....I left my heart in Istanbul......

Just back from a week hols in Istanbul - my first time there. It's got an amazing history and pockets of it varied from each other - some places reminded me of New York, some places reminded me of Hong Kong, some places reminded me of California! I didn't go with any expectations - other than that it was a city and that one friend of mine described it as similar to Venice. It was really hot, there were blue skies and the sun was shining brightly.

The main thing I've taken away from Istanbul is that Istanbulis are so friendly, helpful and open minded - every person from the hotel, shops, corner store, market, random stranger on the street minding their own business was helpful. We asked directions of one guy in a sports shoe store and he went from one store to the next down the street asking other shopkeepers whether they could help us. Nothing was expected in return. I ADORE London to the core - but it could do with learning summin' from Istanbul in the friendliness stakes.

Istanbul is a great city - and I'd love to visit again to explore more and Turkey more. Every angle I turned I couldn't help taking pics and blogger won't let me upload more than 4 at the moment so here's just a random selection!


Is it Istanbul or New York? : D



A view of the Blue Mosque and Haghia Sophia



Thought the sparkliness of the lamps against the ceiling tiles in the Grand Bazaar looked so beautiful



This alleyway on the way to the Galata tower was just so captivating, the light drew me in

I'll be posting more of my pix in due course.....

Have you been to Istanbul - are you from there? Would love to hear what you think is great about the city.

Hello the pleated skirt - new summer skirt fave for us wider hipped girls!

I've always avoided pleats cos it's supposedly widening but I think this works - and it's mid length too. A nice breezy summer blue skirt from the Zara sale.

Don't knock it til you try it!


xxx

Bold lipsticks - byTerry & Sleek swatches (plus FOTD)

I don't know why but I've bought a high end and drugstore pigmented bold lipstick in the last 2 weeks. Both brands had something to offer but couldn't be further away from each other on price point! The byTerry lipstick I got at spacenk and cost £30.50 - ouch! The Sleek lipstick is from Superdrug and cost £3.99.

Both colours I love. Both formulations I love. At the moment, loving the byTerry formulation more than the Sleek because it is more moisturising and therefore easier to apply and blend. But the Sleek lipstick offers such a great colour (on trend) and is so good for it's pricepoint.

At the moment, I have just been patting the lipsticks on to my lips, smearing it with my finger and then applying a touch of lipbalm. Easy, schmeasy, casual. Not precise. Perfect look for summer.

I purchased:

byTerry Age Defense Lipstick in #302 Hot Cranberry
Sleek True Colour lipstick in #782 Papaya Punch

LOVE both names! L-R: Sleek Papaya Punch, byTerry Hot Cranberry







And my FOTD using NARS Subaraya e/s duo (a gift from the gorgeous ChefCaffy) that I'm playing round with:




List of products:
MAC Strobe cream as moisturiser
Laura Mercier Moisturising Foundation in Sunny Beige
Prescriptives All Skins Mineral powder fdn on T Zone
Becca Duo Concealer in Tahini
Bare Minerals Prime Time eye primer
NARS Subaraya e/s duo - both shades with Prestige Eyekhol in brown
Maybelline Full&Soft WP mascara in black
MAC Cream Colour Base in Improper Copper on cheeks
Becca Songbird blush on top of MAC CCB Improper Copper
MAC Sunsparked Pearl powder under eyes
Sleek Papaya Punch lipstick
Carmex lipbalm

....naughty in June

Two makeup lines I haven't tried before - byTerry and Ecotools.

I succumbed to the line byTerry. I've always passed by the counter in Spacenk because it is such an expensive line. I've probably searched for a few years now for the perfect watermelon colour lipstick - and found it in their Rouge Terrybly Age Defense-Lipstick in 302 Hot Cranberry. Retails for £30!!!! But I fell in love with the colour and as I have been quite good with my makeup shopping - ie. not - I think this is acceptable.

I've always wanted to try a pointed synthetic brush - ever since I was introduced to the Becca line. A few other companies make them - A Design, Zoeva - and I stumbled across this Ecotools one in Boots so why not use my Boots card? Retails for £9.99

Hope you are all well!

........I was n-a-u-g-h-t-y....

Kanebo Sensai Fluid Finish SPF15 203 Natural Beige (totally sucked into how this is Lauren Conrad's foundation)

Shu Uemura eyeshadows in:

P brown 873 (gooooorrrrgeeeeoussssshhhh) and
ME brown 850 (legend)

I have the day off tomorrow and will be shopping! Yipppeeeee! Wonder what awaits?!

Nails of the Week using my fave brand China Glaze. And yellow flowers make me smile : D

I totally rate China Glaze. Their polishes last at least 5 days on me without chipping. LOVE.

This week I am wearing Designer Satin - a creme. It's a medium pink, just a notch below what I would call Fuschia. It's not too bright at all - but just flash enough. It's going to be a classic colour nail polish for me - alongside my fave China Glaze Paint the Town Red (or Essie Jelly Apple).



And yellow flowers make me smile. Totally cheers up a space. I just wish flowers didn't die so quick (about the same time my nail polish chips!) as I don't have a cheap florist near me.




What are you wearing/styling this week?
xxxx

Simple, clean FOTD using UNE Healthy-Glow Mineral Powder. Also compared to Bobbi Brown Natural Matte Bronzer

I haven't bought makeup since coming back from HK in April, which might not seem a long while, but for me it is!

I read online that Lauren Conrad suggested using a mineral bronzer to achieve a nice glowy effect, on top of your favourite foundation. I would have gone straight for my HG Prescriptives All Skins Mineral foundation in a darker shade - but oh yeah, the line's discontinued : (

So I picked up the UNE Healthy Glow Mineral Powder from Boots - which is a pressed powder. I got it in H07 which was the darkest shade at the counter. There were other lighter shades which were very nice, but I did want something that would show up. H07 is more on the orange side of bronzers (think the Kardashians) but blended out it works well on me I think. UNE is from the creators behind Bourjois, and this is the first product I have tried from their line.





PS. Am due an eyebrow threading session this week - hence the overgrown brows!

But I am also loving this FOTD I did on the weekend using:

Becca LSC in Camel mixed with Soleil Tan de Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid
Becca Duo Concealer in Tahini
Shu Uemura brow gel in Forest Black
MAC Tan pigment blended all over lids
Maybelline Full&Soft mascara in black
MAC Virgin Isle CCB on high points of cheek
UNE Healthy-Glow Mineral Powder applied and blended liberally on cheeks
Smashbox Photo finish lipstick in Flirty mixed with Carmex lipbalm

I'm impressed with the UNE bronzer. It's pigmented, very smooth and easily blended. There is a mirror ontop of the casing which is great. I've compared it in pics below to my other loved bronzer - Bobbi Brown's matte Bronzer in Natural below.



BB on the left, UNE on the right.

As you can see the UNE has more reddish orange undertones to it. The BB is that tad finer and smoother on touch. The BB is also truly matte, whereas the UNE has a tiny bit of shimmer to it and the more blending it into the skin - the more glow you will have.

The UNE is not overly shimmery at all - it wouldn't act as a highlighter. But it has that glowy effect mineral powder products have - but it's not too OTT which is what I like.

Other details:
The BB bronzer retails at £24 for 8g
The UNE bronzer retails at £14.99 for 7.5g

The UNE bronzer is by no means an inexpensive product (compared to other drugstore items) but as a mineral pressed powder offering, if you can't afford the BB, it's a good one to try.

Have you tried UNE products? What are your thoughts?

Easy peasy dinner - for when you're tired

Tonight's dinner. I'm trying to get back into my healthy eating regime, cos I have not been watching my diet and health for the last few months! This week has been my reboot, and I've just come home from the gym. You know when you haven't been for months, the first time is always a shock to the system! Why oh why did I stop my routine......




Sainsbury's Crispy & Sweet salad box
Quickly boiled broccoli and spinach (already cut) ontop
2 boiled eggs
Few sprays of olive oil
Sprinkle of mixed seeds
Salt
Black pepper
Dried chili flakes

Total cooking time from getting home to placing food in my mouth: 20 mins

About 2 years ago I stopped having refined carbs with dinner (normally white pasta or white rice) and this really helps with weight loss I feel. Especially at dinner when with these carbs I want some tasty, heavy laden with sauce meat and veggies. Without the refined carbs, generally, but especially at night I go to bed less bloated. I concentrate eating wholewheat pasta, bread, noodles, rice etc at lunch.

I'm lucky I love veg (although I don't think I could be vegetarian). This is light and easy, and a way to get eggs into my diet as I don't incorporate them in my diet usually!

What are your quick fix healthy dinners?

My 70s inspired outfit of the day, plus face of the day (I am a 70s baby afterall!)

I'm planning a major and so overdue clearout of my wardrobe and at first attempts I came across a midi denim skirt that I haven't worn a lot. It's from a Monsoon sale a year or so ago and I've never really been able to nail an outfit from it without looking frumpy.

Inspired by the current 70s trend and for midi skirts - I think I found a way to work it. With colours of tan, slight pink and gold accents - all in neutral tones.

The main colour is the denim skirt that is an A line flare (Monsoon) , but I tried to balance it out with a slouchy light pink lightweight T shirt (Whistles) with a white tank (M&S), doubled with a tan belt (can't remember from where). The wedges I'm wearing in here I decided not to go with, as it seemed to drag the whole look down, so opted for gold bow peep toe wedges (Dune).





The tan leather bag is my newest fave accessory - which I got from the Island Beverley Shopping Centre in Causewaybay in Hong Kong.



All clothing items are from the depths of my wardrobe - so am afraid that these items are not available anymore.

I have been wearing bright red nail polish for at least the last 2 months, I can't get enough of it. My fave is Essie Jelly Apple which I have discovered is a dupe of China Glaze's Paint the Town Red - the latter that I already had in my collection! Major clearout needed indeed : D I think the retro red colour just goes so well with gold jewellery - the rings I got from San Francisco at a stall. My necklace (seen below in my FOTD pics) is a delicate gold chain with crystal beads from Gogo Philips at Topshop.



I went for a clean, bronzed FOTD which involved:

Chantecaille Future Skin foundation
Becca Duo Concealer
MAC e/s in Brule and Cork all over lid
MAC e/s in woodwinked and Antiqued on lower lashline
Prestige khol e/l in brown
Maybelline Full& Soft WP mascara
MAC Happy Together blush
MAC 2N l/g




Phew, long post! How do you veterans do it?! : D

Any rediscoveries from your closets or makeup arsenal?

Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Liner - Champagne 23L & FOTD

I got this liner during my trip to Hong Kong last December, and of late have been wearing it every day. I like to use a flesh coloured liner on my waterline, especially during the week at work, as this really does a lot to brighten my eyes and make me not look so tired. Combined with a bit of eyeshadow, concealer, brows filled in and mascara - this is what I do to achieve a wide eyed fresh faced look!

And the MUFE eyeliner helps me to do this. It is described on the Sephora website as metalllic pink champagne - and I would add to that that the pink is a very light shade of pink so if you are looking at a flesh coloured pencil, it still works. It's also pigmented, so not just shimmer.

As the swatch on my hand shows, it really isn't that OTT.



One great thing about this liner is the application. It glides on really smooth and has great staying power. I don't think it's waterproof - as by the end of a long day it's not as apparent as when I first put it on in the morning - but it's pretty good at being smudge proof.

I always shied away from a shimmery flesh toned waterline as I thought it might be too much in comparison to a matte liner. That it might look bit tacky. Either my taste as changed (!), or the formula and finish isn't offensive. You can definitely layer on the intensity and the more you put on, the more shimmer there is. I hope you agree from how it looks on this pic!




I also love to use it on my cupid's bow as a higlighter. I don't use it so much on my inner eye corners or browbone as higlighter because funnily enough it's not easy to apply on larger areas (even the inner corner), I much prefer using creams/powders.

This has now become a HG staple for me. I have since tried 2 others colours (black, OL and bronze, 10L)- and they're as good too. I'm doing this review on 23L as I just think it is more unique.

I'm a fan of the MUFE Aqua Eye Creams as well, so I would definitely recommend checking both the creams and liners our from this brand.

Not easily available in the UK,you can get it from PAM cosmetics and gurumakeupemporium in London and for those of you lucky enough to have a Sephora, they are stockists too.

Have you tried these items from MUFE? What are your thoughts?