Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Tuesday 2 September 2014

A quick back to school breakfast option is a deliciously healthy smoothie and I've been absolutely addicted to whipping them up in the mornings. Not only are they super simple to prepare but they taste amazing and what's not to love about something that's healthy and yummy? I've been experimenting with different amounts of fruit, juice and yoghurt as the possibilities are endless when it comes to making up your own ideal smoothie recipe so just grab some fruit and give it a go!


I have to say, I have been using different ingredients every single day so this recipe is just an example of one type of smoothie I made. Feel free to chop and change the fruit, maybe you would prefer to use banana instead of yoghurt to thicken your drink or perhaps you'd love to add an apple or a handful of grapes? It's entirely up to you. Today's smoothie couldn't be simpler though.



You will need:


  • 5 strawberries
  • 1 large blackberry
  • 3 raspberries
  • 10 blueberries
  • 125g strawberry yoghurt
  • 100ml orange juice




Put all of the ingredients into your blender/smoothie maker and blend away! Add a couple of ice cubes for a cool and refreshing smoothie if it is safe to add them to your blender. Once the fruit, juice and yoghurt are all blended together nicely, you should have a gorgeous looking (and tasting) smoothie ready to pour into a glass and drink. It couldn't possibly be any easier! 

Enjoy a great start to the day.

Doireann x




DIY Room Decor Ideas

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Room decorating doesn't have to be difficult, time-consuming or costly, it can be a very enjoyable experience with a bit of creativity and inventiveness. Here are three very easy DIY Room Decor Ideas taken from my newly decorated bedroom:


1) Flower Holders



For these cute flower holders, simply paint some recycled jars and add brightly coloured flowers. It's a good idea to look around and see if you have any paint testers lying around the house before going out to buy paint specifically. I used two different testers I had from when I was deciding what colour to paint my walls so the jars now fit in with the colour scheme of the room. One coat of paint will suffice and all that's left to do after they have dried is to add some beautiful flowers. I used artificial ones that I bought very cheaply but of course you can use fresh flowers as long as you remember to look after them! 





2) Stationery Organiser 


To make this handy stationery organiser, you will need:
  • 9 toilet rolls (start collecting them now!)
  • Craft glue 
  • Cardboard from an old cereal box
  • Ribbon
  • Paint (again, I used paint testers for this project)
First of all, cut out a 15 cm x 15 cm square from an old cereal box, this will be the base of the stationery organiser. Next, paint the grey side of the cardboard with one of your paints. After that, it's time to paint the toilet rolls with whatever colours you have chosen. I took three different paint testers and painted three toilet rolls with each one. Once all of the paint has fully dried, line the bottom circle of each toilet roll with craft glue and press each one firmly down on the cardboard square, making sure that the toilet rolls fit together snugly. Finally, wrap a pretty ribbon around the completed organiser and glue it in place. Add a cute little bow before filling up your new stationery organiser with pencils, pens and highlighters. Tah-dah!




3) Floral String Lights



I've always loved the idea of fairy lights in my room, they add such a warm atmosphere to any space. These battery operated floral string lights from Penneys are just gorgeous. You can get so many different variations of string/fairy lights online or in homeware stores and battery operated ones are, in my opinion, the best as you don't have to deal with long wires and plugs. I attached my floral lights with sellotape along the top and sides of my wardrobe, garland style. Simple. The soft glow they give off makes my room feel so cozy.

Doireann 
x

Elie Saab Couture Fall/Winter 2014-15

Monday 14 July 2014

Paris Haute Couture week is always about the glitz and the glamour and once again, I fell in love with Elie Saab's magical creations. I wrote about Elie Saab at Spring Haute Couture week back in January and you can read that post here. Not surprisingly, I was enchanted all over again by the Fall/Winter 2014-15 pieces presented in Paris last week.

Light was obviously the main theme with the runway illuminated by sparkling chandeliers that changed in hue to complement the different evening gowns and cocktail dresses. From floor length creations showered with lustrous pearls to sparkling long-sleeved cocktail dresses and off-the-shoulder pieces adorned with shimmering stones, the collection radiated grace and elegance. I particularly liked the backless pieces and a v-neck, glistening black dress. Tones of cool blue, navy, pink, black, grey and white were featured with the final dress being an extravagant white bridal gown.

Elie Saab's show was an evening affair fit for a fairytale.

My picks from the Fall/Winter collection:


Take a look at the full show below to really experience the magic of the Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2014-15 Fashion Show:


Thanks for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed it!

Doireann 
x



This Month I...

Monday 30 June 2014

Instead of my usual Monthly Favourites, I decided to switch things up a bit this month because it's all about variety, right? So here is a new kind of blog post summing up my month. I'm not sure if it will take over my Monthly Favourites or if I will keep both types of blog posts on the go perhaps every second month, but I'll see how it goes. It's a bit more personal than my normal beauty/fashion/music favourites posts so I hope you enjoy it!



This Month I...

Listened to Ed Sheeran's interesting new album "X" (or Multiply). I say interesting because, like his first single off the album, SING, I'm not quite sure what I think about it as a whole yet. A lot of Ed's new songs are completely different to his soft and lyrical numbers that made me fall in love with his previous album. However, I do feel that in "X", he has proven his songwriting diversity and branched out to even try his hand at rapping in "The Man". I have to admit though, I do prefer the tracks "Photograph" and "I'm A Mess" which bear more resemblance to the Ed we all know and love.

Watched the perfection that is The Fault In Our Stars. I waited for weeks on end with hungry anticipation for the day I could finally see the movie realization of John Green's heartbreaking novel. After all the hopeful waiting, a tiny part of me was worried that the movie wouldn't live up to my immense expectations. Boy, was I wrong. The Fault In Our Stars captured and then broke my heart. I will be posting a full review soon as I can't do this outstanding movie justice in the space of a few lines. In the mean time, if you haven't already, go and see it!

Read Paper Towns by John Green. I couldn't put this book down. It grabbed me from the very beginning with it's believable characters and distinct element of mystery that kept me guessing throughout. Another great piece of work from John Green. Check out his quirkily thought-provoking YouTube channel VlogBrothers as well, which he shares with his brother Hank.

Bought a very pretty little floral top from Penneys. This peplum-style, denim coloured top is adorably girly and sweet. I've worn it casually with skinny jeans and flats and I can see it looking lovely paired with high-waisted shorts and sandals. I'm looking forward to experimenting with different looks, both casual and dressy, using this gorgeous printed top. 

Wore summery clothes of course! Printed playsuits, high-waisted shorts and colourful tops to complement the equally sunny weather. In terms of makeup, I've been wearing the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum which is a lovely, lightweight foundation that's ideal for those summer days when you don't want to feel caked in heavy makeup. The first thing I noticed about this foundation is its delicious fruity fragrance. Yummy. The only thing is, I have oily skin so it seems to slip right off my nose in particular. Because it's quite a dewy foundation, I would recommend it to people with normal/dry skin. 

Ate way too many homemade icecream sundaes. To make your own refreshing sundae, put a few scoops of your favourite ice cream into a glass (I used a mason jar), fill with Sprite to see the fizziness commence and add a bit of food colouring to make it even more appetizing. Finish off with sprinkles and cut a slit in a strawberry to slide it onto the rim of your glass. Trust me, it tastes as delicious as it looks and this tempting ice cream sundae will keep you cool during hot summer days.


That's all for this month, I hope you are all enjoying the summer. Here's to another month of blogging! 

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram here and on Bloglovin here.

xxx

Top 5 Movies for a Cozy Night In

Thursday 26 June 2014


Feel like snuggling up on the couch, relaxing and watching a great movie? You've come to the right place then. Grab the popcorn and enjoy one, or all, of these great movies. 

Here are my top five picks for a cozy night in:
  • Chocolat is an irresistible treat, even its name sounds delicious. If, like me, you have a love for all things French, you're going to love this. Juliette Binoche plays Vianne, a single mother who opens up a chocolate shop in a rural French village during lent. Add in Roux, a mysterious gypsy (played by Johnny Depp), a generous helping of incredibly mouthwatering chocolate as well as an enchanting soundtrack and you have the recipe for an alluring feast for the senses.
  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my favourite novels and the film adaptation featuring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller  feels just as real and heartfelt. Charlie (Lerman) is an outsider, awkward and lonely, trying to find his way in high school until Sam (Watson) and Patrick (Miller) come along and prove that true friends can make all the difference. With outstanding performances by the main characters and just enough depth, earnestness and sincerity, this is a truly great film. 
  • When I heard that About  Time involved time travelling, it didn't exactly entice me to watch it. However, my doubts were soon forgotten once I sat down and enjoyed this delight of a movie emphasizing the importance of loved ones. Charming, witty and touching, About Time, starring Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams, will make you laugh, cry and long for more. Perfect for a cozy night in.
  • Of course I had to include The Notebook, the remarkable love story of Noah and Allie (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams). I'm just warning you though, you will definitely need tissues for this passionate and very romantic tearjerker. A beautifully clever story that you will fall head over heels in love with, I don't think it needs too much explanation. If you haven't seen it yet, where have you been? 
  • Finally, The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, is worth watching even for the sole purpose of escaping into the glamorous era of the 1920's. The glittering costumes, extravagant parties hosted by the secretive Jay Gatsby (Dicaprio) and unexpected soundtrack  makes this an elusive and endearing movie. The storyline is, of course, top-notch as the movie is an adaptation of the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. While watching the movie, I couldn't help but notice how visually stunning every scene was. Well worth watching. 
I hope you enjoyed this post and if you have any other movie suggestions for a cozy night in, let me know in the comments below. Until next time,

Doireann
xxx

Summer Wishlist

Sunday 22 June 2014


Time for another wishlist!

I've got that summertime, summertime sadness... Well not really, just a bit of summertime longing for these gorgeous items. I spotted  the Barry M Matte Nail Paint and a few other of these gems on a recent shopping trip, while I came across the floral bralet when browsing on Missguided. Of course, I also discover new products/clothing while reading through my favourite blogs or scrolling down my Instagram feed so it's very easy to be tempted into purchasing lots of new, bright and shiny looking "necessities" without even visiting the shops! 

However, despite my shopaholic tendencies, I've abbreviated my actual wishlist to the six gorgeous items below:

Collage created by me with the help of PicMonkey. 

1) Tala Crossover Back Bralet in Floral Print 
Ah, Missguided.You had me at the floral print. With its delicate, white, string straps and stunning floral design, this bralet would go beautifully with a high waisted skirt or even the Joni jeans (number 6 on this list) from Topshop! It is so girly and perfect for the summer weather.

I am a big fan of Barry M nail products and I have yet to find a budget nail polish comparable to their Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint. It comes as no surprise then that I am very, very excited to try out the Matte Nail Paint particularly in the pictured shade, Miami, a fun, pink colour. Matte nails is a trend I have wanted to try out for a long time so this nail polish is top of my list.

I can't justify paying around €30 for Benefit's famous High Beam although I have been searching for a good highlighter. On my pursuit for a less pricey alternative, I couldn't believe my eyes while reading rave reviews about ELF's equally praised, luminous highlighter, Shimmering Facial Whip. Coming in five radiant shades, Lilac Petal appears to be the closest in hue to High Beam. The best part of all?  The Shimmering Facial Whip, available from ELF's American site will set you back just $1 (yes, only $1!) 

This adorable little backpack from New Look caught my eye the other day with its charming pattern and practical design. It boasts multiple pockets and a drawstring section on top of a cute, vintage look. This would be perfect to carry those beach essentials. 

Another matte option here. Revlon never fail to disappoint with their wide collection of super soft, really, really good lip products. When I tested one of these ColorBurst Matte Balms on the back of my hand at Boots, I couldn't get over how pigmented it was. I literally brushed the balm (I think the shade was Audacious) onto my skin lightly but the colour payoff was amazing! These balms seem to be very creamy in texture and even though they aren't cheap, from what I saw, I definitely would consider purchasing one. 

Oooh they look so comfy don't they? I've been longing for a pair of light blue skinnies and this high waisted pair of Joni jeans from Topshop fit the bill perfectly. Because they're high waisted, pairing them with either crop tops or regular tees isn't a problem and the stretchy, denim material looks very snug and cozy. Hopefully a soon-to-be resident in my denim-lacking wardrobe.






May Favourites

Wednesday 4 June 2014

It's officially summer, my absolute favourite time of year. Cue a chorus of joyful singing and celebratory dancing! As you can tell, I'm pretty excited at the prospects of embracing all that summer has to offer. And you should be excited too! Anyway, this isn't a "seize the summer" post, I'm here to talk to you about what I've been enjoying the past month. Let's get cracking!




Beauty: If you've ever visited Lush, you'll know what I mean when I say that a trip to one of their stores is a feast for the senses. From bath bombs to makeup, all of the products from Lush are handmade and smell absolutely incredible (no exaggeration). My most recent purchase there was the deliciously fragrant Creamy Candy Bubble Bar which, judging by the smell of it, is going to be amazing when I use it. This pink bundle of sweetness can be used to turn any old bath into a heavenly, bubbly, delightful treat by crumbling the Bubble Bar under the flowing water of your bath. Described as delicate vanilla candies, the Bubble Bar also has little pieces of cocoa butter inside it as well. I can't wait to use it!


Fashion: More of an accessories favourite than a fashion trend this month but as the sunny season is here, I had to feature my new retro-style shades with you. They're pretty glam with the diamantes on the arm and such a bargain from Penneys/Primark. Last year, I was all for the bright and colourful sunglasses from Penneys but this pair grabbed my eye last weekend so I just had to buy them. Penneys have really stepped up to the mark in recent years when competing with other high street stores and, even if the quality isn't at a par with the likes of Topshop, you really can't go wrong when shopping for seasonal items like casual summer dresses, playsuits and accessories. So I'm delighted with my cute new sunnies and I shall be sporting them proudly when the weather permits, or even just to keep my hair back on windy days! It's Ireland after all, isn't it?



Music: Stay With Me by Sam Smith is one of the few beautiful and meaningful songs being played on the radio at the moment. Unfortunately though, it's played among the many, many (too many) poor excuses for music consisting of two words sung on repeat for three and a half minutes wasting air time and brainwashing people into thinking that this is what music is all about. It's not. But I applaud Sam Smith for using his gorgeous voice and writing wonderful songs like this. Have a listen here.

Get Creative Series: Part 2 - Nail Art

Friday 30 May 2014

Apologies for my lack of blogging over the past few weeks but as the end of the school year approached, I was very busy with award ceremonies and graduations which were followed by a nice little break during which I slept a lot and just chilled out, really. Now though, I'm back to blogging with a bang and, with a long summer ahead of me, I plan to post a lot more regularly. So to kick things off, here is the second installment of my Get Creative Series, this time it's all about the nails.

Summery yellow with white cross symbol

Nail art has definitely been having a moment lately and, with nail polish matching previously unrivaled lipstick sales last year; it seems as if adorning our nails with beautiful designs is more than just a fleeting trend. What better way to express your creativity than by using your nails as a canvas and painting to your heart's content. As I said in my first nail art post, you don't have to be the next WAH NAILS artist to recreate your favourite looks. All it takes is a little bit of patience and some cute, crazy or colourful ideas. Below, I have included some useful links but first, to show you how easy and obtainable it is to get creative with your nails, here are a few basic designs I pulled off myself:


Pink and orange aztec-style


Coral with white cross symbol

Pink and blue vertical stripes (tutorial here)

Useful Links:

WAH NAILS - The iconic East London nail salon's website. Click Archive to see all of their amazing creations. 

Cute Polish Tribal Nails - Check out the other great videos on the Cute Polish channel as well!

10 Nail Posts - Blogger Lily Pebbles looks back at ten of her favourite nail posts.


The Nailasaurus - Pore enviously over this feast of nail art. Jealous is not the word. 


I hope this blog post has inspired you to get creative with your nails. It is 100% possible to have fun and experiment with a variety of looks even on a budget. By no means am I a nail art expert at all, I simply want to share with you, different ways of expressing your creativity and nail art is one of those ways. So I hope this post was worthwhile, I really enjoyed putting it together and it has encouraged me to give more complicated nail art a go! I love comments, so leave one below telling me what you think or let me know if you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see more of on Life Beauty Blogger.

Enjoy the lovely weather!
xxx






Get Creative Series: Part 1 - Photography

Sunday 11 May 2014

This year, more than others, I've really broadened my creativity. I've started a blog, I've began taking photographs with a more critical eye and I've developed, even further, my taste in music. But being creative can involve a whole lot more than just the few things I have mentioned. From fashion and food, to art and even dancing, the possibilities of outlets through which you can express your creativity are endless. Over the next short while I'm going to be posting some of the ways I like to chill out/enjoy myself through creativity and I hope these ideas will also help you to awaken your artistry. The first topic in my Get Creative series of posts is the art of photography. Hope you like it!

This photo was taken with my smartphone's 5MP camera,
proving that expensive photography equipment isn't always
needed for impressive results

Start Snapping

Photography is something I only began to appreciate and take a bit more seriously in recent months. I mostly just use my smartphone (with its humble 5MP camera) or a pretty basic 10MP Fujifilm digital camera as I don't think pricey SLR cameras are always necessary when starting out. I find that using your smartphone wisely and trying out different photo editing apps can give just as promising results.

For my Instagram account (@lifebeautyblogger), I sometimes edit my photos with an app called AfterFocus and then use a softening filter like Walden, Valencia or Nashville to give a nice finishing touch. Other times, I leave  photo just the way it is, if I am already happy with the colour and lighting.

An untouched photo I took this morning

The same photo edited, as described above, for Instagram

The most important aspect to keep in mind while taking photographs is, of course, lighting. Also, consider the photograph as a whole; the background is equally as important as the subject, and clutter will only take from the picture. Lastly, always keep your eyes wide open as you never know when the perfect photo opportunity may arise (and I'm not talking about selfies!) whilst exploring a bustling street or strolling along a quiet country lane.

A recent unedited photo I took while on a boat to the Aran Islands.
This was also taken on my smartphone.

Beauty Wish List

Sunday 27 April 2014

Ah, the downsides of being a shopaholic.... I always seem to have an arm-length wish list of beauty products just pleading to be purchased. I've narrowed down my lengthy list to five products that I'm lusting over at the moment and I created my first collage on picmonkey.com (a really simple website for editing photos and creating collages like the one below). So without further ado, I present to you my current Beauty Wish List:





1) Real Techniques Blush Brush, €12.99
Teen Vogue call it "Photoshop for your skin" and this Real Techniques brush seems to be one of the best on the market for perfect blush application. I love all of the Real Techniques brushes because of their fab, dense quality, lack of hair shedding and cute colours as well as their outstanding blending abilities. I can't wait to get my hands on this blush brush to add to my collection.

2) Sleek Face Form, €12.99
You've got to love multi-purpose products and this trio of contour powder, highlighter and blush has caught my eye recently. Available in four shades; Fair, Light, Medium and Dark (the latter two include bronzer instead of blush) this would be a great little compact for travelling or for popping into your handbag instead of lugging around three different products all the time.

3) Marc Jacobs Daisy Delight EDT 50ml, €61.00
Maybe it's just because of the absolutely adorable bottle that I was attracted to this fragrance but the fresh new edition of Marc Jacobs' bestselling Daisy is bound to smell just as fantastic. Or maybe it's just the bottle...

4) Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, €13.99
After reading countless reviews about this wonderfully light foundation, I've decided that this will be my next purchase after my current No7 Essentially Natural foundation is gone. I generally prefer lighter coverage foundations and this one is meant to smell amazing as well so I'll be giving it a go shortly.

5) Essie Resort Fling, €9.99
One of the four summery shades from Essie's Resort 2014 collection, this "peachy coral" (according to Essie) is the perfect nail colour for long and sunny days on the beach. Although Essie polishes are quite expensive, I'd love to buy this particular shade as I've always been a fan of corals, especially over the summer months.


March/April Favourites

Thursday 17 April 2014

Here its is! My latest monthly favourites post, this time with a Spring theme. The season of cherry blossoms and daffodils is upon us so sit back and enjoy my monthly roundup of beauty, fashion and music.



Beauty: Only because it was on sale in Boots did I purchase Maybelline's new priming product: Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser. Maybelline promise to give us a "baby smooth and matte finish" while erasing all traces of pores with this lightweight primer, but in terms of priming; it didn't really excel. It did however give my skin a lovely dewy look and it did smooth out my skin considerably with it's clear gel-like texture (that could be a nuisance for some as it tends to make your fingers a bit greasy on application) . It's certainly not a phenomenal breakthrough for Maybelline but at the same time it does what it claims to do and it does it pretty well.



I also tried Collection 200's Cream Puff Lip Cream in Fairy Cake which I really like. The colour is a beautiful deep coral and the lip cream (a moisturising matte lip gloss) stays put for longer than most lip products.



The final product in this month's beauty section is the Natural Collection Blushed Cheeks blusher. The shade I bought was Peach Melba which is a darker shade than I would normally wear on my cheeks but it's a great bargain blusher.



Fashion: Flower crowns and floral hair pieces have been on my radar during recent weeks and, with images of floral fashion at Coachella pouring onto my Instagram (@lifebeautyblogger) feed making me extremely jealous, I went out and bought myself a bunch of flowers. Just kidding, I actually bought some pretty, floral accessories in Penneys/Primark. It wouldn't be spring without florals, would it? I'm not yet brave enough to pull off one of the larger flower crowns but I bought a pink, rose entwined hairband which I think is adorable. I also bought a pair of orange flower earrings with a diamond in the centre. Both the hairband and the pair of earrings cost a mere €2 each so my Coachella jealousy was eased a little.
Flower power all the way!

Large flower earrings on the far left and pink rose
hairband on the right, both €2 each  from Penneys.

Music: I absolutley love Ed Sheeran's music. His unbelievable lyrical talent is proving to the music world that he is one of the best songwriters of our generation. I'm counting down the days until I get to see him in concert (170 days in case you're wondering) and I've played his debut album "+" (plus) so often on my iPod that I know almost every song by heart. The official audio of the new single off his second album "x" (multiply) was released a week ago. The song is called SING and I didn't like it at first but after a few good listens, it started to grow on me. It's very catchy but so different to his previous songs which had a much calmer vibe to them. I'm still not sure about it but I'll trust Ed on this one as there is no doubting his talent. Listen to it here: Ed Sheeran - SING and let me know what you think.

I hope you all have a lovely Easter.
xxx





Monthly Tumblr Favourites

Sunday 6 April 2014

For the duration of March and the beginning of April, my tumblr blog lifebeautyblogger.tumblr.com seems to have been filled with very feminine looks with shades of pink and blue being the most prominent colours gracing the pages of the blog in recent weeks. I suppose the looks below are a true reflection of my taste at the moment which includes tailored jackets and pencil skirts in varying patterns. I feel that pattern is huge at the moment and I'm certainly drawn to it anyway as it can add another dimension to an outfit while heightening the sophistication. Plus, classy pattern makes your skirt/blazer/jeans look a whole lot more elegant.




Looking further back to the start of March, however, the outfits and street style looks that I reblogged were of a different kind with bold pops of colour and more laid back clothing on show. I hope you enjoy looking at my favourite images from March and April above and below, whatever your taste may be. Included are some gorgeous nail art photographs as well. If only we could all paint our nails like that.....                                                                                                             Enjoy!












                                                 


All images courtesy of Tumblr.com

Music of the Month: March

Wednesday 12 March 2014

Just a quick post but I felt I had to share these artists and songs before some new great tunes start playing (on repeat) in my constantly singing mind. Here are my top songs at the moment, each by very individual artists all of whom I really enjoy listening to. Do check out their other songs as well if you're in the mood for some good music. I have featured a couple of these songs in other posts before but here are the links to the Youtube videos:


John Newman - Out Of My Head 
Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This (not the official video as it hasn't been released yet)
Sam Smith - Money On My Mind (clever lyric video)
Kodaline - One Day
Avicii - Addicted To You

Special mention to Let It Go (from Frozen) performed by Idina Menzel.
A gorgeous song from an even more gorgeous film (you really can't beat Disney) and it most definitely deserved the Oscar. Just had to add that one to the end of the list because I literally can't stop singing it!

Paloma proves that she's not only capable hitting the high notes
with her new track "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
but also with her edgy style proven here at London Fashion Week.


Gold Rush

Monday 10 March 2014

I was never one for wearing gold jewellery until very recently when I picked up a few gorgeous, more urban, gold pieces. The chunky gold chain in particular has been frequently exhibited on the necks of many famous stars including singers Rita Ora and Rihanna. Statement jewellery is certainly growing on me and I like to pair my pieces with simple, clean cut tops, turn back sleeve t shirts and blazers. Below are two of my favourite gold necklaces. The chunky chain was purchased in Penneys at a very reasonable price and I bought the stud necklace during the sale at Accessorize, so it is definitely possible to buy lovely jewellery on a budget.


Also featured in my photographs is a beautifully soft and fluffy, pink snood and the latest issue of Company magazine (with my absolute favourite Youtuber, Zoella, on the cover!) which I have recently started reading. I love finding new magazines like Company, as they feature less generic artists, designers and personalities but have a substantial amount of street style/high street content and very interesting articles. Take a look at the magazine's take on the best street style looks from London Fashion Week here: http://www.company.co.uk/fashion/street/london-fashion-week-lfw-street-style-AW14?page=1




February Favourites

Wednesday 26 February 2014

February is almost over and I haven't had a monthly favourites post in a while so here were my highlights this month in the worlds of beauty, fashion and music.

Beauty: My lips were in dire need of a bit of hydration this month with the dropping temperatures; there was even a bit of snow! In February! So I bought a new Maybelline Baby Lips in Mint Fresh as Cherry Me was a bit bright for everyday wear. I have to say I really prefer Mint Fresh. I've been applying it several times a day and it seems to be more moisturising than Cherry Me. It has a delicious minty fragrance and, because of its sheer appearance, can be worn under lipstick. Not as moisturising as the likes of Carmex but a great budget lip balm with cute packaging.



Fashion: With Anna Wintour, Bradley Cooper and Harry Styles in the front row and Cara Delevingne taking the limelight on the runway, the Burberry Prorsum Autumn/Winter 2014 show was a tasteful, colourful and artistic success. An earthy toned collection of floaty materials, high waisted coats and beautiful hand painted floral bags graced the runway at London Fashion Week. Layering was prevalent with long flimsy scarves and large blanket ponchos in nature inspired motifs. As a Paloma Faith fan myself, her powerful rendition of 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This' added the perfect accompaniment, I feel, to the rustic and autumnal collection.


Music: One word. Kodaline. When the Dublin-based band released 'All I Want' and 'High Hopes' a year ago, I definitely took a shining to their music. Since I started listening to 'One Day' about a week ago however, I've been hooked. Like all good songs, it sounded both new and familiar at the same time. Touching and truthful, listening to this tune is a must.



Monthly Tumblr Favourites

Sunday 2 February 2014

I recently jumped on the Tumblr bandwagon so follow me at lifebeautyblogger.tumblr.com if you would like to see the fashion and beauty looks that I love. At the moment I'm reblogging a lot of gorgeous street style images. My blog is full of spring colours, skater skirts, citrus shades and eye catching prints which I absolutely adore. Here is a collage of some of my favourite looks from my tumblr blog this month.

Enjoy!





Simple Spring Nail Art Tutorial


Many people, understandably, shy away from complicated nail art. Precise designs and minuscule details can frighten even the most adventurous of nail artists. Fear not, though, because I am here to show you a very simple but vibrant and fun nail art design. Spring is here so why not give this bright manicure a go! 



You will need: 
  • Cotton wool
  • Cotton buds 
  • Nail polish remover
  • Clear nail polish
  • Two contrasting nail colours (I used "NYC In a Minute Quickdry Nail Polish" in Raindrop and "Nail Polish by H&M" in Check Me Out)
  • A black polish with a thin brush or a nail art pen (I used "NYC Showtime Nail Art" in Black Ink)

Step 1: Remove any trace of your previous manicure using nail polish remover and cotton wool.


Step 2: Apply clear nail polish as a basecoat to your nails and allow to dry.


Step 3: Paint one half of your nails with one of your chosen colours. Experiment with different colour combinations here as the possibilities are endless.


Step 4: Paint the remaining half of your nails with the other colour. 


Step 5: When your nails are completely dry (this will take a few minutes), using your black nail art pen/brush, draw a thin, straight line in the centre of each nail dividing the contrasting colours. The thinner your brush the easier it will be to keep the line straight. Make sure there isn't too much polish on the brush. Allow at least 5 minutes for your nails to dry.


Step 6: The difficult part is over, phew! All that's left to do now is to apply a topcoat of clear polish and correct any errors using a cotton bud dipped in nail polish remover.

And that's it! It wasn't too hard  was it? You now have a gorgeous spring nail art look that can be renewed regularly by using different shades of polish or even flipping the design on its side and painting the lines horizontally. Feel free to try out whatever you want and leave a comment below with your ideas.

Design by | SweetElectric