A Touch Of Christmas Magic & Sparkle

Christmas is so magical to me. As you may know, I have an obsession with anything glittery, sparkly,  and magical. Christmas is a great time for all of those things. So here are my favourite beauty products and accessories of the season.

My outfits never seem quite finished until they have some sort of novelty headband added to the mix. I thought this headband was perfect for this time of year: A flower crown that captures the essence of winter. It is so beautiful and delicate, I'll be wearing it day and night.

I'm so glad I discovered Lush this year, as everything about their products are magical, with Snow fairies' bright and exciting packaging and the variety of amazing smells. The Snow Fairy gift set was one of my favourite Christmas gifts. All the products are absolutely divine.

The magic wand bubble bar is so dreamy. It turns the water pink so you can feel like a real fairy princess. The bell and decorations are also adorable.

The snow fairy shower gel feels like being sprinkled with fairy dust. It actually looks like pink glitter on your skin.

I've always been obsessed with Barry M's nail polishes, they are such high quality for their price. When I saw this shade it was love at first sight. A coat of this shade of glittery pink goes perfectly with a strip of silver nail polish.

If you enjoyed this post and like glittery make up and all things fairy-like, you make like this makeup tutorial I made above ♥ 

What was the best Christmas present you received? Love, Melissa xx

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Fashion Inspiration: Sugary and Sickly Sweet

The sort of style that is giving me inspiration at the moment is very sugary and sickly sweet. Enough pink, glitter and pvc to make most people vomit.

Like many people, I was absolutely mesmerised by Moschino's Spring/Summer 2015 barbie collection, It was so unique, like nothing that had ever been seen before on the catwalk. Pink is such an underrated colour in fashion! 

Another amazing collection is the Manish Arora Spring/Summer 2015 collection. Piled on florals, pastel blue, metallic shoes and yet again, an excessive amount of pink may be too much for some people to handle, but it inspires me to be more creative with my clothes.

A great brand that nails the 'sugary sweet' style well is Shop Jeen. Holographic crop tops, Metallics, Luminous pink and plastic. It's almost tacky but in a pretty, quirky way. As for accessories, I love adorable little pink bows (they're very easy to make yourself.) Heart shaped bags, pink lipstick and glitter eyeliner.

What inspires you this winter? Let me know! 

Melissa xxx

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You put the taste in my tongue, the life in my soul

 

Recently I purchased a beautiful printed shirt from an amazing shop called 2good2betrue in Affleck's Palace. All the clothes in this shop are £1, so this is such a great place to buy clothes when you're on a budget! I cannot get over how pretty this shirt is, it is an absolute bargain! I styled it over my pink playsuit, lacy socks and flats, flowery mouse ears and chokers for a cute laid back look.

The yin yang choker I got from the shop Extreme Largeness in Affleck's Palace. I had been looking for a necklace like this, it's gorgeous and makes a really cute addition to an outfit.

The purple choker I made myself with some felt material I bought from a craft shop for 99p. I think it works really well and looks good in contrast to the other choker as it is a completely different material, colour and size. I will definitely be buying some more pretty material and making some more as they are pretty simple and cheap to put together.

If you're wondering where else chokers are sold;

- Claire's 

- Topshop

- Miss Selfridge

- Affleck's Palace (Manchester)

I love creating artwork, even though I'm not very good. Nearly all of my drawings include flowers or bows, as they are the most appealing things to me. I love using colours such as ocean blue, light yellow, light pink and making the colours look really faded. I'm so inspired by the cover art from the Swim Deep song She Changes The Weather.

Lots more posts coming this Autumn, hope you enjoyed! Melissa xxx

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// My New Favourite Magazine: Nylon //

I've read this magazine a few times before and it is quickly becoming one of my favourite magazines. Nylon is an American magazine that has lots of amazing articles about fashion, beauty, music, film, art and celebrities.

First impressions of the magazine

It caught my eye as it looked more interesting and unique than the other magazines on the shelves. It has a very iconic, alternative look.

Fashion

The fashion in Nylon is quite simple and classic, but unique. The shoots are very atmospheric and inspirational. They are not just about the clothes, they tell a story and you could imagine yourself there. That is something I love about fashion shoots. In the august 2014 issue, there is a fashion story called 'After School Special' which is my personal favourite. It features a lot of tartan, denim jackets, cute pastel dresses and jumpers.

Beauty 

I love the beauty section of Nylon. It features very colourful and creative layouts such as this one, 'Light Bright' Their beauty articles articles are also more than just simple everyday makeup. The pictures in a story from their august 2014 issue, 'Brave New World' is all about is all about crazy, brave makeup trends that most people would be afraid to try. The picture 'Curious Bloom' is my favourite, with the beautiful shade of bright pink blush.

Music

Nylon covers a variety of music including indie, hip-hop, surf-pop, dance and folk. I love that there are so many different genres written about, people can read about the singers they already know about and be introduced to some new music along the way. I have noticed that there is focus on female musicians, with musicians such as Lana Del Rey and HAIM being on the cover.

Have you ever read Nylon? What is your favourite magazine? Love Melissa xx

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// the perfect summer in outfits, drawings, songs and pictures //

Summer is coming to an end, which I am extremely sad about because I have had lots of amazing experiences this summer and made lots of new friends. So I decided to create a post about my ideal summer day in outfits, drawings, songs and pictures so I could look back in the future and feel nostalgic.

 Outfits

I love this yellow crop top from Topshop and this tartan skirt from New Look. I think the yellow goes with the tartan pattern really well. You could wear it with a smart jacket to make it more formal or with a checked shirt to make it more casual. I wore this outfit for my boyfriend's birthday and decided to pair it with my favorite kimono and clutch bag from New Look.

I LOVE the prints on my kimono. Especially the blue flowers.

Drawings and Collages

I made this collage of many of my favorite trends and clothing items of summer 2014 such as holographic clutches, yin yang chokers, tartan skirts and 90's style crop tops. One day I'll look back on all the things I obsessed over and probably be really embarrassed!

Not sure how I feel about this drawing, but I have been doing a lot of practicing this summer and think I am improving. I am quite pleased with myself! This combines some of my favorite summer items such as flowers, petals, leaves, yin yang signs.

Music

I have been listening to A LOT of music over the summer, but there's a few songs that I discovered that really mean a lot of me.

Linger // The Cranberries

I am seriously in love with this song. I have replayed it so much that it will be one of those songs that will always remind me of this summer and the memories that come along with it. It has a special place in my heart.

Come A Little Closer & Oceans // Coasts

I've only just realized I've never talked about Coasts on this blog! You may have heard the song 'Oceans.' Which I personally think is the ultimate summer song. Every lyric is incredible. 'Come A Little Closer' is such a feelgood song and makes you wish you were at a party on the beach.

Photographs

I love the sky, I always have to take a picture of it when it's like this. 

Apart from sunsets, flowers are my favorite thing to take pictures of. Pink ones are my favorites, as pink sunsets are my favorite type of sky.

And finally, here's one of my favorite makeup looks of the summer. Purple eyeshadow, black mascara and glitter eyeliner. I am also using one of my necklaces as a headband.

Good luck to everyone getting their GCSE results tomorrow! Love Melissa xx

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Glittery Eyes Affordable Makeup Tutorial

I'm on a budget with my beauty routine and I have realized there are not many makeup tutorials that use affordable makeup products. All of the products in this post cost less than £5 and are very good quality considering their low prices.

This look is so pretty and actually not too difficult. The sprinkles of glitter make it a bit more fun and would be perfect for a party, concert or festival.

Products used:

♥ Collection lasting perfection concealer - £4.19

 ♥ Collection work the colour eyeshadow - £2.19

♥ Sleek glitter eyeliner - £4.99

♥ Rimmel keep calm and kiss lip balm - £2.99

I started by applying the collection lasting perfection concealer to the dark circles under my eyes. This concealer looks very natural and is supposed to last for 16 hours, so ideal if you'll be at a party until very late.

I then applied the collection work the colour eyeshadow on my eyelids. The colour is amazing, it really stands out. I also applied two coats of mascara to my top and bottom lashes, which gives a really flirty look. 

This sleek glitter is brilliant. I didn't expect much from it because it is quite cheap, but the brush makes it very easy to use and it really stays on all night. This is great for people who want to start using eyeliner. I created the winged effect by putting a dot where I wanted the wing to go and joined it up. I also smudged it on my bottom lash line, this makes it look more glittery and fun. I also added a little more pink and glitter to the side of my eyes which I think looks really cute.

I picked up this rimmel keep calm and kiss lip balm from superdrug a few days ago- mostly because I thought the packaging was gorgeous! This has already overtaken baby lips as my favorite lip balm, I have noticed a massive difference in the softness of my lips since using it. My only problem with it is that the tint is a bit too subtle for me. I will defintely have to try the darker versions of this lip balm.

The accessories I would wear with this look are this cute gold cat pendant and lilac hair bows which I make myself. If I was wearing this look to a party I would pair it with a floaty light pink or lilac dress.

Hope you enjoyed, let me know if you know if you would like me to do more makeup tutorials in the comments! Melissa xxx

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Romanticised the time I saw flowers in your hair

 Recently I've had so much free time, so I've been using it to be creative. I love both drawing and collaging, so I combined the two in the collage below. I think it is really creative and colourful and I am pleased with the results.

This is a digital collage of all my favourite items of clothing and accessories for summer: skirts, crop tops, skorts, purses, flower crowns, lipstick.

A necklace which I customized to make a choker: I added the charm of my initial and attached flowers from an old flower crown.

Some pretty flower pictures I took recently.  I'm obsessed with the colours on flowers, they are so inspiring.

Checked shirts are perfect for any weather, I can wrap them round my waist when it is warmer and put them on when it gets colder. I strongly prefer oversized ones, you can pick them up at charity shops. I was obsessed with this pink vest top from the second I saw it at a charity shop. The colour is amazing and I've been wearing it so much recently in this warm weather. For makeup, I chose my favourite red lipstick from topshop for a subtle pop of colour.

Hope you enjoyed, see you soon! Melissa xxx

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// Summer Music Playlist 2014 //

 1. Seaside // The Kooks

 I first heard this song in the shop Ark a few months ago and immediately fell in love with it. The song is about falling in the love at the seaside, something I have always wanted to do. the lyrics are incredible, especially "I'm just trying to love you girl." I definitely need to listen to this when I'm at a beach some time this summer.

2. Growing Pains // Neck Deep

I heard this song for the first time very recently and I became obsessed with it after the first listen. I've been listening to a lot of other songs by the same band, my other favorite is 'a part of me' I usually don't like pop punk music, so I didn't think I would like it, but they are so much more original than other bands. The lyrics to 'growing pains' are perfect and along with the 1975's album, they are the soundtrack to my teenage years.

3. Everywhere // Fleetwood Mac

The song is very atmospheric and just sounds like summer, it lifts my mood and makes me feel happier. It would be the perfect setting to a late night summer party. It also brings back memories of when I was younger and I've rediscovered all that music. My other favorite Fleetwood Mac songs are 'Say You Love Me, 'Dreams' and 'Little Lies'

4. Beach // San Cisco

I discovered this song late last summer and have been listening to it again recently. The lyrics perfectly capture the best parts of summer; "we watched the sun go down and then the moon comes out, paint pictures with your hands I'll chase you I'm your biggest fan." It is perfect for hazy days and nights by the British seaside.

If you have any song suggestions, defintely tell me them in the comments! Melissa xx

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Taking Fashion Inspiration From Songs

It's not just flicking through fashion magazines and blogs that gives me outfit inspiration. Listening to songs also gives me ideas of what to wear. I like to imagine what the people in the lyrics of the song would be wearing at the time. So I thought I'd share some of my favorite songs and the inspiration I get from them.

Stay Out // Nina Nesbitt

 This is a really beautiful song, one of my favorite lyrics is "stay out tonight, and see through my eyes" and "All these boys and girls are people looking for someone to be." The song is about going out in the evening and all the different things you would see there. I think it During the events of the lyrics of this song, I think the sort of clothes that would be worn are crop tops, high waisted shorts and skorts and red lipstick. The characters in the song would wear a lot of black as it goes with the night sky and the atmosphere of the song. There will also be a lot of sequins as the characters may be attending a party. As most of the outfit would be quite dressed up, they would wear a causal denim jacket over the top.

King City // Swim Deep

I have a lot of memories with this song, It particularly reminds me of an event that happened last summer. It is a very atmospheric song with beautiful lyrics, one of my favorites is: "Cause I'm in love so old,  put your flowers down, it's so cold." The lyrics of the song are about falling in love and the feelings that come along with it. The lyric "With the sun on my back it's a nice day" suggests the events of the song take place in summer, and reminds me of sunsets. The clothes that the characters would wear is a lot of tie dye prints, faded colours, pastels, floaty fabrics and flowers. They would wear a lot of denim shorts in the daytime and dresses in the evening with flower crowns.

Smells Like Teen Spirit // Nirvana

There are many different interpretations of the lyrics of this song, but personally I think the characters in this song could be popular high school students with a 90's style. The quirky clothing brand Glitters For Dinner is perfect for this, with their preppy, cheerleader style skirts and plaid clueless outfits is what I think the characters would wear. They would also make the girly outfits more casual by wearing denim jackets, complete with patches of different bands. To complete the look, they would wear really cute tattoo chokers in different colours. 

 These are some little illustrations showing the different types of fashion for each song. I am really pleased with the denim pocket and lipstick drawings for 'Stay Out' I think I'm improving a lot with drawing. See you soon, there will be lots of personal style posts coming soon! Melissa xxx

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My Prom Style & Makeup

Last night was my prom and I had such an incredible time with some of my favorite people, and felt like a princess all dressed up. I thought I would share with you my pictures and how I got ready because I put in so much effort and I'm not amazing at applying makeup, however I think I turned out great and I'm quite proud of myself. I used a lot of lilac and purple colours and I think it worked well.

Products I used:

- Revlon colorstay eyeshadow

- Maybelline fit me concealer

- Revlon colorburst lacquer balm

- Collection 2000 fast stroke eyeliner

- Rimmel scandaleyes kate moss mascara

The results of the Revlon colorburst lacquer balm. The colour is amazing as it a mixture of pink, purple of red and looked great with my dress. I definitely recommend it for prom because it actually stays on all night!

Skincare products I used:

- T-zone clear pore gel facial wash

- T-zone skin clearing face moisturizer

 

I use these products as I have quite oily skin and they are both really good at removing the oil from my face so I don't get spots really often anymore.

My dress and flower crown are from Miss Selfridge and my heels and clutch are from New Look. I really like the way the colours go together; white, pink, and nude. The flower crown finishes off the look perfectly.

Photos I took from outside prom of the street lights and car lights. Everything looks so much prettier in the night time, I always want to take a lot of pictures.

See you in my next post, Melissa xxx

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