Do Not Buy: Bumble & Bumble Black Dry Shampoo

It's not often that i write a negative review for a product, but when i tried this Bumble & Bumble Black Hair Powder, i just had to let you know how shocking it was! I picked it up on a whim this week, whilst browsing through the beauty aisles of John Lewis. I was hoping that this dry shampoo would provide lots of volume and texture for my hair, but what it actually did couldn't have been more different!

I tried it on my hair yesterday morning, only to find that it sprayed out a thick, black powder that was incredibly messy. My hair was coated with this soot-like powder that also covered my hands, hairbrush, clothes and forehead with black stains! I was so shocked- it was like using some kind of joke product! My hair was so thick with this sooty powder, that i had to re wash my hair and also change my stained clothes, which was such a nuisance. I used it exactly as i had been instructed to, yet all i was left with, was hair that looked as though i had been sweeping chimneys all day. I looked ridiculous! I really can't see how this product can still be sold at department stores- surely it's not supposed to perform like this? It didn't do anything that was claimed on the bottle- no fullness or volume, just a ridiculous mess that seemed to get everywhere! It felt like i a was using a product designed for bald men, who wanted to recreate the appearance of having hair! There's no way that i could of gone out in public after using this- especially not in the rain!

I began to question whether i had purchased a faulty product, but when i looked at it's reviews on the Sephora website, my experience had been shared by many others too. I would definitely not recommend this product- in fact, i warn you to steer well clear from it! The lighter colours (there are four options) may not be the same, but i can safely warn you not to try the 'black'. It's the worst hair product that i've ever used. Plus it wasn't cheap at £28.00! I thought that all Bumble and Bumble products would be great- a lot of people love some of their hair care products, but that obviously can't be said for the whole range! I'll be returning this terrible 'dry shampoo' first thing tomorrow morning. Such a disappointment. 

Have you ever tried this product before?

Love, Claudia x

Weekly Summary #3

1. Days at the beach (nice, but short lived due to the windy weather!), 2. My new favourite drink- Lipton's Peach Ice Tea! Can't believe i've never tried it before now!, 3. Checked out the new autumn collections from Dior and Chanel- ended up getting Dior 'Amaoznia' along with Chanel's 'Frenzy' and 'Vertigo', 4. Cinema trip to see Disney's 'Brave', plus another visit to Nandos,  5. My recent 'stack' consisting of Romwe and H&M, 6. Wearing my new sequin shirt from Romwe, 7. Most worn summer makeup, 8. Editing my latest haul video, 9. Reviewing my best and worst Chanel products- turns out i love Chanel!

I hope you've all had a lovely week,
Love, Claudia x

Autumn Nail Polish Haul: Dior & Chanel

The new autumn collection from Chanel, was released this Friday here in the UK, and its arrival did not disappoint! As soon as i saw the collection online, i fell in love with two of the nail shades; Vertigo and Frenzy. Whilst browsing through the beauty halls, i also stopped by the Dior counter and took a look at their latest collection, 'Golden Jungle', which also boasted some lovely nail colours. 

From Dior's latest collection, i couldn't resist the nail shade 'Amazonia'. The photo doesn't do this unique colour any justice at all- it's much prettier in person or when it's swatched. The colour doesn't sound appealing, but somehow it just works! Amazonia is a dark, olive green with brown undertones. It definitely embodies the 'jungle' theme well, and is a great colour for the upcoming A/W. I think it would look amazing with all of the camo jackets that are everywhere right now- like this one from Zara.

From Chanel, the colour that caught my attention instantly, was 'Vertigo'. It's definitely the most unique shade out of the three new colours. 'Vertigo' is a difficult colour to describe- it can look very different in various lights. In the bottle, it's an inky black, with plummy-purple tones and fine, red shimmer. At first it reminded me of one of my old Chanel favourites, 'Paradoxal', however that's much lighter and brighter than 'Vertigo'. It really is a unique shade and one that's going to look beautiful this winter. You can always count on Chanel to produce unique, multi dimensional colours such as Vertigo. It really is an eye-catching colour and i love these dark, murky shades for a vampy look during A/W. 

Lastly, i picked up Chanel's 'Frenzy' which is one of the more 'dupable' shades from the collection. 'Frenzy' is a very light, cool-toned grey with lilac undertones. It's a clean-cut shade, and one that will make your nails look well-groomend and elegant. I think it's a good all-year-round shade really, and one that's incredibly versatile for pairing with different coloured outfits. I think my quest for a nail colour that complements red has ended! Although it's not as unique or impressive as 'Vertigo', it's still a sophisticated and polished shade that will work well for any occasion, and any time of the year. However, i still think that you could find a close dupe for this, and i have a feeling it may be similar to my OPI 'Skull & Glossbones' polish. I'll report back to you on that one- but, you can never have too many neutral nail colours right?!

Will you be trying any of the new collections?

Love, Claudia x

Summer Makeup: My Most Used Products

Here are the products that i've been reaching for the most this summer...

Most worn nail polish: I couldn't pick just one colour for this category- i have too many nail polishes to choose from, and i just love so many different colours! I did manage to narrow my favourites down to three- Colour Club's 'Modern Pink' is my go-to neon polish, Dior's 'St.Tropez' is a beautiful aquamarine blue that looks amazing with a tan, and finally, Essie's 'Mint Candy Apple' which is a true tiffany-blue shade. 

Most worn perfume: Now this category was incredibly easy! My all-time favourite, summer scent is the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess perfume. It really is summer in a bottle. To me, it smells of creamy, tropical coconut, suntan lotion and days spent at the beach. The most perfect scent for the summer, if you ask me!

Most worn hair product: A hair product that i've really enjoyed this summer, is the cult hair oil from Kerastase. The Elixir K Ultime works wonders for the hair and can be used in so many ways- as a styling product on dry hair, as a leave-in conditioner on damp hair and as an intensive hair mask for a pre-shampoo treat. Since i've begun using it my hair looks and feels so much healthier- it leaves my hair shiny, smooth, frizz free and smelling amazing.

Most worn foundation: I would love to have a collection of various foundations, but with my sensitive, acne prone skin, i tend to stick with what works best. My all-time, all-year-round favourite is the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in shade 2.0. The oil and fragrance free formula doesn't break me out, and it's the most long lasting that i've tried for my oily skin. Coverage is build-able and provides a matte finish. It works very well with my Beauty Blender sponge.

Most worn blush: This was another tough one! Blush is my favourite type of cosmetic, and i have many well-loved colours. The one that i've reached for the most however, is Benefit's Coralista. The peachy-coral shade is very flattering on my skin tone and seems to work perfectly during the summer. The pigmentation is just right, and easy to blend. Plus, the golden sheen provides a complexion-boosting glow. 

Most worn bronzer:  The new range of Dior bronzers that were released this summer, were very impressive. 'Amber' is a natural, bronze shade, ideal for contouring or simply adding all-over warmth to the skin. The powder is finely milled and leaves a matte, natural finish. 

Most worn lip product: Lots of favourites here- basically, anything that's peach or coral! One of my favourite summer lip combo's, has been Buxom's Big & Healthy Lipstick in 'Nantucket' which i use to line and fill in my lips (it plumps too!), paired with Benefit's lipgloss in 'Spiked Punch'. I've also loved my Dior Addict lipstick in 'Palace' which has a lightweight, hydrating texture- ideal for hot weather. It goes perfectly with the Dior gloss in 'Pink Croisette' for a peachy-coral lip look. 

Most worn mascara: I've yet to find my HG mascara, but one that i've been using recently is the new Lancome Hypnose Star mascara. The Betty Boop advertisement is what sold it to me! But besides the cute advert, it is a good mascara- not amazing, but good. It lengthens and provides volume without being clumpy. It's long wearing and the tapered brush means that you can reach every little lash. 

Most worn eyeshadow: One of my all-time favourite palettes is the Too Faced Natural Eye palette. The pigmentation is amazing, and the buttery, smooth formula allows for easy application. The colours complement each other wonderfully, and together they create my favourite look- a classic smokey eye! A more summery option, is the Dior palette in 'Aurora'. The colours are perfect for the summer and the formula is very high quality- smooth and buttery, with excellent pigmentation.

What are your favourite summer products? 

Love, Claudia x

Weekly Summary #2

1. Day out with the family to Brighton (the sun finally made an appearance too!), 2. Enjoyed a lovely lunch at Bill's whilst in Brighton, 3. Did a little shopping at Urban Outfitters & Boots, 4. Nandos lunch and trip to the cinema to see Diary Of a Wimpy Kid (oh yeah!) 5. Picked up my AS level results! Very pleased with what i got, 6. Another family trip, this time to Highclere Castle (a.k.a Downton Abbey!) 7. New Estee Lauder Lipsticks (review here), 8. New A/W pieces arrived from Romwe (review here), 9. Loving neon nails for the summer! (NOTD post here)

I hope you've all had a lovely week,
Love, Claudia x

A Day In Brighton...

Today i went to Brighton with my family, and had a lovely time walking along the seafront, doing a little shopping (of course!) and discovering a new restaurant. The weather was beautiful today, and supposedly one of the hottest days of the year. Finally i could dig out some of my summer clothes!

For lunch, we went to Bill's and had a lovely meal there. The food was really good, and i loved the rustic, laid back decor. Bill's is well known for their award-winning breakfasts, but the lunch menu didn't fail to impress either. I opted for the marinated chicken skewers, and for dessert, the lemon meringue pie cheesecake. My family confirmed that the burgers were delicious, and the smoothies were very good too! If your in Brighton for the day, i would definitely recommend heading to Bill's. The food is very good, and the perfect place for any occasion. 

I also had a little look in a few shops, and picked up some new things. I went into the Urban Outfitters store, and was instantly drawn to this neon-coral tee. I love the loose, effortless style/fit and the bright colour. It's the perfect simple tee for the summer time, and i think it will look great with coloured or printed jeans, and denim shorts. It's by the brand Sparkle & Fade, and was £28.00. I can't wait to feature it in an OOTD post very soon- it's such a versatile piece for any wardrobe, and a high-quality wardrobe basic. You can't beat a loose tee with jeans, for effortless sophistication! They also had it in grey, which i might have to go back and get for the upcoming winter! 

Then i had a quick look in Boots, mainly to check out the new Dior collection. There weren't any makeup items that caught my eye, but i did love the new nail colour in 605 'Amazonia'. It's part of the new Golden Jungle collection, and the shade is a beautiful, dark brown/khaki. It doesn't sound appealing but it's one of those dark, murky colours that look amazing for the autumn/winter. I'm sure i'll review it soon! I also picked up the new Hydraluron Moisture Booster Serum, which was a purchase inspired by Beauty Mouth-the skincare queen of the blogging community! Her review was amazing, and definitely encouraged me to give it a try. I'm very excited to try this, and will be sure to keep you updated/give more info on this product soon. 

I hope your all having a good weekend,

Love, Claudia x

New In: Romwe Online Fashion

This is the first post i've written thats featured any freebies, so i want to give a little disclaimer beforehand. I was recently contacted by the online fashion store Romwe, and given the chance to try out some of their items. I would only ever accept an offer from a company that i would be interested in, and after looking on Romwe's site, i knew it featured things that both i and my readers would like. Romwe kindly gave me a $50 gift card to pick some items and it wasn't hard to find things that i liked! I picked a shirt and a bracelet, which i'm going to review for you today. I've seen Romwe items crop up on quite a few blogs before, and whilst i've always loved everything, ordering online made me a little hesitant. So i hope my review will help any of you that have heard of Romwe, but were unsure about the delivery or quality for example. 

Firstly, i was very impressed with the service and the delivery. Romwe offer free shipping worldwide, and my parcel took two weeks to arrive here in the UK. Romwe is based in China, and i thought that the delivery time was very reasonable considering where Romwe is based. Each item was packaged very well, and arrived in perfect condition. 

 Paillette Lapel Apricot Chiffon Shirt $30.99 / £20.81

The first thing that caught my eye on the website is this beautiful cream shirt, embellished with gold sequins on the collar and cuffs. I love shirts and frequently pair them with skinny jeans and my favourite blazer, but i don't own any quite as glam as this one! I loved the gold sequins and thought it would be a great piece for a night out.  When it arrived i wasn't disappointed! I will admit, i was sceptical about the quality, but I'm very impressed now that it's arrived! The shirt is incredibly well made (especially for the affordable price), and the finish is very high quality. The material is not too sheer, and looks much more expensive than it is. I love the attention to detail too- the buttons are concealed which i really like (i think it creates a more expensive/classy look), and the cuffs/collars are lined with silk. The sequins are also high quality- rather than being stuck on, as with most high street sequin pieces, they're sewn into mesh fabric, reducing the risk of loosing sequins. I chose a size Medium which fits very well- i would recommend this size if your a UK 10-12 like me. 

I can't wait to wear this glam shirt- i think it's going to look great during the autumn/winter with some black leather trousers, some heels and a classic blazer. The fit and style of the shirt, is very sophisticated, yet the bold sequins add glamour and fun. I'm so pleased with this piece, and would be thrilled if i had purchased this myself. The quality is far superior to high street stores such as Primark and H&M. I would say the high quality of this shirt is on par with stores such as French Connection, Warehouse and Topshop. However, the pieces from Romwe are much more affordable than these stores. 

Punk Style Spike Gold-Tone Bracelet $17.99 / £11.47

The second item i chose, is this spiked gold bracelet. Stacking bracelets is such a huge trend right now, and i thought that this one would be a great addition to my collection. I love the edgy spikes, and as you can see, it complements any other bracelets perfectly. It's versatile for both day and night looks too- on it's own it would make a great statement piece with a classic black dress. Once again, i'm very impressed with the quality. It feels very well made, and has a good weight to it. The quality is very comparable to Topshop's accessories, yet the price is much more affordable!

I'm thouroughly impressed with my experience shopping at Romwe. The pieces i chose are very well made and high quality, yet the prices are so affordable. After experiencing their products, i would definitely recommend the website for trendy fashion pieces and would not hesitate to order more myself. I already have my eye on some other shirts! They have a great selection of shirts with collar details (very similar to the styles in Zara) that are lovely. I'm loving this one and this one!! With 100 new items added to Romwe each day, and free worldwide shipping, it's the perfect site for those that want on-trend, good quality pieces at an affordable price.

Love, Claudia x

Neon Nails: Colour Club 'Modern Pink'

Neon nails look amazing during the summer time, and my latest addition has become one of my favourites! This is the second shade that i've tried from the American nail brand, Colour Club, and i'm really impressed with them. 'Modern Pink' is a very bright, neon/highlighter pink. It reminds me of the Barbie Dream House that i used to love! The formula isn't the best that i've tried, but the colour is what i love the most. It's the perfect shade to pair with a tan, and looks amazing on toes with bright flip flops! I just can't get enough of this colour. Three coats will provide an opaque finish, with very minimal drying time. 

If your looking for the perfect neon pink this summer, then i highly recommend this colour. It would be an amazing shade to take on your summer holidays, and pair with bright bikinis. I also love the shade 'Wham! Pow!' which is a neon orange.  I think they're pretty easy to come across in the States, but for us in the UK it seems to be online only. They're very good quality for a drugstore brand, and i can see myself using this colour for the rest of the summer!

Love, Claudia x

Review: Estee Lauder Pure Colour Vivid Shine Lipsticks

I recently visited my local Estee Lauder counter to repurchase my favourite foundation, and couldn't resist the temptation of their new lipstick range. The beauty genius behind Estee Lauder's recent collections, Tom Pecheux, has launched a new range of shiny, vibrant lipsticks, consisting of twenty shades. I love Estee Lauder lipsticks (Crystal Baby being one of my favourites), and was very intrigued by the new collection. I gravitated towards the light, nude shades (of course!) settling on 'mauve struck' and 'brilliant bare'. 

'Brilliant Bare' and 'Mauve Struck'

'Brilliant Bare' is a light, beige-nude, and 'Mauve Struck' is a milky, baby doll pink- very 'Kim K'. Each of the lipsticks have a cream finish, and a beautifully glossy sheen. They feel lovely on the lips- very smooth and hydrating. The two shades that i chose work very well for everyday wear, as they feel comfortable and are easy to apply. However, the natural tones would compliment a dramatic, smokey eye very well too. 

F2 'Brillant Bare' and F9 'Mauve Struck'

As you can see, the pigmentation is just right for everyday wear, providing a good amount of colour but still giving a lovely sheen and hydrating texture. 

You can find the new collection at most department stores by now, along with the online Estee Lauder store. With twenty new shades, its definitely worth taking a look at the collection. 

Love, Claudia x

New In: Leopard Skinnies

I was browsing through the Warehouse sale recently, and spotted these amazing leopard print jeans. I love the Current Elliott designs that have been donned by so many celebrities, but of course they're a little out of my price range. So when i saw these in the Warehouse sale, i just had to pick them up. 

I had been lusting after this pair from Zara, but i thought that the grey shade of these Warehouse jeans would be much easier to pair with things. Plus, these were reduced to an amazing price. The tag didn't list the orginial price, but they had been reduced down to £25.00 and then to a further £17.00. By the time i used my student discount, they were only £15.00! I love Warehouse jeans- they fit really well, are very comfortable and come in a great range of colours/prints. I still love my maroon/burgundy pair from last winter! 

Besides the colour and the price, i also loved the zipper detail at the ankles. I think it's the small extras like this, that add to an outfit. I'm so happy to finally have a pair of leopard jeans that i like, and i'm sure i'll get a lot of wear out of these throughout the upcoming A/W. They look great with a simple white tee, or when it gets colder, a shirt or fine knit jumper would also look great. Add some chunky boots and a tweed or leather jacket, and it makes a great outfit, with the jeans doing most of the work as a strong statement piece!

Love, Claudia x