The Haul | March

make sure you watch via Youtube by clicking here for a better quality video! 

The OOTD | Oh So Parisienne

Dress - Primark | Bag - Next | Shoes - Forever 21 | Sunglasses - Primark | Rings - H&M, ASOS & Miss Selfridge | Watch - Michael Kors

there's something about stripes and a red lip that makes me come over feeling all Parisienne - i just need to throw some garlic round my neck and i'm good to go! 

i couldn't resist sharing this bargain dress with you, and this is one of the Primark £5 beauties. i picked this up a couple of weeks ago and i'm going to guess it'll be pretty popular, so head to your nearest store ASAP to see if they still have any! it makes an outfit by itself and just needs the basics of accessorising. i've again pulled out a tan bag to match my favourite Forever 21 boots, and also added these little tortoiseshell Primark sunnies, too! i'm just wearing my normal selection of rings and Michael Kors watch, chucked my hair up into a messy side bun, and added a slick of Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry to my lips for a subtle pop of colour!

the dress is actually cut so that it accentuates your waist, and i the three-quarter length sleeve is super flattering. the back is a slight scoop neck, but not so much so that you can't wear a bra - what more can you ask for for £5?! i'll definitely be keeping an eye out to see if they bring in any other staple prints for spring and summer!

The Review | Perfect Eyelashes Luxurious Strip Lashes

it's safe to say that i don't get on with eyelashes, purely because i do not have the knack and patience to apply them, and because they are usually too 'in your face' and look very OTT over my normal lashes, but when i was given the chance to try out the Perfect Eyelashes Luxurious Strip Lashes(*) and saw that they did a natural pair, i thought i would try them out and see how i got on.

now i'm going to start off by throwing out a huge negative to these lashes - they didn't come with glue, and weren't pre-glued, which i thought was pretty disappointing, especially as these retail at £19.99, so i did have to go out and buy myself some glue before i could try these out (and lucky old me ended up with one that was almost dried out!). now i know that's not breaking the bank, but glue is a pretty essential part to false eyelashes, is it not? but negative out of the way, there's some definite positives to these lashes.

i did have to cut mine down to size, but then i always have had to with any other lashes i've tried, so that was fine by me. my favourite thing is how thin the little strip is that the lashes are attached to. i don't wear eyeliner on the tops of my lids as i don't think it suits me, and other lashes i've tried in the past have always given me this look which is why i don't tend to wear them, but this thin little strip means that these sit really nicely on my lash line without making it look like i've piled on the liner. it also means that i could get the lashes to sit really closely to my natural lash line as they were much easier to work with and manipulate into place - they just make your lashes look a little fuller in general. i obviously can't comment on how long the lashes last as i was using a different brand of glue, so this would have nothing to do with the lashes themselves. and isn't the packaging just adorable? it's nice to have a little pick me up when you open the lid, and the box makes for the perfect storage to keep your reusable lashes safe in.

as for how they look, i really like that the lashes incorporate longer and shorter individual lashes to give a much more natural look, and also that they are shaped at the inner and outer corners to match the look of your natural lashes. they are also made of human hair, so they're super soft and fluttery to blend in with your lashes and don't have that synthetic, slightly plasticy look of some drugstore lashes. the lashes are also reusable, so i think i could probably get 4-5 uses out of these before they start to look a bit battered.  now apologies for iphone pictures here, but in the first picture below I have the lashes on my right eye (the left as you're looking at it) whilst the other eye is just my natural lashes, and in the second picture i have Benefit They're Real mascara on, just to give you an idea of the volume the lashes create. they give you equal intensity to using the Benefit mascara, and if you wear the lashes alone without any mascara you can see that they do add very natural looking length to your lashes.

Perfect Eyelashes Strip Lashes | Natural Lashes

Perfect Eyelashes Strip Lashes | Benefit They're Real Mascara

overall, i do think these are a little overpriced for lashes, especially with the no-glue situation, but they are a really good quality and actually match their 'natural' description, which i have found with some other lashes can still look very OTT! i'll invest in a decent lash glue, as i would definitely wear these to the right type of event. if you want to give the Luxurious Strip Lashes(*) a go then you can pick them up from their online store for £19.99, where the also come in Intense, Glam and Volume styles if you're after a slightly different look.

The Beauty Post | E.L.F Bronzer in Golden (Dior Amber Diamonds Dupe)

it would seem that E.L.F are pretty on it when it comes to high end dupes. last week i shared their Contouring Blush & Bronzer which is a great NARS dupe, and this week i have the E.L.F Bronzer in Golden which i picked up after seeing on Pinterest that it was a alternative for the Dior Amber Diamonds, and after having a little Google, it does look pretty spot on! i would say that the only difference is that the E.L.F Bronzer is much less shimmery, but then it is promoted as a bronzer, whereas the original Dior palette is described as a shimmer powder, so you can't complain! 

now i love this product. as a pale skinned gal, the top left and bottom right shades work fab as a contour shade for me as they aren't a huge contrast against my skintone, but since pulling out the fake tan recently, i've really enjoyed using this as a highlighter. there are still very subtle shimmery pigments in this, and that makes for the perfect highlighting shade to match a tan, as it helps bring out a really natural and glowy look. this little palette is great for lighter and darker skintones for different uses if you want a really subtle, natural looking finish. 

for just £3.95, this is absolutely worth buying, especially if, like me, you fell in love with the original Amber Diamonds palette but couldn't afford it! do any of you have other E.L.F products which are a great cheaper alternative to high end products?

The OOTD | Fresh As A Daisy

Top & Trousers(*) - Very | Shoes - Primark | Bag - Ebay | Sunglasses - Claires Accessories | Rings - H&M, Miss Selfridge & ASOS | Watch - Michael Kors | Bracelet - Accessorize 

say hello to my new favourite pieces in my wardrobe! i was extremely lucky to win this Very Love Label Daisy Print Top and Trouser(*) duo, and i am in LOVE! i absolutely love co-ordinating pieces, but never quite got round to finding the perfect one and picking it up, but this is absolutely perfect for the spring, and you can get so many looks from just the two pieces. my personal favourite is tucking the top in to achieve a jumpsuit-esque look, but leaving the top untucked makes for a much more casual look, and there's endless combinations when it comes to mixing both pieces with other items already in my wardrobe, so it's safe to say that these two bits will probably become my spring wardrobe staples. i might even treat myself to the matching shorts to carry it through to summer!

i teamed it up with tan accessories here for the ultimate spring-time look, and i'll be wearing this to my best friends 21st which is coming up in the next couple of months, but it will definitely get plenty of outings before and after then! i also added a matching pop of colour to my lips to bring out the pink in the daisies and went for the Maybelline ColorSensational Lipstick in Shocking Coral. 

i am honestly so chuffed with this duo, and can't wait to try it out with other pieces in my wardrobe, if anyone would like to see a lookbook on this, then let me know! it's just the perfect little combo to dress up or down, so thankyou Very!

The Review Post | La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo +(*)

i've said it before, and i'll say it again - i am still on the hunt for the ultimate skin-clearer-upper and spot-preventer, so when i was given the chance to try out the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+(*), i jumped at the chance. i'd heard quite a lot of rave reviews about it helping to reduce the appearance of blemished and just generally improve the look of skin, so i was quite excited to give it a whirl.

La Roche-Posay are so confident in this product helping to clear up skin that they actually offer you your money back if you don't see effects in six weeks, so when i started trying this about three weeks ago, i had pretty high hopes. it's clinically proven to 'correct the appearance of blemishes, help pores look less clogged, make skin feel smoother and fight against marks' - all skin issues that i have, and issues i can safely say have been dramatically improved since i started using this. i apply this just before i go to bed, and occasionally in the morning, too, and as this is the only new introduction into my skincare routine, i know it's this which has helped my skin clear up. my spot breakouts are now few and far between (maybe one or two new ones a week?), and when blemishes do pop up, they are nowhere near as vicious and stubborn as they have been previously, and are much less noticeable on the skin and a hell of a lot easier to disguise with makeup during the day. any redness from blemishes clears up overnight and my skin just looks all round more even. it's also feeling a lot smoother and just feels in a much more better condition than before i started using this. just a pea-sized amount is enough to cover the whole face, and it sinks into the skin really nicely and doesn't leave it looking shiny or feeling greasy.

it's safe to say that this is one of the very few skin products i've tried that has made a prolonged and noticable improvement to my skin, and one which i will definitely be repurchasing over and over, as i daren't think about what my skin would go back to without it! i'll also be on the lookout for more products to try from La Roche-Posay, so if you have any suggestions then do let me know!

if you want to pick yourself up some of this, then it's currently got 1/3 off at Escentual until the end of March, or you can pick it up in Boots as part of their 3 for 2 offer!

The Video Post | Get Ready With Me

something a little different today, i've given a get ready with me video a whirl! this is just a subtle everyday makeup look, but if you'd like to see me do a certain look, then let me know!

The OOTD | The One With The Interview

Blazer - Primark | Top - Zara | Necklace - Primark | Bag - Ebay | Watch - Michael Kors | Trousers - H&M | Shoes - Forever 21

first of all, i'd like to apologise for the horrendous quality of todays pictures. i don't have a snazzy old camera, so when bad lighting and a grumpy camera team up, i don't have much choice but to make-do, and the little screen on my camera fooled me into thinking these were a decent enough quality. but alas, they were not, so sorry on that one - i'll try and be better for next week, i promise!

today i just wanted to share this outfit with you that i wore last week to a job interview in London, and if you follow me on Twitter, you may know that I was offered the job then and there, which i was (and still am!) absolutely thrilled about and i can't wait to start once i graduate! i initially thought i was just interviewing for a three month internship, but it's now a three month probation period for a full-term job at the end of that. my start date is May 12th and i'm literally ticking off the days. the job is everything i could've dreamed of and a little bit more so i am going to grasp each and every opportunity i get from it with both hands because i am absolutely chuffed to pieces. because i was interviewing with a fashion company, i wanted to look formal but still fashionable with a slightly casual edge about it - basically comfortable, fashionable office wear - and i think this little ensemble worked pretty well! the blazer gives it that formal look, but the peach colour brings it right into season and is a fab contrast against the pleather trousers!

any of you ladies got any office chic looks? i'd love to have a nosey!

The Review | E.L.F Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in St Lucia (NARS Dupe!)

being the beauty and shopping obsessive that i am, i couldn't not make an order in the recent E.L.F 50% off sale, and today i'm sharing something from that somewhat mini haul. 

as much as i wish i could, i just can't bring myself to pay NARS prices, so i decided to pick up the Contouring Blush and Bronzer in St Lucia - a pretty well known dupe for the NARS Laguna Bronzer and Orgasm Blush duo. quality-wise, i obviously can't compare, but these seem pretty spot on for a colour match in my opinion. the blush is a gorgeous warm-toned, peachy pink with a slight shimmer (also a very good dupe for the Sleek Rose Gold blush, just not quite as pigmented and bright), and the bronzer is the perfect tan contouring shade. unfortunately the bronzer is far too dark to use on my pasty skin, but i've hauled the fake tan back out recently and this works fab with more tanned skin. for powder based products, they're not at all chalky and blend in really nicely, so you won't be left with harsh lines from contouring, and both products are really buildable for more colour so can work for a subtle everyday look, or be glammed up for the evening. this is also so handy for travelling as i don't need to cart around two seperate products, plus it has a huge mirror, too! for just £3.95 and a choice of three shades, popping this in my shopping basket whilst it had a further 50% off was a no-brainer. 

i'll be sharing a couple more bits from my E.L.F haul soon, but would love to know if you guys recommend anything in particlar from them that I can snap up when they next have a sale?

E.L.F Contouring Blush and Bronzer in St Lucia  | £3.95

The New Additions | Lips

L-R | Model Co Shine Ultra Lip Gloss in Strip Tease | Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm Stain in 240 Striking Spectaculaire, | Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in 035 Candy Apple | Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick in 422 Coral Tonic, 910 Shocking Coral & 725 Tantalizing Taupe | L'Oreal Color Riche Collection Privee Lipstick in Cheryl's Nude

since finally ordering myself some proper lipstick storage, lip products have seriously been on my radar in an attempt to fill it up with brighter colours for spring, and i've ended up with seven new additions in the last month. armed with a £20 Superdrug voucher, £10 L'Oreal voucher, endless offers and the temptation to treat myself for bagging a job for when i leave uni, i am well on the way to having some new favourites for spring.

first up is actually a freebie with this months Glamour magazine - this gorgeous peachy Model Co Shine Ultra Lip Gloss in Strip Tease. this is great for just a slick of really pale colour on the lips for a no make-up look, and the tiny glitter and shimmer particles make it super shiny, whilst still being smooth and moisturising.

i finally caved and bought myself one of the (not so) new Revlon Matte Balms and went for 240 Striking Spectaculaire, my perfect 'safe shade'. a corally red with orange undertones that i know will suit me no matter what. these are fab if you don't want as much of a bold red lip and just a nice pop of colour. plus it smells super minty and is great for popping in your handbag for any top ups. 

sticking to the safe colour theme, i also picked up the Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in 035 Candy Apple - a really glossy, warm red tone. again, this is fab for a more subtle red lip and great for everyday wear. i adore the formula of these lip butters as they just melt onto the lips, but still stay put on the lips. 

next up, i've ended up with three of the Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks in Coral Tonic, Shocking Coral and Tantalizing Taupe. Coral Tonic is a true orangey, coral shade with a slightly neon hint of colour to it, perfect for introducing more colour back into my makeup bag for the new season. Shocking Coral, i would say, isn't actually a coral, but a real vibrant and almost hot pink shade. this isn't something i would usually go for, but i thought i'd give something a bit different a whirl and take advantage of the 3 for 2 offer! initially i thought Tantalizing Taupe could potentially be a dupe for MAC's Peach Blossom, but it's actually much more coffee and nude based. this definitely has blue undertones to it, but is fab for pairing with a statement eye.

and last but not least, i have finally picked up Cheryl's Nude from the L'Oreal Collection Privee line after eyeing it up at least five times now. this is more a pink-toned nude, so it's much easier to pull off if you have pale skin than the Maybelline one. this is a classic 'your lips but better' shade, and i know i will get so much wear out of this while it quickly becomes my go-to lip colour!

if you've picked up any new bits recently, then i'd love to have a nosey! or if you have any recommendations you think i'd like based on what i've already picked up, then let me know! 

The OOTD | Dreaming of Spring

Hat F&F | Jumper Pull&Bear | Dress ASOS | Boots Forever 21 | Watch Michael Kors | Lips MAC Lady Danger

i can't help it, i'm desperate for spring and the nice weather the last few days is just teasing me. in an attempt to feel a bit more Spring-ready, the floral prints (albeit still mainly monochrome) are coming back out, and the tan shoes are slowly replacing all the black i've worn over winter.

this is such an easy outfit to throw on for the spring, and the knitted jumper adds just enough warmth for it to be acceptable to leave your coat at home (at last!). these gorgeous Forever 21 boots are my new favourite things and i can already guarantee that they probably won't leave my feet for the majority of SS14! i just need to find myself the perfect oversized tan handbag to match, which is the perfect excuse for just a little bit more shopping...