Spring Fashion Haul: Topshop & River Island

One of my favourite trends for Spring this year, is definitely the pastel colours. From mint green to lilac and pink, i can't get enough of the candy-colours! They're so pretty and feminine and the perfect shades for Spring time. So when i popped into Topshop and River Island yesterday, i picked up a few pastel pieces!

Tan Loafers £40.00 River Island

I purchased these tan loafers for college, as they go perfectly with the 'preppy' look that i love to wear. They're great to pair with jeans, check shirts and casual, everyday wear. 

Mint Green Jeans £20.00 River Island

Mint green skinnies have been on my wish list for a while, and this pair from River Island are perfect. The skinny style fits really well and i love the gold zipper. They were originally £30.00 but now reduced to £20.00 which is excellent. They have a fantastic selection of colours/prints and i think i'm going to go back and get the lilac pair soon! 

Peach Boyfriend Blazer £65.00 Topshop 

Topshop's peach boyfriend blazer, is another item that i have had on my wish list for a while. For the past three months i have been searching for my ideal nudey-peach blazer and i fell in love with this one. The oversized fit is very flattering and the colour compliments all of this seasons pastel tones perfectly.

Pastel Spiked Ring £8.50 Topshop

I also picked up this statement ring, which is adorned with pastel-coloured spikes. It does look a little scary, but i love how the edgy design is combined with the soft, pastel tones. It will also look great worn with pastel nail polish! 

Pastel Stripe Scarf £13.00 River Island

Last but not least, i just had to get this pastel striped scarf! It's lightweight and perfect for the spring time. It also compliments the mint skinnies and peach blazer beautifully! 

As the weather starts to look more promising, i can't wait for Spring to arrive! I love all of these pastel shades and definitely recommend heading to Topshop or River Island for a great selection of pastel delights.

To see these items in further detail, check out my haul video. Let me know what your favourite Spring trend is this year!

Love Claudia xo

New Obsession: The Hunger Games!

I have just finished the first instalment of the Hunger Games trilogy, and it's without a doubt, one of the best books i have ever read! It's not the usual book genre that i go for, but it really is an amazing book. It usually takes me a week to read a book of this size, but with the Hunger Games, i read it in just three days! It's so gripping and such a page-turner. I literally could not put it down, or stop thinking about the plot! I won't ruin the fun of reading the book for you, so i will leave it there, but i highly recommend the Hunger Games book series. I promise you won't be disappointed! I can't wait to read the next two books in the series, and see the film when it's released this March. Let the games begin!

This months issue of Teen Vogue (March 2012), is actually the Hunger Games Special, and contains lots of information about the film and its cast, as well as fan merchandise too. For truly dedicated fans, you can find the Mocking Jay Pin and the Unofficial Hunger Games cook book! Peeta's Cinnamon Bakery Bread sounds delicious! 

Let me know if you're a Hunger Games fan, and of course...

 'May the odds be ever in your favour!'

Love, Claudia xo

Simple Pleasures: My Favourite Shower Gel

As much as i love showing you my favourite high-end products, i also enjoy sharing my inexpensive, everyday essentials. Sometimes it's the little things in life that you enjoy the most- like a good shower gel! I have always used Simple shower/bath products as i have sensitive skin and all of their shower gels are free from perfume, and colour. I recently tried Simple's Invigorating Shower Gel, which smells amazing and is definitely my favourite in the range. It has a mint and fresh citrus scent, which is really refreshing to use in the morning. It helps to wake me up too! 

At £2.00 it's my favourite everyday shower product. It smells amazing and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. If your looking for a fuss-free shower gel, i definitely recommend Simple products. You can find their range at all supermarkets, Boots and Superdrug.

What's your favourite Shower Gel?

Love, Claudia xo

My Mum's Designer Handbag Collection...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlM3pszSLzU

Love Claudia xo

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation Review

I had tried a few samples of Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light foundation about three months ago, and until this week, had never got round to purchasing it. Since i tried the samples, it had been at the top of my wish list, and when i was disappointed with my new Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation, it was the perfect time to finally purchase it. 

I wear the shade 2.0, which i would recommend for light-medium skin tones, with beige undertones. For reference, I wear a B20 in Chanel foundations. 

Double Wear Light is, as the name suggests, the lightweight version of Double Wear. It has very buildable coverage, appealing to those who like a light-medium coverage. One of my favourite things about this foundation is how natural it feels and looks on the skin. Although it provides fantastic coverage, it still maintains that all important natural finish. It's non-cakey and definitely not like wearing a mask (which i hate!).  It covers all of my acne scars and redness excellently. Another thing i love about this foundation is its staying power. It is the best foundation i have ever used, that controls my oils so well. I don't even need to use a setting powder with this foundation, as it keeps my skin completely shine-free all day. When i purchased Chanel's Perfection Lumiere foundation, i was extremely disappointed with the staying power. Within just three hours of applying it, my face was already shiny (even with powder!). As for my nose, well it was like an oil slick! Definitely not worth the price tag- at all. I was so impressed with this foundation however, and have never used anything that has worked quite as well for my oily skin than this one. 

Besides its longevity and excellent coverage, i also love the formula. Its oil-free, which is a must for my skin type, dermatologist tested, non-acnegenic, fragrance free and photo friendly. My skin is very sensitive and breaks out easily- this foundation does not cause me any problems whatsoever. If you have problematic skin, i highly recommend this product. Of course, everyones skin is different and sensitive to different things, but, this foundation is definitely aimed at being kind to the skin. It also works well in pictures, and when i'm filming you tube videos!

I like to apply the foundation with my Beauty Blender Sponge (review here), which enhances its natural finish even further. The Beauty Blender is great at providing a natural finish for all foundations, and blends product effortlessly. If you use the foundation with your fingers, you will notice that it has a slight tacky texture. With the BB however, this is less noticeable, and even with fingers, the tacky feel completely vanishes once the foundation has sunk in after ten minutes or so. 

You will need a good cleanser or makeup remover with this foundation. It is long lasting and stays put very well, so a good quality cleanser is a must to remove this product efficiently. I also recommend to double cleanse, and the Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser works very well at removing this foundation. If your a wipe-and-go type of girl when it comes to makeup removal, you will definitely need to invest in a good cleanser if you plan on using this foundation- makeup wipes just wont cut it!

To conclude, i highly recommend this foundation for those who have oily skin and struggle to find something that stays put all day. This foundation offers medium coverage, and excellent staying power, yet still remains very natural on the skin. It's also priced at £26.50, which i think, is excellent value. It's far superior to my Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation, which cost a hefty £36.00, and isn't even on the same wavelength as Estee Laduer's Double Wear Light. I am so pleased with this foundation, as i finally have a product that controls my oily skin- all day!

Let me know if you have tried this foundation, or if you have any other recommendations for oily skin types. 

Love Claudia xo

Estee Lauder Makeup & Skincare Haul

I visited my local Estee Lauder counter recently, after i finally decided that it was time to pick up their Double Wear Light foundation. I had tried a generous sample size a few months ago and loved it. It's much lighter than the original Double Wear foundation, and gives a very natural yet medium coverage finish- perfect. It's also the best i have tried for controlling my very oily nose! As you know, i recently purchased Chanel's Perfection Lumiere Foundation, which i wasn't overly impressed with- for oily skin types like me, it just doesn't do a good enough job. My skin is shiny after a few hours and the staying power is average. So, i purchased the full size of Double Wear Light, and a skincare product which enabled me to get the gift with purchase offer too.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Foundation £26.50
Estee Lauder Idealist Dual-Action Refinishing Treatment £35.50

Double Wear Light is a great foundation for oily skin types that need light-medium coverage and good staying power. The finish still remains very natural however, unlike the original Double Wear foundation which i find to be too 'mask-like'. It's also perfect for problematic skin as it's; oil-free, fragrance-free, non-acnegenic, dermatologist and ophthalmologist-tested. I will definitely post an in-depth review on this foundation in a few weeks time. 

Next i purchased the Idealist Refinishing treatment, which is basically an exfoliator. It's a gentle treatment that gives you the benefits of both micro-dermabrasion and a 30% glycolic peel. It has a smoothing, thermal action which helps to open and detoxify pores. I purchased this product to combat my acne scarring, as my blemishes are mostly under control now, but i still have the scarring to deal with. Glycolic acid and exfoliating in general, is a great way to shed old layers of scarred skin, and promote the growth of new, healthy skin. Im really hoping that this product will help to reduce the appearance of my acne scars, and after a few weeks i will definitely review it for you.

For a limited time only, Estee Lauder are giving away these gorgeous makeup bags filled with generous skincare and makeup samples, when you purchase any two products. I love this makeup bag- its the perfect size for your handbag and it's leopard print! The sample sizes are very generous and a great way to try out some of their products for a good month at least. The gift contains the; Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser, Perfectly Clean Fresh Balancing Lotion, Idealist Even Skin Tone Illuminator, DayWear Advanced Anti-Oxidant Cream, Pure Colour Gloss in Magnificent Mauve, Pure Colour Crystal Lipstick in Crystal Baby and Sumptuos Bold Volume Mascara. I was particularly excited about the Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator, as it's designed to reduce the appearance of past blemishes and acne scars! I was also excited about the Crystal Baby lipstick- i have it in the full size and it's one of my favourite lip colours! I'm going to be using  all of the skincare products from now on, as they're suitable for my skin-type, and i will let you know what i think after a few weeks. This gift with purchase is great value, and the product sizes are excellent. If you have been thinking about purchasing some Estee Lauder products, then now is the perfect time. The offer is continuing for another week- so take advantage! 

Let me know if you have tried any of these products, and how they worked for you!

Love Claudia xo

Sweet Cheeks: Benefits Sugar Bomb Blush

Blusher is definitely my favourite makeup product. I love buying blusher, wearing blusher and trying different brands! As you can imagine i do have quite a large collection and it's easy for me to forget about old favourites. This week i rediscovered my love for Benefit's Sugarbomb blush. I don't love all of Benefit's boxed blushers but Sugarbomb is one of my favourites that i have tried. 

Sugarbomb comes with four triangular sections of colour, which Benefit describes as 'rose, shimmering pink, soft plum and peach'. You can use the shades individually, but i prefer to swirl them all together, which achieves a more balanced, natural blush shade. It's very pigmented and a nice smooth texture, which is very easy to blend- not powdery or chalky at all. It does have a shimmery finish, but on the skin, its a very subtle golden sheen. It gives a soft, glowy effect- no chunky glitter or heavy shimmer. Its a very flattering colour for light to medium skin tones, but it may act more as a highlighter for darker skin types. 

As with all of the Benefit powders, its packaged in the signature cardboard box and contains 12g of product priced at £23.50. It may seem expensive but the average blush contains around 6g, so it is very good value. 

It does contain ingredients such as talc and fragrance, which is probably not the best for my skin type, but i don't wear this everyday- in order to reduce the chance of it breaking me out. 

I highly recommend this blush if you are looking for something that will give you a soft and natural glow. The colours are beautiful, and they brighten the complexion wonderfully- i had lots of compliments when i wore this yesterday! This is a great everyday blush, for any makeup look or occasion. 

Love, Claudia xo

Biosilk Hair Serum Review

I recently discovered the brand Biosilk, after finding some of their products in my local TKMAXX for a great price. I picked up a set that contained their shampoo, conditioner, hairspray and silk therapy serum. Im very impressed by all of their products, but in particular, i have been loving the Silk Therapy Serum. I always apply serum to the ends of my hair (from the ear down to the tips) when its damp after i have washed it, to give a glossy, smooth finish. However, I have never tried anything that has worked quite as well as the Biosilk serum! 

It's very lightweight, and not too heavy for my fine hair. It's definitely suitable for all hair types, just be careful about the amount of product you use (about a 5p size for fine hair like mine). Its very replenishing and contains lots of beneficial ingredients for your hair; vitamin B retains moisture, silk proteins strengthen hair and vitamin E nourishes for shine and softness. You really do feel a difference after using this product. It definitely makes my hair much easier to style, and overall gives a glossy, high-shine finish and healthy look to my hair. It also works wonders for any frizz or split ends as it smoothes and seals hair really well. It also protects your hair from any sun damage or heat from styling tools. I love multi-purpose hair products like this as it saves money, time and replaces all of my other hair products, which in turn makes my hair less likely to be weighed down with lots of different lotions and potions. 

I highly recommend this serum if your looking for a product that will give you a glossy, diamond-like shine and something that will protect your hair from styling and environmental damage. Its the best serum i have tried so far (better than my It's a ten leave in conditioner!). 

Biosilk is a US brand and sold in Ulta, but for those in the UK like me, its worth checking your local TKMAXX or there are many online stores which stock Biosilk products too.

Love, Claudia xo

NOTD: Chanel Rouge Carat

Chanel's Rouge Carat nail polish was released with the 2011 Holiday collection. This may seem like old news, however it's a beautiful colour, that i think, is appropriate all year round. You can never go wrong with a classic red manicure and this colour in particular, is very unique. Rouge Carat is a ruby-shimmered red with blue undertones, and the formula is excellent. The consistency is thin and very easy to work with, yet highly pigmented too. You can achieve an intense, opaque finish with just two coats. 

If you manage to find a leftover bottle, i highly recommend picking one up. If not, Boot's still have some left online. Not only is it a fabulous colour for the festive season, it's the perfect red for Valentines Day too! 

Love, Claudia xo

Favourite Products Of January

I have discovered lots of new products this month, most of which have become firm favourites in my collection! 

My two favourite nail polishes this month have been Chanel's new shade for Spring, April, and OPI's Pink Friday, from the Nicki Minaj collection. April is the perfect transitional colour to wear between winter and spring. Pink Friday is a gorgeous bubble-gum pink, which is perfect for the pastel trends this Spring. 

These are my two favourite blushers for this month; i have been wearing either the Dior or Chanel blush nearly everyday! Both are from the new Spring 2012 collections, and the Chanel blush is limited edition. They are both expensive, but they are so worth it! The Chanel blush actually contains 15g of product which is remarkably more than your average blush. I think they are my favourite blushers out of my whole collection! Chanel's Soft Glow blush is a gorgeous peachy-pink shade, with excellent pigmentation. You can use the shades separately or swirled together, as i do. The finish is my favourite thing about it; it's not shimmery or glittery, it just has a nice sheen and as the product says, a 'rosy glow'. The Dior blush is a cool toned bubble-gum pink, and the colour intensity adjusts to the moisture levels of your skin. It is permanent- so theres no rush to buy. Again, like the Chanel blush, the texture is very finely milled and so easy to blend. I highly recommend both of these blushers for all skin tones- they're fabulous!

This month i have been loving my beauty blender sponge (review here). It is the perfect application tool for all foundations, cream blushers and concealers. It gives such a flawless, natural application with any liquid/cream product you like to use. I love it with my Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation (review here), which on its own, is fast drying and has a matte finish. With the beauty blender however, the Chanel foundation is much easier to apply and the matte finish appears much more natural. Im not overly wowed by the foundation on its own, but with the beauty blender, they are the perfect pair. 

I have been using the Urban Decay Naked 2 eyeshadow palette every day this month! I prefer it so much more than the original one. I find that the colours are more cool-toned and as a result, more wearable and smoother to apply/blend. There are also three matte shades which is a fabulous improvement. The pigmentation and staying power is incredible. It's the perfect palette for everyday, neutral, smokey eye looks. My favourite combo this month has to be; Foxy all over the lid, Booty-call on  the brow-bone and inner corner, Chopper on the outer third of the lid, Tease in the crease, and Blackout in the 'outer-v'. 

Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine in Royalieu, has quickly become one of my favourite lipsticks. Royalieu is a glossy, milky pink- the perfect 'my-lips-but-better' shade. The formula is very moisturising, shiny and so effortless to wear- you don't even need a mirror to apply it! Secondly, i have been loving the new YSL lip stain in number 18. It's another milky pink, but with lilac undertones. It's reminds me of something Kim K would wear on her lips! I would only recommend this if you have smooth lips, that are lightly pigmented (a light-medium skin tone). 

I discovered a new hair product this month; the Biosilk Silk Therapy hair serum. I picked this up at TKMAXX where it was being sold in a gift set with different Biosilk products. I apply it to the ends of my hair when it's damp, and it works amazingly! It gives my hair such a glossy, shiny finish and reduces the appearance of split ends or any frizz. I highly recommend it- it makes my hair so shiny and healthy looking! Plus it smells amazing! 

I have been using my Clarins hand and nail cream more than ever this month- it's soooo cold here in the UK! It's supposed to snow this weekend, which i'm not looking forward to! Anyway, my hands have been so dry and this product works wonders. It's very hydrating, for both hands and nails, and it smells gorgeous. It also absorbs into the skin very quickly, and leaves a nice moisturised feeling- not greasy or thick at all. Love it!

My favourite perfume this month has been Gucci Guilty. It's a lovely, warm and cozy winter fragrance, yet it's still light and wearable for everyday. 

I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo book this month, and it's one of the best books i have ever read! It's very gripping and such a page turner. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and watch the film! 

Let me know what your favourites have been this month!

Love, Claudia xo

My Favourite Winter Perfumes of 2011!

I have quite a large perfume collection, and i like to rotate my seasonal favourites throughout the year. There are no rules to wearing fragrances, but personally, there are scents that i prefer to wear during certain seasons. This winter i have been loving three perfumes in particular. 

Prada released their latest fragrance this autumn; Prada Candy. As the name suggests, it is a sweet scent, but it still remains very chic and sophisticated. It's a sweet perfume for 'grown-ups'! A lot of the sugary sweet scents are confined to the younger perfume brands, such as Aquolina's Pink Sugar, but with Prada Candy, the sweet scent is still sophisticated and definitely not overpowering. It contains a variety of musks, hints of caramel and oriental notes. It's the perfect sweet and sexy blend for all ages, and the warm notes makes it perfect for the winter months. 

Another favourite of mine has been the Chloe Eau De Parfum Intense. This is a more intense version of the original Chloe perfume, and can be distinguished by its black ribbon. It's another warm and cosy scent, containing notes of; rose, pink pepper, sandalwood and tonka. I think this is the perfect winter scent; its warm and cosy, yet it still remains fresh and clean.

Last but not least, i have really been enjoy Gucci's Guilty perfume. This was given to me by my mum, who also has a large perfume collection, as she no longer used it. It has quickly become one of my favourite perfumes! Its described as a sexy, floral oriental scent containing notes of; peach, lilac, geranium, mandarin, pink pepper, amber and patchouli. 

I highly recommend all of these fragrances. Of course perfume is a very personal thing, and what i like, may not be similar to your tastes. But, if you like warm, cosy and winter-appropriate scents, then i definitely suggest these three. The bottles are gorgeous, the scents are lovely and they all have excellent staying power. 

Let me know what your favourite winter perfumes have been this year! 

Love Claudia xo