.png)
The older I get the less I believe in making New year 'resolutions' in the traditional sense. This is mainly because the burnout effect come February of said resolutions is generally all too real for me to believe setting resolutions actually works. We all make such a conscious effort to stick to our resolutions in January that it's the ironic downfall of sustaining them for the following eleven months!
So this January, for the 2nd year, I've decided to set myself positive-focus goals that aim to improve my wellbeing and sense of self-care that I'm much more likely to achieve and enjoy. While these consist of a little reading challenge (find me on Goodreads here!) to even starting a pin collection just for fun, I thought I'd focus on my own beauty-positive goals that I feel could be applied and achieved by anyone for a happier and more confident sense of self in 2019!
Christmas day is soon upon on to so today I thought I'd share with you how I have enjoyed decorating for Christmas this year as I'm one of those annoying people that embrace the festive season with open arms and laps up every second of it! This means Pinterest boards, colour schemes and a full drawer dedicated to gift wrapping supplies!
I didn't always use to be this 'full on' Christmas wise, however over the years I have found it's a new way to embrace the joy of Christmas as decorating provides a cosy and homely atmosphere that really lifts dark evening. Below you will find out how I decorated my dining table this year and see my favourite cosy corner where I display my Chrismas mug collection - yes, that is a thing!
This post is in collaboration with Lifestyle Furniture.
Christmas Decorating
In general I love interior design; from picking up ornaments and homeware to add to my home to designing a new space. So when Christmas comes along one of my main focuses', probably as equally important to present buying, is decorating my home for Christmas.
While normally one of the main events is putting up the tree, this year it's been slightly tricky with a new puppy under our feet! So although I enjoyed decorating the tree with new baubles and deciding on a silver and gold theme this year (it works, trust me!) the focus was more on navigating how to keep unwanted paws off the baubles and from pulling down the entire thing!
So this year my main focus was to create a full-on festive and grown-up Christmas dining room, from looking on Pinterest for Christmas table design ideas to figuring out a colour scheme that wasn't made up of just a single colour.
Choosing a Festive Colour Scheme
From contemporary to rustic and even kitsch there are endless Christmas theme choices. However this year I decided to go for a classic look with a colour scheme of red, green and silver/white. This was all centred around my new dining table from Lifestyle Furniture, who kindly got in touch and offered me a piece of furniture. After nearly 7 years of having a wooden cradle style table with glass top, it was definitely time for an upgrade so I decided on something similar yet much more sophisticated and grown up.
A Grown-up Dining Set
The table I went for, actually with family gatherings and festivities in mind was the beautiful Camden Deluxe Dining Set with Grey Velvet Chairs. I find glass tables really add light and space to an area and are durable and easy to clean. But what I liked the most, other than the gorgeous chairs, was the shape of the table and the thick oak criss-cross legs that look sturdy yet elegant.
So with a beautiful new table, which is definitely the focus of the room, I decided to plan my Christmas table layout around it. First I added height and symmetry with an artificial Christmas tree in the centre which I decorated with small red ribbons and lights to pair my red and green colour scheme together. Then looking to Pinterest for inspiration I decided to actually lay my table, starting with inexpensive metallic red charger plates and layering them up with classic white plates, side plates an bowls and topping with a silver or marble effect bauble!
As you will see below I also really enjoying decorating the backs of the stunning velvet studded chairs as I wanted to draw the eye to the beautiful chrome knockers so I added a decorative Santa key tree decoration to each and finished with hand-tied red ribbon which I think adds a really nice contrast to the dark grey velvet chairs - which feel and look incredible, to be honest!
I also decided to tie in my classic red, green and white theme into the rest of the dining room without it being too much. So I picked up a red berry wreath and hung it with the same red ribbon on a large white mirror in my dining room. I feel this very much ties the entire theme together and while looking wholesome still have an element of clean and contemporary to it!
My Cosy Corner
The other area of my dining room I wanted to focus on was a pair of white ladder shelves. I picked these up earlier last year from eBay and while simple they definitely allow me room to enjoy my love of ornaments with tons of displaying room.
As you can see, while predominated white I loosely stuck to my red and green theme displaying my favourite Christmas mugs that contained these colours. I also added what I like to call 'touches of magic' with a beautiful wire lit glass dome lamp and some real wax LED pillar candles that add a little sparkle and glow on an evening.
Keeping with a loose colour scheme here meant all the decorative items although very different in style all work together well - so if you are unsure how to make a corner of your home look good then definitely go with a colour scheme of 2-3 colours and see how well everything comes together.
Christmas Mug Collection
What I love about this little corner of my dining room is how the mixture of stylish pieces works with more kitsch orgaments, especially the cute Christmas mugs and little trees. If you're a fellow lover of Christmas I would strangely highly recommend starting a Christmas mug collection. I started a few years ago now, collecting them both to display and use and over the years I've collected so many that I know will treasure forever!
This also creates a nostalgic element even as an adult! Already when I unwrap my Christmas mug collection to display each year, thoughts of when and where I bought each mug arise. It also lets me indulge in picking up some extra special mugs that I have always wanted - such as the special gilded Anthropologie monogram mug.
With fully decorating my Dining room, especially my gorgeous new table, my home is feeling more festive than ever both and I now can't wait to show it off to friends and family and enjoy my time off over the Christmas period.
To celebrate my new dining table Lifestyle Furniture are giving all Makeup Savvy readers £20 off first orders plus free UK shipping with code 'makeupsavvy' at the checkout here!
Do you decorate beyond the Christmas tree? Let me know!
This will be my last post before Christmas Day so I want to wish you all a happy and safe holiday period, filled with rest, love and happiness.
Fee xo.
Well, you could take one of their interests or hobbies and pick from over 100,000 pieces of metal-mounted metal art prints on Displate. Yes, however niche their taste or interests there will be something that will suit them perfectly.
Christmas is here and with less than 30 days until the big day I think we are all project: Christmas shopping right now!
So for the first of a few Christmas gift guides, I wanted to bring you a look at some unique beauty gifts as I feel a lot of gifts and gift sets can be a little generic this time of year. From fun Korean beauty picks to some organic offerings and even a selection of unique wellness gifts that I feel will suit any beauty lover.
Oh, and no gift is over £20 here making it an ultra-affordable gift guide!
So for the first of a few Christmas gift guides, I wanted to bring you a look at some unique beauty gifts as I feel a lot of gifts and gift sets can be a little generic this time of year. From fun Korean beauty picks to some organic offerings and even a selection of unique wellness gifts that I feel will suit any beauty lover.
Oh, and no gift is over £20 here making it an ultra-affordable gift guide!
By now I think it's pretty clear I love a bargain however it has to be good quality and worth it, hence why I named this blog 'Makeup Savvy' all those years ago. So this year I decided I had to put together an eBay Christmas Gift Guide.
As we are nearing Christmas itself all the items below are from UK sellers with Buy it Now prices and free delivery, oh and everything is under £10! I'm really pleased with all the gifts I've found here and hope you find a few things you like - I may have already bought the Star & Moon Hair Slide Set and the ingenious printed cookie rolling pin!
Pinterest is awash with inspiration and ideas; from dreamy interiors to endless wanderlust and of course makeup trends. But one beauty item that has blown up in recent years is nail polish with nail polish shade images overtaking nail art.
With seasonal searches bringing a lot of traffic to the platform it's no wonder beauty obsessor and nail addict alike are on the lookout for the best autumnal nail polish shades to add to their collection.
And when I say dupe this polish is certainly a match in colour and even quality.
While the entire internet (read: Instagram) seems to have a fascination and love for cleaning, us beauty addicts are over here still talking solely about cleaning our makeup brushes! So I thought I'd extend this to all things makeup based as bacteria can harbour in much more than just the fibres of your most used makeup brushes.
From how to clean your dressing table without the smell of bleach to giving your eyelash curlers what will most likely be their first ever clean. I feel I've got your cleaning urges covered with this ultimate guide to cleaning your entire makeup collection!
And yes, this is 100% Mrs Hinch inspired!
Candles lovers certainly don't need any excuse to pick up a nice scent but there's no denying candles and autumn go hand in hand. Which could be why I've managed to acquire four new candles in the past month alone.
For me gone are the days I pick up a magazine as a treat (blame the increase in price yet decrease in written content) rather spending the same amount of money on a new candle to light and enjoy of an evening.
While I burn candles all year round the cosiness of autumn as the nights draw in encourages my love of candles, bringing out old favourites and seeking out new scents. So today I wanted to share with you four home fragrance brands that I've loved for years that suit all budgets.
-In collaboration with Leesa-
Bedtime is without a doubt my favourite time of the day - fact. I've simply never been nor wished to be a morning person, much preferring to spend extra time in the comfort of my bed... something I'm sure a lot of people can relate to especially at this time of year!
For me, a bedtime routine is very much self-care practice so having everything just right, from my skincare routine to my bedroom decor and bed is key. Comfort is also beyond important to me, which is probably why I treated myself to a super king size bed at the start of the year and recently upgraded my mattress to a premium foam mattress thanks to Leesa.
So today I wanted to talk through my autumnal bedtime routine, sharing only my most relaxing and comforting products and practices. I hope you enjoy this skincare/lifestyle post from me.
In celebration of World Vegan Month this month I wanted to share and highlight just how far the vegan beauty industry has come, making the swap and maintenance of being vegan far easier than ever before.
Past years had seen a compromise on aesthetically pleasing vegan makeup products along with limited ranges but now with amazing brands such as the one I have to share with you today, it's clear to see vegan beauty is booming!
In recent years eyeshadow palettes have totally outshone individual offerings, due to the rise of detailed Youtube eyeshadow tutorials and the clear benefits in price.
For any makeup lover this is a dream come true as we're now spoilt for choice when it comes to both high-end and budget eyeshadow palettes in every shade range, finish and formula you can imagine.
While I'd love to share my own favourite eyeshadow palettes I feel we may be here all day, so I've narrowed it down to five in the best autumnal hues to suit this time of year, even working well into the festive period. Prepare to be amazed at these luscious but budget palettes!
If you've heard of Alpha-H then it's more than likely you know about then due to Liquid Gold; their standout and bestselling Glycolic Acid-based treatment that's loved by many. But while I love the brand for that single product alone there are so many more products from Alpha-H worth trying.
So in collaboration with Cult Beauty as Alpha-H is CT's October Brand of the Month, meaning free worldwide delivery across the brand, I thought I would highlight the Alpha-H products that are ideal of anyone with a similar skin type to mine - oily, combination and blemish-prone.
SHOP ALPHA-H WITH FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING HERE
When Autumn rolls around each year I have two thoughts, okay I have more than two, but two things I often wonder about come October is why there's a lack of seasonal doormats in the UK. You know the ones... the modern calligraphy 'Hello Pumpkin' or with some quint pumpkin harvest illustration on. Like, why don't UK retailers realise Autumn lovers are that crazy obsessed?!
Then the other thing I wonder is why there's a lack of Pumpkin Spice things. Yes, things. Because let's face it, if you love Autumn you love the idea of pumpkin spice anything even if you've never tasted a Pumpkin Spice Latte in your life.
So, of course, that's candles - thankfully Homesense/TK Maxx have us covered on that front. But what about body mist, room fragrance, cute logo tee's (Primark, wake up!), illustrated cups, notebooks, the list goes on... we need it all!
But thankfully we do now have a Pumpkin Spice nail polish which is not only the perfect autumnal shade but is actually called PUMPKIN SPICE!!
With an estimated 200 million blogs on the internet today it's sure to say this pastime is a popular hobby and career for many.
But while the number is high I'm sure a large percentage will be that of redundant and infrequently posting blogs. A lot of my own favourite blogs aren't around anymore!
Why? While blogging is rewarding and fun it is time-consuming. It also requires a multitude of skill sets from photographer to copywriter and of course understanding the technical side of your blog.
These two factors alone are enough for anyone's passion for blogging to wane!
However, I've found simplify my own blog routine has made a huge impact on how I feel about blogging and how motivated I am. From increasing my productivity levels to saving a ton of time!
Which is why I wanted to share three not so common ways I've been able to streamline my blogging routine for the better.
It's been a while since I put together an eBay edit purely because I don't feel like I need to bombard you will more budget brushes and nail polish bargains.
However with Autumn here I couldn't resist having a look on my favourite budget website for some autumnal themed pieces and if I do say so myself I think I did pretty well, I mean I found a chic Hocus Pocus tee!
Find my top 10 favourite eBay autumn buys below...
When I first started blogging back in early 2010 dupes simply weren't a thing. The abbreviation possibly got uttered a few years later but for a long time it was more about finding cheaper alternatives to higher-end products - the keyword being alternatives!
Fast forward five years and beauty dupes are more mainstream than anyone could have imagined, allowing bargain shoppers like myself the freedom to experience high-end makeup and skincare at has prices.
And while I still don't know where I sit when it comes to brands copying packaging to grab the attention of their own customers, on the whole I absolutely love a good dupe!
While beauty launches are an everyday occurrence I'm not often that excited about multiple product launches at any one time. But it seems September is the month for them!
So I thought I'd indulge myself and simply talk new makeup with you today, from new to the UK skincare to a grown-up Disney makeup collab (finally!).
But be warned... it's a little eyeshadow palette heavy!
While we love Lush for their bath bombs and bubble bars and exciting seasonal ranges, there's been an under-the-radar product that should be in everyone's shower that's just recently gone viral, selling 12,000 in just two days.
Enter the humble Lush Shampoo Bar. Yes, it doesn't look like much and the idea of switching from traditional shampoo to what is effectively a bar of hair soap may seem daunting but being a huge fan of Lush shampoo bars for the past 3 years I thought I'd share why you too should get on the viral train - to both save money and the planet!
PS. They're also better than a lot of shampoos I've tried!
I think there's no hiding the fact Charlotte Tilbury is my favourite makeup brand of all time. Yes, of course, I love so many other brands but ultimately Charlotte Tilbury makeup is my favourite for so many reasons.
So in celebration of my love for CT and the fact Charlotte Tilbury is Cult Beauty's Brand of the Month meaning free worldwide delivery (!!) I thought I would put together a Charlotte Tilbury complexion guide of sorts. Running through what the brand exactly has to offer, my favourite picks - both new & old and what works well for varying skin types.
When it comes to skincare it can be costly, which is why when it comes to the "extras" my skin doesn't necessarily need I prefer to save money.
This is where face mask dupes come in! Because in general, I believe whatever the cost of a face mask it always feels like a pampering treat but imagine one that actually costs very little but feels like a much more expensive face mask - it's a total win!
Below you will find more than enough face mask dupe suggestions that not only feel like the real deal but act it as well. I've also made sure that all skin types have been catered for, so you will find face mask dupes for hydrated, oily, sensitive skin and more here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)