3 Quick, Easy & Healthy Breakfast Ideas

I absolutely love breakfast and I am always experimenting with new recipes so I thought I'd share with you a few of my go to dishes that are quick and easy to make whilst still being super healthy to fuel your day ahead.

Breakfast is by far the most important meal of the day and I find it to be the best time to experiment with a variety of different foods; there will always be something for everyone, whether it is a fix for your sugar craving or a plate of tasty avocado and eggs.
Without breakfast you are more likely to over eat throughout the day and feel restless and tired so that's even more reason to eat up in the morning!

I like to think that I live a very healthy but varied lifestyle and I always see a massive difference in my overall mind set and attitude when I eat clean, nutritious foods in comparison to processed unhealthy options which can make me feel sluggish, moody and sad.

Here are three of my favourite breakfast recipes that I find always give me the best start to my day.

Blueberry, Banana & Coconut Smoothie Bowl 

This is a recent discovery for me but I am already head over heels in love with the delicious and refreshing sweet taste that this has. Smoothie bowls are a super thick and creamy alternative to the artificial sugar loaded yoghurt's that fool many people with their advertising low fat, 'slimming' factors when in fact they are filled with a ridiculous amount artificial flavourings and sugar.

Don't be fooled by the ready made smoothies on offer in supermarkets that are filled with sugar to give an artificial taste, making your own smoothies at home is not only 100 times better for you, but will also be a lot more friendly to your wallet as they are also a lot cheaper to make at home too.

You can obviously mix up the ingredients that you use in your smoothies depending on what you like however to make the consistency of your smoothie thicker, it will always help to use frozen bananas and something to bulk it up such as chia seeds, oats or medjool dates.

INGREDIENTS 
Serves 1 

-1 Banana (peeled, sliced and frozen the night before)

-60g Frozen blueberries 

-2 Medjool dates 

-150ml Coconut water OR Coconut milk 

-Topping Ideas: 

Dessicated coconut
Granola
Muesli
Nut butter
Flaked almonds
Chia seeds
Dried, fresh or frozen fruit

METHOD

-Whizz up all your ingredients expect the toppings in a blender or food processor (I use a Blend Active blender)
-Pour your smoothie into a bowl and finish with your chosen toppings.




Granola / Muesli 

This is always my go to breakfast for when I am in a rush and don't have time to cook up anything fancy. I choose between granola or muesli although I will always be careful to look out for certain brands that advertise their cereal to be healthy whilst still adding a ton of artificial sweeteners to fool people into thinking they are making the right choices when in fact they may as well be sat down with a bowl of crunchy nut.

I personally prefer to eat my granola or muesli with yoghurt rather than milk although normal cows milk or nut milks is just as good.

Using frozen fruit instead of fresh is a lot cheaper as the producers pick the fruit when it's cheapest in season and freeze it ready for you to buy all year round. Frozen fruit is also more convenient as fresh fruit has a very short fridge life.

INGREDIENTS 
Serves 1

- Yoghurt of your choice - try to stay away from yoghurts that are advertised as low fat and low calorie as these tend to be filled with artificial flavouring and sugars that are very bad for you. I like to use Danio fruit layered yoghurt because they are super thick, filled with protein and really tasty!

- Granola OR Muesli - stick to simple brands with simple ingredients. I like to use Quaker Oats granola and Rude Health Super Fruity muesli.

- Frozen fruit  - I like raspberries, blueberries and mango. Let the fruit defrost slightly or fully before eating.




Chia, Banana & Berry Overnight Oats 

I love to eat a big comforting bowl of porridge in the winter, however when the weather starts to warm up it's not so practical. Overnight oats are a fantastic way to still enjoy your porridge but they are a more convenient choice for early mornings as it's all made the night before and they make the perfect lazy breakfast for when the sun decides to make an appearance- leaving you with more time in your mornings to chill.

This recipe is extremely versatile so you can change things up depending on what you have in your cupboards and what you prefer. I always have frozen berries in the freezer and a never ending supply of bananas so they are always my go to fruit toppings. I also like to use chia seeds for added nutrients and to bulk up the oats to keep me going for longer.

If you're known for snoozing in the mornings then overnight oats are for you as all you have to do is grab them and go. Simply mix together the night before, pop in the fridge and let the magic happen whilst you sleep!

INGREDIENTS 
Serves 1

For the chia overnight oats:

-50 g Porridge oats 

-180ml Milk (I use almond or coconut milk but you can use whatever you prefer)

-1/2 Banana mashed 

-1 tsp Cinnamon 

Toppings 

-1/2 Banana mashed 

-Handful of frozen berries 

More topping ideas:

-Extra Chia seeds
-Nuts
-Dried fruit
-Granola/ Muesli
-Nut butter


METHOD

-The night before mix together all of your oat ingredients, pour into a mason jar/bowl and leave in the fridge overnight

-In the morning finish the oats with your chosen toppings and enjoy!

MAC Makeup Haul

To celebrate surviving a tricky week and finally passing my driving test, I decided to place an order with MAC to pick up a few new things to try out and treat myself :)

I love MAC eyeshadow's and already have a large collection, however I felt like I was missing some more adventurous bright colours that I know will come in handy as I recently got accepted to carry on my studies and I have a place on a Level 3 Media makeup class which will start in September- I am so excited! .
I decided to pick up Chrome Yellow and Stars 'n' Rockets because I have nothing like either and I know that they will be great for creating fun and crazy looks. The pigmentation of both shadows is great and they give the ability to build up super vibrant colours that will look amazing on photograph.

MAC sell their regular pigments in a large 4.5g pot for £17 and I personally think that considering you only need a small amount each time, one large pot would be almost impossible to finish so I was very pleased to see that MAC now have a few of their best selling pigments in smaller sized to go pots for just £10.
MAC pigments are brilliant multi- use products with amazing pigmentation and I already have the shade Naked which I love for adding a touch of shimmer on the eyes or face for a glistening look.

Melon is a soft bright golden peach and I think it will be perfect to wear in the summer all over the eyes with a sleek black winged liner and layers of mascara.

 After Kylie Jenner revealed that she uses MAC Soar lip liner to give herself fuller, plump lips, everyone ran to their nearest store and it has been almost impossible to get your hands on since. I must have struck lucky because whilst I was browsing online, I saw that Soar was back in stock so I quickly added it to my basket to see what all the fuss was about.

I already own a few lip liners from MAC and I think they are brilliant- the colour pigment and texture is always spot on. Soar is a mid-tone pinkish matte brown and I am very impressed so far.
It is definitely a more pink tone nude and I think that it looks great worn alone or paired with a pink toned nude lipstick, for example Rimmel Kate Moss 03 which is one of my favourite nude lipsticks.
I have found that it is easy to slightly over line my lips using this liner without making it too obvious and I can definitely see myself using it a lot over the upcoming months as we head into summer.

Finally, I picked up Heroine lipstick which I have been eyeing up for a long time and I am so glad that I finally caved because I have been wearing it non stop since it arrived!
I absolutely love wearing deep purple/ red toned lipstick however I find that it is sometimes only acceptable to wear shades like MAC Cyber in the winter so I was after a bold, dark lipstick that would be more 'summer appropriate.'
Heroine is a matte bright purple and absolutely love it. This lipstick is very unusual and it would be the perfect statement maker- I think that it would be great to wear with very simple, 'hardly there makeup' to make the colour really stand out without being too overpowering or tacky.

Do you have anything on your makeup wish list from MAC? I have always got a never ending list! :)

Shall I write an updated MAC lipstick and eyeshadow collection? Let me know in the comments!

My Perfect Nude: Velvet Teddy Dupe!

For me, it's always either bold or nothing when it comes to lipstick although recently i've fallen in love with a nude lipstick combination that has definitely made me jump on the 'Kylie Jenner' nude lip craze.

Everybody and their nan has been going crazy for MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick recently- it seems to be the beauty addicts go to nude. Personally, I wasn't willing to justify the MAC price for a lipstick that I was unsure about, so I went out searching for a cheaper alternative.

I love Rimmel's Kate Moss lipstick collection so I thought this would be the perfect place to start my search. I came across the shade 03 that looked very similar to Velvet Teddy and I think it is the perfect drugstore dupe that will cost you just under £6!
The Rimmel lipstick is a flattering pink toned nude with a creamy, hydrating formula that has good lasting power.

Lip liner will always help your lipstick apply better and also guide you closer towards that Kylie Jenner pout! My favourite nude lip liner is MAC Spice- I love the formula of MAC lip liners and I can not fault them.

Paired together, this MAC lip liner and Rimmel lipstick make my perfect nude. It's noticeable that you're wearing something but at the same time it is easy to wear on any occasion. I also find that this combination lasts well considering most nude lipstick's I have tired tend to disappear within half an hour- this tends to last me a good few hours and also to last through eating which is always a sign of a good lipstick in my eyes!

Are you a fan of the nude lip craze? What is your perfect nude lipstick?

My Skincare Routine (Updated)

I always make the effort to take special care of my skin and I believe that a perfect face of makeup always starts with the perfect skincare routine.
Everybody's skin is different with different concerns/needs although I have decided to write up my own skincare routine that helps me keep my skin clear, spot free and healthy.

I have always had some sort of routine, whether it was simply a small layer of moisturiser or some lip balm when I was 12, I have always been interested.
I am now 18, my skin is very normal, occasionally being dry and dehydrated in certain climate conditions, although overall very well and healthy which I owe to my consistent routine.

In this post I will be talking you through my morning and evening skincare routine, from how I keep my skin hydrated, to how I keep spots at bay.


Morning 

Splashing my face with water and giving it a good wash will always helps wake me up in the morning. I have been using the Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream wash and Exfoliating Daily wash for years, I swear by them and I can thank them for my almost spot free teenage years.
I start by gently massaging the exfoliating wash onto my face, then simply washing off with a flannel and warm water. Normal exfoliation every day is harsh on the skin, however the beads in this wash are gentle enough to be used every day and my skin has never had any problems.
Next I will apply the cream wash that feels very cooling and leaves my face looking fresh and healthy.

Once I am ready to put my makeup on, I will use a moisturiser beforehand to hydrate and prep my skin. I love using either the Nivea Soft moisturising cream which is a fantastic, cheap cream that works on all skin types and will last you months. Another favourite of mine is the Garnier Moisture Match moisturiser for normal to dry skin; this collection from Garnier is brilliant as they have a variety of moisturisers for all different skin types, so whether your skin is extremely oily or incredibly dry, they will have a moisturiser for you.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour cream is my lip life saviour, you can use this cream in many different ways but I mainly use it on my lips. The texture is similar to Vaseline however I find that it deeply nourishes and hydrates my lips whilst also leaving a super glossy finish, it is also great to add a shine to a matte lipstick.

Evening 

Leaving a face of makeup on overnight is probably one of the worst things you can do to your skin so I always make sure that mine is completely off when I'm in bed.
Micellar water is fantastic to quickly remove all makeup and my favourite one from Garnier because it removes everything easily without being harsh on the skin- it feels like water.

If I want a more indulgent / pampering method of removing my makeup then I will use The Body Shop Silky Camomile cleansing oil which I massage all over my face (including the eyes) and then simply wipe away using a muslin cloth and warm water to be left with a fresh, makeup free face. I love this product as it effectively removes makeup (including eye makeup) and leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated.

If I am wearing a lot of heavy eye makeup, I will use The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye- Makeup remover which is great at removing even waterproof makeup whilst not irritating my eyes.

Once I've removed any visible makeup, I then like to further cleanse my face to remove any left over product. I'm always trying out new cleansers however I particularly like and always go back to the Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean cleansing milk which feels very nourishing and smells great.

Using a toner isn't always necessary although if you want to target a specific concern, such as dehydration or acne, then it might be worth giving one a go. Every now and then I will use The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating toner and sweep some product all over my face on a cotton pad, it is nice to use and I like to think that my skin benefits from using it however I do not find it an essential part of my routine.

I have recently started using The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum which is targeted for dehydrated skin and I am enjoying using it so far, I apply one pump of product and massage it over my whole face then let it sink in before I apply my moisturiser.

For my evening moisturiser I like to use the Re Gen Cream which claims to help prevent stretch marks, scars, dry skin and blemishes. I picked this up in Home Bargins for under £5 and I am extremely impressed- the product isn't thick, but feels super hydrating and sinks into the skin quickly. I'm not sure if this will competently prevent spots from occurring, however I have found it to make the appearance of my skin to be better and I would also say that my skin has felt softer and more hydrated since using this.

Do you have any skincare secrets? What are your favourite products to use? Let me know in the comments !