A Few Summer Favourites

apple ipad & pencil

Last month my boyfriend and I decided to invest in a new iPad together, I wanted one to help with certain elements of work and my boyfriend wanted to start drawing and using the time he’s waiting around at work more productively. It had been something I’d been thinking about investing in for around a year and it’s been such a great addition to my work life. It means that I’m not on my phone anywhere near as much which in turn is helping my RSI as that was becoming a real big issue for me again. As well as investing in the iPad we also picked an Apple pencil as like I said, my boyfriend wanted to be able to use ProCreate to draw and together we've been learning how to use the pencil and ProCreate and it’s been so much fun to do something creative with no pressure on it.

A.P.C half moon bag

For my 30th birthday my boyfriend (still can’t get used to saying fiancé just incase you were wondering) treated me to the bag that I’ve wanted for almost a decade, it’s the classic half-moon bag from the brand A.P.C and it’s so beautiful. I chose the classic tan as it’s a colour that I know will go with just about everything I own and I love the way brown leather ages. Of course, I’ve not been able to use it as much as I wanted to as the global pandemic has kept me safe at home but anytime we go anywhere this is the bag I reach for and for my day to day essentials it’s perfect. Due to its structure, it is still a little difficult to comfortably shove my hand into so I’m hoping that is something that will change with age and the more I use it and I have to be careful putting any delicate items that may easily scratch into it right now.

North Face Quest Jacket

From the super Parisian chic to dog walk chic. Last year, I purchased myself a Stutterheim raincoat which I love but it’s not the most lightweight jacket I own. I needed something small, easily packable and practical enough to survive a British summer as way too often although my coat might help keep me dry I often end up overheating like crazy. This jacket from North Face has met all my needs and then some, I’m hoping I can transition it into the early weeks of Autumn too as with a jumper it blocks out wind and rain nicely.

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Superga Trainers

My sister bought me these trainers for my birthday, they were something I’d had my eye on for a long time as I desperately needed to replace my very tired and over-worn Converse. I have to say, I much prefer these to Converse not only are they so much comfier to bed in but personally for me I find them a lot more flattering on my legs. Although I’ve not had them very long they have already had to have a trip around the washing machine as I wore them on an incredibly dusty dog walk and they looked a little too worn in for month old white trainers. They held up fine in the washing machine which is always good when buying white trainers as I do like to be able to wash them. Size wise, they’re pretty true to size and they also do half sizes which personally is something I wish every brand would do as it makes finding comfy long lasting shoes much easier.

Pixi Overnight Retinol Oil (PR SAMPLE)

I’ve not been wearing make-up throughout lockdown but something that I have been very conscious of is my skincare routine and how I can get my skin looking its best as I have just turned 30. Retinol is still something I’m very much getting used to and understanding how it works. For so long I was absolutely terrified of using a retinol in the fear that my face would peel off the instant I applied it but as long as you’re careful it can be such a powerful product to have in your skincare rotation. I’ve been using this overnight retinol oil from one of my most loved skincare brands Pixi and I really like it as I feel like I’m getting the benefits of the retinol but it’s not dried on my skin or made it feel super sensitive. As of right now, I’m using it every other night instead of every day and that seems to work the best for me and as always when using an acid or a retinol it’s so important to make sure you’re using an SPF.

The Hills

Reality TV isn’t something that I find myself watching all too often but one show that I’ve loved since my teenage years is The Hills & The City. Recently they were both added to Amazon Prime and I cannot stop watching it, there is something so terribly nostalgic about that show and I’ve fallen right back into my obsession with LC. Rewatching it as an adult makes me view the show so differently than I did when I was a teenager. There are so many things I’ve picked up on watching it now that I never noticed before and some of them can be a little tough to watch like Spencer & Heidi’s insanely unhealthy relationship.

Seams Couturiers Hand Cream & Hand Oil (PR SAMPLE)

A horrible anxious habit I have is biting the skin around the edge of my nails and obviously, with everything going on in the world right now it’s been a pretty anxious time so my hands haven’t been looking their best. A product that has been helping to repair the areas of damage quickly is an oil and cream duo from a brand called SEAMS.. Their products are designed for seamstresses as obviously their hands go through so much day to day. Just before going to bed I like to apply the oil and then the cream on top and when I wake up my hands look and feel so much better, they’re nourished and the damage I’ve done with my anxious habit is already starting to be repaired. As well as helping with the damage I’ve done it also really helps with my cuticles, they’re so unruly but the oil helps keep them under control giving my nails a much neater appearance. The combination of the two sink in quickly which means you could easily use this throughout the day, I just prefer to use it before bed to let it works its magic overnight.

A Few Summer Favourites