Sunday 28 February 2016

February Favourites

It's the end of February and hopefully the end of winter! I thought I would do my first monthly favourites post as I definitely love reading about other people's new discoveries. February has been a busy and stressful month for me and I have to admit, I cannot wait for spring to start. March has always been one of my favourite months, with flowers blooming and the world becoming a bit more colourful and sunny.



Beauty

Living in England means that it's still freezing cold outside for most of March, so I couldn't wear any of the lovely spring clothes I bought over February. They are patiently waiting for their time to come in my wardrobe! Things have been much better on the make up front though. With the days becoming a bit longer, I felt more and more like going out on the weekends or after work, so it was worth putting on nicer clothes and some make up. This also meant trying out new products!



My number one make up favourite has to be the Too Faced Chocolate Bonbons eyeshadow palette! I had heard a lot about this before buying it, although I have never owned anything from the brand. The packaging is absolutely adorable, the scent of the palette is delicious, but what actually convinced me to purchase it, was two of the shades: a shimmery beige-gold called Satin Sheets and a shimmery coppery bronze shade called Molasses Chip. Both absolutely mesmerising on the eye and I think they're perfect for a spring-summer look. A huge bonus it that the shade Bordeaux is the best colour for my eyebrows at the moment, as it is really nice medium brown with red undertones. The quality of the product is ten out of ten, it is very blendable, but stays on for the whole day. Absolutely worth the £39!

My second make up favourite the L'Oréal Infallible 24H Stay Fresh Foundation. Because I have dry, eczema prone skin, I have to be very careful with drugstore foundations as most of them cause flare ups on my face. But a few weeks ago I was in London for a couple of days and I forgot my foundation, so I ran down to Boots to get something I can use the next day. I have heard some good reviews of the Infallible foundation so I decided to give it a go. I have to admit, I am not a big fan of the heavy scent and my skin colour is in-between two shades, so the colour match is not perfect. But I was quite surprised at the quality and the staying power of the product! Despite the strong scent, it didn't bring my eczema out and I have been enjoying using this with some added bronzer on top. And it was only £10!

My last beauty item is also from L'Oréal and it's one of their Color Riche nail polishes. I've been really enjoying using this formula for a while, because it dries really quickly. It also doesn't stay on for very long, but I find that I have been changing up my nail colour more because of this. The colour I have been enjoying the most this month is number 851, Nouvelle Vague, a pale lilac-y blue. It reminds me of spring a lot and because I haven't had the chance to wear spring clothes, wearing this colour on my nails just cheered me up a bit!

Fashion


Because the weather has been so chilly, I had to stick with my think and cosy winter clothes but I actually only bought clothes for the spring. So until I can wear those, I can only report on my favourite accessories, that I have actually been obsessed with. I got this gorgeous rosegold Michael Kors watch from my godparents for Christmas and it goes so nicely with this necklace I got from my boyfriend a while back. The necklace is from Pandora's "Pandora Rose" collection that combines the standard silver with a touch of rosegold. I loved this, because I didn't own a lot of rosegold accessories, so this seemed like the only way to wear it without buying a whole rosegold collection. Then I got this fabulous watch for Christmas and I have been wearing this non-stop. It adds such a sporty, but stylish twist to my outfits, and it goes amazingly with both work and casual clothes. An absolute winner combination in my books!

Skincare


During January and the beginning of February I had a really bad eczema flare up on my face and my hands. Obviously the first thing I had to do was to use prescription steroid creams that calmed my skin, but left it really dry, so a few weeks ago I took a trip to Kiehl's to ask for some recommendations and I was actually quite impressed! They tested my skin's moisture content and recommended product based on the results and my condition. The first thing that really made a difference was the Skin Rescuer. This is a stress-minimising daily moisturiser that claims to reduce visible signs of stress, including skin fatigue and redness. This has actually been a life saver for my skin! The formula is very lightweight and it doesn't leave your skin sticky or your pores clogged at all, but it works like a dream on dry and sensitive skin. It absorbs very quickly and it leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated. This has definitely proven to be a holy grail product for me and I will be repurchasing it as soon as this runs out.

The second product they recommended was the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner. This is an alcohol-free toner made with whole flowers and pure extracts, and is actually recommended for a normal-to-oily skin type. Despite this, the lady in Kiehl's recommended it to me so the heavy creams I use due to my eczema don't clog my pores and make me break out. I am not sure if it is due to this product or I just had a lucky few weeks, but my skin has definitely been quite clear. Bonus point: it smells like tea!

This is it from me this month, hopefully next month I can include some more fashion items it the weather allows it. Have you had any favourites this month?

Friday 26 February 2016

The Creme de la Creme of Make Up: Charlotte Tilbury

You  know how people talk about love at first sight? And how you're not supposed to judge the book by its cover? Kind of controversial, isn't it? Well I think there is such a thing as lust at first sight and then falling in love... which is exactly my story with Charlotte Tilbury's make up range.



The beautiful rosegold packaging instantly catches the eye, and the well thought-out, chic and luxurious design draws you closer and closer to the counter. When you finally try the products and see for yourself that the luxury doesn't end at the packaging, that's when you start to fall in love...

Is it expensive? Yes. But there is something unique about the products that I haven't seen with any other high end brand, that somehow makes spending your money worth your while. No regrets.

I personally own a few of her products, but what I don't have  (and even some of what I do, but I'm already scared of them running out) are definitely on the top of my wishlist.



Filmstar Bronze and Glow Sculpt and Highlight Palette
My number one favourite is something I can't imagine doing my make up without anymore. The famous Filmstar Bronze and Glow Sculpt and Highlight palette is the very product she claims that it had been the best kept secret of Hollywood stars for years. Having no cheekbones whatsoever, I thought this was the answer to my prayers! The sculpt shade is cool enough to create a more defined facial structure, but still has a warm glow to it, making it perfect for both every day and occasion make up. The lighter shade has the smallest shimmer in it, giving an amazing golden sheen to your cheeks without it being over the top. I have to admit, on a particularly dull skin day, I dust this all over my face to it a little life. The consistency of the products is heavenly; the powder is finely milled and feather light so it won't leave you looking a year older than you are. And even though the palette is £49, you need to remember that it includes a bronzer and a highlighter, so technically they are less than £25 each. Purchase justified!



Eyes to Mesmerise in Marie Antoinette and Verushka
A close second in the favourites contest has to be the Eyes to Mesmerise cream eyeshadow pot. Initially I purchased two shades, Verushka and Marie Antoinette, just to have a small variety of colours.  Marie Antoinette is a lovely oyster gold colour, so easily wearable in the daytime, but with a bit of dark brown in the crease, you're all set for a night out too. Verushka.... well... Verushka is something else. If I had to describe the colour it would go something like this: green-grey-smoky-glowy moss with a golden sheen to it. The fact that you can't decide what colour it is makes it mesmerising on its own, but the added extras are pretty brilliant too. The colour pay off is amazing, the oh-so-creamy texture is easily blendable, but once it dries it does not move for the rest of the day. And it gives you a smoky effect with a wet look, that makes it incredibly unique. My next shopping spree will definitely include buying a couple more of these tiny pots of magic.



Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Pillowtalk
The Pillowtalk lip cheat lip liners have transformed my view of "browny pink" colour lips. I always thought I don't suit them and the whole concept was just too 90s for my taste. But actually, this colour provides such a perfect "your lips but better" look with a twist, that I couldn't resist purchasing it. You can either wear it as a traditional lip liner, but I personally prefer just using it as a lipstick. The only downside to this product is that it doesn't come in a chunkier lip crayon form and I feel like I am going to run out of it way too quickly!

An added bonus to the product range is the adorable naming. Pillowtalk perfectly describes the subtleness of this colour, but my other two favourites include Kiss'n'Tell and Berry Naughty... just so cute!

Magic Foundation
I have to admit, this was the only product I tried from Charlotte Tilbury's range that didn't hit the wow-factor to me. It's a really nice full coverage foundation that doesn't feel too heavy on the skin. It lasts a long time and doesn't crease too much, but I'm still not sure I would repurchase it. Maybe it's the fact that it's not dewy enough for my liking, maybe I haven't seen the skincare magic of it because I didn't use it for long enough. The packaging is painfully beautiful, and for what it's worth, it looked fabulous on my mum. I have to assume that it just wasn't exactly what I expected and it may be worth another try at some point in the future.

Even though I heard mixed reviews about the new Magic Foundation, the feedback on the Light Wonder foundation has been overwhelmingly positive. It does promise a glowy, dewy finish, so I think I might become better friends with this one.

On My Wishlist

...Pretty much everything she makes! I am determined to get a few of her Matte Revolution lipsticks, but I haven't decided which colour to go for. I desperately want to try her blushers and the famour Full Fat Lashes mascara and I am also intrigued by her eye shadow palettes and the Colour Chameleon eye shadow crayons. Oh no, I can already hear my purse screaming!

Let's Talk!

Have you tried any of Charlotte's products? What brands are you obsessed with?

Sunday 21 February 2016

Affordable Home Accessories

Home accessories are a bit like mascara to your eye make up. Without adding the extra touch, your home will never feel finished, something will always be missing. Inserting your personality and your style will help make a space feel truly yours, so even if you have someone else decorate your house, I feel like it's important that you pick out some or most of the home accessories yourself. And it you're a budget you can get a bit more creative and use some good old DIY techniques. Pinterest is always a good way to collect ideas.



I like simple and a bit more minimalistic set up in my flat. I admit, actually displaying this is a major challenge sometimes as my boyfriend likes his collectibles. I'm sure some of you will have the same challenges, especially if you have a little one around. I find that it helps to have good storage around to ensure that everything that you don't want to see can be hidden in a clever and stylish way.

What is left out is stuff I like to look at. I find that one of the major improvements you can add to your home is some greenery, but you definitely don't have to spend a lot on this. Another way to save some money is to add some printable art in a simple frame. The one you can see above is from Ikea, and I believe it was under £5. The quote itself is on an ordinary A4 piece of paper that I printed out. Next to the standard items, I always like to add a statement piece. You can always find some eye catching home accessories in places like Tesco, Asda, Primark, etc. But if you have the chance to spend a bit more money on a few things, I would recommend getting some unique pieces that represent your personality and your style. My favourite shop for home accessories at the moment is Oliver Bonas. Their furniture prices are a bit too expensive for my budget, but I can't resist their accessories. The above silver and copper dish was £15 pounds, but I use it every day and it looks amazing in my living room.



So I mentioned greenery before. Because I'm not brilliant with plants, I really prefer some succulents scattered around the house to a bigger plant I can't keep alive. These are from Ikea and they're really affordable and don't require much attention. I like to place them on window sills and shelves to insert a bit of colour.



If you have any plants, you're going to have to water them (stating the obvious, I know...). I found this small copper spray water bottle in Marks & Spencer for £15. Again, it's not the cheapest you could get, but it ties in with all the metallic pieces in my room, so it's not just a handy piece of equipment, but an eye-catching home accessory.


I mentioned before that places like Tesco, Asda and Wilkos do some amazing statement pieces as well. This lamp is from Asda Home and it was £10.



I'm just going to let that sink in.



I know, £10! What a bargain! It really nice quality and a brilliant addition to my living room.


Speaking of affordable home accessories, H&M Home will definitely have to get a mention. Their stuff mimic the style of high end homeware shops like West Elm without being unreasonably expensive. There are some really nice candles, dishes and cushions I would definitely consider getting from there. In fact, I already have my eye on a bedspread that would go amazing in my bedroom and it is only £25. This candle was around £7 and the marble chopping board was £5 on sale.


Of course, candles are a must if you want your place to look anything like a picture on Pinterest. However I find that most unique scented candles are overpriced and I wouldn't necessarily want to spend that kind of money so often. So I decided to invest in these little tealight holders from Oliver Bonas. They were only £7.50 each and I only have to buy little tealights in them, which can be as cheap as £1 for a 100. The matte black finish on the outside gives it a very sophisticated look, whilst the copper inside gives them a modern edge. Love at first sight!


Marble and copper. Oliver Bonas did it again. I made this purchase a couple of weeks ago before Valentine's day (might I add it was before payday too), even though I really couldn't afford it then. But it was actually gave our home made Valentines dinner a more romantic feel, and now they look so chic on my bedroom window sill. I also feel like you can't have enough marble these days!

Now it's your turn: where do you like to get your home accessories from?


Wednesday 17 February 2016

Stationery Haul



Are you an organisation freak? Do you like cute and original stationery? Are you in need for some inspiration for school or work?

I have to admit I am one of those people who used to love the end of August, because I had an excuse to buy a ton of cute notebooks and pens and not get judged for it. I still think that the stationery you use has an impact on your overall style and sends a message to whoever sees you using it. Just to give you the most obvious example... you won't see successful, high profile businessman and women signing contracts with plastic pens they got free from some hotel. So if you are interested in my recent purchases and what my "stationery style" looks like, just keep on reading...

At the moment, my favourite planner to organise my life is a marble print weekly planner I ordered from notonthehighstreet.com. This was around £20, so definitely not the cheapest out there, but I am a major fan of the marble trend. The notebook itself is very sleek and light, so it's a great choice if you have to carry it around in your bag. Another bonus is that it doesn't have dates in it, just weekdays, so you could start using it in June and you wouldn't have to leave half of it empty. Of course it means that you have to spend some time putting in the dates yourself. Next to every "weekly planner" page there is a notes page, so you can write any free text or notes. All in all, I have got great use out of this so far and it looks stylish on my desk.


Say you're on the phone and you need a notepad to write down something quickly. Or you're cosied up at your desk when you remember that you're out of milk, but really don't want to get up to put it on the shopping list. Ever happened to you? This notepad from kikki.K is a staple on my desk at the moment. As it's quite heavy and chunky, I only use this at home, and it proved to be a great and stylish multi-purpose notepad. It's always on my desk with a pen so I don't have to look for a random piece of paper when something comes up. Plus it's really fun to use, as different pages have different designs, but the same colour scheme!

Sticky notes are one of the most handy inventions when it comes to stationery. But why do they have to be dull-coloured and boring? Well... they don't! My favourite ones to use at the moment are these pineapple shaped ones from kikki.k, and I purchased some floppy disk print ones from Tiger for my computer nerd boyfriend.

This notebook is my absolute favourite! I am slightly obsessed with pugs and when I found this adorable A5 sized notebook in John Lewis, I pretty much fell in love! I love the simple black and white design and the cute drawing of typical pug poses make it fun and unique.


Multipurpose Sharpies in metallic colours? Yes please! I found this little Sharpie-trio in Wilko for about £2, what a bargain! It includes a gold, a silver and a bronzy copper colour, which are perfect if you want to be creative and on trend at the same time!

What does your stationery style look like?

Sunday 7 February 2016

My all time favourite beauty products

We all have those beauty product that have a special place in our collection. The ones that we just clicked with, ones that sneak into our lives time and time again, and when they do it just feels like greeting an old friend.

I have to admit I haven't been a beauty enthusiast for a long time, I spent most of my teen years and early twenties bare faced. When I look back at the pictures from those times I wonder how I never realised that the bags under my eyes were darker than the night sky and at the same time my eyebrows were pretty much non-existent. Not that I needed it in my life, but I never realised how much more confident you feel and how much fun you can have with it! So really, when I say "all time favourites" I mean "did not disappoint me in the last three years".

I should also mention that I have very dry and eczema prone skin. It is very difficult to work with, especially in the winter and that certain time of the month. The eczema mostly affects my jawline, my eyelids and under-eyes and sometimes the skin around my eyebrows. I can't use any heavily fragranced products as they often worsen my skin condition, and I tend to keep away from matte foundations or cakey powders.


Complexion

Nars Sheer Glow

I know, I know... it's almost boring to hear how many people like this, but if you prefer a dewy complexion and you had the chance to try it, you know it's a winner. It has a decent amount of coverage without looking cakey on the skin, it doesn't accentuate my dry patches and it looks fab in pictures. Another bonus is that they have quite a lot of colour choices! I use Mont Blanc in the winter because I'm quite pale and I really appreciate the "not too pinky, not too orangy" tone. It's also very easily blendable and stays in place for a decent amount of time.

One huge downside to it is that they couldn't include a pump for the fairly painful price, and if you decide to buy yourself one separately you can't use the lid anymore. Absolute nightmare to travel with!

Despite all of this, the product in the unfortunate packaging is a dream! Definitely one I keep coming back to.





Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

Unfortunately I'm a major Charlotte Tilbury fan. Unfortunately, because her products are definitely not drugstore price. I did however justify buying the Filmstar Bronze & Glow sculpt and highlight palette. If you are a little bit like me and have your face is rounder like a football, you know the importance of contouring. I don't like to go overboard and I'm not a huge fan of the Kim Kardashian style contouring technique, but it is nice to put a subtle shadow on my face to pretend that I have cheekbones. And this palette is so easy to work with! The sculpt shade has an ashier, cooler tone to it than a normal bronzer, so it's perfect for contouring, it's very pigmented and it doesn't go patchy! I love that it looks quite natural on the cheeks and adds more of a barely there effect.

The highlighter in the palette is mostly shimmer-less and has a beautiful golden sheen to it. I like to use it on the top of my cheeks for an everyday highlight that gives a healthy, glowy appearance to my skin. When I have a particularly dull looking skin day, I use it as a illuminating powder all over my face, just to put some life back to the skin.

As mentioned, the price of this beauty is quite steep, but even the packaging is worth it. Of course this is one of Charlotte's trademark rosegold product that I would wear as jewellery if I could. As an added extra, it has quite a big mirror included so it comes very handy when travelling.



Eyes

Bobbi Brown eyeshadow

I got this handy little travel palette as a Christmas present in 2014 and unfortunately I don't think it's available in stores anymore. However they have small sized palettes with very similar (if not the same!) shades in new packaging. The lightest shade in the palette is a very creamy off-white colour, perfect for all over the lid. The medium one is a light, soft grey, I normally use this either in the crease of all over if I want to go for a heavier look. The last shade in the palette is a darker brown colour, perfec for a soft eyeliner look or a smokier crease.

This is an amazing palette if you travel a lot! You can use it for a very simple and classic day look with the lighter shades on the lid and the dark brown as eyeliner, or you could smoke it up for more of a dramatic look. As you can see, I use this a lot, it's the perfect natural combination and doesn't require too much time, which is a bonus in the morning. I also like the lip colours that are very handy if you forgot your lipstick at home. Definitely will be repurchasing something similar when this one is completely used up.

Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise cream eyeshadow in 'Verushka'
This one is more of an occasion eye shadow. I adore all the shades from the Eyes to Mesmerise collection, the texture is heavenly, it blends easily but doesn't crease and lasts a very long time on the lids. The Verushka shade is something different though. I couldn't really describe the colour of it, it is something very special I haven't seen before. It's sort of a grey-green colour with golden-silver shimmer going through it, giving you a very smokey eye, without making the look harsh. The one word I would use to describe it is mesmerising. See what I did there?

This is definitely the shade I turn to when I want to look special, it could be a heavier smokey-sparkly look for Christmas, or a subtle, but mysterious look for a wedding. Definitely worth the splurge!




Lips
For lips, I really had to categorise my favourits... I decided to go with a nude matte, nude moisturising, wintery red and summery red. There is kind of a theme going on here though, I definitely prefer a matte lip, and on an everyday basis, I wear mostly nudes or subtle colours, or sometimes just throw on some lip balm when I don't have a lot of time (about 90% of my mornings...).

The lip colour that's always in my bag is definitely the Laura Mercie Creme Smooth Lip Colour in Spiced Rose. It's so easy to put on, even without a mirror and it gives you a very natural, "your lips but better" look. The formula is very moisturising too and very easy to wear.

My favourite nude matte look comes from another Charlotte Tilbury product ('m a bit obsessed, can you tell?). The Lip Cheat Lip Liner Pencil in Pillow Talk gives a very natural, browny-pinky nude finish, and because it's matte, it's very long-lasting. Definitely one I reach for a lot, and it actually works very well with Laura Mercier's Spiced Rose.

When it comes to bold lip colours I'm definitely a huge fan of classic reds. But for me, the orange-y tones only really come in, when the sun comes out! In the wintertime, especially during holiday season, I love to wear Mac's Ruby Woo. This is actually the perfect red in my opinion, it's not too cold, not too warm and very veeeery matte! I love pairing it with shimmery eyeshadows for Christmas.

In the summer, especially when I have a bit of a tan, I love a good orange-y red shade. My favourite has been the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Audacious. This has a really easy to put on and easy to wear matte formula, a very bright, orange-y red colour and it smells like mint. Bonus! The very affordable price is an added extra!



You may have noticed that I haven't included any concealers, setting powders, blushes, mascaras or brow products. This is simply because I haven't found the one. So if you have any recommendations, anything you liked or you think I should try, please do write it in the comments, let's have a conversation started! What are your favourites?

Wednesday 3 February 2016

New flat, new challenge!

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Seven month ago my boyfriend and I finally managed to move out from his mum’s place where we lived for almost two years. After the struggle of living in one small bedroom with one wardrobe in it (which was obviously too small for both our clothes, his stuff just had to move…) , and way too many Lego figures for a twenty something man, it was a breath of fresh air to move into this awesome little two bedroom place. We got some cheap, mish-mash furniture from a friend, and already had a lot of small items to display (Lego……..) so we didn’t have to start off  with a completely empty space. But it has been quite blend, I never thought it would take so much time and money (SOOO much money) to get the place to look somewhat stylish and put together. We’re nowhere near close to it still. Since I have been taking pictures from the beginning, I thought it would be fun to share the progress I’m making and how much fun I’m having with it, especially that I have a feeling DIY is going to come in VERY shortly as I’m definitely not rich enough for the stuff I want. I’m just going to have to be clever with it.

So the flat is in quite a nice new build building in the middle of a small town. Perfectly located for us, not too far from work or civilisation, yet the town has it’s own little shopping street with supermarkets, Boots, Costa… and Game. I’m pretty sure that’s why the boyfriend likes the location so much. The flat has a nicely sized living room opened up with the kitchen. And there’s a breakfast bar. Bonus! We’ve got two bedrooms, one of which we turned into a guest room/music studio/office/game room/beauty room… struggling with space here obviously. Thankfully the bathroom has a bathtub, this was my criteria, and we also have a utility room, where we basically store everything we don’t want to see: tools, hoover, spare mattress, a paddling boat… you know, the usual. We're only renting the place so we're facing the usual struggles: we have to put up with the dull magnolia walls and the blu tech marks on them, we can't actually decorate the walls and don't even get me started on the cheap, worn out carpet in the two bedrooms!

So this is what we started out with, and this is what it looked like after the first couple of weeks: filled with stuff we inherited from our friend, clutter we already had, and some décor we got from Tesco…

This space had so much potential, but as a couple with many hobbies and friends and family living far away, we had to be very careful not to fill it with too many different things. The furniture here messy and cheap looking, but we slowly managed to upgrade it. At this point we had a spare mattress in case a friend visited us, but we are just about to purchase a very compact and adorable sofa bed. That is definitely a major upgrade I cannot wait for!


The kitchen was lovely to start off with! I love the wooden worktops and the stainless steel features in it, and it has proved to be spacious enough for a Sunday baking session. We bought bits and bobs in here, but our biggest purchase was a barista style coffee machine, which I now couldn't live without! I'll make sure to include close ups of it in my upcoming kitchen edit.

The bathroom was quite standard, but with some cheap but well coordinated accessories, some nice towels and way too many Lush products, it's starting to look like a bit more of a sanctuary.



For a good while, this was my space to work on and to be in. Again, all the furniture is inherited from a friend, but the lovely and open space has made it so easy to work with. The accessories in the pictures are mainly from Tesco, but shortly after we moved in, I discovered a few somewhat pricey, but borderline genius homeware shops, like Oliver Bonas and West Elm. As we're both on average wages, we can't afford any great luxuries, however I do like to splash out on stylish accessories, I think they make all the difference! 

Unfortunately there are no pictures of the bedroom from when we moved in, however I'm planning to do a bedroom accessories edit shortly, as I had so much fun working with that space and trying to make it more personal. 

Now that you've seen the "Before" I'm excited to show you how I slowly upgraded the place, making it from a rented flat to our first home.

...to be continued!