A Message To My Mum...

I count myself very lucky that I've always had a close relationship with my Mum. Not everyone is given that opportunity in life and I've made a mental note to show her more just how much I care.

She's given me a lot of support and advice over the years and always encouraged me to follow my dreams. My Mum was never very strict with me, I think this is one of the reasons I never rebelled and we never had many heated Mother/daughter arguments when I was a teenager. She always had trust in me and because of this I didn't feel like I had to keep any secrets from her - and even if I did get something wrong, the 'I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed' line always had much more of an impact on me!

She's taught me to be kind, and see the good in people. She encouraged my love of performing arts and musical theatre, something that's had such a positive impact on my life. She also shows me everyday, that even when she's in pain, and having really bad days as she suffers from M.E., that there's so much to smile about and be grateful for. She brings so much happiness to my life, and that's reflected in the way Archie lights up when he sees her. The love they share is indescribable and I feel so lucky that she's my Mum and his Nan.

She's been very supportive of me over the last 6 years of my blogging/You Tube journey. But I've never used this platform to say thank you. So as part of my efforts to show her just how much I love her, I've decided to offer some of my own advice, something she can read back whenever she maybe feels a bit low, unwell or not her usual bubbly self.

Dear Mum...

1. Worry less - That's quite a statement coming from me, queen of the worriers. But we both worry about a lot of unnecessary things. Focus on the good and positive things in your life because there are so many things that far outweigh the bad.

2. Keep that youthful glow - We were definitely blessed with the youthful gene, I'd say the women in our family look at least 10 years younger than they are (which wasn't so much fun when I was 22 and looked 12!) You always taught me the importance of a good skincare routine so now I'm giving the same advice back to you. NIVEA has been in our family for years. Our lovely Nan swore it's what kept her skin super soft, and as you know the generations have all used it since. Which is why I'm so excited about NIVEA’s new cleansing range (you know Rene would have loved it just as much as me!)   The range includes the Creme Care Facial Cleansing Wipes, which I personally love for travelling. The Cleansing Lotion which is so gentle, it can be used to remove eye makeup and is strong enough to remove waterproof mascara! And the Cleansing Cream Wash. Its rich formula removes impurities and leaves skin feeling clean and incredibly soft. The smell instantly takes me back to when I was young. I know your favourite thing is raiding my beauty draws so I can't wait to see what you think of this range!

3. Have more adventures! - I'm at the start of my parenting journey. Right now freedom seems a long way off! And even though we will never stop being your babies, Chris and I are grown up now, so this is your chance to be selfish! Go on some crazy adventures with Dad, try something new or learn a new skill (cooking maybe? Just kidding!) But in all seriousness, have fun and throw caution to the wind!

4. Ask for help - I know it can be hard sometimes to ask for help, but that's what daughters are for. You help me in so many ways and are always there for Archie and I and I hope you know that I'm always here for you too. Whether it's someone to go shopping with on the good days, or someone to wash your hair on the days you just can't do it yourself.  Basically just listen to our song 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' that explains it better than I ever could.

Love

Kate x

Thank you to NIVEA for Sponsoring this post

#NiveaCremeCareCleanse 

www.NIVEA.co.uk/CremeCareCleansing

Read more

Drops Of Youth Skincare Challenge - My Results

So after 28 days of using the Body Shop's Drops Of Youth Skincare range morning and night, I wanted to sit down and tell you what I thought of the range and share my results.

As you may already know, I've suffered with dull, dry skin for quite some time now, and starting this new skin care routine was definitely what I needed to get that glow back. I think changing up your routine every now and again is a good thing and even though this particular skincare routine isn't targeted towards breakouts or acne, which is my other main skin concern, it didn't do anything to aggravate my skin which was a real plus for me.

I really enjoy waking up with skin that feels so much more hydrated and doesn't have that tight feeling. I still don't wake up looking like a supermodel, (that would take a miracle!) But it helps to start my day off on a positive note as I find my makeup applies smoothly, and my foundation looks even.

I'm so glad I took on this challenge, as I'll now definitely be introducing most of these products into my morning and evening skincare routines, along with some of my other tried and tested favourites.

If you'd like to hear about my results in much more detail and see how I use each of the products, then check out my video below:



This post was kindly sponsored by The Body Shop

Read more

London Fashion Week - Top Packing Tips

London Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week

London Fashion Week is once again in full swing, and the city's most fashion-savvy celebs, stylists, bloggers and dedicated followers of fashion are out in full force. I've been lucky enough to attend some amazing shows in recent years, highlights of which included Moschino and Topshop Unique. Sitting in the same room as the likes of Kate Moss, Anna Wintour and Philip Green and seeing Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn walk the runway sparked some serious style inspiration!

The lovely people at HomeAway, recently asked me to put together a little list of tips for packing for London Fashion Week, and as I'm a bit of a fan of the flat lay, I thought I'd show you what I'd take with me to London, New York and Paris fashion week. (A girl can dream right?) I actually enjoyed doing these so much that I nearly booked an impromptu trip!

LFW Packing Tips

1. Wear comfortable shoes! There's nothing worse than running around London all day in 6-inch heels, but if you just can't give them up, take a pair of flats with you for emergencies and wear your heels a couple of times to break them in. (Don't forget to pack the blister plasters!)

2. Travel light. You don't want to be carrying half your office around with you, but blogging can often mean lugging your heavy DSLR around with you, plus your laptop and phone - the list is endless. Try taking a smaller compact camera with you like the Canon G7X, you'd be surprised at the amazing quality photos it can produce. Or, if you just can't imagine not taking your big camera, swap your bulky lens for a pancake lens instead, it'll take up half the room in your bag and you won't need major back surgery afterwards!

3. Layer up! Fashion week in Feb is always temperamental weather wise. Be prepared for all eventualities with lighter layers that you can remove if we have a sudden sunny spell (wishful thinking?) I always bring a big scarf with me which instantly adds interest to an outfit, and a hat is a great alternative to carrying an umbrella around with you - and so much more stylish!

Even if you're not heading to Fashion Week, I think all of these tips would apply when packing for a city break. If you're off somewhere soon, why not create your own little packing flat lay? It's a great way to see if everything you're taking works well together, and you can see if you've left anything out. If you create your own, please share it with us using the hashtag #LFW and tag @homeawayUK.

Kate x

This blog post was kindly sponsored by HomeAway 

Read more

DROPS OF YOUTH SKINCARE CHALLENGE - WEEK 3

Week 3 - So I'm now into my third week of The Drops of Youth Skincare Challenge and continuing to see good results. The thing I love most is waking up with fresh soft feeling skin, I think the Bouncy Sleep Mask is to thank for this. It really feels like you're nourishing and hydrating your skin all through the night, and my skin must have been quite dehydrated before as it feels and looks more illuminated and looks visibly plumper.

I would really recommend trying the Essence Lotion too as it helps to get rid of any remaining dirt or oils and really prepares your skin for the moisture boost it's about to get and means that the Concentrate Serum can absorb into the skin more effectively.

I think this range would be great for you if you would describe your skin as dry or dull, you have dark circles or bags under your eyes and you find that your makeup doesn't apply very well. I definitely would have ticked yes to all of those skin concerns before, but 21 days into using this routine, I'm really starting to see the benefits.

Let me know if you've recently started the range and what you think, or if you have any questions!

Love Kate x

Read more

Drops Of Youth Skincare Challenge - Week 2

Week 2 - So I'm into week 2 of the Drops Of Youth 28 Day Skincare Challenge. and I'm really starting to see the benefits of using the range. The start of the year always sees my skin looking dry, dull and lifeless, but sticking to my morning and evening routines (see week 1 for details) every day is helping to combat those pesky winter skin woes.

My skin looks and feels more radiant and fresh and my makeup applies so much better in the mornings. This week I've absolutely been loving the Eye Concentrate. Especially in the mornings when my eyes feel dry and puffy. The little metal roller ball feels very soothing, and instantly helps me to feel awake and refreshed. I'm still really enjoying the Youth Cream as well. It just absorbs into the skin so quickly! That's really one of my favourite things about the range. It's not too time consuming but really does work.

All in all, I've noticed that my skin has really responded well to the range so far. My pores don't look as big as they did previously and I'm very impressed with the radiant look of my skin, without feeling like it's becoming too oily.

Check back next week to see how I'm getting on in week 3! Have you tried any of the range yet? Let me know your thoughts!

Love Kate x

Sponsored by The Body Shop. As always, all views are my own.

Read more

Lush Lust List...

Do you have a scent that, as soon as you smell it it instantly transports you to a special time or a certain place? Maybe it's freshly cut grass or it could be a favourite perfume. For me it has to be Lush. Not one scent or product in particular, just that scent you get when you walk past the store, or treat yourself to a selection of goodies and stick your head in the bag! It reminds me of being 19 and starting my You Tube journey, I was obsessed with Lush and a Lush haul was my first video. I know it might sound silly and insignificant, but that really was a happy time in my life. I started my online store and began making videos and I just threw myself into it without knowing where it would take me and the amazing opportunities I've had since. So I guess link the scent with that time.

So sometimes when I need a little pick me up, I head to Lush and pick out a few things as a treat. Usually some old favourites mixed with a couple of new products or at least one thing I haven't tried before. Here's a little run down of what I got recently.


American Cream Conditioner: I just LOVE this stuff. I don't use it all the time, but I like to get a small bottle every now and again as a hair treat. It's super creamy and makes your hair feel incredibly soft and silky. Plus, if you're a fan of strawberries and vanilla scents like me then this is a winner!

Strawberry Feels Massage Bar: Did I mention I like strawberry scents? I'm not going to lie, strawberry is my favourite of all the smells in life!And this massage bar just smells like a dream. It works great as an all over body oil treatment. It starts to melt into your skin really quickly and feels very luxurious. The scent lasts for ages too.

Million Dollar Moisturiser: This is the one that I got for Christmas, but I wanted to include it because it really is fantastic. It's has quite a thick, creamy consistency, so not one for when you need to apply makeup straight away. But given time to absorb, it makes the perfect base, leaving you with glowing skin that just looks so much healthier. Plus it contains a sunscreen which is so important, even in the winter months

Tisty Tosty Bath Bomb: Such a beauty! This is definitely one for the floral fans, I love that each one contains 7 rose buds. It's scented with Rose oil, lemon and jasmine oil and it's perfect for a pre Valentine's date bath.

Roses All The Way Soap: I'm generally least attracted to the soaps in Lush. Just because I find bar soaps quite drying. But I just had to try something from the Valentine's Day collection and this looked perfect. It contains rose oil and syrup so I'm hoping it will be quite moisturising and convert me into a solid soap lover. I'll let you know my thoughts once I've tried it out!

What do you think? Are you going to be trying any of these out? Or do you have any recommendations for me? Tell me your all time favourites in the comments!

Love Kate x

Read more