Travelling is one of the little luxuries in life, and one of my favourite things to do. I'm lucky enough to travel a fair bit with my job, and although it may sound so glamourous, sometimes the actual 'travel' bit itself can be pretty unglamorous.
I've been fortunate enough to travel in business class, but most of the time I fly economy. Travelling can be a nightmare when you don't have your essentials packed with you. So, I thought I'd share what I pack for these journeys. Some of the items may also make travelling economy feel a little more special...
Mastering the art of travel is an absolute must, and has taken me a while to get the hang of but, I think I'm pretty good at what I pack in my travel bag as 'flight essentials' now.
Passport, currency, etc
The boring but most important items - you're not going anywhere if you don't have these on you! I have a travel wallet that I keep everything in, and find it so handy - especially when I'm at the gate and trying to find my boarding pass in my huge carry on - this wallet is perfect for keeping all the important things in.
Entertainment
Try as I may, I find myself turning my laptop on during some point of my flight - I may have some work to catch up on, or have an idea for a blog post so I always keep it with me.
I always pack a book just in case there isn't any in-flight entertainment on my flight, or I don't fancy watching anything.
Scarf, ear plugs and eye mask
The temperature in the cabin can be somewhat temperamental, so I always carry a big scarf that is big enough to use as a blanket, but not too chunky (the one above is from Zara and they do great ones). I always have an eye mask and ear plugs in my carry on, and although most long haul flights tend to supply an eye mask, my Muji one is my go to. These are perfect for overnight flights, and for drowning out any unwanted noises (read: snoring people around you)
Beauty
The items above are the ones I tend to take on a long haul flight rather than short haul.
The major factor when flying any distance, is hydration. This basically starts before your flight even takes off. Don't get me wrong - a glass or two of fizz in the lounge is a treat, or on take off is tempting, but be sure to make sure you’re filling your body with water too.
We all know how dehydrating flying is, let alone with the addition of alcohol. Whilst water is provided on all long haul flights, I always buy myself a litre bottle before take off to have on hand throughout the flight. Not only does it mean I always have a drink, it also means I have a goal for what to drink.
With this in mind, most of the beauty products I pack in my carry on are to keep my skin hydrated. On a long haul flight, I tend to give myself an in flight facial, taking off any makeup I'm wearing as soon as I'm seated on the plane. I've usually slapped on a moisturising mask before we've even started heading down the runway!
Due to the liquid restrictions on flights, I've figured out a way to get around that, and that's to take sample sizes with you. Face wipes are also a great alternative to your usual make up remover product as they are easy to pack.
There you have it, flying becomes actually quite a luxurious little break. And instead of stumbling off the flight, sunglasses glued to your head and feeling like shite, you’ll be feeling fresh as a daisy and ready to get whatever adventure you've got planned started.
In the first weekly edit, I'm talking all things pink. It seems to be the colour of SS17, and that excites me greatly!
You don't have to be a small child or Elle Woods to wear pink - there are various different shades that work for everyone. I would team this pink cashmere jumper by Hush with a pair of boyfriend jeans and loafers for a casual look.
That Zara suit? If you feel brave enough to wear it as a 2-piece, it would be a great alternative to a dress for a wedding or special Occassion you have lined up this summer. Or, team the blazer over a pair of jeans or tea dress for a more laid back look.
Embrace some colour in your wardrobe - I'll be doing exactly the same!
2017 is fast becoming the year of US beauty brands launching in the UK, and I am totally fine with that! First we had the news that Glossier will be available on these shores soon (not sure in what capacity, but as soon as I know, I'll report back) and now It Cosmetics have launched their products here.
If you follow me on Instagram and are able to sit through my ramblings on Instagram stories, you may have seen I picked up the Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ and the Bye Bye Under Eye Illumination Concealer whilst I was over in Sydney at the beginning of the year.
I've only been using them for a couple of months, and even then not every day. But, I have to say I like what I've seen so far.
The It Cosmetics Your Skin but Better CC+ cream gives you full coverage - don't be put off by the thickness of the formula; as it can be thinned out with a damp Beautyblender if you're not wanting full coverage.
What I love about it is that it seems to melt into your skin and instantly make you look good! The finish is glowy without making you look like you've been doing a bout of hot yoga (a.k.a sweaty). I've also found that it lasts really well, and haven't had the need to do a touch-up halfway through the day.
It also has SPF 50+ UVA/UVB broad-spectrum physical sunscreen in the formula - perfect for those sunny days!
My only negative thoughts are the packaging. Bearing in mind this is pretty pricey (around £30) I think it looks fairly cheap looking in it's tube - a tad drugstore over luxury, but that's my opinion and as long as the product does what it says (which it does!) then it's all good.
Here's the science part from the It Cosmetics team
Clinically shown to give you 179% of skin hydration, smooth skin texture and enhance skin brightness, this breakthrough color-correcting cream never creases or cracks and instantly camouflages skin imperfections including dark spots. Plus, it’s infused with an advanced anti-aging serum made of hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, niacin, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and vitamins A, B, C and E that work in harmony to diffuse the look of wrinkles, minimize pores and give you a more radiant, supple and flawless-looking complexion.
It Cosmetics UK Launch Info
As of yesterday, you can now buy the brands products online here. There will also be a pop up in Selfridges, London from the 8th June for 2 weeks with a permanent counter launching on the 26th.
See you there!
Just over 90 minutes away, along the coast from Brighton sits the town of Rye, and is where I spent a couple of days late last year with the husband.
From the cobbled streets, independent boutiques, antique shops and tea rooms with windows full of cakes, Rye is such a quaint little town full of history and very old buildings.
Easy to get to from London via train, you also have Camber Sands and Dungeness nearby for further exploring.
Food
Lunch was from Webbe's at the the fish cafe, which sources all their produce locally, and dinner was at The Union which was highly recommended by the staff at our hotel.
There are a fair few restaurants dotted all over the town and nearby that came highly recommended by people and I can't wait for our next visit so we can try some out.
There are a fair few restaurants dotted all over the town and nearby that came highly recommended by people and I can't wait for our next visit so we can try some out.
Hotel
We booked a couple of nights at The George in Rye, which is on the main high street in the town. With the comfiest of beds, REN products in the bathroom and Espresso Martini's on room service, my husband basically had to carry me out screaming when we left.
Their food was delicious (highly recommend the salted caramel soufflé and french toast, FYI) and we spent quite a lot of time hanging out in front of their big fire playing board games and drinking tea whilst it rained heavily outside.
Knoops
I think we all know by now, that I love a hot chocolate. Give me a mug of the stuff over coffee ANY day. Which is why Knoops had to have a little mention on here.
The menu is dedicated exclusively to hot chocolates. There's a variety of chocolate to choose from for your base, and then you can jazz it up with extra flavours in the form of spice, fruit or even a herb.
To top it off, they offer homemade vanilla marshmallows.
After two sips, I was on a chocolate high.
The perfect destination if you want to escape the craziness of city life.
The backless shoe is a huge trend this season. Loafers, mules, kitten heels and flats - you name it, they're backless. I'm starting to dip my toe (no pun intended) in to this trend, and I have to admit, I'm loving it!
Here are my favourite styles from the high street
If you've been a long term follower on this little part of the internet, then you know I love a bit of La Roche-Posay. So, when they sent me one of their best-selling products that they've added a little bit of a tint to, I was very intrigued by it.
Effaclar Duo (+) Unifant is a dual-action anti-imperfection formula with sheer coverage with all the benefits of their best-selling product, Effaclar Duo (+). They've added a mattifying 100% mineral pigment tint to it which instantly reduces redness and evens out skin tone.
If you haven't tried Effaclar Duo (+) it's essentially a spot treatment, and has been in my skincare stash for a long time. It's a total game changer - I'm not sure what they put in the tube but, it totally does exactly what it claims to do. Smear it over your face before going to bed and when you wake up the next day, any blemishes or spots will be noticeably smaller. Keep applying it for a few days and, they'll be gone. It also helps with any redness you have as well.
You can see why I'm a little excited about the brand adding tint to this now, right?!
I've been testing it out for a while, and I've got to say I like it. The size of the product is the same as the regular Effaclar Duo, and a little goes a long way. I would say it's like a tinted moisturiser, although it's a little thicker but once applied it doesn't feel heavy at all. I find applying it with my fingers better than using a brush, but I think that's a personal preference as it blends just as easy with or without.
Coverage-wise, it is sheer so I do add concealer to the areas I want more coverage on. It feels light on the skin which is a big seller for me, and I like the fact that it's helping my skin out whilst giving it coverage.
The downside? The only thing I can think of is that it only comes in two shades - light and medium. Hopefully they'll extend the shade range in the future as this is a great product.
A product that fights blemishes whilst covering them at the same time? The perfect combination in my opinion! It's already become my go-to daily base.
You can purchase Effaclar Duo (+) Unifant here
If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know I was in Copenhagen. Although I saw more of a hotel meeting room than the actual city, I did have a couple of hours of free time to go walking so I thought I'd share a few of my snaps.
Aside from the huge amount of pastry I consumed, and coming to the decision that I want a pink bike with a basket (the two sort of go hand in hand, right?) Copenhagen was a cute little city to wander around.
Things to do
Rent a bike. Something I didn't do, but would definitely have done if I'd have had more time. Copenhagen is set up for cyclists - everyone seemed to own a bike there and, the traffic isn't as crazy as places like London or Paris! Plus, it's the perfect way to see the city.
Pay a visit to Nyhaven. The real tourist part of the city, but still you must visit (but maybe don’t sit in the touristy cafes outside). These gorgeous pastel buildings, are probably the most popular thing to photograph in Copenhagen and you can see why.
Food
Things to do
Rent a bike. Something I didn't do, but would definitely have done if I'd have had more time. Copenhagen is set up for cyclists - everyone seemed to own a bike there and, the traffic isn't as crazy as places like London or Paris! Plus, it's the perfect way to see the city.
Pay a visit to Nyhaven. The real tourist part of the city, but still you must visit (but maybe don’t sit in the touristy cafes outside). These gorgeous pastel buildings, are probably the most popular thing to photograph in Copenhagen and you can see why.
Food
Copenhagen has a real foodie scene, and I would love to go back for a few days and get my food on! Apparently, the key is to eat more street food in the day, thus saving money for the fab (and always) atmospheric restaurants at night.
One of the places I visited was Torvehallerne Market. Home to some great street food, coffee and juice bars. There's a bakery called Laura's Bakery that sell the most delicious cinnamon buns. Worth a visit.
We also ate at a restaurant called The Italian, where I had the best Burrata I've ever eaten. Fact.
There's a lot to see and do in Copenhagen, so I totally recommend a visit - I'll be heading back soon to explore the city more.
One of the places I visited was Torvehallerne Market. Home to some great street food, coffee and juice bars. There's a bakery called Laura's Bakery that sell the most delicious cinnamon buns. Worth a visit.
We also ate at a restaurant called The Italian, where I had the best Burrata I've ever eaten. Fact.
There's a lot to see and do in Copenhagen, so I totally recommend a visit - I'll be heading back soon to explore the city more.
Prom season is nearly here, and although my prom was a VERY long time ago now, I thought I'd share some dresses I've found on the high street for all my younger readers.
Even better, they're all under £120 and available to buy online and instores now. Get going, and have a lovely prom!
Pillow Talk is a beautiful, neutral pink colour that works on any skin tone (if you don't believe me, head to her website where you can see swatches for each skin tone). The formula itself is a soft satin matte, meaning it won't dry out the lips like a full matte lip product does. It softens, protects and hydrates your lips whilst being long lasting. It also had 3D glowing pigments to create the illusion of lit-from-within lips that appear wider and fuller.
It's my go-to lip colour pretty much daily (I'm sure you can tell by the photo above it's had some wear!) as it goes with everything. Annoyingly it's limited edition so stock up whilst you can or hope that CT makes the shade a permanent fixture.
You can purchase the Pillow Talk Lipstick here
We all know I love a bit of cake (I mean, who doesn't?!) so today's post is rather exciting.
Chances are you've heard of the Cronut® If not, where the heck have you been hiding? Created by French chef Dominique Ansel the half croissant, half doughnut pastry caused insane queues outside his bakery in Manhattan on a daily basis. There was even talk of people reselling them for $100 a pop!
Crazy stuff.
Well, now you can get your hands on one of his cronuts, and other sweet treats as he's opened a store in London.
Tucked away very close to Victoria station you can visit and feast on treats. The store itself is a little instagrammer's heaven - marble and copper and cakes that look too good to eat....almost.
There's a huge menu of all sorts of sweet things to salivate over whilst you wait to order.
and, we ordered up a storm!
Banoffee Paella - Built in a paella pan upside-down to caramelise the bananas and keep the crust crumbly, with a light-as-air air dulce de leche mousse.
My personal favourite
Salted caramel eclair - mainly ordered because of the pretty design, but still so delicious.
One of their signatures - the frozen S'more.
Honey marshmallow wrapped around Tahitian vanilla ice cream with chocolate wafer crisps, served on a smoked willow wood branch and torched to order.
I bet you're drooling all over your screen as you read it, right?
Because our eyes are way bigger than our stomach's, we washed it all down with the chef's hot chocolate with vanilla and white chocolate marshmallow.
If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, there are savoury treats on offer as well.
I think we all know that the cakes are the reason to visit though, right?
You can find them in Victoria, here.
If you’re going on a weekend I’d go as early as poss, it get's pretty busy.
hush is a clothing brand that I'm totally on board with.
For those of you that have never shopped at hush their collection of clothing is aimed at women who 'like fashion but are not a slave to it, who want to look good but don't want to spend ages doing so, who want to be comfortable but not at the expense of style.'
Hush offer a great collection of casual, chic & timeless pieces that can be easily intermixed with basics in your wardrobe & can be dressed up or down whatever the occasion - the perfect transitional wardrobe additions!
For someone who loves simple yet stylish pieces, hush is the perfect clothing brand. Their latest Summer collection dropped a few weeks ago, and I have my eyes on so many items - including all of the above!
I love my basics - most days it's all I wear. But, what's not to love when your wardrobe consists of denim, trainers and a collection of t shirts?
The t shirt is one of the ultimate transitional wardrobe items. From plain to stripes to logos, they are a great wardrobe piece. I've found myself purchasing a few graphic white t shirts, including this one from Italian brand, Fiorucci.
I used to spend my Summers in Italy when I was growing up, and fell in love with this brand on a trip to Verona one Summer. Founded in 1967 by Elio Fiorucci, the Milan-based ready-to-wear brand achieved major cult status in the ’70s and ’80s in New York City. Worn by the era’s biggest rock and movie stars, Fiorucci’s body-hugging jeans and other designs epitomised the Studio 54 club scene.
Fast forward, and the brand is relaunching this Summer with new, British owners. Currently they have a pop-up in Selfridges where you can buy this t shirt, some of their amazing denim and various other styles. There will be a store launching in Soho this September, which I can't wait for.
Photos by the wonderful Carrie from One Pleasant Day
Now, living in Brighton I don't really ever have the need to stay at a hotel in town. However, I knew that I wanted a little 'staycation' over the weekend of our wedding. Because, where's the fun in going home to an unmade bed and untidy flat the night of your wedding?
Exactly.
Exactly.
The Brighton Harbour Hotel is a fairly new addition to Brighton. Located right on the seafront, and about a 10 minute walk from Brighton Station, the hotel is the ideal location for exploring the city.
Boasting 79 bedrooms, you'll find them all to be pretty spacious with beds that seem to go on forever, and have the comfiest of pillows to sink in to. Our room came with a window seat, which I loved and spent the morning of our wedding lying across it and writing my speech whilst the sun came up.
A nice little touch are the complimentary decanters of sherry and gin, alongside Nespresso coffee machines and a kettle in each room. Spacious monsoon showers and toiletries from The White Company are in each bathroom, with freestanding baths in some of the larger rooms.
You'll find the HarBAR (get it) on the ground floor with views of the sea. Home to a huge selection of drinks and a cocktail menu that has something for everyone. Grab some small bites at the bar or at one of their many cosy tables, or head next door to the Jetty Restaurant and choose some locally-sourced fish and seafood for lunch or dinner.
I've stayed in many a hotel over the years, and aside from giving marks out of ten on how powerful the shower is, I always find myself rating them on the pork content of their sausages (yes, really). I couldn't fault theirs, and if you don't fancy a Full English, there's plenty of other dishes to choose from including a bar filled with fresh pastries, bread, fruit and cereals.
With Brighton Harbour Spa having opened at the beginning of the year, and a rather delicious looking afternoon tea, I'm trying to find an excuse to check in again.
64 King’s Rd, Brighton
BN1 1NA
East Sussex
United Kingdom
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