Blogmas!

Hi everyone, this year I have decided to do Blogmas! I will try my very best to blog everyday of December all the way up to Christmas day. There will be a variety of posts including gift ideas, outfit ideas, party make-up looks, what I get up to in the run up to Christmas and much much more. 

It will mainly be me posting as Sophie is super busy with university work and if anyone has any ideas for me, comment below!

Travel Review: Santorini, Greece

 200km southeast of mainland Greece lies the beautiful volcanic island of Santorini, its capital Thira hosts some of the most idyllic hotels in the world and is often a hotspot for the rich and famous (the Kardashians visited Santorini earlier this year as part of their annual family holiday).  This summer I was lucky enough to visit the picturesque island and here is my review.

To give you a little bit of a background and to cut a long story short, the island was formed by many large volcanos 1000s of years ago. It consists of three small islands arranged in a circle around the flooded caldera and one of its main unique characteristics are the magnificent rock faces around the island with towns and villages built into the sharp slopes. 

The town of Thira at dusk built into the cliffs overlooking the caldera.

I visited the island at the end of July 2013 for one week with my family, the flight time was a very bearable 3 ½ hours with wonderful views of the Aegean sea and Greek islands on the descent down into Santorini. Quite often on these tiny islands the airports are small, unorganised and busy and Santorini was no exception – a lot of patience is required! The weather was brilliant- around 25⁰C to 30⁰C- and mostly sunny. We stayed in a town called Kamari which is situated on the opposite side of the island to Thira and was only a ten minute transfer from the airport. Our hotel was built into the cliff overlooking the town and sea, it was a small, family run and reasonably priced 4 star hotel. The rooms were basic but comfortable, big and very clean; ours also had a small kitchen and dining area. My only criticism about the hotel would be that the location meant it was quite exposed to strong winds and could sometimes make it a little chilly around the pool area.

We had quite an active week and tried to fit as much into the 7 days as we could. If I explained everything we did this post would be far too long so I will choose my highlights. Probably my favourite day of the holiday was when we took a boat trip across the caldera and went onto the active volcano, we walked around the volcano and learnt the whole history of the island. You could see the smoke from the volcano and feel the heat coming up from the ground; the views were also quite amazing. 

Picture taken from the volcano overlooking the caldera, towards mainland Santorini.

Another highlight was when we went to the far end of Thira as we were told you can see the most beautiful sunset every night. We went to a lovely wine bar high up in the cliffs hanging over the sea and watched the most stunning sunset I have ever seen. We then waked back down into Thira and ate dinner at a very pleasant Greek tavern.

Sunset fromThira

The sunset from Thira with a cheeky glass of vino.

My final highlight was our last night, which also happened to be my birthday. We spent the day relaxing on the beach then in the evening we got dressed up and went out for a few cocktails then ate at a really nice restaurant called Elia. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. 

Product Review: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

A few months ago, at the Selfridges Autumn Beauty event (see the blog post for more info!) I picked up the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer which was launched earlier this year. I decided to purchase this particular concealer as I felt it was time to leave the concealer comfort zone of my Benefit Boi-ing and I am so glad I did! I have also read really good reviews on many other beauty blogs so decided to try it out for myself.  

The formula of this concealer is really rich, creamy and alcohol free which is always a plus. It creates a flawless finish and is slightly luminous, the coverage is full and disguises blemishes like magic. Even though the product is really rich it still manages to stay really hydrating and long-wearing. The colour range is also great; my colour is 'Vanilla'. Nars claim the concealer is crease-proof however, I do disagree with this statement as it does tend to crease under my eyes. Whilst we are on negative points, my only other criticism is the doe-foot applicator; I find these really unhygienic and hate using them, I always put it on the back to my hand first then use my finger instead of straight onto the blemish.  I mainly use it for blemishes and occasionally when I have really dark under eye circles, and gently pat it onto the desired area with my finger. 

This product is definitely at the luxury end of the market at £21 for 6ml, however a little goes a long way. Many other beauty bloggers have suggested that Collections Lasting Perfection concealer is a much cheaper alternative, however I've not tried it so couldn't tell you.

Overall I think this concealer is amazing - a little on the pricey side, but in my opinion worth it. It has definitely knocked Boi-ing off my concealer top-spot! 

Warm and Stylish Winter Coats

As the days get colder and colder the need for a warm, snug and stylish coat gets more and more vital. Here are 5 winter coats that fit all budgets and will make sure you are ready for the winter weather!

1. Pink Drawn Finish Swing Coat, Warehouse (£95.00)

This powder pink colour is definitely on trend this season and was featured on many catwalks including Mulberry and Celine. It is a good way to brighten up and outfit on a dull winter day whilst at the same time keeping you cosy and warm. 








2. Leather Biker Jacket, Mango (119.99)

A leather jacket is an essential in your winter wardrobe, if you invest in a good quality one it will last for years and years. This Mango one will stand the test of time as it has a very classic shape which will be popular season after season. Mango also do a very similar style jacket but in faux leather for a much cheaper £49.99. 







3. Navy Quilted Gold Button Trench Coat, New Look (£39.99)

For a warm and stylish winter coat you are not going to do much better than £39.99, the quilting detail is very fashionable and the waist belt adds femininity. 











4.  Long Slim Fit Gabardine Trench Coat, Burberry (£1,195.00)

If you are looking for an investment coat this is the answer. A Burberry trench coat is a complete classic and will last a life time. You can also custom 'build' your trench by choose the colour, material, length, lining and other details to make it unique. 









5. Short Peplum Coat, Ted Baker (229.00)

Let out your inner Blair Waldorf in this emerald green coat. The material is a wool-cashmere blend which makes it feel soft and warm. The fitted peplum cut makes in flatter any body shape and is also available in a bright orange or purple. 

Do you prefer wrapping up warm for winter or much prefer the heat of the summer?

Jess's Favourite: Make-Up Brushes

Good quality make-up brushes are an essential tool to getting perfect looking make-up, it’s important to try and wash them with shampoo as often as possible so they deliver the best results and last for years (I do not practice what I preach and all my brushes are way overdue a wash!). Here are a few of my favourites which I always use in my make-up routine.

1. MAC 150 Large Powder Brush – I tend to use this brush for bronzer as it’s the perfect size to run along the temples and in the hollows of the cheeks to create that more contoured and defined look. I don’t use it for powder as I use a much smaller brush and just powder the t-zone area as I have really dry skin so don’t really need to powder all over. I have had this brush for a while now and it is still really soft, I was a little disappointed with it when I first bought it as it kept shedding hairs on my face but that stopped after a few uses. It’s not a cheap make-up brush at £33.50, but for me it really is an essential.

 2. Real Techniques Stippling Brush - I use the stippling brush to gently buff liquid or cream foundation into the skin to give a flawless and airbrushed finish. I use it in little circular motions until all the foundation is evenly blended into the skin, I also use it at the end of my make-up routine and buff out and harsh lines I may have from bronzer or blusher. The Real Techniques brushes all have synthetic bristles which makes them quick to clean as they don’t ‘hold on’ to the product and at around £10 the brush is really good value for money.

3. Bobbi Brown Foundation Brush – This is more of a traditional foundation brush and I use it if my skin is very dry (the buffing motion of the Stippling brush can often make my skin flaky if I’m having a very dry day!). I also use it to ‘clean up’ under my eyes if any shadow has dropped down. This brush also builds to a more full coverage foundation look whereas the Stippling brush is creates a sheer to moderate finish. This brush is not cheap at £32.00, however it is very good quality and should last a really long time.

 4. MAC 263 Small Angle Brush – This is the brush I use to fill in my eyebrows on a day to day basis, I gently brush through powder eyeshadow in small soft strokes; the angle in the brush really helps to make the brow as precise as possible. I also use it to line my top lash line with powder and gel eyeliner as I find an angled brush much easier to use than a traditional liner brush. It takes 20 seconds to clean as it’s so thin and can be thoroughly dry in 15 minutes.  The RRP of this brush is £16.50.

5. MAC 217 Blending Brush – If you want to achieve a perfect smokey eye, a good quality blending brush is essential. I use it to brush base eye colours all over the lid then blend darker colours through the crease to add shadow and definition. The bristles are soft and don’t shed and blend colours together effortlessly. I also have another blending brush which isn't MAC (it is a slightly cheaper N⁰7 one) and I can definitely tell the difference in quality, however if you are creating a dramatic smokey eye it is usually best to apply the product with one and blend with the other to make it looks as neat as possible. The MAC 217 is £18.00 and also MAC’s top selling brush. 

What are your favourite make-up brushes?