Sighh Designs

Polly Vadasz. Her designs, and the products created from such, are everywhere right now. A quick search of her shop, Sighh Designs, on Twitter or Instagram will give you the same eyes as that love heart eyed emoji. <3

As you will know if you're up to date, she has recently brought out a premium case design which is a major upgrade from the original slimline cases she stocks (which are still totally awesome). Sooooo, I thought I'd give a run down of the differences between the two from a customers perspective, a customer who shops on a budget but still like to treat herself too! 

So first, heads up, the premium cases are £4 more expensive at £18 but I think the extra is well worth it! (and just think, it's less than a fast food lunch, blessing in disguise??) Also, most good quality high street phone cases such as Skinny Dip, retail at at least £20 so just think that you're getting a hand drawn, made with love, case for less money! 

The Premium cases have a glossy finished compared to the sprayed on alternative and by jove does it make the colours pop and look fabulous darling. The glossy finish is also so nice to hold in your hand cause it's so smoothy smooth and good quality. The glossy finish also means the case is super easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth so it shouldn't stain or become faded over time. 

The case is also a little more bulky which I like as because I have an iPhone 6 which I protect with my life and soul, I want it to look fabulous but also stay protected. The thickness also means that there is no way that the case is gonna fall off or crack easily so you know your phone is safe. 

So I think from that it's clear that I'm a big fan of the new cases, her designs, and overall persona, so if you haven't already checked her out then please do. Her shop link is here, blog link here, twitter here, and instagram here.

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The Everyday, Working Girl Face

BASE:

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 'True Ivory;

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealor under the eyes in 'Ivory'

Seventeen Phwoarr Paint in 'fair' for pinpoint concealing

Bourjois Aqua Blush 'Cocori Coral' pushed onto the apples of the cheeks with my fingers

Kiko Radiant Touch Highlighter (the rose one, there's no name!) on the high points of the face

BROWS:

Maybelline Brow Drama in 'medium brown' to get all the hairs going in the right direction and keep them put all day

Soap and Glory Brow Archery (I only use the tint side) in 'brownie points' to define the outer 2/3 of my brows, I tend the leave the insides with just the brow gel

EYES:

MAC paint pot in 'painterly' to prime my lids and even the skin tone

Kiko Longlasting Eyeshadow stick in 'Golden Taupe'

MAC 'Mulch' eyeshadow to intensify the shadow stick and set it

Seventeen Waterproof mascara 

LIPS:

MAC lipstick in 'Faux' - my current everyday favourite!

This looks like a lot but honestly, it takes me about 10 minutes and looks like you've made a lot more effort! 

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Sunday Musings: Flat Decor

With my move in being only 23 days away (not that I'm counting) (or that I have a countdown app on my phone), I can't help my mind but wander to all this decor, home ware, and ways to transform my student studio flat into a lovely space for me to feel at home in for the next year. I already adore pinterest but I am constantly scrolling through beautiful pictures, articles, and inspiration for all things homey.

One thing I really need to be organised and tidy is my desk so I have an entire pinterest board titled 'Bonjour Desk Inspiration' (can you tell I have a theme with my usernames, blog name, everything really...).

found on burkatron.com

How beautiful is this setup?! I adore the DIY mesh notice board, it's something super simple to make and is super effective, not only in being very useful, but also by looking so chic. I'm an avid lover of Caroline's blog, especially her DIY's which are always so cool! 

I LOVE this desk lamp! I'm really into my greys so it would really tie in with the theme I've got going on. I also like the print in the frame, I have a black frame which is filled with 4xA5 limited edition prints by the one and only Polly Vadasz  (see her shop http://www.sighh.co) and I can't wait for it to take pride of place on my desk. 

This photo is courtesy of @hayerlily on instagram and is used to illustrate my new bedding (shown in the photo) which has been sat untouched for months just waiting to go on my new bed! I'm also a massive fan of throws and lots of cushions cause it just makes a room feel so much more cosy! I think my boyfriend disagrees when we have to move approx. 769 cushions to get into bed though hehe! 

Finally is plants and flowers! A way to inject a bit of colour and life into a room and don't they just look so cute! There's a trip to Ikea on the cards and hopefully they'll have some succulents there, as well as some other cute items! 

If anyone knows of anywhere to buy nice but cheap matching kettle/toaster sets then please let me know cause I'm in the market for one! I can't wait to move in, a flat tour is definitely on the cards :)

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A Kiko Cosmetics Haul

With pay day last Friday it was time for another splurge and as Kiko is a brand I've never bought anything from, I headed towards their website on the hunt for eyeshadow sticks and the Nars Dual Intensity Eyeshadow dupes... I was pleasantly surprised at the 'SALE' note on the website so got more than I bargained for... Oops!

First up is the Long Lasting Eyeshadow sticks which are exactly what they say on the tin, really pigmented, beautiful colours that last a long time on the lid. I need a primer as I have heavily oily lids but that's nothing new for me and if you have normal eyelids (there's a phrase I never thought I'd say) then you'll be fine! 

Next up is the Water Eyeshadows which I showed on my instagram and people fell in love with! They are stunning and work wonderfully either with a wet brush (I like to dampen mine with the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water) or as they are. 

Then onto a stick highlighter which is another new thing for me as I usually opt for MAC Soft and Gentle (who am I kidding I wear this everyday!) which is a powder highlighter. At first I tried swiping this straight onto my face but I ended up looking like a glitterball. Not cool. So I take a small Zoeva buffing brush, swipe it over the bullet and then buff into the tops of my cheek bones, down the centre of my nose and then on my cupids bow. Much better. It's a rosy gold shade which is again, new for me as I'm normally drawn towards gold/champagne highlighters, and I love it, particularly as it ties in with my blush. 

I finally grabbed a new pair of eyelash curlers, nothing fancy there and then the fuchsia polish featured in my last post! What else should I grab from Kiko?

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My Nail Painting Essentials

Since growing my nails I've been an avid nail painter and I'm constantly rocking a new shade of pop of colour on my tips, so I thought I'd share my tips for the best finish I can get without seeing an expert!

1. Remove existing colour. I tend to use a nourishing nail polish remover as most tend to be very harsh and I have naturally pretty weak nails, so I try to keep the harsh products down to a minimum.

2. File and Prep. I then give my hands a wash in cold water and a mild soap, and use a nail brush to get rid of any dirt under my nails (yuck). I then file any sharp edges to keep them looking neat.

3. I then use the Rimmel Nail Rescue Nail Nurse which is a nail hardening treatment/base coat which stops splitting, it's a fab budget option!

4. Colour! This is where I apply two coats of any colour which takes my fancy, I'm a massive fan of Essie, Barry M (currently the Quick Dry range, but also the Gelly Hi Shine range), Models Own, anything! But currently, I'm currently rocking this bright fuchsia from Kiko which was only £1 would you believe! My favourite all time polish which is constantly on my nails from September-March is Essie's Bahama Mama a wonderful burgundy (pictured), and a classic. 

5. My current favourite top coat is a new release from Barry M (I think) named Gelly Hi Shine Plumpy Top Coat which gives a lovely shine and dries pretty quickly too! 

6. To quickly dry my nails I use a few spritzes of the Avon Nail Experts Liquid Freeze Quick Dry Nail Spray which stops that initial tackiness, and although greasy, does a wonderful job. I then run my hands under cold water which gets rid of the greasiness and also hardens my polish.

So there you have it! The whole routine only takes about 20 minutes which isn't bad considering all the steps. I'm going for a shellac manicure and cream tea on Wednesday so I'm taking my camera to document the day with my Mum and Granny, I'm really excited and can't wait to see what shellac is like!