Hey lovelies,

So its finally July and summer is vastly approaching! Having had a lovely heatwave this week already, I just can't wait for more.


Often busy throughout the day with my bf at work and me completing Uni deadlines it is sometimes hard to get one on one time. The evening is the perfect time to celebrate the sunset and go on an adventure for it! Last weekend we did this. We set the sat nav to Dovestone reservoir and off we went on our adventure at around 7:30. I love summer nights as it doesn't get dark until around 10 pm, making the day last longer! Dovestone reservoir is perfect for any occasion (but never to swim obviously) it is gorgeously peaceful with grounds that last for miles, often popular with hikers and photographers alike. Also just 40 minutes from Manchester, definitely visit if you ever get the chance.


The sunset began setting at around 9 ish pm giving us enough time to walk to the ideal spot to capture the perfect shot. The Ducks were peacefully swimming along the edge, kiddies skimming stones (as well as my bf) and the birds singing. Sounds cliche but I loved every minute.


Walking through the memory woods to get to a beautiful open cove, honestly looked like where the fairies live! It makes me so happy to be walking at night in the UK of all places without even needing a jacket or cardigan on, amazing.


Capturing the beauty everywhere we went, I couldn't help to snap the landscape at every opportunity.

I hope this post has made you more inspired to take an evening summer walk somewhere pretty and peaceful. If you live near Manchester please let me know in the comments any pleasant spots you like to visit when the weather is nice, I'd love to check them out too!

Abbey Hearts ♥

This is not a sponsored post all images and view are my own Copyright Abbey Hartley.

Hey lovelies,

So Valentines Day is just around the corner and if you haven't already got your makeup sorted, you can definitely plan a makeup look around this perfect lip colour!

Whether you are spending your valentines day with family, date night or with your gals then you can still rock this lip shade no matter what the event! Wearable in the day and super seductive for the night, suiting every skin tone. Of course I am talking about Sleek! An affordable beauty brand with quality at the heart. This is the Sleek Matte Me liquid lipstick in the Rioja Red shade.


Perfectly red in every way. I received this for Christmas and I've kind of been obsessed with this shade ever since! The formula is creamy yet matte (obviously) but doesn't feel overly drying on the lips. I desperately want to pick up more shades as they are only £3.95 on Feel Unique. The formula lasts a super long time, Ive even managed to eat and drink with only a little smudge but with reapplication looks perfect again.


I just wear this liquid lipstick on its own as I've found a lip liner isn't needed, due to the formula not bleeding out onto my skin - which I've found before with other high end liquid lipsticks!


As you can see the swatch of the lipstick matches the bottle perfectly, so you know what you're getting instantly. It is the 'perfect' beautiful red shade for any special event, and even though I have extremely pale skin it suits me to a T. Every once in a while we all need a bold lip colour to express ourselves and I think I have found mine.


Here is a quick selfie of me from Christmas Day wearing the lovely Matte Me lip! Also very wearable with any eye look from a classic smokey to just simple cat wings to spice things up a little. I wear this lip colour with any outfit, a dressy date night look to a lovely every day me.

The art of I love you book - link here. 

I really hope you enjoyed this little pre Valentines Day post, comment below with your favourite red lips or feel free to tweet me as all my social media links are in the sidebar! And of course I hope you have the best Valentines Day thats filled with lots of love, fun and most of all chocolate!

Abbey Hearts ♥

This is not a sponsored post all images and views are my own, Copyright Abbey Hartley

Hello Lovlies,

So you might be thinking what's that title all about Abbey? Are you intrigued, keep reading to find out why Im loving a £1.50 eye gel...yes for real!



As we all know Boots is the home of all our beauty, skincare and haircare needs (plus many others) but have you ever actually delved into the Boots own brand section? Well if your answer is no then heres a few helpful hints. Boots own brand skincare is actually called Boots Essentials, and they're range is so helpful for those on a budget! Yes Im really, honestly loving my Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel priced at an amazing £1.50 for a generous 50g. The boots essential range also includes wet wipes, hair dryers and makeup brushes...the list is frankly endless.



Lets talk about the eye gel. So first up the price as I've said is an amazing price for budget beauty, and those of us uni students who want the best but can't always afford everything thats #worththehype so I definitely recommend giving this eye gel a go - if yours is running low...buy this! Before this eye gel I repurchased the simple soothing eyes cream at £4.02, also a brilliant budget buy! So I thought why not try a cheaper one, they all do the same job right?



Doing the job is exactly what this eye gel does, much like the Simple one in a sense. The cooling cucumber is really refreshing under my eyes (I mostly have slight dark circles) and what I really look for in an eye cream is the wetness it gives. Now I know that may seem strange but I feel if its more wet than creamy then it is really doing the job I want it to = more satisfying. I have branched out into high end eye creams in the recent past and I have to say, they aren't really for me - I tend to stick with what I know, and now I know this I will be purchasing the Boots Essentials again in the future.

I also find for a budget buy the packaging is quite sleek and not at all cheap feeling on the skin let alone on my skincare shelf. In fact this product fits quite well on my shelf with its little Liz Earle family (Click Here for my Liz Earle post).

This eye gel claims...

"Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel is infused with soothing cucumber and vitamins, this gel is easily absorbed to cool, refresh, reduce puffiness and lightly hydrate the delicate eye area. Suitable for all skin types."  

Taken from Boots.com



Truth be told this eye gel really does leave my under eyes feeling refreshed and hydrated instantly, I would also say there isn't much of a smell to this product at all which could be good or bad for you but I don't mind it. I use this all over my under eyes with light tapping movements with my ring fingers (as that finger has the lightest touch for the most sensitive and most important part of skin on your face) I also tap the product upwards towards my temples and apply this to my eye lids, but that is just personal preference.

Overall I think you should give this product a try, maybe if you're getting into a funk with your eye cream switch it up a bit! However I'm always on the hunt for new and exciting game changing products so please comment below or through social media (all my links are in the sidebar) what products are your faves - so I have an excuse to buy more! Hope you liked it! 

Abbey Hearts ♥


Not a sponsored post, all images are my own, Copyright Abbey Hartley 

Hello lovlies,

Talking all things hair care on Abbey Hearts today, giving you the full low down on my hair care routine, what I use in the shower and my favourite heat styling products that will get you through the summer humidity/frizz.



Most products I will be talking about in this blog post are on the affordable end of the spectrum, apart from 1. If you have any hair product recommendations please don't hesitate to tell me, either in the comments below or through my social media (links to all in sidebar).

First up has to be my beloved shampoo and conditioner, the shampoo I have repurchased more than twice now! Its the Herbal Essences Dazzling Shine Shampoo you can't miss it with the brightest green bottle and the sweetest apple scent. This shampoo feels almost light when I'm using it, not at all harsh and abrasive but natural and cleansing - just what it says on the bottle. And as it says on the tin honestly leaves my hair with a dazzling shine, and the sweet scent lingering for hours. Just to let you in on my hair type, this is a shampoo for normal hair which Im not sure I have but love none the less. As my hair is very long it can often get greasy, I also have ombre/balayage hair which means I have blonde tones running through the mid to the ends therefore the ends can get quite dry but this shampoo and conditioner combo has me sorted.


The conditioner I use is the Mark Hill XL Volume Amplifying Conditioner containing marine collagen, claiming "Collagen fillers for hair! Add strength body and bounce, leaving hair thicker and fuller!". This conditioner appealed to me as I haven't really seen anything similar to it on the hair market as of yet, and I definitely want my hair containing more volume and bounce! who doesn't right! Again lovely and sweet smelling of lemons - if at all a little sickly. I use this on the mid lengths to the ends of my hair as not to add grease to my roots, this leaves my hair feeling instantly smooth, shiny, conditioned, hydrated and most of all silky. You can feel the silkiness straight away!


After I have shampoo'd and conditioned my locks I then move on to styling for the days ahead, before I blow-dry my hair I always make sure to use a heat styling spray to protect it as it really makes a difference. For this I use the TRESemme Protect Heat Defence Styling Spray and I find it one of the best on the market, as I have tried other higher priced brands in the past. TRESemme really does its job here, protecting my locks from UV damage and heat damage from the use of styling tools and hair dryers. Definitely add this product to your routine, again the sweet luxurious smell lingering for hours, my boyfriend agrees!


After I protect my hair I am all ready for blowdrying, using my trusty babyliss hairdryer - so old but it does the job haha. Then on to my favourite part of my whole hair care routine straightening! I would definitely say I straighten my hair more than I wave/curl although I do love my hair curled, straightening is just a whole lot easier day to day. If someone could also direct me to the best tutorial to curl hair with straighteners then please send it my way!




To straighten I use my beloved Copper Luxe V Gold GHD Styler I just can't get enough of these! I received them for Christmas and I have honestly been using them every week since, they come everywhere with me including on holiday. These honestly changed the way I straighten my hair as they are so much better, so revolutionary. They include smart technology meaning you switch them on and go, no need for heat settings as the ceramic plates tender to your specific hair needs. You and me would be different, how cleaver is that. Also how gorgeous are they?! My mum did good with this gorgeous copper colour! So instagrammable!  Also so lightweight and luxurious.

Please let me know your thoughts with this post! And send me your hair essentials, always looking for new recommendations to buy! Don't forget to comment below with content you would like to see here on Abbey Hearts and your feedback, I always love and read it! All social media links are in the sidebar so feel free to follow me :) More new and exciting content coming soon!

Abbey Hearts ♥

Not a sponsored post, all images are my own. Copyright Abbey Hartley 

Hello lovlies,

So as of recently I have been travelling quite a bit, in the uk and abroad. Helping me with this has been my trusty and ever so beautiful Ted Baker wash bag, look at it...just stunning. The perfect size for all my toiletries, although a funny shaped wash bag it can fit a lot in so do not be deceived! Adds a little bit of luxury to daily life.



It is beautiful in every way, the rose gold/coppery toned hardware really adds to the Ted Baker themed branding - looking more into their collections of handbags, pencil cases etc. Ted Baker your branding is on point. The actual design on the wash bag seems to be of diamonds/crystals in a beautiful wash of turquoise and mint shades. Keeping to the gem theme with the added gem accessory on the zip, oh its the little things in life!



The beautiful turquoise and mint shades on this wash bag just scream spring/summer to me, I just cannot get enough of it, and it pictures perfectly. Also if you want a lot of compliments, this is the wash bag for you girl. Also the beautiful pastel pink fabric on the inside of the wash bag, I would estimate this getting a little dirty through wear, tear and use but mine hasn't as of yet.


This beautiful specimen was given to me as a gift a few Christmas ago, but is still available to purchase here. Bare in mind this wash bag also comes with some amazingly scented ted baker beauty/body products. Ted Baker is available at Boots all year round with collections containing beautiful prints and some really lovely products. Adding that touch of luxury to everyday life!

Hope you enjoyed my latest post, don't forget to check out my social media (links in the sidebar) and comment with any thoughts & suggestions. I always love to hear your feedback!

Abbey Hearts ♥

Not a sponsored post, all images are my own. Copyright Abbey Hartley