Aloha Kirstie: spring

Thursday, 30 March 2017

Back To Blogging & Hot Spring Fashion Picks

Oh hello strangers.... yes - it's me! I am back!

I'm not sure how many times I have said that here, probably a few too many, I seem to have had quite a number of 'blogging breaks' over the past 18 months, this last one being the longest and probably most positive for myself.

I definitely needed to take a step back and breathe for a bit before getting back into writing, photography and creating again - something was missing and my heart just wasn't in it anymore.

But, now I am here and I am super happy about it! A Yellow Brick Blog will soon have a brand new name and look and I just cannot wait for my 4th year of blogging to be a fresh new journey.

Do make sure you're following me over on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook to keep up to date with everything I do, including being the first to hear about every single new post I put up!

First things first, the clocks have sprung forward so it is time to say hello to lighter evenings, lighter jackets and fingers crossed a life in sunglasses (they hide a multitude of sins).
Check out below for some of the cutest Spring bits I have fallen just a bit in love with..... no where is that money fairy?

Partylite's Spring Selection

Oooo I'm a sucker for a candle... well, really I'm a sucker for anything that smells good - espically for the home.
I can't stand the thought of my home smelling and love the way candles fill the whole place with yummy scents and the feeling of calm.

Partylite were first introduced to me last year and although I thought they were something new on the block my Mum recently informed me that she used to have Partylite candles back in the day - I was totally unaware that they had been going for so long!

The lovely team have scent me over (haha get it? scent... wow, I'm not funny am I?) a fabulous ray of new springtime products to try out at home and I have been loving them.

I think people believe nowadays direct selling is a thing of the past but with brands like Partylite, MyShowcase and Tropic only getting bigger, I really don't think that is the case!
Now lets have a look at these smelly products eh?

Butterfly Porcelain Tealight Holders & Wild Lemongrass Tealight*

How pretty are these?

If you're looking to switch your homewares and accessories over to the Spring/Summer side these little bits are a great place to start. With a gorgeous butterfly designs they make perfect finishing touches to any room - or a great present!

With them I have been using the Wild Lemongrass tealights which I was sent alongside them. These smell so fresh and zesty, I'm obsessed - I've even been popping them in my airing cupboard just to keep it smelling clean and fresh.

Glolite Candle & Smartscents Sticks with Flower Holder*

That big old candle in the backdrop is one of Partylite's Glolite candles - the world's brightest candle. Now.... I normally burn candles through the day, it's not often that I have them going whilst all the lights are off in the evening so I am yet to see this in action - although now I'm writing this I'm thinking maybe I'll check it out tonight!

The scent with this on is Berry Blossom, and this is actually the second candle I've had with this scent - luckily I LOVE it! I have had this lit in my bedroom and within about 10 minutes you can smell it around my whole flat which is exactly what I want from a candle! Top marks there! It has 2 wicks but it is a large cadle so I think it will last me a long, long while!

Smartscents are the first scent stick I have used. You may wonder why I've only got one popped into the cute little flower holder.... the reason being - they are so strong (I have the Peony scented ones)! The perfect way to keep a lovely smelling home without that risky fire! I've even popped one of these into my wardrobe. (I hate that horrible stale smell wardrobes can get, I do anything I can to avoid it!)

So there is my quick round-up of some of the Spring offerings from Partylite this year - there's so much more on the website too - check it all out here.

O.W.L Watches Belfast Rose Gold & Pink Watch

Pretty wrist alert!

Over the last couple of years I've become such a watch lover. I'll send forever looking through the watches on ASOS or spotted them out of the corner of my eye when out shopping, and I don't think I'm the only one.
They've become as much as a daily accessory for us fashion lovers as a handbag or pair of shoes - so when I have the chance to review a gorgeous watch from O.W.L Watches I couldn't wait.

O.W.L Belfast Rose Gold & Pink Watch*

O.W.L. watches are a British brand offering a collection of vintage styled pieces brought up to date with gorgeous design features such as polished metal finishes and dual layer dial details.

Each watch comes in a gorgeous Victorian inspired box giving the piece a lovely luxury feel - I was actually so impressed with how lovely it is, such a fab place to store it and it looks amazing if you're giving it as a gift!

The Belfast features a 33mm diameter stainless steel rose gold case, a rose gold sunray layered dial and has gorgeous roman numeral details.
I was a little worried at first that the face would look huge on my tiny wrist but it's a great fit - doesn't look too big for me at all!
The leather strap has a delicate brogue detail and is a gorgeous baby pink shade. It has a slight iridescent shine to it which makes it really pretty in the light and I'm loving having a watch that isn't made of links. Super girly and it's rose gold - perfect for Spring/Summer!

Make sure to check out O.W.L's website for this and all their other designs - I'm obsessed!

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Rimmel Good To Glow Highlighter 001 Notting Hill Glow

Another new Rimmel product today! Yes I've done a couple of Rimmel reviews already this past week or two but they have had some fab new releases for Spring so I hope you're not getting too bored!

Highlighters are one of my favourite products ever to use! A natural gorgeous glow is something I am always aiming for day or night and I've probably said that a million times over the years on here.

This new liquid highlight from Rimmel is a total bargain and I've been so excited to share my thoughts with you all.

There aren't a huge amount of liquid highlighters out on the drugstore front, my favourite for a long time now has been Skin WOW! from Seventeen and it's nice to finally be able to try out something new which isn't high end!
This lovely pearly formula is full of light reflecting pigments which help create a natural radiant and illuminating glow.
It's very much like a mix between Benefit's Highbeam and MakeBelieve's Luminize Skin Highlighter.
I've been using this daily alongside my cheekbones, nose and forehead! It blends really easily and is priced at ONLY £4.99 - a total bargain in my opinion.

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Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer Review

Hello there lovely ladies (and possible gents), welcome back to A Yellow Brick Blog - or HELLO if you've stumbled across my little blog for the first time!

Another make-up review today and I've got the newest of the new from Rimmel London!
The Lasting Finish collection has grown and grown, recently with the primer and now with a creamy concealer!

I never used to fuss about concealer but over the last few years, my bags have grown and concealing them has become a daily ritual for me. (Growing up sucks.... where's my damn youthful glow gone?)

For months and months now I've been using Seventeen's Phwoarr Paint and I love it - so when I saw another high coverage cream concealer being launched onto the highstreet shelves I leaped for joy - another thing for me to go buy and try.... oppsie, sorry bank!

This is a high coverage concealer, something I definitely need for my pesky bags, alot of other concealers just don't do the job for me and seem quite pointless!

There are 4 shades to choose from - I went for Ivory.

The product is thick and creamy and not only covers my bags and blends easily but feels light and breathable - not cakey at all - winner.

I'm really pleased I picked this up (even though I didn't technically need it in my life) , it's found it's way nicely into my everyday make-up routine and, for now, is helping to keep those horrible dark circles at bay!

Another great product from Rimmel!

What's your favourite concealer?

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Rimmel Kate Moss Spring Lipstick Releases 2015 : 35,36,37

New highstreet make-up releases always get me excited and purse twitchy but what I love more than anything is new additions to an already adored collection!

I have been using Rimmel's Lasting Finish Kate Moss lipsticks for years and years now and own definitely more than a handful. (Number 20 was my everyday lipstick for the longest time and I still LOVE that shade!)

So seeing new shades being added to the range ready for spring made me jump for joy, my purse and then my camera!

Time to share these new beauties with you.......

The formula for these is my favourite kind of formula for lipsticks, nice and creamy with great pigmentation, you really don't need alot of this to build up the colour - one sweep and you're done!

I have to say these lipsticks probably coms a close second to my MAC babies, but at only a 1/3 of the price! (and there's always offers to make them even cheaper... e.g. 3 for 2!) Hands down the best drugstore lipsticks out there.

There were only these 3 new ones in my local Boots store but I know there are another 2 lurking out there, shades 34 and 38 have also been released - so keep your eyes peeled.

Left to right : 35 | 36 | 37

A pretty baby pink - perfect for everyday wear to work for me, I think I'm going to pair it with Barry M's bubblegum lipgloss.

This is like the lighter sister shade of #20 from the range. A gorgeous fuchsia pink (which is my favourite lip colour to rock), I can see me getting alot of wear out of this!

This has given me hope that summer is on the way soon....fingers crossed!

This shade is very,very similar to the matte KM lipstick in shade 110 - so if you love that colour but aren't keen on a matte finish then this is 100% the lipstick for you!

I wish this lipsticks had god damn names I hate them just being numbers.

These are available at both Boots & Superdrug and are priced at £5.49 each, but like I said keep yours eyes peeled for offers, right now they are on 3 for 2 in Boots!

What do you think? Any of these look like your sort of thing?

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Fashion : Spring Chic feat. Vinted

I promise you, there will be sunshine soon! And with that thought in mind I am sporting a pretty springtime dress for you all!

Oasis Floral Dress : Vinted*

Watch : Folli Follie

Frilly Socks : Primark

Buckle up Shoes : ASOS

Vinted? Who are Vinted? - That was my exact reaction when an e-mail popped up in my inbox a few weeks ago!
Vinted is an awesome community where us girls (or ladies!) can buy, sell & trade clothing safely and easily! It is growing daily and really taking on eBay with its easy system and fab bargains!

The lovely people at Vinted choose this dress out for me to style - so lovely of them right?!
Yes it's a tad summery to be wearing out right this minute - I think I would literally turn as blue as the flowers on it if I stepped outside - but wearing it around the house has got me super excited for sunshine, spring and fingers crossed a tan! (It also would look gorgeous with a fur jacket .... you'd just have to brave the bare legs!)

I normally get quite nervous with skater dresses that are a bit "poofy" as I'm scared they make me look bigger than I am (and I'm already paranoid about that enough as it is!) but I'm really happy with how this one sits, it has netting but isn't overly flouncy!
The shoes are from the ASOS sale - super cute for summer and the socks from Primark I chucked on because they match the colour of the flowers!
Make sure you check out Vinted - here - I could browse it for hours, great quality clothing, shoes and accessories... none of that searching 'through the crap' like on eBay!

I am also LOVING fishtail plaits - I think they look so pretty, I'm so glad I can finally do them!

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Sneak Peek : MAC Cosmetics Cinderella Collection

Okay, I'm sure by now you have all already seen these exciting new pictures but I just HAD to share them with you all!

If you've read my blog, twitter, facebook page, know me - or just noticed my blog header... then you will probably know how much of a Disney fan I am! And what's more amazing than Disney? Disney themed make-up!

Yes, with Cinderella coming out next month (YAY!) Mac are releasing a beautiful collection dedicated entirely to it!

For once this is a collection that I will happily invest in - and that's not just because it is Disney related!

Alot of the time the limited edition stuff that MAC brings out is very OTT and bold - things that I would love to buy and look at ... but would never actually use! Which really... is a bit pointless considering the prices. (it isn't the cheapest of make-up brands is it?)

But... the Cinderella collection looks so, so wearable - pretty pinks and nudes, subtle pretty colours plus perfect sultry shades too!

I personally love the packaging, the baby blue of Cinderella's dress and the glitz and glam of the gold go perfectly together - super pretty Mac!

I really hope I can get my hands on some of it when it goes on sale (I've heard March) - although I know it's going to be a struggle!

1. Lipstick - Free as a Butterfly

2. Lipstick - Royal Ball

3. Lipglass - Happily Ever After

4. Lipglass - Glass Slipper

5. 6 Shade Eyeshadow Palette - Stroke of Midnight

6. Studio Eye Gloss - Lightly Tauped

7. Studio Eye Gloss - Pearl Varnish

8. Fluidline - Little Black Bow

9. Fluidline - Macroviolet

10. Glitter - Reflects Pearl

11. Pigment - Evil Stepmother

12. Pigment - Pretty It Up

13. Studio Fix Lash - Bold Black

14. Iridescent Pressed Powder - Coupe D'Chic

15. Beauty Powder - Mystery Princess

Top of my wishlist - 2, 5 and 14!

Will you be investing in this new collection?

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Wishlist : Pastels

With Spring nearly in sight I've been on the look out for all the new stock stores are getting in both in store and online.
Something which I knew was going to be a hot trend for SS14 and I have always loved is pastel colours.
Pinks, blues, greens, yellows - pastels always look so feminine, girly and classy and I love what the high street is coming up with for this year.
With that in mind I thought I would go ahead and do another wishlist post - this time... the top pastels items I have spotted and have my beady little eyes on.