The Clothes Show 2014

                                                                                 

 Rimmel Gift Bag - £10

Scandaleyes Mascara by Kate Moss in Jet Black (004)
New mascara and the first by Kate Moss, this one has a volumising formula with a broken heart shaped brush. 

Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in 01
Long lasting lipstick with a creamy texture and a cupcake like smell. This particular colour is slightly deeper than your typical red. My friend swears by this lipstick and I've always noticed it hasn't budged hours and hours after applying. 

BB Cream Matte in Light (Sample Size)
The matte take on Rimmel's original BB cream. A 9-in-1 skin perfecting make-up that minimises pores, controls shine and smooths the skin. 
I've used the original BB cream and really enjoyed it so I'm excited to see how this turns out. 

Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Starlit Black (263)
Retractable waterproof eyeliner pencil with a defined tip, smudger and built-in sharpener. High longevity with a creamy pigmented texture. 

Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner in Ultimate (046)
Retractable lip liner with a defined tip for precision and a long lasting formula.
The colour is a deep brown - I thought it was an eyeliner at first! I'm going to have to do some research before I use this! 

Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint in Sunkissed Cherry (004)
A lightweight liquid cheek tint that blends well and has a long lasting formula. Only available in 2 shades in the UK (but 5 in the US!?) of which the other is 'Pop of Pink' a bright pink shade. I owe Pop of Pink and needed to buy Sunkissed Cherry too so I was thrilled to see it in my gift bag!

Glitter Bomb Nail Varnish in Disco Fever (018)
Clear polish with big chunks of silver reflective glitter. I love glitter nail varnish (even if it is a pain to remove) but I've never tried one so bold before!

 Barry M Gift Bag - £10

Nail Paint Limited Edition in Seaside
A sheeney blue nail polish with purple shimmer. This is what I'd picture mermaids would use if they wore nail varnish. 

Nail Paint in Magenta Glitter
Exactly what it says on the tin - magenta nail varnish with subtle sized glitter. One of the most out there nail varnishes in the gift bag - bold colour and glitter but I'll certainly give it a go!

Nail Paint Sequin Nail Effects in White
White sheer nail varnish with green, blue, pink, gold and silver glitter.  

Nail Paint Magnetic in Violet 
Shimmery violet with white/violet through it. I'm a bit disappointed as I'm missing the magnetic to the top of the nail varnish. I'd previously purchased two more of these shades so I do have some magnetics handy but they're different patterns!

Nail Paint Textured Nail Effects in Ridley Road 
A mint green textured nail varnish. Always admired mint shades but never thought they'd suit me! A little background - this nail varnish is named after a place where Mr Barry Mero himself spent his early working days in markets. 

Nail Paint Limited Edition for Boots in Tinsel Town (Discontinued)
Clear nail varnish with tinsel effect pieces in magenta, green and purple. Big fan of Christmas nail varnishes - I think they're a subtle way to incorporate the holiday cheer! 

Loudmouth Extreme Lip Colour in Chatterbox
Highly pigmented liquid lipstick in a bright rose pink shade. I was a little disappointed with this as it's a tester. Not sure if that was a mistake but either way it hadn't been used. Little unsure that it comes from a tube but it can always be applied with a lip brush. 

Super Soft Eye Crayon in No1
Chubby eyeliner (wasn't sure if this was an eyeshadow crayon but SprinkleofGlitter mentioned she uses it as an eyeliner!). This reminds me of Benefit' Bad Gal eyeliner (unfortunately it's discontinued now).  

Super Soft Eye Crayon in Matt Green (No6)
Chubby eyeliner with a soft formula in a matt green. I'm currently looking for a subtle way of using this in an eye look for Christmas!

Metallic Liquid Eyeliner in 18
Silver pale pink metallic liquid eyeliner - subtle take on the current metallic eyeliners. Unfortunately I can't seem to find this particular shade online. 

Dazzle Dust in 64
Loose highly pearlised pigment with reflective colour. A bright magenta pink shade.

Dazzle Dust in 34
As mentioned above, a reflective loose pigment. A shimmery deep violet shade. 

Talbots Petites Jacket - £22 
Purchased from The Vintage Scene

A year ago I used to constantly wear blazers and I loved the way they make causal outfits instantly smarter. However my blazers got traded in for a leather jacket and they have taken a back seat. I showed this to my friends and they both said 'it was me'. Although it's quite thin, it sits nicely on my frame and it look great with black jeans. 
And I couldn't help add another photo of Benjamin exploring the clothes!

Salt & Pepper Combat Boots - £30

Purchased at 4feet

One of the main reason these boots were purchased is because I wore heeled boots and a few hours into the Clothes Show, I was literally limping. Although I needed a pair of shoes, I also wanted some I'd actually wear. I've wanted combat boots for ages but was afraid they'd look too masculine on me, however these are quite tight to the leg and I love how they look with black jeans. I've been wearing these constantly! 

I need to apologise for my lack of Blogmas posts - I missed two days due to the Clothes Show trip away (for which I should have scheduled posts) and then I got out of the routine of blogging! 

 I went to the Clothes Show with two friends and unfortunately due to a difficult morning we missed the beginning of the catwalk show. Luckily we didn't miss too much and arrived just in time to see the models walking down the runway. It was a really fun experience - the show has great backdrops, up beat music and dancers (not to mention the topless men). We then moved onto the shopping portion and the whole place was pretty manic! There was lots of bumping into people with bags everyone and squeezing through crowds. After a few hour shopping, we made the journey to Leicester where we were spending the rest of the weekend. 

We went to Las Iguanas for dinner which I've been dying to go for ages but never got round to. Because we arrived early evening there were great deals like 2 for 1 cocktails so we got 2 pitchers to share. They also provided a vegan/vegetarian menu which was a great first impression as some restaurants only have a single vegetarian option to chose from. We also went for the tapas deal so got 3 starters between us - I had nachos which was a huge portion filled with cheese, salsa, guac, sour cream and jalapenos. For the main I had 'The Full Enchilada' which was incredible - it was a fully packed wrap with butternut squash and spinach and was pretty spicy but the right amount. It also came on a bed of onion and garlic rice with refried beans. WOW.

I would definitely recommend this restaurant - It has a lovely atmosphere, great food and I was really impressed with how they catered for vegetarians.

Did you go to the Clothes Show? How was your experience?

Also, recommend any mexican restaurants that are worth trying out! 

Hollie 

The November Sounds

                                               

A short post today but I've had a lot of music favourites throughout the month of November so I thought I'd share them with you! There's quite a variety here so you're bound to discover a song that you like!

The most played song on the playlist is Breathe by IYES and you only listen to one song from this post, listen that one. IYES are an electronic duo from Brighton and something about their songs that remind me of older Clean Bandit songs (listen to A&E)  combined with The XX. I recently missed out on seeing IYES at the Thekla in Bristol and was absolutely gutted. All of their songs that I've listened to are incredible but there's just something about Breathe that I can't get enough of. It's the kind of song you want to get under the covers, close your eyes and listen to it with headphones in. IYES covered Crazy in Love by Beyonce which is definitely worth checking out here. The lyrics seem to suit IYES' cover much more than the original as you can really understand the thought behind them, something which I feel gets lost in a pop song.

What have you been listening to the past month? I love hearing other people's favourite songs!

Hollie

The Christmas Tag

Credit

What is your favourite Christmas movie/s?

This is one of my favourite parts of getting ready for Christmas. I could be here all day listing Christmas films but a few of my favourites are - the Muppet's Christmas Carol, The Santa Clause, The Grinch, Jingle all the Way, Jack Frost and The Nightmare Before Christmas. I first watched most of these when I was young so they really remind me of my childhood!

Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Me and my family always open our presents on Christmas morning. We've always had a tradition where we first sit in my parent's room to open our stockings, then my parents go into the front room while me and my brother wait outside. We then have to knock on the door to see if everything's ready and then my Dad films everyone opening their presents!

Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?

I don't think I have a specific Christmas memory that's a favourite, all of our Christmases tend to be quite similar each year. Although, I did used to love everything that came with believing in Santa - putting out mince pies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer and trying hard to go to sleep because I knew Santa would come once I'd drifted off!

Favourite festive food?

I'm not actually a fan of typical Christmas food like mince pies and Christmas puddings, but I do love the things my family only have at Christmas like Roses and Quality Street chocolates. I also love parsnips, which I know you can have at any time but it's my favourite part of a Christmas dinner.

Favourite Christmas gift?

It sounds corny but my family are so generous and lovely with their gifts so I don't have a specific favourite. Also my birthday is the month before Christmas and I always get confused what I got for my birthday and Christmas!

Favourite Christmas scent?

This relates to winter as well, but I love the smell of the cold. I can't describe it at all but there's a certain scent to the air when it's biting cold outside. Also I just love the smell of my house at Christmas, we always have a real tree which smells so festive and my mum only uses candles at Christmas so the house smells really good around that time of the year.

Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?

We have a real coal fire in my front room so I love to sit by the fire and watch Christmas films. Also, we're an unorganised family so usually everyone goes off to different rooms of the house to wrap their presents!

What tops your tree?

At one point we had an angel I made out of a toilet roll when I was little haha. But now we have a big glittery star that we always struggle to get to stay straight!

As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?

I genuinely don't think I've ever asked for anything insane for Christmas! When I was little my lists were probably way too long but I think I always asked for toys. Any special presents I've got have been planned by my parents and not asked for by me!

What's the best part about Christmas for you?

Now that me and my brother are older, our family are busier and we don't always spend a lot of time together, I love Christmas because we get to spend the whole day together whether it's watching films or playing board games. Also my tiady (that's what we call my grandad) comes for Christmas and as he lives in North Wales I don't see him very often. I just love the feeling that everyone's happy!

I found this tag on Kemples' blog - check her out, her blog is great!

What are you some of your favourite Christmas traditions?

Hollie

The At Home Drugstore Manicure

The Nail Polish

Regardless of whether I'm wearing nail varnish, I like to start off by sweeping some nail varnish remover over my nails. This ensures that any remaining nail varnish is fully removed and that the nail is entirely clean of dirt and oil before you begin the manicure.

 The Cuticle Removal 

I then use a cuticle removal cream (I'm using one from Boots) as I've personally never liked the idea of cuticle scissors. My cuticles just need some neatening up rather than completely cutting back. As you can see, I place a small amount of the cream onto my cuticles. massage it in and leave it for 1-2 minutes. I then wrap a cotton wool pad around an orange stick (you can get 10 from Superdrug for 99p!) and use that the gentle push back my cuticles.

The Filing

After pushing back my cuticles, I wash my hands to get rid of any cream that may be leftover. My nails tend to maintain their natural shape as they grow but I use an emery board (five from Superdrug for 99p) to make sure all my nails are an even shape and length. Personally I think it's best to stick to your natural nail shape as it's quite easy to get carried away with filing (like plucking your eyebrows). Now would also be the time to cut your nails if you prefer them short. 

The Cuticle Oil

After putting my nails through filing and cuticle removal, I like to replenish and moisturise with a nail/cuticle oil. I particularly like the Nail and Cuticle Oil from Boots as it comes with a roller ball which I just swipe across my cuticle. I then take some time to massage the oil into my nails and go on to apply a hand cream. This is my favourite step of the manicure as it's relaxing and my nails feel so smooth and nourished. This step is particularly important during Winter, especially if you get dry and flaky nails. 

The Polishes

I like to apply a base coat before any polish in order to completely smooth out the nail and to protect my nails from staining (particularly a problem with dark colours).  I particularly like this Rimmel Nail Nurse polish as it acts as a base coat and top coat and it sets out to make your nails smoother, stronger, longer, moisturised and shiner. 

I'd recommend waiting as long as you can between coats to fully ensure each layer is dry and thus, no smudging. While waiting for my base coat to dry, I had a cup of detox tea and caught up on Made in Chelsea! I then applied two coats of Rimmel Salon Pro in Urban Purple (this was featured in my autumn/winter nails post - here). I think this is a gorgeous berry shade for Autumn and I love the gel effect it gives to the nails. 

These are steps I've followed for a number of years as I've personally never been able to justify the price of getting my nails done professionally! Let me know if you follow these steps for your own at home manicure!

Hollie 

 Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert/professional in this area, these are just the steps I personally take. This post is written in order to share with my readers the things which I find work for me. 

The Autumn/Winter Nails

Carry on reading to find out about the top 5 nail colours I've been loving for Autumn/Winter!

Rimmel - Salon Pro Nail Colour in Urban Purple (402)

We're starting with a typical autumn colour here - a purple toned berry shade. This is the type of colour I tend to reach for as soon as a chill creeps into the air. Potentially the most feminine colour in this post, I think this would look great for winter date nights. This particular polish has a thick formula which leaves a gel-like finish on the nails.

The Salon Pro nail varnishes are slightly more expensive (£4.49) compared to the standard 'I love lasting finish' polishes (£2.99), but with good reason. Due to the gel-like formula, these polishes aim to give up to 10 days chip resistance. While I wouldn't say they quite last up to 10 days (particularly on long nails) they do have good longevity.

Barry M - Nail Paint in Grey (293)
This polish is a standard steel grey that's cool toned and reminds me of typical English winter weather. This is probably the most masculine colour out of the five and thus I think it's best suited to edgy, street style type outfits. I'd likely reach for this for gigs or smaller, gritty clubs in Bristol.

I'm particularly drawn to Barry M's deeper shades as I think they have great colour pay-off and glide on well. The brush is long and thin which allows great precision, particularly good for darker colours.

Essie - Smokin' Hot

This colour is described by Essie as a 'stone-cold fox grey' and I can see a definite purple running throughout the grey. I love this colour as I think it's quite unique and is the perfect mix of edgy and feminine. This is a colour that I'd reach for regardless of the event - it's not too dark or too girly, it's a good twist on typical winter colours.

This is the first Essie polish I've tried, it was given to me as a gift, and I'm really impressed. I was never sure if they were worth the price (£7.99) but I definitely think I'd purchase them now!

H&M Nail Polish in Purple

I wouldn't describe this as a purple like the name suggests, it's definitely more of a inky indigo. This ink colour looks really sophisticated on the nails and makes a nice change from typical berry/burgundy colours we usually see. I think this colour would suit a deep red dress for more grown up parties. 

I've never dared to wear blue on my nails before, I didn't think it would suit me. But I picked this out of my collection purely because I felt guilty that I'd never worn it. Once applied I really loved how this look on the nails, I genuinely couldn't stop looking at my hands!

Unfortunately I was gifted this by a friend a few Christmases ago and it's no longer in stock. However, there's comparable colour by Barry M in Indigo (312). 'Indigo' leans towards a blue whereas H&M obviously leans towards purple but otherwise they're pretty similar. I think the Barry M polish would actually be better consistency too! 

Radley Nail Varnish in Cardinal Red

Red is by far one of my all-time colours for the nails, I always think it looks so elegant. While I love bright pillarbox reds, I like to deeper it up for the colder months with a rich blue-toned or true red colour like this one.

I won't get your hopes up with this one - I'm almost certain this was a one-off gift with purchase from Radley. However, I included it for it's lovely colour and Rimmel have a similar shade called 'Venus' in their Salon Pro Range. It's darker than Cardinal Red but you can't fault that it's a stunning shade.

What are your favourite colours for Autumn and Winter?

Look out for my favourite Christmas party colours coming soon!

Hollie