my favourite shoes.

the great wall of china. the great battles of skyrim. the great wardrobe clear-out of jasmine? well, that's yet to happen. i'm still shifting a LOT of stuff on ebay on an ad hoc basis, but at a pace of 0.01 mph. what's even worse is that i haven't even really moved onto clothes! fortunately though, i have cleaned up my shoes and made a note of what i have and don't have - it's hard keeping track of them, and i imagine this is what it feels like to have lots of children and then lose one.

i thought i'd share my favourite pair with you. i can't remember the season right now but these are my very special prada shoes, and i only ever wear them on special occasions. the flower heels are just so pretty! i imagine that, if i ever complete a london marathon, do a phd, win a nobel prize or marry michel roux jnr (yeah yeah i know, no shame in my game), i'll be wearing these. 

i'd love to see other people's favourite pair. link me and show me if you want.

stress.

i am so stressed, and quite panicky over my workload. so, this is a quick post as to what my current make-up looks like with minimal text unfortunately. i'm re-loving revlon's 'wild orchid' all over again, and really love the way it photographs. it's a beautiful pink.

face: 17 primer, illamasqua skin base (10), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), maybelline gel liner, max factor false lash effect mascara,  mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow and lash gel.
cheeks: illamasqua blush (lover), no 7 vital illuminating highlighter powder.
lips: revlon (wild orchid).

nude.

eek, i've been a busy bee - haven't done a fotd post in a while have i? sorry blog. i'm working very hard on my essay (there aren't enough hours in the day, seriously) and casually saved 2,500 words i accidentally deleted from it earlier today. awwwwwwwww yeah. saved myself from my own retardation. maxine is staying round mine this weekend too but will be gone during the days (london edge, dah-ling) so i'm hoping to essay all day whilst she's gone. not to mention my 30 day shred. and then we'll have super hang out time in the evenings, possibly with pizza. sorry jillian.

because of my hectic workload, i've really been liking nude lips. i'm liking this kind of look because it's quite low-key and easy to do; it's a way of looking 'done' in 5 minutes even if you are feeling massively trampy and unglamourous. the only thing that used to put me off nude lips was their capability of looking very, very wrong. for example, i once found a shade lighter than my face, which to my horror, was then recommended to me by a sales assistant. um, okay lady. it would have looked awful! can you imagine?! (actually, i think i'll save you the trouble). you can also sometimes look washed out, or find a shade that's so nude, it's a total waste of money...

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix foundation (nw30), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadow (naked), revlon 8-hour colourstay quad (in the buff, second colour), rimmel exaggerate liquid liner (black), no 7 amazing eyes pencil (brown), benefit 'they're real!' mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: nars multiple (portofino), no 7 vital illuminating highlighter powder.
lips: no 7 lip pencil (nude), mac lipstick (modesty), no 7 high gloss (smile).

sometimes i think that this lipstick, mac's 'modesty', isn't always right for me. today was one of those days so i changed the colour of the base with lip liner all over the lips, and then added gloss with the tiniest tint imaginable just to make it a little less milky and more... pinky. works quite well i think! the end result is like a nude equivalent of one of my all-time favourites, mac's 'see sheer'.

i'm also wearing my hair in my old old style. i'd been curling my hair with wide-barrelled ghd straighteners for ages now and got so bored of it. it would take 5 minutes, whereas this takes 10. i do like me some waves. please excuse the extremely-poor, half-arsed attempt at doing a swooshy hair shot.  

i'm hoping to write 6,000 words from today until sunday. wish me luck!

30 day shred.

[MY WORD. my last post seems to have been viewed by everyone and their dog! the other day i was rather chuffed at having had 100 daily views (i'm a very simple girl) and yesterday, 330! how exciting. don't think i'll ever top that, haha...]

right. as i'm sure any frequent reader will know, i bitch a lot about my workload a lot. and it really is a lot. so much so that i feel really tense and stressed a lot of the time. so, i thought it would be the perfect time to begin jillian michael's 30 day shred. i really do hope that i stick with it, but as it stands i'm feeling positive. yes, this really is a boring fitness post.

see how ruff and tuff and tanned and tousled she is?

what do i want from it? well, i don't want to be stick thin or anything, and i mean that! i just do not want to be 'skinny fat' anymore - something caused by lots of cardio, lots of carbs, and not enough protein. i look okay so long as i have clothes on, but in a bikini? hell to the NO. i want to be toned and lose a few inches from my waist really. i mean really -  the only thing that's tight on me right now is my forehead. i had a peek at the dvd last night and boy, it's a cracker. favourite lines include: "I WANT TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO DIE", "CAN YOU HANDLE DIS? HEHEHE NO U CANT LOL" AND "IF YOU WANT ABS LIKE THESE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK FOR IT, GIMME 5 MORE"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i've measured absolutely everything (seriously, everything except my eyeballs) and i can't wait to report back in 30 days - hopefully with results! if it is a success then i'd definitely like to keep it afterwards and incorporate it into my usual exercise routine. i have taken before pictures but i'm a little bit nervous so i'll hold onto those until the 30 days are up. ;)

anyway, beauty-wise (gotta have some consistency in this blog!), i've really been loving hot pink and/or fuchsia shades for my nails recently. i just think they're super bright and super fun, and cheer me up when the weather is so grey and miserable outside. these are my top three, covering a range of budgets.

left to right: opi - do you think i'm tex-y?, no 7 - jammy, barry m - shocking pink.

#zomgbloggersbash.

don't mind me. i'm just adding to the plethora of posts about #zomgbloggersbash within the blogosphere. for those who were situated under a rock for the past few weeks, the evening was celebrating the launch of the rockalily x london lipgloss collaboration lipstick called 'ZOMG!', and an all-round celebration of social media. i was so grateful to have been invited, and had a lovely time meeting new people. i left the house in a mad rush and looked sufficiently trampy - so unfortunately i have zero pictures of myself. i wore a vintage maxi with a blue & pink print all over it (it is in dire need of mending) and wellies. so if anyone saw someone possibly fitting this description on the night, it was me!

i was also drunk because the guy at the bar construed my request for a vodka and diet coke as a glass full of vodka and one drop of diet coke. luckily i was alright at the bash but when i got home, oh my christ... still, kudos to me for taking photos though. these photos represent a mish-mash of what went on.

miss reeree herself, looking uber glamourous! i actually kissed that board too but mine is somewhere along the bottom. she was lovely and is a real testament to having a vision/idea and making it a reality. (VOM, pass me the sick bucket at that sentence, even if it's true). 

rubyyy jones performed a brilliant routine which was hilarious. ever so slightly cheeky too to say the least. thank god my mother wasn't there, or she would've had a pulmonary upon hearing "i can't wait to f*ck you". gorgeous girl though. whilst she was performing i saw a few people outside looking through the window wondering what on earth was happening. so many girls watching another girl strip, it was a total oestrogen fest.

the lovely maria from urbanbutterfly who kept me company during the evening. this is her, pre-wig of course, giving stephanie from lazy town a run for her money (i saw that programme once when i was babysitting) (i didn't like it) (it was weird). i mean, i tried you know. i tried to tempt her into wearing a subtle brown number but she just wasn't having it... & if anyone is going to TOWIB (alas, i am not) then say hello to her - she is lovely & a barrel of laughs. i promise. there were also incredible hats and loungewear courtesy of little miss b hats and betty blue's loungerie - but no photos, sadly.

this gawwwwwjus corset was worn by banbury cross who too performed a burlesque routine. i was curious as to whether she made it/decorated it herself, it was really beautiful... adding that many crystals must be a total bitch. she had the loveliest marilyn-esque hair too. 

temptation's creations were also on hand. cakes a-plenty. i tried to be strong but the cakes made 'come to bed' eyes at me and so i had to do it. we locked eyes and that was it. unfortunately a lot of the toppings were things i can't eat (a lot of sugary stuff can give me migraines, such a wuss) and so i went for vanilla buttercream, some chocolate chips and a flower. and it was YUMMY. i'm surprised i didn't go back for ten more another. and before you tell me that i decorate cakes better than delia or nigella, well, i know.

part of banbury's routine involved cava. cava going EVERYWHERE. my camera got soaked. a girl next to me whose camera also got drenched looked pretty stressed by it, bless her. i could tell she only just got it. only i never managed to tell her that after the blissful two-week honeymoon period that follows purchasing a dslr camera, you then get lazy. your camera gets dropped, beaten around, pointed at with guns, lost, found, stood on and has bits of it dropped in venetian canals just like kate winslet chucks her necklace in the ocean in titanic (all of these are based on personal experience). they're built like tanks so don't worry. 

there were also hair stylists on hand to create beautiful retro styles for anyone who wanted. i really wish i did this but i was having so much fun wandering around that i didn't want to be sitting for long on my own. i didn't meet the girl in this picture who is getting her hair done but randomly saw her later on in the night. her hair looked stunning, especially because it was purple too. if there's one thing i wish i knew, it would be how to create beautiful hair.

hurhurhurrrrrr i could take photos of burlesque forever. someone please hire me to take photos of people dancing? please? i'm dead cheap, honest. just buy me a burger and i'll do it.

nails - opi  (do you think i'm tex-y?)

and finally, the lipstick itself. i really appreciated having the opportunity to swatch all of rockalily's shades in person. as the business is based online, it's sometimes hard to judge what you like from pictures. but, having seen them all up close, i really  like 'pompadour pink' because it is so brilliantly bright. like all rockalily lipsticks, 'ZOMG!' has got high pigmentation and feels very smooth and creamy. it's a darker pink, and a nice alternative for those who perhaps don't like the bubblegum pink shades. the shade itself reminded me of one i already have actually which is 'wild orchid' by revlon. wild orchid is glossier and a tad more on the purple side, but if anyone owns that shade, then they will definitely love ZOMG!

ta da! sorry for the picture heavy post. zozo is so lucky and i really hope this does well. i had a wonderful time and really loved meeting everyone.

ps - i won a fabulous prize but i'm saving that for the next post. ;)

no 7 'vital brights' spring collection 2012.

i did it. i caved. i strolled right into boots and did the very thing i said i wouldn't do: i bought things i technically didn't need. 

... i feel so dirty and ashamed! this is indeed the limited edition spring collection for no 7, and combined with the 3 for 2 offer, i was helpless. i was vulnerable. now i'm not one for 'haul' posts (this is a baby haul) where there are just photos of the products, but isn't the packaging so fresh and pretty? 'vital brights' seems to be all about dewy, natural skin and bright colours that pop. the collection - off the top of my head - consists of a palette, highlighter powder, two cream blushers & two lipsticks. i skipped the palettes as i never use them, and the two cream blushes, as gorgeous as they were, were almost identical to the cream blushers i have from topshop in 'neon rose' and 'high five'  (which i have). i swatched them though, and they are creamy, highly pigmented and easy to blend - so if you missed out on the topshop blushers, then this is another option. unless you missed out on these too. whoops.

first of all, the highlighting powder. i have never used a powder which has pink/peach undertones and this was so lovely that i almost didn't want to use it! the inside (plus the shade) reminds me of laura mercier's face illuminator powder, which is great for those of us who can't afford it. i found it really easy to use and really light on the skin, despite how very shimmery it is (note: use sparingly!). it really does feel like a high-end product and i'm very happy with it.

i definitely see this becoming a daily staple... especially seeing as my beloved no 7 illuminator has to have the crappiest packaging of all time and is giving me grief.

i also picked up this lipstick, called 'blossoming pink'. what can i say, i'm a sucker for pink lipstick. it was met with a rolling of the eyes from my dear mother though. truth be told i am a little bit disappointed that no 7 didn't put the floral print on the tube, but it still looks clean and crisp in gold and white. don't be fooled by how pink it is though, because the finish is supposed to be a sheer balm formulation. now i knew this from the start so i wasn't surprised there, but i'm just warning those who might have not known and think that this is the pink lipstick of their dreams. i really do like no 7's sheer lipsticks, because they're creamy and have decent lasting power - so for what it's worth, i do recommend them. as i didn't have a sheer lipstick with a pink tint, i was really keen to have this.

i'm not sure if the colour is for me though. it's very light and pink! i applied my make-up in a rush (i am ill and therefore a shell of my former self) otherwise i would've built up the colour to fit with my complexion a bit better.

face: 17 primer, bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light).
eyes: urban decay 24/7 eye pencil (lust), mac studio fix lash (black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: topshop (high five).
lips: no 7 (blossoming pink).

finish everything off with my beloved emilio pucci wellies and off i go!

no 7's 'beautiful skin' day cream.

recently i've been needing something that provides more moisture for my skin because it's become so dry (due to the cold freezing weather and constant central heating) - and i was always keen on trying out this cream. no 7 have brought out a new 'beautiful skin' range with all sorts of products, so much so that i don't think i'd have the time to list them. what marks this out from other high-street brands is that they seem to have gone down the clinique route where for every product (e.g. a cleanser), there are four or five variations depending on skin type. i think that's a pretty nice touch, and i'm glad to see it entering the high street domain - even if no 7 is on the more expensive side.

i went for the day cream designed for normal-dry skin, and i've really liked it so far. it's quite expensive at £12.50, but you get a lot of product which is really good quality, and it's encased in beautiful packaging. a problem i've had with other day creams that i've tried is that they can sometimes feel sticky, turn gloopy or make my skin look and feel really greasy. they also sometimes make the centre of my face itch for some bizarre reason. with this, i haven't had any of that. it absorbs into the skin quickly, smells nice, has spf and leaves my skin feeling smoother and softer for hours. for that alone, i would totally repurchase.

it's a shame that it's priced at £12.50 though, because i am a student bum. i'd recommend waiting until boots dishes out those £5 off vouchers before stocking up - it's what i intend on doing at least!