Autumn Fashion Essentials

For me, no season feels more like a fresh start than Autumn. It could be all the new beautiful clothes in the stores, or memories of heading back to school or university, but suddenly, Autumn makes me want to take a long hard look at my wardrobe! Before going crazy on Oxford Street to buy all the latest pieces, it's best to first take a look at your current wardrobe, and making sure that you look, and feel fabulous, and investing on some key essentials to ensure you feel confident in your Autumnal ensembles.

- The Basics - 

No matter what outfit you put together, you'll feel your best when you feel supported and comfortable, so my first Autumn Fashion essential is the newly re-launched ultimate strapless bra from Wonderbra. Far from my high school years when I saved up for a Wonderbra to give my cleavage a much needed boost, the ultimate strapless bra is perfect for layering up under your cosiest autumnal knits, and taking you right through to even the most risqu� of evening outfits. With patented hand support technology and new silicone dot technology, the underwear ensures that you feel supported, and confident that no matter what your outfit, one thing you don't need to worry about is your bra slipping or showing!

As well as being comfortable and supported, Autumn is all about being cosy! I've found the most scrumptiously soft dressing gown from New Look, it's so sumptuous and delicious - even Dexter loves to snuggle up in it with me! (Anyone who follows me on Snapchat will know this already!) My equally as cosy slippers are from Emu Australia, the beautiful mauve colour is so unusual for slippers, and the fluffy lining is such a treat for tired feet at the end of the day!

- Layer Up - 

One of my favourite parts of Autumnal dressing is layering up. I've mentioned several times before but my favourite item of clothing for layering this season is this waterfall faux suede/sheepskin gilet from Dorothy Perkins. It's gorgeously soft to touch, as a beautifully elegant way of hanging, and best of all, is only �29. Here I've layered it under a patchwork scarf in my favourite autumnal colours, and my most-worn rust coloured high neck top. A pair of dark, well fitting trousers is another Autumnal essential, and my favourite pair is this Olive green wax effect pair from Oasis. Sticking to a neutral colour palette, my Emu boots and Superdry fur headband ensure that I look on trend while being snug and cosy too!

- Evening Glamour - 

I used to find evening outfits quite tricky at this time of year, but layering isn't just for the day time - a faux fur stole can add a surprising amount of warmth to evening dresses, and this strapless dress from Superdry definitely needs a little something to throw on over your shoulders as the temperature drops.  The dress itself is an incredibly flattering navy and deep green tartan print, with a fit and flare silhouette. As it's strapless, the Ultimate Strapless Wonderbra is also an essential for this evening look  - it's available in nude (like mine) but also black, ivory and black lace and works perfectly for so many tricky outfit options!

I also have a Wonderbra set to giveaway to one lucky reader! It's super easy to enter, just complete the rafflecopter below (or as many as you'd like - the more you do, the more points you get and more chance to win!) and you could win a set of your choice from the new Wonderbra range. You can also head over to ASOS to win an Ultimate Style party outfit with GHDs, a set from Wonderbra and Benefit Makeup as well as ASOS vouchers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are your Autumn Fashion Essentials? Do you love layering?

This post is kindly sponsored by Wonderbra

xoxo

Why You Should Update your Skincare Routine for Autumn

Your skincare routine in many ways is a little bit like your wardrobe - as the seasons change, we should switch out the pieces that don't fit for the changing temperature, as much as we swap our shorts for our jumpers, we should be swapping our moisturisers and serums for something a little more weather appropriate too.

For many, sticking to one moisturiser all year round seems like the safest option when you think you've found 'the one', but not only does the weather change in autumn, but so does our skin and how it reacts to the change in temperature, and even our hormones, so it's important to pick out new products for different seasons. So what should you do to transform your beauty regime from the summer warmth to the autumn crisp chill?

1. Personalise your Skincare Routine!

When putting together a new skincare routine, consider your age, the climate you live in (humid? urban?) your skin type, and how your skin reacts to new products. As a 23 year old living in central London with combination skin that's easily agitated, I need a cleanser that not only will thoroughly remove the dirt and buildup from days when I'm in the city centre, but also be calming to my skin which during the transition between Summer and Autumn always tends to flare up at the slightest change in ingredients. I've been using Sunday Riley's Blue Moon Cleanser - it's a pale blue hard balm in the midnight blue pot, but after warming between your fingers it melts on the skin into a soft balm, lifting away all my makeup and impurities - even on my eyes and lashes. It's perfect if your skin gets a little dry in Autumn, or if, like me, your skin becomes extra sensitised and irritated as it isn't stripping or drying - quite the opposite in fact. The Blue Tansy ingredient which gives the balm it's colour is also used to reduce irritation, so if chilly winds and central heating have stressed out your skin then this balm will soothe, nourish and hydrate - and with the heavenly smell it feels like a pampering treatment every time you use it.

Get Your Beauty Sleep

As skin can become agitated during the change in seasons, its more important than ever that we let skin recover at night. You don't need me to remind you that choosing a night cream, oil or serum that suits your skin type makes an incredible impact on the skin that you wake up with, so spend some time considering the best product for your skin's needs. A product which everyone, I mean everyone was raving about over the Summer months is Sunday Riley's Luna oil, and while I sometimes found it too powerful for Summer, my skin is craving it's skin perfecting abilities now that the temperature is changing. Also containing Blue Tansy like the cleansing balm, it battles any redness in the skin overnight, and your skin drinks in the oils also including Avocado and Chia leaving you with a glowing complexion the following morning. 

Up your Eye Game

Some eye products are just too powerful for the delicate under eye area during the warmer months, but in Autumn, brisk temperatures and often biting winds mean that your eye cream needs to seriously deliver. I've switched to the power-packed Premier Cru Eye Cream from Caudalie - it has revitalising and renewing effects on the delicate eye area and it combats by dark circles and puffiness with the signature blend of highly concentrated ingredients. The evenings drawing in and grey mornings may leave us feeling a little energy zapped, but at least our eyes won't be the tell-tale sign!

Give your Skin What It Wants

Your skin is pretty good at telling you what it wants and needs, and choosing a face mask to target those needs is often the quickest way of giving your skin the pick up that it needs. Clay masks are my favourite and I've been alternating between two recently - first, the L'Occitane Rebalancing Face Mask - the one to try if you want to give your skin a deep cleanse but don't love the tightness of clay masks. With a blend of vegetal and mineral powders, it removes impurities and tightens pores but the essential oils also rejuvenate skin and leave your skin feeling radiant and sebum free.

A mask which packs even more punch is the Chantecaille Detox Face Mask. When my skin is seriously stressed, I treat myself to this heavenly scented black clay mask, which noticeable improves skin tone and tightens pores but again without tightening or stripping skin. This one isn't cheap so I save it for times when my skin is in desperate need of a pick-me-up, and boy does this one deliver.

How do you update your skin for Autumn?

xoxo

5 Ways your Hair-Care Routine Should Change for Autumn

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE autumn. I adore bundling myself up in cosy knitwear, drinking far too many cups of tea and hot chocolate and indulging in comfort food (no surprises as to what exactly... *ahem macaroni cheese*) but the change in temperature can be seriously confusing on your hair. Not just the texture, a change in dryness or frizz-levels, but also the colour! So here are some of my top tips for keeping your hair looking and feeling fresh and healthy over the coming months!

Up the Moisture!

You know how your skin gets dry and kinda itchy when the temperature drops? It's not sexy, I know, and the same goes for your hair. The transition between Summer and Autumn is when it is so vital to add a hair mask and switch up your shampoo and conditioner to help your hair adjust to the change in temperature. The Ojon Moisture Therapy Conditioner does exactly that, and it's packed with 7 nourishing oils which leave even the driest of locks feeling soft and hydrated after just one use. I find that it really prevents my ends especially from drying out, and all of the seriously luxe ingredients such as African Shea, Mango Seed Butters and Jojoba Oil work wonders to my stressed out hair. Another range which uses oils to keep the moisture levels of your hair in tip top condition is the Oleo Radiance range from TRESemm� - I've been using this three times a week to keep my hair consistently conditioned.

Use Natural Ingredients

Products with natural ingredients will prevent your hair from drying out, as they don't strip your hair of oils like some synthetic and alcohol based ingredients do. I love to use the Aveda Thickening Tonic to amp up my hairs volume, and it's made from naturally-derived ingredients which my hair just loves! 

Go Darker

Summer is synonymous with sun-kissed hair, but colder weather means less time outside, and those highlights fade! You can beat nature's effects on your hair by taking your hair darker by a shade or two, which means the transition happens more evenly. I recently spoke to the colour experts at Paul Edmonds who advised that I added a mocha tone to my bright blonde locks, to tone it down a little but without loosing that vibrant blonde shade that I absolutely love. Coloured hair needs extra attention, and I always have a little pot of the Toni & Guy Serum Drops in my handbag - you only need the tiniest amount to prevent flyaway hairs, add shine and also condition and protect hair from dropping temperatures when you're out and about.

Look after the Ends!

By upping your shampoo and conditioner game in the ways I mentioned above, you'll already have a head start with the condition of the ends of your hair. Sometimes though, it is just too late!!! I've actually discovered a product which works to seal and repair split ends, not just prevent them, so if you've already let your hair get a little out of control, then I highly highly recommend the Loreal Expert Sealing Repair serum. I add a couple of pumps before I blow-dry and then again when my hair is dry, it seals the ends straight away so your hair looks and feels smooth and frizz free.

Amp up the Oil

I think we've just about tackled the stigma around using oils in your skincare routine if you've got oily or combination skin (oil reduces oil production and all that), and the same goes for your hair. Don't be afraid of using products with oil in, your hair needs the added moisture and nourishment provided by hair oils as the temperature changes and by adding oil to your routine, your hair follicles won't need to create so much - meaning your hair is conditioned but not greasy. Another product in the TRESemme Oleo Radiance range which I love is the Radiance Oil Elixir. It adds such a beautiful illumination to your hair that makes even the driest locks look as though they've had a pricey hair treatment, and it never, ever feels greasy. 

How do you Switch Up your haircare routine in Autumn?

xoxo

Autumn in Amsterdam

Last weekend, rather than hitting the shows at PFW, Charlie and I opted to go on a trip to Amsterdam to discover the city. Having met each other in the most exotic of destinations, travelling together is what Charlie and I do best, so when IceLolly.com invited us to discover Amsterdam, we jumped at the chance to visit a new place.

Amsterdam, and Holland in general, was a place I didn't know much about (aside from the fact that prostitutes and certain drugs are legal here!), so I had no preconceptions, and no idea what I'd discover when I got off the plane. 

____________________

There was something very familiar about Amsterdam, from the cool boutiques in unpretentious neighbourhoods, the welcoming cafes that we stumbled across, and the way that the friendly locals dressed. It's easy to picture yourself living in Amsterdam, that's how homely and welcoming the city felt, each restaurant or cafe owner greeted us as though we were a 'regular', and after just one day exploring we felt as though we knew our way around the beautiful canals and cobbled streets.

A hefty neighbourhood guide is on it's way, but until then, here's the outfit that I wore on our first day of exploring! 

WHAT I WORE

Gilet by River Island   |   Long Sleeve Jumper by River Island  |   Black Suede Skirt by Miss Selfridge   |   Bag by Topshop   |   Boots by Next   |   Sunglasses by Jeepers Peepers   |

xoxo

Autumn Comforts

There are so many reasons to love Autumn - whether you love the crisp cool air, golden leaves, or snuggling up in your favourite knitwear. Another reason to love Autumn is allowing yourself some little luxuries, so get cosy because today I've compiled my ultimate Autumn comforts to make the next few months feel like the snuggliest Autumn ever!

- SKINCARE -

Firstly, Autumn skincare. I absolutely love the luxurious texture and sumptuous softness of the products that I use in Autumn. Your skincare should be switched up to comfort your skin after it has been exposed to the harsh elements of Autumn! Wind, rain and a drop in temperatures mean your skin should be nourished with a luxurious cleanser such as the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel which is gentle on the skin and also nourishes and repairs skin from environmental damage, leaving your complexion feeling clean, balanced and heavenly soft. 

Another staple in my routine is the new Clinique Moisture Surge Melting Mask Balm. When the harsh weather leaves skin feeling dry and irritated, the balm works to restore comfort and radiance back into your skin. I apply as a 10 minute mask once a week, or leave it on overnight when my skin needs some extra attention. Also part of the new Clinique All About Oils collection is the Smart Treatment Oil which I've been applying onto skin after cleansing for some serious conditioning and repair, together they leave my skin looking and feeling lovely and plumped and nourished instead of sad and chapped!

The product that I most look forward to using in the evenings is the new Darphin 8-Flower Nectar Oil Cream. A hybrid between an oil and a cream, it has a similar heavenly scent to the Darphin oils which I've raved about previously on the blog and transforms from a sumptuous cream to a delicious oil when massaged onto the skin. Ideal for this time of the year, skin immediately feels comforted and thoroughly moisturised - plus as with other Darphin products it feels like an absolute luxury to use.

- EVERYDAY COMFORTS - 

In Autumn, it's often the simple details that can bring the ultimate luxury and comfort. Aside from Dexter (who is the greatest hot water bottle / cold evening snuggler in the world), a few things which make me feel warm and cosy include my super-soft Emu slippers, and even softer New Look dressing gown, and, a new discover; the Hotel Chocolat Salted Caramel Drinking Chocolate which really does taste as good as it sounds!

- BATHTIME TREATS -

A bath is a luxury which I try to afford myself once a week, making the time to soak in the tub is the ultimate Autumn Comfort and choosing some lovely bath products can make it a seriously luxurious experience! I've been trying out some new Bath Oils recently with heavenly fragrances, including the Aromatherapy Associates Bath & Shower Oil which contains heavenly ingredients such as chamomile and lavender which help to instantly relax you while also clearing the mind. It's exclusive to Liberty, and if you look closely you can see that my little bottle is even personalised with my initials engraved in the top corner! The Dr Hauschka Bath Essence is another with a scrumptious scent - I always thought this brand was super expensive but this Bath Essence is under �10! It's designed for recovering from cold and windy days, with oils which bring long-lasting warmth to your body, inside and out!

Various Lush products have found their way into my bathroom recently after I discovered their range at the Christmas Launch event, and bath times have been hugely improved with their bath bombs including these vanilla scented Five Gold Rings bubble bars which soften the skin while you soak.

After bathing, I reach for my most luxurious body lotions, and my current fave is is the Aerin Amber Musk body lotion, yet another product with a gorgeous fragrance which lingers on the skin for hours after application.

- Bedside Luxuries -

The greatest part of chilly Autumn evenings is snuggling up under the duvets, preferably with a Netflix series ready for viewing! Lighting a candle or two and misting the room with a calming spray is the greatest thing for a cosy evening, and Neom have released a Tranquility range; the English Lavender, Basil and Jasmine candle and matching Pillow Mist. Part of their Scent to Sleep initiative, the fragrances are all chosen for their sleep inducing properties and even after the most stressful day, it's hard not to feel utterly relaxed once the room is filled with the lovely fragrances!

What are your Autumn Comforts?

xoxo

Knitwear & Neutrals

Happy Autumn everyone!

I know, it's not officially Autumn yet but boy does it feel like it. Crisp clear mornings, a chilly breeze and the leaves are just about to turn a golden colour. The drop in temperature has lead me to start bringing some new knitwear into my wardrobe, and this outfit officially marks my first knitwear-focused look of the coming season.

I'm in love with this outfit. It's attainable, it's comfortable, and it's so easy to wear. So many fashion bloggers post outfits that are not your every day wearable looks (and come on, I LOVE looking at them all!) but this one is on-trend, accessible, and seriously wearable.

It started with the shoes. I don't wear flats, you all know that, but my resistance was seriously stretched when I spotted these Celine-esque beauties for less than �30. I just couldn't say no to their pointy-toe perfection, and the neutral tones go with all kinds of ensembles, making them spot on for Summer-going-on-Autumn transition OOTDs.

Let's talk about the knitwear. Did someone say Wardrobe e-s-s-e-n-t-i-a-l?! Whether you love to snuggle up in lots of layers or want to throw this baby on over the top of a T Shirt when you leave the house, a knitwear piece like this simply doesn't go out of style, and boy is it comfortable!

Also, the jeans. A new favourite pair from Missguided (can you tell I'm becoming sorta-obsessed?!), the grey colour is universally flattering and the ribbed biker detail above the knee adds just another snippet of detailing and texture to the look. 

I added in the most darling everyday cream & tan handbag - a steal at just �19.99 - and it perfectly matches the shoes! I feel this is a look which I'll be rocking rather a lot in the coming weeks and months, so scroll down for further details and pictures!

Photography by Becca Rose xo

Snake Effect Shoes by River Island   |   White Knit Jumper by ASOS   |   Jeans by Missguided   |   Bag by New Look   |   

xoxo