Monday 26 November 2012

nails inc elizabeth street


About once a year or so, my (second) favourite magazine ever, Glamour, offers free nails inc nail polishes, worth £11 for the cheerful price of £2. The past two years have seen me build up a small but appreciated collection of three, consisting of Savile Row, Piccadilly Circus and this beautiful one. Now I'm going to be completely honest here- at £11 I would not even step near paying full price...coming from an absolute nail polish hoarder who winces at paying more than £4 for a new shade. For £2, free with a magazine I think it's wonderful. Essentially I would have bought the magazine anyway so as the adverts suggests, the product is somewhat 'free'.

Onto the beautylicious side of things, the colour first of all is gorgeous! The light blue-toned pink is undoubtedly girly and would look good on the whole spectrum of skin tones. Formulation-wise I find it to be quite light; full opacity does require 3-4 coats. However, the polish dries incredibly quickly so hardly any waiting time is needed between coats, meaning the process itself doesn't take longer than with the average nail polish. Nails Inc polishes I commend in how they are shiny and always look good even if you are sometimes lazy (like myself) and skip the top coat afterwards.

All in all I would recommend this product, if you are willing to pay the price. At £11 it is completely out of my budget however it would make a perfect stocking filler! I know you can buy variations with crystal lids as part of a gift, although they are considerably more expensive. Let's just say, if money were to be unlimited, Symons Street, Foubert's Place and Lowndes Square would already have their respective slots in my nail polish drawer.

Thalia
xxx
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Tuesday 20 November 2012

quick skincare purchases

cannot believe I'm posting a photo of myself with a nose strip on, but hey ho you've probably all seen my acne before so I might as well...
Just a quick mid-week post for today, I'm currently 2 and a half weeks away from mock GCSE exams and revision is sadly but definitely a priority for me at the moment. On Saturday I popped into town with my friend Elena to do some brief shopping and to see the latest Twilight installment. Having watched them since I was 12 (and waiting 6 months to see the first movie - problems of living abroad) I was excited to see the fifth movie. After thinking it through I've seen 4/5 of them in the cinema shortly after they were released so I guess it's good to continue traditions. And if you're wondering, it really is very good and enjoyable, perfect for a day out with friends.

My friend Hannah recommended me a couple of skincare products to try out, ones she said she relies on for good skin and to help tame any acne or breakouts. An easy trip to Wilko's was my solution, as she said her favourite product, the tea tree spot cream was from there and costs a mere 98p. Firstly, what a bargain! Spot gels can cost ridiculous amounts and for 98p if I went through one of these every 10 days the money would still be worthwhile.

Recently, problems with blackheads have increased around the sides of my nose, so as a solution/preventative I picked up a pack of nose strips, which once again were bargainous at 99p. So far I've tried one and the blackheads were definitely brought to surface and improvements can hopefully be made over the next few days.

Hopefully in the next month or so I can do a detailed post about my skincare, as it's something I've really been dedicating myself to recently and I love reading skincare posts on other blogs! Definitely my guilty pleasure.

Have a lovely rest of the week,

Thalia
xxx
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Monday 19 November 2012

you're my sweetheart


blue marl top (only slightly seen) dorothy perkins / striped jumper mango / corduroy shorts topshop / studded loafers primark / earrings forever 21
on nails: marks & spencer city grey, accent nail models own silver fox

Not really a autumn/winter weather appropriate outfit, considering the average temperature is around the 11 degree mark but in all honesty Sunday consisted of chilling, blogging, having a 9 hour sleep and trying out skincare products. Notice minimal revision whatsoever? I did...

The striped sweater was one of those I-can't-believe-I-still-own-this finds, I bought it in Mango in Saket, Delhi almost three years ago when my Mum has a 1000 rupee off voucher (equivalent to around £12) and I bought this for around the £9 mark. It's lightweight, perfect for an Indian winter and a British autumn, stripy and has a very cute collar. The shorts are a boxing day sale find from last year, costing £15 from Topshop. They're a size 6 so fit quite well, giving space around the waist however that's nothing a belt can't solve. The colour which the website once named 'Bordeaux' is a gorgeous deep purple colour, which for me is very autumnal and reminds me of France... it must be in the name.

Tights are from Primark as always, I consider them to be essential yet disposable so affordability is imperative. My babies shoes are the pair I bought recently and I just love them, words cannot just... I should stop gushing. As for makeup I've been keeping it minimal, I never wear any makeup to school anyway as I'm placing lots of effort towards my acne clearing up. My eyeshadow is using a trio from No.7 called ' Good Earth', consisting of a matte ivory, matte mid-brown and a shimmery brown. Earthy, as the name suggests, and very wearable. I'm wearing my favourite tinted lipbalm on my lips, it's Body Shop's pomegranate and gives a noticeable yet subtle red sheen. 

Hope you're all having a lovely week,

Thalia
xxx

p.s - title song : I've been absolutely addicted to it, been on replay for the past ten days!
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Sunday 18 November 2012

affordable glasses from Firmoo


black clear lense wayfarer glasses* Firmoo

One of my favourite things about blogging is having the ability to share things I've been loving, products I lust after and how to style my favourite trends. If you've read my blog previously you'll understand that I'm a pretty major bargain hunter, with Primark being one of my favourite shops and 'sale' being my favourite shopping-related word.

I've never been a glasses wearer before, I'm lucky to have pretty good eyesight so I've never needed glasses for prescription reasons. However, I feel they are something that are pretty much always on trend, like a watch they can also be practical. A brand called Firmoo contacted me recently about reviewing a pair of glasses, and of course I was glad to. Glasses aren't a thing I've really explored in the past, so why not try something new.

A negative factor I feel a majority of glasses have is their price: generally they are really quite expensive, obviously guaranteeing their durability but harsh on the wallet nonetheless. Firmoo however sell a variety of frames, for prescription and fashion purposes, all for a very reasonable price. What's even better, is that every customer gets their first pair absolutely free. Free?!?! (a fact that I'm sure many bargain hunters finds sets their hearts racing). But it's true, you only have to pay for delivery. However, if you're located in Europe like myself shipping will cost roughly £10, unless if you're in the Czech Republic, Icleand, Slovakia or Slovenia it will cost a bit more. Information regarding delivery prices and services can be found on their website here if you want to look! Shipped all the way from China, my pair took 3 days to arrive, which is crazy as essentially they were shipped from half around the world.

The pair I chose are a plain black, wayfarer framed glasses, with a definite glossy finish. I love the ray-bans style, however at a considerably higher price they for me are completely out of the equation. Now some people may think that this style is geeky, however geek chic I feel has increased in popularity, along with the sales of that shirt from Topshop.
 Along with the glasses came a leather-esque hard case, a pocket sort of slip for them for less protection but easier transport (the correct name escapes me completely), a lense cleaner cloth and a small packet of screws to fix or replace given the circumstance when one may break or become lost. You can really tell I'm not an experienced glasses wearer with this vague vocabulary! For me I feel the *package* they deliver as a brand was fab, it's obvious that you get more than what you pay for with their service and they really commit to making sure that as a customer you're happy. 
(bit of a photo overload however using them in a small photo shoot was incredibly fun)
All in all I'm really impressed, I don't like usually sounding too happy about something I'm reviewing however I can see these matching with many outfits, looking chic and lasting a long time.

In the mood for a new pair of glasses yet?

Thalia
xxx
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Monday 12 November 2012

nails by american apparel: mount royal


In yesterday's outfit post I mentioned how thanks to Lily of etcllymlrs I managed to snap up an amazing deal - a nail polish worth £9, from American Apparel, for absolutely free. Not even a mere penny was spent on this purchase, leaving me incredibly satisfied even before trying it out. I took off my previous nail polish quickly using my (absolute favourite) Bourjois Magic nail polish remover and painted on a smooth layer of base/top coat 2 in 1 (from Sally Hansen, always.) You all obviously know how to paint nails, so I won't continue with this whole 'will she, won't she' tone but anyhow, I carefully applied a coat of this gorgeous, royal blue colour to my nails. The brush is long and thin, perfect for someone like me who has unpleasantly long and bony fingers. Ready to apply a second coat, which has pretty much become a ritual of mine as two coats is 9 times out of 10, an absolute minimum, I stopped. A second coat would be unnecessary, as the colour was so opaque/beautiful/satisfying already. So, after three-four minutes given for optimum drying time I applied a top coat and smiled. Pretty nails in under ten minutes?! And for free?! You could say I'm an incredibly happy girl. 

Thalia
xxx
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Sunday 11 November 2012

zipped


grey neppy peplum top dorothy perkins / zipped cardigan la redoute / zipped jeans topshop via clothes show / loafers new look / necklace vintage

makeup: benefit porefessional / bourjois healthy mix serum in 52 vanilla / sleek contour kit in light / mua eyeshadow in 17 matte (nude) / mua eyeliner in starry night (smudged out) / mua lipstick in 3 (pale pink frost) / american apparel mount royal on my nails, (post coming soon...)

Today is a bit of a *meh* day, not much is going on, neither am I trying overly hard to be productive / proactive etc. I'm still recovering from the crazy buzz that was the Kardashians in London yesterday, which as described in my previous post was absolute insanity. I managed to get a free nail polish yesterday from American Apparel thanks to this post from Lily of (etc)llymlrs; using the photo she uploaded I printed off two copies (one for myself, the other for Victoria) and we treated ourselves to a nail polish each in Mount Royal and Mannequin. I'm going to post on it really soon but asdfghjkl first impressions are amazing...need I say any more?

School coursework, homework and excitement for Christmas are all increasing simultaneously, with my post-dinner attention spam moving swiftly from the likes of homework to the new series of I'm a Celebrity. There's nothing that excites me more than celebs being forced to swallow jungle insects and being forced into extreme (but hilarious) discomfort. I'm not the one for sympathy in these sorts of situations. 

I'm not someone who instantly thinks 'Christmas is soon!!' as soon as I see the Coca-Cola advert, for me it's the gift adverts from Boots. (Can you tell I'm beauty obsessed? Surely I'm not the only one..)

Thalia
xxx

p.s - Rest In Peace to every single soldier that has died fighting for our wonderful country. Thanks to you, your bravery and endless selflessness we are the country we are today; you are the people that in my eyes define it. Without you we would not be as proud as we are. Lest we forget. 
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Saturday 10 November 2012

the Kardashians take London!

all photos taken by me, edited using my beloved PicMonkey (love you)
 Today, myself and many other Londoners woke ourselves up at ungodly hours of our precious Saturday mornings to travel to West London as the Kardashian sisters were going to be there for their launch of the Kardashian Kollection in Dorothy Perkins shops nationwide. Now I won't delve into how much I dislike Westfields organisation / dealing with large masses of people but let's just say a good six or so hours were spent standing in claustrophobic areas (of which two and a half were in the eight degree cold) with increasingly irritated fans; however seeing them was immense. Westfields was absolutely wild, with thousands and thousands turning up to see the famous trio arrive.

I met a lovely group of girls who had not only travelled from Cardiff (!) they were forced to pull an all-nighter and spend five hours in the cold. They (like myself and my friend Victoria) never got the chance to physically meet the Kardashians, despite queuing and all of that jazz. However - grudges aside, the girls were are so gorgeous in real life, as it was Khloe's first time in London the crowd chanted for her crazily and no, I could sense no sibling jealousy. Well, maybe a bit.

Did any of you try bearing the crowds today for the sisters?

Thalia
xxx

p.s - I saw this article on Daily Mail online (secret obsession, shhh don't tell) and it really goes into the details about today, as well as having better quality photos etc if you want to check them out!
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Tuesday 6 November 2012

barry m ultra moisturising lip paint in shade 160

without flash
full face shot, without flash
with flash
availablility: in store at superdrug and boots, online at barry m

Whilst in Cardiff last week I took advantage of Boots' 'Buy 1 get 1 half price' deal, with my intentions set on purchasing two new lipsticks. Dark, reddy oxblood tones are huge this autumn, seen on lips of both bloggers and models on the catwalk. Naturally, I wanted to try out the look myself for Halloween as it definitely can suit a night out, or simply a vampy look.

The lipstick itself I find is really commendable - it definitely meets the 'ultra moisturising' claim the name suggests, as my lips do not feel the slightest bit dry when wearing it. Obviously it's no replacement for a classic Nivea lip balm however when colour is wanted this lipstick delivers.

Something I adore about the colour, with the name 'Black Cherry' as stated on Barry M's website, is that it is so buildable. It can be used lightly, dabbed on to the centre of the lips then pursing your lips can look like the ever-so-coveted stained lips look. Building it up gives a pigmented, dark look that is very striking and centre-of-attention, a look seen lots recently. The colour has the ability to range in depth when applied at different forces / thickness, which is something I like as it makes it versatile and suitable for a range of looks.

Most of all, I adore the staying power. It stays on your lips for hours without the need for re-application, which admittedly only needs doing after meals or drinks. Major thumbs up for longevity.

swatched, without flash
What's your favourite autumnal lipstick?

Thalia
xxx


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Monday 5 November 2012

with a word, all my love came rushing out

 grey neppy peplum top dorothy perkins / disco pant style leggings h&m kids / denim jacket vintage / studded loafers primark / watch casio via asos / nails: barry m berry ice cream & max factor sunny pink

My outfit from last Sunday I found was very ~blogger~, however I love every single item of clothing included so collectively it reaches a happy-outfit-fest-for-Thalia. The studded loafers are a new purchase from Primark and for £10 they are not only wonderful, they are an absolute steal and the mink pair are next on my mental shoe wishlist. Neppy, bobbly style fabric is something I've been in love with over the past couple of months and I was so pleased to find it in the form of a peplum top in 'Outfit', a shop in Cardiff that hosts all of the Arcadia group shops under one roof (think Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins all under one roof. It was amazing.) They don't have Outfit in Central London I know for certain however there is one in Croydon if you're willing to branch out that far. Think of it this way...you could visit IKEA on the same day?! That sounds wonderful to me.

Back on to the top, it was a brilliant £8 in the sale and the size 6 fits me perfectly. I find it acceptable to wear over leggings as it hides my bum, which quite frankly to me is the deciding factor. The leggings I have featured before and at £6 were another steal representative of my bargain-hunter shopping mindset. Now as much as I would love to bore entertain you with the details of every single item of clothing I have on, I have revision to do for Wednesday's French writing exam. 500 words in a foreign language, seven paragraphs, an hour to do it in? Bring it on.

Have a lovely week,

Thalia
xxx

title song
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Sunday 4 November 2012

Autumn wishlist


These velvet check treggings are simply gorgeous. Whilst browsing in Topshop's flagship store on Oxford St I discovered these in the petite section (a.k.a where I wish to hibernate upon growing up and earning money, then living there for eternity).  Currently I could only find them in store in petite sizes, so if you're like me and would die for that size 4, try in store or look out for them in the upcoming weeks.They fit like a thick, second skin and are incredibly comfortable, as well as fitting in with my favourite colour scheme of greyscale, berry and navy. The velvet feels pristine and the check print is reminiscent of the popular houndstooth print that I'm seeing everywhere at the moment, yet slightly more subtle. To me they just ooze class and comfort. Basically, I just love them.

My last outfit post saw me style the black version of this peplum top. At £7.99 it is an absolute steal, is so figure hugging and I could just rave about the black version for days. I'd love it if they released more colours (fitting my ideal colour scheme, why of course) however the burgundy is glorious and oh so autumnal. And christmassy. And wonderful.

I'm not really someone who often wears jewellery, and when I do it's in the form of a small pair of stud earrings or my silver casio watch. This bronze brushed heart pendant is beautiful, small and subtle, and the colour is so gorgeous. The rose gold trend was huge this summer and bronze is definitely its autumnal counterpart. It also comes in gold and silver (the silver in particular is gorgeous) and is only £5. £5 you say? From Accessorize? I often find that place to sell wonders, but at a price I can't convince myself to pay. But a mere fiver is something I can see spent easily, and the necklace something to be worn on more than just the odd occasion.

Tan boots are something I find to be a wardrobe essential, and currently my wardrobe is noticing a gap from where these should be. They are a lovely shape and are so smooth! Toe caps aren't typically my cup of tea, however I like these ones as they are less prominent than others, and I think they got the shoe : toe cap ratio just on. And yes, that was a nerd moment.

What is on your autumn wishlist?

Thalia
xxx
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Saturday 3 November 2012

I never knew I'd surrender my heart

long sleeve black top primark / black peplum top new look 915 / scarf h&m / coat new look 915 / jeans h&m kids / socks primark / boots new look / bag gap, gifted / nails: barry m berry ice cream & max factor sunny pink


The past week has been a lovely, different mix-up of what I consider the 'norm'. Half term weeks off are my favourites, and the four times every academic year we have a week off I enjoy myself thoroughly. From Monday-Thursday I travelled westwards to the beautiful city of Cardiff and stayed with some family friends. I adored the trip and although not everything went as planned I had a lovely time nonetheless. Coming back home to London, Thursday afternoon was spent in darkness (can't only be me who dislikes it being pitch black by 4pm?!) but being welcomed by my family was awesome. Almost leaving my suitcase on the train...not so awesome. 

Today I spent catching up with close friends in Oxford St, including the wonderful Rosie of Rosie's Closet (she's kinda wonderful, so check her out) and I finally found a perfect pair of studded loafers after my search began a whopping ten and a half months ago (you all know *the* Topshop £28 Vectras). Even better - they were a bargainous £10 from Primark. I already thought that was the home of Gods, however upon entering the new shop at Tottenham Court Road I fell in love...it's official.

The peplum top is a new buy from Cardiff's New Look Store in the St David's Centre, not only is it two, brilliantly laid out floors of utter beauty it has a brilliant teen range to suit the petite girls like myself. I'm embarrassed to say it's a size 9, suitable for a child 6 years younger than me however it fits like a glove and at £7.99 is my idea of perfection. After hunting for a while I'm glad I waited, although the Topshop petite peplums look beautiful, at £10 more I would much rather spend the extra on another pair of studded loafers as Primark also have them in mink, and my lord they are gorgeous. It also comes in dark red and white, and I think soon enough the deep red will be mine. Autumnal, figure-hugging, perfectly priced. This triplet is the equation that makes me a very happy girlie.

Thalia
xxx

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