Monochrome

Thanks to the app 'Timehop' I can now re-live the many nights outs of my younger self; along with many a skimpy outfit. 3 years later and 1 and 1/2 stone heavier I am not such a fan of flashing my flesh on the dance floor..........unless maybe if tequila is involved. 

Now this I am impressed with: 

My whole outfit, including shoes, costs less than my lipstick (which is Mac's 'Lady Danger').

Black crop top from Primark, £2. Shows just a smidgin of the flattering part of the waist. 

I found this amazing patterned skirt in Primark's discounted section for £3. The scuba material and panels makes the skirt very structured and flattering. Also a knee length skirt ultimately means; no shaving up past the knee. Brilliant. 

I find Matalan is the best for fashionable and reasonably priced shoes. In the January sale this year I bought three pairs of heels for £15; and these were part of that haul. Caged black heals for £6.

Put together

Recently my boyfriend got his well earned PGCE and graduated for the second time. As much as that is brilliant news for him and very exciting, the true question was what was I to wear to the graduation? We all have those shallow moments (I hope), ya know like"Congratulations on your engagement...........what season are you getting married in? I just need to consider colour palette and weather appropriate shoes".

Well here is what I came up with. Got this dress last year when I came across the website sheinside, I thought it was really different and like nothing I had in my wardrobe already. 

The coat was an after thought, of course lets not get too ahead of ourselves we are still experiencing a British summer. A true bargain at £7 from Primark. I am amazed at how perfectly this coat works with this outfit. Im not usually one for matching colours in my outfits but the dress and coat compliment each other so well.   

Black suede mules on sale now at Tesco. Finally, a comfy pair of heels with no uncomfortable rubbing.

All in all a perfect outfit to sit for 2 hours whilst applauding complete strangers.  

Sugar scrub

I was seduced by the strong soapy smell being pumped out of my local Lush store the other day, so of course I had to pop in. I had to pick up my old trusty 'butterball' bath bomb, an old favourite that I always go to. Just a good simple product, no picking out seaweed from your plug hole or coming out of the bath like a glitter ball. It gives off a scented oil that moisturises your skin making you feel silky smooth. No faffing around in the nud, wacking out some yogo moves to moisturise your bod after bath time.

I was looking for something new, after popping into the new Oxford Street flagship store in London recently, I was overwhelmed by the amount of new products Lush had to offer. It made me think that I need to steer myself out of my 'butterball' monogamous relationship. 

Que the 'sugar scrub', a scrubtastic scrub full of sugar bits that really buff away at your skin. I was first attracted to the smell; a fresh lavender smell which if you are a fan of the perfume Angel (like I am) then you will love this. 

Now, a word of warning. This stuff is very abrasive, maybe to the point that it is actually painful. To tackle this you have to make sure that your skin and the scrub itself is completely wet. First time round I did not do this, leaving my with scratches over my legs and arms. Despite the scratches, it did leave me with lovely soft skin, it made me feel and smell fresh and clean.

I do like this product however I would like it to leave me without looking like I have been attacked by a frisky cat. Now I feel like next time I would like something a little more moisturising on the skin. Any ideas for my next purchase? 

Kiko my love

Over the past few months I have done a little shopping in London. I wanted to hit up some shops that I don't get to visit back home. On my hit list was of course, KIKO. I had heard a few positive things about this store from the blogasphere. They are a leading Italian makeup brand who claim to have "a line of professional make up and cutting-edge skin care treatments." They are said to be the cheaper counterpart to MAC, now that is a big claim. 

Due to my hoarding and great ability to spend money I have tried and tested a lot of KIKO's products. None of the items I have purchased cost me over £5. They are great quality products and great value for money. They have a large range of products including a huge colour variety which allows you to be more creative and purchase colours you wouldn't normally buy. I have also tried an item from their skincare; which annoyingly I had forgotten to add to the collective picture below. Kiko Purifying mask does a great job at clearing my skin for the times when my pours are very visible and my skin is very congested.

Now I won't go through a run down of every single product I have used, but it is safe to say that I have not yet tried a dud. Having said this, I have steered away from KIKO's bases such as foundation and tinted moisturisers. If you have tried any of these then please let me know how you get on. There are a few stores dotted around the UK, and looks like they are expanding. Fingers crossed next stop Cardiff. Check the website to find the nearest to you.

Pencil Lip Gloss

Smart Lip pencil

Nail Lacquer

Eyeshadow

Smart Lipsticks

Printing

The best kind of mornings this morning. ASOS delivery. From my order, these shorts are the true stars. I put them on straight away and it seems I still haven't cut out the label.  Unfortunately as for the rest of the order I also received another pair of shorts which were lovely until a button simply dropped off after merely touching it and a pair of joggers (my attempt of at least looking like I am contemplating exercise) that looked nothing like the picture matched up on the website. ASOS, sort it out.

Now, I am not 100% sure how to describe these shorts. Lets say they are a digital, abstract floral print. What I can definitely say is that they are hella comfy. Light weight material and an easy elasticated waist, you know the kind that makes a slight imprint on your stomach which makes you have a slight panic attack when you take them off, thinking you have developed deep belly winkles throughout the day.

 I had originally bought them as an easy and stylish item to wear for camping this summer but it seems they also looked great smartened up with this light polka dot shirt from Forever 21. Folding up the sleeves and tying the front to make the outfit  look more casual and relaxed.   

The shorts are still in the ASOS sale for £9 here.

A revolution

Over the past few years there has been a great introduction of budget priced makeup making it's way into Superdrug. Starting with MUA, I remember being so excited about these items which price range is £1- £6. It made makeup accessible and allowed me to experiment with products without breaking the bank. Then comes along Makeup Revolution, offering the same great price range however with a much rider range of products. My favourite by far has to be their single eyeshadows. For just a £1 you really get value for your money, in terms of actual size and also quality. They are highly pigmented, they pack on the colour and blend well without too much work. 

 1. FINALLY...

 2. EDEN

 3. MOUNTAINS OF GOLD

 4. INSOMNIA 

If you haven't already, then I suggest you pick up something from the selection. Let me know if you have tried any of these products? What's your favourite?

Miami vice

 As much as I hate the cold, I do love to layer. My wardrobe is rammed full of coats/jackets/raincoats, however it is a nice change to have an item of outerwear that complements an outfit as opposed to covering it all up. And lay and behold I have found that summer item, the one that add's a little something extra. This outfit without the blazer I must say was pretty drab. I had attempted to bling up this tartan shirt, all details in a blog post about the silver studs here. It was a simple and cheap way of adding small details to an otherwise boring item of clothing. 

Now back to the main attraction; this longline white blazer from Primark was £7. I feel it really adds a smarter touch to an outfit whilst the white is a fresh option for summer. Unfortunately I do not trust myself to wear this on a night out: white blazer + Cardiff nightlife  = disaster. Maybe I will just wear it for those casual outings that don't end in a trip to 'chippy lane'.  

Cream of the crop

Cream eyeshadows, the perfect no fuss beauty item. I just apply these with a finger, bit of a dap in the pot and swoop over the eye lid and you are done. My selection of cream eyeshadows come from MAC and a cheaper option from Maybelline. Scroll down for my verdicts on these products.   

 1 MAC | Pro Longwear paint pot | Painterly | My most worn eyeshadow....ever. Such a lovely neutral, pinky shade. Evens out your eyelids and brightens up those tired looking eyes.

 2 MAC | Pro Longwear paint pot | Vintage selection | Something a little more special, nice amount of shimmer without the glitter. Champagne/ bronze colour, perfect for a night out.

 3 Maybelline | 24hr Colour Tattoo | Metallic pomegranate | It's not very often that I stray from my safe neutral eye colours but here it is, a gorgeous berry shade. Unfortunately this colour contains so much glitter I don't tend to wear it in the day time.

 4 Maybelline | 24hr Colour Tattoo | On and On bronze | Such a great dupe for the MAC vintage selection. The right kind of shimmer, a really effortless product that glides on so easily and wears well throughout the day.    

Legs a'hoy

I did it, I got the legs out. I went shopping with my sister a few months back and we saw this skirt in Primark which looked so good styled up on the modal. A few weeks ago I found it again, but in the reduced section - £10 to £3. Naturally I picked up two, one for myself and one for my sister - because I'm nice like that. It is really interesting seeing how two people can style up the same skirt and make completely different outfits. 

I have decided to pick out the navy colour from the skirt and wear it on top with this blue denim shirt from H&M. With a busy designed skirt it is always best to pair it up with something neutral on top. You can never go too wrong with a simple plain t-shirt; so it always best to have your staple white, black and grey in your wardrobe. 

Here's to more sun and a bit more leg this summer.       

Embellished skirt- Primark- £3

Denim shirt- H&M- £19.99

Boots- Next- Sale

Necklace- Primark- £3

Battle of the balms

For a make up addict such as myself I need to consider how I am going to eventually take the stuff off my face. When I started reading beauty blogs, I learnt about cleansing. Apparently face wipes were the devil and just didn't do the job properly, who would have thought. So I have tried and tested the majority of cleansers that Boots have to offer; ranging from gels, oils and micellar water. For those drunken/tired/laziest times before sleep, I have found these balms are my best option. The feeling of rubbing these into my face looks so wrong, but feels so right. You only need a little and as you rub the balms into the skin and they begin to melt. The makeup starts to break down including eye makeup, resulting in a look that would be best suited down the mines. All you need next is a warm, clean, damp flannel to wipe off all the excess.

 Clinique 'Take the day off' has an almost Vaseline like texture and does an excellent job at getting all your make up off; even waterproof mascara. 
However, if I had to pick a favourite I would choose 'ultrabland'. Not only does it leave your face clean and make up free, it makes it smooth and nourished. I very rarely have to apply a moisturiser after.
Clearly not content with 2 balms, I also have my eyes on The Body Shop's Camomile sumptuous cleansing butter. Reviews look great so I may just need to also add that to the cleansing party (mess) going on in my bathroom.  

Lush Ultrabland | £7.25, 45g

Clinique take the day off cleanser | £22.50

Float away

I would rather wear my jeans and trainers then don a floaty dress or anything in the pink palette. However, this little number I can change for. I got this a few years back from Ebay, originally from River Island and bought for no more then £3. I tend to steer away from these kind of necklines or anything strapless, as I am a little bit body conscious of my collar bones that jut out . If I could take a bit from my legs and squeeze it into this area that would be brilliant, however that would also be unrealistic and well, mad. So instead of worrying about it, I'm just gunna flash my bones for tonight. 

The lace, the light weight fabric and floral pattern gives this dress an elegant touch. Here's to hoping that it rubs off on the wearer. Worn with a pair of leggings, this is the perfect outfit to wear when your night is destined for a meal out with friends feasting on carbs.

Making a statement

I make many verbal statements throughout my day: I am hungry, I am pissed off, I want more mayonnaise on that......etc, etc. However, I do not tend to make any statements with my jewellery. To tell you the truth I am rubbish with jewellery, I often just forget to put it on or it gets in the way if I do. Here is part of my necklace collection. From this picture I can see 3 novelty animal pieces which could suggest that I should really, grow up? Go shopping and update my collection? 

I prefer the latter. 

So here is my new statement jewellery wish list, all gathered from H&M and Forever21 who are always on point and reasonably priced when it comes to jewellery.

Statement necklaces by a-greenslade featuring a wooden pendant necklace

Forever 21 flower statement necklace
£13 - forever21.com

Forever 21 cluster necklace
£8.36 - forever21.com

H M sparkle jewelry
£13 - hm.com

Forever 21 necklace
£8.52 - forever21.com

H M short necklace
£9.99 - hm.com

H M wooden pendant necklace
£7.99 - hm.com

               

In the nud

I love a good old smokey eye, in fact I love creating eyeshadow looks. When I put my make up on I go to town on the eyeshadow, making it the main feature, then when it comes to the lips only a nude will do. Now, I know we are heading into summer where I hear bold pinks are hot but I think there is still time to channel our inner Kylie Jenner, minus a shot class and bruised lips. A nude for one person may not be a nude for another, so I am basing these on what suits my olive skin tone.

1 MUA | Shade 11

I had been on the hunt for this shade for months, even my boyfriend remembers the famous 'shade 11'  quest of 2014. Now, you can't go wrong with MUA lipsticks. They are creamy, they glide on and stay on the lips. A real no nonsense lippy and for £1 you really can't go wrong.   

2 Maybelline | 630 Nude perfection 

These Maybelline colour drama chunky lip pencils are the bomb. Great colour collection and a soft and smooth application. 'Nude perfection' is a colour moving onto the brown side of the nudes.

3 Loreal | Collection Privee by Eva
This was the first nude I bought in my collection and it still remains my favourite, almost like a first child. I went for the 'Eva' shade as I thought this would be the best match for my skin tone. A lovely rosey nude with a smooth, long lasting finish. 

4 MAC | Fast Play 
Ok yes, this maybe a little bit of a cheat. An intruder to the nude family but I would say it is a neutral colour that looks great paired with a smokey eye. A deep brown with a tint of berry. 

5 Rimmel 1000 kisses lip pencil | 050 Tiramisu
Great to line the lips or to add an all over colour. Not scratchy like many over lip pencils and cheap. However it does leave me craving some tiramisu.