Birthday In Marrakech!

So on the 7th of February I turned 23..... in Marrakech! George treated me to the most amazing trip and I loved every second of it, so I thought I'd share some of my favourite moments.

We stayed at a place called Riad Jona, and it was probably one of the nicest places we have ever stayed. Before we went to Marrakech friends who'd been recommended that we stay in a Riad instead of a hotel; and I'm glad we listened, as this way I felt we had a real taste of Marrakech! We made sure that we chose a Riad that was fairly close to the main square, so that we could find it easily as there are many streets in Marrakech that can get very confusing and can all look the same! Check out Riad Jona !!

Breakfast on the terrace in the morning was gorgeous, and this is where we tried our first Moroccan Mint Tea! 

My favourite place in Marrakech was Jardin Marjelle, it was so beautiful and peaceful and the colours were so bold and beautiful. I LOVE looking back through these photos!

The Medina is the old historic part of town, and the Souks are the traditional market places and are often divided into the various trades. So expect to see spice sellers, metal workers and food markets!

It is a complete maze of alleys and narrow streets and expect to see hundreds of mo-peds drive past you in the Souks. We also witnessed a van try and manoeuvre around the smallest space ever, probably about a 17-point turn. Not to mention horse and carts speedily going past us every so often. It was crazy but I loved it! You definitely have to be paying attention at all times. 

You will also find women making Argan Oil in the streets and crushing mint leaves. Arian Oil remains one of the rarest oils in the world due to the small and very specific growing areas. It can be used for cooking or cosmetic use. Amazing for the hair! 

Everywhere you go in Marrakech you will discover amazing architecture and beautiful tiles. This is the entrance to one of the restaurants we ate at. It was all underground, so cool and so beautiful.

 The tiles at the Ben Yourself Madrasa were my favourite. You can see every individual tile that they used. 

On the night of my birthday George took me to the most beautiful restaurant, and although we wouldn't have got there if it weren't for Google Maps, it was definitely worth it! We enjoyed a 5 course meal at Maison Mk, which is currently voted the number 1 place to eat in Marrakech. We began by having canapés on the roof terrace, and the views were incredible. 

I loved the decor and design. Our waiter was telling us that the building was once an old and abandoned derelict property, which the owners decided to buy and renovate when they first visited Marrakech and fell in love with the city. 

So there you have it, a little taste of our trip to Marrakech!

Places to eat:

- Gastro Mk 

- Le Marrakechi (best views of the Medina at night)

- Jemaa El Fna 

- Dar Essalam  (underground restaurant, amazing tagines)

Sites to see:

- Jardin Marjelle

- Ben Yourself Madrassa

- Saadian Tombs

- El Badi Palace

- Medina of Marrakech

- Marrakech Souks

- Dar Si Said Museum

- Photography Museum

Love Emily x

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KIKO Haul & Review

Hello Hello, I haven't blogged in a while and I have really missed it. So I'm gonna waste no time rambling on about that and get straight back to it. So I have yet to do a beauty haul and I am very excited to share the products that I recently bought from KIKO in Madrid (ohmygosh I love this city)

Just under a month ago I enjoyed a little city break in Madrid with my boyfriend George, we had the most amazing time eating endless amounts of paella and sipping on sangria...(more on that in a later blog post!) but for now I just want to get all excited about the make-up that I bought from KIKO, and share with you my first impressions.

As soon as I entered the store I was handed a KIKO shopping basket which got full pretty quickly, I couldn't believe how affordable everything was, (seeing as I'd never visited this store before.) I first picked up three lipsticks, George chose my favourite one in the Velvet Mat Satin Lipstick range called Dark Berry and the packaging is rose-gold and is be-a-u-tiful, perfect for winter and only cost £6.90! The other two lipsticks were from the Smart Lipstick range in the shades Natural Beige and Classic Rose. I felt that these were perfect for everyday and weren't as pigmented as the Velvet Mat lipsticks. They are ultra silky and super nourishing and only cost £3.90. So the obvious thing to do now was to chose a lip liner to go with them. Even though this brand is so afforadable, I find I'm always a little hesitant when choosing liners as I really rate the Laura Mercier lipliners as they are so smooth and genuinely prevent my lipsticks from bleeding- so I thought will anything be as good? BUT I'd have to say that the KIKO ones are a brilliant dupe in terms of texture and finish. I chose the shade Natural Pink  from the Precision range costing £4.20 and is that perfect shade of pink that you could wear with soft browns and pale nudes.

I then picked up the Luxurious Lashes Extra Volume Brush Mascara, which was on offer in Madrid so I thought I may as well give it a go. I love the size of the brush and I find that it separates my lashes well, but I for me I found that I had to build it up a lot to achieve thick lashes. So maybe this would be one to use on my bottom lashes or over the top of another mascara.

I then wondered over to the skincare section and added two face masks to my basket. My mum had previously bought me the Energy Mask, which I have nearly finished and I have loved using so I was excited to try any others they had. I chose the Hydrating and the Purifying Masks. I have since tried them both and I can't believe how great they are. The purifying one is my favourite and I've used it both morning and evening, especially if I find that I'm having a bad skin day (happens regularly.) It leaves my skin feeling smooth and helps to get rid of any blemishes. So I definitely recommend this one if you have problem skin.

One of my favourite things I picked was the Coconut Kiss Lip Balm. I'm not really a massive lip balm lover, but one of the girls showed me this one and it smelt amazing and I just had to have it. Plus the packaging is lovely too, so I find it so enjoyable to use. (ah the little things in life.)

Lastly, I was really drawn to the shade Light Hazelnut in the Power Pro Nail Lacquer range and kept walking around the store and coming back to this same nail polish. I mean it's only a nail polish, I seemed to have been deliberating over it as if it were a designer bag.... Anyway, I have worn this shade a lot since I have been back and just love it! I like polishes that have a wide brush, just makes it all that bit quicker and easier to paint my nails.

I'd love to know if you have tried any of these products and what you thought? I'd happily place an online order to try any recommendations!

Thanks for reading and I would love for you to subscribe if you like what you see! :)

Love Emily

xx

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Empties

So I've been hoarding the empty packaging and its all started to pile up so I'm eager to crack on with this 'empties' blog post so I can throw them out!

Firstly:

Fudge Uban Iced Raspberry and Vanilla Hairspray This is about the 3rd can of this hairspray that I have purchased. Although it is costly for hairspray (around £5.50) I can't describe how nice it smells! It is amazing and I certainly miss the smell when I've ran out and have to resort to using my Tresemme. Nevertheless, they have a fab range and I would consider trying more products in their range. Which brings me on to my second 'empty'....

Fudge Urban Crisp Pear and Sweet Vanilla Dry Shampoo After trying the hairspray I treated myself to the dry shampoo-which smells equally as good. The bottle lasts a long time, I don't use dry shampoo every day but it definitely refreshers my hair and leaves it feeling clean and easier to style. If you're obsessed with nice smelling haircare then I really recommend you trying these. 

Got 2 Be Tame and Shine Styling Oil  Now I have naturally curly hair, so whenever I add heat to my hair, whether it's straightening, curling or blowdrying my hair will always be left with frizzy bits (despite the endless amounts of heat protecting sprays etc) So after I've styled my hair I always use one pump of this serum just to tame any flyways and to calm the frizz especially near my parting. It's very affordable and one pump goes a long way. I always see really pricey serums and wonder if they're any better... so please let me know in the comments if you recommend any?

Laura Mercier Almond and Coconut Souffle Cream This stuff is the best! I have blogged about this before and I will definitely continue to blog about this product in the future. This is in fact the medium size from a gift set which I have just emptied, I didn't want to open my full size one and watch it all disappear too fast. (I need to get a life) But sadly this one is now all gone so I'm onto my large one. They cost £45 but I don't think you can get a greater smell and texture than Laura Mercier's body souffle collection. 

Bobbi Brown BB Cream  I have used this BB cream as my base literally all summer. I don't remember the last time I wore a foundation. I prefer the texture and finish off this to anything else right now. I guess come the winter months I will go back to my foundations, but this is just enough coverage for the summer and blends really nicely. I sometimes add a little bit of Laura Mercier's Smooth Finish Foundation Powder on top as I do get dreadfully shiny, especially at work. But for now this is my go to in the mornings and if you want something fairly lightweight with great cover then give this a go!

Let me know what you've been loving in October so far and what you would buy again in the comments below.


Love Emily x

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Have a look at my favourite's post: http://downemilylane.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/july-beauty-favourites.html

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My Desk Space

I am so SO excited that we have a brand spanking new iMac. I. Am. In. Love. I now have a desk space, and I am loving it and I wanted to share it with you. I love decorating my home and putting my own stamp on it, so having the iMac meant a new desk, a new lamp..... new desk stuff? ;) Well basically an excuse to go home shopping!

I feel like a workspace is very personal and everyones is different. For me, I don't like clutter (don't look under my bed) but I feel my workspace needs to be kept clear for me to have an incentive to work.

This is hopefully the space where I can write some great blog posts and hopefully my blog will continue to grow. Here I have my favourite Jo Malone candle and just a big chunky vase of flowers. Simple and clean, leaving me with enough space to have my notebook open for me to scribble down any ideas that I have for future posts!

Let me know in the comments of what you would like to see here on my blog.

Thanks for reading


Love Emily x

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In Flight Essentials

Tomorrow I'm off to Majorca for 3 days with my beautiful mum and sister! *so excited* We've never been away just the three of us before so I'm looking forward to some family time in the sun! I thought I'd just do a little blog post on my in flight essentials when travelling, as every time I fly I always think of something else that I would need/ be useful.

So first up is Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream. This miracle cream is brilliant to use on my lips as I find they can get very dry when flying, so this is a must.

Sticking with the skincare, I've opted for one of my all time favourite skincare products by Liz Earle, it's there travel size Instant Boost Tonic Spritzer, which is the perfect size for my bag, as we all know that liquids have to be below 100ml. So yay for mini's!

Although I really do not like to take my make-up off with face wipes (Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish all the way!) but face wipes are a quick and convenient way just to freshen up on the plane.

Pain killers are a MUST. When me and George travelled to Tunisia we both  had killer headaches and our heads felt like they were gonna pop ( a bit over the top) but still, deffo recommend some pain killers.

I find that the clear makeup bags are the best when travelling- you can see everything, which makes it easier to find things, plus when going through security/customs you can just lift out the clear bag with all your liquids in. Bobs your uncle.

Technology- I add some films onto my Ipad Mini and take that with me, especially if the flight is longer than 2 hours- gotta kill some time- so may as well watch a film! Also my phone, to listen to my holiday playlist!

I definitely recommend a book when travelling, I enjoy reading on planes and I know I mentioned this book in my Egypt blog post, but I literally have about 4 chapters left and I SOOOO need to finish reading this book. So that can be done on the flight. Brill.

Lastly is a big soft sleeveless cardy, I'v worn this one a few times when travelling, and it's ideal. I can wrap it around me if I'm chilly, use it as a pillow, and when I land if the weathers nice- it's sleeveless so I won't be melting!

I hope that you found this useful if you are planning to catch the last of the summer sun. Be sure to leave a comment of anything that you'd recommend for me.


Love Emily x

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September Wishlist

So here's to my first wishlist and they are so fun to make! I have seen so many things that have constantly been catching my eye lately and I make a mental note to add them to my wishlist!

1) Brown Soft Tote With Fringing £35 (although it definitely looks grey!) I love the size and shape of this bag, plus I am loving fringing bags at the moment. This seems like the perfect bag for a flight and for coming into autumn/winter.

2) Khaki Cleated Sole Sling Back Sandals £35 I need these shoes. They look so dainty and cute, and I think they will look great with a dress or with jeans as well. Plus they come in black too if you'd prefer.

3) Joules Yellow Rain Coat £79.95 I want need this jacket so much! I'm sure I used to have one like this when I was little- but nevertheless I will still wear this now. Its cool and practical and I'm sure I will get a lot of wear out of this as it is always raining over here. Love it.

4) Chanel Chance Eau Vive £79  I first smelt this fragrance when I was wondering through duty free when I was going to Egypt. I sprayed it on my neck and wrists and I could smell it throughout my whole 5 hour flight and on my clothes when I arrived. It smells so fresh and I think its one that could be worn in the day and in the night also. So every time I spray this now it reminds me of my travels, which I quite like! :)

5) Thomas Sabo Rosegold  Watch £225  So I have had my eye on this watch since two summer's ago, and I still love it! My sister lead me into the Thomas Sabo store in Bristol and showed it me, and I just fell in love. You know I love rose gold, so that's already top marks in my eyes, but it's the perfect face size on my wrist. It's stylish and dainty and I am determined to make it mine!

6)  Black Denim Dungarees Topshop £48 These look so comfy and will look great with trainers or sandals in the summer time. I think denim items are so versatile and you can get a lot of wear out of them. I am seeing these a lot in stores at the moment and I think come autumn time they will need to find a way into my wardrobe.

7) Zoeva 104 Buffer Brush $14.80 I love the look of Zoeva brushes, and although I have never owned any of my own, I long for the day that I do! (cringe but true) I love the size and shape of this brush and it looks like it will be a good one for foundation too!

8) Samsung Mini Compact System Mint Green Camera £199  Now I am not an expert when it comes to cameras- so this could be rubbish for all  I know- but I love the colour! Is that a big enough reason to have this on my wishlist? Meh. This would be so handy for taking photos for my blog and when I'm out and about on my little city breaks.


I hope that you liked this post, let me know what you'll add to your wishlist.

Love Emily x

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What I've Bought For The Home Lately

Hello! I thought I'd share a few little homey items that I've recently bought for my flat with you all. Now I love clothes shopping don't get me wrong, but since moving into my first flat with my boyfriend in March, I have noticed that I've been choosing to go to homeware stores instead of clothing! I absolutely love buying new little bits for the flat, and I feel that it's these things that can really make your house a home. ( Ugh a cliché that I really didn't want to use) But anyway, I thought I'd share with you what I've bought recently and give you a little insight into my home style and taste and hopefully you'll feel inspired...

I wouldn't know what to describe my taste as really, I like a combination of styles including shabby-shic, country, cottage and coastal with a few modern items thrown in there too. So basically I guess my style is eclectic! 

The glass bell-shaped jar with the rope handle is from Dunelm costing £3.99, which at first I didn't know what to put in it, but I knew I just had to have it and I would soon find a use for it. I love Dunelm it literally sells everything imaginable for the home, from décor to furniture to kitchen appliances. The cream mirror and the giant lantern are from HomeSense. The mirror cost around £30 and the lantern was £15 which I have in my living room. I love the detail and the shape of the mirror and feel that it just makes a feature of your wall. I wish that I lived closer to a HomeSense I think I'd be in there all the time. My giant lantern is probably my favourite 'homey' item I have in the house and I love a good candle- you can never have too many! It sits by my nest of shabby tables and I like the contrast of styles I have in my flat. The beautiful shabby-esc clock is from a gorgeous little shop in Weymouth called Bibi's Boutique, I picked it up for £8! What an absolute bargain. I love finding one off pieces in little boutique stores like this one. I find it so exciting discovering little shops like this one and seeing what they have to offer me. 

The shabby coasters were a gift from my dad from a little boutique store in Dartmouth, which I just love! Coasters may seem like a boring thing to share with you, but they just look so pretty in my flat and I love this kind of style. The floral jug is from TkMaxx costing £2.99, jugs are a great and alternative way for holding flowers or utensils and they're far more exciting than a vase. The letter 'E' is from an independent store in Weymouth, although I am sure I have seen this print before somewhere else, but you can pick up alphabet letters from a range of different home stores and online too! I bought a 'G' too and think that they are such a simple way of decorating your home, I have put mine on my living room windowsill along with some candles and photo frames. The orange and white 'art deco' candle was bought as a two-pack from Ikea which cost around £3 and they smell like fresh oranges- even better!

So I hope that you enjoyed reading about my homey items and it has helped those of you who are looking of ways to make your house more homey. Check out HomeSense, Dunelm, TkMaxx and Ikea, they all have some really affordable pieces and a range of different styles. 

Please leave a comment of your favourite home stores, I would love to be inspired and take a trip!

Thanks for reading, 

Love Emily x

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