Autumn Aspirations

Autumn Aspirations

I have been out to do a little shopping today, mainly to have a look around the shops at my leisure and have a gander at the new Autumn clothing! I did buy a couple of things in H&M, pictures to follow! I am so into the rust colours and rich fabrics, wool, tweed and chunky knits!

I had to put all my findings together in Polyvore and I am using this as my inspiration for my winter wardrobe! I love summer, I really do but it has suddenly turned a bit chilly and it's so hard not to get swept up in the new seasons fashion when they come into the shops so early!

Most of the clothing in the picture is from Monsoon, as is most of my wardrobe!!

Have you seen anything you have to get for the winter yet?!

xoxo

Bath Time with Umi!

Whilst doing a little bit of food shopping last week in Waitrose I perused the toiletries aisle and my eye was caught by the classy packaging of these Umi products.

On the left is the Fig and Walnut Bath Soak. This smells divine, it's very manly and rich smelling. It comes in a glass bottle which on the one hand I'm always nervous about around the bath but I also the love the luxury feel of the bottle. My skin feels soft and I feel relaxed after a bath.

On the right is the Rice, Honey and Tamanu Shower Milk. Again this smells amazing, it smells soothing and it reminds me of clean clothes and fabric softener! If you are wondering, as I was, what is Tamanu? After a little Googling I can tell you it is an oil that is increasingly being used in skincare and bathing products. It helps to smooth the skin and can help with scars and marks although this product does not make those claims. I really enjoy using this in the morning and I'm sure I saw a body lotion that I may try too.

Umi is made by Waitrose although there is little branding to tell you this, which I also like about the packaging.  To me it feels like a high end spa brand but these products were less than £5 each! Umi uses ingredients from food, plants and flowers to "indulge the body and ease the mind".

Have you tried any Umi products? I know I'll be trying out something else from the range soon!

xoxo

OOTD!

I think I may have found one of my favourite outfits of the summer, shame we are coming to the end of it!

I just bought the cropped denim jacket on Friday, I have worn it with three different outfits in two days! It has been the perfect cover up as it's not exactly a hot summer here right now! It's from Topshop and it was £42, I chose the lighter colour as I'm not really a fan of the more blue toned denim jackets. My skirt you've seen before, from Monsoon, belt from H&M, probably my best purchase this summer! I love the colour of this simple vest top from H&M, its a pinky nude colour and the colour makes me look very tanned, or naked in the wrong lighting!!

I'm wearing this again ASAP!!

xoxo

Nails Inc comes to Sephora!

After much anticipation Sephora has now started to stock one of my favourite polish brands, Nails Inc. I am very pleased for my American friends as I really feel the brand deserves more success. I know there are split opinions on the brand but I personally love their colours, the quality and the exciting things to come from this British brand.

To help out newbies to the range I have taken pictures and done a little video on the polishes that I own from the basic range that Sephora are stocking, I was originally given the idea by a couple of You Tube followers!

Sephora are stocking 42 of the main colours in the Nails Inc line and they will have seasonal limited editions and special effect polishes throughout the year.

I have 19 of the main line, the topcoat and base coat and one of the special effect polishes.

Belgravia, Brook Street, Cadogan Square, Carnaby Street

Belgravia is one of those "Blurple" shades, I feel it's quite a recognisable shade from the range and I have noticed it on friends, I have to admit to only wearing it a handful of times.

Brook Street is a gorgeous summery coral, quite bright.

Cadogan Square I would describe as a true camel shade, it's not beige, greige or any other taupey colour, it's more yellow based and I find it very flattering, perfect for the upcoming season.

Carnaby Street is a vibrant egg yolk yellow! A statement polish for sure but unfortunately one that doesn't flatter my skin tone despite many attempt to get it to work!

Chelsea Square, Devonshire Row, Floral Street, Jermyn Street

Chelsea Square is a stunning sparkly rose glitter, I have loved wearing this on my toes and want to try it as a ring finger polish a la Lorraine of TheCurrentCustom!

Devonshire Row is a more pink based purple, I have to confess to preferring this type of purple that blue toned ones, I'll be wearing this one soon!

Floral Street was originally purchased for French manicure tips however I personally found it too thick for this use, it's great for using on a full nail for a nail art base or if you are confident enough to wear full on white manicure!

Jermyn Street is Nails Inc's You Don't Know Jaques. Their own version of the taupey nude colours. This one leans purple and is like than YDKJ.

Haymarket, Maddox Street, St John's Wood, St James

Haymarket is a gorgeous duck egg blue, amazingly pigmented and a one coater! One of my top ten polishes.

Maddox Street is a gunmetal grey, perfect shade for this autumn, it has a subtle shimmer to it.

St John's Wood is an interesting shade of purple, it definitely has a blue tone to it too, quite unique and I can't think of anything similar to compare it to.

St James is a classic pillar box red, a good staple if you have nothing like it.

Shoreditch, Tate, The Thames, Victoria

Shoreditch is my one of my original purchases, a vibrant bright pink. One of the only polishes I have re-purchased!

Tate, again one of my firsts is a classic deep burgandy, another good one if you have nothing like it in your collection.

The Thames, a grey creme, not too cool a shade again another fabulous colour for the next few months.

Victoria is a timeless blood red shade, one of Nails Inc's best sellers.

Warwick Avenue, Warwick Way, Wellington Square

Warwick Avenue is a sheer pale pink, one of those shades that you would use for a French manicure, I'll be honest I have never used it but I am keen to try it for a French mani soon!

Warwick Way is one of their newest shades, I have yet to try it but am excited to wear this bright teal shade soon, I must emphasise the brightness of this polish it's quite amazing!

Wellington Square has been one of my favourites from this summer, again a recent addition to their line it is a soft yet still noticeable peach.

Farringdon Crackle

I am so excited to wear this gold glitter crackle despite not being totally convinced I like the crackle trend yet, this is somehow different. I think it's because it's a glitter and not a solid colour. I will be wearing this over brown shades and teals this autumn!

Kensington Caviar base coat and top coat

Finally the start and finish of any of my manicures, which ever brand I am using. I love these as they have conditioning elements to them and the top coat in particular is amazing. 

It dries in 45 seconds and allows me to quickly change a polish if I want to but the best aspect of this top coat is the glossy, wet look finish it gives.

ALU has a list of all the colours in the line and at which Sephora stores they will go to, the whole range is online too.

Of the other colours on the list I can highly recommend Fouberts Place, this will be my next addition, it's an olive toned taupe and I love it! Sephora also has the new Autumn Winter four piece collection that I will be buying this week. I have also seen the special effects polishes that are coming this Christmas and they are blooming amazing!! I can't wait to get my hands on one!!

I hope that helps a bit, I know it was a bit of a long post but here's the video of me banging on about the polishes mentioned above!!

xoxo

NOTD - Essie Cute As A Button

Essie's Cute A Button is a summery, salmon, coral shade. It remains bright yet is demure and very attractive. I purchased this on my most recent polish buying binge and I am really pleased with the colour. It applied thinly and needed three coats. The colour is from Essie's Summer 2009 and collection but is a perfect colour for this summer too!

xoxo

Summer Smoky Eyes

I had a little play around with my new Bobbi Brown Tortoiseshell palette today, I'll admit the first time I used it I was a little disappointed, that's because I went straight for the gold colours which I normally favour. They left me a little flat and upset at my purchase.

Today I experimented with colour on my hand first and went for the darker shades in the palette, colours I don't have in my MAC palette.

I love this look!

I used Bronze on the inner corner and Copper Cocoa on the rest of the lid, then I tried a bit of Gold Nugget in the crease and centre and it lifted the look for a really bronzed summer eye. I then used MAC Fluidline in Dipdown, a brown liner, which I adore but mine is sooo dry I really must get a new one!

I finished off with MAC Dressmaker Dressmaker on my lips, and I can honestly say this is one of my favourite looks ever! I've felt quite glam, tanned and a bit sexy today! Unfortunately I was a bit all dressed up with nowhere to go but nevermind!

I'm writing this towards the end of the day and the shadows have lasted fantastically well on a hot stuffy day, I'm off to Zumba now so we'll see if they hold up during that!

xoxo

NOTD - Neon Leopard

Woah!

I thought I'd freshen up my China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy with a spot of leopard. I first did this look on my cousin in France, she loved it and so did I! 

I don't really know how to describe my feelings about this look other than amazing, tacky, cool, trashy and glitzy all at the same time! It reminds me of something WAH nails might do on a trendy girl going to Ibiza for a posh clubbing holiday! I bloomin' love it!!

Of course my camera can't capture the brightness of the neon base colour or the sparklyness of Orly Luxe but what do you think? Too much or the perfect summer manicure?!

xoxo