Summer Staple: Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream

I won't lie to you: I'm not a morning person. I never have been and, the way things are going, I don't think I ever will be. But that's okay because I've got my fall-out-of-bed-wash-my-face-put-on-my-makeup-chuck-on-some-clothes routine, absolutely down. And the point is, that Smashbox's Camera Ready CC Cream has played a rather large part in fine tuning my morning routine. 

Forgoing my usual foundation (summer weather – and heat – means that's only recruited for nights out), I squeeze out half a pea-sized amount and smooth it over my face. Because of it's multiple properties (priming, hydrating, oil-controlling, SPF-ing...) it is relatively thick compared to normal foundation, but after warming it between your fingertips it's really easy to apply. After using my fingers for the initial application, I buff over with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to make sure it's evenly blended. Easy.

Even though I've labelled it a 'summer staple', this will definitely be staying put in my make-up bag for the winter months too.

Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream, £29, Boots

Do you like CC creams? Let me know your favourite below!

Chem x

p.s. Again, sorry for the picture quality. I don't have my 'good' camera at the moment, so my iPhone is having to suffice.

Byebye Stylist: My Top 5 Beauty Picks

So I'm back. Again. How many times have I written that? TOO many is the answer. But no more. From now on, I'll be blogging regularly. I promise.

It's been a whirlwind six months being the Stylist beauty intern. Six months of product-oggling, dream-living and well, some hard work too. And it's been amazing. If I went through all of the brilliant experiences I'd had, we'd be here a long time but I can squeeze in a few highlights... covering LFW shows and contributing to the Stylist online blog, compiling regular pages as well as getting to do my first ever feature (it's the parting's one in this week's magazine, go read it), seeing BEYONCE, a trip to the heavenly Babbington House...I could go on. I couldn't have asked for a more fun, valuable and fulfilling experience. THANK YOU ALL.

Anyway, before I get all sentimental on you, let's talk about what people are really interested in. THE BEAUTY PRODUCTS. Honestly, it's Christmas everyday there but it never gets old. I've got lots more posts planned now that I've solemnly sworn to blog regularly (and you are all my witnesses) but here's my top five finds during my time at Stylist to get started!

1. Armani Prive Figuier Eden, £100 for 100ml, Giorgio Armani

This, quite simply, is probably the best thing you'll ever smell. What about freshly baked cakes, christmas trees and petrol fumes? You ask (not the petrol? just me then). I hear you, but this is definitely one of the best, trust me. With the name being a bit of a give away, this fragrance is based around fig and is even better once it's given time to dry down to it's grassy, fresh scent. Describing perfumes is definitely not my strong point but TRY THIS, I urge you. The signature scent of the Stylist Beauty Editor, Sam, I am definitely guilty of stealing a few sprays when she is out of the office (forgive me). A pricey perfume for sure, but so worth it especially considering it's amazing longevity.  

2. Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick, £8.99, Bourjois

I love a bold lip, but I hate the maintenance that comes with it. 'Do I have lipstick on my teeth?' 'Have I smudged it all?' 'Do I need to re-apply it?' You know the drill as do, to their annoyance, your friends. But no more. Enter these little beauties. They are applied like a lip gloss so they're super easy and then dry to a matte finish. And boy are they long lasting; they seriously stick around all day and will not budge. I've been raving about these to my friends because they're an absolute make-up essential. Buy them. Now. 

3. Filmstar Bronze & Glow, £49, Charlotte Tilbury

Oh, Charlotte, Queen of the Contour. Her AW14 at Joseph was one of my favourites for it's glowy, superluxe look and I actually even met her (she was so lovely). But I digress. Everything about this sculpt and highlight palette is gorgeous; from the rose gold casing to the creamy, pigmented products. The bronzer has a slight shimmer to it but it still makes for a perfect contour which can be worn light or built up for a more striking look, whilst the highlighter is a a dreamy pearlescent tone. No chunky glitter here. Again, a pricey piece but it's brilliant quality, the duo is very travel friendly and it will last a long time. Give it a go if you can afford to splash out. 

4. Superliner Perfect Slim in Green, £6.99, L'Oreal Paris

I'm not one to wear colour on my eyes. I stick to my neutral smoky eyes, and I'm fine with that. The thing is, I've changed and it's all down to this eyeliner. Before, I would have shunned an emerald green shade eyeliner such as this but it's actually beautiful. I have blue eyes and the green compliments them really well. The shade is green enough to be noticeable, but not so much as to draw startled looks. A real winner for me; I've been wearing this in place of classic black for a more summery take on a winged eye.

(p.s. This is due to launch this month - I can't find this online yet but keep an eye out for it)

5. Touche Éclat Wild Edition, £25, YSL

So, I'm extremely late to this (concealed themed) party but it's always better late than never, isn't it? Regardless, I finally got the chance to try out the renowned Touche Eclat, and I wasn't disappointed. Not least of all because this version comes in an animal print tube, winner. As someone who suffers from dark under-eye circles, this is the ideal cover-up. Creamy and easy to blend, there's no cakeyness and it leaves the area brighter and your eyes wider. Don't ever leave me.

So those are my 'top 5' - don't get me wrong, there are so many other products I could have included, but don't worry, I'm just getting started.

What do you think of my choices? Have you tried any of them?

Chem x

(Please excuse the questionable quality of some of the pictures; these are all taken on my iPhone so tried to make them as good as possible!)

Heat Work Experience: Take 2

As I mentioned in my (now long ago) 'Take 1' post, there was a 2nd part to come... I'm sure you're all sick of me apologising for my lack of posts so I'll spare you that but posting more frequently is something that I really need to work on. I'll make it a personal challenge...

Anyway, after my amazing week at Heat, I begrudgingly left, went back to the real work and waited for the depression of not actually working there to set in. Needless to say, being back home in my sleepy village was somewhat of a comedown after the hustle and bustle of the capital. Monday I was preparing to return to my (now extremely dull in comparison) receptionist work whilst I waited to hear back about my other work experience applications. However, to my immense surprise Hannah (the Junior Style Writer at Heat) got in touch asking if I could come back in to do a second week straight away as another applicant had dropped out.

I'm sure you can imagine my reaction, but if you can't, think Christmas, Birthday and end of exams combined and you might just get it. I hadn't even unpacked my bag from the previous week so havoc ensued in the form of mass clothes washing and hasty organising and finally I was, once again, on my way to London. By 11pm I was tucked up in my London-based room (I don't think she'd realised how soon I'd be back when she said "you're welcome back anytime!") ready and excited for my 2nd week at Heat.

The 2nd week was very much like the first (which you can read about here) except, well, better simply because I felt a lot more relaxed as I already (very loosely) knew the ropes.

Despite my rushed departure to London, I pulled a few new outfits together (obviously I couldn't be seen in the same outfits so soon after) and here are the results... (NB: I was there Tuesday - Friday hence the 4 day rather than 5 run down)

Day 1: Shift Dress

Dress: Urban Outfitters (old - I wore it in this post. Similar [kinda] here) // Poloneck: H&M (old) // Boots: Schuh (I have worn these to death & now they're half price - grab 'em!)

Day 2: Monochrome & Check

Coat: Charity Shop // Shirt: H&M (old) // Black Jeans: Topshop Leigh // Boots: Schuh

Day 3: Desert Boots

Jumper: H&M (old) // Jeans: Topshop Joni (you can see them in this post) // Desert Boots: Zara (old - similar) // Bag: Topshop (old)


Day 4: Denim Dress

Coat: New Look (old) // Topshop (similar) // Boots: Schuh // Bag: Topshop (old)

I know the picture quality is extremely poor and my surroundings are hardly idyllic but I hope you can get an idea of the outfits. Like before, I kept it smart/casual but comfortable.

I hope you've found these posts helpful - I know that when I found out I had work experience, I was trawling through blogs trying to get some inspiration. Although a lot of these clothes are no longer available, I hope these posts might inspire you in some way or another; I know I love to see what other people are wearing.

What do you think of my 2nd week choices? Have you done any magazine work experience?

Chem x

Heat Work Experience: Take 1

I must apologise for being MIA recently - it's been quite a hectic last couple of weeks. If my unimaginative post-title wasn't clue enough, my lack of posts have been down to doing work experience at Heat magazine's fashion and beauty department. Since graduating, I've been applying for every work experience opp/internship/job vacancy under the sun which involved journalism in some capacity and getting pretty fed up with the lack of success I was having. Then, low and behold, my application for work experience at Heat was successful and I was suddenly off to take my first-ever furrow into magazine journalism. To say I was excited is a complete understatement. Not only that, but I couldn't have come up with a better excuse to adorn my wardrobe with lovely new clothes. Shopping was a big part of my prep for work experience because I wanted to look the part and, well...I love shopping. Judge me!

The Sunday before my first day was spent planning outfits and taking pictures of them so I wouldn't be in a flap over what to wear at any point. I don't think I've ever been that organised. Anyway, after planning and packing I was off to stay with family, ready for my first morning. Needless to say, I barely slept that night; I was terrified I'd over sleep and I was just so excited! I planned to blog every night so I could keep track of what I'd been up to and what I'd been wearing but if I'm honest, the whole week passed in such a whirlwind that I just didn't get the chance.

Rather than go through each day and what I did (to be honest, it's hard to distinguish between the days now so I couldn't even if I wanted) I thought I'd give you a round-up of my time there and the outfits that, after countless shopping trips, multiple returns and various panicky moments, were what I like to call 'The Chosen Ones'.

In a nutshell, Heat was brilliant. I honestly loved it. You know all those horror stories you hear about workies (yep, that's what I was called) being treated as the office tea lady and general skivvy? Yep? Well, forget them. I was involved from the beginning and the whole Style team were lovely and made me feel part of the team. So what did I actually do? I checked the courier room regularly for packages - it's like Christmas everyday there, magical. I wrote a few 'Who Wore It Best' articles for heatworld.com (which you can read here, here and here) which was awesome because I actually have published work! I spent quite a lot of time doing celebrity trend research which was really fun but terrible for those of us who, ahem, are a little looser with their dosh. I was also in touch with PR companies, calling in samples for features and keeping the fashion/beauty cupboard organised. It was such a range of things that I never got bored and I actually felt like I was helping, rather than just getting in the way! 

Now, onto the outfits. I must apologise in advance for the mediocre/terrible quality of some of the pictures; they were taken on my phone and towards the end of the week they became a little more rushed and grainy but hopefully you can get the idea. I was told the dress code was 'Casual'. Yep, make of that what you will. It basically meant that anything goes (within reason of course, put those nipple tassels away) so employees were as casual/dressy as they liked.

Day 1: Leather & Check

Coat: Zara (old) // Shirt: H&M Kids (bargain & they go up to 14yrs+) // Leggings: Dorothy Perkins (old) // Chelsea Boots: Topshop // Bag: Topshop

Day 2: Tartan & Lace

Coat: Zara (old) // Shorts: Zara (similar - ideal if, like me, you love shorts but not so much your thighs because they're loose) // Shirt: ASOS // Jumper: Zara // Shoes: Primark (similar) // Bag: Topshop

Day 3: Turtleneck & Check

Coat: New Look (similar) // Poloneck: H&M // Smock Dress: ASOS // Chelsea Boots: Topshop // Bag: Topshop

Day 4: Denim & (Faux) Fur

Coat: New Look (similar) // Shirt: H&M (similar) // Fur Gilet: Topshop (old - similar) // Jeans: Whistles // Shoes: Primark (similar)

Day 5: Converse & Pleather

Coat: New Look (similar) // Jumper: H&M (similar) // Necklace: Topshop (old) // Leather Skirt: H&M (sale - similar) // Converse: Office

What do you think of my choices? What is your favourite outfit?

Chem x

p.s. Look out for a 'Take 2' coming soon!

OOTN: Feeling Blue

As you might have guessed by the title, this outfit is completely blue. Conveniently, colour blocking is still all of the range and I think the monochromatic blues (yep, I googled it!) really work.  

I saw Rosie from The Londoner wearing a similar blue cotton shirt with blue denim jeans and I decided I needed one in my life ASAP. I unexpectedly came across this gem in GAP, and with a 30% off discount code I knew it was pretty much fate.

The jeans are also a recent addition to my wardrobe- they are the Topshop 'Joni' Jean in 'Dark Vintage'. I purchased a black pair a while back (as shown in this post) but I ended up taking them back because the white seam was just too annoying. This pair, however, I really do love. I don't know whether they've changed the fabric but these are so much nicer. They're a stretchy denim, just like the Leigh jeans, which make them super comfy as well as being super sucky-in which is always a bonus. Definitely try before you buy because the stretch of the fabric means you can (in my experience) size down and reduce the potential for the dreaded saggy-bottom-look. They are also full length but I rolled them up.

I finished the outfit off with two pieces from my graduation outfit (which I spoke about here); the bag and the heels because I thought they went well with the colour scheme of the outfit. This is more of a dinner type outfit because of the heels, but I've worn it in the day and subbed in Converse high tops and an over the shoulder bag for a more casual look. I'm so pleased with the shirt and the jeans - they're both so versatile. I also decided to whack on some orange lippy to set the blue off. I'm wearing Revlon's ColorBurst Lipbutter in 'Tutti Frutti' which is great for a wash of orange but I've got my eye on something brighter for next time; I'm talking MAC's 'Morange'.

Shirt: Gap

Jeans: Topshop

Shoes: Office

What do you think of colour blocking? Have you tried the Joni jeans?

Chem x

Street Style Steal #2: Monochrome & Clashing Prints

This girls outfit caught my eye whilst I was mooching around in Kingston the other week. I managed to muster up enough courage to ask her if she'd mind me taking a picture of her and (obviously) she very kindly obliged. Unfortunately, in my haste to leave her alone and avoid a 'weirdo' label, I forgot to ask her where any of it was from and I didn't even get her name! Sigh. Nevertheless, I have compiled these pieces which I think can be put together to recreate the striking look.

I have to say, this is an outfit which I'm unlikely to wear myself. I'm not quite confident enough to pull off the clashing-prints combo and I've never ventured into the world of 'wide-leg' or 'flares' - I'm well and truly a slave to my skinny's. That being said, whilst the monochrome and print trends continue to feature in the A/W fashions, there are certainly elements I'll be incorporating into my own outfits and as I've shown before in this post, I'm a huge fan of monochrome.

1. Polka Dot Wide Leg Trousers - This pair gives a more casual vibe due to the smaller polkadots and comfy (looking) material. Ideal for the daytime. 

2. Chiffon Sleeve Baseball Top - Next have outdone themselves with this top; I love the twist on the classic baseball top. Very cool. This is definitely on my 'wish list'.

3. Geo Face Watch - I love the simplicity of this and the black and silver is in keeping with the whole monochrome look. That being said, a pop of colour on the watch strap would also have made a lovely contrast.

4. Buckle Flatform Plimsolls - Continuing my love affair flatforms... I really like these because they're a more girlie and interesting take on your classic lace-ups. They also give some height (ideal for wide-leg trousers) without being too dressy. Perfect.

5. Pearl Peter Pan Collar - If you imagined this outfit in your head, you'd think that a pearl collar necklace would look waaay too fussy with all the other things going on. In reality it actually adds a little something to the outfit - there are loads of these on eBay for bargain prices so take your pick!

6. Chiffon Polka Dot Trousers - these are actually black even though they do look navy! These are definitely more of a night-time choice due to the sheer legs and the knicker-shorts.

7. Contrast Panel Tee - I've actually just seen that this is out of stock, which is a shame because it's gorgeous but hopefully they'll restock. If not, New Look have a similar one here. Alternatively (and for a different 'look', chuck on a neon top - gorgeous!) 

8. Quilted Pumps - Chanel eat your heart out, I think these are adorable and look much more expensive than they are!

So, there you have it - my second 'Street Style Steal'! What do you think of this look - have you ever tried wearing two different prints in one outfit? Is this an outfit you'd like to recreate?

Chem x

OOTN: Leather & Lime

I wore this ensemble for a long awaited night out with my friends. I snapped up the leather ('pleather') skirt in the H&M sale for a jaw-dropping £5 which I was chuffed with. Leather is still on trend for AW13 so this versatile piece will see me right through the seasons.

I paired it with a lime green Topshop cami which I picked up on a whim thinking that together they'd make a perfect outfit. I love the contrast of the black and the neon, and the top brightens up what would otherwise be quite a plain outfit. I think I'll definitely be picking up this top in some more colours!

I wore my Bertie platform ankle boots which you cant see that well in the picture but I have featured them before in this post. I really like the contrasting 'toughness' of the boots and the leather skirt with delicate top. 

I finished it off with an old Topshop leather clutch bag with metal detailing, and a pair of statement earrings. I ended up wearing a white blazer too (which you can be seen here) which really finished off the outfit.

It's definitely an outfit I'll be coming backing to time and again!

Cami: Topshop

Leather Skirt: H&M sale (similar here)

Boots: Bertie, John Lewis sale (similar here)

Chem x

p.s. As you can see, the cat decided to get in on the action again!
p.p.s. I'll be working making my stance a little more ladylike!