Wonderful You | Fashion and Style Blog: October 2013

Thursday, 31 October 2013

Love Me Beauty Box | October 2013

Love me Beauty Box* RRP £10 + p&p

You may remember a while back I wrote about a new beauty box on the scene...Beauteco. Well, they've re-branded and are back as 'Love me Beauty' - a name I actually prefer!
I was so impressed with my last box that I couldn't wait to receive this one. I really love that you get to pick your menu each month - that way you are receiving items you know you want to try and this month I went for option 2. I've wanted to try Lord & Berry products for absolutely yonks and there was an Amie moisturiser that I thought would be right up my street...so you ask, what else was in my box?

LORD & BERRY (FULL SIZE)
SMUDGE PROOF EYELINER RRP £7.50

LORD & BERRY

SCUBA MASCARA (FULL SIZE) RRP £12

I have to say I was really quite disappointed when I opened both the eyeliner and mascara. Both were completely dried out and I couldn't get any product out of either of them to swatch. They were both items I was really looking forward to trying but apparently it's been a fault with most of the boxes and Love me Beauty are working something out to compensate next month! On the plus side - they are both full size items that retail at a higher cost than the entire box, which is a real winner!

BALM BALM (FULL SIZE)DETOX BATH & SHOWER - 5ML RRP £6

I can't wait to try this bath oil, I'm a huge fan of NEOM organics, so something at a fraction of the price is a welcome addition to my bathroom - however apparently this is the full size, which is super tiny!!

WELEDA (SAMPLE SIZE) 18ML
MILLET NOURISHING SHAMPOO RRP £8.95 (190ML)

I always love testing new shampoos so I'll look forward to trying this out when I next wash my mop! It's got macadamia nut oil in it which is always a plus with me - super nourishing and smoothing.

AMIE SKINCARE

MORNING DEW RRP £4.95

Lastly the Amie moisturiser, another item that took my fancy when picking my menu for the month and yet another full size product! I think I will probably feature this in a monthly favourites as I've used it a few times and so far I am absolutely loving it. For under £5 it's definitely a bargain beauty buy I'll be repurchasing!

Of course, there was a little disappointment this month what with the Lord & Berry products, but it hasn't put me off receiving my next one and I believe that every great company can always redeem themselves in a situation like this!

Are you signed up to Love me Beauty? I'd love to know what menu you went for if so?

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Moo's Musings | #1

I realised that I’ve become rather consumed with so many outfit posts that I’d stopped updating you guys on what’s actually going on in my life. A pretty accurate reflection on my happenings is my instagram feed – I post on it most days, sometimes more than once if I’m feeling particularly snap happy! So without further ado, I introduce to you...Moo’s Musings. It will be a random collage of photographs, more than likely nabbed off my instagram, to show you all the life-y things in-between blogging :) let me know if it’s something you’d like to see on a regular basis!

L-R: I purchased the coat of dreams ( for full outfit post on just how bloody lovely it is).

My little sister is trying her hand at ‘felting’ a rather skilled technique (that I will let you google for yourselves), but how SWEET are my little peas in a pod :) I do ruddy love you Lily!

Who else but the infamous Zoe Newlove. I’ve mentioned her and her yummy blog for yonks on here. She came to stay for the weekend and we went out for a night on the tiles..literally.

When Zoe was here we stopped off in Kurt Geiger. I fell in love with these boots. BE MINE.

Monday blues are always soaked up by an evening pamper – (hello NEOM bath oils)

The first fire in our new home. Full credit to Daniel, I was purely a spectator.

Mum and I went shopping. Costa was a necessity.

Probably the best sign I’ve seen in a London Underground.

HELLO London Retro glasses..you know I love you.

How amazing are these gloves? My lovely friend Polly bought them as a belated birthday present (pretty sure they are from Primark, if you want to get your mitts on them – get it? Mitts? Paha).

Daniel looking all handsome, ready for a shopping trip to Birmingham!

Ear stuff.

We picked up this cute little lamp from the Range.

A little snap of our house – I feel so lucky to come home to this every day.

Probably the best smell ever..Morgina body wash from the Body Shop (blog post to follow!)

Somehow, I was selected to be a participant in Access AllASOS, and this was the lovely little welcome parcel they sent me.

Got my hair did. Slightly redder this time!

Sometimes, it’s good to be a little naughty. Chips and gravy at work? Why not.

Meet Simone, the prettiest little lady.

Logs..make quite the nice display next to the fire place! Setting up ready for winter :)

A cheeky selfie from a night out with Simone! My first attempt at a (sort of) smokey eye.

That's all for now - see you again soon!

Friday, 25 October 2013

London Flying

Emma Louise Dress c/o: Little Black Dress. Marky Brogues: ASOS. Lipstick: Rimmel Moisture Renew in 'In Love with Ginger'

There comes a time in a girl’s life, when she discovers the website that was made for her.

I pretty much live in dresses and when I discovered this online haven I could’ve died and gone to heaven, but that would’ve been a complete waste of so many beautiful items that are meant to be in my wardrobe. Let me introduce to you Little Black Dress.co.uk - a perfect slice of the web selling amazing dresses that ooze beautiful.

This dress is pretty much perfection in my eyes - it has all the attributes I look for: fuss free, silk, illustration, soft tones and femininity. It’s one of those pieces you can pretty much wear to anything, whether it be to a lovely dinner teamed with heels and a clutch, or dressed down with chunky boots and a leather jacket it has the potential to suit any occasion.

Whilst it’s a pricey little number, you cannot deny it’s quality. Slipping this on I immediately felt like a princess and the soft silk just makes it feel completely glamourous. It’s in the sale at the moment and I’ve got my eyes on a few other pieces from Emma Louise to add to my Christmas wishlist.

If there’s one thing I’m certain of, you’ll be sure to find the best LBD, high end designers and cool party dresses at www.LittleBlackDress.co.uk

Have you found your perfect dress yet? Maybe this site is the one for you too :)

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Join my Journey on Pinterest!

It's been a long time coming, but I've finally bitten the bullet and got my sorry butt on the beautiful world of . I’m a person that’s quite adverse to anything new or unfamiliar – so when Pinterest came around I’ll be honest, I wasn’t at all fussed. However when I see others have tried, tested and loved it I obviously wanted to be a part of it to.

I’m sure you will all be familiar with the concept, but if you’re not (/have been living under a rock) it’s basically a social media photo-sharing platform that allows you to categorise theme-based images such as beauty, fashion or any other interests/events. You can discover other peoples images and ‘re-pin’ them to your own pinboards or simply upload your own images for others to pin :) it’s like a little photo bubble of happiness!

I’d absolutely love to know if you guys are on there so please leave your links below – it would also be pretty great if you had a few moments to check out my page and hit the ‘follow all’ button if you fancy it :)

Happy Pinning lovelies!! <3

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

The Coat of Dreams

Fur Waistcoat: Zara. Black Long Sleeved Top: H&M. Supersoft Leigh Jeans: Topshop (similar here). Black Boots: c/o Emu Australia. Navy Socks: Topshop. Belt: Vintage

A few months ago I discovered the coat of dreams. Well it’s not officially a coat, it’s a waistcoat - but potata potarta. Regardless of it's title, it was love at first sight and when my cousin told me about this little beauty I couldn’t wait to get home, google it and add it to my wishlist of things I won’t be able to justify.

However, if a piece of clothing sticks in my mind for more than a few days I know that it’s something I really, really want. So naturally, I saved my little tooshie off in order to purchase it.

It’s a pricey piece but it’s certainly a ‘I can throw this on and not have to worry about the rest of my outfit’ item, which is something that has heaps of value to me! I'm absolutely head over heels and love how different it is to any other piece I own.

When this horrible weather takes over England my main aim with my wardrobe is to be warm and comfortable. Teamed with my Topshop jeans, H&M basic and stupidly comfortable EMU boots I feel I could probably climb a mountain if necessary (maybe not, but you catch my drift). On that note..these boots are the most comfiest things to ever grace my feet. The soles are FUR, yup that’s right, a thick wedge of fur lines the bottom of these beauties making me feel like I’m walking on a cloud – they also have a slight heel which gives me that little extra height to take them from being completely casual to something you can dress up.

I’ve literally been living in this outfit and I don’t ever want to take it off. Not even to have a shower. (I know that’s gross, obviously I’m joking.... ;))

PS thank you to my lovely little sister for taking these snaps for me! We went on a walk around my village and discovered this awesome little lane, oh I do love the countryside :)

Monday, 21 October 2013

Ta Dah! Celebrating British Beauty | No7 Inspiration Campaign

If you’re a reader of my blog it’s probably a given that you are interested in beauty (at least a little bit). For me makeup and beauty products are all about enhancing your features and making you feel good. I’m not one for plastering a tonne of slap on, but I have imperfections that I’d rather not share on a daily basis and it’s why I’m always thankful for the brands that make it their goal to help you feel better about yourself.

No7’s new campaign – Celebrating British beauty encapsulates everything I mentioned above and that makes me very happy indeed. A beauty campaign with no air-brushing or re-touching? Well, they’ve certainly got my attention. With women aged between 25 – 55 they’ve ‘street cast’ individuals from a mix of backgrounds to help discover a new look using their vast collection of vibrant cosmetics, reaching for products they perhaps wouldn’t have thought to try before in order to surprise themselves with how change can be a good thing.

Of course I wanted to get involved and try my hand at something new, so here are my products:

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser. No7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick in Cuckoo Coral. No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream for Normal/Oily Skin

Hot Cloth Cleansers aren’t something new to me, however I’ve only ever tried the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish and trialling a new cleanser isn't something I take lightly - my skin isn't happy with most products, as you know. This one didn’t disappoint, with the beautifully crisp and minimalistic packaging alone I was swooning but the application is just as dreamy with a pump to save mess. The product itself literally melted away my makeup and didn’t leave me feeling greasy or oily at all – super soft and delicate. BIG thumbs up! Especially as I’m so often using power cleansers to control my breakouts, it’s nice to give it some nourishment every now and then.

I am very much a lover of high coverage foundations so I thought I would step out of my comfort zone and try my first ever BB cream. It sounds ridiculous but this is a big deal for me, stripping back a usually covered up face is more difficult than it probably should be. But...I am SO happy with the results. BB creams are aimed at fighting blemishes whilst helping to achieve a more even skintone by hiding imperfections. I opted for the ‘fair’ shade for normal/oily skin – the coverage has the perfect balance and the staying power is better than some of my high-end foundation choices. IN LOVE.

On the lips I wanted to opt for something subtle and pretty (not a usually for me) – after all this is my ‘stripped back’ look and I didn’t want some heavy vampy lip strutting its stuff this time around ;). The Sheer Temptation Lipsticks are true to their title, light in application whilst being super hydrating, bright and glossy. They’re not at all sticky and are made up with Theobroma Oil and Maxilip to help keep your lips healthy. It’s a full on love affair between us two...sorry Daniel.

And here I am!

Overall I’m so happy that I tried something different – it just goes to show that a little nudge of encouragement can go such a long way. Thank you No7 for creating such a wonderful campaign for us ladies, I for one am 100% grateful and behind the cause :)

I’d really love to know if you decide to take part and would love to see your looks if you do! Have a look on the Boots website here to see other ladies stories and how their new looks made them feel!

Friday, 18 October 2013

If I was a Rich Girl #2 | Hobbs Winter Coats Wishlist

Yellow Penny Quilted Coat: RRP£299. Pipher Coat: RRP £349. Pink Lacey Coat: RRP £239. Phillipa Coat: RRP £299. Gwen Coat: RRP £329. Isabella Coat: RRP £249. Daisey Coat: RRP £279.

I quite like putting together these little wishlist posts. It gives you the chance to really appreciate the quality behind designer brands - especially when it comes to coats.

Specifically winter coats - they're just something we 'have' to purchase every year aren't they? Regardless of how many we have hanging in the closet.
I know for one that it's what I most look forward to when the colder months roll around and certainly what I save my pennies for in order to get. Hobbs is one of my favourite websites to covet such items - in particular the gorgeous wool Pipher and the tan Phillipa coats above. I see every coat as an opportunity to make a statement and I'm rarely very subtle with my choices. I've been pretty naughty this year and bought two (that are yet to feature on the blog) - but I'm starting to think it might be worthwhile saving that little bit harder in order to purchase one of these beauties that will last me a lifetime!

*featured post

They Call it Madness (& rightly so)

Leather front jumper: c/o Triple S Clothing. Leggings: Topshop (similar here). Boots: Urban Outfitters.

A few weeks ago now my family, Daniel and I went to see Madness in concert – I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but they’re my dad’s absolute favourite and growing up listening to their music means I ruddy love them too.

It followed a week where we had had the worst possible weather ever and with the venue being outside we were pretty sure it was going to be awful. But somehow the sun shined all day and the evening was warm and lovely (thank you England). I wasn’t really sure what to wear you know me, I get cold if someone even speaks the word ‘outside’, but I also knew I would be bouncing around dancing with my dad so I didn’t want to be dressed in my thermals.

In the end I opted for this outfit. I whacked some tights on underneath my leggings and thought a ¾ length jumper would be a smart option so that I wasn’t baking hot, but still had some warmth. I’m seeing pleather jumpers everywhere I look at the moment and have to say I’m really quite taken to them. It’s a little bit different but I like the extra detailing it brings to a simple item of clothing and the woollen sleeves are super cosy.

PS. Madness were amazing – obv.

Thursday, 17 October 2013

Sleep Tight Georgie Porge

You may remember (if you've been reading my blog for as long as I've been writing it), that I rustled up a little in April last year for our lovely little fluff ball George..the family guinea pig. He was 7 years old, which is pretty much ancient in terms of guinea pig years and at nearly 8 and a half he sadly said his goodbyes to our family and left for what I hope will be a super comfy sleep!

I think the older we get the more we try and detach ourselves from emotions that may seem silly, or embarrassing. But I certainly don't feel silly for feeling very sad about George. To many he will be 'just a guinea pig' but to us, especially my little sister, he was apart of the family. He had the best life and was so friendly (as well as terribly greedy - hello King of dandelion's).

So, here's a ~~toast~~ post to celebrate what a wonderful little being he was and will continue to be up in his little guinea pig heaven.

I will miss your noisy squeaks and tubby belly.
Sleep tight George, love you always xx

Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum Review

Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum c/o Fragrance Direct

Running out of perfume is one of the worst things to happen to a woman. Dramatic, me? Never. So when this Jimmy Choo perfume landed on my door step you can imagine the joy...even if it smelt like toilet cleaner I would've lapped it up (thankfully, it doesn't and is actually rather gorgeous).

Regardless of the time of day I always reach for a heavily scented perfume. Woody, musky, sexy smells are my ultimate favourite and this perfume has all three wrapped in to one rather beautiful bottle.

The glass packaging is heavy and the indented shapes make it easy to grab hold of whilst you spritz away. Taking inspiration from strong, empowered and seductive women you can safely say this would be 100% suited to an evening wear, but as long as you’re not too heavy handed it can be just as lovely in the day too.

It wasn’t a scent I was familiar with, but I can safely say it’s replaced my Agent Provocateur for the foreseeable future! Having received so many comments since wearing this, it’s definitely worth a whiff when you next find yourself at a beauty counter.

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

How To: Curl Long Hair | Bouncy, Loose Waves Tutorial

Hello my lovelies,

Today is a highly requested video...how I curl my hair! It's probably the easiest part to my daily routine and doesn’t take too much time or effort at all :) I spend a lot of my weekdays with my hair bunged up on top of my head – but if my hairs down you can pretty much guarantee it’s going to be curly. Loose, bouncy curls are what I aim to achieve with my look and this video will demonstrate that!

As with any other video, the links will be listed below to any products used throughout the video.

If you have any requests for videos please do let me know – I love to hear your suggestions!

PRODUCTS USED:

ghd Paddle Brush: http://tinyurl.com/pbctpc6

Tresemme Heat Protector: http://tinyurl.com/4555vgv

VO5 Hairspray: http://tinyurl.com/akzlen5

ghd Shine Spray: http://www.ghdhair.com/shine/final-sh...

Enrapture Totem Styler (ON SALE!!!): http://tinyurl.com/lqc4msj

WHAT I'M WEARING:

Eyeshadow: MAC Woodwinked

Lipstick: YSL Rouge Shine #21*: http://tinyurl.com/cs5lq9u

Blouse: Sugar Hill Boutique - http://tinyurl.com/mktktyv

Monday, 14 October 2013

Skin Worries | Being Proactive

For the past 4 years I have battled with my skin – as you well know, I bloomin’ go on about it enough don’t I?! I have gone through the motions...

Sticking to a healthy diet
Drinking plenty of water
Exercising (albeit minimal)
Being consistent with my skincare
Changing up my skincare
Swapping my contraceptive pill
Seeing my GP and receiving prescription medication

Now of course I didn’t try all of these things at the same time, hell that’s bound to make me breakout – but over a 4 year period with the above changes applied over time here I am, still struggling and suffering.

I don’t claim to have the worst case of acne, or that anyone should feel sorry for me – but what I do believe, quite strongly, is that if you feel uncomfortable in your own skin then you will feel like I do and will consider or try near enough anything to get rid of the continuous breakouts and scarring.

After trying everything within my power to shift these nasties I’ve now started to investigate going to a specialist for treatments. This isn’t something you can get for free but when I consider that last year I spent over £100 on my winter coat, well..I think I can save those pennies and try and sort out my face – after all it is on display forever and always!

First up on my investigation list is sk:n – I’m sure you’ve heard about them before but if you haven’t you can read a detailed description on who they are here. In a nutshell they use the latest technologies and clinically proven products to help improve your skin, whatever your issue or treatment requirement, be it laser hair removal, wart removal or like me skin worries you can pretty much count on them having something that will help.

For me I'll be focusing on the treatments for acne, scarring and peels.

Acne Treatments:
Isolaz is one of sk:n’s most popular treatments for live acne..using a device similar to a hoover (hehe), it works it’s magic by sucking out all the dirt, oils, excess sebum and unnecessary nasties in the skin. Also attached is a laser that releases a light that kills off any remaining bacteria, whilst the vacuum suction helps to bring the infected skin closer to the laser light, leaving less room for anything else to creep its way back in. A single treatment will cost you £130, but the way this treatment works is not a one off miracle cure – it’s something you need to be invested in and stick to for a while - but it sounds incredible.

Skin Peels:

These are the bad boys I’m most interested in – skin peels help to remove dead skin cells whilst encouraging your skin to naturally produce new, healthy ones. Unlike the Isolaz acne treatment, you do run the risk of having some slight swelling and peeling to the treated area but that’s what the experts are there for...to point you in the right direction for what treatment will suit you best.

They’ve currently got 50% off on Glycolic peels (AMAZING NEWS) so a single treatment at the moment would be a very reasonable £40 – but if like me you fancy yourself a few treatments (best idea) then you can get 3 treatments for 2 at £160, which I’m seriously considering. It’s still quite a lot of money, especially if like me you don’t have much to spare – but I think I might add it to my Christmas wishlist and try and contribute some pennies too so that I can get this baby on the road!

I can’t quite believe that we’re approaching the end of this year...but I do really feel like I’ve learned something about myself and my attitude towards my life in general, even though these months have flown by! I can be the most negative ninny and I rarely find myself looking for the best of a bad situation. However, I have realised that that will get me nowhere in life and that I am fast becoming my own worst enemy. Moping and moaning about my skin wont get me anywhere fast, but being positive and working hard in order to help myself help my skin will. I'll be pursuing these treatments and will let you know when I take the plunge and get started. The thing I'm most looking forward to is having an expert there to hold my hand and TELL me what will help, instead of constantly guessing...wish me luck!

*this is a sponsored post

Friday, 11 October 2013

Finally Friday

Dress: c/o Mina, Belt: Vintage, Hat: Topshop, Boots: Hudson

Mina never fails to impress me. You know my wardrobe and how monochrome it can be, but when I spotted this dress it was love at first sight. I got my hands on it when it was in the sale, but it appears to have sold out now – sad times. However, they have just launched their beautiful autumn / winter collection which is to die for (which also means a few more summery items are in the sale now too!).

It's finally Friday - I've not been feeling too great this week so it couldn't have come soon enough. This weekend I have the lovely Zoe staying with me and I cannot wait to see her face! We’ll be doing a bit of shopping, a bit of boogying and no doubt a bit of youtubin’...

What are you lovely lot up to this weekend? I sincerely hope this bloomin’ wind pipes down, I don’t fancy being blown away!

Monday, 7 October 2013

Shaun the Sheep

Gilet: c/o Traffic People. Strap Top: Primark. Belt: Vintage. Leggings: Topshop. Boots: Urban Outfitters. Lipstick: Kate Moss 107

I'm not going to lie, this amazingly fluffy gilet (*shouts: it's so fluffy I'm gonna die!!!* - name that film) is the warmest, cosiest thing I have ever worn in my life ever. I get super cold as soon as the sun isn't shining, even if the weather is still technically warm and with this having no arms I wasn't convinced it would keep me toasty enough..how wrong I was. It is so thick and full that I literally feel like I'm wrapped up in a thick bed of candy floss (that would be amazing).

Because it's quite a statement piece I've just thrown on a strap top and my trusty topshop leggings to cover my modesty ;). Not only is it ultimate comfort, but it feels so soft and I love the way it's segmented into stripes, it helps to break it up a little and stop you looking so much like a sheep..y'know?

Seriously though, so comfy.

Wednesday, 2 October 2013

London Fashion Week Day 1 | Somerset House Street Style

London Fashion Week isn’t something I’ve experienced before. Being a complete fashion week novice I didn’t apply for any shows, but what I did discover is that it’s absolutely fine to just pop down to Somerset House and mooch about, snapping away at street style.

My beautiful cousin Kyle lives in London and she was lucky enough for me to drag her around ;). It was incredible seeing all the hustle and bustle and although it would’ve been amazing to see a few shows I was completely content running around with my camera! I also didn’t quite expect that so many people would ask for my photo – that was weird (they also snapped away at Ky, but that’s a given – she’s a beauty). We spent a good few hours there and I thought you guys might quite like to see my favourite looks from the day?

Hat: American Apparel (similar here). Denim Jacket: Urban Outfitters. Playsuit: Vintage (similar here). Bag: DSUK. Brouges: ASOS. Lipstick: Kate Moss for Rimmel 107

It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t show you what I wore, would it? There were lots of women braving the bitterly cold day in stiletto’s but heels aren’t for me at the best of times and I wasn’t about to feel uncomfortable with a whole day on my feet – so obviously I opted for comfort.

Did any of you lovely lot attend this year? I’d love to know your favourite look from the above – mine has to be that handsome chappy in that AMAZING coat!

Much love, xx

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