A Birthday Tea at the Ritz

Apologies for the super photo heavy post, but the only way to describe tea at The Ritz is through photos. I don't think I could possibly describe just how decadent it is inside. As someone who's always felt as if they should have been born into the upper class and afternoon tea should be a regular occurrence, there was no place better for me to go on my 21st birthday. (Yes I know I look about 17. I'm 21 now, promise.)

In true Francis fashion, me and my family arrived 5 minutes late after lots of panic and a sulking Georgia on the tube, but none of the staff batted an eyelid and we were sat down at a table with the most expensive silverware I've ever seen. As it was my birthday, they poured the over 18s some complimentary champagne (cue my sister commenting rather loudly 'I prefer lambrini') and we all had to pick a tea from the rather extensive tea menu. I'm not a regular English breakfast tea drinker but I settled for the Passion Fruit and Orange tea and drank an entire teapot of the stuff; it was delicious! 

Tea at The Ritz is famous for their finger sandwiches, I think I ate about 17 in total as well as two raspberry macaroons (I have a macaroon weakness) and 4 scones. I could barely move afterwards but all the food was so yummy and as it's not cheap, I was determined to get my moneys worth - mission accomplished. They also bought round some extra cakes on a really fancy looking trolley, it would have been rude not to have had a generous helping of the orange and white chocolate cake.

Towards the end of the tea, the waiters started to bring out birthday cakes for everyone who's birthday it was. We hadn't paid for the birthday tea but the waiter knew it was my birthday so bought a little cake out anyway which I took home in a little box. It's the little touches like that which made it such an amazing birthday experience. 

I've included a little OOTD photo at the bottom which I'm quite nervous about posting because I don't have the best body confidence and I wasn't the biggest fan of my dress. It was a Topshop panic buy because I didn't have a suitable dress, but horizontal stripes?! What was I thinking. However, I did want to share my outfit because it'll be a lovely memory to look back on. On a better note, I'm totally in love with my Steve Madden shoes even if I could barely walk in them.

Have you ever been for tea at The Ritz?

Georgia

xxx

Georgia 'Pops' Into Boots

Every girl is familiar with the 'I'll just pop into Boots to get some deodorant' situation, you know, the one where you come out with £50 less in your bank account. On this particular occasion, I popped in to get some deodorant and razors, both of which I forgot to pick up. Doh. However, I did manage to get sucked into the 3 for 2 deals so here I am with a mini haul for your enjoyment.

I originally got sucked into the L'Oreal 3 for 2 deal as my beloved L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic mascara and L'Oreal Superliner were both on their last legs, so I picked those both up (I even had to search in the drawers below the counter to find the right eyeliner; how to spot a true beauty enthusiast). I took ages trying to decide on the third item to pick up but my trusty Collection Lasting Perfection concealer was running out so I picked up the L'Oreal True Match concealer to replace it as on first swatch, the formulas seemed very similar.

Next I headed over to the skincare aisle and got sucked into yet another 3 for 2 deal. My skin is crazy hyperpigmented so I was immediately drawn to the Yes To Grapefruits Uneven Skin Tone Moisturiser. Whilst I was browsing the Yes To... range, I heard a woman next to me rave to her friend about the Sanctuary range so I headed over and blindly picked up the Sanctuary Fresh-Faced Purifying Wash as I sort-of-not-really needed a new morning cleanser. I then took forever trying to decide what to pick as my 3rd skincare choice, until I saw a lone Serozinc hidden at the back of the La Roche Posay counter. I snapped that baby up faster than I've ever moved in my life.

Now for the boring bits (but we all know the boring bits are actually the most interesting, right?). I picked up yet another Batiste Dry Shampoo in 'Deep and Dark Brown'; a must have for any dark haired girl, I can't remember life before this and this must have been my 20th can. Then cotton pads. It's probably strange to have a cotton pad preference but the Boots Double Sided Cotton Pads are always my go-tos. And last but not least, I picked up this adorable little mini travel bottle set for when I'm jet setting off to NYC next week. A girl can never have too many mini things. 

Reviews will be coming soon!

Georgia 

xxx

The Cheapest Summer Lip

I had a bit of a love affair with the Collection Cream Puffs a couple of years ago, but new lip products came in and the Cream Puffs were pushed to the back. Until a couple of weeks ago that is. I was searching through my collection for a low maintenance, bright(er) summer lip and rediscovered this in the shade 'Fairy Cake'. It scores instant points just for the adorable name.

Fairy Cake is a beautiful coral shade, perfect for the warm summer months and due to the doe foot applicator and matte finish, it is probably one of the most low maintenance lip colours I own. One slight negative is that I find it takes a couple of layers to build up a solid colour but for just £2.99, can you really complain? The matte formula is also one of my favourites that I've tried; it's nowhere near as drying as some matte shades can be and has a slight velvet-y texture on the lips.

Next time you're near a Collection counter I would highly recommend you go pick this up! There's only 4 shades in the range, with this and 'Cotton Candy' (a true baby pink) being the only good picks of the lot, so Collection... get your act together and release more shades ASAP!

Georgia

xxx

The Foundation Mission

My skin has completely changed over the past couple of months. I've gone from super oily to super dry and now it's stuck in some form of combination limbo and it suuuuucks. Finding a foundation that doesn't separate or flake is not an easy feat and foundations which used to be my holy grail now look awful after a few hours wear. I'm officially on a foundation mission. 

A little known fact is most (if not all) high end makeup counters will give out foundation samples for free if you ask, so today after work I went on a mission to see just how many foundation samples I could get my paws on. The answer is a lot.

It's silly to dive in head first and spend £40 on a foundation that you've bought on a whim because you have an inability to say no to sales pitches. I always make sure I get shade matched and take home a little sample pot that I can wear for a few days. I can't tell you how many times I've been colour-matched in store, only to step into natural light and turn into something resembling a wotsit. Not only is shade an issue, but you can only truly tell how good a foundation is when you've worn it for 12 hours straight. And to be honest, more than anything else it's a great way to get your hands on new foundations. Want something special to put on Friday night but don't want to splash out? Sorted. 

The samples I've managed to pick up are:

Urban Decay Naked Skin

YSL Touche Eclat

YSL Fusion Ink

Estee Lauder Double-Wear Light

Lancome Teint Miracle

Chanel Vitalumire
Laura Mercier Silk Creme Oil Free Photo Edition
Laura Mercier Silk Creme Moisturising Photo Edition

And hopefully in a couple of weeks time I'll be treating myself to a full sized version of one of these!

Any foundation recommendations for combination skin?

Georgia

xxx

The Most Loved Lipsticks

I have a ridiculous amount of lipsticks, so it's very rare I actually finish one up before I make the judgement call of 'Six years old? Hmm, this should probably go in the bin'. So when all that's left of a lipstick is a little nub and it's borderline impossible to apply, it clearly means that I really really love it and it's definitely a shade to sing and dance about. Introducing MAC 'Hot Tahiti' and MAC 'Rebel'. I don't like to commit to a 'favourite lipstick ever' but if I had to choose...

I remember Rebel becoming a massive cult beauty blogger favourite in Autumn a couple of years ago, and I actually picked it up after I saw BeautyCrush wear it in a video. It firmly became a favourite of mine and it was actually my every day lipstick for about six months until I got lazy with my lipstick maintenance. I think the most perfect word to describe this shade is 'raspberry'. A lot of people describe it as a standard berry colour but there's a very pink undertone which makes it stand out from the very busy berry crowd. You can layer Rebel for a intense look, or simply pat it on with your finger for a berry stain. It's so versatile, and as you can tell by how little is left, I love it.

Hot Tahiti is one of those MAC shades that no one talks about but everyone should. It's a sheer brick red that's perfect for everyday wear; it takes two seconds to put on and makes it look like I've actually put some effort into my appearance. Score. As it's a glaze finish, I don't find it lasts too long on the lips, but it's one of those shades that I can just throw into my handbag and reapply mirrorless throughout the day with minimal effort. Thinking about it, that might explain why I've used it up so quickly! Totally worth it.

Now all I have to do is resist repurchasing them both until I get to New York because I can totally justify $16 on them. £15, not so much.

Georgia

xxx

(p.s. I got a new camera and LOOK HOW SHARP THE PHOTOS ARE *heart eyes*)

An Ode To Coconut Oil

About 9 months ago I discovered coconut oil and it's been a true romance. I know everyone talks about it, and the subject has been beaten to death, but I feel like it's not fair for me to talk about my favourite things on my blog and not mention coconut oil. I get through a tub every couple of weeks, and I use it for everything (literally *figuratively* everything).

When I first decided to try coconut oil, it was borderline impossible for me to get hold of. In the end I had to buy it online (from CultBeauty if I remember correctly), and it cost me £9. Crazy money. Luckily for me though, supermarkets picked up on the popularity and I can now pick up a tub of 100% pure and organic coconut oil from Asda for just £2. Phew. So I can totally justify buying 5 tubs at a time, right? Right.

Now it's time for me to list all my favourite uses for coconut oil. This could get lengthy.

1. Hair mask. This is the number one use that makes the beauty world rave about coconut oil. Every fortnight I scoop out a big handful of coconut oil and rub it into my hair, focusing on the length and ends. Some people like to melt the coconut oil beforehand but I always like to go for the lazy route and I find that rubbing the coconut oil into my hair with my hands not only melts it, but also allows me to give myself a lovely head massage. Oil masks have been used in hair for years, but here's the sciencey bit: the particles in most oils are not small enough to penetrate the hair, however the teeny tiny particles in coconut oil get right in there and literally nourish the hair from the inside out. I tend to leave the oil in my hair for a couple of hours, wrapped up in a towel to keep it warm, but when I've really got time to play with, I'll leave it over night and wake up with the softest hair known to man. The only negative is that coconut oil is a nightmare to wash out. I recommend using a good clarifying shampoo and shampooing three times to ensure every last bit of oil is out. There's nothing worse than drying your hair to find it even greasier than when you started.

2. Body butter. Okay this one's self-explanatory, but when I get out the bath, I love to use this on my damp skin. I regularly get people complimenting me on how soft my arms are and it leaves me smelling gorgeously coconutty for hours. It also makes a wonderful hand and foot treatment.

3. Makeup remover. I was always wary of using coconut oil on my face because people have said that it breaks them out, however one day I ran out of my regular cleanser and a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! I've been using it as the first cleanse in my skincare routine ever since. I like to use this as my first cleanse, to remove my makeup. It melts the makeup away, doesn't irritate my skin, and even better, doesn't irritate my eyes. I don't know when I'll learn to close my eyes properly when I'm rubbing away at my eye makeup. I tend to use Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean for my second cleanse, and my skin has never been better. I can finally say I'm acne free for the first time in over a year and it is 100% down to this dream combination. 

4. Cuticle oil. I feel like cuticle oil is one of those things that I probably should buy because my nails are a state, but who can justify spending a tenner on an oil. For your cuticles of all things. It's absolute madness and I refuse to do it. Seeing as coconut oil was so good for everything else, I decided to start   rubbing a tiny amount into my nail beds every day and my nails are transformed. My cuticles are softer and my nails are shiner and growing so much stronger. Score.

5. Teeth whitening. Right, now here me out here. There's a new craze going round called 'oil pulling'. Basically, you swish an oil around your mouth for twenty minutes and it supposedly leads to whiter and cleaner teeth. I don't know about you, but when it comes to putting pure oil in my mouth, coconut seems like the least disgusting choice out of the lot. I've tried it a few times and I personally can't comment on the teeth whitening as I've been doing it at the same time as my Crest 3D Whitening Strips (review coming soon), but it's got plenty of rave reviews in the teeth whitening department. However, what I can comment on is the fact that it makes my mouth feel super super clean and my breath feel an amount of freshness that no toothpaste can mimic. Yeah sure it's super gross and fyi it doesn't get any nicer the longer you do it, but the results speak for themselves. 

7. Cooking. Finally I'll talk about the obvious. You can cook with it. Long gone are the days of olive or sunflower oil, it's all about coconut oil. Anything that I toss in a frying pan goes in alongside a big dollop of coconut oil. Actually not even just a frying pan, if a recipe calls for oil, I use coconut. Not only is it the healthiest oil of the lot, it's actually really good for you, and it adds a really subtle flavour to your food. I wouldn't necessarily say that flavour is coconutty, but there's definitely a flavour there. I have one tub in the kitchen, one in the bathroom and one in my bedroom. 

I could keep typing for hours, but I think that's enough uses raved about for now. What do you use coconut oil for?

Georgia

xxx

April Favourites | 2015

I am aware that it is currently the 14th May and therefore a tad late to be posting my April favourites, but I've been sick *insert Mean Girls reference here*, so I'm posting it now instead. I didn't have enough products to mention in a video, so I figured it was the perfect excuse for a blog post.

I've always been a fan of chunky statement necklaces, but recently I've fallen in love with more dainty gold necklaces. They're perfect for layering or just wearing on their own and as I wear a lot of dark colours, I have yet to find an outfit that a simple gold necklace doesn't go with. The longer necklace pictured above is from Primark (it came in a set of 3 for only £2!!!) and the coin necklace was from Topshop for £6.

Moving on to makeup, I've already done a blog post on the L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Matte foundation, so I'm not going to go on about it too much but all you need to know is it stays in place forever, has the perfect amount of coverage and blends like a dream. Another face product is the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in 'Soft & Gentle'; I first used this product about 3 years ago and loved it, but when it ran out I dipped my toe into a few other highlighters. It wasn't until I had a makeover done at MAC a couple of months ago and the woman used it on me did I remember how much I loved it, so I bought it on the spot and we've been inseparable ever since. Rather than an obvious she's-wearing-highlighter look, it just creates the most gorgeous lit-from-within glow.

Since I've started my new job and I need to be out of the house by 8.25am, pencil liners have become my new best friend for a quick and easy makeup look. Due to my oily skin, finding a pencil liner that doesn't smudge and transfer is a challenge but the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Liners are the best. I have two shades in 'Perversion', which is a solid black, and 'Loaded', a green-teal. I find Perversion to be a little harsh for every day wear, so Loaded is my go to. I simply draw it onto my upper lash line, smudge it out and voila! 

And talking of go quick morning makeup, Benefit Gimme Brow is another staple. I don't have time to fill in my brows as I much prefer sleep to looking like an alive human being, so a quick swipe of this and my normally wild brows are polished and I know they will stay in place for the whole day. Also, look how adorable and tiny it is!

Georgia 

xxx