Every beauty editor has a stash. The varying factors are the level of organisation, location and size of said stash. But we all have one. It’s filled with the almost daily drops of samples that we receive to write about and review, the beauty products that we actually buy and the ones that our well-meaning aunts still insist on getting us for Christmas. We’re all very aware of the privileged position we’re in and have many strategies in place to make sure products are never wasted. One being a ban on any newbies until I’ve made my way through most of what I have. So as lockdown started and I wasn’t near any of my friend’s or family member’s faces to slather them in moisturisers, I hit pause on writing and sampling and deci...
As a remote employee, I’ve been working from home for 4.5 years, which is a long time. My WFH tricks have certainly fluctuated throughout the years, but one thing that’s remained constant is that I always put on makeup, and on the rare days that I don’t, I feel less awake. Yes, it’s in my head, but if something keeps me from being productive, regardless of whether or not it’s tangible, I’m not going to do it. I’d much rather just take the extra 10 minutes to put on some makeup in the morning. The thing is, I steer clear of heavy makeup and stick to only natural products that allow my skin to glow as opposed to masking it. And I don’t bother with a lot of gadgets and tools. Just using my fingers, for the most part, speeds up the tas...
I talk about my love of chunky sandals often. The “uglier” the better, to be quite honest. Give me velcro straps, embellishments, and even a dash of leopard print—the louder the merrier is my mantra. But then again, I’m a fickle being (I do work in fashion, after all), and I can always been swayed by a more minimalist approach to sandals. There are a few around right now, but there’s one pair that caught my eye recently. The sandals in question are from Dune and are black with one black strap and one beige—a minimalist’s dream. They don’t sound exciting, I’ll give you that but the matte finish as well as the gold-coloured buckles give them a real luxe look. Arguably, if you want the correct description, the shoes are sliders but these aren’t ...
Personal style cannot be categorised in just five small descriptors, but for the digestibility of this story, that’s exactly what I did. Think of this as one of those articles you used to read in teen magazines that told you which celebrity crush you’re most likely to marry or which trend you should buy according to your zodiac sign—except this time, the category is face masks. Face masks have become a new staple and requirement worldwide. Naturally, the fashion industry has risen to the occasion, and already the stylish options provided to us by brands and designers alike feel endless. There are countless options out there, so we don’t blame you if you’re not sure of where to start. While I know you can’t put your style type int...
Let’s be straight here: Fashion has never been good with plus-size clothing. Historically, the curve offering has been dismally small, and even when it was offered, the designs were hardly what you’d call fashionable. While we undoubtedly have a long way to go still, over the last few years, the choice of brands has definitely grown, with many high-street names developing curve lines and newly launched labels catering solely to this audience. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Inte...
How long have you been a makeup artist? And what do you love about makeup? I’ve been a makeup artist for over eight years. What I love about my career is being able to create, transform, play with colour, textures, shapes, styles, get out the rules or norms, and also innovate sometimes by creating trends. Being able to travel and work alongside other artists has also been amazing. I’ve done so many things that only reaffirm my love for makeup. What’s the number one tip you’d give to a novice when it comes to makeup? My number one advice I always give is don’t be afraid of experimenting. Makeup is a lot of trial and error. Whether you’re a professional or just a makeup enthusiast, I always say that you have to go through everything. After you have tried it all, then i...
Choosing to pursue a career in fashion often comes with a lot of preconceived ideas. Devil Wears Prada aside, historically, people who work in this industry have been stereotyped as shallow or materialistic. In fact, I personally will never forget when a former friend patronisingly disregarded my knowledge on a subject by saying, “It’s not the kind of thing you’d read in Cosmo, sweetie.” Much to the contrary, in recent years, I have found myself in awe of the eloquence and intelligence of people who work in this industry, many of whom use their extensive platforms to bring about change, particularly when it comes to issues that go way beyond fashion. Initially, Instagram was predominantly used as a platform for outfit inspiration and to attain a glim...
Acting as your very own virtual clothes rail, this simple solution allows me to bookmark the pieces that have caught my eye. It’s also the perfect way to step back and mull on a potential purchase rather than ending up in a panic-buy situation. There’s nothing more satisfying than coming back to my wish list after a few days and being able to cherry-pick the pieces that still set my heart racing and deleting those that don’t. I’d pay a lot of money to get a glimpse into the wish lists of my favourite fashion icons. But as I currently don’t have a direct line to Alexa Chung, we’ll just have to do with yours truly. This week, I’m revealing the items currently residing in my Topshop wish list. Out of all my fashion apps, Topshop has one...
This week, the government finally announced that salons can reopen and that they are allowed to offer manicures and pedicures once more. Frankly, I couldn’t be more overjoyed. Months of neglect has left my nails looking seriously worse for wear and there’s no doubt that they could benefit from some professional pruning. And, while I am certainly itching to get back to the nail bar and have book in for some chic nail art, it’s actually the prospect of a pedicure that has me most excited. As outdoor activities and general socialising are becoming a more regular part of my life, and I’m slipping on my summer sandals more and more, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the state of my feet. You see, whereas the lead up to summer would usually involve a trip to the salon for ...
There are two groups of people (and no judgement here as to which group you fall into): those who’ve given themselves a rogue lockdown haircut and those who now have three Pinterest boards of post-lockdown styles to take to the salon. Regardless of what camp you’re in, it’s time to get in the know about the trending hairstyles for the remainder of this seemingly forgotten year. As hair salons open back up, we decided to speak to some hairstylists about the styles that their clients have been booking in for. Stephen Buller, the co-founder of Buller and Rice, says, “Having been in the salon for a few days, I’ve seen some questionable hair. Lockdown has been unfair to some, but with this come some unforeseen trends.” Ready to switch things up?...
As someone who became a teenager in the ’90s, casual sportswear was a big deal. Britpop stars such as Damon Albarn and Liam Gallagher were often spotted wearing Adidas zip-ups and T-shirts. The Spice Girls had Sporty Spice, whose whole “thing” was wearing sportswear. Then, in 1997 Jason Nevins’s remix of Run-D.M.C.’s “It’s Like That” came out, and it once again made me consider sportswear in a way I hadn’t before. I loved how casual it was but how, when kept pristine, it still looked smart. I could probably go on, but all of these above influences played a role in my love of layering casual sports tops, trousers and sneakers into my own wardrobe. There are three vintage Adidas pieces I wear regularly: a pair of ...
Once regarded as the lowly younger sister to high heels or winter boots, sandals have certainly come up in the world over the last few years, in no small part due to the design prowess of a number of cool, up-and-coming brands. However, shoes can be a tricky thing to shop for regardless of your budget, as you’ll want something that will last and be hardworking yet affordable. Luckily, many of the cult labels making their presence felt right now are offering the design kudos and quality of designer brands but with a price point that comes in under £300. Of course, this is by no means a wallet-friendly option, but if you’re looking to invest a little more in your sandals this summer, I would seriously recommend the below brands. From ATP Atelier...