Everyone's at it these days. And by at it, I mean sticking metal hoops on just about every. damn. thing.
Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I'll admit, I've been struck with 'Chloe-Dupe-Fever' and my heart lets out a little sing every time I see a bag adorned with a round bit of metal.
I've also been quite passionate about buying a red bag this year - and the only explanation I have for that, having been somebody who never, and I mean NEVER wears red, was that I woke up one day and decided my red-shirking days were done. I went out and dropped some dollar on a red Miss Selfridge dress (pictured here) and the rest you could say was, well, history.
Then Topshop went and blew all of my expectations out of the water by dropping this dreamboat of a red bag into the Selfridges store in Manchester and quite literally made all of my affordable fashion dreams come true, because yes, you read that right, this absolute beauty of a bag will only set you back 25 Great British Pounds, which is about the same price as a punnet of cherries in Dubai, but whatevz.
The bag is a mix of faux suede and faux textured leather, with a sparkly gold chain and that ol' hoop we've been talking about. It also has two inside compartments and a little zippy section for important shizz you don't want to lose - or tampons, ya know, whatever floats your boat.
If red isn't your jam, it's okay, old me totally gets it, there's a bevy of other colours to choose from: Black, Mustard, there's even a Blue Faux Croc version, oo-er!
The red, REMY TROPHY Cross Body Bag is available via Topshop. You can see more pictures of me styling it on Instagram here and here.
My name is Kirsty and I have no self control in Boots.
Now that we've got that little admission out of the way, we can crack on with why you're all here.
No trip home would be complete without the compulsory Boots trip, or three - Heck, this time around I was more excited to hit Boots than I was to pay my favourite bakers a visit. And by bakers I mean Greggs, and by 'pay a visit,' I mean eat my entire bodyweight in cheese & onion pasties.
I digress.
I made a few Boots trips whilst I was back in the U.K. and lost a bag of makeup along the way. Goodbye L'Oreal Paradise mascara. It could have been a match made in heaven but I guess we'll never know. Anyway, here's what did end up travelling back to Dubai with me:
New Purchases:
Eylure Luxe Mink Effect Lashes in Style 'Trinket' - Never seen these before but they looked to be a promising level of fluffy for plastic fantastic lashes.
Revlon Youth Fix Fill + Blur Foundation in Shade '200 Nude' - Used this a couple of times and it has yet to spark any strong emotions. I don't love it but I don't hate it either. It has a medium coverage with a natural matte finish.
Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Shade '040 Soft Beige' - Hell to the yes. Where has this concealer been all of my life? I have used this pretty much every day since I bought it and I love it for under-eye concealing. It wears really well, has good coverage but isn't super thick and doesn't crease like a b**** on me. Highly recommend.
Rimmel Match Perfection 2 in 1 Concealer & Highlighter in Shades '010 Ivory and 030 Classic Beige' - If I had to choose between this and the Wake Me Up concealer, I'd choose the latter. I don't rate the weird plastic brush applicator and the formula is a little thicker than I like to wear everyday. Probably more suitable to those wanting to cover up larger imperfections. I've only used this a handful of times though so will persevere and see how it goes.
Collection Lasting Perfection Colour Correction Concealer in Shade '2 Green' - I like the original Lasting Perfection concealer so thought I would give the green colour correcting version a whirl. Haven't used it yet but it's already coated my makeup bag and all its contents in green concealer - the joys!
Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil - My cuticles are drier than a camel's eyebrow so I've been slathering this on every night before bed. I haven't noticed a huge difference yet but it smells uhh.mazing!
No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Shade 'Ballerina' - Love the product, hate the plastic squeezy applicator. It's giving me 90's Sugar Magazine freebie flashbacks, and not in a good way. Besides that, I like the nude/pink shade and the fact that it wears comfortably.
NYX Slide On Glide On Lip Liner in Shade '14 Nude Suede Shoes' - Love. Will buy more shades. Enough said.
L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Feline Mascara in Black - I bought this after seeing Stacey's recommendation on Instastories. It's a solid effort from L'Oreal. It adds volume and holds a curl nicely - I just wish it gave me a smidge more length.
L'Oreal Mega Volume Miss Baby Roll Mascara in Black - Not tried yet - definitely thought it was called 'Miss Baby Doll' until I had to write the name down. Oh dear.
Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara in 'Indecent Black' - Also not tried yet. Will report back when I have more info.
L'Oreal Hydra Genius Aloe Water Moisturiser - This had a moment on social media and I got swept up in the hype. I'm keen to see how it compares to the Hydro Boost moisturiser from Neutrogena (mentioned further down) which I absolutely love.
Sensationail Express Gel One Step Polish in Shade 'Made Him Blush' - *Not pictured because I'm useless and forgot. I've been using the Sensationail gel polishes for a while now and they're great for a quick, DIY manicure. I'm keen to see how their 'Express' formulas work and as per, the pale pink shade gave me all the feels.
Repurchases:
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Moisturiser - I could go on and on about the entire Neutrogena Hydro Boost range, in fact I did right here, but I've been using this moisturiser almost exclusively for the past 6 months and my skin is looking better than it ever has.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleansing Facial Wipes - Also from the same range, these face wipes are also some of the best I've tried. They're so handy for a first step in removing makeup before going in with a cleanser.
Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm - Simple, no frills, moisturising lip balm that does what it says on the tin. I went through a whole tube, which I almost never do, so a repurchase was a must.
Have you paid a visit to Boots recently? If so, did you treat yourself to anything new? Also, let me know if you've tried any of the products I've mentioned here. I'd love to know your thoughts.
I'm not going to waste time beating around the bush with this one, the Diorskin Forever Foundation is the absolute dog's dangles.
I won't lie, I have a myriad of foundations designed to make me look like I've been dipped into a vat of Vaseline and sprinkled with morning dew, because 'wet' is the look I typically swing for, apparently. And that's all well and good, except for when it's cracking flags outside and my entire face ends up on my chin before I've had time to complete one full scroll of my Instagram feed.
So, despite the fact that my skin is thirstier than a You Tuber with a Morphe code, I've been trying to incorporate more matte base products into my makeup routine.
The Diorskin Forever Foundation is a skin-perfecting, 'poreless effect' foundation that claims to refine the skin's texture and provide a long-lasting, luminous matte finish for up to 16 hours. Now, I don't know who these, '16 hour, foundation-wearing folk' are, but I find that it holds up really well on my skin throughout the day.
It's a medium to full coverage foundation, depending on how much you build it up. I prefer to have my natural skin, freckles and all, still visible when I apply my base so I don't go in too heavy-handed. It smooths on effortlessly and blends seamlessly into the skin to give a truly flawless, airbrushed finish - there are numerous 'skin-perfecting' products on the market that claim to give you an even complexion; however Dior really deliver here.
It's no BB cream, but despite its fuller coverage, the Diorskin Forever Foundation is still relatively lightweight. It doesn't feel thick or sit heavy on the skin and is actually really comfortable to wear. #SayNoToTheCakeFace.
For colour reference, I wear the shade 020 - Light Beige and I find that this foundation doesn't oxidise and change colour over time, so what you see is what you get.
So onto the finish, and probably one of the biggest reasons I love this foundation so much. It gives off a radiance that is lacking with many of the other matte foundations I've tried, whilst maintaining a natural-looking, skin-like matte finish. Think Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, but better. It doesn't turn into an oil slick after a couple of hours wear, nor cling to any drier patches that I inevitably have - thank you air conditioning! I've received a tonne of compliments on my skin whilst wearing this foundation, and if that's not testament to how flippin' fab this product is, then I really don't know what else to tell you!
What's your current, go-to foundation? Have you tried the Diorskin Forever Foundation - if so, what are your thoughts?
*Takes a deep breathe and tries not to squeal*
Guys, I went and did it. I bought myself a brand new, Saint Laurent bag whilst I was back in the U.K. and I could not be happier about it.
Let's backtrack. Way back last year, I bought a Givenchy Antigona bag (see here) It's a bag that I've always fawned over. I love its classic design and shape; however, I stupidly opted for the 'Medium' (the largest size) which in reality, was far too big, and heavy, for me to carry and use on a day-to-day basis. Pretty shortly after I bought it, I knew I was going to sell it and put the money towards something that would better suit me and my lifestyle.
So, this is where we are... I feel like we should have some sort of drum roll.
After much deliberation and many hours of dragging my poor husband around the shopping malls, I opted for the Saint Laurent Monogram Chain Wallet in Pale Blush Textured Matalasse Leather with Silver Hardware.
I knew I wanted a bag that was suitable to wear in the evening - the chain is detachable so the bag can be worn both as a clutch and as a crossbody, and I really wanted a light pink colour because it's a colour that fits in well with my wardrobe. I own several high street bags in a very similar shade of pink so I was confident it would work well with my style.
In my eyes, it's an absolutely beautiful bag and I can't wait to start wearing it.
Let me know what you think of my choice - was it what you guessed? Also, let me know if you would like a full review including where I purchased, my thoughts after using it and styling/modelling shots. Your opinions and suggestions are always greatly appreciated.
"I need another highlighter!"
Yes, my husband laughed at me when those words came out of my mouth too. See, my problem is I'm a sucker for pretty packaging, so when I clapped eyes on Too Faced's new Love Light Highlighters, I snapped one up quicker than you could say, 'Hello Shiny Polly Pocket!"
There are three Love Light highlighting shades to choose from; Blinded By The Light - a light champagne, Ray Of Light - a peachy rose gold and You Light Up My Life - a warm gold shade.
I opted for Ray Of Light as I felt the other two were pretty dupable in my highlighter collection and the rose gold shade offered up something a little different for me.
Let's cut to the facts. Is it the best highlighter I've ever tried? In short, no. It's not the most pigmented and it's texture doesn't scream Lurpak, however I'm willing to overlook these minor niggles because I absolutely adore the way it looks against my skin tone. It's no secret that my love for peachy pink blush shades runs truer than a drunk girl in a bathroom, as does my love for a decent highlighter. Ray Of Light straddles both, being sheer enough to use all over as beautiful glow-giver and yet buildable enough to be used as a blush/blush topper, depending on your current skin tone.
I've been using this highlighter almost exclusively since I purchased it back in June, and whilst it's not the 'best' product I own in the typical sense of the word, I just can't get enough of the natural, glowy finish it gives to my skin whenever I apply it.
Have you tried any new highlighters recently? If so, what are your thoughts? I'd love to hear them.
Are people still reading blogs?
It's been... *aherm* a while since I last wrote a post. I could come up with several lame excuses but the reality is, I just couldn't really be bothered sitting down at my laptop every day, trying to drum up content. I'm back though, and with a slew of posts ready to go, but I thought I'd kick off with a, 'Where I've been and what I've been up to' post.
I spent the last 3 weeks in the U.K. The main purpose for the trip was to attend my friend's wedding but we managed to cram a whole bunch of stuff in whilst we were there. Grab a beverage, it's going to be a lengthy one!
The Hen Party - Take 11 girls, one sex den inspired house and enough prosecco to make America great again. What do you get? C'mon guys, you know what happens on a hen party, stays on a hen party, but I will say this, 'getting your money's worth' cocktails, 6:30am bedtimes and breast pumps probably aren't the best combination... they sure do make the funniest memories though!
Family - No trip home would be a trip home without doing the family visiting rounds. My brother graduated this Summer so we went out to celebrate, (I had pie and wine, it was glorious!) My grandparents regaled Scott with tales of the war and chocolate biscuits and I finally met my Mum's puppy Nixon, the Boston Terrier with territorial bed issues to rival my own and an arse so ripe I'm positive I'm missing several layers of nasal epithelia.
Scotland - I took was forced to take the train *shudders* up to Edinburgh to meet Scott when he'd finally decided to grace us with his presence and we spent a few days eating and drinking our way around the city with his family. We visited a kilt shop so bizarre that it must have fallen straight out of Diagon Alley and the pages of a Harry Potter novel, and spent a small fortune in Tesco on Mini Eggs to bring back to Dubai but all of which I scoffed before even making it to the end of our trip. Sidenote: Cadbury, if you're listening, I'm less than thrilled that the new Mini Eggs are yellow. I need colourful variety in my life and monochromatic chocolate eggs fail to provide this.
Lake District - To break up the drive between Edinburgh and my home town, we decided to stay at a The Daffodil, a Lake District hotel in the picturesque village of Grasmere. The hotel was beautiful but the service... I'll put it this way, if you freeze-dried excrement and decorated it with discarded chewing gum, it would probably invoke more pleasant feelings. As is mandatory in the Lake District, we walked, took lots of scenery pictures and tried our best not to drown in the unearthly quantity of water that was bucketed out of the sky.
Shopping - No trip home would be complete without a shopping trip or ten, although I'm actually quite proud to say that I didn't do all that much. I hit Boots pretty hard, twice, although Scott someone probably Scott managed to lose an entire bag, (£60's worth of stuff, sob) somewhere in Manchester. I bought a few basic tees from Zara, made an exciting purchase which I will reveal really soon, and acquired some false lashes that are either going to be life-changing or make me look like a washed up Drag race contestant. I'll keep you posted.
Wedding - On a beautiful sunny day in Chester, I watched, well tried to watch through the tears, one of my best friends get married. It was an absolutely perfect day and I felt so privileged to be a bridesmaid with some of my most favourite people. There was ice cream, surprise singing waiters, a Great Wedding Cake Off and some seriously dodgy dancing... Joe, Scott, Dave... I'm looking at you!
Back To Dubai - Finally, like every great egg and spoon race, our trip came to a exhausting, yet slightly dodgy end. I won't go into any great depth about the airport hotel we stayed in the evening before our flight - the suspicious stains on the curtains and amourous neighbours that ruined the finale of Broadchurch. We made it home to our villa in Dubai and were greeted with a melted kitchen cupboard, broken A/C in our bedroom and 3/4 of the Arabian desert covering every inch of our worldly possessions. Joys. Our family was reunited again when we picked up Daisy and Ralph from the boarding facility and after an entire day's worth of mopping, scrubbing and laundry, calm was finally restored to our little corner of the universe.
Well, until we have family out to visit us next week and the madness commences all over again.
