Time for change!

So as many of you will know, Google reader will be shutting down completely from 1st July.. Tommorow! As from then, you will loose the list of all of the blogs you follow . I personally use bloglovin, and for those of you who are not familiar with it, all you have to do is sign up and then you can easily transfer the list of the blogs that you follow, over to bloglovin! So as I would hate to loose any of my followers please come and follow me on bloglovin, you can find my blog HERE :)

Hair Accessorizing!

I am seeing a lot of hair accessorizing at the moment, and so I thought I might give it a go! I had no idea there were so many different accessories you could actually get for your hair besides the usual hairbands, clips and bobbles, when actually there are brooches, grips, combs and garlands all out there to experiment with! From what I have seen I have realised even the most simplistic of hair styles can be transformed, by adding  the most simplistic accessory. So, first of all I have looked around all of my favourite shops and online stores and found a lot of amazing accessories at affordable prices at my favourite online store, ASOS ... and have included images of some of my favourite pieces, I am so excited to order some bits and bobs and get accessorizing! :)

1. ASOS Multirow pearl hair combs- £18
2. ASOS Pack of ten pearl hair grips- £10
3. ASOS Pretty gem hairband- £12
4. ASOS Rosebud hair garland- £8
5. ASOS Sequin bead headband- WAS £8-NOW £5.60
6. Limited edition Grecian hairband- £8
7. ASOS Jewel hair brooch- WAS £8- NOW £5.60
8. Limited edition premium hair brooch with rectangle glass stones- £35
9. Limited edition pearl hair brooch- £8

*All images from www.asos.com

Daily Essensials...

1. -Batiste Dry Shampoo- There is not a day goes buy that I don't use my dry shampoo, it's perfect for when you haven't washed your hair and need to add a quick boost of life into your hair. Although there are many different versions of the product for different hair colours, different sizes and different scents, I use either the "Tropical" or "Blush" version, simply because I like the smell better.. at around £2.99 a bottle it is a good price to pay for a product which lasts 3-4 weeks depending on how much you use etc.

  -Schwarzkopf pro styling heat protection straightening spray- I am afraid that I am guilty of damaging my hair on a daily basis with my hair dryer/ straighteners, but what can I do when my hair is as frizzy and thick as mine? This why I at least minimize the effects of using heat appliances on my hair with a heat protection spray. I must admit, although there is a minimal amount of help these types of products can do to prevent damage, the product does smell nice and leaves hair feeling soft!

- St. Moriz fake tan mousse (medium)- I am well aware there are some amazing fake tan brands out there including St. Tropez and Fake Bake products, they carry a hefty price tag of anything around £20 per bottle, and if you use as much tan as me then you simply can't afford it. Which is why I use St. Moriz, the cheap version of St. Tropez,  honestly, I think it is a fantastic quick fix to pale skin, recommended use of a fake tan mit ensures an even tan, and although the smell can be bad when you have just applied, after a wash or two it lasts all week. It works instantly which means you don't have to keep re applying everyday to see results. Finally, it is only £2.99 a bottle, amazing.

2.  My daily make up regime includes;
- Nivea lip care pearl and shine- A combination of a lip moisturizer and a pink shimmer shine for    your lips, a handy size to keep in your bag to keep applying through out the day.

- Rimmel London Scandal eyes flex mascara- Only just started using this product, however because my eyelashes are pretty long as they are, I usually look for a mascara which aims to add volume to lashes rather than lengthen. The thick brush ensures that volume is accentuated, love it.

 - Rimmel London lasting finish foundation (201 classic beige)- I have used this for yearssss, it basically does exactly what it says, it claims to provide 25 hour foundation cover for your skin, I completely agree, it certainly fulfilled my expectations.

 - Rimmel London Stay matte pressed powder (02 pink blossom)- Again a product which has been one of my favourites for a long time, at times my skin can go shiny throughout the day, and the thin texture of this product ensures cover, and a matte appearance without going patchy.

- Rimmel London Match perfection blusher (Light)- My fave blusher was discontinued, booo. However, I think this one works well for me, combining 3 different shades of prink blusher, can't go wrong!

3.- Nailene ultra quick nail glue- If your a fake nail junkie like me you will understand how hard it is keeping your falsies under control as they can flick off at any time. Luckily I found this glue, I found this was the best glue I had used as it keeps my nails on for 3-5 days without falling off!

4.- Gold series IV GHD classic styler- At £125 yes, I admit these are hugely expensive. But worth it. I have had 3 pairs already as I have had some problems with them breaking, however they come with a 2 year guarantee, and if they cant fix them you get a new pair sent to you absolutely FREE of charge. These work so brilliantly day- by- day that I have literally formed an addiction.

5.- Lola by Marc Jacobs 50ml perfume- No joke, I got this perfume Christmas 2011 and it is still only half empty, the luxurious strong scent ensures you don't need to spritz much and unlike other perfumes out there, the scent doesn't fade throughout the day. I absolutely love the scent and the bottle design is just beautiful!

6.- MAC Viva Glam (V)- If I fancy it I will use my beloved MAC lipstick, personally I feel this shade adds more to just a daytime makeup look, as the shimmer adds something extra to your lip colour, I also think this lipstick emphasises my natural lip colour particularly well.

Blogger Birthdays!

I know this isn't my usual type of blog post, but I had to share this with you all! I have just found an amazing blog called Blogger Birthdays ... basically it works by getting loadsss of bloggers to add their birthdays to the birthday calendar, so that other bloggers can send you a message etc on your birthday. Not only is this a fantastic way of making new friends in the blogging world, but for finding amazing new blogs too!

New summer investment piece!

My new Topshop skirt has FINALLY been delivered! Only took 8 days.. *sigh*, and was 2 days late for when I planned to wear it :( So at first I wasn't sure whether to keep it or not seen as the occasion I wanted to wear it for had already passed...however, now I have tried it on, I LOVE it. This skirt is made of 95% viscose, and 5% lycra/elastane material, meaning that not only is it comfortable due to the soft t- shirt material texture of the skirt, but the elastane also ensures the product is stretchy, helping it mould to the shape of your body, accentuating curvy figures. Usually I stay clear of this material simply because of the clingy body con shape, as I am 2 different dress sizes top and bottom, meaning it is difficult to get clothes like this to fit, however I was really impressed with this skirt, and I love the length also, the double layer material also ensures that the skirt doesn't go see through!.. and the elastic waist band makes the skirt comfortable to wear. I particularly love the dusty pink colour, and I think this product is particularly diverse, as although in the images above I am wearing heels, the skirt is diverse enough to wear for an evening if accessorized, and for daytime if just worn with sandals. A final comment to add is that the price tag is simply amazing, £20 is a brilliant price to pay for such a durable and diverse product, and although it is a spring/summer seasonal piece, it is a fantastic investment piece to bring out every year.. grab one while you can! :)

Pink double layer tube skirt- £20- Topshop

Arm Candy!

So this morning I had a rummage in my jewellery box to find some accessories to go with my outfit for a BBQ tonight. I will be wearing a coral coloured maxi dress and sandals for just a casual look, but to make it a little more dressy, I'm opting for accessories and dressy hair to complete my look :)

So my jewellery box is packed full of bits and bobs and unfortunately for me, it took me ages to rake through it all and decide what I actually still wanted to wear. My first 2 combinations consist of chunky wooden pieces and gold or silver bangles, personally I love these combinations because the bangles are all different sizes, colours and textures which means combining the bracelets is easy as they all work well together. The brown wood and simple gold or silver colours ensure these first few combinations are pretty diverse, allowing them to accessorize and complement most outfits.

The third combination simply consists of a multi coloured bangle, silver and gold bangles, I particularly like this combination as it injects a boost of colour into any outfit and works particularly well if your outfit is quite plain and simply one colour, my maxi dress is coral and so these accessories would complement my look well, although with this piece there is a danger of "over accessorizing" as if you were wearing too many colours, there could be a clash with this accessory.

My fourth combination is a bit more casual, consisting of a watch, pearl bracelet and a few silver and gold bangles. This look would probably complement a more casual daytime outfit. I love the watch as it is particularly girly with the pink face, and the diamantes which add a bit of sparkle to any outfit, similarly the bangles are particularly diverse as they literally are a complementary addition to any outfit, also the pearl bracelets ensures the look becomes simple, yet accessorizes a casual outfit.

My fifth look is a little different to the other combinations as it literally incorporates a little bit of everything, I do this a lot with my daytime outfits as it adds a little bit of a boost into a casual look and keeps your outfit looking fun and playful, also it is so simple to quickly add accessories as you just pick up any handful of bracelets and go!

The sixth look combines a few of my previous looks, as it includes a couple of bracelets, a few bangles, a large bangle and a wooden piece. This is one of my favourite looks as it adds a bit of sparkle to the look and a large injection of colour, again which would be complementary to a casual or evening outfit.

My final accessory is simply my favourite piece of jewellery, my Tiffany & Co. bracelet. It was bought for me as a birthday present and I absolutely love it! I don't wear it a lot however as I always fear loosing it as I have heard the catch can break quite easily due to the delicate nature of the bracelet. I think it is however perfect as a simple accessory, especially for evening outfits! :)

MODEL Co: Product Review

So as you can tell from my recent post on Cosmopolitan magazine, I tend to buy magazines... for the free stuff. July's issue of Glamour offers the choice of 4 different covers featuring  either, Zooey Deschanel, Adele, Daniel Radcliffe or Myleene Klass, each of which comes with a different free beauty gift from "MODEL Co". The different gifts on offer include; mascara, two shades of lipgloss, eyeliner or lipliner, all ranging in worth from £15- £16 each, in total the gifts are worth £78, so with a special price issue of just £1, it is definitely worth buying the issue! Not only do you get the free gift, the magazine also offers 25% off other MODEL Co products with a unique code!

I went for the pink shade of lipgloss, purely because that's just my favourite shade of lip colour, the lipgloss is also slightly shimmery which is an added bonus. The texture of the product is also something to comment upon, many lipglosses can be either too thick and sticky or too watery, meaning the gloss doesn't stay on your lips long before you have to  re-apply. I think there is a good balance with this product, as although it is quite thick, it isn't too sticky and I have found that it stays on the lips for a few hours which I was pleased with. Overall I was quite happy with this product, however I'm not sure whether I would buy it again at  it's original price of £16, as I think it's pretty expensive. :)

Victoria's Secret...

At first, when I used to think of Victoria's Secret I just used to associate it firstly with gorgeous models that every girl aspired to be, *sigh*, and secondly, expensive fancy underwear. Both of the above statements are arguably very true, however, I can say that recently my opinion of Victoria's Secret has changed. In recent times, the UK has seen Victoria's Secret stores arriving on the high street, one of which is hitting Leeds, where I will be at university this year! Therefore I thought I would check out the Victoria's Secret website to see what they actually had to offer, I was surprised. Not only do they sell lingerie, but they also sell beauty products, swim wear, shoes, sport wear, clothing, sleepwear and other items under the "PINK" brand. So until the Leeds store opens in Autumn, I will either have to wait or order, but for now I have found some of my favourite Victoria's Secret sleepwear items that caught my eye, I will certainly be investing in some new PJ's after seeing these!

1. Modal PJ set- $55- Victoria's Secret
2. Cami and Boyshort set- $32.50 NOW $19.50- Victoria's Secret
3. Eyelet cami pajama- $39.50 NOW $32.50- Victoria's Secret
4. Satin cami and short set- $48- Victoria's Secret
5. Cami and Boyshort set- $32.50 NOW $19.50- Victoria's Secret

For those who don't use the dollar currency, sorry, I couldn't bring myself to convert all the prices into pounds! :)

June Spending Spree!

So I saved up some money to buy some new clothes for summer, however, I feel crappy now because I am literally broke :( But with so many plans for summer I felt I literally had nothing to wear, I've gone for a mixture of smart and casual items from all over the high street, and I must say that NOW is the time to revamp your wardrobe...So many stores have mid season sales on right now, some of which include; Topshop (also offering free delivery) , Dorothy Perkins (which now offers a further 10% discount off sale items), Miss Selfridge (Offered 70% sale and now an added 20% off), French Connection (up to 60%), ASOS (up to 30% off and free delivery) and Motel (up to 50%, they are also offering £10 free credit if you sign up to their newsletter, but minimum spend does apply).. so it really is a great time to take advantage of these offers and get spending!

1. Strappy V-neck cami (mint)- £18- Topshop
So if you have read my blog before, you'll probably be aware of my obsession with cami tops, I just think they are perfect for summer due to the light chiffon material, and also they're fantastic for daytime wear or for dressing up on an evening. I chose the mint colour as it is such a bright colour without being too vibrant and thought it was such a summery piece!

2. Lace collar top- £16- Topshop
Personally I chose this top as I think collars are so cute right now, and again are lovely for casual day wear, you can never have too many tops and the colour is lovely. Some may think £16 is a little too much for just a plain top but with student discount I am not complaining, as this piece will be good to wear all year round and is set to stay in fashion over future seasons.

3. Black Rihanna floral print trousers- £45- River Island.
 Call it an "investment piece", yes I know £45 is way too much for a pair of trousers, but hey, I saw them, liked them, bought them without giving it a second thought, the Rihanna range is wayyy too expensive in my opinion. I must say this is literally one of the most expensive pair of trousers I've ever bought so I felt a little sad after spending so much money on one item! But after finding these "peg leg" turn up trousers all over the high street I knew I had to buy some, I had my eye on a pair of Topshop & ASOS trousers but they sold out.. just my luck. I love these though and they again are useful for day and night, I plan to wear them for BBQ'S, birthday meals etc so I can definitely justify the price tag.. I think.

4. Pink double layer tube skirt- £20- Topshop
What attracted me to buying one of these skirts was firstly because I was looking for an outfit for a BBQ next week and wanted to be dressy, yet casual and so I tried it on. As per usual they didn't have my size so I ordered instead, although the skirt material is not exactly flattering if you have lumps and bumps, "fat pants" can fix this and give a more slimmer appearance. I intend to wear this with another cami top I own and accessorize with lottttts of jewellery and dressy hair/makeup, but again, a summer must have which is very diverse. £20, not bad :)

5. Navy super soft high waist skinny jeans- £22.99- New Look
Finding a pair of jeans that fit you perfectly can be difficult, and yes I must admit... this isn't my first pair of these jeans, oops. But I like these especially as I don't have longgggg legs, the high waist style ensures the jeans elongate the legs and gives the illusion that you appear taller... especially if you wear with heels. Again a very durable piece at a good price.

6. Pink flower embellished sandals- £6- Primark
Every girls guilty pleasure...Primark. If I am honest, at times I cannot stand Primark due to the huge queues, lack of small sizes and messy clothing rails which are hardly attractive, I barely buy anything except underwear, shoes and the occasional top. However when I was shopping with a friend she insisted on browsing, which is where I found these sandals at a tiny price tag of just £6. I love these as the flower embellishment is so cute and they come in two different colours, being the girly girl I am I chose pink as per. BARGAIN.

As you may have noticed none of my items were in the sale and I merely benefited from free delivery... in my defence, I had my student discount card at the ready! :)

8 Statement Jewellery Pieces

Statement jewellery is perfect for dressing up any outfit, and even though some pieces can be a bit pricey, you can wear just one piece over and over again with any outfit! There are so many pieces on the high street right now for a whole range of different prices, so in this case it's good to shop around to find the best piece for you. I've found some pieces that are either gold or silver and full of gems, but there are many others out there. I would wear these for dressing up an evening outfit, but statement jewellery isn't just for evening outfits, plainer jewellery such as stacking bracelets, sequin collars, aztec jewellery and wooden pieces can also work perfectly with daytime outfits too! :)

1. Cream flower collar- £14- Miss Selfridge

2. Cut out collar- £12.50- Topshop

3. Mix chain draped collar- £50- Topshop

4. Triangle wave collar necklace- £14- Dorothy Perkins

5. Layered section necklace- £14- Topshop

6. Premium Rhinestone stretch bracelet- £32- Topshop

7. Stone spike collar- £20- Topshop

8. Premium triangle collar- £45- Topshop

Cosmopolitan magazine July 2013

So I just bought the July issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, and as well as having "The 7 key fashion trends for summer" and "The look book" to guide us into summer fashion, it also offers readers FREE sunglasses! There are 3 different styles to choose from, including animal print, gold and black. I think it's definitely worth buying Cosmo even if it's just for the sunglasses! at £3.60 for the magazine, compared to the price of other sunglasses on the high street it's a bargain! However, the free sunglasses are not the only freebie in Cosmopolitan this month, as they also offer two pages full of prizes and discounts! Some of which include; A free chick- lit novel worth £7.99 for every reader,  10% saving on beauty essential's such as St. Tropez and L' Occitane, and the opportunity to win a £250 shopping spree at La Senza, AND the opportunity to win a pair of festival tickets!.. In my opinion, you NEED this months issue! :)

Tried & Tested: VO5 Heat defence shampoo & conditioner

So when the weather is hot, frizzy hair is the worst. How do you tame it? Probably over use your hair straighteners... which leads to drier and even frizzier hair! It's a vicious cycle. So as I experienced this myself as my hair is naturally dry and frizzy, I'm currently trying VO5 "heat defence" shampoo and conditioner, which as the bottles state, promises smooth hair that's full of moisture. However, many products offer this, but do they actually work? I've been using these products for 2 weeks now (attracted firstly by the half price offer), and although I cant see an immediate difference in  the quality of my hair, I can say the feel of my hair has improved and feels much softer and less dry than before. I will also add that when washing my hair with these products, you can almost feel the difference within minutes, it smells great too! Although it's too soon to tell if these products actually make a massive difference, I can already see the benefits...personally I would give them 6/10... :)

9 Fashion Favourites!

1. Eclectic ankle bracelet pack- £10- River Island

2. Blue lace trim ankle socks- £3.50 (3 for £8) - Topshop

3. Denim Jacket- £24.99- H&M

4. Converse All Star Mint ox trainers- £45- ASOS

5. Knitted clean rib crop jumper- £36- Topshop

6. Leaf Embellished open back top- £40- Topshop

7. Converse All Star ox low pink canvas- £44.99- Office

8. Pink lace trim ankle socks- £3.50 (3 for £8)- Topshop

9. Pink Cherry blossom charm- £45.00- Pandora

Punky Allsorts

As the name suggests, the jewellery at www.punkyallsorts.co.uk is not your usual jewellery! They sell the quirkiest jewellery I have seen and I love it! Some of their designs include; M & M rings, Gummie Bear rings, Jelly Baby bracelets, Troll Doll earrings and Freddo necklaces, but they have soooo many more crazy designs too. Personally my favourites are the sweets bracelets, so I've included some of them below. If I'm honest I would say they are a little pricey with anything from £10-£20 ish for a bracelet, but because they are nothing like I've seen on the high street I would buy, :)

Liquorice Allsorts bracelet £16.95

Love Heart bracelet £12.95

M & M bracelet £19.95

Twister lolly bracelet £12

Dolly mix bracelet £15

Pearl Dolly Mix bracelet £16.95

Flump bracelet £16.95