Tips To Fade Spot/Acne Scars...

Spots are a right nuisance. They're bright red, protrude out of the skin and always seem to arrive at the most inconvenient times. Then, they leave behind those dreaded grey-ish, brown marks that just won't fade or budge.
When I was just getting into my teenage years, I suddenly suffered from mild acne on my forehead and then it eventually broke out onto my chin. Each and every spot left behind a grey scar. I realised that my usual Neutrogena and Garnier products weren't helping them fade, so I invested in some Origins, REN and Caudalie products (top skincare brands). I also completely changed my skincare regime and took more care with my skin. It all made a huge difference. Obviously, it is hormonal factors that contributed to my spots, but the products helped not only reduce them, but fade away the nasty dark scars too.

My top tips to help fade away your acne scars:

1. Exfoliate - this will help slough off the dead skin cells and bring a new skin layer to the surface. Make sure though that you only exfoliate once a week maximum. The more you exfoliate, the quicker a new layer of skin will arrive, consequently, you scar will fade.
2. Drinks lots of water - Nobody can stress enough how important water is for the body. Drink, drink, drink!
3. Hydrate - I have normal/combination skin but I was really interested in using the Origins Drink-Up Intensive Mask as it is one of their bestsellers and was intrigued to buy it. Turns out, the grey marks love a lot of moisture and found that the more hydrating creams I applied, the quicker they faded.
4. Brighten - You can help brighten the scars by applying a few drops of lemon juice every now and then. Also, try specialist brightening creams and masks. I love the Ren Glycolatic Radiance Renewal Mask. 

Try these and your skin should be better in no time. I'm not going to lie, this will take at least 5 or 6 months and a whole load of patience for your skin to be perfect (depending on the severity of your scars). In the meantime, take a look at this video, it really helps. Also, why not have an online live chat with one of the Origins (on their website, click at the 'Need Help?' button at the top) skincare experts. They will help to recommend you products specifically for your skin concern. Or, take their quiz.

My go-to products:

• Origins Brighter by Nature Brightening Peel, £30.00
• Origins Modern Friction Facial Scrub, 31.00
• Dr Andrew Weil for Origins Brightening Treatment Lotion, £25.00
• Simple Anti-Blemish Moisturizer, £4.99
• La Roche-Posay Serum For Skin Discolorations, £29.00
• Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer, £23.00
• REN Replenishing Night Serum, £22.00
• Ren Glycolatic Radiance Renewal Mask, £30.00
• Caudalie Beauty Elixir, £11.50 (my favourite skincare product ever!)
• Garnier 5 Second Perfect Blur Primer, £12.99

Hope this helps!

Tuesday Ten: My Summer Playlist

Your on the beach. The waves crash against the rocks and the subtle breeze whispers in your ear. The salty air tempts you in to gently sipping onto a cooling cocktail while your fingers dance with the sand beside you. All you need is a little music and you'll be away with the fairies. (Back to reality...) I've made you all a summer playlist for you to listen to while on the beach, walking along the Italian promenade's or slurping on strawberry ice cream. Enjoy...

1. Holiday - Madonna
2. On Top of the World - Imagine Dragons
3. Simply Wonderful - Tim Myers (thanks Hellmann's mayonnaise advert )
4. Can We Stay - The Woodlands
5. Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
6. Get Lucky - Daft Punk
7. Ho Hey - The Lumineers
8. Paradise - Coldplay
9. Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
10. This Is What It Feels Like - Armin Van Buuren

And if I were to add an eleventh, it would be this one. It always plays in the background of my favourite movies!

Have fun wherever you are this summer :)

Reasons to Love: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley...

Ahh Rosie, the essence of cool. With a seventies feel and always a pair of skinny jeans glued to her legs, the model always looks incredible, on and off the red carpet and runway.  Click 'read more' below to get even more envious...

Makeup Inspo...

Summer Trend #4: Riviera Chic

Amalfi Coast, Italy:

Picture link, here. Top - T By Alexander Wang, trousers - Tory Burch, shoes - Ancient Greek, lipstick in Rio Rio - Topshop, bag - Rochas

Cannes, France:

Picture link, here. Shirt - Equipment, Lipstick in Oh La La - Topshop, shorts - J Brand, bag - Marni, shoes - Tory Burch

Naples, Florida:

Picture link, here. Dress - Carven, bag - Versace, shoes - Chloe, nude bangle - Alexander McQueen, colourful bird bracelet - Shourouk

Tuesday Ten: Beyond Staples...

We always read about the 'staples', 'must-haves' and 'essentials' to be in one's wardrobe. But an LBD and a classic blazer will only go so far. It's time to go beyond the staples, I guess you could say that this is a sort of 'not your average staples staples' post, but hopefully you all know what I mean! Here are 10 pieces that should be in your wardrobe that are often forgotten about (don't worry, I'm a little confused too)...

1. An alternative to an LBD - Why not try a little white dress (LWD) or something flamboyant and daring. I'm loving this ladylike one by Oscar De La Renta.
2. Try chinos - As much as I love skinny jeans a flirty skirt, there's nothing better than a good pair of chinos. I love wearing mine rolled up with a striped breton top, espadrilles and oversized sunnies.
3. A leather jacket - Now a leather jacket may seem like a wardrobe staple, but you'll be surprised at how many people don't actually own one. If you already have one, why not try a different colour, shape or style? I personally adore Rag & Bone's navy biker jacket, it's a good alternative to black or brown.
4. Printed graphic tees - I know, cheesy printed tees that you wore when you were a teen still haunts you to this day (c'mon, we all had a t-shirt with either a rainbow or a flower on it, right?!) but worn correctly and they can instantly look stylish. Take tips from this video to help you or why not purchase this straight away.
5. Versatile shorts - Everyone needs a good pair of shorts that they can wear pretty much everywhere - from a beach to even a wedding. This pair is can be dressed up or down.
6. A summer jacket - This is what I'm currently looking for. On chilly summer evening or on a rainy day (hmmm, I'm used to them!) it's nice to have something to pull over your shoulders. I'm drooling over this one by Halston Heritage. 
7. A coloured pair of jeans - Nothing beats a classic blue pair of jeans but hey, were not looking at basics! A coloured pair are a great alternative to ordinary blue and will instantly add colour to a boring outfit. 
8. A neutral maxi skirt - Same with the shorts really, a good maxi skirt can be worn anywhere. As a quick cover-up as you're coming off the beach or attending a wedding paired with a cropped blazer and silky top. Tibi's pale pink one is lovely and can be worn with anything.
9. Try a quirky clutch - Forget those cheap, fake leather, floppy ones. Secure your spot in the limelight with Charlotte Olympia's quirky clapperboard clutch. It's a great conversation starter and will add a bit of whizz to an LBD on your net night out.
10. Colourful printed scarves - Scarves are my best friends. On days where I just feel like throwing on a plain black tee, skinny jeans and ankle boots - I simply throw on a flamboyant scarf and boom, it instantly boosts my outfit. If only I had this Alexander McQueen scarf. Amazing. 

Behold: My Current Shopping List...

Guess what? It's nearly summer! Not that you'd realise it here in London! Considering summer only lasts about a month in the UK, my entire wardrobe is overflowing with knitted jumpers, turtle necks and wooly scarfs. It's about time I bought myself a fancy pair shorts and a bikini - summer essentials. I love Topshop's pink retro-style bikini, it's gorgeous! And of course, I'm going to need a good pair of sandals and shorts too. To perfect my skin for summer, I'm thinking of buying Pai's Rosehip Bio-Regenerate Oil to help brighten my complexion. With perfect skin, a good bit of lippy and a sweep of bronzer will complete the look. But it's no good having good skin and makeup, what about hair? To thicken and de-frizz my locks, I'm thinking of purchasing the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray (or the Surf Spray to get those wonderful, beachy waves). I hope I'm not going to put anything else on my list otherwise, I'll be penniless!

What's on your shopping list for this summer? 

This Week's Fashion Inspo...

It's suddenly gone back to Winter, here in London. Hello trench coats and ankle boots.

My Dream Hairstyle...

My mane is very tricky. Tricky indeed. I've had it short, long, mid-length, 'attempted' a side parting, middle parting, full fringe (bang) and a side fringe and yet none of it looked good. If you're wondering what my hair is like - it's slightly dry at the ends and often goes frizzy, can sometimes be a little greasy at the roots and is loosely curly.

This summer, I'm looking for something different. I'm thinking of trying a wash-in-wash-out hair dye in a sort of dark honey blonde, trying a middle parting once again and asking my hairdresser to cut in choppy layers. Let me know what you all think, I'm not 100% sure on it all yet so I really value your opinions!

What's you dream hairstyle?

Reasons to Love: Miranda Kerr

Ahhh Miranda Kerr. Probably the best dressed model off-duty (alongside Rosie H-W obvs). Her simple looks are what catch people's eye and they way that each look is different. She is the definition of sophistication. Click below to see more!

Tuesday Ten: The Best Printed Shorts...

Forget denim daisy dukes that were the hype of last Summer - it's all about pretty and delicate, printed shorts. They were not only seen at Dolce & Gabbana, Helmut Lang and Isabel Marant catwalks, but snapped up on the likes of Rosie H-W and Kate Bosworth too. I'm obsessed with printed shorts, I just think they look so classy (if done right!) and can be worn many ways. This Tuesday Ten is split into two. First, take inspo from the five snaps from the collage below then browse through some of my favourites on the high street (+ some designer ones too!).

1. Zara printed floral shorts - £25.99
2. Topshop leaf print shorts - £32.00
3. Mulberry peach floral shorts - £395
4. Zara paisley blue shorts, £22.99
5. Just Cavalli printed purple shorts, £173

Do you like printed shorts? How would you wear them? Hope everyone had an amazing Tuesday, speak soon!

This Weeks Fashion Inspo:

Hello monochrome stripes.

Proof That A T-Shirt Always Looks Good Tucked Into A Skirt:

My uniform right now. Nothing beats a good tee and a classic skirt. Perfection at it's peak.

Tuesday Ten: The Craziest Met Gala Hair & Makeup Looks:

Miley Cyrus, Sarah Jessica Parker

 We all love to see gorgeous  flowing gowns on the red carpet. We all love to drool over the latest Oscar De La Renta gown or Valentino mini dress. But, the theme at the Met Gala 2013 was 'punk'. This was a bit of sticky situation to celebs like Blake Lively and  Taylor Swift, however, Madonna, Kelly Osbourne and Miley Cyrus were in their element. There was a whole lotta' side boob paired with black mesh and skulls. However, it wasn't really the apparel that caught one's eye. It was the bleached, spiked up hair, the painted-on black eyebrows and crazy winged eyeliner that did. Here are the top ten (it was hard to eliminate to just ten, I have to say...) craziest hair and makeup ideas for the 2013 Met Gala. Click below to see the other 8...

Summer Trend #3: When Two Become One

Co-ord - Topshop, hat - Sensi Studio, bracelets - Guhran, shoes - Miu Miu

Co-ord and top - all Band of Outsiders, shoes - Robert Clergerie, bag - Mulberry

Co-ord - Preen by Thornton Bregazzi - shoes - Stella McCartney

Oh, How I Long For...

1. IRO dark green leather jacket - £789
2. Burberry Prorsum trench coat - £1,195
3. Equipment peach silk shirt - £230
4. Band of Outsiders mint shirt - £205
5. Marni black leather tote - £1,120
6. Creme De La Mer moisturiser - £100
7. Charlotte Olympia nude pumps - £545
8. Illesteva round stripe sunglasses - £200

We all have those few items that we've always longed for. Whether it's a classic Burb or a luxury Creme De La Mer face cream. Every time I intend to have a casual snoop on Net-A-Porter, I always come off kicking and screaming for something else I can't afford. Seriously, I could wipe to website clean of all of it's stock. Pretty much everything (besides a slinky bit of lingerie) I could buy in one big go. Well, I guess I'll just have to dream on...

What do you long to be in your wardrobe? Let me know in the comments, hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Get Ready For Prom...

...and if you're struggling with what to wear, click here. Have fun!