NYE Outfit Inspiration

Although one of my favourite nights of the year, I always find there to be a lot of pressure on choosing the right outfit (after all, it's a pretty big night party-wise).. So this year I thought I'd put together a post detailing a few outfits from the high-street that have caught my eye - each perfect for welcoming the new year.

1. Embellished Skater Dress - Lipsy London - £65.00 [x]

2. Plunge Midi Dress - Missguided - £28.00 [x]

3. Floral Skater Dress - AX Paris - £45.00 [x]

4. Abstract Print Skater Dress - New Look - £45.00 [x]

5. Cut Out Skater Dress - Miss Selfridge - £28.00 [x]

6. Lace Panel Dress - Top Shop - £40.00 (reduced from £68.00) [x]

I love each of these dresses & think they're gorgeous - but if I had to pick a favourite it would have to be Lipsy's Embellished skater dress, closely followed by the floral skater dress from AX Paris. Although both slightly on the pricer side, I can't help by imagine them paired with some killer heels & perfectly blow-dried hair for end of year celebrations. 

What do you think of these dresses?

Which is your favourite?
xxx

A Very Merry Christmas

This Sunday's post is just a quick one to share some of my favourite moments throughout the festive period. This includes a trip to London for a work Christmas party, exploring Birmingham's German Market, celebrating our 3 year anniversary with Ollie & of course indulging in lots of yummy food/drink.

I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas & I'd love to hear how you've celebrated in the comments below. 

xxx

Christmas Party Make-up

Last week I jumped on the train down to London ready to celebrate alongside my colleagues at our annual Christmas Party. Of course, I wanted to look my best so carefully selected my current favourite beauty products to create a festive, party look (as you can see from the list below.. this turned out to be a lot of products!). 

Excuse the slight yellow tint - apparently hotel rooms
aren't the best for photos. 

Foundation - Mac Studio Sculpt [x]
Primer - Benefit "Pore-fessional" [x]

Setting Power - Max Factor Translucent Powder [x]

Bronzer- Sleek Face Contour Kit [x]
Under-eye Concealer - Rimmel Wake Me Up [x]
Blemish Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection [x]

Highlighter - Benefit "Watts Up" [x]

Mascara - Benefit "They're Real" [x]

Eye-brows - Soap & Glory Archery 2-in-1 Brow Pencil [x]
Setting Spray - MUA Pro Base Fixing Mist [x]

Lipstick - Kate Moss for Rimmel in shade 30 [x]

To start the look I used Benefit's Pore-fessional, which I find perfect for creating a smooth base to the skin. This was followed with Mac's Studio Sculpt Foundation to provide full coverage & ensure my skin was well moisturised throughout the evening. After foundation, I covered any remaining dark circles & blemishes with concealer (Rimmel Wake Me up for Dark Circles & Collection Lasting Perfection for blemishes). This was then all set in place with a layer of Max Factor's Translucent setting powder - which is gorgeously light on the skin.  

Next to create a slight contour (I need all the help I can get when it comes to  giving the effect of cheekbones) I chose the bronzer from Sleek's Contour Kit to sit in the hollows of my cheekbones & a small amount of Benefit's Watt's up to add highlight to the tops of my cheekbones & nose. 

Following this was a mascara.. For this I used a product that I find perfect for adding both length & volume to my lashes - Benefit's "They're Real". This has quickly become one of my favourite products to use for a night out. I then moved onto eyebrows using my trusty Soap & Glory Archery Pencil to add shape & definition.

Next came the product that I really felt pulled this look together - lipstick. I decided to opt for a lipstick form the Kate Moss & Rimmel collaboration in the no.30. This is a deep plum statement shade that tied in perfectly with the deep purple of my dress. 

Last but not least came MUA's fixing mist. I sprizted a layer of this product to ensure the look stayed in place throughout the night.

Have you used any of these products?

What are your thoughts?

xxx

Lipsticks | Winter Favourites

Lipstick is a product that I find myself reaching for on an almost daily basis... so now the colder weather is here & the autumn/winter clothes have been dragged from the back of the wardrobe, I've started to notice a slight pattern in my make-up routine. It seems that I have been repeatedly reaching for a mixture of the same four "autumnal" shades that have quickly become my currently favourite winter lipsticks.

Lipstick from Left to Right: Amethyst Shimmer, Rebel with a cause,
Kate Moss 01, Smitten

Model Co - Smitten

Whilst only a recent addition to my lipstick collection - I was lucky enough to receive Smitten within my December Birchbox - I've found this has quickly become one of my favourites. Not only is this lipstick both moisturising & long lasting, the deep tone of this lipstick offers a great twist to the classic statement red lip.

Rimmel Kate Moss - 01

Rimmel lipsticks will always have a special place in my heart when it comes to high-street beauty -  so I knew instantly that I would love the Kate Moss collection. Shade 01 highly pigmented & moisturising lipstick that works instantly to add a touch of glamour to any look. I personally love to pair this lipstick with a black outfit & other-wise neutral make-up - think Little Black Dress at the Christmas party. 

Make up Revolution - Rebel with a cause

For those of you who don't know, I love the lipsticks from Make-up Revolution. Not only are they extremely budget friendly (retailing at only £1) they're also amazing quality. "Rebel with a cause" is a deep purple shade that is perfect if - like me - you love to experiment with a slightly darker/vampy look throughout the winter. *Bonus* The little colour pot secured to the end of the product pops off to become a perfectly matching lip-liner.

Rimmel - Amethyst Shimmer

Unlike the previous products mentioned in this post, Amethyst Shimmer is the perfect alternative to a statement lip. With subtle pink/purple undertones & a gorgeous sheen, this lipstick offers a slight "your lips but better" & works perfectly a dramatic or smokey-eye. I personally love to wear this as an every-day lipstick to add a touch of glamour to my look. 

Of course there are many lipsticks within my collection that I love, - *unashamed lipstick addict over here* -  but these are the four I've found myself using most regularly. If you've tried any of the above products - or have any favourite winter lipsticks of your own - please let me know in the comments! 

xxx

Max Factor Haul & First Impressions

I know, I know - more beauty items.. but how's a girl to resist?! Max Factor isn't actually a brand I tend to pick up on a regular basic (I'm a loyal Rimmel London girl) but after spotting the Star Wars collaboration sneak peaks a few months back, I knew it was something I needed for myself.

So when Boots released their "The Force Awakens" range this weekend I quickly placed my favourite lipstick into my shopping cart whilst feeling content with my treat. However - it was at this point that I made the ever fatal mistake of "just having a quick browse" at the other products available..which - of course - resulted in my picking up a range of products & somehow entering my payment details *oops*.

Colour Elixir Lipstick in the shade "Scarlet Ghost" - £7.99

Glossfinity Nail Varnish in shade "Just Cheerful" - £5.99 

Translucent Loose Powder - £7.99
Masterpiece Colour Precision Eye-shadow in the shade "Night Sky" - £6.99

Star Wars Lipstick in shade "Dark Berry" - £7.99 

False Lash Effect Mascara - £10.99

As I've just recently picked these items up, I haven't had chance to fully test each out yet. However from as far as first impression go it's safe to say that I'm very happy. Of course my favourite finds have to be both lipsticks as the shades are stunning.. but I'm also very excited to test out the mascara & loose powder (let's see how they match up to my current favourites!).

Have you tried any of these products?

What are your thoughts?

xxx

December's "It's Time To Shine" Birchbox

As someone who loves all things beauty, the idea of receiving monthly treats is something that has been tempting me for some time now. Whilst there are many beauty subscription services currently available, after a few hours of research (aka reading different blog posts) it became clear that Birchbox  (currently retailing at £10 per month  + £2.95 pp) is up there with the most popular. So as a little Christmas treat to myself - I decided to order December's "It's time to shine" box. 

Contents: 

Benefit "They're real" push up liner [x]
Ciate Nail Varnish in shade "Dangerous affair" [x]

Rituals "T'ai Chi" Foaming Shower Gel [x]

Benefit's "Puff off" [x]

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish with muslin cloth [x]
Model Co Lipstick in shade "Smitten" [x]

Clutch Bag [x]

(Although not the same, I've linked the closets bag I can find)

This month's box includes an impressive selection of luxury samples. This includes popular products that I am yet to try for myself - such as the Ciate polish & both Benefit samples - & others already hold a place within my every-day favourites (I'm looking at you Liz Earle). I also love the addition of a clutch bag instead of the usual box itself. In my opinion this adds the perfect touch of glamour for the Christmas period.

It's safe to say that I was in no way disappointed with the treats featured inside this months box & I can't wait to try them all out for myself. If you're interested in any of the products featured in this months box, I've linked the full size version of each above.

Have you ever tried Birchbox?

What are your thoughts?

xxx

Winter Skincare Routine

Any beauty-lover knows the importance of a good skincare routine. So for today's post, I thought I'd share the combination of products that I find perfect for leaving my skin feeling clean & healthy - especially in the winter months.

Step 1: Remove Make-up 

As much as I love wearing make-up there's something so satisfying about taking it all off at the end of the day. So to ensure the bulk of make-up is removed I use Simple's Micellar Water. I love that Simple is designed for sensitive skin & I personally find this product is perfect for gentle, yet effective make-up removal. Simple's Micellar water retails for around the £4.50 mark for 200ml. 

Step 2: Cleanse

After removing my make-up I like to ensure my skin is fully clean with any remaining traces of dirt/make-up washed away. To do this I gently massage the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish into damp skin before wiping off with a cotton round. Although slightly on the pricier side (a 100ml pump costs around £14.00), I honestly think this is a product that is worth every penny. In fact it removes even the most stubborn of mascaras *I'm looking at you Benefit's Their Real*. 

Step 3: Moisturise 

The final step in my routine is one that is especially important in the winter - moisturising. As someone who suffers with dry skin, I find Superdrug's coconut oil perfect for use as a daily moisturiser. To use, I melt a small amount of  between my hands & then gently massage it into my skin. Superdrug's Coconut oil retails at £2.49 for 125ml. To read a full review on this product click here.  

I love having a little nose at posts like this & find it a great way to discover new products. I hope you enjoyed a little insight into my current winter skin-care routine. Let me know you're current favourite skincare products in the comments. 

xxx

The Christmas Tag

I've found myself feeling particularly festive recently.. So when I spotted The Christmas Tag popping up around the blogging world, I knew it was something I needed to try for myself here on Small and Blonde... After all, who doesn't love a Festive post?!

1.- What are your favourite Christmas movies?

Oh my gosh.. there are so many! Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, The Holiday, The Grinch, A Muppet's Christmas Carol, Arthur Christmas, Disney's A Christmas Carol, The Snowman, The Santa Clause.. and many, many more. A month really isn't long enough to try & squeeze them all in. 

2.- Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Always Christmas morning.. I know some families open one present on Christmas Eve but this was just never something we've ever done. In fact - even at 16 & 23 years old - the presents for my sister & I don't get put under the tree until after we're asleep - always keeping the magic alive. 

3.- Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?

I have so many amazing Christmas memories, but my favourite(s) probably have to be watching my sisters get so excited when they walk into the living room on Christmas morning & realise that Father Christmas has been.

4.- Favourite festive food?

If I had to pick one it would probably be pigs in blankets (little sausages wrapped in bacon for any who don't know). Traditionally these are only served on Christmas Day which makes them even more special.

5.- Favourite Christmas scent?

Living in Birmingham, I love the mixture of smells that come from the Christmas German Market each year. Nuts, mulled wine, sausages, cinnamon, Christmas trees... perfect. 

6.- What tops your tree?

I technically have two trees. One in my flat & one at my mum's house. In the flat we have a star on top of our tree that was kindly gifted to us & at my mum's we have a angel. The best of both worlds.  

7.- As a child, what was the one extravagant gift you always asked for but never received?

I'm going to sound really boring now.. but I honestly don't remember ever asking for any overly extravagant as a child. 

8.- What is the best thing about Christmas for you?

The best thing about Christmas for me is spending time with family. This is especially true now that I live an hour away from my parents & siblings, so it's always nice to be reunited. 

I hope you enjoyed this tag - let me know what you love most about Christmas in the comments.
xxx

Stocking Fillers | For Him

Dads, brother & boyfriends - as much as we love them, it's well known that they are extremely difficult to shop for at Christmas. Especially when it comes to the little extras.. the stocking fillers. So - with Christmas Day on the horizon - I've spent some time trailing the internet to put together a stocking filler gift guide for Him.

1. Star Wars Decal Stickers - Top Man - £5.00 [x]

2. Top Trump Drunks - New Look - £5.00 [x]
3. Homer Simpson Egg Cup & Toast Cutter - I Want One Of Those - £7.99 [x]

4. "Great Beard" Mug - Not On The High-street - £12.50 [x]

5.  "Christmas Dinner in a Matchbox" sweets - Not On The High-street - £5.99 [x]

6. Los Pollos Travel Cup - Top Man - £8.00 [x]

With something to suit a range of tastes (think foodie to technology lover to Tv/Film buff) I personally think these gifts are an affordable & creative way to add a little extra fun on Christmas morning.  In fact, I'd be happy to receive a few of these in my stocking.. Who wouldn't want to eat Christmas Dinner flavoured sweets whilst giggling at tipsy people?!

Click here to ready my Stocking Fillers for her gift guide.

xxx