Winter Wonderful in Mango Mohair

When I saw Kim K in that grey Céline coat I fell in love with it and I foolishly, knowing it would be well out of my price range, hunted it down in Selfridges. Although the sales assistant told me it was half price, it was still unfortunately around £2,000. I didn't want to part with my beautiful coat after I tried it on, (photos below), but I luckily found an amazing high street copy from Mango which I managed to bag for less than half price in the sale, around £90 from Asos! The coat arrived and I was not disappointed; it is so perfect, oversized like the Céline one and the mohair wool blend almost matches up to the Céline cashmere... Not quite there but I can pretend. The mohair feels so gorgeous and it is super warm. The colour goes with almost anything and can be dressed up or down, I wear it to uni almost every day but I also wore it for New Year with a CB dress and heels, the coat complimented my outfit perfectly! I love anything versatile and this coat was really worth every penny. Have a look at it here girls to get your hands on one! I see that they also have an amazing new grey coat which is a very similar style in their new in section if you can't manage to find your size in the sale. 

Hope you like the post!

Megan

xxx

Coat by Céline

Coat by Mango

Get Unready With Me - My Night-time Skin Care Routine

After reading Marianna Hewitt's "Get Unready With Me" I was inspired to do one of my own. Although I am guilty of the skin care faux-pas that every girl is of using face wipes to remove my make up every once in a while, I do try to look after my skin when I remove my make up every night. I tried using the Temple Spa products after Christmas and have totally fallen in love with them. My favourite products are:

1. Temple Spa "Good to Go" Naturally Foaming Cleanser

This product works as a normal cleanser to remove make up at the end of the day. The products I use are for normal skin and work perfect for me. To use the product, I splash my face with water and have two squirts of the cleanser - this builds up into a foam which is fragrance free and feels so nice on the skin. This removes most of my make up (apart from the eyes, which I will come on to next.) As the name suggests, it is so useful on the go as it works really quickly rather than using cotton wool and a normal cleanser. It leaves the skin feeling really clean and fresh and is perfect for use in the shower!

2. Simple "Kind to Skin" - Purifying Cleansing Lotion

I have always used Simple products to remove my make up and moisturise my face and have had no problems with these products at all. They keep my skin soft and clear and do not cause spots or any irritation. I go over my eyes to remove mascara and any other excess product that my natural foaming cleaner hasn't quite reached. As the Temple Spa cleanser is a little sting-y on the eyes, the Simple cleanser is perfect for getting off that difficult mascara. At around £2 in some stores, it is also sooo much more affordable than the Temple Spa cleanser if you are on a budget.

3. Temple Spa "Toning Essence" Essence Mist Tonic Alcohol Free

This is definitely my favourite product from the Temple Spa range that I have tried. It is really refreshing, removes any excess cleanser and leaves the skin feeling (and smelling) so clean. It also leaves the skin clean but soft without any dryness. The smell is really fresh, fruity and it is so quick to use - you can spray the toner on to a cotton wool pad and use it that way, or alternatively if you are rushing you can spray it straight on to the face for extra hydration.

4. Temple Spa "My Goodness" Naturally Normal Moisturiser 

As are all of the products I have reviewed, this moisturiser is perfect for people blessed with normal skin. This moisturiser is the perfect final step of my night time skin care routine. It leaves the skin really soft without any greasiness which is a major problem with some of the moisturisers I have used before. This is quite an expensive product (at £34) however you only need the tiniest bit of product to leave your skin silky smooth - I am sure it will be long lasting and therefore cost effective! I am a huge fan however of the Simple range and they also offer a moisturiser (at around £3) as well as their lovely cleanser, so anyone who is looking for a more affordable skin care routine will not be disappointed by their products.

Any comments welcome as always!

Megan

xxx

7lbs in 7 Days - The Perfect January Detox

After severely abusing the eating and drinking (more so eating!) over the festivities, I was left feeling bloated, sluggish, spotty and tired on the 1st January. After hearing lots about various different juice detox diets, I thought I had nothing to lose by trying this quick fix detox after Christmas. I downloaded an app called “Green Juice Detox” which claims to help you lose 7lbs in 7 days - it was around £2 for anyone who decides to look for it. Although I didn’t want to lose as much as 7lbs, it seemed well worth a try to get myself feeling healthier again. The app includes a shopping list and diet plan for 7 days, the total shop costing around £40 for the week. Most of the juice recipes included are really quick and easy; they taste really good too. One of my favourite juices was a breakfast juice which consisted of 150g pineapple, 200ml apple juice and a handful of kale/spinach. As you can see there is nothing too exotic in the juices making the ingredients easy to find and the juices easy to make. Although I was really hungry on the first day, this got easier as the week continued and the juices proved to actually be quite filling. There are also some healthy ‘snacks’ included in the plan, like nuts and eggs, which help to ease the pain of drinking only juice for 7 days. On day 5 of my juice cleanse, my skin was perfectly clear (after developing a few unwanted spots over Christmas,) I felt much less bloated and tired and had lost 5lbs. On top of this, most of my bad food cravings had disappeared, or at least certainly lessened. I would really recommend this diet for anyone who wants a quick fix health kick to help curb their cravings, clear their skin, and detox their body. Although the 7 day cleanse is over, I will definitely be incorporating some of the juice recipes in to my diet to make sure I am getting all of the essential nutrients from the fruit and veg that may be missed in my normal diet. For any green juice ingredients or more information on the app that I used, please leave a comment!

Thanks

Megan

xxx

Wake Up and Make Up - A few of my favourite Christmas products

After receiving new products and some of my old favourites for Christmas, I thought I would share my thoughts on each of these amazing new investments...

Giorgio Armani - Luminous Silk Foundation

After hearing sooo much about this product, I was dying to try it. Luminous Silk is very different to my usual foundation (MAC Studio Fix) in that it is quite a lighter finish. However, the beauty of this product is that it is buildable, making it perfect for both every day and evening wear. It also seems to lie somewhere in between a matte and a dewy finish making it perfect for both oily and normal skin. I quite like the dewy look but the option of powders are always there for girls who prefer a matte look. The shade that I wear (6.5) was matched to my skin perfectly by one of the girls on the Giorgio Armani counter - I would definitely recommend a visit before purchasing. At £35.50, this isn't the cheapest foundation but it is so worth it for the way it gives a perfect, polished complexion - and it lasts all day.

Nars Cosmetics - Highlighting Blush in Albatross

I had also read so much about Nars' Albatross that I was so excited about this product - it did not disappoint me. Albatross is literally BEAUTIFUL. I use it both on the top of my cheekbones, down the centre of my nose (for contour) and on the top of my brow for highlight. It has a shimmery finish which photographs beautifully. This is also buildable which I use to create a more intense contour. This needs careful blending to make sure it looks natural but it is so gorgeous I would recommend to anyone. Hardly any product is necessary too which makes it more affordable at £22.50.

Eye and Brow Palette - Make Up by HD Brows in "003 Vamp"

A surprise present was the HD Brows Eye & Brow Palette in "003 Vamp". I had never considered buying this product and I am so glad that I got it as a surprise as I have used it every day since. The colours in this palette are so perfect for creating either a natural or a more dramatic brow. The first colour in the palette is for highlight, which I apply under the brow and more heavily on the brow bone - this makes the outline of the brow more distinctive and makes for a really natural highlight. I then use the finishing wax combined with the darker colour to line my brow underneath - the combination of the wax and the brow powder create such a defined yet natural looking brow that I haven't been able to achieve before this palette. The brush is perfect for this too. I then fill in the rest of my brow VERY LIGHTLY with the opposite end of the brush and the lighter colour. There is also a "carbon" brow powder which can be mixed with the wax to create a liquid eyeliner. The palette is so versatile and can be used to create the perfect eyebrow for each individual. I wish I found this before and at £25.00 it is worth every penny.

MAC Cosmetics - Limited Editions "Objects of Affection" in gold and beige

Every year, I love the Limited Edition MAC Christmas sets. This year, I got the Eye set, "Objects of Affection" in the gold and beige colours. At £26.00 this is amazing value because each individual pigment (although slightly larger) is now priced at £17.00. Anyone who loves MAC will know that although these are quite highly priced, they are so highly pigmented that a tiny bit goes a long way. This set came so beautifully packaged with 5 individual pigments in gorgeous colours: Lithe, English Glit, Pretty it Up, Gold and Deep Brown. The colours work lovely together and as individuals. I used "Lithe" as an all over base working with the other colours on top for different looks - English Glit more of a day time pigment and the intense Gold is perfect for a night out. These sets make the perfect Christmas present and in the sparkly packaging they are totally irresistible (photos below).

If you have any comments on any of the above products or anything else about my blog please let me know!

Megan

xx

LVL Lashes

I recently had the LVL lashes treatment done and have to say it worked wonders! The treatment is an enhancement of your natural eyelashes so I loved the fact that there was nothing fake added to my lashes. LVL stands for length, volume and lift and that is exactly what this treatment gave my lashes. The treatment itself took around one hour but it was really comfortable and relaxing so it didn't feel like long. It involves a perming of your own lashes and a tint which makes them appear much thicker and darker. Alex, who did my lashes, came to my house and did the treatment which was much more convenient for me. I have had mine for about 3 weeks now and they still look really good - as I was told they would last 6 weeks this is looking really promising as they haven't changed at all yet. As you can see from the before and after photos the transformation is really amazing and I am so happy to say that these are my own lashes without mascara in the after picture. I add mascara to my LVL lashes to create a fuller look but they also look really nice without. Please contact Alex for more information on Twitter or Facebook, or for more information on the treatment the official page is http://www.nouveaubeautygroup.com/lashes/lvl/

Holland and Barrett - Hair, skin and nails tablets

I have always been slightly skeptical as to whether hair, skin and nails supplements actually worked but having tried the Holland and Barrett ones because they were on offer, I am officially a convert! I was desperate to try some Kardashian endorsed Hairfinity tablets but thought they were a bit pricey, so when I saw the H&B "Hair, Skin and Nails" tablets on sale (120 tablets for only £6) I thought I would give them a try. After only a week of using the tablets, I noticed such a big difference in my hair and nails. My hair looked thicker and shinier, with people actually commenting that my hair looked healthier. I have had a terrible habit of biting my nails from being small but they were considerably stronger and longer after only a WEEK of using these tablets. I am so surprised that they have worked so well but now I am obsessed; I take my tablet every morning and feel like they are making such a difference. Although I bought them on offer, they are so cheap compared to supplements like Hairfinity and I cannot stress enough how much I have benefitted from taking them. Please give them a try girls and let me know what you think!
xx

Thigh High Boots

Thigh high boots are less prostitute and more Paris chic this Autumn/Winter. I coveted a pair in Zara last year but didn’t get round to buying some and so I have made them my priority this winter. As seen on Olivia Palermo and Miranda Kerr, the thigh high is a staple piece of every girl’s AW14 wardrobe. Teamed with a short dress, oversized sweatshirt or to dress up a day time look, they are a versatile and essential purchase this winter.

You can pick yourself up a pair in lots of high street shops including Dune, River Island and Russell & Bromley, but at £20 this Primark (yes, PRIMARK) are an absolute steal for this year’s winter favourites. The heel is quite high considering there is no platform but they are still really comfortable to walk in, a benefit for anyone who needs an extra few inches. The black suede material is soft and may draw less attention to any ‘Pretty Woman’ similarities than if the material was leather… I will let you make your own conclusions if that’s a good or a bad thing. The boots come over the knee and sit comfortably around the thigh without being too tight. I’ve dressed them down with leather leggings and a black jumper for shopping but will definitely be dressing them up at some point soon, perfect for day time shopping or food and drinks at night. At £20 and from Primark (of all places), these particular boots probably aren’t going to last you until next year and I can’t imagine they will be very durable. However, by next winter there will probably be another seasonal essential that I have my eye on and the thigh high will be a distant but wonderful memory. You can check out how I wore mine here