Hard As Nails...

Or, the lazy girls guide to nail art!

I did blog a while back about the trend for nail art. Well, since that blog, I think that nail art has taken off in a bigger way than anyone really imagined it would. I've seen intricate Christmas scenes, Easter bunnies, spots, stripes, and all manner of wonderful art forms adorning nails across the country. Nice. But, what if you are like me, and can't do nail art to save your life? Or simply don't have the time to do these sorts of manicures?

Thank god for Barry M, and their crackle nail effect polish. Simply paint your nails with a desired under colour, and leave to dry. Then paint over them with the 'crackle' effect, and exactly like it says on the bottle, watch as the paint magically cracks to reveal a funky take on an otherwise normal manicure. It took me a while to discover this product. I'd heard of it, seen friends wearing it, but didn't actually buy it till not long ago. Why you ask? Well, in all honesty, I'm not quite sure! I think I was a little sceptical at first as to how well it would work. However, after finally trying and buying, I do wish I'd invested in a pot sooner.

Seeing the success of the black crackle effect, Barry M have since diversified their 'nail effect' line, and have brought out a white version of the crackle, a magnetic effect polish, and a denim style effect, to name just a few. In times of recession, having nice nails is an in-expensive way of bringing your looks bang up to date. The crackle effect polish, priced at around £3.99 really is budget beauty. 

The only thing I would advise, is a clear top coat over the top really makes the colour 'pop', and the manicure last much longer than it would do normally. 

Over the past few weeks, I've been charting my love affair with this polish. I've used it on top of a variety of colours so you can see what it looks like. Below are some of the results of my experiments:

So, if you haven’t already invested, why not add some ‘snap, crackle and pop’ into your next manicure? ;-)

Until next time lovelies x

Cuba Libre...

Happy Easter everyone! I hope everyone has had a nice long weekend, and eaten lots of chocolate! I think it comes a sign that I'm fast growing up, I was more excited by the four day weekend than the chocolate ;-)

I thought I would share with you some pictures of my recent holiday to Cuba. This holiday was a slightly special one, the first one I'd been on with my parents since I was about, oh 17! It was also a long time coming. We pretty much booked it a year in advance!

For those not in the know about Cuba, it is unlike any other place you will go to. A trade embargo operating on the country means that a lot of things you and I take for granted (toothpaste, tampons etc) aren't available. Cubans are masters at the phrase "make to and mend" - you name it, they have found a substitute for it. Politics aside, it is unlike any place you will go to because of the sheer fact it literally has everything, sea, beaches, mountains, countryside, and of course that wonderful Caribbean climate!

We stayed in the South of the island at the "Paradisus Rio de Oro" Resort and Spa Hotel in Guardelavaca, Holguin Province. (A must stay place; it really is a wonderful hotel.) Sadly, we were too far to visit Havana, but we still saw the two biggest cities after Havana. 

They say a picture tells a thousand words, so here are some of my highlights of possibly the best holiday I've been on so far in my travelling life:

Our Hotel

Santiago De Cuba

Fidel Castro's birthplace

Mountains

On our last day! :-(

A traditional Cuban cigar factory

An old sugar cane plantation

Holguin

Holguin

Santiago De Cuba

Santiago De Cuba

Old American cars are everywhere in the cities!

Five of the Best...

I think secretly, deep down everyone has a rock chick side just waiting to jump out (air guitar is totally optional). I'm not a huge lover of being massively girly with my style so I do tend to stay away from things that are too twee, and the whole avenue of 'Granny chic' style. Indie/Rock inspired style is never really off the trend radar, so don't be afraid to experiment.

The best way to achieve an instant rock chick look is lots of eyeliner, paired with a band t-shirt. I love band t-shirts. I currently own 3 (and counting). If anyone is particularly interested, they are The Rolling Stones, Guns N' Roses and Goldfrapp. The only rule I have for band t-shirts is that I only buy t-shirts of bands I actually do like. Otherwise you just run the risk of looking like a desperate fashsionista. I can recall a conversation I had with a random girl on a night out who couldn't name a single Stones track, yet she had those famous lips splashed across her chest. I just found it a bit weird.

Once again, I've done the shopping so you don't have to ;-) So, here are my 5 favourite tee's straight from the internet:

Run DMC Tee - truffleshufffle.com - £24.99

Run DMC, the legendary hip hop outfit of the 80's. Consisting of Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell. The logo is the bands original, so wear with some high top trainers to pay homage to the original pioneers of hip hop, ghetto style.

Pink Floyd Tee - Amplified clothing - £24.99

'The Dark Side of the Moon' is Pink Floyd's 8th studio album, and the iconic image you see on the tee is the albums artwork. Wear with a flowery headband and a long floaty skirt, reminiscent of 60's and 70's hippy trippy style.  

Rolling Stones Tee - truffleshuffle.com - £29.99

This 1978 US tour Stones tee is slightly different to the standard 'lips' ones. This one details dates of their 1978 tour, a definite fan favourite. Wear with red lipstick, and a cheeky smile. 

Blondie Tee - truffleshuffle.com - £34.99

‘Call Me’ is obviously one of Blondie's most popular songs. The fact that this is a pink shirt and not the usual black backgrounds we see on most band tee's means it's a little more girly. Perfect for those who aren't ready to be too edgy. Wear with a bouncy blow dry to emulate Debbie Harry herself.

Guns N' Roses Tee - truffleshuffle.com - £19.99

The classic Guns N' Roses logo has been given a summery twist with this strappy tee. Perfect for summer rock gigs/festivals/Saturday afternoon in the pub. Just don't wear with massively curly hair, or you may look more like Slash than you think ;-)

Until next time lovelies x

Sanctuary Review...

Just before Christmas you may have seen my entry about my 'Secret Santa' present - a Boots Sanctuary set. Well, after using the products for a good few weeks now, I thought it an appropriate time to start reviewing my loot...

And that's exactly what I did. First up, the 'Body Lotion'.

First of all, for those who don’t know, ‘Sanctuary’ is Boots’ slightly more upmarket bath and body line. Included in this line you will find everything for the body, body and skin care. With prices starting from £9.50 for a 300ml tub of the body butter it isn’t exactly for those on a budget. The idea of the line is so that people everywhere can create that ‘spa luxury feeling’ at home. (Just to let you know, I’m reviewing the travel sized bottle - £2.50 for 75ml)

The packaging is clean looking, with the distinctive orange and cream colours that fans will associate with the Sanctuary brand. The bottle is a cylinder shape with a screw top, and not a dispensing pump. The screw top means that it is easy to tip it upside down when the bottle starts to come to an end. After all, you do want your money’s worth. I like this about the bottle's design; it is practical as well as stylish.

The smell is the typical orangey, citrus like Sanctuary smell. It reminds me of sun tan lotion, and holidays abroad. But, as it sinks into your skin, the smell becomes spicier, like the type of aroma you typically get after lighting a scented cinnamon candle. I like the fact it smells like scents I associate with both summer and winter. The only thing I would say is that the application and consistency of the lotion isn't as smooth as others that I've tried.

Once on it does sink in quite quickly, but I did notice that my skin looked as if it had a greasy film to it. I wasn't by any means 'over applying' so I couldn't quite understand why. My skin did feel moisturised, but not as much as it has done, compared to other body lotions I use on a regular basis. I'm going to put this down to the extreme cold weather we've been having! (My dry prone skin needs a lot of moisturising this time of year) If you suffer from the same problem as me, I'd suggest using this lotion when the weather is slightly warmer, well, when there isn't the threat of snow every two minutes!

Final Verdict?

I'm going to give this lotion a very well deserved 7/10. Whilst it isn't as moisturising, or as smooth as I'd like, I do love the smell, and the lotion's scent was something I could still smell a good couple of hours after application. 

I don't think I would rush out and buy more of this, but it is nice for those times when I fancy a change from my usual. I may also save the application of this for the warmer months of the year, when my skin doesn't need such a massive injection of body lotion! Plus, the sleek and stylish little bottle looks very cute sat on my dressing table. 

Until next time lovelies x

Flower Power...

It's funny how inspiration for blogging comes at the most random of times. Inspiration for this blog post came when I was on a work night out a couple of weeks ago, sat in a Japanese restaurant in the middle of Manchester (of all places). Said restaurant was actually 'Sapporo Teppanyaki' off Deansgate. If you haven't been, and live in the Manchester area, I suggest you go. It's amazing! The food is wonderful, and the way they cook it is even better. Potato catching anyone? ;-)  Anyways, I had a great night with some good company; so once again thanks for letting me tag along guys!

So, whilst eating we were 'discussing' one of our colleagues love for flowered shirts. Or should I say he was being ripped for wearing one, until I piped up saying that I did actually like his shirt. 

As a rule, on guys or girls, I do like flowery shirts. Not the OTT type like what Noel Edmunds regularly wears on 'Deal or No Deal', or those Hawaiian style ones that should have been left in Benidorm circa 1970, but more subtle flowered designs can look very nice and very fashionable on both sexes. I know some people may look at this and think "no way", but you aren't going to look like a 60's hippie if you follow these easy tips. And remember, it's about how you wear it, and how confident you feel in your outfit!

No, no, and no!

  

Girls...

- Wear with denim, leggings, skirts or tailored trousers to suit your mood. Wear with flats or add heels to take it from office wear to night wear. 

- Keep make up natural and not too heavy if you like a more 'girly' type of look. However, if you want to rock it up, a sweep of eyeliner, some red lipstick and some rock chick inspired jewellery is all you need to help the shirt do the talking. 

- Un-doing buttons is good if you don't like the 'buttoned up to the top' trend. But don't undo too many, or people may get more than they bargained for! ;-)

Oasis 'Midnight Garden Print Shirt' - £45

ASOS 'Vero Moda Floral Blouse With Hi Lo Hem' - £25

Guys...

- Wear with jeans for a casual look or with smart trousers for smarter occasions.

- Leave the cowboy boots and Stetson though, you don't want to end up looking like an extra from Dallas.

- Keep accessories to a minimum in order to keep the shirt the main focus of the outfit. 

ASOS 'Ditsy Floral Shirt' - Was £25, now £13.50

River Island 'BLUE FLORAL STRIPED DOUBLE COLLAR SHIRT' - £30

Until next time lovelies x

Trends for 2013...

I read an interesting article the other day. And it got me thinking (dangerous, huh?). In a nutshell, the article talked about a change in the fashion industry throughout 2013. Said change being the fact that 2013 will be remembered as 'the year of no trends'. Yes, that's right, no trends.

With the rise of cheap and disposable fashion (I think we can single handedly thank Primark for that) and designers bombarding wannabe fashionista's with trend after trend after trend, it appears we have exhausted all available trend outlets. The fashion industry nowadays has a faster turnaround of clothes, with 'trendy' items only being viewed this way for a couple of seasons maximum. Walk down any UK High Street and there are so many trends to choose from. You could have a totally different look everyday of the week! The trend cycle seems to go round much quicker nowadays compared to times gone by. Trends nowadays can be out in just one season (who can remember that god awful neon trend? In my opinion, day-glo is only suitable for a rave themed night out), where as a decade or so ago, they could last several seasons.

It appears that the fashion industry has now started to turn their backs in dictating trends via the catwalk and is now embracing the concept of ''personal style''. Like previous years, there doesn't seem to be a 'stand out' trend. During this year you can be androgynous, lady like, disco diva or boho. Take your pick.

Or, for the cynical out there, could it be that the fashion industry is running out of ideas?! Shock horror! ;-)

I'll be honest, I like seeing what's on the catwalk at those key times - S/S & A/W, but I don't slavishly follow trends. Let’s face it, not everyone looks good in every single trend. And not everyone likes every single trend. And fashion should be fun, and not about point scoring as to who looks better in that peplum dress on the dance floor, or which girl is rocking the faux fur coat and top knot better on the bus!

Perhaps a more relaxed approach to trendsetting is what we need. A world where girls throw away the rule book and say "so what - if I like it, I’ll wear it!" Where people buy things simply because they like them, not because they think they should be wearing it, because this month’s Vogue told them they should. 

We all come in different shapes and sizes, and fashion should reflect that. We all deserve to feel good and confident in what we wear. Fashion shouldn't alienate a certain shape or size, and one good thing about a considerable amount of trends means that there's something for everyone. I think a cheeky peek down any UK High Street shows that. It's all about putting outfits together and making them work for you, and only you.

After all, variety is the spice of life. And we should embrace this variety.

Until next time lovelies x

New Year, New You?

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope everyone had a wonderful NYE (whatever you did) and spent it with all those who are important to you. For the first NYE in agess I stayed in! And guess what? I had a really enjoyable night! I started the night with wine, finished it with champagne, and in between danced to Jools Holland, the music channels, and watched everyone else's fireworks from my drive! ;-) Cheeky but who cares?!

I'll hold my hands up; I'm not a huge fan of NYE. I just find it a little depressing, I mean after NYE we go straight into January (possibly the worst calendar month), and all the festivities of Christmas are suddenly over. The nights are still dark, and let’s face it, when those decorations go down; the house looks very bare for a while! By mid January I start to perk up, and I begin to think about the joys of the impending spring. Longer days, birds chirping, pastel nail polish, and flowers blossoming through. I love going for walks and seeing daffodils growing.

During this time, many of us will all make resolutions of some sort. Whether we stick to them is another matter. I have noticed a fair few people lamenting over the mediums of social media that the whole concept of a 'New Year being a New You' is total rubbish, but the more I think about it, I can't think of a more appropriate time to start afresh! Obviously, if you are expecting to wake up on January 1st having had a complete personality/body transplant, then I think you need to slow down on the old mulled wine (and maybe see a doctor?). However, small and doable changes can easily become part of your daily routine! If making resolutions, remember to make ones that you can stick to. Think realistically and you will be more likely to keep a successful and lasting resolution.

What's my resolution? To learn how to ballroom dance! Hey, I'm in no way shape or form expecting to be Strictly perfect but I will give it a bloody good go! How is my resolution going so far? I've found a dance school near to me... So all I need to do now is ring and book my first lesson... Eeek!

I hope everyone's dreams come true in 2013, and I wish all the health and happiness in the world for everyone! No matter what trials and tribulations 2013 brings, greet them with a can do attitude. I also want to thank everyone for reading my blog this year. I've loved everyone's comments about it - they really have made my day. Stay tuned for more of the same guys!

Stay classy ;) Until next time lovelies x