Archive for the ‘Shopping’ Category

Must have festival essentials

With festival season upon us here’s our guide to the hottest festival essentials you can find at The Rock right now.

Festival fashion

This year there’s a boho festival vibe sweeping across the high street, from 70’s inspired prints to fringed tops and platform shoes. If your not really into high fashion for festivals then you can’t go wrong with denim shorts or dungarees paired with a plain tee or crop top and some Converse.

(Left to right) Motel Kimmy Lotus Skirt (£22) and Crop Top (£24), Hearts and Bows Daisy Trim Tee (£17),  Juna Short Dungarees (£30), all available at ARK

Motel two pieceArk chilled lookDungarees

Accessories are everything

Any chic festival look wouldn’t be complete without a few accessories, our favourites this festival season include fringed bags, metallic temporary tattoos and headbands.

(Left to right)  Gold Coin Headband (£3) from Ark, Metallic Arrow Temporary Tattoos (£6.50) from Topshop, Fringed Shoulder Bag (£19.99) from H&M

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Be prepared

You need to prepare for all weathers, this is the UK after all. A pair of wellies could be a life saver if you don’t want to risk ruining your brand new white Converse, while a fold away  poncho will keep you dry in the event of a downpour. If it’s definitely set to rain and you don’t want to compromise your style get yourself a trendy printed mac.

(Left to right) Floral Mac (now £35 -was £50) from Topshop, Candis Womens Patterned Wellies (£17.49 – was £34.99) from Trespass, Lightweight Poncho (£1.99 – was £2.99) also from Trespass

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Handbag essentials

If it’s sunny you might want to consider wearing some sun protection, there’s nothing cool about a red nose! Powdered sun protection will help avoid the mess that lotions and creams can create. A miniature fragrance that fits in your handbag will keep you smelling sweet all day long while a money belt underneath your clothes will keep valuables safe.

(Left to right) Powdered Sunshine with SPF 15 (£6.95) from Lush, Karma 10ml fragrance (£12) from Lush, Money Belt (£5.99) from Trespass

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What to wear for wedding season

Wedding season has arrived and natural that means buying a new outfit (or three), from exotic beach ceremonies to countryside nuptials, here’s a guide of how to dress for every wedding occasion.

The city wedding

From cathedrals and town halls to art galleries and museums, many city centre landmarks offer wedding packages in a unique setting. Keep your look chic with more fitted styles, a statement bag and court shoes.City wedding

(Left) Plain Crepe Wrap Dress  (available in Pink and Orange – £55)  Cassie court shoes in Natural (£35) and Ruby Glitter Clutch (£25). All available at Oasis.

(Right) Little Mistress print prom dress (£60), Sole Diva cross strap pointy court shoe in black (£30) and lace evening bag (£17). All available at Simply Be.

 

The country wedding

Converted barns, marquees and even tee-pees are becoming more popular as wedding venues. Pretty floral prints and A-line dresses are perfect for countryside weddings, along with a statement fascinator and nude shoes, make sure you opt for a wedged or block heel as you don’t want your stilettos to sink into the grass.Country wedding

(Left) Kelly Brook  Printed Belt Dress (£60), Sole Diva platform sandals (£35) in nude pink, Pastel Envelope clutch bag in pink (£20) and Feather Bow fascinator (£20). All available at Simply Be.

(Right) The Ivory Prom Dress from Debut (£99), purple Jacques Vert two colour fascinator (£79) and The Collection cream patent high wedge court shoes (£32.50). All available at Debenhams.

 

 

The destination wedding

Many are opting for weddings in more exotic locations, from the Italian countryside to the beaches of Mexico. Light weight layers and loose fabrics will help keep you cool while sparkly sandals are perfect for beach weddings. A decorative hair clip or crystal headband are more practical than a hat.Destination wedding

(Left) Warehouse Spotlight Feather Print Maxi Dress (£85), Red Herring Grey Metallic Diamante sandals (£25) and Red Herring Twinkle Burst crystal hair comb (£10). All available at Debenhams.

(Right) Little Mistress Embellished Maxi Dress (£70), Sole Diva diamante flexi sole sandal (£25) and Mood diamante crystal patterned headband (£14). All available at Simply Be.

Spring clean your make-up bag

Spring is well and truly here and a new season sparks change, it’s time to spring clean your make-up bag and invest in some new products!

Follow these six tips to clean up your make-up bag and create a fresh new look this season.Make up bag

1) Make-up bag  a dirty cosmetics bag can be a breeding ground for bacteria so you should really change this every 12 months or so. If you don’t want to part with it then many make-up bags are machine washable, or if they have a waterproof lining you can clean with soap and water or antibacterial wipes.

We love the Victoria Green range of make-up bags at Debenhams, the Brighton Cosmetics Pouch (right) is our favourite (£8).

2) Brushes – these need cleaning regularly as they easily gather bacteria and dirty brushes can often be the causes of break outs, eye and skin infections.

Use the Bare Minerals ‘Brush Conditioning Shampoo’ (£10) to wash away traces of dirt, make-up, oil and debris, it also conditions the brush fibres for a soft finish.

3) Foundation – this will generally last for one to two years, if yours looked separated or has changedEstee Lauder BB colour it’s time to get rid! For spring / summer invest in a lighter or BB foundation  ideally with an SPF to protect from the sun, particularly if you are going on holiday.

Try Estee Lauder ‘Double Wear All Day Glow BB Moisture Make Up’ (£29). This lightweight oil-free make-up protects skin with SPF30 while brightening skin tone and creating a flawless, healthy glow. It comes in a range of shades to suit all skin tones and blends into the skin beautifully.

4) Bronzer  chuck any powders that are cracked or broken as they only create mess and put an uneven amount of product on your brushes. Use bronzer to create a buildable tan all year round, dust along the edge of your forehead and under cheekbones to create a natural sun-kissed glow.

‘Ready Bronzer’ (£24) from Bare Minerals is a compact all natural bronzer with rich golden tones. Available in 3 shades this product is ideal for adding a bronzed glow to dull skin.pop lip

5) Lipstick  lipstick has a live span of about two years, replace darker wintery shades of reds and browns with more subtle tones for spring such as pinks, peaches and nudes.

Clinique ‘Pop Lip’ lipstick has a weightless formula merging bold, saturated colour with a smoothing primer and keeps lips moisturised for 8 hours. Try ‘Melon Pop’ for a peachy-pink shade (£16).

6) Mascara mascara generally has a shelf life of 3 to 6 months, throw away anything dried out or clumpy. No make-up look is complete without mascara and it is probably THE most important item you can own, opening up your eyes to make them look bigger, bolder and more defined.

Benefit’s roller-lash-660x234 new ‘Roller Lash’ mascara (£19.50) creates a super girly look. The Hook n’ Roll brush separates, lifts and curls lashes creating a volumised curl which holds for 12 hours. 

So what are you waiting for? Get spring cleaning and shopping, our make-up picks are all available at Debenhams The Rock.