Never mind sexual healing, crystal healing is where it’s at! The holistic therapy is having a moment and let’s just say, we’re definitely attracted to the good vibrations.

Here, we explore the natural superpower of those otherworldly stones and how to make the most of their healing energy.

Energy vampires, you can’t sit with us…

History and origins

Ancient civilisations used crystals as protective talisman and peace offerings. The ancient Egyptians used crystals like lapis lazuli, carnelian, turquoise, clear quartz, and emerald in their amulets and jewellery for health and protection, whilst jade was the favoured stone in Ancient China and is still revered today.

In the Renaissance period in Europe, healing crystals and precious stones were used alongside herbal remedies to heal the sick. So in terms of historical healing power, they go way back.

What is crystal healing?

When worn close to the skin or placed throughout your home on your windowsill and bedside table, crystals can act as a channel for healing, drawing out negative energy and cleansing your chakras by inviting positivity and mindfulness into your life.

A beginner’s guide to essential crystals

Each crystal has its own unique energetic properties and vibrational power according to its shape, colour and mineral content.

Amethyst – enhances intuition, calms the mind and encourages us to tap into the higher planes of existence.

Clear quartz – known as the master healer, it regulates energy and aids concentration and awareness.

Rose quartz – known as the ‘love crystal’, it’s used to promote emotional wellbeing, self-love and compassion. Use it to balance your heart chakra, protect relationships and encourage connection.

Iron pyrite – deters negative energy and boosts self-worth.

Tiger’s eye – the stone of sun and earth focuses the mind and promotes mental clarity.

Jade – a symbol of serenity and purity, it soothes the mind and encourages harmony.

Citrine – associated with creativity and personal power, citrine is considered one of the most powerful stones for manifestation. Citrine also promotes motivation and optimism.

Selenite – Instils deep peace and clarity of thought.

Choosing your crystals

Once you know the basics, let your intuition guide you. Crystal experts say you don’t choose the crystal, it chooses you, so listen to your gut. When you’re drawn to a certain stone, it means it resonates with your healing needs.

How to cleanse your crystals

To get the most out of your crystals, you will need to charge and remove any stale or congested energy once a week. There are a few different ways to cleanse them:

• Return them to the earth (soil) to recharge for a week
• Burn a smudge stick to purify the air around them
• Leave them to charge in the moonlight for three days before and three days after a full moon, this is when the moon is at its brightest and most powerful
• Cleanse them with salt water to purify negative energy (not suitable for stones that can’t get wet such as amber and turquoise).

Manifest your goals

Thoughts create vibrations and vibrations = energy. Contemplate your intentions, connect with your goals and explore the areas of your life that you want to nurture.

Command your crystals

Once you have your crystals, it’s important to give them a purpose. They want to be used! Hold your crystals in your hand and reflect on the earth, your life and what makes you happy. Aloud or in your head (whatever you’re most comfortable with) say, ‘I command this crystal to hold the intention of…’ and choose three intentions. Finish the ritual by saying thank you. The crystals are now energised with your intentions and goals.

Best of healing beauty

If you’re looking for a way to incorporate crystal healing into your life that doesn’t involve carrying a lump of rose quartz in your pocket, get your cosmic fix with our edit of gemstone infused beauty & lifestyle products. Cleanse your chakras and your pores!

*This post contains ad-affiliate links

There’s no denying that self-portraiture takes time and patience but it’s a great way to get creative with your photography and challenge yourself.

Despite the softening of lockdown measures, many of us are still restricted to shooting and styling our own content from home or whilst out on our socially-distanced walks, so now’s a good opportunity to build your confidence and get familiar with shooting self-portrait.

We’ve pulled together a few fail-safe tips to help you capture your best self(ie). Ready for your close-up?

Tool-kit essentials

To get the best results, use a tripod (camera or phone) with wireless remote shutter or self-timer, shop our top pick here. If you haven’t got a tripod, you can also use the front-facing camera on your phone on self-timer mode, propped up against a bookshelf or a ledge. Use burst mode and move slowly to get a variety of angles/poses to choose from.

You can also try using the portrait mode on iPhone, or a low F-Stop (4 – 5.6) to achieve a lovely blurry background in your photos.

Shoot with natural light

When shooting indoors, position yourself by a window, ideally with the light source directly in front of you. If you’re outside avoid harsh direct sunlight and instead head for shade or wait for some cloud cover to avoid squinting into the sun.

If you’re shooting around your house, find some interesting shadows on walls and experiment with their shapes. Wine glass and flower shadows always make for a great photo.

Golden hour is every photographer’s dream – if you’re after that beautiful soft dreamlike glow, get outside with your camera a few hours before sunset. It’s basically magic.

Focus on a feature

You don’t always have to get your whole body in frame when you’re shooting self-portrait. The real beauty of self-portrait is in capturing your true ‘self’ and our hands and eyes are the best storytellers.

Try standing relatively close to the camera and reaching out a hand towards the lens for an arty editorial vibe or shoot a close up of your eye looking straight into the lens. You can then make a 9 x9 collage of your self-portrait best bits – a little bit of you in each square.

Another tip is to place a small mirror on the bed and capture a detail such as a necklace or a frilly sleeve.

Use props

Awkward hands? No problem. If you’re finding it hard to know what to do with your hands in your photos, holding a prop can help keep them occupied. Magazines, a bag, a bouquet of flowers, a cup of coffee or a beauty product – the world’s your oyster.

Top tip: never underestimate the power of a plain white sheet, a backdrop stand and a tripod, my friends. If you haven’t got an abundance of plain walls in your home, this is a great alternative and it just so happens to look very fashun editorial, too.

You can use all kinds of items around your home for backdrops and setting props. Here’s a few of our go-tos:

• Plain walls
• Curtains
• Bed sheets
• Plants / dried flowers
• Vases
• Chair / stool
• Books

Shoot nice and early

Lockdown or not, shooting at peak time with lots of people and busy streets to navigate can be tricky. Make your life easier by shooting first thing in the morning or later in the evening during golden hour. Quiet locations often make for the best spots for self-portraiture. Go and explore and enjoy the calm before the rest of the world wakes up.

Consider the colours of your photos

What colours will you be wearing and how will these complement or contrast your backdrop? Wearing a bright orange raincoat in a green forest setting can look much more effective than wearing brown or green in the same setting, for example.

Shoot your reflection

Shooting directly into a mirror to capture your reflection can create a beautiful self-portrait. It also looks pretty cool to have your camera or phone in shot. Experiment with other reflective surfaces like puddles and windows, or use natural light to shoot your shadow form.

Try black and white

Removing colour from your self-portrait will dial up the drama in your composition and heighten mood and emotion. It’s particularly effective when you have a photo with a strong contrast of light and dark. If you think about wedding photography, for example, the white of the bride’s dress pops when set against a dense forest or a dark and atmospheric church venue. Play with the contrast and shadow in post-production when you’re editing to make the black and white edit really stand out.

Play with angles

Self-portrait doesn’t always have to mean shooting front-on at eye level. Change the perspective by shooting from above or below and start to create a visual story.

Top tip: Put your phone on self-timer and tape a cereal box to your ceiling to hold your phone for the perfect from above photo. Et voila!

Add texture and character to your photos

Images captured on a film camera have a beautiful raw texture, but you don’t need to be a film photography whizz to achieve that retro look in your photos. Whether your portraits are colourful or B&W, you can recreate the nostalgic film effect by adding grain (it might be under ‘texture’ or ‘detail’ in your editing app). You can also play with saturation to make your self-portrait to look less vibrant and more tonal and timeworn. Try shooting through sheer fabric and lace to create hazy, ethereal self-portraits, too!

Don’t be afraid of movement

Your self-portrait doesn’t always have to be perfectly sharp and in focus – sometimes blur and movement make for the best photos. Bring on the bloopers!

Maximise your shoot

Since you’ve got your camera and tripod all set up, utilise this time to capture multiple looks or visuals in one session.

Editing

There are a variety of editing apps ready to download and use from your phone. From fixing skewed images, creating vignette, sharpening and brightening, the best way to get to know what each of the editing tools does is by having a play around. You can also find a preset you love and use it to help curate your Instagram feed with beautiful cohesive imagery.

Here are a few of our favourite editing apps:

Lightroom
VSCO
Snapseed
A Color Story

Curate your unique visual story

After you’ve shot and edited your self-portrait, you might want to share it on your Instagram feed, stories or your Pinterest board. You can craft your own unique visual story by experimenting with hundreds of creative templates, custom brushes, fonts and layouts using Template app. From film strips to paint splashes and worn scrapbooks, elevate your portraits with a cohesive aesthetic and design.

Are you going to have a go at shooting self-portrait? Let us know how you get on!

Oreo, good. Bourbon, good. Brownies, GOOD. It’s a triple threat situation and we want it in and around our mouths quicker than you can say Bruce Bogtrotter.

SERVES 8

PREP: 30 MINS COOK: 30 MINS

EASY

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate
• 140g plain flour (or you can substitute this for self-raising flour for a denser brownie)
• 200g caster sugar
• 20g cocoa powder
• 1tsp baking powder
• 80ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 240ml soya milk
• 1/2 pack of Bourbon biscuits
• 1/2 pack of Oreo biscuits

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees, then create a bain-marie by filling a small saucepan halfway with water to simmer.

Place a heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure the bottom isn’t touching the water, then break up your chocolate into the bowl and let it melt over a low heat.

Whilst the chocolate is melting, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and cocoa into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Add the oil, milk and vanilla into the dry mix and whisk until just combined, then pour in the melted chocolate.

Crumble in a few biscuits, mix again until just combined making sure there is no dry mix around the sides or bottom of the bowl then pour into a lined tin.

Scatter the remaining Bourbon and Oreo biscuits over the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the brownie cool completely before removing from the tin and cutting into thick glorious slices. Serve/ smash the whole lot. This is lockdown guys, we’re stepping it up.

Suffice to say, the houseplant trend is going nowhere fast and we’re mighty glad about that because, well, life is better with plants.
They make our homes brighter and greener and our air cleaner just by existing, and all we have to do is just, you know, keep them alive. Easier said than done!

With so many glorious types to choose from, you’re bound to come across some species that are slightly trickier to care for than your average low maintenance succulent. Boston ferns, what did we ever do to you?

If, like us, you’re a serial plant slayer, here’s your chance to turn a new leaf and be the good plant mum you were always destined to be. Here’s our essential guide to caring for your precious leaf babies.

Overwatering is just as bad as under-watering

The biggest plant crime = Overwatering. Killing them with kindness until they die a slow root rot death. Sound familiar?

Every plant has different water requirements – succulents like to get bone dry between each watering while ferns prefer permanently moist soil conditions, so get to know your plant’s individual needs and tailor your care for each of them.

You can check if your plant needs watering by placing your fingertip into the top 2 inches of soil. If it’s dry and crumbly, it’s definitely time for a good shower. You can also invest in a probe tool to measure the soil condition accurately or simply pick up the plant and weigh it by hand. If it feels light, it needs a drink! Purchase your probe tool here.

Find its happy place

Try shuffling your plants around the house to find the best light to suit their needs. You might picture your plant trailing a bookshelf somewhere, or hanging in a windowless bathroom, but you’ll have to get used to letting your plant dictate where it wants to put down roots. Like an unruly toddler, they know their own mind. Make your peace with that.

Make sure there’s enough light

Some plants love strong direct sun, while others will be happiest with bright morning light and some shade. But what does all that actually mean?

Direct sun means ideally within 2ft of a south-facing window, while bright indirect light is 4-5ft away from an east or west-facing window. If your plant becomes ‘leggy’, stops growing, or the leaves turn yellow, it’s likely not getting enough light. And if your plant’s leaves are browning, curling or appear dry and brittle, then they’re getting too much of a good thing.

Pay attention to any changes

If your plant isn’t a happy bunny, it will soon let you know. Keep an eye on the leaves, feel the soil, check how much sun it’s getting – it’s a full time job but if you care for them properly, you’ll be able to enjoy them in your home for longer.

Beware of heaters and draughts

Keep your plants away from radiators, doors and draughty windows. House plants don’t like to be too cold or too hot, they’re like Goldilocks. They want their conditions to be ‘just right’.

Give them a snack

To top up their soil nutrients, pamper your plants with a healthy dose of fertiliser throughout growing season (March – September). You can buy houseplant food from most supermarkets and garden centres.

Adapt with the seasons

Scale back your feeding and watering in the Winter months. Much like humans, plants slow down in the colder months when they’re no longer actively growing.

Keep the dust away

Dust can block light and harbour insects. Keep leafy plants clean and dust-free by using a damp cloth and gently removing the dust or place the whole plant in the shower and rinse. This is a good way to remove pests such as spider mites and mealybugs. If your plant has an ongoing problem with pests, quarantine the plant, buy a spray treatment and continue to use regularly until the bugs are gone. Purchase your spray treatment here.

Repot when necessary

Most houseplants will come already potted with drainage holes and as a general rule of thumb, this will keep them happy for a year or two. Some variations such as Ficus, Peace Lily and Ferns prefer to be slightly pot-bound but even they will need re-potting eventually.

There’s a few tell-tale signs of a root bound plant to look out for. One of the most obvious signs is roots growing through the drainage holes at the bottom. Turn the pot over and inspect the bottom, you may need to gently remove the pot to get a closer look. If you see a mass of pale roots in the shape of the pot wrapped around the plant, it’s time for action. Give the plant a good watering the day before repotting to reduce stress and make the root workable.

Mist with caution

Aha, misting – the most controversial topic among plant parents! Certain houseplants enjoy a gentle misting but take heed, it’s not suitable for all types. Some are susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections when their foliage is exposed to too much water but tropical houseplants such as Palms and Ferns love high humidity and will thrive with a light morning mist.

The air in our homes is generally dry, so misting is a simple and effective way to boost humidity. You can also group several plants together in close proximity to increase air moisture.

Avoid a soggy bottom

Plants hate having wet feet, which is why most pots have drainage holes to prevent root rot. If in doubt, water your plants in the shower like one big drunken forest orgy. After you’ve given them a good drink, leave them to drain for at least an hour before popping them back in their pots.

Keep your plants hydrated while you’re away

If you’re going on holiday and haven’t nominated a family member to keep an eye on your beloved plant babies, these self-watering globes ensure your plant takes water gradually and only when needed for up to two weeks. Genius!

Plants for beginners

These easy-going plants are a good entry point for any first-time plant mums.

Golden Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)
Snake plant (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue)
Cacti
Succulents
Spider plant (Chlorophytum)
Dracaena

What’s your favourite house plant? Let us know in the comments below!

First of all how are you and how are you coping in lockdown?

I’ve actually only just got into some sort of groove. I was positive for the first two weeks and then coronavirus affected my family and I basically didn’t move from my bed or the sofa for a month. I was overwhelmed. I still am, but now I’m getting back to work (at my little corner desk) and managing to get moving each day with a walk or a workout. It’s still ups and downs though… and I still haven’t put jeans on yet!

Tell us about some of the work you do

I work as a writer, broadcaster and campaigner. I do a lot of speaking at events and with industries – truth to power stuff on gender equality and pushing against the establishment – and I contribute to BBC Radio 5 Live with my slot Gina’s Gamechangers. I’m also an ambassador for UN WomenUK. I work to show ordinary people like me that you can change things if you feel injustice. The main issues I talk around are gender equality, white privilege and human rights. I want to make politics and the conversation around it more accessible to people because it’s so bloody complex and gatekept.

A lot of people will know you as being the woman who got upskirting made illegal, how did it all come about?

Ah yes! I am the upskirting girl and proud of it! I was working in an ad agency in London when I was upskirted in 2017 at British Summertime Festival and after handing the guys, and the picture, into the police I was told there was nothing I could do. So, I launched a two-year legal battle with the Government and my lawyer Ryan and we changed the law in April 2019.

We love your book Be the Change, tell us all about it!

When I first thought about kicking up a stink about upskirting not being a Sexual Offence I googled “how do you change a law?” And literally nothing came up (surprise, surprise!). I realised I was going to have to figure it out on my own and thankfully I managed to, but everything you read on politics and law and campaigning is so dry and complex and full of jargon. So, I decided to write the book I had needed back at the beginning when I had no idea what I was doing. I packed it full of all the things I learnt – everything from using social media for campaigns to public speaking to doing TV interviews to writing a press release. It’s all in there. And it’s all accessibly written and easy to understand! Order Be the Change here.

What was it like to write a book and do you have any advice for someone who wants to write one?

It was amazing but stressful – I was on a tight deadline. I wrote my book in two months as the law was about to change and I was encouraged to release it right after that happened. That worked out though as I was able to write it fairly fast as I was basically collating all this info I’d learnt in the last few years! My advice for a non-fiction book would be to;

A) Create a really single-minded and clear angle for it

B) Don’t try and write like you think you should – you’ll do this without noticing – but allow your tone of voice to shine through.

C) My friend Sam said to me “just get the paint on the wall and perfect it after!” And she’s right; just get the words down! You’ll have time to go over it two or three times and make it better, but the scariest thing is a blank page.

Tell us about your work with UN Women UK

I’ve looked up to them for a long time. They really wanted to work with individuals who not only cared about an issue but were already doing the work to change it. I met Claire Barnett, the Executive Director and we clicked straight away. Since then it’s basically like a big round- table where the ambassadors (me and others) learn about the work UN WomenUK are doing, consult, throw around ideas to help develop projects and then support their mission through our networks and our platforms.

For Instance, they’re launching a digital Everyday Allyship Platform which I’m really excited about, and I’m writing a piece for them and discussing how I could support it with Claire. It’s a very open and honest discourse which I love because that’s hard to find – even in this work!

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

It was, of course, changing the law. But not even because I achieved it, just because it made me so hopeful to think “so, someone who has zero political or legal experience and scraped by in school can change the law?!” It made things feel possible. That or when Annie Lennox emailed me to tell me she loves my work and then I met her and she gave me the biggest cuddle and took me over to meet her team. I literally almost wet myself I was so happy.

What are you currently working on?

Coronavirus has meant I’ve shifted my perspective a bit. I was putting a lot of energy into being on the ground with people, in rooms, speaking, having discussions and now I obviously can’t do that the same way. I’m working on some broadcast opportunities which will look at ordinary people who are pushing to change things which is very exciting.

Right now though I’m most excited about the podcast I’ve launched with my sister Stevie who is a comedian and journalist. It’s called Might Delete Later and it dives into people social media timelines like we do family photo albums, looking at embarrassing posts, big regrets and proud moments. Plus, it asks us to really think about our relationship with social media. It’s been such a joy to have a laugh and work on something where I can be silly Gina not only Gina Martin the Activist!

Who are some of your current favourite follows online?

God, how long do you have!? For learning, I love @rachel.cargle, @munroebergdorf, @mikaelaloach, @jamie_windust @ajabarber, For beautiful words, I love @charlycox1 and @quotesbychristie. For art, I adore @kellyannalondon @hillergoodspeed @weewaaz and for fashion or beauty, I go to @emilisindlev @katiejanehughes @rowisingh. There are about 10,000 more but I’ll stop myself.

What do you always carry with you?

My phone, but after that probably Weleda Skin food, Fenty beauty concealer and Ardell Stroke-A-Brow because I always have dry lips, a hormonal spot goatee and I like my brows to be bushy!

What does your perfect weekend look like?

Oh, what a gorgeous question. Well, it would start with the world being free from Coronavirus. And then my perfect weekend would be my parents and sister coming to stay. We’d wake up late, have coffee and then walk to our favourite tiny cafe and have brekkie. Maybe then we’d all go for a family walk to the park and sit in the sun, before heading home to hang around the house eating nibble bits and have naps. After, we woke up and got ready we’d go out for some red wine at a nice cosy bar and finish the day having Italian at Circolo Popolare! On the Sunday we’d wander around London for hours, grabbing food at a food market and come home to watch a movie and all get takeaway together. I’d kill to have that time with my family. We talk for hours upon hours.

If you could only eat one meal again what would it be?

Pasta. Not even a doubt in my mind. Any pasta. All Pasta. Pasta for brekkie, lunch and dinner. With Garlic bread. Am I allowed to add a backup and say Mexican? Because I have to give that an honourable mention – but pasta has my heart. Going to go and cook some right this second.

If you could give one positive message to our followers what would it be?

Look at your experience from the bottom up, not the top down. On everything. From where you are in the world; your rights, your privileges to personal things like your achievements and your successes. Realise you have an obligation: to do your best for other people. They need you. We all need each other. Oh, and no one can tell you you’re not the right person to make the world a better place.

Follow Gina Martin on Instagram here!

This week the team are talking through their current go-to beauty products! From skincare to setting spray, we’ve definitely switched up what we’re reaching for, now the temperatures are rising, swapping full coverage for fake tan! Getting ready for a night out feels like a lifetime ago but that won’t stop us going from 0 to 100 just for a video call with our mates. Hands up who can’t wait for their big beauty reveal post lockdown!

Charlotte

I’ve tried various foundations over the years, but throughout my acne/oily stages to a more dry complexion, and now settling at my more normal skin type, this foundation has been with me through it all! It’s glowy, can be built to full coverage and the shade Mont Blanc is my perfect colour match. There’s nothing not to love!

*Nars Sheer Glow Foundation £33.50 

*Carmex classic duo £5.99 

*The Body Shop Honey Bronze Powder £14 

*Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder £32 

*Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray £26 

*The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% £8.90 

 

Danielle

Starting off with skincare, I was recently -influenced- by Zoe to try the Lumene Nordic-C Glow boost essence and I’m already a HUGE fan. I also bought the vitamin c brightening moisturiser and both products are really lovely together, I can already tell I’ll be repurchasing. Now that the sun is shining and my tan has started coming out the woodworks I’m back to adding the Tan-Luxe drops into my routine. So much better than trying to get a tan on your face and they’re so great to use overnight. For makeup, I’ve recently fallen in love with Nars Radiant Creamy long-wear foundation, I was never a big fan of Nars Sheer Glow so didn’t bother to try it but it is such a lovely formulation and my skin has never looked better. I’ve added in Hoola Caramel as it’s also a bit of a game-changer for bronzing and contouring in the summer it’s a beautiful warm shade. For my glow, it has to be Becca. I use the backlight priming filter for a lit from within vibe under foundation and go in with their highlighter after. I’m a champagne Pop girl through and through but I’m also considering an Opal purchase.

*Lumene Nordic C Glow Boost £29.90 

*Lumene Nordic C Overnight Bright Sleeping Cream £22.50 

*Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation £35 

*Tan-Luxe The Face Tanning Drops £35 

*Benefit Hoola Caramel £27 

*Becca Backlight Priming Filter £28 

*Becca Shimmering skin perfector pressed highlighter £16 

Jade

I’m the kind of person that finds a product I like and then I stay loyal to that same product for years!

This face scrub has been a game-changer for me. Not only is it made from repurposed coffee grounds from London Cafes but it works wonders for my face and leaves my skin so moisturised and soft.

I absolutely love this Herbivore Lapis Oil I pop it onto a bare face/neck before bed, using upward strokes. Feels amazing!

It took me so long to find a brow product that worked for me. I have quite sparse dark brows and the Glossier Brow Flick fills them in and keeps them looking natural.

Finally, the Bare Minerals Matt Powder Foundation provides brilliant coverage and feels so light on your skin.

*UpCircle Coffee Face Scrub Herbal Blend £12.99 

*HERBIVORE Lapis Balancing Facial Oil £22.00 

*Glossier Brow Flick £15 

*bareMinerals Original Loose Mineral Foundation £28 

Zoe

bareMinerals Original Foundation – I’ve talked about my love of this fabulous foundation for years. With only 5 ingredients and very buildable, you’d expect this not to give much coverage as it’s a powder foundation, but it’s as sheer or as full as you want it to be. I also love it because it’s light & you don’t feel as though you’re really wearing anything. It also makes your skin look glowy & healthy too!

bareMinerals barepro glow liquid highlight – I’ve been loving adding a liquid highlighter to my moisturiser if I’m having a no-makeup day (which was pretty much every day last week). It gives your skin that glowy look without doing an entire face of makeup.

Tan-luxe Face fake tan drops – I’ve also been adding tanning drops to my moisturiser or serum at night to give me a bit more of a summer glow and these have been my go-to! If I’m having a day of no makeup however, I’ve used the loving tan fake tan and applied that to my face with a makeup brush and then washed off a couple of hours later. I’ve become a bit obsessed!

Allies of Skin Mandelic Night Serum – At a much higher price point than a lot of my other skincare, this serum is exceptional & a staple in my routine. If I’ve had any blemishes, I find this completely clears my skin & reduces redness as well as erase pigmentation & scarring. I use it at night and by the morning my spot has halved in size or gone completely. My skin has definitely looked much more even in tone since using this and I’ve repurchased despite the price! Allies of skin is a brand that I highly recommend to anyone who has the budget.

*bareMinerals Original Loose Mineral Foundation £28 

*bareMinerals BAREPRO™ Glow Highlighter Drops

*Tan-Luxe The Face Tanning Drops £35 

*Allies Of Skin Mandelic Pigmentation Corrector Night Serum £95 

Maddie

I am having such a minute with skincare at the moment and like a lot of us, I’ve pretty much-abandoned makeup altogether. Ole Henriksen remains a firm favourite brand as I’m working my way through yet another pot of their banana bright eye cream which is super thick and nourishing, I’m obsessed. I’ve also newly discovered their vitamin C Truth Serum which is also incredible for brightening up my skin every morning. As we’ve had some gorgeous weather the last few weeks I’ve been making more effort to moisturise my forgotten limbs. My go-to right now is the lush body lotions and scrubs. Although I’m embracing the naked face look I do sometimes stretch as far as a tinted product. The holy grail to making you look alive is the by Terry cc serum in Sunny Flash, it’s a tad pricey but my god is it worth it. Finally, I’m loving my eve lom kiss mix lip balm to give a touch of colour to my face.

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream £32 

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum £59 

LUSH Sleepy Lotion £16 

LUSH Ocean Salt Scrub £11 

*By Terry By Terry Cellularose CC Serum £61 

*Eve Lom  Lip Balm £18 

Darcey

I like to keep my go-to products seasonal and switch them up accordingly! Currently, I am always going back to the Bondi Sands everyday gradual tanning oil, it gives you a lovely glow! I also always go back to the Chanel healthy glow bronzing cream, it’s such a beautiful bronzer, great with or without foundation. I even use it as eyeshadow! The Becca glow glaze stick is a new go-to but definitely deserves a mention. This cream highlighter gives a subtle and natural glow to the skin, but with the most beautiful pearlescent effect. Going more into the skincare area, I am a true advocate of SPF and especially the Clinique City Block, it’s got a lovely texture and also works really well as a primer before makeup. I also rave about The Ordinary Niacinamide with Zinc, this product has really helped my skin, especially in reducing redness. Lastly, I always have a pot of Carmex near me, I’ve tried so many lip balms and I’ve still not found one better!

*Bondi Sands Everyday Gradual Tanning Oil £13.95 

*Chanel Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream £37.80 

*Clinique Super City Block £20 

*Becca Skin Love Glow Glaze Stick £24 

*The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% £5 

Carmex Lip Balm £2.50 

Lareese

A new discovery for me but Typology has fast become one of my favourite brands! Cruelty-free, ethically-sourced, honest skincare, and just look at that beautiful branding. What more could a girl want from her beauty products?

I’ve been making a conscious effort to try and look after my nails during lockdown so set about using cuticle oil twice a day to try and revive my desperately dry nail beds. This stuff seems to be doing the trick.

This pencil works wonders for faking a fuller brow. My brows are quite sparse and gappy but this gives the impression that I have thicker brows than I actually do.

Typology Radiance Serum 11% Vitamin C £11.80 

*OPI Pro Spa Nail & Cuticle Oil £17 

*IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil £20 

 

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Found throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East, Mezze, or meze, is a selection of small plates and savoury dishes, made to be shared alongside any main meal.

Bursting with flavours from all over the world, mezze can just as easily be enjoyed as the main snack board supper itself, or an all-day grazing board, if you’re no longer subscribing to the idea of breakfast, lunch and dinner. That’s us! Mealtimes have blurred into one big all you can eat lockdown buffet anyway, right?

Whoever you’re sharing your house with right now, this smorgasbord of
delights is one way to enjoy a sociable and leisurely meal at home while lingering in the garden or playing games around the table. Grab a plate and get stuck in!

Assembling your Mezze

The mezze experience is as much about the visual feast as it is about the taste but that doesn’t mean you have to be pedantic about presentation. You are the architect of your own mezze masterpiece. As long as it’s colourful, plentiful and served on the biggest platter you can find, you’re doing it right.

All of these ingredients can be purchased in your weekly shop, so if pre-prepared and low maintenance is the way you want to go with mealtimes, mezze’s your main guy.

Dips & sauces

No mezze is complete without party dips and sauces. Load up your platter with houmous and tzatziki – decant them into bowls and nestle them in amongst the rest of your ingredients to make for easy dipping.

To spruce up your shop-bought houmous, make a swirl pattern using the back of a spoon and add a drizzle of olive oil and some pine nuts. Your household will never know it’s pre-made!

Olives

Like little mouthfuls of the Med, mixed olives, pickles and nuts are the best accompaniment for any mezze spread.

Cured meats

Meats like dry-cured prosciutto and salami are delicious with olives and bread. You can also try prosciutto-wrapped asparagus – finger food at its best!

Bread

Serve a variety of bread, Lavash or warm toasted pittas with a generous bowl of dipping oil and balsamic vinegar.

Veggies

Add some crunchy crudités to your platter with raw carrots, roasted asparagus spears and sweet red & yellow peppers.

Fruit

Once you’ve assembled your mezze, fill in any little gaps on your platter with clusters of fruit and veg. Grapes make for a great palette cleanser after you’ve been up for second helpings of salty cheese and salami.

Sun-dried tomatoes

Throw in in those Mediterranean flavours with marinated sun-dried tomatoes – perfect for complementing that tangy feta.

Cheese

Feta and mozzarella balls are the best choices for a Mediterranean mezze but halloumi or whatever you’ve got in your fridge will work just as well.

Falafel

Simply delicious served on flatbread with a generous dollop of fresh yogurt or tahini dip. So simple, so good.

Garnish

To finish, decorate your spread with a few fresh sprigs of rosemary – not only does it smell great, but it also adds texture and visual interest against the backdrop of all the vibrant mezze colours.

And there you have it, a foodie’s masterpiece! Drizzle and dunk to your heart’s content.

If you’ve made it this far into lockdown without watching Normal People, what could have been so urgent, please?

If you’ve seen it, then you’ll know what all the fuss is about, and why Connell’s silver chain is the only thing that matters anymore.

With sex scenes and full-frontal nudity, it’s… #NormalPeople and every single thought and emotion we had while watching it.

1. Huh, I never imagined Connell to be a silver chain wearer when I read the book

2. A moment of silence for everyone sitting down to watch this with their parents.

3. The playlist, I need the playlist. Give me those sad indie tunes immediately

4. Who knew Gaelic football could be this erotic

5. Not handling the cosmic sexual chemistry so well over here

6. She really wants to take her clothes off doesn’t she

7. Yep, that’s it then. I really fancy Connell

8. Even my armpits are aroused at this point

9. Is he… stopping to put a condom on

10. Yep, just casually rolling it on

11. Consent perfectly executed, followed by, “I think you’re really pretty by the way” – he is now officially my internet boyfriend

12. I know Marianne’s nipples better than I know my own

13. So pert, so poised

14. Why do I feel as though I could burst into tears at any moment

15. The acting, the cinematography, the music, the script. We are not worthy of such greatness

16. Imogen Heap and car sex. What a horny little recipe.

17. Why does Marianne’s mum remind me of Jenny Lind from The Greatest Showman?

18. MARIANNE DESERVED TO GO TO THE DEBS, CONNELL YOU FILTHY PIECE OF TOERAG

19. Oh it hurts, it physically hurts

20. PULL IN HERE. Yes Lorraine, you legend

21. Never in this history of voicemails that don’t belong to me, have I been so personally traumatised

22. Yep, can confirm still fancy Connell in his BP garage uniform

23. I wonder if there will be a Normal People tour complete with GAA shorts signed by Connell available in the gift shop. If so, would visit, would buy

24. If 2020 were a person, it would look a lot like Jamie

25. I can’t wait for them to have glorious Trinity reunion sex

26. Marianne’s got a hip flask of gin on gin, she must mean business

27. She’s touching the chain, I repeat, she’s touching the chain

28. Googles various men in jewellery

29. But it’s not the same. Because they’re not Connell

30. I’m going to need to know where Marianne’s yellow bedding is from…

31. Oh, yep now she’s sucking his finger

32. Has he actually got his flaccid lad out on tv? High five BBC.

33. Look at it blissfully bobbing around the groin, living its best limp life and allowed to just catch its breath in a debrief for a second

34. I can’t decide if releasing this absolute filth in the middle of a pandemic where we’re largely forbidden from touching other people’s genitals was genius or savage

35. And I’ve landed on savage

36. Even the tea is sexy

37. Aw, look he kissed her on the shoulder in public. Progress!

38. Not again Connell ffs, my heart’s down to its last valve

39. No, what are you doing? Turn around. Ask her if you can stay with her for the Summer you eejit

40. Maybe I should cut myself a fringe

41. Ok, Marianne Italy suits you

42. Sweden… not so much

43. Episode 10 just chewed on my heart for fun and spat it back out again

44. When Connell cries, the nation cries with him

45. “We can keep Skype on. Carry me over to your bed” No YOU’RE crying again.

46. THIS ACTING IS SOMETHING ELSE

47. A Rocket ice cream? Controversial.

48. The car scene. Let that be it. Let them be happy and have loads of highly intelligent children for crying out loud.

49. I’m one more flashback from an emotional breakdown

50. That kiss was so wholesome

51. What a f*cking beautiful bit of tv

52. BEAUTIFUL I tell you

53. But also devastating

54. If there’s any justice in the world, there will be a season 2. You hear me? We’re owed a season 2 Hulu, and an explanation for THAT ending

55. It’s been 2 weeks and I’m still thinking about Connell Waldron’s chain

56. If I accomplish nothing else in these lockdown years, at least I can tell my grandchildren about the time I watched Normal People in one sitting and I was both horny and emotionally unstable throughout

57. “I’ll go”
“and I’ll stay…and we’ll be ok”
OH JESUS WEPT I AM NOT OK

58. What a wild ride that was

59. I’m fully prepared to accept I’m never going to emotionally recover from this

60. Petition to get a Connell’s chain emoji

First of all, how are you and how are you coping in lockdown?

I’m really well and I would say I have adapted to life as a pro makeup artist working from home now, I’m so lucky that I get to work virtually with our clients online via Live Chats which is great fun. I also love being able to share more content for my followers on Instagram too, it’s a great tool to educate and connect with everyone.

Personally, I’ve been able to drink as many coffee’s as I want all thanks to my mum and dad’s lovely Nespresso machine (ha!) and I enjoy baking a weekly banana bread for the family too! I guess I’ve just been trying to stick to a daily routine which includes more time on skincare vs makeup these days.

How long have you been a Bobbi Brown Pro and how did you get into it?

I have been a Bobbi Brown Pro Artist for 3 years and I’ve worked for the brand for 8 years in total. I joined when I was 19 years old, it was my mum who got me the job! My mum has always inspired me to look after myself and started buying me Bobbi Brown products when I was still at High School. My first ever Bobbi Brown products were a Shimmer Brick and Lip Gloss – two of which I still love and use now. I studied makeup at college for 3 years and my first job in the industry was for YSL.

One day my mum took me to our local Bobbi Brown counter in Glasgow, where of course she was a VIP having been so loyal to the brand, to look into and buy some new makeup bits for my kit. During our consultations, she started talking about my passion for makeup and I left the counter feeling so inspired and with a job interview the following week, the rest is history!

Have you always been a makeup lover?

Yes, always! My dad tells me that he knew from a very young age that I would be involved in makeup. I had to have it all…and I still do. I used to borrow mums red lipstick and wear it all the time before I knew what to do with it, I’m pretty sure I coloured in my bedroom wall using it too! I used to love watching my mum do her makeup and make herself look beautiful, I guess it stemmed from there. She truly is my idol. Now I have a full and varied CV that I am super proud of, all thanks to loving makeup – ranging from travelling across the globe to Paris & New York for fashion weeks, assisting and leading shoots, working with press and influencers at various events to presenting Live on QVC.

I really do enjoy nothing more though than meeting real women/men and teaching them how to be and feel the best versions of themselves with great skincare and beautiful makeup products. I’m so grateful for all the amazing opportunities that Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has and continues to throw my way.

Do you have any favourite looks you’ve created on yourself or someone else?

I would say that my signature makeup look on myself would have to be a Soft Bronze Smokey Eye paired with a Nude Glossy Lip. But I’m also always a fan of anything 90’s inspired. For others, I love nothing more than to create glowing, seamless looking skin. When most want to cover up their complexions with lots of foundation, I find it so fun stripping it back and teaching clients how to make their skin look and feel amazing with small layers of skincare and makeup versus just focusing on how to make their foundation look good. Glowing skin is always in, right?

Who are some of your favourite MUAs to follow?

I follow so many amazing and inspiring makeup artists, who I look to for inspiration and guidance. Patrick Ta is a firm favourite on Instagram, I love his beautiful work on his celebrity clients. I also love Katie Jane Hughes, her editorial work is unreal, and I’m obsessed with her close-ups and eye shots on herself. I have been watching lots of Lisa Eldridge tutorials on YouTube too for inspiration.

How has your makeup changed since being in lockdown?

I wake up in the morning’s and I take more time layering on my skincare. Starting each day with glowing skin makes me feel good. I then reach for my at-home makeup bag which has concealer, mascara, a brow pencil and lip gloss in! I spend 5 minutes doing makeup now instead of half an hour, it’s great!

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I am so grateful to have many highlights as a Pro Artist, but I would say my biggest achievement so far has got to be New York Fashion Week in February this year with the Bobbi Brown pro team! It’s the hardest I’ve ever worked in my life with super early call times, nonstop makeup tests, organising makeup kits for each lead makeup artist to then getting the models in their makeup looks for the runway. It’s true what they say it’s a city that never sleeps! I loved every second. I still can’t believe my biggest dream since joining the brand in 2012 came true.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working a lot more virtually now, with online daily Live Chats engaging still with our lovely clients. It’s great because we are starting to do video calls now to better help us recommend skincare and makeup products. As a Pro Team, we are collaborating with a lot more influencers and brands via Instagram which is cool!

I’m also creating more content for my channels as working with journalists to provide an expert voice across their media channels. At a time when people aren’t able to access the 1 on 1 interaction they usually can, I’m so thrilled that we are able to get our voices out there thanks to social media and online beauty, lifestyle hubs.

What are some of your top makeup tips?

Top Tips:

For that perfect NO MAKEUP, MAKEUP look, it’s all about applying and blending out small layers of concealer onto a well-hydrated base versus applying thick foundation all over.

Don’t slack when it comes to mascara, I always curl my lashes before and sometimes after applying 2-3 layers of my favourite Smokey Eye Mascara to make the most of my lashes.

Multi-use products more to save time and money, for example, I often apply bronzer to eyelids for a subtle hint of colour and I love Pot Rouge for cheeks and lips.

What do you always carry with you?

Tissues and concealer! I have super watery eyes so always need to dab my under eye area and I need my concealer to top up any removed makeup.  

What does your perfect weekend look like?

It’s got to involve the beauty of nature, I love nothing more than to get my outdoors attire on, jump in the car and drive to Scotland’s beautiful highlands with my partner and cocker spaniel. Away from everyday life and not reaching for my mobile helps me to release any stress and improves my self-awareness.

If you could only eat one meal again what would it be?

Oh, wow this is hard but I would have to say pizza. Margheritas are my favourite with a side of fries and mayo. Simple but absolutely delicious. There is nothing better than a perfectly cooked pizza!

If you could give one positive message to our followers what would it be?

Keeping it short and sweet…

Slow down, appreciate and focus on what matters!

Despite living out our summer dreams in our back gardens or flat balconies, you best believe we’re still loving all things warm weather dressing and the chance to whack our (rather hairy at this stage) legs out for some well needed Vitamin D.

Whether it’s midi, maxi or mini, you can’t go far wrong with a style you know and love. So whether it’s to pretend you have your life together pre Zoom call, or to dress up for your faux Saturday night out in the living room, these are the throw on dresses adding some well-needed oomph to our Summer wardrobes.

Jade

I love the clashing patterns on this Summer Maxi Dress, plus it looks so easy to throw on in the morning. I would pair it with some chunky hoops, simple sandals and a cardi for those chillier evenings.

*Urban Outfitters, Kiss The Sky Yvette Maxi Dress, £40 

*Monki, Flat cork sandals, £25 

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN scoop neck fine knit cardigan, £22 

*Urban Outfitters, Bobble Texture Hoop Earrings, £14 

Darcey

The time is approaching to whip out the sandals again and what better time than with a new summer dress! I love this shirred style dress, nice and flowy. Paired with a pair of chunky sandals and a cute little shoulder bag, a quick and easy outfit to throw on!

*ASOS, Missguided shirred waist shift dress in ditsy floral print, £28 

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN ruched 70s shoulder bag in black, £16 

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN Fletch chunky jelly flat sandals in black, £14 

Maddie

For me, it doesn’t get much more “throw on” than a classic wrap dress. They’re so faltering and comfortable and can be dressed up or down depending on where you’re going. I bought a couple from & Other Stories last year that I’ll be definitely getting back out this summer and I think I’ll be adding this gorgeous addition to my collection too. Throw on a hat, sunglasses and some cute little sandals and you’re on to a winner.

*And Other Stories, Striped Linen Blend Wrap Dress, £69 

*And Other Stories, Straw Fedora Hat, £29 

*Ray-Ban, ROUND METAL LENSES:  Green Classic G-15, £131 

*Matches Fashion, ANCIENT GREEK SANDALS, £145 

Danielle

For me throw on summer dresses are usually pretty flowing floral numbers mixed with lots of white! I love that feeling on holiday of being freshly washed and smelling amazing after a day of feeling salty and sandy (which I actually hate) and throwing on a gorgeous dress. I usually shop on ASOS for things like that as they have such a variety from different brands. I usually pair shorter more feminine dresses with oversized denim or leather jackets and I’ll also sometimes throw on and an oversized vintage tee with maxi dresses.

*ASOS, Wednesday’s Girl Curve maxi wrap front dress in large scale spot, £24 

*ASOS, River Island tiered poplin maxi dress in white, £46 

*ASOS, Motel midi dress with thigh split in ditsy floral print, £40 

*ASOS, & Other Stories floral print puff sleeve wrap dress in pink, £55 

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN cotton poplin batwing mini skater dress with wrap around belt in floral print, £35 

Zoe

HOW CUTE IS THIS PALE GREEN LINEN DRESS? I love simple styles like this, they really embody “throw on” as it does all the talking and can be styled with quite literally ANYTHING. I’d probably wear a pair of chunky white trainers with this, and a cool pair of sunnies.

*And Other Stories, Nike ZOOM 2K, £89 

*And Other Stories, Spaghetti Strap Linen Mini Dress, £65 

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN cat eye sunglasses in milky tort, £10 

 

Lareese

I’m here for anything you can throw on with ease in Summer and this oversized maxi would be perfect for chucking on for a beach walk, BBQ, or a pub lunch – you name it. I’d style it with a pair of jute sandals and a straw hat. Nice and easy!

*Weekday, Gloria Dress, £55 

Pull and Bear, Raffia mules, £25.99 

*And Other Stories, Ribbon Brim Woven Straw Hat, £27 

Charlotte

For me, a throw on summer dress means something I know will make me feel put together and like ‘me’ with minimal effort. I love the classic shape of this red number- I think it would look great with both a sandal or chunky trainer! Dress down with a denim jacket or make it evening appropriate with some simple jewellery and a red lip!

*Urban Outfitters, Billabong X Sincerely Jules Playing For Keeps Smocked Mini Dress, £65 

*Topshop, PEARLA Black Flip Flop Wedge Mules, £36 

*Topshop, Green Beaded Mini Grab Bag, £22 

 

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