Walking the Corrie Cobbles

After months and months of umming and ahhing, we finally decided to go on the highly-anticipated tour of the Coronation Street set in Manchester. It opened in April 2015 and will sadly be closing this October due to the land being sold off and the set demolished. The new set has already been up and running for over a year now but the old set still has the same magic and all of the old memories.The upcoming closure gave us a much-needed kick to go as Manchester is only a half an hour drive away and Coronation Street is one of our favourite shows that we thoroughly commit to watching. In addition to this, it's the longest running soap in the world and we were excited to explore how the show is made. Unfortunately the tour does not permit photos to be taken inside the studios, only outside on the actual street, but I'll include some from the official website.









 



















Website Photos


 A few fun facts I can remember from the set of the Kabin - the sweets are all real, just very old and very gross. Also the magazines were designed by the crew - you can't use existing magazines that might feature Michelle Keegan on them! Thirdly, the cigarettes aren't real.. but they used to be. The cast would pinch them!



The Rovers doesn't serve real alchohol - the beer is shandy, the vodka is water and the wine is juice! Can't have the cast being drunk at work..



The Platt's! If you remember in 2008 when David pushed Gail down the stairs, it's also quite funny to note the lack of an upstairs in the set. Production had to bring in an extension set just to get that angle. 

I hope you've enjoyed this post! If you do get the chance to go to the Coronation Street set, I would highly recommend it as it's a fun day out and truly nostalgic. Plus, who doesn't want to have their photo taken behind the bar at The Rover's Return? It's a must.


Are you a Corrie fan?

xxx

My Updated Skincare Routine

After the success of my original 'skincare routine' post back in January, I thought it was about time I wrote an updated version, seeing as I've been trying out a plethora of different products over the past seven months. Clarins is still my favourite skincare brand, our love is still strong, but I'll admit I've been flirting with Origins and Benefit. I needed a skincare shake-up and these are the results..

Disclaimer: I have combination to oily skin and no I am not sponsored by Clarins *sob*



My basic daily routine

1. Remove eye makeup using Clarins Gentle Eyemakeup remover - simple and effective

2. I use the Origins Checks and Balances Frothy face wash morning and night; it has a gorgeous minty scent and leaves your face squeaky-clean. I discovered this gem when I purchased the Origins 'Essentials Only' kit - photos are below

3. Post-wash, I use the Clarins toning lotion for combination to oily skin (I couldn't find it to photograph but it'll be in my original post)

4. Pre-makeup, I use the Clarins HydraQuench lotion which has the added bonus of SPF 15. I read about this in a post by fellow blogger Gabrielle from A Glass of Ice and I love it! It's great as a makeup base and is suitable for normal to combination skin

5. On an evening, however, I often switch the lotion for the Clarins HydraQuench cream or the Clarins Lotus oil, depending on what my skin needs. The HydraQuench cream is more suited towards dry skin but I think every now and again it's ok to use a thicker moisturiser at night. The lotus oil is my new best friend as it is designed to combat oily tendencies by tricking your skin into thinking it doesn't need to produce any more oil - genius! It has a very 'herbally' scent which might put people off but give it a try and your skin will feel rejuvenated in the morning! I haven't purchased the oil in full size as of yet - the price is quite steep for a student like myself - but I'm sure I will be doing soon. Until then, I'll stick with the samples. 

Extras

6. Once a week I like to use either the Origins Modern Friction scrub or the Clarins One Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, which you can read more about in my January favourites post. It's important to get rid of those nasty dead skin cells and these products certainly pack a punch when it comes to removing blackheads 

7. I also like to use the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal mask on designated 'pampering days' to help sort out any skin issues. You look like a monster for 20 minutes but the results are worth it

8. Benefit's Total Moisture is a thick intensive moisturiser which I wouldn't recommend for the entire face but simply for certain areas that need it. This mini size is part of the Benefit skincare collection, mentioned briefly in my Holiday Beauty Haul post. I won't be repurchasing this in a full size but it'll definitely be handy in winter.


The Origins Essentials Only kit also includes the GinZing Energy-boosting moisturiser but despite loving the orange scent, my skin was not a fan. It might be more suited towards dry skin rather than sensitive skin so don't let this sway you.  


Are you a Clarins fan? What's your favourite skincare product?

xxx

OPI Hawaii Collection - Summer Nail Inspiration

When OPI announced the launch of their new Hawaii collection, my ears perked up and I wanted to know more. After obsessing over their Euro Centrale range last year, I knew it was about time for some new summer themed lacquers to take the beauty world by storm. Whilst in Sephora in Verona, I spotted the 'Little Hulas' gift set containing four of the best OPI new additions; it very quickly jumped into my basket. My favourite shade is 'That's Hula-rious' - a beautiful pistachio green that could definitely be related to Essie's Mint Candy Apple. The sugar-sweet candy pink is called 'Suzi shops & Island hops' and I can see myself wearing this all year round as a fail-safe every day colour. I currently have the stunning violet 'Lost my bikini in Molokini' on my toenails and I must admit it looks pretty amazing with a tan! It is quite similar to the Euro Centrale colour 'You're such a Budapest' but the mini bottles are much more handy for travel. Finally the cherry red 'Aloha from OPI' is a summery take on the classic red nail and screams sophistication. Are you sold yet? I was impressed at the £13.50 price tag - 20 Euros - and am tempted to buy the green in a full size. Sue me. I'm an OPI addict. This was also revealed in my Spring Nail Inspiration post.




Are you an OPI fan? What was the last colour you bought?

xxx

PLL Season 6 Finale Thoughts & Why Wren should have been A



The mid-season finale of the hit-show Pretty Little Liars was released on Netflix last Wednesday and I finally got around to watching it this morning. Up until this point I'd had to stay off Twitter and beg my friends not to tell me anything. After six years of mystery, theorizing, predictions and confusion, Big A was revealed to be the one and only Cece Drake. From season two onwards I was convinced that it was Wren and his reoccurence in the plot only confirmed by suspicions. He'd been in scenes with Spencer, Emily and Hanna - a character not big enough to have his own story line but he was often happily lurking on the outskirts of the main drama. 

On a more practical note, as a doctor Wren would have had access to medical supplies, doctors records and most importantly Radley Sanitarium. As the seasons continued, 'Wren is A' YouTube videos popped up everywhere and the level of detail and analysis into the 'Wren' clues is mind-blowing. It shows how his intelligence, money and family background could have led to an evil master-mind. Sorry I. Marlene King but your fans could have written a better finale than you. Not only am I highly disappointed Wren was not A but I personally feel that the Cece route was a poor choice. I cannot comment on how the transgender community reacted to the portrayal of Cece but I don't think it was a great idea to present the topic in this way. The finale reveals a transgender woman who is shunned by her father, trapped in a mental asylum and becomes obsessed with her sister and friends, resulting in violence, manipulation and torture. Pretty Little Liars is quite progressive with its themes - from drug use to homelessness, homosexuality to student-teacher relationships - and I really respect that but I just don't think they did this one right. According to social media, the large majority of fans aren't happy either. 

A few unAnswered questions
  • How was Melissa involved in the whole thing? She seems to have gotten off quite lightly, or maybe they've just forgotten about her
  • Why did Wren write a visitor pass for Cece to visit Mona if she was already checked in there herself? What did he know? (On Twitter he claims he will appear in a future episode!)
  • Why did Sara Harvey get involved in the A game?
  • How did the Liar's mothers get out of the DiLaurentis cellar?
  • Who killed Mrs DiLaurentis?
  • What happened to Bethany at the end?

All in all, I was more shocked with the revelations that Mona was A, that Toby went undercover in the A team, when Ezra was the main A suspect and the episodes in doll house. Cece hadn't even been mentioned in a few seasons so it would have been more thrilling if the villain had been under our noses the whole time. Of course I'll still watch the rest of the series in January but I do feel the hype has died down slightly; the wait won't be as hard this time. The Desperate Housewives style time jump was interesting but it needs a good follow-up episode to earn my forgiveness.  


What did you think of the finale? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts?



xxx


Venice Lookbook

After the success of my Rome Lookbook back in April, I'm excited to share my Venice Lookbook today after a gorgeous two weeks holidaying with my family. Combining my love of fashion with some beautiful Italian backdrops has been a dream and I hope you like some of the looks I've put together. I'm considering putting together a blog post about my time in Venice, Verona and the Italian ski resort Cortina so if this is something you'd enjoy reading, feel free to leave a comment or tweet me at @modernaudreyh

#1 


A classic Venice backdrop on one of the many bridges over the Grand Canal, here I'm wearing a Miss Selfridge jacquard boycon dress which is also featured in my Post-Exam Fashion Haul. This dress is one of the comfiest items of clothing I own and stylish enough for any summer getaway - it's a win-win. 

#2


I confess I'm not actually in Venice here, it's Verona. More specifically, I'm at the Verona opera house which is reminiscent of the Colloseum structure-wise but not quite as big. I'll include more photos of this in a future post but I'd thoroughly recommend a visit. The top and skirt are both Zara (part of my Rome Haul) and my bag is a new addition from a cute Italian chain called DANNI. 

#3


Always a monochrome fan, I'm obsessed by this shirt and shorts combo and it looks fab with a tan. Add a simple necklace, wedges and you have yourself a classic summer drinks look. Snap up these beauties while they're still in stock!

#4

You might recognize this pretty H&M slogan T-Shirt from my Rome Lookbook but here I've swapped my black Joni jeans for my blue scalloped shorts from Topshop to add a fresh summer feel. 

#5



Pretty sweet view of the mountains, am I right? I'll be posting about our visit to Cortina and the Dolomite mountains very soon. Getting back to the fashion side of things, I chose to wear a graphic River Island tee (which is now in the sale - go, go) and some simple striped denim shorts. 

#6


Finally this nude pink Topshop dress with corset-style detailing on the sides is my favourite summer outfit to make a fashion statement. The skater-style shape is flattering, ladylike and easy to wear. All you need is a simple black bag to complete the Audrey-esque ensemble. 

I hope you enjoyed my lookbook, it was so much fun to make. To keep up to date with all my posts, my bloglovin link is here - The Modern Audrey. I also recently found out I hit 500 followers so thank you very much!

Have you ever been to Venice or is it on your travel wish-list?  

xxx