A CHANEL Purchase

Chanel is a brand that is so widely coveted after and yet for so long I have completely dismissed the brand. Perhaps through lack of knowledge on their products or it all seemed a bit too grown up? Nevertheless I bought my first product from Chanel earlier on this year as a present to myself for my 19th birthday and it is beau-ti-ful. Of course I had to go for an eyeshadow palette with neutral/bronzey shades, although I do now have my eye on a palette with blue/grey shades. Will the wishlist ever end? 

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi Effect Quadra Eyeshdows in Tisse Rivoli

Wishlist :: Other

Boden Woven Pull-On in Blue/Rosewater Check / Cath Kidston Guards A5 Fabric Covered Notebook / Moleskine Diary / Topshop Fairisle Handwarmers

Current Favourites

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in 01 Light / La Roche Posay Hydreane Riche / MAC Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch / Phyto Defrisant / Estee Lauder DayWear Tinted Moistursier / Liz Earle Cream Blush in Camelia

Blonde, Barely There Brows

For a while now the fashion and makeup scene has been all about the brows. I've learnt to love a strong brow but as a natural blonde it has taken me a while to figure out what products work for me. My brow hairs are very fair, so much so that they are not very visible. I've tried quite a few products and ways of filling them in that I finally feel like I have found the best solution.  I started off by filling them in with a very light eyeshadow that was in a Sleek palette that I have had for years. That was used for a good year or two I have since moved on to other ways.

I first bought the MAC eyebrow pencil in Fling about 6 months ago, and wow has it made a difference. Being able to get precision and a shape to my non existent brows has been seriously game changing. It is exactly the right colour, a sandy, light brown with no trace of any red tones in there. The general rule for blonde hair is that you should go 2-3 shades darker for your eyebrows and I think the MAC options fits the bill perfectly.  I also have the NARS Brow Perfector in Salzbourg  which has a thicker more rectangular nib. It can be alot quicker than the MAC option, however I do find the colour is slightly too orange.

For those days that I am being generally lazy or want a bit more definition to my brows I will use the shade Naked 2 from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette using the Real Techniques brow brush. It can also help to be a guideline before I use the MAC pencil as they are so non-existent. 

MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Fling / NARS Brow Perfector in Salzbourg / Urban Decay Naked Palette using Naked 2

Makeup Spotlight :: Perrie Edwards

All images can be find on Pinterest (link)

Wishlist :: Makeup

Chanel Les Beiges Powder / Bobbi Brown Eye Cream / YSL Touche Eclat / Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Tisse Riviera

The A/W Uniform

Topshop Jamie Jeans / Boden Long Sleeve Breton

Once the months of autumn start to roll around my wardrobe starts to show a very clear pattern, which I rarely stray from. Of course I have other options, but with limited time in the morning or if I am ever unsure then this is the outfit that I will always veer towards. For in my personal opinion I don't think that one can ever go wrong with a pair of skinny jeans and a striped top. Paired with chelsea boots for a chic look, or New Balance for a more laidback style. Worn with a Barbour jacket for those brisk morning dog walks, or a smart wool winter coat for those working days. There are limitless options with this simple pairing.

Estee Lauder DayWear

Estee Lauder DayWear is something that I've been reaching for on and off for the past few years. My mum introduced me to it when I was younger and starting out in makeup and it is still a firm favourite in my stash. It's a sheer tint which initially comes out as a grey liquid but once applied to the skin creates a lovely, healthy glow. There is very minimal coverage with this, so a concealer is necessary for any spots  that happen to be around. It's a pricey one but in my opinion it's worth every penny. I haven't felt like wearing foundation at all recently, preferring to keep it more natural on a more day to day basis so this has been well loved over the past few months.

Estee Lauder DayWear Tinted Moisturiser

A/W Fashion Picks

 Topshop Clean Rib Knitted Jumper / Topshop Mensy Blazer by Boutique / Boden Long Sleeve Breton

Each year as a new season rolls around I like to invest in a few key pieces to add to my wardrobe, and Autumn/Winter is my favourite season to buy for.  I've had a decent clear out of my wardrobe recently, getting rid of all the clothes that I was holding onto for sentimental reasons. Now I am left behind with the clothes that I actually wear. I have definitely noticed that my wardrobe is catered towards the colder months, living in England can you blame me?  So there aren't too many gaps to fill, but I can't help add a few things to take me through the next few months. I like to buy a new jumper each year and this black one from Topshop is ideal. I initially saw it on their website but it was only in a camel colour, I checked back again a few days later and there it was in black. Safe to say it was in my basket and purchased within the space of about 15 minutes.

One aspect of my wardrobe that I've been trying to improve over the past few years are the jackets and coats I own. Whether it's a chilly autumnal morning, a rainy day or we're in the midst of winter I have discovered that a variety of coats/jackets are essential to get you through this tricky period. When I saw this oversized blazer on the Topshop website I instantly fell for it. I can tell it's going to be out of stock very soon so I'm going to search high and low for it when I go to London soon.

And finally one can never go wrong with a stripey top. Never. I already have two of these tops from Boden but feel like this white and navy version is basic wardrobe essential that I will be able to wear all throughout the seasons and it will never go out of style.

A/W Makeup Picks

Liz Earle Cream Blush in Camelia / MAC Lipstick in Plumful / NARS Multiple in Copacabana / Barry M Kohl Pencil in Brown / MAC Eyeshadow in Silver Ring / Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

:: dewy skin

:: radiant cheeks

:: healthy glowing skin

:: smudged brown eyeliner

:: basic nude eyes

:: plum lips

:: blue/silver eyeshadow on bottom lash line/all over lid

Makeup Spotlight :: Lily Collins

All photos can be found on Pinterest

Magazine Reading.

Magazines are my ultimate weakness. Always have been. Over the years my taste has suitably matured from the teen reads such as Mizz (I definitely still have some of them hanging around) to the oh so sophisticated likes of Vogue and Elle. Those are monthly reads of mine, but when I get the chance I like to pick up some other options as well. On my recent holiday I picked up the French Vogue and the much sought after Allure (overpriced, but worth it). It was really interesting to read the French Vogue as I read British vogue on such a regular basis. I have an A-level in French, hence why I am able to 'read' the French edition. I tend to get the general gist of what's being said and skim over sections I don't.  I read Allure on the Eurostar back to England from Avignon and I loved reading a magazine that was primarily focused on beauty. I don't think I'd go out and buy it every month, but if the chance arose again I definitely wouldn't say no! Finally LOVE is a bi-annual magazine which is full to the brim with interviews and amazing photo spreads. This one I only found about this year after seeing it lying around at work and promptly reading as soon as I was on my break.

This months editions have really got me excited for the upcoming Autumn/Winter months. As much as I like summer, I do have a soft spot for the colder months.

Hair Essentials

 Moroccan Oil / Phytodefrisant / Wetbrush

When it comes to hair I am very, very lazy. Fact. I will spend ages doing my makeup but my hair routine needs to be over as soon as possible. It's only in the recent months that I've found what really suits my hair. I recently spoke about the Phyto shampoo and conditioner I've been using. So I thought I'd share with you the products that go alongside this duo. My hair can get weighed down very easily, so I've found I don't need to use a conditioner each time I wash my hair. Instead I shampoo my hair twice in the shower and then once I've towel dried my hair then I will apply some of the Moroccan oil to the ends of my hair. I then brush it through with the Wetbrush which I have been using for almost a year now and it is amazing. I can't see myself straying from it anytime soon.

My newest holy grail, how-did-I-ever-live-without-it product is the Phytodefrisant. It's retailed as a Botanical straightening balm but I find that if I take a pea sized amount and scrunch it into the ends of my hair when it's been towel dried it just reduces the frizz that my hair can get. My hair can naturally be quite curly/wavy, it really depends on the day. I often have a few ringlets which are completely natural. Then I rough dry my hair very quickly to get rid of any of the evident dampness and I'm done.

From France

Caudalie Hand and Nail cream / Bioderma Crealine H20 100ml / Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm

On my recent holiday to France there was lots of reading, lazing around in the sun, eating and sightseeing. However being surrounded by French pharmacies everywhere I went I felt it would be rude not to pay a visit. These purchases were in fact found in a pharmacy in a big French supermarket, if only Bioderma was so accessible here in England! Of course I was immediately drawn to the Bioderma stand, I didn't actually need a full sized one but instead I picked up a mini bottle of it. I thought it would be easier to take up to London with me without taking up too much space. I've been eyeing up the Nuxe lipbalm for years. It was all the rage circa 2012 but I couldn't bring myself to fork out over 10 euros for a lip balm. Safe to say I was obviously having a weak moment. And then I almost walked out of the store with just those two products, but then I saw the Caudalie hand cream was on the counter. I was actually in need of a new hand cream so I picked up that as well, see told you I was having a weak moment. Not too much damage done in my opinion...