HOW TO PICK YOUR GUCCI BELT SIZE

I can almost hear you saying ‘not another Gucci belt’! I know! I know they’ve been everywhere lately, and I wasn’t going to post about it, but since deciding I was going to purchase one I found out that there isn’t much information out there regarding size references. I am far from rich, so going into a luxury boutique is something that scares the hell out of me. I find them really intimidating, so online luxury shopping is something I am very thankful for. 

When I went on the Gucci website I realised that for women they had two different belt size guides; waist and hip. So it depends where you’re planning on wearing your belt. I’m more of a high-rise anything kinda gal, but I do occasionally wear lower jeans or trousers, so I was slightly baffled as to what size to go for. I tried to google ‘Gucci belt sizes’ and even went on YouTube to try and get some advice, but all the videos I watched were very vague. Most of the girls mentioned that the belt was ‘true to size’ and I was like ‘uhm, what is your size?’. I know not everyone likes to disclose their measurements and sizes, but I don’t see anything wrong with it, plus, I find it extremely helpful because it gives the reader/viewer a better understanding of what size they need to pick up as they can compare their body measurements to yours. 

So in case you’re also looking to make an online Gucci belt purchase but are struggling to figure out what belt size to go for, I’ll be sharing my exact measurements - fingers crossed I’ve taken them correctly, and the sizes I usually wear in Topshop jeans as I know it’s a well known brand throughout the world. On the Gucci website there is a description about where you should take your measurements around the waist (around natural waistline, just above the navel and below the ribcage) and around the hips (where your low rise pants would fall). So it really depends if you want your belt to be high or low rise. I wanted a belt that could work for both situations and I’m guessing most people will want that too. 

I'm usually a UK size 8, I say usually because on the odd occasion I can go up to a 10 or down to a 6, but generally speaking, I am a size 8. My waist measurement is 26.5in/67cm and my hip measurement is 32in/81cm. For reference my Topshop Jamie jeans are a W28. With my measurements I got two different Gucci belt sizes, size 60 and size 80. But because I wanted the belt to fit on both low and high rise jeans, I winged it and went with the 75cm belt and it is perfect!! The belt comes with 5 holes and ideally you should use your belt in the middle one, and when I wear it with my high waisted jeans it falls perfectly in the middle, I can even get away with tightening it up a bit, but I can also use the belt with low rise trousers on the second hole. 

I went for the 1.5cm belt as it’s more wearable than the 4cm. I feel like the 4cm belt is realIy heavily branded and only looks good with jeans or trousers, whereas the 1.5cm belt is more subtle and works well with jeans, but also looks amazing at the waist with dresses or loose shirts. Also, the Gucci belt trend won’t be around forever as new trends are always coming in, so at least when it goes out of fashion the thinner belt won't be in everyones face.

I know not all of you will share my exact measurements, but at least you have something to go by, hopefully. And if you are ordering online like I did, Gucci have an amazing free returns policy so you can always send it back and have it exchanged. 

Let me know if this post was helpful and if you’re thinking of purchasing a Gucci belt for yourself :)

Follow me on Bloglovin’

Lots of love, SFS.

CND PINK PURSUIT

Growing out my own nails was something I dedicated most of 2016 to, but one thing I can’t stand doing is painting them. Due to this I always end up going for nail extensions which I know is dreadful! My natural nails are actually really strong and can grow out pretty long if I allow them to, but for some reason I always feel like I’m being overly cautious when I have my natural nails, so getting falsies always ends up happening every seven to eight months. So you guessed it, I am back to fake nails and I am loving every minute of it haha! :D

Instead of getting normal nail polish put on them I ended up asking for shellac. There was this girl at the nail salon holding the most gorgeous colour and she also had it on her nails, so of course I had to compliment her and ask for the shade. Don't act like you've never done it! It’s called Pink Pursuit and it’s by CND. It’s the most stunning neutral pink shade that looks opaque at the root of your nails, but semi-sheer in the extension part. I love that look! When first applied the colour looked a little peachy, but after it dries it goes this very light, natural pink. I have fallen in love with it and I can see myself getting the same colour time and time again.

What colour do you normally go for?

Follow me on Bloglovin’

Lots of love, SFS.

MINI MAC HAUL

MAC is a place where I haven’t spent too much money on lately. Although I love some of their bits and repurchase them every so often, I just grew out of love with it. There are other brands that I love and use far more right now, however I went by a counter and couldn’t resist picking up a few bits, because let’s face it, it’s MAC! It’s known for a reason and that reason is that their quality is awesome and they have the best colour selection out there.

I’ve wanted to try their new Liptensity lipstick range for a while now and their nude shades have been on my radar ever since I laid eyes on them. I’ve been torn between Doe, Smoked Almond and Toast and Butter, but ended up going for Doe as it was the most neutral. It’s a gorgeous beige-y brown that makes my lips look fuller, almost like I lined them and the formulation is absolutely gorgeous. It’s quite thick, very creamy and the pigmentation reminds me of their Amplified lippies. It will without a doubt become a handbag favourite and it’s the only lipstick I’ve been wearing since I bought it.

The next two products I guess are cult products for the brand and they’re something MAC are known for. The Strobe Cream is something I've heard so much about but I really didn’t know if I was going to like it or not, so I didn’t want to buy the full size. Luckily I saw this little mini and snapped it up straight away. So far I’ve only used it a couple of times so I can’t really give you a full review, but so far, so good. It’s lightweight, doesn’t feel tacky on the skin and works really well when applied all over the face or just in the high points to add that extra glow. It’s a very iridescent pearly pink shade which I wouldn’t normally go for as I have an olive skin tone, but it works beautifully under makeup.

Lastly, I picked up the Cleanse Off Oil. This was something I didn’t plan on buying and never thought about picking up. I’ve always been rather happy with my Garnier makeup remover purchases, but I must say that this was love at first use. I’m sure most of you have heard about it, but I loved how effective it was. I worked this onto dry skin, all over my face and eye makeup until I resembled a panda, and then washed it all off with lukewarm water. It all came off so effortlessly and didn’t leave an oily residue on the face which I was quite surprised about. Highly recommend for anyone who doesn’t like spending too much time removing makeup, because this literally takes around two minutes to get rid of everything. And just in case you're wondering, I will 100% be picking up the full size!

What have you bought lately? :)

Follow me on Bloglovin’

Lots of love, SFS.

FALLING IN LOVE WITH LIPGLOSS

When it comes to lip products I’m usually a matte lipstick girl through and through. Either a matte lip or just lip balm. Yeah, it would seem like I’m an all or nothing kinda gal haha! However, lately I started watching a new series on Netflix, new to me anyway, it’s called The Client List. It’s a series I can throw on in the background while I’m cooking or doing stuff around the house as it doesn’t require too much concentration. Jennifer Love Hewitt is the main actress and she always wears lipgloss and not gonna lie, she got me raiding my makeup drawers to see what lip glosses I have laying around. I’ve been loving glosses lately thanks to that show, so I wanted to show you the four I’ve been rotating between.

They’re all pretty similar in colour, pinky nudes. I always say that I struggle to wear pink lipsticks, but when it comes to lip glosses I actually think they suit me pretty well. Chanel Glossimer in 181 is a pinky peach with gold shimmers. Laura Mercier Angelic is the palest out of them all, almost like a milky pink and I never in a million years thought that I would suit this shade, but in lipgloss form it actually looks very nice with a smokey eye. Blush by Laura Mercier is definitely more of a ‘my lips but better’ kinda shade. It’s a browny pink that really does look like my natural lip colour, just with a lot of shine. And lastly the NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu. I found NYX in my local Boots last month and was so excited! I’ve wanted to try their lip products for such a long time! But I must admit that I was a little overwhelmed by all the amazing colours they had on display so I ended up just picking one shade. It reminds me a lot of the Chanel lipgloss but more pink and no shimmer.

L to R: Chanel 181, L.Mercier Angelic, L.Mercier Blush, NYX Tiramisu

They all feel lovely on the lips and none of them are sticky which is something I found really surprising. I had this idea that all lip glosses were uncomfortable and sticky to wear, but I guess I got lucky because I have no complaints when it comes to these four.

Are you a lipgloss or a lipstick kinda gal?

Follow me on Bloglovin'

Lots of love, SFS.

MY UPDATED SKINCARE ROUTINE

If you read my post on What I Got For Christmas, then you will have seen that I asked for some new skincare bits. Skincare is just something that I love but have been quite lazy with for the last couple of months, and something I don’t really like spending my money on, mainly because I like to invest in quality skincare, and usually when one product runs out, every thing else rans out with it. Really annoying, haha. I have done a skincare post on here before, and the products I mentioned in that post are still in my skincare drawer and I still love them all very much, but these new additions have been a godsend! I was starting to get very dry patches around my mouth, so I knew I had to change something. I don’t know what product to thank, but my skin is now soft as a baby’s bottom and I’ve never seen it more glowy.

I’m not sure if I mentioned this in my previous skincare post, but I don’t always wash my face in the morning. I just can’t be bothered sometimes. So instead of using a cleanser or just splashing water on my face, I’ll just take this Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic (or any other facial spritz I have laying around) onto a cotton round and wipe that all over my face. I know it’s not the most hygienic, but I have dry skin and washing my face all the time can be quite harsh for me. 

I then move on to serum. Now this is a step that I haven’t taken in over half a year if not more! Like I said before, I got a bit lazy with my skincare and cut out on steps that I couldn’t be bothered doing every day. But for Christmas I asked for the Kypris Antioxidant Dew and o.m.g, it’s life changing! If you have dull, dry skin, you need this! It’s a liquid-y texture, that kinda looks like milk and comes with a pipet. I usually take around three to four drops of this and pat it on to my face and neck. Then moving on to eyes, you’ll be shocked to see that the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment is not being mentioned (well, it is now I guess lol), I still absolutely love it and recommend it for anyone who wants a fuss free eye cream, however, I tried Bright Eyes by Goldfaden MD a couple of months ago and loved how hydrated and tight it made my eyes feel. The packaging is fab, it comes with a pump which is so much more convenient for hygiene purposes, it dispenses the perfect amount of product and is just a brand that needs more hype, because honestly, I haven’t heard anyone talk about it and I don’t understand how and why?!!

Although I loved the Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer moisturiser, I felt like towards the end it just wasn’t doing much for my skin. I had heard so many great things about the Sunday Riley Tidal moisturiser, how it was lightweight, really hydrating, absorbed easily, that I wanted to give it a go and I  must say that I agree with it all. It’s a great all year round moisturiser, it’s not too light to the point where you feel like all you're massaging is water, but it’s not thick either, it has a great consistency. The smell is a bit odd, kinda smells like cucumber. Don’t know if that’s just me? But it’s a pleasure to use and my skin hasn’t looked this good in a really long time!

Lastly, to remove my makeup I use the Garnier Miceller Oil-Infused Cleansing Water. Garnier in general make some of the best makeup removers in my opinion. Their original micellar water was fab, their eye makeup removers and the 2-in-1 makeup removers are some of my all time favourites, and this oil-infused version didn’t disappoint. It’s great for anyone with normal to dry skin. Your skin feels clean, but not squeaky clean to the point where you feel like your face is going to rip if you smile, it leaves a moisturising film on the face which I personally like. I know it won’t be for everybody but it definitely works for me. It removes any kind of makeup, waterproof or not, very easily and the best part is that it’s super cheap and lasts ages!

Have you tried any of these products?

Follow me on Bloglovin'

Lots of love, SFS

WHAT REMAINS OF MY LUSH CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

Lush is just one of those shops that I can’t walk by without walking in. Something about the people who work there, who are ever so friendly, and of course, the smell, everyone inside is always in a good mood, it’s just all very inviting. For a while I have been trying to get my hands on the Million Dollar Moisturiser, but every single time I walk in it seems to be out of stock. Last time I went by Lush was around Christmas time, of course I went in to buy presents to give to people, but instead ended up buying a shedload for myself, oops! We’ve all done it right? I’ve used up a lot of the stuff I bought, but wanted to show you what remains in my Lush Christmas collection stash. Also, I won’t be going into detail on what they smell like, because I absolutely suck at describing scents so I’ll spare you haha. 

Let’s kick things off with my favourite, the Butterbear Bath Bomb. As you may be able to tell mine has been decapitated, but it’s by far one of my favourite bath bombs ever! I was initially sold on the fact that it’s a bear and has the cutest name in the world, but it smells amazing and is incredibly moisturising. I always feel like I’m giving my body a little treat whenever I use this and I never feel the need to moisturise when I get out of the bath.

The only Bubble Bath I got was the Santasaurus. I am yet to try this, but their bubble baths are usually great value for money as you can reuse them a few times before they run out. Also, how cute does it look with the santa hat? Yep. I’m not ready to let go of Christmas just yet! Two favourites that I always pick up are the So White and the Luxury Pud bath bombs. So White doesn’t look too exciting in the bath, but it’s one I always gravitate towards because of the amazing smell and calming effect it has on me. Luxury Pud on the other hand is one of those I always watch while it fizzles away into my bath. The colours are absolutely stunning and I love the smell it leaves in the bathroom! It’s a very relaxing scent, so I like to use this one in the evenings before bed. 

Last but not least, Shoot for the stars. I’m not actually sure that I’ve used this one before but the blue looks so pretty and I can imagine how gorgeous the gold glitter must look in the bath!

Do you have any Christmas Bath Bombs left? Let me know your favourites!

Follow me on Bloglovin’

Lots of love, SFS.

INSTAGRAM LATELY

Happy Friday lovelies!! I don’t always get weekends off, and I think I’ve mentioned before that I prefer having my days off during the week as everything is less crowded, but this week I happen to be off Saturday and Sunday and I am so glad. I have been working my little butt off! How was your week? Any big plans for the weekend? I wanted to share my Instagram page for those who aren’t familiar with it. I know it mainly consists of summer pictures but I just can’t let go. It’s been absolutely freezing in the UK and I’m dying for warmer days. What’s the weather like where you live? I’m about to start getting ready for work, last flight of the week, yaay. It’s been a good one so far, great start to the year. Hope yours has been great too :) 

Give me a follow on Instagram!

Lots of love, SFS.

My Bloglovin'

BEST 2016 BEAUTY BITS

I thought that picking out my 2016 favourites was going to be really though, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy. When it comes to makeup I pretty much stick to the same products everyday. I used to be far more adventurous with my makeup looks but since I don’t go out as much anymore, I just stick to what suits my complexion.

Let’s kick things off with base. For me it will never get better than the YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation. I believe it’s going to be, or is, discontinued which breaks my heart into a million pieces, but it’s by far my favourite foundation in the world! It gives a medium coverage with the most incredible natural looking glow. On days where I didn’t fancy wearing foundation but still wanted something on my face I found myself reaching for the By Terry CC Serum in Sunny Flash, it’s a ‘I’ve just spent a couple of hours in the sun’ face in a bottle. 

Underneath my eyes I used the same product every day I wore makeup, the Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Emerge. It’s your eye bags best friend! For eyeshadow I went for the same two palettes almost every time, Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette and my Z-Palette which contains three of my my most used crease shades from Makeup Geek: Cocoa Bear, Peach Smoothie and Creme Brûlée. 

Liquid eyeliner wasn’t something I wore too much of this year, but the Kevyn Aucoin Precision Liquid Liner and the Charlotte Tilbury Feline Flick (not pictured) were my top two. They’re both on a higher price point, but they are super pigmented and lasted me over three months before drying out. That’s something I had never had with cheaper brands. Liquid eyeliner out of the way, my favourite eye pencil was the NYX Slide On Pencil in Golden Bronze. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a golden look. To finish off on the eyes, my favourite mascara of 2016 was the Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof mascara. It’s a little biatch to remove, but it holds the curl so well and makes me look like I’m wearing falsies.

The ABH Dipbrow Pomade in Taupe has seriously changed my eyebrow game, but on days where I fancied going all out and defining my brows a tad more, I used the Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro in Wenge Wood. It added that extra darkness at the tail of my brows. Choosing my favourite lipsticks was easy peasy, NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Walkyrie was, and still is, my favourite! I’ve been through almost the whole thing. You can read more about it here. On days where I fancied a bit more colour and longevity, the ABH Liquid Lipstick in Kathryn was a no brainer. The colour really suits my skin tone, makes my teeth look whiter and lasts through hours of eating and drinking. Last but not least in the beauty department, my favourite discovery this whole year was the Givenchy Les Saisons bronzer, it’s honestly incredible and I now recommend it to all my friends. I think Givenchy is such an underrated brand that needs to be spoken about a lot more!

As you can see there is no mention of a body favourite and that’s because nothing really rocked my boat, the same cannot be said about hair. I went a lot blonder this year so the L’oreal Professionnel Silver Shampoo was a life saver! It really does get rid of brassiness like no other purple shampoo. Highly recommend it for any blondes with orange bits in their hair. For styling, of course, the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray. I’ve been through so many of these I’d hate to add up all the money I’ve spent on it haha, but it’s most definitely worth every penny. 

Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 perfume was something I did not expect to include in this yearly roundup, however I completely fell in love with it after bashing it in a blog post haha typical isn’t it? It’s just one of those perfumes that always gets people asking what it is you’re wearing. And for candle I have to give it to Diptyque Feu de Bois, it’s the closest I’ll get to a burning fire in this little flat of mine. 

What were your 2016 favourites? 

Follow me on Bloglovin’ 

Lots of love, SFS.

25 THINGS I'VE LEARNT IN 25 YEARS

Welcome to 2017 you sexy bunch! Hope you all had an incredible start to the year! I would love to know if you’re setting goals for this new year or if you’re just rolling with it like I am? I’ve seen a few people bashing people’s goals, and taking the mick out of people who have new years resolutions, and I’ll be honest, the eye roll is so real I almost see the back of my head haha. If the new year is giving someone the motivation to better themselves, then why not encourage it? Anywayyy, I turned 25 a couple of months ago and wanted to share 25 bits I’ve learnt along the way :)

1. Time Flies By After You Turn 18 

Seriously though! I remember being 13 and all I could think about was what I would do when I turned 18. It took forever to happen and when it finally did, poof! Time just flew past. Like, literally, I feel like I turned 18 yesterday! 

2. Karma Is Real 

It really is and I love it! People have done me wrong in the past and instead of retaliating or getting back at them I just cut them out of my life. Three years later I heard that things didn't work out quite well for them. I mean sure, it took three years, but it was bloody worth the wait! 

3. Mum Knows Best 

Trust me, you will get to a point in your life where you're gonna realise 'wow, mum was right all along'. That person your mum told you she didn't trust, turns out she was right. That boy you thought was the one for you but mum said he was a player, she was right again. You get the gist. 

4. You Prefer Friday Nights In Rather Than A Night Out

Most definitely! Nothing compares to getting a Dominos takeaway and chilling to Netflix after a hard week of work. I'm not saying you'll stop going out, but you'll prefer nights in a lot more. 

 

5. Going Out To A Bar Is Much Better Than Going To A Club 

A bar is much more appealing when you get to 25. You can still get your drinks on while being able to actually hear what your friends are saying. 

6. Moving Out Of Your Parents House Is Scary, But It’s The Best Experience 

Leaving your parents house is such a scary thing to do, but it's also the best. You learn so much about yourself, you learn how to do so many things that you wouldn't have if you stayed at home. If you're considering it, do it!

7. Being Lazy Is Ok 

Just because you're no longer a teenager doesn't mean you're not entitled to having a couple of lazy days. Heck, I've had a couple of lazy weeks, ok, maybe a lazy month, but it's ok to take some time out to chill.

8. You Get Hotter With Age 

You'd think that with age and wrinkles you'd get a bit less attractive, but I've found that actually it's the opposite. I look at all of my older friends and they look even more gorgeous now than they did when they were 20. 

9. You Don’t Care About Other People’s Opinion 

Nope, and why should you? The only opinion that matters truly is your own!

10. It’s Ok To Be You! 

Yes, yes it is! Stop changing yourself to please other people. I know it's cheesy, but honestly being you is the best thing, and it's what's going to make people remember you. 

11. You Start To Turn Into Your Mum 

When we're younger we try to act like we're so much cooler than our parents and always say that we'll be nothing like them in the future... Haha, that's where you're wrong! It will happen eventually and if you're lucky like I am, it's an incredible thing.

12. Paying Bills Sucks 

A necessity, but not exactly what I wanted to be spending my money on. 

13. Toothpaste And Washing Powder Doesn’t Miraculously Appear In The House 

It's a given you might say, but when I first moved out my parents house I didn't think I would have to spend money on these things. It's one of those products my parents always have in the house and I just assumed I would have them in my house waiting for me when I moved out.

14. You Become More Grateful 

As you grow older you become grateful for smaller things and smaller gestures. It's not about what you could have, it's about what you do have, and you're thankful for that. 

15. You’re Better Off Without Certain People 

Some people bring absolutely nothing to your life. If all they're doing is complaining, sitting around waiting for things to happen, making you feel crap about yourself or just bring you unnecessary hardship, cut them loose. You don't need them.

16. You And Your Friends May Not Have Much In Common Anymore 

It's normal to have different life goals as you grow older, it doesn't mean you and your friends are no longer friends, you just have different life aspirations, and that's ok. 

17. Laughing At Yourself Is The Best 

Don't take yourself too seriously is what I'm trying to say.

18. One Best Friend Is All You Need 

If you're lucky enough to have a bunch of really close friends you can count on, that's great! But if you're like me and have always just had one close friend who you can always count on, feel proud! One good friend is better than six fake ones. 

19. Never Look Up Health Symptoms Online

Because you will get pregnant... and die!!

20. It’s Ok To Fail 

Even at 25 it's ok to fail. I feel as though people are scared of admitting that they failed something because of what others will think. Nobody is perfect, not you, not me, so just admit your failures. At the end of the day they're what make you grow.

21. If You’re Not Happy With Something, Change It 

Job, boyfriend, house, who cares? If it's not making you happy change it! I know we all like to say 'it's complicated', but maybe we're the ones complicating things. 

22. Asking For Help Is Nothing To Be Ashamed Of

There's nothing more frustrating than going through life not knowing how to do something because we're too embarrassed to ask for help. 

23. It’s Ok To Not Have Your Life Figured Out Yet 

If you still don't know where you're heading with your life, calm down, neither do I! When you think of it, 25 is still quite young. Maybe you've just left uni and are at a point where you're stuck on what to do next. My advice it to just roll with it. Most people who seem like they have it all figured out are faking it anyway.

24. There’s Always Time To Learn 

One of my biggest regrets in life is not paying enough attention at school. I wish I could go back and do it all over again and actually take in the knowledge my teachers were trying to pass on to me. Gosh I sound like a mum, but it really is never too late to learn something new. So if you're thinking of learning a new language, or going to college or uni but are afraid it's too late, there's not such thing! Go for it!

25. Wearing Flat Shoes On A Night Out Is Totally Acceptable

Although I am partial to getting all glammed up for a night out, I will admit that it's far more comfortable and fun to go out in flats! You can shake what your mamma gave you all night long and not have to worry about going back home bare foot!

Follow me on Bloglovin'

Lots of love, SFS.