My Favourites: Urban Decay #2

A few months back I initiated a mini series of posts here on the blog in order to show you my favourites products of a specific brand. Having started with Sleek MakeUp (read more here), it is time I turn to the trustworthy and beloved high-end brand, Urban Decay. Simply put UD is a brand that fails to disappoint me. It may very well be my favourite cosmetic brand of all time, not just because of their famous eyeshadow palettes, but because of the great quality they offer across all of their products. With the difficult task of only picking a handful, these are my must haves and absolute favourites.

Naked Eyeshadow Palette £38

Quite possibly the most iconic palette of all time, this is a must have for every beauty lover, full stop. Its shades are buttery, pigmented and a dream to work with. They all blend beautifully and if you do not have yet have it, do yourself a favour and pick it up. You will not regret it.

Naked Smoky Eyeshadow Palette £38

If you come here often you will know I recently reviewed this gorgeous little thing, so for swatches and more details see here. In short, this has been the palette I've been reaching for this fall. It contains a mix of light and darker shades allowing you to create looks ideal for both day and night. This is a limited edition, so if you haven't got yours yet, check it out before it's gone.

Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Foundation £27

I first heard of this over at Dani's YouTube channel, and given I am a massive fan, I just had to try her favourite foundation of all time. Despite being a little more liquid than my usual bases, this foundation ticks every box for me. It truly feels like the first foundation I've felt perfectly comfortable to wear due to its lightweight, soft and extremely blendable formula. It has a semi-matte finish, it is not at all cakey, hides the imperfections well and just has great coverage with not much product need. I honestly cannot recommend this enough; my shade is 2.0.

Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer £17.50

I'm sure we have all read a vast number of reviews on this product, so all I will say is that this is the best concealer I have ever used. Originally I wanted the NARS one, but I'm so glad I picked this up instead. I wear the Light Warm shade and whilst it does not 100% cover my naturally dark circles, it masks them pretty well, stays in place throughout the day and does not settle into fine lines. What more could we want?

Naked Flushed £22.50 

This palette makes every day contouring a breeze. In the shade Naked, the bronzer is beautifully matte, suits my skin tone perfectly and applies well. The blush is rather pink and the highlighter is a subtle, not too sparkly, gorgeous shade. The trio is extremely pigmented, easy to blend and shades are buildable.

Other favourites include the Naked 3 (perfect for spring), the 24/7 glide eye pencil (smokey eyes anyone?) and the All Nighter setting spray. It is fair to say that I adore all things Urban Decay and can't wait to get my hands on the new Vice palette. Not sure when that comes out over here in the UK but have you seen the shades, two words: fab-ulous!

These are my UD favourites, what are yours? Let me know below!

Thank you for reading beauties and have an amazing Sunday!

xoxo

London Fashion Weekend 2015: The Ultimate Fashion Experience

Fashion Week is a huge scene for all fashion lovers and I made it my mission not to miss it this year. Whilst I caught up with on catwalks online, I wanted to be part of it, to be there and to be able to experience the magic. Thankfully, a friend and I scored tickets to the London Fashion Weekend, which follows the London Fashion Week, and it was one of the best days out I've had in a long time.

Held at the Saatchi gallery, #LFWend included exclusive shopping from over 150 brands, trends and designer catwalks, panel discussions, make-up and hair workshops and a whole lot of fun. Our day started with the designer catwalk, more specifically, House of Holland. Henry's collection focused on autumn and winter trends for this year, and whilst pieces were daring and a little too out there for my personal taste, I loved the display of colour, prints and different fabrics used in his pieces.

Following the catwalk (which was over way too soon, what is up with that?!), we made our way to the shopping floor to peruse some amazing collections; from coats, to ball gowns, from shoes, to awesome handbags, you name it, they had it all! The variety of ready-to-buy items directly from the catwalk was huge, too bad most of it was way out of my budget. One thing we could afford was make-up, and with a massive pop-up from Maybelline we simply couldn't stop ourselves!

For the day, I chose a simple, yet comfy outfit and I love how "schoolgirl" I looked! Pleats are slowly coming back into fashion and you can never go wrong with a pair of oxfords for comfort and style.

Knit: Primark (similar here) // Necklace: Accessorize (similar here)

Pleated Skirt: Matalan (similar here) // Brogues: New Look (similar here)

Not only was #LFWend a buzzing atmosphere and certainly the ultimate fashion experience, we walked away with lots of freebies in hand, including a tote bag designed by Mary Katrantzou, Maybelline samples, fashion magazines, delicious snacks and a polaroid picture courtesy of Sunglasses Hut. I am happy to have been able to attend this year and already looking forward to next year.

Have you ever been to #LFW or #LFWend? Let me know below!

Thank you for reading beauties!

xoxo

A/W 2015/16 Trends: Chloé Drew Inspired Saddle Bag

If I had to choose one and only one item for this fall, the Chloé Drew bag sure comes to mind. The design of this dream piece is essentially a modernised version of saddle bags, which are quite possibly one of the season’s trendiest looks. It has a boho vibe to it, but think boho chic with no necessary fringes to make a statement. It comes in different colours and sizes but my favourite was always the one in tan. Not only it is a beautiful shade, tan seems to be the shade of the season, wouldn't you agree? Suede skirts, brogues, boots, saddle bags…tan is all I can think of.

“Drew” is everywhere you look. From our beloved Pinterest where we search for inspiration, to fashion blogs we all love and envy, to the London Fashion Week; everywhere! And whilst I'm sure most of us would love to proudly wear such a gorgeous piece, our bank accounts would most definitely cry if we chose to take the plunge. I say this because *surprise surprise*, this little beauty, yet rather expensive bag has a not-so-beautiful price tag of £700 (or more, depending on the style). Not prepared to pay such price, it was either lust forever or find a cheaper alternative. I chose the latter, all in the name of fashion.

Peplum Jacket: Matalan (here) // Boho Earrings: market (similar here) 

Pointed Heels: Primark (similar here)

Saddle Bag: Accessorize (here, Chloé here, similar here) 

Paying a fraction of that hefty price tag (£29 to be exact) and going “budget” all over is how I like to keep things around here. Affordable fashion makes me happy, designer pieces are not always necessary to be on trend and this is what I wanted to prove with this look. Let me know below what you think!

Thank you for reading beauties!

xoxo 

The Style Edition Glossybox - September 2015

I've got 3 words for you: Best Glossybox Ever!!! I know I am a little late to the party but this is a too good of a box not to share! You will agree with me that the design is simply gorgeous; I personally love these types of boxes way more over the ordinary ones and the goodies this month are perfect. 

Featuring 5 full sized items and estimated at a whopping value of £62 or more, the £10 price tag seems like a sweet deal, and it totally is. Put together to take us through fall and the London Fashion Week, we have a variety of haircare and make-up items, which are all definitely right up my alley. 

Maria Nila Luminous Colour Hair Masque | £18.95

My favourite item in this box, this masque comes at the right time as my hair is in desperate need of moisture and nourishment. 100% vegan, sulphate and paraben free I am already making my way to glossier locks!

Nails Inc Nail Polish shade Uptown | £15

With a choice of either this or a khaki shade, I think I would have preferred the latter. My mum loves it but not at all my choice of colour for fall. Very similar to an Essie polish I have, I hope this is just as long lasting. What do you guys think about this brand? I've heard great things but the price tag isn't pretty at all.

Bellápierre Shimmer Powder shade Whesek | £12.99
Marsk Eyeshadow Brush Pro | £13.49

The perfect "greige" shade, I love how pigmented this powder is as it looks perfect for a night out and a more dramatic look. With its perfect side kick, a girl can never have too many precise brushes, am I right?

Invisibobble Traceless Hair Rings | £3.75

And last but not least, I think we have all seen these mini telephone cords around, and they are clever little things. Designed not to break or damage your hair, these will come in handy on dirty hair/ponytail day.

Great box, wouldn't you agree? Next month we have a primer/day cream coming worth £25 and I am definitely looking forward to it.

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead beauties!

xoxo

A/W 2015/16 Trends: Red is HOT

Red screams passion, love and sensuality and we are most definitely on a high red alert for this autumn. Red draws attention and as seen on the London Fashion Week AW15 catwalks, vibrant yet healthy and warm sanguineous shades are all the rage and a few items are simply must haves in every girl’s closet. 

Whether you choose to rock that wine-coloured blazer, handbag or heels, the key is to keep things simple. Pair it either with more neutral items; you cannot go wrong with black and metallic, prints or even similar shades. If done right, red suits all skin tones and provides the perfect touch of romance to any outfit. Do it like House of Holland, Temperley or Christopher Kane in the LFW, because everywhere you turn this fall, red red red is what you are bound to see.

Leather Jacket: Matalan (similar here) // Drop Earrings: Primark (similar here)
Tutu Midi Skirt*: Dressgal (here) // Retro Sunglasses: zeroUV (here)
Red Pointed Heels: Matalan (similar here) // Cross Body Bag*: Dressgal (here)

Red with black: is there a better colour combination for the colder days? Red heels, lips and nails add the perfect touch of colour; Kiko’s True Red lipstick  is one of my favourite shades for autumn and do I even need to mention how much I love Essie’s Forever Yummy nail polish? What do you think of this outfit?

For a 20% discount on any order over $60 at Dressgal, I have a coupon for y'all "CKBG20". Enjoy!

Thank you for visiting beauties and see you soon!

xoxo

*Gifted items. All opinions are my own (disclaimer here).

"Hair Contouring": The New Hair trend

Just as we are finally getting into grips with face contouring, a new trend hits us in the head (literally): Hair Contouring. If you are like me, and still has trouble to master the art that is contouring, this new trend may be just perfect for you. Forget drawing lines on your face in the attempt to have well-defined cheekbones like Kim K, hair contouring proves to be a much easier concept to get on board, mostly because you are simply paying someone else to do the job. 

But what is hair contouring, you may ask. The idea is to freehand colour hair giving it a less stripy, more natural look to highlights. Despite being similar to its cousins ombré, bronde, and balayage, hair contouring is meant to better frame your face by highlighting parts like your cheekbones and creating the impression of depth and density. "Highlighting and shading certain parts of the hair can create the illusion of a different face shape, depending on what you want to accentuate", explains Nick Penna (a colourist and the owner of SalonCapri in Boston) via Allure. "Just like the makeup technique, light shades are for highlighting and darker shades are for creating a shadow effect”, Nick also explains.

Instagram is the perfect place for some inspiration for you and your hairdresser, simply search #haircontouring to "oohh and aahh" over some amazing hair colours.

A photo posted by ♉️Michela Picone (@mikyemi1) on Jul 10, 2015 at 3:07pm PDT

A photo posted by Isabel Salon (@isabelsalonimagen) on Sep 14, 2015 at 10:09am PDT

A photo posted by liz tunguia 👑💕 (@liz_tunguia) on Sep 10, 2015 at 1:38pm PDT

And my own take on this trend:

Call it ombré, bronde, balayage or hair contouring; there is no better time to experience with a bit of colour, whatever the trend may be named. Unlike some weird hair trends from last season (remember the granny hair?), hair contouring is very much real and here to stay. What do you think, yay or nay? Let me know below beauties! 

Hair contouring, face contouring, body contouring, eye contouring, what is next?
Thank you for reading and have a nice week ahead! 

xoxo 

Veeda Natural Cotton Tampons & Towels

Given most of my readers are females, what better place to talk about important women stuff. We girls have periods, period. It may be embarrassing for some to openly speak about menstruation and vajayjays, but I'm not at all shy about this kind of stuff. Talking about feminine care is just as important, if not more, than beauty and fashion. Veeda have opened my eyes about how my usual pads brand could be affecting my health and this is what I've learned. 

Did you know that our conventional tampons and pads from well-known brands are often made from blends of bleached cotton and/or synthetic products? Yes, nasty stuff I was not aware of either. Most products contain dioxins from the bleaching process, pesticide and herbicide residues, synthetic chemicals, artificial fragrances, and dyes. All of these “ingredients” are often not even displayed on packages because it is not something required by the law, what is up with that! As a result, all of the above can potentially increase the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS), irritation, and allergic reactions. 

This is where Veeda come in. Veeda strive to create and provide natural feminine care products that are 100% natural, bleach free and chemicals free that work just as well as our beloved brands. Having had my fair share of health problems in the downstairs area, I'm glad to find a brand that reduces the risk of reactions and irritations and one that discloses all of its ingredients proudly. And if that wasn't enough, it has been medically proven that using Veeda also reduces the risk of TSS. 

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is caused by a bacterial infection which can attack the major organs and it is often associated with conventional tampon use. You may think this is a thing of the past but current stats are: 1 in 700 girls are still bound to suffer from TSS in their lifetime as leading brands still fail to use natural ingredients only. If I can reduce the risk of being that 1 in 700, I will and Veeda products are the ones I will be choosing going forward. Made from hypo-allergenic, 100% natural cotton and nastiness free, Veeda Tampons and Towels* are the smarter choice for me.

From prices starting at only £1.85 at Boots, I am convinced and will be saying adios to my current pads brand. What do you think, will you be making the switch too? Let me know below!

Thank you for reading beauties and have a lovely weekend!

xoxo

*PR samples. All opinions are my own (disclaimer here).

Autumn's Must Haves

The sun isn't shining as brightly anymore, the air is crispy and the leaves are everywhere but on trees…welcome to autumn! I don’t think I have ever looked forward to autumn as much as I am this year. Perhaps because I am surrounded by amazing fashionistas and countless inspiration sources, this fall promises to be a beautiful season with amazing key looks I am sure we are all coveting already. As with summer, autumn arrives with worthy trends as seen on the catwalk making fall fashion a whole lot of fun; think bold colours, layering, textures and denim! If you are in a desperate need of a wardrobe update, these are the hottest items out there and absolute must haves to stay right on trend this chilly season.

From mini skirts to waterfall coats, trusty boots and 70's inspired accessories; make the shift between seasons smooth and quicken your way to gorgeous AW style with these pieces that are proving to be the top must-haves. The array of versatile and cosy basics are the perfect way to jump in with both feet, after all your wardrobe just can’t do without these fabulous trends.

Shop these key items:

Warehouse Denim Dress / MANGO Knit / Ralph Lauren Turtle-neck  / AX Paris Waterfall Coat / Ichi Winter Blazer / New Look Gillet  / MANGO Denim Jumpsuit / Oasis A-Line Denim Skirt / New Look A-Line Suede Skirt / AX Paris Over-the-knee Boots

 H&M Suede Loafers / Ankle Boots / Oasis Lace-Ups / Deena Ozzy Rucksack / Fringed Bag / Zara Bag / LK Bennett Shawl / MANGO Fedora / Naked Smoky

Are you excited for fall fashion just as I am? Expect more #LookOfTheDay posts featuring many of these soon! Until then, wish me luck as I start planning our big day!

Have a lovely end of the week and weekend ahead beauties!

xoxo