Let It Glow - Feeling Younger highlighter from the Lush range of skin tints

I'm not scared of attacking my cheekbones with a contouring powder and dark blush, but highlighting is key to balance it out. Currently I use a very pale powder on the top side of my cheekbones, inner eyes, brow bone and cupid's bow dimple, so was intrigued to see what Lush's Feeling Younger could offer when I saw it on their shelf.

Billed as a "skin tint", Feeling Younger (£12) is a light reflecting miracle in a jar.Whether used over face cream, foundation or even setting powder, it gives the perfect dewy glint to make your skin glow.

Feeling Younger is designed to suit all skin colours, and even on my palest of the pale skin, the product managed to melt into a subtle, light-catching sheen. The jar looks tiny for the cost, but never fear -  you only need to use the smallest amount of product to get the desired effect

Made with soothing oats, skin loving cocoa butter butter and nourishing jojoba and almond oils, Feeling Younger sinks into your skin feeling both cool and hydrating. It's the perfect product to put over a tinted moisturiser or BB cream in the warmer weather where you want to switch matte finishes for a dewy radiance.

It's a really simply product to work with - I used my finger to dot Feeling Younger along the top of my cheekbones, underneath my brow and on top of my lip. You simply place it whether you want the light to catch.

To blend, you can use your fingers to tap it on but I preferred to apply a blending sponge to really pat it in properly. In these images, it has been put over both foundation and setting powder, and it blended in with no problem at all.

This is going to be my go to product for Spring and Summer, as it's so light on the skin and doesn't feel even remotely cakey. In addition to the face, it's also great to use on the décolletage and anywhere else you want to highlight. I've also found it really useful to blend out on the inner eye to help make me look more alert and awake. It's a tiny pot with a whole lot of uses!

Until next time,

Diana xx

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Bloglovin and Facebook.
www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Let It Glow - Feeling Younger highlighter from the Lush range of skin tints

I'm not scared of attacking my cheekbones with a contouring powder and dark blush, but highlighting is key to balance it out. Currently I use a very pale powder on the top side of my cheekbones, inner eyes, brow bone and cupid's bow dimple, so was intrigued to see what Lush's Feeling Younger could offer when I saw it on their shelf.

Billed as a "skin tint", Feeling Younger (£12) is a light reflecting miracle in a jar.Whether used over face cream, foundation or even setting powder, it gives the perfect dewy glint to make your skin glow.

Feeling Younger is designed to suit all skin colours, and even on my palest of the pale skin, the product managed to melt into a subtle, light-catching sheen. The jar looks tiny for the cost, but never fear -  you only need to use the smallest amount of product to get the desired effect

Made with soothing oats, skin loving cocoa butter butter and nourishing jojoba and almond oils, Feeling Younger sinks into your skin feeling both cool and hydrating. It's the perfect product to put over a tinted moisturiser or BB cream in the warmer weather where you want to switch matte finishes for a dewy radiance.

It's a really simply product to work with - I used my finger to dot Feeling Younger along the top of my cheekbones, underneath my brow and on top of my lip. You simply place it whether you want the light to catch.

To blend, you can use your fingers to tap it on but I preferred to apply a blending sponge to really pat it in properly. In these images, it has been put over both foundation and setting powder, and it blended in with no problem at all.

This is going to be my go to product for Spring and Summer, as it's so light on the skin and doesn't feel even remotely cakey. In addition to the face, it's also great to use on the décolletage and anywhere else you want to highlight. I've also found it really useful to blend out on the inner eye to help make me look more alert and awake. It's a tiny pot with a whole lot of uses!

Until next time,

Diana xx

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Bloglovin and Facebook.
www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Smells Like Happiness - Beautiful Solid Perfumes from Gorilla Perfume at Lush

Many years ago, Lush had a glamour filled sister shop called "B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful". The store was cavernous, a vintage lover's dream, a treasure trove stocked with stunning cosmetics and a selection of intoxicating concoctions all sold in boudoir ready bottles.

Whilst working there in my youth, I began to discover the importance of "owning a scent".
Fragrance to me became a sort of DNA game, and it endlessly fascinated me how smells which made me swoon on one person could smell poisonous on another. It was like some sort of cosmetic alchemy, and felt finding the perfect match was like a magical high-five.

I soon had a whole range of fragrances which I would use to compliment my mood. If I was feeling a little sexy, I'd wear something rose based. A fragrance for everyday would probably have vanilla. If I was going out, maybe something jasmine based, with a fruity kick. I enjoyed exploring what worked on me and layering different perfumes with oil based face and body creams. I loved how as the hours passed, my scent would change and it never ceased to seem magical, like a Willy Wonka of perfumers.

I was so excited when Lush started to create new scents under the name Gorilla Perfume, and even more thrilled when they brought back some old favourites under "B-Sides and Rarities". I'm not going to lie, I'd love to see Cocktail and Ladyboy back on my dressing table, but I'm happy to have been introduced to some other beauties too.

Furze is my current go-to perfume for everyday use. It settles on my skin initially smelling of sun tan lotion, but in a lovely, happy, summer holiday kind of way. It's the coconut and vanilla working together to make you dream of sunny skies and sandy beaches, but it mellows quickly into something soft and floral based which can lift your mood swiftly.

I had wanted to expand my perfume choices, so opted to nab myself some solid perfumes which I've found to be a less expensive way of trying things out. They enable you to see how they settle on the skin over the course of a few hours without having to pay out for a whole bottle. I opted for Lust and Kerbside Violet which sounded to be at different ends of the fragrance spectrum.

Kerbside Violet was the first one I tried. What it's name lacked in beauty, the scent more than makes up with the wealth of notes hitting you throughout the day. On first contact, you are met with a very earthy scent. There is a definite smell of grass which feels like a refreshing Spring day, and then the violet creeps through subtlety, very much like the name suggests. It's sweet, but the grass undertones stop it from becoming overly twee. Whilst it's not one which I'd wear everyday, it's a great choice for when I want to feel strong and positive. It fades into a beautiful floral flourish which you will find yourself catching all day.

Lust was the other I tried, and I'd be lying if I said the tin wasn't a factor when it came to deciding whether to buy it or not. I'm a sucker for a pin-up, and it was just too cute to not be a handbag staple. When reading the ingredients list, it seemed to be my dream fragrance as it combined jasmine, ylang ylang, rose, vanilla and sandalwood. The combination of jasmine and rose ensured that the scent was going to be sexy and powerful, and it certainly didn't disappoint. However I love that it softens to a floral finish which still smells heady without the head-ache. It's intoxicating, but in a light, airy way which makes it wearable for all occasions whilst still remaining special.

Whilst Lust has probably become my go-to scent of choice,  I love that there are a whole range of combinations out there for people to explore and try. Fragrances cheap in ingredients can often be amongst the most expensive when created for mass market, and there is something so wonderful about wearing a scent which smells different to everyone else because of the quality of ingredients and your own body chemistry. The solid perfumes from Lush start at around £7 so they don't have to break the bank, and are a great way to explore what works for you and your chemistry. But be warned, once you try and fall in love with them, you'll never buy a drugstore fragrance ever again.

Until next time,

Diana xx

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www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Getting With The Programme - An Evening In Norwich With The Blogger Programme.

A few weeks ago I received an invite from The Blogger Program to see if I wanted to attend an event they were hosting in Norwich. I checked the price of train tickets as it sounded like fun, and without really thinking about the two hour journey there and back, booked them on a bit of a whim.

Smooth Operator - King of Skin by Lush Cosmetics.

When someone tells me "Oh my god, you have to try this product, it will change your life!" I tend to nod politely and forget all about it. However a few months ago, someone at Lush said that very thing to me and I walked off with King of Skin in my bag and a slightly dubious look upon my face. Turns out the Lush employee was correct - this product was a complete game changer for me!

The Hardest Button To Button

Birthday treats from Sugar & Vice and Tatty Devine.

It's been a busy few weeks in photography world, which has also included bouts of DJing, my birthday and a few other fun events. And fun events mean wearing my favourite outfits!

Matt & Nat Dwell Handbag from the ASOS Sale.

Now that the summer has gone on holiday, my amazing vintage green Autumn cape in full swing (literally!), I've been in need of finding a large faux-vintage handbag to match it as the cape needs a bag carried by hand, but I also needed something which could contain my tablet, camera and the other assortment of girl / photographer things to get me through the day. My bag shaped pleas were answered in the form of the Matt & Nat Dwell Handbag which to me carries like an oversized Kelly bag - my favourite type of vintage bag shape. Although it has a front flap rather than a clip, it still works in tandem with my cape and I feel like instantly put together, even on my dressed down days.

Chelsea Boots from Primark.

Ankle boots have been the bane of my existence these last few months, with the search for my perfect boot starting back in the Summer. I don't have particularly wide feet, but everything, even lace-up boots felt incredibly narrow so was over the moon to stumble across this bargain beauties. I love that they smarten up my grungy outfits and grunge up my tea dresses so I feel I can wear and accessorise them with almost anything.

Weather-proofing hair with a silk scarf and pin-curls.

One of the other key things about Autumn when you spent much of your time shooting outside on location is how to weather proof yourself. Silk scarves and pin-curls have been a life saver to ensure I can run from shoot to event with my hair brushed out into shiny waves rather than rained on frizz. Thank you vintage styling!

Max Factor's Whipped Creme Foundation and Lush's Emotional Brilliance Liquid Lipstick.

As much as I love the seasonal transition into Autumn, my skin sadly doesn't agree. All it takes is a few days of biting wind for my face to fall to pieces, but I have finally found a drugstore foundation which moisturises, evens out and makes my skin look and feel fabulous.

The foundation is Max Factor's Whipped Creme, and I've used their palest shade in Light Ivory / 40 with an angled foundation brush. One of the other things which really stuck out was that the foundation didn't leave me with a yellow cast. Most pale drugstore foundations are still too dark on my pink based complexion, and this for me was spot on. It covered any redness, evened out my skin, covered any spots and left me feeling like I wasn't wearing anything other than my usual moisturiser.

Another new purchase was my new red liquid lipstick from Lush's Emotional Brilliance make-up range. I chose Decisive which is a strong cherry red colour with a blue base - perfect for pale skin and vintage lovers. It needs a lip liner underneath or else you'll look like The Joker after one cup of tea, but a liner locks it onto lips like a magnetic force.

Flower crown by Frankii Wilde, swallow necklace by Tatty Devine.

Dress by Lady V Vintage, cardigan, belt and leggings by Yours Clothing.

The first of my favourite outfits this month is what I wore to DJ at the last Whiskey Kittens. The photos are pretty terrible and don't do either the dress of flowers justice, but I received so many compliments on both for the whole night, and even the journey to the venue!

Bubble Blower Necklace from Sugar & Vice.

Cardigan and vest from New Look, skirt from ASOS and leggings from leggings by Yours Clothing. I literally wear those boots with EVERYTHING at the moment!

I also feel like I've been really spoilt this month with some wonderful birthday gifts (and self-given-almost-birthday-gifts!)

Cat watch from the ASOS Sale.

I very rarely get called Diana these days unless it's a client, or I'm in trouble! Most of my friends call me Kitty and have done for years, so this birthday gift to me from me seemed perfect. Puuurfect even. I'd been wanting to find a cute watch for a while, and fits in perfectly with the rest of my jewellery.

Rocket Ship Necklace from Kate Rowland.

This rocket ship necklace from Kate Rowland goes with so many things in my wardrobe. It's kitsch enough that it brings a simple tea dress to life, and gives a lift (off) to a more simple outfit.

Tortoise Necklace from Tatty Devine.

Hi I'm Diana, and I'm a Tatty Devine addict! This was something I picked up on my last trip to Brighton, but it's really been this last month of Autumn colours that he's permanently lived on my finger. Sadly he's no longer in stock as he was part of Tatty Devine's seasonal collection, but this particular one is called Horrace after my childhood Carolina Box Tortoise and I always feel happy when I wear him.

La Luna Necklace from Tatty Devine.

The second I saw the larger version of this necklace on Mary Portas, I knew I had to have it. I've always had a love of the stars and night sky, and convinced myself that since Diana was the name of the "moon goddess", it was meant to be. I'm sticking to that. Yep.

Custom made necklaces from Bette Noire.

I am a sucker for handmade creations, and love this custom cuties from Bette Noire. One is a lovely heart shape with kitty ears and "Kitty" emblazoned on the scroll, whilst the glittering double hearts have the name of my club night, Whiskey Kittens.

Birthday treats from Sugar & Vice and Tatty Devine.

With my friends knowing my love of cute perspex and personalised cuteness, my darling friend Luna had this Kitty necklace made for me via Sugar and Vice. Howard also picked up on my "subtle" hints (hah!) and brought me the adorable Dog on Wheels necklace from Tatty Devine.

Aphrodite's Child Carnival Ruff from Lovechild Boudoir.

Another stunning birthday present from Howard was this incredible Ruff from Lovechild Boudoir. I had fallen in love with it when we were kindly lent some of her products for a photoshoot with Rush Hair. Although this particular piece wasn't used, it was the one which I adored the most and was so excited when I opened it up. I spent much of birthday wearing it with my pyjamas and pin curls until finally putting on real clothes and being whisked away for a birthday hot chocolate.

Birthday hot chocolate.

I've felt thoroughly spoilt the last few days, and am struggling to get my brain back out from birthday mode to work mode. It's not helping that we are celebrating this coming weekend (the half way weekend between mine and Howard's birthdays) so it feels like three weeks of cake and cuteness. Am I complaining? Nope! I love birthdays, whether they're mine or my friends. I love this time of year for the never ending supply of cake!

Until next time,
Diana xx

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