Hola!

A couple of days ago I arrived back in the UK after spending a week in sunny Spain. I know you're probably thinking "whaaat, another holiday?!", but the past couple of months have been a bit bleugh and I just felt I needed to get away and head to Malaga, which is practically my second home.

Honestly, I would have to say it was one of the best holidays I have ever had. The hotel was meh in places, but there was a sea view if you cricked your neck around far enough and the other side of the balcony overlooked some beautiful Spanish buildings that looked like Mr Kipling's French Fancies. 

The main reason I enjoyed it so much was because of all the different places I went to. It felt as if every single day was an adventure. Since losing my dad almost four years ago, family holidays don't exist anymore. It's just my mum and myself now, as understandably my older brother plans his own trips with his girlfriend. Whilst in Spain, we met up with a friend who took us to places I didn't even know existed. It was like having a personal tour guide! He showed us little bars tucked away on the seafront where you can go and watch the sunset, let us have a walk along the pier belonging to the Marbella Club Hotel and told us all the inside gossip on the popular hotspots of the rich and famous in Puerto Banus. On top of that, we drove all the way to Gibraltar! It was so surreal. 

I say this every time, but I really didn't want to come home. Every place we visited felt like paradise.

I seem to recall in one of my previous holiday posts I included 'OOTD' photos, where I emphasised how I am by no means a model but just someone who would like to share my outfit choices with you. So yeah, we're doing it again. (And for the record, I am still not a model).

Dress - Topshop
Heels - ASOS

Sunglasses - H&M
Dress - Ralph Lauren
Sandals - UGG

T Shirt - Topshop
Dress - Zara
Sandals - UGG

Dress - H&M
Heels - ASOS

Crop Top - TK Maxx
Midi Skirt - Bershka
Heels - ASOS

If you'd like to check out more holiday snaps, feel free to follow my instagram: @xchloeanne. After having such a dreamy week, I have major post-holiday depression now I'm getting back into the swing of work, but something's gotta pay for these trips, right?!

Hope you all enjoy the weekend!

Chloë

xx

If you're tired of having dull, lifeless skin, then I might just have a solution for you. It's been just over a week since I purchased this facial brush and I am loving it, so much so it has become a necessity in my morning and evening skincare routine.

I can see why products like these seem like a gimmick: it has a mix of brush heads you think you will never reach for, you envisage clearing out your whole bathroom cabinet to make room for the bulky contraption and then you have to frustratingly rummage around for batteries to power the damn thing. "Is it even worth it?" I hear you ask. In short, YES.

My skin has not been great recently. I suffered a breakout on my left cheek, and the spots seem to spread along my chin and even on my forehead. I don't know the reason why they suddenly appeared, but it left my face in a state. In fact, I was so self-conscious of people noticing that a couple of Sunday's ago, I had a bit of a meltdown and refused to leave the house unless I caked my skin in foundation. That's when I knew I had to take action.

I have never owned a facial brush before. A couple of years back I bought a 'Neutrogena Wave', which was a little pink device that came with attachable cleansing pads. When powered, it would vibrate and the idea was to lightly skim it over your skin in circular motions to deep cleanse and remove any dirt from deep within your pores. I actually really liked this product, but I was looking for something more. 

That's when I came across the USpicy facial brush on Amazon. It comes with four detachable brush heads, it's fully waterproof and they even supply batteries! I use this morning and night with any sort of face wash I can find, and the results are great! It leaves my skin feeling so smooth afterwards. Garnier Micellar Water used to be my one and only makeup remover, but by using this brush afterwards it removes so much more makeup that I hadn't even realised was still left on my skin.

Included with the brush are the four brush heads:

1. Latex Sponge
2. Cuticles Brush
3. Soft Brush
4. Massage Roller 

Currently, I have only used the top three brush heads, though I look forward to trying out the massage roller. I have heard it works great if you apply an oil to your face beforehand, as it works it into your skin and improves circulation for that healthy glow.

Have you ever used a facial brush before? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Chloë

x

(Disclaimer: this was not a sponsored post.)

Wowowowow. It's been a while since I visited this little space on the internet. I wanted to write an update (if anybody is interested) and to try and get back into blogging more regularly.

So first things first it's been bloody ages since I last posted, I know. Here's why:

1) I had a cycling accident.

Yeah... I fell off. Picture this: Girl on bike goes down a hill at ludicrously fast speeds. Girl realises there's a bend in the road coming up. Girl doesn't realise it's a sharp bend. Girl swerves and brakes.. and skids on gravel.. SMACK.

A trip to A+E for stitches in my thigh managed to sort me out, though I was left with a knee the size of Jupiter thanks to the way I not-so-gently met the concrete. It was anything but a soft landing let me tell you. Oh, and just to add another injury into the mix, I also have a stretched ligament. This cycling lark is all fun and games! But on a brighter note, *puts on sunnies* it could have been SO much worse.

Life lesson: always wear your helmet, kids (and maybe a full padded body suit in my case).

2) I lost someone. Again.

August last year was the last time I attended a funeral. I was hoping it would be the last one for a while. Sadly not. The first day of August my nan passed away. We are all heartbroken. To me it is more than a loss of one person; it is the loss of another generation from the family. I'll always have fond memories of when me and my brother were little, Game Boys in hand, ready to spend the day at our grandparents' house. Either that, or I'd stick the TV on and watch Bewitched. Wasn't that just the best show ever back in the day?! I've experienced grief a little too often unfortunately, but I still find the acceptance bit hard. How are you supposed to come to terms with never seeing someone ever again? 

Life lesson: appreciate every day. Time is precious. You never know when you might see someone for the last time.

3) I've been making plans (ish)

Ok, so another holiday has been booked for the end of this month. I'd like to say i'm looking forward to it but my head feels like it's a giant bowl of spaghetti right now, so i'm not too sure. The destination is of course Spain (who would've guessed?!) and i'm hoping to just sit by the beach and be super-chill whilst watching the waves roll in, and not have to worry about checking to see if we have a size 4G school shoe in stock for the woman who has left it so incredibly last-minute. Ah.

Other plans include looking for a new job. I fancy something different - perhaps a job I can do that doesn't involve going up and down a staircase 65 times each day and somewhere that I'm not at risk of my ligament snapping. Maybe an office job. Who knows?

Life lesson: Get a grip. Be decisive. Find a job NOW.

Until next time,

Chloë

I guess you could compare me to a volcano right now - I've gone from being completely dormant and only blogging once every couple of months to fully erupting and being unable to stay away!

I just had to tell you about my latest purchase though. I popped into my local charity shop this afternoon and my eyes lit up as soon as I spotted these beauties. Much to my delight, they were a size 5 and fitted perfectly. 

What first drew me to these was the beautiful tan colour, and being wedges, I imagine they will be so much easier to walk in than the strappy ASOS heels I recently tottered around Mallorca in. After picking one up to look for the size, I noticed they were in fact Russell & Bromley, and priced at £5 I just couldn't say no! Since buying them, I've been wearing them all afternoon and they're very comfortable. My only little niggle is that they pinch ever so slightly around the top which is just down to the peep-toe style, and I'm sure the leather will continue to soften over time. 

I really love the style of these. The wedge is around 7.5cm high so they are perfect to wear throughout the day and I really don't find the height to be an issue - I certainly don't feel as if i'm tipping forwards in them when I walk. I also think the little gold plaque at the back displaying the brand name is a lovely touch. I'm sure I will get so much wear out of these this summer, and imagine they will look great with skinny jeans or even dresses and skirts.

Working in a shoe shop I'd like to think I know the tricks of the trade when it comes to shoe care, so I've since applied some neutral wax to them and it's really helped to enhance the tan colour and remove the little scuffs and scratches that were present. Honestly though, at £5 I really can't complain!

After doing a bit of snooping on Google, I found out that this style of wedge is called 'Candyfloss' and the suede version is on the Russell & Bromley website priced at £115, so I really did get a bargain!

So, if you ever find yourself struggling to contemplate spending hundreds of pounds on a designer pair of shoes, remember to check out your local charity shops first - you never know what gems you might come across!

Chloë

x

We're not quite at the end of the month yet, but I thought I'd get a head start and discuss what I've been loving throughout June.

First is this Dune coin purse that I purchased from ASOS. I used this an awful lot while I was on holiday as it's the perfect size for a small bag and even has a ring attached to the inside where you can keep your keys. There are also a few card slots, so you can store anything from your loose change to a credit card, or even your I.D for those all-important nights out.

A little random, but I've really been loving peach squash this month. It's unbelievably thirst-quenching, dontcha know?! I find I drink a lot more water when I add this, which is definitely a good thing so it gets a big thumbs up from me!

Now it's officially Summer, (if you're from the UK, please try and hold back your laughter) it's time to store away all your hats, coats and scarves (psh, yeah right) and release your stash of sunnies. I bought these last year from H&M, but I love the aviator style and have worn them countless times. They look so similar to the RayBan ones too and only cost £6, so a huuuuge saving if you're not ready to splash the cash just yet on designer sunglasses. Oh, and the case is from H&M too, just in case you wondered.

I've already dedicated a whole blog post to this bag here, but it deserves another mention because I've just started using this again recently after storing it away during the winter months. It's a Marc Jacobs 'Sally' bag, and just before I ramble on, isn't it cute?! I bought this last year as a treat after passing my driving test. It looks rather small but holds a surprising amount; it's the perfect size for everyday use and being black and white means you can easily wear this both during the day and at night.

Lastly, I just have to mention these shoes as I've practically worn them 24/7 this month. These are Carvela moccasins, and my gosh they're SO comfortable. I spotted these in TK Maxx for thirty-something pounds (RRP £75) and they've done me so well; they also go with everything so I literally just slip them straight on and run out of the house!

What have you been loving this month?

Chloë

x

¡Buenas tardes!

I've just returned to the UK after sunning myself for a week in Mallorca - it was beautiful! I began writing a blog post during my outbound flight last week and could have sworn I'd saved it in my drafts, but for some reason it's completely disappeared so it looks like I'll have to start from scratch.

Speaking of flights, flying directly to Palma didn't quite go to plan; we were unable to fly over France due to strikes so therefore had to take an 800-mile detour over Belgium and Germany which added an extra hour onto our flight time. It wasn't ideal, but the main thing was that we arrived safe and sound.

Despite travelling to Mallorca before with my family, rather oddly we never visited the city of Palma, so that was first on the list when returning this year.

I'm stepping a little out of my comfort zone here, but for those fashionistas amongst you, I thought it may be interesting to show you a couple of outfits (please note: I am by no means model material!)

Photo Above:-
Sunglasses: H&M
Kimono: Jane Norman
Cami: Dorothy Perkins
Shorts: ASOS
Bag: Miss Selfridge
Watch: Fitbit
Flip flops: Accessorize

Photo Above:-
Dress: Topshop
Kimono: Jane Norman
Shoes: ASOS

Photo Above:-
Dress: Topshop
Shoes: ASOS

Photo Above:-
Top: TK Maxx
Kimono: Jane Norman
Shorts: Suite Blanco
Sandals: Forever 21

Photo Above:-
Top: TK Maxx
Skirt: Hollister
Sandals: Minnetonka

Until next time, or should I say... ¡hasta luego!

Chloë
x

Good afternoon!

It's been a diddly-darn while since I last wrote on my blog, but today I thought I would do a 'What's in My Bag' style post for those of you who like being an itsy-bit nosey and enjoy seeing what others carry in their bags on a day to day basis.

The bag I'm currently using on my days off is the Marc Jacobs 'Too Hot to Handle' Satchel - I love it! The size is so practical and the colour goes with everything. I'm usually always a sucker for black handbags but I thought the cement colour would be a nice change; I certainly haven't had any regrets. I purchased this bag last year (more about that here) and have been wearing it everywhere recently.

So... yeah. I carry quite a bit of tat around with me. The purse is a little on the large side and takes up rather a lot of space, but it can store so many pennies and cards that I refuse to downsize. The Louis Vuitton 'Cles' is what I use if I'm running out the house or on the move and don't require every loyalty card under the sun. It's such a handy little pouch - it's big enough to store cards as well as a couple of coins and also has a keychain where I like to keep a spare house key.

Yes, the pink glittery thing is indeed a braces case. Hopefully I won't be needing it for much longer, but currently I have an upper removable brace so I take the case with me everywhere as well as a mini toothbrush and toothpaste. SO sexy.

Ahh, perfume. I have used the same one for years. It's 'Viva la Juicy' by Juicy Couture, and I still love it as much as I did when I first smelt it. It's floral without being too overpowering or sickly sweet. The only niggle I have with this is that it doesn't seem to last long on the skin, but that's nothing that a fresh spritz can't fix.

Now onto the not-so-interesting stuff. A black Bic biro (other brands are available!) is somewhat of an essential, right?! You never know when you might need to take note of something when you're out and about, and while you can just whip out your iPhone and jot things down in the notes app, nothing beats physically writing something down.

A mini makeup bag is another essential. There is nothing worse than having a long-distance relationship with your makeup bag during the day, especially if your skin likes to get oily midway through the afternoon. Powder is essential. Other products I like to stash in my bag are lip balms/lipsticks and a waterproof mascara for teary-eyed emergencies.

Mini hairsprays deserve all the awards. They're rather bulky to carry but do allow you to say goodbye to unwanted frizz and flyaways. Alongside the hairspray, I always have a hairbrush on me just in case when my hair gets knotty.

Then there is, of course, my phone. It could easily be mistaken for an extra body part as I never go anywhere without it... i'm sure you can relate!

What are your handbag essentials?

Chloë

x