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

Under £20 Christmas Gift Guide

Happy Sunday my lovelies, this is my third and final Gift guide of the series, and its a £20 and under gift guide. Perfect for stocking fillers, presents for friends, or that awkward secret Santa situation when you the get the one person you know the least about. So anyway sit back and relax with a cuppa while i talk you through the selection of gifts. What's even better is more then half of these will be discounted this weekend, with the crazy black Friday deals so what better time to make a little purchase. 

1. Lightbox - This is a great present for the blogger or blog loving friend of yours. Perfect for the Instagram life *laughs* and just a fun bit of decor for your room too. You can get exactly the same one from Asos, but Robert Dyas has it on sale for just £14.99. Bargain!

2. Penguin Socks £4.50- I dont know one girl that doesn't like cute Christmassy socks, hence why this is the perfect stocking filler, or even just to bump up a present when you haven't spent the right amount on someone. They keep your feet cosy and warm and look super cute at the same time. 

3. Colouring book £6.99 - I got one of these last Christmas and i loved it. Its the perfect way for someone to wind down after the Christmas hustle and bustle. Its also just a bit of fun and you can get some beautiful pictures as well, there are some lovely books around so you can tailor it to the individual your buying for. 

4. Starbucks Coffee cup £16.95 - what better present for someone you dont know that well, but you know absolutely loves there coffee and hot drinks. I mean come on who dosent love a coffee or a cuppa!? This one in particular is a gorgeous rose gold colour, but if that isn't to your taste there are plenty to choose from.

5. Topshop lipstick £8.00- Topshop lipsticks are lovely, they are really affordable but great textures, and gorgeous colours. This lovely red/orange colour would be perfect for the Christmas period and if you know someone that loves bright colours this is the one. 

6. Pixi skincare set £20 - Pixi skincare is really really nice, i have tried a couple of there bits and haven't been dissapointed. This little set contains their famous Pixi glow tonic, so if your know someone who love's there skincare or has been dying to try some Pixi products this is a great little starter kit. 

7. Fox slippers £14 - These little fox slippers from next are just adorable and already on my Christmas wishlist. I just think they are cute, fluffy and so autumnal. Even better they remind me of the John Lewis Christmas advert, which is just so lovely and funny this year!

8. Rose Gold Earphones £14 - For anyone who loves Rose Gold, this is a great little present this year. Perfect if you know they are on the go, using trains or buses a lot. If you have to use public transport at least look the part while doing so hey! Everyone needs a pair of earphones so this really is one of those presents where you can't go wrong. 

9. Zoella Beauty Spa in a jar £10 - This little gift is really nice for anyone that needs that little bit of TLC. It has some beautifully scented body treats in there, and it's also perfect if they go away a lot as they are travel friendly sizes. Not to mention if they are a fan of Zoella you really will be on to a winner!

10. Oliver Bonas Gold letters £10 - These little Gold letters are a perfect personal touch to any living room, bedroom, or office. If you know the person your buying for takes pride in her home interior then this is a lovely little gift from you to them. 

11. Unicorn Shower Cap £6.00 - Last but not least this little gift is just a little bit of fun and the perfect stocking filler. At £6 make someone really giggle this Christmas, with a unicorn shower cap on there head. A perfect way to start Christmas morning.

So there you have it, the last Christmas gift guide in my little series. I really hope you enjoyed them as much as i did putting them together. As i said previously there are a lot of offers on this weekend so i would recommend picking up any of these beautys sooner rather then later. I hope you all had a great weekend. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

* No pictures are my own, No copyright intended *

Why i always go back to clinique and living with eczema

I feel like last week i was a bit off the radar when it came to blogging, social media and just generally life, i spent most of my week at work or in bed and had a bit of a motivation block in all ways. One of the reasons for this, was my skin. And yes it sounds silly and yes it may sound like silly old me being over dramatic, but come on feeling uncomfortable in your own skin is the worst. I have always suffered from eczema from a very young age, and my friends and family will know that as i have got older in some ways it has got worse. So many people say 'oh you will grow out of it one day' but for me i just dont think that is the case. I decided to write a little more about it, not because i want sympathy, but i want anyone else to know that suffers with it, yes your are not the only one and yes it can be so rubbish but hey its just one of those things. No my eczema is not as bad as some peoples and yes i am thankful for that. But these days, the one place i tend to get a break out of it tends to be my face. So when i continued to get flare ups the last couple of weeks i thought it was about time i took the plunge and made a little splurge to get it back on track. A Couple of years ago i started to flare up really badly and it got to the point where i could barely even move my face or smile it just covered all of my cheeks, after seeing doctor after doctor and finally a specialist to see if she could help, she came clean and basically said, look you can't get rid of it, its simply something you have to keep at bay and live with. I was prescribed very strong steroid creams which bought it down a lot and i relied on those for a while, but really in the long term they aren't that great for you, will thin the skin and eventually make it worse. What you really need is simple products, a simple routine and a non fragrance routine to get you back on track and keep those pesky flare ups away. 

* Take the day off balm - Extra gentle Foam Cleanser - Clarifying lotion 1.0 - Dramatically different moisturising lotion - Moisture Surge *

So for me that means one brand that i know works for me and that is Clinique. I used it once before when my skin got really bad and although it means a little spend up for a while, i cant think of anything more important to spend my money on myself then on my skin. So like i said for me and for my skin, its all about the routine and not constantly mixing and messing with different moisturisers and cleansers. This can be hard, especially when you like to try new things and see if you can get your beauty regime that little bit cheaper, but its something sometimes i need to do. 

When i went to see the lovely lady on the clinique counter she pointed me in the right direction when i explained my issues and concerns. I told her i wanted moisture, and the three step routine that i know works so well for so many. 

So here are the products that i use. I use pretty much the same both day and night, except i skip the makeup remover in the morning and go straight into the cleanser for my skin. So at night, i first remove my makeup with the 'take the day off balm' this is super soft and non drying on the skin and honestly removes all my makeup so quickly and easily like no other. I then go in with the cleanser to clean my skin thoroughly, i use the extra gentle cleansing foam, with is very gentle on the skin and just removes any last bits of makeup or nasties you may have lurking. Once my face feels clean and squeaky i move on to the toner. For this i use the 'Clarifying lotion 1.0'. This is alcohol free and tones and exfoliates skin, which is great for eczema prone skin as it isn't too harsh or rough like some normal exfoliation. 

Now for moisturiser and for me this point is key. I first apply one or two pumps of the 'Dramatically different moisturising lotion' this is just super soft and gentle on the skin, fragrance free like most clinique products and very moisturising. For an extra boost of moisture which i always need i then put a light layer of the 'Moisture surge moisturiser' on top, just to lock in the mixture and repair any sore patches of eczema. And yes i am finally ready for bed.

It seems a lot and a little bit excessive but having used this routine for just over a week now the improvements in my skin have been great, and as far as my confidence goes its got a lot better in just a couple of days. I am sure i will only continue to see further results and it makes me happy and even a little bit excited to take my makeup off each day and do my little routine. 

So there you have it my lovelies, a little skin update and a bit of a background too, filters can hide a lot of sin's so i think its always a good thing to open up and be honest about things, you never know someone else out there may just need this blogpost as much as i wish i had found one to point me in the right direction. I will continue to update you guys and let you know of any other products that help, especially over the colder months that are heading right at us. I will back on Sunday with something a little more fun.

Thanks for reading my lovelies. x 

5 Autumnal lip colours

It's that time of year again, the leaves are changing colours, we're starting to think about our chunky knit jumpers and our comfy boots. And with all the changes, we start to think about our makeup bag too. My skin starts to want a heavier moisturiser and glitter seems more and more appropriate with Christmas in the far approaching future. Most importantly it's that time of year when I feel like it's definitely okay to rock a darker lip colour. I have rummaged through my makeup box to find five lovely colours, bright, bold and muted all perfect to add to your autumnal wardrobe and brighten up that all black outfit that you just seem to always chuck on last minute. It's also a great way of injecting colour into your work wardrobe. ( more on that later on into the week,) but sometimes when your dress code calls out cold and drab you can play around with colour from your makeup. So let's get into it yes!? 

1. The first lipstick I found was the famous Rimmel Kate 107. Now if you haven't seen or heard about this colour where have you been haha! It's a beautiful deep red, with enough brown and red tones in it to make it perfect for even every day wear. Perfect if secretly you just wanna be like Taylor Swift *chuckles* . It's super comfortable on the lips and not too drying which is something I have to watch out with constantly. The formula seems to last really well but if you do need to re-apply throughout the day after that most important lunch time, it doesn't look Cakey and build up on the lips. Thumbs up in my books people! 

2. Next up is my new favourite Mac colour. i purchased it a few weeks ago after watching Megan Ellaby's YouTube video. The colour in question is Persistence. If you love velvet teddy you will adore this. It's a slightly darker version with slightly more orangey tones, and i just absolutely love it. It's a matte formula so perfect for Autumn. I find as long as I put on a lip balm before hand my lips can just about take it. I definitely recommend checking this bad boy out, get yourself down to a Mac counter and swatch away. 

3. Number three is a slightly different colour for me but when I do wear it I always get complimented on the colour. This is perfect for a night out with a little black dress. It's a Bourjois rouge edition velvet lipstick in the colour 'Pink Pong'. I do only tend to wear this on a night out as it is really quite a bright and hot pink colour, but it's perfect for those nights when you just need a pop of colour. The velvet texture can be quite drying on the lips but they last sooo long and don't go cakey when you need to re apply! The liquid lipstick trend is still going super strong and I think this winter it's going to be bigger then ever. 

*Bourjois-pink pong, Rimmel-107,  MAC- Persistence, Tanya Burr - Martha Moo, L'Oreal-Blake's red *

4. Staying on the liquid lipstick hype, the new Tanya burr lipstick from her soft Luxe collection in the colour Martha moo is just beautiful. A little of this goes a long long way so you don't need to plaster it on your lips, but a nice light wash of the colour and you are good to go. It's a beautiful rosy colour with hints of brown, perfect for the Autumn months. Plus these are super affordable too, so definitely head down to super drug and pick one up. 

5. Last but not least is a true red colour that is just stunning and great for day or night. It's a L'Oreal lipstick from the colour Riche Pure Reds collection. Each shade of red is named after a celebrity and the idea is that you pick the shade and hair colour that matches the celebrity to you, giving you the perfect shade of red for your skin tone. Being me I completely ignored that and went straight for the Blake lively colour, just because who doesn't want to look just that little bit more like Blake. It is definitely a true classic red colour in matte formula. A little brighter in comparison to the Rimmel 107 shade but just as lovely. I wear this shade and love it but it would definitely look just as lovely if not more on a fair skin tone with blonde locks. I don't find this formula to drying on the lips, especially with a good lip balm on first, it does need a top up every now and again though.

So there you have it, 5 great autumnal lip colours for the upcoming months. i hope this has inspired you to be a little bit more daring with the colour of your lipstick and let me know of any favourites you have. Hope you all had a lovely weekend and are enjoying what is left of the summer sun on this bright warm Sunday. 

Thanks for reading lovelies x

New in beauty bits and mini reviews

So i decided this month that i was gonna start being a bit more inventive and daring with my skincare and beauty. It was time i mixed things up a little and dabbled in some new products. So after popping to my local Superdrug, Boots, Mac and Estee Lauder counter, i was happy with my purchases. It's good to try new things and find out what works and what doesn't, otherwise your favourite product of all time might stay unknown. Plus its good to share and that's what i have decided to do with you guys today. So without any further babbling from me let's get into the products and what i like or dislike about each one. 

So first let's talk about the Mac bits i picked up. A couple of weeks back i went to a wedding reception and i decided to get my makeup done by one of the Mac makeup artists. I wanted a rose gold eye, natural glowing skin and a nude lip. The look was great, but i was in such a rush i never got a picture, typical me. Anyway the bits i decided to buy from the look were these little beauty's.

I decided to pick up the mineralise skinfish in Soft and gentle. And yes i know i'm late to the party on this one but  it really is beautiful. I hadn't really invested in a highlighter until this one so i knew i needed this in my makeup bag. Its a gorgeous shimmered highlighting powder with tiny flecks of glitter and rosey tones. Overall i think the colour is a champagne shade and its stunning, add this to your cheekbones and brow bones and your ready to glow!

I also decided i wanted to start my own eye shadow quad. The lady mainly used mythology all over my lid and its such a gorgeous colour that i know i'll wear a lot so i thought it was the perfect colour to start with. Again with the rose gold tones, and glitter, can you tell i love a bit of glitter!? But still a very wearable colour and i have been wearing it lots since. 

Next up is some new skin care by Nip + Fab . This is a skincare brand i have heard lots about over the blogging community but hadn't seen in the shops. When i spotted it in my local boots i decided to pick some bits up. 

First product in the range i decided to try was the 'Dragon blood fix pumping serum.' The serum says that the formula includes Hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin, velvet flower which enhances moisture and dragon's blood to comfort and restore skin hydration. Now as i have mentioned before my skin needs all the moisture and hydration a girl can get, so that's why this sounded right up my street. I have been applying it day and night for the past week and so far so good. my skin definitely doesn't feel as dry in the mornings which is always a bonus. I feel like i need to keep using this to see some more results, but for someone that has oversensitive skin to most things, this is a good Start. 

The other product i decided to try was the 'Kale Fix moisturiser', This moisturiser is enfused with lots of superfood goodness, the list of ingredients include the likes of kale, watercress and almond oil, along with aloe vera and shea butter to provide long lasting hydration. Again i have tried this day and night for about a week now and i'm currently very much on the fence with this product. At night this is perfect leaves my skin feeling hydrated and smooth, but its quite a sticky consistency and the smell is a bit odd. For the mornings this means my makeup doesn't always sit very nicely underneath it and can make my overall face of makeup quite sticky and shiny. However i will keep going and see how i get on with it. 

Next up a new lip colour and this one is from Tanya Burrs new beauty range the 'soft luxe' collection. Me and a friend decided it was time we tried out a product from the range and what better then a matte liquid lipstick, as they are all the trend right now. 

The shade i picked up was the famous 'Martha Moo' named after her adorable mini dachshund Martha. It is a beautiful pinky brown colour that seems to be all the rage at the moment. The colour is so pigmented and you only need a very light coat of this to inject your lips with colour. I find this has been perfect for an evening out or special event as it stays in place all night. However for me i just found it to be a little drying on my lips for all day every day. I suffer from very dry lips anyway so this might not be the case for everyone else. But still, i am glad i now have this in my collection and i will continue to wear it on occasions or nights out. 

Last but not least, and definitely my favourite by far, is the absolutely gorgeous Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess perfume and its safe to say i am obsessed. It is just the most beautiful summer scent and indeed it does a good job of making me feel goddess like. The notes of the perfume are a mixture of   amber, coconut milk, vanilla, juicy mandarin, pulpy orange and many many more. I will definitely always want a bottle of this on my dressing table forever more, and 100% recommend you go and have a spray at the counter. You wont regret it. 

So there you have it, quite a long post so well done if you managed to get to the end. Let me know of any beauty products you have been testing and would recommend, as always i love to know. Hope you enjoyed reading and enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Thanks for reading my lovelies x

5 summer wardrobe staples

Hello my lovelies it feels like forever since I've sat down and wrote, but with work being super busy and being poorly it just hasn't left much time for it. But i'm back and today i want to share with you my 5 summer wardrobe staples that we all need in our lives this summer. typical that as i'm writing this its raining but hey its England what more can you expect apart from the four seasons all in one day. 

My first summer staple is anything bardot or off the shoulder. These are literally everywhere at the moment and personally i love the trend. I think its super flattering and on most body types too. I have a couple in my wardrobe already but i don't think that will stop me from buying more. Zara have had some beautiful bardot pieces in this summer so that is always a good place to start. I also picked up a couple from H&M. Both shops are really affordable, perfect for this kind of trend when your unsure of how long it may be on the catwalk.

Both bardot tops - H&M , Gold Choker- Riverisland , Initial Necklace - Monica Vinader

Secondly a pair of espadrilles. They are really comfy, and go with so many different outfits. I would love to own a pair of Chanel espadrilles, but for now the likes of Asos and kurt Geiger will do me just fine. Platform espadrilles are also really popular this summer and they look lovely with a little white dress for a super summery outfit and still a little bit of height. 

Beach Bum Espadrilles - Asos , Lace up espadrilles - Kurt Geiger

A summer bomber jacket is also perfect for those not so summery summer days like today. There are a lot of lightweight and printed bomber jackets on the market, and you can get them for a great price too. I found mine on Asos but its by boohoo and it was only £20. They can make a dress look a little more dressed down and casual and also look great with just a pair of jeans and a plain t'shirt. Effortlessly cool and understated. 

Bomber - Boohoo

My last two summer staples are in the accessories department. First being a simple choker. There are so many types and so many designs on the market at the moment, i really feel like whatever your style you can find one to suit yours. I personally am a fan of the slightly more delicate and thinner chokers. However with a very simple outfit the thicker bands can look so stylish and chic, one of my favourite style icons, @barbarapbabe does this so well so definitely check her Instagram out. 

Simple Choker - Asos

Last but not least is a western style buckle belt. I love this style and they look great paired with jeans and shirts or even a dress to make it a little more casual. I really like the double buckle belts that are floating around at the moment and am currently on the hunt for one. I love this style of buckle and i think it will be great for all year round definitely getting into winter with boots and jumpers. 

Western Belt - Topshop

So there you have it. My 5 summer staples that will really give your wardrobe that little update to keep it on trend. Let me know what your favourite summer trends have been this year so far. Hope you enjoyed reading this.

Thanks for reading my lovelies. x 

Blue and white greek chic

Whenever i put the colours blue and white together when i'm outfit planning, places like Mykonos and Santorini spring to mind. I have never been to either, but they are definitely on my wish list. The endless pictures on Instagram of the blue skies and beautiful white apartments and architecture definitely keep me inspired and dreaming of the day when i get to visit.

 When i found this blouse in Riverisland i knew i had to have it. The boho style with the balloon sleeves and tassels are definitely on trend, and the blue and white embroidery is so cute and pretty. I love all the embroidered jeans that are in the shops at the moment. They are definitely next on my list to get. 

I paired this top with some simple white Leigh jeans from Topshop and some very cute pale pink loafers.  I would wear this outfit on a nice day out with friends or a date. I also think if you were to throw some heels on it would be perfect for casual drinks in the evening. I hope you enjoy the look. All the items will be linked below.

 *Blouse - Riverisland Jeans - Topshop Shoes - (Mine weren't online but here is a similar pair) Riverisland *

For my accessories i wanted to keep it very simple as i feel like the blouse is a statement in itself. For jewellery i kept it super casual with my everyday bracelets, a mixture of Pandora and Monica Vinader bracelets, as well as some Pandora and accessorize rings. I am a huge lover of jewellery, and in particular rings. I cant leave the house without at least one ring on and of course my watch, i feel lost without it. 

My bag is by DKNY and i absolutely love it. My boyfriend bought it for me for my birthday and i have been using it non stop since. The colour is gorgeous and the size is perfect as sometimes i find it impossible to find things in huge bags. 

So there you have it. A summery, pretty girly look for a day out or casual drinks. I love this outfit and think i will get great wear out of the top especially. I hope you enjoyed this post, and stay following to see more. 

Do check out my Instagram @amyrowleyy to follow me day to day and see sneak peeks of upcoming blog posts. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

June favourites

Let's start off by saying June has been a great month for me. Super jam packed and that's just how I like it. I've decided to do a monthly post broken down into categories talking all about my favourites in the previous month. This way i can look back on memories or at things I have forgotten that I loved and you can always take a look and take inspiration or spark your memory too. The categories are going to be; Style, beauty, food and experiences. So let's get started. 

Style- without a doubt one of my key pieces and favourite items in my wardrobe this month has definitely been the pleated Riverisland dress. It's a beautiful dusky rose colour, midi length, pleated detail and a waistband to pull it in. I wore it on holiday and I absolutely fell in love. It's perfect for day or night and I have a style post on this coming up so keep your eyes peeled for that. 

* Dress - Riverisland *

Next up are my Vince Camuto sandals. They go with absolutely everything and are so incredibly comfy. I have worn them to work several times now and had so many compliments too. This particular pair remind me so much of the Isabel Marant sandals but at a fraction of the price. I bought mine from Kurt Geiger in the sale and I believe they are still online so I will link them below for you. 

* Sandals - Kurt Geiger *

Beauty- next up is my beauty favourites and I think it's important I give a shoutout to my new hair. I am absolutely loving my new balayage and shorter length and the girls at Regis Colchester did such a great job. I can't wait to go back again and maybe go even lighter next time. 

My next beauty favourite has to be my new Mac lipstick, creme in your coffee. It's the perfect shade and formula and I love wearing it on a daily basis. I'm so happy I purchased it. If you want to read more on some of my favourite Mac lipsticks click on this link to read a blogpost all about them.

Food - I don't know about you but I have a really addictive personality when it comes to food. I go through stages of being obsessed with things and having them on a daily basis, then I normally over do it and after a while go on to something else. I hope I don't sound like a crazy person and I am not the only one *laughs*. 

This month I have absolutely been loving rhubarb yoghurt with mixed berries. It is absolutely delicious. I normally get the activia rhubarb yogurt and mix it with raspberries and blueberries. Perfect for mornings at work or after dinner for a slightly healthier desert option.

My obsession for maltesers this month has hit an all time high. They sell them at work and I have to stop myself buying a packet daily. I don't know anyone apart from my boyfriend that dislikes them, but that pleases me even more as it means I don't have to share. Even better the new maltesers advert is hilarious if you haven't seen it check it out.

Experiences- last but not least is the experience section to this post. Now this can be anything from a day out or a trip or even something like a new hobby or a class I'm doing. 

This month I have three favourites in this category. The first being my holiday to Portugal, it was lovely to get away and to see some different surroundings and sun for a couple of days, I will link my two blog posts with lots more detail and pictures below, if you want to have a little nosey. 

* Holiday blog posts - Part 1 - Part 2 *

My second was a day out to Alton waters with a good friend. It was a pretty random day, super sunny and warm which is rare for us in England. We went to a place near Dedham called Alton waters it consists of miles and miles of land and forest and a huge lake with the options of all the water activities you can think of. We decided to hire bikes and we went on a 7 mile bike ride round the entire thing. It was so much fun and we had so many laughs while doing it. Plus it was great exercise too, working off all that munching on maltesers. We finished the day off with a pub roast at a local pub in Flatford Mill a village near by. It was by far one of my favourite days not only in this month but this year too. 

* Alton waters *

Last but not least and I am clapping to those of you that have made it this far down, but starting my blog was definitely one of my favourites. It's sparked my passions for fashion and beauty. It's given me a new hobby and something to do and be proud of. Plus it's great for my friends and relatives to keep up with what's going on with me and my life when I don't get to see them that much any more. For any of you wanting to do it and not sure, please just go for it. I have stopped and started and wanted to do it for years, and I'm so glad that I've finally taken the plunge. 

Hope you enjoyed this new post and I would love to know your favourites of the month so if you have any please comment below. Tune in on Sunday for a new style post if you would like to see that!

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Packing Hand luggage, tips, tricks and a sneak peak into my suitcase

As your reading this hopefully i will be sunning it up in Portugal. My first holiday of the year, 5 nights away in the beautiful sunny Portugal. Sounds bliss. But the worst part of any holiday or weekend away, is the packing. I dread packing and always think i'm going to forget something, which sounds about right for me. Having only hand luggage is a girls nightmare, but its becoming more and more popular these days as airlines like easy-jet are quite generous with there sizes and weights. So i thought i would share some little tips with you that make my task of packing that little bit easier.

   My First tip is too write lists. I am a huge list writer anyway on a daily basis. They keep me organised and i can check things off when i have done or completed something. I always like to make a list of all the things i will need to take, and if there is anything i need to get i can always make an extra list for that too. You can use any old notebook to do this, but i got this 'List Book' from Paperchase. I love it, one side is normal lined paper and the other half is a mixture of sticky notes, all different shapes and sizes. Perfect for the queen of lists like me *chuckles*.

My next little tip is too put outfits together and plan the outfits your gonna wear. This way you can mix and match with different pieces in your wardrobe. When your going out in the evening and you change into something nice you tend to only have this on for a couple of hours. There is nothing to say you cant wear the same top or trousers with something different on another night. For instance the outfit above is what i will probably fly in. But i could then wear the jeans with another top on a cooler evening with some little heeled sandals.

The biggest issue with flying with hand luggage for me and most girls i can imagine, is the liquid limits. You can only have one 20x20 clear plastic bag with a maximum of 1000ml. Each item can be no larger then 100ml too. 

Now this is fine for the boys with there one bottle of deodorant and one bottle of aftershave but for us girls this is a struggle. I already have about 6 liquids in my skincare routine, then another couple in my haircare, that is without even thinking about makeup. Aahhhh the stress. 

So Rhys (my boyfriend) came home the other day with this wonderful invention, a travel organiser. Its the correct size and comes with a number of bottles for you to decanter your products into smaller sizes. It also came with a funnel and a little spatula to help do this without things getting messy. And just so things don't get confusing it also contained some little stickers with product names on them to help label them when your finished. Perfect! Rhys said it was around five pounds so you really cant go wrong.  

I scooped my moisturisers and cleanser out of their current pots and put them into there mini versions, insuring i labeled them up correctly so i knew which was which. I then did the same with my silver shampoo and voila i was on the way to a drama free liquids bag. In terms of sun cream lotion and after sun Rhys and I both decided it would just be much easier if we just purchased it when we got to Portugal. We are both very careful in the sun, so don't worry that will be our first pit stop. 

In terms of makeup any kind of mini versions are perfect just to keep things tidy and compact. I picked this Benefit They're Real mascara up from boots the other day. How cute!

Once i had filled my liquids bag up to the maximum with all my lotions and potions there is only the powder products and extras like hair bobbles and paracetamol to worry about. I popped them all in my Cath Kidston wash bag to keep them safe and this way its easy to fold round all the other bits in my suitcase. 

So there you have it, i might still need to sit on my suitcase to close it, but everything is in and i'm airport ready. Its just the getting home to worry about. But now i'm going to enjoy my holiday and get to that when it comes. 

keep tabs on my Instagram for any holiday pictures and blog post sneak peaks: @amyrowleyy

Thanks for reading my lovelies x