my favourite beauty products this month!

I haven't blogged in a good 6 months due to being very busy with work! So much has happened within the fashion industry since that I can't blog it all, but I will be blogging about favourite current trends and my new favourite beauty products!


I recently went to London for a 2 day shopping trip and ended up spending a fair amount in Selfridges beauty department! I've been wanting the 'Dior- sunshine matte bronzer' for a very long time now but always held it off because of the price (£30). I finally gave into temptation...IT'S INCREDIBLE! It's definitely the best bronzer I have tried so far, you only need a tiny amount for a natural golden look and it lasts all day long! Fabulous! 

I've always supported COCO CHANEL as the most sophisticated and fragrant perfume out there, so I treated myself to a 50ml bottle of coco chanel paris. It has a very strong, sexy scent to it and it's perfect for a romantic night out or a sophisticated night out with the ladies. You don't need to spray a lot onto your body as it is a strong scent and you don't want to overdo it. This perfume is available in most cosmetics stores, though it is expensive at £60.00 (boots/superdrug).

I have quite an oily t zone area so I try to minimize wearing foundation or bronzer there as it does welcome spots and unwanted oils into that area. I've been looking for a product that I can use on my tzone area that gives me a nice natural glow instead of creating an oiler look. I found an enlightening highlighter powder in the 'NO7 collection'. It was £19.00 but it defines the bone structure in my face perfectly without making my skin look oilier than it already is. It's available in most cosmetics and pharmacy stores.

I have very dark eyes and without eye make up they can look very tired and dull so I always try to wear a layer of mascara and natural shades of eyeshadows to open them out a bit. On a night out I like to go for a smokey eye look to accentuate my best features. I found a wonderful eye pallet from 'Bourjois'. It's an eye shadow trio and it's named 'smokey eyes'. The colours are dark chocolate brown; a glittery medium toned brown and a beige colour for the inner brow and full lid. It's a very intense pallet so it lasts for a very long time! Only £7.99!

Spring 2012 1960's

There's been a huge 1970's revival that designers and all of the high street are raving over! Spring 2012 is now hoping to revive the 1960's trends- amazing! We're already starting to see it happen within Burberry; with block colour coats and structured, short hemmed dresses. Although the swinging 60's is starting to make an appearance in numerous editorials during A/W 2011, spring should completely knock us all out with some incredible new trends! Including...

...60's folk fashion! It's set to make a huge return in spring 2012, it's much more softer and elegant than MOD 60's fashion (think Twiggy- big lashes; bright block colours; graphic prints; penny loafers; swing/cape coats). 60's folk would be anything made of lace, short hem-lines, monochrome colours (white; cream; black), and plenty of effortless sexiness with slick hair and one flick eyes. 

A good buy for MOD fashion on the high street would be this fabulous yellow and black colour block dress (now only £12.99). It will work better if you have a smaller chest, or if you're very petite as the colour blocking may not compliment a curvy figure, because it's so square. 

Haul #6

I've never really been one to splash the pennies on products like that of 'Lush' or 'The Body Shop' because the cosmetics have never really benefited me when it comes to skin/blemish coverage or oil control, as the products seem to be lighter and silkier than that of 'Rimmel' or 'Revlon'. But I recently went to a 'Body Shop at home' party where there was vast amounts of information about the different products and opportunities to actually try the products with receiving facials in the comfort of your own home. Not only was it relaxing and lots of fun, I was convinced that 3 of the products actually worked...


First of all I tried the Warming mineral mask, it's a rich thick cream that uses a warming technique to open up your pores and deeply cleanse. It has natural ginger and cinnamon oils in it to leave your skin feeling conditioned and feeling smooth. I use it about 3 times a week (or more if i'm feeling stressed) and I leave it on for about 5-10 minutes, then just wash it off with warm water and, depending on the time of day in which you use it in, use a rich night cream to keep in your natural oils and leave your skin feeling and looking bright and dewy. 

If you're using the Warming Mask in the mornings and want to apply make-up straight afterwards I recommend applying The Body Shop's Vitamin C skin reviver gel. It acts like a make up base, but instead of leaving your skin feeling oily and heavy, it leaves your natural sun spot areas (the areas where you usually tan the most) glowing- leaving you with a healthy glow even when you've applied your foundation. I also recommend using a bronzer to accentuate your glowing areas.

I never usually like my face to be incredibly sun kissed- so I avoid tanning it. I found myself intrigued by The Body Shop's 'Honey Bronze' collection, The Body Shop swears to be natural and against animal testing so I figured this tanning gel wouldn't irritate my skin too much and would look natural and healthy. I purchased the Honey Bronze Bronzing Gel. You only need to use a pea size amount on the apple of each cheek and your T Zone area as it's quite rich and quite intense. I only really use it when i'm looking a bit tired or if i'm going on girls a night out, not only does it give you a healthy glow but it adds a bit of life and leave you feeling great about yourself. 

ALL OF THE BODY SHOP PRODUCTS ARE NOW 30% OFF SO BUY THEM NOW!

I'm a big fan of New Look and recently all of the new A/W coats have come in stock and they are absolutely gorgeous! I recently bought a beautiful Leopard Collar Melton Coat for £44.99- perfect for the new A/W fetish look! The collar is leopard faux fur and the shape of the coat would genuinely compliment any shape and any size. It's perfect if you're fashion forward but not brave enough to go all out on the faux fur this A/W. I don't have a picture but check out www.newlook.com for more/similar products.

Also from New Look I purchased some bright purple flannelette peg trousers, they're very outrageous but at the same time so east to dress down! I recommend wearing them with a simple vest top and some country inspired equestrian, knee-high boots. again, they're not on the website as of yet but here's a picture of some navy flannelette's to give you an idea of the shape, style and price (24.99).

Haul #5. New Look.

Recently New Look has become more fashion forward and in with the latest trends, for example, selling embellished items; 1960's/70's inspired mini-skirts in block colours (orange, pink, brown & red); Victorian like felt Fedora hats (which look fabulous on women with all hair lengths); platform heels with a disco and 70's approach; coloured skinny jeans in all different block colours- these look great on all body types, they're affordable and really compliment your figure and complexion if chosen the correct colour. 


THE FENDORA HAT

THE A- LINE MINI SKIRT

THE COLOURED SKINNY JEAN

Metallic knitwear is really in for A/W, it's tough to 'get it right' as shimmer effects in knitted garments can actually look quite cheap and tacky. I had been searching for a gold knitted jumper for quite a while and I actually found a gorgeous one in New Look for 19.99. It has 3/4 length sleeves with a baggy neckline so one has the choice to wear it asymmetrically. The gold is very subtle (which I like) and woven into the beige/camel coloured jumper. It's not too heavy so it can be worn in the summer (on a cooler day) with shorts and some converse; but it can also be layered up nicely with long sleeves or with a pair of maroon coloured jeans and some high leg riding boots (also available at New Look). 

I mentioned wearing riding boots with jeans, the equestrian inspired style in a big hit with 'country' this A/W, I recently bought some for £40 from New Look. They are brown leather with a chunky heel and a hard wearing sole (so they will last through til next year), they have an elasticated panel at the back on the boot which gives it that country inspired look and visually makes them a high fashion product. Definitely worth purchasing.

I'm loving duffle (slouch) shoulder bags at the moment too, they don't have many compartments or look terribly high fashion but they are perfect if you're wanting to go for that boho look. They're also great for travelling and for practical trips. I bought one from New Look, only 19.99, it has paneling all over with different patterns and country inspired designs. This isn't the exact bag as it's not available online, but it gives you an idea of the shape and style of the duffle/slouch bag.

Nina Ricci; Accessorize; Sex & The City

I recently went on a shopping spree in search for new, more expensive and designer cosmetics so that i can compare them to the high street brands (e.g. Rimmel London) and really find out what all the fuss is about. I hate to admit it but the designer products really are so much better. I went into House of Fraser and found lots of Nina Ricci products for a very decent price. 


First of all I bought a Nina Ricci bronzer in the shade Orange Poudre, it comes with a little mirror and is perfect if, like me, you like to build up that summer glow along the cheekbones and jawline. It lasts for hours and there is no need to reapply throughout the day! 

All of the Nina Ricci products in House of Fraser are 2 for 1 at the moment so I decided to try a foundation too. I purchased a darker foundation in Apricot so that I have a suitable foundation to match the tan that I have got. I don't usually like really light or liquid foundations as they don't sit well on my oily skin and this foundation is a bit too oily for me. If you have very dry skin then this would be perfect as it adds an extra touch of moisture as well as a summery glow. It comes in a little glass bottle and looks very expensive- which is always nice.

Recently Accessorize have been launching some more beauty products, i've always been a huge fan of their nail polishes as they're long lasting and come in all different colours! I noticed they're selling lipsticks now and figured there would be some outrageous tints, so I took a gander! I purchased A bright pink lipstick in Velvet Pink, it's a really intense colour but it's really thick and creamy and feels wonderful on my lips, giving off that matte look. It comes in a little silver tube with a pretty diamante jewel on the top on the applicator.  

I love trying out different perfumes and I recently noticed a huge end of summer sale on the Sex & The City scents. It's a gift box set inc. 2 perfumes; a shower gel and a moisturizer. It was only £10 and I just couldn't resist! I purchased 'Sex in The City LOVE', it's got a pink theme running through it and it smells divine! The perfume is quite a light fragrance but it's perfect for keeping in your handbag to freshen yourself up on a night out or on a hot day. It's an ideal gift if you have a friend who's very girly and loves a sweet flowery scent. 

Haul #3

Today I did another big shop (seeing as it's payday) and got some gorgeous products and interesting pieces to add to my jam packed wardrobe...


First of all I headed to New Look and purchased a beautiful Japanese inspired print satin blouse. It's navy blue with a white flower/swallow print. The smooth satin material just drapes beautifully, perfect for wearing with leggings or tight skinny jeans. It's only 22.99 and perfect for those of you that are value driven but still want to look on trend.

I'm a really big fan of big chunky statement rings at the moment, so, again from New Look, I purchased a grand looking golden knuckle-duster ring with a baby pink opal-like gem in the middle to accentuate the elegance of the ring. The only problem is that it's quite uncomfortable to wear, so it's only really suitable for a night out or a special occasion. 

I also had a gander on the New Look website and ordered some gorgeous acid pink skinny jeans, they're only 27.99 and perfect if you're going for that country look with a bit of an edge- they're very versatile and perfect for either a night out, a date, a festival or even to wear to work. New Look also do these in an even lighter pink; a shocking pink; lemon yellow; blue; cream and grey...

Next I went to boots to stock up on fragrance and beauty essentials. Without a shadow of a doubt you can always guarantee that i'll be wearing perfume/body spray. My all time favourite fragrance is 'Chanel Coco Eau de Parfume spray', it's such a sophisticated scent and the bottle will keep for a long time as you only need a tiny spritz for the smell to last all day. I didn't have the time or money to splash out on my favourite Chanel so I went around looking for some bargain buys. I found one that smelt sweet and fruity and it was only £4.95. It's called 'Charlie pink- by revlon', it doesn't last very long so i found myself having to spray a vast amount for the scent to stick- but it's definitely worth it.

A LITTLE TIP: Before spraying the perfume, add a few blobs of body butter onto your skin, you'll find the scent lasts longer and you get a nice smelling moisturizer- if like me you have sensitive skin and can't often use the scented moisturizers. 

I have very long eye lashes and don't often need to wear layers and layers of mascara, but on a night out i love to really go for it and go all out with my eye make-up. I absolutely love the new 'million lashes' by L'Oreal but it's more of a day time mascara and it isn't water proof. The one I found and absolutely adore is Bourjois' 'volume clubbing ultra black' mascara. It's got a really intense thick brush and I only need to apply one layer of it to give me that glamorous look. It's only 5.99 instead of 10.99 at the moment- so go buy it!

Unfortunately I have very sensitive skin and am allergic to certain fake tans. I always smother my skin in palmer's body butter before i go to bed as it's extremely soothing and firms the skin. There's a new gradual tan out that palmer's have just introduced, I haven't used fake tan in a very long time but Palmer's has always been good to my skin so I thought i'd give this one a go! It's called 'Natural Bronze' and it seriously works within about an hour of applying. There's only one shade and it adjusts itself to your skin tone, it smells like the normal moisturizer so there's none of that dreaded fake bake after smell. It pretty much does what it says on the bottle, and hasn't irritated my skin one bit. Perfect! 

My love for Juste.

I've been watching Britain and Irelands Next Top Model and have completely fallen in love with Juste and her amazing look! In the naked photoshoot her skin, her features,and her body looked absolutely mesmerizing. She proves that being fake tanned and covered in make-up is not attractive in the slightest! In fact I might go out and get this haircut myself...

In the most recent shoot they had to show real emotion, cry and still look beautiful at the same time. Some of the girls just looked bored and uneasy but Juste managed to nail absolutely everything! I don't have a picture but catch the episode on the internet or on 'anytime' on Sky- it's well worth a watch.