Another Girl In Another Pair Of Timberlands OOTD

Hi guys! 

Since I'm on my Christmas holidays, I actually have plenty of time to blog...so I thought I'd do an 'outfit of the day' since I haven't done one since April?! How bad is that?! 

I've noticed that recently all my weekend outfits have been all black or close enough so this one follows tradition :) 

Everything I'm wearing here (except for the vest top), I bought in the last two weeks and the Timberlands were a Christmas present. I know almost everyone has a pair, which effectively makes me a fashion sheep, but the heart wants what the heart wants and I'm extremely happy to have them. Also I should mention how comfortable they are! I wasn't expecting it at all but they really feel like I'm wearing Air Max's.

I've written down everything I'm wearing below the pics.

1) Black square quilted faux fur collar jacket from River Island - £45

This was love at first sight. Although it's described as a jacket, I would definitely say it's more of a cardigan as it's quite thin. However, if you wear a cardigan or thick jumper inside it's definitely ok for this mild weather.

2) Black vest from Topshop 

 I've had this for about 5 years and the fact that I'm still able to wear it says a lot about the quality I guess. I definitely recommend their basic wear.

3) Black high waisted leggings from River Island - £20

I can't find a link for them on the website but I got them from the Oxford St store if you're interested. I love that these are so comfortable yet still add a little something extra to an outfit. I'd say to get them a size smaller because I got these in my size and they won't stop falling down lol.

4) Timberland Nellie Chukka Double Waterproof Boot Wheat Nubuck from Office -£110

I'm in love with these so far, and what I love even more is that they're waterproof (since I'm always the stupid girl who wears expensive footwear on rainy days lol). It's like these were made for me!

Hope you enjoyed this post. Feel free to leave any comments below! :) 

Review: MAC Lipstick in 'Taupe'

Hi guys! 

So a couple of months ago I went to MAC in search of a new nude lipstick and came out with 'Taupe'. As some of you may already know, I've had a nude MAC lipstick before (Honeylove). While I loved it, I also found it hard to wear without lots of lipliner or a lipgloss on top, I think it was just a touch too light for me.

When I first swatched 'Taupe' I was quite dubious since it seemed to have very strong pink undertones. While this is true, once on my lips it definitely comes off more brown than pink. Although it is matte, it is very moisturising and I rarely have the problem of my lips peeling while wearing it. The colour melts right into my skin and it's literally one of those 'your natural skin colour but better' shades. I've hardly worn any other lipsticks since I've bought this and I'd definitely recommend this for all those with medium to dark skin tones.

(Pics of me taken with camera phone since not a single family member would take them for me lol)

Hope you enjoyed reading!

Jade xXx

Review: Coastal Scents Camouflage Concealer Palette

Hi guys!

So I know it's been a while but it's just so hard to blog in the winter for me! By the time I get home from work it's pitch black and I haven't had a free weekend for at least a month and a half. But this weekend I put my foot down and decided to make the time to take a couple of photos.

So I'm finally ready to do this review of the Coastal Scents Camouflage Palette, which is a palette of 10 concealers of varying shades. I've always found concealer a bit tricky as I need quite a few shades...one for under my eyes, one for my eyebrows etc. I had seen quite a few beauty bloggers use this palette before and decided to give it a go.

Pros

- I love the range of shades! There's something for my under eye highlight, my eyebrow highlight, cheek contouring etc. 

- The palette format also makes it easy for me to mix shades, creating the perfect colour for me.

- It has a really creamy, light consistency which melts and blends right into the skin.

- Great coverage

- Nice simple packaging making it easy to transport.

Cons

- Range of shades seem great if you have my complexion. However if you were much lighter you probably couldn't get much use from a few of these colours.

- I used this with the Ben Nye Banana Powder to set it, but it did settle into the lines under my eyes causing cracks...which I hate! I had to use my MAC blotting powder to sort it out, however I will try the concealer without the Ben Nye powder to see which product I can blame this on. I'll get back to you.

- UPDATE: Tested it without the Banana Powder and used my Maybelline Fit Me powder instead and it didn't crack at all :)

- I found it hard to pick up with my brush so may use my fingers or a beauty blender in the future.

Conclusion

For roughly £20 I think this is a great addition to anyones make up bags...especially if you're into contouring. While there are disadvantages, the advantages more than make up for them and I can see this becoming a staple part of my make up routine! 

I bought it here

Hope you enjoyed this review and feel free to leave any comments below! :) 

That Time I Bought The Lipbalm Shaped Like An Egg.

Hi guys!

I'm back to seriously blogging again, and I thought I'd start it off with something nice and simple...a review of EOS lip balm! I'd seen it around for ages (well I'd seen Kim Kardashian use it), but then I kind of forgot about it, assuming that it was only available in the US. Now I'm kind of ashamed to say that it took Miley Cyrus using it in her 'We Can't Stop' video for me to be reminded of it and I decided to have a look for and eventually purchase it. I guess we all fall for the marketing sometimes lol.

EOS stands for 'Evolution of Smooth'. It comes in 7 flavours/scents, but I chose to go for 'Summer Fruits' which is described as being 'an all natural lip balm that's bursting with moisture and the refreshing flavours of strawberry, blueberry and peach.' I bought mine here.

See review below pictures :) 

So what do I love about this? First of all...it smells DIVINE. I can only vouch for the one I have, but the smell is so lovely and sweet, I can still smell it on my lips around half an hour after I've applied it. I also like that if I happen to lick my lips I don't taste anything too overpowering. It keeps my lips soft for hours and is really easy to apply. I would say that this is great for applying underneath lipsticks, especially matte ones like 'Ruby Woo' which tend to make the lips really dry.

However, there are some cons. I prefer lip balms that give some sort of sheen to the lip (kind of like Vaseline), this one doesn't have that and still makes me want to apply something glossy on top lol. In addition, because of the shape, it's not too easy to store in the pockets of your jeans (or if you're like me, down your bra lol).

So in conclusion, this is a lovely lipbalm which makes a wonderful addition to my collection. However, I'm not sure if it's worth the £6.45 I paid for it. If they were to change the price I'd definitely be a believer.

Erm...how embarrassing is it that I typed belieber instead of believer at first lol

Thanks for reading!

x

Hello Halloween?

Hey guys! 

SO I don't celebrate Halloween, and can't really say I've ever done anything for it at all (blame my parents for never allowing me to go Trick or Treating lol). However, I did get extremely bored at home yesterday and decided to create a 'Halloween look'. I tried to go a bit overboard with my application so that it would really stand out. But when I took the pics (All in natural light) I soon realised that I didn't go far enough. I might try it again later...if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can make this more extreme, please let me know! :)

List of products used below the pics. 

Face:

MAC Matchmaster foundation in shade 7.5 and Maybelline FIT ME concealer in shade 35. I love this for under my eyes. It's really helps to cover up my bags.

Eyebrows:

 I use Rimmel's Eyebrow Pencil in 'Dark Brown'. It's not that amazing but it does its job. I still much prefer MACs eyebrow pencils.

Eyes:

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in 'Black Bean' which is a great base when doing dark eyes. It really helps to get a deep colour on the eyelid. From the 'Au Natural' Sleek Eyeshadow Palette I used 'Noir' for my lids and 'Taupe' for the corners. I also used my Benefit 'They're Real' mascara...although I do wish I also had some dramatic fake lashes to use.

Cheeks:

Sleek Contour powder in 'Medium' (my favourite thing in life) and Sleek Blusher in 'Life's a Peach'.

Lips:

MACs Rebel. I'm not a huge fan of this lipstick anymore and hardly ever wear it, so I thought I'd give it some use for the first time in months lol.

Hope you like the look! :) 

Review: MAC Matchmaster Foundation

Forgive me MAC, for I have sinned.

So a couple of years ago I renounced all MAC foundations after I had a TERRIBLE experience with their Mineralize foundation. But after discovering their Matchmaster foundation, I can't believe that I wasted my time on anything else!

Matchmaster retails for £27 and comes in 13 different shades...which to be honest doesn't sound like a lot. Maybe I'm just really fortunate to have found my exact shade. I tried shade 8.0 at first which was a touch too dark. I then tried shade 7.5 which melted into my skin straight away with minimal blending. MAC describes this as being a medium coverage foundation, that easily adjusts to your skin tone with a demi-matte finish. And I have to say that after months of searching for the perfect light foundation for oily skin, I have found a winner.

Review after the pics!

So...here we go! If you have oily/combination skin like me, this is one of the best foundations you could ever buy. I usually find myself having to use my MAC blotting powder at least three times a day in order to keep my shiny face under control. However, when using Matchmaster I used it once, and that was really just for my nose. It really does do what it says on the tin. It's super easy to apply ( I use my Real Techniques foundation brush) and dries really quickly. It doesn't need really any blending at all and left my skin looking really natural. When I touched my face hardly any came off on my fingers (which is a pet peeve of mine). The only thing that some people may not like about this finish is that it's pretty matte, so if you like a dewy finish then stay well clear. I also love that it's a pump bottle and only a little comes out a time. I use two small pumps which is definitely enough for the whole face. The only other thing that I can say it that I'm in lust with this foundation and go pick up your samples now! lol

If you want to ask anything I haven't covered in this post, then just leave your comments below!

xXx

Jay Z Made Me Do It.

Hi guys!

So I'm not a big fan of indoctrination, but once again I found myself falling foul to simple marketing techniques. I'm guessing that most of you know the Jay Z song 'Tom Ford'? Well it's my favourite song on the MCHG album, and in addition to that, I ended up seeing him twice in concert two weeks ago (mad I know). So it came as no surprise to me that when I needed to buy a new perfume, Tom Ford was the first to pop into my head.

I'd heard so much about the 'Black Orchid' scent, so I was really disappointed when I tried it and it was horrible! It was the spiciest scent I had ever tried, it really was like inhaling a handful of cinnamon and paprika etc. So thank God, that on the shelf just beneath lay Tom Ford 'White Patchouli' in it's pretty white and gold bottle. It was lust at first sight.

Review below pictures :)

So 'White Patchouli' is a floral scented perfume, but not like one you've ever smelt before. Every time you take another sniff, another scent is picked up, whether it be the Rose Absolute or the Night Blooming Jasmine. It's so sophisticated and all my other perfumes seem sickly sweet in comparison. You know when you smell someone, and you know that they've just sprayed some perfume? Well this is strong yet subtle and fresh, almost as if it was enhancing someones natural fragrance. It's not overpowering so you could wear this as a day and night scent. And...it lasts on the skin FOR AGES.

While it's quite expensive at £68 for a 50ml bottle (which is the most I have ever spent on a perfume)...it is most definitely worth every penny. Give it a smell and let me know what you think. Definitely try it on you skin as it smelt completely different there than when I sprayed it onto one of their sample cards.

:) 

10 Facts About Moi!

Hi guys!

It's been quite a long time :( I've been so busy with my phone cases that I've kinda neglected blogging...but not anymore! So I thought I would ease myself back in with a little 'getting to know me' post since I don't know if I've ever really mentioned much about myself? 

So here goes!

1. My name's Jade, but I've never really liked it. It's such a common name and I've always wanted something more rare or exotic. I think it's due to this that I have around 1000 nicknames and when someone calls me Jade I find it kind of strange. Variations include: Jadeybaby, Jadsey, Tucker, Tucks, JJ, or my very favourite 'Jade Honey Boo Boo Child'. Thanks sis. 

2. I'm 22 (23 tomorrow) and I seem to have this irrational fear of getting old. Somehow, in my mind 23 is ancient and it seems like my ovaries are screaming at me to have babies and my fingers are itching for diamond engagement rings LOL. Yet I know I'm completely not ready for all of this...damn you fairytales and stereotypes!

3. I graduated in 2011 with a 2:1 in American Studies, which is basically a combined degree of American History and Literature. I enjoyed every second of it, getting to study modules such as 'American Violence', 'Race & Racism', and an abundance of F.Scott Fitzgerald novels. However, what I didn't enjoy so much was the constant repetition of that fateful question..."Oh! American Studies? What are you going to do with that?!" Um, I don't know, get a job and be successful like the rest of you? lol

4. I'm currently working as a teaching assistant in a secondary school and loving every second of it. However, due to my age I have been mistaken for a sixth former by students, teachers and visitors alike. I guess I should take it as a compliment right?

5. I'm allergic to nuts, so I find it EXTREMELY annoying when people know this and then still decide to open up a bar of snickers and chomp down on it right next to me. I think they might secretly be trying to kill me lol. 

6. I have extreme obsessions with David Beckham and Robin Thicke. I wish I could just put them in a cage and stare at them all day.

7. I am really, really bad with money. I spend like a king and it seems like saving is just not in my blood. I guess because I'm still living at home it's pretty easy for me to survive like this. But I know one day the puppy dog eyes will no longer work on my parents and it's all going to catch up with me. Maybe I'll have won the lottery by then? 

8. I still haven't learnt to drive, which is pretty ridiculous for someone who hates taking public transport lol. I tried learning in my mums car, but it's pretty difficult trying to steer a seven seater. I know I definitely need to learn soon though...anyone know any good companies?

9. I was born in Hackney, but I'm half Jamaican and half Trinidadian. Apart from enjoying the food and music, I can't really say that I'm in touch with the culture and I still haven't visited either country which is kind of embarrassing. I know so many people who were born here who can still speak patois and seem to know so much about the culture and I get quite jealous sometimes. 

10. One of my dreams is to become a MUA and if I ever manage to save enough money to get some training that's what you'll catch me doing in the future! 

I hope you enjoyed reading this! I was meant to have 20 facts but found it really hard to even create 10 lol. 

Product Review: MAC Blot Powder

Hi guys! 

Just like I promised, here's the full review to MAC's Blot powder which has been saving my life for the past couple of weeks.

(Review below pictures)

MAC Blot Powder in 'Deep Dark'

Well...where to start?!

MAC's Blot Powder retails for £20 and is worth every penny. The sales advisor recommended that I buy it in 'Deep Dark' which is the darkest shade it comes in, so I got a bit worried, considering that I don't wear their darkest shade of foundation. However, there was nothing to worry about since the powder actually doesn't really leave any colour on your face at all. In fact, it's so finely milled that you can't see any powder on your face at all. I use it in the morning to set my foundation and I also use it to get rid of the oil on my t zone a couple of times during the day. Like I just mentioned, what I love the most about it, is that there's no cakey build up and it doesn't change the colour or texture of my make up. It also doesn't leave me with a completely matte face, which is amazing because I still like to have a little bit of a 'glow' to my face. A little bit goes a long way and I suggest that you apply it with a powder brush and not the puff that comes with it. The main reason being that when I used the the puff, it was hard to control the amount I was using, whereas the brush allows me to apply it really lightly and naturally. All in all, I would say this is a must have product for those with oily skin and this has most definitely become a staple part of my make up bag for years to come! I think I've covered everything, but if you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

Introducing Jerome Thomas!

Hi guys!

I know this is a beauty/fashion blog but recently I've come across a singer called Jerome Thomas on YouTube and I completely fell in love with his voice! And since I also seem to be having all the luck lately, I also managed to score a little interview with him....and I have to say he's pretty amazing. He's got the kind of voice that grabs you at the first opportunity and I can see him making it very far!

Before I get into the interview, have a listen to a couple of his songs so you can see what I'm talking about!

New single 'Monday Morning Blues'

This contains footage from Jerome's latest photo shoot!

'Return Train Home'

Also lets have a massive round of applause for what he's wearing in these pics. OBSESSED. 

 When did you first discover you had musical talent?

Pretty young, probably around 8 or 9

     Who are your musical influences?

I listen to so many types of music its hard to pick just a few, but I love music and artists that challenge the norm. 

 How would you describe your sound?

FOE, Fusion of everything, freedom of expression.

How did you first get involved with music?

I think it was a kids summer program, my mum sent me there one summer, and that was it, but my uncle used to always get me to make up little hooks for as long as I can remember

 You have a band called the Soul Notes how did that come about?

I was at uni, and I was writing a lot, got a bit tired of just writing to a backing track, I wanted to get back into performing again, and having a band would force me to write in a different way, plus at the time I was trying to find my sound and the rnb pop I was trying to do at the time was beginning to jar me, I needed some real music, so I went to a jazz band night that my uni was having, that's where I found my keyboard player, and that was the beginning. 

What was it like the first time you performed live?

I wanted to die, I was crazy nervous, think I was 11 and it was a kids open mic and I sang one of my own songs, I hope nobody was filming that.

You also have your own brand called F.O.E can you tell us a bit about that?

Foe stands for fusion of everything/ freedom of expression, it represents no boxes or boundaries, the freedom to step outside the lines and be individual.

 Where can we purchase F.O.E from?

Currently all updates are on instagram @foetagram and we take orders at foethings@gmail.com

What are your plans for the future?

New Music, hard grafting and World domination! Get it in there!

 Which artist (that is active in the industry right now) would you love to duet with?

Kimbra, she's a genius, would love to see how she works

I just want to say a massive thanks to Jerome for the interview and here's wishing him all the luck in the world for his music career!

New Mac And A Bit Of Tack.

Hey guys!

So after the past few days I've been shopping and kind of bankrupted myself. But what hurts more than the fact that I'm now extremely broke, is the fact that everything I bought was to wear at work :( Since I work in a school most of the stuff I wear is extremely boring so I won't bother showing you all that...but I will show you the couple of things I got that weren't work related. 

First up is...

MAC Blot Powder (Pressed) in 'Deep Dark' - £20

Since Spring has finally sort of started, my oily face has tumbled out of control. It actually got so shiny that people started to use my skin as a reflective surface in which they would use to reapply their lipstick. I joke. But anyway, I went into MAC looking for some sort of powder to keep it at bay. I thought I would need a translucent powder but the sales assistant recommended that I try the blot powder and tried some on my face. I'm not going to do a review of it right now since I've only worn it twice, but from what I can see right now it's pretty amazing. It completely changed the look of my face and kept the oil away for hours. I used it to set my foundation in the morning and hardly needed to reapply during the day. The only thing I would say is that I wouldn't use the puff they give you to apply it...it leaves quite a heavy/cakey look. Use a powder brush instead for more natural looking results.

I also bought...

ASOS Horse Detail Purse - £7.50 (sale)

So this may very well be the tackiest thing EVER and that's why I like it. It's red, it's faux gold, faux leather...but instead of being sick I just had the biggest grin on my face when I first saw it. I don't even particularly like horses but I'm in love with his. It's also the first non-River Island purse I've had in around 5 years so it makes a really nice change. Please don't judge me lol

Hope you enjoyed reading!