Saturday 23 July 2016

The UK's Answer to Sephora?


You know all those luxury beauty brands that you love? All those amaaaazing quality liquid lipsticks, highly pigmented eyeshadows and super flawless foundations that you can't get enough of? The very ones that make you visit five different websites in order to purchase your full face? Well, your prayers are answered, because these very brands will soon be available in one very special location: Fabled.

Marie Claire has announced the launch of Fabled by Marie Claire, a unique beauty and wellness destination in collaboration with Ocado. Drawing on Marie Claire’s 27 years of expertise in the beauty industry, Fabled will offer an extensive range of premium and niche brands, such as Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown, Urban Decay, Nars and Perricone MD, as well as exclusive content from a dedicated editorial team. The new online beauty store is a first-of-its-kind retail collaboration with Ocado which is set to launch online this August and with a flagship West End store. Yes, babes, you can now go and sample your favourite products instead of buying online and relying on user reviews.

In partnering with Ocado Ltd, Fabled is able to offer a seamless customer experience. Promising to deliver online purchases within a choice of one hour time slots, seven days a week, the proposition is designed to fit into the fast-paced lives of beauty-savvy women everywhere (AKA 100% me).

To accompany the online offering, a concept, flagship store named Fabled by Marie Claire will open on Tottenham Court Walk, London W1 in August alongside the website launch. The store, designed by GP Studio will stock brands such as Chanel, Benefit, YSL, Clinique, Elemis and Lancôme. A full list of brands available online and in store will be revealed in the coming weeks - and with the latest additions to Debenhams (I'm talking about you, Kat Von D), I'm expecting to see some highly coveted brands to create some healthy competition.
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Wednesday 13 July 2016

Festival Headwear 2016: SORTED.


If you're embarking on a weekend of muddy wellies, your all time favourite music, and dancing til 3am in a field of people, then you'll need the perfect piece of headwear. Obvs.

I'm going to address the festival cliche up front and say that flower crowns - as much as we love them - are a bit, well, 'done'. So, it's time to mix things up this year with a new take on the beloved crown (because if you can't be a princess at a festival, where can you?) and try something with a bit more glam. By 'glam' I mean sequins, glitter and precious metals; really bring out your inner disco ball!

For the ultimate festival queen, this Johnny Loves Rosie gold leaf headband* is the perfect accessory and oozes 'Hail Caesar!' cool. Here, I'm wearing it with the silhouette of the season: the Bardot - but this would easily pair up with denim cut offs and a crochet halter, or a vintage maxi.

Aside from the aesthetic, the thing I love most about this headpiece is that it stays in place without digging into your head (the last thing you need whilst you're enjoying your weekend is a banging headache). It features a stretch-style band, decorated with shiny, gold-plated, detailed metal leaves, ideal to fit over your chosen festival hairstyle.

If this isn't your style, browse Johnny Loves Rosie's gorgeous new range of accessories, including delicate necklaces, punky chokers and minimalist hair pieces.

* Gifted for review

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Monday 11 July 2016

Maple Chocolate Rice Pudding | Naughty But Rice


This weekend, Naughty But Rice* invited me to try out some of their handy pots of rice pudding in the delicious flavours of creamy Salted Caramel, refreshing Coconut & Raspberry and tangy Chocolate Orange. I'd never tried these before, but after a few scoops I knew that these little pots would soon become a lunchbox regular.

I prefer to heat mine up in the microwave, which only takes a minute (literally); however, you can enjoy these cold if you prefer - perfect for coolbox picnics!

The brand also challenged me to create my own rice pudding flavour. 


Challenge accepted.

I have a huge sweet-tooth, so I wanted to create something that would provide the ultimate sweet-tooth-satisfaction. I combined maple syrup, plain chocolate, cinnamon and just a hint of nutmeg to produce a flavour that would take me back to my childhood when my mum had a huge pot of rice pudding slow-cooking on the stove for a good two hours, making me salivate until I could finally tuck in after dinner.

I used whole chunks of chocolate in this dessert, to give that nice, rich, surprise burst of flavour when you pop a spoonful into your mouth. Here's my recipe:

Ingredients


- 100g pudding rice
- 50g sugar
- 700ml semi-skimmed milk
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 75g plain chocolate

Method


1. Preheat the over to 150C/fan 130C/gas mark 2.

2. Wash the rice and drain.

3. Butter an 850ml baking dish. Tip in the rice and sugar and stir in the milk, maple syrup, nutmeg and cinnamon.

4. Place chunks of the plain chocolate randomly throughout the dish.

5. Cook for 2 hours or until the pudding wobbles ever so slightly when shaken.

*Products gifted for review
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Sunday 10 July 2016

Spiralizer Kilner Jar Salad

Spiralizer Recipe by Jen Lou Meredith

Oh yes, I've got into spiralizing in a big way. I spiralize any veg that's long and thin to make delicious, nutritious, (pretty) vegetti - for inspiration, courgettes, carrots, parsnips and cucumbers are all great options.

As a recent vegetarian convert, I've found that spiralizing is a great way to keep things interesting. After all, there are only so many times you can eat chopped veg before you go insane and decide that meat is the better option, after all. And I'm determined not to travel down that road again.

At the moment, I'm finding that summer salads are serving as great lunches for hot days when you really can't stomach a thick sandwich with a heavy filling. I keep mine in a Kilner jar to ensure my veg is as fresh as possible, with a squeeze of lemon juice to avoid any browning.

Here's my recipe for a quick, easy Kilner jar salad to take to work, uni or wherever.


Ingredients


- Half a courgette
- Six cherry tomatoes
- Three button mushrooms
- A couple of fresh thyme leaves
- Teaspoon of olive oil
- Quarter of a lemon
- One crushed garlic clove
- A splash of white wine


Method


1. Spiralize the courgette and place in straight into the bottom of the Kilner jar. Squeeze the juice out of the quarter lemon on top.

2. Slice the tomatoes into halves, then place on top of the spiralized courgette.

3. Slice up the mushrooms and place into a pan with the oil and the crushed garlic. Don't stir them too much, as they'll become watery. Once they start to sizzle, pour in a splash of white wine.

4. Once the wine has been absorbed by the mushrooms, take the pan off the heat and scoop the mushrooms into the Kilner jar. Chop up the thyme leaves and sprinkle on top. Leave to cool before sealing, and place in a fridge if you're going to wait to eat it for lunch.

Kitchen-nv Spiralizer

Kitchen-nv's handheld spiralizer is one of my favourite kitchen gadgets to use right now, alongside my smoothie blender and my coffee machine. It's incredibly easy to use, and it takes up zero counter space because it's so compact! Best of all, it's only £8.75. Find out more at https://shop.kitchen-nv.com/collections/all

Spiralizer Recipe by Jen Lou Meredith
Spiralizer Recipe by Jen Lou Meredith

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Thursday 7 July 2016

Kat Von D Beauty is Launching in the UK!

Kat Von D Beauty UK Debenhams

If you haven't heard the news, where have you been? Kat Von D Beauty is coming to the UK and will be sold in store and online at our beloved Debenhams from October 2016 according to Kat's recent Instagram video

That means that the Tattoo Liner and Everlasting Liquid Lipstick you've always wanted (but not so much to pay shipping and customs for) will be available for glorious pound sterling at the click of a button, and within 3-5 days - or, if you're lucky enough to live near a half decent Debenhams, then the world's most coveted makeup will soon be just a walk away! Exciting, eh?

Kat announced her UK launch to the press on 6th July 2016 in London, and held a treasure hunt for one lucky city-goer to find a goody bag full of Kat Von D products hidden somewhere in London - can this woman be any more awesome?

Debenhams already stock some amazing American brands, including Urban Decay, Too Faced, MAC and Makeup Forever, so this huge addition to their beauty portfolio will hopefully encourage more coveted US cosmetics brands (hello, Jeffree Star) to stock in the UK.

To celebrate the launch, here is a selection of some of my favourite Kat Von D products - what are your favourites? And what brands would you like to see come to the UK?


Kat Von D Beauty UK Debenhams



3. Tattoo Brow, $19
4. Tattoo Liner, $19
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Tuesday 5 July 2016

How to Wear a Bardot Playsuit

New Look Playsuit Fashion by Jen Lou MeredithNew Look Playsuit Fashion by Jen Lou Meredith
New Look Playsuit Fashion by Jen Lou Meredith
Coconut Lane Silver Leaf Fashion Bracelet by Jen Lou Meredith
 SUNGLASSES - ZEROUV* // PLAYSUIT - NEW LOOK (available in store) // BRACELET - COCONUT LANE // SHOES - PEACOCKS (similar here)

*Gifted for review
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Friday 1 July 2016

That Floral Feeling


Now that I'm older (I say that, but I'm still only in my early twenties - but hey, it's better than the ignorance and obliviousness of being 17), I'm more confident with my clothing choices. I think we all get better at dressing ourselves as we get older really, but I've noticed that, as I began to stop caring what people thought, I started dressing in tandem with my personality and mood rather than adapting my looks to suit other people's preferences.

Around two years ago, all I wore was black and grey. I wore clothes like this because I didn't really want people to notice me, and because all the people I followed on Instagram wore black and grey. Now, it doesn't cross my mind whether people notice me or not, and I still follow people who dress in monochrome, but I've learned to break away from that negative mindset and follow my own sartorial path. Yes, I still wear black - it is, and will always be, slimming - but now, when I go shopping, I'm drawn to bright colours and bold prints.

This outfit from Vesper247 is unbelievably gorgeous for summer (when we eventually get some good weather). The floral print on the skirt* is pretty and eye catching without being too 'girly' and the white ruffle cami top* looks delicate and soft against the bold print. I love the silhouette; clothing that cinches me in at the waist is my go-to, as I love the fact that I have curvier hips and a smaller waist (without sounding like I'm bragging - we should all embrace our fabulous figures!).

Most of all, I'm seriously impressed with the quality of this outfit. The material of the skirt is sturdy and heavier than average - so there won't be any chance of an accident on a windy day (oh yes, I've been there) - and the zips on both pieces are firm and well sewn in.

I do have to add in that this outfit is perfect for wedding season, which is firmly upon us. After wearing a maxi dress to a wedding last year in 30 degree heat, I wish I had something like this outfit to keep me cool but still looking elegant and stylish. In fact, Vesper 247 has a great selection of pieces ideal for weddings and other events. I wore this to a baby shower and got so many compliments from a range of women with different tastes and style preferences.

Versper247's SS16 range has so many choices for those who love pastels and florals, as well as those who are more drawn to block colours and graphic prints. Prices start from around £15 in sale, £29 in new. Visit the website here.

*Gifted for review
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