bloomzy /

OOTD: When in France…

Knit – Zara | Trousers – Uniqlo | Shoes – New Look @ ASOS | Backpack* – Oasap
Ok now raise your hands if you hate packing for a holiday! Just me? Oh well, I just never seem to know what to pack to go away. I always end up with a random variety of clothes, accessories and shoes. I guess it’s because I don’t like planning outfits, as I know it depends on my mood. This Zara knit seemed perfect for my holiday in France though, not bad for a charity shop find, ey? I paired it with my Uniqlo legging trousers because they’re so comfy and chilled – perfect for casual walking. It’s quite a thin knit so I’ve been able to wear it by itself, as the weather is lovely and a jacket isn’t needed. Paired with my new backpack (that can also be used as a handbag) from Oasap, I am ready to go!
Don’t forget you can get 20% off with code ‘bloomzy’ when you visit Oasap!
bloomzy /

OOTD: Morning Bakery Run

Jacket* – Warehouse | Top – Pull & Bear | Leggings* – Oasap | Necklace – Topshop | Bag* – Oasap
Whenever we stay in France we make a morning trip to the boulangerie (everyday). There really is something special about having warm, fresh baguette and croissants for breakfast. Luckily for us we have one just over the bridge from us, so we don’t have to get up too early.
Dressing up in a town full of skiers/hikers means you tend to stand out a bit. Even my casual style means that people look at me as if I’m crazy for not wearing a gilet. Still, it’s not as if a few looks has ever stopped me before, right? Well that’s pretty obvious. Today I wanted to wear my new leggings & backpack from Oasap as they’re understatedly cool. The leggings have a velvet brocade design on them (detail photo) and I absolutely love them to pieces. The rest of my outfit was basically worked around the leggings, I’m not gonna lie to y’all. Still I think it all works together and my new backpack come handbag is super handy.
Don’t forget you can get 20% off with code ‘bloomzy’ when you visit Oasap!
bloomzy /

Review: OCC Lip Tar Harlot & Super NSFW

OCC Lip Tar samples in Harlot & Super NSFW

I think it’s common knowledge by now that I’m a red lipstick addict.
So it seemed that it was time to finally try one of the most hyped lip products out there.
OCC (short for Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) are highly renowned for their pigmented lip tars.
I had heard great things myself so I decided to try them out and finally see what all the fuss is really about.
I always like to test a lip product before buying, but as far as I know OCC is only sold in Selfridges in the UK.
This obviously left me with a dilemma, that is until I found Retro Wombat’s Beauty Store.
She sells sample pots of various OCC Lip Tars, so I grabbed a couple.

OCC are a wonderful brand that are vegan friendly and don’t test on animals.
Their Lip Tars are a liquid matte formula which are ridiculously well pigmented.
They are known for their colour and long-lasting wear.


Swatch: Harlot on the left, Super NSFW on right

Pros:
+ Long lasting
+ Applies well
+ Highly pigmented

Cons:
– Stains slightly
– Kept coming off onto my teeth (ahhh!)
– Lips need to be moisturised and primed

Notes:
I loved that a small OCC brush was included with this as I wasn’t expecting it.
You definitely need a brush to apply these, which is very useful as you don’t need to use much at all.
The claims are true, these lip tars are amazingly pigmented, the coverage is great and a little goes a very long way. These sample sizes were perfect for me to tell whether I would want to buy a full size version – I like to road test products before I buy a full size version, if I have the chance. I found that the Lip Tars were very long lasting, and some was even left on my lips afterwards. This is great as I like to drink plenty throughout the day, and it can be annoying having to re-apply a lipstick. There were a few downsides though; your lips do need to be moisturised (or these will dry them out) and primed (for better coverage) beforehand. I didn’t find that I necessarily needed primer although it was helpful, but my lips did dry out without moisturising them. I also kept finding some of the product on my teeth and it even got onto my tongue once (eurgh), even after doing a tissue press on my lips. I don’t know if this is because I failed at applying them properly, but it doesn’t happen with my other lipsticks. These do stain your skin if you happen to get it on you, but if you use the brush and have a steady hand you should be ok. I really liked these but the bleeding put me off slightly, although I will continue to try the samples in the hopes that I have better luck next time.

You can buy OCC Lip Tars in Selfridges or grab a sample from Retro Wombat’s Beauty Store.

bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Bob, Bacon, Bling

Cryptic as that title may sound, it pretty much sums up my last couple of weeks.
It’s been a busy few weeks but I’ve been relaxing and treating myself now and then.
I went to Sundown Festival with my bestie Jemi and had my nails done by Effy Nails.
I’m now convinced that I need to hire Rachel to be my personal nail artist – I’m hooked!
I was sent some luxurious fruit gelato by Divino, which I promise I didn’t eat all at once.
I got my hair done at Bleach, as this week marks the start of something special so I had to look good.
I rocked the amazingly gorgeous Avantgarde tights that Renka sent me – see my package video here.
I ate out several times this week with friends and the fiancé…it’s my weakness, I must be stopped!
I also indulged in some new candles from Kringle and Oliver Bonas – gingerbread, and vanilla.
Finally on Sunday I had a day to relax to myself before the start of a hectic week.
I can’t wait to let you all in on my exciting news, so keep an eye on my Twitter.
bloomzy /

Challenge: 7 Days 7 Outfits Results

The results of my 7 Days 7 Outfits challenge

Remember how I challenged myself to wear 7 different outfits in 7 consecutive days? No? Well then head over to this post and check it out so you know what’s going on.
I have to say this challenge wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. I did almost wear the same thing twice, but purely by accident, not on purpose. However I did remember when this happened and managed to correct my mistake. It really was fun re-discovering items of clothing that I had neglected, or forgotten about. The weather changed a lot last week too (during the challenge) so I had to mix up my styles. Have I gone back to wearing the same pieces of clothing again? Not yet, and I’m really hoping I can continue with this.
It’s been fun and I’d love to see more people taking part, if it suits them. Please feel free to leave a link to your blog/instagram if you do. I will be updating the list below as you send them in.
People who have taken part:
+ @kikizilla
Don’t forget to use/follow the hashtag #7days7ootd
bloomzy /

Challenge: STEAMCREAM

A few weeks ago I was sent a small package from STEAMCREAM*.
They wanted to set a few bloggers a fun little challenge using their product.
The aim was to use the STEAMCREAM in several ways, as part of your daily routine.
It was to show the versatility of the product and to prove that it isn’t just another old moisturiser.
When my pack arrived, honestly, I was a little dubious as I stared at my ‘ingredients’.
I love natural ingredients being used in beauty products but I wasn’t entirely sure I could do it myself.
Well thankfully I proved myself wrong because I managed to create 3 separate products with my STEAMCREAM.
Oat exfoliating mask, bb cream, and sugar body scrub
All 3 of these only involved mixing a product (foundation etc) with the STEAMCREAM.
It was so simple that it didn’t take up much time at all, which was great as I’m always in a rush.
My two favourites though had to be the exfoliating oat face mask & the invigorating sugar body scrub.
My skin felt super smooth, moisturised and calm (some products can upset my sensitive skin) afterwards.
The BB cream didn’t work out that well for me, but I never have been a big fan of tinted moisturisers etc.
Still, I would say that this challenge was a success, even though I had my suspicions to start off with.
When I first discovered STEAMCREAM I thought it was just another moisturiser.
Well luckily for me, I was wrong. It’s a whole lot more than that!
Visit STEAMCREAM to purchase a tin, and have a go at your own challenge.
Alternatively, you can buy it in Selfridges, John Lewis and from ASOS.
bloomzy /

OOTD: “These are hard times for dreamers”

Beret – bought in Japan | Dress* – Boden | Necklace – Tatty Devine | Watch* – French Connection

Yes, this dress is called the ‘Amélie Dress’. Surely there is nothing more suited to me than this? For those of you who don’t know/haven’t guessed I am a massive fan of Amélie. Not only am I a fan of the movie but I adored Audrey Tautou’s character’s wardrobe. Whereas this may not be related I think this dress is definitely something you’d see in the movie. I spotted this straight away when I was viewing Boden’s dress collection, and it was love. I knew that this would make a great Autumn/Winter dress, so I definitely had to have it. The pattern and cut are very flattering, even so I added a belt to break up the stripes. This comes in 3 colours but I thought this one was best suited to my style. Although I am now wishing I had the monochrome one too!
This is a part of my #7days7ootd challenge. 
Keep up to date with mine and others progress on Twitter & Instagram.
Don’t forget to join in and leave your links in a comment!