Review: Clarins Joli Rouge Moisturizing Long-Wearing Lipstick

I have always loved Clarins lipsticks as they have such a smooth texture, never dry out my lips and always smell delicious. I was therefore excited to hear that the Joli Rouge* range has been revamped with a new moisture-enriched formula that comes in a beautiful new spectrum of shades!

It was difficult to choose as the new colours are all super flattering, so I went for some wearable shades of pink, nude and peach.

left to right and top to bottom: 715 candy rose, 745 pink praline, 707 petal pink

I had high expectations and these lipsticks did not disappoint! They are super creamy and smooth to apply giving just enough colour to leave your lips looking plump and glossy without feeling sticky. They have a lovely scent and last a decent amount of time given their hydrating formulation. They are perfect to pop into your handbag and reapply on the go as they are not too intense, but add just the right amount of colour and moisturise to keep your lips looking youthful.

Candy Rose is a blue toned pink with shimmer that adds a wearable pop of colour.

Pink Praline is a wearable pink toned nude that looks perfect when paired with a strong eye look.

Petal Pink is a mid toned, creamy pink that's perfect for every day wear. For me this is a your lips, but better colour!

The Joli Rouse lipsticks can be found here for £19.50.

Home: Dining

Over the past year I have definitely been experiencing home envy when looking through countless Pinterest and Instagram posts of cosy living rooms and glossy kitchens. As I always need a project on the go I decided that rather than feeling restless (and in lieu of having the opportunity to move) I redesigned our living and dining area to make it a little more modern. I previously featured snippets of this in my post here, but today I wanted to look closer at our dining table as it is (finally!) almost complete.

With a grey, blush pink and white palette in mind I wanted a sleek dining area that was stylish, but comfortable. Having picked out the Bramante extendable grey lacquer table from Made I paired it with two different styles of grey upholstered button chairs that fitted well with our new Chesterfield sofas.

As I was trying to keep to a tight budget it has taken a while for all the pieces to come together as many were purchased from various sale sites such as Achica and Casafina, which have beautiful stock, but long waiting times that can be frustrating. In fact, I am still waiting for our white and grey marble salt and pepper mills (to match the placemats I made using glass mats and vinyl contact paper), which I ordered over 2 months ago!

 

I adore fresh flowers and knew that I wanted a large square vase to be the centrepiece of my table. I always try to buy flowers when we have people over… and often buy them just for myself as they make any space look instantly more welcoming. I ordered this cube vase on Amazon (here) which was amazing value, but in hindsight I do wish I had purchased a slightly smaller one. This arrangement was made using one bunch of pink and 2 bunches of white roses and took me over half an hour to put together… not even mentioning the number of thorns I had to dodge while arranging them into a dome!

The cutlery and glasses are both from Villeroy and Boch, which I love for their amazing quality. We chose the La Divina glassware range (currently on sale here!!) for our wedding list and have received lots of compliments on them, especially the ridiculously large red wine glasses! They can be very dangerous…

To add a little bit of texture I added some grey and cream patterned napkins and ceramic napkin rings to our set. These were both from Zara Home, which also have amazing sales and are perfect for picking up little finishing touches such as unusual door handles or linens. To add a little extra colour I completed our settings with some vintage pink and silver candlestick holders, which I found on Etsy.

I hope you guys enjoy these little home posts as I have really loved seeing inspiration on so many different blogs and wanted to post a little of my own to show that you can get Pinterest worthy living spaces on a budget if you are willing to invest a little time!

 

Home Improvements: Making a House a Home!

Over the last year I have updated our home to make it a little more modern and a lot more reflective of my current tastes. After five years I felt like my living room definitely needed an upgrade!

Here is a little before photo (taken on the night hubby proposed, but it gives a good feel of the room - very brown and a lot of leather).

 And the after...

The first thing I decided to change was the colour scheme and feel of the room. I have become obsessed with grey furnishings and wanted to balance out the muted grey tones with warm blush pinks and a touch of cream.

 

I purchased two Chesterfield sofas in a rich grey and added a little texture and colour contrast with velvet cushions and a grey faux fur throw. I kept the rest of the furnishings, including the side tables and coffee table, in ivory.

I also added an ivory sideboard that worked perfectly with our new Vera Wang photo frame, cacti and the bonbon holders that we had left over from the dessert table at our wedding.

The last part was our dining table and chairs. Both were purchased from Made.com.

I love the lacquer table as it not only looks simple, modern and stylish, but is also extendable and super easy to clean.

For the table settings I used our old plain black glass settings and covered them in marble contact paper to make grey marble placemats and coasters. The napkin and napkin rings were purchased from Zara Home.

Let me know what you guys think! The photos aren't quite Instagram worthy, but I have really enjoyed researching and putting different pieces together!

Our Wedding Video

Our wedding on the 5th of July now seems a million light-years away, but watching this little trailer brings back so many happy memories! I just wanted to share it with you all and I do hope you enjoy it!



We are still waiting for our official photographs (I'm counting down the seconds) so my series of detailed wedding posts about suppliers, venues etc. is a little delayed. I am sure they will be worth the wait though! In the meantime if any of you have any questions please do get in touch! xxx

Sandie Khoo: Part 2

Unfortunately it's almost exam time again so early mornings and late nights with the books have been keeping me pretty busy. However, I have missed blogging so much and just wanted to do a quick update to follow up on my previous Sandie Khoo post.

I wore this super cute key hole jumper a few days ago and absolutely loved it. The cashmere is not only ridiculously soft, it also keeps you really warm without feeling heavy or impractical.

The pearl buttons and bright colour are the perfect combination of modern and traditional. I paired mine with a classic black skirt and lace camisole to keep the palette simple, while adding a little texture.

The Sandie Khoo Cardigan comes in 3 different colours and can be found here.

Are you still clinging to the comforts of winter? It certainly does not feel like Spring is on its way to London any time soon! xxx

Oral-B Pink 600 Electric Toothbrush Gift Set

I think we can all agree that brushing our teeth is not the most exciting part of our beauty routine, but it is nevertheless one of the most important. Your smile is one of your best assets, so to make sure it is clean and healthy it's worth investing in an electric toothbrush. Since I purchased my Oral-B brush many years ago I have never gone back as it definitely makes a difference, especilly as an electric toothbrush can remover 100% more plaque than a manual!

The only disadvantage is that the fiance has also noticed the superiority of this brush and is constantly stealing it. Just to clarify before I get any outcries we are not sharing a toothbrush (Yuck! We are not Marshall and Lily from How I Met Your Mother). He has his own toothbrush head, but is constantly stealing the base and 'forgetting' to recharge it. Finally, I am feeling rather smug to have found the solution to this problem...

The new limited edition Oral-B Precision Clean brush has just been launched in pink! The girliest pink will not only brighten up my otherwise unisex bathroom, but I am hopeful will also ensure that it remains firmly on my side of the sink. I am tempted to wrap up my old one and give it to him for Christmas, just to make my point ;).

The new Oral-B Precision Clean 600 Electric Toothbrush Gift Set is exclusive to Boots and is available here for just £25.

I caught the bouquet!!

I had an amazing weekend back in Cambridge attending one of my best friend's weddings! It's scary and exciting all at once knowing that my friend is married! Wow! It was so lovely to see my university friends, hang out in our old college and pretend we were students again, go punting in the rain and just be silly. Somehow I feel both older and younger...

I am still waiting for some photos to emerge from the reception as the wedding lasted all weekend and encompassed a few different outfits. On the Saturday I wore a shocking pink dress that is based on a Roksanda Ilincic design that was spotted on a number of celebs over the summer.

My dress is from The Pretty Dress Company (on sale for £49 here). It is a little different in shape from the original, but at a fraction of the price I really didn't mind! I paired it with monochrome and metallic accessories - shoes from River Island and Chanel bag.

The original can be found below:

I hope you all had a lovely bank holiday! I'm very sad to go back to work/ reality after such a fabulous weekend! Though I did catch the bouquet so things may be looking up... ;) xxx

Instant Manicure: Elegant Touch Mix It Up Pretty Pastels

Sometimes a girl just wants to have it all.. and why shouldn't you? When it comes to manicures one colour isn't always enough so Elegant Touch have made the ultimate kit for mixing up your shades.

The Elegant Touch press on nails come in sets of 3 colours (36 nails in total) for £6.99 here. I was sent the Pretty Pastels set to trial, but unfortunately as I already have gel nails, I had to find a willing volunteer instead. She chose to go with the more conventional approach of a set the same colour, which just shows that you could have 3 manicures from only one kit!

In less than 10 minutes the nails were applied and felt fairly sturdy, taking much less time than your regular polish manicure to dry. The short length and rounded corners look really natural and elegant, even though my volunteer is of small stature with delicate hands, these nails still looked perfectly in proportion!

I love mixing colours, especially when it comes to groups such as pastels and neons. I think they can look really fun and quirky, without being outlandish...

What do you guys think of mixing nail polish colours? Have you tried any of the Elegant Touch Mix it Up sets? xxx

OOTD: Fantasy Peplum

I do love a bit of peplum, so much so that I decided to double up on the trend. I have been eyeing up this Chanel-esque blazer in Zara for quite a while and am surprised by how well the shape fits with one of Zara's classic cream frill waisted tops. 

To toughen the look up and add some contrast I paired the super girlie top with my favourite black disco pants and some patent leather ankle boots.

 Fantasy blazer - Zara (£89.99 here), Peplum top - Zara (£29.99 here), Disco Pants - American Apparel (£70 here), Boots - Dorothy Perkins.

Are you a fan of the peplum shape? What do you wear yours with? I am yet to try it with a pencil skirt, but I am sure a 'work it out' post will follow when I finally do! xxx

FOTD: Lily Cole Shimmer Cubes

Getting ready in the mornings is always a pretty haphazard affair, but I love trying new products and aim to incorporate them into my morning routine. I spent last week playing around with The Body Shop's cruelty free collection by the gorgeous Lily Cole.

 

I absolutely love TBS's shimmer cubes as they always have a great selection of colours and are versatile as they can be used wet or dry. For this look I concentrated the bronze pink on the lid with a little of the dark burgundy on the outer corner and the light pink as a highlighter on the inner corners.

Sometimes you have to be careful with red based shades as they can make you look tired, but the shimmer in this pink really lifts it. I think it also makes my eyes look greener and somehow darker!

What do you guys think of Shimmer Cubes? Will you be picking up the latest installment from the Lily Cole cruelty free collection (£16 here)? xxx

Lily Cole Cruelty Free Collection for The Body Shop

The Body Shop's latest collaboration with Lily Cole has evolved into a limited edition cruelty free make up range celebrating their against animal testing ethos. The range is full of bright, springtime colours that make a statement, while being vegetarian and 100% cruelty free!

The collection includes a fantastic mix of face and skin products, as well as a mini brush set for cheeks, eyes and lips in a mirrored wallet.

Lily's favourite products are also my top pick from this collection. These cute little domes can be applied directly onto the skin to give an effortless subtle tint or flush to lips and cheeks.

Crazy for Coral is perfect to use on tanned skin, while Pinch Me Pink is flattering on any complexion. The colour is very subtle and easily blendable, perfect for on the go application over/ under makeup or on its own.

These Mini Hi-shine glosses are super sparkly and easy to throw in a bag. The colours are fairly sheer, so they can easily be used on their own or add a wet look to any bright lipstick.

The liquid liner in this collection is a rich violet with a hint of gold shimmer. As far as liquids go  this one is pretty simple to use as its felt tip applicator makes it easy to create a solid line. The purple is not as deep as others I have tried, but it's definitely a fun alternative to black, which is flattering on any eye colour.

I have always loved TBS's shimmer cubes and this combination of colours is absolutely gorgeous. 

I especially love pairing the deep, warm purple with the shimmery copper for an intense, yet radiant eye look.

The Pearl Radiance Primer in this collection is a great base to create a glowing complexion. Since this product has quite a bit of shimmer it does need to be used sparingly, especially on oily skin. Just one pump distributes the perfect amount of light-diffusing pearls!

Have you tried The Body Shop's strictly limited edition cruelty free makeup collection? What are your favourite products from the range? xxx

MUA Peach Shimmer

Beauty on a budget has never been easier with MUA's fantastic range of products. I am currently obsessed with the MUA Out There plumping lipgloss in Peach Shimmer, which retails at just £2 here.

Peach Shimmer is a gorgeous bright pink with a subtle gold irridescence that makes it appear warmer. This lip gloss is pigmented and glossy without being sticky. The plumping component does mean your lips will experience the usual 'burn' associated with plumping products, but luckily it is not as strong as others on the market.

Have you tried any MUA lip glosses? Which are your favourite shades? Are you a fan of plumping lip products? xxx