The best place I’ve been to…

 

 

 

This post is different to my usual ones. Today I’ve decided to write a blog post about one of my most favourite places I’ve ever been to- Lake Tahoe, Nevada. It was so relaxing and so, so beautiful! As I was relaxing by the pool and staring at the glimmering lake, I could see the mountains with snow dusted along the top of them, and this was in June. If any of you have ever been, let me know! Also if any of you are thinking of heading to Nevada or California, take a detour to Lake Tahoe, it is so worth it! x Ali

Ps: Later on today I will be posting my everyday eye makeup routine 🙂

Perfect Combination

Summer means less makeup, and more spf. I don’t know about you, but I hate wearing a really thick foundation in high temperatures! I like wearing a more sheer moisturising product with a little bit of coverage, so in June I went on a hunt and found exactly what I was looking for- NARS Pure Radiant Tinted moisturiser!!! It’s moisturising with the perfect amount of coverage, and it also has spf 30. I apply it with my Real Techniques ‘Expert Face’ brush for a lovely natural finish.
 

What I’ve been reading…

 

ELLE Magazine&Alexa Chung ‘It’

This past month I picked up Elle magazine and ‘It’ by Alexa Chung and I have loved reading both. I don’t normally purchase Elle, but I am so glad I did! From a Katie Holmes interview to how to achieve clear skin, this April issue had it all, and I picked up some great tips whilst reading it. Now on to my next reading purchase, Alexa Chung ‘It’. I had been meaning to purchase this book since Christmas but completely forgot about it until I was in Urban Outfitters a few days ago. Since reading it I have become such a huge Alexa Chung fan! It is such a well written, interesting book, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in fashion… honestly… just buy it!

L’Occitane Repairing Mask For Dry and Damaged Hair

I bought this mask in December andI LOVE it! It manages to tame my dry and frizzy hair leaving it soft and shiny. It smells great, and has a good consistency which is easily applied to damp hair. I prefer this mask to the others I have tried in the past. This can be bought in L’Occitane stores and on their website. This mask is definitely going to stay in my hair care routine for a long time.

 

Classic

There is no doubt in my mind, I am most definitely a bag person. I have a huge weakness for bags, in particular classic bags. In my opinion, Mulberry always seem to come out with the most elegant and timeless bags.  The moment I set my eyes on the Mulberry Bayswater, I fell in love. There was only one thing standing between my love and I, the price! At over €1000, the Bayswater is not cheap. After finding out the price, the Bayswater was then added to my list of ‘Things to buy when I’m rich’. I dreamed of owning a Bayswater. Then, last summer at a vintage fair my dreams came true. I found a genuine Bayswater bag at a third of the price of a new one. I knew if I did not buy it I would regret it for years, so I did! I reassured myself it was an investment. Obviously the bag was not in mint condition, it had a few scratches, but I liked the scratches as I thought they gave the bag character, and at a third of the price, it was a bargain.

Now on to my opinion of the quality and practicality of the Bayswater. The bag is very good quality. Especially considering my bag is second-hand. The leather has a few scratches here and there, but no rips or holes. The leather looks, feels and even smells good quality. The clasp is also working perfectly along with the zip on the inner pocket. This bag is great for both business and pleasure. The only drawback is that it is heavy. Especially after a long day of shopping. Other than that it is practical. The inside zip pocket adds extra storage and security. The bag also comes with a lock and key, though I have never used them.

This bag is going to stay with me for the rest of my life! I am so glad I bought it and would recommend anyone else who’s considering buying one to definitely do so.

L’Occitane obsession…

I first discovered L’Occitane in Atlanta airport and have been obsessed ever since. Pictured are two of my favourite L’Occitane products, the Lavande pillow mist and their best selling shea butter hand cream.

Before using this pillow mist I had never used one before and was really excited to try it. I really like this product, I sprits it on my pillow before I go to sleep. It’s lavender scent isn’t overpowering like many other lavender sprays. I find it relaxes me as I am winding down to go to sleep, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who finds it hard to wind down after a busy day at work/school. The pillow mist costs €20.

I was first introduced to the shea butter hand cream when I went to a L’Occitane event and got it as a sample. I immediately fell in love with it. This hand cream leaves my hands moisturised and soft as it contains 20% shea butter. It has a rich and creamy texture and has a much thicker consistency that the typical hand cream. Although this hand cream is quite pricey at €23.00, it is so worth it and I will never be buying another type of hand cream again!

What’s in my makeup bag?

 

Benefit’s ‘Cabana Glama’,  ‘They’re Real’ mascara, ‘High Beam’ highlighter,  ‘Porefessional’ primer, ‘Dandelion’ lipgloss and  the ‘Triple Performing’ moisturiser.

Mac’s ‘Mineralized Satinfinish’ foundation, ‘Trace Gold’ blush,  eyeshadow duo containing ‘Woodsmoke’ and ‘Baby It’s Cold’, Eyebrow pencil in ‘Dirty Blonde’,  Gel liner in ‘Blacktrack’ and the eyeshadow ‘Retro-Speck’.

 

 

Review of Jergens ‘Natural Glow’

 

I have naturally pale skin and, I’ve been looking for a gradual self-tanner for so long, and after reading many positive reviews, I purchased the Jergens ‘Natural Glow’ in Ross for only $3.99! 

The tan itself is great! It goes on so easily, and because it’s gradual, it’s very easy to control how dark your skin turns. When you apply the tan, it has a slight shimmery effect, which I was slightly worried about as even though it was only a small amount, I didn’t want to look like I had glitter all over me! But luckily, the shimmery effect wasn’t there when the tan dried. The tan itself has a scent but it isn’t unpleasant at all. It dries into a natural looking tan, which I love as that was exactly what I had been looking for, a natural looking tan!

Altogether, I am delighted with this product, and will be using it a lot, especially during the winter months!

Review of Real Techniques ‘Expert Face’ brush

Before purchasing the ‘Expert Face’ brush, I had heard so many great reviews about it! I have used sponges and regular foundation brushes to blend my M.A.C. foundation, and I thought I was happy using those, that was until I bought this AMAZING make-up brush. 

Firstly, this brush was designed by Samantha Chapman, a professional make-up artist and beauty blogger. There are many tutorials on how to use this brush online which I find helpful. 

The brush itself is not pricey at all. I purchased mine at Ulta for around $9. The brush has an orange handle, and the shape of the handle makes the brush fit perfectly in your hand. The brush hairs are soft, but dense, which means you are able to really buff the foundation into your skin for a flawless finish. I found flat foundation brushes difficult to use around my nose, but this brush blends extremely well all over my face. This brush also washes very easily (I just use baby shampoo!). I also use this brush to blend my bronzer under my cheekbones!

I would definitely recommend this brush to anyone who is looking for a foundation brush that blends amazingly and isn’t expensive at all. Definitely a 10/10 product for me!

 

 

A trend I’m loving…

The high-low trend

You’ve all seen so many many celebrities rocking either a high-low skirt or dress at some point or another. I recently purchased a pink, high-low skirt (pictured below!), from Tj Maxx, for only $6.99! This is my first high-low skirt or dress I have purchased, and I must admit… I have become OBSESSED! Like many other people, I like to pair my high-low skirt with a basic, white, cropped top. My favourite crop tops are the ‘Giselle top’ from Brandy Melville and the Forever 21 cropped top (pictured below!).  I think it is a very classy outfit and can be dressed up or dressed down by the addition of a jacket. A blazer would definitely dress this look up, and a slouchy cardigan would make this look more casual!