bloomzy /

5 Lifestyle Instagrams You Should Be Following

Yes, the ‘Instagram 5 Series‘ series is back, and better than ever! I’ve picked out 5 of my favourite Instagram accounts where you can find some lovely lifestyle inspiration.

Who? @parkncube
Why? I thought I’d start off with a well known little lady by the name of Shini Park – author of the blog Park & Cube. Luckily for us she also posts daily photos on Instagram, and if you’re like me, then her photos are probably why you fell in love with her blog in the first place. She documents her travels, and general day-to-day life in the form of some beautifully composed photos that could easily have come out of Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar.

Why? I only recently started following Hannah on Instagram, but it was love at first sight when I saw her photos. They’re clean, crisp and beyond classy, which is probably down to her design/textile background. I don’t think there is one photo of hers that has popped up on my timeline that I haven’t liked. It also helps that she’s a very sweet lady.

Why? Michiko Yamawaki is a Japanese stylist who I recently came upon as she styled a shoot for a Japanese model I also follow. I loved her photos as she made normal everyday things (like putting your shoes on, yes you did hear me correctly) look good. Her images are colourful and enticing yet still simplistic. 


Why? I love Yishyene, she’s such a bubbly and fun little lady. Her instagram is basically everything inside her colourful head (no hair colour pun intended) spewed out in the form of a photo. Sometimes simple and monochrome can be nice, but I also love an injection of colour, and that’s exactly what her photos bring.

Why? Van Anh is a fellow blogger with a love for food…need I say more? Ok you got me, it’s not the only reason I love her Instagram. This lovely lady knows how to use a camera and it comes across in her photos because each one looks as though she has put so much thought into the composition of it. I may enjoy her food photos but I love seeing anything she posts.
I often post lifestyle photos of my own, and you can follow me @bloomzy
Source: Please see individual Instagram accounts listed above.
bloomzy /

Primark’s Must-Have New Beauty Travel Bag!

Polka dot monogram beauty/travel bag
Lorna and I went on a bit of a Primark binge yesterday. We spent about an hour wandering around the Tottenham Court road store. After trying on all of the items we had hoarded, we decided to hit the beauty section. I wasn’t after a new beauty bag, but I did think my Whistles one was looking a bit meh. Then I saw this. You know when you find that gem amongst the rough of Primark items? Yeah that. I just loved everything about it, and I automatically began searching for an E. The polka dots. The gold letter monogram on the front. The double zips. It’s perfect. I can see this featuring on a lot of dressers, in bags, and on everyone’s Instagram. I fit all my necessities inside such as my lipsticks, lip balm, mirror, perfume etc. The double pockets mean you’re able to fit a whole bunch of stuff inside of it. It’s useful, chic and fun, with a design that will appeal to most people.
They seemed to have most letters available but certain ones were a bit sparse. 
So head to your local Primark to grab one before they go!!
bloomzy /

Where to Eat in London: Violet Cakes

Violet | Cafe | Dalston | Website
– reservations not available –

Violet’s is a well known cafe hidden in the heart of Dalston. You may have visited their stall on Broadway market on a lively Saturday. I headed to Violet’s cafe with my fiancé on a warm, Spring Saturday afternoon.

The first thing I noticed was how small the cafe was, and it’s surroundings. I know Dalston houses a variety of small establishments, but I wasn’t expecting to find a teeny tiny cafe in the middle of some houses. That didn’t dent my eagerness though as we snatched a seat from someone who was just leaving. Luckily the weather was gorgeous so we were fine sitting outside, however if it hadn’t been I fear our journey may have ended there, as there is no indoor seating. Inside the staff were busy making cakes and serving customers takeaway delicacies in little monogrammed paper bags. The staff were friendly, although noticeably rushed, however they didn’t let it affect them. We ordered some tea, and two toasties, as I’d heard from a friend that the toasties at Violet’s were pretty scrumptious. I loved the crockery that everything was served on, and it felt so in tune with the cafe – very granny-chic. Our toasties were as delicious as we’d been promised, if a little bit greasy for my tastes. Although the side of cornichons made me incredibly happy – they’re a favourite of mine. We left soon after but didn’t leave without grabbing a mini cupcake and whoopie pie for the walk home. The cakes have made Violet’s famous, and are why their Broadway market stall is sold out every weekend. So did they live up to their high standards? They certainly did. The cakes were moist, full of flavour and we devoured them in a second!

I can definitely see myself going back and buying more of Violet’s cakes.
They’d be absolutely perfect for a picnic in London Fields on a gorgeous Spring day.

You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato.

bloomzy /

Review: Illamasqua Shattered Star Marquise Nail Polish

Illamasqua Shattered Star Marquise Nail Polish, from the Glamore Collection*

Orange nail polish isn’t really something I’ve gone out of my way to wear. So when Illamasqua sent me their new Shattered Star Marquise Nail Polish, I internally thanked them for helping me to try something new and fun. There are actually two other shades in the Glamore collection; a champagne, and a pink – both of which are glitter polishes, like Marquise. Illamasqua claim that Marquise is highly pigmented, chip resistant and has a multi-dimensional glitter finish. Well I have a little something to say about that…
Subtle triangle nail art and swatch, using Illamasqua’s Marquise
Pros:
+ Highly pigmented
+ Chip resistant
+ Applies easily
+ Love the packaging
+ Long lasting
+ Opaque in one coat

Cons:
– Could dry quicker

Notes:
As you guessed, I don’t really have anything bad to say about this polish. Yes it does everything it claims to, and it does it with flare. Application can be something which a lot of brands go wrong on. Thanks to a good quality polish and brush Illamasqua has it down to a t. As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, I’ve never been a fan of orange polishes. Illamasqua may just have changed that though as Marquise is a gorgeous, highly pigmented glitter polish that looks amazing on. I really like the other shades in this collection (Trilliant & Fire Rose), but for me, Marquise is just so striking that it stands out from the rest. I can’t explain exactly how the glitter can have a multi-dimensional finish, because I don’t even fully understand that myself, but it does! It’s something unlike any other glitter polish I’ve used before. No it doesn’t dry in an instant, but then it doesn’t take a lifetime either; it just takes about as long as any other standard polish. I love Illamasqua for their high quality, highly-pigmented make-up products and this polish lives up to all of those. For £15 it may seem like a lot, but a little goes a long way (it’s opaque in one coat), and it really is worth paying for this kind of quality.
Marquise is currently out of stock on Illamasqua‘s website, however it is also available in-store.
bloomzy /

Review: Shiseido Fullmake Washable Base

Shiseido FWB Fullmake Washable Base*

You’d be forgiven if you’re slightly confused as to what this product does. Whereas the name may be in English, it doesn’t make much more sense than FWB. Well Shiseido can be forgiven as this skincare product is aimed at the Japanese market. This is a base for your make-up, that will help it stay put, but also easier to remove. It also claims to nourish skin, whilst evening your skin tone and improving lip colour. I decided to give it a go as I love Shiseido, and the idea behind this.
Pros:
+ Easy to apply
+ Fragrance free
+ Non-sticky formula
 + Kept my make-up in place
+ My foundation washed off easily

Cons:
– Doesn’t work on waterproof make-up, such as eyeliner/mascara
– Left a mark when I got a spot of water on my face during the day

Notes:
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I put this on in the morning, but it applied easily with no fuss. The base is fragrance free, which is always a plus for a face product in my books. The product has a texture between a cream and a gel, and doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. I wore this over a few days and my make-up did stay put each day. Although on one of those days I happened to splash some water on my face, and it did leave a visible mark on my foundation, but it wasn’t too big. When it came to washing it off, now that’s when I got excited. There are a whole bunch of instructions on how to apply and wash this off to get the best out of the product, and they’re definitely worth reading – at least I read them. You can read them here. So after following the instructions I noticed that my foundation had come off my face and was mixed in with the water droplets on my skin. It’s hard to explain, and it looks a bit odd, but it works! It removed my eyeliner and mascara…to the rest of my face, but then this doesn’t work on waterproof make-up, which makes sense. You do need a cloth or cotton pad to remove the make-up…or you could maybe stick your head in the sink, but I’d recommend the former. I was impressed with how my foundation removed so easily, and it left my skin ready for a good cleansing. It definitely makes the removal of make-up, and your skincare routine a lot easier. For around £11, this isn’t a bad price and is up there with some well known British brand primers – but then this does a bit more than that. I’d consider purchasing this, for all of its benefits, because it does exactly what it says on the tin tube.
You can purchase Shiseido’s Fullmake Washable Base at Lunatu.
bloomzy /

Giveaway & Review: Clue Quest – The Live Escape Game

clueQuest – The Live Escape Game
clueQuest Ltd, 11 Plough Yard, London, EC2A 3LP
On Wednesday evening I met up with some shady looking characters in an alley in East London.
I’m kidding! Those shady characters were actually some of the lovely people from Nuffnang.
We were there to celebrate Nuffnang’s birthday with a night full of experiences and adventure.
It was a fabulous night, but today I’m going to chat about our first outing of the evening – clueQuest.
clueQuest is currently the top #1 London attraction on Trip Advisor, so maybe you’ve heard of it?
Well if it just so happens that you haven’t, you’re in for a treat, because this is an attraction like no other. clueQuest is a live escape game where you are locked in a room (don’t worry it’s not scary!) and given only 60mins to escape. The room/s are full of mysteries and clues that you and your team need to figure out in order to progress through the game, and to ultimately escape your room. You don’t need to be strong, or fast. Nope. You just need your wits, common sense, some logic, and a bit of teamwork. Anyone can do it (it’s suitable for all ages), but you will need a team of people, between 3-6.
We arrived at clueQuest HQ and were immediately debriefed. It turned out Mr Q had been watching all of us bloggers for a long time. He had chosen us, out of everyone in London, as potential new agents. We were handed a clipboard, pen and walkie talkie (to communicate with HQ), and sent out on our mission. Little did we know what Mr Q had in store for us behind that locked door. Now naturally I can’t say much about the room, or show you any photos. Why? Because that would spoil the experience, silly! All I can say is that the whole experience was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I’m a bit of a gamer and I love solving riddles etc. so this was like Christmas for me. My team – Team Awesome – were all on the ball, and we went into super spy mood as soon as we heard the key turn in the door. So, did we escape the room? Of course, we did! Finally, as we left and celebrated our escape, we were given special secret agent cards. Mr Q was very happy with our work and had recruited us to help save the world!
There were riddles, brainteasers and lots and lots of clues to make sense of. I can’t recommend this enough, and it’s perfect for pretty much everyone – as long as you enjoy a good mystery, and solving puzzles. Prices start at £17 per person. If you’re curious, head over to clueQuest to find out more and book your escape!
Now, time for the giveaway!

What can you win?
1 x Visit to clueQuest for 3-5 people.
(This prize is for one winner, and up to 4 friends.)

How to enter:
+ Be a follower of ‘Bloomzy’ via Bloglovin
+ Earn extra entries on Twitter, Facebook etc.
– Entrants who do not follow the rules will be disqualified.
– Twitter accounts created purely for giveaways will be disqualified.
clueQuest is based in London so you will need to be closely located.
You must be able to arrange travel to and from the venue yourself.

Running for 1 week (ending 6th April at 12am).
The prize is provided by clueQuest and will arranged via Nuffnang.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!!

bloomzy /

Video: 15 Things About Me

I wanted to do a short introduction video for my channel and what better way to do that than by telling you a little bit about myself.

I apologise for the camera focus, that’s my fault for moving about so much. This is my first video in front of the camera so I’m still getting used to it all.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more videos.