Beauty Blogging: I'm Taking A Break

It's been far too long since I talked about beauty on this blog and today we right that wrong, friends; but not necessarily in the way you were expecting. I feel I need to mention that this post is specific to beauty blogging; I'll be continuing to share posts on other topics, do not worry!

Honestly, this was a subject I have been avoiding for fear of throwing unintended shade (like a mindless parasol, you might say)... but I have learnt that I blog best when I blog honestly, so here we are! I want to stress that I still enjoy makeup, I still love reading people's thoughts on what they enjoy using and I still like giving people recommendations when they're in a pickle.  That's not changed.

If you've not read my thoughts on minimalism post, you may not have seen that I'm trying to be a bit less stuff-orientated. For me, beauty blogging has involved buying a lot more stuff under the pretence of blogging about it and honestly, I just don't want to do that on a regular basis any more.

There is a second reason for wanting to leave beauty alone for a while; I'd like to go cruelty-free and much of my stash just is not. At some point I do want to check in and let you know how that transition is going, but for now I can't really recommend anything I don't feel 100% comfortable using. My plan is to use what I have and then move on to buying all things cruelty free from then on.

I hope this post isn't too disappointing to anyone? Fingers crossed on that one. I'll still be blogging away, but I'm looking to emphasise the aspects of my life that aren't just things I've purchased... We shall see how I get on!

If you are/have gone cruelty free, please give me all the guidance. I am planning a post soon on the areas/products that I am finding most difficult to switch, so keep em peeled for that one!

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VIDEO: Chatty Catchup Time

It has been many months since I sat down in front of a camera and had a proper chat, and in that time a lot has changed! Today's video is just a catchup on the many, many things that are now different - I hope you enjoy :)

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ANNAGRAM #1

Hi there my crew... How are all you? If the answer is "good, and ready for a new By Her Mirror feature" then have I got a treat for you. I'm planning on a monthly/bi-weekly/just whenever the mood strikes round up, featuring the greatest pun on my own name since my entry into this world. (Annalog was a less attractive runner-up. Poo connotations were what ruled that one out.)

My Annagrams are going to be a little round up of what I've been loving from my Instagram, general life and also a little selection of blog posts and internet things I've enjoyed and want to recommend to you. It goes almost without saying that I am pumped.

This week in pictures...

1. Back in my favourite city: If you know me offline you will probably have already been treated to one of my rants about how amazing my uni city is (we have a pub themed around Lord of the Rings. Need a girl say more?) I love being home but I adore coming back to my student hub, full of some of my favourite people and favourite digs. I could bang on about it all day.
2. A Nutella addiction reaches new levels: I've moved from eating the stuff to cooking with it. This charming, turd like pastry is actually meant to be a Nutella croissant. I used the recipe in this book but as it's really not that good, I am considering perfecting it to actual useable instructions and sharing them with you... Does this idea appeal? Let me know below!
3. My new baby: A satchel with my name on it?! Does life get ANY BETTER? They say when one door closes another is opened, and this was how I justified the purchase of this amazing personalised satchel last week... my last satchel died and this was a spectacular replacement. It honks of leather and I well and truly love it.
4. Project365: I am literally amazed that I am on day 53 of my Project365... As the former queen of falling off bandwagons and giving up on things I promised I would do, this is major progress. Taking photos every day has been challenging but fun and I am starting to get better at it too! (Impressive given I am living in an essay based bubble at the moment!
5. Succulent amour: I just love this little guy. So much. I wish I had more places in my room to put plants, because my desk and bedside table look so much cheerier with my cactus children and flower vase... Stay tuned as I will be sharing a project involving this baby very soon!
6. A birthday celebration with some babes: It was my gorgeous housemate Tieran's birthday a couple of weeks ago and we celebrated last Saturday with an Italian feast (DELISH), Jamaican cocktails (DIVINE) and a Marvel-lous movie night complete with Guardians of the Galaxy. It rocked.

Some online favourites...

I adore great photography and the amazing shots on Lifestaljer are beauty blogging at its finest... I drool over each post, I really do! I suggest you go and drool too... and I love her honest reviews too.

My obsession with Carla's lovely blog, Blush Parade continues to grow and I cannot get enough of her hilarious and honest writing. She's a bae who hails from Spain but is now, in her own words, living the Emerald Dream in Ireland. I have loved chatting to her and her post on being a Spaniard in Ireland was actually one I requested and adored reading... She talks about celebrating the Epiphany, something I am pretty interested in!

Why so interested? Because I baked this Galette des rois for my girl Tieran on her birthday and though I say so myself, I thought it tasted and looked jolly authentic. If you are after an easy, deliciously French pastry, this is for you - they're a big tradition at this time of year in France!

I cannot stop listening to London Grammar's album If You Wait at the moment... It's been out for a long enough but somehow passed me by! My favourite track is Strong but I also love the end of Metal and Dust. Y'all will lurve.

Last of all I super enjoyed my friend Emily's post on her minimal wardrobe additions - I have always loved her sense of style and it's so cool to see her trying a new direction whilst still owning it. Hers is a blog to watch this year as that girl has some amazingly creative ideas!

So that concludes the first ever Annagram... Let me know how often you'd like to see this kind of post down below and feel free to share any links for things you think I would love!

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A "Pretty Honest" Review

Prior to reading Pretty Honest I hadn't been much of a follower of Sali Hughes... 300+ pages of sterling beauty writing later and I am a convert. Pretty Honest is a stylish and, you guessed it, refreshingly honest read that, spoiler alert, I adored reading. Some of you I know will be right there with me on the love for this book, but for those of you that have yet to buy your own copy, I thought I'd give you a run-down of why I love it so!

To fill you in on the layout of Pretty Honest, you'll find that it's broken into helpful chapters that can be read as stand-alone help sections, or can be enjoyed one after another (I'm guessing the repetition that occurs in each is down to the assumption many will deep into specific chapters and not necessarily read it cover to cover). The range of these is so thoughtful and indicative of Sali's broad range of cosmetic knowledge; there's a little bit of everything, from teenage makeup suggestions to the less glamorous side of motherhood to bridal beauty advice... Sali even covers significance of looking a little better even when very ill. Each subject is given its proper respect, but each remain an enjoyable, satisfyingly well researched read.

Sali's voice is very present throughout, with the odd snippet of her past thrown in where relevant, and reading this feels like a chinwag with a friend/cool aunt/mother/professional all at once. Her background as a journalist, beauty writer and makeup artist's assistant (at the age of 15!) gives the book a qualified, thorough feel, but I was also left with the impression she really wouldn't mind if you vehemently disagreed with any of her suggestions.

If you love makeup, you will adore this book. I've read a few "beauty bibles" in my time (recommendations for any more below, please?) and this has been the most informative - I imagine this will be just as useful for a novice as a fanatic... and who knows, maybe even the pros would enjoy this read too!

All in all, in case you hadn't yet guessed, it's a delightful read and one I highly recommend. Pick up your copy here, and if you've already read yours, let me know if you agree with me on this one! (Plus those beauty book recommendations would make my day...)

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The By Her Mirror 2015 Survey Results!

So last week I asked you all if you wouldn't mind filling out my survey on who you guys are and what you'd like to see from By Her Mirror (if you missed it and are interested in having your say, it is in this post!)

First of all, thank you. Thank you for reading By Her Mirror and an extra huge thank you to those of you that took the time to reply - I had far more responses than I was expecting (even my dad got in on the action - thanks Dad!!) Many of you I am lucky enough to consider my friends, but there are also a fair few whom I hope will become my friends in future. It's safe to say that a By Her Mirror dinner party would be an excellent and UTTERLY hilarious dinner party.

So, me gushing and getting emotional aside, today's post is all about sharing the results.

I asked you guys where you are from and the results were fabulously varied. The majority of you hail from the UK like myself, but some  are reading in Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Canada, the US and even Bahrain... You're also a young bunch, with 78% aged 19-29.

41% of you like to read in the evenings, so I'll make sure that there are some evening tweets and the odd late night Facebook posts up for you to remind you when there's been a new post! Surprisingly (to me at least!) Lifestyle was the most popular category, followed by Makeup and Personal, all things I'll bear in mind when working out my schedule!

Slightly more of you said that you'd like 3 posts of current quality each week rather than 2 of higher quality... I think my answer to this one is to try and make sure there's at least one trickier, more out there post each week, but currently I'm going to try and stick to 3 as I reckon I'd miss posting too much!

You guys were extremely kind and supportive in your written feedback and I was really touched by what you guys had to say! There will be more reviews of films and books as a couple of you asked for that, and for some other interests too. I've even got a DIY hidden up my sleeve for you... you'll have to wait and see! And I'm trying to think of a fun About Me type post, for those of you that like personal posts too.

All in all this was such a great chance to hear from you guys and I'm really thankful for those of you that answered... I'm wracking my brains for more ways to get involved with you guys in the future, comment down below if you've got your own ideas!

Thank you again and have yourselves a wonderful, wonderful week,

Anna 

x x x

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The Blogs That I Love

A.K.A. the beautiful folks chillin' in my Blog Roll!

I am as addicted to finding fab new blogs as the next girl and loved Natalie's call for a bit more blog lovin' up in here, and I'm not just talking about the website.

Buh dum bum tss. Here all week guys.

It is therefore with great pleasure that I take you through my blog roll; be warned, it's about to get a whole lot more talented in this space...

This list is in alphabetical order, just to keep shite logical!

To start off with, it's A Girl And A Beauty Blog, AKA the place where I go if I need to be enabled. Siobhan is a gal with excellent taste, and an equally great sense of humour - definitely a joy to chat with in the comments section! I'm especially into her Sephora recommendations; I am still saving up for my first online haul!

Holly's blog Bloomin' Rouge is stunning, chocka with beautiful photos and great tutorials, as well as a good mix of lifestyle stuff too... One of the most original blogs I follow! She has a great sense of humour too... You'll see that's a recurring theme round these parts ;)

Vanessa is such a babe and easily the funniest blogger in town. Every post on Citron and Guavaberry makes me laugh, and I love the buckets of personality in each post; she truly stands out from the crowd. Plus her photos. The bomb. Dot and com.

The first photography blog I followed, Erstwhile Felicity is one of those blogs I've read start to finish and whose posts I eagerly await! Sonia's photos are simply stunning and really do tell a beautiful story (you're going to want to Pin all of them, I'm warning you now!

My latest photographer love, Helena La Petite's series on mastering the basics of photography is so ridiculously useful, you have no idea; it was the step I needed to push me into finally switching on the Manual setting on my DSLR. It is digital gold, folks - plus her photos? AMAZING.

The lovely blog In A Pavillion is one of my favourite reads and Lilly's photos are so fabulous (if you hadn't guessed already, I am a sucker for beautiful photos!) an eye out for her cracking In Seven Days Around The Web posts - great weekly discoveries well worth reading!

I discovered Noirvé about a month ago and my love was instant and obsessive... She's recently become a full time freelance designer, so if you're interested in a similar path I highly recommend checking her out!

The next in the crew is the wonderful Pale Lily, whose minimalist vibes really calm and inspire me. She's the queen of a gorgeous photo (her style is insanely distinctive) and her mix of lifestyle with the odd smatter of beauty is always hugely engaging.

I've highlighted the great Sarah Nicole Hunt before in my Instagram of the Month post, and I'm about to rave again. She's a photographer and nanny with a talent for film photography, and I regularly go back to her blog just to fall in love all over again.

Last of all is the lovely lady that is Grace of That Grace Girl, who has been one of my faves since I first got into the beauty blogging world. Her photos are fab and I love that she replies to comments, taking a real interest in her readers. She's also got flawless taste; my wishlist doubles with every post!



And there you have it... Please go check out these talented chicas and let me know what you think! They are incredible. Also if you have any recommendations for more blogs you think I'd like, leave them in the comment section below!

HD Brows: Reviewed (in-depth)

HD Brows were all the rage a few years ago, and back in 2010/11 I had a great stint of getting them done regularly. A few weeks ago I was desperate to try them again as my brows were bushy but not in a Cara kind of way, so back to HD it was.

So, to brief you on the structure of this post, I'm gonna chuck in the before and after pictures early on as I figure that's the most exciting part but stayed tuned for a more in-depth chat about the benefits, the procedure itself and about the brand afterwards!


Before we get started, I am not being sponsored and my research is based on the HD Brow representatives I met at a Brow event back in 2011, just in case you were wondering!

Before (can you tell?!):

 Immediately after, with powder still in them:

Not the best shot I have of after with absolutely no product in them:

As you can see, the procedure made quite the difference!

So, the HD Brows are a multi-step process, incorporating a number of grooming techniques to achieve the perfect brow shape. Apparently this ultimate shape is one that may well be worked towards through a series of treatments, rather than in one fell swoop. The techniques used include:

1. Tinting of all the existing hairs prior to any removal of any kind, to catch any of the paler hairs and create uniformity
2. Waxing to shape the brows. Apparently better than shaping through threading, which can lead to brows getting smaller and smaller over time
3. Threading of the surrounding skin to remove any fine hair - this includes part of your forehead (!) and between the brows
4. Plucking of individual hairs that the waxing didn't reach
5. Cutting of hairs that are longer than desired but don't need be plucked/waxed
6. Pencilling to fill in any parts where the hair needs to grow back in
7. Applying brow powder again to fill in any parts that are needing to grow back
8. Applying brow gel to set any longer/stubborn hairs into place
9. Applying mineral powder foundation to the skin surrounding the brows, which will no doubt be red from waxing/plucking/threading

This lengthy procedure means that appointments can last between 30 and 45 minutes and should typically cost around £25. Salons can only market HD Brow treatments if they are trained by the brand and using their trademarked products - if you see a cheaper "HD Brow", it's almost definitely a fake so do be careful when looking to get this done.

So, as this costs over three times as much as a simple threading, what are the benefits of getting your brows HDed?

The main plus is that for people with paler or finer brows, this treatment should make a huge difference to the fullness and colour of the brows. If you have very thin brows, traditional threading and waxing won't be able to give back some thickness (and will in fact only do the opposite), but HD brows differ in that some people will be shocked at how much bigger their brows will look afterwards.

Some of this is temporary due to the powder or pencil that has been applied, but the tinting of those finer, lighter hairs will definitely help to create a much more even, fuller brow shape longer term.

Also, the fact that all HD consultants should be aiming to take your brows to the standardised HD shape should negate the possibility of your brows being nurtured by one brow specialist then hacked by another.

I think brow fans out there will actually really enjoy how long each treatment is; you know that your brows are getting the very best of the best.

The downsides are the price of not only the individual treatment, but also the ongoing maintenance: I found that if I did no maintenance in between as recommended, I needed to go back after as little as 2-3 weeks as my brows grew back so fast. 

So, the burning question is, are they worth it?

I think if you're a brow obsessive and have the money, you will most likely love this. I think this treatment will also be great for occasions when you want your brows to look extra special, like for a ball/big night out; if you are considering these for your wedding I would say to try them at least six months before the big day to see if you like them and to give your brows a chance to reach their peak, shape-wise.

Another point in their favour is that I know of no other treatments in the same league as this. You will be amazed by the difference, even if you have had your brows threaded/waxed professionally previously.

Personally I am chuffed and hope to maintain them for as long as I can afford them!

I hope you enjoyed this chattier review - let me know what you think of HD Brows and if you want to do some more research, this is the link to the HD Brows website. 

VIDEO: My Current Favourite Youtubers

The first in an entirely unintentional series of favourites is my Youtube favourites. I hope you enjoy!

Barely There Makeup

Ever since I picked up Origins VitaZing a couple of weeks ago, I have been loving the idea of a less-is-more makeup. No flawless base and painstaking liner attempts here - just a quick way to perk up my face on the days when a full face just feels like far too much. This also has the added bonus of a guaranteed break-out free look - not usually the case I am afraid!

So to talk you through how this went down:

I started with Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, plopped mainly on my cheeks, and buffed my Origins VitaZing over the top of that. I felt my undereye circles needed some perking up with my Bobbi Brown Corrector in Extra Light Bisque, but I didn't want to conceal anything else. Through my brows I ran some of my newest love, Maybelline Brow Drama in Dark Brown, and gave my lashes a good ole fashioned curl. I did pop a little Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in Taupe along my upper lashline and smudged it for a soft touch of definition. On my cheeks I am wearing Stila's Convertible Colour in Lillium, and I went in with Topshop's Glow cream highlighter in the shade Gleam, applying that to my brow- and cheekbones. Last of all I slicked on some of Tanya Burr's lip gloss in Chic.

PS - Does anyone remember the scene from Bridesmaids when Kristen Wiig runs into the loo to slap on makeup before creeping into bed to pretend she woke up looking that perfect? This is SO the kind of makeup that I would have done in her stead (if I could be bothered that is - no man is worth that kind of sneaky action!)

TAG: Why do you wear makeup?

The only intro pic I could find!

This post started life as a Youtube video that was so deeply disrupted by one of our lovely cats that I figured I'd just turn my little prompt notes into a blog post and share it with you guys. This is the link to the original ViviannaDoesMakeup video that inspired this, it's an oldie but a goldie!

1) When did you begin loving makeup?
For me, it really has been a lifelong love affair. My first memories of using the stuff involve some deeply bold experimentations with Tammy Girl palettes - the turquoise blusher trend will catch on - and I remember my mum being bemusedly supportive of some of my more out-there looks. All I'm saying is, J Lo was fifteen years late to the yellow lipstick game.
  My favourite makeup adventure isn't actually one I remember but involves one of the sets my parents bought me to keep me busy during our car journey for a holiday to France. Apparently the lady at the ferry saw me, calm as you please, caked in makeup, chilling in the back of the car and was so taken in my skill and charm that we got an immediate upgrade.
  You are welcome, Mum and Dad.
  This wasn't actually a question but I started wearing makeup regularly at about thirteen or fourteen, venturing out with a simple line of brown kohl on the outer corner of my lower lashline and a super light slick of Natural Collection brown-black mascara. I was almost eighteen before my mum stopped tutting at me for wearing black mascara. I realise now she was probably right about that though!


2) How do you feel without makeup?
For the longest time I absolutely hated how I looked without makeup - I'd say from fifteen to about nineteen I was wearing makeup nearly every day. Things actually changed thanks to a mate of mine from my first uni - after hearing him bang on about how cool it was when girls were confident enough to go bear faced I was finally cool with being seen without it, and given how awful my acne was at this point, I'd say this was a pretty big deal. First and second years of uni saw me only ever opening my makeup bag (okay, makeup bags) for nights out and going bare faced as much as I could.
  Things picked up over my amazing summer as an aupair in Germany as the beautiful mum of my host family was just as much of a junkie as I am, and our mutual love of all things beauty and of course her gorgeous little girl really bonded us.
  As a teaching assistant I started out the year feeling like I had to wear a base, but eventually realised I was the only teacher in the whole school wearing foundation and figured there was absolutely no need. I did make the effort (!) to chuck mascara on every day though as I still wanted to feel I was in "work mode".


3) What do you like about makeup?
I used to be all about the creativity and reinvention side of makeup, and while I do still enjoy this I am also aware of a whole host of other reasons for my obsession.
  I really like the bond that makeup gives - it's one of those things we can pretty much all identify with and there's no easier conversation starter for me than "I love your lipstick/nail varnish/blush..." There's some kind of behind-the-scenes glamour that makeup has always held for me that I really love.
  Over recent years I have become much more confident doing other people's makeup and there's no better feeling than knowing you helped one of your friends or loved ones feel beautiful and confident for a nice occasion.


4) Three Holy Grail Products?

1. The MAC 217 is a brus any makeup lover should own, especially those wanting to up their eyeshadow game. At £18 it is an investment but not one you will regret; there is a reason this has such a cult status!
2. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is the foundation in my stash that I think will be the most universally adored as I have heard oilier and dry skinned fans alike waxing lyrical on its loveliness. I am combination and for me it is a fool proof winner, that looks best applied with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush (another potential HG product). L'Oreal's True Match is meant to be a dupe but as it is a drugstore brand I have found its shade range rather dodgy, whereas my Giorgio choice is always on point.
3. MAC's Ruby Woo Lipstick. I used it in one of my very first tutorials and I have been head over heels since its purchase last summer. You absolutely need a lip liner with this (and ideally MAC's Lip Prep and Prime) and if you don't like a super matte formula you may have to look elsewhere, but if you are cool with these then you will love this. The ultimate red lip.

I of course tag anyone watching to do this - if you do please leave your post or video link down below!

Nailed It: Tanya Burr's Peaches and Cream

I was ridiculously excited about Tanya's nail and lip gloss line and I truly have no idea what took me so long, but I grabbed the beautiful Peaches and Cream the other day in a Feel Unique order and I was not disappointed.

It is a few shades darker than it looks in the swatches on Feel Unique and looks slightly darker in the bottle, but I actually really love it and it is certainly very different from anything else in my polish collection (and my mum's, which is bloody massive). 

This doesn't have my favourite brush in the world, after about three days of wear chips are now appearing but my nails usually start chipping within 24 hours so this is actually pretty flamin' good. It took about two coats and I stuck my cheapy Essence topcoat on afterwards.

I am now debating what polish I am going to try out next as they are a nice size for a good price (£5.99 is a good few quid less than I was expecting!)

My Makeup Heroes: TV edition

Hey gang, so the premise of this post is a very simple one: an ode to the ladies that rock makeup almost as gorgeous as they themselves.

This idea came about through watching an episode of The Good Wife, leading me to the first Makeup Hero of this post: the character of Alicia Florrick, played by the beautiful Julianna Margulies. Let's take a moment to swoon in silence:

Diptyque Do Son: My first Diptyque purchase

So this month was my last in la belle France and I took the opportunity to pack in some crafty "Treat Yo Self" style goodbye gifts for yours truly - and how could I possibly leave France without a Diptyque au revoir purchase?

My choice was the lovely Do Son Eau de Parfum and a jolly beautiful one it was - it even came with two teeny testers that I got to choose too!

According to Diptyque, the Do Son scent is tuberose based and their description is a rather delicious one so I thought I'd quote them directly:

Tuberose asserts itself, expressing all its sunny, hazy, creamy, indolent seductiveness. Anyone with blood in their veins will succumb to the irresistible temptation of this insolently seductive white flower. (75ml)

Rather heavenly-sounding isn't it? Scent-wise I am definitely not that mad on the smell of this in the bottle or at the first spritz, but given about ten minutes to chill on the skin it becomes this wonderful, unique, feminine gorgeousness that I have to restrain myself from showering in. It is the only perfume I've ever sprayed on myself before bed, such is my addiction for this lovely stuff.

I haven't heard this scent spoken about much online but when testing these guys out (in Galeries Lafayette, Paris Haussman, for those that are interested) I tried the names that were familiar to me and none of them were for me. The very friendly chap behind the counter suggested this one after I told him I was a floral fan, looking for something young but sophisticated (and that I was a fan of Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle). It really is lovely, lovely stuff, pretty long lasting though I've been spraying it on every hour or so just for the love of it!

Above is the very sweet pouch my choices were sent to me in; I also tried their Infused Facial Water which is definitely a luxe buy at £35 but a very nice treat to try; I also chose their Protective Moisturising Lotion which was also a decadent-to-the-point-of-eye-watering price point at a stonking £44.

They were wonderfully scented but very much out my price range, but getting to choose two samples, albeit miniature, 5 ml ones, was a nice touch. Well done Diptyque, well done.

But back to Do Son: even the back of the bottle is well thought out:

Just fabulous.

So it's a thumbs up from me for Do Son; I wonder what my next Diptyque purchase - hopefully in the very, very distant future - will be... Let me know if you have any recommendations!

You can buy Diptyque's Do Son Eau de Parfum for 75ml at £85.00 from their website here.

VIDEO: March Favourites

In case you missed it you beauties, here are my Marchiest of favourites, I feel free to check 'em out!

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils: Review and Swatch Fest

Oh man, do I love a bold matte lippy. I know glosses are meant to be the next new trend and we're meant to be downing lipsticks and rocking all things sheer and shiny from here on out, but I am so not ready to embrace the trend yet, especially with the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils chillin' in my makeup bag.

Just look at them:

VIDEO: Bridal Makeup with Jen

Hey beauty boffs, here is a bridal makeup look I did on the beautiful Jen, I hope you enjoy!