The Summer Classics

The Summer Classics

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Throughout the Summer, I find it almost impossible to avoid the classics - pinks and florals. These two factors are my fashion essentials in times where I 'don't have anything to wear' or 'anything Summer appropriate'.  Summer is also a season known for the lighter, vibrant colours to pop out! Pale pinks can look incredibly sophisticated under the sun's glow, making the colour perfect for evening wear alongside the entirety of the day. 

To add something extra to my block colour outfits, I love wearing light, detailed kimonos to 'spice up' my attire. For today's Summer look, I've opted for this rose-patterned kimono - the weightless, flowing material and cuffed hands worn over a strapped white crop feels comfortable under the Summer heat (looks like we finally have some this year in England!!). The mid-length pastel skirt can be easily flaunted at Summer events, evenings out or simply at a family barbecue; the thick mesh strip at the bottom was my favourite touch to the skirt, initially temping me into buy it!

Floral crowns are another of Summer's many hypes - especially for all the festival lovers. I believe choosing the right flower type/colour for your hair is vital when attempting to accentuate an outfit. For me, I always accessorize with white as it contrasts and complements my dark brunette locks. You can find these beautiful bad boys in shop and online - they are everywhere at the minute. Primark do lots of great deals on headpieces (usually ranging from £1-£3!).

The sun really brings out my skin's natural radiance; therefore, I turn to my BB creams during Summer. Fortunately, this is handy as less coverage makeup feels lighter on the skin. However, you know me, I don't love anything more than full coverage so it is very rare that I'm comfortable in my skin. To complement the 'pink overload', I popped some Bourjois Jasper Rose on my cheeks to add a rosy sparkle with the NYX Matte Lipstick in Aubrey to incorporate some vibrancy into my look.

Finally, I decided to add a gold chained, pink floral necklace to my look - as if this outfit wasn't girly enough? Statement necklaces are a winner in Summer - they make such a beautiful addition if you are wearing low cut tops and block colours.

Top - H&M (similar here)

Kimono - Select

Skirt - Matalan (alternative here)

Headpiece - Primark (huge range of crowns here)

Necklace - Next

What are your Summer Fashion Essentials?! Let me know in the comments below...

Lots of love

Brand Focus: Essence

Brand Focus: Essence

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Today's brand focus is a brand that has rose dramatically in popularity over the past few years. Prior to receiving my Essence goodie bag, I had only ventured as far as their liquid glitter eye products and lipsticks so I was extremely excited to see what else they had to offer. Already, I was expecting good things, as I was rather impressed at the quality of their lipsticks, despite the inexpensive pricing.

Essence are a cosmetic company that are sold exclusively in Wilkinson's in the UK; however, when I went to Ireland a couple of years ago, they were selling Essence in a shop called Pennies (I believe it's the equivalent of Primark in England). 

EYES 

'Plump NO CLUMP' Mascara ~ Drugstore mascara is my go-to! I've never found a highend mascara that is any better than one I love from the drugstore; so quite simply, I just stick to the cheaper option. This worked very well on my lashes, giving added volume and lengthening too. 

Long Lasting Black Eyeliner ~ Eyeliner is something I always struggle to apply - I cannot perfect the 'winged' liner no matter how many times I try. However, I'm also a lover of eyeliner in my waterline and below to my bottom lashes to intensify an eye look. Thus, a long-lasting black eye pencil is what I need. I've wore this out once so far and was rather impressed by the results. The liner didn't budge for a good 5 hours, alongside maintaining the same pigmentation from when I first applied.

LIPS

XXXL Nude Lipgloss in 'Soft Almond' ~ I always turn to matte lips in the Winter, despite my lips deteriorating in the cooler months. This has literally ruined my lips and I completely regret not opting for lighter options, like lipgloss. I really love subtle lipglosses to add a shine to the look - a layer of this would look incredible on top of a nude lip! Perfect for the summer!

'Soft Berry' Lipliner ~ This may actually be the favourite product I received from Essence. I am a huge fan of nude lips, like most of the female population at the minute, so was thrilled to be gifted with the PERFECT nude liner to accompany my MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick. Soft Berry is a muted mauve-pink that doesn't budge from the lips all evening. I like to apply the product on my lip line and in the corner of my mouth to create a soft, ombre gradient.

NAILS

'The Gel Nail Polish' Base Coat 

'The Gel Nail Polish' in 'My Love Diary'

'The Gel Nail Polish' Top Coat

Nail Polish is something that always seems a chore to me. However, whenever I buy new polishes, I cannot help but quickly apply them. My go-to colour to wear on a daily basis is nude - it's just perfect for sixth form and every day wear because of the versatility of the colour. This makes matching your nails to your outfits a solvable issue. Anyway, these gel polishes were something I was excited to get my hands on. I love gel polish and have had my nails painted with 'shellac' many a time - I couldn't wait to try it on myself. Unfortunately, I didn't capture a photo with them on but the product lasted on my nails for 6 straight days. Usually, drugstore nail polishes chip within a day or two so this was a huge difference from me. Get your hands on these while you can girlies!

Have you purchased anything from Essence before? What are your favourite summer nails polishes?

Lots of love

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These products were received in collaboration with Essence Cosmetics. All opinions are honest and my own.

Warm Neutral Eyes with Born Pretty

Warm Neutral Eyes with Born Pretty

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Like most people in the beauty world, I am an obsessive freak when it comes to palettes - I just can't get enough of them! Without question, I will continue to hoard them for the rest of my life, despite owning ever shade of browns and coppers under the sun. 

Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to the most affordable, yet incredible, neutral toned eye shadow palette from 'Born Pretty'. Born Pretty is an online company that sells pretty much anything under the sun, you name it... Watches, Garden Decor, Clothing, Tablets! However, I am, like every beauty fanatic, instantly drawn to the makeup section and couldn't believe the prices. This palette retails for the equivalent of £5 in the UK - how insane is that?!

Encased in a sleek compact, this 15 matte shade colour palette is the perfect product for any of you makeup beginners. Matte shades are perfect for those just starting with eyeshadow; they are usually easier to blend/work with and give a gentle subtlety to a look. Also, warm tones work so well and a popular favourite all over the beauty world - I don't know a single person who doesn't love a taupes and brown hues on the lid or in the crease. 

On swatching the eyeshadows, I couldn't quite believe the intensity of the pigmentation in each and every shade. With a single swipe, my finger was covered in rich colour - something you can't find with most drugstore/affordable shadow palettes. If any of you would like to see these shades swatched, then don't forget to comment below and I will be sure to upload some swatches onto my social medias (twitter, instagram & facebook >>>).

If you would love to purchase one of these fabby palettes or some other cheap makeup that's up for grabs, you can use this coupon code (giving you 10% off your overall order) MTH10.

Lots of love

Lacoste Black Sneakers | Cloggs

Lacoste Black Sneakers | Cloggs

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Fortunately, this month I've been able to team up with Cloggs on a collaboration to showcase their wonderful collection of shoes - especially these gorgeous Lacoste Sneakers. 

CLOGGS - home of footwear - offer an incredible range of shoes, both for men and women, including boots, slippers, trainers, wellies, sandals and more. It gets better, not only do they sell a wide collection of comfortable footwear, they also market branded shoes; eg. UGG Australia, Converse, Hunters Wellies and obviously Lacoste. 

I was luckily gifted this beautiful pair of everyday black/white Lacoste sneakers to review and share my honest opinion on. These trainers are super comfortable, similar to Converse, but with an added luxurious touch - the interior is soooo soft. I love how simplistic the overall look of the shoes are; a monochrome pair of sneakers to match almost any outfit. 

Personally, I think they shoes would look perfect in some ripped jeans, a slogan tee and a leather jacket - chic but casual. The exterior of the shoes are extremely durable - there is an added strength compared to average trainers which informs me that these will last for a lengthy period. I cannot wait to start pairing these beauties with some outfits for a future post. 

If you're looking for some fancy new shoes, I would totally recommend checking out CLOGGS - they offer quality shoes with ridiculous reductions, whilst holding constant sales/discounts. Don't miss out an bargain!

Lots of love

*This post was a collaboration and the product was a gift. However, all opinions are my own and will always be honest.

The Best Drugstore Full Coverage Foundation

The Best Drugstore Full Coverage Foundation

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If you know me, you'll know my undeniable love for a full coverage face - especially in the Winter! I just love having a 'perfect' complexion; although my skin rarely has spots, it is very discoloured and my overly red cheeks aren't at all appealing if I do say so myself. To solve this issue, I am constantly purchasing foundations that I hear are great to form an airbrushed, smooth base and this time I found one from the drugstore - a definite rarity!!!

In my time of trying out drugstore bases, I have never turned to Revlon. I have absolutely no idea why I didn't, as I luuurve Revlon eye and lip products! Anyway, I've seen numerous people rave about this foundation over the past few months so I thought I'd give it a go...

The Revlon Colorstay foundations are available in an array of colours and formulations, suitable for every skin type. I opted for combination/dry because I mainly suffer with dry patches in the Winter, however my T-zone remains oily all year round...great! This formulation works effectively on my skin, giving my complexion a warm, winter glow. When it comes to application, I either use a damp beauty blender or the dense-bristled base brush to blend into the skin. Due to the formulation being extremely smooth, it makes blending a dream.

A full coverage is achieved with two thin, even layers - this hides any blemishes and corrects any discoloration. On an average day, this base lasts for 10 hours before slipping off the face (without powder) and roughly 12-14 with powder keeping it in place; therefore does not match the claim, for me, on lasting 24 hours. But who even wears foundation for 24 hours, eh?! The only other flaw I've faced with the Revlon Colorstay is that there isn't a pump so you have to pour the product out. This can be very impractical and get quite messy in my makeup bag.

Overall, I totally recommend this foundation to anyone who is lover, like me, of full coverage bases or those who like skin-specific foundations. Revlon are the one to visit!

What foundation are you wearing this Winter?

Lots of love

Charlotte x

Summer Blushin' // Collab w. Glitter Melody

Summer Blushin' // Collab w. Glitter Melody

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Today's post is yet another collab with the wonderful Hannah from Glitter Melody. Together, we have created a very summer-y based collab in which I share with you my favourite blushes this season and where Hannah informs you of her summer lip picks. Make sure to check out her post or head over to her social media accounts below:

Twitter

Bloglovin

Instagram

Facebook

Blushes have been my evergrowing addiction this summer; not only do I love my luxurious highend blushes, but I really adore my beautiful drugstore numbers. Today, I thought I'd focus on these bargainous beauties as they're all very afforable - all £10 and under! During the warmer months, I love wearing coral/peach toned colours on my cheeks to compliment the lighter makeup I tend to wear.

1. Sleek Blush by 3 Palette ~ Lace (RRP £10.00)

    My favourite drugstore blushes definitely have to be by Sleek. With complimentary sleek packaging, a fantastic range of seasonal appropriate shades and flattering trios, Sleek definitely get my vote for best blushes of all time. Lace is the one to go for if you're looking for a summer blush palette - the colours are perfect for this season as each are vibrant and hold warm undertones. 

2. Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher ~ Jasper Rose (RRP £7.99)

For those who are a fan of the rose-gold craze, I would definitely take a look at this one. Jasper rose is a pretty rose gold pink that looks gorgeous on the apples of your cheeks. The tiny golden flecks catch the sunlight really easily and enhance your complexion, making your look super healthy. If I'm spending the day in the sun and have little eye makeup on, I will always pop a dab of Jasper Rose on each cheek.

3. Rimmel Stay Blushed! ~ SunKissed Cherry (RRP £4.49)

A liquid formulated blusher is something I hadn't experimented with until the 2015. I'm a huge lover of powder blushes so never expected to love another formula, let alone this one. However, Rimmel's Stay Blushed blends like a dream when applied with a stippling brush. This one is on the orange/coral side of the spectrum - a glittery eye and nude lip makes an amazing combo with Sunkissed Cherry. 

4. E.L.F Baked Blush ~ Peachy Cheeky (RRP £3.75) 

Probably my most worn and most loved summer blush for the longest time - Peachy Cheeky by E.L.F. Baked blushes are one to go for if you want to get a lot for your money. They appear to last forever - I've owned this E.L.F Number for many summers now and it looks almost untouched. The various colours running through the peach basis makes it ever the more pretty in sunlight, just like the bourjois baked blush. 

5. MUA Blusher ~ BonBon (RRP £1.00)

Those who don't like spending a lot on makeup, head on over to the MUA counter in your local superdrug. They offer fab little makeup pieces for reasonable prices. Even though their standard/quality isn't as wonderful as other drugstore brands, they do a few things worth trying out. For instance, their blushes and lipsticks are products that particularly stand out for me. I loved the look of bonbon for summer, a muted pink for days you want your makeup to look slightly more lowkey and natural. The colour payoff is super pretty, just make sure to spend a while blending it in as the powdery formula can cause issues from time to time.

I hope you are all having a fabulous summer! What have you been up to? What are your favourite blushes to wear in the summer?

Don't forget to check out Hannah's favourite lipsticks :-)

Lots of love