Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette

Hi everybody!

Around the Internet, I see beauty bloggers and beauty enthusiasts putting the Naked Basics against the Naked Basics 2 and though I contemplated for a long time before I sat down to write this blog post, I decided that I will not structure this post in that manner. Although I think that is completely fine and in no way "wrong", I see the Naked Basics 2 as an individual though it is so easy to compare it to the original version. I would like to point out, before I go any further, that I sat down a few weeks ago to write this blog post but I decided then, that I would give myself more time as I did not have a clear idea of what I thought of it just yet. I am very attached to the original Naked Basics Palette therefore I was not too keen on the Naked Basics 2 when I laid my hands on it although I was overwhelmed with excitement for it's release.

The palette has 6 shades altogether, 5 matte and 1 with a slight sheen. If anything, the downside to Naked palettes in general will be the fallout especially with darker or more shimmery shades. I find because of the shades in this palette, that is nothing to worry about and Urban Decay has kept its amazing pigmentation that has become somewhat of a trademark for their palettes.

My Naked Basics Palette has been very well loved over these few years and maybe now is the time to transition into the new addition to the Naked Palette family. I am sure that I will get just as much use out of this palette and once again, as usual, Urban Decay did not disappoint.

A breakdown of the shades:-

Skimp - pale yellow toned highlight

Stark - nude matte pink

Frisk - warm grey toned matte

Cover - dusky red-brown

Primal - muted matte brown

Undone - smoky deep brown

Because of their size, it is so convenient to throw into your handbag to touch up during the day or do your makeup on the go, or into a travel bag and you can basically bring it anywhere. These are great everyday colours and perfect for any occasion. Sleek and elegant shades, pair it with a light lip during the day or for a more toned down look or have it with a deep wine colour for a more festive feel and bright red for a night out party vibe, the combinations are endless and it is palettes like these that are so versatile and evergreen that will be your best friend whatever the situation. I got mine from Sephora in Paris, but you can get it at their counter or inline for £22.00.

Comment below sharing your thoughts on the palette. Also, check out my other social media sites that I will list below. I have many exciting plans for the month of December that I will address again in my next blog post so do look out for that coming up very soon. 

Have a great day ! Xx

Use the hashtag #jessthedream on Instagram to share your favourite makeup look using the Naked Basics 2

Twitter: @jessieashleyyy

Instagram: @fashion_jessie

Email: jessicashleyyy@gmail.com

Ruth Crilly Dry COLAB Shampoo Collection

Hi everybody!

I am one of the many girls out there who have fallen madly in love with dry shampoos. Let's be honest, the idea of a dry shampoo itself, is genius and I never fail to use it everyday, sometimes twice or multiple times a day. I go through cans and cans of dry shampoo like oxygen and though it may sound a little OTT, I stand by my obsession for these life savers. I have recently gone through all my original and travel sized COLAB dry shampoos and I thought it was about time to pop into Superdrug to stock up.

Though I love me a good bit of Batiste on a limp hair day, I don't necessarily have time to get out those little white, powdery bits out of my hair as I am racing out the door and chucking down my breakfast (can you tell that multitasking is not my forte). Which brings me to how grateful I am for the Sheer Invisible formula that is in the COLAB dry shampoos. I have used these almost everyday, they might as well be featured as one of my Product Of The Month posts. My favourites out of the five would be London and Tokyo. I got mine at Superdrug for £3.50 for a 200ml can and £1.99 for a 50ml version. I believe Superdrug is having a Christmas promotion at the moment where you get to save up to 1/3 of the price, and if you have a load of accumulated points, then all the more better. If not, they are also available at FeelUnique and BeautyMart.

London
A classic yet contemporary fragrance of bergamot, musk and magnolia

Paris
Floral fragrance - an enchanting floral bouquet of jasmine and rose with a touch of patchouli

New York
A fresh fruity scent of apple and melon with a light amber finish

Tokyo
Oriental accents of orchid and mandarin with aromatic base of sandalwood

Rio
Tropical fragrance - a carnival of tropical notes with papaya, pineapple and a heart of cassis

Check out my other social media sites and comment below sharing your views on the CoLab dry shampoos.

Have a great day ! Xx

Use the hashtag #jessthedream on Instagram to share your love for the CoLab dry shampoos

Twitter: @jessieashleyyy
Instagram: @fashion_jessie
Email: jessicashleyyy@gmail.com

To purchase yours at Superdrug, click here

Alexander Wang x H&M Collection

Hi everybody!

Glamour Magazine reports:

"I am honoured to be a part of H&M's designer collaborations. The work with their team is an exciting, fun process. They are very open to be pushing boundaries and to set a platform for creativity. This will be a great way for a wider audience to experience elements of the Alexander Wang brand and lifestyle." - Alexander Wang

COOL, SPORTY, EXCITING and BOUNDARY PUSHING are the words to describe the new collection featuring New York based fashion designer, Alexander Wang in collaboration with Swedish multinational fashion retailer, H&M. It is a classic case of Fashion Week catwalk royalty meets worldwide high street brand to present a collection with edge and sophistication but still keeping it affordable and wearable. It has been a long wait since the announcement of the collaboration back at Coachella in April of 2014 but the time has come. On the 6th of November, 250 H&M stores worldwide opened their doors to expectedly overwhelming numbers and the collection took off immediately. The collection is also available for purchase on the online store.

Twitter: @jessieashleyyy

Instagram: @fashion_jessie

Email: jessicashleyyy@gmail.com

Autumnal Treats - Pumpkin Perfection

Hi everybody!

I am well aware that we have began the month of November and all the excitement of fall flavours like pumpkin and salted caramel have simmered down slightly. However, during this autumn I did spend quite a lot of time in the kitchen baking up little treats and wonderful bits and bobs. I really enjoyed myself as baking does make me happy and I always say that if I wasn't doing what I am doing now, I would probably pursue baking given that the right opportunity presents itself. I wanted to share two of my absolute favourite pumpkin treats with all of you as I really surprised myself by how good they turned out. The two recipes that I will share is a simple and delicious pumpkin fudge along with pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

I guess I am not the biggest pumpkin lover out there, then again I don't hate the taste of pumpkin but when I think pumpkin flavours, my mind automatically flashes back to little 12 year old me, at family Sunday roast dinners where pumpkin was served on a huge platter, in large wedges, roasted and with a glaze on the top. However, I find that incorporating pumpkin into baking is a completely different story. For some of you out there, pumpkin is quite a common ingredient to have on your list of baking supplies especially during the autumnal months but I guess I lie within the more mainstream, amateur category whereby I tend to stick to chocolate brownies and vanilla cupcakes. Again, speaking as a newbie to the world of baking, these are very common recipes but for me it was actually my first time trying out some fall themed treats and I was very happy with them and I look forward to more baking fun in the very near future and hopefully by this time next month, I will be sharing Christmassy recipes.


Pumpkin Fudge

Ingredients:-

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tbsp corn syrup
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 cup white chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup marshmallow creme
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla

Method:-

1. Combine the sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin, corn syrup and spice over medium high heat.
2. Cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Line a pan with foil and pour in the mixture. Let it sit for 2 hours before cutting to serve.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a muffin tin by lining with paper liners. Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, sugar, vegetable oil and eggs and mix until well blended. Min in flour mixture until combined.
3. Scoop into prepared muffin tin filling 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool on a rack.
4. For the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar slowly and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon.
5. If necessary, add more powdered sugar until the frosting is from enough to hold its shape but still light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

Although autumn has now come and just about gone, do try out these recipes if you would like to as they are quite autumnal-wintery themed treats and they are so simple and straight forward to do. I hope you enjoy your baking fun in the kitchen and share your finished treats on Instagram with the hashtag #jessthedream and I will be sure to check them out. Comment below sharing your favourite bakes and check out my other social media sites as well. Have a great day! Xx

Use the hashtag #jessthedream on Instagram to share your autumnal treats

Twitter: @jessieashleyyy
Instagram: @fashion_jessie
Email: jessicashleyyy@gmail.com

Majorette Booster Blush by Benefit

Hi everybody!

No long introductions this time because as I am writing this, my heart is beating so fast out of excitement.
Yes, that is how much happiness this product has given me, and for a £23.50, 7g blush, it has made many of my days. Today, I will be doing a review on the Benefit Majorette Booster Blush, the name itself, makes me so curious to try this product.

"Booster blush to amplify your flush" - Benefit

Their catch phrase "cream to powder" was what really intrigued me into trying this due to my disbelieve that the product can live up to the hype that it has been given. However, lucky for me, I was proven wrong. I have fallen madly in love with this blush and I must say it is among the better cream blushes that I own or have used. The packaging is the cutest thing ever, and done in such a way where when closed, looks like a mini tambourine. Majorette is a light peach shade with an undercoat of fine, gold shimmer which I find gives my complexion a lovely lift and a subtle glow.

To apply, I use a Real Techniques Contour Brush which picks up the blush really nicely and gives my cheeks a somewhat natural flush of colour. It blends really easy and nicely on to the skin without leaving harsh lines although it is a cream blush. It also has a lovely fruity scent but not too strong that it makes you want to gag. I would imagine that this formula as well as the shade of blush would look stunning when the brighter days come around so for those of you living in the Southern Hemisphere, do check it out if it interests you. As for myself, I still do think I will be getting quite a lot of use out of it during this time of the year, and I am just as sure that I will break it out again when the Sun comes out next year. Nevertheless, on a grey and rainy winter day, a little summer glow never hurts.

Comment below sharing your views and thoughts on the Majorette Blush if you have tried it out. Also, do not forget to check out my other social media sites.

Have a great day! Xx

Use the hashtag #jessthedream on Instagram to share how Majorette looks on you

Twitter: @jessieashleyyy
Instagram: @fashion_jessie
Email: jessicashleyyy@gmail.com

Product Of The Month

Hi everybody!

Today's blog post, as you may be able to tell by the tittle, will be another Product Of The Month. Doing these blog posts are pretty surreal for me at times because it just means that another month has gone by and we have just about, nearly come to the end of 2014, which is crazy!!
The Product Of The Month that I have chose to feature is the Tom Ford Lip Colour.

I do admit that Tom Ford Makeup is not the cheapest brand on the market but, it is always good to treat yourself to a little something special every now and then. Tom Ford definitely spells out luxury and makes the top of the charts every time when it comes to high end makeup brands. When it comes to TF, my expectations are set very high but the brilliance behind the brand and designer never fails to impress me every single time.

When it comes to high end makeup, packaging is one thing. It looks so classy and sleek with the usual twist up mechanism. TF is engraved into the actually lipstick which makes it feel so exclusive and lovely. The formula consists of exotic ingredients such as chamomilla flower oil and Brazilian murumuru butter which gives the product an ultra creamy texture and makes application extremely easy. The Tom Ford Lip Colour works on all skin type, making it perfect for any girl out there. I got mine from House of Fraser for £37.00. My top two favourite colours will be Bruised Plum which is a very autumnal colour. Its a rich deep plum colour and it is a little more on the daring side but apply sparingly if you don't prefer the vibrance of it.  As a more of the everyday look, Spanish Pink works so perfectly. I am probably one of the biggest peachy pink lipstick shade fans out there so this works perfectly for me regardless of where I am going and what I am doing. I only wish that I can wear this every single day and if it was not for the steep price tag, I probably would. Good news is, the perfect dupe for Spanish Pink is the Moisture Renew Lipstick in Notting Hill Nude by Rimmel London which is almost a fifth of the price, what a bargain!

I hope you have enjoyed this blog post and do leave your favourite product for October in the comments below. Also, don't forget to check out my previous blog post on the Amazonian Clay 12-hour foundation and blush by Tarte and check out my other social media sites as well.

Have a great day ! Xx

Use the hashtag #jessthedream to share your favourite Product Of The Month

Twitter: @jessieashleyyy

Instagram: @fashion_jessie

Email: jessicashleyyy@gmail.com

To check out my previous Product Of The Month, click here