My New York Trip 2015

Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon

Hey everyone! Last week I went to London to see the new Audrey Hepburn exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
Audrey and her films have had a huge impact on my life; they have shaped the way in which I look at fashion and they also started my love for old Hollywood back when I was fifteen years old. Not only that, but Audrey's personal life and her philanthropy are things that I truly admire- for me, she is the ultimate role model. Therefore, when I found out that this exhibition will only be on show until October, there was no question about it: I had to go.
Seeing all the portraits together and being in a place solely dedicated to Audrey was a great experience, but, sadly, I was disappointed. This may be due to the fact that, as a massive Audrey fan, I had come across the majority of photographs before. However, I also felt that there should have been more information not only about each portrait, but about Audrey's life as a whole; I quote a review by The Guardian when I say that the exhibition is "beautiful, but unrevealing."

March Favourites

Hey Everyone!
This is my first post in months; I've been so busy writing my dissertation recently that I've had no time whatsoever to do anything else- I hardly left the house last month! But it's all done now, so I can start having a life again.
I thought I'd do a pretty simple post today to get used to blogging again, so here are my March favourites:



Vichy Nutrilogie 2 (Intensive for dry skin): I have been using this cream for a while now, and I have to say that it's the best day cream for dry skin- I'm onto my second jar!
Since I started using this product I've been able to wear more foundations, and I haven't noticed as many dry patches. I would actually really recommend Vichy in general, in my opinion it's the best brand for dry skin.

Indeed Eysilix: I don't know if it's because I don't get enough sleep or because I'm always vvv stressed, but the bags under my eyes were getting ridiculously out of hand. I decided to buy Eysilix, which targets under eye puffiness and dark circles. This is the first eye cream I have ever purchased, and I am definitely impressed with the results. I wouldn't say that my bags are completely gone, but they are a lot better after using this product twice a day, everyday.

EcoTools Bamboo Foundation Brush & Foam Applicator: The EcoTools foundation brush was the first brush I ever purchased. I remember using it every single day back in college, and never complaining about my makeup looking patchy or cakey, so last week I decided to buy it again; and I am SO happy that I did. I cannot emphasise enough how easy and precise it is to apply foundation with this brush, my skin looks so much smoother since I started using it.
After applying my foundation, I tap a little more onto my cheeks and my nose with the foam applicator. This makes my face look even smoother and sets the foundation in place, helping it to stay on longer.

L'Oreal Infalible 24H-Matte Foundation (In Vanilla): I still can't decide how I feel about this foundation. I do love it, as its coverage, finish, and lasting power are amazing. However, it tends to dry my skin out. After I use it I have to put a lot more cream on than usual because it leaves my skin feeling a bit rough. And yet I keep using it because it looks so lovely and flawless on the skin!
I only use it once a week though, because I think making it my go-to foundation would destroy my skin.



MAC Lipstick in Faux: I am so obsessed with this lipstick. At the moment I'm really into pink shades, especially lighter ones. To me, Faux is the perfect shade of pink as it has brown undertones, making it look more natural and very wearable. I don't think the picture of the swatch underneath shows how lovely the colour actually is!
It's a satin finish, so it feels really moisturising on the lips- and it looks even better if you apply the right lipliner beforehand.




Tesco SLEEP Lavender & Jasmine Candle: This is by far the best candle I have ever bought, and it's only £3! As the name suggests, it's supposed to help you go to sleep, and oh my, it's so relaxing.
I'm not a fan of most candles as they tend to give me headaches, but this one has a really fresh and gentle smell, not overpowering at all. I light it just before I go to bed every night and it helps me drift off to sleep- it's amaaazing.



If you have any questions about any of these products just leave a comment :)

Ana xo

Frozen Party!

Hey everyone!
I have been so busy with uni lately that I have not been able to post anything, but hopefully I'm going to learn how to make time for blogging AND uni work...

Last week we organised a Frozen-themed kids party for my niece and nephew.
We tried our best to bring the film to life for the children, and I think we did a good job.

As you can see in the pictures above, we took ordinary party ideas and gave them a Frozen touch: the sweets table wasn't just any sweets table- it was Oaken's candy stall!
The original plan was for my boyfriend to dress up as Oaken himself, but the kids just assumed he was Kristoff...

We had blue lemonade, which Queen Elsa herself created, of course. Lots of carrot sticks for Sven, and a hand-drawn pin-the-nose on Olaf game amongst other things.
Oh and, of course, the Frozen soundtrack was on repeat the whole time.

I dressed up as Anna, which was fab- I'll use any excuse to dress up as a Disney Princess.
I am now selling this dress, so if anyone is interested in buying it please let me know- I'll be selling it at a reasonable price :)

Ana xo

Hot Topic Disney Wishlist

Hey everyone!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a little bit obsessed with Disney.
Recently, I went on the Hot Topic website and found that they have a really great Disney section, so obviously I had a look at everything they sold and found myself wanting to buy almost everything they had to offer!
So today I thought I'd do a little wishlist featuring my favourite items.

The first item is this amazing phone case. I love looking at Disney phone cases online, and I have purchased a fair few in the past, so as soon as I spotted this one I immediately wanted it.
Trouble is, every time I try to buy it it says it's sold out, so perhaps they don't make these anymore :(
Either way, this is my current dream case.


I'm loving these two Little Mermaid necklaces. They are so subtle and yet so Disney at the same time; I particularly like the shell one.

I am forever looking for the best Disney poster. I really want one that isn't too childish, one that's quite elegant and a bit more grown up, so this one is just what I'm looking for.
I can already picture it in my room at uni...

These teapots are so cool!
At the moment I can't stop looking at homeware for my new uni flat, so when I found these teapots you can imagine my reaction.
Anything Disney must be in my flat!

                            

Last but not least is some more homeware that needs to be in my flat- how cute are these salt & pepper shakers!
I think I would be too scared to use them as I'd probably break them, but they would make the perfect kitchen ornaments.

Hope you enjoyed reading this post.
Are there any Disney items on your wishlist? :)
Ana xo

Holiday Haul!

Last week I went to Madrid for a few days.
I was born there and lived there for 12 years, so it was lovely to go back and see a few friends & family.
Apart from catching up with people, I went shopping and spent a little bit of money... So I thought I'd make a blog post and show you all the things I bought!

Before going to Spain there was one thing I knew I wanted to buy: the Bioderma micellar water.

I've read so many good things about it, and lots of people seem to love it, so I was really looking forward to trying it.
When I got to El Corte Ingles, a famous Spanish department store, I found a whole Bioderma section, and I ended up buying more than just the micellar solution!
I picked up the Soothing, Purifying Cleansing Gel for redness and sensitive skin and the moisturising cream for dehydrated and sensitive skin.
All of these products sound perfect for my skin, especially the cream, so I'm really excited to try them- I will probably write a little review once I start using them.

Another skincare product I bought was the new Body Shop Wild Argan Oil Radiant Oil for body & hair.

I have wanted to try an Argan Oil product for a while, and I thought this body oil would be the best bet as it's so easy to apply.
I have used it a couple of times since I bought it and I love it, my skin feels a lot softer than usual even hours after I apply it, and it smells amazing.

I went into Sephora and found these really cool body washes.
There was a big stand with lots of these capsules and you could choose the ones you liked and put them into a little case (it kind of reminded me of pick & mix sweets).
I chose strawberry, blueberry, 'lagoon', and green tea.

I walked past a MAC stall and I obviously had to stop and have a look at their lipsticks.
I was really in the mood to buy a new shade for winter (even though it was 30 degrees in Madrid).
At first I tried on a very purply colour, but in the end I went for ..., which has more of a dark red and brown tone to it, and just suited me a lot better.

I picked up the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation at the Duty Free on my way to Madrid.

This is obviously a cult product that so many people love, and at first I thought that it wouldn't suit my skin because it's quite a thick foundation.
However, after trying a sample of it I discovered that this actually IS the best foundation ever, as it's the only one that stays on all day and covers all the dry patches on my skin- it was definitely a must buy at the airport.

I picked up the DKNY Be Delicious perfume at the Duty Free on my way back to England with my last remaining Euros.

I really wanted to buy a new perfume, and as soon as I smelt this one I had to buy it.
I've actually had this perfume a few times in the past, but I stopped buying it a couple of years ago to try out new scents, but now I'm really happy to start using it again, it has such a lovely, fruity smell.

I found this sleeping mask in H&M.

It was only 4€, so I decided to buy it because I have been after one of these for a while (the sun wakes me up every single morning and it's so annoying).
I just thought it was nice and simple, and the little ears are really cute.

My final purchase is this raincoat from Pull & Bear. I've always wanted a mac, and I particularly liked this one because the inside is so soft and warm, and I'm a ridiculously cold person so if a coat isn't warm enough then I won't buy it, even if it's really gorgeous.

I tried it on and loved how casual it looks but also how it compliments and goes with any outfit.
Also, this is the only coat/jacket I own that has a hood, so no more getting my hair wet during rainy days, yey!

Have you been on holiday recently? :)
Ana xo

London & Kate Bush

Hey everyone!
On Wednesday I went to London to see Kate Bush (!!)
I went with my girl Joe, who has just come back from America after being there for nearly three months, so spending a couple of days with him was really great (although I probably stressed the life out of him!).

London was quite hectic. We were rushing to get to places as we didn't want to be late for the show.
We did manage to go to Oxford Street for some lunch and a bit of shopping however.
We went to Chipotle, a sort of Mexican Subway, which is Joe's new American obsession. There, I had my first ever burrito, and it was pretty fab.

I love the Topshop in Oxford Street; there's so many different stalls and products to choose from (there's even a frozen yoghourt bar!)
I had to really stop myself from buying a new coat or a new hat... there are so many hats there...

So we rushed around a bit more and our last stop was Primark.
I was really excited to go to Primark as I'd heard that there's some great pieces there this season.
Maybe I didn't look well enough, but I was a tiny bit disappointed. I'd seen a few items online that I was excited to buy, but they didn't have them in stock.
On the other hand, I was quite impressed with their handbags, I picked out four different ones that I liked, but ended up buying a lovely, small black bag. I thought it looked quite different to any bag I own, and I was also in desperate need of a smaller bag.

                                                                                                                                              

After running around London, it was finally time to go to the concert.
I couldn't believe my luck when I got the tickets back in March; like every other Kate Bush fan out there, I never thought I'd get to see her live.
The show itself was beyond my expectations. I would have been happy with just seeing her sat at a piano singing a few songs, but she put on an incredible, ingenious show that, after four days, I'm still trying to take in.

When she came on stage for the first time, everyone stood up and didn't stop clapping for a good few minutes. I looked around a few times and everyone there looked so amazed, you could totally see a look of admiration and respect on their faces throughout the concert.

The show was split into two different theatrical productions, the first one based on The Ninth Wave, from Kate's Hounds of Love album, and the second was A Sky of Honey, from her Aerial album.
The two acts had very different, almost opposite themes, the first one being dark and gothic, whilst the second gave a happy and bright atmosphere to the theatre.

Before The Dawn (the name of the concert) was like nothing I'd seen before. Kate Bush is able to visualise her songs, and she is inspired by films- you can tell Alfred Hitchcock is one of her biggest inspirations.
In her show, Kate Bush tells a story through her music, with the help of lyrics, stage design and previously recorded short films- and the result is genious.

I'm still not over what I witnessed on Wednesday. I have been listening to Kate Bush non-stop since, and I get super emotional every time I remember that I've seen her live.
I hope she releases a dvd of the show, because I feel that when you see it for the first time you feel amazed, starstruck and shocked all at the same time, so I need to watch the show again to take it in and find a few details that I might have missed the first time. 

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post!

Ana xo

Night-time skincare routine for dry skin.

For my first post I thought I'd talk about something that I can't go a day without doing- my night time skin care routine! I suffer from really dry skin, which is an absolute pain when I put foundation on, as it ends up looking patchy and cakey.
I have tried many products to help my skin in the past, but luckily now I have found a few products which have really improved my skin.

The first thing I do on a night is take my makeup off with the Eucerin 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Fluid.
I absolutely love micellar waters, as they are so quick and easy to use, and this one in particular leaves my skin feeling really soft.
Eucerin 3 in 1 is an amazing make up remover, it even completely removes my eyeliner in seconds.

Eucerin 3in1 Micellar Cleansing Fluid 200ml, £9.00 from Boots.

I use the Avene Gentle Purifying Scrub once or twice a week. This is the only exfoliator I would use, as it doesn't leave my skin looking red straight after using it. 

It's gentle but still does its job really well. 

Avene Gentle Purifying Scrub 50ml, £9.50 from Boots.

Next, I use the Vichy Purifying Foaming Cream. I could not recommend this product enough. It removes all the last traces of makeup that the micellar water didn't get to, and it leaves my face feeling smooth and really soft, even my nose, which is my most problematic area. I have repurchased this face wash twice already, and I plan on doing it again when it runs out!

 

 I then quickly spray my face with the Avene Thermal Water Spray. This is a quick way to hydrate your skin, and I've found that it works best when I spray it just before I put my moisturizer on.

Avene Thermal Water Spray 300ml, £10 from Boots.

The night cream I use is the Eucerin Replenishing Face Night Cream for dry skin.

 I honestly think that this product is the main reason why my skin has improved over the past few months. This moisturizer is quite thick, but it adds a lot of moisture back to my skin.
If I don't apply this cream on a night, my skin feels pretty dry the next morning, so this is the one skincare step I can't skip. If you have the same problem as me and are looking for a night time cream, this is the one.

Eucerin Dry Skin Replenishing Face Cream 50ml, £12.50 from Boots.

I am a bit apprehensive when it comes to using a toner, as I'm worried that it'll dry out my skin, so if anyone knows any good toners for dry skin please let me know, and feel free to ask any questions about any of the products I have just mentioned :)

           Ana xo