My Staple Skincare Products

Skincare is my favourite, I love taking care of my skin and feeling refreshed is really important to me! Skincare is the foundation to a good base, when I slack on skincare, I really notice the difference in my makeup and even the way I feel in myself- which may sound dramatic but is honestly true!

This post is about all of my top holy grail skincare products, I use more/different products however the ones I will always repurchase are the ones in this post!

Let me just tell you a little bit about my skin first: I have mostly normal/dry skin, I rarely get blemishes and my skin is sensitive.  I like to stick to the body shop and brands which I know I can trust, hence why so many of the products are from the body shop, I promise this isn't a sponsor ( I wish!).

1) The Body Shop camomile cleansing butter

I use this to remove all of my makeup and honestly it is perfect! Some cleansers do not fully remove your makeup or need a double cleanse however this cleanser melts away all of your makeup with one application. As you rub it in, it turns into an oil- which is perfect for my dry skin. The only disadvantage is that I do not have an excuse to use facewipes anymore because this is so simple and quick!

2) Liz Earle Instant Boost skin tonic 

I have mentioned Liz Earle's products before on my pamper routine post (here) but I will mention them again because this product really is one I will always buy! I am yet to find another toner that that will make my skin feel so clean and radiant, without being to harsh. I never used to understand toner, I thought it was just like putting water on your face- this was because I was not using the right toners. This one really does make a difference to my skin, its part of my daily routine, my skin looks visibly more hydrated and feels cleansed. 

3) The Body Shop vitamin E gel cream

I seem to enjoy Vitamin E ranges because I am also a fan of Superdrugs range. Vitamin E works on my sensitive skin, this moisturiser hydrates my skin without being sticky, it soaks in quickly. The fact that it is a gel formula makes it even more refreshing, I especially like to use it in the summer. I hate it when creams take a long time to sink in and feel heavy (when applying in the morning) it can be hard to find a moisturiser that works on my dry skin without being thick and heavy- but finally I found one!

4) The Body Shop soothing rescue cream mask (Aloe)

In the winter, when I am looking for something that is really going to sort out my dry skin this is the product. It definitely 'rescues' my skin, having dry skin- the winter is not the best, I put this on a couple of evenings a week and it makes all the difference. It is heavy and very thick, it does wonders for my skin! I would highly recommend this if you also suffer in the winter. Though I do not like heavy creams, I apply this at night so that by the morning it has soaked in! 

5) The Body Shop elderflower eye gel

I do not have a lot to say about this but I use it every single morning without fail. I get dark and puffy under eyes, this does not help with the darkness (concealer does that..!) but it does help with the puffiness, as well as making me feel fresh and awake- it is very cooling!

6) Freedom spot gel

I really do not get spots often, I have been lucky with my skin, however when I do, this is the first thing I reach for. I put it on in the evening and by the morning I notice that the spot has either gone completely or has calmed down. I try to put it on as soon as I notice a spot to stop it getting worse and that really works for me. 

I hope you enjoyed this post, if you also love skincare be sure to let me know your holy grail products so I can have a browse and try some out!

Ellie x

Top Tips For Finding Happiness

Happiness is different to everything, our happiness is triggered by different things, people, achievements, etc... however there is one universal aspect to happiness- it makes us feel good. To smile, to laugh and to not take yourself to seriously really does make the world of difference.

I have recently found that it can be the littlest things in life that make me happy, I am very easy to please. But I don't think I am unique in this, we can all find happiness from the little things in life. It is all about recognising what means the most to you and what you are grateful for.

Top tips for a happier life

1) Be Grateful- this was briefly mentioned above, but being grateful makes a huge difference. Recently, I have started to take note of things I am grateful for when I feel down, angry, sad, basically anything but happy and I have realised that it puts me in a better mood. You realise that actually, you have what is important and you have something to be grateful for.

*Of course you should not feel the constant need to be happy, it is ok to have a bad/down day!

2) The Little Things- the things that bring me the most joy. A cup of tea, my favourite tv show, watching a youtube video, going for a walk with my dog, reading, having a bath..all of these things are minuscule compared to a holiday, a day out, a new car etc.. but honestly make me the happiest out of anything else.  Once you stop striving for big achievements and purchases etc.. the sooner you realise that you can be happy without these things (just as you can be happy with them too).

3) Balance- working too much and having no me too, not sleeping enough, saying 'yes' too much. The less time we take to have self care the more stressed and anxious we feel. Finding a balance is honestly one of the keys to happiness, when you allow more time for laughter, fun, family, relaxation and hobbies, you will naturally feel more optimistic. Balance is tricky to find, we are a generation of workaholics, but once you find your right balance (different for everyone), you will realise how important it is!
Read my post on coping with burnout here.

4) Confidence- though you cannot magically become confident, you can alter your attitude and make positive steps towards confidence. I have a whole post about confidence and ways to boost your confidence here if you would like to have a read. Overall, confidence helps you realise what you can achieve and what your passions are. Once you have the confidence to do the things you want to do, you will feel much more content.

5) Take a Step Back- not literally, step back and think about what is important. Those things that are really stressing you right now, probably, aren't that important. Now I am not trying to devalue your worries, but if you are stressing so much about an essay, have a think- is this essay the be all and end all? What will happen if I get it wrong? Why am I so stressed about this? There is so much more to life than most of the things we let stress us out so much, if that makes any sense. When you try to put things into perspective and realise what actually matters you will feel calmer.

10 things that make me happy:

1) Family

2) My Dog (considered him being top of the list ngl.. haha)

3) Walking (clears the mind)

4) Blogging (my PASSION!)

5) Tea (British girl right here)

6) Pamper nights (blog post- here)

7) New PJs + fresh sheets (granny @ 18)

8) Organising

9) Twitter  (fellow bloggers support means the world!)

10) Reality TV (relaxes me, guilty pleasure haha)

What makes you happy? Let me know in the comments!

Ellie x

How to deal with burnout?

When people say 'make sure you take a break, you don't want to burn out', 'you can't keep going without burning out',  'you're going to burn out', listen.

Take in what they are saying and realise that burn out is an actual thing and your mind and body cannot simply keep going without rest. And by rest, I mean switching off, allowing yourself time away from work/studying, family time, socialising, days off, not just 1 hour off an evening.

I made the mistake of keeping on and on with no proper break. From GCSE through to A Level I studied non stop. Hours and hours of work and studying, every single day. From September.

1) This was unnecessary (in the quantity I was doing it)

2) Yes I achieved good grades but I am also burnt out.

I was warned, but I didn't listen.

I am a workaholic, which in some ways is great. I am productive, motivated, determined and will always put in 110% into whatever I do. However, balance is so important. Taking a minute to gasp a breath of fresh air is essential.

I suffered from burnout for 3 months after A Levels. Why? Because I did not let my mind rest.

I studied so much that I lost what was important, I didn't think into the future, I did not spend time socialising and overall my priority was studying.

You forget to actually LIVE.

But I don't regret it because I have learnt form it. I have learnt that you have to have a balance between life and work, because it is actually counter productive to not find that balance and to work constantly.

I am slowly finding things I am passionate about, blogging being one thing, I am practising ways of relaxation and stress management. It has taken 3 months to get over, relearning that it is ok to take a break and rest and catch up on all the things you've missed out on.

Symptoms of burn out:

- Exhaustion: physically and mentally

- Feeling fed up

- Inability to concentrate on one thing

- Dreading things you used to love

- Negative thoughts

(not limited to, just some examples).

If you think you are also suffering from burn out, I want to share with you my ways of dealing with it.

 1) Don't beat yourself up for feeling this way, you cannot help it. Working hard is something to be proud of, obviously going to far and burning out is exhausting but now youve realised that you have done too much, do something about it! Speak to someone about your work load, can you cut it down? Can you manage time differently? Can you have cut off points?

2) Take time to focus on self care, your mind and body need a break. Have a bath, watch a film or a tv series, have a pamper night every night for a week. Take time to re-energise and re-focus. You may want to follow my pamper routine here.

3) Find cut off points (briefly mentioned). Promise yourself that after 5pm (for example) you will not reply to an email, you will not look over work notes, you will take time to yourself to relax- and stick to it! Cut off points are really helpful because you are recognising it is time to stop and letting yourself have time to wind down.

4) Go to bed earlier, catch up on any sleep you've missed from stress! If you normally go to bed at 12, go to bed at 11. It could make the whole world of difference, don't burn the candle at both ends.

5) Find a way to release all of your stress: running, walking, blogging, painting, drawing, going to the gym etc... Find something that makes you feel empowered, that is not working!

6) Laugh more, spend more time with family and friends- this will naturally make you feel happier, at ease and relaxed.

7) SPEAK! A problem shared is a problem halved. Bottling up your stress and emotions will make things worse and only adds more pressure and guilt. Speak to someone you trust and maybe they could even help you rest more and make sure you don't overdo it!

I really hope this helps you and you find a way to recharge and find a healthy balance!

Ellie x

Autumn Fashion

Autumn is my favourite season (I know, typical blogger).

But seriously, its getting a bit colder which means we can be more cosy, drink warm drinks, turn the lights off and the candles on and basically get mentally prepared for Christmas! (ok too early...?)

Autumn fashion is also the best, especially this year, I am here for animal prints.

However, I am not one to wear jeans, I love the way they look don't get me wrong, but I hate the way the feel and I am all about comfort, sorry not sorry! Therefore this post will be especially useful if you also have something against wearing jeans like me.

The Bold Tee:

Lets start with this look, red top + grey check trousers, simple but I think it looks quite fierce. The red top really brings something to the outfit, wearing a bold colour top and plain trousers is a staple look for me, it looks like you've made an effort when realistically it is just trousers and a tee.

Like I said, I am here for animal print, this tee says 'wild ones' in Zebra print which I think adds a "trendy touch", especially if you don't like animal prints that are in your face!

On the chiller days (every day)I would pair this with my staple (faux) leather jacket.

(see below on next outfit).

Top: New Look

Trousers: New look last year, but you can find similar ones here.

Leopard loving:

Now if you do like leopard print that is in your face borderline Kat Slater from Eastenders, you will like this outfit.

I am living for this leopard dress, fashionable but comfortable. It is skater style, which I find flattering, and has button a button up detail which makes it look smarter and put together. On this particular day I paired this with tights, black chelsea boots and a leather jacket.

I also love this dress with no tights and my black vans, I feel like this way the dress looks trendier, however I live in England so there aren't many days where you can face going out bare legged, unless you are willing to freeze (and I am not)! You could wear this dress with heels too, which would dress it up, it is so versatile, such a day to night dress.

The best part- £10 from Primark!

*At the bottom of the post I am going to include a close up of the dress so you can see it clearer*

The not so bold tee:

I don't feel fierce everyday, so sometimes we need a tee that is a bit more casual and understated! This top is from New Look as well, I highly recommend checking out their tees. Very affordable but the quality is also really good.

This tee says 'amore' in a nude colour and has a checkered print over the writing, pairing it perfectly with the trousers! I love pairing a tee with smarter trousers, it makes the outfit feel more casual, yet (again) you look like you've made an effort! 

Bershka has such a good range of trousers, these came in so many different colours but I thought this tan/nude colour would go with a lot and see me through autumn/winter.
Also the waist is elasticated, which is a massive bonus because it means they are so comfortable.

I made this outfit more casual with a pair of *fake* vans (Primark- £6, what a bargain!). I am not too bothered about things being branded, in fact if I can find a cheaper alternative that looks the same then I am down for it- why spend more?!

(Trousers linked here, I can't find the top!)

Cosy vibes: 

Same trousers, different vibe. I love to save money were I can, so I love to buy clothes that can be easily mixed and matched to create different outfits, rather than spending all of my money! It is the best way to have an affordable but up to date wardrobe.

I paired the same Berskha trousers with a cream Pom Pom jumper from Primark. Do you remember last year when Pom Pom jumper's were really in fashion and everyone was going crazy for that Zara Pom Pom jumper? I was one of those people going crazy for it and it was never in stock- well you would not believe my excitement when I spotted this beaut jumper in Primark.

This jumper is soft, warm and cosy- perfect for autumn. But any cream jumper would look nice with these trousers. I think a cream jumper is such a staple piece because it can be paired with so many different outfits- leggings, skirts, trousers, jeans (if you like them haha), or even thrown over a dress!

That is all for this post, I hope you enjoyed reading about the autumn looks I have been loving and have got some inspiration! Let me know your favourite style this autumn, are you a fan of the animal prints?!

Ellie x

Clearer image of the primark dress.

6 Ways To Be More Confident

What is confidence?

"Confidence means feeling sure of yourself and your abilities"

"It is a quiet inner knowledge that you are capable"

Confidence is a beautiful thing to have, being able to say I can rather than I can't or even I will try rather than I won't. With confidence, you open yourself up to more opportunities with belief in yourself.

I want to be confident. Who wouldn't want to be confident? However, I have learnt that you cannot force confidence. You can gradually exercise confidence, but overall confidence comes with time and patience.

Now of course, to actually be confident is a lot more complex than the definition appears because there is more to it than being 'sure of yourself and your abilities'. 

With fear of coming across arrogant, fear of judgement, fear of failure, actual belief in failure and many other self doubts, being a completely confident person seems almost impossible. 

But actually, I have learnt it isn't. The book 'the life plan' taught me a lot. It taught me that confidence isn't being constantly sure, never fearful, never doubtful and never worried. Confidence is recognising you're fears, recognising the doubts, recognising the worries, but pushing through them anyway or recognising that something may be too much but you will work towards it for the future.

- Celebrating your failures because you learn from them

- Recognising your weaknesses but focusing on your strengths

- Owning your emotions 

That is confidence.

How to be more confident?

Confidence is a journey and I am gradually become more confident in myself with practice, time and self care.

There is no quick fix and of course there are so many different areas of life to be confident in.

However I can share you the simple changes that have helped me find more confidence, which hopefully help you too:

Finding your passion: this one is really important to me. Finding something that you love and you're good at is amazing, it gives you something to work on, something to be proud of. For me, my passion is blogging. When I post content, I only post what I am proud of, to me, nothing feels better than pressing publish on a post that I have worked on for hours and being excited to hear peoples thoughts! But I also have a passion for running, when I run I feel on top of the world. I feel strong, able and energised. Both running and blogging are two things I am confident in. What is your passion?

Accept yourself: this takes time, something that I think a lot of us are working on. Accepting yourself is really important, you don't have to completely love yourself (amazing if you do!!) but realising that you are who you are and accepting that is enough to make you feel more self assured. You cannot live a happy or confident life if you are constantly trying to change rather than living true to yourself!

Test your boundaries and realise what you can do: we all have a comfort zone, push that comfort zone, even the tiniest bit, and you will feel empowered. I did not think I could stay on a plane for 7 hours to NYC. But I really wanted to go to NYC. So I did it, and it has made me realise that I can get on a plane for 7 hours. What I am saying is, if you push your comfort zone and realise you CAN do something, it will open up the door to so many new opportunities, which will grow your confidence.

Hold your head high and smile more: really, it works. Do it now. Stand/sit tall, roll your shoulders back, hold your head high and smile. When we hunch our shoulders and keep our heads down it resembles feelings of insecurity and shame, reverse that, you will automatically feel 'ready'. (I don't know what for exactly, but you will haha).

Focus on what you have achieved, not what you haven't: it is so easy for us to worry on what we haven't done and what we haven't achieved and what we didn't succeed at, but what about what we have actually achieved? That is what is important. Your achievements, no matter how small, should be celebrated. The more you recognise how incredible you are and how able you are, the more you will grow as a person and flourish in confidence.

Surrounding yourself by people who make you feel more confident, not less: social media has made this one tricky. Clicking that unfollow button is sometimes essential people. Honestly. If someone is making you feel insecure or down about yourself, unfollow. It is not rude or selfish but necessary. You will find yourself a lot happier and confident once you unfollow the people who make you feel insecure.

I really hope these tips help. If you have any tips, leave them in the comments for me and others to be able to follow!

I am going to end this post with a quote that I find really inspiring:

Ellie x

You may want to read my perfect pamper night: here

The Perfect Autumn Makeup Look

Makeup is back. 

After a summer of tinted moisturiser and minimal makeup, I am not sad for it to be getting a bit cooler, allowing me to experiment more with makeup, without it melting off my face!

Some of these products I have used for over a year, others are new to me, but all together they create a flawless- but not heavy- makeup look. I hate makeup that feels heavy on the skin, I like to look fresh and healthy with a decent amount of coverage.

The eyeshadow palette is by revolution, I already have an in depth review of it on my blog, which you can find here. But as you can see, the burgundy, pinks, oranges and browns are all very autumnal,   I love to use brown as a base and orange or burgundy in the crease, my go to look at this time of the year!

Lets have a look at my faves:

When I was in New York City- read about my NYC trip here- I picked up this L'Oreal infallible pro-glow foundation and the NYX 'gotcha covered concealer'.  And let me tell you, I 100% do not regret my purchases because this foundation is perfect for me, it still allows my skin to breathe and look fresh but gives a medium to full coverage. Now I am quite lucky with my skin and I do not have many blemishes so I cannot really give a verdict on that side however I can say if you are looking for a foundation that has decent coverage without being cakey this is one to consider! It covers any red patches and gives my skin a flawless base.

I struggle with very dark circles (one thing I am not so lucky about...) however this concealer really does cover them. It brightens my under eye and hides how tired I actually am, whilst being dewy- nothing worse than cakey undereyes. 

Becca Champagne pop, practically known and raved about by every living creature.. but I am going to rave anyway. Oh my garwwwdd it is stunning! The glow this gives is unreal, not one for those who like to be subtle with their highlight, however, but definitely one if you like your highlight to POP. It is very pigmented and I love that it isn't glittery, just glowy. This would also look absolutely incredible on darker skin tones! 

Soap and Glory thick and fast mascara was raved about a few years back, did I listen- no, should I have- yes! I finally got around to trying out this mascara and it is honestly incredible considering the £10 price tag. With maybelline mascaras and this soap and glory one, I do not see the need to ever purchase an expensive mascara again to be honest!

It is lengthening, it gives my eyelashes volume and it is really dark black. This may seem like an odd point but you know when you get those mascaras that need so many layers because they aren't dark enough, well this one is dark enough, with 1-2 layers. It's perfect because your eyelashes are given a boost of volume, without being clumpy. The only thing it doesn't do is give my lashes as much of a curl as other mascaras but we can't have it all, haha.

Revolution is one of my go to cheaper makeup brands, I trust their products, and this eye brow 'cushion' did not let me down. It sounds weird but it is such an incredible brow product. It's so easy to use, with an angled brush I fill in my brows (in sparse areas) and it blends in so well with my natural hair AND lasts all day. I have already purchased 3 times and guess what it is £4. Cannot go wrong!

Other makeup products featured in the picture:

- Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in the shade valentine , this pink/nude lipstick gives me a "my lips but better" kind of look, I prefer natural looking shades as they need less touch ups throughout the day (lazy life haha).

- Max factor Bronzer (light gold)- one of my all time favourite bronzers, I don't always wear bronzer but when I do, this is the one I go for!

- Hourglass blusher (ethereal glow), pricey but gives you such a natural healthy look and is very pigmented so you only need a tiny amount!

I hope you enjoyed this post and have discovered some new products.

Let me know what products you are loving in the comments!

Ellie x

Want to take all that makeup off and unwind...?
Check out my pamper routine: here

NYC Travel Diary | 6 Days in NYC

At the beginning of August I was lucky enough to visit NYC with my mum and can I just say how grateful I am that I got to visit such a beautiful city.  NYC was just insane, there was so much to explore, so much to experience and so much to see. We went for 5 nights and 6 days, we managed to pack each and every day full of unforgettable experiences.

Neither my mum or I had ever been to America at all but have always wanted to go, so actually getting on the plane and going was such a big deal for us. Also, it was my first ever 'longer haul' flight which was nerve-wracking and just completely alien itself. But it was 110% worth the journey- I know some people would not consider 7 hours a long flight but for us it really was challenging, but like I said, worth every fear.

If you are considering a trip- book it. You won't regret it!

I want to share some of my favourite moments in NYC with you all, I want to share the beauty of the city and relive my time there. So this post is going to be full of photos, captions and NYC highlights.

St Patricks Cathedral was possibly one of the most gorgeous buildings I have ever seen. The architecture was just stunning. Absolutely stunning. Yet stunning isn't even strong enough to describe it, the detail of the building is insane- as you can see and being in a street full of shops and sky scrapers, it was beautiful to see such a traditional building standing.

Inside felt so peaceful and I felt really relaxed, it was utterly breathtaking. Everyone was so silent and respectful (being a place of worship), there people stopping off on their morning commute and I just kept thinking, what an amazing way to start the day?!

The rocker feller centre was another building that stunned me, it is so inspiring, I cant explain why, but looking at the building from the bottom, knowing that people worked hard to create such a masterpiece was and still is just fascinating. Even the outside area was beautiful. We went to the very top of the rocker feller centre which you can see below.

The view from the top of the rocker feller centre was absolutely incredible, I mean, just look at the view of Empire State Building! At the top I had a real moment- "I am actually here". Which sounds silly because of course we were there but as I said I had never been to anywhere in America at all in my life and the fact that we had made it to the top of the rocker feller centre just felt so surreal to us both. The city still takes me breath away, Manhattan really is such a unique and inspiring place.

The actual Empire State Building- everytime I look at this picture I have to take a deep breath because the height of it honestly scares me! We went to the top and it was absolutely stunning however the height of it was borderline too much haha! It *almost* goes on forever. Being someone who hates lifts- it wasn't the most ideal scenario (but worth it!).

Times Square: the bright lights, the shops, the theatres, the restaurants... all of it, exactly how I imagined Times Square to be like. Another pinch me moment. Me and my mum were honestly so excited, in and out of different shops, all of the buzzing side streets... it is all abit of a blur. Times Square just had a buzz- people everywhere, music and more...  It felt like I was in a film.

I must admit, time square was a little too much for me. I prefer somewhere a bit less intense, though I still loved being there and appreciating the fact that I was in NYC!!! 

Central park was right opposite our hotel (such an amazing view- very lucky!). It is honestly crazy how such a large amount of greenery and open space is in the heart of such a built up city. New York is literally full of skyscraper buildings, so to have a huge park right in the middle is breathtakingly beautiful. I was fascinated by all of the little areas to central park, it is a park unlike no other. The lake was huge, there was a turtle pond too which was adorable. I wish we had more time in central park...I could have spent the whole 5 days exploring central park alone, a truly magnificent place. 

The high line was peaceful, that is the only word I can think of to describe it. Mum and I walked along it chatting, taking in the views of New York, in the middle of a city but feeling like we were in the middle of a park. We felt like we were walking over NYC, watching the world go by, if that makes any sense at all. The long streets and avenues that appear to go on for ever, people rushing on their daily commute and other people wandering along as tourists. I really loved the highline and would be sure to go back if I ever return to the big city.

Its just diet coke lol

Here are some recommendations: 

Visit: 
- The Highline
- The Empire State Building (Even just for a picture outside, it is honestly unreal)
- Central Park
- St Patricks Cathedral 
- The 9/11 memorial- I haven't included pictures as we did not feel comfortable taking a picture at the memorial however it was beautiful place of respect and remembrance. 

Eat:
- Milk Ice Cream Bar (instagramable + delicious) 

GIMMEEEE

- Serafina (Times Square)
- 'Twohands' was a great lunch spot, incredible food! (twohandsnyc.com)
- Pazza Notte (THE BEST PIZZA) http://www.pazzanotte.com/main-menu/







That is all for now, some of my special moments in NYC, though there were plenty more, such as seeing the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn bridge and Grand Central Station.

I really enjoyed writing post, I loved New York and as cringe as it sounds, I genuinely had 'the time of my life'. If only I could go back this second! Have you been to NYC? Where was your fave place?

If you would like to see more NYC posts from me, maybe some recommendations/tips/ what I bought in NYC etc.. I would be happy to do them! Comment below or tweet me: @_ellabellax

Ellie x

The Perfect Pamper Night | Self Care

Pamper nights are the perfect way to dedicate a few hours to self care and relaxation. We all need down time and a 'recharge', especially when feeling stressed.

(I have tried to link as many of the products as possible to help you out!)

Skincare:

I personally cannot relax and have a cosy evening with makeup on, so my first step is to use my favourite body shop cleansing butter to make sure my skin is all fresh and makeup free! I find the body shop skin care in general gentle and perfect for sensitive skin, I would highly recommend. This cleansing butter removes makeup really well and is a perfect dupe for the Emma Hardie cleansing balm. *Though if you have oily skin this may not be for you*
The toner I love at the moment is by Liz Earle, like it says, it gives my skin a well needed 'boost' of hydration after wearing makeup all day!
Finally, I have recently been loving the Simple skin quench moisturiser, however I have not used it for long enough to give my full thoughts, though I must say the formula is great, its like a gel so it feels light on the skin but also like it is working. 

Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask

A deep face mask once a week is a staple for me, though I have clear skin, I believe that if I didn't use face masks like this, maybe my skin wouldn't be so clear, taking the time to really care for my skin is something I actually really enjoy doing. This mask unclogs my pores (hate that phrase but the only way to describe this mask),  it gives my skin that "clean" feeling, (though I must say the smell is not my favourite, but bearable for the results!)

*Liz Earle does not recommend this mask for sensitive skin, however from personal experience, I find it does not have any negative effects on my skin, I tested a small patch first so maybe that is the best thing to do.

Holler and Glow

If I am feeling over the top, to rehydrate my skin after using a deep cleansing mask, I will use a sheet mask. Lets face it, I picked these Holler and Glow masks because the packaging is stunning! However, I must say, they do really make your skin 'glowy' and hydrated. There is a lot of 'liquid' in the masks so they do leave my skin quite wet, I massage the mask into my face and then pat my face dry with a cleansing cloth/flannel. 

On this particular pamper night I used the "bling ting" face mask but next time I am excited to try the "money honey" one- I cannot get over the names, haha.

Bath time:

I am secretly excited that it is now getting slighter colder, meaning I can run a warm bath in the evenings and actually enjoy it, rather than feeling baked because it is also 30 degrees outside! 😂

Seriously though, can you beat soaking in a warm bubble bath after a busy day? I think not!

A bath without bubbles? Just not the same. I am not overly fussy about which bubble bath I use as long as it smells nice and creates lots of bubbles. At the moment I have been reaching for Zoella's Bath Latte, it smells fresh and not overly sweet (vanilla), I think it is a universal scent! It creates big bubbles and when I get out of the bath, I can still smell it on my skin, which I don't mind one bit!

Post bath, moisturising my skin is a must. As the weather gets cooler, my skin gets significantly drier. I wish I could say that I moisturise my body daily but unfortunately I don't, most days I cannot be bothered or forget to, but recently, I have been actively trying to moisturise  more as I really do hate having dry skin! On pamper evenings, however, I do always take the time the moisturise- like the bubble bath, I am not too bothered about which one I use as long as it smells nice and feels hydrating!
Recently I have loved the Victoria Secret 'Amber Romance' moisturiser, purely because of the smell if I am honest!

Chill time:

There is nothing I love more than having a relaxed evening, taking time to watch something I love, to cuddle my dog, to watch youtube etc.. allows me to wind down. However sometimes it is hard to just chill. When you are stressed about something, your mind keeps ticking,  you should be doing something it is hard to allow yourself to relax.

Here are some things I like to do to forget about the world for a few hours!

Snuggles with my dog (Teddy) are the best, he is so warm and cuddly and I just love him so much. If you have a dog, you will totally understand💛 Grab a blanket, cosy slippers and comfy clothes! 

I also like to watch abit of youtube because I do get bored very easily, haha.

Youtubers I am loving right now: (links on names)

1) Melanie Murphy: she is honestly hilarious, but also discusses such important topics, I find her videos really interesting. 

2) Lucy Wood: I love that Lucy promotes confidence, also she seems so lovely.

3) Fabulous Hannah: her style is incredible and she is also very relatable. When you watch Hannahs videos, she is the kind of person that makes you think 'I want to be her friend'!

Painting my nails makes me feel good, I just feel 'nicer' when I have my nails filed and painted. This Barry M 'mani mask' gives a nude/natural colour, the main point of the varnish is the help your nails grow and nourish them, which I defo need. Though I must admit, sometimes painting my nails is very stressful, smudges, waiting for them to dry, nails chipping etc... defo depends on my mood haha! (anyone relate?!)

When people used to tell me that colouring helped them be for mindful and was a way of relaxing I listened, but never really used their advice as I thought, 'that won't work for me'. But I promise, give it a go, it really does help you chill out. You are so busy focusing on the colouring all of your worries fade for a little while. ( Let me know if you give it a go, tweet me pictures of your colouring! @_ellabellax )

That is my pamper routine complete. Pamper evenings are so important to me, I love feeling refreshed, relaxed and ready for the next day. When you feel a bit tired, a bit run down and stressed, an evening like this really can make you feel 100% better, trust me!

My favourite day to have a pamper night is a Sunday! How about you? What staple products do you use on your pamper nights? I would love to know!

Ellie xx

Real Talk: Positivity

Positivity is a beautiful thing: to be optimistic, to celebrate achievements, to share our happiest times... I think we all want to be positive, because if you are positive you are happier, right?

It is easy to portray a positive lifestyle, to post happy quotes, to share share pictures where you are smiling, laughing and having fun, but what people don't tend to do, is to share the down moments. Now I am not saying we all need to start sharing all of our saddest moments and personal hardships, but I do think we need to be reminded of reality.

Of course, some people do share ups and downs but my point is, we often look at other people on social media and think "wow they are so happy" "their life looks amazing" "I wish I was them" "how are they so perfect"... and thoughts as such, when in reality we all have struggles and down days/weeks. Someone could be smiling on instagram and crying in real life.

When influencers get asked- how do you stay positive all the time?- their answer is often 'I don't'.

Negativity is normal. Just how positivity is normal. The difference is, we are surrounded my people 'living their best lives' which is beautiful to see, however I think we need to remember that it is ok not to be constantly living your 'best life'. In fact, it is not possible to constantly live your best life- we learn from mistakes, we grow through all the challenges we face.

I am not trying to put a downer on positivity, I love being positive, I try to turn negatives into positives and I am also more willing to share my best moments and much less willing to share my worst. But what I do want to do is highlight the fact that you should not beat yourself up for not being positive, because the pressure to constantly be happy is probably more damaging than anything else!

I hope you understand my point and that this helps you in some way.
Ellie x

A day with me: London, Love Island and Views

This will be a bit of a different post from me, a 'day in the life’ style, the kind of posts I really enjoy reading.

On Saturday 1st September, a casual day became one of my most exciting days in a while, those kind of the days are the most special, right?!

My parents and I planned to go to Primrose Hill/Regents Park for the day, knowing that Pup Aid was on (an amazing fundraising event for dogs). Central London is so accessible for me as I live a few train stops away however I don't go there very much, when I do I always think 'I should come here more'.

Trousers: Bershka
Top: New Look
Shoes: Primark 

Strolling through the parks was lovely, London is such a built up city, yet the 'Royal Parks' are just something else, the views are so stunning. I underestimate parks, walking through a park- not necessarily in London, just in general- takes your mind off all your stresses and allows you time to wander and take in everything around you. We sometimes forget that the most simple things can be the best.

Isn't crazy how London can be full of nature and so much space whilst being a major hub!

At Pup Aid there was a dog show being judged by celebrities. All of the little doggies were so adorable and the cause of the show is just so important, the whole event is a really positive way to raise awareness for animals (specifically dogs) whilst creating a fun day out.

Unexpectadly, Love Island contestants Zara, Ellie and Eyal were some of the judges, they were so kind and it was lovely to have the opportunity to meet them. I say it calmly but really, being a reality TV lover, my inner fan girl was going CRAZY! 

Me and Eyal (Casual?!)

Pup Aid was at Primrose Hill, we walked to the top of the hill where the view of London is utterly stunning. I think Primrose Hill is now my favourite place in London, you can see the city and the massive buildings but you are away from it all, just watching over- (perfect for an introvert like me haha!)

That was my Saturday. It was relaxed, happy and exciting. More Saturdays like this please! What did you get up to? 

Hope you enjoyed this style post, leave me a comment below if you did!

Where is your favourite place in London?

Ellie x