Cheap alternatives!

With the trends forever changing, i find it hard to keep up without breaking the bank!!  So I's always on the look out for cheap alternatives to the big high street labels but still look in style! here are some of the items I've found that I think are better than the real thing :)

This post is dedicated to....

The Chelsea Boot!!

This is definitely a winter must have, but at over £200 for real leather boots, most tend to go for the cheaper but just as good ones from the high street which normally clocks in at £60.

But for me, I thought there must be some for even cheaper than that! £50 is a commitment for something I'll just ruin in the crummy weather of England! So I was able to find these beauts, coming in at just £15 on ebay from a reliable seller!

The heel height is decribed as 7cm but I think its like 3inches? The fit s so comfortable, the stitching looks durable and I think the tanned ones especially look more expensive than they are! I've had them for about a week now, and wearing them on a daily basis is a dreeeeam, they are heels so your feet does hurt but not more than any other pair of heels. The boots are of course waterproof and adds a lot to your autumn/winter outfit! (these boots, tights, long socks, skater skirt and jumper is my go-to outfit!)

These are just as good as the high street ones but at fraction of the price!

The Link to the ebay website is linked HERE!

Next post will be on another cheap bargain, just in time for Christmas!! :) xo

DIY thinning T-shirts

So I' decided to try out some DIY on my clothes, as I've always just gone out and paid for clothes that are so simple to do at home! I thought i'd share some of the useful tips I've found on the internet with everyone!

This post is about THINNING T-SHRTS! I never thought to try this, but its sooo easy! there are a lot of different ways to do this, you basically just try and distress the fabric without destroying it :)

Smoochy Lips

Recently I have been obsessed with trying different lip balms to try and get the smoothest and most moisturised lips! On average I've used each lip balm continuously for a week to see if it had any effect on my lips. Normally my lips are extremely dry and always cracked so my favourite one really does help with easily cracked lips! Here are some that I've tried and what I think about them!

Black Babe

I've decided to post one of my most fave polyvore posts from my polyvore Viralcafeaulait

This one was created with a theme of black & green and I've used the asymmetric shape of the tunic as the outline for the items to line up with. i think Polyvore posts that are neatly organised makes the items look more presentable and fashionable :)

Hope you like this short post about the type of style I really like, please do check out my Polyvore page! xo

Black Babe by viralcafeaulait featuring face moisturizers

Back to School (!)

So it's nearly time to go back to school in the UK! and each year I like to buy new stationery to make going to school a little more exciting :) But this year I've kept my shopping addiction to a minimum, so here's a few new things I got!

Ma Outfit! (I'm not gangsta, don't know what happened...)

As my last OOTD post was quite popular, I thought I'd do another! I've had to change where I take the photos as the mirror I originally used got smashed...

This is also a relatively cheap outfit to recreate too :)

So anyway, Here is a typical outfit I would wear in the summer ----> crop top + shorts + something long sleeved!

The top is from H&M

The shorts are also from H&M

The denim shirt is from Bershka

The Necklace is from Primark

Staaaalk Me! ... please?

This is quite post is not going to be particularly fashion orientated at all, I just want to collect all my internet footprints into one post so that you guys can easily find me anywhere! I've only recently really started trying to build my own internet presence, so most of my social networking sites are bait bland but don't fear! I have unlimited commitment to it and also oodles of time, so I will improve as time goes on! So please do check out any social networking thingies I have and maybe follow/comment/share? please? :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Follow my Tumblr!

Follow my Polyvore!

Follow my Instagram - has more personal photos

It would mean so much to me if you followed or even just had a look at my links! Thank you! xo

Minimalist

Here is a minimalist outfit i love to wear on lazy days, but can easily be livened up with neon jewellery! (which I don't have so cannot show, sorry!)

Pretty Pink Purse

In this post, I'm going to show you guys my new purse! I recently bought this in the Monki store in london and I'm in love with it! I wanted something big and statement-y which is exactly this bright pink huuuge purse :) it came in lots of different colours e.g. green, yellow, orange, nude and they were all amazing but I wanted something that'll stand out if I wanted to use it as a clutch 'coz it so big.

Elizabeth Arden Lip Balm Review!

So I finally have a new post for you guys! so so sorry for the delay!

Today I'm doing a short review on Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Lip Protectant Stick

This was actually recommended to me by my mum, she had it first and thought it really helped with dry or cracking lips so bought me one! I was sceptical at first, because I get painful cracks and dry skin on/around my lips all the time and I've always stuck with Blistex balms, Burt's Bees or anything that has mint/peppermint in it as I like the tingly feeling it gives. So when she said to try this I wasn't convinced....

The lip moistureiser is advertised to "soften and sooth lips and guards against the damaging effects of sun exposure"

It doesn't have any mintiness to it, or much flavour really, it's much more like Vaseline but less oily. And after using it for about 1 month, I quite like it! Not as far as love it, but it does help to heal any damages you might have on your lips. I would say this stick lasts for a surprisingly long time! I had used it daily for 1 month and there was still about half left!

I used it mainly on the corners of my mouth, where there were small ulcers, and to be honest I don't like the feeling of it on my lips, because it feels kind of oily,and quite thick and heavy as well, but when I just left it alone it really did stop my lips drying out and kept them looking smooth and plump!

The stick itself is in a lovely packaging, with Elizabeth Arden engraved in the silver band of its middle, and the stick is also quite small and compact, which makes it handy to have in my purse! I find it cute that it looks like a lipstick but is in fact a lip balm! :)

So overall, I would recommend it to anyone prone to ulcers or cracking lips, but I personally do not like its texture and how it feels on the lips!

£20

Lazy Summer Day Out

I've created a Polyvore account! yay finally! this is my first set, so I went with something easy and casual, hope you like it! 

Lazy Summer Day Out by viralcafeaulait featuring a mini purse

Zara print dress
zara.com

VILA loose fitting top
$46 - vila.com

Dune tan shoes
asos.com

Warehouse mini purse
$52 - warehouse.co.uk

Fornash stackable bracelet
simplysoles.com

Jamie Jewellery hamsa charm
$41 - asos.com

H M band hat
$12 - hm.com

The Row metal sunglasses
theoutnet.com

OOTD

This is just a quick and simple post on how I styled my denim jacket today! The occasion was just everyday life/school and I wanted something comfortable but still stylish look!

Make a Statement

My Collection!

Random fact about me, I don't like calling nail varnish 'nail varnish', it sounds so unfeminine to me :/ I prefer 'nail paint' - which just sounds better for absolutely no reason :)
Anyway, I'm going to show you my nail varnish collection and which ones I think are the best!
I've included 18 nail varnishes that I have just lying around, I have more but I can't find them all :)

What's In my Make-up Bag...

I carry my make up bag everywhere I go, even though I rarely redo my makeup! I feel better knowing I have it just in case though :) 
So here I'm going to show you what I carry around with me unnecessarily everyday, which also are my favourite makeup products to use for everyday!

Show your legs in Style

Finally it's summer and I can wear shorts! Even though the weather in England is way below satisfactory, I will brave the rain and wear shorts :) In this post I'll go through how I personally style my shorts and show you how you could too!

Nails 101

Everyone wants perfectly painted nails fast, all the time, but everyday life gets in the way! Plus bad quality nail polish chips so easily and it just seems pointless to even try!

Here is an easy way to do your nails, keep them long lasting and make them look effortlessly professional. 

Unfortunately due to natural oils from our fingernails, nail polish is not meant to stay perfect for more than 3-5 days.

The Right Foundation

I always find it hard to find the right colour, texture and coverage of a new foundation, so I thought I'd show you the ones I'm using now and give a small review!

Rimmel London Stay Matte foundation
I've used this liquid foundation for about 6months, and I find it very good for everyday use, as its very light and you don't feel like you're wearing a lot of make-up.
 It has light coverage, which I like for everyday use but I think you'd need something heavier for the nights out. It's also not very build-able, you'd need a lot to increase the coverage.
There is also 'Chamomile - to help calm, Cucumber - to help clarify and cotton to help control shine'
I think it does control shine very well, especially on my forehead! I have unfortunately had a few breakouts since using it, but after about 2weeks my breakouts became better and I think my skin just got used to it!
Overall, I would recommend this for daily use, and for those who have oily skin as it controls shine and stays on for a long time (not as long as the advertised 12hours but still great!).

Maybelline Dream Matte mousse

This mousse is a cross between liquid and powdered foundation. So it goes on smoother (like a liquid) but is more pigmented (like a powder!), I normally use this on top of the Rimmel liquid one if I want more coverage - the Rimmel then sorts of acts like a tinted primer.
But this is also great for everyday use, but it is heavier and can be built on for evening use. It gives a very matte finish so I sometimes use highlighter when using this just so I don't look too pasty. A warning for dry-skinned people that this can clump to dry parts of the face and make you flake (which is a bad look) so use a primer/moisturiser before this foundation. 

Overall I really like this foundation, it's my go-to foundation and I'm on my 3rd pot! the pot also last surprisingly long which is a bonus. (sorry the pot looks kinda dirty :S)






















Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

I literally only started using this product this week, so I don't have much of an opinion. But first impressions are ok, it is a good moisturiser to use before putting on a heavy foundation, as it makes the skin smooth and moist which allows the foundation to set well. It also has SPF 30 UV protection which will be great for the summer!
The liquid comes out scarily orange, but when you put it on it blends well with my skin tone, and 'fits' it! (which BB creams are meant to do, but I got a bit panicky when it came out looking sooo orange!) The texture is like most creams/liquid foundations.
There are supposedly '8 benefits in 1' in this product, and so far I agree with that it ;compliments skin tone' and is 'oil-free', it also is meant to create a natural glow, but I've used it under my usal foundation so I don't really know, and I don't feel like it hydrate all day.
So far I like this product, but only time will tell if it lives up to its many quailities!

My Primer - ELF Mineral and Face Primer

This is the primer I normally use, I would say that it is good quality for its price (I forgot how much but was very cheap!). It has quite an oily/greasy feel when you first put it on, but I've got very dry skin so that suits me well. It primes very well, especially for powdered foundations and I think it does make your make-up last a while longer too!
I would recommend applying it to just the nose, under the eyes and mouth area if you have oily-er skin.
It does have a cap but I lost it :) The bottle itself is quite large, so I don't carry it around in my make-up bag, but you could always but it in a travel-sized container as a 1 pump of this stuff goes a long way!
Overall I would recommend this primer if you're on a budget, but I don't think its necessarily high quality!

Four days in Paris

Quatre jours à Paris

For the first time ever, I was going to Paris!! I went from 30th April - 2nd May. It had always been a dream of mine (along with travelling to NY, Sidney, Rio and Rome) I tried to cram all the tourist attractions into that long weekend, and I managed to see most things! - Notre Dame, Musee D'Orsay, Eiffel Tower, La Fayette, Arch of Triumph.