Pug Life #2: Puppy Edition

When it comes to Hugo, I'm a bit like one of those embarrassing parents who obsessively look through baby photos while sobbing that "they grow up so fast!" I love looking at photos from when we first brought him home with us, almost two years ago now. From the second he slid through our front door (he didn't get on very well with wooden floors in those early days...!) he was a big part of the family. He was, and still is, bossy and a bit of an attention seeker, with a rather naughty streak - yet somehow manages to be one of the most charming, charismatic and loving dogs I've ever met. Hugo is around eight or nine weeks old in these pictures, and was a lot tinier in real life than he looks here. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Lush Eau Roma Water Toner

I've used Lush skincare on and off for the past couple of years, and am always really impressed with the quality of their products. Lately I've been reaching for one of their toners, the Eau Roma Water - a gentle, soothing spritz of lavender and rose water that hydrates and calms the skin. This really does just do what it says on the bottle - there's no fancy gimmicks or huge claims - it's just a nice, simple toner that I've really been enjoying using. I use this morning and evening, after cleansing, and it rehydrates my skin, helps reduce redness and evens out my skin tone. The one downside I've found to this is that the the spray can be quite powerful so when applying directly to my face, I have to hold the bottle at arms length to avoid soaking myself. I'd much prefer it to come out as a finer mist, although for the price, I don't really think that it's too much of a problem. I have the 100g bottle which was a bargain at £3.95, although Lush do also offer a bigger, 250g bottle for around the £7 mark. 

Lush Eau Roma Water - £3.95/£7.25

Instagram #5

Throwback Thursday - Hugo at three months / Iced Lemonade from Cafe Nero / Good old fashioned mirror selfie / My beautiful man / My boyfriend in 2006, complete with silly hair and shovel / Sunny drives / Center Parcs bbq / Lobster at Alto / Photograph of my twin sister and I when we were cute / Irish coffee and mini chocolate fudge cake / Leggera pizza at Pizza Express / Macarons in bed. 

My Instagram

Relaxation

"There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them." - Sylvia Plath.

I love a good bath. After moving away from home for university, I endured almost three years of living in places devoid of a bath, which was agony - have you ever tried to have a relaxing shower? Impossible! Since moving into a new place a year ago, the novelty of suddenly having a bath again still hasn't really worn off. One of my favourite things is relaxing in a gorgeous smelling bubble bath, armed with a stack of glossy magazines and perhaps a glass of wine or two. The other day after finishing a particularly gruelling university exam, I decided that I'd earned myself a bit of a pamper.

Firstly, I headed out to Lush and picked up two of my all-time favourite bath time treats - the Rose Queen bath bomb and Rose Jam bubble bar, both of which smell incredible. While I was there I also grabbed a pot of one of my favourite face masks, Catastrophe Cosmetic. Containing fresh blueberries, almond oil, rose and chamomile, it gives a really good deep cleanse and leaves my skin insanely clear. After running a hot bath and popping in the bath bomb and bubble bar, I was left with a glorious pink, rose scented bath, complete with bubbles and various floating flower petals. I applied my face mask, laid back and just relaxed, with several candles dotted around and the latest issue of Vogue. Heavenly! It's so therapeutic if you've had a difficult day, or even if you just fancy a relax, to take an hour out to just unwind, read and pamper yourself.

Are you a bath person? Any recommendations for bath products? I'd love to hear!

Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum

I first fell for the Caudalie Vinosource Serum serum after receiving it in a Glossybox about a year ago. I savoured the teeny sample, using it only on what I deemed to be 'special occasions' in order to make it last, then when it finally ran out I found myself in Space.NK the very next week buying the full sized version. It's that amazing!

This serum is incredibly light with quite a thin consistency, however I've found that one small pump is more than enough to sufficiently hydrate my combination skin. I smooth this onto my face after cleansing and before my moisturiser. It sinks in almost instantly, doesn't feel at all heavy or greasy, and leaves my skin feeling plump, soft and refreshed. I'm a sucker for a nice scented product and this doesn't disappoint - containing mandarin blossom, lemon leaf, cucumber water and fresh mint, it's light and uplifting, and doesn't linger on the skin (a must for face products, in my opinion). I've tried out a handful of other serums and found nothing close to the lovely boost of hydration and dewy feeling that this gives my skin... Honestly, it's love. 

Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum - £26.10

Soap & Glory Heel Genius

I've loved Soap & Glory since they first launched in 2006. I have strong memories of sneaking into the family bathroom, aged fifteen, and stealing my sisters Soap & Glory body scrub and body butter (sorry, Becca!) as I was so in love with the scent and quirky pink packaging of the products. Fast forward to 2013, and my feelings haven't really changed. I now have a myriad of Soap & Glory products, from the aforementioned body butter and scrub, to items from their skincare and makeup range, and I love them all. My current love is Heel Genius, their "amazing foot cream", which is billed as an overnight foot cream that promises to leave your feet soft and smooth. Foot cream isn't something that I've ever really bothered with, but since buying this cream I've been slathering my feet in it almost nightly and I've definitely seen results. Containing a load of lovely ingredients, such as glycerin, macadamia oil, menthol and fruit acid smoothers, Heel Genius is incredibly moisturising, absorbs quickly, and leaves my feet soft and silky. Certainly something to add to the repurchase list.

Soap & Glory Heel Genius - £5.50

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Sheer Tint Lip Protectant

Despite looking very much like a lipstick, the Elizabeth Arden Sheer Tint Lip Protectant definitely lives up to its name - it's a very sheer tinted balm. At first I was a tad disappointed by the (lack of) colour pay-off, but since then this product hasn't really left my handbag, which speaks for itself! This is absolutely perfect for those days when you want a natural looking pout without looking too "made up". I chose the colour Blush, which applies as a sheer rosy pink shade. As well as being a pretty wash of colour, it contains all of the moisturising and protective properties of the Eight Hour Cream, so it's good for your lips too! The only downside, I think, is that it's slightly overpriced given that it's just a tinted lip balm. I bought this as part of a promotion in order to get a free gift so I'm telling myself that it doesn't really count(!), but at £20 a go I'm not really sure that I could justify buying any more, no matter how much I love them. Which is quite a lot! I'm going to keep my eye out for something similar at a slightly cheaper price, but I'll most definitely be enjoying the luxury of the Elizabeth Arden in the meantime. 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant - £20