Review: Radical Skincare Hydrating Cleanser

I have incredibly dry skin. It plagues me all year long, but, as the days get colder, my skin seems to get more and more parched, and it's never long before it's in dire need of some TLC. This Autumn, that tender, loving care has come in the welcome form of Radical Skincare's Hydrating Cleanser. I'm always on the lookout for a cleanser that's soothing and hydrating, gentle enough for everyday use, whilst still effectively cleansing the skin, and this one definitely fits the bill.

Radical's ethos is to provide powerful and potent skincare, using a new technology called trylacel to deliver products that are antioxidant and anti-ageing. Now, I'm not going to pretend I know what trylacel technology is, but I will tell you that it works a treat!

The directions tell you to massage the cleanser into your face and neck, then rinse off with warm water. When you first put it on, it feels divine, almost like a moisturiser. It has the consistency of a lotion in the tube, but once massaged into the skin, I think it feels more like an oil, without being at all oily (riddle me that, eh!) I much prefer cleansers like this to things like micellar waters that you wipe on with a cotton pad. The action of physically washing your face is one that makes me feel a lot more fresh. 

I'll be honest, I can't really testify to how well it cleanses - worst cleanser review ever, I know - as I'm a double cleanse kinda gal, and this has always been the second cleanser in my routine. However, I can tell you how amazing it is for hydrating the skin, leaving it looking clearer and feeling softer. You don't get any of that horrible tightness that I often seem to get in between cleansing and moisturising. Also, my favourite factor, it smells incredible! Like chocolate oranges. Delicious! Apparently this is because orange is the smell that has been proven to make people happiest, and so Radical have decided that that's a good enough reason to whack it into their cleanser. I'm not sure how much truth there is in that, but hey, it makes me happy, so there you go! 

So, if you're looking for a heavy duty cleanser, then I have no idea whether this is for you or not (sorry!). But if you're in the market for a soothing, hydrating cleanse that leaves you smelling rather delectable, then the I'd highly recommend that you try the Radical Hydrating Cleanser. You can get it from SpaceNK or the Radical website for £30.

Have you tried the Radical Hydrating Cleanser? Or anything else in their range for that matter? What did you think? Let me know!

S.

Read More

Book of the Week: Dark Places

"The truly frightening flaw in humanity is our capacity for cruelty - we all have it."

First of all, let me start by apologising, once again, for the distinct lack of posts over the past few weeks. It's been a pretty manic month for me, as I got myself a cheeky internship (finally!) which, along with my regular job, has pretty much wiped me out. I also took my driving theory test last week, so I dedicated the little spare time I had to revision for that. But now that that's all out of the way, and I'm feeling a little more settled and a little less wired, I'm going to try my best to get back into my routine with regards to blogging (wish me luck!) starting with this here book of the week.

A while back, I wrote a post on Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, in which I mentioned that I also enjoyed one of her earlier novels, Dark Places, so that will be the subject of today's ramblings. 

Dark Places focuses on Libby Day, whose family was massacred by her brother, Ben, when she was just seven years old. Years on, she is presented with evidence which causes her to doubt everything that she once believed, and she forces herself to consider the fact that maybe her brother wasn't the murderer, and maybe she helped to put the wrong person behind bars. 

The story is told from three perspectives; present day Libby, as well as Patty, Libby's mother, and Ben's accounts of the months leading up to the murders. I really like the way that this was executed, with all of the clues unfolding for Libby as we find out more and more about the Day family and the circumstances which led to the incident. I did find potential murderer, Ben's storyline a bit too odd for my taste, all devil worship and animal slaughter, making him my least favourite character, but it's obviously all necessary for the narrative. I thought Patty's view, however, was a really nice touch - it's really interesting to read her opinions on her children, including her worries about Ben, who she thinks is going through a rather troubled phase (more troubled than she realises). I love how the chapters all work together, and the accounts, both past and present, slot together like puzzle pieces. It's not until the very last chapter that the whole story falls into place, keeping you guessing until the final page. 

I also really like how gritty the whole tale is. Even more so than Gone Girl, everything is really morbid, and there's not really any happiness to it whatsoever. The family live on a run down farm and can barely afford to support themselves, so Patty's accounts are shot through with money woes and her upset at her shoddy mothering skills. Ben's are filled with resentment at the life he is forced to live, working on a farm with no prospects, with no father figure, surrounded by a family of young girls he finds irritating. Additionally, contemporary Libby leads a bitter life, which, in lieu of her horrible childhood, is understandable, but it doesn't really make for an uplifting read. It's not a quality that I'm usually a fan of, feel good reads being my first port of call, but for some reason, I find it a really enjoyable quality in Flynn's writing. 

As I said before, Flynn keeps you on tenterhooks until the closing paragraphs, and I found myself jumping back and forth with my opinion on Ben's guilt until I could hardly stand it any more. Now, the majority of the book, I didn't love as much as Gone Girl, but Flynn is definitely a gem when it comes to shock endings, and I much prefer this one. It's not that it's more unexpected, both are pretty gasp inducing, but I feel that there is more of a sense of closure to this one than to Flynn's more famous tome.

Speaking of closure, that's really all I have to say about this suspense laden thriller. If you've read it too, please do tell, as I'd love to know what your views are! Are you a fan of Gillian Flynn? Do you prefer this story or Gone Girl? Let me know!

S.

Read More

Obs'essie'd: My Favourite Autumn Nail Varnishes

Ahh it's that time of year again. The air is crisp, the leaves are falling and I'm once again curling my mitts around a delicious pumpkin spice latte. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. I love when the days become shorter, everyone wraps up just that little bit warmer and the festive excitement in the air becomes that bit more palpable. One of the things I love most about the transition from summer time is the switch to those beautiful fall colours. The golds, the berries, the russets and the rusts make it the most warm and beautiful of the seasons, when the bright and fun colours start to disappear for another year,  making way for the darker, more vampy tones. And as I had such fun writing my Summer nail varnish post, I thought I would do the same for Autumn, sharing with you four of my favourite polishes, which I'm so excited to wear for the months to come. And it just so happens, they're all from Essie...

(Just a little side note, I've taken all of the pictures of my nails with my phone rather than my camera, as is true of my previous post. The picture quality isn't as great, but my camera seems to be butchering the colour in every photograph I take as of late. Naughty camera.)

Bordeaux

First on my list, and my absolute favourite, is the aptly named deep wine colour, Bordeaux. A sultry and sophisticated browny red, I think it's the perfect autumnal colour and everyone should own something like it. Hailed as a great dupe for Chanel's Rouge Noir, I think that this vampy colour looks particularly great on pale skin tones, creating such a stunning contrast. It's one I'll come back to year after year.

Bahama Mama

Not all that different from Bordeaux, this gorgeous plummy red looks delicious on the digits. I received this as a recent birthday gift as part of an Essie duo, and I have fallen head over heels for this beautiful shade. I love this warm, rich purple for vamping up an outfit, or bringing a bit of autumnal colour to your office wardrobe. I'm definitely going to get a lot of mileage out of this beaut over the coming months.

Chinchilly 

I feel like grey can often look rather harsh and cold, much like the Winter months to come, but this polish has a softness to it which lends itself wonderfully to the Autumn season. The second in my birthday duo, Chinchilly is a really muted yet beautiful grey colour and I feel like it's the perfect shade for adding a sense of subtle sophistication to a look. Although it has not long been a part of my collection, this understated babe has already pushed it's way up to one of the top spots on my Autumn favourites list. The friend that bought me the duo, one of my closest, was concerned that I'd hate the colours. Needless to say, she shouldn't have worried.

For The Twill Of It

An olive green in some lights, a steely purple in others, this petrol looking polish is such an interesting addition to Essie's Fall collection. Rather new to my polish stash, I originally wasn't going to buy this at all, but as Boots were in the middle of a 'buy one get on half price' offer, I decided that I had nothing to lose by picking it up. Evidently I had so much to gain. The duo-chrome colour is a hundred times more interesting on the nails than it is in the bottle. This shade offers something a little different for the Autumn than the usual berries and wines, and, in this case, I'm loving a little variation.  

So there you go. My four favourite shades for Fall. I've always loved Essie polishes. With the exception of a couple, I find them to be long lasting, chip resistant and very opaque. I didn't plan for them to be the stars of my fall line up, but it turns out they just do the best darn Autumn colours around! I absolutely cannot wait to wear these shades all season long. You can get all these shades from Boots for £7.99 each.

How excited are you for this Autumn? What are your favourite Autumn shades? Are you a fan of any of the Essie colours? Let me know!

S.

Read More

How To Glamour Guide: 3 Looks From The Too Faced Pretty Rebel Palette

This summer, I spent rather a lot of time in various Sephora stores in Singapore, being the culture vulture that I am. As well as the unnecessary purchase of many a make up goody (see my recent haul post if you're at all interested) I thought I'd treat myself to an Urban Decay Naked palette, as I have never had the pleasure of owning one! Alas, it clearly wasn't meant to be as they seemed to be sold out absolutely everywhere. I went to a total of four Sephoras whilst I was there, and not one of them had either the Naked or Naked 2 palette in stock. Disappointed, I resigned myself to a palette-less journey home, but on my last day there, this cheeky little number caught my eye. It's the Too Faced palette, Pretty Rebel, and it is filled with a really eye catching spectrum of shades, ranging from matte brown to shimmery silver, with the questionable addition of a bright pink. There's always one colour which makes you question the brand's sanity, isn't there? Now, I love a good smoky eye, but I'm not very adventurous with the colours I use, always opting for browns, golds and bronzes, as I know that they will complement my baby blues. But, as this Too Faced palette came with a look book, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and have a play around with all of the shades on offer. I even braved the pink! Here are the results:

Look #1 - 'Rebel 9 to 5'

This eye consists of Dainty, the matte bone colour, washed on from lash line to brow bone, followed by Girly, a mesmerising iridescent green/brown shade, smoked onto the lid and through the crease. Add a touch of Charming, a matte chocolate brown to the upper and lower lash line and there you have the finished look. 

The colour, Girly, was actually the reason I was drawn to the palette in the first place. The shimmery mix of olive green and dark brown offers a helping of duo-chrome deliciousness which I've never seen anything like before. As I was 99% sure it would be, this is my favourite of the three looks, as it is the most flattering for my eye colour and skin tone, as well as being the least adventurous. What a surprise! I love this make up and it's become my go to evening eye as of late.

Look #2 - 'Pretty Rebel' 

You can't really see the shimmer on the brow bone here as I didn't use a flash. But trust me, it's there, in all it's 80s glory.

The instructions here tell you to sweep Ringleader, a pretty rose gold shimmer, all the way up to the brow, and follow by packing plenty of the bright pink, Totally Fetch, onto the lid. Next, blend Gangsta, a dark antique gold, not dissimilar to MACs Woodwinked, through the crease and proceed to line the upper and lower lash lines with Badass, the dark blue shadow. 

This is the look I was most sceptical about, as I was worried it would look like I was recovering from a nasty bout of conjunctivitis. But actually, it wasn't hideous at all. Quite pretty, in fact. I don't think I'd feel comfortable wearing it in public, I'm not that daring, and the combination of colours was one I found a bit odd (pink, brown and blue?!), but as I was expecting to look diseased, I'm rather impressed! Surprisingly, the pink was the thing I liked most about this look, and it was two of the other colours that held the issues. Firstly, I think Ringleader is one of the most beautiful colours in the palette, but applying the shimmery peach all the way up to the brow bone was way too 80s for me. I also wasn't keen on Badass. The navy shade was just a bit too glittery for my taste, and dropped down on to my face very easily - considering I used next to none, it's not ideal. Also, I'm so glad someone's finally made 'fetch' happen. I was worried it was never going to happen. I will reserve this look for Wednesdays.

Look #3 - 'Rebel Rocker'

For this look, apply Dainty all over once again, then push Jailbird, the metallic silver, over the lid. Afterwards, blend Charming into the crease, and finish off the look by lining the upper and lower lashes with Miss Sparkles, the glittery black shadow.

This eye has a really futuristic, space age feel to it, and I was really impressed with how pigmented and metallic the silver looked on my lids. I really like the silver when combined with the glitter in the black liner, but I'm not sure about combining it with a brown. I think it makes it all look a bit grubby, and it's a bit of a strange combination of warm and cool shades. I think I would have been better off blending some grey through the crease, but as there isn't one in the palette, I guess their hands were tied and they had to make do. Either that, or they think it looks good, I'm not too sure.

My first foray into Too Faced shadows has proved to be a successful one. Sure, my favourite of the looks is the safest one, and the one I would have most probably gone for on my own to begin with, but at least I gave the others a try! All of the colours are so densely pigmented and a dream to blend, so I would not hesitate for a second before recommending this. It's around the same price as an Urban Decay palette, and, actually, the products are very similar. So if you're looking for something a little more adventurous than the Naked offerings, but at the same quality and price range, definitely give this one a try. I had a lot of fun experimenting with some rather rebellious looks. Get it online at Beauty Bay for £40.

Have you tried any Too Faced products? How do you think they compare to Urban Decay? Have you got this palette? Would you buy it? Let me know!

S.

Read More

Book of the Week: A Place Called Here

"Sometimes that's all people ever really need. Just to know."

Well hello there, my loves. For this week's Book of the Week instalment, I have picked something that I read rather a long time ago, and that actually, I wasn't really expecting to like all that much. It's A Place Called Here by Cecelia Ahern. I bought it on a whim a few years ago as part of a '3 for 2' deal, and it sat on my bookshelf for at least a year before I decided to give it a go. I had heard good things about it, but I was still rather sceptical, as I'd also heard amazing things about Ahern's bestseller, P.S. I Love You, and I wasn't all that blown away by it. I found it to be the most underwhelming novel I had ever read - soppy, kind of dull, and not nearly as moving as everyone else claimed it to be. But I was in the process of deciding which tiny selection of non academic books I should take to university with me one year (reading for pleasure being a huge luxury during term time, I'm sure some of you will be aware), and I just thought, hey, might as well give it a chance! And actually, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! 

Firstly, the premise of the book is a very clever and interesting one, in which everything that ever gets lost materialises in this place called, you guessed it, 'Here'. It begins when protagonist, Sandy Shortt's childhood bully goes missing, never to be seen again, which leads Sandy to question where she has gone, and where everything else that's disappeared goes for that matter. She obsesses over every sock, every pen lid, every tiny little thing that vanishes mysteriously, much to her parent's exasperation, until she grows up and turns this fixation with all things lost into a career. It is when she hired to investigate the disappearance of Jack Ruttle's brother that she stumbles into the land called 'Here', and realises she has been on to something all along. The place is populated with the subject of every missing persons case she has ever studied, and piled high with hundreds of the mislaid miscellaneous. Now we've all been there. We've put something down and we can't remember where, and frustratingly, it vanishes, never to be seen again. I think it's so intelligent that Ahern has managed to turn this irritating everyday occurrence into a colourful, well imagined and captivating story, with a complex and rich fairytale world to match. The idea alone merits a good review in my eyes. 

I found that the two central characters, Sandy and Jack, added a real element of warmth to the story. They are both really interesting and likeable people in their own right; Sandy, the slightly flaky missing persons investigator whose characteristics could not be less suited to her name, and Jack, the stressed and distant Dubliner who wishes he'd spent more time with the little brother he now can't find.  But the thing that really got me the most was the way that they really looked out for each other, and worried about each other, despite having only ever spoken on the phone. Sounds a bit strange to say, but it gave me a bit more faith in humanity to know that these fictional characters were willing to go out of their way for each other, even though they are, effectively, total strangers. I think there's something quite comforting in that, and it was lovely to read. 

As well as this, there is a really chatty style to the way that Ahern writes, also apparent in P.S. I Love You, which makes you instantly warm to the story and the characters - you feel like you know them and you're just listening to them natter over a good cuppa. This quality was actually the only thing I liked about P.S. I Love You, and it lends itself equally well to this story of mystery, intrigue and discovery. It adds a more friendly layer to what could be a rather chilling story. It could have been a tale of people trapped in some parallel universe, desperate to get back to their real lives, but actually, they've all developed a warm, comforting community of their own and, although there is an element of melancholy to the whole thing, the way in which it is written makes it really quite heart warming. None of the characters are dwelling on how long it's been since they last saw their family, or how worried they might be - they have made themselves a new family, creating a life for themselves out of a terrible situation.

Another thing that I really liked about the book was the ending. Obviously, I won't give it away here but, like the whole novel, I found it to be very bitter-sweet, something which endeared me even more to the entire story. It was the perfect conclusion to a surprisingly great read.

So, if you're looking for a really easy read to break up the monotony of studying, then this book certainly did the trick for me. I loved the mystery and intrigue, the warmth of the characters, and I was more that a little enamoured by the beautiful fantasy backdrop that 'Here' provided. It just goes to show what you can gain if you just give things a chance. So if you've got something lingering on your shelf that you just don't have the motivation to open, don't leave it, because you might just end up loving it.

Have you read this book? Did you love it? Have you read anything by Cecelia Ahern? Let me know!

S.

Read More

Review: Fishwife by Butter London

I've said it a few times now, but Butter London is, without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite brand of nail varnish. I love the colour range, the consistency and opacity of their products, as well as the names and the sophisticated packaging. At around £12 a go, they're not what you would call an affordable brand, but I still have rather a few in my collection, despite my bleeding debt card. Here is most recent addition to my Butter London brood, and what was definitely my favourite shade for Summer - Fishwife.

Fishwife, which I actually quite like the name of, weird as it sounds, is a colour that I had been lusting over for quite some time prior to actually getting my hands on it. Sadly, being unavailable in England, I had to shelf it and get on with life. However, during my summer trip to Singapore, I saw it nestled happily in amongst the nail polish displays at Sephora, and ran to grab it so fast I think I might have scared the sales assistant a little. It is now safely back home in my collection, and, having now given it quite a lot of wear, I can tell you that it's a keeper.

The colour itself is the most beautiful holographic sea foam green, with a streak of gold to it, as well as a huge array of other shimmery particles, so that in some lights, it can look really fitting of it's name, and in others, more muted and warm. I'm writing this before I have taken any photographs, so I sincerely hope I can capture it well on camera, although I think I'm being a bit too optimistic. You'll just have to take my word for it. It's a beaut.

As for it's quality, it takes a few coats to really look fantastic, but I think, for the end result, it's so worth the effort! I mean, you could get away with one, but it just looks a little meek and by no means show stopping. I usually go for about 3 coats, which I think looks perfect. The consistency is that of the least streaky polish I have ever owned, and, I'm not entirely sure why but this stuff just does not chip! I don't use a top coat with it, as I feel it impairs the effect somewhat, and I'm curious as to whether this is why it lasts so long. Odd, considering the opposite should be the case.

I am head over heels for this shade, and it's definitely my favourite colour for the Spring/Summer months. Sadly, Autumn has arrived rather abruptly, so I doubt I will get much wear out of it now. So farewell Fishwife, we will meet again next Spring. I will miss you dearly, but until then, I'm excited to start rocking some autumnal berry tones and burgundy shades.

Are you a Butter London fan? What is your favourite Butter London shade? Do you own Fishwife? Let me know!

S.

Read More

My Birthday Shenanigans

For this post, I thought I'd do something slightly different because.... it's my birthday!! Yay! At least it was last Friday, but it's close enough. I'm quite partial to a good lifestyle post, and so I thought, given that it was a special occasion, I'd try my hand at it, with a little birthday gift haul thrown in for good measure. So I hope you enjoy this change from the norm. I had such a lovely birthday and it seemed a shame not to write about it all. Also, as a little side note, I'd just like to say that I'm rubbish at taking photos when I'm out, but I'll stick in the very few Instagram snaps that I did get.

Cupcakes! They had sparklers on them, but they took so long to light that they went out before I could snap them.

So, on my actual birthday I stayed at home with my favourite person - my mum. We gorged on pizza and cake, spending the whole evening watching old school chick flicks. Hello, Notting Hill! I know, slow down, crazy party lady! I could have gotten dressed up and gone out for the  night, but I just feel like I'm past clubbing now (sign #1 that you're getting old), and, as all my friends live in London, it's quite an expensive ordeal, particularly as we were all so used to student prices once upon a time. And it was lovely to just lounge around in our lazy clothes, and eat about a months worth of calories in one sitting - if you can't on your birthday, when can you, eh? I couldn't think of a more enjoyable way to spend the evening, and I'm so pleased that I didn't feel at all obligated to go out.

My Parma Violet tasting drink!

Loving this birthday card.

The following day, which just so happens to be my brothers birthday, I actually did go out, but only for dinner with friends. We went to a place called Bubbledogs, a novel little restaurant which only serves hot dogs and champagne. And let me just start by saying, hands down, best hot dog I've ever had. And you can never go too far wrong with a cheeky bottle of champagne. You might have to queue for about an hour for a table, but I would definitely urge you to put your name down, send someone on a sly alcohol run to the Tesco around the corner, and enjoy the wait whilst sipping on a G&T, because the food is worth hanging around for. The hot dog I chose was the 4th of July. Piled high with spicy BBQ sauce and delicious coleslaw, it was a messy yet wonderful affair. I keep telling myself that the reason I took no photographs is because my hands were too sticky to touch anything, but, lets face it, I was never going to remember to get my camera out. They were really sticky though... It's not the type of  the type of place to go on a first date, unless your idea of romance is having someone lovlingly pick the coleslaw out of your hair (how did it get there?!), but I was in the company of my nearest and dearest, so I wasn't afraid to just get stuck in and enjoy the delectable experience. I overcompensated with sides, as I'd read a few reviews online which claimed that the hot dogs were tiny, and not very filling. Lies. They're normal sized hot dogs.So learn from my mistake - one side will be enough. As for which sides we ordered, not known for our frugality, we went for the lot: tots, sweet potato fries and coleslaw, all of which were deliciously moreish. The type of food that you can't stop eating, even though you feel like you might explode after every mouthful. The tots were my favourite because they reminded me of when I was a tot - they taste exactly like those potato smilies that we used to have as kids, only crispier and more delicious. Remember those? Good times. We washed it all down with a couple of cocktails to end the evening. I went for the Aviator, which tasted exactly like Parma Violets, and then headed home with a full tummy and a huge smile on my face. I had such a lovely birthday, and it made me feel so blessed - I have the most amazing people in my life, both friends and family, and I am so glad I got to spend my special day with those I love the most. 

And speaking of feeling blessed, over the two days, I was spoilt rotten, and I got such a lovely collection of gifts that I just had to share.

The first on my birthday wish list and my main gift was an ever popular Michael Kors watch. I know, everyone and their grandma has got one of these, but I just think they're so beautiful. They're feminine yet substantial, if that makes sense, and I'm so ridiculously happy that my parents treated me to one. I actually took a leap of faith and just said I wanted this particular brand, and that they could choose the watch, and my Dad picked out the exact one that I'd been swooning over for months! They know me too well! I would have been happy with anything they picked out, but I'm so pleased it was this one. It's the MK 5799 if you're interested.

As if that wasn't enough, my parents also got me a handbag and shoe combination from New Look. My mum claims it's because I knew I was getting the watch and she didn't want me to know what all my presents were. I love that woman. For some reason, I always opt for brown shoes, never black. So whenever it comes to anything remotely formal, be it an interview or similar, I always end up having to wear stupidly high shoes, the only black ones I have, and come home complaining of blisters and aching legs. I think my mum chose these with this in mind and I'm so pleased to own some black flats now, with a bag to match. They will be office staples. If ever I get a real job, that is. 

My brother has always been good at picking out things that I love. He thinks it's a fluke that every year he picks something I've secretly been pining over, but I beg to differ. We did live together for 20 years, he must have just picked up on my tastes. This year was no different, as he got me a beautiful Jo Malone cologne, in the scent, Blackberry & Bay. I've actually never smelt it before, and although everybody raves about it, I'm very picky with my perfumes, so this could have all gone horribly wrong. To my little bro's relief, I adore it. It's very fruity, and quite tart, and I think it will be absolutely perfect for Autumn. It will take pride of place on my scent shelf. 

At dinner on Saturday, my friends also gave me a few cheeky presents. They kept saying that they were only little things, but in my eyes, there's really no such thing as a little gift. If someone puts thought and effort into picking something out for you, it's a lovely gesture, and all of the gifts they got me were so perfectly suited to me that it made me feel absolutely wonderful.  

Firstly, I got an Essie duo, which contained the shades Bahama Mama and Chinchilly, which are perfect shades for the season. My friend was worried that they wouldn't be my cup of tea, but she got it so right - I love them! So much so that, the day before, I was dangerously close to buying Chinchilly for myself, but at the last minute, I put it down and picked up one from the Essie fall collection instead. Thank god for that, eh?

Speaking of cups of tea, as my friends are aware, I am a huge tea drinker. So they also got me an adorable little 'tea for one' set. I always get these as gifts for other people, but I've never owned one myself, so it was such a perfect gift idea. I can't stop using it, it's so beautiful. The pattern is perfect too - it has little woodland creatures all over it, which I love, and the colour scheme is so well suited to me, with a mixture of greens and purples, one of them being my favourite colour, the other being the colour of pretty much everything in my bedroom. I don't know whether my friend considered this when she bought it, or whether it was a subconscious thing. Either way, it's like it was made for me. 

Last but certainly not least, I got a beautiful little notebook, with the words 'Love and Luck' emblazoned on the front. The friend that got it for me thought that the words were fitting because it's what she wishes me all the time, and now I'll see it every time I write something down. Now, I don't know about you, but I thought that was the sweetest sentiment, it made my heart swell in my chest a little bit.

So that was my birthday - I had such a wonderful time, and everybody made me feel so loved. I love celebrating birthdays, even if they aren't my own. It's so great to do something a little bit different and to celebrate life every once in a while, so I can't wait for the next one to come knocking. Have you recently celebrated a birthday? Is yours coming up? What is your favourite way to spend it? Let me know!

S.

Read More