31 March 2011

SAVVVY

I'm all for an offer and a good save as you might know! Being a total make-up junkie myself, this offer i spied was literally to good not to pass on. Depending on much of a crazed fan you are, you might be aware that the Mac online store is down for re-furb. However, fear not! If you click on their main homepage, you will be alerted to fill in your email address, and within a few days you will be sent a personalised e-voucher for a free Haute and Naughty Mascara worth £17.50 when you place your next order. 



Admittedly, i do have a good three mascaras on rotation at the moment, but Mac you came just at the right time, i had needed to make an order for a while and this should fall nicely in time with payday.

Yay or nay? 

29 March 2011

Ramble Scramble

The Topshop Flash Sale.

I had been looking forward to having a virtual rummage in the mid-season Topshop sale, it's always pretty predictable when it's about to launch, or may be i am just Topshop deranged. The key clues are: firstly Miss Selfridge launch theirs, then Topshop jewellery, shoes and maternity go live, then it's only a handful of days till the main sale. Working in retail always enlightens you to suss out all the little tricks and tips. Anyway the Flash sale, which is really was a flash may i add - it pops up at the crack off dawn, with all the good buys literally all snapped up by ten am. 


I managed to secure this peach chiffon blouse which i had my eye on for £18, still quite pricey but i plan on wearing this a lot during the summer months, and on a nice hot holiday perhaps?

Mac: Look in a Box

This bargainous little set was picked up by my father when he was en route on a skiing holiday with my brother. Armed with various print-outs and strict instructions, they managed to navigate themselves to the Mac stand in Duty Free and pick this up for me - brownie points to the family. Its a very handy, little set named 'A Very Stylish Girl,' which is only available within Duty Free, at the near crazy price of £27.00 - i dread to think how much it would be separately. There are two other boxes to collect, that contain similar items at the same price - of which i'm very tempted to pick up if i do finally book a holiday!



Cremesheen lipgloss in Looks Like Sin / Zoomlash mascara / bronzing powder in Refined Gold / two eyeshadows in Dream Maker and Glamour Check!   

Urban Outfitters Discount Code

I do love Urban Outfitters, yet i never seem to buy that many pieces from there. It is quite pricey, however i find their home-ware and gifts section to be bloody amazing. There is currently 20% off online with the code SPRING11 - till April the 4th. Here are some bits i have my eye on..  


Vintage Rose Frame £9.00 / Regency Cake Stand £40.00/ Boudoir Bird Box £15.00 -  my favourite! /Bird Jewellery Stand £15.00

I still haven't spent my ASOS vouchers - help! What did you buy? Quite worried/let down with myself that it has taken me that long to spend it.

26 March 2011

I need excitement, oh i need it bad!

Brush Cleaning.



 You use them every single day, whether to build up a flawless face, that intricate eyeliner or even a simple flush of blush. Whether your make-up brushes are cheap as chips or cost as much as fifty lottery tickets, a dirty brush will never be able to reach it's full potential as when its clean. Of course, its a mind-numbing chore but when it boils down to the fact that it probably contains old, crusty make-up with added dead skin and the grimy insides of your handbag/make-up bag, it really does need a bloody good clean. Especially if you want blemish free skin. Many people already know how to clean their brushes, but there are a few that don't, and the odd couple that do but can't be bothered - when really its very simple (and cheap.)

(my dirty bronzer & blush brush)

There are two types of brush cleaning, spot cleaning and deep cleaning, depending on what has been used and it will next be needed. 



Spot cleaning is where a daily brush cleanser is sprayed lightly on a brush, then dabbed on to a small towel or tissue to remove the product. This is perfect if you have few eyeshadow brushes but change colours often, for example it will mean that you will be able to use a brush on a light eye shadow, that has already been used on a dark colour; without ruining your make-up. I use the ELF Daily Brush Cleanser, which is a tad smelly but its inexpensive at £3.50.

(after spritzing and dabbing product away, just leave to dry)

Deep cleaning is more thorough, cleaning all product of the brush. There are many professional products on the market, from the likes of Mac. But i use Johnson's Baby Shampoo which is equally as good and very gentle (as well as very cheap!), so is handwash for anti-bactirial purposes; and hair conditioner to make brushes ultra soft. 


I firstly wet the brush, dab it into the shampoo, massage the shampoo in and rinse it under warm water. You should see the product has fully washed away when the water runs clear, although it is important to ensure that there isn't soap left on the brush!

(dip the dirty brush into shampoo to make sure it is throughly cleaned)

The most important tip to remember when leaving to dry is laying them flat. If left standing up, the extra moisture/water could sweep into the brush handle and loosen the brush hairs, creating them to shred. Which is a bloody nightmare. Just simply pat away the excess water, soften them into shape and leave them to dry over night. Then in the morning, your brushes will be literally good as new!

(shape the brushes, and leave to dry flat overnight)

Please do comment if you have any extra tips & i'm sure most of you are already aware of such methods!

24 March 2011

If hiphop should die before i wake.


How would you describe your style?
Classic with a touch of romance, and not forgetting a dash of nautical.

What is there too much of in your wardrobe? 
Stripes, i'm drawn to any kind of stripe. Dresses, easy to wear and instantly looks perfectly assembled.

What is the last label you discovered? 
Jason Wu, his dresses were made for my style!

Which are your favourite London stores? 
Selfridges, they sell everything I could need, every magazine, every lipstick, every designer i wish i could wear, and more importantly the designers i can afford..

Tell us a secret - where do you shop that no-one else knows about? 
Marc by Marc on Mount St - a treasure trove.

What are your go-to labels? 
Mui Mui, Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Burberry.


Whats the most treasured possession in your wardrobe?
My Luella bag, MJ watch, Mulberry Bayswater and the ring my parents bought me.

Do you plan your outfits or throw on whatever's to hand? 
I throw it on, depending on my mood that day.

What are you happiest wearing? 
A shift dress, embellished pumps and my favourite perfume.

Whose wardrobe would you love to steal? 
Firstly Diane Kruger, shortly followed by Olivia Palmero. 

How do you organize your wardrobe? 
I don't, i prefer a jumbled mess. Although, i hang my skirts so i don't forget which ones i own..

Where do you look for inspiration if you don't know what to wear? 
My two best friends, style icons and of course, fashion literature (magazines).

Have you ever had a stylist and, if so, what are the best tips they've ever given you?
The only stylists i've ever had are my best friends, and their tips are only buy it if you love it and ironically, buy it buy it buy it.

I originally spotted this idea from Becky's blog and thought it was a fabulous idea, politely stolen from Elle's style pages.


22 March 2011

Thought of the day.

I have two thoughts of the day, of which i thought i would share. 


The Outnet Clearance Sale


When i first read about this, my heart practically skipped a beat with excitement, then came a tumbling long sigh. The Outnet, sister discounted site of Net-A-Poter, have announced that on Friday they will be hosting a clearance sale. Whilst i have my virtual elbows at the ready, with thoughts of heavily discounted Marc Jacobs - lets just cast our minds back to the fiasco of their birthday sale last year - where items were sold for just a single pound. Of course, every girl and their grandmother logged on after weeks of press coverage, and down went their pissing servers - causing most computers to crash. You can clearly tell i'm still slightly bitter at nearly having that £1,200 Chloe coat so close in my grasps.

Anyway, putting said grudge aside. Their second birthday will be, fingers crossed, a more calm affair. With little press coverage only going live today, lets hope we are in with a chance of bagging something delightful, with prices being discounted heavily with up to 85% off. Simply sign up to the emails to be alerted to when it goes live Friday, until it ends on Monday. I wonder if they will be adding new stock each day? (Watch this space)

Marc Jacobs tote will be £123, from an eye-watering £1,065

Peacock's 'Budget' Line

Now i work for the company itself, and quite frankly i don't particularly want to get my P45 for a libellous blog post. I will however present you with some interesting food for thought. Peacocks will be launching a new 'budget boutique' in two weeks, which will feature many inspired looks and designs taken from the catwalks. However, there is a fine line between inspiration and simply creating replica dresses. 



Peacocks have stated that their designs will fool even the most canny of fashion critics, using the same high-end designs, but not the expensive fabrics. Antonella Bettley, head women's wear comments ‘This range is exceptional value. For a low budget price you’re getting fabulous tailoring, with lots of fabric and attention to fashion forward details. There is no need to pay the earth for fabulous design.’

With other high-street retailers paying the price for copy-cat designs in the past, most notably when Chloe forced Topshop to destroy a thousand similar pairs of yellow dungarees and Primark being threatened with legal action every five minutes; should Peacocks be so confident about their new 'budget' range? Is it just borderline lazy copying or genius? Should you be the brand known for just re-producing catwalk designs to the masses, in such a blatant manner?  


What do you think?

Love don't let me go.



Off White Pleat Dress - Topshop (£46.00 - available in coral too) 

I love every thing about this dress, its so simple yet so classic. I adore the buttons.
With nude ballet pumps or some cream sling backs.

20 March 2011

Best i ever had.


Prompted by a purchase on a naughty-lunch-break-make-up-binge, i decided to write a post dedicated to all the great products i've purchased in one the high-street counters. As much as i adore popping another Laura Mercier blush in my make-up bag, i'm no snob when it comes to finding a great bargain. Clearly, the high-street brands aren't going to have the most award-winning ingredients, but the sheer pigmentation, formula and colour range around now has seriously upped it's game. Dowdy and dull No7 has been completely revamped by MUA Lisa Elderidge their new summer collection, and has topped numerous skin care polls for its amazing skin care line, with one of their famous skin creams selling out in minutes. 

Here are some of my favourite drug-store products, i haven't included products such as foundations or concealers, because frankly i haven't found any outstanding ones!


Limited Edition Bourjois Blusher in shade 16, Rose Coup - Boots (£7.00)

I remember buying a Bourjois blusher when i was 14 years old, it smelt horribly of roses and the pigmentation was poor, so bad in fact i hadn't looked since. Somewhat a few years later, they have clearly taken this onboard and boy is it a whole other story. 

They have created the perfect pink/peach shade with a slight gold shimmer shot through, that actually translates on to your skin. This is everything that i wanted from Nars Orgasm, but without the chunks of glitter. Albeit, it still stinks of roses, i can ignore the smell for the beautiful flush of summer peach flush it gives. I really do urge you to swatch this in-store! The shade on the skin is bloody amazing, where as the pan colour looks like your bog-standard pink blush.


No7 Make-up Brushes - Boots (£6.75+)

Every time i get a £5 off voucher i frog march straight to the No7 brushes, for £1.75 the eyeshadow brushes are simply amazing. They are fluffy and light, perfect for packing on colour or blending out. Even so, i reach for these over the Mac brushes i received last year as a present. They can easily double up as a tool for blending concealer, and i definitely prefer to use the large foundation brush for putting on cream blush. And the fact of the matter is the more i buy, the less i have to wash. Savvy.


L'Oreal Super Liner - Boots (£6.19)

The only eyeliner i have ever been able to master. The blackest pigmentation, it has a long-lasting staying power, with the actual brush it's self being a dream to handle. I don't think i'll ever stray.


Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Peach Petal - Boots (£6.99)

This is everything i wanted from Mac Underage nude lipgloss, but wasn't. Its creamy, opaque and highly moisturising. It literally pairs it's self with every lipstick i own, from corals to nudes to pinks. Theres no need to use a lipbalm underneath, its that moisturising, so subtle and creamy! No nasty streaks here. Even when i haven't got a lipbalm to hand, i wack this on to plump my lips. I adore the shade too, nudey pink, but not concealer lips. 


17 Wild Curls Mascara - Boots (£6.29)

This is the mascara i purchase when i'm near the end of the month and i can't stretch to my overpriced disgusting mascara habit. It never fails to amaze me. Sod the curl, it gives the lashes serious va-va-voom and so much length, it leaves my Diorshow quivering in its empty tube (as seen here). 17 is also a brand that always has a fantastic range of products, especially blushers, varnishes and eyeshadows. I also have a fascination with a pink lipstick i bought years back called 'Candy Pink,' which makes an appearance in the summer. 

All in all, its obvious that the drug store make-up still has many flaws; limited skin-type shades and crap staying power to name a few. And most shockingly the prices have sky-rocketed recently, questioning whether its worth splashing out that extra few quid for a high-end item. But never the less, there are some real gems in the drugstore to be found, it really is worth hunting out. 

Whats your favourite drugstore item?

18 March 2011

Kate Moss for Dior



My thoughts, it wants to be everything the Chanel adverts are, but isn't. It simply lacks glamour and drama. Yet, Kate Moss does make those lipsticks look irresistible, but yet again, Duran Duran save the day. Hurrah for Dior though, what a kick ass PR campaign to down play their former racist chief designer.

15 March 2011

Get up off that thing.

After much deliberation, i came to the conclusion that myself and a pair of trousers do not see fit together. I find them uncomfortable, and they are easy to get stuck in a style rut. I much prefer dresses and skirts, simply because i feel more feminine and they are just so easy to wear, no thought process involved. This was however until i came across Blair's blog, and rushed out to buy every chino in sight.


Striped Top - H&M (current season - £7.99)
Button Detail Chinos - New Look (£22.99)

I love the shade of these chinos, a dusty brick colour. A shade i've never worn before, but i already have a thousand outfit equations in my mind.



Floral Blouse - Topshop (past season)
Cream Chinos - Tesco (£16.00)
Plaited Belt - New Look (£3.99)

Basically ideal for the summer, and the most casual my style will ever go.


Floral Blouse - Topshop (current season)
Faux Suade Shorts - Tesco (£16.00)

Ok - so not chinos, but i still had to have them! I had seen plenty of suede brown paper-bag shorts everywhere, but for thirty pounds i couldn't really justify another pair of shorts in my wardrobe. However at that price, what a steal! Most high-waisted items are a no-go area, they never quite fit usually gaping at the front, but these, unlike the Miss Selfridge pairs aren't too bulky.

What are you thoughts on chinos? I think they can look very on-trend, but without looking like you've tried so hard. Plus they go with everything and anything!

11 March 2011

Listen baby, aint no mountain high, aint no valley low.


Kate Moss on the cover of March Vogue 1993

I'm not the biggest Kate Moss fan, i can appreciate her style and how she was the waif-like model from Croydon (my ends) who ripped up the Supers. These days - well, lets just say that Mr Mario Testino can make any girl look a million dollars. But looking at her first ever Vogue cover in the 90's, i'm totally captured by her bambi-esq wide eyed pretty little face.

9 March 2011

ASOS OFFER, you name it, i bought it.


Yes, yes, yes - i'm sure you all quite aware of the amazing Groupon offer that's on at the moment. But alas, you can buy the rather bloody fabulous deal of a £20 ASOS voucher for only £9! Thats a crazy saving right there. I purchased two for £18, but will have £40 to spend, crikey! What would i buy? Thats a silly question. NARS of course! 

4 March 2011

Girls on Film.

Here are three fabulous filled videos from Chanel, beware, watch at your own risk. I now have an overriding urge to purchase everything in this collection, oh what i have i let thee in for?




This fun yet genius, quirky little video was created by Peter Phillips, creative director of Chanel make-up; for their new promotional website Chanel Makeup Confidential. It showcases their brand new Spring 2011 collection, with the lovely Lisa Elderidge having a good play with the products and creating a new look. 




This video talks about the plans for Chanel Confidential, which i think is fabulous idea. Peter Phillips is working with such a classic, iconic brand - but why not switch things up? The following video demonstrates the latest things going on the website, such as how-tos, exclusive product info.. everything you need to know about Chanel. I'm so in, do sign up to their newsletter on the asap. I think this is a fantastic opportunity for Chanel, i may not be able to afford a handbag (yet) but i sure as can buy that new varnish in Pearl!


And, my favourite video - what's not to hate? Makeup, Duran Duran and Chanel? Three of my favourite things!





What do you think of these videos? I'm so glad Chanel have graciously climbed on the social media digital platform.

3 March 2011

Tropicana















Nicole Richie for Russian Harpers Bizarre
Photographer: Katie Bleacher & Dean Everard






I adore her marcel curls and that punch of coral lipstick. If this doesn't put in a summer mood, what will?
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