Summer Sale Steals (and Sainsbury's Sunglasses)

   

Source: Topshop

The Topshop sale has been a personal success this week. I usually make it to the sale after everybody else has ransacked everything, leaving me with nothing (or worse still, something I didn't actually want or like). This time, however, I was prepared. I took notice of Topshop's sale teaser emails and I got there first. I managed to get the shoes seen in my outfit post earlier in the week (click here to have a peek) and some beautiful pale blue satin lingerie. I also bought the fantastic Jacquard Trapeze Dress in cream, pictured above, though it's a quite roomy so I'm returning it for a size smaller.

I found a dreamy pair of sunglasses in Sainsbury's of all places, too. I've been needing a pair for a while, though after looking all over the high street, I just didn't find a pair that was simple enough to meet my strict sunglasses criteria. They were just what I wanted - that lovely brown tortoiseshell colour, slightly rounded, not too big or too small. I never thought I would find the pair I'd been searching for in Sainsbury's, though at £5 I can't complain.

I have seen quite a few people rave about the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and I was intrigued. I had £12 to spend on my Boots Advantage Card and with half going on a pot of my beloved Nivea Soft moisturising cream, I had some 'free money' left to spend. I debated a gorgeous Kent barrel hairbrush (the promise of a salon-quality blow dry at home was certainly alluring) though the Real Techniques sponge won me over. I used it this morning in my usual routine as a replacement for my MAC 190 foundation brush. I hate feeling like I have a thick layer of foundation on my face and I try to avoid this at all costs. The Real Techniques sponge was great at providing light coverage; the flat edge was great used under my eyes and the tip was brilliant for covering blemishes and for slightly heavier concealing under my eyes. It has certainly been awarded top marks by me!

P.S. Please can we all appreciate the fantastic use of alliteration in the title of this post. So original.

Six Secret Weapons Inside My Make Up Bag

Today I am revealing the six everyday essentials found inside my make up bag. I wanted to write about so many more items but as the owner of a wealth of bronzers, concealers, mascaras and blushers, there were too many for me to talk about. The make up that I use changes each season and so this is a look at the make up I'm using now and will be using over the summer.

1.St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturiser in Medium Dark
As a person who is insanely pale-skinned, when summer arrives I become very conscious of this fact and so gradual tan moisturiser becomes my fail safe. Easier than instant fake tan, this moisturiser is quick to apply and doesn't leave you feeling sticky. I like to mix this with some of my Nivea Soft Moisturiser to dilute it a little bit when applying to my face as the tan can look quite intense when foundation is layered over the top. It is great as a moisturiser too and leaves my skin feeling really soft. I have super dry skin and so the moisturising benefits of this is a good positive for me, especially as instant fake tan can seem quite drying.

2. Benefit Peek-a-Bright-Eyes Eye Illuminating Kit
I have had this for a long time and it's nearly empty. I love the eyeshadows in this kit as they are long-lasting and have a great pigmentation. There's three eyeshadow shades in a matte beige, a shimmery dark brown and a shimmery grey/pink. I usually use the dark brown either applied along my lash line as a soft eyeliner in the day or as a wash across my eyelid when I'm going out, though all three eyeshadows would look fantastic used together for a smokey eye look. The kit also contains a cream highlighter, though I don't use it that much. It is quite tricky to apply as it's quite thick (the highlighter brush provided in the kit isn't great either), though I've found that applying it with my fingertips seems to be the best way to approach it.

3. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink
I bought this heavenly pot of eyeliner when I was in New York last year and since then I have been in love with it. I have worn it so much and for so many different occasions that I'm quite sad about it being pretty much empty. I recently bought a Rimmel dupe (the Scandaleyes Gel Eyeliner in 001 Black) to replace it and although this is a fantastic replacement, I miss the long-wear quality of the Bobbi Brown liner. I really want to try the eyeliner in the lovely brown shade, too.

4. Essie Nail Polish in 726 Vermillionaire
This colour is so beautiful and it is perfect for summer on toes and fingernails. Essie polishes are always of a brilliant quality and last for ages without chipping. This shade is super glossy and even if my nails need filing and seeing to, this polish can make my hands look manicured after just one quick coat. (Highly recommend).

5. No7 Instant Radiance Foundation SPF 15 in Warm Ivory
The best foundation I've discovered. This is great applied with a foundation brush for a night out or mixed with some moisturiser for wearing in the day. I don't like wearing a heavy layer of foundation and I like this because it's dewy, light and very wearable, even for someone like me who has had a phobia of foundation for a long time. It is so super versatile that I sometimes just use this as a concealer for when I'm in a hurry or don't feel like wearing much on my face. The colour match gadget that they have in Boots is great, too (even if just a mere gimmick), as the Warm Ivory shade is perfect for my skin tone.

6. Argan Oil Intensive Hair Treatment
My mum bought this for me only about a month ago and I'm already addicted. I have very thick, curly (ie frizzy) hair which I've always battled with. I've spent a fortune on conditioners and serums and almost perfected my blow-dry technique to cope with this but no product has ever made such a difference as this one. Just a few drops run through towel dried hair is enough to smooth everything out. Now I've been introduced to the wonders of Moroccan Argan Oil, I'm never going back. I've recently bought some shampoo and conditioner containing Argan Oil and so I'm hoping that hair nightmares will now be a thing of the past.

OOTD #1: Summer Denim (and a Tow Truck Rescue)

I've never done an outfit post before, but the sun was shining and a trip to Stamford was long overdue so I decided seize the opportunity to take some photographs. I recently purchased these gorgeous sandals from Topshop (even more brilliant for only costing me £27 in the sale) and so they deserved a good welcome into the world. This they certainly got, but more of that later. 

My friend, Harriet, and I drove to Stamford with the intention of soaking up the last of the sunshine's rays and a little mooch around. As we arrived, we spotted the ice cream van in the usual spot by the green and so our priorities instantly shifted; both of us really needed a '99. (Head to my Instagram for ice cream photographs - expect a lot of sprinkles: @MariaFCase) After indulging on ice cream, we had a look around a few shops and stopped for a peppermint tea at The Cosy Club before heading back to the car. So far, so good. 

On our journey home, my car's engine decided to cut out while I was driving on the A1. Despite feeling very scared and panicky, we pulled over onto the hard shoulder and jumped out, hoping that the AA or my Dad would come to our rescue. Thirty minutes later and we were still standing at the side of the A1. As luck would have it, a knight in shining armour actually did arrive (aka. a random man with a tow truck) and he helped us to get off the hard shoulder and home again safely. My faith in humanity has been restored. This man helped us out of a potentially dangerous situation simply as an act of kindness and it made my day feel very special indeed. He was from Leeds, too - further proof that Northerners are really great? Perhaps so. 

Shirt - H&M

Belt - My Grandfather's

Jeans and Shoes - Topshop

Northern Chords Festival

It's been a crazy few weeks. I have finished my second year at Newcastle University and I have moved out of my flat in Jesmond, returning home to Lincolnshire for the summer break. I have also had a case of writer's block and I haven't been able to think of anything to post about. This has given me an excuse to abandon blogging for a bit (a terrible thing to do, I know) and so yesterday I wrote a list of ideas for blog posts over the summer. Fingers crossed that this period of inspiration will last.

In the last few weeks of term, I went along to the Northern Chords Festival in Newcastle for a review I was writing for Northern Soul. The festival of concerts takes place over a week in different venues across the North East, each equally spectacular, in a celebration of chamber music and young musicians. This year, to mark the centenary of the First World War, the festival had a 1914 theme. The first concert I went to was named 'Midnight in Paris'. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the evening that much. I thought that I would like the first ten minutes of the concert and then become very bored. I was, however, proved incorrect and I enjoyed every moment of it. The music was emotional and rousing, not to mention the beauty of the venue. The Sage in Gateshead is magnificent (I'd never been before and I was seriously impressed) and the chosen hall for this particular concert was small and cosy.

Going to concerts on your own is a very strange strange thing and it takes some getting used to. Aside from the occasional pitying looks from smug couples during the interval, I actually don't mind going to places on my own. I like my own company. The first time I ever went to something on my own, I was reviewing the Radikal Words live literature event for The Courier. I was nervous about being there alone and so I drank a large glass of red wine before I even went into the theatre. This certainly improved my outlook and I thought that evening spectacular, too. Going to concerts and theatres on your own is actually quite fun. However, it is also true that wine and G&Ts really do help, though let's pretend you didn't just read that. I also managed to take some pretty pictures of the quayside in the early evening. I feel quite proud of them, so I put one in this post. You can read my review of the festival, here.