OOTD: Fur and Jewels

Working for Top Shop/ Top Man, I have to represent the brand, which means getting pretty dressed up just for work. It can be a struggle trying to find something to wear everyday, so I tend to jazz up an outfit with accessories. I got this fur stole in Select for a mere fiver and over winter it pretty much never leaves my shoulders. The bejewelled necklace also brightens up any outfit, and was £6 from Primark. 

Jumper: Top Shop

Stole: Select (old)

Disco Pants: American Apparel

Boots: Top Shop

Bargain Creepers

I'm still undecided about creepers...when they cropped up a few years ago I HATED them. But the more and more I see them they've started to grow on me. I don't like to think of myself as a fashion lemming, only wearing things because other people do. For me, it's not about wearing things because they're 'in fashion', it's more the fact of seeing others wearing more 'out there' fashion choices gives me the confidence to choose things I might not have done a few year's ago for fear of being different. 


Anyway, babbling aside, these were a bargainous £12 from trusty Primark, so even if I bottle it and hardly wear them I won't feel too guilty about it. And I've already had several comments about them, people assuming they are the £95 Office ones :)

Bit scuffed and dirty already :p

I wore these for a 9hr shift at work and had minimal foot ache, which is always a bonus. The only thing I found a bit odd with them was although I bought my normal size, they felt like they were slipping a bit even though my toes were quite near the end. But once I did the laces up tight enough they were fine. 

Was really impressed when I went into Primark. It can be very hit and miss, but  was a definite hit this time! I also got some pairs of frilly ankle socks (half the price of the Topshops ones), as well as two long sleeve crop tops to go under my dungaree dress [outfit posts to come soon], £3.50 vs Topshops £10 ones. There was also lots of lovely midi skirts and dresses and shoes, but being on a spending ban I tried to restrain myself

What do you think of creepers?

NOTD: floral stickers + polka dots

I tend to do a floral and polka dot combo quite a lot, but changed it up a bit using these 3D nail stickers my sister got me a while ago. 

Colours used: Model's Own Lemon Meringue and Bloo Bloo

With flash

I'm running low on these stickers and I really like them, pretty sure they're from Ebay, but I've been struggling to find them. Will have to ask my sis

Model's Own Hyper Brite Lipstick review: Pink Hawaiian

I've just started wearing lipstick, and after the first nerve-wrecking application, I now feel fairly confident wearing it and can't wait to try more colours. Thus, during my standard lunch time browsing of Boots, my eye was straight away drawn to Models Own Hyperbrite lipsticks. Of the four colours [Orangeade, Flaming Red, Annalise's Pink and Pink Hawaiian], I was immediately drawn to Pink Hawaiian...still not sure if I'm quite brave enough for orange lips!

In the tube, I loved the look of it. Bright pink but with a slight coral tinge, rather than a cool toned Barbie pink that I think would look terrible on me [see the other Hyperbrite Lipstick, Annalise's Pink!) 

However, in reality, it looks completely different on to what's in the tube...

Classic hand swatch

Excuse the major bed hair...

I was quite disappointed in this. I absolutely love the colour in the tube, but on the lips I don't love it and it doesn't seem to be the 'Hyper Brite' shade it claims to be. The formula's odd too; though deemed 'Matte Hyper Brites' it really isn't matte at all! You can see the sheen of it in the photos, especially this close up

Though this means it's very comfortable to wear, and doesn't dry and clump on the lips like other matte lipsticks, it doesn't result in the look that I was after. With matte shades, I expect the coverage to be pretty opaque, but this was quite sheer. 

So there you go! Pretty disappointed with this, as I love Models Own for their nail varnish and hoped this lipstick would be as good. The colour wasn't what I was hoping for, but the wear time was pretty good [around 2 hrs] and it faded and left the lips stained a nice pink rather than cracking and clumping like other matte lipsticks. But really wasn't what I was after.

My watch: Michael Kors Dupe

This was a Christmas present from my lovely boyfriend. I have, like most other girls/ bloggers, long lusted for a Michael Kors watch, but the price tag has long put me off. And as my boyfriend is only interning at the moment felt I definitely couldn't be so selfish and demand he spend £200+ on me. I saw this French Connection one on a few websites and loved it, and thought it looked pretty similar to a Michael Kors one

The lovely box it came in

It came beautifully packaged, and looked even nicer than on the website. At £119 it's still not exactly a bargain, but still a great deal cheaper than the original! And at least 5 people now have commented on it thinking it's a M.K. one, so seems like a good dupe to me :)

NOTD: Hello Kitty tips

I saw this on a tumblr page a while ago, and as a devoted Hello Kitty enthusiast had to try it! And I really like how it cutesies up a boring french manicure: quirky elegance :)

With flash

Disappointing 'Beauty Classics'

As anyone who reads magazines or has an interest in beauty products knows, there are many items touted as being 'classic' or 'cult' products that we all must own. After purchasing one such product recently and being disappointed, I thought back to many items I've tried that have failed to live up to the hype.


Lipcote 

What they say: 'The original lipstick sealer and secret of lasting lipstick. A true beauty staple, transparent, quick drying Lipcote is specially formulated to perfect and protect every shade of lip colour for a smudge, feather and fade proof finish'

My thoughts: This has been around since the 50s, and is often stated to be a beauty essential. I've only just started wearing lipstick, and am still wary of smudging it all over my face so thought I'd give this classic a go. However I was not pleased: it smells like nail varnish, stings my lips despite them being in good condition and doesn't seem to make my lipstick last any longer despite following the instructions. Overall not impressed, and buying this is what prompted me to write this post 



OPI Nail Polish

What they say: 'From humble beginnings to global recognition and beyond...OPI nail lacquer sets the bar for performance and fashion'

My thoughts: Ok, this may be a tad unfair as I've only tried one OPI polish, the light grey Skull and Glossbones from the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' collection. However, I was not impressed with coverage and lack of opacity (if that's a word!) With cheaper light-coloured polishes you expect coverage to be a bit thin and streaky, and that multiple coats will be needed. But when paying premium prices, I thought that despite the light colour it would only take one or two coats to get great coverage. However, it took FOUR, and even then it still wasn't as opaque as I would've liked. I guess I can't write off all OPI products, maybe I just need to try out some darker colours.



Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream

What they say: 'The all-day, all-night, all-in-one beauty secret. This remarkable cream promotes healthy skin and seals in moisture'

My thoughts: I have tried this multiple times and have never been able to get to grips with it, despite it apparently being a 'holy grail' product for celebrities and make up artists. It's supposed to be a product with multiple uses (to help protect skin from the elements, to tame brows, soothe hands and skin, give skin a dewy sheen etc etc) but to me it just feels like extra thick petroleum, which I don't really want to spread all over my face. It can be used to soothe lips too, but didn't actually do a lot to heal my sore lips in winter- I'll stick with my Blistex thanks.



Lucas' Papaw Ointment

What they say: 'Lucas Papaw Ointment has a proud history spanning 100 years. It has anti- bacterial and antimicrobial properties'. 

The papaw plant used in the ointment was described by it's creator as "the world's greatest healing agent."

My thoughts: I think this is somewhat similar to E.A's 8 hour cream- a supposed life saving product that can be used for anything. AGAIN it disappointed me. It bangs on about how it's made from the papaw plant, and I was expecting it to have a nice fruity scent or taste, but no. Like E.A, this seems like glorified, extra thick petroleum, but is quite a bit more expensive than bog standard Vaseline. And it still doesn't heal sore lips like my beloved Blistex!  I've googled other random uses for it (someone recommended using it on lashes to help them grow thicker and even on spots, which I'm not so sure about!) so I shall trial some of these and see if I can get this to work for me 

 I know these products have thousands of devoted users, but they just didn't work for me; maybe it's my skin type or the way I apply them?  

Have you tried these, or been disappointed by any other beauty classics? 

NOTD: Galaxy nails

I know the whole galaxy trend is pretty old hat, but I always enjoyed seeing people's galaxy nails. Here's my attempt at galaxy nails...not totally happy with them, one to try again with some different polishes

With flash

The tutorial I used for mine is below, but it basically involves sponging on a load of different colours and glitters.

S/S 2013: Neon picks

Every Spring/ Summer the neon trend comes around, and I have always hated it WITH A PASSION. But this year I am a convert (as can be seen by my recent NOTD). Though I'm still not sure of the best way to pull off neon pieces, I've seen a few things that I am really tempted by, but might have to wait until this snowy patch blows over!

1. Skirt, £12. Boohoo. Wear with: a black cropped jumper, chunky gold chain and boots to toughen it up

2. Jumper, £38. Topshop. Wear with: leather leggings

3. Ankle socks, £3.50. Topshop. Wear with: high waisted shorts, crop top and high tops for a sporty/ 90s vibe

4. Bag, £18. Boohoo. Wear with: Anything! 

5. Jumper, £20. Boohoo. Wear with: Denim shorts or leggings 

6. Crop top, £15. Topshop. Wear with: I'm thinking white shorts or a skater skirt- but that outfit would definitely have to wait 'til Summer!


Think my new found love of neon is my subconscious wishing for sunnier days and the end of this dreary winter. And also because of it's tie-ins with the 90s trend which I'm also liking- hello Wildfox S/S look book!

Top Shop Mini- Haul

My recent purchases from Top Shop have been far too optimistic...though I love winter clothes I've already started thinking about Spring/ Summer 2013 and outfits :) Though with snow today and the cold front coming over from Russia, some of these outfits may not see the light of day for a while!

-

Denim Pinafore dress (£36) and grey crop top (£10): didn't buy both together to intentionally have an outfit but I think they work well together. I'm planning on wearing the dungaree dress with long sleeve crop tops and boots or creepers now while it's still cold, and I can imagine wearing it loads in summer with gladiator sandals

Green speckled dress (£26): this comes in a few different colours but I loved this one; unusual colour between bottle and teal green with little flecks in it. This is great for just chucking on with tights, boots and a fur stole

White cropped jumper (£30): I don't usually wear white as I think it washes me out, but with my new Kate Moss lipstick this looked great. Will wear with disco pants now and high waisted shorts in summer.


Seriously why am I thinking about summer so much already?!

I really want to begin doing outfit posts, however my camera isn't brilliant and I'm not in possession of a tripod. I was too embarrassed to ask my mum to take photos as don't think she'll really 'get' the blogging thing but I'm going to swallow my pride and just ask her :) I think when everyone starts out blogging they feel a bit embarrassed and like a total newbie, so hopefully it's 

Wilfox S/S 2013: Clueless!

Oh wow. Not usually a fan of Wildfox [or rather my bank balance isn't] but the new look book is fabulous! Best of 90s style and inspired my one of my favourite 90s films, Clueless! I love how each model represents one of the three girls, Cher, Dion and Tai. and N.B. How gorgeous is the 'Tai' model? Serious hair envy here!

Bottom left- totally me!

I'm not even sure it's just the clothes, or more the essence of what they evoke: carefree teen summers with no worries. Wish I could back to these times!  

NOTD: Summer brights- Models Own Hed Kandi

I mentioned that I'm already dreaming of summer, and this was also reflected with my nail polish choice today. Models Own Hed Kandi collection was one of my favourites as I genuinely loved all the colours in the collection. I hope their summer collection this year is just as good! Here's Hedonist and Beach party with a sponged gradient effect:

I'm such a fickle nail person; was going through a major love of muted and nude shades but I love this combo! Though I think it's a bit early and I'm far too pasty right now. But I'll definitely be revisiting this combo come summer

Benefit 'How to look the best at everything' kit

Another one of my little presents for Christmas was Benefit's 'How to look the best at everything' kit. I saw this a while ago when doing my usual browsing in Boots, and as it had two of my favourite beauty products (pore-fessional primer and boing councealer), as well as a mini foundation and powder inside, it went straight on my Christmas list. I'd actually forgotten I'd asked for it though, and as the Benefit kits tend to be quite expensive I wasn't expecting it so it was a lovely surprise.

Though some find Benefit a bit gimmicky, I personally always love the kitsch packaging  especially the book-look the kits tend to go for (I'm also remembering the packaging of one of my other favourite kits, Confessions of a concealer-holic- so cute). However, it does get grubby very quickly as it's sort of like cardboard, so I know this will probably be in a right state soon.

As I've said the porefessional primer and boiing concealer are two of my favourite products in general. With the kit, you actually get two shades of boiing too, so can customise to get the perfect match. I love the little 'tips and tricks' drawings too.

The 'Hello Flawless' foundation and powder I had never tried before, and so far I've been really impressed with both of them. They really do make your skin look fresh, bright and flawless. However, as it's more of a travel kit the sizes are in miniature, so I will be saving using them for special occasions or if I'm going away and don't want to take my whole make up kit with me. But I've liked the products so much I might invest in the full size foundation and powder when birthday money rolls in.

I got the set in 'Medium' and was surprised at just how well it matched my skin tone- medium can still sometimes turn out a horrid shade of orange but this was a perfect match. 

Are you a fan of Benefit?

Christmas goodies: MUA, Denman, and other beauty bits

Wow has been a while! Have been so busy over Christmas as I work in retail so little time off for blogging. And my boyfriend was back from Switzerland only for 2 weeks so I'm afraid he was the priority!

Feel like it's a bit late for a Christmas post, but what the hell. Was very impressed with how well 'Father Christmas' [ha] did this year. I got so many things that were a lovely surprise and things I had my eye on.

First off, the opening of the stocking. In here were my usual beauty bits: cute Minnie Mouse emery boards, make up wipes, fake tan mitt- all the essentials. As well as...the nail buddy! Which I had even done a post about not too long ago [lolz]. I also got the Denman dress out brush. Though it looks somewhat like a shoe or nail brush, it makes back combing a hell of a lot easier for someone who is terrible with hair i.e. me

Denman dress out brush

Nail Buddy :D

There was a little box under the tree that I was very intrigued by, as I didn't really know what I was getting this year. It was a lovely surprise and very thoughtful of my mother- a collection of nail bits and pieces such as the MUA nail constellations,which may be old hat for bloggers, but something I never got around to buying for myself. Also inside were a selection of Barry M polishes, OPI's 'Skull and Glossbones' which I've wanted forever, nail decals and two double ended nail art pens, one end a pen, the other filled with rhinestones to decorate nails with. I was really touched to realise how much my dear old mum actually puts up with me wittering on about my nail obsessions.

Assorted nail bits - cheers Ma :) 

Now I have to start thinking about a birthday wish list (only a month away!)