LDN Beauty Haul ft. NYX

So I got back from London yesterday, and while I was there I decided to indulge in a few new beauty products that I'm not able to get locally. I'd heard some great things about the brand NYX, many a blogger has bigged them up so I had some high expectations there, and I have also wanted a Beauty Blender for ages, so when I saw them in Selfridges I obviously needed one! I've already tried and tested all of my new products so I'll let you know what I think. And I'll tell you now it's all positive, so prepare to expand your beauty wishlist if you choose to read on.

First up is NYX Shine Killer Primer and NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray. I have always had really oily skin, so for me, achieving that perfect, long-lasting matte finish is really important, because all too often my make-up doesn't last all day. That's actually why I got into using these products straight away, London is muggy and the underground is close and sweaty, so where better to test these products and see if they can really pass the test. Let me tell you, they passed with flying colours! If you've got oily skin like me I highly recommend these products, even though you're adding an extra layer before and after foundation, it doesn't make your make-up feel any heavier, it just improves the longevity of your perfect complexion! And the primer was only £11 and the setting spray £7 which is amazingly reasonable.

Next up is the legendary Original Beauty Blender. I've been fascinated by these for a while, especially as a recent sponge convert. I used brushes to apply my foundation for so long, until I discovered I could get a much smoother finish with a sponge! Now this was on the pricey side considering it's just a sponge, it was £16. However, I'd say it was worth it, it comes with instructions on how to use it, which is great because I don't think everyone knows you're supposed to saturate the sponge with water and towel dry it before using it every day, and the finish is beautiful. It's easy to use and the packaging is also really nice, I'll definitely keep the packaging to put it in whenever I need to take it with me anywhere.
Next to the Beauty Blender above you can see the NYX Matte Liquid Liner. I've never been big on spending much on eyeliner, and here I definitely didn't, it was a mere £5.50. It's another winner though, I do find my eyeliner doesn't tend to last all day, another oily skin flaw, however this one does! It's perfectly black, lovely consistency, glides on to perfection and lasts all day. I literally couldn't fault it!

Moving on to my favourites, the lip colours!! First of all the NYX Liquid Suede, this is what I imagine all those Lime Crime liquid lipsticks to be like, I mean it glides on perfectly, is super pigmented and dries to a semi-matte finish. I love the colour of this one with my new hair, it just makes me feel like a mermaid!! It's in the shade 06 Sway, just in case you were thinking of going for it. The other 2 are the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, I may be even crazier about these. I'm not one to buy a lip product for the scent, because there are more important things to worry about like colour intensity and how long-lasting it is, but these smell incredible, like vanilla caramel, it's a joy to wear them. The pink pictured is Prague and the nude is Stockholm, which is a lovely nude for my pale skin tone. I'd definitely say wear a lip primer underneath these as they are so matte they could potentially be drying on the lips, I personally use the MAC Lip Primer, but I believe NYX do one too and I imagine that would be much cheaper but just as effective.

Last but not least are my high street beauty finds. This gorgeous shimmery eyeshadow in the shade Wax & Wane from Topshop, and this nail polish from Urban Outfitters in the shade Moon Nectar. The eyeshadow was frustratingly hard to photograph, it's so much better in person. Here it looks like a nice reddish pinkish tone, but you can't see the amazing iridescent blue reflective pigment. It really is gorgeous. And this nail polish is just amazing and sparkly and shimmery, I had to have it really. I bought these after I got my hair done, I think I was just in mermaid mode going for the cutest and sparkliest things.

Overall I'd recommend all these products, even though I haven't used the nail polish yet, I know Urban Outfitters do great nail polishes so I have no doubts! You can purchase all the NYX products from the Selfridges website here, which I will definitely be doing when I need to restock. I should also mention that all NYX Cosmetics are cruelty free, so you know none of the products or ingredients have been tested on animals, which is just another brilliant thing about the brand.

What are your favourite beauty buys at the moment?

Stay sassy x

Mermaid makeover at Not Another Salon

I truly hope the salon doesn't mind that I've stolen some photographs from their website, but if I'm doing this blog post, you won't understand how gorgeous the salon is from me just telling you!

So I recently went on a little getaway to London to see my friend Karine and do a bit of shopping. While I was arranging my trip, I decided I needed to go and get my hair done at Not Another Salon on Brick Lane in Shoreditch. I had already come across them on many social media platforms and blogs, and their high-end colour bleeds are consistently amazing, have a look on their Instagram for some serious hair envy! They have coloured the hair of numerous bloggers such as the girls from Confetti Crowd and Amy Valentine, and I couldn't wait to go and get a new do.

Image from notanothersalon.com 

Image from notanothersalon.com

I really found this to be more than just a hair appointment, it was an enjoyable experience. All of the staff were welcoming and lovely, which was great, because sometimes you can go into a high-end salon and all the staff seem a bit fierce and intimidating, but this wasn't the case here, they may have had fierce hair but they were a bunch of sweethearts.

My bleaching and colouring was done by Annie and I just felt I was in safe hands, she was so nice and knew exactly what she was doing. I was also convinced to pay a little extra to have Innoluxe used on my hair during the bleaching and colouring processes, and I'm so glad I did, you can definitely feel that it is in better condition. I love that this salon is all about the bleach and crazy colours, but they also care about the quality of your hair and want to help you take the best possible care to keep it healthy and beautiful.

The attention to detail is what makes this place extra lovely. They have a drinks menu which is a nice  touch, I had a fresh coffee and a vintage pink lemonade if you were wondering, and both were delicious. Also, I got to sit in this secret little 70's style room with a lovely bunch of magazines while I was waiting for the bleach to work it's magic. Possibly my favourite touch though was the lie-down basins, I have never been so comfortable while having my hair washed, it was heavenly!! I don't think you can understand what a difference this makes until you experience it for yourself.

I just felt really cared for throughout my 4 hours in the salon and that is definitely something which will make me return. I just need to live in London already to be honest, it'd be so much easier! I'd be in here every month!!

I'm so grateful to Annie for working her magic with the colour, and to Mikaela for finishing it off with a fresh cut and styling it to perfection. If you're thinking about booking in, honestly just go for it, treat yourself! You'll have a great time and come out looking amazing. 

It's such a drastic colour change that I just can't stop looking in the mirror, I absolutely love it! I also got a couple of little pots of colour made up to take with me so I can top it up when it starts to fade, and a hair masque so I can keep it feeling healthy and lovely.

For more info about Not Another Salon, prices or to book an appointment, visit their website here.

Remember, life's too short for boring hair!

Stay sassy x

Who to follow on Instagram

I had the idea for this post a while ago, and I was going to do some fabulous fashion accounts. However when I scrolled through my own instagram feed, I thought I could do a bit better than that. As much as I enjoy looking at beautiful clothes and turning green with envy every morning during my commute scroll, there are some bloody good accounts that aren't fashion focused, so I've ended up just choosing some of my favourite accounts. I have thrown some fashionista bloggers in there, but also a few unusual accounts that make me smile! I'm not really sure about the layout of this post but I thought the best way to show instagram accounts was with screenshots because let's face it, most of us only see instagram via a smartphone. I'm not going to go into detail about these accounts, you'll have to get on the app and have a stalk instead!

Fabulous colourful fashionistas of
Confetti Crowd @confetticrowd

The coolest grandma around
Baddie Winkle @baddiewinkle

Sociopolitical artist that nails it every time
Saint Hoax @sainthoax

The basic bitch everyone loves to
stalk Socality Barbie @socalitybarbie

Your go-to guy for quick, easy and healthy
meal ideas, The Body Coach @thebodycoach

Drake lyrics on cakes, enough said
@drakeoncake

My favourite irish grungy blogger babe
Leanne Woodfull @leannewoodfull

The best ASOS stylist who gets it right
every time @asos_megan / @meganellaby

Let me know any amazing instagram accounts you love!

Stay sassy x

Why I love LUSH and what to buy

Let me start by saying LUSH is just a fantastic brand with amazing products. What I like most about LUSH is their ethical stance. They use so many fresh ingredients, and aim not to be damaging to the planet or people. The company has also done a lot of work fighting against animal testing which is amazing, and I think I'm right in saying most of their products are vegan, the only product I have used from there that isn't vegan was a lip balm containing bees wax, but you do know it was sourced in an ethical, non-damaging way.

Today I just wanted to share some products with you that I'd recommend, but I haven't got around to trying a lot of things yet, I'm working on it! I should also tell you that I have oily skin, and do get a few spots and blemishes, so the facial products that I am recommending are for people with a similar skin type.

The first product is the Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask. This is one of the products you see sitting on top of a sea of ice in store, and when you get it home you need to keep it in the fridge. This is to keep it fresh because all the ingredients will stay fresher for longer at cooler temperatures. The reason I love this mask is because it makes my skin just lovely, the Fullers Earth and French Lavender work together to absorb oil and dirt and reduce sebum production, which is exactly what I need, and the almond shells are a great natural exfoliant. I feel like this mask is very gentle and natural and won't aggregate spot-prone skin at all!

Next is another face mask, you don't need to store this one in the fridge though! It's Mask of Magnaminty. If you've used Love Lettuce, you'll really feel a difference when using Mask of Magnaminty. The peppermint oil is very prominent, but it feels really refreshing and cleansing. I'd say this mask is slightly harsher, so maybe best to avoid if you have particularly sensitive skin. That being said, I do have sensitive skin myself, and while I wouldn't use this as often as Love Lettuce, I love how it makes my skin feel, totally refreshed and clean.

Even if you have oily skin, it's so important to moisturise, and the moisturiser I'm loving the most at this moment is Enzymion. It's really gentle and balancing, it feels so light and absorbs so quickly leaving a natural matte finish. I can even remember going into LUSH in Plymouth to get this product because the saleswoman was telling me how there is a whole lemon squeezed into every pot and the enzymes in the fruit break down dead skin cells and brighten your complexion. All of the staff in LUSH are so knowledgable and passionate, they know the brand and the products so well, it definitely encourages me to try and buy more in there.

Before I move on to the bath bombs and body wash I also want to quickly mention Fresh Pharmacy which is a great everyday soap for your face and body, particularly if you've got sensitive, oily skin because the chamomile and calamine are lovely and calming and the lavender is really balancing.

The two bath bombs pictured above are The Experimenter and Twilight. If you want an explosion of colour in your bath, go for The Experiementer! The LUSH website describes it as "An enigmatic and comforting romance of... deep, complex vetivert notes that enthrall your senses before creamy vanilla and tonka provide a sweet antidote." Whereas Twilight is a bit more subtle, with essential oils used in aromatherapy which are supposed to help you get a better nights sleep. To be honest I haven't used a bath bomb from LUSH that I didn't like, I feel like a lot of thought and care goes into their products which always has me going back to try more.

In the photo below from my instagram (@kateaharv) you can see a few LUSH goodies I got for Christmas from their seasonal range. If you have never heard of Snow Fairy, I am suspicious of you, where have you been? Everyone loves Snow Fairy, and if you catch the scent it's easy to see why, it's just amazing. Sweet and beautiful. And it's just a lovely shower gel to use, I've never heard a bad word about it. The Candy Mountain bubble bar also has the same scent. I bloody love LUSH Bubble Bars, maybe even more than the bath bombs, I just feel like they have a stronger scent and I love a good bubble bath. I can't actually remember what this bath bomb was called, but it looks like a Christmas Pudding, and it smelt even better than a Christmas Pudding (I'm not big on fruity cakes, much prefer chocolate if you're wondering).

Pop into your local LUSH and treat yourself. You can't beat a nice pamper evening with a face mask and a bubbly bath, light a few candles, set the mood. And if your skin is completely different to mine just go in store and see what the staff can recommend! They do little samples so you can try before you buy, and I can tell you, after you've tried, you'll want to buy!

Stay sassy x

Stop stressing and be mindful

Stress. It is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as ‘a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.’ And I think that many of us can safely say we experience stress on a regular basis. Whether you’re getting stressed on the bus about being late for work, or you’re already stressing you won’t have enough money for all the Christmas presents, stress can impact us all. Unfortunately stress isn’t just that nagging voice in our head, or that stomach-churning feeling, it physically affects the mind and the body, and can have a big impact on our overall health and wellbeing.


But don’t fret, I’m not here to stress you out about the fact you’re already stressed, that won’t help anyone. What I’d like to offer is some advice about how to handle stress. I know from first-hand experience how it feels when it all gets too much, and you feel like the world is crumbling around you, but there are ways you can help yourself and overcome your stress.

First of all, if you’re feeling stressed, the worst thing you can do is let go of the steering wheel. This is your life and you’re always in control. In the 1950’s, a psychologist called Julian Rotter developed his ideas, and formulated experiments around what is known as ‘locus of control’. This concept was, and still is, considered to be a very important aspect of an individual’s personality, as it refers to that individual’s perception about whether they can control the events that affect their lives. Those who have an internal locus of control believe they are in control of their lives, and those with an external locus of control believe their lives are controlled by external factors they cannot influence, like chance or fate. Now, statistically speaking, those with an internal locus of control i.e. those who believe they are in control, generally lead happier lives. It is difficult to change the way you think about things, but it’s not impossible. Start with small steps, maybe when you’re feeling stressed write a list of your achievements or accomplishments. This will allow you some time to reflect on what you have earned and how you earned these things, and you will realise, you never achieved anything by chance, you achieved your goals by working hard!

Another way to help us deal with stress is to teach ourselves to be more mindful. Put simply, mindfulness is being aware of ourselves and what’s going on around us in the present. The idea is that if we are focusing on what is happening now, if we are fully present in the present moment, we are not fretting about the past or the future. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense! I can’t be the only one who sits there and lets their mind wonder, and when I do this I’ll feel regret or embarrassment about things I did last month, or I’ll worry about whether I’ll have enough money to pay my bills next month, and I spend far too much time worrying about the time and about other people’s opinions of me, it’s all so unnecessary.

If you’d like to be more mindful, I’d say the easiest way to begin would be to start meditating. Many of us, myself included, feel stressed and depressed at times, and meditation has helped me greatly. I actually started by going to guided Buddhist meditations at a small Buddhist Centre where I live in Plymouth, it was really interesting, despite not being a Buddhist I was welcome and the sessions I went to were a mixture of Buddhist teachings and meditative practice, which was really educational and helpful. However if you wanted to start meditating independently I’d highly recommend an app called ‘Headspace’, which Emma Watson called ‘kind of genius.’ When you download the app you get a total of 10 guided meditations, which are all roughly 10 minutes long. The general idea is that most people can find a spare 10 minutes in their day, and if you feel that you can’t, maybe you should make 10 minutes to enable you to quieten down and de-stress.  This is a really great little app, and if you find that it helps you, and you do really like it, you are able to purchase additional guided meditations within the app.

It has been scientifically proven that the adverse effects of stress have a greater impact on women than they do on men. But if we can motivate ourselves and each other, and give ourselves just 10 minutes a day to let our minds rest, we can live in the present moment and the power that stress has over us can be drastically decreased. Now all I need to do is learn to take my own advice.

Puma by Rihanna & Topshop Pinny

First and foremost, apologies for the terrible image quality. I had nobody on hand to help me out, still cute though!

This is my OOTD from today. I love this check pinafore dress from Topshop, it's so comfortable and easy to wear, I usually go for trainers and a roll neck to accompany it, like I have here, but it'd look great with a pair of leather chelsea boots.

Today I had to put it with my Puma by Rihanna Creepers. I absolutely adore these shoes. From the black leather patch with Puma by Rihanna written on it in gold on the tongue, to the thick baby blue soles. The fact they are black suede is great because they are so easy to wear, they go with so much! I was lucky to get my hands on a pair too because these have a tendency of selling out. I would say the sizing is a little on the small side, I'm definitely glad I went for a 6.5, the 6 would've been too small, so bear that in mind if you're getting yourself a pair. But if you're on the fence about it, definitely get some.

And if you're wondering, my fabulous lipstick is the shade Rebel from MAC Cosmetics, it's possibly my favourite lipstick that exists!

Check Pinafore Dress - Topshop

Black Ribbed Roll Neck - River Island

Puma By Rihanna Creeper

Stay sassy x

January Wish List

ASOS Sheer Mix Top

ASOS Denim Patchwork Mini Pinafore Dress

Topshop Black Button Front Skirt

Shop Dixi Lavender Opal Ring

MAC Cosmetics Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour

adidas Originals Superstar Holographic White Trainers

We are officially in the depths of winter, I know this because I wore my fur coat for the first time this year, just last week. So there's no time like the present to cheer yourself up with a few little impulse buys. Click the captions to shop!

So let's start at the top, I love black, I love mesh and fishnet and all that kind of thing, so this is bound to be a winner, it's ASOS own brand so it's inexpensive, and I think it'd look great with a high-waisted denim skirt or under some dungarees

Next is the Denim Patchwork Pinafore Dress, also from ASOS! I actually first saw this on @halcyon_velvet on instagram the other day, following this I hunted it down! I absolutely love it, all the different denims, the pockets, the buttons and all the details, and what's more it's in the ASOS sale for £22.50, which is amazing. There are still some lovely things in the ASOS sale, definitely worth having a gander if you haven't already, you might find a bargain to spend your leftover Christmas money on.

The Topshop Button Front Skirt would look great with the mesh top from ASOS, you'd surely be on to a winner with that outfit. I'd probably say go for a choker and either black chunky boots or black trainers, maybe a leather jacket and a heavy dose of eyeliner and red lipstick, perfect.

Next is the Shop Dixi Ring. I have a thing for Opalescent things, so this ring obviously caught my eye! I love Shop Dixi rings, they're all Sterling Silver, so they don't turn my fingers green (I'm looking at you, Topshop) and there are so many intricate designs and stones to choose from. If you've got any friends birthdays coming up or anything like that I'd definitely say have a look on the website as there are some lovely pieces.

MAC Cosmetics, my all-time favourite make-up brand. They never disappoint, and I am over the moon about their release of the Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours. The colour in the photo is "Too Matte With Love", which I already own (I couldn't resist). Unfortunately my only local MAC counter had sold out of quite a few colours, so I got this one for now (which I love) and I'll be going back for more very soon!! The lasting power of these lip colours is incredible, although I would 100% recommend the Prep + Prime Lip to go with it as it can be rather drying on the lips. The lip primer increases the length of wear and moisturises your lips so they're the perfect base.

Lastly are these sexy holographic superstar's. These trainers are not a new release, but I'm still lusting after them. My friends all know about my holographic obsession, if something is holographic I can't resist! So I think these will end up with me eventually but I'm being good for now.

Stay sassy x

New Name, New Year, New Goals

Now, it's not like I actually had any readers, and I haven't posted in over a year, so it's safe to say that my name change to this blog will primarily be appreciated by me. And I will appreciate it. I wanted to think of a name that represented me and my personality, and spectrum in particular seemed rather fitting. I like such a broad spectrum of things when it comes to fashion and beauty that I feel this title is a good way to represent myself and what I am about.

I can see why people say New Years Day feels just like any other day, and why people decide not to make resolutions, because when change is necessary there is no time like the present. However, saying that, I do think that the New Year is a good time to set yourself goals for the year ahead. I think it is important that the goals be achievable so as not to demotivate you, but it is good to give yourself a challenge that will make you more positive and productive. I've decided to share some of my goals with you.


1. Looking after myself: Body 

This goal should be important to everyone, it is important to take care of yourself all the time, as I'm sure you know, but here are the ways which I intend to do this in 2016. I've split them into two categories, body and mind, because it is so important to take care of both.

In 2016 I would like to be more healthy. Now I'm not saying I want to drop to a size 0 or hit the gym everyday, because that would be unrealistic for a couch potato like me, I'm going to start small. So I'm going to set myself the challenge of taking my dog for a long walk at least 5 times a week, and getting off the bus a stop early when I come home from work, just to get myself moving a bit more. I am also going to eat more fruit and veg. Last year I had a stage of eating really well and I felt so much better for it, my friend Chlo (chlohodgkinson.blogspot.co.uk) helped me loads, and I'm going to revisit what she taught me and be more healthy.

I also aim to look after my skin and hair a lot better. I am a sinner when it comes to skincare, in the morning I have a great routine, but in the evenings I get lazy and remove my make-up with a wipe before getting my head down, but I plan on changing my routine so my skin gets all the goodness. Also, my hair has been bleached to the point of death, I'm going to do some research into products and ways to give my hair the love it deserves.

2. Looking after myself: Mind

Looking after your mind is just important, if not more important, than looking after your body. This year I aim to be more mindful and meditate at least 3 times a week for half an hour. I am going to put this in my diary, so that I do not put it off. Mindfulness has been shown to be so beneficial, and as someone who does not cope well with stress, I think that it is important for me to schedule in relaxation time and 'me' time.

3. Declutter and refresh

As it is the 12th January already,  I have already started my declutter. I have gotten rid of so many clothes and cleared out my make-up, but I'm not completely finished, I'm going to mentally prepare myself to be brutal and get rid of even more. I'd also like to make my bedroom a more clean and relaxing space, I realise this isn't something I'll achieve in a day though, it's just something to work towards throughout the year.

I would also recommend decluttering your social life in the New Year. Last year, my social life changed drastically, I freed myself from those who I thought were holding me back, and made some incredible friends. "Beautiful minds inspire others" - remember that.

4. Be Courageous

Courage is something which you can work on and build at, and I intend to in 2016. I do not cope well with stress, as I have already mentioned, therefore things like organising a holiday, for example, are not easy to do, as if everything is not organised and set in stone, I am the one who will be extremely anxious thinking of all the 'what if''s. This year I want to leave this little city more. I feel as if I have this anxious side of me, but I also have a great deal of wanderlust, and I need to let this part of myself guide me to explore and travel more. This year I would like to gain the courage to do something that scares me, that makes me anxious, I haven't decided what yet, but when I do I'll share it with you!


I hope 2016 is already going well for everyone. Remember that if you are determined, you can achieve your goals, and always be kind. 

Stay sassy x