River Island, The Spring Edit 2015

1-White Ripped Amelie Superskinny Jeans £42
2-Black Check Twist Wrap Blouse £34
3-Cream Long Sleeve Trench Coat £85
4-Yellow Check Structured Crop Top £28
5-Blue Blur Print T-Shirt £30
6-Purple Floral Print Longline Shirt £38
7-White Sparkle Print Fitted T-Shirt £16
8-White Floral & Stripe Boxy T-Shirt £22
9-Blue Leather Look Biker Jacket £60

1-White Round Sunglasses £13
2-Blue Pretty Crystal Necklace £18
3-Black Embellished Gem Strappy Sandals £45
4-Light Purple Platform Sandals £55
5-Light Purple Mini Satchel Bag £20
6-Silver Snake Print Three Strap Sandals £50
7-Grey Orange Interior Mini Clutch Bag £30
8-White Celfie Box Clutch Bag £30
9-Clear Half Frame Retro Sunglasses £10
10-Mixed Colour Pop Gem Necklace £20

I appolagise that my posts have been a little few and far between lately, i've been going through a bit of a difficult time family wise and to be honest blogging has been the last thing on my mind. I will try to keep posting when i can but I'm sure you understand family is the most important thing so please just bear with me for the time being.
Anyway i thought that now were starting to see little glimpses of Spring on the horizon and the high-street and online stores are already awash with there new Spring collections i would do a few posts showing a few of my top picks and pieces I'm loving right now to get a little idea of the SS15 trends and may be give you a few ideas on bits to update your wardrobes.
Im starting off with River Island without a doubt one of my favourite High-street stores, i was impressed with their Winter offering and for Spring i happily have not been left disappointed. Full of my favourite things colour and prints River Island are really kicking the new season off with a bang. I've noticed vibrant yellow and orange seem to be prominent colours in their new collections and there's also a lot of chic monochrome and bold patterns and prints.
Accessory wise as per usual they are on point with their new season bags and shoes, they always have me lusting after their gorgeous heels i am loving those silver strappy shoes and I'm hoping to add a pair of those embellished flats to my collection. Their satchels have had a Spring update in some fresh pastel shades the lilac is my favourite and I'm loving the fab Celfie clutch.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing a few of my favourite picks from River Island, what are you lusting after?

Zoe

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Outfit, The Turtleneck Dress

Dress- River Island

Jacket- Topshop

Boots- Topshop

Necklace- Venus with Love*

Bag- Primark

I got a little bit excited by the nice weather last week, the slight hint of Sunshine we've been having had me ditching the big coat and layers and has me longing for Summer. I may have been a bit premature as  looking out my window today it most definitely still feels like winter but i enjoyed it while it lasted. The dress I'm wearing is a recent purchase from River Island its a great transitional piece as i can be dressed for warmer weather  like i've worn it here or for colder days just throw on a pair of tight, boots (with toes) and even throw a jumper on top. I love the colour its also available in grey and black, but this gorgeous berry colour just stood out to me. I've worn it here with my black cut out boots but i also think it looks really nice with a pair of skate shoes it dresses it down for a more casual vibe. 

How cute is my necklace? Its a personalized locket from Venus with Love and i am obsessed with it. I chose the rose gold locket and chain, with the word dream on the back plate. I also picked a few charms that represent me a Z, a pisces sign, my birthstone, a love heart and the word blog. I love how personal and interesting it is and i get so many compliments on it. 

If anyone is interested in creating their own locket from Venus with Love or perhaps as a gift for someone else they have kindly given me a discount code for my readers ZOEGEORGINA20 will get you 20% off. 

What do you think of my outfit?

Zoe

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The Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit

Shade- Vanilla, Banana, Sand, Java, Fawn, Havana

Correct me if I'm wrong but i feel its safe to say that the beauty world has gone a little contour crazy. I cant say quite when it started, i became aware of it after i and many others alike became obsessed with Kim Kardashians chiseled and perfected makeup look, I'm not a massive fan of her but boy her makeup is always on point.. i mean those cheekbones are out of his world and nobody can ague with that! I turned to google and YouTube in the hopes of finding out her secrets and is where it all started for me. Contouring if done correctly can dramatically change the way your makeup looks, weather you want a subtle bit of definition or a full on face of contouring and highlighting its a great way to naturally enhance, define and sculpt areas of the face.
Before trying the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour palette, i used to simply use my Nars Laguna bronzer to contour with and although it does a fairly decent job and is a good natural looking shades for me, i really wanted to try something with a few different shades so i could try a more dramatic contoured look.
The Anastasia palette consists of six refillable powders, Vanilla a light pink toned highlight, Banana a yellow toned highlight, and sand a peach toned highlight with a very subtle shimmer to it. The contouring shades are Java a medium warn toned brown, Fawn light/medium cool toned brown and Havana a dark warm toned brown, all are matte.
The palette i have is the original palette and i would say its best suited for light/medium skin tones, there has since been a much larger variety of colours released and as the palette is refillable you could simply switch up some shades if you wanted, i love thats its also easy to replace shades you run out of without having to buy a new palette. The powders are all well pigmented, there also smooth and blend brilliantly. I've been enjoying using Vanilla to set my highlight areas, then using Banana to set just under the eyes the yellow brightens the area well. Sand is a really pretty highlight shade i just find it a bit subtle a highlight for the cheekbones for me i like something a lot more glowy, however i do like running a bit down the middle of my nose and on my cupids bow. For contouring i mainly use Fawn the cool tone is the most natural shade for me and it gives a really decent contour without being to much. If i've fake tanned a lot or just want something slightly more dramatic i add a little bit of Java on top of Fawn mainly just on the hollows of my cheeks and around my hairline and jawline, it would be too dark for my nose.
I really have been enjoying playing around with this palette, i think contouring takes a bit of practice to see what works best for you but a kit like this has everything you need in one compact little palette. This palette has really fueled my contouring fire, now i feel I'm mastering the powder contour i feel i may be ready to take on a cream contoured look and as it so has it Anastasia Beverly Hills has brought out there new collection of Cream Contour Kits today, i know what's next on my beauty wishlist....

Have you tired the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit? What did you think?

Zoe 

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Girlie Pick & Mix Nails

I have not done a nail post in what seems like forever, and its something i really love doing so i thought as its around Valentines day (although I'm not calling it a valentines tutorial) and everything is a little pink and love obsessed i would do one, i just wanted to do something pretty and girlie and i think its safe to say i've achieved that, with the mixture if hearts, roses, polka dots and glitter it looks like Barbie threw up on them but i  do love them!

So if you want to have a go yourself keep reading. 

Nail 1-

I applied two coats of Nails Inc Elizabeth Street allowing time to dry in-between. To get the heart shape i initially tried to make a heart stencil with a bit of paper, unfortunately due to the fact i am one impatient human i kept smudging the base colour so i abandoned the stencil and decided to draw on the heart freehand with a pink nail art pen and fill in. So for anyone with more time and patience than me that wants to try the stencil the base coat needs to be like 200% dry before attempting this...

Nail 2-

I simply applied a silver glitter polish, i used Nails Inc Electric Avenue and i used three coats for maxim cover. 

Nail 3-

I applied two coats of the base colour which is Gosh Bubble Gum allowing to dry inbetween coats. Then using a nail dotter i dotted on a white polish China Glaze Snow in a polka dot pattern. 

Nail 4- 

I applied two coats of China Glaze Snow, then i used Barry M Ballerina to dab on four small circular blobs to make the main shape of the rose then allowed it to dry. Then using the smallest end of a nail dotter i used snow to make small c shapes inside the pink blobs, this really doesn't have to be perfect, it will come together in the end. I then used a Models Own nail art pen in lilac to draw on a couple of c shapes around the pink blobs, and used a green Models Own nail art pen to draw on little triangles coming off off the roses for leaves. 

Nail 5- 

I applied Barry M textured nail effect polish in Princess, and again used three coats. 

After all the nails are dry its best to apply a topcoat to seal and set it all, i used Essie Good to go topcoat. 

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial, i would love to no if this is something you enjoy and would like to see more off?

Zoe 

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Pearls Are a Girls Best Friend

*Baroque Pearl silver charm bracelet £79

Forget diamonds being a girls best friend, after seeing some of the beautiful pieces Absolute Pearls has to offer pearls are now firmly on my radar and with Valentines not long away there is still time to drop a few hints or even treat yourself to a little something. 

Once seen as something only worn by brides and perhaps your nan, they have had a fashionable update. Pearls are feminine, chic and sheek and have a sort of timeless elegance to them. This beautiful Baroque pearl charm bracelet is a delicate and stunning piece of jewelry, i love charm bracelets and i think the mixture of the white, pink, lilac and black pearls is such a pretty combination. I like the fact that they can be worn altogether or you could wear just a single pearl charm alone for a more simple look. I love the black pearl charm i think its modern and just a little different to the norm. 

Pearls are a unique investment piece of jewellery and a great addition to any collection, Absolute Peals also pride themselves on the jewelry being 100% genuine and have a guide to help you make sure pearls are real, so go on girls get hinting!

What do you think of pearl jewelry?

Zoe

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Charlotte Tibury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Glastonberry & The Vintage Vamp Luxary Palette

I was lucky enough to receive my first bits of Charlotte Tilbury makeup for Christmas. It was a brand that i had been lusting after and had wanted to try for ages, and the Glastonberry lipstick and The Vintage Vamp palette were top of my wishlist.
The first thing that instantly stood out to me as i excitedly unwrapped them on Christmas day is just how well thought out even the packaging and presentation of the makeup is. I am a massive sucker for a nice bit of packaging but Charlotte Tilbury is something else entirely, even the box the makeup came in was designed with the signature burgundy style with the rose gold accent, and the makeup was wrapped inside matching tissue paper.
Both the Matte Revolution lipsticks and the Luxury Palettes are packaged inside their burgundy box's with the rose gold writing the design is simple but the effect looks sleek and expensive. The lipstick itself is incased in a stunning rose gold tube applicator, the tip of the lipstick is shaped in a sort of angular square shape that i find makes it quite easy and precise to apply, especially good for a dark shade like Glastonberry. Although a matte lipstick they are designed to still be nourishing on the lips and are infused with Papaya and Orchid to hydrate this gives it the most amazing scent that reminds me of cocoa butter its seriously yummy. I really love the formula i don't find it at all drying for a matte lipstick and it lasts seriously well, very impressed. On to the colour, i picked Glastonberry as my first to try as i love my dark vampy colours so much right now, its the most gorgeous rich berry shade and has quickly become my new favorite.
The Vintage Vamp Luxury Palette is well, exactly that it really is beautiful in fact it looks to pretty to touch. It took a a fair bit of deciding between which palette i wanted to try but i thought The Vintage vamp was just a bit different and would go well with the Glastonberry lipstick. The four shades are colour coded and designed to compliment each other, with a colour to prime, enhance, pop and smoke.
The prime shade (top left) is my favorite in the whole palette a soft pinky nude highlight with an amazing sheen to it really does make a great base shade. The enhance shade is a warm red toned brown that gives great definition to the crease, and the smoke shade a burgundy/plum that goes really well with the other colours both are matte with very slight shimmers to them. The pop colour is a vibrant gold its not as pigmented as the others its a light shimmer which does exactly what its says and gives a nice pop to the eye. I think all the eyeshadow shades work really well together and look amazing. They also last really well on the eye, again i was really impressed.

The Charlotte Tilbury makeup is pricey, but i feel you are paying for a genuinely quality product and i love treating myself to a little bit of luxury. 

Have you tried Charlotte Tilbury? What did you think?

 Zoe

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Dont for get theres still time to enter my Charlotte Tilbury Giveaway to win a lipstick of your own enter here

Coloristiq, Monthly Nail Polish Rental?

Coloristiq Box* £14.49

So i think its safe to say by now we have all heard of monthly beauty subscription boxes. With so many versions available now Glossybox, BirchBox and Love me Beauty to name just a few it would be hard not too, but how do you feel about renting the products instead?

Coloristiq is the Uk's first online rental service for nail polish, think a beauty version of Lovefilm. The idea is that each month you will get sent out three bottles of salon quality nail polish, you are allowed three applications per bottle, you then send them back (which is free) you then get your next three bottles sent out to you in the post, interesting idea right?

At first i thought only three applications per bottle? That doesn't sound a lot, but then when i thought about it thats nine applications in total for a month, and i would say i do my nails about once a week so that is more than enough. Im quite into my nails, i hate them being bare and i love my nail polish so naturally i have a ridiculous collection of the stuff. Obviously like with all makeup, trends change a lot and new collections and ranges are brought out all the time and if your anything like me this means a lot of forgotten about polish getting dried out because you want to try the new ones, i mean can you remember the last time you actually completely used up a nail polish? I cant most of mine are unusable before i can finish the bottle. This is what makes me think Coloristiq is such a good idea, not only is it a great way to try new brands and colours but when your done with them you can send them back and get new ones to try, genius! 

Coloristiq has teemed up with some great brands like Essie, OPI, Nails Inc and China Glaze all salon quality brands that will cost you between £8-£14 per bottle, you can also set a wish list picking the sort of colours and brands you would like to be sent. 

In my box i got sent three China Glaze polishes, a brand that surprisingly i had never tried before but i was really impressed with the quality and I'm in love with the gorgeous metallic red one. Inside the box the polishes are inside protective wrappers to ensure you don't receive any damaged polishes, and all polishes are closely inspected and sanitized before being sent out. 

A subscription to Coloristiq costs £14.49, which i think is slightly expensive for something your only renting but I do think it is a great idea behind Coloristiq and is something many women will be interested in. 

For anyone interested in trying Coloristiq out for themselves i have a code Zoe1 to get your first month free! You have to pay initially but then email info@coloristiq.com and you will be refunded the first month. 

What do you think about renting your nail polish?