Travelling Light.. is there such a thing?

I am not the kinda girl that travels light... I'm the kind of girl who takes a weekend bag with three outfit changes, seven makeup looks and three pairs of shoes for an overnight stay. That being said, I do appreciate travel sized products, mainly because the smaller the product the more I can bring! I'm pretty sure that isn't the point but you know what they say, if the shoe fits... buy it in every colour.

Anyway enough of me rationalising my spending habits, and more about travel sized products. Many brands do great travel options but the ones I find myself purchasing the most is usually benefit and MAC because they are so accessible. TooFaced mini's are pretty much only available on line so they are a bit harder to get hold off but also a good option. I also really like the Kat Von D travel options too.  I often get my benefit products at boots on 3 for £25 or I buy the gift sets around Christmas time because they tend to be better value for money and have super cute packaging. High Beam is my absolute essential, mainly because it can be worn on bare skin, on days when you need a little pick me up with minimal effort. My holiday day time look is usually suncream, high beam, mascara and lip balm. Mascara has to be TwoFaced better than sex mascara, which conveniently comes in a mini. I actually prefer travel mascaras, you use it up a lot quicker which means that the product is  a lot fresher. The smaller stem on the brush also means more control and as a bonus they are cheaper and sometimes even free... win win. My go to lip balm has to be Malibu, the coconut scent just reminds me of holidays and of course it contains the all important spf.

My night time looks are very different to my day time all natural beach vibes. I love getting dressed up to go out and when I'm abroad there is no exception. Even if we are just popping into the hotels all inclusive buffet, I will adorn skyscraper heels and enough makeup to make a drag queen blush. That was a bit of joke, I try to aim for a more glowy, radiant makeup look. Something that highlights my new tan and sun kissed freckled face. I try to bring with me glowy products so 'that gal' brightening primer is an ideal base for radiant skin. Usually I will bring MAC face and body along with me, once again it's dewy, light and also compact, making it travel friendly. I don't have a travel bronzer, so I just bring my bobbi brown one or occasionally my Chanel soleil de tan. But if you need it to be compact the Hoola mini from benefit is a great option. After bronzing I highlight with my high beam and then it's on to eyes. One of my favourite travel product is MAC's travel sized pigment in melon. Pigments last forever so even if you're not travelling I'd opt for the smaller size, its cheaper and it will still take you years to finish. I love the shade melon because it compliments a tan perfectly; it's described as a golden peach but in different lights it can look bronze, pink or even gold. Whichever reflect you happen to catch it's breathtaking and for the measly sum of £10 you can't go wrong. There are a wide range of shades in the pigments and they look really stunning as a pop of colour in the middle of the lid. For the rest of my eye look I usually take a palette than I'm loving recently to switch it up a bit, last year I took Modern renaissance everywhere. However if you want to reduce space taken up with makeup I think the Huda obsessions palettes are a good option, because the shade range is great yet the palette is so small. I also take my Kat Von D tattoo liner with me which is also available in travel size. Brows will always be done with my ABH dipbrow, I will never fall out of love with this product and it doesn't take up much space. For lips I will bring a good old nude, at the moment I've been liking this little travel sized sample from TooFaced I got in the shade birthday suit. I'll also just bring a red in case I feel like being dramatic usually Macs Rubywoo. Of course I finish it all of with a mini bottle of MACs fix plus.

I think it's pretty clear from the list I just rattled off I still take A LOT of makeup with me, but obviously you can condense the suggestions to your own requirements. I've had a lot of fun writing this post and I'm actually packing my makeup case for a holiday on Saturday. So this post has kinda helped me decided what products I will be taking....  Who am I kidding I'll probably just pack everything I own!

Stick 'em Up.

Does anyone else get lured in by the spam email beauty companies send you? Yeah me too. Bobbi Brown recently had a spin the wheel type game where you won prizes. I happened to win a free full sized product when you purchase any Bobbi Brown product. I wasn't really in the market for anything in particular but ended up ordering a stick foundation just so I could receive my *free gift*. I'm such a sucker. Bravo for the good marketing ploy though, you got me.  ANYWAY,  I got a free full size glow stick which retails for £26 so I did get a good deal and I am actually really loving my foundation stick, so all in all it was a good decision.

Let's talk about the free gift, the glow stick in the shade sun kissed. First thing I thought was probably not my shade, maybe when I have a tan because I do go pretty dark... but right now my winter coat is in and I'm pasty as hell. I have had a little play with it regardless and I was surprised that it isn't as dark as it looks. In fact it's quite translucent, it really didn't look too dark after all and indeed did look sun kissed. So I was pretty happy with the colour, what I didn't like was the texture, this is just too oily for me. It really disturbed any makeup that was underneath it and I felt like it rubbed off because it just didn't feel like it dried down. That being said I have combo oily skin so if you're on the drier side you may really like this. I read the reviews on the website and it seems like oily girls are in agreement that it doesn't dry down. But those with dry skin seem to really love the hydrating aspect.   I'm not giving up on it just yet though as I want to try this when I am adorning a tan and not wearing any base products, I have a feeling this is going to look nice on the cheekbones and collar bones when I am actually sun kissed and the sun has dried out my skin a little.

All is not lost though, the free gift wasn't the product of my dreams but I am really loving the foundation. When I first applied this I was expecting the worse, because upon just swiping the product on my face it really enlarged my pores. I persevered with it and blended it out with a beauty blender dampened with some setting spray and it looked so beautiful. It has great coverage without being ridiculously matte or cakey. I still feel like my natural radiance shines through but it covers any uneven skin tone or redness. The most impressive thing about this foundation is its colour, it matches me perfectly. I really struggle finding a good undertone because I'm quite neutral and things often look really yellow or really pink on me. I got the shade cool ivory mainly because it seemed a little more on the neutral side in the swatch when compared to ivory which seemed pink and warm ivory which seemed very yellow.  I'm amazed I managed to colour match via the Internet so perfectly but here we are, and I'm over the moon. It is supposed to be for all skin types, which always makes me dubious. However it lasts reasonably well, considering I'm very oily and I touch my face a lot, it doesn't look too bad at the end of a shift. Not ridiculously good when it comes to longevity but decent I'd say a top up or blot would be required 5 hours in, if you are oily like me.

I'm pretty pleasantly surprised because this foundation was such a whim of a buy. Isn't it great when you have zero expectations about something and it really blows you away! This product has wormed its way into my everyday routine, and now I'm super excited to try more of their products. God help my bank balance!

So You Think You Want A Maltese Pupper?

Yes, I am one of those crazy dog ladies, my dog is my child and yes we do share a bed and No I don't mind if she licks my face. If you are already shrieking at this point, I can tell you that you probably want to reconsider getting a Maltese or any dog for that matter. Not because you have to let them lick your face or sleep in your bed because that is totally optional, but if you are not ready to be committed to a child like responsibility for the next 10-15 years you should just put your pet desires to rest. Little Bow is now 5 and although she looks like the perfect poster pet, owning a Maltese hasn't always been plain sailing. So if you are considering buying one of these majestic walking mops have a little read of my guide to owning a fluff ball. 

Are you suited to a small dog? This is a good place to begin. If you are an outdoorsy kind of person who loves going out walking, a Maltese probably isn't the dog for you. They love walks as much as the next dog but their little legs just aren't made for long distances. If you only get time to walk them three times a week or less they're cool with that, along as you give them plenty time in the back garden to run around and bark to their hearts content. Yes, I said bark; they are not quite little dogs in fact they are pretty noisy. Bow likes to bark at birds and pretty much anyone who walks past our house. The only positive is no-one really takes much notice of her, she barks and passersby respond with a scoff and cute dog, she's not that intimidating. 

So you probably don't want to buy a Maltese as a guard dog, but if you want a lap dog and a companion that is always happy to see you, you're probably on to a winner. Maltese are so placid by nature, they love cuddles and enjoy spending quality time with their owner, however this means that they rarely like to be left alone. Leaving your pupper unattended for a number of hours can cause them to be destructive or just super sad. Maltese are prone to separation anxiety so consider if you would be around enough for this sensitive breed. They are highly intelligent dogs and are very easy to train, however have the potential to be little madams if over pampered by there owners. I can tell you first hand how over spoiling your dog makes them a nightmare, Bow basically ignores me. However her sassy little attitude is what makes me love her more. 

Are they easy to look after? In terms of effort yes, they require little exercise, they aren't troublesome dogs but Maltese are a delicate little breed and come with a lot of needs. 

1. Maltese hate the cold, they are prone to chills so it's important that they are kept in a warm environment and that they are properly dried off when going out in damp conditions or after being bathed. On the flip side they also can get very hot in the summer, to avoid this I usually clip Bow around September. Another thing to keep in mind is that their hair doesn't offer much sun protection, especially on the nose and parting of the hair, it's best to put on sunscreen to keep them from burning.
2. They can be pretty fussy little eaters, I had to shop around A LOT to find a food she would contently eat and that met her dietary requirements. Despite that she likes the food, she's not a particularly big eater, she rarely finishes her entire bowl and prefers to graze on her food throughout the day.
3. They suffer from dental issues. Bow has cost me a small fortune in dental cleanings and teeth removal. Unfortunately small needle like teeth are a nightmare to keep clean AND yes they do require daily teeth brushing. I brush them, use additives to her water bowl, use plaque wipes and have dental food and she still has had 5 teeth removed. 
4. They require an extensive amount of grooming, if you wish to have lovely long flowing locks you need to brush them daily and I mean properly. I'm not that great at keeping her coat good so I often keep it short and fluffy. Once again this can be a great expense looking at around £40 every 2 months to get them groomed. 

 Below is a few of my grooming and teeth brushing equipment that we use to keep Bow looking good, Oh and her two favourite toys.

Okay if you've made it this far and you're still not put off then I think you've earned the right to know the amazing aspects of this four legged friend. They are devoted to their owners, all they want to do is spend time with you, cuddle and feel loved. I have never had or met a more affectionate dog. They befriend everyone, they don't have a bad bone in their body, they generally like most people and dogs and approach everyone with a sweet disposition that no-one can resist. They are lively little dogs with lots of personality, that will keep you laughing at their small dog syndrome. They keep their puppy playfulness into old age, they always want to keep playing, Bow loves to steal my socks. They are extremely curious and fearless, they love being cheeky, seeing new things and meeting new people. 

Plus they are truly adorable! 

Essentially, if you want a lovable and sweet pet that is low maintenance in aspect of exercise and you don't mind spending a little extra time grooming and you're home a lot. They are the ideal pet and you won't regret letting a little ball of floooof into your life. 

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