Forevermissvanity - A UK Lifestyle Blogger : April 2014

Gemporia Jewellery

Today is carrying on the 'jewellery' theme that has been evident in my last few posts. I have made no secret of the fact that I love my jewellery and that I am always shopping around for new bits and pieces. My jewellery taste is rather eclectic from vintage inspired bits to bright statement jewels. I love experimenting with my style and looking for those quirky, unusual items that not everybody has lying around in their jewellery boxes.

One of my favourite jewellery websites is Gemporia (link) the sister site to popular jewellery retailer NOWSEEN. Gemporia believe that 'beautiful jewellery shouldn't cost the earth', therefore all their pieces are at affordable prices and are still of high quality. Many of the items use genuine gemstones and precious metals to make limited edition pieces. Gemporia works closely with The Colourful Life Foundation to aid communities where gemstones are found, educating and supporting them to grow. I really like Gemporia's ethos and their jewellery is simply captivating. Each piece looks extravagant, detailed and classic. Here are my top picks from the website:

Joyce Pink Tourmaline Ring with Topaz in Silver (centre)

I love statement rings and this one is packed full of colour and really draws attention. The ring has a dainty pink tourmaline stone, a white topaz rim and is set on a fine silver brand. One of my favourite colours is pink and this looks beautiful. I would do anything to own this ring.

Teardrop White Topaz bracelet (top left)

This bracelet is simple, yet elegant and has a vintage style that would look wonderful with any outfit. The bracelet features a warm yellow gold plated silver chain and delicately cut white topaz stones.

Midnight Sapphire and White Topaz Earrings (top right)

Earrings are my guilty pleasure and with the Chanel inspired colours and the intricate design, these studs are pair I would love in my jewellery box.

Rio Grande Lavender Quartz Necklace (bottom left)

I don't wear necklaces that often, but when I do I like them to be pretty, feminine and blend in with my outfit. I love the lavender colour of this quartz gemstone.

Cullinan Topaz Bangle in Gold Flash Sterling Silver (bottom right)

My final wish list item is the Cullinan Topaz bangle. I love woven effect on the inside of the gold flash sterling silver bracelet and the topaz gemstones from Nigeria adds a beautiful sparkle to this piece of jewellery.

Have you shopped at Gemporia before?

I love jewellery and spend a lot of time searching the internet for quirky little items. My favourite pieces are those which exhibit a 'hippie' style vibe or look classic and vintage. I like jewellery that looks simplistic, yet stylish and can be a real head turner. Most importantly, I love my jewellery to be timeless.

I recently discovered Jana Reinhardt jewellery whilst unconventionally browsing for jewellery using #jewellery on Twitter. When I saw her delicate, pretty pieces, I knew I wanted a few of them in my collection.

Jana Reinhardt was born in East Germany and she is a trained goldsmith that has a degree in jewellery design and manufacture. In 2006 Jana Reinhardt gave up her well paid job and decided to become freelance and rent a studio in order to live her dream designing her own bespoke pieces of jewellery. Jana now spends her time split between her London office and the workshop by the sea in Worthing West Sussex where she lives and works with her husband/business partner Ross Cutting. Jana Reinhardt jewellery has since appeared in many publications including: Red magazine, Tatler, and Marie Claire

Jana Reinhardt approached me to review one of their many items from the online store and I chose this gorgeous wing ring (link*) in 24ct Gold Vermeil. The ring is elegant, subtle and sweet and fits like a dream on my middle finger. The gold wing ring works well to compliment my white gold engagement ring, bringing warmth and added colour to my hand. I went through a phase where I barely wore rings, but since getting engaged I'm become more open to trying new rings on different fingers. Since receiving the Jana Reinhardt ring I have not taken it off. It is comfortable, versatile and adds style to my hand.

The Jana Reinhardt Wing Ring can be purchased from £59.00 at www.janareinhardt.com

Today I thought I would share with you my ideal Saturday night antics. I'm not one for going out, getting really drunk and not remembering my weekend - occasionally I do that, but most of the time I spend my weekends snuggled up on the sofa with my fiance like a little old couple playing board games and watching dvds. Despite being together nearly three years and knowing each other seven, I cherish the weekend moments we spend together as there are still many things that I love learning about my partner and sometimes it's just nice to be able to relax after a hectic week. This post was inspired by the new Intellicig campaign 'April Showers' that encourages people to see the benefits in a cosy night in and thanks to their e-cigs there's no need to step outside in the April showers. I'm not a smoker myself, but I really like the concept of this campaign and having relatives that smoke quite excessively, it would be nice to speak to them a little bit more when they come around rather than them nipping outside every five minutes for a cigarette break.

As part of the Intellicig campaign, I was asked what items I would like to have the perfect night in and this is what I chose. Firstly, I'm a big fan of Scene it? I love the questions, the interactivity and the chance to have a laugh with my family and friends. Usually I am pretty useless at these games as I am not really a movie buff, but when I saw Scene it? had a music game, I knew I had to have it in our board game collection. Since we bought it, I have literally become the Madonna of music Scene it? My partner still hasn't beaten me and it has really shown me how much I know about music. I am a little bit hooked on playing this game, but right now I probably need a better contender, my fiance needs to up his game.

When I'm not kicking ass at Scene it? I really like to wind down and watch a comedy. The key to my heart has always been laughter. I'm not really good when it comes to horror films (apart from a few exceptions) and action films tend to bore me. I like watching something that makes me feel good and gives me a really big belly laugh - one of those laughs that make your stomach cramp and makes normal people tend to sound like snorting piglets. It has been a long time (in my opinion) since a good comedy came out and when I saw We're The Millers for the first time a few months ago I thought finally a good movie had come out. There's a mix of great actors including Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis and the storyline is fantastic.

Finally, a weekend movie and game night isn't complete without popcorn. Me and James tend to treat ourselves to some popcorn on the weekend and make into a cinema style evening.

What do you like to do on a Saturday night in?

On Saturday morning I was invited to a bloggers brunch organised by company Secret D'Or ahead of Manchester Fashion Week. It was a chance to get to know the team behind Secret D'Or, catch up with lots of friendly Manchester bloggers and discuss the weekends antics. The meeting took place at the Northern Quarter based restaurant Solita and enabled us to chat and dine with Camilla the founder and director of Secret D'Or and their art director Andreea.

Secret D'or is a online platform of premium designer collections curated by the most talented and unique fashion designers across the world. Secret D'or offers a selection of unique and inspiring pieces where many are one-offs or made-to-order. Secret D'Or enables you to dress in your own individual way and dress out from the crowd.

It was such a lovely meet up with many of Manchesters top bloggers all in the same room. We are feasted on a two course meal provided by the Secret D'Or bunch and the staff at Solita were attentive to our every needs. Solita (link) is an American style restaurant specialising in burgers and fried food - some could say that there is a bit too much fried food on the plates at times. For starter I had the scrumptious and deliciously light Mac and Cheese balls, a different take on the popular dish macaroni cheese. The starter for me was the perfect amount - not too heavy, but rather filling. It was a delight to eat and left me eagerly anticipating the main course.

My main course was the Hallomi burger, something I thought would be relatively healthy compared to their other options, but I am afraid I was rather wrong. The dish tasted wonderful, but with everything deep fried - including the cheese, it was highly calorific and left my stomach is a state of deep fried shock. The portions were large and all the bloggers were left gasping for air by the end of the meal. It somewhat quietened the table as everybody struggled to digest the enormous quantities. Note to self - starve for at least 24 hours before coming here again (joke)...

Whilst dining with the Secret D'Or we were introduced to several of their designers that they stock online. This beautiful patterned bag is one of many handbags designed by an independent designer and it looks like a piece of art. The pattern is gorgeous and the pastel blue accents are currently on trend .

My favourite piece we were shown was this gorgeous scarf by Jenny Collicott. The colours and patterns in these scarves are just gorgeous and they make a great statement piece. Teamed up with a black blazer, white tee and jeans this scarf would really grab attention. Finally we were shown a few exquisite chunky bangles from Flor Amazona. I'm a big fan of jewellery, especially pieces that can grab attention yet look feminine and delicately placed against an outfit. This bangle looked beautiful placed against my prized Michael Kors watch and felt comfortable to wear.

Thank you Secret D'OR for such a great afternoon, it was a pleasure being there.

Have you shopped at Secret D'OR yet?

This weekend Manchester Fashion Week was held at the Halle St Peters in Ancoats celebrating the finest northern fashion and showcasing Manchester's favourite boutique clothing lines. The fashion week was a success despite previous reservations due to the cancellation last year and the sun was out to celebrate. I went along to the fashion event with a few of my best blogger friends and was given a seat allocated on the FROW due to being an official Manchester Fashion Week blogger for the last year. This prestigious title allowed a number of bloggers to be given secretive information about the event before the press so we could be the first people to unleash Manchester Fashion Week news.

The hall where Manchester Fashion Week was held look beautiful and majestic. The Halle St Peters has a long historical background relating to the cotton mills and the fashion trade, making it the perfect location for the event. Inside the hall there was pop up stalls and exhibitions where clothes were being sold and demonstrations took place. I love this cute little fur jacket from Aftershock and this Party 21 dress is totally my style.

I took my seat on the FROW next to some of Manchesters top bloggers including one of my lovely blogger friends Lily Kitten. Across from us was Denise Walsh and a few celebrities drinking wine and enjoying the show.

The first person to grace the stage at Manchester Fashion Week day 2 was entertainer and presenter Jay who sang two of his own debut hits and introduced us to the upcoming talent.

One of my favourite collections was the items from Didi's Boutique. I cannot wait to get my hands on this little pink skirt featured on the model below.

I also fell in love with this Cavalli/Versace inspired prints from Didi's Boutique (link). These would look great walking along the beach or at a pool party. Alternatively, I would happily wear a dress like this for cocktails with the girls.

It wouldn't be a fashion week without some type of wacky clothing and these Florina outfits made out of moss and shrubbery definitely caught everyones attention.

Having blogged about them several times in the past, it is clear to see that I am a fan of OMG Fashion (link) and their catwalk did not disappoint. This white dress looks elegant, retro and perfect for the summer.

Lily LuLu (link) are also a boutique brand in Manchester that I admire. I have been lusting after this playsuit for quite some time and having it seen it worn by the model, it has made me fall in love with it even more.

Biker jackets are my wardrobe staple item and something I could not live without. I have many biker jackets in different colours and designs and I love collecting them. I really enjoyed seeing the different varieties of jackets from Manchester based brand Boda Skins (link). The red biker jacket is striking and they had some lovely pastel colours that look summery and feminine.

I really enjoyed my time at Manchester Fashion Week this year and have been proud to be a part of their team. The shows were spectacular, the venue looked fantastic and most importantly the atmosphere was fun and inviting. I really hope there will be another show next year.

Listed on: Competition Time, The Prize Finder, Competitions Today

It's the bank holiday and everyone is in good spirits. The Easter eggs are now residing in our bellies, the sun is out and our bank balances are suffering from the bank holiday sales. This bank holiday has been rather quiet for me. I am currently suffering with a bad bout of hay fever with all this pollen about and I have decided to lock myself inside in order to prevent my sniffles. I have eaten far too many Easter eggs this weekend and on Saturday I had the pleasure of attending one of the biggest fashion events to hit the north - Manchester Fashion Week. The show was fantastic and has really put me in a shopping mood. Because I am feeling generous and it has been awhile since I did a giveaway, I thought I would treat one of my readers to a £30 Selfridges gift card - just think of what you could buy. If I won a giveaway similar to this, I would probably invest in a bright Illamasqua lipstick or put it towards something designer. After all, you can justify spending a lot if you can say you had £30 towards it.

All you need to do is fill out the form below and be a UK resident aged 18 or over.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy bank holiday!

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a Paul Mitchell styling event in Leigh, where a group of bloggers were shown the latest Paul Mitchell styling range and treated to an array of canapés. The evening was an absolute delight from the blogger chit chat in our taxi ride to the event and then being styled and pampered at the location. It was a short, but sweet evening and very educational for someone that loves experimenting with her hair.

Paul Mitchell have brought a new range of styling products called 'Express Style'. The collection features heat defences, hair spray and even a sweet, nicely scented dry shampoo. On the evening we were each given a stylist and styling menu so that we could have our hair done and see the products in use.

I opted for the 'Waves You'll Tumblr For' created by their new styling tongs and using their new hair spray and heat defence. The products smell wonderful - light and refreshing and do not feel heavy in the hair. I like the minimalist look for the bottles and the new Neuro pro tools look fantastic. The Neuro hair wand used to create my look has a Isotherm titanium barrel to give natural curls and the SmartSense microchip gives perfect, even heat to ensure all the curls look the same. The large barrel is ideal for those with long hair like myself and if you are a clutz with styling products, the Neuro styling range comes with a 2 year warranty.

The Paul Mitchell has a wonderful, wide range of products for those who have coloured damaged hair to those looking for extra volume. The new products are a perfect add-on to their already extensive range and I am looking forward to spending more time discovering the products for myself.

Have you tried any Paul Mitchell products?

The sun is warm, flowers are in bloom and I'm currently in love with everything spring. All my favourite colours are associated with this time of year - pastel pinks, pretty lilacs and baby blues, I'm such a girly girl.

A few weeks ago I came to the conclusion I have far too much makeup and spent an entire afternoon sorting out my makeup draws. Two hours later I had two black bin bags overflowing with out of date makeup and products that I wish I had not bought. My nail polish collection was the worst hit - so many nail polishes I had have dried up and I hadn't even noticed. Luckily my nail polish collection is rather large and despite throwing a lot out, I still probably have over 100.

Throwing away some of my makeup collection was a huge accomplishment, I am somewhat of a makeup hoarder and often find myself attached to certain colours. It has become so out of hand that I have a small walk in closet dedicated to my makeup and magazines. To congratulate myself for being productive, I decided to treat myself to a new nail polish...I'm sure one wont hurt.

Kiss Me I'm Brazilian is one of my new favourite OPI polishes. The colour is bright barbie pink and the longevity of the colour amazes me. I'm one of those that chips her nails instantly after having them done, but this nail polish seems to be perfect days after I applied it. I have always been a fan of OPI - especially my James Bond nail polish collection, but this bright colour is one that I would wear everyday and I am incredibly happy it has lived up to my expectations.

An additional coat was applied after this photograph.

What do you think of OPI nail polishes?

It's the time of the year where all the weddings start to happen and the sunshine is in full force. I have already been invited to one wedding this year and I know I will probably be invited to quite a few more. I love spring weddings - the sunshine, the fresh newly blossomed flowers and the baby animals making their way from their mothers nests. Spring is so beautiful and it makes the perfect time to celebrate romance.

As many of you may know I'm getting married in September. Me and my partner decided that getting married in September would leave enough time for me to finish university, rather than the spring wedding I once desired - this does not stop me getting all gooey and wedding broody this time of season. One question I get asked frequently is 'what should I wear to your wedding?' I am having a 1950s style shindig so I'm encouraging my attendees to think vintage, but if it was any other wedding, I think you cannot go wrong with pretty pastels and a cute fascinator. Weddings* are a tradition here in the UK, but I don't really like them. I find them too flamboyant and they get in the way. Hats belong at Ascot and in the sunshine, not really weddings.

This little outfit I have put together consists of this beautiful Jones and Jones dress currently on sale at Topshop, a pair of white court shoes from New Look and this pretty fascinator from House of Fraser. I like this outfit as it is feminine, vintage and looks neutral. The eyes should only be on the bride on her wedding day - stray away from colours that are too bold and daring and what ever you do, make sure you ask the bride what her colour scheme is so that you don't clash with the bridesmaids.

Are you going to any weddings this year?

A few weeks ago (it seems like yesterday) I was invited to a Soap and Glory blogger event at a beautiful tea parlour in the heart of Manchester. In true Soap and Glory style, we arrived to a little cafe with vintage settings and pink frilly decorations.

Upon arrival we were greeted by the Soap and Glory team, given the most scrumptious Macaroons and tea party delights and a few glasses of bubbly to whet our appetite about the new Soap and Glory releases.

I have been a Soap and Glory fan since first discovering their Righteous Butter body butter. It was a Christmas present from my mother in law and I remember applying it constantly for the first few weeks. Like many Soap and Glory fans, I was given their products as a Christmas present due to their extravagant and beautiful Christmas box sets and admittedly neglected them for a few months until it was the Christmas season again. In between the 12 months, there was only a few Soap and Glory purchases - one of which is my favourite body firming product, The Firminator. This event taught me many things, but the one feeling I left with was that I need to incorporate more Soap and Glory products into my lifestyle. This was down to several reasons. A) I love their new range - anyone with a soft spot for anything citrusy will be in love. B) Their products are natural and created by one of the best skin care experts and C) I love anything that has incorporates retro themes and Soap and Glory definitely does that.

As previously mentioned, anyone who is passionate about citrus scents will love the new Soap and Glory range. The brand have brought out several new products: Orangeasm Super Tonics, Orangeasm Body Wash, Orangeasm Body Body butter and two new firming products called Sit Tight and Sit Tight Saddlebags. Like most Soap and Glory products, the names have a slight adult nature and are a little bit tongue in cheek, but this all adds to the fun of the S&G brand. My new favourite soap and Glory product is the Orangeasm Super Tonic. The scent is juicy, highly fragrant and lasts all day. I love the bright orange bottle which sits nicely with the bold fashion trends on the high street. Despite its relatively low price tag, the bottle looks quite expensive and resembles more high end scents such as those from Clarins or Clinique.

Before we left, all the bloggers devoured this wonderful Soap and Glory cake. It was pink, sweet and a little bit naughty - exactly like the brand it was representing. Thank you Soap and Glory for an amazing event.

http://www.soapandglory.com/

At first glance, I look like a normal (whatever the perception of normal is these days) 23 year old woman. I am 5ft 2 and on the chubbier side of a size 8. I enjoy going to university, attending the gym and pole dancing. Most days I look healthy, but I often get asked if I 'have had enough sleep' or 'if I'm feeling lazy' today. The truth is beneath my skin I am riddled with a disease that brings me chronic pain, a high level of fatigue and countless infections. A few weeks ago after over a year of unexplained joint pain and hospital admissions I was finally diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an auto immune disorder that according to NRAS (The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society) affects over 700,000 people in the UK. RA is a degenerative condition that attacks healthy joints and has the potential to cause damage to vital organs and cause severe deformities. The first few weeks of discovering RA is known as the 'window of opportunity' as patients who get treatment early on are most likely to make remission. RA is often difficult to diagnose as symptoms do not always present themselves easily.

My joint pain started off slowly with one of my knees. Since I had an operation the year before, doctors told me that it was most likely to be slight wear and tear of the joint and told me to see how it goes. A few months later I noticed when I waking up, all my joints would crack and little rashes started appearing on my feet, wrists and elbows. Over the year the pain got worse and some days it would be hard to move. The fatigue slowly started creeping in and some days I would be getting over 12 hours sleep and still be tired. My parents would wake me up just to see if I was okay, I could have probably slept a lot longer. Having been to the doctors again, I was then diagnosed with anemia and put on iron tablets. It took nearly a year for my iron to reach an adequate level and the pain was still there. The doctors told me this was all down to my anemia and it would eventually go away.I kept returning to the doctors only to be asked questions 'are you depressed?' or to be told 'it's normal for teenage girls to get pain.' I started getting depressed because the pain was making it harder for me to dance, I couldn't go to the gym like I used to and my university work was suffering. I went to the doctors again for the final time and cried my eyes out, I was finally referred to a rheumatologist. After several weeks of testing and ultrasounds on my joints it was revealed that I have RA and the arthritis is in my wrists, hands, knees and feet. I did not know whether to laugh because I had been right for all this time or to cry at my potential impending doom. There is no cure for RA, but it can be made manageable.

It has been a few weeks since my diagnosis and emotionally I am feeling a lot better. I can now focus on trying to live a relatively normal life. I have decided although it causes me pain, I am going to stick with the gym and dance as in the long run they can both help my joints. As the saying goes 'no pain, no gain.' The fatigue and pain is still there, but in a few weeks time I am starting treatment that will hopefully make my symptoms manageable. I am looking forward to the possibility of having my youthful energy back.

I decided to write this post not for sympathy, but to create awareness of Rheumatoid Arthritis. I could scream at the amount of people that say to me 'it's just a bit of joint pain' - it is so much more than that. I have lost friends because they do not understand what it is like, some of my tutors do not understand how it affects my work, it is often a strain on my relationship and I had to quit working behind the bar because working until 6am is not good for someone with bad joints and constant fatigue. I am determined to not let my diagnosis get the better of me. I am a strong, independent woman and I want the best for my future and my career. RA is a part of me, it does not consume all of me.

http://www.nras.org.uk/

I openly admit that I am a perfume hoarder and every spring season my collection just grows. The reason for this is due to my obsession with spring time fragrances. Anything that has a hint of floral notes or a sweet, juicy scent has to be mine. Yves Rocher was a brand I mainly associated with cosmetics, it wasn't until recently I discovered they had a wide selection of perfumes and sprays.

Comme Une Evidence*, L'Eau Parfum Intense by Yves Rocher is the latest fragrance to make it into my collection. My perfume collection is in two sections - one is a draw full to the top with my special perfumes that I don't want to use too often or those that I don't like as much and my dressing table top shelf is where my everyday perfume resides and the ones I cannot stop using. Comme Une Evidence by Yves Rocher, although I have only had it two weeks, has made it to my top shelf. The sweet, juicy and hint of musky notes has made this scent irresistible to my senses. A spritz of this perfume makes me feel fresh, vibrant and feminine, catching the attention of men as I glide by on the bus taking to my seat. The Comme Une Evidence is an intense fragrance which combines Damascus rose and Jasmine absolute. The perfume is then enriched with floral and wood notes, which is delicately finished off with a praline scent to add sensuality. This fragrance incorporates all the scents I love to wear on a daily basis and the sweet, floral lingering scent makes me feel like I'm running through a springtime meadow. This perfume is like a love story in a bottle and leaves me wanting more.

http://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/

I'm a girl that loves the colour pink. Pink lipstick, pink handbags - I even have a pink Macbook case. Part of me believes it was my childhood obsession with my pretty pink Barbie doll that sparked the passion for the colour and when I saw this dress from Chi Chi clothing I thought it looked like something a Barbie princess would wear and evoked memories of my favourite childhood dolls.

Pictured is the Chi Chi Florence dress with a lace bodice and mesh skirt. The skirt is fully lined and includes netting to add a vintage, swing dress vibe. The pastel pink is bang on trend and button up back adds pretty detailing and oozes femininity. Admittedly, I do find this dress a little bit too full on for the day time, but it makes a great cocktail or evening style outfit. The sizing on this particular Chi Chi dress comes up slightly small as I am usually a size 8 - 10 and the size 10 is a little bit tight. If you're self conscious about your dress size and don't want disappointment, I'd order a size or two bigger than you usually are and take note of the size guide. My motto is that I would rather be a size bigger and have the dress look fitted, than be a size smaller and look like I have squeezed into something. If an outfit fits right, it can often make you look smaller in the end anyway.

The dress is available from Chi Chi clothing* and retails at £49.99.

Have you shopped at Chi Chi before?

Before leaping into my exciting news about my new Michael Kors purchase, I must apologise for the lack of blog posts during the last few weeks. Just over a week ago, I was hit by the devastating news that a close family member was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The word cancer is often a difficult diagnosis to digest and as she was previously a healthy, happy go lucky woman it came as such a shock to members of our family. What came as an even bigger shock was that she sadly passed away only a week after finding out. Our family has been rocked by this tragic news and my thoughts and prayers are currently with my cousins, whom I love so much and cannot imagine what they are currently going through. My auntie was the reason behind my love for writing, as when I was a child she would babysit me and ask me to write her stories. She fuelled my imagination and kept my creativity alive. If it wasn't for her, my grandma and my parents keeping me passionate about writing, I very much doubt I would be as successful as I am today - on the final journey of my university degree, writing a blog I love more than life itself and being able to take my passion and make it into my future career. All this news came two days before my 23rd birthday and just under a year since I lost my other auntie. I also received the terrible news that I have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis a chronic, degenerative condition that has affected my hands, wrists, feet and knees. I doubt I could have had a harder week if I tried...oh wait, my dissertation is due this week too. Luckily I have been able to get an extension on my university and this weekend I was able to attempt to let my hair down and celebrate my birthday, after all both my aunties wouldn't have wanted to see me upset on my special day of the year.

If there is one thing that recent events have taught me, it is that life is too short. Hence, the reason why I grabbed my purse on my birthday and blew £230 on the beautiful MK5896 Michael Kors watch from their latest collection. Honestly, I am not that materialistic, I don't always resolve my problems whilst doing elaborate shopping. I have wanted a Michael Kors watch for the last two years. Nearly every day I would visit my local House of Fraser trying them on and trying to figure out what to buy. I'm not that wealthy, so £230 on a watch is a big deal for me. I don't have that money lying around to be spent. This weekend I eventually came to the conclusion that if I have wanted something for nearly two years, it is clearly a worthy investment and something that I will not regret.

The Michael Kors watch I eventually opted for is the MK5896 one of the latest additions to the Michael Kors range. The watch features a pastel pink, blush coloured accentuate bracelet and a rose gold stainless steel finish, which is a perfect accessory for incorporating this seasons pastel pink trends. I love this watch as the pink, rose gold tones match my skin complexion perfectly and although the watch is weighty, it isn't too heavy on my wrist. The watch has a high quality finish and glistens every time I wear it, so far I have a fair few compliments and I haven't stopped wearing it since Saturday. Do I have any regrets buying this? Absolutely not. The MK5896 is a timeless, feminine piece and as long nothing happens to it, I can see myself wearing this for a very long time.

Do you own a Michael Kors watch?

I often find myself reflecting back to the time my hair was long, thick and did exactly what it was told. I loved my hair, it was one of my best assets. Unfortunately a year or two ago I suffered from Anaemia and as a result of my condition, my hair started slowly straying. After almost a year of lack of iron my hair was a lot finer and became rather dull. I found myself constantly getting down and feeling fed up of my locks. It has taken several months, but my iron seems to be constantly up at the moment and my hair is on the way back to its former glory.

Whilst searching for my products that would help my thicken my hair, I came across the brand Nanogen* and their hair thickening products. The Nanogen shampoo and conditioner promises to thicken hair from the first wash, invigoratingly cleanse your scalp and leave you with a fresh berry long lasting fragrance. The products are derma-logically tested and suitable for those with a sensitive scalp, which is really important to me as I often get eczema on my scalp when I use products I haven't used before.

I have used thickening treatments for my hair in the past and never really had any luck, but the Nanogen thickening shampoo and conditioner have made a subtle difference to my hair. If you are looking to be instantly transformed into Cheryl Cole, that probably isn't going to happen - but for those looking for a boost, a little bit of volume and a shiny mane this shampoo and conditioner should do the trick. I love it. My hair feels softer and in better condition than it has done for a while and when blow dried correctly, you can see my hair is slowly losing its limpness. At first I was a little bit skeptical of this product and before I had even tried it, I expected disappointed. However, the Nanogen thickening range has restored my faith in thickening shampoos and conditioners - there are some out there that work and this is a haircare set I will be sticking to in the near future.

www.nanogen.co.uk

I remember walking to my local Illamasqua stand a few months ago for the first time and falling head over heels at the sight of the beautiful array of strikingly bold lipsticks. There was every colour in the rainbow from exotic oranges to bright greens. It was from that point that my love affair with Illamasqua began. I was in Manchester recently for a bloggers event and to kill time I headed over to the Illamasqua counter in Selfridges. On a friends recommendation, I thought I would try Skin Base, Illamasqua's top selling foundation.

Skin Base is a brand new formula that is nothing like you would see at other beauty counters. The foundation blends easily and leaves you with a flawless complexion, which looks like you are wearing no makeup at all. The foundation range is suitable for all skin types and it promises to smooth, soften and condition your skin whilst building coverage. I love Skin Base. Skin Base is the first foundation that has left me with a natural effect instead of a slightly orange glow. Skin Base is £27.00 which I think is reasonable because a little goes a long way and you only need a 50p sized amount on application.

After picking up my Skin Base, my thoughts turned yet again to their lipsticks. I have countless bright pink lip products, however this one caught my eye.This lipstick shade is Glissade and it is from their new Glamore range. For the first time Illamasqua has brought out a few satin finish lipsticks straying away from their trusted matt finishes, the Glissade is one of them. I love this colour as it suits my complexation and makes a great everyday lipstick as it is not too bright. I have had quite a lot of compliments wearing the latest addition to my Illamasqua collection.

Have you shopped at Illamasqua recently?

Gemporia Jewellery

Jana Reinhardt Jewellery

April Showers & Saturday Nights In

Bloggers Brunch with Secret D'Or

Manchester Fashion Week Day 2 Highlights

Bank Holiday Giveaway

Paul Mitchell Styling Event

Kiss Me I'm Brazilian OPI

Spring Wedding Attire

Soap & Glory Event

Living with RA: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Comme Une Evidence L'eau de Parfum

Chi Chi Florence Dress

Michael Kors, I Love You: MK5896

Nanogen Hair Thickening Treatment

Illamasqua Haul