Summer Sales: Plus Size Fashion Addition.

Hello again!

I recently saw an inspiring photo with the quote "Summer isn't only for size zero" and I take my hat off to its creator. At a size 16/20 depending on where I shop and the cut, I can border on the 'plus size' category. Summer clothing can make bigger sizes feel alienated and fashionable, reasonably priced plus size clothing is my passion. Sure, I could do more to fit into the average size 12/14 but why should I have to? What is 'normal'? And why should I feel the pressure to be thin when I'm happy with the body I have?

Ramble aside and I know some may not find this useful but its a path my blog may take now and again.

Spot and Pineapple Print T-Shirt
WAS £16, NOW £9.50
ASOS
Prints, especially pineapple prints, have exploded this summer, making this t-shirt a great casual addition to your wardrobe and at a minimal price!

Pansy Print Bikini
ASOS
Top - WAS £18, NOW £10
High waisted bottoms - WAS £16, NOW £9.50
AH, can we take a minute to drool over this bikini. Not everyone is confident enough to wear a bikini, no matter what your size but to me, this is the perfect bikini (I've even ordered this item!). I'm not a fan of halterneck bikini's, bigger boobed ladies will agree when I say that they are not worth the pain and with this two shoulder strap, bra like bikini, with an underwire is pain free and supper supportive. Also, the panelling on the bottoms are a slimming heaven!

Sleeveless Skater Dress (two colours available)
New Look Inspire Collection
WAS £12.99
NOW £9
Finding a good skater dress to flatter your shape can be difficult but at £9, who can argue? Summer wardrobe essential! These dresses can be dressed up or down, making multiple outfits from a single dress, bargain for your money.

Daisy Print Bodycon Skirt
CLub L Plus Size
ASOS
WAS £22
NOW £7
Bodycon skirts are super flattering for plus size ladies, accentuating curves whilst holding everything in. I love this kind of skirt whatever the season and therefore an all year round piece which could be paired with thick tights during the winter. SORTED! 

Jersey Colotte
ASOS Curve
WAS £12
NOW £7
After buying similar shorts from Primark, seeing these was a dream - since I can't find anything close to what I already have and its killing me! I've also purchased these for myself and fingers crossed they live up to my expectations, I find shorts very hit or miss!

Peplum Hem Cami
ASOS Curve
WAS £10
NOW £7
Ooh La La! A lovely twist on an every day jersey vest. I think this item explains itself.


Lovedrobe Crochet Contrast Gathered Waist Dress
New Look
WAS £45, NOW £23
This dress would be a perfect dress for an occasion this summer  - wedding, graduation, party. Also, it's such a bargain. This colour would be flattering for all skin tones and suitable for all sizes. You couldn't go wrong.

I hope you have enjoyed these amazing pieces, there are a lot more out there which are equally as great!
Thank you for reading, Gemma xxx

Summer Sales: Beauty Edition!

Hola!
Summer is upon us all - even if the weather in England is protesting against any signs if sun. Whether you are going on holiday this summer or seeking a new summer look, you're in luck. The summer sales are upon us and if you name it, it's likely to be on sale which is good news for everybody's bank balance.
This post will focus on beauty an skincare, followed later by a fashion post - enjoy!

At the moment, Debenhams have a selection of beauty products which are VAT free. When buying any product, VAT is rarely on your mind and therefore, you don't realise how much VAT you pay - I know that's my case. 
Benefit's The Porefessional is a wonder product and as a sufferer of big pores, living without this product isn't worth thinking about- but it can is quite pricey..

The Porefessional, Benefit. Was £24.50, Now £20.41. Debenhams.





Moving over to ASOS now, but sticking with Benefit, Benefit make-up blows my mind, you certainly pay for superb quality.
This Benefit kit, great for make-up beginners.
Included is a full size They're Real mascara, Hoola bronzer and two mini The Porefessional Pro Balm's.
Exclusive to ASOS.

Was £43, Now £30. Free UK delivery.







When going on holiday, packing light is essential, as well as looking after those brows. A full face of make-up can be a hassle on holiday, keeping your eyebrows well groomed frame your face and make you feel put together still, which makes this miniature set perfect! This Tweezerman set includes a brow mousse/gel, highlighter and a mini spooly - all in an organised clear case.


Tweezerman, Mini Brow Rescue Set. Was £25, Now £16. ASOS.



Have a special occasion this summer? A wedding, prom, graduation? The smokey eye look can be a daunting concept and process but fear not with Eylure's guide and specific products for a confident, accomplished smokey eye! The set includes three eyeshadows for a natural or dramatic smokey eye (buildable colours), a mini mascara and eyeliner, reusable eyelashes and a step by step guide!

Eylure Get The Look Kit - Warm Smokey. Was, 19.50, Now £10. ASOS.






Warm, summer weather can prove a tough time for lips. Nobody wants chapped lips, its just not a good look for anybody. The one thing better than lip balms are lip butters, they are generally much more moisturising (in my opinion) and Nip+Fab have this gorgeous trio gift set of lip butters in Sweet Lavender, Rose Otto and Fresh Berry.

Nip+Fab, Rose and Sweet Lip Butter Set. Was £6.99, Now £4.50. ASOS.






Let me know what your sale beauty picks are.
Thank you for reading and I hope that you have enjoyed this post. Gemma xxx

Beauty Travel Essentials.

Hello,
If you've read my previous blog, you will know that I recently travelled to Ibiza for 8 days (if not, check it out!) Travelling can be tough when it comes to beauty: a new climate, sun, melted, squished and smashed products - how do you choose from your collection?
Here's what I took with me to travel, I managed to take the bare minimum and anyway: who wants to spend their holiday applying make-up? Especially when you sunbathe!

This bag certainly makes travelling with make-up a life saver! Its supposed to be for toiletries like shampoo, conditioner and shower gel but the compartments are great to organise your make-up and keep it all together. You can buy these from most places which sell make-up and toiletries, mine was a gift.

Top compartment: brushes and Sleek Contour Kit.

Middle: Foundation, cream eyeshadow, eyeliner, lipstick, lip cream.

Bottom: moisturiser, face wash, exfoliator, eyecream, primer. 

Most of my brushes are Real Techniques brushes, they're amazing quality and non-expensive: great for beginners. Also, they're a great size to pit in the travel bag pouch so they don't get squashed and the bristles don't get damaged.
I use the top brush (a really old brush from a set which is lasting well and works great) to blend out bronzer and blush if I'm heavy handed and for translucent powder.
Contour brush: self explanatory, used with a matte bronzer to contour cheekbones and jaw.
Buffing brush: for foundation and blending out concealer.
Stippling brush: for blush, both powder and liquid (benefit tint)
Small eyeshadow brush: to blend out cream eyeshadow.

Back to basics.

24 Hour Colour Tattoo

Posie Tint mini

Topshop lip cream in Pout

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair 01

Rimmel Perfect Match Foundation in Light Porcelain

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 111 Kiss of Life

Red Accessorize Lipstick

Natural Collection Waterproof Mascara

Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara Mini

Porefessional Pro Balm Mini

MAC Prep + Prime 

Soap and Glory Clear Here Skin Perfecter

Benefit Its Potent Eye Cream Mini

Benefit Total Moisturiser Mini

Triple Performing Facial Emulsion with SPF

If I'm honest, I barely used any make-up whilst I was away until the last night when we went out for dinner. On a daily basis, I would cleanse and moisturise my face, apply a light coverage of suncream and then I used some Porefessional and lastly a touch of mascara: our mornings were always a rush too!

I would carry a lipstick in my bag for later when things are less hectic so I could apply a layer to feel a bit more put together as I always feel a bit naked without some lipstick.

Thank you for reading, let me know your travel essentials! Gemma xxx

Top 10 Lipsticks: Rimmel, L'Oreal, MAC, Kate Moss, Topshop and Calvin Klein

Hey,

So today I'm bringing you my top ten lipsticks, some are cheap high street ones and others are higher end - best of both worlds.When it comes to make-up splurges, lipstick is the produce I'm more than willing to pay extra for or just buy many of. Lipstick, for me, creates and complete a look and I'm a sucker for bold lips on a daily basis: they're not just for special occasions!

The first product, technically, isn't a lipstick as it's more of a lipgloss. However, its staying power and its pigmentation is similar to a lipstick. Tanya Burr's lipgloss in the shade Vampire Kiss, is a dark red gloss and its fantastic for a daytime red which suggests that you're not trying too hard - more casual. 

 Tanya Burr, Vampire Kiss

Available at Superdrug and Feel Unique

£6.99

I already have a blog post on this collection, check it out here:

http://gemsbeautybits.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/tanya-burr-lip-gloss-and-nail-varnish.html

The next lipstick is a bit more expensive, similarly priced to MAC Lipsticks. It is the Calvin Klein One Pure Color Lipstick. Its a brilliant nude for pale skin tones. Nude lipsticks are a hit and miss for pale skin tones as they can sometimes make me look ill, ghostly and generally not good. This peachy nude however, is an exception and I love it! Its especially good with a pale pink/peachy lipgloss over the top!

Calvin Klein One Pure Color, Brainiac

£13.00, Debenhams

For the up and coming summer, which will come in England at some point, I wanted a bold orange lipstick. This was a challenge and one I had to contemplate over for a while but this next lipsticks is definitely up there in my top 5 and one of my most worn.

 Rimmel London Moisture Renew, In Love With Ginger

£6.49, Boots and Superdrug

The colour is pretty self explanatory and the camera has done it justice. It is a very bright orange but you could tone it down by using a small amount patted into the lips or applying a thin layer with a lip brush. For the photo I used it straight from the tube and applied one thin coat. The product is very buildable.

I have always been sceptical about make-up products produces by high street clothing shops. However, Topshop went above and beyond with their beauty products. Although their clothes quality is amazing, I wasn't sure that the make-up range would be. But they sure proved me wrong! Which leads to my next product..

Topshop Sheer Lip, Applause

£8.00

As stated by the name, this particular range from Topshop is very sheer and glossy and Applause is a lovely pink. I'm normally a red kind of girl but this has been an amazing alternative to change things up a bit. Its not too sticky or heavy on the lips as some glossy lipsticks which is great but the lasting power of the lipstick isn't as good as some others that I own.

Another Topshop product which I snapped up as soon as I saw it was this lip creme. Once again, its not a lipstick and therefore is a bit of a cheating again but once again, its the pigment and how long it lasts which puts it more in a lipstick category than a lipgloss category. I would also sat its a stain too.

 Topshop Lip Cream, Pout

£7.00

This formula is quite drying so applying a good lip balm before will optimise its wear, I use carmex - both in the tub and in the squeeze tube, they're both amazing.

 

This next lipstick is my most recent purchase. On our way to Ibiza, we had a while to browse around duty free before our flight. I set my mind on buying a pink lipstick as I had only owned two pink lipsticks before as they're not normally my thing. 

L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Made for Me Lipstick, Pink Fever

I got this at Duty Free, Gatwich Airport for £6.49

Feel Unique, £8.16

This beautiful lipstick has the perfect balance of pigment, sheer/light cover and gloss. However, I'm not too keen on the smell, its over-perfumed for me but I think I can deal with that, its worth it.

With the next lipstick, pictures do not do it justice, not mine anyway - if only my camera battery didn't die and downgrade for the last few, I may have been able to snap some better shots. However, I suggest you google this shade or try it in store, it's AMAZING! Once again, it's more than £10 so you may class it as a higher end lipstick but oh my, so worth it!

MAC, Girl About Town

£15.00, MAC, Debenhams

Amplified Formula

I'm so gutted that the pictures do it no justice! MAC are well known for their lipsticks and it's beauties like this that explain why. They're so flawless, pigmented, moisturising and they last HOURS. I wore this throughout the morning, had lunch and drinks and it was only after dinner at 7pm when it was fading - craziness.

Oh Rimmel, how your lipsticks always end up denting my bank account I do not know. Well I do, they're amazing.. But I can never say no. Rimmel have so many formula's and ranges and not one are disappointing, there are so many shades to chose from. It was a hard call, I knew one had to be included, and this is my favourite. In the tube its a dark reddish-brown colour but the colour on the lips is indescribable. There's a slight shimmer in it but you can't feel it on your lips, it is also a buildable colour.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick, Drop of Sherry

£4.99 from Superdrug

I purchased this lipstick from tesco, so you can get it in the supermarkets also (unsure of the price)

My favourite! Kate Moss outdone herself with her lipstick collection, I love them all so much. But as a red girl, I love both 111 and 107. I'm not one for matte lipsticks as my lips are quite dry and matte lipsticks only make them worse - I can rarely pull of matte MAC lipsticks and they're quite moisturising. But this lipstick is an exception, matte and moisturising - HEAVEN!

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick, 111 Kiss of life

£5.49, Boots, Superdrug

(on sale for £3.99 at the moment!!)

Every girl needs her holy grail lipstick, including the perfect red, and this is mine! If you haven't discovered this range yet, I highly recommend it.

Last but by no means least is another red and another show from Topshop. And no surprise, I'm cheating, this product is more of a glossy stain but there was no way I could leave it out! When you first apply this product it does feel a bit sticky but I reassure you, it dries and it remains shiny once it dries - and it does not budge or smudge.

Topshop Gloss Ink, Relentless

£8.00

I don't think this picture gives the gloss justice as I think my lips were rebelling to any more lip products as I got to my tenth favourite. The gloss is much more postbox red than this and definitely more even! 

I'd love to hear what your favourite lipsticks/lip glosses/lip products are or what you would love to try or buy! Thank you for reading, Gemma xxxx

Bucket List #1 Travel somewhere hot: Ibiza 2014

Hola!

I feel like my bucket list is going well. I posted my bucket list 3 months ago and I'm already checking off a second wish which I find amazing and I hope I can keep it up.

So just yesterday, I flew in to London Gatwick after an amazing and hot 8 days in Es Canar, Ibiza. It was a well deserved surprise treat for my mum and we had the best time. We both haven't been abroad in about 16 years due to finances: my mum is a single parent with no supported income and a Teaching Assistant so we can only travel during school holidays which are extortionately priced!

On our first day, we woke up eager to explore and it didn't take long to find the beauty of Ibiza on our doorstep. We stayed at the Azuline Coral Beach hotel which is located in East of the island which never disappoints on its rural, mountain scenery and breathtaking beaches.
These two photos were taken after walking for about 3 minutes from our
hotel which completely surprised me. The surrounding area was so
tranquil, relaxing and quiet which made it the perfect retreat. 

Seeing more of the island was certainly on our agenda. I'm a history and sightseeing buff so having the opportunity to relax and have optional excursions available is essential in a holiday.
The first excursion we decided to do was the Glass Bottom Boat which is perfect for families, couples, adults and children.  

Not only were we able to see the corals under the sea, there were many fish and the occasional jelly fish! The bottom photo is actually a ship wreck and the lovely men explain to you what happened and where you are at each point of the tour. I highly recommend this trip!

The second excursion we embarked upon was the 10:30 am Tourist Train from Es Canar port which provides you the opportunity to visit four different beaches in the three hours you're aboard the train. As well as the beaches, travelling between the four means that you can watch the local scenery pass on by like the red, iron rich earth, mountains and many, many cacti. 

This first beach was much more rocky than the others in Ibiza.
This however, does not distract you from its astonishing views and clear blue sea.
This day was the cloudiest of our time in Ibiza but it was  hot!

This is another rocky beach but the clear water and beating sun makes no difference to its beauty.

This beach was probably my favourite. It was a TINY beach and very tucked away and private.
It can easily fool you and make you feel like you're not in Ibiza.
Its tropical theme makes you feel exotic and like you are in paradise!

The most interesting of the four is certainly this one.
It may look like just wet sand but, no.
This beach is the only beach with dark sand in Ibiza and it certainly looks magical!

We had an extremely early flight Sunday morning (5am) but we had to check out midday on Saturday so we treated ourselves to a goodbye dinner on the beach - with cocktails of course!

Restaurante Brisamar may not look like anything special from the outside but their interior, food and cocktails are out of this world! Not to mention the view.

The sun didn't set directly on this section of the beach but the distant island was certainly glowing, like something you see in films.

Here is a selection of some more pictures of the Island and our trip:

I highly recommend this part of Ibiza if you're looking for a cheap, cheerful, relaxing and beautiful holiday.

Thanks for reading, Gemma xxx