Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kim Cattrall in 'Sex and the City' © Alamy
It's 2021 and I have never watched Sex And The City... I have never watched Friends either, but that's a story for another day.
Somehow I have completely avoided this show, it just never appealed to me. But in the depths of my lockdown boredom (and because I've watched everything on Netflix) I decided it was time to give it a go. Long story short, I loved every second and I can't believe I've spent all this time ignoring it when I could have joined the gang of people who frequently rewatch! In the spirit of Carrie the columnist I took a few notes as I made my way through the season, and here they are in the order I wrote them in.
I kind of want all of the outfits
I'm calling it now, these are the looks that are about to come back in! I love watching old shows for fashion inspiration, especially as we are currently going through a major 90's and 2000's fashion moment in 2021. I found myself pausing frequently to get a quick photo of outfits, including those of the dreaded NYC models, sorry Carrie but I love them. After I watch this season I'm going to work my way through The Nanny (Fran Drescher is QUEEN) and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air solely for looks to add to my Pinterest boards.
Mr Big would get it
Ok ok I get it now, I'm team Mr Big. I'm into it. He has vibes and I want him and Carrie to be end game... but also, see my last thought lol
I'm so glad I'm watching this in my 30s
This is just so relevant to where I am in life right now! I'm really glad I waited to watch this because there's so much I can relate to now that I wouldn't have been able to relate to 10 years ago. I'm heavily invested in all the topics that come up and have been in so many of the same situations. Also, there's so much inspiration I can take from this show for my own life and I'm finding it so inspiring.
Should I just blog like Carrie?
I won't lie, I've felt stagnant when it comes to blogging for years now. Don't get me wrong I love a product review, but I don't want my blog to only be reviews. This year-long lockdown we've experienced also hasn't helped as ALBOE is a London and lifestyle blog and I haven't been able to enjoy either. Watching Carrie run with so many topics and take inspiration from everything around her for her column has really inspired me. I've loved watching her work and it's really lit a fire under me to create more content for this site. As soon as lockdown ends I can't wait to be running around London Carrie style and sharing it all with you! This is what ALBOE is truly meant to be and who knew all I needed to do was watch SATC to get my mojo back?
Brunch Lunch and Dinner is about to get fancy
In the past I've saved the best places for date nights, but moving forward I'll be saving them for the girls. I've already warned my close friends that Pret a Manger is dead to me. There will be no more catching up over coffee, we're all catching up at the hottest new restaurants in town now. Launch parties, new rooftop bars and pop-up events get ready, I'm coming for you all. Spending the last year indoors has made me realize I need to experience London for everything it has, so I plan on going full SATC London edition once everything reopens.
Is Carrie really the main character when Samantha is right there?!
Ok yes, I know Carrie is the main character... but Samantha is an icon! Carrie may be the princess but Samantha is my queen. Charlotte is stunning (omg so pretty!) with such girl next door vibes and Miranda is strong independent career woman goals. Dare I say it but, Carrie is my least favourite character so far. Don't get me wrong I still like her, but wow what a strong set of women characters! I love it.
Am I really going to have to watch Mr Big be a fuckboy for 6 seasons and 2 movies?!
Even before I gave season 1 a watch I knew about Carrie and Big. Anyone with internet access (or even just magazine access) knows they are THE on-again-off-again couple and I'm not even sure if they're together now in 2021? Season 1 gave me strong 'Big is a fuckboy' vibes but I must say, I've started season 2 already and now I'm side-eyeing Carrie a lot. But regardless of who the problem is, does this really go on and on for 6 seasons?! I'm already over it, just get married, you're clearly end game
Overall I loved the season. I related so much and it honestly lifted my spirits and inspired me to see 4 strong 30 something women living their best city lives. Passing 30 as a woman is weird because although I see no difference in myself the world seems to think I've died? There are so many strong opinions on what 30+ women should be doing, saying, wearing, and sharing. It was so nice to escape that and step into a world where 30+ women are absolutely thriving and are single & fabulous! Exclamation mark intended, if you know you know.
Until next time, J xx
SUGAR CRUSH - the one for lime lovers
Let's start with the most popular one. So many people have recommended this to me and I knew from the second I opened it that it was because of the scent. The lime smells amazing and it's the closest thing I've smelt to a mojito style cocktail in months, thanks lockdown. I had really high hopes, but this is definitely my least favourite. Of all three it has the runniest consistency, the least scrub power and if it wasn't for the scent I wouldn't rate it much. Such a shame! But if you're into citrus scents you will love this, and it's a great smell to wake up to.
FLAKE AWAY - the one for moisture lovers
I definitely prefer this to the lime one, but it's still not doing it for me in the scrub power department. One department it does win in though is the moisturising one. Of all three I found this one the most moisturising, so if you have dry skin you'll love it. It also smells divine! This is exactly the scent I would associate classic Soap & Glory products with and of all three this one's scent holds on my skin the longest. I think some of the scrubby bits in this are too big though. They are not small enough to do much for me, but remember, my scrub standards are high! For the average person this will probably be fine.
BREAKFAST SCRUB - the one for exfoliation lovers
As expected Breakfast Scrub is the absolute king of Soap & Glory scrubs and I will not be told otherwise. It is the PERFECT consistency to give you a powerful scrub that gives instant results. It stays on the skin whilst you're rubbing it in (rather than slipping off after a few rubs) and smells absolutely fantastic. It literally makes me hungry every time I open it because the smell is that good. The thicker consistency means you use less product, and while the other two scrubs are almost empty after this experiment this tub is still going strong.
So overall, another day has gone by and I still haven't found a better body scrub than Breakfast Scrub. I'm open to suggestions though so comment your favourite below!
All are available at boots in the UK (click here) and Ulta in the US (click here)
Until next time, J xx
My daily skincare starts with cleansing in the shower. It’s got to be quick, it’s got to be easy and it’s got to be affordable. Don’t get me wrong, I love a luxury cleanser, but I tend to save those for days where I’m wearing a full face of makeup, and these days that's never.
I’ve been trying drugstore brands (stuff I can find during the weekly Tesco shop lol) over the past 6 months and to be honest none of them left me wanting to buy again. So I decided to broaden my horizons and have a browse through some Korean beauty cleansers. That’s when I found Nature Republic’s Snail Solution Foam Cleanser face wash.
It’s £12 a tube but the amount you get vs the tiny amount you use every day makes this worth every penny! It’s going to last me ages and when you take that into consideration this is a bargain buy.
It’s a cream to foam formula which you only need a pea-sized amount of to cleanse your whole face. Apparently it’s vanilla scented, but personally I thought it was unscented as it only smells like soap to me. The lather it creates is thick, luxurious, and easily comparable to high-end brands. I would have happily paid more for this, but luckily I didn’t have to.
It’s formulated with snail secretion. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s the slime that snails leave behind when they move. Don’t worry it’s purified before being added to products and its benefits for the skin are endless. It’s known for repairing skin damage, fighting blemishes, evening skin tone, tightening skin, boosting elastin and collagen production, and more! If this doesn’t sound like the perfect way to start your skincare every day I don’t know what does.
p.s. I’m a huge lover of K Beauty products so if you have any favourites you think I should try let me know in a comment below!
It’s a cream to foam formula which you only need a pea-sized amount of to cleanse your whole face. Apparently it’s vanilla scented, but personally I thought it was unscented as it only smells like soap to me. The lather it creates is thick, luxurious, and easily comparable to high-end brands. I would have happily paid more for this, but luckily I didn’t have to.
It’s formulated with snail secretion. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s the slime that snails leave behind when they move. Don’t worry it’s purified before being added to products and its benefits for the skin are endless. It’s known for repairing skin damage, fighting blemishes, evening skin tone, tightening skin, boosting elastin and collagen production, and more! If this doesn’t sound like the perfect way to start your skincare every day I don’t know what does.
My skin (oily combo) has been absolutely loving it. I’ve also noticed fewer breakouts and more oil control whilst using it, plus it’s never dried me out! It’s become my go-to cleanser and I haven’t even been tempted to look at others since switching to this. So if you’re looking for an affordable addition to your skincare routine I highly recommend giving this a go.
UK link - https://amzn.to/3umkGpc
US link - https://amzn.to/3pjlJT7
p.s. I’m a huge lover of K Beauty products so if you have any favourites you think I should try let me know in a comment below!
Until next time, J xx
After trying Femme Luxe clothing myself and loving them I decided to put my sister to work to find out what she thought of the brand too. We have different body types (she's a baddie with curves whilst I'm more on the basic side lol) so she was the perfect candidate to test the clothes and give another view on the quality and design of them. Here's what she picked and all of her thoughts:
THE BLACK DRESS
"I really love this dress! It's a nice fabric that feels great and it's not see through. My only complaint is at the top there is no boning to support the design so the fabric has a tendency to fold over a bit instead of sitting up how it should. But overall I love the dress, it fits my body like a glove"
THE TAN DRESS
"No faults here! The fabric feels great and expensive. The cinching is a great detail and the dress sits on my body perfectly"
THE WHITE DRESS
"I love the way the neckline of this dress fits me and the long sleeve design is great. Unfortunately though this dress is quite see through. It has extra lining on the chest area but not the rest of the dress. I don't mind and will wear a slip or something underneath, but the see through detail is worth mentioning because it's not for everyone"
THE ROSE GOLD TOP
"This top fits great! It's not something I would normally chose but I've ended up loving it. the fabric does not feel itchy which is good considering its a metallic fabric. This to me is the perfect festival crop top"
Overall this is another great review for Femme Luxe! We both really enjoy the items we chose from them and would happily shop there again. If you spotted anything you like you can find everything on the below links:
Also big thanks to my sister Renee for testing them out and giving her honest reviews! Make sure you check her out on instagram @reneestone_ and @glambyrenee
Until next time, J xx
If there's one thing Instagram is great at its targeted ads. I don't know how they do it but they've figured out exactly what I love and I struggle to scroll through that app without seeing something I want to buy. After months of the app teasing me with these bags I finally cracked and made an order from Friday by JW Pei and boy was I not disappointed!
If you follow any fashion influencers it's likely you've already seen these bags. Their simple and chic design is a hit with many making them hard to miss. They have frequent sales too which is fab and when I saw an offer that lowered the price to around £25 per bag instead of £89 I knew it was time to treat myself.
I went for the mini flap bag in dark green and brown croc. They come with a thick shorter strap but some colours also have a thin long strap available too which is my personal preference. The thick shorter strap is nice but personally I prefer something a bit more classic like the long strap. Also as a tall girl I find short straps always come up a bit tight on me, unless they are adjustable which this one is not.
I wasn't expecting much considering I got these for around £25 but the quality is great! The material is thick and sturdy, the interior has multiple compartments and the hardware is lovely. It's also holding up really well considering the brown one has been my everyday bag for months. It still looks barely used and the gold embossed logo on the front hasn't faded at all. It's also worth noting that these bags are made from vegan leather and recycled plastic.
Inside consists of two compartments, each with their own side pocket. One has a zip and the other is an open top. The straps are detachable and the hardware on them is engraved with a JW Pei logo. Each bag also has a high quality latch at the front which I've never had an issue with, unlike some other bags I own.
I got a few extra straps too which I love and can also use with bags I already have. I need to give a special mention to the gold chain strap because it's absolutely gorgeous in person and has a nice weight to it which is what I look for in chain straps. Unfortunately the straps don't come in any special packaging, but the bags come with a dust bag and marble print box which is a fab bonus.
If I'm being honest, I already know I want to order another (the ice croc line is to die for!) but there's definitely a few cons to these that are worth mentioning...
Firstly the long thin adjustable strap is not available in all colours. I find this so annoying because I prefer this strap by far and would have already bought more colours if this was available. Secondly the croc print is a different shape on a lot of the bags. Again, this isn't really a problem, but I'm picky and have a preference.
As you can see though my complaints are minor, so if you're considering buying one of these I still recommend you do. I adore mine and the second they release that thin strap in more colours I won't be able to resist ordering more!
Until next time, J xx
If there's one thing I can't stop buying right now it's skincare. I mean, what else is there to do during lockdown other than pamper yourself? So here's two quick reviews on my newest face mask buys from The Body Shop
Let's start with the Nicaraguan Intense Coffee Awakening Mask
As a lover of Bean Body's coffee exfoliating face scrub, I thought this mask would be right up my street. But much to my surprise I'm not that keen.
The mask has a gel like consistency which warms on your skin. The smell is a gorgeous coffee scent and there's a good amount of exfoliating pieces that give you a nice scrub when washing it off. My skin did feel fresh and clean afterwards but I didn't get much glow. The reason I'm not keen on the mask though is that it left my face feeling quite sensitive to the touch. I did leave the mask on for longer than recommended so this could be my own doing, but overall I just don't feel like it agreed with me.
The Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask however was a completely different experience...
I was drawn to this mask because of its pollution clearing claims. As someone who lives in a dirty city that really appealed to me and this mask did not disappoint. It's a creamy mask that felt great on my skin and the results left my face feeling calm, moisturised and like I'd just had a spa facial. Whenever I use this I can't help but touch my face afterwards. It's so soft to the touch and has a lovely glow. Of the two it's clear this mask is my favourite and I can see myself buying it again soon.
One thing I loved about both though is that they are available in mini sizes. The regular sized pots are £18 each which has always put me off because that's almost £20 wasted if you don't end up liking it. The mini pots are just £6 each and I reckon you can get up to 5 uses out of them, which is great for the price!
If you've tried any of The Body Shops face masks before let me know! I'll definitely be ordering more minis soon and could use some inspiration.
Until next time, J xx
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