The summer shoe bonanza...

Hey Everybody, 

I don't know about you but the recent change in weather is panicking me as I suddenly realised 'I don't have my summer wardrobe ready!' More important than that, i haven't got a sandal to my name. Those of you who know me , know I'm an ankle boot kinda gal and I love a bit of platform. Ideal for winter, not so much for summer.

So, I scoured the net and lusted over about 100 pairs til I finally found , in my opinion the ultimate summer shoes and there's something in there for everybody :)

1) The Gladiator sandal. 

It makes it's glorious return and knows no bounds, channel your inner Russell Crowe.  I'd team these fab Topshop ones with a denim skirt and a loose tee for a relaxed summer feel.

2) The Seventies wedge.

Since the 70's has made a triumphant return, i felt it only right to throw a 70's wedge into the mix. Wedges are surprisingly comfy and are a very easy way to instantly lengthen your legs as well as looking summery and stylish. Win win. I love this Topshop pair. Wear with flares if you're brave enough ;)

3) The Caged heel.

Lets face it, love her loathe her, we have Kimmy K to thank for the soar in popularity with these heels. Every girl (girly or not) should own a pair of. Dress them up with a pencil skirt/dress or down with a pair of ripped jeans. And just cause it's summer , these blue Zara pair are a perfect alternative to black.

4) The Stan Smith.

Due to their massive comeback, look to these when choosing your summer sneaker. Their popularity continues, with people wearing them with all different types of outfits. They're a comfy yet stylish alternative to a shoe and the white colourway keeps them looking summery. Wear with light tailored trousers or a simple over sized tshirt dress with white socks.

5) The Metallic Brogue.

I'm a sucker for a brogue and these ones are my current faves. The platform sole and the colour makes them dressier than an average black and gives some length to your legs. Team these Zara Beauts with a pair of culottes and a crisp white shirt for a minimal summer feel.

6) The Peep Toe Platform.

If you're into a slightly grungier style and find it hard to find a shoe that is a bit less girly to team with your look, look no further than these beauty's from Public Desire. Wear them with anything and everything to give your look a bit of edge.

7)The Platform Slider.

Remember the confusion that swept the nation last summer when Birkenstocks actually became cool to wear? Well that craze hasn't gone away just yet, and with so many high street retailers offering nicer alternatives it makes them so easy to wear. These Public Desire pair are perfect for summer holidays and the poolside.

I can't cope........ No actually i can.

This blog post is going to be slightly different because it's regarding an issue that's quite close to my heart.

I don't know how many times a day i say 'I can't cope' or send and 'ugh' to my boyfriend in a text message and quite frankly , it's getting exhausting.

Mental health used to be a taboo kind of a topic but the more i'm learning about it , the more i realise how many people are suffering with anxiety and depression and overall are just stressed. Don't get me wrong i love a moan , (don't we all) but i'm slowly realising how much it's draining me.

Speaking from a personal note, i find myself being negative quite a lot and over the most silly things like my inability to get into an exercise habit or not having time to do my college work, having to work on Sundays (absolute pet hate) and not getting to spend time with my favourite people more.


Now the easy way to react to this is to play the pity party, feel sorry for yourself , moan , eat , watch the most random crap on Netflix, sit on your bed while you torture yourself looking at how ''Everybody's life is easier and more fun than yours", well the truth is that it's not , and looking through everybody's Instagram pictures of their perfect lives is not what it seems.

Instagram , Facebook , Tumblr are THE WORST things to look at when you're feeling down about yourself, you end up on some random Victorias Secret models page and you're looking at pictures of their lives and comparing it to yours. Not to mention the people you know but only from Instagram, we all do it and i'll be the first to put my hand up and say i've definitely wasted precious time comparing myself to other girls i see on Instagram who are most probably doing the same thing. It's a vicious circle, it's unrealistic and it is certainly not good for you.

So as of right now i've decided to put a stop to it. Thinking negative thoughts attracts negative attention therefore thinking positively must attract positive attention right?

I'm going to try my upmost best to make the  best of my day because , without sounding like a cheeseball, i don't know what will happen tomorrow and being a a moany negative hun certainly isn't doing me any favours.

To put it bluntly , Shit happens but it's how we deal with it that makes us who we are so if you're feeling down or stressed and it's affecting you to the point of eating your fourth Chinese of the week , talk to somebody, go for a light jog (or a walk if you're me ), listen to your favourite song and do not let it control your life because nobody likes a whiner.  :) X

New Year.... Fab face

Hi everybody ,

 hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years , I've been so busy working and doing assignments that I've neglected you all for the past while but I'm back now so you can stop freaking out. ;)

Have you ever looked at some body's makeup while you Instagram stalk (don't pretend that you don't) or in person and think it is incredible but you can't pinpoint exactly what it is that's making it look so nice? Over the past few years working in makeup I've really learned that it's the little things that make the biggest difference in a persons makeup so hopefully my next few tips will help to tweak your makeup and give it that something extra.


Number 1)...... Hilight the absolute life out of your cheekbones.

The best product to ever exist in my opinion. I always remember looking at peoples skin and wondering why it looked so glowy and fresh and wondering why my skin looked so dull in comparison. The answer.... hilighter. If you're hungover and your skin is dehydrated from drinking and you have to actually get up and function and look somewhat human . the answer... hilighter. (Sensing a pattern here?). Dab a little (or a lot) onto the top of your cheek bone and across your cheek, down your nose and in the tear ducts of your eyes to brighten them and it's an instant remedy for dull skin.

My faves: 

 

(Left to right, MAC Cream colour base in Pearl, MAC Cream colour base in Hush and Charlotte Tilbury Hilight and Sculpt powder.)


Number 2) .... Liquid liner (VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT)

Now, for those of you that know me (i can hear all the MAC girls laughing at this as i write it, especially Jenni) , i never ever ever or very rarely leave the house without my signature winged liner and truth be told, the reason why is because it makes you look more awake It's the one thing that totally transforms an eye shape. If you're using one in a pot , you need the right brush to go with it and i use an angled brush to get it really precise. LINER QUEEN FOREVER!

My faves :




(Inglot gel liner in #77 is my favourite because it's so black and it doesn't budge)


Number 3).... The right nude lippie.

I love me a good lipstick and it's definitely something i don't leave my house without. If you find the right one that suits your complexion you'll wear it for the rest of your life. Once you have a good nude on , you can wear your eyes as dramatic as you want. I feel like lipstick is one of those things you can't have enough of but 'The One' is hard to come by. I've been lucky enough to find a few 'The ones' and i love them all for different reasons. Nudes come in shades like light pinks, peaches , beige's and light browns so go in and try a few on to be sure to be suuuure.

My faves: 




 

(Top row left to right , MAC Shy girl, Kinda sexy, Peachstock. Bottom row , Velvet teddy, Creme cup.)


Number 4)... The right liner to go with aforementioned lippie (GO AWAY KYLIE JENNER.)

. Once you've found the right nude lipstick that you love , you need to go for a lip liner to match it, it will act as a barrier between your lips and your skin and define the lip  line more. If you colour in your lips with the liner and put your lipstick on over it , it will stay on longer and the colour of your lipstick will be more intense. I feel like it gives your makeup a more professional finish , just don't apply it while you're in the car, steady hand required.

My faves:
 





(Top row left to right, MAC Soar , Plum, Stripdown. Bottom row, Whirl, Stone.)

Number 5) .... Good Eyebrows are key.

Ever the controversial body part, good brows are extremely hard to come by , but the ones that are done properly are the people who's makeup looks the nicest. Once you master a good brow, you're ready to take on the world (or at least the day.) My advice to you on this subject is, go into a makeup counter you like and trust, ask somebody who knows their shizz and find out once and for all what you need to make your brows the best they can be. I normally just put some shadow in mine for some definition but there are a lot of good affordable pencils out there too.

My faves:


(Mac Lingering eyebrow crayon, Spiked brow crayon, Brun eyeshadow, Deep brunette eyebrow gel).




I know personally, mastering all of these things is what helps my makeup look nice so i hope it helps you too. Go fourth and be Hun.

Love Ciara :)

x