Hairstyles in a Hurry

In a hurry? I've got you - try one of these super quick and easy hairstyles, all of which can be done in under 60 seconds!

I am guilty of leaving my hair to the last minute when getting ready, which normally means I end up throwing it into a bun or a ponytail at the last minute.

If you wanted something a little more than your average ponytail (no hate on the humble ponytail, I love them), try out one of these looks the next time you are in a hair-rush!

Which look is your favourite? 

xoxo

Duvet Day

When I woke up this morning, the sunshine which was pouring through the window only yesterday, seemed to have left the skies for the first time in a little while (I know, shocking for London!).

A blanket of grey was covering the sky, the wind was howling outside and the threat of rain was whistling through the air, so I turned over, retreating back under the covers - the perfect day for a duvet day.

I hope I am not the only one who has been retreating into a safe, quiet, and gentle space recently - given everything that is happening in the world at the moment. So if you are in need of a quiet day, here are a few of my favourite things for the perfect duvet day.

Forget that snooze button - today is not the day for alarms!

Building your nest

Settle wherever suits you, building your nest on the sofa or in your bed, just bring all the pillows and cosy blankets!


If you are going to stay in bed, nothing beats gorgeous sheets, my favourites will always be from the White Company, smooth and silky your kind of thing? Try these 

Their website has a wonderful buying guide, if you aren’t sure which sheets might suit you - you can check it out here 

If you are looking for something a little less pricey - try this set from H&M and this bottom sheet. A smidgen of the price and the perfect silk-cotton mix.

Right, nest sorted, its time to get serious. Arm yourself with snacks of your choice and cue up your favourite shows for some serious movie/Netflix binging…

Top Movie Picks 

I love films - like, seriously love them. So I could be here all day telling you about my favourites. Choosing the perfect film always depends on your mood…

In the mood for some seriously good (not-that-easy-to-watch) All Time Greats?

Try: Shawshank Redemption, Seven, Silence of the Lambs, The Godfather, The Dark Knight - I could be here for a while…

In the mood for All Time Greats?

How about: Forrest Gump, Singin’ in the Rain, It’s a Wonderful Life, Gone with the Wind, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Fancy some super-easy-to-watch bingeable films?

Try: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Star Wars, the Marvel universe films - those might take you more than a day!

Want a giggle?

How about: Shaun of the Dead, Clueless, Bridesmaids, 21 Jump Street (and 22 Jump Street)

There are so many - too many to mention, but those would be the first ones that I might pick. What would be your go-to film for each mood?

This is IMDB’s list of Ultimate Duvet Day films - do you agree with their picks?

Turning to Netflix instead?

Sex Education - I laughed and cringed my way through in equal measures, its so good.

Stranger Things - is just.. Epic

The Crown - a walk through history, through the eyes of the Queen

Suits - fast paced and witty, although the lawyers seem to spend more time breaking laws rather than abiding by them.

Planet Earth, Blue Planet - any David Attenborough nature doc - needs no introduction

I know I need to watch more Netflix shows - which ones would you pick?

Time for a spot of reading?

Confession, I studied English Literature at university - so I love books, but I will admit that I haven’t been reading as much as I should recently. That said, a few titles that I would reach for on a duvet day might be -

Want to get lost in a novel?

I am thinking - Jane Eyre, any Jane Austin book: but maybe try Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice  and Sense and Sensibility, Wuthering Heights, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, (are you sensing a theme here?) and if you want to escape from reality; The Hobbit

Fancy a really, really good book?

You can’t go wrong with these: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Anna Karenina, The Color Purple (again I could be here all day…)

Something easy/beauty themed? I did a round up of the Best Beauty books here 

I have only just scratched the surface - these are just a few books that I would reach for on a duvet day - what would you choose to read?

Now, where is the popcorn? 

What is your go-to duvet day agenda? I would love to know!
xoxo 

How to Clean Makeup Brushes

For some unknown reason cleaning makeup brushes is one of those jobs that I try and avoid at all costs. It’s way too easy to go for weeks without turning your attention to cleaning the things that apply your face of the day, everyday. 

But here’s the thing - unwashed, dirty brushes make a great home for bacteria, which can lead to breakout, plus a buildup of product can ruin the bristles over time and make the application process way more difficult.

Breakouts and broken brushes - I’ll pass thank you.

The thing is, running the brushes under the tap isn’t quite going to cut it when it comes to fixing the whole breakouts and broken bristles thing. Stick with me though, I promise it’s not that bad - these tips will help save your skin and your brushes and there is minimal effort involved, I promise.

How frequently you wash your brushes depends on how much and what you use them for. I personally think washing them every week, to every two weeks, is best.

Tools at the Ready 

When it comes to choosing your soap the key thing is to pick a gentle one that won't destroy your brushes. There are lots of specific makeup brush cleaners out there, but you can use any baby shampoo, mild soap or a gentle face cleanser that you have to hand.

Aside from soap, you need a couple of extra things. Although your hands work perfectly well, I find a cleansing mat really helpful when it comes to getting rid of any stubborn makeup that’s refusing to budge. I have this one, which is great.

Grab yourself a towel and you are ready to go.

The key thing to remember, before you start is - we want to keep water away from the glue at the base of the bristles. If water gets into the glue, it can loosen the bristles (which are held by the glue), which leads to bristles malting all over your face when you next apply your foundation, which is not a good look.

Keeping water away from the brush handles will help prevent any problems with glue and bristles, plus if your brushes have wooden handles, they won’t get warped over time.

Start by adding a blob of shampoo, soap, your cleanser of choice, into the palm of your hand, before gently swirling the wet bristles into the cleanser, rinsing and re-swirling until any traces of makeup have gone.

It’s tempting to scrub brushes in an effort to remove makeup that is hard to reach, but this just ruins the brush shape. The cleansing mat comes into its own here (just don’t press too hard), helping to get rid of stubborn makeup, minus any reshaping issues!

Use your hand to squeeze any excess water out of the bristles and to reshape, if you notice your cleaning efforts have altered the shape in any way. I find that gently flicking the water out of the bristles helps, before reshaping with your hand.

Next, you’ll want to leave them to dry - fold one edge of a towel to create a slight slant, before laying your brushes flat on the towel, with the handles on the top the folded edge - so the water runs down - away from the glue, at the base to the bristles.

Leave them to dry for a few hours - I tend to wash mine in the evening and leave them overnight, so they are ready to go in the morning!

Voila - sparkly clean brushes, with minimal effort - not as bad as you thought right?

What are your top tips for cleaning your makeup brushes? 

xoxo