OOTD: Birthdays and Balloons

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well! Now if you couldn't guess from the post title, or my ravings on every social media platform in existence, it was my 19th birthday yesterday! Ugh I'm starting to feel old now! I had a lovely, fairly chilled out day and then went out for a nice meal with my family. Unfortunately for me, I had to go into work on my birthday - although it was made slightly better by a 12 year old serenading me with Taylor Swift songs. As it was like a gazillion (*31*) degrees yesterday, I decided to opt for a nice floaty dress to try and keep me nice and cool throughout the day. This particular dress is a monochrome patterned shift dress from ASOS. Its is make from a soft jersey material and is sooooo comfy it's unreal. This style of dress is so perfect for every situation! I wore it to work without a jacket or anything, with some black ankle boots and my big black tote bag from my last OOTD (read it here…). Then when going out, I swapped out my boots for some white wedged sandals with gold detailing from Forever 21. I also swapped out my massive bag for my little Carvela by Kurt Geiger bag as I didn't need to lug around anywhere near as much stuff. Incase it dropped chilly whilst I was out sipping my daiquiris, I took my ASOS leather jacket - which I did actually end up needing as Leeds can get pretty cold during the evening! To complete my look, I chose to accessorise with my necklace from Miss Selfridge and my ring from ASOS! And before any of you ask, my incredibly chipped nail polish is the cult favourite Bikini So Teeny from Essie! And my balloon is from Clintons I believe ;) Also, I seemed to have found a good tactic for taking blog post photos and ditched my tripod for the roof of my car haha! Even if it means my sister running out to photo bomb my photos!    If you're interested, she is wearing a baseball jersey from New Look, Jeans from Miss Selfridge and a Vans plaid shirt from a recent vintage fair in Leeds. 

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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Building A Lipstick Wardrobe

I buy lipsticks impulsively (and without any regret) on a regular (almost weekly) basis, which has left me with a large collection which makes those early morning decisions incredibly hard. So whether you’re building up your wardrobe, or having a clear out, today’s post has all the lipstick inspiration you need.

RED CARPET RED

If you only own one lipstick, then I swear to God it has to be red. Whether you wear it on a daily basis or save it for special occasions – there’s no denying that Taylor Swift is your spirit animal. 

Recommendations: MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in 'Ruby Woo'

THE POP OF COLOUR

Whether you opt for colour, you have to go all out. Straight in at the deep end. Bright, bold, and brilliant are the only requirements on the agenda. For the ultimate colour boost, choose a richly pigmented creamy formula which applies opaque in just one coat.

Recommendations: MAC Amplified Lipstick in 'Red Balloon'

THE 'BARELY THERE' NUDE

Are you on the hunt for a warm nude lipstick that provides lots of shine and moisture? Look no further than Rimmel’s Nude Delight. This super smooth lipstick glides easily, applies evenly and won’t wash out cool skin tones! This creamy and smooth lipstick is perfect for daily wear when you want to look polished and put together!

Recommendations: Rimmel Moisture Match Lipstick in 'Nude Delight'

MY LIPS BUT BETTER 

The one that every woman and their dog is looking for. The best shades will be a little warmer and a little darker than your natural lip colour, not too matte, and not too glossy. The kind of lipstick which you can apply without a mirror, and which doesn’t leave a noticeable line as it wears off. 

Recommendations: No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in 'Chic'

THE DAY-TO-NIGHT 

Choose a colour which presents a subtle take on a bold shade, and a formula which allows for either a sheer finish with one application, or a more defined look with additional layers.

Recommendations: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in 'Amazing Grace'

THE HANDBAG ESSENTIAL

When a lip product serves as both lip liner and lipstick then you know you’re onto a winner. If you’re a frequent commuter, or regularly reapply your lipstick throughout the day then a lipstick in pencil form will add ease and speed to your on-the-go makeup routine - just make sure you have a mirror in your bag along with it!

Recommendations: Nars Satin Lip Pencil in 'Mandore'

THE LOW-MAINTENANCE

A tinted lip balm or a lip butter will tempt even those who avoid lipstick. It’s 2-in-1 capabilities, ease of use, and subtlety of appearance are failsafe. The best are long-lasting, wear off discreetly, and can be reapplied with ease - especially when there is no mirror to hand!

Recommendations: Revlon Colourstay Lipbutter in 'Sweet Tart'

THE PERFECT PINK 

Somewhere on the spectrum between ‘my lips but better’ and ‘pop of colour’ sits the pink. For me, this sits somewhere in the middle – a muted take on a vibrant shade. The kind of colour which can be worn day or night and doesn’t distract from a bold eye look.

Recommendations: Clinique Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick in 'Matte Beauty'

What are your essentials in your lipstick wardrobe?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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One Year On

I've thought long and hard about what to say in this post and even now whilst writing it, I'm not sure if what I'm writing is enough or even right! I would have loved to do some sort of giveaway or something, but yanno poor student over here. 

A lot can happen over the space of a year. Some things you plan, and some things you don't. One thing I certainly didn't plan on doing was starting a blog. I had contemplated starting blogging for a while and finally dipped my toe into the water as a summer project. I can hardly believe that it has been one whole year since I set up my blog and started this whole thing off! 

Back in June 2014 I hit publish on my first post, and since then I've had over 25,000 page views with hundreds of new visitors popping up every day! If you'd have told me that I'd still be doing this a year later I'd probably have laughed in your face. But now you'd be the one that was laughing in my face as I'm still here! And honestly, and think that's all down to you. So I just want to say thank you for sticking around and reading my silly ramblings. I'm so grateful for everyone that has followed me, commented on my posts or got in touch with me. 

The last few months have brought me so many amazing opportunities! From being sent to samples, to getting to go to fabulous events. I never even dreamt that this would happen! But even just the little things have had the biggest impact on my everyday life. I'm happier, my confidence has grown massively and I've met some truly wonderful people. 

I hope the next year brings as much as the last and I hope you continue on the journey with me!

Thanks so much for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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My Birthday Wish List 2015

In a few weeks (on the 29th June) I will be turning 19, and I thought it would be a nice idea to sneakily write a post about a few of the things I have been eyeing up for a while! My friends say I'm really easy to buy for as they know me so well, but just incase they get stuck - there are a couple of ideas here.

First up is the ZOEVA Rose Gold Brush Set (£56.95). This hit the blogging world a long time ago, and I have been lusting after it for what seems to be forever! The reviews for these brushes are amazing, and as of late I have a slight weakness towards anything rose gold! 

A few times, when I first started my blog - I shot my photos using the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8 Lens (£136) The lens is INCREDIBLE for portrait and close up shots as it has a shorter focal length. Although the lens seems pricey, it is actually pretty cheap as far as lenses go. Some lenses can cost £1000s! 

When I last went shopping, I took a trip into Harvey Nichols - whilst there I spritzed this, and it smelled amazing! I've never tried anything from Dior before so I was very impressed! The Miss Dior Perfume by Dior (£137 per 100ml) is a very fresh, citrusy floral perfume. With top notes of wild strawberry and mandarin orange it would be the perfect perfume for summer!

At the point of writing this, I have just about run out of my beloved Benefit Porefessional Primer (£24.50). This stuff is perfect as a gift as it is on the high end of the price scale. It is a lightweight tinted balm and gives a flawless satin finish. It also makes your foundation last forever! I don't think I could live without it!

Being so tall, I always have a problem when it comes to wearing high heels. The problem being that it makes me well over 6ft tall! But recently, I have been loving wearing sandals with a slight block heel. Although they give a little height, they wouldn't make me look like a giant - plus they'd be extra comfy on a night out! I have been eyeing up these Red Ankle Strap Block Heel Sandals from New Look (£17.99) for quite a while. I don't own many (if any) coloured shoes, I usually tend to opt for black or white so I would love to add these to my collection! PS - I'm a size 8 for those wondering ;)

I am a bit of a handbag horder. I Like to have a bag to match every outfit for every occasion. Up until recently my bag collection was mainly made up of tan coloured satchel styled across body bags and black tote bags - but I have been slowly expanding my collection! I am absolutely in love with this Powder Pink Handbag from H&M (£29.99) - it is such a gorgeous shade for the the summer and it will add a nice pop of colour to a monochrome outfit!

Finally, I have saved the best till last! I recently redecorated my bedroom and all that seems to be missing is a few accessories. My walls are completely bare and I've been meaning to buy a few prints and a mirror for a while. I have been wanting to buy this Motivational Print (£8.31 - £16.94) from Etsy so I can prop it up on my dresser next to my Muji Makeup Storage Drawers. I read somewhere, that a room does not feel cosy without pieces of art on the walls - so I am determined to find a few key pieces to finish off my room! 

What would be your ideal gift from someone be?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

OOTD: Monocrome Check

Hello everyone! Slightly different post from the usual! I thought I'd try and do a few outfit of the day posts, as I've been trying to push myself out of my fashion comfort zone a lot recently (and general comfort zone)! I absolutely hate having a full body photo taken of me, but like I said - risks are being taken recently! I'm usually a black leggings and old baggy t-shirt kinda gal, but since starting my work placement (in a high school) this week - I have been opting for more out-there and work appropriate pieces like this!

My dress is from ASOS and is a slightly textured material. Although it looks slightly like jersey from afar, the texture makes it look a little more dressy. It is super comfortable, and pretty effortless to throw on. I paired the dress with some thick black tights (M&S) as it can be a little chilly when I leave my house first thing on a morning, but I would definitely wear it without tights aswell! It was supposed to rain slightly during the day so I opted for these boots from River Island to make sure my feet were nice and dry. Because everyone hates having wet socks/tights - obviously! I finally finished off the look with my Daniel Sandler Lipstick in Casablanca and the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Kook-A-Mango! 

I really hoped you enjoyed this post! Something a little different to mix things up a bit. If you enjoyed it, and would like to see more awkward pictures of my unfashionable self - please let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

PS: Thanks everyone for helping me reach 300 followers yesterday! 

May Favourites

We are now officially half way through the year! June! My birthday month! And as you can see, my favourites are getting less and less spring/summery as we go along ha! This seems to be more of a winter favourites post! Quite a few of these favourites are fairly new discoveries, but there are also a few trusty favourites in there for good measure aswell! 

First up, i'll start with the newbies. The most recent of purchases would have to be the Nars All Day Weightless Luminous Foundation. Nars matched me as the shade Ceylan (light number 6), which personally I think is slightly a bit too yellow toned for me, but then my skin is really hard to find an exact shade match with any foundation. Trust me to be difficult ey! Upon first use, I was shocked at how watery it is! The consistency reminds me of the Yves San Laurent Fusion Ink Foundation that I recently swatched in town. It is incredibly thin and definitely can be describes as a LIQUID foundation. My one gripe with this has to be the staying power. On me (without a primer) it only stayed put for a couple of hours. So those with oiler skin should probably stay well clear of this unless you have an incredibly good mattifying primer! When teamed with the Benefit Porefessional, it really does last all day! The other day I had it on for nearly 12 hours and it still looked as good as it did when I first applied it!

I've loved pairing the foundation with the Nars Blush in Sin as I feel they complement each other perfectly. This blush is so lightweight yet buildable - it is a gorgeous berry shade with just a hint of shimmer running through it. I've been applying it with the Real Techniques Cheek Brush and I'm so pleased with the results! After applying the blush, I have loved using the red Lottie London brush to apply my highlighter. It is just the perfect size to apply product to your cupids bow or your brow arch. 

Another brush I've been loving is the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush. I've been favouring eyeshadow over eyeliner a lot recently and this brush is my all time favourite for applying it. It is so soft and is brilliant for blending out into the crease of your eye. But then are there any Real Techniques brushes that are a disappointment?

Last month (I think) I was sent the Burberry Kisses Lipstick* in Sepia. When I received it, I mentioned that as soon as it runs out I'd be buying the full size. Turns out I couldn't wait and when Feelunique had a bank holiday discount day recently, I simply couldn't help myself. I thought it genius to keep the miniature sample size in my handbag for touching up whilst out and about. It is just the perfect shade for everyday and it's my new favourite go to lipstick!

And finally, do I need to tell you about this perfume again? We all know it has been in several posts before. Clinique Happy could be described by many as my 'signature scent' - I've been wearing it for yeaaaars! It is just the perfect fragrance blend!

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x
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