Coachella 2012 WishList

This is a montage of what I would be wearing to Coachella 2012...if I had bought tickets. And also, apparently, if I had won the lottery. (Seriously, I don't know where my expensive taste came from.) I realize that these looks may not be the most practical looks for the festival in the desert, but Coachella itself is still just a fantasy in my head. And in my head, I wear Roberto Cavalli and Dolce and Gabbana to Coachella ;) New Era Snapback Baseball Cap, Roberto Cavalli top, Chiara Fashion Leopard shorts, ACNE Boots, Lanvin floppy hat, Dolce and Gabbana bustier, Band of Outsider Tweed shorts, Unerground Cybershop Creepers, Karen Walker pink sunglasses, Missoni crochet turban, Plein Sud Jeanius Bluse ruffled blouse, Prabal Gurung shorts Opening Ceremony Coachella boots, Maison Michel Andre red hat, Tom Ford sunglases, Wildfox tee, Carven Mountain shorts, White Converse.

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Gingham Gurl

Yesterday my Mom, Ashley, Chelsea and Aaron and myself rode bikes from Huntington Beach Pier to Balboa Island...and yes, I thought I was going to die. (Actually the day after seems to be worse than yesterday!) We stopped to get burgers and shakes at Ruby's on the pier, and also felt it necessary to be the most high maintenance customers of the day. My sisters made fun of me for wearing a skirt on a bike ride, and while I do typically adopt "fashion over function", I think they were all jealous when I bunched up my very voluminous skirt into a nice butt pad for the ride back ;) Days like yesterday make me feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful place. 

Wearing: Vintage skirt. Gingham top from Mervyn's. Vintage hat. Target gladiator sandals.

Glitter Egg

As it was Easter Sunday this weekend, I thought a few drinky-poos were in order, well, it would be rude not too wouldn’t it? And this is what I wore:

Virgoslounge are a London based women’s brand, bringing a vintage feel to current fashion trends. They started following me on Twitter, so as you do, I had a little peek at their page, which followed on to their website, which followed on to a few cheeky purchases. Eep. I instantly fell in love with the brand and this dress, which retails at £49.99, and obviously the velvet leggings I’m wearing, costing £50.

I was so sad when the dress arrived, as it was just that little bit too big. I had ordered a size 8, as size 6 wasn’t supplied at that time. But size 6’s fear not!! They are going to be introducing this size in all future designs on this dress *phew*; so I’ll definitely be purchasing that when it’s released. (I hear new colour variations are expected too, ooh lala). I ordered my leggings in an S (this has now changed and are available in sizes 4,6 etc) they are super comfortable, the perrrrfect fit. Plus, they hug my bum, which is hard because my bum is pretty non-existent *sobs*.

Now, I know some of you may be saying, this is a wee bit pricey. And yes, I would agree, they are slightly more expensive than your standard purchase. However, it’s SO worth it! Plus, they are regularly promoting special offers (follow them on twitter to hear the latest, @VIRGOSLOUNGE); for example, I purchased my leggings & dress on a 30% off offer, costing me approx £70 for both, which I think is a bargain. Especially when you take in to consideration the quality of this stuff; all of the sequins on my leggings were hand sewn on, which would’ve taken an age. But they are wonderful and it means your own piece is completely unique! 

I will 100% be purchasing from these lovely ladies again and I’m so excited to see more of their new collections when they are released.

What do you think of Virgoslounge? Have you purchased from them before or do you think you will now?

Lipstick Love

It is no secret to anyone who knows me, that I LOVE a good lipstick here and there. Much to the dismay of my boyfriend, who for some reason hates them? I say, never mind, I’m sure that’s one thing I’m okay not to compromise on!!

So, on that note, I thought I would share with you the lipsticks that are my absolute favourites so far for 2012.

Starting with Laura Mercier: Gel Lip Colour in Doll Face. So, packaging is always quite important to me, who doesn’t like whipping out their lipstick on a night out and it looking rather wonderful? I do. And I think this one ticks that box 100%. The tube is almost aubergine in colour with tiny little flecks of glitter running throughout. It’s quite a petite size too, so it slots nicely into your makeup bag. It's a light wearing formula, which is perfect for summer and the taste is soooo yummy! You get little bursts of vanilla every time you smack your lips, but it's not too over powering. Although it is a little on the pricey side, £18.50, I find it really difficult to find a lipstick that doesn't dry my lips out, or rub off instantly, and this does neither. It's super moisturising and has great staying power, in my eyes, it's completely worth the money. I got mine here but Laura Mercier is everywhere if you want to pick one up.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square.  These, are genius, genius I tell you! I have already been spreading my nars-love around the office informing colleagues that these are the best lipsticks ever, ever, ever.  It’s a bit of a twist on your typical lipstick, being a pencil and all, but I love it; plus you’re getting a lot more product for your money. In terms of longevity I would say it’s quite like applying a lip liner all over your lips, it goes NOWHERE but application is really smooth and you don’t have to press hard at all for full coverage. Honestly, I have never known a lipstick like it. If you’re like me, and a little bit lazy at reapplying throughout the day/night then this is the lipstick for you. If I apply first thing in the morning before work I don’t need to reapply until I finish for the day, at the earliest. The pigmentation is incredible, and I absoultely love orange, plus this one makes your teeth look pearly white :). I usually suffer with matte lipsticks, drying and chapping of the licks, but not with this one! Again not a cheapy one, they retail for £17.50, though I think this post represents my undying love for it. I got mine in Fenwick’s in London, but you can pick one up here.

and this is what they look like :)

So what do you think of these two shades? Do you have a favourite for 2012 so far?

A spot of bother

First post :) not expecting anyone to actually read this, but thank you if you do!


l-r: 1. spot treatment gel 2. cleansing foam 3. clarifying lotion 4. clearing moisturiser

I was always classed as the lucky one through my teenage years; perfectly clear skin, with perhaps one evil spot that would make an appearance when it was that time of the month.  But when I turned 21 this all seemed to change. Spots were appearing far more frequently, instead of just one or two my face was covered in up to 40 spots at a time (yes I kept count!). I understand that this amount may seem tiny compared to more aggressive forms of acne; but it really is such a huge confidence knock and I was feeling terribly self-conscious, to the point going out and seeing people made me feel ill. I had tried various products, ranging from the gentlest of beauty care Liz Earle to prescribed Duac Gel (benzoyl peroxide) and nothing seemed to work, all of them caused even larger flare-ups. That was until I discovered Clinique’s ant blemish solutions. There are three main steps to the range, of which I will describe in further detail below, along with a little extra:

Step 1: Cleansing Foam – Firstly, I love the design of the product. Having a pump nozzle means no fuss with dispensing and it is far less messy than most cleansers. The cleanser itself is a light foam, so you only need a tiny bit to go a long way. I must admit the smell isn’t heavenly, it is slightly chemically, but don’t be put off by this. I have super sensitive skin, and I was always wary of Clinique before, thinking their products would be too harsh, this hasn’t been the case at all. I use this morning and night and feel so refreshed and clean afterwards. The main purpose for the entire range is to reduce the soreness, itchiness and redness in your blemishes; and if you just want a cleanser to add to your daily routine this definitely does that. Being cautious of the brand originally, I started off with just the cleanser and found using that alone my spots were reducing in size, they weren’t as painful and weren’t lasting half as long as they were before.



cleansing foam



Step 2: Clarifying Lotion – Once I was feeling a little more confident with the brand I went on and purchased the Clarifying Lotion. This is slightly stronger than the cleanser, but again, i suffered no bad reactions. At the bottom of the bottle there is a layer of a white powered substance; these are tiny exfoliating particles, so you have to shake the bottle thoroughly before use. This lotion works in the same way as the cleanser, reducing redness etc. However the exfoliating properties help to clear up dead skin cells and reduce excess oil that can lead to breakouts. I have always had quite an oily t-zone with the rest of my face being quite dry and this lotion has cleared up my oiliness almost completely and hasn’t dried out my cheeks. I do always splash my face with some cold water a few minutes after applying as it can sometimes leave a tingly sensation.

Step 3: Clearing Moisturiser – This is a really lightweight moisturiser, and I find that it sinks in to my skin almost immediately, but leaves it SO soft! Personally, I think this moisturiser is a bit of a god send, it’s been perfect for my skin and does exactly what it says on the tin: Fights blemishes and treats existing ones. Since suffering with spots I have also suffered with the scar tissue left from the little terrors. Some lasting up to 6 months at a time, which is such a pain, and to be honest makes me so mad. This moisturiser has helped to reduce scarring on new spots, and has completely removed some existing ones!

Now this next one isn’t in the daily step routine, but it is AMAZING....

Spot Treatment Gel – It’s a lovely size so can easily be carried around in your handbag for those ‘emergency’ spots. Again, a little goes a long way. You simply dab (not rub) a teeny bit over the spot in question and it almost immediately numbs the area to which it has been applied, forming almost a film barrier over the blemish – magic! You can apply as often as required, and obviously the more regularly it is used, the quicker the spots will reduce. The beauty of this one is that it can be applied over your makeup/foundation and you won’t even notice. It does sting a little bit, but it’s bloomin’ wonderful!

As a whole I couldn’t praise this beauty regime enough. It’s definitely a staple in my routine and I won’t be changing it until I know my skin has given up on breaking out forever! (Unlikely). I now have far less breakouts, and when they do come along they are gone nearly as quickly as they came; and my complexion as a whole is much more even and 100% clearer than before. Dare I say I’m nearly back to my teenage skin?!

The entire range is quite affordable, and you can find it here at boots and at clinique too.

Sorry for the humongous post; but I feel so passionate about this product range and want anyone that’s suffering the way I did to have something they can relate to!

Baby Blue

 

I wore this saucy Mad Men inspired ensemble out for dinner and drinks with friends at The Porch in Newport on Friday night. (Best Mac N Cheese ever!) This vintage dress is a gorgeous pop of bright baby blue, and it makes me want to grow up to be the kind of housewife that gets dressed up for the arrival of her husband after work and greets him at the door with martinis for two. Paired with my infamous fur coat and my new clip on heart earrings I definitely look the part...

 

 

Vintage dress. Thrifted coat. Payless shoes. F21 earrings.