My Current Hair Routine

 

 

I actually kinda like my hair right now - I mean it's due a trim and touch up on colour, but generally it's looking good. I had a couple of inches cut off a few months ago and it's look healthier and shinier than it has for a while. I think this also has something to do with the products I use.

Eyeshadows to Enhance your Eye Colour

Eyeshadow was always one of those products I was never really worried about until the past couple of years. I was more concerned with mastering liquid liner, it was always just an after thought. However, fast forward to today and I couldn't live without the stuff. I love creating different looks, playing with different colours and attempting to master a smoky eye.

Top 10 Make Up Picks, Under £10

A new video has gone live today folks so make sure you check it out! I'm talking you through my top ten make up products, for under £10.

 

Watch it on YouTube here, and don't forget to subscribe!

 

Much love, Lisa May x

I don't want an Instagram theme

I feel like I may have just broken some blogger code by putting this as my title, and putting it as a blog post in general. Why would I be a blogger and not want an Instagram theme, surely that’s part of the game right?

Wrong. Or at least I think so.

My current base products

Finding the perfect base is like finding the perfect husband. I feel like I've said something similar before... But there's one big difference. You don't just need one perfect base. You only need one husband, but you can play the field with your base, mix it up, test the waters. And for me, that always seems to work best. I have a few different favourite bases right now, all of which I use on a pretty regular basis. They have different use cases, and satisfy different needs. So I thought it was time I ran you through my current base collection.

New Home Accessories

We've been in our new house for about seven weeks now, which seems crazy, but it really does feel like home now. A few of your have asked for more home style posts, so I've popped together a video showing you some of the new home accessories we've purchased to pull it all together. There will be many more home hauls to come I'm sure - but in the meantime I hope you enjoy!

Watch it directly on YT here, and don't forget to subscribe!

 

Much love, Lisa May x

The Wedding Guest Outfit

It's been a while since I've been to a wedding that I'm not a part of. In the past year I've been to three weddings. The first was my own, so had quite a big part to play with that one, the second was my best friends so had major Maid of Honour duties, but the third was my cousins - and I was just a guest. Which was super nice.

While that was nice, and responsibilities were basically zero, there was then the question of - what on earth do I wear? For mine I obviously had to stick to the norm bridal look, and for my friends I was given a bridesmaid dress. So then I was like - ah! What do I do? After looking through my wardrobe I soon realised there wasn't actually that much I really liked. And the one thing that may have been suitable was blush pink, which I was told at the time was the colour of the bridesmaids to that was a no no. So, I went online and got myself a new dress, and I loved it.

This was a super steal from New Look, for only £15. I KNOW!! It's a bit different to any other dresses I have in terms of the style. It has this super cute halter type neck that comes up high, with a cute little subtle cut out back with a button to it. It clinches me in at the waist (oh there you are waist line) and then flows out to a flattering handkerchief hem. The pattern is beautiful as well, it's this deep red shade (perfect excuse to crack out the Naked Heat palette FYI), with yellow and navy flowers dotted around. A bit different, but super pretty. I teamed it with my wedding Choo's, and subtle gold jewellery accents. I left my hair down with some loose waves running through them, and my make up nice and neutral, focusing more on the eyeshadow than any bold statements.

I was really pleased with the overall look, and this dress has become a quick favourite. But, there is always the question of what is suitable for a wedding. So to help - I popped together my top five guidelines for the perfect wedding day dress, with rules I set for myself to stick to when picking my outfit.

• Don't wear the same colour as the bridesmaids. You don't want to blend with them, or be mistaken for one.
• Keep cleavage to a minimum. The guests are there to see the wedding couple, now your pillow couple.
• Hemlines shouldn't be too high above the knee. Again, you don't want to steal focus by flashing your bum. Plus, if you're like me you'd be constantly pulling it down, bad look for anyone.
• Steer clear of white or black. Obviously this is personal. But for me I didn't want to wear white, because of the bride, and black just isn't a wedding colour.
• Be comfortable. Weddings are long days, so make sure whatever you're wearing you're comfortable in. You don't want anything super tight, super short and straps that fall down.

I hope this has helped anyone who is going to a wedding in the near future! And if you do, remember to have fun!

Much love, Lisa May x

Working from home Q&A

 

 

Something I get asked a lot by friends and family is what it's actually like to work from home. Just to give you a bit of background... I work for a company, that is technically a US based company, with offices in the UK as well. However, the closest office to me in London which is around a two hour commute away. I've done it before, and when I was approached about my current job I said straight away that the commute would be a deal breaker. So I was very lucky to be told that I could be a remote worker and come into the office as and when it's needed.

 

When I told people this is what I'd be doing, I got a few questions, and now I've been in the job for a while I get others. So I thought I'd just put it all down in a post, and just give my opinion on what it's actually like to work from home.

 

Isn't it hard to stay focused on work when you're at home?

Obviously when you're at home there are a lot more distractions, but actually I find I'm much more productive. What's good is that actually you can take breaks to do little bits and pieces around the house if you need, and then come back and be more focused and work more. I found when I was in an office I'd had to concentrate for longer, and it'd be harder to keep that focus. So actually no, I am definitely more focused at home because I can spend my time more wisely, and I can relax a bit more.

 

How do you separate work and home?

This was actually quite hard to do in the old house as I had my office pieces set up in our lounge/diner. It was a smaller house and it was basically the only space I could do this in - so even once I finished work my PC was still there and it was hard to turn off. However, with the new house my office is in a completely separate room. It's in the loft conversion so it's well away from normal living and chill out areas and this really helps to separate it. I think having that physical separation really helps with the mental one as well.

 

Do you not get lonely without people working around you?

Actually no. I thought this would be something that would bother me, but I'm actually okay. We use Skype for Business, so it's really easy to talk to someone or have a quick catch up which is great. Plus a lot of my colleagues are in the same situation and work remotely. I also try to make sure when I'm working from home all week that at least one day I'll meet with someone for lunch and do something - whether it's my Mum, a friend or whoever. That way I get my social side fed through that.

 

How do you motivate yourself to get up and start working?

Routine is your best friend here. It's so easy to just keep hitting snooze and thinking well it doesn't matter, I just need to get out of bed and turn on the computer. No, bad bad times. You have to get into a routine as if you were going to work for the day. I find if I used to just get up and start I wouldn't be in the right mind set. So now I try to get up, get dressed and do my skincare, make a coffee and have some breakfast. Then I'll go up to work. If you get yourself into a routine it'll be so much easier. I'm also working on making my office a really nice space to work in, so I'm happy to go in there everyday and it's comfortable and nice.

 

Isn't it super easy to pretend you're working when you can actually just do whatever else?

If you saw my workload, no. Also, I'm not that kind of person. I like working hard and doing my best, so when I'm in my office I'm working. There is always something else to do, and work to be done. I think if you're not a motivated person, and you're actually not bothered than it would be easy to fall into this trap. But it's just not in my mindset.

 

Your job can't be that hard or busy if you can work from home?

Yes - this was actually said to me. I think if you're not in marketing, then you don't really get the spectrum of skills you need to have in order to do it well, and the amount of work that goes into it to make a marketing campaign successful. I love my job, and I find marketing fun, but it is bloody hard work. I think there is a stereotype that any job that entails working from home isn't demanding, busy or hard - but actually, I probably do more work at home than I used to do in an office. My issue is stopping work and switching it off for the evening.

 

Do you have trouble stopping work at the end of the day?

Erm, yes. When you get into the zone and you work from home there's no real end of day rush that you'd get in an office. You know when home time comes and everyone rushes for the door. So you do run the danger of just carrying on. While I've been working at Mum's I've been making sure I finish at a certain time, and just set an alarm. But when I'm at home, I basically work until my husband comes home, and then I turn everything off. That's my home time rush.

 

I hope you found this interesting! It is very different working from home than working in an office. But I absolutely love it - I think I'd find it a bit weird going back now, but I have no intention of leaving my current job anytime soon. I'll be doing some more features on this so keep your eyes peels!

 

Much love, Lisa May x

 

 

Current Skincare Routine

It's been a little while since I've done a skincare routine, or found a routine that I'm actually happy to recommend. But hey presto - here we go! I've stripped all the products right back, because I'm lazy, and my skin really loves the simplicity. So check out my routine here.

Let me know what skincare products you love or if you think there's something I need to check out.

Much love, Lisa May x

The girl behind the blog

I feel like the past year, even eighteen months, and changed my life so much, and half the time I wonder how it's all happened and what the end result is. In conjunction with that, my blogging frequency has been more unpredictable than GoT. But, now life has calmed down for a while, and I'm finding my stride, I thought it was a good opportunity to put myself out there, and allow my readers and followers to get to know me a little bit better.

 

So, I've put together a little Q&A, you can get to know the girl behind the blog.

1. Are you named after anyone?
Yes, so my first name (Lisa) was picked after Lisa Stansfield released "All Around the World", my middle name Katharine is the same as my Mum's middle name, and my other middle name May, was my great nan's middle name.

2. When was the last time you cried?
Monday probably. Hormones, plus lack of sleep and frustration is not a good mix!

3. Do you have kids?
Not yet, no. Unless you count my ginger cat Fred, because he is basically my baby. We would definitely like a family one day, but no kids right now.

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend to yourself?
I would like to think so! I think I'm quite a good friend, or I try to be. I have a very small group of close friends, and I'm incredibly loyal to them. I always try and be there when they need me, and send gifts for big events and such. So yes, I think so.

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
I don't think I do actually. Once upon a time I would have said yes, but I'm definitely more about the wind up and banter now, as opposed to sarcasm.

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?
What they're wearing. Don't ask me why - but it is. I love shopping and clothes, and I feel like I get my inspiration from other people, so yeah. Their clothes! Hello superficial Lisa...

7. Scary movie or happy endings?
Happy endings, every day of the week. I'm one of those people who likes to watch the same things over and over because I like to know how things end. I'm also one of those people who reads the last chapter of a book first because if I don't like the ending, I won't ready the book. Wish I'd done that with Gone Girl... great book, awful ending.

8. Favourite smells?
Rain, which sounds weird, but I love the smell of rain. I was saying to someone the other day that if someone could put that scent in a candle I'd buy it on repeat. In terms of a fragrance, I love Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush scent, and Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede.

9. What's the furthest you've ever been from home?
When I graduated I went to Australia for four weeks with my husband (boyfriend then), and that was a good 24 hours flight away. Absolutely LOVED the trip so would highly recommend. To be honest, it didn't feel far away when we were there - it felt like any other trip, it's just the travel.

10. Do you have any siblings?
I have two brothers, one younger and one older. And then my husband has a brother as well, so technical.. I have three brothers. Fun times.

11. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a teacher, for some bizarre reason. And then I realised I didn't actually like children, when I wasn't one, so that put a bit of a spanner in the works! I always loved writing, so the next plan was journalism which is what I did at Uni, then realised I didn't want to do the interview side of journalism - again, bit of a spanner. So I'm now in marketing - which I love!

12. How many countries have you visited?
That's a tough question, going through it, I've been to: US, St Lucia, Egypt, Australia, Wales, Ireland, France, Portugal, Italy, Turkey... I think that's it - but there could be more. That's about 10. I definitely want to increase this. OH! MEXICO! 11... How did I forget our honeymoon? Face palm.

13. What was your favourite and worst subject in school?
English was my favourite, until we got a crap annoying teacher, after that it was probably drama as it was a bit of a doss class. My worst was probably French - I with I'd paid more attention now, but at the time I just didn't really care about it.

14. What sports have you played?
So nothing now really - hi lazy Lisa. But in school I played netball, and I also did high jump for athletics. I actually represented my town in the country championships funnily enough. I like to play squash occasionally, but I don't do too much now.

15. Who are some of your favourite YouTubers?
There's a small handful that I always jump straight on to watch when they upload something new. The Michalaks are a Sunday tradition, Hello October is a must, and I love RachhLoves - she's just hilarious. I also like Fleur de Force, Copper Garden and Paige Joanna.

16. Why and when did you start blogging?
I started back in March 2012 I believe - so five years ago. And I hated my job at the time, I was working in a little marketing agency and it was a bit of a nightmare. I worked with another blogger, Katherine Louise, and she suggested I give it a try - so I did and I fell in love with it. It was a great way to escape and write about things I loved writing about.

17. Favourite post you've ever done?
Really really hard one. I loved my "Any Size" series from back in the day, I think it was a great way of showing how different trends can translate across different sizes girls. But, I also loved doing Blogmas last year as well - it was so much fun so I'll definitely do that again this year.

18. What's your first memory from your childhood?
For me it was receiving a Christmas present, which was a cuddly dog on a plastic lead type thing that made barking noises when it moved. I called her Lucy Dog and I loved her. I also remember my Mum putting her in the washing machine and making doggy noises as she went around and round. Thanks Mum.

19. Tell us one of your bad habits.
I don't put things away, which is bad - I really want to make a conscious effort to be tidier in our new house. Otherwise, I bite my nails which is really naughty!

20. How would you describe your style?
Comfortable! I love comfy dresses, midi preferably - none of these mini bodycons anymore thank you! Jeans and a baggy top, flowy stuff. Just very comfortable, but still a bit chic I would say.

21. How do you take your tea?
I don't - I'm not a tea drinker. I have tried, but I just don't like it. I'm definitely a coffee drinker, and it's usually black as well from my days of London commuting!

22. What's on your Netflix playlist?
Usually Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, Orphan Black was so good, Jane the Virgin, and I've just started watching Dexter.

23. What's on your Spotify playlist?
At the moment I'm loving Dua Lipa's new album, and also Rag and Bone Man. But I will always be an Ed Sheeran girl when I just need to work or relax.

24. What are your favourite beauty brands?
There are so many... But I do usually go to specific brands when I need something. I love Maybelline as a drugstore brand, everything I try from them at the moment I love. Lip products I tend to go to Mac or Chanel, and NYX now, eyeshadows will be Urban Decay and bases really vary. I tend to just have favourite products as opposed to favourite brands.

 

25. Describe the past year:
Mental. I got married, started a new job and moved house. And there's so much more to come this year. It's all massively good exciting stuff, but I also feel like I'm ready to sleep for the next month.

 I hope you enjoyed the post! Let me know if you'd like to see more like this, it was really fun to do!

Much love, Lisa May x

 



Five New Things | August

So we're back to normal for five new things in August - just five random products that are new to me, and some that are just new in general. I've put together a little video introducing them with first impressions which you can watch here.

Or if you like to read, then carry on scrolling.

Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette

Yeah, so there was no way this feature in August wouldn't include this palette. I've been waiting for this to be released for a little while now and as soon as it was - straight on and ordered. It's very different to any other eyeshadow shades I've tried before, so I'm actually getting use to those tones and working out how they can work for me. But they are beautiful, highly pigmented and very blendable. Once I'm really acquanted with it I might do a video or blog around different looks to create with it, so let me know if that's something you'd like to see.

Urban Decay Naked Nourishing Lip Gloss in Naked

I've not actually tried any UD lip products, and I've wanted to try one of these for a little while so Naked found it's way into my shopping basket. It's a very nude gloss shade, very glossy with a touch of sparkle. First impressions - I'm on the fence. Once it's settled it's not uncomfortable or sticky. But when it first goes on it feels really weird and tingly, it smells quite funky and it is a bit thick. I'm just going to roll with it throughout August and let you know at the end.

MAC Lip Pencils in Soar, Chic Trick and Rosy Rim

It wasn't until after I'd ordered these that I realised I do have one of these - but I haven't used it in YEARS. So, I'm just going to start again with these. I picked up three different shades, Soar is a very nice pink nude with a hint of purple, which I LOVE. Rosy Rim is a bright pink coral, and Chic Trick is like a deep bright pink. First impressions is they last a really, really long time - which is awesome. There's a little tug on the lips when applying, but so far so good.

Lush Sleepy Body Lotion

This was limited edition at Christmas, and I missed out, so was super happy to see they've bought it back. I'm not the best sleeper, so I'm quite intrigued to see if this actually helps with that. It has lavender in the lotion to help calm and relax you, helping you drift off to sleep. I'm a little sceptical - but I thought I may as well try it. Plus, I've never tried a Lush body lotion before so we'll see how I fair with the formula.

Lush Jelly Bombs in Green Coconut, Marmalade, and The Big Sleep

So, these are a new formula of bath bombs and I'm super intrigued to try these. I believe the jelly part of the bomb is meant to really help soften and nourish your skin more so than a normal bath bomb from the brand. They have a few mixed reviews online, so I'm very curious. The smells are a little funky on first impressions, but I do tend to find the scents mellow out and shift a little once they're added to the bath. So we shall see... I'll keep you updated.

So that's it! Don't forget to subscribe to the channel to keep updated, and check back in at the end of August for my verdict!

Much love, Lisa May x   



My Summer Accessories

I'm a fan of simple outfits, ones you don't really have to put too much thought into. But sometimes a downside of this is that they can then a bit too simple, or not quite finished. This is where accessories can come into play. I've been loving them this summer, and I have a few favourites so I thought I'd share the love.

Turquoise pairings

I've been wearing this shade, a lot, this summer. Basically - with everything. It goes with so many outfits, including my UO floral Bardot dress, plain white tees and navy. Depending on my mood, and what I'm wearing, I've been pairing this Accessorize statement necklace with this Lola Rose drop down tear. They look beautiful together and they're not too OTT to be considered garish. As a past addition, I pop this Lola Rose bracelet on (matches the necklace perfectly), and the Accessorize earrings to match the statement necklace.

Statement earrings

I haven't really worn earrings too much this past year, I found most of those I owned irritated my ears and it was just easier to let it lie. But, I've loved wearing some beautiful statement ones recently and have found they've really helped to finish an outfit off - especially if I've got my hair in a pony, or my outfit is super simple. These rose gold circle earrings from New Look have probably been my most commonly worn pair as they go with everything. They're super simple, but also really stand out - I've had so many compliments from these. These gorgeous Accessorize lilac drop earrings are so different, they just stand out. I also have the necklace to match (was MIA, and possible hiding in a number of different handbags) and the two together make a real statement. I also feel they're super summery. And then these multi-coloured jewelled drop earrings from New Look are something else. They just go with everything - but I also love to wear them then I'm in a super simple single colour outfit - not so much patterned - as I feel it's where they make the most impact.

Muted tones

When I'm wearing something a little brighter, or I just feel like being quite low key, I love to just throw on some muted tones, generally in the form of a bracelet or long necklace. This black and grey beauty is from Lola Rose, as is the little pink beaded number. And then the gold bracelet and pink drop down stone necklace is good old Accessorize.

These are definitely my favourite accessories right now - a lot are old school and aren't really available anymore (sorry!) but there is still some similar products out there from the same brands. I'd love to know what your current summer accessories are!

Much love, Lisa May x

Zoella Jelly & Gelato Range

I'm not usually one to go out and purchase the entire collection of a new release as soon as it comes out, but for some reason Zoella's new summer range really intrigued me. I think it's because I don't believe I've come across many body products that have an elderflower scent to them. And you know, curiosity and all that. So yeah, I went onto Superdrug and somehow managed to order the entire collection. Minus the make up bag because I really don't need any more. But otherwise, it all landed on my doorstep.

 

I've been trying everything for a good couple of weeks now, so I thought it was time to give you my thoughts. I've put them all in a video as well, so please watch that here and let me know your thoughts - and don't forget to subscribe!!

Before I dig into each of the products, I just wanted to talk about the scent of this range.

 

So, I've split the products into three categories - the loves, the likes and the maybe's. Now, just a disclaimer - the maybe's aren't bad products, they're not horrible, they're just ones I probably wouldn't repurchase and I'm just not that bothered about them. So let's start with the loves...

 

THE LOVES

Bath Frosting Milk Powder
I've never used a milk powder in a bath before, so I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. But I completely loved this. It's definitely one of those bath products you save for a chill bath - you know, one of those where the candles go on, the lock goes on the door, you hit play on Netflix and just chill out. Not a functional bath. It feels super luxurious, and leaves the skin feeling very silky smooth which is amazing. Also, the scent is subtle which I like - it's not in your face and overpowering. I really, really liked this and will definitely repurchase.

Gelato Body Pudding
This is a body cream, and again it feels very special and luxurious. It has little pink balls that burst on impact and sink into the skin. What I love about this is it just sinks in really nicely, it doesn't feel oily or greasy on the skin, and just leaves you feeling very smooth and with nourished skin. The scent, again not overpowering which is great. I just think it's a beautiful product and I've definitely noticed a difference since using this.

Shower Shake Moisturising Body Wash
I love body washes like this, and it really reminds me of Soap & Glory's Whipped Clean, which is definitely a favourite of mine. This is a lovely product to use if you're shaving your legs as it keeps your skin in a lovely condition, and helps nourish them. It really does moisturise, and your body feels very soft and healthy when you use this. The scent is again, very subtle so it's not overpowering but can be used to layer and build with other products. Big, big win for me this one.

THE LIKES

Gelat'Eau Body Mist
I really rate her body mists, they're good quality and the scents are always spot on. The scent of this range is beautiful, so I do really like the mist and have used it. However, I'm still reaching for the original scent more out of the two, so I felt like I couldn't give it the "love" status. Also, just to be really picky - I really like her packaging on the other scents where it's just the pattern at the back that you can see through, so I did miss that with this one. But that's all personal preference. If you do like the scent, I think you will love the mist.

Pink Bath Wafers Moisturising Bath Fizzers
Again, I do like this product. Teamed with the bath milk it creates the most relaxing watery bed, and the scent is very chilled out. Even on it's own, it's a great bath product. However, I didn't really see much of a different in moisture compared to her other bath fizzers, if I'm completely honest. As a bath fizzer it's great, but for me I didn't get that.

THE MAYBES

Shower Sauce Body Wash
Now, I personally prefer cream body washes, so I don't think this was ever going to be a love product for me. I just find shower gels are a bit too drying on my skin so I tend to avoid them. However, if you are a shower gel person and you love the scent, then it'll be right up your street. It lathers nicely, it cleans - so everything you'd want a shower gel to do. However, I just haven't been reaching for it and must preferred the Shower Shake. That's not a reflection on the product in the slightest, just my personal preference.

Cream Scrub Body Scrub
Again, I think this came down to personal preference. The product itself does everything you want a scrub to do, it removes dead skin and leaves you feeling very silky smooth. All thumbs up there. However, it's a bit of a balm like consistency - which is new for me - and I didn't really get on with it. I found I either scooped too much, or too little, and it really want for me unfortunately. But, if you like the consistency - again I think you'll love this.

Overall, the range is great. Really high quality products for small prices, and you can tell a lot of thought and attention has gone into this. I'd love to know what your favourite products from the range are so let me know below!

Much love, Lisa May x
 

 



My coral lip picks

 

 

I believe I've said in a couple of places recently that coral lipsticks don't really tend to be my thing. However, when summer comes around I really, really want to like them and find ones that suit my skin tone. I'm not a fan of corals that are too orangey - I much prefer them to be on the pinker, or redder side of life. So with that in mind, I thought I'd share with you my top five coral lipsticks.

 

 

 

Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur in 04 Rouge Corail | £28

This is an absolute beauty of a coral lipstick, I love it. It really helped me fall back in love with corals this year, althought it is a little bit on the pricey side... This is very much on the reddy, coral side - so definitely more on the red side than orange. It's incredibly warming for the skin tone, and just looks super fun and summery. It has a gloss finish to it, but still lasts really well considering. I swatched this in Tuesday's video which you can see here if you want to see it. It's very comfortable to wear, and I've had so many compliments off the back of this. It's probably my favourite coral shade. It's highly pigmented, so if you want something more subtle this possible isn't for you. But otherwise, it's a beaut.

 

 

 

MAC Crosswires Lipstick, Cremesheen Finish | £16.50

I've had this one for years and did a review on it a long, long time ago which you can read here. But basically, this is more of a subtle coral shade. It's not too highly pigmented, thanks to the cremesheen finish, but it gives just enough colour to look different. It's a very pinky coral, very warm and flattering to most skin types I would imagine. It's not very orangey, at all, which is awesome as far as I'm concerned. It doesn't have the longest staying power - due to the formula - but it's very comfortable and is a good one for warmer months. It's all not too orangey that it still comes into the autumn months as well quite nicely.

 

 

 

MAC Coral Bliss Lipstick, Cremesheen Finish | £16.50

Coral Bliss is incredibly cute, and it comes on holiday with me every, single year. I got it at a duty free about 3/4 years ago (eek - read the original review here) and it's been at my side every summer since then. This is a much paler coral shade, it's exactly how I imagine coral to look really. It's a pale, orangey pink shade, very milky. If you don't like paler shades, it probably isn't up your street. But I love this, especially when I have blonder hair and a bit of a tan. Again, it's cremesheen so it's not super pigmented, but very comfortable and very pretty on the lips.

 

 

 

Topshop Lips in Macaroon | £8.00

This was actually the first Topshop lipstick I actually got on with, and fell in love with. I'm not sure how readily available it is now - so sorry if you fall for it, but definitely google it and see what you can find. It's similar to Coral Bliss, but a lot more of a brighter pink coral. Also - please excuse the state of the bullet itself. When on holiday I thought it would be an awesome idea to draw a face on a watermelon with it. Yup, I did that. Anyway, it's a satin type finish, it's very smooth on the lips, very wearable and comfortable. It is quite bright so keep that in mind. I did a review on this when I first go it so you can find that here.

 

 

 

Revlon Matte Balm in Audacious | £7.99

Again, I'm not sure this is still available, which is a shame. Now - I know I said I don't like orange shades, but when I'm feeling brave I break this bad boy out. I reviewed it originally here, but I promise it's not as bright orange as it looks. It has a lot more red than orange in here, but it's very bright. With the matte finish it does look even brighter than it probably is. But, I actually really like this. Because of the red it is quite warm, but it's just very funky and summer like.

 

Hope you enjoyed today's post! Let me know what coral shades you think I should be trying, I'd love some more recommendations!

 

Much love, Lisa May x

 



First Anniversary Gift Guide

 

 

So somehow, I've almost been married for a year now. Which is insane and super, super crazy. The year has shot past - it's been incredibly busy and a lot has happened, but it's also been an amazing year. Our wedding day was the best day of my life, it was exactly what we imagined it would be, so I feel really humbled and honoured to have shared that with our closest friends and families. As our one year mark is coming up, I really wanted to do a bit of a gift guide as I found it super hard to decide what to get husband, and I believe he's struggled as well. So - I've popped together gift ideas for her, for him and for the couple - if you're going to purchase presents for a couple of their first anniversary. I've tried to do about three for each, to keep it super simple and hopefully if you're in the same space as us - it might be helpful!

 

 

 

FOR HER:

 

I love if you can be a little personal for an anniversary, and a little romantic, and all girls love jewellery. So I love the idea of getting an initial pendant - but with both initials. So for us it would be an L, and an A. For my friends it would be S and A and so on. I love the pendant necklace from Tiffany's. The discs are really cute, and you can get a couple of different pendants to put on the chain. I also love the idea that if you then have children, you can order the discs separately to add initials for them as well. I just think this is super thoughtful.

 

If you want to go down the route of staying traditional and keeping it as a "paper" anniversary, which I think could be really sweet, then I love the idea of a print. In particular, this map of the stars print is gorgeous. Personally I love stars, so this is right up my street. But it's super sweet and personal to you, as it's a map of the stars on the day you get married. I just think it's really sweet and a lovely momento to put in the house.

 

Another "paper" idea, which I love, is to get her something that she really wants to do. So, for example this could be go and see a show, or an experience she'll always remember, or even something like a photography course (as an example). I feel like an anniversary present has to be more personal and thoughtful then a birthday or Christmas present, and really show your partner how well you know them and how much you care. So if you know they really want to do something, or see something, then definitely give them the opportunity.

 

 

 

FOR HIM

 

Men are so much harder to get thoughtful or romantic gifts for, I think that's just the way of it. However, as a paper anniversary I think these paper cufflinks are such a cute idea. Men always seem to need cufflinks right? And these just tie in very nicely. It fits with the traditional anniversary milestones, but is also a bit more personal as they are completely customisable for you as a couple.

 

I've always found the men in my life aren't really into "things", which again makes buying gifts incredibly hard. However, it would be quite easy to tie this into a paper anniversary. A couple of things you could do is make a photo book, or scrapbook if they're into that sort of thing. Snapfish make this super easy to do and do a lot of photo gifts that you can personalise. Another idea, make a jar filled with date ideas or nice things you can do for him, and he takes a slip of paper out every now and then and you do what's on the slip. It's super cute, good for a budget or as an extra add on to another gift.

 

Again, I feel experiences or tickets would be a great gift idea. So whether they want a season ticket for their favourite football club, go on a driver experience, or if you take them away for a weekend somewhere special and meaningful to you both. It's the thought that goes into it, the memories it'll invoke and they'll love it.

 

 

 

FOR THEM

 

It may be that someone you're close to has an anniversary coming up, and you want to get them something special. Here are just a couple of things I think would be really cute to give to a couple on their first anniversary.

 

I love really personal pieces, and when I saw these illustrations by Gee Horsfield I fell in love. I definitely think giving one of these is a beautiful thought, it's super personal, one of a kind and will be cherished forever.

 

This personalised watch stand is very simple, but really cute and useful. It's just a way of pulling it all together and send a lovely little message.

 

Or, as with the other two, an experience for the couple is also a great present. Whether it's a gift voucher for their favourite restaurant, afternoon tea or a little couples spa day. It'll go down a treat and is always nice as it's a way for them to spend time together.

 

I hope you enjoyed today's post! Let me know if you'd like to see more gift guides like this as I have so much fun making them.

 

Much love, Lisa May x

 

July Favourites

 

So it's that time of the month, where bloggers and YouTuber's everywhere tell you all about their favourite products from the previous month. And I frigging love it. I'm a massive fan of favourite videos. So when I started up my YouTube again, and started my August Blogging Challenge, I knew the first of August had to be my July Favourites.

 

I've written it all out below, but you can also watch the video for this here.

 

Rimmel Insta Duo Contour Stick

Yes, I've kinda gone on about this elsewhere, but I do love this product. Well, one side of it - so I love the single stick. The contour side is beautiful, it's subtle for everyday use, really blendable and lasts really well throughout the day. It's buildable if you like something a bit more heavy duty and obvious, but I've been using this to add extra colour and subtle definition, and I love it.

 

Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation

I have done an entire post raving about this product, which you can read here, but essentially it's a beautiful natural looking foundation. It blends so easily, builds and just lasts really well. It's completely drawn me into other cushion products. It's purse friendly, and a high quality product. It gives a nice glow, makes you look healthy and perfects rather than covers everything. It's my go to at the moment, and I love it.

 

Rimmel Insta Fix & Matte Powder

Another one I've already spoken about, but it's basically the best powder. It's mattifying, so for all you oily-skinned folks this is a must have I promise. But, it still lets the glow from cream products shine through slightly so it's doesn't look caked or too matte. It's transparent, so it's basically just a setting powder - there's no real extra coverage which I like. I just think it tops all over Rimmel powders that I've tried, and it's been essential during the warmer days.

 

Rimmel Insta Fix & Go Setting Spray

Yup, another one. I did say in this video these would be the three from the range I'd recommend. This is probably my favourite of this range. It just mists nicely, and really helps to keep your make up vibrant and in place all day, which I love. It's really fresh and smells of cucumber - big plus in my book. There's no water drops or anything, it just does exactly what you want it to do, for a really good price point.

Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette
This has been a long time favourite, however I've been trying to avoid using liquid liner too much this summer, so I've been using the shades in this palette to create something softer. The gold in this palette is beautiful, and one of my all time favourite eyeshadow shades. They just blend really nicely, last really well and the shades in this palette really suit my skin tone and eye colour. It's a really nice, affordable palette that's a staple.

Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur in 04 Rouge Corail
Definitely a higher end lip product - it's not cheap at £28 a pop (eek!), but I love this lip product. I have it in a couple of colours, but this particular shade has been worn so much over the past couple months in summer. I'm not usually a coral person - there's only certain ones I like, but this one is perfect. It's the right mix of red and orange, with a touch of pink and it really suits me. The quality is amazing, it's a glossy finish but lasts really, really well which was surprising. I feel like it's the perfect summer shade for me.

MacxAlessandra Lustre Lipstick
I wrote an entire review on this which you can read here, but it's basically my go to lipstick. It's my perfect pink nude, everyday shade and I do reach for it near on ever single day (I'm wearing it in this video FYI). I feel safe saying I think it really is my favourite lipstick of all time - which is a big deal! And I'm so upset it's limited edition so you can't get it anymore. I really am going to be so sad when I use this all up. As a lustre finish, it doesn't last for hours and hours, but its got a lovely finish, it feels comfortable and it's easy to touch up and maintain. It's a beaut.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam
This is the first time I've tried these incredibly hyped lip products. I actually purchased three shades, Amsterdam, and Antwerp and Instanbul. I really wanted to try the later two for ages, and I thought I'd pick up a third and went for Amsterdam as I'm going there in September. And it's actually my favourite shade of the three. It's very similar to the Chanel shade, but a bit pinker. It's beautiful on the lips, it's gorgeous. Very warming, very statement and just super pretty. It's a matte formula, and I have to say the staying power is like nothing I've ever tried before - it lasts all frigging day. I'm super impressed and will definitely pick up more of these.

Boss The Scent for Her
A really really beautiful scent. It has notes of peach, freesia and roasted cocoa, so it's very fresh and light with a touch of smokiness from the cocoa. I feel like it's a great everyday fragrance at the moment, it makes me feel very girly but also sophisticated with the cocoa edge to it. I'm so bad at describing fragrances so apologies, but I have been reaching for this every day and it just smells like summer for me now. It's the first fragrance I've ever bought myself as well, which makes me feel like a grown up!

So that's it! I hope you enjoyed the post and make sure you subscribe to my channel if you like the video :)

Much love, Lisa May x