A Little Piece of Alice Temperley: Creston Zip Wallet

Somerset by Alice Temperley Creston Leather Zip Wallet 

Today I'm bringing you something a bit different, straying away from beauty to tell you all about a new little fashion thing I think you will like!

Alice Temperley is a London based fashion designer, famous for her line Temperley London, she has dressed the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, Lana Del Rey and many more famous lovelies! And now you can have a piece of Temperley in your lives, she has collaborated with John Lewis to create the Somerset range, a capsule collection of classic pieces perfect for any British girls wardrobe.

My lovely family bought me the Creston Wallet in Red Leather for my birthday. It's a beautiful double length wallet with plenty of card slots, a lovely leopard lining and cute zip detailing. A smaller purse version is available for those that don't like a big wallet to lug around.

New Release! Batiste Graffiti and Paisley Dry Shampoo

Batiste Graffiti and Paisley - £2.99 each *

The lovely people at Batiste were kind enough to send me two of their new Dry Shampoos to try out after I reviewed the Floral and Flirty fragranced one (here). As I said in my previous post, these really are a saviour when you're in a rush and also offer a quick volume boost! The new packaging is incredible, just look at those beautiful cans, they'll look great on your dressing table. The Paisley scent is my favourite, described as rich and elegant, it smells like an expensive perfume so you won't be followed round by a cheap powdery traditional dry shampoo smell. The Graffiti is also a nice addition to the range but I'll definitely be picking up the Paisley when I've finished this!

There is also a red tinted addition to the collection for those lovely red heads out there.

Advent: Ciate Mini Mani Month

So today is the first of the Month, and also happens to be my birthday... I'm 20! How do I feel about this? Slightly scared, I no longer have the excuse of 'being a teenager', I guess I have to start taking a bit more responsibility, but hey, I don't feel all that different and I'm about to hit the town for some shopping with my lovely mum!

I was lucky enough to get this wonderful Ciate Mini Mani Month advent calendar this morning, I opened up the first window to find the beautiful Cupcake Queen! This really is a treat for beauty lovers and I can't wait to work my way through all the polishes. If you can still get your hands on one it is a great deal, it also includes 4 of the mini caviar pots which I can't wait to try out!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Tutti Frutti: Revlon Lip Butter

Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti - £7.99

I first jumped on the Revlon Lip Butter band wagon when they came out earlier this year, I went for Tutti Frutti, a soft blood orange tone, that is great for a pop of colour. The formulas are perfect, smooth, moisturising and quite long lasting! I'd say they last a good 3 hours before needing topped up, which for such a balm-y product is pretty good. You could even wear them over a more pigmented matte colour for a long lasting glossy look. The colour range it lovely, they've just recently released some berry shades, perfect for the coming Winter! - So look out for Raspberry Pie.

GIVEAWAY: Mac Lipstick Of Your Choice

Just a quick reminder about my Mac Lipstick Giveaway, it close on Nov 30th so make sure you get your entries in quick!

ENTER HERE

Christmas Wish List

1 - Babyliss Big Hair (here)
2 - Chantecaille Just Skin (here)
3 - Nars Cream Blush in Penny Lane (here)
4 - Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skin Serum (here)
5 - Ciate Mini Mani Month (here)
6 - Zara Black Velvet Slippers (here)
7 - Mulberry French Purse (here)
8 - Mulberry Tamara Scarf (here)
9 - Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask (here)

I've actually got my birthday just before Christmas (Dec 1st) so there is some overlap, hence the advent calendar but I thought I would put together my wish list to give people a few ideas!

What are you asking for this Christmas? 

Trip The Light Fantastic: Stila 'In The Light' Eyeshadow Palette

Stila 'In The Light' Eyeshadow Palette - £25

Ever since the release of the Urban Decay Naked Palette the beauty world has been going crazy for the perfect nude eyeshadow palette, many have popped on to the scene, from MUA, to Sleek, to Stila, you name it, they've probably had a go! I've not been lucky enough to try any of them out, until now! I have had my eye on the Stila In The Light Palette since May when I saw Gemma from Gemsmaquillage review it, it appeared to be a good deal, with the equivalent Mac neutral palette setting you back over £100 - So when I came across this in my local boots I couldn't resist buying it!

Where do I start? This beautiful selection of shimmer, metallic and matte shadows comes in a lovely rose gold box, this sadly does not have a mirror but it does come with a free Stila Smudge Stick in Damsel which is a soft charcoal brown colour, beautifully soft and easy to work with; alone, it costs £13. The colour selection is perfect with a range of nude colours to take you from day to night, the iconic colour Kitten is also in this kit! At 1.4g per colour it really is a great deal - I have never felt such velvety shadows before, they almost melt on to the skin, even the matte colours; which I often find to be less easy to apply. Pigmentation is another plus point, absolutely amazing in all the colours except Luster, which sadly fails to impress, but I can handle that when 9 out of 10 are ace! They even last well, what more could you possibly ask for?

I have been toying with the idea of building a full Mac eyeshadow palette for some time but now I have this I can safely say I won't be tackling that expensive task any time soon!

I've taken a video of the colours to show the shimmery tones in the light, QVC style, as it's just beautiful!!

Hair Heaven: Lee Stafford Argan Oil

Lee Stafford Argan Oil - £11.99

As I have said in previous posts, I'm not blessed with naturally beautiful flowing locks, my hair is curly, it has gone through years of bleaching and colouring and a shed load of heat abuse! Because of all this I find I need to really work at keeping my hair in good condition, using conditioning masks and the new holy grail - hair oils!

Lee Stafford Argan Oil is one of many hair oils on the market, many of you will have heard of Moroccan Oil but it is very expensive, the Lee Stafford oil is a bargain in comparison. It is a silicone based oil but it also contains a high percentage of natural Argan Oil, so it is both a styling oil and a nourishing one. Many people believe that silicones are bad for your hair, and indeed they are in some cases, particularly conditioners, are they coat the hair root to tip, however in hair oils, a bit of silicone can really help to maintain the hair condition, as it is only on the ends, it is not preventing moisture accessing the hair shaft. If you use a clarifying shampoo once a week it prevents the silicone building up and causing lack lustre locks!

I like to apply a small amount of this to the ends of damp hair before blow drying, it speeds up the drying process and leaves my hair smooth and manageable. This can also be used in small amounts on dry hair to give an extra smoothing effect. The pump gives the perfect size amount for my hair, but bare in mind I do have dry hair, if your hair is in better condition a smaller amount will be needed. This also smells amazing, typical of Lee Stafford products of which I am a big fan!

The Lady Is A Vamp: Revlon Black Cherry

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry - £7.49

I'm on a bit of a drive to find the perfect Autumn make up, I am in love with my Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107 (here) as you all probably know, but a new find for me is Revlon Black Cherry! I saw it mentioned on Lips So Facto and I couldn't resist picking it up.

It is part of the Revlon Super Lustrous range, so it has a soft velvet finish. This is perfect for easy application and means it doesn't cling to dry patches on the lips. I think this would benefit from a dark lip liner, I've seen the Mac Liner in Currant mentioned, if you don't have a steady hand it is probably best but I find it works fine on my lips without one. It is very well pigmented, I like to apply it, blot my lips and re-apply, this gives me the best staying power.

This really is the perfect dark plum tone for this time of year; rock it with a nude eye for day time, or a flick of black liner for a night out! I don't find it washes me out but I would advise a plum or beige-y blush instead of a pink/red toned blush.

Don't forget to enter my Mac Giveaway, you could win yourself a lipstick in the colour of your choice!

Shopping Revolution: Mallzee

Now some of you may have already heard about the amazing new online site called Mallzee, but for those who haven't I thought I would draw your attention towards it! I was emailed a few weeks ago by one of the lovely ladies at Mallzee telling me about this new online shopping platform. They describe the experience on their site HERE.

"Mallzee is like going to the perfect mall, hanging out with friends, having a personal shopper and getting the best deals on everything!"

It sounds fabulous doesn't it! I know we all love a good trip to the shops with our friends, especially around this time of year and a girl can never do enough shopping so what better than to continue it online. With over 200 shops already signed up, it will certainly offer more variety that the average UK high street! It will be up and running later in the year, so Ladies, and Gents, get yourself over to Mallzee now and sign up!

BLACK OUT: Dior Show Mascara

DiorShow Black Out Mascara - £23.00 

Bare Lashes

1 coat

2 coats

3 coats

Dior Show Black Out Mascara has quickly become my new favourite mascara! I picked it up in Tenerife over Summer where it was reduced in a pharmacy to about £15, I had tried samples of Dior mascaras in the past which I liked so it sounded like a good offer. Unfortunately it's a bit pricier in the UK, about £23 but I do think if you're prepared to fork out for a high end mascara, this one is worth it!

First of all, I love the Black Out packaging, I'm not a fan of funny shaped mascara tubes, it's easy to open and hold. The brush is a synthetic bristle brush which recently I have been moving away from (think Max Factor Masterpiece Max) but I really like it, it evenly distributes products and helps to avoid clumpy lashes, obviously after 3 coats it's going to get clumpy no matter what you use! The colour is a good deep black and I love how the formula stays malleable, no rock hard lashes with this mascara! This is a great mascara for stand out lashes, it gives drama, length and volume; I LOVE it!!

Quick Fix: Batiste Dry Shampoo

Batist Dry Shampoo in Floral+Flirty Blush 400ml - £4.99

Everyone loves that feeling of just washed hair, swishing about your shoulders, smelling fresh... Ahh! However, sometimes washing that hair is a bit of a chore! My hair is naturally curly, added to that the abuse of colouring and heated styling, it does become quite unruly, so the thought of washing, drying and styling frequently does send a shudder down my spine. I don't like to wash my hair too often, no more that once every two days, otherwise I actually find it gets greasy very quickly. I never let my hair get gross, god forbid anyone looked at my hair and thought "wow that needs washing!", a statement I'm often guilty of making myself, oops! But there are some days when hair can just do with a bit of a freshen up, a bit of a boost.

In comes Batiste Dry Shampoo, it's pretty much talc in a can, but boy does it work wonders! A quick shake first, and then spritz in at the roots, give it a good rub in and then brush out. Hello clean looking, big volume hair! I love it, mostly for the volume it offers, as I said before I don't actually let my hair get gross so I don't use it for major grease clean ups, I reckon it could get clumpy (wash your hair!). The Blush scent is lovely, far nicer than the original formula. It does have the potential to turn hair a little grey if over applied, but used sparingly I've never had this problem, there are even coloured versions for red, brown or blonde hair which are great for covering roots!

October Favourites

October Favourites

(click on item name for links)

Clarins - Toning Lotion Normal to Dry (review)

Liz Earle - Cleanse and Polish (review)

Soap and Glory - The Daily Smooth Body Butter

Sally Hansen - Hard As Nails Nylon Polish

Essie - Fiji (review)

Topshop - Big Smoke

Clarins - Skin Illusion Foundation

Mac Moisture Cover Concealer (review)

Revlon Lipstick - Black Cherry

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Matte - 107 (review)

Mac Cremeblend Blush - Something Special (review)

Mac Paintpot - Groundworks

Rimmel Scandaleyes Liner - Nude (review)

Bargain Love: St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse

St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse Medium and Dark - £2.99 (here)

As I said in my Fake Bake review (here) I absolutely love a year round tan, not of the leather handbag look but a subtle glow just so I don't look like a ghost, I'm not blessed with lit from within pale skin unfortunately!

For years I have dabbled in various different tans, from St Tropez (a big favourite) to Dove and Johnson's gradual moisturisers, I've never found one I really hated, some didn't have the right colour for me but I think that has a lot to do with the fact I am so pale! So when St Moriz came on the scene a few years ago I was very interested to give it a go, over night it became a massive hit, super cheap and actually, very good!

I have both the Medium and Dark mousse versions, I much prefer this formula for tans as it's quick and easy to apply with a mitt, dries in less than a minute so you can dress almost instantly... no standing around like a mannequin, YAY! This mousse can cling to dry patches but I find if I keep a good exfoliating and moisturising regime up then it doesn't cause me any problems, I would also recommend that when doing your hands, use the left over on the mitt from your arms, don't use a fresh pump, it gives a much more natural effect and you avoid the dreaded orange knuckles!!

This has an instant olive toned guide colour which means it is perfect for those moments when you need some colour but forgot to tan the night before, it then develops to a deeper tan over 3 or 4 hours. I also love the fact that once it is dry, it is fairly water resistant, I often wear this on nights out and can wash my hands etc. and it doesn't effect the developing (another YAY!)

The Medium tan gives me a natural all over glow which I would say is just a step above a gradual tan, and the Dark gives a  nice 'I've been out in the sun' colour, if that makes sense?!

The tan does smell a little, but I have to say I think they all do, you get used to it, and it's worth it considering the cost! It lasts on me for about 4-5 days when I look after my skin, perhaps less if I haven't exfoliated properly. I have to say I can't rate this high enough, who would have thought you could get such a brilliant tan for under £3, St Moriz, you geniuses!!

Enter my MAC Giveaway HERE

Zombie Apocalypse: Halloween Round Up

Just a few photos from our Zombie costumes last night, we made our wounds with liquid latex, tissue paper and face paints, doused our hair is dry shampoo and found a nifty use for red lip liner - very tired/dead looking eyes! I hope everyone had a good Halloween whatever you were all up to! 

All Hallow's Eve: Halloween Spooky Nails

Dripping Blood - Spiders Web - Wound - Skull - Tombstone

Knife - Skull - Gold Web - Eyeball - Spider

Top - Jack Wills Gold Glitter - 17 Blue - Nails Inc Chelsea

Bottom - 17 Red - Rimmel Whitener - Topshop Big Smoke - 17 Gold

As it is Halloween tomorrow, I thought I would do a quick post on my spooky nails! They're not brilliant but I am pleased with them, I don't have specific nail art tools so I used a broken old hair pin for larger details and a sewing needle for more specific details, I would imagine proper nail art tools would make this a lot easier!!

I used a variety of colours as you can see, sadly I couldn't find my orange (pumpkins, hello!!), purple and green would also be great colours to use, you could do Frankensteins, Witches or Vampires. I am going dressed as a Zombie so I'll be sure to post photos of that tomorrow, check out Tanya Burr's zombie make up look (here) it's AMAZING!!!

Don't forget to enter my MAC Lipstick Giveaway.

Beyond Bronze: Fake Bake Instant Tan

Fake Bake Beyond Bronze Instant Tan in Matte Medium 125ml - £9.99

I am a massive fan of a year round glow, I don't tan naturally myself, so I always rely on the bottle to help me get that bronzed look. I normally use St Moriz Tan which gives instant colour that then develops a deeper colour that lasts 4-5 days, however I recently got given the Fake Bake Beyond Bronze Instant Tan in Matte Medium and I am loving it for nights out or moments when you need that immediate boost!

The Fake Bake instant tan is a dream come true, it saves so much time as I don't have to worry about tanning the night before. It comes out the bottle as a very dark black lotion but it blends on to the skin as a beautiful olive tone tan with no shimmer; I like to use a tanning mitt, this helps to give a super even colour, however this product is so easy to blend that I think it would work well with any application method. It dries very quickly and does not transfer on to your clothes or other fabrics, I even find it doesn't run if it gets a little bit wet which is ideal on nights out. It has no noticeable scent and is also suitable for the face, I sometimes use this on its own during the day just to give my face a little colour and it has not broken me out.

I would highly recommend this tan, it's honestly one of the best I have ever used! Let me know if you have any recommendations.

FakeBake FakeBake Beyond Bronze Instant Wash Off Premium Tan For Face (Google Affiliate Ad)