I hear it time and again from my friends.

'I don't have time for a full skincare routine!'

Honestly, it makes me shudder.

But, I do get it. When you're busy, or rushing around in the morning, the last thing you can be bothered to do is stand there and put a million and one lotions and potions onto your face.

Because I'm passionate about skincare (and also scared of wrinkles), I make the time. SO, for those of you who are too busy for skincare, I have put together a little list of the best products that are quick, fuss-free and will give you a full (ish) routine without spending forever in front of you bathroom mirror.

Garnier Micellar Water
There are loads of brands that offer a micellar water option now, but Garnier is far and away my favourite. Perfect for removing make up fully and quickly after a long day at work or a few too many gins (because please don't ever go to bed without taking your make up off, and please for the love of all things sacred throw your face wipes in the bin!) Swipe, swipe, done. No excuse.

Beauty Pie Japanfusion Cleanser
This has been a fairly recent beauty find for me, but I'm obsessed. This cleanser has such a lovely lightweight texture, suitable for all skin types. It removes make up, cleanses and refreshes skin, and doesn't involve faffing about with a face cloth. All you need to do is apply, mix with water, rinse off. So simple. (Side note: Beauty Pie is a brand which tends to involve a subscription. If that isn't your bag, Glossier's Milky Jelly Cleanser is very similar!)

Pixi Glow Tonic Toner
Toner is a step which I think a lot of people miss out, but it's so easy to include in your routine because it literally takes a second to swipe over your face. And Glow Tonic is my HOLY GRAIL. This is the only toner I use these days, and I wouldn't ever be without it. It tones, brightens, and gently exfoliates, and leaves you with alllllllll glow. 



Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask
I know what you're thinking on face masks. Too messy, takes too long. Right?
I used to think the same. But sheet masks in general have been an absolute game changer for me. The Garnier ones are my favourite because they provide so much moisture for my poor, dry skin. They take a mere 15 minutes, they're no mess, no fuss and are almost always on offer in Boots or Superdrug. Win-win.

[GIFTED] Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream
This is my favourite moisturiser ever, especially for when I'm in a rush, for the simple fact that it sinks straight into the skin and doesn't feel sticky or like there's residue sitting on my skin afterwards. Which means I can get more or less straight on with putting on my make up, without having to wait for ages for my moisturiser to absorb properly.

Dr. Botanicals Superfood Pomegranate Sleeping Mask
If you're not a fan of sitting for 15 minutes with a face mask on, this product is 100% for you. You just pop it on before bed, and allow it to absorb while you sleep. You don't even need to rinse it off in the morning, you just wake up with nourished, super-soft skin. And because it's basically like a slightly thicker moisturiser, you don't need to worry about waking up with gross residue all over your pillow. An absolute must-have.

Have you ever tried any of these products? If you go ahead and try them after reading this, let me know over on my social media how you get on! It's @siankathrine on Twitter on Instagram!

Love,
Sian xo

Oh, the Insta Husband/Wife,

The unsung heroes of every blog and the associated social media platforms. Behind every cute outfit photo and carefully curated 'candid' shot, is an Insta Husband or Wife who has undergone weeks, months, or even years of training. They've learned the angles we love and the ones that will make us cringe when we look back at the photos. They've mastered the kinds of shots that we love and have learned to simply mutter to themselves when we're still not satisfied.

You're a special bunch, Insta Spouses. You have learned and accepted that a wintery walk or a trip out for coffee is not simply just that, it's a 'Gram opportunity. You show patience time and again; when we tell you even after 3748638 shots that none of them are quite right and could you just snap a few more, or when we stop you from tucking into your food, or delay your first sip of a hot chocolate so that we can bag the perfect aerial shot. You roll you eyes, tut and tell us how basic we are, but we don't care, and we know you don't mind really (except maybe where food is concerned).

Some of you are so well-versed that you don't even need prompting. You simply hold out your hand, take our phones and get that shot as soon as the stack of pancakes is put in front of us,, or when we stumble across a location that is 'Gram-worthy. You truly are good eggs.

So, Instagram Wives and Husbands, I guess what we're trying to say is thank you.

Thank you for knowing our best angles.
Thank you for not starting to eat until we get the perfect shot.
Thank you for never just taking one photo.
Thank you for not losing your rag when the living room is in chaos after a session of taking flatlays.
Thank you for partaking in the silly selfies.
Thank you for making us laugh while shooting so we look cuter and less awkward.
Thank you for putting up with us whinging when we can't get the edit right.

Honestly, though. You're awesome.

Love,
Bloggers & Instagrammers Everywhere xo

I've said it so many times, but I'll say it once more... Your mid-late twenties is such an awkward stage of life. Half of my Facebook friends are getting married, having kids, getting mortgages. And the other half are out getting trollied every weekend, 'living their best lives' and spending most of their Sundays with a hangover.

And then there's me. The thing is, because I have no desire to get hitched or get pregnant any time soon, I feel like I should be in the latter category, making the most of my lack of responsibilities and making sure every spare moment is packed with having fun.

But I'm so far from it. While I spent the ages of 18-22 out on the razz, with plenty of hilarious drunken stories, or going on various adventures on my days off, it's a pretty different story now. I'm more of a pjs-on-and-bra-off-as-soon-as-I-get-home kinda gal. Two glasses of wine is plenty and my new idea of an exciting Saturday night is ordering a pizza instead of getting it from the Asda counter, putting a face mask on and staying awake through an entire film. It's genuinely at the point where it's a bit of an office joke, when my colleagues will inevitably ask at around 5:20pm on a Friday 'Are you doing anything exciting with your weekend, Sian?' and I'll shake my head and say 'Just a quiet one' and they'll all chuckle because that's always my response and I should definitely be doing more with my free time.

But it's something I've grown more self-conscious of. That I've become 'boring'. That 18 year-old me would look at 25 year-old me and say 'What the bloody hell happened to you?' I'm at the perfect age to do lots of fun and exciting things but I just don't. And I really worry that I'm 'wasting my youth' and I'll get to my 40s, look back and wish I'd made the most of this time making memories.

It's still very much a process, but I'm trying very hard to realise that all of this doesn't make me 'boring'. And a huge part of that is trying to train my mind to not compare myself to others my age.

The truth is, I was partied out by 23. One night out every six months is totally fine for me, and having a few drinks with friends in a pub where people aren't spilling vodka and Red Bull down your dress and where flat shoes and a jumper are socially acceptable, is much more appealing. And quite frankly, I don't want to waste my Sundays nursing a hangover.

I still love an adventure, and while I'll probably never be one to run away halfway around the world with only a backpack, the small adventures still count all the same.

I'm trying to remember that it's totally okay to spend a full weekend in the house, in my pjs, binge-watching TV. In fact, sometimes it's what I need, when the busyness of the world and work and everything else just gets a little bit too much. Having something in the diary every weekend that's notable isn't a necessity to be enjoying your life.

What I am pretty good at doing, is taking joy in the small and ordinary things. Things like the first cup of tea on a slow Sunday morning, or breathing in crisp, fresh air when you first step out of the house. Things like laughing hysterically with your best friend over a glass of wine, or singing at the top of your lungs whilst driving. Things like a hug from my mum, or the look on my little niece's face when she sees me, and comes running up to me for a cuddle. Because to her, I'm certainly not boring. (although she's only 4, so perhaps she doesn't know any better!)

Yes, maybe sometimes I wish my life was a bit more exciting and varied, full of days out and with less of the mundane stuff. But let's be honest, life gets in the way. The stuff you see on social media is often a highlights reel, people don't often show you when they're spending the day cleaning the house, doing the food shopping or the other boring adult stuff that everyone needs to do!

Again, it's still very much a process for me. I'm trying to keep in mind, when I feel like I'm not 'living' enough, that it's totally fine for my preferences to change, for the way that I like to spend my time to differ to five years ago. That doesn't make me boring. It just makes me, me.

What do you think? Is this something you've struggled with? Let me know in the comments!

Love,
Sian xo