Monthly Favourites: June 2016

Whooo, it's monthly favourites time again! This month has gone just as fast as every other month so far this year & I can't believe we are half way through the year already! Anyway, let's jump into my favourites for the month of June.

MAKEUP: The Body Shop Dual Eyeshadow in 06. Unfortunately they no longer stock this particular shadow shade, but what I can say there shadows are beautiful! They are do pigmented & blend gorgeously. I'm looking forward to trying more of there shade range.

SKINCARE: The Body Shop, Tea Tree Clay Mask. I mentioned this in my Winter Evening Skincare Routine but I really adore this product & it leaves my skin feeling really clean & fresh.

ACCESSORIES: I'm someone that loves delicate jewellery pieces however I'm not someone who wheres it all the time. The month of June I've been a few of my favourite rings from my wee collection. I just love how delicate & pretty the look.

FRAGRANCE: CKOne is one of my all time favourite scents. Classy & elegant, great for everyday wear.

YOUTUBE: During the month of June I have been loving three specific YouTubers. I always find it hard it pick on specific YouTuber for these posts because I'm constantly finding & coming across new creators & then sometimes I'll binge watch specific YouTubers & not others, however this month I have been loving Desi Perkins, Kaity - Lustrelux & Brittany Lee Saunders. These three are just incredible. If you follow them on social media & are already subscribed to their channels then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about!

BLOGGER: One of my good friends Becs has recently, over the past couple of months started up her blog. If you like my content then I'm sure you'll like Bec's too! If you're reading this Becs, I'm so proud of you girl!

INSTAGRAM: Sarah Betts' Instagram has definitely been one of my favourites this month. Sarah's photos are at an incredible standard, they're edited beautifully & her Instagram theme is just like amazing! Definitely head on over & give Sarah a follow.

BOOK: The book I read this month & absolutely loved is Am I Normal Yet by Holly Bourne. "Evie, Amber & Lottie: three girls facing tough issues with the combined powers of friendship, feminism & cheesy snacks. Both hilarious & heart-rending, this is Evie's no-holds-barred story of struggling to live a 'normal' teen life in the grip of OCD." I love this book, I love the characters, the story line, everything. I'm going to say that this is one of the best Young Adult books I've read in a long time & I can't wait to read more of her books.

SONG: My favourite song for this month has just recently come out & it's by Nick Jonas called Under You. I love Nick Jonas as an artist plus he's gorgeous let's be honest but I also love the video that goes long with the song. Bonus is that one of my favourite actress', Shay Mitchell stars in the video as well! Great right?!

ALBUM: Ever since I watched the video with James Corden & The Red Hot Chilli Peppers I fell in love with them all over again. I forget how many of there songs I loved & I've had them on repeat ever since.

APP: Snapchat for sure. This month I've spend so much time on Snapchat, it's becoming a bad habit!

MAGAZINE: The Frankie magazine is my all time favourite magazine. It has literally a little bit of everything in it. If you're able to go into a book store & have a flick through of the pages, I definitely would recommend doing so.

PERSON: I have always had an ultimate love for Kendall Jenner & even more so after Fleur deForce out up a video on her channel of her interviewing Kendall. It made me realises a few things about Kendall & after the interview my love for her just grew for her. I'll link the interview if you'd like to check it out.

MEMORY: This month myself & my family are celebrating my Pops 80th birthday. I love my Pop endlessly & I constantly feel so proud of him.

QUOTE: "Immediately leave behind those who use manipulative behaviour to convince you to change or lose your identity. You are not putty to be played with or a project to be perfected, but a magnificent & unique manifestation of the universe. You have the right & responsibility to be yourself." ~ Beau Taplin

Feel free to let me know in the comments what your monthly favourite have been for the month of June. Also, you can leave blog links or YT videos of your favourites if have them! I'd love to hear from you & maybe get some information on some products I can try in the future.

B x

Bonnie's Basic Breakfast Smoothie

How many times have you heard that breakfast in the most important meal of the day? I don't know about you guys but my Mum always use to nag on at me, telling me how important it was for me to eat breakfast. I now have smoothies nearly everyday for breakfast. They are simple, quick & a delicious way to start the day. I find that they also fill me up for longer than any other breakfast I've tried before. Breakfast meals were always the hardest for me to get ideas on & create so with that I thought that I would share my breakfast smoothie with you guys.

INGREDIENTS

Raspberries 

Blueberries 

Banana

Spinach

Almond Milk

Chia Seeds

Good Green Stuff Supplement Powder

You guys can create your own variations & add whatever ingredient you like. There are so many variations out there. Make you sure you share your ideas in the comments below, I'd love to see & try out some of your suggestions. 

B x

8 Habits To Boost Success & Productivity

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Being productive & working towards success is something that comes naturally & easily to some. I found myself questioning what it is that successful people do differently? From there I decided to change my routines, change habits & small  bits & pieces in my life to purely see what positive changes I could make in my life.

I briefly want to talk about the definition of success because I definitely think the definition of success varies from person to person. I think that a lot people associate success with, for example, actors, actress & singers. But it's important to remember that they are purely successful in what they do. They all had to start somewhere right? Just like us, we have to start somewhere. On of my favourite quotes is, "Don't compare your Chapter 1with someone else's Chapter 20". It's so important to try & remember to not compare yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others is a battle you're never going to win. Focus on improving yourself everyday. It doesn't have to be anything massive, just take small steps, work & try your hardest & I promise one day you'll get where you want to be.

STOP HITTING THE SNOOZE BUTTON: A successful day begins the moment you wake up . . . so wake up already! Instead of hitting the snooze button multiple times, train yourself to sit up after the first alarm & get your butt out of bed!

CREATE A MANTRA: Think about what you want to achieve & create your own mantra the you can recite to yourself before you start your daily tasks & just throughout the day. I know it might seem a little silly but you'll be surprised how well this helps when it comes to getting your mind in a good place.

WRITE DOWN ALL YOUR TASKS: To-do lists is just what seems appropriate when to comes to goals to achieve & task to do. I think I've may have talked about this before but we all know that nothing feels better than to be able to cross tasks off our to-do list.

STAY FOCUSED: With so many daily distractions coming from our phones, it can be really easy to lose focus. Eliminate distractions, even if this means turning your phone off. I promise, it's not going to kill you! It's great to practice discipline & work little things into your daily routine so that you can stay on top of things.

COMPLETE YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE OR THE HARD TASKS FIRST: I can not stress how important & helpful this is. It has honestly helped me so much over the year. Especially with long to-to lists, it can all seem quite overwhelming sometimes & you might not know where to start. I simply start with the tasks that are either hard or that are my least favourite. This way, if I do them at the start they won't be looming over my head all day. Get them done & forget about them!

TAKE BREAKS & CLEAR YOUR MIND: Again this is something I strongly believe in, taking breaks is important! I don't believe that working non stop is the way to go. It's important to take breaks & just yourself a chance to clear your mind. Taking a break is your body & brains way of refuelling & it's a chance to forget everything you haven't yet done on your to do list & just take some time to chill. This is your time so make sure you're doing something that makes you happy. When you get back to work & your daily routine you'll feel a lot more refreshed.

READ MORE BOOKS: Reading is something that I definitely love doing however I just don't do enough of it. I have recently been making a conscious effort to make time for reading because reading is one of my favourite sources of inspiration. I really enjoy reading because it allows me to create my own world inside my head through the characters of the book. I also love how everybody will interpret, imagine, create & take different things from the exact same book.

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER: Improving your decision making skills can help you work smarter & faster. Before you jump into your daily tasks, have a clear plan of action & know exactly what you need to do that day. Create a quick plan of action based on priority. I find that when I have a mental may of what needs to be done then it's a whole lost easier to navigate my way through the day without wasting time wondering what I need to do next.

B x

Review: theBalm Cindy Lou Manizer Blush & Highlight

'All in one essential, this smart shadow, beautiful blush & subtle highlighter is tucked inside a go anywhere compact by theBalm. Th light reflecting peachy pink hue adds a splash of colour to your cheeks & a hint of shimmer to your lids, while illuminating your finest features'.

Cindy Lou Highlight is the first product I've tried from theBalm & absolutely love it. The packaging is sleek, unique & durable. The compact has a mirror inside which is perfect for it you want to carry the product around with you during the day. Another thing that I really enjoy about the product is that is can be used for multiple for different purposes, so shadow, highlight or a blush. I like to use the product as a highlight & blush but like I said it could be used for a variety of different things. It's a beautiful peachy pink hue which is what they state on the website & I think it would look gorgeous on everyone. Cindy Lou also has two other sister products, Mary Lou & Betty Lou & all three products retail for $24. I'm going to leave a link to the website where you can purchase the products but also look at other reviews. From what I've seen on the website, Cindy Lou has several fantastic reviews.

I'm looking forward to try various other products from theBalm so let me know in the comments if you have ever tried theBalm & which products are you favourites & why.

B x

Winter Evening Skincare Routine

Last week I posted my Winter Morning Skincare Routine so I only thought that it would only be appropriate to follow up with my Winter Evening Skincare Routine. I want to quickly mention that if you have already read my Winter Morning Skincare Routine post then you may notice a few familiar products but I wouldn't be mentioning them if I didn't love them & of course I wouldn't be using them if I didn't think they were working well with my skin.

MAKE UP REMOVER
As I mentioned in my Winter Morning Skincare Routine, my skin tends to get extremely dry & for that reason I find using an oil to take of my make up is the best option. At the moment I'm using coconut oil. The feeling of actually putting coconut oil on my face & removing my make up at the end of the day is the best feeling. The reason I don't use anything else such as make up wipes is because I feel like they can be a little bit drying on my face, don't get me wrong make up wipes are great but sometime I feel that not only do they remove the make up but they also the essential oils from your skin. So when my skin is especially dry I make sure I use an oil to remove my make up. Obviously this isn't going to be the case for everyone but that's just the way be skin is behaving at the moment.

CLEANSE
I'm mentioning the same cleanser as I did in my Winter Morning Skincare Routine & that cleanser happens to be, The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash. I'm actually now onto my second bottle of this product which is a clear indicator that I really love this product. I find that it cleans the skin beautifully & doesn't leave it feeling tight & dehydrated. Plus it helps prevent blemishes & impurities which is just fantastic of course.

EXFOLIATING SCRUB
I actually use a different exfoliating scrub than what I would in the mornings. In the evenings I like to use something that is more intense, if that's even the right word, I'm not sure. I will reach for, The Body Shop, Vitamin C Mircrodermabrasion Scrub. I find that it gets dee into the pores & helps remove all the gunk. This product really does leaves my skin feeling amazing. I thought I would talk this opportunity to talk about a product that I'm trying out at the moment & I've been trying it out for awhile but I'd like to know your opinion if you've tried it, it's the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Scrub. Also let me know if you have any exfoliating scrub recommendations because I always looking & interested in trying new products!

FACE MASK
I don't do a mask every night but the mask I have been loving at the moment is The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Clay Face Mask. I love this face mask & personally I love the smell of tea tree so it's perfect. You'll notice that I use a lot of products with tea tree in them & that's because tea tree has antibacterial properties which keep blemishes & impurities at bay. I also use pure tea tree oil as a spot treatment for any spots that pop up & it really helps dry out the spot.

TEA TREE TONER
Oh look, more tea tree! I make my own tea tree toner water & I have a post which I'll link so you can check it out if you would like too. I'm actually going to make up a toner water with Apple Cider Vinegar so I'll let you know how I get on with that.

MOISTUISER
I use a slightly thicker moisturiser than what I use in the morning. I have been using a product that I brought locally & it's made here in New Zealand. It's called, Nature's Organic Natural Protection Placenta & Collagen Cream. I'll link the product so that you can look into more yourself but I really enjoy using it & my skin loves it too. You don't need to much so it's going to last you awhile & the scent is really nice, it reminds me of baby powder, weird but true! The other thing that I love is that the company is against animal testing which is incredible & makes me want to look into more of their products.

EYE CREAMS
I'm not going to talk to much about the eye creams that I use just because they are exactly the same as I mentioned in my Winter Morning Skincare Routine. However the products I do use are the Garnier Youth Radiance Caffeine Eye Roll On & also an Avon Eye Cream. Like I've said before, I think using something under your eyes is better than nothing. Also I'd really appreciate any recommendations for different eye creams so make sure you leave me a comment below letting my know what your current favourite is!

LIPS 
In the evening I do a lip scrub & for that I use the Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub, it's quite a popular product so I'm sure a lot of you know about it. And then I pile on the lip balm & for that I use the Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia.

B x

Recipe: Dairy, Wheat & Gluten Free Brownies

It's a define given that I love baking, cooking & just being in the kitchen in general. Duh, that's where the food is, right?! As some of you may know I have recently become wheat, gluten, diary & soy free & that has meant that I had to find a lot of alternatives for products that my body was going to agree with. I found a recipe online & altered it a little bit & tried different versions & I think I may have mastered it, well for liking anyway. I also just like to mention that you can obviously switch out whatever products you want & switch it in with something that suits you a lot better personally.

INGREDIENTS

200g Diary Free Butter

340g Sugar

75g Almond Milk

280g Rice Flour

1 TSP Vanilla Extract

1 TSP Baking Powder

4 Eggs 

225g Cocoa Powder (Optional)

55g Almonds

Pinch of Salt 

Dark Chocolate or Dark Chocolate Chips (Optional)

METHOD

1: Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2: Melt the butter in saucepan then stir in sugar, eggs; one at a time & milk. 

3: Sift cocoa powder, baking powder, salt & rice flour. 

4: Add egg & butter mixture with almonds, dark chocolate; melted, vanilla extract. 

5: Pour into prepared slice tin & cook for 20-25 minutes or until slightly firm to touch. 

B x 

Tackling The Week Ahead

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I don't know about you guys this week has just seemed to drag on & on & on. We've had some crazy events happen this week & I feel like that it has just taken a toll on everyone, world wide. There are something in life the we just can't prepare ourselves for but in saying that I think we need to carry on with life that best we possibly can whatever the current circumstances might be & I think that's really important to remember. Just do the best you possibly can & that's all anyone can ever ask of you. Talking about carrying on with life the best we possibly can is where this post comes in. I'm going to share with you what I would typically do on a Sunday as I plan for my week & some little tips too.

TO DO LISTS & PLANNING
I will sit down in front of my computer & plan out everything I can possibly can. From the blogposts that are going up, school work that needs to be done, I'll work out & remind myself of any appointments I have & of birthdays coming up. Basically what I'm doing is getting a good over view for the week. From there I'm able to create my to do lists. I start off with just a weekly to do list & everything that I want to get done that week. At first this might be a little intimidating to look at so you might find it easy to had to your weekly to do as you go. I personally use the reminders app on my phone & a have a list for each day of the week so no matter where I am or what I'm doing I can add to lists or refer back to them if need be. You'll also find physical written copies of little to do lists on my desk reminding me to go little bits & pieces. I think you could definitely say I write way to many lists!

MEAL PLAN
I can not stress to you all enough how easy meal planning makes things. I'll sit down with a cup of tea & a few of my favourite cookbooks & decide what I'll cook that week. From there I'm able to make up a list of any bits & pieces that need picking up when I go for the weekly food shop. A couple of tips would be that don't stress yourself when it comes to this, if you don't want to make that particular dish for dinner that night, that's ok, swap it out for something else on your meal plan. Definitely don't restricted by your meal plan. I do this all the time purely because it's a time saver for the next day but I would typically make a little bit extra so that I have leftovers & I'm just able to heat them up ready for lunch the following day. The reason I do this is because like I said it saves me time & hassle of worrying about making myself something for lunch. It's quick & easy & ready to go when needed.

BE REALISTIC
When I say this all I mean is to make sure you're setting realistic goals for the day. Long lists can be overwhelming so why not just add the three top things to need to do to a list & that what you've managed to prioritise as well! I personally won't add over six things to my list & if I do, on those days I allow myself to realise that it's not realistic to get them all done but I know I can always had them to tomorrows list. 

PLAN BREAKS 
Breaks are important. They give you time away & time to refuel. I generally will have a couple of breaks during the day & I don't set specific times just because they change often but definitely be taking breaks. Don't ignore what your body is trying to tell you.

CLEAR SPACE CLEAR MIND
You'll generally find my space & home pretty clear & tidy. I find that I work better in a clear & tidy space. At the beginning of my week I make sure I set an hour aside to just to have a decent tidy up of the house & my space & that way during the week I can just do little bits & pieces like the dishes & the washing. It definitely helps save time during the day & means that I'm less likely to procrastinate during the week days.

B x

Winter Morning Skincare Routine

Since there has been a weather change over the past month something that also has changed is my skincare. In winter my skin tends to be a lot more dry & flakey than in the warmer months so I thought that it would only be appropriate to update to all my on winter skincare routine & a few new products that I have been using as of recent.

CLEANSE
I'm really careful when it comes to the cleansers that I use especially when my skin is naturally a lot drier. The Body Shop, Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash. This cleanser helps keep impurities away & is great for clearer looking skin. It's intense enough for daily cleansing but I find that it doesn't dry my skin out any further than it already is. I really enjoy using Tea Tree products, specifically from The Body Shop because Tea Tree is a great antibacterial product.

EXFOLIATING SCRUB 
I just want to quickly mention that I don't always exfoliate in the mornings, it purely depends on how my skin is feeling. If I do decide to exfoliate in the mornings I like to use a product that I believe I have mentioned in a post before, which is the Nivea Daily Essentials Gentle Exfoliating Scrub for Normal & Combination Skin. Again, I'm careful with which products I use on my face but I really enjoy using this one specifically again because I find it doesn't dry out my skin anymore than it already is & you know how some products can leave your skin feeling really tight & disgusting, yeah well this particular product doesn't do that & I don't know about you, but I think that is a really good thing. It also helps remove dry & flakey patches of skin which is of course why most of us use exfoliating products, right?

MOISTURISER 
In the colder months I don't mind using a slightly thicker moisturiser in the mornings. I would tend to reach for something slightly more light weight in the warmer months but since I need that extra moisture during the day time, something a little bit thicker is definitely the way to go, well for me personally anyway. The product that I have been using recently is, Essano Rosehip Regenerating Facial Moisturiser. I absolutely adore this stuff & would definitely recommend it. On the packaging it says, 'Moisturise, Condition & Regenerate. Rich in certified organic Rosehip Oil, vitamins & organic Jojoba Oil & Shea Butter' & if this doesn't sell you the product then I don't know what will!

EYE CREAMS 
I've been using two eye creams recently, one from Garnier & the other just from Avon. I really like both of these products & they are really inexpensive. If I'm going to be completely honest I think any eye cream you can get your hands on is better than none at all right? The specific products are the Garnier Youth Radiance Caffeine Eye Roll On & unfortunately I couldn't find a link to the Avon Eye Cream however like I said earlier at the end of the day I think any eye cream you really like or can get your hands on is better than none. Also on that note, please let me know in the comments below if you have any eye cream recommendations, I'm looking for something new to try!

SPF
No matter what time of the year it is it's always important to include SPF in your morning skincare routine. The sun can be really harsh on our skin whether we can physically see the sun or not. I personally use & recommend using something over SPF 30+. You can get SPF included in a variety of different moisturisers & there are also so many different singe SPF products that you can pick up & I'm sure you'll find something that you & your skin will love!

LIPS
In the mornings my favourite lip balm is definitely the Nivea Lip Butter & I have it in the flavour Vanilla & Macadamia however it does come in a variety of different flavours such as, Original, Raspberry Rose, Coconut, Caramel Cream, Cocoa & Blueberry Blush, so there is heaps to choose from! It is thick & super nourishing & that is exactly what I want in a lip butter especially in the middle on winter.

B x

Types Of Friends We Should All Have In Our Circle

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I'm sure a lot of you can relate with me on this but I don't know what I would do without my friends. Your friends are some of the most important people in your life & as much as they drive you mad could you really ever imagine your life without them & especially when they offer you so much.

I feel like a circle of friends needs at least one friend under each of these categories. I know when I was thinking up these ideas, I was thinking which friends of mine would go with what category. I special little shout out to my girls, if you're reading this I love you very much & I don't know what my life with be like without you all! Let me know in the comments which friend of the the following you fall under.

THE ONE WITH THE BEST ADVICE
The friend that always knows the right thing to say even in the worst possible times but sometimes you wish she'd take some of her own advice.

THE CAREER GIRL 
That one friend who manages to always have her life in order & achieve highly at everything she does. Although you are incredibly proud of her, she also makes you incredibly envious.

THE INSTAGRAM STAR
The one that makes the simple things look amazing & you swear she has some kind of secret filters on her phone that she's not telling you about.

THE NIGHT IN GIRL 
The one that is quite happy to sit up with you at 2AM with a glass of wine in hand, snacking on crackers & cheese.

THE NIGHT OUT GIRL 
The one that is always up for a good time, takes back shots like they are water & is always up for a good ole boogie on the dance floor.

THE BEAUTY GURU 
The one with all the contour & highlight insights, she knows that latest beauty trends & is will to give you all the beauty advice you could ever need.

THE ONE WHO GETS SHIT DONE
She's the one who is organising all the group hangouts & she doesn't care if you have a boyfriend that needs seeing or homework deadlines, you will most definitely not bail!

Let me know what kind of friend you are! Are you at beauty guru or maybe the Instagram star?  Although I don't like to consider myself a 'guru' I feel like I'm the one that would help all my friends out with their beauty troubles.

B x

Winter Essentials

Winter has really hit us in New Zealand & for me that means a few things, dry skin & freezing my little butt off. I thought I would dedicate a complete post to talk about my absolute essentials for the duration of winter. I do tend to change up a few products in regards to my skincare routine, a few bits & pieces in my wardrobe as well as few accessories. Without further a do, lets jump right in!

SKINCARE
My skin absolutely does not like the cold weather at all & it tends to become really dry & tight. For this reason I have changed up a few of my skincare products. Number one being my facial exfoliator. The one that I have been reaching for recently is the Nivea Gentle Exfoliating Scrub. It helps with removing any dead & dry skin & another benefit I find with this specific exfoliator is that it doesn't leave my skin feeling tight & suffocated. Another product that is essential for me in the winter is some kind of facial oil. This could be anything that you prefer & find works for your skin. At the moment, I'm using coconut oil because that's what I just happen to be have in my house at the moment. But I have used Rosehip Oil in the past & love it just as much. I really like how oils leave my skin looking & feeling.

WARDROBE 
This winter I've been loving everything with a turtle neck. I have quite a wee collection in my wardrobe, from plain to stripped. I love how you can pair these tops with basically anything, you could add a scarf for extra warmth, or you could mix up the looks with different jackets, really the options are endless. Scarfs are always a massive essential for me in the winter, I don't think you could go wrong with a decent scarf in the winter. I also quickly want to mention that I don't think you can go wrong with a little pair of black boots in your wardrobe this winter. I think black boots can be essentially paired with any outfit & look really quite good.

ACCESSORIES
In the way of accessories I think that anything that is going to help keep you warm is fantastic. I get an incredible amount of use out of my hot water bottles in the winter, whether I'm taking one to bed with me or curling up on the couch while watching a movie. I think they are super handy to have. It's just not winter without a pair a thick fluffy socks & slippers. I think if you keep your hands & feet warm it helps keep the rest of your body toasty! With saying that, I'm looking for a lovely of gloves maybe even a fingerless pair so if you guys have any recommendations please leave me a comment or tweet me, I'd definitely appreciate it!

BATHES
I wanted to add this little section to this post because I love having hot bathes in the winter. Not only is it relaxing but it can also be great if you're looking for a way to warm up quickly. I don't know if I'd consider these essentials however I do like to have a couple of candles & bath bubbles or even gorgeous bath bomb from Lush.

B x

5 Things To Make Time For On The Weekend

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I don't know about you guys but for me the weekend is time for me to relax & take a little bit of a break. For myself personally because I work from home I've allowed my days off to be Friday & Saturday. Every now & then you'll find me doing little work bits & pieces but generally it's a complete chance for me to take a well deserved break. Obviously the weekends or time off is going to be varied depending on your job & all kinds of bits & pieces but you can do these things over the days you have off to re focus, relax & re organise.

TAKE A BATH
I always find having a bath relaxing. I'll generally light some candles, maybe put some bubbles in or something that smells delicious from Lush. For me, taking a bath just really allows me a step away from everything else & just relax. This time for me is usually a no tech time for me however sometimes I'm feeling a little brave & will take my phone with me but I do try & just leave out of the bathroom completely.

MANI / PEDI 
By the time the end of the week roles around my nails are generally looking pretty worse for wear. I like to change up my nail colour, I tend to lean towards nudes & grey / white tone but it's definitely down to personal preference. One of my favourite things to do not only on the weekend but every day of the week especially at night time is use a super thick hand cream. In the winter especially, my skin gets super dry so I try & make sure I'm using hand cream every day!

FACE MASK 
I personally don't do face masks every night & I associate them with more of a pamper night. I try to do them maybe two or three times a week. My favourite kind of face mask to use during the winter is some kind of moisturising mask. Let me know in the comments below if you have any face mask recommendations.

MEAL PLAN
I'm thinking I might do a whole post on this but meal planning is something that I really love doing especially now that I'm not aloud to have diary, wheat, gluten or soy. I generally will just plan out what I'm going to have for my dinner over the week & will make enough so I can have it for lunch the following day. I just think that way it's so much easier, it saves money & ensures that your not wasting any food plus it's great if I'm having a busy day, it means that I already have something there ready to be eaten.

PLAN OUT YOU WEEK
I usually dedicate my Sunday's to planning out my week, planning posts & anything study bits & pieces. I prefer entering the new week with a clear picture in my head of what I need to get done. This also just gives me an opportunity to check in with my diary for the week & if I have an events coming up. I've found planning ahead like this has really increased my productivity levels. I know that it can be annoying when little things pop up out of the blue when you didn't expect them to but that's why I keep a little note pad on my text so at any time I can write myself a little to do list.

Remember taking time for you is the most important thing! Let me know in the comments what you like to when in comes to relaxing & recharging for the up coming week, I'd love to hear your tips & tricks! Also let me know about any face mask recommendations!

B x

5 To Follow On Instagram

Instagram has grown a lot over the past 5 years since its initial release & a lot since I first started using it. From the very humble beginnings as a simple photo sharing app which was exclusively just for iPhones to being available on android, to being the next big thing. I've watch Instagram change & grow over the years including being able to watch the number of active users grow with Instagram sitting within the top 10 social medias with over 400 million active users. It can be hard to filter through what you do & don't like & find all those gem accounts. These are only five of my favourite accounts, my favourites a frequently changing & I'm sure as I explore more of Instagram, meet new people, come across new creators, I'm going to come across some amazing new accounts too.

@meghanrienks 

If you're looking for the perfect white & aesthetically pleasing account then Meghan's account if for you. I've been a following Meghan for awhile now not just on Instagram but also her other platforms & from seeing her posts & I know it's been mentioned in a few videos but Meghan does put a lot of time & effort into her pictures but also the editing behind them too. I often find myself on Meghan's page just scrolling through her pictures & gathering inspiration. 

@shaaanxo

If you're into makeup & beauty as much as I am I think you'll really like Shannon's Instagram. Shannon's Instagram is gorgeous & it features a little bit of everything. If you follow Shannon on YouTube you'll already know how crazy talented she is but honestly her talent is just amazing! Shan was one of the very first people I subscribed to on YouTube & that was a good four or five years ago now & it's been amazing to see her grow, not only on YouTube but as a person as well. 

@moreshaaanxo

For all the Shannon admirers out there, yes, Shan does have a second account & it's a bit more personal than what her main account it. There is no particular theme to it, it's where she just posts random pictures that she wants to share with us all! If you love Shan as much as I do, then I think you should go over & give her second account a wee follow.

@desiperkins 

Desi is also another one of my favourite people to follow. Again, if you're interested in seeing amazing makeup & outfit looks, that kind of thing I highly recommend following Desi. Desi is super flawless & is so super talented. I haven't been following Desi for a great amount of time I just absolutely adore her! 

@copper.and.kohl

A lovely lady called Rachel Beedell has this account & you all probably know by now how much I love my blacks, whites & greys, her account it just so me. Again, it's another account that I find really aesthetically pleasing to flick through & grab inspiration off. 

Like I said earlier, I have an incredible amount of Instagram favourites & they are constantly changing as I explore, get recommendations, meet new people & new creators but if you have any recommendations yourself, make sure you leave them in the comments below! 

B x

Currently No.001

I know everyone says this but I actually can't believe we are in June?! Can someone please tell me where the time as gone because the last couple of months as honestly flown by! I love the idea behind this series because it's similar to a favourites but I feel like it's a little more personal & you get to find out a little bit about me & what I've been doing the past week or so. This post is inspired by Georgina from http://www.babyrebelblog.com/ & I thought it was such a fantastic idea I had to do it myself! Make sure you check out Georgina's blog, it's incredible & Georgina is just so lovely & down to earth!

READING
If I'm being honest I haven't been reading too much recently just not because I don't enjoy reading but purely because I haven't had the time too. One of my goals for this month is to actually find a small amount of time every day to read. But anyways, I've been slowly getting through 'Sins Of Father' by Fleur Beale, which I mentioned more in detail in my Love List: April 2016 blogpost. I'm really enjoying the book so far & I definitely recommend to everyone. It's a great example of what can happen when power falls into the wrong hands.

LISTENING 
Lavendaire Lifestyle is my current favourite podcast & is what I have been listening to for the past month or so. I enjoy listening to Aileen's podcasts either when I'm getting ready in the morning or while I'm doing my evening skincare routine. I find Aileen just so positive & uplifting & it's the same with all her content. If you are interested in checking out her podcast maybe you'd be more interested in her YouTube channel or her blog!

EATING 
Smoothies as been a current go to breakfast for me over the past couple of weeks. They keep me full for longer than what anything else does & it is super light! A standard smoothie for me is generally almond milk, raspberries, blueberries, a banana, good green stuff powder & chia seeds. This is pretty basic & is my go to smoothie but sometimes I will mix it up depending on what fruit I have at home.

THINKING
That I should really go & make myself some lunch. It's nearly 2PM & I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast & I think it's safe to say that I'm just a little hungry!

WATCHING 
Grey Anatomy is back & so is my love for Dr. Jackson! If you don't watch Grey Anatomy you're seriously missing out! I love the show.

MAKING 
Since I've become gluten, wheat, soy & diary free I've found myself spending a lot more time in the kitchen. Whether that is actually cooking, looking in cookbooks or even meal planning. I've really enjoyed being a lot more creative in the kitchen & having to think outside the box. Keep an eye out for a few of my favourite recipes.

LOOKING FORWARD TO
Definitely my little sisters birthday! I can't believe that my baby sister is going to be 15!

ENJOYING 
This might be a little odd but I've really been loving the weather that Nelson has been providing! Although it is a little bit chilly in the mornings & the evenings, during the day has been absolutely stunning.  We've had blue skies & sunshine for the majority of winter so far. We've had a few rainy days but not has many has we would have normally had at this time of the year! I am definitely looking forward to summer though!

LEARNING 
I think it's safe to say that I'm constantly learning especially because I'm studying. But studying aside I've been extending my knowledge on WordPress & I have to thank Lena from www.lenatalksbeauty.com for all her tips & tricks! Lena & I have been emailing each other back & forth & I'm incredibly grateful for all her tips & tricks.

LOVING 
Desi Perkins & her gorgeous face. I do follow Desi on all her social media & if you have no idea who I'm talking about, Desi is a queen! Desi is so down to earth & just so real. Oh & we can't forget about her YouTube channel, it's honestly the next level. I'm constantly learning new things from her videos & let's be honest, she slays at everything, she's a beauty queen!

B x