Saving Your Winter Skin

The one thing that I hate about winter is how damaging the cold weather can be for your skin - not fun! When the colder months arrived my skin was just getting drier and putting makeup on was a nightmare. I knew I needed to change a few things - or add a few things - in my skincare routine. With the right products, your skin will be super soft in no time!

Cleansing your face is so important, not only to take off makeup but to soften the skin as well. I use the Clarins Cleansing Milk for normal or dry skin. This is really creamy while being gentle on your skin. I gently massage the cleanser into my face, then with a slightly dampened cotton pad remove the excess. To prevent your skin from breakouts or clogged up pores, removing your makeup with a good cleanser is essential!

In the past, toners were something I pretty much ignored as I didn't really see the point (just another step in my skincare routine). However, after research I discovered that they're a vital step. Toners help to close and tighten pores to protect skin from environmental impurities, it refreshes and washes the skin and it minimises "signs of redness and inflammation", along with other benefits. I've been enjoying the Pixi Glow Tonic, exfoliating toner, which clears and brightens my skin.

Moisturiser! Definitely one of the most important aspects of skincare. By changing my moisturiser I have seen the biggest difference, particularly when applying makeup. I recently started using the Garnier Skin Active Moisture Bomb and I would seriously recommend it! My 'T-Zone' would get the most dry but this has definitely fixed that. With a light pomegranate scent and creamy texture this is such a refreshing moisturiser...and also really affordable!

Enough with the facial skincare! To be honest, when it comes to body lotion I get a bit lazy but then my legs get dry and I want them to be really soft. So, to get rid of that dryness super quickly and hassle free, I use the Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion. Wack this all over legs, arms or wherever you wish and job done! This also works very well as a hand cream...you know, when you're feeling too lazy to put hand cream on as well?!

Throughout the winter months, hands will nearly always be dry. To avoid this, I have two great products for you to try. Lush's Handy Gurugu which was specifically designed and created for very dry hands or as they like to put it "hard worked hands"...most definitely me! You can put this on whenever you need to and it soaks in very quickly, which is great because sticky hand-cream hands (great English) are never fun! Another one to try if you need to tackle specific areas, such as dry knuckles, is the Burt's Bees Hand Salve. This stuff is quite literally magic in a tin!

Sorted - super soft skin in no time! What are your favourite skincare products?

3 Healthy Alternatives

When a new year begins, many of us decide to start a new healthy eating regime; some people lasting longer than others! I for one, am not having much fun with this healthy eating malarkey, but I'm sticking with it. To make it a little easier, I thought I'd share with you three of my favourite healthy alternatives - a healthy breakfast, a healthy drink and a healthy snack.

Overnight Oats

This is actually a recipe I found on the back of a Quaker Oats box...I know, how exciting!As an alternative to cereal, which is full of sugar, this a great one to try.

You'll Need:

• 50g Quaker Oats
• 50ml milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 30g raspberries/blueberries
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 30g desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp honey

Method:

Add oats to a clean container (I used a jam jar) and pour in milk and vanilla extract. Add a layer of berries then a layer of banana. Top with coconut and honey. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. Stir and enjoy!

Banana Milkshake

This is definitely the easiest - a healthy banana milkshake. This is filling, energising and tastes really good!

You'll Need:

• 1 ripe banana
• Tsp honey
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/3 cup of oats

*You can tweak the volumes depending on preferred taste.

Method:

Pretty self explanatory really - put it all in a blender and whizz until smooth. 

Banana & Blueberry Muffins

They're not quite as good as a chocolate muffin, but these banana and blueberry muffins are perfect for an afternoon snack! This recipe was from MyFussyEater.

You'll Need: 

• 2 cups oats
• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 390f/180c (or if you have an Aga feel free to chuck them in anywhere and hope for the best). Line a muffin tray with muffin cases.

2. Put all ingredients, except the blueberries, into a blender/food processor and blitz until everything is combined. (Hopefully, you'll not be like me and have a complete disaster with the food processor...it all works out in the end).  Stir in half the blueberries.

3. Pour the mixture into the muffin cases, filling 3/4 full then top with the remaining blueberries. 

4. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minuted or until a cocktail stick comes out clean.

5. Remove from muffin tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Be sure to let me know if you try any of these recipes out! Happy Healthy Eating!

10 Steps

Be kind to yourself and to others, even on a bad day. You are your own worst enemy so just love the person you are!

"Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire". This is a quote that I personally live by - follow what excites you. You are the CEO of your life, so, you are completely in charge of the decisions you make and the opportunities you take. 

Surround yourself with people who inspire you, people who generate positive energy and most importantly, people you can have fun with!

Forgive yourself and others. Let go of your own guilt and realise it is what it is; stop beating yourself up. Kick your pride out of the way and forgive - no one needs to hold a grudge! 

Try to stay positive - I say try because this can be really difficult at times. This will depend on the people you spend your time with and the things you do. I personally don't watch the News as it helps me to be more positive and appreciate my surroundings. Remember - a bad day does not mean a bad life.

Make time for the things you love, whether this is baking, reading, drawing or even dancing - do it! Sometimes it's hard to make time for these things when life is so busy but it's essential as these are the things that keep us sane!

Make time for people. This is so important for ourselves and others - we need people to keep us grounded and give us that much needed breath of fresh air. Sometimes a chat is all we need to keep us on track!

Appreciate the small things in life. The crisp breeze on a Winter's day or your morning coffee. A nice message from a friend or fresh flowers. The small things? They are not small. 

Live in the moment - in reality, the moment is the only thing that truly matters. Who cares if you have an essay due for Monday morning? Do it later! In a stressful world, enjoy moments when they're in front of you, give your friend a hug when they need it and say yes to that invitation!

Finally, Dream Big...and never stop dreaming. Don't just settle! If you can't stop thinking about it, don't stop working for it. "Your only limit is you."

The Winter Coat

Winter jackets and coats are probably the best thing about Autumn/Winter fashion. But, this year there has been one style in particular that has been the most popular. I'm not really a 'trend-follower' as such, I just wear what I like. This was a trend I simply couldn't take my eyes off, though - The Aviator Jacket.

I kept seeing them but wasn't sure whether to get one or not. I had a look through the New Year's sales, after deciding I definitely wanted one (no stopping me now) and I finally found the perfect jacket in Warehouse.

This is such an amazing coat! It's the cosiest thing I've ever worn, like a blanket in coat form! I love this one as it's a little different. Everyone seems to be wearing black ones, which, don't get me wrong are stunning, but this one is a dark brown shade. The whole coat is lined with faux fur, along with furry lapels and cuffs...yes. fur everywhere! The shearling material is extremely soft and the coat is finished with buckles and a zip, to keep you extra cosy.

Along with my Warehouse jacket, I've found some similar ones here:

Story of Lola, Asos

Pretty Little Thing

Pretty Little Thing

Boohoo

Makeup Obsession

Eyeshadow is probably my favourite makeup product and when I get new products it's obviously very exciting. For Christmas, my sister gave me a set of eyeshadows that I had never actually heard of so, clearly I was very excited to test them out - I was not disappointed. The brand is Makeup Obsession which you can find in Boots.

These eyeshadows come individually but, Makeup Obsession do empty palettes so you can insert the eyeshadows into the palette. For travelling, this is amazing as you can take one or two eyeshadows with you, rather than trying to squeeze in a whole palette (I say this from experience as I attempted to bring my Urban Decay Naked palette on holiday, then having to leave it behind as it was too big...I know, heartbreaking!)

The palettes come in different sizes and colours - I have the gold one which is stunning! The array of eyeshadow shades that Makeup Obsession do is amazing. If you're looking for a particular colour, you can be sure to find it there! The individual eyeshadows come at about £2 each so, they're super affordable and the palettes range from £4 - £8 depending on size and colour. 

These eyeshadows are beautifully pigmented and after applying a base/primer, they'll last all day. To get the best finish with them, blending is very important! The shades I have are White Out, Scene, New York, Dark Chocolate, Rare and Lucky Charm. I particularly like Lucky Charm as it's just a really easy to wear shimmer and I love Rare with it's burgundy/red tone that looks stunning once blended. 

Have you tried Makeup Obsession Eyeshadows?

When it rains

I hate rain, in fact I'm pretty sure I have a fear of rain because it's just so grim and getting your hair wet is not okay. But...we can't just close the curtains, get under a blanket and pretend it's not pouring outside. Instead do something productive and make it worthwhile!

1. Bake

This is my personal favourite...get the wooden spoon out and find your favourite recipe! I find baking really therapeutic and it's the perfect thing to keep you busy - besides you don't have to be a professional to make it work so just have fun!

2. Get Tidying

You're probably rolling your eyes at this point but, as the cliche goes "tidy space, tidy mind" - this is so true! I'm probably unusual in the fact that I love tidying and organising things but it's so useful. First, you might find things that you didn't even know were there and secondly, what better time to get organised than when you don't have anything better to do?  It'll be like a breath of fresh air when you have a tidier space.

3. Read a Book

Channel your inner 'Hygge' and light a candle while you read a book. Reading is probably the best form of escapism, whether it's a novel or a coffee table book. Getting engrossed in a book will most definitely keep you occupied for a while - it'll distract from the long, painful wait as your baking goods are in the oven...be sure to set an alarm though!

4. Read some blogs

Obviously I was going to suggest this, but it's a good one! There's most likely a blog out there for everyone so get searching. A few of my favourites are: TheEveryGirl, PintSizedBeauty, WhatOliviaDid, A BeautifulMess and KateLaVie. Or...you could be really adventurous and start blogging yourself! Check out Bloglovin' to keep up with all of your favourite blogs and follow me there at 'The Burning Wick'.

5. Watch TV

If all else fails, just switch on your favourite show...it's a no-brainer. Caution - this could potentially lead to you staring at a screen all day and you'll not get anything else done or at least anything overly productive, maybe not even get dressed because Netflix is dangerously addictive but whatever...

What do you like to do on a rainy day?

Hello 2017

Okay, 2016 kinda sucked - Brexit, Trump...I'm not even going to go into it because I'm sick of hearing about so you probably are too! However, I don't want to dwell on all of that because what's the point?! I'm so thankful that every day and every year bring a fresh start. In saying that, I'm so grateful for all of the good that came from 2016... 

I started a blog!!! I think this has been the most exciting and the best thing I've done in the past year, it allows me to carry out my passions for writing and photography in such a personal way. If you've thought about starting a blog, just do it!

I won against the biggest enemy in my life - Depression. It's been a weird year for me but I have overcome it, yes I still get my down days but that's normal! I took a leap of faith and shared my experience with the illness in a blog post here. 

I left school. This obviously wasn't the outcome I wanted but I didn't have a choice due to my depression, however it has been the best thing that could have happened! I'm learning to discover myself and I think that's one of the most important things in life. So, just a little reminder that things really do work out in the end. 

I finally turned 18...that felt like a long time coming but I had such lovely birthday celebrations!

My Tips for 2017:

• Set yourself goals and targets
• Try to be an optimist 
• Stay focused
• Discover yourself
• Don't be so hard on yourself
• Embrace new beginnings

Inspirational quotes to live by in 2017:

"Once she stopped rushing through life, she was amazed how much more life she had time for."

"If you don't like where you are, move - you are not a tree."

"Don't be in such a rush to figure everything out. Embrace the unknown and let life surprise you."

"Spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself and a little less time trying to impress people..." - The Breakfast Club

"Kindness is the noblest weapon to conquer with." - Thomas Fuller

But first... "Let's start by taking a smallish nap or two" - Winnie the Pooh

2017 WE'RE READY FOR YOU!