Anchors & Swallows

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What’s Happening with A&S?

Well this is certainly a long time, no see!

I must apologise for my unannounced hiatus from Anchors & Swallows. I would love to give you some good excuses for why I’ve not continued to write on this blog, but for a while, I didn’t know why myself.

When I started Anchors & Swallows, I wanted a place to write and share my limited knowledge on vintage style. I wanted to use it as a place to grow and encourage myself to learn. I wanted to dress vintage more often in my spare time and express myself creatively.
These past three years, I feel I have achieved this and had some great experiences along the way. I’ve made some fabulous online friends, through Instagram and reading other like-minded blogs. I’ve found small independent brands that I fell in love with.

The beginning of Anchors & Swallows, 2017

So, what’s changed?

Why am I so reluctant to continue writing?
I’ve asked myself that question an awful lot. For a long time I had no idea why I lost the motivation to continue Anchors & Swallows.
I think it began as a loss of momentum in writing weekly, which I can pin-point to when I first became unwell in late 2018. It became an effort to do my hair and make up and to actually find the time do dress up. The whole process of writing a blog is actually more time consuming than you may think; it would take me at least 1-2 days for me to complete and publish a post in its entirety.
When I was ill, I was exhausted all the time. My job is pretty tiring, mentally, physically and emotionally as it is, so I had very little energy to give on my days off.

Unfortunately, that lack of energy hasn’t changed much, but it has made me shift my focus. I had put a lot of pressure on myself to post weekly on the blog; it became more of a chore than a pleasure to do. Having only just purchased the Anchors & Swallows domain when I became ill, I had so many plans and ideas. I was disappointed that I wasn’t posting regularly enough to grow my blog as I wanted to. After my hospital stay, I wrote about the importance for taking time to rest and essentially, that is what I did.

Since my last hospital stay (Easter 2019), I’ve been much better – although still no diagnosis really! They put it down to IBS, although my symptoms aren’t really related to that condition. I am so unbelievably grateful that I’m pretty much back to normal now, although the thought of it happening again terrifies me. I focus on the here and now and try not to worry too much. As I can’t control that aspect of my health, I try to control the things I can: my diet, drinking enough water, getting plenty of rest.

So, what happens now with Anchors & Swallows?

Right now, I don’t think I will be returning to writing any time soon. Especially with the current uncertain climate, just focussing on my mental health, friends and family is enough.
I don’t want to say never, but just not right now. I don’t really dress vintage any more – there’s not a lot to dress up for these days! But I feel I have built up my skills in hair and make up, plus the wardrobe is still there if I ever wanted to go back to it.

I will be moving this website back to the wordpress domain (www.anchorsandswallows.wordpress.com) at the end of the year, as I wouldn’t want to lose all the work I have done over the last nearly 3 years. I’m not quite sure what I’ll be doing with my Instagram yet, whether I’ll continue to use Anchors & Swallows or make a new personal one – you’ll have to follow me to find out!

I just want to say thank you to all of the readers who have followed me, I have really enjoyed having this space to share my ideas, thoughts and feelings with you.
All I will say, is goodbye for now xx

The Pin Up Parcel: Review

Well, if there were ever a time that I could sit down and write on Anchors & Swallows, this would be it!
I hope you are all keeping well during these uncertain times. I have been isolating after a cold and now been distancing for a total of 2 weeks. Luckily, I have my blog to use as a creative outlet – so here we are.
I have been receiving a subscription from Le Keux Cosmetics – the Pin Up Parcel! It has been keeping my active interest in vintage going this year. I have three parcels in total so far, so lets get into what they are all about.

Le Keux Cosmetics

From what I gather, there is a Le Keux Vintage salon and it’s sister company, Le Keux cosmetics. I have seen a few of their products floating around the internet; they have a very vintage and glamorous look to them.
Le Keux offers the Pin Up Parcel – a monthly subscription in which you can receive accessories, cosmetic products and discounts for various vintage outlets.

The January Pin Up Parcel	The February Pin Up Parcel	The March Pin Up Parcel
Le Keux Cosmetics ‘Every Cream‘	Le Keux Cosmetics Brown Brow and Eyeliner Paint	Le Keux Cosmetics Lip Paint in ‘Whistle Bait’
A red beret	A red and white polkadot hair band	A glittery brush
A voucher – 15% off on Rock n Romance	A voucher – 20% off Monrose Boutique	A voucher – 2 for 1 Pin Up Photoshoots

Lets start with the accessories. You may know by now that I do love a beret – this time is no exception! This is my favourite item out of all the pin up parcels. It is a great addition to any outfit, particularly in this red colour. The hair band (below) on the other hand is something I’m not likely to wear. Apart from it not fitting the vintage styles I personally like to wear, it feels a little on the cheap side. But, I can imagine it would wear comfortably and be enjoyed by a polkadot loving pin up!

The brush from the third parcel (not photographed) reminds me of a wet brush, but with a gold glittery backing. To be honest, I’m not sure what it is intended for, but it is a nice addition for the handbag!

The Cosmetics

I have been looking to try a ‘pomade’ style brow product for a little while, so I was pleasantly surprised to receive the Secret Weapon brow and eyeliner paint. It is apparently designed for a variety of hair colours and luckily for me, it seems to blend in well with my brow hairs. It is pigmented but still easy to use and blend – for a first timer! I really enjoyed this product and will definitely be using it in the future.

The lip paint on the other hand isn’t something I often reach for. The colour is a proper pin up red, but the consistency reminds be more of a ‘balm’. I would prefer a more creamy texture that isn’t so slippy. It was quite easy to apply (with a lip brush), but I found it to be quite sheer. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but just not my thing! If I wanted a subtle colour, I would certainly reach for this, but for my pin up looks, I will stick with my usual liquid lipsticks for the time being. I may experiment with the lip paint more in the future.
Both the brow paint and lip paint come in the same crystal packaging: I love the presentation, it really looks like vintage glamour and would dress up any vanity.

The ‘Every Cream’

When I first saw the ‘Every Cream’, it instantly reminded me of the ‘cold cream’ that The Marvellous Mrs Maisel uses! Again, the packaging is beautiful.
Le Keux cosmetics describes it as ‘ Based on a vintage formula. This deliciously scented cream can be used as a moisturiser, cleanser and make up remover.’ They also say it is paraben free and cruelty free (hooray!).

I used it to remove my make up on this particular day, the same way I use my Tropic cleanser to remove make up. It did remove all the make up well, but not quite as well as my trusty Tropic! I am yet to use it as a moisturiser, but I can say it left my skin feeling clean and not dry at all.
Despite it being paraben free, it has a definite scent of perfume, so perhaps not one for those with sensitive skin.

Lastly, I must say I was pleased with the vouchers I have received! They are all brands that I have used or heard of in the past. I plan to redeem them and hopefully review what I purchase in future posts.

I have really enjoyed receiving the Pin Up Parcels every month so far and I am due to receive another in April. For £10 a month plus shipping, I feel this subscription is worth it for the products inside. Despite not enjoying the lip paint or hair band, I can see them working for someone else – plus I’m sure I will be playing with the lip paint more!

Have you tried Le Keux Cosmetics? Be sure to tell me your thoughts in the comments below!

Current Favourites

Having a break from Anchors & Swallows, has given me a new desire to dress vintage. I get the same satisfaction to transform my face as I do to dress up! I am looking forward to creating and getting back into the swing of things.
Make up has been an escape for me, for a long time. I’ve talked about it being a part of my self care routine in the past and that certainly has not changed.
Towards the end of last year, I fell in love with a few items that I still can’t do my make up without. So, I thought I would share with you some of my current favourites!

Nyx Born To Glow Foundation

I seem to have been on an everlasting journey to find the perfect foundation. For years it was a battle to find a shade light enough for my paper pale skin tone. Thankfully, this is no longer a problem as more brands these days cater for both lighter and deeper skin tones. Now, I’m searching for the perfect finish and coverage!
I used to love a full coverage, matte base – the Too Faced Born This Way was the answer to those prayers. Towards the end of 2019, I found that foundation to dry out my skin by the end of the day, depsite moisturising – not sure why my skin changed so much! Although I occasionally still reach for Born This Way, I have a new favourite.
The Nyx Born To Glow Foundation is a medium buildable base with a natural radiant finish – perfect for my dry-prone skin! It wears really well and I found a spot on colour match for my skin tone, with lighter tones available too! Of course, it is cruelty free and a great price point at £10.

Jeffree Star Redrum Lipstick

I had heard very good things about Jeffree Star’s velour liquid lipsticks, but I could never decide on a shade to try, being a mainly online brand. Morphe is now over in the UK, also carrying his brand. But I still couldn’t justify another lip product…
My lovely husband treated me to the Morphe X Jeffree Star mini lip set for my birthday, lucky me! Now I have a new favourite red that I keep reaching for. Redrum is my perfect blue-toned red shade. Having tried many liquid lipsticks in the past, I can tell you this one is comfortable, wears well and isn’t drying. Three of my most important tick boxes ticked!

Essence Lash Princess Mascara

Now, this wasn’t necessarily a miracle find. It isn’t even the best mascara I’ve ever tried. But recently I have been remincing on the good old days when I would nip into Superdrug and purchase a decent mascara for under £5…
Having a cruelty free make up routine can be tough to find something you love for a great drugstore price. I nipped into Wilko one day and found the Essence stand. I remembered Tati Westbrook raving about one of their mascaras on her Youtube channel, but I couldn’t remember which one! For £3, I decided to try the one that stood out to me the most. The Princess Lash ‘False Lash Effect’ certainly defines and volumises the lashes and stays well throughout the day. To be honest, it is the mascara I reach for the most these days! So if you’re after a cheap, cruelty free mascara – this one will do!

I can’t help but look out for new products to try out, if you have any recommendations, comment below!

Looking Back on 2019

I always do a lot of reflection this time of year, and I can only assume other people do too! I’m sure many of you who know me may understand, my 2019 did not go as I had planned. My illness landed me in hospital twice and I will never really know why. However, I remember my new years resolution for this year was to get my health investigated properly – after all the tests I’ve had, I think I have completed that resolution!

While it seems my entire year has been consumed by pain and various other symptoms, I’ve decided I need to sit down and reflect on everything else that occurred in my 2019.

One Year of Marriage

I have officially been married for one year and seven months! Ross has continued to support me in all I do, as well as being fantastic at nursing and caring for me! I am also very proud of all he has achieved as Head Chef. We are hopeful to spend more time together next year (a chefs wife’s life is rather lonesome!). I am looking forward to our adventures in 2020.
Also, without Ross, I wouldn’t have the great photos that I can share on Anchors & Swallows. With his help, I feel I have elevated the content on my website to what I could have hoped it to be.

Spending time with friends

I have created some fantastic memories with my friends this year. Be it my childhood friends of the last 10+ years, but work friends, or everyone else I have the pleasure of knowing.
I am also lucky to work with a great group of people: it was eight years in September since I started my veterinary nursing career. I saw my fellow vet nurse and friend Emily get married (plus she had a fab work hen do!).
This weekend, we celebrated as a practice at our Christmas party, as fun and memorable (or not so in some cases!) as ever!

I am also so lucky that I was able to do such fantastic photoshoots with my fellow vintage-loving friend, Jess. Meeting Cherry Dollface was a big highlight of my year, then our pin up shoot in Manchester was so much fun!

Losing Holly

We said goodbye to our dear little cat, Holly. She was the ‘family’ cat, who I spent my teenage years with. A stray who appeared in my mum’s friends garden, she spent the first 18 months of her time with us in my bedroom; she was so timid! Over the years, she came out of her shell and would greet everyone who came to visit. When she was diagnosed with Lymphoma, we didn’t think she would be with us two christmasses ago. But, despite the odds and with a lot of steroids, she kept fighting until June this year. It is still a little raw for me, I see her picture on the staff board at work which catches me off guard sometimes. I miss her dearly, but I am glad she didn’t suffer for long and she is now at peace.

My little kittens

I have not written about them on Anchors & Swallows yet, but my biggest achievement by far this year, has to be my hand reared kittens.
Three tiny kittens appeared at work; two black and one white. Everyone knows my white cat Buddy is a very special boy… we had been waiting for a white kitten to appear! So, they came home with me the same day. They were only one week old.

I had never raised kittens by myself from such a young age, but I was up for the challenge. I tried my hardest to not get attached, in case anything happened. This is quite difficult when you are feeding them every 2 hours day and night!

White Bean was also to be known as Alistair (after Alistair Cook, the cricketer), Bob Bean was intended for my friend Jess and Runty Bean was going to my Mum and Dad. As you can see, Alistair was not so much of a White Bean after all!
As those close to me will know, Alistair passed away very suddenly. It is still too difficult to really talk about. He was 6 weeks old and, apart from a crackly chest that he had from the day I got him, he showed little sign of illness. He passed in a matter of hours from showing distress. I will always think what could have been, I will never forget him.

Jess very kindly offered Bob Bean to me, who is growing bigger and more mischievous every day! He is a very loving little boy. Runty Bean is now called Dylan, living with my parents. He still likes to cuddle up on a shoulder, like he used to as a baby! I am so glad he is close by for me to visit, I’d like to think he still remembers his Mother!

New Year aims for 2020

My resolutions for 2020: to live my life to the fullest and to learn to look after my body better. I am getting into a new rhythm of things and only now feeling more settled. I’m sure I will still have bad days, but I need to embrace the good days and enjoy life like I used to.

Lastly, I apologise for my lack of posting recently. I am in the middle of a short break from writing and social media; I have been tired and putting too much pressure on myself to keep up. Hopefully I will get back into the swing of things in the New Year. I will be posting more frequently on my Facebook page and occasionally on Instagram, so make sure you are following me there!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year!

My Cruelty Free Make Up Routine

It has been well over a year since I shared with you my make up routine – a lot of things have changed! Using cruelty free has become the most important choice of the products I use in any part of my life now. This is due to my career as a veterinary nurse and also for the fact that in this day and age it just isn’t necessary to test cosmetics of all things, on animals. So, after a year of research and trying new and different products, I can share with you the products in my day to day make up routine.

I understand that everyone accepts different ‘degree’s of cruelty free, depending on parent companies and so on. But these are the products I am comfortable in using and enjoying currently. If you are unsure about any brand or product, check out Cruelty Free Kitty – it is very helpful!

Make up is a creative escape for me. As I don’t wear make up for work, it makes the one day a week of wearing it even more special.

Let me know any cruelty free make up recommendations in the comments below!

Disclaimer: this post and video is not sponsored and all products mentioned are purchased by myself. I can promise you all the opinions provided are honest and my own.

Changing My Outlook [Life Update]

I am sitting here, writing this on a Sunday afternoon, feeling accomplished. I have been shopping, baked some cakes and prepared a roast dinner. It’s not every day I feel so satisfied; I often feel like I haven’t done enough with my free time. But I am reflecting and appreciating how I feel in this moment.

It has been a tough year, as many of you know. My health deteriorated and no one knew why, but now I have accepted that no one will ever really know. My doctor is still very helpful and wanting me to remain under his care for the time being. He has said it is unlikely he will ever be able to label what I have been dealing with. This also means that I may still experience those awful pains and the horrible episodes from time to time. But so far, the medication he has prescribed me has helped.

So, what now? I have been so stressed and depressed for most of the year and I’m not really any further forward. In a way, I feel like I have wasted most of my 2019 waiting for a diagnosis. I have hardly being able to think of anything else.

As time went on and all my tests came back normal, I knew deep down I would never know what causes my body to betray me like it does. But the attitude of my doctor has helped me accept this. Now, I can focus on the rest of my life and make the most of the time I feel well!

I am feeling a lot more positive recently and almost at peace with the past year. Now I want to focus on my future with my husband, my friends and family and enjoying life as much as I can. I know I won’t always feel this way, mental health can change so quickly. But with the right self care and looking after my body as much as possible, I think I will be okay.

A Visit to Pocket Watch & Petticoats

In my beginnings of exploring vintage style, it took a lot of time and effort to grow my collection of clothes. If I wanted to expand my then small wardrobe, I would need to hop on a train to London, or browse extensively online. Being a country girl from Suffolk, the local vintage community was tiny back then! But luckily, Pocket Watch & Petticoats opened their doors in Ipswich four years ago, bringing awareness to the community. Of course, it is now my go-to repro shop!

The Go-To Vintage Repro Shop!

What started in a small upstairs shop in Ipswich back in 2015, Pocket Watch & Petticoats has now grown to a three store enterprise in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and now Cambridge. I remember when I first walked into this little shop; I couldn’t believe the amount beautiful clothes and all the colour! Each shop is vibrant and so much fun to browse in. It is very difficult to visit and leave empty handed.
But more so than the beautiful clothes, the rock n roll music playing and the vibe of the place; the people really do make the shops what they are. Sophia & Adrian are a fantastic couple who can make anyone feel their best. They will go above and beyond for their customers! In fact, all their staff are incredibly helpful and so friendly.

The Prairie Look

My trip to the Bury St Edmunds store with my sister last week was intended to browse some of the new autumn/winter styles. We spent a lot of time chatting and catching up with the gorgeous Miss Jutty-B-Goode, who then helped us choose some new items to try on. When dressing up at any of the boutiques, they will always use interesting colour combos. I always stick to the same old colours in my day to day style, I wouldn’t have considered using a green petticoat and matching belt with this outfit. I love it! Miss JBG found the perfect shoes and finished off the outfit with a beautiful hair flower.

With my birthday fast approaching, I could add a few items to my wish list, but I wanted to make a purchase that day. After some discussion, Miss JBG helped me narrow down my choices to this gorgeous prairie style blouse. It is very different from any style I had seen before; western style were very prominent in modern fashion this year. I love the colour of this blouse, as well as the lace detailing and the cute tie collar. I think every knows by now that I love a cute collar!

My little sister is very much a band t-shirt and jeans kind of girl, but she loves the vintage style too. She was very interested in trying some high-waisted jeans, but also chose some dungarees to try. Miss JBG was so helpful in sizing and her advice in how to style them. We both had a fun afternoon of dressing up and feeling good.

For your information, they recently introduced a new loyalty card scheme. With every purchase over £25, you collect a stamp, saving to get a free dress!

I have wanted to write about Pocket Watch & Petticoats for a long time now – it is unlike any shop I’ve ever been in: the atmosphere, the bright colours, gorgeous clothes and the very lovely people. I can’t recommend them enough, for any occasion.

My Current Skincare Routine [feat. Tropic Skincare]

Ever since I was a spotty teenager, I have been looking for the perfect skincare routine. I remember my mum buying me my first skin care set from The Body Shop and her teaching me how to apply each product. My road to good skin has been a long one and after all these years I finally feel like I’ve got it right. So, I thought I would share it with you!

Tropic Skincare is my first choice of products and is the main feature of this article. This is because since using their products, I’ve noticed such a difference in my skin. They are the only brand I have ever repeatedly bought skincare from (apart from The Body Shop).
Tropic products focus on natural ingredients, as well as their impact on the environment. This is becoming more and more important in my decision-making in various products. They are also, very importantly cruelty free and most of their products are vegan!

I will point out that the image below shows the ‘Discovery set’, made up of travel friendly sizes. My products all ran out at the same time this was a cheaper option while and I am saving up for the duluxe skincare set!

Tropic Skincare

The game changer for me was the ‘Smoothing Cleanser’. Compared to other ‘foaming’ cleansers on the market, this cream cleanser doesn’t leave your skin feeling dry and stripped. This is perfect for my already dry skin! But the near miraculous part? I have rarely had a bad spot break out since my start of using this over a year ago!
It also is the best make up remover I have ever tried. Compared to miscellar waters and make up wipes, I can rub this cleanser into my eyelashes without burning my eye or the surrounding area. It’s removed every mascara I’ve ever used completely with no panda eyes the next day.

The moisturiser named ‘Skin Feast’ really is a feast for the skin. There are so many plant extracts and goodness in this moisturiser that promote brighter, more hydrated skin. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and with a lovely glow.

The New Additions

The last two products featured in the image above are actually new to me, but I have enjoyed using them this last couple of weeks. The toner comes as a spray, meaning for fast application when you are rushing to get out the door. It is a ‘pore minimising mist, offering a brighter and smoother complexion. I also have the misfortune of having large pores but am still waiting to see what effect it has with regular use. But I will say my skin is looking brighter!

Lastly, the ‘Super Greens Nutrients Boost Oil’. I have recently started adding in a serum to my routine (I will mention this later on), but as I have started to run out, I thought this oil might be beneficial to my routine. I like the extra hydration I gain from the oil, plus the compliments on my skin after using it! As well as claiming the benefits of protecting against everyday pollution, the oil is ‘effective at reducing redness as well as calming irritated, sensitive and blemished skin, this luxurious oil promotes a bright, healthy, younger-looking complexion that’s full of vitality.’

My favourite product from Tropic (so far), has to be the ‘Face Smooth’ exfoliator. I was a bit fed up of the other exofliators I had used – from their inconvenient packaging to the quality of the products. I love that this is in a ‘squeezy’ tube, so moisture is less likely to get in and reduce the efficiency of the exfoliant (as I had experienced before). As well as how well it removes dry skin, it leaves my skin feeling smooth and still nourished from the oils within the product! I can’t recommend this product enough.

My Back Up Products

For those days where I have hormonal skin, or the rare break out, I have an extra cleansing step. I used to use the Body Shop tea tree skincare range, occasionally I will use the tea tree cleanser; you may remember me reviewing it last year. It does help shrink any blemishes within a couple of days, but I rarely need to use it thanks to my Tropic cleanser.

A few months ago, I received the Mudmasky After Mask serum in my Glossybox subscription. It is meant to re-nourish the skin after any face mask and feeds the skin with various vitamins. I generally added it in to my skin care routine for an extra boost of hydration (before adding the Tropic products. I have recently finished the tube and am tempted to repurchase as I enjoyed it so much. It was lightweight and fast absorbing, leaving my skin soft and glowy.

I do also use the occasional face mask, about one mask every 1-2 weeks. I particularly like a sheet mask and have recently been enjoying the new Body Shop range! The vitamin E mask is great for added hydration, but they have other masks that promote brighter skin, anti-blemish skin etc. The Body Shop are cruelty free and actively help the local communities where their ingredients come from.

I hope I have provided you with enough information about these products. I can’t rave enough about Tropic, their ingredients and what they stand for. My Tropic collection is slowly growing! If you are interested, I highly recommend you follow and join my friend Leanne’s Facebook page – she is an ambassador who really knows her stuff!

What are your go-to skin care products?

Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored and all products mentioned are purchased by myself. I can promise you all the opinions provided are honest and my own.

The New Body Shop Matte Lip Butter!

It’s no secret that I am a fan of The Body Shop; their wide range of products good quality and cruelty free. I fell in love with the liquid lip paints about a year ago and continue to wear them regularly. So when I heard they had released a the new Matte Lip Butter, I knew I had to try it!

The Matte Lip Butter

I was doing my research on the claims of the new matte lip butter, but I can’t seem to find what makes it so different to the original liquid lip paints. From first glance, I can only assume it is a different texture or finish.

The Body Shop claims it has an ‘easy glide on’ formula, is lightweight and long-lasting with a velvet matte finish. They currently have 7 different shades, but these appear to be a range of deep browns and nudes. Perhaps this some sort of extension to the shades of the lip paints…
But there was one red shade available which I chose. A girl can never have too many red lipsticks!

Manhattan Marigold

My skin tone suits blue-reds and true reds – this Manhattan Marigold shade was perfect for me. It is an easy glide on formula; the colour pay off is very good in just one swipe. The application was easy, but the wear is very different from the Body Shop lip paints that I wear on a regular basis. It does keep a slight sheen to the finish, which I think is what was intended by calling it a ‘velvet matte’. I also noticed it doesn’t dry down completely, like a usual ‘matte’ would (as you can see in the above photo).

The Wear Test

I tried this product out over a couple of occasions. My first try was without a lip pencil. I found that it was comfortable to wear all day, with no dryness. After eating and drinking, I noticed it did wear off over a couple of hours, but it was easy to re-apply and keep it looking good. Although you may not be able to notice it in the photo below, but I noticed the Lip Butter starting to bleed and feather around the mouth. This was quite frustrating, so I decided to try wearing it another day, but with the assistance of a lip pencil.

First application (no lip pencil)
After eating (no lip pencil)

I wore the matte lip butter with a Rimmel London lip pencil (not cruelty free, but finding a replacement!). This particular day was going to be a challenge for the lip butter, as I was heading out to lunch at Wagamama’s – noodles can make for messy eating! So, I wasn’t too surprised when I saw that most of my bottom lip had lost its coverage. But as before, it was easy to reapply. The feathering/bleeding issue I had before was much improved with the use of the pencil. In fact, there was one corner of the mouth that had bled a little, but I had actually had difficulty lining that part of my mouth. This definitely proved the benefit of using the pencil with the lip butter!

Lip Butter first application (with lip pencil)
Lip butter after eating noodles!
Lip butter re-application

Final Thoughts

While it was not clear what this product would offer, I have to say that I did enjoy wearing it and I have noticed some differences between the Body Shop Lip Butter and Lip Paint. The Lip Paints dry down completely matte and are long lasting, the Lip Butter reminds me of a ‘normal’ bullet lipstick. It is very comfortable to wear, without feeling dry at all during the day. The Lip Butter is easy to apply, without having to layer the product to get full colour opacity. It has a slight sheen, despite its claims of being a matte formula. I have also found that blotting the lips after application helps to mattify further. It also helps to keep it in place for longer!
I have really enjoyed wearing the matte lip butter and will continue to wear it – on the days where it doesn’t matter how much I have to reapply!

I bought this product myself, through my lovely friend Shannon’s Body Shop Facebook group – make sure to check out her page, she often has raffles and offers on!

What did you think of the lip butter? What Body Shop products are you excited to try?

High Street Vintage Style

With September fast approaching, it feels like summer is drawing to a close. So what better time than to share with you some summer high street vintage style! I was obviously supposed to write this a few months ago, but as always, life got in the way…

I have seen so much high street fashion with vintage twists this year! From gypsy tops to floaty, a-line skirts, there has been a lot of inspiration for me. I wanted to share with you what I have purchased and what I have spotted – hopefully you will be able to find some goodies in the high street sales!

The Peasant Blouse

A mix of modern and vintage garments — Top – New Look
Skirt – Joanie Clothing
Shoes – Primark

I have seen so many gypsy tops and peasant blouses this year – you may have spotted another high street purchase of mine a few months ago in my Lookbook!

Here is a button front peplum blouse, which I paired with my Joanie Clothing Wisteria skirt from last year. This top could easily go with a pair of capris and pencil skirts too. This can currently be found in the New Look sale. You will notice that all the pieces that I bought can be found in New Look!

The Sun Dress

This sun dress was the first purchase I made back in spring. The print itself is very vintage inspired – palm trees, blossoms and I spotted some little elephants too! It was the shape and cut that caught my eye the most. The dress is a-line, with a light weight material – perfect for summer. The bodice has a lace up, corset style which I thought was an interesting design. This dress comes in many other prints also, so it is worth having a look. This has probably been my most worn garment this summer. I am certainly going to be wearing it to enjoy the rest of this August heat wave!

New Look Palm Tree Sun Dress — Dress – New Look
Shoes – Primark
Hair Scarf – Doll Me Up

Vintage Inspiration

Below I have added some further vintage style high street fashion. As much as I would love to own them, I can’t afford it all! It can either be a vintage style print (such as the polkadot cami dress), the length or the cut of an item that can make it look vintage. But as with most things, accessories, hair and make up can really pull any outfit together!

A-line skirt – Topshop
High waisted trousers – H&M
Shirt dress – Topshop
Shirt Dress – New Look
Polkadot ‘wiggle’ style dress – Missguided

As it is late in the summer, I am hoping to do a more autumn/winter high street style post soon! What vintage trends have you spotted so far this year?