Six Weeks To Summer: #2 Detox Water

I've seen detox water recipes all over Pinterest lately and after binging on BBQ food and fry ups over the Bank Holiday weekend I thought it was time to cleanse my body of all the badness before starting my healthy eating regime on the run up to my holiday in 5 weeks.

I've played around with a few ingredients over the last few days but the combination that tastes best to me is lemon, mint and cucumber. I'd go as far as saying it makes water even more refreshing if that is at all possible and I just can't get enough.

Slice the lemon making sure to remove and seeds, you don't wanna be gulping those bad boys. Wash the mint leaves and thinly slice the cucumber. I like to slice in length ways but there's no real reason for this apart from I think it looks prettier. As for portions I tend to go for 3-4 slices of lemon and cucumber with a handful of mint then once they're in the cup I fill it up with water.

So how can you benefit? We all know lemon is good for us, it's the juice that aides digestion. Cucumber gets rid of those nasty toxins in our liver and kidneys whilst mint does a little bit of both as well as helping with lady cramps which for me is just a massive bonus.

Lots of people seem to leave the water to infuse overnight but I've been making mine first thing in the morning and start drinking it around lunch time. I refill with fresh water and ice up to three times throughout the day - anymore and the mint really doesn't taste so good and all the goodness will be gone by then anyway.

I'm really enjoying detox water, it's a great way to add some nutrients into your diet and a tasty way of making sure lots of water is consumed throughout the day. Have you tried detox water before? If so, what are your favourite ingredients? I'd love some new ideas.

Lucy ox

This is the second in my 'Six Weeks to Summer' series, you can view the first here.

OOTD: Summer Wedding Guest

This past weekend I got together with my family for my cousin's wedding. I've never written a post like this before but I got a lot of compliments on my dress on the day so thought I'd show you what I wore. 

My dress is from Missguided and I paired it with this cute little bowler bag that's a much more muted coral than it appears on the website. I opted for a nude heel and these from Dorothy Perkins were perfectly comfortable to see me from day-to-night.

Do you have any weddings to attend this summer? Or are you planning your own? 

Lucy ox

Six weeks to summer: #1 Wishlist

These past few days in the UK have given us a taste of summer and if it's taught me anything, it's that I'm extremely unprepared. From my summer wardrobe to all too chubby thighs, it's safe to say I have a lot of work to do before I jet off on my holidays 6 weeks today.

I'm crazy excited to feel the maltese sun on my skin whilst sipping on a cocktail or two but of course there's a fair few purchases I'll need to make to get me looking the part. Naturally I've been partaking in a fair amount of online window shopping and here's what I've been lusting after..

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Packing light is not my speciality and with that in mind I'm going to make a conscious effort to not overpack for this holiday. I'm only going away for a week and pretty summer dresses I could wear for day or night and shorts/skorts/skirts I can pair up with a selection of different tops are on my shopping list. I don't need any more sunglasses but I ALWAYS end up either losing or breaking them (just me?!) so I might pick up a few more pairs. These Topshop ones are adorable but ideally I'll come across a much cheaper pair in Primark so when I do misplace them it won't be such a big deal.

The ever so bright dress is not my usual style at home but on holiday I love to go all out and hopefully won't feel like I stand out like a sore thumb. The frill on top is ever so flattering for my body type which is.. er.. lacking in the boob department by giving a little shape. So much so, I was over the moon to find a similar detail on quite a few costumes/bikinis. This blue little number is from Asda which has a surprisingly good range at the minute.

Basic crop tops are a must and paired with patterned shorts give a sort of effortless look. Most shorts I've found on the highstreet lately have been far too revealing in the bum cheek area so box fit shorts seem the way to go. As for shoes comfort is the key but they also need to easily match a fair few outfits so when I'm not wearing flip flops, I'll hopefully be sporting some white sandals.

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I find there's nothing worse than wearing a full face of make up on holiday so I'll really keep it to a minimum but I do like a bit of coverage so a good concealer is a must. To pair with it I found Garnier's factor 50 sun cream/BB cream. I'm not sure how good this is but I have high hopes and will definitely be purchasing it. Even in the daytime sat round the pool I like to wear mascara. I just don't feel right without it so I need to get my hands on a waterproof one that doesn't break the bank. Maybelline's offering caught my eye just because of the rather dramatic name 'illegal length'. 

For nails and lips I'll go bold, very bold! Although I'm not a massive fan of Barry M's Gelly polish, this shade Satsuma looks too good to pass up. Bourjois' liquid lipsticks are supposed to last up to 24 hours. I have no idea why anybody would need it to last that long and it is quite a claim but on holiday staying power is a must. When bar hopping and sipping a few cocktails in the sun I don't want to worried about my lips melting down my face so I'm hoping this will keep them looking perfect. This shade is called Pink Pong and I think I might be in love with it!

Finally a little skincare treat. I've been wanting to try Origins 'Drink Up' over night mask for so long after hearing lost of people bigging it up. I fly during the night so I plan on taking off my make up before boarding a lathering this on my skin. I'll probably use it each night I'm away as a treat for my skin after a long hot day.

I'd love to know if you have tried any of these products and if you have any reviews or recommendations then feel free to leave them in teh comments. 

What plans do you have for the summer? Are you jetting off somewhere hot or opting for a staycation?

Love Lucy ox

New Girl Season 3: Final thoughts

I've been putting off writing this post for a few reasons. The main one being that on the whole, Season 3 of New Girl disappointed me and it makes me really sad to admit that. The storyline was set from the end of Season 2 - Nick and Jess were together and what would undoubtedly be the focus of the third season.

Don't get me wrong, I 'shipped' Ness for so long and when they kissed at the end of Cooler I was ecstatic! As the storyline progressed though I thought it would only make good TV it resulted in one single night of passion (or nerdy sex) or if they were to live happily every after which of course in TV land was never an option. 

It turned out neither of these ways and exactly how I expected. Immediately the main focus from the series was eliminated and the writers struggled to find a new hook to keep fans engaged throughout SE3. I never felt there was anything to keep me going back week after week and did so out of habit more than anything else. 

Schmidt moving out and Coach moving in might have been an attempt to create new dynamics and story lines within that but instead it felt like the characters were having to establish themselves again and couldn't develop. That being said, I've really enjoyed watching Coach. I wasn't keen on him in the pilot but I think the writers made some great adjustments to his character making him more relatable and easier to watch. His shouting/screaming tendencies would have become far too tedious. 

Winston and Cece's characters weren't used to their full potential in my opinion. Winston's story lines have always seemed to be thrown in for good measure, to make up scenes and never more so than in SE3. With her relationship with Schmidt ending early on and Ness being an item, Cece's role became increasingly insignificant. Throughout previous series she's moved back and forth from between being a main character and supporting and as much as I love her character I wish the writers would decide.

Perhaps the best decision made was not to continue with Schmidt and Cece's relationship. Ending it allows Schmidt to be free and it's his unusual ways of interacting with women that provide for lots of the humour surrounding him. Ultimately I think (and hope) Schmece will be together. They are much better suited that Ness in my opinion and if it's written well, will make for the perfect storyline when the time eventually comes for the roommates to leave the loft and go their separate ways.

Looking ahead.. SE4

If the flash backs from their college years are anything to go by, Schmidt and Nick sharing a room is bound to create lots of hilarity and awkward moments. 

I hope to see Nick and Jess dating other people but I really hope it's not construed in a way that one's left pining after the other (think Rachel when Ross was dating Julie. 'Ness' needs to be knocked on the head for at least the time being.

Winston's character is completely underrated so I hope his new role in the police force will provide for a solid storyline. As for Coach, I'm not sure what I want to see from him. I'm intrigued to see how his character develops, I think he's one to watch!

Despite not particularly enjoying Season 3, I'm excited for the 4th Season. The cast is great and when the writers are on form, they are REALLY on form and New Girl is one of my favourite sitcoms. 

Do you watch New Girl? Do you agree with my opinions of Season 3? I'd love to know what you think will happen next.

Love Lucy ox

Recently read..

Although I haven't had much time for blogging lately (exams arrrgh) I still find the time to read a fair amount of posts from others. I thought it would be nice to combine those I've enjoyed lately in a post sharing my three favourite category of blogs; fashion, food and beauty.

FASHION.

Patricia's outfit post featuring co-ords from Motel Rocks changed my entire perception of the trend. Bold prints scare me a bit but for some reason I find this one completely wearable and I'm now on the look out for something similar for the summer months. You can see how she styles the co-ord from day to night in her post here. 

I'm an avid follower of Faye's blog and YT channel and her style in this post is something I aspire to. Her printed dress is on trend yet the overall look is so casual and effortless. As I said, bold prints scare me a little so the muted tones of this gorgeous dress really appeal to me.

FOOD.

Avocados are my favourite fruit. Wait. They might be a vegetable *googles* yep, they're a fruit. Anyhoo.. I love avocados! But I always eat them the same way; on toast with fresh sliced tomato and a fried egg with a heavy dose of salt and pepper. One of my favourite food blogs Smitten Kitchen opened my eyes to avocado cups. I've tried a few so far and I'm full of ideas for new fillings.

Peanut butter stuffed brownie. I repeat, PEANUT BUTTER STUFFED BROWNIES! I don't know what more I could ask for from a recipe but I'm yet to try these because I'm away at uni and have nobody to share them with. This may seem like a good thing but a tray full of brownies all to myself is not a pretty sight. The recipe is currently sitting in my bookmarks bar but if you'd like to try them now, you can find it here on Sally's Baking Addiction.

BEAUTY.

My beauty regime has recently opened it's doors to micellar water when I saw Garnier's offering on sale in Boots. Since then I've been mooching around the internet for more info and today I found this post by Anita comparing the one I use with Nivea's and educating me on the science behind micellar water and how it works. It's definitely worth a read if they're part of your skincare regime, there is a bit of science in there but the interesting kind I promise. 

As much as I love nail art and especially galaxy print I've never quite mastered the technique. This beautiful pink galaxy is perfect for this season however so I think I'll have another go. If nail art is your thang, Nailasaurus is a must follow blog!

What blogs are your favourites to read? If you have a blog yourself feel free to leave the link and I'll follow on Bloglovin. 

Lucy ox

To buy or not to buy

With numerous event coming up over the next month, I've been on the lookout for some new dresses this week. I fell head over heels in love with this little number from sheinside.com but it's a little 'out there' compares to my usual style so I headed over to instagram to ask for opinions. 

Despite lots of likes, I'm still not sure, mainly because I don't know how to style it. I was thinking some white wedges and large clutch but I really can't decide. I'd love to know what you think of this dress and how you'd style it. As much as I'm desperate to up my game in the fashion stakes and step outside the box, I don't know where to start! Where do you go for style inspiration when you're stuck in a rut?

Lucy ox