Busy Bees

This past week has been crazy! Being busy would be a true understatement. Last weekend me and my girlfriends flitted to Leeds for the night for a belated birthday treat (I turned 22 in September). It was lovely getting away to a big city for a change. For some reason I was bumped up to first class on my train there which was a lovely surprise to start off the weekend.  We stayed at the Hilton Hotel and the room was lovely. We had a minor incident with the shower overflowing, not good when there is four girls trying to get ready to dance the night away but we overcame it like the little troopers we are. I was amazed by the new Topshop that had opened in the Trinity Centre. The stock was amazing and I wanted so much but then again so did every other shopper out that day. The store was full of people making it very hard to browse and for the first time in my shopping history I came out empty handed!






That night we went out for cocktails and a dance. We ended up in a German bar at the bottom of a set of stairs. They played all the oldies and people were dancing on the tables and generally enjoying themselves, deffinately in need of a revisit when I go back in December.





I was exhausted when I got back home but had to unpack and then re-pack for my visit to Carlilse for a Miss Selfridge store opening the next day. Another night away from home this time staying in a less than glamorous Travelodge. The bathroom was like something out of a Hospital, a far cry from the Hilton I can tell you! Not one to complain... I had to make do, and so I did.




The rest of the week has been spent working and staying at the boyfriend's house. It feels like I have been living out of a bag and on Wednesday we are off to York for a couple's night away. I love York, especially in Winter time. It is a lovely place to walk around and there is loads of nice places to eat and drink. This little trip is something I have been looking forward to for ages. I must remind myself to actually take pictures so I can do a post! I can be quite forgetful and then kick myself after when i think of a post idea!

So that was just a little run down of what I have been up to and shamelessly trying to excuse myself for the lack of posts!

D. x

Been Shopping Lately?

Ohh the miracle of shopping. Thought I would share with you girlies what I have been spending my money on recently. Just a few purchases amongst a whole other heap of purchases that will be having there debut in outfit posts that are yet to come. It is such a pain working during the day when it is perfectly light outside but as soon as you step foot inside your own home, it is considerably a lot darker outside! This little problem may call for some inside outfit posts before they disappear all together! Anyway enough of my rambling, on to the clothes.



Chelsea Girl at River Island

Miss Selfridge

French Connection-sale

When I saw this black dress in River Island the other day I fell in love with it, my boyfriend on the other hand was not sold, describing it as a boxy curtain. But his harsh words did not stop me. I love the velvet feel of the material and the fringe detailing just tops it off. For £30, it could do no wrong. I have never really looked at the Chelsea Girl range in River Island but if this is the sort of thing you can find there I will be taking a look more often.

The leopard print dress is from Miss Selfridge and I really like the fabric. Its very soft and flowy and perfect for night or day.So far I have only worn this to work (I work in Miss Selfridge, a little discount goes a long way!) I think this dress was £39, standard for Miss S clothing. The only problem I have is that the wrap over seems to fall to one side and can lead to very embarrassing bra to customer moments. However I think I have got this one solved with use of hair grips and clever placing. Finger's crossed there will be no more flashing or embarrassing customer relations.

Finally I bought this blouse from French Connection in my local House of Fraser in the sale. Sale price was £28, full price I think it was in the £60 region, so a steal really. The blouse is very sheer so a flesh coloured bra or little cami is needed underneath to hide my modesty. The light snake print is very subtle and is classy rather than trashy. I wear this buttoned up high and tucked into my River Island black PU skirt (I'm sure this outfit will appear at some point in a post).

So that was a few ideas of what I have been buying when in reality I have bought so much more this month which I am embarrassed to admit. All those extra hours came in handy on my sprees this month. My biggest splurge were my Topshop Alexy boots that I adore and they now even do them in burgundy! But now it is back to reality and time to be sensible with my money!

I'm wanting to do a little giveaway soon but not too sure whether it is too soon in my blogging days, what do you girls think?Yey or ney to a giveaway?

D.x

The Search for the Perfect Foundation

1. Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions
2. MAC Studio Fix
3. Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid
4. Estee Lauder Double Wear
5. YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat

1. Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions
I bought this foundation after previously trying the Clinique Super balanced make up, which I had been impressed with but sometimes looked a little cakey on my skin in dry areas. The Anti Blemish solutions was lighter in texture and had a runnier consistancy. I apply my foundation all over my face as I like a full coverage. When I first started using this product, I was impressed but I found myself using a lot of this product in one go.  To get the full coverage I prefer, I needed to apply two layers to my skin and if my skin was a little dry the product stuck and made the finish very powdery. I bought this product in Shell, the lightest shade in this range however sometimes the finish looked slightly yellow and was not a true match to my skins. As for covering up blemishes and red areas this product delivered. It evened out my skin-tone really well and I was impressed. the squeezy bottle meant I had little control over how much came out the bottle, often leading to excess which was wasted away with a tissue, not good for a girl on a budget!

Overall I liked the product but the more I used it the less it seemed to fulfil what it said on the bottle and didn't last me as long as other high end foundations. I think this product would work well on slightly darker skin tones which need less coverage.

2. Mac Studio Fix
I wanted to try a MAC foundation for as long as I can remember. Without a MAC counter close enough to get to, on a whim I ordered from the buy and collect at House of Fraser. Message to all, never do this! Always go get matched at a counter! For some one who pretty much guessed which shade she was I didn't do too badly! However with different facial tone categories that MAC grade by, I think I may have picked up one that didn't compliment me as much! I bought shade NC15 which was slightly yellow on my skin when I think I would reap the benefits of a rose based shade. The foundation gave me very good coverage but took a while to blend in with a brush. I would end up with harsh lines on the jaw line that would need extra blending. To get maximum results I would recommend moisturising heavily before using this product as it sticks to problem areas such as blemishes and dry patches. I found this left my skins a little dull looking if I didn't use primer beforehand. This product would be perfect for someone who is blessed with perfect skin who likes a full coverage! I would try MAC again once I was matched up at a counter!

3. Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid
I bought this foundation on a whim in Boots as it was cheap and cheerful and needed a foundation there and then. I used this once and was less than impressed. It left my skin feeling oily, made my face look greasy and shiny, and even the lightest foundation was far too dark for my skin. Lets say i was less than impressed with this product and didn't suit me at all. However for the price and for the person with the right skin I think it would tell a whole different story. My little sister uses this product daily and looks lovely on her when she blends it in right! The colour is right, doesn't look shiny when set with powder and lasts all day! What a difference a different face makes!

4. Estee Lauder Double Wear
I love love love this foundation. The shade Shell is perfect for my skin tone, it offers amazing coverage without looking too done and lasts a long time for someone who uses foundation like its on tap! This foundation is a little more expensive than some of the other brands but it is completely worth it. When using this product I would say primer is a god send as it offers a good base for a high coverage foundation and leaves the skin silky smooth. I use Rimmel Fix and Protect primer and Benefit's Porefessional. I would buy this product again.

5. YSL Touche Eclat
This is my most recent foundation purchase and I absolutely love it. This is the first foundation that has matched my skin perfectly without flaw. It feels almost weightless on the skin and leaves a dewy finish which I am surprised I like as a matte girl at heart. The only issue I have is that sometimes it is a little too dewy, but nothing a powder touch up or two won't fix. Even though it is very light on the skin, I find myself using less than other products, a little goes a long way with this foundation! With the pump lid, it is easy to control how much foundation is being dispensed so next to none is wasted. I would recommend this foundation to anyone who wants to try something different, you may be surprised with the effects like I was!

What is your favourite foundation, have you found the perfect one for you?

D.x

Snaps of the week

A few pics from the week so far.

 

 

New Miss Selfridge coat, ducks in Durham, 22nd birthday present,
view from Durham bridge,being naughty, half price Vogue?!,
easy evening listening, beauty goodies, best book ever!

Keep your eye lids peeled tomorrow girls for a post on tried and tested foundations that I have bought in the previous months in a bid to find my perfect match. I have always struggled when it comes to foundations, they seem amazing at first but they seem to loose their touch after a few wears. I don't know if it is just me or does anyone else have this problem??

Also if anyone is lusting after a new cookery or baking book, The Vintage Tea Party Year (and the previous book The Vintage Tea Party Book) is a lovely book full of interesting and unique finds. Even if you are not a dab-hand in the kitchen, the book is worth a buy for the beautiful illustrations alone. I am planning to share a few pics from the book and my fave recipes in an up and coming post.

Hope everyone is having a lovely start to the weekend!

D.x

 

Durham Days and Faux Furs

Coat -Miss Selfidge, Bag- Primark

With sun beaming and cameras at the ready my little sister and I donned our faux furs and headed out to the beautiful city of Durham. With the city's picturesque scenery I thought it would be the perfect place to take a few snaps as well as take a little look round the high street.

 

The place is beautiful and looks extra special in the sunlight however windy weather isn't the best option to take flawless photos. With hair flying around the face and bags flapping in the wind, perfect picture taking time is transformed into a rather hectic, make-do experience.

Shirt- Miss Selfridge

We strolled around the cobbled streets, stopping by all the high street favourites, weaving in and out of all the students buzzing around town (major jealousy towards them all, what I would give to be a student again...). Once we were all shopped out, if there is such a thing, we walked alongside the river which was seriously higher than usual and me being very clumsy stayed as far away from the edge as I could.

Collar clips- Miss Selfridge

Shoes- Topshop

For the record I hate having my photo taken unless I have inspected every last bit of it before anyone has the chance to see it. I feel ridiculous when posing for photos and normally end up deleting them all. So this was quite nerve wrecking for me standing, in public, with a camera in my face! Even my Instagram is set to private! All in the name of blogging I hear you cry!



After all the fathing about with instagram and sun in the eyes we had a well deserved Starbucks frappucino. Absolutely delicious but seriously cold, not ideal in this weather! Mistake on our part, and suffered major brain freeze as a consequence but I have to admit it was worth it!

After today's shenanigans, I am home with little to do but to relax and get ready for work tomorrow and a weekend at the boyfriends house. Hopefully I will get to see Taken 2 tomorrow and maybe a cheeky visit to Nandos will be on the cards.

D.x

Out with the Old

Since the arrival of my lovely new Iphone I have decided to update my blog and start at the beginning all over again. For those who don't know me, welcome to my 'sparkling' new blog where you will find extracts on fashion, beauty and my everyday life from the exciting to the some times mundane. I am a twenty something girl from the North East who's love for clothes has become a bit of an obsession. Reading fashion magazines and fashion blogs fill up the spare time I have from shopping sprees and general flitting about. So here it is, my little space online to ramble and post little snippets of my life. I hope you enjoy what you stumble across and if not please pass by quietly :)

D.x