Let Lyst Do the Hard Work For You

When I am shopping online or looking online, I like to bookmark items ive seen and use quite a few sites to do this. Lyst is one of those sites that fits all needs. They partner with the world’s greatest designers and stores to bring the world of fashion to you in one place. So whether you shop at ASOS, Coast and House of Fraser to the designer labels of Valentino, Stella McCartney and Dolce and Gabanna, here you will find everything you need and then some.

Wedding season has almost arrived and I have three invitations to attend three weddings in the space of 10 weeks, so ive been scouring the internet looking for something to wear to each one, the chances of me seeing the same guests at any of them are slim to not likely to happen, but I am still undecided whether I need one dress or three!

It is through Lyst that I actually found a dress I really liked and have since been to try on and it is shown below. From Coast this Flower Icon Dress. It features a sheer embroidered overlay and beautifully constructed bodice. The contrasting waist tie cinches you in whilst the underneath tulle creates a sensational full silhouette. I really like fit and flare dresses because I find them to be quite flattering.

When I do find a dress that I like, I always try to find everything I need to go with it. One of the weddings I am attending is quite a formal affair, so whilst black is my favurite colour, I thought it would make sense to team a black dress with lighter accessories.  So these Nina Vesta Open-Toe Pumps by Lord and Taylor are the perfect height and I really like that they are peep toe with a padded insole to ensure they are comfortable. Add to that this stunning Hobbs Mayfair Clutch which is a pale neutral pearlescent Italian leather and it features an interior zip pocket and invisible magnetic fastening, this evening purse is ready to be clasped in the hand, or worn on the shoulder with the leather-and-link strap. The Larue Mini Fascinator is an extra that I quite like but usually forgot to wear when I am ready to leave. It features a stunning structured woven shape adorned with delicate feathers and is designed to be clipped into your hair rather than worn on your head n a headband like design.

Jewellery is something I adore, I don't really wear much on a day to day basis, but when it comes to a wedding, I think some nice jewellery, real or costume, can really finish off an outfit. For me, pearls are really underrated and I am lucky enough to have a pearl bracelet that was gifted to me as an heirloom, but for this outfit there is the Nadri Knotted Faux Pearl Necklace which features a crystal clasp closing and it is really pretty. Add to that the Charter Club White Imitation Pearl Stretch bracelet and Talbots Women's Pearl Stud Earrings which are both simple in design yet really elegant looking.

So using a site like Lyst I have managed to find everything I need and it took me less than 2 hours of scrolling, saving and bookmarking to find something I am happy with.  How do you shop?

*Collaboration post, all words my own.

Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart SPF50 Hydrating Shield

Living in London, it is no surprise to find that pollution takes it toll on my skin and brands are now making it part of their attire as new and exciting products hit the shelves. Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart has really made a name for itself across social media this week and it is a product I absolutely love, have done so since it arrived a good few weeks ago and it is something I have worn every single day. With five years of hard work going into making a product, I have no doubt that it is every bit as good as it claims to be. 

I think we all know that sun protection is something we must all protect our skin against and I am hoping it is something we all do on a daily basis! Prevage isn't just about sun protection, it is a whole lot more than that, it is about protecting your skin all year round from pollutants which play havoc on our skin and age it. There is a lot of science to read surrounding this product which you can find here but for me, it is a must read. 

So Prevage City Smart has is referred to as a Triple Action Protection technology and it delivers younger, healthier and more resilient skin in three phases:

Protect - Anti-pollution Shield Technology forms an invisible protective barrier to help prevent harmful toxins and pollution particles from penetrating the skin. So it essentially captures those nasty little toxins and prevents them from getting into your pores, so when you come home and double cleanse, those nasty germs, dirt and grime are washed off your skin. It also protects with 100% Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen, which I love. It doesn't make your skin feel clogged up on application and nor does it have the thickness, greasiness and general horrible feeling of a sunscreen on your face.

Prevent - A potent patent-pending Anti-Pollution Complex alongside Green Tea, Thiotaine, Ferulic Acid and L-Carnosine come together to neutralise free radical damage which is caused by UV Exposure and pollution. City Smart also helps to prevent the appearance of future signs of skin ageing, including lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

Strengthen - A DNA Enzyme Complex works to strengthens skin’s natural defenses using purified enzymes which helps protect against free radical damage and supports skin's natural repair process against oxidative stress. So City Smart helps protect the skins elastin and collagen matrix therefore ensuring the natural recovery process is strengthened resulting in healthier and more resilient looking skin.

To use City Smart you simply apply it as the last step of your skincare regime. It has a slight tint to it which I really really like.  It gives a really light coverage and as someone with slight redness to my cheeks, it actually does a pretty amazing job at covering it up.  You can wear this alone or under makeup and because the texture is so light, it doesn't cake on the skin and to be honest you do forget it is there.

Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart is available now and is priced at £55, which in my opinium is great value for money considering how amazing it is.

 

  *this post contains PR samples and affiliates unless indicated otherwise

COLOR WOW HAIR COCKTAILS

Last week I went along to the fabulous John Frieda Salon in the west end for an introduction to the latest product releases from Colour Wow, these products are so popular, as soon as they are in stock, they are just as quickly out of stock, so if you see them - grab them!

Colour Wow Cocktails for your hair are described as being bond building leave in supplements and they work to give that little bit extra to your locks.  Having spent a lot of money getting the colour you want, you need to look after it, obviously and if you have colour treated hair then you need these hair cocktails and there are three to choose from. 

Color Wow Coconut Cocktail - Bonds a new lubricating layer to hair’s surface, restoring silkiness and mobility and it smells just absolutely incredible, definitely good enough to drink!

Color processing strips away the natural, outer “lubricating film” that keeps your hair moist, mobile and manageable. This super-powered, leave-in “bionic tonic” bonds to hair’s surface, mimicking the lost lubricating layer with a precision blend of fatty acids and emollients. Deep penetrating Coconut Oil hydrates deep within the cortex, improving strength and flexibility. Instantly transforms dry, unresponsive, dehydrated hair into fluidly-silky, supple strands.  This is my favourite cocktail of the three and it leves my hair feeling just incredible soft, smooth and hydrated.

Color Wow Kale Cocktail - Color processing breaks down hair’s natural, internal cysteine bonds which give each strand strength and resilience. This mega-force “bionic tonic” with sulphur-rich sea kale helps relink and reinforce hair’s vital internal bonds. 

Loaded with protein-building Amino Acids plus B Vitamins, this strand- strengthening super-power smoothes, detangles and has been clinically proven to reduce breakage by over 50% after one single application. Helps guard hair against UV ray damage.


Color Wow Carb Cocktail - Bionic Tonic which bonds a high-carb complex to hair’s surface, fattening fine, limp strands and giving hair style-holding “starch”. Again, color processing makes hair porous and causes loss of natural protein mass. 

This super-powered, leave-in “bionic tonic” bonds to hair’s surface, adding a precision blend of corn starch, cellulose and oat bran to thicken strand girth and expand hair mass. Quinoa and keratin protein fortify and deliver visibly heftier, healthier-looking hair with a smooth, glossy surface. Like starch-based “sizing” (used when ironing clothing to add substance to flimsy, limp fabrics), Carb Cocktail is activated and amplified when hair is heat-styled. The result is exceptionally full body and style-holding stamina, without stiffness or stickiness.


What I love about these Colour Wow Cocktails is not only can they be used individually but you can also combine them.  So you can use Coconut with Kale, Kale with either Coconut or Carb and Carb with Kale should you feel your hair needs it.

To use them is also so simple. Ensure your hair is towel dried and then you need to lightly shake the bottle before opening and then pour a 10p sized blob into the palm of your hand, rub your palms together and then smooth throughout your hair, much as you would do serum and/or leave in conditioners. Ensure you have run it as equally as you can throughout your hair, comb it through and leave to dry, do not rinse out. What I have found after using them, whether alone or together is how amazing super soft and manageable my hair is, not a knot in sight, not a hint of frizz and so easy to style, I no longer feel as though I am dragging my straighteners over my hair and it is in full blown protest. Now all I need are more highlights so I can keep on using them!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise