Onyx: Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blog

OOTD 02.11.2012

2012-11-04T18:11:00.000Z

I've been in a bit of a jeans rut for a while. I'm a jeans girl, I can't help it. But I'm trying to break this habit. I love dresses, and although it took me until I was well out of my teens to realise that I could wear dresses, that there was a dress to suit everybody, I am now a bona fide dress-wearer. Lately I'm enjoying the skater dress. There are lots of variations of this dress on the high street, and places like Boohoo at the minute, but the fitted top and floaty bottom make for a timeless dress that I'm sure I will be getting a lot of wear out of.

I found this version in Primark for just £13, I also bought a black and white stripy equivalent. I seek out this shade of navy blue and the berry red and forest/racing car green equivalent for this time of year. It beats always wearing neutrals when I feel like an injection of colour, and brights just don't do it for me in Autumn/Winter. The material is thicker than you would find on a summer dress, and I'm actually finding this quite a warm outfit when paired with thick, opaque tights and boots. I wasn't a massive fan of the belt that came with it so I whipped it off and put this leather plaited belt through the loops instead for a very simple, yet suitably autumnal ensemble.

Have you found yourself any Autumn dresses?

Happy Friday everybody.
x

Why do you wear make-up?

2012-10-31T17:59:00.000Z

A couple of weeks ago, I was offered some food for thought by a four year old when they asked me the question: What is that on your eyes? When I explained it was make-up, it was followed by the question "Why do you wear it?" I should have seen this coming, children are naturally curious, but I found this a difficult question to answer to someone so young. I don't often think about why I wear make-up, but if I had to break it down and tell you why I wear make-up I could.

To look better. Pretty simple really, make-up is a man-made miracle. It improves our appearance, and how far you want to go with this is up to you, whether you want to completely transform your appearance or just enhance what you have naturally. Sometimes the make-up I sport is purely functional – to smooth out my skin, hide blemishes, make my seemingly non-existent eyelashes visible, that kind of thing..
To feel better. Which leads on from point 1. If I look better, I feel a bit better about myself. I realise this is superficial, but I doubt there’s a female out there who doesn’t feel the same about make-up. Would we be wearing it if it made us feel bad about ourselves?!
I enjoy make-up. Yes, it has become habit, one that’s hard to break and I wouldn’t know what to do with myself and my extra time in the morning if I took my make-up application out of the routine, but I enjoy the process of doing my make-up. I’m a creative person, so I enjoy creating different looks and experimenting with colour and techniques.

I think what’s important to clarify here is that these are personal reasons, reasons that affect me. I’m not wearing it because I worry about how others perceive me. I wear make-up for myself. But, when you feel good about yourself, this gives you a sense of confidence which then affects how you present yourself with other people. There are times when I leave the house without my make-up, when it’s not necessary to wear it. I’m not thinking what are people wondering about me because I’m probably doing something where I really couldn’t care what I look like, such as jogging! So wearing make-up for me is not a case of hiding behind it, but enhancing what I have and choosing the way I want to present myself to the world, much in the same way that people choose their sense of style in clothes.

It’s easy for me to write this as a blog post and I’m sure those of you reading this have similar reasons for wearing make-up. But to explain this to the younger generation just seemed a somewhat difficult feat, to be able to articulate it in the same way I just have. Because the simple answer to why I wear make-up is to look and feel better. But to someone younger this could be misconstrued to mean you’re not good enough if you don’t wear make-up. Definitely not the message I would want to put out to an easily influenced young mind. I was well into my teens before I got interested in make-up, I’d guess around 16, but never felt pressured to wearing it, but I think things are changing and there is much more pressure much earlier on for young girls.

Anyway, the purpose of this post was, I suppose, to explain why I wear make-up, and to think of reasons why other people might. I think whether you wear it to conceal or reveal is entirely your decision. As I’ve said, I’m a mixture of the two, but what I find sad is there might be people who depend on make-up. I’m pretty much a beauty fanatic, but would not label myself in the category of dependent upon it.

So, readers of the blogosphere, why do you wear make-up?

Batiste Wild, Lace and Graffiti

2012-10-26T19:28:00.001+01:00

My love affair with Batiste is no secret. It's become as much of a staple to me as deodorant. I use dry shampoo on the days in between washes to absorb any excess oil and giving your hair a bit more life. It's also useful for when you've washed your hair but want to give it a bit of a volume boost at the roots. It feels completely like cheating and that's the appeal. There are a lot of dry shampoos on the market, but I never tend to look twice at them with Batiste being a brand I trust to deliver. The bottles are attractively decorated, the scents are gorgeous and now there's even more to choose from. The bottles that don't state they are for a particular hair colour are the standard dry shampoos that don't deposit any colour but instead a white-ish powder which you then need to give a ruffle with your fingers to blend it in. The only difference in the bottles above is the fragrance.

Blush was my favourite scent but the release of the new range has given me a new favourite. Lace - "seductive and elegant"...I would have to agree! It reminds me greatly of a perfume I have used in the past but since I never repurchase perfumes (bar Jo Malone Blue Agava and Cacao) I can't remember the name. But it's good enough to be compared to a perfume, who knew a dry shampoo could smell so good?! I might have to stock up on this one in case they discontinue it. The picture below shows 3 of the most recent releases. I'm missing the Paisley one which is a Superdrug exclusive. Graffiti is the Boots exclusive which if I'm correct is either very similar to, or exactly the same as the scent of the Brit Batiste from a while ago. Wild is a more original scent which I can't really compare to anything, it's probably the least girly scent out of the bunch.

So I feel that's enough waffling about dry shampoo. I thought I'd fill you in on my current reads as I always enjoy reading what other people are reading...if that makes sense. I joined my local library because I rarely read books twice. I'm also a bit anti-kindle, I like the feel of a book, I don't really know why. I'm also a huge lover of shopping in second hand book stores and love discovering new ones so if anyone knows of any in London please send your suggestions for new ones for me to check out!

Right now I'm reading Two Little Boys by Duncan Sarkies, which has nothing to do with Rolf Harris. I chose it primarily because it was endorsed by one of the actors from Flight of the Conchords which I love so didn't feel the need to find out much more about the book. I'm glad I picked it up though, it's a bit of a dark comedy which I enjoy and is an easy read, there's a few great one liners in there. I do have quite a short attention span so I often have two books on the go. I'm about to start 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami which sounds quite promising and was in the top 10 a few months back so I'm hoping it lives up to the hype. It's a beast of a book which is another reason I tend to read two books at once - one for the tube commute, the other for home. I just need to not get the plots and characters confused.

My plans for the weekend include crossing off another thing on my to-do list for the year. That is, going on a Boris bike ride (for those of you outside of the UK, they're the bikes available for public use around London with docking stations at various locations). I'm doing quite well on my list so far so I hope I commit to this. It is very cold though, so I might just read my books instead.

Oh My Love...

2012-10-22T21:29:00.002+01:00

I first found the brand Oh My Love in the basement of Topshop last year in the form of a t-shirt (picture at the bottom). I was impressed with the quality and the design of the top so wanted to find out a bit more about them. I discovered an Oh My Love dress in Topshop a few weeks later that I fell in love with but in size XS was a little too snug. I checked online and found that they have their own website with a much wider range than I found in the store.

This is the Agatha Ponty dress and I honestly consider it to be a wardrobe staple. I chose black because a girl can never have enough LBD's no? But it's also available in dusky pink and wine red. The material is figure hugging but also very soft and of a fairly thick quality. There is a seam around the waist which helps to differentiate the bottom from the top so you don't necessarily need a belt, though I chose to team mine with this tan leather plaited belt.

It is a bit on the short side, but I think the conservative top balances this out quite nicely.

The envelope bag is from New Look and is available in an assortment of colour and material combinations. I quite liked the soft, dusky colours of this one. Primark actually have an identical version of this in black and light grey if you want one for half the price, I made this sad discovery today. The bag has a chain handle so you can wear it on the shoulder, but I prefer it as a clutch, just a personal preference.

Agatha Ponty dress: £35, Oh My Love
Belt: taken from some Primark trousers.
Ballet pumps: £10, New Look.
Envelope bag: £15.99, New Look.

This is the previously mentioned t-shirt. I like the batwing style and the slouchy fit. Sadly the black stag motif faded after several washes, but I went over it again with a fabric pen and quite like the effect that was left behind. In hindsight, I should have hand-washed it from the beginning, but never mind.

T-shirt: £20, Oh My Love
Shorts: Forever 21

There's currently quite a good sale on right now which is worth a browse. http://www.ohmylove.co.uk/

OOTD 17.10.2012

2012-10-17T17:16:00.002+01:00

Here is my outfit of the day. It's getting pretty chilly outside now, but that doesn't mean our shorts become redundant. I bought this pair of velvet shorts last year from Topshop, I thought they were a bit overpriced at £32 but I vowed to myself they would see me through a few seasons. Luckily they did and so cost-per-wear they've actually worked out quite bargainous! The shorts have reappeared this season so you can still get your hands on a pair if you so wish. They also come in a gorgeous berry colour which is tempting me, but I think having one pair of velvet shorts in my life is enough.

I've been lusting after a Cambridge Satchel Co. satchel, but in the mean time, I'm wearing this satchel from New Look. It's a pretty standard satchel and does the job.

I bought these earrings a while back from Laura Laura, and am still in love with them. They often get compliments and I like the originality of them, particularly when the buttons don't look exactly the same and have some variation on them.

This jumper I found in New Look on Oxford Street, (the one at the Topshop end) and is by a brand called Pink Boutique. I quite like that New Look now feature smaller brands as it means you can find things that are a little bit different.

The crucifixes give it a slightly edgy look, while the fact that it's as snuggly and fluffy as a Pomeranian puppy completely tones this edginess down. Whilst I like having my own style, my clothes have to feel comfortable too. What's the point in a jumper that looks good but is itchy as hell? I can't show you in these pictures, but I can assure you this is one of the softest jumpers I've owned!

Velvet shorts: £32, Topshop

Jumper: £28, by Pink Boutique from New Look Oxford Street, you can find similar here, or check out Pink Boutique's knitwear here

Satchel: £20, New Look

Boots: £20, Primark

Earrings: £5 for three pairs, Laura Laura, similar can be found here.

I must apologise for the bush/tree thing in the background of nearly all these photos, I thought it looked better than having more of the table though. I'll move it next time. x

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine, Magnetic and Web Effect Review

2012-10-16T21:55:00.000+01:00

This evening I have frantically been wrapping up items I've sold on ebay. I have terrible hoarding tendencies and so from time to time, having a good purge makes me feel a little bit better! I like thinking that things I don't want yet hold on to, neglecting them, can go to a better home where they will actually be used/worn with a bit of love and care. I will ship these out tomorrow after work along with finding a present for a belated birthday like the terrible sister-in-law that I am...

This will be a three in one review of the nail polishes I showed you a few days ago. I've had time to try them all out now so can offer you my verdict. First up is the magnetic nail paint in Magnetic Sparkle Gold.

Love this, just LOVE it. I've recently found a whole new love for glittery sparkly nails which, after childhood, I didn't think would happen again, yet here we are...

This is also available in red stripes which I think would look very festive for when the big C word comes around which I won't say now because it's still October! I'm sure you're all over the hype of magnetic nails now but I'm still keen on it. I don't think it's been done to death like certain nail crazes, aka shatter effect nails. Which brings me on to...

Web Effects nail paint? Not really Barry M. It's a croc effect at best. It's OK, as long as you do it over a light colour which might I add MUST not be dry when you do it! Over black, which I thought would be cool for Halloween, it looks horrendous, but here I did it over gold and it looks OK. I can't really say much more about it because I'm just a bit let down by Barry M here. I suppose I could rock this look on Halloween, and when it's passed, this can be my giraffe nail look.

And finally, Gelly Hi-Shine, oooh the Gelly's! I was quite excited about this range. I wanted a pastel purple and do really like this soft lavender shade called Prickly Pear. It is ridiculously shiny too so it lives up to its name. Apart from this one, the colours in the range aren't anything I don't really already have some variation of, apart from maybe the tealy type colour. My main criticism however, is not the limited choice of shades, but in the Hi-Shine on this polish. I don't really think it's worth marketing it as a new effect and selling it for £1 more than the regular nail paints. The overall effect isn't anything you couldn't recreate with a decent top coat which I tend to put on over my nail polish anyway. The only benefit I could see is that you can get away with just two coats of this and no top coat which I would find quite handy if I was going away and didn't want to pack lots of bottles of nail polish. Apart from that, I'm happy sticking with topcoat!

OOTD 07.10.2012

2012-10-07T21:55:00.000+01:00

This weekend was spent exploring shops and markets around town. The weather was glorious, crisp but sunny which is the best we can hope for in October in the UK. I went to Borough market for lunch, bought some fudge to munch on over the X Factor, then headed to Butler's Wharf for a little stroll before facing the crowds at Westfield at Shepherd's Bush to hunt for some inspiration for the wardrobe upheaval I'm planning on having. I'll start here with the jacket...

I am rarely one to jump on a fashion bandwagon, I like to dress for myself and wear things that suit my body type. I also prefer investing in pieces that could potentially see me through a few seasons, rather than trends that only last one season. Having said all this...I really needed a new jacket, we are in that transitional weather where it's not cold enough to dig out the winter coat but more than a light-weight jacket is needed.

I saw the khaki jacket with faux leather contrast sleeves in Topshop and fell in love. I tried it on but it just wasn't meant to be, it seemed to bury me and was very unflattering on my figure. I know parka coats aren't designed for flattering but it just was not for me. I'm glad that other clothes stores have cottoned on to this trend and everywhere seems to have their own version of the contrast jacket.

I went into New Look, which for me can be very hit or miss but often has a few little gems that pleasantly surprise me. This contrast sleeve jacket was the surprise of the day. It differs to the Topshop version in that the main of the coat is made from faux leather, while the sleeves are a different material, in this case, black and white boucle.

Contrast Jacket: New Look, £44.99
Acid Leigh Jeans: Topshop, £40
Scarf: H&M, £6.99
Boots: Primark, £20
Casio Watch: Camden market, £6

I love the "edgy meets twee" of this jacket. The body has an asymmetric zip which gives it a bit of an edge, while the sleeves are saying middle aged and I love this juxtaposition.

Hope your weekend has been fabulous ladies.

Tell me your thoughts on contrast jackets!
xXx

Barry M New Nail Paints, Autumn 2012

2012-10-07T20:43:00.003+01:00

It's no secret I'm ~~a little bit~~ completely obsessed with Barry M Nail Paints. I have a ridiculous tally of them now. I was curious to try out the new Gelly Hi Shine in particular, I loved the effect of the magnetic nail paint I bought awhile back so I also picked up a pretty sparkly one! With any two Barry M purchases you currently get a free Effects Nail Paint. Curiosity got the better of me and I opted for the orange web effect. Obviously in anticipation of Halloween, this is a bit of a twist on the crackle and croc effects. I think I'm going to try this over a gold polish so I'm not too overly Halloween themed!

Left to right: Prickly Pear, Magnetic Sparkle Gold, and Web Effects.

Right now I'm wearing Prickly Pear. I love pastel purple shades and the high shine this one has on it, my nails are very preened and glossy, I definitely didn't need a top coat. Pictures of all 3 nail paints to come...

Has anyone tried the latest Barry M, what are your thoughts?

OOTD 01.10.2012

2012-10-01T17:55:00.001+01:00

Today started off extremely dull outside, and I decided to go with this lacklustre feeling by blacking out my outfit. No matter what colours are in fashion, I cannot help but love reaching for black clothes. An item of clothing might be available in a few colours, but you can guarantee I'll want the black version. This is boring, I know. But with black, you never fail.

I have a confession...

I'm new to leggings. Not new in the never worn them before way, but new as in I'm rediscovering them, I grew up in the 90s so leggings were very much a part of my world. When they reappeared, I wasn't too pleased to see them initially. But I've warmed to them now, and worn correctly, they can be flattering.

I particularly like these ponti panelled leggings from River Island, they're priced at £20 which is rather a lot for a pair of leggings, but they feel very well made and are a sturdy material which should survive a fair few washes. I really like the contrast in materials, with the panel being slightly ribbed in texture. They remind me of a jodphur which isn't actually as awful as it sounds.

These boots were a risky purchase. Primark (I love you but...) aren't well known for their good quality clothing. I have been after a pair of casual ankle boots with not too big a heel so they are comfortable to wear day and night for a little while now. I felt they should be an investment so I was prepared to spend a bit on them. I searched and I searched, and nothing really grabbed me. Then I saw these beauties.

They were just what I was looking for, not neccessarily with the studs, but I do really like this trend so decided to snap them up. I know full well they won't see me through many winters, if even this winter alone, but for £20 I can't argue too much and I can look for a better pair at a later date.

Black loose fitting top - Topshop
Ponti Panel Leggings - River Island
Boots - Primark

So that's my very unimaginative outfit of the day.

Does grey weather bring out the dull in you too?!

OOTD 20.09.2012

2012-09-21T22:43:00.000+01:00

Hello blog. I haven't posted an 'outfit of the day' post in an age, like many things on this blog. So in a bid to prove I've returned, here is one. Ok, I wore this yesterday, and not even all day, but I liked this combination so I'm sharing it with you.

I find the dip hem skirt a great twist on the maxi skirt. You get the best of both worlds of a midi and a maxi and the asymmetric effect is effortlessly pretty and girly. I'm not one to do completely girly though, so I love to toughen it up with a t-shirt and wedge shoe boots. I do realise I'm about as tough as a bag of marshmallows but you get what I mean...

I'm in desperate need of a haircut, roll on my Tuesday booking.

T-shirt: 'Tee and Cake' from Topshop.

Skirt: Dorothy Perkins.

Shoe Boots: New Look.

Belt: taken from a 'Louche' dress from Joy.

Thought I'd share a couple of snaps with you from last weekend aswell. I took an impromptu visit to Oxford, somewhere I've never been before, and what a beautiful city it is. I also took a lot of pictures on my Diana so bear with me, they will be here maybe before Christmas!!

Have a fabulous weekend!

xXx

Birthday Schtuff

2012-09-17T23:59:00.001+01:00

My birthday was actually nearly a month ago now, but here I am just getting round to showing you my lovely presents. For a while, I've been interested in photography and have been intrigued by the analogue revival. I've frequently gone into the Lomography stores around town, telling myself I'll buy one, 'one day', but then never actually got round to purchasing one. I was very pleasantly surprised on my birthday to open the Diana Mini in pretty much the most perfect colour - Coral Fusion, complete with flash and colour gels for adding a flash of colour.

Also in the picture is the gorgeous perfume Un air d'escapade by Givenchy. I saw this at duty free in Croatia and was tempted to buy it, partly because I loved it and partly because the limited edition-ness of it was appealing, I don't like to smell like everyone else! Luckily I didn't buy it, otherwise I would've had two bottles, but again this was a very well thought out and well received present.

Next, presents from my lovely housemates. I am doubting the boys of the house had little to do with the choice of these presents - a Cath Kidston mug and a Nails Inc nail polish, both of which I love.

I mean seriously, LOOK at this bottle! It's stunning...more photos of it on my nails to come. It's in the colour Jubilee which is red, silver and blue glitter particles.

This foot spray is really refreshing after being on your feet all day, and a good idea for a gift aswell I thought, I often forget to pamper my feet. I also really like this bracelet, which is magnetic and you can alter the size of it as you wrap it around your wrist.

Some essential film for Diana, it takes the standard 35mm film, you don't necessarily need the Lomography's own brand, although they do seem high on the colour count compared to others I've seen, 800 as opposed to 400 or 200.

Diana in all her glory. She's been on a few adventures with me already, and hopefully a lot more to come. I haven't actually got a film developed yet, I have however, drastically ruined my first attempt because I loaded the film incorrectly and it ended up tearing. At least I didn't take too many photographs as I was experimenting, but that was a lesson learned. I'm sure some people will fail to see the point of this camera when we live in such a digital age, but for me that's kind of the point. We forget how to do things manually and picture taking has become rather stale, I quite like the fact that I don't know how these photos will turn out, and I will actually have to get them developed and printed, I couldn't tell you the last time I printed photos that I could hold in my hand!! There's also lots of cool tricks you can do with a Diana and the other Lomography cameras, I'm having a go at some double exposures, where you layer two shots on to one...we'll see how that goes.

So long Summer...

2012-09-07T01:02:00.000+01:00

Every year I try to go abroad, and last year, for one reason or another, I didn't get to go. This year, as part of my new year's resolutions, I was going somewhere abroad, anywhere, and I really didn't care where. My criteria were very few: hot, coastal, not UK.

My friend and I had chatted briefly about going to Croatia, I knew little about it, but enough to know it was somewhere that appealed, and it met my unfussy criteria, so it was a hit. It took little more than a phone call and a quick internet search while we were on the phone, and suddenly, we were booked on a flight. I think that bar all the trips I went on whilst living in America, this was my first holiday abroad with a friend rather than a partner or family.

In Dubrovnik

Luckily, we had similar ideas of what we wanted to see and do, and in the 9 days we were there, managed to fit in lots of travel and sight-seeing as well as, of course, a bit of beach lounging.

We started in Dubrovnik, a beautiful walled city with lots of ancient history...caught a coach to Split – another equally as beautiful and old city, and in my opinion much underrated, there’s lots to see and do here. We then caught a catamaran to the glitzy of Hvar where we also made a couple of day boat trips to neighbouring smaller islands. The coast is beautiful, the Adriatic Sea crystal clear and pleasantly warm to swim in. Croatia is a very interesting place to visit, it’s on the cusp of all things Euro, still maintaining its own authentic identity and has many different influences depending where you are geographically in the country, something that makes it unique. If you want a Mediterranean style holiday somewhere still relatively untapped by tourists, especially in comparison to Italy then go to Croatia. I would love to go back, whether I will anytime soon...I haven’t decided, there’s still too many places I haven’t been on my wish list to warrant going back just yet. But I’m definitely starting to think about my next holiday already and thinking about going to somewhere like Bulgaria or Hungary, I have garnered an interest in middle Europe now!

Now I shall bore you with some snaps, sorry if this is too pictorially heavy for you.

It's lucky to rub his nose apparently.

Al fresco dining on every side street.

Around the city walls.

I'm in a bath.

Dumbledore.

The local brewski.

The beautiful Hvar.

Barry M Chameleon Nail Paint

2012-08-31T14:17:00.000+01:00

Barry M really do spoil us with their range of nail effects and I'm not going to lie, I want to try every single one of them. The chameleon nail paints have been around for a few weeks, I first discovered them in Topshop, Oxford Circus before I saw them elsewhere, and was quick to snap up this colour, the blue/purple effect.

I was also very quick to try this product out once I was home, going into it a little blindly as I hadn't seen the promo pictures or knew anything about it. First experience of this nail paint - not a good one. I whacked the blue paint all over my nails, great shade I thought. Then came the magic of applying a top coat... All I can is, it was disappointing. The hint of blue that I thought would remain had been replaced by an irridescent purple shade. It was nice in itself but not what I would call a true chameleon effect where the two separate colours are clearly seen in different lights. So I was a bit let down, and left this nail paint in my bag of what has become a funeral pyre for unwanted nail polishes. Until...

I saw how this product had been used on the model's nails in the promo picture, and suddenly I was digging through that pyre once more to recreate the look. It's very simple, you start the same, with a coat of the chameleon on top, except this time, not over the whole nail, put partially covering the nail, just down the centre. This way you get the base colour and the secondary colour both showing on your nails, voila!

This is probably the easiest effect to create, although if you're very creative and have a steady hand, you could create much fancier effects. I wasn't feeling particularly fancy and I think this still looks very effective.

A slight hiatus...

2012-07-31T17:37:00.000+01:00

I have been out of blogging action for a fair amount of time now. This is a massive understatement. I don't really have too many excuses for this...I've been busy, I've moved house (twice in fact), I started a new job, everything...changed! I don't really know where to begin when it comes to filling you in on the last 10 months of my life. But I guess since so much has changed and this feels like a fresh start to my blog, I won't divulge too far back. I'm also not entirely sure what direction I want my blog to go since my obsession with beauty seems to have subsided somewhat. I would like to contine sharing my thoughts on new products I have found as well as updating you on my current antics around London - it's exciting times for us right now hosting the Olympics. I have been to a few events in honour of this, and I'm almost Olympic-ed out but I will share a few snaps with you to kick start my blog revival.

Rizzle Kicks at Wandsworth torch festival in Tooting Common.

Tim Henman at Wandsworth torch festival.

Opening ceremony, as seen in the pub.

Queing to go in to Hyde Park.

Hyde Park Olympic Festival - Day one of Olympics.

After devouring too much hotpot in China town, we found one of the Olympic mascots.

I'm also feeling a little out of sync with the new blogger and google + set up. I miss the ease of editing my photos with piknik but I'm sure I'll soon be convinced that this way is easier and there will be no looking back.
I will end this post by saying a massive thank you to those that have continued to follow, or began to follow (hello) , reaching 500 subscribers while I've been gone is a huge deal to me, so thank you!

He Shi Gradual Self Tanner Review

2011-09-16T12:06:00.001+01:00

This is a review I have been meaning to do for a while now. Since summer is over now :( and we are done with our mini Hawaiian heat wave, it seems an appropriate time to be writing about a product which potentially helps to hold on to summer skin for a little longer.
The product in question is He Shi's Gradual Self Tanner, which is from a brand that has been circulating the blogosphere for some time now. I was rather intrigued about this brand and was happy to try out the self-tanner. Ordinarily, I am not one for tanning, naturally or otherwise. I can't spend hours basking in the sun without thinking of those staying safe in the sun adverts and honestly do not want to damage my skin for the sake of a bit of colour. Don't get me wrong, I love laying on a beach as much as the next person, but believe in doing it safely. That's why I'm not opposed to fake tanners, if it's done tastefully, in other words you haven't made yourself orange. Personally I don't have the time or patience for fake tan, but I was curious to try a gradual tanner as they work slightly differently to your standard fake tan.

The sciencey bit: basically, the active ingredient that makes any self tanner work is dihydroxyacetone or DHA for short. It's essentially a type of sugar and when applied to your skin, reacts with the top layer to brown it in a similar way that food browns when it's left exposed to air. Since it is just the top layer of skin that the DHA reacts with, it lasts for just a couple of days until that layer of skin has been washed away. Gradual tanners have a much lower concentration of this ingredient than regular fake-tan which makes the effect more subtle and allows you to build up the tan gradually.

I tried the product over a few days to see how well the colour built up and was really pleased with the result. Day one, the tanner did not immediately seem to make much of a change to my skin tone. I would say it took a few hours before I noticed any change.

Day two, after being on my skin for a few hours now, I could definitely see a difference. The result was a very evenly distributed amount of colour over my skin, the only giveaway was my back area which I had not managed to apply very successfully! I would recommend getting someone to help you so you don't end up with a streaky back like I did. Applying the product anywhere else wasn't a problem, I found it rubbed quite easily into the skin, pretty much as simple as applying a moisturiser. Excuse the bra flash, apologies.

The picture below is day 3 which is when I think I had reached as brown as this would make me, or at least as brown as I was willing to go. I like a sun kissed glow, rather than an obvious tan. As far as self tanners go, and I don't have a lot to compare it to as I don't ordinarily buy this type of product, but I believe this to be good quality, reasonably priced for the size as you would get a few applications from the bottle (£14.50 for 200ml). It has quite a thick consistency but a little amount does stretch quite far. Comparing this to another gradual tanner I used (Johnsons I believe) where the consistency was very runny and I needed to use quite a lot to achieve any sort of results this is miles better.

If you're a little scared or completely uninterested with using fake tan but wouldn't mind giving your skin a bit of a boost now that summer's over then I would recommend this for that. I'm a bit indifferent to skin tone myself, so would not be too fussed about buying any more, but I did enjoy trying this out and can see that this would appeal to tan lovers.

The product was sent to me to try but as usual this does not affect my opinion in any way.

A little update...

2011-09-11T17:24:00.002+01:00

So this is not a particularly pleasant or easy update to be making, but nevertheless, I think I should make it. I've been quiet in the blogging world lately, and it has been for good reason, so let me explain...
As of a few weeks ago I ended my five year relationship. This was not a very easy decision to make, nor was it one I did hastily. Things were not right for a while and it became a case of breezing on, pretending everything was OK. We had tried long distance, it never worked, we tried living together and it seems that didn't work either. As hard as I tried, it just seems the relationship has had its day. Whoever ends it, it's always a difficult thing to go through, but I am coming round to it now, and being more optimistic about the future. I am about to go through a lot of changes, starting a new job, moving into a house share and facing city life as a singleton. It's daunting but it feels right at the same time. Currently I'm spending a lot of time looking for a house to move in to, I'm not sure exactly where, but definitely closer to the centre, as close as my budget will get me! Times like this I tend to find myself searching for inspirational quotes. I really liked this plaque thing that I found at Camden market. I think this may become my new motto.

Birthday OOTD

2011-08-23T18:04:00.000+01:00

Quick little OOTD post. I'm wearing my favourite pair of black Topshop jeans, these are the high waisted Kristen jeans, sorry if you've seen these in a tonne of my other posts, but I love them!
I love this cobalt blue top. This was a gift from my Mum. I love the gold buttons and when this isn't tucked in, it has a nice flattering shape to it. This blouse is also available in a bright red and white version, the latter I am tempted to buy with my Topshop gift card!Shoes are from ages ago, but I barely wear them because they're mega uncomfortable. I'm not going anywhere tonight though because I've done too much before my birthday and have plans for later in the week so need to save some pennies!
Tomorrow I'm off to Bath to visit a friend and will be back on Thursday so I will show you lots of pics from my trip. I'm quite excited to go somewhere new!

Be Happy

2011-08-23T17:11:00.001+01:00

I saw this tag on one of my favourite blogs Superficial Girls and decided to do it as I think it would be great if lots of bloggers did this to spread the joy. It is the "Be Happy" tag where basically you post 5 things that make you happy, as simple and sweet as that!
I'm not sure if she SG started this herself, but she says "Do a blog post about 5 things that make you happy and include a picture of yourself smiling or something that makes you happy! I tag everyone!!"

1. Music
I put this as my number one because I literally couldn't live without it. Music is incorporated into every aspect of my life, in the words of Eric Olson "Music is what life sounds like." Too true.
2. Friends & Family
I hold dear everyone who's a part of my life.
3. Blogging
Of course! I love having this little outlet to share with you all. Reading your comments and your own blogs is a little source of happiness for me.
4. London
I find plenty to moan about living here, but when it really boils down to it, this is one of the finest cities and I love my London.
5. Outdoors
Nothing beats being outdoors in the sunshine, but I love and appreciate nature and a bit of fresh air any time of the year. I love to walk, it really clears my head, I could walk for miles somedays.
So there's my five things that make me happy. Today is also my birthday!! So that's another thing to be happy for I guess. Let me know what yours are!

Lush Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask Review

2011-08-22T20:07:00.000+01:00

I recently traded in 5 black pots at Lush to receive a free face mask. I have used a couple of Lush masks before and always like to try something new so this time I chose Cosmetic Warrior. I'm surprised I hadn't tried this one before. It contains tea tree oil, which is pretty much the dominant smell when you open the lid, and also happens to be one of my favourite ingredients of skin care. It has natural anti-bacterial properties so is great at combatting spots.
Lush masks feel like a real treat, even though they're quite inexpensive compared to some brands, and in this case, completely free! I think they're great for prepping yourself for a night out, but I would suggest possibly doing the face mask a few nights before you go out as it brings spots to the surface the next day. This does not mean the mask causes spots, but it draws all your impurities out.

This mask has a nice feel to it as it dries. It contains eggs which you can feel give the tightening effect on your skin, but it also contains honey, so when washed off, you're left feeling nice and moisturised. Definite thumbs up from me.
I feel I've been missing from the blogging sphere for a while. I've been back at my parents house in the Midlands for a few days and didn't take my laptop. Sometimes I think it's nice to have a little break, though I have missed it. Whilst up there my brother turned 30, so I went out for a surprise meal for him to celebrate. It was a lovely evening, in one of my favourite restaurants in the town I was born in. It's a little family run Italian restaurant and the food there is absolutely amazing, as is the service.
I also finally got to meet my best friend's little baby boy called Harry, who at 11 months, is surprisingly not so little anymore! I'd only seen him in photographs before and was expecting the same tiny little man, but he's grown so much.
I've had a lovely few days up there, but I'm back home now with lots of posts lined up. Now to sit and catch up with your lovely blogs!

Weekend Overview 6th/7th August

2011-08-08T20:11:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend I went to check out Mevali in Greenwich which is a hookah bar and restaurant. I have to say it wasn't quite what I had in mind having been to a few hookah lounges in the past. When you walk through the door you feel like you've stepped into a cafe with lots of tea making paraphernalia on view. It's only when you walk right through and step into the back yard of the restaurant that it becomes more like a hookah lounge with lots of benches and heated umbrellas above. I found this layout, although it made hookah seem more of a daytime affair than an evening one, is very homely and welcoming. We ordered watermelon flavour hookah and I love the way they look, I want one of these in my home. I realise it's not the healthiest of past-times, but it's nowhere near as bad as regular smoking as it doesn't contain all the carcinogens of cigarettes and there is something very relaxing about hookah and it's a nice way to spend an evening chilling out with friends. We ordered a large plate of mezze too which was full of delicious little bites.On Sunday, I dodged the showers and managed to hire a rowing boat out on the lake without getting rained on. We went to Danson park, because sometimes it's lovely driving out, in the opposite direction to the city. Much quieter and peaceful.

Hope you had a lovely weekend too, I will be posting a few reviews this week including the MAC and Lush products I bought, aswell as some He-Shi and Purity products so watch out for those.

In and Out Part Deux

2011-08-03T20:52:00.000+01:00

These were meant to be a regular post of mine, but they never really took off. Oh well, here's part two of things I am currently loving and not-so-much loving.

In:

Drinking ice-cold coke from a glass bottle, it tastes a million times better in glass in my opinion.

Having more than one "good" piece of mail, i.e. things I have ordered, arrive in one day.

Discovering that I can successfully paint the tips of my nails without it looking a complete mess. I decided to jazz up GOSH Light Rose with some Barry M Shocking Pink tips.

Charlie Simpson and his solo career. Busted was a minor glitch for Charlie, but since he's departed he's done some pretty good songs, check them out.

Out:

Magazines being a month ahead, and seeing the word "September" on the front of one, reminds me that it's nearly Autumn which I find a mildy depressing thought.

Lack of inbetween weather, it's all or nothing with our summers.
My messy hair. If I was a celebrity, my hair would almost certainly be in the "out" column of any magazine, it's wild and unruly. I'm sorting it out on Monday.

Cher Lloyd. I actually liked her first audition, but I went more and more off her as the show went on, and now she's released Swagger Jagger, I have no more love left.

NOTD Oh My good GOSH!

2011-08-03T19:42:00.000+01:00

GOSH nail polishes never used to have me reaching toward them, I always thought they looked a bit nasty, I don't know, like they'd been manhandled by hundreds of people and sat there for years, and I found this in every Superdrug that stocked them. Lately though, they've booked up their ideas and have released some attractive shades and seem to be taking better care of stock replenishment. The latest addition to the GOSH collection is these little darlings that like a slogan t-shirt read "OH MY GOSH". They remind me of Collection 2000's hot shots nail polishes which were basically smaller, cheaper versions of their original collection in a wider mix of colours. This is good because a) you probably won't use all of it up anyway, and b) you are paying less for it. The colours in the range are all very different and eye-catching, this one: 023 Light Rose particularly caught my eye. It's basically a very very pale pink verging on white. I was sort of hoping it would be a little creamier in colour, I'm searching for that perfect "wedding" shade. I'm not getting married any time soon but ever since I heard about Catherine Middleton supposedly wearing Bourjois' Rose Lounge, I wanted to find a similar alternative. This is a gorgeous shade in it's own right but I don't think this is it. Although very pretty and dainty looking compared to some shades I normally wear, it's still quite obvious and I think "wedding nails" are all about looking as natural as possible. I'm sure I have a long time to keep up the search though...

Recent Jewellery Finds

2011-08-02T20:42:00.000+01:00

Close to where I live there is a large store which is made up of a few different high street shops such as Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse etc...kind of like a mini-department store. Recently they had a very generous sale on where many items were half price. I rather hastily removed all of the packaging and price tags but I know that nothing I bought from them cost over £3. The alphabet earrings in the above photo were from Miss Selfridge, around £2 and I thought they were a bit novel and cute and very me. I like wearing a mismatching colour combo.This ring I had spotted a long time ago in Miss Selfridge and always thought it was very pretty but held off buying it because there was always something else that would catch my eye more than this. It's very pretty and sparkly but I can only wear it for going out as it's a bit too much for day time I feel. This was £3 down from £10. I recently lost my silver leaf earrings from Accessorize, well more to the point I lost one of them which still means I can't wear them unless I want to start a trend of wearing completely mismatched earrings, which I don't. These weren't an exact replacement but I like them just as much. They look kind of old and rustic which I like. They were £2 instead of £4 from Topshop.
The earrings above were not one of my sale finds but from one of my favourite jewellery shops which can be found in Greenwich market. The shop is called Autumn and May, (and you can click here to find out more about them) and they do some wonderful pieces of jewellery. Occasionally I like to buy something from there because I know it's highly unlikely I'll see someone else wearing it and the quality is far better than high street clothes shop jewellery! I bought these little orange triangle studs as I found them quite cute and needed just a basic stud that I can rely on for wearing to work and such like. They remind me of pizza slices oddly.

Weekend Overview 30th/31st July

2011-08-01T21:37:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone. Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend. I headed into town on Saturday with the boy, the weather was glorious and our aim of the afternoon was to find a nice pub to have a drink. Apparently everyone else had that same idea, and every outdoor seat seemed to be occupied. We went over to Soho and found a nice little Moroccan/Turkish restaurant which was also a hookah lounge. We both had a Casablanca which is a Moroccan beer and it tasted nicer than I expected, I think beer is pretty much beer in every corner of the world, which is not spoken like the Burtonian that I am (I was born in Burton in the Midlands, which literally comes from "Beer-town", as it was once the brewing capital of Europe).
After our beer, and some Fatayer (gorgeous little spinach and onion mezze dish) we went round to the M&M factory which was nearby. Spread over four floors, this was what I imagine Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to be like, only this was all M&M's. I have never seen so many pieces of merchandise dedicated to one sweet in one place before, nor did I expect so many people to be in there! I wanted to experience this for myself after seeing it in photographs, but I'm not sure I will be setting foot in this crazy place again. I thought the little stuffed toys that were shaped like M&M's were cute and not too pricey at £12, but a little case of one colour M&M's cost £5 which is quite frankly a complete rip off.

I've been meaning to take this photo for a while, every time we drive home from central London. I'm sure I could get a better shot if I wasn't in a moving vehicle but I love this view of a church in front of the yet to be finished Shard building.Sunday was spent getting well out of the city and soaking up some country air. We drove an hour to a place called Bewl Water, quite close to Tunbridge Wells, it feels a million miles away from a city, and it the perfect little getaway spot. We've enjoyed cycling here a couple of times, but this weekend was too hot for that so we parked up near the lake and had a little walk, some lunch and an ice-cream and basked in the sunshine. I didn't realise, but there was lots of lavendar or heather near the lake and hundreds of honey bees. It kind of ruined the moment when I had to run through it as I'm terrified of bees and wasps.I've had a bit of an obsession with camper vans for about a decade now, which is long enough to justify buying one. This one caught my eye whilst we were out walking. I don't know what it is about them, they conjure up images of road trips to far away places. I snapped a couple of photos of these pigs, I'm sure they don't mind! I used to love pigs so much as a child, I went so far as having a pig stencil around my bedroom, and a shelf full of pig ornaments. I'm sure that's not information I should be proud of, but surely you can see the cuteness in these creatures?!

Une Radiance Refresh Night & Day 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water for Face and Eyes

2011-07-30T09:00:00.003+01:00

Firstly, what an extremely long title this product has. I shall just refer to it as Radiance Refresh. I had never heard of the word "Micellar" before and thought perhaps this was a made up thing. It turns out however, it's not, it actually means something. Basically, what I understand from "Micellar" is that it is a solution consisting of a solvent and water, the solvent obviously being the thing that breaks down your make-up. This is a 3 in 1 product so if you are someone who doesn't like shortcuts and will habitually do the 3 part process of Cleansing, toning, moisturising, you may not like this. I cleanse, tone, and I moisturise, but cannot honestly say I do this every day, morning and night without fail. Sometimes I just like to spray a load of my toner (Lush's Tea Tree Water) onto a cotton ball and swipe all over my face, job done. It's not really though, and it doesn't get every trace of my eye make-up off because it is just too gentle.

I was a bit surprised that an organic product could cleanse so well and effectively break down my make-up. For the past couple of years, I've been really against using anything harsh and too chemically to take my make-up off, even if it does the job really well. I had to read through the ingredients because I felt a little like I had been conned by the actual organic content of this product, but sure enough 99.3% are of natural origin. There was a certain sting factor when I accidently got some in my eye which made me question what was in it, and this I think is perhaps the alcohol content even though it's very low down on the list. I suppose also, natural doesn't always mean its going to be very gentle, and since this is "Micellar" it is designed as a solvent to break down your make-up so it needs to be a little rough. I do love that tingly clean feeling it leaves on my face.

I didn't realise it at the time, but this is a product I really needed and had a gap for amongst the rest of my products (we always find a way to justify our purchases don't we?!). This is just the perfect product to pack if you're going away somewhere, no need to bother with decanting all your make-up removers, cleansers and toners into mini bottles, this does the job well enough and comes in a not too bulky 150ml bottle.

There is absolutely no moisturising properties to this product which is hardly a surprise because its purpose is cleansing. The "3 in 1" refers to: 1. Gently cleanses. 2. Purifies. 3. Tones. It also says that "skin is hydrated and instantly rid of impurities". Hydrated or not, I still feel the need to use a moisturiser after this.

At £8.99 for a 150ml bottle, this does seem a little pricey. However, I don't need to drench the cotton wool, a few drops really is all you need, so I see this bottle lasting a while. I think you need to be prepared to pay a little extra for a natural product as well because rarely do they come cheap. As a multi-use product, I think this happens to be good value for money. It is highly effective and I can't think of another single product that has made my face feel this clean without feeling like I have burnt myself a little bit!