It's monthly favourites time again and this month's installment will be a little different from the ones that have gone before it. It won't consist purely of make up. In part because there have been some pretty random things that I've been loving this month, but also because I haven't really been using anything new throughout May.
I'll save you the chit chat as there's a lot to tell you about so we'll just jump right in.
Ahh, Instagram. The social media platform that many of us love to hate. Yes, trying to gain new followers is harder than trying to carve diamonds out of sesame seeds but I'm a sucker for a crisp, white background and a food-based flatlay.
With that in mind, I really wanted to give you a peek at some of the gorgeous accounts that I love following on Instagram, in the spirit of sharing the love and also in the hope that you may find some fab, new accounts to follow.
So, enviable bag and shoe collection to one side, Elisabeth's Instagram account is major #goals. Her images are beautiful, clean and cohesive. Definitely what Instagram theme dreams are made of. Her blog is also one of my faves.
This is one of those, I need to write a blog post posts. In fact, I have five to schedule today before my family touch down in the Sandpit so the pressure's on.
It's typically an occasion in which wine would be called for but it's midday and I'll try to operate some level of restraint.
Anyhoo, for lack of wanting to hit you with beauty post after beauty post, I thought I'd throw in a '20 Facts About Me!' I was going to write 50 but 50 is way too many, trust me, I'm not that interesting.
So, without further ado:
1. I used to have an X-Ray of my skull in one of our kitchen cupboards. I'm just gonna let that one hang there.
2. I'm allergic to fish sauce.
3. I have been known to eat cold mushy peas with salt and vinegar... out of the can! I can't believe I'm actually admitting this one.
4. And sticking with the theme of food, I also ate a spoonful of fish food once, as a dare.
5. I've lived in four different countries throughout my lifetime so far. England, Qatar, Finland and now the UAE.
6. I can say sausage and chips in Finnish. Well, sausage and potatoes.
7. I'm known amongst many of Scott's work colleagues and friends back home for introducing them to the Springbok shot. A.K.A. the best shot you'll ever taste!
8. I can rap the entire Bad Touch song by Bloodhound Gang. (And often do so after too many glasses of wine.)
9. One of my childhood dogs was called Chien which literally translates to 'dog.' So creative - haha!
10. I also had a black and white cat called Garfield because I was obsessed with the cartoon.
11. I don't own a single item of red clothing and never wear anything red, (except lipstick) because it really doesn't suit me.
12. I've never been stung by a bee or a wasp.
13. Some of the jobs I wanted to do growing up were work in fashion, be a nurse (my mum finds this hilarious as I'm so squeamish) be a forensic scientist - which I very nearly applied for before going down the route of being a teacher.
14. I have a driver's license but I've never driven a car solo. I also drove down the wrong side of the road on one of my driving tests but you can read about that, and more embarrassing tales here.
15. I'm one of four siblings. I'm the eldest. I have two sisters, one is still in school and the other is a few years younger than me. I also have a brother who has just turned 21.
16. I'm one of those people that's always cold when everyone else is sweating!
17. I love reading and loved reading especially when I was a child. I would always ask for books for birthdays and had several encyclopedias that I would read for fun.
18. I've quit drinking coffee and haven't drank it in a long time because it gives me really bad headaches.
19. I'm a really nervous traveler. I hate flying the most but I also get anxious over long car journeys and public transport solo is a no-no.
20. I'm a total believer in fate and karma. I definitely think that everything happens for a reason, even if we don't know what that is yet and that you just have to trust that things will work out as they need to be in the end.
Let me know if you enjoyed this 20 Facts post and I encourage you to share your 20 facts, whether it be in the comments or in your own blog post.
Hope you're all having a great Wednesday!
Swatching eleven lipsticks on my face, one after another is what real commitment is all about. Yes, to some, my MAC lipstick collection is still in its infancy but there's some solid faves in the bunch and as my last MAC lipstick post was yonks ago, I thought I'd share with you my updated collection .
So shall we just jump right in?
I've only just started to dip my toes in the Charlotte Tilbury pond and if truth be told, I have mixed feelings about the much-loved brand.
Recoil in horror if you will but I was sorely disappointed with her face creams (you can read my review here) and I'm very much underwhelmed with her Wonder Glow primer. It's okay, nothing spectacular, although I do have much love for her Matte Revolution lipstick (review) and I've heard positive things about her Magic Foundation.
So what about her eye products?
I was going to post about eye shadow today, or something infinitely more exciting than what I'm about to subject you to but I have a monu-moutain of crap to get off my chest so I thought I'd treat you to a ranty post instead.
I'm anything if not good to you guys.
Firstly, people and hammers should rot in the uttermost depths of fire-burning hell.
It's been nearly two weeks of near constant banging, drilling and general construction fuckery - which has driven me to midday alcoholic beverages more times than I care to admit. I imagine they're building a goddamn ark with the amount of nails being bashed around as, quite frankly, there is nothing else on this planet that could require this sheer amount of workmanship.
Even Daisy is sick of their shit.
I'm a little a lot in love with this conditioning, body moisturiser from LUSH. Rose Jam/Pearl massage bar fans take note. This has the same, sweet floral scent that I could happily slather myself in daily. It's rammed full of skin-friendly ingredients and nourishing oils.
But a wash off body conditioner?
Friday the 13th everyone. Whether you're superstitious or not, I always feel like my brain makes a metal note every time this date rolls around, like it's just thinking, 'Yep, it's that day again!'
Scott's sister and her friend flew into Abu Dhabi last night as the first leg of their travels. We're heading out to the Bubbalicious brunch today at the Westin. It's one of my faves and a great one to take guests along to. Long story short, I'm currently nursing a cocktail and praying to the powers above that I don't somehow end up on karaoke this time.
Yes, for those that follow me on Snapchat - I do apologise for last weekend's shennanigans.
Anyway, I digress.
This post is about beauty and basically one where I confess five things that make me a bad beauty blogger. Hold onto your knickers because there's some corkers.
If you managed to catch my April Favourites post, then you'll have seen that I have fallen ever so slightly in love with the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Stick Foundation - and by ever so slightly, I mean I would sell my husband before giving it up.
Any takers?
The MUFE stick foundation has a fuller coverage, glides on beautifully and blended into the skin with a kabuki brush spritzed in my Smashbox Photofinish Primer Water gives me a face that only Chezza Cole/Versini/One Direction could dream of. Okay, I exaggerate but the slight funky scent to one side, the MUFE stick foundation is a really great product.
But what if you're not wanting to splash out £30 on foundation - don't worry, I've got you covered!
The other week, Scott and I were invited to the BU! Trinity official opening night party to check out the latest addition to the World Trade Centre Mall's Hub dining sector. Never one to turn down a party, (you know me) we put on our fancy pants and headed into the city to see what all the buzz was about.
I've failed miserably at blogging this week.
Thankfully, I had posts scheduled as it has been a total write off in terms of operating on any level of productiveness. This week has consisted mostly of me sitting, staring at my screen and taking photos of my puppy. Not that I'm not okay with having the occasional brain fart day, but this has gone on for too long and I'm now starting to have real concerns that I've either:
A) Received a brain injury from the unfathomable amount of alcohol I consumed last weekend.
or
B) I used up every last drop of my creative juices.
I'm not entirely sure which outcome I favour.
Loosely related image which has no real relevance to what I'm talking about
"Doesn't she own any other bag?"
Is probably what came out of your mouth when you saw the photos for this post. I'm always swinging this leopard print bag around somewhere because:
A) It's leopard print - duh!
and
B) I just bloody love it.
Onto the specifics:
The end of April marks the end of a peaceful Abu Dhabi for us as over the next few months, Scott and I will be opening our doors to a steady stream of family and friends.
I'm both excited and apprehensive - I don't need sleep, right?
Scott's sister and her friend join us mid May for a few days before they jet off to Australia for work and shortly after, my dad and brother arrive for 10 days. If anyone wants to send me a large bottle of gin to sample, now would be the time!
So, let's have a look at what happened in April.
I managed to sneak in a yummy dinner at Hakkasan with Lindsey from Arabian Notes. If you don't follow her already, you must. As well as being bloody lovely, she knows just about everything you need to know about living in the sandpit.
Scott and I also had friends over from Dubai to visit. We'd planned to try out the beachy brunch on Nurai Island but the weather had other ideas and so we ended up at an indoor brunch instead. Scott only managed to fall asleep twice before the evening was done which isn't bad, going by his standards.
You can take the man out of Scotland...
I managed to rope my hubby into taking outfit shots for the first time this month - of which you can see the results here. Considering he's such a camera noob, I think he did a great job. We also met up with my cousin this month as he was flown over to Abu Dhabi on a last minute business trip. My favourite place to take our guests is the Rosewood Hotel as they serve the best shisha in town - so we headed to Dai Pai Dong for chinese food before making our way onto the Smoke terrace.
Anway, enough waffling from me. I shall leave you with a snapshot roundup of the month. Let me know what you got up to in April or if you have any exciting plans for May.
Without further ado...
