So we've made it to the end of another year, hurrah! Although I usually prefer to peruse other bloggers' favourite product roundups, this year I feel as though I've discovered so many excellent staples, I just have to collate them here for you. I've primarily focused on beauty with a slight diversion into clothing - enjoy!

Stand out product: Bobbi Brown Corrector for under eyes
I'd never really used Bobbi Brown products before this year, although it is definitely a brand I was interested in. One afternoon in Bluewater I found myself drawn to their counter and before long I was in the chair having this beauty applied to my eyebags. Needless to say, my credit card was out within seconds of seeing the effects. It's taken me more than 6 months to hit pan, with daily usage, and I cannot even contemplate not repurchasing. It doesn't obscure my dark circles completely due to my face structure, but it really helps brighten everything up and prolongs the wear of my concealer. Love love love! I can't believe I haven't done a full review for this yet - I intend to rectify this issue as soon as possible!

Budget buy: Rimmel Volume Flash x 10 mascara
This is the year I rediscovered my love for high street mascaras, in particular this excellent mascara by Rimmel. It's on a par with any luxury mascara I've used in the past, for under £6! I've waxed lyrical about this mascara on many occasions, so to cut this short, feel free to read my review here.

New in: Revlon Colorstay liquid liner
This was borne from a long running wish to rediscover a favourite from my school days. On a class trip to Madrid, I picked up a Bourjois liquid liner in brown and loved it so much more than the usual black! As is frequently the case when I discover a product I love (Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara, I'm looking at you...), Bourjois later discontinued the liner and I went back to using black. For years. Until my lovely friend Geo tracked this down for me and bought it for my Christmas present! I think I've used the black version of this eyeliner before, many moons ago, and still really enjoy it. It's long lasting and super simple to apply, plus the brown shade makes my daily cat eye look so much softer! Win!

Hello my lovelies, happy holidays!

I do apologise for the silence on the blog over the last 2 weeks, I have been sans laptop and have only just managed to commandeer my sister's machine while she is out of the house...

How exactly are we halfway through December already? I cannot quite grasp how quickly this year has rushed by - the new year is rapidly approaching and I'm just not ready! It's been a bit tricky getting myself in the Christmas mood this year, the festive season has crept up on me without adequate preparation. It doesn't help that we decided to forgo a tree this year, partly to save money and partly because we aren't going to be in the flat for Christmas so felt it wouldn't be appreciated. In order to combat the growing stress at work and to get myself feeling really festive, I felt a day out in London was in order!

I gathered up my companions and off we trundled to Covent Garden in search of bright lights and Christmas trees. Some gift shopping took place... And I may have treated myself to this adorably fluffy faux fur headband! I'm going skiing with my family over the festive period and thought this would keep my ears nice and toasty (when I'm not wearing my helmet of course - safety first, people!). Teamed with my red coat and over knee boots I did feel a bit like I was channelling Santa Claus style... But it only added to our general festive mood.

Covent Garden is one of my favourite places in London, but if you are irritable and of an impatient nature it's also one of the worst. I can usually manage around half an hour of browsing before I need to dash down a quiet side street and take a moment to breathe, away from the hordes of shoppers and tourists. What a perfect opportunity for blog photos, taken by my lovely cousin Naomi! We milled about by the river for some time, enjoying the sunshine, until we got too chilled (and hungry) and darted into a nearby Byron burger bar for some sustenance. Delish!

Only ten days to go now... what are you doing to feel festive? I'm planning an evening of wrapping presents and watching Michael Bublé's Christmas Special!

Love Dani
xoxo

Hello lovelies,

Not my usual outfit post today I'm afraid... Although I have been dressing with the best of intentions, it's just too cold for me to throw off my coat and pose for outfit photos without risking frostbite. Instead I thought I would share some of my snaps from a recent visit to Canterbury (with a sneaky shot of me adjusting the settings on my friend's camera!).

I love Canterbury at Christmas. The cobblestone medieval charm is magnified in the run up to the festive season, with trees draped in lights and storefronts glowing in the early dusk. One of my favourite memories of Canterbury was rushing around the high street one December, picking up the last remaining gifts on my list. My priority was to source a gypsy tart for my mum's birthday, and eventually stumbled across one of the tiny bakeries down the Westgate end of the town. I paid for the cake, they wrapped it up in a little parcel for me, and as I stepped out the shop it began to snow.

Meandering back down the cobbled high street, with the smell of roast chestnuts filling the air, paper parcels clasped in my gloved hands, I felt as though I'd walked into a Charles Dickens story! Simply beautiful.

Tiny Tim's tea room, pictured at the top, perfectly represents the olde world charm of Canterbury at Christmas - doesn't it look like a little Christmas card?

Where is your favourite place to visit at Christmas? Another of my favourites is the Christmas market at home in Luxembourg - my sister has just done a post on it and I can't stop craving potato cakes and churros!

Love Dani
xoxo

I have to be completely honest here. The whole point of this post, the whole driving force behind its creation, is that I found a bunch of pretty photos on Pinterest, and liked them enough to write about them. But it's December. It is officially that time of year when it's perfectly acceptable to slather yourself in glitter and sequins, and, should the mood strike you, write about how you wish to slather yourself in glitter and sequins. So here we are.

If I were some utter glamourpuss with a a social calendar groaning under the weight of engagements and parties to attend, then I would at some point be rocking this first look. And the second look. The more sequins, the better! Liberally apply some sort of glue to your face and just dip your entire head in sequins! Alas, the sort of parties I attend will for the majority be frequented by people who will doubt my professional integrity, should I rock up with sequins on my cheeks. So I'll restrict the glitter to my eyes, where any sparkle will for the most part be cleverly concealed by my fringe.

Saying that, I do love this tutorial by Bloomin Rouge, I'm definitely going to try and recreate it for our office Christmas party! The gold liner is subtle but super effective, and looks great paired with a statement red lip. I do need a gold liner from somewhere, let me know if you have any recommendations! I may cave and purchase the Maybelline Colour Tattoo gold pot if all else fails.

Another one of my favourite looks this time of year is the burgundy shadow with a deep berry lip - perfect when paired with a big snuggly cream jumper and windswept curls. My favourite product for this look is the Chanel Illusion d'Ombre cream shadow in Ebloui - I reviewed it some time ago but it's still going strong. My sister Minnie actually posted a similar look recently with smoky browns and a deep red lip, I love it! This will probably be my look for Christmas Day as it makes a change from my usual liner and bright lip - not that there is anything wrong with that of course, just look how fabulously Mila Kunis rocks that cat eye!

What's inspiring you at the moment? Or have you done any Christmas party make up looks? Link below if you have!

Love Dani
xoxo

One of my biggest frustrations in life is my skin. I dream of having blemish-free skin. That's all - it doesn't have to be radiant or even-toned, just clear. I think the last time I had clear skin was 2008, for about a week when we went skiing in the French Alps. That, right there, is a testament to how long I have been struggling with my skin. It eased off a little bit two years ago after the introduction of Vichy to my skincare routine, but soon developed resistance and has been absolutely out of control ever since.

I've tried increasing my water intake, changing my diet, reducing dairy, stripping back the products I use, going foundation-free... all without success. At the end of November I found myself wandering into the Body Shop in search of tea tree lotion, but my eye was soon drawn by the promises of clearer skin in 3 days, as assured by the tagline on this Tea Tree kit.

The kit contains:
Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion (RRP £9.00)
Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner (RRP £5.00)
Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser (RRP £5.00)
Tea Tree Squeaky Clean Scrub (RRP £6.50)
Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion (RRP £9.00)

With a saving over £10, I found this was pretty good value for money. I also like having matching products in my bathroom, so if you're slightly concerned with things being the same then you too will appreciate this. I'm no stranger to tea tree so the smell doesn't put me off, but if you're sensitive to scent and don't like smelling like a plant, then it's probably not for you. The big pull for me was the idea of having a whole skincare routine in a bag for £23 - it's rare for me to use products from the same line or brand as I'm usually mixing and matching my skincare, but I thought it was worth a try!

I decided the only way to properly test this out was to use no other skincare product for the duration of the trial period, although I did continue to apply primer and make up as usual. I began the test on Sunday 30th November, so according to the claims on the kit, my skin should be seeing results by Wednesday 3rd December.

In the mornings, I used the foam cleanser in the shower, followed by a sweep of the toner, then the moisturising lotion. In the evenings I used the foaming cleanser (with a dab of oil on my eyes as I didn't find the foam properly removed my mascara), followed by the toner, the blemish fade lotion, and some nights I also dabbed a bit of moisturiser on as I found my skin felt a bit drier than usual. I used the face scrub a couple of times a week as my skin doesn't like too much exfoliation - however, the scrub is certainly gentle enough to use daily on non-sensitive skin and I actually found it to be the gentlest product of the bunch.


Was my skin clearer after 3 days? Not quite, although I noticed some fading on older spots. I did get a few new ones throughout, but they seem to dry out pretty quickly and didn't cause me as much grief as they usually do. I experienced a little stinging after applying the toner and both lotions, although it soon faded and didn't leave me with any redness. If you have hyper-sensitive skin then I would probably recommend seeking advice before using these items.

My favourites are the toner and the night lotion, as I feel like they could be really beneficial to my skin - the toner is a lot gentler than I imagined. I also like the scrub a lot because it's not as abrasive as I was expecting it to be, and does leave my skin feeling nice and soft. I can take or leave the cleanser as I'm a fan of gel cleansers over foaming ones, and the daily moisturiser is nice but perhaps not as deeply moisturising as I would like for winter skin. I can see it working a treat over the summer months though!

Overall I would say my feelings are fairly positive towards the products, although the 3 day claim is a bit over-enthusiastic! I'm definitely going to keep using the routine and see if there are any substantial improvements - if so then I will update this post. I would recommend the products but definitely take the 3 day claim with a pinch of salt! Nothing works overnight of course but I'm hoping in the long run my skin will start to behave.

Have you tried the Body Shop's tea tree skincare? Did it work for you? Please let me know in the comments!

Love Dani
xoxo

I'm not especially good at posting regularly about my favourite things. I think I started doing a series of monthly favourites way back when, and managed to complete about two. There are just too many beautiful things out there clamouring for my attention! However, this month I've noted a number of things that have impressed me, so thought it only apt to write a little favourites post in the dying hours of November. How well-planned!

In terms of make up I haven't bought an awful lot recently, so this month I've been shopping the stash! When rifling through my lipstick tray I picked out this Elizabeth Arden lipstick in Rose Aurora - it's actually a limited edition shade I received as a birthday present from my in-laws a couple of years ago. I've never tried anything else from Elizabeth Arden make-up so can't really comment too much but I've really been enjoying this lipstick. It's a subtle shimmery tint with a hint of brown, not quite nude, but perfect for daily wear. It also has all sorts of lovely conditioning anti-ageing properties, definitely needed in this cold snap!

I remember when I first received this Benefit Easiest Nudes eye palette I used it all the time and really loved it. Evidently my fickle self then discarded it for newer products (methinks the Naked 3 may have been to blame), so this is another recent re-discovery. Actually have no idea why I ever stopped using this. It's perfect for everyday wear and the dark brown shade has been absolutely amazing at filling in my brows, too. I've been continuing my penchant for smoky brown eyes with this, finished off with a slick of liner.

Something slightly different now... I fell in love with the limited edition Anthropologie gold initial mugs a while ago but resigned myself to never owning one as the D was always sold out online. Last week, however, a quick jaunt to Selfridges for something entirely different resulted in me grabbing the last D mug on the display and quickfooting it to the till with a voucher in hand. Totally self-indulgent, but I'm so happy with it!

Continuing the metallic theme... I have been looking for reasonably priced cake stands for a while now as part of my wedding-decor-sourcing initiative (I really need a good abbreviation for this). I almost dropped £10 on one in H&M the other day, but I'm so glad I talked myself out of it because I consequently went on to spot these delightful copper cake stands in Tiger for £4. Tiger is my new favourite store. I'm addicted. I bought two.

Finally, to round things off, I must harken back to my obsession with all things tartan... I very nearly spent £20 on a massive, woolly Accessorize scarf, but in my usual fashion I talked myself out of spending the money, before promptly rewarding myself for my thriftiness by dropping £6 on this Primark scarf. Well. I say scarf. It's more like a blanket.
I can't actually wrap it around my neck without feeling like I'm in a neck brace, but it's so cosy and soft I can forgive it for being unnecessarily huge. I'm sure it will come in handy when the usual snow threats begin.

What have your favourites been this month? Link below if you've done a post! I'm starting to assemble my list for best of 2014!

Love Dani
xoxo

Everyone loves a wishlist, am I right? I do too. Although I must say, after listing a certain number of items, I inevitably reach the stage where I either purchase something on the list out of sheer desperation (there was a tartan scarf on the first draft of this post, but then, er, I bought it) or end up sinking into a penniless pit of despair, lamenting my lack of riches and questioning all of my life's decisions.

But it is nearly Christmas now - well, near enough that I can justify any wishlist as absolutely necessary in order to pass on to family and friends in the hope that someone will take pity on my peasant-like self and purchase something on the list for me. That's not to say I don't love surprises, of course. But I like lists. Here's mine!

Chloe Eau de Parfum - I'm drawn to heavy, lingering floral scents as soon as the days start getting shorter. Although Coco Mademoiselle is usually my perfume of choice, I spritzed this Chloe scent on a whim whilst meandering through Debenhams the other week and absolutely adored it. Must make it mine soon, before the Boots security people start recognising me and blocking my path to the perfume section. Erm, I mean, it's not like I go to spray it daily or anything. I swear.

Brown leather(look) satchel - It's probably time to retire my Next satchel (bought in 2010!), I'm just yet to find one that matches up. I feel my one looks more expensive than it was but others I've bought since just look cheap (they were). But alas the straps are fraying and the buckles falling off and it's just looking rather unhappy at the moment. I tried to buy a duplicate on ebay the other day but I was pipped to the post by some other thrifty shopper wanting a £5 satchel, can you imagine? I just haven't quite found the one - that is, the one that is not a Mulberry Alexa/worth a small fortune. Come on High Street, you're letting me down. I've found a couple of options though, these ones from River Island and Accessorize could be possibilities...

Purse - I don't carry a purse. I know right? Instead it's a little old cardholder that I stuff train tickets, cards and the odd bit of cash into. Simple and fits into all bags. However, I feel I should really do the responsible thing and graduate to an actual purse these days - this little Accessorize offering should do the trick.

Jumper dresses - I went through a two year phase of living in sweater dresses at uni and have somehow managed to misplace ALL of them after multiple house moves. Time to replenish the stocks! Thankfully, they seem to be everywhere these days so I shouldn't struggle to find some I want. I think these will work well with my over knee boots and ankle boots alike. Both of these are from H&M.

Zoeva rose gold brush set - do I even need to justify this? I do? Okay... it's rose gold. It had me at rose gold. I need to rub them all over my face.

Of course this is by no means an extensive list - I have a whole Pinterest board devoted to the things I'm coveting! But these are the ones I can't get out of my head at the moment - Santa, are you listening...?

What's on your wishlist at the moment?

Love Dani
xoxo

Hi my loves,

Well I think it's safe to say autumn has well and truly arrived this week! Frosty mornings, Starbucks red cups and lots of woolly knits - curled up editing these photos with my M&S Winter candles burning happily on the window sill, it's hard to suppress my burgeoning excitement for you-know-what (clue - it starts with C and ends with Hristmas!).

Cold weather always seems to beckon my preppy side and thankfully the high street is complying with my urge to look like a 12-year-old with an abundance of tartan, plaid and whimsical jewellery! Admittedly most of my outfit is made up of pieces I already own, partly because I'm practically penniless and also because I now own enough clothing to wear a different outfit every day (a fact made painfully obvious to me some time ago when a colleague asked if I ever wore an outfit twice - it's time to admit I have a problem...).

In fact, the only new purchase is the scarf - I don't often buy from Boohoo but I was on the hunt for a nice tartan scarf in warm colours and could only find red and blue ones in shops! This was only a tenner and it's lovely and warm, it's also fairly big so perfect for those chilly mornings. I quite like the contrast of the purple and muted mustard shades against my green coat.
The rest of the outfit has all appeared on the blog in some guise before - I've actually managed to track all the previous posts down, thus proving the usefulness of my blog as an outfit archive. The coat and top (dress) are both H&M sale finds, the skirt is ASOS (purchased after seeing it on fellow blogger Maria, no less!)  and the necklace was a gift during my uni days, after dropping so many hints I ended up receiving it from two people. Oops. The satchel is an old, old favourite, practically falling apart at the seams, but I love it too much to let it go. Story of my life!

Now it's back to work rather than the school the outfit seems to suggest, but I feel curiously motivated now I have gingerbread lattes to see me through the haze of a Monday morning! Hope you all have a good week!

Much love,
Dani xoxo

Wedding dress shopping always scared the living daylights out of me.

I'm not a fan of trying clothes on at the best of times as I have a very distinct vision of how I want to look... but very rarely does real life provide me with the satisfaction of seeing my vision pay off.
When we first got engaged, I spent hours looking for inspiration online (back when Pinterest was invite-only!) and decided on no account did I want anything fussy, strapless, or sparkly. I dithered between strappy V necks and duchess-style portrait collars after falling in love with a Bardot-style evening gown at a vintage photoshoot. As time passed and our wedding plans began to take shape, after many Pinterest sessions I eventually stumbled across a beautiful dress by Alfred Angelo which I could not get out of my head. However, when it came to actually trying on dresses, I baulked every time. There are two bridal stores in the next road to our flat, but I just could not bring myself to book an appointment, so frightened was I of disappointment. As it turned out, my first dress-trying experience was entirely unexpected...

I'd taken a half day off work and now stood at the entrance of Earls Court 2 gazing at the enormous expanse of white, floral fluff before me with some trepidation. I'd attended a wedding fair the previous week with Jon and we had both come away a little out of breath and overwhelmed. Without his big hand holding mine I felt a little lost. Thankfully Jon's mum, sister and fiance appeared to appease my sense of doubt and after watching a beautiful catwalk show, with much cajoling, I declared myself ready to try on some dresses.
I couldn't fit the first dress over my hips. Standing alone in a partition between the wedding dress stand, while other brides stripped off and dived into petticoats beside me, I quickly felt like a duck out of a water. The second and third dresses were marginally better. A lovely assistant appeared to help me with pins and hoops and by the fourth dress I was diving into skirts like a pro. I tried on my first corseted (strapless) lace dress and was so overwhelmed by the defined hourglass shape my wobbly body had been squeezed into that I put down a deposit for it.
Mere seconds after boarding the tube, I was engulfed by fear, dread and above all, regret. Hadn't I always said I would never go for a strapless dress? Was it too vastly different from the off-shoulder, simple, classic shapes I had pinned and coveted since I got engaged?
After spending the next day in a horribly anxious and tearful state, I decided this was most certainly not the correct feelings one should be experiencing upon purchasing their wedding dress. I wanted it to be the experience I had imagined and read about. I wanted a boutique and people clapping, not a loud echoey exhibition hall. Most of all, I wanted a different dress.

Thankfully the company I purchased the dress from were remarkably understanding and allowed me to cancel the order without too much financial disappointment.  Once the refund had been confirmed, I allowed myself to feel excitement once more. There was no point in dillydallying - I had a particular dress in mind that I wanted to track down and within a matter of hours I had two appointments booked with the only two stockists in the area.

The first store, although delightfully helpful and friendly, did not have the dress I wanted. I dutifully tried on eleven dresses in quick succession, but none provided me with that feeling of "the one". They put jewels in my hair and flowers in my hands, but I couldn't visualise myself on the day of the wedding. Nothing felt right. Not wanting to disappoint them, I narrowed my selection down and assured them I would come back to try on the final two dresses. By that point my wedding dress tally had hit 18. I was beginning to feel like nothing would live up to my expectations; like I was the fussiest bride in the world and no dress could make me feel perfectly beautiful.

It was with this outlook that I journeyed to Chelmsford on a rainy Saturday, with my expectations at an all-time low. Upon perusing the store, my spirits dropped even lower when a thorough search revealed no sign of my dream dress. I made my selection nonetheless and began to follow the assistant to the fitting room, when I spotted a rail I hadn't noticed before, tucked away in the smallest corner, invisible unless you peered around the fitting room dividers.
"Oh, those are plus size dresses," the assistant informed me. "You can try them if you want, but they'll be a bit big." Her expression was doubtful.
Normally, the mere mention of plus size would make me pull out the tags from my clothes and proclaim myself to be a proud 12-14 thank you very much, whilst dying a slow embarrassing death on the inside. I almost walked past them. Until I spotted the Alfred Angelo tag hanging off the second dress on the rail, and what if, just maybe...

It was the dream dress. In size 20. But the dream dress.

"I'll lace it up as tightly as it will go", she promised me, but I didn't need any pins and clips to know that this was my dress.

"You could try some similar styles," she said, but this was my dress.

"We'll take it in. Re-do the lace-up back. It'll look better when it's your size," she said, but I already knew. Despite the extra fabric, the gap between my arm and the straps, the too-long hem, the corset that would not lace up any further - it was my dress.

"It's in the sale," she admitted, and after a flurry of phonecalls to my mum, hopping around the shop trying to get enough signal to send photos, it truly became my dress.

My mum cried when she saw me in it, three weeks after paying for it.

No fireworks, no tears, no glowing light and hallelujah chorus, but I felt so calm, confident and assured as soon as I put it on. I smile every time I look at the pictures. It's far too big, and my hair was a mess after the rain, and I'm not as slim as I want to be on the day, but it is undoubtedly perfect and I cannot imagine wearing anything else to become Jon's wife.

So my words of wisdom to any dress-hunting brides is, stay true to yourself! Shop assistants will try and get you in all sorts of shapes and styles (I mean, I even tried a fishtail!) because unless you attend balls and the like on a regular basis you won't be accustomed to wearing a full-length formal dress. And while I agree it's great to try different dresses (and let's be honest, it's fun too) don't forget that you will still be you on the day of your wedding and above all you need to feel relaxed. I felt so wonderfully at ease in my dress, it was special and comfortable and perfect at the same time and that's how I knew it was the one for me.

Love Dani
xoxo

Cape - H&M / Boots - H&M / Jumper - Primark (similar here) / Dress - ASOS (similar here)

Hi lovelies,
How are we all on this beautiful sunny morning? I am of course endlessly jealous of anyone on half term at the moment, but if I do have to rouse myself and go to work on a Monday it always helps if the weather cooperates!
You'd be forgiven for thinking this outfit is rather too familiar - it's very similar to my last post but I can't help it, I'm just so in love with my cape and it seems to lend itself well to a bit of layering. The ASOS collar dress is one of my A/W staples - somewhat sheer when worn alone, it works extremely well when covered with a nice bit of knitwear - today's jumper is by Primark of all places and is just beautiful! I'm tempted to buy another as a back up just in case.
Another new acquisition are these delightful H&M over-knee boots - not shown to their full potential here! They are so cosy and don't necessitate me hoisting them up every other minute. I'm still trying to build up to wearing them with bare legs, I have a bit of a way to go before my confidence reaches that point unfortunately! They're perfectly comfortable though and were excellently suited a day out of pretending to be a tourist in London with my sister who was visiting for the weekend. These photos were snapped outside the Houses of Parliament in one of the emptier areas (near the statue of Richard I) - I say this all the time but it really is fun being a tourist in your own city sometimes! I just have to learn to shake off my commuter walking pace...

Have a great week everyone,

Love Dani
xoxo

It's always the days when I have nowhere to go that I tend to make the most effort with my make up. Isn't that the way? When I'm in a rush to get out somewhere and meet people I always fling on whatever products are closest to me and hope for the best. When I have hours to kill and no one to see, I spend a good forty minutes blending and buffing and testing out new things... only to wash it all off a couple of hours later when I decide the only course of action is to change into pyjamas and watch countless episodes of Teen Wolf.
The reason I am rambling is because this is exactly what happened on Saturday. After a lazy morning watching Youtube videos and contemplating the sheer amount of washing that needed to be done, I put together this quick look, loosely inspired by Lily Pebbles's recent berry tutorial. I even popped on a berry-coloured lace top to match, oh my.

Can I take a moment to praise this Rimmel lipstick? After spotting it on my friend Geo last week I subsequently visited three different Boots branches to track it down, such was my need to possess it. In real life it is darker than these photos would suggest, perfect for swiping on and providing instant autumn moodiness. Yes. I haven't edited any of these photos but I can assure you it is a beautiful dark berry red in real life!
Alongside the lipstick I also had a mini splurge at the Seventeen stand in Boots after work on Friday. I needed a new primer so selected their Stay Time offering and the Miracle Matte primer, which I'm wearing in the photos. It seems to mattify really nicely, I'll report back on the longevity though. I also bought the Instant Glow shimmer brick as I've been after a decent powder highlighter. Although the light in the photos isn't quite enough to pick it up, it adds a lovely shimmer to the skin - I dusted it along the tops of my cheeks and under my brows.
I also decided to forgo my usual cat eye in favour of a softer shadow look. I'm useless at applying eyeshadow without getting it halfway down my face, so just used a gentle combination of Burnout and Nooner from my Naked 3 palette and finished it off with heaps of mascara (still my beloved Rimmel, I'm on my second tube!)

And after applying all this? I had an extremely productive day of washing up, reapplying nail varnish and listening to Spotify...

Products used:
Seventeen Miracle Matte Primer
Bobbi Brown Long Wear Even Finish foundation in Cool Beige
Bobbi Brown Corrector in Extra Light Bisque
Clarins Instant Concealer in 01
Beauty UK Baked Blush in Rose Rouge
Seventeen Shimmer Brick Instant Glow in Pink Bronze
Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Permanent Taupe 
Urban Decay Naked 3 palette
Rimmel Volume FlashX10 Waterproof mascara
Rimmel Kate Moss Matte lipstick in 107

Love Dani
xoxo

images from my Instagram

Hello loves,

As I've mentioned a few times recently our wedding planning has finally kicked off in a big way. I am so relieved and excited although it is quite nerve-wracking as our date is only 10 months away! It's taken us a fairly long time to get our plans off the ground but it all seems to be going really quickly now and I'm certain the next few months will fly by.

There are so many reasons why it has taken so long - readers from the very, very early days may recall when Jon proposed to me while on holiday on the Cote d'Azur back in 2010, just before the final year of my degree. I also posted about my fabulous diamond cluster ring (with a very dodgy photo here, and a much better photo here!) but other than that, things have been rather silent on the wedding front. Almost straight after leaving university we bought a flat so there just hasn't been the budget to put into a wedding, although we started looking at venues a couple of years ago just to gather ideas. After hours of countless Google searches, frustrated phone calls, wedding fair after wedding fair, tears, strops, arguments... we have finally set the date, finalised the registrars and most importantly of all, agreed on a venue.

It feels as though it has been a long hard slog to get to where we are now - our initial visions of fairytale castle grandeur (Jon) and French chateau elegance (me) have slowly been whittled down to a relaxed, family-style garden party with a restored barn, rolling lawns and the sweetest Monet-inspired bridge. It's not what either of us imagined at all, but the moment we visited our venue we just knew it was the perfect place to say our vows.

 I keep flicking through my pile of wedding magazines (the A4 size ones are all stored in a fancy magazine rack I picked up at Sainsbury's) and nervously poring through the checklists, but it honestly feels like the big things are all sorted now. We have a date, a time, a ceremony and reception venue, even a photographer... and my dress! I have individual posts planned for these topics and will keep you updated on our progress as I'm bound to become more and more consumed by wedding planning. We are forgoing a lot of the expected traditions - I'm not a fan of being told what to do! - but the basics will likely be the same as weddings across the board so hopefully my experiences will be helpful to someone.

I will leave links to some of my wedding Pinterest boards below if anyone is interested:


My next post will be all about my dress hunt - it's a bit of an essay so be warned!

Love Dani
xoxo