Sunday 30 November 2014

House of Fraser SS15 Press Day: A Fashionista's Paradise

So this year I've been going to lots of press days especially for the SS15 season. I just love seeing the samples of upcoming collections, it's exciting to see the trends, colours and styles before they hit the streets.

One of my favourites so far has been the House of Fraser press day as I loved walking through the rails of floor-length, embellished gowns fit for royalty, laid-back bright tops with jeans and statement metallic jackets. 

There were so many things I walked by and said 'yep, I would so buy that', which is usually a good sign. I'm now so excited for the SS15 season as I think we'll be seeing a lot of daring yet fun and vibrant designs which you'll be able to browse through in House of Fraser. Their selection of brands is top-quality and there really is something for everyone. 

I'm going to let you take a look for yourself at some of my favourites... 

Look out for the Michael Kors top with the gold chain, it's SO me! I absolutely love it, along with the metallic jacket and- actually, I just love it all to be honest... 

My OOTD! Classic & black with an embellished purse :) 











Friday 28 November 2014

My Current Beauty Favourites! Feat. Smooch, Seascape & W7 Cosmetics

So it's been a couple of months since I've expanded into beauty and I am honestly so glad I did because I've had the chance to explore so many amazing products that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. I'm slowly building up my collection with some lovely skincare and makeup treats.

Admittedly I really don't over-do the makeup, in fact I keep telling myself I'll learn how to do eyeshadow techniques properly and I never do. I just keep it simple with a basic skincare regime, foundation, eyeliner, mascara and some lippy for everyday use (I am thinking of going on a course so I can learn a few tips and tricks which I will definitely share so keep an eye out *wink*).

I thought I would share a few products I've been absolutely loving for the last month. Half is skincare and half is makeup from the likes of SeascapeSmooch and W7 Cosmetics. Enjoy!


Here's my lovely range of products that I received, all cutely wrapped in pink. LOVE! The Seascape Hand & Nail Cream is amazing as it offers rapid healing for hands which are chapped from the cold and the sleep oil is perfect when you want to cuddle up in bed and need something to soothe you after a hard day's work. The scent isn't too overpowering which is good as a lot of lavender fragrances tend to be a bit too harsh for me.


The W7 Purple Haze palette is lovely for this season as hues of purple and pinks are always on-trend as the weather gets colder. This is nice to keep with you as you can easily use the lighter shades for a daytime look and switch it up with the darker purple for a night out. So convenient!

This is the W7 Angel Eyes palette which I cannot express to you how much I adore! I am definitely lacking in eyeshadows as I always skip that part of my makeup so I am so glad to have something with neutral shades and some which are shimmery enough to use as a base with some eyeliner for a night out. This would be great if you like to blend together a couple of shades and try something new or if you're looking for a shimmery smokey eye for an upcoming christmas party perhaps :)


Also from W7 Cosmetics is their Full Colour Lipstick in shade 'Sandpiper'. Now, if this isn't a statement lipstick, I don't know what is! The pigment is INSANE and the colour you get on first application is very bright. This is definitely for the ladies who are looking for maximal colour and long-lasting wear. The texture is creamy and very smooth and I love the rich shade of fuchsia this offers. It would look lovely with a minimal black or white dress.


This is from the Smooch Duo Eyeshadow palette called 'Dare to Bare'. This is SUCH a good-sized palette to throw into your makeup bag as it it's very compact and has a decent mirror inside for on-the-go application. As you can see from the swatches, the shades are just so so so pretty and highly pigmented. I expected good-quality from Smooch and I 100% got it. You can imagine how stunning this would look on the eye as it really shimmers in the light. Highly recommend!


Also from Smooch is their Berry Kiss lipstick which I have been using to death. Honestly I wear it at least 3 times a week now because I think the purple is perfect for AW14 and the colour isn't too OTT for the daytime. It applies amazingly well and feels smooth on the lips. The colour payoff is pretty good and it does manage to stay longer than some of the other lipsticks I have from No 7 for instance, so that's a major plus! 
The Showstopper

Whilst I adore all the products, I have to admit that the star of the show has to be the Seascape Peppermint Lip Balm  It's been on my mind to buy a good lip scrub because during the Winter I think its necessary to keep lips smooth before they turn into a peeling mess. This is honestly a godsend and I can't stress how amazing it is. I use it under all my lipsticks now and throughout the day as it has a scrub feel to it yet it is still quite gentle, plus the natural peppermint fragrance is lovely and cooling on the lips. It immediately smoothens out your lips, providing a great base for colour or just if you need a helping hand to get through the day. 





Saturday 22 November 2014

Pearl Divine Rainbow Quartz Crystal Necklace: Mystically Beautiful

Recently, I've been going through a bit of a phase of realisation. I've abandoned jewellery for a long time... I'm not too sure why but I've just been really boring with everything and I've only been going for the usual studs, a watch and maybe a bracelet if I'm feeling adventurous. 

Why?!?!

Jewellery is literally everything. It can add so much to a dull outfit and it can change your mood completely. I love finding new pieces now, especially ones which I may not usually go for because change is a must when it comes to style (in my opinion anyway). 

How cute is the packaging :O
Saying this, I'm so happy to collaborate with Pearl Divine, a unique and affordable jewellery range. When I saw their Rainbow Quartz necklace I just HAD to have it because it's so original to everything I've seen!  


The colours are absolutely stunning as you can see hues of blue, green, purple and gold as you turn the stone in the light. I love it because it has a rainbow palette so you can wear it with a black or white top/dress to add some colour this season.


Here I'm wearing the necklace with a fluffy black jumper. The crystal sits on a 24-inch, silver-plated chain so it is fairly long, yet the length makes this a very versatile piece to wear. It's great if you want to wear a necklace that will take you from day to night and attract a few compliments along the way.


It's honestly such a beautiful necklace. It makes a lovely change from the usual high-street statement pieces out there as this creates a statement through its sheer beauty and the detail it has in its colour and structure of the pendant. Being a natural gemstone, each pendant will be slightly different to the next, making each necklace unique in its own way. I personally love this as it adds to the naturalness of the necklace, enhancing its rarity.


For £8, I think Pearl Divine offers heaven on a silver chain...

The newly-established online store has lots of other gorgeous pieces for very reasonable prices if you want to check them out. I really think the range is perfect especially for the upcoming Christmas period if you're looking for personal and stylish gifts with a bit of edge and originality.

You can also follow them on Twitter to keep up to date with the brand :) xo

Saturday 15 November 2014

DreamDots for Spots: Finally, Something that ACTUALLY Works!

Okay, so I've never reviewed any spot treatments before because they're not usually something I incorporate into my skincare routine regularly. Admittedly, I never really used to get any breakouts- it just wasn't a big issue for me. I wish I could say the same... It could definitely be worse but to go from almost nothing to actually seeing visible breakouts is quite disheartening. 100% this is because I've been under enormous amounts of stress from moving and working towards deadlines. 

I just find that average spot treatments can be a bit of a hassle and I never remember to follow through with applying products twice or three times a day. For the most part I rely on my usual cleanse-tone-moisturise steps  and if I do by chance get a breakout, I just try and deal with it and move on.

When I heard about DreamDots, I initially thought... wow this is seriously innovative. When you come to think of it, why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Although you do also think 'okay, fine it's innovative but how well does it actually work?'

I can tell you now... it DOES work! 



The application is really simple and it's great for people like me who often forget to keep re-applying products. With DreamDots, all you have to do is place the dots over your trouble areas and let them do all the work whilst you sleep. 

What I love is that you forget 5 minutes later that you even have anything on your face at all. The become quite transparent once applied so they really don't look too visible at all. 


As you can see, they come in convenient little packets where you can peel one half to apply and take off the other when it's half-way on your skin.


When you wake up, you simply peel them off and in all honesty, you do see the difference right away. It's so refreshing to have a product in the market which puts you at ease when it comes to mother nature's erratic ways. I recommend everyone to try this as I'm so sure that you will love DreamDots just as much as I do!

Sunday 9 November 2014

The Labels Fashion Show 2014: Preby by Sylvia Fumudoh

I'm so happy that I got the chance to attend The Labels Fashion Show this year! 

As I entered the top floor of a Canary Wharf skyscraper, you could smell the luxury in the air. The drinks were flowing and networking was well underway. I met bloggers, models and photographers who were all chic as ever. Whilst we mingled in the lobby, we awaited an exciting fashion spectacle just around the corner. 

There were many talented designers who showcased their collections but one designer definitely stood out to me: Sylvia Fumudoh

Her collection entitled 'Preby' was simply stunning and definitely blew me away. Props to her for not only organising the entire event but for presenting an astonishing collection filled with glamorous figure-hugging sillouhettes and beautiful sparkling embellishments. 

One of my favourites from the show- I adore the richness of the blue teamed with the off-the-shoulder, seductive style of the dress. 







As every piece came down the runway, you couldn't help but think, 'Wow, I would love to wear something as elegant as that!'


Not only were the dresses flattering on the female body, they also showed signs of clear determination and effort behind their beauty. A lot of the dresses had massive amounts of work which explains why they turned out to be so stunning in the end. 



To get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the show, including interviews with all the designers, take a look at the official video here: 




You can find out more about the talented designer herself here too!