Product Spotlight: Evolu Triple Action Oil Control Clay Mask

“When your skin needs a purifying cleanse to control excess oil and restore healthy, even tone, this quick-drying clay mask is a treatment essential. The unique triple-action formula works effectively to clear, regulate and brighten, reversing the dulling effects of accumulated grime and impurities. Readily applied then gently removed with a warm, wet facecloth, the blend of kaolin clay and plant actives thoroughly absorbs oil and grime without the need for harsh scrubbing.” 

There are so many gorgeous natural products in this face mask which makes in one of my all time favourites. It has worked wonders for my extra oily skin the past couple of months & I love that I don’t have to be scrubbing at my face to remove any extra dirt or grime. It’s a simple yet really effective product that is an essential in my routine currently. 

What is your favourite face mask at the moment? 

B x 

Lockdown Made Me Do It | I Got A Kitten

MEET SIMBA! Simba is our new wee fur baby, who is currently four months old, full of energy & loves playing with our indoor plants. He is the most cuddly yet very playful wee fur baby & we love him very much! He's a great addition to our wee family & Sylvie, his older brother, is starting to get use to having such a playful wee brother hanging around. 

Cannot wait to see him grow & see the kind of personality he grows into! Although I'm pretty sure he'll stay a wee trouble maker. 

B x 

Seasonal Skincare Lineup | Winter Editon

@contentpixie

It's that time of the year again where I put together a post about all my favourite skincare product for the up & coming season. As we begin to crawl into the colder months my skin has already started to dry up & dehydrate. These products have been absolute lifesavers & my skin is definitely thankful.

Cleansers

Lush Ultrabland Cleanser 

Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Cleanser 

Exfoliators 

Lush Ocean Salt Face & Body Scrub 

Moisturiser

Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream 

Nivea Nourishing Day Cream For Dry & Sensitive Skin 

Face Mask 

Evolu Triple Action Oil Control Clay Mask 

Makeup Remover 

Garnier Micellar Oil-Infused Cleansing Water

Lipbalm 

Lush Ultrabalm - All Purpose Balm 

There are a couple of products that I feel I am missing that might be helpful so if anyone has any recommendations for facial oils or serums & moisturising face masks, then I'd love to hear your suggestions. 

B x 

The Life-Changing Magic Of Making A List

@stilclassics

There is nothing better than making a good list. Lists helps you too organise your life and mind while giving yourself something to work through to get. You can have daily to-task list, weekly to-do lists, monthly to-do lists and many more. You can create lists upon lists, scrap them and start again if you needed to. But the true power in lists lies within the place you write them. Do you remember what you've put where? Whether it's in your phone notes, the back of a receipt or in a planner or notebook, it's important to remember what you've put where and have it available for easy access at any time. Today I'm going to focus specifically to-do lists and what you can do to help yourself when it comes to creating the perfect to-do list.

Making A Plan Helps You Finish Tasks 
Whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed, the best thing I find to do is to start making a plan. Lists free you from anxiety and stress as they help your create order. If you write it down, you're more likely to do it and reduce any stress or anxiety around doing those tasks too!

Write Down What Success Looks Like To You 
Lists break down the sheer amount of things you have to do into the simple bullet-pointed structure and allow you to create some framework in your life. The power of a list is incredible, more so than you probably are aware of.

Figuring out where to start can be difficult so the easiest way I've found when it comes to planning out success I will start with two lists. These will be want I need to get done and what I want to get done. The difference being between need and want. If I'm looking over the course of a week in my life, there are going to be things that I NEED to get done versus things that I WANT to get done. The 'need' list consists of everything that must be done by the end of the week whereas the 'want' list is full of projects/activities that can fill any spare time I have. If I can complete something off the 'want' list, it essentially becomes an added bonus to my week.

Writing lists works because it helps your brain process things in order, your brain likes to see things aligned. You'll remember items on your list so much easier than you'll remember tasks off the top of your head.

Write Out Of Love
Writing a daily gratitude list is a beautiful selfceare practice and helps you consciously focus on what's good in your life. Gratitude can really shift your thinking. Creating love-lists is the perfect remedy for a busy day because it allows your brain to 'remember' what makes it happy, boosting endorphins and giving you a kick of motivation.

Tips For Creating A Better To-Do List 
1. Use a notebook in combination with a calendar or diary. When planning out your day make sure your deadlines are realistic.

2. Create a systems for tackling priority tasks first. Make sure you clearly know what your priority task are and plan how you're going to get them done.

3. Rewrite your list with more order or structure. Use colour codes or symbols to organise it.

4. Be kinder to yourself. Sometimes our to-do lists can become unrealistic but that's okay because there is always tomorrow.

5. Re-evaluate your list after you progress through it. Make sure it's still realistic and achievable.

B x

Your Weekend Read, Watch & Listen List

@socialcut

These posts are some of my favourites to put together because I get to put together all the content that I've been loving in one post. Prior to Lockdown, I didn't have a lot of spare time to do much content consuming of any kind but Lockdown provided me with some extra space time where I was able to catch up on all kinds of my favourite content.

Read
Frankie Magazine: Issue 95 
Breathe Magazine: Issue 20 
My Brother's Name Is Jessica; John Boyne
The Light We Lost; Jill Santopolo 

Watch 
Netflix: Prison Break
YouTube: Julie - JuliePlans, Kathryn June, Angela - Elloitsangela, Meghan Rienks, Lily Marston & Grace F. Victory

Listen 
Podcasts: Don't Blame Me - Meghan Rienks

B x

Currently In My Makeup Bag: Quarantine Edition

@socialcut

Quarantine has meant that I've been working from home & to on most days I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup, if any at all. On the days I have decided to wear a bit of makeup, it's been super minimal & effortless.

Base Products 
Chichi Super BB Cream & Chichi Super CC Cream: For my base I've been using a combination of these two products over the past six weeks. These products have a gorgeous light weight but medium coverage, which still has the ability to let your skin breath. I tend to use these products together but I have also used them individually as well & they're just as gorgeous.

Maybelline Matte Maker Powder: For a long time this has been my go to settings powder. It's another beautiful light weight product that seamlessly blends with any base product.

Revlon Sculpt & Highlight Contour Kit: This is a great wee palette as it has everything you need. It's super natural & it still gives you a beautiful sculpted look.

Brow & Eye Products 
Revolution Ultra Brow Kit & Benefit Cosmetics 24HR Brow Setter: These products are the dream team. Revolution have created the perfect palette which contain 4 bendable powders & 2 tinted waxes. Benefit have a gorgeous brow setter that shapes, tames & locks makeup on brows which means you're brows aren't going to disappear.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Waterproof Mascara: Maybelline does some of my all time favourite mascara's & this is just another one of those favourites. It's a gorgeous mascara with a great volumising formula, giving lashes a full-fan effect.

B x

5 Steps To Creating The Perfect Bath

@vineandvintage

It's a time to retreat & retrieve and instead of focusing on the external & keeping ourselves busy all the time, the focus should shift on the inner self. Now, because we spend so much time at home, we should take advantage of that & get more rest, rediscover who we truly are and spend more time things doing things that we love. Indulging in some self-care can go a long way and one of my favourite methods of this is taking a long hot bath. So, here are my best 5 steps to creating the perfect bath.

Declutter & Clean Up
Before preparing your bath, take a few minutes to remove clutter, clean the tub and wipe the floors. Preparing your space will help set those zen vibes you're desperate to feel & lighting a few candles helps with this too.

Be Organised 
A nice tip to help you have everything in hands reach is getting a bathtub caddy or trail that lays across the bathtub. Get everything ready before you jump in!

Add Some Magic 
If you want to feel like you're in a real spa, add elements that will enchant your senses like bath bombs, bath oils and scented candles. Essential oils are also great to add a beautiful scent to your space.

Pamper Your Senses 
Chocolate & a glass of wine? Your favourite relaxing playlist playing in the background? Plants are also a plus in the bathroom, not only are they visually satisfying but they're also great for improving the quality of the air.

Get Cozy 
Your post-bath routine is also important for the relaxation to be effective. I'll typically exfoliate, then pop on a rich body butter & jump into some cozy pyjamas.

These are all really simple steps but I find the combination of them altogether really helps me unwind & relax after a long day. What are some of your favourite steps when it comes to creating your perfect bath?

B x

4 Quick Tools For Lowering Stress

@brookecagle

We're all finding ways to cope every time anxiety rises in our chest or the pain of uncertainty sets in. I've found that the best stress-and-worry-reducing strategies are often extensions of everyday rituals and practices we're already partaking in. What is different is your intention. In these strange and disorienting times, what makes us feel like we have our feel like we have our feel on the ground?

Take A Breather
If there's one time when we should be doubling down on our mediation practices and rituals, it now. I can't stress enough how much mediation helps reduce stress. Some of us love medication with guidance and visualisation. For that I recommend apps like Calm and Headspace. There are so many great resources out there for mediation, it's just about doing a little research and finding what's going to work best for you.

Shake It Off 
You don't need an hour-long workout to sweat out your stress. Fifteen minutes of movement, or even 5 minutes can make us feel much better. Simple yoga/stretching routines can be a great way to just spend 5 minutes away from your desk and get your body moving.

Air It Out 
If you're lucky enough to have access to a beautiful outdoor area where you're unlikely run into anyone, taking some time to yourself, connecting with nature and getting some fresh air can be a great stress reliever. It could even just be your backyard or porch, or if you're tucked away in your apartment, try a new plant and still with a diffuser streaming some beautiful outdoorsy scents.

Cozy Up 
All we want to do right now is take a break from reality, even if it is just for a few minutes. The best way I've found to do that lately involves a couch, blanket, book and a hot cup of something, usually coffee. Reading is a great way to delve into another world so get comfy, hit the couch and maybe recruit a snuggle buddy.

Are there any quick and simple tools you enjoy using when you're feeling stressed or under pressure?

B x

Journal Prompts I Swear By To Get Out Of Your Head

@stilclassics

There is no better way to understand the way you think and what's going through your head than to journal. The problem I've found is that the act of journaling is so open-ended that when it is most beneficial to me to do it, I avoid it.

If this is one of the roadblocks you face when it comes to journaling, this post is here to help you. Taking the guesswork of journaling can help you effectively journal without the impending paralysis that sometimes results from an open-ended prompt. Prompts are the only way you can tackle journaling of course, I love the morning pages approach which is subconscious, nonlinear writing but journaling prompts are a really good way to start out.

Journal Prompts For Self-Discovery
What do I know to be true that I didn't know a year ago?
What distractions get in the way of being my post productive?
When do I feel most in tune with myself?
If someone described me, what would they say?
What can wait until next week?
How does every part of my body feel in this moment?

Journaling Prompts For Managing Emotions
What emotions am I holding on to?
How can I detach or neutralise this emotion?
Why am I doing X?
Why am I feeling this way?
What is causing these feelings?
Have I tried to take my ego out of the situation?
How how I detach my emotions from the behaviour of others?
Did I use healthy boundaries before I began feeling this way?

Journaling Prompts For Anxiety & Depression
What hurts right now? How can I find relief?
When I look in the mirror, what do I see?
What are the things in my home that are the most 'me'?
What am I doing right now?
What happened before I felt a shift in my mood?
Write down an entire list of what you are worried about. Star the items that you know are 100% true and not solely a feeling.

These are just a few of the prompts I like using when I feel that I need some time to get out of my head but there are so many more create ones online, Pinterest is a great place to begin looking! Now grab a notebook, some tea or maybe a gin and tonic and let the words fly!

B x

May Goals

@soicalcut

We've found ourselves in strange and uncertain times recently. I'm still trying to get my head around last month and now I'm getting ready to think about what I'd like to achieve this month. I don't think I achieved a single thing from my list of April goals but I'm okay with that. I know achieved as much as I can with the circumstances we've been thrown into.

I wanted to share some of the small things that will be bringing me joy this month and hopefully you can share a few with me in the comments too!

Having A Space To Work In That's Comfortable & Inviting 
As I continue to work from home this month I want to make a few changes to my work space to help given off a more comfortable and inviting feel. I'm not quite sure what I want to add or remove from the space yet but it'll be something I can slowly work away at.

Content Creating 
I'm going to dive into a lot more content creating this month. That'll be in the form of posts here and over on my Instagram. Creating content is something that I really enjoy so I want to make it a priority  this month.

Journal Setup 
I've been doing a lot of journaling over the past month and it's something I really would love to continue. I've got a journal coming in the mail so in the mean time I'll be brainstorming and getting creative with possible ways I can set that up so it can be as functional as possible. I'll keep you updated!

Read 2 Books 
Reading has fallen by the way side over the past month so I've set myself a small goal of reading two books this month. I've yet to decide what books I want to read yet but follow me @bonnieellenxo on Instagram and Twitter for more regular updates!

B x