OOTD: Leaves in the Fall

Kimono: Topshop (given to me by my lovely sister)

Vest: New Look

Jeans: Cheap Monday

Boots: H&M

Bag: Primark

Autumn Nail Colours

I have officially resigned my pink nail polishes until next Spring and so out come the autumnal colours. I love everything about Autumn and I tend to find my wardrobe and nails go a little darker. Here are my favourite Autumn nail colours.

Rimmel 60 Seconds in Grey Matter

I adore this nail varnish and actually wear it all year round. It's a beautiful blue-based grey which can look really subtle and so acceptable for work. It has quite a fat brush which makes application a doddle and really does dry in 60 seconds. You need two coats to create a lovely even finish.

Revlon Top Speed in Stormy

Another fast-drying nail varnish, this is a beautiful taupe colour. I always really like the consistency of Revlon nail polishes. Again, you need two coats for an even finish.

Nails Inc in Belgravia

This is quite similar to the Revlon polish but has more of a metallic finish. I do love brown nail varnishes in Autumn and they go with every outfit. Two coats are required for an even finish.

Rimmel Pro in Desire

This is such a beautiful, vampy deep red and it is perfect for Autumn and Winter. I find that these nail varnishes do tend to last pretty well. Two coats are needed for an even finish.

Nails Inc in Hoxton Square

I tend to shy away from more 'unnatural' nail colours such as purples and blues, but this deep, rich purple is do die for. The consistency is fab and you only really need one coat, though I chose to use two on my nail wheel.

Essie in Bobbing for Baubles

Without a doubt my favourite Essie colour. Bobbing for Baubles is a beautiful almost-black navy grey, but the shade changes slightly with the light. The best thing is that you only need one coat for a thick, even finish.

What are your favourite nail colours for A/W?

Going Brunette to Blonde

For ages I'd wanted to go back to my natural hair colour which is a dark, mousy blonde but I just haven't had the time or the money to go to the hairdressers. Whilst visiting a friend a few days ago we decided that we'd go ahead and do it ourselves.

My hair before was a warm-based brunette, dyed back in July. It was quite a dark brown to start with but the holiday sun lightened it. The below picture is from one week ago.

First up we used the Garnier Belle Colour Pre-Lightener which costs a mere £3.50 per pack. I used two as my hair is quite long and thick. This took my hair to a yellowy-orange colour with platinum blonde roots. I was really quite impressed with how much it lightened my hair as I was expecting it to be a lot more orange.

We then immediately applied an ash blonde colour and a purple toner to calm down the orange and yellow in my hair. I used the Garnier Belle Colour Natural Dark Blonde. This didn't actually take my hair any darker but it did even out the colour from root to tip. My hair was still very yellowy-orange.

The next day I picked up two packs of the Clairol Nice & Easy Medium Ash Blonde. I chose an ash colour to counteract the very warm tones in my hair. I've used Nice & Easy hair colours plenty of times before and they've always done just the job, so I trusted these to get to the correct shade for me. I applied to dry hair and left for 40 minutes, 10 minutes longer than the recommended time as my hair was so light. I rinsed away and applied the conditioner supplied with the dye (does anyone else think that conditioners from hair dye kits are so much better than bottle conditioners?)

To cut a long story short, my hair came out the exact shade I wanted. This is really close to my natural hair colour so I'm absolutely in love with it. I was really impressed with the Belle Colour pre-lightener and Nice & Easy colourant. My hair doesn't feel particularly dry although I'm going to use some super nourishing hair masks for the next few weeks. It was really easy to get an even coverage with the Nice & Easy colourant, as I was pretty paranoid about leaving any yellow patches. So that's me back to my natural colour. I give it 3 months before I dye it again...

OOTD: Leather & Paisley

Tunic top: F&F @ Tesco

Leather jacket: Republic

Leggings: Primark

Boots: H&M

I Wear My Heart On My Sleeve

Today has mostly involved dying my hair back to a dark blonde colour and playing on GTA... productive! I have finally ventured into the world of OOTD posts but I really do need to find a better background other than our dressing gowns and my boyfriends messy bedside table!

Shirt: George @ Asda

Leggings: Primark

Boots: H&M

I Heart Supermarket Fashion

It's no secret that I love a bargain and in particular I'm a pretty big fan of supermarket fashion. The likes of TU at Sainsbury's, F&F at Tesco and George at Asda have really upped their game in the fashion stakes and are pretty big contenders due to their value and accessibility. They really are keeping up with the latest fashions and I am absolutely in love with them. Here are my favourite picks:

George at Asda Stitch Detail Jumper, F&F at Tesco Bird Print Tunic Dress

TU at Sainsbury's Leather Look Pencil Skirt, F&F at Tesco Limited Edition Quilt Back Platform Ankle Boot

Starting Off: Blusher

This week we're talking about my BFF - blusher! Without it I feel so washed out and lifeless. It really does add some colour to my face and I refuse to go a single day without it.

I use two types of blusher - powder and cream. A powder blusher is great for all skin types, but especially those with oily skin, where as cream blushers are usually preferred by those with normal-dry skin. Personally I like to use powder blush in the summer months and cream blush in the winter months.

As always I stick to affordable, high street makeup and so my current favourites are the MUA Blusher, which costs a measly £1 but the colour pay-off is pretty fantastic for the price, and the VIVO Cheeky Cream Blush, which you can pick up in Tesco for £3.99.

As aforementioned I like to use the powder blush in the summer months which is why my MUA blusher is in a bright, bubblegum pink. With a tan I can get away with a brighter colour and I prefer to use powder blush when I'm feeling a little sweaty. You should try a colour that is not too dissimilar from the colour your cheeks go when you naturally blush. If you're unsure what colour this is then stand in the mirror and slap your cheeks. You make want to do this in the privacy of your own home though...

To apply powder blush I use this Front Cover Blush Brush. Don't use a blusher brush that is too large - it is much easier to add more blush than it is to take it away! Dab the brush into the blusher, tap off the excess, smile and apply in small sweeping motions from the apples of your cheeks to your ears. I then like to take a clean powder brush and sweep over the blusher I've just applied to give a more natural finish.

When it comes to cream blush I love to use this Real Techniques Stippling Brush. I much prefer cream blush in the winter months as it can give an extra glow to my dull, dry skin. I gently dip the brush into the cream blusher and stipple (tap) the blusher onto my cheeks in the same place as you would a powder blush. Then using the stippling brush, blend into the skin so there are no visible lines. You can also apply cream blusher with your finger.

That's pretty much all there is to say about blusher, I really do think it's pretty easy to do but I hope this post gives you a few tips. What are your favourite blushers? Do you prefer cream or powder blusher? Let me know in the comments below.