5 Good Habits I've Picked Up During Quarantine

Quarantine hasn't been all bad. Granted I've missed shopping trips and seeing friends, but I've come to thoroughly enjoy being at home, making the most of what we have and being thankful for every single moment spent together, watching a show or trying out a new recipe. With quarantine, a few things naturally changed for me and I've ended up picking up a few habits which in my opinion have done a lot of good for my well-being, both physically and mentally and I wanted to share these with you today. Let me know if you can relate to any!

What I've Been Wearing During Quarantine

I'd be lying if I said I've worn anything but loose-fitting clothing ever since quarantine started, and who can blame me. Working from home for almost 2 months now has meant one thing and one thing only, comfort. When I think of comfort the last thing I want to be wearing for 10 hours of work are jeans, tight-fitting work wear (which I've always disliked anyway), and anything that reveals the amount of baking and eating I'm guilty of. Wanting to pick things up once again here in the blog and create content once more, Femme Luxe's email came at the perfect time! I hope you have all missed me as much as I have missed you!

3 Things I Really Dislike About Paris

I've been to Paris not once, not twice but 3 times now and I'd like to think I know the city well enough by now. First two times I visited it was during a rather cold wet winter season. This time round, Paris in July was a very last-minute trip for us. My family was visiting from Brazil for my brother's wedding and my 14-year old cousin begged us to take her to Disneyland given they were already halfway across the globe and Paris was just "there", as she put it. With her 15th birthday coming up, I decided to grant her wish as an early birthday present so we all went. Spending 3 days in Paris reminded me of the things I love about this city but it also highlighted things I did not quite enjoy (to put it lightly). We often read "What you must see in Paris" articles but well, here are a few things no one is talking about enough.

Coral Bridesmaid Outfit: What I Wore To My Brother's Wedding

You've read that right. My little brother who I swear just graduated from university has gotten married. It all happened in the beautiful (albeit too hot) town of Elvas, Portugal a couple of weeks ago. The weather forecast for the day: 38 degrees celsius, the task: to find a bridesmaid worthy outfit that wouldn't suffocate me or give me heatstroke. Glad to report it all ended well and I thought I'd share some shots from the outfit I wore and details about each piece, especially because they were all amazing finds!

It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year: Christmas at Covent Garden

I honestly cannot believe we're less than a month away from Christmas. I'll spare you from the cliché comments like "where has the year gone", "time has flown by", etc, etc. Instead, today I wanted to share a little bit about the lovely day I had with the husband in central London this past weekend. I honestly cannot remember the last time we had gone into London for the weekend (we've clearly become far too lazy after we got married) but determined to make Christmas last as long as possible, I proposed and planned a day to see the sights, enjoy some of the Christmas spirit the city already has to offer and have a great meal out. I can anticipate that all things were successfully accomplished and if you want to see what our day looked like, then keep on reading!

Trying Cult Beauty Brands For The First Time: Huda Beauty

I recently started a new series on the blog, Trying Cult Beauty Brands For The First Time and you all seemed to really enjoyed it so here I am back with another. Read the first instalment here where I talk about a few products from the Balm and Beauty Blender, two amazing brands I now understand what the hype is about. Today, I wanted to try my very first eyeshadow palette from the brand Huda Beauty and see whether I've been missing out or not (spoiler alert, I have!). I'm sure you've heard of it before but in case you've been living under a rock for the past 2 years or so, beauty sensation Huda Kattan launched an eponymous range of award-winning beauty products and has quickly become a global phenomenon. Ranging from all things make-up to skincare and even fragrances, Huda Beauty brings some of the best eyeshadows in the market, trendy lip kits, amazing falsies and is now dipping its toes in base products too like its fairly recently released foundation and concealer, both of which I have on my wishlist. To commence this new beauty journey for me and given my brother was in Portugal where there is a Sephora in every corner, I asked him to pick me up possibly one of the most sold products the range has, a mini obsessions palette, more specifically the Mauve Obsessions palette. Read on to see what I think about it!

All About Animal Print: Snake Print Boots

Trends come and go (and come and go again), and more than ever we've seen this happening lately in fashion. With trends from the 80s and 90s resurfacing it's true what they say, the old is the new. But some trends never really go out of style; they may be more popular one season than another but, as a whole, they're pieces we probably have in our wardrobes all year round and can rely on when putting a killer outfit together.

This season, amongst all the things that will have their five minutes of fame, we saw the return of the animal print (which seems to be sticking around a LOT longer than five minutes). I've talked about the leopard print endlessly here, and how it is a trend that keeps popping up and its updates always feel relevant. In a similar fashion, the snake print is also having its moment, perhaps not quite as big as a leopard, but still worth the attention. Keep on reading!

Fall Go-To Outfit: Knee-High Boots & Midi Dress

Oops, I did it again. I've gone and added yet another pair of boots to the collection (well, truth be told 2 pairs but more on that in an upcoming post). There is a perfectly reasonable explanation behind my recent addition and that is the TV hit show, Friends. Despite being a little longer than 14 years since Friends aired its last episode, this show never gets old. I kid you not, but I must have rewatched the entire thing a good number of times by now, and a couple of weeks back I started it again on good ol' Netflix. Yup, I am a massive Friends fan, I know lines by heart and I love everything about it. Some say the show is somewhat dated, but you will agree with me that the fashion isn't and Rachel Green's wardrobe, especially in season 6 onwards, is still on the money. I recently saw the episode The One With Joey's Porche in which Ross and Rachel try to get an annulment and Rachel is wearing THE most fabulous pair of high boots as they march down to their lawyer's office. The boots (see them here) were glossy, knee-high and with a heel sturdy enough to spend a day stomping around in; she obviously looked fabulous, the boots were absolutely dreamy and were exactly what I wanted in my wardrobe for this winter. So when fashionworld.co.uk got in touch about a collaboration and I saw their boots stock I knew it was the perfect opportunity to get me a pair, so I did!

The Heritage-Inspired Printed Coat Trend

The change of season is well and truly upon us and what I've been loving to wear the most lately are all of my autumn coats. The transition into the new season is the perfect time for that trench style, to add some leather or to opt for heritage-inspired prints. Whilst I love all three trends and have already included them in my coat selection, my favourite has to be the last. Think of all the tartan and check patterns in all sorts of beautiful colours combination; yep that's I've been wearing non-stop. The heritage trend, among a few others, is quite possibly one of the biggest for this season (perhaps it only loses to animal print?). It goes with what autumn is all about, and despite big fashion names like Balenciaga, Calvin Klein and Fendi being responsible for its latest modern update, I love how the high street has quickly caught on making adding one to our wardrobes a whole lot more affordable. Whether heritage coats come fitted or left to fly loose, this is the coat to bet on this season. Keep on reading to see how I styled mine!

The £13 Pompom Jumper I Will Be Wearing On Repeat This Fall

If you know me, you will know I love a good bargain. After many years totally of ignoring it, I've started checking Primark again for on-trend pieces because I didn't want to be spending a fortune on them especially when it is most likely I will only wear them for a season or two, max. It is all part of my shop smarter initiative (if you haven't read the post on this yet check it out here). On most days I choose quality over quantity, but when I laid eyes on this pompom jumper I just couldn't resist adding it to my basket despite not needing yet another jumper added to my autumn wardrobe. It's probably not going to last me more than a season anyway but you will agree with me that it is as cute as can be and for the weather we've been recently having in London, it is just the perfect cosy layer.

Trying Cult Beauty Brands For The First Time: theBalm & Beauty Blender

I haven't shopped for new make-up in ages. Instead, I've been focusing more on skincare products and have recently spent a small fortune since my dermatologist advised me how dehydrated my skin and how it desperately needed some kick power moisturisers. So, when Justmylook.com reached for a potential collab I knew I wanted to get some makeup goodies to satisfy the urge of buying some - the struggle has been real. With amazing brands being stocked at their website, it was the perfect opportunity to try something I had heard of but never tried, so I decided on two brands widely famous that I had yet to try (always late to the party, aren't I?). Keep on reading to see what I picked!

Autumn is Here: How to Wear Leopard Print Shoes

It's no surprise to anyone that leopard print is quite possibly the biggest fashion trend for this season. I'm certainly seeing it everywhere I turn, and believe it or not, it all started back in the 1920s when leopard fur coats were all the rage (thankfully real fur is a thing of the past). By the 1940s, the print got bolder and was seen in anything from evening wear, to swimwear. In the 60s, eye-catching leopard printed accessories were the ones to bet on, and since then the animal print has remained every woman's secret wardrobe weapon. The print instantly pumps up an outfit and matches well with pretty much anything so what's not to love?! I've worn my fair share of leopard print clothing (check these posts here and here), but shoes were something I've had my eyes on for quite some time and really wanted to try to style. Thankfully, the high street is inundated with offerings of this kind, from court shoes to ankle boots, and here are a few tips on how you too can add some "rawwwr" and personality to any outfit by starting with your footwear.

Back To School Edition: Glossybox September 2018

Wow, two weeks off from this little space felt like an eternity. It was however much needed time off considering the number of things I was juggling but I am back and so so happy and to be bringing you one of my favourite posts to write, a Glossybox* review! I try to make these as a light read as possible and I hope you too enjoy reading them. Now, September is one of those gloomy months where we go back to school, uni or work after an amazing summer away and Glossybox, anticipating this, has put together a curated edit to help us get prepped and organised, and I am all for that. Let's see how they did, shall we?

5 Tips On How To Shop Smart This Fall

I recently read Hayley's post on why she has given up on sale shopping (if you haven't read it yet, check it out here), and it really spoke to me as I could relate to pretty much every reason she mentioned. I too was guilty of buying things in the sale that were either too small or too big for me, with the promise I made to myself that I would fit into it one day or get it tailored, only to see the item with its tags still attached a good couple of months later and deciding to send it to a charity. With this in mind, and with the new season steadily approaching, we're all going to want to do some shopping (I know I am considering the massive clearout I had before the seasons changed). But shopping for a new season wardrobe doesn't need to be spending big bucks on various items, I'd rather shop smarter. With these 5 tips I've put together on how to shop smart this autumn (which actually work for any season or any time you fancy shopping at all), I hope you and I can really drive our monthly credit card bills down and became a better shopper going forward. If you too are tired of buying things just for the sake of it and wanna learn a few fail-proof tips, then keep on reading!

Summer 2018: My Latest Outfits From Instagram

Can you tell it's been radio silence over here recently? These past few weeks have been anything but easy when it comes to blogging, and I blame it on the sunshine! Since my holiday at the beginning of July, I've been really enjoying summer and with the prolonged warm weather we've been having (that seems over now doesn't it), I've wanted to be anywhere but behind a computer or a phone, and surely you can relate. It was time I let my hair down, enjoy every single hour of sunshine for walks, outings with friends, camping, and everything I had never done before because let's be frank, the British summer weather never previously allowed for. But, even if pamscalfi.com has been put on the side more often recently, I've been sharing some of my normal day outfits (rather than purposely photographed ones) on my social media and today I wanted to do a rundown of those because I often get asked where stuff is from so maybe this will help. Plus, it gives me an opportunity to link similar items to each look, making your life easier too! You're welcome :)

Long Hair Do Care: L'Oreal Elvive Dream Lengths Long Hair Range

Despite shorter hair being the "it" trend nowadays, my long hair has been my trademark for a good couple of years and I don't think I will part ways with it any time soon. Even though I've always made an effort to care for it, I've struggled to find products that I loved going back to and that were perfectly right for my hair. Having tried various other L'Oreal hair products previously as well as bigger and more expensive brands, and liking them but not loving, washing and caring for my hair previously felt like a chore. The new L'Oreal  Elvive Dream Lengths range for long damaged hair has come to change that (thank goodness!) and I don't think I've been this excited about a drugstore product in years. Wanna know more about what I think of this new hair regime? Then keep on reading!

Two SS18 Trends I Never Thought I'd Be Wearing: Belt Bags & Ckunky Trainers

Confused, intrigued, loving it...yep that's me when it comes to these trends. I remember my father sporting fanny packs back in the day (and me being deeply embarrassed by it). Yet now here I am actually wearing one, in broad daylight for all to see. Similarly, chunky dad trainers were ugly things of the past, and just recently I spent a good hour searching for the right one to purchase online. Have I gone absolutely mad? Maybe so, because despite thinking I would never cave for these insane trends, I'm actually really loving them and not only wearing one of these "bold" statements in an outfit but two, together. 

Heatwave Done Right With My New BFF: Nivea Sun UV Face Shine Control SPF50

After a mini break from the blog, I am glad to be back! And I'm not the only one who's back; the sunshine has come to stay for a couple more days (hopefully a lot more days) and I must say, this must have been one the best summers I've experienced in London in the 13 years I've lived here! Glorious sunshine, temperatures above 25 degrees every day, all the ice cream...what else does a girl need? Oh that's right, sun protection! I know we all need (and long for) some sun exposure especially when summer comes round after long miserable winter days. But too much unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and skin cancer. Remember sun rays are comprised of both UVA and UVB rays. UVA contributes to premature ageing and UVB to sunburns! So whether you're jetting off for a beach holiday or simply relaxing in the garden this summer, protecting your skin from the sun is a key step to achieving and retaining youthful radiance. And with this in mind, I wanted to share a product I found that works amazingly well for just that! Keep on reading to find out more!

Under The Sea: Glossybox July 2018

Continuing from last month's theme (check that out here), for the month of July Glossybox* brings us tropical vibes, with offerings designed to ease holiday beauty whether you're off to something exotic or not this summer. With an ocean infused wave creator for your hair to a makeup brush in the shape of a shell, it seems they went all out on beach babe essentials. Let's dive deep into this month's box; keep on reading for my honest opinion on all the products!

Sunset in Menorca In a Flowery & Flowy Romper

This is the first time I'm wearing a romper, a playsuit, or whatever you wanna call it. Having never been much of a fan of anything in short form, I may have found the solution to my problem. For as long as I can remember I've been a flowy summer dress wearer, avoiding anything that hugs my thighs too much. But when I saw this little romper from Zaful* I knew I had to have it. Not only would it look amazing on holiday with a tan, it has a tail resembling a maxi dress which is a style I love for the sunny days. This is what I like to call the mullet of summer fashion, business in the front, party in the back!