Oh and remember.. tights are not pants!
What do you like the most about Blair's style?
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Muse of the Month: Blair Waldorf
It's September and that means it's time to go back to school and university. And who does back to school chic better than Blair Waldorf? I have a little bit of a Gossip Girl obsession and have seen the series a few times and every time I watch it I love Blair's style more and more. Whether she's dressed in school girl inspired outfits, bright coats, patterned tights, a classic blouse or a little black dress, Blair always looks fantastic and conquers the Upper East Side at the same time! She defines power dressing and certainly doesn't hold back in telling others how to dress either. In the words of Blair "fashion is the most powerful art there is. It's movement, design and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we'd like to be". I know I'd certainly like to be like Blair Waldorf.
Saturday, 12 September 2015
American Bucket List: 1.Sephora Beauty Class
One of my first stops when I arrived in America was, of course, Sephora. It was number one on my American Bucket List, and I crossed it off pretty much straight away (and many times afterwards). I bought a LOT of makeup in Sephora pretty much every time I visited and bought online, and I have certainly racked up the VIB points to prove it. I also went to a Sephora beauty class on my second day in New York City and on the day I first went upstate to my new university.
Sephora hosts a number of beauty classes across the majority of their American stores including a Contour & Highlight class, a Brows with Eye Contour class and a Daytime Smokey Eye class. They've added so many more since I went to one and they are completely free to book for Beauty Insiders. I booked on to the Perfectly Paired Lip and Cheek Class. Sephora describe it as a class to "flatter yourself with a dynamic lip and cheek duo. Our experts will teach you how to find and apply the best red, pink, coral, nude or berry lip colour - and choose a blush that's just the right complement". I chose this one because I really wanted a new lip colour and blush that were tailored to my skin colour as I usually just pick them because they look pretty.
If you're visiting the US on a short trip I'd recommend booking a class in advance, as they fill up quickly and they have limited times, so then you can plan your day around it. I booked at the 5th Avenue store in New York because it was close to my hotel but I could only get a slot at 8:00am. I think they only offer early times so that the store is completely empty for class members. It was very early but worth it, even just to see 5th Avenue with barely anyone there. I felt like Holly Golightly in the opening scene at Breakfast at Tiffanys, just without the pearls and long black dress. I wish I'd taken a picture of the outside because the 5th Avenue store front is so beautiful but I've added one from good old google images.
I arrived feeling a bit sleepy but Sephora provided us with free coffee and snacks, which I greatly appreciated. There were a few tables set out with a few chairs around each. We got to choose a table to sit at and we filled out our names on a sticky label. As we waited for everyone to arrive we got to walk around a bit, talk to the other customers and have a chat with the Sephora staff. Then the class began, all the team members introduced themselves and the makeup artists gave a quick introduction. They then demonstrated how they match colours with a skin colour i.d. which was then personally found out for each one of us. Then in our small groups our Sephora team member showed us which products would suit our skin tone from a list of products that had already been expertly picked for that colour. We got to choose which lip shade we wanted from reds, corals, pinks, berries and nudes. I decided to go for a berry colour as it was something a bit different. The team then found a few shades for us to try on.
The makeup artists then showed us how to apply our chosen colours and products in a little demo at the front of the class. They used lip scrub, lip balm, showed us how to apply lip liner in the correct way and then applied the lip product with a lip brush. After the demo we got to try it on ourselves. I chose the Josie Maran Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil in Boundless Berry. We were given mirrors, cotton buds, cotton pads and any tools we needed. The same process then happened with the blush colours we had chosen and we were told the different ways to apply blush, and the brushes to use, and then we got to try it for ourselves. The lovely woman at Sephora suggested I go for more peachy blushes so I chose a Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Captivating.
Throughout the whole thing we had paper to write down any notes. All the Sephora staff were so friendly and great at teaching us, answering our questions and just to talk to throughout. We then got a chance to buy the products we tried out and have a wander through the store to see if we wanted to buy anything else. I think it's important to add that these classes weren't all about selling products as you didn't have to buy anything if you didn't want to. The emphasis was more on the experience and learning which was great. We even got a little certificate to say that we'd completed the course.
I'd definitely recommend going to a class if you get the chance. The experience felt personal and I walked away having learned something new, as well as some new products in my striped Sephora bag.
Sephora hosts a number of beauty classes across the majority of their American stores including a Contour & Highlight class, a Brows with Eye Contour class and a Daytime Smokey Eye class. They've added so many more since I went to one and they are completely free to book for Beauty Insiders. I booked on to the Perfectly Paired Lip and Cheek Class. Sephora describe it as a class to "flatter yourself with a dynamic lip and cheek duo. Our experts will teach you how to find and apply the best red, pink, coral, nude or berry lip colour - and choose a blush that's just the right complement". I chose this one because I really wanted a new lip colour and blush that were tailored to my skin colour as I usually just pick them because they look pretty.
(image from CollegeFashion)
If you're visiting the US on a short trip I'd recommend booking a class in advance, as they fill up quickly and they have limited times, so then you can plan your day around it. I booked at the 5th Avenue store in New York because it was close to my hotel but I could only get a slot at 8:00am. I think they only offer early times so that the store is completely empty for class members. It was very early but worth it, even just to see 5th Avenue with barely anyone there. I felt like Holly Golightly in the opening scene at Breakfast at Tiffanys, just without the pearls and long black dress. I wish I'd taken a picture of the outside because the 5th Avenue store front is so beautiful but I've added one from good old google images.
I arrived feeling a bit sleepy but Sephora provided us with free coffee and snacks, which I greatly appreciated. There were a few tables set out with a few chairs around each. We got to choose a table to sit at and we filled out our names on a sticky label. As we waited for everyone to arrive we got to walk around a bit, talk to the other customers and have a chat with the Sephora staff. Then the class began, all the team members introduced themselves and the makeup artists gave a quick introduction. They then demonstrated how they match colours with a skin colour i.d. which was then personally found out for each one of us. Then in our small groups our Sephora team member showed us which products would suit our skin tone from a list of products that had already been expertly picked for that colour. We got to choose which lip shade we wanted from reds, corals, pinks, berries and nudes. I decided to go for a berry colour as it was something a bit different. The team then found a few shades for us to try on.
The makeup artists then showed us how to apply our chosen colours and products in a little demo at the front of the class. They used lip scrub, lip balm, showed us how to apply lip liner in the correct way and then applied the lip product with a lip brush. After the demo we got to try it on ourselves. I chose the Josie Maran Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil in Boundless Berry. We were given mirrors, cotton buds, cotton pads and any tools we needed. The same process then happened with the blush colours we had chosen and we were told the different ways to apply blush, and the brushes to use, and then we got to try it for ourselves. The lovely woman at Sephora suggested I go for more peachy blushes so I chose a Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Captivating.
Excuse my awful handwriting!
Throughout the whole thing we had paper to write down any notes. All the Sephora staff were so friendly and great at teaching us, answering our questions and just to talk to throughout. We then got a chance to buy the products we tried out and have a wander through the store to see if we wanted to buy anything else. I think it's important to add that these classes weren't all about selling products as you didn't have to buy anything if you didn't want to. The emphasis was more on the experience and learning which was great. We even got a little certificate to say that we'd completed the course.
I'd definitely recommend going to a class if you get the chance. The experience felt personal and I walked away having learned something new, as well as some new products in my striped Sephora bag.
Wednesday, 9 September 2015
Charlotte Tilbury Haul and Review
(I may have also purchased a sneaky Nars product during my CT haul)
Charlotte Tilbury is my favourite makeup brand and has been for quite a while now. So as soon as I got some birthday money I headed straight to Selfridges to try out some of her new products. Charlotte Tilbury has recently launched her Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow collection and her limited edition Norman Parkinson collection. When I was at the counter I picked up two cream eyeshadows and a cream blush and lipstick from the Norman Parkinson collection.
Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadows
I decided to pick up two shades from the Eyes to Mesmerise collection, Norma Jean and Marie Antoinette. I went for these two because they were the two I had my eyes on as soon as the collection came out.
Norma Jean is a pretty shimmery champagne shade named after Marilyn Monroe before she was famous. It's a great product to make you look glamorous with minimal effort. This shade really opens up the eyes and can be worn both night and day depending on how much you apply.
The second shade I picked up was Marie Antoinette named after the famous Queen of France. Charlotte Tilbury describes it as an "antique oyster gold hue". It's hard to fully describe the taupe/bronze shade but that's what I love about it, it's so unique. It's also perfect for a day or a night time look depending on how you apply it.
Norman Parkinson Matte Revolution Lipstick
The Matte Revolution Lipsticks are also a new edition to the Charlotte Tilbury collection, and I have wanted to try some for a while, but I had to go for the limited edition Norman Parkinson one as soon as I saw it. Charlotte has released two shades for the Norman Parkinson collection, Miss Kensington and 1975 Red. I went for 1975 Red because it is the perfect orange red lipstick shade.
It's one of those colours that is bold but can work on almost anyone. It's fun, flirty and summery but with an air of sophistication. The texture is matte but still hydrating and it lasts for such a long time on the lips. It looks great with a clear lipgloss over the top too. It's perfect for a bold lip look on a summer night out paired with a bronzey glow. I also like to wear it in a more muted way for the day time, applying only a small amount and blending it out. It's been my favourite lip look of the summer.
Norman Parkinson Colour of Youth
This is possibly the prettiest product I have ever purchased, from the light pink box to the gold packaging with Norman Parkinson's beautiful wife Wenda on the front. Even the cream blush itself looks so pretty I didn't want to ruin it by touching it. If you want to splash out on a pricey but worthy product then I'd recommend this beauty before it's gone.
The colour is a soft rosy pink that leaves a natural, glowy, fresh effect on the skin. It is the perfect everyday cream blush that can also be used as a hydrating lip colour. It's luxurious in every way, including the formula which contains Hyaluronic acid to keep the skin moisturised and youthful. Apply a small amount with the fingertips or a stippling brush to create a dreamy flush.
Have you tried any of Charlotte Tilbury's new collections?
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