BEAUTY: No 7 hot cloth cleanser

I ran out of my Liz Earle cleanse and polish. I am a huge C&P fan but thought I would try this as it's a little cheaper.

This just goes to show that you get what you pay for - it was a few pounds less and although it came with its own muslin cloth and it did a decent job of removing my make-up, I didn't enjoy it as much as the C&P. It didn't feel as luxurious and the scent wasn't as nice. It's not a bad product but I won't be buying it again.

BEAUTY: Marc Jacobs Honey

I'll nail my flag to the mast: I am a huge fan of Marc Jacobs' fragrances.

Daisy and Dot are firm favourites amongst my fragrance collection and Honey is right up there, too. The scent is not overpowering or too sweet but it is definitely more of a day fragrance than an evening one.

How cute is the packaging?!

P.S. Sorry for the poor photo - getting home from work when it's daylight is rare these days!

FASHION: Tatty Devine fallen leaves necklace

It was love at first sight. I saw the necklace on Tatty Devine's Twitter page and practically sprinted to Selfridges.

They didn't have one in stock so I hopped on the tube to Covent Garden where the lovely shop assistant had set one aside for me. With fawn, caramel and gold glitter leaves, this is the perfect autumn accessory.

Fallen leaves necklace, £30, Tatty Devine

INTERIORS: Inspiration

Nearly two years ago, we were handed the keys to our very first home; a city townhouse.

Despite being a 15 minute walk from the city centre, I am determined to make it as homely as I can.

I scour Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration but sometimes nothing beats sitting down and flipping through the latest copy of Living Etc or this beauty from Elle...

FOOD: The Pigs, Edgefield

Nothing beats spending a Sunday afternoon in a country pub as the wind and rain take over outside.
On Sunday, my boyfriend and I went to The Pigs in Edgefield, North Norfolk for pudding club.

 

The concept is simple: £6 for as many desserts as you can eat! The pudding table looked like something I need to replicate in my own home, pronto!

 

 

We spent the afternoon nibbling on Eton mess, Bakewell tart, and rocky road

 

 

 

The pub was gorgeous and we will definitely go back.

BEAUTY: Autumn nail paints

We shouldn't wish summer away but there's something comforting about September. I love the bronzed trees, late sunsets and, of course, the fashion. Sandals make way for boots, bikinis are swapped for biker jackets and then there's my favourite part - scarves.

I love autumnal colours from oxblood to charcoal grey to emerald green. My favourite autumn nail paint is Victoria by Nails Inc, a beautiful deep plum which goes with everything and has been a staple in my collection for years (I have repurchased so many times!).

Here is a small selection of my favourite colours which will adorn my fingers this fall...

Essie Leading Lady. A gorgeous cranberry/plum glitter. Love.

FASHION: The Whistles biker

 

My spending habits have changed as I have got older; gone are the days when I would emerge from Primark two brown bags of goodies heavier and £50 lighter. Instead, I am trying to invest in my 'grown-up wardrobe' by buying timeless, classic, statement pieces which will hold their value.

Don't get me wrong, I am not going to blow £1,000 on a white shirt because it's a wardrobe staple, but I am trying to be smarter with my dollar.

I'd fallen in love with this Whistles Mila Biker Jacket on ASOS. I decided to wait until payday and it's a good job I did - instead of forking out £95 I picked it up for £45. It's gorgeous, soft and versatile.

BEAUTY: Liz Earle botanical shine nourishing hair oil

I'm a huge fan of hair oils. I use them on dry or damp hair for an added glossy boost.
I loved the L'Oreal elixir oil and after I used it up I switched to MoroccanOil light which I also liked. But I thought I would try something new and picked up the Liz Earle botanical shine nourishing hair oil. I haven't tried much from the brand but I am an enormous fan of the cleanse & polish.

It's very lightweight and it works wonders on my hair. It also comes in a glass bottle which adds a touch of luxury. My only gripe? The scent. But at £15 for 50ml it's a decent buy and one I would recommend.

Beauty: new skincare goodies

 

Last week, for the first time ever, I dipped a toe in the Origins pond. Why oh why has it taken me 24 years?!
I wanted to buy a new moisturiser as my Simple one just wasn't cutting it for me. I read some reviews on the Origins website and sprinted to Boots (not literally...more of a light jog...) and picked up the oil-free moisture lotion. It has a fresh, mint scent and absorbs into the skin so quickly making it a good base for foundation. I absolutely love it and at £14 a tube its worth every penny.

I also picked up the super spot remover. It's £12 but a little goes a long way and it lasts ages. It calms redness overnight and clears skin completely after about three or four days.
Origins, you have my heart.

I also picked up the L'Oreal skin perfection micellar solution. It's about as close as you'll get to Bioderma in Boots and it does a reasonable job. It removes all my makeup without drying my skin. It's just like water with no colour and no scent and it does the bets job of cleaning my face. It was about £3 and I can see myself going through countless bottles. I have a lot of love for this.

Fashion: Mulberry Effie zip pouch

What a beauty.

I picked her up in the House of Fraser sale (£150 reduced to £105). I have already worn this bag a lot and although I usually like to use a bigger bag so I can carry more around with me, there is something liberating about carrying a pouch of necessities.

My phone, makeup, debit cards, keys and other must-haves comfortably fit inside the pouch and the weaved leather wrist strap makes it more secure than other clutches.

As with all Mulberry products, the quality of the leather is second to none and the logo is embossed subtly on the front - another plus about the brand, which is not too 'showy'.

Life: What's in my bag?

Ah, the cliched blogger post which I will never tire of. I'm super nosey and love to find out what people carry around with them.

I'm currently using the Alexander Wang Rockie in tundra, a beautiful lilac grey with antique silver hardware.

 

 

Two notebooks - one with a London Underground map on it (Paperchase) and the other with a world map (Marks and Spencer). I love travel and want to see more of the world.
I'm forever writing (be it for work or pleasure) so these are essential.

I love my wallet from Ted Baker. It was a limited edition purse which was created to celebrate the Royal wedding.  I receive a lot of comments about the little rose gold bulldogs which clip it shut. It cost £100 but is well worth the money as it's leather.

My phone is an iPhone 4 which desperately needs upgrading. I've had it for a few years now and it's kept in good condition with the help of my Cath Kidston phone case.

Mini tangle teezer. If you haven't already got one of these, you need one in your life. Available in a multitude of colours to suit your personality (leopard print, anyone?!) they do a great job of detangling my hair while minimising the breakage. Win. You can buy these for around £10 in Boots.

I always carry a top coat around with my and at the moment I am using one from Nails Inc, a brand which I adore. It makes my mani last, strengthens my nails and is useful if my tights ladder!

My job is quite full on so I don't have my time to re-apply make up throughout the day but I always carry a collection lasting perfection concealer and Rimmel stay matte powder as I do a lot of TV work.

I carry a lot of keys - my house, my parents' house and I have a couple of keys for the office. I also have my car key, I drive a Mini.

Umbrella from Accessorize (simply because I live in the UK). I think the heart print is cute and it cost about £8.

Jimmy Choo fragrance. One of my favourite scents, everyone comments on what a beauty this is. It's quite 'grown up' but I love it. This bottle cost £50.

So it appears I carry around £400 worth of 'essentials' in my bag!
This What's in my bag post was written as part of a competition hosted by Moneysupermarket.com

What do you keep in your handbag?

Beauty: Holiday minis

Last week my boyfriend and I jetted across Europe for a few days of sunshine to my dad's holiday home. It was a blissful cocktail of lie-ins, reading by the pool and sampling some local cuisine and culture.

Most of these products are basic and self explanatory but there are a few gems I wanted to share. I love mini products and think they are a great way to try before purchasing the full size.

I'm not too keen on the Clinique dramatically different moisturiser but I love the foaming cleanser. I prefer foaming to cream and this is a lovely one which I stocked up on at the duty free counter on the way home.

I love the Leighton Denny nail polish remover. Chipped nails are not a good look at the best of times and I refuse to have anything other than a perfect mani while on holiday. I picked up this nail polish remover when I met Leighton at a press event through work a few weeks ago and it's brilliant for my dry, brittle nails. My colour of choice throughout the holiday was mine's a rose by Leighton Denny. The formula was gorgeous and remained chip-free for five days.

I wasn't too impressed by the Charles Worthington salon at home conditioner. It wasn't as moisturising as I had hopes and didn't do a great job of de-tangling my hair. The shampoo did a good job of cleansing my chlorine-ridden locks but didn't smell great. I love the packaging on these, though. I probably won't re-purchase.

The Ren Moroccan rose body cream was free with Harpers Bazaar magazine. Ren products are super luxurious and deliver great results but I always opt for fresh an fruity scents rather than floral and the rose didn't quite cut it with me so I won't re-purchase.

Fashion: Jewellery haul

It appears I have bought quite a lot of jewellery over the past couple of weeks...
Oops.

 

Wings are one of my favourite little charms to wear. I love this silver plated necklace from Topshop.

You can never go wrong with pastels. I picked up this stash in Forever 21, which is a great store of affordable accessories.

This long, rose detailed necklace from New Look is very 'me'. I also picked up this Aztec-inspired terracotta statement necklace which will look beautiful against tanned skin in the summer.

 

 

 

Beauty: Korres body butter in guava

Korres body butter in guava £12.50

A quick shout out to one of my favourite products at the moment - Korres guava body butter. It absorbs so quickly and doesn't leave any greasy residue. Oh, and it smells incredible!

Have you tried any Korres products?

All dressed in pastel

Florals and pastels are two S/S staples which dominate the catwalks and it's easy to see why. They're both so wearable, so girly and they scream sunshine!

I've picked up a few bits to brighten my spring wardrobe...

Mint green pochette, £20, River Island
Queen of high street bags, River Island, strikes again with this mint ice cream bag. Big enough to hold your essentials, cute enough to carry as a clutch and sweet enough to see you through spring and summer with it's creamy hues.

T-shirt, £25, French Connection
I'll be layering this slouchy number with tank tops, skinny jeans, skater skirts and pumps for lazy days at the beach. Although I think these pastel tones are crying out to be teamed with a tan...
I love this t-shirt - it epitomises the freedom summer brings and reminds me of my favourite film, Thelma and Louise, and the open road.
I love French Connection but often find their clothes slightly overpriced although the quality is great. I bagged this one on my lunch break - total bargain.

Barry M Gelly Shine polishes, £3.99, Boots
I love Barry M - the colours, consistency and cost are all perfect. Cheap, super smooth, shiny nails in summer colours. I want more.