THIS WAY FOR SCRUMPTIOUSLY SILKY SKIN

So I have a little confession to make... I know us gals (and guys!) always have it drummed into us about how important it is to cleanse, tone and moisturise blah blah... But up until a year or so ago, I was the ultimate lazy girl when it came to skincare and often chose to remove my make up with just a simple make up wipe.  That was it, my skincare routine done for the evening.  No toning, no moisturising, nada.

Now my lack of skin routine was not solely down to laziness (I'm giving myself a bit of credit here) - I have normal/oily skin and have spent a fortune over the years on different cleansers, moisturisers, facial masks etc that promised to reduce my blemishes, minimise pores and control shine.  To cut a long and boring story short, I gave up in the end and my "just use a make up wipe" mantra was born.

HOWEVER, now that I'm old enough to qualify for the "overs" category on the X Factor, I've since decided to put a bit more effort into researching what's good for my skin type and have managed to find some products, finally, that truly work for me.

A couple of months ago, I decided to try something new after reading so many amaaazing reviews and yep, you guessed it, it was Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

The concentrate is a night time facial oil that replenishes the appearance of skin overnight, leaving you with unbelievably soft, fresh and clearer looking skin by morning.  Having oily skin myself, I was a bit sceptical at first about adding more oil onto my face, however it is so light and absorbs beautifully into the skin.  Not only that, but it smells bloomin' divine as it's made from primrose and lavender oil (also helpful to aid sleep!).

The serum is £36 for a 30ml bottle however you only need 2 - 3 drops per night, so you will more than get your money's worth out of this wee thing.

I have used Mr. Kiehl almost every night for around two months now and I can happily preach that this has worked like a charm on my skin.  It's light, it's fresh, and I even feel like it's visibly reduced my blemishes and scars from a couple of spots I had as a teen.  I recommend.  Like seriously, buy it now.

If I haven't convinced you yet to try this little gem, you can check out the thousands of other reviews online for yourself and you may even be able to pick up a sample from a Kiehl' store.  If you do buy, let me know how much you love it and you can thank me later!

Rachel

 
 

AN ASIAN ADVENTURE: PART II OF III

Hello folks, and happy Friday-eve!  I don't know about you, but all these blue skies and that big, bright ball in the sky (I think they call it the sun?) are getting me excited for the weekend!

It's been another busy week but I finally have some time to sit down and put together part 2 of my travel diary and this time, we shall visit Singapore my friends!

This was my first visit to Singapore and all I can say is that I bloody loved it.  Every single thing about it: The green gardens, the food, the people, the cocktails, Marina Bay - Everything.  The place is absolutely immaculate and as soon as I had my first wander around, I told myself that I would live here one day.

After my mini Hong Kong adventure (see previous blogpost), I visited Singapore for five days whilst staying with family and I tried to cram in as much as possible during my short stay.  There's a bucket load of things to see and do in Singapore, depending on your interests, but my favourites were... * drum roll*

The Zoo

What can I say, we don't particularly have that many fascinating species of animals in Scotland.  I mean, Highland coo's are pretty cool but let's face it, seeing lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) is pretty bad-ass.

I felt the zoo was a good way to spend my first day in Singapore and it gave my body a chance to adjust to the INSANE humidity there.  The zoo was spotlessly clean, really well kept and I loved the fact that the animals appeared to have lots of room to stroll around and be free in.

There were plenty of spots to stop for refreshments and lunch and all round, it was a great day out.

 

 

Singapore Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens is a tropical garden situated near the main shopping district and is a lovely walk if you fancy a more relaxed afternoon.  It's filled with beautiful plants, flowers and water features and it's so relaxing just to wander around at your own pace listening to the sound of the birds chirping away.

Also in the Gardens is an amazing little restaurant called "The Halia" where we stopped to enjoy a delicious lunch (and air-con!).  Their menu was very varied with something for everyone and was a great place to stop for a bite to eat.

 

  

 

Clarke Quay

This is an amazing wee place and if you're prone to a few cocktails and a dance, you NEED to visit here at night time to take full advantage of the funky bars, live music and Singapore clubbing scene.  There are literally endless bars and eateries to try depending on what tickles your fancy and if you visit during happy hour (which seems to last around 3 - 4 hours for most bars), then you can grab yourself some bargain deals on numerous drinks and cocktails - I recommend visiting during this time as it is quite pricey paying full price for drinks after the deals end..

Unfortunately I was a little er, merry, whist here so I didn't take any photographic evidence of my phenomenal (aka extremely average at best) dance moves, but if Singapore is ever on your to do list, I would definitely look this place up and give it a try.

Gardens by the Bay

So you may already have seen pictures of these bad boys because they are an extremely popular tourist destination in Singapore, and for a very good reason.  They are amazing.

The "Supertrees" take part in a light show every evening just after sunset and flash/change colour in sync to a number of great songs from the best musicals.  It's pretty hard to explain in writing but I'm sure there will be some cool videos on You Tube if you feel like having a nosey.  If I remember correctly, the show lasts around 20 - 30 minutes and in my opinion is a must-see, even just for one night.  I promise you, the pictures do these no justice!

 

Marina Bay

Lastly, but certainly not least and probably my favourite, behold, Marina Bay!  Where do I begin.  When I first got to Marina Bay it was early evening and to me, some of the buildings actually looked like a cardboard cut out because they were just so surreal.

The Bay oozes the "wow" factor and is the perfect setting of never ending bars, shops, restaurants and awe-inspiring buildings.  In addition, it is of course the home of the faaabulous Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

I drank in many a bars at the Bay during my stay (I feel I'm starting to sound like I have a bit of a drink problem - I don't, I think) and I also had the pleasure of eating at the OUE restaurant which is a rooftop bar and restaurant offering the choice of three cuisines; Japanese, French and Chinese.  I was lucky enough to have a booth right next to the window and I can't even put into words how amazing the views were overlooking the Bay.

Every evening there is a pretty damn cool laser show which is reflected off screens of water (like the Fantasmic laser show at MGM Studios in Florida for any Disney geeks out there).  As well as that, there are a number of fun, science-y type games and activities situated all around the Bay for anyone feeling creative.

Once you've completed all of the above, have stuffed your face and drank too much wine, a nice stroll around the Bay is literally the perfect way to end what I guarantee will have been a truly amazing evening.

Rachel

 
 
 
 
 

AN ASIAN ADVENTURE : Part I of III

HONG KONG

Aloha!  And welcome to Part 1 of my Asian Adventure travel diary.  I've recently been lucky enough to travel to Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand and it was one of THEE best holidays I've ever been on.  Quite frankly, I can't stop scrolling through my pictures and wondering why I ever had to come home (like seriously, who even needs a job?), so I thought I'd try and cheer myself up by sharing some memories that seem so distant already.

So my first stop was Hong Kong which is a gruelling 16 hour flight from Edinburgh.  My boyfriend gets quite grumpy and agitated on long plane journeys, so I told him it was 10 hours and really "not that bad".  You should have seen his face when we stopped in Abu Dhabi for our connecting flight and he realised we had another 7 hours to go.  Priceless.  Anyway, we flew with Etihad Airways and I have to say they made the 16 hour trip a lot more bearable - New and current movies, comfy seats, decent legroom, a fully kitted out "plane essentials" kit and of course, an unlimited drinks trolley.  That was me sorted!

Once we arrived in Hong Kong I couldn't help but notice three things:

1. Everybody was super friendly

2. The buildings were really, really, really tall

3. I had no idea what day, time or even planet I was on due to my old pal called Jetlag

Accommodation

My three nights in HK were spent in the laaaavly Harbour Grand Hong Kong, situated right beside Victoria Harbour.  The reception area had the biggest, most sparkliest chandelier I'd ever seen and the service offered by the bellboys was second to none.

My harbour view room was on the 32nd floor and, had it not been so foggy, would have offered amaaazing views of Victoria Harbour and Kowloon Island.  Unfortunately I was too excited to think about taking pictures of the room at the time but I can assure you, you would not have been disappointed!

The hotel offered several eating places with loads of different cuisines from around the world, a heated outdoor pool, a gym and spa area and even a harpist in the lobby to make sweet music to your ears!

Things to do, people to see...

Sadly, the weather was ridiculously foggy my whole three days in Hong Kong so I didn't get to do a lot of the touristy stuff I'd planned (Victoria Peak, the Big Buddha, Lantau Island).  Nonetheless, I tried to make the most of my trip and explored parts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon whilst trying some local cuisine and embarrassing myself by attempting to use chopsticks.

The city is beautiful in an array of colours at night and you can make the most of the colourful views by having a nice stroll around the harbour or by taking a boat cruise across the bay.

If you are a fellow cocktail lover, one place that you MUST visit if you are ever in Hong Kong is the "Ozone Bar" (also known as the highest bar in the world!) which is situated on the 118th floor of the Ritz-Carlton hotel.  All I can say is wow.  Again, we didn't get the spectacular views due to the weather, but the chilled atmosphere, funky interior and truly scrumptious cocktail menu ensured we had a fab time anyway.

Well folks, I feel like I've rambled on enough about my mini-adventure in Hong Kong.  The weather situation was disappointing but overall, HK gets a thumbs up from me and I would definitely recommend a visit if you are travelling around that side of the world.  I've included a few pictures from my stay below (sorry about the quality of some), and if you've ever been before, get in touch and let me know what you thought!

My next travel post will be about Singapore so keep an eye out and I'll see you there... Happy reading!

Rachel

HELLO & WELCOME!

Well hey there, and welcome to my first ever blog post!  (Yikes!)  It's taken me about four days to pluck up the courage to write this so, with a sudden burst of bravery and a glass of red wine by my side, here goes...

I guess I should start by telling you a bit about myself - I'm Rachel, 24 years young and from the tropical land of er, Aberdeen.  I'm a HR ninja by day and your typical girly-girl/foodie/car singer/phantom gym goer the rest of the time.

I love everything from fashion, food, photography and travelling, to walking my crazy-ass cocker spaniels or chilling with Mr. Net-Flix whilst consuming my body weight in cheesy doritos.

I've wanted to start a blog for a couple of years now and I could rattle off a number of pretty pathetic excuses as to why I haven't done so by now, but ultimately, I was worried about what people might think.  As someone who actively encourages others to "screw what other people think - Do what makes you happy", I am pretty disappointed in myself.  Bad Rach.

Anyway, I've finally decided to get my butt in gear and give this blogging malarkey a shot because you know, you only regret the things you didn't do and all that.  My favourite blogs are those that contain a bit of anything and everything so mine will most likely reflect this, however my main aim is to share general fashion, beauty and lifestyle thoughts and happenings (and not bore you to tears whilst doing so!)

On a serious note, I hope you enjoy reading my blog and I'll hopefully have a new post up in the next few days - If you'd like to leave me any comments/feedback then please feel free as I'd love to hear from you!

Happy reading!

Rachel