Perfect scent: Miss Dior eau de parfum

My old favourite perfume, Daisy by Marc Jacobs, will forever be a classic, but my new love since this Christmas has to be Miss Dior eau de parfum. I'm sure many of you have discovered this beauty a long time ago but I had never felt the desire to make a purchase (due to the high end price tag) until this winter when I was on the look out for a new scent for 2015. 

I've bought the smallest size to try it out and coming in at £46.50 for 30ml, it's certainly at the top of my range! 

I suppose the question you'd all like answering (if you haven't snaffled yourself a bottle already) is - is it worth it? 

YES!! 

Unquestionably this perfume is a must have! The sweet delicate smell makes you feel so elegant each and every time you wear it. The cute little bottle and packaging add to it's adorable appeal. 

My Miss Dior looks ever so ladylike sat I my dressing table. 

One thing is for sure - this is the perfume that will be taking me through 2015! 

Happy New Year lovelies! 

Little Vintage Rose 

xxx 

Autumns arrived! ... life update ❤️

Well where on earth has all that time gone?! It doesn't seem like two minutes ago since I signed off from here to focus on my exams in August and now it's Halloween already! Scary!! (Pun intended hahaha!) 

I thought the best place to start was probably to just fill you all in on my life since then, so here goes ... 

I passed my exams for my second year of uni (hallelujah!) and jetted off soon after to Gran Canaria with my boyfriend for a well earned holiday :) 

My boyfriend (Alex) and me on holiday in September 

It was beautiful weather and such a lovely place! If you haven't been there I definitely recommend it - we stayed at the Radisson Blu resort on the south side of the island and it was like a little paradise! 

Since then it's been back to the reality of work (boo!) but in between there's been many shopping trips as I've been updating my wardrobe ready for the autumn/winter season! Watch this space for lots of autumn fashion tips and styles... 

I did manage to get away one weekend in September to go to a family wedding which was absolutely adorable to say the least! 

Alex and me at his cousins wedding in late September 

As autumn suddenly arrived out of nowhere I decided to have a quick revamp with my hair and took the plunge to have a fringe put back in eek! I'm really pleased with it so far - what do you think?! 

My new hair style ^^^ 

That pretty much brings it all up to date without boring you with work haha!! 

I think this weekend will have to be dedicated to trying to get Christmas all planned out - I do like to be an early bird with such things! 

I was so disappointed I missed out on the benefit advent calendar this year though! It looked amazing!! My sister and I have decided to make each other our own instead - is anyone else going to make their own beauty advent calendar? :) 

I'd love to know what's happened with you recently? 

Have you got any plans for Christmas yet or started your Christmas shopping? 

Make sure you leave a comment below!! :)

Bye for now, 

LVR 

xxx

Dream big, little one

I'm afraid this isn't a beauty review or my newest pretty dress post as I'm feeling rather philosophical this evening (if that's the right word to desrcibe this). With my exams fast approaching I find my evenings thoughts wandering to all the things I'd love to do and achieve (in my revision breaks of course...promise) and also taking a little time to think about all the things I have achieved. 

I'm not sure if I'm the only one but I often find it very difficult to see all the things I've done for myself over the years and how much I've actually accomplished, especially when I'm rather bogged down in the latest challenge heading my way. 

Passing a-levels, learning to drive, getting my first full time job and working through my uni degree are all things I take for granted as if I should just do them. We all achieve so many things and are often even praised by others for them, but I believe it's very few of us who stand back and be proud of what we've done. 

I could list forever all the things that people may or may not have done, as everyone is different. (What have you done that you're proud of? Let me know in the comments :)) I find that difficult to comprehend sometimes too. We don't all achieve the same things, but nor do we have the same goals, wants or ambitions in life and as such we're all on our own little paths towards what we see as the light at the end of our own tunnel. It's important to remember this - 'Comparison is, afterall, the thief of joy'. 

My thoughts that brought me round to these musings started with thinking about how I deal with my exams, so I'll leave you with my starting thoughts; when I sit at my desk with the paper I front of me, in those few precious moments before I can start the exam, it always, to me, feels like some sort of eye of a storm - a moment amidst the stresses of revision and exams in which there is nothing more than me and that paper. No one is going to do it for me. Some sort of magic isn't going to happen. Nor will sheer adrenalin get me through. I have to answer the paper. Me. And whatever anyone else around me writes doesn't matter one bit to my results and where I can go from there. 

I feel this is a perspective we should all apply to many aspects of our lives. We have to achieve things for ourselves, regardless of what others appear to be achieving around us. 

Remember - only believe half of what you see others doing, and none of what they tell you. They may only have the best of intentions rather than the courage to act. 

Dream big, little one. 

Lots of love, 

Little Vintage Rose 

Xx 

Beauty | Everyday Make up Routine

An everyday make up routine is one of the hardest things to master for me. I can see your confusion so let me explain... I want my everyday make up to be quick and easy to do (so it sort of looks like you haven't made much effort but have naturally managed to look stunning- that's what we all want to look like right?!), to last all day, to be photo ready in case a spontaneous co-worker gets snap happy during the day (yes this has happened to me, and yes you did read it right I'm an accountant - but that's a story for another day haha) and one which uses products which last a while (as I'm using them everyday) and doesn't set me back a months wages everytime I need to replace everything. 

So as you can see it's quite a task to satisfy all these wants, and as I feel over the past few months or so I've somewhat mastered it I thought I'd share my favourite products, tools and top tips with you all :) I'd love to know your little beauty secrets too so remember to comment below!! 

Left to right; top to bottom: 

Benefit Cosmetics 'They're Real!' Mascara 

Rimmel London Matte BB Cream in Light 

Benefit Cosmetics The Pore-fessional pro balm (primer) 

Bourjois eyebrow pencil in 04 Blond Foncé 

Rimmel London 'Wake Me Up' concealer in 010 Ivory 

Eco tools blush brush (I use it for powder though - oops!) 

Superdrug own brand blush brush (which I actually use for blush!) 

Maybelline EyeStudio eyeshadow in 605 Beige Nude 

Bourjois little round pot of blush in 95 Rose de Jaspe 

DiorSkin Forever Compact Powder in 010 (lightest shade with pink undertones) 

As you can see, most of the products I use are drugstore ones with the exception of a few, but I often use drugstore replacements for these so if you're looking for cheaper alternatives which do pretty much the same job, my top ones are: 

Mascara - Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Black Mascara 

Primer - Maybelline New Baby Skin 

Powder - Rimmel London Stay Matte powder (which I've ran out of - I really need to buy some more!!) 

All of the products above last pretty much the whole working day for me, but as I do have super oily skin I tend to just dab a bit of extra powder on at lunch. The other plus is that the concealer is super duper at covering up tired eyes (does as it says on the tin!) and blemishes too meaning flawless skin can happen everyday - yay! I do have a full set of Real Techniques make up brushes but to be honest I never have time in a morning to get them out and use them so the only things I apply with brushes are my powder and blush, on a daily basis. 

My top everyday tips! 

1. Dab concealer! You've heard this one before I know, but this made the biggest difference to me when I found this out! Don't rub concealer if applying it with your fingers as you basically rub the whole lot off again! Just dab it with your ring finger to blend and voila - blemishes and dark circles will be gone! 

2. Pop some of the light eyeshadow on the inner corners of your eyes and just over the first part of the eyelid to brighten them up! I find it's best not to wear eyeshadow all over the lid if you're after a natural look in the daytime. 

3. When you've finished applying blusher to the apples of your cheeks and they're looking lovely and rosy, lightly sweep the blush brush over the top of your forehead, round your jawline and down your nose and chin. It adds a touch of warmth and colour back - which is needed if you have to use powder over your whole face to avoid oily-ness like me! Remember not to put extra blusher onto the brush before doing this though or you'll apply too much and end up looking flushed instead! (Nope I definitely haven't done that before ... ahem) 

The finished look! 

I hope you find my top tips useful! If you try or have tried any of the products or something similar then let me know as I'd love to try out your favourite products and top tips too :) 

If you hear slightly less from me over the next 3 weeks ish it's because I have exams coming up! Boo! :( but I will be back posting lots and lots once they're over at the start of September :) 

Lots of love and bye for now, 

Little Vintage Rose 

Xx 

Summer Fashion | Ted Baker Bikini

I've been going on about this super cute bikini from the start of my blog and early this week it finally arrived! Eeeek!! I've taken a few photos to show how it really looks as I'm sure everyone knows that website photos don't quite show things how they really are. I know, I know... I should've taken a picture of myself in it to really show what it looks like but far too many chocolate bars have been consumed for that so no such photo shall be posted I'm afraid (sincerest apologies). 

Anyway it is gorgeous!! In true glam style it arrived in a cute Ted Baker cardboard box packaged ever so nicely with tissue and protective covers. I'm not usually the type of person to make such extravagant purchases and needless to say my mum has already made a comment or two about 'watching what I spend' - oops! Sorry mum! And at ahem... £68 it was certainly not a cheap buy! Butttt it certainly is a good example of you get what you pay for. I bought Ted size 2 - equivalent to size 10 - which is my normal size and it fits perfectly! No unsightly muffin top like you can get with ill-fitting bikini bottoms and the underwired top is the perfect shape. All round fabulous.

It's not quite as pastel as it appears on the website but it is still pale pink and ever so cute with it's girly floral pattern. The clasp at the back is Rose gold in colour (I love rose gold so this was a bonus!!) and is engraved with the logo. I could go on forever but if you're after a high end bikini for your summer holiday this is certainly a brilliant choice! It is worth every penny. If, similar to myself, you've struggled to find any bikinis you like this year, I think it's worth investing in one that you'll keep rather than 2/3 that you'll only use for one holiday. 

Here's a few photos in natural light :) let me know if you've found any similar bikinis (preferably cheaper!!). Or if you've got any questions about the fit or style let me know! 

P.s how cute are the little mini hangers  that came with it?! 

What have you all bought for your summer holidays? :) 

Lots of love, 

Little Vintage Rose

Xx 

Budget Beauty | Skincare routine for £4

If you've followed my blog so far you'll know I have blemish prone skin and spend a lot of time (and money!) finding skincare and make up products to keep my skin clear. Having tried both budget and high end products I've tried to gain a balance between products that work and not paying the earth for them! 

There's a few staple items that I do think are worth the money, such as Clinique's anti blemish solutions moisturiser (£19) which is by far the best I've found. (I'll be posting a full review of it soon!) 

My most recent find is the tea tree range at Superdrug. Having just ran out of Clinique's cleanser and toner plus paying for my holiday, I was looking for a budget replacement to help clear my skin. (This hot weather has not helped at all for keeping blemishes away) I stumbled across Superdrug's tea tree range whilst out shopping on Saturday and as it was on offer - 2 items for £4 - thought it was at least worth a try! It is AMAZING!! Especially for the price! 

The foaming facial wash: 

I've used tea tree products before, and must admit I've always found them great for my skin, but sometimes a little too harsh hence why I've never settled to using one regularly. This foaming facial wash comes in a handy pump that works really well (unlike some others I've found) and you only need one or two pumps for each face wash meaning it will last for ages! It isn't harsh on the skin but leaves it feeling clean and refreshed. I use it both morning and night and my skin doesn't feel dry at all - just lovely and clear! Plus it smells delicious due to the peppermint extract! 

The toner: 

The toner goes really well with the face wash and just takes away any extra bits of make up or dirt left on the skin after cleansing. It isn't harsh or drying, as long as a moisturiser is applied after use. It's made my skin so much softer and smoother since I've been using it day and night for 5 days, plus my skin has starting clearing up already too! 

Overall these products really do seem to do what they say - give a clearer looking complexion! There's lots of other products in the range too so I'll be trying more of them out after seeing such quick results using these! 

I highly recommend both the face wash and the toner to anyone who has blemish prone or oily skin and wants to clear it up for summer without drying their skin out. Even when the offer has finished these two products are only £3.28 each so they're worth a try - I'm sure you won't be disappointed! 

Have you tried the Superdrug tea tree range? Let me know if you have! :) 

Lots of love, 

Little Vintage Rose 

Xx 

Best Body Scrub for Sensitive Skin

   

My pot of 'Along came Betty' body polish has been my beauty saviour this summer. I've always had sensitive skin and every time I'd shave my legs I'd end up with stinging little red dots all over them which is less than ideal when usually the purpose of shaving my legs was to wear a dress or skirt without tights! 

I decided to google and see if any other bloggers had had the same problem and had come up with a solution. I switched to sensitive shavers and sensitive shaving foam but this didn't help at all. I then tried  using men's aftershave for sensitive skin (this was in fact my boyfriends suggestion!) as the whole point of that is to reduce the irritation of shaving for men so I thought it was worth a try! I couldn't actually find a similar thing for women but maybe there is something - does anyone know of an aftershave for women at all? I'd love to know if there are some! At first this did help and I used it all last summer. It made my legs sting a little (even using alcohol free ones) but prevented red dots and made my legs silky smooth! But unfortunately about October last year it stopped having the same effect and my sensitive skin flared up again. 

Just in case anyone is wondering I had previously tried hair removal creams and waxing but these left me with even worse rashes than shaving - so I really was running out of options! 

At this point I turned back to google and spent endless evenings trying to find what other girls with sensitive skin did to stop unsightly rashes after shaving. I then found an article about the importance of exfoliating and moisturising every time you shave - simple I know, and maybe I should have been doing this all along, but I just didn't realise what a difference it could make. So inspired by my findings I nipped to the shops and bought a body scrub and moisturiser straight away to try it out! Of course the solution couldn't be that simple (it never is with such things is it?!) and both the body scrub and moisturiser made my shaving rash even worse. As you can imagine I was beginning to feel rather fed up by this point and wasn't sure what else to do. 

I must admit I sort of gave up for a few weeks until my mum suggested moisturising with plain, unscented E45 cream (as this is what she always used when I was little for my sensitive skin). I thought I didn't have much to lose so bought some and inspired by the idea of using natural, simple products I went on the hunt for a natural body scrub! I didn't fancy paying the earth for one as I knew I'd have to use it every other day and wouldn't be able to afford to keep spending a lot of money on a new tub/bottle all the time so I was fairly limited with where I could look. It seems there are a few natural body scrubs out there, but they come with a hefty price tag. 

As usual Tesco came to the rescue with this fab body polish that contains natural ingredients including salt and sugar (for the scrubby bits) and apricot (to make it smell absolutely delicious)! It doesn't aggravate my skin and prevents little red dots forming after I shave too! Hallelujah! And at just £6 a pot, which lasts for ages (I've had mine two months and it's still half full) it's great value too. Team it up with moisturising with E45 cream (intense recovery for sensitive skin) after a shower or bath and voila! Smooth silky legs without a rash - even for super sensitive skin! If you have similar problems when shaving I cannot recommend it enough! The E45 cream is good too but I'm sure there are a few good unscented body lotions that would also be more than equal to the job and these are more easy to find at good prices in drugstores or supermarkets. 

My extra tip for super super silky smooth legs is to exfoliate, shave and then exfoliate and shave again! This helps to prevent ingrowing hairs and bring them to the surface so you can shave them off on the second go! It's best not to do it everytime you shave as it can dry sensitive skin out a bit, but it's good to know for when you need extra smooth legs in the summer! 

I hope you've perhaps found my post useful if you've had similar shaving issues! Let me know any of your top tips in the comments too as I'd love to know if there's anything else I should try out 😊 

Lots of love, 

Little Vintage Rose 

Xx