Wednesday 29 January 2014

New year,new blog

If you cross these parts regularly you will have noticed that feed the sharks has had a make over, 
if you're a new reader then welcome! 
I really liked the old design by Faye but I just fancied something new,a bit slicker and a little fresher. 
It was suggested that I tried Ana  and I was not disappointed she was so lovely and listened to everything I asked for and talked me through the re-design even though I am completely useless . So Thanks Ana !
With a new design comes better blogging and a little more organisation so from now on blog posts will be up every other day so 
Monday's,Wednesday's,Friday's and Sunday's . 
That's the plan anyway but you know how life can have a funny way ... 

  Anyway I thought that I'd give you a peek into my desk as one of my resolutions was too be more organised. 
well I say but I tend to rotate from the kitchen table and the coffee table - I can't wait to move house and get an office , it's on of the requirements in fact. 





I have a couple of desk side beauty essentials 
  • The Origins No puffery is perfect for perking up tierd and strained eyes , I sometimes pop this in the fridge for a cooling relaxing treat. 
  • The Tisserand focus roll on really helped me during my dissertation when I found my self struggling to concentrate and for this reason I carry on using it . The blend of rosemary and grapefruit is pleasant and really does help me anyway.
  • Other bits I like to have on my "desk" is the Laura Mercier fresh fig hand cream because it smells beautiful and doesn't leave a greasy mess for typing, any lip balm at the minute it's the EOS melon lip balm and finally the Korres wild rose moisturizer just for if my face starts to feel a little dry through out the day.   
Hope you liked this post and you're liking the new design as much as my self?  
Do you have any desk staples or things to help you concentrate? Lemme know in the comments below :) 



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Monday 27 January 2014

Current everyday make-up


I thought for today I'd give you an insight into my current everyday favourites. 
These are the staples I turn to when I've hit the snooze button a few too many times . 
These favourites do change on a regular basis as I tend to get bored of wearing the same thing. 
So here's a peek into my everyday make up ... 


Base ...
Depending on what I'm doing and how my skin looks I'll either use Nars sheer glow or the Dr.Jart BB water fuse balm which is perfect when you're in a bit of a hurry, I'm going to do a post on this beauty later in the week. 
For concealer I'll pop the Rimmel wake me up concealer under my eyes then some of the Bobbi Brown concealer on any redness or blemishes.  
The Rimmel concealer is really great at brightening the under eye area and taking away any signs of tiredness.
If I'm having a shiny day I'll set the base with some Illamasqua loose powder. 

Cheeks...
For cheeks I've being using the bottom tier of the Laura Mercier Colour-to-go palette. The matte bronze is perfect for contouring but is a warm enough shade to add a nice hint of colour. The sweet madrian blush is a piece of beauty the coral pink with a hint of gold shimmer it is perfect as we slowly come into spring .
To finish I might pop on some of the Bourjois Poudre de riz which I do love but it does smell a little bit like you're granny's perfume.

Eyes && lips ...
Last up is eyes and I've being trying to use my mac palette a little bit more and my current favourite look is to swipe Naked lunch over the lid with satin taupe in the outer corner. I blend this together with a mac 217 , this looks lovely alone but if I'm feeling a bit fancy I'll put on a touch of cranberry.  Curl the lashes and pop on some of the L'oreal false lash effect mascara .
For brows I've been using my favourite Bobbi Brown brow pencil in Ash or fill them with Mac wedge.
Lips tend to be changed on an almost daily basis but recently I've being reaching for a combination that is a little different- for me anyway.
I pop on the Smashbox be Legendary lipstick in the shade posy pink which is a cotton candy pink and is incredibly moutrising. I'll then top with the Laura Mercier sweetheart lip glace which smells BEAUTIFUL ! It is also a really lovely colour and this combination is very pretty pink.
I must admit I top up on gloss more then neccessary just to smell it!

Hope you enjoyed this post and it's not too long. Let me know if you like these ?
Or what you'd like to see more of.
Have a nice rest of the week! 

Monday 20 January 2014

Hourglass Opaque Rouge - MUSE


This picture just doesn't do justice for the colour...

A few weeks ago I went down to London for a number of reasons , now shopping wasn't on that list but hey needs must and all that jazz. 
I love Liberty's and couldn't resist a trip to the beauty department (after the stationary of course) , the Hourglass stand immediately caught my eye. 
The whole stand is beautiful with the bronze copper effect packaging and I was a little spoilt for choice, however of course my love of lip sticks took over and I plumped for this cheeky liquid lipstick. 

Muse is a slightly intimidating coral red orange hybrid in a matte velvet effect. This is the perfect colour for summer days at the beach , I love to wear bright matte colours with dark sunglasses. 
Although these lipsticks are matte they defiantly aren't drying with a mix of anti-oxidants and vitamins to protect the lips, I would suggest giving your lips a quick scrub before applying. 
As for application it does take a little bit of practice, the product drys very quickly so just apply onto the lips and allow to dry - don't blot or smack you're lips together. 

I think I'm a little bit in love with this lip colour , it's not my usual shade and I really enjoy wearing it.  I also really love the packaging it's compact rather than the usual lipstick bullet shape with the bronze effect packaging - theirs just something so slick and glossy about this. 
Now at £23 this is defiantly a luxe product and I promise in the next week or so to do more budget friendly purchases :) 

Available here Liberty or Space Nk

Saturday 18 January 2014

Nude natural radiance set



I am a big fan of the Nude skincare range, I loved the purify cleansing wash and the perfect cleaning oil is the best eye make-up remover I've ever used - this includes the Clarins instant eye make-up remover , and I do have a little soft spot for the lilac packaging. 
I really wanted to try a few more bits from the range and asked for the natural radiance set for Christmas. 
Nude is like the name suggests very skin friendly - it's 100% natural and allergen free and  the ingredients used are ones that the body can recognize.  Nude's etho's is that it's products are beautiful and natural so that skin shines. 
The idea of this set is that it gives the 'skin perfect natural lighting wherever you are.' 



Perfect cleansing oil (15 ml) full size - £28.00 
At the minute this is one of my go to cleansers , it's perfect a hydrating and perking up winter skin but equally it is a light enough oil that it can be used when the weather heats up. 
Considering how well this oil takes off eye make-up it doesn't strip the skin at all, rather it melts away any impurities,dirt and make-up. I like to massage this oil into my face and wipe off with a warm flannel , if I'm wearing waterproof eye make-up I'll pop some on cotton pad's and swipe away. 

Radiant day moisturiser( 15ml) full size - £42.00
Containing N-Probiotic cell nutrient this moisturiser aims to stimulate the skin to produce it's own anti-aging ingredients. Now at 22 I can't say aging is a major concern of mine but this moisturiser really does help to hydrate and re-awake the complexion. What I really love about this moisturiser is that it's very light weight and not much is needed in order to achieve great results. 

Pro Genius treatment oil (10ml) full size - £58.00
Ahhh the star of the show ( did I mention how much I'm enjoying oils at the moment? ) rich in omega 3,6.7 and 9 this oil helps replenish skin cells. Yes it sounds extreme but just one application and the skin looks more radiant. This is quite a heavy oil so I would recommend patting it into the skin rather than rubbing it in and give it a few minutes to soak in. 
For a luxury over night treatment mix a little of the oil with the radiant day moisturiser. 

If you are wanting to try something new or if Nude is a brand that's caught you're eye then I'd defiantly recommend this little set, and at £38 it's a great introduction to the brand or a great gift for any skin care lover. After all who doesn't want healthy radiant skin?

Available from Space Nk at £38.00 

Wednesday 15 January 2014

The whistles clutch

                                                                         

Before we begin the blog post can we just take a second to admire the sausage dog phone case ? 
Long gone are the nights out when I a big enough bag to cater for a pair of flats and everything but the kitchen sink , instead I now tend to brace the pain of heels and take only the essentials out - I kept loosing expensive make-up. 
You've probably seen this Whistles clutch doing the blogging rounds and it is simply beautiful.
This 'premium' leather clutch is sturdy, a nice size and I absolutely love the green colour with the gold detailing. 
It's not my usual colour but I've been swayed. It's a great way of adding a pop of colour to any outfit.  If green isn't for you they also have a bright electric blue one which will be great for the summer.
At 16cm x 24cm the Whistles clutch looks tiny but surprisingly it holds rather a lot , a little like a Mary Poppins bag. However if you do fancy something a little bigger or with a nice little strap check out the  Rivington clutch.
Okay at £35 it is a little pricey for a clutch but it is made from sturdy leather, it can also be used as a handy make up bag and you know it does have a real luxury feel to it :) 
Available here




Sunday 12 January 2014

The men's skincare edit : what's in my wash bag


So I thought I'd do a different type of skincare post today.
 Be it that you want some inspiration for yourself or ladies you want to encourage you're man friends to up the skincare routine. 
So I roped in my boyfriends wash bag for you too all have a little spy off, it's nothing fancy but it's the bits he enjoys using (some after a little bit of encouragement that boys need to cleanse too)




Kiehl's facial fuel, energizing face wash (250ml for £17) 
Claims to remove dirt,surface oil and impurities whilst refreshing and awaking the skin. 
Although this gel cleanser does lather up quite a bit it is still surprisingly moisturizing an doesn't dry out the skin too much. 
The combination of caffeine,menthol and citrus provides a refreshing cleanse that awakens the skin and the mind in the morning with out it been too over powering. ( I did a little road test of this and can say I really did enjoy using it in the morning) 
The boy - James says that he likes that you just rub it on and splash it off and the dirt is gone... sounds a little bit like that Cillit bang advert! 

Clinique M lotion (£23.00) 
This light weight moisturizer adds a hit of hydration with added UV protection. It is perfect because it means that the skin is sun protected and is nice and smooth after the wear and tear of the day. The M lotion isn't overly oily or scented so it doesn't aggravate the skin too much. A little really does go a long way. 

Kiehl's lip balm #1(£9.50)

I've been known to steal this lip balm on occasion because it really is very nourishing- upon reading the ingredients I discovered that it contains lanolin so is very similar to the lanolips collection. This is a great lip balm for men because it's not scented,tinted or flavoured and just sinks right into the lips to revive. James even said he preferred it to the Nuxe Reve de Miel - high praise indeed. 

So there's the skincare bits, I thought I'd just chuck in this little extra because James swears by it. To the point that it is the only shampoo he uses, so over to him. 

Trevor Sorbie MG Two in one shampoo (£5.50) 
I really like this shampoo because it does exactly what it says it does - cleanses and conditions.  I don't need to use a separate conditioner which saves a little bit of time in the morning.  

Friday 10 January 2014

Feeling the Chill OOTD




Coat - Zara
Scarf - H&M (similar here)
Jeans - River Island
Boots - Matalan  
Is it just me that struggles with what to wear in this cold wet weather?  You don't want to look too chunky with all the layers but ultimately you want to stay warm. I thought for today's OOTD I'd show you one of my go to winter outfits. 
The jeans are high waisted from River Island. I like to roll the ends up a bit to add something a little bit different, especially with these booties. Now at 5'11ish I don't tend to wear heels on a casual basis but I have fallen for these, it does help that there so darn comfortable!
I top of the outfit with a cosy warm coat and my trusty tartan scarf , you may have guessed I really am loving tartan prints at the moment. 
Hope you enjoyed this little post , apologies for it being a short one and have a lovely weekend... 
I'll see you Sunday for a post that's a little different... 



 

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Nars FOTD

2013 was definitely the year I fell head over heels for Nars , it started with the 'infamous' Laguna and spiraled downwards. 
Asides from a few stumbles with Sheer glow I have honestly loved everything I've tried. 
For today I thought I'd show you my Nars face. 



BASE-  
I use the Body shop's Vitamin E illuminating moisture cream to inject some radiance into my skin before applying Sheer glow with the real techniques miracle complexion sponge. 
I find this is perfect for when I want something with a little more coverage without it being too drying. 
Laguna is my go to bronzer when I can't be bothered to make decisions (it is hard decision). This bronzer adds warmth and definition to the cheeks without looking too 'done' . 
 When it comes to blush on my Nars face I like to switch it up a bit i'll either use the baby pink deep throat or a swirl of the soulshine palette, which I reviewed here here.
Base is finished with a teeny but of the champagne toned albatrose highlighter which adds a nice glow without looking too shimmery and sparkly. (teeny side note but maybe don't drop your powders as they may will smash)


Finishing off -

I hadn't paid too much attention to the Nars eye shadow's until my sister bought me this little duo - Kalahari. 
The creamy shadows are well pigmented and apply well, these two shades are just perfect for those neutral lovers out there. A gold copper shade with a brown shimmer which is a little bit like MAC club and I'm sold! I really must buy some more of these shadows.
To finish the look I go for a slick of  the creamy coral Lodhi. I love this lipstick it's perfect for adding a pop of colour on cold winter days .




Friday 3 January 2014

December favourites


Left to Right - Lily Flame Rhubarb and Custard candle, Korres Mango shower gel , Mac palette and 217 brush , Nude perfect cleansing oil face & eyes, Khiels midnight recovery concentrate, Nars sheer glow,Nude Progenius treatment oil and Super facialist by Una Brennan rose hydrate facial oil.






Beauty favourites ... 
Lily Flame Rhubarb and custard candle -  Not strictly a beauty product but this smells so delicious that I want to bottle it and spray it around as perfume. Although it's more of a summer scent I find it's rather uplifting in this cold,wet and windy weather England currently has. 
Korres Mango shower gel -  Another beautifully scented product. This shower gel smells like freshly cut mangoes and makes me instantly think of future holidays, it is perfect to refresh in the morning.  I recently discovered our local Waitrose sells Korres I'm not sure this is a good idea? 
MAC Palette and 217 brush-  I've had my MAC palette for little over a year now and I've always liked using it for nights out , however this winter I've really enjoyed experimenting a bit more with eye shadow's . I am just a little bit in love with the 217 brush I'm just wondering why it took me so long to get it ... 
Nars sheer glow- So I told you all about how this was my 'marmite' foundation here. But I've being persevering with it and you know I think it may be the start of a beautiful relationship. 
Oils, oils and a bit more oil-  Be it a facial oil or a bath oil my skin is loving it. Above are a few of my favorite facial oils, they are just great at injecting a bit of glow, plumpness and moisture into the skin. I am especially loving the NUDE offerings and will be doing a post very very soon . 

Everything else...

Stationary and getting organised ...  I love stationary, writing lists and the idea that I am at least trying to be organised.  This Christmas I received some lovely notepads and purchased a lovely little desk planner so on wards with the organisation.
Something I've enjoyed... I love love the festive period and this year was no exception. It was so nice to go home, relax ,eat and watch crap TV with my family. New years eve meant catching up with old friends and seeing new friends on the 30th- including my lovely friend Syd who came over to England from LA for a few days. 
Something to look forward to ...  Whatever 2014 brings , cold nights and hopefully a bit of snow? A trip to London. 

Thursday 2 January 2014

OOTD : NYE Eve

' Roll on 2014'


Blazer - Miss Selfridge
Cami- (similar at) Topshop
Tartan leggings- Topshop
Heeled boots - Matalan
Clutch - Whistles

So I thought I'd give OOTD post's a try and see how it goes. At the minute I feel a little awkward and definitely don't know how pose but you know the saying practice makes perfect ! 
So we'll just see how that pans out . 
For my first post I thought I'd show you what I wore for New years eve. 
I went to a friends house party so I didn't want to look too overdone and I rather like this ensemble.
So I really do wish you all a very happy New year and let's all make it the best one yet :) 
Personally I'm not ready for the festive period to be over so I'm watching Love actually and eyeing up the Brie and biscuits.
Lemme know what you think of this post ....

Oh and of course my dog Scamp wanted in on the action...