GRWM Christmas Party or Dinner / Elegant and Feminine

Hey guys! Today is another GRWM and I love writing and photographing these posts. There also some of my most viewed posts.

Every year my friends and I do Secret Santa and have a meal where we give out our presents. Not only that, but we see it as an opportunity to dress up nice and seeing as it's Christmas we can go full out! I thought one of these looks would be useful given the time period, if you're going to a Christmas party or meal then hopefully you get some idea's from this post.

Now traditionally on Christmas a lot of people wear Christmas colours like greens, red and golds teamed with sparkle for a Christmas party, but I wanted to do something a little different and slightly more girly. I don't often dress up girly, but I do love trying new looks and styles out so I thought I'd team an elegant girly look with a bit of Christmas spirit!

Firstly, lets start with my hair. I aimed to go for a glam curly look. Before I started with the heated products I sprayed a bit of heat protectant on my hair after I showered. I don't often mention this but I think it's really important to protect your hair and especially with mine being blonde it can become brittle quite easily. So now for the fun part. Going for a different method, I used my Babyliss hair rollers in medium and large to get a smooth loose look. I curled them towards my face, and although that's not my usual technique, it's creates a classy style. I left these in for 20 minutes.

While the rollers were in I moved onto makeup. Because of the girly glam theme, I went for a shimmery pink look with golden and warm undertones. As well as contour, I concentrated on blush and highlighter to make sure my face didn't appear too sharp and defined. I added a lot of mascara to make my eyes pop and used a nude/pink lipstick to go with the eyeshadows.

Onto the outfit! You won't be surprised that my outfit is from Missguided because they literally have everything at an affordable price. Going for classy but cute I wore a pink high neck crop top and the sweetheart neck line made the look more feminine. The grey scuba skirt is a very flattering shape which I find really helps my body. For shoes I went with a different colour completely of a dark burgandy purple. I think this helped break up the colours and made the look more seasonal. These were from New Look.

I chose to accessorise with some gorgeous gold earrings (a gift from my sister for my birthday) from Topshop and a gold watch from River Island(a gift from my Dad also). The gold really helped bring out the warmer tones in my makeup.

Finally I sprayed a little bit of perfume. I chose LeeLee from Benefit as it's feminine but sweet!

Here are a few photos including makeup, outfit and hair:

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you all have a great Christmas and New Year. I should be doing another post before them but I'm not the most reliable and organised person, so we will see.

Gina x

Clothes Show Live 2014

A few weeks ago on the 7th of December I visited Clothes Show Live, which has become an annual event for me. For those of you who aren't sure what the clothes show is, it is basically an event held in Birmingham at the NEC arena including a fashion show along with many stalls and boutiques where you can buy vintage and high street clothing. In addition they have a beauty area where there are a range of stalls including brands from the drugstore like Rimmell, BarryM and Models Own. They often have discounts or goodie bags that you can buy for an extremely good price!

 When my friend and I arrived, I decided to buy a clothes show goodie bag, which had a wristband and clothes show magazine. Apparently, this helped get discount off at certain stalls. It also included a map. Unfortunately, it didn't help me with discounts, but it was useful in that I had a guide of my way around, because with the NEC being so huge I didn't really know where I could find certain shops. It was expensive at £8 but I wouldn't say it was a waste of money as it did help me with my way around.

The show itself was phenomenal as always. Our seats this year were better than previous years and I had a great view of the show. To my surprise Jim Chapman (one of my favourite youtubers) was presenting along with a very good looking Rick Edwards. There was also a performance by Stereokicks to get everyone in the mood.

The show began with a scene in New York with very colourful, flamboyant outfits worn by the models, this then changed into a formal work outfit where the women wore faux leather white midi skirts which I adored! The screen at the back of the stage helped with setting the scene and the images were very vivid. There were a variety of colourful scenes, including a jungle theme, a theme park and a disco tech theme. I was pleasantly surprised with the music choices which were very lively and fitted all the themes perfectly. There were too slower scenes, one being a snowy wedding with "Empire" by Shakira being played and a contemporary dance scene with one male and female model. Not only that but all the models were beautiful with extremely chiselled features and my friend and I definitely appreciated the amount of topless models and the array of six packs.

One thing that was different about this year for me, personally, was that I saw a lot more celebrities. I managed to be face to face and inches away from Andy Jordan (from Made In Chelsea) and was next in line for a photo until he ended up dashing off. I also saw Dan Osborne, Lucy Mecklenburgh (both from TOWIE) and Jaimie Laing again from Made in Cheslea.

Sorry for the snapchat usage throughout this post

Onto purchases, I did find some amazing deals and bargains and contemplated buying almost everything, but I walked away at the last minute. Strangely, I was being strict with myself on buying things and I usually would have spent twice the amount I did. One thing I regret not buying was a pair of eyelashes from The Vintage Cosmetics Company. The packaging was so beautiful and I ended up convincing myself I only wanted to buy them because of the packaging, but infact the eyelashes were gorgeous and I didn't quite realise until I got home!

I have to say I spent up in Barry M. I ended up with 8 nail varnishes!! I did get a few other things from Barry M but unfortunately I can't post these because they're Christmas presents and I want them to be surprises.

From a stall named "Pepper Tree London" I bought a purple oversized jumper for £15 and I can tell already this will become a holy grail item, especially in the winter.

This has to be the item I am most content with and it was a skirt made from a shirt which sounds slightly odd. I'd never seen anything similar and it just appealed to me. It was £18 so not cheap or expensive.

After quite a bit of shopping, my friend and I found a photobooth which was inside a cute little car including props that cost £2.50 for a print out. So for a bit of fun we tried it out! Wow, these photo's are attractive.

Oh and if any of you are interested, I wore a high neck burgandy sleeveless top from Topshop, along with a check shirt from Tesco, my Topshop black quilted skirt and my black Dr Marten boots. I also did a classic red lip and curled my hair. Here's a rather moody selfie.

That was all for the clothes show this year. I did manage to see another catwalk on the Olympus Pen which was fun and worth the watch.

Thank you for reading! I would recommend the clothes show to anyone who hasn't been, just be sure to talk some money with you as you won't be able to resist the bargains!

Gina x

The Lipstick Tag!

Hey everyone, I'm really excited about today's post. If you didn't know already, I'm obsessed with lip products and in particular lipsticks. Generally I love makeup, but there's something special about lipsticks, I honestly can't go into boots or superdrug without coming out with one. I find they complete any makeup look and so I like to experiment with a lot of different colours. I guess you could say they keep my makeup looks looking different and fun. So lets get on with the questions:

1. How many lipsticks do you own?

Right, so I've literally just counted and I have 42, oops! I didn't realise I had so many! I did include lipglosses and balms too, so in all fairness that isn't too bad. Unfortunately of these 42 I only tend to wear around 20. Quite a few are old and are colours that I don't like to wear or formulations that I'm not so keen on anymore. 

2. What was your first lipstick?

I can't actually remember my very first lipstick, I think it was from a cheap makeup shop of an unknown brand. The first lipstick I remember buying was from Topshop as part of their lips collection. The packaging looks different now as I think they've updated it. It was in the colour Sartorial which is an orange toned pink, so quite nice in spring/summer. I'm not sure if this does suit me as it is quite neon so you have to be quite brave in order to wear this. The formula is actually really great, it glides on smoothly and has a matte finish. I have to admit Topshop lipsticks are great quality and are reasonably affordable. 

3. What is your most worn lipstick?

This is a tricky one! At the moment because it's Autumn I've been constantly wearing MAC's Diva (which I apologise for mentioning so often.) But of all time, I think it has to be my Maybelline Colour Sensational in 540 Hollywood Red. This is one of those shades that is 'my lips but better' and is slightly darker than my natural colour. It's very seasonal aswell because it's a day to day natural shade and I can always find a place for this on my lips with any makeup look. It's creamy when applied, but dries quite matte. I think it is somewhere in between a matte and satin finish. I usually wear this with Gosh's lip liner in 002 Antique Rose. The colours match perfectly. 

4. What is your favourite brand of lipstick?

So, following the band wagon here I would 100% say MAC. I understand everyone raves about MAC lipsticks but for me they're the only lipsticks which last on my lips with high pigmentation. The colour range is massive, so there are a whole bunch of lipsticks for everyone depending on skin colour and tone. They're a higher end product so I often have to save up money if I want to buy one but because I use them so frequently they're definitely worth buying.

5. What is your favourite finish?

My favourite finish appearance wise is a retro matte, like Ruby Woo from MAC. Unfortunately these are really drying on the lips and are difficult to apply. Overall, I do love mattes (I'm just not a gloss person) and it's the same with my foundations; I always prefer mattes. I am however, quite fond of satin and creamy finishes. 

6. What is the last lip product you bought?

The last lipstick I got was actually given as a gift to me and that was MAC Angel which is a soft pink frost, perfect for a natural makeup look or teamed with a smokey eye. The last lipstick I bought myself was a Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 353 Cappuccino which is a brown toned pale pink. I really wanted to try this range of lipsticks out and although I didn't really enjoy the finish the colour was beautiful.

7. How many lip products do you currently have in your handbag?

Currently none! I usually use my bag for college and I don't take makeup with me, maybe a lipbalm at the bottom of my bag that's it. Because I travel between my Mum's and Dad's house in the week I carry a small makeup bag with me, which has about 5 of my most used lipsticks in. 

8. What lip product do you use to rock a red lip?

I always outline my lips with a lip liner when doing a red lip, because it gives a smoother edge and makes the colour last longer as well as prevent any gaps in the lips. I use Cherry by MAC and then go on top with either Russian Red or Ruby Woo (both MAC.) A cheap dupe which I own for Russian Red is Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish is 01. It's not quite as blue toned and slightly less matte, but it creates a lovely red lip and it also smells really nice. 

9. How do you store your lipsticks?

I have a Ted Baker circular bag where I usually stock all my lip products and a couple of concealers. However, when travelling I use a floral makeup bag where my everyday makeup and lipsticks are stored. 

10. What lip products are you currently lusting after?

Well, I've asked for MAC Rebel for my birthday so hopefully I'll be getting that. I'm also DESPERATE for MAC's Velvet Teddy. I went to order it a few months back and after I'd ordered it I got an email telling me it was out of stock, and since it's been impossible to get! I also really want to try out a YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick but I don't know if that's just because of the beautiful packaging. As for the drugstore I'm debating purchasing a Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss Crayon but I'm just unsure of what colour.

Thank you for reading! If you yourself are a blogger, then feel free to do this tag and let me know about it as I would love to read it. 

Gina x

Dark Colours and Purple Checks

One of my favourite colours to wear is black because it's flattering and goes with almost anything. Today, I've decided to do another outfit post like my last one. However this is slightly more grunge with mostly dark colours. I'd wear this on many occasions and I actually wore it to see Mockingjay part 1 and for my friends birthday meal. It's nothing too fancy so could be worn casually as an everyday outfit, but on the other hand the black dress can make it appear classy and even then it could be worn as a dressy or party outfit.

I own way too many check shirts for my liking. I don't know what it is about them but I always seem to buy them even though I'm aware I don't need anymore. This one is from Topman which might seem strange that I buy mens clothing, but I prefer the baggy look when it comes to shirts and women's shirts are often fitted. I love the colours too and surprisingly I think purple is becoming one of my most worn colours.

I didn't accessorise too heavily, regardless of my love for jewellery. I think thats due to the fact that I was seeing a movie so I wanted to be more comfortable and casual. If I were making more effort I'd definitely include some rings, maybe a watch and earrings.

I wore my Dr Martens which are up there with my favourite pairs of shoes. These are the 1460 W Boot which I will leave a link for at the bottom of the page. I know Dr Martens aren't for everyone, you either love them or hate them. If you are considering buying some I'd say go for it, they're extremely good quality and are worth the cost. They do take a while to break in, I don't know if that's just something I've found personally or not, but once broken in they mould to the shape of your foot and are as comfy as ever.

I know I'm not the most adventurous with hair styles as it seems I always have it curled on my blog, but I am thinking of doing a post on 5 of my daily hairstyles, so look out for that!

As for my makeup, I went with a subtle black, smokey eye and a dark burgundy lip which is my favourite colour to wear in autumn and winter.

Here are the photo's, I look slightly moody on the last one but trust me I'm not miserable. I also couldn't help but include a traditional bathroom mirror selfie. 

Black Dress: Boohoo
Check Shirt: Topman
Choker Set: Topshop
Tights: M&S
Shoes: Dr Martens
Lipstick: Mix between MAC Diva and Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Smoulder 
Eyeshadow: Urban Decay NAKED basics palette

Thankyou for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post or got some ideas from it. 

Gina x

Leopard Print and Khaki Green

I've been loving fur coats this season, especially with the cold weather. I think they are a must have and can be thrown on over any outfit to keep you warm and cosy. I have particularly been loving this leopard print one because it adds a subtle bit of detail. I also like how it's mostly brown and so is different from your usual yellow leopard print. It's so comfortable and fits me perfectly! 

Khaki green is really popular this season and I find that it is a very flattering colour, especially if you have green eyes like myself. I've recently been loving jumpers with cuffs on, I'm not sure why I just think they look nicer and are more snug around the wrists. 

Usually I'm a silver jewellery kind of person and I've restricted myself from buying gold jewellery as I assumed it wouldn't suit me, but I wanted to try it regardless and with this outfit gold blends better with the colours than silver. The necklace has coin like circles hanging from it, which makes it quite detailed and a statement piece, so I guess it's not really for everyone. 

Leather skirts are a must have in my autumn/winter wardrobe, and this skirt has a particular quilted effect which I thought spiced the outfit up. The A line shape is very flattering as it tucks in tightly at the waist and goes outwards when it gets to your thighs. If you don't really like the look of your thighs then this style skirt is perfect, as it doesn't stick or draw attention to them. If you have long legs, I would definitely consider buying one of these! 

These boots have been featured before on my blog and it's no surprise that I'm mentioning them again because they're so versatile as you can wear them whenever with whatever. Even with a heel on them, in my opinion they're not too difficult to walk in seeing as they're quite chunky.

These are a few photos of the outfit put together. I did use a camera rather than my phone but even still the quality isn't amazing, but at least there is some improvement.  

Coat: Asos (unfortunately not in stock) Similar here
Jumper: Missguided
Skirt: Topshop
Tights: M&S
Shoes: Boohoo Similar here
Necklace: Missguided
Lipstick: MAC Angel

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe it even inspired you to get a leopard print coat. I'd love to keep on posting outfits as well as other fashion and beauty related posts.

Gina x

Olay Skin Care

 For the past month I've been trying out a new range of skin products. I've never made that much effort with skin care, because if I'm honest I'm just too lazy. I find it's so much easier just to wipe my face with a wet wipe even though I know it isn't the best thing for my skin. I have dry/combination skin so these products are geared more towards that skin type.

Olay have a range of different collections, like Olay Essentials, Olay Total Effects, Olay Anti-wrinkle and Olay Regenerist. I wanted to try out a few of these different collections, so I could look at Olay as a whole. However, I didn't purchase any products from the Anti-winkle collection or Regenerist range because I didn't think it was necessary to buy any Anti-ageing products.

The first product I want to talk about is the Refreshing Face Wash from the Essentials range. I use this in the mornings when washing my face and apply it to a wet face, massage it into the skin and wash off with warm water. As it claims, it was refreshing and made my face feel cleansed, however it wasn't anything special. I have seen a difference in the quality of my skin and I do feel like my pores aren't as large but this hasn't reduced spots or helped much with my dry skin. But nevertheless, this product has improved the appearance of my skin.

The next product is the Day Cream. This moisturiser is part of the Essentials Double Action collection and is designed specifically for normal to dry skin. I applied this in the morning before my makeup and again in the evening when I removed my makeup. The consistency is very thick meaning it was nourishing, however this meant it was quite heavy on my face. This did prove to be one of my favourite products from this review, as it helped with some dry patches on my face. I didn't see much difference with the amount of time my makeup lasted on my face but it didn't make my makeup slide and the moisturiser itself wasn't too sticky.

This product was from a different range, which was Olay Total Effects. I've heard a lot about this range and I really wanted to try it out myself and share my opinion. They claim to do a lot, so I had high standards for these. I tried to use this every night when removing my makeup. I applied it to a cotton wool pad and scrubbed at my face in circular motions. This is much more effective than face wipes and it left my skin feeling softer and smoother. This did take some time though and I had to use around 3 cotton pads. It definitely removes most of the dirt from your face that a wet wipe wouldn't.

Lastly was the toner, which again came from the Essentials range. I applied this generously to a cotton pad after the makeup remover. This product was great for removing any extra dirt in the skin and after using my face felt fully cleansed. This also helped reduce pore size and made my skin feel much more even. It definitely did the job. I also found that it contains a lot of product and even from using it regularly over the past month there is still around 3/4 of the product left.

I would recommend trying these products out, especially if you have combination/normal/dry skin like myself. Although they take up a lot of time they are worth it in the end. These haven't helped reduce spots, so if you are looking for a product to get rid of spots then I would consider looking elsewhere. As for the complexion of my skin, these products have helped a lot with my dry, flaky areas and I have started to see real improvements.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post, and even if you don't go out and buy these products I hope you found some good skin care tips.

Gina x

Quick & Easy Autumnal Nails

Following on from my last post, these nails are an easier alternative and something fun and relatable to Autumn. I chose to involve warm colours, like the deep pink, along with the basics of black and white. The black nail varnish was in fact from a set of nail art pens and polishes called 'Igzo Nail Design.'

Again, Kyoung-Hwa kindly did my nails for me, but these can be achieved by almost anyone.

She firstly did two coats on each nail of each colour, and for the ring finger started off with a simple plain white coat.

Because Kyoung is a nail artist it was easy for her to paint the black stripes with the same black varnish used on the thumb and a normal sized nail varnish brush. However, if you aren't too confident with doing nail art (I know I'm not) then there are a lot of tools or nail art pens that you can buy that make doing things like stripes really easy and simple to do.

To finish she did a final coat of 'Rimmels Nail Rescue Varnish' to hold the colour and make my nails stronger. I used to forget this step when doing my nails, but I find now that it is really vital, as it is what creates the difference between my nail polish lasting 2 weeks rather than 2 days.

I think these nails are perfect for the colder months, but even so the colours could be substituted for pastels and brights in the spring and summer. I find that this is a really simple nail look to do for the less confident, however, it still looks moderately detailed and is more fun then a plain colour.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe even try this design out yourself! Be sure to check out my previous nail post which was slightly more creative.

Gina x