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OOTD: Tis The Season for Vintage Christmas Jumpers

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Jumper* – Beyond Retro | Trousers – Topshop | Boots: Topshop

Thinking back to this time last year, I had one Christmas jumper…and I wasn’t a particularly big fan of wearing it. Fast forward and already I have three this year alone. One of those is from Beyond Retro (if you would kindly look at the photos above), which I’m trying desperately hard to pretend isn’t my favourite (so the others don’t feel left out).

If you had told me a few months ago that I would be wearing a vintage Christmas jumper I would have laughed in your face. When I think of vintage Christmas jumpers, I think of cheesy, itchy woollen things that your nan forced you to wear when you were 10. Well I was proved wrong with this little number, which was expertly handpicked for me by the Beyond Retro team. I never have much luck at finding vintage items that suit my personal style, so I was over the moon when I saw the Christmas jumper they had chosen for me. Clearly I need to go shopping with my own BR stylist. Daydreaming aside, this gorgeous piece has restored my faith in Christmas jumpers, and I already know I will be getting into the festive spirit and wearing it as much as possible. I wonder if I can get away with wearing it after Christmas? Who am I kidding? When something’s this fabulous, of course you can!

Pssst, if you missed my post on BR’s Christmas jumper pop-up, you can read it here. You can also view their amazing selection online at Beyond Retro.

bloomzy /

A Peek Inside… My Little Cosy Box

This month’s theme is ‘My Little Cosy Box’. I was so excited when I heard of the theme, as like every other person in existence, I love Autumn. Autumn to me is a month to cosy up at home and relax, and I was so hoping that this month’s box would reflect that feeling…


What was inside My Little Cosy Box?
– Illustration by Kanako
– Espresso Cup designed by Kanako
– Tsumori Chisato ‘Hot Water Bottle’
– My Little Beauty Mascara
– Essie Nail Polish
– Star Liner Kohl Pencil
– My Little World Magazine


What did I think?
Unfortunately I don’t have too much to say about this month’s box as I am rather underwhelmed by it all. At first I was giddy at the sight of Tsumori Chisato’s name, but that quickly turned to disappointment when I realised that the ‘hot water bottle’ was no more than a relaxation pillow. After a long day at work it was a novelty for all of 5 minutes…before I realised I’d never use it again. The print was also a bit of a let down – it didn’t scream Tsumori Chisato like a lot of her work does – it just seemed very generic. As for the beauty products; I don’t use kohl eyeliner, and the Essie polish shade is off-season and just outright hideous (for my personal taste). I thought I had found my saving grace in the mascara though. It adds amazing length and volume…but smudges like no one’s business, which is a big turn off. Kanakos illustration and the ridiculously cute espresso cup are the only items I can see myself making use of. I don’t actually drink espresso but I have used it to store a candle on my office desk, whilst the print will go up on my wall. Overall this month’s box was a real let down, which says a lot when I hold My Little Box in such high esteem. It’s a shame, but hopefully December’s box will remind me of why I love the brand.


If you fancy subscribing yourself, head to My Little Box.

bloomzy /

OOTD: It’s Beginning To Look Alot Like…

Cardigan *- Mantaray at Debenhams | T-shirt* – Missguided | Trousers – Topshop
 
To say I’m beginning to get excited for Christmas would be an understatement. I love this time of year. Not because of the gift giving – although I do love to give gifts – but because of the feeling that comes with the season. December is probably the best month of the year. It’s difficult to explain, but things feel different. People are generally happier and act kinder, which is always noticeable when you’re living in London. Even the weather doesn’t seem so bad. I love to layer up, and my new cardigan from Debenhams offers a Nordic-inspired take on the usual Christmas sweater. Sure, it may be bitterly cold outside, but it’s ok because I can snuggle up in my blanket scarf with a big mug of tea and binge on chocolate and Netflix. It’s a special time of year, and I love it.
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Feeling Festive at The Beyond Retro Christmas Jumper Pop-up

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Beyond Retro has always been known for quality vintage goods, and now they’re also bringing some Christmas cheer with their latest pop-up shop in Old Street station. The store is aptly named the Christmas Jumper Store, because that’s mainly what you’ll find here. That said, there are other festive goods in-store too, such as scarves, party dresses, accessories and faux fur coats.

I first stopped by for the launch party where we sang carols and perused the store, whilst sipping on Babycham. It felt very Christmasy indeed. I left with a specially handpicked vintage Christmas jumper, which I can’t wait to debut on the blog soon. I also found the most amazing full-length emerald lace dress (with a beautiful art deco style back). It was just perfect, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Luckily for me, when I went back a few days later, it was still there. So I snapped it up, but not before I tried on everything else. There are so many hidden gems that I had to be dragged away by Ben, as I kept picking up piece after piece. Prices are more than reasonable, and the stock has been expertly selected.

If you fancy getting lost amongst the rails too, you can visit the Beyond Retro Christmas Jumper Pop-up at Old St station.

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Wish List: Santa’s Little Helper

Every year friend’s and family ask me to publish a wish list on my blog. So this year I decided to try out something a little different – The Greedy Book. What is it? “Described as the home of the wish list, they’re an amazing discovery platform that provides you with your very own corner of the internet to collate your ultimate wish list, an eclectic mixture of your favourite things.”

I liked the look of the platform as it allowed me to add items easily, whilst simultaneously adding the price and notes. I personally used the notes section to add any sizing or colour preferences I had, which will hopefully offer some help and also open up a new spectrum of gifts. I had a lot of fun putting my items together and into their own little books, and if I wasn’t so blasé about Christmas gifts (for myself) I imagine I’d be able to spend hours adding items to them. I actually prefer giving presents at Christmas, which TGB is also useful for. The site gives you the option of making your books private, meaning you can hide your gift ideas away somewhere safer (and a lot easier) than your bookmark bar. I’ve only created a few books so far; using the option to separate my wish lists into different categories – fashion & beauty, accessories and home. Even so, this makes it easier for friends and family who may want to buy me something specific. All in all, it’s been super helpful, and although I think the site would be better with a bit more customisation, it works perfectly well. I can see myself using this long after Christmas for friends/family birthdays…maybe even for my birthday in January too?

You can view my Christmas wish lists at The Greedy Book.

bloomzy /

Review: O’right Golden Rose Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

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O’right Golden Rose Oil Shampoo and Conditioner*
 
Ever since I had a mishap with a DIY bleach kit several years ago I have been using shampoos and conditioners that predominately feature natural/organic ingredients. I’ve found they help hydrate my dry/coarse hair (something I’ve always had, even before the bleach) whilst also keeping my coloured hair bright. So when O’right – a brand that prides themselves on being the ‘world’s greenest haircare brand’ – offered to send me some of their products I was eager to learn more about them.

“The O’right factory, based in Taiwan, is also the world’s first carbon neutral cosmetics plant – which also doubles as a nature park for locals and uses 100% clean energy. It is so green, it doesn’t even hire smokers! O’right packaging is 100% biodegradable and some of its products actually grow into Acacia trees when planted. It’s the only hair care product that yields a negative carbon footprint. The product itself is as natural as it can be (min of 95% natural ingredients).”


Now that’s pretty impressive.

Pros:
+ Smells lovely
+ Helps lock in colour
+ Minimalist packaging
+ Let my hair soft and smooth
+ Lathers amazingly well for a natural shampoo
 
Cons:
– Left my hair feeling greasy
 
Notes:
It’s difficult to get the perfect shampoo/conditoner, and this was so close. I really like the simple packaging of the products, and how easy they are to use (way too many conditioners make it difficult to get the product out). The shampoo lathers amazingly, something which can often be a problem with natural shampoos. The conditioner doesn’t feel heavy on the hair, and like the shampoo, smells nice and refreshing. My hair was left feeling soft and smooth on the ends but unfortunately the roots were greasy. For someone who has naturally dry hair this was a big problem, as I don’t really know how to deal with greasy hair. I also found it odd as I only apply conditioner to the ends of my hair, not the roots. My only reasoning is that the ingredients used just don’t sit well on my hair. Hair is a very personal thing so I don’t want to go and say that this will happen to everyone. Instead I’m just going to conclude that this particular product doesn’t work on my type of hair. Prices start around £15, which may seem like a lot, but not when you consider the process and ingredients that have gone into this product.
Everything aside, I’d like to say how much I’d love to shake the hand of O’right’s CEO, Steven Ko. Creating a green product is not easy but it’s so important, and Steven has done an amazing job with these products.
You can purchase O’right’s Golden Rose Oil Shampoo and Golden Rose Oil Conditioner at O’right, and at Harvey Nichols.
bloomzy /

OGX Hair Lunch at The Gilbert Scott Restaurant

Both food and beauty in one sitting…what more could I ask for? OGX must be able to read minds, as they recently invited me for a sneak peek of some of their up-coming launches, over lunch at The Gilbert Scott Restaurant. The venue for the press event was the perfect choice. TGS is a part of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, and much like it’s counterpart it is incredibly stunning.

We were sat in a private dining room lined with products from the OGX haircare range. I recognised some old faithfuls, and some new shiny products. I was impressed to see that some of the American team (OGX is an American brand) had flown over especially for the event. What better way to find out about a brand than through their own people? I’ve been using OGX’s shampoos and conditioners for several years. I even remember when they were called Organix. The ranges are fun and vibrant, and allow you to mix and match – something that most haircare brands don’t offer. We were given a small presentation on the brand and what we could expect from them in 2015. OGX always stay up to date with the latest haircare trends and ingredients, and their latest ‘Coconut Water‘ range mirrors this perfectly. They knew that people loved putting coconut water into their bodies, so why not on their bodies hair too? The shampoo and conditioner are currently available in-stores, however the Coconut Water Hydrating Oil will be released in January, and I know you’re all going to love it. The Lemon Highlights range is another sneak peek that you’ll find hitting UK stores in the new year. It uses coconut oil to give highlighted hair a healthy, shiny glow. It smells divine and I can only imagine how sun kissed hair will look after using it. Finally, we were told all about the Kukui Oil range, something that spoke to me personally – a shampoo/conditioner that reduces frizz and locks in moisture. There is a God! I’ve made a mental note to put the coconut oil and kukui products in my basket next time I visited Boots.

I’ll be reviewing some of the latest OGX products on the blog soon, so keep an eye out on here and in stores! You can purchase OGX products in Boots and Superdrug.