I Wish Everyday was a Saturday

Weekends in London are a rarity for me as I usually escape to Rutland to be surrounded by sheep and cats. However, this weekend I have been lured to stay with the promise of gin and fun times in Clapham *whoop*

So what better way to spend a Saturday then a little bit of pampering and retail therapy (even though I am embarrassingly poor). 

My first stop with Chloe's Nail Spa, which through rigorous testing I believe is the best salon in town. Everyone in there are so lovely and the decor is very clean and chic. I had a pedicure, which lasted about an hour in a heavenly massage chair where I was fed constant green tea :) even more exciting is that a fabulous looking Milly Mackintosh was just chilling next to me!

Feet! 

Next up was the beauty and cosmetic hall in Peter Jones (I can't keep away for long). Got my favourite shampoo and conditioner brand Klorane, I originally discovered it when I was living in France and it very excited me when I found it in England. It has lots of lovely natural ingredients but still tailors for different hair types (I get the blonde version). 

Adding to my list is new favourite moisturiser from Eau Thermale Avène called Hydrance Optimale Légère. It's the perfect combination of light but moisturising and it doesn't set off my crazy sensitive skin. You might of guessed by now that I have a thing for French Pharmacy cosmetics!  

Lastly, I managed to get some free samples- anything that is free becoming 10 times more exciting! First up was some of the Diorskin Star, I have it in shade 020 -Light Beige but when I'm exercising my tanning habit I need a slightly darker colour.
Finally, Origins were giving out free samples of their new face mask from the Quarter Life Crisis range which is must say I am definitely going through! The mask is fantastic, my pores have shrunk and it gave me a really healthy glow. P.s they also do a great Serum. 

Smile 

Enjoy 

Charl 

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Just Nipping off to St Moritz for the Weekend

I love being tanned, I wish I could be one of those wonderful people that can rock the pale-and-interesting look but if I accidentally skip the bronzer I look a bit dead.

So to maintain the illusion that I am some tanned goddess rather than a small pink blob I have to equip myself with the latest and greatest tanning products, and trust me I have loads! 

So I thought I could share my knowledge on which ones make you look all bronzed and gorgeous and not like an escaped oompa loompa (oh the days of Johnsons Holiday Skin - cue 100 orange zebra look-a-likes).

Face 

As I have a fragrance allergy I have be to super careful on what I put on my face, otherwise I won't be able to leave the house for a few days. 

However, the lovely people at Clarins came up with their magical tanning drops aka Self Tanning Radiance-Plus Gloden Glow Booster (a right mouthful!). This wondrous stuff turns your standard moisturiser into a made to measure facial tanner (1/2 drops = slightly tanned, 3/4 drops= a week on the med), I find it works great with my Origins Night-A-Mins night cream. P.s Clarins now does one for the body tooooo- Clarins Body Drops

No makeup bag would be complete without a good old bronzer and hands down my favourite is Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer. Yes, the price is a little scary but I have had mine for almost two years and it is so super worth it. Great for perking up your complexion as well a bit of nifty contouring a la Kimmy K. 

All my lovely products minus my Guerlain bronzer as it is too shabby!
L-R Clarins tanning drops, L'Oreal sublime bronzer, St Moritz and Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins

Body

I know there has been a massive hype about the new St Tropez shower bronzer but being very jobless at the moment means it is slightly out of budget. I normally just stick with its cheaper cousin St Moritz. Once only sold in bargain buckets and Savers, it has sky rocketed in popularity and is now available in most normal looking shops. The mousse is really easy to put on but I beg you, please use a mitt or you will look like you've been playing with marmite.

Another really great tanner is the L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanning Tinted Gel which comes in both light and medium. This was an impulse buy when I looked a bit pale at work #naughty. The lasting power is epic, I put a layer on over the weekend and I am still looking golden and it's Thursday.

If for any special occasions that you want a spray tan then the best one I can recommend is Sienna-X. One of my girlfriends swears
 by it and she is forever brown, aren't you faz?! Only some salons will stock Sienna-X but if you live around SW London then there is a fabulous salon on the Northcote Road called All About the Girl which is actually owned by Gordon Ramsey's wife Tanya *fun fact*. Not only does it do tanning but a whole host of other treatments and the salon itself is beautiful, so go check it out. 

Enjoy
Charl
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Moroccan Inspirations

As any of you that has met me or seen my Instagram page will know that I really do love to cook! I will normally offer to cook for a dinner party or come over and cook at friends houses, (so if you see me, maybe take advantage of this strange habit of mine!)

So recently, I have be trying to be really healthy so I'm experimenting with lots of different and rather exciting recipes, most of them originating from "Saturday Kitchen Live" I am a little obsessed with James Martin!

My new favourite week night dinner has a Moroccan theme and it is incredibly easy to make. This recipe will serve around 3 people

Lamb and Egg Tagine

Ingredients 

1 pack of Lamb mince 400g ish

Handful of flat leaf parsley 

Ground cumin (lots)

Paprika (lots)

Salt and pepper 

1 Onion

3 Cloves of garlic

2 Tins of tomatoes 

Tomato puree

5 Free ranged eggs 

Handful of coriander 

Flat bread and tzatziki to serve 

Method

• In large bowl put the lamb mince, half a bag of flat leaf parsley, a tablespoon of ground cumin and paprika and some salt and pepper
• Mix around and make them into meatballs
• Get a deep sides pan or tagine and heat up some olive oil - then add your meatballs and sear on all sides till brown and set aside 
• In the remaining oil and juices, put the chopped garlic, onion and more paprika and cumin and fry till soft. 
• Then add the tinned tomatoes (I use about a tin and half) and simmer for 15 minutes to make the sauce 
• When the sauce is done put the meatballs back in and simmer for another 3-4 minutes. 
• Lastly, crack all 5 eggs on top of the sauce making sure that they don't break. Put a lib on top of the pan to let the eggs cook for a couple of minutes
• Finally, sprinkle lots of chopped coriander on top and serve immediately with flat break and tzatziki 

Lamb and Egg Tagine Youtube Link

My very yummy but rather messy tagine

Enjoy

Charl 

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Honey...I'm Home!

Why hello there! I am very sorry, it seems like I have fallen off the face of the earth for the last year and bit! Not too worry I'm back to fill your brains with lots of lovely little nuggets.

Right...where to start. Well during my departure I've been pretty busy. I worked in the very aggressive lettings market in Clapham at Marsh & Parsons, (wonderful company I may add). Since leaving in May, I have tried to crack the very exciting but rather impenetrable world of advertising but I'm not having much luck so far. Sooooo....if anyone has any lovely contacts that they would like to chuck over I would be incredibly grateful! 

Within all of this, I've experience Glastonbury and Ibiza for the first time #superfunbutterrifying, but I'll update you all about my maiden voyages! 

Enjoy

Charl

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Products I'm Loving

Being the makeup/cosmetic magnet as most of you may know already, I am always getting excited about trying new products. Only last night I was a fascinated by my friends toner! (mental note made - buy the Dr Feelgood Range)!

Anyhoo...So there are a couple of products that I have been loving recently. 

First up is the Korres Lip Butter  in the colour Pomegranate. I've loved the Korres range for a while ever since I tried the White Tea Facial Fluid and the Wild Rose Facial Moisturiser. As I'v got a fragrance allergy the Korres range is particularly good because it's all natural. This lip balm goes on really smoothly and keeps my lips moisturised for hours, a massive bonus is that the colour is really pigmented. 

Next is the Benefit That Gal Primer. I never really wear that much face makeup as luckily I have pretty good skin - saying this I will blatantly get a tonne of spots tomorrow! But as I'v moved to London, my skin needs a little boost. The pinky tones cancels out dullness and gives a subtle glow, which looks really pretty. 

No makeup bag in my eyes is complete without a good bronzer and the one I'm using at the moment is the Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzer. This multi-tonal bronzer gives the perfect getaway glow without looking too orange/red or muddy. It's perfect for generally bronzing and contouring. 

Finally, after spending lots of my hard earner money on things to put on my face, I need something to take it all off! So I will now introduce my new favourite makeup remover...L'Oreal Micellar Solution. The beauty world has recently gone crazy over Micellar Solution and I think this one works perfectly for my skin and it's really affordable. It removes all my war paint and tones at the same time *bonus* - I want my evening routine to be a quick as possible (I'm really lazy!). 

So there you have it! 

Enjoy 

Charl 

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Un, Deux, Trois, Cat..Sank!

As I keep talking about my love for cats, I thought I might as well introduce you to my little clan! Their names are Archie, Tiger, Tilly and Freddie- the only awkward fact is that I have actually named my cats after what I want to name my future children, (apart from Tiger that it!). Can you imagine the confusion in the house?!

Well here they are...

This is Tiger, him and Tilly are twins, they're half Siamese and half tortoise shell and they are very beautiful! (Couldn't find Tilly for this post, she was hunting!). 

Next is Freddie. he still my little kitten and he's a pure bred Turkish Angora. He's only 6 months old. 

Such a camera hogger! 

Last but not least this is my original baby, Archie. This picture doesn't demonstrate how large he actually is- he's the size of a smallish dog! He's half Turkish Angora, half moggie. 

P.S. My shirt is from Topshop, you can still get the blue version - Topshop Heart Print Shirt

Enjoy

Charl

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I Love a Good Blow...Dry!

After my third out of four interviews - I know busy week! I walked out the offices on Great Portland Street and I happened to walk past Percy and Reed West Salon and they had a offer on Blow Dries, and I thought it was time to treat myself. I popped in and within 5 minutes I was having my hair washed whilst drinking tea (epic multi-taking!). The lovely Amy was my stylist and I asked for volume and a nice wave and thats what I got, and at £19 thats cheaper then most places I have scouting out. 

There are only two Percy and Reed Salons, one in Great Portland Street, (West Salon) and the other is in Spitalfields, (East Salon). 
So if your looking for a lovely personal salon with exceptional service and your around one of those areas, or not! Then please give them a visit, they're great! 

Thanks Amy and Percy and Reed 

Here's my lovely blow-dried hair. 

And just to top of my lovely day the sunset in London was beautiful.

Enjoy 

Charl 

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