Amy Rowley Beauty - An Introduction to Glossier

If you haven't heard of Glossier over the last 6 months, let's face it, you must've been living under a rock. The new beauty brand to recently land in the UK has rocked the blogging community into complete panic and everyone has been dipping their hand in the pot. It's safe to say after watching countless videos and seeing all of the Instagram posts, I was already hooked and couldn't wait to get my hands on some of the products. Christmas seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so and so I eagerly waited for the Glossier items that were on my xmas list.

Low and behold on Christmas Day I was lucky enough to open two of the pretty pink pouches including lots of Glossier goodies. Here are my first impressions on some of the items and my honest opinion on the brand as a whole.

Milky Gel Cleanser - 

I was completely intriugued to see how well this worked in comparison to my normal Clinique balm cleanser and so far I haven't been disappointed. The smell is soft and subtle but leaves my skin feeling fresh. I would recommend two cleanses to ensure you get all your eye makeup off but you will be left with squeaky clean skin if you follow this method. I also think its important to note that I feel as though the Glossier brand has got it's pricing spot on. Not to spendy and worth the price tag.

Priming Moisturiser -

If you have read any of my previous beauty blog posts you may know that I struggle quite often with dry skin and Eczema on a daily basis. For this reason I feel as though I need something with a bit more of a packed punch when it comes to moisture. It's gentle and light though, so this could be perfect for the summer months instead.

Boy Brow - 

One of my favourites and I know it's popular amongst many. This simply gives my eyebrows a little bit of texture and leaves them feeling secure and in place for the rest of the day. It looks great on its own for a no makeup look or on top of my normal brow pomade.

Lipstick in 'Cake' - 

I LOVE this! In my eyes, it's a completely subtle balmy version of Velvet Teddy from Mac. A peachy nude with a hint of brown that leaves my lips with a hint of colour, without the matte and sometimes quite drying effect. The perfect every day lippy and it fades like a dream.

I also just wanted to leave a quick mention to the Glossier perfume. My little parcels came with a small tester and I have to say, I'm obsessed. It's a clean, fresh scent and for the days that I wore it, I was showered with compliments. Sadly, I have run out of the tester now, but this Is the first thing on my Glossier wish list and when I have finished my spending ban (I'm trying to be good *laughs*) I can't wait to get my hands on the full size.

Other Glossier products that I am eager to try are; the bounce serums, the skin tint and of course the 'Solution exfoliating skin perfector' has caught my eye.

Have you tried Glossier? If so, what are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading lovelies x

Amy Rowley Lifestyle - Update and Round up of 2017

It's safe to say, I have completely lost my blogging mojo. Last year was such a whirlwind and as 2017 drew to a close, things in my life got busy, stressful and it simply meant my blog took a back step. BUT! Yes a big but! I want to get back into the swing of things and I am determined to ensure that I keep my blog updated as frequently as I can. I'm not going to go completely crazy and set myself set days and times, but fingers crossed you will be seeing a lot more from me in 2018.

I thought it might be nice to do a small round up of my achievements in 2017, a nice way to ease myself back into blogging. I think it's easy to say that 2017 was one of my best years yet and I was happy to accomplish things that I thought I never would. Below are my top 5 achievements/experiences of 2017 as a little insight into my life for the past year.

1. I secured myself a job I love!

2017 started for me, with a great opportunity in a marketing role. Never did I know how far I would be able to come in such a short space of time and how happy it would make me, working in a job that I love. It was completely daunting at first and I won't lie, I had my wobbles, however I'm proud to say I am now a marketing manager at an agency I love and with people I couldn't imagine not seeing every day. Oh god it's cheesy I know! *laughs* In my first year of my role, I have been promoted, seen the business grow, travelled with the job and had so many laughs.

I won't lie, my job plays a big part in my disappearance with Amy Rowley, but even though it can be stressful, it's important that I now have a career focus and a path I can't wait to take.

2. I passed my driving test!!

Honest to god, I never thought this would happen! Anyone that knows me, will understand the struggles I had with driving, but honestly my life has completely changed since passing my test. I can't imagine not jumping in my little car and whizzing to my friends of an evening. This was such a massive part in my year and even my life, it just showed me that if I put my mind to something I can always succeed. My anxieties held me back for a while but it was important that I fought them and made this a reality.

3. I travelled...

I aim to visit at least 2 or 3 different places each year and in 2017 I definitely did this. I managed to visit Budapest, Amsterdam, Turkey, Paris and Edinburgh and made some incredible memories. My favourite trip of the year, if I had to choose, had to be Budapest with one of my best friends. We honestly had the most incredible couple of days and I can't recommend the city enough.

4. I worked on my confidence.

Every year I see my confidence in many situations improve and I am happy to say 2017 was no different. I went to my first blogger event, met some incredible blogger friends and simply learnt not to care so much about what everyone thought. I aim to continue this in 2018.

5. I learnt that friendships are important

As you get older, your friendships really do change and you start to see who will be in your life for a long time and who actually might not. It is so important to spend time with people that support you, love you and who understand you, even on a bad day. 2017 allowed me to see who I want in my life and who I want to ensure that I always have time for. It also made me realise how lucky I am to have such a lovely bunch of weirdos around me that make me smile and laugh. I am to make even more time for them this year and I promise to get better at texting back!! *laughs*

Hopefully I will be back shortly with more content and rambling.

Thanks for reading my lovelies x

Amy Rowley Style - Sunday Funday

Sunday, the one day of the week that can often be misconstrued as a waste, a slump day or even time to get hung up on the fact that Monday is just around the corner. But this is not the case and today I wanted to share with you ways in which your Sunday should be spent and how to make the most of SUNDAY FUNDAY. 

As the jumper suggests, Sunday can be bundles of fun and can actually be the perfect day to slap on some make up and head out the house. After a few years of spending most of my Sundays hungover with a dominoes, I've learnt to appreciate the second day of the weekend to its fullest. Yes I sound old, but honestly i'm on to something here I promise. 

Below are five activities to get involved with on a summer Sunday in England, some more extravagant than others. 

Outfit

Jumper - Newlook

Jeans - Asos 

Bag - Bershka

Trainers - Stan Smith 

Strawberry Picking 

Strawberry picking or fruit picking whatever your sweet tooth fancies, it's a great way to spend a summers afternoon. Take your kids, younger cousins or even just your friends that are big kids just like yourself. You will probably eat more berries as you're picking them than what you end up taking home. But you could have enough for a fruit crumble or homemade dessert if you're lucky.

Beach Picnic 

If it's a sunny day, then a picnic by the beach it's the perfect way to spend your Sunday. Pack up the strawberries, crisps, chicken strippers and cocktail sausages into a basket and head down to the seaside, with your partner or friend. The sea air will do you the world of good and it's a great chance to catch some rays while the British summer is still in full swing.

Exploring London

If you don't mind jumping on a train, then London can be the perfect Sunday city. Everything is still open, you can simply wander new parts of London that you haven't visited before, take some snaps and find a cute yet yummy cafe for brunch. Yes brunch, my favourite time of the day.

Bike Ride

Exercise and a right laugh - Bike rides are the perfect Sunday activity. If like me you don't own a bike, whip your phone out and google rental bike hire in your local area, i'm sure you will be surprised. Find a nice scenic route and take plenty of water for your journey, or at least to keep you hydrated until you find the nearest pub on route. You might ache a little the next day but that's what it's all about it. 

Discover a New Town 

This is possibly one of my favourite things to do, especially after learning to drive, but pick a town near to where you live, park up somewhere and just explore. Living on the edge of Suffolk means there are plenty of cute picturesque villages to choose from with quaint little shops and cafes, perfect for afternoon tea when you're feeling peckish. 

These are just a small range of activities that you can fill your Sundays with, but there are plenty more where that came from. Let me know how you like to spend your Sundays, whether it's chilling with family or heading to the gym for a quiet work out. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Amy Rowley Lifestyle - Taking a Break

It's safe to say I haven't posted regularly in a while and not only have I missed it, but its added to my long list of stressful things. STRESS. A word thrown around a lot and a feeling that no one enjoys. And yes, you guessed it, that's where I've been; simply tackling life, being busy and more importantly feeling stressed more often than not. 

Because of this, I thought I would use my stress and turn it  into something productive...a blog post of course. Below are some of the things that I believe can help to relieve your levels of stress and ensure we take a little breather from life when needs be. 

Outfit 

Maxi Dress- ASOS

Sandals - Office (Old) 

Bag - Bershka

Belt - Topshop

Taking a break.

First things first, it's okay to take a small break. Let yourself work through the thoughts that you're tackling and take a step back from certain things in your life, allowing you to relax where possible. For this, it meant that my blog had to take a back seat, which is unfortunate, but it had to be done. we don't always have the energy to carry on typing and thinking when we get home and sometimes we all need to shut off for a little while. Don't ever be ashamed of recuperating and letting yourself sort things out.

Sleep. 

Next up is sleep and for anyone that knows me they will be chuckling away to themselves, but my way of dealing with stress will often involve in good ol'naps. A nap at any time of the day, in any position, as long as it's a nap. It may seem silly or weird, but it can be the only way of shutting your brain off for a little while. Amongst many others, I suffer from anxiety on a daily basis and for any that share similarities in this, you will know that it can become draining and essentially exhausting. Taking yourself to your bed (my favourite place) to have a short but sweet nap, can sometimes be exactly what you need to power on through the rest of the day.

Exercise

Something I don't do enough of, but will without a doubt level out your stress levels, is exercise which is the main reason that I've joined a gym. A new thing for me, after having a good two years of no gym activity but something that i'm excited to do. It's time to set goals and enjoy running off any stress that may have built up throughout the day. 

Learn to say no 

Last but not least, a very important point is to ensure that you spend your time as you wish. It can be so easy to say yes to everything and try to please people, something I do way too often, but your time should be spent as you wish. For me, this means making time to see my family more and also to spend quality time with  my boyfriend. For those that live with your partner, you will know that it's not till you get out of those four surrounding walls that you spend quality time with them and make those memories that you never forget.

After a month or two of being of the radar, I hope to be posting more regularly and get back to the blogging game. I really hope you enjoyed this post and if you can relate to any of these points then give yourself a break, because sometimes we all need one.

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Amy Rowley's First Birthday

So today is officially Amy Rowley's 1st birthday, yes that's right I have been blogging for 1 year now and what a year it's been. Never did I think I would have stuck with it or enjoyed it as much as I have done. And to celebrate, what better way than to write a blog post on all the good things that have come out of my blogging journey so far. 

Confidence 

I think it's safe to say that over the last year my confidence has gone from strength to strength and blogging has definitely contributed to this. When I first started my blog, I didn't want to post anything on Facebook or tell anyone at work. I was scared people would think, 'who the hell does she think she is'.  Now i'm not afraid to share my blog with others, talk about my experiences or even talk about things that may be a little bit controversial. You simply get to the point where you just dont care about others opinion's anymore and just want to focus on what makes you happy.

The same goes for my confidence when taking pictures, don't get me wrong I still don't enjoy people staring at me weirdly posing for a picture in the street but I won't let it stop me anymore. I just laugh it off, do a funny dance or talk to a friend that is normally behind the camera and carry on like normal

Becoming more experimental with fashion 

Not only has my confidence grown in general but i find it easier to be more experimental with fashion, the colours I wear and the styles I put together. I'm still getting there with mixing up the things I wear more often but blogging has made me want to be more stylish and more fun with every outfit I wear, even when I head to the office every morning. A great outfit makes me feel 10 times better. 

Making new friends

Before starting my blog I only knew a handful of people that either blogged themselves or just enjoyed or knew about the blogging world in general. Writing my own one has opened myself up to meeting new people and creating new friends that share the same interests and a passion for the industry. I can't wait to go to more events and meet new faces that may not be new from pictures (after stalking them religiously on Instagram) but i finally get to talk to in person. 

Allowed me to be creative

Before last year I really felt that I had lost my creative flair. I've always loved fashion, writing and photography but at the time of starting Amy Rowley I was in a job where it wasn't really possible to express this. Having my blog gave me that kick up the bum to be more creative and use my brain to constantly come up with new ideas and try new looks. 

I am lucky enough to say that my blog has even allowed me to secure a job in a marketing role, where I now get to be creative and use my brain on a daily basis. 

* Outfit * 

Shirt - H&M

Jeans - Zara 

Bag - Mango 

Shoes - New Look

I think after writing this blog post it has just confirmed it to me, that starting my blog was without a doubt the best thing I could have done... in fact I wish I had done it sooner. Because of this, I thought this may be able to help you if you want to start something new, maybe a blog, a you tube channel or even something simple like signing up for the gym but are too nervous to do so. The answer is simple...just do it! 

Things always seem a lot more scary when the're unknown and you don't know what it could mean for the future, especially when you're concerned about what people could think. But this is just a friendly reminder to say, that you shouldn't care and you should only ever do what makes you happy, as cheesy as it sounds. 

Anyway, if you've been with Amy Rowley and it's journey so far then thank you so much. I can't wait to see what's in store next...after all who knows what's around the corner. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Amy Rowley Lifestyle - Picnic Party Inspiration

I think it's safe to say that this week the weather is finally starting to show the start of summer and with the Bank Holiday on the horizon, what better way to kick start the weekend than with the perfect picnic party. There are so many cute, creative and pretty picnic accessories in the shops at the moment, so I thought i would put together a little picnic inspiration post to kick start your summer plans.

Retro Party Light - Some may think twinkly sparkly lights may be a bit much, but me? I love it! The more decorative and fun you can be with a picnic, the better, I say. This party light is the best way to go one step further. If you're celebrating your birthday in the summer months, use a picnic party as the perfect way to celebrate. Remember don't forget the prosecco. 

Pineapple baskets - The perfect storage for crisps, cutlery, napkins or even a basket of fruit if you're on a health kick. If you have to use baskets to display your food, pineapple shaped baskets are the only option, surely?

Watermelon Pinata - How cute is this pinata?! Spice your picnic up with a bit of fun by having some games to play. This watermelon shaped pinata is the ideal game to add to your list. Fill it with your favourite sweets and once everybody has had a few to drink, this will become even more interesting.

Cactus Shot Glasses - Let's get the party started with shots in the coolest cactus shot glasses. A cute alternative, from the normal shot glass.  Paperchase are killing it with the summer accessories at the moment, perfect for picnics, beach trips and holidays so I would check their selection out.

Pineapple Tumbler - Your going to need plastic tumblers for a picnic, so why not have these pineapple themed glasses. 

Picnic Napkins - Perfect for all those pesky crumbs and if you have to supply napkins, why not do it in style? Monki have a great range of napkins and cute pinic accessories, so their website is definitely worth a little nosey. 

Cactus Ice Tray - For those hot summer afternoons you're going to need endless amounts of ice for your Pimms and soft drinks. This cactus ice tray is a cute solution to a picnic essential.

Pineapple Fairy Lights - For when the sun starts to fade but you want your party to go into the evening, these fairy lights are perfect. A cute touch and very instagrammable too! 

Picnic Blanket -  What picnic is complete without a gorgeous printed blanket. Plus once the weather starts to cool down you can use it to get warm. 

Picnic Basket - For the ultimate picnic planner, this basket screams typical English summer. If you plan on throwing a couple of picnics throughout the summer, this basket is for you. 

Flamingo Bunting - One last cute touch is pretty bunting. This flamingo design is super summery and a simple decoration that just makes everything look great in photos.

So there you have a list of the cutest picnic 'essentials' ready for the summer party season. What do you think? Has this made you want to plan a picnic party for you and your friends?

I hope you've enjoyed this little blog post, something slightly different, but adorable all the same. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x

Amy Rowley Food - The Island Stories Experience

On Thursday I was lucky enough to attend the Island Stories foodie event in Chelmsford. The event was held at Barista in Chelmsford and I was joined by a range of lovely bloggers, some of them I have been wanting to meet for a while.

Island Stories are a catering company, ideal for private dining events of 6-8 people, to much larger do's such as weddings or corporate events. The two owners, Ikram and Devon are from two far flung countries who have combined their cultures to create an incredible menu mixing Caribbean and Ceylon flavours. Although this is their specialty, Devon, also head chef for Island Stories is able to create all kinds of cuisines and dishes! It's safe to say he is a very talented man! 

The Food

We were spoilt for choice with dish after dish of incredible food! First things first we kicked off the menu by tucking into scrummy canapes! My favourite had to be the breaded tuna with chilli and coriander jam. It seemed to be the most popular choice and I can tell you now their was a firm reason to this...It was incredible. Among their canapes we also had the choice of beetroot cured salmon with dill creme fraiche, and quinoa and coriander bites.

After this scummy display we were treated to some juicy mini burgers, which were a lot more filling then they looked! Followed by a gorgeous selection of bowl foods. The favourites had to be the wild sea-bass with artichoke, preserved lemon, asparagus and fresh peas, as well as the incredible beef fillet with shitake caramel and horseradish mash; simply sublime. 

For dessert there were two options, either lemongrass panna cotta with strawberry sorbet or chocolate delice topped with passion fruit gel. The perfect combination of sweetness to the rich chocolate dessert.

It's safe to say everyone could hardly move once they had finished the entirety of  the dishes, consuming as many flavours in one setting as they possibly could.

The Outfit

For my overall outfit I wanted to go for something a little bit more formal. I have been after a pair of tailored trousers for a while so when I spotted these on the ASOS website I knew I had to have them! They go with so many things casual or smart and they fit like a dream! 

For the top half of the outfit I chose to go with this lovely lace satin camisole from H&M. It is so cute and I am in love with the lace detail. I don't normally wear black and navy together, but I think the combination actually looked really nice. 

For shoes I went with my trusty nude pointy courts and I think they just complimented the look in the right way. These are a must have in any wardrobe because they go with everything and are timeless piece. 

I kept my jewellery pretty understated for me, simply wearing a collection of  silver bracelets from Pandora and Chlobo, alongside my watch from Amsterdam that was a right little bargain at 20 Euro and my hamsa hand necklace from Accessorize.

* Outfit *
Trousers - ASOS
Cami - H&M
Shoes - Topshop (sold out)


After trying the Island Stories food and finally meeting some friendly faces from the blogging world it was safe to say I was ready for bed. 

If you are looking for a catering company for either your wedding, special event or even a birthday do, then I can highly recommend the Island Stories services. They cover Essex, London and surrounding areas. Not only will you be blown away by their beautiful food but their great personalities too. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Three Beautiful Beach Towns to Visit - Amy Rowley Lifestyle

During the last month I have had the pleasure of visiting some lovely little seaside towns in Essex and Suffolk. Each one has a beautiful picturesque town, gorgeous beach and they are all just lovely little towns that I would easily recommend for a day out. In fact they make a perfect Sunday trip out if I do say so myself. So grab your other half, best friend or family member and take them for a drive. 

Frinton - I have been visiting Frinton for years with family and friends. It's very near to where I live so perfect for an afternoon adventure. I always pick Frinton above the likes of Walton or Clacton, simply because it's so pretty. The green above the beach is the perfect location for a picnic, without the annoyance of getting sand in your sandwiches and you can even walk to Walton if you would like as they really are so close. 

They have some lovely little cafes and a yummy sweet shop too if you get a bit peckish. 

Aldeburgh - Now Aldeburgh has a lot of history for me. My grandma lived very nearby when I was younger so I am lucky to have some lovely childhood memories there. It is a gorgeous little town full of pretty shops and boutiques. They also have the best fish and chip shop too!

We decided to visit Aldeburgh for Mother's Day with my mum her partner and my brother. A proper little family day. 

The beach is all stones so although it may not be ideal for making a sandcastle, it makes for a lovely walk and great pictures. Oh and if like some your are good at skimming stones on the sea, your afternoon is sorted.

We wandered through the streets of Aldeburgh, taking in all the gorgeous little places and just enjoying the view. I took an abundance of pictures and managed to spend some quality time with my family, this doesn't happen very often so it was lovely to catch up. 

On the drive back we took a little pit stop at the gorgeous Snape Maltings shopping village and tea room. It has a beautiful selection of gift and home shops perfect for a little nosey and some interior inspiration if you need some. 

Southwold - A long bank holiday meant I had to visit somewhere new and I am so glad I did. Southwold is beautiful! A gorgeous little town, a stunning beach with the best beach huts and to top it off I have never seen so many gorgeous dogs and puppies wandering around. 

We went to a cute cafe called No.Fifty one for lunch which was super yummy and took a wander around the lovely shops. I made sure to buy some Adnams beer for my boyfriend as Southwold is famous for it and it's his favourite. 

If you don't mind going that little bit further, I couldn't recommend Southwold enough. I will definitely be returning in the summer and taking my boyfriend as he will love it too. 

My three current favourite seaside towns that you should take a trip to! Especially as the weather is getting warmer. I hope you enjoyed this little post and let me know if you take a trip to any of them, or even if you know of another lovely beach town. After all i'm always on the hunt for somewhere new to visit. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Life update and being a busy bee - Amy Rowley Lifestyle

Over the last couple of weeks, life has just managed to get in the way every time I have wanted to pick up the laptop. It's been full of a whirlwind of events and I feel like my head is only just coming round to all these changes as we speak. So of course, this has meant a lack of posts, inspiration and just generally time to get together good or 'worth posting' content, for my blog and all social networking channels. 

With this is in mind, I thought I would write a little life update blog post, to catch every one up to speed but also to take certain things off my mind and maybe use it as a bit of a release. 

First things first I turned 23 at the beginning of the weekend, which is crazy as I only look around the age of 17 but also crazy because where are the years going!?! I swear it only seemed yesterday that I turned 21 or even 18. 

For those that wished me happy birthday, thank you! I had a beautiful weekend with my boyfriend in Cambridge, exploring, shopping and even going on a punt which was great fun! I was then spoiled to a cream tea on the Monday by my beautiful best friend and a week later I was treated to a day out in London with my mum. We went to see Dreamgirls at the west end and it was incredible! I definitely recommend. It's safe to say I was spoilt rotten and truly am a very lucky girl!! 

* The beautiful city of Cambridge *

* One of the best musical I have ever seen...Dream girls *

Just Before my birthday I managed to conker one of my biggest fears and I passed my driving test. A huge milestone for me and something I am still very much terrified of, haha. For those that know me, learning to drive was not an easy task for me due to my anxiety. For those that think this may seem silly, for me it is one of the biggest achievements of my lifetime so far. 

This week I bought my first car, a little Renault Clio which I have name Ruby *laughs* it is such a cute little ride, it's now just getting used to using it. I am working myself up in small little routes and outings, but it's safe to say i'm not going to be doing a road-trip anytime soon haha. 

As well as all the madness, I managed to receive a promotion at my current workplace. I haven't been there long and without a doubt it came as the biggest shock, but i'm so happy and I finally feel like I am on the road to doing what i'm meant to be doing. If you asked me a couple of months ago I was still so confused and lost but I am now very happy and looking forward to the next leap. Even though I won't lie its still a little scary and I have a long way to go. 

So, as you can imagine life has just managed to go a bit crazy and of course i'm now run down and suffering from a cold that just means I am living my days with constantly trapped sneezes!! *rolls eyes* I hope you all stick around, as I am trying to get back into the swing of things. Hopefully give me a week or two and the content will be back to the normal standard and consistent too.

I hope you're having a lovely weekend, im trying to conquer this cold and work on my driving skills....fun fun fun! 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x