Thursday 19 July 2012

Fashion Alert!


Legs at centre stage

For those of you that are brave with your style the statement trouser is a must at the moment and a favourite amongst celebrities. The catching and somewhat daring statement trouser has been pictured across the catwalk from Fendi to D&G and has rapidly become popular in high street clothing stores. In particular, the floral print trouser has proved a hit with style icons such as Olivia Palermo, Whitney Port and Rihanna but there are a great range of prints and styles out there. Below are a few of my own favourite picks from the high street that are on trend and easily wearable allowing those that are less brave to accomplish this seasons hottest trend.

RIVER ISLAND

My first selection is from River Island, these are leggings with a tribal type print. I love the rich colours and although the pattern is bold is isn’t garish. In addition, the vertical stripes in the pattern will actually make your legs appear slimmer which is always a bonus. These leggings cost £22.00 and would look great teamed with a simple burgundy vest like the one pictured below, make sure you keep your top-half quite simple as the leggings do the talking. This outfit could be worn at night with a pair of chunky wedges or  you  could make this a daytime look with a pair of gladiator sandals. Finally, finish the look with some chunky bangles in keeping with the tribal feel of the leggings.
RIVER ISLAND yellow print jacquard leggings £22.00
RIVER ISLAND dark red aztec texture vest £15.00

NEW LOOK Gold Metallic Tribal Bangle Set £8.99

RIVER ISLAND black beaded sandals £35.00
RIVER ISLAND white strappy wedges £55.00

TOPSHOP

My second look is a cute more formal trouser from Topshop priced at £38.00. These trousers are extremely versatile and could be worn to a formal event, on date or when having a few drinks with friends. They are ankle length and tailored in a raspberry colour with all over flocked heart print, as seen on Cheryl Cole. These would team perfectly with a black blouse as pictured below. To complete the look wear with a medium healed pointy court shoe and accessorise with a simple black clutch for a sophisticated finish.
TOPSHOP flock heart trousers £38.00

TOPSHOP Daisy Blouse £38.00

DORETHY PERKINS black pointed court shoes £22.00

ASOS black clutch £18.00


Wednesday 18 July 2012

Foundation Fundamentals

The most important and arguably most difficult element of every woman’s make-up routine is  foundation, hence my rationale for making this the first topic of the blog. Undoubtedly everyone wants to achieve glowing, youthful, flawless skin and if you aren’t, like myself, fortunate enough to be gifted with naturally beautiful skin it can be a difficult feat to achieve. But fear not, it can be done with a few tools and some handy tips.
The first and foremost step to achieving flawless skin is getting the foundation absolutely right. Essentially, when it comes to foundation the golden rule is - you get what you pay for. Although many believe paying £25-£40 for foundation may seem slightly on the expensive side, believe me when I say it is without a doubt worth every penny, a really good foundation is absolutely essential for perfect looking skin. There are thousands of product reviews out there, but I am going to recommend three really good foundations which I have come across over the past 10 years. My preferences for foundations are for those that leave skin glowing and radiant, therefore my three recommendations are foundations that fit this criterion, but I will also provide some examples of excellent matt foundations and foundations that provide maximum coverage for masking any imperfections. Of cause everyone is different and my recommendations may not be perfect for you but they are a great starting point.

      Dior Éclat Satin foundation

My first recommendation is Dior Éclat Satin foundation which retails for around £31.00, in my opinion an absolute bargain! This is a fantastic foundation and a favourite amongst celebrities, perfect for anyone that has dull or older skin and needs a little pick-me-up, though it would flatter any skin type. It is an extremely radiant foundation and leaves the complexion glowing which Dior state is thanks to its ‘exclusive complex Hydra-Diffuse AEE’. In addition, for those who prefer a light foundation Éclat Satin is an ideal choice as it leaves the skin looking fresh but provides just enough coverage to mask any small imperfections. This makes it a great foundation to take away on your holidays to enhance your holiday glow and create a beautiful healthy finish. In summary, a great foundation for those that like a glow not so great if you like a heavier or matt finish.
Overall Rating:  4.5 / 5

Lancome Photogenic Lumessence 

My second recommendation and a foundation which I have been using for many years is Lancome Photogenic Lumessence which you can pick up for around £29.00.  Like Dior Éclat Satin foundation it creates a growing smoothed complexion that feels moisturised and looks lastingly radiant; however it has a thicker consistency making it ideal for those that prefer the comfort of a heavier finish. This foundation is a staple in my make-up bag and in my opinion it is a faultless foundation that can be worn by anyone day or night.
Overall Rating:  5/5

Korres Wild Rose Liquid Foundation 

Finally, a cheaper foundation but still great is Korres Wild Rose Liquid Foundation, which retails for around £20.00. For those of you that like organic beauty products Wild Rose Liquid Foundation fits the bill making it great for sensitive skin. Moreover it’s packed with vitamins including vitamin C which brightens and tightens the skin creating an even skin tone and it smells wonderful. This is a really rich moisturising foundation which provides medium to buildable coverage leaving quite a creamy finish which can sometimes feel quite tacky. I would advise you to use this product only if you are interested in light to medium coverage as too much can leave the skin feeling sticky. In addition the colours can be difficult to match against your skin tone and are often quite dark; my advice would be to opt for one shade lighter than you think would be suitable. Otherwise this is an amazing foundation and I find when wearing it I often get compliments on my skin which is always a sign that a foundation is doing its job well!
Overall Rating:  4/5

Matt Foundations

The above three foundations are great for creating a glowing complexion but for many a matt look is desired. For this I have two primary recommendations.
Firstly MAC Studio Fix Fluid (£20.50) is excellent at creating a matt complexion; it comes in a broad spectrum of colours, is long lasting and is great for oily skin. However I find that this foundation can be quite difficult to apply so I would suggest using a good quality primer to ease application. Secondly, Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation (£25.00) is perfect for a natural matt finish; it is easier to apply than MAC Studio Fix Fluid and not as cakey blending into the skin more easily. In addition it is undetectable in a professional HD environment and will look as though it’s your own skin when taking photos, a great way to fake having naturally perfect skin!

Full Coverage Foundations

Finally for those of you needing heavy coverage either to mask acne or birthmarks etc I have two great recommendations, these foundations are good when used individually but fantastic when used together complementing each other wonderfully. The first is Estée Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover (£27.50), this does as it says and provides great coverage. However its density can often make it appear patchy on the face leaving an unnatural finish. A great way to overcome this problem is to mix it with the creamy Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation (£21.50) which is similar in constancy to a thick creamy concealer. The two foundations mix together perfectly and provide absolutely flawless coverage that will hide any problem areas.
Having provided you with some advice on choosing the perfect foundation for whichever look you’re tying to achieve my next blog will conquer the task of perfect foundation application.
Please feel free to leave any comments on the foundations you love.

Amelia




Tuesday 17 July 2012

Welcome


 

 

Welcome to The Fashion and Beauty Bible a blog for those who love all things fashion and beauty.


Enjoy

Amelia