Farewell 2013. My December Favourites

What better way to end the year than to base my last post on my monthly favourites. So here are the things that I enjoyed the most during December. HAPPY NEW YEAR. What are your plans for tonight? Hope you have a good one.

Ruth x

Coconut & Sweet Almond Shampoo- Superdrug// I once read that you should invest more time and money into a good conditioner rather than a shampoo, so I didn't feel too sorry for my hair when I picked up this Coconut and Sweet Almond shampoo from Superdrug for just 98p. I'll be honest, it's probably one of the sweetest smelling shampoos I've used in a long time but it leaves my hair feeling super soft which is a bonus.

Banana Conditioner- The Body Shop// My lovely sister gifted me this conditioner for my birthday and I'm not sure how I survived without it before. Not only does it smell incredibly delicious but I've found that my hair feels a lot stronger and healthier after I leave it in for about 5 minutes. I'd definitely recommend this.

Strawberry Shower Gel- The Body Shop// How can you not love anything that smells like strawberries?
Schwarzkopf Beach Matt Spray- Boots// During my GCSE days, I discovered back combing and have damaged my hair all in the name of having big, messy hair. I'd previously used Bumble & Bumble's salt hair spray and loved that effortless, tousled look that it gave and I'm happy to say that this Schwarzkopf number is as good as the Bumble & Bumble sprays. I usually leave it in my hair when it's about 80% dry and then I give it a little blow dry and just simply run my fingers through my hair. That's all.

No Drought Dry Shampoo- Lush// I remember using my talc powders to get rid of greasy patches on my hair before the aerosol dry shampoos came out. I feel like I'm going back in time by using this but you know you're not going to be disappointed when it's a Lush product. I'll be honest, it does get messy and I'd recommend that you use it before getting changed but the results are so much more better than the aerosol dry shampoos. They leave a more matte texture and you genuinely feel like you've just washed your hair. Trust me.

Nutmeg Hand Lotion- Marks & Spencer// The harsh Winter temperature means that my hands are left forever dry so I always need a hand lotion in my bag. The mixture of nutmeg and ginger smell absolutely divine and feel my hands feeling moisturised and healthy.

Winter Wonderland Candle- Yankee Candle// What's the Christmas season without a festive candle? This little number from Yankee Candle smells absolutely divine. There's a prominent musky scent with some hints of citrus, I know it sounds odd but it works.

Super Length Mascara- H&M// I've never really committed to a brand when it comes to make up. I actually noticed this when I was applying my face on earlier and I've got a mixture of Rimmel, MUA, Collection and Maybelline products and I'm always open to trying different brands. I found this mascara in the H&M sale for just £1 and I am so so impressed with it. I have ridiculously short lashes so maybe this is why I've never invested too much time when looking and buying mascaras. 

Lip Balm- Carmex// I have the most terrible habit of picking my chapped lips which sends Jay crazy and leaves me with sore and bloody lips. I'd always heard people rave on about Carmex products and I can understand why now. My lips feel so much softer and at just £2, I may need to stock up on more Carmex products.

Nail Polish- W7 and Rimmel// Again, what's the Christmas period without some festive nail polishes? You've got to love metallic nails and I can't resist a classic, stunning red colour on my nails. 

iPad Air- Apple// My ever so thoughtful boyfriend gave me this iPad air for my birthday last month and I genuinely haven't been able to part from it. I'm obsessed!

Netflix- I'd used LoveFilm about a year ago and although I was impressed with the variety of films that they had, the only downside was that a lot of the films had to be rented. Whereas with Netflix you can instantly stream them hence why I've already watched twenty features since signing up at the end of November. Talk about taking advantage of the free month trial, eh?

Orange Is The New Black- After 'Breaking Bad' finished this year, I kept looking for new shows to watch and after hearing positive reviews about 'Orange is The New Black' I decided to give it a go and I don't regret the decision. It's a pretty easy watch and 'Breaking Bad' and 'The Sopranos' still remain to be two of the best TV shows that I have ever watched but with season two coming out in the new year, I hope that 'Orange is the new black' will soon become another favourite of mine.

4 comments

Share:

Black & Gold

Top- Forever 21// Skirt- Boohoo// Boots- eBay

What's the festive period without injecting some sparkle and glitter into your outfit, eh? I picked up this gorgeous gold skirt from boohoo for just £4 in the sale last year. I wore this outfit on Christmas day because I wanted to blend in with the rest of the decorations.

Ruth x

5 comments black, Boohoo, Forever21, Gold

Share:

Gifts

Long time no see, guys! Jeez Louise, has it really been over a month since my last blogpost? So so bad. I guess interning 10-6 every day has taken it's toll. Please keep me up to date with what you've been up to :) Did you all have a lovely Christmas? Here are some of my most favourite gifts. Enjoy.

Ruth x

 Jay's family know me a little too well. Was in desperate need of new perfume and a new scent after smelling like strawberries from The Body Shop for the past year or so. Alexa Chung is a bit of alright too.

 If you follow me on instagram (@kimkimipie) then you'll know that I need sushi almost every week to satisfy my cravings, so this cook book will be much appreciated when I'm too lazy to pick up some California rolls after work.
I'd watched 'Revolutionary Road' with Kate Winslet, Leonardo diCaprio and Michael Shannon but hadn't read the book. Naughty! I usually read the books before they're adapted into films so it'll be pretty interesting to do it in reverse.

 Now I never ever have to worry about my iPhone or iPad running out of battery. Yay!

 Essentials. What's Christmas without some chocolates, eh?

I genuinely cannot wait to try these. My on going obsession with flavoured tea.

 Some of my most favourite gifts. Park Chan Wook's 'Oldboy' is probably the finest film that I've ever watched, ever. I'd always been interested in reading it's original Manga so I'm pretty excited to start reading this. Good ol' Breaking Bad goodies too. Oh hey, Cage.

More beautiful knitwear to add to my collection. So snug.

7 comments

Share:

Festive Wishlist

L-R Plate- £3.99- H&M// Candle Holders- £55- Samantha J Lowe// Hand Cream- £9.89- Quintessentially English// Dress-£92- Topshop// Boots- £35- H&M// Rings- Regal Rose// Lip Scrub- £6.09- Lush//

L-R Nail Polish- £1.71- Forever 21// Lip Balm- £5.99- Eos// Jumper- £37- Topshop// Candle Holder- £78- Jonathan Adler// Surf Spray- £15- Bumble and Bumble// Leather Skirt- £80- Oasis// Rings Set- £28- Sweet Romance// T-Bar Shoes- £94- Dr Martens// 

Ahh wishlists, I love making them but always get a tad depressed when I have to accept that I'll probably never own some of these lovely things. So, Jay, if you're reading this wink wink nudge nudge.

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend. I did more of my Christmas shopping earlier and I'm slowly but surely getting there. Have you finished yours? :) This internship is making me exhausted so again, apologies for the lack of posts. Please send me your links below and I'll have a mooch.

Ruth x

4 comments

Share:

November Favourites

Hey guys, long time no see. Last Saturday I moved to London as I'm currently doing a three month internship. So apologies for the lack of posts, I'm out of the house by 8 in the morning and back home around half 7 in the evening so I'm always exhausted to do anything. I promise to blog whenever I can though. So here are my favourites from November.

 Twinings- Green Tea- I cannot live without green tea. I have to have at least five cups of it a day.

Neutrogena- Oil free facial wash- I use this first thing in the morning and it's guaranteed to make me feel fresher and ready for the day. I have the most horribly oily skin so this is basically my saviour.

Soap and Glory- Peaches & Clean deep cleansing milk- Falling asleep with a face full of make up is just the worst, I know we're all guilty of it, unfortunately. This little miracle cleansing milk makes your skin feel super soft and clean. I usually use it after I've removed all of my make up because it really does get rid of those last little traces. Highly recommend it.

Regal Rose- Raven Skull collar chain- I was gifted this gorgeous collar chain from Regal Rose after I worked with them at the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham last December. I can honestly say that they are my most favourite piece of jewellery that I own. They always complete any outfit that I wear (that have collars, of course) and the compliments keep coming in whenever I have them on. 

Knitwear- L-R George at Asda, Primark, Gift, H&M- What excites me the most about Winter (other than the fact that my birthday is in it) are the clothes. I am a big fan of layering and digging out my most loved knitwear to help me fight the harsh weather. These four have been my favourites for November, they're just so snug and cute.

Jelly Belly candle in Very Cherry- There's something very comforting and nostalgic about burning candles and snuggling up with a hot water bottle and a good book in the Winter. This 'very cherry' scent is pretty sweet but not much that it becomes sickly- it's just about right.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Ruth x

1 comment favourites, november

Share:

Still Drowning

 

Gilet- Topshop// Necklace- H&M// Shirt, Skirt & Shoes- eBay

Now, I don't know if it's just me, but I'm really not feeling the cold. Everyone around me keeps going on about how the temperatures have dropped and they're literally throwing on the layers, but I'm just not cold. I think there's either something wrong with me or it could be that the two batches of brownies that I've just made (and am in the process of demolishing) are helping form a nice layer of fat to block out the nasty cold. I don't know, either way- I'm warm.

On to this outfit, I know it looks pretty Summery especially with the floaty, floral maxi skirt but I just love the neutral tones in the outfit. In my last outfit post, I gushed about how I love clothes that drown me despite my petite frame, however I tripped over this skirt whilst walking up the stairs earlier. So I think it's safe to say that heels 4 inches and over will be a necessity whenever I wear anything maxi from now on.

Hope you're having a lovely week. Friday tomorrow, yes!

Ruth x

3 comments

Share:

Interview

A few months ago, the super sweet and lovely, Lizzy, from Stylight contacted me to ask whether I'd be interested in collaborating with them. I'd always been aware of Stylight and have an account which I really need to put more energy into.

I feel so privileged that they wanted to interview me, so if you want to have a read and a little mooch, you can do so here. Let me know what you think.

Thank you.

Ruth x

2 comments

Share:

Royal Blue

Coat- Lexxury// Shirt (Worn underneath)- Forever 21// Jumper- Primark// Skirt- Boohoo// Boots- Gift// Bag- H&M

After a few weeks of wearing head to toe black and white, I decided to inject some colour into my outfit today. I've always loved pairing royal blue and oranges together so I've done just that today. Oh, and you know my outfits wouldn't feel complete without some collar loving.

Hope you're having a great week.

Ruth x

6 comments

Share:

Drowning in my clothes

Dress (tucked into skirt)- River Island// Skirt- ASOS via eBay// Jacket and Necklace- H&M// Shoes- New Look// Bag- Next

My much dreaded alarm went off at 6 am and after battering my snooze button, I only had about twenty minutes to eat breakfast, put my make up on and put together an outfit. Seems pretty impossible but I somehow managed to do it. Phew! Although, I did put my mascara on in the car hence the slight smudges that you can see in the picture above haha.

Anyway, I hope you like what I've literally thrown together. I love this dress that I've tucked into my skirt. The gorgeous Japanese inspired print instantly caught my attention, and you can't really tell from the pictures but they almost look like the loveliest and most delicate water painting.

At just 5"2, I used to avoid any dresses or skirts that stopped below my knees in the fear of them drowning me. However, I've recently started to quite like that 'drowned by her clothes' look. Call me crazy but I'll continue to wear long skirts until you can no longer see my feet.

Hope you've had a lovely weekend :)

Ruth x

7 comments

Share:

More layers

Denim Shirt (underneath) - H&M// Jumper- Market Stall// Necklace- Gift from Jay// Skirt- New Look// Shoes- Urban Outfitters

A super casual outfit today. It is so cold that the layers were endless (I'm wearing a vest underneath my shirt). After that, I know you might think I'm a little crazy for wearing a skirt but I find that tights and other things that cling on to my little limbs warm me up much more than trousers. Now, to make a hot water bottle and drink my weight in green tea.

Hope you're having a lovely day.

Ruth x

3 comments

Share:

October Favourites

Today's post is a little different. I thought I'd start doing monthly favourites post so let me know your honest opinion on this one. It's my first one so be kind if it drags a little haha. Anyway, let's start...

 Soap and Glory// Shower Gel and Body Milk- These were last years Christmas gifts from my sister. To be honest, I'm not quite sure how I've still got some left because they both smell so delicious and leave my skin feeling super soft.

The Body Shop// Strawberry Body Mist- Wow another of last years Christmas gifts that I'm still using (the whole set is still untouched, oops). I appreciate all the lovely presents that I receive but when it comes to bath goodies, I get so so much that it always takes me so long to use them all up. I guess I try to be as ethical as I can. Anyway, I've been using this body mist as a substitute to perfumes for a while and although some may think that it looks a little too sickly and sweet, it's actually very subtle so it's just enough.

Rimmel// Lasting Finish Foundation and Fix and Perfect Primer- Now, I'm not sure whether it's an Asian thing but my skin is always hideously shiny and it actually makes me feel pretty self concious. This primer has been my saviour and I actually don't know how I used to wear my foundation without having a layer of this underneath before. It does exactly what it's supposed to and leaves a nice matte finish. So a definite 10/10 from me. Bye shiny skin.

I've used a lot of different types of foundations but right now I'm pretty happy with this Rimmel number. The finishing doesn't look cakey and it feels light on which is always a good thing.

MUA// Pencil Eyeliner and Blusher- I'll be honest, I own quite a lot of MUA products and they're pretty good considering their price. Now, I don't know whether this is because my knowledge on make up products isn't the best or because I'm easily pleased (haha) but I'm in no rush to trying a different line yet. The blusher leaves a pretty, peachy finishing look and the pencil liner is just about right to frame my eyes.

Collection// Mascara and Liquid Eyeliner- I feel so naked without adding some feline flicks and this liquid eyeliner does just that for me because it's so so easy to use. I've used some in the past where the little brush was so fine that perfecting my flicks (or keeks as my mum refers to them as) were just impossible. Here's another '...because I'm Asian' statement haha. I have little to no eyelashes so it doesn't really matter what mascara I use. Yet, I feel so naked without having some coats of it on.

Revlon// Base and Top Coat- How I lived without this little number is beyond me. A few coats of it before applying some colour makes my nails so much healthier. I'd definitely recommend this.

George at Asda// Nail Varnishes in 'Gnome' and 'Inky Grey'-Having recently moved to Cardiff, I live about 5 minutes walk away from Asda and I'm able to really appreciate the George range. So much better than I ever thought. Clothes aside, their beauty products are very true to value too. I picked up these nail varnishes for 88p (yes, 88p) and just £1 last week. I'm still a sucker for pastel shades when it comes to nails and fell in love with them more when I found out that they have a matte finishing too. Winning!

Bumble and Bumble// Thickening hairspray- Like everyone else, I got this spray as a free gift from Elle's August Issue. I've been rationing it because I know that I can't afford the other products from the range. I spray little spritz here and there after I've towelled dry about 80% of my hair and then I usually blow dry it. This spray does make my hair feel so much fuller and thicker too, and if I really want to achieve some nice natural looking curls, I usually throw my hair up into a bun and leave it in over night. 

Pantene Pro-V// Lightweight Conditioning Foam- As I'm rationing that B&B spray, I usually use generous amounts of this on my wet hair. I try to avoid blow drying my hair as much as I can, so I usually leave this in over night and my hair genuinely does feel a lot healthier and stronger in the mornings.

Whittard's of Chelsea// Pear & Guava Flavour Instant Tea- I drink a lot of green tea but recently I've been drinking this instant tea in between. I guess my taste buds need a subtle change now and again. You can enjoy this hot or cold but as it's Winter I obviously have it hot. I'll be honest, the guava definitely tastes a lot stronger than the pear but I'm still a fan of the combination as it leaves such a sweet after taste. Sadly, it's discontinued so if you have any other of their flavours to suggest then please do so :)

Lush// Helping hands- This lotion has been a saviour for my little hands as they fight against the cold. It smells delicious too as it's got a combination of shea butter and cocoa so it's not too overwhelming. It leaves my hands feeling super soft and prevents any dry and rough patches which is all we want for our hands during Winter, right?

Collection// Lasting Colour Lipstick in Queen of Hearts- Everyone needs a red lipstick and my favourite one comes in this one from Collection. I've had this for a while but feel that I don't wear enough colour on my lips so I haven't been able to try on different ones. What I like about this lipstick is that it's matte and the deepness of the red compliments my skin tone pretty well. I kid you not, this lipstick was featured on this post and after demolishing a bowl of noodles, the lipstick still stayed on and didn't bleed. Very impressive considering I only paid around £2.79 or something for it. Amazing!

Regal Rose// Raven Skull Collar Chain- This gorgeous collar chain was gifted to me by the beautiful twins, Rebecca and Louisa, after I worked with them and helped out at their stall at The Clothes Show last December. I loved the experience and have so much respect for them. So happy to see Regal Rose going from strength to strength, they certainly deserve it. I chose this chain because :1) I love collar details and 2) I love the gothicism theme behind it's design.

Black Tied// Turquoise Ring- I've only had this ring for around 2 weeks and haven't taken it off. I'd always wanted a turquoise ring and now I know why- they simply compliment everything that you wear. 

Forever 21// Brooches- If you've been reading my blog for a while then you'll most probably be sick to death of seeing either one of these cheeky little brooches. They came in a set of four, so I'll feature more of the other two in my next outfit posts. Like I've mentioned, I love little details, especially around the collars and my outfits never feel complete if I don't have some sort of accessory on or around my neck.

Films// 'Brick'- If you've heard and/or seen this then *virtual high 5.* I'll be honest, Joseph Gordon- Levitt is the reason why I watched this film in the first place. I've been a fan of his since first laying eyes on him in 'Angels in the Outfield.' Then I watched '10 Things I Hate About You' and fell in love with his comedic side and then there came one of my favourites, 'Mysterious Skin' which showed a completely different side to JG-L. His performance in that film captivated me and the level of emotion that he showed completely moved me. I love him as an actor and hopefully will love him as a director as well. So excited for Don Jon. Now on to 'Brick' the film is about Brendan (JGL) who tries to unravel the motives behind his girlfriends murder after he finds her body in a tunnel. I know that seems pretty vague but I don't want to give out any spoilers.

'The Squid and the Whale'- The film follows brothers Frank and Walt as their parents go through a divorce. I know it sounds pretty boring when I put it like that, but anyone who's seen it will agree with me when I say that the story itself is touching as it portrays the true events and real emotions of director Noah Baumbach and his brother. Emotional with some funny and yet some poignant elements. A must see! Baumbach is a fine writer and director and I'm excited to watch more of his stuff.

Gig// 'Local Natives'- My sister introduced me to the band and since then, I haven't stopped listening to them. I went to their gig in Bristol with my younger brother. We ended up arriving at the o2 pretty early so we decided to pop over to the pub across to have a sit down and guess who walked in? The band. After being in awe of them and staring at them for a whole 10 minutes, we plucked up the courage to talk to them. I can honestly say that they are the most humble and talented band that I've ever had the pleasure of watching and I'd happily go again.

If you've made it this far, thank you! This was my first time doing a 'favourites' post and I know it's been a little long but I'm sure I'll be able to condense my next one and I promise not to blabber on as much haha. Comment below and let me know if you've liked/watched/listened to anything that I've mentioned. I'd love to get to know you all better.

Hope you had an amazing weekend :)

Ruth x

9 comments octoberfavourites

Share: