The Statement Necklace

A massive trend of this season is a statement necklace, I absolutely love this trend, and think a necklace like this is a key piece in transforming any outfit. So I thought I would share with you a few of the statement necklaces that I own as I know some of you may find them very hard to wear or feel slightly out of your comfort zone. Below are my 3 favourite necklaces which I wear with so many outfits.

1. This is the neckalce I have had for the longest and have the most compliments on. Having had it for over a year I really jumped on the statement necklace trend early!! I bought it in Zara for £19.99 I think, and instantly received compliments about it, it was so popular I think they sold out within a week as many of my friends went to buy it. I really love the versatility of this piece as it incorporates so may different colours, I can wear it with so many different tops and jerseys in the day, but I can also bring it through to the evening. What I love most is that it goes with both pink and red lips for an evening look!

 

2. The second is a more colourful necklace that I picked up in a boutique in Coloumbia Road for £26, I loved the colours and the collar look of the piece which is really on trend right now! It also works really well with white and navy which are colours I love to wear.












3. Lastly is my most recent necklace from Zara, I thought I would add it in but I know you have seen it in my previous blog so you already know what I have worn it with. I tend to wear this necklace most in the evening as its slightly more dressy then the other 2. But if you don't want to wear it with a dress, pair it with a plain cream blouse, jeans and a leather jacket for a more casual look.









I would really recommend purchasing a statement necklace as they completely change any outfit, try experimenting with colours and designs. Be brave and go for it!

March Marvels

 I thought I would start sharing with you my favourite purchases of each month  . . .  starting with March. This month I have picked 4 of my favourite fashion and beauty buys that I have bought over the course of the month.

So firstly on the left you can see the green scarf I recently purchased in Zara, I fell in love with this scarf in store and have had a compliment on every time I have warn it! Being a very scarf orientated person I probably own the same number of scarves as I do pairs of shoes, so a scarf with most outfits is a must for me! I really like bright colourful scarves as they dress up any outfit or a plain jersey; this one works particularly well with my black leather jacket.  They also have this scarf in yellow, but I preferred the green. If summer isn't going to come to us then I thought I would bring it on my own!

Next is a product that I have wanted to buy for AGES and I have finally bought it! Being a massive fan of Tanya burr, I noticed that she uses this foundation a lot in her videos and I loved the finish it gave, she also did a youtube vlog on her favourite all time foundations and this was one of them, so this gave me the final push to go and buy it. For the last few years I have only used my Laura Mercier secret camouflage and powder, so I knew it was time to switch to a foundation. Needless to say I am in love with it! I opted for the Vita Lumiere Aqua as it is water based and is really moisturising for the skin, it gives amazing natural coverage and leaves the skin looking flawless with a light weight feel- mostly you can't feel you have it on! I apply it with my mac 130 foundation brush in round circular movements.  This is a big must in my makeup bag and will be for a long time!

Third in is my new zara shoes which I bought as soon as I saw them in store, I really like this style of flat shoe with the slightly higher front. I already have a pair in exactly the same style from Zara but with gold studs on, so I knew I would like these. I particularly like the aztec patterns and the summery colours, and the navy background goes with any colour jeans!

And lastly the Rimmel Wake me up under eye cover is brilliant, I don't normally wear under eye concealer but I have heard many rave reviews about this product and wanted to try it for myself,  it works amazingly and really does have excellent coverage! Another must for my make-up bag at the moment!

Spring Refresh

Like any girl when I was invited to my friends 21st party I was instantly excited at the opportunity to buy a new dress & didn't consider wearing one I already had. However, recently I have been trying to make a conscious effort  to re-wear my clothes and spend money on accessories rather than on a new outfit. Having always gone by the motto of mixing expensive items with cheaper ones, my wardrobe is a mix of expensive classics with cheaper statements.

So I thought I would share with you what I have decided to wear and how I have refreshed my look. So firstly as you can see I am re-weraring my classic Whistles dress in cobalt blue, having been a fan of whistles fashion for many years I absolutely love the cut and colour of this dress. Very flattering as it comes in at the waist and falls just above the knee, it also a jersey fabric so very comfy and is detailed with a long gold zip at the back. I have matched the dress with a statement necklace that I have recently purchased from Zara- I absolutely love Zara jewellery, especially their statement necklaces which are right on trend this season, I get many compliments of my staple necklaces. The navy/ Grey colour of the stone ties in perfectly with the dress and at £22.99 it wasn't a bad price! I have also paired the dress with my black platform wedges for office which are a staple part of my wardrobe and are so comfortable! I have finished of the look with my Rimmel cerise lipstick in 002 to add an element of colour blocking to the outfit.

So if your not sure what to wear this weekend go through your wardrobe and see what you can add! Have fun experimenting . . . . . . . .

What is in my Make-up Bag this week?

 Many of you will be able to relate to me when I say my make up bag needs a bit of rejuvenating, my products aren't working as well as they used to & everything needs a bit of mixing up . . . . . . .  this is where I have found myself over the last couple of weeks. My make-up was feeling tired & warn, I knew I needed to change something up. So I'm going to go through a few products that I have recently bought (being a cosmetic junkie, I am constantly trying new products!)

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So first on my list if my Mac SPF 15 foundation, this product has recently crept it's way back into my make-up bag. As I have always been blessed with blemish free skin, I found I only needed to apply foundation when I was going out in the evening. However, recently I have been looking for a more dewy look, so I have replaced my beloved Maxfactor fix powder for a light weight foundation to give an all over coverage. Applied with a small Mac 130 brush in round circles I love the look it gives to my skin, followed by a dusting of powder.

Second on my list is the Maxfactor Falsies mascara, being a complete mascara addict I am always reluctant to try new mascaras when I find one I love. However having heard rave reviews and being a lot cheaper than my normal mascara I had to try it . . . .  and it did not let me down. I love the slightly curved brush, perfect for adding curl to lashes, it does take a few more strokes then I am used to to build up the lashes, however after that it looks amazing! I have started to apply a second coat after the first is slightly tacky as I find this works best! I would definitely recommend this product to you!










Next is my make-up bag in this lipstick by Rimmel in 006, Pink Blush, I love wearing lipstick in the day but find bright colours to much for everyday wear as I like to keep my makeup quite simple. This colour is a perfect pink and adds a natural look to lips without being to noticeable. I love the texture and consistency of Rimmel lipsticks and I really do find they last forever. This colour is very similar to the MAC Lady Gaga limited edition lipstick that was released a couple of years ago, which I had always loved.










Lastly you can see from the top picture the Maxfactor cream blush and Maybeline brown gel eyeliner. I love this gel eyeliner as its easy to apply using a small slanted brush (mines a benefit one), I find brown a liner is much more complimentary for my face shape and blue eye colour,  but the black is also just a nice. The cream blush is also a lovely colour and adds the dewy look I was after, it is easy to apply with a round foundation brush applied to the apple of the cheeks after applying bronzer.

If your make-up is feeling run down or tired, its probably time for a change! So try something new . . . 

My Survival Kit

Every girl has their necessities that they feel lost without, so I thought I would share my cosmetic 'must have's' with you. I have always been a great believer in taking my make-up off before bed, for me sleeping with make-up on is the worst crime and can really effect your skin.

So my first product in my survival kit is my Simple make-up wipes, having spent years in my teens trying and testing different make-up wipes, there is no doubt about it that these are by far the best. I know every female member of my family uses them now! This is because they managed to incorporate all the essential jobs in one- they are wet enough to only need one for the whole face including removing water proof mascara, they are soft and gentle and NEVER sting the eyes or face, the cleanse the face properly and remove any impurities from the day and lastly they smell lovely, but not too heavily perfumed.

The second product in my survival kit is my Kiehl's Ultra Facial cream which since I have discovered I  can't stop using. It is the face cream I have always dreamed of, although slightly more pricey than some brands its well worth the splurge and in the largest size lasts ad least 3-5 months. It's light and non greasy but deeply moisturises the skin so it feels hydrated all day.  It's perfect for make up application straight after use and sinks in almost instantly. Although I have been a lover of Kiehl's products for quite a while, this is a product I know will be in my survival kit for a very long time! I cant recommend it enough for all skin types.

These items are on my survival kit, not because I use them everyday, but are for occasions when my skin and hair feels like it needs reviving. The Rare Earth lotion is fantastic if my skin has slight blemishes or if i'm feeling slightly run down, it instantly makes my skin feel hydrated and refreshed, I would recommend using it once a week or when skin is feeling particularly bad. The V05 miracle oil, is brilliant for split ends or for adding extra moisture to ends and it lasts forever!!! you only need 3 drops per application. These products are brilliant for preparations for a night out or a pampering day in.


The last 2 products are the most essential part of my makeup bag, Laura Mercier secret camouflage is probably one of my favourite products ever, because I don't wear foundation this gives me a slightly thicker coverage without looking 'cakey' at all, its also brilliant for using under the eyes. The best part of the product is that is has 2 shades inside, meaning that if you have been on holiday or need a slightly darker (or lighter) tone then you can mix the 2 colours together to get a perfect match.
And lastly my Maxfactor face compact- I have been using this product for 5 years easily and still haven't found any powder compact that matches up to it yet. It gives amazing coverage without looking powdery, giving the face a porcelain finish that stays on all day. Im sure this will be in my make up bag for many years to come!

Bloom your way into spring

Having just visited Bloom Perfumery in Spitafields, I was blown away by the individuality and merchandising in the store. This tucked away perfumery sells a variety of scents, uniquely made up to form individual perfumes, you won't experience anything like it anywhere else. The shop really does create an individual shopping experience for the customer, amazing fragrances in an amazing atmosphere. I have chosen a few of my favourite snaps to share with you, particularly paying attention to the visual merchandising in store, I love the black hearts against the cerise pink wall and the sizes and combinations, a unique was of displaying the bottles. I also particularly loved the perfume bottles presented under the bell shaped vases's, the dome creates a illusion for each person almost like its untouchable. I would urge you all to visit, if your feeling like you need a new fragrance in your life then this is the place for you. Everything about the shopping experience is tailored towards a unique and individual take on contemporary design.

Guilty Pleasure

Tanya Burr is one of the biggest make-up trends on youtube at them moment, I was introduced to her tutorials through twitter in which she does a lot of work alongside Millie Mackintosh. Having followed many of her make up tutorials on you tube for a long time now, I particularly like her style and her simplicity towards make-up. She understands how to create both a simple and dramatic look without going over the top. This You Tube clip was taken from a series of clips called 'Celeb Style', in which she takes the make-up style of a celebrity in this case Mila Kunis and provides step by step tutorials on how to effectively create each look.
I find her tutorials easy to follow whilst ensuring the audience has a real understanding of how to create each style. She also makes it particularly clear that she has picked products for the individual skin type and face shape, this is a critical part of makeup application. I think its great to learn from others, especially some one so talented and professional.

I would advise you all to take a look on your next night out . . . . .  Get experimenting!