Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Posts tagged Gold
Valentine’s Gift Ideas: Chroma Stationery
1
6 years
If you have a creative loved one in your life who loves to write or draw, or you yourself like to doodle, scribble down your thoughts, or even plan out your blog posts, then this Valentine’s gift idea is for you.
Chroma Stationery specialises in high quality, 50 page notebooks, which are made extra special by being fully personalised. My notebook is from the Nebraska perfect bound range, but they also offer a range of Ryton spiral bound notebooks. Once you’ve chosen your binding type, you also get to pick your cover colour, whether you want plain or lined pages, and your embossing.
Embossing adds a touch of luxury, can be done in either silver or gold, and it’s completely up to you what you have put on the notebook. As standard this is usually a name, initials, or message, but if you get in touch with Chroma they’re more than happy to emboss an image – such as this pretty Valentine’s Day love heart!
My notebook, which I plan on using as a journal, is in shade ‘Annie’ – a lovely grape purple – and the cover has a luxuriously soft feel to it. The embossing is gold in a handwritten font, and I chose lined pages, which are 80gsm and lovely to write on.
The notebooks also come beautifully wrapped in a sleeve, and tissue paper, with a little card about Chroma’s history.
At £7.50 each, with personalisation included in the price, Chroma notebooks are an affordable gift idea for a loved one.
Naomi x
*This Chroma Notebook was sent to me by Chroma Stationery for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Affordable Summer Fashion at House of Fraser
1
6 years
by Naomi in Fashion
This year I’ve been trying to add more summer basics to my wardrobe, and after browsing countless online and high street stores, House of Fraser have really come up trumps. Though House of Fraser stock a lot of premium brands, they also sell a wide range of more affordable brands, so you can add staple pieces to your wardrobe on a budget, that can be worn year in year out.
House of Fraser recently challenged me to pick some summer items to style, up to the value of £30. I thought the best way to go for this challenge would be simple and versatile – things that could be dressed up or down and paired with different things to create different looks – so I opted for this plain Jane Norman Maxi Vest Dress, and a cute little Ziba 3D Skull Bracelet.
Jane Norman Maxi Vest Dress / Ziba 3D Skull Bracelet / Primark Sandals / Alexander McQueen Cateye Sunglasses / Juno Black Patent Grab Bag
The dress is made from a light jersey fabric, so is very cool and comfortable, and the vest section is lined so you don’t have to wear a bra on hot summer days. I think the dress looks great as it is, but it also looks amazing with a sparkly cropped jacket and clutch for a glamorous evening look. This is currently discounted from £20 to £12, which is incredibly cheap for such a lovely piece.
I chose the Ziba Skull 3D Bracelet for several reasons. For one, I love skulls and covet anything with a skull on it, but this year I’ve also really started to love fine and delicate pieces of jewellery. I used to always wear big chunky items, but the beauty of bracelets like this is you can layer them together, but if it’s too hot to be wearing a thick wedge of bangles, they look elegant and lovely worn alone. This particular bracelet was £9 when I chose it, down from £12, but it’s now only £6 so is even more affordable. Also, if skulls aren’t your thing, the Ziba range has loads of other designs to choose from. I especially like their cute little owl.
In total, my House of Fraser items have a value of £32, but with the online discount they now come in at £18, which is a pretty good saving. I’ll definitely be going back to House of Fraser in the future to look for more affordable basics. Also, why not check out their current range of maxi dresses and bracelets?
Naomi x
*This Jane Norman Maxi Vest Dress and Ziba 3D Skull Bracelet were sent to me on behalf of House of Fraser, for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Eclectic Eccentricity Giveaway WINNER
1Hello everyone!
Firstly, I’d like to apologise for not announcing the winner of my Eclectic Eccentricity giveaway sooner. The giveaway closed last Friday, but I’ve had such a hectic week it just slipped my mind! However, the time has finally come for me to announce the lucky winner of a You’re On My Wavelength Einstein Necklace, so without further ado, the winner is entry number 25, which belongs to…
Chrissie Lea
Congratulations Chrissie! Please email your postal address to , and I will post your prize out to you as soon as possible.
As usual, thank you so much to everyone who entered, and thank you to Eclectic Eccentricity for providing the prize.
Check back soon for another giveaway!
Naomi x
What I Wore: You’re On My Wavelength
2
7 years
by Naomi in Fashion
My summer wardrobe is usually full of bright florals, but this year I’ve really been embracing basics, and sticking to my favourite polka dots and stripes. Most of my new summer purchases are black, white, and grey, which may sound drab, but I like to add a splash of colour here or there with a bold statement piece or a pastel bright, and a quirky item of jewellery. Today’s outfit is the epitome of that, and combines a cute black skater skirt from H&M, with a simple stretch tee from Primark. I wanted to wear this outfit without tights, but unfortunately it wasn’t that warm today, and there was a bit of a breeze!
Primark Stretch Tee / H&M Skater Skirt / Primark Shoes / Alexander McQueen Cateye Sunglasses / Eclectic Eccentricity Necklace
To finish the outfit, and add a bit of interest, I wore my Alexander McQueen sunglasses, which I love, love, love and have been teaming with everything this season (look out for a special McQ style post coming soon), and this amazingly cool necklace from Eclectic Eccentricity.
Eclectic Eccentricity is a British brand who specialise in creating quirky pieces from vintage components. Their pieces are all so unique and unusual, and I have a wishlist as long as my arm of items from their website! This necklace is their You’re On My Wavelength Einstein necklace, which features a gold toned geometric frequency wavelength, and a teeny tiny, but very detailed, figure of Einstein. Who knew he could be so cute?! I’m a big science fan, so this necklace is right up my street, and it’s definitely a talking point. I love how it hangs as well and it sits perfectly, just where I want it. You can grab your own here for £16.50.
What do you think? Would you wear this necklace?
Naomi x
*This You’re On My Wavelength Einstein Necklace was sent to me by Eclectic Eccentricity for styling purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
NOTD: GOSH ‘Frosted Plum’
5
7 years
by Naomi in Nails
You may remember that at the beginning of January I swatched and reviewed a gorgeous glitter varnish from GOSH’s Frosted Sand collection, called ‘Frosted Purple‘. Well, it officially became one of my favourite varnishes of all time, and I couldn’t wait to add more frosted shades to my collection. In particular I was trying to get hold of ‘Frosted Plum’, but the only bottle in my local Superdrug for months was a damaged one. Then, earlier this week, I noticed that they had a few more in stock, and luckily for me all of GOSH’s varnishes were on offer for £1.99 each! Obviously I bought it straight away and applied it when I got home, so today I thought I’d share the swatches with you.
Like its purple counterpart, ‘Frosted Plum’ is a pleasure to apply, looks opaque in just one coat (although I applied two), and dries really quickly. It’s also rather hard-wearing, and stays put for a good few days without chipping, even without a base or top coat.
The best thing about it though is the colour. The base shade, as you’d expect, is a beautiful deep plum purple, but throughout it are flecks of gold, bronze and bright pink, which give it a brilliant depth. It looks absolutely amazing in the sun, and even indoors it still looks impressive. The glitter in this one is a lot more consistently sized than in ‘Frosted Purple’, and I think it looks a bit like a caviar manicure.
Indoors (with flash)
Outdoors
I’ll stand by my previous statement that GOSH’s Frosted Sand glitters are honestly the best glitters I’ve tried, and I will continue to add to my collection! I have my eye on a couple of their spring pastel shades, ‘Soft Blue’ and ‘Soft Green’, which are also currently £1.99 in Superdrug (reduced from £3.99).
Will you be buying any of GOSH’s frosted glitters?
Naomi x
Collection Gothic Glam Lipstick in ‘Revenge’
3
7 years
by Naomi in Lips
After seeing a few reviews of Collection’s new Gothic Glam lipsticks popping up on other blogs, last weekend I decided to nip into Superdrug and pick one up so I could give it a try myself. I’ve always loved a dark lipstick, ever since my teenage Goth days, and the Gothic Glam range features three beautiful deep shades that are just my thing, so I had high hopes from the start.
The three shades are 1 Seduction, a lovely pinky red, 2 Scorned, a dark purple, and 3 Revenge, a deep berry red, which is the shade I went for, and they’re all perfect for Autumn/Winter. All three lipsticks have Collection’s signature black packaging, but rather than pink it is embellished with gold, which I think gives it a more luxe look.
The lipstick itself has a very creamy texture, so it glides on easily and evenly. It’s also quite moisturising, however, I would still recommend using a lip balm underneath, or exfoliating your lips before use, as after a while it tends to show up darker on any dry patches/creases. Not ideal in winter I must say!
‘Revenge’ is a stunning, vampy, almost maroon red, and is very highly pigmented, or as Collection says, ‘deeply intense’. The colour lasts well on the lips and it stays bold for several hours after application, but it does eventually start to wear off, and needs touching up every now and then. But I tend to expect that of dark shades anyway. I have noticed that it acts almost like a lip tint though, as even after I’ve removed it my lips look slightly stained with a hint of berry red.
Collection’s Gothic Glam lipsticks retail for £2.99 each, which is just so affordable, and for a budget product ‘Revenge’ is really quite impressive. The colour and staying power could even rival some of my more expensive lipsticks! It reminds me a little bit of Dainty Doll’s 001 Couture, which is another of my favourites. So, if you love dark shades and are willing to moisturise/exfoliate before applying lipstick, then Collection Gothic Glam Lipsticks could be for you. You can find them in Superdrug and Boots!
What are your thoughts on this range?
Naomi x
What I Wore: Batik & Black
6Hi everyone!
Today I thought I’d share with you what I wore on New Year’s Day. My outfit of choice consisted of a gorgeous new pair of jeans that I purchased from ASOS in their winter sale, which I paired with a simple black zip back jumper from Primark.
Primark Black Zip Back Jumper / ASOS Only Batik Skinny Jeans / H&M Black Ankle Boots / H&M Black and Gold Clutch Bag
I seem to have collected quite a few black tops over the past few months, so I decided to invest in some colourful pieces to wear with them, and these Batik Skinny Jeans by Danish brand Only do not disappoint. Purple is my favourite colour, and I’ve always been a fan of batik/tie dye style prints, so as soon as I saw these I knew I had to have them. They’re an excellent fit as well. The sizing is accurate, and they have a range of leg lengths to choose from, so they are plenty long enough for my 36″ inside leg! These jeans cost me £12.50, down from £60.00, and they’ve now been reduced even further to £11.00, so I have ordered another pair as I love them so much.
To finish the outfit, I went for more black. A few weeks ago I received a couple of fashion items from BLOGGERS[edit] to review, so I decided to give them a whirl with this outfit. Despite only expecting one item from them, BLOGGERS[edit] actually sent me two (thanks!) – a gorgeous pair of black ankle boots, and a surprise black and gold clutch bag, both from H&M.
Those who read my blog regularly will know that I have a thing for black, and a thing for boots, so these Black Ankle Boots are right up my street. They’re made of imitation suede which looks and feels almost real, and they have a sturdy but flexible rubber sole so they’re easy and comfortable to walk in. One thing I always look for in simple black footwear is a little bit of a twist to make them a bit more interesting, and these pass that test. The boots have a curved panel on the front, and a lip at the top that sits higher than the back, giving them a slightly more unusual shape. At £24.99 these are a real bargain!
This Black and Gold Clutch Bag is a little beauty, and even comes with a chain strap hidden inside, so you can wear it over your shoulder if you so wish. The bag has a sturdy gold metallic shell, which is underlaid with soft black suedette, and it fastens with a large clip on top. Despite only costing £14.99, the bag oozes quality, and adds a touch of glamour to any outfit. It’s not the biggest bag in the world, but it’s roomy enough for your phone, keys, money, lipstick and chewing gum, which is just about everything you need on a night out.
What do you think of this outfit?
Naomi x
*These Black Ankle Boots and Black & Gold Clutch Bag were sent to me by BLOGGERS[edit], on behalf of H&M, for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
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.*
Miss Sporty Metal Flip Nail Varnish in Beetle Wings
12
8 years
by Naomi in Nails
Today’s featured nail varnish is another that I was gifted for my birthday, this time by my partner’s sister Rachel (thanks Rachel!), and it comes in the form of Miss Sporty Metal Flip in the beautiful shade ‘Beetle Wings’.
Before Beetle Wings I had never tried a Miss Sporty varnish before, and I must say I am very impressed with the formula. It has a smooth, creamy consistency which applies evenly, and gives opaque coverage in two coats, and it dries quickly too. In the time it takes to paint ten nails the varnish is dry to the touch and ready for the next coat, so there’s no waiting around for ages in between coats! Also, the brush is lovely and wide and covers the nail in one sweep, which lessens streakiness, but I do find the lid a bit too small to grip easily, which can make application tricky.
Beetle Wings is a classic duochrome shade, combining gilded green and copper brown, and the colours alter fluidly according to the light. The green is actually the more dominant colour in the mix, but for some reason the brown shows up more in pictures. Though I haven’t used Chanel Peridot myself, Beetle Wings looks like quite a decent dupe from what I can tell. It’s also reminiscent of Models Own Golden Green, which I do have, although Beetle Wings is slightly more tinged with orange.
The varnish has a stunning metallic shimmer finish which looks incredible in sunlight, and stops the colour ever looking dull, but unfortunately it does show up any imperfections quite a bit.
Here is how the varnish looks on the nail… Excuse the messy edges!
Isn’t it pretty?
One of the best things about this varnish is how long it lasts. After three days and no top coat, Beetle Wings still looks excellent on most of my nails, although it has chipped slightly on a couple. I imagine it would last even longer with a top coat though, which is great is you want a manicure that lasts!
Overall, I really like this varnish. The colour and finish are incredibly pretty, and the formula and lasting power exceed what I’d expect of a budget range. If you like metallics, duochromes and affordable dupes then this is definitely for you. Miss Sporty Metal Flip varnishes are available from Superdrug and come in three shades. Look out for my review of Aurora Borealis, coming soon!
Naomi x
Big Birthday Giveaway: Win an Urban Decay Naked Palette! – CLOSED
182Last Thursday was Bewitchery’s first birthday, and today is my 23rd birthday, so to celebrate these two special days and to say thank you to my lovely readers, I have teamed up with Lookfantastic to bring you a very exciting giveaway prize… An Urban Decay Naked Palette! The Naked Palette features twelve beautiful, neutral eyeshadow shades, a Good Karma Eyeshadow brush and mini Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original. I’m sure you’ll all agree that this highly sought after palette is my best giveaway prize yet, and I’d like to thank Lookfantastic for donating it!
To enter, please click on the link below, and you will be taken to an entry form where you can earn as many entries as you like! Please note that to enter you must be a Bewitchery subscriber. To subscribe to my posts, please click on the ‘Follow’ button under the ‘Follow Me’ section in the sidebar. If you are not a WordPress user, you will need to enter your email address first. Thanks!
WIN AN URBAN DECAY NAKED PALETTE FROM LOOKFANTASTIC!
The giveaway is open internationally to those aged 18 or over, and will run for four weeks. The giveaway will close at midnight GMT on 14th March and a winner will be chosen at random and contacted on 15th March. You will then have 48 hours to claim your prize and message me your postal address so that I can post the palette out to you asap! If the winner does not respond within this time I will choose another winner.
Good luck to all who enter!
Naomi x
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