When Doves Cry...

Happy Sunday folks! I picked up an InStyle magazine a week or two ago thinking I'd give the free nail varnish a try. I am making a pretty good attempt these days to wear more colours which aren't black and beige, so this nail varnish seemed like a good start. I am so haphazard when it comes to sitting still and applying nail varnish/fake tan/hair dye properly and letting it set, but I somehow managed it with this one. This shade is called 'When Doves Cry'. Initially the varnish was watery and quite streaky on my nails. I quickly decided it was either another overrated brand, or that perhaps they were given away free because the formulations weren't great but after applying a second coat it set to a really smooth and glossy finish. Importantly, it also dries mega fast. Some nail varnishes trick you; you think they have dried, go to pick something up and before you know it there's a finger print on your nail. At the bottom is a photo of my hand not wanting to let go of my dream car. It's a gorgeous colour right? Lilac in some lights and more of a cornflower blue in others. A bit more intensity and I think the colour would be too bright and girly for my liking but it's just enough to give a chic and polished look.

Summer Skincare Routine- Back to Basics

Before I discuss the products, a little background into my skin so you can decide whether these could be worth trying. So I was commuting a couple of weeks ago, the train was unbearably stuffy and my freshly applied makeup felt like it was melting off my face. Something had to change as my foundation suddenly felt too heavy for summer. Before making a switch to something like a tinted moisturiser, my stressed out skin desperately needed sorting. It was spotty (something I never had before in my life and they just weren't going down) and also had dozens of little bumps all over my face. I'd also got little rashes elsewhere which was the cherry on the cake!! I basically felt as though I didn't know my own body anymore because nothing I used or ate make a difference.

I decided to invest in a Clarisonic cleanser after reading a whole bunch of reviews, and to keep the products as simple as possible. No parabens, little perfume and no sulfates. Also I'd read about the importance of staying loyal to products to give them time to work, so I have not introduced anything else into my routine since.

The Clarisonic cleanser has a 1 minute timer and beeps at intervals so you know when to move on to another section of your face. It gives you twenty seconds for each cheek and ten seconds each for your forehead and chin. I gently massaged the La Roche-Posay Ultra-Fine Scrub into my face and swiped the damp brush around my face for the minute. As many of the reviews point out, it doesn't feel like it's doing a great deal to your face as the bristles are so soft but after the first use my face felt insanely clean. The La Roche-Posay scrub, which doesn't contain alcohol , colourants, soap or parabens works really nicely with the cleansing brush and exfoliates without causing any redness. When this ran out I moved on to the Antipodes Reincarnation exfoliator which is organic and enriched with avocado oil, marigold flower, cedarwood and orange. This cleanser has a creamier texture than the other one and although pricier it lasts me about five times longer.

When the cleansing ritual is over, I apply the La Roche-Posay Effaclar-K face cream and that's it. I am really loving this cream and it seems to have a big following. The cream has a serum lightness to it and quickly sinks into the skin. Since focusing the cream on my spots there has been a noticeable reduction in redness and bumps.

An extra little discovery in this new routine is the Antipodes natural Nirvana shower gel which my colleague Jo is loving. She swears that it smells like Christmas and one thing is certain, the scent is DIVINE. Think fresh mint leaves. Afterwards your skin is left super soft and nourished. I can honestly say that these products are an absolute dream team together and although there hasn't been any real drastic change, my face feels so clean after following this regime. Fingers crossed that the bumps disappear, that would be magic!

Yugo Ito

The perfect chocolate cake

Now that I have caught your attention with the title of this post, I realise that is quite a statement but honestly this is the tastiest cake I have ever tried. It's that perfect kind of not too sweet chocolate that makes you keep returning hourly to cut off slices; Pretty straight forward to make and a total crowd pleaser! Last week I spent a busy evening baking two of these for an office birthday and thought they would make a great post for anyone looking to gain a few brownie points at parties/picnics/events where you have a lot of grovelling to do.

Ingredients:

400g plain flour, sifted

250g of golden caster sugar

100g of light muscovado sugar

50g of cocoa powder

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp of salt

142ml sour cream

3 large eggs

175g unsalted and melted butter

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

125ml corn or olive oil

300ml cold water

Icing:

175g dark chocolate (I recommend minimum 70% cocoa solids so it’s not too sweet or bitter either)

275g icing sugar, sifted

250g butter, unsalted and softened

3 drops of vanilla extract

Before you begin, preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350ºF and butter and line the bottom of two 20cm / 8 inch sandwich tins.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Now beat together the melted butter, water and oil until blended. Add the dry ingredients all at once and continue to mix it. Add the egg mixture, and continue to mix until everything is blended. While beating the mixture you want to aim to beat as much air into it as possible. Now pour the mixture into the lined tins.

Put in the oven for 50-55 minutes, but I recommend checking after 45 minutes. Stick a cake tester or even a chopstick into the sponge and if it comes out clean then it has properly cooked inside. Transfer the tins on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

For the icing:

Melt the chocolate by either microwaving it for a couple of minutes, or placing it in a bowl which is being steamed on the hob. In another bowl beat the butter until it's soft and creamy before adding the sieved icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract drops and the chocolate, and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth. Now the cake is ready to ice.

Make sure you’re generous with the icing and cover the middle, top and sides of the cake using either a rubber spatula or big butter knife. Place in the fridge from an hour and voila, your cake is perfect.

Bon appetite!

Florence + The Machine- Queen of Peace

Florence is back with this absolute gem which I have had on repeat for the past two days. You know when you try to refrain from overplaying something, but have it on loop in your head regardless? Yeah....anyway here it is! Well worth a listen.