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Firstly, we bid a very sad farewell to Rockalily Lipsticks but hello to Ree Ree's new venture, Rockalily Cuts.  She explains more about her exciting news on her blog.

More DIY inspiration this week as Tatiana from She Wrote show us her latest creation from a Tesco t-shirt!

Samantha from Le'LOVE gives us bloggers tips on how to use Photoshop.

For any Londoners who are concerned with getting around on public transport around the Olympics, this website shows what stations will be most affected on each day.

Lauren from Bangbylo explains how she purges items in her wardrobe.  I definitely need this!

Shop Love: Designed by Miss Selfridge

 

Shirt - £50; Shift - £50

Leather bodice dress - £90; Skirt - £45

 

The collection (which I've been watching out for since seeing it in a magazine back in Jan), designed exclusively by Miss Selfridge's in-house design team, is finally available in stores and online.  I'm a sucker for digital print, I particularly love the bird print on the skirt and blouse, but as I'm on a spending ban I won't be purchasing (this month anyway!).

 

Pieces in the collection range from £25 - £90

 

In other news, this week I received a little digital print of my own.  Peter bought me a Mary Katrantzou for Longchamp bag as a second wedding anniversary present - not quite the traditional cotton but I'm not complaining!

 

 

Beauty // My Make Up Bag

I thought I'd give a run down of my daily make up routine.

Moisturising
This time of year I switch over to a high spf daily moisturiser.  I'm always experimenting with new moisturisers but whatever I use has an spf in it, even in the winter.  It'll usually be a minimum of spf 30 but mostly it's spf 40/50.  At the moment I'm using Super City Block from Clinique (£16), it moisturises and acts like a primer.

Base
Concealer - The sad truth is that some heavy duty concealer is needed for my ever darkening under eye circles.  I find Boing from Benefit (£16.50) gives great coverage and it's long lasting.
Foundation - As I have dry skin, I tend to use tinted moisturisers and am currently using Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser from Clinique (£21).  It's the best one I've found and have been using it for around a year.
Bronzer - I never leave the house without bronzer, I look dead otherwise.  I know it looks like a scary colour but Nars bronzer in Laguna (£25) is easily the best one I've found.  I used to use Hoola (Benefit) but that was really too tan for me.

Eyes
Liner - I line my lids with Bad Gal waterproof liner from Benefit (£14), I've been using this for a few years now and it's a great liner.  I prefer pencils to liqud anyway but this is one of the longer lasting liners I've used and it comes off easily too.
Eyeshadow - I tend to use a neutral base colour, something like Naked Lunch from MAC (£11.50) to start with and I'll either leave it there or I'll add some colour.  I love eyeshadow palettes for this.  In the morning I don't want to hunt around for different colours so a palette is a great way to see what you're in the mood for quickly.
Mascara - You may have seen my post about They're Real from Benefit (£18.50). I love this mascara.
Brows - A recent addition to my routine.  I have fair brows and the hair is actually quite fine so even if I tint them it still looks sparse, so I've started filling them with powder.  Browzings by Benefit (£22.50) is my favourite.

Lips
I've only recently started wearing bright lipstick, probably in the last year but I love it - especially a bright pink.  My favourites are Nars pure matte lipstick in Carthage (£18.50) and ZOMG from Rockalily (£14 each).  Get these Rockalily lipsticks fast as sadly Ree won't be selling lipsticks for much longer.

Brushes
I use a foundation brush, even with my tinted moisturiser.  They really do make sure that your base is even and help to blend at the jawline.  For bronzer, I use a massive bronzing brush that I bought in Sephora.  For eyeshadow I have a few blending brushes which I like but my favourites are Sephora, MAC and Body Shop.

Taking it off
I should say that I use Dermalogica cleanser and toner (but not moisturiser as I haven't found one that's moisturising enough for me).  I use Special Cleansing Gel followed by Soothing Protection Spray.  I also have the Daily Microfoliant for exfoliating.  I cannot recommend Dermalogica products enough, especially for sensitive skin which I've struggled with for years.  I get my Dermalogica products from Jersey Beauty Company as it's cheaper and includes free postage.  If you don't know what you need, I started off with a starter pack for sensitive skin and then added the microfoliant when I got a couple of freebie samples through with an order.

Sleeveless Shirts

Denim, H&M - £15; Printed, Oasis - £35; Striped, River Island - £16

Applique, Zara - £39.99; Ruffled, Reiss - £89; Colour, Warehouse - £25

I was originally searching for a sleeveless denim shirt, which I'm thinking that I'll be able to find on eBay, but there are so many types to choose from. I love the applique on the Zara shirt, but I think a denim version DIY'd with some collar tips I found on Etsy would look great.

Will you be buying a sleeveless shirt for the summer?

Today is also the first day of my 30 day spending ban.  I'm not buying any new clothes, accessories or makeup this month, mainly because I've just switched over my wardrobe so have enough clothes to wear, but also because I have a few car expenses this month.  I couldn't do this without a light at the end of the tunnel.  If I'm successful, I'm going to buy these babies for the summer.  I don't think you can ever have too many Ray-bans... Wish me luck!

Spring Switchover

Trousers: ASOS, Top: H&M, Shirt: Forever 21, Shoes: Carvela, Sunglasses: Ray-ban

What lovely weather we had in London this weekend, and it's due to continue this week.  That and the clocks going forward so the evenings are lighter - I can feel my mood lifting already!

I also switched my clothes over this weekend, although I discovered that my wardrobe is pretty transferable between the seasons as I use layers depending on the weather.  It did give me an excuse to order my clothes as I have a small built in wardrobe for my tops, trousers and skirts and then another stand alone wardrobe (fabric IKEA one) to keep my coats and dresses in.

Note the rail bowing under the strain!

One thing I very much doubt you will see here are posts on how to organise your wardrobe.  I love reading about other peoples walk-in wardrobes and shoe storage, but that will never be a reality for me - I'm far too disorganised!  But I will say that velvet touch non-slip hangers are a god send.  Having struggled with slippery wooden hangers that look great but take up far too much room, these are definitely worth the annoyance of changing them all over, plus they save loads of space.

Did you switch over your clothes this weekend, or do you think it's tempting fate for a cold April?

Beauty // Nails // Top Five

My nail polish collection is ever growing, since I made a deal with myself to stop biting my nails I find that painting them a pretty colour is the best deterent (although I still nibble).

These are my top five nail polish brands.

Revlon

Possibly my favourite brand for nail polishes.  A fantastic range of colours and often on 3 for 2 at Boots.  I just picked up Jelly (hot pink), Zealous (yellowy chartreuse) and sparkling (silver glitter) last night.  I'll also use Revlon if I'm in a hurry as I know they are quick drying and I can get away with one coat with most of the shades.

Favourite shade: Cherries In The Snow (pictured)

OPI

I'm a big fan of the deeper shades of OPI and mainly use these in the winter.  Their base coat treatments and topcoats are also worth investing in.

Favourite shade: The Manicurist Of Seville (pictured)

Essie

Again, a fantastic range of colours, especially the neons.  You will often need two or three coats, especially with the brighter colours.

Favourite shade: Short Shorts

MAC

This brand of nail lacquer is a relatively new addition to my collection but it has quickly become another favourite.  I really like the soft lid so it's easy to hold while applying.

Favourite shade: Nocturnelle (pictured)

No7 (at Boots)

Source

Again, another brand frequently included in a 3 for 2 offer at Boots or you can use one of their £5 off No7 vouchers.  I find that while No7 tends to be safer with its colours, the square brush makes it easy to apply and the polish is long lasting.

Favourite shade: Sing The Blues


You'll notice that Chanel isn't in my top five.  I love the colours and do have a few pots but I find that they turn gloopy (technical term) very quickly and don't go on as easily as other brands.  Plus I often find that their polish chips quickly.  Similarly, Models Own have a great selection of colours but I find that it takes a long time to dry and the polishes get quite thick in their bottles relatively quickly.

I do also have a list of brands I want to try which include Butter London, Mavala (I had a freebie in Elle mag and quite liked it) and Jessica - got to try my namesake!

What are your favourite nail polishes?

Link Me Up

My favourite links this week:

In a letter to fellow bloggers, Jen aka The Style Crusader gives us her take on the blogging experience including some tips on how to deal with the industry side of blogging.

I tweeted about this last week but it's still on my mind.  Cesar Kuriyama 's 1 second everyday video is really inspiring, I'm seriously think about doing something similar myself maybe for my next holiday.

Who knew a teen mag website would have so many great DIY videos?  This DIY envelope clutch is by PS I Made This

Speaking of DIY, I'm after sleeveless denim shirt so I can do my own mini DIY project.  I found some great collar tips on Etsy, just need to find the right shirt!

And finally, after reading about Queen Morsh's trip to Bare Minerals for a make under, I'm seriously considering booking an appointment, she looks fabaroo - or even more fab than usual. :)

Click here for my previous Link Me Up posts.

Pink Neon

Crystal, bijouled.co.uk - £29; Feather, Topshop - £12.50; Triangle, New Look - £3.99

Stud, Vivienne Westwood - £60; Hoop, Accessorize - £5; Enamel, Accessorize - £8.00

While I'm not totally ready to embrace the 90's comeback and buying neon clothing, I've got a thing for neon accessories.

Florals and Flares

 

Top: H&M, Jeans: For All Mankind, Boots: Office, Bag: Topshop via eBay

It was Mothers Day in the UK on Sunday so I dressed up my flared jeans with this floral blouse and my studded boots.  I also wanted to show you these earrings I picked up from Aldo, they come in a pack of two with the same style but neon pink.  I love them. :)  The lippy is 'ZOMG' by Rockalily.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Leather Lane Market

Just a short walk from my office and perfect for lunchtime shopping is Leather Lane Market.  While you won't find any vintage here, this market is great for bargains.  The sellers tend to sell high street labels that are surplus stock.  I've got a few pairs of trousers and a skirt for work from here over the years, but a little way down is the main attraction - Kate Kanzier.

Kate Kanzier is a small boutique away from the bustle of the market.  The shop has frosted windows so you really feel like it's an oasis filled with shoes and bags.

I love this yellow tote (my favourite colour at the moment!) with the different strap lengths, it also comes in cream, black and sky blue.  Shame I'm not buying bags in 2012.  Waaa!

The shoes are fabulous, with a wide selection of ballerina flats, brogues and heels to suit all budgets.  Here are a few of my favourite items, available at Kate Kanzier now.

Double Denim

Shirt: Forever21, Jeans: Levi's, T-shirt: French Connection, Shoes: Banana Republic, Bag: Anthropologie, Earrings: Accessorise

I officially love double denim-ing.  I dug this shirt out a few weeks ago and now I'm wearing it with everything, it's great when you rediscover an old favourite.  I also picked up these earring for an 80's fancy dress party, but look how they snuck into my everyday jewellery collection...

Beauty // Hair // Adventures In Balayage

Taking inspiration from Jules at Sincerely, Jules and this pic of Jessica Beil, I booked in for some dip dying or "balayage" at my local Headmasters salon and took advantage of their 50% off colour sale.

The stylist (Georgia at the Teddington branch) back-combed sections of hair and painted on the bleach (bleach because my hair has been coloured so many times in the last year that putting on normal colour wouldn't have worked).

This is during and once the bleach had been washed out - it was left on for about 35 minutes.

And this is the finished product (excuse the shampoo ad style swishing).

Top: Mary Katrantzou for Topshop

I'm very pleased with it.  I'll probably see how much it fades over the next few weeks then go back in for more, I eventually want it to be more ombre.  I think it'll look good in the spring/summer.

You can view my other beauty posts.

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This week...

Krystal from This Time Tomorrow does effortless chic in a pepulm top and floral trousers

Maegan from ...love Maegan give us some DIY inspiration in the form of these amazing neon heels

If you haven't seen this Kony 2012 video, you've clearly been living under a rock.  It's a viral video with a purpose, but it you haven't seen it then I won't spoil it for you.  If you want the full picture you can also read criticism of the Kony 2012 video here.

I'm off to the hairdressers tomorrow to join the ombre club and I found this great advice for before and after hair colouring.

And lastly, after pledging to cut down on my Diet Coke intake last week The Week ran this story on Pepsi and Coke changing their ingredients to avoid a cancer warning "as a result of a California law that mandates drinks containing a certain level of carcinogens carry a cancer warning level".  Interesting stuff...

Hope you enjoy this weeks picks, and I'd love to know if you've found any interesting/inspiring links this week.

Pretty In Peplum

 

 

 

Blue - Closet at Fashion Union, £45; Black and white - Oasis, £70; Pink - Miss Selfridge, £42

Striped - Marc by Marc Jacobs at Selfridges; £440, Navy - Dorothy Perkins, £28; Embroidered - Sass & Bide at net-a-porter.com, £560

 

A sample of my favourite peplum dresses at the moment.  Will you be sporting the peplum trend this season?

A Weekend In Berlin

We walked, we ate, we slept.

For a city with such a turbulent history, Berlin is one of the most chilled out cities I've visited.

We stayed at the Melia Hotel on Friedrichstrasse, which was conveniently located near the station so it took around 40 minutes from Schoenefeld Airport on the train.

Talking of the trains, they are so easy to use - a travel card costs around 6.50 euros and the trains are frequent, clean and you don't have to battle to get a seat!

Of all of the things to see and do in Berlin, these are my top 5:

Walking Tour - we turned up for the free walking tour on a recommendation from a friend.  Our guide on the 3.5 hour tour was Zabi, who was very knowledgable and enthusiastic about the city and its history.  Starting at the Brandenburg Gate, Zabi led us to the holocaust memorial, the former site of Hitler's bunker, the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt and Museum Island - to name a few.

DDR Museum - On a recommendation from the same friend, we visited this interactive museum and really envisaged what life would have been like living in the socialist state.  And for any car lovers, you can even start an old Trabi.

Henne - Fried chicken, sauerkraut, potato salad, beer - all good.  It's also right where the wall used to stand so have a look at some of the pictures in and around this pub too, really amazing.

Cafe Einstein - We ate breakfast here both mornings, Peter had been here before so knew what to expect.  If you order the breakfast for two and get a selection of pate, ham, turkey, cheese, soft cheese, brie and a selection of breads.  A good pot of green tea too!

KaDeWe - I couldn't go a whole weekend without visiting he second largest department store in Europe (Harrods is the largest).  The window displays were beautiful and the building itself is well laid out and spacious.

I'd definitely go back to Berlin but possibly in the Spring/Summer so I can see the Tiergarten in its glory.

Minty Fresh

Bangle, Alexander McQueen at forwardforward.com - $295; Jeans, Goldsign at net-a-porter.com - £215; Loafers, ASOS - £38; Clutch, Chloe at net-a-porter.com - £750; Jumper, River Island - £30; Essie nail polishes, feelunique.com - £8.99; Erika sunglasses, Ray-Ban at ASOS - £98; Converse, John Lewis - £42; Harper bag, DvF at Matches - £224

Having seen this Chloe bag up close and personal at Ka De We in Berlin this weekend, I can confirm it's a beaut!  I love all things mint green at the moment, especially the Ray-Bans and Converse.  They are definitely on my wish list for the summer.

Link Me Up

This is a new series where I share my favourite links of the week, or links that are new to me this week:

First up, Karen from WhereDidUGetThat has taken Alexa Chung's spread for Elle and used it to give us ideas on where to purchase similar items.

Walking in heels is no mean feat.  Even the models who walk in skyscraper heels day in day out find it tough to keep their balance.  The Telegraph rounded up the spills from this seasons fashion weeks.

Stylist Magazine gave us tips on how to market small businesses using Facebook.

Kori at Blonde Episodes put together one of my favourite Oscar dress roundups.

Another informative video from TED on why videos go viral  by Kevin Allocca, Trend Manager at YouTube.

I adore the DIY's from A Pair and A Spare, this week Geneva has fashioned these killer spiked heels.

And last but not least, this informative blog post was new to me this week...Rose from The Londoner introduces us to The Anti-Diet.  Having followed some of the principles on here for a few years, I can say they definitely work, especially thinking about the hunger scale and the 80/20 rule.  I'm in the process of cutting down my Diet Coke intake too as I know it's bad for me in the quantities I drink it.

I hope you find these as interesting as I do - I'd be really interested to know your favourite link of the week too.  Leave a message in the comments box below, alternatively you can always catch me on Twitter or Facebook.

Afternoon tea at The Dorchester

Last Sunday was glorious here in London, the sun was out and it was actually mild enough to wear a summer dress (albeit with tights).  We met some friends for afternoon tea at The Dorchester - not something we do that often but it was a belated christmas present from me to my friend and we thought we'd bring the other halves along as well.

We had our afternoon tea served in The Promenade, my friend and I were planted on a very comfortable sofa while the boys had high backed comfy chairs.  We were well looked after by the attentive staff and rolled out of there after our sandwiches, scones, pastries and refills of tea.  Everything was refilled, we had a few rounds of finger sandwiches, more scones and more pastries.

I'd recommend The Dorchester for couples or large groups.  I really liked that the setting and service reflected the standard of The Dorchester but there was no snootiness, and it was a relaxed experience.

And this is what I wore

Dress: Warehouse, Boots: Steve Madden, Jacket: Oasis via eBay, Bag: Fossil

Where's your favourite place for afternoon tea?