May beauty favourites 2016

After a few months of not blogging I'm finally back with full force and I'm ready to post regularly again. 

Today I thought I would share a few things I have been loving through out this month. Not only have I been really enjoying many makeup and beauty products but I also have been loving some foodie items! 

Since the weather has been so lovely here in England, I've been all about that GLOW, and to help me achieve that I've been really enjoying the Topshop pressed highlighter in 'Cresent Moon'. As a fairly pale lady (when I say pale, I mean white like paper) it's a fab champagne toned highlighter full of micro glitter that leaves a very intense sheen which is perfect for my fair skin! At a pretty decent price of £10.00 for 6.5 grams, it's a must have in my everyday makeup kit.

Keeping the makeup theme, I have recently discovered the new Loreal cushion foundation in the shade '01 porcelain' which I have found to be the perfect coverage for the days I am at work, when I need a little something but not too much coverage. I apply the product with a buffing brush and usually layer it up to 4 or 5 coats. The great thing about this is that it's so light that you can apply as many layers as needed and it will never cake up. It costs £9.99 and comes in a handy little compact with a mirror and a flat sponge. 

Lastly on the beauty section I've been obsessed with this huge pot of loveliness from the brand Calcot Manor. The Lazy Evening Moisture Soufflé is a gorgeously scented body moisturiser that I use after my bath in the evenings after a long day. The deep woody with a slight fruity scent really helps me to wind down and relax for the night and for a mere £6.00 you can get this massive 500ml tub at your local Tesco! I defiantly have to check out more of the Calcot Manor products as I'm in love with this body butter!

On the flip side, over the past few months I have been trying to get into more of a healthy lifestyle by eating more fruit and vegetables and going to the gym more. I've also been loving snacking on raw veggies rather than impulsingly buying crisps or chocolate, but I will go into depth in another blog post, I may even do a what I eat in a day or healthy recipes sort of post!

That's it! I hope you've enjoyed this months favourites. This month should be a good one as its my birthday month (woohoo) ((21st on the 10th of June)) and it's also officially summer so expect lots of summery outfit posts! 

Post soon,

Love Danielle xoxo

Welcoming 2016 with open arms | Happy New Year

So another year has been and gone, and it's time to look back on all the highs & lows of 2015 and say HELLO to 2016.

This time last year, I did a new years post about the year ahead. All about my fancy new job at a designer boutique & organising myself to move out with Liam. Fast forward to a year later, a lot has changed. Unfortunately, I was made redundant from said job, which meant I had to take a Christmas position at a Jack Wills store. I am also still living with Liam's mum and frantically saving up to move out! So not such a great start but moving on, Liam and I are still very much in love and I have found my job forté. I have discovered that makeup artistry is my calling, so that's what I'm running with! I am currently working part time as a sales assistant and trying to build my makeup business in the mean time.

So with 2016 right ahead my goals for this this year are, to be more organised, I bought myself a Filofax with a week to view planner that I can keep in my handbag to stay up to date with everyday tasks and events! I also want to be healthier, I already go to the gym around twice a week but I want to push that even more and eat more healthy by making my own meals at home and not relying on ready meals and takeaways for dinner. Lastly, I want to get off of technology and start living. I have noticed over the past year, that many of us, including myself, have been glued to their phones constantly and it's time to stop this bad habit. Having an obsession with it makes me seem unsociable & rude. So let's all put our fancy new iPhones down and start living a real life. With that being said, I have decided to start blogging once a week and commit to it. Rather than blog for a whole week and go m.i.a for a month. 

So yeah, that's my New Years goals and resolutions! Granted, 2015 didn't turn out how I expected it to but it's time to leave that behind and welcome 2016 with both arms open!

Happy new year everyone!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Autumn shades of brown

When it comes to the Autumn season, I love wearing more of the more neutral colours like shades of brown and gold. So, I've paired these colours with cooler ones such as black and red just to bring the whole outfit together. I feel the colours in my Autumn wardrobe really suit the weather and because they are all similar shades they can be all easily paired and mixed together.

 

Here I'm wearing a cream, thin roll neck jumper from River Island featuring these flattering rosy glitter stripes, which brings a little life and colour into the outfit. I paired it with my go-to A line black skirt from Topshop, some simple black tights and my H&M black slipper shoes. Over the top I am sporting my favourite mink hue coat from Marks & Spencer's. It's a simple structured coat and is made out of a thick wool blend, which keeps me super warm when the wind decides to pick up! Just for a slight pop of colour, I've painted my nails in OPIs Malaga Wine, a beautiful dark blood red shade.

So, that's it for today's post! I've decided to continue blogging once or twice a week but every Sunday night is guaranteed! I hope you enjoyed and I will see you soon!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Shop the look

River Island | striped roll neck jumper - (similar) here

Topshop | black a lined skirt - (similar) here

H&M | gold buckle slipper shoes - (similar) here

OPI | Malaga wine - here 

Marks & Spencer's | wool blend coat - (similar) here

Autumnal wishlist

When it comes to shopping I always buy a ton of items, a go big or go home scenario. Since the cooler weather has finally arived I rarely leave the house with out some sort of cashmere knit and a long trench coat on. So this time round I will definitely be investing in some good quality outfits and accessories that will see me throughout all of the colder months.

1. I'm a huge fan of a simple skater dress so, when I saw this dress from River Island I fell in love straight away. It is a two part style dress, with a navy structured skater dress which hits my just above the knee and it features a contrasting striped three quarter sleeve and high neck. Which makes this piece right up my street with the Parisian vibes. I personally would style this dress with some black opaque tights and a pair of faux suade slipper shoes, which makes this outfit simple but flawless. RRP: £35.00 Buy here!

2. Carrying on with the top of the picture is the Stila stay all day brow gel in blonde. After seeing a really interesting review on the dip brow pomade by Anastasia Beverlyhills I knew this would be a great alternative. It also comes with a double ended brush which is a bonus! RRP: £28.00 Buy here!

3. Next up is this beautiful IPad mini cover 'Ovitia' from Ted Baker. If you know me personally you will know my iPad is my life and rarely leaves my side. So, I like to take care of it by keeping it in two separate cases and this lovely floral one would go nicely with my pink bow case also from Ted Baker. RRP: £35.00 Buy here!

4. When it comes to autumn the first thing I look for is a great pair of boots and these are the perfect pair from River island. These Chelsea boots are a staple and they don't have an insanly high heel but an easy platform, so they would be ideal for work. RRP: £38.00 Buy here!

5. These little Ted Baker button studs caught my eye when I was browsing on the John Lewis website a few days ago. They are gold plated studs with the iconic Ted Baker logo around it with a few sparkles in the middle. They are the perfect dainty size to wear everyday but still has that glamourise feeling because of the glitter! RRP: £25.00 Buy here!

6. Last but certainly not least is this beatiful Zara city bag in black, it features a long gold zip and the front and gold hard wear throughout. You have the option of wearing it on the crook of your arm or as a shoulder bag which is handy and its a perfect size to fit all of my bits and bobs inside. RRP: £29.99 Buy here!

That's it when it comes to my wish list, as a shopping addict I will be constantly adding to it each week, so no doubt there will be another one soon! 

Hope you enjoyed! 

Post soon!

Danielle xoxo

Casual Parisian | Outfit Post

Over the past few weeks here in the south of England, the weather has been very changeable. With showers, sunny spells and storms all in one day, It can be really hard to know how to dress for the day ahead. So my go-to outfits, always include some type of Jean, weather it's a ripped skinny jean or a classic black straight leg.

I find jeans are lightweight enough for the sunnier days yet cooler for the days I need a few more layers. I also like to throw a little bit of Parisian style in with my daily outfits, as I find the everyday French woman very classy and well dressed. So, I end up with this Parisian/high street highbred outfit, that I'm absolutely loving. It's simple yet a statement and once the weather does turn, I do like to chuck on a light weight trench coat paired with a understated black umbrella, practical yet glam.

Outfit details -

High waisted skinny jeans - Jamie jeans from Topshop

High necked Breton striped top - H&M

Gold embellished slipper shoes - H&M

Pearl drop earrings - Accessorize 

Moonstone charm necklace - 'October' necklace from H&M

Red lipstick - Loreal Paris color riche in 'Liyas pure red'

I hope you enjoyed this rainy day outfit post!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Birchbox August 2015 | #beautyjunkie

As I got home from a long, rainy day at work, I stepped through the front door to a very welcoming sight, this months Birchbox! After last months summer themed extravaganza, I was very impatient for the next little beauty filled surprise to come through my letter box! 

About 5 days before I received the August box, I was notified via Facebook that this months theme was 'beauty junkie', and as we all know I am the biggest beauty junky around. So to my delight I was presented with 5 luxury beauty items from skin care to hair care.

Upon opening the box I was presented with their familiar booklet of product information and a nifty little emoji sicker sheet as an extra treat. Underneath, they included a more shallow yet thicker drawstring bag with the little goodies stashed inside.

Now onto the products. 

Kebelo clarifying shampoo -

This 50ml tube is a hefty sample to say the least, with a very fresh scent with ingetients such as seaweed and milk. This shampoo is supposed to rid your hair of any product build up, yet not leave your hair straw like with no moisture like most other clarifying shampoos. On their website it states that is can be also used as an 'invigorating body wash'. So I am very looking forward to trying this one out! Full size (250ml) RRP £13.95.

Rituals Fortune scrub in sweet orange and cedar -

Another huge sample this month of 70 ml and wow does this scream Autumn to me. The citrus, musky scent sends me straight to a vision of fallen brown leaves with a crisp breeze in the air. Rituals is a big brand that I, myself know and trust and I'm pleased to see it in the August box. Full size (150ml) RRP £10.00.

The Balm bronzer in 'balm desert' -

With another very well know brand in this months box, you can't help but be happy with this little guy. This warm toned, matte bronzer/blush has mostly natural ingredients with healing properties, so you can feel secure knowing that this product won't make you break out like most unfamiliar products you use. This sample has a handy magnetic case to keep it shut, which is fab for travel. And the size of it is great for on the go bronzer touch ups. Full size (6.39g) RRP £15.50.

Lord & Berry blush in 'Lotus' -

This dark red toned brown blush is perfect for the upcoming cooler months, and with a slight shimmer undertone its a great brightening product. It's a perfect sample size to fit into one of my mac pallets so it can be doubled up as an eyeshadow! Full size (4g) £18.00

Huygens exfoliating cream -

As a brand I'm not too familiar with, this Paris based company focuses on using mainly natural ingredients to help your skin where it needs work. This small pot is full of luxurious ingredients such as sesame oil, rice powder and green tea. With a thick grit formula, this scrub is great to use on your t-zone and even rough patches on your body such as your elbows and feet! A fab universal product that I can't wait to try out. Full size (50ml) RRP £17.90

L. Erickson grab and go pony -

This simple hair band is supposed to keep your hair in place with no movement and doesn't damage your hair due to the fabric outer layer. One accesory that I always seem to loose, so you can't go wrong with another hair band. Full size (15pcs tube) RRP £11.50 (colours to choose from: black and grey, beige and brown, blue and grey or pink and gold.

With another very successful month, this customer is very happy! Roll on September!

Post soon, 

Danielle xoxo

Manicure Monday | 3d iridescent

So turns out I'm finally back blogging after ever so long off, with a little update on the way, I wanted to quickly share my amazing manicure that I am currently obsessed with. 

I get my acrylics done every 2 weeks in a little corner nail bar in Chichester. As per usual, I asked my nail technician for stiletto nails with rounded edges (for reference) which she then cured. For polish she popped on a couple of coats of OPIs Pink Friday from the Nicki Minaj collection (buy here) and then put on a thick layer of OPIs top coat to finish (buy here). This little pamper session usually costs me around £30 which is quite reasonable for gorgeous nails. For the 3d nail  art, I purchased a pack of 1000 iridescent AB rhinestones from eBay for £1.19 (buy here) which was an amazing bargain! I just used some strong nail glue to pop them on one by one on my ring finger. After some time and a lot of patients they end up looking like the picture above! All I did after that was apply a light layer of clear topcoat just to seal them all on. As a quick caution, if the rhinestones you use are made primarily out of plastic then a top coat will make them go really cloudy and ruin your manicure so I use crystal stones, so keep that in mind if you decide to replicate it! 

Hope you enjoyed!

Post soon!

- Danielle xoxo

Pussybow & Pinstripes | OOTD

Even though all I did today was go to work. I still like to doll myself up and make a little effort. So I recently went for a little shopping spree to get myself out of the habit of wearing the same three outfits over again. I love wearing classy little pieces such as blouses or Blazers as I feel it makes any outfit look 10x more classy! 

Outfit details -

Navy pinstripe blazer with gold hard wear - Primark £20.00

Off white Pussybow blouse - Primark £9.00

Black zip skirt - Topshop £38.00

Opaque tights - Topshop - £10.00

Black ankle pumps - Newlook £20.00

Hope you enjoyed my classy outfit of the day!

Post soon,

Love Danielle xoxo

Trend report | Capes over coats

Happy new year everybody, and I must say that I'm disappointed in myself for not blogging any sooner but my life has been a whirl wind this past month with moving to sort out and being totally immersed with my work. But I'm back on schedule with my daily routine and I'm happy to say I'm able to fit in blogging Monday to Friday still!

Enough about my life, as I'm sure you all want to read what I have to say about a style staple - capes. Now by the title I do mean it both physically and litterally. Capes have been a huge staple this past autumn/winter in many high fashion wardrobes including fashion magazines and blogs. People have been obsessed, and yes I am too. They are a  timeless classic that can practically go with any outfit. But the problem I've had is the British weather, it can be unpredictable and when that wind hits, you are chilled to the bone. So I have discovered an amazing revelation that will keep me stylish in my cape yet super warm in my winter coat. Combine them, winter is all about layering it up so when you see that little pop of collar poking out of the top of the Cape, I reached a whole new world of fashion! I've been really enjoying wearing my M&S boyfriend coat with a plain unbranded woollen Cape thrown over the top, it looks classy yet warm. And I'm happy to say I've found my new clothing staple, a great way to mix it up is wearing a tartan Cape over a simple black leather jacket, so chic. 

So I hope you enjoyed my first edition post of a 'trend report' and I am wanting to do these more often so if you have any suggestions or ideas please feel free to leave me some! Have a lovely rest of the week and make it your week!

Post soon, 

Love Danielle xoxo

Autumn rose | OOTD

Now that the weather is truly miserable, it's about time we started to wrap up and make our selves ready for the winter weather. I've been really enjoying the dark autumnal colours with a pop of something bright thrown in! 

Coat - New Look

Top - Next

Disco Pants - American Apparel

Loads flats - Topshop

Head band - Tu (Sainsburys)

Necklace - Primark 

Lipstick - Mac (All fired up 'matte')

Hope you enjoyed!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

A few of my favourite things

It's been quite a while since I updated you on my current favourites, now i won't make this a November favourites as I don't have enough of each specific genre to show you. But I do have a few bits and bobs that I've been loving and have been making me happy!

First being this beautiful turquoise set of teardrop studs that I purchased as a pack of 3 from Topshop they were originally £10.00 but they were on sale for £3.00! Amazing, for such an elegant looking piece.

Next being my new Autumn/Winter scent. The Ghost eclipse fragrance, I have run dry on my sample size so I had to go out and purchase a full size bottle. RRP: £24.99

Lastly being the lipstick I have been adoring over the past few weeks, it is by MAC and it is called All fired up. It is a beautiful true to colour dark fushia pinky and it applies matte (yet moisturising) and amazingly opaque! RRP: £15.50

That's all folks, only a few bits to show you today! Hope you enjoyed today's mini post!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Bath tub hair washing | Routine

When it comes to choosing between showering and washing my hair or a relaxing soak in the bath, the choice can be difficult to make! Especially when it's gotten to the point that 4th day hair isn't acceptable but you need to soak away the day you've had! 

So I have found the best way to combine the two while still being comfortable and able to have silky shiny hair too.

I start off my running some hot water to about half way up the tub and then cool it down to a point where it is still hot to the touch but not so hot that it will scaled you head, like a normal bath would. I then take the best 'hair washing bath product' to plop into the bath and it is the Lush Ickle baby bot bath ballistic(RRP: £1.95 each). It's a great bath bomb that makes you feel like your having a luxurious bath but also won't mess your hair condition up when you dunk the back of your head in. 

You then want to proceed with your normal hair routine with wetting your hair down, shampooing and conditioning ect but then rinsing it in the bath water, and don't worry, your hair won't get greasy even if your rinsing it in the same water each time.

So that's it, pretty simple, I think the best tips I can give you is use the Ickle baby bot bomb and keep your water at about half way point up the bath so when you Submerge your body, the bath water won't go tipping over the edge. Also this is a great bath routine for children too, as the bath bomb is sensitive enough to use on baby's! 

Hope you enjoyed! Ps, DIY coming up next week and it's Christmas themed! Stay tuned!

Danielle xoxo

November Glossybox | Unboxing

This months Glossybox wasn't themed, so it was just your normal lovely baby pink box! Which I'm happy with! Perfect for using as separators in your vanity. So with out further a due, let's go onto the products! I received 5 products in this box with 2 full sized products too!

Burt's Bees natural lip shine in Blush. This was the only product that I got this month that I would of actually purchased, potentially. It's a lovely sheer gloss that I'm sure will come in useful.

Monu Hawaii facial treatment oil. This lovely 'spa' like smelling oil is a facial treatment that you apply after cleaning and toning. You can also use this as a face mask in oil form by warming it up in the palm of your hands and massaging it in.

H20+ hydrating treatment. This is pretty similar to the Monu oil but a much smaller sample that won't go very far. It is the same process as applying, but I'm not sure why they decided it would be a good idea to put two very similar products in the same box but one being a 30ml sample and the other being a 8ml sample. 

2 True pro Sparkles nail glitters. This is a very simple gold glitter that will come in handy for nail design. Even though I have many gold glitter pots already, another one in my collection won't hurt!

Lollipops Paris eyeliner in 701 Goodbye Moon. This is your simple twist up black khole eyeliner by a brand that I haven't heard of before but I'm sure it is good either way. I don't usually wear pencil eyeliner but it may come in handy one day!

So that is everything, I didn't love this box as much as last months due to products that I probably won't use. But let's hope the Christmas box will be better! Hope you enjoyed, make sure you follow me on bloglovin' to keep up to date with all my blog posts!

Post soon!

Danielle xoxo

Inside my beauty essentials bag

No matter the weather or where I am going I always carry my little emergency pack with me, filled with all sorts of beauty goodies that I would feel lost without. I bought this beauty of a bag at a little boutique called Glow and Co which I did mention a few posts ago. It has this beautiful pop art esque design in front of a vibrant pink background! Most defiantly up my street and it was only £11.00, bargain.

First off in my bag of goodies I have some roll on deodorant, for obvious reasons. Nobody likes the smell of bio, now come on! My personal favourite is the tesco's own brand in the blue fresh scent. 

I then have some lady items including tampons and some feminine deodorant and yes us girls have the problem with a wiffy woohoo from time to time so I have no shame in saying I use one! Haha! Girl power!

I also like to keep my miracle hair product with me, the Schwarzkopf BC bonacure colour freeze treatment, this beauty of a serums, it will clear up any frizz immediately with only a pea sized amount! Worth a buy, but a little hard to find I got mine at my local Sally's beauty supply, or you can alternitavly purchase it from a local Schwarzkopf hair dressers! 

Lastly I like to keep a small pocket mirror, for any makeup touch-ups, a few kirby grips, some headphones and the lipstick I am rocking that day. Today I am wearing the Loreal collection exclusive in Liyas pure red!

Hope you enjoyed!

Post soon,

Love Danielle xoxo

Macs Velvet Teddy dupe

So, everyone and their mother is obsessed with kylie jenners lips, and when the information came out that her iconic lipstick was Velvet teddy by Mac. We all went out to buy it, but before I did, I had a brows through my makeup collection to see if I had any dupes and oh my did I find the perfect twin. Its the Collection matte lip cream in Cotton candy, and comparing it side to side with Velvet Teddy, you really can not tell a difference, the only major difference is the price! You can easily splurge on a £19 Mac lipstick or you can get dupe for £3.05!! That's a £16 saving which is why at the end of the day I didn't get Kylies lipstick, but instead went for the cheap twin! Pick up yours in your local boots store or on the Boots website!

Happy shopping!

Love Danielle xoxo 

Over night treatment | my skin care secret

Now that the crisp cold weather of autumn is in full swing, I like to mix up my skin care routine by throwing in a deeply, hydrating overnight mask in the mix. I like to do these weekly treatments when I know I have a long stressful day ahead of me in the morning. So once I've completely removed all of the makeup and dirt that is on my skin from that previous day I like to take a good walnut sized dollop of the Boots traditional skin care cream with A&E vitamins, spread it between my finger tips and apply it liberally to my face and the beginning of my neck, concentrating on applying it evenly rather than rubbing it in. 

During the night when your having your beauty sleep, your face will get to work by drinking up all that product and by the time you wake up, you will have glowing healthy looking skin. It will leave you with a thin film of excess product lying on top of your skin but that will come off with your morning cleanse anyway. The great thing about this product is the fact it can be used as a dry skin moisturiser or a night treatment. Now your probably wondering what the price is of my miracle product, but fear not its actually only £3.05 and for a 200ml pot it is cheaper than cheep. I usually go through one tub about once a year so no investment needed, and for that price it really is worth a try if your skin is looking a little dehydrated and it just needs a little pick me up! 

Finish this easy routine with your normal serum and makeup choices and I promise you, you will have bright, glowing skin that will make you look as fresh as a daisy!

I hope you enjoyed my skin care secret!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

The battle of the beauty advent calenders

For all of us beauty addicts when it comes to Christmas time (yes I did say the C word at the start of November!) beauty advent calendars are on the top of our lists to buy, and because there are SO many different varieties to chose from what better way to make your choice than with my top 10 picks for this year!

1. Candy coated countdown by Benefit Cosmetics. £60.00 

As we all know Benefit hits one of the top marks when it comes to christmas packaging, and with beautiful, luxury products you can't really say no. At a £60 price tag you get all your favourite Bene-goodies including benetint, highbeam and porefessional. You also get some little extra goodies like note pads and hair bobbles in this hamper, so all in all a good mixture of things. But at that price tag, I'm not sure if I'm biggest of a benebabes to splurge on that much.

2. No7 beauty calendar. £35.00

If your a big No7 fan, you will adore this. It comes with 24 mini sized products with quirky beauty quotes inside each door. It's supposedly worth a value of £135.00, so if your a fan, I would run out and get it. It also comes with a mixture of items including their iconic lipsticks to eyeshadows and even includes a few makeup brushes!

3. Ciaté Polish calendar. £49.00

If your a nail polish hauder you might faint over this one, a house shaped calendar with all of the famous colours hidden inside, it also comes with textured polishes and even tools. So if you swoon over nail art, this is probably your sole mate!

4. The Body Shop beauty calendar. £50.00

As a body shop fanatic this really tickled my fancy, it includes both skin care and makeup. So really does cover all grounds, and the great thing about this one is they send the proceeds of every holiday product purchased to the War Child charity to help children in need get an education. So it makes you feel good about yourself whilst enjoying your Christmas goodies!

5. Lush 12 days of Christmas. £49.99

Now I know this isn't technically an advent calendar but if you love your baths and you love lush, I'm sure you wouldn't mind opening a door every other day instead. It includes all the well known Christmas lush goodies and some online exclusive 'retro' items as well! So if your a Lush fanatic like my best friend Lucy from vintagesmilesxox is then you better snap it up before they're all gone!

So once everything is said and done, my decision was a hard one to make. I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money on an advent calendar but I also wanted something exciting enough to make me pumped up for Christmas again. Drum roll please... At the end of the day my heart lay with the No7 beauty advent calendar. The packaging stole my heart and the fact it has makeup brushes in too. Makes me as excited as child of Christmas Day!

I hope you enjoyed my advent calendar post, but at the end of the day If you can't afford a beauty advent calendar (because let's be honest, they're pretty pricey) you can always make your own at home, which I'll DIY for you sometime this month! 

Happy holidays 

Love Danielle xoxo