Selsey Beach

While the summer may feel a long way off as we head towards the autumnal season, I managed to convince my family that there is no better time than now to make a final trip to the coast one last time this year. 

Blessed with sunshine, clear bright skies and a brisk wind, we ended up spending a weekend in Selsey, a large village with a small seaside town a few miles south of Chichester, dominated by the sea and famous for its fishing with a stunning beach that stretches for miles.

We spent our day at the West Beach, which is probably one of the best tidal beaches within the county with an abundance of natural light due to its magnificent landscape and the echo of the sea.

At the end of the road, there is a distant view of the Isle of Wight.

The tide was low when we arrived so we were lucky to enjoy a huge expanse of soft golden sand. We felt alive as we splashed around, throwing pebbles that armour the beach into the sea, seeing who could throw the farthest.

Besides being a treat for the senses, we loved the mineral magic of the seawater in the atmosphere and the soft sand exfoliating our feet, bracing the fresh air laced with beauty as we ran around until the sun set.

The panoramas were breathtakingly glorious as the soft glowing light from the sky created a reflection of the sun’s rays during the evening twilight.

The UK may not be amongst the top for its coastal scenery but the coastline is certainly as picturesque as any other.

The calm sea was spectacular, so we lounged around watching the sunset and the tethered fronds of seaweed whirling around, casting silhouettes and gazing into the watery worlds of hermit whilst enjoying the relaxing sound of the sea.

Once the sun had gone down, we lay on the beach stargazing and watched the clear skies reveal an impressive bright moon until the tide came in.

Have you been to Selsey? What did you think of the beach? Sunrise and sunsets seem to be my thing so if you have any recommendations on where to capture some of the best views, please comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

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DIY Ubtan Face Mask – Does it really work??

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m currently addicted to The Great British Bake Off but last weekend, I had a sleepover with some of my favourite girls and decided to have a little last minute pamper session where we had an at-home spa and raided the kitchen cupboards and fridge for some clean, raw ingredients and made a night of DIY face masks.

Suffering from skin as dry as the Sahara Desert, facials for me are an essential part to maintaining a healthy complexion as often, my skin looks like a battlefield; sallow, tight, dull and dehydrated, sometimes painful and flaky. So, instead of using the traditional shop bought face masks, I decided to be a little more experimental in the kitchen and tried a traditional homemade recipe, known as the ubtan mask.

The tradition of ubtan originates from ancient India and has been used for thousands of years and is probably the best kept secret for glowing skin. The key ingredients that make the mask are the turmeric and chickpea flour, however, it can be prepared in various ways and with a variety of ingredients, allowing you control and attain whatever benefits suit you.

To prepare the mask, I used the following:

• Two tablespoons of raw, Manuka honey
• Egg whites of two regular sized eggs
• Raw root turmeric
• Ginger stem
• Juice of one lemon
• Couple of drops of cold pressed clove oil
• Chickpea flour (also known as Gram flour)

The Benefits of my chosen ingredients:

• Manuka honey – quite literally a miracle product, high in antibacterial properties; (can be used as a spot clearing treatment, anti-ageing purposes, scar-fader, burn healer, moisturiser – the list is endless)
• Egg white – high in collagen and vitamin A; it works to improve skin tone and elasticity revealing softer skin as well as reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Root turmeric – containing numerous antioxidants and antibacterial properties, it is exfoliating, evens out skin tone, improves skin elasticity and regulates the production of sebum
• Ginger stem – known for its skin protective properties
• Lemon – rich in vitamin C and citric acid; it is an antioxidant, boosting collagen production, whilst brightening and exfoliating
• Clove oil – rich in numerous minerals and vitamin’s A and C; it is an aphrodisiac, therefore, an excellent stress reliever; and when applied topically, clove oil can help address skin problems like acne, sagging skin, and wrinkles
• Chickpea flour – full of proteins, folic acid and minerals; chickpea flour has a multitude of skincare benefits and can be used to exfoliate, even out skin tone, cleanse, regulate the production of sebum, fight acne and remove unwanted hair

After peeling the root turmeric and ginger stem, I chopped them into small pieces and put them into a smoothie maker. In no particular order, I then added the honey, egg white, lemon juice and a couple of drops of clove oil and blitzed the mixture for a few minutes until it reached the consistency of a slightly textured paste.

I then took a tablespoon of the mixture and combined it with a tablespoon of the chickpea flour which thickened the paste, giving it a more smoother consistency – this is enough for one person; (you can decant any leftovers of the mask into a jar and then keep it refrigerated, where it will last for up to a week).

Once prepared and having cleansed our faces, we treated ourselves to a DIY facial steam, leaning over a bowl of almost hot boiling water infused with lemon and orange zest, covering our heads with a towel to trap the steam on our face for approximately 10 minutes.

I could feel the steam softening my skin, opening my pores and cleansing my blackheads, leaving me feel extremely soothed and relaxed.

With my pores open, I gently pat down my face with a towel and applied the ubtan mask. I left it on for around 20 – 30 minutes, allowing my skin to soak up the nutrients of the ubtan mask before rinsing it off with lukewarm water, then following up with my usual routine of applying cold pressed facial rosehip oil and a moisturiser.

Does it really work? YES!!

The ubtan mask is a powerful exfoliating treatment and an amazing beauty hack which instantly leaves you feeling not only radiant but also targets other skin problems such as blackheads, whiteheads, acne and skin tanning. It’s suitable for all skin types as you can adapt the recipe to suit you and the turmeric doesn’t stain your skin, so long as you don’t mind looking like a Simpson for a little while!

The mini home spa experience was both comfortable and relaxing, giving a “lit from within” glow and allowing some downtime with some of my favourite people. You get amazing results in a short space of time, however, a word of warning: those with sensitive skin should use with caution as the mask is quite potent.

If you decide to give this face mask a go or have any other amazing DIY beauty hacks, please comment below, I’d love to try some more tips and tricks!

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Dorset Travel Diary

A few weeks ago on a Saturday morning, I was at the breakfast table brunching with my family discussing ideas on how to spend our weekend – which by the way ended up being a spontaneous trip to Dorset. After a very brief discussion, I found myself responding “Yeah.. Why not?! Let’s do this!” so we packed our bags, booked our accommodation and set off for our adventure within the hour.

It took us approximately two and a half hours to drive down to Dorset from London and we stayed in Lulworth, a small seaside village full of beautiful thatched roof cottages, quaint cafes, restaurants and pubs. I was in awe at the scenery surrounding us where the only sounds were the gentle tweets of birds and bleating sheep. I couldn’t wait to explore. Can you spot the flocks of sheep in the background?

As you can see, we were really lucky with the weather so as soon as we arrived, we headed up on to a wild, barren plateau known as the Jurassic Coast which we explored by foot and were taken aback with the stunning views of many coastal features beneath the endless, burning blue skies. Enjoying life’s simple pleasures.

Just look at how adorable this little guy is!

The cliffs are quite high in places and the views along the coastline are breathtaking from up here so we stopped to gaze in wonder at the dramatic coastal scenery, sheer cliff faces and miles of sparkling sea. Ahhh, appreciating the blissful moments which are so rare to come by in London.

These incredible views were literally a mix of high-end relaxation and an old-fashioned adventure. The coast was inhabited by sheep and wild horses. Everything was so surreal yet so picturesque.

I’m not going to lie, walking through the Jurassic Coast was gruelling in the heat but the folded cliffs and staggering views of sweeping bays made it worth our while. It was different but still stunning.

We walked until we reached the Victorian charm of Lulworth Cove which was another fantastic sight with dainty little shops and cafes and the perfect horseshoe shaped bay we were so looking forward to catch during the sunset.

Sitting on a cliff’s edge, over sundown, taking in the dizzying spectacular views of Lulworth Cove.. To sum it up in one word: Phenomenal!

The next day, we went to Durdle Door which was equally as magnificent to look at. The name alone sounds magical and reminds me of Dumbledore from Harry Potter.

We didn’t have the best of weathers for this time of year, which was weird seeing as we were all sweltering in the heat just the day before but even through all the fog, you could clearly see that Durdle Door was just as impressive!

The limestone arch known as Durdle Door is astonishing as it sticks out from the middle point of the cove and into the water; its innards worn away by the waves naturally and there are two stunning beaches on either side.

This beach is on one side of the Durdle Door arch. 

The Jurassic Coast has an abundance of stunning formations along the coastline, yet there is a lot more to this margin of shore than simply good looks and although it was quite windy on the day, the foggy weather only invigorated our sense of adventure as we stood dangerously close to the edge of eroding cliffs just for a few incredible snaps..

The spectacular limestone arch was even more glorious in the stark light than it appears to be in photos. 

This is the beach on the other side of the Durdle Door arch.

The panoramic coastal views were incredible and literally took our breath away in every sense!

We were mesmerised by the shingled beach, composed with millions of pebbles and lost all sense of time gazing into the wonderful displays wrapped in dramatic chalk cliffs and the pounding of the sea which provided a haven where we sat for hours bracing the fresh air and beauty. 

We even took the plunge and dipped our toes into the ice cold water before heading off.

While our trip to Dorset was short, it was an amazing break away from London and a county with great beauty. We had the perfect amount of time to explore a land of contrast and breathtaking scenery, find our favourite seafood restaurant and enjoy the finest cream tea and ice cream.

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Crochet

Recently I’ve been spending quite a lot of time browsing Pinterest and came across this beautiful crocheted blanket and instantly fell in love with it. So much that I was determined to learn how to crochet and make my own!

Some of you may say that crochet is for grannies but once you have a project in mind it can become quite addictive. In fact, I’d describe it as therapeutic. It’s relaxing and very satisfying when you start seeing your project actually come together. So, this is where my blanket journey began..

After much research, I decided that I wanted to make a Sunburst Granny Square Blanket. I taught myself how to crochet through watching videos on YouTube and reading blog posts on this particular pattern.

The pattern I used for the Sunburst Granny Square Blanket is by Nittybits. Here are some pictures of my work in progress:

After much determination and making 180 or so Sunburst Granny Squares, I began to join them all up using the single crochet method I found on Bella Coco‘s blog. My blanket is 12 squares x 15 squares – which measures to the size of a double bed and for someone who once knew nothing about crochet, I couldn’t wait to finish it!

The more I saw my blanket come together, the more obsessed I became with finishing it. Once the granny squares were all joined, I wanted to give it an edge to transform it into a proper blanket so I added 5 rounds of UK treble crochet stitches to make a thick border all the way around it. I was itching for that Ta-dah! moment Lucy from Attic24 is always going on about – and she’s right!

In short: It certainly felt amazing to have completed my first project. I was so pleased with the outcome and the different pops of colour really gives the blanket a character of its own. If you’ve made a Sunburst Granny Square blanket or give this a try, please comment below or leave a link. I’d love to have a peek! 🙂

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Get To Know Me

Hello! Thank you so much for visiting me in the Loft.

This is a quick introduction to my blog. I thought it would be a good idea to give you 10 facts about myself so that you can get to know me better.

1. I am the girl who lives in the loft
2. Twenty-something years old
3. A Law graduate who loves all things beauty, fashion, travel and lifestyle
4. I can’t start my day without a cup of coffee – my favourite beverage is a mocha
5. Lived in London all my life
6. Recently developed a newly founded passion for crochet and colour
7. I love photography and often play around with different lighting and lenses
8. Huge foodie – Thai is my favourite
9. I love to travel and my favourite city is Istanbul
10. I’m probably the biggest chocoholic you will ever come across

This blog will consist of mainly lifestyle, travel and hobby related posts so please do subscribe and follow me on my journey 🙂

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