Saturday 1 November 2014

Salem the Cat



 In case the title of this post didn't give it away, I dressed up as Salem from Sabrina The Teenage Witch for a Halloween party. There had been talks of making plans for Halloween which is when I decided to use my Crown and Glory cat ears as I had yet to find an excuse to wear. A friend decided she was going to have a sci-fi and fantasy Tv show themed party. There went my cat idea until it dawned on me that Sabrina counted as fantasy and Salem was a cat! after some googling to see how to make a Salem costume different from your average cat, I decided to go with this as it was pretty easy to do. It is a very loose interpretation of him but I wasn't going to wear a furry skin tight catsuit as it's not something I would have felt comfortable in. I couldn't get creative with face paints as I have no talents in that department plus apparently I'm allergic to face paint so good old black eyeliner, eyeshadow and lipstick it was. I thought I would have a practice and take some photos as I'm forever running late when getting ready for parties (who doesn't?!). On the night I made the eyes sharper but the completely mucked up my whiskers so they ended up much thicker than I would have liked. In the end I think that made them show up in photos better. 
 



Hope you all had a good Halloween! What did you dress up as?

Thursday 14 August 2014

July Favourties


Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily Moisturiser SPF 50 - £31 
It's certainly the most I've ever spent on a moisturiser, and reasoned with myself that if you're going splash out on skincare a good SPF is the way to go. I had been unhappy with the SPF I was using that made my face very shiny when worn alone, I kept coming back to this. I pondered over it for a long time and since I started using a chemical exfoliator then higher protection was needed. A little goes a long way which means that the tube will last me until the strong sun goes back into hibernation, possibly longer. It smooths over dry patches making the skin really soft and calms redness. Make up goes over it well (although I use a primer between) and when going barefaced it is not shiny in anyway. The only bad thing about it is that now I want to try more Kiehl's products.

Aussie Take The Heat Shampoo & Conditioner - £4.49 These are the products that surprised me as years ago my sister used a blue shampoo from Aussie and I really hated the smell. When looking for something different to use I spotted Take The Heat probably cause it was on offer, I had a naughty snifff of the bottle and found that the smell was much more pleasant. I first used the duo on my hair that was in desperate need of a cut after blow drying it was much softer. I'm now using it on freshly cut hair and makes it even softer. I wouldn't pay full price for bottle just because they seem to be on offer so often that it would be daft to.


L'Oreal Color Riche eyeshadow in Gold Mania - £5.49
I picked this up on a whim when there was on offer on the L'Oreal stand and as I was picking up the Lumi Magique concealer then it was rude not to. A matte brown shade caught my eye first but the few left had all been opened and swatched. I settled for this gold shade which is really pigmented and has good staying power and doesn't crease on me. 

Eylure Nourishing Brow Oil - £8.25
I have sparse thin brows as I am trying to grow them in. I have seen various eyebrow growth treatments going about, more often than not they are rather on the pricey side. This seemed like a decent price, and thought it would last a while and was a handy roller ball. I've had going on two months now using it everyday and it still looks like it's never been used. While it does magically give you glorious full brows over night it does nourish the hair that is there and the skin underneath making both be in better condition. It is hard to tell with my slow growing brows but I think it has been stimulating healthier growth. 

Illamasqua Nail Polish in Prosperity - on sale £5
Every so often the Illamasqua counter puts there past season colours on sale. I had seen this colour before and had loved the colour, it was just slightly more than I was willing to pay for a polish. It was swiftly purchased after spotting it on sale. The colour is an almost florescent purple that takes two coats to be fully opaque and smooth which is not expected when the first coat is quite sheer and streaky. It really lasted a good 6 days on me which is a long time when my nails take a battering. It probably could have lasted longer without looking really badly chipped but I had been in the mood for nail painting as you do. A good quality formula and if nail polish is the area where you like to splash your cash then this is a good one offering. 

Have you ever tried any of these? 

Sunday 3 August 2014

Cherry Lips


Dress - Dorothy Perkins
Shoes - Asos 
Floral Crown - Crown and Glory

I've always loved vintage inspired cherry printed dresses with full skirts, sadly they are either very much out of my price range and truthfully I wouldn't really wear them unless I had a special occasion. To my annoyance I don't get many excuses to wear a fancy dresses. When I spotted this on the website I had it bookmarked immediately until DP dropped one of their promo codes that often appear in my inbox. It's casual enough to wear in daytime or dressed up with the heels. The neckline is flattering for us bigger busted ladies and this style is available in many colours and prints. Although it doesn't look like I have spent loads of time in the sun this summer with the factor 50 on of course, I still remain paler than pale on camera.
 


I added my Burgundy floral crown as I do love an opportunity to co-ordinate and my strawberry wedges from the Asos sale a few years ago to give me some height. The necklace was a present from the boyfriend. I didn't realise I had unconsciously went with a fruity theme! I want to add more fruit prints to my wardrobe as they are always colourful and fun.



What's your favourite fruit print


Archie Bronson Outfit - Cherry Lips 
 






Thursday 24 July 2014

Adventures to Arran


A few weeks ago I went across the sea on the Waverly Paddle Steamer for a day on the Isle of Arran. The Waverly is the last sea going paddle steamer in the world and sets off from harbours up and down the country during summer months but can still be enjoyed on the Thames through to the end of October. You can check out here if there is a harbour near you. If you get the chance then I would recommend a sailing on it, except if you get sea sick very easily as it doesn't take much for the boat to rock back and forth. The day I went the sea was almost perfectly still which made for a very pleasant sailing across.

As the Waverly leaves right from Ayr Harbour which is very convenient for me as it is about about a 5 minute car ride for me. The sailing took just under two hours which goes by pretty quickly when your boyfriend is overexcited about being on a boat and taking a million photos of everything! The weather had been undecided on what to do but the minute we arrived at Brodick harbour it was warm and sunny even if there were some dark clouds lurking on occasion.


 We took the a rather bumpy open top bus to Brodick castle, where we stopped for lunch before looking around the gardens and inside the castle itself. You could wander the gardens for hours but as dark clouds appeared we decided to take cover inside. It didn't even rain in the end. There are alot of interesting things in the castle and I really liked how there were guides in each rooms should you have questions. I always feel I should ask intellectual questions but usually just end up asking "what's that?".



We decided to walk back into the centre of Brodick which should only take about half an hour. However I thought we should take the much more scenic route along the beach but ended up of a flat rock covered and slippery beach instead of the sandy beach  I thought it was. Seeing as I pretty much can't go anywhere without hurting myself I slipped on seaweed and went flying backwards landing on my right arm. Despite being incredibly painful I knew it wasn't broken as I could move my fingers and arm. A few days later movement became unbearable so off to A+E I went where after 5 x-rays I was told I had a badly sprained wrist/arm, hence why this post is belated. I had a sling to wear for a few days and painkillers to ease the pain. It's much better now but still can't do certain movements yet such as throwing the dog's ball with the ball launcher.

After almost breaking my wrist and arm we stopped off at Arran Aromatics and the cheese Factory Shop. It was a quick visit as funnily enough I wasn't in the browsing mood. We walked back the rest of the way and got chips to eat at the beach while we waited for the Waverly. The sailing back was even better as it was still warm, if you stayed at the front or top of the boat. We had a very snap happy time on the way back but these are just a couple of my favourite shots.



Have you ever been to Arran or on the Waverly?

Monday 7 July 2014

June Favourites


The sudden appearance of July seems to have taken everyone by surprise and I am no different, June went by in a flash! I am still new learning the best way techniques for taking product photos and who knew how time consuming it was, especially went you have been left to your own device with a camera you aren't familiar with and a dog that follows you everywhere shoving his face in the lens.

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter - £10.50 

I have always been lazy with moisturising my limbs but recently I discovered that not being lazy means that I have been not having itchy arms and it helps the skin look more even. Who knew?! My guess is most people probably did. I've been switching between the Korres Body Milk and The Righteous Butter depending on what I feel my skin needs. The body milk is light but very moisturising and smells so good, I also have the same scent in a shower gel, together they're a dream team. The Righteous Butter makes very dry sky incredibly soft with its thick consistency and is well worth picking up and it's often on offer in boots.

I've used many face scrubs in the past and most of them have been tea tree ones and The Body Shop offering is the best I've come across. When my skin has angry blemishes I can see a difference after using this, they look significantly less angry. Even though I used to prefer ones with larger beads but this one has smaller and works better than them. The Body Shop site description of it says it "combines micro-fine exfoliants with bursting beads" and i guess that's what makes all the difference. 
 

I apply these shadows with my finger and then blend out with a fluffy brush and I have just been really liking the outcome of it. It's simply quick and pretty much foolproof. These two shadows are from the Most Glamorous Nudes Ever palette and are mini sizes. I really like that they are in the little pots so they can be removed from the palette and don't get the powder shadows sticking to them. 

Doll Eyes is my favourite Mascara and has been repurchased several times. I normally stock up on those reduced twin packs of them in the sales. These Alber Elbaz designed versions came out some time last year, not gonna lie this was a case of being a serious sucker for the packaging and it promptly went to the top of my gift wishlist. I like the fluttery effect this mascara gives and its buildable so you can do one quick coat for a natural look or build it up for more of an impact. It doesn't flake and once it's on it doesn't budge until you want it to. 


I've been feeling the brighter pink lips. I wrote about the Rouge Velvet in my Payday Wishlist back in May. I am kinda annoyed at my self for not getting it sooner, it is just the right shade of bold pink for me. It lasts well and it does get fade into that odd ring around your lips if you're not strict about reapplication. It is as long as you use a good lip balm before applying it isn't drying for a matte lipstick. Only after removal with an oil cleanser do lips feel a bit dry, it takes some working to remove it. 

Another mini size this month, the Clinque Chubby stick and a sheer pink colour. It lasts well and fade evenly. I find it quite moisturising on the lips. I've been liking wearing it when I feel my skin needs brightening up when I'm looking tired. 

I've had the convertible colour for a while and used up some boots points to get it, I really liked the brightening colour on my skin but my amateur blush skills meant I easily over did it. I had been applying it with a stippling brush before, and now I've been using my fingers to dab it along my cheeks and then blend it out. 

Seems to be that this month I learned that blending is the key skill to have when it comes to colours. I did know this before and somehow it never worked for me. Have you learned any new make up skills this month? 
 

Thursday 26 June 2014

Blue Blood Blues

Dress - Dorothy Perkins
Sandals - River Island
Sunglasses - Accessorize 
Flower slides - Crown & Glory 

These photos were taken on possibly the hottest day of the year so far after walking about for a few hours which probably isn't the greatest idea but then add in that being pale as a ghost I put on some factor 50, the transparent spray kind, and it wouldn't sink into my skin so became a shiny oily messy. My sister also used it and it didn't do this to her. As my hair was down it touched the oily mess and went all greasy and strange despite having washed it the night before. Never again! I bought the good old fashioned cream sun protection the next day.

The dress is technically a birthday present as I used a voucher. I love the thicker straps and longer length. I often wear leggings under my summer dresses to avoid passer-by getting an eyeful, with this dress I didn't feel the need to. I saw the sandal way back in January in the sale and I bought them (Yes, I'm one of those people!) knowing that come summer I as always I would struggle to fit sandals that weren't completely flat or sky high. Admittedly they aren't the most flattering on my legs, but they are comfortable and at the end of the day that's all you want in shoes!

While taking these photos my labradoodle Jake decided to have a pose as well so I thought I'd share them with you. If you want to see more of him follow me on Instagram where he appears regularly with my labrador Ben.
 



The Dead Weather - Blue Blood Blues 





Sunday 8 June 2014

Get up, wipe the smoke from your eyes





 Dress - Asos
Jumper - Dorothy Perkins 
 Dr Martens - Charity shop 
Collar Clips - Ladybird Likes
Bag - Electric Daisy 

Last week I shot some photos for my guest post Scots Bloggers which you can see here. This was the casual look and it was my favourite out of the three ways I styled this dress. I'm sure I've featured all these items so there isn't much to say except to mention my bargain of the century £4 Dr Martens. I persistant to wear them even though they give my blisters from them. It might be to do with that that are shaped to someone else's feet despite not even looking like they had been worn outside when I got them Luckiest find ever in a charity shop! The bag is from a local independent shop a few years ago. I love this jumper with this dress, particularly the red collar against the black jumper. The little red nose of the cat face ties it all together. The heart collar clips also match the little heart nose. 

What's been your luckiest charity shop find?  


More Than Conquerors - When The Well Runs Dry 
 










Wednesday 4 June 2014

May Favourites


Here's my monthly favourites, not exactly photogenic ones but they are good products and at the end of the day that's all that matters. I wanted to get these up on time but couldn't get my hands on my usual camera as it was busy being used elsewhere recently. My little compact had to make do this time round. 
 

I needed a hair mask and this was on offer for under £2, in the basket it went. When I used this for the first time I noticed a difference straight away shinier and softer hair. It feels really nourishing and smells good. After that first use I decided to stock up on another plus the shampoo and conditioner too while they were still on such a good offer. They are now on 2 for £6.

I used Batiste for years but only used it when times were desperate as I didn't really like it much. I have been using the Dove dry shampoo when my hair wasn't that dirty and needed a little bit of volume. It doesn't leave any white powder no matter how much you use and it smells good too. 


I couldn't make my mind up over between Peach Daiquiri or Cute as a Button but when my beady eye spotted that Peach Daiquiri came in a set with Lilacism, you can guess which one I went for, especially as it counted as my 3 for 2 freebie! It's a lovely almost neon pinky coral and a perfect summer colour and lasts well as most Essie polishes do. 

You've probably heard of the Super Spot Remover before and it's worth talking about for a reason. Depending on the type of blemish it's used on (I get all kinds) it either dramatically reduces smaller ones or with those painful under the skin lumpy types seems to speed the whole process up while reducing the size slighty. It is expensive for such a small bottle but you use a tiny amount each time. The first bottle I bought lasted 6 months with almost daily use. I will soon be repurchasing my third.

 

I've been trying to grow the front part of my eyebrows for a what feels like forever. Using powder to fill them in wasn't always enough for me. While I really wanted to try the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil at £26 I would rather spend money on other make up items as I am not very big on eyebrows. I saw that Sleek had a similar offering and at a much more affordable price. It give much more defined look than powder and the brush at the end is great as you don't need to take a separate one with you when traveling. I like to set it with a clear eyebrow gel just to keep my brows in place if you have thicker brows then you may not even need to with the waxy consistency. 

I had used a few of these Lancôme concealers before but foolish decided to stray away and try others. While I found others that are good for everyday use nothing else gave me the same coverage that this does. When I started to go for lighter bases and using a higher coverage concealer where needed then I had to get this back in my make up bag. It blends easily with a finger or brush and can be built up on days where you need that extra bit of help. I find it rarely needs touching up. It may be pricer than that Collection Long Lasting Concealer but this tube lasts a long time pus when you can't squeeze that last bit out you can cut the tube open giving you many more applications.

Have you tried any of these? 
 

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Payday Wishlist



Why is it the month seems to last forever when you could really do with getting paid? I've been lusting after so many things this month and thought a visual wishlist would be better than a mental one because those tend to get very long very quickly.

1. Floral Top - M&S
If you don't often venture into M&S then it may surprise you that they aren't just good for basics and lingerie but dare I say it on trend items. I really loved this top and even had a 20% off voucher, sadly I couldn't justify it so close yet so far to payday on the rail it stayed. Let's hope another 20% off event happens soon. 

2. Grey Fade Sunglasses - Oliver Bonas
My current sunglasses are black with white polka dots which would be nice to switch up for a coloured pair when I'm already wearing a lot of patterns and/or black. I want to get a pair without those plastic bits that sit on your nose (anyone know the technical term?), they seem make much more obvious sunglasses marks on my nose when I'm wearing make-up. 

3. NYX Butter Gloss & Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipstick
I've been wanting to try NYX products for a long time. I had heard that Next stocked it when I was in Glasgow I looked for it in the Argyle Street store and couldn't find any. However on the NYX site it says was stocked in that store. Maybe it was in a hidden corner that I missed. If anyone knows for sure where stocks it let me know. I was excited about the Bourjois Velvets before release, I never took the plunge as I just was undecided on the colour. I have since decided on the shade Pink Pong after I saw Vivianna Does Make Up wearing it in a video. It'll be bought the day my pay comes in. It also happens to be on 3 for 2 in Superdrug which is a dangerous thing.

4. Denim Spotted Skater Dress - Doll & Frog
What can I say I like polka dots and skater dresses! It's much more summery than my curent white and black spotted combos. Come the colder months I think it will be easy to layer up with some knitwear and boots.

5.  Ocean Triangle Necklace - Oliver Bonas
I most definitely do not need another necklace and with a £18 price tag I probably won't be getting it as it pains me to pay that much for a casual necklace. It was the lilac and gold that caught my attention. I love the simple design and the long length. If it hits the sale then I'll probably be persuaded.

6. Cherry Print Sweetheart Dress - Dorothy Perkins
I've always loved those amazing 50's cherry print dresses with the insanely puffed out skirts, not something I can get away wearing often in my little town and I never get invited to fancy parties. This little dress from Dorothy Perkins has just the right amount of 50's style to make it unusual and perfect for those sunny days. This will be getting ordered as soon as another discount code is dropped in my inbox, probably along with the dress above too!

7. Tan Strappy Gladiator Sandals - River Island
Sandals seem to be either completely flat or too high, neither of which I find comfortable for walking any distance in even if its around the town. These sandals have the right kind of block heel that to me normal means comfort, and the same reason I often favour brogues. Basically they are pretty much the sandal version of a brogue.

Did any of these catch your eye?

Monday 19 May 2014

Oh well, I used to be a dancer.



Dress - H! by Henry Holland 
Cardigan - New Look 


I wore this out to a night out but recreated what I wore a few days later as didn't have time to take photos before. I first found the top version of this dress. It had added cap sleeves and a collar, sadly the fit was odd due to where the sleeves finished. Said times. Then I found this dress in the sale some weeks later, I tried it on and it looked nice but I didn't think it was worth the £20 tag, when it isn't a dress you could get away with in daytime and it's short length, back it went on the rails. Another few weeks went by and I came across the dress again but it was now £12 I tried it back on and had was wearing tights this time and it looked much better although the lower price most likely swayed me on that one! I do wish it had the collar like the top did but you can't have everything.



Necklace - Dorothy Perkins
Bag & Ring - Accessorize 
Shoes - Schuh 

I was looking for a necklace to go with this dress one that wouldn't catch on the fine lace, a problem I've experienced before and nearly ruined a dress. It added a little sparkle to the dress and it doesn't seem to show up on the photos. It pains me to pay full price for jewellery these days, by luck this had 20% off. I need to find more excuses to wear these shoes. I've became a heel wimp as I hate to have sore feet and it makes me very grumpy when I do so if I know there will be a walk longer than five minutes then I'll opt for wearing flatter shoes. 

Who else is a wimp when it comes to heels? 


Medals - I used to be a dancer