Eltoria

Wednesday, 28 January 2015

Michael Kors Purses

This gorgeous Michael Kors purse has to be one of my favourite Christmas presents this year. Now before Christmas I was (shamefully) one of those girls who stored (or more like chucked) their credit cards into the pockets of my bag or more commonly, in the main compartment. I am such a clumsy and forgetful person that I have been known to leave and lose things, so popping everything into one place made total sense. Anyway, my boyfriend's sister (So Olivia) bought me this Michael Kors purse for Christmas and I absolutely love it. I love that it isn't too small nor is it too big, and its wrist strap makes it ever so mobile to take it out and about (and when I say 'take it out' I mean to the local Sainsburys). My favourite feature is its central compartment and boy, I didn't think such thing existed. As you can see below, my iPhone looks incredibly homely and protected in its own designated spot and it has made this purse the ultimate survival kit. The only criticism I have on this purse is that it doesn't have a lot of card slots, so if you're a hoarder of old debit and library cards, this purse wouldn't be for you. But nevertheless, it is perfect for any Fashion Blogger or fashionista!

Michael Kors have an amazing collection on their website (click here) however, TK Maxx do stock the odd one or two so go and check it out when you're next near one. It may make your day!

What do you reckon? Yay or nay?

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Competition: Win £100+ Designer Sunglasses by clicking here

Healthy Smoothies

I've had this post planned since last September but for some very odd reason I am only posting it now. Maybe I found it too cold to have a fruity beverage? Any who, rather than just throw fruit into a blender I also tend to lash in a few ice cubes, frozen fruit, and a little dose of juice into the mix. That way I find that the ice cubes makes the texture a little more ‘slushy’ and the juice makes it a little less, I don’t know, lumpy? But if you have any other tips on how to make your smoothie the perfect one then please do drop your comments below (I need to know your secrets). This January I have been really into my exercise and upping my fruit and vegetable intake has been extremely important. Although I'm not fussy when it comes to eating fruit and vegetables, I do know that drinking smoothies will help to hide the taste of those fruit and vegetables that you do not like (as I have learnt from Beky Lou). Nevertheless it's the perfect way to sneak in your five a day. Below are some of my favourite collaborations that I enjoy to make on a weekly basis. It is not difficult to make smoothies as all you will need is a blender, your choice of ingredients, and some funky cups and straws to drink out of (but really any cup will do). Do let me know your favourites, I am always willing to try out new ones!

Berry Smoothie: frozen strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries (to get that slight slushy texture) combined with fresh strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, topped with a bit of orange juice. This one has to be my ultimate favourite!

Banana Smoothie: x2 riped bananas, 1 tsp of honey, unflavoured yoghurt, 1/2tsp of vanilla extract and x2 icecubes. Make sure that you blend until thick and add a little dusting of chocolate on top to make it that little more appealing.

Orange & Banana Smoothie: x1 large banana, peeled and ideally from frozen, x1 large orange, peeled and ideally from frozen, a cup of orange juice, 1/2 cup of plain yoghurt, 3 icecubes, and a tsp of honey. I would say that this smoothie was my least favourite as I didn't like the yoghurt and orange combo.

Kiwi & Berry Smoothie: AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! x2 fresh kiwis (peeled), frozen blueberries (for that slushy texture), fresh blueberries, blackberries, and little bit of orange juice (if you don't like it too thick). This smoothie has to be one of my ultimate favourites too!

Kiwi, Grape, & Peach Smoothie: This combination does sound rather odd however, it is surprisingly delicious! All you will need is x2 kiwis (peeled), fresh grapes, chopped up peach (doesn't have to be peeled), and some grape juice for texture. If you are a berry lover like me you will also like this one too.

So these have been the smoothies that I have been trying out recently. I would ideally like to try out some vegetable based ones (like spinach for example) but for some reason I have a slight fear of trying them (yet I've heard that they are very nice). So please drop your suggestions below and I shall no doubt be blogging about vegetable based smoothies soon (eek).

What's your favourite smoothie?

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Competition: Win £100+ Designer Sunglasses by clicking here

My Everyday Makeup & Hair

Happy Sunday dolls! I have been wanting to film one of these videos for ages and now I have! The style of my makeup and hair (above) is often my standard look however, it changes from season to season so I will no doubt be creating a new style in the following months to come (so do make sure that you subscribe and follow!). This winter I have been loving a deep berry lip and a warm golden eye; I often go for burgundies, purples, and reds on my lips and golds, browns, and smokey greys on my eyes. This look is ever so easy to create and you can check out how by watching the video below (or click here). My top tip for this look is to blend, blend, blend; eyes, cheeks... you name it, never be scared to use that brush! The brushes that I have used in this video are from Real Techniques and Bare Minerals, but any good brush will do.The products that feature in this video (in order) are as follows:

♥ Flint & Flint Primer

♥ Rimmel Hide The Blemish Concealer in Ivory

♥ Bare Minerals Foundation Powder (check out my review by clicking here)

♥ MAC Bronzing Powder (Check out my review by clicking here)

♥ NARS Orgasm Blush (Check out my review by clicking here)

♥ MAC Mineralize Skin Finish (Check out my review by clicking here)

♥ Naked Palette 2 (Check out my review by clicking here)

♥ Rimmel Eye Pencil in Black

♥ Rimmel Extreme Black Volume Mascara

♥ Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Mascara (Check out my review by clicking here)

♥ MAC Eyebrow Pencil (Check out my review by clicking here)

♥ MAC Hang Me Up Lipstick (Check out my review by clicking here)

What are you liking this Winter? Tell me your style!

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Competition: Win £100+ Designer Sunglasses by clicking here

A Perfume Collection| Tell Me Yours

Now that Christmas has gone, I can officially say that my perfume collection has doubled in size. 'Meet my millionaires'... get it? I wouldn't say that I was fussy when it comes to perfumes because quite frankly, I like anything that smells good (but of course I have my ultimate favourites but that's for another post). All of these perfumes were bought for me except from Intimately Beckham, and if you are a regular Eltoria reader you will know exactly why (click here if you feel a little in the dark). Out of these four I would say that Paco Rabanne's Lady Million is my ultimate favourite and here's why. I have never had a perfume that is suitable for both day and night; it's not too strong and it settles on the skin like a dream. As most perfumes react differently on different types of skin, do make sure that you try before you buy! In little summaries, here are my thoughts on each one.

Intimately Beckham: Sassy, classy, and full of sophistication just like its designer. This perfume is a great alternative if you cannot afford the Chanel price tag because quite frankly, its sharp edge reminds me of 'Chance' from the Chanel collection. I started buying this perfume when it first came out (I believe that I was 16?) and fell in love with if after developing an expensive taste for my mum's Chanel perfume collection. So bottom line, it was a great alternative. I recently picked this bottle up for £14.99 and have started to love it all over again. This perfume sings the fresh notes of bergamot, orchids, vanilla, and rose petals.

Lady Million: This perfume represents wealth and luxury... can't you tell by the gold diamond? Like I said before, this perfume is perfect for both day and night which isn't too strong in its lasting effect. This perfume was first bought for me last year by my boyfriend for Christmas and it has been a little tradition ever since. What I love about this scent is its bitter orange and fleshy raspberry top notes and its honey and patchouli base notes; a cocktail of mystery and refinement (all for just £36.50 ooh la la).

Lady GaGa Fame: It's spiky lid sure is very 'GaGa' (I think I've stabbed myself on it about a hundred times). This perfume is luxuriously sweet and is perfect for any 'girly girl' out there (believe it or not). I have grown incredibly fond of this perfume and love to wear it in the day (I wouldn't say that it was a night perfume). I was bought this perfume by my best friend, blogger friend, and work colleague Beky Lou (and quite ironically I like to wear this perfume when at work). So with two beauty blogger's seal of approval, you can pick up a bottle for £24.00.

Ted Baker Eau De Toilette: This perfume has set me up quite nicely for the Spring weather, it's light, fresh, and quite floral. I was bought this perfume by my mum for Christmas and I quite like that the perfume nicely represents her (if that makes sense?) You can pick up a bottle for £32.00 but some stores like Superdrug are currently selling it for just £10.00 so check it out!

Which one do you like the sound of? Any recommendations?
Much Love
Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

£100+ London Retro Sunglasses Give Away!

Ciao! I hope you all have a lovely weekend, mine went a little too fast as I spent most of it in hibernation (damn you comfy bed). To add a little spice to your Monday morning, in courtesy of Glasses Direct I will be giving away a pair of London Retro sunglasses! And of course you will be able to choose a pair that is suitable for you... hooray! The pair that I am modelling above is London Retro's Malcolm in shade black which are worth £125.00. What I love about the range is that you can either choose non tinted lenses, tinted (sunglass) lenses, and have your eye prescription installed into the glasses in all (which is a god send to us glass wearers). Even if you enter this competition and don't win the sunglasses that you want, The Sunglasses Shop offers a 7 day 'Home Trial' where you can test run a number of frames. Sound amazing? well that's not all. At the end of January they are also popping in a number of Golden Tickets into Home Trial glasses where you can win a pair for free! So get ordering ladies and gents because it soon will be the end of January (eek)! Any who, if you would like to win a pair of London Retro sunglasses please enter via the portal below and read the Terms and Conditions before doing so.

Above: I'm loving the Italian leather sunglasses case

Above: I absolutely love the shape and frame of these sunglasses. They are completely retro and unique (quite different from what I normally go for).

Terms and Conditions

So how can you win yourself a fabulous pair of London Retro Sunglasses? It is mandatory to like the Sunglasses Shop & Glasses Direct on Facebook, subscribe to Eltoria on YouTube, and comment below the sunglasses that you would like. You can select a pair of glasses by clicking here. Additional requirements are to follow Eltoria on Google Connect Followers (which can be found in the right hand side bar of this of this blog) and Tweet about the Give Away. Please note that the latter will give you extra accreditation. You will be disqualified if you cheat or show any dishonest behaviour, for example follow and then unfollow- I will be checking!

To make finding things a little easier (but please still enter via the portal):

- Subscribe to Eltoria on YouTube by clicking here

- Follow Eltoria on Google Friend Connect by clicking here

- Like the Sunglasses Shop in Facebook by clicking here

- Comment below

-Tweet about the give Away

If you are already subscribed please let me know in the comments.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of luck! Please make sure that you comment below the pair that you would like!

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Welcome Back| Beauty Haul

So over Christmas I took a mini break away from my YouTube channel, when I say 'mini break' I do mean only 2 weeks (wink). Christmas and the New Year got a little hectic for me and filming YouTube videos over the Christmas period soon got pushed aside (which is annoying because I had so much planned). My YouTube channel is something that I really want to focus on in 2015 so any input by you guys would be amazing; video suggestions, feedback, anything really! Check out my new video by clicking the picture:

I first started my channel back in November/December of 2013 but didn't really get into to it until last summer. When I first started doing YouTube videos it was kind of daunting but exciting at the same time. I respect anyone who decides to do YouTube because uploading the first few videos can be really scary (being trolled or even the thought can be really off putting). I have been trolled only twice since starting YouTube, but these were by people I knew rather than complete strangers (thankfully it ended pretty quickly). Trolls will always be trolls. Anyway, check out some of my popular videos by clicking any of the images below:

YouTube Thumbnail Above: My recent collaboration with Chip Daddy and Ed Jones!

YouTube Thumbnail Above: check out my hair tutorial staring a very cute bunny!

YouTube Thumbnail Above: I also make popular top tip videos too!

YouTube Thumbnail Above: I also do a lot of beauty too! Be sure to check them out.

So I'm making 2015 my YouTube year! If you haven't already, go and check out my existing videos by clicking here and tell me what you think below (do also subscribe if you haven't already!). If you are also a YouTuber and want to do a collaboration then please do not hesitate to contact me at eltoriasecrets@gmail.com. I'd love to meet more of you from the YouTube community!

Thanks for the support so far guys!

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Bare Minerals

Now, I absolutely love Bare Minerals and here's why. When I was around 15-18 years old I used to wear foundation and boy, didn't I get spotty. At the time all I wanted to do is put more foundation on to cover up the spots (what a rookie move). Only when I started working with natural products at LUSH did I learn that such way wasn't the right one (both visually and for the health of my skin). It's not that I hate foundation, because I will wear it on a night out, but wearing it everyday can dramatically change the health of your skin. My skin, for example, became slightly more blemished and spotty which took 2 years to return back to good health. I have combination skin which means that I am more prone to a oily t-zone, so popping a layer of foundation on top of my pours will consequently block them and cause painful red spots. Oiler skin tends to occur in teenage years but can still continue into later life (like it has for me). So here are the reasons as to why I love Bare Minerals!

A lot of girls feel that they cannot go out in public without their face of make up on, but using Bare Minerals will sure convert you to the 'bare' way of living. Bare Minerals is a loose mineral powder which has been heated up naturally to match the colour of your skin. The mineral powder is weightless which allows your pores to breathe and it is less likely that they will clog up too. Most liquid foundations can be extremely oily or incredibly drying if they are in mousse form; but Bare Mineral powder compliments natural oils and PH in the skin. Another unknown fact about some foundations is that they contain petroleum in them which has the same makeup as the petrol you put in your car! What complete and utter madness eh?. However, Bare Mineral powder does not contain petroleum but instead has SPF 15 in it which will protect your skin from the sun and pollution. With a natural luminous finish, this powder will sure make you feel like a 'new you'.

Top Tip: for better results, buffer the minerals onto your skin so that the heat of your skin can cause the minerals to expand!

So how can you wean yourself off foundation? Well here's what I did. When I went on holiday (to a sunny country) I didn't wear make up because I wanted my skin to gain a natural tan. Your skin tends to better in health after a dose of Vitamin D, so wearing any foundation on holiday is a major no go (but still wear your sun lotion). When I returned off from holiday, I embraced my tan and started using Bare Mineral powder to equal out the tone of my skin. After my tan disappeared, I continued to use Bare Minerals and the health of my skin enhanced dramatically. I continued to use bronzers and blushers on top of my Bare Minerals which helped to add colour and style. You can also wean yourself off foundation by merely 'cutting down' (this is something that I did initially). You can do this by using less foundation and topping up with Bare Minerals (and hopefully soon you will converted to the Bare Way).

The results: My skin after my sun 'weaning' process

Will you be exchanging your foundation for Bare Minerals any time soon? What are your thoughts?

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Healthy January Snacks

January has to be the ultimate healthy month for all in the UK (after all we are desperate to burn off the mince pies and roast potatoes from Christmas). But eating healthier and just knowing what to eat can be incredibly challenging. Most people tend to look at 'how many calories' the product has, but calories are not all. Some 'healthy' and 'low calorie' meals and snacks contain a high amount of sugars and salts which can inevitably increase fat percentage in your body. Also 'low fat' dairy items are not necessarily better for you either as what 'lacks in fat' they gain in sugar and sweeteners. I know it's all misleading and very confusing. Eating healthy and dieting has to be right for you and no one else; I tend to feel ill (and inevitably get ill) if I don't eat enough carbohydrates in my diet. My personal advice to you is to never calorie count as some higher calorie products are in fact good fats, for example, blue top milk (if you can believe!). However just to get you all started (or a kind push in the right direction) below are some of my favourite snacking foods that I have been grazing on in January. I hope this post fuels your minds with some ideas!

A handful of unsalted peanuts as a mid-morning/mid-afternoon snack is a perfect way to add the extra protein into your diet. Do make sure that they are unsalted or/and unflavoured, otherwise they will be high in salts and sugars which is not good for you. At the moment my favourite nuts to have are pistachios; they are just too yummy! Check out my pistachio smiley face on Instagram!

A small portion of carrots and cucumber in your lunch box everyday will help to keep your 5 a day quest on track. Carrots are high in Vitamin C and E and cucumbers are high in Vitamin K, B1, and potassium, The best combination ever!

Cherry Tomatoes are a incredible alternative to those who have a sweet tooth. A few of these days a day will sure quash any sweet cravings that you may have. Tomatoes are high in dietary fibre, Vitamin C, K, E, and B6. The complete opposite from additives and artificial sugars.

Sometimes I love to have a fruit salad to start me off in the morning. It's a great way to feel refreshed and highly nutrient. Maybe add some Greek yoghurt to the mix?

This is my favourite yoghurt in the whole entire world;especially the blueberry flavour! This yoghurt is super thick and high in protein which is great if you have been hitting the weights in the gym recently. It is low in fat but does have higher sugar content than I would like (but I guess this is my slight sugar kick for the day).

There's nothing like having a banana or orange as a snack in the mornings or afternoons. Try replacing crisps, biscuits, and chocolate bars with one of these; bananas are equally energising and oranges are equally sweet. Always choose the healthy option!

Most cereals are high in sugar even though they say that they are low in calories (how misleading). Although an egg based breakfast would ideally be the best, Wheetabix does however live up to its name. Wheetabix is high in dietary fibre and contains a lot of Vitamins (it also has a low sugar and salt content). It also has other amazing nutrients such as folic acid, iron, and protein. I love warming up milk and pouring it onto my Wheetabix on a cold January morning. It's just perfect.

You guys have most definitely seen this collaboration before in my Summer post My Food Diet Diary. Plain rice cakes containing 29 calories topped with peanut butter and sliced banana. Peanut butter is fine but what would be better is cashew nut butter which you can purchase in Holland and Barrett. Cashew nut butter is high in protein making it the ideal snacking food after a workout session.

As this post is a part of my clean eating and exercise series for January, do let me know if you have any other requests! I do like to hear them.

Keep up to date with my posts on Instagram by clicking here

What's your favourite January snack to have? Let me know below.

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Soap & Glory Body Butters

I first properly used Soap & Glory products about a year a go and I loved everything about them (read my originally review here). The vintage packaging and their extremely cute and witty puns wins me over all the time (you could say that they have definitely 'buttered' me up). What I particularly like about Soap & Glory products is their variety; you can buy these really cute (and well valued) sample pots or you can buy huge tubs which look incredibly American. Which I j'adore. The butters contain fantastic ingredients like Shea Butter, Kiwi Water, and Coconut Oil; so they are great contenders on the moisture front. Some of you will know that I am extremely fussy when it comes to skin products as I tend to use LUSH products which contain fresh and natural ingredients. I would say that Soap & Glory body butters are a great alternative as they treat the skin well and smell incredible too. Don't know which one to choose? Below check out my brief summary on each one!

Sugar Crush: This butter is perfect to those who love that gorgeous fresh citrusy twang to their body butter. I love to pop this butter on when it is slightly warmer outside or first thing in the morning; who doesn't like that fresh feelin'? This body butter would be more suitable to those who do not exactly like a heavy moisturiser.

The Righteous Butter: This butter is my ultimate favourite! I can never exactly pin point the smell, but I like to think that it smells like fluffy candy floss (but do let me know your opinions below!). This product is particularly good for those who suffer from dry skin, so perfect for the current bitter January weather.

Butter Yourself: To all you 'five a day' goers, this butter will sure compliment your January diets. Infused with orange water juice, peppermint oil, and fruitliquid fig, this butter is mighty healthy and refreshing. I would say that this body butter was suitable for all skin types, so get one of your five a day in! (winky emoji)

As you can see in the image above, the butter is incredibly thick and luxurious which lasts for a seriously long time. The smaller pots would be ideal for those who like to travel or go to the gym a lot (or just simply for a little try). You can pick up for the smaller pots for around £3.00 and the larger pots for around £10.00 (which are honestly humongous and a bargain). A seriously great and well valued brand.

Which one would you like to try?

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Urban Decay Naked Palette 2

Oh my good goodness, I have to say that this eye shadow palette by Urban Decay quite literally sends tingles around my body and makes my palms clammy... I think that I am in love. I am a huge fan of eyeshadows but find myself disappointed by a lot of brands; some lack pigmentation and a good lasting effect. It is my opinion that buying a cheap eye shadow palette tends to be a waste of money (hard to believe when the whole aim was to save money in the first place). Although investing in a good quality eye shadow palette may come at an expense, your eyes on a night out will most definitely be the envy of many. Trust me, you will be able to see a huge difference in quality.

The Naked Palette 2 is filled with 12 pigment-rich colours which range from pale to deep, matte to sparkly. These eyeshadows will enable you to achieve natural looks, smoky dramatic eyes, and everything in between. This palette is ideal for both day and night (so you will most definitely be getting your moneys worth here). The palette also comes with its own double headed brush which will enable you to apply and blend. You can see the range of colours below (they are just perfect for a smokey/sultry eye):

1: Foxy 2: Half Baked 3: Booty Call 4: Chopper 5: Tease 6: Snakebite 7:Suspect 8: Verve 9: YDK 10: Busted 11: Blackout (I did accidently leave out one other colour called Pistol which is a lighter colour than Busted (10). After receiving this palette from Beky Lou for Christmas, I sure will be investing in palettes 1 & 3 too! You can pick up a Naked Palette 2 for £37.00.

Will you fall in love with this palette too?

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

NARS Orgasm Blusher

I think that this product from NARS has to be one of the most favourable blushers in the blogger world; and I finally own one! I got this for Christmas from my very good friend Beky Lou and I have been using it ever since. For years I have been using elf's baked blush in the shade Peachy Cheeky to which NARS's Orgasm is a very similar colour. The only difference between the two is that elf's baked blushed has this gorgeous highlighter entwined throughout the powder which defines the cheek bone incredibly well. NAR's Orgasm is beautifully pigmented which looks extremely natural on the skin. Check out the differences between them both below:

Left: NARS Orgasm Right: elf Peach Cheeky

Although both are incredibly similar yet slightly unique in their own way, you can pick up an elf blusher for just £3.95 and NARS Orgasm for just £22.50. So you have the choice of going a little more upmarket or staying more affordable; best of both worlds!

Which one will you be adding to your makeup collections?

Much Love

Eltoria x

Ps: I have enlarged my text, what do you think? Let me know in the comments.

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

The Easiest Way To Take Off Nail Polish

I received this nifty little creation by So Olivia and lets just say, I will never go back to taking off my nail polish the 'traditional' way ever again. If I am honest with you all, I had never heard of this product before (I must be hiding underneath a rock?) and it is the answer to all beauty blogger's (nail) prayers. Pretty Twist & Out Instant Nail Varnish Remover contains Acetone and a sponge in the pot where you insert your finger/nail and twist. It is the easiest, cleanest, and quickest way that I have ever taken of my nail polish. It is also extremely good for travel as it is in a 55ml pot! It is just perfect in every single way!

Above: Pop your finger in and just twist!

But wait, there's more good news. You can pick this product up for just a £1.00 at Poundland! Utterly amazing. This product is officially my most impressive affordable product on the beauty market today!

Will you be picking up a pot any time soon?

Much Love

Eltoria x

New HTML: You can now find me at http://eltoria.com

Eltoria

Wednesday, 28 January 2015

Michael Kors Purses

Monday, 26 January 2015

Healthy Smoothies

Sunday, 25 January 2015

My Everyday Makeup & Hair

Thursday, 22 January 2015

A Perfume Collection| Tell Me Yours

Sunday, 18 January 2015

£100+ London Retro Sunglasses Give Away!

Thursday, 15 January 2015

Welcome Back| Beauty Haul

Wednesday, 14 January 2015

Bare Minerals

Sunday, 11 January 2015

Healthy January Snacks

Thursday, 8 January 2015

Soap & Glory Body Butters

Tuesday, 6 January 2015

Urban Decay Naked Palette 2

Sunday, 4 January 2015

NARS Orgasm Blusher

Saturday, 3 January 2015

The Easiest Way To Take Off Nail Polish