Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Posts tagged Buy
Heavy Spike Bracelet from Accessories Boutique
2
7 years
I was recently contacted by the lovely Julie of independent jewellery retailer Accessories Boutique, who very kindly offered me the chance to choose a piece from her online store to review. Accessories Boutique is a veritable, virtual treasure trove of individual pieces that have been specially chosen to suit all styles, and they stock everything from necklaces and bracelets, to scarves and bags. There are hundreds of beautiful pieces available, so much so that it took me a while to choose one, but I eventually settled on this stunning Heavy Spike Bracelet, which retails for £18.00.
I’ve always had a thing for studs and spikes on accessories, and used to wear a lot of them during my ‘Goth’ teen years, but unlike the cheap, tacky stuff I had back then, this bracelet is classy, eye-catching, and a bit more ‘grown up’. It consists of five rows of high-shine metal spikes, which are blunted so they won’t snag on clothes, and are securely joined at the back and strung onto robust elastic. As its name suggests, it is also quite heavy, but not to the point that it’s uncomfortable to wear. Everything about this bracelet, especially the weightiness, oozes quality, and it is incredibly well made. It fits really well too as it’s slightly curved, so has an elegant shape and sits neatly against the wrist.
This is undoubtedly a statement piece which is perfect for the current Gothic and Biker trends, and it is also very versatile. I usually wear a lot of thin bracelets stacked on top of each other, but this is so big and bold I can get away with wearing it on its own, with whatever I’m wearing that day, and it always grabs people’s attention. In fact, I love it so much that I plan on featuring it in a few up and coming outfit posts, so check back soon for those.
You can get your own Heavy Spike Bracelet, and loads of other gorgeous pieces, online at Accessories Boutique, and if you spend £20 delivery is free.
Happy shopping!
Naomi x
*This Heavy Spike Bracelet was sent to me by Accessories Boutique for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
On Trend Trainers
0
7 years
by Naomi in Fashion
Over the last year or two a throwback trend has been creeping back onto the fashion scene, and it looks like it’s here to stay! Whether it’s a pair of retro-style hi tops, or a more modern pair of sleek running shoes, trainers have been popping up all over the place lately, and they’re no longer just for wearing to the gym.
Spotted in fashion magazines around the world, it’s now the in thing to be teaming a pair of eye-catching trainers with not only casual daytime looks, but also chic and smart outfits that wouldn’t look amiss at work, or in a fancy restaurant. Trainers are definitely becoming more versatile, and are set to be a big trend in 2014. My 1990s inner child is really rather pleased, I must say!
I’ve recently been browsing the net for trainers to see what’s out there, and there are a LOT of styles, colours and even patterns to choose from. Here are just a few of my favourites…
Clockwise from Top Left:
Nike Air Pegasus+ 30 Running Shoes / Lacoste Marcel Mid Purple Hi Top Trainers / Adidas Supernova Solution 3W adiwear Running Shoes / Vans Sk8-Hi Suede Inca Trainers / Puma Suede / Converse All Star Two Fold Hi III Trainers / Nike Zoom Vomero+ 8 Running Shoes / Nike Air Pegasus+ 29 Running Shoes
My star pick of this bunch has to be the Nike Air Pegasus+ 30 Running Shoes from Millet Sports. I love their stylish shape, and the colour is just beautiful. Imagine how cute they’d look with a classic black skater dress and some colour matching jewellery!
Will you be investing in any trainers this year?
Naomi x
*This post is a collaboration.*
Blog Sale: UPDATE!
0Hi everyone,
I hope you’re all enjoying the weekend.
This is just a quick update to let you know that I have just added some new items to my blog sale, mostly clothes, and reduced the prices of almost everything else! If you want to see what I have for sale, click here, or visit the ‘Blog Sale’ tab above. If anything takes your fancy you can either comment on the post or email .
Thanks!
Naomi x
Victoria British Boutique Vintage Charity Fashion Show
3On Tuesday, my sister, my mum and I headed down to the Leicester Tigers rugby stadium for a special event – a Vintage Charity Fashion Show organised by Victoria British Boutique. The fashion show was in aid of “20-20 Voice” Cancer Appeal, a charity who provide support for head and neck cancer sufferers, with the aim of purchasing new, up to the minute camera technology with the money they raise, so hospitals can detect such cancers early.
Victoria British Boutique (VBB) is a vintage boutique owned by the lovely Vikkie, which specialises in a mix of unique, vintage pieces and current, stylish designs, both evening and day wear, all of which are British. The boutique is situated online, on eBay, so people from all over the country can browse and buy from Vikkie’s store. The boutique also prides itself on aiming for 100% customer satisfaction, so you know you’re going to get good service when you buy from VBB.
On the night there were a lot of one-of-a-kind outfits and items of clothing for sale at very reasonable prices, with most of them being modelled on the catwalk by six gorgeous nurses who work at local hospitals. I was lucky enough to get a front seat next to the catwalk so I had a really good view of the show and the clothes on offer. There were some really lovely pieces for sale, including a purple floral dress and a green and purple skirt suit which you can see below. I just wish they were my size! The models did a great job and were really well-received by the audience, and the show was a lot of fun to watch – well done, ladies!
As mentioned earlier, the aim of the evening was to raise as much money as possible for the “20-20 Voice” Cancer Appeal, so there were also stalls selling handmade jewellery and other goodies, and there were several raffles and competitions to join in with. Unfortunately we didn’t win anything, but congratulations to everyone who did!
Overall, all three of us had a great evening at the Victoria British Boutique Vintage Charity Fashion Show and I hope it raised a lot of money for such an excellent cause. You can find out more about the “20-20 Voice” Cancer Appeal here, and you can find Victoria British Boutique here. You can also follow Vikkie’s boutique on Facebook and Twitter if you want to keep up-to-date with all the latest news from VBB!
Naomi x
Pixie Chains Fantasy Pink Locket
3A couple of months ago I was very kindly gifted a beautiful locket by Pixie Chains – an independent jewellery brand specialising in cheap, retro, vintage style jewellery with a unique edge. The brains behind Pixie Chains is eighteen year old Matilda Littler from Derbyshire, an A Level student with a keen interest in fashion and photography, who makes a lot of the jewellery she sells herself.
The locket I was sent is the Fantasy Pink Locket, a gorgeous oversized gold tone locket which costs just £3.99 – a small price tag for a lot of necklace that is worth every penny.
The locket itself is excellent quality. It has a good weight to it without being too heavy, so it’s comfortable to wear, and it fastens securely so you can keep your secrets safe. The details are also really pretty and feminine, with a silhouetted rabbit on a pink background, chunky gem-style front, raised patterning all over and to top it all off, a large, girly bow. There is also a quote on the front of the locket which is slightly obscured, but the bit I can see properly reads ‘I was green and I like kangaroos’. The whole design reminds me of Alice in Wonderland, an old favourite of mine.
I’m a big fan of statement pieces of jewellery, and this is definitely that. It hangs on a long chain and sits below my chest, and is so versatile it looks great with anything – whether a t-shirt and jeans or a dress and heels. Here is how I wore it today, with a pinky purple jumper and black skinnies, it made a basic outfit look bold and brilliant.
All of Matilda’s pieces really are lovely and her business is growing fast, so if you want to keep up with her progress and be the first to see her latest pieces, you can follow her on Twitter and via her blog, and order items from her Etsy store. Here are a few of my favourite bargain pieces from her store…
Beatrix Potter Collection Miniature Book Earrings – £3.99 per pair
Oreo Biscuit Cookie Necklace – £3.99
Vintage Comics Avengers Charm Bracelet – £5.99
Which Pixie Chains piece if your favourite?
Naomi x
*This Fantasy Pink Locket was sent to me by Pixie Chains for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Fragrance Direct Collective Haul
20
8 years
by Naomi in Hauls
There has been a big buzz on Twitter lately about Fragrance Direct, mainly because they have been selling a wide range of Dainty Doll make up for just a couple of pounds each. Dainty Doll is a brand that I’ve been wanting to try for a while as it is formulated for people like myself who have fair complexions, so when I heard the bargainous news I went straight to the website to place an order. I soon discovered that Fragrance Direct stock a LOT of other brands at incredibly discounted prices, and I ended up ordering a couple of other things too.
I plan on reviewing everything I purchased from Fragrance Direct in the coming weeks, but for now I thought I would show you my collective haul. The website is restocked almost every day, and also runs out of products just as quickly, so I ended up placing three separate orders in order to get hold of everything I wanted. It did mean I had to pay three lots of postage, but postage is only £1.99 and I split it with my mum and sister as they ordered a few things too, so everything still works out dirt cheap.
Here is what I received in my first two orders… (The third hasn’t arrived yet, but it only consists of two Essie nail varnishes so I’ll add them at a later date).
Dainty Doll Powder Blusher in ‘My Girl’ – £1.99 (RRP £13.50) and Dainty Doll Cream Blusher in ‘Paper Roses’ – £1.99 (RRP £13.50)
Dainty Doll Concealer in ‘002 Abracadabra’ – £1.99 (RRP £14.50)
Dainty Doll Lipstick in ‘Couture’ – £1.99 (RRP £12.50)
Essie Nail Polish in ‘Orange It’s Obvious’ – £1.99 (RRP £7.99)
(‘Bikini So Teeny’ and ‘Cascade Cool’ are currently in the post.)
Manhattan Rock Topia Nail Polish in ‘5’ and ‘6’ – £0.49 each (RRP £2.99 each)
(My mum ordered shades 2, 3 and 4 and they are all absolutely gorgeous.)
Dr Ciate Prescriptive Nail Care File for Brittle Nails – £0.99 (RRP £3.99)
Excluding postage, this little lot cost me just shy of £12.00, but is worth a whopping £72.00 in total! I’m really happy with all of my items and I can’t wait to receive my next order and place even more in the future. Keep an eye out for swatches and reviews of everything coming soon.
Have you ever ordered from Fragrance Direct? What did you buy?
Naomi x
Real Techniques Blush Brush
5
8 years
by Naomi in Make Up Tools
On my mission to find affordable but high quality make up brushes, I was recommended Real Techniques by several different bloggers. After doing some research and seeing how highly praised they are, the Core Collection and Starter Set went straight on my birthday list, and I was lucky enough to receive both sets for my birthday (I’ll be reviewing these at a later date). On top of this, the wonderful Lookfantastic were also kind enough to send me a Real Techniques Blush Brush, which I will be reviewing in this post.
Real Techniques’ Blush Brush has everything I look for when choosing new make up brushes. Firstly, it has a long handle which is made from light aluminium with a grippable base, so it is easy to use and gives you ultimate control. It also has a widened, flat base so it can stand alone, which makes for simple storage.
The bristles are cut by hand and are tapered, which is great for contouring, but the rounded bulk of the brush makes applying an even sweep of blusher easy. I find that the brush picks up just the right amount of product too, so you’re left with a flawless, well blended finish. Most importantly for me, the bristles are made from synthetic taklon so the brush is vegan and cruelty free, but unlike some synthetic bristles they’re also incredibly soft. They feel amazingly plush and luxurious on the skin and don’t cause any irritation, which is always a bonus for those with sensitive skin like me.
Though I’ve only used this brush for blusher so far, I think it could be quite a versatile brush. I’ve seen other reviewers say they use it for bronzer too, as well as powder foundation, which I may put to the test.
I really couldn’t be happier with this brush, and I can’t recommend it highly enough – it makes the whole process of applying blusher effortless, and it really lives up to (maybe even exceeds!) my expectations. Real Techniques brushes are extremely high quality for the price and they’re now my go-to brand for brushes. I have my eye on the Foundation Brush next! This Blush Brush has an RRP of £12.89, but it is currently on sale on Lookfantastic.com for £9.99. A serious bargain if you ask me. If you’d like to see Lookfantastic’s full range of Real Techniques brushes, just click here.
What do you think of Real Techniques’ products?
Naomi x
*I was sent this Real Techniques Blush Brush by The Hut Group/Lookfantastic.com for review purposes. All thoughts expressed are honest and based on my own experience.*
Jurlique Rose Essentials
2
8 years
With only a week left to go until Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d share a gift idea with you which puts a luxurious twist on the traditional bunch of red roses – Jurlique’s Rose Essentials. If you have a beauty-obsessed loved one to buy for this year, or even if you want to treat yourself to a pampering session, then Jurlique’s rose scented skin care products are ideal.
The Jurlique Rose Essentials set contains three luxe rose scented products, and they come packaged in a beautiful gift box, which definitely makes this set a pleasure to receive! Once you remove the red and gold cardboard wrap, the box you are met with looks like a gorgeous gold treasure chest, patterned with delicate roses and leaves, which fits the Jurlique tagline perfectly – ‘Your gift of beauty to treasure’. It is even sealed with a sticker that looks like a lock, which makes the set feel that little bit more special, and builds the anticipation as to what you will find inside.
The three products inside the box are wrapped with red tissue paper, and the gold ribbon and embossed brand logo all add an extra touch of luxury. The products are a 100ml bottle of Rosewater Balancing Mist, a 300ml bottle of Rose Shower Gel, and a 150ml tube of Rose Body Cream.
Here is a brief review of each product to give you an idea of what they are like…
Rosewater Balancing Mist
Jurlique’s Rosewater Balancing Mist contains Rose Essential Oil, Marshmallow and Aloe, which combine to form a hydrating mist which improves and balances skin tone. I like to spray this on to my face after a long day, as it refreshes tired skin and, unlike some mists, is delicately moisturising so it doesn’t dry your skin out or leave it feeling greasy. The packaging the mist comes in is very plain in contrast to the gift box, which is slightly disappointing as I like a bit of colour, but the glass bottle makes it look and feel a bit more impressive than if it were plastic.
Rose Shower Gel
This pinky orange coloured shower gel contains a mix of natural essential oils, and like the mist leaves your skin feeling fresh, and extremely clean. I usually use shower creams as normal gels sometimes dehydrate my skin, but Jurlique’s Rose Shower Gel is actually quite moisturising, which is lovely, and can be used all over the body. The lather that one pump of this gel gives is impressive, and a little goes a long way.
Rose Body Cream
The Rose Body Cream is my favourite product in the set. It is enriched with Jojoba Oil, Shea and Cocoa Butter, so as you can imagine it is intensely moisturising, but it is also a lot lighter than some body butters. The cream doesn’t sit on the skin making a greasy mess either, rather, it is easily and quickly absorbed and is very kind to the skin. I suffer from dry hands so have been using this as a hand cream, and so far the results are good, and my hands feel a lot softer!
All three products have a very sweet but authentic scent of roses, which is reminiscent of an English garden on a summer’s day (how corny and romantic!) It’s a very feminine scent, and isn’t at all overpowering, so the products can be layered for a long-lasting, gentle aroma.
This whole set just oozes quality. The products are all generously sized and feel amazing on the skin, and the packaging is incredible. The Jurlique range is a bit of a splurge (products start at £10 each, ranging up to around £30), but sometimes these things are worth it, right? You can view Jurlique’s range of skin care products here, at LookFantastic.com. Or, if Jurlique isn’t for you or your loved one, LookFantastic also stock a wide selection of other Valentine’s Gifts, including Nails Inc Bling It On Leather & Skulls, which I reviewed here.
Naomi x
*This Jurlique Rose Essentials set was sent to me by LookFantastic.com/The Hut Group for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Philosophy 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set
8If, like me, you spend the majority of the day rushing around after one thing or another, you more than likely dream of a relaxing way to pamper your feet at the end of a long day, which won’t take hours or cost the earth. If so, then look no further, as Philosophy’s 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set has all the answers!
I’ve seen Philosophy featured on many blogs in the past, and their products seem to be very popular in the world of beauty, and after trying these two foot treats I can see why. The set contains a 120ml tube of Footnotes, an energizing foot scrub, and a 93g tube of Soul Owner, an exfoliating foot cream. I’ve always loved Philosophy’s simple packaging and quirky product names, and these two have both. The products are intended to be used one after the other, starting with Footnotes and finishing with Soul Owner.
Footnotes is a lovely mint green shade, and has an intense but refreshing scent of lavender and eucalyptus. The scrub works best when applied to dry feet, and I find a generous 10p coin-sized amount is plenty enough for one foot. Footnotes has a gel-like consistency and is packed full of micro granules of pumice, which are very fine, so no amount of rubbing makes your skin sore, as can happen with chunkier, lower quality exfoliators. The tube suggests that the scrub can be used with a pumice stone, but I prefer to massage it in with my hands, in a circular motion, focusing on any rough patches. The balls and heels of my feet are quite dry, and the exfoliating properties of this scrub have really helped to smooth these areas, softening them nicely so they’re almost back to normal after just a few uses – an impressive result! After you’ve finished scrubbing, whatever’s left on your feet should be washed off thoroughly with warm water. The eucalyptus content in Footnotes makes your feet feel cooled and very clean after use, and the effect lasts for a long time.
The next stage in Philosophy’s foot pamper session is to apply a liberal amount of Soul Owner to your entire foot area. Like Footnotes, Soul Owner is enriched with eucalyptus essential oil, so the two complement each other to give maximum tingly freshness with minimum effort. My feet always feel so awake and alive after using this set! Despite being labelled as an ‘exfoliating foot cream’, the cream itself isn’t rough or gritty, but is richly creamy and smooth. The exfoliating properties actually come from glycolic and salicylic acids, which help to reduce rough soles. The cream massages in extremely quickly, leaving behind no greasy residue, making your skin feel intensely moisturised and happy.
The results that this Philosophy 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set give are impressive. All it takes is a few minutes to instantly refresh, soften and smooth tired feet.
The set is available to buy here from QVC UK, and costs £22.25. QVC also stock a wide range of other Philosophy and Skincare products, so why not see what else they have to offer, too!
Have you ever tried anything by Philosophy?
Naomi x
*This Philosophy 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set was sent to me by QVC for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Nails by AB
15A few weeks ago I was asked by Amy of Nails by AB to review a set of her gorgeous false nails. Amy is a trained beauty therapist and her new business, Nails by AB, specialises in creating personalised designer nails which are painted according to your own specifications, and then posted out to you. Having seen some of Amy’s designs on Twitter I was hugely impressed so, of course, I jumped at the chance to try some of her nails for myself. The design I asked for and swiftly received was a set of bang on trend owls.
The nails came very nicely packaged in a drawstring bag, and a handy little tube of nail glue was also provided.
This stunning owly set contains 18 nails (9 pairs of differently sized nails), so you’re guaranteed to find a complete set that fits you in amongst them. A set of 18 owl nails costs £8.50 (including UK postage), which is incredible value for money considering the amount of effort that goes in to painting them! However, if you want a smaller set (which usually costs less) Amy will ask you to measure the width of your nails upon ordering, so that she can choose, tailor and shape your nails specifically to fit you. How great is that?
As I’m sure you can tell from my photographs, the quality of these nails is excellent. The design is simple, yet really carefully and neatly painted, and the colours used are really bold. I absolutely love these little owls, they’re just so cute, and it is obvious that Amy has a real talent for nail art!
Both my sister and I have tried these nails on and we both agree that they are very comfortable. The nails themselves are made of plastic, which is thin enough to be flexible and look like a natural nail, but not too thin so that they break easily. The glue that is provided keeps the nails on for a good while (basically until you decide to take them off), so if you want your nails to last longer than just a night out, these will.
The photographs below were modelled by my sister. She has far shorter nails than me so I thought it would be a good idea to show that the nails stay put even on short nails…
The Nails by AB range features many quirky, bespoke designs, including the latest Moustache Nails which cost £9.50 a set and celebrate Movember, with £4.00 of the proceeds being donated to the Movember charity. However, Amy is more than happy to paint a set of nails to your own design if you have something specific in mind. Nails by AB nails start at £6.50 a set, but only go as high as about £10.00, which is so worth it when you consider what you’d pay for a salon manicure.
If you would like to order some pretty little nails from Nails by AB, you can do so via Amy’s website, on eBay (under nailsbyab), through the Nails by AB Facebook page, or even through the Nails by AB Twitter account. Payment can be made through PayPal or Credit/Debit Card, and once payment has cleared your nails should hopefully be in the post to you within 2-3 days, sent FREE by second class post.
Nails by AB’s products and service are top class, and it is obvious that so much care and passion is put into Amy’s work, so please help to spread the word about this nifty little company!
Naomi x
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