Yearly Archives: 2015

Current Beauty Loves

27th November 2015
I’m going through a phase of picking up new makeup at the moment, it goes like that…I’ll go months without getting tempted and sticking determinedly to using up my rather vast collection and then BAM, I’ll buy one item that I actually need and it triggers off a chain reaction of picking out new products. Luckily (and rarely) I’ve been happy with everything I’ve bought lately, there’s nothing worse than wasting money on a disappointing product, right?
Coming soon from the team at I Love…* are these gorgeous tinted moisture balms which have the most adorable packaging ever! I believe these are being launched any time now these are an absolute bargain at £2.99 and come in three fantastic flavours- cherry, grape and strawberry. Not unlike the Clinique Chubby Sticks and giving the colour of a lipstick with the feel of a balm these are a must have for any lip product lover and cost less than a festive latte.
Another lip product I’ve been loving is the new lip paints from Barry M. I already had a nude and berry shade of these in my collection but couldn’t resist adding shade “167” in to the mix- a super moisturising matte finish pink. These go on like a dream and aren’t at all drying on the lips, perfect against the Winter elements.
The one product I actually NEEDED to buy was a new brow kit, I don’t get on with gels for some reason and always lose pencils so a palette is my best option. I’d so far been loyal to my Oriflame set but after it’s demise I decided to branch out and try something new and opted for the MUA Eye Brow Kit for the bargain price of £3.50. So far I’m really impressed with this, the darker and lighter shades blend together to create something just right for my colouring and the highlighter and wax are lovely finishing touches. You really can’t go wrong at this price and I think this has just become my new go-to for groomed brows.
I was delighted to see that my local Superdrug has FINALLY started to stock Makeup Revolution…only a year or so late to the game eh? I’ve tried quite a few products from the brand since they launched and have been really very impressed. As there was a 3 for 2 offer on all cosmetics I felt I could justify picking up the Pro Looks Big Love palette for £6 (meaning the brow kit was free) and in the two weeks since I bought it there hasn’t been a day where I haven’t used at least one of the shadows. I love how the palette is divided in to three seperate looks, although of course you can mix it up a bit too! The colours are all really wearable and perfect for day to night beauty or for a break away from home.
Are there any products you’ve recently discovered? Feel free to leave some recommendations below…

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Posted in beauty, make up, shopping

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“Dear Santa…” Paulie Wish List*

26th November 2015
In amongst all of my recent browsing for the perfect Christmas gifts I’ve managed to a) discover rather a few new to me brands and b) amassed quite a wish list for things I wouldn’t mind myself. One such enabler of these wish lists and new discovery is Paulie, a London based womenswear retailer with an in-house label as well as stocking contemporary brands such as Rag & Bone and J Brand.
My recent objects of desire have taken on quite a minimalistic approach as I feel myself gravitating towards pieces that will stand the test of time and last me a good few years. I couldn’t resist injecting a bit of fun in the form of these amazing flared dungarees by Citizens of Humanity which are just crying out for some breton stripes and platform heels.

The fringed dress by Smarteez is perfect for the party season and be given a new lease of life year on year with some clever accessorising making it worth the near £200 price tag in my eyes (any excuse!). The boots are a true classic, or would be if I could walk in this kind of heel.

I’m not sure if you’d class the Rag & Bone military coat as a classic or not but it’s too stunning not to include- if I were suddenly to find a spare £500 this would be the first thing I purchased.

No wish list would be complete without a beautiful bag and this classic black leather backpack, again by Rag & Bone would be the perfect addition to my every day wardrobe…I hope you’re taking notes Santa!

What’s on your wish list right now and have you discovered any great brands lately?

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Posted in brands I love, shopping, wish list

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Basic

25th November 2015
The darker, colder days are driving me mad. From having more sets of outfit photos than I knew what to do with to now having to really eke out what I do manage to get is massively frustrating. Not to mention that most of the time the weather is so bad that all I want to do is pull on my largest wooly jumper and some cosy tights and slippers and hibernate from the world. Still, I do occasionally get dressed properly and it turns out that Ben’s flat isn’t too bad in terms of lighting and shelter from the wind and rain to take some pictures.

Jumper c/o TTYA x Long Tall Sally | Skirt: ASOS (get it here) | Boots c/o Just Fab

A skirt I originally bought for wearing in the Summer months has proven more versatile than I thought especially as the jumper is so soft and warm. I really like the combination of tan and black- it makes me feel far more sophisticated than I actually am…

As I mentioned in a post last week I am definitely taking my blog down more of a lifestyle route at the moment, even thought these photos turned out ok I kind of feel like taking a break from constantly “dressing for the blog” and always thinking about where to go for some decent shots. Hopefully in time that phase will pass but for now I’m taking the pressure off of myself and focusing instead in other things that are making me happy right now (that and Christmas content galore, sorry!).

Do you put too much pressure on yourselves when it comes to blogging? Sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s a hobby and I won’t be disowned by anyone if I change things up a bit or step back for a while.

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Posted in life, life stuff, outfits

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Gifts for the young (and young at heart)

23rd November 2015
Anybody who knows me will attest to the fact that despite being 28 years old I still have the sense of humour of an eight year old. From fart jokes to all things frozen if it’s age inappropriate you can pretty much guarantee I’ll love it. With this in mind I thought it only right that I pop together a Christmas gifting feature for fellow childish (or actually young) people with a little help from my friends at Getting Personal.
My postman took on the role of Santa and delivered a massive box full of goodies from Getting Personal* to my door. Inside was an array of some of their novelty present offerings all of which are 100% right up my street and will hopefully serve to provide some inspiration (or wish lists) for you too.

First out of the box was this doughnut mug* which I think is brilliant. At £8.99 it would make for a pretty sweet (sorry) secret santa gift for anyone who loves their baked goods and can’t resist a biscuit with their brew.

This was swiftly followed by a less sweet treat that appealed to my pre-teenage sense of humour in a massive way. The poop emoji is probably my most used (which obviously says a lot about the people I converse with) and this cushion* clearly belonged in my life. Actually, much to his disgust it now has pride of place on Ben’s sofa so it’ll be a lump of coal from him to me come Christmas day I’m sure.

On a sweeter note we have this adorable Jelly Baby night light*. One of these has been on my wish list for the longest time and it’s currently spreading it’s cheerful pink glow on my desk. Operated by touch and irresistibly cute I know so many people who would appreciate one of these and at under twenty quid it won’t break the bank.
Last but by no means least comes a gift idea that would be perfect for grown-ups and children alike. The My Choc Pick ‘N Mix* is an affordable way to indulge the chocaholic in your life and it reminds me so much of going to the local newsagent on my way home from school on a Friday to get a 10p mixed bag for being good (or bribery to be quiet for a few hours). Obviously this is the gift that keeps on giving as it can be re-filled time and time again, most likely on a daily basis if you’re anything like me.
Are you guilty of being a perpetual child and have I helped solve any of your gifting woes this year? Which of these would you most like to receive?

Posted in brands I love, christmas, gifts

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#LittleBlackBoxes with TNT direct

20th November 2015
Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately you’ll be aware that next Friday the 27th November will otherwise be known as “Black Friday”. Originating in the USA, the day after thanksgiving sees retailers slash prices of their wares in preparation for the Christmas gifting season. To celebrate this the folks at TNT Direct sent out some #LittleBlackBoxes to help set the mood.
The box housed a whole variety of familiar all-black products including some of my long-time favourites…
Black nail polish and lipstick takes me right back to my late teenage years (you know, like a decade ago) when I tried to be edgy. Although I never did manage to pull off either with much success and steer very clear these days both of these products bought back some hilarious and mostly drunken memories of being young and carefree with my friends.
100% Gold Chocolate– this is as dark as chocolate gets and I love it! Given the choice I’d take dark chocolate over milk any day and the stronger the better in my eyes. This particular bar is just to my taste and goes wonderfully with a cup of strong coffee…
Which leads me swiftly on to my next favourite, Coffee from the Little Coffee Bag Co. I’ve always taken my coffee black, I just prefer it that way. I also drink it so hot I risk burns in my mouth every time. These coffee bags are perfect for a proper cup at work where a cafetiere is too much faff, I’m looking to stock myself up asap having discovered these.
Growing up I was the odd child who loved the strongly flavoured sweets, aniseed and liquorice being particular favourites (and with family in Holland I have always been well looked after when it comes to liquorice). Black jacks and liquorice wheels are both long time favourites and the ones supplied in my Little Black Box didn’t last long at all!
Will you be shopping the Black Friday sales? I admit I am pretty much done with my Christmas shopping by this point but I’ll still be scouring the stores for any additional gifts to be giving.

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Posted in life, life stuff

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