The Search Is Over....

Hi Dolls!

I've been searching for a pair of military-style boots for the last two years. Yes, I'm sure everyone owns a pair by now and I'm probably the last person, but I could never find a pair that were just 'me'. I've brought a couple of pairs that resemble the biker/rock-chick trend but wasn't 100% satisfied with them.

I was browsing the All Saints website when I spotted the Damisi Boot in black, and I knew they just had to be mine. Cue....

I absolutely LOVE them! On their website, it says the colour is black but I would say they are more of a rubbed-down black. There's a slight brown tone to the black,but it depends on the lighting to really notice it.

The upper is leather, the insole and sock are made of leather and other textiles, and the outer sole is made of leather too. I love the leather panel in front, I wear them with the lower buckle fastened and the higher buckle slightly undone. They're such a great investment piece and something that I can wear year round due to its classic style.

I've been wearing these nearly everyday since I brought them (about 2 weeks ago). They are so comfortable! When I first tried them on in store, the upper was placing some pressure on the top of my foot but once I tried them on at home again, there wasn't any discomfort. I've walked in them all day, rain or shine and can say that they were worth every penny!

(Should I try to do an Outfit of the Day post with these on?)


Other ramblings...

• I've decided to introduce a tinted moisturizer into my makeup routine, and have been using the Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer w/ SPF 20 in Almond. I haven't used any foundation since September (just only my  MAC MSF Natural in Medium Dark). But due to the drop in British temperatures recently, I noticed that my face looks more 'powdery' now and I much prefer a dewy finish. I've absolutely loved the results of this LM product with its pigmentation/coverage. Saying that however, after reading one of my fave blogger's post on the Jemma Kidd Light as Air foundation, I think a visit to Space NK is in order.....a return to liquid face products, here I go...

• I tried out my BaByliss Curling Wand for the first time this week and the lasting time of the curls are amazing, even when I didn't use any hairspray! As my hair is long and thick, it usually takes me a long time to curl each section of my hair, but this time, it was so quick and easy...after 15 minutes I was done! And it would have usually taken 30 minutes to curl my hair (ok, I'm an amateur). I didn't wash my hair for 2 days and the curls were still defined!... 

• OPI Nail Laquer in Sweetheart has been on my nails this week. I love how well groomed and polished my nails look! I admit I am a coloured nail polish lover and can't remember the last time I've had a basic manicure colour. It can get a bit streaky but I think it depends on how you apply the polish, Nails Inc Kensington Caviar basecoat, 2 coats of OPI Sweetheart and a coat of Seche Vite = beautiful, well groomed talons!

• I've decided to buy a Kindle, after the multitude of Amazon emails I've received recently (damn marketing practices). I think it will be a good investment now that I have more free time to read since finishing uni. If anyone could give me their opinion on them, it would be greatly appreciated :)

Have you any boots that you've loved recently? Has anyone tried out any Jemma Kidd products? What are your thoughts on the Kindle?

Sarah xoxo

Mini Beauty/Hair Haul

Hi Guys & Dolls!

Just a quick post on some hair and beauty products that I picked up in the last few days :)

 

(L-R)

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in No.6 Rose Bergamasque (Satin finish)

Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in 08

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in 790 Cherry (sheen finish)

MAC Mattene Lipstick in Unknown Pleasures (semi-mat finish, I think this is limited edition)

Nars Laguna Bronzer

Decided to finally purchase the full size rather than use the one in my travel palette (there's a dip in the pan already, oops).

Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover

This is a staple in my beauty regime. I think this would be bottle number 5 or 6? It's really effective in removing my eye makeup, including waterproof mascara and false eyelash glue, and the best part is that it's really inexpensive! £3.05 inexpensive! I'd highly recommend to grab one of these if you have the chance!

 

Macadamia Natural Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo, 60ml

Macadamia Natural Oil Moisturizing Rinse, 60ml

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque, 30ml

Had my hair cut last Monday at my regular hair salon and noticed that they now stocked a small range of Macadamia Natural Oil. I absolutely LOVE their Healing Treatment Oil and have been thinking about purchasing more from the range. So I brought these travel/sample sizes to test before I purchase the full size products. You can shop the range here.

BaByliss Porcelain Curling Wand

I been meaning to buy this curling wand and saw on the Boots website that it was currently being sold for £20.49. So yesterday, I walked to my local branch and brought one. I haven't tried it yet but have heard positive reviews, hopefully it will give me those beach wave curls :)

Sarah xoxo

My Current Favourites

Hi Dolls!

Long time no blog! I thought I'd make a blog post on some things that I've been loving recently and over the past few months....these are also most of my everyday products!

1) MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in 'Medium Dark' - Loved using this since my skin has cleared up from being on holiday.

2) Nars Laguna Bronzer - Loved this to balance out the fading tan on my face to the rest of my body.

3) Famous by Sue Moxley Blusher (w/ highlighter) in 'Shade 2 Dusky Rose', topped with Ever Bilena Blusher in 'Tan'.

4) Dior 'Amber Diamond' - Holy Grail!

5) Etude House LUCIDarling Fantastic Rouge Gloss in no.6 - Definitely a must if you can get hold of it!

6) Sleek True Colour Lipstick in '790 Cherry', layered with MAC Mattene Lipstick in 'Unknown Pleasures'.

7) Maybelline Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara Waterproof & Hypercurl in Black- Gorgeous pink packaging! You cannot see it in the pic but there are Hello Kitty images on the tube and zebra stripes on the brush handle, tacky but so cute! Great at lengthening and holding the curl all day. Unfortunately, I think this is only available in South East Asia :(

8) Wet n' Wild Color Icon Palette in '249 Vanity'.

9) HD Brows Palette.

10) Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser for Dry/Sensitive skin.

11) The Body Shop Body Butter in Brazil Nut.

 

12) Sephora no.45 Mineral Powder brush, ELF Studio Blush brush, Sephora no.14 Smudge brush, Sephora no.13 Rounded Crease brush (great for blending concealer under eyes), MAC 217 and Sigma E05 Eyeliner brush.

Sarah

xoxo

Mini Beauty/Makeup Haul: Topshop and Nars

Hi Dolls!

Whilst vacation shopping, I picked up a few small makeup/beauty products and thought I'd share them with you.

I've never actually brought any beauty products from Topshop ever since their makeup line launched a year or 2 ago. But whilst purchasing a maxi dress, I wondered over to the in-store makeup counter out of curiosity. The eyeshadows, blushes, etc didn't interest me and when I saw the girl next to me directly apply the tester lippies on to her lips, that put me off swatching the testers! I never apply testers on to my face - it's something about the sanitary purposes of it all, so I always just swatch on the back of my hand.

However, I did find two nail varnishes that interested me....

The coral polish is called War Paint and the lilac polish is called Vegas Madness. Both were priced at £5 each but on the day, TS was offering 20% off for students. so I paid £4 each. I also picked up their Kohl Liner in Coal, which was priced at £4 + 20% off - Bargain!

So far, I've been really impressed by the quality of these products - their pigmentation, applicability, etc =D The Kohl Liner has replaced my Urban Decay Zero in my everyday makeup bag and I've been using the coral polish for the last 2 weeks now (a clear indication of my enjoyment over the products!).

I received a 'freebie' due to purchasing 3 makeup items and these were: face wipes, colourful bobby pins and a liquid eyeliner in black - all in a drawstring bag. No complaint for receiving freebies there! :)

I've been wanting to purchase the Nars Blush/Bronzer Trio Set for quite some time now but didn't have the time during my uni deadlines to buy it. Now that I am free from uni and have more time on my hands, I decided to pop by to my local Space N.K, where I knew the set was being sold at.

I'm in LOVE with this set! It has Orgasm Blush, Albatross Highlighting Blush and Laguna Bronzing Powder, and was priced at £39. I already own Orgasm Blush but have never tried the two other products. I can't believe I held off purchasing Laguna Bronzer, and I absolutely love it!! (I'm now thinking of purchasing the full size, so the travel set will not hit pan before the others do). The bronzer doesn't make me look 'dirty' and the slight shimmers do not show up on the face (if they do, then it just adds a subtle glow to the skin - perfect for healthy looking skin). Albatross Highlighting Blush is a really nice, golden shimmer - kind of reminds me of Mac's Vanilla pigment.

So that's it! Just a small and quick haul =D

What beauty treats have you brought recently? Any Topshop makeup products that you would recommend?

Love, Sarah xoxo

Vacation Clothing Haul: H&M, Topshop, Primark

Hi Dolls!

I've been doing a spot of shopping lately, now that I have finished uni :) I've been looking to purchase some clothing items for a few holidays that I'm going on this year, so summer essentials were mainly on the list and not makeup. Here's what I got....

Primark, £10

I went into Primark and found this gorgeous coral shirt for £10! I have been really into coral shades lately (without consciously knowing until after I came home and saw all the coral pieces that I'd brought). I brought a UK size 8 (US 4) and think this shirt would go really well tucked into white/black/camel coloured shorts, you can dress it up or down and it compliments my dark hair and medium tan skin tone. At £10 -  bargain!

Primark, £12, Topshop Maxi Dress £18

The second item is a sleeveless, stone-washed, cropped denim jacket. At first I was skeptical about it on the hanger but when I tried it on, it was the perfect fit for my petite frame. The jacket stops at my waist and fits perfectly on my back. I thought it's look great teamed up with maxi dresses during the summer. Perfect for that laid back, casual outfit w/ layered jewellery! This one was priced at £12 (expensive for Primark?) and I brought a UK size 8. Underneath, is a plain black, Topshop maxi-dress that I also brought :)

H&M, £12.99

Recently, I've been loving shopping at H&M whilst simultaneously been going through a shorts craze. I found these 'smart' camel shorts and just had to buy them. I got a size up (UK10/US6) because I didn't want 'a really fitted' look and these were priced at £12.99. The shorts are such a classic design and can be worn year-round - so many outfit choices can be made with these.

H&M, £12.99

Now these are the complete opposite, they're very casual, loosely-fitted and ORANGE/CORAL! They really do not look appealing on the hanger but once tried on, they really embody summer. I don't think the pic shows the stitching detail but it reminds me of those tiered tops that came out during the past 2 summers and these have pockets too. I think these would be fantastic for colour blocking outfits during the daytime. There was a navy version but I don't own a pair of orange/coral shorts so chose these ones instead. They cost £12.99 and I got them in my regular size 8.

H&M, £7.99

I also brought these casual turn-up shorts, both in coral and white for £7.99 each. Yes, I know I brought the same kind but they're in two different colours! Hehe. I consider these the 'lazy summer day' short - perfect for relaxed days and I wouldn't be fussed if they were to get ruined. Both were brought in UK8/US4.

H&M, £12.99

I got this sheer, purple/pink-ish vest-top. It has a racer back and a small (discreet) pocket detailing on the front. The print is of palm trees and I absolutely love the colours on this top! This would be perfect for those hot, sunny days on vacation for a casual daytime look to the beach or sightseeing. I got this in a UK size 10 because I wanted the top to be more loose and longer. Lastly......

H&M, £14.99

I got these bright babies!! I absolutely LOVE them! Perfect for summertime colour-blocking :) One thing that I'll make sure is that my feet will be in tip-top condition - unmaintained feet is a no-no!

And that's it!

What recent clothing purchases/trends have you been in to?

Sarah xoxo

Some Recent Makeup/Beauty-Related Favourites ♥

Hi Everyone!

I haven't been too experimental with my makeup lately due to always being on the go, but I have had some trusty staples and products that I keep returning to. Here are a few that I thought I'd share with you =)....

MAC Satin Blush in My Highland Honey (Limited Edition)

MAC Cremeblush in Ladyblush (which is going to be discontinued)

MAC Powder Blush in Mighty Aphrodite (Limited Edition)

Chanel Pro-Lumiere Foundation in 40 Beige

Dior Shimmer Powder in 002 Amber Diamond

N.Y.C Matt Bronzer in 720A Sunny 

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in 700 Nude Delight

MAC Frost Lipstick in Angel

Bourjois Effet 3D Lipgloss in 33

MAC Naked Honey Skin Salve (Limited Edition)

The Body Shop Tea Tree Blotting Tissues

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

MAC Paintpot in Painterly

Bare Minerals Eyeshadow in Bare Skin

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette

 Chanel Nailpolish in Peche Nacree

OPI + Katy Perry Nailpolish Glitter in Teenage Dream

Nails Inc Nailpolish in Hampstead Heath

Essie Polish in Van D'Go

Sarah xoxo

What current makeup favourites do you have?

Review: La Roche Posay Toleriane Riche Facial Cream

HI LOVELIES!!!!

It's been ages and I know I have neglected updating my blog for a long time =( But there is a valid reason: The never-ending amount of uni work that I have this semester due to being in my final year arghh presentations, essays, group meetings/work, reading, reading, reading, etc - TOO MUCH! (I'm trying to aim for a 1st but oh my, third year is really testing me from all angles!! I praise anyone who got that 1st  - well done to you!!). So it's been really hectic trying to balance everything out but funnily enough, I've realized that when I work under pressure and with limited time, I actually get pretty good grades :) so hopefully (*fingers crossed*) that everything turns out fine......anyways enough rambling, let's get on with it.....

La-Roche-Posay Toleriane Riche Face Cream, 40ml, £13-14 approx

I have absolutely been loving this cream and have even got my BF into using it! I'm just about to finish my second tube and have been using this stuff since January as both my AM and PM facial moisturizer. Prior to this, I was using the Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturizer with White Tea (50ml, £31) and went through 3 jars of it before finding that my skin AND my BF's became really dry, flakey and itchy (not a good condition before applying makeup for me!). I heard about La Roche Posay before and was interested in trying out their facial moisturizers, as I like the ethos behind the brand.

Its says on their website:

"The TOLERIANE range contains High Tolerance products formulated with a minimum of ingredients to limit the risks of allergies. Extreme, instant and lasting comfort, fragrance-, preservative- and alcohol-free to soothe damaged or irritated skin...

Its formula concentrated in La Roche-Posay thermal spring water soothes the tight, burning, pulling sensations found in intolerant skin. Its creamy texture, enriched in lipid-replenishing shea butter, intensely nourishes the skin and restores comfort. Strict formula charter, with a minimum number of ingredients to limit allergy risks. Fragrance-free, preservative-free, paraben-free. Non-comedogenic."

After a little bit of research, I choose to pick a face cream from this LRP line as my skin had become more sensitive/dry after using the Origins. I brought mine from the larger Boots stores (you cannot buy them from the more local, smaller branches which is a bit of a pain).

It's been roughly 2 months since using this product and I can honestly say that this cream has greatly improved the softness and moisture level of my skin. I do not use a primer and find that my foundation sits perfectly over the cream after I have let it absorb into my skin for 5 minutes. The consistancy is light and easily absorbs into my skin. It doesn't make me look oily nor does it make my skin feel greasy throughout the day. Saying this, my pores do not feel 'blocked' with anymore blackheads =) Thus, I am happy to just leave the house without any foundation on and just this cream :)

It doesn't drastically remove any redness from the skin but it does appear that my skin looks more 'evened out', even in pure daylight! This cream does not have a tint to it. Overall, I would highly recommend this product if you're like me and suffered from dry, itchy, sensitive/irritated skin. I do not suffer from regular breakouts anymore so I cannot tell you if this is good for ache-prone skin, but I have no reason to think that this wouldn't be good....

The cream is worth every penny! - yes it is slightly at a higher price point for creams found on the high street/drugstore but considering that I used to spend 30-odd pounds for an Origins face cream and have had significantly better results from the La Roche Posay (which is less than half the price of the Origins!) then I see that as a pure justification for the price! I have used cheaper high street/drugstore brands in the past (Neutrogena, Cetaphil, Nivea) and they didn't give me the results that the LRP has given me.

I believe it is worth investing in your skincare regime, as having your skin in the best condition it can be in will greatly help the application of makeup and for when your skin matures throughout time =D


Sarah xoxo

Have you used any products from La Roche Posay? How did you find the product? What would you recommend for me?

Review: Nars Mekong Single Eyeshadow

I brought this last weekend whilst browsing through a department store. I hadn't planned on purchasing it but had heard so many rave reviews and I don't own any Nars eyeshadows, so it was a spontaneous buy. The colour is a very deep, dark chocolate brown with micro-fine gold shimmers.. I've been wearing this eyeshadow everyday since I brought it and absolutely LOVE it! I would happily just have this single brown shadow in my collection if I had to choose from the ones that I already own!

PROS

• The pigmentation and the quality of the shadow is phenomenal - you only need to dip (ever so slightly) your brush into the pan and already you have enough to apply on your lid/outer corner. I dip the brush in a few times after blending to intensify the colour, as initially, I don't want to apply too much. The colour lasts all day on my lids (I do use UDPP as a base too) and even throughout the evening.
• Blend-ability is superb! I blend the shadow with my MAC 217 brush and the pigmentation doesn't fade away. It's amazing how such a tiny amount of this shadow can actually go a long way. I don't find that I have to blend for a long time to get the effect that I want so it helps save on time when I'm rushing in the morning =)
• The pan contains 2.2g of product and I paid £16.50. In comparison, MAC eyeshadows have 1.5g of product and costs £11.50. I find that with some MAC eyeshadows e.g. Mulch and Embark, I have to heavy-handedly dip my brushes into the pan repeatedly to build up the colour on my lids. However with the Nars Mekong, I do not need to do that....if I were to then there would be absolutely TOO much on my lids! So, the Nars Mekong is absolutely worth every penny as I don't use much and it still looks new in the pan after a week! I do love 90% of my MAC e/s but to reflect on the Nars Mekong, I do not see myself finishing the pan in less than a year and a half with everyday use. Bargain for my buck!
• Like most powder products from Nars, the eyeshadow comes with a mirror, which is very convenient for on the go. Obviously, the mirror is smaller than the ones found in the blusher pans but I like the fact that there is a 'spare' mirror at hand just in case I forget my regular compact mirror.
• I haven't used the eyeshadow wet yet but I'm extremely intrigued to see how the shadow would be used as a liner. I do not see how the shadow would fail as a liner considering the quality that I have mentioned =)

CON

• The only flaw that I can give about this product is the packaging like most Nars products. The 'rubbery' finish of the case does make the packaging look dirty/messy, even after the first use. However, the packaging of all the Nars products that I own doesn't make me sway away from purchasing more from the brand, as the quality of the products themselves makes me overlook the messy packaging results that lay after. After all, don't we look for the quality in a product as a major purchasing factor? Besides from the messiness, I still think that the Nars Mekong looks sleek in design.

The eyeshadow combinations that I have used so far with my Nars Mekong are:

NEUTRAL EYES
Urban Decay - Virgin, Naked and Buck (from their Naked Palatte)
MAC - Brule, Sable, Patina, Soft Brown, Wedge and Vanila. Painterly paintpot.
Revlon - Nude Slip

xoxo

What Nars eyeshadows do you own? What did you think of them?

Mac Peacocky Spring 2011 Collection

Last week, I popped by my regular MAC counter in anticipation of the releases from their latest collection. I already knew that I wanted to purchase a few of their Kissable Lipcolours after seeing swatches from Temptalia's website. I ended up buying four - Love Peck, Woo Me, Enchantee and So Vain. At first, I wasn't too sure on their Mega Metal eyeshadows that were also released in the collection, as I have so many eyeshadows already. However in the end, I purchased one - Prance.

It's been over a week since trying out my new purchases and to be honest, I'm not completely sold on them. They're not bad but they're also not my go to products either. The hype and love for them has quickly died out.
The one eyeshadow that I purchased, well, although it looks lovely in the pan and when I first apply it in the morning, it tends to lose its' appeal after a few hours. Let me elaborate...the eyeshadow just looked TOO metallic on the lid - yes duh, I know after all it is called a Mega Metal eyeshadow, but it reminds me of....a space man, foil and the 1980s rolled up into one (hahahahaha stupid description I know). But seriously, I do not mind shimmer on my lids but this time, it was too shimmery and not great for daytime wear. Maybe I should have brought another colour instead - however, I'll just wear this shadow in the evenings...

On the other hand, the Kissable Lipcolours are much better. Although, I did expect a tad more in quality. The lipcolours are opaque enough to cover 85% of my highly rosey pigmented lips but after a couple of hours, my lips tend to look dry. I hate that! I apply a lip conditioner/balm throughout the day and prior to applying the lipcolour but if I reapply throughout the day, then the effect doesn't look as initially great. I don't regret purchasing them but most probably wouldn't RE-purchase them either. I'm thinking to try out the Chanel version. What do you think?

Overall, I like the Kissable Lipcolours but they're not my go to lip products and the eyeshadows, I don't think they're a must-have.

xoxo

p.s. What did you buy and think of the collection?

Haul: Lipsy, Primark, Topshop, Dune

I haven't been clothes shopping in a very long time...usually I just buy one piece here and there, every 2-3 weeks. But to specifically go on a mission to buy multiple items of clothing in one week alone, then no I haven't been in months! I think I've been more addicted to makeup shopping instead =S, which I can say is very frequent...

Recently, I've been watching and reading a couple of videos and blogs on recent clothing hauls. That prompted me! One YouTube video that I watched was by a girl called Sara (SWalkerMakeup - I love her videos and she has such a sweet personality :)) and she showed a beautiful soft camel, chiffon shirt that she brought from Lipsy. I just had to have it!! Cue.....

Lipsy Button Front Laced Shirt, £38

I love it! I'm usually a UK size 8 but I brought a size larger as I wanted the shirt to be more loose and 'flowy'. It is sheer and the neck line is low so I will wear a cami underneath, but obviously you don't have to - it's your preference! There are delicate black lace detailings around the neck line at the front and also around the elasticated cuffs - giving it that extra feminine touch. The sleeves are 'puffy' and not fitted so drapes down until it gathers at the wrist. l I think it's all the detailing of the top that makes me love it :)

I would wear mine with black skinny jeans and either cute nude pumps or black biker boots, teamed with a blazer for a daytime look. For the evening, just add some black or patent camel/nude heels!

I couldn't find the shirt on the Lipsy website but I brought mine at a concession in Topshop. I have also seen the shirt at the freestanding Lipsy stores. Both also give 10-20% student discount! Love Love!

Lipsy Embellished Fan Sleeve Top, £38

I also brought another top from Lipsy, which you can find here on the website. This time in a dusty pink colour and in my usual size 8. I think you would have to see the colour in person to know whether it would suit your skintone, but I am naturally lightly tanned (not bronzed) and it suits me well. The top has angel sleeves and again the top flows and drapes down to your waist. It is sheer so I will be wearing a cami underneath this one too. I absolutely love the pearl and silver embellished detailing around the neckline! Love!

I don't usually buy my clothes from Primark but I wanted to see what they had in their collection...and I ended up leaving with quite a few items!

Ok, first of all, I know I'm not a teenager anymore and yes fine, I'm getting...older :'( But I thought this grey cardigan was 'cute'. My BF calls it 'cheesy' (hahaha) but I stand my ground, I like it :) It has multi-coloured pastel hearts all over it and fits around the body well (not too loosely).

I brought it as I thought it would just be a very casual 'studying in the library/popping out to the shop' cardigan. And at £12, I can't really lose...

I also brought a cream long cardigan with sheer flower designs all over it. It has pockets at the bottom and the cardi would be nice for layering and the during the spring time...Another item that I brought was a light pink sweater with faux diamond detailing all over, nice to wear just for uni :)

 I saw this light tan pleated skirt, made from cotton with a zip at the side. I needed some skirts and not just the bodycon ones! Not too sure what I would wear with this yet but I don't mind having it in my wardrobe and it only cost £12!...Can you see a trend here with the nude colour scheme?!

I passed by the accessories section of Primark and 98% of everything cost £1! So I picked up a pack of 3 cute flower hair grips. They're not big enough to hold up my entire head of hair in them but they're do for when I'm at home and want to get my hair out of my face. I also brought a pair of cute flower earrings (bottom right) and two rings - one similar to the Swarowski Chic rings and a plastic pink rose....

I popped into Topshop (where I brought the Lipsy shirt) and wanted to buy a new pair of denim jeans. I like the range that TS offers because they stock 30" leg lengths. I'm 5 ft 2" and always find it difficult to find a decent pair of fitted jeans with the right length - I hate having to wait to alter jeans. I was looking for a pair that was fitted towards the ankle, in a dark indigo colour and found these!...

Topshop 'Leigh'  Super Soft Ankle Grazer in Navy, £36

I brought a size up (Waist 28) rather than my usual W26, as they come up extremely small!!! But I love them all the same! They are extremely soft and don't have any fancy pocket detailing, etc. I wore them today and they're very comfortable :) Love!

Last but not least! I found these babies the other day whilst I was browsing in Dune...

 They were originally £99 but I brought them in the sale for £40!!! I couldn't believe it! They are extremely comfortable peep-toe, platform heels and have a diamond and metal twist detailing at the front. The heels have silver metal details and I love them! I might wear these on Valentine's Day <3

So that's it - a haul of clothing that was long overdue! I really recommend visiting these stores as their new Spring/Summer collections are being released and most of their sale stock has gone, so the stores don't look as messy and they're not too busy during this time of the year :)

Sarah xoxo

Haul: Chanel, No.7, Toni&Guy

I thought I'd share with you some of my purchases that I picked up this week amongst others - these are just going to be a few makeup/beauty-related items :)

Today I stopped by the Chanel counter as they had just released their new Spring 2011 Collection. I had previously read Temptalia's (one of my fave blogs!!) post of the new collection and knew that I had to it check out once released. I already knew that I wanted 2 of the nailpolishes: 513 Black Pearl and 515 Peche Nacree, 13ml, but wasn't too sure on the eyeshadow palettes nor the lipsticks/glosses. The pic below doesn't really give the justice that both polishes deserve. Peche Nacree is a beautiful pearlescent peach with silver and pink micro-shimmers and would look lovely during the Spring/Summer months! Whilst the Black Pearl is more dimensional in colour. It's a gunmental colour with silver/grey and teal shimmers, depending on the lighting it can look more grey/silver or gunmental w/ teal reflects. Gorgeous, especially during the Winter months! I'm going to try out the Peche Nacree tonight and hopefully it won't be too streaky :S

The collection is actually really nice as a whole considering that I haven't followed their collections in years. They released two eyeshadow palettes: one limited edition and the other permanent. I swatched the LE palette, which had 5 shimmery colours but once blended, the pigmentation seemed to disappear on the back of my hand so I didn't bother. Eyeliners - I didn't think I needed anymore. Lipsticks - They had released 4 but I decided to only pick up one: Rouge Coco 77 Jersey Rose, as it seemed to be the colour that I would most likely use and it wouldn't just say at the back of my lipstick drawer.

The Rouge Coco 77 Jersey Rose is a sheer, mostly rosey but with coral hints lipcolour - the picture above doesn't really show the true pigmentation (Sorry!). This would be my 2nd lipstick from that line, the other one that I own is 05 Mademoiselle, which is much more darker and shall I say, mauvey-peachy-ish in colour (I'm crap at describing!). I actually like both lipsticks and hopefully the Jersey Rose will not fail me in the long run.

I also picked up the 38 Peche Precision Lip Definer, 1g, as I don't really own any peachy-coral lipliners and think it would really work during the summer. But it isn't a must so you can skip it if you already have peach/coral liners :)

I had one more No.7 £5 off voucher to use by Sunday so I stopped over at Boots on my way home. I don't really buy No.7 products whenever I makeup shop - to be honest, the only time I ever do is when Boots give the £5 off voucher (hahaha). I have a couple of their brushes that I love and an eyebrow pencil, but that's really it. Any lipsticks that I had brought previously, I gave to my mum x

Anyways, the first product I automatically saw and reached for was their Spring 2011 Collection Blue Cream liner (limited edition). I tried to take a photo but the colour keeps coming up black, so I gave up (Sorry again!). I would describe the cream liner as a dark indigo blue - that's basically it, no shimmer/glitter, just plain dark blue. I use Clinique's Cream Liners and they don't offer a dark blue, so that's how I decided at the counter to use my voucher :), in the end I paid £5.50. I don't have high expectations for the liner but let's just wait and see if it proves me wrong.

Earlier this week, I decided to start curling my hair on a more regular basis (as in once every 2 weeks hahaha). I don't really know much about styling hair and just blowdry and go. My hair length is past my bra-band to give you an idea, and it's thick, straight and black with some dark brown hints (from highlights years ago). I have one 1.5inch curling tong that I brought from Rite Aid, whilst I lived in the US last year, so I'm weary about using it in London due to the socket adapter and the handle heats up quickly. This Toni&Guy 38mm Tourmaline Wave and Curl Tong was really inexpensive and more or less the same as my American one. I picked it up at John Lewis Department Store. Considering that I don't really style my hair, I think that it's not necessary for me to spend a lot of money on a hair tool and this only cost me £19.95! I tried it out once this week and really loved the curls that it gave :)

So that's it! Just a few beauty/makeup products that I picked up this week. I also placed an order with Love-Makeup.co.uk for 3 Sigma brushes. The parcel came this morning but unfortunately, I missed it! :(

What products did you buy from Chanel's Spring 2011 collection? 

Love Sarah
XOXO