Autumn/Winter Must Haves

I don't normally wear both heavy eye makeup and a dark lip but I decided to compile a list of Winter 'must haves', which I then used to create this 'Vampy' look. 

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

During the Winter months, skin tends to get very dry, so the Embryolisse moisturiser; 'Lait-Crème Concentré', is perfect for keeping your skin hydrated. It also helps to keep the application of  your makeup smooth and even. This particular brand is recommended by both make up guru's and dermatologists and is very reasonable for the results it provides. £13

MAC Warm Neutral Palette

When I saw this in stores last Christmas I had to buy it! It is genuinely the perfect palette for me as I tend to do quite neutral warm pink and bronzey tones on my eye for my day to day look. It is also amazing to use during Winter, as there are a number of gold glittery shades useful when doing more festive and glamorous looks. 'Saddle' is my go to crease colour out of the eyeshadows, and in the top right hand corner you can see that there is the option to darken up your eye for a more dramatic or nighttime look. For me it is definitely worth the price as it is far cheaper then creating your own palette, and includes most of my favourite shades! £65

MAC Lipliner in 'Nightmoth'

This is the perfect deep and dark purple lipliner to outline your lips when applying a darker lipstick. The MAC lipliners have one of the best formulas, meaning they apply easily and are very pigmented. Pairing this lipliner with MAC lipstick in 'rebel' creates a really nice ombre dark winter lip! £12.50

MAC Lipstick in 'Rebel' and 'Diva'

These are two of my favourite dark lipsticks from MAC, along with 'Antique Velvet' which I have just purchased. Dark lipstick is essential for creating that Autumn/Winter Vampy lip. Diva is probably my favourite lipstick of all time and I have coupled it with the Nightmoth lipliner in my picture to create the dark matte red lip I am wearing. £15.50

  Kevin Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer

This product is amazing!!!!!!!!!! Sorry but it really is the best under eye product I have ever used. It is so thick you only need a small amount. I blend it out under my eye with a beauty blender and the results are incredible. You get a flawless highlighted under eye that doesn't crease and really stands out. Perfect for keeping your under eye looking crisp, and also amazing to use in winter because I doubt it will budge in the wind and rain so common to British weather! £38

Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighter in 'So Hollywood' 

This gold highlighter is really beautiful! Although it is extremely pigmented it blends in so naturally with your makeup it creates the illusion of being part of your organic glow! I like using this in Winter because it is warmer then some of my other highlights, such as NARS 'Albatross', and obviously I am obsessed with wearing highlighter so at least one had to make it to my must haves. £28

NARS blush in 'Dolce Vita'

I am a big fan of plum toned blushes and this one is perfect! It's slightly shimmery and provides a lot of warmth to your face. I would definitely recommend owning a plum blush for Winter because it goes amazingly with darker eye makeup and purple/plum/deep red/smoked brown lips. £23

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Face Mask Face Off

I recently heard really good reviews about two amazing face masks. One, from Lush, called 'Oatifix' and the other, 'Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay'. I decided to purchase both, as I honestly had heard such great things about them, and for the fact that they were supposed to function in slightly different ways. I am going to give my honest  review of both products in this post, but feel free to purchase either and see for yourself.

 'Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay':

 I purchased this product because I had seen it described as a must have by various beauty bloggers, including Huda Beauty. I ordered it from Amazon, where a huge tub was around £7. It is amazing value for money as this tub would definitely last me a year. In the reviews I had read, people had suggested that the mask pulls the dirt out of your pores, the evidence of which can be seen when you wash it off. I have very open pores around my nose and so I thought I should definitely give it a try. The instructions suggest you should mix equal amounts of the powder with raw cider vinegar in a glass bowl, until it becomes a smooth paste. I left it on for around 20 minutes, and as it hardens you do feel a tightening almost pulsating feeling. I then washed it off with hot water. Warning: this product is quite hard to get off and can block sinks! Your skin appears red in patches for about half an hour after the mask has been taken off. I will say the mask did make my skin feel clean and quite smooth, however I did not really see any evidence of my pores being completely cleaned and still felt like they were quite obvious after the mask. It is also quite drying, so I didn't feel my skin felt particularly moisturised. Perhaps I didn't mix or apply it properly and so I am definitely going to give this mask a few more attempts, however I couldn't say I would recommended it as essential, despite the fact is it very good value for money. 

'Oatifix' by Lush:

 Lush describe this product as a 'gentle, nourishing mask... made with fresh bananas and illipe butter to moisturise dry skin. Oatmeal, ground almonds and kaolin work together in a mildly exfoliating base to eradicate dead skin, leaving you soft, supple and moisturised.' The ingredients are very natural, and when you open the product it literally smells like fresh vanilla cookie batter. It is amazing!! The woman at lush told me the mask should be kept in the refrigerator, can be used 2-3 times a week for a period of three weeks and that a small amount actually goes a fair way on your face. The first time I used the product it felt quite funny to apply and I was worried I had not put enough on. I added slightly extra to the sides of my face, where I can often suffer from dry patches. However, the mask does actually thicken and harden up meaning you do not have to use that much. I left it on for the recommended 15 minutes and then cleaned it off with hot water. The results were excellent. My skin felt very soft and tighter. Because I use a cream from the doctor to prevent blemishes, which can be very drying, this mask is perfect for me. I can just apply a tiny bit of the cream to dry out a spot, but the rest of my skin stays soft and I wake up the next day feeling a lot more moisturised. It also helps with the application of my makeup! Overall i would thoroughly recommend this product, although it is mid price range, with a £6.75 tub only lasting 3 weeks.

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Spotlight on ALLSAINTS

Apologies for my small blogging hiatus! I had recently completed my previous job, which really allowed me time to focus on setting up my blog! However over the past few weeks I have been trying to focus on exploring my options regarding my next career move! I am happy to say I have found something amazing and that I am very excited about, and am definitely relieved to be working over the festive period! This is my favourite time of year, as it is when both my birthday and Christmas occur! So I thought I would write a post regarding some of the things I am going to be putting on my list this year. I have to say I have not always been the biggest Allsaints fan, as I don't feel the cut of their clothes necessarily suits my body type. However... this year they have really outdone themselves and I am absolutely in love with many of their pieces! Their knitwear in particular is classy, comfortable but also has an edge! This is so important, as it is normally very hard to achieve a dressed up, fashionable look with cardigans and jumpers, with many tending to favor practicality and warmth over the way they are designed! I also love the biker theme they have used with a lot of their products, adding zip detailing, shearling and fur which creates a luxe feel. Of course the price range on some of their clothes is quite expensive, but I feel if you were to purchase a coat or biker jacket for example, they would definitely be statement pieces. Allsaints is also very good at creating clothes that don't tend to go out of style despite the rate at which the fashion industry moves. 

Below I have detailed the names and prices of each item

Top Left to Right:

Walton Shirt Dress, £148

Emerson Leather Biker Jacket, £998

Beck Shearling Gilet, £798

Able Zip Jumper, £128

Bottom Left to Right: 

Balfour Boot, £248

Isola Sweatshirt, £68 

Drina Cardigan, £128

Bonner Studded Chelsea Boot, £168 

*Currently there is 20% off all products online and in stores, with discount code 'November'*

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Foundations For Different Occasions

From Left to Right: 

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24 Hour Foundation, £29.50

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, £36.50

Clinique Even Better Foundation, £25

MAC Face and Body Foundation, £22

Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation, £30

 For Everyday Wear

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24 Hour Foundation describes itself as a product that provides a 'flawless looking, even complexion with a velvety-smooth, shine-free finish'. This is one of my all time favourite foundations! It is a medium coverage, long wearing foundation with an amazing fresh texture. I love how blendable this product is, as it really provides an incredibly even finish, something I often have a problem with as foundation can cling to the dry patches on the sides of my face. It does not feel heavy or sticky when applied, and also smells amazing, helping to contribute to that 'fresh' feeling. Because it is long wearing, it is genuinely able to last all day. I am not the biggest fan of setting powders, and prefer to use MAC 'fix +' spray to set my face, so this is perfect for me as I only need to use a small amount of powder to set the foundation and my make up stays in place. What I love most about this foundation is how natural it looks! Because it has build-able coverage, you can select exactly how much you wish to apply, depending on how good you are feeling about your skin. It is in this way that it works to enhance your natural complexion, rather than looking 'cakey' or over the top. Where as other foundations (for example the 'Dior Star') tend to oxidise and become darker and oilier throughout the day, the Lancôme foundation just appears more 'dewy'. I would highly recommend this foundation for most skin types! Even my mum has been using this foundation for years. 

For Special Occasions  

I bought the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation because it was one recommended by Kim Kardashian's make up artist: Mario Dedivanovic. At £36.50 it is one of the more pricier foundations, but it really is worth it! At first, I didn't fully understand the hype behind this product, but I think this is because I did not know how to apply it properly. This foundation is quite sheer, and is probably a low to medium coverage. Because I was used to using MAC foundations when I was going out (which are very thick and full coverage) I was unhappy with the way this product appeared on my skin. It was only until I realised that when this is applied to a very moisturised face with a Beauty Blender, the results are amazing. The product is described as an 'oil–free fluid' which 'glides on seamlessly, offering hydrating all-day coverage that can be layered for a personalised finish'. I would really agree with this because the foundation is very light weight and does feel very hydrating, it blends amazingly, especially if you are applying highlight and contour products on top. I would suggest this for special occasions because it is expensive, but I have also used it during the day a lot because it is not too heavy and doesn't go overly oily as the day progresses.

For Bad Skin

The Clinique Even Better Foundation has been a long standing favourite of mine! Especially because I used to suffer from bad skin. I never had full blown acne, but I always used to find wearing heavy or cheap makeup would break me out or make it easier for me to get blemishes. It was always a constant battle between wanting to cover these blemishes, and preventing them. This foundation was the first 'high end' brand that I had tried. I remember being recommended it by a woman in Sephora in Canada when I was on holiday and suffering from a bad breakout because of the airplane. It is oil free, not too heavy and has SPF coverage. It has always been part of my makeup collection for the past seven years and I still use this from time to time when I want to wear something lighter, or can feel my skin wanting to break out. It looks amazing blended out with a Beauty Blender, and I find it does not encourage spots like some other heavier foundations. It has a medium coverage, so can be worn during the day and in the night, providing quite a natural finish. (TIP: using the Clinique 'Take The Day Off Balm' to remove this will also help with your skin)

For Holidays

 MAC Face and Body Foundation is perfect for taking on holiday, especially the smaller sized bottle, which I picked up at Duty Free. It is a very light weight foundation, with what I would describe as a low coverage. MAC calls it a 'water-based, water-resistant foundation that provides natural coverage for face and/or body'. I do not really use this day to day unless I am in a rush or have come back from holiday and am slightly tanned. This foundation is perfect for wearing in a hotter climate, as you do not feel like you are suffocating your skin. I get lots of freckles in the sun, and I like the fact that this foundation does not cover them up completely. You are still able to see the sun kissed glow you have gained whilst achieving a more even skin tone when wearing it. This is also useful for covering any burn marks or tan lines etc you might have whilst on holiday. It doesn't have SPF, meaning it is perfect for all those holiday photos (no flashback) but make sure you are using a moisturiser with SPF underneath.

For Nights Out

The Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation used to be my 'Holy Grail' product. I still love this foundation, but don't find it practical for day to day use because it is really hard to get off properly and would probably encourage blemishes unless you are very vigilant in removing it. However, it is AMAZING for when you are going on a night out, to a club or for cocktails. It is the perfect foundation to wear if you want something that is just not going to budge! This foundation is full coverage, and gives a matte finish. It does not go oily or slip and slide around your face, so by the end of the night you will look exactly the same! It makes your skin look perfect in pictures and helps to keep the rest of your makeup in place as well. I don't believe there is another foundation on the market at the moment that provides this kind of finish or longevity and for that I will always recommend it! I often add some of this foundation to my others if I do want that extra bit of coverage or to ensure I stay matte, so this will always be included in my makeup collection.

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Making The Cut: Autumn/Winter 2015 Hair Trends

So... I finally made the cut! For as long as I can remember, I have had long hair. When I say long, I mean VERY long, verging on the lengths of a Disney Princess. My long hair has always been my comfort blanket. When I had confidence issues regarding my weight, or skin I would always have my long hair to hide behind. Recently, however, the desire to chop it all off had become more overwhelming, especially as my 22nd birthday is around the corner, and I feel I am entering into a new chapter in my life, living back in London and embarking on my career. Many celebrities have been showcasing their new Autumn/ Winter shorter hair. Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Natalie Halcro, J Lo and now even Khloe Kardashian have joined the cropped hair crew. The long bob or 'lob', which is cut either blunt or with some texture, is normally worn messily and straight or with loose beachy waves. The haircut seems to be a big trend this season and I absolutely love it! I find it to be super edgy, easy to style and gives any outfit a chic and fashionable edge. 

Whilst watching the Channel E! series 'WAGS' I noted how Natalie Halcro was able to style her short hair in many different ways every week, always managing to look feminine and sexy. I decided this cut was something I wanted to at least try, after all, I think sometimes females forget that hair does actually grow back! So, without further hesitation, I messaged my amazing hair stylist Chiko with a picture to provide her with some inspiration. Even she was shocked at my request for a long bob (this coming from the girl who cried every time she got 2 inches cut off her 28 inch long hair) but she agreed and my appointment was booked. I'm not going to sugar coat it- it was a massive shock looking in the mirror when it was done, but now I couldn't be happier. I can't emphasize how much I love my cut! I have always felt I had a round face and wouldn't suit short hair but I honestly feel like this style would suit everybody! It is so much easier to take care of, and my hair is in incredible condition- not a pesky split end in sight. I am now going to try out a new hair care routine, one which involves hair masks and treatments (which I will keep you updated on) so I can maintain this healthy condition. It looks amazing both straight and curly, with a side or centre parting! To anyone who is debating whether to chop all their hair off- I would honestly recommend it! I promise you will never look back- unless it's to admire your new do!   

Hair: I get my hair cut at 'Studio Stage Door' by Chiko, where it is £34 for a wash, cut and blow dry excluding tip. The number is: 020 8883 4999

Make up: Clinique 'Even Better' Foundation, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in 'Custard' to cover dark circles and blemishes, Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in 'Almond' to contour, MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in 'NC15' to highlight, Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit in Light/Medium- shades 'Fawn' and 'Havanna' to set dark contour, Ben Nye 'Banana' Powder to set light contour (apart from under eye), Nars 'Deep Throat' Blush, Anastasia Beverly Hills 'So Hollywood' Illuminator for strobing/ highlighting, MAC 'Spiked' Eyebrow Pencil and Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in 'Dark Brown' used for the eyebrows, MAC Paint Pot in 'Painterly', Benefit rose gold eyeshadow from their 'Big Beautiful Eyes' Kit, applied in the crease of my eyes, Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Eyeliner, Red Cherry Lashes in '110', NYX 'Nutmeg' Lipliner, MAC 'Myth' Lipstick. 

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BALMAIN X H&M

 

I don't think I can quite put into words how excited I was when I heard about H&M's new designer collaboration with Paris Fashion House: Balmain!!! The thought that I would actually be able to get my hands on something created by the genius Olivier Rousteing seemed too good to be true. My feelings of jubilation were heightened last night when I watched sections of the global runway debut live from New York on my Snapchat (it was also broadcasted live on the app 'Periscope'). The striking collaboration was announced back in May 2015, when Jourdan Dunn and Kendall Jenner were snapped wearing pieces with the man himself at the Billboard Awards. Now, the collection is a mere few weeks away from landing in H&M stores across the UK, with the official release date being the 5th of November. Above I have included my absolute favourite picks from the collection (I want the white blazer, white T and navy rope top so desperately it almost hurts!) with the newly disclosed British price list, so that you can gain an idea about the range of costs regarding different pieces. Some of the clothes do not come cheap, with the highly detailed, embroidered numbers reaching up to £400! However, I think it is definitely worth it, and I know I will be queuing with the masses on that (no doubt freezing) November morning. 

Although I loved previous collaborations, such as Alexander Wang for H&M, I have never actually taken the plunge and waited in line for anything before. I took the initiative and did some research regarding the tips and tricks used to ensure one can get their hands on a piece from the collection. I came across an article from a journalist who had queued for previous collaborations and her advice was as follows:
-If you are purchasing online, ensure you are logged in to your H&M account 30 minutes before the clothes become live, with a freshly updated password.

-If you are queuing at a store, make sure to research carefully where the collaboration will be stocked before you travel there. Arrive before 7AM and join the queue. When the H&M staff judge it long enough, they will hand out time slot bands. At this point you will be allotted a time when you can shop, which you will have to return for (be on time!). You are allowed ten minutes to shop and further time to try on. The staff will swap items for you if they are the wrong size!

I hope this has helped anyone interested in purchasing the collection, and if you have any further queries regarding the clothes and their prices follow the link below: 

     

Full Price List (Source: The Independent) 

Happy Shopping and Good Luck, I think we are going to need it!

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Louis Vuitton Series 3 Exhibition

 

Over the weekend I had the chance to visit the Louis Vuitton Series 3 Exhibition located at the Strand in London. The Exhibition allowed the public to witness firsthand the creative process behind a Louis Vuitton fashion show, specifically the Autumn/Winter 2015 collection created by their Women's Artistic Director: Nicolas Ghesquière. 

As you walk through Series 3, you begin to gain a wider insight into the different influences behind the show, starting with an almost interactive digital experience showcasing the mind of Ghesquière, whose fashion credentials include a long and incredibly successful run at Balenciaga. This room allows you to feel exactly where the creative process is first sparked- and it is pretty surreal. The room literally spins with a montage of flickering LV images on the wall, providing a glimpse into the whirlwind of inspiration Ghesquière used to embark on this collection. 

From this point, there are different rooms, some that display the processes intrinsic to developing the high end luxurious products that Louis Vuitton create, for example a futuristic black room that illustrates how the leather is cut in order to create their iconic Petite Malle, whilst another displays live artisan workers piecing them together by hand. These rooms are in contrast to the brightly lit spaces dedicated to showcasing the finished products. As you come out of the dimly lit rooms (and sometimes not lit at all so mind your step!), you are blasted with light in an all white space, filled with models holding exquisite handbags- the hard work materialised. It is almost as if Ghesquière wants your mind to work in the same way his did, focusing intensely to see through the darkness of the earlier stages (initial creativity, production and so on), leading up to the absolute clarity of the finished pieces. 

I had two favourite spaces, the first being every girls dream- a room filled with beautiful glass wardrobes displaying this Louis Vuitton collection in its entirety. I loved the layout, especially the way in which clothes were hanging and bags put neatly in their compartment (think Carrie Bradshaw's walk-in-wardrobe in a Paris apartment overlooking the Eiffel Tower). My standout piece was the enormous shaggy white fur coat, for which you would need your own personal chauffeured Bentley in order to keep clean- the height of luxury. My other favourite room involved the digital runway, spaced out to feel like you are actually at the Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2015 Fashion Show, featuring life sized computerised models storming towards you. I loved this idea because it gives you a real feeling for the collection, adding another dimension in the sense that you see the fluidity of the clothes, witnessing the layering of different pieces which showcased a seventies feel (lots of leopard print, fur and chain belts). You are able to see the clothes exactly how Ghesquière intended. 

As you leave the exhibition, the idea of lighting is inverted. Where once the darkness of the rooms represented a hazy mind, the darkness of this room allows a single spotlight to illuminate the word 'mastermind', a word synonymous with Ghesquière. Overall, my experience of Series 3 was very positive. I have always loved Louis Vuitton as a brand, having had special experiences visiting its flagship store in Paris. There is something classically charming about Louis Vuitton and Ghesquière manages to capture this feeling even in his very innovative and modern work!

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