Autumnal Makeup Favourites

Autumnal Makeup Favourites

I'm sitting in my bedroom writing this blogpost and my hands are so cold it is almost hard to type! So while it currently feels more like Winter right now I thought it was about time I got around to talking about some of my Autumn makeup favourites.

As cliche as it is, a darker lip is one of my favourite makeup looks for this time of year. And both of my favourite shades are from Rimmel, so very inexpensive. Rimmel's Lasting Finish Lipstick in shade 128 Starry-Eyed has been my go to berry shade for a few years now, and I know I have spoken about this a few times on my blog. So I though I would introduce you to a new darker lip favourite; Rimmel's Lasting Finish by Kate in shade 48. This is a deeper brown toned colour and definietly fitting with the whole 90's trend which is still around. I find that this colour really suites my skin tones and makes my brown eyes pop. Especially with a subtle brown smokey eye and lashings of black mascara. I like to wear this during the day time dabbed onto my lips over some lipbalm, or full on colour for evenings. And the finish of these are beautiful so they last for ages!

Green eyeshadow, I know what your thinking! Sounds awful and probably reminds you of that lime green eyeshadow you got free once in a Pop magazine and used to smudge all over you lids as a child! But I'm talking about a beautiful shimmery emerald green, which FYI is my favourite colour at the moment. Maybe I'll have to do a whole blogpost on all of the emerald green additions I've been making to my wardrobe! This lovely eyeshadow from The Body Shop makes for a gorgeous and different evening smokey eye. Or take a little bit on a thin liner brush for pretty day time look.

My final Autumn favourites are jewel toned nails, particularly these stunning Essie shades. After a Summer of whites and pastels it's lovely to pick up those rich colours that just feel and look so luxurious. Burgundy on your nails at this time of year is a classic, but can sometimes be a bit over done. I think navy is a colour that people often forget, but it looks just as sophisticated. And finally back to the emerald green which I am also loving wearing on my nails.

Essie Shades:

• Bobbing for baubles


• Midnight Cami


• Sugar Daddy


• Going Incognito


• Thigh High


• Trophy Wife

Only a couple of weeks now and it will be Winter! And I can't wait to start getting all Christmassy!

Speak soon xx

 

What I bought in Cyprus

What I bought in Cyprus

Finally getting around to sharing some of the beautiful things that I bought when I went on holiday in Cyprus. And thought that I would start with my favourite of all!

Cyprus, like a lot of typical holiday destinations has a lot of fake handbags. It's a tricky topic, but not really something I believe in. There were shops and shops of fake Mulberry's and Celine's and just about every iconic designer handbag that you could ever imagine! I didn't want something fake but I did want a beautiful leather handbag. And this was the one that I fell in love with.

It was the colour that I initially fell in love with, that beautiful emerald green on a mottled leather. But the shape of the bag is lovely, lots of room inside with so many different pockets and compartments. It is actually a copy of a Michael Kors handbag, although I will probably wear it with this side showing just as much! I just love this. It's perfect for everyday, yet smart enough to be something a bit special.

Something that I have been so desperate to add to my wardrobe for Autumn is a printed silk scarf. Something really versatile that I can drape over my shoulders, use as a belt, tie around my neck, or even attach to my handbag like I've seen lots of people doing at the moment. Again this is a fake designer good, Versace apparently! But again I didn't buy this as a designer rip off. I bought this because I loved the colours an the print and knew that this would be a great addition to my wardrobe. Also the branding isn't obvious which I love.

I am completely obsessed with velvet at the moment, and it really is everywhere right now. And no matter what price point you are shopping at, be it £20, £200 or more, velvet is always luxurious. I wasn't really expecting to find any clothing in Cyprus (not sure why), but they had some really nice shops. My sister and I found this amazing shop at the airport, which reminded me so much of Zara. And just like Zara I wanted everything! But this skirt is just a dream. Midi, pleated, velvet and silver, can you get more Christmassy?! It's so beautiful and for the equivalent of about £40 a total bargain. Think about wearing this little number to the ASOS Christmas Party!

And to go with the silver skirt I got this little black lace cami, something I know will be a great addition to my wardrobe. I loved the lace insert on this top, a little detail that really adds something extra. I also love these two as an outfit together.

Another clothing favourite, this gorgeous leopard print blouse. This was from a little shop in the town that reminded me of New Look. For about £12 I can't believe how lovely this is. It's so flattering with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of black skinny jeans and heeled boots. Also something so easy to thrown on for work in the morning!

On the morning of our very last day in Cyprus I fell in love with another handbag. This is a beautiful leather shopper style bag, and apparently a Chloe copy. What really drew me to this bag was the fact the there is no big obvious branding on the front of the bag. In fact the only branding is a little logo on the side of the bag. I love the colours and the simple design of this bag and again it is nice and roomy. It is also really leather which is lovely. Also I have worn this a few times and because of the straps it is one that I mostly wear on the nook of my arm. But already the colour of my jeans has started to rub off on the back of the bag, which is really annoying.

And finally a little pair of earrings from a really lovely, but quite expensive shop in the town. I have seen quite a lot of these tassel earring and I love them, especially as they would be great for dressing up a simple outfit for Christmas drinks. These are a simple and fairly delicate pair and I think these would look lovely with the silver skirt and black cami as a more dressy outfit. Or just with a white blouse and black jeans for something a little more casual.

So I hope that you enjoyed this post and seeing everything that I bought from Cyprus. Hope you are all well.

Speak soon xx

 

 

Garnier Honey Treasures

Garnier Honey Treasures

I thought that considering I repurchased these yesterday, it was about time that I wrote this post! I bought these back in Summer when my hair and skin were both in need of some serious rehydration, and I thought this collection my do the trick.

I love honey, and it is actually fairly healthy, particularly good for a sore throat. I have also read that is is good for your skin to, for moisture and fading scaring. I even once went as far as smearing honey all over my face as a face mask, after reading something on Pinterest probably! And I remember it actually left my skin feeling very moisturised. I also remember that is wasn't worth the mess it created (honey drips off the face!). Either way, the idea of using some kind of honey in a beauty product intrigued me.

The body moisturiser is lovely. It doesn't smell too over powering so it is perfect to put on after a morning shower and then spray some perfume on. But what I really love is how moisturising it is considering how quickly it sinks into the skin. I love moisturising, no one wants dry flaking skin, especially at this time of year. But the whole faff of moisturising and then waving your arms about while it sinks in before you can put your clothes on is just a pain! Particularly at this time of year when it is freezing! So in that sense I love this product, it's brilliant. I pat myself down after a shower and then apply this really quickly while still in the shower so I don't have to meet the cold air for as long as possible. And then by the time I am out and have decided what I'm wearing it has already sunk in!

The hair mask is just as great and low maintenance. It takes 3-5 minutes, although sometime I leave it on a bit longer if my hair needs some extra care. I apply this and almost massage it in to the ends of my hair after shampooing. And then while I wash my face and body and exfoliate I just leave it in. So by the time that I have finished the rest of my shower routine it is ready to rinse out. After using this my hair feels and looks a lot healthier and most nourished.

For the price point I think both of these products are pretty amazing. And the fact that they make two quite tedious, but fairly necessary tasks so quick and simple is a huge selling point! Would definietly recommend!

Speak soon xx

Cyprus Snaps

Cyprus Snaps

It been a week now since I got back from Cyprus and the weather back home couldn't be more different! It's cold and dark, sometimes even a little frosty in the morning. And we are at that stage in the year when it's dark when I wake up and dark again by the time I get home - I can actually go days without seeing any sunshine! So while I am snuggled up in a big jumper with a cup of tea and heading out to watch some fireworks in a couple of hours I thought I would share some of my favourite holiday snaps.

Dipping my toes into the freezing cold swimming pool at our villa! I ended up using this more as a pluge pool as it was too cold to do more than a length in!

Channeling some bohemian vibes. This top actually used to belong to my mum, but it has the beautiful lace up details and lovely floaty sleeves so I've sort of stolen it!

Sandy feet and salty hair.

There is something about a palm tree against a blue sky that is just so aesthetically pleasing.

On one of my favourite days we took a road trip along the coastline of Northern Cyprus. The views were amazing, rocky mountains on one side and turquoise seas the other. We spent the day stopping off at beaches and cafe and roman ruins.

Exploring the previously mentioned Roman Ruins.

I think it's amazing how well these have lasted considering people are just able to walk through and all over then.

And a cute little donkey that was standing in the middle of the road and blocking our way on the road trip!

Really missing the sunshine after looking at all of these pictures again!

Speak soon xx

Super Model Smile

Super Model Smile

I don't usually shop in M&S, unless it is for food, in which case I can't rave enough about their sandwiches and salads. In fact, if you are having a picnic M&S is the place to go! However apart for their divine food offerings, I tend not to shop in M&S as it is less aimed toward my age.

However for my birthday, bless her, my grandma gave me some money to spend in store. And as soon as the voucher fell out of the card I knew what I wanted to spend it on. So I marched into M&S, guided by the sparkling rose gold in the corner of the store and heading straight for the Rosie for Autograph make up collection. There is no doubt that Rosie has done incredible things for M&S, since collaborating with them a few years ago. Her lingerie and nightwear collection is beautiful, in sexy but classy way, but it was her makeup range I was desperate to try.

I've heard so many things from other bloggers raving about her makeup. Not only is it incredibly aesthetically pleasing (rose gold is always a winner in my eyes!), but it has been described as incredible quality for value.

A fair amount of time and a hand covered in swatches later I decided upon this beautiful rose gold lip glossy. The shade I chose was shade 1, Super Model Smile. Could there be a more fitting name for this product?! The product is a lip gloss/lip balm hybrid, a texture that I love. It's glossy, but not too shiny and really lovely to apply without being too sticky. And the shade is absolutely beautiful. It just so natural, but somehow really brightening. It's the perfect pinky glossy finish to a natural daytime look. And one that I have kept in my daytime makeup bag ever since I bought it.

Basically I absolutely love this product. It would definitely be in the top 5 lip colours I have ever tried! And if you have seen my lipstick/gloss collection you will know that is saying something!

I really want to try some more products from this collection. So let me know if you have any recommendations below, or which products that you would love to try!

Speak soon xx

Cyprus

Cyprus

Yesterday I arrived in Cyprus with my family after a tiring two part night flight. It’s only a couple of weeks since I was in the South of France (feeling like a bit of a jet-setter at the moment!). But I really feel like I need this holiday to spend some time with my family and hopefully get a bit of sun!

The villa we are staying in is beautiful. Up near the mountains of Northern Cyprus, but looking out on to the bright blue sea and a short drive from the beach. There is a large pool at the front looking on to the panoramic view and a couple of sun beds and some floats for getting that all important glow! However…there is no wifi! A blogger/social media obsessives worst nightmare!

I’m torn. In a way I’m grateful, I know it will do me the world of good to have a break from my phone an laptop. To give my eyes a rest from staring at a screen and my thumb a rest from scrolling! Yet part of me is totally dying! I can’t text, call or message anyone with out it costing me the earth! I can’t make people jealous on Instagram and Snapchat with beautiful holiday pictures. I won’t even be able to watch MiC on Monday!

But I am still trying to blog. One thing that I really wanted to use this time for on holiday was to catch up with my blog and get back into posting more frequently. It’s something I have spoken a lot about recently. About how I’m not really happy with my blog and how I am struggling to find the time to put as much work into it as I would like. A lot of the bloggers that I look up to are people that blog for a living. So it’s hard to manage the expectations of what I can do alongside a full-time job and a three hour commute each day!

Either way, I’m still working on it. It’s not that I have writers block, there is actually so much stuff that I would like to share. I probably have nearly 20 lots of post photos ready but still not found the time to write them all.

So this holiday, while I can’t promise that I will be posting a whole lot due to my little issue that is lack of internet. I can say that I am ready to get back into writing, to spilling my thoughts and feelings and inspiration out onto a page.

So I hope that you are all well and I look forward to writing for you again!

Speak soon xx

South of France

South of France

A couple of weeks ago I took a short holiday (my first time off work in 3 months), to Aix En Provence in the South of France to visit my boyfriend Jack and to celebrate his 21st. For this year while I am working at ASOS Jack is also taking a year out of university to study Economic in France, and yes, in French! So we are back to long distance again, but special holidays like these make the months between seeing each other go a little quicker.

Apart from a few Instagram posts I didn't do any blogging and wasn't particularly active on social media. It gave me a chance to just switch off from the world and the fast paced life working in London and just spend some quality time with Jack. But as the South of France was so beautiful I did take a few pictures so I thought I would pull some of the nicest together and share them with you.

I had the most wonderful week hiking, swimming in the sea, sunning on the beach, shopping and exploring beautiful little towns and markets. And of course eating, most of the holiday was based around food! We had ice creams, incredible bagels, lots of pasta and bread and cheese. Not the healthiest of weeks, but we did a lot of walking so in my head it was all justified.

On my first day we went hiking along some beautiful coastline with white cliffs and turquoise sea. And then we walked down and found a lovely little cove where everyone was swimming, it was just magical.

I'm now back at home, what feels like a million miles away from my holiday in the South of France. I'm tucked up in bed wearing fluffy socks and clutching a tea for warmth. In the week that I was away Summer most definitely came to an end and everything is feeling very Autumnal.

I am actually lucky enough to be going on another holiday next week with my family, and hopefully catching one last bit of sun!

Speak soon xx

Jacket of Dreams

Jacket of Dreams

More frequently, probably due to the tremendous amount of fashion magazines and blogs that I read, I have an item that I am wishing for stuck in my head. It's probably based on a designer item I have seen that I am trying to find a dupe of for a fraction of the price. But either way having an image of the "perfect" item stuck in my head makes be incredibly fussy. I've probably already decided the colour, fabric and length, basically exactly how the piece should be, and how it should look on me! And usually it can take years to find! Does anyone else have this problem of is it just me!?

Going into each new season I usually have a little mental list of items that I want to buy into. Right now for example I'm on the hunt for a pair of grey wool shorts, some brown leather ankle boots and a printed silk square scarf. But a piece that have been on my list for years (no exaggeration) was a beige aviator jacket. Basically the ACNE STUDIOS one, but without the £2000 price tag! And every year when coat season came around I would search in every store for my dream jacket.

That was until Zara! Beside from being my favourite shop just for all clothing (although particularly Winter I find), Zara are amazing at creating dupes for designer pieces, something in just a couple of weeks after they have been on the Catwalk.

After the most amazing trip to London Fashion Weekend with my mum we decided to pop into the beautiful Zara in Sloane Square just to have a little browse around. And it really is such a beautiful store that I really recommend! When I first walked in I started spotting a couple of aviator jackets. The first was in a lovely light grey however it was longer that I was looking for. The second was small and thin and in an orangey beige...and the third was perfect.

And they had one left in my size! So I tried it on straight away and it fit like a shearling lined, super cosy glove. The price tag was a little high (although nothing compared to the £2000 ACNE one!), so obviously I completely forgot the fact that I DO NOT need another Winter coat/jacket and bought it! Zara also have this amazing way of changing their stock almost completely every couple of weeks so that if you see something you buy it straight away as you don't know if it will even be on sale in a weeks time!

I've managed to find the exact jacket on the Zara website incase you also want to treat yourself to something snuggly for Winter as well!

Suede Effect and Fleecy Jacket 

So here I am, with the jacket of my dreams. Just hoping the weather gets very cold, very soon. Recently I've actually been hanging it on the back of my cupboard so that I can admire it just before I go to bed! Sad, I know! But in a way I feel proud and like it is a huge accomplishment that I have finally found something that I have been dreaming up for years!

Maybe I need to get out more...or just go back to Zara and see if they have anymore dreamy items in store that I need for Winter!

Speak soon

 

London Fashion Weekend

London Fashion Weekend

Last Sunday I was lucky enough to go to London Fashion Weekend at the Saachi Gallery, such a beautiful venue in Sloane Square. And while the trains weren’t exactly on my side (are they ever at the moment!?), the weather was lovely and for once I felt like I dressed appropriately.

I chose to take an over-the-knee booted step out of my comfort zone for the occasion, and wore this gorgeous floral maxi dress with a front split. I think the only time I have worn maxi dresses is for balls and my prom! During the day if I do wear a dress, as 90% of the time I will be in skinny jeans, then it’s a mini dress (not a body con though!). So for me this was huge, and I loved it! I spent the day feeling like a fashion princess!

And you won’t believe how much the dress in question cost me! £1!! It’s a little mean of me to boast about it as I got it from an ASOS sample sale a few weeks ago. However the dress is online at the moment and I think it is discounted so it is really reasonable. And you can click on the link below if you want to have a little look.

Goldie Great Lengths Maxi Dress

When we first arrived at 10am in the morning, a particularly early start for a Sunday, we had a little browse around some of the stalls. They had a few brands that I had heard of and a few brands that I hadn’t, but everything just looked so beautiful and luxurious. There were leather jackets, denim dresses, beautiful tailored suits and the softest faux fur. And while the majority of things were a little out of my budgets (especially the week before pay day!) I was so nice just to wonder around, get some pictures and just take everything in.

Wondering around the stalls and little boutiques actually left me with two little nuggets of inspiration.

1. Rather than have loads of cheaper clothes (and only a handful of them you actually wear) invest in a few pieces that you love and that are going to stand the test of time.


2. Be more daring! My aim for this season is to try and be a little more bold in my fashion choices, and I think that working at ASOS surrounded by so many fashionable people is the best place to be for inspiration. I’m not saying blindly follow every fashion trend! But wearing a floral maxi dress with a split up the front was pretty daring for me - and I felt fabulous.

We also saw a couple of lovely shows, displaying trends such a Winter florals, velvet and beautiful lace. I am now desperate to get my hands on something velvet is a rich jewel tone. I have seen a lot of velvet at the moment and I was a bit on the fence at first. It’s a texture that reminds me too much of my childhood dressing up days and makes me feel a little funny when it’s brushed the wrong way. And then I read a lovely article in Style magazine about the texture of the season and how it’s great because it is actually very difficult to tell the different between the designer and the hughstreet, as velvet is just really velvet. Unless you want to get all technical and say that the expensive will be silk and the cheap will be polyester! So I’m going to do a little online hunting as soon as I click the upload button for this post!

Speak soon xx 

Making a MAC Palette

Making a MAC Palette

I am so excited to be writing this post, it is literally a dream come true. It's a incredibly girlie, cliche and totally uninspiring dream to create my own MAC palette, but a dream none the less. Defo one to tick off my virtual bucket list!

From my lovely team at work I got some MAC vouchers, a perfect gift as it is a brand that I love but a little expensive that I wouldn't shop there as I could never justify spending that amount of money on makeup. But gift vouchers aren't really money are they?! So after work last week I walked down the road to the MAC store (ASOS really is the best place to work!) and treated myself.

If there is one makeup product I could never get bored of shopping for it is eye shadow palettes. And even though I always go for the same kind of shades (nudes, browns and bronze), they are just so beautiful, and I want them all. So even before I had reached the store, there was no question in my mind about what I would be spending my money on!

The idea behind this little quad, my first personal eye shadow palette was my perfect compact travel palette. I wanted an off white shade that would work perfectly in the inner corners. A light matte brown that would work as an all over natural shadow, but also a pretty crease colour. A darker brown that would work as a more dramatic crease colour but also on a thin brush as an eyeliner. And then a pretty shimmery shade that would work for both day and night.

So after a very long time staring at shadows and one beautifully painted hand later, I picked my shades.

Brule - a creamy beige satin finish with no shimmer
Satin Taupe - frosted cool tone brown with mauve undertones
Charcoal Brown - a matte cool tone taupe with some grey undertones
Brun - a satin finished dark taupe brown

I can't wait to start recreating different looks with these four beautiful shades. Possibly a few makeup looks coming soon.

And while I probably shouldn't be back in the MAC store anytime soon if you do have any other eyeshadows that you would recommend then please leave then in the comments below. Maybe my new dream will be the 16 shadow palette!

Speak soon xx

A Special Present

A Special Present

I have a bit of a special birthday present (presents!) to share with you today. In my previous post I shared with you most of what I got for my birthday. And as if I wasn't already lucky enough, I was really spoilt by my lovely boyfriend this year. I guess it is because he knowns me so well, but he has always been the best at present buying. And this year he truly outdid himself with some really special gifts.

So the first thing that he got me was this gorgeous dainty silver knot ring. I think he got his inspiration for this from my Pinterest account as I have pinned a silver knot bangle very similar to this! Definite boyfriend points there I think! This is so perfect though and goes with all the silver jewellery that I have been wearing recently (including my new watch - post coming soon).

I just love how understated and delicate this is, it's just beautiful. And I have worn it pretty much everyday since. It's by a brand called Margot and Mila that I had not heard of before. But they sell lovely handmade product product here in London that are so reasonably priced. And you can find them on their own website or on Etsy.

And I was well and truly spoilt as this was the other present from Jack. An original copy of Vogue from when I was born (Aug 1996). And he had it framed in a lovely cream shabby chic style frame which went straight up onto my bedroom wall. This is such a thoughtful and unusual gift, perfect for anyone that loves fashion. But also something that I am going to keep and treasure forever and take with me wherever I move.

So thank you to my lovely boyfriend Jack for these beautiful gifts. I can only hope that I will do as well for his 21st coming up in a month! (Any ideas please leave below)!

Speak soon xx

What I Got For My Birthday

What I Got For My Birthday

And I'm back...just under a month later! I am such a awful blogger, but I'm back with a really exciting post. I have finally left my teens! I say finally, but really I was quite emotional about the whole thing. I do not feel ready to be a proper adult!

But "What I got for my birthday" posts and videos are some of my favourite to read/watch, so I have put together a little one of my own. As always a little disclaimer, I am not trying to brag about anything. I was incredibly lucky this year to get some really stunning gifts. Mostly white and pastel as my family and friends obviously know me very well!

My my little sister I got this stunning white little tray, which I am sure you will be seeing a lot more of on here as it will be so useful for blog photos. I got a few candles, all white and all smell divine. I light a candle almost every night before bed, especially as it gets darker and colder so I cannot wait to start burning these. And then I got some absolutely stunning jewellery from some of my favourite places, Estella Bartlett and Accessorize, featuring some of my favourite things, stars and elephants!

Estella Bartlett do some of my favourite jewellery pieces. Everything is so delicate and beautifully made, but they also do some lovely cute designs. And after a long love affair with gold I am really getting back in to wearing silver jewellery.

And I couldn't not show you a close up of these absolutely adorable elephant earrings. I know that my elephant obsession is a little crazy, but these are just the cutest. And still so delicate and subtle.

Displaying all of my new beautiful white candles on my tray. The little one at the front is made in Sevenoaks, my little home town! And I am actually burning the big glass jar one from Next as I write this post - it smells divine.

Of course I was lucky enough to get some lovely bath bits. My little sister got me the Body shop products as she knows the shea butter scent is my favourite. And at the moment it is a little too hot but when it gets colder I can't wait to start having bubble baths with this huge bottle of Sanctuary Spa!

A little treat from The White Company...one of my favourite shops of all time.

My girls at uni were so generous. And they obviously know me so well! I got the softest and most comfy pair of lounge pants, and they are grey and white striped with lace trim; very me! And the pastel pink pouch feels so luxury and beautiful made.

And some lovely home bits. How pretty is this little mug? I'm going to keep this one by my bed and use it for my green tea before I go to bed.

 

And finally a couple of books. As I am working in London I would really love to try and tick off some of the places in this really cute book my John Sykes. And then a Vogue colouring book! I actually really love colouring in the evening before bed while I watch some Netflix. It's so therapeutic and relaxing.

So I hope that you enjoyed having a little peak at some of the presents I got for my birthday! I was incredibly lucky this year. So sorry I seem to have taken a little bit of a break from blogging at the moment. I'm finding it hard to find the time to create the posts that I want to write. But hopefully soon things will have calmed down here and I will get back into more of a routine.

But I hope you are all well and enjoying a lovely Summer. Speak soon xx