Laura Gravestock Jewellery - Rosie Fortescue - The Dreamy Collaboration

I don't know about everyone, but I LOVE Made in Chelsea. Addicted to it. I get so upset that I have to wait another week for a new episode. The characters are so glamorous and admirable. One of my favourite characters is Rosie, I think she's so pretty and I love her sense of style. So when I read on twitter she was collaborating with Laura Gravestock to release a collection of jewelry I was beyond excited.

The day has finally came for release so I thought I would do a little review on the items and tell you what I'm loving!

(Doesn't she look amazing!)

The theme around this collection revolves around Rosie's signature phrase 'Dreamy' and all pieces feature an elongated star which I think looks beautiful. There are 12 products in total, well technically 7, 5 of the products are the same but featured in two different tones. The two finishes are either 18ct Gold Plated Sterling Silver or Black Rhodium Plated Sterling Silver. Sterling Silver is a nice robust metal which means these pieces will last ages and makes it a good investment. The phrase 'dreamy' is written in the classic font that Laura Gravestock uses to signature most of her jewelry making it easily recognizable as well as gorgeous. 

My personal favourites from the range are the Dreamy Ring, Dreamy Star Ring and Dreamy Star Hoop Earrings. These are the pieces I would personally wear on a daily basis but I think it's all amazing. I'm still currently undecided on which shades I prefer because rarely, unlike most accessories, I like both of the shades in all of the products. Normally there's a particular shade I'm especially drawn to but this is undecipherable for me, may have to buy one and the other tone ends up on my Christmas list? What do you think?

Click me for the link to the website.

Below are some pictures of the pieces along with the price tags. Have a look at the links to see pictures of the items being worn for a better idea on how they look.

Dreamy Bracelet - £65

Dreamy Hoop Earrings - £79

Dreamy Necklace - £75

Dreamy Ring - £59

Dreamy Star Hoop Earrings - £49

Dreamy Star Hand Chain - £69

Dreamy Star Ring - £49

Ciao!

My Everyday Makeup Routine

Considering I love these types of blogs/vlogs myself, I thought it was time I did my everyday makeup routine. I thought I would do this as both a blog and a vlog because I know some people prefer to watch videos, and some prefer to read and see some pics! So here it goes. Apologies for the terrible state of my eyebrows! I need to get them sorted!

If you would like to watch my YouTube tutorial video on this look, here's the link. Click me!

First, I start with cleaning my face. I use Clearasil Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub and then using Simple Oil-Free Moisturizer. 

After washing my face the first product I use my primer to set my face ready for foundation. The primer i'm using at the moment is the bareMinerals Prime Time Original. I really like this primer because it feels really light on the face and I feel like it really does help make my foundation last compared to some of the other primer's I have used in the past. I leave the primer to set on my skin for about a minute before I go to the next step which is to apply my foundation.

So now I have let my primer set, it is time to apply my foundation. The foundation i'm using at the moment is MAC Studio Fix Fluid. I like this product because it has SPF in it, which I think is very important in order to look after and protect the skin. The shade I use is NW10, because as you can see i'm very pale. My mum likes to say i'm an 'English Rose'.

The way I apply my foundation is that I use 1 pump on the back of my hand and then apply spots to different areas of my face. 1 spot on either cheek, 1 on my chin, 1 on my forehead and then a tiny bit on my nose. Once I have then applied the makeup on to the different areas of my face I use my makeup brush to spread the product over my face. The brush I use is a replica of the MAC 187. It's a fake, well so I think it is, I bought it on eBay about a year ago and it was approx £5-6. It's falling apart now though (it actually breaks as i'm using it in the YouTube video if you watch! Very embarrassing!)  Anyway, I don't do it any particular way other than in circular motions as I feel it gives a nice airbrushed effect and blends in nicely.

I leave my foundation to set for about a minute and a half before I use my setting powder. I use MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural in the shade Light. I apply this using my elf Complexion Brush. I've used this powder for just over a year now and really like the finish it gives. I prefer the matte effect and this really does achieve this, whereas some other powders I have used previously has given the matte effect but made me look kind of cakey, but this is really lightweight and almost transparent. 

Next thing I do in contour. Contouring is a brilliant way to use bronzer and makes your face look thinner. I use MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural in Medium Plus. I have a Primark Kabuki Brush that I use at the moment. It's not my favourite of brushes, but for now it does the job. (I'm asking for the Real Techniques brush set for Christmas so fingers crossed!) Most bronzers have some kind of shimmer, and I prefer not to use one without shimmer for day-to-day because of work. I apply by strokes along my cheek bone and under my chin.

I forgot my concealer! I only use concealer for under my eyes (and any major spots I may have at the time, currently i'm okay). I use YSL Touche Eclat in 001, again the lightest shade available. I like it because it really does brighter up my eyes and I love the packaging. The way it's designed leaves very little chance of wastage which is always good and means you're getting your money's worth!

I always make sure to apply lip balm everyday at least once. I do this during my makeup routine. I use Burts Bees lip balm stick, the original one. Slightly minty flavour and it works so well. My lips are always so soft. I use it so much the information on the packaging has rubbed off. 

This is my favourite eyeliner in the whole world. I've used it for about 4 years now. It's my holy grail. It's the Loreal Superliner Black Lacquer. I've repurchased this so many times. The applicator brush is so nice and really easy to work with, whether you want a thin line just above your lashes or a thick bold statement, you can do it with ease. I generally use a line that's thinner towards my water line and then gets thicker as you go out with a slight flick on the end. I do vary this sometimes depending on my mood, or my hand-eye co-ordination. Also, some days I use a little bit of eyeliner on my waterline. When I do, I don't use it across my whole water line. I use it on the outer corner and fading in. If you watch my YouTube video you'll see what I mean.

Next is mascara, at the moment i'm using Covergirl Clump Crusher by Lashblast. I really like the thickness it gives my lashes and the curls them at the ends. I apply a little bit to my bottom lashes as well. I think this is important to remember as sometimes if you just apply to your upper lashes, you can actually be making your eyes look smaller. So don't forget ladies! I wouldn't apply as much as you do to your upper lashes though, just enough to make the lashes visible.

I like to use Benefit's Eye Bright on the outside of my tear duct to brighten up my eyes a little bit. I put it on quite thick as after a while it fades, so this ensures I have the right amount on for the day.

Last but not least is lipstick, I do mix up what shade I use of lipstick day-to-day. Today, I use MAC's Creme Cup. It's a nice light pink and as it's a cremesheen gives a nice glossy finish. This is a nice everyday lipstick which I think suits my skin tone well. So if you're pale like me, grab one of these!

And here we have it. The end result! Hope you enjoyed reading and picked up some tips of some ideas of what products to use or buy. Please make sure to follow and comment.

If you would like to watch my YouTube tutorial video on this look, here's the link. Click me!

What's in my Handbag (Purse)

Hey guys, I've just started vlogging as well now so here's the link to my what's in my handbag/purse video. Hope you enjoy!

What's in my handbag/purse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn0L4iHeBPo

New Purchase - Michael Kors Handbag

You may have read some of my previous posts, and if you have, you'll know I recently visited the United States of America. I had a great time by the way! I went and I had the intent of buying something I had my eye on for a very long time because, due to currency conversion, would be a lot cheaper and withing budget for me. Well...enough of an excuse for my to justify it anyway. By the title, you can guess it was a Michael Kors Handbag. As the time was running closer and closer to my holiday, I kept looking more and more at the dream bag. The bag I wanted was the infamous Hamilton tote, in black with gold detail. It's beautiful.

Here it is.

RRP £285 in the UK ($456)

RRP $358 in the US (£234)

As you can see from the RRP in the two countries, buying it in the US would save me approx £50. That's a good saving. When I got to Macy's however, I was still hesitant to buy it, because to me it is a big purchase still. The bag I was using was from Accesorize and was £30 so it's a big jump in price! I had two weeks out there so I thought I would linger on it a little bit as there was no rush. As I was out there we went to the premium outlet malls in Orlando and I saw they had Michael Kors store there so I went to have a look. The bags were even cheaper, meaning an even better saving for me! However being the creature of habit that I am, and because I had my eye on the original Hamilton tote for so long I was torn. Do I go for the bag I've had set in my mind I was going to have or venture off the beaten path? There were only 2 days left of the holiday and I had to make a decision. Being the savvy saver I am, I went for the outlets. I love Michael Kors as a brand, and the options were plentiful and all beautiful. Finally I decided, and this is the bag I went for;

Unfortunately, I couldn't see a name written anywhere for the bag so I couldn't tell you what it's called and it wasn't written on the receipt either but I love it. It's similar to the Hamilton as it has the two shorted handles and the long over shoulder with the gold chain. Although I had decided on this style, I was stuck between this design or plain black leather. I was thinking the plain black leather because it was going to be the most similar and I also wear quite a lot of dark colours. I decided not to because almost all the bags I've had in the past have been black leather and I thought I'd go for a change. Also, I really like the 'MK' logo and the two shades contrasting each other. As it's brown, it's still really easy for me to match with my outfits and I think the design really makes it stand out and it's more recognizable as a brand in this pattern. Now I know what you're thinking, what was the damage? $299. That's approximately £186. Aces! By buying a bag in the United States and going for a different style, I've saved just short of £100! Amazing. £186 on a bag though is still a LOT of money. Well it is to me anyway. So I better be in my grave clutching onto this bad boy.

Overall I'm very happy with my purchase and just have to wait til Christmas and try and convince the other half to get me a matching purse. Wish me luck ;)

You can see the shape slightly better in this photo and also shows off the gold chain on the strap.

I really like the fact that this bag has a lot of different compartments so I can easily organize myself rather than when trying to find something, shoving my hand around frustratingly to find my lip balm in a black obis.

I like the pattern on the interior of the bag, it has that slightly metallic sheen to it and also where it's a lighter colour it helps me to find things really easy.

Another photo to show the compartments available and the metallic clasp that closes the bag.

Opinions Matter - Debenhams Beauty Club Awards 2013

So I am constantly searching for what is the best mascara out there, or the best lipstick, or the best foundation, and so on. One of the main places I look, as well as other bloggers and watching YouTube videos is on the Debenhams Beauty Club. I look out for their little symbol they stick on the products of the ones their editors have selected. I thought it might be interesting to have a look at them today, and give my opinion on the products they've selected as the best on the market and see whether I agree or disagree.

★ Best All Time Ladies Fragrance - Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (3rd Year Running) RRP £67

Disagree.

I really like this fragrance, however personally I think there are a lot of other perfumes out there I would rate higher than this one and would go to grab a lot quicker too. I applaud Chanel for creating a perfume aimed towards the younger generation as a lot of their other scents and somewhat too mature for my taste. I find this one just slightly too sweet though.

❤ Personal Option - Dior Miss Cherie RRP £54

I think that the Miss Dior Cherie is one of the most popular scents out there and one of the most recognizable too. I think this scent is beautiful, however the price tag is somewhat off putting.

There is a dupe rumored. Katie Price - Stunning.

★ Beauty Must Have - Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (2nd Year Running) RRP £29

Agree.

I love the Urban Decay eyeshadows, to be honest with you I don't own a lot of eyeshadows as I feel like they fade really easily and quickly and especially if they're glittery, fall all over your face! So I tend not to bother with it. I do own both the original Naked Palette and the Naked 2 and I love them! Sometimes there are those night where you do want to doll yourself up a little bit and I always grab these palettes in order to do that. I love the consistency and the durability of Urban Decay eyeshadows and having one of these palettes is the perfect way to have a nice variety of shades and there are lots of different ways in which you could blend any of the colours together to create a signature look for yourself.

★ Best Mascara - Benefit They're Real! Mascara (2nd Year Running) RRP £13

Agree.

This is my favourite mascara, so well done editors. The results you get when using this mascara is fa-nominal. I swear it must add hairs to my lashes because they are so voluminous and long it's insane. The brush itself is perfect for seperating lashes and stopping clumps and has a nice tip on the end in order to get to those tiny lashes hiding in the corner. The formula itself makes your lashes so dark, full of volume and curls your lashes at the tip. Only slightly negative comment about this one is it can be a pain to take off, but you have the confidence to know it's not going to budge!

★ Best Blusher - MAC Powder Blush RRP £18

Agree.

I am a huge fan of MAC, and there blushes are just another one of their fantastic creations. Lovely consistently, lovely range of colours. There's one for everyone.

★ Best Of Lip - MAC Lipstick (3rd Year Running) RRP £15

Agree.

I love love love MAC lipsticks! I would guess about 80% of all the lipsticks I own are by MAC. Not much I can really say to be honest. They are amazing.

★ Best Brows - Bobbi Brown Brow Pencil RRP £16

Agree.

To be honest with you, I've never used this. I don't own anything from Bobbi Brown but this will be going on my christmas list. The reason I've said agree is because I'm still on the hunt for a brow product. At the moment I'm using Benefit's Browzing but I find the shades too dark for me and the wax is too thick just looks cakey. I hear good things about this product and the people who use it always look really nice.

★ Best Primer - Benefit The POREfessional (2nd Year Running) RRP £25

Agree.

Holy grail of all primers. Makes your face like a flat canvas...no lumps of bumps. Like you don't even have pores. Brilliant. Only used a sample of this in the past, need to invest in it. I went to buy it recently but they didn't have it in stock! Boo-hoo!

★ Best of Eyes - Dior 5 Couleurs Designer Palette RRP £35

Disagree.

My friend is an avid user of Dior so I have used one of these palettes in the past, and was not insanely impressed. They are very good, but not worth the massive investment I wouldn't say.

❤ Personal Option - Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette RRP £29

My favourite palettes are the Naked range from Urban Decay. Whether it be the original, the Naked 2 or the Naked Basics. I love the consistency, the quality and the packaging. The range of shades are amazing and they're all beautiful.

★ Best Foundation - bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation (3rd Year Running) RRP £18

Agree.

Personally, I prefer the matte finish but the bareMinerals foundations are lovely. They are so lightweight, feels like you're not wearing anything on your face and it looks like it too! Mine has recently run out, so I need to repurchase.

★ Best Concealer - Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat (3rd Year Running) RRP £19

Agree.

I have used this product myself for atleast 3 years now. I love the packaging, who doesn't love as bit of gold though? The push button pump mechanism is really good so allows no wastage so you really are getting your moneys worth. There are lots of different shades so there will be one for you! It really does brighten up your under eyes and I sometimes use it just under my brow as a sort of highlighter.

★ Best Nails - Nails Inc Bling it on set RRP £20

Disagree.

I've used a couple Nails Inc nail varnishes and I've not really liked them. Found that they took forever to dry and you have to do a lot of coats in some shades.

❤ Personal Option - Barry M Nail Paint RRP £3

Barry M Nail Paints are my favourite and go to item when it comes to nail varnish. They have so many shades and they have different finishes as well now. They're very good quality and good value too. I have almost every shade I think...ask any of my friends and they'll tell you my nail polish collection is like visiting Boots.

So there you have it, my personal opinion on some of the most favored products out on the market according to Debenhams. Most of which I did agree with, and believe they had made some good decisions. A couple where I thought there were some other products out there that were better...but after all it is down to matter of opinion, and just thought I'd express mine! I implore you to do the same!

USA Haul - continued...

Okay, so yesterday's blog didn't go as I thought. Turns out I can ramble on quite a bit about nothing really. I buy things simply cause I like them, and felt like I had to somewhat justify my decision making to which there is no justification. I'm a girl - it's pretty - I want it. Simple.

So here I go again, to ramble on about a few more products I bought whilst exploring the United States. 

Covergirl Clump Crusher by Lashblast - $6.99 approx £4.70

Mascara...every girls best friend. I think mascara is probably the one necessity item every girl must have. You could live without rose tinted lips or cheeks, or an uneven skin tone, but tiny little lashes that are bare naked is a no-no. I've always wanted to try a Covergirl mascara as you hear so much about them. From my experience so far, I would say Covergirl is very similar to Max factor. This particular mascara is a new edition to the range they have to stop clumping. Figured, why not. So far I like it, 7/10. Not my favourite, does the job though. My favourite mascara is Benefit - They're real. Found no serious competition to this one, perhaps that's my fault as to why I wasn't 100% impressed, set the bar pretty high. Saying that, I do really like Max Factor Falsr Lash effect mascara. Really close second to the benefit!!

bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer Original - $23 approx £15.50

RRP in UK £21 (approx saving £5.50)

I used to have bareMinerals foundation, and I loved it, but I've run out. I wanted to buy some more when I was on holiday but thought considering I had spent quite a lot in MAC already, I could wait a little bit. This primer is amazing! Not oily, really nice and easy to use and I love the little pump bottle. Makes it really easy to use with little waste. Another primer I would like to try is Porefessional by Benefit but the Macy's I went to didn't have any. :(

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (Shade 611 Yogurt and 605 Strawberry Milk) - $4.50 approx £3 RRP in UK £5 (approx saving £2)

I already own a few NYX Jumbo Eye pencils, I think they're fab. If youre going out but can't be bothered to spend ages to use eyeshadow, wipe one of these over your lid and you're good to go! Got a couple metallic colours in lighter shades, as I have green eyes, pinks look really nice too thus the Strawberry Milk. Looking forward to trying these two lovely shades out. I think they may make an interesting combo together as well!

Swatches from the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils (Left Strawberry Milk, Right Yogurt)

EOS Lip Balm (Strawberry Sorbet, Honeydew Melon and Sweet Mint) - $2.99 approx £2

RRP in UK £3 (approx £1 saving)

Last but not least, some lip balm. Now, if you've never seen these iconic egg shaped lip balms before then I ask you to please get one. I love them! Firstly, they just look adorable. They all smell and taste amazing and the shape of them makes them so easy to apply to both your upper and lower lip at the same time. I obviously had to buy 3, because 1 wasn't enough. I want them all! I am an avid lip balm user, before getting these I used Burt Bees lip balm sticks, the original. I use it every day, so now I have a variety of flavors I can mix it up!

EOS Lip Balm in Strawberry Sorbet (So you can see the shape of the actual product inside)

Overall, I'm very happy with all the purchases I made in the states however am now bummed out that I have to wait til payday for another treat again. I did spoil myself however so I can't complain!