Author: Samio

Eyespy Dungarees

I’ve always been a big fan of monochrome and at the moment I’ve been wearing a lot of monochrome looks, teamed with my favorite colour, pink. I think it looks so classic yet girly. Because I adore monochrome looks I also love dog tooth prints and so when the lovely Faye Elizabeth’s Boutique offered to send me one of their items, I was automatically drawn to these cute Jovonna dungarees. I was thrilled when my dungarees arrived to find that they fit perfectly and I was able to adjust the dungaree straps so that they fit to my height (I have a lanky body).

It was a rather mild day, so I decided to wear a plain black vest underneath my dungarees. I teamed it with what I like to call my ‘Mrs Kennedy’ jacket, named so because I think it looks like something that Jackie Kennedy would have worn and I just love how 60’s it looks.

What I Wore:
Dungarees – Jovonna at Faye Elizabeth’s Boutique
Jacket – Zara
Necklace – Primark
Bag – Pearls & Lipstick (My own design and creation)
Shoes – Office

If you haven’t already, then check out Faye Elizabeth’s Boutique where you can find pieces form lots of other cool British designers and brands. If you do go onto the site, you’ll probably see my face bobbing about as I actually modelled for Faye’s Boutique earlier in the year.

Samio x

September 6, 2014
Liebster Award

Liebster Award Rules:
1) List eleven facts about yourself.
2) Answer the eleven questions given to you by the blogger who has nominated you.
3) Write eleven brand new questions.
4) Nominate eleven other bloggers who have under 200 followers to answer your set of questions.
5) Then let your nominees know that they have been nominated by linking them to your post.

Thank you to Rachel of It’s My Kind Of Thing for nominating me to do this post. It seems like a great way to share some more information about myself with you and also find out more about other new and budding bloggers too.

11 Facts about me:

1) I’m 5’9″
2) I dislike olives, however each time I’m eating and there are olives on the table, I like to try one to see if my taste buds have changed. I’ve been doing this for a number of years now and I still dislike olives.
3) I LOVE pizza
3) I gave up eating lamb when I was 10 because it was my favourite animal and I didn’t want to be a hypocrite by eating it. I’ve never eaten lamb since.
4) I used to bleach my hair.
5) I once missed a flight to Mexico.
6) I easily entertain myself by being silly.
7) I put scotch bonnet sauce on most of the meals I eat at home.
8) My favourite film is A Clockwork Orange.
9) My first ever pet was a hamster.
10) I have a sick sense of humour and most of my friends are used to me saying inappropriate things.
11) I’m a very smiley person.

Questions from Rachel:

1) What is your favourite blog to read at the moment?
It’s probably Ring My Bell, it’s actually more images than writing but she has a great sense of style and posts cute pictures.

2) What is your favourite clothing item or accessory?
A biker jacket. Every year I have at least one that I wear with everything.

3) Why did you start blogging?
Because I wanted to document my travels and experiences so I decided to put it online to share it with other people too.

4) Do you prefer sweet or savoury food?
Savoury but then after my main I do love a good sweet!

5) Where is your favourite place to eat?
I go to a place in Manchester called Richmond Tea Rooms a lot. I go there mostly for tea and cake but when it comes to food I do love a good Pizza and I also go to Croma (an Italian chain in Manchester) quite a lot. But each time I go out for a fancy meal I like to try somewhere different.

6) What is your favourite country you have visited and why?
That’s seriously such a hard question. I don’t think I can pick just one but to name a few I’d say America because one of the times I visited, I went to Las Vegas for 21st and it was amazing! I love Cuba because it’s the most chilled out place I’ve ever been to and the people were awesome. I love Germany because both times I’ve visited have been with my boyfriend and we did so much sight seeing and had some really fun nights out. We have a lot of fun memories together there.

7) If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
I would to go anywhere I haven’t been before. I like experiencing different countries and new places. The more you explore the more you learn.

8) What is your favourite book?
The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence. I read this book at the start of this year and I actually felt like I missed the characters when the book had finished. Sad I know but that’s when you know you’ve really enjoyed reading a book.

9) Who do you wish you could meet?
Anyone that can help me grow creatively and broaden my knowledge. I always like to meet people who can inspire me and also people that I can inspire too.

10) Which birthday has been your favourite/what did you do?
My 21st, Vegas, need I say more. Also for that same Birthday my boyfriend took me to Munich which made it even better and we had an incredible time.

11) What is your top blogging tip?
Be consistent with your blogging and write about what really interests you. Last year I started blogging but didn’t really get into it properly up until recently and now I’m beginning to get addicted as I love it!

11 New Questions:

1) What would be your perfect day out?

3) What’s your favourite and worst thing about blogging?

4) If you could meet any blogger, who would it be and why?

5) What do notice first when you meet a person?

2) Museum or Art gallery?

6) What is your all time favourite song?

7) Heels or flats?

8) Do you prefer being at home or travelling?

9) If you had 10 minutes to get out of your house and leave, never to return, what would you grab and why? (Not including people)

10) What are you most grateful for in life?

11) Where do you hope to take your blog in the future?

Like Rachel before me, I think I will struggle finding 11 blogs that I follow with under 200 followers. Also some of the blogs I’m going to tag aren’t actually on Bloglovin but here goes…

I nominate; Dursk, Fro Girl Ginny, Plan T Style, Deer & The Wolf, Secrets of A PR Girl and I also nominate anyone with a blog who reads this blog. 🙂

Samio x

September 5, 2014
Girls with Curls

Yesterday I was in London. I was up bright and early (5am if you must know) as I had a shoot for Speedo in the morning. Then in the afternoon I made my way into central London to meet up with fellow blogger Fro Girl Ginny. It was mine and Ginny’s first time meeting and the pros of meeting up with a fellow curly girl is that I’m able to spot her fabulous curly mane from across the station. Straight off we began chatting away and it was nice to see that Ginny is just as lovely in person as she appeared over email.

Together Ginny and I headed to The Breakfast Club for a bite to eat and even though I wasn’t actually very hungry, as it was my first time eating there, I couldn’t help but opt for The All American. This is a dish that consists of sausage, eggs, fried potatoes, crispy bacon, pancakes and maple syrup. Considering I ‘wasn’t very hungry’ I soon managed to finish it all of course and it certainly pleased the tastebuds and set me up for the day.

The rest of the afternoon we spent wondering around London, popping in some shops and stopping for drinks to chat more. Obviously when two bloggers meet there is rarely a moment that the cameras are away and so we spent plenty of time getting ‘snap happy’ and capturing plenty of shameless double selfies too.

These are my first shots of my newly cut fro. As I mentioned in my previous post, my hair had some seriously damaged ends and so I had two inches cut off. I’m still slightly mourning the loss but my hair is feeling so much better for it and anyway, it will grow. Today I was rocking a braid out and embracing the frizz but it will be interesting to see how it looks after a wash and go when my curls are in their natural coils, as I can see I’m going to have some major shrinkage but we shall see.

What I Wore:
Biker Jacket – Zara
Vest top – Forever 21
Skirt – H&M
Shoes – Office

After lots of fro snaps and a fun day with Ginny, it was eventually time for me to make my way to the station and head home back home to Manchester.

If you haven’t already then go check out Ginny’s blog and YouTube channel:
Blog: http://frogirlginny.weebly.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/frogirlginny
Instagram & Twitter: @FroGirlGinny

Samio x

September 2, 2014
Afternoon Tea

Friday was such a good day and I got to spend it with some of my favourite people, enjoying some of my favourite things.

Before starting the day’s activities I headed to Chorlton to my dear friend Beckler’s place, for a much needed hair cut! My hair has been so dry lately. Over the past weeks, every time I went to wash it, it was extremely knotty. My hair hadn’t been in this bad of a condition since I used to bleach it (which was years ago). I’ll be honest I’ve not taken the best care of my hair lately. During my month in Barcelona I was washing it everyday, so that it looked fresh for castings and work but I think that with that, along with the intense sun on it everyday, it just finally took it’s toll and my split ends got way out of hand… So anyway, after much deliberation, I decided that it must be a haircut that I needed and I was right.

Beckler is a very handy friend to have, because not only is she brilliantly funny, a good listener and lots of fun, she also cuts hair and is in fact the only person I trust with scissors near my fro. This time Beckler took about two inches off my fro, which was scary at the time but as soon as the ends were gone my hair felt much healthier. Straight away I was able to comb my fingers straight through my hair and it felt knot free and much thicker too.

Beckler and I then headed back into the center and went to (my favourite) Richmond Tea Rooms for afternoon tea. I’ve been to Richmond Tea Rooms lots of times, sampling many of their delicious cakes and food dishes (I’m sure many of you have heard me rambling on about it) but it was the first time I’d tried their afternoon tea.

We were there for Beckler’s belated Birthday celebrations together, so we decided to go all out and opt for The Richmond Tea, which is a traditional afternoon tea served with a glass of bubbly. It was delicious! We enjoyed a selection of finger sandwiches, quiche, a variety if mini cakes and two great big scones along with a large pot of Earl Grey tea, not forgetting our all important glasses of bubbly. It was very tasty and so filling too, so it was definitely worth the money and great for a birthday treat.

I just love it when food is so beautifully presented and so of course I couldn’t help but take a few snaps.

After our afternoon tea, Beckler and I headed over to The Northern Quarter and hung out in one of our favourite bars, drinking prosecco and chatting even more (when the pair of us get together we don’t stop). Soon it was after work time and so our friend Nick came and joined us, shortly followed by my boyfriend, Damien. We spent the rest of the evening drinking in The Northern Quarter and before we know it, it was late and time to head home. Beckler and a Nick decided to carry on the evening’s antics and turn it into a night out. For me however, I’d had one too many glasses of wine and so it was time for bed, ending an lovely day spent with great company.

Samio x

August 31, 2014
Curly Hair – How I Get Defined Curls

My hair type is 3c and so it naturally forms into very tight ringlets, however the way in which I comb my hair, along with what products I use, effects the definition of my curls.

For me, defining my curls starts with detangling. I comb my hair after washing it, whilst it’s still wet and usually with conditioner still in the hair. This makes it easier to comb through the hair and detangle without causing breakage. I detangle my hair by brushing the ends first, slowly making my way up through the hair until it is fully detangled and smooth enough to brush from root to tip.

I use the Macadamia No Tangle brush. I’d definitely recommend this brush (or one similar) to those with curly hair, as it really does make it much easier to comb through the hair and it prevents the breakage that a regular brush would cause. This is my main tool for creating defined curls as when I comb through the hair it glides through without separating all of the curls (like some afro combs do) and so when my curls bounce back up they form into their natural coils.

I then add my Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment and brush through my hair once more to make sure that the oil is spread throughout my curls. After combing I then add a leave in conditioner, in this instance I used Macadamia Leave in Cream. I then wrap my hair in a towel to begin to dry it.

When my hair is still damp I then take the towel off my hair, spray it with Macadamia No Tangle spray before using my hairdryer on a medium heat to dry my hair fully. I use a TREsemme hair dryer without attaching the diffuser.

If I feel any parts of my hair need it, I will rub some more of the Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment onto my hands and rub it onto my hair.

Once my hair is fully dried, I’m left with defined and glossy curls like this.

Samio x

August 30, 2014
No7 Essential Moisture Day Cream

I first starting No7 skincare when I was in my teens and although I’ve used many other brands over the years, No7’s moisturiser is one I always come back to.

This Essential Moisture Day Cream is great for dry skin, which is why I like to use it during the Autumn/Winter months as it does feel moisture rich on the skin and helps provide that TLC when the skin most needs it.

I find this moisturiser feels creamy on the skin without feeling too oily and creates a good base for underneath makeup whilst keeping your skin hydrated. It’s also Hypo-allergenic and fragrance free to make it suitable for sensitive skin.

Like I said, I’ve been using this No7 moisturisers on and off for years now (occasionally changing to alternate my routine) and No7 still remains one of my favourite brands for skin care. Essential Moisture Day Cream is a moisturiser I would definitely recommend.

Samio x

August 26, 2014
Boyfriend Jeans, Heels & A Tee

I really have been embracing my casual side as of late. Comfy denims and relaxed tees, are some of the pieces that I have been loving at the moment. Of course I am still very fond of my heels and so I do enjoy combining the casual with the dressy. I like how a sophisticated heel with a pair of slouchy jeans can add femininity to an otherwise tomboyish look. I also seem to have a new found ‘thing’ for logo/slogan tops, I’m maybe slightly late on the bandwagon with that one but I like how a slogan Tee can add a statement to your outfit without the need for over styling.

What I Wore:
T-Shirt – Mango
Boyfriend Jeans – Zara
Heels – Newlook
Necklace – H&M
Bag – Zara

Samio x

August 25, 2014
Over Dress

Okay, so let’s talk about the over sized jersey. This is one of the pieces I picked up whilst in York (see York post here). I was on a day trip doing all the touristy stuff at the time, so shopping wasn’t really on the agenda but when I spotted this cool jersey number in the shop window, I knew it needed to be purchased.

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August 22, 2014
Sleek Exxxaggerate – Purple Lipstick

Not long ago I did a makeup shop and ended up doing a bit of a Sleek haul (the other products I will blog soon). It was one of those situations, you walk into Boots ready to buy that one item you actually need and then see that it’s three for two mix and match and end up buying at least 6 items (two of those were free so it was basically a steal right). Anyway this was one of those items, not what I’d initially gone in to purchase but something I ended up wanting anyway.
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August 21, 2014
Clearasil Blemish + Marks – Face Wash and Mask

I’ve used plenty of Clearasil face masks in the past so when I was shopping for skin care essentials I thought I’d try this new Clearasil Blemish + Marks wash and mask. I’ve had this product just over a week, so have only used it a couple of times as a mask so far and a few times as a face wash. To be honest I wouldn’t usually bother using it as a face wash as I’ve had two in ones in the past and usually just like to use them as a mask. Normally I have a separate face product for washing my face but as I wanted to do a proper review I wanted to try it out as both.

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August 19, 2014