Gathering some new basics

Hi Sweethearts,

I really feel that I'm falling so behind in trying to get new blog posts out to you all, and it's just because I'm so busy at the moment.

What's new with me? 

Well, not terribly much! I've been doing well at being an ex-smoker (which isn't easy, let me tell you!), working and failing at being healthy.
 Being so exhausted after work leaves me no motivation to cook or eat healthily at all. Even though I'm at spin classes 3 nights a week, and generally eating less, I've still managed to gain weight due to the amount of crap I'm polluting my body with.
 However, I have managed to lose an inch off my thighs, which is great, however I've gained that inch back around my waist....what kind of sorcery is this?!?!!?
 I suppose that means I'm on the look out for an ab workout that won't affect my back, in addition to attempting to eat right and not just quick and lazy!
If you have any ideas for me, please leave me a comment below! 
I'm also looking at those waist trainer fad-trend-current product - do they really work? 


Moving on, I've been trying to renew some basics in my wardrobe (read: my current ones are literally falling apart or are ripped to shreds with wear and tear) so took a little trip around the high street with my other half before dinner to find some staples.

So, these are what I came away with today!

I've been in desperate need of these items for a while, and after being moaned at for the state of my work jeans (they were ripped from the inner thing almost 3/4 around to the other side!) I finally gave in and got some new ones.

 These 2 pairs came from Primark, for £9 & £11, and DAMN is it difficult to find bootcut jeans on the high street! I had to venture to Glasgow just to get some. Everywhere is skinny, Skinny, SKINNY...and I'm sick of them!
 They don't look good on someone pear shaped and short like me, unless I have a long top and heels on. I much prefer to try and balance myself out with bootcuts, that to be honest, are far comfier on my legs. (does anyone else find that skinny jeans are uncomfortable on the calves after a while, or is that just me?)  

Unfortunately, as usual, I'm going to have to either roll these up or cut them to make them a proper length for my 28inch legs...it's either that or I fork out 4times the price for ones built for shorties!
(whilst I'd have no problem doing this for nice jeans, work ones will just get ruined anyway so it's a waste of cash) 

I also bought a few Bras from H&M as I don't really have enough that are the proper size, so in order to throw them out I needed to restock.
 I got the same style in black, white and light pink as they're super nice, comfy and most importantly...really padded! I have a bit of a complex about my bust size, much like most women on the planet, so I don't feel comfortable wearing bras that aren't padded...I guess that makes me a cheater/let down...right?
They came in at £14.99 each.

Finally...something even less exciting (can you handle it?) SOCKS.
Seriously. Socks.
I am utterly convinced that either my cat steals them all, they magically grow legs and run away at night, or that the washing machine eats them!
 No matter how many pairs of socks I have, I can guarantee that before long they will be long gone! Even a full gutting out of my flat yields no results...this can't be normal, can it? Do they really grow legs? 


Moving on to something a little more interesting to look at, is my outfit for the day!

I really do have a thing for white jeans at the moment. Even though I have to be super careful not to mess them up, I always seem to feel really good and dressed up in them...even if my outfit is casual.
I recently picked up this knitted slouchy Cardigan from Ebay after being after one for a good while!

I never really thought that I'd wear something like that until I saw a picture of Ozaki Sayoko in something similar, and I absolutely love her style so I just had to find myself something similar!

I teamed this up with some white heels (on sale at New Look the other month), offbrand dangly earrings, bracelet, and a strappy black top that my mother gave me a long while back.

I actually used this Cardigan for a photoshoot on Sunday, where I did a little experimenting! Here's a sneak peek/behind the scenes from the shoot whilst I wait for the images! Hopefully you'll like them!

Silly VS super Serious face!

Anyway, that's all I have to report for the moment, as usual please leave me your feedback below! ^_^

Love,

           Kasumi x

Germany Trip 2015 (image heavy)

Hi Sweethearts,

Sorry for the delay in getting this post to you!

As I mentioned before, I was spending some time with my family back in Germany earlier on this month (unfortunately it wasn't under the best of circumstances) and I thought I'd share some pictures of my adventures with you!

So, my Mothership & I flew from Edinburgh to Hamburg this time, before commencing the most stressful 3 hour train journey to my family in Wolfsburg.

Travelling & Touristy photos:

(Left:Edinburgh Airport air traffic control/Right: Touching down in Hamburg)

Hamburg

Whoever said that Germans were efficient and punctual was totally lying - out first train to Hamburg Hbf was perfect, however our transfer from Hbf to Uelzen ended up being delayed due to the lines (unfortunately we arrived at the start of the 38degree heatwave) which meant on getting to Uelzen we had to literally run to get the connecting train to Gifhorn, which luckily waited for the passengers coming off the Hamburg-Uelzen train. 

Luckily my sister came to collect us at Gifhorn, as due to delays we narrowly missed the train to Wolfburg. 
(The train journey back was even worse for timing - we almost missed the train due to delays again, and the heatwave was over) 

Gifhorn Train Station

Eventually we got into Wolfsburg, and after some family time, I took a couple of days to wander around and feel all nostalgic about the city I lived in after I left school.

Left: VW factory/Right: Phaeno

We also took a day trip out to Braunschweig, to have a look around the shops and see some pretty architecture! I really love this city - it's just so beautiful.

Food

Anyone that knows me at all, knows that I have a major food addiction, especially when it comes to cake!
Here are a few of the yummy things I came across this time round. I really didn't eat much cake or bad things this time, as I'm actively trying to lose weight and it was heartbreaking not to eat every single yummy thing I wanted!

I couldn't resist picking up this beauty from Happy Donazz in the Schloss Arcaden, Braunschweig!
I absolutely adore these guys - they make the best Donuts ever....this one had crunchy nut on it! OMG! 

In true Me fashion, I found myself a good place to get some Sushi! 

Seriously, I have a massive addiction to Sushi, and it's usually the first thing I look for when I'm out and hungry. 

This box was just under 20Euros from Sushi Bar Viet Express in Kaufhof, Wolfsburg and was super lovely. On top of that they also gave me a discount randomly, so it was even cheaper. 

As far as value for money goes, this is definitely great and much cheaper compared to Scotland!
If you're in Wolfsburg, you should check them out: http://www.sushiwob.de

Left: Puddingbrezel for Breakfast/Right: Strawberry & Blackcurrent slices!

Baked Gyros with Cheese and Potatos from the Thission Greek Restaurant in Wob-stadt.

I also want to share with you some of the most delicious cherries, that came from my Omas' Cherry Tree! They were so good! 

Pets! 

I also want to introduce you all to my Sisters' cat, Lumpi. 

He's such a snuggly cuddly boy, that only gets to go outside when he has his jacket and lead on, so that he stays safe!

Isn't he a sweetie?! 

 

Fashion:

When we got to Germany, I was SO thankful that I packed light, girly, summery items! It was reaching almost 40degrees over the majority of the week, so I was absolutely melting! I even managed to get a ridiculous tan line from sitting on my Sisters' balcony for a few hours!

I wish that I could have put more makeup on, but for most of the week I had to hide it in a cold dark cupboard as my lipsticks and other cream/liquid products were taking the heat badly and things were beginning to melt! I dunno how you all in hot countries deal with makeup - short of keeping it in the fridge!

Travelling face! Hat: New Look 

Dress: H&M
Waistcoat: Primark

Necklace, Bracelet, Tshirt & Jeans: Primark

 Cardigan: Ebay

Dress: Offbrand from local Sunday Market/Car boot trader
Hat: TkMaxx
Sunglasses & Belt: Primark 

My Super Ridiculous tan lines! >.<

So this is a little rough sum-up of my week - food, sunshine and awful train services!
I've not posted any family pics up here to protect their privacy - however if you know me personally you'll have seen them on my personal page!

Next time I'll be back to chattering about makeup/looks/products and my usual geekery!

Until then,

Love,
          Kasumi x

Onee-Gyaru Makeup (Tutorial)

Hi Sweethearts,

Sorry for the lack of post last week! I was off on a trip back to visit my family in Germany, so didn't really have time to finish up my video posting, sorry! >.<'
(I'm going to post about my Germany Trip once I finish sorting through all the pictures that I took over there!)

So, after my eye incident, I've been having a break from Circle Lenses to let my eyes get back to fully functioning, and also having to avoid bottom lashes at the moment as they make my eyes water T_T

With that in mind, I've been seeing a good few Gyaru makeup looks that haven't used any bottom lashes, so I decided to give it a bit of a whirl and make a tutorial to go along with it!


Here are a couple of pictures of the makeup look (sorry, I didn't get round to styling my hair as it was a loooooooooooooooooooong day!) 

Here is the video to the tutorial, where I also put captions for my work process:

Link to Video incase you can't see the embedded version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXgtsSj2eSY&list=PL0edgT-pdM0BaSF0Oxhc19qZlsSnIFUWh&feature=player_detailpage

So, onto the products!


For the base (In order):
+ Etude House CC Cream
+ Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation
+ Max Factor Pan Stick (For contouring foundation)
+ Rimmel Hide the Blemish Concealer (also used for highlighting a bit)
+ Etude House Cupcake all over colour (Blush)
+ Rimmel Stay Matt Powder
+ MUA Bronzer (For contouring powder)
+ Make Up Revolution Baked Highlights (Highlighter)

Eye Makeup: 
+ w7 In the Nude Palette (cream/ light brown/ mid brown/ darkest brown)
+ Make up Revolution Liquid Liner (Black)
+ Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil
+ Etude House Play101 Pencil (Black)
+ Makeup Revolution Baked Highlights (Highlighter)
+ Etude House Crystal Tear Eyeliner
+ Miss Manga (top)& Miss Manga Punky (bottom) Mascaras

Lashes:
+Brit Rocks Perfect Girl - Drama Queen

Lips: 
+ Mua Lip Liner
+ Etude House Dear my Wish Liptalk Lipstick

Wow, now that I've written it all down, it looks like a LOT of makeup, right?
 I do have to confess to being a product fanatic, though I never really realise just how many items I use until I have them all written down...oops!

Anyway, I hope that you watch and like my video tutorial - I was also thinking about doing pictorials for my looks to go with my blog postings if anyone is interested in that? Let me know your thoughts below!

Love,
          Kasumi x

Monday night at the movies

Hi Sweethearts,

I haven't done a lifestyle update in a while, so I thought this would add another side to my blogging. Also with my upcoming trip back to Germany that I'd like to blog about, it's a chance to see what I like doing in my free time.

Last Monday my BF & I arranged to go on a date evening after I finished work.
 We haven't been out to Glasgow for a while, so took the free evening as a good opportunity to do so.

Like an excited child, I desperately wanted to see Jurassic World at the Cinema. However, because I'm a ridiculous childish person at times, so I really wanted the full Dinosaur experience at Cineworld....not only in 3D, but with D-Box seats! Everytime a Dino stomped, our seats would vibrate - it was so cool!
*stomp stomp stomp*

I really enjoyed the movie, even more so with the full experience, and have totally decided that I need a Raptor in my life....but the Mister says I'm not allowed T_T

Before the movie, we went for a Blue Monday trip to Yo!Sushi at House of Frazers.
 For anyone that knows me, this is usually a bad (and costly) idea as I will eat everything in sight, and fight with you over the last piece on the plate >.>  <,<
 My Absolute Favourite thing to eat is Takoyaki, and this time we settled on getting 2 portions so that we didn't fight over them!
 They had a few new things on the menu, one of which was Pumpkin Katsu ....and oh my, it was absolutely delicious! I'm not usually a pumpkin person, but it was so tasty that we had to get another round of it!

Here's a little collage of our evening, including a sneaky pic of the Mister (please excuse the obligatory bathroom selfie)!

Love,

 Kasumi x

L'oreal: Miss Manga vs. Miss Manga Punky (Review)

Hi Sweethearts,

I ventured into Superdrug recently to find myself a new mascara after my Eye inflammation - I wasn't going to take any chances on mascara.

Finally I decided to bite the bullet and try the L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara...but was then confronted with about 4 different types!

What I bought:

So, I ended up buying both the Original Miss Manga & The Punky version, to pitt them against each other to see which I prefer, and if they are as interesting as they look.  (and it was 2 for £12 - usually £8.99 each, although superdrug has now reduced punky to £4.99)

The Wands:

Miss Manga:

Ok, so this is the wand for the original Miss Manga Mascara!

It is slightly more tapered than the mascara wands I'm used to, and shapewise it reminds me a little of a bud shape - much like some lip glosses.
 It's also quite bendy/flexible due to the indent (is that the right term?) on the stem of the wand - not that I think it makes much of a difference - although I tried to use this mascara whilst in the car, and the flexi bit made it harder to apply on the move!
Although, that being said,  makeup on the move isn't the easiest of tasks to begin with. >.<

Miss Manga Punky:

This is a totally different kind of wand from the original!

Whilst still tapered, this time, instead of the more common bristles, we've got short, hard plastic spikes that allow for a lot of product to go on at once.
 I usually very much dislike this sort of applicator, as I find it makes lashes clump together a lot...but this is exactly what Miss Manga Punky is supposed to do, so in that token it's fit for purpose!

Application: 

My eyes without mascara....and a very silly face, the theme of this post >.<

Here's a silly pic of my face without mascara! My lashes aren't super long, somewhere about average length I reckon, though not the darkest of things....seeing might be an issue. They tend to be a lot lighter at the tips, which makes them look shorter than they actually are.  -_-
 I do feel like my bottom lashes are more visible in real life than my top ones, so it's going to be interesting to see what I look like with these on!

Miss Manga:

This was quite a thick consistency product, but it applied alright - it wasn't too wet and dried pretty quickly!
It gave me a good length, and it added some extra volume, and it pretty much does as the promo shows.
The packaging says 'MEGA VOLUME' however, I don't really think it's terribly 'Mega' on the volume side if I'm honest. 

Miss Manga Punky:

Another quite thick product, but wow it is wet at the same time! I suppose this is to get your lashes to clump together, which it kind of did...and it took  longer to dry due to this! 
 According to the promo images, this mascara is supposed to give you a punky, super clumped together, spikey look - but you're not going to get that look from just applying it! 

Well, I didn't anyway...

 In order for my lashes to make spikes, I had to use some tweezers to press them together...so I find that misleading.

Both Products:
What I noticed with both products, as a side note, is that they have an unpleasant smell to them ...yes, I smelt them. Yes I did. 

I don't really think that there's a huge difference between my lashes if I'm totally honest, I did expect it to be a lot more dramatic.

Taking them off:

This is where it gets a bit interesting.

Miss Manga:

Ok, so this came off nice and easy, I really can't complain.

Miss Manga Punky:
Ugh. This took a while to come off! Because it dries hard and clumpy thanks to so much product going on your lashes, it takes a good bit to remove it - it will come off as a normal mascara, but also little clumps may stay stuck to your lashes, or it will come off in clumps too.
 It's wasn't fun to remove, so I wouldn't recommend you trying to wear this on a daily basis.

When water hits: 

Unfortunately the first time I tried these both, I'd just had word of a close family bereavement and so I was pretty teary.

On that note, HOLY HELL! I've never had mascaras that ran down my face, blackened pillows/bedding etc as much or as quickly as these products!

For the Miss Manga Punky that requires much effort to remove, it doesn't half spill down your face at the first sign of tears!

 I know they're not  'waterproof' mascaraa, but I didn't think they would react that easily! If I got caught out in the rain, I'd look like a complete wet weekend.

Which one would I choose to wear again?

Am I Punky or Angelic? (please excuse the hair)

For definite, the original Miss Manga wins hands down on this. 

I'm happy to keep on using the Miss Manga until it runs out, but I'll definitely be going back to my usual Maybelline Colossal, as I much prefer it and it's also a couple of quid cheaper!

I'd like to say that I'm disappointed by the Punky version, but I was apprehensive about it to begin with, so I just proved myself right unfortunately.  I'll use it as an alternative to bottom false lashes to use it up, which works fine, but wouldn't like to recommend it to anyone.

What do you guys think? Have you used either or these before? Do you like them? 
As usual, let me know in the comments below!

Love,
          Kasumi x

Review: Makeup Revolution Highlighter Golden Lights

Hi Sweethearts,

Sorry for the lack of activity here as of late! I've had a random bout of Iritis that left me with poor vision and unable to wear makeup for a week, and also some family issues have meant that I haven't been as active as I'd like to be.

I hit up my local Superdrug branch to pick up some new makeup whilst in passing - having realised that I ran out of concealer and needed a new mascara, I thought I'd see what I could snap up!
I will be reviewing and comparing items over the next few posts, so please keep checking back for these!

I've been in the market for a new shimmery highlighter powder ever since I managed to lose my last one. >.<
 When I spied this little beauty in the Makeup Revolution section I couldn't resist giving it a go!

This is the Vivid Baked Highlighter from Makeup Revolution in the shade 'Golden Lights'.

I tend to have a preference for a powder or baked highlighter, as opposed to a liquid for some reason, though I think that tends to be because I really like to notice I'm wearing it, and want don't want to risk it moving my foundation like I found with the last liquid I used.

Packaging:

The packaging is sleek and simple, and I really like the swirly pattern of it - it sort of reminds me of those Guylian seashell chocolates!

  Product: 

The highlighter wasn't hard to get onto the brush (some baked products can be a bit hard to get going) and has a really strong pigment/shimmer, so a little will go a long long way with this! (seriously, you only need a tiny bit, it goes on preeeeetty strong if you're not careful!) 

I applied this just with my finger to show it on my hand quickly, and this is how it turned out - so it's safe to say that you need to be quite careful when using it!

This shade has a lovely pale gold/creamy tone with an amazing pearly sheen to it - it's absolutely gorgeous when it catches the light and definitely brightens up your face.
 It also blends really easily, which is a massive plus!

I'm a little bit in love with this - it gives your skin a beautiful, summery glow that lasts all day!

Price:

This comes in at...wait for it.... £3 from Superdrug, which is great value for money, given the quality and amount of product you get - it's a pretty large size!

Overall Verdict:

I really like this product for the summer time, as it makes me feel a bit like I'm on holiday/at the beach - good value for money, and something that I will most likely buy again!

This comes in 2 other shades, a pink and a peach, all of which you can get here: http://www.superdrug.com/Makeup-Revolution/Makeup-Revolution-Highlighter-Golden-Lights/p/978758

In this pic I've applied it lightly in all the usual places, and also under the inner corners of my eyes - which is the part that the camera is picking up the best.

That's all for this time - if you have any questions or comments, you know what to do!

Love,
          Kasumi x

Steal this Style: Sexy & Sophisticated Photoshoot

Hi Sweethearts,

The other week I finally managed to be brave enough to get in front of the camera and model again, after being extremely reluctant to do so due to my own body & confidence issues - so I thought that I would share this with you.

After much humming and hawing over what to shoot with the wonderful Louise from Louise Cantwell Photography  - we had originally planned to shoot some avant garde, fantasy, ethereal style fashion, incorporating a bespoke headpiece.
     However, after having a huge confidence crisis that morning whilst getting ready (Thankfully she's a very good friend of mine, so is used to me looking in the mirror and freaking out, repeatedly deciding that I hate myself and am a terrible disgusting person etc before I finally get the courage to do things.) and a failed attempt at putting together a last minute outfit (my sewing machine played up the entire night, and the outfit was far too sheer for going outdoors in public)  we ended up raiding my wardrobes to shoot a more glamorous, yet sophisticated type of fashion shoot - complete with some gal makeup!

The dress I chose was one that I picked up from Ebay last year on a whim, thinking that I'd love to be able to go somewhere/do something that would warrant wearing it - so it was a perfect choice for making me feel a little more like myself again.



I'm always a little wary when picking outfits from Asia, as I'm a lot more curvy, and pear shaped in figure so always wonder if it will fit over my butt or not! Luckily though, it's pretty perfect and makes me feel slimmer/more hourglass-like, due to the peplum and puffy shoulders.

I teamed the dress with a nude pair of heels from Primark, having not yet invested in a nice white pair (suggestions welcome)

Here are some shots from our adventure into the posh, quaint little side streets of my town & a local park bridge.  ^_^

I also happened to come across a sailor hat on my rails, which I think is maybe Russian, and couldn't resist taking it along as a fun prop! (feel free to correct me in regards to its' origin) 

           



It felt really strange getting back into posing that isn't a selfie, but at the same time I really enjoyed myself once I got back into the swing of things.
 It was a different style for both of us image wise, and it was a lovely to feel a bit more sexy/glamorous for a change!

I really love the more grown up, 'cool' type feel of these images - the outfit is pretty flashy for me, which I love, but the images are more casually styled....if that makes sense?

I would love to know your thoughts of the images, and do you wear clothing similar? Would you?
Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Love,
           Kasumi x