Five New Things Verdict: February

How is it the end of February already? I mean I know it's a shorter month and everything, but still. It's flown by. And as such, it's time to give my verdict of those five new products I've been focusing on trying this month. It's been a bit of a mixed bag, and if I'm totally honest there are still a couple of pieces I'm not 100% sure on. But, let's take a look...

THE LOVES 

Sleek Makeup Blush in Flushed
I didn't know what to expect with this, as I've tried it before years and years ago in a different shade and wasn't keen. However, on this shade it's utterly beautiful and I'm completely besotted with it. This shade is right up my street, I'm not s massive coral type fan, but give me a rose pink any day and I'm in love. Not only that, but it's so long lasting, it's great value for money. I'm. It sure I'll be getting any more as the other colours werent really my thing, but I do love this baby.

Mac Liptensity Lipstick in Marsala
Okay so, I've split the two lipsticks out as I have different feelings for each colour. Marsala is gorgeous, the perfect winter berry shade and it suits my colouring down to a T. The formula is very comfortable, it's long lasting and the pigmentation is really, really good. I also really like the packaging as you can see what colour you're going for, as opposed to the other Mac lippies where you need to look at the bottom of twenty odd lipsticks before you find the right one...

THE LIKES

Mac Liptensity Lipstick in ClaretCast
Now, Claretcast is in the likes, as I do like the colour, but I'm not in love with it. I've definitely been reaching for Marsala more. I also feel like Marsala lasts longer than this shade, not sure why there's a difference but there definitely is for me. The feel of the formula is very much the same, which I do like, but this colour just isn't rocking my boat as much as Marsala. But - it's still in the likes. I think I'll pick this up a lot more in the Spring than I am at the moment.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Peach Glow
Ultimately, I do like this. It's a really good setting powder and does exactly what you want a powder to do. And although it has a slight colour to it, you really can't tell. It helps keep make up in place for a long time, and it finishes everything off nicely. Now, the reason it's a like as opposed to a love, is simply because I keep going back to my Hourglass powder. And I think if I loved it, I wouldn't keep doing that. I do think it's very similar, I just don't quite get the glow I do with Hourglass, and it doesn't last as long. There is a huge price difference, so that's probably why. However, if I hadn't of used the Hourglass one, I probably would have loved it. It is a very very nice powder, and I do love the colour of this particular shade.

THE DISLIKES

Disclaimer here - this should probably be renamed the "not-sures", as it's not that I dislike them, it's just that I'm a bit meh about them.

Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer
I think for me I had such high hopes for this, maybe it was always going to disappoint. But really, I just feel it didn't do too much. Yes, it did brighten under the eyes, but it didn't give great coverage and it just didn't last very long. So for me, it just didn't do the job I needed it to do. Plus, I'm not a fan of the squishy tube, I feel like I waste a lot of product this way, whereas other products I've used like this has had a click method, or doe foot work much better.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ Unifant Light
Okay, so... I just don't know with this one. I usually really like what Effaclar Duo+ does, and ultimiately it has helped to clear up my skin. My blemishes have faced and ultimately they've stayed gone. But - it's just so drying for me, especially at this time of year. So where I think this is designed so it could be used as a base, it's just a big thumbs down for me. I tried it a couple times over weekends and my skin was so dry by the end of it I just couldn't deal. So I've been having to use this, and then a moisturiser and a serum to make my skin tolerable. Which is a lot of who ha for me. So for me, it's just a big no no. Which is such a shame as I usually love this brand.

So there you have it! My thoughts on these five products. I'd love to know if you you've used these and had similar or difference experiences so let me know!

Much love, Lisa May

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Odeon Limitless: The perfect couples card

Once upon a time I could go to the cinema, and see the hottest and most raved about new film release for a mere £4.50, oh those were the days. Now I'm luck if it costs me under £15. However, going to see a film is one of my favourite things to do. During the days of Orange Wednesday (EE sure screwed up letting that go) and the student prices, I was there every Wednesday with a group of friends. An excuse to come together, and an excuse to escape. Now, it's a lot harder to do.

My husband and I love films, we watch a lot of them, and watching new films is something we love doing, so going to the cinema is the perfect date night. But when we bought our house and had to pay a mortgage, the ability to go became less and less. Then we did our remortgage, and our monthly payments went down, so we decided to treat ourselves and get the Odeon Limitless cards. Now a heads up - I've not been asked to endorse this is anyway, it's 100% my choice to write about this scheme.

The Limitless cards are £18 each a month, and allow you to see as many films as you want during this time - bar 3D. So essentially, you've already paid it off half way through your second film. We decided to get them as we know we'll use them. As I said, we love films and the cinema is a great date night idea for us. I think it's SUCH a good idea, as if you do want to go out with someone, and you're broke or low on money, it doesn't actually matter, you can still go. There's been a few evenings or afternoons where I've just wanted to get out of the house, and this card has allowed me to do that. As far as I' concerned, the cinema is incredibly overpriced - tickets at £14 each (at least), then a drink and a snack - it get's ridiculous - and it puts you off going. This card has solved that problem for us though, we can pop out, enjoy a nice relaxed evening, escape our day and it not cost us a thing. Unless I buy an ice blast, which is a regular occurance. 

I believe other cinema's do similar schemes and such, but if you love films like us it's definitely worth looking into doing, and it's really helped to restart my love of new films again. 

Much love, Lisa May

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Getting into brighter lip colours

For those that have followed my blog for a while you'll know I have a little bit of a problem with lip products. And for anyone whose visited by bathroom they can attest to this. Major addiction problem. But it's not always been this way. Remind five years ago when the blog was just an idea, and my collection consisted of tinted lip balms. Period. Oh yeah, hard to believe right? 

So how did I finally break the mould and end up as lipstick loving, berry toned enthusiast? And how can you do the same? I've had a few people ask recently, so I thought it was time I wrote a post on how you can do the same.

I was never one of those girls that carried a lip gloss around with them all the time, I just found them annoyingly sticky, and I just couldn't get on with Vaseline. So I stuck with tinted balms if possible. My first real foray into colour came in the form of the Revlon Lip Butters, yes most of them were natural but there was a sneaky brighter pink that was just natural enough for me to be brave enough to wear. Even when I started getting a little braver and started to use actual lip sticks, they were either so glossy they didn't have much pigmentation, or they were the most natural lip colours you could get, so it didn't really matter. But I was getting into lipsticks so it was okay. The first couple that were out of my comfort zone were from Topshop, Innocent and Whimsical, both really hyped up at the time. But Innocent wasn't the right kind of pink for me, and Whimsical was just too pale and coral.

The first two bolder colours I loved were both from Rimmel. There was the Kate Matte in 107, the cult deep dark berry red that's favoured by people such as Zoella, and the Moisture Renew in Lily Extase, a bright blue toned rose pink that's still one of my favourite summer shades. I started to feel much more confident when I wore these shades as I felt they suited me, and that I found was the key - finding what shades do and don't suit. I wasn't confident in other shades because they didn't suit my skin tone or hair colour. For me, I need to stay near the warmed tones - blue toned pinks, and classic or deep berry reds. I need to avoid the yellow toned pinks, and orange toned reds. 

So what would be my tips for anyone looking to venture more onto the brighter side of lips, or just lipsticks themselves?

• Start with neutral tones, get used to the formulas and finishes you like and the right kind of tones. The Rimmel Kate Nude Collections are perfect. There's loads of different tones available, so it's a good collection to work through and see which ones suit you.
• Don't go straight for a bold matte colour, if you want to start with lipsticks start with sheerer finishes. The Nars Satin Lip Pencils are gorgeous, they pack enough colour to show but not enough to be intimidating. 
• When you're ready to go bolder, keep to your tones! I don't venture anywhere near orange reds now, or yellow pinks as I know they don't suit me - especially since I've gone blonde. Mac do so many different colours, it's going to be so much easier to find the ones you really want to play with. Or head over to the Rimmel counter, they have the best drugstore lipsticks on the market in a huge range of finishes and colours.

If you have any other questions, just give me a shout! I'm turning into a bit of a lipstick genius. #justsaying.

Much love, Lisa May

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Healthy Chilli Chicken and Avocado Wrap

Staying healthy isn't always easy, especially when the weather is so cold and dreary. I know all I want to do is curl up with a big portion of french stick with gooey cheese - not the healthiest of options. The last thing I want for lunch is a large bowl of salad. So I've been looking for alternatives for weekend lunches that I'll actually look forward to eating. And I accidentally stumbled upon a super tasty healthy lunch that is warming on a cold dreary day.

Let me introduce, my chilli chicken and avocado wrap. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 chicken breast
• Half an avocado
• Mild chilli powder
• Wraps - ideally wholemeal if you can get them as they're healthier
• Cubed chorizo

METHOD

In terms of prep, slice the chicken breast up into fine strips. Take a wok, or frying pan, and put in some oil, garlic and mild chilli powder. Then throw in the chicken, and try until cooked, coating it in the chilli and garlic. Then add your chorizo. I used about a tablespoon of chilli powder, but it's up to you as to how hot you'd want it. 

While this is cooking, warm the wraps in the microwave for a minute, and cut up your avocado. The spread it into the wrap. Then add your chicken, wrap and voila! Super simple, super tasty, and even healthier than other alternatives. Like french bread and cheese... The chilli gives it a warm kick that helps with the cold. Perfection.

Much love, Lisa May

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Why I love being a #catmom

 

People say you're either a dog person, or a cat person. I don't believe that's 100% true. I for one have had dogs, and cats, and I don't think I have an overwhelming preference - I think it just depends on the individual animal. When I moved out, I swore I would always have a cat though. There hasn't been a time in my life when neither myself or my husband haven't had one (bar uni), so it was inevitable. One month into owning our house, oops! Cat. And because it's Valentines Day, I thought I'd do a post about why I love being a cat mom, but a wife. You know, it goes.

So many people say cats are much easier than dogs, and I would agree with that to a certain degree. But there's still certain things you have to think about with a cat. Yes, it is easier to leave them on their own for longer - but it doesn't mean you should. If we stay out overnight we always make sure we leave at the last possible moment and feed him, and we get home nice and early, so it's not too much difference food wise - just company wise. You still have to pay the same vets bills, food bills, toy costs and so on. But I feel like there's an extra worry with a cat - they go out on their own and you can't protect them. Which is a reason I am one cat down from when we first got them. Now we're left with Fred, and he's everything I could possible want in a pet. So for all those thinking whether or not they should get a cat - remember, there's still a lot of responsibility that goes with it - but here are all the reasons I love being a cat mom... #catmom

1. Loyalty: It may not be on the same scale as a dog - but cat's do have loyalty. Fred is happy to curl up with Adam, but he'll always come to me first, or choose my lap over Adam's. He'd much prefer to be around us, then on his own in a different room somewhere. He also feels you should have the same sense of loyalty. "No Mum, get off your laptop and let me snuggle on your lap instead - be loyal to me, not the laptop!"

2. Entertainment: my life at home would be so dull without Fred. He entertains us no end, whether it's going scat cat around the house, rolling off the bed, the weird positions he gets into when washing, curling up in a wash basket or stealing pizza (yes he can open a dominoes pizza box and strip the toppings). He's hilarious, he's cheeky and naughty, but cute as hell. 

3. Company: it's always nice to come home to someone, and Fred is always here. Not only that, but he always comes to greet us, trotting down the stairs and poking his little cute head through the banister to say hello. When I'm ill, he stays by my side and on my lap, and when Adam is away he's my bed buddy. My house is a lonely place without my feline friend.

4. Cuteness: oh my god is my cat cute. I mean, I know I'm biased, but he's just so adorable. From his little face, down to his tail he gives me all the cuteness feels. Also, he knows he's cute. As soon as I get the camera out or the phone on him he poses. Hence the level of cat pics on my feed. His cuteness just cheers me up, and makes me feel better.

5, Fun: cat's are fun - and this comes back to entertainment. I don't care what anyone says. Get a laser light out, a hair tie or a box and Fred is all about the fun. He plays and he loves it, he runs around the house like a loon, and he brings fun to everything.

6. Love: I don't think anyone can prepare you for the love you feel for your own cat. I've had pets before with my parents, but nothing compares to the feels for Fred. He's mine, I chose him and I'm responsible for him. A little daugnting at times, and the idea of anything happening to him literally stops my breath, but the love is so worth it. Plus, he loves me too. He cuddles up to me, he purrs, he head rubs and looks for me when we play hide and seek. If that's not love, I don't know what is.

Much love, Lisa May

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Valentines nail shades

It's time to put your best hand forward - chances are you will be holding the hand of that special someone. So with that in mind you need to make sure your nails are up to scratch (get it... pun totally intended). Choose your favourite pinky-toned shade and cover it with your Seche Vite to keep it nice and finished. With that in mind, let me share my favourites with you.

ESSIE LADYLIKE

Such a beautiful subtle shade, and one that's verging more on the purple side. It's a grey-toned mauve with a milky consistency and look. It's very pretty, very subtle and good for those who want to stay on the more reserved side. 

MODELS OWN UTOPIA 
This is one of my all time favourite shades, it's really unusual but oh so pretty. It's a very pale white shade, with a touch of lilac. It's incredibly nice, probably doesn't suit everyone, but it's perfect for a subtle girly colour on V-Day.

ESSIE VIRGIN ORCHID
I think this is one of the most wedding worthy shades I own, but it's also suitable for any other romantic entanglements. I love it, it's super super pretty, a pale yellow toned pink with a opalescent quality to it. Brings the right amount of girlishness to any outfit.

MODELS OWN HYPERGEL CERISE SHINE
The gel formulations of this range is incredible, and the colours are so pigmented. If you want to go bright and bold this V-Day, then you'll need this gorgeous pink. It's truly bright and long lasting, so will go well with neutral outfits.

BARRY M GELLY HI SHINE IN POMEGRANATE
More of a blue toned pink compared the the previous one, this is one of my favourites. Again, a gel formulation so a super shiny finish and a long lasting formula, this is one of the best pinks I own. Again, this goes well with neutral outfits, or anything with a blue tone - it looks gorgeous against navy.

ESSIE SPLASH OF GRENADINE
This is a bit of a weird one in terms of colour. It's a bit of a hybrid of pink and purple, but I can't get enough of it. When I first got this shade I wore it non stop for weeks and had so many compliments. This will probably end up being the shade I wear on the day, it's just a winner.

Much love, Lisa May

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The BEST Budget Liquid Lips

Liquid lipsticks seem to be all the rage right now, every brand seems to be bringing out their own versions. I remember when Rimmel bought out their Apocalips, probably the first of their kind, and although everyone raved about them they dried your lips like anything. And I think that's been the trouble with a lot of the ones that have been bought out. The pigmentation and lasting power is absolutely insane, but they really do dry out the lips. So you can imagine the trepidation when budget brands come out, claiming to be the best. 

Collection have some amazing cult products, including their Lasting Perfection Concealer, so when I saw their liquid lip offering being raved about I had to wonder if they'd find their way into the cult group. And let's face it, at £2.99 a pop it wasn't going to break that bank to give them a try. 

So I picked up two of the Collection Velvet Kiss Moisturising Lip Creams in Cotton Candy and Mulberry. Cotton Candy is a yellow toned baby candy pink, perfect for everyday wear or those who prefer to steer away from bolder colours. While Mulberry is a deep berry wine colour, ideal for the colder months. The product comes in a little bottle, I guess is the right word, very NYX matte lip. Simple design, and not too cheap looking. You apply with a doe foot applicator, must click a gloss, and apply evenly. I have to say, the product feels ridiculously light, as if it's been whipped. When applying it doesn't even feel like you're putting anything on the lips at all, it doesn't even feel liquid-like. I'm always a little worried about the even finish to liquid lips, especially when I felt how light this was and how dark Mulberry was, but I shouldn't have worried. It's so easy to get a consistent finish to both colours, they're very pigmented and entirely comfortable. You tend to really forget that you're wearing anything at all, which is good as they last so bloody long you don't need to keep topping them up. They really do last all day, come food or coffee, and stay pretty consistent throughout. 

I'm massively impressed with these little bottles of whipped lip goodness. I really wasn't expecting them to be as good as they truly are, and they've shot straight to the top of my liquid lip love list. Last I checked they were also down to £2.50 each, so I'll be snatching up all available colours. And in answer to whether or not they've become one of their cult products? Oh yes, in my opinion, they certainly have.

Much love, Lisa May

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Moving on from our first home

When Adam and I left university, we were adamant we wanted our own place, our own home. And once we'd found it, our life together would really start. We'd been together since we were 18, so although we'd been together for a long time, it still left like our life as our own family wouldn't really begin until the day we moved in.

When we finally found our house and moved in, it felt right, and a long time coming. Fast forward two and a half years, we're now married and incredibly happy. We're now also looking for our next home. Its times like this that I really feel like an adult. I mean do I really want to be an adult? Says the married lady with the cutest cat in the world. As sad as I think I'm going to be to leave our first home, I do think it's time to move on.

When we first moved in we were green, and a little naive. We were excited, and we underestimated the amount of work it could take to go from long terms partners to a live in couple, and to actually just maintain a home. We've since become closer than ever, responsible owners to the quirkiest pizza eating cat, wedding planners and now happily married couple. It's amazing how two and a half years and a couple of major light events can mature you.

Our little house was perfect for us as first time buyers. It's only a two up, two down, not the biggest in the world but it's our home, and it became that very quickly. It was cosy enough for us, and the perfect introduction home. It was a way away from where we wanted to be, location wise, but it was what we could afford, and as I said - perfect.

Now however we're different people, in a completely different stage of our lives. And we're ready for something more. I'm probably being way more fussy than I should be, but I feel we have every right to be. No, we don't necessarily want stairs in the lounge this time, and yes, we'd quite like a dining room and I know I would love a fireplace. Before I just wanted a house. Like I said, we've grown, we're in different places now. But a home is still what we'd like. So for me it's time to grow up that little bit more and find us the perfect home for the next stage of our lives, and to say goodbye to the most perfect home we could have asked for for this first stage.

Much love, Lisa May

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Five New Things: February

So it's time to try some new products, and luckily for me I went a little bit wild the other weekend. Whoops. Last month I didn't have a single make up product to try out over the month, so this month it's a little bit make up crazy. Oh well, let's introduce the products.

I picked up a mass of lip products, but I'm not going to put them all in this post. But I did pick up some new Mac lipsticks - it's been a while. I actually went into a Mac store (shock) and purchased two of the Liptensity Lipsticks. They're a newer launch that has enhanced amount of pigments for extreme colour intensity, and they are very pigmented. I'm curious about their lasting power. I picked up the colours Marsala, which is a deep rich pink berry colour, and Claretcast which is a midtone magenta, bright but very flattering. First inspection I'm totally in love with Marsala, but we'll see how they fair over the month.

I also picked up some new base type products from Rimmel that I desperately needed. I'm usually dubious of Rimmel base products as their foundation tends to break me out, but I wanted to give them a go. I grabbed the Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer for under the eyes, I needed a new brightening concealer to get rid of those dark circles! I picked this up in Ivory which is very light and brightening. I also grabbed the Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Peach Glow after falling in love with an Hourglass powder. So far, I like, but we will see how well it performs against my oily skin. It's a tad stubborn.

I picked up a new blush as well, something I haven't bought in a really long time. I grabbed the Sleek Make Up Blush in Flushed. I've tried Rose Gold before but didn't love the colour, and it was so long ago I forgot what I thought about the formula. I love the colour, it's a gorgeous reddy blush and so far I'm loving it, but we'll see if it overtakes my Hourglass fetish. 

Lastly, something I wasn't planning to pick up was the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ Unifiant Light. I love the original formula and my skin drinks it up, so I'm completely and utterly intrigued by a tinted version. I've started using it as a little bit of a primer, but I also think this could be great as a no make up, make up day. Hello Sunday make up.

I'll catch up with you all at the end of February to let you know how I get one with them all, but so far - it's looking promising.

Much love, Lisa May

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Staying in on Valentines Day

With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s probably time to start planning how you want to spend your day. Will you be with your loved one, or you bestie? Whoever you’re spending it with, it turns out that 63% of us would rather stay in this V-Day then get squeezed into a busy restaurant with overpriced set menus. I’m sure you can guess where I fall on the whole scale of things. Online lighting specialist, Festive Lights, surveyed 500 people over the age of 18, and I’m not surprised by the result.

What the hubby and I tend to do is go out for a nice meal on a different night, and then spend V-Day at home, snuggled up with each other, and Stephen Alty, general manager at Festive Lights, completely agrees, saying they’ve noticed a trend in recent years with people creating a cosy romantic environment in their home using food and lighting, rather than shelling out for a packed restaurant. Now Festive Lights have put together some of their own ideas on what you can do for a lovely night in, but I wanted to share my tips as well.

AT HOME PICNIC Something about a picnic feels so intimate and cosy, so what better way to spend your night in than to create your own romantic picture in your lounge. Clear some space, prepare some of your favourite little nibbles, turn off your phones and relax with each other. I'm a little in love with this beautiful heart shaped, two person picnic basket, which I'd fill with our favourite meal, some wine and garlic bread. I'd then lay down a lovely blanket, and cover it with some candle lanterns to create a romantic atmosphere. Stick some music on and you have yourself a romantic night in.

TAKEAWAY AND MOVIE MARATHON So I'm definitely a takeaway lover, give me a dominoes any night of the week. Like seriously, any night. Me and my hubby are veggers, and some of my favourite evenings have been spent vegged out on the sofa together, scoffing a pizza and watching either a box set or a series of movies. Again, turn the phone off, grab some beers or your tipple of choice, cosy up and really relax. Maybe have a Richard Curtis marathon, or if that doesn't float your boat throw on the Avengers. Nothing says romance like Chris Hemsworth...

TREASURE HUNT If you want to do something a little more fun then I'd highly recommend a treasure hunt around the house. You can put together little notes, and attach them to clues around the house. It's a bit quirky and different, and always a giggle. It's also a really nice surprise to do for your loved one when they walk through the door. I would put each note on something like a lolly stick - the note can either be a treat to keep for some time, or just a little love note. Then they can collect the sticks and put them in a beautiful mason jar. Then they can pick their treats out of here at any point or keep the little notes to read when they need a pick me up. It's a super cute thing to do.

PAMPER NIGHT Okay, so this may sound incredibly unmasculine, but give me a man who would turn down a massage or a night in the tub with his mrs (or mr) and you can have Fred. Have a little food, and then spend the night pampering each other. Give some foot rubs, back massages, jump in a Lush inspired bubble bath using their Unicorn Horn bubble bar, and decorate the bathroom with fairy lights from Festive Lights or candles. Just spend some good old quality time together. I hope you all have an incredible Valentines day, no matter who you're spending it with, and if you have any ideas as well for nights in feel free to pop them below!

Much love, Lisa May

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter, Instagram, facebook and bloglovin. *This post was written in collaboration

My Blog Reads: January 2017

Something I've really enjoyed doing in January is immersing myself back into the blogging world, and getting into a really good blog. I feel like bloggers should support and shout about each other, it's such a nurturing community and I love it. It takes a lot to get me to come back over and over again, so I thought I'd share my top three blogs from my January browsing.

CITYSCAPE BLISS

I've read Terezas's blog on and off for years, but I have just buried myself in it this January. Tereza is a very proud Czech whose content spans beauty, home, food and my favourite - her blog cheat sheets. If you're new to blogging, or just starting to take it seriously, these are a must. Overall I just really like her writing style, her personality comes through and you're hooked into her posts completely. I'd highly recommend checking her out if you haven't already. She's also been commenting on my posts lately - major fan girl moments when this happens.

PAIGE JOANNA

Paige literally makes me want to be a fashion blogger - I just need to work on my poses/style and get myself a photographer worthy friend. Anywho, Paige is just plain lovely as a person, but her photos are absolutely stunning as well. Her bright hair paired with her English Rose skin is pure perfection teamed with her cute vintage quirky style. Her DIY posts are awesome as well, and definitely check out her Etsy shop for some beautiful pieces.

MORE THAN ADORED

An Aussie based blog, it's been a favourite of mine for an incredibly long time. Sarah is an absolute sweetheart, and posts some gorgeous posts. Her current outfit posts make me wish for summer and her beauty posts make me want to buy everything in the entire world. Plus her dog is just insanely cute. She's the flat lay queen and makes me want to produce better content and better photos, it's something to aspire to. And bring around summer already?!

Let me know what blogs you think I should read and discover in February, I'm always up for discovering more fab bloggers!

Much love, Lisa May

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The Best Pink Valentines Lip Products

Red is the colour of love, but pink is the colour of love filled lips. Yes, red lips could be the way to go for Valentines, and if you want my list of the best reds around you can find them here. But for me, rocking a pink lips is great around the love season. It's not as in your face, and it's much more feminine. 

But what shades should you be wearing? Well I've got my pick of a fair few here, and whether you're more of a high pigment girl, a lipgloss girl, or you're after something more subtle, you'll find it here.

REVLON COLORSTAY ULTIMATE SUEDE LIPSTICK IN TRENDSETTER

I absolutely love this range of lipsticks, and I feel like it's such a hard range to get hold of now. The formula is really comfortable, very smooth and glides on. It has a bit of a matte feeling, with a lovely velvet finish. Trendsetter is a gorgeous, warm blue toned pink. It's one of my favourite lipsticks, and if I want a pink this is usually the first one I reach for.

RIMMEL MOISTURE RENEW LIPSTICK IN LILY EXTASE

This very closely follows the Revlon offering. The pink of this lipstick is frigging gorgeous, and quite possible one of my favourite ever lipstick shades. The formula is super nourishing, and the finish is quite glossy. It's not as long lasting as some of the other matte formulas, but it's lovely for a nice finish and a touch of glamour. 

MAC RETRO MATTE LIPSTICK IN RELENTLESSY RED

Although the name suggests it's a red, this is actually a very nice pink shade. It's a very, very matte shade so can be a touch drying, but it sits very nicely on the lips, doesn't look cakey and has a nice finish. The staying power is also a bit ridiculous, it's hours and hours. It's a beautiful warm pink, and would be perfect for a meal out - thanks to the fact it's not going to budget.

CHANEL ROUGE ALLURE VELVET LIPSTICK IN L'EXUBERANTE

I'm pretty sure I've spoken about these lipsticks before, but they are a beaut. Definitely worth their higher price tags. They have a matte type formula, but with more of a velvet finish as the name would suggest. Thy're not drying in the slightest, and very comfortable. This shade is a very bright pink, somewhere between blue and yellow toned, and would suit most skin types.

REVLON COLORSTAY MOISTURE LIP STAIN IN BARCELONA NIGHTS

A bit of a lighter formula than a liquid lipstick so not as highly pigmented as some of the other products in this post, but I do love this colour. It's a lovely deep blue toned pink, very bright and incredibly warming for the skin tone. It feels move like a gloss, and it lasts more like a gloss and looks more like a gloss, but more pigmented.

MAYBELLINE COLOR DRAMA LIPSTICK IN KEEP IT CLASSY
One of my all time favourite lip products, this is incredibly for a product under £5. It's like a crayon form, but is very pigmented, has a matte finish and lasts for flipping ages. This particular colour is a lovely purple toned pink, with a touch of grey, and is perfect for the colder months. It's not as bright or in your face, so if you prefer a more muted colour, or a darker tone, this will be right up your street.

MAYBELLINE COLOR SENSATIONAL HIGH SHINE LIP GLOSS IN FUCHSIA FLASH
If you're not into lipsticks or block colour then this lip gloss will be for you. It's the first lip gloss I haven't hated, it's not thick or sticky. It's super comfortable and the colour is a gorgeous deep pink that warms the face. It doesn't last for ever, let's face it, it's a gloss, but it's easy to touch up and looks beautiful with everything.

I'd love to hear what your favourite pinks are, send me your recommendations now!

Much love, Lisa May

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Health & Fitness Update: February 2017

So it's the beginning of February, so it's time for me to give you an update on how I've been getting on with my health and fitness kick. January was quite a good time to start as it was a fairly quiet month, and I was doing dry January as well - therefore the lack of wine probably helped! I just need to bring that into February as well.

So without further ado, let me five you an update on where I am after month one!

WEIGHT LOSS

How much did I lose in January? 8lb

How far off target? 1.6 stone

On target? Just 1lb behind...

I started this journey at 12.10st, and I'm now down to 12.2st, which I'm so happy about. Super proud face!

FITNESS

Current routine: Tuesdays is LBT day, Thursdays is Body Pump, and Sunday is either Body Pump or general gym session.

Plan for February: Carry on the routine

HEALTHY EATING

Typical weekday breakfast: None

Typical weekend breakfast: Cereal

Typical weekday lunch: Mugshot

Typical weekend lunch: Salad or sandwich

Typical weekday dinner: Hairy Dieter's meal, or Weight Waters frozen meal after the gym

Typical weekend dinner: Hairy Dieter's meal or accidental takeaway...

Typical weekday snack: Coffee or apple

Typical weekend snack: Apple or chocolate

I'm making sure not to overdo it so take the weekends off of being too good with food, but during the week I stay good and motivated - thankfully! I still have a long way to go but so far, I'm really pleased with how it's all going. Let's keep it moving!

Much love, Lisa May

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A Snapfish Wedding Album

I swear my wedding never actually happened, it's only been 5 months and it feels like a very distant memory. Which is one reason I was determined to get a wedding album made up for us to look through. We were going to go through our wedding photographer, however because of budgets (hello buying next house) we decided to look for a more budget friendly option. Enter Snapfish.

I'm going to start this by saying Snapfish haven't paid us for this, or sponsored or asked us to do this post. I'm writing about it because I thought the whole experience was bloody brilliant, and really cost-effective.

I went to Snapfish as I get photos printed from there, so it was my first port of call, and the whole process was incredibly easy. You simply pick your album type, size, page numbers and such, then your photos. Once you've uploaded all your photos and chosen your style, you can get it to auto fill for you. Which I did to begin with, and then moved a few things around. I'd really recommending auto-filling to begin with if you're not too creative as it'll take a lot of the work away from you. What you can do after that is move your pictures around, swap places, and get it to automatically lay the page out in the most logical way, depending on how many pictures you have on there. What I loved about this as well if you can change the background colour and pattern of the pages, so I went for a weaved grey effect as it went with my wedding scheme, and it looks really luxe. I also put a few different decorations and pre-made wording around the pages as well, as I just thought it looked really special and just made it that much more personalised to us. They were really simple to place as well, just make sure you stay in the dotted lines. 

Once I was happy, I saved my project to my Snapfish account (god forbid my laptop crash and I lose all of that work) and then hit preview. Then placed my order, and within a couple of days it was on my doorstep. I was really impressed with how quickly it came through, and the quality of the product.

My book only cost about £46ish, and I absolutely love it. I love the little hole in the front just make it seem more like a wedding album, the page backgrounds are beautiful and the quality of the photos is perfect. We've had so many compliments from it, and both sets of parents have asked for their own copies as well - need to get on that! 

If you do want a wedding album but you can't quite justify the expense of a photographer, definitely check out Snapfish. You don't have to have the same type as us, there's loads of other finishes available, but it's perfect for putting together. I may have also picked up a wedding photo calendar as well, I got carried away. Don't judge.

It's also a great idea for a Valentines present... If you've just been on a big holiday, or got married, pop one of these together and you have yourself the perfect personal present. Just an FYI...

Much love, Lisa May

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