Laura Elizabeth xo: summer

Thursday, 23 March 2017

I have been thinking about focusing a bit more on fashion lately on my blog and have decided to try to regularly make outfit posts to share my wardrobe with my readers. At the moment, I have been really enjoying wearing culottes and wide leg trousers, they are perfect for a lovely sunny day and nice and cool and chic for the summer. They are being sold pretty much everywhere with so many colours and designs to choose from and a few of my favourites are available from Primark for £12 and under.

This whole outfit is actually from Primark, including the sunglasses and whilst I can't quite remember how much the outfit on a whole cost, I know for certain it was under £30. The sandals are stock from last summer but the other items are still available in Primark at the moment and it is such a wearable and easy outfit to throw together, and culottes even look great when paired with heels for a night out.

Culotte style jumpsuits are also great for this summer or evenings out, and below I have put together some of my favourites.

Dupe: W7 Make Up and Glow Bronzing Base

I'm definitely one for a bargain, who isnt?! Unfortunately, not all make up bargains have been that successful, in my opinion, but this product is definitely a winner! I have been aware of W7 for a long time, but I think they have only just come into their own and really upped their game. They seem to be the copycat brand for beauty products and this dupe attracted my attention as a much cheaper alternative to Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel.

Just like Soleil Tan De Chanel, this product is cream based, easily blended and lasts for a long time on the skin. Rather than the steep £32 price tag for the Chanel product, the W7 one comes in at just under £5 and in my opinion, you get just as good a product, with the only difference being that you don't get the more fancy Chanel packaging, or the famous Chanel scent. In fact the ingredients are super similar in both products, with the W7 bronzer containing less ingredients, but still giving a matte bronzed look to the skin.

The creme dries like a powder and doesn't budge all day, it is perfect for matching your face with your body in the summer, but as it is not too orangey on the skin, it can be worn all year round. Another quality this product has in common with the Soleil Tan De Chanel is that it is highly pigmented, so be light handed - a little goes a long way!

This product is great as a contour or just an all over bronzer, I find it works best with a buffing or stippling brush as I can apply the product with a light hand more easily. It doesn't just stick to the skin like some creme products, it blends out beautifully, and as it is not too orangey I find that it works well with my fair skin tone.

Overall, a successful dupe from W7. I look forward to what this brand has to come in the future.

Have you used any W7 products before?

Laura Elizabeth xo

Models Own Festival Collection - Lipsticks and Polishes

Earlier in the year Models Own released a festival collection including polishes, lipsticks, face paint and colourful hairspray, perfect for the summer and for wearing to any of the festivals taking place around the country.

Each lipstick is incredibly pigmented and long lasting with some having more of matte finish than others, and so it's important that your lips are moisturised and in top condition before applying them. The range consists of super bright, red, pink and orange shades, and so they are perfect for summer, or for applying to a minimal make up look at a festival.

From left to right:

Sunrise - A vibrant orange shade which can also be sheered out so its not so in your face. My favourite colour to wear in the summer and paired with a gorgeous glowing highlighter to the cheeks it's creates a beautiful summer goddess look.

Daisy Chain - The most difficult shade to wear in my opinion as it's very light, and on my pale skin it completely washes me out! Despite that, after applying fake tan, and bronzing up my face I can get away with wearing this shade. The most matte out of them all, so make sure to moisturise!

Gone Glamping - The most intense pink in the collection, a slightly nicer formula than daisy chain as it is not quite as matte. This shade is a bright fuchsia pink with a blue undertone.

Main Stage - This is a slightly darker bright pink, it reminds me of 'Girl About Town' by Mac.

Headliner - This is a glossier finish, and a bit more sheer but still a bright red shade that I've enjoyed wearing with winged eyeliner.

I've used each shade of these polishes on either my fingernails or my toenails and I have received compliments on every shade I've worn. They are bright, long lasting and you only really need one coat and you're ready to go! I also find that these polishes dry fairly quickly which is something I like in my nail polishes as I get bored easily waiting for them to dry! These glide on nicely, however they don't have the flat brush that many polishes are now using.

From left to right:
Blue Skies - This is a very rich, bright, cyan blue, when dry and after one/two coats you have the exact colour shown on the bottle. A fun summer colour.
Pink Wellies - Is the perfect mix of a bright neon pink and barbie pink, it's very girly and I achieved perfectly painted nails with just one coat.
Colour Explosion - This polish looks great over every colour in the collection - it's a glitter topper. It has iridescent glitter and pastel matte glitters, and with this polish you will definitely need a few coats.
Green Fields - This is a very grassy green, and I have never been a fan of green nails in the past but I loved wearing this colour! It is slightly more sheer than the others and so I used three coats.
Purple Bandana - My personal favourite of the lot, it is a bright orchid shade and I achieved a perfect finish with just one coat. It is bright and stands out, and is like no other polish I own.

Overall the festival range from Models Own is a great collection, I look forward to what they bring out next!

Laura Elizabeth xo

July Favourites

Many of the products I have been enjoying using in July were the same products I was enjoying in June, so there aren't many items to talk about in my July favourites, however these items I have been reaching for continuously during July and I would like to share them with you.

Rose Gold Aviator Sunglasses - Primark

This year Primark have a great range of gorgeous sunglasses and I own a pair in nearly every colour, apart from rose gold, so when I spotted these I couldn't resist! Cheap, pretty and they do the job!

'Purple Bandana' Festival Collection Nail Polish - Models Own

Just one of five colours in this collection, Purple Bandana gives a bright orchid shade and I only need one coat!

Fan Shape Make Up Brush - Ebay

Perfect for applying highlighter, ebay sell many great quality make up brushes for affordable prices, this one is soft and picks up just the right amount of product.

'Golden Lights' Vivid Baked Highlighter - Make Up Revolution

I don't need to go on about how great this brand is and this product is one of my favourites in their make up range. Golden lights is an opal gold highlighter and gives a small golden shimmer to the cheeks without making you look glittery. A little goes a long way as this product is very pigmented! At £3 its a steal.

'Vanilla' Creamy Concealer - Nars

Covers up any imperfections and dark circles perfectly, blends well, and this product also has a great colour range.

What products have you been loving during July? Also, where has the past month gone?!

Laura Elizabeth xo

June Favourites

Pink Shell Cross Body Bag | Skinny Dip London - I have been loving using this bag the past month, it's small but large enough to hold any essential items, and basically it makes me feel like a mermaid. It's metallic and looks really pretty when the sun shines on it, it also has a long, chunky gold chain.

Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser | Liz Earle - My new favourite method of removing my make up! It's simple, quick and easy to use, and removes even the most difficult and stubborn mascara with just a few wipes of the muslin cloth. It leaves my skin feeling smooth afterwards and I just find it really satisfying when rubbing the cleanser onto my face with my fingers, starting to remove the make up, before wiping the rest away with the cloth.

Aquarium Nail Mediterranean in Number 4 | Barry M - I bought this nail polish last year, but early on in June I picked it out of my ever growing collection of polishes and applied it to my toe nails and now my love for it has been renowned. The metallic shiny pink makes me feel like a mermaid, just like the shell bag, and looks really pretty with a pair of cute sandals on a sunny day.

Colour Boost Lip Crayon | Bourjois Paris - Another product I picked up last summer after I watched Tanya Burr use it in one of her make up tutorial videos! It's another lip crayon product, and although there are many out there, and you may already own too many, this product is a lip crayon that should definitely be added to your collection. The formula is lovely, non sticky and not drying at all. It has a glossy shine to it and the colour pay off is really good. It's a lovely coral/peach colour and so it is perfect for a summer make up look.

Gold Stack Rings | Primark - Gold stack rings are a great accessory and I picked these up in Primark for under £5. They fit nicely, and vary in band sizes but all are fairly chunky. They are simple, but eye catching and suitable for everyday or evening outfits.

Make Up Setting Spray | Collection - Defnitely useful in the summer heat if you want your make up to last for a long period of time without moving or melting! With just one spray this product sets your make up, and leaves it in place for hours. This is another product I have purchased before, however I have started to use it more in the hotter weather and found that for £5.99 it is definitely a great product worth buying this summer.

Silver Coin Necklace | LVBT.co.uk - I very kindly got sent this product a while back and have been really enjoying wearing it with everyday outfits and in the evening. I find that it works really well both ways, and is perfect for completing a great festival look. They look sophisticated and make any outfit look effortlessly well put together.

Summer Beauty and Fashion Essentials - Collaboration with Katie

I have done a collaboration with the lovely Katie over at http://katielou99.blogspot.co.uk/ on what our summer essentials are.

I love Summer, and especially love the bright colours and patterns that come out during the summer months as it really puts a smile on my face and makes me feel happy. Usually because during the rest of the year I mainly wear monochrome or darker colours so it is nice to want to wear brighter colours, whether that be shown through my fashion items or my beauty picks. I thought I would give you the run down on my favourite items that are essential for summer.

Sandals - My first summer essential item is a pair of comfy sandals! I bought these last summer from Primark and wore them a lot and decided to include them in this collaboration as they are just so comfy! I wore these to the beach, on shopping days out and even took them on holiday with me earlier in the year where I wore them on a few touristy days out. They are still in good condition so I look forward to wearing them again during the summer months.

Statement Necklace | Silver Coin Necklace - A silver or gold statement necklace is perfect for summer and I especially love these coin necklaces. I think they look great at festivals and really bring an outfit alive. They are elegant and sophisticated looking making an outfit look effortlessly well put together.

Glowy Skin - A good bronzer, blusher or highlighter that gives a lovely, healthy glow looks great in Summer. They are perfect for putting on over a light base product or on their own - I definitely prefer wearing less make up during the summer days if I can help it. I particularly love the Make Up Revolution Ultra Blush Palette in Golden Sugar.

Moisturiser with SPF - A good moisturiser is important for healthy skin, and in the summer I like using one with an SPF to protect my skin from the sun when I choose to wear minimal make up or no make up at all. In the summer I also like to use a lighter foundation, and many I own do not have an SPF, and so I always make sure I use a moisturiser with SPF to make up for it. I particularly like the Garnier Moisture Match Protect and Glow (Superdrug/Boots) as it is a light lotion that smells lemony and fresh and contains light reflecting pearls to give a healthy looking glow to the skin. This one contains SPF 20.

Bright Lipstick - A bright lipstick is great in the summer if you like to wear minimal make up on your skin. I like to wear peachy, coral or pink colours on my lips with only a basic eye make up look, and a light coverage on the skin. Barry M do a great range of bright, summer colour lipsticks.

Pretty Nail Polish - I like to wear bright colours on my nails in the summer as well as I love a good pair of sandals and so it is important that my toes look pretty! I particularly love similar colours on my nails as the lipstick shades I wear. Peachy, corals and pinks look really lovely in the summer months. I also really like the pretty, shiny colours in the Aquarium collection from Barry M.

BB Cream - As I like to wear less make up in the summer, I find a BB cream is a great alternative to a foundation. A really good one can provide enough coverage to cover up imperfections but also give the no make up make up look. I enjoy using ones without SPF and prefer to use a moisturiser with an SPF to protect my skin. The All-In-One BB Cream from The Body Shop is my perfect bb cream, it transforms on the skin to suit your skin tone, whilst providing hydration and light to medium coverage.

Sunglasses - A good pair of sunglasses which actually do the job is essential for Summer. Even though I wear mine all year round, as it is brighter in the summer it is important to protect your eyes. These are from Primark and only cost me £2 so I was curious as to how well they would work, but they are great and really do keep my eyes protected. Also, they are super cute.

These are my beauty and fashion summer essentials. Go and check out Katie's post here to find out what her essentials are. I'd love to know what yours are!

Laura Elizabeth xo

Models Own Polish For Tans Collection

I recently won Models Own Facebook competition to receive the new colours in the nail polish collection 'Polish For Tans.' The collection is designed to compliment and enhance your tan and highlight the glow of your skin. The colours are perfect for any beach babes and the names for each polish are very fitting and super cute.

Turquoise Sea

Sarong Wrap

Beach Hut

Malibu Pink

Cocktail Hour

You can find the collection at Superdrug or on the Models Own website. What are your favourite nail polish shades for Summer?

Laura Elizabeth xo

Exploring Fuengirola, Spain

If you follow me on Instagram you will have known that last month I spent a week in Spain with my best friend to celebrate us both turning 21. The weather was beautiful, the food was great and the people were lovely, and like usual, the holiday flew by and I was back in rainy England before I knew it.

We flew into Malaga and travelled by coach to our hotel in the town of Fuengirola right on the beach front. Our hotel was beautiful and clean and perfectly situated, with plenty of bars and pubs around the area and beach front to go to, where the entertainment was fun, and the prices cheap.

The lovely view from our balcony

We spent one morning at the Bioparc, which is a small sized zoo/wildlife park with a range of animals not far from Fuengirola - walking distance, where we got to walk through the Lemur exhibit which was my favourite part.

Bikini - Primark

Fuengirola is situated in a perfect area for being able to travel to the surrounding towns. From our hotel (Hotel Angela) it was only a short walk to the bus station where you could catch a regular bus to lots of places. We decided to visit Torremolinos and Marbella, both very beautiful and picturesque.

I would definitely recommend Fuengirola and Malaga as a holiday destination, the area is perfect for a relaxing beach holiday, or a tourist and sightseeing break, we managed to do a bit of both in our short time vacating there.

Where are you heading on holiday this year?

Laura Elizabeth xo