Inspiration: Halloween

Happy Halloween lovelies!

Here's some inspiration to get you into a spooky mood!

Spooky Decor

Sweet treats

The best family costume ever

Last but not least, here's a great Halloween playlist I found on 8tracks that will surely get you in the mood for Halloween fun! 

http://8tracks.com/queer_cat/it-was-a-graveyard-smash

Have a great Halloween 

Carly x

Skincare Wishlist

I have been using the same skincare routine for the past few months and want to pick up some new additions. Here are a few items that are currently on my wishlist.

Kiehls- Creamy Eye Treatment with avocado

This is a rich and creamy eye cream that soothes and moisturises with it's main ingredient avocado, vitamin A and fatty acids. It helps protect against external aggressors, which will be great for the coming colder months! It's also a great base for makeup and sinks in quickly, which is something I look for in an eye cream. 

Fresh- Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask

This is a hydrating treatment that leaves your skin softer, firmer and healthier. With advanced antioxidants, black tea ferment, it helps defend against wrinkle causing free radicals. 

Sunday Riley- Luna Sleeping Night Oil

This has become a bit of a cult product depsite it's unusual and strange blue colour... It is a retinoid oil that helpa reduce pore size, improve appearance of damages skin and helps fight wrinkles. It contains cold pressed avocado, chia, concord grape seed oil. You apply this before bed and it works while you sleep, leaving your skin more radiant in the morning. Sounds great!

Nip + Fab- Glycolic Fix Serum

A serum that contains 4% glycolic acid which helps smooth appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps reduce the appearance of pores for more refined and even looking complexion. It also has the extra ingredient of aloe vera which will help soothe tired skin.

Pixi- Glow Tonic

Another cult product! This is an exfoliating facial toner. It helps to tone, firm and tighten skin and due to it's exoliating properties remove dead skin cells. It helps boost the skins radiance leaving your skin glowing.

What is on your skincare wishlist?

Carly x

My Autumn Lipstick Collection

I always choose more plum/burgundy shades over my usual nude or muted pink shades in the Autumn months. Here are some lipsticks that I have been wearing a lot recently.

Mac 'Plumful' (Lustre)

This is a really nice everyday wear lipstick, it gives a sheer wash of colour on the lips which makes it perfect for wearing during the day if you want a more natural look. It's a lovely medium 'pinkened' plum, the moisturizing formula makes it a comfortable lipstick to wear (especially if you suffer from dry lips like myself!) However as it's such a sheer lipstick it doesn't last very long on the lips but that doesn't bother me as I don't mind re applying every once in a while. 

Laura Geller in 'Rosato'

This is a lipstick with a bit of an added kick- it contains an anti-aging formula and is fortified with resveratrol and hyaluronic filling spheres (huh?) That is a bit over my head if i'm honest, but it does apply like a dream; it's a creamy, wine-scented lipsticks that glides over the lips smoothly. Once applied it transfers as a plum rose shade, it is one of the darker lipsticks that I own and I love wearing it for evenings out. 

No7 Moisture Drench in 'Plumful Beautiful'

I am having a bit of a love affair of sorts with No7 lipsticks at the minute, especially the moisture drench range. The formula is hydrating and long lasting- what's not too love? This has been my most recent addition and I love it! It's perfect for wearing during the day as it is something of a 'darkened nude.' It is, I hate to say it a 'your lips but better' kinda lipstick.

No7 Moisture Drench in 'Soft Earth'

This shade is quite similar to the Laura Geller 'Rosato' lipstick, however it is a little more coral. It is a warm toned lipstick that is perfect for paler skin. It's highly pigmented like 'plumful beautiful' and applies a full coverage in one application.

What are your favourite lipstick to wear in the Autumn?
Carly x

Inspiration: Living Room

Top 4 Scary Halloween Reads

Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

This is a great read for vampire lovers! It's a swedish fiction novel that has been made into two film adaptations (that are definately worth checking out!) The story centers on the relationship between a 12 year old boy and a centuries-old vampire child. It is set in Stockholm in the early 80s- it is a disturbing tale between this unlikely friendship. It also delves into some pretry heavy issues such as social isolation, school bullying and existential anxiety. A great atmospheric read for the mature vampire lover! 

30 Days of Night (Graphic Novel)

Another vampire themed book! Yay!

30 Days of Night is a well known film starring the 'swoon worthy' Josh Hartnett, this film is based on a 3-issue horror comic book mini series, written by Steve Niles and illustrated by Temple Smith. The series takes place in Barrow, Alaska. Every winter the sun doesn't rise for 30 days, the vampires then use this a good excuse to go on a killing spree on the local townspeople. The illustrations are beautifully creepy and a must have if you like a bit of gore in your comics!

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

This is one of the best selling horror novels of the 1960s, which has also been adapted into a well known horror film. This book centers on Rosemary Woodhouse, a young woman living in New York City with her struggling actor husband. After becoming pregnant with their first child, Rosemary becomes mysteriously ill and discovers that her neighbours are the leaders of a satanic coven. A chilling read about what can go wrong if your neighbours are satanists! 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This is one of the first horror novels that combines sci-fi, the gothic and the romantic movement. It tells the story of a young science student who creates a grotesque but sentient creature in a science experiement. It is a heartbreaking and unnerving tale that brings up the question of what it is like to be human,loneliness and being rejected by society. 

What are you reading this Halloween?

Carly x

September Favourites

1. No7 Stay Perfect Foundation

This was a new purchase in September and have been wearing it on a daily basis, it provides long lasting coverage and is great for dehydrates skin!

2. Eau des Missions Cologne

This was a great find this month! I found this in TK Maxx and couldn't believe the price, £7 for 250ml!! It is a beautiful vanilla cologne which I have been wearing non stop, perfect for chilly Autumn days.

3. My ever growing Tsum Tsum collection

Yes, I am 5 years old, but look how cute they are!!

4. Caramel Nut Delight Coffee

This tastes...amazing!

5. Home Sweet Home by Yankee Candle

This is my 'go to' Autumn candle, it's the perfect cinnamon and spice scent and does a great job of making the whole house smell great!

6. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror by Robert Louis Stevenson

I always like to read a few good horror stories during the months leading up to Halloween. This is a classic gothic novel, it's wondefully atmospheric and does a great job and leaving you feeling uneasy and creeped out. I highly recommend!

What are your September favourites?

Carly x

Evening Skincare Routine

As the colder weather is fast approaching I have been adding a few new skincare saviours into my evening routine to help boost my skins hydration and for a bit of an extra pamper. I've been using this routine religiously for the past few months and have noticed a visible improvement in my skins condition, it looks a lot healthier and i'm even having to deal with a lot less breakouts (yay!) 

In the evening I start of by using the No7 Hot Cloth Polish, I was an avid user of the Liz Earle hot cloth polish, but having to repurchase such a pricey cleanser nearly every 3 months was a bit too much for my purse. I switched over to the much more affordable No7 cleanser and haven't looked back since (however I must admit, I do miss the eucalyptus scent of the Liz Earle products!) It's a wonderfully creamy cleanser and my skin seems to be loving it so far. 

For toner I have been trying out the Vitamin E Hydrating Toner from The Body Shop. This is a wonderfully hydrating addition to my skincare, it helps remove any traces of makeup or dirt that my cleanser may not have picked up and as it's too not harsh it is great for sensitive skin.

This has become a holy grail product of mine (i'm onto my third tube!) I apply the La Roche Posay Effaclar duo [+] all over my face after toning and leave to sink in for 30 minutes or so before I go onto my next skincare step. This wonder product helps keep any major breakouts at bay and helps reduce small blemishes virtually over night! I've also noticed that it has helped improve my skins texture, making it a lot smoother and softer. 

This has been a re purchase for me, I stopped using this maybe a year or two ago after my skin wasn't suffering as badly with dry patches and have started using it again to prep my skin for the colder months! This is a great moisteriser that is quite thick in texture and needs an extra minute or two to sink in. Lushs Skin Drink contains soothing rose petal infusion, sesame oil, aloe and avocado. 

Next up is Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil, I use two or three drops of this straight after applying my moisteriser. It is beautifully scented facial oil and I enjoy using this every evening as it feels like a bit of luxurious treat! I've found after using this regularly for the past six months has really helped boost my skins hydration and leaves my skin looking more awake in the morning! 

The final steps in my evening skincare routine is too apply an eye cream and a blemish treatment (if I need it.) I'm enjoying using the No7 Early Defense Eye Cream so far, I haven't found any significant difference in fine lines yet, but it does hydrate my under eye area creating a good base for applying concealer. I've been trying out Sanctuarys Blemish Serum for the past few weeks and i'm pretty impressed with it so far, it seems to visible reduce blemishes in size and redness overnight.

What are you evening skincare favourites?

Carly x