Haul ~ Summer Edition - July 2014 | #summerstyle

Hey everyone,

I hope your summer’s are all going great, and that your enjoying my #summerstyle. Lately I have been preparing for a holiday to Italy so have been buying a lot of new summer items. I decided I’d do a haul for the very first time, please let me know if you like this on my blog/ any tips or improvement in the comments.

So the first and my favourite this is this top from Miss Selfridge. I looked at this top online and wanted it for ages, and one day I walked into a store and it was there- just one and in my size. I tried it on and it looked just how I imagined. I like the girly theme think top has and the attention to details. It is like a normal cami but with extra material that goes across the chest and onto the back, which is really flattering. This top is sort of cropped but not too much and I would match it with a pair of light denim jeggings or a black skater skirt.

The top cost £20 which is quite a lot but I love it a lot and it is a very nice quality.

So the next item is the pair of light wash denim jeggings I wear with the first top. These jeggins are from New Look and are from the ‘supersoft’ range and are in a really pretty light shade. These are great from summer as they are comfy and look so cute with summer tops. The light colour also means they are fit for the season and will defiantly be a statement garment in my wardrobe. 

They are avalible from New Look for £14.99 at http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jeans/pale-blue-bleach-wash-jeggings_296725044

This new top is another cami, but this one is a tribal printed one from New Look. It is made from cotton so fits really nicely and hangs very flatteringly. I like this because it is patterned but not too in your face. The top looks great with jeggings or a skater skirt and is so easy to dress up or dress down. I have been wearing this top all the time so far this summer and I am sure I will find a way to transform it into an all year top.

It is avalible from New Look for just £12.99 at http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/tall/tall-red-tile-print-contrast-trim-cami-_302828469

The next clothing item is from Primark. This pale pink top was about £5 but I haven’t got the tag as I wear it very often. I bought this around Easter and I love the 3d flower effect. This pastel coloured top is just so interesting and unique, and I love to wear it with a denim skater skirt. Sadly there is no link and it may not be available any more.

The next item is a swimming costume. I really struggled to find a swimming costume this year, as most shops only sell bikinis. I find that I don’t like to wear bikinis due to my body shape and size, and I would wear a tankini but I didn’t find one. This swimsuit was from F&F (at Tesco) and is black with bright coloured flowers. I think this looks slimming on my because of its shape and the ruching on the tummy. It is very supportive, especially is the chest area, and has a think halter tie strap. The best thing is that it is so affordable at just £15 at http://www.clothingattesco.com/swimwear/f+f-magic-floral-twist-secret-support-swimsuit/invt/jo412701&bklist=icat,4,shop,catgwomens,womens-swimwear

The next item is a pair of shoes. I love my converse but I find I can’t always afford their price tag. These shoes are a pair of rip-off white converse from Peacocks. I don’t normally shop in this shop, but when I saw these I just had to have them. I have always loved the look of white converse but have always worried about staining/ ruining them. Because these shoes were a lot cheaper, I won’t worry about this so much and I think they will be a great pair of summer shoes. I can’t wait to wear them and match them with summer outfits like skirts and dresses.

The item is my favourite buy by far; these are my new sunglasses from Accessorize. In the past, I have only ever had cheap ugly sunglasses that last a weeks holiday and I don’t wear again. However, these are a lovely pair of sunglasses that are a statement. They really add to an outfit and make everything feel more summery. The cat eye shaped frame makes you look really fashionable and put together, and I love how they obre down in darkness. Buy theme here for £14, http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_5,acc_5.2/5933122000

To go with my sunglasses I got this simple bright blue case from Primark. This case was £3 I think and fits my sunglasses perfectly. I love this case because it is hard so offers protection and will stop your sunglasses from getting too battered or broken.

Another item I got from Primark is a hat. I wanted a hat for my holiday because I know you need to protect your head, but I know my hat history isn’t good so I just got a cheap £4 hat. This white floppy hat should be good for my holiday, although the fit isn’t too great.

The only other items in this summer haul was some makeup from boots. A lot of these featured in my previous make up tutorial so I wont say much, I also haven’t had much time to test them. I got the Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Waterproof mascara, the Rimmel London Hide The Blemish Concealer, the Maybelling Dream Pure BB Cream and an Apocalips lip gloss in the shade 101 celestial.

And that’s all, this is just some of my spring/summer shopping from June for July 2014. I hope you enjoyed this type of post, and I hope you all have an amazing week,

Summer Natural Everyday Make Up | #summerstyle

This post is going to be my very first tutorial for make up. This is a really simple natural make up look for summer that is light and wearable. In the summer I personally like to wear less make up and depend on essentials like waterproof mascara. I hope you enjoy this, if you want a more interesting summer look, just comment down below.

To create this look I used:

• Maybelline Dream Pure BB cream
• A face moisturiser
• Maybelline Stay Matt Powder
• Rimmel London Hide the Blemish Concealer
• Nivea sun protection stick
• Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Waterproof mascara
• Black felt tip eyeliner
• No7 ‘Mischief’ stay perfect lipstick

To start I mix the BB cream with a small dab of moisturiser, mix an amount depending on the pigment you want on your face. I blend it in with my fingers until I get a smooth effect. If it’s a hot day I also add some suncream to my face.

Next I add some concealer under my eyes and over any spots. After I like to matt-ify my face with some powder, to avoid too much shine.

After this I like to do my eyes. I don’t like to wear eyeshadow for my everyday natural makeup as I think it can look over the top. This is personal, but if you did want to wear eyeshadow, I would choose a natural brown or nude-pink shade. I choose to just add a thin layer of eyeliner using my felt tip eyeliner from Primark. I choose to do this as I wear my everyday natural look to school and I don’t like to wear too much eyeliner there.

Now I add mascara. I have really been enjoying the Falsies waterproof mascara although I am yet to test how waterproof it is. I add a few coats and then I’m done with eyes. I like this mascara as it really lengthens my lashes and makes them bold.

For lips I begin with the Nivea sun protection balm. This is really important as it prevents your lips from being burnt or effected by the sun.  I especially like the Nivea one because it has SPF 30. Over the top I like to add a hint of colour, so I lightly dab over this lipstick and rub my lips together until I get the baby pink shade I like.

And that’s it. So simple and yet it is great for those summer days when you don’t want to be too covered up but want some straightforward makeup. I hope your enjoying the #summerstyle series,

Summertime Styling Tag | #summerstyle

Hey everyone,

So this is the second post in the series #summerstyle, I hope my readers are enjoying it! This is actually a very exciting post for me, as it is going to be a tag that I created. I created the ‘summertime styling tag’ with Hannah from http://glittermelody.blogspot.co.uk/ because we were both keen on creating a tag that would join bloggers in a fun way- with some questions all about the summertime!

Hannah is really talented, so please head over to her blog- she is also a beauty blogger (but this tag could be for any blogger), and soon she is starting Youtube videos so any support for her would be amazing!

That’s all, the way this works is I answer the questions that Hannah and I make, I tag some bloggers and then the tag circulates. However if you are interested in doing this tag yourself, just leave the link below so I can go any read/ comment!!! Thanks and enjoy,

1) What do you love most about summer?

Well summer isn’t my favourite of the seasons, but I do really love it. I would say my favourite thing about it is the memories that you make. Summer brings the sunshine and longer day, as well as the long holiday, so I love to spend days out with my friends and family.

2) What 5 things are on your bucket list for the summer? 

I haven’t made a summer bucket list yet, but I would say it would be to (1) see the sea, (2) make a daisychain, (3) go on an airplane –which I am doing really soon, (4) have a water fight and (5) climb a tree –which I’ve never done-.

3) What skincare products do you use in the summer season and why? 

At the moment I haven’t sorted out my skincare for summer, but I will probably keep it basic as I want to waste the least amount of time possible on myself and spend more time with others.

4) Do you wear more or less makeup in the summer and why? 

Probably less because I leave out foundations and most make up. Just a bit of mascara, maybe liner and lip salve and I’m ready to go!

5) What products being skincare and makeup do you use/ wear in the summer but not in the winter? 

Waterproof mascara, it’s so useful in the summer but in winter I prefer the effect of non-waterproof mascaras, as I always think that the formula looks better on my lashes. However I am up for trying new mascaras/ waterproof mascaras.

6) Which songs get you in the mood of summer and sun?

At the moment it is MKTO’s ‘Classic’ as I just want to dance to this all the time or ‘Friends’ by Jasmine Thompson. Jasmine is an amazing young singer and her music is amazing, her voice is so mature and she does some beautiful covers on Youtube. Find her here: https://www.youtube.com/user/TantrumJas .

7) How do you achieve summer waves in your hair? 

I have naturally wavy to curly hair, so I am lucky, but I am trying out new products to help enhance my hair. If you would like to see some product reviews, just let me know, I mostly try affordable drugstore-type hair care products though as I don’t feel comfortable spending too much on my hair.

8) What are your thoughts of the summer trends this year? 

I love trends, although mostly I prefer them on other people! I think gingham can look really nice and stylish and I especially love the range of crop tops available. A tip I use, as I am not comfortable with showing my tummy- due to my body shape, is to size up and wear high wasted shorts or skirts.

9) What makes you happy in the season? 

Summer evenings, the smell of BBQs, summer fashion and time off school!

10) If you could go anywhere in the world this summer where would you go and why? 

I am going to Sorrento this summer which I am so excited about because I love Italy. Other than that I would say either Disneyland Florida or somewhere interesting like Africa/ Thailand/ India.

11) If you went on holiday and all of your luggage got lost/ stolen, what would be the one thing you'd miss/ need the most?

Defiantly either a book, which is a holiday essential, or my sunglasses- which I am obsessed with, because I can’t sunbathe or do anything in the sunshine without them.

12) In summer would you rather wear flowers in your hair or sandals on your feet?

Flowers for sure, real or fake I love the look of them in my hair and them make me feel so happy! If you’re interested in a DIY floral crown, I have a post here: http://mydaisychaincloset.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/diy-floral-crown-summerstyle.html

13) What is your favourite nail polish colour for summer?

Something bright for me, I am still loving ‘Blueberry’ from BarryM’s nail range as it is my favourite colour blue as it looks so interesting, the shade is pastel but bright, blue but has purple undertones.

14)  Have you been hauling new clothes this summer? If so what is your favourite new buy?

I have been buying a lot of summer clothes lately, for my holiday, and my favourite new thing is defiantly my new Missguided sunflower skater skirt, I haven’t worn it yet but I can’t wait!

15) In summer it is important to protect your head from the sun, so what hat would you wear- a floppy hat, a trilby, a cap or an other type?

I think I’m a floppy hat gal just because I look so funny in any others! I have been trying to protect my head more from the sun, so I will be wearing hats in summer ’14.

So that’s all! I hope this tag put you in a summery mood- it certainly did for me!!!

I tag-

Black+Grey http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?blog=6343749&group=0&frame_type=b&frame=1&click=0&user=0

Alessandraily

http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?blog=11398897&group=0&frame_type=b&frame=1&click=0&user=0

Let me know any thoughts on this down below,

DIY: Floral Crown | #summerstyle

Hey everyone,

So this I have decided that as my first summer blog post, this post will be the beginning of a series called ‘#summerstyle’. In the next few weeks/ months, I will be including some summery themed beauty/ fashion/ random posts. I hope you will all enjoy this series, feel free to leave ideas, requests, comments and any of your summer posts.

This post is a DIY for you all; I hope you enjoy it as I put a lot of effort into making it. I wanted to make a DIY project that would be quick, cheap and yet a currently trending fashion item, so I chose to create my own floral crown.

Floral crowns have become especially popular in the last year, and now that festive session has begun- they are everywhere. I personally love any type of floral accessories, but the floral crown/ headband is one of my favourites. I think they are great as they can complete an outfit, create a unique hair style and add a pop of girly colour into an everyday look. The best thing about them are that they are fab for summer, both at home or on holiday, because they’re so easy to wear and so bright and fun.

So lets start, yeah?

Equipment for this DIY:

• 99p/ £1 shop fake flowers
• Cheap basic hair band elastic, you can either buy a plain one or you can buy one with a flower/bow attachment and take it off. Check your hair accessories as I already owned one, so I’d advice checking.
• Needle and thread
• Pins (optional)

As you can see, there aren’t many expensive parts to the equipment list, as I wanted to keep this DIY as cheap as possible.

Instructions:

1. Prepare you flowers. I had to take mine off of a stem, but I could just pull them off. You may also need to trim the bottom of the flower, as the stems can make it hard to sew.
2. Take the hair band and stitch on the first flower, you can position this anyway you like- I chose to alternate between the flowers facing out or up. Changing this will create the desired effect you may want. Start in the middle of the band and work out.
3. Continue stitching flowers on, remembering to put them close together so that no gaps are left. Feel free to overlap and know that you must add many stitches to the flower- until it is well fixed.
4. When the flowers are stitched on and you have an even amount of flowers on both sides, you can decide if you are done.

Styling:

There are so many ways to style floral crowns, you can fin these looks from celebrities, beauty/ fashion bloggers and in the everyday person. Below are some examples of possible looks I tried. I pinned my fringe back and left my hair down, curly. I wore my hair in a scruffy loose pony tail, and add the floral band to make the look more interesting. And I also wore my hair is a curly up-do bun, this look is a little more suited to a night out or a less casual look- but the floral crown keeps it fun.

So that’s it, see how simple but effective this DIY is! If you are going to make one, leave a comment down below,

Have a lovely summery day,

Positivity Post #3

Hey everyone,

So I just wanted to say sorry I missed my upload on Sunday, but I had actually just gotten back from a DofE walk and I was not in a state to write.

Anyway, this post will be my third positivty post. Today’s thoughts are based around this quote by Mother Theresa.

I think this quote is rather breathtaking really but so true. I think we all have those days when you can feel pointless or that you might never make your mark on the world, but this quote seems to eradicate all that.

 What I love about this is the idea that even you matter in the overall scene of life, whether you believe it or not, I think it includes an important message.

You do matter. That is it. Be the best person you can, and be yourself as much as you can, because that’s what is needed to complete the ‘ocean’. There is no point growing to be a false person, someone who only laughs when others laughs or only wears what others wear.

You are an individual. You are wanted for the individual you are.

It can be hard to be your complete self, and it takes courage, but that is defiantly what I aim to be. I aim to become that drop; it may make a small splash- just affecting those you meet, or a bigger one- one that may make a memorable difference. That doesn’t matter to me; I just want to be there to experience it while it lasts.

What do you think about this quote? Share others down below, and let me know any posts you would like to see in the future,

Looking for Alaska

So in the month of May, I decided to read ‘Looking For Alaska’ by ‘John Green’. I chose this book because, one, it is written by ‘John Green’, author or the Fault in our Stars and incredible writer, and, two, it looks like a beautiful book. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, by my copy of Looking For Alaska is so pretty that I guessed the book must be pretty incredible too.

Looking For Alaska is a story written in the eyes of Miles, a boy from Florida. When he decides he is moving to a boarding school, he does not know what to expect. In Looking For Alaska we see Miles build a new life and deal with its highs and lows. This book makes you think about deep subjects, whilst still being funny and lighthearted.

Looking For Alaska has confused me. I normally say I like –this book- because… or I liked the subject of –this book- because it made me think of… but with Looking For Alaska, I really don’t know.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Although I've read John Green before, this being his debut book, it still seemed different. The book isn’t written in chapter, nor is it not separated. This book just seemed fresh and interesting, whilst the topic was something I haven’t really read before.

Looking For Alaska, much like ‘The Perks of being a Wallflower’, seems to me as a good book for teens, as it approaches the subject of growing up and finding your way in life. I often have thoughts about what we do and why we do it, what really is the point, and I think this book shows you how Miles finds his.

This book is not an easy read. It can be quite tricky to really think about the deep ideas that the characters suggest. It is not an easy romance, boy get girl and everyone is happy, yet it touches on the point of love. It is not a story filled with hopelessness, yet at points, it seems, each character contemplates it. So really, Looking For Alaska is a novel about many things- and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

Looking For Alaska reminded me of real life, to be honest. It was written so well that I felt the feelings and understood how important emotions, such as lose, can impact a persons personality so much. How it can change their long-term views, short term views and the relationships with friends and family.

Overall I really like this book and I would recommend it. It is defiantly a teen book and is not suited for anyone younger than this age, but it could suit older readers. The book is written differently in my opinion, to many other books, so may also suit people who don’t read much. I give this book 4/5 stars and it has defiantly earnt its place on my bookshelf.

Have you read Looking For Alaska? Do you have any book recommendations or reviews? Please share in the comments below! Thank you, as always,

Empties #1

Hey everyone,

Well June is here already and I can’t believe it, summer is just around the corner now. This month I will be posting a lot of holiday themed blog posts, but if there is anything other you would like, just comment down below.

So this post is my very first ‘empties’. If you are unfamiliar with these posts/ videos, this is where I show you some products I have used up and my final thoughts on them!

To start I have a candle. I really loved this candle when I first purchased it, as it smelt gorgeous- in a vanilla scent. After using it several times, I have found that the scent isn’t strong enough for my as it doesn’t linger 

after I have stopped burning it. I purchased this candle for £4.99 at a Homesense store.

The next product is a shampoo and conditioner I have used all of this month. It is from ‘Herbal Essences’ and is the ‘beautiful ends’ formula. This shampoo/conditioner is meant to target split ends and is for ‘mid to long hair’. I had mixed thoughts with this product. I thought it did have an effect on my hair, especially in the first few uses, but after a while I found my hair to often be a little too straw-like. I have dry and often frizzy hair, and this shampoo didn’t really help. Another point is that the products are meant to smell of raspberry, but the scent was barely there. Buy theme here: http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=266326743 , each for £3.79.

Next is a hairspray. I don’t use hairspray very often, so I normally buy cheaper/ drugstore hairsprays that last my months. This hairspray was the basic ‘Tesco, Everyday Value- Hair spray’. This is an average hairspray. It holds well, but isn’t good for long-lasting use. I also found my hair went dry and sticky and hard with this. I can’t knock it for the price really though, costing me only 37p. Buy it here: http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=255934247

Next is the ‘Soap & Glory, Righteous Butter’. This is a really lovely body butter made with shea butter and aloe vera. I really loved this, because unlike the Body Shop Body Butters, this is a less solid butter and I find it easier to use. It’s got a clean fresh scent and is great to message into your skin. This butter has lasted me ages as well, so for the price is lasts months. You can buy it here: http://www.soapandglory.com/the-righteous-body-butter for £10.50, although it is cheaper in other stores or online.

This next set of products is a non-beauty related one. I am a very organised persona and love to colour code things, therefore I often write a lot in colour. These are my favourite ink fine point pens, and they are from ‘v-point’. The full name of them is ‘Pilot V5 Hi-Tecpoint Rollerball Pen Extra-Fine’. You can buy these in the normal colours- black, blue and red, but what I really like I the fact that the can come in pink, purple and light blue. I use these for school work or just generally keeping notes about anything. They write like any other ink pen, and the fine poing means you can also use them for outlining or art. They aren’t cheap, but they have lasted many months for me. Buy them here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pilot-Roller-Ball-Pen-Turquoise/dp/B008LUQSR0/ref=pd_sim_office_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0XQ0TECVCNZ34FJQ93NQ for £7.49

 

This next product is one of my favourite ever nail products. It is the ‘BarryM, Basecoat, hardener and topcoat’. This product adds a extra level of shine on your nail polish, makes it last longer and strengthens your nails in the long run. I use this all the time, either on top of a colour or on my plain nails (for school). This product lasts a long time, but as soon as I’m out- I have to repurchase! It is available here: http://www.barrym.com/products/nails/care/all-in-one-nail-paint.html for the normal ‘BarryM’ price of £2.99/.

 

The penultimate emptied product is one I use all the time, but I don’t think I’ve really talked about before. This is the ‘VO5, curl defining moose’ which is part of the ‘smoothly does it’ range. I use this product every time I wash my hair, and it works to hold my curls and keep them from dropping too much. I have used this for months and really depend on it. Lately though I have been becoming un-impressed by it’s effect. As I have been growing my hair longer, my curls are dropping because of their weight. If you have any tips or products for curly hair, please let me know down below! Buy the ‘curl defining moose’ here: http://www.boots.com/en/VO5-Smoothly-Does-It-Curl-Defining-Mousse-200ml_924238/ for just £3.79 now!

                               

The final product is the ‘Boots, cleansing and toning wipes’ from the ‘tea tree and witch-hazel’ range. I use these as an initial make-up wipe or to clean my skin. They are great for if you are quickly cleaning your skin but I also find they work well at getting make-up of. I use just one every night, to remove any make up. They also managed to get of the ‘They’re real’ mascara from Benefit, which I was very impressed buy. I love this range so much for easy, drugstore skincare. Buy them here: http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Tea-Tree-and-Witch-Hazel-Cleansing-Wipes-25s_1213600/ for £3.39.

 

So that’s all, did you enjoy this type of post? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, have a lovely June day,