Monday's Wishlist - Missguided Blouse

I own too many blouses to wear in a lifetime but once again I came across two which are firmly on my wishlist. If there wasn't so many nice clothes out there then I wouldn't have this issue.

OOTD: Bright And Colourful Missguided

It is such a lovely sunny April Sunday morning that I decided to wear an outfit that matched the weather. I can't wait for summer, it is my favourite time of year! Longer days, sunny weekends and more festivals than you can count on your fingers, your friends fingers plus your dogs paws! What's not to love.

Anyway, more importantly, I want to share my love for Missguided. As you may well know, I am a self-confessed internet shopping addict. However, I can put my skills to very good use when my Mum, sisters or friends ask "I can't find navy shoes, they are out of season in the shops and I really need them!" (stressed voice) or "I really want some new clothes but I just don't have time to spend all weekend looking." (fed up voice). I can find anything on line, put me up to the test and challenge me any day!

Last Sunday, my Mum needed something to match her new dress. She thought a pashmina could work however, as we live in Ireland, there is generally an all year round cold air, especially in April, so I suggested a navy jacket. However, navy jackets just aren't in the shops...the bricks and mortar shops but not the online shops! So I had a look through and found the ideal jacket and with explaining the quality of the jacket, 60% Silk, 40% Cotton, it was pretty much fail safe. 4 days later, the jacket arrived and now my Mum is a firm believer in internet shopping!   I am slowly converting the wider society, one jacket at a time.

Now, onto my love for Missguided and I can share my internet savvy shopping techniques another time.

Missguided in it pretty apparel emporium, is the type of site I have a browse through, put loads in my basket, instantly get scared and close the browser!! It is kind of like I am pre-empting buyers' remorse, no matter how pretty the clothes are so I stop myself. I do this with most clothing websites because it is just so easy to buy everything and deal with penniless pockets regrettably.  So after about a year of basket filling and browser closing I decided, today I will make the purchase.

The range of clothes on Missguided remind me of a cross between New Look, ASOS, Topshop and Primark. Everything is on trend and the prices are fantastic. If you haven't had a browse, I'd definitely recommend.

Breya Abstract Print Missguided Dress

Dress: Missguided

Tights: M&S

Boots: ASOS 

Hat: Vintage

OOTD: Vintage Annie & The Mannequins

Ever since I purchased this blouse, I haven't really found my ideal way to wear it. I know exactly what I will wear with it when the weather gets warmer - an ivory coloured topshop skirt. However, as we are experiencing some cool spring weather with an extreme cold air, jeans are the best option.

I bought the blouse from "Annie and the Mannequins". I absolutely love their vintage clothing which you can purchase on their eBay store or ASOS marketplace boutique. It is so light for summer with beautiful floral detail.

The grey marl sweater is from Topshop which I managed to get on sale! I love Topshop sales and I usually buy winter clothes in the summer and stock up! This sweater was more for the winter but as it is still practically winter in terms of heat level, I am still wearing this! Summer, I am still waiting for you! Ok, I know it is still technically Spring but I really love the Summer months. Long evenings, barbeques, trips to the beach (even if it's raining), summer festivals (again, even it it's raining) and last minute holidays!

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BB Cream Review

 

BB creams came on my radar about 5 months ago. I watched a vlog from Lara Stone and had briefly read about it on the blogosphere as a new revolution which became very popular in Asia.
BB is an acronym for "Blemish Balm" and protects the skin from blemishes. I have oily/dry combination skin so I am prone to blemishes. When I have a spot I try to only use a little bit of concealer as foundation only makes it worse, however, BB creams help speed up the length of time the spot exists on my face!

BB creams derive from Germany and were originally created by dermatologist Dr. Christine Schrammek in the 1950s! People used it after surgery apparently and it only really hit the wider retail market in the 80s. You have to love the 80s!

Make up enthusiasts have been buying BB cream in South Korea and Japan since the 1980s and it was endorsed by many Korean actresses.
Over two decades later, and it has finally reached Europe. It has grown incredibly popular and has sold out in many stores.

Garnier

The first BB cream I tested was by Garnier. I opted for the darker tone but I would recommend the lighter tone and you can always use bronzer on top.

It has a lightweight formula with vitamin C and mineral pigments. It feels so light on your skin that you almost feel like you aren't wearing anything other than some moisturiser. It contains SPF15 UV filters so you don't have to worry about harmful rays, keeping your skin youthful for longer. I know being young, you don't really think about your skin in the future (well maybe some day but it's not something I really think about long term until recently). It is so important to take care of it especially in your 20s. Overall, I really liked it as my skin looks covered and bright just like a regular foundation however, not as heavy as most foundations.

Rating: 8/10

No7 BB Cream

The second BB cream I tested was No 7. I love the No 7 range and have tried most of their new "Beautiful Skin" range. It is only £12.95 in Boots, and with the no 7 voucher which Boots kindly distribute regularly, it is a bargain!

This product is especially great for dry skin. If you have dry or combination skin (I am a cross between dry and combination - my skin just can't figure out what it wants to be!) you should give this a go! The No 7 BB cream encompasses a unique 3-in-1 formula which helps to reduce the size of those pimples or "blemishes" so you don't have to worry about clogging up your pores. It works secretly behind the scenes, all the while, you look fresh faced, bright and beautiful.

This product also contains the wonderful power of SPF15 so your skin won't suffer from the effects of harmful rays.

Rating: 10/10

Airport Shopping: The Stuff You "Really" Need

Some people plan a short trip or a long holiday, spend time making the plans and a considerable amount on the actual trip. Other people, do all of the mentioned as well a long list of items to purchase which are perceived to be discounted or a little bit cheaper at the airport. However, that heavily depends on what airport, how far you are traveling (internationally, within Europe or domestic).

Once you have taken the time to write the list, it would be rude not to buy at least half of the items. Or would it? Well if you are as impulsive as me, you will buy as much as you can afford, and maybe more than you should. I tend to suffer from buyers' remorse regularly but it's like I never learn.

Onto the goods....

The Urban Decay Naked Palette which I have wanted for a few months now so I found I was able to justify this purchase. It comprises of an array of colours in bronze, brown, nude, gold, dark grey and almost black. This is my ideal palette as I only wear bronze colours during the day, and I will go for more of a darker smokey eye for a night out. This set comes with a eye shadow primer which helps your eyeshadow to last longer and stay in place. I prefer to apply eyeshadow over my BB cream or foundation rather than before. I know you are risking the possibility of the eyeshadow falling onto your face but with this palette I haven't encountered that problem.

 
Nina Ricci "Fantasy" Limited edition. This is incredible for during the day and has a refreshing floral scent.

NARS Laguna Bronzer. This is my favourite bronzer and I stock up on this when I see a good offer. I saved a little on this Airport buy but if I didn't run out a day before I would have just purchased this in store.

Umberto Gianni Dry Shampoo. I can't live without this. It smells so much nicer than Batiste, even though I like Batiste, I have definitely converted and it is incredibly difficult to switch back. I keep Batiste on hold for emergencies in case I run out!

Vichy 3-in-one Cleanser. I am a sucker for anything that saves time on taking off my make-up. But wipes dry out my skin so I need to use a good quality cleanser. Apply with a cotton wool pad and it takes off all of your make up as well as your eye make up. It is a time saver but doesn't dry out your skin. My skin is combination, a mix of oily and dry. So I am prone to the odd spot here and there but I can also get really dry skin so a good moisturiser is essential.

 

What are your main airport purchases?

Vintage Blouse From Annie And The Mannequins

 

Annie And The Mannequins is a small online boutique who sell their amazing vintage collection on eBay and on the ASOS Marketplace. What I love most about vintage is, no one else has the same thing! This is part deux of my shopping spree that arrived in a pretty package yesterday.

The blouse has a silk feel but 100% polyester and it is cream in colour covered in small red polka dots. I wore this with skinny blue jeans but I can imagine back in the 80's this was worn with a very long skirt. I would feel as though the outfit swallowed me up if I wore this with a long skirt! I am slowly starting to build my collection of vintage clothing from Chanel-esque jackets (can't quite afford the real Chanel) to blouses and silk scarves. It is unbelievable how many beautiful silk scarves which can be found in many vintage shops. 

I mentioned it before but I have to recommend, once again, Rockit, in Covent Garden which stocks a huge selection of silk scarves and I can't buy enough!

In "le Marais" district of Paris I found some amazing vintage shops but I didn't have as much time I would have liked to browse through the rails. I was on a mission to see every tourist attraction as it was my first time in Paris, however, next time I will focus on the vintage shops!