fragments

a bit of a fashion blog

[vainess]

Fashion Crisis!

It’s Spring now, which means some days resemble Winter and others, Summer.

So the problem is Summer fashion.

I am low in inspiration with what to wear :’(

Sleeveless top, denim shorts and converse sneakers? Cool, but you end up looking like just about everyone else.

It’s difficult to think of new outfits when you don’t have that much money to spend and when you have to follow an unspoken dress code (yes expressing yourself if great but the absence of the uncomfortable feeling that comes with judgmental teenagers staring at you is kind of great too)

What to do!

[vainess]

Trend: Scarf Print

Floral Print has been everywhere..for what seems like, forever! I'm not (really) complaining, I really like Floral Print but it's so refreshing to see something different.

I love Scarf Print - it's busy, 'luxurious' looking and has the whole baroque inspired look. The use of symmetry is especially cool in this print.

You can find it on tops, dresses, skirts, pants and accessories such as bags and scarves (duh)

Here are some lovely Scarf Print items for under $50 and $100:

Trend: Scarf Print by dan1elle

[vainess]

Review: Skin79 Super+ BB Cream (Pink)

Before I even start writing this.. I know that it's going to end up really long so I'll do a quick summary to start with. I'll go more into depth later in the post :)

First of all, what is a BB Cream?

They are basically a compromise of face cream and foundation. It's lighter than foundation but more beneficial for your skin. BB creams are widely popular in Asia but are now finding their way into beauty stores worldwide.

Summarized review of Skin79 BB Cream:

Price: (4/5) It's $28 USD from the Skin79 website. I got mine for $32 NZD from an online shop. I thought the price was okay in comparison to cosmetics in NZ as they are all overpriced.

Packaging: (3/5) Cute, bright packaging. The pump design is hygienic. BUT the bottle isn't very streamlined and the pump is easily pressed so you have to be cautious, you wouldn't be able to chuck it into a handbag etc. It's also difficult to tell how much is left in the bottle.

Smell: (5/5) It has a really nice fragrance which isn't over powering at all.

Texture: (4.5/5) It's not too thick, which is good but a few times it pumped out BB cream with a very watery consistency, which was weird... but it's fine now.

Colour: (5/5) At first, I was wary about it being too grey and too light. But it's a really good match for my skin tone!

Purpose: (4/5) This is the first BB cream/foundation I have tried. I've heard some amazing things about it, so I was really excited about it. I wasn't able to compare it to anything I've previously used (because there's nothing to compare it to), but it wasn't as amazing as I imagined it to be. It evens out skin tone, gives light coverage and makes my skin feel soft.

Overall: (4/5) It didn't quite meet my expectations... but then again, I haven't got much experience with foundations or BB creams. It's a good product though.

Extra Details

I have normal/oily skin, but the product went on quite 'dry'. Perhaps I was using too little product, but from many reviews I've previously read, they said only a little bit was enough.

[vainess]

An old OOTD

This is an OOTD from a few weeks ago, it's quite casual but it features one of my favourite pairs of shoes, my Docs <3

[vainess]

School

As always, I find it really difficult to maintain a good posting schedule when school starts :( - So this is an apology in advance, thank you for understanding though

[vainess]

Review: Palty Hair Dye (Pure Natural)

I just dyed my roots (black) with Palty's Hair Dye in Pure Natural. It was my first time dying my own roots, and hair. I am writing this while I wait for my hair to dry! :)

There will be a quick review followed by a more in depth explanation of my experience.

Price (4/5): $13 NZD, other hair dyes in NZ cost pretty much the same.

Packaging (4/5): Really cute, comes with a good applicator brush. Instructions come in English as well as Japanese, click here if you want them in English. Only let down is the back and front of the box are only in Japanese.

Purpose (3/5): Sadly you can still see my regrowth :(, the colour is not as light as my previously dyed hair - it's a darker brown. It looks okay though, and better than okay in the light.

Overall (3.5/5): I've heard good things about Palty although it didn't do an amazing job for me. Black hair is unfortunately difficult to lighten. I think I might re-dye my roots again in a week or so, as I only used half of the dye, and see if it lightens anymore.

Detailed Review:

I dyed my hair a light brown/bronze, the typical Asian girl hair colour haha, months ago in China. The regrowth was getting bad so I decided to try out dying my own hair/roots. Prior to this, I've never dyed my own hair.

I figured I didn't need all the dye so I just halved everything and moved the unused dye to another bottle. Palty didn't smell as bad as super market hair dyes.

Application was more difficult than I first thought. I researched heaps about dying your own roots beforehand, and it seemed simple... but it really wasn't. I followed this video. It was fine until I had to part my hair to do the other sections. My hair is pretty long and thick, and it tangles easily so it was really hard. And, I couldn't really tell where my regrowth ended so I probably dyed over some hair. What's more, since I did this alone, I didn't know if I had gotten all my regrowth, especially at the back of my head. The applicator bottle also required a decent amount of pressure to release product.

I left the dye in for about 27 minutes, I was scared it would irritate my scalp or destroy my hair.

I then took a shower, shampooed twice and conditioned. Then I towel dried my hair and applied the hair cream supplied by Palty. It was really nice and smelt good.

The results were okay, my roots did go brown but a darker shade than my original dyed hair and the image on the box. I think next time I might try a lighter colour or leave the dye in for longer. I'll probably dye my roots again in 2 weeks time in attempt to lighten them and use up the remaining dye.

[vainess]

Quick Update

A review for the Skin79 Super+ BB Cream (pink) will be up soon, and I'm hoping to dye my roots this weekend! :)

Stay tuned

[vainess]

Trend: Neon

Neon is easily workable into your original wardrobe and instantly brightens up a look.

This is another trend I find myself warming to. Personally, I don't really like wearing bright colours but this trend could change that. I don't think I could commit to a full Neon piece but I love the look of Neon accessories - nail polish, belts, bags, you name it!

How cute does this nail polish look?

Here are some tips I have on wearing Neon:

- If you're a bit cautious like me, try accessorizing with neon

- Try keeping your outfit simple when wearing Neon, it'll be easier on the eye

- For the brave ones... Do you dare try neon colour blocking? If done well, it can look amazing

[vainess]

Ahhh, new URL

Previously 00-1, now dauielle!

00-1 was a bit difficult to work with :(

Why dauielle? dauielle = danielle but with a u representing the n

[vainess]

Quick Tip: Clear nail polish

Clear nail polish should be an essential in everyone's collection, especially because it has so many amazing uses!

1. Frayed shoelaces

Grrr! Frayed shoelaces look unattractive and are impractical. Dip them in the nail polish and twist them into shape if necessary. Leave them to dry and they should be good.

2. Protecting jewelry

Who doesn't love affordable jewelry from chain stores or markets? Unfortunately, most of these pieces will tarnish and turn your skin green. Before wearing them, coat them in nail polish so they won't tarnish or colour your skin.

3. Threading needles

This can be a very tedious task, dip your thread into a little bit of nail polish and it should become easier.

4. Saving tights/stockings

It's so annoying when you catch your tights on something and then not long after, there's a massive rip :(. But have no fear! Paint some nail polish onto the edges of the hole to prevent laddering.

I hope you enjoyed these tips :)

Do you know of any other uses?

[vainess]

Trend: Peplum

I find myself loving this trend more as each day passes!

To be honest, at first I wasn't really into it. It seemed a too hard to pull off. But my opinion of Peplum has definitely changed!

What is Peplum?

It's kind of strange word. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's basically when there's a piece of fabric at the waist on a garment and it 'flares' out.

You can find it on dresses, skirts and tops (currently my favourite form of Peplum)

Who can wear it?

This is essentially what put me off Peplum at first. I'm more 'pear' shaped so I felt Peplum dresses and skirts would make my lower body look even larger. This is why I like Peplum tops, as it gives my body more balance. But I think you really just have to try different Peplum styles on and see which you prefer - there's bound to something for everyone! :)

Peplum is great for people who want to accentuate their waist and curves, it's also a fun trend that looks elegant at the same time.

[vainess]

So sorry!

I am doing a rubbish job updating this blog. I'm already bad at time management, so it's so much more difficult when school throws a lot of work at me.

I'm really sorry about this, and hopefully I can blog more now because it's the school holidays :)

[vainess]

Y/N: Sleeveless Cropped Turtlenecks?!

I would have never thought that turtlenecks would be classified as 'cool'.

I may have to take back those words as it seems that they are becoming an urban fashion trend, seen on some edgy fashionistas like clothesencounters and possibly fashionrocksmysocks (forgive me, I have a terrible memory but I think it was her!)

But these aren't your usual frumpy turtleneck sweaters though. They're sleeveless, cropped and pretty wicked looking. They also give me a grunge, nostalgic vibe.

I'm kind of on the fence about these, personally I don't think I could pull them off but they look pretty cool on some people.

What are your thoughts?

American Apparel - $28 USD

American Apparel - $28 USD

Forever21 - $5.80 USD

Forever21 - $6.80

The ones from Forever21 are significantly less expensive than the AA ones.

You could probably snag a normal turtleneck sweater at something like Kmart or a thrift store and cut off the sleeves and crop it.

[vainess]

Coveting: Prada Baroque Sunglasses

Chic, Timeless and Oversized - Everything that I look for in a pair of Sunglasses.

It's no wonder that I am infatuated with the Baroque Sunglasses, they are just so lovely!

They come in various colours but my personal favourites are:

Black: A pair of oversized black sunglasses always look elegant and chic. They can be matched with any outfit with ease and fit well with all skin tones. You'd feel like a celebrity with these!

Tortoise Shell: These are quirkier than the black pair, you're sure to make an impression with these! The tortoise shell is less "heavy" on the face and gives more of a casual look. Tortoise shell is also a pretty classic look, so I don't think pairing these with outfits will be terribly difficult. These would be perfect for a music festival or the beach, where as the black would work great in a bustling city.

Too bad they cost a small fortune ($411.69 NZD from Nordstroms) :(

...I guess I'll just have to be content with staring at them online for now.

Ashley Olsen

[vainess]

Review: Maybelline Baby Lips

It's Winter now, and as you know, my lips get chapped so easily :(

Many of my friends recommended have recommended the Baby Lips lip balm.

I think the flavours are different in the USA when compared to other countries. The USA is also lucky enough to have Baby Lips which also double as lip tints!

Oh well.

The flavours available in where I live were: Menthol, Energizing Orange, Antioxidant Berry, Mango Pie and Smoothing Cherry

After a week of indecisiveness (and sadly, research..), I went with Smoothing Cherry!

Here is my review of the product, feel free to ask questions!

Price: It was pretty affordable. I got it on sale for $3.21, it's usually $4 something I think.

Packaging: I love, love, LOVE the packaging - especially on the Smoothing Cherry flavour. It's bright, aesthetically pleasing and portable.

Smell: It smells nice and not over powering. Before buying it, I was worried about it smelling like those gross maraschino cherries on cakes. I'm pretty sure that majority of the Baby Lip's flavours smell good, as other friends have different ones.

Taste: This is definitely not a lip balm that tastes like what it smells! The first time I used it, I thought the taste was horrid. It tasted like soap. But now that I have gotten used to it, it isn't as bad... but it's still not that pleasant. I recommend using it away from the inner portions of your lip, if you don't wish to accidentally taste it. But I guess that not-so-pleasant taste stops you from licking it off??

Product: It goes on really smoothly without being sticky or overly glossy. It doesn't add a weird white colour to my lips either, which is nice. It moisturizes your lips very well, mine are way less chapped and feel softer as well. I usually just re apply it whenever my lips feel dry, and normally that's after a few hours or so.

Overall/TLDR: It's a good product, does what you expect it to do - at an affordable price. Smells nice, looks nice, works well, lasts okay but doesn't taste good!

Rating: 4.5/5

Would I recommend this to others?: Yes, it's great for anyone that is looking for an affordable lip balm that works pretty well.

Have you tried Baby Lips before? What did you think of it? Do you have a favourite flavour?

[vainess]

Inspiration: Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl inspires me greatly on Fashion and Beauty, and the 'High Life' in general! You are exposed to many great designers and brands, as well as an amazing soundtrack.

I adore this show - even though I must admit the plot line isn't so great at times.

A brief outline on the fashion tastes of some of the main characters:

Blair Waldorf - She's my favourite character! Her style is very elegant, feminine and chic, and she accessorizes her outfits amazingly well.

Serena van der Woodsen - Her style is more casual and edgy than Blair's. The outfits she wears are more 'street style' inspired and have a slight bohemian feel.

Chuck Bass and Nate Archibald - Very well put together outfits. Think: prep + euro street style almost? They both have nicely tailored outfits with colourful accents.

Dan Humphrey - Lonely boy! He has a laid back and casual style, sort of 'hipster' style, if that means anything.

Jenny Humphrey - Well she had a major makeover. I'm talking about the 'edgy, grunge' Jenny. Her outfits are very rocker chic and edgy, often using various darker colours.

Vanessa Abrams - Bohemian style, she wears a lot of prints and floaty items of clothing, as well as tribal inspired jewelry.

Georgina Sparks - Ooh, I love her too! Her style is more edgy as well, but more put together.

One of my favourite outfits from the show:

Serena (Blake Lively) wearing Zuhair Murad

[vainess]

DIY: Chapped Lips Solutions

Unfortunately, today my lips were really chapped.. and more unfortunately, tomorrow is the end of the school holidays.

I was looking for home remedies on how to fix my lips, especially since school was tomorrow.

Here is what I found.. some of them I tried!:

Exfoliate with Lemon and Sugar

Mix approximately 3 drops of lemon juice with a teaspoon of sugar, so the consistency is paste like. Use your fingers to apply this in a circular motion on your lips. What I actually did was just put some sugar on a slice of lemon and use the lemon to exfoliate my lips. I think it worked, and it tastes really good..

Exfoliate with a Warm Towel

Run a towel under warm water and then put it on your mouth for a while to moisten the dead skin (ew), then exfoliate in a circular motion. You can also use a toothbrush with soft bristles to exfoliate.

Drink Plenty of Water

This keeps your lips hydrated, and as gross as it sounds, it will make the dead skin come off easier.

Honey

Oh, the endless uses of honey! Apply some honey on your lips, this will moisturize them and make them REALLY soft. Try your best not to lick your lips though.

AVOID!!

- Ripping the skin with your fingers. Not only is this unhygienic but you will likely damage your lips.

- Exfoliating in a left/right, up/down motion. This causes you to accidentally damage your lips by ripping the healthy skin. Go in circular motions instead.

- Using cheap/tasty chap sticks. They will either make it worse or make you lick your lips.