Monday 31 March 2014

March Favourites


Hey lovelies! So as March draws to a close (already? what is happening to this year?!) and we are finally into what is said to be British 'Summertime' now that the clocks have changed, I have decided to show you what have been my favourites during March and the start of Spring (although officially it still feels as cold as winter, we can dream, ey?)





















Vera Wang Princess Perfume 100ml
No matter how many variations they come out with for this perfume, I always find myself preferring this one. It is my absolute favourite perfume, it's the perfect girly, floral scent that screams Spring. It isn't really strong and over-powering, but it is a scent that lasts all day, especially if you spray a couple of pumps on to your clothes. I would definitely say this is a Spring/Summer scent, and with base notes of Vanilla and Amber, if fruity or floral perfumes are your thing, you need to give this one a try!





















No7 Essential Moisture Night Cream
I've never had a night cream before, and to be honest I always used to think they were for older ladies who needed help with unwanted wrinkles, oops, how wrong I was! I found that recently my skin was becoming quite dry, especially on my t-zone so when I came across this in Boots I couldn't quite resist. (especially when you have a £5 off No7 skincare voucher!) The cream itself is very thick and definitely nourishing, it sinks right into your skin straight away making it feel nice and smooth. I have been using this for a while now and I still seem to have loads left which is always a bonus. I'd say that my skin definitely feels less dry after using this.





















Soap and Glory Heel Genius
After receiving this product in a gift-box from Christmas, I have to say I thought I would never use it. I've never really been one for foot creams and pedicures and all that malarkey, but I rediscovered it in my draw a couple of weeks ago and thought I should probably use it up. I was pleasantly surprised with this product! It comes out a blue colour as most foot creams do and smells vaguely of peppermint, but it is really soft and nourishing and it has left my feet looking super soft and feeling better, too. I have been converted!




















Sunglasses - eBay
For a few years now I have never ventured into any other shape of sunglasses than my trusty Raybans, but this year I finally decided I wanted to try something different. I found this pair on eBay, and with a round bottom and slightly cat-eye frame, I thought they would be perfect. And also at a bargain price of something like £1.50, I couldn't really say no!

























A-Z of Style, Amy De La Haye
My final favourite this month is a book I have been reading on the way to Uni or when I'm waiting around for people etc, and it is essentially a book of quotes from famous designers and models or anyone to do with fashion. For each letter of the alphabet, they choose a few key words, and then there are quotes from people relating to that word. I found it really useful with essays and things like that and also it is just an easy, interesting read!

Those are my favourites this month, what have been yours?
Your Fashion Penpal x

Tuesday 25 March 2014

Mothers Day Gift Ideas!

Hey lovelies! So as Mothers Day is coming up, I thought I would share some ideas I have for a nice gift for mum, and also some great deals I have found that you may enjoy for yourself! Mothers Day is supposed to be a time to show mum  how much you appreciate her, but you don't have to break the bank to do it! And so I have chosen a few gifts with this in mind. Enjoy!



















Thorntons Just For Mum Collection - £15
What better to start off with than chocolates? It's nice to get some extra special chocolate on Mothers Day and I thought this set from Thorntons was really good value if you don't want to spend too much. You get everything in the picture in the set! Yum!

Yankee Candle in Honey Blossom - £14.99
I found this candle on the Yankee Direct website and it currently has 25% off. Honey Blossom is a real spring scent and personally I know it would be something my mum would enjoy - there are lots of different scents on offer though!

Personalised Mothers Day Tree Papercut Print - £35
This gift is a little more on the expensive side but it is such a sweet idea if you have a little more money to spend, or maybe you could try to make a DIY version yourself! I found this on notonthehighstreet.com, and you basically put in the names of everyone in your family and they print it onto this family tree! Cute!

Sanctuary Spa With Love Gift Set - £22
This set is SUCH a great deal. I brought this for my mum and she loved it! (I have already given her her present as she will be on holiday on Mothers Day!) In Boots at the moment this set is only £22 instead of £45, saving you £23! Sanctuary Spa products are lovely and you get 10 full sized products inside - perfect!

So those are my picks for a Mothers Day gift! I think Mothers Day is a time for mum to relax so I brought her a gift with that in mind, so I hope these picks will be useful to you!

Your Fashion Penpal x

Saturday 22 March 2014

Body Shop || Tea Tree Set

Hey guys! So quite a while ago now I received one of the lovely Tea Tree skin care sets from Bodyshop from Jack after I had gone in there looking at it for about 3 weeks, haha! Whilst I was there, one of the assistants asked me my skin type, as I wasn't sure which set I wanted to buy, and we decided that the Tea Tree would be best for me, and since I have now been using it for quite a while I thought I could give you guys a review!
The set was really good value for money, it cost £25 and it was actually worth something around £45. The set included 7 items, a full size toner, facial wash, pore minimiser, night lotion, skin clearing lotion, blemish gel, and a bottle of tea tree oil. (warning: this is a lengthy post!) I have also put the individual prices of the products below in case there are just one or two you are interested in!

































Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner - £5
Firstly, the toner. I swear by this product! Before this I had never really used a proper toner before and now I would never go back! It clears my skin really well, and if I'm having a breakout using this twice daily normally helps clear it up really quickly and reduces the redness straight away. It also leaves your skin looking mattified which is good if you're in a rush in the morning and don't have time for primer!




















Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion - £9
Next up was the night lotion. This product is supposed to be applied right before bed time and is said to 'help minimise the appearance of post-blemish marks and discolouration'. This one didn't wow me as much as the toner, but it is still a good moisturising product to put on before bed. My skin did feel slightly more refreshed in the morning, but so far I haven't noticed any improvement on some discolouration that I have.




















Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion - £3
I used the skin clearing lotion in the mornings after my toner. It is said to reduce the shine on skin as well as being hydrating. I have to say, my skin always feels completely fresh and hydrated after putting this on! I really liked it. I don't really have problems with shiny skin so I couldn't tell you about that side, but I really do like it.

Tea Tree Blemish Gel -£6
The blemish gel was probably my least favourite of the bunch. First off, it comes in a lipgloss-like tube with a doe-foot applicator. I thought this was a bit rubbish because if you put it on a spot the germs will just transfer onto the brush. Also, I felt like it didn't work for me. I tried it a few times on some normal spots and it didn't make any difference at all. Shame!




















Tea Tree Pore Minimiser -£7.50
The pore minimiser was another product I actually quite liked! I use it in the place of a primer in the mornings because obviously its aim is to make your pores smaller. The product also mattifies the skin which is what I normally look for in a primer, so it was good for that too!





















Tea Tree Facial Wash - £5
(I sourced this photo from the Body Shop Website as I have actually unfortunately lost my product.) However, before I did lose it I managed to use about half of it. It was a really nice face wash to use in the morning, because of the tea tree it was really fresh and left my face feeling all tingly! I really liked it because of this reason, it made me feel really fresh and clean before applying makeup!





















Tea Tree Oil - £7
Finally, my favourite product of the set. I have never had an oil like this before but I know I will definitely be repurchasing this because it 100% works! If I am having a bad breakout or just have one spot, I just put this on (preferably at night time) and seriously by the morning they are nearly gone if not completely! It reduces redness like crazy too. Amazing product!

Over all I thought this set was really nice! Even though not all of the products worked for me I have found a couple of products that I know I will definitely be repurchasing and my skin is better for it! If you have spot-prone skin or any discolouration from spots, I would definitely recommend this kit, especially the oil and the toner!
I hope you guys have liked this post, see you soon!
Your Fashion Penpal x

Monday 17 March 2014

Topshop Spring Wishlist!

Hey lovelies! So today I just thought I would share with you what I am lusting over from Topshop for this Spring!
Palm Print Two Piece -
I wouldn't usually be one to go for a full on matching two-piece but this year I have really been loving them. I saw this one whilst I was in London but sadly I haven't been able to find it on the website, guess i'll have to keep on searching!
Mint green cable knit sweater - 
In the UK we are lucky to get nice weather even if it is supposed to be spring, so I thought a lightweight jumper like this would be nice and on trend for those days that are nice, but not nice enough to brave just a t-shirt!
Grey embellished crop top - 
I thought this was super cute and would look nice with some black high waisted skinny jeans or shorts for a casual day look!
Mint green scalloped skirt - 
Again, I really love this colour and I think it could be a really versatile piece. You could wear a nice black top and heels for a night out, or a baggy tee for the daytime with some low top converse!
White flatform sandal - 
I'm not sure why but I am really loving this style of shoe at the moment. As you'll know from one of my recent posts, I brought some of the black platform chelsea boots and now I have my eye on these too! I think they'd be great on holiday with a nice tan.
Topshop lipstick in Ooh La La and Nail Varnish in Disclosed - 
I have always wanted to try an Orange based lipstick but never found a shade I really loved, but I think this one might be it. I also love the pastel varnish for Spring!

That's it for now guys! What are you lusting over recently?
Your Fashion Penpal x



Wednesday 12 March 2014

ootd details ♥

Hey lovelies! So today I thought I would just share with you a quick outfit! I'm just going round my friends for a bit so I wanted to be casual and comfy and thought I would show you the little details as I haven't quite mastered the outfit selfie yet! Here it is! :)




(oops! Complete fail of having the camera in the shot I know!)

Arrow Necklace (sale) - Aldo
Crop Sleeveless Vest (last year) & Brown Belt - H&M
Charcoal Grey Cardigan & Black High-Waisted Jeans - New Look

Your Fashion Penpal x

Sunday 9 March 2014

TOPSHOP|| Allsorts Chelsea Boots

Hey lovelies! So just recently I caved, buying this pair of shoes from Topshop. I have been a fan of this style of shoe for ages, but have always been so unsure whether to actually buy them because they are pretty chunky and I always wondered how much I could actually wear them with. But after being in Topshop once again and finding myself staring at them.. once again, I thought it was finally the time to just go for it! And I love them! The huge platform makes them the most comfortable shoes ever - it doesn't even feel like I'm wearing heels! And they are actually much easier to style than I first thought they would be, which is always an added bonus. They are a suede material so hopefully the weather will stay decent for a while! What do you think?



Your Fashion Penpal x

Monday 3 March 2014

London Getaway

Hey lovelies!
So from Thursday to Sunday I have been staying in London with my fiancée Jack. We stayed at one of the Grange Hotels in Westminster and it was gorgeous. The rooms had recently been renovated so it was all fresh and new with power showers and the like, and also the room had a tablet so you could control the lighting and heating! We spent most of our time doing the normal touristy things in London such as shopping, and we also visited The British Museum and went to see Wicked one evening. Wicked is such an amazing play, if you haven't seen it I would definitely recommend it! And you can pick up tickets for pretty cheap from one of the Box Offices in Leicester Square. I also spent waay too much money on food and eating at different restaurants over the weekend! Anyway here are just a few photos from the trip, I will upload a haul of things I brought separately soon, so bye for now!

One of the many Street Performers in Leicester Square!


The Ice-Cream Parlour in Harrods, we may have indulged! 

The Milk Bar at Harrods

The real Iron Man costume worn by Robert Downy Junior in Disney!

A wall at The British Museum 

Totem Pole at The British Museum




                                                             Your Fashion Penpal x