PRETTY YOUNG THING

I thought i'd do a little update about how we are getting on during lockdown. I did a post right at the start even before lockdown with a little update. In my last update Clint had been laid off temporarily, he's now been furloughed so will be getting 80% of his wage which is good, i've since then also been furloughed, I was working from home but it's difficult to do that as a receptionist and my company has now been forced to make cuts where they can. I have been trying to be more productive and positive but it can be really difficult to self motivate yourself during times like these. I have been making more effort to get up and get dressed, i've also been having a daily power walk by myself and i'm finding having a little time to myself is really helping. We live in an apartment so we don't have a garden so we was taking Amelia for a walk around our building but this wasn't enough excercise for me and I haven't felt great so going for a walk alone has really helped. We have been doing loads of crafts and  baking but this is getting abit boring now. I want to try and find some more things that we can do to stimulate Amelia. We have also been potty training during lockdown and Amelia has taken to it really well, we've only had a couple of accidents, usually when she's playing and gets distracted. She's been using a potty but we've bought her a toilet seat too now and she's been using it really well.

That's everything really, not much to report over the last few weeks. I want to get back into blogging so hopefully there will be some more posts coming soon... I ordered a few bits from The Ordinary so I will review them soon and i'm expecting a few bits for product reviews so I should be back up and running soon...

Here's my thoughts on the This Works Morning Expert range. I have a few items from the range and couldn't believe I hadn't reviewed them already. I've been using these for a little while now. I think this is a great range and have been loving the products. I wanted to share my thoughts and how i've been getting on with them.

My favourite product from the collection is the Hyaluronic serum, it's so light and sinks into the skin really fast to hydrate and brighten skin. You can use daily on the skin to maximise the pumping effect. I really like this product is smells lovely and isn't greasy it just goes on without any effort. It's gentle and I really notice that my skin appears firmer when I use this.

Next is the Morning Expert Open Eyes, eye cream. I love the applicator for this product, it makes it super easy to apply and the metal applicator leaves the eye area feeling cool. This leaves the eye area appearing more awake and reduces the appearance of dark circles.

Finally the Morning Expert Multi Acid Pads, I really like these and they are super easy to use. Again can be used daily to exfoliate and enhance skin resurfacing, unclog pores and minimize morning shine. They are really nice and gentle and I think they are an easy way to add acids into regime.

Make sure you check out the bundles on the This Works website for some super amazing savings!

As we are on lockdown I think it's safe to say most of us are living in our comfies, i've seen alot of people raving about loungewear. I only have a couple of pieces of loungewear, but i've been looking at ordering a few more pieces so I thought i'd share some of my favourites out there at the moment. 

I thought i'd share a few books that I've been reading lately share my thoughts, like a little mini review. I've been loving everyone's recommendations so thought i'd share a few of my favourite reads.

• The Woman in the window - A.J Finn
  This was really easy to read and I really wanted to know what happened. A good thriller and very twisted. I was so shocked!
  
• The Girl in the Letter - Emily Gunnis
  A really good story line and very easy to read. Lots of twists, a heart-wrenching story.
  
• Found -Erin Kinsley
  I read quite a few books about missing children, this is a little different because the boy returns. There a few twists in this story and it's really gripping, I didn't want to put it down.
  
• Lies Lies Lies - Adele Parks
  I read this book so quick. It was really easy to read and such a good storyline. Really engaging, loved it!

• Small Great Things -Jodi Picoult
  Such an easy read. I just needed to know what was going to happen. Couldn't put it down.
  
• Big Lies in a small town - Diane Chamerlain
  Another book I couldn't put down, I wasn't too sure about this at the beginning but it's such a great story line and everything makes sense at the end. Loved it.
  
  

Hello, hope everyone is all well? These are some strange times and I know a lot of people are having to work from home so I thought i'd share a few tips on how to work from home productively. I only work part time (2 days) so working from home isn't too bad for me but if you work 5 days a week I would really look at some of these tips to ensure productivity.

• Routine- Get yourself into a good routine, just like you do when you work in the office.
  Get up, get ready, have breakfast etc and then log on. This makes it easier to establish when you will be working. It just gets you up and ready for the day ahead, it can be easy to get into the habit of working from bed or in your pj's and I find I work better if I get up and ready personally.
  
• Office space - Now not everyone is going to have a home office but I really think some kind of office space/ area is such a good way to get your head into work mode. This is a great way to get into work mode and switch off at the end of the day.  I find it more productive to have a seperate space away from others. My partner and child are at home with me at the moment during lockdown so I have set myself up in the bedroom away from them. I also find having my laptop set up on a desk more productive.
  
• Set office hours - When working from home you want to make sure that you are sticking to some kind of office hours. Setting your working hours means you know what time you log on and what time you finish. Some people struggle with not working enough from home but it's actually just as easy to work too much from home as it's harder to switch off, by setting working hours you can log off knowing you are done for the day.
  
• Distractions- It is impossible to completely remove distractions but if you can minimise them in some way then I recommend you do so. This might mean working from a separate part of the home, closing doors, making sure your family members don't disrupt you. These small changes can minimise disruption and increase productivity. 
  
• Have a break - Working too much can actually be a bad thing and it's good to have a break so why not leave your office space and get some exercise, have a cuppa, read a book. It's really beneficial to have a little time away from your work otherwise it can get a little full on and having a break can boost creativity and a good mindset. 

 What is the first thing you do when you wake up? For many women, the answer is a step-by-step beauty routine that can take up way too much of the morning. If you’re spending an hour getting ready in front of that mirror, it can really start to grind on you. However, we all want to be confident in how we look. As such, what can you do to make your mornings a lot less stressful while still making sure that you give yourself the kind of care that you deserve? Here are some tips to make sure that your morning beauty routine isn’t an ever-lasting endeavour, but something you can get out of the way quickly.

Link to Pic - Pixabay License

Some of the things you do each morning might not be as essential as you think

The first thing that’s worth doing is looking at any steps or processes that you can get rid of entirely. For instance, a lot of people spend a lot more time cleansing their face than they really need to. You might want to get rid of the oils on your face, but cleaning them out too thoroughly can end up dehydrating your skin and leaving it more open to pimples. We’re not suggesting you skip cleaning your face, of course, but you can cut out some of the heavy cleansers and stick to water and skin-friendly soap. 

Similarly, instead of washing your hair each and every morning, you can consider using dry shampoos that have much the same impact. Look at your skincare products to make sure that you’re not accidentally doubling-up on certain steps of the routine, as well.

Get organized about how you tackle your morning routine

Not only should you look at what, specifically, but you’re also doing during your morning routine. You should also be looking at how you’re doing at as well. In particular, by rearranging your products and how you access them, you can find that the whole process becomes a lot more streamlined.

For instance, if you open up your bathroom mirror or look at your countertop to find a glut of products staring back at you, all mixed together, then you can find that it can take just as much time to find products as it does to use them. However, there are a bunch of bathroom organisers that can help you put everything in a place that’s much easier to memorise and quickly turn to when you need it. Make sure that you identify the products that you use on a daily basis or more regularly and put them front and centre so it’s always easy to grab them.

Find one that can do both for you

How many products do you have in your bathroom cabinet? How many do you actually need? We’ve already talked about getting rid of products that “double down” on certain benefits that others offer. To that end, you should be looking at products that can do two or more things for you at the same time, as well  There are a lot of products that are specifically designed to be a “two-in-one” multitasking solution. However, there are also ways to make better use of products that you own. For instance, a lot of keratin-infused scalp tonics can also be very good at helping polish and strengthen your nails. Similarly, a lot of women are great at using mascara as an eyeshadow instead of having to buy both. If you learn to multitask or simply find more uses for the products that you have, it will save you time, save you space in your cabinet, and even save you money.

Choose the longer-lasting solution

When it comes to things like your anti-ageing products, you could actually save yourself a lot of time in front of the bathroom mirror simply by choosing a solution that lasts much longer. By opting for a treatment that has a longer lifespan, you can cut entire steps out of your daily routine. For instance, a facelift, botox or dermal filler can mean that you spend a lot less time using anti-ageing products in front of the bathroom mirror. However, it’s not only in the realm of anti-ageing processes that this tip works, as well.

If you find that taking care of your hair is becoming more and more time-consuming, then you may also want to look at the possibility of getting a shorter or low-maintenance haircut. Simply put, if you have less hair to take care, then you’re also going to spend less time taking care of it. It really is that simple.

Get a tool that does it for you

The idea of getting a specific tool of appliance that helps save you time and energy during your beauty routine is not a new idea to most women, by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is wise to ensure that you’re getting the tools that are most suited to the job and are likely to be reliable and to work without too much maintenance over time.

When it comes to getting appliances that help with your beauty routine, then don’t simply pick the first or cheapest thing that comes your way. You can spend a lot more time struggling with the device to get it working than actually using it. Make sure you look up reviews for the best electric shavers or whatever product you might be looking for before investing.

Hopefully, the tips above help you see a few ways to save a lot of time during your morning beauty routine. We all like to look our best and feel confident, but many of us can only withstand the grind for so long. Find a way or two to cut it down and you’ll be much happier.