Daily Necessities - A Look at my Inside Bag, Bag.

I'm single-handedly one of the nosiest people. Is anyone else completely eager to know what parcel the neighbours just received, or what lipstick the lady is wearing on the bus? I love "What's in my handbag" posts, and so I thought it'd be only fair to let you have a little glimpse into my overly messy handbag. Starting with my cosmetic necessities, and the one I usually call my "inside bag, bag."

The makeup bag is from Sew Lomax. She's a genius with a needle and thread, I usually pass on the most basic sewing jobs to someone else...

I hadn't realised I was so prepared for all occasions with my lip products, with the Bourjois Rouge edition (10) being a beautiful orange/red to take every makeup look through to night-time. The Burt's Bees is completely refreshing and an ideal lip balm for when my lips need a lot more TLC. My Clinique in Mighty Mimosa has been recently raved about here, I wont bore you with the details. Benetint is my go to for lips and cheeks, and without fail livens up my face whenever it needs it, so of course this is necessary to come EVERYWHERE with me. Nars Albatross highlighter is, in my opinion, disgusting. I just like the size of the mirror... 

 

I'm THE biggest clean freak and I hate not having hand gel with me, the idea of touching rails on public transport makes me shudder, so I'm the girl that goes through gallons of this stuff. Soap and Glory's hand maid is the only skin friendly, non-stinky version I've found yet, I love this stuff. Oh, and it's pink! And of course you can't wash your hands without hand cream afterwards, can you? The little, non-glamorous looking travel pot is filled with coconut oil, which I'm currently having a pure love affair with. I bought a pure version from Holland and Barrett in the penny sale, and now I carry a little pot with me everywhere. You'll wonder how you ever survived with only Vaseline...

 

Of course I need a little pot of Dior BB cream, because you never know when you may need impromptu coverage (I even used it on an angry looking bruise on my legs once!). My Tweezerman lash curlers have been demoted from my acrylic storage to makeup bag since I bought the Shu Uemera pair, but this somewhat well-worn set still do the eye-opening job for which they're intended. Of course all the lipstick and lash primping isn't going to make much difference if you have gross garlic breath, at which point comes in handy whatever gum or mints I'm carrying that week, and Dentek's super handy floss kit.

I'm really loving these at the moment, I've already gone through one little pack of six like this. The Dentek floss and toothpick is such a brilliant idea, and they really help when you spontaneously decide to go to Pizza Express...

Hope I've not bored you all to a near death. It's such a good job I tidied my handbag recently isn't it?

Have a good weekend everyone!

Spotlight On: Clinique Chubby Stick in Mighty Mimosa

You know those times when you're just completely stuck for things to blog about? And you feel like you have had an epiphany when you pull something out your handbag and realise you've never written about it before? Yeah, one of those. Hurrah! (I'm so over dramatic)

Clinique Chubby Stick in Mighty Mimosa is one of those products I bought on a whim, with arms filled with shopping and a hefty sum in Debenhams points on my Beauty Card. Wanting to know the best lip product for accompanying a barely-there look, I came across this, and being completely apprehensive about tinted balms I carried on shuffling around the store and covering my hands in numerous shades of muted pink.

Upon first application I knew I'd fallen in love with this rosy pink shade, with a slight sheen, which ends up looking like healthy lips with a slight slick of lip balm. The major selling point for me with this was that I didn't need a mirror to apply (someone reassure me that I'm not the only one that finds strangers stare at you applying lipstick in public?). It's the little things... but this is completely fault proof, and easy enough to use in a rush, whilst on a bus, in the dark, you name it!

Much unlike other coloured balms, Clinique's Chubby Stick does actually hydrate and treat your lips, whilst leaving a beautiful tint which lasts a good few hours before it wears down. With it being so sheer and long-wearing, this balm is the most low maintenance lip product I've ever used, and much unlike some lipsticks, you are never paranoid that your lip colour is worn away and similar to that of Heath Ledger's Joker.

So if you're in the market for a new lip product (or just a treat) get this, it won't disappoint.

Regular Nail Polish/Gel Finish

Having a slight fear of the idea of gel nails, I never have particularly paid attention to the brands that provide them. Two weeks of wearing a nail polish that's going to grow out, look unsightly, and then damage your nails during removal? No, thank you. But when the lovely Megan got in touch about Bio Sculpture I was somewhat intrigued to learn the company now makes nail polishes to match the gel nails they offer, minus the UV lamp and the need to be soaked off. Offering the chance to either patch up your current Bio Sculpture gels, or change the colour completely temporarily (only when removed with acetone free remover).

Being somewhat addicted to nail painting, longevity isn't normally something I take into consideration. Usually I'll be bored within 24 hours and change. A grey nude to a more pink-toned nude? ...How I rolllll. So it was quite the change for me experimenting how long I could make these last. To be honest, I got a couple days, with very minor chipping, at which point I was itching to change my nail polish. Slightly more than I would normally, so I'm quite impressed, but the selling point for me with these polishes was the finish. Its not thick looking like a regular gel colour, but instead has a show-stopping sheen, which makes your nails look freshly painted for days.

The brush is designed in a similar way to the likings of Dior and Essie brushes, with a fan-type soft bristle brush that somehow mimicks the shape of your nail and allows you to do one coat of colour in a single swoop.

The three shades I was sent are the kind that I'd choose for myself. The nude/grey being the show-stopper of the three, coming up slightly lilac in some lights. The other pink tone is exactly like the sheer pinks I regularly obsess over, (and clumsily forgot to take pictures of) but the neon pink was a complete break out of my comfort zone, a really beautiful colour for those that like bright nails.

Overall, I'm really impressed with these polishes. The colours are completely beautiful, have a brilliant finish and are something I'd definitely consider buying more of. Turns out breaking out of my Chanel and Essie comfort zone does benefit me sometimes...

Street Style on Sundays #6

The idea of sheer fabrics and loose fabrics have always appealed to me. Obviously I'm not talking about a completely sheer cling film maxi-dress, I mean the beautiful lace trims on a pencil skirt, or the semi-sheer chiffon shirt...

Peekaboo accents on tops are just beautiful. Whether it be lace with a crop top underneath, or chiffon with a lace triangle bra. Always super feminine when toned down on the bottom half. (Or basically, the boobs or legs rule.)

I'm dying to get my hands on one of these peekaboo type lace skirts. They're so beautiful, especially when styled like the second picture with a button down casual shirt.

As always, pictures are from Pinterest.

ASOS Wishlist X Monochrome

ASOS, needs little introduction, it's an absolute weakness isn't it? With every daily drop of new clothes I find myself fawning over something new and with a lust-list getting bigger (and smaller with every order) I thought I'd share the things I want. A lot. 

I'm not sure how my whole "saved items" section on ASOS ended up all monochrome, but it did, and these are the things that should probably be prioritised under the "NEED" category of my saved items. 

I love basics, ASOS are always my go to, and this grey V-neck American Vintage tee is pretty darn pricey, but apparently they last longer than cheaper basics, I want. (My question is; can it survive spaghetti bolognaise?) Despite this Elle Macpherson Intimates set being a slight monochrome cheat, IT'S SO PRETTY. 

I'm not too sure why I like a simple black slip dress as much as I do this, but it just has something that keeps making me go back to it... The clean white bandeau jumpsuit is just so beautiful, isn't it? It reminds me so much of the Whistles Lovebird jumpsuit, that sold out before anyone even knew it existed.

And the black Senso boots, well they speak for themselves don't they? A super hefty price tag does put you off a little, but black leather ankle boots are something I wear a lot every day and these are just that extra bit more badass than a regular black pair. 

LET'S SHOP.