Sunday 29 December 2013

My indie meets vintage Tumblr

Guess who got Tumblr!! Well if you read the title, me! Late, I know; but I'm just super excited! So if you could take a moment to check it out I'd be ever so grateful. I decided to join simply because I love looking at tumblr photos for inspiration and I'm always looking through people's tumblr pages so my friend suggested I make one so that I can keep all my favourite pictures together on one page and admire them forever! Which is pretty much what I'm doing. I've followed a bunch of DIY and artsy pages as well as The Vampire Diaries fan groups, of course! So click right HERE if you wish to see all my favourite cute pictures for a bit of daily inspiration or just for fun. Enjoy!

Love O
x

Wednesday 25 December 2013

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hope you've had an amazing Chrimbo so far!! Only one hour left and it's sale sale sale!!

I can finally reveal what I bought for my boyfriend, tickets for a weekend away in Paris! I bought him little present clues leading up to this big present which included socks to keep warm, bon-bons in blue, white and red, a photo frame filled with doodle drawing of lots of memories we shared and an Eiffel tower drawn in the corner of the frame and then finally a diary where the that days we are going have written we are going to France and a heart coloured in the French flag along with the Christmas card with the tickets.
I on the other hand, got a Mulberry purse, chocolate and Ugg ear muffs from my lovely Arun.

How has your day been? Did you get everything you wanted? Next up, new year!

Love O
x

Friday 20 December 2013

BEAUTY: Sally Hansen Miracle Cure Review


The Facts:

Sally Hansen Claim: 


"Exclusive micro-mineral formula fills in cracks to instantly strengthen and reinforce nails.

Instantly stops peeling, seals the nail plate and bonds nail layers together.

Natural protein and powerful anti-oxidants help strengthen nails.

Helps to restore and lock in essential moisture to dry nails, improving flexibility and resistance to breakages.

50% stronger nails in 3 days!"

For: Peeling, breaking, splitting and dry nails

My Thoughts:

I usually LOVE Sally Hansen and habitually use their nail varnish remover as well as their nail varnishes however I was little impressed by this product. I usually have lovely manicured nails that are naturally quite long like gel or acrylic nails however, the daily use of nail varnish, the cold weather and wear and tear has caused my nails to reach breaking point! They have become dry and brittle and any type of growth in my now cut down nails just peels. It's horrible to see them in such a weak state so in order to try and get them back to their original condition I have cut and filed them down as well as bought this 'Miracle Cure' nail treatment shown above. It came at a hefty £7.45 but I thought this is quite a reasonable price to pay to fix my peeling nails. I was so unimpressed though as after 2 weeks of using this product I have seen no difference; If anything, my nails have deteriorated! Some people complain that it turned their nails yellow after using it whilst my nails are looking a really healthy white colour since using the product. The peeling on the other hand is still bad and my nails still feel really weak. I will give this product the benefit of the doubt, and keep using the product for about a month to see if it improves because I love Sally Hansen so much and don't want to feel like I've wasted my money. If you want to test this product yourself then you can buy it here and let me know how you found out! 
Love O
x


Tuesday 17 December 2013

FASHION: How to look like Katherine Pierce

Who's been watching this series of TVD? I have been loving every bit of it! I love that Katherine has been making a regular appearance in this season but *SPOILER ALERT* I really hope she doesn't die! She's the best character alongside Damon on TVD and contrasts Elena's boring character. Anyways, I love what Katherine wears as it's so sexy yet not slutty or over the top. She goes for a biker chic look with darks colours and tight fitted clothing. She's nearly always seen wearing heels and a dark jacket paired with either black jeans or leggings.
How to look like Katherine Pierce

How to look like Katherine Pierce by oriannarosa featuring black boots

Where to buy her look:

By Malene Birger ribbed cotton tank
$47 - bymalenebirger.com


American Vintage red shirt
$52 - the-dressingroom.com


Amanda Wakeley jacket
$1,945 - amandawakeley.com


IRO motorcycle jacket
$1,010 - harveynichols.com


Balmain blazer
stylebop.com



Black boots
$49 - newlook.com


Chanel vintage purse
modaoperandi.com


Red lipstick
etsy.com


Love O
x

Friday 13 December 2013

COOK: The Ultimate Sandwich




I made the best sandwich ever for dinner today! Best of all, I made it using scraps in the fridge so it was cost-free! I used left over chicken tikka as the main filling which was really tasty and filling along with half a tomato, sliced and mayonnaise. I also spread guacamole which was left over from dinner yesterday because Arun made me Mexican food, on the bread . The sandwich was DELICIOUS and super filling and best of all, was ready in a matter of minutes! Try it out or make your own ultimate sandwich out of left overs for a quick, appetizing and healthy meal. Use brown bread with nuts like me, to make your meal even more nutritious!
Love O
x






Sunday 8 December 2013

FASHION: Pizza Express OOTD





This is what I wore to Pizza Express for a birthday dinner. I wore a gold top from Bay tucked into navy skinny jeans and accessorized with my Swarovski watch and white handbag. I left my hair in loose waves and kept warm with my Republic fur coat which is so old but I still love it!
Love O
x









Tuesday 3 December 2013

Reviewing My Summer Wishlist

If you haven't already read this post then you can read it here: http://oriannarosaroyle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/my-summer-2013-wishlist.html
Looking back at my summer, the sun, ice cream and regular outings, it really does feel like a distant memory. In this post I'm going to look over what I wished to do in the summer and what I actually achieve, which is probably very little!



  • I only did 3 of them! Eeek that's bad! I did manage to get a tan thanks to the few very rare and hot weeks we had of summer here in rainy Britain! What I did was I lay down on my yoga mat and tanned while revising for my A-levels. See, beauty can be constructive!
  • I highlighted sections of my hair which I posted on my blog and will upload a link to the blog post below! I used the ombre, dip dye to highlight my hair and to this day my hair is still in the highlights although my roots have come through a little. 
  • I sewed a fair amount during the summer. I bought a dress in a charity shop from ASOS, I liked the material but not the shape so I fixed it up and gave it a lower neckline and just personalized it.
I really wish I did more on my list! On top of this, I did go to the Isle of Wight and Southampton instead of Brighton, blogged lots, went job hunting, shopped and partied. So it's not all doom and gloom! I'm now already saving up so I have more money this summer so that I can go on more holidays than just the one! I am looking to go somewhere hot and exotic as I have never been outside the EU. I also want to get a summer job at a magazine so that I can make my CV more constructive in leading me towards my dream job.

Love O
x

Blog post on highlighting my hair:

http://oriannarosaroyle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/beauty-dip-dye-highlights.html

Friday 29 November 2013

BEAUTY: Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm Review



My Review:


  • This is the best lip-balm ever!!! I love it so much that I've thrown out all of my Vaselines (which I hate), Coca Cola Lipsmackers and Chap stick lip-balms! Constant application of thee lip balms actually made my lips drier and as the cold weather started to recently kick in my lips were becoming increasing delicate and sore and beginning to crack!
  • The 100% natural ingredients nourish my lips and make them feel instantly smooth. The mixture of oils soften my lips whilst the peppermint makes them tingle a little bit.
  • The product is a little pricey in comparison to Superdrug's home brand, Nivea, Palmers and Dove lip balms however, for the natural ingredients you're buying it's good value for money at under £5.  
  • It has no paraben, fragrances, alcohol or petroleum which are all ingredients you want to avoid when buying a lip balm! See the list of luscious ingredients below! :) 
  • I've found that it really moisturizes my lips and like wax it sits on my lip for hours without drying them out so I don't feel like I need to constantly re-apply it. It also makes a great base for applying lipstick and also great to put on after exfoliating your lips.
  • It honestly smells like candy canes as a result of the peppermint which is great for Christmas! It's also great all year round because it's a very fresh and organic smell. However, they do have other flavours if you prefer fruitier smells.
  • I love the size as it can fit in my pocket/purse/handbag without occupying any space. They also do an old fashioned tin if you prefer.

More to love:

The packaging is made out of recycled plastic, so it's good on the environment, which is very important and the product isn't tested on animals! So not only it smells amazing, it's 100% natural, and great for your lips but also it's eco-friendly! WOOO!

You can buy this product in any drugstore like boots in the uk  or online: http://www.burtsbees.co.uk/



 Ingredients:
beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, peppermint oil, lanolin, tocopherol, rosemary leaf extract, soybean oil, canola oil, limonene 

Love O
x

Wednesday 27 November 2013

FASHION: Dining OOTD at Westfields



So this little post is just about what I wore to Westfield when my boyfriend took me to see The Hunger Games and eat dinner.

I got this cute shirt in the Kingston sale at Miss Selfridge which was discounted from £24 to about £9! I really like it because it fits in with my colour schemed wardrobe of whites,grey,blacks and blues and it's baggy and casual which makes it great for the day but the intricate pattern means I can dress it up and wear it at night. I also love the sleeves because they aren't too short that they make me cold but they aren't overly long!

This is a bag I bought on ebay which I adore! It's perfect because the chain handle comes off turning the bag into a clutch and it's the perfect size to fit all your essentials -lip balm, purse, phone and keys- but not so big that it detracts attention from your outfit. I like the colour as it matches my Citizen/Swarovski watch.
This is how it all looked together before I put all my make up on and styled my locks!

I ate some amazing japanese food! This was a mixed seafood noodle which was delicious and I got a miso soup with it for £1.90 which was so great because it really warmed me up which is really needed in this cold season! It came in a little tea pot and served me 4 cups full of soup! It was a great and cheap alternative to a drink.

Love O
x

Friday 22 November 2013

The Hunger Games- Catching Fire REVIEW


SPOILERS ALERT!

On the day of its release, my lovely Arun took me to see THG at Westfields and boy it was AMAZING!!!
I loved this film and I thought it was filmed in such a way that it could have been its own movie; People who haven't seen the first film would be able to watch this one, without feeling lost or confused. In the first film we are left on a cliff hanger on whether Katniss really loves Peter or whether it was all 'for show'. The truth is revealed in the first few minutes of the film!

The plot of the film is essentially two story lines merged, one of the oppression of the people in the districts by the Capitol leading to the blood-thirsty hunger game and one based around a love trio between Gale, Katniss and Peeta. It is visible that Katniss' emotions for Peeta become stronger during the course of the movie. In a bid to kill Katniss, Snow uses the 75th hunger game to make a special hunger game in which 2 victors from each district compete. The film reflects on celebrity culture and how they can be used to 'distract' the oppressed people from reality and give them false hope. It also really shows the corruption of the government in a third world (country) which leads to the dehumanisation of the poorer people which can be a reflection on the injustice of our society especially in lower economically developed countries. I found these scenes particularly hard to watch where although you don't see many scenes of explicit violence, it is boldly insinuated. I don't want to give away anymore about the plot because it truly is amazing but these are the main points which I found note-worthy.

The costumes are incredibly beautiful and well designed and help to make the film more quirky as you see more of the fashion from capitol which looks like a scene from Lady Gaga's wardrobe! Jenifer Lawrence shows she truly deserves all the Oscars she receives as she plays her character so believably throughout the film. Her acting as well as all the other actors is stepped up a notch as this film is much darker and more intense than the last film.

I'd definitely recommend this film to anyone who likes comedy, thriller, romance, action, fantasy or sci-fi as it has element of all of these in the film! I wouldn't take any child under the age of 15 to see this on their own even though it's a PG-13 as there are scenes that I found hard to watch and quite disturbing and I'm almost 19! It's also quite lengthy at almost 2 and a half hours long, but coming from the person who found avatar too long to watch, I can tell you that it's so jam packed with action and there's so much fitted in the movie that it couldn't have been any shorter and you really don't notice that it lasts so long!

The Hunger Games is yet again the film of the year.

Love O
x

Thursday 21 November 2013

DIY: Cute Simple Bedroom Decor Accents


I love all of Andrea's cute bedroom DIY ideas and thought I'd share it with you all!!

Tuesday 19 November 2013

DIY BEAUTY: Kool-Aid Lipstain

OMG! This is genuinely the best thing since slice bread! Which I know I say about a lot of things.. But this really is the bullocks! Now, do as I say: Chuck out all of your lipstick. Yep. Every single one!! Why you may ask? Because Kool-aid is here to save the day! Don't get me wrong, I love a bit of lippie, but this nifty trick will leave your lips luscious for hours without the need for hourly top-ups!

I discovered this cute little trick on youtube and tried it out straight away. I was so impressed with the results that I knew I had to share it with you guys! Start by buying a pack of Kool-aid, I bought one for as little as 69p in black cherry as a tester. For those of you like me in the UK, you may be thinking "well that's useless it's an American product that I can't buy" you are in luck! Cyber Candy in Leicester square is my favourite "candy" shop which sell two floors of American produce from Pop tarts to Lucky charms and yes Kool-aid! However, I actually got this packet from a little shop in Guilford called Stateside Candy Co which I absoloutly adored! It's pretty small but it has some amazing finds, from space food which astronauts eat to all the red vines and taffy you can manage. You can also buy products from both these shops online. I will link the websites to both stores below.
http://www.cybercandy.co.uk/store/Kool-Aid.html
http://www.americansweets.co.uk/usa-candysweets-2-c.asp

I found little pots which used to have glitter in them and came in a set of three which I used to put the kool-aid in as it's closable and easy to carry and access. The whole contents of the kool aid fit perfectly into my little pot and I'm sure you could get these for a quid if you look around your local highstreet. Any small container will do! You could use old eyeshadow, lipbalm, or sample pots for this. The colour of the actual powder is a shade of purple but don't worry it comes out red on your lips!

Follow the picture I found on google on how to apply to kool-aid to your lips! Start by licking your lips a little so they are damp. Although in the picture the person uses their finger I would advise against this. I used my finger to apply the kool-aid to my lips yesterday and it completely stained my finger for the whole day, which wasn't very pretty! I re-applied it this morning but with a cotton bud instead (the ones for your ear) and it worked marvelously! Once you've applied a layer of kool-aid to your lips lick them again. Yummy right? Keep re-applying to get a darker shade. I only did one layer and it came out pretty dark for me! I find that the colour lasts for around 5 hours although I only did one layer. It is recommended that you use a lip balm or vaseline to lock the colour so it lasts longer after applying it however I didn't because I prefer a matt to a shiny finish for this look.

These pictures show how the kool-aid lipstain worked for me! It looks like lipstick right? I was genuinely amazed by the results and couldn't believe my eyes. These photos are 100% natural and UNEDITED! As it's a lipstain from dye it also means you can kiss all day without smudging and taking away the colour!

P.S it staines your tongue...

Love O
x

                                  






Thursday 14 November 2013

Lily Allen - Hard Out Here (Official Video) REVIEW



I love the lyrics to Lily's new song Hard out here as she underlines the sexism in our society. Through depicting the representation of women in the media she highlights the difference between how men and women are still perceived in the modern day. She also draws attention to the way in which society deems women who are sexually active promiscuous yet at the same time praises men for doing just that. Similarly to P!inks 'Stupid Girls', the meaning to the song sends a good message to younger girls growing up in today's society where MTV does little other than show women as objects of sexual desire with the likes of Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke who are used as parodies in Allen's music video. I love the line "Don't need to shake my ass for you cuz I got a brain" as not only it pretty much sums up the song but it's so relevant right now with the latest craze "twerking". The song is a voice for females who are still to this day looking for equality.

I'm usually a massive Lily fan and love everything about her use of tongue and cheek however, I was little impressed with her video to Hard Out Here. Yes, it parodies sexist videos but by having women twerking and frolicking in underwear it still appeals to the "male gaze". The song is amazing but it seems the video, funny as it is, is an attempt to get publicity and attention which is basically the reason why stars such as Miley Cyrus make sexually exploiting videos in the first place. So, by doing so she is just playing into the 'sex sells' game that all these artists she's complaining about do. She could have perfectly got her point across without having shots of women bums being spanked and dancing with close up shots of their crotches, which I found not only quite pornographic, but at times uncomfortable to watch.

On the brighter side, it's super catchy and I can't stop singing the chorus!!

What do you think of the latest single?
Love O
x
(Picture: YouTube)
Parody of 'Robin Thicke has a big dick'
(Picture: YouTube)
An unnecessary scene in my opinion...
(Picture: YouTube)
Lily learns how to twerk

Friday 8 November 2013

BEAUTY: How to clean your make-up brushes

It's so important to clean your make-up brushes as often as possible! All your dead skin, old make-up and bacteria have gathered on this brush! Hence, if you are using a dirty make-up brush after cleansing, exfoliating and preparing your skin before you put your make-up on , you are just putting all the dirt you took off your skin back on it! This can cause extreme break-out. To wash your brushes wash them exactly how you wash your hair. Keep shampooing under the tap until the colour completely runs out of the brush and the running water stays clear. Then condition it, wash the product out and place the brush on a towel to dry over night. By the morning your brush should be clean and dry, ready to use! I do this routine about once a month not so much with my eye-shadow brushes but especially with my foundation, blush and contouring brushes because I use them regularly.

Love O
x