STATEMENT SLEEVES

PETITE Trumpet sleeve top, £12, Topshop So, another trend I am absolutely loving at the moment is statement sleeves. I would be the first one to admit that my style can be boring at times, I'm not very adventurous, and I am an absolute worshipper of all things monochrome. So, me wandering around with massive flappy sleeves is kind of a big deal. I think it's such a feminine design, and we need more of that right? I feel like their has been such a focus on boyish fashion that we've all lost sight of what constitutes 'girly', so yep, I'm all for frills, ruffles and flappy sleeves. Of course, Topshop made the perfect combo, making this a bardot crop top design in the process. I actually wore this outfit for an interview, if you were wondering why I am unusually dressed in all black, however this top would work as a perfect combo to an denim skirt or even dress it up for a cocktails mate date. Love them or hate them, statement sleeves are here for the season.

BARDOT

Long Sleeve Jersey Bardot Crop Top White, £8, Missguided Every girl goes through fashion stages of obsession, so far I've had my choker, high waist jeans, suedette, camel coat and knee high boots stages. Now, i'm on to bardot tops. Myself and one of my best friends were talking about this at the weekend, I love how 90's fashion is slowly creeping its way back onto the scene, along with other eras. The 90's being by far my favourite fashion era. Of course, the 90's encompassed the bardot top. I find this off the shoulder design so flattering and I can get enough, not only did I pick up this white top for £8 from Missguided, but also a burgundy ribbed version. Personally I love to wear these with a pair of high waist jeans... so I can actually get away with wearing this top in this awful weather! In the spring, I will definitely be wearing this with a denim skirt, or shorts in the summer. Yay or nay?

LA LA LAND

LA LA LAND, so what's all the hype about? I'll tell you, its AMAZING.

I'll be honest with you, I absolutely hate musicals. I fully appreciate that they are absolutely excellent for anyone who is a fan, but I definitely don't fall into that camp. So, I was staying with a friend this weekend and we decided to head to the Gunwharf Quays designer in Portsmouth, and as per usual, we ended up at the cinema.

Yep, we are those people who will go to the cinema, not really to see anything in particular, but just to see a new film. So, it was either La La Land or 'Sing'. I'm not going to lie, the prospect of a singing and dancing pig almost had me, but of course I had heard people raving about how amazing La La Land was, and with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling you can't go wrong.

Right, so here's the thing. We bought our tickets, and then of course we remembered it was a musical... first impressions, they weren't great. The opening scene features a huge traffic jam and everyone jumping and singing around the cars, at this point I looked at my friend and apologised. The next scenes were also not promising, Emma Stone flouncing around her bedroom singing with her friends, it was just not for me.

To my delight, the film thereafter fell more into the rom com/ chick flick genre, which not only told the beautiful story of a couple trying to achieve their dreams, but it had some hilarious comedy moments and the use of music to tell the story was enchanting.

Overall verdict? GO SEE IT NOW.

MARIAH CAREY FOR MAC

  Bit Of Bubbly, MAC, £17   I am waaaaaaay behind on the Mariah Carey hype, of course I heard when the collection was announced, but I never even bothered looking as i'm never really bothered about celebrity collections for MAC as I tend to just stick to my MAC faves.  However, I quickly started to see Instagram posts flooding into my feed about how great the collection was, and most importantly, I noticed that the lipstick packaging was glittery.... that sealed the deal for me.   How beautiful is it?! I just had to have one, so I instantly looked online, of course they were sold out. However my amazing friend managed to pick me one up from the MAC store at St Pancras in London, so although there is limited availability online, definitely check in store!   The lipstick is shade is 'Bit Of Bubbly', which I absolutely love as I tend to wear MAC cremesheen lipsticks, and it is a lovely nudey pink shade. Personally, out of all of the Mariah lipsticks I prefer this one, as apart from 'I Get So OOC' a shimmering brown shade, the lipsticks are gold or peach which I tend to find do not flatter my skin tone at all. The lipstick also has a beautiful flower engraved in it, sooooo girly!   Apart from lipsticks, Mariah has an array of other products in the collection including eyelashes, eye shadow, lipgloss and bronzer. Have you got anything from the collection?     

MAC- PERVETTE

MAC PERVETTE- £15.50

Ever had that feeling when you find a long lost MAC lipstick?... the one you thought that was long gone and you've been mentally punishing yourself over wasting £15.50 ever since? Well I experienced this the other day, I was actually on the hunt for my winter bobble hat at the time when I came across my first ever MAC lipstick- Pervette, which was bought as a gift for me 4 YEARS AGO.  It popped up in the depths of my underwear draw of all places, considering I have moved house since then, I was pretty lucky.

Please no lectures on the grossness of ignoring the use-by date, I have cleaned it with a cotton wool bud everyone don't worry. And i'm sorry, but there is no way I'm letting it go to waste!

Before writing this post I actually had to check that MAC actually still sold Pervette... they do. Pervette is a soft bright pink glossy lipstick with violet shimmer, I remember at the time I got it that it was a bit daring with it having metallic properties, but now I am 100% embracing it. According to the MAC website, this is the iconic lipstick which made MAC famous, and I can definitely see why!

ITS A BOOTS KINDA DAY

BLACK HEELED BOOTS- £22- GEORGE @ ASDA With absolutely no disrespect to George at ASDA, but can you believe this is where I found these gorgeous LBB's?! A couple of days before I had been searching all over for a new pair of black boots, and could literally find nothing, then Sunday afternoon I had been doing the food shop when hey presto, look what I found! For £22 these were a total bargain, considering I had been looking at an incredibly similar pair in Office for around £80! I would also say that the price is absolutely no reflection on the quality of these boots, they have beautiful suedette detailing, gold buckles, straps and are 100% comfy. The only thing that I would say, is that because they are not real leather, they are slightly more tight fitting, so you may need a bigger size than usual. I am usually a size 4 but I needed a 5! In future ladies, don't judge a book by its cover, George has some amazing on-trend pieces this season... and always be sure to check out their shoe department!

BILLS

SEASONAL ALLOTMENT SALAD, £9.95, BILLS So last Friday I had a lovely visit from one of my best friends, who came to Leeds for the day for one of our "mate dates". We hadn't seen each other for 2 months which was just crazy, so you can imagine how much catching up we had to do. We went shopping, although we didn't actually buy anything as we were too busy talking, and also have zero pennies since going back to university. We finished the day by going for a late lunch at Bill's, which is one of my all time favourite restaurants. They specialise in contemporary European food, and have separate breakfast, afternoon tea, lunch and dinner menus. As my friend is dairy intollerant it is also so handy as a lot of the food is gluten and dairy free, or vegetarian. We opted for the allotment salad and their delicious pink lemonade which made a perfect light late lunch. I also ate at Bill's with my boyfriend at the weekend- I had the "Bill's classic fish finger sandwich"- £9.50, I promise this is not your average fish finger sandwich... made with proper pieces of battered fish, tartare sauce, rocket salad and toasted farmhouse bread with skin on fries. Delicious.

KATE SPADE NEW YORK

CEDAR STREET SMALL HAYDN, £268, KATE SPADE

I feel as though Kate Spade is a bit less well known in the UK than it is in the US, which is a huge shame, as Kate Spade is such a wonderful, unique brand. I received my beautiful Haydn bag for my 21st Birthday, I should really have included more pictures as not only does the bag have a lovely unique shape, but it also has a beautiful golden spotty silk interior, and is the perfect size for a "day time handbag", the picture simply does not do it justice.

Of course £268 is a lot to pay, but I can honestly vouch that this bag feels like incredibly high quality, and has the most beautiful detailing! My obsession doesn't stop there, my boss bought me a beautiful Kate Spade stationary set when I finished my one year placement at Barbour, designer stationary is a must!

I also realised this week that Kate Spade watches actually exist, and they are super girly. With scallop detailing, rose gold and crystals they are simply beautiful, so be sure to check them out! I would also  suggest you have a peek at the unique jewellery and accessories collections... http://www.katespade.co.uk/ .

FOTD

 

Okay so Saturday I got a hair cut, and of course like anyone else I took a selfie to mark the occasion. Now, I'm going to put it to good use for my face of the day post. I don't really know why these posts exist "face of the day"... like what, you're going to change your entire makeup look every day? I don't this so. But as I cant think of another name for this post, i'll go with it.

  So firstly, which products am I using?   Rimmel London lasting finish foundation- 201 classic beige   Rimmel London Kate Moss mascara- 004 Eye Rock Jet Black   Rimmel London (are you spotting a trend here) Stay matte pressed powder- 002 Pink Blossom   Rimmel London lasting finish mono blush- Live Pink   Benefit Brow Zings eyebrow shaping kit- Medium   Benefit bronzer- Dallas   MAC lipstick- Velvet Teddy  

As you probably spotted, Rimmel London products make up the majority of my makeup bag. In my opinion, why spend double if not triple the amount of money on a high end product, when you can get the same result for less? My makeup routine has basically stayed the same since I started properly wearing makeup at the age of 15, with the addition of a MAC lipstick or two along the way. This tends to be my day time look, so I like to keep it quick and simple, always adding a dash of lipstick to mix my look up from time to time...

 

I would love for you to tell me all about your favourite products and makeup routines, so leave me a comment below! :)

 

MITCHELL AND PEACH

 English leaf luxury body cream, £17, Mitchell And Peach

 

Have you ever heard of Mitchell And Peach? I hadn't, until I received a glossybox last year and it included several products from brands I had never even heard of, one of which being Mitchell And Peach. Now as I have been having  a massive clear out, I came across this body cream and decided to finally give it a go!

 

I have never been one for luxury lotions and potions, as I seem to run out of such products so quickly and then can't afford to replace them... therefore I think its just best not to get hooked in the first place! For the past couple of weeks I have been using this body cream as a hand cream, again, I  always struggle to find a suitable hand lotion as many products can be quite runny, sticky, and all in all just a bit too greasy. This one however I can honestly say is totally non sticky, the cream is instantly absorbed into your skin and leaves your hands soft, supple and full of moisture.

 

Fragranced with essential oils from the Mitchell's fifth- generation farm in Kent, the body cream contains honey, organic cocoa and shea butter, and so I  must mention the smell, it is absolutely wonderful. With other ingredients such as sweet almond oil, lavender oil, vanilla and sweet violet extract, the scent really does scream luxury.

 

Because this product came in a glossybox, the version I have is the sample 40ml body cream... however I have checked their website and they now seem to sell the body cream in a tub rather than a bottle, but you can get a similar product- the English leaf luxury hand cream, 60 ml for £17.

  If you have tried any other products from their collections, I would love for you to tell me your thoughts!

PANDORA

Openwork linked love ring, £30 Delicate bow ring, £40
Pandora is without a doubt my most favourite jewellery store. I absolutely love how Pandora are constantly introducing new collections and unique products, yet still offering their most popular pieces. If i'm honest, my pandora collection is out of hand. I started out by collecting charms for my beloved pandora bracelet, I think these bracelets are truly beautiful with each charm holding some sort of sentimental value or memory.
I then moved on to rings, of which I now have 11... the two rings above are my most recent additions, the delicate bow ring being a 5 year anniversary present, and the openwork linked love ring being a Valentines day present. I'm wearing the love ring as a stacking ring,  I think it's great that Pandora have introduced these into their collection as stacking rings always look so lovely!
I find that Pandora has something for everyone, for every occasion. Whether you're splashing the cash on a gold ring, or an affordable charm its hard not to fall in love with their collections!
Yesterday I bought the same openwork love ring for my mam's mother's day gift- as soon as she saw mine she wanted it! So if you are struggling to find a gift for your mum I highly suggest you have a peek at their Mother's Day collection!.. here. :)

REVIEW: MODELS OWN COLOUR CHROME COLLECTION

Models own Colour Chrome Pink- £4.99- Models Own

 

The amount of Models Own nail polish reviews I do is literally ridiculous! There are just so many variants of nail polishes to try, and with them being my favourite nail polish brand, I just wanted to share with you some of the amazing products they have on offer!

 

I got this nail polish at Christmas- one of the polishes from the colour chrome collection, which provides a liquid metal chrome effect. I really didn't know which shade to go for, so I also bought this polish in shade 'copper' which carries more rose gold hues, along with the pink polish which is featured in this post. You can discover more about the chrome collection and the shades they have on offer online.

 

At first I was so confused... when I opened the bottle the colour was simply silver with drops of pink in it, so make sure you shake the bottle well before use. When I started applying the polish I again found that the polish wasn't leaving much colour- however the colour actually develops into its pinky tones so bear that in mind!

 

I absolutely love the metallic effect this polish gives,  it also makes your nails feel super smooth and remains chip resistant for over a week. When applying you may wish to add 2-3 coats rather than 1 to intensify  the colour and effect, although this is absolutely down to personal preference- I went for 2.

  ...once again, highly recommended!   What do you think? Leave me a comment below! :)

Dip Dye Vibes.

 

                                                   Dip dye rib jumper, £39, Topshop

 

As soon as I spotted this on Topshop's Facebook and Instagram pages I knew I had to snap this one up! This is definitely not something I would usually go for, however this jumper makes the perfect cosy winter jumper.

 

Of course sticking with my usual monochrome tones, the dip dye effect also introduces purple hues as the jumper fades from cream to black. The oversized effect and longer back design makes this a tricky one to fit, I had to buy a size 6 and it was still too big and long on the sleeves for my liking, although it is super cosy! So if you are thinking of buying this jumper, definitely try the size below first.

 

Due to the nature of the material, the jumper can also carry static, however this goes away after the first wear. I absolutely love the dip dye effect, although my boyfriend actually referred to it as a 'PowerPoint presentation gradient effect, mixed with a Newcastle supporter'... yup.

 

I originally didn't buy this jumper when I first tried it in store, and is now out of stock online, however if you do want to find one, it is my understanding that these jumpers are now in the 'last chance to buy' section, or you can check the in store stock levels as I did through their website.

 

For £39, this is definitely an investment piece you need to add to your winter wardrobe. What do you think? Leave me a comment below! :)

 

NYC

Ok, so I just booked a holiday to New York!

 

I am ridiculously excited about this as New York has been on my bucket list since I was a child, I cannot wait to explore this absolutely amazing city...

 

I managed to secure a 6 night deal staying at YOTEL, in Times Square West, as well as flights too and from Newcastle, and airport transfers through Expedia. This was recommended to my by a friend who had also stayed at the same hotel, I don't think there is anything more important than your friends honest opinion! FYI, Expedia have some awesome deals to New York in their sale, so if you're considering a trip yourself, Expedia is your go to!

 

Of course, this trip has wiped my bank balance unfortunately, which means no more Topshop hauls and LUSH bath bombs, but hey ho, it will be worth it! When I visit, I have so many places on my hit list- The Statue of Liberty, Rockerfeller Center, Central Park Zoo, Tiffany & Co, The Empire State Building, Macy's, Top of The Rock, DASH, and The Yankee Stadium.

 

As I am visiting the 24th till the 30th of November,  I am hoping things will also be starting to get a little festive...I would absolutely love to know if you have any recommendations of places to see, things to do, and of course any amazing restaurants!

  Leave me a comment below!  

REVIEW: WONDER'FULL MASCARA

Lets be honest, how difficult is it to find a mascara that is right for you? Very. Personally, I hate plastic brushes and thin brushes with no bristles, I also can't stand gloopy or sticky mascara. So yes, it takes a lot of trial and error to find a mascara that will give you the perfect conmbo of length and volume to your lashes... which is why I wanted to share with you my experiences of the Rimmel London "Wonder 'Full Wake Me Up" mascara.

 

I have been using Rimmel London mascaras for years now, as I find they are definitely the best drugstore supplier of makeup which is not only affordable, but just as effective as any high-end mascara. With promises of conditioned, clump-  free, feather- light lashes, I found the mascara did everything it said, leaving my lashes full, and perfectly smooth.

 

At just £7.99 from Boots, this mascara lasts me around 2 months so is quite a bargain, although I have used Benefit mascaras (best not to get into that sort of addiction), I have found this is an alternative to their Roller Lash mascara, perfect for those of you who want to add volume and a little length.

 

I have been using the cucumber extract version, which really does leave your eyes feeling refreshed, their waterproof version was also excellent. You can find the original here.

 

What do you think? What is your favourite mascara?

REVIEW: BELISSIMO LIPS

Okay so I am definitely one of those girls who just loves glitter, in fact my wardrobe is basically monochrome mixed with a dash of glitter...so when I realised glitter lips were an actual thing I was so excited to try it!

 

Belissimo lips is a brand I was first introduced to through Topshop in Leeds, I had been shopping and came across a concession stand with a 2 for £13 offer... however I decided to give just one a try in shade Holographic fuchsia- a combination of pink and purple tones. I am dying to also try Purple and Tea Rose.

 

This product is not only gentle on your lips, but it is also designed to stay on for up to 12 hours. You are free to eat and drink, as long as you avoid hot drinks & greasy food.... I definitely put this one to the test on New Years Eve, so I would definitely advise against Pizza. Although it is super easy to remove the glitter at the end of the night, it is a bit gross... think PVA glue on your hands at primary school style.

 

Application is super easy, simply apply the water based adhesive & then using a cotton wool bud, apply the sparkle! At £13 each this is a little pricey (including P&P), however the set lasts for so long, and works so well, although I would only have bought it at the promotional price in Topshop for £7. You can view the rest of the range online.

  What do you think? Leave me a comment below!

BLOGOSPHERE MAGAZINE

 

 

Just a quick post! I wanted to share with you a new magazine I came across the other day, blogosphere magazine...

 

I don't know about you, but I haven't ever been able to find magazines exclusively about blogging, with the exception of the odd feature in Cosmo, so I was thrilled to find this on the shelves at WH Smith!

 

Blogosphere magazine prides itself on being written for bloggers, by bloggers, which is super useful if you're a blogger wanting to learn a bit more about the industry, gain an insight into other bloggers and their work, or just to pick up a few handy tips along the way. This months issue featured an interview with Samatha Maria (@TheBeautyCrush), alongside articles on essentials for etiquette at blogging events, how to find your blogging niche, and a little insight into advertising rules. Not to mention features on several other bloggers!

 

Written by influential bloggers, the magazine is split into six main sections- beauty, fashion, food, travel, lifestyle and photography, so there really is something for every blogger. You can expect to find interviews, how-tos and blogger profiles in each issue, for just £4... it's well worth a read!

 

Have you read blogosphere magazine? Leave me a comment below! :)

 

REVIEW: MODELS OWN GLITTER GEL

Glitter gel- Red Carpet, £4.99, Models Own  

If you read my blog often, you would have probably have seen countless Models Own review posts, and never a bad one!

 

I tend to get a lot of my nail polishes from Models Own as they have so many collections, with totally unique products at such affordable prices. For Christmas I decided to buy one of their 'glitter gel' polishes. The hypergel formula works to create high shine and a gel like finish, along with a lot of sparkle!

 

Although at first I was a little sceptical that the gel- like appearance would be gloopy, I found it was just like an ordinary polish, but set as a gel. I also love that this polish stayed chip resistant for at least a week on my nails! At £4.99 I tend to find models own products also last ages, so they are well worth a try. Along with this polish I also bought a pink polish from the colour chrome range, which I am yet to try!

 

Don't forget... Models Own are launching a 50% off online promotion between the 28.01.16 and 03.02.16, so don't miss out!

 

BLOGMAS #16- BENEFIT ADVENT CALENDAR

Okay, I am on day 3 of my Benefit advert calendar- Party Poppers 12 days of Christmas, and I have already been surprised with a miniature Oh la lift, Highbeam & Total moisture face cream...

 

For  £34.50, the set is actually worth £79.17 and includes some Benefit favourites including; POREfessional, lollitint, watt's up! and BADgal. Although the calendar is supposed to play a 'bene-song' when you open it each day, mine was faulty :( however I think this is such a cute addition.

 

If you saw my post the other day you will be aware of the huge array of beauty advent calendars that are on the high street at the moment, and this one is definitely my favourite. Although the Benefit calendar is only 12 days, the gifts inside are fab!

   Have you got a beauty advent calendar this year?

BLOGMAS #5- REVIEW: BORN PRETTY STORE

*Ok I know its not really Christmassy themed, but last week I was kindly asked to review a product from the Born Pretty Store. I wanted to share this with you as they have a vast amount of products in their make up range including anything from eye shadow, lip gloss and lipstick, to makeup bushes and nail polish. They best thing? It is all extremely affordable!

Appearance

I chose to review one of their waterproof cosmetic lip balms- they come in a few different colours but of course I chose pink! The lip balm is quite small and thin so its perfect for popping in your handbag or makeup bag and comes in lovely bright packaging.

Functionality

 The product itself is a natural cream lipstick and leaves a beautiful smooth finish, I would say that for a tinted lip balm it really does add a lot of colour to the lips and is more of a lipstick than a balm.

Usage

As ever, a lip balm could be worn as part of a natural daytime makeup look if you go for one of the pale pink or coral shades, there is also a more vibrant pink for evening wear. I found that the balm also worked great for a base coat under a brighter pink lipstick- especially under matte.

Cost

With most lip balms costing below £5, this one will cost you a mere £2.27!

This is not the first time I have reviewed a product from Born Pretty Store- I have also reviewed one of their beautiful rose gold watches- you can find my review here. You can find the lip balm and other products in the Born Pretty makeup range here, and if you are interested, you can also get prepared for the party season and grab yourself 10% off by using the code ELNH10.

What do you think? Leave me a comment below! :)