Back with a bump

Even though everyone keeps saying that I've brought the sun back with me, it really doesn't feel that way. One minute you're looking out to a turquoise sea without a care in the world...the next you're opening a student loans letter and realising that David Cameron: "C3PO from Star Wars - made out of ham" (I quote Caitlin Moran) is running the country. Fo sho. Sigh.

In happier news, I didn't get sunburnt for the FIRST TIME EVER. To mark this momentous occasion I am going to review my recent goodies.

Ahem.

Urban Outfitters Nail Varnish in Taupe 1:

I also got this in Matte Grey, but this colour is absolute perfection. This is a word I am going to use a lot for my new ladylike character that has been brought about by the nail varnish's sophistication, which apparently means I will talk in italics. Anyhoo, the consistency is great, which is something I never really thought as being important for nail varnish, but now I see that it has a sort of elasticity to it that means it doesn't chip or peel easily, as well as being very easy to apply. The colour is best approximated as a grey/brown, I think Grazia would call it greige. I really wish they would give up with the portmanteau-ing (clearly not a word).

A few crappy photos to attempt to illustrate its greatness:

My new romance with Revlon continues with their Bronzer:

I am not a massive fan of bronzer/fake tan stuff, but I bought this for my holiday and was pleasantly surprised. The colour is subtle and not too shimmery, and builds up nicely. However, I bought it mostly for the super cool compact - there is a little button inside that you press down to make a mirror pop out the side. This makes a satisfying sound and happens really quickly, and reminds me of some sort of spy gadget. Even if in reality it is just a mirror that allows you to see if you are going a tad too terracota, it is still enough to keep me amused.

Illamasqua Lipstick in Obey:

This lipstick was one of my many Lisa Eldridge inspired purchases. I haven't actually road tested it yet on a night out, but I have been well impressed with how it looks while I slob around my room, trying on all my make up. First off, the packaging is very nice, very sleek and all that. The colour is wow - really bright peach and 60's/70's looking - and went well with both my pre-holiday paleness and my post-beach complexion. The texture is as matte as it gets, which is what I wanted from the lipstick, but be warned; it requires serious prepping of the lips before you can apply it. Having said that, if you get a little on your finger and dab it on you get a nice hint of the colour without having to do anything complicated. The best thing about it is how the colour builds; as you add more it doesn't get darker, it gets brighter and lighter.

This is because it has an almost white base, and the more you obliterate your natural lip-tone with it, the more the peach colour comes through. Overall, I'm very impressed, and as it's such an unusual and fun colour I feel it was worth the expense - £15 + postage.

                    

                                                       

Time for a nice cup of post-ibiza tea.                                               

I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane...

Going to Ibiza. I haven't packed yet, and I am silently panicking that I will forget something essential, like my camera, but arrive with 12 pairs of shorts.

-Au Revoir Danny, Brett.

- See you soon!

- Please, don't go.

Don't look so sad, Brett. I'll be back in a week, and we can discuss more cravat options then.

I leave you with a classic Persuaders quote:

Danny Wilde: OK, come on, give me the map, let me be the navigator.

Lord Brett Sinclair: Thank you, Daniel, I remember the last time we went to Berlin.

Danny Wilde: So?

Lord Brett Sinclair: We were supposed to be going to Madrid.

Danny Wilde: Well, nobody's perfect, kid!

Lord Brett Sinclair: Certainly not you.

Topshop make-up out today

It all looks as good expected, check it out here at the Topshop website. Most excited about their lilac nail varnish, named after my favourite sweet: Parma Violets. Now to get me some (make-up and sweets that is).

Cheeky ASOS

These look familiar...

[ASOS sunglasses]

Tin foil tips would complete the look - a bit of customising, and bob's your uncle. A little project for anyone wanting Wang/Farrow on the cheap?

Treats

[ASOS Fox ring, Nicola Roberts for Jelly Pong Pong eyeshadow, Urban Outfitters nail varnish]

The Asos fox ring and Dainty Doll eyeshadow were things I added to my ASOS basket to get it up to £20 when I bought the Illamasqua Obey lipstick. That I am supposed to have reviewed by now. Oops, bad blogging. I got the fox ring because I'm from Leicester and so I love foxes, obvs. I got the eyeshadow because it was reduced, and also because as a pale person I have been wanting to try a range for us pale-o's for a while. It's actually really great, you get a nice creamy gold toned primer to put underneath the apricot eyeshadow, which makes the shadow stay put all day. The colour is super - I think there are two others, check them out here at ASOS.

Nail varnish in Taupe and Matte Grey from Urban Outfitters. The packaging sold these to me, and I have wanted to try a matte nail varnish ever since WAH nails did a matte black/shiny black leopard print on their blog. The muted colours are waayyy more sophisticated than I am. I can't find my nail varnish remover at the moment so I have 9 lilac nails (chewed, badly painted) and 1 matte grey nail (couldn't wait to try the colour so painted over the lilac). Need to become more grown up and take proper care of my nails like a true lady, and do the posh nail varnish justice.

"What I'm Gonna Be Wearin, Baby"

Due to the rubbish weather, and the thought of going shopping anywhere in London on a bank holiday weekend, I have purchased a lot of things from ebay. Hopefully, Royal Mail allowing, I will soon be wearing:

[Topshop White Pippa Jeans - buy it now for a tenner]

 [The Gap dress Alexa Chung wore a zillion seasons ago. For the bargain price of £7.25. Yay for ebay!]

 [Vintage camel coat - £20]

What I'm Wearing

Rainy London has tried its best to ruin all my summer outfit plans. I don't know about you, but once it starts to rain I just add opaque tights to whatever I was going to wear anyway. It's the only practical option as there is nothing worse than traipsing round in sodden jeans that suction onto your thighs, or having dubious wet patches on a grey marl maxi skirt, or trackie bottoms so heavy with water they start to fall down.

Anyway, for this rather miserable bank holiday weekend I have mostly been wearing...

...this H&M T-shirt dress. It was a total bargain at £12, and I have worn it every week in the couple of months since I bought it. Apologies for the terrible photography, it means you can't see the nice detail on the sleeves, which are quite fitted and nicely cuffed. 

These are my two latest purchases that I just can't reconcile with opaque tights and massive dirty puddles, respectively. The Topshop pleat shorts are what I like to call my 'archaeologist' shorts. I'm thinking about getting some tortoiseshell flip up sunglasses like these to go with them. I bought the Office jelly shoes about a month ago while I was waiting around in Covent Garden, a bit of an impulse purchase, and I have only got to wear them once. They were pretty comfy and left the most amazing patterns on my feet once I took them off! Absolutely perfect for my upcoming holiday - now I can paddle in the sea with shoes on, neatly negating the worry of stepping on a jellyfish or sea urchin while also looking super-stylin.