OOTD: Pink Lace Kimono

This outfit of the day post is centred around this pink lace kimono which I recently purchased from ASOS. I'd been looking at it for a while and upon seeing it had been reduced in the sale, finally decided to get it! It's a really unique piece which is perfect for summer days where a cardigan is too heavy, but you still want something. In real life, it actually comes out a lot more vibrant than it looks on the website, possibly because each kimono is tie dyed meaning that no two look the same. It was a really hot day when I wore this outfit, so I paired it with a basic orange dress which I purchased last summer from New Look, although I remember seeing the same style back in stock this year (it comes in a wide array of colours). I also paired it with a bright, beaded necklace that I got a long time ago from next, as well as some grey cowboy boots from Look Again giving it a more causal, daytime look. However, the kimono could easily be worn in the evening by adding some strappy heels, although I also think it could work as a beach cover-up.

Whats on my wishlist? (Top Three)

First up is this checked shirt dress from River Island  which would transfer really nicely into A/W 2012 and look great with chunky knit tights and chelsea boots. River Island always has some great pieces and now ship internationally!

 The next thing is probably something that is a staple product in a lot of peoples make up bag, but like a lot of people who wear a neutral based eyeshadow look for the most part, I think the Urban Decay Naked 2 Pallete would be a great investment, if the hype surrounding it is anything to go by.

Finally, this is another cult favourite and possibly the perfect pale pink polish. As much as everyone loves the bright, glittery polishes, sometimes it's nice (and a lot easier to remove!) to have a calmer, more clean and natural polish...enter Essies Fiji. This is a really simple but gorgeous colour that would look great on anyone's nails.

Favourite Perfumes

Today I thought i'd do a post on my favourite perfumes. I love collecting different perfumes and displaying them in my room as the bottles can be so unique and pretty. One of my more recent additions is "Purr"  by Katy Perry.  First off, as a cat person, I have to say that the packaging of this is so individual and different to anything else i've seen before, that I actually purchased this perfume before trying the scent first. It has quite a strong scent which is meant to have top notes of peach, apple, jasmine and rose, with a base notes including vanilla orchid. There is a definite fruity scent to this perfume, but it is in more of a mature way than being too sickly scented. Overall I'd say its good for evening wear and has good staying power, (but the best thing about this is still definitely the bottle!)

Purr: Katy Perry

'Love of Pink' By Lacoste  is what I'd generally class as my "everyday perfume", I've gone through countless bottles of this and never fail to adore the scent, it's feminine but not too sweet, apparently also containing notes of citrus, which gives it a fresh, daytime appropriate scent, whilst still maintaining the right dose of girliness to justify the name .  I have no doubt that this will continue to be a firm favourite within my perfume collection for years to come.

'Love of Pink' by Lacoste

The next perfume is probably the highlight of my collection and my favourite evening perfume by a mile. "Lovestruck" by Vera Wang is a relatively new release in comparison to the iconic 'Princess', but aside from the obviously striking and distinctive packaging, the scent itself manages to be feminine with a slightly more mature edge in comparison to Princess, tropical and fruity notes are balanced out with a hint of musky-ness, which is what probably really gives this perfume the edge, making it exceptional for evening wear. Getting ready to go out in the evening is incomplete without a spritz of this as far as i'm concerned, something to definitely consider adding to your collection, if you haven't already!

'Lovestruck' by Vera Wang

Lipsy Perfume

My next choice is another perfume which is probably more suited to the evening, however I do believe it is slightly less expensive than the other perfumes featured in this post, which is always a plus point. The Lipsy perfume is a definite girly scent, from the adorable giant pink crystal inspired bottle to the floral and fruity scent which would probably be appealing to a lot of people for use on a night out. 

'Pink Sugar' by Aquolina

Finally, a perfume that a lot of people will probably be familiar with, Aquolina Pink Sugar is a relatively new addition to my perfume collection, having received it for my birthday in February. Im not sure how popular this perfume is in the UK, but i've heard great things about it from American bloggers, which prompted me to put it on my wishlist. This is probably the girliest, sweetest, candyfloss-like scent encapsulated into a perfume ever. If you're not a fan of super-sweet scents then this probably wont be for you, however it is very distinctive and quite strong. Another plus point of this perfume is the fact that it is the one I have been most complimented on! Several times when wearing this, people have picked up on and complimented the sweet, candy scent, which is always nice!

What are your favourite perfumes? Always good to get some recommendations!
Emily xxx

My Favourite Summer Lipstick (Cost Chic by MAC)

Scenes as it's the 1st of July today, I thought it would be a good idea to do a post on my go-to summer lipstick. The lipstick in question is one of MACs frost lipsticks in Costa Chic. After seeing pictures online and hearing how it is a great summer colour that compliments a tan well, I decided to go ahead and purchase.

In the bullet! The famous MAC packaging

As its exotic name would suggest, Costa Chic is a bright coral colour which can be worn to achieve a striking summer look for nights out, holidays or special occasions. However, what I really like about Costa Chic is the fact that it can easily be sheered out by applying and blending in a small amount, giving the lips a gorgeous pinky coral tint which is perfectly wearable for everyday use. The versatility of this lipstick and its unique and pretty colour is what makes it my favourite lipstick of the season.

You can pick up Costa Chic from your local MAC counter, Debenhams, House of Fraser or online. It is priced at £13.50

What's your favourite summer lipstick?

Sheered out

More built up colour

Emily xxx

The Perfect Red Lip

The red lip is an iconic make up look which exudes a timeless, feminine feel. Probably the most famous patriot of the red lip is none other than Marilyn Monroe, who was known for layering different shades in order to create the illusion of fuller lips. But still today we continue to sport the look.

Marilyn: the poster girl for the iconic red lip

Not the greatest lighting, but you can see how the pop of gold really illuminates the lips!

Whilst I personally love the look of red lips, naturally they are not always the easiest or most appropriate choice from day-to-day, but for special events a red lip is definitely my first port of call. My current favourite product for mastering the red lip is the Rimmel London Moisture Renew lipstick in shade 500 'Diva Red'. This is more of a darker toned red than a brighter one, but when applied with a lip brush gives a dramatic and defined look.

My top tip for the red lip definitely has to be to apply a gold coloured eyeshadow on the lower lip in the centre. It really gives a beautiful sheen and 3D effect to the lips which looks gorgeous when it catches the light.

If I really want to wear red lips in the day time then I tend to opt for the Maybelline Lip Stains in "Shy Red" which, as the name would suggest, provides a slightly more muted, wearable daytime shade that adds a flush of rouge to the lips without looking too overdone.

Whats your tips for achieving the perfect red lip look?

Emily xxx

MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer

From this photo, hopefully you can see how thick the consistency is

After hearing that the MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer was one of the best around for covering the purple/blue  tones of under-eye circles I decided to give it a go, as they are something i've always struggled with. Previously, after experimenting with several concealers (including YSL Touche Eclat) I had settled with the popular Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer, which offers a good coverage and brightens the under eye area. However, in order for me to feel that my dark circles were completely eliminated, I needed a couple of layers- hence my reasoning for trying Studio Sculpt. I was matched to the colour NW20 which contains peachy pink undertones to correct the blue/purple ones. The concealer has a very thick, paste-like consistency which means that a small amount can be blended out to cover a wide area. The thickness of the consistency is what enables this concealer to provide a thick coverage under the eye area, which I found to work well, almost eliminating the discolouration completely. However, if using this product, I would say to be  sure to use a small amount to avoid making the under eye area look too cakey. I also quite like to add a layer of lasting perfection over the top to brighten the skin, something which studio sculpt does not do. Priced at £13.50, if you suffer from under eye circles (or blemishes, which it is equally effective with) then I would recommend giving studio sculpt a try- a small amount will provide very good coverage. To use this product, I also picked up the Barry M Concealer brush, this allowed me apply the concealer and blend it out well- the brush is available at Superdrug £2.99

As you can see, the concealer provides a good coverage which pretty much blanks out the purple tones under my eyes, however they are still slightly visible to a certain degree.

The Barry M Concealer brush

Beautifully Blue: Nails of the day

After posting about picking up this 'Cyan Blue' colour from Barry M, I was pleased to find that it applied well and gave a gorgeous finish which was accentuated with my favourite Sally Hansen Insta Dry topcoat.

The pretty bottle- Love Barry Ms packaging!

Applies well, you only need about 2 coats

Cyan Blue! A beautiful sky blue colour which is perfect for summer

Painted onto my nails


I think this is a really great polish that would be a great addition to everyone's collection, so be sure to pick up from either Boots, Barry M website or Superdrug. The Barry M nail paints are priced at £2.99


Love,
Emily x

Outfit of the day: Frappuccino Fidays

Cardigan: Oasis

Dress: New Look (Currently on sale)

Messenger bag: River Island

Shoes: Local retailer (Brand= 'Ella')

Aviator Sunglasses: River Island

Watch: River Island

Necklace: Tiffanys

Superdrug & Boots Purchases!

Superdrug are having 3 for 2 on all cosmetics at the moment (similar to what boots did a month or so back) so it was the perfect opportunity to pick up some summer-appropriate purchases, but nevertheless still ended up getting a couple of items from Boots as well (and a magazine freebie)

First up: After seeing this shade of blue on many peoples nails and being inspired (and tempted) by the Thakoon for NARS in Koliary, I found this Barry M alternative in "Cyan Blue" which gives the same look at a fraction of the price. I immediately painted this on my nails and it goes on well and creates the desired look I was hoping for, so a "Nails of the day" post on this will be coming up shortly.

 The next superdrug purchase was the Collection 2000 (or Collection Cosmetics as they are apparently now known as?) Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner. After using the Maybelline line definer for as long as I can remember, the fact it had begun to come out an off-black/ charcoal colour whilst failing to offer the precision it once did made me realise it had finally dried up and it was time to purchase a new felt tip style liner. I've always preferred felt tip style liners for lining the upper lash line due to their quickness, ease and precision- and hopefully this will be no different. It came in several other colours if you fancied being a bit more daring, but for a quick fix, everyday liner I opted for the classic black. It has sleek packaging and a very fine tip, once I've tried it out I will be sure to do a review.

The next purchase was a re-purchase of my all time favourite concealer and from the constant hype surrounding it, the same could probably be said for a lot of other people. Being quite pale, I use use the shade "1: Fair" and this is probably the fifth one of these I've bought, so a permanent fixture of my make up bag for sure.

Now onto Boots: After switching from Bourjois Healthy Mix to Revlon Colorstay foundation because I felt like a change, now that the summer months are coming I have decided to revert back to the BB creams after using up a bottle of Garnier's miracle skin perfecter last year when it was fresh on the market. From having a browse around on the Boots website I noticed that the 17 BB cream had a reasonably good set of reviews (mostly better than its more expensive counterparts) whilst only costing £6.99, for this reason I decided to pick it up, in the hope that it will be more appropriate in the summer months and be better for my face than the heaviness of Colorstay- once again an in-depth review post will be coming up soon.

 I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Boots had £2 off of the Revlon lip butters. Having already owned Sweet Tart, I wanted to try a different, more natural shade which would go with everything and be suitable for everyday use, so I decided to get Peach Parfait (swatches coming soon!).

Finally, I decided to get a magazine to flick through for some summer fashion inspiration and noticed that Marie Claire were giving away these The Body Shop lip and cheek tints with the magazine. You could either get this peachy gold colour or a more red toned one, but i thought this would be more summer suitable (and at £3.70 for this and the magazine, it was a great deal considering these sell for £10 in The Body Shop!)



More detailed posts will be coming up on several of these products so be sure to check back for that!

Eye make up of the day

Base: Maybelline color tattoo cream eyeshadow "on and on bronze"
Outer corner: Boots No 7 "truffle"
Inner corner: Boots No 7 "wheatsheaf"

Liner: Maybelline line definer felt tip

Modern French Manicure

Red/Coral shade: Nails inc: hans road
Gold tips: Number 7, hot to trot