5 things that change because of the weather

I know. I've been a bit pants at keeping this up to date over the last month. I have started posts, but not quite got round to publishing them. I plan to be better at it. Starting now.

The last few weeks have been a bit crazy weather-wise. It seems as though once the clocks went back someone decided it was Winter & - click - the weather changed. We, in the South of Wales, have been "lucky" I suppose, in that we haven't had the snow the rest of the UK have had to deal with. I say "lucky" because I wouldn't mind seing just a little bit....

The change in weather has meant a fair change in my lifestyle - what I eat, my skincare, the clothes I wear, my shoes, my homecare routines, spending...ok, I admit the last one is more time of year related than weather, but they do go hand in hand.

I wanted to write a bit about the changes I've noticed and to see if anyone else has some tips to share.

1. What To Eat
Snow, rain, the cold all tend to lead to one pot dishes - stew, casserole, pot roast. Food that is warming, comforting & filling. And what I've found more than anything - full of veg! If I am making a stew I know that I am going to get most of my 5 portions of veg in that one meal. It surely is not a coincidence that all the root veg is also in season right now - potatoes, carrots, swede, turnips, parsnips, celery, leeks - stick them all in a stew or under a joint of meat for a pot roast and it's guaranteed to taste great.


2. Update your Skincare Routine
Now, I know I am not an authority, all I can do is share my experience with you. My winter routine generally has 3 main difference.

First, I have a different moisturisers (face & hand) for winter as I do find my skin needs more moisture this time of year.

Second I have different foundations. A slightly different shade to make up for the lack of tan (ha!) and I am currently experiementing with different types - powder, mineral, cream - to find something that works better with my winter moisturiser. Which will probably be covered in another post!

Finally, lipcare. I suffer terribly with chapped lips every and it is only last year that I managed to get through relatively unscathed! My lips get very dry and it often expands over my lip line making me look like I have gone a bit mental with a lip liner - and not in a good way. I have tried everything, the Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips is currently my favourite.

3. What to Wear
I am one of those people that always feel the cold. I work in an office where I need to look smart & professional - which can be difficult in Ugg boots - not to mention I really don't like wearing heels when it's icy! But how do you look smart & stay warm in 4 layers of clothes? Not sure I've particularly cracked it, but I've found that smart jumper dresses (over a t-shirt)  are great with leggings and knee high boots (that will also fit an extra pair of socks). Still experimenting, so any advice would be great! :)

Edit (1st Dec)
Handy Link on how to wear your dresses in winter, all ready for Dressember.

4. Home Routines

I'm going to run through this quickly as it may turn into a rant, but briefly this is how my routine has changed (so far):
- Getting up earlier to de-ice the car to get to work.
- Finding places to dry washing as it can't go out on the line.

Alright - not as bad as I thought....but I'm sure I'll think of more.....

5. Spending
Bills go up because you're heating is on. Petrol costs go up because it's just far too cold to walk anywhere. Christmas is coming so you start buying presents. You buy new gloves, scarves, ear muffs, jumpers because you can't find the ones you bought last year. You need your new moisturisers & foundations (see point 1).

So, what's changed for you? How does the weather affect your rotuines? Got some tips to share? Please post your advice below and I promise I'll keep writing. :)

Review: Betty Hula

When I started this blog I wanted it to be a helpful blog, full of reviews, hints, useful information etc etc. So when I saw @bettyhula on Twitter asking if people wanted free samples - I said yes. This was weeks ago! Unfortunatelt they came at a time when I had loads on at work and was rushing round a lot. Anyway long story short (ish) I DID sample the products I was sent and here (finally) is my review. Betty, please accept my apologies for it being so late!

The products I recieved were Kiwi & Lime Shea Butter Moisturiser and The Secret - anti-aging oil.

KIWI & LIME SHEA BUTTER MOISTURISER

The first thing that hits you when you open the moisturiser is the smell. It's divine! Really fresh and not at all chemically like some creams can be. It's quite a thick moisturiser, so not one that I would use every day, but one to keep for when I fancy an at-home pamper session. It does go on well and my skin felt lovely and soft that evening and the next day, and every now and then I'd get a hint of the lime-y scent which lasted longer than I thought it might.

THE SECRET - ANTI-AGING OIL

Being new to sampling such a wide range of cosmetic goodies - I wasn't entirely sure what to do with this, as I only had a sample (I'm not sure if the full-size product has directions) so I asked. I was told to smooth a few drops onto my face after a bath. So I did.

I was a little dubious at smearing oil on my face, but it was lovely. I tend to think of oil as olive oil type consistency but this was light with a very delicate fragrance. I did end up with more on my hands that my face...but that just meant my hands were lovely & soft too. My skin did feel & look great the next day - whether it looked younger, well I guess I'll have to try it a bit longer to check that out! ;)

All in all I would say that the products are lovely. They sink smoothly into your skin and are definitely worth a night in to try them out. I am intrigued to try the Champagne & Spice Moisturiser but I think, at the moment, it'll have to go on my Christmas list (hubby, if you're reading this....).

I love the brand and the products, and Betty has been great to deal with, I would defintiely buy these products in the future & am looking forward to seeing what other products they develop.

(All images taken from www.bettyhula.co.uk © Betty Hula.)