Bag Lady

How cute is this quilted monochrome rucksack? I picked it up in Primark, and thought it would be perfect to take on the plane, rather than a handbag. I can also use it over there when I'm out and about during the day. I'm not a rucksack person at all, but this one is quite chic.

I like to carry some essentials with me in my handbag, so that they are within easy reach. I always remove my make-up once I get onto the plane, and moisturise my skin with some heavy duty cream, as my skin tends to get very dry on flights, especially long haul. I've also packed my Caudalie Beauty Elixir to freshen up every so often, my L'Occitane Moisturising Lip Balm to banish chapped lips, and some self-explanatory hand sanitiser.

Anyone who knows me well will know that I get cold very easily, so I also pack a pair of socks to keep my tootsies nice and warm. Other essentials include my Kindle (I am the true definition of a book worm), ipod, camera and my cute little neck pillow, aka George. I'm pretty sure it's for kids, but I don't care :-) it's very comfortable and supportive.

What do you pack in your handbag for a flight?

All I need in this life of sin...

...is me and my girlfriends! I am so excited (and tired) as I type, I can barely contain myself. After months of anticipation, tomorrow I am jetting off to Las Vegas for my cousin's hen party - or should I say bachelorette!

I've been pretty slack on the blogging front lately, but I've been trying to organise myself for this trip, which doesn't leave much energy for anything else. I've never been good at packing; I can never seem to decide what to take and what to leave, and I always end up taking everything but the kitchen sink, 'just in case'! But fear not, I shall be back with a blogging vengeance on my return from Sin City, armed with plenty of pictures and stories and make-up goodies. As excited as I am for the crazy parties, I cannot wait to hit the drugstores and malls for some beauty bits!

Now while I don't mind sharing the make-up bits, the rest will have to remain a mystery. You know what they say...what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas! Totally awesome...

See you in a week!

Crazy for Coral

If I had to choose one colour to sum up summer days for me, it would be coral. I love the way it works against my skin tone, whether it's on my lips or my nails, or like these wide legged trousers. I picked them up in a H&M sale last year for a bargain £7. Palazzo pants are a great alternative to wear in the summer when you don't feel like baring all. They feel really free and floaty and I find them incredibly comfortable. This pair is a great length; long enough to wear with heels, but they also work with flat sandals without dragging on the floor.

I wore this outfit out to dinner for my sister's birthday. We've been having some fantastic weather lately, so I thought it was time to pull out some coral! I like the sequinned sleeves on this otherwise plain t shirt. They add a bit of jazz to a simple outfit.

Top - Topshop
Trousers - H&M
Bag - H&M
Sunglasses - Chanel

What a Delight

Nothing says luxury like Chanel, non? From the Summertime de Chanel 2012 collection, Delight is a uber-pigmented metallic number. It's a bronzey gold colour, and although it is very shimmery and looks incredibly textured, it is smooth to the touch.

It went on perfectly in one coat, very opaque, and you could leave it at that. But I decided to wear 3 coats for a dramatic finish. The application was very easy, no streaking or patchiness. I was dreading the moment when I come to remove it, but in my excitement I managed to make a bit of a mess, and discovered that it comes off very easily, no excessive rubbing required.

As with all the Chanel polishes, I'm sure there will be many cheaper dupes available soon, if there aren't already.

That Shit Cray

There is no rest for the wicked! On Sunday night I was off to the O2 to see two of hip hop's finest, Jay Z and Kanye West perform. Now I've been to my fair share of concerts, but this was really something else. The atmosphere of a live concert is something you can only truly understand through experience, and this was no disappointment. Our seats were perfect, the crowd was hyped, and the buzz was contagious. Not only did the duo sing songs, off their recent collaboration album Watch The Throne, they each sang some of their solo material, with Jay Z digging deep into his archive. And to go out in true diva style, they sang Paris SIX TIMES! I was in my element!

But that wasn't the best bit! Out of the 5 nights that they are performing at the O2, I was lucky enough to be there the night Rihanna made a surprise appearance! She sang two songs with her mentors, and I was so excited I almost peed my pants! Ok not really, but all that screaming and shouting has left me with a very sore throat that feels rather like sandpaper...ouch.

I wanted to wear something comfy but dressy, and I ended up wearing a dipped hem skirt with a loose fitting knitted tee. I don't really like to wear all black everything (see what I did there ;-)) so I mixed it up a bit with my belt and shoes. Not forgetting my new sparkly clutch bag! It reminds me of the Zara one from last year, that I always wanted but never bought, only it was about half the price. It's the perfect shape and size for all my bits and bobs, and hellooo, it's sparkly!

Jumper - H&M
Skirt - Primark
Shoes - Faith
Clutch - H&M
Rings - Miss Selfrifge/Topshop
Necklace - Topshop
Belt - Accessorize

Did anyone else Watch the Throne? What did you think of it?

Glitz and Glam

As much as I love lounging around in my pyjamas, I do leave the house occasionally. One of the best bits of going out, if not the best, is the getting ready. I was going to a party that had a black tie theme, so I wore a long black one-shouldered dress covered in sparkles. What's not to love.

I wasn't feeling particularly inspired with my make-up, so I went for a basic smoky eye and nude lip. Add some customary bling to my fingers and ears, and I was ready to dance the night away.

My make-up lasted the whole night, and taking into consideration the humidity, numerous jaeger bombs and 3am exit, this was a wonderful surprise.

Obligatory toilet photo (what is it with girls?!)

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse

'Lips say yes to this Caresse'.What a funny little slogan. But in fact, they have a point, because that is exactly what my lips are saying.

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse is a cross between a lipstick and a balm. It is very lightweight on the lips, and feels incredibly soft. What I love most about 07 Cheeky Magenta is that it adds a bright pop of colour without being too bold. I have nothing against a stand-out lip, but there is a time and place, and when it isn't the time or the place, this suits me just fine. It has a moisturising glossy finish without the stickiness of a lipgloss. It doesn't really smell of anything, but when it's on my lips I can taste Refreshers (the sweets), but it so light that I'm not sure I can taste anything after all...hmm.

There are 10 shades in this collection, which include pinks, reds and nudes. I am also keen on trying Aphrodite Scarlet, which looks like a raspberry-ish colour, and Dating Coral. Unfortunately I am yet to come upon any one of these which hasn't been smushed to death. :-/

Blue hue

Just like yellow, I am not too keen on blue polish. That is until I saw this beauty! This brilliant blue shade is Nails Inc's Baker Street. It is vibrant and bold and oh-so-dramatic (who doesn't love some drama!?), and I love the way it looks on my hands. I applied two coats followed by my faithful China Glaze quick dry top coat for the perfect finish. I really do like the way Nails Inc polishes go on. The brush is the perfect size, and the consistency of this shade especially is fantastic.

I received many a compliment on this cobalt hue, and after 5 days of wear, there are no chips or major tip wear. That's enough to keep me coming back for more!

This is also the shade that Beyonce wore in tribute to her baby girl Blue Ivy, on her first public appearance following her birth. Great minds, ey?!

What do you think of Baker Street?

Lumi Magique Primer

What they say: A light replenishing base which illuminates the skin. It may be used as a base or alone. A fresh, light and silky soft formula that provides 8 hours of hydration.


When I first saw this, I didn't really think much of it. That is, until I saw it on Anna's blog, and she likened it to the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector, something that I have had my eye on after seeing it feature heavily in the Pixiwoo and Lisa Eldridge makeup videos.

At first glance, the product appears very shimmery. But when applied to my face, it is not the case, and I think I prefer this. I think it may be because of my darker skin tone. I wear it underneath my foundation as a base, and it makes my skin look more illuminating and healthier. It feels silky smooth when applied, and gives a dewy finish, which I definitely enjoy.

It isn't at all drying to my skin, and it works very well as a primer. I don't use a primer on a day-to-day basis, only if I'm going out and thus wearing more make-up than normal, but I have been using this, and I found that my make-up lasted much better, and by the evening it was still in excellent condition.

In the summer months, when I don't like wearing foundation, I look forward to using this on top of my moisturiser. It retails at £9.99 for 20ml, which I think is pretty reasonable.

Do you use any illuminating products?

P.S To my 4 followers, thank you! Woohoo!

Heart of Gold

Is it just me or has this 'long' weekend gone by extremely quickly? Yesterday I went to watch The Avengers, and this is what I wore. I love the gold glitter heart on this grey Topshop vest, but it did shed quite a bit, and made me look like I had dandruff on my jacket sleeves. Not very attractive, let me tell you. I know it's a bit matchy-matchy, but I think the knuckleduster goes well with it.

I wasn't too sure about the necklace at first; I couldn't quite figure out whether the neon accents were too childlike. The multi-coloured ribbon reminds me of those necklaces you could get from fun fairs that have a flashing light up shape on the end. No, just me then? I think the spikes won me over.

Despite the rain I just can't bear to wear boots again. I hate wearing boots and only wear them in the winter because I hate being cold more. Okay so technically speaking these are boots, but they have a peep toe, which makes them acceptable to wear in spring weather.

 

Vest - Topshop
Jeans - Topshop
Ring - Topshop
Boots - ASOS
Necklace - New Look

Hope you all had a fab weekend! Back to work tomorrow :(