red lip and I am so glad that I have come across this one. I wore this yesterday whilst we went on a walk to watch the Christmas lights being switched on, and I didn't reapply it all day. It didn't budge, it didn't bleed which I find that so many red lipstick shades can. The formula was so comfortable to wear - it didn't dry out my lips or go all clunky around the edges. It was truly gorgeous. If you feel like a festive treat, the shade of this matte lipstick is 'El Cinco de Mayo'. I cannot wait to carry on wearing this through the festive season.

Mac Soft and Gentle

An all time favourite of mine. I love the sheen this highlighter gives to my skin. It is definitely not on the subtle side of highlighters but it doesn't contain chunky glitters either and I love it for that reason. It melts into the skin and gives such a healthy looking glow. Definitely a way to add a bit of sparkle in your makeup routine for Christmas.

Too Faced Natural Nudes Palette

One of my makeup favourites of this year has to be this one. I have used it every day since I bought it back in the summer. The matte shades are so pigmented, and similarly, as are the shimmer shades. There are so many looks which can be created with this palette - subtle natural looks, but also put together, night out type looks. If there is one palette which you want to treat yourself too, I would 10000% recommend this one. It's so beautiful. 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

If you're looking for a concealer that blends really well, brightens up your under eyes and has a high coverage, this one is for you. A firm favourite for many, there are reasons why this is a top pick of mine. It's super brightening and lasts all day. I also find that this concealer doesn't sit in any fine lines underneath the eyes either. It's just a win win. 

What make up products will you be using to create your Christmas day makeup?

Amber X