Going on holiday is my age old excuse, every year, for buying an insane amount of makeup in duty free, as well as books, booze & god knows what else. After fighting to get the best deal on my holiday before I go, I end up spending all those savings AND more in duty free. There’s something about the airport and being on holiday that makes money feel like it’s pretend. It’s a rather lethal mentality, and this year it cost me £195 … but I did get some serious gems. All cheaper than the high street too of course.
. DERMALOGICA MICROFOLIANT & PRIMER . LAURA MERCIER TINTED MOISTURISER . MAC RUBY WOO .
. BENEFIT HELLO FLAWLESS & THEY’RE REAL & HOOLA . BOBBI BROWN SHIMMER BRICK .
I picked up a fair few bits in duty free, once I’d picked up a couple of necessary beauty bits (Dermalogica microfoliant & primer, Hoola etc) , I then started the ‘treats’ supermarket sweep, picking up all the bits I want but definitely don’t need (Mac Lipstick, Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser, Bobby Brown shimmer brick etc). All the items I picked up were things I do use regularly, love and have run out of (or am about to), so that was a good excuse for me.
Here’s what I picked up:
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser – Oil Free (£27.50): This is an item I use frequently and one I really love, it’s perfect for keeping skin hydrated but also giving a really good light colour coverage too. I much prefer the oil free version to the standard tinted moisturiser, it sits better on my skin and gives far less shine. I did a review on this product here if you want more information.
Dermalogica Microfoliant (£36): My absolute favourite facial cleanser & probably my biggest repeat by. I talked about my cleansing routine here & have also done a little review on the microfoliant here too if you fancy checking it out. It’s fantastic on my skin & really helps keep my skin clear and healthy looking.
Dermalogica Primer (£34): This is a product I bought to test out around Christmas time, and has fast become my favourite primer. Strong cover, light feeling on the skin & a nice texture to apply your makeup on to. I did a review on it here. After running out of it before I went on holiday, I decided duty free at the airport was the perfect time to treat myself to another one.
Benefit ‘Hoola’ (£19.50): This has been my go to bronzer since I first discovered what makeup is. Perfect bronze colour, can be layered for deeper cover & looks natural enough that you can pull off the ‘no makeup look’. On holiday Hoola and mascara are really the only beauty products I need to use.
Benefit ‘They’re Real’ (£16.50): Again, my go to mascara is Benefit’s They’re Real. Extreme black, fabulous curls & great to apply. This has been my favourite mascara to use for a very long time and was actually one of the first beauty products I reviewed on my blog (here).
Benefit ‘Hello Flawless (£21.50): I bought this product a few months back to give it a go after wanting a very light and extremely hydrating foundation, I generally speaking don’t use foundation anymore as I find it dries and breaks out my skin. But when I am looking for a little more coverage or heading on a night out, Hello Flawless always delivers well for me. I reviewed Hello Flawless here.
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick (£28): This was a little treat purchase, a product i’ve used before but only the bronzing version. Bobbi Brown is a brand I absolutely love & the bronzing shimmer brick (and their tinted moisturiser) are products I really love but only treat myself too when I’m feeling a little flush. When I saw this new summer edition shimmer brick I couldn’t refuse. I can’t wait to give it a go and i’ll no doubt do a review on here soon, so stay tuned.
MAC Lipstick – Ruby Woo (£9): I’m a big lover of Mac lipstick and so whenever I hit duty free I’m always tempted to treat myself given the discount & amazing lipsticks on offer. I decided to add to my red collection and pick up MAC’s infamous Ruby Woo. A lippy everyone loves but one i’ve never purchased. I haven’t used it yet, but wil give it a whirl soon & follow up with a little review for you all.
So there you go an airport duty free haul, I did pretty well and picked up some seriously good makeup bits (all which I love and recommend anyone trying out). I did spend a fair bit, but luckily I returned to pay day which helped A LOT.
What do you think of my duty free bargains? Which beauty bits do you love and always try to pick up at the airport?
If you’ve not been living behind a rock for the last 2 weeks it probably won’t have escaped you that i’ve been out of the country on holiday in Crete. Jase and I booked 2 weeks off work and after a serious amount of research on my part, booked an 11 night holiday in the village of Agios Nikolaos in Crete. Spurred on by a friend who’d just got back and raved about the beautiful little village & from Rosie (The Londoner) who’d also blogged about her stay, we booked up & hunted down the most fabulous hotel we could find. And it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Grab a cuppa, this post has rather a lot of pictures (all those that I captured on my DSLR, but check out my instagram for lots more pics from the day time)!!
We stayed in a boutique style luxury hotel called the Minos Beach Art Hotel which I drowned myself in research to find the best possible deal I could. We had an incredible junior suite bungalow with beautiful views over the sea & spent every day lounging around the picturesque bay and drinking copious amounts of cocktails. I long debated St Nicholas Bay (where both Rosie & my friend had stayed) and this Hotel, but after doing some serious research & reading a lot of reviews we decided the Minos Beach ticked all our boxes. I’m so glad we invested in this trip, we spent more than we planned (far more, it wasn’t cheap) but it was worth it for 11 nights of relaxation & luxury.
Every morning i’d skip to our private beach and nab the two sun beds closest to the crystal clear water for us to call base for the day. I’d spend 45 minutes reading or just staring out to sea before Jase I and popped up for a pretty tasty breakfast of greek yoghurt, seeds & honey followed by omelette (every day). Most days we spent lounging on our sun beds, lazily swimming & snorkelling in the bay, pottering around the beautiful Hotel grounds & enjoying a few cheeky ice creams on our sun beds. I got through 4 books (I set myself a limit else I never leave my sun bed – i’ll give you a review of my reads shortly).
In the evenings we’d explore Agios Nikolaos which was a 5-10 minute walk along the beach to, or potter further afield to another local village called Elounda. The area was extremely ‘local’ (which I far prefer to a more touristy destination) with beautiful little tavernas and bars lining the waterfront. We enjoyed a couple of drinks & a stroll around the towns but always headed back to our hotel for a lovely 3 course meal which varied night by night.
We had the most wonderful time and the break was exactly what we wanted, i’d thoroughly recommend the trip to anyone wanting a little slice of heaven and some serious relaxation (i’m not sure these photos really show how pretty our hotel & the bay was). There’s plenty of activities to get up to too, if you’re looking for more action, PADI diving, sailing, paddle boarding at the hotel or even exploring more of Crete by hiring a car.
Here are a few (ahem, a lot of) pictures taken on my DSLR of our trip & the local area but make sure you check out my instagram (and links above) or my Facebook page for more pics from our trip, which really showcase the turquoise sea’s & deep blue skies.
Did you enjoy this kind of holiday post? Have you visited Crete, what did you think?
Not quite the back drop from my previous French Connection post (here) but on the last day of our holiday we popped to Elounda to have a little look around the fishing town & go for a quick cocktail before our final dinner back in Agios. The sun was beaming in the sky & the boats were so pretty I roped Jase into taking a couple of pics of my outfit.
The weather stayed so hot into the evening that shorts or a floaty dress were the only real options to wear, especially when we were out exploring. I took my new Reiss short suit with me on holiday and whilst I didn’t wear the two piece together, I did sport my shorts in a more styled down outfit with a simple cami & my birkenstocks. I was actually really glad to get some wear out of them, reaffirming my purchase was the right decision.
What do you think of my Reiss shorts dressed down like this?
The ugly shoe has certainly made a 180 degree come back this season, donned the ugly shoe for ‘sensible’ walkers back when they first came about, now the perception of the Birkenstock couldn’t be further from it’s nickname. Thanks to the fashion week pack who so effortlessly revitalised the Birkenstock image with their laid back, effortless androgynous styling of the sandal, it’s since become a high street must have & a plausible piece of footwear to wear with almost any outfit. Summer dress, boyfriend shorts, skinny jeans or even a chic cocktail dress. There’s no ends to the potential of this black swan of a shoe.
. BIRKENSTOCK ARIZONA IN BLACK LEATHER £65 .
I spent many a day idolising the style of those who pulled off such shoe, my Pinterest is evidence enough, and after randomly trying the shoe one day whilst browsing some shops in bath, I decided I may as well take the leap of faith and give the shoe a chance. Spurred on by my holiday, I invested in the leather Arizona Birkenstock in black, purchased from Net-a-Porter which genuinely seemed the only place that still had these in stock. Seriously. Who would have thought the demand for such a shoe would be so high.
The investment was worth it, in 2 weeks my £65 sandals are currently averaging £4.60 PW (per wear). Basically i’ve worn them every day, styled them with a varying array of looks (which you can check out on my instagram page here) and generally grown a lot of love for this pair of ugly sandals.
You’ve always got to keep an eye out for the underdog. Birkenstocks are leading the ugly shoe fan fair … and I don’t see an end in their infiltration of the fashion world any time soon.
Well I’m back from my sunshine escapades after 11 nights of pure sunshine, blue skies & seriously clear turquoise seas. If you follow me on instagram (if not, WHY NOT, do it immediately right here) then of course you’ll know this already, after all I piped on about it considerably. Coming home from holiday is no fun for anyone, particularly when you’ve had the most incredible relaxing and brilliant time, but if there’s one thing that made coming home slightly more bare able for me, it’s that today I get to share a special collaboration which i’ve been working on with one of my most favourite brands. French Connection.
. BIRKENSTOCK ARIZONAS £65 . ZARA CAMI . DANIEL WELLINGTON SHEFFIELD £169 .
One of the best things about writing a blog is getting the chance to collaborate with your favourite brands. You’ll all know how much I love French Connection given how many of their clothes I buy and sport within my outfit pictures on my blog, including my most recent feature showcasing my new Sweetie Mix dress which I picked up before my holidays. Needless to say, i’m pretty chuffed to be working with them to support their new AW14 collection & in today’s feature showcase this darned awesome androgynous grey marl trouser suit which is from their new range.
Trouser (or short) suits are pretty much my new favourite thing, it’s the co-ord to the next level. Whilst the androgynous look isn’t something you’d naturally team with my curvy frame, it’s something I will not let biology stop me from playing with. If anything the tailoring on this gorgeous two piece shows how you can sport a trouser suit, even if you have an hour glass shape. The high waist, super tailored cigarette trousers create the perfect silhouette and still showcase a waist (which is a godsend for me). The jacket is boxy, and cropped … need I say more. What more could you possibly want.
Knowing how to style a trouser suit can be a bit of a minefield, but I teamed mine with a simple cami and my new Birkenstock Arizona’s to give the look an understated and laid back vibe. I sported this look whilst away on my holibobs, and managed to rope Jase into catching some pics at sundown outside our little suite which had the most gorgeous views overlooking Agios Nikolaos. As much as he complains, he certainly does take a good snap. The lighting is perfect, I only wish I could nab this backdrop for all my pictures!
Stay tuned for another AW14 FCUK style feature coming shortly, i’m already eyeing up a zillion things from the new range which I’m desperate to add to my wardrobe. This AW14 drape trench is actually infiltrating my dreams I love it so much & these white gathered trousers are so freakin’ cool. Only two days until pay day …
What do you think of this boxy androgynous trouser suit? Are you a French Connection lover too?
Continuing on the topic of pencil skirts, and in commiseration that today is the last day of my holiday and soon I’ll be returning home and to work, I thought i’d share one of my chicest pencil skirt numbers. My go to pencil skirt for all power dressing occasions and the pencil skirt that gests the best hanger in the wardrobe, my Reiss coral midi pencil skirt.
. REISS MIDI SKIRT . OFFICE CHUNKY HEELS . ZARA CAMI . CELINE NANO .
It’s actually the pencil skirt I wore in one of my John Lewis edits back when I worked with them to launch their seasonal edit (you can check out the feature here). it was one of my most chic & glamorous get ups from the day and one that I pull out every now and then for those occasions when you just need to look your best. Power dress.
Power dressing is one of our best tools for success if you ask me, when nerves hit, dress yourself to confidence, when you’re feeling poorly, take some time to get yourself dolled up, when you have a mega meeting to deal with, pop on your most killer dress & a pair of dominating ‘no messing’ heels and there’s nothing the world can’t throw at you.
This skirt is one of those such items … a power skirt, that as soon as I put on, I instantly feel enabled, like the world is my oyster and there’s nothing than can stop me on my mission to success. I love how clothes can make you feel so confident and empowered, and this get up does just that for me. A quality, feminine and fitted midi pencil skirt, teamed with a chic and simple cami, a pair of delicate but comfortable heeled sandals & a killer statement bag to finish it all off. Ready for action.
What do you think of my ‘power dressing’ look? Do you have killer outfits you pull out for those special occasions?
A little while ago I worked with ASOS Fashion Finder to style up one look 5 different ways, you may have caught the post here, perhaps one of my favourite looks from my edit was this look, a more cosy styling of the floral pencil skirt & a much more laid back vibe.
. ASOS PENCIL SKIRT ℅ . DKNY TRIBECA BAG ℅ . MONKI KNIT JUMPER . TOPSHOP KEEPSAKE SANDALS .
I styled 5 looks for ASOS, most of which were actually quite dressy, teaming the co-ord with chic heels or glamorous garments. This look was my ‘picnic with your friends’ outfit, the most laid back of them all, and the most comfortable and easy to wear. It’s one of my favourite looks from the edit & something I know I will wear again and again and again.
A pencil skirt can be styled a number of ways (hopefully my edit showed that), but one of my favourite ways to style a pencil skirt is to dress it down, to contradict the formal cut & connotations with flirty accessories and a comfortable tee. Whilst back home & spending the day in Winchester with my sister, I teamed this ASOS floral pencil skirt with my Monki knitted jumper, my Topshop keepsakes & my DKNY tribeca bag. Finished off with another pop of colour in the form of my ASOS fedora. The look was totally laid back and something I am going to keep sporting this summer.
Which look was your favourite? Are you a fan of this laid back pencil skirt styling?
These Florete’s may not be brand new to mediamarmalade.com but I thought it was about time I showed them off to their fullest and gave them their very own stand alone post. Afterall they are freakin’ amazing.
. FLORETE HAIR CALF LEATHER POINT TOE COURT SHOE £210 c/o .
These leopard print Florete pumps are a statement shoe from LK Bennett, I’ve featured them in a couple of outfit posts already (my work whites look here & a couple I planned whilst I’m on hollibobs too), and I truly love them. Prior to landing these gems I hadn’t actually checked out LK Bennett’s shoe collection, by god was I missing out. Their pump selection is beyond the realms of awesome, and in fact as I engaged in my pump obsession (investing in these Zara pumps, these ASOS pump & of course my new ARI pumps from Jimmy Choo) it was actually these pony print beauties from LK Bennett which got my addiction kick started.
There range of pumps are of the highest quality, with leather soles & the perfect upper finish. I loved these pony hair pumps from the Floret collection but have since fallen in love with so many more of their range including the new Fern Aurora print pumps which are just stunning for summer & of course their classic patent leather pump. I very nearly bought myself a patent white pair for summer at the outlet store in Shepton Mallet but resisted as my collection was getting wildly out of control.
Are you a fan of the LK Bennett pump collection? What do you think of these gorgeous print pumps?
Usual caveats apply, I am by no means any beauty expert, nor have any real knowledge of how all things beauty & skincare work, but I wanted to share a new product i’ve been trying out with you. Largely because I have a pretty fundamental skincare regime which I don’t usually budget from (i’ll tell all shortly) but actually have jumped on a blogger bandwagon and thought i’d try something different. That something different is an electronic cleanser.
. MAGNITONE LUCID IN PINK £69 c/o .
. PLUS: MY DAILY CLEANSING PRODUCTS .
I’ve heard many a person, and read many a blog post, talking about the Clarisonic cleanser, a product which i’ve never tried nor been interested in trying but one that I was mega scared off by due to the stories i’ve heard of breakouts & terrible skin irritation. That was up until I was offered the chance to try a new player in the market, the Magnitone Lucid, which for all intensive purposes is an alternative electric cleanser. I was really tempted to give it a go, especially because it came in pink, but more so because i was keen to give my facial cleansing routine a bit of a kick up the butt and get my skin into a more healthy and glowing state.
My current routine is by no means religious, Christ I mean half the time I end up falling asleep with my makeup on (heaven forbid) or simply can’t be arsed so tone to a simple face wipe, but it does tend to break into 3 practices which are:
THE I’M TOO TIRED: This tends to be an evening routine when i’m either a) drunk, or b) extremely tired. In this instance, I will revert to either a Simple face wipe or alternatively will use my new cleansing water (i’m using both Bioderma & Garnier right now – I prefer Garnier so far as it’s more effective at removing makeup) and a cotton bud to scrub off makeup before bed. This can be done from the comfort of my bed and is even possible when you’re effectively asleep. A real winner on a tough weekday.
THE GOOD GIRL: When I’m feeling energised in the evening or alternatively conscious of my skin, then i’ll do things properly, and for me that means washing and exfoliating my face with my Dermalogica microfoliant (my favourite facial wash i’ve ever used, and the saviour to my skincare crisis’s). I absolutely LOVE this product and have used it for years, it does everything right for my skin and truly leaves you feeling like you’ve scrubbed every inch of dirt from your face. I’ll always smother my face in moisturiser after washing my face with this product as it’s often quite a thorough clean and so can leave my skin feeling a little dehydrated. Currently i’m using a Nivea moisturiser for dry skin, swapped in with my Apivita moisturiser. Both I love. I try to do this evening routine every night as I wake up with healthy looking skin and feel clean & ready for the day ahead.
THE GET UP AND GO: I have seriously long hair, it’s thick too, so i’ll avoid the hair wash as much as possible and tend to go for an ‘every other day’ thorough wash and condition. When I’m doing the hair wash chore i’ll lap up the shower experience and treat myself to lots of bath time goodies. I’ll also give my face a good wash but instead of using my microfoliant (which I recommend keeping as far away from the shower as possible as you don’t want any water getting inside the tub) I use my cleansing wash. This was a product my dad got me for Christmas but another Dermalogica product i live by and love. It’s far more gentle than the microfoliant and does a wash as opposed to a serious exfoliation. It’s great for every day use & really leaves your skin feeling fresh and ready to rumble. This tends to be my morning routine, and i’ll often use my microfoliant in the evening when I have been wearing makeup and feel like I really need to give my face a good scrub.
As you can see, I don’t have a regiment cleansing routine, but I do try my best to keep my face cleansed before bed & ready for the morning ahead. When I was offered the chance to give the Magnitone Lucid ago, I was actually quite keen as it didn’t require me messing around with my ‘routine’ & also felt like a cheeky short cut for the face wash chore. Barely any effort from me, but a seriously good face cleaning result. PLUS it can come in the shower with me, so works for my ‘get up and go’ face wash too. The skeptic in me was scared of it irritating my skin or causing breakouts, but if anything I’ve seen the opposite results. I’ve been using my usual products and just using the electronic cleanser to rub it all in, and give my face a thorough scrub, rinsing off with my hands as usual. it does a really thorough job on the cleaning front, and actually makes face wash time a lot quicker and easier (which is a real winner for me) … AND it saves water dripping down your arms as you scrub your face which is a serious pet hate of mine.
I’ve been testing this out for a couple of weeks and am going to keep going with it as so far so good.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, have you tried the Magnitone lucid wash or any other electronic cleanser?
