10 Ways To Make Life Lovely - The December Edition

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Morning babes and happy Friday!

Whelp, it's December you guys, and therefore we are allowing things to get just a little festive over here today! In December's 10 WTMLL you'll find a super gentle natural exfoliator (and it's relatively inexpensive!), a new favourite chill Christmas album (say whhaaaaaaat?!), a bad hair day solution (that also just so happens to be bang on trend too! We do try...) and 3 DIY gift ideas that don't suck!

Do we look after you, or do we look after you?! 😉

First up though, let's take a sec to make someone else's life lovely...

Boy, do we LOVE the festive season. The indulgence, the festivities, the gifting... You name it, we'll love it! It's such a great time for reflection too though, and while charity is for life, not just for Christmas, now's a great time to start this resolution.

Whether you head down to your local council to find out about nearby projects, volunteer at a foodbank, create a 'Blessing Bag' (such a great idea, check out Pinterest for ideas and check lists), or you could try one of the following for opportunities to help out this Christmas:

is a volunteering database with hundreds of opportunities all over the country. Select Homelessness and housing and type in your postcode for organisations in your area.
run Christmas Centres in London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Coventry and Edinburgh and needs over 10,000 volunteers from 23-30 December. You can apply online and book the shifts you want to do.
offers support and friendship to vulnerable people all over the country. Check out their website to see if they could use your assistance over Christmas.
offers an advice service on day centres and hostels. For information on how you can help at any one of these click on 'Search all Services'.

However you do it, look outside your own four walls this Christmas and see how you can help a fellow human, however little you have to give.

'[Cate Blanchett] Leaps over her own highest standards' - Festival de Cannes

'...it's an exquisite work of American art, rippling with a very specific mid-century melancholy, understanding love as the riskiest but most necessary gamble in anyone's experience' - Tim Robey, The Telegraph

'Cate Blanchett will slay you' - Tim Robey, The Telegraph

...I mean, do I need to add anything else?!

This December, we're watching Carol.

They're calling it a 'Career best performance' from Cate Blanchett and it's already won a multitude of New York Film Critics awards, as well as Cannes Best Actress for Rooney Mara.

I don't know about you guys, but this is a must-see movie for us this month!

And to give you a little taste of it's extraordinarily powerful acting and sheer chemistry...

December 1st strikes: Christmas music on, EVERYWHERE.

December 2nd: totally fed up of all the festive music already.

Am I right?! So, off I went in search of holiday alternatives.

I mean, much to my beau's dismay, I am firm believer in festive music for the entirety of December, but come on, gimmie somethang fresh!

So, first I found this ace Holiday playlist by Free People. It's a mix of some old faves, and some gorgeously folksy/indie versions of originals. Listen out for an unfathomably divine rendition of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' by the Civil Wars - who, if you don't already, you will just LOVE!

Then (oh yes, there's more!) I happened upon the duet She & Him. If I'm honest, I had no idea Zooey Deschanel was working the music scene, but their super chill festive album, A Very She & Him Christmas, is just the ultimate in easy-going background holiday listening.

Layering. It's down right necessary in the current climate, non?!

One moment rain and gale force winds, the next cold and frosty, the next just mild drizzle.

Britain sure likes to keep us on our toes, and so multiple layers that you can discard as necessary and then relayer when in need are, of course, a given for any Brit-gal's wardrobe.

But getting it all to coordinate?! That's a WHOLE other story.

Easy answer? When in doubt, black.

Chic on chic on chic. This shade is having a major moment (but then, when is black not having a moment, #amiright?!), it's timeless and everything goes with everything.

'Winning' is the word I'm looking for, I believe.

Ok guys, so I don't know about you, but my skin is having a major moment right now, and I don't mean that in a good way.

I'm guessing it's the whole super warm home, freezing cold wind scenario we've got on repeat right now, but I needed something to exfoliate, on a daily basis (I know I know, crucify me, I shouldn't exfoliate daily), so I went in search of something I could use everyday to clean up my skin and rid me of the dry flakiness that seems to be plaguing me... ( TMI? Sorry guys!)

'The Clarisonic! All hail the Clarisonic', I hear you cry!

I hear y'all, but let's be real here: who's got over a hundred quid to blow on a glorified facecloth three weeks before Christmas?!

Enter the Konjac sponge...

Have I got your attention?!

It's intriguing, hey?! I'll let the lovely babes at SELF tell you what's up:

Made from the root of the konjac plant, these sponges are used to help you dislodge, dirt, oil, and blackheads-basically, a natural, older version of our BFF, the Clarisonic. (Kind of, at least.) But they've been around for 1,500 YEARS. No, not a typo. 1,500 years. When dry, the sponge is rock hard; moisten it, and it gets all squishy and pillowy soft. While other sponges just lift dirt and debris, the root that the konjac sponge is made from is able to naturally deep clean skin by absorbing the gunk.

...Popular among acne sufferers, this little sponge is gonna help clear clogged pores and (wait for it!) dry flaky skin. And all the dry-skin girls cry 'Hurrah'!

And, just incase that was enough reason to go treat yo' self to one immediately, there's more: at most, they cost a tenth of the price of a Clarisonic, at around £10 or under. You can grab one on Amazon here, take a look!

Let your inner child run a little wild this December (isn't that what the holidays should be all about?!) and get your bake on.

We're gonna be baking up an entire village's worth of gingerbread (and probably gifting them, tied up in baker's twine, to our nearest and dearest), but you could go old school and create a gingerbread house, or maybe string up an edible cookie garland or hang them on your tree!

I can almost smell that deliciously festive baked scent filling my house as I type this...

I seem to be having a very realistic style moment today, sorry guys!

You gotta admit though, dressing for this weather can be all kinds of challenging and not least, taming your mane in the wind and rain!

Enter stage left: the humble beanie.

We've always loved it and we probably always will, and styled correctly it can be a super chic, while cosy accessory this December.

Bad winter hair days, prepare to meet your match.

Cupcakes were the new muffins. Then donuts became the new cupcakes.

Now, this is just me calling it as I see it, but I'm gonna go ahead and put this out there: waffles are about to steal the show, guys, and with damn good reason.

So grab yourself a waffle maker (yes, of course it's on my list to Santa, duh!), and some fresh berries, maybe a tub of Nutella (apparently a jar isn't a single serving though, just FYI. Who knew?!) or maybe rustle up a salted caramel drizzle and make your weekend brunch next level scrumptious!

Warning: major #foodporn

'Tis the season to have fun.

And, despite my other rather practical style comments today, the fun doesn't stop the moment we open those wardrobe doors, ohhh no!

We are just head-over-heels for a little novelty addition to our festive style. So whether it's quirky jewellery, a gold leaf parting (did you guys see our video tutorial the other day?! #shamelessplug) or a novelty clutch, y'all need to have fun with planning your Christmas outfits!

Now, speaking of novelty clutch bags, you guys need to check out the awesome brand Skinny Dip ...

Hey, you! Yes, you! I see you scrolling past this last one all like, 'Nope, nada, not happening!'

I hear you! Really, who's got time for DIY Christmas gifts?!

Well, actually, with these DIYs you might just have!

Super easy, using simple ingredients you could easily whip these little guys up in a night, with a glass of red on the side, while watching It's a Wonderful Life... Careful now, you might even enjoy yourself!

Beat the chaos of the shops and add a sweet personal touch!

Game on, crafty gals, game on...

(Click the image for the tutorial)