Prêt-À-Portea

Its fair to say that Prêt-À-Portea have created the ultimate afternoon tea experience by combining food and fashion, two of the top things most girls coo over, whilst throwing in a sophisticated backdrop within the Caramel Room of the Berkeley Hotel for good measure (its safe to say its worlds away from my usual haunts, Starbucks and cosy club anyone?!) Recently the boyfriend and I reached a pretty big milestone (we've been together four years if you were wondering) so to mark the occasion we decided to celebrate in style during our trip to London this past weekend by indulging in the creme de la creme of afternoon tea. No trip to London is complete without a trip to Knightsbridge. Please tell me im not the only one who walks through the designer accessories room in Harrods and people watches the millionaires purchasing x amount of items?! So with the Berkeley just a hop, skip and a jump from my dream location (have I also mentioned that SpaceNK is just within reach) made the experience all the more exciting. 

Once seated we were greeted by the most beautiful Wedgwood china, a bright pink high heel shoe with my name on it and presented with a folder explaining the menu, and how each item related to a designer accessory. Firstly we were presented with a plate of sandwiches, which were demolished within seconds after a hectic day of shopping, and a pot of tea. With an array of flavoured teas to choose from, we both opted for Vanilla, a personal favorite thanks to Laduree. This was swiftly followed by the piece de resistance, three tiers of pure afternoon tea delight. My personal favourites included the Jason Wu Coconut Hatbox and Manolo Blahnik Chocolate Biscuit, whilst Tim happily consumed the Tory Burch Magenta Bikini, Alexander McQueen Honeycomb Cream and Dolce & Gabanna Pistachio Panna Cotta. 

After several helpings, we were presented with a little handbag full of sweet treats to take away. So full we could burst its hardly suprising that these weren't looked at till the next day. Its safe to say that we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Okay, theres no denying that Pret a Portea is a little pricey (£39 per person) but when your plates are continuously topped up with scrumptious pastries and savouries remnant of the work of your favourite designers, to the point that you may explode at any minute, then id say that its worth the price. 

Since our visit friday the menu has changed to the Autumn/Winter collection, so if your planning a girly shopping trip to London, or just fancy a treat, then I would definitely recommend reserving a table in the Caramel Room for Burberry Trench Biscuits, Saint Laurent Victoria Sponge Cake Bags and Vivienne Westwood Mint Green Macaroons. Have you guessed that im dreaming about a second trip already!! 

Have you experienced Prêt-À-Portea??

FACEON Magazine

Whilst our fellow American makeup addicts have the luxury of Allure Magazine (to name but a few) to get there beauty fix, us UK obsessives are limited to pages here and there in monthly magazines. Although usually the case, I am happy to tell you that a magazine brimming with all things hair and beauty has finally touched down on british soil (along with 88 other countries, impressive eh?!) 

So ladies without further ado let me introduce you to FACEON magazine. Although targeted towards MUA's, this new page turner is perfect for getting that cosmetic fix. Now what can be better than a magazine brimming with whimsical articles, informative tutorials, beautiful photographs and the latest beauty news?! Perhaps add a free (YES FREE) Sigma Blending Brush into the equation, and you get one happy happy Sophie. I give Louise total credit for my new read (you can read her post here). 

How frequently FACEON will be released im not to sure (Issue 12 is the first to hit UK soil, and has been sitting pretty on shelves since the middle of August), what I do know is that I am already eagerly awaiting the next issue. 

FACEON is exclusive to WHSmiths and can be purchased for £5.95

What do you think of beauty based magazines?! 

RiRi ♥ M.A.C Fall Haul

'M.A.C Limited Edition' , three little words that never fail to make me a little giddy at the knees. Three words that often cause me to question my sanity, down to crazy thoughts that usually consist of running to my local M.A.C counter and purchasing every item in stock (with backups), and more often than not causes me to sit at my computer anxiously hitting that refresh button repeatedly, fearing that the collection with sell out the minute it goes live. Please tell me im not the only one?! 

M.A.Cs latest collection with Rihanna was no exception. Im in no means a RiRi fan (back in the day perhaps, but that ships long sailed), yet I still found my self sat patiently awaiting 11am last Thursday to get my RiRi ♥ M.A.C fix. Some may say im just a die hard M.A.C fan, but in all honesty I shamefully have to admit that im just an all round sucker for fabulous products in beautiful packaging (have I mentioned yet that everything is pink and rose gold?! ooh la la). 

Crazy thoughts aside, I think I was pretty restrained, as I only picked up three items. Of course if money were no option, it may very well have been a different story. Oh the shame. Right enough of my ramblings, So the products I picked up were RiRi ♥ M.A.C Lipglass ..RiRiWoo (£15.50/US$16.50) a beautiful creamy cool red. RiRi Woo is opaque enough to be worn alone, or paired alongside its sister Lipstick to create a perfect glossy finish. The gloss itself has a tendency to slip and slide, so to prevent this from happening I also picked up the RiRi ♥ M.A.C Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in RiRiWoo (£16/US$21.50), a perfect companion to the Lipglass and Lipstick. This pigmented matte pencil, is not only a lovely addition, but an essential to stop the Lipglass from migrating. 

Finally I picked up the RiRi ♥ M.A.C 282SE Duo Fibre Shader Brush (£22.50/US$32.00), which sadly I have to admit I regret buying. Theres no denying that the brush is aesthetically pleasing, with a pastel pink handle, adorning the M.A.C logo and neon pink RiRi ♥ M.A.C signature, and a beautiful rose gold ferule, whats not to love?! However heres where the praise ends. In all honesty for the price tag the brush itself is lacking in quality. The brush is soft, theres no denying that, however the bristles are uneven, have a tendency to shred and in all honesty causes the brush to look a little cheap (for £20 I could have picked up a set of brushes from Real Techniques). 

These are obviously my first impressions, so if you would like to see a full review on any of the items please let me know!! 

Did you pick up anything from RiRi ♥ M.A.C?!

Are you a sucker for M.A.C LE Collections?!

3:1 Phillip Lim for Target Mini Satchel

So way back in September, Target released their latest designer collaboration, this time teaming up with handbag extraordinaire Phillip Lim. With bags remnant of the iconic Pashli Satchel, and a line of items adorning fabulous prints (leopard print scarfs anyone?!) its hardly suprising that the collection flew off the shelves within minutes, as fashionistas flocked together and braced the chaotic battlefield (oh how dramatic) as a means to getting a piece of 3:1 Phillip Lim for Target goodness. That morning photos emerged on Instagram, of triumphant ladies with there new pieces, and eBay went wild.

obviously living within the UK, theres no access to the likes of Target (yet I still managed to get sucked into the hype), so I took to eBay to see if I could get a hold of the sought after Taupe Mini Satchel at a reasonable price. Luckily I hit gold (iv'e become a keen eBay bidder over the past few months, oops) and picked up this little beauty for a bargain £35 (it retailed at around $30), the day of release. Sadly I have been awaiting this beauty's arrival since the 15th like a crazed woman (what can I say, im a handbag obsessive). I practically pounced on my boyfriend saturday night when he told me that the package had arrived whilst I was in work (I have issues I know). Unveiling my latest addition, I have to admit that I was a little taken aback by its size (I suppose its named 'mini' for a reason), however I am smitten nonetheless. 

Like I mentioned before the design of the bag is very much remnant of the Pashli Satchel, and somewhat similar in style to the iconic Celine bag. The Mini Satchel is small and compact, yet perfect for everyday essentials. It has two sturdy handles, and adjustable straps, making a versatile piece perfect for the Autumn/Winter months. Lets face it, the bag is definitely aesthetically pleasing, but its the little details finishing touches that makes it so special. 

So you may be wondering whether its worth the price (and the hype for that matter)?! I would definitely say yes. However that being said, IT IS NOT worth the ridiculous prices people are paying for it on eBay. These collections are meant to give everyone the chance to own an affordable piece, created by they're favorite designers, without having to break the bank. 

Did you fall for the 3:1 Phillip Lim for Target hype?! If so what did you pick up?!