Why should we use Vitamin C in our skincare?

Everyone known how important Vitamin c is for your body and keeping you healthy and your immune system strong. Well vitamin c is also a necessity for your skin! 

Vitamin c is  "a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals," explains board-certified dermatologist Patricia Wexler. "Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C aids in your skin's natural regeneration process, which helps your body repair damaged skin cells.

So not only does it smell good, it helps with anti-aging!

1. It is also suitable for ALL skin types!

2. Super hydrating as it decreases transepidermal water loss, in doing so allowing your skin to retain moisture easily. 

3. Its brightening and helps to leave your skin super glowy! The Bodyshop Glow Boosting Moisturiser is a firm staple of mine, and it really does leave your skin SO glowy. 

Because of its brightening properties it helps to reduce pigmentation, Vitamin C application has been shown to impede melanin production. Helping to leave you with a more even skin tone. It also is effective at relieving redness and dark circles! 

And finally Vitamin c is great for protecting you against sun damage!

Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect healthy skin cells by “giving” these free radicals, which cause sun damage to the skin,  an electron, rendering them harmless.

I am a massive lover of all skincare, but I do think that anything with vitamin c in is going to do wonders for your skin! so grab yourself an orange and a good vitamin c filled product you wont regret it!!! 

Trusted Sou This can help fade dark spots and lead to a more even-toned complexion.

How to get FREE makeup

Being a beauty addict I am constantly adding new makeup and skincare onto my very long wishlist. But being a student and on a budget, I can't really afford to be forking out loads on beauty products every month...even if I do accidentally get a few deliveries from feelunique every so often.. 

When I had some spare time during lockdown I came across Love to Slay, i was super skeptical at first but their Instagram proves their legitimacy! 

Within a week i had accumulated enough for a Pixi Rose toner! Wish was on my to buy list..

You earn points (which you buy your free products with) by signing up to free trials etc... (don't forget to cancel!) and any other ways they allow you to gain points.. 

It is so worth it, feels almost like a fun game, and you end up with new products! They do loads of AMAZING brands, including mac, pixi, morphe. 

You purchase your products with your points and then receive your product about a week later from the brand or in my case mine came with look fantastic! 

SO if you want to grab some free products..sign up here.. 

(you'll automatically earn 20 points when you sign up from my link and confirm your account!) 

Happy Shopping! 

All about the bags..

Just a short blog post today! Short and sweet with a couple of bags I have on my wishlist! Everyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with bags, I always have been but since working in retail my obsession has grown.



Dune sunnie Cappuccino bum bag
I love love love this bag, I saw this months ago before it was in stores and fell in love.  I always thought I was a big person bag, but recently I have grown to love smaller bags! This is labeled as a bum bag but I am pretty sure it has an extra strap to wear cross body! The blush shade it beautiful and really classy, super excited to add this to my collection soon, and wear it all summer long.





Dune Small transparent Grab Bag 
A really cute take on a transparent bag, love how it has a pouch, and love it even more that its a nude croc print. Its a great size for a day out, and will look super cute with a simple summer outfit.

You could always use the pouch for other purposes if you fancy making it completely clear, or leave it in!

 




Asos Cream Bucket Bag
Whilst i don't tend to see bucket bags as the most practical, I am in LOVE with this one. It looks so expensive, has a double strap so you can wear it on the shoulder and it just so bloody cute.

Its super affordable at £22 and would look really lovely with any spring/summer outfit!

BYBI Strawberry Booster.

You may or may not have seen this New brand kicking about on ASOS or in Boots. They recently featured in a glossy box at the end of 2019 and since then seem to have taken over the skincare world.

I decided to go for the Strawberry booster.. 1 because  I love strawberries and 2 because it is pink and although I like to think I buy my skincare based on its beneficial properties, the color and aesthetics mean a lot to me. And 3. Because my best friend says so and whatever she rates I tend to purchase..


The booster is made up of 100% cold-pressed  Strawberry seed oil, so it is completely made up of natural ingredients!
As well as having a high content of omega acids that makes it a powerful skin-softener to regenerate and improve the skin's moisture levels...

And those strawberries really do live up to it.. your skin will feel amazing after using this oil..

I tend to pop this on in the evening as part of my evening routine, and when I wake up the next day my skin feels so soft and reguvinated! But I have seen that some people put a few drops in their daily moisturiser and use in the morning!

So either way it is a super easy way to add some moisutre and nutrients into your skin whether in the morning or the evening!

I would really recomment trying out this brand, whether you fancy the Strawberry booster , Buriti, Bakuchiol, CBD or blueberry!

And they don't just do oils, but they have matching mists and 'Balms' also.

So grab yourself a booster or two! And let me know what you think..

Ellie x

Sunday Style Picks

Is anyone else browsing summer styles in anticipation for lockdown to be over? It was loungewear for me but now I am ready for some cute dresses and sandals. Here are some of the transitional spring/summer pieces I have been eyeing up. 

1. H&M Wide dress, I have one that is a similar style also from H&M! I got it in the winter, and I think the cute of these are super cute especially for pairing with some chunky boots and a leather jacket! 

2. H&M White puff sleeve top, Super basic top but would look lush with either cute skirts in the summer or with mom jeans for an everyday look! I love wearing white tops as you can accessorize with the rest of your outfit really easily, I love pairing silver jewelry, pink handbag sunnies. 

3. Miss Selfridge Ditsy Dress, slightly on the pricey side for a little summer dress but I think the pattern is adorable, throw on a denim jacket and you have the perfect summer beer garden outfit! 

4. Daisy Street Leopard print Skirt, this looks super comfy but also really stylish. Paired with a white crop top like the H&M one or a little cami/bodysuit! Great for a day to night look, swap some trainers for a pair or boots or heels! 

5. Asos Poplin Shirt Dress, I love how this style dress look on! A bit of Office Chic/preppy look, some black boots and a leather jacket. I think this will look super classy, and a very transitional piece!

6. Stradivarius Top, Super basic, but again think it is great for simple everyday looks. The frills on the sleeves give it a bit of detail, this colour is super neutral and would look great paired with other earthy tones. 

7. Asos mini tea dress, again I just love ditsy prints. I also really like how this dress has a slight milkmaid cut to it, but has super fluted sleeves! Super lightweight dress and really affordable. 

8. New Look aqua long sleeve body, I am obsessed with square necks, and the fact that it is a bodysuit makes it even better for me! 

9. Pretty Little Thing polka Dot bodysuit, sorry its another square neck body! I can't help it, I find them super flattering on me. An easy piece to wear in the day but also dress up for the evening/ occasions! 

Ellie x

Current Skin Care Routine

This year one of mine and it seems everyone else's goals has been revolved around a good skincare routine. I have never admittedly taken skincare very seriously as I don't seem to have any major problem areas but after doing my research I realized that in order to ensure my skin looks good in the future after my excessive makeup-wearing I need to look after it more.

So I  thought I would jot down my current skincare routine and let you know why I am in love!

Depending on whether or not I have been wearing makeup or not, I either use (1) Bioderma Micelle Solution to get off the bulk of the product and then double cleanse with the (2) Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish which is my absolute favorite! I can not rave about this product more! I have tried a few others recent, including the Soap and Glory one which is a close 2nd but I will also choose the Liz Earle cleanser! Because you use the hot cloth it really gives you a deep cleaning feeling. A new edition to my routine is the (3) St Ives blackhead Green Tea Scrub I have used the apricot one for years but tend to only use a couple of times a week as its a lot harsher, the Green Tea one is definitely more of a daily scrub!

I then use a toner, which at the moment is the (4) Simple Toner which is pretty standard! looking to try out the Pixi one next! A quick spray of the (5) Mario Badescu Facial Spray to prep my skin for the rest of the products.

This next product, I can not get enough of! The (6) Bybi Strawberry Booster is honestly amazing and will really up your skincare game! 100% natural ingredients and smells amazing! (Will do a full review on this product soon)  I then pop some of (7) The Ordinary Amino Acids on afterward, I only recently got this, but I am enjoying using multiple serums/oils on my skin! It smells good and settles into your skin really quickly. 

Finally, I pop on a bit of the (8) Clinique Moisture surge eye gel which  I have a mini of! I love the whole moisture surge range! But love this eye gel as its really cooling! And last but not least, I finish off with the (9) Liz Earle Moisturiser a fairly new addition, but love how thick this is its a really heavy-duty moisturizer. I can decide whether I prefer a more gel-like consistency or a thick cream, but I tend to lean towards thicker creams in the evening and a gel in the day time!

I am pretty sure I will be changing up my routine as the weeks of Lockdown go on, already filled my Lookfantastic basket full of skincare goodies! But for now, this is what I pretty much am loving.

Ellie x

Lounge-wear Style Picks

 All I am currently living in is Loungewear! When I packed my suitcase to come home I thought I would put to use some cute outfits, but realistically I have been living in the same 3 hoodies with a pair of leggings, one day I did actually wear jeans!

I originally started a cute spring dresses style post but thought a more appropriate post would be on comfy clothes considering the circumstances.

1. Stradivarius Ecru Hoodie Currently Out of stock but Asos do a similar one!  

2. Topshop Ditsy Print Flares

3. Topshop White Printed sweatshirt

4. ASOS oversized Cocoon hoodie 

5. Topshop Knitted jumper

6. Asos Jumpsuit

6. H&M fluffy jumper

8. Asos Wide sleeve cropped jumper

9. Asos Round Neck top

What have you been wearing these last few weeks? Are you getting ready everyday or having a comfy clothes day everyday?

Ellie x

All about that Glow.

It seems I am growing a collection of glowy primers, There is MANY more but these are some of the ones I thought were worth talking about!

It all started with the Iconic London illuminator which I will be honest is one of the best. I find it works really well mixed in with your foundation, it makes your makeup go on so much better! 'Shine' is the shade I purchased as I thought it would work best with my skin tone! But there are a few other shades that would work really well with other skin tones, as well as an 'original' universal shade. Slightly more expensive but definitely the best one out there so is worth it!

Revlon Glow Hydrating and Illuminating Primer a slightly different product, more of a primer than the rest of the products, and slightly more subtle in its glowyiness but really worked well before applying your foundation! It has little beads in it that you're supposed to warm up with your fingers, which is a really interesting concept! Perfect for your skin as well as under your makeup,  as it also adds some extra moisture to your skin.

Figs and Rouge Charm Elixer  A new edition to my collection which I received as a part of the February Glossy box, it is really similar to the iconic in terms of what it does. I did initially make the mistake of putting far too much on. But it is a great product, and looks great under makeup but is also a light enough consistency to apply after foundation, on top of your cheekbones. The packaging is super cute and aesthetically pleasing, the rose/blush shade is not only for show but the rose quartz has beneficial properties for your skin.

Asos Liquid Highlighter the cheapest liquid illuminator I think you can probably get, its always on offer on ASOS and is currently £3.50!!! Deffo worth it if you want to try a product out like this but don't want to spend loads. Only tried under my makeup as you can tell by the thickness that it might be slightly too heavy on the cheekbones, but with a light hand would make you look lovely and glowy.

March Glossybox

Better late than never hey? I have decided to start doing a short review on the Glossyboxes which I recently have started purchasing after listening to my best friend rave about them all the time!

This months was called 'All about the eyes' yes, you guessed it.. a box focused on products for your eyes! 3 out of 5 products were primarily eye-related, with a Seba Med eye cream, Eyeko mascara and a Ciate stamp and drag eyeliner. 

The eye cream is a good size, and perfect for anyone looking for a good moisturizing base before their makeup application or as part of your skincare regime. I do not feel particularly drawn to anti-aging skincare, but it was a nice bonus to try out a brand that I have not heard too much about! The mascara by Eyeko is a perfect size for anyone who plans on traveling.. later this year. Super black and was great under my false lashes! 

Ciate's stamp and drag eyeliner, it sounds scary and I will admit I have not tried the stamp part. But the pen side is super black and I found it relatively easy to use, despite being slightly larger than my favorite Kat Von D liner. I think for anyone who struggles to do a wing this is a great way to get around it!

The last two products whilst not eye-related, rounded off the box perfectly! A glowy Sleek palette, which I have tried previously- a mixture of creams and powders which could be used on the eyelid if you wanted to create a glowy look! The McoBeauty full-size lipstick was also a great addition! Although it is deceivingly more pinky than nudey/brown like the packaging indicates! But for the right skin tone will look fab with a neutral eye look and glowy makeup.

In all honesty, this month's box did not WOW me as much as February's amazing 'Love crosses borders' box with lots of Valentine related products. But I am super excited to see what they bring out next month, having a monthly treat come through the door is really something to look forward too and if you are not subscribed to GlossyBox you should be, not only do you get great products, you can earn points and get great discounts on beauty sites including Lookfantastic and Boots. 

Counting down the days till the next box..only 14 to go! Ellie x

The Hepburns.

Whilst researching for my dissertation, a study of Femininity and Androgyny in fashion during the 1920's and 1940s, I came across a lot of leading figures, in the fashion and film industry, who, in my opinion, are incredibly influential. Because of this research and my love for empowering women I thought i might start doing some blog posts looking at some influential women who I believe have made changes in our world that have lightened the load for us women now.

Im kicking it off with the two Hepburn's, Katherine and Audrey. Whilst not related they made an impression in their own different ways.

One of the most radical developments for women was the gradual acceptance of trousers, which were no longer considered either eccentric or strictly utilitarian,'' -Valerie Mendes and Amy de la haye, 20th Century Fashion

Katherine Hepburn contributed to this developing acceptance. Katherine born in 1907 was an American actress known for her androgynous sensibility.Her style led to her being labeled ''too masculine'' or ''too rough'' she wore trousers at a time when women were still being arrested for wearing them, with the belief that they were 'masquerading as men.'

Clothing at the time was perceived as being a manifestation of one's gender, so for an individual, like Katherine Hepburn to start dressing essentially in the clothing associated with her counterpart, it was very radical.

An interesting article written by Vanity Fair tells a story of how Hepburn would wear blue jeans to the studio but they would be confiscated from her dressing room, trying to pressure her to wear a skirt but instead, she would go back on set in her knickers and refuse to cover her bottom half until her jeans were returned.

Katherine Hepburn to me is inspirational because, during a time where trousers were seen as radical, she did not allow societal expectations to confine her. Katherine contributed to the acceptance of trousers being worn for women. Her persistence to not conform has enabled us today to wear trousers, something that we probably don't think anything of, but has been immensely important in the journey of allowing women agency.

Audrey Hepburn, whilst she might be associated with a more feminine sensibility, had her own way of pushing the boundaries of 1950's femininity. Her appearance is known for being the epitome of femininity with being a ballerina, couture model and actress. However, she does portray a sense of liberation and rebellion. Her role as in films whilst being dominated by men, the struggles within her role as an actress highlighted the ongoing fight that all women had, which made her relatable in a way that ordinary women could connect with.

Her appearance was different from other stars such as Marylin Monroe and other leading women who highlighted the more hourglass figure. Hepburn was seen as almost boyish with her malnourished and slender figure, due to growing up during the war.  Although to me it is not just her class and different style that makes Audrey Hepburn inspirational it is the work she did aside from her acting with UNICEF.

There is a moral obligation.. that we should give to those who dont. 

Audrey did not just act as a figurehead for the organization in her role as a Goodwill ambassador but was hands-on and brought awareness to many of the struggles others had in countries that many at the time were unaware of.

So whether you're a Audrey or a Katherine, Find a way to make your mark. Wear something crazy, start a new trend or help the world in ways that will leave a mark when you are gone. x