Best Beauty Brand of 2013

As all hard working women know, it can often be difficult to find a make that will last all day. By biggest issue is the effect that make up leaves after it has begun to fade; scaly, dry and overall unattractive.  So I have been searching for products and tips which can improve the length of my make up since I began to wearing it. During this time I have tried and tested almost every make up brand in the form of foundations, powders, bronzers, lipsticks or eye beauty, which could not only go the distance but have the consistency to continue to give me the look that made me fall in love with a brand.

One day while browsing in Penney's I decided to have a look at the beauty counter which is usually just by the till, primarily Catrice, Essence and NYC products.  Now I love buying new make products and I especially love a bargain so this was the perfect combination. The first brand that I starting picking up products was Catrice and I think on that first day I bought eyeliner, mascara, foundation and an eye shadow, and the best part was the total was around 10 Euro. Not only did I love the price but I went on to love the products.

I started using the "matte mousse" first and loved the results. It gives great results for a flawless effect and lasted longer than most foundations for a reasonable 4.50 Euro, although I think the price may be slightly higher these days. I no longer use this product because I found after time I realized this was not the best foundation for my skin type (combination). My skin feels its best when using "matte" foundations so I now use Clinque "Stay Matte" and the results are amazing. Also with this Catrice foundation it only lasts for about 2-3 weeks which can be irritating having to constantly go in and buy more! The eye shadows are also extremely great value and the brand offer a vast range of colours and tones to choose from.

But it was the following product which was the clear winner for me; Catrice Prime and Fine Smoothing Refiner. I had previously used Smashbox Primer as it is suppose to have the best results but I wasn't sold. It was alright but it was definitely not worth the money and didn't have that much of an impact on my make up so I couldn't understand the obsession and it mad be reluctant to try primers again. But I did! This primer not only kept my make up on ALL day but it retained that smooth, just applied look also. It is by far my favorite beauty find of 2013. 

The brands lip liners are also very effective. As a newbie to the lip liner world I dare not compare it to the effects of larger brands products but it converted me. My grads was a few months ago and it was my first experience using it with lip stick. I went for the nude effect and was very impressed with the  results; long lasting and beautiful natural tones. 

So there you have it, another year and another beauty discovery. Let me know if any of you are using any of Catrices products and what you think of them.

Love C X 

All I want for Christmas.......

So I've decided to put together a little list of gifts/gift ideas that could make good presents for sisters, girlfriends, friends, secret Santa and also things that I would love to receive, so it's a mix of both really. This is purely based on my personal taste but it may give you an idea of what to get someone if you are struggling to think of something.


1. Etsy Phone Cover 

Over the past few months I have discovered Etsy, which basically is an online platform for really creative people to sell pieces that they have made or designed such as jewellery, clothes, personalised blogger templates and phone covers, just to name a few (there's much more). But as someone who loves a good phone cover I always find that etsy.com by far have the most original designs and completely unique from anything that you will find in any Carphone Warehouse shop. Also they are priced higher than your average phone cover but this is because they are one of a kind hand made gifts, and still reasonable to justify paying the premium. Below are some of the phone covers that I love which can be found by clicking into the Etsy link above.

2. Fur Gillet

For the winter it is essential to wrap up because it seems to be getting colder each year. So fur is the obvious choice, yes? And now I am mad about the idea of a fur gillet and was absolutely delighted to find this amazing one in my local Promod, and I wasn't even aware of this shop until recently. When I buy from the high street I usually try and stick to a specific budget and this would normally be out of my budget so I'm really hoping that if I drop enough subtle hints that it may just appear under my tree on the 25th........

3. Free People 

This next idea is inspired by a website called freepeople.com, which is an online fashion boutique based in Australia. I love this place because every thing they sell is bohemian themed and if I could afford it I would literally buy the whole website, but I can't! So for the minute I have just hand picked my favourite bits.

Khaki Vest $13

Denim Waistcoat $170

Beige Denims $22

Tan Ankle boots $145

Black Soft Leather Satchel $465 

All can be purchased at freepeople.com

4. Instagram Gifts

Instagram is fast becoming one of the most popular platforms for social media addicts. Personalli I cant get enough of it (@cicijewels) and think that these personalised gifts centred around photos that have been posted by your friends are a really nice and thoughtful gift. The following are just a few ways that you can create a really special gift for someone.

 StitchGram
This site allows you to personalise gifts such as pillows, christmas stockings, bags and purses.

Printstagr

These guys can professioanl print your instagram pictures and put it together like a book/memoir so you can remember those special moments long after your post has been published. 

Postgram

So if you have at least 50 images on your instagram account these guys can create a stunning poster similar to the one below. 

5. MAC Eyeshadow Palette 


AS I've stated previously, during the winter months I prefer to go darker and edgier with eye make up (even during the day), so I am always on the look out for colours that  1) I haven't used before or 2) that I haven't used in awhile. Right now I am searching for deep purple tones with a glitter underlay. It is also a common fact that investing in eye shadow palettes is definitely the way to go because of the variety of colours, tones and endless experimenting.  MAC offer a great palette containing four base eye shadows (of your choice) for 40 Euro. This is amazing value and will definitely make nay girl happy.

6. Downton Abbey Season 4 

If any of you follow me on twitter (@cicijewels) you will already know that I am OBSESSED with this series. Last Christmas I got the boxset with series 1, 2 and 3, and spent the rest of the month gripped by Lady Mary, The Crawleys and the waiting staff. If you haven't seen any of it, invest! And if you have I would say pick up season 4 because it doesn't disappoint.

7. MAC Lipstick and Liner 




So instead of picking obvious colours for my next lipstick purchase I decided to be a little bit more adventurous and I am going with brown! Normally I would not even think twice about this but while sampling various shades at the MAC counter, I really surprised myself at how much I warmed to the earthy tones. I finally settled on a tone : Lusturing  Lipstick  and Film Noir Lip Liner to match. A great fresh look for the party season which will be sure to grab some attention!



So that's it! My list is short but sweet and if I could have it all I would be a very happy girl :) Wishful thinking........

Hope you found this interesting/helpful.

Love C X 

Full Tweed Ahead

In my last post I spoke about Tartan and how each season the infamous print reappears throughout stores, magazines and editorials on a global level (Clash of the Tartans). Another vintage rebirth has taken place with the explosion of Granny Chic, reinforcing tweed as "back with a bang". Winter 2013 invites another dimension to the classic look with the "berry" approach. Warm and rich tones are a given in the harsher crisp months and this subconsciously forces us to to reach for red, olive and maroon shades. 

It wasn't until I sat down to write this post that I realised how much tweed I have actually bought over the past few weeks (particularly in grey); two coats, shoes, bag and dress. Most of these items are from Penneys/Primark purely because of its incredible value and the stock has significantly improved over the years. Some items are practically identical to stock in shops such as River Island, Warehouse, Topshop, and at just a fraction of the price. If you are going to invest in any tweed piece this winter I would recommend a coat, I did and I am so happy that I did. I got mine from Penneys for 25 Euro and is featured below. Another beautiful tweed coat that I would recommend is from Oasis, also featured below and priced at 79 Euro.

The best thing about investing in tweed staples is that they are items which can be worn repeatedly over the next few years. I'm obsessing over this look at the minute and keep an eye on my Instagram account for images of my latest tweed pieces @CiCiJewels .

 

Love C X 

Roll Up, Roll Up......

It's always this time of the year that I get obsessed with the weather. Autumn is without a doubt my favourite season. The dark evenings, crisp air and smothering fog, all contribute to my love for October. Another reason is the fact that I now get to break out some chunky knit! As much as I love warm summer evenings, maxi skirts and denim shorts, there is nothing quiet like the feeling of cosiness when you have a thick jumper on, sitting by the fire, drinking some tea and wathcing a movie (I have been doing this a lot lately). But today I am here to speak of my new craze which is over the knee knit socks. I have had a grey pair which have been sitting in my wardrobe for years, and it is only in the recent weeks that I have actually used them, and now I am hooked. 

Mine were bought in the River Island sale about two christmases ago, and thankfully the shop still stock them at this time of the year. Dark winter colours such as ruby, brown, black and olive green are all on my wishlist of styles to pick up. So far I have only managed to tick off grey, but this has increased my passion for socks in general (I never thought I would say that phrase!). Working in River Island means that I know alot of the stock like the back of my hand, and at the minute there are amazingly designed socks that I just cannot get enough of. These days I tend to wear boots all the time and my socks seem to poke out of the top of my shoes, so I may as well invest in nice ones. Thankfully, the socks from River Island are 3 pairs for 9euro.

All above socks are available from River Island 

The above "Over The Knee" Socks are avilable form River Island 

Topshop also have some great stocks available from what I could see online, but I am not too sure what stock is available in the shop. Although I am really just describing this as a lounge look for the house, I also really like the idea of wearing over tights, now that it is getting really cold as well. 

I am absolutely trying this look over the coming weeks and I'll make sure to instagram pictures (@cicijewels) so keep an eye out! 

Love C X 

Ooh, you're making me blush

So here we are, another season and another "it" colour that will be taking up all of our wardrobes. Last year saw the significant popularity of Burgundy/ruby/maroon. I must admit, I am a serious fan of that colour so I splashed out big time, and my pocket definitely felt the burn! So I was curious to know what the big colour would be this winter, and various sources have claimed that the next big trend is all in the form of red!! Now, speaking from a personal point of view, red is not a colour that I would be in a hurry to put on! Therefore I will subtly be embracing, mainly through forms of accessories and jewels. Today's post is all about how you can embrace this colour, even if (like me) you do not want over kill.

When it comes to red clothes, I have always been a fan of coloured skinny jeans. I will definitely be breaking my pair out again and if you don't have a pair already I highly recommend Warehouse because they stay in good fitting condition for so long that they are worth every penny. The red skinny jean and the leopard coat is very east London hipster style but that's why I love it! If you want to be edgier with your style this is the perfect way to create that. A subtle red blazer/cardi/pullover under your winter coat is also another way to embrace the trend. I really love the one featured in the image above and will hunt the shops for something similar, and of course will let you know when I find one! 

A simple and easy way to add red into your style this winter is by wearing a chunky knit scarf! The one in the image above is amazing and something very similar is available in Pennys and will not the cost more than E6. If you want a guide on where to buy a red hat for the winter months, check out this post I did Hang on to your Hat! 

A red lip has been a classic look for years now, and is probably something that I would do anyway even if it wasn't cool anymore, but thankfully this season it still is! I experiment quiet a bit with all different make up brands and I have to say that MAC lip sticks are one of the best around but when it comes to shades it really is the best one for your skin tone and shading. I always ask the make up artists for advice because they know best and thankfully the girls at my local counter are so nice! 

Again, as I am sure you all know at this stage, jewels are my thing! As I come across amazing jewellery I will inform you guys but for the moment these are my fashion statements in the form of red! Let me know what you think :) 

Love C X