Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Blush Palette: Must Have?

When the UD x Gwen Eyeshadow Palette was released I could barely contain my excitement and really wanted to get my hands on it by Christmas. I did, I reviewed it and I've been loving it every day; it is THE palette for me and the one I've been reaching for ever since. The collection, designed by Gwen herself however did not stop at a single palette; lipsticks and liners, a blush palette and a brow kit would shortly be released. Despite not being as much hyped as the pioneer of the collection, all other items do look lovely and one that particularly caught my eye is the Blush Palette.

The Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Blush Palette (£35 for 0.54oz.) contains 6 versatile shades of blushes, bronzer and highlighter, all designed to give us Gwen’s glowing, contoured skin. The packaging is as sleek and big as the eyeshadow palette, a gorgeous white and gold case that is eye-catching but also extremely prone to dirt and make-up stains, but I can live with that. The shades have an Afterglow formula and it is said to last for 8 hours giving a sheer coverage. Shades are as follows:

From LEFT to RIGHT:

Top Row: 

Cherry: Light pink satin/ Easy: Deep rose with gold shimmer/ Angel: Champagne-nude shimmer.

Bottom Row:

Lo-Fi: Soft Bronze Matte/ Hush: Medium pink with gold shimmer/ OC: Soft pink with peach shift.

Out of the 6, 3 are firm favourites: Easy, Angel and Hush. Easy is a blush shade I've always wanted to have in my collection. It’s a medium-dark rosy plum with both warm and cool undertones. It blends out rather nicely and doesn't leave me looking too flushed, but with the perfect amount of colour. This shade wore well for 8 hours on me and was still there after a heavy gym session at the end of the day.

On my skin, Angel is more of a highlighter than a blush. It is light-medium golden champagne with warm undertones and a frosted sheen. I love its pigmentation which is not too over the top. It has a blendable texture and lasts around 7/8 hours too.

And lastly Hush, a light-medium rose copper with warm undertones. Despite not being so high coverage, I love how soft the powdery texture was. I find this one to be on the sheer side a lot more than the others and it is perfect for use over damp foundation. 

Cherry; a cool-toned pink, Lo-Fi; a brown with warm and rather orange undertones and OC; a yellowy-green peach with pink shift aren't ones I usually go for but all apply well and smoothly so I can see them growing on me.

All in all, I find pigmentation to be semi-opaque rather than sheer which is something I like. The formula of the shades is a medium, buildable coverage (apart from Hush) and all shades apply evenly and smoothly giving streak- free colour. Packaging and shade wise, I am quite happy with my purchase but unlike the eyeshadow palette, I don’t believe this will be a product that everyone will be rushing out to buy. I went for it myself because 1. I had a £5 discount on feelunique.com and 2. I am low on blushers so a palette could easily fix that and 3. it's Urban Decay. Having said that, I do not think this is a must-have despite being limited edition and worth more than £45. It works well on my skin but might not show up as well on medium to dark skintones making it a miss for those darker ladies. But what do you think?

Will you be getting this palette? Let me know below!

Thanks for reading beauties and wishing you all a nice week ahead!

xoxo

Valentine's Day: How To Dress For Winter Date Night

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and for once it falls on a weekend – YAY! So why not make the most of it by dressing up and venturing out despite it most likely being a chilly night. Generally, dressing up for winter can be challenging, defying the elements and still look chic is not an easy task. But whether Sunday 14th brings us wind, rain or snow (very unlikely in London but still), it is possible to look sexy whilst staying warm on Valentine's Day Date Night. From fancy footwear to luxe key items, I've got you covered in my latest outfit looks and a few winter trends; grab your umbrellas and gloves and head out for an amazing time with your loved one. 

Comfy and stylish is the concept I plan my outfits around. Chunky knits, sweater dresses and anything warm and cosy screams fall perfect. I find that Knit Dresses have had a make-over and are now the ultimate winter date night choice.  I'd personally pair them with leather leggings, a red lip and gold accessories for that chic look we all want, but can we pause and appreciate how stylish the Native Fox (picture 1) looks. I love how she implemented tons of trends in one look, she really hit the nail on the head in this cosy yet super elegant getup. 

If I had to define this year's winter in one trend (amongst the many ones I am loving), it would be Leather. I am really loving how much braver we are being with this trend. Wherever I turn, I see ladies rocking leather pants during day time (which was something we previously would not do), leather skirts being worn to the work environment, and what can I say, I am hooked. I find leather to be ideal when it comes to adding a touch of glamour to an evening look, despite you totally being allowed to go for it during the day too. Ankle boots, a pair of leather pants, skirt or dress, and a super sleek knit is the infallible combination for a timelessly cool edit.

Lace is usually associated with spring and nice weather but winter has brought hints of laces here and there and I adore how seductive yet subtle the above examples are. I am currently looking for a lace bra myself so I can wear it under a loose sheer-ish blouse or a tee for the "lace peekaboo" trend we are seeing everywhere. If done right, lace can exude sensuality, whilst keeping your modesty and warmth intact.  

I've talked about the Over-The-Knee Boot trend tirelessly (see here, here and here) but what can I say, I adore it and I am happy it is here to stay yet another year. Heeled or flat, this is the perfect solution for cold-weather glam so no wonder it is the fashionista's go-to for chic winter style. To avoid looking like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, rule out that patent leather pair and opt instead for materials such as suede or matte leather in neutrals shades of black, grey, brown and nude. This will make styling these babies a lot easier. Pull them over jeans and team them up with a blazer or chunky knit for a luxe look.

What do you think of these winter trends? What will you be wearing on Valentine's day?

Let me know below! Thanks for reading beauties and wishing you all a wonderful weekend ahead!

xoxo

*Sources of images which do not belong to this blog are all marked clearly.

New Bling: Shopping For Cheap Jewellery Online

I am all up for a bargain, especially when it comes to two of my favourite things, make-up tools and jewellery. When Shop MissA contacted me, I confess I had not heard of them before. But boy was I intrigued to find out that everything on their website retails for as little as $1. Spoilt for choice, it was extremely hard not to choose the entire website. Despite containing many make-up items such as lipsticks and eyeshadows, I shied away from those because I'm extremely picky when it comes to finding the right products and I wasn't sure about the quality to be quite honest. Make-up tools and jewellery were a different story however as I saw the brand e.l.f. and was excited to give it a try. 

One can never have too many blending eye brushes and that is exactly what I thought when I chose the e.l.f. Essential Blending Eye Brush* for $1. You read that right. It blends extremely well, the bristles are soft yet dense enabling the creation of a natural finish to any eye look. And, I also got myself an e.l.f. Eyelash Curler* because shame on me I've never had one. It is of really great quality, comes with a replacement pad and does its job at curling my lashes prior to mascara application. Needless to say I am in love with these bits, and am really looking forward to adding a few more brushes to my collection.

Onto jewellery, I went for a few earrings because a girl can always do with more earrings. Truth be told, my ears are very sensitive and I usually only wear gold earrings but given I don’t plan on wearing these more than a few hours, they are good addition my ever growing stash. Front & Back Pearl Earrings* are extremely popular thanks to Dior so of course, I got me a cheapy pair. I wore it on my Faux Fur & Leather look and a lot of people complimented on it so if you were wondering what I was wearing; now you know. And being a flower is power kinda girl, these gorgeous Flower Chandelier Earrings* found their way to my basket and I can’t wait to wear them come spring. 

Two things my jewellery collection is lacking of are rings and bracelets and that is because I always end up wearing the same bling (ie. engagement ring and Pandora bracelet) over and over again. In the attempt to switch things up a little these beautiful rings were also sent to me; from left to right we have: a Caged Ring*, a Coil Ring* and an Arrow Caged Ring*, all of which I'm happy to report don’t leave my fingers green. 

Additionally, when I saw the variety of charms on the website, I knew I had to get me a Charm Bracelet* too. I picked out charms that mean something to me, like family, faith, music and blogging. In terms of quality they aren't comparable to Pandora standards but they are fun and cute and make up a great looking bracelet that is sure to add that extra touch to a casual outfit. 

Flower Dangle Dust Plug*

All in all, I love everything I received and this haul really proves that low prices do not automatically mean poor quality. Sure the jewellery quality isn't out of this world, but if you want that little something every now and then to spice up your look, MissA is the place for you to check out. Also, I cannot fault the make-up tools; e.l.f. is definitely a brand I've wanted to try for ages now and I am so glad they stock a few products from them as now I know what all the fuss is about!

What do you think of my $1 goodies? Let me know below! 

Thanks for reading beauties and have a nice day ahead!

xoxo

*All items sent by the brand. All opinions are my own (disclaimer here).

A/W 2015/16 Trends: Denim On Denim

I think at some point we have all asked ourselves the same question:  Should or shouldn't I double up my denim? Denim is coming back strong this spring and is already proving to be hugely popular amongst the trends we will be turning to later in the year. But with winter still hanging around, there is nothing stopping us from rocking this matching trend despite the low temperatures. And whilst it may look simple in theory, putting the look together can seem a bit intimidating so here are a few tips when it comes to wearing Denim on Denim.

1. If you are new to the trend but still want to try it out, start by playing with Colours. Pair a blue denim jacket or chambray shirt with white or black jeans; you cannot go wrong with these combinations. 

2. Go for Different Shades of wash otherwise the outfit may become too matchy matchy.

3. Dark Denim has a Slimming Effect so make sure when keep that in mind. Being a pear shape, I want my figure to be balanced and the outfit to be flattering and this means dark denim jeans and a lighter denim top. 

4. There is something about Distressed Denim that goes hand in hand with this trend so do not be afraid to go for that beloved ripped pair of yours. 

5. And finally, Dressing Up denim on denim is totally allowed. A vibrant red lip and statement heels (or in my case Over-The-Knee boots) for example will elevate the entire getup exuding that luxe vibe we want. 

Jeans & Shirt: Matalan (here) // Coat: Vero Moda (here) // OTK Boots: New Look (here)
Handbag: Michael Kors // Sunglasses: Ray Ban Clubmasters (here) // Floral Watch: New Look (here)

I confess, at first I wasn't too sure about this trend because it goes against everything we've been taught is correct about putting an outfit together. However being a massive denim lover and seeing that denim on denim is truly having a moment this season, I've been giving in and finally decided that twice as much denim could only be twice as good.

What do you think about this trend? Let me know below beauties!

Thanks for reading and have a nice week ahead!

xoxo