Sandie Khoo

With the chill in the air now is the time to invest in winter warmers that can keep you comfortable and cosy, but still stylish. I am a big believer in finding versatile pieces for the colder seasons, a capsule wardrobe if you will, that can be dressed up or down. This is why I wanted to introduce you to Sandie Khoo, a designer from Hong Kong who makes the most luxurious cashmere pieces.

I am so excited that Sandie has recently launched her website as I have sampled pieces from her collection for the last 10 years! She kindly sent me some of her new pieces to review and I couldn't be happier to show them to you.

This cashmere dress ($190) is so comfortable and easy to wear. It could easily be worn as a dress with opaque tights or leggings, or as a tunic over trousers.

All of Sandie's pieces are made from the highest quality cashmere, which originates from the mountains of North Xinjiang. Sandie believes that a wholly sustainable cashmere production is extremely important. So to tackle the potential deforestation of grassland resulting from over-grazing, she has worked with herders in developing an eco-friendly breeding of mountain goats - controlling grazing areas and allowing the grassland to be sustainable farmed. The fibre itself is so fine that two goats are needed for every garment, ensuring each is made from the finest cashmere.

One of my favourite pieces comes from the Limited Edition line. This Silk Cashmere Fox Collar (removable) Cardigan is the perfect piece for layering.

If you are looking for some stylish, luxurious pieces to invest in for the colder season you can check out more of Sandie Khoo's collection of cashmere basics here.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane

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A lethal combination of travelling, a horrendous cold and extreme temperatures have really played havoc with my skin over the last few weeks. Therefore, I shall continue my theme from my earlier post about protecting your skin this winter. I feel that a lot more time and energy is spent on the skin in the summer months, between the exfoliating, moisturizing, SPF and fake tanning, but in the winter most of us tend to neglect our largest organ.The colder months can really dehydrate and test the skin, so it’s really important to protect it, and not just for the sake of that Christmas party! 

If, like me, you find that your skin hates you and becomes super sensitive and generally quite sore at certain times (now being one of them), do not panic. I am pretty confident that La Roche-Posay has the answer.

I had heard a great deal about this brand, namely that it was preservative, fragrance and paraben free, but only recently have I had the chance to sample their products. As a sensitive soul (sensitive skinned soul?) I am really thrilled that I did! The product I want to talk about today is their Toleriane Ultra, which is a Godsend for those who have allergies or any skin conditions that make their skin intolerant.  

This cream is sealed in hermetic packaging (as can be seen above) to ensure that it remains totally hygienic and sterile. Used daily it provides superior hydration, as well as comfort and intense soothing care. The reinforced formula contains a unique combination of Neurosensine, a strong calming agent that targets the signs of skin irritation and La Roche-Posay calming thermal spring water, which is naturally soothing.

While my nose has been leaking uncontrollably, causing the skin to crack and become incredibly sore and inflamed (I will spare you the photos), this is the only product that I could use on the area. Every other cream I tried made the area even more irritated and caused it to sting and burn. The Toleriane not only gave the skin an injection of much needed moisture, but also soothed it without leaving a greasy residue on the skin. I have been using it day and night for over a week and it has really helped to calm the redness and generally make the area less sensitive and painful.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra is available for £11 here.

Christmas Gift List

This is the first in the series of my Christmas Gift Guide and I think it has a little something for everyone!

Christmas Gift List

Which item would be your perfect Christmas gift? xxx

My Favourite Fragrances

Favourite Fragrances

I've recently been playing around on Beautysets to create some fun collages to be used in my latest blog posts. As much as I love blogger I feel that the layout is somewhat limiting so it's fun to try something new! Let me know what you guys think!

What perfumes are you loving recently? xxx

Behind the Scenes: River Island

From the shadows of Futuristic Goth, the streets of Downtown New York and the opulent textures and fabrics of the Baroque era, River Island creates a lavish and distinctive look for autumn/winter 2012. The collection encompasses a wide range of unique hero pieces reflecting this season's trends with accessories remaining a focal point, fusing together all the elements necessary for the season ahead.


 I am all about the baroque accessories this season. What will be your key trends for this autumn/ winter? xxx

Belinda OOTD

Although I do love a bit of leopard print I sometimes feel like it has been 'overworked' in all too many a store. Nevertheless, I was immediately drawn to this dress at a recent Motel blogger event! The Belinda dress (£52) offers a more sophisticated leopard print pattern paired with an (almost) full sleeve, longer length and a very deep v neck... so much so that I had to pin mine to protect a little modesty ;).

My dress had it's first outing a few weeks ago when the bf and I went on a double date. However, as well as being comfortable enough for long winter evening it's equally work friendly with a little camisole or vest worn underneath. I chose to keep it pretty simple with patent black and brown Kurt Geiger ankle boots, my Michael Kors rose gold watch (£199) and Les Nereides ring.

Have you seen Motel's new collection? What are your favourite pieces? Are you a fan of leopard print? xxx

Snow Stories - OOTD

T'was the week before Christmas,

And all through the land 

Snow was falling, 

And everything came to a stand(still).

I have had a little bit of a love/hate relationship with the snow recently - as pretty as it is I feel it has been somewhat out to get me recently. Not only did I slip and fall flat on my derriere in the middle of a busy street with 15 bags of dry cleaning in tow (ouch!), but yesterday it nullified all our weekend plans. The only thing left to do was surrender...

Belted Wrap Coat - Oasis (also in black, new this week!), Black Leggings - Topshop, Shearling Buckle Booties - New Look, White Faux Fur Hat - Topshop.

For me a coat is always the most important purchase of the winter season. Since most of your clothes will be hidden underneath it has to be a piece that you love and enjoy wearing. When I spotted this beauty in Oasis I had to have it straight away. Warm, comfortable and stylish with its soft folds and a belt to cinch in the waist it fits perfectly with my dark winter wardrobe.

Purple Gina Dress courtesy of Motel, also available in Red, Black with Cream Lace and Blue with Gold Lace.

I love the deep purple colour of this dress and it's delicate lace detailing on the shoulders and sleeves. Perfect with black leggings or tights :).

 Make-up wise I decided to glam it up a little and create a very classic look. For the skin I used NARS sheer glow foundation and Bobbi Brown creamy corrector. To add a little colour to the cheeks Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel with a little MAC cream blush in Ladyblush. I skipped the powder as I wanted the skin to look clear, but dewy and instead added a little E.L.F. All Over Colour Stick in Persimmon to the tops of the cheekbones. For the eyes I swept MAC's vanilla eyeshadow all over the lid to create a blank canvas and used L'Oreal's Carbon gloss eyeliner and L'ancome Hypnose mascara. For the lips I used MAC's pencil lipliner in Redd. As I loved the colour so much I decided to dab on a little balm at the centre and leave it at that. I was very impressed as it lasted all day, top marks!

How did you spend your snow day my lovelies? We have wimped out and are getting a takeaway... again ;). xxx