ASOS Wish List: October 2014

It is creeping towards the end of the month, which means one glorious thing - pay day! I am probably not the only person who does this, but when I am broke or bored (or both) I love making wish lists of things I find online and I wanted to share some of the goodies I found on ASOS. 

Now that it is getting colder I am loving big, chunky jumpers - so when I found this snazzy jumper with a cheeky little laced back detailed I immediately added it to my list of future purchases. When it comes to any kind of cut - be it dress, top or jumper - a v back will always beat a v neck. Personally, I just find back detail so much sexier... Maybe thats just me? 

Time for shoes! I am more of a bag addict and I don't spend all that much money on shoes (no where near as much as I spend on bags anyway). However, I have been eyeing the ever so popular cut out ankle boots so this pair from ASOS caught my attention (plus, they are on sale. jackpot!). I know I am super behind on the trend but when it comes to something like shoes I want to make sure that I still like them over time. Shoes are a commitment. For real. 

Next we move on to the bags - my favourite. Despite having many (probably too many) bags, I don't own an actual clutch. I have purses that I sometimes use as clutches when I go out... but I don't have a proper one... So why not change that with a bag in the shape of a chocolate bar. Because chocolate (need I say more...). I love playing around with accessories like this! 

When I first saw this embellished crop top I didn't quite know what to think of it... But as I looked through my saved items on ASOS it began to grow on me. The main thing I love is the graphic print with the beaded and sequin patterns as well as it being slightly cropped - cheeky. Also, it is a piece of clothing that you can play around with and can easily be dressed up or down. Gotta love that. 

I am such a sucker for fun/printed tops just like this Unicorn Fanclub baseball tee. Its just... Amazing. What's not to love? 

One of my all time favourite things is dresses - I lurrrrvvveeee them. Recently I have been espcially liking the more oversized/boxy styled dresses just like this printed t-shirt dress. Again, this is something that can easily be worn on an everyday basis and then dressed up - a perfect staple piece. My "saved for later" list on ASOS is pretty much dominated by dresses like this one, so i figured that instead of boring you guys with 19 rather similar dresses, I would pick my favourite.

And there ya go ladies and gentlemen! I hope you enjoyed this short and sweet blog post and that you are all doing wonderfully! 

Much Love,

Caroline 

Everyday Makeup Look

Oh hello there - remember me? I used to post on this blog... And I'm back, baby! I know, I know... This is the 45th time I have started off a blog post like this - but thats just how it is. Being a third year at university is keeping me really busy but I am back and boy have I missed this :) I would really appreciate if you guys could comment/mention any posts you would like to see/read - thank you! I thought I would come back with a good old everyday makeup routine/look. To be completely honest - I do not wear makeup on a daily basis... but when I do I tend to go for the same look, which is what I am going to be writing about today! Enjoy! 

Before you do anything - do your face a favour and moisturise! It is so so important to moisturise your face before doing your makeup so first things first. I have recently been loving the NIVEA Aqua Sensation Refreshing Moisturiser - it really is refreshing, hydrating and makes my skin feel heavenly (plus, it smells really nice - bonus).

MACs Face and Body foundation will always have a very dear place in my heart. I use the shade N1 (I think?) and it is the perfect foundation for building up coverage. This foundation is just a babe - nuff said. 

Depending on how much coverage my face needs on the particular day I sometimes top off my foundation with the Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder (I use the shade 005 Silky Beige - aka pale and I need some sunshine). I also use it just to keep my face looking lovely and not shiny. The Rimmel Stay Matte powder is one that I have always used but I keep trying others and end up going back to this. I would honestly say that this is one of my top high street makeup products. 

Now for the brows. If you know me personally or if you've read previous blog posts of mine you will know how important eye brows are in my opinion. I find it so sad when girls treat their eye brows like a colouring book. Such sadness. I have previously raved about Benefit's eyebrow pencils and gels but I have recently fallen in love with Soap & Glory's goodies. As you can see on the picture above I have two pretty eyebrow products. The bottom product is a combined product with both a brow tint and a brow pencil where as the upper product is simply a brow pencil and a brow brush. They are both incredible and really easy to use. 

Next step in the process of doing your brows in setting them. In the past I have used the Benefit brow gel but I have now gone back to the good old MAC brow finisher. Although the brow gel was a really good product, I personally prefer working with the wax stick. At first it does feel rather strange dragging a wax type product across your eye brow but it truly works like a dream. You can buy these in a clear (like I have) colour or in a specific tint that suits your eye brow. It keeps your eye brows neat and in place for the whole day and the product itself lasts a good amount of time. Plus... It's MAC... need I say more? 

To the eyes! My choice of eye shadow changes from a day to day basis but I find that the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette is always a safe bet. For this specific look I tend the use colours like Suspect, Snakebite or Busted. I simply pick one of those colours and put it all over my lid whereafter I use a blending brush just to create a soft and slightly smokey look. 

I then use my ELF Studio Eyeliner & Shadow Stick (in Brown/Basic). First, I use the Shadow Stick (in a light champagne/shimmer colour - I guess thats the one they are calling basic - lol) and simply line my upper lid lash line with it - creating a dominant gold/shimmer line on the slightly darker eye shadow. I then use the eyeliner stick to line my bottom lashes, creating the doe eye look that I love. After that I use a flat defining brush (such as the MAC 212 brush) to line my upper line with a black eye shadow/gel liner to make my lashes look thicker and fuller. 

Finally comes the mascara. The Maybelline Flasies Flared mascara is no stranger to the beauty blog/youtuber dorks of the world and is greatly hyped - with good reason as well! I love me a mascara with a curved brush and this one does the job beautifully. It just makes your lashes look big and full - so luscious. 

And there you have it! That is my typical everyday makeup look :) Its a pretty simple one but you guys can use it and play around with it to find your own style. 

While doing the pictures for this look I randomly decided to see how I could take it from everyday to evening and it turned out pretty good in my opinion. All I did was add a lovely red lip (red lipstick is always a good idea - lets be honest) and line my water line with eyeliner. Now, here is a tip for all the brown eyed girls (and boys) out there. If you don't want your eyes to look super narrow then use a brown eye liner instead of a black one. Black eye liners really narrow your eyes whereas brown eye liner doesn't to the same extent. Plus, it brings out the colour of your eyes.

TA DA! I hope you have enjoyed this Everyday Makeup look. Sorry for pulling a disappearing act again - I am going to try to be more frequent!

Much Love,

Caroline xx

What To Do In Copenhagen - The Coffee Collective

It's time for another Copenhagen post! When looking back at my previous ones I have realised that they are all about food or cafes.. So why stop that theme now? I first came across The Coffee Collective when reading a buzzfeed article called 25 Coffee Shops Around The World You Have To See Before You Die. Now being from a tiny country like Denmark, every time it is mentioned somewhere it is the biggest deal.. even if it really isn't (*cough* eurovision *cough*). While scrolling through the article I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of the 25 coffee shops featured was in Copenhagen. Naturally, I had to visit this lovely place. 

I went to the one pictured in the buzzfeed article, which in on Godthåbsvej 34B, 2000 Frederiksberg (Godthåbsvej translates into Good Hopes Road - adorbz) but there are a couple of other cafes dotted around Copenhagen so check their website for the one closest to you. It really is such a lovely and simple cafe with some really fucking good coffee!

If you are a lover of coffee like myself I would highly recommend you stop by one of the Coffee Collective cafes. Obviously the coffee is exquisite but in addition to that the menu offers some fascinating styles and spins on your usual coffee orders. Naturally, you have your classics within the beautiful world of coffee but then you have some other gems based on different fruits and so on. There is also the option of a coffee tasting that I will be trying for sure at some point in the very near future. To add the cherry on top of the heaven, the prices are not bad what so ever - they are pretty much the same as other chain cafes such as Baresso (the Danish version of Costa/Cafe Nero) and the quality is on a whole other level.  

I went with my boyfriend and we both were pretty simple in our picks - I had an iced latte and he had a double espresso. They were yummy. Even when it came to ordering an iced latte there were multiple different options - so many options! That just means I will have to go back again... and again... and again. In addition to coffee, they also sell a variation of food and nibbles! 

I cannot praise this place enough - if you are in Copenhagen and in the mood for some truly delicious coffee do yourself a favour and go to one of the Coffee Collective cafes. Just do it. The service, the quality, the price, the cafe itself - perfection. The only thing I wish they had was a cafe closer to me so I could have the Coffee Collective as my go to, everyday coffee fix supplier. So what if we don't have Starbucks in Denmark, we have this and its so much better. 

If you want to read more about this glorious cafe chain then you can check out their website or their facebook page for more information. On the Coffee Collective website they tell you all about the roastery within the cafe (yes, you can actually see it in the cafe. it is so cool) and how they go about making their coffee, which is fascinating! Finally, they sell their coffee in the shops so you can take the goodness with you. Jackpot! 

I hope you all enjoyed reading about my love for this gem of a cafe and that you get a chance to visit it someday! I will be doing more of these Copenhagen posts in the near future, which will most likely be about food.. because food.. Nuff said. Have a lovely day! 

Much Love,

Caroline

What I've Been Reading - Blogs

Raise your hand if you've been slacking on posting on your blog *raises hand shamefully* but I am back now! I am so very sorry about my absence on here.. I'm just going to be completely honest - it is due to a combination of sleeping far too much, binge watching Netflix and traveling. It is summer after all! Anywho, I am back with a handful of blog posts lined up that I am really excited about!

I have always loved it when bloggers share a list of their favourite blogs because it gives you a chance to branch out and discover new gems. Sadly, it seems that more and more bloggers have stopped doing so... So I wanted to do a post about the 5 blogs I can't get enough of at the moment! I love seeing what blogs other people read on a regular basis so please do share if you have any favourites! 

The first blog is one that has been mentioned multiple times on my blog and will probably be featured again and again - Samantha from Beauty Crush, known both within the blogging and Youtube world. The reason I adore her as much as I do is because I love the way she dresses and the way she styles pieces. If I can't decide what to wear one morning I give her blog a browse for inspiration. To add the cherry on top, Sammi has some amazing tattoos. Just sayin'. Finally, for all the people reading this who live in London - she is a foodie (another reason to love her even more) and shares her favourite spots around London to eat and drink - they all look amazing! 

Next up we have another blogger who has also been mentioned previously on Much Love, Caroline, however, not for her blog (if I remember correctly), but for her book! Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere is what I like to call a fashion/cooking/lifestyle goddess. Just look at her blog.. I mean... come on! It seems like everything she touches turns into perfection. From her outfits to her recipes and interior design ideas (not to mention her wedding - my god), Emily just oozes an elegant and unique taste that I love. She is just amazing. I also really appreciate when bloggers pay attention to detail in their website layouts and design, which you can safely say Emily has mastered. On top of sharing her outfits, recipes and interior design tips, she also does posts like Five Things, which are my favourites, where she shares five random things/places/experiences. 

Now on to a slightly different blog. First of all, let us just appreciate the name of the blog.. Fashion Foie Gras. Its genius! The reason why this blog is slightly different to the others I have mentioned in this post is that it isnt a personal style blog... It is more of a fashion news blog - where the good, the bad and the controversial in fashion news are delivered daily. What's not to love? I feel like this is the perfect blog for all fashion dorks to have saved in their bookmarks. 

On to the next blog babe where we have Sandra from 5 Inch and Up (holla to my scandinavian sista!). This was one of the first blogs I started reading a couple of years back when my obsession with blogs began. Not only does Sandra have an amazing taste in fashion but she also puts incredible effort into her photography and presentation. Like Sammi, Sandra is another person I like to look to when in need of fashion inspiration. So much pretty. 

Finally we have Olivia from Lust for Life, who in my opinion is just an image of cool. I don't know if that makes me sound lame or whatever but I honestly think this girl has such an essence about her - from the way she dresses to the way she takes pictures and edits. So fucking cool! I can't quite remember how I came across her blog but I sure am glad that I did. 

So there you go - my five favourite blogs at the moment! If you are on the look out for some new blog goodies I would highly recommend all five of them (obviously) and please do share if you have any favourites of your own! 

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer!

Much Love,

Caroline. 

Let's Talk... Red Lips

Oh hi there! I wanted to do a post dedicated to the wonder that is red lipstick. When going through my makeup whilst packing up my room for summer I realised that I have quite a few red lipsticks.. But I only really wear a small handful of them. So why not turn this realisation into a blog post?! Today I will be sharing my four go to red lipsticks with you wonderful people.

Looking at the picture below I couldn't help but giggle to myself cause really.. they all look the fucking same. I realise that. But they aren't! At all! Yes, they are all red but they have their own unique element to them which makes this the perfect red lip collection - variety! I feel like I am rambling right now... Let us actually get to it now!

Russian Red - MAC Cosmetics: This is probably one of the most popular red lipsticks there is. Everyone who is a fan of lipstick has heard of Russian Red and if not.. Let me introduce you! This is the shade that I would call the classic red. It really just is your beautiful, warm, luscious, matte red colour - so if you are on the look out for that, walk your ass into MAC and buy this. You won't be sorry. With any MAC lipstick the pigmentation (at least in my experience) is uh-mazing, which just makes this colour so so much better! On the swatch below (sorry for the awful quality, you are just gonna have to trust me on this one) the picture really doesn't do it justice! Its the perfect wearable pin up girl red (which is a good thing in my opinion), I promise! 

Kate 01 - Rimmel London: This is another much talked about lipstick within the drugstore/high street brands. This is the very first lipstick I ever bought and it was for my IB graduation.. I fell in love. Like MAC lipsticks, it has a wonderful staying power and great pigmentation. Compared to the Russian Red it has a slightly more orange under tone AND it smells really good. I don't know if that is just me but my Rimmel lipsticks smell delicious - kind of like berries. Please tell me there is someone else thinks so too! The Kate 01 is a slightly matt lipstick, again, like the Russian Red, which is how I prefer my red lipsticks. Just sayin'. 

Viva Glam 1 - MAC Cosmetics: This is my darkest red lipstick I own and it is the one I prefer wearing for everyday... Dare I say.. It is my favourite lip product! If you haven't heard of MACs Viva Glam collections you must have been living under a rock. Every penny spent on Viva Glam products is donated to the MAC AIDS fund, which supports people who have been diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. Not only is it for a good cause but it is also a truly great product (You can buy it online but I am not sure about in stores). When I was buying this lipstick, I was trying it on in a MAC store in Copenhagen and while talking to the sales assistant we came across the perfect word to describe it - brick red. It is a deep red matte colour that isn't too dark but still has an umph (is that how its spelt?) to it. If i am wearing a boring/plain outfit and close to no makeup, I like to whack this onto my lips. Just cause. 

Really Red - Revlon: Fourthly and finally we have Revlon's really red. I bought this, not because I needed another lipstick (but lets be honest.. is there such thing as too many lip products?) but because I had heard it was a dupe of MACs Russian Red. I wanted to test that out and it was so not true. However, that didn't mean that I didn't like the colour - I love it! I consider Really Red (super creative name, Revlon) my summer red. It is closer to the Kate 01 than the Russian Red, however, it doesn't have quite as strong pigmentation as the other three, it is a tad bit more sheer, which I think is perfect for summer. I already have three amazingly pigmented matte red lipsticks so Really Red was a perfect addition. It is vibrant without being too heavy and, like Kate 01, has an orange under tone to it. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and that you are all doing wonderfully! Remember to go and like the Facebook page for more updates and goodies! 

Much Love,

Caroline

The Fault In Our Stars Review

Time for a slightly different post! It's time to talk about a film. To be fair, I am quite surprised that I haven't done a single post ranting about a film (or tv series) considering that it is a part of my university degree. So here it is - my first film review type thing. To start off - this is just my opinion. You may have thought something completely different of the film.. That's cool. This is just my personal idea of what I liked and didn't like about the film. Now before I really begin my review (sorry for the long rambling introduction here guys... I can't help ma self) I cannot stress enough how you should read the book before you see the film! I know everyone says that about cinematic adaptations of books.. "The book is so much better... Make sure you read the book first, it's really good!" But seriously... Please please do yourself as well as me a favour and read the book first. Yah? 

I won't be going into major details about actual things that happen in the film as I don't wanna risk spoiling anything or anyone (*cough* read the book first *cough*) so I will stick to a more general review. The first thing I would sincerely like to high five the casting directors for is the choice of actor playing Augustus Waters. For those of you who have read the book, you will probably understand what I mean when I say that I pretty much fell in love with this character. No.. Not in the OMG EDWARD CULLEN IS MY SOULMATE kinda way. This character is so beautifully and genuinely written as well as acted out by Ansel Elgort that you actually feel like you could fall deeply in love with him.. even though he is fictional... does that make me lame? 

Overall I thought the film did a brilliant job in capturing the story John Green is telling in his amazing book and it also truly transports the essence of these wonderful characters from the page to screen. However, having said that... I am a little sad about the amount of dialogue that was left out of the film. The witty dialogue is one of the best things about the book and I wish they could have included a little bit more of that in the film. I completely understand that it is difficult to compress an entire book into a film without making it way too long (I took an Adaptation module this year.. You guys probably can't tell from this haha) but the dialogue is just so brilliant.

In general I thought the casting of the characters was on point. Finding actors for an adaptation can sometimes be one of the hardest parts, especially when the source material has a fan base like the one TFIOS has. They are some dedicated people. For serious. And I think the film did that perfectly. I actually felt like the characters had jumped off the page and taken human form. Nicely done movie people. The chemistry between Hazel and Gus in the film is exquisite as it shows the awkward but honest young love they have. Although the cast was perfect I felt like there were some characters that deserved a little more attention such as Hazel's dad and Gus' parents. In the book they have some small moments and bits of dialogue I wish they had included in the film.

When going to watch the film please be prepared to feel some serious emotions - you will laughing a lot but you will also most likely shed a tear or two. To be honest I thought I would be all Kim Karadashian ugly crying but to my surprise I wasn't. Obviously there were tears (no where close to some of the girls in the cinema I was in - there were actual breathless hysterical crying fits going on around me.. Intense stuff) but I was really just touched by the story - it really is a beautifully heartbreaking love story. What I also love about this story is that it can be for all ages, it's not just a book/film aimed at teenagers. 

Now that I have been nagging you guys to read the book before watching the film (seriously, please do it) I just thought I would clarify.. The Fault In Our Stars is not one of those films where you have to read the book in order to keep up with the film. You could easily watch the movie without having read the book and be moved by it. The reason I am emphasising the book so much is because it is so wonderfully written (John Green you are a genius. Thank you thank you thank you) and I want everyone to experience it. I have introduced it to a couple of people and some of them have read it twice within four days. The way John Green writes the characters, events and emotions is beautiful. I honestly don't know how else to describe it. 

I am in no way trying to say that the film isn't good - it is, it does bring the story to life. However, I am urging everyone to read the book and then watch the film because you will gain a much deeper love and passion for the story. I am not saying you have to be a hardcore fangirl level lover of the book to like the film. What I am trying to say is that John Green, in his book, digs deep into the hearts and souls of these characters like no film ever could. That's pretty much the case with any book to film adaptation to be honest. It's just more so the case with this adaptation.   

Sorry for the repetitive ranting - I am going to stop rambling now before I start boring you guys. I hope this was a post you enjoyed reading and found interesting *cough* please read the book first *cough*. 

It's a good life.

Much love,

Caroline

What I Have Been Watching Recently - Vlogs

This one is for all my fellow Youtube dorks out there! Let's talk vloggers. Yes, I enjoy watching people  film random snippets of their days.. So what? For those of you glorious people that are like me and are addicted to watching vlogs, I thought I would share my current favourites (if you have any vloggers that you love watching share them in the comments below!).

Essie Button

First of is the Canadian sweetheart that is Essie Button (also known as Estee - love that name). She is a London based Candian Youtuber/Blogger who has a blog, beauty/fashion channel AND a vlog channel. Bingo! She is currently doing #VLUNE where she is vlogging every other day in June (heaven) so now is the perfect time to start watching her! What I love is how goofy and adorable she is - plus, she has a really cute greyhound with an overbite called Reggie. What more could you want? Check her out here!

Beyond Beauty Star TV

Next up is a more recent addition to my long list of vlog loves - Claudia (known BeyondBeautyStar on Youtube). Short, sweet and to the point - this girl is funny, sassy and really entertaining. She has an amazing taste in both fashion and beauty - her hilarious vlogs are just the cherry on top. Check her out here and see for yourself. And to make matters even more fantastic - she is best buds with my all time favourite Youtuber and person, Miss Meghan Rienks (seriously, they just went on a cruise together and their vlogs are brilliant! I sound like such a creeper.. I have no life..) who is my next favourite.

Meghan Rienks 

I have ranted about this girl in multiple blog posts now (no such thing as too much love - ammirite?) and I will continue to do so for this post too. Now I have said this before and I will gladly say it again - this girl is like the best friend/big sister queen of the Youtube world. In her vlogs she will sit down, completely makeup free, acne cream on, hair in a bun, wearing her old PJs and talk about everything from moving out on your own for the first time to awful dates. It genuinely is like having a chat with an old friend (does that make me really lame?) but then you also get to experience all the fun things she gets to do as a Youtuber/Actress - the best of both worlds really. I cannot emphasise enough how honest and wonderful this youtuber is - check her vlogs out here. End of fangirl rant. For now at least. I  promise.

Hayley Segar

Fourthly and finally (this list could go on but I don't want to bore you guys) is Hayley Segar. Now I am not one to judge a book by its cover but when I first came across Hayley's channel and saw all the bleach blonde and pink, I didn't think it would be something for me.. Boy was I wrong. I take back any doubt I had in this girl and her channel because she is great. Hayley isn't your typical vlogger but she does videos called Daily Hayley where she does weekly catch up vlogs. She is a sassy, clever and interesting girl who seems wise beyond her years (seriously - I thought she was in her mid twenties and she has only just 18. what even?!). I can't put words to how fascinating this youtuber is - whilst being a teenage girl she carries herself like a beauty/fashion business woman, which I truly admire. Check out her channel here to have a look at both her vlogs and her main channel material.

Damn that was a fangirl session and a half! I hope you guys who actually enjoy watching vlogs (the rest of you probably think I am insane in the membrane) found this post to your liking. Remember to give the Facebook page a like to keep up with any new posts and other goodies to come (wink wink) and to comment below with any vloggers that you like watching - share share! 

Hope you are all doing wonderfully!

Much Love,

Caroline