Party Season Sparkle With JD Williams

Black Sequin Shift Dress / Silver Sequin Clutch Bag / Silver Glitter Sandals

I love getting dressed up for Christmas party season. This is the one time of year when there's no such thing as too much sparkle & everyone gets themselves looking as glam as possible. You certainly can't go wrong with a glitzy sequin dress & I've been wearing this one from JD Williams non-stop. They have an amazing range of party dresses with something to suit every taste, budget & dress size. I picked it out along a few other pieces from their website to wear at all the parties I'd been invited to throughout the Christmas season. It's a real statement piece so you don't need tons of accessories to make it work. I really like this dress because it's so comfortable to wear but makes it look like you've made a lot of effort getting ready. Sequin dresses have the potential to be quite irritating but this one is made from a soft, stretchy jersey fabric so the sequins won't scratch your skin at all. The classic shift shape skims over any lumps & bumps so it would be flattering on most body shapes. The flared angel sleeves are great for hiding bingo wings & the neckline shows off my cleavage without being too revealing. The dress is available from size 10 to 32 & there's even a silver version if you fancy reversing my look. It's such a jazzy dress with a lovely shape & I'll be keeping it for many party seasons to come!





I decided to go with silver accessories as I normally always wear black & gold together. I wanted something a bit different but equally as sparkly to wear for Christmas parties. These glittery sandals come with a cushioned flexible sole which makes them surprisingly easy to dance in & they look even prettier in person. It might be cold outside but that will never stop me from wearing heeled sandals instead of shoes! It can sometimes be difficult to find high heels that come in different widths but like most shoes from JD Williams, these are available in D, E & EEE. I fell in love with this little sequin clutch bag as it goes beautifully with the dress & is just the right size for keeping all your party essentials safe. You can wear it as a clutch or as a cross body bag as it comes with a delicate silver strap inside.

To keep the silver theme going, I wore these fab Kiss Gel Fantasy false nails in Fanciful. They're nude with silver glittered tips & I can't think of a more appropriate style for party season. Of course, I also had to incorporate some silver into my makeup. I used the Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow in Diamond Dust all over my eyelids. I'm obsessed with these, they're so sparkly & add some instant glamour to any eye look. I can't get enough of red lipstick at this time of year. I mainly stick to pinks or nudes for everyday wear but Christmas & New Year's parties demand a red lip. I'm wearing Jordana Ticia Liquid Lipstick in Paint The Town. It's super bright & bound to draw attention to your lips as the clock strikes midnight.

Whether you'll be dancing the night away or finishing off the last of the Christmas leftovers on the sofa, I hope you have a wonderful time tonight as we celebrate the end of 2018. I'm definitely looking forward to the new year & I'll see you all tomorrow in 2019!

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Tips For Perfecting & Professionalising Your Blog

[AD] Collaborative Content

Like most bloggers I started out writing blog posts as a fun hobby that also helped me to connect with people who had similar interests in beauty & fashion. After working with brands on collaborations for a number of years, the progression to becoming a professional blogger was gradual & almost accidental. Many people still don't see blogging as a real career & wonder how it's possible to make money from writing stuff on the Internet but the amount of hard work that goes into running a blog could easily prove them wrong. Blogging is an already crowded market & a lot of the people who have become really successful were simply in the right place at the right time. However one of the best things about blogging is that there truly is room for everyone. No matter what you want to write about, there's bound to be someone out there who wants to read it. People are naturally drawn to websites that are easy to navigate & pleasant to look at so it's important to make your blog look as professional as possible even if it's only something you do in your spare time. It can also increase your chances of getting to work with the brands you love! Turning your blog from a hobby into something that you can pursue as a career isn't an easy task but there are a few simple changes you can make to create greater success for your blog. Perfecting & professionalising your blog will take a lot of time & dedication but trust me, it will all be worth it in the end. Whether you're improving your blog photography or working hard to improve your writing skills, there are many ways to better your blogging business. I thought I would share some tips that can help to catapult your blog from simple to spectacular.

Buy A Business Address
When you collaborate with brands or receive letters from your followers you might not want to let them know that your blog is actually based from the corner of your bedroom. Although that is nothing to be ashamed of, you want to come across as professional as possible. For privacy's sake, it's not the best idea to give out your home address to anyone & everyone. Head to PhysicalAddress.com & see how you can obtain your own business address to receive blogging mail. PR samples are a great perk of blogging but you never know which courier they're gonna use. Having your own business mailbox means no more waiting in for parcels from the likes of Hermes or Yodel for fear of them getting left in a bin. You can even check your mailbox from your mobile phone, so you can go and collect your bits & bobs as soon as they arrive.

Update Your Equipment
When starting out as a blogger you might not have the best camera or editing software but this is definitely something you should invest in. If you want to professionalise your blogging business you need to get up to date with your equipment. Whether you're updating your laptop, investing in new lighting or splashing out on a state of the art camera, it will all be worth it when you see your blog succeed. Blog photography is so important & it's harder to take good pictures without a decent camera. I started out blogging with a Canon 400D & then moved to a 650D when I wanted something a bit better. I now use a 70D which is brilliant for both photo & video. Lenses are also really important as they can totally change the feel of a shot. I switch between a 18-135mm, a 50mm, a 40mm & a 24mm depending on what kind of picture I'm taking. A lot of people don't seem to realise that it's totally acceptable to use your iPhone camera for blog photos. The newest iPhones have such fantastic cameras that you don't even really need to get a DSLR anymore. I currently take all my photos in natural lighting but it can be a struggle at this time of year. I've got some soft boxes but I'm planning on getting a ring light as they tend to be easier to move around. In terms of software, Photoshop & Lightroom are the best for editing photos. If you're just getting into video editing, iMovie is more than enough but if you want something really professional then Final Cut Pro is the way to go.

Reach Out To Brands
Back when I started blogging, brand collaborations mainly involved being sent samples for review purposes. I'm still more than happy to produce content in exchange for products but nowadays sponsored posts are the norm. If you have yet to land your first paid brand collaboration, then now would be the perfect time to start chasing. It can take a long time to actually get paid by a brand for endorsing their product so the sooner you can start the process, the better. Even if you start by buying one of their products yourself & doing an honest review about it, this is an excellent start. As long as you tag the brand, they should notice you & you might gain a PR contact in the process. Keep up this consistent work & you will land that dream collaboration in no time.

Improve Your Writing Skills
It's true that not all bloggers have a background in writing, in fact many just start up their blog because they have a passion for a niche topic. The way in which you write your blog posts is what will make them stand out from the rest. Think about tone of voice. Do you want your blog to impartially review or inform your readers about products? Or do you want your blog to be informal, friendly & personal? Either way, learning how to become a more professional & polished writer will start to bring you more success. In order to become a better writer you just need to practice, practice, practice. Write all of your initial thoughts down on the page, then learn how to refine & edit them into something entertaining & flowing. Always perform a spell check before publishing your posts. It's so easy to make simple mistakes when you're busy typing away but being pedantic about grammar & spelling can make all the difference in terms of professionalism. Take an online course if you really want to become a super serious writer!

Your Website Platform Is Important
When someone clicks onto your website, they are going to make a million first impressions from the way it looks & navigates. There are so many awesome platforms out there for you to choose from, whether it's Blogger, WordPress or Wix. It's always worth paying to upgrade your platform so that you can make full use of the customisable options. If you struggle with customisation, Etsy is full of amazing blog templates that will take your site to the next level. I still use Blogger as I'm more than happy with the way it operates but I would recommend buying your own domain name. This gives you your own personal space on the Internet & increases your chances of landing brand collabs. The more unique your website can be, the more seriously people are going to take you. Make sure that your blog is optimised to work on all devices. If you spend some time checking that your website is slick & sophisticated, you will have peace of mind that your followers are in for a great experience.

Create Aesthetically Pleasing Social Media
Although this is not the be all & end all of being a successful blogger, it really does help to have aesthetically pleasing social media. Your Instagram grid should be consistent & pleasing to look at, so that your audience can determine exactly what you're all about right away. I still struggle with this & definitely don't post on Instagram as much as I should do but I think people mainly watch Instagram Stories now rather than scrolling endlessly through their feed anymore. I still believe that blog posts have much more permanence than Instagram pictures. Blogs are easier to search through, they're more informative & you retain full ownership of the content. A lot of bloggers that I've followed for years have abandoned their sites in favour of Instagram as there's more money being pumped into the opportunities there. It's such a shame as there are so many flaws to Instagram & even the best content can be completely lost to the algorithm. Organic reach has become more difficult & things like the swipe up ability being locked behind a 10k follower wall makes it harder for the vast majority of people. I think it's important to make your Instagram look good but don't forget that long form content should be your priority.

So try out some of these ideas & see how your blog could be turned into something much more professional. With a business address, all the high tech equipment you need & a wonderful website, you will be setting yourself up for long term success. All of these updates & improvements won't happen overnight but if you put in the hard work you will start to see results sooner than you might think!

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Image Skincare Vital C Travel Kit

Image Skincare Vital C Travel Kit* - £28

Travel kits are a great way of testing out new products before committing to a purchase. They're also really convenient for taking on holiday as you don't have to worry about decanting anything or being forced to throw away restricted items at the airport. I'm always eager to try new skincare products that are infused with vitamin C so I was really excited when Image Skincare kindly sent me one of their Vital C Travel Kits. After trying & loving their fantastic sheet masks I was keen to see how the rest of their products measure up. They're an American skincare brand so their products aren't very well known over here but I've heard loads of good things about this range in particular. In this set you get four products from their Vital C range & one product from the Prevention+ collection as well as an adorable silk eye mask designed by DANNIJO. This luxurious mask feels so soft & comfortable to wear. It blocks out the light really well & will ensure that your beauty sleep remains completely uninterrupted. Unfortunately I don't think that the eye mask or the pretty pink packaging are available in the UK but all of the skincare products in the Vital C Travel Kit can be purchased from Image Skincare.

The Vital C range is Image Skincare's original & best selling collection. It promises to rehydrate, repair & renew your skin. The products would be ideal for those with dry, dehydrated, redness-prone, sensitive or aging skin types. Vitamin C is especially good for brightening up a dull complexion so it's always an ingredient I look for when buying new products. Apart from the Hydrating Repair Crème, all of the Vital C products have a strong orange fragrance so if you don't like citrus scents, this might not be the best range for you. I managed to get one week of use from this kit so I definitely got a good feel for the products & noticed some visible results within that time. There were a few items that I completely fell in love with & some that I would probably avoid in future but I'm glad I tried this tester kit as it has given me a better insight into Image Skincare as a brand overall. After using some more of their products, it's easy to see why they're so well loved across the pond.

Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser
This creamy, hydrating cleanser feels so refreshing to use. The pale yellow cream turns clear as you massage it onto the skin. Image Skincare suggest massaging your face for one minute before rinsing it off. You can just use your hands for this but I found that it works brilliantly with my Foreo Luna Mini 2. It turns slightly milky & emulsifies when combined with water. This removes impurities whilst infusing skin with high levels of vitamin C to brighten as it cleanses. The cleanser has also been enhanced with retinyl palmitate to boost radiance & brighten sun-damaged skin. It left my skin feeling really fresh & balanced afterwards so it was well prepped for the rest of my skincare routine.

Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum
The next step is to apply the Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum. This is one of Image Skincare's best selling products & it is also my favourite item from the travel kit. Similar to the cleanser, this serum also has a creamy texture. It's really hydrating & adds instant radiance to a dull complexion. The serum helps to support collagen production which plumps up the skin & softens the appearance of wrinkles. It also protects against oxidative stress & environmental damage. This wonder serum greatly reduces redness & immediately makes my skin tone look more even. When I first tried the Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum I was shocked by how quickly it had transformed the appearance of my skin. I would definitely purchase the full size version of this serum as the results are truly amazing!

Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Repair Crème
I really enjoyed using the Hydrating Repair Crème. This rich, emollient moisturiser would be great for dry skin that is prone to redness & sensitivity. It intensely hydrates & provides long lasting moisture to the skin without making it look greasy. This cream features hyaluronic acid & ceramides which help to prevent the evaporation of moisture by forming a healthy barrier on the skin. The antioxidant formula protects against free radicals and it combats the visible effects of stress, fatigue & other environmental factors. It feels deeply nourishing & leaves my skin feeling exceptionally soft. This moisturiser would be the perfect way to revitalise & repair your skin overnight.

Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Masque
Another product that I would repurchase is the Hydrating Enzyme Mask. This product strongly reminds me of the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel. Some chemical exfoliants can be too powerful for those with sensitive skin so fruit enzymes are a much gentler way to resurface the texture of your skin. This mask uses papaya & pineapple fruit extracts to gently dissolve dead skin cells. The fruity ingredients give it a gorgeous scent so it's a real pleasure to use! The creamy mask format keeps the skin feeling hydrated & it also features hyaluronic acid to further plump up the skin. It infuses skin with protective antioxidants & vitamins to reveal a healthy looking glow. I managed to get three applications from this little tube which is how often they recommend using it per week. You simply apply a thin coat to freshly cleansed skin & leave it on for 30 minutes before washing it off with cool water. I'm accustomed to using really strong acids so I was surprised when it made my skin tingle. This sensation only lasted for about five minutes but it must be pretty potent! It's a fab mask to use whilst soaking in the bath or chilling out with a good book. It left my skin feeling super soft, smooth & hydrated. My pores looked really refined too. I'd highly recommend this mask as it manages to exfoliate the skin without irritation or compromising moisture.

Image Skincare Prevention+ Daily Hydrating Moisturiser SPF 30
When using vitamin C products, it's really important to wear sun protection so I understand why they added this product to the kit. It's just a shame that this moisturiser was such a let down. I don't mind moisturisers with added SPF but they're not my favourite thing either. I'm a fan of the Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ but it's still much better to wear a regular day cream & a separate sunscreen. This particular product is proof of that. The moisturiser feels really rich so it'd be great for dry skin & it doesn't pill when applied over the serum. However on anyone else it soon deteriorates into a greasy mess. The sun protection comes from zinc oxide so it's a mineral sunscreen. These sit on the surface of the skin creating a physical barrier against UVA & UVB rays. The main downside of physical sunscreens is that they leave a white cast on the skin. They're also thicker & greasier than chemical sun protection products. For me personally, combining this kind of sunscreen with such a rich moisturiser is a recipe for disaster. Worst of all, it never fully dries down. When I wore this it made my skin feel slightly tacky all day & touching my face felt rather unpleasant. I couldn't wait to wash it off at night! Overall I loved the Vital C range but this Prevention+ moisturiser definitely did not work for me.

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