Sunday 30 June 2013

Sun is shining, weather is sweet...

The sun's out. Hurrah! If that doesn't call for a maxi dress, sandals and some big sunnies I don't know what does...

Dress: Vero Moda
Shirt, sandals and belt: Primark
Watch and earrings: ASOS
Sunglasses: Free with Cosmo (yay for freebies!!)
Bag: Australian market


Again, I used my V05 dry texture spray that I raved about here. Such a dream to use!


I hope you've all been out enjoying the sunshine! I'm off to catch up on my YouTube subscriptions and indulge in a Sunday manicure!

Loves
xxx





Saturday 29 June 2013

Shopping the summer sales....

Who among us doesn't love a sale?! I popped into Leicester to pick up a few last minute bits to take back to Australia with me and found some absolute gems in amongst all the sales. 


I saw these jeans in Miss Selfridge at full price (£38) a few weeks ago and wanted them, glad I waited and got them for £20 with an extra 20% off. Bingo! I'll wear these rolled up with sandals or a pair of converse and baggy tshirt. 


La Senza had probably the best deal of the day...bra's for £1!! I picked up two black and one grey, then went to the fancier stands and picked up a couple of coloured bra's for £10 each. The whole lot altogether at original price would have cost me over £100!!


The shirt and studded blazer were from Vero Moda, a really underrated shop in my opinion. The shirt was originally £25 and was reduced to £14 and will look great tucked in denim shorts with biker boots. The blazer was £48 before it was reduced to the incredible bargain price of £14!! Black over sized blazer, with shoulder pads, and studded shoulders. Perfect smart casual piece for all year round. 



There was a few pairs of sandals in Aldo I wanted but they only had these in my size so I had to order the other pair online. These were reduced from £30 to £15, and I love the jelly sandal feel of these but they have a bit more substance and some mean looking spikes on the straps. These will look incredible under maxi dresses or rolled up jeans with tanned feet when I get back to Aus!

Has anyone else got any bargains in the summer sales? Any shops you'd recommend for bargains?
Loves
xxx


Friday 28 June 2013

The Balm review...

I love makeup, I love finding new products and reading reviews on products, and I love finding things I  enjoy using enough to make them part of my everyday makeup. But it's not all that often that I get excited over a brand like I have over The Balm. I first discovered them in Brisbane where I picked up their What's Your Type mascara on a whim and realised it was one of the best thing's I've ever applied to my face. Probably ever. 

I'd not been able to get my hands on them over the past few months when I'd moved away from Brisbane, until I popped into & Other Stories on Regent Street a couple of weeks back. I actually squealed. Of course I had to pick up another of their What's Your Type mascara's immediately. It's a thin plastic wand that holds a lot of product and creates incredible volume that you would not think you could find in a mascara tube. If you love a volumising mascara, this should be your next pick.


Being blushers number one fan, it would have been completely wrong to not pick up their Big Mama blusher, the most beautiful rose/coral/gold colour with a stunning gold shimmer through it. Not only does it eliminate the need for a highlighter (hello golden glow) it lasts on the skin all day and makes your skin look perky and fresh.


There's not really enough words to explain how much I love this, and I don't want to bore you all to tears telling you how in love with the brand I am, but honestly, one of the most exciting brands and products I've used in a very long time.

Has anyone else used any of The Balm products and can recommend any more to me?

Loves
xxx


Tuesday 25 June 2013

Top five current lipsticks....

Here's my current top five, most worn and most loved lipsticks from over the past few weeks...


Left to right:
Maybelline colour sensational vivids in 910 Shocking Coral: More of a pink than a coral but lasts all day and is lovely and moisturising.
Revlon lip butter in 080 Strawberry Shortcake: moisturising, pink, glossy, easy to wear. What's not to be in love with??
Topshop Whimsical: a gorgeous peachy colour that, although slightly drying on the lips sometimes, has been matching by winged eyeliner look perfectly with a slick of gloss over the top. 
Maybelline colour sensational in 135 Make Me Pink: a bit of a lilac pink shade, this has been my favourite colour teamed with a brown smokey eye.
Maybelline colour sensational in 109 Rosy Dream: makes up the dream team with a dark smokey eye!

Clearly seem to be loving Maybelline lipsticks recently!
What lipsticks are everyone else loving right now?

Loves
xxx



Monday 24 June 2013

Review... Revlon super lustrous lip gloss...

Now correct me if I'm wrong but these seem to be the same as the original glosses but in new packaging? Regardless, I knew as soon as the Boots £3 off Revlon makeup dropped on my doorstep I wanted to pick one up. I'm most definitely loving my nude glosses and lipsticks again so went for 205 snow pink - a nude pink with gold glitter running through. 



So pretty alone or over a pink/nude lipstick, a lot less sticky than most drugstore lip glosses and fairly long lasting. I've been in and out of the rain taking blog photo's all afternoon and drinking copious cups of tea and it's still holding in there. 

If anyone's not sure what to use their £3 off Revlon boots voucher for - check these beauties out!

Has anyone else tried these yet and rated them?
Loves
xxx


Thursday 20 June 2013

Cool combo's....

I love it when I find two makeup items that just 'work' together.



Sleek blusher Pixie Pink and Elf stippling brush. I love how this brush applies really strong bold blushes that need a light hand when applying. 

Bourjois health mix serum and Sigma angled flat top kabuki. This brush makes the foundation go on like silk, with minimum effort. Hardly any blending needed, great when I'm in a rush.

Revlon lip butter in Strawberry Shortcake and Chanel lipgloss in 148. The lip butter is fairly glossy as it is, but with this lipgloss over the top it stays put for hours and gives it a real sparkly party look.

Anyone else got any great combo's?
Loves
xxx

Wednesday 19 June 2013

AMAZING PRODUCT ALERT... VO5 Give me Texture Dry Texturising Spray...

On an Asda whim, I picked up a couple of new VO5 products from their Give Me Texture range. It was two for £5 so who was I to say no. I'm a huge fan of everything 'volumising' and 'texturising', and at a price like that I had to give it a go. It's a salt spray but it's not got that 'wet' texture that most salt spray's I've tried have.  It's more of a dry shampoo/hairspray product that has absolutely no sticky feeling at all and holds the volume all day. 

Before...


During...


After....


Another huge plus, it's great next day too. I'm a wash every third day sort of girl and I can spray this in on day one, wake up on day two and just give it a quick scrunch and I'm good to go. Keep an eye out for this one girls, it's an absolute bargain and is completely worth it. 

Loves
xxx



Monday 17 June 2013

OOTD - back to basics...

So, how easy is it to just throw a pair of jeans on and a plain t-shirt in the morning? Too easy most of the time. However saying that, the oldies are the goodies or whatever the saying is, and when all else fails, you can't go wrong!


Top: ASOS
Necklaces: Primark and Dorothy Perkins
Jeans: Miss Selfridge
Boots: Doc Marten
Watch: ASOS

Rings left to right: Forever21, Primark, Primark

Scarf: Camden
Bag: Australian market
Jacket: Mango

Hope everyone's Monday isn't too terrible!
Loves
xxx



Sunday 16 June 2013

OOTN - Embracing a longer hemline....

You know you're getting older when you wear a jacket and embrace a longer hemline on a night out! I went out with the girls and Ty (poor guy) to Leicester for a few Cosmopolitans and a gossip last night, and aired my calves in a midi dress. Previously I thought they made me look like a middle ages business woman but I loved the colours and design of this one, made it feel a bit younger and much more my style.

Dress: New Look
Leather sleeveless jacket: Matalan
Shoes: Step in Style
Watch and bracelet: ASOS
Necklace: Primark

I wore my hair extensions again, Chanel lipgloss over Mac Saint Germain, and Ardel demi wispy lashes.

Hope everyone had a great weekend
Loves
xxx


Friday 14 June 2013

Introducing Makeover Essentials...

I was stopped recently by a lovely representative from Makeover Essentials asking if I wanted to try some of their new makeup, soon to be making appearances in Debenhams near you! Of course I said yes and picked up a few bits from the range.


First up was the 'Complete Petite' which was, I have to say, an incredible little product. This little beauty that packs away to a tidy little handbag friendly cube, includes a mirror, sharpener with lid to catch sharpenings, two blushes, five lip colours, five matt day eyeshadows, five shimmer night eyeshadows, mascara, lip liner and an eyeliner, and even a couple of cute little brushes. I've not had chance to try this yet, but hopefully the quality is as good as the packaging.


Next up is the illuminating powder. Again I've not tried this apart from on the back of my hand, and as someone who doesn't really use powder illuminator it's quite fine and isn't too glittery on the skin. It's quite a bronze shade and I usually go for more of a pink shade, but with a bit of a tan when I go back to Australia I think this will look stunning.


I also got a cute little Kabuki in it's own little pouch, which I have used and loved. Nice and soft, doesn't shed, and spreads powder into the skin evenly. 


I saved the best till last; this is their bronzing powder which is a gorgeous soft silky powder with a tiny hint of shimmer. It's a very light bronze shade, and I've been using this for the past week daily, on top of my EL Double Wear, in place of my Mac MSF natural powder and I love it equally as much. 


This is definitely quite an interesting brand, and I'll look forward to seeing more of them when they reach Debenhams stores over the next few months. If you want to check out their products now they're available online here

Has anybody else checked out anything from this brand yet? Will you be heading to Debenhams to check them out?

Loves
xxx





Thursday 13 June 2013

London and Paris haul...

Of course, being in London the first stop I had to make was & Other Stories. I'd heard so much about their Fig range I decided to pick up a hand cream and a re-purchase of my favourite mascara ever, The Balm What's Your Type body builder mascara. Then, just because, I picked up another of their blushers for my collection; Big Mama! Love this, will pop a full review up soon.


Next to Camden. First up, WHY DON'T I LIVE THERE!?! I picked up a couple of scarves from the market, and a cute Pug t-shirt that I'll be styling over Disco pants with my black Dr Martens and a big gold chain. 


Then off to Paris... and of course it would be rude not to go into one of their amazing pharmacies. I picked up a replacement for my La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo and decided to try their Effaclar Matt product as a makeup base. I also wanted to give Nuxe Reve De Miel lip balm a go, and it wouldn't be a trip to a french pharmacy without a bottle of Bioderma!


Last stop was Sephora (again, rude not to) where I picked up their daily brush cleanser, a Sephora lipstick, the UD de-slick setting spray (due to the massive hype around the original setting spray) and the Make Up Forever smokey lash mascara that I've been dying to try since there was a huge blogger hype around this not too long ago. 


Loves
xxx

Friday 7 June 2013

Bow tights outfit of the night....

Not having your wardrobe for a whole year then going back and rediscovering old beauties is like shopping without spending the money! 

Top: Primark (new)
Tights: Primark (last year)
Boots: Dr Martens
Watch: ASOS
Necklace: Forever 21 (old)

Jacket: Tesco (new)
Bag: Perth market
Sunglasses: Primark

Lots more new discoveries to come!

Loves
xxx


Wednesday 5 June 2013

Two days away in Lincoln and Skegvegas...

It was the first proper trip since Ty got to England and we headed to Lincoln for the day to show him around the castle and cathedral, eat proper pie then 2 for 1 cocktails. We stayed in a gorgeous old hotel where the Bishop lived, then went to the legend that is Skegvegas for the afternoon. 2p slot machines became an addiction.


Leather jacket: Mango
Dress: New Look
Rings: Primark
Necklace: Primark
Sunglasses: Raybans 

 Got to love a Cosmo!!!

Ready to hit the funfair!
Tshirt hoody and bandana: Primark
Watch: ASOS

2p SLOT MACHINES!!!

Hope you're all having a lovely week!

Loves
xxx





Sunday 2 June 2013

My everyday face....

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo
Bourjois Healthy Mix
Collection lasting perfection concealer
Benefit Fake Up concealer
HD Brow palette (the darkest shade for my brows)
Mac mineralised skin finish natural 
Bourjois cream blush in 03
Mac painterly paint pot
Soap and Glory smoulder kohl in black
Covergirl Lash Blast clump crusher mascara
Maybelline lipstick (The Vivids collection) in shocking coral
Soap and Glory mighty mouth gloss balm

Easy, quick, everyday face :)

Loves
xxx