Musings and ramblings of a Jewish Fashionista

Musings and ramblings of a fashion and beauty obsessed mama. A fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog.


Friday 30 August 2013

Butter London "Black Knight"




Have you heard of Butter London? If you are a keen blog reader, like myself, then you probably have. They are a fabulous new(ish) cosmetics brand, who create their amazing products to go alongside the trends each season as well as doing the make up and nails for shows during Fashion Week.

I LOVE their nail lacquers. They have some stunning colours and effects. Costing £12 a bottle, they are not cheap but they are definitely worth it, especially if you have a nail varnish habit like mine!

I recently saw a colour called the Black Knight and instantly fell in love. A deep black filled with tiny specks of purple, blue and gold glitter, which gave it more of a shimmer than glitter effect. I tried tracking it down, but it's quite tricky to find stockists (they are stocked in Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and large Boots stores to name a few) and after searching (and tweeting) I finally found one, the last one, at my favourite Boots store in London Colney (just outside of London and it's huge) a couple of days ago.

I applied it as soon as I got home and I love it. Perfect transitional colour. I don't care that it is technically still summer, I'm bored of pastels on my nails, it's time for a bit more drama!

What do you think of the Black Knight? Will you be tracking down a bottle? Enjoy x



Wednesday 28 August 2013

Au Natural

 
So the other day I fancied doing something a little different with my make-up. I was feeling really lazy and my eyes were sore from severe lack of sleep and I didn't think they could cope with the full eye make-up works!

I decided to try out a very bare, almost not there look, using just mascara, foundation and highlighter and a simple nude lip. I was going to be out all day so I still wanted the make-up to look good just not too obvious and my poor eyes needed a bit of a rest from eye shadow and eyeliner.

Thus, this look was created! After cleansing and moisturising, I applied my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in shade Bisque. This gives a nice even coverage and contains SPF so it is perfect if you are out in the sun all day.


Next a applied my MAC Mineralise Foundation and buffed it in with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. The brush ensures an even base and the foundation gives a pretty dewy effect.





Next I used a tiny bit of bronzer. I opted for my Benefit Sugarbomb and swept it under my cheekbones and up to my forehead to give my face a bit of contouring. I used my new Real Techniques Powder Brush for this.




I then dabbed a touch of highlighter on the apples of my cheeks, for this I used a Barbara Daly for Tesco highlighter called Soft Focus.




For my eyes I just loaded them up with my Dior Black Out Mascara. I used this on my top and bottom lashes.




A swipe of Rimmel London's Notting Hill Nude on my lips and the look was complete. Ta da!



What do you think of this look? A nice change or too nude? I quite liked it but it'll take me a while to get used to doing so little to my eyes! Enjoy x



Monday 26 August 2013

My Favourite Perfumes


I have my eye on a couple of new perfumes at the moment (including Giorgio Armani's new fragrance Si), but before I splurge on a £60 perfume, I thought I would do a little round up of my favourite ones. 

I am a huge fan of Marc Jacob's perfume, but I really don't like his new one, Honey. It's a bit too sickly for me, gorgeous bottle though as always! I have three of his right now, which I have been using over the last year or so.

First up is my fave, Lola. This fragrance is so beautiful and elegant. it's a slightly more grown up perfume for Marc Jacobs and when I wear it, I cannot stop sniffing my wrists! The bottle is stunning too, a gorgeous big floral applique lid and a feminine purple bottle. This is one perfume that I will repurchase again and again as it's so lovely to wear and so distinctive.


 Next up is Marc Jacobs perfume number 2, Daisy Eau So Fresh. This is similar to Daisy but I actually prefer it. I was sent it to review just before my wedding (2 years ago) and it is such a big bottle, I still have a bit left. It's pretty and fruity with hints of rose and plum. So sweet.


Final Marc Jacobs is Dot. I fell in love with the bottle then the perfume. It's such a cute bottle, you have to have it on your dressing table! A cheeky, sweet smell of berries and orange blossom, this perfume cheers you up just by spritzing it on.


Finally, 2 products of the same scent. I picked up Sarah Jessica Parker's debut fragrance Lovely at Duty Free last year and I instantly loved it! It's so different to anything I own. Lavender, orchid and apple martini come from the top and middle notes. It's such a feminine smell and I love wearing it in the evenings for a more sophisticated scent.


I loved the fragrance so much that when I was in TK Maxx a few months ago and spotted the body spritz of the fragrance, I decided to snap that up too. With the same scent, and a similar bottle, this is like an oil, which you spray on and rub into your body. It leaves you silky smooth and smelling of the fragrance. Just gorgeous!


So those are my favourite perfumes at the moment. Even when I'm finished with a Marc Jacobs perfume, I can never bring myself to throw out the bottles!

Which fragrances are you loving at the moment? Enjoy x



Saturday 24 August 2013

Primark and Boots Haul


Whoops!

I've been bad...I had a little spree in Primark and Boots. It was much needed and I love everything I got. So much in fact, I decided to do a little video to show you!

By the way, I apologise for the terrible quality of the video...I don't have a decent camera at the moment so am forced to use my crappy laptop camera.



Hope you enjoy x




Friday 23 August 2013

Barry M Limited Edition Nail Paint


I picked up this Barry M Limited Edition Nail Paint as a total impulse buy, when picking up some essentials in Boots the other day. It was right by the register and I've been looking for a bold neon pink for a while so at £3.99 I snapped this up! I don't think it has a name but the shade number on the base is 330.

The colour is so bright in the bottle that the pictures really don't do it justice. When applying it, it is quite a thin consistency so I ended up doing three coats to really build the colour and make it as intense as possible.


I really love wearing neons in the summer...I know it's an obvious choice, but when the sun is shining, it's nice for your nails to pop. Against a slight tan (thanks to my Palmer's bronzing body lotion) it really stands out.


What do you think of this shade? Is it a colour you'd choose? Enjoy x


Tuesday 20 August 2013

Sparkle Sparkle



I have always been a necklace kinda gal. When I ask for jewellery, it's always necklaces, when someone hints they want to buy me jewellery, I hint back, better make it a necklace. Besides my wedding and engagement ring, I rarely wear any other jewellery that isn't a necklace.

So you get it...I like necklaces :)

For a long time now, the type of necklaces I have always gone for have been long simple chains with a funky pendant or charm hanging from it. From a Mulberry fox head to a Star of David, a teddy bear hanging from a balloon to a peace sign, I have a pretty vast selection.

Recently however, my taste has been changing and I have been drawn to statement necklaces, bib necklaces, collar necklaces, whatever you want to call them. The kind that sit neatly below your collar bone and make any simple top seem fashionable and stylish. These types of neck candy are what is more in style at the moment, and I am really glad they came along to break me out of my long chain and pendant funk.

I have put below a selection of my favourites of the moment, those which I have been wearing non stop it seems. All high street purchases, mainly from Topshop, Primark and River Island. Hope you like them!

I know technically not a collar necklace, but it's such a statement I had to share it! £8 from Topshop (sale)

£5 from Primark (sale)


£8 from River Island

£5 from Topshop (sale)


£8 from Primark (last year)



Monday 19 August 2013

My "Go To" Smoky Eye



Since having my little man, I've had to device a quick and simple, yet still pretty, look, which I can wear everyday (weekdays mind you...on the weekends when hubby can take over for a bit and I have more time, I get a bit more creative).

So I came up with a subtle smoky eye using brown shades and a gentle glowing look. I have to admit, since using Bioderma and Pixi's Glow Tonic (check out the review here) my skin has looked far better, making it look more refreshed and glowing after each use.

The products I chose to create the look are: Maybelline The Rocket mascara, MAC Mineral SPF Foundation, Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer, Benefit Sugarbomb bronzer, Benefit Hervana blusher, Collection Work The Colour Eyeshadow Pencil, Maybelline Master Drama Kohl Liner and my Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Expert Face brush.

After cleansing and moisturising with Bioderma, Pixi Glow Tonic and Steam Cream, I apply the Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer with my fingers (I picked up a sample of this but will be purchasing it ASAP!) which gives your skin a really pretty dewy glow.



Once primed, I take my MAC foundation and apply it with my fingers before blending it into my skin with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, making sure it's blended perfectly into my skin. This foundation leaves a lovely, light coverage and maintains the dewy look.




To give my face a bit more colour, I apply the Sugarbomb bronzer just under my cheekbones (quick tip: roll your brush down your cheek until you feel your cheekbone for the best place to apply) with an E.L.F. brush. This makes your cheekbones pop and gives a nice contoured look.



Then I use the Hervana blush on the apples of my cheeks to add a pop of colour and highlight. Once both bronzer and brush are applied, I use the same brush to gently buff them together to it looks natural. You are then left with a subtle yet defined look.



Onto the eyes. Using the Collection Eyeshadow Pencil, I draw on colour all over my eye lids then using an eyeshadow brush, I gently blend the colour into the sockets and up to the eyebrow, creating more depth at the outer corners and in the sockets.



Using my Maybelline Master Drama Kohl liner I draw carefully over the lash line. This kohl is super soft and blends beautifully. Once drawn on, I gently buff the black kohl so the line is not so intense but creates a gorgeous smoky look, without being too dramatic.



I then take the Rocket mascara and apply to both the top and bottom lashes and with the same brush I used to buff the kohl and eyeshadow into the top lids, I gently buff the bottom lid to give just a touch of the colour and add a tiny bit more definition to the final look.

And there you have it. An easy very wearable smoky eye, which lasts all day and can be made more evening appropriate by simply adding a touch more kohl to the bottom and top lids.






I haven't applied a lip colour yet, as that totally depends on where you are going. For daytime, I use a Benefit crème lipstick, which lasts well and leaves enough colour and sheen to look natural yet gives a bit of a statement.

What do you think of this overall look? Do you have a "go to" look, which you use frequently? Enjoy x