OOTD // Casual Bank Holiday Weekend

Hello Lovelies!

How are you all? I'm super excited because I bought a new dressing table today and it's finally set up thanks to my lovely boyfriend.  I haven't been happy with makeup storage for a while so it's really nice to have everything organised properly and to have a proper place to do my makeup.  Since moving I've to put up with doing it in the lounge which hasn't been ideal to say the least.  Anyway, on to today's post.

I started doing OOTD posts a while ago but I am hoping to make them a more regular feature.  I have spent quite a lot of time indoors over the bank holiday weekend sorting out things, revising (I thought I would never have to do another exam when I finished uni... how wrong I was!) and walking the dog.

This is just a really casual, comfy preppy look which I love and wore on Sunday.

• Dark Blue Denim Jeans - I picked these jeans up in GAP years ago.  I really struggle to find jeans that fit but these ones aren't too bad.
• White Strappy Vest Top - This plain vest top is from Primark and was super cheap.  I have loads of these in different colours because they just go so well with jeans, shorts and trackie bottoms.  I do find them to be a little too long, though... but for the price you can't really complain.
• Navy and White Cardigan - I bought this cardigan in Jane Norman a good few years ago but I love it.  The length is perfect, the fit is really nice and I love that it has a striped pattern but it's not too in your face or over the top.
• White Shoes - These plimsoles are again from Primark.  I thought they were super cute but they kind of remind me of school gym shoes so I wasn't sure if I would actually wear them hence why I just picked up a cheap pair from Primark.  It turns out they go really well with a host a outfit, are comfortable and are a nice alternative to pumps.

What do you think of this outfit?

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NOTD // Rimmel and Barry M Sparkly Coral Review

Hello Lovelies!

For today's nails I have gone for a combination of two different effects.  Firstly, a Barry M gelly nail paint in Dragon Fruit which gives a gorgeous pop of colour perfect for spring/summer (more the latter) and secondly a sparkly glitter by Rimmel.  The gelly paint gives your nails a lovely shine and only requires two layers for a flawless finish whereas this top coat adds something a little extra which is perfect if you don't want to have a plain nail design or anything too fancy.  The glitter element isn't too heavy but obviously if you want added sparkle just add an another layer.

The combination of these two nail polishes plus base and a plain top coat lasts on my nails for around five days without chipping which is brilliant. 

Sorry these pictures a tad blurry, since taking these pics I've actually re-painted my nails so I couldn't retake them.

The Barry M nail paints are available at for £3.99 and the Rimmel Sparkly Top Coat for around £4.49 at Boots.

What do you think of this look?

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MAC Limited Edition Bare My Soul Eyeshadow Quad Review

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you are all enjoying your bank holiday weekend! I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Limited Edition Mac eyeshadow quad Bare My Soul a few weeks ago and wanted to share my thoughts with you.

The packaging of this quad is a similar shape and size are the usual black four pan palettes you can buy at Mac but it is a gorgeous bronze shade and slightly rubbery (like the Nars packaging).  When buying this I actually thought about maybe taking the pans out of the quad and putting them into my fifteen pan but it doesn't look like you remove them.. not easily anyway.  I don't want to mess about with it too much because it is so easy to scuff up the shadows and it's heart breaking when you do that!

Anyway, on to the shades.  As mentioned, this is a quad so you get four shades, all of which are metallic, shimmery and earthy toned.

• When In Rio - This shade is deep green with brown and red undertones.  The finish is a frost and it has a duo-chrome finish.  In fact, I think this shade is a very close dupe to 'Club' and therefore just like that the shade changes slightly depending on what you layer under it.  When thinly layered this shade is a dirty brown but when the more you layer it, more of the green tones come through.
• Bare My Soul - This is a yellow gold shade with a frost finish. This is a gorgeous colour to wear day or night because at first it can seem quite sheer but it is buildable.
• Romantio - A light taupe with bronze and subtle pink undertones.  This shade has the veluxe pearl finish and is a cross between Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe and All That Glitters.
• Friendly - Deep chocolate bronze shade with a veluxe pearl finish.  This is a very rich colour and is perfect for an evening look or in the crease.

 

(L-R) When In Rio and Bare My Soul

 

(L-R) Friendly and Romantico

 

 

All of these shades work well together, have good pigmentation, are long lasting and are perfect to create both day and evening looks.  This is a really gorgeous palette and I'm really glad I managed to find it!

It looks like Bare My Soul is still in stock at Selfridges for £38.00 so if you want it, grab one while you can!

What do you think of this quad?

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A La Carte Cosmetics Exhibition

Hello Lovelies!

I was lucky enough to be invited along to a private viewing of A La Carte Cosmetics exhibition Colour and Culture this week to celebrate their 40th birthday and I have got some lovely stories and pictures to share with you.

A La Carte Cosmetic is a brand I had heard of before (they have been featured in Elle, Vogue and Marie Claire) but I hadn't seen any of their products as before now I didn't really have the opportunity.  You can therefore imagine my excitement when I was invited along to this event! A La Carte Cosmetics are a small company based in Knightsbridge and create both ready made and bespoke make-up.  Yes, you read that correctly.. you can actually create your own, perfect, one of a kind product. A La Carte Cosmetics also offer an advice service that sounds amazing.

At the event the history of the brand as well as the products and inspirations were displayed in a variety of creative ways ranging from wall art to screens to magazine clippings.  Here are a few pictures I took while I was there.  Luckily I managed to take quite a few before loads of people (and I mean loads) arrived so you can see the pieces really well!

This collage shows a a cascade of mini cupcakes (some of which had little lips on, cute!) , a collage of magazine clippings and finally wall art illustrating a time line history of the brand.. very creative!

A head sculpture inspired by Princess Diana, Wall art and photographs

The products.. don't they look amazing?! I Swatched some of these and they are gorgeous.. sooo many colours too! Such a pretty display to show them off!

The brochure and goodie bag :)

I did take more pictures but I didn't want to include everything incase some of you were thinking of going to the exhibition yourself :)

The A La Carte Cosmetics brand is well loved by celebrities and whilst chatting to some employee's there I heard some great stories.  Firstly, the comedian Lenny Henry had his very own foundation made as he couldn't find one to match his skin tone once he returned from his holiday,  Danny Minogue has created her own lipstick, U2 have popped by and maybe the most famous of all, Princess Diana spent some time in the Knightsbridge store before choosing a number of items.  This really added to the glamour of the evening!

I had a lovely time and I would like to thank A La Carte Cosmetics and the PR agency for inviting me along, it was a wonderful experience! If you would like to take a look at the exhibition it is running from the 22nd May - 26th May. Click here for more details.

The exhibition will be showcased in four parts: taking the viewer through the brand’s impressive history as well as unveiling a rich and fresh take on product knowledge, demonstration, and experimentation.

• PART I: MOTCOMB STREET – A HISTORY
• PART II: BESPOKE BEAUTY
• PART III: ICONIC MOMENTS
• PART IV: THE CULTURE OF COLOUR

If you're interested in finding out a little more about A La Carte Cosmetics or taking a look at their products the link is http://www.alacartelondon.com/. 

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MAC Soft and Gentle Review

Hello Everyone! I hope you're all well.  Today I will be talking about Soft and Gentle which is a Mineralise Skin Finish (MSF) product from Mac.

This is a product I always thought was pretty but I didn't buy for a while because I kept asking myself 'Do I really need to put yet another product on my face?'. I like to have a natural look so I'm always wary of looking like I've got stacks of makeup piled on and Soft and Gentle does look very shimmery in the pan so I didn't want to end up looking like a disco ball.  Anyway, I don't really know what changed my mind about this product.. I hadn't even swatched it but something made me pop it into my basket whilst shopping online and before I knew it there it was sitting in my Muji drawers waiting to be used.

Soft and Gentle is a gorgeous soft, smooth powder highlight which looks a shimmery beige in the pan but when swatched turns into more of a champagne tone as it is very sheer.  This is quite odd to explain but the shimmer is part of the product, not an addition to it.  I guess the best way for me explaining what I mean by this is for you to imagine those eyeshadow's you buy which look great in the pan but when you swatch it the colour stays where it is and only the glitter or shimmer gets deposited.  When you swatch or apply Soft and Gentle it isn't that you're only picking up a shimmer.. it IS the shimmer.. if you get what I mean? This means that this product is smooth and isn't gritty as it doesn't have big chunks of glitter or anything in it.

Since I first applied Soft and Gentle onto my cheeks I haven't looked back.  I've had it for quite some time now and I can honestly say I have worn it every single day/evening I have done my makeup.  It gives you a gorgeous subtle glow to your cheek and brow bones which really wakens up your skin.  I also think this gorgeous champagne shade is pretty versatile so will suit a wide variety of skin tones and is buildable so if you want to wear a little more in the evening then you can. Since wearing this people have really noticed a difference and I have often had compliments on how healthy I look.

I absolutely love this product and I definitely believe it is a must have in everyone's makeup bag. The pan holds a massive 10g of product too which will easily last forever as you use so little (although you shouldn't really keep your makeup that long).

You can just about see a hint of Soft and Gentle on my cheek bones in these pics.

What is your favourite highlighter?

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Clinique Superdefense Moisturiser Review

 

Hello Everyone! How are you all? The weather in the UK has been a little odd lately, one day is warm, the next it's raining, then it's snowing and so on.  All this change in temperature etc has really taken its toll on my skin and I've noticed it has been a little drier than normal.  My current moisturiser wasn't doing much to help this so I decided to invest in a new one, the Clinique Superdefense.

I'm always drawn to Clinique because of the fresh and clean radiance that seems to come from their counters but hadn't tried any of their skincare products before so initially I just wanted some advice.  I spoke to a lovely lady at the counter and described my skin type and what I wanted to achieve from my moisturiser.  From this she recommended the Superdefense range.

The Clinique Superdense range is suitable for dry and combination skin, it contains SPF 25 and arms skin to fight the effects of sun, pollution and emotional stress.  This moisturiser also contains antioxidants and allows skin to protect itself from external aggressors.

Like many, if not all of Clinique's products this moisturiser is 'fragrance free', although when you smell it, it definitely does have a scent, just one that isn't highly perfumed like other lotions and potions you may have tried.  I think this 'plain' scent would appeal to most people and personally I really like it.

The formulation of Clinique Superdefense is very light and a cross between a lotion and cream.  It feels refreshing and cool when applied and glides easily over your skin.  It also absorbs very quickly.  In fact, I was really surprised at how quickly this moisturiser absorbs.  I can be pretty impatient when it comes to skin products because I'm so tired when I get in from work etc so the quicker the application the better!  The finish this moisturiser leaves is lovely too.  Your skin looks hydrated but not wet, greasy or oily.

 

Lastly, the packaging of the superdefense moisturiser is lovely.  It suits the Clinique brand perfectly with its clean, crisp lines and simple colour scheme.  I love the combination of the green and silver and the cute, compact little pot.  It makes this moisturiser feel special and expensive.

Overall I have been very impressed by this moisturiser since buying it a few months ago and I have definitely seen an improvement in my skin (I apply it twice a day).

The Clinique Superdefense moisturiser is available from Clinique and Boots at a price of £37.00 for 50ml or £20.00 for 30ml.

Have you tried this moisturiser? What is your current moisturiser?

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Beauty Wish List #1

Hello Lovelies!

Today I have a new style post for you and that is a wish list.  I aim to do these around once a month and it will be an assortment of make-up, clothes, accessories and so on that I would really like to get.  This month I got a tad carried away on the beauty front so I may do another wish list including other things.  It would have been a bit much to include those in today's post as well because there are already quite a few items on my list.

1) L'Oreal Glam Shine Stain Splash - I really like the L'Oreal brand and enjoy using many of their products regularly but one I haven't tried yet are these lip glosses/stains.  They have some beautiful colours in the range and look like they give you a beautiful pop of colour on your lips.  I've heard many great things about this product and would love to try some. The shade in the above picture is 102 'Romy' and you can buy these lip colours from Boots for £7.99.

2) Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette - This trio includes a blusher, highlighter and contour colour.  It looks so pretty and it would be handy to have these three face products in one palette. I'm a big fan of Urban Decay and it's something I've had my eye on for a while, although I've only seen it online.  This palette is £20.00 at House of Fraser.

3) Mac Lipstick in Show Orchid - This is the most beautiful fuchsia pink lipstick with blue undertones and I've been trying to get my hands on one for soooo long! This is a pro colour and I'm really struggling to find it anywhere in the UK *sob sob*.. I want it so bad!

4) Nars Sheer Glow Foundation - I've heard so many amazing reviews about this foundation I am itching to try it.  Supposedly, it gives you a natural finish, provides good coverage and gives the perfect glow to your skin without being too over the top.  I wonder if it's better than my Chanel Vitalumiere foundation? That will really take some beating! You can buy this at Nars for £30.50. 

5) Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille Soufflé Body Cream - I have seen loads of people in the world of blogging and You Tube raving about this product, so last week as I was passing the Laura Mercier counter I had a look.. and O.M.G they smell A-mazing, absorb into your skin nicely and feel so luxurious. I need this in my life! You can buy the Soufflé body creams in a variety of scents from John Lewis for £43.50.

6) Revlon Super Lustrous Lip gloss - I have never tried a lip gloss from Revlon before but the ones in this range look gorgeous and there are several colours I could pick! You can buy these from Boots for £6.99.

7) Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette - I am a little obsessed with eyeshadow's and I absolutely love my Naked 1 palette therefore, naturally I want to add the Naked 2 and Basics palette to my collection.  The Basics palette is top of my list because it has neutral matte shades so you can easily create a every day look which for me would be perfect for work. I also love that it includes shades for your lid, crease and highlighter so you can create a whole look with only one palette. You can pick this palette up from Debenhams for £20.00 which I think is a pretty good value for money.

8) Revlon Nail Art Moon Candy - I've seen this product advertised in loads of magazines and every time I'm wowed by it.  Every colour looks so pretty and love that this product includes a simple, plain shade as well as a glitter so you can create different looks.  You can buy these from Boots £5.99.

9) Illamasqua Blusher Duo - I spotted this beautiful duo months and months ago and have resisted the urge to get it because of the large price tag.  The two blushers included in this duo are Love (soft apricot) and Hussy (candy pink) which are two of Illamasqua's most popular shades.  I have swatched both of these blushers are they are super pigmented and so, so soft! They feel almost creamy even though they are powder blushers. This duo is priced at £26.00 which is a lot to fork it in one go but realistically it isn't actually that much for two beautiful blushers of brilliant quality.

What is on your beauty wish list?

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Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Colour Big Bang Review

Hello Lovelies!

How are you all? Today I will be sharing a gorgeous lip product with you from Urban Decay that I came across whilst having a mooch in Debenhams a few months ago.  The Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Colours first caught my eye because of the packaging. I loved the combination of the bold colours to match the lip shade with the contrasting black.  It really made them stand out on the shelf.

Although it was very tempting to buy several of these lip colours I decided to only buy 'Big Bang', after much deliberation.  This is a gorgeous deep but bright pink/fuchsia shade with purple undertones and lots of shimmer.  I want a statement lip colour and 'Big Bang' definitely provides this.  This lip colour gives you a bold pop of colour which really brightens up your face but also an extra bit of shimmer and gloss which I haven't seen in any other products of this type.

 

The texture of the Super-Saturated Gloss colours is very smooth, creamy and moisturing.  In fact, besides balms, I find it to be the most moisturising lip product I own and it makes me enjoy wearing it because it feels comfortable on my lips.  There is nothing worse than lip products that dry out your lips.. they really irritate me and I just can't put up with them.

This high pigmented lip colour by Urban Decay is very long lasting and as it starts to wear off the shimmer goes first, followed by some of the colour eventually leaving a stain. One key thing I look for is how does it look as it wears off.  I hate products that become patchy or uneven but you don't get that with these lip colours.  They also do not bleed or feather around the edges either so there is no need for a lip liner.

This pencil design means these lip products are super easy to apply and it is pretty easy to get precise application, although it is definitely something you can't do on the go because of the high pigmentation.

Other colours in the Urban Decay Saturated High Gloss range include:

• Apocalypse - Purple
• Lovechild - Baby Pink
• Crush -  Bright fushia pink
• F-Bomb - Deep red with shimmer
• Punch Drunk - Bold, deep orange shade
• Adrenaline -  Deep berry pink/red with purple undertones
• Naked - Pink toned nude

There are quite a few of the above shades I would love to add to my collection, it is a really nice selection of colours and you know you will always be buying a good quality product with Urban Decay.  This is definitely one of my favourite make-up brands.

The Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Colours are available at Debenhams for £14.00 but are currently on offer so at the moment you can pick one up for £12.60 (there's 10% off beauty products at the moment).

Have you tried any of the Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Colours?

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