Ditch Or Download #4: H&M App For Android

Upon recently installing the H&M app on my phone, I have not been disappointed in doing so! The app's design is very neat, professional and easy to navigate, as well as the app serving all the functions that I would expect of it - and more!

In the Shop section, you can filter products by item, colour, size and 'concept' very easily, and you also have the option of choosing multiple colours, sizes or 'concepts' to filter by in any one search. As well as this, I found it very hassle-free to add products to the bag for checkout.

The Inspiration section is great for finding outfit ideas, or keeping up with the latest trends. There are lots of videos, photos and articles to really get you inspired with fashion and beauty.

The My H&M section of the app has the option of location-based offers and fashion news via push notifications to your phone, as well as an order tracking service.

In Support, I found information on contacting the company, or following their social media, and the Store Locator picks up your GPS to find a store nearby, whilst also specifying what departments the store stocks (Ladies, Kids, etc.).

The app seems to run very smoothly and is very easy to use, whilst also having so much available at the simple touch of a button.

Verdict: Download

Ditch Or Download #3: Boot's App For Android

The Boot's app is quite a new release for both Android and iOS, and on the Android operating system, I'm having mixed views about it. A lot of other users have been having issues logging into the app at all, and although I personally have not experienced this, I feel that the app can take a little longer than I would like to load things. Despite its slowness, the navigation buttons are well-sized, unlike some apps with which great touch-screen precision is required to get around the app.

Ditch Or Download #2: NUS App For Android

NUS App For Android

Although, this app sometimes lags a little, it is very useful for owners of NUS cards (student discount) as there are so many stores and businesses offering student discount it can be hard to keep track. This app neatly organised them all into different categories, such as ‘Fashion & Accessories’, and ‘Hair, Beauty & Chemist’, as well as there being a search bar to make finding out about student discount very quick and easy.

Verdict: Download

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this app, or any other shopping app recommendations you may have! Thanks for reading, the rest of the Ditch Or Download series is here.

- Paris x

Paris' Outfit Of The Day

Playsuit - Warehouse

Denim Jacket - New Look

Shoes - New Look

Bowler Hat - Miss Selfridge

What are your favourite pieces of clothing for the Summer? I'd love to read your comments!

- Paris x

Product Review: Body Sorbet (The Body Shop)

The Body Shop recently released a new product, a Body Sorbet. It's a version of the traditional body butter we all know so well, designed more for a warm Summer day. As I liked the free sample I was given on my way into the store so much, I decided to go ahead and purchase a couple for myself.

The Body Sorbet comes in five different scents - satsuma, strawberry, mango, moringa and pink grapefruit. I purchased the Strawberry Body Sorbet and the Mango Body Sorbet, and the 10% off I receive on all purchases with my Love Your Body Membership Card (which, by the way, is free for students, and well worth the £5 if not), knocked the already great price of £8 each down to a happy £7.20 per Body Sorbet.

My favourite thing about this new product is how great it is for hot Summer days, being very cool against the skin on application, with its gel-like formula being far lighter than a body butter - avoiding the 'cakey skin' feeling that body butters can sometimes leave you with.
The product claims to "leave the body instantly moisturised" and I can't argue with that. After applying the sorbet, it soaks quickly and easily into the skin and leaves it feeling cool, refreshed and - most importantly - moisturised.
In terms of the scent, I don't find either scents to be overpoweringly fruity. In fact, they're just the right strength to make your skin smell naturally fresh, and not as though you've just spent the past hour having strawberries and mangoes pelted at you.

I do however find it a shame that the product isn't available in smaller, travel-sized tubes as, unlike a body butter which is generally only used after baths or showers, it's a great on-the-go moisturiser for cooling down and refreshing your skin on a hot day! But, with its claim of "up to 24 hours hydration", the product's lack of portability isn't a particularly huge issue.

Overall, I think that as an 'industry first', The Body Shop have given us rather a treat with this light, cooling and hydrating moisturiser for only £4 per 100ml! I'm in no doubt that I'll be keeping stocked up on the Body Sorbet for many Summers to come.

Have you tried the new Body Sorbet from The Body Shop? I'd love to know your thoughts on it or on your favourite body moisturising products, so please feel free to leave a comment below.
- Paris x

Ditch Or Download: O2 Priority Moments App For Android

For O2 customers, a lot of 'priority moments' are available, and they're constantly updating so you can usually find something you like at some point (although you have to check back quite regularly to make sure you don't miss anything).
There is often an offer for The Body Shop for half price on a purchase after spending a certain amount (with the amount having to be spent being changed every so often). It’s a great offer to make the most out of by perhaps splitting the cost between friends. Discounts are also often available at places such as The Fragrance Shop (such as £10 off anything with no minimum spend), or restaurants and cafés - to help stretch your overall budget that little bit further.

The offers are categorised into ‘Nearby’ and ‘Online’, with the ‘Nearby’ section picking up your phone’s GPS and finding discounts close to you. The offers are further categorised into sections such as ‘Food & Drink’, ‘Shopping’, and many more, so you’re never far from finding a great bit of discount.

The app is free, and available for Android and iOS, but only for customers of the O2 mobile network.

Verdict: Download

I hope you enjoyed the first app review in our Ditch Or Download series. We'd love to hear your opinions on the app, or any other app recommendations you may have so don't hesitate to get in touch via our social media, linked to on the sidebar!

- Paris x

Liebster Award

Thank you so much to Hannah at http://the-thing-about-my-life.blogspot.co.uk/ for nominating us for the Liebster Award! We have in fact moved web addresses since the nomination, so we apologise for any convenience that may cause.
EDIT: We were also nominated by Eera at http://adventure-fairytales.blogspot.sg/ and Caiti at http://caitlintries.blogspot.co.uk/ - Thank you! 

The rules for this award are:
You must answer all questions that are given to youMust link back to the person that nominated youNominate 11 bloggersProvide nominees with 11 questions of your choiceCannot nominate the person who nominated youMust inform nominees of your nominationProvide nominees with a link to your post for more info

Questions:
1) Who is your favourite Disney character who is not a ‘main character.’
Paris: Jock from Lady & The Tramp
2) If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Sophie: New York!
3) What is your ‘go to’ fancy dress costume?
Paris: my Eleventh Doctor-inspired outfit, I'm waiting for a Doctor Who event to wear it at :D
4) Name three films which make you cry every time you watch them.
Sophie: The Notebook, Titanic and Marley & Me
5) Favourite sandwich filling?
Sophie: Ham salad
6) What is your worst habit?
Paris: Biting my nails...
7) If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?.
Molly: Spaghetti Bolognaise
Sophie: Shepherd's pie
8) Who is your style icon?
Molly: Selena Gomez or Emma Stone
9) What is your life’s greatest ambition?
Paris: To see as much of the world as possible
10) Who is your most embarrassing crush?
Molly: Michael J Fox Jr - from watching Back To The Future when I was younger
11) Who is the most influential person in your life?
Molly: Probably my mum

Our questions for our nominees:
1. What is your favourite makeup brand?
2. What is your favourite clothing store?
3. Your most-used makeup product?
4. Your go-to skincare product(s)?
5. What is/was your favourite subject at school?
6. Your favourite music artist?
7. The best holiday you ever had?
8. Your favourite TV show?
9. What is your favourite social network/social media?
10. Who would you want to play you in a film about your life?
11. Why did you start blogging?

We nominate:1. http://vanillainnovember.blogspot.co.uk/
2. http://www.brendabusybee.blogspot.co.uk/
3. http://ellawashere.com/
4. http://www.kayleighanderson.com/
5. http://marthadahhling.blogspot.co.uk/
6. http://reflectionofsanity.blogspot.co.uk/
7. http://emlota.wordpress.com/
8. http://marshmellowbyeva.blogspot.com.es/
9. http://www.christinanista.com/
10. http://www.justkirsten.co.uk/
11. http://ellenwarnerxo.blogspot.co.uk/

Item Of The Week: Primark Marvel Shorts

Recently, I purchased this great pair of shorts from Primark. The pattern is Marvel-inspired and features Spiderman, Captain America, the Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. The shorts currently cost just £12, and there is a similar pair featuring Ariel and Flounder from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

This is one of my favourite pieces of clothing and I’d love to hear about any items you’re seriously loving right now (whether you own it or are admiring it from afar). We’d love you to get in touch via our social media!

- Paris x

Paris' Quick FOTD

I often don’t leave myself all that much time to apply makeup in the mornings so I generally don’t put on very much, and I like to experiment with how much of a makeup look I can create using as few items as possible.

I am using:

Primark eyelash curler
Soap & Glory's Thick & Fast Mascara In 'Superjet Black'
Benefit Magic Ink Eyeliner
SEVENTEEN Brow Sculpting Pencil
Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm In 'Unapologetic'

Thanks for reading, if you have any questions or requests don’t hesitate to ask us. Look out for some Summer haul posts coming soon!

- Paris x 

Rimmel Lipsticks Review

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick In ‘Coral In Gold’

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick In ‘Shade 08’

Recently I’ve found myself purchasing a couple of Rimmel lipsticks, one from the Kate Moss collection, and the other from their Lasting Finish range.

The Lasting Finish lipstick I purchased from Rimmel is shade 210, ‘Coral In Gold’ and a swatch can be seen above. In terms of the formula, this is pleasant to apply - it isn’t sticky, and it doesn’t feel at all drying. The pigmentation is also good and I find myself needing only two swipes of the lipstick for a colour I’m satisfied with, and it is easy to build colour too. This shade in particular has a shimmer to it, so if you’re looking for a more matte finish, ‘Coral In Gold’ is not for you. But generally as a coral lipstick, this isn’t too bold or brash, and makes a good everyday shade.

However, I do feel that the lipstick’s ‘lasting finish is not really all that lasting, with just one bite of food or a sip of water sends me off to reapply the whole thing.

So, if you’re looking for a shimmery everyday shade without fear of having to reapply a few times a day - this shade is perfect for you! If not, then perhaps you should avoid Rimmel’s Lasting Finish ‘Coral In Gold’ lipstick.

Now onto my second Rimmel lipstick. This, like the previous, is also labelled as a ‘Lasting Finish’ lipstick, but instead is from Rimmel’s Kate Moss range. I own this in ‘shade 08’, a pink which is swatched above.

This, like ‘Coral In Gold’ has a pleasant-to-apply formula which isn’t sticky or drying, and is even better than ‘Coral In Gold’ in terms of its pigmentation as I find just one swipe of the lipstick results in a colour I’m satisfied with - although there is less opportunity for colour-building as additional coats don’t change the already-fairly-dark colour much. The shade of the lipstick acts to define the lips nicely, whilst staying subtle, and the finish is as nice and smooth as I’d expected from a lipstick, without a glossy shimmer like ‘Coral In Gold’.

However, like ‘Coral In Gold’, the finish does not survive much eating and drinking, being worn away very easily.

Generally, the lipsticks are a quality I would expect for the price and I do like them both and will continue to wear them for my everyday use, but in future, I may prefer to shop around other brands.

- Paris x

Paris' Summer Sales Haul

 

It’s that time of year again - the sales are on and the sun is shining!! And so, a haul post is born - featuring Jack Wills, Urban Outfitters and Topshop.

From top to bottom:

Jack Wills:

Brightwell Book Bag - Reduced from £12.50 to £9Baysdale Crew - Reduced from £39.50 to £26

Urban Outfitters:

Beige lace top from Pins & Needles - Reduced from £32 to £10Rose-printed shirt from Cooperative - Reduced from £38 to £10

Topshop:

Cartoon heart print shirt - Reduced from £35 to £20Floral shirt - Reduced from £32 to £18

Total spent: £93

Total saved: £96

- Paris x

Cosmetc's Top 5 Handbag Essentials

1. Blotting paper - once your face gets oily in the day, blotting paper removes the oil and adds a transparent 

powder to the skin to make it matte again without adding more makeup and making it look cakey. These little 

sheets easily fit into your handbag.

2. A nail file - you never know when the pesky chipped nail will strike! If you happen to forget a nail file, rubbing 

the jagged edge against denim jeans also works. (Click here to see our previous post on Paris’ favourite 

nail file)

3. Tissues - your one-step to avoiding all runny noses, food-around-mouth and many more potential mishaps!

4. Hand cream - our hands go through a lot throughout the day, so it’s important to pamper them when you get a 

moment. We would recommend Soap & Glory’s Hand Food, as it does its job of hydrating and softening 

hands very well indeed!

5. Lip balm - our lips also go through quite a lot throughout the day, particularly when there are cold winds 

around, so it’s important to keep lips hydrated to avoid cracking or dryness. We would recommend Sophie’s 

favourite, Cocoa Butter Vaseline Lip Therapy

- Paris & Sophie x

How to rock a floral raincoat

One of my favourite items in my wardrobe at the moment is this lovely raincoat from Topshop. Sadly, it’s no longer on sale, but has been replaced by a similar coat with larger, yellow flowers, instead of the small, blue ones.

I’d categorise the coat as a Spring coat rather than a Winter coat due to its lack of thickness, but as the weather is so temperamental in Britain, it’d be great for a rainy Summer day too. I love the coat as it’s quirky and a bit different to my other coats, and also comfortable and practical to wear - always a bonus!

I think block colours are important to pair with the coat, offering a plain backdrop against which the coat ‘can do the talking’. In terms of colours, I chose a black top - which is a neutral shade, and dark enough to let the colour of the flowers pop out. I also chose a skirt in a colour vibrant enough to brighten up the dark black top, whilst not clashing with the blue flowers or taking too much of the impact away from the coat.

- Paris x

An OOTD for changing seasons

The weather wasn’t particularly summery today, and I wanted to go with a smart-casual style for my day, so I decided on this.

The black of the vest top and the skirt really makes the pretty shade of pink ‘pop’, and the print is a more refined take on the classic floral print.

This is the style of outfit I would go for in the currently changing seasons, as the top is cool and floaty for hot weather, but easily adapted to a spring breeze with a simple black jacket or cardigan.

Outfit:Crinkle Flower Shirt - Topshop (£35)The other items are no longer available in exact form, but similar
items can easily be found on the high street.
Makeup:Soap & Glory's Thick & Fast MascaraRimmel's Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in 'Shade 08'

- Paris x

Paris' Daily Skincare Routine

I kick off the morning with Neutrogena’s Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash (1), which is a great product that ‘wakes up’ my face, making it feel fresher, whilst successfully helping to eliminate spots and blackheads. I’ve been using this product for a few years now and it’s never disappointed me!

Next, I use a moisturising cream from the same brand – Neutrogena’s Visibly Clear Oil-Free Moisturiser (2) – which not only gets rid of pesky dry patches, but also makes my face feel far softer. I apply this cream to my whole face, but particularly to my forehead as I personally get more dry patches there. An advantage of the cream being ‘oil-free’ means that skin is less likely to get greasy from repeated application of this product, compared to more oil-based moisturisers.

After doing this, I turn my attention to any spots I may have (I also do the same thing in the evening). I have two spot products which I love, Witch Blemish Stick (3)and Soap & Glory’s Dr Spot (4). For minor spots, I use Witch Blemish Stick, but for particularly bad spots I use Dr Spot. This is because, although Dr Spot is better at getting rid at spots, the application is quite fiddly, and the Witch Blemish Stick is cheaper (but still very good), so I prefer to use Dr Spot in ‘emergencies’ only.

Throughout the day, I apply a tinted medicated lip balm – Maybelline’s Baby Lips (5) in ‘Soothing Sorbet’. I bought this from New York on a school trip last October and it’s a wonderful product. It is recommended that the product is applied no more than 4 times a day, so I tend to apply it after each meal – breakfast, lunch and dinner – as an easy way to measure how often I’m applying it.

For my hands, I use Soap & Glory’s Hand Food (6), a really great moisturiser for the hands that I’d highly recommend. There isn’t really a limit to how much you can apply Hand Food so I generally apply it as often as I remember to.

My evening skincare can take two routes – a day when I wear makeup, and a day when I don’t. If I do wear makeup, I use No.7’s Eye Make-Up Remover (7) and some simple cotton pads for my eye makeup. For facial makeup, I use Soap & Glory’s Peaches & Clean (8) which is mostly a facial cleanser but can double as a makeup remover. However, if you wear facial makeup (foundation, concealer, etc.) on a daily basis, I would suggest using an actual make-up remover, such as a micellar water (see Sophie’s skincare post for more information).

For days on which I don’t wear makeup, I end my day with Soap & Glory’s Ultimelt Hot Cloth Cleanser (9), which gives a gentle but deep clean and exfoliation to my skin.

I also apply Vaseline (10) to my lips each evening (as a substitute for the fourth application of Baby Lips which I’m trying to make last as long as possible because the medicated tinted Dr Rescue ones aren’t available in the UK), and let it soak in and moisturise my lips overnight.

Thanks for reading! And don’t hesitate to send us any questions :)

- Paris x

Boot's 4-way nail buffer block

We’ve all had that moment, where our nail file decides to snap in half and you’re left to rub a pathetic little stump of nail file over your jagged nail. And many of you will know the pain of one side being too rough, and the other side not rough enough. Well, worry no more because there is a solution, for just £2! The 4-way buffer block from Boot’s.

My one criticism of the buffer block is that the ‘dust’ from it can get a little annoying, especially on side 1, and you’d need to sweep that off after filing every couple of nails. But other than that, it’s a seriously great product!

The buffer block has 4 different sides, each with varying textures so you can find the perfect texture for the purpose. And it even helps you along with that, with printed-on instructions as to what each side was created for. With this, you can ‘file the nail edge’, ‘remove ridges’, ‘smooth the nail’, or ‘shine the nail’.

Another great thing to say about the buffer block is that if you tend to get dry or rough skin on your fingers, it works a treat at gently filing your skin back into smoothness, with you having a choice of 4 textures, unlike with most nail files.

And of course, due to its shape – you’d have a hard time accidentally snapping it!

Product rating:

Quality: 9/10

Value for money: 9/10

Practicality/application: 7.5/10

Overall: 9/10

You can find the product here.

- Paris x