Five Spring Nail Colours

Topshop Nail Polish in Pool Party // The Body Shop Colour Crush Nail Colour in Got The Blues // Essence Colour & Go Nail Polish in Break Through // Essie Nail Lacquer in Cascade Cool // 17 High Gloss Nail Polish in Miami // Essie Nail Lacquer in Cute as a Button // Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Colour in Tangerine Queen

Nail Swatches (left to right) - Topshop Nail Polish in Pool Party // The Body Shop Colour Crush Nail Colour in Got The Blues // Essence Colour & Go Nail Polish in Break Through // Essie Nail Lacquer in Cascade Cool // 17 High Gloss Nail Polish in Miami // Essie Nail Lacquer in Cute as a Button // Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Colour in Tangerine Queen

Now that we are officially in Spring, I love to wear bright colours on my nails. I went through every single nail polish that I owned (about 100) and swatched all the suitable candidates. These were mainly brights with a few pastels thrown in. I managed to narrow it down to these seven beautiful nail colours. Please note that I have had some of these polishes for a while (probably too long!) and they may no longer be available. However, there are brands that make similar colours and it is the colours that I'm recommending (although the polishes are good too!)

I actually really like wearing blue and green nail polish in Spring and Summer. As I was going through my collection, I noticed I have quite a few varieties of blues and greens but these two are my favourites for Spring. Topshop Nail Polish in Pool Party is a lovely greeny, turquoise shade and The Body Shop Colour Crush Nail Colour in Got The Blues is a beautiful, powdery blue shade. Essence Colour & Go Nail Polish in Break Through reminds me of the gorgeous crocuses which are out at this time of year.

My favourite colour is pink and I love having pink nails throughout Spring and Summer. Essie Nail Lacquer in Cascade Cool is a lovely baby pink shade which isn't two pale after two coats. If you're looking for a slightly darker shade, then 17 High Gloss Nail Polish in Miami has got you covered. I would have to say that my favourite nail colour of all time is coral and Essie Nail Lacquer in Cute as a Button is well loved! It's almost empty after last year. It definitely a shade that I recommend. To complete my rainbow of Spring colours, Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Colour in Tangerine Queen reminds me of orange tulips!

What nail colours do you like to wear in Spring? Have I missed any colours that you can't live without in Spring?

Rachel x

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My Netflix Recommendations Part 2

Last week, I posted part 1 of my Netflix recommendations. There are so many shows that I love on there so I decided to split it into two parts. Here you can read part 2 and you can find part 1 here.

Pretty Little Liars - PLL is an American teen drama, mystery–thriller television series loosely based on the book series written by Sara Shepard. I was a teenager 10 years ago but I absolutely love it so don't let that put you off! I didn't start watching Pretty Little Liars when it first started (I don't think it was available in the UK then) but I started watching about 3 years ago when I first got my iPad. That year, I binged everyday during the Summer until I was up to date. I think I watched 8/9 episodes a day! I don't regret a single minute! I'm all up to date now and I just watched the Spring finale of Season 6 last week. All 6 seasons are available to watch on Netflix and I think Season 6 is due to continue in June. Thankfully, we get it in the UK the day after America so we don't have long to wait.

Bates Motel - Bates Motel is an American drama-thriller TV series and is a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho. It depicts the lives of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the film. There are three seasons available on Netflix and I have just finished Season 3. There are only 10 episodes in each season so it won't take you very long to catch up. The makers have announced that there will be a Season 4 and 5 and I think Season 4 has started in America this month. I get extremely hooked and end up watching loads of episodes back to back. When Season 3 first appeared on Netflix, I watched about 7 episodes in one day!

Prison Break - Prison Break is an American serial drama about two brothers; Lincoln Burrows and Michael Scofield. Burrows has been sentenced to death and Scofield devises an elaborate plan to help his brother escape. There are a total of four seasons and all four are available on Netflix. Fox have announced that there is going to be a short revival series which will follow the characters several years on and filming for that will start next month. It probably won't be on Netflix for a while which will give you long enough to catch up!

Dexter - Dexter, Dexter, Dexter! I think this was the first series that I watched when we first got Netflix. There are a total of eight seasons and I watched it after it had finished so I had them all to watch whenever I wanted. It actually became part of my life and I thought I was in the show sometimes! Does that make me sound crazy?! Dexter is a blood spatter pattern analysis for the Miami Metro Police Department, who leads a secret parallel life as a vigilante serial killer. I love CSI and I found that this was like the dark brother to CSI. My husband, Rory watched the first four/five seasons with me but then something happened that he didn't like and didn't agree with (I won't give away any spoilers) so he stopped watching but I was hooked!

White Collar - I recommend White Collar to all my female friends even if it is just to lust after Neal Caffrey played by Matt Bomer. I absolutely love White Collar it's funny, clever, entertaining and did I mention Neal Caffrey?! There have been a total of six seasons made but Netflix has only released five so far. I cannot wait until the release of Season 6! White Collar follows Neal Caffrey, a con artist, who is a criminal informant for FBI Special Agent Peter Burke. Neal and Peter have a special relationship and they work so well together. Just in case you weren't aware, I'm a little bit in love with Neal Caffrey!

Making a Murderer - Making a Murderer is a 10 part documentary that explores the story of Steven Avery who served 18 years in prison for the sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen before being exonerated in 2003. New evidence had been found and it was clear Steven Avery didn't commit the crime. In 2005, he was arrested again in connection with the murder of Teresa Halbach, a local photographer. The documentary explores the evidence and interviews to find out if Steven is guilty or not. I honestly do not know what I believe but the show has created discussions across the world!

Do you have any recommendations for me? Have you watched any of my recommendations? Which is your favourite?

Rachel x

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Spring Bucket List

Now that it is officially Spring, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of all the things that I would like to do in Spring. There are a few of these floating around on Pinterest but they are all aimed at children. Although I have included a few child friendly ones like decorate eggs and go on a Easter Egg Hunt because we will be spending Easter Weekend with some of our nieces.

Spring Clean - I love a good Spring Clean although to be honest I love the feeling afterwards rather than during! Last year, I completed it during the two weeks that I was off for half term. This year we are away for the first week so hopefully I will get it all done in my last week.

Swap out Winter wardrobe - It's time to swap those thick jumpers for light loose layers. I love wearing bright colourful clothes and Spring is the perfect time to embrace pastels. 

Bake Easter goodies - There are so many great recipes online these days and they allow us to make the most of chocolate that is around for a limited time. I love making the classics like Creme Egg Brownies and Chocolate Nests adorned with Mini Eggs.

Fill the house with fresh flowers - Seasonal flowers hit us early this year and I've already had bunches of tulips and daffodils in the house. I love fresh flowers - they brighten up everyone's mood and allow you to bring the outdoors in. 

Go for a picnic - As the weather gets warmer, I love packing a picnic basket and going to a local park to enjoy our goodies. You can make it as easy or complicated as you like. You could even buy ready made sandwiches and just grab a blanket.

Visit a farm to see the baby animals - Spring is the best time to visit a farm as you'll get to see all the baby animals. Some farms even let you hold and feed the animals.

Decorate eggs - When I was younger, I used to love painting eggs. You could also buy chocolate eggs and decorate those!  

Go for a bike ride - I have wanted to go a bike ride for ages now but I didn't have a bike. Last year my dad got a new one and gave me his old one. Hopefully we can get out on our bikes and enjoy the scenery while getting exercise!

Plant some flowers or seeds - This probably makes me really old, but I am really getting into gardening. I even bought a gardening book the other week! I love planting flowers and seeds in Spring to enjoy throughout the Summer. 

Have a barbecue - This is one for late Spring unless we have unusually warm weather in March/April. I love having family over and hosting a barbecue for us to enjoy. Also an excuse to enjoy Pimms!

Decorate your home for Spring - Last year, I started decorating my house seasonally. It started in September when I added autumnal items like pine cones and a squirrel ornament. For Spring, I will be adding flowers and pastel coloured items.

Go for a walk - I love going for walks all year round but especially so in Spring when daffodils, tulips and crocuses are blooming, new leaves are growing on trees and blossom. I love looking at blossom!

Open the windows - I love being able to open the windows in Spring and Summer to let in the fresh air. I hardly ever do in the Winter as it's usually just so cold and I'm always freezing!

Go to the zoo - I like to go to the zoo at least once a year and I thought it would probably be better to go in Spring. There will be more babies around at this time of year also it won't be as busy as the Summer months.

Easter Egg Hunt - I am a big kid at heart and I haven't had an excuse to do an Easter Egg Hunt for years. As I mentioned earlier, we are spending Easter Weekend with nieces and hopefully we will do an Easter Egg Hunt together.

Have a bonfire - I'm cheating a little here as I wouldn't have an actual bonfire. Instead I will light our chiminea as the evening gets cooler when we have our barbecue. 

Fly a kite - Our last attempt at kite flying was an epic fail. Hopefully this year we will get the perfect kite flying conditions. Let's go fly a kite...

Eat hot cross buns - I'm not even a massive fan of hot cross buns but it's something that has to be done at Easter. Better still bake your own.

Feed the ducks - I love feeding the ducks when we go on walks by the canal or to parks but you're not supposed to feed them bread. You can Google the reasons why and find alternatives that you can feed them.

Watch a sunrise/sunset - How romantic would it be to watch the Spring sunrise or sunset with your loved one. I saw a beautiful sunset the other day. The whole sky was red. I wish I had a camera with me (I didn't even have my phone!)

What's on your Spring bucket list?

Rachel x

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Review | Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++

Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++ £35

The longest product name award goes to Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++!  I have heard and read great reviews about this product and for some reason, I only just purchased it last month. I think the price put me off for a long time but I am willing to invest in skincare now as I have realised how important it is to look after your skin. 

Prior to purchasing this, I would buy a facial sunscreen once a year as I know I break out with regular sunscreen when applied to my face. However, I was never happy with all the different ones that I tried and I never repurchased the same one twice. I always opted for oil-free and non-greasy versions but I still found them oily or greasy and very heavy on my face. I always knew I was wearing sunscreen and I never really liked wearing makeup on top of them. 

That was until now! If I know my plans involve me being outside for longer than 20 minutes, I will apply Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily Sunscreen on top of my moisturiser and under my makeup. (The foundation that I use has SPF 15 in it so if I'm outside for less than 20 minutes, I know I'm safe). I even recall the lady in Kiehl's telling me it could be used as a moisturiser. I haven't tried this as I can suffer from dry patches. The product has a light sunscreen smell but it is very faint and doesn't linger. 

I was so impressed with the texture of the sunscreen, it is light yet moisturising and because it's SPF 50 I know I'm safe in the sun. It absorbed into my skin really quickly and didn't leave any sticky residue or anything. It leaves skin with a matte finish - something else I hated with other sunscreens! It provides effective UVA and UVB broad-spectrum sunscreen protection as well as protecting against the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles. Kiehl's also claim that it is suitable for sensitive skin but I can't comment on this.

I would totally recommend this sunscreen and I can tell already that I will be repurchasing it over and over again. You can purchase it from the Kiehl's website here. It is £35 for 60ml and they offer free delivery.

Have you tried Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Sunscreen? Are you willing to invest in good skincare?

Rachel x

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My Netflix Recommendations Part 1

These days I hardly watch anything on actual TV instead I can spend hours at a time binge watching my favourite series on Netflix. I thought I would share some of my favourites just incase you haven't seen them and are looking for something new to watch.Please note: these are in no particular order. I couldn't choose a favourite. Also, this post was getting pretty long so I have decided to split it into two parts.

American Horror Story - This is an anthology series as each season is a separate story line (although there are links between some). This means that you don't have to start at season 1 and if you just can't get into a storyline, you can skip that one and watch the next. They star some of the same actors and actresses but they play different characters in each season. I have to admit I found it difficult to get used to the same actor playing a different character after season 1 but you quickly get used to it as you get caught up with the story line. Currently there are 4 seasons available to watch on Netflix; Murder House, Asylum, Coven and Freak Show. There is another season, season 5 - Hotel, but this isn't available on Netflix just yet.

Once Upon a Time - This is a fairy tale drama series and if you're a fan of Disney, you will love it. Even if you're not, I recommend you give it a try. My husband did and after two episodes he was hooked. There are so many twists in the story line and it definitely keeps you on your toes! Think of it as Disney with a dark, grown up slant. There are 4 complete seasons on Netflix and half of season 5 which has just continued and you can catch a brand new episode every Wednesday.

Orange is the New Black - OITNB is an American comedy-drama series following the stories of Piper Chapman and her fellow inmates at Litchfield Penitentiary, a minimum-security women's federal prison. There are currently 3 seasons on Netflix with a fourth season on it's way this Summer! Netflix always drop the whole season on the same day which allows fans to binge watch the entire season but then you have to wait a year until the next season. I *try* and spread it out over a few weeks at least but my will power isn't always that strong!

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - This is an American sitcom which follows 29-year-old Kimmy Schmidt as she adjusts to life in New York City after her rescue from a doomsday cult in Indiana where she and three other women were held by Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne for 15 years. It's absolutely hilarious and Kimmy has such a positive attitude as she gets thrown into adulthood in a busy city. There is only 1 season on Netflix at the moment but season 2 will hit our screens in April. They have also announced that there will be a third season!

How I Met Your Mother - HIMYM follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his group of friends in Manhattan. As a framing device, Ted, in the year 2030, recounts to his son and daughter the events that led him to meeting their mother. It stars Alyson Hannigan, Jason Segel and my favourite character Barney is played by Neil Patrick Harris. There are a whopping 9 seasons available to watch and although I have seen many on TV, I haven't seen all so I started at the beginning on Netflix and I'm currently on season 3.

Suits - This is an American legal drama TV series. The focal point of the show follows talented college dropout Mike Ross, who works as a law associate for Harvey Specter despite never actually attending law school. The show focuses on Harvey and Mike managing to close cases while maintaining Mike's secret. There are 3 seasons currently available on Netflix but there are 5 seasons in total. I think a new episode is played each week on Dave but as I haven't seen season 4, I'm waiting for them to come to Netflix.

Do you have any recommendations for me? Have you watched any of my recommendations? Which is your favourite? 

Rachel x

P.S. I'll publish Part 2 next week

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Review | Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm

Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm £16.50

Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm* isn't a new product; I think it's been on the market for a couple of years now. Recently the lovely people at Merumaya reached out looking for beauty bloggers who were yet to try the balm. I replied quickly as I have tried Merumaya Mud Marvels Mask and I absolutely loved it so I couldn't wait to try something else from the brand. It arrived in February but I wanted to give it a good test before I wrote this review.

Suitable for all skin types, Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm is thorough yet gentle and leaves the skin hydrated, calm, glowing and refreshed. Active ingredients include RevitElix™ which is Echium oil providing Omega 3, 6 & 9 to reduce lines and wrinkles, improve elasticity and participate in barrier repair. It helps rebuild the hydro lipid film as the skin's surface and is also anti-irritant. Sucragel™ which contains Sweet Almond Oil and acts as a ‘wash on’ moisturiser and leaves a velvety finish while thoroughly cleansing. Mangosteen Fruit Extract which is rich in vitamins and polyphenols providing antioxidant protection.

It can be used as a double cleanse; firstly to remove makeup and secondly to clean the skin which makes it the perfect product to travel with as previously I was using two different products during a double cleanse. There is no need to warm the product in your hands as it melts, emulsifying makeup as you massage it over a dry face and neck. Continue to massage as you add water and it turns into a light milk which allows for easy and effective removal. Then it can be removed with a muslin cloth soaked in warm water or similar.

I would definitely recommend the Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm. It is £16.50 for 100ml and it's available now at some John Lewis stores www.johnlewis.com, Amazon Luxury Beauty www.amazon.co.uk/luxurybeauty and www.merumaya.com.

Next on my list is the Merumaya Gentle Exfoliating Toner! I've heard amazing things!

 Rachel x

*PR Sample

The Body Shop British Rose Collection

British Rose Exfoliating Soap £4 // British Rose Body Butter £14 // British Rose Petal-Soft Hand Cream £4 // British Rose Eau de Toilette £19 // British Rose Petal-Soft Bath Foam £8 // British Rose Shower Gel £5 // British Rose Instant Glow Body Essence £15 // British Rose Exfoliating Gel Body Scrub £15

On the 23rd February, The Body Shop launched their latest collection - British Rose. TBS celebrates their 40th anniversary this year and what better way to celebrate than with bespoke roses grown specially at an environmental award winning farm in the heart of the English countryside. The roses are hand-picked, air-dried and infused on-site into fresh mountain water. This careful extraction process is what gives them the most exceptional quality rose essence for the products.

There are eight products within the collection for the body. Starting with the British Rose Exfoliating Soap (£4) which allows you to clean and exfoliate in one go - perfect for traveling! It also contains real rose petals. The British Rose Body Butter (£14) is the first body butter which provides a dewy finish because of glow enhancing rose essence. Infused with the essence of hand-picked British roses, the British Rose Petal-Soft Hand Cream (£4) is the perfect hand cream as it is non-greasy and absorbs instantly. Sure to become a favourite in your fragrance collection, the British Rose Eau de Toilette (£19) can be used with other products in the range to layer the scent. 

Sink into the scent of a field of roses with this beautiful bath time indulgence - British Rose Petal-Soft Bath Foam (£8) which leaves skin feeling softer and smoother. If baths aren't your thing, the British Rose Shower Gel (£5) is soap free but lathers into something blooming marvellous! The first essence lotion for the body, the British Rose Instant Glow Body Essence (£15) transforms on skin revealing an instant healthy looking glow. Lastly, the British Rose Exfoliating Gel Body Scrub (£15) effortlessly melts onto the skin and gently refines to reveal smoother, fresher skin.

The Body Shop didn't stop there with this collection. There are also new Lip & Cheek Stains (£12), a new Colour Crush Nail Colour in British Rose (£5) and a beautiful palette - British Rose Eye & Cheek Palette (£20) which contains 6 eyeshadows and 2 blushers.

There are also three gift sets which contain products from the collection. There is the British Rose Treats (£6) which contains shower gel, body butter and a puff. Then there is the British Rose Essential Gift Collection (£20) which contains shower gel, body butter, hand cream and Vitamin E Moisture Cream. Finally there is the British Rose Deluxe Gift Collection (£40) which contains shower gel, body butter, body essence, eau de toilette and Vitamin E Moisture Cream. Something to suit everyone's budget.

What do you think of this collection? Are there any products which you must get your hands on?

Rachel x