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The Latest Additions To My Skincare Routine
So I thought I'd talk about some recent favourites. Skincare is very personal and I am absolutely not an expert, so these are simply what seem to be working for my face right now. I have combination skin that is really rather sensitive, and I only use brands that are cruelty free!
Soap & Glory Glow Your Mind Nourishing Cleansing Balm, £10 (PR product)
On an evening, I always do a double cleanse to get rid of any make-up as well as dirt/grime from the air, before properly cleaning the skin. For this, my first cleanse is always always a balm. I've used the Emma Hardie Moringa Balm before which is delightful but very spenny, and The Body Shop Camomile one is a go-to, but then I was introduced to this new release from Soap & Glory which is an absolute DELIGHT. My favourite thing about cleansing balms is that they are never drying on the skin; not only does this one contain marula oil, avocado oil, apricot oil and jojoba oil to help with this, but also contains Vitamin C to help with brightening the skin. It's unfragranced too so great for sensitive skin!
The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C and EGF Serum, £14.99
I first discovered The Inkey List a couple of months ago when I saw Demi talking about some of their products. And boy am I glad I did! I've wanted a good Vitamin C serum for a while and the one I tried from The Ordinary simply wasn't cutting it, but this one has made such a big difference to my skin. The formula is nice and lightweight and using it every morning has really brightened up my previously dull complexion. One of the best things about The Inkey List products is that they give full descriptions of their products and specified ingredients online, detailing exactly what they are for.
The Inkey List Vitamin B, C & E Moisturizer, £4.99
For only £4.99, this moisturizer is an actual STEAL. It contains Vitamin B3 (aka Niacinamide) to help control excess oil and redness, Vitamin C to aid with brightening and Vitamin E for soothing redness and calming the skin. I've taken to using this every night in preference to my previous (much pricier) choice and I also sometimes use it in a morning too, before my SPF, if my skin is feeling especially dry. It's literally a product that you can't go wrong with?
Nip & Fab Retinol Fix Over-Night Cream, £29.95
So Retinol is something that's become a bit of an Instagram hype over the past year or 2 and I absolutely fell for it, picked a product that wasn't right for my skin and it was a disaster. So I steered clear of anything containing the R word until I was recommended the Nip & Fab Renew range. I only use this once of twice a week, and with it being an over-night cream instead of a concentrated serum it's much easier to manage and much better suited to my skin. It is lightly fragranced, but it's been ok for my skin so far and it does seem rather delightful!
The Body Shop Drops Of Youth Liquid Peel, £18.50
Since I started using the Retinol cream regularly, I actually use this rarely because I don't want to overdo it. But I started using this weekly as a good pamper product in place of a face mask. The best thing about it is that you can physically see it working. If you've not tried a liquid peel from The Body Shop, you simply rub it into clean, dry skin and watch all the impurities and dead skin rub up with it. It leaves your skin feeling super soft and silky, but is certainly not to be over-used. (I may have also used this on my feet to help with dry patches and it works wonders!)
One thing that I am still missing from my skincare routine is a good SPF that doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky or looking white. So please leave any recommendations!
Loves. Emma.
Slow Fashion Season: In Summary
Somehow, 2020 is the first year in which I've committed to Slow Fashion Season in its entirety. Last year, I completed Second Hand September (to much success) but aside from that, I've simply been trying to improve my shopping habits bit by bit, all year-round. If you're not aware of Slow Fashion Season, you can read my earlier post all about it, but it's a 3 month period in which to commit to buying no new clothes; only second-hand clothes via vintage stores/charity shops/clothes swaps, etc. And I've found it very very easy! Maybe that's because, like I've mentioned, I've been changing up my shopping habits anyway; or maybe it's because we're still in the midst of a pandemic so I've not been out shopping or thinking about new clothes in the same way as previously. But either way, I've not found the season all that challenging and the only thing I have on my list to buy new now that it's over, is some good black leggings as mine are thinning! So if anyone has any sustainable/ethical recommendations, please leave me a comment.
What have I been buying throughout Slow Fashion Season then?
Not all that much, as it goes! In order to really improve my shopping habits, I decided to start a list on my phone of items that are missing from my wardrobe, that I know will get worn a lot and styled up in various ways, so I've been trying to stick to only buying those items. I've not stuck to it 100%, but it's definitely a good way to help with overconsumption!
My favourite pair of jeans in my wardrobe are a pair of Levi wedgie jeans; they fit like a dream and I wear them with everything, so when I landed my new job at the start of August I decided to treat myself to another pair, but in black. I was initially going to wait until the end of SFS to buy new, but then thought twice about it, searched Depop and instantly found a pair in my size for less than £30! I was physically jumping up and down I was so happy, and when they arrived I was very relieved to find they fit as well as the blue pair. If you know your size, Depop is always worth a check before looking for new!
One thing that has been at the top of my list for wanting to buy for a while now, is a bib collar blouse. I've seen that Sezane one all over instagram and the layering/styling options are literally endless, for the coming seasons especially! But given both the price and the fact I was committed to SFS, I took to scouring for a vintage option instead. And after weeks of searching, I finally spotted this dreamy little number from Reina Vintage via their Depop store and it is everything I wanted.
My final Depop find of Slow Fashion Season was a pair of brown check trousers. I've been after some like this for such a long time, but just couldn't find any in the style that I wanted on Depop/eBay/any vintage store I know of. Until this Pull & Bear pair appeared! There was an outfit I'd seen on Pinterest and wanted to recreate, so I was very specific about finding the right trousers. I've still not actually recreated said outfit yet as it's very autumnal and not been quite cold enough, but I'm still happy with the trousers and how good quality they are for less than £10!
I finally ventured back into Leeds city centre this month and boy was I excited! There's a new Cow Vintage store which I was dying to visit as I love their Manchester branch, and it certainly didn't disappoint; I had to resist from buying half of the store. It's quite good for my bank balance that you can't try things on in-store because I don't want to get home, find out something doesn't fit, and have to take it back, so I'm far more picky! I spotted this pink corduroy shirt though and it was a must-have. Not on my list, but something I will get a lot, a lot of wear out of!
Have you joined in with Slow Fashion Season this year? How have you found it?
Loves. Emma.
What I've Read In August
It's the final day of August, a lovely sunny Bank Holiday Monday, as I write this. I'm laid on my bed with no plans to leave the house and/or do my hair and make-up; a much needed chill day after a hectic week. Well, it's been a busy ole month of getting back into the world of full-time work with a shiny new job! But I'm feeling pretty content for the first time in a long time and more than happy to write some little book reviews. As I predicted last month, my new job did result in me reading far fewer books than the months throughout lockdown, but I still managed 5 which is more than I was managing last year. In fact, as I finished the last book of this month, I hit my goodreads 2020 challenge which I set in January at 40 books for the year! I'm now hoping to get to 50, which isn't all that much more for the next four months really, but I'm determined to make a dent in my pile of classics which always take a lot longer to read.
So what are the 5 books I've read this month? Well, I thought I'd start with my least favourite and build up to my two(!) 5 star reads.
The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary ★ ★ ★
I've seen this book all over social media for the past year and I was never really intrigued by it, but I picked it up for a bargain in the supermarket when I got some others as it was the August read for the book club I recently joined.
"Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they're crazy, but it's the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy's at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time. But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven't met yet, they're about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window..."
It wasn't a bad book, I definitely enjoyed it and smiled a lot, but there was nothing groundbreaking to it. It's the typical romantic, chick-lit (I hate that term, but don't know how else to describe it!) that you'd expect. And it actually turned out to the be the nice light-hearted, easy read that I needed after struggling with my previous read, but every part of it was just so predictable. Very sweet and heart-warming, definitely a good choice if you're in a reading rut!
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley ★ ★ ★
I decided it was finally time to read this simply because it's been sat on my TBR for the longest time. I picked it up a few years ago alongside The Catcher In The Rye and The Secret History in a bid to read some more modern classics. I read (and loved) the others immediately, but this seemingly got forgotten. And turns out it was really hard to get into!
"Largely set in a futuristic World State, inhabited by genetically modified citizens and an intelligence-based social hierarchy, the novel anticipates huge scientific advancements in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation and classical conditioning that are combined to make a dystopian society which is challenged by only a single individual: the story's protagonist."
I don't know what it was, maybe simply that 2020 isn't the ideal time to be reading dystopian novels(!), but I just couldn't get into this book until I got to the last few chapters. It was one of those where I found myself reading a page, realising I'd not taken anything in and then having to read it again. I do love the plot, it was interesting, odd and the characterisation well executed,I think I simply need to read it again when I'm in a different headspace.
Love In Colour by Bolu Babalola ★ ★ ★ ★
I've followed Bolu on Twitter for the longest time and when she announced she was writing her first book I just knew I would love it. After pre-ordering it on Hive so I had it upon release, it immediately jumped to the top of my TBR and boy am I glad I didn't wait!
"From the homoromantic Greek myths, to magical Nigerian folktales, to the ancient stories of South Asia, Bolu brings new life to tales that truly show the vibrance and colours of love around the world. The anthology is a step towards decolonising tropes of love, and celebrates in the wildly beautiful and astonishingly diverse tales of romance and desire that already exist in so many cultures and communities."
With a combination of mythical retellings and original stories, Bolu really knows how to engage the reader. Beautiful imagery and stunningly poetic writing, I definitely think the retellings were my favourite as they felt much more vibrant. My most favourite story, however, was that of Alagomeji, of course. The personal touch truly added to how beautiful the final piece in the book was. This is a great display of how Black women and women of colour should be centred in romantic stories more.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
An incredibly written book that was brought to the forefront of my attention during the latest wave of the Black Lives Matter protests, this is absolutely one of the most important reads that I would recommend to everyone. It made me cry multiple times, but I simply couldn't put it down.
"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Facing pressure from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and decide to stand up for what's right."
When you find a book that combines being an important read with a political/social message, and being well-written, gripping and emotionally charged, it's rare. But boy is it good when you find them! With light-hearted moments of joy to make you smile among the often heavy themes, The Hate U Give really covers everything you could want in such a book. It's a truly eye-opening look into racial bias in the justice system in America with phenomenal characterisation and heart-warming family dynamics that I simply adored.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I'd been considering this book for a while, so when I saw it on The Works website for a mere £2 I couldn't resist. And I am so so glad because it was absolutely the most beautiful book. A very important read about love, loss and hope; another one I'd recommend to everybody!
"Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo - until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape. As Nuri and Afra travel through a broken world, they must confront not only the pain of an unspeakable loss, but dangers that would overwhelm the bravest of souls. Above all - and perhaps this is the hardest thing they face - they must journey to find each other again."
When I say this book stole a piece of my heart, I'm not even being dramatic. It was heavy, heart-wrenching and even stomach-churning in parts but that only made it even more gripping. The writing seamlessly transitions between past and present, cleverly done with single word pages, which I thought was a beautiful way of tying their story together. With wonderfully descriptive language, every part of this story feels all too real, but the brief glimpses of beauty with Nuri and the bees are the small pockets of joy essential in such a read. Nuri and Afra's story may be fictional, but knowing there are so many like it makes it even more important.
Loves. Emma.