Topshop Fur Heart Bag

Topshop Fur Heart Bag

Necklace: also Topshop, Mood Stone Choker

Being a mama means your handbag is no longer your fashion item, it is a necessity that is filled with baby stuff, diapers, bottles, dummies, snacks, bibs the list goes on... So it is quite refreshing to have a teeny-tiny little thing that belongs just to you and has nothing but your lipstick in it. Quite literally this is about what you can fit in, I also manage to squeeze my house keys, car keys and banking cards. iPhone 6 does not fit in. But I absolutely adore this sexy little burgundy fluffy heart. It brings a nice accent and a bit of colour to a wintery outfit.

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OnePiece Smooch Onesie!!

OnePiece Smooch Onesie in Calypso Coral, it also comes in other colours

- available at onepiece.co.uk

Hey Beauty Lovers! Ok, first a confession to be made... I never thought I would praise a onesie, ever. Who knew a onesie could be so super comfortable and yet look so super cute!! If you ever thought onesies are not quite your thing, not really your style, and not really within your comfort zone I beg you to give this one a go! Classically known as an oversized all-in-one outfit to be enjoyed at home, however now onesies come also in a perfect fit! I discovered these amazing Smooch Onesies on OnePiece website [link above]. When I first slipped on the Smooch Onesie it just felt like second skin, I had no idea how incredibly comfortable it is, not to mention the super soft and scrumptious feeling fabric [48% rayon, 48% cotton, 4% spandex]. Smooch Onesie is perfect if you just want a girly pampering evening to yourself, I know I will have one or two this Easter weekend!

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On-Trend: Super Chic 70s Inspired Hair Updo!

 Nails: Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish in Soho Place

[available in March 2014]

Hey Beauty Lovers! This updo is a modern version of the classic 60s beehive and a more softer but still voluminous 70s updo. It's great for medium long hair and doesn't involve any back-combing whatsoever, back-combing makes me cringe as it tends to break hair and create frizz afterwards... To create volume I used Kerastase K Lift Vertigo, which is a root-uplifting gel with medium hold. I have done a full review on this product previously so check it out by clicking here! You just need to massage one pump of this gel into the roots of still damp hair and then blow-dry with a round brush to achieve that voluminous lift. To create this hairstyle all you need to do is hold the hair at the ends and then just push it up and secure it with a hair clamp and bobby pins, making sure you have a nice lifted shape! For extra hold you can finish with hairspray. E voilà!

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On-Trend: Nude Lips & Neon Jewellery!

 Unfortunately Accessorize doesn't put the name of the jewellery pieces on the labels 

so I have no idea what these neon chandelier earrings are actually called, 

and they also don't seem to be available on the website...

 L to R: MAC Lipstick in Creme D' Nude [Cremesheen] + Hue [Glaze]

Nails: Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish in Downtown

Hey Beauty Lovers! I've been looking for neon chandelier earrings for ages and finally found a pair that I really love, these are super pretty and also affordable [only 16 quid at Accessorize]! The good news is that we are almost done with winter and I'm ready to embrace spring with some colour. I find neon jewellery can look super chic when offset with neutral make-up and a nude lip. Currently I went back to my good old MAC nude lipsticks, and these two make a particularly flattering nude lip combo. First I apply the MAC Creme D' Nude, which is too pale on me and then I top it up with MAC Hue, which is a pretty nude pink. Them two together give you a super luscious nude lip!

 

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Book Review: Vogue on Coco Chanel by Bronwyn Cosgrave!

 Coco Chanel is holding one of the iconic enamelled cuff bracelets decorated with 

coloured stones that Fulco di Verdura created for her.

Coco Chanel's love for jewels... 

Coco Chanel was often seen wearing a lot of her beloved luxurious jewellery even at the beach, 

rumour has it that the value of her jewels was so astronomical that she couldn't insure it.

To avoid the risk of it being stolen she preferred to have it on.

 "Every day a stylist from Guillaume, the top Paris salon, tended  Chanel's hair 

and helped affix the straw boater that she always wore as a self-defence mechanism, 

reasoning that if someone boring paid her a visit, she could always motion to her hat and explain: 

'I was just going out.'" [from Vogue on Coco Chanel]

Available on oliverbonas.com

Hey Beauty Lovers! I have featured this book last week as a V-Day gift idea. Any fashion book that lands on my coffee table serves a pure purpose of indulging beauty. Vogue on Coco Chanel by Bronwyn Cosgrave isn't just about bespoke craftsmanship, beautiful photography and rarely-seen fashion illustration, it's also a fantastic read! I devoured this book in one sitting, so I decided I shall write a review to share the love.

In this book besides the legendary photography by Cecil Beaton, David Bailey and Irving Penn [my all-time favourite black and white photographer], there is also a vast load of information compactly compressed into the pages. Bronwyn Cosgrave [former features editor of British Vogue] reveals the true and inspiring character of the super petite yet immensely strong-willed and talented fashion legend Coco Chanel.

Astonishingly, it took about 150 hours of manual labour to create the classic strictly haute couture Chanel suit before ready-to-wear models were introduced in 1978. Her collections were always inspired by the people in her life and their lifestyles. As was the timeless tweed Chanel jacked that was originally inspired by the English tweed jacket her lover Bendor, Duke of Westminster wore when hunting. Coco Chanel's renowned love for jewellery was born when her previous lover Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich showered her with precious jewels, including some of those from his only possession at that time, which were the Romanov jewels. 

Pavlovich also introduced Coco Chanel to Ernest Beaux, the perfumer who created her signature scent N'5. Interestingly enough to create the iconic Chanel N'5 fragrance Coco Chanel originally invested £40,000 [today's equivalent of US $1,000,000] that were left to her in Boy Capel's will, allegedly her one and only true love. Even a lipstick shade has been named after Boy in the memory of their love. On Sunday 10 January 1971, Gabrielle Coco Chanel passed away at the age of 87 at The Ritz where she lived out of convenience. "Her final words to her assistants Lilou and Francois were prescient: 'No nonsense after I'm dead, because I'll still be there beside you in another dimension." Almost half a century later her legacy lives on...

"Fashion has two purposes: comfort and love. Beauty comes when fashion succeeds." 

Coco Chanel

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Oliver Bonas Five Drawer Wooden Jewellery Box!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Few weeks ago I have discovered this quirky looking piece on oliverbonas.com. Originally it's a Jewellery Box but it makes a pretty cool beauty storage as well. It's got a retro feel about it, and fits perfectly into my eclectic décor. This jewellery box is wooden and has five drawers, four of which are multi coloured. It looks like the drawers are randomly stacked onto one another, I love this offset look because literally I'm all about stacking books, magazines and what not. The drawers are pretty small as you can see, but it fits 30 MAC lipsticks exactly + the super slim grey drawer makes a neat rings storage!

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Baylis & Harding Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit Candle!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Today is Day 4 of LFW, and by this stage usually one starts to really feel it and you just can't wait when the last day of the Fashion Week aka Day 5 is o-v-e-r. And the next thing you know you are suddenly dealing with the PLFWT [post-lfw-trauma], which can result in all sorts of things starting with feet hurting so badly one can barely walk, over-all exhaustion, and finishing with a bedbound nasty cold. Personally I find Fashion Week to be extremely overwhelming, so as soon as Tuesday's last show is over all I can think of is coming home, kicking off the heels and having a well-deserved self-indulgent me-time!

Great skincare, relaxing music and a nice bath always do the trick. And what can set the mood better than lighting a scented candle while running a super relaxing bath. I really like this new Baylis & Harding Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit candle. It's a great affordable alternative to the good old Diptyque! The Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit is a beautifully invigorating scent, which is exactly what you need after an exhausting week of fashion.

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Vogue On Coco Chanel by Bronwyn Cosgrave!

 Available at oliverbonas.com

Hey Beauty Lovers! I have spotted this book at Oliver Bonas and not only does it make a great V-Day present but LFW is on its way starting this Friday and I always find myself infatuated by the couture world during the Fashion Week, so it makes a great addition to my lavish coffee table fashion books stack. Bronwyn Cosgrave, who is the former features editor of British Vogue, shares her in-look into Coco Chanel's luxurious and elegant world of fashion. In this book you'll find exquisite illustrations and images from such renowned photographers as Cecil Beaton and David Bailey.

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V-Day Gift Idea: Oliver Bonas Silver Love Heart Ring!

 Available at  oliverbonas.com

Hey Beauty Lovers! I found this ring on Oliver Bonas website and I instantly fell in love with it! I love how pretty and delicate this Silver Love Heart ring is. The size I'm wearing is medium, a size smaller and it could easily make either a cute pinky ring or a knuckle ring! You can wear it in many ways, on its own or even stacked with other rings. This Silver Love Heart ring makes the perfect little gift for the upcoming V-Day!!

LOVE

On-Trend: Inspired Alexa Chung Daisy Nail Art!

 Zoya Sailor 

 BarryM Limited Edition [BLE 2013] B 330

L to R: Zoya Sailor + BarryM B 330 + Essie Blanc

Hey Beauty Lovers! I'm super excited to share this cute nail art look I have created. This floral nail art was inspired by a pic I saw on Alexa Chung's Instagram last week. On her nails Alexa wore cute white daisy flowers on a dark blue base, her floral nail art I believe was created using dotting tools because the petals were more uniform and round. I decided to go for a more arty version.

To create this daisy nail art I applied two coats of Zoya Sailor, then I took most of the nailpolish off of the Essie Blanc nailpolish brush and freely painted random floral petals to resemble daisies. To finish I painted the classic yellow daisy centres with BarryM Limited Edition B 330. The colour scheme of this floral nail art is perfect for this time of the year, the dark blue base is keeping it rather chic!

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On-Trend: Butter London Union Jack Black + Stratford Honey!

 Wearing Joubi Kosey [red feline ears] 18-karat gold plated ring.

Available at www.joubi.com

 Butter London Union Jack Black [two coats]

 Butter London Stratford Honey [one coat]

 L to R: Butter London Stratford Honey + Union Jack Black

FYI: Joubi Kosey ring is a great V-Day gift idea!!

Hey Beauty Lovers! I have been obsessed with Butter London nailpolishes lately, as you probably can tell... I quite like the idea of wearing black nailpolish with an overcoat, be it a shimmer, glitter or duo-chrome it gives the black tips that modern edge and takes the classic black to the next level. Butter London Union Jack Black is a cream black nailpolish, it's on a sheer side with one coat, but with two coats it's beautifully opaque, super smooth and application is great. 

Over the top I'm wearing Butter London Stratford Honey, which is a gorgeous gold glitter overcoat. The glitters are small mixed with super fine glitter particles on a clear base, and it's not a glitter over-kill so you can still see the base colour. For a sheer effect wear one overcoat or for more glitters layer a couple more coats. And on a side-note if you also love the Joubi Kosey ring, for more info and pics check out my full review by clicking here!

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V-Day Gift Idea: Joubi Kosey Ring!

Joubi Kosey Ring available for £65 at www.joubi.com

Hey Beauty Lovers! I'm absolutely obsessed with this Joubi Kosey ring, it's 18-karat yellow gold plated sterling silver. The red enamel feline ears are super adorable, and the textured detailing at the back is also pretty cool. I'm wearing the size medium as a knuckle ring just because I like the look, but you can wear it as a regular ring of course, would look very cute on the pinky. I believe this ring also comes in seven other on-trend colours, and the black enamel feline ears come in platinum plated sterling silver, and 18-karat rose gold plated sterling silver. As far as I'm concerned it makes the perfect V-Day gift!

LOVE

Prada SS13 Inspired Floral Nail Art with Essie!

Base: BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry [2 coats]

Nail art: Essie Licorice [black], Lollipop [red], Blanc [white].

L to R: Essie Licorice, Lollipop, Blanc.

Prada SS13

Hey Beauty Lovers! The nailpolish I'm wearing as a base is the BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry, I have featured it in my last blogpost so if you'd like to see more pictures and swatches click here! I decided to take it further and create a floral nail art look inspired by the simplistic and chunky Prada SS13 flowers. 

To create this look I have used a fine artists brush. Starting by drawing a black like with Essie Licorice, it's a super opaque cream black. Then I added the white petals, Prada SS13 flowers either had four or five petals, I went for the five petal design. For the white I used Essie Blanc, it's also very opaque. And finally to finish I added red dots to the centre of the flowers, using Essie Lollipop, which is a cream red, it's not as opaque so I went over it twice. 

LOVE

Chic Make-Up Bag...

When you have fabulous make-up in your collection naturally you will want to keep it in something equally fabulous... I found this neat quilted make-up bag at Claire's, yet again, a shop I'd never think of when the word 'chic' comes to mind... Surprisingly enough I found quite a few neat things there this summer... If you are a contact lenses wearer check out my previous blog post on beauty-travelling tips for the fun patent croc contact lenses case --> Travel with Muji... This make-up bag here is a really good size, I don't like too big make-up bags as they take up too much space, and too small are useless as nothing fits in... What I also quite like about this one is that the zip goes all the way around, which means you can open it like a book and see everything rather than piling things up or needing to dig through the stuff to find the lipstick right at the bottom, of course... And although camera didn't pick up on it well, but it's a black on gold leopard print... Meow!

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Zara Home Sale!

I was so happy when Zara Home opened in Hampstead, funny enough before this one I have never been to a Zara Home store... Now living five minute walk away from Zara Home is just delightful! I try not to go to Zara Home very often as with their clothing shop I can not get enough of their pieces... I tend to get things like cushions, candle holders, picture frames, and drinking glasses - there is a lot of wonderful stuff... They have a great variety of everything that a chic home may ever need... 

I love how they have different sections, according to colour scheme... Oh my, just love it! So a sale does come in handy... This cushion that you can see on the pic I have been eyeing for a while, it's a beautiful blue print on white linen which reminds me on beach house colour scheme... Now that the cushion was reduced hey presto it has a new home! Also their drinking glasses are just so pretty, they are very delicate and I love storing my lipsticks in them, I section them into nudes, darks, and brights... It's another way to make your vanity table look a little more chic!

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