bloomzy /

OOTD: Embellish Me

(Sweater: Oasap*, Shirt: The Lazy Ones, Jeans: Primark)

This is one of my favourite pairings of late.
I wore this sweater & shirt combo last week and had so many compliments on it.
It’s pretty simple but I love the pop of blue & silver embellishments that make it a little bit different.
One lady said I had ‘a unique sense of fashion’ – even though that might have been a bit overzealous, I appreciated it.
I think you all know of my love for The Lazy Ones by now.
Well this is the ‘other shirt‘ to the green one that I wore for my birthday.
It’s such a gorgeous regal blue, and I love the way the silver compliments the collar tips.
I think it works perfectly well worn by itself, but it adds a little something extra to a sweater when worn underneath.
For example, when worn under my super comfy and very loveable Paris Sweater from Oasap!
I can’t get over how well this has worn, after wearing it pretty much non-stop since I got it.
It’s not just cute but also really comfy & warm, perfect for our terrible English weather.
Finally, I invested in a pair of blue denim jeans, rather than black – shock!
Don’t forget to visit Oasap and use discount code: ‘bloomzy’ for 35% off!
bloomzy /

Review: L’Occitane Hydration Cream

L’Occitane Creme Radieuse Hydration Cream*
It seemed that my search for a moisturiser fit for using on my face was forever ongoing.
That was until I found this little gem – the L’Occitane Creme Radieuse Hydration Cream.
I received this sample size in a Birchbox last November and wasn’t sure what to think of it.
In fact, I was pretty convinced that I would never use it, in fear that it would make my skin breakout.
I have combination skin that is too dry for certain products and breaks out with other rich ones.
That in a nutshell is why I don’t like to use a lot of facial moisturisers as part of my routine.
So I was delighted when I took a chance and started using this.
Pros:
+ Not too rich
+ Smells lovely
+ Works well as a primer
+ Moisturising & Hydrating
+ Only a tiny amount is needed
Cons:
– Scent isn’t for everyone
– May not be rich enough for some skin types
Notes:
Ok, I think you can see that I was stretching with the cons there.
Personally I have no cons for this product, but I tried to think of others.
I’m just happy to finally find a moisturiser that is moisturising enough and not too rich.
The sample size of this is perfect, as I only need to apply a little every morning and evening.
The full size is a little pricey at £30 and honestly I don’t think I’d be able to use it all before it goes out of date. That said, L’Occitane also feature the sample size in a travel set with the cleanser & toner, so I’ll definitely be taking advantage of that when I run out of this one.
You can purchase the full size version online here.
Or you can find the travel kit in L’Occitane stores.
bloomzy /

Review: Klorane Shampoo & Conditioner

Klorane Pomegranate Shampoo & Conditioner, for coloured hair*
Klorane is one of my favourite beauty brands, who I’ve mentioned several times on the blog.
To me the French brand’s products are natural, but also luxurious, which isn’t always easy to come by.
After attending an event for the brand I was curious to try out their shampoo & conditioner for coloured hair.
“This [shampoo], formulated for colour-treated hair, protects against progressive colour fading and loss of radiance. Hair colour retains its intensity and shine. Its cleansing base is enriched with regenerative agents so that hair remains soft, silky and easy to style.

Used in addition to KLORANE shampoo with pomegranate, this [conditioner] repairs and regenerates the hair fibre deep down to leave it soft and supple. Protected from fading, hair colour remains as intense and glossy as the first day.

Both are hypoallergenic.”


Pros:
+ Leaves my hair soft
+ Conditioning
+ Smells amazing
+ Great price
+ Brought out my colour
Cons:
– Shampoo doesn’t lather easily
Notes:
Certain brands of shampoo dry my hair out, even though I use a conditioner each wash.
So I was very happy to find that Klorane’s shampoo & conditioner didn’t do this to my hair.
Some people might find it slightly pricey at £6 each, but it’s actually cheaper than what I would usually buy. I’ve been looking to change shampoos for a while, but I haven’t found a natural product that looks after coloured hair for a decent price, so that’s a big plus for me. The only downside to the shampoo is that it doesn’t lather easily, but that’s a problem with using natural ingredients in a shampoo, and is not down to Klorane in particular.
You can purchase Klorane’s shampoos & conditioners in John Lewis stores or online, here.
bloomzy /

OOTD: Paris Calling

(Sweater: Oasap*, Skirt: Topshop, Tights: Primark, Shoes: Internacionale)

I love my Sweaters, you all know that by now.
So please welcome the latest edition to my collection.
No it’s not a gawdy tourist sweater – although those can be classy when rocked by the right person.
It’s actually the latest item sent to me by Oasap. I picked it because it looked cozy, and reminded me of my ‘Céline’ tee.
Obviously that’s the point of this particular design, and I kind of love it for that…and because it’s so comfy.
I’ve been trying to add little pops of colour to my outfits, just here and there.
It’s difficult some days as I have to be up early, and snow + early mornings = lazy Emma.
I have been trying for a while to get out of the habit of black on black, so I don’t think I’ve done too bad here.
At least the sweater is grey, and hey! check out those burgundy tights.
At least I tried.
Don’t forget to visit Oasap and use discount code: ‘bloomzy’ for 35% off!
bloomzy /

Street Style: Tokyo

Street Style Snaps taken in Tokyo from Fashion Latte & Tokyo Fashion

As my blog started as a Japanese fashion blog all those years ago, I wanted to pay homage to that.
The amazing fashion seen on the streets of Tokyo is one of the main things I miss about my second home.
Even though in recent years it has been highly influenced by London and ‘Blogger Style’ it’s still very unique.
Models, Idols, Artists and Bloggers are born on the streets of Tokyo, whether it’s Harajuku, Shibuya or Shinjuku.
Fashion Latte is a website I found out about recently when a friend had her photo taken for them.
They are an international site who feature photos from Tokyo, New York, Paris and London.
However they are primarily a Japanese site, but navigating your way through the site isn’t too difficult.
Click on the black button that reads スナップ and then choose your location to view recent street styles.
As for Tokyo Fashion, well they’re quite a well known and established site already.
Entirely in English you can navigate your way through the various areas of Tokyo.
It’s wonderful for seeing the trends and styles that reign in one ward of the city to the next.
I took a couple of street snaps myself during my time in Tokyo, which you can view here.

Source; 1, 2

bloomzy /

Christmas Presents from Germany & Japan

Christmas gifts from Rae, in Germany

Christmas gifts from Miyuki, in Japan

Christmas came a little early for me last week.
I was lucky enough to receive not one, but two packages through the post.
One was from the lovely Rae of Love from Berlin who is an amazing person that I met through blogging.
The other package was from one of my best friends in Japan who I studied with a couple of years ago.
Both gifts were amazing, and so very cool in their own ways.
I loved how both seemed to represent a little bit of the culture too.
Rae sent me some German chocolate (we all know it’s the best), magazines and make-up.
I can’t wait to try out the eyeshadow palette, it’s so very seasonal and the colours are gorgeous!
She also knows me very well by including some gorgeous glittery nail polish, which I will have already applied by the time this post goes live. I can’t help it, I’m an addict! 
Miyuki often asks me what I would like and I said I would like to try some new Japanese beauty products.
She also knows that I’ve just moved into my first apartment so sent me a few home items to decorate and relax with.
The nail polish, once again was a delight to receive, especially the Majolica Majorca glass polish – review soon!!
I also loved the Dior products and make-up bag. They’ve already been stashed away in my handbag.
I feel so lucky to know such wonderful people and I am very thankful ♥
bloomzy /

Review: Joliebox

Joliebox gift box from the Birchbox event*
When I attended the Birchbox champagne afternoon tea event last week I was gifted with a Joliebox.
If you didn’t see that post then you might be confused, but this is because Birchbox have taken over Joliebox.
If I remember correctly the box wasn’t a particular month, it was a mixture of products & previous month’s boxes.
The box contained samples from previous boxes and new items, such as:
– Twistband –
– Ritessens Exfoliant –
– RMK Cleansing Balm –
– L’Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream –
– Dr Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap Pillows –
– Redken Protective Straightening Lotion –
This box was a great way to introduce someone to some of the wonderful brands that Joliebox has worked with.
It also shows you an example of what you might receive in a box; beauty, skincare, hair & lifestyle products, travel essentials, and even full size samples. Birchbox allows you to create a personal profile which your samples will be based on – which is a great feature, I hope they keep it when the takeover happens in January. The magazine is something which is unique to Joliebox and is very popular with a lot of subscribers, so it was nice to receive one with my box.
Joliebox will soon become Birchbox, and is a monthly beauty box service.
For £10 (plus postage) a month you will recieve 4-5 beauty samples to your door.
You can sign up and subscribe here.