Say Hello To Summer Hair.....

You should all know by now that I am a Haircare Addict.

& now that Summer is upon us, I think it's only time that I let you into my new Haircare Routine which, might I add has a lot of unintentional summer vibes! So whether you want to grab an amazing Coconut smelling Shampoo, need a new Detoxifier or have run out of Salt Spray, hopefully this post will provide a little haircare inspiration-

The Ultimate Summer Duo: Organix's Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo & Conditioner is holy grail stuff you hear me!!! The perfect scent for summer (Coconut) that is enriched with Whipped Egg White Protein & Coconut Oils- which according to the bottle, leaves your hair feeling hydrated & nourished. What I love most about this duo is how full & glossy my hair feels/looks after use, even on application the shampoo is a thicker consistency then most shampoo's I've used which really shows once lathering into your hair as I kid you not, you can feel your hair gaining volume! Even when blow drying with a round brush, it grips brilliantly allowing you to style your hair with easy without the tangles, frizz & pain! 

The Detoxifier: Bumble & Bumble's Sunday Shampoo is perfect for a hair detox once a week to wash away all the sand, sweat & product build up our tresses collect during the warmer months. Extremely clean smelling & feels like a breath of fresh air has swept through your hair, I love how squeaky clean & fresh my hair feels after use. 

The Restorers: With all the sun, sea & chlorine Summer brings, you need to make sure that your adding moisture back into those locks which is why I swear by using a hair mask once a week. L'oreal's Everpure Reinforcing Intense Mask is my pick- Rosemary scented & very rich, a little goes a long way here! I apply about a 50p piece size in my palms & smooth into mid shaft to the ends of my hair & then wash out thoroughly with tepid water. To add an extra boost, before blow drying or leaving my hair to air dry, I add a drop of Josie Maran's Argan Oil to the ends of my wet hair just to add a little extra hydration!      

The Style Saviours: Want your beauty waves to last? Toni & Guy's Rough Texturiser Spray & Schwarzkopf's got2b Beach Matt Texturizing Salt Spray all you need! Adding more texture & definition to your hair, the Texturising Spray is perfect for first day hair where you don't have any grit to it. Smells gorgeous & doesn't way your hair down, I love using this to beef up your waves. Along with the Salt Spray that doesn't leave your hair feeling crispy or sticky, you've got yourself a perfect summer style combination. 

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What's your haircare routine?

Much Love,

Elle

xoxo

♥

Inspirations: Wedding.....

So today I wanted to share with you guys a little insight into what we are thinking of for our Wedding next Summer.

If you want to see more then head on over to my Pinterest where you can see more images that have been inspiring us! Any recommendations of Wedding Websites that I would love, please feel free to leave them below.

Much Love,

Elle

xoxo

♥

How to Save....

Theres a lot of us out there who don't like to discus money.

& we also don't like to admit how much we spend each month- that feeling you get when you see a chunky envelope fall through your letterbox which you know is the dreaded monthly bank statement that reveals the eyewtering amount you spent in Topshop that month! 

I am the first to hold my hand up & say 'Yes, that is me! I spend far too much each month & save nothing'. I have a lot more responsibility now then I did five years ago- I have a mortgage, bills to pay, a wedding to save for. How can I think its ok to spend £45 on a T-shirt?! The answer is, its not. 

My purse is now on lockdown & here are my top tips in how I am now saving instead of splurging:

1. Your not the Queen, get cash out once a week- yes it is true, the queen does not carry cash but that does not mean you should follow her example! I know sometimes its far more easier just to wack out that tired looking card, you know the one where the chip is virtually scratched to death, enter your pin & pray to god you still have enough money left after spending an eye watering amount in MAC. But guys we need to start taking control of our normally out of control spending habits! Firstly I like to set out in my mind the set amount of cash I need for the week (& when I say need, I really do mean need) to purely cover the essentials i.e. travel to work, lunch etc & then I'll take into account if I have any Birthday presents I need to buy, if I have planned anything social that week or if I would like to check out the Boot's 3 for 2 Makeup offer. If I have any of the above planned then all I do is again add a realistic amount onto the planned budget that week & stick to it- I'm not saying you have to deprive yourself of buying the newest L'Oreal Lipstick, but once you have the physical money there in your hands to give to the cashier you can control how much you are spending as well as seeing how much you have left for the week. Leave your card at home for the week & you yourself control how much your spending each day, it is really effective & has definitely proved invaluable for me in controlling my erg to spend. 

2. Set a goal & stick to it- if you want something badly you will set yourself a goal & make dam sure you stick to it- you want that Mulberry Alexa you have been lusting over on pinterest for years, you will move heaven & earth to make sure you get one. You want to go interrailing in Europe for six months after graduating, you will get three jobs to save for it. & this is the same if you want to save for a deposit for a house or you want to save a big lump sum of cash- setting a goal will motivate you to actually do it! Setting a goal is the foundation so you can then start thinking about the stepping stones you are going to make to reach that ultimate goal- are you going to cut your daily Chi Tea Latte at Starbucks down to just one or two a week? or perhaps you will only  have a Wagamama's once a month? Whatever it is, visualising your long term goal will drive you to think first before you buy.  

3. Keep changing banks- For some strange reason us English folk feel a loyalty towards our banks that you might feel towards a friend you have known for ten plus years, even though a great deal of banks out there offer us pittance in return. I hold my hands up & admit that I do feel like that towards the bank that I have been with since I was twelve years old- I opened my first 'adult' current account with them complete with my first bank card (!!) & have really been to lazy to look at what else other banks can offer me. After getting extremely frustrated at the lack of interest I was receiving, I started shopping around & stumbled across quiet a few good deals out there where you could get more money just by moving your money over to them. Take for example Halifax, they offer you £125 for switching your current account across to them or Lloyds who offer an up to 15% Cashback offer in places that you regularly shop. 

4. Premium Bonds & ISA's are your secret weapons- you used to glaze over when your mum & dad would mention ISA's & would shrug & give the same "I'll consider it" answer when the person at the bank mentions it as your withdrawing some money, but Premium Bonds & ISA's are your best friends. With Premium Bonds you get to win money each month in a random draw (the more you have, the more likely you are to win something) & are free to withdraw & reinvest them whenever you want. ISA's are great if you want to save a sum of money for a fixed period of time where you will then receive interest on it when your ISA comes to the end. If you want to get a better return on your money then this may prove to be a good option for you.

5. Have nights in instead of out- we have all been there, you spy a receipt at the bottom of your bag from the night before & you wish you hadn't looked at the amount shown at the bottom, "£8 for a glass of cheap white! What was I thinking?!"- but haven't you heard, staying in really is the new going out! Not only can you buy a nice bottle of wine for £8 but even making a homemade pizza for two instead of eating at your favourite Italian round the corner can save you close to £15. Again, I'm not say deprive yourself of going out and socialising but limit it to once a month & instead try inviting your friends round for a dinner party or something a little more casual like bring your own plate & crack open the Twister-whatever you decide I'm sure you'll agree staying in is far more fun then going out. 

6. eBay is a great second job- this is a mantra that Adam has been living by for years. eBay is a great way to earn a little bit of money on the side (almost like pocket money!) with very little effort. I'm sure you all have those pieces of clothes hanging in your wardrobe with the tag still attached to them that your clinging on to in the hope it will come back in fashion soon, or that DVD box set you have never actually watched- theres someone out there desperate for that crochet off the shoulder top! But not only is it good for selling your unwanted items, you can also make money from selling other peoples unwanted bits & bobs- take for example a car boot sale, you can find plenty of DVD boxsets, old iPods or iPhone chargers that people are selling for such a low price (because they just want to get rid of it) that they don't realise that it would sell for more on eBay. Its all about trial & error but using the completed listings section to check the adverage selling price of a specific item is the handiest tool on eBay & you can come away from a car boot sale or charity shop with some great finds that will be great money makers. 

7. Live within your means- something I said to Adam recently was that I felt I was living from pay check to pay check, which is ridiculous considering I earn more then him yet he saves far more each month then me! I think sometimes we like to live in a dream world where we can spend however much we want in our favourite shop & eat out every night, when in reality this is irresponsible & crazy. Sure there may be a hand full of you out there that may be comfortable in doing that which is fine, just as long as you save a good amount each month to counterbalance that. But if like me you start to think 'how have I only got £14.86 left in my account till I get paid next week?' then I would start to question whether you are living within your means- my reply would be your not. 

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 I hope that has given you a little inspiration- if you have anymore questions please feel free to leave them below or drop me an email. 

Much Love,

Elle

xoxo

Being Elle: The Sunday Catch Up 021....

The Sunday Catch Up is back!!!! 

Oh, how I have missed writing this weekly roundup! 

1. Summer is finally here!!!! & this week the uk was blessed with some ridiculously hot weather, which although being cooped up indoors for nine hours a day working, has still put me in a very happy & positive mood for the week. 

2. I have fallen back in love with my Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation after switching over to Bourjois' Healthy Mix Foundation. The texture & over all finish is just such a lovely light & flawless coverage, that I need to remind myself why I stopped using it in the first place!

3. On Wednesday I was in London for a meeting all day which then naturally led to a shopping trip on Oxford Street, Cocktails in Slug & Lettuce, a cheeky Charlotte Tilbury purchase & getting the train back from Victoria at 9pm! Who said work was boring!?

4. I have really been loving Pesto Scrambled Eggs recently on Avocado & Chilli Flake Toast with a few fried Mushrooms on top..... typing that just made me want to go cook some for lunch (moves to the kitchen to make lunch!)

5. The 1st of July kicked off my blog re-launch & re-design (if you don't know I will be blogging all of this month), which I have been meaning to do for years & am so happy I finally did it! Feedback would be great & muchly appreciated

6. After years of friends/work colleagues pushing me to watch Pretty Little Liars, I finally gave in & fired it up on Netflix & I am so so so obsessed! I'm already on season four, am in love with Shoby, am convinced Ali is alive & think Mona is psychotic! If you need me, you know where to find me!

7. Saturday saw me & Adam get all dolled up to attend one of his best friends weddings. It was such a lovely day, caught up with some old friends & made us think a lot more about our wedding (an updated wedding chit chat will be on the blog this week). 

8. Highlights on the blog this week include: VE's Makeover | My Top 7 Favourite Cookery Books | Summer Lip's Sorted! & My Summer Inspirations Board

What have you guys been up to this week?

Much Love,

Elle

xoxo

♥

Inspirations: Summer #2....

I am completley in love with my Pinterest boards at the moment, especially the Summer influence board that I have started to accumulate a lot of pins for! 

Dewy Bronze Skin, Coral Lips, Boho Style Vibes, Floral Crowns, Pineapples, Palm Trees, Head Scarves, Stacked Rings, Beachy Waves, Mirrored Sunglasses, Poolside antics, Mimosa's- the list goes on!

Cheers to Summer....

Much Love,
Elle
xoxo
♥

Summer Lips Sorted....

The suns out, the smell of barbecues wafts through the air, your shaving routine has tripled since April & you've dusted off your Birkenstock's- it can only mean that we are final into the peak of Summer! *hallelujah* 

& with the temperatures soaring, I find myself reaching naturally for brighter, pinker, corally lipstick shades that shout 'Hello Summer!' So here are my pick of what I call, my ultimate lip hero's that are perfect for whatever holiday you are going on this summer-

For the Week Away with the Girls: Revlon's Ultra HD Lipstick in the colour Geranium is an amped up corally red dream- extremely creamy in texture providing fool proof application & leaves your lips feeling smooth as a baby's bottom! This is a great lipstick paired with bare, naturally glowing skin after a day at the beach & is the perfect addition to a crochet crop top, distressed cut off denim shorts & laid-back be achy waves.

For the French Riviera: L'Oreal's Color Riche Matte in VIP is a classic old Hollywood pinkish red, with a buttery texture that makes the lip colour sit comfortably on the lips all day. Looks beautiful with a bronze skin & a gold eye, this is perfect for those warm evenings spent walking along the Boulevard de la Croisette or dining  in La Palme d'Or. 

For the Weekend in Cornwall: Newlook's Pure Colour Matte Lipstick in Apricot teamed with their Lip Pencil is the perfect nude lip for a fuss free, relaxing weekend by the sea. A close dupe to Mac's Velvet Teddy but for half the price, has a good amount of staying power if your going to be spending the day surfing or munching through plenty of pasties- its hardly going to break the bank! Amp it up for the evening with a smokey eye & strong contour, you'll be good to go to the end of summer beach bonfire.

For the City Break: Revlon's Colorstay Ultimate Suede in Socialite is an ultimate summer city break staple- sweat proof, long-lasting, the prettiest of pinks & compliments any outfit you won't need to pack any other lipstick! I have spoken about these babies before (link HERE to see my thoughts) so I won't go into too much detail, however apply once & throw in your bag before you spend a day sightseeing & you won't need to apply again until dinner.

For the Adventure Holiday: Hello Bourjois Rouge Edition Aqua Laque in Appechissant! A cross between a lipgloss with the colour pay off you would get from a lipstick, this is perfect if your a low maintenance gloss lover. A pretty rose pink that smells like Raspberries  it feels like a splash of cold water (no exaggeration!) on first application, but dries to a glossy light texture making it feel lovely & moisturising on your lips. This is the lightest coverage out of all of them as it is more like gloss & does not last as long in comparison, but for the warmer months it is dreamy. 

For the Staycation: Finally Rimmel Apocalips Matte Lip Lacquer in Atomic Rose is the ultimate barely there coral. Again more like a lipgloss in texture, this particular formulae dries matte making it last just as long as a lipstick. Perfect for garden parties & chilling on a sun lounger, this effortless shade is perfect for those savvy staycationers!

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What are your favourite Summer lips?

Much Love,

Elle

xoxo

♥ 

My Top Seven Favourite Cookbooks....

I am a self confessed foodie.

I constantly think about food, look at food (thanks instagram!), get super hangery if I go for a long period without eating something & plan in my mind what I'll be having for dinner even whilst I'm eating breakfast!

Therefore I have accumulated over the years a huge collection of cookbooks to keep me inspired, content & running for the kitchen when I get home from work. So here's the run down of my top six favourite cookbooks that I could not live without- 

Save With Jamie: I am a huge Jamie Oliver fan. I think the way that he cooks & the recipes that he brings out are realistic, inspiring &  altogether brilliant! Save With Jamie was one of the those books that I brought when I knew that I would be moving out of the family home, when it hit me that suddenly I would have to budget for food shopping instead of sending £60 in Zara & how the hell could I get the maximum use out of all the food brought! This books was like a life raft. Not only is the photography brilliant to show off such amazingly easy recipes, but it also is split into different categories, i.e. Vegetables, Chicken, Fish ect which makes it easy to get inspired depending on what you feel in the mood for that day. It also has some brilliant pointers as to how to be a savvy shopper & what basics you should always have stocked in your cupboards, as well as tips on how to freeze leftovers. If you want to save money & want to get the most out of the food you buy then try this & you will not be disappointed. 

Jamie's Comfort Food: Another Jamie book that I am in love with mainly because of the way it looks. The feel of every single page as you turn it is of great quality, but it is the photo's which are a food lovers dream- it almost like you can already smell & taste what is shown in front of you! Like before, its easy to navigate, split into different categories with easy to follow instructions & realistic prep & cooking times. As implied by the title, predominately there are a great deal of recipes that are classic British comfort food (hello Shepard's Pie!) but also has some recipes you perhaps wouldn't consider to be 'comfort food'. For example, to my delight a Chicken Katsu Curry recipe was included which if you know me well, then you would know that we frequent Wagamama's on a weekly basis & always order a Chicken Katsu Curry- needless to say that won Adam over in a heartbeat!

Gino's Italian Escape: I am a carbs girl through & through. I cannot live without bread, potato's or pasta, so its only fitting that I own a book written by an Italian who loves pasta & cooking just a little bit more then me! Gino's Italian Escape is filled with typically authentic Italian food which has minimal ingredients which you will all have to hand, are very filling & are really quick to cook whilst looking like you have spent hours cooking it. So forget what you think goes in a Carbonara because this book will open your eyes & you'll feel so much more Italian then when you started, bellissima!

Leon's Ingredient's & Recipes: I brought this book because I wanted to know more about food & I also wanted some healthier recipes centred around what is in season at the time & that tastes good too. Leon's whole ethos is centred around the use of local & natural ingredients to create boldly favoured food that reflects how your eating habits change as the daylight hours get longer or shorter- perfect for those of you, who like me may not feel as inspired during the winter months & just want to curl up in bed with a large bar of Dairy Milk! I love how the first section of the book goes into great detail surrounding the  different ways/times fruit & veg grows & the different cuts of meat each animal has, as well as telling you the different names of the same fruit or veg & telling you what makes each one of them different- for example, did you know that the Sugar Snap is a relatively new pea on the market! The second part of the book uses all the ingredients from the first part to showcase what you can do with them. Healthy & crammed full of quirky photo's it is a handy book to have in your collection. 

BBC Good Food: The Collection: I was in WH Smiths close to eight years ago with my Mum rummaging through piles of books that were on sale after Christmas when I came across this one & it has become invaluable to me & my mum (as she purchased one also). I think what makes this book so good is its just so typically British & traditional, that it makes you have faith that whatever you choose to cook it will fill you up & make you feel all warm & fuzzy inside. This book has never let me down, the Chicken, Bacon & Pea Pasta is always a firm winner when I cook it & I used it countless of times during food tech classes at school. Although it is the most simplest in terms of layout & photography, the instructions are easy to follow & the clean layout means you can just whizz through without having to re-read parts that were too 'wordy' or not direct enough. If I could relate it towards anybody it would be Mary Berry- classic, nostalgic but always a crowd pleaser. 

Deliciously Ella: I was brought up in a household which taught 'everything in moderation'- I love fruit & veg, enjoy beans & lentils, make my own juices & have a weakness towards Dairy Milk. I am eat healthy. But there was a part of me that wanted to cut out more processed food, explore a more meat free diet & learn some quick, wholesome healthy meals that wouldn't make me feel bloated. This book is the most interesting & inspiring book I have read in a long time- I use it along side my normal diet & have been substituting & modifying recipes, so that they have more of a plant base. I now, thanks to Ella am OBSESSED with Quinoa, Kale, Avocado, Cauliflower, My Trail Seed Mix & Black Beans! This book is perfect if you want to explore a healthier, plant based diet which is still just as yummy!

The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Of course my top seven wouldn't be complete without a naughty but oh so yummy baking book & of course my go to for this is my well used & loved Magnolia Bakery Cookbook. If you want an authentic American tasting Red Velvet Cupcake topped with the best bloody vanilla frosting you will ever taste, or have always heard about but never tried a Snickerdoodle Cupcake when this is right up for street! The only annoying thing for me (being British) is that all the measures are in cups & ounces, but of course google quickly sorts that out for me. When I'm missing New York or I need to bake a Birthday Cake this is what I reach for.

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What your your ultimate favourite cookbooks?

Much Love,

Elle

xoxo

Stop The Press! VE Has Had A Makeover!

No you haven't clicked on the wrong blog by accident!

Hi Hello! Yes it is me, Elle- the one that was been MIA from the internet in oh ten or so months but I am back & would like to welcome you all to the new look VintageELLE!

This has been a long time coming & looking at this fresh re-design makes me feel all giddy inside, even to the point where I literally want to flash this page at everyone who I know (side note: won't be doing that as I hate bragging & taking compliments). I have made it super duper easy to navigate through with the navigation bar at the top where you can click on whatever content you are looking for, as well as my social media links underneith that rather fetching picture of my face! 

& whats more, as a massive thank you to all my readers & subscribers who have stuck with me over the last few years, I plan to upload a post on VE every single day of this month. Yes you have read that right- EVERY SINGLE DAY IN JULY THERE WILL BE A NEW POST ON HERE. 

So if theres anything you want to see over here during the next month just get in touch- brace yourself ladies & gents, its about to get real interesting over here!

As always,

Much Love

Elle

xoxo