2016
So I'm kind of wanting to kick of 2016 with a bit of a blog overhaul. Not anything drastic, I'm still wanting to post mainly fashion with occasional beauty bits, and I'm clearly not advanced enough at coding to make it all fancy, but more so with the quality of my posts.
I got so focused on blogmas through December that the quality of my posts was nowhere near the standard that I want. I thought I would be free from work and have lots of time to spend on them but instead I got a promotion (yay, money!) so I just want to make the time to put out posts that I'm happy with and not get stuck into a routine of putting out anything and everything.
I hate the whole idea of 'new years resolutions' because they never get stuck to, but I always set goals for myself because if not, I'd probably get nowhere, lets be real.
So my goals for 2016:
- Exercise - Everyone says it, I know, and I don't want to focus on losing a set amount of weight, but last summer I was in such a good routine with my workouts and I don't know what happened really? I just want to get back into my running and yoga more than anything.
- Grow my blog and social media platforms - I know it's not all about numbers and I don't wanna jinx it by setting specific targets, but an increase of this year would be great. Everyone likes recognition for their work, right?
- Improve my photography - This starts with my saving for a new camera! I just feel like there's a lot of tricks and skills go into photography and I'm such a geek, I love learning!
- Reading more - I used to be such a bookworm and I got back into reading again at the start of last year but then got busy. I want to make an effort to stick to it, whether it's biographies, fiction or whatever!
Have you got any goals you want to achieve in 2016?
Loves. Emma.
Fave Red Lips
A red lip is my favourite beauty look, ever. I think it's a timeless classic and can really transform a look! So I thought I'd share with you a few of my favourites to use. Aside from my MAC lippies, I tend to stick to drugstore brands so these are all quite affordable options.
My all-time favourite lipstick ever, ever, ever! I'm just in love with the colour of this. It's a super gorgeous, bright, orange-toned red with a matte finish. It's ultra long lasting and although it can be somewhat drying, it's not enough to put me off at all.
I did a post on the new matte range from Maybelline when they came out and I'm still such a big fan. I have both the Siren in Scarlett, which is a classic red shade, and the Craving Coral, which is more of an orange/coral shade of red and I use both so much. They don't have the lasting power of MAC, but they're not so drying and have such a nice finish.
I've only recently got into the NYX lip creams, but I'm loving them so much that this one has come straight into my favourites! The only thing I don't like about this is how drying it is, it's not great for reapplying all day, but it's such a nice, bright shade.
This is my 'in case of emergency' red lip which I keep in my makeup bag on me at all times. It's one of only few which I have that isn't a matte finish, but I love it because it's actually a balm, so it's super moisturising! It's such a good, strong colour and although it doesn't last long, it's still a great choice.
What are your top red lip colours?
Loves. Emma.
Nail Update: Snowy Sparkle
After watching back-to-back Christmas films on my day off I was feeling particularly festive when it came to painting my nails. So here we have a snowy sparkle design! I had the image of the snowman design in my head for ages before deciding what to do on the other nails! I think he looks pretty cute if I do say so myself (the guy on the other hand, however, shall not be spoken about...)
I went for a nighttime, snow setting scene on the rest of my nails using a navy blue for the base, sponging on white at the tips and covering in glitter. This is my favourite glitter nail polish, it's the Alexa Holographic by Nails Inc and is such a nice polish for coverage and a subtle effect. I used the WAH nail art pen in black for the snowmans face with a splash of WAH 'In a daze' for his nose. I love the effect of both designs and think the glitter on them all ties it off nicely! Obviously, I had to use my trusty WAH top coat to seal it all together and leave my nails super shiny.
Do you themed nail art designs?
Loves. Emma.
The Body Shop Cranberry Ice Range
So, I think everyone knows that The Body Shop do great body products with amazing scents. I'm a big fan of them all year round, but the Christmas ranges in particular are so dreamy. I had the Glazed Apple range last year and loved it so much, but for a change this year I decided to get Cranberry Ice. It was going to be a toss up between this and Frosted Plum (which also smells amazing!) but when I was at an outlet they only had cranberry and apple on offer.
I got four products which came in a gift set and the first two are the shower gel and a shimmer lotion. The smell of all of these is so intense it fills the whole room. My mum actually thought I had a cranberry candle it's that strong! The shimmer lotion is a lot more sparkling than I anticipated and definitely not ideal for an everyday lotion, but it's perfect for a holiday party and is super moisturising too! The shower gel is, a shower gel? I don't really know what to say about it, it cleans you and leaves you smelling super nice, win win.
The body butters from The Body Shop are my favourite for a pamper night treat! I went off of them for a while because they take so long to soak into the skin, but I think in winter especially that extra moisturisation is such a nice treat. And with a scent like this, you can't go wrong really! The last in the set is the Frosted Cranberry hand cream which, again, is strongly scented, but is also like such an ideal hand cream. It's not too thick, doesn't leave your hands sticky and all in all I am rather in love with the whole Frosted Cranberry range for Christmas.
Have you tried any of the Limited Edition Christmas ranges? Which is your favourite?
Loves. Emma.
Winter Wardrobe Must-haves
I always much prefer my winter wardrobe to my wardrobe in any other season. I just love wrapping up in layer upon layer and being all covered up and cosy. Looking through my clothes lately, there seems to be 4 staples pieces I am really loving so I thought I'd share, because I'm just that generous!
The pieces I collected below are all from Topshop/ASOS/H&M via Polyvore.
Faux Fur
Whether it's a coat, scarf or whatever else I'm a big fan. I've just done two outfits posts recently with a new faux fur coat I got. I think it can be such a timeless, fashion piece.
Hats
I'm a big fan of hats all year round really, but particularly in winter when I don't want my head to get cold! I love throwing on a bobble hat and being cosy, but I just as much like an excuse to pull out the fedora and get all chic and sophisticated (two things I am not!). Also great at hiding bad hair days which I have a lot of.
Over-the-knee Boots
I did a couple of blog posts on OTK boots a few months back with some different pairs that I have, and I'm still loving them! Whether they're a chunky heeled pair, flats for everyday or a fancy pair for evening wear I love them all! They look so good with jumper dresses too!
Polo Necks
Cosy jumpers are my favourite fashion piece for winter as I've mentioned many of times, but throw in a high neck and it's like heaven! There's nothing cosier tbh. A tighter fit polo neck also works great for layering and they can be so versatile to wear!
What are you winter wardrobe must-haves?
What are you winter wardrobe must-haves?
Loves. Emma.
Nail Update: Dusty Pink
I haven't done a nail update in quite a while now, so I thought I'd do one before I get into the festive tones for Christmas! This is a pale, dusty pink shade which seemed only too fitting for the icy cold temperatures for winter. Nails Inc are always such good quality polishes I don't really need to mention that do I? But I do really love the finish of this, it's not a perfectly smooth polish as it's a cashmere effect, but the blend of a matte polish and glass pearls give it such a nice pearlescent sheen. It's the Cashmere Pink from the Alexa collection, which is definitely a collection I can recommend in full!
What are your favourite shades for Winter?
Loves. Emma.
