My Winter Beauty / Hair Essentials

Winter has rushed in a lot earlier than we expected this year, meaning it's time to forget our summer beauty routines, and give ourselves a little extra beauty TLC throughout winter. It's amazing how the weather can have such an effect on our skin and hair in both positive and negative ways, and the winter certainly takes all of the life out of your skin and hair. I've dug out my favourite winter hair and beauty products which I use throughout winter ensuring my skin and hair continue to be healthy.

1) Moroccan Oil

I SWEAR by this product. After being introduced to it by my cousin I have continued to use this dream product on a regular basis, and boy has it made a HUGE difference to my hair! This product is designed for the ends of your hair, locking in moisture, and it does exactly that. I use a pea sized amount on my hair when it is damp / towel dried, and it keeps the ends of my hair silky soft. I use this product all year round, yet more so in Winter as I find my hair tends to become more dry. I got this little bottle for roughly £12.50 and it was worth every penny. It's lasted me since August and I'm not even half way through the bottle. You can use this as little or as much as you wish on your hair. 

2) LUSH Face & Body Cleanser (Angels on bare skin)

Skin exfoliation is a big must for me during winter. Theres nothing worse than applying your foundation on to a bed of dry flakey skin. Eugh. I'm a big fan of Lush's products as they are all fresh ingredients so can rely that they will not be too harsh on my skin. I use this on my face 2-3 times a week, depending on when I think my skin needs a bit of attention. This one provides a lighter exfoliation, so is less likely to irritate skin and is good for an every day routine. 

3) Dove Winter Care Nourishing Lotion (Dry Skin)

There is nothing worse than having dry skin in winter. As much as you try to keep warm with plenty of  layers, the cold always manages to suck the moisture out of our skin. This moisturiser keeps my skin well nourished and soft all through winter.

4) Dove Purely Pampering Hand Cream

Sometimes that trusty pair of gloves just aren't enough, and you have to keep your hands well nourished underneath your winter woolies. Dry Hands are one thing I dread in winter. Nothing looks worse than a dry pail of hands and a chipped set of nails. (Take note girls!) I carry this round with me everywhere, and it's a life saver. Pop a little bit on throughout the day and your hands will be soft all winter long. 

So, there we have it. These are my top winter favourites. What products do you rely on during winter?

Rachel 

x

Winter Is Here

It's that time of year again, time to put all of your summer clothes to the back of your wardrobe and dig out the woolly hat, gloves and scarf ready for the daunting season that is Winter. Winter is a love / hate thing for me. Firstly because I hate being cold, I'd much rather be snuggled up in bed watching films with a nice cuppa than dragging myself out of bed for an hour lecture in the cold and rain. Although, I do love hunting around for cosy jumpers, scarves and all things wintery. This year I decided that I needed to invest in a good pair of gloves. And with this in mind, I chose to head to Primark. Yes, I know what you're thinking 'hardly the best quality' but at £3 a pair, I couldn't complain. They had a wide variety to choose from. Some plain, come printed, and others (which are my favourite) with Animals on, so obviously, being the mature 20 year old that I am, I picked the ones with Foxes on. (Not sorry!) 

The next thing that says Winter for me, is a weather proof coat, and nothing says winter more than a coat with a fluffy hood! This one I picked up last year from Internacionale (Kids Section) Yes, the coat in the kids section fits me, be jealous! Im proud to say that this coat has got me through one winter, and I'm hoping it's going to get me through another.

Now... you know it's certainly winter when the Christmas decorations are up. This has to be one of my favourite things about Winter. Although all of the decorations go up early, I love how festive everyone gets, and the mad shopping rush. Although it isn't so fun when you have to work in a retail store and there are mad shoppers everywhere. 

Next up is Bonfire Night. Although I don't enjoy being outside in the cold, I do enjoy getting all snug in my winter warmers and standing outside with a cheeky hot chocolate watching the fireworks. For me, I love how unpredictable the fireworks are. No one knows what to expect, how many will be let off, or what the colour will be like. This year we had a display put on at my University Halls, and I have to say it was pretty impressive. 

Finally, It's all about the dark nails. For me, lighter pastel shades of varnish just don't work in the winter, and I prefer to stick to darker shades such as blues and reds. This year, I'm loving the Burgundy colour. 

What are your favourite things about winter?

Rachel

BarryM | Autumn / Winter Nails

When it comes to winter, I feel that Dark nails are essential. They fit the cold weather perfectly, and as much as a bright summery nail varnish puts you in a good mood, nothing says Winter more than a dark christmassy coloured manicure. Now, firstly my nail varnish obsession is out of control, and by that I mean a huge box of colours that I regularly never wear, just buy with the intention of wearing them because they are pretty, or my usual weakness of glitter. But these 4 that I selected are the perfect winter colours, and will look great day or night. 

The first colour I went for was a Dark green, or as titled 'Watermelon'. I'm not usually a fan of Greens so I thought I would step out of my comfort zone, and try something a little darker than usual. This Varnish goes on smoothly without any little air bubbles (which may I add are a pain in the butt!) I managed to get away with just 1 coat of this, but for a stronger and shinier look 2 would do the trick. I'm still to try out this one a little more, but so far, so good and I can definitely see myself using this one nearer christmas teamed with a dark red for a little Christmas nail art.

The second colour I went for was one I've been hunting around for for a while now. Indigo. I saw this colour on a friend and instantly liked it, although the colour was a shellac, so the finish was a lot shinier than usual, this colour is eye catching, and a great autumn winter varnish. I figured I would wear this colour a lot, as I'm fairly fussy when it comes to nails and outfits. They have to somewhat go together. And being someone who wears a lot of white, black and grey, I figured this colour would look good. Plus teamed with some gold or silver rings, this colour will really stand out. I used 2 coats for this, as it is fairly thin. I also teamed this look with a coat of silver glitter on the top, which looks great. Although glitter varnish is a NIGHTMARE to get off.

Thirdly, a dark shimmery purple caught my eye. I've always been a fan of purple polishes, although I'd never opted for one quite as dark. This colour has a really nice glossy finish and again works great from day to night. I found that this colour shows up more under or in the light, but again is great for a casual wintery look. 

Last but not least, I got drawn back to the blues. This time I chose a shimmery navy colour. With all my reasons being the same as the other blue I got, I figured this colour would be good for when I fancied a different shade, or depending on my mood if I wanted to go a little darker. The only issue I had with this colour is that it really stains your nails when removing it, so I found it best to apply 1 or 2 under coats of clear varnish to prevent staining. Other than that, it is a lovely colour and one I'll find myself wearing a lot through winter.

As always, Barry M never fail to disappoint with their amazing products. I've lost count of how many of their nail varnishes I have now, but can assure you that more will be making their way to my collection very soon.

What are your favourite colours for Autumn / Winter? 

Rachel x

304 CLOTHING | NEW AMBASSADOR

Buying new clothes is definitely a weakness of mine, and I am always on the lookout for new brands, quirky designs and most importantly, affordable items. After browsing through Instagram, I discovered 304#Clothing. It was launched in 2012 by three friends who decided to make handmade vest, and a year later, they are expanding the brand even more. I personally have always been a fan of printed t-shirts, so instantly 304's tees had caught my eye and I wanted every single one from the website, and at affordable prices starting from £20 it was hard to say no! 

Continuing to follow the brand, they began bringing out new pieces, and designs, which I felt were individual, simple, and most definitely caught peoples attention, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on some of the clothes to show off! But little did I know, one simple email to the company would result in them asking me to work alongside them as a ambassador. Brilliant! I was able to wear the clothing, promote the clothing, blog about the brand, and suggest new ideas. Perfect, I jumped at the chance! They had posted on Instagram that they wanted people to join their team, promoting the brand around their University campus, and I thought it would be a great way to get chatting to people, promote the brand, and I also wanted to be involved in the social networking side of things too.

It's an honour to be working alongside the 304# team! I cant wait to get stuck in, and introducing people to the brand! If you haven't yet discovered 304#Clothing then click the link and check out their website! I guarantee you'll be making a cheeky purchase! 

And if you are just too eager to see some of their designs, well, here's a few for you to check out.

304 Top (Front View) £20

Back View 

Real Eyes T-Shirt £20

Happy Shopping

Rachel

304 Clothing Ambassador 

 

LUSH Face Products | Review.

Skin products are forever something I'm willing to get my hands on, which was why when I walked past LUSH the other day, I couldn't resist a cheeky look at some of the new skin care products they had  in store. If like me, you are forever trying to find the perfect face wash / moisturiser and have tried everything under the sun, then you can understand the annoyance of believing in a product and then finding it out it does nothing for your skin at all. Annoying! Which was why I decided to go down a different route of using products with organic and fresh ingredients. 

The first product I came across was 'Ultrablend' Facial cleanser. Firstly it was the colour I found appealing, a soft yellow creamy product. After testing the product in store, I noticed it left my skin amazingly moisturised after using it, and I hadn't yet found a product which had done so before. After my first time properly using it as part of my skin care range, I noticed a difference in my skin. Easily applied with warm water and using your fingers, then gently wiped off with a damp clothe or cotton pad, this cleanser left my skin well nourished. 

The second product I brought, is one I've always been a tad hesitant about. Face masks. This one is called 'The Sacred Truth'. With a mid / dark green colour, it appeared healthy looking, and as I was going for something light, yet effective, I decided to give it a try. Now, I've always been a bit funny when it comes to trying face masks. I love the idea of them, cleansing the skin and getting rid of spots etc, but some of them I find too heavy, or leave my skin itchy after wards. But I was hoping to get on well with this one. 

I have still a lot of time to continuing trying these product and seeing the benefits. But so far so good!

I am beyond satisfied, and cant wait to get back in store and try out some more amazing products. What's your favourite product from the LUSH range?

Rachel

Day In The Life of An ELLE Fashion Assistant

Today at University I was set the task of writing a 250 piece on something of my choice, and the first thing that came to mind was a 'Day in the life of a Fashion Assistant'. The media ad Journalism industry is as fast paced as it comes. Gone are the hour lunch breaks, and you'd be lucky to have 15 minutes sat down browsing your favourite clothing websites. So to all of you aspiring journalists, and most importantly fashion assistants, I thought I'd sum up the typical day in the crazy industry for you. So here goes...

'It's a mad rush; the doors are rammed with staff sipping on their morning coffee, grasping hold of the freshly new ELLE magazine. The magazine departments keep themselves to themselves, all dividing on to their own floors. Heads down in the lift, and little communication. The office i a different environment; It's like a family, a close unit. The desks are placed together, with each department working closely. 

It's obvious I'm a fashion assistant, surrounded by a floor of tissue paper, Christian Louboutin heels and Prada handbags; I feel I'm disturbing the team packaging my items ready to be collected by the designer. The office is loud, amongst the sound of computer keyboards, numerous phone calls, and the annoyance of me wrapping items and unpacking delivery, we're interrupted by yet another delivery. 

The post room man loudly shouts 'Lorraine Candy' in the office, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand, and a Chanel and Gucci bag in the other. Yet another exciting daily delivery for the ELLE editor.  The day continues at a fast pace, I'm stuck doing about three things at once, In between answering emails and phone calls, I have to package items ready to walk over to the location for the shoot. I'm panicked, knowing thousands of pounds worth of designer goods are in my hands, yet it's an honour to know I'm trusted with it. Half an hour later I'm walking the streets of London with two Louis Vuitton suitcases. I feel rather important'. 

This is just a summary of one of the days I experience whilst at ELLE, although every other day there was just as crazy and exciting, not to mention unpredictable. 

Have you worked in the media / journalism industry, and If so, how did you find it?

Rachel

Student Spending.

Since being at university I have come to terms with the fact that the saying 'A girl can never have too many clothes' in completely incorrect unless you are Paris Hilton and have about 15 rooms to put them in then it's a different story. The idea of having many different outfits to wear day and night is great, but realistically, how many pairs of leggings do you need in your life? Lets be honest. Now,  I'm not going to lie, I'm defiantly a fan of a Topshop purchase. Probably not the best place to be shopping on a 'student budget', but somehow I always manage to avoid Primark and magically end up in the more expensive shops. Lets just say budgeting isn't my strongest point. But anyway, back to the point. When packing up my room to go home for the summer, I realised how many clothes I had that I never actually wore. Stupid I know. I'd buy maybe 2 or 3 jumpers at a time, telling myself I'd get lots of wear out of them, and by the end of the year, it seemed I had only lived in 1 of the 3. Ridiculous! If there's one thing I've learnt, (after a big clear out of all the many clothes I have and never wore, or completely forgot about' it's that, half the time, at University, unless your going the extra mile for a night out, is that no one actually pays any attention to what you look like. 

Before coming to my senses and realising I had far too many clothes, half of my problem was that I had far too many, and I didn't think I had enough. It wasn't until I came home and unpacked that I realised that I'd wasted far too much money on clothes that I'd hardly even worn. Silly mistake. 

Lesson learnt, my wardrobe is now cut down to clothes that I love and wear all the time, which is a lot easier to decide on what to wear when I'm in a rush to my 9am lectures. 

 Tips to save money as a student - 

Make Primark your new best friend - it may be known for 'cheap' clothes, but you can buy 3 jumpers for £30 or 1 jumper for £30. Easy decision!

Ask yourself the same question - 'Do I NEED it?' Most likely the answer will be no. And if you choose to buy it, give it a week and you'll wish you saved the money for that extra night out on the town.

If you've seen something in Topshop, chances are the same thing will be in Newlook, River Island and most likely Primark, so try and save yourself that extra £5.

Get wear out of things. It's so easy to get bored of a item of clothing, (I'm guilty of this one) yes, you may of worn the same pair of jeans to uni 3 times in a row, but if you know you have had good wear out of something, you won't feel as guilty when its time to buy a new pair.

Accessorise. A few pieces of jewellery, studs or some sequins can instant change an outfit. So instead of chucking it away or to the back of your wardrobe, think of a few ways to jazz up your top or shirt. Cut off the sleeves, add a few studs to the shoulders, and you have a brand new top. 

Are you guilty of having too many clothes? Does your student loan burn a hole in your pocket? 

Rachel