Summer Body

So it's that time of the year again where all booking our summer holidays and get our bikini bodies into shape, but are we thinking about protecting our bodies from the harmful uv rays? 

Us girls all love to lay by the pool all day, soaking up the lovely sun and topping up our tan but we also need to consider our sun tan lotions. So I take it we've all heard about avoiding the midday sun and reapplying your sunscreen every two hours but there are other things that you need to bear in mind.

1. Never rely on SPF.

Your sun tan lotion may have SPF but if there is no mention of 'broad spectrum' or high UVA protection' then it's no good. It will help to shield your skin from harmful UVB rays but not from ageing, cancer-causing UVA.

2. When it comes to SPF; Go for factor 30, this is recommended both by the FDA and EU. It filters 97% of UVB rays, while SPF50 filters 98%. The latter can give a false sense of security and can be so chalkyyou may no reapply it every two hours like you should.

3. Some people believe that your fine as long as you don't burn which is so untrue, DNA damage is what activates the tanning process so the moment you start to bronze, your skin is under seige. Invest in a sunscreen that contains antioxidants, such as vitamin C, plus DNA-repairing ingredients such as endonucleases. 

What sunscreen should i use?

La-roche-posay anthelios range are really great. A little bit pricey but well worth the investment. I personally use lancaster sunscreen products. but ideally you want to look out for a sunscreen with SPF 30, something that is waterproof or highly water resistant, look out for the word 'photostable' on the packaging plus the words 'broad spectrum' or an indication of high UVA protection

What about 'tan accelerating' creams?

Nothing you apply to your skin can speed up the process of your tan, but taking a daily 25g beta-carotene supplement can. However it doesn't mean to say that you can use less sunscreen.

Also remember that fake tan offers no sun protection!! This is an often misconception.

Review: I heart my tan london 10% DHA Spray tan solution

Fake tan is something you see a lot of in my house. Self confessed fake tan addict lol. 

Although I do still use gradual tanners and application tanners, I also have my own spray tanning booth so I tend to buy spray tan solution rather than actual fake tanning products.

I recently Purchased the 'I heart My Tan London' 10% DHA tanning solution ( The higher the percentage the stronger the tan, bearing in mind that it does develop over time)

To get a dark tan I would normally use a 12% However, I decided to purchase a 10% as I wanted something that I could build up, plus the stronger the tan the more effort it requires e.g. scrubbing it off to avoid looking like I have some sort of skin disease and ensuring my hands do not turn black! lol

I wanted a colour that was more easy to care for, I believe there is a 6% Tan solution available however I would only really recommend this if you have very fair skin and want to start of slowly.

So I'd never purchased from  mytanlondon.co.uk before, but looking at the the good reviews it had I really wanted to try. What I love about mytanlondon.co.uk is that they offer good bundle packs, they had a solution sample pack which included an 8%, a 10% and a 12% solution for £3.74 which is a great idea if your just starting out and want to find the right colour for you. 

They had a wide variety of tans to choose from however I chose the 1L 10% Tropical coconut solution, one of the downfalls to fake tan is the smell, so the fact they do different scents is amazing. I have used a coconut smelling one before, however the fake tan smell was still overpowering this tan did not have an overpowering smell of fake tan and actually smelt of tropical coconut. Smells good enough to eat! haha

If you are looking to purchase spray tan solution 10% is a great colour to start with, It gives a warm, deep glow that is noticeable but isn't overpowering and looks natural. It's suitable for all skin tones.

Some spray tanning brands charge ridiculous prices for their solutions, mytanlondon.co.uk however are very affordable, 1L solution from fake bake costs around £60 whereas this tan solution, which is also 1L is only £23!! plus free delivery! aaa-mazing!

If you do not have a spray tanning machine and prefer to use home tanning products such as mousses and airbrush tans mytanlondon.co.uk offers all that too! again at reasonable prices. So if your a tanning junkie like me I'd defiantly check it out!

Big thumbs up!

Clarins Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing cream: Review

I've been in desperate need for a new cleanser, and after seeing this brand new Clarins 

cleanser in a magazine I knew I needed to try it out.

This Cleanser is not actually out officially until Monday 13th January, However I was lucky enough to able to buy mine before then. The Lady at my local clarins was so helpful and lovely :)

Clarins extra-comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream is a cream cleanser lol hence the name. Which is suitable for ALL skin types.

It is designed for skin that is exposed to our planets urban pollution. It is Enriched with purifying moringa and nourishing shea and mango.

Using this cleanser the very first time it was so lovely on my skin, it took my make up off like a dream and was so gentle I was even able to use it to take off my eye make up. It's such a big bottle too, you only need a 50p size amount, as a little goes a long way.

It retails for £25 which I think it reasonable considering the size.

Unlike clarins other cleanser, you have to take this off with water. As this activates all the ingredients, but I prefer using water anyway.

I would defiantly recommend this to anyone and everyone. If your looking for a new cleanser then I suggest going to your local clarins store and asking for a tester!

Sunday chit-chat

Lately I've just been feeling really exhausted, maybe it's because Christmas is coming and the new year. I'll just be happy when it finally becomes 2014! I always feel motivated in January and ready to take on just about anything. Ok, so we still have christmas to get out of the way before the new year arrives, but i'm excited about that too. I've always loved christmas but for some reason this year i'm double excited. I just can't wait to chill out with my family and not have to worry about a thing, and just eat silly amounts of food. This is my first Christmas in my home, as we moved here in January, It felt so weird when we was putting up our tree and decorations because they were all in such different places to what they were back in my old house! haha.

Every year me and my mum spend Christmas at my nan and grandads(my mums mum and dad) house. We'll stay at home on Christmas eve, wake up at our house open our presents there and then we go to their house. This year its all abit different though, we're still going to my nans house, but my dads mum is going to be joining us too. My mum and dad are not together anymore, but I think it's so nice that my mums mum and dad still get on with my dads mum. wow that was a abit confusing lol.

To help that make sense, basically my dads mum and dad moved to Spain a couple of years ago but then a few things happened (would rather keep this private) and it caused them to get a divorce. So my grandad moved back to England but my nan decided she still wanted to live in Spain, so she stayed. So my grandad will spend Christmas with my dad and uncle etc so my nan's gonna spend it with me, my mum and our side of the family. 

If i'm honest i'm just so excited to see everyone open their presents that i've got them. I went a bit crazy this year, but it will all be worth it. I love spoiling people and i find christmas shopping so fun! I managed to get all mine done in November so i'm one the few that is not running around like a headless chicken trying to buy last minute presents haha! I should have saved my presents to show you all to give you a few idea's but they're all wrapped under the tree now. sorry dolls!

 

Hope you all enjoy your sunday!

Mwah

Lots of love xxx

Party heels!

So with Christmas and new years eve coming up, I can probably guess that alot of you are going to be putting your glad rags on and partying all night. Well I know I will be! So I thought I'd share with you a few party shoes that I've seen and love that are all a reasonable price. All High street prices you'll be glad to hear.

Blue iridescent toe cap pointed court shoes £50 River Island

Metallic trend, Tick. Pointed toe, Tick. Under £60, Tick. What's not to like about these! They feature a gorgeous panel design and have a heel of 10.5cm. These are definatley a statement maker pair of shoes, meaning you won't need to pay much more attention to details in your outfit such as jewellery. Would look great with a little black dress or even a white two-piece suit.

Black jewel embellished  court shoes £85 River Island

How could I not include these! They defiantly live up to the name of party heels. These are perfect to pair with a simple outfit to jazz it up abit. They are bang on trend for autumn, they are slighting higher than the previous shoes shown as these have a heel of 11cm. They are also the most expensive pair i'm featuring in this post, but they are defiantly worth every penny!

Black and Gold disco diva high heels was £70 now £45 Schuh

Can you believe that these are on sale! reduced from £70 to £45!! there are defiantly no excuses to not buy these! unlike the previous shown these are open toe and have a slight platform and are obviously higher, these have a heel of 14cm so if your short these would be perfect or if you love a sky high shoe then these are made for you!

Adriana Gem barely there heels £27 Simmi shoes

A party heel blog post would be a party heel blog post without a red pair and these are a steal for just £27. These do come in black and nude aswell but my favourite were definatly the red ones. At £27 you'll be able to get a pedi done too! Team these with either a black outfit or white with gold accessories and red lippy!

Pink mirror heels £48 Topshop

If you read my 50 facts about me blog post, you will have learnt that pink is my favourite colour. Hence why these are my favourites! I love these so much. They are definatly top of my wish list! I'd pair these with a white skort and white cami top, finished off with a lovely spray tan!

Hope this helped with your fab party outfits!

much love xxxxxx

Fashion Trends - Burgundy Accessories.

Starting from now I will starting a new series of blog posts. They're going to be called Fashion trends, would you believe that lol, and what a surprise. They're going to be all about different fashion trends that are big at the moment.

I'm going to pick a number of pieces that are easy to wear and incorporate into any outfit. So first up is Burgundy Accessories.

Burgundy is a really easy colour to wear because it can be paired with a number of different colours, from camel, to grendyy and even black.

Burgundy Accessories were seen all over the catwalks this autumn/winter. 

So firstly, Lanvin were seen sporting it. They chose a very deep burgundy colour which I would only really recommend to people with a darker skin tone and dark hair as anyone pale or blonde for example It would look to harsh.

If this deep burgundy colour is abit of you, then i'd suggest taking inspiration from the show and wearing this deep colour head to toe, in style of a tailored dark red dress paired with a clutch bag and brogue shoes.

Woven suede cage boots £695 by Jimmy choo

So these gorgeous shoes have a much lighter shade than shown in the Lanvin show. So these bad boys are not cheap! but Christmas is coming up! and hey ho everyone deserves to treat themselves now and then. These shoes are a real statement piece, Anyone can pull off statement shoes, no matter what age you are. You don't have to be brave or ambitious with your style. These shoes are definitely guaranteed to make an impact. I'd suggest wearing these with an all black outfit such as a black leather skirt and black cashmere jumper, for a very Kim Kardashian look!

Dark red brogue Chelsea boots £35 River Island

For those of you that don't want to spend quite as much, then opt for these dark red brogue Chelsea boots. These are a much more fail-safe option, and much more practical for this colder weather we're having. These would look great with dark grey distressed jeans and a leather jacket. 

Leopard print leather belt £19.99 Mango

Next up is this belt,  which combines both the burgundy colour and leopard print. This perfect paired with boyfriend jeans and a shirt tucked in. Finished off with a nice pair of ankle boots. This would also look amazing teamed with a plain black dress and courts for work.

Burgundy fedora hat £25 Miss Selfridge

Fedora hats are my all time favourite winter accessory.They are just so elegant and prevent bad hair days that occur during winter! This is a gorgeous take on the plain black fedora.I'd  team this with either plain black leggings, or leather look leggings. A black shirt and a black cape coat and to finish it off a pair of knee high boots.

Melodie toe cap court shoes £149 Reiss

A simple court shoe is both a classic and quick way of taking casual day look into evening wear. These would look great with a simple pair of skinny jeans and a plain white tee.

Leopard print silk chiffon scarf £325 Alexander McQueen.

I had to throw in an Alexander McQueen scarf just because they're a true staple and this one is gorgeous. They may not be cheap but they are definitely worth every penny. Its a really modern alternative to the classic style. I'd let mine hand around my neck and pair it with a black sporty sweatshirt and leather leggings or a pair of dark wash jeans and a grey jumper.

Chester Tassel loafer £165, Russell and Bromley

I've been lusting after a pair of Russell and Bromley loafers for a while now and these pair are to die for. You can wear these with just about anything so defiantly worth investing on!

I thought I'd better add some jewellery quick! These necklace is absolutely gorgeous and for £20 is a bargain! This can be used to add some sparkle to any outfit. I'd pair this with a simple pair of jeans, a white shirt and those Russell and Bromley loafers shown previously!

Burgundy leather cuff £45 Jaeger

Another piece of jewellery is this lovely wide burgundy cuff from Jaeger. It's a perfect statement piece that is very fuss free. This would look great with a three quarter length sleeve top.

50 facts about me!

Today I thought I'd do a post which gives you an insight to me on a personal level. So this isn't a beauty or fashion related post. I'm going to do the '50 Facts about me', which I may regret as I don't even think I could think of 50 facts haha! anyway let's get started!

1. I hate hate hate hate tuna. Eurgh it's so gross. It looks like it's been chewed up, spat back out and served. It smells horrible too! 

2. I've been around the world. (In a month!) I travelled to America - Los Angeles, Austraila - Sydney and Cannes, New Zealand, Singapore, and Fiji.

3.My Food Weakness is defiantly Crisps! I could live off them.

4.I love salads, although I don't like iceberg lettuce. it's too 'plain' and watery lol

5. I've never been a bridesmaid, in fact I've only ever been to 2 weddings in my whole life lol

6. I'm the oldest Sibling. I have a half brother who is eight.

7. My name is spelt with two n's (Dannielle) because that's how the nurse spelt it at the hospital lol

8.I hate cats. In fact the only animal I like are dogs.

9.Turkish Delight is one of my fav things everrrrrr

10. I'm the only one in my family that was not born in london or lived in london lol 

11. I believe everything happens for a reason

12. I've never been in love.

13. I'm 5'5.

14. I rarely drink anything but diet coke

15. I've held a koala bear.

16. I've been snorkelling in the great barrier reef.

17. Ice skating scares the hell out of me, due to the fact your not in the control, the ice is.

18.When I was little I wanted to be a princess when I grew up lol

19. Lillies are my favourite flowers

20. - No one's ever bought me flowers lol

21.My favourite film is grease. 

22. My least favourite subjects at school was English.. I hated it so much

23.I am currently studying Law, Business studies and ICT at A-level.

24. I passed all of my GCSE's

25.My lucky number is 3.

26. I'm not really scared of anything except spiders. 

27. I once got asked out by someone famous.. (well someone off of the only way is Essex lol does that count as famous haha!)

28. I wish my legs weren't so skinny!

29. I hate feet.

30.  I work for jacques-vert, its a high end fashion group.

31. I've never broken any bones (touchwood!!)

32. I have very expensive taste!

33. I'm addicted to magazines lol

34. I'm happiest when spending money! Haha

35. Beyonce is my favourite singer.

36. I want to live in america. (Preferably have an apartment in new york that i can visit at christmas! Haha)

37. I want to get married in italy and have a big church wedding 

38. I don't really like mac make up. Chanel or YSL is my favourite make up brand. 

39. I'd love to adopt one day.

40. I'm a march baby :D

41. My favourite colour is pink. (so typical lol)

42.  I received an award for most positive improvement throughout my primary school.

43. I love law. Criminal law especially, it really interests me.

44. I love partying and having a good time.

45. With my very first pay check I bought myself an ipad haha

46.My pet peeve is people that don't say please or thank you! It's not hard. It's just basic manners, it really annoys me.

47. I can type 80 words a minute.

48. I take a size 5.5 or a 6 shoe.

49. Chinese is my favourite food.

50.  Thinking about the future excites me.


I hope you enjoyed this different blog post, It was so hard to think of 50 facts haha! I love to see 50 facts about some of you, if you decide to do this tag then please comment below so I can check them out! :D

xxxxxxxxxx