The Best Dressed at The 2015 Critics Choice Awards

Another awards show, another best dressed post. I can't help it, I love pretty dresses and I love writing about them. So without further ado let's jump right into the top eight dresses worn at the 2015 Critics Choice Awards.

1. Angelina Jolie, she looks like she's one of the statues being handed out that evening. Shiny fabric hardly ever works on people, but damn Angie is pulling it off. Besides the fabric and colour I'm also a big fan of the cut. Very regal.
2. Leslie Mann, she did it again. Leslie looks fresh and sweet in this beaded number. The length is just perfect and the colour works lovely with her skin.
3. Diane Kruger, all over print is quite a daring thing to do (especially when the colour of your print is the same as the carpet) but Diane knows how to work daring thing. The strapless dress looks gorgeous on her tall frame.
4. Emily Blunt, I'm never a big fan of halter dresses, but the one Emily is wearing looks great. The different textures on this red dress are incredibly interesting and she looks gorgeous wearing it.

5. Julianne Moore, plunging neckline the conservative way. But it works. Dresses with long sleeves always deserve a plus in my book, and Julianne Moore looks great in this black one.
6. Brooke Anderson, I'll be honest I had to a little Google search to find out who she is, but that doesn't take away from the fact that she wore a gorgeous dress. The colours and the print work perfectly and it's nice seeing a fuller dress on the carpet again.
7. Amy Adams, can anyone tell me what colour this dress is? Because I can't find a way to appropriately describe it. It's incredibly gorgeous. The length is perfect on Amy and her hair and makeup are perfect and glamorous.
8. Felicity Jones, this girl has come a long way since I first saw her acting in 'Chalet Girl' (can I get a mmm for Ed Westwick in that flick?). She's getting countless nods this awards season and with right because The Theory of Everything is a brilliant film. This dress is lovely. I like how she sticks to a certain different style. She always sticks out from the rest of the attendees, and in this case it pays off.

The Best Dressed at the 2015 Golden Globe Awards

It's here! Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of the first month of the year. False resolutions, overcrowded gyms, stores filled with the leftovers from the party season.. Okay maybe the sales aren't that bad. But there is one thing about January that I love, the start of Awards season. Last weekend the Golden Globes happened, the kickoff for a few weekends where Hollywood pulls out all the stops and shows itself from its most glamorous side.

I'm a sucker for pretty dresses and I searched through all the pictures and came up with my eight favourite outfits worn last weekend at the 2015 Golden Globes.

1. Sienna Miller, she recently claimed she had lost her sense of style but this gorgeous boho dress paired with perfect messy waves surely proves different.
2. Reese Witherspoon, ooh shiney. This look just oozes old Hollywood glamour to me.
3. Rosamund Pike, the Gone Girl star wore an amazing white dress (are you beginning to see a theme here?) with lovely thin straps. I really like thin straps.
4.Anna Faris, this was the biggest shock to me. I'm not used to seeing her bringing her A game to the red carpet. But this gorgeous embroidered dress is perfect and she hit the nail on the head.

5. Emma Stone, I like breaking tradition and when Emma stepped out in this Lanvin outfit she definitely broke tradition. Although I do have to add that I probably would have loved it even more if she got rid of the ass-cape.
6. Leslie Mann, if you can rock yellow, do it. The shape and colour of this dress are spot on and I really liked how she paired her hair and makeup with this look.
7. Kelly Osbourne, my namesake has been doing so many awesome things with fashion. I love her slightly edgy style. Navy is one of my favourite shades and it goes lovely with her purple hair.
8. Lorde, Oh lord, I hated her makeup. There, I said it. To me that lipstick is all wrong. But boy do I love her clothing. A good blazer is always on point, paired with the bralet and the palazzo pant she really had the 'I'm an edgy pop star'-look down. But she should have just gone for a nude lip in my opinion.

The Easy Does It Face

The days of me wearing tons of makeup are long gone. Before I didn’t leave the house without copious amounts of foundation, layers of concealer, lashings of lashes and a thick wing of black eyeliner. Right now it’s a miracle if I even bother putting the stuff on at all. Don’t get me wrong, I still love makeup and enjoy wearing it, I’m just a lot more comfortable with myself that I don’t feel the need to hide my natural face all the time. Call it growing up or becoming more confident, I prefer an easy barefaced look over a full face of makeup any day.

Not so secret fact about me, I love the Diorskin Nude BB Cream. I first got it last year when I was headed off to Tunisia and have not looked back since. I have tried other bases (like this one from Jouer or the most recent addition from Estee Lauder) but nothing compares to this beauty. It’s easy, it’s beautiful, it’s long lasting and the best part is it’s easy. Or did I already say that? The main reason this wins out from any other lightweight base is because of the lack of effort I need to put into applying this. I don’t even need a brush because this base looks it best when applied with fingers.

The glow it gives is beautiful and natural on its own, but I love to add just a little more. I’ve recently started using the RMS Beauty Living Luminzer and it’s absolutely gorgeous. This little pot of gold is just the prettiest highlighter I have ever seen and when I saw that it only contained four ingredients I was amazed. It looks quite stark but I promise you, none of that will show on the face. It’s subtle and everything a good highlighter is supposed to be. Read: no shimmer or glitter to be detected, just sheen.

To finish off this easy does it kind of face is just a subtle pinch of my favorite lash curler and a swipe or two of the Sisley Phyto Mascara Ultra Stretch, hello long and luscious lashes. And that’s it, that’s all I will put on my face on a daily basis. Or during the weekend, or on date nights. It’s all I ever want to wear, really.

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The Everyday Drawer #2

It's been roughly six months since I wrote a post called my 'everyday drawer', and I thought I would write another instalment as some products have been cycled out and replaced by newer and better ones. I don't wear a lot of makeup on a daily basis, if I can avoid it all, I do. But when I do put in the effort I like to use the best possible items so I can look a little more put together.

For my base I like using lightweight, natural coverage with a good glow. The newest addition to my makeup collection is from Estée Lauder and its their Doublewear All Day Glow BB cream. This stuff is seriously good. It lasts for hours and provides the prettiest coverage with a slight glow. Not looking like you're sweating your face off, just subtle and perfecting. If I need some extra colour I'll add a good swipe of Chanel Les Beiges powder. I have shade number four, which is definitely too dark as an all over powder. But it's perfect as a bronzer.

If I need to bring in some light I will use L'Oreal's Lumi Magique concealer. Just a few clicks and it will bring brightness to my tired eyes. And it's dirt cheap, such a miracle product. And any other bits of redness that pop through my base are obliterated by Bobbi Brown's Creamy Corrector.

The eyes are incredibly basic, just a couple of pumps from my Shu Uemura eyelash curler and then a coat or two from Chanel's Le Volume de Chanel mascara and I'm good to go. This mascara and I had a love/hate relationship when I first got it. But we have gotten over our initial issues and we are now deeply and fully in love. If I want to make my eyes pop a little more I just add a bit of MAC All That Glitters and some nude eyeliner.

Peach is pretty much the only shade I ever wear on my cheeks these days. Wether it's in the form of Stila's Convertible Color in Lilium or Clarins' Multi Blush in Candy. And a quick pat of the MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl, and then the face is complete.

But when, you know, I want to go all out, I add a little bit of jazz to my lips. The Topshop Lip Pencils are lovely and the two shades that have taken residency in my top drawer are Clueless and Powder Room. Both pink and both super sweet.

That's it, those are the items that are most used. I like to invest in quality items that guarantee a put together look whenever you apply them. I'd rather have two great items than twenty low quality ones. What are your favourite everyday items?

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The Monday Manicure #19

I'd say that bold colors get the same amount of air time on this blog as neutral shades. However, in real life that is actually not the case. Bold colors are lovely, and I really do like wearing them. But I often feel like neutral shades are the better choice. There is something effortless, chic and sophisticated about them. They're impossible to get wrong and match whatever you put on, whether it's a formal dress or jeans and a t-shirt. Neutral is the way to go.

Of course this means I have accumulated quite the collection. All in the spirit of the blog, naturally. With about twenty neutral polishes in my possession I undoubtedly have my favorites. For this week's Monday Manicure I decided to line them up and present them to you.

Essie do the best shades in the nail varnish world, period. So naturally a few of their shades have to be featured in this. The neutral shade I have most recently purchased is 'Master Plan', pictured on the far right in the Essie bottle row. I first saw this on Suzie's blog Hello October. She wrote about it and called it a taupe-y grey with a really subtle hint of lilac. To me it is the perfect shade. Easy and chic and always has people asking what shade of polish you are wearing.

Another offering from Essie is probably one of their most blogged about colors. Chinchilly is a bit darker and moodier than Master Plan. It is pictured on the left of the Essie row. I often hear people describing this as the perfect color. An amazing taupe color that looks great on everyone I have seen wearing it. I reach for this when I want something a bit more interesting and dark, but don't want to reach for the navies or blacks just yet.

A lot lighter than both the colors mentioned before is Limo-scene. Apart from having one of the cutest names in the Essie collection. Last week I professed my love for sheer pastel pinks, and Limo-scene is definitely one that fits into that image. It needs two to three layers to get a bit of opacity in it, but when you do it looks beautiful and feminine.

It's been a while since I last mentioned and OPI Nail Lacquer on here, and I have to admit I have kind of gone off buying them. I much prefer Essie's color selection and formula, and it's cheaper as well. But back when I did buy those iconic bottles, I picked up Tickle My France-y. A mauve taupe that looks ten times better on the nails than it does in the bottle. It's one of those fail safe colors that I just think everyone needs.

ANNY is a German brand that is relatively unknown outside of mainland Europe, but really deserves more airtime. The shade pictured above is Makeup. The perfect skin tone matching nude polish. Sadly it has gone a little thick and gloopy, but it's probably just out of date (I've had it for a year and a half). Their collection of colors is really extensive and there is a perfect nude for everyone. I hope to see this brand on other people's blogs in the near future.


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The Facial Sun Protectors

Looking at the weather forecast for the coming week I am seeing sunny days, higher temperatures and hardly any chances of precipitation. Girls, spring is most definitely on its way. Now I know sun protection is probably one of the least sexy subjects within the cosmetics world, but it’s an important one. Protecting your precious skin from the sun’s harmful UV-rays comes with a lot of benefits. Besides saving you from a higher chance of developing skin cancer, it can also prevent the development of skin discoloration and it helps reduce blotchiness. Plus people that spend a lot of time in the sun unprotected age up to 80% faster. Yes you read that right, eighty flipping percent.

After a lot of trial and error I’ve fallen for two sunscreens aimed specifically for the face, and they each have their unique selling points.Let's dive right in.

First up is the City Block Sheer SPF 25 from Clinique. This sunblock has been designed to be worn by itself or underneath your makeup. It has a slight tint to it but you shouldn’t be put off as it doesn’t actually leave any color on the skin, maybe just a little bit of extra glow. The best part of this is that it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin at all, you can barely feel it, while most of the SPF’s I have tested feel thick and heavy.

Besides protecting from the sun, City Block also protects you from, well, the city. The dirt, grime, smog, pollution that floats around all day. It’s oil free so it won’t turn you into a glowworm and I haven’t noticed any flashbacks in photography either. It’s the perfect everyday sun protectant for your face.

But wearing an SPF of 25 on holiday or during the stronger summer days simply doesn’t cut it. I also have some redhead genes so I burn quite easily, something that has to be prevented. That’s where the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Extreme Tinted Fluid comes in. It doesn’t just win the prize for longest product name ever, it is also my favorite sunscreen ever. As it says it’s an extremely fluid product, it is literally undetectable once on the skin. It has the slightest tint that wasn’t extremely noticeable on my pale skin.

It has a very high SPF and it protects you even in the strongest sun. I took it with me to Tunesia last summer and I didn’t burn once, something very unusual for me. It’s also extremely waterproof so no need to reapply ever single time you take a dip in the refreshing ocean. It’s that must-have barrier between your skin and those lovely, but dangerous rays.

So stop pretending like you don’t need it. If you don’t want to age a lot faster than people who regularly use a sun block, you’re going to have to start applying SPF. Do you wear a sunblock regularly, let me know!



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The Brighteners

My favourite type of skincare is probably the kind that has brightening effects. A bright, clear complexion is probably what we're all lusting after. I know that I certainly do. I have a little bit of redhead in me, so I get freckles pretty easily, marks also tend to take a lot longer to fade and my skin tone often looks a little dreary and sallow. Which is where my favourite products come into play. Whether it's a daily moisturiser or a weekly exfoliating treatment, brightening skincare is the bomb. And these are my favourites.

The first one isn't necessarily one that is marketed as a brightening product, but the Boots Botanics Facial Oil with nourishing rose hip does wonders. Rose hip can do great things for your existing (acne) scars. I've kept applying it to a particularly nasty dark spot on my jawline and it has all but cleared up. It's also 99% organic and comes with a pretty modest price tag, always a plus.

If you're like me and you follow the gospel of Caroline Hirons, you know of the importance of lowering your skin's PH value. A more acidic skin doesn't allow bacteria to do their thing and therefore prevents spots from forming. The Clarins Gentle Exfoliator is an acid based toner that does just this for your skin. As it also exfoliates your skin with AHA's (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) which remove dead skin cells and promote cell turnover, this toner is one of my everyday essentials. The exfoliation warrants fresh clear glowing skin, so you can look the best you can look.

Daily exfoliating with an acidic toner is often not enough, though. I use the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal mask at least once a week. This thick gloopy orange stuff doesn't feel all that lovely on the skin but that is quickly forgotten when you see your skin the next morning. Skin is smooth, clear and bright. Just the way I like it. It is rather pricey, but worth those pennies.

Another easy, everyday option to add brightness to your skin is by using the Vichy Idéalia Life serum. Designed for those girls that enjoy life's vices a little too often. Staying up all night watching Breaking Bad on Netflix is definitely one of those vices. The short nights cause skin to look sallow and tired. Just a pump of this serum and then my skin looks glowing fresh and well rested. This is also great for those girls that enjoy a glass of wine or ten.

The last everyday option is the moisturiser I'm currently using in the morning. Origins Ginzing moisturiser does wonderful things for your skin. It has a gel-like formula that easily sinks into the skin and leaves it feeling moisturised and refreshed. Plus this smells like a tall glass of orange juice, which is just what I need when I really don't feel like getting out of bed.

There you go, my picks for brightening skincare to give you that gorgeous fresh complexion. Because let's face it. Who doesn't want to glow?

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The Lip Edit

Whether I carry a tote that can fit a small human being or a clutch that barely fits the necessities, you can always count on me carrying at least one thing. And that’s a lip balm. I get dry and sore lips pretty easily and there is only one way to prevent that, with copious amounts of hydration. Of course, in the spirit of beauty blogging it just wouldn’t be right if I were to own just one lip balm. No I own a collection of assorted balms, creams, gels and other products of the like and this edit shows you which ones I reach for most.

Picked up in Copenhagen, and sadly only available in Scandinavia, is the Tromborg Lip Cure. The formula of this is unlike any other I have ever tried. It feels almost like a solid texture upon first touch, but when you smooth it over your pout it turns into an instantly hydrating cream. It’s barely noticeable but it lives up to its promise. I hope I go back to Denmark soon so I can pick up a backup of this wonderful product.

The next one I’m mentioning is definitely one of the more ‘hyped’ products. The little round pots of soft goodness have been seen all over the web. Super simple packaging with their colorful lids but filled with the perfect formula. It’s not a balm nor a cream, the Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine is just what it promises to be, a lovely butter. It’s deeply moisturizing and has a smooth texture. The jasmine kind has a sweet freshly baked goods kind of smell and while the pigmentation might be strong, it makes my naturally pigmented lips just a little paler. Just the way I like it. I may or may not be eyeing up some of its sister shades…

Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream is a cult product. Praised by countless makeup artists and beauty industry initiates. This thick, fragrant balm has an infinite amount of uses. But while I don’t use it as a hand cream, highlighter or overnight healer of knee scrapes (that’s where the name comes from, apparently) it is great as the ultimate lip recovery.

I’m not going to lie, I detest the smell of this stuff. As does the mister, he often says ‘Oh you’re not wearing that stuff again, aren’t you’ when I apply it before bed. But it just works so well. I apply a thick layer of this when my lips are feeling particularly worse for wear and when I wake up my lips are no longer chapped plus they’re nice and plump. The stuff is perfect. When I run out of the miniature tube I own now I’m going to give that fragrance free version a go.

No matter how often you apply balms or creams, sometimes you just can’t help your lips getting chapped. When that happens I reach out to my Lush Lip Scrub, I have the Popcorn kind. This gentle scrub removes all the excess dry and dead skin but also makes sure that your lips don’t become too sore and stripped. Plus it says you have to lick it off. Yummy salty caramel flavored products that do wonders for your lips, sign me up.

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The Blogs I Love

I guess it's pretty obvious that I am a massive fan of beauty blogs, I spend hours on end checking out all these lovely sites on the web, reading about new releases or the nicest way to apply your foundation. While my Bloglovin feeds get filled by over two hundred blogs, there are a few blogs that I never miss a single post from. And in this post I line them up.

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First up is Life, Set Sail by the wonderful Brittany. I found this blog through the ever so wonderful Sunday Beauty Bloggers link share on Twitter, and I fell in love at first sight. First of all, Brittany is gorgeous and super sweet. The content and photos she shares on her blog are always of great quality and I can't stay away. Her reviews are clear and to the point and she features some great products in her favorites. Long story short, you should definitely be reading Life, Set Sail.

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Sophie writes the gorgeous blog Private Life of a Girl. What lured me in to her blog was the positively gorgeous minimalistic approach she takes to everything. Her photos are super clean and bright, just like her blog layout. But when you start reading it gets even better. She writes incredible reviews, detailed and honest and you never feel like you're being tricked into reading an advert, like some blogs do. When I see that she is loving something you can bet your bottom dollar I'm considering getting it as well.

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Alexandra is a gorgeous blonde from Canada, who has a beautiful blog that features some amazing beauty and lifestyle posts. Her reviews are very honest and detailed, which I love. The pictures of her swatches are really clear, which is always a pro in my book. I really like the yearly favorites round she did when this year started, and she even convinced me to purchase the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair which has drasticcally improved the quality of my skin. Plus she's also really nice and relatable, so you should definitely follow her on Twitter and Instagram as well.

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Last up is Lipstick With Some Sunshine, written by Tamira. I've got some serious eyebrow envy, I'm telling you. Her compositions are beautiful and she really knows how to put stuff on people's wishlists. She has a serious love for Diptyque and acrylic storage. I recommend checking out the post she did on her latest Tom Ford purchase for I can guarantee you'll want to add that shade to your collection. She's beautiful and so is her blog, and I can recommend it to everyone.


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The Hand Cream Edit

Besides lip balm, the one thing I never leave the house without hand cream. No matter how tiny the bag, and trust me they get tiny, there will always be hand cream in there. I get extremely dry hands and lips during the winter. They turn this disgusting shade of grey, not really painting a pretty picture, I know. But it's the truth. Regularly massaging your hands with a gorgeous smelling cream is a simple fix that is actually quite enjoyable. There's quite a collection piling up on my vanity, and I decided to share my moisture infusing hand products on here.

From left to right we're starting with a product that isn't even a hand cream, it's a cuticle butter. It's a product I cannot go without Lush Lemony Flutter because it smells absolutely delicious and it's the only thing that keeps my disgusting cuticles in check. I get acrylic nails once a month, and that really does a number on my cuticles. When using this they stay in one piece, no cracked painful bits and they're lovely and soft.

One of the most expensive hand creams I ever bought is from KOH. I got a small sample of this in a beautybox and fell in love with the immediate softening effect this had on my skin. It absorbed super fast and didn't leave my hands feeling greasy at all.

Want something lush and amazing, then L'Occitane is definitely the brand for you. Their hand creams are amazing, and after finishing a tube of their honey hand cream to the last drop, I'm now using their almond version. This smells really good and it moisturizes in seconds, and just like the KOH cream this doesn't leave any sticky or greasy residue.

A souvenir from Paris and quite possibly the girliest smelling hand cream I will ever use is the Shinjuku Bloom hand cream from & Other Stories. Honestly, I bought this because of the packaging. I have a weakness for simple packaging, and the white metal tube with a subtle pink smear immediately won me over. It took quite some self restraint to just buy one. It isn't the best moisturizer, but it's a quick fix to aid dry hands. And it's totally affordable.

The Clarins Beauty Flash Balm doesn't have hand cream listed among it general description, but one day when I had stupidly forgotten to bring a hand cream I used this for some much needed relief and was really impressed. This instantly relieved the dry tight feeling my hands were having and at that it totally brightened my hands. They looked super healthy and if I'd just had a wonderful manicure and massage. I don't use it regularly, but I do reach for it when my hands need more than a little moisture.

The last one is really good in the moisture department but the smell is a love it or hate it type of deal. And I am definitely on the 'hate' side of things with this. Seriously, the cream smells terrible to me. Which is really sad because I love what it does for my hands. I'm talking about the Lush Dream Cream. My solution for smell issue is apply this, put on some cotton gloves and go to bed. I do not wear this during the day.

That's it, my must have hand creams. In my opinion, an essential that you must always carry around with you. At least, it is for me.

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The Neglected Step: Toner

If you were to ask what my 'you're super duper tired and more than a little tipsy'-cleansing routine is, there's a big chance I'd say micellar water and some moisturizer. And I'm betting this routine comes up with completely sober ladies as well. Because let's face it (pun intended), toning is probably the most neglected step in skincare routines, and that's a shame.

Toning your skin is important for a myriad of reasons. The liquid that comes after cleansing can remove dead skin cells, remove excess oils and it can help the products applied after penetrate more effectively. Toners balance your skin. Cleansing, no matter how gentle the product you use, will adjust the ph-value of your skin. A toner can help your skin regain it's natural balance much quicker.There are so many different toners, and I put together a little edit of different toners that all do an amazing job.

La Roche Posay is probably my favorite skincare brands out there. This may or may not have something to do with crisp clean packaging, but the effect of their products certainly do not dissapoint. The physiological lotion does a really good job at leaving the skin fresh and balanced. While Serozinc is the more hydrating of the two. It soothes irritations on the surface and it acts as a humectant. That's a fancy word for something that attracts moisture from the air and traps it between the top layers of the skin. Shamefully, this wonderful product is very difficult to get a hold of outside of France.

Staying on the topic of hydration, because let's face it, dehydration is the most common skin problem. A product that smells really good and infuses the skin with moisture is The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner. This doesn't have the same consistency as other toners. It's a little thicker, like a watered down moisturizer. It leaves the skin feeling hydrated, and you can totally see the glow on your skin after using this. Another French-y is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. It comes in a spray bottle, which speeds up the toning process. Ideal for those lazy lasses out there. But besides that it also calms redness, shrinks spots, invigorates the skin with moisture and leaves you looking radiant.

Focusing on a different, but equally important part of skincare is exfoliation. A really important part because removing dead skin cells clears the room for new ones. New fresh skin is the best. Soft and fresh and looking like you had an excellent night of sleep. And isn't that what we all want? The product to use for that is the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator. A bit higher in price, but so worth it. This has really changed my skin for the better. Because this is an acid based toner this takes your skin more to the acidic side of the ph-scale. An acidic skin doesn't allow bacteria to grow into spots. Another plus.

I hope this has opened the eyes of some of the non-toner using crowd out there. Use toner girls, it's just a swipe or spritz. Shouldn't take more than thirty seconds. And we can all get thirty seconds, can't we?

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The Texture Edit

I am a girl with thick, heavy hair. When it was long I just let it be, besides an occasional spritz of dry shampoo for a little more oomph. But now that I've gone for the chop my hair needs a lot more love. I have a long bob, and if I use heavy duty conditioner and shampoos my locks get weighed down and they just hang limp down the side of my face. I use a collection of products to make sure my hair has a bit more grip, more texture, and holds styles a lot longer. 
Phytoneutre is a detox shampoo from France. This shampoo smells like mint and rids your hair of any leftover residue from styling products. Buildup from hair sprays, dry shampoos, mousses or leave in conditioners can cause buildup on your scalp which weighs down the hair and makes it greasy faster. When I use this my scalp feels super fresh. But besides the detox properties this also leaves my hair feeling clean but textured. It isn't overly smooth so heat styling sticks around a lot longer instead of just slipping out. 
Loved by a lot of people and one of the weirdest products I have ever used is the Lush Big Shampoo. This product is made with sea salt. Big, coarse chunks of salt that you rub into your hair as an effort to clean it. The first time I used it I felt a little dirty afterwards. But I was pleasantly surprised when I blow-dried my hair and was left with gorgeous locks with a subtle wave and lots of volume. Rubbing this right at your scalp instead of all over the lengths is my trick. If I focus this on my scalp it really builds the volume while keeping the lengths of your hair manageable. If you have really tangly hair, however, I recommend having something close by that de-tangles. 
The last, but probably my favorite everyday texturizer is the Toni & Guy sea salt spray. This stuff not only leaves great texture that can help waves stick around all day it also smells absolutely wonderful. I use it on towel dry hair before I blow dry, and I use it before I go out. This stuff combined with the wind on my walk to the station creates subtle, tousled messy hair that looks effortless. I adore it.
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The What's In My Bag Edit

If you were to take a look at the inspiration folder I have on my iPad you'd probably find about twenty-five percent of the pictures in there to be of really fashionable women carrying around a Chanel Boy bag. If I ever win that lottery, the bag will probably be the first thing I purchase. But until that time rolls around I treated myself to a surprisingly good lookalike.

I try to decrease the size of the bag I tote around everyday. I have a Zara office city bag that I use mostly for school, but in the past it was also used for everyday usage. This was basically a Mary Poppins style bag. Things got seriously lost in there.

When I saw this bag on Come Get Fashion I fell in love. The size is absolutely perfect and it looks just like the Chanel Boy. It's been on my shoulder for about a week and I adore it more and more everyday. It doesn't fit a ton of stuff, which prevents me from bringing way too much unnecessary stuff. All the things I bring on a daily basis are pictured below. Just a little extra note, I forgot to add my lip balm to the picture. But that's the Tromborg Lip Cure.

Come Get Fashion bag | H&M coin purse as wallet | Moleskine Weekly Planner |
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum | Clarins Beauty Flash Balm | MAC Ruby Woo |
Shu Uemura eyelash curler | Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector | iPhone 4S

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The New Years Eve Outfit Edit

New Years Eve wouldn't be the New Years Eve without a little sparkle. Whether it is through small sulfur sticks that you wave around in the air or through glitter leggings, it needs at least a little sparkle. I'm wearing a slightly different take on this look for a party with friends.

Can you ever go wrong with a little black dress? This black number is from H&M and is super sexy with it's lingerie inspired style. Some warm cover up in the form of a cropped faux fur will look incredibly chic, pair it with some strappy heels and an geometric bag and you will be at the top of the best dressed list.

Jumpsuits are the best things since pyjamas, seriously. Although a little tricky when you need to use the bathroom. A long sleeve jumpsuit is a statement all on its own so you don't need a lot of extra adornment in the form of jackets and overpowering jewelry. A simple long necklace with a precious stone will look great hanging on your chest. Keep the shoes simple but chic and you can pretty much pair this with every bag you own. 

As this is the last post of 2013 I want to wish everyone a wonderful New Years Eve. May your nights be merry and amazing and full of love. I hope 2014 will be a great year for every single one of you. 

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The Ultime Winter Wardrobe

Zara / H+M / All Saints / Dorothy Perkins / Topshop / Zara / Topshop / H+M / Marc Jacobs

Zara / H+M / Manuka Berlin / Whistles / J Crew / H+M / Topshop / Madeleine Thompson / Topshop

Miss Selfridge / Topshop / Marc Jacobs / eBay / ASOS / Freaky Heads / Topshop / Maison Michel / High Heels Suicide

River Island / Topshop / H+M / River Island / Topshop / Bijenkorf / Topshop / Laimböck / River Island

Winter is probably my least favorite season of them all. I really don't like cold weather and while snow looks nice when it falls fresh out of the sky, it's a nightmare to commute through. And then there is the added difficulty of trying to look cute with six hundred layers on. Thankfully there are tons of shops that do amazing winter items that will keep you warm and looking fabulous at the same time. 

I put together an edit of the ultimate winter wardrobe. My favorite materials being tweed, leather and faux fur. These materials just feel and look luxurious and luckily there are enough high street clothing chains that keep the trend semi-affordable. Because face it, a $9000 Marc Jacobs coat isn't in the cards for most of us.

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The Edit: Keeping the glow alive

Summer, the sun beating down warming the streets, girls in flowy dresses, guys with sunglasses perched on their noses. Lounging on a deck chair, soaking up some rays. Sounds like a dream, doesn't it? Well, rain is pouring and that season is long gone. But what can we do to maintain our hard earned tans? I've put together a little edit with some of my favorite products for body and face.

Nothing tells the tale of winter better than dull, flaky skin. I keep my skin glowing and smooth with the Rituals Organic Rice Milk and Cherry Blossom shower scrub. Not too abrassive but just perfect for an exfoliation made easy. The smell is divine and I just keep purchasing this over and over. 

Keeping those limbs hydrated will not only keep your skin from looking dull, but pairing it with a self tanning cream like Dove did with their Summer Glow body moisturizer, is a perfect solution. The tanning agent tops up any fading summer tint while keeping your body moisturized and glowing. It's super easy to use and best part.. No stained bed sheets or patchiness. 

Bourjois have been on it with their releases and their summer collection, focused around the perfect bronzed tint, really hit the mark. One of their loveliest releases was the bronzing cream, supposedly a contender for being a dupe of the cult classic Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel. I love using this on the high points of my skin, where the sun naturally hits you, just to warm up my skin a little and get that summer look back. 

Most used on my cheeks last summer? The Collistar sun effect bronzer in number 8. The perfect bronze glow without looking like someone dumped a buckey of glitter on you. Just sweeping it on with a blush brush desires the wanted effect. My go to blush when I need a little glamour. 

As much as I would want to be enjoying a nice cocktail on the beach, I'm actually huddled in a Zara scarf listening to the rain fall. I wamt it to be June again...