A LITTLE LUSH POST.

As I read alot of fashion and beauty blogs, I had seen the Bubblegum Lip Scrub from Lush featured lots and it gets glowing reviews from most beauty bloggers! I don't normally shop in Lush (infact, I hadn't bought anything since buying my mum a flowery bath bomb for her birthday years ago!) but I decided to go in and try to find this product. 

These lip scrubs come in three different scents; mint, chocolate and bubblegum. The bubblegum one was my favourite as it's a creamy candy scent, it's made to smell like the Lush Snow Fairy shower gel and it's also pink! 

The bubblegum lip scrub is made with exfoliating castor sugar and a vegan flavouring to gently rub away rough skin, keeping your lips smooth and kissably soft. The taste and smell of this is amazing and I found that I had to keep reapplying it as I'd lick it off because it's sugar! 

It was £4.50 for a little 25g pot, which I think is reasonable for a product if you compare it to The Body Shop. Many bloggers had reviewed it and said that they thought it was overpriced as it's basically just sugar! It is possible to make your own sugar scrub lipglosses at home (there are some videos on Youtube on how to do this!) but this one works for me and the pot is handy to pop in your handbag. 

The best thing about this little lip scrub is that it really does make your lips feel lovely! I get quite dry lips & have a bad habit of picking at them, so just applying a quick bit of this does instantly make them feel better. 

It is a kind of strange feeling on your lips as the sugar makes you feel as if you've been eating a sticky donut or cake and the icing has stuck to your lipstick! I apply a small amount of this onto a wet finger (as I feel it sticks better) and then smear it onto my lips. You don't need to use alot of this product to get a good result, and you can lick off any excess! It's a brilliant lip exfoliator with a gorgeous scent and I'd really recommend it! 

With love,

Karen 

x

HOLIDAY NAIL INSPIRATION & BEAUTY TREATMENTS.

I can't quite believe that it's only 2 sleeps until me and my boyfriend go away to Portugal for our first holiday together! Today, I've spent the afternoon packing my case and hand luggage, which took me alot longer than I expected & still have a few bits & bobs that need to go in (and some that will be getting squashed into my boyfriend's case!). 

Tomorrow, I am going for some essential pre-holiday beauty treatments, which I am really excited about and it will be lovely to relax for abit after stressing out today with my packing! I'm going to get my nails done in the morning, a Costa coffee and then to the beauty salon to get my legs waxed and my eyelashes tinted. I've never had anything done to my eyelashes before, but I decided to get them tinted so that I don't have to wear mascara during the day and can go in & out of the swimming pools and sea without worrying about getting panda black eyes! 

I am planning to get acrylic nails done in the morning. I normally just get Shellac for an everyday look, but because I'm going on holiday, I fancy getting extensions for a little change. I want to keep my nails quite natural and pretty looking, so that they will look nice with all of my holiday outfits and aren't too bold or flashy! Here are some of the nail art looks that I am currently struggling to decide between: 

What are your essentials pre-holiday beauty treatments? 

With love,

Karen 

x

CREAM LEATHER JACKET - A ZARA COPY.

First of all, I wanted to post a couple of pictures of my new hair!! A few days ago, I had posted some inspirational pictures of platinum blonde hair styles & colours and I just wanted to let you see my finished result, which I am delighted with!! It is abit of a change from having blonde highlights, but I'm getting more used to it now and I'm beginning to really like it. 

The lighting was a little bit dodgy in this photo so I edited it to brighten it up, but it is a very true reflection of my hair colour. I'm also wearing my gorgeous 'pearl pink pop' cremesheen lipstick from MAC in this photo too! 

Up until now, I had been getting cool blonde highlights all throughout my hair and then a silver/champagne colour of toner through all of my hair to stop it from going a golden blonde. This time, I totally bleached all of my hair (which was abit of a strange experience!) and then got an ash blonde toner put throughout all of my hair. 

I've been colouring my hair blonde for the past couple of years and my hair has got quite used to slowly getting lighter & lighter, so the quality of my hair is actually very good. I will continue to use good quality hair products and plenty of moisturising products to stop it from going dry! I'm really happy with my colour change and think it will look lovely for going away to Portugal with my boyfriend!! 

After I had my hair done, I went out for a coffee and then decided to go for a little look around the shops (as if I hadn't spent enough money already!). I went into Zara as they have a huge sale on at the moment, but they still have loads of lovely fresh pieces that aren't included in their sale! 

I came across this beautiful creamy leather jacket while browsing and instantly I fell in love with it! It is just gorgeous - it's a lightweight jacket which means that it can be worn in the summer and into the autumn, is a classic piece, and is both casual but dressy at the same time. I added this item to my Zara wishlist however as it is priced at £69.99! However, I found a little alternative to this jacket which I am over the moon with! 

I found this very similar jacket in Sainsbury's; it is part of their Tu collection and was priced at only £35. I decided to buy this as it looks so like the Zara jacket and is half the price! The jacket is a very neutral colour and will go with lots of my wardrobe, meaning that it will be a very versatile piece.

The material is really nice and when the jacket is on, it feels light and not too warm! It also goes perfectly with my creamy purse from River Island!! I am loving the creamy gold trend at the moment for summer/autumn time as it mixes in with the pastel colours trend so well. I have put together some images from Tumblr of items of clothing that would go perfectly with this jacket, such as baby pink & blue jumpers, a chanel t-shirt and some handbags: 

To finish off my perfect day, I also went out for a very naughty hot chocolate & a gossip with one of my bestfriend's who is back home from studying in Italy. 

Let me know what you think of this jacket and I hope that this will encourage you to mix the pastel and neutral trends! 

With love,

Karen

x

FAVOURITE FASHION BLOGGER - SARAH ASHCROFT.

My favourite fashion blogger is Sarah Ashcroft of That Pommie Girl (www.thatpommiegirl.com). I have been reading her blog for about a year now and she was the person who really inspired me to start writing my own fashion & beauty blog. (Maybe one day my blog will look like here! I wish!!)

Sarah is an English fashion blogger and studied a Level 3 Diploma in Fashion Retail at Fashion Retail Academy in London, where she is now hoping to pursue a career in fashion PR. Her favourite high street shops are H&M, Topshop and River Island and her favourite online retailers are ASOS, Missguided, Sabo Skirt and Tiger Mist. 

Her style is really inspirational and I love the fact that she is very on-trend, classy and girly all at the same time. She wears lots of lovely pastel colours, neutrals and striking bold colours, prints and textures, making her a great source of fashion inspiration for many styles. 

That Pommie Girl is a gorgeous blog; it is so prettty with its design, easy to read and has lots of high quality pictures and outfit detailing. Sarah's Instagram feed is also lush! I will post the details of where to find Sarah's accounts at the end of this post. 

I decided that I'd put together a lookbook of some of my favourite styles from Sarah (there are lots!!). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 

Outfit Details

Top: Missguided

Skirt: Missguided 

Mac: Boohoo

Shoes: Topshop

Sunglasses: Missguided

Bag: Bershka

This is a gorgeous beauty of a co-ord; pink and fluffy = heaven! It is the perfect transitional pieces as it gives you that little bit of extra warmth for the autumn time and is perfect for layering. Missguided also do this co-ord in black and white. This outfit was also a match made in heaven for this cute little milk carton bag. 

Outfit Details

Jacket: Paper Dolls

Shorts: Paper Dolls

Top: Crusade Clothing

Shoes: Public Desire 

These shorts look so smart but fashionable at the same time. They are the perfect thing to wear to family events and weddings without looking over or under dressed. This beauty is from Paper Dolls which is a brand available on Little Mistress. I love the colours in the floral print and it is a sort of crepe material which feels and looks really beautiful.

Outfit Details

Jacket: Missguided

Bralet: Crusade Clothing

Jeans: Topshop

Shoes: La Moda UK

Outfit Details

Jumpsuit: Primark

Belt: River Island

Bag: Michael Kors

Shoes: H&M

Outfit Details

Top: Crusade Clothing

Jeans: Crusade Clothing

Coat: Lily Lulu

Shoes: Boohoo 

These ripped jeans are perfect for giving the outfit a more fashionable and edgy look. I love how these ones have been styled with this gorgeous white bralet from Crusade Clothing. The jacket is perfect to take you from summer to autumn as it isn't too heavy and bang on trend right now. The monochrome colour scheme also means it goes with everything. The faux suede of these heels from Boohoo make them look much more expensive than they are and as they are nude, they also go with everything too!! 

Outfit Details

Co-ord: Verity Anne Clothing

Mac: Boohoo

Shoes: Nike

This is a slightly different look from Sarah's girly co-ords and pink colours as she has added some Nike Airmax to create a sports luxe look. The Nike Airmax Lunars are the perfect shoes for casual days and making your lazy outfits look abit more fashionable & I love the pop of pink neon on these ones. Combined with a white co-ord & a lightweight mac, this outfit is simple and stylish! 

Outfit Details

Jacket: Missguided

Top: Smoochxoxo

Trousers: Missguided

Shoes: H&M

Watch: Tayroc

Outfit Details

Jacket: Primark

Shorts: Primark

Crop Top: Misspap

Shoes: Daniel Footwear 

This gorgeous pink faux suede jacket is from Missguided and I think it is a definate that this will be getting ordered & added to my wardrobe! The colour is perfect, it looks so soft & will be beautiful to wear. I also think this jacket will be lovely for wearing when the weather starts to get a little cooler. 

This was a lovely little bit of Tumblr inspiration that Sarah posted on her Instagram. I love the chalky dark grey jeans (again ripped ones!) paired with the black sandals & top. This would be a lovely outfit for a chilled out day at a coffeeshop or for shopping with friends.

Outfit Details:

Top: Misspap

Shorts: Misspap

Shoes: Misspap

Hat: Misspap

I have also been following Sarah's 'Holiday Style Diary' which has some absolutely stunning outfits for looking sexy in the sunshine. 

Outfit Details

Top: Oh My Love

Shorts: Oh My Love

Shoes: H&M

Sunglasses: Le Specs

Outfit Details

Dress: Rapture Boutique

Outfit Details: 

Bikini Top: Triangl Swimwear

Shorts: River Island

Kimono: AX Paris

Flip Flops: Accessorize

Outfit Details: 

Swimsuit: Missguided 

Beach Shawl: Missguided

Outfit Details

Bikini: River Island

Lace Shawl: Pretty Little Thing

Sunglasses: La Moda UK

Outfit Details:

Playsuit: ASOS

Shoes: Juju Jellies

Head Chain: La Moda

Outfit Details

Top: Sabo Skirt

Shorts: Sabo Skirt

Outfit Details

Top: In The Style

Shorts: Sabo Skirt

Kimono: Pretty Little Thing

Shoes: Missguided

Outfit Details

Top: Pretty Little Thing

Shorts: Pretty Little Thing

Kimono: Pretty Little Thing

Shoes: H&M

Anklet: New Look

This beautiful purple co-ord has been given some festival vibes and a more casual look by adding a lace kimono.

Outfit Details

Top: Smoochxoxo

Trousers: Sabo Skirt

Flower Arm Tie: ASOS

Outfit Details

Bikini Top: ASOS

Beach Trousers: ASOS

Tikka: La Moda UK

Anklet: New Look

Outfit Details

Top: Missguided

Shorts: Missguided

Shoes: Missguided 

Anklet: New Look

Outfit Details

Playsuit: Missguided

Outfit Details

Playsuit: Sabo Skirt

Shoes: Missguided

Flower Arm Tie: ASOS

Anklet: New Look 

Outfit Details

Top: Smoochxoxo

Shorts: River Island

Bag: Zara

Shoes: ASOS

Outfit Details

Top: Pretty Little Thing

Skirt: The Fifth Label

Shoes: Missguided

Outfit Details

Top: Topshop

Kimono: H&M

Jeans: Pretty Little Thing

Bag: Paul's Boutique

Shoes: H&M 

Sunny weather and floral kimonos, is there a better combination? This beautiful kimono is a lovely material perfect for casual wear and as a bikini cover-up and is definately a summer essential! This lace bralet was £22, which I think is really reasonable for such a gorgeous piece. The jeans are such a fab shade of denim for the summer and the outfit is finished off with a pastel bag from Paul's Boutique.

Outfit Details

Jumper: The Fifth Label

Dress: Ribbon from Bank Fashion

Shoes: Public Desire

This gorgeous printed dress from Ribbon at Bank Fashion is such beautiful summer colours and I love the simple style of it. For a more casual look, it is worn the jumper from The Fifth Label, a new Australian fashion brand which is like a sister to Finders Keepers. I love how it is white and cream, which you would never have thought would work together! 

Outfit Details

Top: Zara

Trousers: Closet Clothing

Heels: Primark

One of my new favourite potential wardrobe additions has to be these gorgeous lilac trousers from an online website called Closet Clothing. They design and make everything in London and these are the perfect summer trousers. They can be styled in many ways, but in this outfit, Sarah has gone for a more dressy look and has paired them with her bright lime/yellow heels from Primark! 

Outfit Details

Playsuit: Fashion Union

Kimono: Fashion Union

Shoes: Fashion Union 

Headband: Fashion Union

Bag: Grafea

In my personal opinion, I think the best thing about festivals is the fashion. It's the only chance you really get to play around with styles, accessories & face paint and get away with it! All of this outfit (apart from the bag) is from Fashion Union, which is an online store with lots of on-trend and affordable items. 

Outfit Details

Co-ord: Kendelle

Coat: Boohoo

Flower Headband: LVNDR

Shoes: Public Desire

Channelling her inner Vaness Hudgens, this outfit has got me dreaming of summer and Coachella festival. This beautiful co-ord is from a fab new fashion label called Kendelle, who are featured in Topshop's Oxford Circus store and they have very unusual and different pieces. 

Outfit Details

Jacket: Boohoo

Jumpsuit: In The Style

Converse: Office

Outfit Details

Co-ord: My Bandage Dress 

Shoes: Lulus

Outfit Details

Bralet: Missguided

Jacket: Motel Rocks

Trousers: Monki

Shoes: ASOS

I am totally obsessed with bralets at the moment and I am loving how they seem to be everywhere just now. The best ones, however, that I have seen are on Missguided. They come in the most beautiful colours, like this mint one, and they are such a bargain! I also love how Sarah has paired this bralet and trousers with a gorgeous white faux leather jacket and trousers.

Outfit Details

Jumper: Missguided 

Jeans: Topshop

Shoes: Forever 21 

Coat: eBay

Is there anything more perfect than these jeans?! They are lovely for summer and the colours are just so beautiful. One reason why I love these jeans so much is that they go with lots of pastel jumpers like this gorgeous cropped one from Missguided. 

Outfit Details

Jumper: Missguided

Shorts: Pretty Little Thing

Shoes: River Island

Bag: Primark

Outfit Details

Top: Boom Boom Boutique

Trousers: Sabo Skirt

Shoes: H&M

Coat: ASOS

This beautiful backless top is from Boom Boom Boutique. They design and make their own clothes and they are all super gorgeous and a bit different to anything you can get anywhere else. If you are after something a little special, then they are definately worth checking out.

Outfit Details

Top: New Look

Jeans: Missguided 

Jacket: eBay

Shoes: La Moda

Bag: La Moda

Sunglasses: Zero UV

Sarah says that she is not normally a yellow person, but had seen so many beautiful yellow pieces around that she decided to add some to her wardrobe. This beautiful t-shirt is from New Look and is such a bargain. It's a really lovely fabric and feels a lot more expensive than  it is. The colour looks so fab against these beautiful acid wash jeans from Missguided which are a bargain alternative to Topshop Joni jeans. They are super comfortable and are a really great style for summer as they look so fab with crop tops.

White accessories have been a massive trend this summer and were totally all over the catwalks. These cute jelly shoes from La Moda match perfectly with the lovely little shoulder bag.

Outfit Details

Top: Missguided

Trousers: Missguided 

Jacket: Very

Shoes: Missguided 

Rings: ASOS

Outfit Details

Top: ASOS

Jeans: ASOS

Shoes: ASOS

Bag: ASOS

I really hope that have some of these outfits have provided you with some fantastic fashion inspiration (she always inspires me!!). I love her girly, classy and yet totally on-trend style and I simply wish that I owned everything in her wardrobe! 

To contact/follow Sarah, her blog is www.thatpommiegirl.com.

Instagram: @sarahhashcroft

Twitter: @sarahhashcroft

With love,

Karen 

x