TOPSHOP Brighton Rock Lipstick Review

I couldn't resist buying Topshop's lipstick in Brighton Rock as a little treat to myself for my graduation.  I ended up wearing a plain black dress from H&M so desperately needed a pop of colour in my outfit.  This lipstick certainly delivered!  Brighton Rock is a very bright pink, and definitely isn't for the faint hearted.

Topshop Lips in Brighton Rock - £8

The Good
Before purchasing Brighton Rock, I'd only ever bought nail polishes from Topshop's make-up range.  However, Topshop has fast become one of my favourite nail polish brands, so I decided to see what else there was on offer.  

I have to admit, the name of this lipstick was the main attraction!  I always tend to go for a neutral lip colour, typically favouring light pinks in the past.  However, I decided to be more adventurous in my colour choices.  I'm so glad I did!  I never thought bright colours would suit me because I have very pale skin (I'm slightly paler than MAC NC15 foundation).  All I can say is that my makeup colour choices will never be the same again!  I found this lipstick worked really well with simple black winged eyeliner, long lashes and a hint of pink on the apples of my cheeks.  

The Bad
Brighton Rock is a matte lipstick which can be a problem if you have dry lips.  Whilst wearing this lipstick alone, my lips did become a little dry but I've found that by keeping my lips moisturised with Carmex before hand solved this.  I find that lipsticks never seems to last on my lips for more than a few hours and this one is no different.  

The Verdict - 7/10
I really love the shade of Brighton Rock.  I've never been able to find the perfect red lipstick, and have come to think that maybe I'm just a pink kind of a girl!  Brighton Rock is a great shade if your looking for a bright pink matte statement lip.  I also find that the matte texture adds versatility to the lipstick as you can always add a gloss over the top.  I'm already eye-ing up a few more shades.  I'd love to try Sartorial and Secret Admirer.

Have you tried any of Topshop's makeup?  Or are you a fan of bright lips?

Vintage Treasures!

One thing that I really love doing in Summer is going round car boot sales.  When I was younger I avidly hated them, but soon came round to appreciating all the vintage bargains to be had!  So far this year, due to the weather, I haven't been to one single boot sale.  I'm hoping this will change this weekend as I've had a big clear out and am hoping to sell a bazillion boxes of stuff I've been hoarding!  I'm not planning on taking any cash with me, so anything that catches my eye will have to be funded by things that I can sell!  That's the theory anyway!

Some of my favourite vintage goodies have been bought from car boots, charity shops, antique fairs or eBay.  One of my favourite items is probably one of the strangest!  It's vintage Elizabeth Arden makeup, that fascinatingly has never even been used.  What drew me to it was the brilliant packaging.  It's adorable and would have looked fantastic on a fancy dressing table.  I managed to pick this up from a car boot sale for a couple of pounds.  I'm such a packaging geek and this has to be one of all time favourites.

I have a thing for woodland animals.  Bunnies, foxes, deer...I love them.  This has started to manifest itself in the beginnings of a collection of vintage deer.  The smaller one I got recently at Vintage Nation, and the larger came from eBay. I love his little gold hoofs and long eyelashes.  At the moment these little guys are living on my bedside table, but if I happen to bring home anymore I think I'm going to have to find a new home for them.  How do you display your vintage collections?

Last but not least is a gorgeous little print I picked up in Lewes.  I fell for her instantly and just had to bring her home.  Personally, I think she's the very image of one of Austen's Bennet sisters, but can't quite work out whether she's Jane or Elizabeth!  What do you think?

I'm in the process of redecorating my bedroom and picked up a vintage botanical print of a rose the other week which I'm sure I'll be sharing soon!  Are you a fan of thrifting for the home, or more a fan of vintage clothes?

July

Life has seemed to run away with me of late and blogging has subsequently taken a back seat.  Last week I spent the day back in Brighton for my graduation.  I had such a lovely day and the Pavilion gardens made for a fantastic location for a post-ceremony photoshoot!  This was followed by a yummy lunch at Jamie's Italian.  It was the first time I'd been and still can't stop thinking about the Beautiful Bruschetta we shared for a starter!  Sadly the weather didn't hold out all day and we experienced horrendous rain and wind along the seafront.  I can't help wishing the ceremony had been scheduled for this week and the utterly brilliant weather we're having at the moment. 

I hope to be posting more from now on but sometimes a little break from our routine is just what we need.  I've got a few posts planned around what I've been up to recently; these include lots of baking and few fantastic makeup purchases!  Finger's crossed I'll be able to go on a few outfit post adventures now the weather has improved. 

I hope you've been enjoying the sunshine.  I can't wait to have a cheeky cocktail (or two) and lemonade lolly tomorrow evening!

Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Intense Moisture Mask Review

I received the Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Intense Moisture Mask (longest name ever) a couple of months ago as a birthday present.  After all the recent buzz about the benefits of Moroccan argan oil and discovering that my favourite shampoo contains macadamia oil I was really keen to give this range a try.  My hair is rather dry and so I thought the promise of hydration and intense moisture that this mask boasts would be the best product test.

The Good
First of all, this smells amazing!  I'm rubbish at describing scents, but it's kind of a light, soft, sweet smell.  On one of the first occasions I used this mask a flatmate at uni commented that my room smelt really nice, when in fact it was my hair that was smelling so good!

The product itself is light yellow and has a rich, creamy texture.  It's super easy to scoop out of the tub and smooth onto the hair.  I apply it to the ends and then twist it up into a bun whilst I wait for it to work it's magic.  The directions on the back of the tub instruct you to apply the mask to wet hair, then cover with a shower cap and wait 3-5 minutes.  Don't do this!  I attempted this method and was disappointed at the results.  My hair was still really soft, but there was hardly any difference to when I use my regular conditioner. I've found that this product works best when applied to towel dried hair and then left for at least an hour - perfect for lazy Sundays!

The Bad
I have found that this mask has made a difference to the way that my hair feels; it's softer and touchable just as the packaging promises.  However, this isn't the best hair mask I've used and I was hoping for slightly better results.  

The Verdict - 6/10 

This is a product that I really like, however I think my expectations of it's abilities were a little too high before I tried it.  I was expecting my hair to feel amazing after using this, and though it does feel soft I've used other masks in the past that have made my hair softer and more manageable.  

My hair is rather fussy, and sadly this mask isn't for me.  I will be finishing up my pot of this, but don't think I'll be repurchasing this particular mask again.  However, I really like that the Organix range is both sulphate and paraben free and that natural ingredients are used and so am keen to try other products from the company.  I'm eyeing up their their Moroccan Argan Oils and the Vanilla Silk range.

Have you tried Organix hair products before?

Graduation Outift Dilema!

Events that require a formal dress code scare me.  As soon as I read that someone is dictating what I have to wear, I instantly want to turn up in something quite the opposite!  My graduation is in two weeks and I'm supposed to wear 'a dark dress or white shirt with dark trousers or skirt'.  Gone are my hopes of wearing a feminine pastel/nude tailored ensemble from Zara! 

The white shirt and dark bottom half combination reminds me too much of my sixth form uniform so dark dress it will have to be, and considering my graduation robes are black my 'dark dress' has become a black dress.  The only LBDs I own are more suited to situations that usually involve a few double vodka and cokes in hand, rather than to be accompanied with a cap and gown!  And so I've been prowling the internet in search of a black dress that is simple yet not too boring.

I've come across a fair few that I like, but these two are my favourites so far; a scalloped edge number from Warehouse and a dragonfly jacquard dress from Oasis.  I think that the detailing on the dresses is minimal enough but cute none the less.  I've decided to keep accessories simple too and currently have my eye on a black triangle necklace and a solid bar short necklace.  Topshop's Heart of Gold nail polish carries on the gold theme and I think it only necessary that I wear Topshop's Brighton Rock lipstick!

Do you have any top tips for dressing for formal occasions?

Oaty Biscuits

These oaty biscuits a firm favourite in my house and are devoured far too quickly!  As my Mum said the other day, "there's only one thing wrong with them; they're too more-ish!"  The recipe is super simple and a batch of 10-15 can be whipped up in a matter of minutes.  They also contain one of my favourite ingredients - golden syrup!  Yum!

Oaty Biscuits - makes about 10-15 (depending on how big you make them)
100g butter
100g caster sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
100g plain flour
100g rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking powder

• Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4.
• Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan over a low heat.
• Once melted add the flour, oats and baking powder to the mixture and stir until combined.
• Spoon the mixture into balls and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
• Bake on the middle shelf until they're light golden brown, flatten with a fish slice or fork half way through.  (Mine take about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size).
• Slide the baking parchment, with the biscuits still on, onto a cool working surface and leave to cool.

PS.  This is a great recipe for those who can't eat treats that contain eggs!

Hidden Gem

After an afternoon of charity shopping and iced lattes yesterday, I discovered a country park not far from where I live.  It took me completely by surprise that this green delight was hiding only a five minute drive from the grey, square office buildings of my town.  I couldn't resist getting my phone out and taking a few snaps!  

I've been wanting to start featuring outfit posts on the blog for a while but until now have only had a blank bedroom wall as a background.  My recent discovery has certainly inspired me to start planning a few blog related adventures...watch this space!