Lifestyle: All-in-One Spicy Pork and Chorizo

One of my absolute favourite things to make is this all-in-one spicy pork and chorizo recipe! Not only is it easy enough to fire everything into the one pan but it is so flavoursome! If you are looking for something healthy but won't take too long then keep reading.



What You Will Need:

Olive Oil/ Fry Light
Pork Tenderloin (cut into strips)
Chorizo Sausage (sliced into slices)
1 Medium Onion (Cut into wedges)
2 Garlic Cloves (Sliced)
Red and Yellow Pepper (can be any colour of peppers really, these are my favourite)
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/2 Cayenne Pepper
150g Long-grain Rice
750g Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper


Heat the Oil or Fry Light (healthier option) in the pan, add in the onion and heat until softened. Season the pork with salt and pepper and add to the pan with the onion until lightly browned. Then add the chorizo, peppers, garlic and fry all together. Sprinkle over the spices, add the rice and then the stock. Leave to cook until all of the stock has been absorbed, be sure to check the pork and rice are tender then tuck in!

When I said this was the easiest recipe in the world, I really wasn't kidding! It is one of my favourite dishes (as well as my Dad's) and fills everyone up! Let me know if you decide to cook this.



- Lori x

Lifestyle: Quick and Healthy Fajitas!

There are some nights when there is nothing better than firing together a quick, make shift dish that everyone can just tuck into. Fajitas are always the winner for that. Not only are they quick and easy to make but they are so filling and tasty! Who said being healthy can't be delicious?


What You Will Need:

Sunflower Oil
3 Chicken breasts (sliced)
1/2 Lime Juices
1 Medium Onion (wedged)
2 Peppers (sliced - whichever colour of preference)
1 1/2 tsp Cumin
1 1/2 tsp Coriander
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Dried Oregano
Lettuce (finely shredded)
3 tbsp Creme Fraiche
8 tbsp Ready-Made Tomato Salsa Dip
8 small Whole Wheat Tortillas
Salt and Pepper


Pop the chicken into a bowl and pour over the lime juice and sprinkle with cumin, coriander, oregano and chilli powder as well as adding salt and pepper to taste. Mix altogether. Put the lettuce, creme fraiche and salsa into separate dishes and arrange on the table for everyone to use.

Heat the oil and add the peppers and onions. Add 3 tablespoons of cold water to the pan and fry until lightly browned then add the chicken to the pan. Cook the chicken through. Whilst the chicken and veg are frying, heat the tortillas according to the instructions. Once everything in the pan is cooked through, pop into a dish and you're done. That simple.

I love how amazing this dish tastes, when you see it you think it looks dry but it is jam packed with flavours! Great for a quick dish for all the family or for a get together with friends, plus it's healthy! What's not to love?


- Lori x

Lifestyle: Dairy-Free Brookies Recipe

To change things up a little I have decided to add some recipes to my blog for you all. In the last year I have found a new love when it comes to all things cooking. I'm much better at cooking then baking but I do like to give it a good go! We all love a tryer! This is one of the easiest and fool-proof recipes for all of you sweet tooths out there. I saw this recipe ages ago and then on one of my favourite bloggers Lily Pebbles posted about it, and having completely forgot about them I knew I had to bake a batch! There are so many versions and different styles of brookies so I will share with you my prefered methos. Also - warning - these are not exactly the healthiest of recipes, but sometimes you just need a little sugar fix!


What you will need:

400g Caster Sugar (told you this is one for the sweet tooths)
85g Cocoa Powder
125ml Vegetable Oil
4 eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
250g Plain Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Icing Sugar (A small amount into a bowl)

This will create a lot of Brookies, you can always adjust the measurements depending on how many you want to make!


Firstly, pop the caster sugar, cocoa powder and vegetable oil into a medium sized bowl and mix together. Then, one by one, mix in the eggs. Add in your Vanilla Extract and by this point you should have a brownie like texture to your mix. Next, combine your flour, baking powder and salt and add  into the bowl. I then apply cling film over the bowl and pop into the fridge for the mixture to chill. You can leave this for anything between 2-4 hours, I try to leave it as long as possible but sometimes you are just too hungry!

Preheat the oven at 180c and line a baking tray ready for your brookies. Pop some icing sugar into a bowl and one by one, roll the brookies into the icing sugar to coat them. I like to make the balls quite small as they expand in the oven - you also end up with loads. Bake for around 10-12 minutes (I usually leave them to nearer the 12 minute mark) and once they are ready leave out to cool then voila! Eat until your heart is content - or you can't take anymore chocolate!

The waiting time for the mixture is quite long, but apart from that, these are so simple and easy to make! Also, they are absolutely delicious so well worth that wait. If you can't be bothered waiting that long, you could always pre-make the mixture the night before as it only takes about 10 minutes and you they would be ready to get fired into the oven in the morning!

Let me know if you make some brookies!


- Lori x

Coming To A Crossroads

'The only pressure I'm under, is the pressure I've put on myself!' - 

Mark Messier

Over the last few months, weeks especially, my life has turned into a complete rollercoaster. So many highs and lows, with the occasional loop-to-loop! For me, it is starting to feel over-whelming and I need a chance to digest all the change going on around me. I don't think anyone (who doesn't blog - fully) realises how much time and effort I spill into this teeny corner of the web. I spend full days typing up posts, scheduling them for certain days, buffering all of my posts for when I'm at work and unable to post links directly. The time spent taking the photos, getting the right lighting, the editing, writing up the content and testing out products fully to give a completely honest view. Doing all of this whilst working a full time job is most certainly a juggling act. It's a lot of hard work and shed load of time, which at the moment, I seem to be lacking the latter.

My work life has came to a crossroads and I've been feeling the strains from the last few weeks. What I have come to realise is that you can only please yourself. You have to look after number one because, at the end of the day, no one else will. As much as I would love to, I simply cannot please everyone and I've got to choose the right path for me. Gosh, look at me, the wise old owl! Is this the start of adulthood? I think so...

With all goings on in my work life, it's been leaving me feeling de-motivated and trying to create content for my blog has suffered. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love blogging. I love writing up reviews, good or bad, putting up outfit posts of whatever I've been wearing - who doesn't love a pose? It's more disheartening when you pour your heart into your blog and give it everything you've got, to see you've had very little traffic reading your content that day. I actually blog because I enjoy it and I find it keeps my life organised. Is that just me? When my posts are all written and scheduled for the week, I feel it's an achievement. Gold star for me!

I realise this is me having a moan today and is not my usual bubbly content. Sometimes we all just need a breather though, right? I've been surrounded with a lot of negative minds lately and it can be quite draining.  I guess we're all allowed to have some down time.

Don't worry, my blog isn't going anywhere. Even if there are only two people who read my blog (thanks Gran and Grampa) and they like it, then that's all that matters to me!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with life?

Lori x

Anniversary's and Gretna Green.

On Wednesday it was Craig and I's two year anniversary. We had both taken time off work and decided to take a trip down to Gretna for an overnight - no wedding jokes please! We chose to stay at The Smiths Hotel which is situated just across the road from The Famous Blacksmiths. The hotel itself it absolutely beautiful, I can honestly say one of the loveliest places I have stayed. We managed to upgrade our room to The Ash Suite and I would honestly recommend it to anyone to do so. I have never walked into a room and went 'Wow' before, that is how breathtaking it was. We had ordered a package as part of the room so we had cocktails on arrival (they weren't exactly on arrival,it took a few phone calls to reception and the worlds most monosyllabic receptionist to finally get them but we got there in the end!). Candles were all lit, rose petals on the bed, magic FM on the tv, it really was something special.

We booked dinner in the restaurant for eight o'clock, although didn't get seated until twenty to nine for who knows what reason as there was only two tables in said restaurant. The service wasn't on top form considering the few tables there but the food was certainly on point! Nothing better than complimentary bread to start - may I add warm bread! - and a speciality sent from the chef (I think they could sense my annoyance). I have to say it was one of the best meals I have ever ate, hats off to the chef! I started with a cheese souffle and then had a beef platter of oxtail (which was the first time I had ever tried and it was unbelievable!), fillet steak and haggis - DELISH! As previously said, although the meal was outstanding, the service was not. We waited half an hour trying to catch someones attention for the bill and ended up having to get a member of staff who didn't even work the restaurant to get us it. The table beside us, an elderly man and wife, asked for a bottle of wine 40 minutes  previous and it still hadn't appeared, eventually cancelled the wine and ordered coffees instead and were still waiting when we left around half an hour later. Poor.

Dress: Karen Millen

Shoes: Kurt Geiger

Lipstick: Mac Morange

Outfit wise, Craig bought me these beautiful shoes from Kurt Geiger for our anniversary. Nude shoe boots with an ankle strap - which I love as ankle straps make A. shoes more comfortable to wear and B. shoes more stable, which is exactly what I need as I am Calamity Jane! I packed this Karen Millen number I got back in December for my Christmas, can't go wrong with an LBD. It has a gorgeous ribbed middle and a zip (not sure for it's purpose) and flares out at the bottom, my favourite style! I loved the contrast of the pink sole from my shoes against the black, added some colour and fun to the look!

Overall, we were both so impressed with the room and food at The Smiths we will definitely be making another visit at some point in the future! However, the service was not up to the standard of the hotel, which is such a shame as there are so many positives and so much potential!

Have you ever been to The Smiths?

Lori x

Ashtree House

Valentine's Day came a day later for myself and Craig. Due to work and his cousin's engagement party we decided to treat the following day as our V.Day. Having just had both our 21 birthdays at the end of the year, we decided that none of us needed any presents - the surprise bouquet that turned up at my door on Friday doesn't count, apparently! So we decided to head away on an overnight, spend some time together and that's exactly what we did! We headed to the Ashtree House Hotel in Paisley which is a beautiful country house situated just off the main street. On arrival we were greeted by the lovely owners and shown our room on the first floor. When I opened the door we were both completely blown away, the room was absolutely beautiful and huge - as was the bathroom! Equipped with a flat screen TV, couch, king size bed (which FYI, is possibly the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in) a walk-in, power shower and the largest bath ever! The roof and some of the walls could have done with a quick lick of paint but for what we paid for the overnight it was nothing we couldn't put up with. We also had a gorgeous view over the town, we had definitely found a little hidden gem!

Most of the hotel guests were heading to a wedding and so the hotel restaurant was closed for the evening. We were recommended a restaurant at the bottom of the road and after a quick look on trip advisor and spotting that it was #1 out of 97, we quickly booked our table! We headed off to Cardosi's, literally at the bottom of the ridiculously steep hill our hotel was on, and were welcomed with open arms. The food was delicious but the portions were far too much! I had the Chicken Balmoral, chicken and haggis in a peppercorn sauce on top of a slab of veg and mash, however I was given two chicken breasts stuffed to the brim with haggis and a mountain of mash. I was only able to finish one of the breasts and even that was a struggle. Craig opted for steak and could only eat the meat, none of the extras that came with, it looked as though we had hardly touched our meals because there was so much waste.

Outfit wise I popped on a pastel pink slip dress, floaty and cute for Valentine's, then threw the lilac cardigan on top as the straps are so thin I wasn't entirely comfortable flashing so much flesh. I had spent so long curling my hair then ended up throwing it into a messy ballerina bun - typical! I thought it went well with the softness of the dress, pulled some strands loose and voila, job done. Make-up was kept simple too, I have been enjoying a more natural look and only using products to enhance my features as opposed to slapping it all on!

*Cute Valentine's Photo*

After the best nights sleep in the world's most comfortable bed, we headed to breakfast and of course had to have a fry up. Been a while since I have had a full breakfast but oh my, it was delcious! The staff were very friendly and attentive, nothing was too much. We sat at the window to enjoy the view and the sun was shining brightly, nothing but perfect! If you are ever in the area, looking for a lovely getaway or even a place close to the airport for a quick stop-off then I would highly recommend the Ashtree House Hotel. 

Hope you like this post!

Lori x

Engagements and Lace

Jumpsuit: Need That Look

Shoes: Primark

Belt // Bag: River Island

This Valentine's Day was spent with lots of loved ones. With a week off work I was able to head round to my Gran's house and join the Friday Club once again, then heading to an Engagement party at night, through in Linlithgow with my boyfriends family. Since it was Valentine's Day, the day of love, it had to be some form of pink or red ensemble.

I instantly fell in love with this gorgeous pink, lace jumpsuit, similar to Lucy Meckleburgh from Towie's. Jumpsuits have been something I have grown to love. They are unbelievably comfortable to wear and you never need to worry about anything being on show or too short. The only downside is when you are heading to the loo, but that's hardly enough to put me off!

The pink lace was a little much so I popped on this gold and black belt to break it up and add some dimension. It also creates some curves. I decided to stick with nude shoes as they blended with the nude fabric and created the illusion of longer legs. Tying it all together with a gold clutch bag!

I wanted to keep my make-up quite natural and understated so I used my Double Wear as a base to give me flawless, airbrushed skin.I always use this foundation when heading to a special occasion, it doesn't budge and gives such a beautiful finish. Sculpted with my Sleek contour palette then added lots of Benefit's High beam to the cheek bones. I also used the bronzer on the lids of my eyes to add some dimension. The only statement I used was on my lips with Rimmel's Apocalypse Lip Lacquer in 102 Nova.

What did you all get up to for Valentine's Day?

Let me know what you think of this look?

Lori x

Swinging Sixties

Blazer: Marks and Spencers

Dress: Missguided

Tights // Boots: Primark

Earings: Swarovski

An unexpected afternoon lunch was on the cards this dreary Monday afternoon when my Mum invited me along to join her and her friend for lunch - Who am I to turn down a free lunch?

I always have and probably always will, love the sixties era. There is something so beautiful and chic about the style that I just adore. The women of the sixties weren't afraid to wear bold colours and patterns or experiment with crazy eye make-up - think I was born in the wrong era. When I saw this high neck skater dress on Missguided I knew that it had to be mine! Due to the cold weather it was essential to pop on thick black tights, although the dress is on the short side, I'm sure tights would be on regardless. It's funny though, white is never a colour I opt for regularly, in fact it's probably a rare occurrence you would catch me in the shade resembling my snow-like skin - I always feel that it can wash me out. However, there was something about this dress that made it into my basket and quickly hit the 'check-out' button before I could turn back!

This blazer was a present for Christmas which I haven't had a chance to wear yet. Lets be honest, it has been far too cold to step outside without a ski suit on, never mind a blazer. Two, my blazer may be ridiculously pretty but it is also ridiculously hard to pair with anything patterned. Noting that I was wearing a plain white dress I seized the opportunity to pull this off the hanger, I think I heard it squeal with excitement about it's first (of many) outings!

You may have noticed that I have been messing around with my photos over the last few weeks. I am trying all different things; outdoors, indoors, settings, styles - trying to find what's best for me. I'll get there eventually! If you have a preferred style then please let me know what you like best?

Lori x

Origins GinZing Moisturiser | Review

Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturiser

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Whether you are hopelessly in love and spending the day with your other half or you're single and enjoying a night out on the town with the girls, either way I hope you have a fabulous day! I am heading to an engagement party tonight and then off for an overnight away tomorrow with my lovely boyfriend. No presents for us this year, just the gift of time together - feel free to vomit in your mouth at that last statement!

I decided that my posts will be outfit heavy next week so I wanted to pop up a review for you all, change things up a little! My skincare routine is pretty solid, I am very religious when it comes to using the right toner, cleanser, serums etc, I also have my set days in which I use my mask and when I exfoliate - OCD much?! I have taken the time to get to know my skin and shopped around for what products work best for me. A few weeks back, on buying my new Origins A Perfect World toner (will do a review later) I realised that there is one part of my skincare routine I am very negligent about; Moisturiser! The funny thing is, this is probably the most important of them all! 

I have had a massive bottle of Dove which has lasted me an absolute lifetime (not literally, but a very long time!) and over the last few weeks, noticed that I am scraping the remnants of the bottle out. Don't get me wrong Dove is a great brand but I don't feel it's doing very much for my skin. Time to wise up on the moisturiser front. The most hilarious/ridiculous thing is that I got so many skincare and make-up sets throughout the festive period, from Christmas and my Birthday, and not one contained moisturiser! Yes, I am inundated with cleansers and eye creams and serums, but moisturiser? Nada.

Whilst in Origins I asked the assistant about moisturisers; what should I be using? Should I have a separate day/night one? How important is this? etc, etc. She pointed me in the direction of the new Origins GinZing Day Moisturiser and it was love at first sniff - one of the strangest statements ever made, however anyone who has smelt this moisturiser will know exactly how I feel and know I am not being a complete weirdo!

I absolutely love fresh, citrus smells and this product certainly ticks those boxes. It smells like Terry's Chocolate Orange, which I abso-bloomin-lutely love! The gel formula is so lightweight however, on application you can feel an instant hydration to the skin. It is defined as a 'Energy Boosting Moisturiser', which I can definitely notice in the mornings. The formula contains Caffeine and panax gensing which give you that perfect kick-start to the day ahead. Naturally my next purchase shall be the night time moisturiser to coincide with the daily one, due to the caffeine this is certainly not one for bedtime - unless you are nocturnal of course! Being oil-free, this is also the perfect formula for my slightly oily/combination skin. The gel works perfectly as a base for make-up with is light-boosting effects giving you a great glow through your foundation.

Overall, I am super impressed with this moisturiser and cannot wait to get my hands on the Night-time one too! At £23 it may seem pretty steep, however only using it in the mornings means that it will last you for a very long time, so it's definitely worth the price.  I also got this on special offer, I got four free Clear Improvements Charcoal Masks which are usually £22 alongside my purchase - what a steal! I would also like to say that it is has be one of the best, if not the best, customer service experiences I have ever had. I went to the Origins counter in House Of Fraser, Glasgow, where the lovely Angie gave me lots of samples including the drink up overnight mask and the sister Night-time moisturiser, to let me try before I considered buying. She gave me a full consultation without me even asking and was just so friendly and helpful! 

Will you be trying to GinZing Moisturiser? Or have you already done so?
Let me know what you thought!

Lori x

The Importance of a Good Bra

This is a post I would never have thought about writing. In all honesty, up until about two weeks ago I didn't even think I had much of a chest, never mind finding a good bra for it. So, with it coming up to Valentine's Day and many ladies heading off to treat themselves (and maybe some boyfriends) to some new undies, here's a little story for you all. You may want to pop the kettle on...

A few weeks ago I met with one of my closest friends who I hadn't seen for quite a while. One of those pairings where you may not see each other quite as often as we would like, not through lack of trying, but we stay in completely different places and both work full time jobs which means meeting for lunch sometimes just isn't feasible or as easy as it sounds. When we did meet it was like we had seen each other only the other day - that's the type of friendship that we all need!

On this particular meeting I was telling her that the previous night I had decided it was high time I emptied my underwear drawers and get rid of all the mutant knickers in there, the ones that haven't seen daylight since I was around 12 - Lord knows why they are still there, probably couldn't get them over one leg! On doing this, I noticed that my bra sizes ranged from ridiculously small (talking smallest size possible) to ridiculously big (who was I kidding?) and coming to the realisation that, at the grand old age of 21, I still do not know my actual size of bra. 

We headed off to Debenhams, after doing some research and discovering they are rated the highest for most accurate size. For some ladies, getting a bra fitting can be quite daunting, but the lady from Debenhams put me right at ease from the get go. She never made me feel uncomfortable or self-conscious at any moment - big up for Debenhams Glasgow. On inspecting the god awful bra I decided to wear that day, she pointed out that a) it was far too small for me (yay!) and b) the dangers of wearing a bra that didn't fit properly.

With it being too small, the wire pushes your breast to the side and in the worst case scenario can cause lumps which we all know, can mean Breast Cancer. This struck a chord with me. How could I have been so unaware of the dangers of something that I use everyday? That is obviously the worst case scenario, there are in fact many other health risks at hand such as; tension across shoulders and neck, headaches and even spinal problems - all of which I would like to avoid! Not only that, the difference it made when I popped on the size I should have been wearing, unbelievable! 

So please ladies, lets avoid any of these risks and go do something so simple but so effective - plus it's free! It genuinely takes a grand total of around 10 minutes and the women of Debenhams (probably most places that do fittings) are more than happy to pick out a selection of bras for you to try on. Go get your bra fitted - then treat yourself to some new undies! With it being Valentines just a few days away I have chosen some of my favourite pairings as inspiration;

 

 

 
Click the images to take you to the products!

Lori x

Edinburgh and Cocktails

Dress: Versace

Shoes: Topshop

Watch: Michael Kors

Continuing on from my previous Edinburgh post here we are with the evening look! We were heading off to a cocktail making class and dinner at Le Monde and were alerted that the dress code was to be 'Cocktail Dresses'. This is a dress that my Mum used to wear before passing down her pieces to me - nothing better than being able to get my Mum's old frocks, love that we are similar size and have similar taste! I haven't worn this Versace number before as, well - it's Versace! It isn't one for the dancing really, lets be honest. So with the dress code, I found it only too appropriate to dust off the cobwebs from sitting in the back of my wardrobe. Perfect timing with one of the latest and biggest trends of the season being Pastels. 

Who wouldn't love this unusual neckline? I have never seen a dress like it, so delicate and elegant. The fit of the dress is absolutely perfect too - not too fitted, not too loose! Going along with the pastel theme I popped on my pink heels from Topshop and teamed with a grey clutch (never got a photo with the bag unfortunately). 

Make-up for the evening

There was no other palette I could possibly opt for than the Urban Decay Naked 3. The rose gold based shades were the perfect natural colours for an understated, delicate look. For my lips I used 'Pale Mauve' by Bobbi Brown to keep my lips neutral but the pink base still gives a slick of colour. Hair wise, I straightened and pinned back the front layers loosely to give a softer look to the overall outfit.

Lori x

Edinburgh in Bear Ears

 

Top: Primark

Jeans: New Look

Boots: Kurt Geiger

Watch: Michael Kors

Heading off to Edinburgh at the weekend to celebrate my cousin's hen do! Lovely overnight at The Roxburgh Hotel in the city centre where all the family were together celebrating. For a daytime look I opted for this blue high neck blouse. I love the cut of the top and it doesn't cling to my body creating a thinner waist. The lace inserts at the top add that extra touch of sass!

Knowing we were heading out at night and the attire was to be elegant (my evening outfit will be in a seperate post) I opted for a more casual daytime look and paired the blouse with my staple skinny, shaper jeans and brown boots. Trying to find the balance between casual and dressed can be a tricky task, I always find a pair of jeans and a dressed top can never go wrong in the fashion stakes!

Coat: Asos

For any fellow Scots out there you will know that the temperature has taken a severe dip! This particular day was no exception, in fact, I think it was possibly the coldest day we have had so far this year. Don't get me wrong, we have been pretty lucky thus far with the snow situation, being that we haven't had any - yet! *touch wood* So I opted for this huge faux fur coat in the mind-set that a) it is so cosy and warm and b) it can switch up from day and night effortlessly!

Lori x

Contrasting Brights

Top // Necklace: George at Asda

Skirt: Topshop

Watch: Michael Kors

Shoes: Primark

I have finally ventured outdoors! Yes, and considering how cold it is at the moment I would say that is complete dedicatition! This outfit was put together for a girly get-together with one of my best friends. We opted for a lunch date at October (formally known as November) in Glasgow's Princes Square. It is one of my favourite places to eat, not just because of the food but the restaurant is situated on the top floor and being able to sit on the balcony and people watch (one of my favourite hobbies without sounding stalkerish) makes it so beautiful.

I know that pastels are all the range at the moment but I opted for a brighter look to contrast against the colder weather. Pastel clothes make me feel cold and when it is just about to start snowing here it's an option I am not allowing - Save them shades for a different day!

The top is actually very long and would look cute paired with a pair of leggings or jeans, however I loved the contrast of colours with the neon yellow/ lime green shade against the purple of the skirt. I opted to tuck in the top to enhance my waist. The skirt has a shorter under skirt allowing the floral pattern to be shown proudly. The longer length adds a touch of elegance.

No outfit is complete without a pair of heels and because the colours are so loud already, I popped on some nude shoes. Too many cooks and all that!

Hope you like this look!

Let me know your thoughts on the outdoors photos? Do you prefer them or should I go back inside?

Lori x

YSL Youth Liberator Foundation | Review

Having looked at my most recent posts I decided that it was about time I popped up another product review. This time it comes in the form of foundation, YSL in particular. I think everyone will agree with me when I say it is very difficult to find 'the one' when it comes to foundation. Something that has the right amount of coverage, without looking plastered on. The perfect shade that blends seamlessly with your skin tone and makes you look naturally airbrushed. The kind that feels light as a feather but covers everything that needs to be hidden away! Is that too much to ask?! Well, apparently not - step forward Youth Liberator.

I am an absolute YouTube junkie - seriously, I am hooked! Everyday I am on looking for new videos by my favourites, or just new you-tubers in general. They also cause serious problems to my bank balance. Every product they recommend instantly becomes a 'must-have' in my eyes and the YSL Youth Liberator was no different. After months of everyone slogging on about the Georgio Armani, I took a trip into Fraser's for a swatch, thinking this exciting new love affair was about to begin. Unfortunately that dream was cut short on discovering their lightest shade was most definitely not light enough - pale problems #standard. 

I stumbled upon the YSL counter as I had been hearing loads about the new Youth Liberator foundation being very similar to the GA. It was love at first swatch! The packaging itself is beautiful with the hourglass bottle - it can sit proudly on my desk any day. I love the fact that it has a pump (Estee Lauder Double Wear take note!) makes it so much easier to use and less waste of product. Unfortunately, my pump is a little sticky but I think that was just my luck of the draw - still works, just needs a little encouragement. 

Freshly Applied

The formula is so light when applied on the skin and blends with ease. The sales assistant explained that it is medium coverage when applied with hands but full when used with a brush. I am not a hands type of gal! I hate getting product in my nails and it ends up all over my clothes etc - not a great look! So I always stick to my Real Techniques buffing brush - does the job and this gives the full coverage look I am after. The foundation gives a beautiful, healthy glow to the skin without feeling oily and greasy which, for someone with slight combination skin, is exactly what I am after.

My biggest pet peeve with foundations is usually that I really need to work hard at buffing them into my skin so that it looks like a natural shade and yes, I do still need to buff this in but it doesn't feel like I've done a full body workout afterwards. Smooths over really nicely and the moisture keeps your skin lovely and hydrated.

It gives me enough colour without looking ridiculous! I wear shade B10 which is, of course, the lightest. I find the formula to be very long lasting and my make-up is still in tact at the end of the day - which is, lets be honest, what we all want anyway. I do use primer, always have, I just feel it gives my skin a good base to work with so I'm not entirely sure if it is as long lasting without. 

End of the Day (note the first photos are in pyjamas!)

For £34 it is pretty pricely, but for me personally I think it is completely worth the money. It is a great everyday foundation and my skin has had absolutely no problems with this foundation. It gets the balance of weight and coverage absolutely perfect for me. So if you are looking for a new foundation - get yourself to your nearest YSL counter! You can buy it online here but if you do have problematic skin or not sure about splashing the cash then I would suggest popping along for a sample - you won't regret it!

Lori x