Winter Wishlist: The Boots (feat. Missguided)

After seeing a pair of boots posted to Missguided's instagram, I thought I'd go and check out what other boots they had in for A/W... oh my days. I need to order the majority of that page (and there's 49 pairs of boots on there, go figure!). These are my best picks and I think you need to have a look, take a look at your bank balance, think fuck it, and buy some. 

'Paulee' Snake Print Boots, £34.99

These are the beloved boots I spotted on instagram. Wasn't sure whether to share them as sadly when I went to the page there's only a size 7 left! Hoping though seeing as they decided to share them on instagram that they might be restocking - that's all the comments say! I love that the heel is super chunky and leaves a bit of an odd gap between there and the foot - the shape looks so fresh.

'Ashlie' Peep Toe Boots, £34.99

My head tells me that peep toe boots for winter make no sense but my heart is insistent. I need them. I just love clean looking pieces at the minute and my favourite cut out trend is still present in these boots. Fat chance keeping them clean when the weather turns for the worse though!

'Patrycia' Tassel Ankle Boots, £39.99

I'm not entirely too sure why I've shared these - I know I won't buy them as I'll never wear them but... something about them calls my name. I've never really been one for tassels but I think they're quite understated on this boot so you don't run the risk of looking too wild wild west. 

I'd certainly check out Missguided as recently they've started bringing out stuff that's so much better quality than they used to be - I would feel comfortable ordering from these now where as a few years ago I wouldn't at all! The only problem they still have is the delivery is super slow and communicating with the company themselves is very difficult. It's a shame because as an online only retailer they should really be ahead of the game on this! 

Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored by Missguided nor am I affiliated with them in any way.

Autumn/Winter 2014 Wishlist!

Within the space of about a day, I have been converted to A/W dressing again. Already I'm looking at chunky boots, duster coats and fur collars. And I. Want. Everything! So obviously I've had to put together a little wish list that I will probably end up treating my self too. Oh dear...

A/W wishlist - Tartan by erinjainex

Topshop Joni Jeans, £42

Everyone has heard of Topshop's Joni jeans by now - super soft, high waisted jeans that generally look lovely. They've been updated for A/W with slashes to the knees which I'm a total sucker for. I think this will definitely be one I end up buying!

New Look Black Platform Cleated Sole Boots, £34.99

These have technically been available for a few months already but they definitely don't have a summer vibe! I absolutely live for chunky black boots and I love these so much. They remind me of Jeffrey Campbells without the giant price tag!

Charlotte Olympia Naughty/Nice Clutch, £825

Erm... so this somehow creeped into my wish list! Doing my usual Selfridges browsing, I spotted this amazing Charlotte Olympia bag. I fell in the love with the perspex box bag trend when it first came around so to see it updated for A/W is great. The other side of the little fabric purse inside says 'Nice' so you can flip it to suit your mood!

Topshop Slouchy Lilac Boyfriend Coat, £89

I feel bad adding this to my wish list as it's already almost sold out but I love it sooo much. Apparently the pastel coat trend is coming back hard this season (woo I can get out the pink coat again) and I love love love this slouchy version.

Topshop Tee Dress, £42

And finally, a tee dress that definitely should not cost this much money! I love tee shirt dresses so when I saw this I quickly fell in love. I doubt I'll be buying this one as the price seems a bit ridiculous to match - but when New Look or Primark release their version I'll be straight there! 

End Of Summer Lipstick Shades (ft. MAC & Rimmel)

As the weather is slowly turning worse (boo!) I feel like I'm scrabbling to keep hold of the ends of summer. This means wearing sandals in the rain, refusing to take jackets out even when the forecast is rain, and putting on obscenely bright summer lipstick. As much as I'm very much a red lipstick girl which always works best in winter, there are a few shades that I have in my collection that just remind me of summer.

Top: MAC Girl About Town (Amplified)

I originally bought this when looking for Show Orchid - which was a pro shade at the time, and this was the closest non pro shade I could find! It's a super super bright blue based pink - think the brightest Barbie pink then multiply it. I love this shade so much that I even got over the Amplified finish, being a matte girl myself. I can't describe this in any other way than it being just a happy shade - you genuinely feel brighter and better wearing this. The only thing I'll say is it does take some balls to wear so make sure you wear it confidently!

Middle: Kate Moss for Rimmel Shade 101

I know this shade looks a bit tame, and it is, but to me it's the most beautiful summer pink. It's soft, flattering on most skin tones, and just a gorgeous neutral. This is one of those literal 'throw on and go without a mirror' shades that somehow ends up looking as good as if you just spent 10 minutes with a lip brush and liner. 

Bottom: MAC Costa Chic (Frost)

Another finish that I wouldn't usually buy from MAC! The photos of this does not do this shade justice. Costa Chic is a deceivingly bright coral - it's literally almost neon. I find it looks best with an absolute overload of mascara and not much else. The only thing I will say with the frost finish is it's sometimes best to apply a single layer (it's very opaque) and then pat your lips down just to take a bit of the 'frostiness' off!

Have you got any bright summer shades you've been reaching for lately? We've not got long left to wear them before it's back to deep reds and purples (can't wait can't wait can't wait)!

Chunky Heels I Didn't Need.. But Obviously Bought

Just when will Primark stop enticing me with their shoes and homeware? Seriously, when? Because every time I wander in I seems to wander back out with at least one bag (usually more). They are hitting the nail on the head with some of their departments - others, still not so much - but yes yes yes to shoes.

These are super chunky, high, black platform heels - reminiscent of Jeffrey Campbell and a lot of the styles on the high street that you see for £50 + at the minute. These were an amazing £20 and come in black, white, and grey snakeskin. The white are absolutely amazing but I had to think sensibly - summer will be over soon and I know I'll wear black a lot more! 

As usual my only problem with Primark is their finish on things - even though brand new in this picture there are still a few marks and if you look closely a few glue marks. However for the price and the length of time these will probably last I don't mind - I don't see Primark as investment pieces funnily enough! Either way I can't wait to start wearing these - hoping the sturdy heel will stop me from falling after one too many a cocktail... 

Yves Saint Laurent 'Shocking' Mascara Review

I cannot believe that considering how much I love this mascara, I haven't reviewed it before. This is one of those products that from the moment I first put it on, I was in love with it. In case you can't tell, this is a pretty positive review. 

I've repurchased this a few times now in between daily use of everyone's favourite Maybelline Falsies, and every time I come back to it, it's a bit like coming home. At £23 a tube, (depending where you buy) it's not cheap but I think it's worth every penny. What makes this mascara different for me is the formula - the only way I can describe it is like a kind of gel texture. It sets quite quickly on your lashes so you do have to beware clumping by applying coats too quickly - a mistake I've made many days when I'm rushing to work!

Sorry for unruly brows! Late night blogging...

As you can see, two coats goes a long way. I don't have the most defined of lashes as it is so I need all the help I can get! I just love the framing that this mascara achieves - it's not 'false lash' excessive but it's definitely wow. I feel comfortable wearing this without eyeliner which is a biiiiig thing for me too! 

The only drawback I will say is that sadly this mascara dries out reasonably quickly. This isn't necessarily a problem for me because when this is in my stash I wear it every day and use it all up! But if you bought this just for special occasions or as a treat then it's not one you can keep a hold of and only use every so often. 

I still wholeheartedly recommend this mascara 10000%. Buy it. It will change your life and your lashes!

Little Happy Things #4 (July)

1. me and damien on holiday

2. dangling my feet over the beach

3. homemade mojitos 

4. me and my boy on the beach

5. the moonlight rooftop cinema screen

6. sunset on the beach front

7. skimming stones into the ocean

A Little Look Into My Holiday

It already feels like forever since I went on holiday, even though I only got back on Sunday! I had such an amazing time and felt so relaxed. The only thing I regret is not taking more photos on Damien's birthday - we had the most amazing filet mignon for dinner and then went to see the Wolf of Wall Street at a rooftop moonlight cinema. You got a squishy leather sofa, blankets and cocktails to your seats. It was unreal! Here a few little peeks at what we got upto :)

Topshop Nail Polish in 'Unfold' Review

As usual, Topshop have managed to entice me with their make up section. Although most of their products don't actually interest me, I love the polishes. The formula is nice, they're not too expensive, and the bottles are a good size that you'll actually use it all before it goes all crusty. They keep bringing out more matte shades (damn them) and 'Unfold' is the latest to add to my collection.

I wish they had given this more of a food/ice cream themed name because literally everyone has said it is the exact colour of mint ice cream. It's quite a pale shade which I really love - I prefer colours that are subtle especially when I have acrylic nails as I think bright colours can look a bit tacky. 

The only slight problem I have with this polish is that it's just not quite as matte as I'd like. As the days have gone on a bit more of a shine appears, unlike my other Topshop matte shades. This isn't a problem though as I like to re-apply polish every few days anyway or I can just go over it with my Essie matte top coat. Still definitely a shade I recommend!

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes 'So Couture' Mascara Review

As my beloved Maybelline Falsies mascara has almost all but dried up, I thought it was (foolishly) time to pick up a new mascara. Wandering into Boots the display for this mascara hit me straight in the face and I was swayed by the lovely lady filling the stand. Into the basket it went...

I've had this for about a week now and although I wanted to hold off a bit longer, 1 - I'm going on holiday on Saturday so can't really write a post then, and 2 - I was just so let down by it that I wanted to write about it now. Seriously! Remembering back to the first version of the Million Lashes mascara, this doesn't compare at all. I fondly remember being at school wearing it and my friend Jack asking why I wore fake lashes to school? When it was just the genius mascara!

I really like the sleek packaging of this mascara - it's a refreshing change to the neon plastic tubes you see a lot of now. I do have to say though the 'So Couture' bit annoys me - nothing makes classy looking things look cheap than actually stating 'hey, this mascara is couture!'. The wand is quite compact and hard - the bristles are short and plastic rather than the softer bristles you find with most mascaras that claim to be volume enhancing! This isn't a problem as you can get quite close to the root of your lashes without being poked in the eye by a stray frond. The formula seems nice too, quite wet but dries quickly so you don't get the awful bits of wet mascara floating around in your eyeball. The only qualm with the formula is that it seems to be scented?! Who needs scented mascara?! It's an alright scent, I'll give them that, but it's very odd and every time I apply it I'm just bewildered by it.

However no matter how nice all these things are separately - all together they just amount to nothing. It's not terrible by a long shot, but it's just not very good either. It annoys me that I always do this - stray from my beloved falsies to try something new only to be let down! Sob!

Have you tried any new products lately? Mascara is always the one holy grail product I'm looking for!

Little Happy Things #3 (June)

1. my gorgeous little pom

2. Heaton Hall on a sunny day

3. my beautiful best friend

4. bargain sale buys (blog post here!)

5. damien running in Heaton Park with the dog

June seems to have gone by in such an absolute whirlwind. With the weather picking up I've been trying to get out of the house whenever I can - and our favourite place at the minute is Heaton Park (where they hold Parklife in Manchester). It's not far away from us but it's absolutely huge and a great place to take our tiny dog for a day out. My amazing best friend also visited me before she left to work in France for the summer. We spent the time appropriately shopping, crying in the cinema and eating beautiful food :)

I go on holiday this month so expect lots more pictures in the next Little Happy Things! What has made you happy this month?

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush Review

A little bit late to the party, I finally bought a Real Techniques brush last month. Famous for it's excellent pricing that doesn't skimp on quality, I've been road testing this for the past few weeks before I wrote a review.

I admit it: I hated it the first few times I used it. I just really didn't get along with it and I was instantly disappointed that this brand - that everyone seems to love - had let me down. But I persevered, used it every day, and slowly began to fall in love with it. The bristles are super soft but packed tight so they don't just annoyingly splay out everywhere when you're trying to buff in foundation. The head is small enough that you can use it to blend under eye concealer. And without sounding weird - the handle is a bit thicker than brushes by MAC per say - which makes it very comfortable to hold.

I've been using this so far for concealer and foundation but I know some people really enjoy using this as a powder brush which I'll definitely try out! One of the best things about Real Technique brushes is supposedly that you can really use them for all sorts of things - I know a lot of brush brands such as MAC or Sigma tend to have a brush for literally everything you can think of! Real Techniques having a smaller range means that you don't have to spend as much money but still get the good quality you're after. You can buy this brush here for £8.99 - though I do recommend keeping an eye out in Boots and Superdrug as they run 3 for 2 offers on these literally all the time.

Have you tried any of these brushes? Are there any you can recommend?

Holiday Hair Products

Seeing as I jet off on holiday in 16 days (!!!) I've begun thinking about what I need to be taking with me. I did all of my clothes shopping last month so that I couldn't be tempted to pick up bits here and there in the weeks leading up to going away (we know we all do it, come on). I already have a tonne of beauty products as well so now I'm just selecting the best bits to go with me!

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish Spray, £21.50

A bit expensive, yes, but fully worth it (read my full review here). It doubles up as a dry shampoo as well as a thickening spray but doesn't leave any kind of white residue or sticky feeling. Generally lovely and I think it will be great for when my hair needs a bit of oomph after being in the sun all day! 

Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Conditioner 250ml, £17.50

I have dip dyed hair which obvious means my hair has been bleached - bleach, sun and chlorine don't mix too well! So I'm taking this intensive conditioner with me (obviously going to decant into a smaller bottle!) and I'll be conditioning the ends of my hair every day. I love this conditioner because even though it's quite intense it doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy or limp.

Aussie Luscious Long Leave In Conditioner, £4.69

Aaand just a bit more conditioner! I use this every time I wash my hair without fail as I get horrendously knotty hair when it's wet and this is the only thing that gets them out. Therefore I thought this will probably be perfect for getting sea water tangly hair back to normal! 

Do you have any particular holiday routines like this? I always have to put together little packages of things I'll need! 

P.S don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin', I'll be posting more holiday prep now that it's summer time and then I'll be updating my holiday outfits! 

My Best Sale Buy: Kurt Geiger Carvela 'Kloud' Sandals

Seeing as I'm going on holiday next month I haven't been able to go shopping with my usual vigour - which as you can imagine has been horrible. I've only been picking up things that I really need (which sadly doesn't include MAC products) but then when I saw these and the price - I had to break the rules a bit.

Enter the 'Kloud' sandal. The £15 Kurt Geiger Carvela sandal. £15! I literally could not believe my eyes and there was literally one pair left in my size - I knew if I didn't take them then I would regret it forever. They're a fairly simple sandal with a thong toe, ankle strap and support. However as you can see on the back of the (contrast, cobalt blue) heel there are the most amazing spiked studs! And take it from me - these are sharp studs - definitely have to be careful with them! 

They aren't real leather, it's all synthetic, which in all honesty is one of the reasons I never would have paid full price (£70) but for £15 plus staff discount at Topshop I could definitely deal with. I know these will be perfect for holiday and for wearing here when the weather picks itself back up again. I love them so much and they're so much more me than the studded/bejewelled offerings you see everywhere on the high street. You can still get the orange and nude version of these shoes here (full price sadly) but this colour way has sold out online. 

Have you managed to pick up any great sale buys? I think this one will be hard to beat!

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Review

I've actually had this for well over a month now but held off reviewing because I literally could not make my mind up on it! Although lots of people have apparently been wowed by this, I think I can finally say that I am not. For starters, you need a lot of this to cover your face. It's quite a thick consistency that doesn't spread out very well so when you try to use less you end up with patches of your face uncovered that obviously then becomes patchy foundation! So a tube that should normally last you quite a while will no doubt only last me another few weeks.

My other concern is just that really, it doesn't work that well for me. I definitely can't see any drastic improvement in my foundation application as a result from it, in particular it does nothing in terms of creating a smoother base to cover blemishes - they still have to be loaded with concealer to look anything near normal! I just feel like for the price (around £7.99 full price) I would rather spend the extra pounds and get something like the L'orel Studio Secrets primer (which I can vouch for!). 

Overall I think Maybelline have missed the mark a bit with the 'Baby' products - I really didn't take to the BabyLips and I haven't taken to this either! Stick to the more grown up products that work please Maybelline, you're so much better than this!

Luxury Holiday Wishlist

If any of you saw my budget holiday wish list earlier this month, you might be interested in this. The only difference is whilst I quite happily picked up a few things off my list for my upcoming holiday, I doubt I'll ever be managing to pick any of these up. Get ready to sob at the beauty!

Luxury Holiday Wishlist by erinjainex 

1. Valentino Rockstud Double Strap Sandal, £525

I'm sure a lot of you have seen the different versions of these Valentino shoes - the pointed flats and the heels are so beautiful that of course they made a sandal as well. It literally kills me that no high street store has made a version of these as I think they're amazing.

Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses, £135

Quick story: I do actually now own a pair of vintage Ray-Bans that belonged to my dad about 20 years ago. However I'm petrified to take them on holiday in case I lose them! So of course if money were no object I'd pick up this pair. So different to what I'd normally wear but I saw them on a Youtuber recently and fell in love with the way they look.

Smythson Coral Mara Leather Passport Cover, £115

This is definitely a rich person treat, no?! We all know and love Smythson for lovely diaries and leather goods, but I never knew they did things like this. It's so pretty but I think also quite a classic design that you could use forever - you'd be getting your moneys worth if you ever did decide to invest in one!

Melissa Odabash 'Torino' Bandeau Swimsuit, £210

If you don't know who Melissa Odabash is for swimwear, then I think you've been living under a rock. She is famed for it and it's all beautiful and classic. I love this modern twist on a simple bandeau with the mesh panel - though I am slightly concerned about what the tan lines would be like?!

Crème De La Mer 'The Body Crème' 300ml, £155

And of course, the classic ultimate beauty treat. Creme De La Mer is world renowned (mainly for being expensive but also supposedly amazing). It's meant to be a super amazing cream that you can kind of use for everything and it will transform your skin. There has been a lot of 'hmmmm' reviews from the press for it as the ingredients are significantly cheaper than what they sell it for - but hey, I have an imaginary £155 to spend! ;)

Sadly I don't think I'll be taking any of these on holiday with me as much as I wish. Have you spotted any summer loves that you can't afford? Wallow in misery with me!

P.S don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'!

The Chunky Shoe Summer Edition

I literally bought these shoes two hours ago and I'm already writing a post about them. For a while now I've wanted some of the cut out chunky sandals that everyone loves, but I couldn't find the right pair - they either looked too clunky, were too uncomfortable, made my feet look giant.. etc etc. Then when I was in Primark today, I wandered in to the shoe section and saw these. As soon as I tried one on I knew I was buying them! 

I think these are a better balance than other ones I've seen of chunky and girly - I was wearing black skinny jeans when I tried them on which looked nice but they're enough of a sandal to look good with shorts or a skirt too. The platform makes the heel practically non existent so I'm hoping they're going to be comfy enough to wear in the day time. They also (obviously) have no toe so I will have to step up my toe polish game...

They were a bargainous £12 as well so even if I don't get along with them brilliantly it's not too much of a loss. Oh Primark, what you do to me. 

Do you like these types of shoes? Or are you part of the population that thinks they're a bit on the ugly side? Let me know!

P.S don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'!

Little Happy Things #2 (May)

Can anyone else absolutely not believe that it's June already?! Where has the time gone, I'm sure that Christmas was only the other week :( May has been a lovely but fairly uneventful month for me. I managed to get a week off work and spent it with two of my closest friends (Hi Helen and Eli if you read this!) and just generally had a nice time. It's so strange that we're halfway through the year already -  let's hope that the next few months bring an amazing summer!

1. seeing Ernie the turtle at SeaLife Trafford

2. dip dyed hair + American Apparel

3. my new print from tattoo goddess Hannah Snowden

4. testing the new Five Guys in Manchester

5. meeting Caesar the dwarf hamster

6. cocktails at Walrus in the sun

Did you all have a good month? Or are you happier to step into June and officially pretend it's summer?! Let me know! :)

P.S don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'! 

The Day I Bought A Hat

So, if you read my holiday wish list you'll know that I was a teensy bit (okay a lot) obsessed by a big black floppy hat from Topshop. Well, er, I bought it.

Hat - Topshop, Shirt - Topshop (old)

If possible, I now love it even more. The only problem with it is that it's actually slightly too big for my head (and I thought I had a massive head) so when it's windy there is the whole literally hold on to your hat situation. Either way I love it and I actually think it looks nicer now I've re-ombred my hair! I know that this is going to be my summer staple that will be coming with me everywhere I go.

Budget Holiday Wishlist!

So this morning me and my boyfriend finally - FINALLY - managed to book our holiday for July! I could not be more excited and despite promises to myself to not go mental buying a holiday wardrobe there are obviously a few bits and pieces I should pick up.. right?! I've been trawling the web to find some bargains and I thought I'd share them with you.

Holiday wish list by erinjainex

1. Missguided White Cover Up Mini Dress, £5.99

I literally cannot believe this is only £5.99! Perfect little cover up dress for throwing on at the beach or on a daytime walk. Yes, it's probably a tiny bit see through but what you need it for I don't think it really matters - and for £5.99 you wouldn't expect it to be much else. Style it like above or with flip-flops, a big tote beach bag and a long simple necklace.

2. ASOS Caged Moulded Bikini Top, £18

I absolutely love these kind of bikini tops, I think they look so amazing! The best bit about buying a black or white version about this is that you can team it with any normal bottoms - the bottoms on ASOS to match were £12 but they'd look equally as good with a normal pair of black bottoms. The only obvious thing that slightly worries me is tan lines?! Ah well, I'll figure it out.

3. Dorothy Perkins Yellow Strap Sandals, £9

Another bargain here. Just very basic leather look strap sandals that you can stick into your bag and go with pretty much every outfit. These are available in almost every colour as well - I definitely love this yellow pair but I'll probably be sensible and get white or black!

4. ASOS Matte Retro Sunglasses, £12

Although the high street everywhere has new fancy styles of sunglasses, I'm a classic girl. I love this kind of 'retro' shape where the frame doesn't actually go all the way around! I have relented to this style being a bit more modern with the coloured lenses - they've got a reflected metallic coating on them which apart from looking awesome, apparently give off minimal glare. (But they look good which is the main nice thing). 

5. Topshop Black Floppy Hat, £28

This is the one piece that I know isn't really budget - almost £30 on a hat is a bit extreme. But I seriously love this hat so much that I'm a bit concerned about myself. Large floppy hats are always popular in summer anyway but to be honest, have always been favoured by elderly women. The floppy straw hat has been given a modern felt/wool update, which works with both normal and beach outfits.

I know that I'll probably be picking all of these up for my holiday - have you found any great holiday buys lately? 

L'oreal Infallible Stay Fresh 24hr Foundation Review

When I picked this up in Boots the other day, my boyfriend groaned and said 'you have SO MANY OF THESE!'. Which is kind of true. I have random bottles here and there that have ended up disappointing me or changed shade or I just got bored of. But I did genuinely just finish my Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation and thought it was about time to try something new.

The bottle claims that you get 24 hours of a 'just applied' finish, flawless complexion with no transfer, no shine, no dry out, and lots of other no-somethings. I personally never understand why makeup claims to last 24 hours as I really don't need it to last that long at all! Saying that, I have to disagree that it's a super long lasting foundation. I love the finish you get but definitely around the 6 hour mark you can tell it's not quite the same.

The foundation itself is quite a thick texture so you don't need very much. It doesn't actually say anywhere  on the bottle but I would class this as medium to high coverage which is exactly what I love in a foundation! I still use my MAC Studio Fix Powder over the top to set it as I like a really matte finish but thankfully this foundation isn't shiny at all on the skin by itself so if you prefer not to powder then you could definitely get away with it. 

I also really like the packaging for this - it looks very simple and clean which I prefer from drug store brands. The only slight complaint with it is that the pump seems a bit weird - it's like a square pump so if you're not careful about how you're holding the bottle then you get the annoying squirt of foundation that just goes all down the side of the pump! 

So far I really like this foundation and I'm hoping that it will be better for the (supposed) warmer months coming up!