Dress To Impress...

It's that time of the year that I like to call the "glam season", whether you are at Uni, 6th Form or School there will be some occasion that requires you to dress up and have a ball! Proms, end of year balls & society dinners usually all call for a 'formal dress code' of some sorts. I've got what we call our 'May Ball' coming up (sadly my last one as a 3rd year) where we have bands playing, fairground rides etc. Truth be told, I'm so excited to get dressed up! But, what exactly do you wear for occasions like this? Here's a pick of a few of my High Street faves that look great, and most importantly, won't break the bank.

Notes on dresses...

- ALWAYS try them on. What looks good on the hanger may not look good on you & visa versa.

- Pick styles that play up your best assets. No good wearing a low cut dress if you don't like showing your cleavage. Or a short dress if you don't like showing lots of leg. Wear something that makes you feel good, not what fashion dictates you should be wearing.

- Good underwear makes all the difference. Invest in some Spanx or 'Magic Pants' as they hold you in & give you a much more streamlined silhouette.

New Look 
Black Dipped Hem Maxi Dress

£24.99

The LBD is a wardrobe staple. Wear to pretty much every occasion and look both classy and effortless. This dipped hem dress brings the LBD back on trend by giving it a Spring/Summer12 makeover.

Wear with? Red lips & matching nails for 'Old Hollywood' glamour.

H&M  

Floral Patterned Sleeveless Dress

£24.99

Floral patterned dresses are perfect for Spring/Summer! Cute & flirty means they are a sure fire way to look feminine and fresh. Make sure you team any dress this style with a belt, to nip your waist in & give you a 50's style figure. 

Wear with? Cork wedges & softy curled hair. This look is very 'English rose'. Don't overdo it with the accessories, the dress is printed enough, let it do the talking.

missguided.co.uk

Lottyn Bodycon Dress With Stud Detail

£24.99

The 'Rock Chick' look reigns again on the catwalk, this time it's been given a studded upgrade. I'm guessing this dress is super short, and shows a fair bit of skin. If you aren't so confident add some black tights.

Wear with? Sky high black platform heels or ankle boots, an on trend metal cuff & smoky eye makeup. The best results for smoky eyes are when you use grey eye shadows or really dark (almost verging on black) browns. Don't forget the liquid eyeliner too!

Dorothy Perkins
Purple Embellished Maxi Dress
£35

Floor length dresses are perfect for formal occasions. This purple will suit blondes, red heads & brunettes. The nipped in waist and panels on the dress means it will also flatter any type of figure.

Wear with? Sparkly silver peep toe heels and a matching bag. Style hair in a sleek bun or a French plait in order to best show off the dresses neckline & the subtle ruching on the shoulders.








Matalan 
Purple Peplum Dress
£16

Peplum dresses are another key trend for this season. This style of dress has been accused of suiting only slim girls, but the length of the ruffles on the waist has to be right in order to suit all types. Slim girls get a curve boost & curvy girls get some added volume. 

Wear with? Coral nails and multi coloured heels. Avoid belts that are too large, it takes attention away from the ruffles. The skinny belt pictured goes perfectly with this dress.   

Hard As Nails...

I've seen so many bloggers of late doing fabulous nail art designs! Sadly, I however am rubbish at any kind of art, and lack the time & patience to do intricate nail art (one of these days I may have a go though). But, I still felt inspired. For me, it’s all about doing something a little bit different. A thought came to me when I couldn't decide between two colours to paint my nails with. I'm used to painting my nails one colour, but I thought let’s do two! I decided to take inspiration from the recent nail trend of painting the third finger (ring finger) on each hand a totally different colour to the rest of your manicure. But, then I decided to add a slight more splash and thought why not paint my thumbs that colour as well?

Notes on nails...

- Below is a picture of all that I used to do this manicure. Of course, if you have nail varnish on already you'll have to remove it, and if your cuticles need pushing back do that too.

- I always do a quick file of my nails before I paint them just to keep them in check. I file mine so they are a 'square' shape, but depending on your nail shape you can file them 'oval' or 'squoval' - a mixture of the two.

- Hand & nail cream is a must! I always put some on either before or after painting my nails just to keep them soft & in good condition. Don't worry if you don't have any specific hand cream, body lotion works just as well.

- Base coat is another must! It prevents your nails from staining and becoming a yellow colour. I also find that the colour sticks much better to your nails with a base coat on first.

Before the manicure...

- I chose two completely different contrasting colours, both by 'Barry M'. Now I LOVE Barry M nail polishes, I find them great value, with fab colours to chose from, and long lasting! You can pick them up from any Boots or Superdrug store.

- The two colours I used are 'Pink Flamingo' & 'Grey'. Pink & grey are a great combo together, and I wanted the vivid pink to stand out from the more muted grey.

- I applied two coats of each colour, and left to dry while I watched Made in Chelsea!

After the manicure...

Here's the final finished product! I didn't bother with any top coat because I thought they looked okay without it. There was a good enough even coverage not to warrant it.

Overall I'm quite impressed with my experiment. Best of all this idea works with any two combinations. Make the two you choose contrasting colours to really stand out! I've had a few compliments on my nails, and I'm even planning my next two tone manicure combo! x

Face2Face...

I don't know what it is, but the other day as I looked in the mirror I saw far too many spots for my liking! Not the sort that need squeezing, but the kind of red, under the skin type. Very annoying, and probably due to the fact I'm a little bit stressed with Uni work! After a few days of them simply not shifting, no matter how much water I drank, I decided to take matters into my own hands... So I did a facemask. Not my usual 'Boots 3 Minute Clay Mask' though, I needed something a little stronger...

In the end I settled for a "Montagne Jeunesse" - Deep Cleansing, Blemish Mud Mask. Now, I like these facemasks, and often if I fancy a real pamper I do buy one. Even if you are on a budget, you can still afford to buy luxuries such as facemasks, as this one was £1 from Asda! Total steal imo! You can also buy them from other places such as Superdrug, Boots & no doubt Bodycare (and other cut-price chemists) also sell them.

Notes on facemasks...

- I always cleanse my face beforehand. Just with my usual face wash. It's best to get rid of as much dirt from your pores as possible, or you could end up doing more harm than good.
- When washing off facemasks, I tend to use warm water, nothing too hot though as you may burn your skin.


Initial Thoughts...

With soothing Aloe Vera and extracts of Witch Hazel I'm expecting this mask to get rid of my spots and give me a squeaky clean complexion. A miracle cure. Not to mention the fact it says "anti imperfection" on the front of the mask.

When I first get into the mask I'm hit with a strong, fresh & herby kind of smell. I can smell what I'm sure is tea tree oil too. It sounds nice, but after a while it was getting to be a bit too strong.

During the mask... 

It goes on smoothly, and you don't need the entire mask to get a good even coverage (enough for two applications - result). The minute I'd put the mask on, my skin started to tingle, as if the ingredients were starting to weave their magic. It dried onto my face very quickly and I felt my face getting tighter within 5minutes. But, why is it, whenever you've got a facemask on you always get an itch on your nose or chin??! Cue the next 5minutes trying my very best to ignore the itch on my facemask covered nose.

The mask started out a light green colour, but when it was fully dried it turned white. I left it on for the full 15minutes (instructions say leave for 10-15).

Taking it off however was, well, frankly... A bit of a nightmare! I really had to scrub my face with a cloth to get it off. Of all the facemask brands I've tried this has got to be the toughest, so be prepared!

After the mask...

As soon as I'd washed it off my face felt very very dry, albeit smoother than before. I had to put a hell of a lot of moisturiser on after to make that 'dry' feeling go away. 

But, success as my face did feel 'clean'. Only like it had been lightly cleansed though, and not the 'deep cleansing' the mask advertises.

The morning after my face still felt smooth and my spots, well, they hadn't completely vanished, but there was some improvement in the way they looked. I also noticed that my complexion looked a little brighter and my cheeks rosier than the day before. 

I also had no reaction/redness due to this product so that’s always a bonus! I have a sensitive skin due to eczema so I'd say this mask is gentle enough for all skin types. 

Verdict...

I'd give this particular mask a generous 6/10. It’s by no means a 'miracle' product, and I can't say that after I've used it up I'd be rushing out to buy more. I think it’s because I prefer masks that are more about 'adding moisture' to skin rather than banishing pimples.  

That said, if you're after a lightly cleansing mask that smells like a day out at the seaside, then you may want to give this product a go!

Final Final Verdict...  

A nice, inexpensive, midweek beauty treat! 

Best Foot Forward...

I'm a huge believer in taking time out in order to pamper & relax yourself. My life at the minute is super busy! (That’s why I haven't had the chance to update my blog of late - I'm a final year Uni student, so my research project & other work is taking up the majority of my time! But, for the next couple of weeks I'm at home for the Easter holidays. Long overdue home comforts, yay!) Over the weekend we went out to celebrate one of my best friends 21st, and after a weekend of dancing & wearing heels, I decided a D.I.Y footbath was very much in order! It's always nice if you can get the professionals to pamper you with things like this (Spa days, salons etc) but it also works out much cheaper in the long run if you can do a good job yourself! Here is my guide to the best D.I.Y footbath around...

- Below is a picture of everything I normally use for a footbath. I don't use specific 'feet' products, i.e. the bubble bath because I think that normal products work just as well. But, I did make an exception for the 'Avon Heel Softening Cream'. I must confess, it’s actually my Mum's, but when I'm at home I do like to nick her products!

Getting Started...

- Firstly, fill your bowl with warm water (not too hot!), add your bubble bath & let your feet soak in the water. To this mixture, I added a few drops of tea tree oil. It is known as 'natures antiseptic' due to its healing & calming properties, and can help to sooth sore feet in an instant. Plus, it makes the water smell nice. I usually do my footbaths in the living room so I can watch telly while my feet relax.

- Don't forget a towel too - in case of spillages! 

- Soak your feet for around 15 to 20 minutes. You want the skin to be as soft as possible so your moisturiser will have the best chance of absorbing in. 

- Dry your feet thoroughly & banish hard skin on the soles & sides of your feet with a foot file. Also, if you intend to paint your nails (like I did) neatly cut & file your toenails. 

- Slather cream on your feet & cover them with an old pair of socks. The more times you apply cream to your feet, the softer the skin becomes. As summer is fast approaching do this as often as you can in order to be sandal ready! 

- Leave your feet until the cream has soaked in. Depending on how much you use, the best time scale to wait is between half an hour & an hour. When it has soaked in, dab your feet with a towel in order to get rid of excess cream.

- Then, separate your toes & paint your nails whatever colour you desire! I chose Avon's Nailwear Pro in 'Dynamo'. It’s a wonderful metallic, glittery purple (seen below) that goes on easy (thanks to the wide bush) & is fairly long lasting.