I Love Autumn TAG

As I've been very busy filming and editing my Halloween trilogy videos (going live from the 29th Oct!) I thought I'd just sit down and do a nice chilled out chatty video for you. This tag was created by the awesome Helen Melonlady and because I'm a sucker for a seasonal tag video, I thought I'd give it a bash. 

Autumn is by far my favourite time of year and according to this video, it all comes down to the hot chocolate choices. So give it a watch and remember to let me know in the comments, what things you love the most about autumn!

Cozy Autumn Outfit

Cardigan: Weekday

T-Shirt: H&M

Jeans: River Island

Scarf: Primark

Boots: Dr Martens

Necklace: Shop Dixi

This is my first ever, proper outfit post and man was it hard to do on my own. Turns out, those little Canon camera remotes only work at a certain distance which isn't ideal. However, I finally managed to get a few good shots of my go to autumn outfit (despite being the least photogenic person in existence, I have discovered).

This outfit is the one I reach for when I want to be comfy and warm. I'm not so much about trends and more about comfort, so I love a good jeans and tee combo. I am completely in love with Scandinavian street style however and I'm making it my mission to get as many stylish, yet basic pieces in my autumn wardrobe (hence the Weekday cardigan). 

Please give me some honest feedback on my first proper outfit post, I'd love to do more but there's always room for improvement. Also, let me know what your favourite, cozy A/W items are in the comments below. 

A/W 14' Fashion Wishlist

A couple of days ago I showed you all the key items my heart is lusting after but my bank account is avoiding. That was just the tip of the A/W wishlist iceberg and I'd now like to present to you the fashion A/W wishlist. My wardrobe is pretty dire and I'm now on a mission to get all my basic pieces down before winter actually comes knocking. So without further adieu, here are the items topping my autumn wardrobe wishlist.  

1. Zara Mixed Knit Snood Scarf - When the weather starts to get colder, there's a little switch inside of me that clicks on and all of a sudden I become a scary, obsessive, scarf lady. I'm a sucker for a good quality, chunky knit scarf and because the majority of my wardrobe is black & white, this multi coloured knit jumped straight onto my 'to buy' Pinterest board. 

2. H&M Wide Coat - I'm always looking for new coats for winter and there's something about the boxy cut of this that really caught my eye. I'm not one for colour or pattern but I do love a good clean cut, whether it's boxy or asymmetrical, I'm always drawn to unusual shapes. This coat looks like a nice length, cut and looks toasty and warm, perfect.  

3. Topshop Ripped Jamie Jeans - I've debated ripping the knees on my Molly River Island jeans as they are the only black pair I have, however I lack confidence in my fashion DIY skills. I do love the Topshop Jamie Jeans and it would be great to get my hands on some pre-ripped, at least then I can have two pairs of black jeans. 

4. H&M Fine-Knit Jumper - I do love a good jumper and I love that this is baggy but doesn't make you look like your trying to hide something (shopping, a pillow, a baby bump...). Sometimes I buy oversized jumpers and they cling to my hips and end up making me look even more chunky then I already am. This one (I tried it on in the store) hangs really nicely, giving you the oversized effect but without making you look bigger than you are.

5. Fiorelli Roxy Bag Grey - The sensible person in me tells me to get the black version of this bag but the grey keeps catching my eye every time I visit ASOS. I do technically need a plain black bag that I can use in the day and that will go with any outfit, but the grey is just so darn pretty! 

6. Olivia Burton Modern Vintage Watch in Rose Gold & Grey - I first caught wind of Olivia Burton watches thanks to a post I read on A Little Boat Sailing, she wrote about the beautiful new watch she'd bought and it was so unique I had to check out the site she got it from. After much browsing I came across this beauty and fell in love. I rarely wear watches as I don't own any really nice ones that work for both day and night wear, but this looks like it could change my watch wearing habits. 

Have you managed to get your A/W wardrobe ready to go? Or are you still fumbling around trying to decide what you should be sporting this season? Let me know what new A/W purchases you have made and if you have got your eye on any new pieces. 

A/W 14' Beauty Wishlist

Now that autumn is just around the corner, I've been thinking more and more about products that need to be purchased for me to survive the colder months. The main change that I notice is that my skin dries up like the desert, so I have to make sure that I have an army of moisturising products to tackle it. There is also the odd bit of makeup that catches my eye, usually something I've been looking at for a while and as my birthday is coming up, it's always good to have have a little treat lined up. 

1. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow - So many people have been raving about Charlotte Tilbury products, but because of the large price tag I haven't been able to give any a good testing. The Bronze & Glow however, caught my eye when the collection was first released. I have heard so many great things about the highlighter and the bronzer looks like it could be a good shade for the paler skinned (I need a lot more colour in the winter).

2. Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleansing Masque - Recently on Twitter I asked for face mask suggestions that could give me a good deep clean, this is the pick that came out on top. So many people recommended this to me and it was recently featured in one of my favourite YouTubers favourites videos, so I knew it was something I needed to test out. I suffer with blemish prone skin so I wanted something that could clean deep deep down but without reacting with my very sensitive skin, this sounds like the mask that could tick all the boxes. 

3. Korres Wild Rose 24-H Moisturising Brightening Cream - I'm currently in the market for a richer moisturiser to really tackle the colder weather. At the moment I'm using the Simple Rich Moisturiser but as my skin gets drier it doesn't do the same job. The packaging for the Korres Brightening Cream caught my eye initially and after a bit of research I decided I needed to give it a test out. 

4. Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum - This is another product that everyone raves about. I've been wanting to try this for so long now but I've been trying to get through the foundations I already have. The reason I want to try the serum and not the foundation is that the serum feels a bit more gel like and moisturising. Even though the lightest shade of this is always sold out in my local Superdrug and Boots, I think I'll be on a hunt for it in the next couple of weeks. 

5. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Milk - I fell in love with the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm and when I found out they did it in a cleansing milk I knew I had to try it. The Take The Day Off range is absolutely amazing at removing stubborn makeup and it really feels like it's cleaning deep deep down. I find cleansing milks to be a lot better for dry skin as they don't strip out the oils like foaming cleansers have a habit of doing. Whether the cleansing milk will be quite as good as the balm is something that I'm prepared to find out for myself. 

6. Vaseline Spray & Go Essential Moisture - After using the Cocoa Butter Spray & Go, it quickly became a holy-grail product for winter. The Spray & Go moisturisers soak in super quickly, lightly fragrance the skin and give you a softly moisturised feeling. It's perfect for the lazy people like myself and I may go a bit mad and get a few different bottles so that I've tested every formula out. 

Let me know in the comments below what you always re-purchase in preparation for the winter months and what products you have your eye on to test out this year!

The Autumn Makeup Change Over

Can you believe that we are already half way through September? The leaves are already starting to turn brown and cover the roads and I am very excited. Autumn (or Fall depending on your geographical location) is my favourite time of year, not only is it my birthday but it means I can wear cozy jumpers, drink lots of salted caramel hot chocolates and go mad buying chunky boots. 

Autumn also means that you can finally fish out those berry shades and plaster them all over your face without judgement. Usually around this time I take a good hard look at what I've squashed into my makeup bag and have a much needed change over. Some things stay the same, mostly bases as I'm pale all year round, but there are some major change ups that happen every September. 

The first thing I do is change over the eyeshadows in my MAC quad. Over the summer I will usually stick some neutral, matte shades in, that are perfect for a bright and natural summer look. Once the colder weather starts setting in, it's time to crack out the coppers and reds. My all time favourite autumn shadows are Cranberry and Sketch so they make the cut every time autumn rolls around. This year I've also decided to have a bit of Woodwinked in there as well as a Brule, as it's a great base no matter what the season. 

Other than the quad change I like to use darker more vampy lipsticks, my most used being MAC's Hang-Up. Hang-Up is a deep berry red in the Cremesheen formula so it's super moisturising and amazingly pigmented, one of my absolute favourites. I've also got a few Rimmel lipsticks that get taken out, Dark Night Water-loops! being the most popular. 

I'm not one for following trends either in fashion or beauty, but the berry trend that appears every year is one I always get on board with. I love a bit of an edge to my look no matter what the weather, but autumn just makes it even more acceptable for me to really explore the slightly gothic look my very pale skin offers me. Are you one for the dark vamp look around autumn/fall? Or do you like to keep it neutral and fresh all year round? 

Autmun/Winter Wardrobe Additions: Bershka

Now that the weather is decidedly chillier than it has been, it's about time I did some major Autumn/Winter shopping. Shopping for the colder months is most definitely my favourite kind of shopping. I love nothing more than layering up and breaking out the ankle boots and fluffy jumpers. 

Not only am I adding some much needed items to my Winter wardrobe, I'm also trying to give it a makeover. Over the last 3 years of Uni I've let my wardrobe go a bit down hill. Now that I'm back at work I want to get my minimalist wardrobe up to scratch. I love anything that is clean cut, plain and simple so Bershka was on the top of my list of stores to check out. 

Bershka is a reasonably priced store that offers some amazing basic pieces. I like to think of it as Zara's younger more urban sibling. I've always been one to browse and lust after things from Bershka, but these are the first things I've ever taken the plunge and bought from them.

I've been trying to find a pair of beige ankle boots for a while now and I couldn't find any that were under £100 or not sold out. Then I saw these BSK Zipper Detail Heeled Ankle Boots online and new they were exactly what I was looking for. One thing I really hate is when ankle boots have that slippy plastic sole (New Look boots tend to be the main culprits) so I was a little nervous about what these were going to be like. I'm happy to report that they have a sturdy rubber sole that isn't going to send me flying in the icy weather. 

The Flap Detail Suede Bag was more of an impulse buy. My beloved Nica Lucy bag is now falling to pieces and I wanted a new winter handbag. This was a lot smaller than I thought it was going to be but actually it's the perfect size to fit the essentials in and not weigh you down. It's real leather and feels like amazing quality, only time will tell if it can withstand the amount of wear I'll be getting out of it though. 

I'm definitely even more of a fan of Bershka now I have these lovely additions to my wardrobe. Hopefully once I've gotten my wardrobe to tip top condition I can do some outfit posts to really show these guys off. Keep your eyes peeled!

What new Autumn/Winter items have you added to your wardrobe lately? Are you ready for summer to be over? 

Sweater Weather TAG

I didn't mean to have two TAG's up one after another but it just happened that way! I promise I'll have a break from the TAG's for a little while, but for now I did the Sweater Weather TAG over on my YouTube channel. This is basically like the I <3 Fall TAG that went around last year but with a cuter name. 

In other news it was my birthday yesterday so keep your eyes peeled for a big birthday haul! Plus I'm thinking of doing another little personal birthday post so that will also be on the way!

A/W Fashion Haul

I recently went to my wardrobe on a cold autumn day to find that I own next to no clothes, great. My wardrobe has always been a bit lacking, but recently I decided to scrape some pennies together and go A/W shopping. 

My first point of call was of course Primark, being a poor student and all it seemed like the most financially viable option. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the choice in chunky knits and festive jumpers. They also had a great range of winter boots to suit everyone's tastes. 

H&M also showed promise in the knitwear department, I always overlook H&M but it's definitely worth a look at the moment. Overall I ended up with a good few decent items which will surely keep me toasty over these chilly months. Take a look, you might see something that takes your fancy! 

Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick 107

I'm not usually a massive fan of a matte finish, I have very dry lips at the best of times and would rather not make them look more prune like. But when I saw this shade on Zoella in one of her videos, I went straight out and bought it. It is a really lush berry red shade which is perfect for Autumn/Winter, not to mention anything matte is very in trend this season. 

The Rimmel lipsticks are, in my opinion, some of the best available on the high street. The staying power is amazing and the pigmentation is stunning. However for my already dry lips, this is very drying. I usually apply a lip balm underneath to make it more comfortable to wear, which usually works a treat. 

This has definitely become one of my 'must have' A/W lip products, the colour is just too gorgeous to ignore. Not to mention the price of Rimmel lipsticks is a steal. 

RRP: £5.49

Have you purchased 107 yet? Do you love the Kate Matte formula?

 

September Lust List

1. Charlotte Tilbury - The Vintage Vamp Eye Shadow Palette

This looks like the perfect palette for A/W 13', I love the plum reds and that splash of sparkly gold, they mix so well together. These shades are my favourite shades to enhance blue eyes, I always reach for the golds and reds to make my blue eyes really stand out, so this is right up my street.

2. MAC - Just A Bite Lipstick

This is one of the new shades from the MAC Indulge collection, this is a dark, blue toned red lipstick and like the eye shadow palette is perfect for A/W. I love blue toned lipsticks as they look the best on me, usually I would aim for a darker red but I just love the colour of this.

3. NARS - Adult Content Blush Palette

I am really loving NARS Fall collection, it's so beautiful and both of their blush palettes caught my eye. I prefer this palette mostly because it has a nice mix of shades and also doesn't have Orgasm. I already own Orgasm so I don't see the point in having it in a palette as well. This contains the blushes in Zen, Miss Liberty, Deep Throat and Desire. 

4. NARS - Radiant Creamy Concealer

This has been raved about by so many people and looks like a gorgeous under eye concealer. It just looks so creamy and also comes in a range of shades, which I always find a problem with when it comes to concealer.

5. Michael Kors - Selma Tote

Oh I do love a good bag! This is one of those items I know for a fact I won't be getting anytime soon. It costs an arm and a leg but it's just so classic and classy, I can't help but drool over it.

6&7. Pandora Bracelet And Text Book Charm

I always feel like a charm bracelet and charms should be given as a gift rather than bought for ones self, but I don't know anyone who would buy me one! I really like the idea of charm bracelets and documenting your life through jewellery. I always thought it would be cool to pass down through generations. I graduate next year and would love to have something to document this event in my life, it's a pretty big deal this university stuff. 

What are you lusting after this month? 

Top Fall Collection 2013 Picks

With all the new Fall/Autumn 2013 collections being released or at least announced, I thought I should share with you all my top 6 (It was originally supposed to be 5 but I couldn't choose) products from the new collections. I have to say after having a good hard look at the shiny packaging and vampy red hues, the YSL and Urban Decay collections are by far my favourite. 

1. YSL Blush Radiance No.9

This peachy toned blush looks so gorgeous, I love a warmer peach toned blush in the winter and this one looks divine. I've never tried any YSL blushes before but I would love this to be my first. YSL Fall Collection is available August 2013.

2. OCC Lip Tar in Black Metal Dahlia

As soon as I spotted this shade I was in love. The rich blackened red tone is soooo vampy and perfect for Fall. I don't think I could wear this day to day (Don't get me wrong, I'd give it a good go) but as a night time lip colour it is perfect. Available on Sephora.com from August 27th and from OCCMakeup.com from September 6th 2013.

3. Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks

Is this cheating because it's technically more than one product? Ahh well never mind. Urban Decay have really impressed me with their Fall collection, the packaging in particular is stunning. These lipsticks come in a massive array of shades, all perfectly wearable. They have such a creamy look and are apparently just as pigmented as one would expect. Available right now online at Sephora.com and Debenhams.co.uk!

4. Smashbox Fade To Black Eye Shadow Palette in Fade In

Out of the two Fade To Black palettes, the Fade In palette attracts me more. I think it's my love of dark sultry shadows that attracted me to it. It looks like a palette I would use regularly to create a really vampy smokey eye, my preferred look when heading out for the night. Available the end of August 2013.

5. Tom Ford Lipstick in Bruised Plum

I know I'm not the only one who walks past the Tom Ford makeup stands with a longing look in their eye. Tom Ford cosmetics are notoriously expensive, but I may just treat myself to this plum red lipstick. It's perfect for this years Fall vamp & punk trends. This shade has been available in the past, but it's packaging has had a tiny makeover to fit it in with the 2013 Fall collection. Available from September 2013. 

6. YSL City Drive Palette in Classy
Another pick from the YSL collection (I said I loved it). Out of the two available palettes, Classy contains the more wearable shades. A really nice neutral palette, this holds all my go to shades, the shades I reach for for an everyday look. The packaging (Like all YSL packaging) is gorgeous, a gold square case with large gold 'Yves Saint Laurent' font on the lid. Available August 2013.

What are your top picks from the recently announced Fall 2013 collections?