THE BODY SHOP REVIEW - SEAWEED SKINCARE

Happy Sunday Everyone! How have you all been? A few weeks ago I made some new purchases from The Body Shop, I went in ... Just to have a look! But like always I couldn't help myself and I ended up at the till with my wallet out! Whilst I was having a mooch an absolutely lovely girl came over and asked me if I wanted any help. At first I said no but then realised I actually did haha! I really wanted to try out a new face mask, I am and always will be a dedicated lush face mask lover but sometimes it's nice to try something new! And the lovely sales assistant ... Hey Saff, asked a few questions about my skin and said I should try out the Seaweed Clay Mask. I normally get on quite well with clay masks so I grabbed one off the shelf but then I noticed they had a '3 for 2' offer! So I asked Saff what might be good to go with what I got, so she recommended the Seaweed Cleanser and Toner! Here's what I thought of the range!

So I'll start off with the Clay Mask, It works like any other clay mask out there. It's pretty simple to apply and isn't too overly fancy, it's made to cleanse the skin and also control excess oils. My skin can be really tricky, first thing in the morning my skin can be super dry but throughout the day the oil monster attacks my face and so I really like the mask for keeping the oil at bay! In terms of application I pop this on with a flat foundation brush for even coverage and leave it on for about 10-15 minutes before using a wet flannel to remove it! Super easy with no fuss! Onto the Cleanser, I like to use this after removing the mask. Not only does it help remove any of the clay that might be left on my skin but it also cleanses any areas that the mask may not have got to. I love using the cleanser first thing in the morning to help refresh my skin but also last thing at night as well but it isn't excessive either! It has just the right amount of moisture so that it does not dry out the skin. The toner I'm still getting used to ... the very first time I used it I had just shaved. Word of warning guys, DO NOT DO THAT! It stings like hell haha! But over the last few uses I have started to get along a little better with it. To be completely honest I don't quite see the point of this step, I don't feel like my skin benefits massively from it but I'm going to carry on anyway because it might be doing something amazing for my face that I can't really see!

Hope this review was helpful for you guys, I genuinely feel that would be a good range for any of you with oily to combination skin. I really want to try more, especially the Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream to use in the morning after toning. I've been using the Vitamin C Moisturiser which you can read about *here*, but sometimes it can be quite oily for my skin so I'd prefer to use it in the night to ensure my skin isn't too dry in the mornings. Something else I really want to try is their new Virgin Mojito stuff they've just released! Please let me know if any of you have tried anything from the range, I'd love to know if there's anything that I should try. I'm sure I'll do a review if I get anything so keep a look out! Have a good week and I'll be back next week!

Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask | Seaweed Purifying Facial Cleanser | Seaweed Clarifying Toner

THE URBAN OUTFITTERS JEWELLERY HAUL

Happy Sunday Everyone! As you're all probably well aware I'm prone to spend a little here or there on jewellery and accessories and over the past month I have built up quite a collection from Urban Outfitters. Now I'm not one to spend a lot of money in Urban Outfitters unless its accessories or home ware, oh their home ware is just amazing! You might have seen some of the stuff I've picked up before on my last 'Urban Ourfitters Haul'. This haul however is strictly jewellery! Necklaces and Chains to be a little more specific! Here's what I picked up ... Hope you like!

So I'm going to go from left to right and this one is actually quite an old one but I thought I would throw it in anyway! When I first bought this it had quite an odd looking chain on it and I did wear it out a few times but it just didn't feel right and it was quite short in terms of length too! This is where my creative side really comes in handy! I simply removed it from the chain it was already on and popped it onto a piece of chain I had lying around! I just used a pair of round nose pliers to take it off the chain and I also had to add the jump ring and the lobster clasp but it didn't take too long!

Moving onto one of my more recent purchases is this amazing triangle pendant necklace! The stone has been classed as semi-precious and its actually clear quartz. Colour wise it's a lovely soft frosty white. I've not had to do any adjustments to this one I love it just the way it is! It's really nice to add a touch of something to a plain tee or you can even use it with another chain to create a layering effect!

The next one doesn't have any fancy stones but it's equally as gorgeous. I spotted this one on a little trip into town with one of my lovely friends and I didn't pick it up straight away which is a bit weird of me but I didn't quite know how I felt about it. Turns out I love it. I've gone into a real dainty type chain phase with statement pendants and Urban Outfitters is an amazing place for little treasures like this one! All of these by the way are from the womens section of UO but that's not stopped me! Look how beautiful they all are!

The fourth chain in my line up is another old purchase. Originally it was a double layered chain with a smaller pendant but I got bored of it and wanted to switch things up a little bit! So with my trusty pliers I separated the two and transformed it into a longer singular chain instead! I love the almost battered effect on the pendant and because its really delicate it works really well with layering pieces! It's perfect with any of the two triangle pendants I have! Like the other pieces I have, this one also has a silver chain, I sense a little bit of a theme going on here!

Last but most definitely not least is the second of the triangular pendants! I couldn't get one without the other now, could I? Again this has a semi-precious stone, Green Amazonite. I think this one might be my favourite out of the two just because of the detail you can see in the stone! I love wearing this one with a plain charcoal grey tee, the colours work super well together! And again you can always use another chain to layer with this one! I think I want to make one of the two a little longer in length but I'm not too sure which one yet!  

And there we have it! I can positively say I'm sure that my collection will continue to grow so you may see another one of these heading your way! I'm really getting into wearing chains again and I'm loving what's out there at the moment. I don't really own a lot of chains like these, If you've seen my 'Jewellery Favourites' from last year you'll know that I used to be into more gunmetal and gold jewellery. So it's quite a switch up for me! Let me know which one is your fave and also if you've seen anything in Urban Outfitters that might tickle my fancy! Hope you guys have a lovely week and I'll see you on the next one!

Semi-Precious Gem Pendant in Blue | Semi-Precious Triangle Pendant Necklace in Silver White | Circle Pendant Necklace | Oval Pendant Necklace | Semi-Precious Necklace in Silver Green

THE ALEXANDER MCQUEEN SAVAGE BEAUTY EXHIBITION

Happy Sunday Everyone! Hope you guys have had a lovely week! The weather has been amazing here recently, Summer is finally making its way over! Which is amazing for me but not so good for my wallet! #SummerHaulComingSoon! This week I went to the V&A museum to visit the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty exhibition, now anyone who knows will know how much of a big deal this was for me. Ever since my interest in fashion began McQueen has been my greatest inspiration, his visions and creation speak volumes to me and I really value his incredible contribution to the world of Fashion.

Jellyfish ensemble and Armadillo shoes | Artist: Alexander McQueen | Date: Plato’s Atlantis, S/S 2010 Credit line: Model: Polina Kasina, © Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE

The day started off super early in the morning, the train tickets were booked for 8.30 and it takes me a while to get ready! I was up at about five but I did that thing where you just lay in bed for a while ... it was about quarter to six before I physically got out of bed and hopped in the shower! An hour and a half later I was ready ... ish! Just had to pop on my Chelsea Boots and I was on my way to pick up the girls. We got to the station just in time to grab some breakfast before we had to board the train! It was a little bit awkward when we got on to the train because someone was sat in our reserved seats ... uhoh! Don't worry, he moved haha! Before we knew it, we were in London and waiting to use the toilets, now for me this was no problem I was in and out within a matter of minutes but the girls were still queuing when I got out! No idea why its always so busy for the girls bless 'em! It started to get a bit frantic because our slot for the exhibition was 10.30 and it was already 10.15 before we had reached the V&A and on my email it said that I had to pick up the tickets from the box office! As soon as we got there I ran over to a lovely lady who said that I could just show them the email and I'll be okay!

  

As we queued to go into the exhibition I was super excited, nervous and quite hot ... we HAD just ran to the V&A! But as we walked in to the very first room entitled 'London', it seemed like all of my emotions were stripped and I almost felt surrounded by an intimidating presence. There was a screen which acted as a backdrop to some of McQueens work, there was a mass variety of silhouettes and seasons, it was almost a preview of what was to come. As we stood there staring at the pieces, McQueens voice bellowed through the room. I was quite literally speechless. 

Installation view of 'London' gallery | Artist:  Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

'Savage Mind' was a lot less intense, the room was a lot brighter but kept quite a cold environment from the first installation. This room showcased McQueens exquisite tailored work, I have always admired the way he creates more than just a traditional suit. McQueen has always been known for bending the rules and this is more than evident in the infamous 'Bumster' trousers that were on display. One of the things that caught my eye was the dust that was on one of the jackets. Now I know this may sound really weird but the dust made everything feel so real. This was Alexander McQueens work, untouched, unkept and raw.

Installation view of 'Savage Mind' gallery | Artist:  Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The next installation was my favourite of them all, the 'Romantic Gothic' installation. This room was filled with McQueens most extravagant pieces and it was so inspiring. One of my favourite dresses was displayed as the central piece in a large glass case framed with gold detailing. The pieces displayed were actually some of the very last made by McQueen before he passed away In contrast to the very dark pieces showcased on the opposite of the room they almost seemed ethereal and angelic.

Installation view of 'Romantic Gothic' gallery | Artist: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

I have always admired the way McQueen broke the boundaries of fashion and created pieces out of materials that were out of the ordinary, the next installation portrayed this perfectly. Walking into the Romantic Primitivism installation was like walking into a cave, the walls were lined with bones and skulls. Each piece was presented in an opening and was highlighted with the use of spotlights. Many of the pieces were created with abnormal materials such as hair, mud, latex and animal skulls.

Installation view of 'Romantic Primitivism' gallery | Artist: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Romantic Nationalism installation was another one of my absolute favourites, there was an instant royal atmosphere as you entered the room. One of the most opulent pieces was displayed in an elevated stand in the centre of the room. Along one side of the room there were pieces from McQueens 'Widows of Culloden' collection and on the other pieces from 'The Girl Who Lived In The Tree'. One of my highlights from this particular room was the headgear, absolutely beautiful works of art!

Installation view of 'Romantic Nationalism' gallery | Artist: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The most overwhelming room was definitely 'Cabinet Of Curiosities', I'm sure this was the largest room of all the installations however it was also the busiest. What seemed like the storage room of some McQueens most elaborate pieces, I almost felt as if I was in McQueens mind. The one thing that caught mine and Artis eye was the 'Armadillo' shoe ... I cannot imagine how the models walked in them, they were massive! We spent the most time in this room because there was just so much to take in, it was absolutely breath taking.

Installation view of  'Cabinet of Curiosities' gallery | Artist: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The next installation was 'Romantic Exoticism' the collection displayed had an immediate oriental feel, each piece was displayed on a rotating mirror podium. It took us a while but as we studied the pieces it was apparent that the collection was also inspired by the sea and it's creatures. Within the appliqued designs were tiny hand stitched sequins that glistened in the soft light.

Installation view of 'Romantic Exoticism' gallery | Artist: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

'Voss' was the most technically interesting installation, it was a literal re-creation of the Voss fashion show which was set in an Asylum. The mannequins were dotted around the box whilst the backdrop screen slowly revealed the infamous naked lady. Once she was revealed the lights within the box began to dim and like magic turned into a mirrored box just like the show!

Installation view of 'Voss' | Artist: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

I don't have an image for the next installation but it was the hologram of Kate Moss, oh my this was amazing. It was eerie and intriguing but it demanded all of your attention. We then walked through to the installation entitled 'Romantic Naturalism' this was another one of my favourite installations. I know I've said that about pretty much all of them but it's true! I love the use of flowers to create softness in the collection but in true McQueen style this was contrasted with harsh accessories and silhouettes. My favourite piece is the second from the left, although I love the headpiece on the central look.

Installation view of 'Romantic Naturalism' gallery | Artist: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The final installation 'Platos Atlantis' was also McQueens final runway show, the ending to the exhibition was extremely bittersweet. It was so interesting to see the pieces from the collection up close due to the amount of detail that was present however I didn't want it to end and I wanted more. It was almost quite an abrupt ending, although I guess that was also the unfortunate reality about McQueens life. I completely understand why this installation was the last however for a collection so meaningful the room lacked the same attention to detail that the others had.

Installation view of  'Platos Atlantis' gallery | Artist: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty at the V&A | Date: 2015 | Credit line: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Although I left the V&A wanting more, looking back and reminiscing about the exhibition has made me realise what an amazing opportunity this was. I don't think you need to be into fashion to appreciate the exhibition. Each room, each installation, each piece is so fascinating and thought provoking you almost feel in a trance whilst at the exhibition. If you can get to London, go see it whilst you can! It's such an immense experience and I am so thankful that I had the chance to be in the same room with some of the most groundbreaking designs in fashion history. 

"I want to be the purveyor of a certain silhouette or a way of cutting, so that when I'm dead and gone people will know that the twenty-first century was started by Alexander McQueen" 

THE INSTA-DIARY #2

Happy Friday Everyone! And welcome back to the second edition of The Insta-Diary! If you haven't seen the first one you can head over by clicking *here*. This month has been a crazy one, from Birthdays to Goodbyes! The highlight of my Month was most definitely going to see S Club 7! There's a full blog post on it *here* if you want to have a mooch! Although so much has happened I still have time to post a cheeky Instagram or two ... Here's what happened in the month of May! 

Cheeky preview of 'The Hair Routine' | En route to my dear friend Natalies' leaving do | 33 Cank Street | Candy floss cocktail | Selfie #5 | The Hair Routine | On the way to Birmingham to see S Club 7 | Cocktails | Food | Selfie #6 | Waiting for the show to start ... Eek! | We met Rachel! | ... And Jon! | Waiting for the train ... Hometime | Reminiscing about the BIAB Tour! | Happy Birthday Shivam! | Birthday cake for the brother | Selfie #7 on a work trip | The S Club 7 Bring It All Back Tour | #WCW | #TBT to my Disney days | The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturiser | Think Happy Be Happy | Selfie #8 | Vintage store in Leamington Spa | The pigeons reserving car spaces at work | The Soap And Glory Review - The Righteous Butter And Butter Yourself | Toblerone Martini at The O Bar | Chelsea Boots | Family Selfie

If you guys have an Instagram leave it below in the comments, I'd love to see what you guys get upto! ... My Instagram handle is @primalmajithia if you wanted to give me a follow! #CheekyPlug! Hope you guys have had a fantastic month and I'll see you Sunday for another blog post!