The perfect bedroom

I saw this on the decorista's tumblr. Oh My Word!!! I fell in love *with the exception of the curtains :)* I honestly loved it. I know that the person that put together the room would be giving me death stares if they heard me saying I didn't like the curtains, but any who. Different tastes I guess. Moving on.

I just honestly love the colour combination in this room - the hint of green works so well...
Everything just works :) *stupid grin on my face*

Mulberry love...

What my Mulberry bag collection would look like. I love these :). Some of these bags I saw and got an instant smile on my face. *I think that was the bag collector in me*

via Mulberry

Inspiration

Definitions Vinyl Words & Wall Quotes #10

Wise words Mondays

via decorista

The impact of Blogs

This is a video I found on YouTube that I wanted to share with you. Speaks about how blogging has now become a community of individuals working together *comparing the number of similar videos that get uploaded*


A lot of what is being said here is so true, especially from my own personal experience. I find that I identify more with personal experiences of how people "like" certain products than when an ad plays on TV.

My love of colour and decor

So I tried multitasking and I ended up deleting a post I uploaded a day or 2 ago. I was going through the web and found this publication from Adore... Go on and look through it, find some inspiration ;)

I just really love the colours used here. Now; before I go on and on about this publication here is a link :) Enjoy...

Open publication - Free publishing

Information Share

This freaked me out a little, no a lot actually. After reading this *the below post* I went home and looked at the ingredients used in the products that I use everyday. And yes, I'm going out of my mind here. I feel like now I have to change everything I've ever used since. To be more careful of all skin products that I may want to buy - Google every little thing that is on those products... *Goodness - I feel overwhelmed*

Note: the products in the post below were part of the post from Stylescoop

Do you know what’s in your beauty products?

April 19, 2012 By Dimi Ingle 0

I received such an awesome article from Harmless House – a local online store that sells premium organic bath and body products – and it really got me thinking! It’s scary to think that the very same beauty products we’re using to keep our skin beautiful, can also cause so much damage in the long the run! Have a read below, this article will really open your eyes…

A supermarket aisle is the ideal place to see people’s priorities illustrated. Down the food aisles, people are reading ingredients list- checking for artificial colourants, the fat content, is this bag of lettuce organic? However, in the body product aisle someone may stop to smell a new deodorant, but otherwise they are chucking in the good ‘old faithful’s’- the shampoo, the body wash, shave gel, body cream, and deodorant. But with the average person applying 126 unique ingredients to their skin everyday- are the products we use not worth some consideration? Nobody stops to turn the bottle over- because what could possibly be in a body product that wouldn’t be good for you?

One of the most common cosmetic ingredients is parabens, an ingredient which has had a fair amount of research done on it in the last few years. Parabens are used to extend the shelf life of products as they prohibit the growth of mold and bacteria- essentially a preservative. They fall under many names, but the most common ones are: Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben and Isobutylparaben.

But, it’s only going on your skin- right? So it doesn’t really matter?

Sadly this thinking could not be further from the truth. The chemicals in the food we eat are filtered through our kidneys and liver and a percentage at least is excreted from the body. What is applied to the skin however is absorbed straight into the blood stream- this is why nicotine patches work. Chemicals from our products are often deposited and stored in fat around the body- in the case of parabens, research is suggesting that these particular chemicals often accumulate in breast tissue. Approximately 75 to 90% of products use parabens, with water being the one ingredient used more frequently.

So, what is the cost of having these chemicals in our products?

Parabens mimic oestrogen which is one of the factors in the development of breast cancer. Research is starting to show a frightening link between cancer and the products we use. Recent research published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology in January 2012 found parabens present in 99% of breast cancer tissues tested.

Kate Townshend, Founder of Harmless House said, “The reason these ingredients feature in almost all products and most governments do not require health studies to be conducted on body products before they are released onto the market. A lot of the ‘problem ingredients’ are still used in products today because they are the cheapest available option and manufacturers are more concerned with their bottom line than they are with the consumers safety.”

What to do from now on:

A bit of knowledge can go a long way, and almost everything you need to know is on the back of the bottle. Along with learning what to avoid and watch out for, also learn which ingredients are good. Avoiding parabens is an excellent first step, but there are many other ingredients to look out for too. A product that is ‘natural’ means very little, and holds no weight legally. An organic certification is a good way to know that your product contains not only natural ingredients, but organic ingredients too.

There are alternative products out there that are natural and certified organic. These products do not contain any parabens or any other chemically derived ingredients. The brands represented by Harmless House are harmless to people, animals and the environment and do not contain any parabens, chemical foaming agents or synthetic fragrances. Using natural products can contribute to healthy skin and a healthy body in the long term.

Harmless House offers a complete range of natural and certified organic bath and body products, so if you care about maintaining the integrity of your skin and keeping it beautiful while at the same time healthy and happy, check out their range on www.harmlesshouse.co.za

Shopping on their site is fabulous and if you spend over R1000, you get your products delivered free of charge! Plus, as a StyleScoop reader, you get 15% off all your products! Just enter code “STYLESCOOP” when prompted.

What’s your view on Organic Skincare?

Dancing to the sweet melody ;)

Came across this while on Youtube. I LOVE it... It has that youthfulness about it. An I dont have a care in the world, I just want live and have fun beat :).

Taken from the song itself:
awoo... X4
Take me home today,
take me out to play,
take me back into that sweet, sweet melody.
A song about - I believe - finding yourself *I could be wrong*

Borrowed Post :: MANGO

MANGO - 20%

The MANGO fashion chain has adapted to the new economic situation and is to sell its collection at more competitive prices

MANGO is committed to a 20% price reduction this season to adapt to the new global economic situation, in a major effort to achieve better quality, lower prices and offer on-trend products to its customers. The new pricing strategy will come into effect with the launch of the Spring Summer 2012 Collection in SA stores in July 2012.

MANGO has decided to include the price factor as a positive and differential element in its advertising campaign, which this season features the iconic fashion model Kate Moss. The brand has launched an extensive campaign on television, which is being broadcast in 38 countries, on CLP circuits in major cities worldwide and in the top fashion magazines.

What is more, being Spain’s most international fashion brand, MANGO is continuing to present its collections at the international fashion shows it holds every season in Barcelona, Istanbul, Moscow and Shanghai.

The firm, which began its international expansion in 1992 with the opening of two franchises in Portugal, now has 2,415 stores in 107 countries and is Spain's second biggest exporter of women’s fashion. Its concept is based on an alliance between a quality product, in accordance with the latest fashion trends, and an affordable price.

The firm closed the 2010 financial year with a turnover of 1.27 billion euros for the MANGO MNG Holding S.L. Consolidated Group and subsidiary companies, a figure that corresponds to R.R.P. sales excluding VAT for company-owned stores, plus wholesale sales to franchises. Sales for the MANGO Chain (R.R.P. sales excluding VAT) were 1.59 billion euros. Given the major international presence of the brand, 81% of turnover corresponds to foreign markets, and the remaining 19% to the domestic market.

The latest campaign features Kate Moss (above) and was shot by Terry Richardson.

via iFashion

Things that keep my mind blank

TV has a way of making the problems of the world vanish... Just going blank for a few minutes :D. In saying so, these are just a few of the series that are keeping my mind blank for a few hours a day.

1. Whitney

2. Ringer

3. New Girl

4. Once Upon a Time

5. Are you there Chelsea?

6. Vampire Diaries

7. 2 Broke Girls

8. Basketball Wives

9. Grey's Anatomy

10. Revenge *forgot to google pic - I can't believe me ;)*

11. The Game

12. Gossip Girl

13. Hart of Dixie

I think there's more - but I just had to stop somewhere. Thank you for reading!

Borrowed Post :: Avoiding Nail Polish Bubbles

AVOIDING NAIL POLISH BUBBLES

photo: spencer higgins, post designed by kristin ess

So annoying– You finish your mani, it looks amazing and then a short time later you look down to see bubbles in your polish. Here are some ways to avoid that problem…

1. Don’t shake your polish bottle. Try rolling it between the palms of your hands instead. Shaking the polish vigorously creates a bazillion little bubbles that you can’t see… until they rise! If you absolutely have to shake the bottle to mix your color, do so and then wait about half an hour so all the bubbles can surface before you start your mani.
2. Avoid thick polish. The thicker the polish, the longer bubbles will take to surface. A new bottle of polish is thinner and the bubbles rise quicker. You can add a couple drops of polish remover to thin out thick polish, but just remember that adding acetone/remover weakens the bond between the polish and your nail. AKA: it will probably start to chip sooner.
3. Keep the lids on your polish. Sometimes we forget to screw the lids down while doing nail art or cleaning up the cuticles. The longer you leave the lid off, the more air gets in and the more the polish will thicken and thick polish is a bubble trap!
4. Use a base coat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen bubbles in a base coat. Have you? Laying a proper foundation for your polish is a must when trying to avoid bubbles.
5. Do your nails in a cool, dry place. If you’re body temp is up, heat will radiate and can actually cause polish bubbles. If temperatures are high where you are, try using a small fan to dry/cool your nails right after polish is applied. Soaking or running your hands in cold water and then drying them before you start painting can also help if it’s hot out.
6. Let the first coat dry completely. I’ve noticed that with some polishes, you have to let the first coat fully dry before applying the second coat to avoid bubbles. If you don’t have time to let the first coat dry entirely, at least make sure you’re using a polish with a “quick dry” label.
7. Lift the brush as little as possible. On your first coat, try doing long strokes instead of short quick strokes with the brush. I find that the quicker shorter strokes will push air into the polish. If you need to do short quick strokes to get to a certain spot, do it on the second round after the first coat dries all the way.

These are some tricks that have really helped us with doing TBD manicures. What tricks do you have for avoiding bubbles in your polish?

Borrowed from : The beauty department

Sitting pretty :: Books

Warning : This is a post about pretty "superficial" looking things ;).

I'm falling in love with book covers that look pretty, yes - just pretty covers. I don't think the following books would have to make any significant change in your life; maybe just give you inspiration about putting outfits together - *or whatever it may be*. Nothing too hectic, a book you can just browse through and maybe *if you want* forget about 5 minutes after putting it down.

These are just some of the books I would love to display on a coffee table or dresser just for the sake of displaying.

*images from madebygirl and google ;)

Winter special :: Scarves

As the tittle says, this post is all about scarves. My posts are going to be more winter focused from now on because it's the season we are currently experiencing. Well - it's autumn, but it just feels as cold as winter sometimes. So ja... Scarves! All of the scarves are from Woolies I believe ;).

I'm obsessed with scarves, they just give you that additional "thing" *loss for words :)* to your outfit. This forms part of me adding a pop of colour to the usual Black, Brown and Greys that are winter.

All about Nails

Hi Everyone

Since winter is fast approaching, there are some spring/summer colours that I would love to incorporate into my everyday winter wardrobe. With fashion weeks that have come and gone, these are just some of the fun colours that have captured my attention...

I'm really loving the I Love Lasting Finish Fruities collection. Will give posts as to which colours I've added to my collection. Currently consisting of :

Now ladies... We all love painting our nails, but for me the irritation that comes with that is the yellowing of the nails when I use nail polish remover. Now here's a trick that I use when removing nail polish. Pouring warm water *a little on the hot side-but please don't burn yourself* in the basin. Put you fingers in the water and just peel the nail polish off. It's fast and doesn't require any of the chemicals involved in using remover...

images courtesy of http://rimmel.rimmellondon.com & makeup4all.com

I Blame Youtube

Hi Everyone...

Yes I have been on a hiatus for a while. I feel like I've been neglecting blogging lately. This is can be explained by - Youtube took me away from blogging ;) *looks around to see if people believe me :D*... That is my only excuse except I've just been too lazy to post anything. SO! I've decided to dedicate this post to channels that I have been obsessing over for the past few weeks...

Oh in other news... I was going through the web as I usually do ;) and found this!!!! Exciting news indeed (this is an old post so please forgive me). Please don't get me wrong... I love local brands, but I'm kinda excited for the possibility of this, with Zara already creating its mark in the country. Now with all the youtube channels that I have been watching and mentions of Topshop on ALL of them - the following post is making me all giddy.

BY

LINDSAY

– AUGUST 5, 2011

Finally! Some good news for all us fashion obsessed South African residents. No longer will we have to save and wait for our summer trips to London or New York. There’ll be no need to shop online and pay the exorbitant import fees. No more of this my friends because Topshop, the legendary UK fashion retailer, is about to set up shop on our shores. This is according to the Topshop SA Facebook page, who first broke the news on March 6^th 2011.

For those of you who don’t know, Topshop is pretty much a God among mere insects in the world of high street chain stores. The quality of the fabrics they use and the designs they sell cannot be rivaled. Ask any woman about to leave on holiday to the UK about what she’s most looking forward to and you can expect her answer to include a lament about her excitement to go shopping in Topshop. The arrival of Topshop in SA will hopefully just be the beginning of a flood of arrivals of international fashion brands. Zara, the Spanish fashion line, has been rumored to be launching in SA for about a year now but we’ve yet to see this come into fruition. We’re also still lacking in the H&M, Gap and American Apparel departments. Topshop’s launch, and presumed success, will hopefully be the pushing factor for a host of other companies to bring their wares our way.

Topshop is also famous for their frequent collaborations with various designers and celebrities. Like H&M, whose partnership with the French fashion house Lanvin last year saw thousands of fashionistas lining up outside stores, waiting for the pieces to go on sale, Topshop’s collaborations create a similar frenzy. Their “Kate Moss for Topshop” line, which launched a considerable number of years ago, is still one of the company’s biggest sellers and their subsequent work with the likes of Christopher Kane and Ashish has been similarly successful. According to the Topshop SA fan page, their launch in South Africa, which was originally scheduled for July 2011, will now take place in November, to coincide with the debut of Lady Gaga’s collaboration with the store. This will no doubt cause a riot amongst Gaga and fashion fans alike and ensure an astoundingly successful opening for Topshop’s first South African branch.

The first store will be launching in Johannesburg with the subdivision for guys, Topman, opening as well. Cape Town and Durban’s locations are yet to be announced but hopefully these will follow not too long after. So, get excited boys and girls because once Topshop enters our lives, every day street style will never be the same in South Africa.