What’s In My Bag?

lk bennett handbag

Just to go alongside the “What’s In My Makeup Bag” post that went up earlier on this week; a snoop inside my handbag. My sister said when I took these photos – and I quote her directly – “this is the sh*ttest What’s In My Bag ever! Where’s all the makeup stuff?” But I don’t like to contrive my bag contents, and I suspect that is what happens quite a lot of the time – a carefully edited selection of beauty products and so on, that look pretty on the page and cover all of the bases. I just tend to tip my own bag upside down and see what’s going on – granted, I do often remove old pieces of tissue and cereal bar wrappers and so on, but for the most part it’s a true representation of that day’s contents.

whats in my handbag

So sorry if this really is the “sh*ttest” reveal ever – I’m getting my sister back by posting up the picture of her photobombing my still-life. Again, entirely unplanned – this should win some kind of photobombing award, I feel. Her head and arms have been perfectly framed!

And so, to the contents of my handbag. Which is the beautiful Jenna bag from LK Bennett – it also comes in white and hot pink, which would be lovely for spring! You can find it online here.

ruth crilly beauty blog

Firstly, let’s tackle all of the bumph: a five pound note, crumpled, some little hairbands in pastel colours (bottom left), my Nectar trolley token and a “Nakd” cereal bar. I eat loads of those cereal bars (well, about four a week, but that’s four more than I’d have eaten prior to being pregnant!) and I can imagine that non-pregnant they would taste quite foul – can anyone vouch for them? Like them? Hate them?

The scary dolly thing is my Marni Rose purse spray – some of your comments on this did make me laugh when I posted about it! I just love the scent, though, regardless of whether the packaging is cute or hideous – it’s a really interesting, non-girly kind of rose. Other beauty items: my Colab dry shampoo, which goes with me everywhere, and a Clinique Superbalm. There’s lots going on with Colab at the moment, all very exciting, but annoyingly you won’t see anything happen for a while because product developments take AGES. Lots of brainstorming and nit-picking (not literally) and lots of me being completely pedantic and a control freak. But if the things that come from all of this work are as brilliant as the Sheer & Invisible dry shampoo I will be a very happy lady – watch this space!

Clinique Superbalm – keep meaning to post on this. It’s just excellent, and quite a nice “dupe”for the Sisley in terms of effect and a little bit similar in texture. It just really does the job on chapped lips, I especially like it layered over their All About Lips cream, overnight. You can find it here.

louis vuitton agenda

What else, what else? Filofax, or Agenda as they say at Louis Vuitton: I bought this for myself about ten years ago, before luxury good prices were so utterly ridiculous. I’m pretty sure I paid just over a hundred pounds, and now they are about four hundred. What the heck? The refills alone cost £52 now! But it’s a ritual, buying them every January and I must say that the diary itself has lasted amazingly well – it looks brand new. Underneath the Agenda you can see my new camera, the Canon Powershot G7 X, which is brilliant – I always need a smaller camera to supplement the big, chunky, heavy Canon DSLR that I use when I’m at home. I can highly recommend the Powershot – the functions are amazing and it has a flip-up screen, too, if you’re into “vlogging” and need to see yourself… I bought mine from Amazon here.

mindful birthing nancy bardacke

The final piece of the handbag puzzle: a bit of light reading. (Ha!) Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke. I won’t go too much into the whole birthing thing here (you can read my pregnancy diary entries and rambles over on my little blog The Uphill, which isn’t quite ready to see yet but I trust you’ll all be kind!) but so many people – friends, family, readers, Twitter followers – have said about Mindful Birthing and how it helped them and so I’m doing loads of reading. It’s basically about breathing and trying to stay calm and in control during birth and yes I know that loads of people will say that  “everything will go out of the window at the time” and “you have no idea what it’s like”, but I do think that we are bombarded with incredibly negative representations of birth, especially on television and in the media. And in my own immediate family and friends group, the birth stories have been overwhelmingly positive, so that’s how I’m setting my mind. There will be more discussion on this topic over on The Uphill very soon!

The post What’s In My Bag? appeared first on A Model Recommends.

Continue reading

Nails: The Cara Delevingne-Inspired Manicure

cara delevingne nail art manicure look

This nail look by @NailArtistMartha was inspired by the gorgeous new Chanel campaign that stars Cara Delevingne. I desperately want to do some kind of “get the look” makeup video based on the new campaign image (I would love to know what Cara has woven into her hair!) so no doubt we’ll be returning to this manicure for that, too. I really like the single accent nail with the block of contrasting colour! Very chic.

opi glitzerland review

Martha reversed the colours in the campaign look, using a beautiful pale gold for the base colour and a glossy, classic red for the ring finger accents. I’m not usually into metallic nails but I think that this gold shade from OPI, Glitzerland, is just gorgeous. Just enough shimmer and a non-brash, almost-creamy kind of golden tone.

opi glitzerland review

Martha said that the consistency of the polish was lovely and it applied very well. Two coats gave a truly glitzy finish – “it definitely does what it says on the tin”. After two coats of Glitzerland, Martha took her red polish (Mavala’s London) and created the accent nails. “This is more simple than it looks”, Martha said, but she still hasn’t seen the true extent of my nail-painting ineptitude, so that statement isn’t entirely true! Martha’s tips for painting on the statement curve? “1) Try to paint the line all in one go. Hesitating can make your hand shake! 2) Don’t overload the brush with polish as you can end up flooding the nail.”

opi glitzerland review

I had a little go at this and found that if you make the curved line slightly higher up the nail than you want it to eventually be, you can always take it down lower and cover a messy line if you go wrong! That’s the coward’s way out – those with some conviction can just go on in and paint that confident, bold curve… (Disclaimer: I’d had rather a lovely glass of (quite strong) Chianti before I attempted my nail. Those who are serious about getting the perfect accent nail may want to avoid the Dutch Courage and be 100% compos mentis.)

opi glitzerland review

Martha went one step further with her Cara-inspired manicure and added an extra accent in Mavala’s Black Oyster polish. I love this look! There’s something very retro about it – it reminds me of old YSL Opium adverts and also of peacock feathers. I’ve loved every step of this manicure, actually; the pale champagne-gold, the red accent and then the black tip. This would make an excellent holiday manicure, don’t you think? Those amazing shades against tanned skin? I may have to pay Martha a visit and get her to mani me up before I go to Greece…

You can find OPI’s Glitzerland online at Amazon here or at Beautybay.com where it has been reduced from £11.95 to £7.17. Both options have free delivery. Please do follow Martha on Instagram – and any crazy nail requests, please leave a comment below! Thanks once again to Martha and also to the lovely Roseanna for quite literally “lending a hand”. (Or two.)

Continue reading

Game of Thrones, Handbag Contents and Sparkly Summer Sandals…

game of thrones season 5 premiere

I went to the Game of Thrones Season 5 Premiere last night; if you follow my posts regularly then you’ll know that I’ve developed a bit of a “thing” for Game of Thrones. In a way, it’s entirely inappropriate considering my current state: I should surely be cooing over fluffy lambs and searching for patchwork baby blankets and learning some lullabies. But no, I sit watching one of the most ridiculously violent and overly-sexual television programmes that’s ever graced our screens. No butterfly lamps and rabbit sleepsuits for me – I want to watch men thumbing out each other’s eye balls and strange red-haired women burning people at the stake.

game of thrones season 5 premiere

Anyway, I waddled along to the premiere, trying to look as dignified as one can do when they have a girth that equals the equator. To compensate for the fact that my dressing options are becoming so limited, I decided to go for full-on glitz and glamour: a floor-length sparkly gown (the Galaxy dress from Tiffany and Rose – they do excellent maternity stuff for special events and weddings) and gorgeous accessories from Jimmy Choo.

game of thrones season 5 premiere

Because if anyone does glitz and glamour consistently well, it has to be Jimmy Choo. When they pull the stops out, they are completely unapologetic about it. And I kind of think that – when you’re spending a fair whack on a little bag or some special shoes – you want things to be unapologetically “look at me”. My Jimmy Choo sparkly ballet pumps make me smile every single time I wear them – they are just so…out there!

game of thrones season 5 premiere

I had to go for flats because a) I couldn’t risk falling over and b) the dress actually looked better sweeping the floor (or red carpet, in this case!) rather than hanging an inch or so above it. I wore the Wyatt sandal in gold (here); there’s some serious hardware going on with these, so I didn’t feel any less done-up, considering I’d skipped on the heel height. Wearing them really made me yearn for summer; these would be the most amazing summer holiday shoes if you were off to somewhere swish. I mean, you wouldn’t want to be scaling rocks in them or wearing them to go crabbing, but for a chic long weekend somewhere sunny they’d be perfect.

game of thrones season 5 premiere

The clutch is the Camille, though I can’t seem to find this particular finish online. Spacious enough to fit my iPhone 6+, a few makeup oddments (Zelens concealer, Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colour in Golden Peach (bit too pearly for me, but texture is beautiful) and a cereal/flapjack bar from Pret. Which I ate, obviously, because if anything comes within a few feet of me I’ll eat it. I decanted the important parts of my purse (some cash, my AMEX card, driving licence) to save space, but I’d say that the clutch is big enough to get all of the essentials in. In other words, it’s not one of those ones that’s impractically small.

ruth crilly model blogger

Overall, a very pleasing outfit combo. I just regret not being able to get any really clear and sharp photos; the lighting was awful. ie: non-existent. Very gloomy and fire-lit and atmospheric, which is great for creating a bit of anticipation but crap for capturing your sartorial efforts!

The post Game of Thrones, Handbag Contents and Sparkly Summer Sandals… appeared first on A Model Recommends.

Continue reading

Kracie Japanese Sweets

Kracie

I’m going totally off topic here because there is so little beauty news (until my email explodes at around 9am tomorrow morning!) but my current non-beauty obsession is the Kracie Japanese Sweets kits. They’re so bonkers but a lot of fun and just, well, amusing to do. I will warn you ahead that they don’t even taste very nice (to a western tongue).

Kracie Japanese Sweets

Although the instructions come in Japanese – I had a super helper from Twitter who translated the back of the box for me (@nicintokyo) – they’re not really complicated. Once I’d understood via Nic that you just fill the empty portion of the carton with water and add the enclosed sachet of powder to

Kracie Japanese Sweets

mix up a paste, I was off. Everything is included, from little spoons and icing bags to sprinkles and wafer cases (if needed). And, as you can see, there are plenty of diagrams to follow.

Kracie Japanese Sweets

I started off with the ice cream one, and then had a very enthusiastic over-ordering session so now I have boxes and boxes of Kracie Japanese Sweets kits!

Kracie Japanese Sweets

This is the inside of the Pizza kit – I wouldn’t start with this one because it’s quite complicated; I’m not looking forward to working this one out! If you do fancy trying Kracie Japanese Sweets, I’d start with the ice-cream set because it’s really easy and very, very cute.

The taste, by the way, is a bit sweet wallpaper paste. I know it’s probably a soy paste of some kind and it’s fairly safe to say that you can throw away the healthy-eating book on these, but it’s interesting to try, at least, and not exactly horrible.

The kits aren’t expensive, starting at a couple of quid, but mine took a long time to arrive in the post – about three weeks. If you want to try the ice-cream set, it’s HERE. Otherwise, just key in Kracie onto amazon.co.uk and everything available pops up.

Continue reading

Five Budget Makeup Buys (All Under £6.00) Both You & Your Purse Will Love For Spring

Makeup for me is all about experimentation, finding something new and discovering a steal that you want to recommend to all your friends. Although I would always opt to spend more on my foundation and skincare, when it comes to the majority of my makeup bag there’s always room for a bargain. Over the last few weeks a tonne of super shiny and expensive makeup products have landed on my desk, but what’s making me stand up and take notice are the incredibly affordable versions that you don’t even have to wait to treat yourself to – because when they’re less than a coffee and slice of cake, it would be rude not to really. From all the bits and bobs that have made their way to me in the last weeks, these are the five that have all made me go ‘ooooh’… And even better, none of them are more than six quid!

1. Collection Lasting Perfection Colour Correctors (£4.19)
If you’re a fan of the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (and I know so many of you are – there was almost a riot when it went out of stock!) then you’ll love these colour correcting additions that help to create an even more flawless base. The same texture and pigment, these are available in either a yellow, lilac or green variant to counteract dullness, sallowness or redness. Creamy and highly saturated, these work really well on the skin on their own (obviously under foundation) or mixed with your usual concealer if you’re not a fan of too many layers. Colour correction may have been a trend in 2016, but it’s actually been a pro secret for years – so don’t dismiss it!

2. Essence Volume Stylist Curl & Hold Mascara (£3.00)
This German brand is frustratingly only available in Wilko, but it is available to buy online. They have so many great little bargains on offer, most of which are only a few pounds – including their mascaras which are generally a bit of a hidden gem. This ‘Volume Stylist Curl & Hold’ features a slightly curved wand (that you can’t see in the pic) and a tonne of bristles, as well as a reservoir to hold an excess of product, which together results in a super lifted and voluminous lash line. Personally I find that Essence mascaras can leave me with Panda eyes if I’m not careful with their removal, but I’m really enjoying the result this provides. It’s a great one to use every day, if you can’t bear to reach for the YSL/Dior/MAC/whatever posh mascara you’re currently loving.

3. Rimmel London Super Gel Nail Polish (£5.99)
I’ve bought Rimmel nail plishes for as long as I’ve been wearing colour on my talons, mainly because they’re incredibly affordable and offer a huge range of colour. The latest launch from the brand is a ‘Super Gel’ alternative to gel nails, which is applied in two stages: the colour followed by the ‘gel effect’ topcoat. Thanks to the super thick brush, application is a doddle and a true-to-bottle colour can be achieved in only two coats (although the first can be a touch streaky, so keep with it!) I’m really impressed with the smoothness of the finish which really covers and conceals any texture imperfections or flaking, as well as the longevity – a couple of days in and it’s still going strong, even if I don’t expect it to stay put for anywhere near the 14 days it promises. My current fave is undoubtedly Purple Splash, but there are over twenty shiny shades to choose from.


4. NYX Vivid Brights Cream Colour (£5.50)
A brand I’m quickly falling head over heels for, NYX just seem to nail affordable beauty while still providing textures and formats that are a little bit different. These Cream Colour pots offer a really strong pigment that can be used in a multitude of ways – either as an eyeshadow, liner or even lip colour or blush if the need arises! Although some shades are richer and creamier than others (generally speaking the pastel shades are harder to work with,) they’re beautiful to blend and would look amazing paired with a flush of bronzer this summer. The creamy texture does take some getting used to if you’re usually just a powder eyeshadow girl, but the beauty is all in the experimentation.


5. Olivia Hale Blush & Bronze (From £1.99)
Part of a whole brand launch into Home Bargains (which seems to be more of an Oop North thing – it’s always my first stop when I visit my mum in Derby!) these may be packaged in slightly cheap and tacky plastic cases, but it’s what’s inside that counts. I’ve tried a whole heap of makeup from the brand and these are definitely my top picks (alongside the glosses and polishes, where you can’t really go wrong) as they’re soft, pigmented and easy to buff into skin. If you don’t want to take your expensive makeup on holiday with you this summer (we’ve all been there when it arrives on the luggage carousel smashed to smithereens,) then these offer a super cheap way to still look hot – no compromise needed. FYI the bronzer is very shimmery though, so proceed with caution if you’re not into a glistening cheekbone…

Have you found any other makeup bargains recently that you think we should all know about?

Features PR samples unless otherwise stated. To read my full disclaimer, click here.

Continue reading