Discounted Michael Kors Sunglasses and Dior Tribal Earrings Dupe

After having a wardrobe clear out and re-style, I decided to opt for more luxury pieces instead of throw away fashion pieces from Primark. I’ve opted to invest in designer handbags from Mulberry, Phillip Lim, Michael Kors and Lulu Guinness, ranging from larger bags to a small going out clutch.

I try to invest in clothing pieces from places like Whistles, Jack Wills and opt for the more high-quality pieces Topshop have started producing. With this, I have also invested in some new accessories, which fit with my higher quality wardrobe.

I spotted these double pearl earrings on Sinead Crowe and they look like exact dupes for the Dior Tribal Earrings which are around £300 to purchase. They were £50 from Pandora, saving £250 on the Dior options.

Next up I thought it would be nice to invest in some designer sunglasses as I am going on holiday to New York and Barcelona this year. I found discounted designer options at Smart Buy Glasses. I was eyeing options from Burberry, Chloe and Ray Ban, but eventually settled on these cat eye inspired Michael Kors sunglasses. I adore them! They have a silver trim and little MK symbols on the arms.

They were £138.95 instead of £185. They are shipped from Asia but I can vouch for quick delivery, they arrived about 2 days later. 

*Sunglasses provided for review

Stress-Free Living

I will hold my hands up and say sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed by life. Work, blogging, relationships, friends and family all demand so much of my time, so it’s easy to forget to take time out for yourself.

I’m terrible at letting things build up and get on top of me, then I’m stressing about keep all the plates spinning. I’ve recently been researching how to live a more stress-free, wholesome life. I’ve found inspiration from Lady Carole Bamford, who runs her own lifestyle blog, which has plenty of ideas. She also has an organic farm called Daylesford. Daylesford provides the ultimate get away, with beautiful holiday cottages, a cookery school and a spa, but I’ll be adopting her at home ideas for now to practice a bit of self-care. These following points are how I’ve been adapting my lifestyle to make it a little less stressful.

Home and Garden Room at Daylesford Farm

Digital Detox

I know that everyone is jumping on the ‘digital detox’ bandwagon, but honestly the clarity it gives your mind is amazing. I try not use my phone when not necessary at the weekend. I’m usually out with friends or family, so I just enjoy the time I have with them instead of constantly checking my phone. It’s helped better relationships through face to face communication.

Yoga

Yoga has always been a great calming exercise for me, and it can be done anywhere. Carole has a great piece about yoga breathing techniques on her blog, which I found helpful.

Food

I have recently lost half a stone and started making better choices about my food. I now find if I have a bad day and binge, my body isn’t used to the food. I almost feel like I have a food hangover the next day. Yes, I do have the odd cheat meal but I’m thinking about how the food will make me feel and trying to avoid just binging, treats in small amounts!

Beauty

I find when life gets stressful I tend to get lazy with my beauty routines, relying too much on dry shampoo and face wipes to get me through the week. I’ve now being making the time to do a full skincare routine and enjoying little pamper evenings a few times a week. They are amazing for recharging your batteries and your body thanks you for the pamper!

I’d love to know how you cope with life’s stresses and unwind?

*Sponsored post

How To Use Your Makeup Collection for Blog Post Ideas

Whether you have a nice and neat makeup bag or drawers filled to the brim, we beauty bloggers love our makeup collections! I thought I’d share some ideas from my notebooks in honour of National Stationery Week, so get your pen and paper to jot these down!

New Additions 

New products you have recently bought are the easiest way to add content, but they don’t have to feature just once. You can include them in a haul and tell the reader why you choose to purchase the item, what drew you in? Once you have tried the product, you can then write some notes on your first impressions and then follow up with a separate post on how it has performed long-term.

Ingredient Focus

Have a look at your favourite skincare; do they all contain the same ingredient? I adore glycolic acid so I have a few beauty products which contain it. I rounded them all together and compared how I use them and their effectiveness.

Makeup Look

I’m terrible at reaching for new products and trying a new look. Dust off that old eyeshadow palette and use the colours you didn’t dare try before, stay away from the go-to neutrals. You can document how you pulled the look together and include pictures.

Shop Your Stash

You might have heard this phrase before, it’s when you go to your collection and pick out the items that haven’t seen much love recently and put them back in your makeup bag. Write down why you fell out of love with them and if you have managed to enjoy using them again.

Decluttering

I love watching decluttering makeup collection videos on Youtube, then I’ll go and sort my beauty drawers out. Show what you are choosing to throw away and write up mini reviews on them before you bin them.

Comparison 

The beauty posts I find the most helpful are the ones which compare two products, especially when I am looking for a new foundation or mascara. If you own a few foundations that are similar, why not write up a helpful review and compare them.

I love looking through my makeup collection and noting down ideas, I hope this post make you look at your stash with fresh eyes, ready to create more content!

Bubble Masks - The Latest Skincare Trend

We’ve seen multi-masking, sheet masks and now bubble masks have become the latest trend in skincare. Lots of these products have originated from the Asian markets, and they have slowly made their way to the UK.

A bubble mask, if you weren’t sure, is a sheet mask which has active ingredients that foam once applied. There are a few that have recently launched on the market, and I choose to road test the Skin Republic Bubble Purifying and Charcoal Face Mask Sheet.

This bubble mask comes in a pouch; you have to rub the packet before you open it to activate the ingredients, so they can bubble up. Once open you can unfold the sheet mask and apply to the face. I have noticed with some face masks that the sizes are huge, they don’t fit or it gets in my hairline, but this one from Skin Republic was just the right size.

It’s a black sheet mask which has a solution added to it, once applied the ingredients start to bubble and foam on top of the mask but also underneath on your top layer of skin. It’s a little strange at first but just feels like bubbles popping in the bath on your skin.

This product has rich ingredients like activated charcoal and fruit acids, which react with the air to start the bubbling process. The ingredients can reach deeper into the skin to eliminate impurities and detox the skin.  

I really enjoyed using the Skin Republic Bubble Mask, it was a bit of a novelty at first but the bubbling effect really made me feel like it was working. My skin did look perkier after using it.

It isn’t the cheapest mask on the market at around £5 but it’s something new to try if you are now bored of the Garnier sheet masks!

*PR Sample

Did you even put a face mask on if you didn't Snapchat or Instagram Story it?! 

Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Review - Debenhams Chester

If you’ve been a long-time reader of the blog, you’ll know the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is one of my all-time favourite cleansers. Even though I frequently use Elemis products, I have never tried one of their facial treatments, so when Sophie from the Debenhams Chester counter invited me to experience one, I just couldn’t wait!

Before the treatment began I had a consultation about my skin’s condition and what my skincare concerns were. I also had a SkinLab 3D face mapping done; it’s a clinical camera which shows things like hydration, texture and sun damage.

I had great levels of hydration which I was super happy about, as well as little skin damage, which is very important to me having fair skin. I had some areas of texture and pores on my nose and cheeks which needed addressing, so Sophie recommended I added in a toner and exfoliator to my daily routine. Did you know that water doesn't match your skin's natural PH level so it takes hours to rebalance, which is why you need a toner?

The Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial is one of their most popular, it helps get rid of dead skin cells, revealing smoother, renewed skin. This was performed by Sophie in a quiet room, away from the shop floor, the room itself was cozy and had a relaxed atmosphere.

I sat in the massage chair as she performed the facial. The chair works on your back muscles and any tense areas with kneading motions. It’s like having a facial and a back massage at the same time.

The facial treatment began with the White Flowers Eye and Lip Makeup Remover and the Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser to remove any traces of makeup. The refreshing Apricot Toner was applied before the Papaya Enzyme Peel, this is where the resurfacing part of the facial began.

The next step included products that are only available to the professionals who perform the treatment. These include the Dynamic Resurfacing Serum, Dynamic Resurfacing Peel Off Mask, and the Dynamic Resurfacing Serum. The products take the treatment to the next level, so it’s worth booking a treatment just for these, as they aren’t available for at home use.

While the Peel Off Mask was setting, Sophie gave me a lovely, relaxing arm and hand massage with the Frangipani Monoi Body Oil. This is one of my favourite scents from their line.

Sophie added in an extra 15 minutes of eye massage to the treatment, which used the Pro-Collagen Eye Renewal. You can also receive an extra 15 minutes free if you quote #Extra15 when booking into the Chester counter for a facial treatment. Their number is 01244319992 if you’d like to book in.

Before I left, Sophie ran through the products which were suitable for my skin type to use at home. 

I would highly recommend the Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial, I left feeling like I was floating on a cloud and my skin looked noticeably more plump and bright.

*Complimentary treatment provided

A Day On The Beach Featuring Buckley London Piccadilly Bracelets

Glorious sunshine on a weekend is practically unheard of in Britain! The weekend before the Easter Bank Holiday, my family and I took a trip to our caravan in Harlech. I've spoken about my love of Harlech plenty of times, the beach is one of my favourite places to be.

I wanted to wear something comfortable and casual, so I threw on a grey v-neck t-shirt and my boyfriend fit jeans. I added the silver and gold versions of the Piccadilly Bangle from Buckley London to complete the look. The mix of the metals helped create a more casual feel. The gold option is made of cool toned gold so works well teamed with the silver. These bracelets are a great option if you don't want to invest in the Monica Vinader ones.

*PR sample

You can win your own set of Buckley London bracelets below. UK entries only. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

March Consumptions

It’s the third round up of my monthly consumptions and you guys seem to be enjoy them! If you haven’t read my previous posts, I’m trying to use up some of makeup and skincare stash as it’s getting out of hand. The aim of these posts is to see by the end of the year how many products I ‘consume’.

Here is what I consumed in March…

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser Lip Balm

I was still experiencing dry lips from my Roaccutane treatment in March, so this lip balm was a life saver. I use it overnight as it has a white cast. It’s very moisturising and heals the skin well.

Burt’s Bees Lip Balm

I also used up the Burt’s Bees Lip Balm. This has been a long-term favourite of mine. It’s very nourishing and keeps dry skin at bay. I will always repurchase this!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Brunette

Dry shampoo can be a life saver! I do find the brunette version does leave less of a white cast. I can’t always find this one in the shops, so I still do use the normal one in a pinch.

Skand Navisk NAT Candle

I had to throw this candle out, I don’t think I’d burned it correctly, so the wick wouldn’t light after a few uses. It was such a shame as it cost under £20 for the small pot!

Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil

I have used up about 10 of these since I first discover it. If you are looking for a dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pencil, this one is exactly the same!

Chloe Perfume

Another classic I will always repurchase, it has to be my favourite fragrance. Everyone comments on the beautiful scent when I wear it.

Simple Kind to Eyes Eye Makeup Remover

I usually use makeup wipes to remove my makeup, yes I know they are bad for your skin, I double cleanse don’t worry! I bought this makeup remover for suborn mascara that won’t come off with a wipe. It’s great at removing eye makeup and doesn’t sting the eyes.

Côte Brasserie Chester Restaurant Review

I can thank my boyfriend for my new-found love for French food. Alex studied and speaks fluent French, so he’s keen to enjoy French food whenever we can. Our trip to Paris in January allowed me to try out the cuisine first hand and I fell in love with their traditional dishes.

We recently visited the brand-new Cote Brasserie in Chester. Cote Brasserie is a French restaurant chain, if you are based in the North West like me, they also have locations in Hale, Liverpool and Manchester.

The Chester restaurant is based on Bridge Street, which is a great location, and it has plenty of space for large parties, but also smaller, quieter booths for dates.

We took ages trying to decide what options to have from the menu, as there were so many amazing sounding choices. To start, I opted for the seared scallops from the specials menu and Alex choose the boudin noir.

My scallops were paired with puy lentils, a frisée salad, bacon lardons and tomato and garlic dressing. Alex’s dish was French black pudding with caramelised apples, a poached egg and a frisée salad. I thoroughly enjoyed my scallops, they were perfectly cooked. I sampled Alex’s black pudding and it was wonderfully rich without being too heavy.

Our main course arrived shortly after, I opted for the duck breast and Alex had chosen the tuna niçoise. I can honestly say the duck breast was the best I have ever tasted, it was so tender and succulent. In traditional French style, it was served with a griottine cherry sauce and accompanied with potato gratin. Alex’s salad was so colourful and the tuna was cooked pink, so had plenty of flavour.

As I have a sweet tooth, I couldn’t resist dessert. Our choices were tarte au citron and the chocolate fondant. My tarte was had a beautiful sharp lemon filling with buttery pastry, it was very refreshing on the palate. I was in envy of Alex’s chocolate fondant which oozed sauce from the centre.

The service was quick and staff gave recommendations if you were unsure, and helped with menu details. The food was delicious and felt very luxurious, the experience felt like a real treat.

I urge you to experience the food for yourself! You can book online for the brand-new Chester restaurant here. 

*The meal was provided for review but all opinions are my own

Skin Chemists Pro-5 Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream Review and Discount Code

Beauty sleep is an actual thing, hurrah for early nights and lie-ins! The skin repairing can almost double as we sleep, so this makes your night time skincare very important.

I opt to take advantage of this highly valuable time by using effective active ingredients. Skin Chemists’ Pro-5 Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream contains Marine Collagen, to leave the skin supple and smooth. Collagen production slows after the age of 20, it’s important to opt for skincare that has this vital ingredient to keep your skin in the best condition.

The night cream also contains Gatuline Bio and Matrixyl 3000, both of which promise to tackle the signs of ageing. I’m in my mid-twenties so I am starting to think about anti-ageing products to keep my skin looking plump and reduce the fine lines that are beginning to show.

Gatuline Bio works to regenerate the skin, and thus visibly reducing dull, tired skin and the visibility of wrinkles. Matrixyl 3000 is excellent at smoothing, it fills in fine lines and blurs the skin.

The consistency of the night cream is rich without being heavy, so it has no risk of blocking pores like other rich creams I have tried previously. I cleanse, tone and apply serum as normal and this product is the last step in my routine.

I’m finding my smile lines are starting to become deeper as I am getting older, so it was interesting to see they had improved over a few weeks use. My skin looked plump and refreshed each morning, so I was making the most of my beauty sleep!

If you'd like to try the Skin Chemists’ Pro-5 Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream out for yourself, enter my discount code CHERRIESBLOG at the checkout to reduce the price from £109.00 to just £19.99! The discount ends 30th April 2017.

*PR sample 

You can see my other Skin Chemists product reviews here.