Massive Beauty Haul And First Impressions!

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently packed my bags and moved from my little teeny home-town, to a big city, full of amazing shops which I had to travel for an hour to get to before. Not only is the shopping here amazing, but I'm right near everything, and as you can imagine, living a mere five minute walk away from a shopping centre is pretty lethal for someone like me!

Lots of beauty bits seem to have found their way into my flat within the past month, so I figured I'd show you all what I've naughtily been purchasing. I splurged... (Apologies in advance for the super long, picture heavy post!)

First stop- MAC. With a new counter opening, it'd be rude not to!

The first things I picked up from Mac were two lovely lipsticks that had been on my wishlist for a while. I chose Viva Glam V and Plumful, which are both absolutely beautiful.

I've been lusting after Plumful ever since I saw EssieButton's Mac Lipstick Collection Video, and trusted her opinion as a fellow pale skinned girl. It's a stunning berry shade, that's perfect for autumn, and those who (like me) aren't brave enough to rock Mac's Rebel as a daytime shade! I've also been loving Viva Glam V as a neutral everyday shade.

Next I strolled over to the eyeshadows, and was keen to have a look at the Mineralize Eyeshadow in 'Gilt By Assosciation', after hearing ThePersianBabe speak about it recently (I'm so easily influenced!). When swatched it's an amazing black/brown with gold glitter, and is great for a minimum effort, maximum effect smokey eye. The pigmentation is also great, as it is most of the time when it comes to Mac eyeshadows!

I also picked up four eyeshadows in pan form, as I wanted to try to incorporate some more colourful shades into my makeup looks. I chose 'Sketch', which is a purpley plum colour, 'Club', which is a brown green, 'Contrast', which is a rich navy blue, and 'Shale', which is a grey lilac. I love the look of 'Shale' with 'Sketch', as they're great for a purple toned smokey eye. 'Cranberry' is next on my wish list I think!

 

Last of all at Mac I purchased the Cream Colour Base in 'Pearl', Fluidline Gel Liner in 'Blacktrack', and 239 brush. 'Pearl' is a stunning cream-gold highlight, which blends effortlessly for a hassle-free glow. 

As a gel liner novice, I was unsure how successful application of my new fluidline would go, but it's SO EASY! I use a small angled liner brush from Crown Brush, which draws a seamless line, and the pigmentation of the fluidline is great. 

I've been on the hunt for a stiff eyeshadow shader brush, and this one fits the bill. It's great for packing on eyeshadow, which I think blend out using my trusty cult favourite- the Mac 217.

Next I ended up at Bobbi Brown, where I purchased my first Bobbi Brown product- the corrector. I'm not sure why it's taken me this long to buy one of their products, as I'm always interested in their counters and have heard great things about their products. The corrector is so far living up to the hype, and has been doing a great job at helping to disguise my unsightly dark circles.

Urban Decay's Primer Potion is another cult product that's been on my wishlist for months, that I finally decided to purchase. However, so far I'm pretty undecided on this one. It keeps my makeup in place for the whole day which is great, but I'm unsure of the finish on my dry skin. It seems to look slightly patchy or cakey on my lids? I'm not sure why, but I'm going to keep trying to make it work for me!

Last but by no means least is Laura Mercier's 'Creme Smooth Foundation'. I've purchased this foundation before, and can finally say It's my Holy Grail product. I've never used a foundation with such great coverage, colour, and beautiful dewy finish as this one, which is amazing for my dry skin. It's pricey, but it's worth it, and if I could only have one makeup item in the world this would definatly be it!

What have you been purchasing recently? Have you used any of the products mentioned, and if so what did you think?

I'm A Terrible Blogger...

Sooo, it's been a while again it seems. Nearly four months since my last blog post infact, and if you're still here then thankyou very much indeed. :D 

The past few months have sped by in what seems to me like a matter of days, and to be honest it's all been a bit overwhelming at times! Since my last post...

- I moved out and to another county
- I got a flat with my boyfriend
- I started University
- I got a new job working for Lush Cosmetics (if you'd like to see any Lush related posts then let me know!)

Since I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, I'd love to hear what kinds of posts you'd like to see on my blog in the future, so please feel free to comment below with any suggestions you have!
Hope you guys are all good!

My Top 3 Online Shopping Destinations!

I love online shopping.

Some people hate it- the waiting, the disappointment when the item isn't what you thought it was, and the hassle of returns, but for me the pros far outweigh the cons. I find way more things that are my style online, and like how I can compare products to get the best deal!

Therefore, to ensure that you guys have the best online shopping experience, I've compiled a list of my favourite 3 less well known online only stores!

(Obviously I love ASOS, Missguided etc too, but I could have written a post of about 100 sites so I needed restrictions!

Anyway, without further ado, let's crack on!

YAYER

Yayer is a Bristol based store run by sisters Charlotte and Harriet Walters, that stocks both new and vintage clothing, shoes and accessories. Dubbed the UK's version of the amazing Nasty Gal, Yayer stocks many popular brands such as Jeffrey Campbell, Evil Twin, and Motel. I love the edgy pieces on the site, find the prices really reasonable and love how frequently stock is updated!

These are my favourite clothing pieces from the site right now, all fitting in with my monochrome obsession!

1- Dark Bloom Skirt- £24

2- Strapped In Dress- £24

3- Celine Me Alone Tee- £24

4- Lace Space Dress- £30

CHOIES



Choies are an international site which ship to the UK amongst other countries, and stock loads of different lines. There's so much choice, and some really unique pieces can be found for amazing prices. I also love the fact that they offer usual catwalk and designer inspired  clothing that can't be found on the highstreet (and even if it could, it'd be ridiculously expensive!) I really could spend an insane amount of money on stuff from this site.

Here are my favourite items from the site at the moment!

Cut Out Shoulder Strap Skirt- £18.47

Navy Velvet Cross Top and Skirt- £42.89
Fine Belt Mesh Dress- £30.35
Contrast White Skater Dress- £25.73

ROMWE

Romwe are another international site, and are very similar to Choies, but seem to carry even more products and are generally a more well known site. The prices are amazing, but I would recommend checking both sites for prices if you see something you like as often the both have the same product, and you can save yourself some pennies through taking the time to shop around!

And again, here are my four favourites from the site, mainly dresses! I'm a creature of habit...

Daisy A Line Dress- £27.52
Ink Painting Tee- £19.46
Wave Waist Black Dress- £32.89
Black Baroque Shorts- £18.12

I hope you guys found this post interesting/ helpful! I'd love to hear what posts you like reading, or ideas of what you think I should blog about- I'm always open to suggestions.

Have you ever bought from these sites before? What are your favourite online stores?

OOTD- Tailored Monochrome

Blazer- H&M, £29.99

Top- H&M, £3.99

Jeans- Primark, £10

Flatform Sandals- Primark, £10

Necklace- Topshop, £20

Nails- Barry M 'Raspberry'

Hi everyone! This evening I went out for a meal with my boyfriend and his mum, and thought I'd just quickly show you all what I wore, in my first ever OOTD post!

I purchased this white blazer a few months ago, after falling in love with the cut, and it's been sitting in my wardrobe ever since. I don't know why, but I guess you could say I was a bit scared of it- I didn't know what to wear it with or how to tie it into an outfit until I plucked up the courage today.

I used this statement necklace from Topshop to pull the black and white elements together, which has given me loads of ideas of how I can wear this blazer in the future.

I'm loving these two Primark purchases too. I've spoken about the flatforms in a previous post, and am happy to report that I've not experience any rubbing as mentioned before. Also, these jeans are amazing, and are a great dupe for the American Apparel Easy Jeans, and Topshop Joni Jeans. I literally cannot stop wearing them, and find them much more flattering than their pricier rivals.

Sorry about the lighting in these photos by the way! They were just quick snaps after I got in at 11, so obviously I couldn't take them in natural light!

How would you guys style a white blazer?

Collective Primark Haul- June 2013

So in my absence I have of course snuck on a few shopping trips, and my debit card has accidentally fell into numerous card machines (I should be saving more money, and am off to London again tomorrow, whoops!) Naturally I therefore have some bits and bobs that I fancied showing you guys.

Personally, I love reading Primark related blog posts to get an idea of what's in store before I go so that I can hunt things I've seen online down when I get there,  especially since I don't have the pleasure of living near a Primark myself. Therefore, I decided to show you all what I've been purchasing from Primark recently....

I purchased these beautiful monochrome (I actually can't get enough of monochrome) heels for a bargain price of only £12! I haven't worn them out yet, but from wearing them in the house I think I'll save these for occasions where I'll be mostly sitting down since they aren't the most comfortable shoes in the world to say the least...

The shoes are a snakeskin type texture on the white parts, and faux suede on the black parts. They are so similar to some that are in Zara at the moment, and the price really cannot be beaten considering they're good quality and don't look like they're from Primark at all!



Sticking with the footwear I also purchased these black faux suede flatforms which I am absolutely in love with! These are so versatile, and I can see myself getting so much wear out of these. I'm already planning outfits in my head that include these, and just hope the weather warms up a bit soon so I can wear these over 'summer'. They were only £10, which is incredible, as Topshop are selling similar shoes for around £30, and Primark also stock these in a beautiful coral colour.

The only downside to these is that I've heard from others that the toe strap is prone to causing blisters, although obviously I can't confirm this, but I think i'll just buy some of those shoe cushions and hopefully all will then be well!

If you read my 'Monochrome Accessories' blog post, you'll know that I've been after a white satchel bag for a little while, but couldn't bring myself to spend over £100 on the Cambridge Satchel Company version available on Asos.

I found this version which is absolutely perfect, considering I'm not sure how much wear I'll get out of it in the long run, and for £9 I could afford to buy it as an experimental piece.

I also purchased a second bag, which I thought would be nice for summer. This faux leather tassel/ fringed  duffel style bag with studs has an adjustable strap and just enough room for the essentials, and encourages me to not put so much unnecessary rubbish in my bag for a day out. Best of all, it was only £8!

This black and white damask/ wallpaper print skater dress was £15 and is right up my street since I can wear it with so many different items I already own. I think the pattern is stunning, and I don't have a similar dress already so I had to buy it!



I've also been looking for an oversized denim jacket that I can just through on for when it's warm but a bit windy, as I usually just live in my faux leather jackets which can be a bit too warm in the summer months.

I'm also really into acid wash right now, and some of the 90s trend, so this £16 Primark number was perfect.

I purchased my regular size, and the fit is a larger boyfriend style which I think looks really effortless. I like to roll the cuffs of the sleeves up when wearing mine.



The last thing I purchased was this oversized chiffon button up shirt. It's a lovely taupe- grey colour, and has roll sleeves, which makes the style of the shirt look very 'Topshop-esque' which I love. The material isn't amazing quality, but for £8 I'm happy, and if it's worn with better quality items it fits right in and doesn't end up looking cheap. The fit is flattering also, and it's available in black too, which I might pop back to get tomorrow!

Apologies for the creased-ness in the photo by the way- I've been wearing it a ton and just dug it out of the ironing pile to show you guys since I love it so much!



And that is everything I've purchased from Primark, (with the exception of stuff for my little sister and brother). I think they've got some really lovely things in store at the moment, and have been impressed every time within the last month.

I hope you are all well and always love hearing from any readers, so don't hesitate to leave a comment. Also, I hope you liked this new style of post, so let me know if you did!

Have you snapped up any bargains recently? What's your favourite thing I bought?



I'm Back Tomorrow!

Hello everyone and anyone!
Just a quick post to say I'm sorry for not posting in what seems to be like forever! I am a complete noob, and managed to do two things that stopped me posting anything for a little while.

1) I started using a different browser which wouldn't load blogger, but am now back on the old oneeee.

2) I forgot my login details. Typical me.

Also, this past month has been a very busy one, I was presented with an exciting potential job opportunity (I find out this week if I got it) which took up a lot of my time in preparation, along with several trips to London, and a lot of late nights. On the plus side when I've been in London there's been time for shopping, and I feel like I've got loads to talk about and lots of products and items to show you all!

I'll be posting properly tomorrow unless something else goes wrong...

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipsticks

After a day at work earlier in the week, I decided to pop into Boots to buy myself ONE new pink toned nude lippy, as I seem to have a thing for nude lips at the moment.

As you can all guess, this whole 'one item only thing' never happened. Let's face it, it never does, who was I kidding? Especially considering everything is always on 3 for 2, a little splurge was inevitable...

   

 After having a walk around and swatching everything so much that my hand was beginning to resemble Elma the Elephant (please tell me you guys know who that is, and loved the book when you were little too!), I settled on these Maybelline ColourSensential Lipsticks, along with my first Rimmel Apocolips Lip Laquer, and Revlon Photoready Cream Blush (reviews to come soon)!

This isn't the first time I've purchased lipsticks from this range- I have quite a few now and absolutely love them! So after swanning around Boots hunting for the perfect shade, it's no surprise that I eventually made my way to these.

These are the colours I chose to purchase. (From left to right) 842- Rosewood Pearl,175- Pink Punch, 338- Midnight Plum, 630- Velvet Beige.

   

Rosewood Pearl is a lovely everyday nude lipstick, that applies quite sheer but can be built up easily. For me, it's probably one of the best 'your lips but better' colour I've come across to date.

Pink Punch is a bright fushia pink, that I haven't had the chance to wear yet, however the colour is very bold and opaque when swatched. I never used to be one for bright lipsticks, but am slowly getting braver, and purchased this after lusting after MAC's Girl About Town, but not being able to bring myself to part with £14 for a lipstick I might not like. 

Midnight Plum is a purple lipstick with blue toned shimmer, and is within my usual red/ purple bright lipstick comfort zone. This lipstick is sheerer than expected and takes a few coats to build up to a very deep berry purple. 

Velvet Beige is a pinky nude, but is the colour I'm least sure about. It is very opaque, and can look quite harsh on the lips. Whilst pretty in the tube, the colour just makes me look more like a senior citizen (typical granny colour). I'm still experimenting to find a way to sheer this out and make it work for me though!  

Overall I love these lipsticks, and Maybelline have an amazing colour range to choose from, unlike some other high street brands. The consistancy of these is lovely and very moisturising, although the staying power could be a little better when it comes to the nude shades in particular. They retail for £7.19 each and are available in Superdrug, Boots, and Supermarkets, although I always purchase mine in Boots (3 for 2, AND Boots Advantage Card Points= No Brainer).

Have you ever tried any lipsticks from this line, and what did you think of them? If not, what is your favourite range of high street/ drugstore lipsticks?

  

Let Me Introduce Myself...

So after writing a few on topic blog posts, I feel its appropriate to introduce myself to any readers that may be out there!

This is me, hello *waves*:

 My name is Dominique and I'm nineteen years old.
I live in a Kentish town with my family and boyfriend of four years. :)
I love cats and have twelve. I would name them all but it'd take forever, so here are some photographs instead- who doesn't love cat pictures?!

I love anything beauty and fashion related and also enjoy reading blogs, and had been thinking about making my own for a long old time, and finally decided to take the plunge. 

Now you know a little about me, I'd love to hear from you, so feel free to leave a comment saying hello!

  

Lust List: Monochrome Accessories

1- HANNA Flatform Sandals , Topshop, £32

After a recent purchase of plain black flatform pumps, I've been looking for a pair of summer shoes that give me that little bit of height (and make my legs look thinner of course!), and I think these are them! I don't own any white shoes, but think these would look lovely in the warmer months when tights are no longer necessary. The price isn't outrageous either. Topshop, you've done it again!

 

2- Jeffrey Campbell Lita Daisy Shoes, NastyGal, £104.42

My jaw dropped as soon as I saw these, and I've been visiting the Nasty Gal website continuously since just to look at them, although I haven't had it in me to press the checkout button yet! I own a pair of black velvet Litas already, which are gorgeous, but think these are a stunning more summery pair. I'd team these with bare legs and frilled ankle socks, for a girly meets edgy feel.

3- Moon Gaze Shades , NastyGal, £26.10

Another Nasty Gal find; If I had to buy all my clothes from one website, it'd probably be here. These shades remind me of some by Prada, but are obviously far cheaper, it's just a shame that customs charges exist, or they'd be on their way to me already. I'm considering purchasing this similar pair from Asos to avoid having to pay for shipping and customs though, but we shall have to see!

4- White Cambridge Satchel , Asos, £105

I always purchase black handbags, and frequently find myself wearing an all black outfit, which isn't very summery at all. I can see myself wearing this bag with a black lace summer dress, teamed with the white flatforms above, and my trusty black bowler hat, with some silver jewellery pieces as an accent. A summery take on my standard monochrome style.

5- Above Knuckle Rings , Asos, £6

I wasn't sure about above knuckle rings when I first saw them, but I've grown to really like the idea of them. These ones are plain which suits me perfectly, as I tend to gravitate towards unfussy and simple jewellery, with the exception of a statement necklace occasionally thrown in for good measure. 

What are your favourite current trends, and what are you currently lusting over? 

Review: Kerastase Masquintense

A few months ago I decided to dip dye my hair myself at home using the L'Oreal Wild Ombres 3 Kit. Being the worrier that I am, and considering every time I go to the hairdressers I get told that my hair is dry, I decided that it was a sensible idea to invest in a deep conditioning treatment before bleaching the ends of my hair.

I popped into the hairdressers, and after a quick discussion with the assistant about my hair type I decided to purchase the Kerastase Masquintense number 3 for fine hair.

I think I paid around £23, but after searching on the internet have found that it can be purchased from www.lookfantastic.com for £19.92, and you get 200ml of product in the tub.

The product comes in a tub with a screw top lid, which will make it easy to get the last bits of product out when I've nearly finished the tub. However, generally I think it's a little unhygienic, and very fiddly to get the product out of the tub when I use this in the shower. I think I'd prefer for it to be in a bottle with a pump dispenser overall..

I have very long hair and use a walnut size amount, which does the job. I smooth the mask through the lengths of my hair once a week, and leave it on for 5-10 minutes before rinsing it off. After using this for a few months now, it's crazy that I've hardly made a dent in the top- this stuff is going to last for ages, and would obviously last even longer if your hair is shorter than mine is!

The smell is quite floral but I don't think it's overpowering, although I've heard other people say otherwise. It really depends on whether smells bother you, as they generally don't bother me anyway. When the product is rinsed off the smell does stay on your hair throughout the day, and I quite enjoy getting a whiff of it a few hours later as I go about my business. :)

The consistency is more runny than I expected which also makes it quite tricky to apply, especially in a shower situation, and I often find myself dropping some into the bath and crying a little inside as I watch it disappear down the plug hole considering its quite pricey (a slightly over the top reaction haha).

After using this mask my usually unruly, tangled hair is definitely far more manageable. I find that It stays sleek and soft throughout the day, but after the next wash is back to normal again. Therefore I wouldn't really say that it hydrates your hair very effectively, rather coats it making it feel lovely for the day only.

This mask does not weigh down my long fine hair which is impressive, and generally I do enjoy using it, however I wish its effects were more long lasting than they are.

I'm still undecided as to whether I'll repurchase, but think I'm edging towards the idea of trying a few different masks instead, in the hope that I find one that can truly nourish my hair.

What's your favourite hair mask or treatment?