Boston Tea Party

Just a quick post to encourage those of you who are addicted to Costa or Starbucks (like me!) to branch out a bit and try an adorable café called "Boston Tea Party" the atmosphere and decor is amazing and the food is quite healthy and so delicious- I really recommend their smoothies!

It looks like one of the cafés you see on Made In Chelsea!

If you still aren't tempted here is a picture of my friend and her cute jam jar full of homemade lemonade:

I love making new discoveries! Let me know if there are any cafés or restaurants that you think deserve more recognition.

"Come up smelling of roses"...

Roses. I love them. I just think they give the purest, sweetest and most feminine scent in the world.

Jo Malone is a truly wonderful woman. Her products will always appear on any birthday or Christmas list of mine! If you fancy a treat please trot down to one of her shops because the scents in that place are divine. From all of her iconic colognes my favourite has to be Red Roses. It is basically an English Garden in a bottle. There is nothing tacky or false just a pure and flawless scent. My friends say that this is my signature scent which is probably true as I wear it every day. What's great is that Jo Malone encourages you to layer scents so even though this is my staple perfume I can still experiment and use my many others (See previous blog post!).

Recently I was very surprised to find that my dearest Mother had bought me a present. While in M&S a very kind assistant recommended "Eau Démaquillante Micellaire" by Nuxe, Paris to her. Basically this is a rose based cleanser and knowing how much I love roses she picked up a bottle for me and in doing so basically changed my life. Bit dramatic? I think not! 

This stuff is incredible. As you can probably tell it is a french brand and this instantly appealed to me as the French are known for their simple and flawless skin routine and products. To use this cleanser simply apply with a cotton pad all over the face. Tah-dah! No need to rinse which is fantastic as creamy cleansers have to be washed off with a towel which is such a pain! At night when I'm tired this is such an easy process (did I mention it is a cleanser and toner in one?!). Another benefit is that it removes my make up brilliantly sans pain, sans hassle. It's safe to say I could rave about this product all day. My skin care routine takes half the time, I no longer use make up removal wipes and best of all my skin is the best it has ever felt - no kidding. If you ever read my blog THIS is the product that you must buy over all others. Amen. Goodnight. Hallelujah.

*Wipes forehead* So after that passionate outburst let me tell you about the matching exfoliator "Gelée Exfoliante Douce". It hasn't revolutionised my life (unlike the cleanser) however it is definitely the nicest exfoliator I have ever used. I keep it in my shower and use it about three times a week (trois fois par semaine!) It has a gorgeous smell which really enhances my shower time. In addition to this I love it because it contains actual rose petals rather than horrible scratchy little beads! I feel that this is kinder on my skin yet still does its job. Another triumph Nuxe, Paris. 

I cannot wait to try out some more Nuxe wonder products! Especially since the prices were so reasonable. The cleanser was only £14.50 and the exfoliator was £16.00. 

Let me know if what you think of roses and if you have tried an Nuxe products!

Sleek blusher

Hello world! So recently I've heard some great things about the Sleek blushers and consequently I decided to hop onboard the craze-wagon and purchase one for myself. 

The shade I chose was Pixie Pink- quite a pigmented matte pink. I went for it because it is a super girly shade and I like that it's matte because sometimes shimmery blushers are 'a bit much'. 

I apply the blush to the apples of my cheeks with the Real Techniques blush brush (softest thing ever!). I don't ever use much because I'm not a fan of the mad clown look and this is a colour that must be applied quite sparingly. However, this blush has the potential to be such a soft and feminine colour which really suits my very pale skin but I imagine would suit very dark skin tones too! 

The price was £4.95 which for such a good quality blusher is a real bargain! 

I am desperate to buy another shade (currently tempted by pomegranate or flamingo?)

If you have a sleek blusher please let me know which shade and what you think about it! 

CHANEL ILLUSION D'OMBRE - Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow

So, this was a bit of an impulse-buy (I have far too many of those!). I blame my friend for allowing me to wonder anywhere near the Chanel make up counter. (But come on the packaging is so beautiful and the bag it came in was so adorable!!).

I bought a cream eyeshadow because I think they offer a gorgeous natural and shimmery effect that is great for every day use or for nights out. I feel like I can justify the price (£25!) by saying that it will last for a long time unlike some highstreet brands which do tend to dry out. 

I bought the shade 'Emerveillé' because let's be honest, when can you go wrong with bronze based eyeshadow? It's just so wearable! I can use the product as a base or on it's own, versatile is its middle name. The product also has a hint of pink so looks warm and girly unlike some shimmers which can be quite cold. 

The lady on the counter warned me that in order to avoid compressing the product I should always use the brush which is provided - not a bad idea. The other advantage of the brush is that it allows you to be more precise with your application for example you can sweep some product under or over the eye to act as an eyeliner. 

I believe a good dupe for this product would be maybelline eyestudio colour tattoo in the shade 'And On Bronze'. 

SQUIRT SNIFF...

WAHOO the cold season is coming to an end! Farewell snotty tissues! It's time to give those around you a nosegasm with a squirt of a delicious smelling perfume, here are some of my favourites... 

My Top 9 Perfumes

Nina Ricci 'La Tentation de Nina'

This is the newest addition to my perfume collection and I have to admit it was the bottle I initially fell in love with. A fairytale-esque apple with a modern twist. It's like a collaboration between Cara D and Snow White herself, sassy and sweet in equal measure! I love how the matte, neon pink and metallic gold make this bottle a perfect ornament for any dressing table! Perhaps more importantly... IT SMELLS DIVINE. A sharp, spicy scent with a hint of citrus makes this perfume feel quite modern. I'd say 'La Tentation de Nina'  suits someone who likes to stand out from the crowd, it is quite an unusual scent that would compliment a vibrant and fun-loving personality.

Chloé

This perfume triggers a sense of deja vu, a memory that you can't quite place. It is captures the smell of roses with quite a heavy must. Vintage yet light, the smell is entrancing and nostalgic. A glamorous and feminine scent with a beautiful bottle to match. This is perfect for those hazy summer days that you hope will last forever!

Jimmy Choo

Meet my all-time-fave perfume. This is definitely my showstopper, whenever I wear it I can guarantee I will attract at least three wrist-sniffers! It might be that it reacts well with my 'natural chemicals' but to me this is a long-lasting, fragrance-bursting perfume. I'd describe the smell as fresh and fruity but with some warm and spicy undertones. Definitely an alluring scent. The bottle is gorgeous as it is  classy and quite understated with a vintage feel à la Marilyn.

Gucci 'Envy Me'

If you like your perfumes to be fresh and understated then this is the perfume for you! It's subtlety is sublime. I picture someone preppy and sporty wearing this along with a Lacoste Polo Shirt and perhaps a set of golf clubs! However, if you don't fit that stereotype never fear... This perfume is ideal for anyone who wants to feel effortlessly perfect yet oh so natural. 

Gucci 'Guilty'

Another personal favourite, this perfume is warm and sensual, think Ryan Gosling in a woolly cardigan (YES PLEASE!). This oriental scent makes this perfume both comforting and sexy, a thoroughly irresistible combination. I like to use this perfume in Autumn and Winter as I find it is a heavier scent that makes me want to get cosy with a mug of Hot Chocolate and a good book! 

Gucci 'Flora'

'Flora' by name, floral by nature. This super feminine fragrance gives the illusion that you have spent an afternoon rolling about in an English Country Garden. Not only does it encapsulate a gazillion different flowers but there is a musty hint that makes this perfume mouth-wateringly flirtatious. If you're a bit of a tease who enjoys turning a few heads, this is perfect. 

Paco Rabanne 'Lady Million'

This edgy perfume is feisty and appealing. Woody, oriental scents stray away from sweet, girlish florals and enter a darker world where women are self-assured, successful and most of all sexy. If you're a girl who knows what she wants and how she's going to get it then this perfume will suit you perfectly. 

Chanel 'Chance'

A simplistic bottle for a timeless classic. This perfume is owned by every sophisticated woman on the planet. Another fresh scent with a hint of floral. This perfume is undoubtably French as the Parisian Mademoiselles are known for their natural beauty. No need to overcomplicate matters just pure, unspoilt elegance

Christian Dior 'Miss Dior Chérie'

Sweet and delightful, this perfume is a divine and simple creation. Light, sweet and pretty are all words which describe this scent, suitable for the plein de vie. A young and innocent creation for the girls who would rather have a bow in their hair than pearls round their necks. 

Kate xo

HELLO WORLD!

Welcome to my first blog (EVER). 

So I think the main question I am asking myself right now is 'What in the name of pickled leprechauns am I going to write about?!" But I'm not overly stressed as I'm sure, like most things in this universe, the style of my blog will naturally evolve. My main interests lie in fashion and make up (yay for originality) but I also like to think of myself as a bit of a wise owl who can chirp on about pretty much anything, hopefully saying something vaguely intelligent in the process. 

Peace out pumpkins 

-Kate xo