ALICIA HANNAH NAOMI

Reason I love Instagram number 1 million: It introduced me to the beautiful jewellery of Australian designer and badass silversmith Alicia Hannah Naomi.

(HAUD ON, didn't I just do a post about rings n stuff? Yes, yes I did, but the more finger bling the better, I ALWAYS SAY.)

Check out these awesome shots for her first official collection available to buy on her website. Pretty banging...

Alicia describes the collection: Deeply moved by the subtle and the intimate, the asymmetrical and the austere; the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes. Believing in the poetry within things that carry this hallmark. Endeavoring to create beautiful, wearable objects that transcend our mainstream binge-and-purge lifestyles. Embracing precious, organic materials, and not compromising on quality.

Discovering beauty in imperfection and the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. Underplayed and modest; the kind of quiet, undeclared beauty that waits patiently to be discovered. Appreciating that all things in nature are transient, and taking pleasure from the aesthetic elegance in objects that carry the burden of their years with dignity and grace.


I'm not sure about all that, BUT LOOK HOW PRETTY! I'll have one of each please.

  

  

Threw in wee pendant for good measure. Seriously, I love these so much. Totally feeding my current obsession for stacking chunky rings. This is my favourite ring of hers though - not up on the website as I think it was a custom order. Smoky quartz perfection!

 

Urgh! I need! And that manicure as well please.

You can follow Alicia on Instagram @aliciahannahnaomi

WHAT'S THAT JACKET, MARGIELA?

Continuing a barrage of collaborations with the hardcore fashion elite, H&M will release their latest highly-anticipated collection with Belgian design house (adored by Kanye West, randomly, among others) Maison Martin Margiela in November. And it's frickin' AWESOME!

After that horribly tacky Anna Della Russo accessories collab I found myself turning away from H&M for a while - it was just TOTES not my style, innit. Thankfully this delightful 104-piece collection is WAY more "me."

I'm sure y'all will know I'm a sucker for a collection that explores shape and volume, and MMM x H&M does this perfectly and effortlessly. The jumpers and boxy jackets are oversized but not grossly or unwearably so, with that delicious androgynous feel that makes my tummy go all funny, and the tailoring is spot on. Naturally. 

The collaboration also acts as an introduction to a somewhat lesser-known design house, as all the pieces will have a tag showing the season from which it originated. Come on, that's so CLASSY!

Will I be buying pieces from this? Well, yes, probably. The interesting jewellery, navy oversized roll-neck and men's duffle coat are all calling my name, but I can't see me rocking the baggy suit trousers or perspex wedged boots - as much as I LOVE them! I just don't have the body or "look" for edgy minimalism (a source of constant sorrow in my life) but, nevertheless, this gorgeous collaboration tickles my fashion funny bone in a BIG way and has restored the reputation of H&M in my eyes. BRAVO!

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M hits stores November 15th. One to queue up for?

BEST OF ETSY: EMERALD RINGS

Perusing the fine jewellery section of Net a Porter this morning (as I'm increasingly inclined to do) I stumbled upon this beautiful green gemstone ring by Canadian designer Pippa Small...

Something about the vivid green colour contrasted with the yellow gold setting TOTES caught my eye. Kind of magical, right? Like something a particularly CHIC witch might wear for a special occasion. Reminds me of those labradorite and onyx Monica Vinader rings I won last year..

You may or may not know but I am rather prone to a pretty gemstone and while this isn't actually an emerald (it's a gorgeous gem called chrysophase or seamfoam chalcedony as Ruth reliably informs me) I couldn't help but do a wee Etsy search for emerald rings anyway, just for the HECK of it. Here's some of my favourites...

I'm completely obsessed, especially with those uncut, chunky ones. I NEED to get myself a green-stoned ring like yesterday, even if it's not a real emerald cos they are EXPENSIVE, yo.

Lucky for you if you're birthday is in May since the emerald is your birthstone, as well as the traditional gemstone for the astrological signs of Taurus, Cancer and sometimes Gemini. Emeralds are also said to be connected to the heart (anahata) chakra, which alongside other functions, balances the energy flow between the upper and lower three chakras. Emeralds worn around the neck or placed on the heart area are said to bring emotional balance.

But, regardless, they are so PRETTY! What jewellery are you loving at the moment?

PIERRE DEBUSSCHERE: THE LAKE

You know when you randomly stumble across something that's so beautiful and mesmerising that you feel like you've been hypnotised? Like, it's genuinely hard to carry on with the rest of your day?

This is like that.

In a short fashion film that was actually out last year (SO timely of me as ever!) Belgian photographer and filmmaker Pierre Debusschere collaborated with "striking French ingenue" Isild Le Besco to create the weird and wonderful 'The Lake'.

Filmed in Templeuve, a picturesque village in northern France, the beautifully crafted montage depicts the actress being enveloped by a pool of water to an ominous countdown courtesy of songwriter Valerie Leclercq from the atmospheric sister duo Half Asleep. Transformed into a mythical sea creature through metallic, opulent and fish scale-y looks dreamed up by stylist Robbie Spencer, Le Besco welcomed the "opportunity to wear magnificent, daring dresses that I would probably never have had the opportunity to wear in cinema movies.”

And yeah, it's awesome...



I love EVERYTHING about this...except maybe that creepy countdown but let's not split hairs. Nice, also, to see stylist Robbie Spencer utilising pieces from Chris Kane AW11 - a collection I raved about here.

A still from any part of this stunning film wouldn't be out of place in a legit fashion magazine, which is no surprise since Debusschere regularly shoots for KEWL titles like Dazed and Confused and V.

Here's a few of his other RAD photos.

AYE. Brilliant.

NEW SKINCARE BITS

It's been a while since I did a skincare post and since the last time I've pared things back quite a bit. A few reasons for this - my Advanced Night Repair ran out and I'm too poor to repurchase the big one at the moment, and apart from some INTENSE hormonal issues last month (gross, TMI) my skin's been really not too bad.

I still have the same issues I've always had (dullness, scarring etc) just with less breakouts. Hurrah! No idea why though - I've slept in my makeup a couple of times in the past few weeks so it really should be kicking up a spotty shitstorm, but hey ho, fingers crossed this random spell of good skin luck lasts a bit longer!

I have totes just jinxed myself.

Anway, onto the new bits...

Indeed Labs - Hydraluron Moisture Booster

I read about this over at Beauty Mouth (my new obsession) and Caroline's review was so glowing I ran out and bought it that day. Essentially it's pretty much pure hyaluronic acid which sounds scary but totes isn't. It's a chemical our skin makes naturally which allows it to absorb water particles and keep it plumped and baby soft. The natural hyaluronic acid we produce disappears as we got older (hello wrinkles) so the synthetic stuff is often found in anti-ageing moisturisers and the like. This, though, you slap on BEFORE your normal moisturiser to maximise it's absorption and make it work more efficiently. It's just a clear, scentless gel and it sinks in straight away.

I've been using it day and night underneath both my REN sensitive skin moisturiser and my Lancome Hydra Zen and it works fine. In terms of results, since I've never had dry skin I can't say I notice that it's WAY more moisturised, but certainly something I've been doing is keeping breakouts and excess oil at bay and I'm inclined to think it's this since I've been using it for around a month now. It's fairly cheap from Boots too so I probably will repurchase. But I can't lie, I am pining for more ANR...

La Roche Posay - Effaclar Duo

I've used a few products from the LRP Effaclar range before with mixed results, but I've heard a few whisperings about this badboy on the blogosphere and knew I would have to try it for myself. I'm not convinced I know exactly what it is though...? The packaging says it's "corrective and unclogging anti-imperfection care" but what does that MEAN?

 The instructions say to use it all over your face rather than just on problem areas so that's what I've been doing and I find it's working out well as a kind of all-in-one product. I expected it to be quite harsh or stripping, but surprisingly it's actually pretty moisturising, and once it sinks in it leaves the skin comfortable and matte without any stinging or tingling. The last few days I've been using Hydraluron and then this and then a little bit of the Dermatologica mattifier as a primer and it's been working great. Feels weird to skip a separate moisturiser though, but as I said, this weird wee product kind of does it all. I don't think I can credit this with sorting out my skin since I've only been using it for a week, but I'm ALL about preventing new blemishes so I'll stick with this for the time being.

Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash*

A wee sample of this was sent to me by those nice folk over at PURE Spa (keep an eye out for their upcoming Good Skincare Campaign - a cause close to my heart since, yi know, I'm obsessed and all) and I love it!

Elemis is a brand I always associate with spas as I never see it for sale anywhere else, except online, and I tend to equate its exclusivity with high quality and that's definitely true in this case. It's one of those products designed to chemically speed up cell turnover and is part of their anti-ageing range, but it's really for anyone into using AHA's or BHA's (think Alpha H Liquid Gold or REN Glycolic Peel) for exfoliation. All the RAGE these days dahling!

This is by far and away the most gentle yet effective facial cleansing wash I've used. It removes dirt and makeup, does that whole thick, luxurious foaming thing that's so DELICIOUSLY pleasing, smells gorgeous and doesn't leave a weird film on the skin afterwards. I haven't checked the ingredients but I'd be willing to bet this is because the glycerin content is low, but nor does it strip the skin either. Genuinely so glad to have found this and will definitely repurchase.

Jergens Original Beauty Lotion*

Again, this was sent to me for review but I was pretty happy to accept it since I've used the Jergens Naturals range before and enjoyed it. Well, as much as someone who never really uses body moisturisers cos of the FAFF FACTOR can enjoy a faffy body moisturiser...

This appears to be a relaunch of a "brand classic" and the big selling point, according to Jergens, is the sweet cherry and almond scent. To this end, the package they sent me contained some cute but completely DESTROYED cherry bakewell tarts and a bag of sugared almonds. Which was a nice thought...

And yes, the strong scent is the first thing you notice about this. I happen to like cherry bakewell tarts RATHER A LOT so the scent is pleasing to me, but I know loads of folk are funny about sweet smells and this may put you off. Happily (or unhappily) it doesn't linger for too long on the skin and the moisturiser itself is thick and absorbs quickly. I may well repurchase this but I'm still loving body oils for winter, when I can be bothered at ALL that is.

By the way, Jergens are running a Facebook competition to win a goody bag worth over £600. Click the link if you want, but I won't shoot you if you don't.

Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask

I'd been interested in the Origins Drink Up overnight hydrating mask for a while since it's been raved about absolutely everywhere, but I held off because I'm not sure it would be all that beneficial for my skin type. This, on the other hand, sounded RIGHT oop ma street. It contains Mankua honey (as the second ingredient which means it really does ACTUALLY contain a tangible quantity) which draws moisture to the skin and calms any irritations or breakouts.

I put this clear, creamy mask on once or twice a week and leave it for a few hours if I can. By the time I rinse it away it's almost completely dry and my skin feels absolutely gorgeous afterwards. Not one for those who prefer a clay-style clarifying mask but if you're looking for organic hydration with soothing properties and a LUSH mandarin and vanilla scent then this is for you.

Origins Modern Friction exfoliatior

This isn't TECHNICALLY mine but it hangs about in the shower so, YI KNOW, I've given it a go.

I've been on the lookout for a good manual exfoliator for a while, and after a disastrous dalliance with Simple, I think I've found one. I know some folk think manual exfoliators are bad for your skin (my new skincare Yoda Caroline Hirons included) but I find that my skin often gets badly irritated by AHA exfoliators like Liquid Gold and even the Origins Brighter by Nature peel pads can leave it red and sore, plus sometimes you just NEED that satisfying scrubbing action!

This is the best of both worlds - the beads of rice starch aren't too scratchy and the thick cream contains lemon oil to soften and soothe. I'm not a fan of the weird smell but I can get over it. I'm definitely going to have to buy my own soon before my Dad's girlfriend notices hers is being slowly pilfered from under her nose...

So that's what I've been using recently. Next on my list is the Emma Hardie cleansing balm (always), a new bottle of Advanced Night Repair (double always) and that Clinique anti-dark circles roll on thingamajig. As ever though, if you have any awesome recommendations by all means PLEASE ENABLE ME!

And by the way, thanks for the comments on my last post, peeps. Especially Jessica, whoever you are. Your comment made my life day! I hope y'all didn't think I was fishing or anything. I mean, maybe I was a little bit... It's just nice to be reassured folk are interested in the same mince I am and can stomach my ramblings, especially amidst a barrage of constant outfit posts and Glossybox reviews.

I think I was just having a bit of a weird insecure moment about it all. You know when you meet new people and they say "So, you're a BLOGGER," and you die of embarrassment a little inside? Yeah. That. I would never want folk to take FFS as an accurate representation of my serious writing style or anything - CRINGEFEST! At the end of the day it is what it is. A glimpse into the frivolous guff that takes up a large portion of my time, because, ultimately, I'm too chicken to write publically about anything else. And I'm just going to carry on the same way as before because GODDAMNIT I enjoy talking about clothes and makeup and whatever else, and I've got to do SOMETHING in between opts at work, right?!

Love y'all.