Tuesday 31 July 2012

Review | St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse in Medium

Hey Everyone!

In general, I'm not a big on fake tan. I think that for day to day, the performance of application simply isn't worth the time and tend to embrace my pale complexion. However, once in a while, I enjoy having a fake tanathon night and waking up in the morning all bronzed and glowing. This year, I decided to go all out with fake tan for my holiday as I'm more of a factor 50 all over kinda gal than laying out sunbathing for hours one.

I bought St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse in shade medium for £2.99 a few weeks ago. Having used it before, I have found that for best results you should shake the bottle well before use, put a few pumps onto a fake tan mitt (which gives a more even application than bare hands or plastic gloves) and apply it to skin in circular motions.
two white pump bottles in front of orange tan mitt
For me, 5 pumps per leg and 2-3 per arm will leave a lovely colour that's far enough from my own skin tone to look bronzed but not fake. What I love about this fake tan is that it has green pigmentation which I think combats the orange so there's no oompa loompa side effects. 

Because it is instant, you can see the distribution and colour as soon as you apply- which makes life easier for those who tend to miss patches.  

The tan is wash off- which is ideal if your just looking for a bit of colour for a night out, as long as its not going to rain! If you apply it every night/ every few nights though, the colour builds up and leaves more long lasting results. I put it on every night or so for a week and I would say it took me another week for the colour to fully wear off (including exfoliation and daily showers).

My only complaints about this tan are the tell-tale fake tan biscuity smell which intensifies overnight as you heat. The colour does also tend to cling to dry areas (especially knees) which I tried in vain to combat with exfoliation. 

In addition, as I mentioned, the colour basically runs off if it comes into contact with water- I had a bit of a mishap with a unruly tap which resulted in green drips running down my leg and a small white patch. Finally, if your using this, be careful not to fall over (yep, only me!). I had yet another mishap involving very high heels and uneven grass- I kind of collapsed to the grass and got back up and the tan has mysteriously disappeared. But as long as you can stomach the smell and are stable on your feet you shouldn't have a problem.
girl with brown hair in ponytail wearing burnt orange cardigan, white vest, camel shorts
Me wearing St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse-apologies for the horrendous mess in the background :( 

St.Moriz is definitely my favourite fake tan- it is extremely affordable and gives great colour pay off.

Have you tried it before?
green and pink floral text with brown outline reading 'Julz'

Monday 30 July 2012

Shopping My Stash | Decor & Miscellaneous

Hey Everyone (and a special hello to my 11 new followers woop!)

Typically, thoughts of summer bring to mind relaxation, sun and doing nothing. My summer consists of productivity, organisation and clear outs. Although its nice now and again, to me a lazy day is a wasted day, so when I've not been out with friends or the gym so far this summer, I have been tidying through and discovering long lost possessions- otherwise known as shopping my stash. 
two blue boxes with red floral pattern, two pink and cream boxes with cupcake pattern, silver and pink rose trinket box, hot pink and lime green trinket box with frog on top, pink candle and small pink alarm clock
Whilst sorting through all my old stuff and clearing out, I found a number of cute things I thought would be perfect decor additions to my room. The storage boxes are so pretty, though I'm not entirely sure about them yet as they're not really in keeping with the colours of my room (pink and green). However, the rose print trinket box, candle and alarm clock definitely are! The little rose box was a little present from my mums friend when I was a flower girl at her wedding, the candle was a purchase from Ikea a while back (it smells amazing by the way) and the clock was a present from my cousin in New Zealand. And of course the cute little frog trinket box (I think every girl in the country bought one like this from Claire's when they were younger) matches my room perfectly. So after finding all this, I am in desperate need of a few display shelves- any recommendations of where I can get sturdy ones? I'm thinking B&Q or Ikea. 

I also found a couple of random bits and bobs that I thought I would include.
little brown bag plastic keyring, silver keyring with pink bag, lipstick and fluffy black shoe charm and silver key ring with blue and pink beach charm
small pink book spine on large purple book spine
So there's some cute keyrings that will soon be making an appearance on my key and some books that I want to read. I've read the Lauren Conrad one before and really enjoyed it and I actually got the other one ages ago and never read it. I was determined to read lots this summer and I haven't skimmed one single page so I just need to get reading! I just find reading blogs or watching YouTube so much more tempting.

Have you shopped your stash lately?

Sunday 29 July 2012

New Purchase | Dolly Bow Bow Darcie Vintage Floral Print Dress

Hey Everyone!

As some of you may know, I am a massive fan of anything floral. Add a touch of vintage to the mix and I'm pretty much sold. So, a couple of months ago whilst having a little browse on the web, I stumbled across the amazing online boutique Dolly Bow Bow. I literally could have ordered every single dress but I managed to narrow it down to this cute floral number for £26. A few days later, this pretty parcel arrived.
pink envelope package
pink envelope and pink parcel on rug
pink tissue paper with white oval sticker with birds and roses reading 'Dolly Bow Bow'
I think this is the cutest parcel packaging I've ever received. I was literally so excited when it arrived- taking care not to rip the paper even slightly. 
girl with brown ponytail wears cream floral dress with thin white belt against Barcelona skyline
The dress itself is beautiful- a really lovely weightless fabric and a nice quality. It is the ultimate girly dress- soft colours and a flattering shape. I also like the cute white belt which accentuates the smallest part of the frame- the waist. I also really like the zip at the back- its a really prominent gold one which I actually prefer to concealed ones. 

This has already become one of my favourite dresses and I am so excited to get lots of use out of it. 

Have you ever bought anything from Dolly Bow Bow?
green, pink and white floral text with fine brown outline reading 'Julz'



Saturday 28 July 2012

Skincare | New Products & Routine

Hey Everyone!

Like most people my age, my skincare routine isn't up to scratch. Heck- I barely even have a routine! On a daily basis, I will remove my make up with baby wipes and use a face wash in the shower then moisturiser after. Then once a week or so I use Soap & Glory No Clogs Allowed. 

Since being immersed in the beauty blogging world, I have learned that baby wipes just don't cut it and they don't remove your make up properly. So, I have decided to try and implement a consistent skincare routine to try and improve the condition of my skin.
6 bottles - two white, two clear, one sheer green
I've always been a big fan of simple- I think its great for sensitive skin like mine and for those who are just looking for straight forward and basic products. Therefore, when it came to choosing what I thought would work best for me, I went for this! I have bought:
Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser
Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser
Kind To Skin Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser
Kind To Skin Eye Make-Up Remover
And I already had Clinque Liquid Facial Soap.

The plan is to remove eye make up with the Kind To Skin Eye Make-Up Remove, then cleanse and tone with Kind To Skin Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser. Then in the shower use Clinque Liquid Facial Soap before applying a mixture of Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser and Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser. 

To me, that is actually quite a performance and I expect I will struggle trying to stick to it religiously. However, I believe doing it consistently will really improve my skin so I need to just make the effort every night to fit this in. I will let you know how I get on as begin using them.

What does your skincare routine consist of?
green, pink and white floral text with fine brown outline reading 'Julz'


Friday 27 July 2012

OOTD | Barcelona Outfits No. 6

Hey Everyone!

How are you all? I am glad to reach the end of my holiday outfit posts- perhaps next year I'll just add them all into a collaborative video or something? Anyway, to finish, I have an evening outfit.
girl with brown hair stands in front of fountain wearing royal blue skater dress
Woot check out my exotic looking background- I'm really going up in the world :)

In this picture I'm actually in the very centre of the city- just off La Rambla at these beautiful fountains. The royal blue dress is from H&M and I think it was £12.99 or £14.99. I paired it with these really simple Primark sandles and red lipstick. I like how this dress is perfect for a party or special occasion yet is also ideal for just walking around shopping or going out for dinner. It kept me really cool and thankfully there were no Marilyn Monroe moments while I was beside the sea. So all good on the flashing front :)

Thursday 26 July 2012

OOTD | Barcelona Outfit No.5

Hey Everyone!

I have another daytime holiday outfit for you today- and its going to be the second last one! Woot I'll be glad to draw the holiday posts to an end and focus on reviews and stuff. But you might have actually noticed that lately I've really been liking writing wishlist posts and making videos. The only thing I have to do is make them more consistent!
girl with brown hair standing on bridge surrounded by greenery and road wears navy dress and burnt orange cardigan
Aha I'm not sure why I've just got my top button done- must of been sporting the granny look :)

I got this navy dress from Primark for only £6 and the cardigan for £5. Don't ask about the hat. I hate hats. Anyway, I thought this was a great daytime look just for walking around and shopping. I am also quite surprised at how these colours actually go well together. As you can see I'm also pulling off the bobble-as-a-bracelet look; I'm so well put together ;)

Ah looking at this scenery makes me want to go back so much! I was thinking that even though this was only a couple of weeks ago it seems like an age! Its so weird to think that I was there in the sun with the palm trees behind me and now I'm back home with rain, rain, and more rain.

Do you like this as a daytime look?



Instagram | The Last Few Weeks In Pictures 2

Hey Everyone!

Well, I think I have finally found a posting series I can do every week without running out of ideas or getting bored- yep I'm looking at you Saturday Shopping and Tuesday Tip! At the moment I am loving instagram- I know it sounds cheesy but it helps you appreciate the small things in life and is a kind of diary of sorts. I'm one of those people who looks back and thinks hm I didn't do a lot this week but by looking at instagram I think oh I actually did heaps! So these are some pictures from the past week.
From left to right and down:
my French falsies done all by myself- review coming soon | seems like all I have been doing is going to classes and the gym! | bit of quality street indulgence | shabby chic frame from Ikea with a cupcake card as the photo | new pens for school woot | yummy tea | having a big clearout/ reorganisation | hey there | mid years resolution- wear more jewellery | argh found my school notes- so releasing to chuck these in the recycling | birthday present from a friend who obviously listens to my peter pan collar rambles- woo how pretty?! | well deserved Chinese take-away after a week at the gym | new bag- present from Turkey | mini haul- video coming soon | birthday present from another friend who knows how obsessed I am with Soap & Glory yay! | wardrobe clearout and organisation

How has your week been? Do you use instagram?


Tuesday 24 July 2012

OOTD | Barcelona Outfit No.4

Hey Everyone!

It really does look like these outfits are spanning the whole summer- argh! Perhaps I'll just write them all really quick and post 2 a day?
girl with hair in bun wears brown aviator sunglasses, brown cream and orange paisley print top, burnt orange cardigan, bright orange loose shorts with brown woven belt
This is another outfit I wore to the beach. This is my number one summer outfit- very fresh and light. The oranges and warm browns are also very appropriate in the sun. The top and shorts (I know, they look like a skirt) are from H&M last year and the cardigan, sunglasses and belt are from Primark (still available). Although it was hot, I sometimes wore a cardigan to the beach for extra sun protection. I also often scraped my hair back into this kind of bun to keep it off my face and neck and to keep me cool (tutorial here). I really like this outfit as it matches so well but its a shame that it only really makes an appearance once a year- on holiday.

Do you like it?



Sunday 22 July 2012

OOTD | Barcelona Outfit No. 3

Hey Everyone!

This is my new playsuit from Primark and is what I wore on an evening out for dinner as it is quite dressy. 
girl with brown hair wears cream sleeveless blouse and pink shorts
I absolutely love it and it was only around £15. It has beautiful gold collar tips, lovely shimmery white and gold buttons, a blouse-like top and contrasting shorts. I want to get as much wear out of this as possible because I'm not sure how well it will translate to winter, though I guess it could make a return in summers to come. The only thing I don't like about it was that if you button it right up to the collar you can't sit down (I tried and it hurt) which is why I left a few buttons. Nevertheless, I would definetely recommend getting this its so cute and would be lovely for special occasions/ nights out. The flip flops were £1.90 from Primark and were good for the price as they went with pretty much everything and were comfortable. However, I binned them before I left because I tripped over my foot one day and the toe got all scuffed. But I got enough use out of them for the price.

I'm planning on doing my holiday OOTDs in a kind of beach/daytime/night time order so that it doesn't get too repetitive. Its weird, I normally do outfit posts like once a month and recently there's a new one every few days! That's what happens when I go on holiday- I'm beginning to think these posts will span the entire summer!


Saturday 21 July 2012

OOTD | Barcelona Outfit No. 2

Hey Everyone!

Next up in my little holiday OOTD series is a casual, daytime outfit. I wore this the first day we 'explored' the city centre. I loved how in Barcelona places were pretty close to each other. For example, at the bottom of La Rambla (main street), there were docks and the beach. There was also a big monument of Christopher Columbus pointing out into the sea, which I was quite impressed by, its supposed to be like he's saying 'Yo guys America's that way'. I'm impressed easily :) Onto the outfit:
girl with hair in bun stands at marina wearing burgundy and cream top with peter pan collar and camel shorts
My top is another H&M number, it is cream with burgundy rabbit print and a bold peter pan collar. This is one of those tops I bought simply for the collar and the fact I went a bit crazy for burgundy last winter but I'm kind over that now (but still have a close bond with peter pans). I bought the shorts from Hollister in the January sale for under £10. These were actually quite odd ball items in my wardrobe- in that I hadn't really found something to wear them with. However, when I was packing, they were sitting together and I was just like wow- those really match! Don't you just love those moments? 


Thursday 19 July 2012

Instagram | The Last Few Weeks In Pictures

Hey Everyone!

Bit of a different post today: I thought I'd share some of my instagrams from the last few weeks as I've been pretty busy (hence the neglect of my blog). 
From left to right and down:
rock my dad got me from Blackpool | all of my holiday stuff ready to be packed | my suitcase almost packed | a birthday gift (sweet sixteen!) | some of my presents that were wrapped in cute Cath Kidston paper | me on the roof of our hotel | probably the most famous street in Barcelona- its amazing! | posing on the beach haha | Fanta Lemon- TRY THIS | the gorgeous see at the docks | my first frozen yoghurt experience- topped with chocolate brownie sauce | at new camp stadium | shopping yay | guardian angel | there was a Sephora arghh!

So yep, its been quite eventful. I like picture posts I think they're an easy way to find out what I've been up to. Do you like these kind of posts? I could instagram more often and make it a weekly post?



Wednesday 18 July 2012

OOTD | Barcelona Outfit No. 1

Hey Everyone!

As I mentioned in my little update post, I will be posting a selection of outfits from my recent holiday in Barcelona. I never managed to get a picture of every single one, but I have a few that I'm excited to show you all.

First up is a beach outfit, and everything except from the sunglasses (which were a gift) is from H&M. 
girl with brown hair in bun stands at beach wearing denim shorts and white top with black heart and white sunglasses
Ah how amazing does this beach look? I went quite a few times as it was just down the street and it was brilliant- so warm and relaxing! I like this outfit for its practicality- it was really comfortable and easy to wear over my bikini. 

What do you think? Would you like to see more OOTD posts?


Friday 13 July 2012

Update | I'm Back! & New YouTube Video

Hey Everyone!

Firstly, thank you for putting up with the scheduled posts lately, as some of you may know, I have been on holiday (yay!). I went to Barcelona, but no doubt you will know all about that soon as I will be posting all about it over the next few days. I have many OOTD's, a huge video haul and the holiday in instagrams- ooh exciting isn't it? That leads me nicely onto my second YouTube video which has now been uploaded: Barcelona Haul Part 1. Yes, I bought so much that I had to split it up into two videos, but oh well, if you can't push the boat out on holiday when can you? Though I managed to get so many bargains- it was amazing as there were sales everywhere! 
girl with brown hair and red lipstick smiles and holds up plastic bags
Cheesy picture- I know ;)
And especially for you- a behind the scenes look at the mess I had created by the end of the video:
mess of plastic bags on floor with mint blouse with cream lace collar on top
Also, a little update on my life at the moment:
As you will probably know, the summer holidays are in full swing (hip, hip, hooray!) and right now I could not be happier. I am very much enjoying having no stressful school work and filling my days with things I really love doing. I have also been getting myself super organised; tonight I wrote out all the lists I mentioned in the video and I am super excited for my upcoming videos and posts. I am aiming to blog more regularly over the summer (maybe even everyday, though that might be a tad ambitious?) and I've got a whole heap of posts planned (I feel like I've said that like a million times, sorry if this is getting a bit repetitive its the early hours of the morning and I tend to get a bit rambly when I am tired.) 

I have also joined my local fitness club, so over the next month I will be doing a lot of classes and spending time at the gym. At the moment, I am so unfit, so I am kind of predicting my first session (today) to be like something out of MTV where the people are like on the floor vomiting and stuff (eurghh!). 

As well as that, I'm just doing my usual- reading blogs, watching way too much YouTube, catching up on TV and doing other bits and bobs. I am interested in doing some DIY projects over the summer, and I have already made (a rather awful) attempt at a nail polish display unit. A word of advice: make sure your 'shelves' are sturdy enough to actually hold the nail polishes before you put them on. Paper is not a good idea. Toes = almost broken. Me = screaming in pain.

So I think I better go to bed before this post hits novel status, well done to anyone who has actually sat and read through the whole thing. Sometimes, I think my blog is more of a place to just fire out all my thoughts and kind of gather my ideas together and sort them out so they're not just floating around in my head in disarray, rather than some hot shot professional review machine. But in many ways I think its better like this, more personal. And also you lovely readers get to glimpse inside the jumble and ramble and confusion and bustle of my brain. 

Oh man I am really going on now, I need to just stop. Good night (well actually I will post this tomorrow as 02.15 is hardly a socially acceptable posting hour). So much for getting the most out of my days by going to bed every night before 12 and getting up every morning before 10. That plan = fail. Already. Though I did get up at 9ish this morning, which was a major achievement considering I went to bed at 2ish last night. I was a complete zombie though. Starting tomorrow I will get myself into a normal person's sleeping routine. Oh my, am I still writing? Will this ever end? Will it? Yep! Night :)


Thursday 5 July 2012

FOTD | Brown Smokey Eye and Bright Red Lip

Today's face is an up scaled version of my everyday make up; something more suited to night or a special event. Although I usually stick to the prominent eyes or prominent lips rule, its always good to mix things up and experiment and I actually am pleasantly surprised with how the smokey eyes and bright lip work in harmony with each other.
girl with brown hair smiles at camera wearing red lipstick
brown smokey eye and bright red lipstick on girl with eyes closed and brown hair
Hehe I always think closed-eye pictures look really funny as if I've taken this while sleeping- but I assure you I was in fact just showing my smokey eye!

What I'm wearing:
Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation in Shade 52
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light
Avon Translucent Powder
Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in Rose D'Or
MUA Eye Shadow Trio in Pink Sorbet (used as highlighter)
Max Factor Bronzing Powder in Shade 01 Golden
Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes Shade 01
MUA Heaven & Earth Eye Shadow Palette
L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara
No7 Amazing Eyes Liquid Liner
Vaseline Lip Balm Original
MUA Lipstick in Shade 13

Pheww that was a lot of make up! Do you like this FOTD? Have you tried any of these products?