Fashion Accessories Of The Season

December, it's the month of all things glitzy and eye catching! Christmas is such a beautifullll time, it'd be rude not to reflect that with how you look, right? So in honour of this, I've put together a few must haves this winter:

Collar Necklaces are so popular at the moment, and I can completely see why! Add one of these to a plain shirt and this statement piece of jewellery can give your outfit that extra lift that it needs to simply say 'this is where you need to be looking'.

ASOS Crystal Collar Tip Necklace £15

  

Who doesn't love a good cross at the moment? No matter what the fashion accessory, there is a cross on it. Good move in my opinion! Some items can be a tad OTT however the intricacy of this two-finger cross ring would work fab with a a floaty white vest top, wine leggings and black studded boots. Give it a go!

 Forever 21: Two-Finger Cross Ring £5.65 NEW 

 

The perfect convenient sparkly clutch to go with that new LBD for your work Christmas party! Despite being black, this bag isn't even slightly dull with the addition of the silver sequins. The ideal size for your phone, roll on perfume and lippy!

ZARA: Rigid Evening Bag £39.99

A bold glossy lipstick is a handbag essential through the dreary blustery season of winter, someones got to brighten it up a bit! With a berry, red, wine, or coral lip colour you'll attract attention where ever you go, don't over do it though, keep the eyes relatively neutral! Plus, this beauty comes in sixteen shades.

Boots: Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick £6.29 #BARGAINOFTHEWEEK

And finally! The pair of 'I don't need them... but they're pretty' shoes. These are absolutely stunning. The colour is so festive, the glitter helps!! The platform base and court heel is everything a girl needs at Christmas. These also come in a neutral gold colour, pure class!

Next: Glitter Peep Toe Court Shoes £32

What do you think to these fashions statements?

Does anybody own any of them?

Katie xo  



October Musts!

1. Pumpkins! Who doesn't want to carve a pumpkin for Halloween, it's a must right? 2. Face paints! I've seen these relatively inexpensive on amazon.co.uk, and they're pretty damn good too! 3. Not for me, but perhaps scaring yourself to death by watching Paranormal Activity 4 is a good way to celebrate Halloween! After seeing more of my hands than the previous 3 movies... I will not be paying to see this... 4. Leaves. If you don't jump into a crunchy pile you haven't lived end of. 5. CANDY CORN! Okay so only for you American bloggers... but sweets for Halloween are a much needed purchase for all the kiddies, or yourself, depending on how desperate you get! 6. Winter warmers, chunky knit scarfs and bobble hats! Considering it's going to be less than 10 degrees celsius on Friday... THESE ARE NECESSARY!

I think October is one of my favourite months! Everything is orange and crunchy (or damp, if you also live in England...) but in all honesty, layers are my thing! I love nothing more than to wrap up in copious amounts of clothing, so much so that only my eyes are visible. I raided Primark the other day for jumpers and cardigans, win! But working in Next I'm seeing more and more of the pricier options that I don't think me or my bank can say no to!

What's your favourite month?
Are you a fan of Halloween!?

Katie xo

All Things Lippy

1. This design would look amazing on Jessie J or Lady Gaga, maybe even Rihanna! Any big star could pull this off, the detail is beautiful. 2.This crab is adorable! Like all of these looks, not something you'd wear out on the street... at least I wouldn't! 3. Jessie J. Ugh. If anyone can pull off studded lips it's her. And she had that way before studs even 'came in' so to speak... trend setter I think!? 4. Adorable, and yummy looking! Love this look. 5. This is a look I did a few months back, hehe I love my cute little fox! 6. Rainbow lips! Lip Tar would be the best product to create this look I imagine!

Lip designs are becoming so popular at the moment, for music videos in particular I've noticed! I really hope the star's makeup artists continue to be inventive and creative with their looks, it really adds an edgy look to the whole creation!



My take on Jessie J inspired lips from her video 'Price Tag'

This is so incredibly easy! Literally all you need is a glue suitable for the skin (I use Spirit Gum, you can buy it for £2.95 from www.screenface.co.uk), cotton buds or another small applicator, and gems! I bought mine from a craft store. They don't have to be specifically for the skin!

1. Clean your lips to remove any unwanted substance

2. Dip a cotton bud/applicator brush into the glue and dab on the underside of the gem

3. Place on to the edge of either the top or bottom lip

4. Continue to do this, starting with the outer edges of the lips to give you your shape

5. Fill the centre with the remaining gems

6. Leave to dry, it's uncomfortable but good for short-term wear (some tend to drop off if they're tiny, avoid swallowing!)

Simple! I added some silver in with the pink to add a bit of a quirky look, mix colours around yourself, see what takes your fancy!

Who loves the gem lip look?

Would you wear any of these out and about?!

Hope you're all having a lovely Monday.

Katie xo

October Instagram Favourites



1. Hot drinks, I'm loving vanilla lattes and Belgian hot chocolates at the moment! 2.Messy buns, although summer's over, I'm still wearing my hair in one of these a lot of the time! 3. Dark nails! YES. I've never been a fan of black, but a balance between brown black and purple creates this gorgeous classy look. 4. Ed Sheeran at Hammersmith! I saw him there the other night. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! 5. This woman, ugh. She is incredible at eye makeup. She's called 'queenofblending' on instagram, follow her! 6. Funky nails, always a good look. 7. Halloween cookies, so cute! Definitely going to whip up a batch myself soon... 8. I have no idea who she is, but I love what she's wearing and her overall look, jealous!

So this month's been a tad hectic, hence the lack of posts! I've recently started writing for my boyfriend's magazine, CheerUp, and I've had a big part in it recently. At current I write a TV article on a recent drama series or reality series. But just last week I went to Birmingham to interview Newton Faulkner, so since then I've been writing up the interview! I always loved English at school a little more than the majority of people, but I never did anything with it! So writing for CheerUp has made me remember just how much I love it. I always said to myself one day I'd write a book based on 'events' in my life, just twisted a little so it wasn't too personal. Who knows, could happen one day! But in the mean time I'm working at Next. Retail's a good place for me if I decide to go into Visual Merchandising, but if I take the Journalism route, I think I'm possibly in the wrong place! So I'm continuing to email CV's and apply for writer positions, not easy when you only have a month's experience! But hey ho, I'll get there.

Never been a fan of the idea of sixth form or uni, so I'm doing it the hard way and working my way up from nothing! Gotta give it a go right? Other than that, I'm contemplating trying out some new makeup looks, as it's been MONTHS since I qualified as makeup artist, but unfortunately due to funding issues I haven't been able to pursue it just yet! In other words, I need money for a CAR. Ugh. Why insurance is so expensive I'll never know, it's a joke. But once I've saved enough to get a car I will certainly be making the most of it!

Christmas. Even the word is exciting me right now. It's only October 21st and I'm itching to go and put up the tree and stuff myself full to the brim with quality street choccies. There's a chocolate orange that's practically screaming at me to be eaten, along with a hot chocolate and baileys... with the mini marshmallows. But that'll just have to wait, hmph. I'm even craving egg nog, I hate egg nog!? This week I'm working a ridiculous amount for what's meant to be a six hour contract (not complaining, money's good, but I wanna blooooog!). So I apologise for the lack of it all guys! But I have been planning a few 'seasonal' lifestyle related posts, so fear not.

Who else is excited for Christmas?!

What do you think to my instagram pictures?

Katie xo





Autumn Wants

October now, Autumn's here! And it's possibly my favourite season, there's nothing nicer than crisp blue skies with crunchy leaves and the excuse to wrap up warm! I've been looking round the shops quite a bit recently and a few autumnal items of clothing/accessories caught my eye, so I thought I'd blog about a selection of them!

Blouse: New Look - £29.99
Leather Jacket: River Island - £65.00
Jumper: Republic - £45.00
Shoes: Wallis - £29.50
Tights: Wallis - £5.00
Shorts: Republic - £30.00
This is the perfect Autumn outfit! I have already hit the shops now I'm back from Portugal to start buying the big woolly jumpers and thick tights!

Which is your favourite item?

Who else loves Autumn!?

Katie xo

Bath And Body Works

When I was younger I used to go to America every year to either travel around or see our friends in Chicago, and we discovered this amazing store called Bath And Body Works. As soon as you walk in you're overwhelmed with the smell of incredible products! I easily spent a good hour in there each time. My favourite product was the Winter Candy Apple scented shower gel/body lotion but annoyingly I've ran out and can't get anymore till I go back!

But thanks to my Dad and Stepmum, Amy, they recently bought me back a couple of products from their holiday travelling around Utah and Las Vegas. They bought me Sweet Pea Shower Gel and Body Lotion which I've already used endlessly. The scent is beautiful, I can't get enough of it! It may even top my love for Winter Candy Apple...

Left: Shower Gel    Right: Body Lotion

Swatch of the shower gel

Swatch of the body lotion

Not only does it smell nice at first, the smell lasts on your skin for hours which is an extra bonus! Next time I head across the pond I'll definitely have a good spending spree in Bath And Body Works! The shower gel is $11 and the body lotion is also $11. I believe you can actually buy these online and get them shipped.

Has anyone used these products themselves?
What's your favourite Bath And Bodyworks Scent?

www.bathandbodyworks.com

Katie xo

All Things Jewellery

I was never one for wearing much jewellery however recently my collection increased and now I'm obsessed! Rings are my favourite, however I've only got small hands so I can't wear many :-( I've just put together this small post to show you my favourite bit and bobs to wear!

My favourite ring!

I bought this from Accessorize a few years ago now and it's still my absolute favourite ring! It was roughly £6.00. I love it mostly because of the intricate diamante leaf design!

Looking a tad rusty... oops

I bought this also from Accessorize about three months ago purely for my holiday (either that or I was so in love with it I found any pointless reason to buy it). Again it was £6, I find this quite pricey for a ring which being honest isn't great quality, but I love them, so I'm prepared to pay it! Again, a leaf design, however a more bronzed colour this time with pink gems. Gorgeous!

They're like golden pebbles, aw!

Surprise surprise... Accessorize! I think I'm a tad obsessed with that shop. This was also bought for my holiday to match the ring (colour wise) and I can't waaaaait to wear it! It's quite heavy and bold for me, but why not go for a change right!? It was on sale when I bought it at about £3.

I love the colours!

We recently got a new shop in the city where I live called Bijou Brigitte, I went in there for the first time the other day and it's safe to say I'll be going back very soon! I only had enough money at the time to buy these two bracelets unfortunately but I loved the colours and felt they had a sort of Moroccan look to them with the gold beads so purchased them both for £4.95!

I think I have a thing for this colour...

I bought this from Debenhams the other day as I start my new job at Next soon and wanted a watch! Originally I was going to buy a bronze coloured one with the same style from River Island for £25 but tried it on and because of my stupidly small wrists it didn't fit. When I found this I was unsure because of the gold colour but I tried it on and new I had to have it haha! It was £30, but conveniently it was 20% off that day so it ended up being £26! I had it fitted to my wrist size that minute for free actually at Debenhams and walked away wearing it.

The diamonds are clear... not black... silly flash

This necklace is very special to me, it belonged to my Grandpa's sister, Janet, and she gave it to him, who passed it on to me a few years ago. I've never really worn it as it's very delicate but just recently after being very ill for 5 years and sadly passing away two days ago I feel now is the right time to wear it.  

Do you have any pieces of jewellery that mean a lot to you?
Which is your favourite item of mine?

Katie xo

CheerUp Magazine Photo Shoot

As promised, here is my post on Saturday's photo shoot, with me as the makeup artist! In case you're not aware my boyfriend and friends run a magazine (which I contribute to) called CheerUp Magazine, and for their next issue they wanted to put together a fashion shoot which took place on Saturday. It went really well, it was hot and sunny with great models and friends around us. It was a 6 hour day but it flew by as it was all good fun! They are a ridiculous amount of shots, however I chose the best ones to represent the makeup that I did for them. So here's a few for you to look at...

Model: Daisy Lawless
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

Model: Daisy Lawless
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

Model: Daisy Lawless
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp



Model: Jess Leathem
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

  



Model: Jess Leathem
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp





Model: Jess Leathem
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp



Model: Zara Brooke 
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp



Model: Zara Brooke 
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

Model: Zara Brooke 
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

We're looking forward to the second photo shoot next month! Also, I'll be starting up a fashion blog specifically for CheerUp Magazine very soon - so keep an eye out for that!

Please take a look at their magazine: issuu.com/cheerup 
You can also find them on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/CheerUpMag


Which out of the pictures is your favourite look?

What are your thoughts on the leopard print!?

Katie xo




 



 






 



Animal Eyes

My boyfriend's magazine 'Cheerup' is holding a fashion photo shoot tomorrow and I am the makeup artist! So I've been having a mess around with ideas today. I'm still undecided whether or not to do this look (zebra on one girl, tiger on another, plus a leopard for the third model), it's between this and your good old smokey eye. Oddly though, I find I am better at the more complex looks in comparison to a smokey eye, which no one can understand including myself! But hey ho, we're all different right? 

Left: Tiger Eye      Right: Zebra Eye

Please excuse my face here, it looks horrendous, NOT a fan of the four Graftobian Foundation/Concealer Palettes that cost me over £100, grrrr.... The shiny parts on my face there are ironically the driest parts of my face usually. So I'm not entirely sure why this foundation is rated so highly when it provides extra grease, not a good look! The eyes are a tad smudged as I was in a rush however for a 15 minute job, I think these pass as okay! I will post pictures from the shoot tomorrow so you can see the final outcome!

What do you think of animal print eyes?
Would you dare to wear them out?!

Katie xo 

Barry M Nail Paint '134 Yellow'

My blog is fixed yay! Sorry for the delay on this post.

I'd been eyeing this colour up for a good month or so now, and despite the horrified reactions I got from people when I said I wanted it, I bought it anyway. Another addition to my growing Barry M collection! I love them so much I even drew them for my GCSE Art exam haha! The price is inexpensive at £2.99 and although it does chip, the coating is far stronger than other nail paints I've tried.

Close Up

Close Up

Nail Paint On My Nails

My Barry M Collection!

Once I'd applied it I was amazed. Suddenly it looked like my tan had upped at least 20%! The colour is pretty bright, but not too in your face. Admittedly it is more of a summer colour, but I have a weeks holiday in Portugal coming up so I will be wearing this gorgeous colour with absolutely no shame! The colour itself is definitely in my top 5 favourites, alongside all the pastel colours I have! Biiiiiig fan of those. I plan to continue to add to my collection untill I come across an even better brand!

Do you like Barry M Nail Paints?
What's your favourite colour?

Katie xo

Stupid Internet...

Okay, so I'm currently having a few technical issues with my blog, I've been trying to post all day and it won't let me attatch pictures *grrrr* so I'm going to have to try and sort it. Bare with me readers!

Thank you

Katie xo

Cherry Carmex Lip Balm, Bursting With Flavour!

This item should have been in my beauty kit months ago. It's just what I've been looking for! In the past I've

purchased the Bodyshop Cherry lip balm, however like many others I've tried, they've all left a gross coating on my lips which is most definitely not a good look! I've also tried the Next Gold Tin and the Little Blue Tin, but I've found them all a bit dull. They left a ridiculous amount of excess shine and had no flavour what so ever. Cherry is my absolute favourite flavour, so when I found cherry Carmex lip balm I fell in love with it! But the best part is that afterward your lips tingle with a sort of, mintyness!



Cherry Carmex Lip Balm

Cherry Carmex Lip Balm

Cherry Carmex Lip Balm On My Hand



Me Wearing Cherry Carmex Lip Balm

Although the pictures don't really do it justice, I cannot stress enough how much this lip balm has become a favourite product of mine. There are 5 main reasons for this! One; my lips seem to soak in the moisture how they should, still leaving a good amount visible. Two; the cherry flavour is to die for! Three; No cakey residue left on my lips at all. Four; it's SPF 15. Five; Less is more! You need so little of it each time you apply it, there's plenty left as the pot is filled to the brim. Fab fab fab.

Short review due the fact the product really does speak for itself, buy it from local drugstores and find out why I think it's so great! It's pretty inexpensive too at £2.55. I can't stop applying it, I have a holiday in the sun coming up and I can safely say due to the SPF 15 quality it will be my best friend out there!


Did you find this review useful?
Who owns this absolute beauty!?

Katie xo

Written Proof - Finally A Qualified Makeup Artist!

My Certificate!

Just a short post to express my happiness of my recent success, passing my Level 3 Makeup Course at College! Woooooo! It was a difficult year I'll admit. I managed to get glandular fever a quarter of the way into the course which resulted in me suffering for a good few months with it, but despite that and the amount of work I had to do for it I passed so all is well!

Although I'm not sure if I'm going to continue with my career in Makeup, I'm over the moon that I have this qualification behind me. It's something to be proud of :-)


Have any of you guys studied makeup?
Have you considered it?

Katie xo

Nice Bubbly Baths

Who doesn't love a good bath right? I was running one this morning when my mum came across a few bath bits, which I got to use, win! I can easily say this was the nicest bath I think I've ever had...  Below are a few images of the things that went with my luxurious bath!

Flower Power Face Mask!

Ok so this was a little odd, I thought it would be a cream that you self applied, but when I opened it, it was literally a mask! I looked a little like the grudge with it on (as it's ghostly white with eye, nose and mouth holes... plus my long dark hair!) but I must admit it was quite relaxing. It was a Botanic Extract Lavender Facial Mask that you left on for 15 minutes, I did feel refreshed afterwards! I'm unaware of where it came from as it was a gift, however I can tell you it was made by Natural Products Ltd.

Pumice Stone

These things are great, I walk around a lot bare foot so this is really a life saver for hard skin! I used to own one on a plastic stick in the shape of a foot however it broke away easily, since I swapped to the actual stone I've found I get much better results! I bought mine from Superdrug.

Elvive Nutri-Gloss Conditioner

Elvive Nutri-Gloss Conditioner

I've had this pot for a good few months now and use it once a week for about 10-15 minutes on my hair, it leaves it looking so silky and glossy! I recommend it highly! As much as I love any normal conditioner I personally need to use a more intense one due to the length of my hair... it breaks so so easy! Any more than once a week would be too often I think, I use it just to give it that extra healthy boost. I picked mine up from Superdrug once again.

Refreshing Foot Soak Scented Soap Confetti

These beauties are soooo cute! They are mint scented, and you float them in your bath until they eventually dissolve! They smell great and leave your skin feeling super smooth. Plus the shape is beyond adorable! These are also made by Natural Products Ltd.

Lily Pad Bath Flower

This puzzled me at first as I though it was made of material, but once I put it in the water I realised it was just like the Refreshing Foot Soak Scented Soap Confetti, it dissolved! I left the bath a tad messy, but I can still smell the perfume scent from it on my skin. It floated for a good 20 minutes or so before it melted away! Too cute, I want another one! Also from Natural Products Ltd.

Here's a picture of them all floating!

Ooooh Bubbles

And finally, after my bath I applied a bit of this!

Burt's Bees Hand Cream

Burt's Bees Hand Cream

Burt's Bees Hand Cream

Burt's Bees Hand Cream

This is so small and compact, great for travelling or a day out! It's scent of almond milk is a little overwhelming at first but, like I say, less is more! You barely need any at all. It smells great and it leaves your hands feeling fab! You can purchase this in many places I imagine as it's such a popular brand (also a gift, so I'm not sure where exactly!).

Well that was my bath, I really do suggest you guys try out some more exotic, beautifully scented baths such as my one today. I'll be purchasing more bits like these and having another one!

Have you used any of these products?
What is your favourite?

Katie xo

My Makeup Artist Idol - Lisa Eldridge!

Lisa Eldridge

Lisa Eldridge has over 20 years of experience and is one of the most highly regarded make-up artists on the international beauty and fashion circuits. And that is why I love her work! I've spent endless hours watching her youtube tutorials and having a go myself, no matter how good I get at makeup my work will never compare to Lisa's. Her talents have appeared on the pages of virtually every fashion magazine including British, Italian, Chinese and Japanese Vogue, Allure, Glamour, Elle, Numero, Pop and Lula. She has worked with a great list of celebrities including Kate Winslet, Katy Perry, Keira Knightley, Emma Watson, Eva Green, Cameron Diaz, Amanda Seyfried, Kate Moss, Helena Christensen, Cate Blanchet, Demi Moore and Selma Hayek. And she's not stopping anytime soon, thank god!

Kate Winslet's Red Carpet Look By Lisa Eldridge

This image here is a personal favourite of mine, the class of the makeup created here is incredible. If only one person could pull off that shade of lipstick, it's Kate Winslet. This shade cannot go wrong with such a gorgeous minimalistic look, it stands out the exact amount. What catches my eye also is the peachy bronzed glow of her cheek bones, Lisa Eldridge can contour like there's no tomorrow. The eyebrow definition is classy and neat, perfect for a red carpet event. And finally, the minimal eye makeup compliments her dress so so well, over doing the eye makeup is a big no no for such an elegant woman! Overall, if I wore this to an event, I'd be pretty damn happy with how I looked that's for sure! 

Keira Knightley

This is equally a favourite look for an equally classically beautiful lady. This time, Lisa opted for a nude lip so she could focus more on the intricacy of the eye makeup. Firstly, what a lucky woman to have such a fantastic complexion. I'm sure I do not speak alone when I say... jealous!? The warm glow of her cheeks really suggests her 'English Rose' persona. Her eyebrows not too over done, not too forgotten. Simplicity is the key to a look like this! Lisa created a questionably mysterious look about her eyes with the warm brown tones above and beneath them, this really suits her especially because of her chestnut brown hair colour, what a match! And her dress, the combination of the entire look makes Keira look like an elegant winter swan.

It's safe to say, Lisa Eldridge is a genius with the contents of her makeup kit. We can all dream, right!?

What are your thoughts on the 'less is more' makeup theory?

Would you wear this look yourself?

Katie xo