Where to Eat in London: The Diner - Camden


With Johnny Cash playing in the background and burgers to die for being served left right and centre, The Diner is definitely on my list of favourite places to eat in Camden...

Although nothing beats the street food stalls in Camden Lock, when you have spent the entire day shopping the idea of sitting down for dinner is incredibly appealing, so after a long stint of riffling through rack after rack of vintage clothes and records I decided to go find somewhere where I could grab a spot of dinner as well as a chair and that is when I came across The Diner - nestled in Jamestown Road just off the main street in Camden, the decor is a dark cherry red with leather seated booths and neon lights by the bar and the staff are equally as good looking.

Now for the food, I went for the BBQ Chicken Burger - pulled BBQ chicken with shredded lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise and BBQ sauce all sandwiched between a seeded bun. The chicken was tender and gorgeously flavoured, I also opted for a side of fries topped with melted cheese, cooked to perfection and piping hot these went down a treat. Luca chose the Grab Burger, classic American cheeseburger packed with two burger patties and covered in burger sauce I think it is safe to say he enjoyed it!

Have you ever eaten at The Diner? Where is your place to go for a good old burger?

www.goodlifediner.com




Bath Time Essentials

My must have products for the ultimate bath time experience...

When it comes to it nothing is quite as relaxing as a hot bath especially one filled with fragrant luxurious bubbles, I love the Lush bubble bars as they not only fill the bath with a mountain of bubbles but they leave the skin feeling super soft and moisturised afterwards. Two new bubble bars I have been trying are from the Lush Christmas collection, first up is Holy Golightly - shaped like a Christmas pudding and covered in silver glitter this is perfect for a festive pamper evening, this bubble bar is packed with spicy Christmas scents like clove leaf oil, cinnamon leaf oil and sweet orange oil. Another Lush bar I love is Candy Mountain, this sweet bath treat is packed with comforting vanilla scent and turns the bath water a beautiful shade of pink. 

The Body Shop's Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt is also another bath time favourite, the perfect mixture of honey and wildflower give this bath melt a gorgeous fragrance, the creamy bubbles leave a rich layer of moisture on the skin. My final bath time must have is The Body Shop's Early Harvest Raspberry Body Scrub, this stuff smells incredible and the seed like texture lifts away dead skin helping to improve the body's circulation.

What are your favourite bathtime products? Have you tried anthing from the Lush Christmas range yet?

Disclaimer: Although I work for The Body Shop, this is no way effects my opinion.



Skincare Extras - Weekly Treats


My once a week skincare treats that keep my skin looking bright and hydrated...

My weekly treatment regime starts with my usual cleanse, for that I have been using The Body Shops Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, after that I wet my face and apply my Vitamin C Mircrodermabrasion scrub again from The Body Shop. Mircrodermabrasion is an intense treatment that buffs away the surface layer of the skin revealing a brighter complexion. I find my skin feels super soft after using this and the texture of my skin is smoother. The fine exfoliating beads are packed with Vitamin C, this ingrediant is great for reviving dull skin.

You simply cannot indugle in a pamper evening without a face mask, my current mask of choice is The Body Shops Honey and Oat 3-in-1 Scrub Mask, like my microdermabrasion treatment this gently buffs away dead skin cells with its grainy texture. The Community Fair Trade honey in this mask makes it super hydrating. I leave this on for ten minutes to reveal a fresh complexion that has been conditioned and moisturised.

What are your favourite skincare treatments?

Disclaimer - Although I work for The Body Shop, this in no way effects my opinion

The Skincare Series: Part Two


I've talked cleanser, make-up remover and toner but now it is time to find out what products I like to use on a daily basis to keep my skin hydrated...

After using my L'Oreal Velvety Soft Toner I like to prepare my skin for moisturiser by using a serum, my current go to is Hydraluron from Indeed Labs, this contains a pure form of hyaluronic acid - an incredibly moisturising ingredient that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water which helps to keep skin feeling hydrated and plumped.

To prepare my eyes for moisturiser I like to use The Body Shop's Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate, like Hydraluron this helps keep the skin plump and youthful, it also helps to reduce fine line and eye bags. I love the cooling sensation of the metal roller ball - this is perfect for waking yourself up in the early winter mornings. The active ingredient is Elderweiss - a plant stem cell proven to help with the skins renewal properties.

After my serums have had time to sink in and work their magic I like to apply my moisturiser, the Vitamin E Aqua Boost Sorbet, again by The Body Shop, is perfect for my combination skin type, this lightweight sorbet texture sinks into the skin very quickly so there's no waiting around to apply my foundation, it is enriched with wheatgerm oil so keeps my skin hydrated all day. For my eyes I have been using the Origins GinZing refreshing eye cream to brighten and depuff. The formula is enriched with coffee bean, ginseng, magnolia extract and natural optic brighteners, these ingredients help to reduce eye puffiness and dark circles.

Next week I'll be discussing skin treatments and skin saviors so stay tuned.....

Disclaimer: Although I work for The Body Shop this in no way effects my opinion. 

Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter


Dressing for Autumn is a lot easier than Summer, the jeans can come out in full force along with all those cosy winter layers, here is an outfit I put together for a lazy Sunday afternoon, details below...

I treated myself to a new pair of classic black jeans for this Autumn, I first saw the Asos Ridley Jeans on Alix from I Covet Thee, she wore them in a recent blog post with a checked shirt and I just loved the rips and the fit of them, they are high waisted and super comfy so I can definitely see myself getting a lot of wear out of these! The Iron Maiden tee was an absolute steal from To Be Worn Again in Brighton, I love the black on black look of this outfit, a leather jacket would really toughen this look up, and also add that all important extra layer now it has started to get a little chilly in England. 

What are your favourite pieces for Autumn? 

Iron Maiden Top - To Be Worn Again, Brighton 
Jeans - Asos Ridley Jeans 
Shoes - H&M
Hat - Asos
Sunglasses - Brick Lane Vintage Shop
Necklace - Native Wolf






Brick Lane Photo Diary


A trip to London isn't complete without popping into Rough Trade in East London and having a look around Brick Lanes famous vintage stores...

On a recent jaunt up to the big smoke to see the Fat White Family at the Electric Ballroom we managed to squeeze in a little time to check out Brick Lane, having been there before we had two things in mind that we wanted to do - go to Rough Trade and have a curry, I mean with all the curry houses there it would be rude not too! 

We also stumbled upon a huge vintage basement full of stalls with rails packed with vintage gems, when it comes to thrift stores though Brick Lane doesn't come close when you compare it with Camden Town and Brighton Laines - the word overpriced comes to mind, although I did manage to pick up an absolute bargain, the sunglasses pictured above were in the sale for five pounds! We also purchased the 1982 classic 'Junkyard' LP by The Birthday Party which our collection was previously lacking.  

Where is your favourite place to visit on a trip to London? 










I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement


After watching The Ramones documentary End of the Century  I felt pretty inspired to dig out my old Ramones tee along with a summer staple - the denim shorts and update the look for Autumn... 

Shorts - Topshop
Top - Brighton Laines
Tights - New Look
Shoes - H&M
Hat - Asos



New Brushes - The Edit


After purchasing my Core Collection set from Real Techniques a while ago I haven't really felt the need to acquire any more make up brushes - but with new releases and collections coming out I thought I ought to treat myself, and my make up, to a few shiny new brushes. Here is what I chose...

First up is the Real Techniques Blush Brush, the tapered head of this makes for a flawless application, I have actually been loving this for contouring - paired with my Body Shop Honey Bronzer, the brush is the perfect size for giving the illusion of cheekbones and giving my face a subtle glow. Another pick from Real Techniques is the Angled Foundation Brush - again I don't use this brush quite as intended, nothing quite beats the Sigma F80 for buffing in my base, this angled brush however is great for under eye concealer, the bristles are nice and compact which lets you build the coverage you need for a high definition result.

Lastly I purchased the Models Own Five Piece Brush Collection which includes brushes for powder and lipstick and three brushes perfect for eyeshadow application - one for shading, one for blending an an angled brush perfect for liquid liner. This set is great for traveling as the bright neon handles are short making them easy to transport. The stand out brush from this set would definitely have to be the powder brush - I like to use this with my M.A.C Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skin Finish Powder to highlight the tops of my cheekbones and down the centre of my face.

I am also currently testing out some brushes I recently purchased on Amazon so will update you with a review on those soon so keep an eye out for that one, let's just say the set was a real bargain!


The Skincare Series: Part One


When it comes to my skincare routine I think I have finally got it just right, all that experimenting has paid off and now I am left with a selection of products that suit my skin and a routine that works well, here is what I use to cleanse and tone...

Cleansers come in so many different formulas - creams, balms, foaming washes etc but nothing takes my make-up off better than an oil cleanser, the oil breaks down dirt and make-up like nothing else out there, my current cleanser is The Body Shop's Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, this is super gentle and melts into the skin leaving it feeling super soft. I massage this into dry skin and then add water so the oil emulsifies, next I take a clean muslin cloth and soak it in warm water, ring out excess liquid and then use to take the cleanser off - make-up and dirt literally melts away to reveal a squeaky clean face.

If I have a little more make-up on than the usual everyday face like a smoky eye or a heavy lip then I like to use something slightly more heavy duty like the Camomile Gentle Eye Make Up Remover, this on a cotton pad makes removing a smoky eye effortless - again the formula is great for sensitive eyes as its incredibly gentle and soothing.

To prepare my skin for moisturiser I have been using the L'Oreal Paris Skin Perfection Velvety Soft Toner - this is specially formulated for sensitive skin and is infused with skin softening actives which leave skin feeling clean and smooth, I like to apply this day and night after my cleansing routine to help improve my skins texture, this is also alcohol free so doesn't cause dryness or discomfort.

The next step is to hydrate and moisturise, stay tuned for part two...

DISCLAIMER: Although I work for The Body Shop, my opinions are all my own. 

Autumn Style Essentials


Autumn layers, stripes and tartan...

With the weather slowly transitioning from the warm Indian summer we have been enjoying into the cold, wet weather of recent it was time for me to add a few extra layers to my usual attire, this stripped Topshop dress with the dropped hem is so easy to dress up or down, I paired it with my beloved leather jacket, I love this bomber style, I purchased this years ago from New Look and added a few studs onto the collar, another New Look find is the tartan scarf, I think Tartan will be big this Autumn/Winter.

Hat - H&M
Dress - Topshop
Scarf - New Look
Jacket - New Look
Bracelet - Camden market
Shoes - Primark

What are your favourite trends for the colder months?





Colour Crush Nail Polish by The Body Shop

Disclaimer: Although I work for The Body Shop, my views and opinions are 100% honest and my own. 

The Body Shop's new nail polish collection has landed - details below...

When I first found out the The Body Shop were planning to release a nail polish collection I was pretty excited, I am forever painting my nails and can never say no to the idea of a shiny new lacquer lining my bathroom cupboard. The range is packed with some seriously stunning colours, one my favourites being Mint Cream, this shade is super pretty and looks great with tribal jewellery. Meet Me At Dusk is also a favourite, its a gorgeous vintage pink that is a great transitional summer to autumn shade.

Most of these shades require just two coats for a super glossy opaque finish, they are also very long lasting especially if you apply the top coat over your desired colour - this adds extra shine too for that salon style glass like appearance. Application wise the brush is somewhere between an Essie brush and a Barry M brush so if your not a fan of a super wide brush or a very thin brush then you will love these.

What shades have you picked up from the new collection?



Skin Prep - The Edit


Disclaimer: Although I work for The Body Shop this in no way effects my opinion
Once a week I like to treat my skin to a good scrub, exfoliating helps to improve circulation and remove dead skin cells as well as the remnants of the weeks fake tan, here are a few of my favourite products I use to prep my skin...

Pulp Friction by Soap and Glory is an in the shower exfoliator, it is incredibly foamy so lathers up really well, this is packed with fruity ingredients like frozen yuzu, orange oil, green fig and jungle pomelo essence which combine to give a gorgeous zesty fragrance, it also contains peppermint oil and lemonade tree liquid which give a fresh feel, I like to use this with exfoliating gloves to get the most out of the product. After applying this to damp skin I rinse off to reveal baby soft tan free limbs!

Another Soap and Glory product I like to treat my skin to is the Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub, now the smell of this is literally good enough to eat, the ingredients list which contains a combination of oats, shea butter, sugar, bananas, almond and honey extracts sounds like a recipe for a cake, and all combined give this scrub a heavenly maple syrup scent. The sugar gives the scrub an abrasive texture which gently lifts away dead skin cells, like Pulp Friction I use this scrub in the shower on wet skin and scoop the product out of the tub and apply in circular motions and then rinse.

After all that exfoliating my skin is in need of a little hydration, lately I have been loving The Body Shop's Wild Argan Oil range, the body butter provides 24 hour hydration so is perfect for applying before bedtime, the texture is rich and the smell is luxurious. I apply this all over the body paying particular attention to dry areas such as elbows, knees and heels.

What is your skin prep routine? I would love to know your go to products.

Day to Night


Subtle styling changes can take a pretty floral dress from day to night...

I picked up this dress from Bershka a couple of weeks ago, it has a super pretty floral print that is easy to dress up or down, for a more casual event such as lunch with friends I paired this dress with a Topshop leather jacket and my H&M black heels, the leather adds another dimension to the outfit giving it a tougher edge. For the evening look I wore the dress with my vintage fur wrap and a pretty clutch from a charity shop, I also went for a dark lip to keep with the old Hollywood glamour theme.

Dress - Bershka
Jacket - Topshop
Bag - Charity Shop
Fur Wrap - Vintage
Shoes - H&M
Earrings - Brighton Laines 
Lipstick - Rimmel 107
Nails - The Body Shop Minty Amour

How would you style this dress?





Current Make Up Picks

Disclaimer: Although I work for The Body Shop this in no way effects my opinion. 
The products that have made the cut into my everyday routine, The brief? - fresh faced long lasting foundation, a golden glow and a touch of shimmer, the products used? read on...

As the weather has taken an autumnal turn the need for a super lightweight base is no more, and when it comes to foundations offering that little bit of extra coverage no one does it quite like Vichy, their Dermablend foundation is medium to full coverage and gives a slightly velvety finish without being too matte, a little also goes an incredibly long way so less is definitely more when applying.

For contouring I have been using a combination of my two favourite bronzers, the first is one of my most loved make up products - Nars Laguna, this just gives a very natural looking contour without looking muddy or too warm, I like to use my Real Techniques Contour Brush to apply this into the hollows of my cheeks and my temples etc, after I like to use a Kabuki brush to apply another matte bronzer - The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer in 03, the combination of the two create a subtle warmth to the skin and give that much needed definition of the cheekbone area.

The shimmer mentioned in the brief? Well look no further than The Body Shop's Shimmer Cubes, incredibly pigmented and bursting with shimmer these little squares of pure beauty goodness are perfect for creating all number of eye looks whether you want a light natural wash of colour on the lids or you want to go for a full on dramatic smoky eye. I have the Spring Bronze quad, this is packed with warm earthy tones that are very flattering.

To keep things in place and lasting all day I like to use a setting spray, The Body Shop's Vitamin E Face Mist is perfect for adding a little moisture as well as holding your make up in place - perfect if you have gone a tad overboard on the powder front and need to get things looking a little less cakey. This lightweight spray contains rosewater and is very refreshing, it is great for carry round in your handbag for on the go touch ups.

Let me know if you have tried any of these in the comments below:)



The Lifestyle Edit - Camden


Churros, Crystals and Cheap Jewellery... It could only be Camden...

A trip to London wouldn't be complete without stopping off in my favourite part of the capital - Camden. The street food alone is enough to entice anyone in but the vintage shops and stalls are some of my favourite places to pick up a second hand gem or two. This particular evening we hung out at the Electric Ballroom to see Fat White Family play.. they were insane by the way and the performance left the lead singer needing throat surgery - need I say more! 

We also stopped off at The Diner for a bite to eat but that really deserves a post all of it's own.












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