Zara Basics: Bag

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ZARA: Essentials flip bag with piping, 24 x 30 x 11 cm. / 9 x 12 x 4 inches, £39.99, non-leather. (You can buy me here!)

Amidst a rain storm in a drought, a couple of weeks ago the inevitable happened.The handles on the Nica bag which I have had for almost three years snapped, this is a bag that I have used religiously everyday to carry all my journalistic essentials (ie my vast collection of lip balm.) True to form I had a massive tantrum, lost control of my umbrella and got soaked by the rain. Great. Surely enough I got home and the bag hunt was on.

My bag search check list:

1) It could fit an A4 pad (11.7 x 8.3 inches)

2) It was an acceptable all around colour, because it has togo with everything in my wardrobe.

3) It has to be below £50

4) Has a long strap – detachable if possible

5) Must look beautiful

It took me a while but I settled on this Zara Essentials flip bag which cost me £39.99, unfortunately the first one I got had been damaged so I had to borrow a friends bag whilst I was waiting for the second one to arrive. Yes I know, hard to believe I only have one day time bag that isn’t the size of a small person, but alas it is true.This bag is perfect for an everyday satchel because it fulfills my bad search brief. Much to my surprise the zip which I though would be for show is functioning and allows for a little leeway when you bag is bugling. PEFECTO.

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The wonder of makeup: No makeup

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In every woman’s life the quest for beauty and ultimately perfection leads you to one point – makeup. Little do we know that once this beast has been released from its rose scented wonderland encapsulated in black patient plastic casing, you will be hooked forever. My newest “don’t leave the house without” item is my eyebrow kit, I hence forth declare unless I am on my death bed I wont be fully dressed until my brows are firmly in place.

My money grabbing theory – All female advertising makes you feel bad because of the beautiful models pouting on the front. So with your confidence sufficiently hit, incomes the larger than life product that the campaign is actually about.To save you from some hideous style peril.

Model: I have no cellulite

Me: Kill me know I am covered

Product: I can save you.

In order to save myself from almost certain depression, I tried to tell myself that I could go a whole day without wearing make up. Guess what? I tried to avoid everybody that I know. Clearly that was never going to be practical, so I came up with my “no makeup” makeup look. Sure some of you will be thinking, oh lord if that’s no makeup I want to cry, but you probably wear less makeup than me during an average day.

In order to create this look I used:

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ILLAMASQUA: Rich Liquid Foundation.

This foundation is super high coverage and is perfect to be used as concealer. I used a small pea sized amount and applied it to any troubled areas, because this foundation does give such a high coverage you should use a foundation brush ( I use the Real Techniques – Stippling Brush). Use the brush to buff the foundation into the skin.

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BENEFIT: They’re Real mascara

This is my favorite mascara. I have stayed with Benefit for mascara for many years, and this is there newest mascara. I love They’re real because it really gives you eyelashes a boost of volume and fullness – everything you want! You can use eyelash curlers for that extra lift.

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BODYSHOP: – Brow & Liner kit, colour 03

ECOTOOLS: Brow Brush

Like I said my brows are now an essential part to my daily routine. I prefer a dark a dark brow so this is the darkest palette that Bodyshop sell. Before moving onto powder I used to use a pencil, and I am so glad I took a chance and tried this one. With the slender brush you can create perfectly defined brows, that have more definition that a pencil.

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BURT’S BEES: Tinted Lip balm, colour Tiger Lily

This lip balm is super moisturising, and I love the peach tone in the colour. Its really nice for an understated look or if you in a rush.

My natural makeup look shows the least amount of makeup I could wear without being self conscious. This will change from person to person.

Whats different? Here I am not wearing any eye makeup apart for my mascara, for me this is a refreshing break, as I am infatuated with liquid liner. My cheeks are bare, although using Tiger Lily on your cheeks would be an ideal way of creating a dewy fresh cheek, and my skin has the minimum foundation that I can cope with.

HOW LITTLE IS TOO LITTLE?

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April Glossy Box: The Natural Beauty Box ( VEGAN BOX)

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Contents:

CAUDALIE VINOSOURCE SOS THIST-QUENCHING SERUM: Retail £29.00/30ml

                                                INIKA COMSMETICS CERTIFIED ORGANIC EYELINER, 08 PEACOCKBLUE: Retail £11.75/per liner.

AYUURI NATURAL BODY WASH, COCONUT BODY WASH: Retail £4.95/ 235g

FIGS & ROUGE, LIP BALM, RAMBALING ROSE: Retail £3.29/8ml

KAI, PERFUME OIL: £41.00/3.60ml

So the April Gossy Box caught me a bit by suprise this month, I had totally forgotten it was coming.

This month the Glossy Box special centred around natural beauty, this included all organic products, all vegan products and a biodegradable box. Personally I think that the box should be biodegradable all the time so marketing this as something special is quite ridiculous. Anyway with that out of the way, I was amazed to get a full sized body wash and eyeliner! This is pretty awesome becuase with there retail price combined I actually make money in products this month (AWESOMEST MONTH).

Although I don’t usually use coloured eyeliner, I was itching to try this out the moment I saw it. Thank goodness that I did because it is fabulous! Firstly the colour is quite pigmented,but the pencil is so soft that it looks almost smokey this is perfect for a quick look. I applied the liner on the top lid and along the bottom lid, then brought it in near the tear duckt. Very much converted and very impressed with the quailty of the product, I have never tried Inika before I cannot wait to try the rest of there very vegan collection.

Wearing INIKA 08 Peacock Blue.

“>I am very happy to see that there is Caudalie Paris product in the box. After gaining a popular celebrity following the brand has gone from strength to strength, and because of the price of the products I haven’t had the chance to test any. If this works well I have a feeling I might be converted to it forever becuase my my skin can become very dry. Your supposed to use the product in the morning and in the evening for best results. I think that I have enough for a week in my mini tube, obvs I’ll try and stretch it out. I will be writing a full review of this when my tiny tube is empty.I am not going to review all of the products because I think its best if I give them a try for a while.

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Simply collared

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“>“>“>This post was inspired by my many shirts. I love finding a piece of jewelry that will make them feel new again and this NEW LOOK necklace did that for me.

The way that this necklace curves around my collar really draws your eye towards towards my face, and because it is chunky it doesn’t get lost in the collar fold.

Adding a piece of statement jewelery is a really quick and easy way to give an outfit contrast without being too in your face about it. Its also a good way to save money, because shirt collar embellishments are pricey, especially when it means you have to buy a new shirt that is pretty much the same as one you already own just for a collar cuff or little bit of embroidery ( you would be surprised how often this happens).

I also love using necklaces with slogans on because the wording will sit in the middle of your collar making your whole outfit more interesting.

Pink Wednesday

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“>Today I decided to battle my fear of baby pink lipstick. I brought this YSL lippy a few years ago at the Charles de Gaul airport when I was coming home from a trip with my besty. It was the first time we had been to Paris and had saved some euros for spending money, but in all the museum excitement I entirely forgot to spend. It sounds crazy but we spent half our time talking art and half our time looking for vegitarian friendly nosh!

We finally got to the airport with an hour to spare before take off, and hallalujah duty free was giving me the eye. So with pockets full of euros I headed off to buy myself some makeup, I ended up getting a clinique eyeshadow set, YSL Touche Eclat, a Chanel blusher and finally this YSL Lipstick. Probably the most I have ever spent on makeup in one sitting, but there is just something delightful about designer makeup that I couldn’t pass up. I have since used all or most of the make up I brought that fateful day, all except my pink lipstick.

For a reason I can’t understand, I  just don’t feel confortable wearing this colour. I see people wearing similar shade on an almost daily basis but it never inspires me to try mine out. I have just given up on this one, although I can’t bring myself to throw it away – the case is just to beautiful and shiny!

Whats the one product you just don’t get along with?

Doughnut Time

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I was just chilling and minding my own business in Alley Cafe in Nottingham, reading The Left Lion and waiting for my friend to meet me. When she arrived she was looking fabulous as always, but had such a full and sophisticated bun in her hair, I instantly presumed that she must have been taking hair growing steroids… or something. So I sat in awe of her bun for a while, until she voluntarily passed on a little nugget of information, and told me how she used a doughnut in her bun.

I was never graceful enough to be a dancer so I am probably the last one in the world to find out about this, but just in case I’m not…

The doughnut is non the less culinary a delight, but would you have ever guessed it would give you a perfect updo?! Me either.

I brought my doughnut from H&M for £1.99, I looked in boots but they where at least £2 more expensive, and in Superdrug utterly non existent.

Here is my step by step guide of how use the doughnut.

You will need: Hair grips, a thin bobble and of course your doughnut.

Put your hair up in your doughnut as you would a normal bobble. You can use a bobble, and then put the doughnut on top if you want it to be tighter.

Make sure all you hair is evenly covering your doughnut and wrap a bobble around the middle to create a rounded shape. If you have any hair still hanging out just push it up into your doughnut – don’t be scared!

Use grips to neaten up the look.

This is THE perfect hair style for when your in a rush. I like mine messy but this works just as well with a tighter pony tale, to get a really sleek look spray your hair with water before hand to help keep in those stragglers.

What do you think to the doughnut?

 

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Walking with a stud

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[Shoes £28 - TOPSHOP, Shirt £25 - Monki, Skirt TOPSHOP UNIQUE -£35]

So the past few weeks I have been a very bad blogger indeed, there has been a massive influx of work at uni and I have neglected blogging (slaps hand). Unfortunately this lack of blogging does now mean that I have had a lack of buying new things, so I have lots of stuff to inform you guys about.

I have seen lots of pairs of slipper shoes on the high street and on the Internet, plain ones, leopard print ones, patterned ones but I had really been looking for some studded slipper shoes. I wasn’t sure what to make of them at first but finally I have my own! These shoes became my absolute favorite pair the moment I brought them in London,  they’re my idea of perfect all year around pumps.

They look fantastic and I really don’t want to take them off. I had a big shopping dilemma when I was buying these because I had to choose between black and tan, this is always when my practical side shoots down my heart in favour of black. A mistake, perhaps, but really they’re both so beautifully edgy I didn’t really care so long as I had them.

The main reason I love these shoes is because they remind me of a Vivienne Westwood stiletto merged with a pair of your grandads slippers. Slightly weird but definitely wearable.

Do you have your slipper shoes yet?

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My Girl

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I am going to London for a day out next week and not being a ‘Landaner’ myself, its a pretty exciting time! So subconsciously I have been looking for something to wear because having a day out is clearly not treat enough for me.

Almost by magic this Chelsea Girl dress tumbled out of River Island and into my wardrobe. This is the first Chelsea Girl dress I have brought. I always check the stand when I go into River Island but I am usually disappointed. Considering the brand is aimed at vintage clothing lovers I have always felt a little bit cheated, especially because most Chelsea Girl clothing is cheaper than everything else in River Island.

This dress caught my eye instantly because of the bold print and the pleated skirt. I have an insane weakness for pleated skirts because they seen to flow so nicely – although its important to note that they do not always dry in a way that maintains their pleats. I have spent many a stressful evening trying to iron in ridiculously small pleats, because my washer/dryer is rubbish. If anybody was a good solution for me, then please enlighten my life… It needs it.

I love that, the top of this dress has a double layer of fabric so that it is not too sheer. Not that I don’t love chiffon shirts, but if everything you own is sheer your washing is practically doubled with plain camisoles and under-dresses.

I think that this will be a go-to dress on lazy days, because it will always look lovely regardless of how crap my hair looks that day.

DRESS: £25 – RIVER ISLAND – CHELSEA GIRL

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Noughties Nails

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I love my new nail art pen, and I have only had it a couple of hours! It all seems like a rushed relationship but its reliable and looks great, so what more could you possibly need?

I have only tried the Models Own: Nail Art Pen (probably because it was the easiest to find in boots), however I know that Superdrug probably have a better selection and give student discount with an NUS Extra card.

You can use a pen tip for smaller details and a brush tip for long sweeping lines:

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Here are my first attempts at some simple designs!

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You can probably see that these are quite rough, and I’m hoping that practise makes perfect. For now I’m happy just to have the feeling that I am being “vaguely arty”, and I’m sure it wont take long until I have expanded into an array of multi-colours and sparkles.

EVIL EYE PATTERN:

“>I often create new designs and post them straight to twitter for a fast upload.

Follow keeping up with the aline: @steffanieparkes

What do you think, would you try this at home? Do you have any better ideas of nail patterns?

 

 

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On one condition

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I’m not  proud to say that over the years my hair has been burned, bleached, rolled and coloured in my quest to find the perfect hair style/hair colour. A home truth, well neither exists. I should  know by now because there isn’t a tone on the hair colour spectrum that I havn’t tried and tested. So with all this destruction there comes responsibility, and mine is in the form of leave in conditioner.

I can truthfully say that when I went blonde with all the peroxide I put on my hair it screamed and dyed  death. In a frantic attempt to save what hair I still had, I began using leave in condition to rejuvenate my hair. Here are three reviews of my favorite three leave in conditioners, they range from £3-£12 both the Inecto, Pure Coconut, heat protecting conditioner and the Aussie, Miracle Hair Insurance can be found on the high-street but I purchased the Rockaholic, Born to Rock from my hair dressers (Although I have recently seen it in TK Maxx for £5, much to my dismay!)

Every leave in conditioner promises different things, some have built in heat protection whilst others defrizz and some detangle. All of the three that I have tested use a variety of these elements to give your hair an extra boost. I have rated these by deciding which gave my hair an over all better feel and a sleek finish.

 

AUSSIE, MIRACLE HAIR INSURANCE

This leave-in is a thick liquid that your spray on damp hair. I have a habit of lathering on far more than is needed to do a good job, so you only need a few squirts. It’s always a bit of a worry that your hair will become greasy after applying such thick product, however I never found this to be a problem. If you are worried about this make sure you only apply the conditioner to the ends of your hair, or to the parts most needing conditioning. The leave-in makes your hair feel very soft, and takes away any of the crunch of damaged hair. It is perfect for weak and distressed hair because you can see instant results after drying. The fruity scent of this conditioner makes it a delight to behold. I would use this conditioner everyday as an extra treatment for my hair, but it does not need to be used everyday for you to see a result.

Score: 2/3

INECTO, PURE COCONUT LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER.

This conditioner smells like Hawaiian holidays in June, it has a glorious coconut fragrance. I had previously used the Inecto Pure Coconut Conditioner which was used in the shower after shampoo, and was very impressed with the results, however always searching for the perfect finish for my hair I decided to try the leave in conditioner. This leave-in claims to protect from heat and hydrate, I found that only hydrated my hair up until I blow dried it. Although I was expecting a good result, I was a little disappointed that my hair did not feel as hydrated as the original conditioner had been.

Score 1/3

TIGI, ROCKAHOLIC, BORN TO ROCK, LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER.

I first used this at the hairdresser and was instantly hooked. This leave-in has two of the major qualities that I need in my daily hair regime: a detangler and a defrizzer. It sprays on in a fine mist that covers your hair very well, it’s not too thick so it doesn’t feel like you have an overload of product on your hair, and it smells fruity and refreshing. For me this leave-in is particularly good as the light and airy texture of the liquid allows my hair to develop a natural wave, and is a quicker alternative to straightening my hair in a rush. Even though this is from a professional hair care range, I would not stick to the cliche that it is automatically superior to the high-street leave-ins.

My top tip for not being disappointed with products that are brought from a salon is: ask to try products when your having your hair cut. This is a perfect chance to try products you wouldn’t normally be able to afford, and once you have found one you love, I can guarantee you’ll find it cheaper online.

Score 3/3