London Zoo Lates

Throughout August London Zoo is open late (until 10pm) every Friday. Luckily, my lovely bf booked tickets weeks ago, as they sold out quickly. I love animals, and we all know I love cocktails (hehe) so there was no better way to start the weekend than with a few glasses of Pimms while ambling around London Zoo after work.

I would highly recommend it to everyone as a fun evening out. Just make sure to eat beforehand or arrive early with lots of cash as the queues for food/ drinks get very long and only cash is accepted at the tills. We managed to circumvent the queues by eating at the seafood/ oyster bar, which was predictably empty compared to the BBQ/ burger stands, but I know seafood isn't for everyone ;).

 The rain-forest enclosure is definitely a must-see. These little monkeys were too adorable for words!!

If you haven't noticed yet, my favourite animals are giraffes. Who are your favourites lovelies? xxx

Formal Evening

I haven't been very diligent this week in my outfit posts, but I have the photos stored up so this should be rectified soon :).

This is a dress from Hobbs I wore for a formal evening out recently. During the day I wore it with a navy cardigan, to hide the keyhole in the front, which is a little too revealing for work purposes ;).

Dress and belt: Hobbs. Shoes: KG by Kurt Geiger.

Hobbs release a version of this dress every year. I have resisted for the past 3 summers, but this year I loved the shape, their use of a silky material for the top and a flowing silk for the skirt, and the contrasting lime belt too much, so had to give in. It is far more unique than the previous designs they have had, yet still quite formal due to the length.

For makeup, I have been wearing my trusty YSL Teint Resist foundation. Because it is a very dry (sometimes a little too dry and can show any uneven patches on the skin) and matte formulation it stays put pretty well on my oily skin. Here I am also wearing the Beaute Liqui-Gel stain in Fever (dark red) applied very lightly. It gives a beautiful colour, which lasts for most of the day and looks absolutely natural.

What do we think of contrasting belts? 
I hope you are all having a good week my lovelies :). xxx

Freebie alert!

You all know I adore The Body Shop so I was very excited to hear that this month's edition of InStyle magazine comes with a free TBS lip and cheek stain.

There are two colours to chose from - rose pink or bronze glimmer. I actually own the pink one (or a very similar colour) and it is perfect for a natural flush and stain on 'no makeup days' or even as a basecoat to a bright red or pink lip to ensure your lip colour is locked in place all day.

I will therefore be popping out this week in search of the bronze glimmer in the hope that it will give tanned skin a lovely natural highlight. If you want to know more you are welcome to check out the InStyle site here.

Hope you are all having a good week! Are there any other freebies out there I should be hunting for? xxx

Music to my ears

My beautiful friend Amina has recently embarked on her solo singing career. 

Even though we grew up together, her passion for music still astounds me every day. I have always encouraged her to follow her dream and am so happy to be able to be a small part of her journey.

I really hope you guys can join me in supporting her by checking out her myspace page here, where you can listen to her stunning, soulful voice. My favourite song is "I miss U".

If you are interested in reading more, you can also check out her latest interview for Fashion Records here.

All the photos used in the article, as well as on her myspace were created by myself (makeup, hair, styling, photography, editing etc.) so I would really appreciate your feedback!

 Thank you all so much my lovelies, I know this isn't really the type of post I normally write, but I know the industry is a very tough one, so we both really value your support!! xxx

Rapidlash

Let's talk eyelashes ladies.

We all know I love my makeup, this blog wouldn't exist if it wasn't one of my passions. However, on a day-to-day basis I feel as I have got older I have become more comfortable with my looks and can get away with fewer cosmetics. There are however certain things I still obsess about - clear skin and eyelashes. Even if I am running to a dance classes or popping out to buy Diet Coke I will always take a second to dab on some concealer (be it for blemishes, or just to hide the effects of yet another late night on my under eye area) and mascara. There is nothing more flattering than mascara, it opens the eyes, defines them and creates instant impact with minimal fuss. I am always on the look out for the next best thing, but I have come to realise that no matter how good the formulation (or hefty the price tag) as mother nature hasn't blessed me with naturally long, full lashes I will never be satisfied.

Some of you may remember that last Spring I started using Lilash. It worked wonders on my lashes and after 8 weeks they were so long and curly that I even had to trim a few just to keep them in check. Just look at them with one tiny coat of mascara. They may be a little too spidery for some, but I loved them.

I know they are just eyelashes, but I'm vain like that. Unfortunately, as you all know the effects are not permanent and after I finished the tube (and had scraped out every last drop) I was not looking forward to splurging out another £90. So now I am back to square one... tiny little lashes, that even the best mascara can't fix.

A year later, with many positive reviews spurring me on, and I have decided to embark on my second lash enhancing experiment. I purchased Rapidlash online from Boots.com for the slightly less hefty price of £39.99. Meet my new friend Rapidlash:

This baby promises to thicken and improve the appearance of lashes in 8 weeks. I am not going to go into the glaucoma medication mumbo jumbo, of course there are dangers (some people worry about irritation and change of eye colour), but as I had no significant issues with Lilash, fingers crossed this will work just as well.  

With proteins, vitamins and moisturising agents it claims to provide protection against breakage, replenish and rejuvenate, provide strength and shine, provide superior hydation and improve flexibility and elasticity. Enticing no?

So here are my little lashes after two weeks of use. 

Of course I am not expecting any results yet, but what I have noticed is a tiny bit of swelling and pink around my lid. (I had this before with Lilash so I am not worried. My eyes are extremely sensitive and many makeup products tend to make my eyes a little irritated).

So there we have it. Let the journey begin. I shall see you here in 6 weeks to document my findings. I'm not going to lie... I'm expecting miracles ;).

Have you tried any ash growth products? What have been your experiences? Are you tempted? xxx