Surprise Birthdays

Dress: Miss Selfridge

Necklace (Silver): FCUK

(Blue): Gift

Shoes: No Clue, I've had them since I was like 15 (still haven't grown!)

Bag: Matalan

Watch: Jacob Ellis

This weekend saw myself and Craig take a trip to the capital and surprise our friend Bryan for his birthday! Sneaking around Edinburgh was so much fun, lurking around the corners to make sure we weren't spotted! It would certainly give the game away! For anyone who watched my YouTube Spring Haul video then they would have seen this purchase from Miss Selfridge. Fuschia pink isn't my usual colour in fact, any shade of pink isn't my usual colour! There was just something about this dress though that made me purchase!

I have been loving a longer length lately, I can't actually remember the last time I wore a mini dress. They make me feel more confident and comfortable, I don't need to keep pulling at my dress on a night out which is never an attractive look for anyone! The shift style is so flattering and the floaty sleeves give a beautiful sixties vibe to the outfit. 

Teaming colours with fuschia pink can be a hard task however, I have always loved opposites and remembering I had these electric blue numbers in my wardrobe I knew it would be a match-made in heaven! Continuing on with the blue theme, I doubled up these two necklaces to create a huge statement. The blue shining through on them. Right through to my electric blue nails in the form of 'Baker Street' by Nails Inc.

It was a great night through in the capital celebrating with great friends!

Lori x

Parisian Chic

Jumper: Zara

Trousers: Next

Chain: Topshop

Bag: La Moda

Shoes: Kurt Geiger

Hat: H&M

Yesterday I made an unexpected trip into Glasgow to spend the day with my parents and I have to say, was probably one of the funniest days I have had in a while. Nothing in particular springs to mind that made it quite so enjoyable, was just lovely to spend some time with my Mum and Dad and we laughed all the way through. Cheesy opening paragraph over.

I done a big wash yesterday and so my jeans were unavailable for the day! The weather is all over the place at the moment, after a few days of sunshine at the beginning of the week we got a lovely dose of dull skies and rain! I decided that the weather wasn't going to dampen my mood and channelled my inner Parisian chic style. Monochrome is my BFF - Best French Friend. The jumper was a hidden gem in the Zara sale, coming in at a whopping £6! I bought it in large as it is cropped and thought it was cute slightly baggy. Trousers, again a sale bargain, are high waisted and they are belted, just hidden under the cropped jumper. Black heels - staple. I bought this bag a few months ago off La Moda and am still every inch in love with it. The studs went perfectly with the gold chain I popped on, I needed to break up the colour scheme. To finish the look I threw on my hat from H&M (Glamour have a 25% discount for H&M in this months magazine) it completes the whole look and gives an edge.

Decided to revert back to my pale foundation in the form of Urban Decay and I think I have rekindled my love with it. Forgot just how good it was and I got so many lovely comments on the photo I posted on instagram (here) so I am considering doing a tutorial on my brand new, shiny YouTube channel (here). Lips wise I pulled out an old favourite in the style of 'Red Square' Nars Lip Pencil teamed with Elizabeth Arden Lipgloss in 'Red Door Red'. 

Who else loves Parisian vibes?

Lori x

Engagements and Lace

Jumpsuit: Need That Look

Shoes: Primark

Belt // Bag: River Island

This Valentine's Day was spent with lots of loved ones. With a week off work I was able to head round to my Gran's house and join the Friday Club once again, then heading to an Engagement party at night, through in Linlithgow with my boyfriends family. Since it was Valentine's Day, the day of love, it had to be some form of pink or red ensemble.

I instantly fell in love with this gorgeous pink, lace jumpsuit, similar to Lucy Meckleburgh from Towie's. Jumpsuits have been something I have grown to love. They are unbelievably comfortable to wear and you never need to worry about anything being on show or too short. The only downside is when you are heading to the loo, but that's hardly enough to put me off!

The pink lace was a little much so I popped on this gold and black belt to break it up and add some dimension. It also creates some curves. I decided to stick with nude shoes as they blended with the nude fabric and created the illusion of longer legs. Tying it all together with a gold clutch bag!

I wanted to keep my make-up quite natural and understated so I used my Double Wear as a base to give me flawless, airbrushed skin.I always use this foundation when heading to a special occasion, it doesn't budge and gives such a beautiful finish. Sculpted with my Sleek contour palette then added lots of Benefit's High beam to the cheek bones. I also used the bronzer on the lids of my eyes to add some dimension. The only statement I used was on my lips with Rimmel's Apocalypse Lip Lacquer in 102 Nova.

What did you all get up to for Valentine's Day?

Let me know what you think of this look?

Lori x

Swinging Sixties

Blazer: Marks and Spencers

Dress: Missguided

Tights // Boots: Primark

Earings: Swarovski

An unexpected afternoon lunch was on the cards this dreary Monday afternoon when my Mum invited me along to join her and her friend for lunch - Who am I to turn down a free lunch?

I always have and probably always will, love the sixties era. There is something so beautiful and chic about the style that I just adore. The women of the sixties weren't afraid to wear bold colours and patterns or experiment with crazy eye make-up - think I was born in the wrong era. When I saw this high neck skater dress on Missguided I knew that it had to be mine! Due to the cold weather it was essential to pop on thick black tights, although the dress is on the short side, I'm sure tights would be on regardless. It's funny though, white is never a colour I opt for regularly, in fact it's probably a rare occurrence you would catch me in the shade resembling my snow-like skin - I always feel that it can wash me out. However, there was something about this dress that made it into my basket and quickly hit the 'check-out' button before I could turn back!

This blazer was a present for Christmas which I haven't had a chance to wear yet. Lets be honest, it has been far too cold to step outside without a ski suit on, never mind a blazer. Two, my blazer may be ridiculously pretty but it is also ridiculously hard to pair with anything patterned. Noting that I was wearing a plain white dress I seized the opportunity to pull this off the hanger, I think I heard it squeal with excitement about it's first (of many) outings!

You may have noticed that I have been messing around with my photos over the last few weeks. I am trying all different things; outdoors, indoors, settings, styles - trying to find what's best for me. I'll get there eventually! If you have a preferred style then please let me know what you like best?

Lori x

The Importance of a Good Bra

This is a post I would never have thought about writing. In all honesty, up until about two weeks ago I didn't even think I had much of a chest, never mind finding a good bra for it. So, with it coming up to Valentine's Day and many ladies heading off to treat themselves (and maybe some boyfriends) to some new undies, here's a little story for you all. You may want to pop the kettle on...

A few weeks ago I met with one of my closest friends who I hadn't seen for quite a while. One of those pairings where you may not see each other quite as often as we would like, not through lack of trying, but we stay in completely different places and both work full time jobs which means meeting for lunch sometimes just isn't feasible or as easy as it sounds. When we did meet it was like we had seen each other only the other day - that's the type of friendship that we all need!

On this particular meeting I was telling her that the previous night I had decided it was high time I emptied my underwear drawers and get rid of all the mutant knickers in there, the ones that haven't seen daylight since I was around 12 - Lord knows why they are still there, probably couldn't get them over one leg! On doing this, I noticed that my bra sizes ranged from ridiculously small (talking smallest size possible) to ridiculously big (who was I kidding?) and coming to the realisation that, at the grand old age of 21, I still do not know my actual size of bra. 

We headed off to Debenhams, after doing some research and discovering they are rated the highest for most accurate size. For some ladies, getting a bra fitting can be quite daunting, but the lady from Debenhams put me right at ease from the get go. She never made me feel uncomfortable or self-conscious at any moment - big up for Debenhams Glasgow. On inspecting the god awful bra I decided to wear that day, she pointed out that a) it was far too small for me (yay!) and b) the dangers of wearing a bra that didn't fit properly.

With it being too small, the wire pushes your breast to the side and in the worst case scenario can cause lumps which we all know, can mean Breast Cancer. This struck a chord with me. How could I have been so unaware of the dangers of something that I use everyday? That is obviously the worst case scenario, there are in fact many other health risks at hand such as; tension across shoulders and neck, headaches and even spinal problems - all of which I would like to avoid! Not only that, the difference it made when I popped on the size I should have been wearing, unbelievable! 

So please ladies, lets avoid any of these risks and go do something so simple but so effective - plus it's free! It genuinely takes a grand total of around 10 minutes and the women of Debenhams (probably most places that do fittings) are more than happy to pick out a selection of bras for you to try on. Go get your bra fitted - then treat yourself to some new undies! With it being Valentines just a few days away I have chosen some of my favourite pairings as inspiration;

 

 

 
Click the images to take you to the products!

Lori x

Edinburgh and Cocktails

Dress: Versace

Shoes: Topshop

Watch: Michael Kors

Continuing on from my previous Edinburgh post here we are with the evening look! We were heading off to a cocktail making class and dinner at Le Monde and were alerted that the dress code was to be 'Cocktail Dresses'. This is a dress that my Mum used to wear before passing down her pieces to me - nothing better than being able to get my Mum's old frocks, love that we are similar size and have similar taste! I haven't worn this Versace number before as, well - it's Versace! It isn't one for the dancing really, lets be honest. So with the dress code, I found it only too appropriate to dust off the cobwebs from sitting in the back of my wardrobe. Perfect timing with one of the latest and biggest trends of the season being Pastels. 

Who wouldn't love this unusual neckline? I have never seen a dress like it, so delicate and elegant. The fit of the dress is absolutely perfect too - not too fitted, not too loose! Going along with the pastel theme I popped on my pink heels from Topshop and teamed with a grey clutch (never got a photo with the bag unfortunately). 

Make-up for the evening

There was no other palette I could possibly opt for than the Urban Decay Naked 3. The rose gold based shades were the perfect natural colours for an understated, delicate look. For my lips I used 'Pale Mauve' by Bobbi Brown to keep my lips neutral but the pink base still gives a slick of colour. Hair wise, I straightened and pinned back the front layers loosely to give a softer look to the overall outfit.

Lori x

February Beauty Wishlist

This is a new post which I have seen kicking about the blogosphere for a while now but have never quite got around to doing one! However, I thought, why not jump upon the Wishlist bandwagon? and since it's a Wednesday lets make it a Wednesday Wishlist! I haven't quite decided how often I will do this, whether it will be fortnightly or monthly - We shall just have to wait and see!

Tangled Angel Brush //  Bare Minerals Concealer // Benefit Girl Meets Pearl Highligher // Kardashian Beauty Lip Kit // Real Techniques Beauty Blender // Nars Guy Bourdin Coeur Battant // Nars Lip Pencil 'Damned' // Urban Decay Beauty Balm // Babyliss Perfect Curl // 

Some of these products I have been lusting after for a while, for example, the beauty blender and the babyliss perfect curl. The beauty blender just seems like the ideal applicator for my concealer, not smudging it out. The curler? Well, who doesn't want fuss-free curls done in no time...um, hello, I do! They may also stay in for longer than half an hour...

Make-up wise, which is quite a lot, the Bare Minerals concealer is something I have been wanting for months and yet, still haven't got around to buying. One of my favourite YouTuber's Leighannsays is forever going on about it, and she always looks amazing so I have been dying to try and see if it lives up to the hype. First of the two lip products is the new Kardashion Beauty range and their nude lip kit. I still haven't found my perfect nude lip but this looks like a pretty good fit! I already have a Nars lip pencil in 'Red Square' which I'm sure you will all have seen, but after seeing Amelia talk about 'Damned' in her recent video it has to be mine! They are very creamy and have great lasting power so a few new shades wouldn't go a miss. The other Nars product is the Guy Bourdin blush - how I wish I had got the limited edition blush palette when it was out *palm face*

I have been using the Urban Decay foundation for months now and, if I'm honest, I wasn't really expecting to rate it - how wrong was I. It is one of my favourite foundations - perfect shade match! So when I saw that they are bringing out a Beauty Balm I think I may have squealed! Will be the perfect addition to my collection for days when I am not at work and prefer not to wear a full face. The 'Girls Meet Pearl' Highlighter has been in my wishlist for ages now too, I have had the travel size before and absolutely loved it for a natural daytime glow. It's not as striking as high beam which I feel is a little much for a daytime look.
Lastly, the Tangled Angel Brush just looks so dreamy! How cute would this be on your dresser? It claims to be anti-static which is definitely something that interests me.


So there we have it for February's wishlist, maybe this will make you want them too! Or, you could even point your other half in this direction, Valentine's Day is only just over a week away after all..

What do we think of these type of posts?
Would you like them to be a regular occurrence on the blog or will once monthly do you just fine?


Lori x

Contrasting Brights

Top // Necklace: George at Asda

Skirt: Topshop

Watch: Michael Kors

Shoes: Primark

I have finally ventured outdoors! Yes, and considering how cold it is at the moment I would say that is complete dedicatition! This outfit was put together for a girly get-together with one of my best friends. We opted for a lunch date at October (formally known as November) in Glasgow's Princes Square. It is one of my favourite places to eat, not just because of the food but the restaurant is situated on the top floor and being able to sit on the balcony and people watch (one of my favourite hobbies without sounding stalkerish) makes it so beautiful.

I know that pastels are all the range at the moment but I opted for a brighter look to contrast against the colder weather. Pastel clothes make me feel cold and when it is just about to start snowing here it's an option I am not allowing - Save them shades for a different day!

The top is actually very long and would look cute paired with a pair of leggings or jeans, however I loved the contrast of colours with the neon yellow/ lime green shade against the purple of the skirt. I opted to tuck in the top to enhance my waist. The skirt has a shorter under skirt allowing the floral pattern to be shown proudly. The longer length adds a touch of elegance.

No outfit is complete without a pair of heels and because the colours are so loud already, I popped on some nude shoes. Too many cooks and all that!

Hope you like this look!

Let me know your thoughts on the outdoors photos? Do you prefer them or should I go back inside?

Lori x

January Hits and Misses

I was sitting a few days ago, being a good little blogger and writing out lists of what posts I want to do, all my ideas and also products which I am interested in using (thanks fellow beauty bloggers and youtubers, you get me every time!). Whilst doing this I had a sudden thought - 'It's February on Saturday....whattt?! How, what, who even?!'. That was my exact thought process! On this realisation I decided that I should probably pop up a post on all of my favourite and not so favourite items throughout the month of January - the worst month of the year, can we get a  hallelujah that it's pretty much over!

So first up, this will be absolutely no surprise to anyone, is the YSL Youth Liberator Foundation. For anyone who hasn't seen my review then have a wee peak here. I have never found a foundation which I have used consistently, everyday for a month. It gives a great amount of coverage yet still keeps a lightweight feel on the skin.

My next favourite of the month is the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm which I have been using on the days when my skin has been looking dull and tired. Unfortunately, in January, this has been quite a regular occurrence for me considering I was ill for almost two weeks of the month. Thank god for Clarins! The balm gets patted (not rubbed) into the skin before foundation application and gives an instant boost to the skin creating an immediate radiance. I also find it holds my makeup on all day, doubling as a primer. Win, win! 

Another winner for Clarins has been the Hydra-Quench Cream Mask  which I got in a set a while back and have never used before as I don't tend to suffer from dry skin. However, because I was ill and choked with the cold/flu I was constantly blowing my nose which led to it eventually being sore and dry with flaking skin - now there's an image! I found this in amongst my skincare and decided that desperate times called for desperate measures and swept this over the dry area. When I woke the next day the pain was almost undetectable and it had cleared up a lot of the dryness. I have used this religiously ever since - great purchase if you are a dry skin sufferer.

This is something that I never thought I would ever say so prepare yourselves! I think I may have found the best concealer - ever! Having read so many reviews on the Nars Creamy Concealer I thought it was high time I went and picked it up. I am so happy that I finally did as it was love at first swipe. One of those products where you curse yourself for not having picked it up sooner. This is now a staple in my everyday make-up routine. The creamy texture means it doesn't dry out the area under the eyes and yet still gives amazing coverage, which is something I have always struggled to find in a concealer. The formula is super long lasting and I never find it creasing into any lines. Definitely worth the hype!

One for the hair now. This month I purchased the Salon at Home Volume and Bounce Texturising Spray after reading Amelia's review and dubbing it the dupe for the Oribe spray. Once I have straightened and styled my hair I spray this to give my hair an instant life and texture which I can't achieve through brushes alone! It gives instant my hair volume and because of it's clear formula there is no need to rub it in. Just spray and go!

Now I know this is super cliche but I don't even care! I have always loved the Naked Palettes and I didn't think I could love anything quite like I loved Naked 2. Then there came Naked 3. The perfect rose gold shades for a pale lady like myself! I have had this since it launched but there were so many reviews kicking around at the time that I didn't feel like urge to write one. I have used this baby pretty much everyday since I got it. The colours can be mixed in so many different ways and I get great day looks as well as night!

A random favourite which has to be thrown in here is Celebrity Big Brother (CBB). I am not even ashamed to say I have been completely addicted this year! Usually I watch the first night when the contestants all enter the house and that's it, whether it was the fact I knew most of the house mates this year or that the drama was wild, no one can deny that CBB was tv gold! With constant drama and arguments I found myself watching this religiously every evening! What will I do without it?!

The biggest and only miss of the month has to go to Birchbox. I didn't post about the mishap that happened with December's box but since it happened again this time around I feel it's only fair to let you all know! Last month my box arrived missing two products, after emailing the company they sent them out straight away and apologised. Fair enough. Then January's box arrived to have three products out of seven inside, no invoice or sheet to say what products should be in the box. You can imagine my anger and disappointment. After a fairly aggressive email they once again apologised and said they would send products. No extras offered for the inconvenience. When my extra items arrived two were smashed and all over the envelope. Fab-bloody-tastic! After yet another, not so polite email in which I told them to cancel my subscription they credited £10 to my Birchbox account and apologised. To me, this was too little too late and will no longer be a customer with Birchbox.

Apart from that I can't actually think of any products I have really hated this month! 

Hope you like this month's favourites and not so favourites, I wonder what next month will bring!

Lori x

YSL Youth Liberator Foundation | Review

Having looked at my most recent posts I decided that it was about time I popped up another product review. This time it comes in the form of foundation, YSL in particular. I think everyone will agree with me when I say it is very difficult to find 'the one' when it comes to foundation. Something that has the right amount of coverage, without looking plastered on. The perfect shade that blends seamlessly with your skin tone and makes you look naturally airbrushed. The kind that feels light as a feather but covers everything that needs to be hidden away! Is that too much to ask?! Well, apparently not - step forward Youth Liberator.

I am an absolute YouTube junkie - seriously, I am hooked! Everyday I am on looking for new videos by my favourites, or just new you-tubers in general. They also cause serious problems to my bank balance. Every product they recommend instantly becomes a 'must-have' in my eyes and the YSL Youth Liberator was no different. After months of everyone slogging on about the Georgio Armani, I took a trip into Fraser's for a swatch, thinking this exciting new love affair was about to begin. Unfortunately that dream was cut short on discovering their lightest shade was most definitely not light enough - pale problems #standard. 

I stumbled upon the YSL counter as I had been hearing loads about the new Youth Liberator foundation being very similar to the GA. It was love at first swatch! The packaging itself is beautiful with the hourglass bottle - it can sit proudly on my desk any day. I love the fact that it has a pump (Estee Lauder Double Wear take note!) makes it so much easier to use and less waste of product. Unfortunately, my pump is a little sticky but I think that was just my luck of the draw - still works, just needs a little encouragement. 

Freshly Applied

The formula is so light when applied on the skin and blends with ease. The sales assistant explained that it is medium coverage when applied with hands but full when used with a brush. I am not a hands type of gal! I hate getting product in my nails and it ends up all over my clothes etc - not a great look! So I always stick to my Real Techniques buffing brush - does the job and this gives the full coverage look I am after. The foundation gives a beautiful, healthy glow to the skin without feeling oily and greasy which, for someone with slight combination skin, is exactly what I am after.

My biggest pet peeve with foundations is usually that I really need to work hard at buffing them into my skin so that it looks like a natural shade and yes, I do still need to buff this in but it doesn't feel like I've done a full body workout afterwards. Smooths over really nicely and the moisture keeps your skin lovely and hydrated.

It gives me enough colour without looking ridiculous! I wear shade B10 which is, of course, the lightest. I find the formula to be very long lasting and my make-up is still in tact at the end of the day - which is, lets be honest, what we all want anyway. I do use primer, always have, I just feel it gives my skin a good base to work with so I'm not entirely sure if it is as long lasting without. 

End of the Day (note the first photos are in pyjamas!)

For £34 it is pretty pricely, but for me personally I think it is completely worth the money. It is a great everyday foundation and my skin has had absolutely no problems with this foundation. It gets the balance of weight and coverage absolutely perfect for me. So if you are looking for a new foundation - get yourself to your nearest YSL counter! You can buy it online here but if you do have problematic skin or not sure about splashing the cash then I would suggest popping along for a sample - you won't regret it!

Lori x