Summer Essentials - Guest Blogging for the Fashion Supernova

With the Summer season fast approaching, getting your makeup bag in check can be an vexatious task, especially if you have no idea what products you really need. This reason, is why I decided to compile my summer essentials to give you an idea on which products are actually necessary, and which should be put away for the next few months...

To read the rest of the post I wrote for The Fashion Supernova go to - http://thefashionsupernova.com/2014/06/11/7-summer-beauty-essentials/

Thanks to Lorna over at The Fashion Supernova for giving me the opportunity to do some guest blogging for the site!

Let me know what you guys think and what your summer essentials are!

Frankie x

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M&S Boyfriend Jeans

For almost a year now, the boyfriend jean has been a popular staple piece in the wardrobes of women of all ages, but as I have found, finding the perfect pair for your body type can be a laborious task - unless of course you have the body of a Victoria's Secret Model, which I don't.

After going into countless shops and numerous boutiques, and trying on every pair of boyfriend jeans in every colour of denim under the sun, I'd pretty much accepted that I wouldn't be the owner of a pair of boyfriend jeans, until I noticed a girl in town with the exact pair I was looking for. Me being me, I went over to the girl to ask her and was slightly taken aback when she said she'd bought them at Marks and Spencer's and not at the usual Urban Outfitters or Topshop, like every other teenage girl on the planet. 

Long story short, I bought the M&S jeans and I am so, so happy with them! For me, they are exactly what I wanted. Though they are boyfriend jeans, they fit slimly enough to not make my lower body appear bigger than it is and they are a really flattering length.

Because of the high rise fit of the jeans, I've been styling mine with slightly shorter, fitted tops, to contrast the baggy nature of the jeans. To keep the whole look feminine, I've been pairing simple elegant necklaces with my outfits, just to add a prettier element to the more masculine bottom half. 

For a  relaxed feel I've chosen my white converse to finish off my outfit, but to create a dressier outfit I would add a pair of strappy heels for the perfect summer look. 

Jeans - http://m.marksandspencer.com/mt/www.marksandspencer.com/ripped-slim-leg-boyfriend-jeans/p/p22273434

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London Haul

Since I haven't been too consistent with my recent blogs as a result of many things, I thought I'd ease myself back in by sharing with you what I purchased during my weekend in London. 

The first thing I bought over the weekend were these sunglasses from Diesel. I've wanted to buy myself a gorgeous pair for a while and since I had some left over birthday money, I decided to splurge on a more high end pair. These haven't left my face all weekend and I'm near on obsessed with them! The sunglasses are available in black but I decided to go with the brown as they are a lot less harsh on the face.

The next thing I purchased was this beautiful candle from Anthropologie. I was instantly drawn to the gorgeous glass details and the scent definitely did not disappoint. The scent is Mokara Orchid, White Lily Spring Moss and I thought it's elegant, fresh aroma would be perfect for the spring time.

Sunday morning took my mum and I to Regent Street and whilst browsing in Juicy Couture I picked up this really gorgeous sports bra. I was a little sceptical about it since I didn't see the need to spend money on something you simply sweat in, but I was really really happy with the fit, which is something I find quite difficult when I'm looking for bras. The bra itself is halter neck and zips in the front, so it is extremely comfortable. I'm not sure what it is but something about brightly coloured gym wear is extremely motivating and a little extra incentive to exercise never goes amiss! 

The last two things I purchased over the weekend were lip products from Charlotte Tilbury. Red lip products are something I ALWAYS gravitate to - lip glosses, however, are not. I've never been one for a glossy lip, mostly because in not a fan of the sticky consistency but my Mum has raved about Charlotte Tilbury, so I thought I'd try one on at the concession. I adore the way this lip gloss goes on, it's extremely smooth and for someone who hates lip gloss, I am in love with this one! The colour of gloss is extremely pigmented and I was really happy with the way it looked with my skin tone. 

The lip liner caught my eye for a similar reason, it's smooth consistency was extremely obvious from just looking at it and after trying it, I was definitely not disappointed! 

I'm sure some of these products, if not all, will be making an appearance in my favourites this month! Let me know what you got up to over the weekend and if there's anything I should try out. 

Frankie x 

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Fashion Week Beauty Trend - "No Makeup" Makeup - Achieving Glowing Skin

All over the various fashion weeks that have been taking place over the last few weeks, I have noticed the sudden surge in the "no makeup" makeup trend. Natural, glowing skin and minimalistic makeup was featured all over fashion week and since I love a more natural look, I was very excited to see that "no makeup" was well and truly in this spring. Unfortunately, most people are not blessed with perfectly clear, glowing skin, but using just a few products and simple tricks, youthful, fresh skin is achievable for just about anyone. 

Ports, Milan Fashion Week

With a minimal amount of light contouring and highlight, the Ports show featured seemingly bare faced models whilst maintaining a striking face by making the facial bone structure the focus of this look.

Balmain, Paris Fashion Week

At Balmain, raw, natural beauty was key. Using only moisturiser and small amounts of concealer, where needed, the Balmain models sported a virtually bare face, allowing their natural beauty to be showcased - an ethos I was very happy to see.

Marni, Milan Fashion Week

The makeup featured at the Marni show epitomized the words 'pretty' and 'innocent'. Fresh skin was key here, with rosy cheeks taking centre stage. The very lightly contoured cheekbones kept the face looking slender, and prevented the round face that pink cheeks can often create. The coral toned cheeks, and matching lip colours, softened the face and kept the look pretty and feminine. Combined with a subtle highlight, the model's face looked beautifully natural and glowing.

This look could not be easier to emulate, with a dewy base and light contouring, the 'no makeup' makeup takes no skill to recreate. To start, a well moisturised face is essential. I like to apply moisturiser twice a day and a serum every night. Since I have naturally dry skin, a serum is something I find extremely helpful as it penetrates deeper into the skin than an ordinary moisturiser. Recently, I've been using a moisturiser from Nuxe and a serum from Ahava.

Like pretty much all makeup, you want it to last for as long as possible, so after my moisturiser I've been using this Vitamin Enriched Face Base from Bobbi Brown. I love how easily this product goes on and it really easily creates a really smooth base and makes it so much easier to get the natural 'no makeup' finish that we're trying to recreate.

For a base, I'm once again using my Two Faced Beauty Balm that I've mentioned many times in previous blog posts. I think a BB cream or tinted moisturiser is definitely the best way to get the natural, dewy finish that was all over the runways at fashion week. Different BB creams have different finishes, do you definitely want to pick out one that has a dewy finish as opposed to a more matte one. Getting the correct colour is also essential for this look as there is nothing natural about an orange face.

Equally, an oily face is not the look we're going for so be sure to set your nose, chin and forehead with a powder. I like to avoid my cheeks as I don't get particularly oily throughout the day and I find that it is easier to create a natural glow by leaving out my cheekbones. However, if you have oilier skin, do apply powder where necessary and just add in extra highlight when we get to it. The powder I'm using is the Studio Fix Powder Foundation from MAC.

The next step is bronzer. In the pictures above, the models didn't have overly contoured faces but their bone structure was still emphasized. I'm using this bronzer duo from Clarins for the pretty pink undertones, in both colours. Starting with the lighter of the two colours, I like to apply bronzer to my cheekbones and blend it into the apples of my cheeks to start to build up the rosy glow that the models were wearing. Now taking the darker of the two colours, I tend to go ahead and contour my cheekbones, temples and very lightly my jawline, making sure to blend it down to my neck to keep it looking natural.

The last product I'll be applying on my cheeks is this shimmer brick from Bobbi Brown in the colour 'Pink Quartz'. It has lovely pink tones, like the bronzer, as well as darker browns to make it look very natural when used as a highlight. I like to apply this along my cheekbones and blend it into the apples of cheeks. This step should really emphasize the cheekbones without being too shimmery. 

To add an extra bit of brightness to my face, I've been applying a light champagne shadow into the inner corners of my eyes, just to make me look more fresh and awake. The colour I'm using is a Sephora shadow in the colour 'Peach Beige'.

At this point I'd lightly fill in my brows and apply mascara, but since that is a fairly standard procedure, I didn't feel the need to include it. 

To ensure this makeup stays on all day, I've been using my setting spray from a brand called Pretty. I have been loving this product to set my makeup and think it is an amazing, and much cheaper, dupe of the Urban Decay spray, that I loved. 

I'd love to hear what trends you've noticed on the runway this season, so definitely let me know if there's anything you've been loving.

Frankie x

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Mornings in a Rush

Like most of the teenage population, my mornings are usually a combination of zombie-like grouchiness towards the person who woke me up, along with an 'I don't have time' mentality towards my hair and makeup. I'm definitely not someone who bothers with makeup for school, since I am perfectly comfortable with myself without the makeup, I only wear it because I enjoy it. My hair on the other hand, because it is naturally very curly, takes some quick morning taming. 

For my skin, my usual morning routine is just to wash my face with my Clarins shea butter Foaming Cleanser and apply a layer of Ahava Daytime Moisturiser. These products are great for those rushed mornings because they are quick, easy and very refreshing, especially on my usual 6 hours sleep. I will be doing a full skincare routine in the future, but with half an hour to get ready I don't really have time to faff around with hundreds of different products, so instead, I like to stick with my basic products to maintain a clean complexion.

As I previously mentioned, my hair can be quite unruly, particularly after I've slept on it. It can become quite flat and frizzy so I generally like to put my hair up in a thick messy bun, and I've mastered a few tricks to keep the bun looking presentable and keeping the volume I like to maintain when I do my hair.

The first thing I normally do it apply this Big Volume Powder from a brand called 'Pretty' to the roots of my hair. I recently discovered this product and I love it! I found that it is great to keep my hair looking, and feeling think and full of volume. After applying this product, my hair is definitely noticeably thicker which makes for a great messy bun. This product also saves me from teasing my hair, which can cause a lot of damage adds to the natural frizz my hair already has, so using a thickening product, like this one, in place of teasing and backcombing your hair is something I would definitely recommend.

Now that my hair is thick and full of volume, I'll throw it up into a bun, which honestly looks different every time I do it. Your best bet is to grab all the hair into a high ponytail, before pushing all the hair into a 'bun shape' on top of your head. The next step is fairly self-explanatory and I tend to just pull pieces out, loosen the bun and mess with it until I'm happy with it - grips can also be quite helpful with this step. I like to keep my bun looking quite full and low maintenance to contribute to the effortless look I aim for with my overall style.

If I do chose to/have time to apply some makeup I tend to just apply a few coats of mascara to open my eyes out and therefore making me look more awake and apply a small amount of BB cream under my eyes, around my nose and on my forehead and nose - just to cancel out any discoloration I may have. On the whole I have quite clear skin, so that step is not a necessity for me, personally.

Because this is just a quick taste of my rushed weekday mornings, I will definitely be doing an extended version of my morning routine on the weekends, but I just thought I'd share with you some things I do to start my school day off more smoothly.

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Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray

I don't know about anyone else, but I really hate the tedious task of cleaning my makeup brushes. I don't know what it is but I just hate it, to the point that I will pretty much leave my brushes till they can no longer hold anymore shadow. I know that is probably very unhygienic but I am the worlds biggest procrastinator and taking two hours out of my day, to wash brushes, tends to go to the bottom of my priority list.

Last week I gave in and forced myself into cleaning my brushes, however, this time, I ditched my usual baby shampoo routine and tried out my mum's Bobbi Brown Cleaning Spray and I LOVED it. I hate to say it...but I enjoyed cleaning my brushes! It was just so quick and easy, and actually made my brushes look the cleanest they have been since I bought them! My MAC brushes were left their original colour and there was no real sign they had ever been used. Even the brushes that I use for cream shadows were completely makeup-free!

I often find the shape of my brushes can be altered after washing my brushes, but because of the spray formulation of this product, that wasn't a problem. I have tried other spray cleaners before, like the Sephora original cleaner, but I have never got as good a clean as the one from Bobbi Brown. To get the best results I recommend spraying the whole brush, then rubbing the head of the brush in circular motions on a clean towel...and voila! To do all my eye and face brushes, it took me no longer than twenty minutes and I'm actually quite excited to clean my brushes again! I will definitely be cleaning my brushes more frequently now that I have found a product that actually works and works quickly.

If anyone has tried the cleaner before, or has any other brush cleaning tips, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

Frankie x

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January Favourites

Between birthday gifts, January Sales and Christmas treats, I have had a lot of new products to try out this month. Some of the products I have included this month are actually just things I have had for a while, but happened to dig out when doing my makeup, over the past few weeks. 

 

1. MAC's Zoom Fast Black Lash - because I have been far too lazy to go out and buy a new mascara, I went back to one of my old favourites this month. I originally wasn't such a fan of this mascara, but since I have moved away from black eyeliner, recently, I have been loving how dramatic and black this product is. I'm not a big fan of fake lashes but I love mascaras that give a similar effect, especially with dark eye shadow, and I've found this one is perfect for that purpose.

2. Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in 'Damned' - I mentioned this lip product a while back, in another post, but I haven't stopped using it since I bought it, so I thought it deserved a mention! I think it is a beautiful colour for the colder months and is very easy to apply because of its pencil form, therefore making it great for on the go.

3. Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette - I couldn't have a favourites without mentioning this palette, since I've used it every time I've applied my makeup in these last few months! I was lucky enough to receive this from my friends and I've found it great for both everyday and sultry, smokey looks. I still can't bring myself to store it without the box, as the packaging is so gorgeous and I cannot thank my friends enough for getting it for me!

4. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks in 'Golden Bronze' and 'Golden Pink' - these were another birthday gift, but this time from my mum. She'd been raving about them for a while and thought I would also love them...she was right! They are great products for a fast makeup look and I usually apply them all over the lid, with a darker shadow in the crease - finish with some mascara and you're good to go!

5. MAC's 275 Angled Shading Brush - I've had this brush for a while, but because I usually stick to about three eye shadow brushes, I've never really tested it out before now. I found it great for creating a soft cat-eye with dark, brown shadow, which is something I like to do a lot to widen my, naturally small, eyes. By just bringing the darkest shadow in my crease out a little further, using this brush, it creates the illusion of much bigger, more open eyes.

6. Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - I mentioned this product in my January sales haul and since I got it, I have used it every time I apply my makeup. I primarily focus my foundation underneath my eyes and this brush is great for blending out any product, in even the very inner corner of my eye. 

7. Moroccan Oil Original Treatment - I have actually used this product before, and love it, but I never seemed to get round to repurchasing it, so I stocked up when I did eventually buy another bottle. I would 100% recommend this to anyone with curly hair, like myself, as it's brilliant for adding shine to otherwise coarse hair. I would definitely advise incorporating this into your normal hair routine and combined with a frizz serum, I get much smoother, bouncy curls. 

8. Clarasonic Mia Sonic Cleansing System - I've had my Clarisonic for about two months now and I absolutely adore it. I can get quite lazy with my skincare but I have found that because this is so easy, I am much more inclined to do it and I have definitely noticed my skin getting brighter and fresher. I only like to use this once per day, any more and it would be too harsh on the skin, with my normal face wash. I tend to use it before bed to clean off any makeup that I have had on throughout the day. I am definitely going to be doing a full review and tips post in the next few weeks, so definitely look out for that, too.

I'd love to hear some of your January favourites and I hope you've all had a great month! 

Frankie x 

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All Saints Picks

Anyone who knows me, knows my undying love for All Saints. I love anything black so the shop is made for my style. I love the edginess of all the pieces whilst still being so feminine. I was looking through their website and I thought I'd share some of my favourite pieces.

This satin dress is so simple yet so cool, it would be so flattering on any figure because it covers any problem areas whilst still showing some skin. I'd style this with ankle boots and a leather jacket if it was colder. Styled with a red lip and edgy liner, this would make a perfect outfit for a party or dinner out. I also think, dressed down, it would be great for an everyday look.

This dress would definitely be something I'd wear in the spring time if I was out for lunch or out shopping with friends. As are many of the dresses from All Saints, I think it'd be extremely flattering and because it looks like a top and skirt, it's an instant outfit and adds shape to the waist, without being tight and uncomfortable. Perfect for a laid back, low maintenance look, which is always what I aim for when I get dressed.

I actually have this dress and I wear it to death. I have a pear shaped figure and I'm always looking for ways to balance out my hips with my upper body. This dress is extremely flattering on my shape and I always feel comfortable in it, which I sometimes find quite hard in other dresses.

This cardigan is fabulous. Because it is sleeveless, it becomes so edgy and cool without being too harsh and masculine. It is definitely on my wishlist for this spring and I love the way it is styled so simply in the picture.

If you've read my other posts, you'll know how much I adore coats and over-sized outerwear. This one is adorable and I love it so much! I think it would be so pretty with the hood up in the snow or rain and would complete any wintry outfit. This coat is also quite long, which I like because it covers the tops of my thighs, which is something I am quite self-conscious about. 

As I've mentioned a few times in this post, I feel extremely comfortable in All Saints clothes. I think they are so easily wearable and so, so flattering. For anyone that is prepared to spend a little more money, I find these clothes are great for someone like myself who often finds clothes quite uncomfortable.

Frankie x

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Happy Birthday Kate Moss

To mark the 40th birthday of my idol and in the words of Alexa Chung "the coolest thing ever" I thought I'd create a gallery of my favourite pictures of the beautiful Kate Moss.

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Mini Boots Haul

With the January sales in full swing, I took full advantage whilst purchasing the products I had lusted after, throughout the month of December. 

I've wanted to try out Philosophy products for a long time, so my first stop was definitely going to be to their counter! I picked up this "Sweet Fluffy Cupcake" shower gel for half price and besides being one of the prettiest shower gels I've ever bought, it smells incredible! As the name suggests, my whole shower was left smelling of cupcakes, as was I! Since this product also doubles as a shampoo my hair was also covered in the scent of fairy cakes and though I was skeptical about using it as a shampoo, it worked brilliantly and its thick consistency left my hair so shiny.

It is no secret that Real Techniques brushes have been raved about by beauty bloggers for the past few months, so I was desperate to get my hands on some. I've started out by getting the Expert Face Brush, as it was the one I needed the most and since they aren't too expensive I'll definitely be going back for more!

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm always on the hunt for products that promise to tame my curly hair. Since I've used (and loved) Bumble and Bumble products before, I decided I try out this Calming Creme on my coarse curls. I'm not 100% that this product has done much more to my hair than any other product, but I want to use it for a little longer to see if it has any real effect.

Let me know what you got in the sales this month! 

Frankie x 

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Review: Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

After much anticipation for the newest addition to the Urban Decay Naked Collection, I had to get my hands on the Naked 3 palette when it launched in the UK. Since my friends know me so well, I received this gorgeous palette for my birthday a few weeks ago and it was by far one of the best presents I received.

I'd heard a lot about this palette and read quite a few reviews, as I was debating whether or not I really needed another Naked Palette, since I already own the first two. The thing that I first noticed about the shadows in the palette was how much more pink-based they were compared to the other palettes. The original and second palettes were very similar so I think the change in colour was one of the reasons I wanted the palette in the first place. However, the pink undertones also make the palette a little harder to work with than the first two palettes, as you can never go wrong with brown neutrals, but pink-ier shadows can be slightly more difficult. Generally, I think green eyes tend to look the best with pink-y toned shadows but I have actually loved the way these shadows have looked on my brown eyes. I would just advise that when using this palette to pair one of the more pink shadows with one of the more neutral shadows to keep the eyes from looking diseased.

I was very happy to see that Urban Decay had once again included a few matte shadows in the colours 'Limit' and 'Nooner' as I tend to find, as with all my Naked palettes, they make a great base shadow to bring together the other high-shimmer shadows. So far, I've used this palette for casual smokey eyes and everyday looks but, as always, there is a lovely variety of much darker colours toward the right side of the palette. My favourite shadow in the palette is the darkest shade, in the colour 'Blackheart' as it is almost identical to one of my favourite MAC shadows in the colour 'Beauty Marked'. Adding this colour to the outermost part of the eye would vamp up even the most innocent of makeup looks.

The palettes packaging was one of my favourite parts of the product, the beautiful rose gold case ties in perfectly with the pink-toned shadows and the indenting in the metal keeps it looking different and interesting. I definitely think Urban Decay made a good choice by sticking to the metal case from the second Naked palette. Though I loved the original felt packaging, I found the metal far more practical, especially when travelling. Like the second palette, the Naked 3 comes with another dual ended brush with a flat shader brush on one end and a dense, fluffy crease brush on the other. This, along with the huge mirror in the palette, makes it perfect for on the go makeup.

I'm extremely excited to use this palette more and I'm so happy and grateful to have received it. For someone who was just getting into makeup, I would probably recommend starting with the second of the three palettes as the colours are the easiest to work with and since the palettes are quite expensive, I think it's better to start with a safer colour palette, but if you want to try something a bit different without straying too far away from brown neutrals, then this palette would be absolutely perfect.

Frankie x

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