STYLE: RAPPER'S DELIGHT

DRESS - BOOHOO, TOP (UNDERNEATH) - MISS SELFRIDGE, BOOTS - NEW LOOK, CUFF - VINTAGE

I had a bit of an online shopping splurge last week and Boohoo was just one of many that benefited from my severe lack of self-control. I think this crop topped dress is super cute and spot-on for the spring to summer transition - or whatever you want to call this ridiculous weather!

I'm also wearing specs - big moment! After trying and failing to read a road sign last week, i thought it would be safer for all if i finally accepted my fate instead of continuing to mow down innocent pedestrians on my bike. I hope you like them as I plan on embracing the specs completely and have my eye on a few winged and cat eye beauties already <3

BEAUTY: BOOTS PREMIUM BEAUTY EVENT

Lancome Paris Redefinine Lifting Cream SPF15, Lancome Skin Advanced Skin Corrector, Lancome Paris Youth Activating Concentrate, Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, Clarins Paris BB Skin Perfecting Cream, Clarins Paris Eye Contour Gel, and Clarins Paris HydraQuench Tinted Moisturizer Gold 05 SPF15

The transition from Winter to Spring to Summer is always a tricky one in the UK and you can never be quite certain where one ends and the other begins. One day it can be glorious sunshine and reaching the dizzy heights of 16 degrees - we dream big here in Edinburgh! - and the next it's snowing. Not only does this play havoc with your wardrobe which doesn't know which way its going, but it can also have an affect on your beauty regime. As the weather gets warmer and sunnier - that's the hope anyway! - my skin and beauty needs change and, bar a complete makeup overhaul, I struggle to make my winter makeup work for me.



It's a good thing then that just in the nick of time I was invited along to the Boots Premium Beauty Event at Fort Kinnaird in Edinburgh where customers were given the opportunity to learn all the top trade secrets on how to achieve the latest summer hair and makeup trends, with the Boots beauty and hair experts on hand to give out insider tips and free trials of the products. PLUS, there was bubbly and cakes - the fastest way to a girls' heart! - a goody bag and a prize draw to win a beauty hamper filled with luxury brand products.

So many goodies!

Boots has always been my go-to for everything beauty-wise, so it was a real treat to attend the premium beauty event and has got me really amped on writing about and trying out new beauty products this summer. Plus, I've stuck to the same beauty routine for god knows how long, so it was great to be able to pick the brains of professional make-up artists and gain some valuable insights into this seasons must-haves.


Benefit Hoola Bronzer and Benefit Sun Beam Highlighter

My night started at the Benefit counter, which is one of my favourite makeup brands as the pop-tastic, inyerface packaging always draws me in like a magpie. I was on a mission to finally pin-down contouring and bronzer, something that has previously been a complete mystery to me, and the lovely Kirsty was there to guide me through the many pot-holes.


Inside the Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Kirsty used the Hoola Bronzer, Rockateur Blush, and Sun Beam highlighter to create a sun-kissed summer look. Kirsty showed me how and where to apply bronzer to create a contouring effect that Kim K would be proud of, and how to use the highlighter to add a subtle shimmer to it all. It was a bit OTT for a day time look but would be perfect for warm summer nights on holiday.

Now that was my evening look sorted, i stopped off at the bare Minerals counter to find some day-time essentials.


bare Minerals All-Over Face Color in Warmth, Original Mineral Veil, Original SPF 15 Foundation in Fair C10, Prime Ttime Foundation Primer, and Full Flawless Face brush 

I was given the bare Minerals Get Started Complexion Kit last year as a present and have been obsessed with the mineral foundation ever since, but had all but ignored the primer, bronzer, and mineral veil that also came with it, so I sat down with Fathia who took me through the whole beauty routine step-by-step.

bare Minerals Mineral Veil and Flawless Face brush

She was so patient explaining every little thing to me and allowing me to practice the techniques myself, that it really made me confident that i could replicate the look once i was home and trying it out on my own. She even gave me a Make-Under card with all the details of the products that were used on me so that I could find them later on which was really handy. I loved the minimal and natural glow that it gave my skin, and the foundation provides such even and light-weight cover that it didn't feel like i was wearing anything at all, which is just what i want for a relaxed daytime look.

Next up was No7 who offer the Match Made service, which uses super fancy technology to match any skin type to its perfect shade of foundation and lipstick. Sitting in the chair and having my face scanned by a tiny skin sensor thingy, i was dubbed a Cool Vanilla and given a card listing a whole load of lipstick colours that it said would perfectly match my skin tone.



 First off I tried the Raspberry Silk, but i found that this was a bit too red for my skin tone, which usually has a red-y tinge to it anyway, so I quickly whipped that off and opted instead for the Loganberry 105 lipstick with it's luscious deep pinky-purpley hue. Just perfect. The lipstick was expertly applied by the lovely No7 counter staff, and looked so good and literally lasted for hours without budging. Being a slap-and-dash kinda girl I'd never gotten into the routine of taking much time over applying lipstick, but seeing how much of a difference it made to use a lipstick brush, i quickly nabbed one of those too.

No 7 Stay Perfect Loganberry 105 Lipstick, and No 7 Retractable Lip Brush

I then had to dash to catch the last bus home, and was sad to leave so quickly but was thrilled to have been given so many fantastic tips and advice. Rummaging through the goody bag when i got home, it was crammed full of amazing samples which I cant wait to try out. It's definitely got me thinking a lot more about beauty and upped my daily regime game. Although i wasn't able to take any photos of my makeup on the night as it was dark when i finally left, i'm looking forward to trying out some of the pieces i picked up and reviewing them soon so keep a look out for them!

Boots offer these make-overs to all customers, you can just pop over to one of the beauty counters to ask for one! They're a fantastic way to get to know the brands a bit more and get a first-hand feel for the products to find something that's perfect for you. Thanks to Boots Fort Kinnaird for such a fabulous evening, and thank you to all the girls who helped make me over and under!

Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet, Paco Rabanne Lady Million Eau My Gold!, Escada Turquoise Summer, Dolce & Gabbana The One, and Giorgio Armani Si

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray, Ojon Rare Blend Moisture-rich Cleansing Conditioner, Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo, and Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Conditioner

This is not a sponsored post, all opinions expressed are my own.

LIFE: BEHIND THE SCENES OF A FASHION PHOTOSHOOT WITH NICCI.N

Over the past month or so, I’ve been interning with Scottish womenswear brand nicci.n as a stylist and marketing assistant and working with fab designer, Nicola Gardner, to ready and launch her new Autumn/Winter 2015 collection.

It's been an amazing experience, and I've learnt an unbelievable amount about the whole process of designing and launching a collection - not as easy as it looks! - and wanted to share some of the behind the scenes snaps and final images from the studio and editorial photoshoots on here.

Photographer Rach Roberts and Model Raechel McGinn

Firstly, a bit about the whole wonderful collection. Nicola was inspired by 16th Century Scottish history and Mary Queen of Scots and has taken elements from the fashions of that period, such as high necklines and ruffs, bright fabrics, and exaggerated silhouettes, and given them a modern day spin, turning them into wearable highstreet pieces. I immediately loved how unique and edgy all the designs were, especially with all that gorgeous leatherette and intricate bead detailing, and really think they translate to everyday wear.

The studio with model Raechel McGinn strutting her funky stuff

The first day of my internship, i was invited along to Edinburgh College to help out on the studio photoshoot and it was an absolute dream working with everyone on set. Makeup artist Danielle Dickson, photographer Rach Roberts, and model Raechel McGinn were all pro's and super relaxed and comfortable at the shoot. It was exciting to help put the looks together and I learnt a lot from watching photographer Rach direct Raechel to get the best shots. So with the help of Taylor Swift blairing out of the radio, the day flew by!

Makeup Artist, Danielle Dickson, working her magic, Designer, Nicola, making some final adjustments

Once the studio shoot was done and dusted, I was asked to start scouting locations for the editorial photoshoot which was the bit i was most excited about. With the historical theme in mind, I had to find a location that reflected that 16th Century element, preferably somewhere historical and rustic with loads of character.

It was perfect then that I came across Dalhousie Castle, Scotland’s oldest inhabited castle just 8 miles south of Edinburgh. It offered the ideal back-drop to this historically inspired collection with its ivy-covered stone walls, grand interiors, and thrones galore, so we were spoilt for choice for backgrounds to shoot against. 

Model, Evelina Brinkemo, looking regal in the nicci.n. Ivory Cotton Sateen Shirt

The potential for some really great shots was obvious as soon as we arrived at the castle, which is set within beautiful woodland and park grounds, and even has it's own falconry centre! After trying and failing to convince the falconry to lend us one of their birds for the shoot - how amazing would that have been?! - we had a wander around the castle to scope out some locations whilst makeup artist, Danielle, set about making up models Urszula Prokop and Evelina Brinkemo in full-on 16th Century gear. Think huge beehive hair adorned with jewels, crowns, and pearls, porcelain white faces, and doll-like lips. Beautiful!

Rach captured Evelina and Urszula working the throne in the Dalhousie reception

The castle had the most perfect interior and props to match the collection, and being able to use these authentic historical pieces really brought the clothes to life.

Having selected the locations for each outfit, we began setting up the shots and I got stuck into styling the models with all the fab accessories that Nicola had brought along with her, and helping Rach capture the best lighting for each shot.

Just a few of the props that Nicola brought along with her.

Evelina in the sheer lace dress outside Dalhousie Castle

Evelina rocking the nicci.n. Burgundy Leatherette Mini Dress

It was a long day and before we knew what was happening it was 8pm and time to wrap things up. It was a bit of a rush at the end to get the final shots done before we lost all the light, but with the aid of some strong coffee and a whole lot of kit kats, we managed to pull it off. Below are some of the final images.

Urszula in the nicci.n. Leatherette and Lace Fishtail Maxi Skirt and Top

Seeing the whole collection brought to life as the photos came back over the following weeks was really rewarding and made all the work worthwhile, and I absolutely loved my time working with Nicola and all the gang to launch this new collection from one of Edinburgh's newest and most exciting womenswear designers.

  If you want to see more of the collection, you can find pieces on nicci.n, Asos Marketplace, and Wear Eponymous.

Also, huge thanks to staff at Dalhousie Castle for allowing us to use the property and grounds for this shoot.

STYLE: MEDIEVAL BOHO

DRESS - VINTAGE, SHEER KIMONO - H&M, BAG - GEORGE AT ASDA, NECKLACE - MINT VELVET, BOOTS - NEW LOOK

 

I picked this dress up from a wee vintage shop in Edinburgh and I'm in love with the kind of medieval but boho style of it. I've been wearing it over a black strappy dress like this or just over a crop top and jeans, but can see myself wearing it a lot in the summer too with high waist denim shorts and a bikini top.  

I also cant believe i found this bag in Asda! Is it just me or have supermarkets really upped their clothing game? I love that i can pop to Tesco's for some yoghurts and come back with a whole new wardrobe. And probably completely forget about the yoghurts... It makes food shopping that much more enjoyable!

  Anyway, lots of exciting stuff has been happening which i'll update you on in my next blog post. Until then, hope you all enjoy the bank holiday weekend!