Fashion Influx

Party season is the moooost wonderful time of the year, so when Topshop invited me in to check out their personal shopping service I was more than excited. As much as I love getting dolled up, I find the whole process of outfit hunting stressful – I’m pretty particular, so it usually takes me forever! Not only that, but I got to try the personal shopper experience in Topshop at Meadowhall… I love anything that’s blogging related and local! It’s nice to know that the rest of the country hasn’t been forgotten about, and we can all have an extra special shopping treat. I’ve been to a couple of personal shopping events before, and the team at Topshop didn’t disappoint! I was greeted with some dream boat outfits that the lovely Kirby, my personal stylist, had picked out for me. She found me so many pieces that were just my sort of thing! That’s all part of the service - you just give them a call, let them know what you’re after, tell them your size and they’ll do all the faffy...

Welcome to me sharing the joys of oily skin. If you’re prone to an oil slick complexion like me, you’re going to know that it can be a complete pain in the ass… Imagine a world where your foundation hasn’t slid off your face by 12pm?! Recently, I’ve got very stomp-y footed about oily skin problems. I’ve just about got my acne under control, but was still plagued with a T-Zone that hates me. Admittedly, I wasn’t being very good to my skin – there’s nothing like waking up with Saturday night’s makeup on to realise you’re a mess. Lol. While I do still have my blips, I have managed to force myself into some sort of routine, specifically targeting oily issues. Buying a few new products definitely helped – kind of like when you buy new gym clothes to motivate yourself into facing the cross trainer. Now I’ve got some new bits that I’m actually seeing results with I’m happy to spend an extra 10 minutes giving my skin a treat…. Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser I...

My kind of Black Friday deal involves makeup, and this year  Beauty Bay  is delivering all the deals.... Ummm, hello up to 30% off some of my favourite beauty brands!! To kick off the Black Friday weekend, Beauty Bay will be having one of its biggest sales to date, with some of the best beauty names on offer, including LA Girl, Kevyn Aucoin, Mario Badescu and Alpha-H. To celebrate all the discounted makeup goodness I’ve picked out my top picks to share with you… Yup, that’s Gerard Cosmetics and Lime Crime in there! I’m super excited to see both brands on offer – I’m so obsessed with matte, liquid lipsticks and these are both shades I’ll wear on repeat. I’ve used a few of the Gerard Cosmetics  Hydra Matte Liquid Lipsticks  before, so I knew I’d be sold on ‘Everything Nice’ – it’s just a really lovely pink for daytime and evenings. Lime Crime I’d not used before, but I’d always wanted to give the  Velvetines  a go… A discount on these was too good ...

How is it that time already?! Mums are nagging for Christmas lists and Dad’s will be as surprised as you are opening your presents. This is my favourite part of the festivities though – the planning and the lead up… I love buying gifts and I’m mad for all the Christmassy goings on. Annnd so, it comes to sorting out my Christmas list! This year, I’ve had things started off early with a lovely chance to give the Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean White electric toothbrush a go. As someone who’s obsessed with pearly whites, I know I’d be super happy to open one of these on Christmas day! Yeah, a toothbrush doesn’t instantly scream ‘exciting Christmas present’, but Philips has managed to take the humble toothbrush to something way more fun – it comes in five lovely colours (*ahem* cutesy pink), is clinically proven to whiten teeth in one week, improves gum health in two weeks and is proven to remove seven times more plaque than a manual toothbrush. It’s shocking to think only 25% ...

Since getting the Morphe 35O Colour Nature Glow Palette, I’ve realised I’ve been living under a rock in terms of recognising its popularity. I actually got it by chance after seeing it in a Beauty Bay ad, saying it was finally back in stock and would sell out in no time. As a sucker for anything that’s in demand I went and ordered – I’d been after a new warm, neutral toned palette so this one seemed to fit the bill. Once I’d done a little YouTube search on a few 35O makeup looks I realised it was one of those cult beauty products that everyone and their aunty was after.  So, is it actually worth the hype? YUP. I’ve never tried Morphe products before but first impressions have been good. This cost me £21 with shipping (Beauty Bay’s free delivery over £15 gives me liiiife), which is seriously good value for 35 good quality shades. I’ve spent way more on eyeshadow palettes, and often they don’t live up to my expectations – I’ve found with multiples that the quality can be hit...

It's been a good while since I had chance to do a beauty update. I don't change things up that often, but since my last favourites post I've found a few products that have become a part of my everyday routine. I think it's because I've been trying to mix my brands up a little - normally I just go for the same old stuff from the same old companies! NYX coming to the UK has made my bank account suffer, and I've also been stocking up on a few American beauty newbies via Beauty Bay. Even in the most rushed mornings (I've perfected a messy makeup routine to 5 minutes...) I end up using all these products.  Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day Setting Spray Me and setting sprays are a bit iffy. Sometimes I just don't find they 'do' that much. I was even a little dissapointed with the Urban Decay one. The thing is, I've got oil slick skin. In a few hours I can look like I've got no base makeup on, so really any product like this is fighting ...

Alongside the usual cash, phone & ID (praise the Lord if somebody wants to ID this grandma), my bag on evenings out is usually jam-packed. The fact that I can cut its contents down to a clutch bag’s worth is an achievement in itself. I’m not much of a party girl, but I’ve had a few evenings out in the diary recently that have meant I’ve perfected my ‘going out bag’. Basically this means I’ve sussed out what makeup products are essential for me not looking like a troll by 3am. So, with makeup I tend to go cheap. Nobody’s got time for losing that Chanel lipstick. Nada. Recently I’ve been using a lot of NYX products anyway, so that works out well! The liquid lipstick in Sandstorm is my favourite taupe-y nude and although it’s matte it doesn’t wear off in too much of a state. A shine fixing powder is something I always take out with me for tackling sticky clubs. This HD Finishing Powder is one I use daily as it gets rid of any oily areas and fuzzes out pores. I’ve gone ...

I love a good summer collection. It gets me extra excited for the prospect of BBQs, warm evenings and trips to the seaside. Makeup wise I've just had a bit of an update for the warmer season with a couple of products from YSL's Savage Escape collection, a new mix of bronzes and warm tones. YSL Beauté Gloss Volupté (Rose Denim) Hey heyyy to extra girliness! If you’re into a super feminine gloss, then Rose Denim is definitely the one. It’s all those Barbie vibes rolled in with shimmer – a really fun lip colour. It’s probably not something I’d wear that often (I’m more into my mauve and brown undertones), but it’s a real nice change from the usual orangey tones we get at this time of year. YSL Beauté Full Metal Shadow (No. 12 Blue Clyde) Liquid eye products are something I have limited success with… I think eyeliner has put me off for life. I’ve been working on it though with the Full Metal Shadow and finally getting to gri...