What I've Been Watching: Les Miserables

As MASSIVE Les Miserables enthusiasts, my father and I were so excited when we heard that the longest lasting musical from the West End would be adapted by Hollywood for a film a few years ago. We clung onto every rumour about the cast list and watched every documentary about the movie in the run up to the film's release on the 11th of January 2013. I even bought my Dad cinema vouchers for Christmas! We set up the Daddy-Daughter date, bought the tickets and packed the left-over Christmas chocolate into my (not-so-inconspicuous) rucksack and headed to our local Vue cinema.

Although we knew what to expect in some ways, we were also a little apprehensive in others... Most of the cast list aren't globally renowned for having the amazingly semi-operatic singing voices which many of the roles required, so we expected that the music-side of the film might be somewhat disappointing. In some ways, we were right. Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, (the main character, a fugitive from the law since stealing a loaf of bread to feed his nephew) for example, LOOKED the part. Seriously, his look was SO Jean Valjean. However, the powerful voice which we had come to expect from watching the likes of Alfie Boe and Colm Wilkinson playing the part, just simply wasn't there. Instead, we got a much more raw emotional performance which did redeem the actor in some ways. Having said that, it could be argued that the rawness came not from the actor himself, but from the director, Tom Hooper, who insisted that each part would be sang live throughout the movie, bar one. 

Hotel Russell Review

This week just gone my company happened to send me to my second favourite city in the world so far (Los Angeles is my first) LONDON! As I would be based on Tottenham Court Road for three days, the company booked me into a nearby hotel... Hotel Russell is a 373 bedroom situated in the picturesque Russell Square, not a five minute journey from the Russell Square tube station. Upon walking into the hotel, I genuinely thought my company had made a mistake and thought that a director was going to London instead of me, because it was so grand and majestic!

*Impressive, right?*

Ted Baker Workshop Men's Accessories Line...

About six weeks ago I received an invite to the launch of Ted Baker's Pop Up menswear accessories line entitled Workshop. As a lady who is constantly walking around moaning about guys who wear slogan t-shirts and terrible jeans, I figured I'd go along to learn about the alternative menswear options. So I hopped on a train to Birmingham and wandered on up to the Ted Baker concession in Selfridges. 

I was immediately accosted by a rather handsome-looking salesman, smartly clad in a suit and apron (inkeeping with the 'Workshop' theme I assume...) proffering glasses of bubbly. I politely accepted one and got stuck into looking through the collection... 

*The pop-up presentation rack full of bags, folders, iPad cases, wallets and laptop carriers*

London Fashion Weekend: The Sunday Fashion Panel

During my jaunt to London Fashion Weekend, I managed to grab a seat for the Sunday Fashion Panel discussion to find out the skinny on personal style and how to get it. Its not every day you get to see the UK fashion royal Hilary Alexander, top designer Olivia Rubin and fashion icon (and TOWIE's best...) Lydia Bright sitting around chatting about shopping now is it? Needless to say I felt really rather lucky. Anyway, here is the jist of what was said...

***

How do trends start?
Hilary (H): Well, what comes first? The chicken, or the egg? Fashion is a huge collaboration of street style, designer insights, print factory risks, celebrity-wear and so on. If enough people pick up on a look, it automatically becomes a trend, no matter what the conglomeration was inspired by.
Olivia (O): I think every designer has their own signature style and looks they like, for example, bold graphic prints. I like that trends evolve and progress from season to season.
H: It took just two months for the high-street to pick up on the military look. Once the high-street is doing it, you KNOW it is a trend.
Lidia (L): I think the best way to follow a trend is when a true personal style shines through. Although trends by their nature indicate something that numerous people like, you should never feel pressured to dress a certain way. Sometimes, as a celebrity, I used to forget my own style and would just dress for the fans but now I make sure I'm wearing what I want to wear.
H: Yes, it is really important not to be someone else. Copying is so bad. You should always adapt a look to suit your own personal likes and dislikes. Dare to experiment!

Obviously fashion confidence is really important for leading trends...
L: Definitely! Be brave and try something different. After a while it just becomes second nature and it is so important to know yourself and have your own look at forcing yourself out of your fashion comfort zone sometimes is a good habit to get into.
O: My style has changed since I was a fashion student. I'm more natural and comfortable in my own skin now and I think I look and dress better for it.
H: I'm personally a hippy at heart and I travel a lot so I wear clothes which are comfy, practical and brightly coloured. I'm a Woodstock granny. One other thing I'd say in terms of finding looks that you are confident in is to pin-point a celebrity or an icon with a similar body shape to you. See what they wear, what looks good and what doesn't and learn from them.
L: I did that with Sarah Jessica Parker!

Inspiration is very important in fashion as it is a way of expressing yourself creatively and responding to the world around you. What else inspires you?
O: Everything inspires me. From modern art to architecture, street style to nature. I find inspiration everywhere in so many different sources. It comes so naturally now that I don't even think about it. It is better to let fashion just happen organically and evolve freely.

Speaking of evolution, what are the main trends going to be for the coming season?
O: During the next season we're going to be seeing a lot of prints, bright colours and intricate patterns, which is brilliant really because those looks are so versatile and timeless that they can be worn all year round really.
H: I always tell people to go back to their wardrobes and just rework their old outfits. Print-on-print for example is really in for next season but we might never have considered it in the past. In fact, the dress I have on right now is from Whistles... 21 years ago! I just call it 'vintage' now!

Lidia, what up-and-coming trends will you be pioneering in your new clothing line?
L: I've literally always loved fashion and I decided to share my passion for 1950's girly style with my fans. I am very lucky to have been able to use my fame as a platform to make this happen.

What advice could you each give someone who is interested in starting a career in fashion if they didn't have a fame platform?
H: I'd urge anyone interested in fashion careers to come along to Graduate Fashion Week in June. Its a great networking opportunity and a brilliant forum for finding out more about fashion education. I do think it is quite important to study something fashion-related in order to learn the theory behind the creative.
O: I know its a boring one, but everyone interested in fashion should really get themselves on a good internship... I did seven! I did two in Paris and five in London. I'll never forget the fantastic first-hand experience I gained of the fashion industry from my internships.
H: Oh yes, it is really important to be proactive in this industry.
O: Also, I think a deep-rooted knowledge of the high-street is quite important these days.

So we've spoken about celebrity-fashion collaborations now, how about designer-high-street collaborations now? Thoughts?
H: I think they are a brilliant way of helping the customer out in terms of finding cheaper, more-accessible alternatives to catwalk looks. Plus, it gives younger designers an opportunity to break into the industry. Take Mary Katrantzou and Topshop for example... great success.

If we were only going to buy one item this season, what should it be and why?
H: I think a belt is vital this season as the silhouettes are changing. Tighten your belt around last year's chunky cardigan or knitted jumper and wear it with a feminine mid-length skirt. Brilliant.
O: Separates are really in this year, but as Hilary says, the main thing is to maintain that classically feminine silhouette. I'd advise everyone to invest wisely and choose a versatile yet stand-out printed blouse.
L: I think brightly coloured heels are a must. Also, I think military jackets are amazing for elongating the body.

Finally, give us your Holy-Grail style tip...
H: Try, try and try again. Don't be afraid to try something random, and if you think you need to see how fifteen dresses look before buying The One, go for it. We have to kiss a lot of frogs before we find our princes in our love lives, and fashion is no different!
O: My tip is simple, mix high-street and designer.
L: For me it is all about courage. Be bold and brave whilst also making sure that the items you invest in are cost-effective and transferable.

***

I'm such a nerd... Most girls go to London Fashion Weekend to shop, meanwhile, I'm missing out on serious purchasing time so that I can gain some insider knowledge to share with all my readers! So what are your thoughts? How do you adapt trends? What would be your number one fashion pick for the season? What inspires the way you dress?

Love and snuggles...

GabriellaSofia

x

Culture Shock: What I've Been Watching: The Hunger Games (2012)

As a self-confessed fan of all films fantasy (Twilight, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Avatar etc...) I was surprised that I was patient enough to wait to watch The Hunger Games until it came live on Sky Box Office. However, once it was available for purchase this Sunday just gone, I was one of the first to buy the film. I settled down with my blanket and a Galaxy chocolate skinny latte and got ready to be wowed.

*She so pwetty. She's also one of my body idols.*

For me, I think it is really important to watch a film adaptation before you read the book it was adapted from if you can help it, solely because I had always found adaptations to be disappointed with adaptations. At least if you watch the film first then you stand a better chance of enjoying it without the restrictions of comparison running through your brain. So before you ask, no, I haven't read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins just yet. But it is definitely on my list.

Anyway, back onto the film.

I was so on-the-fence about The Hunger Games at the beginning. Although the film is opened by a captioned blurb in order to set the scene in time, location and context, I found myself lost through the majority of it. Unexplained flashbacks, seemingly significant glances between characters and inhuman brutality throughout just put me in such a weird state of confusion that I struggled at time to concentrate on even the basics of the plot. This continued for the first half hour.

From what I can understand, the film is set in some sort of North American nation in the future (in spite of the archaic experiences which the characters go through such as bathing in a tub of cold water, next-to-no access to technology and hobbies such as hunting with a bow and arrow) where there are twelve different 'districts' surrounding one Capitol. As a punishment to the poor districts for attempting a rebellion years earlier, the Capitol forces each district to select one boy and one girl  between the ages 12 and 18 each year by a random lottery to compete in a brutal version of the Olympics, whereby they must be let go into an 'arena' which is basically like a big huge forest. In order to win, they must kill one another until the final child, or 'tribute', standing wins. The District 12 lottery chooses Primrose Everdeen. However, he older sister Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers in her place and becomes a 'tribute' with fellow District 12er Peeta Mellark.

The rest is history really! There is a bit of action, a bit of romance, a few father issues, a LOT of bravery and generally a very Darwin-esque approach.

After watching for a little while, I started to understand the plot slightly better because I just let go of my preconceptions about how unrealistic the whole idea was. I mean, isn't that the whole point of fantasy? To let you invest yourself in a different world, to escape from reality.

The casting was generally brilliant, especially with Jennifer Laurence able to play the most kick-ass babe in the games. Similarly, her little ally Rue (played by Amandla Stenberg) gave me an awesome sense of girl power and how if we are united we can conquer the world! I also really liked Lenny Kravitz in the slightly camp role of 'stylist' Cinna, and Stanley Tucci (perhaps better known from The Devil Wears Prada, Easy A, Burlesque and The Lovely Bones amongst others...) as bitchy broadcast host Caesar Flickerman. The one-to-watch for me in this film is Elizabeth Banks in the role of Effie Trinket who is a control-freak, image-obsessed, optimist. Although some might say the role is slightly over-acted I saw a lot of Wicked's Madame Morrible in her performance and as a Wicked-fanatic I really couldn't complain!

Although they may find the plot a bit too fluffy, I think tech-y film fans might like this one, because the range of shots and sound techniques is really quite impressive, even for those of us who know nothing whatsoever about film.

This is a film which takes a lot of concentration, but is well worth the effort. I even found myself mentally cheering the tributes on and having a bit of a lump in my throat during a couple of different stages throughout. However, I was expecting something I would be a little MORE passionate about, like Avatar where I cried like a baby or Harry Potter where I was literally sat on the edge of my seat, or Twilight where I spent many a night dreaming about my very own forbidden-romance vampire-lover... But The Hunger Games is a good film nonetheless. Even if I do feel like there are bits I missed... maybe I'll have to watch it again.

Have you seen The Hunger Games? Which other films would you compare it with? Do you like watching film adaptations of books?

Love and snuggles
GabriellaSofia
x

Louise Gray for Topshop Makeup on a Budget...

If you are anything like me at the moment, you'll be saving up your pennies for Christmas already (I like to be WAY prepared so I don't have to scrimp around the festive season...) so although Louise Gray's colour-popping cosmetics collection for Topshop is absolutely beautiful, you'll be hunting for a cheaper alternative.

As a lipstick lover, I made it my goal to track down some dupes for the two Lips in the collection entitled  Mexican Wave (a rich blood-orange-peel colour) and Legend (the hottest of hot pinks in a deep hue). After seeing that they cost a whopping £10 (!!!) each I scribbled with each of them on the back of my hand just so I would have a swatch for colour comparison.

*Mexican Wave is on the bottom, Legend on the top*

The formulas are absolutely heavenly. Usually I find that with glossier more moisturising Lips that the colour pigment suffers, coming out slightly fainter and needing a couple more coatings just to achieve the colour you see in the stick. However, with these they are both true to the colour in the tube and incredibly creamy and soft. An absolute dream. Nonetheless, they are still £10 and I can't really justify spending that much when I am trying oh-so-hard to save. So I put the Lips down and had a quick glance over the rest of the counter before planning to head off in the direction of Boots to find my dupes...

HOWEVER, and here is the real clincher. As I was 'glancing' I spotted the Lip Sticks in the shades Hedonist and Clueless which looked almost identical to the Louise Gray colours. Amazing right? And better still? They are only £7 each. 

See, Hedonist is the orange line and Clueless is the pink one! Once again, the pigment is fantastic and in the pencil form the Lip Sticks are easier to apply for a more precise finish. The only drawback is that as the Lip Sticks are intended for a matte effect they don't have the same kind of glossiness as Louise Gray's Lips do. Having said that, we all know that this can quite easily be resolved by slicking on some lip balm underneath and dabbing on a little clear lipgloss over the top.

Now, I know what you are thinking, '£7 is still a lot babez! You'd only be saving £6 if you bought both! NOT GOOD ENOUGH." And I would be inclined to agree with you.... that is if I wasn't mad on the Louise Gray Cheek Duo in Up In The Air too...

The duo costs £12.50 which once again, I can't really justify. But just look how those colours pop in the palette! I very nearly couldn't resist... That was until I swatched a little of each colour on my hand and was horrifically disappointed with the pigmentation. 

You can hardly even see the colours! I soon realized I got a colour which was much truer to the pan when I scribbled a bit of the Lip Sticks on each finger and patted them into the apples of my cheeks. So technically, these Lip Sticks dupe for not just one product each, but two. Great success.

Needless to say, next payday I will be heading out to buy Hedonist and Clueless for £14 as opposed to buying the Louise Gray Lips and Cheek Duo for £32.50. A whopping save of £18.50 is to be made here. You. Are. Welcome.

Have you given into the temptations of Louise Gray? Do you know of any other amazingly cheap dupes for the Lips and Cheek Duo? Do you ever put lipsticks on your cheeks in place of blusher? I do it all the time, the creamy consistency is WAY better for staying power.

Love and snuggles

GabriellaSofia

x

Review: benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion...

I have been hunting for new products to add to my clearly WRONG skincare routine recently, so I was very excited when I received this little benefit sample in the post. I have always loved benefit cosmetics with a fiery passion, but this was the first time I ever tried one of their skincare products...

I love the word 'Emulsion'. I don't know why, it just sounds really gooey and cool. Anyway, the benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion is an oil-free formula (which I expected to be fab on me as I get unsightly breakouts occasionally) which hydrates, protects and comforts the skin whilst also offering an SPF of 15. 

I found the formula to be very thin when I squirted a little out on my hand. It almost ran straight off! When I applied it to my face, I soon realized that a little goes a very long way with this product. I found it to be very lightweight while it was on. However, I found throughout the day that my skin looked really quite greasy and my battle throughout the day to keep my face looking matte worked only to make the layer-upon-layer of powder foundation I had applied appear cakey and gross. 

On the other hand, I used this product before bed one night and found that it worked perfectly as a hydrating overnight mask as I woke up in the morning with the smoothest skin ever. Of course I had to cleanse the residue from my face in the morning, but what was left beneath was the loveliest butter soft skin that I think I've ever experienced! I have only just run out of this product after about a week and a half of using it (which just goes to show how your £19.50 stretches in the value for money) and as soon as I get paid I am investing in this as an overnight face cream. That said, I would not advise using this as a daytime cream in spite of the fact that the SPF properties are no use at night, I just don't think it is worth it considering the amount of powder I used that day... However, everyone's skin is different, so maybe try popping into benefit and asking for a sample to see how you get on?

Have you tried any of the benefit skincare line yet? Do you know of any cheaper alternatives to benefit's Facial Emulsion? What do you think about benefit branching into skincare?

Love and kisses

GabriellaSofia

x

City Review: Los Angeles

*Going on a journey...*

About five weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have experienced the glamour that is Los Angeles California during my USA adventure. I'd never been to the West Coast before and was somewhat apprehensive about not being cool or pretty or rich enough to fit in with the 'beautiful people' who we see so often on popular television shows such as 90210. Would everyone be searching for an audition opening? Would I spend most of my time trying to dodge out of the way of the paparazzi? How many celebrities was I likely to run into?

Well, before my flight even touched down on US soil, the exciting news that Chad Michael Murray was on my plane after having already seen Jessie J at the airport left me eager to pound the pavements of West Hollywood in search of the next star. Sadly, my third and final celebrity viewing of my stay occurred later that night as on a stroll back to my hostel from the nearest Taco Bell I saw one of the girls from an early season of America's Next Top Model. End of excitement.

Not really though, my stay in Los Angeles was everything and more than I'd expected.

*My bed at the hostel... sharing a room with 15 others I wanted to be able to keep a close eye on all my stuff, so kept it ALL on the end of my bunk bed. Paranoid, much?*

I stayed at the Banana Bungalow hostel in West Hollywood. Although the room was exceptionally cheap, I was quite concerned about meeting my fifteen (!) fellow dorm buddies, but soon after the introductions were made I felt comfortable with almost all of them. The ones I spent the most time with include Jayne from the UK, James from the USA, Dawn from Ireland and Sam from Australia. The hostel was very inviting in its decor, although the bedrooms and bathrooms were in serious need of renovation and the rickety old bunk-beds were death-traps. Nonetheless, Banana Bungalow soon became home and I made there what I hope will become friends for life. Expect to run into many Aussies and Kiwis at this hostel as its packed full of them. As for the staff at the Banana Bungalow, they were often friendly but equally disorganized, ill-advised and occasionally pervy which is manageable unless there's a serious problem. When one of my close friends who had rented a 'private' room had a strange man enter her room at 4am and crawl into bed with her as 'security' had given him a key when he said he was her boyfriend, management didn't handle her very well. In fact, my words were, 'They couldn't organize a p**s-up in a brewery' because they didn't really know what to say or do about her upset. Having said that, I never had a personal problem with the staff or the hostel itself and actually loved Banana Bungalow myself!

*Jayne and James*

*Dawn chillin' on the sightseeing bus.*

*Me and Sam <3*

The hostel is conveniently located a five minute walk in one direction from the Vintage and Alternative Fashion Stores of Melrose Avenue and a five minute walk in the opposite direction from The Grove shopping mall which offers all the big-brand fashion retailers, including Forever21, Abercrombie and Fitch and MAC. Needless to say my wallet was groaning as my budget-brain supported my will-power enough to avoid spending until I was to reach New York.

*Vintage shopping...*

*Abercrombie and Fitch at The Grove... isn't the building so pretty?*

When I wasn't looking around the shops, I took the City Sightseeing bus in order to hit up the local sights and I was not disappointed. Mann's Chinese Theatre, the Walk of Fame, the Pantages theatre and more offered tourist locations which are known world-wide. As if that's not enough, I was able to buy a hot-dog at Pink's, the number one fast-food vendor of choice for some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. And it was delicious!

*Mann's Chinese Theatre...*

* ... The Hollywood Walk of Fame ... *

* ... Pantages...*

* ... Pink's Hotdogs ... *

* ... I ATE THIS :)*

Venice Beach is a place I'd heard of so many times before that I absolutely had to see it for myself. After negotiating the public transport of Los Angeles, me and my friends made it to the beach in just under an hour. What looked like miles of sand stretched out in front of us as the tide was out far. Walking to the sea in the comfortable heat with a breeze playing around us, we worried that the water would be full of sharks and other beasties. The water was so clear we could see our own feet and although the odd stray seaweed wound its way around our ankles, we were not savaged by piranhas. The water was slightly nippy though... not that we cared after mindlessly burning under the sun's rays. Be careful at Venice Beach as the breeze will make you forget that the sun can be nasty.

*Look how happy I was before I got burned to a crisp.*

Los Angeles by night was... interesting. Depending on what you're into you can have a really great night. The hostel organized a night out to a local bar called Boulevard 3. The club was very cosmopolitan with beautiful professional dancers, fountains and great music. However, I felt that the drinks were far too expensive ($7 for a bottled beer???) and also I felt like the prize cow at the meat market. Which might well be the least flattering description I've ever used for myself but its true. It was clear that most men in that club were there because they knew that young internationals go clubbing there so they spend most of their night trying to 'woo' you with what I have come to recognize as American sleaze. No, I'm not saying all American men are the same or use the same techniques, only that there are some who do and I've never experienced that kind of forwardness from any other nationality thus far. I'm talking comments like, 'Hey baby, you caught my eye instead of all these girls, you're the most beautiful star in the room' before they hand you a drink they've already bought for you. They grind against you for a maximum of one song before trying to drag you to a sofa, the whole while calling you 'baby' and telling you you're 'incredible'. Then, they try and slobber in your mouth. RANCID. If you're a guy who uses these kind of tactics in a club, take my word for it, IT DOESN'T WASH WITH BRITS. In fact, a friend of mine punched one such guy straight in the nose.

Otherwise the people of Los Angeles were very nice and accommodating, always happy to give directions or recommend a restaurant to tourists. They're great if you don't mind hanging out with aspiring actors as Hollywood really is the land of showbiz, most of the locals I mixed with were trying to take a big bite of the fame-pie. That being said, I felt like their ambition made them even kinder than none fame-chasers as they tend to be friendly to anyone for 'just-in-case' the person they're talking to has connections to someone 'big' in the industry.

I had a fantastic time in Los Angeles and will definitely be heading back again. The weather was hot but not humid, the style cool yet laid-back, and the city has a lot more to offer than the preconceived idea of cookie-cutter Celeb-land. So what do you think, is LA for you? Have you ever visited before? Have you ever written a city review before? If so, I'd love to see it! Please leave your link in the comments box and I'll check it out.

Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia
x

Guess Who's Back... Back Again... GabriellaSofia's Back... Tell A Friend...

Hello there, loyal readers!

That's right, I'm back from my six week jaunt across the United States and boy do I have a lot of content coming up, I almost don't know where to start... I thought I'd keep this simple as a quick update before I launch back fully into blogging tomorrow.

My flight arrived back yesterday and with it being an overnight flight I slept most of the way, so was able to use yesterday hanging out with my grandparents, giving my parents and sister their little presents I'd brought back and watching the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. Naturally, I couldn't get to sleep until about 3am this morning due to the time zone differences between Stoke-on-Trent and New York City and didn't wake up until 1.30pm today... whoops!

Today was your average just-got-back-off-my-holidays type day as I spent most of it unpacking, eating pizza with my sister and watching The Help on Sky Premier (its become one of my favourite films since seeing it in the cinema and the book is incredible too. In fact, I think I'll be reviewing them both on here very soon, so keep your eyes peeled.) I actually applied for a job today too, but its nothing spectacular so I'm not even going to go into it. I'm basically just looking for a full-time job which I can work at in order to save money for more travelling since I've definitely got the wanderlust having spent the past few weeks away.

So how was my trip? Unsurprisingly, I had a fantastic time. I'll be writing many posts over the next few weeks which I've had in mind while I've been away, but the short of it is this: I met so many amazing people from all over the globe, Yosemite was the most breath-takingly beautiful place I've ever been too, Forever21 still makes my life worth living, the USA has a LOT more culture than people generally believe and I have realized once and for all that I absolutely, definitively HATE early mornings. I'm hoping that little list has left you wanting more, as here is a breakdown of just a few post ideas I'm working on at the moment, to appear over the next couple of weeks...

1) Review of G Adventures (the tour company I travelled with)
2) How I Comprised My Whole Fashion and Beauty Wardrobe into One Backpack
3) Peek Inside My Travel Diary
4) Review of City Sightseeing Hop-on-Hop-off Tours (I used the company in both Los Angeles and San Francisco)
5) Vintage Shopping in the West Hollywood Area
6) City Reviews of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Fe, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Memphis and New York City.
7) A handful of Outfit of the Day posts including San Francisco Shopping, What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas, Nashville Cowgirl, New York Date Night, New York Sightseeing and more.
8) USA Adventure Shopping Haul
9) Pros and Cons to Travelling Alone
10) USA National Parks review... this will include Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, Death Valley, Carlsbad Canyons and Shenandoah.
11) Highlights and Lowlights of My USA Adventure

And then there will probably be tonnes more also, but that's all I could remember right now! You'll just have to bear with me as I get back into the swing of things with my blog and catch you up on all the things I've been wanting to write about since I left the UK. There are tons of non-USA adventure posts I have planned too... if you want to grab a glimpse of what they might be, go check out my To-Do List... I promise I'll get started tomorrow :) Until then, here's a picture of me casually hanging out with a dog at the Grand Canyon. As you do.

*MANY more photos soon to come!*

Thanks for waiting for me to get back. Knowing I have loyal readers to come home to made it so much easier when it was time to fly home.

Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia
x

Review - Lumiere Mineral Cosmetics

I absolutely MUST share with you all my new make-up secret... it's called Lumiere Mineral Cosmetics, and it is the future! I was so happy to be sent these seven sample pots of some of their lovely products, and although initially I was quite apprehensive (due to the rumours that mineral cosmetics are sheerer-than-sheer) I was soon pleasantly surprised and now I'm not sure I'll ever look back...

So for the products...

I received two foundation samples, the first in the shade Light Medium. This was in the 'Cashmere' finish, specifically for those of all skin types. It offers a buildable light to medium coverage with a matte yet silky finish. The second was in the shade Medium and in the 'Flawless' heavier coverage which is perfect for normal to dry skin types. 

I was also sent two shades perfect for adding a bit of rose to my cheeks. A blusher named 'Mauvelous' offers a purple-hued blusher pigment whilst the second, a blushing bronzer, was called 'Spiced Apple' and provides a muted tones of red and copper with tiny sparkles which I have fallen in love with.

Finally, I was sent three eye pigments to play around with in the shades 'Tutti Frutti', 'Raspberry Margarita' and 'Starry Night'. The first two have a pinkish iridescence to them which is just divine... 'Tutti Frutti' is a baby pink, whilst 'Raspberry Margarita' is a more pigmented hot-pink to purple hue. Finally, 'Starry Night' is quite literally the most pigmented black sparkle I've ever used, really packing a punch of colour. 

Here is a picture without flash: 

This is what the colours appear like... Look how pretty the sparkles are and how pigmented each of the products appear! So impressed!

I really can't rave enough about Lumiere. You know how I love good value for money and retailing between $8 and $12 with a little going such a long way I really can't complain, not even a little bit. 

So I'm sure I'm not the only person who was a bit nervous about wearing this sheerer-than-sheer make-up. Perhaps I can pass on my tips since I went Mineral and will never go back...

1) If you're nervous with the foundations, wear a very sheer liquid foundation beneath in order to act as a security blanket. Then progress to a BB Cream (I used the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector) a little gentler on the skin, before going all out and wearing nothing but a primer. But NEVER forget your primer, because the powder does better with something to stick to.

2) With the blushers, pick up a tiny bit on your blusher brush, blot a little out onto the back of your hand then get dusting quickly. If you apply too much, wipe the brush on a napkin then pick more up off your face, like you would with a mop (weird) before you get the colour you want. You're way better off applying too little and applying more than having to fix clown-face...

3) If you're creating an eye look with the pigments, always wear a primer and apply your base afterwards in order to correct any fall out. These powders are really loose and you don't want to head out with sprinkles of varying colours all over your cheek bones because they fell off the brush! When applying, pat the colour on with a brush in order to pack it on, and THEN dust back and forth in a painting motion, this is fall-out damage limitation too!

If you want to see how I applied these colours, then head over to my Pink Smoky Eye Video Tutorial. Let me know if you have any tips for mineral makeup... Do you wear it alone as a base or with a thin liquid foundation underneath? What brushes do you think are best for applying mineral cosmetics? Are you nervous about trying mineral makeup?

Thank you Lumiere! 

Love you guys

GabriellaSofia

x

Empties Review...

I'm not even joking guys, I'm going crazy at the moment with studying which is why my posts have been a bit thin on the ground... or non-existent on the ground! However, I have a quick empties post which I've added a couple of mini reviews to... so here goes...

As you can see, I've finished using my Dead Sea Spa Magik Bath Salts which I got in a Glossybox my sister was forced to buy at The Clothes Show. I also used up my lovely Pantene Repair and Protect samples sent to me by the hair-geniuses (what is the plural of genius? Genii? Let me know in the comments!) And finally, although it's not technically empty, I've included my balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash, as I actually won't be using it again unfortunately :(

Dead Sea Spa Magic Bath Salts

This was one of the 'gems' I found in the Glossybox my younger sister was pressured into buying at The Clothes Show. Despite finishing these salts, it's almost as if they never existed as they don't really have a scent, don't do anything to my bathwater, and also don't make me feel any different when I'm relaxing! According to the company, in theory 'The salts contain 21 beneficial minerals and are used on the skin for their curative and therapeutic properties. Particularly beneficial in alleviating dry skin conditions as well as acting as a natural exfoliant, remarkably improving skin texture. The wonderful relaxation sensation is caused by the bromides, and magnesium and potassium help soothe aches'. They are supposed to retail at £5.50 for 1 kilo and to be honest, I wouldn't pay 5p for them, sadly.

Pantene Repair and Protect Range

I'm now a huge fan of this range! Even after just two uses I am hooked :) Next trip I take into Anywhere-That-Sells-Shampoo I'm going to be purchasing this sharpish. This range is great for those with Normal to Thick hair, and had tons of Hair Fixing chemicals which are ideal for sorting out heat damage and chemical damage also. I used the shampoo which lathered into a really rich creamy texture. Plus, it smelt delicious! Then it was time for the conditioner which was the only but which I wouldn't really rate, just because it was a bit too 'slippy'... I know that is generally the nature of conditioner, but it was the kind of texture where it literally slipped right off my hand, and I'm sure that most of the product ended up on my shower floor than in my hair. BUT NEVER FEAR because the next step is uber-conditioning and acts as a lush treatment. The 2 Minute Intensive Repair Treatment was quite a thick creamy formula and I did exactly as the instructions suggest working from the tips of your hair upwards towards the roots. Using a wide-tooth comb I made sure my hair was nicely de-tangled and then put it in a loose plait. I was a bit naughty and left it for about five minutes before rinsing it off and I genuinely found that my hair was thicker and full of shiny volume after I'd allowed it to dry naturally. I really want to invest in more of their products, but for now all you need to know is that the shampoo is £4.69, the conditioner is £4.69 and the treatment is £4.69 also! Ideal :) You can buy them here... if they work for my crazy mane I'm sure they'll work for you!

   balence Me Super Moisturising Body Wash 

This was another item which I got at The Clothes Show as it was hidden inside an ELLE magazine goodie bag. I ran out of my Clean on Me by Soap&Glory the other day, so I grabbed this when I was in the bath, splodged some into my hand and my eyes filled with tears. I experience eczema on the palms of my hands and on my fingers when I'm stressed, and as I have three assignments due in very soon, my skin is painfully cracked and looking very sore. The citrus-y ingredients in this product stung the tiny cuts on my hands and I couldn't even have my hands in the bath after I'd rinsed it off because it was so ouch-y. This is a huge shame as the product itself is very nice. It even boasts on the back of the bottle that it is so moisturizing that if you were in a rush you could skip your moisturizing/body butter routine! Again it had a very rich lather and smelt delicious... would be perfect as a wake-up call in the morning as its fruity and tangy smelling. I know this is really random, but it's really pretty in your bathroom too! The bright orange colour makes me smile so I'm not going to throw this out but give it to my sister. I would recommend this to anyone without skin irritation. However, at £12.25 this is quite a lot for a shower gel... You can buy it here.

So that's it for my most recent empties! I think I'll be running this kind of post as often as I can because I think it's interesting for people to see what my thoughts were on a topic, especially if I've been so addicted to it that it's now empty! 

Thanks for reading, and please bear with me whilst I have all of these deadlines coming up :) HauteFuture is and will always be my first love, but I need to get my degree!

What products have you been rating recently? Does anyone know a good body wash for those with skin irritations? Would you spend £12.25 on a shower gel??? Leave it in the comments below <3

Love

gabriellasofia

Review: Valentina by Valentino Eau de Parfum

Having recently written about all of the gorgeous perfume adverts on the television at the moment, I've decided to pick my top few adverts and see if the impression I get from watching the adverts matches the actual scent. You can see my perfume ad post named Don't Judge a Book by its Cover... or a Perfume by its Advert! here.

So I thought I'd start off with Valentina by Valentino as I had a tiny sample box of this scent after attending a beauty event in Selfridges a couple of weeks ago. Even the sample is decanted into such a cute bottle with a very ornate metal flower adorning the front of the bottle. Let's have a little background on the product itself first shall we?

Major perfume retailers in the UK 'The Perfume Shop' say:

From this sensual, insolent beauty, this blatant femininity that eludes conventions, two master perfumers, Olivier Cresp and Alberto Morillas, created a fragrance as a tribute to today’s Valentino woman. With attitude, sophistication and unexpected characteristics, the bouquet of Valentina blends an irreverent Italian floral oriental in which each facet reveals a paradox.


This all sounds very fancy-shmancy to me, so I'll just tell you what I think!

As I expected from the advert, this scent is memorable for all the right reasons. I even feel like the scent is made for Valentina in the commercial, as I feel like it would be really good for a young woman looking to find herself... Your perfume represents you in a big way, and I feel like this would be a great fragrance for some soul searching!

Costing around £32.50 for 30ml, this perfume does have a rather distinctly girlish aroma, in that it is a more floral-based, expensive-smelling scent. It is gentle, and subtle, although it definitely has the potential to become someone's new 'Signature Scent' as it is slightly more sophisticated and classy than other 'girlish' perfumes on the market. This is sweet in an appropriate way, not sickly like candy or irritatingly fruity although there are apparent notes of strawberry and orange present. This is where the subtle sweetness comes in and trust me, no-one would complain if you wore it (I have in the past had friends who have fake-gagged at a tacky So? perfume I was using a couple of years ago because it was so strong! Valentina is comparatively inoffensive.) The subtlety adds a sexy, mysterious edge, meaning that a guy may have to lean in a little closer than usual to smell it, so I believe it would be a perfect 'First Date Fragrance'. In my opinion, this is a perfume for a confident young lady, who knows herself and who wants others to know her too. She may not being the popular girl, but she's no wall-flower either, and she doesn't mind turning a head or two.

This is the effect that I think Valentina will have if you buy it for a loved one this Christmas, so make sure you get it for the right person! In all I have to commend Valentino on a beautiful perfume. I think that the best way to wear a perfume like this is in your hair rather than on your neck... if you are with a guy whilst wearing this he WILL want to kiss you, and if he goes for your neck you don't want to scare him off with that toxic perfume-flavor which is super off-putting. I had to learn the hard way when I flicked some of Valentina onto my lip by accident, that this perfume only smells good, it DOES NOT taste good. Nonetheless, I feel like the scent suits me really quite well for a special intimate occasion... I just have to find someone to be intimate with now :)

Have you tried Valentina? Do you know of another scent which sounds similar to this description? I'd love to try a dupe!

Love
gabriellasofia

Haute Future Haute Haul... The Clothes Show Part 1: Barry M...

I know it's taken a while for me to get these up, but this is the first in a three part mini-haul-series... These are the bits and bobs that I got from the lovely people at Barry M cosmetics, and all for the amazing price of just £10!!! I could hardly believe it myself...

As I say in the video, none of the colours are named, which is ridiculous. Like, I don't know why they would do that? But whatever, they have. So, I can only list the instore prices of the products in general. Each of these items can be purchased at www.boots.com;

Barry M makeup bag - £4.99
Nail Paint - £2.99
Fabulous Glossy Tubes - £3.99
Glitter Liquid Liner Pen - £4.99
Dazzle Dust - £4.50
Lipgloss Wands - £4.49
Eye Liner Pencil - £2.99
Eye Liner Pen - £3.99
Shimmering Eye and Lip Crayon - £4.59
Metallic Liquid Eye Liner - £4.79

So I managed to work out that I got about £52 worth of Barry M products! That's if we remember that I got three Nail Paints and two Dazzle Dusts. That's a saving of £42!!! Amazing :)

I will be uploading Part 2 shortly, which will be my Models Own haul from The Clothes Show, so hit subscribe and keep an eye out for that! More info regarding my giveaway will be coming soon, so stay tuned!

Please take the time to check out my other sites... I have a Twitter, a Facebook AND a blog too and there will be a giveaway soon where you'll need to be following at least one of these to be able to be entered so don't forget to his follow, like and subscribe!

Please follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love

gabriellasofia x

Beauty Tutorial - Sweat-Proof Makeup Look

Hope you enjoy this tutorial for sweat-proof makeup! This is the look that took care of me during a whole summer working in the humidity of Orlando Florida 16 hour days in the baking sun, so if this doesn’t work for you then you have problems... :P

All of the products were purchased them with my own money and I have not been encouraged by any company to do this tutorial... Nonetheless, I love the effects and totally and completely 100% recommend the products. This is what they were all called and how much they cost:

L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Anti-Shine Mattifying Primer - £10.29 www.boots.com

No7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser - 50ml in Medium - £12.00 www.boots.com

benefit erase paste concealer & highlighter - £19.50 www.boots.com

No7 Creme Touch in Honey Milk - £9.00 www.boots.com

benefit brow zing in Bronzing Medium - £22.50 www.boots.com

Victoria’s Secret Cheek Tint – APARENTLY UNAVAILABLE but any dewy cream blush will do...

benefit coralista box of powder £23.50 www.boots.com

EcoTools Bamboo Powder Brush - £10.71 www.boots.com

InColor FabuLiner Liquid Eye Liner in Brown - $1.99 www.walgreens.com

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara - £7.99 www.boots.com

Max Factor Lasting Lip Tint in Pink Princess - £7.99 www.boots.com

Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm SPF 15 - $2.99 www.walgreens.com

Let me know what products you use to appear matte through the summer heat...

Thanks for watching, beauties.

Love
gabriellasofia x

Letter From the Editor: Welcome!

*My Moral For The Month...*

Dear Readers,

Finally having arrived back from what was shockingly quite a testing summer working in Walt Disney World, I am now as eager as ever to maintain my blog. My summer was incredible, really, it was.

My days off were some of the best in my life so far, and yet, Working for the Mouse taught me that when I do eventually choose my official career path, I can't just slog through five days a week just because my two days off are good fun. It has to be something which I'm passionate and excited about, something that gets me up and out of bed at the crack of dawn with a smile from ear to ear. While I was going about some menial task like using my 'Disney Point' (a two-finger point as it's apparently more polite) to direct the thousandth guest over to the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular which was clearly sign-posted for all to see, or explaining to a guest that, "Yes, the three o'clock parade is in fact at three o'clock" I remembered the words of Liz Earle and many a wise person before her... 'If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.' I wondered to myself if I had ever worked such a job and immediately my work experience at Conde Nast Traveller leapt to mind.

My next few days were spent pining over how much I adored completing even the dullest tasks when working at the magazine; organizing the travel library, handing out the post or scouring the newspapers for the latest in travel news. I started to imagine where I want next for my work experience, or where I wanted to go to study my masters in magazine journalism and how I can work towards that. Of course, the first thing I thought of was by working on my blog. A platform which I can use daily to get my written word out there is invaluable to me and almost as soon as I thought it, I actually wished to myself that I was home, blogging on an almost daily basis.

So that's what I did. I came home. I came home early and terminated my Disney International College Program, changed my flight and three days later I was back on English soil.

With a new academic year comes a new look for my blog. I want this to be almost like an online magazine, a 'blogazine' if you will. Almost daily I will post various stories from fashion pieces, to beauty tutorial videos to relationship features and all that's in between. I have even posted my schedule for the month of September, just like a 'Contents' page so you know what is coming...

But enough of that, hopefully you'll all get used to the new look and can see just how much work I'm going to be putting into this blog from now on, so please tell your friends, get involved, rate, comment, like, follow and subscribe if you can; it would be a great help! :)

The moral of this 'Letter From the Editor' is that life is too short to waste it doing something you don't want to do. Don't get trapped by the financial stability, or the pride of the people around you, or even the ease of the tasks required of you. If you do then you run the risk of spending five sevenths of your life being painfully unhappy and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Don't be afraid to be a quitter if it's really not what you want, and don't be afraid to shoot for something you think is totally out of your comfort zone. Follow your dreams, reach for the stars. You'll thank me one day :P

Love

gabriellasofia

*What's in this month?*

2nd September - Video - Beauty - Tutorial: Sweat-Proof Make-Up

3rd September - Blog - Fashion - My Autumn Musts

4th September - Blog - Health - The Importance of a Balanced Diet and Frequent Exercise

5th September - Blog - Feature - Age Gaps in Relationships

6th September - Video - Beauty - Tutorial: The New Season Look

9th September - Blog - Beauty - Review: Lip Stain Comparison

10th September - Blog - Health - The Number-One Stress Related Syndrome in Young Adults

11th September - Video - Hair - Tutorial: The Re-Birth of the Hair Braid

12th September - Blog - Guest Feature

13th September - Blog - Beauty - Review: Clarins Eclat du Jour Range

16th September - Video - Fashion - A Mid-Month Haul!

17th September - Blog - Feature - Are You A Feminist?

18th September - Blog - Feature - Why Good Customer Service is More Vital Than Ever

19th September - Video - Beauty - Tutorial: A New Spin on the Smoky Eye

20th September - Blog - Beauty - Beauty Without Breaking the Bank

23rd September - Blog - Feature - How the Mouse Stole My Magic...

24th September -

Video - Nails - Tutorial: Disco Ain't Dead

25th September - Blog - Fashion - Who's That Girl?

26th September - Blog - Guest Feature

27th September - Blog - Fashion - How I'm Wearing the New Season's Trends...

30th September - Video - September Faves

Hope you enjoy this month's blog as much as I enjoyed writing it! What are you most excited for?

God bless

gabriellasofia

Review - Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24H

Despite being so comfortable with my BADgal thick pencil eyeliner from benefit (which retails at www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk for £14 and is totally worth it!) I decided that perhaps it was time for a change. Especially with the summer coming up, I could feel BADgal smudging into my crease-line in the heat of a warmer spring day, which as you can imagine was creating a rather odd panda-like effect which surprisingly enough is not what I was going for at all.

As an avid watcher of YouTube makeup tutorials, I realised that the latest trend in eyeliner seems to be the ‘gel’ formula which appears to have popped up in drugstore and high-end brands everywhere over the past year or so. Whilst watching Glee on 4od, for once I was actually paying attention to the adverts preceding it, one of which was the Maybelline ad featuring Jameela Jamil (TV presenter and columnist at my favourite easy-read magazine, Company). This advert showed a Maybelline makeup artist painting a thin line of Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24H onto the upper lash line of a beautiful model and the finish was so precise, I just knew I had to try this product.

So during my most recent Boots online haul, I made sure to add one to my cart before paying, and I was thoroughly excited for my box of goodies to arrive. Finally, a gut-wrenchingly long three days later, my £80 worth of cosmetics were handed over to me in the post-room of my halls, which resulted in me actually leaping in excitement before running to my room to try this item immediately. I bought the colour Black to keep things simple. Before we get into that, let’s take care of business...

Maybelline’s Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner which retails in at www.boots.co.uk for £7.99 claims to be...

‘• [an] Oil-free formula [which] holds highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base
• Smudge-proof and waterproof for 24 hours
• [the] Most intense line for lasting drama
• Safe for sensitive eyes and ophthalmologist-tested
• Contact lens safe’

at www.maybelline.com. And I completely agree with the whole claim, which rarely happens.

So, what’s my general opinion? My first thought was, ‘There really isn’t a lot of it...’ The pot isn’t very big at all, then when you look a little closer, the frosted glass is extremely thick, so the product probably only fills half of the volume of the tub anyway. However, this is a product which I am proud to have on my dresser, as it just looks so sleek and sophisticated; it looks expensive (which it should, since £7.99 is not peanuts on a student’s budget!)

The brush which comes with the product impressed me a lot as it seems to be quite good quality! The bristles are very soft, cut perfectly for precise application of the perfect amount of liner, plus the black handle fits perfectly in between my spiky little fingers allowing me to draw it on almost as if it were simply a pencil dispersing an even coating of the formula as I go along.

Now, with the product itself I was generally happy. It’s a very smooth jet black formula, which (with a little practise) can be swept on to professional effect. The practise is vital though, as at first I struggled with just how much I needed on the brush, as I found the finish much nicer if it was completed in one single line, rather than having to dip multiple times with a ‘painting-by-numbers’ method.

The product stayed put, and did not transfer to my crease or brow bone during a warmer day, which was basically why I bought it in the first place! It didn’t crack and dry up like liquid liners do, but also didn’t transfer (even to my pillow after a particularly heavy night, when I didn’t see removing my makeup as an option before falling to sleep) as usually happens with creamier pencil formulas. On the other hand, when I swiped it off another night with a make-up wipe before jumping into bed, it shifted easily making for convenient removal. The brush appears to have held up at this stage, and I expect it and the liner to last for quite a while as I have hardly made a dent in the pot so far! Plus with three other colours due to debut soon, the idea of buying another brand of liner just doesn’t make sense to me... The new colours will be something along the line of a grey-blue colour, a deep purple and a seductive brown, which I am particularly excited about as I think it will be lush for daytime!

Conclusion? I am a gel liner convert! This is perfect for day-to-day use and I honestly think I’m in on a great beauty secret... Feeling hopeful about (and I don’t want to jinx it but...) being onto a potential Holy Grail product! If you haven’t tried it, I promise it is worth the money and the time to get this right. Let me know what you think.

Take care

gabriellasofia