Summer Holiday Nails: Red Carpet Gel Manicure Review

Once in a blue moon I treat myself to a manicure, sometimes it is nice to indulge yourself and have someone else do it for you. But I must admit I am never quite satisfied and often think I could have done a better job if I had done it myself. I love the glossy look of Shellac and Gelish nails, there is something so refined and polished about it, it can pull an outfit together. So when I decided to invest in an at home kit I was pretty torn between which to get. Although Shellac is great I didn’t like the idea of sicking my hand under a sun bed twice a week - especially as my skin is the colour of sour milk.

Then as if fate had made my decision, ASOS had a flash sale on their beauty products and the Red Carpet Manicure System caught my eye. I purchased it, along with three extra colours and hotly anticipated its arrival.

Free: Red Carpet 

Simply Adorable 

Paparazzied

Tinsel Town

What they say: A home version of the popular professional gel manicure available in salons. It uses the same technology and each layer is ‘cured’ under an LED lamp in as little as 30seconds. Once you have finished the application the nails will be dry and you can get on with your day.

107 Simply Adorable 

107 Simply Adorable

What I say: I decided on the colour 107 Simply Adorable. I wanted quite a neutral colour as I was going to Royal Ascot (read here) and my dress was quite bright.

The application is very quick and each stage is easy to apply. Some of the lighter colours I felt I needed to apply three coats rather than the recommended two because the colour was so thin you could see the nail underneath. But once I had cured the nails and finished with the top coat I was really chuffed with the results. Even the pale colours were vibrant and glossy with a really lovely shine. So many people have asked me about them and if I did it myself. What is really fantastic is the longevity of the polish; I can easily go two weeks without a single chip! My negative thought for this product is the price. I know that you are saving the money you would have spent getting a professional manicure, but each tiny bottle of product is nearly £13.00 each! And the kit full price will set you back a cool £90.00! On the other hand that is less than 5 months of manicures.

Final thought is that I can’t rave about this product enough. I am so pleased I invested in the kit and I can’t wait to buy some more colours for summer! 

Red Carpet Manicure Starter Kit, RRP £90.00

Have you tried Red Carpet Manicures?

Stay beautiful! 

xoxo

p.s don't forget to follow me on Blogloving

A Day at the Races: Royal Ascot 2014

The sun was shining, the fizz was on ice and ladies in their best dress, men donning top hats all packed onto busy trains for a day at the Royal Ascot races.

This year was my first time at Royal Ascot and the anticipation and excitement meant I had sorted my outfit over a month in advance. Unfortunately, buying it from a large online retailer meant I saw many other girls tottering around in my dress. I would like to think I wore it better ;). 

Fascinator: Accessorize

Dress: Miss Guided

Shoes: Dorothy Perkins

If you are thinking of going next year I really can’t recommend it enough, especially on a wonderfully sunny day with a group of friends. We took a little picnic, of which I had one sandwich – possibly why I was a little worse for wear by 4pm! But if, like me, you drink your fizz supply dry there is a very reasonable bottle of Prosecco offered at the Ascot bar for a reasonable £20.00. Over all it was fantastic and a great excuse to get all dressed up and a reason to wear a fascinator! 

Did you go to Royal Ascot this year?

Stay beautiful!
xoxo

p.s don't forget to follow me on Blogloving

Blogger Crush: Company Magazine #StyleBloggerAwards 2014

Having a girl crush moment……

Having lived in the world of beauty for such a long time I have sort of been living under a rock when it comes to fashion, until Wednesday. Myself and fellow blogger Alisha Magic were lucky enough to be invited to the Company Magazine Style Blogger Awards 2014 at The Oval in East London to recognise and award the best in the industry. 

It started off as a bit of a nightmare as the Central line was suspended and Alisha was stranded in commuter hell, I was relaxing in a park soaking up the sun mwhaha! I decided to head along to the awards on my own and check it out. While I waited I propped up the bar with some delicious Pinky Vodka cocktails and dished out awkward smiles to the other party people. I even got my hair sorted buy a fabulous Lee Stafford stylist who wanted to give me a rocky edge, fairly difficult with my very fine hair. When Alisha finally arrived we threw some interesting looking shapes on the dance floor, ate some gluten free Heck sausages and drank some head spinningly strong Koperberg vodka cocktails – flirting with the bar staff gets you triple measures ;)! 

What I wore:
Top - Zara
Trousers - Zara
Shoes - Dorothy Perkins
Bag - Mulberry
Lip Stick - Joan Collins Timeless Beauty in Fontaine

Music was provided by the fabulous Zoe London, one of the nicest girls, and we chatted to Kayla Hadlingtion , Leanne Woodfull and Scott Emery for most of the night. I have to say that these two made my night and I now have a big old girl crush, check out their blogs! Sadly by the time we left there were no goody bags left, which is a shame seeing as we provided a lot of entertainment with our on stage dancing and toilet selfies - keep scrolling to see what I got up to.

(disclaimer - very drunk faces and blurry selfies, got to be done..)

What I didn’t expect from the night was that I would meet such a lovely bunch of down to earth and genuinely friendly people that I had THE best night with. I am so proud to be a part of an industry that celebrates talent and recognises creativity in such an incredible way.

So, who won what! 

Congratulations girls and boy on your well deserved titles! 

BEST DESIGNED BLOG - What Olivia Did
www.whatoliviadid.com

BEST PERSONAL STYLE BLOG - In the Frow
www.inthefrow.com

BEST FASHION BLOG - Melon Lady
www.melonlady.com

BEST PERSONAL STYLE BLOG - Lydia Rose

www.lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk

BEST BLOGGING DUO - London's Closet
www.londons-closet.com

BEST INTERNATIONAL BLOG - Thunder and Threads
www.thunderandthreads.blogspot.co.uk

BEST TEEN STYLE BLOGGER - Rose and Vintage
www.roseandvintage.blogspot.co.uk

BEST MALE STYLE BLOG - Steve Booker
www.stevebooker.co.uk

BEST FASHION BLOG (NEWCOMER) - The Pixie Cut
www.thepixiecut.blogspot.co.uk

BEST INTERNATIONAL BLOG (NEWCOMER) - Creepers and Cupcakes
www.creepersandcupcakes.blogspot.co.uk

Are there any fashion bloggers you think I should be following?

p.s don't forget to follow me on Blogloving

The Perfect Summer Scent | Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne Review

Hello my name is Charley and I am having a love affair with Jo Malone. 

I admit it is one I can only take part in when I am feeling indulgent with a few pennies to splash. I feel like I am spraying liquid money onto my body or wafting it around my bedroom in a diffuser. Yet it is a luxury that makes me feel expensive, even if no one else gets close enough to have a sniff, I walk around in a cloud of floral heaven. Sometimes I actually sniff myself....

On one such day, my card was burning a hole in my purse and rather than allow this terrible event to occur I had to purchase something immediately to reset the balance of rich Charley vs poor Charley. So striding determinately into the shop I grabbed a small black shopping basket and perused the shelves like a woman who regularly spends £80 on fragranced water! Having spent a good hour getting my Jo Malone fix, rubbing cream into the back of my hand and sniffing every jar and bottle on offer, the shop assistant was obviously disappointed  I only left with a smaller bottle of the Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne, no commission for you lady!

What they say: The essence of charm. Peonies in voluptuous bloom, exquisitely fragile. Flirtatious with the juicy bite of red apple and the opulence of jasmine, rose and gillyflower.  Mingling with the sensuality of soft, blush suede. Luxurious and seductive.

What I say: I can’t say that I can smell apples, but there is a beautiful floral scent that reminds me of fresh flowers my mum always has in the kitchen. It is quite sweet smelling, but I prefer girly scents to musky ones. Also, have to point out that I do not get the seductive quality of it, men are not falling over to get a whif, but I certainly feel luxurious – maybe due to the price tag. I love the packaging. There is something classically British in the simpleness of the glass bottle and cream label. It doesn't scream ‘LOOK AT ME, I WILL MAKE YOU SMELL GREAT!’ like most of the Marc Jacobs bottles I have stashed away. It is something almost of a decorative object on my bedside table, something I can look at and think it makes me look sophisticated……no really it does!

Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne, RRP £39.00 30ml

(Purchased product)

Stay beautiful!
xoxo

p.s don't forget to follow me on Blogloving

Summer Cheap Cheap: Primark Monocrome Sandals

‘I love what you are wearing today, is it from Zara’

A smug look spreads over my face ‘no it’s actually from Primark’ and then, because I want to point out what a bargain hunter I am, I often slip in ‘it was only a fiver!’ GASP!!

Often I find that people turn their nose up at places like Primark or New Look, but honestly I find the BEST things there and you would never guess they cost next to nothing. If they break I don’t mind, I will just buy another pair because they cost me less than the Zara dress that shrunk on the first wash. This was a discussion I had with one of the girls at work today when she pointed out my super cute sandals. These are perfect for summer and look perfect teamed with white jeans or a summer dress. The best part was that they only cost me £8!!!! 

You better be quick if you fancy a pair, there were girls grabbing them left, right and underneath my legs. THIS IS NOT A DRILL…GO GO GO!!!! 

Stay beautiful,

xoxo

My Idea of the Perfect Ham: The Ham Yard Hotel Review

Last week I was invited to the opening of the Ham Yard Hotel in Piccadilly Circus. I love the Firmdale group of hotels, they are all different but super cute and quirky. We enjoyed a few glasses of bubbly and some delicious canapés whilst being shown around the stunning roof terrace, bedrooms and bars – there is even a bowling alley! The hotel is perfect for a little bit of modern luxury in the heart of London or even if you just fancy an after work tipple.  

HAM YARD HOTEL

ONE HAM YARD, LONDON, W1D 7DT T: +44 20 3642 2000

Sorry for the slightly blurred pictures, I only had my iPhone. 

Have any of you been to the Ham Yard yet? Let me know what you think. 

Stay beautiful!
xoxo

#5London Loves | Meat Mission Hoxton Review

During my early years of childhood red meat was off limits. I would throw princess tantrum if my dad tried to make me eat it or if it was served at a kids party. It was never the thought of the poor cow that made the burger that put me off, I would happily scoff chicken for breakfast lunch and dinner if I could, but the smell and texture was not appealing to an eleven year old. It looked like someone had grabbed an old leather shoe, popped in between some bread and named it a burger. The dislike was so extreme that I turned down BBQ’s with friends in the fear I would have to eat it. Then two years ago I went to France and the only food on offer after a long day skiing was raw beef that you dipped in boiling oil I was not a fan, but in hoping to impress my then boyfriend I gave it a go. This was my epiphany. Gradually I have developed a taste for a good rare steak, the odd meaty sausage and, if I'm drunk, even a Mac Donald’s cheeseburger.

So when I was lured into Meat Mission in Hotxon Market I assumed I would be eating some sort of red meat and it being a treat day I decided to go all out, as you will see. When I walked into the restaurant I instantly felt I wasn't  'cool' enough to be there, the place was buzzing with business men and hipsters bellowing at each other as they ate. The waitresses and bar staff were all in casual afternoon clothes that I was often mistaking them for restaurant goers. The interior is very dark, their own Meat Transmission Radio is blasted throughout the bar and there was some woman yelling through a megaphone while someone poor man tried to eat his weight in meat.

There is an ironic religious theme that runs throughout, with a huge fake stain glass window lighting feature on the ceiling. 

The cocktails are divine and cost around £7.50 which is a normal London price and you can also get 3 pints of cider for £11.00. 

Gin, Grape & Elderflower Cocktail

3 Pints of Cider

Rather than napkins you are given a roll of kitchen paper and you eat off a tray rather than a plate. I would not recommend going on a date here, unless you want to see the other persons face covered in burger grease and ketchup. There is no lady like way to eat a mahoosive burger.

Cheeseburger

Peanut Butter Sundae

If you are planning on going I would make a reservation, we had to wait 40 minutes to be seated on a long table with lots of other people, the only downside. I loved this place and it is somewhere I would definitely come again, the food is delicious and reasonably priced.

Have you been to Meat Misson? What do you recommend?

Stay beautiful
xoxo