#PaleGirls: Bronzers

Saturday, May 14, 2016



Hello all and welcome back to #PaleGirs: a series where we try to find the best products to suit the fairer-skinned beauties out there. Today we're talking bronzers - a product that can be particularly tricky to get right for anyone with a skintone at either end of the skin tone scale. A lot of the time bronzers, especially the cheaper ones, are made to suit a 'medium' skin tone (however you want to define it) and often end up looking either tango orange or muddy brown on us paler girls. But, no more! The bronzers I've going to talk about today are the best of the bunch (that I've managed to try, anyway) and range from £7.99 to £49, so are suitable for any budget. Let's get started, shall we?

Starting off cheap and cheerful we've got the Bourjois Bronzing Powder in the lightest shade, Medium 51 (£7.99) With a duo fibre brush and a light hand (the best way to apply any of these) this bronzer can look perfect on even the lightest of skin tones and its quality is certainly not reflected in its reasonable price. Moving up a price notch, we've got a MAC Bronzing Powder (£22) in Golden, which has a buttery yet sheer finish which makes it perfect for avoiding oompa-loompa syndrome. 

Then, we have the famous NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna (£28) which has been a cult favourite for many years. This runs a tiny bit darker than the previous two but that hasn't stopped me for rocking it for years (I'm usually the lightest shade in any foundation!) Again, as long as you use a light hand, Laguna should work for anyone with a lighter skin tone. Finally, we've got the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow in Fair/Medium (£49) which is by far the most expensive, as well as the darkest, of the bunch. This would probably be my last suggestion, due to the reasons just mentioned, but as I had it and it worked fairly well on my lighter skin, I though I'd include it. This is a terracotta shade like Laguna but is nocibly darker, heading into the 'medium' skin tone range, but can definitely be worked with if you've got the right tools. 

As discussed, both the Bourjois and MAC bronzers have a slightly more yellow undertone, which make them perhaps more suited to warmer skin tones, whilst the two from NARS and Charlotte Tilbury have a more terracotta tint to them making them slightly more flattering on those with a pink undertone. To be fair, there isn't a huge difference, so go ahead and try whichever one tickles your fancy, or more importantly, works with your budget.


Which bronzers have you found work well on lighter skin? Let me know!

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The Essential Essentials

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

The beauty world is frivolous - we often find ourselves caught up in the glitz and glamour of the newest launches yet often forget to hype up the products that remain behind the curtain, unseen to all but the user. That's right, I'm talking the essential essentials - the deodorants, the hair masks, the razors - ya know, the unsung heroes of the beauty world. Well, today I'm going to give those poor bastards the shout out they so desperately deserve and talk about my favourite behind-the-scenes beauty bits.

DEODORANT: Sure Women Maximum Protection Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Cream 

As with many of us, I've tried my fair few of deos over the years and have passed over many that have proved themselves unworthy - I'm telling you, a Hong Kong summer will strike down even the strongest of contenders! Then I tried deodorant-creams, the ones where you twist them up and white stuff comes out of holes at the top (a brilliant explanation, I know) These are by far the longest lasting, most efficient antiperspirants I've come across. I'm a fan of clean scents so I love this one by Sure, but Dove makes similar ones which are just as good.

RAZOR: Gillette Venus Snap Razor

I'm not particularly fussy when it comes to razors but the reason that this one has become a favourite of mine is quite obviously because of its petite size. I have a constant case of the travel bug and am therefore getting away whenever I can, so the smaller the better! I wouldn't bother carrying it around in its little case, though, because that makes it three times bigger.

BODY MOISTURISER: Garnier Intense 7 Days Ultra Replenishing Lotion

I've mentioned my love for the Garnier Intense 7 Days creams here and here so you know that I'm a fan. This stuff soaks in really quickly and gives me super soft and silky legs - something that I didn't have for years because of my terribly dry skin. A year or so ago I stopped being able to find my favourite one, a peach scented gel-cream, but this shea butter lotion does the same job (but doesn't smell quite as good) and keeps my pins in tip top shape!

HAND CREAM: Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Therapy

I'm a big fan of hand creams - my stash would probably last the average person a good few years - but this is definitely one of the best. So what makes C&E hand creams so special you may ask? Good question. It's really just a mix of their amazing scents, their nourishing properties and the fact that they sink in super quickly and don't leave you with greasy or sticky hands. It's a yes from me!

FOOT FILE: Scholl Velvet Smooth Foot File 

I know that feet can be a bit of a touchy subject, but I simply couldn't finish this post without including this bad boy. Without getting into too much detail, this foot file is electrical so you don't have to do all the hard work when it comes to getting rid of any dead or rough skin on your tootsies. I do this every night followed by a thick coat of cream before I go to bed (the model I have only works when your skin is dry, but there are models that work on wet skin as well) I seriously couldn't imagine my life without it and that's a big statement to say about a foot file. 


What are your essential essentials? Do share!

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Lessons learnt (in life and blogging)

Monday, May 9, 2016




(1) Anxiety is a natural feeling; you should never try to banish it completely because it is there for a reason. You simply need to learn when and how to control it.
(2) Iced tea will always, always taste better in Asia.
(3) Post graduation bliss is extremely short lived, and is quickly replaced by anxiety, restlessness and the need to sign up to every job finding website ever.
(4) No matter how many times you say ‘numbers don’t matter’ in blogging - they do. It’s natural to want to succeed in something you enjoy and spend a great amount of time doing - just don’t get obsessed.
(5) You can feel at home anywhere in the world.
(6) Those who truly matter will always be there. Time may pass in between interactions, but you will always pick up right where you left off.
(7) Don't be scared to cut out people who only add negativity to your life - I promise that you won't miss them one bit.
(8) There is a huge difference between being alone and being lonely.
(9) Living abroad is one of the best things you can possibly do in life.
(10) Do whatever you love. Love to knit by day and make boys cry on Xbox by night? You go, girl. People honestly don’t care what hobbies you have (you know, as long as they’re legal, and, um, consensual) and owning it just means that you have more ways to connect with more people. Wahoo!
(11) It's unrealistic to be happy all of the time - don't see a bad mood as a failure. As cheesy as it sounds, there will always be highs and lows, you've just got to ride the waves.
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The Reading List #6

Saturday, May 7, 2016
With work being so busy recently I've really gotten behind on my reading, so today we're going to take a look at some of the books that I'm lining up to read once I get back into the habit of it. Luckily I've got a holiday booked next month so I'll definitely be able to make up for lost time and make my way through all of these books!

A House for Happy Mothers: A Novelby Amulya Malladi:
In a previous installment of The Reading List, I mentioned that as an Amazon Prime member I get the opportunity to receive a free pre-released book every month. This month I chose 'A House for Happy Mothers', which tells the tale of a 'baby farm' in a Southern Indian village where poorer mothers rent out their wombs to carry babies for richer couples in the West who can't conceive. The story is told from two sides, that of Priya who has a close to perfect life in the US but is desperate for a baby and Asha, a woman in India who can hardly keep a roof over her family's head and wants to provide a better education for her two children. This book sounds truly fascinating and I can't wait to get stuck into it!

Star Sandby Roger Pulvers:
Another pre-release from Amazon Prime, Star Sand is about a diary that is found in a cave in Japan which reveals a story of two soldiers, one American and one Japanese, who have abandoned their countries during WWII and are hiding out in this cave when a 16-year-old girl, Hiromi, stumbles across them and decides to help care for them, despite the fact that if their caught she will be deemed a traitor as well. A fourth person soon appears in the diary before the account suddenly ends, leaving someone decades after the diary is found to search for answers to all of the remaining questions. As a big fan of historical fiction, especially when it's Asian, this novel sounds thrilling to me! I'll be sure to update you if it's as good as it sounds.

When discussing our favourite books at work recently, a Spanish colleague of mine recently recommended that I read this after hearing that I love 'Like Water for Chocolate' by Laura Esquivel. With similar magical realism woven into the tale of three generations of a family in Latin America, this book seems right up my street, so I'm excited to get my teeth into this fantastical novel.

Enjoy my Reading List series? Why not check out part 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5? Are you lusting after any books lately? Let me know!

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Tips for being extra productive when working from home

Wednesday, May 4, 2016


I'm lucky enough to have a pretty flexible work schedule, meaning that I'm able to spend a few days a week working from home. This is great in terms of eliminating time wasted commuting and not needing to dress up, but working from the comfort of your own abode can be detrimental to your productivity levels if you become too comfortable. Below I've collected a few of my favourite ways to keep myself on track when I'm lucky enough to roll out of bed at 9.29 and be ready to work by 9.30.

1. Create another user on your computer

I'm not going to lie to you, this is by far the most useful tip of this post, hands down. When you create a new user on a computer it's set up like a new computer, meaning that you don't have access to any of your files on your personal account, including your Buzzfeed-plagued bookmarks, cheesy music library, all 6 seasons of GoT and your Twitter app. What's more, your browser is completely clean so you aren't logged in to any of your time-sucking accounts like Pinterest, YouTube or Bloglovin'. Creating a new user is great because you can switch between users according to your schedule (which I'll talk about next) which has been great in helping me keep on track - I log into my work account in the morning and don't switch back to my personal account until my lunch break, and the same again after lunch. Separate users are also really useful for file management because your work documents are on your work account, so when it's time to log out and call it a day, you won't be tempted to go back to something once your account has been switched! It works both ways people, it works both ways.

2. Stick to a schedule that works for you

Different schedules work for different people so the key is finding out when you work best and when you might as well be dead to the world. Personally, I'm usually a powerhouse from 9.30ish until about 2, at which point I take a break for my lunch and then usually hit my mid-afternoon slump and am next to useless. Instead of forcing myself to work when I know I won't be productive, I use this time to run other errands that need to be done and come back to finish off a few more hours of work once my brain is switched on again, which is usually after dinner. Once you know how your body clock functions, you can start to use that knowledge to your advantage and optimise your work day.  


4. Get yourself a 'uniform' and refrain from sitting in your bed

At one point, many of us that work from home have fallen into the unhealthy and extremely unproductive habit of working in our pyjamas under the duvet all day. There's a time and place for this kind of behaviour, like when you're feeling sick but still have work to do or perhaps a rainy Sunday morning, but on a day-to-day basis, it's just not going to cut it. I don't know about you, but if I get in bed when I'm trying to work I'm guaranteed to be fast asleep within the hour and if I go for more than 2 days without changing out of my pyjamas then I start to feel low and just a bit 'meh'. The great thing about working from home is that you don't have to get all dressed up, so I have a set of clothes that I consider to be lounge-worthy that I like to wear when I'm working from home; they're comfortable so I don't feel restricted, but they're presentable enough that I can pop to the shops without feeling self-conscious and, most importantly, they never get worn to bed. Your uniform can be as simple as some plain tracksuit bottoms and a jersey top, but there needs to be a distinction made between these comfy lounge/work clothes and your pyjamas so that you don't snuggle into bed at the first chance you get and you focus on getting things done instead.


So there we have it! Remember that these work well for when you need to revise for exams which I know are coming up for a lot of you. What do you guys think of these tips for working at home? Do you have any other useful tricks for keeping you productive? Share your thoughts below. 
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