The Christmas Edit 2015

 

 Hello and Merry (after) Christmas!

I can't believe it's already the 28th December and that Christmas is over and done with as the new year quickly approaches. The build up to the 25th was hectic; uni was busy and the stress of present shopping was getting to me, but the big day itself was great even if my excitement for it dwindles as the years go on. I have about 2 weeks until term starts again and two essays to write before I go back to university, so the Christmas spirit has certainly gone into hibernation for another year already. 

I was thoroughly spoiled this year by my family and received some wonderful presents, a few of which I thought I'd share! 

 This gorgeous black velvet bra with sheer detailing is from Topshop. I'd had my eye on it and the matching bottoms for a while as they look so chic and modern and wearing nice matching underwear always makes for a great day. Topshop have a great selection of pretty bras at the moment which I would definitely recommend checking out.

One of my favourite gifts that I received was Chanel Chance Eau Vive from my grandparents. Months ago I had tried this out in Boots when buying my Chanel eyeshadow quad and since then it had been top of my wishlist. The floral-zesty fragrance is to die for and a perfect light everyday scent. For the past year or so, I've been experimenting with different perfumes, trying to find 'my scent' and I think this is a strong contender. It's feminine and fun with a hint of that Chanel sophistication that I just love. 

Another favourite was this Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick in 'Very Victoria'. I love Charlotte Tilbury; everything about her make up is perfect and I really want to build up my collection of it. This is my first CT lipstick so I wanted to go for a shade that I would cherish- a nude of course. 'Very Victoria' is a rosy-brown shade that I know I'm going to use almost every day.

As well as the CT Matte Revolution lipstick, I also received the mini lipstick charms in the shades 'Bitch Perfect', 'Penelope Pink' and 'So Marilyn'. These were a total surprise as I hadn't put them on my list, but I really love them. They do live up to their name and are very mini for the price but the shades are beautiful and a great way to try out the K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks. 

These shoes. Oh my God. I'd had these on my Asos wishlist for so long. They are so unique and I've never seen anything like them before. I can't wait to style these with some tights and an A-Line skirt or a pair of mom jeans. I love that they're so versatile- you can dress them up or down and wear them in summer and winter.

It's one of my New Year's resolutions to read more (as it is every year), not just novels, but books about style and fashion. It's my goal to one day work in fashion, whether that be writing or styling  and as I approach term two at University, I'm starting to think about work experience and internships. Working in fashion is obviously very competitive these days, so I need to do all I can to stand out. As well as really working on my blog in the new year and contributing to the newspaper and magazine at Uni, my goal is to read up on fashion and styling, trying to learn as much as I can. I asked for the book 'Love x Style x Life' by Garance Doré as she epitomises everything I aspire to be. Her book gives insight into her musings on elegance, style, love and life and I feel that I can definitely learn a lot from this book as well as from others like 'Front Roe' by Louise Roe, which I also received.

Hope you enjoyed a little insight into what I got for Christmas! Like I said, I was very spoiled and I'm so incredibly grateful. I hope you had a wonderful December 25th, whatever you celebrated and continue to enjoy the rest of the year!

French Faux // OOTD

Hello!

Whilst digging through my blog photo archives on my laptop, I came across this OOTD that I never got around to posting.

 I wanted to style this amazing pleather skirt that I'd gotten from Asos and as I was taking the photos, my mum suggested I throw on a coat too. She pulled out this gorgeous vintage designer faux fur coat and I immediately fell in love. My parents used to sell designer clothes and this piece was from a French collection and I guess my mum just couldn't part with it! It looks so chic and sophisticated and pairs really well with the high necked jumper I'm wearing. I don't think my mum will be getting this coat back any time soon!

Jumper: H&M

Skirt: Asos

Boots: BooHoo

Coat: Vintage

Clinique Pop Lip Colour and Primer // 5 Minute Faves

Hello!

Here's a quick review of a product I got recently and have been loving!

I recently bought the December issue of Glamour magazine as I was drawn to the the Clinique freebies this issue. I've been wanting to try out their Pop Lip colours for ages as they seem like the perfect grab and go make up item due to their duel function as a primer too. I suffer from dry lips so with it's supposed 8 hour moisturising effects, it seemed like the perfect lip product for me.

With the magazine there was a choice between a red and a nude colour and I went for nude as I wanted something to put on every day that will go with whatever eye look I decide to do. The colour is 'Nude Pop' and it's a lovely rosey pink colour. 

The finish is supposedly a demi-matte, but I would say it's more glossy and sheer. The colour pay off is still good and there is a hint of sparkle running through the colour. It's lightweight and does keep my lips hydrated. 

Despite being a sample, the lipstick is a good size and great for carrying around everywhere. The full size retails at £16 and there's a really great range of shades that I'll definitely be trying out now that I've fallen in love with this one.

Let me know what you think of these quick little reviews!

That's a Wrap // OOTD

Hello!

I recently got this amazing black wrap top from Monki and couldn't wait to style it. I love Monki's selection of sleek, minimalist clothes and their clothes really fit with the direction that I want to take my wardrobe in.

I feel like the top looks so much more expensive and high fashion than it really is; it makes me feel so chic and I have to stop myself from wearing it everyday because I love it so much!

I went for a fairly monochrome look, breaking up the black with my camel winter coat, but I can't wait to style the top with something bright like some crazy printed trousers or a block colour skirt.

Top: Monki (bought on Asos)

Trousers: Urban Outfitters (old)

Shoes: New Look (bought on Asos)

Coat: Forever 21

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NARS x Steven Klein 'A Woman's Face' Neutral Lip Set // Review & Swatches

Hello!

As well as purchasing the NARS x Steven Klein eyeshadow palette (blog post here!), I also couldn't resist getting this lip set as I'm a sucker for a nude lip. Priced at £29, the set comes with 3 products; a lip liner, lipstick and a matte lip pencil.

The set includes the much loved shade of lipstick and lip pencil, 'Dolce Vita' which is what drew me to it. I already own a full size matte lip pencil in the shade and love it so much so I couldn't wait to get my hands on a set that includes 2 other lip products like it.

The products are mini, but not so small that they won't last you a good amount of time. I think the lipstick is actually full size but the packaging just seems smaller than usual, meaning this set is an absolute steal at £29 considering NARS lipsticks are around £20.

Bottom-Top: Lipstick in 'Dolce Vita', Lipliner in 'Patong Beach' and Matte Lip pencil in 'Dolce Vita'.

Lipstick in 'Dolce Vita'

The lipstick is a pretty nude pink shade with a sheer finish. It's glossy and smooth and glides on to the lips well. Despite being sheer, the colour is quite pigmented and doesn't look washed out. This is definitely a great every day shade and will go with almost any eye look.

Lipliner in 'Patong Beach'

The lipliner is in a very similar muted red shade to the matte lip pencil. It's creamy and extremely long lasting. It's quite matte, so I think it could be a little drying if you were to wear this all day by itself.

Matte Lip Pencil in 'Dolce Vita'

This is already a fave lip product of mine. I love the muted red/nude shade which can add something different to your everyday lip. The pencil is so creamy and applies really well. Despite being matte, I don't find this drying at all and the pencil offers a really bright colour even with one layer.

Overall I'm so happy I snapped this up before it sold out! I can already tell I'm going to get so much use out of this kit and will definitely be trying out more NARS products in the future!

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NARS x Steven Klein 'Dead Of Summer' Eye Palette // Review & Swatches

Hello!

NARS have always been a brand that I've wanted to try out properly but never have. I own one matte lip pencil from the brand and that was it until I saw the new collection in collaboration with photographer Steven Klein. 

When I first found out about the collab, I was immediately drawn to this eye palette. I thought it was a good first big NARS purchase as it had such beautiful and versatile shades, plus it came with a black eyeliner pencil and seemed pretty good value for the £29 it costs on the NARS website.

The palette includes 4 shades of the much coveted Duel-Intensity eyeshadows; 3 which are new and one which has been previously released. 

From left to right the shades are: Studly, Stag Film, Subra and Blackmail. Of the four, Subra is the already existing shade.

Studly is a gorgeous, bright shimmery gold. It's very yellow toned and is lovely as an inner corner highlight or as an all over lid shade. Stag Film is the shade that I was most excited about. It's a beautiful cool toned rose gold with hints of lilac. On me, it does come off a little darker than expected, which I was a little disappointed about as sometimes it seems a little heavy for every day, but for evening wear it works so well. Subra is a shimmery burgundy shade which comes of quite purple. As I have very pale skin, it does appear quite dark on me so I have to be light handed if I want to use this during the day. I also found this a little messy to blend- it was hard to get a good, even smokey look without it looking like a black eye! The last shade Blackmail is a matte shade, the only matte of the palette, which appears to have a hint of red or purple when swatched. It's not a true black shade but that doesn't matter as it means it ties in much better with the other shades.

The mini Larger Than Life Eyeliner in Via Veneto is very pigmented and creamy. I've only used it to do a swatch so far, but that was hell to get off with a make up wipe so I assume it has some mad staying power which I plan to test out properly soon.

From bottom to top: Studly, Stag Film, Subra, Blackmail and Via Veneto

For my look I used Stag Film as an all over lid shade. I then took Subra on a pencil brush to define my crease and to add depth to the outer corner of my eyes. I then winged this shade out slightly. I took the bright gold shade Studly and used it to highlight the inner corners of my eyes and ran the first shade, Stag Film, under my eyes to create a subtle smokey eye. I finished off the look with some liner and mascara.

I used these shades dry but I plan to experiment with them wet to see how the pigmentation changes. 

I really love this palette and it's definitely going to be a firm favourite in my make up collection this season. After trying these eyeshadows, I'm keen to purchase some more Duel-Intensity shades to play around with!

Look out for my review on the NARS x Steven Klein Lip set in 'A Woman's Face' which will be up in a few days!

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YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick 304 'Golden Copper'

Hello!

First of all, sorry for the awful lack of posts in the last month; I started University at the beginning of October and it has been non-stop since day one! I've been collecting lots of beauty and clothing bits together but haven't had the chance to actually make blog posts about them until now.

I've been using my student loan wisely by spending it on a ridiculous amount of high end make up recently. When you don't have time to go to the student union bar you've got to put the money to good use in another way right?! I recently purchased this amazing YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in the shade 'Golden Copper'. I ordered it online so there was a bit of a gamble regarding the colour as there was no real example of it, but I was drawn to the name (I can't resist anything copper) and thought I'd give it a go.

The shade is the most perfect colour for Autumn/Winter. It lives up to it's name, being a warm copper hue with a hint of pink, making it slightly rose gold. It's a metallic, satin finish which is very unusual for me as I'm a matte lip girl, but I love it because it's so different- it the perfect look for a party.

The lipstick is very smooth and creamy and not drying at all. The only warning I do have is that, because of it's metallic finish, it does settle into the cracks in your lips, accentuating them slightly.

My pictures don't quite do this shade justice so I would definitely try keep an eye out for this so you can marvel at the unique colour yourself!

As it's YSL it comes at a pricey £25, but you can almost justify it with the signature chic gold packaging and the fact that you probably won't find such a beautifully different shade anywhere else.

You can purchase this lipstick at feelunique here!

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5 Essential Non-Essentials for University

Moving away from the comfort and familiarity of your home to go to University is a daunting thing and student halls aren't always the most homely of places. I decided to put together a little list of things to take to University that you may not necessarily need but may make your dorm room a little more bearable.

1. A Plant: This may seem like an obvious one. It's a well known thing that adding some greenery to a room livens it up greatly. If like me, the fear of looking after a living thing that isn't yourself is too much to think about, getting a fake plant can be just as effective. IKEA do a great range of fake and real plants in all sizes as well as a wide selection of colourful pots, so whether you want a large plant that will really make a change to the room or just a trio of small cacti to place on your desk, it's got you covered.

2. Decorations: There's a high chance that your student dorm isn't going to be the most stylish of places. Sadly we can't all have a room like the ones you see in the movies- student accommodation is more hostel than homely and it can be hard to fit into a place that doesn't fit you. Taking a few decorative pieces can add your own personal touch to make your year in dorms a little more bearable. Simple things like fairy lights or decorative accessories to put on your shelves can really make a difference. I bought this copper '&' from Primark to put in my room and spruce it up a little.

3. Pictures of family/friends/favourite bands & art: I think that what you put on your walls says a great deal about who you are. Putting up pictures or posters of your favourite bands or places will let not only let your flatmates know what you're into (and give you something to talk about) but will also make your room feel more comfortable and more you. There's no denying that you'll probably feel a little homesick at Uni so putting up pictures of your family or your friends back home will hopefully be a little comforting and keep you going until you can visit them again. I take a lot of pictures on my phone with my friends and family so I used the app 'LALALAB' to print out some of those photos. It's super simple and there are so many options of sizes and shapes- I went for the polaroid style to match the pictures I take with my instant camera. If you want £5 credit to print out your own memories, you can use my code PGHP4QF9.

4. A camera: So many memories are going to be made at University and capturing them is so important. Taking photos means that you can look back on them in years to come and I am definitely one of those people that love looking at old photos. I've decided to take my Instant Fuji Camera as well as my main camera because it's portable and I love the instant pictures that you can add to your wall straight away. If you don't have a camera to take, don't worry! Phones are just as great, in fact they're probably even better because you can literally take them anywhere and it's so easy to take a photo in the moment with it and share it on social media. Whatever sort of camera you decide to take, just remember to take pictures. Take them whenever and wherever because your future self will thank you for it.

5. Nice Stationery: This one may seem a little unnecessary, but I for one am so much more productive when I'm working on pretty stationery. At Uni, it's up to you to be organised and proactive and it's just way more motivating when you get to write your to-do list in a prettily patterned notebook with some brightly coloured pens. I'm a visual learner so I hate boring stationery and dull black pens to write with- my notes are always super colourful and in eye catching notebooks or folders because I'm just way more likely to actually look at it and revise something! If you only buy one bit of cool stationery then I recommend a planner- a bright and interesting planner will keep you focussed on it and thus focussed on your no doubt hectic schedule also.

So there are 5 things to help make University a little more bearable if you're having a hard time or if your struggling on what to take if you're yet to move like me. I'm moving on Saturday so wish me luck!