The Approaching of Autumn.

With Autumn fast approaching (where has the time gone!) I have found myself thinking a lot, especially of all the changes I am going to, or need to make for the change in season. Skincare, haircare food & exercise clothes, it seems the list really does go on.

For instance, my skin really hates the cold weather. I have mentioned in one of my previous posts that I stopped using Liz Earle's 3 step skincare pack, and I really don't understand why! It really did not do me any good.

I began using some Soap & Glory products that I received last Christmas, and while I like Soap & Glory, I have found some of their products really do not suit my skin. In particular their hand wash. The skin on the back of my hands became red, itchy, sore and flaky. Their 6 in 1 moisturiser also affected my skin, leaving my face with itchy, red bumps.

So I am back to Liz Earle. I have found that the Liz Earle skincare range is particularly effective on my skin during the colder weather, especially the moisturiser. It has taken me a long time to realise that the Skin Repair moisturiser is the one for me. I previously thought this on Clinique's Moisture Surge, but I wouldn't rule it out completely for purchasing again.

I have also had a bit of a over haul of my haircare. I got my hair cut shorter that I would normally go about a year ago, and have maintained it at that length, but recently I have noticed it getting increasingly dryer. The colder weather tends to play some havoc with my hair, so recently switched over to Tresemme. I have never tried this brand before, for some reason it just never really appealed to me, but I have tried most others, and for the past few months have been sticking to John Frieda's Liquid Shine Brunette range. I am currently using the Salon Silk range.

I have never been one for using "after wash" products, the only thing would be a heat protection spray before straightening. But back to Liz Earle, who recently launched their Botanical Shine Nourishing Hair Oil. Being a bit of a sucker for the blurb in emails singing the praises of new products, I bought it following the launch email from Liz Earle. I have tried other hair oils, such as the Macadamia oil, and hated it! So my opinion of hair low wasn't all that great, but I was pleasantly surprised, and look forward to seeing the results during the colder weather.

I never give any thought to pre-Summer diets and exercise regimes, I am the kind of girl that just likes to go with the flow. But it is slowly dawning on me that the boyfriend and I will be in Florida this time next year, and unfortunately a year doesn't seem as long as a year anymore!

I am lucky in the fact that my boyfriend likes to keep fit, and when we bought our house last year he also bought a Cross Trainer - something that I managed to use the grand total of about 1.5 hours in the year we have had it. Today, we have worked out a timetable on who uses it to encourage me onto it, which, for the time being, I have every intention of sticking too!

As for diets...I am no good at sticking to them so I have decided not to fool myself by starting yet another diet. But I am going to be more choosey and selective about what I eat. Autumn and Winter is a great time for me to put my cooking and baking skills to use. I love making casseroles, soups & stews, breads, pies...all the foods you can associate with cold, wintery weather. This blog was started with the idea of sharing recipes with you, and that is what I am going to do, especially over the Winter months you will see lots of warming and comforting recipes.

As some of you may now, I had a different blog a couple of years ago, which I really enjoyed, but after some time, I stopped. I have been gone about 1.5 - 2 years. During the past few months I have been really wanting to get back into it. I enjoyed it, and loved having my own space to write.

This blog is very different from the last. It feels more grown-up, more mature. I originally intended on lifestyle & food blogging, but I have found myself increasingly drawn back to also writing some beauty posts.

Which leads me to a question. I used to subscribe to the Glossy Box, which I loved. It was like getting a present in the post from a distant friend. Not knowing what you will find & discover inside, with the possibility of finding something completely amazing! But I subscribed when they first started, and after a few months the quality of the boxes started to fall. I remember reading lots of negative tweets & posts from numerous people, and decided to cancel my subscription.

But recently, I have seen posts and tweets that are positive about the boxes, and feel that I am missing out on a service that I previously enjoyed. I have been looking on the website, and the example products definitely seem better quality than some of the items I remember getting.

So my question to you is - Is it worth signing up to Glossy Box again? I want your honest feed back. Are you enjoying the products you receive? Is it value at £10.00 per month? Maybe some of you remember the negativity but have seen the improvement.

While I am on the subject of blogging, I read a good post today by Take Courage Blog, entitled Blogging - are we breaking up? and the follow-up Lost in translation, were Cat talks about the commerical side of blogging, how, in some instances, blogging can generate an income. She also touches on something that I can agree to, how some blogs are blogging in order to obtain, or are being paid for it.

I have seen some blogs recently, which in the years I first started blogging were then a smaller size, but were every post is now a sponsored post. While I do not disagree to accepting products for reviewing, I have done it myself in the past, my personal belief is for me to still remain real. To review on products that I have purchased because I want to try them and review them, even if I hated the product.

With some blogs recently though, I feel like I am being marketed too. The product is photographed at various angles, followed by a review full of buzz words, almost reading like a Press release. I want reviews that are genuine, were the blogger has travelled around town looking for something in particular, found it, and then reviewed to say if it lived up to what the expected or wanted.

In light of this, Cat will be hosting this evening's @LBloggersChat, taking place 7-8pm GMT. The discussion will be on the commercialisation of blogs and its affect on blogging. I am looking forward to this, it should make for an interesting and lively discussion. I hope you can make it too.

Apologies for the somewhat negative ending. As I said at the start of this rambling post, the approach of Autumn has got me thinking a lot.