Bluuuurrrrrrrrrrrr

By Sarah Redman

Garnier 5 Second Perfect Blur. Sold out almost everywhere when it was first released. It was the high streets new miracle primer for only £12.99.

This little pink tube promises to reduce wrinkles, imperfections, open pores and shine – all in one smooth, pink, gel like swoop. Whilst my house mate kindly pointed out that I’m not old enough for wrinkles, shine really winds me up and imperfections are rife. Being very pale even the slightest mark shows easily on my skin, so I was pleasantly surprised with this product. I did a half and half face test and I noticed an actual ‘blurring’ of imperfections and shine was reduced, leaving my skin with a soft silky feel and looking nice and matte. This product also created a great base for make up, which definitely stayed on for longer.

I have been using this product since it was first released and love its consistence performance. It really does work well for the price, whilst it may not be a super duper skin primer it is good if you need a little staying power in your make up or want that ‘blur’ effect, but you just aren’t too interested in the technicalities (and the price range) of the upmarket make up brands. I recommend completing your morning skin care routine as normal and waiting about five minutes after applying your moisturiser to let it sink in, then apply this primer and then continue with your normal make up routine. This is a great high street skin perfector which is suitable for all skin types.

Have you tried Garnier Perfect Blur or would you use a high street primer? Let us know and leave a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Boys can colour block too

By Sarah Redman
I must say I was a little impressed coming down to dinner and finding my boyfriend rocking the colour block trouser with a simple white tee and faded brown leather shoes #yum
I think I might have been slightly jealous over how well he can pull off the plain white tee – for some reason I struggle with the minimalistic look normally and end up over accessorising, what is a girl to do?!
It has taken me a while to come around to the coloured trouser on guys, maybe I have just seen this trend been worn oh so badly in the past, but I am partial to a coloured skinny myself. Josh’s bright blue trousers are from Zara, whilst the plain white tee is good old Primark.

Have you noticed guys dressing better this summer or are following this trend yourself, then let us know and leave a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

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Dining in style

By Sarah Redman
Wagamamas, for years they have provided a place where we can indulge in Japanese food – followed by my favourite white chocolate and ginger cheese cake (I know ginger isn’t everyone’s favourite but this one is worth a try) and a free green tea, just to chat for hours. So now I am officially back from university I felt the need to celebrate fellow (picture) blogger, Georgia Plummer’s birthday as I missed the get together due to exams and have a good old chin wag over a Wagga and the Hoopers beauty event. She won a facial – personally I am classing that as a birthday pressie!
But as I took a moment to sip my green tea I noticed their new menu design and just had to share it. I think their new designs are great and bring more of a fashion element to a great evening of food and good conversation!

Do you like their new designs or know other restaurants with great menu design then leave us a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Nail tip: Champneys four way nail file

By Sarah Redman

This has been my ‘everlasting winter’ saviour – genuinely don’t know how my nails survived. Tell a lie, I do – copious amounts of moisturiser, cuticle cream, vitamin E enriched polish remover, and finally a plethora of vitamin D!
#Sorted
But this is the one thing that has kept my nails going for the last year. An 18th birthday present as part of a Champneys manicure and pedicure set, this little every-which-way nail file is looking a little worse for wear, but with its four sided attack my nails are getting summer ready.
I always stress the importance of a good base and top coat to protect both your nails and nail polish, but I don’t think I ever put polish on my nails without using this first. I really love it’s versatility: It has numbered sides for ease of use, 1) file nail edge – just like a normal nail file really, 2) remove ridges – great, especially in winter for a smooth area to polish, 3) smooth nail – doing exactly what it says on the tin and smoothing the nail, adding to number 2’s benefits, finally 4) shine nail – this is my favourite side, adding shine to even the weakest nail, instantly making it look healthier (and a god send if you really don’t have time to paint your nails)
Once again Champneys have impressed and after lasting a year (would probably last longer if I treated it better) I am excited to buy a new one.
Did you like this post or have any nail tips yourself? Leave us a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Summer strawberries!

By Sarah Redman

These lovely cup cakes have been inspired by face masks would you believe. A girly day with my friend Jem Hill with plans of strawberry and white chocolate face masks, from Montagne Jeunesse, turned into cup cake day!
We headed to the supermarket to see what we could find and resulted in white chocolate chip cup cakes with vanilla butter cream icing and strawberry jam, topped with a fresh British strawberry’s, from our very own Kent #LovingLocal
Have you been baking or been inspired by your beauty products (just like Sophia Webster with her fantastic new shoe range ‘Suede by Sophia‘,  inspired by the new Revlon ColourStay Ultimate Suede Lipsick range – what could be better?) let us know and leave a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

A girl should…

By Sarah Redman
As Coco Chanel once said “A girl should be two things… Classy & fabulous” and as cards seem to be a my new thing, I thought I would share this great quote with you via a card my mum bought, along with another rather special piece of design…

Not to amend Coco Chanel’s great words, but maybe we need awesome earrings too?

Definitely looking for a talented individual to make me some if these.
If you like this post or have dabbled in jewellery making yourself, then let us know and leave us a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Busy, busy, busy

By Sarah Redman
Sorry we haven’t posted lately, been a bit busy with yet more revision, work, weddings and my birthday! So until we have a moment to sit down and get posting I’m just going to post a few fashionable birthday cards. Either because they have a lovely message from one of my lovely friends and family or and just fashion orientated and fabulous!
Enjoy and get some inspiration if you are making or buying birthday cards anytime soon.

And one that I found the other day in Sainsbury’s…

Keep checking our blog for new posts coming soon.
If you liked this post then leave us a comment or Tweet us @thesarahsblog

Paper Lashes

By Sarah Redman

I discovered these beauties a few years ago at London Fashion Weekend, when I spotted various people wondering around the shopping area with the most amazing eyes and felt totally underdressed in the makeup department. Needless to say I didn’t take this lying down and made my friend queue for half an hour till I got my lashes!

The brand I lusted after, Paperself, were the designers of my ‘peacock’ inspired lashes, and yes, the clue is in the name: they are made from paper! My first thought was how easy will it be for me to give myself a paper cut with these things and the second will I pick them up and rip them?! But after my free trail I was sold.

Previously, I have never been too impressed with False Lashes. I have a phobia of spiders and the idea of sticking ‘dead’ ones to my face was kinda creepy! The glue was always too messy and my hand-eye co-ordination didn’t help one bit.

The designs I saw shown at London Fashion Weekend were original, dainty, and fresh. Recently many celebrities have been spotted with designs on their lashes, from letters, to block colours, and patterns. This is becoming a lucrative industry, the lashes can be a real talking point, and can make a great feature or just glam up an outfit!

Paperself quotes Marcel Proust on its website -“The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Paperself was ‘launched in 2009 by London based designer Chunwei Liao’ and in September of 2011 worked on a pair of Lashes for the V&A. The lashes ‘inspired by nineteenth century French silk bobbin lace’ and are just beautiful! They have recently won themselves a spot on the Nylon 2012 Beauty Hit List as well. Find out more on their blog.

Check out their website to see the quirky ways they display their lashes and maybe even bag a few yourselves!

My latest favourites are the Birds, also their London Skyline design – awesome, but where is The Shard?

The beauty of Paperself is their versatility. The lashes can be cut to leave only one section of the pattern you want which can be attached to the outer corner of your eye: on the top lash for a minimalistic look with a difference or glue to your lower lash line for a statement effect (slightly easier than testing your eyeliner skills).

[Both ways seen on the model – Grace Redman: “These feel so light on, normally false lashes just annoy me.”]

With such a variety of lashes available now, from glitter to gem studded, you can be spoilt for choice. But if you are looking for something special then try these guys, with their wide range of patterns and ever growing company you will find what works for your outfit.

Check out their awesome YouTube Video HERE

(Definitely worth a watch!)

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Have you tried these lashes or thinking of giving it a go? Drop us a comment or Tweet thesarahsstyleblog @thesarahsblog

Nails for a ‘not quite summer’

By Sarah Redman

Nails are the must have accessory at the moment, long, short, studded, sparkly – however they come it seems to be the quirkier the better. But sometimes its just all a bit of a faff! So below are my favourite spring / summer ‘easy colours’. If you like what you see or have any photo’s you want to share with us, feel free to leave us a comment or tweet us @thesarahsblog

Nude nails:

These are my favourite at the moment, with the weather changing its mind every three seconds I need a nail that can take me from sunshine to hail stones (not kidding this happened to me the other day). This colour or shade if you prefer is easy, just make sure you have the right one for your skin tone – when you have it don’t let it go. Nudes can have varying shades of pink etc in, so some shades or brands might suit you better than others. I have quite pinky skin so my favourites are Ciate – Pocket Money 107 (above) and Mavala 396 Velvet (Mavala usually retails between £4 and £5, however shows as cheaper on Amazon).

Here are a few other shades to help you find your look:

• Barry M’s Nail Paint 310 Mushroom
• Natural Collection Pink Manicure
• Natural Collection Oyster Pink
• 17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish Forever

Violet nails:

I have always loved this as a summer shade, pastel nails go with most outfits and bring a bit of summer even if you are at work and in head to toe black. Each year i find a new shade that i love slightly more, this year i’m loving Rimmel London’s Lasting Finish 702 Marshmallow Heaven. This has all the purple pastel you need, but is slightly darker than some other brands which I prefer as a transitional polish between this everlasting winter and spring / summer 2013.

Here are a few other shades to help you find your look:

• Mavala 170 Touch of Provence
• Mavala 184 Frozen Berry
• 17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish Parma Violet

Mango nails:

 

I love this shade, part of Mavala’s ‘Simply Delicious‘ range for spring / summer 2012, Mavala’s 182 Fresh Melon along with the other fresh colours gives a great summer nail. There are six colours in the range and I almost have them all! This one is one of my favorites, bought in Paris in the summer of 2012, it opitimised summer days and was fresh and light on the nail. One of my all time favourites.

Here are a few other shades to help you find your look:

• 17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish Glisten
• 17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish Mellow Yellow
• 17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish Sherbet Lemon

Mint nails:

A mint nail is great if you want a fresh look, there are a lot of mint or turquoise colours on the high street for 2013. 17’s Lasting Fix Nail Polish Mint Choc Chip is a favourite I have had for a while and is quick and easy to apply. This nail polish will last you for ages and go with most colours for a fresh summer accessory.

Here are a few other shades to help you find your look:

• Natural Collection Topaz
• Natural Collection Winter Moon
• Topshop Nails Gone Fishing

*Don’t forget a hard base coat and a top coat with a good shine!