A 'Cutey' Piece of Jewelry

Move over Pandora...well maybe a little. Cutey are a small company that started in 2011 and have recently launched a new set of elegantly crafted charm bracelets. At £12.99 upwards, these adorable pieces of arm candy have a price tag and quality to rival the up market Pandora bracelets. 

This Typhon bracelet is quirky and fun, with a handbag to channel your femininity. I love the distinct emerald colours clashed against the unexpected subtle pinks and yellows. For those who love a splash of colour, this will definitely suit your mood.

I know what you're thinking - low cost bracelet, cheap quality? This definitely doesn't apply to this Cutey. With 16 thousand followers on Facebook, the brand must be doing something right. The chain is sturdy and shiny, whilst the beads sparkle and so far have been very chip resistant. I have worn these bracelets ever since they arrived and I've had lots of fabulous comments.

This second bracelet is called Aether. According to the website: ' In mythology, Aether was the God of the upper heaven, the sky, the lightest of all air'.  The pinks in this bracelet are a representation of heavens angels and the joys that life brings us.

My favourite charm of them all is the duck from the Aether bracelet. It really does live up to the brand name 'Cutey'. The little points and the way the beak is formed really shows how much care is gone into the product and the charms.

Cutey charm  bracelets can be purchased from http://www.cutey.co.uk/bracelets/charm-bracelets

What do you think of them?

  ♥♥♥

Read more

Behind the scenes: Vintage shopping, writing and a very busy schedule.

This last week many of you will have noticed a lack of blog posting and the truth is, my schedule has been so busy I seriously haven't had time. In the last two weeks alone I've traveled to Leeds, Manchester and London and I've been busy promoting an event for the company I work for - www.deavenue.co.uk. Besides all of this, as the fashion editor of the Huddersfield University student magazine, I have been busy launching our first issue and preparing for the next one in October.

Unless you're aware of our Yorkshire Lingo, most of the time the 'he' seems to disappear from the end of our 'the' and the magazine has aptly been named T-Hud, playing on true Yorkshire abbreviations and accents. 

Friday I attended the funeral of my beautiful Great Auntie Dorothy who died at the good old age of 93.  She was like a second grandma to me and I will always have a tear in my eye knowing she will never attend my wedding. She was and will still remain an inspiration to me.

On Sunday I  attended Leeds Vintage Fair yesterday and purchased this beautiful 1960s dress. Having had a passion for the 60s since I was a little girl, it has been my dream come true to own a dress from that era that suits me and fits perfectly. I never have good luck when it comes to vintage shopping, I'm usually too short or they never suit me. This dress seems elegant, yet fun and can be easily dressed up or dressed down. For £20, it really is a bargain. 

The week finally drew to a close drinking coffee with my perfect Fiance. He endured countless hours of shopping with me as my loan came in and I'm forever grateful for him being there for me all this week.

What have you been up to lately?

  ♥♥♥

Read more

Oriflame Power Shine Satin Lipsticks

Oriflame have launched their brand new lipstick called 'The Power Shine', which aims to leave your lips feeling silky soft with a highly pigmented colour. Having tried the lipstick for the last few weeks, I'm happy to report that it does just as it says on the container.

I was kindly given the Brown Sheen and the Nude Lustre to review and out of the two, I have fallen in love with the Nude Lustre. It's a beautiful natural colour, perfect for skin tone and the product is long lasting. When the product fades, after at least four hours the colour turns into a glittery sheen rather than a blotchy colour like some products can leave you with. If I had to pick one thing I don't like about the product, it's simply the taste. I've never been a fan of watermelon and the lipstick reminds me of that fruit. However, the taste does fade relatively quickly so there's no need to panic if you're like me. The scent still hasn't stopped me wearing the Nude Lustre everyday since I received it and it's definitely something I can easily get over, due to all the added benefits of this lipstick.

Here's a glance at the Brown Sheen. Unfortunately I find this colour a little too dark for me, but it applies really well and you can see the glitter shine on my pout. My lips do feel softer after using this product and the  3D light-reflecting technology really helps keep the shine in place. If my hair goes darker over the next few months, I will probably start to use this lipstick more.

Above is my favourite lipstick, the Nude Lustre. The product shines with intensity and proves that you don't need a bright colour to make your lips look dramatic - this nude colour looks just as effective.

These lipsticks are available to purchase from www.oriflamestore.co.uk or from your nearest Oriflame consultant. To find your nearest consultant visit www.oriflame.co.uk

What do you think of these colours?

  ♥♥♥

Read more

Day visit to London Fashion Week

Friday 14th September was my first ever time at London Fashion Week and although I'm gutted that I couldn't stay the entire week, I can happily say I've had a fabulous time. Getting up at 3am to catch a coach down to London was exhausting and when I arrived in London my hair was all messed up and I felt anything but glamorous. 

The first item on the agenda was the Graduate Fashion Exhibition. Everyone displayed such amazing designs and I was shocked by the intricacy of some clothing. My favourite designs was by far Maia Bergman's collection. They look very 60s inspired and easy to wear. If money was no object, she would definitely be the designer i'd ask to custom design an outfit.

The Maria Grachvogel catwalk show was next in line, situated at Somerset House. We were treated to popcorn and water, whilst watching an array of beautiful earthy coloured clothing. The first models to walk out looked very angelic in white and showed how a clean silhouette could transform the body.Later in the show, we were introduced to splashes of bold colour and outfits that looked effortlessly elegant. 

The final show I attended was the Merit Award Winner.  The Heohwan Simulation brand won the £25,000 award that enables the designers to launch in London and Paris over three seasons. The collection had lots of crystal whites, shimmering metallics and bold yellows with a futuristic appeal. 

I had such an amazing time in London, I really didn't want to leave.

Have you done anything interesting lately?

  ♥♥♥

Read more

MAC and Illamasqua goodies from The Beauty Power List event.

Yesterday I attended the Beauty Power List event at Selfridges in association with Glamour magazine.Me and my friends shopped for beauty products, enjoyed having free pampering sessions and managed to get a one to one meeting with the legendary Jo Elvin, the editor of Glamour magazine. Unfortunately my camera had died and I managed to get no photographs, but the advice she gave me will stick by me throughout my career. Like all good editors, she didn't walk straight into her job. She worked hard as a waitress, then a publicist and finally landed in the world of Glamour. She told me to work hard, get as much experience as possible and remember that the fashion industry isn't as glamorous as people may think. There's so much admin to do and never enough time.

During the event, I decided to buy a MAC eyebrow pencil and an Illamasqua lipstick. Our ticket price of £10 was redeemable against any product. The eyebrow pencil was a much needed purchase, as I never feel truly comfortable with my eyebrows. They tend to be unruly and somewhat of a nightmare, even when they get waxed regularly. The Illamasqua lipstick was a much deserved treat and who can resist something so pink?

When I saw this colour out of the corner of my eye resting on the Illamasqua stand, I knew I had to try it. Bright pinks and reds have always been my weakness and this lipstick is so highly pigmented, it looks like nothing I've seen before.

The lipstick colour is Eurydice and having worn it most of last night, I'm happy to report that it lasts for several hours. In fact, I woke up with a pink tint on my lips this morning. The colour very much reminds me of Barbie.

Secondly here's the eye pencil I bought. It's by MAC, incredibly thin and rather easy to use. If you struggle with drawing your eyebrows on, this pencil is definitely the one for you. 

The pencil blends really easy and creates a natural looking effect. My eyebrows look to have more shape when they are filled in and it takes the attention away from straggly hairs in-between waxes or plucking.

So here's the finished look. I'm not naked, just wearing a maxidress and forgot about camera angling.

I'm going to London Fashion Week tomorrow and i'm really excited. It will be my first fashion week and I'm looking forward to seeing Maria Grachvogel's latest line and seeing what the London Graduates have had to offer. I'm only going down for the day, but i'll definitely be making the most of it. Below are some of my current outfit choices. I'm thinking the dress on the right hand side will probably be the one I pick. 

It will be an early start for me tomorrow, up at 3.30am to catch the megabus!

What are your plans throughout fashion week? Have you tried any of these products?

  ♥♥♥

Read more

New Discoveries: Champagne and Lemonade

Shopping is my favourite hobby...besides water sports, playing guitar and of course, being with my fiance. I spent on average at least four hours a week window shopping and as soon as payday comes around, my allocated spending money is quickly distributed through shopping outlets and Ebay.  Although the high-street can give you an array of clothing and high end stores leave you gazing into the windows, there's something about going on an internet spree that gives me a buzz. The internet has a vast amount of clothing stores, accessories and everything you want, you can browse for. You can shop around for hours whilst you paint your nails, listen to music and get excited about your new deliveries. You can stumble across new stores that you wouldn't particularly see in your hometown and search for new, innovative  designs from smaller companies. To really highlight the wonders of internet shopping, I'm bringing you my latest set of features - The New Discoveries. Each week I will profile a new store that has really grasped my attention and invite you all to the places that you may not know.

Champagne and Lemonade is an online store that came to my attention as I searched for Hollywood glamour on a budget. They are a fashion broker team, that specialise in pre-loved designer clothing and accessories. With London Fashion Week just around the corner, everyone's searching for the next big thing in the industry. We are lusting after designer clothes more than ever, but not necessarily having the budget.  I admit that every time I look at my Alexander McQueen scarf, my mind attempts to justify why I spent £185 on a small pink skull scarf that I barely wear. But when I wear it, my heart gets the flutters, I love feeling the Italian silk draped round my neck and it instantly becomes priceless. 

This is where Champagne and Lemonade have managed to get my attention. Their prices are reasonable and for a student with an interest in high end fashion, it makes purchasing an item with a designer label far more achievable. The majority of clothing from the site is pre-loved - which personally I don't mind. I like to think of it as buying a piece of history, even if it's only a few years or several months old. The person that wore it before could have travelled the world, dined with the royals or simply hung it in their wardrobe for hours, but its the guessing that opens the imagination and brings the item to life. If you're struggling to see things through my outlook, there's also a section on the site named 'Never Worn Once', which as the title states, the clothing has never been worn before, but is still sold at a discounted price. All the items in store are authentic and have a free returns policy if you're unhappy with the items. Here's several looks that I've created to get you in the shopping mood.

Vintage Inspired

1960s secretary chic with lemon yellows, black cape coats, lace dresses and kitten heels. Vintage clothing is on the comeback this fall and there's lots of beautifully crafted chiffon dresses on the market and fitted cloaks for you to get your hands on. 

Evening Glamour

Sparkle is on it's way for Christmas and the gothic look is back for the autumn. High end makeup looks are currently featuring smokey black eyes, bright red lipsticks and the fashion teams are using leather pants and glitter to channel a rock'n' roll vibe.  The neon green clutch adds a burst of vibrant colour to the outfit.

Cocktail Hour

Cocktail hour has to be my favourite. The Jonathan Saunders dress has a bold, impressionable print that would be great for cocktails with friends or to be dressed up for a formal event. It is bound to grab attention and the figure hugging design will leave you with a body to envy. Words cannot explain how much I'm in love with this dress.

I seriously can't wait until I get paid as I can see so many items I would like to buy.

http://champagneandlemonade.com/

What do you think of this website?

                                                                               ♥♥♥

*All photographs were taken from the site and not by me. Please do not copy or paste these images - ask for permission from the website first.

Read more

Hooked on Instagram!

Last week I got a new phone - the HTC One X and ever since, I've had a slight obsession with Instagram. For those who don't know what Instagram is, you can take pictures on the go and show everyone what you're doing. Like most things however, it is very addictive. I can't go shopping without taking the odd photograph and I like to show everyone what I'm cooking. Even cleaning the house is becoming something I want to share with the whole world. 

The above picture illustrates exactly what i've been up to this week. The leopard print blouse and the cape coat are two things I fell in love with this week whilst shopping. Unfortunately I couldn't afford both, so I decided with the coat for now and the blouse next week. A lot of my time has been dedicated to organising my media portfolio and this is shown in the centre image. I had papers all over my bed in an attempt to get organised, a trait I often lack. The rest of the images are filled with my cooking, products I'm going to be writing about soon and the fish bowls that I drank with my fiance on Saturday. We visited a bar called Varsity and drank with friends until the end of the night, perfect way to spend the evening.

What have you been doing this week?

Read more

Flawless hair with Macadamia Natural Oil

Do you long for flawless hair? Since dipping my hair in bleach and becoming all experimental over the summer period, my hair has simply frazzled. I have gone from shimmering brunette to a wispy blonde and my hair care regime has taken a step back. 

Flawless is a cleanser and conditioner that aims to refine and perfect your hair and is the latest release from the Macadamia Natural Oil range. The product combines two of the most sought after oils in the haircare industry - Macadamia and Argan oil, to give you shimmering hair in just two pumps. 

This all sounds too easy, but yet there's no gimmicks. Simply apply two pumps of cleanser to wet hair and leave for 5 minutes. The texture of the product feels relatively thick and my initial thoughts was that it would cling to my hair and make it appear dull, however, within the first minute of application, I could feel the conditioner penetrating my scalp and the product softening as it left my locks deeply nourished. It was once I began towel drying my hair that I noticed a complete difference with my hair. My drying period often consists of a raging war between knots and a hairbrush, I couldn't begin to tell you how many hours I have spent detangling my hair, but this time I could comb my hair with no hassle.I also noticed that my hair blow-dried quicker. When you have exposed your hair to damaging products such as bleach, the follicles tend to absorb more water, therefore your hair will take longer to dry. If your hair is it good condition, the process will be quicker because there's no damage. 

So here's the final result. This before picture was taken straight after using my usual hair care regime yesterday and the second picture has been taken a few hours ago, straight after using the Macadamia Oil. As you can see, my hair looks less frizzy, revamped and my highlights really stand out. There's a natural looking shine, rather than looking clogged up with products and my hair has a new found softness. This is the first time I've ever used this product and it definitely won't be the last. I expected to be applying this several times before I noticed a difference, but it happened straight away. My only hope is that my hair doesn't get too used to this treatment and begin to look dull again. Therefore it will be used as a once a week treat.

Flawless costs £25.75 for 250ml and will be available from http://www.macadamiahair.co.uk in 3 weeks time, when they launch their new online store.

What do you think of this product? Have you tried it?

♥♥♥

Read more