Gratitude Journal: December

gratitude
/ noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

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December went by tremendously fast and looking back over some of these highlights they don’t seem like they were only a couple of weeks ago. December mainly involved shopping, eating and felt quite hectic if I’m honest. The holiday break at the end of the month was nice and it meant I could wind down and get ready for the new year.

Here’s what made me smile in December:

December 1: Rose gold nails.

December 2: Watched the Santa parade after work.

December 3: So much sleep today.

December 4: Smashed out 50 squats after not doing them in forever.

December 5: Bought OPI’s Tiramisu For Two.

December 6: Sugar Plum by Revlon is so pretty.

December 7: All caught up with I’m a Celeb, gutted Vanessa is out.

December 8: I liked the rain today.

December 9: Nachos for dinner.

December 10: Put up the Christmas tree.

December 11: Pretty Little Liars is back.

December 12: Started another Poirot book.

December 13: Purple lip!

December 14: Fun evening getting ready to go shopping.

December 15: Ate too many Celebrations chocolates but I enjoyed them.

December 16: Reunited with him.

December 17: So proud I didn’t nap this afternoon.

December 18: FaceTime chat with my brother.

December 19: Wore a sparkly cardigan.

December 20: My good vibes playlist picked me back up again.

December 21: Love my Christmas nails!

December 22: Work breakfast and Secret Santa gift exchange – I got pink makeup.

December 23: Sweetcorn for dinner.

December 24: Relaxed day involving lots of reading.

December 25: Received lovely presents and had a nice day.

December 26: Big sleep in.

December 27: Got complimented on my lipstick; Show Orchid by MAC.

December 28: Highest number of daily views on my blog since it started back in 2014!

December 29: Omelette for breakfast.

December 30: Why are leggings so comfortable?

December 31: Pizza and movie night.

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What were you grateful for in December?

P.S. Please let me know if you want these posts to continue in 2018.

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Gratitude Journal: November

gratitude
/ noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

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November feels like it was more of a slower pace compared to some other months this year. I started watching a couple of new shows and finished a few others. The weather is definitely warming up (bring back the cold I say) and I made a start on my Christmas shopping. I’ve pretty much just got my boyfriend left so any suggestions for gifts are welcome!

Here’s what made me smile in November:

November 1: Looking forward to my sleep in in the morning.

November 2: Had a fun afternoon shopping.

November 3: Naked Attraction is becoming a guilty pleasure. I blame Zalfie.

November 4: Sparkly pink lips!

November 5: My lunch was so yummy; pie and chips.

November 6: The final of Doctor Foster was gripping.

November 7: Rocked a red lip!

November 8: Loving a smokey eye lately.

November 9: Did some Christmas shopping online.

November 10: Chilled kind of productive day all in one.

November 11: Revlon’s Black Cherry lipstick was a winner with the boyfriend.

November 12: Apple crumble for dessert.

November 13: Good mail day!

November 14: One of my Christmas presents arrived; the Morphe Copper Spice palette.

November 15: Won a prize in Lotto!

November 16: Started a new book.

November 17: Painted my nails using Bahama Mama by Essie.

November 18: Nice to wear a skirt for a change.

November 19: Pizza is a good time.

November 20: Dannii For Target clothing day.

November 21: Wore my hair in a bun.

November 22: Glitter lips.

November 23: When you’re frustrated and your boyfriend makes you feel better.

November 24: Getting into I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, mainly watching for Vanessa.

November 25: My Shania Twain album bundle finally arrived.

November 26: Quick road trip with the boyfriend.

November 27: Bought Dua Lipa’s album, been listening on Spotify but it’s nice to have my own copy.

November 28: Helped with a computer class at work, the people were very appreciative.

November 29: Agatha Christie mystery on TV.

November 30: iTunes clean ups are so satisfying.

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What were you grateful for in November?

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Gratitude Journal: October

gratitude
/ noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

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It seems as though October has been a cross between online shopping/spending and reading books. My brother came down for a long weekend and we ended up going shopping which also resulted in me purchasing things. I was good on the makeup front thought, I only bought one eyeshadow. October flew by so fast and I can’t believe it’s only two months until Christmas!

Here’s what made me smile in October:

October 1: One year exactly since I saw Ellie Goulding in concert.

October 2: Zayn Malik’s voice is gorgeous.

October 3: Did over 13,000 steps today!

October 4: Fish and chips for dinner.

October 5: Getting my hair done always makes me happy!

October 6: Ordered another pair of dungarees.

October 7: When Claire Richards likes your comment and replies on Instagram.

October 8: Afternoon of reading.

October 9: Loving Sunny Seoul from MAC lately.

October 10: Una (from The Saturdays) liked my birthday tweet to her!

October 11: Cute wake up call from my cat.

October 12: Mary-Lou arrived!

October 13: Big Little Lies is good. 

October 14: A MAC Show Orchid day.

October 15: When your boyfriend makes dinner for you.

October 16: I love finding new books to read!

October 17: Leftover pizza and garlic bread for lunch.

October 18: Pink Opal by Max Factor is really very pretty.

October 19: Today’s makeup was on point!

October 20: So happy with my dungarees, only took three tries!

October 21: Watched an Alan Carr comedy show on TV, he is so funny!

October 22: Bought some cute craft paper.

October 23: Left over butter chicken for lunch.

October 24: My signed copy of the Steps album re-release is on it’s way.

October 25: Bright pink lip day, I have a lot of those!

October 26: Listened to some music throwbacks today: Vanessa Amorosi and Adam Rickitt.

October 27: Spent most of the day in bed, it was cold.

October 28: Got to see my favourite person after a week!

October 29: Sitting with a warm blanket makes me feel cosy.

October 30: Pink sparkly eyeshadow matches ones of my scrunchies. 

October 31: My Feel Unique order finally arrived! 

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What were you grateful for in October?

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Gratitude Journal: September

gratitude
/ noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

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Health was at the centre of most days in September. I didn’t feel the best but I am on the mend slowly – I explained more in my September Favourites. (Please read if you haven’t already). There were also two big events in September, it was my boyfriend’s birthday and my aunt had a heart operation after getting put off and cancelled numerous times. I’m proud I was there for her and I know she is grateful.

Here’s what made me smile in September:

September 1: So nice to see my old work mates.

September 2: Bakery treats.

September 3: Waking up to weekend cuddles.

September 4: Good hair day.

September 5: There’s no place like home!

September 6: Relaxing afternoon in bed reading.

September 7: Brainstorming session for the blog.

September 8: First coffee in a little while. 

September 9: Navy blue fluffy jumper loving. (The one featured in my September Favourites).

September 10: Trip to the cinema to see IT.

September 11: My favourite BBQ Rodeo burgers from Burger King for lunch.

September 12: Chatty phone call with my brother.

September 13: First time wearing a bold lip at my new job.

September 14: Nachos for dinner.

September 15: The sun was out in full force.

September 16: Treated myself to Dominos after work.

September 17: I love my boyfriend SO MUCH! (Soppy highlight).

September 18: Painting my nails is one of my favourite things.

September 19: Afternoon mocha  ☕️

September 20: When you’re not well it’s important to take time out for yourself.

September 21: Blew up 25+ balloons. It’s not the blowing but the tying that’s hard work!

September 22: Berry lip day.

September 23: Boyfriend’s birthday celebrations.

September 24: Chilled Sunday complete with nap.

September 25: First day at work after completing training. 

September 26: Wore a new Juicy Couture perfume for the first time.

September 27: Blue lipstick day.

September 28: Spent the morning shopping.

September 29: Shania Twain album day!

September 30: People who compliment your perfume are the nicest!

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What were you grateful for in September?

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Gratitude Journal: August

gratitude
/ noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

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Compared to July I have felt in control of my emotions and been happy on the whole. I am still getting my head around having free time in the afternoons (which I didn’t have with my old job) and how best to fill it but everything will settle down over the next few weeks. I am enjoying my new job which is the most important thing!

Here’s what made me smile in August:

August 1: Lots of cuddles, lucky me!

August 2: Getting better with the manual settings on my DSLR.

August 3: Afternoon Tea by Tanya Burr ❤

August 4: My boyfriend visited at work and stayed for an hour.

August 5: Big changes are a happening!

August 6: Nescafé’s Vanilla Lattes are delicious! I’m not a coffee drinker but I could get into them.

August 7: Fancy underwear day. No occasion, just felt like it.

August 8: Cheeky, happy mood.

August 9: Vanilla ice cream!

August 10: When the name of your lipstick reflects how you feel that day; Brave by MAC.

August 11: Wore a ring I bought yesterday for the first time and it is stunning!

August 12: I love mum’s homemade hot chips.

August 13: One more week of work!

August 14: Got some photographs done for my secret project.

August 15: Jeans and jumper day.

August 16: Had my hair braided by my boyfriend’s mum. I wish I could braid my own hair, French and Dutch braids are so pretty.

August 17: Last 10 hour Thursday at my current job!

August 18: Surprise gifts from work colleagues – so thoughtful!

August 19: Got given a chocolate cake.

August 20: Lots of hugs today, end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one.

August 21: Made an omelette for breakfast and it was tasty.

August 22: Jigsaw filled morning.

August 23: First day at my new job.

August 24: Such nice sunny weather.

August 25: My Dannii For Target top matched my lipstick.

August 26: Not often I get to see my boyfriend at the weekend.

August 27: Felt like pizza for lunch so that’s what I had!

August 28: Uploaded photos to Google Drive to clear space on my phone.

August 29: Picked up some chocolatey treats in the supermarket; Maltesers and a chocolate caramel muffin.

August 30: Heard I’m doing well at the Library and picking things up quickly.

August 31: Carbonara for lunch. 

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What were you grateful for in August?

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Gratitude Journal: July

gratitude
/ noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

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I honestly don’t know how to sum up July. Part of me feels like it has passed quickly but then part of me also remembers these memories/highlights very clearly. I treated myself to new items this month, a DSLR was the big one but I also bought clothes and makeup. My emotions have been weird which is why I’m not sure what to say about July. I’m glad it’s over I guess?!

Here’s what made me smile in July:

July 1: When you get given chocolate cake at work.

July 2: Finished another jigsaw puzzle.

July 3: Kitty cuddles in bed.

July 4: When your boyfriend sees a ‘Tag a girl who looks beautiful without makeup’ meme on Facebook and says, “you” – he’s so sweet!

July 5: Unexpected trip to the MAC counter, came away with two items.

July 6: Thought provoking chats with the boyfriend.

July 7: After researching DSLRs for the past week and a bit I keep going back to the Canon 700D.

July 8: The Body Shop’s Cocoa Butter body butter smells delicious – almost like chocolate!

July 9: Wore Show Orchid for the second time and I’ve only had it four days.

July 10: Butter chicken leftovers for lunch.

July 11: Rose gold eyeshadow.

July 12: Wearing a bright pink fluffy robe on a cold evening.

July 13: Finally caved and bought the Canon 700D camera – can’t wait to use it!

July 14: Had a hot chocolate made for me at work.

July 15: Up to date with PointlessBlogVlog’s videos… again. Sometimes I fall behind but I catch up eventually.

July 16: Out of work on time and ready for my days off after working six days (52 hours) in a row!

July 17: Got to see my love for the first time in a week.

July 18: My camera arrived!

July 19: Wearing a pair of ponte pants I bought yesterday.

July 20: Chenille cardigan arrived, it’s so soft and warm!

July 21: I blimmin’ love Show Orchid!

July 22: Took my first photo for the blog with my camera. (The photo in my July Favourites 2017 post).

July 23: Changing into comfy clothes after work is such a relaxing feeling.

July 24: Pepperoni pizza for lunch.

July 25: Cuddles when you feel sad help you feel better.

July 26: Louie Spence on The Chase is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a while.

July 27: Kept myself busy meaning the day passed quicker. Burger King for dinner was also a treat!

July 28: Wore my go to lip colour and eyeshadow today, such a winning combination.

July 29: Steps were on New Zealand TV!

July 30: Bought a very bling nail polish on my lunch break; Glow Your Own Way by Essie.

July 31: Ticking tasks off to do lists is rewarding.

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What were you grateful for in July?

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What I Did With My Time Off

By the time you’re reading this I will have already been back at work a week. I took a week off at the start of June and it was a much needed break. It’s my first real time off in almost a year and it was bliss! Prior to my time off I made a list of what I wanted to achieve and I managed to complete all of it… almost. Hope you enjoy the post!

Haircut

The last time I had my hair cut was October 2016, so a tidy up was long overdue. The salon I normally go to hasn’t impressed me the past couple of times so I went back to a salon I’d tried a few years ago. I got layers put in rather than have my hair one length how it usually is. The hairdresser did a lovely job and although my hair seems short at the moment it will grow back soon enough, plus, I really like it. I did share my new hair on Instagram and I’ve attached an image in case you don’t follow me/haven’t seen it. My instagram name is chanellehayley_ – follow me and I might just follow you back! 😉

Tidy Up Loose Ends

I’d been meaning to clean windows for my mum for a little while and I wanted to do it on the very first day to get it over and done with. The weather was wet and gloomy and the rain provided a nice backdrop for the cleaning.

One of the items in my latest ASOS order was a wrong send so I had to pop to the post office and send it back. The return service is done online and it’s really easy. It’s also free which is even better! The parcel is tracked and you can view progress online so you know exactly where it is. I’m gutted I didn’t receive the correct jumper and my size is out of stock so I can’t re-order, perhaps it’s not meant to be?

The zip pouch in my handbag where I keep my phone has had a rip in it for months and I finally got around to fixing it. Now nothing can fall through.

Shopping

I only went shopping once during my time away from work and I didn’t splurge at all (I hardly ever do!) I was on the hunt for B vitamins as I have been feeling stressed/tired lately and so far they are working wonders! I bought shampoo and conditioner minis to keep at my boyfriend’s and they smell divine. I’ve wanted to try OGX’s shampoo/conditioner for ages but the big bottles are so expensive at the supermarket. I also bought some underwear and socks, (essentials right?!) and a couple of books to take to work to read.

Motion Entertainment Centre

Late last year an entertainment centre opened about 5 minutes from where I live and my boyfriend and I made plans to go along and try out a couple of activities. We did Escape Masters and ten pin bowling. Escape Masters involves being locked in a themed room and using clues and brainteasers to open locks and ultimately escape from the room. There is a time limit of 60 minutes. My boyfriend and I took 70 minutes but that was on medium difficulty and we wasted the first 10 minutes figuring out what to do. I was absolutely hopeless at ten pin bowling, I scored less than 50 points for the whole game but I did manage to get an 8 and a 2 in one round. We want to go back and try mini golf next.

trip to the snow (sort of)

My boyfriend’s parents thought it would be nice to take me on a trip to see some ‘proper’ snow. I was wrapped up in my puffa jacket and warm clothes, we set off early and the weather looked promising but on arrival mist and cloud had set in and there was no snow to be seen. Hopefully we’ll go again soon and be more successful.

Chill

As well as planning out the things I wanted to do I also took time to chill out and take it easy. I had a few sleeps ins and lazy days. I caught up on a bunch of YouTube videos in my ‘Watch Later’ list, started a jigsaw puzzle and sang/listened to music.

Overall, I had a wonderful time and the weather (apart from the snow day outing) was just as wonderful, there was lots of sunshine which made me happy.

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Is there anything you like to do when you have extra time off work? How do you spend your days?

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January Favourites 2017

Hey everybody! Can you believe we are already one twelfth of the way through 2017?! This year will be my third doing monthly favourites but it feels like yesterday since my first favourites post. This month has been eventful to say the least and as a result I only have a few new favourites. I’m hoping to get back into more regular beauty blogging in February and I’ve already got post ideas in mind.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. kikki.K Gratitude Journal – I purchased this little journal in 2015 to record my happiness highlights in. It has three sections to a page so I plan to record my highlight of the day for the next three years. It’s compact in size and it will be lovely to look back on and read over in the years to come. The fact it’s pink totally didn’t influence me to buy it at all…

2. The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick in Passionate Pink – I mentioned this lipstick earlier in the month as part of my HUGE birthday haul from The Body Shop. Pinks make up the bulk of my lipstick collection but this one is most certainly the brightest! I like the simple packaging with the bright coloured lid and the quality of the lipstick. The formula is not drying at all, the pigmentation is outstanding and the lipstick has a nice, subtle scent to it. This has been popped into my favourite things makeup bag as I see myself reaching for this a lot.

3. Britney Spears Private Show Perfume – This was a Christmas present from my mum and it smells absolutely delicious – I even got told that by a work colleague! I like the circular shape of the bottle and how you can clearly see how much perfume is left. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is my favourite Britney Spears perfume out of the ones I’ve owned. This is quite sweet and girly, but it still feels sophisticated.

4. The Body Shop Honey Bronzer – 01 Light Matte – This bronzer is a bit of a rediscovery. I purchased it around this time last year and I forgot how much I like it until a couple of weeks ago. I hadn’t been using bronzer throughout spring and summer but I was doing my makeup and felt like my face was missing something, this was it! I use the lightest shade but it gives the prettiest sheen to my skin and never makes me look orange or muddy. Oh Honey Bronzer, how I’ve missed you!

January’s Spotify Playlist:

This playlist has uptempo tracks as well as a little country, folky vibe.

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What were your favourite things in January?

What I Eat In a Week

Seeing as I received so much positive feedback when I gave you a look inside my blog planner last week I thought you might also enjoy seeing inside my food diary. I began documenting my meals in 2014 and have been doing so for the best part of two years. (There were a few months from September 2015 – January 2016 where it fell by the wayside but other than that I’ve kept it up).

I initially started recording what I ate in an effort to be more healthy and it does work. For example, if you eat an apple you feel good about writing it down but if all you’ve eaten that day is chocolate it does make you feel slightly guilty. Of course that’s not to say you can’t indulge and have a treat now and again but I like the control it gives, it tests my willpower and makes me feel good knowing I have a balanced diet. As you will see my diet isn’t ‘perfect’ and hasn’t been the best these past few weeks but I’m still getting over being sick and working my way back into an eating plan and exercise routine. I also record any exercise I do but as you will see again, there hasn’t been a lot of that happening either.

My current food diary.

Like my blog planner I use Typo’s Spinout notebooks. They come in a range of patterns and designs and they feature an elastic closure and the pages are lined. I find the A5 size perfect for using as a food diary and I can normally fit a week’s worth of food across a double page spread. These notebooks last me around eight months so it’s exceptional value. Typo quite often have offers on these notebooks as well – I always try to pick a couple up when I see a cover or quote I really like.

I use Paper Mate InkJoy pens to colour code.

Also, like my blog planner I colour code. I use light blue for the day/date at the start of each day and for recording all my food and exercise. I also record the times I eat and times I exercise; orange for food, green for exercise. I record the number of minutes I exercise for in purple and the amount of calories I’ve burnt in pink. (The calories only get recorded when I Exercycle as it has a calorie counter).

      

Click images to enlarge. (Sorry about the quality, we’ve had gloomy mornings all week).

Although I record what I eat one thing I would like to try is meal planning. That would help me stick to a schedule and make it less likely for me to be tempted by goodies and treats. If you have any further questions or would like me to clarify anything, leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!

Brand Focus: kikki.K

Helloooo! Even before I started blogging I was a huge fan of stationery, looking at it, shopping for it and buying it. A couple of years ago I discovered kikki.K, a brand founded by self confessed stationery lover Kristina Karlsson. kikki.K aims to follow the Swedish design principles of form and function whilst providing stationery, gifts and organisation solutions. Kristina believes being organised in style helps you achieve a sense of well-being which improves quality of life.

kikki.K have recently opened a pop up store in London as well as announcing the opening of a permanent store on James Street. kikki.K inspires creativity; whether you love capturing and sharing special moments, creating an inspiring home or workspace or fulfilling your love of pen and paper.

I have purchased a number of things from kikki.K and had items gifted to me over the past couple of years. kikki.K oozes quality, style and sophistication and is easily one of my favourite brands! kikki.K regularly come out with new collections, which is perfect if you like to mix and match your stationery. Each collection reflects a different personality.

Today I will be giving you a rundown on the items I own and sharing my love for the brand. Links will be provided to all products available on kikki-k.com.

1. Page Markers | Cute collection – RRP: $4.90

These page markers were my first ever kikki.K purchase. They make handy bookmarks, page markers for studying and you could even try using them as fridge magnets as they are magnetic.

2. Mini Daily Planner Pad | Cute collection – RRP: $9.90

If you have a busy day planned or an event coming up you need to plan for these pads are really helpful. They help you break down what you need to prioritise, make sure you keep your fluids up with a water tracker and include a space to write down a daily treat, we all need a bit of ‘me time’.

3. Printed Notepad | Cute collection – RRP: $16.90

Firstly, I love the thickness and quality of this paper. Each kikki.K notepad comes with 120 pages and features blank, ruled, and lined paper allowing you to choose whichever you need. The designs on this notepad include fruit, weather and animals.

4. Everyday Gel Pen | Live Bright collection – RRP: $4.90

I love the array of different designs these gel pens come in. The Live Bright collection is no longer available but when it was out the pink, lilac and gold tones were right up my street! I liked the simplicity of this design and how ‘Live Bright’ also acts as a positive affirmation.

5. Ballpoint Pen Refills 4pk – RRP: $5.90

What’s even better about kikki.K’s gel pens is that they are refillable. I purchased a pack of refills when I made an online order last year and I actually haven’t even finished the original ink in my gel pen yet. I really like the ink, it dries quickly and doesn’t smudge.

6. Weekly Habits Pad | Inspiration collection – RRP: $6.90

I received this as a present from my brother about six months ago and it’s genius lies in it’s simplicity. I am very much a routine person and like habit. If I want to cut out chocolate and potato chips for example, I use this to see how many days in a week I can go without them.

7. Food & Exercise Journal | Inspiration collection – RRP: $22.90

This is another present from my brother but I haven’t used this journal yet. I currently record my food and exercise in one of Typo’s A5 spinout notebooks and once I’ve reached the end of that I’ll look at giving this journal a go.

8. A5 Life Journal | Inspiration collection – RRP: $29.90

I purchased this journal back in July and it is the most beautiful colour. The gold lettering also makes it look more expensive than it is. My aim for this journal is to write in it every day before I go to bed as a way to unwind and get rid of the day’s thoughts. I started off really well but writing in it daily has fallen by the wayside. I need to get back into it as it’s nice to have an empty mind and leave the day behind before going to bed.

If you get the chance to visit a kikki.K shop don’t pass up the opportunity! Everything is incredibly beautiful and you won’t regret it. If there’s not a store near you, you can always take a look at their website. kikki.K ship internationally and the blog part of the site offers information about the brand and shows you how to use their products.