Red Hot Love

I purchased this dress from Love a few weeks ago and despite the rain I knew I had to wear it for Saturday night cocktails. This dress is definitely all party in the front and business in the back ;). I paired it with a kimono-esque black wrap around belt to cinch in the waist, black tights and some leopard print booties.

Asymmetrical Maxi Dress - Love (£48 here), Belt - H&M, Boots - River Island.

Unfortunately the bf's photo taking skills have not improved. He has managed to shrink me from 5"10 to about 5"2 in all these photos and let's just say that the walking shots have ended up on the cutting room floor. Despite failing to capture any decent images, you can see that the flow of this dress is absolutely gorgeous. It really does move beautifully when you walk. Though you do have to be quite careful when sudden gusts of wind are around as the front is very short. To preserve my modesty I used a few small pins to secure the skirt in place. You could easily add a few stitches to hold the fabric together, or even add a small weight at the bottom of the skirt (apparently this is what the Queen has in all her clothes) to prevent it from flying up.

Having less than 10 minutes to freshen up my makeup I decided to add lashes (from Velour here) and a dark red lip to take my look from plain to dramatic. I used a combo of a few different reds - Burgundy NYX pencil, MAC's Russian Red lipstick and The Bodyshop's Love Gloss for Lips, which meant I didn't have to touch up through the night and the strong colour lasted through a number of cocktails!

What are your go-to looks on a Saturday night? What do you think of asymmetric dresses? Have you ever purchased anything from In Love with Fashion? From the 4th of May they are having a special sale if you guys are interested in checking them out... 

On the 6th of May you can also use code BANKHOLIDAYTREAT25 at checkout on orders over £40 to get 25% off your order :). Happy shopping! xxx

YSL Glossy Stain

Glossy Stains from Yves Saint Laurent are designed to provide intense colour and shine, while being extremely long wearing. They look like a gloss, last like a stain and have the deep pigment of a lipstick. I love a bold lip colour so I was really excited to try these to see if they really deliver in all these categories!

I was kindly sent the Glossy Stain in shade 1 - an extremely deep and vampy purple.

On the skin this shade definitely has a plummy undertone with a high gloss finish. When first applied it has a smooth gel texture and can be sheered out a little or built up for greater impact. It fades down to a matte dark pink, which actually lasted on my hand all day!

My lips are quite pigmented so they counteracted the blue/ purple tint and gave the overall colour more of a red undertone. The application did require a steady hand, but the pointed tip of the applicator made it easy to get a defined edge without the aid if lipliner.

As you can see with just one slick of gloss the colour is extremely intense, however I did find that it looked darker on the inside of my lips in some areas. I'm not sure if this is just because my lips were dry that day so the tint clung to these areas more... I definitely need to play around with this shade a little more as I am determined to make it work for me in the future!

I am also keen to try out some of the lighter colours to see how intense they will look and play around with adding the Glossy Stain over a lipstick.

The YSL Glossy Stain retails at £22.50 and can be purchased online here.

Have you tried any of YSL's lip stains? What are your favourite shades? xxx

April GlossyBox - Earth Month

This month is Earth month so GlossyBox have brought out their own 'natural' box with a host of organic brands.

Products mentioned in this video:
Caudalie - Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum
Inika - Organic eyeliner
Ayuuri - Natural Body Wash
Figs & Rouge - Lip Balm
Kai - Perfume Oil

To subscribe to GlossyBox for £10 a month to receive your own box of beauty treats please visit their website here.

What do you guys think of April's box? Have you tried any of these brands before? What theme would you like to see for an upcoming box? xxx

Look Good... Feel Better

This week is Look Good Feel better week. I am so lucky to have so many lovely readers who are passionate about beauty. I really hope that you can take the time out of your day to watch the video below and share it with your friends to support this amazing cause!

Look Good Feel Better is a collaboration between the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, the American Cancer Society and Professional Beauty Association/National Cosmetology Association that aims to help cancer patients to improve self-esteem and confidence by helping them to deal with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.  Free workshops and webinars offer lessons on skin and nail care, cosmetic and accessories and wardrobe styling... helping these patients to find some normalcy in a life that is by no means normal. The program was founded 24 years ago, and is now helping women across the U.S. and in 24 other countries worldwide.

Thank you so much for watching. xxx

Revlon Lip Butter - Strawberry Shortcake

I know that the Revlon Lip Butters have been reviewed by a myriad of blogs, but having recently purchased one (slow on the uptake...) I thought that I would show you some swatches of my favourite shade - Strawberry Shortcake (080).

The lip butters have a lovely, creamy texture and give a subtle colour to the lips.

If you have quite pigmented lips you can build the colour up with a few coats, but I wouldn't say that it is overly buildable as it is very glossy and smooth.

As much as I enjoy the light texture, effortless application and hydrating properties of these lip butters I can't say that I share the huge amounts of enthusiasm expressed when these are mentioned. Perhaps the hype has set the bar too high, but if I am completely honest I actually prefer the 17 Mirror Shine Lipsticks as they are just as smooth, but are slightly more opaque and longer wearing. This lip butter has made it into my handbag as the colour is so easy to wear and very versatile, but I doubt I will be repurchasing it when it runs out as I just don't find it that unique!

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters are £7.99 here and available in a great selection of colours.

Are you a fan of the Revlon Lip Butters? What are your favourite shades? xxx

KeraStraight Moisture Mask

KeraStraight Moisture Mask is a lightweight nutrient rich treatment that nourishes dry, dehydrated and brittle hair.

As per the home use instructions I have been using this mask as a pre-treatment before washing my hair. I normally apply a generous amount to dry hair, tie it up and put it in a shower cap while I'm ding some glamorous tv watching ;).

The cream itself feels very light and soft with almost a gel like consistency. It spreads throughout the hair easily and washes out quickly without leaving any residue or weighing the hair down.

I found that because I do have quite a lot of hair I have worked through the jar quite quickly, but it was well worth it. Every time I have used it my hair has felt softer and smoother, while still feeling light. I love the fact that I can use it while in the bath or before showering, rather than using it after washing my hair and then having to rinse it out.

KeraStraight products are available through salons and you can find your nearest one here.

Have you tried any KeraStraight products? Do you have any recommendations? xxx

Mover over lipstick... Slimstik!

This looks like a really cool idea. The Slimstick is aiming to revolutionalise lipstick with a new shape, packaging and formula. It's always great to try something new and innovative so I will be sure to review it when it becomes available!


What do you guys think? xxx

Yardley Florals

Though the sun has been a little shy this April nothing can evoke Spring like flowers so when I spotted this beautiful floral advertising campaign by Yardley I just had to share it with you all!

This is Yardley's first advertising campaign in over 15 years and I think they have really brought a traditional brand to the forefront with these absolutely stunning, modern, yet classic images.

These incredible dresses were created by Petra Storrs using white crepe, covered in silk flowers. The video below shows how they were made, as well as some behind the scenes footage featuring makeup and hair!

The perfect depiction of the English countryside - rich in colour, texture and beauty sprinkled with a little rain ;). xxx

Work It Out: Reiss

Every time Reiss launches a new collection you can bet that my lunch hour will be spent browsing their website with glee. If it wasn't for the price tag I think I would be purchasing all their dresses to fill my work wardrobe. This gorgeous Livia dress is one of my favourite Reiss purchases from last year. The rich blue mix of fabrics is incredibly flattering and makes a classy statement without being too overpowering.

Unfortunately this dress is no longer available in the blue, but it is on sale in the warm pewter (what I would call stone) colour for £117 here.

I know that Laura (buy now, blog later) modelled it very well on her blog in this shade here! However, if you are also a fan of the indigo you will be happy to know that they have a number of similar dresses this season too such as the Magda (£189 here).

 Or the Sophia (£179 here).

Are you in love with Reiss? Are there any pieces you are currently lasting after? xxx

Incredible Ojon Offer!!

Starting 11th April you can receive a free full-size Volume Advance Shampoo & Conditioner (worth £37.50) with any £20.00 purchase online from Ojon! I am a big fan of Ojon products, especially their damage reverse range, so I highly recommend taking full advantage of this incredible deal!

All you have to do is enter the offer code VOLUME at checkout, and even postage is included.


Features and benefits of Ojon Volume Advance range:

· lifts hair up, fills it out

· cleanses and nourishes fine, flat hair

· provides texture, volume and body

· detangles and adds softness and shine


You can check out the full Ojon range here: http://www.ojon.co.uk/customer_service/whats_new.tmpl

My absolute favourites are the Restorative Hair Treatment and Serum.


Do you have any favourite products from Ojon? Will you be taking advantage of this offer? xxx

Nip + Fab Clean Fix Gel Review

Nip + Fab is a brand that I have been really interested in trying for a while so I had high hopes for the first product that was sent to me to review - The Nip + Fab Clean Fix Gel (£10.50).

The dual-action foaming formula is designed to remove daily dirt and oil with apple amino acids to deep cleanse pores and remove make up for purified and revitalised skin. The Clean Fix Gel promises to soften and rejuvenate the skin whilst plumping fine lines and preventing the formation of blackheads. Its main ingredients include glycolic acid to brighten and improve texture, apple amino acids to cleanse and purify and green tea to tone and refresh the skin.

I have to admit that I am normally a cream cleanser kind of girl as I hate the feeling of squeaky clean, tight skin, so I was a little skeptical of using a gel as my daily cleanser. However, despite the fact that this gel is very light, with a slight foaming action, it also feels extremely soft and almost creamy. It cleans effortlessly and leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated. I have really loved using it in the shower to remove makeup and daily London grime, as well as to exfoliate alongside my Clarisonic. So much so that in just under a month I made my way through the whole bottle, even though I only needed one or two pumps at a time.

If I am completely honest being a beauty blogger has made me a little bit complacent, so I often lose interest in a so-so product and quickly move on to newer things. However, this cleanser impressed me so much that I found myself scraping around the bottom of the bottle in a mild panic when it started to run out!

If you are looking for a really effective, gentle cleanser that works without stripping your skin's natural moisture I would highly recommend the Nip + Fab Clean Fix Gel. Plus at £10.50 for 120ml it won't break the bank either!

Have you tried the Nip + Fab Clean Fix Gel? Have you used any other Nip + Fab products? I am so excited to try more from this brand... do you have any recommendations? xxx

L’Oreal Color Riche Nail Collection

You all know how I love my mini polishes, so I was really excited to learn that L’Oreal Paris have recently launched a fantastic new range of mini nail varnishes. The Color Riche Nail Collection comprises 41 new nail shades perfect for every summer-time mood!

 (With flash)

Left to Right: Insolent Magenta 504, Cafe St Germain 109, Divine Indigo 609, Boudoir Rose 204.

 (Without flash)

I was kindly sent a little selection to play with and I absolutely adore them. First of all they are mini (collective awwwww), though despite their size they do feature a large flat brush, which makes application super fast and easy. All the colours I have tried were pretty much opaque in one coat too, so perfect for painting on the go.

Once again I was desperate to try these out as soon as they landed so I had to borrow a nail or four from a friend ;). The above shows just one coat of polish. Pretty!

Color Riche Polishes are available from Boots for £4.99 here.

Have you tried the new L'Oreal Color Riche nail polishes? Which are your favourite shades? xxx

Work It Out: Karen Millen Colourblock

My love for Karen Millen dresses is one of my worst kept secrets, but I had never really considered their knitwear! I recently picked up this super cute Karen Millen Colourblock dress on sale in Selfridges. The lovely girl working on the counter actually recognised me, which pretty much sealed the purchase lol.

Despite being form fitting this dress is super soft and comfortable. I actually purchased it in a size up as I wanted to wear it for work and was worried that it was a little short. Luckily, it's very stretchy so you can pretty much adjust it to the length you need!

Unfortunately it is no longer featured on the KM website, but I did find it on sale for £85 here (I have never purchased from this website, so I have no idea how reliable it is).

Glossybox Men: Spring 2012

Why should girls have all the fun? Glossybox for men is a quarterly grooming box with 7 luxury sized samples perfect for the modern man.

The Spring edition landed on my doorstep a few days ago - just in time for me to have a sneaky peek before passing the goodies on to my not so modern man ;).

This box contains:

• The Legends London Alum Matchsticks (£1) - This book contains 20 individual astringent matches which can be used after shaving like a traditional aftershave to calm razor burn. Super portable and ideal for traveling!
• Organic Homme by Green People Active Fix Repair Serum (£16.50 for 50ml) - This certified organic men's facial repair serum with proven anti-ageing effects is great for sensitive skins and is suitable for those prone to eczema, psoriasis, acne & skin blemishes.
• 4711 The Original Eau de Cologne (£10.95 for 50ml) - For more than 200 years this cologne has delivered on its promise: using this unique fragrance refreshes the mind, body and soul. 
• FAB Body Moisturiser (£13 for 226.8g) -  This daily essentials moisturiser is perfect for all skin types, but especially effective for sensitive, reactive or dry skin.
• Liz Earle for Men Face Scrub (£13.25 for 75ml) - This scrub is one of the bf's firm favourites! It's active natural ingredients include cooling eucalyptus, exfoliating pumice and jojoba beads to smooth away dead skin cells for healthier-looking, ultra-smooth skin.
• Kyoku Sake Infused Shave Cream (£25 for 170ml) - Another one of the bf's (and my) favourites. This shave cream is amazing on delicate skin as the friction-free silicone micro-particles coat the skin to ensure consistent skin to blade contact to significantly reduce drag – no more nicks and cuts! It also comes in a sensitive version.
• Dr Bronner's Magic Liquid Soaps Lavender Hand Sanitizer (£3.99 for 59ml) - This hand sanitizer is infused with organic lavender essential oil and comes in a handy spray size perfect for any man bag.
• Fudge Hair Shaper (Mint) (£12.20 for 75ml) - The blend of natural waxes, ceresinand carnauba wax delivers both texture and shine. Hair Shaper Mint also contains hydrolised wheatprotein which strengthens and improves the condition of hair whilst styling. It has a strong hold with a semi-matte finish and a refreshing mint fragrance.

For more information or to subscribe to Glossybox for Men (£15 plus p&p) please visit their website here.

Will you be purchasing a subscription for any men in your life? Have you tried any of the products in this season's box? What do you think of them? xxx

Look Out for Bunnies this Easter!

Happy Easter my lovelies! I hope you are all enjoying your yummy chocolate eggs and spending time with your loved ones. 

Today I wanted to take the opportunity to ensure that all the little Easter bunnies are being looked after by raising awareness of the plight of animals who still suffer in laboratories for beauty products. I am no vigilante, but I do try to be conscious of the products I purchase.

1. Look for the Leaping Bunny logo before you buy any beauty products this Easter to ensure no bunny has suffered in animal tests!
2. Over the Easter weekend, BUAV certified company Melvita has a special offer for BUAV supporters – use the promo code ‘MELBUAV12’ to get 15% off purchases, both in-store and online.
   
    
3. BUAV certified company Neal’s Yard Remedies will be running a competition to win an Easter hamper brimming with Neal’s Yard Remedies goodies. Follow Neal’s Yard Remedies on Facebook to be in with a chance of winning. Neal’s Yard Remedies also has a special offer for BUAV supporters over the Easter weekend – use the promo code ‘BUAV’ to get 20% off online purchases.  
4. If you haven’t already, please sign the No Cruel Cosmetics petition to prevent a delay to a sales ban on animal tested cosmetics sold in Europe: www.NoCruelCosmetics.org. 
5. Last month a new ground-breaking organisation was launched with a mission to end cosmetics testing on animals throughout the world. Ricky Gervais and Lottie the rabbit co-star in the Cruelty Free International launch video at www.CrueltyFreeInternational.org 

The Body Shop Body Butters

My favourite The Body Shop Body Butters have been given a fresh new lease of life to look as delicious as their contents in sleeker, 100% recyclable packaging.

With 13 amazing flavours now making up the range we really are spoiled for choice! All of the butters smell good enough to eat and really work hard to nourish and hydrate the skin leaving it soft and smooth.

My favourites are the Cocoa Butter, Mango and Chocomania (currently half price for £6.25 here). Yummy! You can find these on sale in your local The Body Shop and online here from £5 a pop.

Have you tried TBS's Body Butters? What are your favourite flavours? xxx

Sketchy Melon Tutorial

This tutorial came about while I was playing around with a few different eyeshadow colours. I decided to mix a shimmering peachy melon with a deeper, matte blackberry accent. What do you guys think of this combination?


Products used:

Avon Ideal Flawless Foundation (Light Pink)*
17 Blush First Kiss*
MAC MSF Pink Porcelain
Avon P401 lipstick*

UDPP
MAC Paint Pot Fresco Rose
MAC Melon Pigment
MAC e/s shale, sketch, shroom
Max Factor Liquid Effect Eye Liner Black*
L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Liquid Liner
Black shadow from UD Naked
Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara*
Lashaholic lashes LA03*

This is not a sponsored video. Products marked with * were given to me at events or sent for review consideration.

If you would like to see more of my makeup tutorials please subscribe to my YouTube channel here. Thank you for watching my lovelies! xxx

Extended: So...? Enticing Giveaway

By popular demand my recent So...? Enticing Giveaway has been extended until Friday the 13th of April!! If you want to enter to win a So...? Enticing fragrance duo please enter here, on my original post! Good luck my lovelies!! xxx