How To Detox Your Wardrobe: A Step By Step Guide

If I had a pound for every item of clothing I've hoarded then I'd for sure be ROLLIN' in the money. 

But let's face it.  That doesn't happen. 

Instead, we're left with a huge wedge of clothes we no longer reach for and...(you ready?) Less. Wardrobe. Space. Uh- huh. I said it. The dreaded lack of room that disables your ever-growing clothing addiction (First world problems, eh?).

Does this scenario sound familiar?

Your wardrobe's probably crying out for a closet cleanse.

So, here's how to detox your wardrobe this summer:

1.Everything Out                              Sort all your clothes into separate categories: shorts, tops, trousers, etc. Although it may seem terrifyingly time consuming it will actually end up saving time in the long run. You want to be able to see everything you're dealing with here.

2. Decision Making

Take a cold, stern look at the clothes that lay before you... If you havn't worn an item in the past year, you'll probably never wear it again; the chuck pile it is.

We don't want any "but what if one day I'll desperately need those ugly trousers that are three sizes too small for me?"

3. And More Deciding

In the same way, don't get too carried away either.  If an piece brings you excessive joy but only sporadically migrates from your wardrobe, keep it! 

4. Get Advice

Those pieces that you're not totally convinced on, simply ask a friend. Ask them to be brutally honest: Does it fit like a glove? Suit my body type? Have a strange print? Two voices are usually better than one. They'll let you know (in the nicest possible way) if it's worthy of the gram or a serious fashion faux pas.

5. If All Else Fails

To reach a wider spectrum of people: meet Instagram polls. Take a photo of your outfit and attach a yes/no poll.

6. Sell And Share
How about turning your boring wardrobe cleansing process into an exciting, profitable one? Sell your most worthy clothes on a Depop or Ebay account.  It's nice to get a little reward for a days hard labour!
All the remaining clothes donate to charity or gift to a worshipping friend.


Thanks for reading! Are you clothing collector or more of a minimalist? Would love to hear in the comments!

The Face Mask Everyone Needs

Hello Lovelies! I have a very exciting post for you guys today courtesy of the lovely team over at Gold Collagen who sent me over their Hydrogel Face Mask to test out.

I'm in no way obliged to promote this - all views are 100% my own!

So, what is the Hydrogel Mask?
Great question. The Hydrogel mask is a moisturising face mask developed to release regenerating active ingredients into the skin as it reaches room temperature - replenishing dull and tired looking skin to achieve a summer ready glow! 

Claims:

• Helps to increase skin hydration and radiance
• Leaves skin looking smoother and healthier
• Promotes skin suppleness
• Immediate cooling affect

Does it actually work?

Yes. Yes. And yes! I can't express enough how thankful my skin has been for this; all of the moisture the sun had (uninvitedly) extracted from my skin has been instantly restored and... oh. my. The 
glow. Like what?! It's INSANE. I wish I had known about is sooner as it would have for sure made the headlining feature in my 'How to get your glow on this summer'.

Even if you're not a fervent skincare lover like myself, I guarantee you'll enjoy the whole cooling aspect of the mask (probably the most deluxe escape route from the heat haha!)

What sets it apart from others on the market?

The Intense hydration? Ooo! Or perhaps the innovative design which substantially improved my user experience. 

I don't know about you, but all of the competing face masks on the market never seem to fit my face shape (a design flaw that consequently misses out key facial features which could be benefiting from the serum). However this mask just keeps on giving and giving!

 The Hydrogel mask adapts to the contours of your face so that every inch of your skin is soaking up every ounce of the goodness! 

Honestly...this is a design innovation within the face mask industry which I feel needs to be replicated by literally every. single. brand - and urgently!

Pros?

• The wearing time - 30 minutes! I absolutely love how it's longer than your standard 10 minute mask (which as great as it is for when you're in a hurry, it doesn't quite accumulate to a proper pamper session in my books!) 
• The hydration. Oh boy does this thing hydrate! Even the following day as I'm writing this my skin feels noticeably smoother.
• The Design - Do I need to explain?
• That GLOWWW Though! - Along with some sun and a dreamy holiday destination, just give me glowy radiant skin (aka the Hydrogel Mask) and we're officially ready to kickstart full swing summer mode! 

Cons?

• Perhaps a little on the pricey side for some but nothing 'breaking the bank' worthy. You get what you pay for.

Have you tried this mask or anything from Gold Collagen? I'd love to hear in the comments!

Things To Do When It's Just Too Hot

  I know, I know. Talking about the weather...again. So much for defying British stereotypes, eh? But if you listen into pretty much any conversation here in the UK I’m sure you’ll find the heart of it relates to the weather. And besides the fact that it’s the Uk’s most common ice breaker for conversation, we are also just TOTALY unaccustomed to it. As I’m writing this, London is expected highs of 35 degrees, which (if you ask me) is a pretty mammoth turn around for the city that has over 100 different ways of saying it’s raining.

Basically. It’s  H.O.T

I’ve already written a post on ways to keep cool this summer but I wouldn’t exactly say things like keeping hydrated quite accumulate to long term activities!

Anyway, who needs justification on writing a few suggestions of things to do when you feel you can no longer beat the heat?! So, without further ado, let’s delve right in...

Go to the cinema 

I’ve actually been twice in the past few days and from my multiple hours being hooked by a screen I've acquired a serious love for the Mama Mia! Here We Go Again movie. Like. Oh my goodness. I’m not even exaggerating when saying this but it’s probably my new favourite film! I'd avidly recommend you go and watch it. (Also - most importantly - it’s definitely an escape route from the heat).

Take a trip to the coast

Seasides are famously known for their cool breeze.

Hey, and as you're there, why not choose from a vast and vibrant array of refreshing ice cream? 

Go for a swim

Anywhere you can find a pool. Just get in it.

Go Ice skating

If you're a bad skater like me, you'll practically be living on a floor of ice. Voila - job sorted.

Go to an inside shopping centre

Ahhh. A lovely air- conditioned shopping centre. Maybe you could even buy a fan or two while you're there. The heat enables everyones shopping addiction, right?

Visit a water park

Or just run through some sprinklers...

Thanks for reading! What do you like to do to keep cool in the heat?

The Perfect (£1.98) Summer Fragrance

Warning: if you don't like sweet scents, this post's not for you!

According to research by The Paper Worker, one third of all consumer decision making is influenced by one thing - packaging.

And I can for sure see how this so...? Marshmallow Body Mist (100ml) could be the perfect example of that.

However, Insta/blog worthy factors aside, one thing is paramount. The actual product.

From first spritz you may be a little overwhelmed by how sweet this smells. Although, once the overwhelming factor has settled, it is well worth every single 198 pennies. This thing smells like marshmallows. No... like it actually does (to the extent where I'm now seriously questioning titling this post, 'how to smell as if you've just stepped out of a literal marshmallow factory'). Like... step aside flumps. You've got some serious competition around.

If you're a long time reader of 'Lily Loves', you're probably aware that I'm all about advocating quality yet affordable products. Hence why this marshmallow spray is proudly featuring on the blog for both its marvellous marshmallow resembling fragrance as well as its non bank breaking price tag!

Have you tried this or any other 'So...?' fragrances? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

WInky Lux Review

How would you sum up your perfect lip shade? It's hard to pin it down, right? With hundreds of shades on the market it's practically impossible to encapsulate your best suited shade (unless you're really into those £10,000 basket totals).

Although, there's no need to fret; there's an easier way around this...

Meet: Winky Lux flower balms - your new portable lipstick friends carefully curated to work with your unique ph level to provide a custom pink shade.

Sounds cool, right? That's exactly what I thought! So I bought them. Tested them. And here's what I think.

THE COLOUR -  When it comes to lipsticks I tend to shy away from pinks:
1. To avoid that 'barbie' pink kinda look
2. Merely because I just don't think it suits me

However, this completely changed my entire perspective on pink; it couldn't be further from a 'barbie' or 'hot' pink. It just adds that perfect flush of colour (like a 'your lips but better' kinda vibe).

Let's just stay the FORMULA was not as anticipated. I guess I forgot it was a balm and that is would be anywhere near as moisturising as it was. From first application it was definitely a little on the oily side - although that actually turned out to be a bonus as helloooo...incredibly moisturised lips over here! Although, if you don't really vibe that sort of formula, Winky Lux have your back - it dries down within a matter of minutes!

THE PACKAGING is also super cute and travel friendly. I got mine from the set below which also came with their shimmer balm and a travel bag for just £15. Yep, you heard that correctly. £15.

Thanks for reading! Have you tried this?

The BEST Sale Items Right Now (Beauty & Fashion)

We love a bargain around here. And if there's one thing we love more than a bargain, it's a good bargain. Define a good bargain, you ask? Simple: a good bargain is a discounted item you buy because it's actually good (rather than just buying it for the sake of the deal).

Today what I'm going to be sharing with you categorise at (at least in my eyes) good bargains; popular discounted products. 

BEAUTY ITEMS
1. Let's kick off with something so 'add to basket' worthy it's currently on route to my house as we speak. 

Winky Lux set (Review in waiting) - Remember back to when the world was obsessing over those clear lip balms (with a real life chrysanthemum embedded inside) that adapts to your PH levels for the perfect colour match? Yep, those ones. Well, this kit has 2 of them and their beloved shimmer balm PLUS a free makeup bag.

To buy each of these product separately (disregarding the free bag) it would total to a whopping £39. This is £15. Uh-huh.

SAVE: £24

2. Benefit Set (click 'Benefit Set' to see!)
Containing a tanning lotion, passport holder, roller lash mascara, sun beam highlighter (you guys know how much I love this) and a compact mirror and brush. (Not including the free passport holder) sold separately this kit comes to around £50. However, you can get your hands on this for just £32!

SAVE: £18 +

TWO FACED SPECIAL DEALS:

FASHION

Summer fashion steals - take a browse:

Jumpsuits:

Dresses:

Sumer Shoes:

Annndddd that just about rounds up this week's top sale items, is this something you'd like to become a monthly?

What bargains have you bought recently? Would love to hear in the comments!

6 Tricks To Keep Cool This Summer

Ahhh. Summer. Humid ol' summer. The season of tossing and turning in bed whilst we desperately yearn over a cool refreshing breeze.

We've all been there.

Turning the pillow over to reach the cool side.

Placing the ice cold water bottle on your skin to relieve the heat.

It happens every summer.

It's just part of life. Not much we can do, right?

Wrong.

It may seem insurmountable but we can beat the heat.

What? There are other ways of keeping cool besides the occasional ice lolly? Woah. You learn new things everyday...

How to stay cool this summer:

1. Fans

Let's get the obvious (but extremely effective) one out of the way.

And if you want to get into all the 'science-y' stuff about how fans 'technical-yyy' make the room cooler - go ahead. Although, don't come crying to me when you're boiling your head off in serious demand of some cool air.

2. Face Sprays

There's nothing quite like a fresh, hydrating face spray to sooth your heat drenched skin. And yes, there are other alternatives out there other than Mario badescu rosewater face spray. Like these:

3. Go old school
Who needs air conditioning when you can just go old school? Like flasks, hot water bottles (although not as their name suggests) can keep you cool too. Who would've thought? They will adapt to your cool temperature requirements regarding you put the water filled bottle in the freezer before hand. Quite simple really.

4. Take a cold shower
Ever thought about ditching the warm bubble bath for a cool refreshing shower?

5. Drink. Drink. And drink
B.O.R.I.N.G! But annoyingly H20 is the way to go when it comes to surviving the summer sun. Have regular water intakes throughout the day rather than downing two litres just before bed (unless you're really into them early morning bathroom runs).

6. Relax
Yep. You heard it here first. There is a great reason to drop everything, sit back and relax. Go on. Spread the word.

To keep cool, it's pretty simple really; we need to exert as little energy as possible. To do this it's equally as simple, sit back and let off some steam! 

There we have it, six simple tricks to keep cool this summer. I thought this post was very much necessary through this very long summer heatwave we're experiencing in the UK!

Summer Nail Polish Picks

Summer is the season where we say goodbye to boring ol' neutrals and hello to bright, summer hues. This may seem a little daunting when it comes to makeup, hence why I (and I'm sure most people) find nails a good place to start.

Now, I understand most people aren’t overly fond of physics, however, you’re going to want to remember this equation...

PSP FORMULA:

BC (bright colour) + GF (good formula) + RPT (Reasonable Price Tag) = PSP(Perfect Summer Polish)

Too much to take in at once?

Let's break it down.

BC - Bright floral colours. Pinks. Purples. Blues. Pastel yellow is also really in right now.

GF - You're trusty 'cant fault it' kinda formula. High pigmentation. Little to no chipping.

RPT - Reasonable price tag. Do I need to explain?

Once you've got the PSP formula commemorated, all that's left is to find a polish that ticks all the aforementioned elements: that much I have done for you (you're welcome).


Essie Polishes:

Essie offer a colourful array of high quality polishes that *fingers crossed* I've yet to have encountered any chipping with! 

I'm no sidekick but I for sure see these making their way into my holiday bag!

Have you tried Essie Nail Polish? Which is your favourite?