Imagine that, from now on, you had to live the rest of your life with only two lipsticks. Once you had finished rolling on the floor shrieking "NOOOO!!!" you would probably pick one nude and one bright, am I right? Me too. Whenever I'm trying to pack light - and packing has featured pretty highly in my life of late - this is the kind of soul searching question I ask myself. And I reckon that if I absolutely had to, I could make do pretty well with these two beauties.

The Nude - Maybelline Color Sensational in Tantalizing Taupe (725)

Maybelline Color Sensational in Tantalizing Taupe (725)


Maybelline Color Sensational in Tantalizing Taupe (725) FOTD


As much as I love Rimmel's Nude Delight, after careful consideration I think I would go for a pink-based nude if I could only have one. This is a fabulous contender. It feels creamy on the lips, has a lovely sheen to it, and the colour is just right. There are some pinky nudes that look gorgeous swatched on your hand, but on the lips are so close to your natural colouring that there doesn't seem much point in applying them. Obviously this will be different for everyone but Mac Patisserie is a great example of this for me. Tantalizing Taupe, on the other hand, is different enough to make it look like I'm wearing lipstick but still definitely a nude, if that makes sense. The staying power of this is not the greatest, but if you don't mind re-applying then I totally recommend it.

The Bright - L'Oreal Color Riche Pure Reds Collection in Blake's Pure Red

L'Oreal Color Riche Pure Reds Collection in Blake's Pure Red


L'Oreal Color Riche Pure Reds Collection in Blake's Pure Red FOTD


Everyone and their Aunty seems to be obsessed with this lipstick right now and I am definitely no exception. My sister bought it when we were shopping together just before Christmas, and I was so jealous I had to go back and get it for myself. I think it's the beautiful ruby shade that makes it so special. There's a lot of orangey reds around at the moment, which are also gorgeous, but this is slightly unusual in being more of a pinky red. One word of warning - it's not the easiest to apply. I've slapped it on direct from the tube for the purposes of this photo but it really needs a lip pencil and a lip brush to get the best result. Also, you need to blot and reapply. And then blot and reapply. And then blot some more. It will transfer all over the place otherwise. Still, the finished result is well worth the trouble. The velvety matte finish combined with the stunning colour make you feel all opulent and super glamorous - just like Blake herself!

What do you think of these lipsticks? And what would you pick if you could only have two? I'd love to know!

Kate x
Well hello there!

It's been just over a month since I last blogged, and boy have I missed it! Moving house has taken up pretty much all of my spare time since the new year, plus I came down with a nasty bug a couple of weeks ago that kept me in bed for about four days feeling very sorry for myself. I'm better now, and although we still have boxes all over the place, my husband and I are essentially moved in to our new home, so we are slowly starting to get back to some sort of normality - finally!

We've moved, for work reasons, from the south of England to the north, and from a fairly large but slightly shabby older property to a smaller but bright shiny new one. In a word, it's a pretty big change, and coming at the beginning of a new year, it really feels like the opening of a brand new chapter.

So perhaps that's why, when I dashed into the hairdresser's mid-move for my regular six weekly trim, I ended up getting my long layers chopped into a blunt, collarbone-length cut instead.

The inspiration for this drastic action came from one of my favourite Youtubers, Barbara from The Persian Babe, whose channel is well worth checking out if you haven't already. Barbara recently cut her long hair to a similar length and I've been obsessed with it ever since. Even so, I never do anything on a whim, especially not when it has to do with my hair, so I was astonished to find myself asking my hairdresser for a similar cut without having spent weeks weighing up the pros and cons first. I guess I got all caught up with the spirit of change and just went for it! I'm so glad I did, because I really love the result. If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen this picture before - it's also right there in the sidebar, look! - but I've had no time to play with my camera since the move, so it will have to do for now I'm afraid!

Short hairstyle
As much as I love long hair, I'm really enjoying the versatility of having a shorter style for once. It's nice to be able to show off necklaces, earrings and collars a bit more without having to tie my hair back. Plus, it takes a lot less time to wash, dry and style. While I'd never consider this a reason to change my hairstyle, it's definitely a nice bonus!

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll soon be able to get back to regular blogging now that all the upheaval is over! In the meantime, what do you guys think about shorter hairstyles? Let me know below.

Kate x
Before I get into today's post I just want to say a huge thank you to all those who commented on my last one (read it here.) Talking about things that haven't gone as I would have wished is something I have always found difficult, especially when it comes to something so important to me, but I'm so glad I did. Sharing problems and lessons learned with friends - actual or virtual - can be so therapeutic, and I can't tell you how much every encouraging word meant to me. Thank you all so much - you guys are the best!

As I mentioned in that post, I've got lots of plans for this blog for the new year, but it's going to take some time before I can get to work on any of them. After spending a lot of 2014 travelling from our home in Kent to Yorkshire for business, my husband and I have decided to move north, at least for a little while. So for the moment, most of my free time is being taken up with all the necessary preparations for the move. It's exciting, as I'm really looking forward to living in a different part of the country for a while, but frustrating too, because I want my blogging time back! Still, in the meanwhile, I'll try to post whenever I can.

And now, let's get back to what's really important - makeup!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush


I was thrilled to receive an Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush from my sister for Christmas. If you follow me on Twitter you might recall that I've been lusting after one for a while! Seeing pictures of them in magazines and on other people's blogs, I thought they looked incredibly beautiful, and when I read somewhere that they are supposed to add depth and dimension to your cheeks, they shot straight to the top of my wish list. I have a small, narrow face. Forget contouring - what I really want is a product that will make my cheeks look fuller!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Review


Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush is available in six shades, and my sister was advised to choose Diffused Heat for me after describing my colouring to the sales assistant.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat


Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat Review


Isn't it stunning? I almost couldn't bear to put a brush to it. You know when you wake up early in the morning and find that it's been snowing all night? You desperately want to run out and make footprints in it, but you also don't want to mark that perfect blanket of white? I get that feeling sometimes about beautifully presented makeup, and I definitely had it about this. (Is that weird? Let me know in the comments if you feel the same!)

Anyway, once I got over that, I got down to the swatching! The consistency of this is so fine it feels like silk on your fingertips. As you sweep it across your skin and the colours mix together, you can see that there's a subtle sheen to it, like a blush and highlighter in one. The pinky shade of Diffused Heat is very natural looking, and it's not the colour of these blushes that make them so special, but the way they glow. Looking at the swatch on my arm, it was like I was gazing at it through candlelight, and once applied to my cheeks, it looked like I had just been for a long walk on a crisp, cold day. Basically, this stuff makes you look not so much like you are wearing a pretty blush, but that you are quite literally glowing (in a lovely, subtle way) with health.

I hope these next shots give you at least a vague idea of what the product looks like on. The colour really is as described on the website - soft-focus - and it was almost impossible to capture, especially for someone with a lot to learn about photography! Still, I did my best.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat


Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush


Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat Review


I've really been enjoying wearing this. I can't get enough of that "healthy glow" look, and the luminosity that is this product's big selling point really does give a plumping effect to the cheeks, which is a huge bonus in my book. It also lasts for a whole day's wear, which surprised me given how fine it is. All in all, it's a big thumbs up from me!

Have you tried these? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Kate x
New Year's Resolutions




At the turn of every year, like most people, I like to set myself new goals for the twelve months ahead. Eat more fruit, get organised, magically morph into Blake Lively... all the usual things! But lately I've been trying to do something else as well - to take stock of all the things I've achieved in the past twelve months. Sometimes I think we get so focussed on where we are striving to get to that we forget to give ourselves credit for how far we've already come.
 
2014 started with a big lesson for me. I have always taken it for granted that if I only work hard enough for long enough, I will eventually achieve my dreams, but at the beginning of last year I was forced to accept that despite years of hard work, my dream of having a novel published just wasn't going to happen for me, at least not any time soon. It's something I'd wanted since I was about twelve years old, so it's safe to say that I began the year feeling pretty lost and miserable.
 
And then I decided to start blogging.

Do you believe that everything in life, even the bad stuff, happens for a reason? Well I have to confess that I never have, but it's true to say that without experiencing the heartache of having my novel rejected, it would never have occurred to me to try something different. I would never have imagined in a million years how much I was going to enjoy blogging. I haven't been doing it long and still have so much to learn, but already it has brought me so much pleasure and opened up a whole new world of possibilities. So the lesson is, while it's great to chase your dreams, it's also good to keep an open mind. Dreams can come in all shapes and sizes and it's OK to find a new one!

As I think about what I want to achieve in 2015, I find that a lot of my goals are centred around my blog. Improving my content, working on my photography skills, perhaps even a brand new layout. I can't wait to look back in twelve months from now and feel proud of how far I've come!

What do you want to achieve in 2015?

Kate x
In my last post, I promised to write about the makeup I'm planning to wear on New Year's Eve. This includes what I'm putting on my legs - I do like a bit of a tan and something to disguise blemishes if I'm going bare-legged. My current favourite fake tan is by Cocoa Brown, and when I heard about their Lovely Legs Spray* I was intrigued. Instant, spray-on flawless legs? Yes please! In terms of my makeup, I've decided to go for a peachy nude lip, sparkly eyes and a generous dollop of highlight.

Cocoa Brown Lovely Legs spray

These are the main products I used. The palette is the Sleek i-Divine palette in Au Naturel, from which I used Taupe (back row, furthest right) and Moss (front row, second from left).

FOTD New Year's Eve Party Look




FOTN New Year's Eve Makeup




New Year's Eve Party Makeup


On my face:

Base - Revlon ColorStay foundation in Fresh Beige, Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in Fair, Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Peach Glow.

Eyebrows - Benefit Brow Zings Palette.

Eyes - Maybelline Color Tattoo eye shadow in On and On Bronze as a base, then Moss and Taupe from the Sleek i-Divine palette pressed over the top. I concentrated Moss (the darker shade) at the outer corners and Taupe at the inner corners, not that you can really tell in the photos. I used Collection's Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip liner on my upper lash line and a Lancôme kohl pencil to define my water line. My mascara is Lancôme Hypnose Star.

Bronzer/Blush/Highlight - Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess bronzer (lightly dusted all over for a warm glow), Mac Peaches blush, Benefit Watt's Up highlighter (top of cheekbones, under arch of brows, bridge of nose).

Lips - Rimmel Nude Delight.

Now for my legs. As I said, I like to give them a little TLC if I'm planning on showing them off, but with a regular fake tan, you need to be organised enough to remember to apply it the night (or morning) before you go out. I also like to add some leg makeup to cover a few pesky thread veins that I have. (If you're interested in what I use for that, I blogged about it here.) Now, all this takes up quite a lot of time, and as much as I would like to spend hours primping and preening myself for an evening out, it isn't always realistic, especially at this time of year, when there's a lot of family around who I would rather spend my time with. Cocoa Brown's Lovely Legs Spray is quick and easy to use and is designed, according to their website, for "ladies who feel they need some coverage on their legs to hide veins, stretch marks or any lumps or bumps". That would be me then!

The instructions are to spray the product onto a tanning mitt and then buff onto the skin. I have to say, when I first saw the colour of it, I thought I was going to hate it. It's practically neon orange! But I applied it anyway, and was pleased to see that it soon settled into a lovely warm bronze. It dried very quickly, and was a vast improvement on my pale, pre-tanned legs!

Cocoa Brown Lovely Legs spray


Before and after

You can see that the spray has smoothed out the appearance of my legs as well as giving me a nice tan. I did have to dab a little leg makeup over the most stubborn of my thread veins, but I certainly didn't feel the need to apply it all over as I would normally do. As a result, the whole process of prepping my legs for an evening out was much quicker than usual.

Whereas the regular tan from Cocoa Brown lasts quite a few days, Lovely Legs washes off with warm soapy water. In my opinion, it's perfect for the winter months. Most of the time we're in jeans or tights, so why bother with a full on fake tan? This is a great product to have on standby for those occasions when you want bare legs and need to get them looking their best in a hurry.

So my makeup for New Year's Eve is all prepared! Let me know what kind of look you'll be going for if you're out celebrating - I love finding out what other people are planning to do! Also, have you tried Cocoa Brown's Lovely Legs spray? If so, what do you think of it?

Kate x


*Gifted Product
Did you have a good Christmas? Mine has been hectic but very enjoyable. I've had trips into town with my sister for coffee and last minute shopping, restaurant outings and big family dinners. My husband and I spent the day itself with his family, at his sister's house in the Netherlands. Much fun and laughter was had by all, presents were exchanged and plenty of food was consumed. (And I do mean plenty of food!) But the festivities aren't quite over yet, because there's still New Year's Eve to look forward to. I love any excuse to dress up, and I always think that New Year's Eve is the perfect excuse, whether you're going out to a fancy event or even just celebrating at home with family. I'm not exactly sure what my plans are yet, but I know what I'll be wearing, so I thought I'd share it with you.

#OOTN New Year's Eve Party


 Dress - Warehouse (Similar style available in black and pink), Shoes - Zara, Bag - Mango, Ring - Accessorize

I actually first wore this dress a couple of months ago at my sister's engagement party. For that occasion, I styled it with black heels and a black clutch bag, but I felt it was versatile enough to re-spin it for New Year with touches of gold. Plus, I really enjoyed wearing it, so wanted to wear it again!
#OOTN New Year's Eve Warehouse DressThe dress is from Warehouse's Spotlight Collection, which I love for pretty and affordable occasion wear. This one is so feminine and easy to wear, and I reckon it would look just as good for a summer wedding as it does for a party. I love the pleated skirt and lace panelling, and the colour too, even though I'm not usually the biggest fan of blue.

I decided to pair it with my favourite nude sandals from Zara. These are pretty comfortable as heels go so they're great for a party where you might be dancing or standing around chatting for hours on end. The gold bag and ring I've added for a "seasonal twist" are ancient, but you could easily find similar pieces if you're interested in recreating the look.

Accessorize ring and Barry M Lychee Nail Polish


On my nails is Lychee by Barry M. I've been obsessed with this brand all year - especially the gelly hi-shine range. I thought about a glittery gold, but in the end preferred this more understated creamy shade.

Pleated Warehouse Dress, Mango Bag


So that's my New Year's party outfit sorted! I'll post about my makeup - a sparkly gold eye and nude lip - in the next couple of days, not to mention a great speedy tanning product that will come in very handy when I'm rushing to get ready on the big day. So stay tuned for that!

What are your New Year's Eve plans, and what are you going to wear?

Kate x
Jo Malone is a brand that's very close to my heart. My first experience of it was when a friend of mine spritzed Red Roses cologne all over me just before I went on a first date. It was the loveliest perfume I'd ever come across. I fell in love with the romantic scent, the sophisticated packaging, everything about it. (The date went pretty well too - it was with my husband! I'm not sure how much the perfume had to do with it, but I'll always feel attached to it for that reason!)

Since then I've tried quite a few of the brand's other fragrances, either in perfume or candle form. Vintage Gardenia, Nectarine Blossom and Honey, Wild Fig and Cassis, Peony and Blush Suede... I love them all! Yet it's only very recently that I've tried any of the bath oils, and I honestly don't know what's taken me so long. At the moment, I'm obsessed with two: Amber and Lavender and Pomegranate Noir. At this time of year, with the weather getting colder and life getting busier as Christmas approaches, I'm appreciating a nice hot bath in the evenings more than ever, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So what better time to talk about these two gorgeous products?

Jo Malone bath oils in Amber and Lavender and Pomegranate Noir
Amber and Lavender - This is the perfect scent for this time of year. I've always loved lavender - it's so comforting that you can almost feel your muscles unwinding as you breathe it in. Add to that exotic, musky amber and you end up with a warm and wonderful scent that fills the whole bathroom when you add a capful to your running bath water. It's opulent and luxurious, wrapping itself around you like a comforting blanket. Some might find it overpowering, but I love it.

Pomegranate Noir - This one is very different. It's much lighter, yet you still get an intense, fruity hit from it that reminds me (for some reason) of a freshly opened bag of sweets. Again, the scent is released as it hits the hot running water, although this one is, as I said, more subtle than Amber and Lavender. After the initial sweetness, there's a definite warmth to it, which adds an interesting depth to the fragrance and makes it equally perfect for the cooler months.

Both oils contain jojoba, avocado and almond oil which leave your skin feeling lovely and soft when you emerge from your bath. Best of all, the gorgeous scents linger on your skin for ages afterwards, which I love. There's nothing better than lying in bed, all relaxed from your bath and smelling amazing!

Have you tried Jo Malone's bath oils? Which is your favourite fragrance?

Kate x
Blogger Template Created by pipdig