The first half of this month has flown by incredibly quickly. I still find it hard to believe that more than half of October has passed and we are just over two months away from 2025. Nevertheless, I am trying to be more mindful of how I choose to spend time now and so far I am loving it. Here are a few things I have been obsessing over the past month. 

1) Chloe - Mini Joan bag

Now I think I purchased this back in July and I have not stopped wearing it. Despite it being olive green, a little different from the copious amount of natural bags I own, I have managed to pair this with so many outfits. I love wearing it with dresses in the summer, or dressed up with an all-black abaya, or in autumn with knitwear and long coats. I love the unique colour and all the gold bells and whistles that come with the bag. 

2) Clare Mackintosh - After the End 

If you want a book that will have you reading and turning the pages faster than you humanly can, this is the book for you. This was a little different from what I have been reading recently, which is almost nearly every Lisa Jewell book, but I loved every bit of it. It takes you through one of the hardest decisions a couple has to make for their son. The fact that I managed to read this in a matter of days just tells you how I was consumed by it. 

3) Lancome - La vie est belle 

This is always going to be an absolute favourite for me simply because of the memory attached to it, my wedding day fragrance. The smell of this is so classic yet so enchanting and I find myself loving the scent the more I use it. The packaging is gorgeous too and I know I will be sad when I finish it. 

4) Sally Hansen - nail polish primer 

I go through phases of wanting deep burgundy and brown tones on my nails or then wanting the opposite and a super clean manicured look. For when I want something that is barely there but still looks put together I like reaching for this Sally Hansen nail primer polish. You can pair this with a French tip but personally, I love the paired-down milky nude look. 

5) Flower clips 

I adore the little flower clips, even though they are just another trend, I love the way they look in your hair. They do an amazing job of keeping your hair up and out of the way of your face whilst also looking pretty effortless. 

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While the title may make you assume my everyday makeup routine is undeniably flawless, glowy, and all things pretty, the reality is rather complementary might I add. I love having a lightweight, minimal, and glowy makeup routine I can do in under 30 minutes with products that blend seamlessly and require almost next to no effort especially when time is not usually my best friend. 

1. Base products

My base products can vary from time to time but I love using the Elf power grip primer, with my Nars tinted moisturiser in the shade' 'Groenland'. Occasionally when I take a little more time doing my makeup I'll use the Elf halo glow liquid filter in shade '3' for a little more inner glow and mix that with my tinted moisturiser. Before I set my makeup, using either the Laura Mercier translucent powder or the Hourglass ambient lighting powder in the shade 'dim light' for a more diffused look, I will go in with my Illamasqua colour veil gel blush in the shade 'enamour' which is a beautiful peach wash of colour. If I want a little brightening under my eyes then I will use the tiniest amount of the It Cosmetics bye-bye undereye concealer in the shade 'light' as a little goes a very long way. To finish my base I will use the Elf makeup mist setting spray although I do much prefer the Charlotte Tilbury airbrush flawless setting spray. 

2. Eye products 

I keep my eyes super simple with most days only curling my lashes but when I do want extra length and volume I will opt for the Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk push up lashes mascara in 'super black'. For my eyebrows I have been using the Elf brow lift which works amazingly to hold any stray hairs in place. 

3. Lip products 

I have been loving using the Dior rouge matte lipstick in 'mystic plum' while it looks like a really dark brown shade it has pink undertones which work beautifully with a wash of the lip oil in the shade 'pink'. 

Those few products keep my skin glowing and gleaming throughout the day without really needing any touching up (apart from my lips) which I love. No matter how many new trends and products I try out I always find myself reaching for the same products that give me a seamless finish without requiring a lot of effort. 

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 1) New job 

I recently secured a new job as a paralegal at a well known law firm and have found it fascinating how different it is compared to working for a smaller high-street firm. Nonetheless, the experience has been eye-opening and has been super beneficial. My only gripe is it has left me utterly confused as practising commercial law is looking incredibly appealing.

2) Another Secret Barrister book finished 

I have finished reading 'Nothing but the truth' by the Secret Barrister and I have to confess this might be my favourite from the trio. I began to appreciate the honesty from the author of the harsh realities faced by criminal pupil barristers as well as those who have been practising for decades. Yet, this still has not halted me as my passion for criminal law continues to grow deeper. 

3) Pupillage 1st interviews 

After applying for pupillage earlier this year, I found myself being offered 1st interviews at some of the chambers which was an amazing opportunity and it is something I will continue to be grateful for. However, when attending a networking event led by a chambers, I found myself with a group of people who were also equally befuddled as to why numerous people with outstanding experience had not been awarded pupillage. The sheer competitiveness and the absolute lack of diversity at the Bar will always be the mysterious duo that continues to weed people out of the profession. I could go on about this for an eternity, and maybe I will write up a post detailing my experience with pupillage applications this year but for now I will stop here. 

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Now if you are anything like me I cannot open nor try new makeup products until I have finished what I am currently using, which often means I have an assembly of products simply waiting to be used. 

I am a blush girl, I love blush, and ever since I discovered it I completely stopped using bronzer and contour and other products in general.

Currently I am a die hard Charlottle Tilbury fan of 'peachgasm' I have gone through 2 entire bottles and as soon as the one I am using finishes I will be diving into one of the below products waiting to be used. 

Here are a few products I cannot wait to try next: 

1) Dior backstage glow face palette '004 rose gold' 

I loved the look of this palette based on how I like my blush to look which is rosy, glowy, and seamless. I like that there is a choice of pinks and golds. 

2) Rare beauty melting blush 'nearly mauve' 

I adore the deep mauve tone of this blush and it looks like it would be perfect for when you want something a little deeper. 

3) Chanel les beiges stick blush 'no. 23'

Now this was a gift, but it is absolutely gorgeous. The coral rosy tones are perfect for the warmer months and I cannot wait to start using it as we approach spring. 

4) Benefit 'benetint' 

I used to have one of these before and they truly are great for adding a wash of colour either to your cheeks or lips without having to constantly touch up during the day. 

5) Sivanns colours blush 'no.4 rose' 

This is an adorable little blush I purchased in Thailand simply because of its muted hue of pink and it is my first matte blush. 

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The past Saturday was spent eating truffle pizza, taking countless photos, sipping on the infamous blueberry matcha from Blank Street and walking through the Chinese New Year celebrations in Manchester. 

     

We started off the day with truffle pizza from Franco Manca and then made our way to Blank Street where we indulged in their iced blueberry matcha and pistachio latte as well as one of their croissants which was *chef's kiss*. 

The Chinese New Year celebrations in the city centre were absolutely beautiful and reminded me very much of the night markets in Phuket, Thailand. The streets were lined with little market stalls and street vendors selling trinkets and food. We stumbled across a small store selling our favourite thai tea and we picked some matcha up and fuji apples too. 

     

A little pit stop was made at the Trafford centre to eat but to also see the turtles and jellyfish at Sealife. We then headed to Almost Famous on Wilmslow Road for the best burgers you could ever wish for with the biggest biscoff milkshake before going home. 

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 Here are a few things I have been recently eyeing for quite sometime online: 

1. Summer Fridays dream lip oil - 'Blush dreams' 

Lip oils are all the rage and have been for quite sometime, I love the look of this one and have seen it floating around on Instagram. It looks perfect for when you want a little something on your lips and being able to apply it without needing a mirror is always a bonus for me. 

2. BYFJ - Naila abaya 

I absolutely love the Winter 23 collection from BYFJ which includes their thicker winter abayas that can be worn as an abaya or a coat on top of your abaya or clothes. This one in particular is super timeless with a built-in wrap-around scarf. 

3. Daisy - triple bead chain bracelet 

Now as someone who is slowly starting to build her silver jewellery collection after being a gold girlie for as long as I can remember to match with my wedding bands, I love the look of this elegant triple bead bracelet from Daisy. They have it in gold too, which is beautiful. 

4. H&M - textured slingbacks 

These look so pretty for the upcoming spring months and because of the small kitten heel they look incredibly comfortable to wear. I like how they are quite simple in texture and colour because it just means you can wear them with so much more, dressy or casual. 

5. Mango - double strap bag 

I like the minimalist structure of this bag and it most definitely gives The Row Margaux bag vibes with the clean leather look and long strap handles. This is a lot smaller than that bag, nonetheless, it looks great for pairing with daytime or evening outfits. 

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If you are like me and you like purchasing books whether its hardback or not to simply read when you have a little time or on your commute to work then these are perfect, bearing in mind that they are most definitely law related but also provide a different perspective to the legal world as we know it. 

Firstly, 'Unlawful killings' by Her Honour Wendy Joseph QC, this I simply found when browsing through the books in WHSmith. Just flicking through this book quickly was enough to entice me to purchase it and start reading it as soon as humanly possible. With each chapter set out as a trial, unfolding horrific but mostly tragic details, the book takes you through five separate cases. 

Secondly, 'People like us' by Hashi Mohamed, this I discovered after attending an online qualifying session with Middle Temple, where he discussed his book and read a little passage from it too. It was incredibly inspiring watching a muslim barrister speak about his journey to the Bar. 

Thirdly, 'In Black and White' by Alexandra Wilson, now I am sure this book might be easily recognisable simply because of how well it was portrayed in the media. This tells the story of a young barrister's story of navigating race and class in a broken justice system, as described by herself. This truly does open your eyes in a world that is still typically male dominated despite the neverending strive for diversity at the Bar. 

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Peach cobbler, it's one of those things you've always seen on TV shows but never tried. Well, at least I had not, not until I made one using this super simple recipe I found online, with my take on it obviously because when do you ever follow a recipe properly down to every last detail? This is probably one of my go-to comfort recipes for this winter when I am craving something sweet, simply because of how easy it is and who doesn't love all things cinnamon? 

Here's the list of ingredients you will need for the peach filling:

- A can of tinned peaches

- 100g of brown sugar 

- 50g of granulated sugar 

- A splash of lemon juice 

- 1tsb of plain flour or cornflour 

- 1tsp of ground cinnamon 

- A dash of flaky salt 

Here's the list of ingredients you will need for the cobbler topping: 

- 200g of plain flour (you can use self raising flour but I didn't have any). 

- 1 tsp of baking powder (as I used plain flour).

- 50g brown sugar 

- 50g granulated sugar 

- 150ml whole milk 

- 100g unsalted melted butter 

- 1sp of ground cinnamon (opntional) 

How to make it: 

- Preheat your oven to 170-ish degrees Celsius. 

- As we're using tinned peaches, you can just add all those peach filling ingredients to the peaches once they have been drained and mix until they are all combined. 

- For the cobbler topping, combine the plain flour, baking powder, both the sugars and cinnamon and then add in the milk and melted butter. You should now have a batter which is slightly thick and smooth in consistency. 

- Use an oven dish or tray and pour out the peach filling and then pour over the batter filling carefully on top and let it even out itself. 

- Now let it do its thing in the oven and bake for around 25 minutes until the cobbler is golden in colour, you will notice the peach filling bubbling and caremalise which is exactly what you want. 

- Let it sit for a bit before serving a slice which some vanilla ice cream or even some clotted cream as per your liking. 

- Enjoy! 

It has been over a year since I last posted on here. Why, you may ask? There is no simple explanation but this past year has been a whirlwind to say the least. It was one of the busiest, most stressful, and most eventful years to this date and I am grateful for every single thing that has happened. While I will not detail every single thing that has happened this year (simply because you would get bored) I shall tell you about what has single handedly consumed me this year. 

From my older posts you may have gathered that I am studying to become a barrister. What no one tells you is that the bar course is probably one of the most hardest and gruelling things you will do in becoming a barrister (until you get to pupillage applications and tenancy, another whole ballpark) and studying online (the cherry on top of this cake) only makes your life much more difficult. I have one exam left and so help me god I WILL GET CALLED TO THE BAR THIS YEAR! Nonetheless, there is light at the end of the tunnel all you need is faith, a lot of resilience, and a really good support system. 

I turned 22 last year, it was bittersweet, I celebrated my birthday whilst finishing off the last bit of my masters. My masters project started out as being this one issue I wanted to examine, domestic abuse in relation to the pandemic, but in reality it was far too large to write up 8k words on. I managed to streamline my vision by thinking about its use in practice and decided upon the use of special measures in court for domestic abuse victims amidst the pandemic. One thing I can say for sure is I will not miss education, but that's because it never really truly stops. 

After completing my last set of exams I began job hunting and applying with the intention of wanting to leave my part-time job. While it had served me well it was no longer relevant to my next stages in life. As someone who's sole focus was education for a large chunk of my life, whilst working part-time, finding a job was not on my list of priorities. That was until handing in my last assignment for my course, from having absolutely no free time to having 5 days free was extremely new and slightly unsettling. I buried myself in countless job applications, another painfully long and daunting experience but it paid off eventually. 

I began doing things I simply did not have the time for before because of studying full time, little things like reading more books. I managed to read 8 chapters of Alexandra Wilson's 'In Black and White' over the course of a few hours, it may not seem like much but for me it was amazing! I look forward to this year because there is so many things I want to do, both related and unrelated to my career.