A few of the foundations I am using right now, it seems I have a type! Dewy, radiant and buildable coverage. *Armani Luminous Silk Foundation This is my go-to for special occasions, it has incredible staying power and still looks flawless even after a full night out. My current shade is a touch too light in the summer, but I just warm things up with a bit of bronzer.

Back in 2020 / 2021 I really fell back in love with Cornwall, before that I thought I was over living here, it felt too remote (it still does at times), and I was yearning for city life. Being unable to leave the county for so long made us appreciate what we have right on our doorstep. We made the most of Cornwall being quiet (again) by exploring the local area and getting out walking.

*Samaya Ayurvedic Pitta Hydrating Cleanser This creamy cleanser is great if you have sensitive or redness prone skin. Designed to hydrate while cleansing and dissolving makeup, oil, dirt, and SPF, without stripping the skin of moisture (I hate how tight some cleansers leave the skin). This gentle cleanser nourishes and calms with its luxurious botanical blend of skin loving ingredients. It also not only purifies, but enhances radiance and supports skin's natural comfort.

Mollies Motel is just off the M5 outside of Bristol, it is perfectly located for us to stay there to break up a long journey to & from Scotland (to see my family), or we like to stay there if we have an early flight from Bristol airport. Mollies have 3 locations, Bristol, Oxfordshire and the newest addition will be Manchester (still being finished ETA Autumn 2025).

We popped to London last October to see one of my favourite humans, Fran Lebowitz. She was doing a speaking tour and I managed to get tickets for the Barbican, amazing venue and what a hilarious night. If you haven't heard of Fran Lebowitz, you have to check her out, if you have a dry sense of humour you will love her.

On our recent visit to London, we opted to stay a little out of the centre at the relatively new Hoxton in Shepherds Bush, West London. The hotel has a little over 200 rooms and the decor was quite typical of what you'd expect from the Hoxton, lovely rich colours and textures throughout and with a slight retro vibe. The entrance is great, very welcoming and comfortable, with a bar at the centre and the restaurant, café seating and lobby all around.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir What an iconic product, I have been using it for over 15 years and have been through so many bottles.  The scent is beautiful, botanical and reminds me of Summer holidays, as I always take a mini bottle away with me for refreshing my skin on flights and after a day in the sun, I also really like to use it to freshen up my makeup.

Garnier Gentle Peeling Water This is a fantastic, affordable product. I don't use it to take off makeup, but instead use it as an exfoliating step after cleansing and before my toner. It works to exfoliate the skin, lightly removing dead skin cells to reveal a more radiant complexion. If you like products that help you achieve that natural healthy glow, then this should be in your routine.

Isle Of Paradise Sunny Serum Bronzer* This was one of those products I kept seeing everywhere in 2024. Even the skincare queen herself, Caroline Hirons, called it a must-have! But I resisted until winter arrived when I didn’t always want to wear foundation, but I still wanted my skin to look healthy and radiant, so I finally gave in and bought a bottle.

After the huge success of the original Hoxton on the Herengracht, Hoxton opened, a second hotel in Amsterdam, in a more quiet neighbourhood in the Eastern Docklands area of the city called The Lloyd. I have stayed at both Hoxton hotels in Amsterdam, and they're extremely different in both style and location, but I have to say without a shadow of a doubt that the Lloyd Hotel is my preferred place to stay out of the two, and have actually been back 4 times in the past 18 months.

Teoxane are pioneers in aesthetic innovation and skincare excellence. They're a Swiss-based brand who has earned its reputation as a market leader in both aesthetic Hyaluronic Acid dermal fillers and dermocosmetic skincare. Renowned for high-quality formulations, Teoxane’s products are the result of decades of dedicated research and innovation. Founded in 2003 by Valérie Taupin, the Teoxane laboratories in Switzerland have continually advanced the fields of aesthetics and skincare.

How have I lived in Cornwall for almost 10 years and never visited Penryn? Penryn is a lovely, small but colourful town in West Cornwall on the Penryn river. It is a charming town bursting with history and quaint narrow cobbled streets, it looks pretty much untouched and still has so much character. We visited on a Monday, when many of the small independent shops were closed, as it was out of season, but it was still lovely to wander around, and it was very peaceful with little traffic or tourists, which was good for us as there is very little parking and I can imagine it gets super busy in the Summer, especially with its proximity to Falmouth (being only 1 mile away).

I had no idea that Beauty Bay had their own skincare line, so I bought a few things to try out. It is very affordable and although the packaging is quite basic and no frills, the products themselves are very good. It reminds me of brands like The Ordinary with their focus on delivering great products but not wasting money on overpriced packaging, and I like that!