Graduation

Dress - Zara, Heels - River Island, Bag - Valentino, Necklace - Whistles, Bracelet - Topshop 

I was over the moon to graduate from Nottingham Trent with a first class degree in Broadcast Journalism this year. After three years of ups and down I was more relieved than anything to have made it to the other side with the results I could have only hoped for.

I decided on this dress only the night before as I found it really difficult to find a dress the right length and style (grad gowns are definitely not easy to wear). I love the the layers as they add detail to an otherwise very simple dress. At only £25.99 I couldn't believe how cheap it was and love the fact it comes in different colours. I teamed it with my Valentino bag (a treat from my recent visit to Monte Carlo) and these gorgeous lace up heels from River Island. 

Kiehl's - Rare Earth Skin Care Range

Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser £18

 Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque £21.50

I have always stuck to what I know when it comes to face products, limiting the brands I use to Simple, Nivea and Sanctuary. Other than having slightly sensitive skin, I have never experienced any problems and I feel this is mainly due to being quite strict with my skin regime (something I would recommend!) However, recently my skin has been looking a little dull and I felt it was time I changed my daily skin care routine. 

Kiehl's is a brand I have always wanted to try but have never gotten round to doing so. My wonderful friends treated me to the products that I wanted for my birthday last week and they are amazing! Their 'Rare Earth' range is suitable for normal skin but focuses on exfoliating, detoxing and reducing pores - ideal for what I needed. The cleanser is gental enough to use daily and the masque can be used up to three times a week. After trying out the testers for just a week before hand I could already notice a difference in my complexion, with my skin looking healthier and my pores more refined. I would highly recommend! 

M x

P.S The packaging is beautiful!!

Avocado Brownies

1 Avocado

300g Dark Chocolate 

3 Eggs

1 Heaped tbsp of Coconut Oil 

1 Cup of Coconut Sugar (optional)

1 tsp of Vanilla Essence 

1 tsp of Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt 

I am forever craving sweet sugary treats, so any healthier alternatives that are still just as sweet are what I love to find. This particular brownie recipe is from Tanya Burr, who posted the recipe on her Youtube channel and blog, but I have slightly altered it to my taste. It's important to remember these brownies are still high in calories but contain much healthier ingredients than a traditional brownie. They are gluten free, dairy free (depending on what type of chocolate you use) and use healthy fats (these include the avocado and coconut oil). I personally don't like avocado so was pleasently surprised that the brownie didn't taste a thing like it and is solely used to create a creamy texture. I found that using sugar (in this case coconut sugar) is not completely necessary as the brownies are sweet enough - but I still use a little anyway! Coconut sugar is unrefined so keeps your blood sugar levels steady - a good alternative when sugar is needed. 

Simply melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a pan over a low heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Pour the mixture into a tray and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for around 30 minutes. (I have found the time may vary depending on the thickness of the baking tray used)

Enjoy x

Black Staples

Culottes - H&M

Top - Zara 

Leather Jacket - Mango 

Boots - H&M

Clutch Bag - Whistles 

Culottes are a staple in my wardrobe and I love layering up black on black, so this outfit is probably one of my favourites. These culottes from H&M are great, the tailored fit means they are ideal for dressing up but are also relaxed enough to dress down. I wore them with my BARGAIN leather jacket from Mango, the style is very similar to one I had my eye on from Whistles however was a fraction of the price. Snakeskin will forever be my favourite print, so there's no surprise that I fell in love with these boots - H&M is very hit and miss but I can't get enough of it lately. 

M x

My Green Smoothie

1 Banana 

1 Kiwi

1/4 of a Pinapple

Handful of Spinach 

Coconut Water 

Chia Seeds (optional)

Being an avid user of social media, it's hard not to notice the sudden surge of healthy lifestyle blogs. A mixture of curiosity and wanting to remove some of the processed foods out of my diet has encouraged me to try out a number of the plant based recipes that I have came across. And, I have been pleasently surprised, with my particular favourites being avocado browines and a healthy chocolate and banana cake (I will be blogging about these soon).

The easiet of course is a simple green smoothie. Dark leafy greens have amazing health benefits, one of which being they are packed with disease fighting antioxidants. And essentially they are a great way of adding extra fruit and veg to your diet. Alot of the recipes have ingredients that are not easy to come by, and when I have managed to find them they have been pretty exspensive. So after trawling through numerous recipes, I took different ingredients from different smoothies to create my own. 

Tip: By adding banana, it's not only a great source of potassium but over powers the taste of the greens. 

Spring Wishlist

Topshop Striped Print Shirt and Wide Leg Trousers £82
Click Here

Topshop Suede Mules £62
Click Here

Saint Laurent Fringed Satchel in Black Suede
Click Here

Asos Denim A-line Button Through Mini Skirt in Mid-wash Blue £28
Click Here

H&M Shirt in a Lyocell Blend £39.99
Click Here 

H&M Marled Top £29.99
Click Here 

Whistles Arrow Precious Stone Earring £25

Click Here

Winter Cape

Cape - Zara
Jumper - Primark 

Leather Trousers - H&M

Boots - Kurt Geiger 

Clutch Bag - Whistles 

After being home for two weeks I have finally found the time to blog - work experience and christmas shopping had taken over...

 I bought this cape in London, a supposed Christmas present, however I couldn't resist wearing it for the day. Capes often lack structure, however the thick fabric enables the cape to hold its shape perfectly. I have not taken my thigh high boots off since winter began - I still love them just as much as I did when I bought them last christmas. They are THE comfiest shoes I own and can be worn with almost anything - definitely worth the investment. To break up my usual 'black on black' ensemble, I used my powder blue Whistles clutch. And if I could, I would have one in every colour.

Mollie x