Who knew! X

     Hello Lovies! So I did a tiny Forever 21 haul today - tiny being the operative word. You see folks, I used to live in Forever 21 from the age 12 probably up until I was 15. It had everything, cuteness, incredibly affordable and its large area served as a superb hide and seek arena. Then I grew up and started shopping at stores like Zara, Urban Outfitters and H&M because I learnt about quality of clothes. I became the poster child for the phrase "quality over quantity" I never bought anything before I thought about how long the piece would last me or how many outfits I could pair it with....kinda sad right? I that before today I hadn't even stepped into a Forever 21 store in about 2 years, but from today on it will be a nice little addition to my 'go to' store collection.


     Although some of the items in the store are just as poor quaity as they used to be ( sad but true), I would say that the majority of it has been raised to a level of acceptable qualitiness that is equalized by the prices of the items. I know that saying that probably doesn't sound very good or seems that I'm putting them down, but I'm not. For what you get and the price you spend I would say that it is very good value. However, saying that I wouldn't go and by a winter jacket from here or shoes that I want to last me because honestly it just won't work.  They will break and you'll be cold and then you will just be upset. Sad times. For items like these definitely go to a store and spend a little bit more to get the quality you want. I've been rambling - back on topic!

    Forever 21 has great pieces that mix and match into your wardrobe and won't set you back $50 for a plain blouse. It has AMAZINGLY affordable accessories that are pretty darn cute ( although the earrings could do with going on a diet), and pieces like tank tops and plain tube skirts can be found for well below the ten dollar mark. So really who cares whether it lasts you a lifetime because you can easily just go out with your change purse and buy another. So finally onto my tiny miniscule haul!..and if you've lasted this long you deserve a nap!

   So firstly I bought a super adorable pair of little black mustaches. I saw them at the check out counter and just loved them! Don't you find that some of your best purchases are the spur of the moment ones, or is that just me? Not only were they incredibly cute and a must have, but they were only $1.50. No explanation for how stoked I was. Then I also bought a wonderful pair of gold and black 80's earrings as well. I think they are the perfect combination of edgy and classy. My favorite combo by the way. I just thought that they would go with plenty, whether it be a casual outfit like a blazer and leggings or a more formal outfit. Just a good, all round pair of earrings that only set me back a measly $4.80. An absolute bargain I say.

   I originally saw this blouse hidden between some other items on a rack that someone probably hid there and was planning on coming back for, but you snooze you loose. I just love a good blouse with cute collars, and this one has gold collar tips!!! To be honest after I saw the gold tips it didn't even matter if it fit me perfectly, but it's a good thing that it did. I think this blouse is just a great staple to have in your wardrobe because you can pair it with a skinny jean, over shorts or tucked into a skirt. It's so versatile that it would almost be a crime not to get it, or that's what I told myself anyways. It fits really well and it's true to size keeping in mind that it is meant to be on the looser side. It has the ever popular high-low working for it, so if your like me and hate showing your bum in leggings this is perfect as it hides it completely. This blouse was also very affordable with a price tag of $23.80.

   So after this shopping trip not only did I get a few staple items for cheap I also got a renewed love of Forever 21. If you all haven't been into one of their stores lately I recommend stepping in because although you may have to dig a little, there really are some great findings for cheap. The only downside I can see to this new love is that I don't think I'll be able to stop going...Uh oh!




Sorry about the poor quality of the photos - Im a poor imitation of an amateur photographer.

Fall with a Twist! X

     Simple Fall look. Taking a new direction on the scalloped shorts, and making it an office appropriate staple. I love the warm tones in this outfit. However, I do think that this look would have been better with ditching the studded feather clutch and exchanging it for a large black leather envelope style clutch. The angles on the clutch would correspond with the scallops on the shorts, giving this look a more harmonious feel. 

     What do you think? Keep the feathers or ditch them?

Review || Murad Cleanser

     Tonight it’s all about the Murad Soothing Gel Cleanser. I got this cleanser about 2 weeks ago, and i’ve already fallen in love. First, it is incredible value for money; this tube has 200 mL encased in the simple design and I only had to pay $25.00…quite a bargain if you ask me. You only have to use about a dimes worth and therefore it can potentially last you maybe 4 months. As you probably know from my last skin care post, I have quite bad acne and as a result I have prescriptions to deal with the issue, so when I went out to look for a cleanser I didn’t necessarily want one that was specifically designed for acne.(I find that if you use to many acne products on your face at one time it often give you the opposite desired result). 

     Anyways, I wanted a cleanser that would benefit my skin underneath all the bumps, and that’s exactly what I got with this cleanser. It absolutely does everything that it says on the label (which is unfortunately is not a common find when dealing skin care products). It has not been sucking the moisture out of my face like so many before it. In addition to it having goji berry extract to calm and sooth, it has moisture beads that give the cleanser that extra moisture boost. These beads make a world of difference; if you’re tired of how drugstore cleansers make your skin tight and dry, I encourage you to exchange it for this bad boy.  It conditions and literally calms the enflamed skin of an acne sufferer, and has a green tint which helps cancel out the redness on the face. 

     I won’t lie, when it comes to my skin care routine I am incredibly lazy. I know that your supposed to use make-up remover to take your make-up off prior to using a cleanser, but that’s just too much work for me. This Murad is a miracle worker! Besides my mascara it takes everything off, but really I have yet to find a product that takes it ‘all’ off in one fell swoop. Really though, one negative to a product filled with positives is not a deal breaker in the least. This product is going to be in my life for a very long time to come.

     I think that if you are currently having your acne treated and you’re tired of having dull flakey skin, this product would definitely be beneficial to try. And even if you already have flawless skin, I’m sure you have red problem areas on your face that just won’t go away even with persistent begging. This cleanser could be your gateway out.

Im in no way sponsored by any of the products/companies I review

Review || Boscia Tonic

     Today i’m going to do a skin care product review for the Boscia Clear Complexion Tonic with Botanical Blast. Prior to purchasing this toner i had been using a Clinique toner and found that not only was it incredibly drying, but it had also begun to burn my skin. It was basically like a chemical peel gone wrong…not a pretty sight, nor a pretty feeling. So, I set out to find a toner that did not have any alcohol in it or any harsh ingredients that would irritate my sensitive acne prone skin, and that’s when I stumbled upon this bad boy in Sephora.

     When I arrived at Sephora I immediately sought out the skin care section at the back of the store and was approached my the most amazing women in the Sephora  universe! I told her about my ordeal with the Clinique product, of how it burned my skin and made me look like a redder version of Jocelyn Wildenstein, and once she finished her giggling she took me through all of the alcohol free toners that were appropriate for acne prone skin. At the end we settled on this spray toner and I haven’t looked back. Not only is it gentle and non drying but it doesn’t have any preservatives, which makes me feel at ease with putting it on my face. However, I will say that I haven’t noticed any change in my acne or pore zones on my face, but there also hasn’t been an increase in blemishes so I think i’ll look just past that blip of false advertising.

     This is not a toner that you can feel the effects of (i.e.- stinging or tingling) so if you’re one of the people who need to feel your skin care products ‘doing’ something then I don’t believe this is the one for you. But if you want a no shine, gentle, clean face this toner may be worth a try.

…and if you really hate it you can always return to Sephora…BONUS!!!