Zoella Beauty | Launch Party & Interview

If you had shown me the top photo a year ago (borrowed from zoella.co.uk) I would have been convinced that I'd been photo-shopped into it. But no, last Thursday I genuinely did stand in the middle of five of my ultimate blogging idols and pose for a photo at the candy coloured wonderland that was the Zoella Beauty launch party! Equally if you'd have told me one of my videos would feature interviewing Zoe herself I may have broken down slightly (make that a lot. Which actually did happen when I found out I was going to interview her. Always keepin' it cool me.), but yet again I had to calm down and really film a video for Feel Unique which consists of me chatting with Zoella on her hotel bed. The full interview is now on the Feel Unique YouTube channel so make sure you subscribe to them and see that, but I also got to include lots of fun snippets in today's vlog which I hope you enjoy. I can't tell you how lovely Zoe was, instantly putting me at ease and making the whole thing such a wonderful experience- as if you needed any more reasons to love her! 

The launch party itself is also well documented in my video but I wanted to include some snaps here too as the whole thing was too pretty not to share- you can see macaroons and balloons were key features! Obviously the whole point of all of this was to celebrate the arrival of the Zoella Beauty range which is live on feelunique now and I'm pleased to report Zoe has hit the nail on the head with this debut collection. A seven piece selection of the ultimate pamper products, all ridiculously affordable at 5-8 pounds and in the prettiest packaging I've come across. I know I'm slightly older than the teenage target market but the scents are genuinely lovely- fruity and floral without being too sweet and the beauty bags are just super cute as well as being super practical. My stand out products are the 'let's glow' candle which is just waiting to be instagrammed on picturesque bedside tables and the fizz bar which I can't get enough of for the chocolate bar packaging alone. 

I can see these little 'me time' gems being stuffed into every girls stocking at Christmas this year. If they haven't bought the whole range already that is!

What do you think of Zoe's debut range?

What I Wore | Zoella Beauty Launch

So you may just about be aware that the biggest name in blogging, Miss Zoe Sugg, has now launched her first beauty collection and I was lucky enough to be at the launch as well as interview her before hand. AHHHH doesn't even cover it! I do have a whole video and blog post coming about the actual amazing night (it was a pinteresty YouTube haven), 'pinch me please' interview and fabulous products tomorrow, but today I thought I'd show you what I wore to the party. Deciding what to wear to an event full of fashionistas isn't easy and I must have tried on every dress in Topshop before mooching next door into Miss Selfridge and finding this little metallic playsuit in the petite section. It appears I am rather playsuit partial at the moment... I wanted something a bit special that I would also feel confident in and this ticked all the boxes- it flattered the figure rather than flashing it and I thought the champagne gold colour was beautiful with just enough sparkle to be worn in months not beginning with 'd'. I teamed it with my trusty Primark wedges and freshly cut/coloured hair, then added some statement colour with berry lips and nails and got lots of lovely compliments about my overall look which obviously made me a very happy bunny! The fact I can now be seen wearing this outfit in Zoe's blog post amongst some of my absolute blogging idols makes me off the scale happy however... my feet will touch the ground again sometime next week I promise.

Are you as excited by Zoella Beauty as I am?

One Step Skincare

I know just the title of this post will be enough to send those religous skincarers amoungst you into somewhat of a tizzy (a word I really don't use enough), but I promise I try to practise an immaculate routine most days. However, when you've snoozed your alarm about 10 times and have just 10 minutes to be out the door or get in super late at night after a few too many cocktails and a cheeky packet of chips later, smothering yourself with lots of lotions and potions just isn't practical. I also travel an awful lot, often without a suitcase, so can only take as many bottles as my Zara bucket bag can carry. So today I thought I'd bring a little skincare saviour to your attention that removes makeup, cleanses, tones and moisturises in one simple step. You don't even need water (sorting out your skin whilst taking off/putting on the PJ's? #winning). The Nivea Daily Essentials has a cream consistency that feels very refreshing and nourishing on the skin. You can use it on it's own for real one step skincare or as part of a wider routine and massaging it into the skin then wiping the excess away with a cotton pad takes seconds but leaves your face feeling very clean and refreshed. It's not scented or stripping so would be perfect for all skin types and I've really been enjoying using it. It does a good job at taking off everything but my mascara too, giving Bioderma a run for it's money. My skin had been going through a bit of a tantrum phase and I think sometimes it's important to simplify your skincare routine a bit and touch wood I'm now having a good skin moment again, which is just in time for the Zoella Beauty launch party tonight eeeeek! And at just £3.59 it really doesn't matter if it's purchased and stashed away in the emergency '2 minutes to leave/go to sleep' drawer.    

Are you partial to 'one step skincare'?

LFW Photo Diary

LFW Look #1 | The Playsuit

I kept things short and sweet (quite literally) on the first day of London Fashion Week because I had to head to the office first and didn't want to look too crazy! I really really love this playsuit from Motel though, the lace and monochrome detailing makes it all rather cute yet classic and the length in the sleeves balances out any leg on show for a classy and wearable result. It's also ridiculously comfy and an instant front runner for this year's Christmas day outfit- I saw advent calendars in co-op yesterday so it's time to take out the tinsel folks... on this occasion I paired it with a bulky boot and bright lip to toughen things up a bit and I was good to go from desk to Maybelline party dance floor. You may also notice that my hair is looking sleeker than it ever has in the history of the Boutique in these photos and that is thanks to the Brazilian blow dry I finally bit the bullet and booked last week. My hair feels sooo much healthier now and when I washed it I'd say 70-80% of my frizzy curls had vanished so it's so far so amazing but I'll keep you updated! In other news I took a business trip to the Feel Unique Head Office in Jersey earlier this week. It was my first time alone on a plane (another tick off the big girl list) and Jersey was so beautiful and sunny I actually felt like I was back on a beach holiday. And now I'm under a blanket watching the bake off and drinking tea. It's the constant high life with me y'know.  

Are you a playsuit fan?

The Fashion Week Faces

Well hello! I've just returned from the madness of London Fashion Week and am now safely snuggled in my pj's catching up on x factor, munching on green & blacks from a goody bag and looking at the ridiculous amount of photos I've captured over the weekend! Obviously I have a lot of stuff to share with you over the next week or so -I was at a party hosted by Jourdan Dunn and went backstage at Whistles for a start- but I thought I'd ease you in with the make up I wore over the past three days. I pretty much stuck to the same long lasting, glowy base each day then mixed up the eyes and lips so hopefully this will give you a good idea of what I'm loving right now as well as a few little make up look ideas to try out (teaser alert: I'm kinda having a bold lip phase)-

THE BASE - Bourjois Radiance Primer / YSL Touche Eclat Foundation / Collection Concealer / Maybelline Lumi Touch Concealer / Rimmel Stay Matte Powder / Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer / Maybelline Dream Touch Blush in 'Peach' / Benefit Brow Zings 

1. ETHEREAL - No Mascara /  Benefit Push-Up Liner /  Rimmel Apocalips in 'Stellar'

2. PARTY ON - Additional Benefit Gimme Brow / Kardashian Whiplash Mascara / Eyeko Shadow Stick 

3. AUTUMN FLUSH -  Sephora Copper Shadow / Maybelline Smokey Pencil / Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in 'Crush'

4. GOING FOR GREEN - Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone Pallette / Sleek 'Rose Gold' Blush / Sephora 'Strawberry Kiss' Lip Cream

What look do you like best?

Blogging with a 9-5

As some of you may know I recently started a new job in the big smoke as Social Media Coordinator for Feel Unique and I'm having the best time with so many ridiculously exciting opportunities coming up! But with a bigger job comes bigger responsibilities and also a bigger commute. Aka less time for blogging and vlogging. When I started out in the blogosphere things were so different, quick snaps on the digital camera were the norm and no one cared if your content was few and far between. Now though the internet is full of blogs and youtube channels resembling online magazines and TV channels and there is a pressure to keep up with the lucky folk that can call their pieces of the internet a full time job. However I'm a firm believer in having it all and being able to excel in your career then bring the blog once you get home, so whilst it's never going to be easy I have a few tips that might help you (and me) keep up with it all...

1. No Pressure // One of the best things about your blog or YouTube channel not being your full time job is there is no actual pressure except for the pressure you put on yourself. Of course you want your platforms to be amazing and to produce lots of high quality posts, but you should do it all because you want to and love it, not because you feel you have to. At the end of the day everyone started blogging as a fun hobby and when you're giving up most of your precious spare time to creating content, you've got to enjoy doing it! So balance blogging out with social hobbies away from the online world as well as actual life and as soon as anything starts to feel like a chore, take a break.

2. Calendarise // As a self confessed list writer and stationary stasher it's no wonder I find preplaned calendars the best way to keep on top of things. In fact I have my own little blogging book and constantly jot down ideas, trends and to do lists in there as well as my posting schedule. Try and keep to the same days for blog and video uploads each week if you can as it'll get you into a routine and your followers will know what to expect. If you can work a week ahead then brilliant- you can take all your photos at the weekend and bulk write if you have the time. Obviously plans are changeable but it's great to have a guide :)

3. Juggle Through // In the 'modern 20's girl' juggling act of social media, career, boyfriend, friends, family, home life & travel there isn't very often the luxury of sit down designated blogging time. Get around this by identifying the time you waste in your day and filling that with blogging instead. Commutes, trashy TV you don't care about & waiting for the boyfriend to surface at the weekend are just a few examples. At the moment I draft almost all my blog posts on the tube through the blogger app, reply to emails wherever I get them, brainstorm ideas in lunch breaks and take photos/film/edit whilst the boy is still sleeping on Saturdays. Don't forget that Instagram and Twitter are now  brilliant extensions of your main platforms that work even better when you are on the go and try to update these at least once a day.

4. Get Creative // Long gone are the days of just product photo taking and writing reviews, which is great news! Nowadays everything and anything could make cracking, much less time consuming content, be it cooking dinner or a walk in the park. Now that smartphones have such great quality cameras you don't need to lug a DSLR with you either, in fact I now often choose to go for the 'selfie' and 'mirror OOTD' photo style in my posts because it looks cute and authentic, not to mention the fact I can take these photos on my own in about 10 seconds. Lifestyle and advice are getting so big on the blogosphere now too so your job itself can become content and suddenly your 9-5 and social stuff are working together rather than against each other. I know that my blog and career wouldn't have gotten where they are today without each other. Aww. 

5. Don't compare.com // If you spend all your time looking at everyone else's follower counts and opportunities, as well as how much they post and the array of fabulous photos and videos taken in natural light (my only weekday daylight will be spent in an office this winter), you only end up demotivated and down. You are your own person and there is a reason people, no matter how many, keep coming back to you. If we all did everything in the same style and produced the same content it would be one boring old internet! The amount of content produced is going to be different for everyone as well, because everyone leads different lives so if you can only get one post up one week, then everyone will just really enjoy that post!

I hope this helped & let me know if you want any more career/blog based posts!

Sephora Haulin'

I've got a brand new Sephora haul for you this Sunday (don't say I never give you anything), featuring all the beauty bits I picked up in Barcelona. Each and every item is a total gem- the copper shadow has barely left my lids since I bought it and the perfume atomiser isn't allowed to leave my handbag either! You can give my haul video a little watch to get the low down on the rest of the goodies and decide what to pick up when you're in this magical beauty heaven next. I've decided I really want to collect lots more of the Sephora own range as it's so good and rather reasonable, so I may have to book another holiday just to do that... my Barcelona holiday feels like a long time ago now but I'm really enjoying life at Feel Unique and have the craziness of London Fashion Week coming up scarily soon. Let the outfit planning, schedule devising and photo taking commence!

 What have you hauled from Sephora lately?

The New Chocolate Bronzers

Bourjois Delice de Poudre in 54 & 55 // £7.99 // Feel Unique

My extreme love of the original Bourjois Delice de Poudre in 51, more commonly known as the 'chocolate bronzer', is no secret. In fact I've used it pretty much every day for the last two and a half years and it has firmly earned the title of my 'ultimate holy grail bronzer of all time'. Needless to say I was more than a tad excited when two new members of this delicious bronzer family dropped through my letter box a couple of weeks ago, number 54 & 55. They look and smell just as tempting as the original and are priced at the same amazing £7.99, but one also contains highlighting blocks and the other has a gold coating. Well, as a frequent traveller and make up packer I'm already head over heels for the 55 bronzing and highlighting duo because you get two products in one which you can swirl together or use alone. The formula is that perfect matte with a slight shimmer sold as 'glints of sunshine' that can be used over the whole face or in certain areas to contour and I think the wearable shades will suit almost every skin tone, making it the perfect fuss free product to perk up the complexion all year round. If I'm honest I wasn't instantly sold by this new gold bar, just because I do prefer a more natural less towie look and it looked a bit scary in the pan. However, as long as you use this sparingly it's a fun change from your usual brown and leaves you looking gorgeously golden. I will probably save it more for the summer and nights out, but overall Bourjois have created two fabulous new additions to the chocolate bronzer collection which will not only give you tanned and toned complexion perfection for a tiny price tag, but also satisfy your cravings for the sweet stuff. Or enhance them judging by my extreme chocolate consumption on this photo shoot...

  Are you a fan of the Bourjous Chocolate Bronzer?  

August Bloglovin'

Hello everyone! My name is Lucy and I’m a 21 year old journalism graduate about to move to London and find my feet in the world of PR. My blog 'A Little Lucy' is where I’ll be documenting my journey: sharing my new favourite places to explore, eat and shop in the capital! ‘A Little Lucy’ comes from a family nickname (I missed out on the super tall gene) and the idea that I’ll be sharing little glimpses of my life. I’m a complete beauty junkie, so product raves and reviews are sure to make their way into the mix, as well as the occasional fashion find. My great loves include chunky boots, live music, a good burger, Louis Theroux (love a good documentary!), new notebooks and pretty cocktails…come on over and say hi! xx

Let me know if you'd like to be here next month & what blogs you're loving right now!