This weeks best dressed: 30/06/12

Kelli

Shirt – American Apparel; Sweater & Lace Socks – Urban Outfitters; Shorts – H&M; Necklace – Anthropologie; Shoes – Jeffrey Campbell

Natalie

Blouse - Johnny was; Shorts - Hallelu; Boots - Vintage boots company; Bracelets - Wanderlust&Co; Bag - Rebecca Minkoff

Ashley

Denim Bra Top- TopShop; Sunglasses - Karen Walker; Shorts - American Apparel; Sandals - TopShop

Shirley

Shorts & Bracelets - H&M; Top  & Shoes - Zara; Bag & Watch - Aldo

Bonnie

dress & bag- Vintage; Head Scarf & loafers- Free People

Katie

Shorts -  ModCloth;  Tank - Marshall's;  Shoes (unseen) - Ugglebo Clogs;  Tote - Alphabet Totes;  Scarf (worn as belt) - thrifted;  Necklace -  Shlomit Ofir

Keiko

Dahlia bed jacket - Postlapsaria; Camisole & Bracelets - Forever 21; Shorts - Lauren Moffatt; Poppy necklace - Oana Mirela; Bag - Rebecca Minkoff; Belt - Thrifted; Heels - Sole Society

Alix

Top - Glamorous; Leggings - eBay; Shoes & Cardigan - New Look; Anklet - Acessorize; Cuffs - H&M

Ashley

Cardigan, Dress, Shoes & Purse - vintage; Sunglasses - Lulu's; Socks - Tabbisocks

Coury

Dress - Dahlia; Shoes - Asos; Bag - Topshop; Lace Top - Urban 1972

Alix

Dress - Dahlia; Shoes - Carvella

Carrie

Sunglasses - Vintage; Top -Rare via ASOS; Trousers -boohoo.com; Shoes - Next

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Blue Mascara a la Stella McCartney

Since I first saw the electric blue lashes at Stella McCartney AW12 I was in awe of the effect that something as little as a coat (or ten) of blue mascara could have. The bright blue mascara immediately brightens eyes, and gives a wide-eyed awake look to anybody regardless of eye colour or skin tone. Blue makes white look brighter so put next to your eyes it will give you whiter whites and make your eyes look larger leading to a beautiful and captivating doe eyed effect.

^{Images via Vogue.co.uk}

I've been wanting to try this out for a while but haven't had the guts to go out and buy a blue mascara but I found one of my sisters this morning and tried it out. I only applied it onto my bottom lashes but it still gives an alluring effect. I love the look, it brightens up my eyes and skin and it's a whole lot more fun than sticking to neutrals and an easy way to introduce colour into your make up routine.

The mascara I used was Collection 2000 'Colour Lash' in number 5 'Electric Blue'. I had to work hard to get the blue effect but this is an old mascara and isn't produced anymore. I'm considering investing in the newer version. I would love the YSL Faux Cils, but it's a little out of my budget for something I wouldn't wear very often. The mascara at Stella McCartney was very heavy and clumped anyway so I don't think you need to fork out a lot to channel this look.

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Real Techniques vs Models Own Brushes

I recently bought the Real Technique's 'Core Collection' set after pining over it for a long time. Designed by the Samantha Chapman, one half of the Pixiwoo sisters, Real Techniuques brushes are very popular among bloggers & youtubers, everybody and their cat seems to use them. I'm not actually a big fan of the Pixiwoo sisters, I watch their video's occasionally but they aren't my favourite.

The Core Collection is a set of four brushes: a buffing brush, pointed foundation brush contour brush and a detailer brush. I use the foundation brush every day along with the buffing brush to blend it. I also use the buffing brush for powder. I was really keen to buy this set because I really wanted the contour brush, but I haven't actually found a good use for it. I began using it with a cream highlighter, it worked well with Benefit's High Beam, but I've started using No7's skin illuminator (which I will review soon) and that applies patchy with the brush. Currently I use it to set concealer under my eyes, which works well because it is super soft and won't more any of the concealer you have on. I don't really understand the inclusion of the 'detailer brush'  it's just an average flat shadow brush, you could use it for concealing spots but I rarely get spots so I don't often use this.

I have had my Models Own 5 piece brush set for a long time now, it contains: a powder brush, shading brush, lip brush angled brush and a blending brush. I did use the powder brush for my powder until I bought the Real Techniques brushes, now I use it to contour. I use the shading and blending brushes for applying eye shadow, although I don't actually use the blending brush to blend, I think it's too small for that but really good at applying shadow. The angled brush is really great for applying gel or powder eye liner. As I rarely use a lip brush to apply lip stick, I use the lip brush to shade my eyebrows with shadow.

I like the Real Techniques brushes; the contour and buffing brushes are really soft but the hairs on the foundation brush are a little more coarse than they could be. The Models Own brushes are also really very soft, the powder brush feels lovely on skin. One con of the Models Own brushes that I have found is that they have deteriorated over time. The powder brush is still in good shape but the eye brushes aren't as good as new after cleaning anymore, especially the angled brush which has had probably a years worth of gel liner through it's bristles.

At just £10 I don't mind that my Models Own brushes are past their best, and might buy the set again and donate my tired brushes to my sister, it's a really good starter kit. The Real Techniques retail in the UK for £22 which is pricey considering that they are just $18 in America. I do like them but I don't love them, they don't live up to the hype. I think I probably will buy more Real Techniques brushes in the future but I won't buy the 'Starter Kit' that I was planning to buy.

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Vintage Floral Nails & Tutorial

I've been watching the newest series of Mad Men and as it always does, inevitably it has put me in a dreamy state where I can't help but bake pretty cupcakes, listen to The Shirelles, Etta James and currently this song. Episode of mad men also make me want to paint my nails in pretty pastilles with dots, strips and flowers. So I did, and the following are the results and an easy tutorial if you're also feeling inspired by all things Betty Draper and 60's.

First I painted the base colour on my nails, alternating between Ciaté 'Purple Sherbet' and Essie 'Mint Candy Apple' . Then I dotted Sally Hansen 050 'White on White' over my nails leaving one as an accent nail which I painted flowers on.

To create the flowers

1. With a dotting tool or toothpick, dot five little splodges joining at the centre.

2. Dot a different colour in the centre (I used Leighton Denny 'Plush Pink').

3. With a little brush (you could use an old clean eyeliner brush) paint green leaves between some of the petals (I used Essie 'Turquoise & Caicos').

Easy peasy, I think this would look equally as cute with stripes instead of dots or even flowers on all nails. Good luck!

...couldn't resist posting this picture!

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Benefit's Porefessional pore minimising balm review

I wouldn't say that I have large pores (although looking at them larger than life on my laptop screen is pretty scary!) but around my nose and above my lips they are a little too visible for my liking. Thankfully Benefit have come to the rescue with their 'PRO balm to minimise the appearance of pores'.

Professional is not a new product and I've been aware for it for a while but have avoided if due to it's £23.50 price tag (for 22ml), but this months Glamour magazine was giving away mini 7.5ml samples (along with benefit's 'that gal' primer and 'bad gal lash' mascara) so I jumped at the chance to try it out.

Professional is a thick opaque nude balm but it feels lightweight on the skin and doesn't tint your skin at all. It applies silky smooth and you need very little product each time. The results are impressive; as you can see above, my pores look smaller and less noticeable, my skin has a more even tone and is mattified.

The balm doesn't seem to last very long, I would say after a few hours wear your pores will probably be back to normal and that's if you have similar skin to mine, my skin is very dry so if you have oily or even normal skin the wear might be shorter. You can apply the balm over make up though and it only takes seconds, but for such an expensive product I would expect better wear.

One problem I have with Porefessional is that it feels a little odd on my skin. To the touch my skin is soft and plump where I've applied the product but my face feels weirdly dry at the same time, I think this is because the balm mattifies the skin to help minimise pores and might dry it a little, but I don't think this would bother anybody without very dry skin.

All in all I'm very impressed with the product, it does what it says on the tin (or tube actually) but I wouldn't buy it full price as it isn't worth it on my student budget. I do plan on buying another couple copies of glamour if I can find them though before the month is up, if I bought three that'd be £6 for 22.5ml - bargain!

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Monu Rosewood Reviving Mist

Just a quick post to say how much I've been enjoying my Monu Rosewood Reviving Mist. I didn't think a whole lot of it when I first received it in my April Glossybox, but since then I've been using it at least twice daily between cleansing and moisturising in the morning and evenings.

I can't actually read the description on the back anymore because it's rubbed off but on the Glossybox website it's described as

"an energizing toning most for the face and body. The combination of natural essential oils, such as lemon, rosewood, clove, sandalwood, petitgrain, geranium, clove and clary sage creates an uplifting mist. Perfect for fixing make-up by lightly spraying the face. It can also be used to refresh and lightly fragrance the body."

I don't think it particularly improves my skin's condition but I do think it brightens my skin tone and it does refresh my skin if I'm feeling tired after a long day or if it's just really hot.

I find it really useful when I don't want to put my moisturiser on immediately after cleansing - if I've come out of the shower and want to moisturise my feet first or something - because my skin is so dry sometimes my skin feels uncomfortably dry after cleansing so it's necessary to moisturise immediately, but instead I just spritz this on my face a few times and it stays moist until I'm ready to moisturize.

I also really like using it after I've applied my make up if I feel that my skin is looking too matte, or if my skin is just feeling a little dry (obviously I can't put more moisturiser on top).

The Rosewood Mist is available from Monu for £11.95 for 100ml plus delivery (which doesn't seem to be listed anywhere on the site!) or you can buy Monu Professional Skincare Toning Mist for £8.95 (plus free delivery) for 100ml from feelunique, I'm pretty sure this is the exact same product as the ingredients are just the same but it's cheaper.

I'm not sure if I'll be buying this product again, I do really like it but I know there are a lot of similar facial mists/toning waters around so I'd like to try out a few different products. If you have any recommendations please let me know!

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Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick

I bought this lipstick a few weeks ago on a whim while browsing round boots. I hadn't looked into it much beforehand but I knew that the Kate Moss lasting finish range had been getting good reviews on the bloggersphere and it was on offer so I picked up the shade 05.

The Good

◦ The formula is well pigmented and fairly hydrating (more so than the other Rimmel lipstick that I own which I find drying).

◦ As far as the 'lasting finish' goes, it does stay on well but it's nothing extra ordinary, but then I'm quite hard on my lips, I hate the feeling of dry lips and find it really difficult not to apply lipbalm over lipstick which can make it wear off very quickly. I like to pat it into my lips for the best lasting stain, I think that if you spend time working it into your lips then you could get a really good long wear from it.

◦ I do like the packaging of this lipstick, the 'kate' autograph is very sweet, the little heart is a bit young and girly but I think that the sleek black matte tube keeps the product sophisticated enough for older buyers.

◦ The shade is a really flattering soft pink with a touch of brown, suitable enough for day wear but conspicuous enough to make a girl feel glamorous. I think it would flatter almost any skin tone and age, it's a pretty pink but still sophisticated.

◦ At £5.49 it's fairly inexpensive but I have many better lipsticks in the same price range (for example my favourite no17 lasting fix lipstick in mulled wine).

The Bad

◦ It feels a little tacky on the lips - it isn't sticky but it has a slightly gummy texture, it certainly isn't as smooth as I would like it.

◦ Possibly my least favourite thing about this product is the smell, it's the same as my other Rimmel lipstick - a powdery floral smell which to me just screams musty old ladies lipstick, it smells like it might have lived in a little old grannies purse for twenty years which is not what you want. I don't think that everybody would feel the same way though, but for me it evokes a 'musty granny' smell which I find hard to overlook since you apply the product right below your nose.

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All in all I'm not a big fan of this lipstick, I wouldn't recommend it and I wouldn't purchase another shade in the range. I don't like the strange tacky feeling on the lips and can't get over the musty scent. However, this has 4.5/5 stars on boots.com and pleanty of five star reviews from people who love it.

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This weeks best dressed: 15/06/12

Ashley

Hat, Dress, Purse & Sandals - Vintage; Sunglasses - Asos

Lilly

Top - Motel; Skirt, Necklace, Bracelet & Ring - Topshop; Belt - Primark; Shoes - Office

Rebecca

Dress - Asos; Necklace - Natalie Joy  Divination; Sandals - Seychelles; Purse - Need Supply

Zanita
Shirt - Equiptment; Shorts - Zara; Pink Cuff - Cooee; Silver Cuff - Tiffany; Watch - TW Steel; Loafers - Betts; Bag - Alexander Wang; Sunglasses - Karen Walker

Alix

Dress - Valentino; Shoes - Louis Vuitton

Tonya

All Items - Vintage; Dress & Sandals on sale here

Coury

Dress - Romwe; Shoes - Rachel Comey; Bag - Asos

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