G O O D B Y E    T O   A P R I L   S H O W E R S . . .

It feels as though spring has well and truly arrived during the past week, doesn’t it? What with the blossom everywhere you look, and the ducklings that potter over from the pond to our front garden for their breakfast, and the sunshine that finally has started to pack a punch, I feel like we can finally, FINALLY say that winter is well and truly behind us!

I thought today I’d share a couple of the bits and bobs that I’ve been enjoying most over the past few weeks- a little selection of ‘Spring favourites’, if you will!

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre

I actually mentioned this moisturiser in my post about Birchbox a couple of weeks ago, and need to thank the box-curation team for the mini tube of Lait-Creme that arrived through my letterbox a couple of months ago that led to my discover of the magic of Embryolisse!

It’s such a lovely moisturiser- light and yet ultra-hydrating, and without the slight greasy feel that my other favourite moisturiser (La Roche Posay Rosaliac UV) has. I’ve been using it every evening since I first discovered it, and am certain it’s been helping keep my skin balanced during a time when my hormones are pretty all over the place!

It makes a great base for makeup too, though since it doesn’t have any SPF, I’m currently still using my La Roche Posay each morning to protect my skin whilst my melanin levels are raised during pregnancy.

Photo prints via SimLab

I couldn’t do a round up of my favourite things for the past month or so without including mention of the prints we’ve had done lately! Our wedding photographer Sam recommended a print company called SimLab, who he uses for all the printing services he offers, and they really are great.

We’ve ordered a range of sizes, from little 6x4inch shots that we’ve dotted round the house in pretty frames, to a huge A2 print of the final shot Sam took of our wedding that is now hanging in pride of place in our hallway! All the prints are such great quality, and shipping is fast too. And I’m getting to stare at photos from that happy day, every day, is just the best!

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Stretch Mark Lotion

I’ve been using this daily for the past few months now, and it’s been the number one most recommended product to me by recently pregnant friends and family members. In fact, a friend of mine even put a bottle in the little care parcel she gifted me after we told her we were expecting!

I’m certain that getting- or not getting- stretch marks comes largely down to genes, but I’m also certain that if there’s anything I can do to help keep them at bay, I’ll be doing it!

I’ve been using this lotion all over my torso and on my thighs every morning since practically the moment that test showed up positive, and whilst I know my bump still has masses more growing to do (and my skin masses more stretching!), it’s definitely expanded a lot already and seems to be holding up so far!

And it means you end up walking round smelling like a bar of chocolate, which really is no bad thing…

Label M Organic Lemongrass Shampoo

Like most people, I’m always keen…no, DESPERATE…to try and recreate exactly what’s done to my hair at the salon so it looks that great when I style it at home. And like most people, I’ve always found it nigh on impossible.

What I realised the the other day though, was that maybe I wasn’t starting from a good foundation?

I was in the market for a new shampoo anyway when I visited the hairdressers the week before last (my scalp had been going haywire, and my hair itself was like straw), and so I decided on a whim to buy a bottle of the lovely organic, sulphate free lemongrass shampoo that was used on me that day.

In short, it’s been a miracle product. It’s slightly more expensive than the usual shampoo I buy (£14 for a not all that big bottle), BUT it gives my roots bounce, keeps my scalp calm, and gives my hair more shine than I’ve ever known it have before.

Definitely a new holy grail product for me!

Marks and Spencer’s Vine Tomato diffuser

Being pregnant has brought with it many an odd symptom, and a hyper sensitive nose is one of them. Which, I’ll be honest, has led to nothing short of a full blown obsession about making sure our house smells delicious at all times, because even the faintest hint of a cooking smell or Eau de Soggy Dog is absolutely horrendous to my sensitive nostrils!

Enter, diffusers. They’re not something I ever really used up until the past month or so (I’d always been sceptical about how well they *really* worked…), but I wanted to find a way to fragrance our house continuously without one of those plug-in air fresheners things.

This Vine Tomato diffuser is my current favourite, and opening the living room door to it each morning is so lovely. It’s fresh, summery, and not too overpowering, and is keeping my nose very happy indeed! A winner all round!

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And that’s a wrap on my current favourites! I’d love to know what’s been top of your favourites list so far this spring? Let’s have a share-up in the comments!

T H E   G A M E   C H A N G E R S .

This post is about my favourite of all favourites, the best of the best- the products and pieces and items I discovered in 2015, and fell so in love with they’ll be sticking through 2016 and beyond!

Some of them I’m sure you’ll be familiar with, since I know I’ve mentioned or featured them here at various points throughout the year. We’re not just talking beauty, but jewellery and clothing, kitchenware, and even apps too!

Let’s get cracking…

Monica Vinader – Riva Diamond Hoop Ring, + Vega Moonstone Bracelet

My love for MV has grown steadily over the past 18 months or so, really, but it’s been in the past year that my collection of their pieces has begun to take shape.

It’s the first jewellery brand I’ve ever loved enough to begin collecting, and have assured Jason that next time he’s fretting about how difficult I am to buy for at birthdays and Christmas time, Monica Vinader is always a safe bet! ;)

Not only are their collections all so unique, varied, and easy to mix and match, but the prices range so greatly that there’s something for every budget. I’ve both given and received pieces from their lines over the past year, and they never, ever disappoint.

I even wore the Riva diamond pendant on my wedding day!

Dualit Silver milk frother

This might not seem like the most glamorous or exciting of products to include in a ‘my favourite items from 2015′ round up, but I can assure you it does fit the bill!

I make a *lot* of hot drinks at home, from my daily morning flat whites or lattes, to rich hot chocolates in the evenings. This little gadget works like a kettle for milk, heating the milk up to the perfect drinking temperature and frothing it too.

It makes coffees taste almost like something you’d get in a a cafe (though the ‘latte art’ is a little harder to replicate at home…!), and is so much more convenient than heating milk in a microwave or on the stove.

It’s not the cheapest product (though the black colour option is significantly cheaper), but since we’ve used it daily ever since getting it this summer, I’d say it’s more than worth the cost.

Penhaligon’s Iris Prima & Diptyque Philosykos fragrances

It’s taken me my whole life up until now to realise that I *am* a perfume person, just a very fussy one! I’d always thought that I just didn’t really like perfumes on me all that much (despite always loving them on other people), but discovering Penhaligon’s and Diptyque fragrances last year changed my mind.

Both being brands that specialise purely in fragrance, their perfumes are really something special. The Iris Prima is indescribably lovely- rich and musky without being overly heavy, and so unique it always draws comments.

I love the fresh, foggy Philosykos during summer, and plan on saving the second half of this bottle for when the weather begins to warm up again.

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt candle

These candles were a recent discovery for me, towards the end of last year, and are my first venture into the world of Jo Malone.

At a little over £40 each, the candles really are a treat (and a very occasional one at that!), but I can honestly say they’re the best I’ve *ever* used.

This particular fragrance is amazing- fresh and woody and masculine- and having it lit for even just half an hour fragrances our whole space. It’s a dangerous addiction to have developed…;)

Roll-neck jumpers – fine knit & chunky knit

If you’ve seen any at all of my outfit posts from the past winter, you’ll know that I developed something of an addiction to roll-necks in 2015!

After having spent years and years previously complaining about being cold, usually because I’d be wearing V-necks that left my chest exposed and chilly, the toasty warmth of roll-neck jumpers has been a revelation!

These two, with their muted taupe shades and soft knits, have been firm favourites. Next on my wishlist is a fine, light grey roll-neck to see me through this half of winter…

Evernote

And now, on to the one last item that can’t be photographed! I downloaded Evernote a few months ago on the spur of the moment, and can honestly say it’s been a life-changer when it comes to me keeping organised.

I plan *everything* on the app, from our weekly meals and my daily to-do lists, through to my blog’s editorial calendar each month. I even use it as a place to save recipes I find online, and as a way of compiling notes and details of places to visit when travelling.

It syncs automatically with the app on your laptop, and is *so* user-friendly and intuitive. In short, I’m obsessed. Can’t recommend it highly enough, if you’re looking for something to get organised with at the start of this new year!

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Do you have any ‘most loved’ items from the past year? I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments!

S E P T E M B E R   F A V O U R I T E S .

Let’s round out this week with a chat about this month’s favourite things, shall we?

I’ve got a handful of lovely bits, with everything from nail varnishes and skincare, to an app that’s changed my life this month!

Read on to find out more…

KORE Optimal Repair Cream.

My skin tends to go crazy around September time each year, as the weather begins to turn. It becomes sensitive and tight, with dry patches everywhere. I’ve tried pretty much every moisturiser under the sun, but usually just resort to slathering my face in whatever I can lay my hands on a couple of times a day, to try and keep the dryness at bay!

I’ve been working on a collaboration with KORE recently (you can see the video I made with them below!), and started using their Optimal Repair Cream about a month ago. It’s so beautifully rich and hydrating (but without being heavy in the slightest!) and is making the biggest difference to how my skin’s looking and feeling as the weather changes. A little pot of magic!

H O U S E P L A N T S

First of all, I need to hold my hands up and admit I haven’t the faintest idea what this particular plant’s called. It’s a beauty though, isn’t it? :)

I decided a few weeks ago that our house was crying out for some plants. I’d made two attempts at keeping maidenhair ferns in the house (and failed miserably, both times) and the succulents we’d tried keeping on our bedside tables had needed to be put elsewhere to catch more light, and so we were distinctly lacking in the greenery department!

I made a quick trip to the local garden centre right away, and came away laden with a selection of plants to dot around the house. This one in particular is my favourite- it adds some height to the far corner of our bedroom, and the feathery fronds are so pretty and delicate.

And, given that I’ve watered it maybe twice since bringing it home, I’d say it’s low maintenance enough that it might just last under my shoddy care!

RHS Fig & Plum Wax Lyrcial Candle

I picked up this little tin candle on a whim whilst shopping last week (after being physically unable to walk past Waitrose’s range of Christmas and Winter candles without stopping to smell them all), and it’s a real treat.

It’s fruity and rich, and gives off the most amazing fragrance that scents the whole house. And, most importantly, it’s *just* Christmassy-smelling enough that it satisfies my urge to kick in with all things festive as soon as summer fades away, but not so much that Jason’s instigated his ‘No Christmas stuff until November’ rule ;)

Essie ‘In the Mood for Nude’ duo kit.

What’s this? Rosie raving about another couple of nude nail varnishes? Ground-breaking stuff, I know.

I just can’t help myself but fall in love with nude nail colours. It’s always an effort not to just keep returning to the same few neutral shades over and over, and these two in particular have become firm favourites as summer’s been drawing to a close.

We actually bought them both for my wedding back in July! On the day my bridesmaids wore ‘Spin the Bottle’ (the peachy nude) and I wore ‘Ballet Slippers’, the sheer pale pink. I’ve been switching back and forth between the two shades pretty much ever since (with the odd round of deep red in an effort to mix things up), and Spin the Bottle has consistently been my pedicure colour of choice.

Urban Outfitters Linear Rose Smoke Bralette

These little soft, lacey bras from Urban Outfitters are my absolute favourite things to wear these days. I find anything wired makes me uncomfortable after a few hours, and so am beyond thrilled that soft wire-free bras have become more and more available over the past few years.

I love how delicate and feminine UO’s range of bralettes are, and am planning on picking up this style in a few more colours this month. The colour’s pretty dreamy too, isn’t it?

Evernote + The List Book.

Last but not least, let’s talk organisation and productivity! Coming back from a few weeks off over summer, I felt like it was a great oppurtunity to have a fresh start and tackle my organiation head on.

I’d downloaded Evernote years ago but never really got to grips with it, but this time round I’ve become a total disciple. I love they way it gives you the ability to categorise your notes and reminders and to-do lists, and how intuitive the app is. I have categories for our house (with shopping lists, meal plans, and the like), one for work, a section for weekly to-do lists and day to day tasks, and recently used it to compile all my travel documents and notes for my trip to Paris. It’s a lifesaver!

And for when scribbling a quick set of notes on paper is what’s needed, this little ‘List Book’ is just the ticket. I *love* being able to rip off each page of notes when I’m finished with them, so that I always open up the book to a fresh set of pages. And for goodness *sake*, ticking off those little check boxes is the most satisfying thing in in the world!

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Tell me, what’ve you been loving this month?