What I've Been Up To

Blimey, I can't believe we are well over half way through this year and July seemed to fly past so fast that I barely had time to catch my breath. Mind you, it was a busier month that normal for me after a few lows the month before so I was probably making up for things. We lost a close member of our family and even though she had been ill for some time it still came as a shock and my way to deal with grief is to shut myself away from the rest of the world. I suppose we all deal with these things differently. Ruth was a cheeky, fun loving lady who was always the life and sole of the party and I'll always remember the good times we spent together most Wednesdays. I know she would want me to make the most of everyday and do whatever made me happy. I can hear her now saying "Stop worrying about it and just get on with it!"
You see, she knew me well as I'm a natural worrier. It's all too easy for me to think of reasons why not to do something, rather than hey, give it a go and if it fails then at least I've tried.
One of the things I've wanted to do for a while is introduce a few more lifestyle posts, but my blog mainly covers fashion and beauty so I just kept putting it off. I think the last post I wrote about what I've been up to was in the New Year. I thought it would be a nice way to look back on what I have done but somehow I've found it hard to sit at my computer and let the words flow in an "On Line Diary" kind of way.
So I'm going to stop worrying and just get on with it!

Monthly Favourites: July

Yes, it's time for the monthly favourite post again! I have a few makeup items that I've just really enjoyed using and a couple of lifestyle things that have made me really happy this month.
So I'll jump straight to it.

Daily Skincare: LIQ C Serum*

Every morning and evening I like to do a full skincare routine as not only am I looking after my skin but I find it's almost like a mini pamper session and very therapeutic, especially at end of a long day. One of the products I love to use is a serum, which I've mentioned a few times in previous posts. I've been using one for a while now and have noticed what a big difference it has made to my skin's appearance compared to applying just a moisturiser on it's own after cleansing and toning.
A serum has helped with a whole host of skin problems from giving my skin a bit of a boost to brighten it up and to give it some much needed re-hydration.
For me another area I worry about are the signs of getting older. I know this is something that I can't stop (oh if only!) but by using a serum it has helped with any fine lines I do have and hopefully keep it looking younger for just that little bit longer.

Primers I've been using

A good primer is one of those products that I just love having in my makeup bag and with so many around it's hard to know which one to choose. Some primers claim to hide your pores, some give you a matte finish or a lovely super glow and some actually give your makeup a little extra staying power.
Using a primer was something that I never really used to bother about until recently, now that I do I've noticed a big difference with how my makeup looks and lasts.
There are two main primers I've been testing out recently and I'm sure, like me, you've probably seen both of these talked about a lot. So I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
Here's how I got on.

Real Techniques Brush Cleaning Palette

Cleaning my make up brushes is one of those jobs that I know I need to do but it can take forever and sometimes it can feel like a real chore. I know it's good hygiene to regularly remove all the oil, make up residue and dead skin cells (sounds disgusting doesn't it!) and with some brushes not being cheap I also want to make them last longer and get my money's worth.
Normally I'd clean my brushes using my hands and some baby shampoo, occasionally a tiny drop of baby oil first on sponges and brushes that have been used for foundation or concealer as it helps break down the build up of product.
So when I came across Real Techniques brush cleaning palette a while back I thought it was just one of those things that I didn't need and that there were other things to spend my money on. I saw more and more people using them and saying how good they were by saving them so much time with this weekly chore. I had a moment of weakness and ended up buying one.

Random Facts About Me

I thought it'd be quite fun for you to get to know me a little better now I've been blogging for a few months with a some totally random facts about me that you may not already know. You may have come across a couple of these already but stick around and you may find out something new, including a few personal ones.

June Beauty Favourites

It only seems like yesterday that I was writing last months favourites post and I can't believe we're here again already!
Now I've talked a lot about my favourite makeup products recently so I wanted to concentrate more on what skincare products I've been absolutely loving during June.
I like to take care of my skin all year round but while we are in the warmer months there's more of it on show due to wearing lighter clothes with short sleeves or open toe shoes and using lighter makeup products too. Although we haven't had too many really hot days so far, you just never know and I always like to be prepared, just in case!
So, lets get straight on with this months beauty favourites.