SCLO SUNGLASSES WISHLIST

Givenchy 821 - Lanvin SLN510SN

Givenchy 766 - Givenchy 767

Hi lovelies! I wanted to share a little wishlist with you all! I have to admit, I'm really not good at wearing sunglasses, not good as in I very regularly don't. I actually thought of this while out the other day, despite it being cold, it was really sunny and I walking along squinting and realised that that was probably really not good for my eyes. So, I'm determined this year to find a pair of sunglasses that I will actually wear and not just throw in a pretty case never to be seen again. I found all of these beauties on SCLO and I love them. The top two are probably the more classic of my picks, though I can just see my boyfriend rolling his eyes at the oversized frames. Men just don't get it.

I particularly love the bottom two pairs, both Givenchy (and both discounted!!), I do love a little bit of leopard print and I think these have just enough without being over the top. I think the 767s are my absolute favourites of the bunch though, the oversized frame and little hint of leopard print is just an Essex Girl's dream.

What do you think? Do you regularly wear sunglasses?

Let me know your faves if you do!

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

Hi lovelies! Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted for a little while, as someone who tries to post at least a few times a week, so over a week seems like forever for me! If you follow me on Twitter and Instagram, you'll have some idea as to why I've been rather absent for the past week. To get the not so nice stuff out of the way first, as you can see from the picture above, I had a bit of an accident! I was slicing potatoes and apparently, my thumb too, so my Tuesday night ended with three hours in A&E! I cut a good few mm clean off, no huge damage done, but I do have a good chunk of thumb missing for now. It should heal okay, but I could possibly have a slightly weird looking thumb from now on - oops! So, a few days later, my thumb stops hurting and I'm able to use it again slightly, but then my body decides it's not done with me yet and I get the flu! So I was knocked out for a few days on the sofa with lots of water and a very sympathetic puppy and now I'm (almost) 100% better and back on track!

So now for the exciting part and the other reason I've been a little MIA lately! I'm starting my own Beauty Salon! The lady who owned the salon I was working in, which is above a hairdressers, had to leave, so I was given the option of taking over myself. While it was a very scary decision to make, I've always wanted to own my own salon and one above a hairdressers seemed slightly less scary than starting from scratch elsewhere. So, between attempting to amputate my thumb and being stuck in bed, I've been in and out of the Salon sorting decorators, furniture etc etc, all ready for the re-opening day on 2nd March! It's still in progress but I'm getting there and I'm super excited to get going (hopefully with all 10 fingers mostly intact by then), If you'd like to have a nose, the salon is @mspabeauty on Instagram and M Spa Hertfordshire on Facebook, likes or follows would be much appreciated!

Thanks to those who have put up with me in my absence and to those who are new here, sorry for the very strange first post - welcome to Chloe's Way!

What have you been up to lately?

PRODUCTS I'VE USED UP AND MINI REVIEWS

Hi lovelies! Okay, I admit, I've failed a New Years resolution already but I've decided this one doesn't count! See, for 2015 I said I'd do monthly empties posts.. well.. monthly, but as it's already more than half way through February, that clearly hasn't happened! I decided though, that as I may not have too many empties at the end of every single month, I'd just collect my empties and do them as and when I have enough to do a post with! So, let's get right into it, as I have a feeling this post could be a long one!

Micellar Water

This Micellar Water, imaginatively named, 'Micellar Water' was a cheapy one from Savers and only cost me £1. I didn't mind this, but I did find that it stung my eyes a little sometimes. To be honest, I think most micellar waters work pretty much the same way and this one was good, but because of the stingy eyes, I don't think I'll be buying this again!

Nivea Daily Essentials Extra Gentle Eye Make-up Remover

I bought this purely because it was on offer, I hadn't heard much about it and didn't really know what to expect, all I knew was that I needed a new eye make-up remover! This was okay and it was alright at removing my eye make-up, but no better than a normal micellar water, so really, it was a bit pointless having the two products together. The one thing I would say though, is that this really is gentle on the eyes, so if you struggle with sensitive eyes then this could be good for you. However if you wear hard to remove make-up like They're Real mascara, this isn't the best.

Elemis Fresh Skin Peachy Perfect Gentle Face Wash

I really liked this, I think Elemis products are fab but this is a particular favourite of mine. This makes my face feel super clean without being drying and also has a very noticeable brightening effect. I would buy this again, but I actually stock Dermalogica in my salon, which I slightly prefer to Elemis, so while I would use this if I got it again, I'll probably be using other products for now. 

Elemis Fresh Skin Skin Glow Scrub

Again, I really did like this and would use again, but maybe not for a while. If dull skin and dryness is an issue for you, you will probably really like this range and in that case, I'd definitely recommend this as I really loved it while my skin was going through a dry, dull phase this winter.

Benefit Hello Flawless Face Powder

FOREVER REPURCHASE. I love this face powder, we don't need to go on and on about how much I love Benefit products, because if you know me even slightly, you'll be all too aware of my Benefit obsession. So, basically, this powder is amazing and you need it. I've done a full review here for those interested. 

Benefit PoreFessional

Again, this is another favourite product of mine and I will always use this! I got several porefessional minis over Christmas and I find them really useful for just throwing in my handbag. This primer is perfect for those with enlarged pores, oily skin or like me, those who just want their skin to look flawless! It makes my foundation lasts all day which is perfect, I've already got several of these stocked up.

Treacle Moon Sweet Sugared Almond Shower Gel

I reviewed this in full here, I absolutely love Treacle Moon Shower gels, they're super inexpensive and they smell gorgeous. Also, bonus, absolutely no dry skin after use - yay! I might buy this again, but I definitely prefer the Marshmallow Hearts scent.

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo

I got this recently in a Birch Box and I absolutely love it. This made my hair feel so clean and soft and smelled super fresh too. I also noticed that after use, my hair seemed to stay cleaner for longer and I managed to wash on the third day, rather than the second, which is huge for me. I'm not usually hugely fussy on what shampoos I use and don't often spend a lot of money on shampoo, but this could be a game changer.

Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille Body Cream

Do I even need to tell you all how gorgeous this is? Easily one of the best smelling products I've ever owned, it's super thick and luxurious, but doesn't leave the skin feeling greasy after use. This makes my skin feel so soft after just a few uses and the scent seriously sticks around. If you like a body lotion that smells yummy and makes you smell yummy all day, then this is definitely one to try! I would repurchase this, but due to the price, I'd rather receive it as a gift!

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

Despite all the hype around this product, I actually would have to say this is one of my least favourite Soap & Glory scents, I actually much prefer Smoothie Star and Sugar Crush to this scent. While I do like this and it definitely works great as a body butter, I won't be repurchasing this. I have a bigger size, which I definitely will use up, but I just prefer the other scents too much.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

I love this, the sugary, citrussy scent is a perfect morning pick me up and the grains in the scrub vary in size making it work really well to remove dry, dead skin without leaving the skin scratchy and sore afterwards. I actually have The Breakfast Scrub on the go at the minute, which has a yummy Maple Syrupy scent, which I very slightly prefer, so while I definitely will repurchase this, I'll probably switch between the two, as Soap & Glory do the best scrubs in my opinion!

So that's it! All my product empties for now, let me know if you'd like to see another post like this soon, as I'm determined to start using up some products.

What products have you used up lately? Let me know what you've been loving!

A MAN'S RIDICULOUS GUIDE FOR LADIES - BEST JEWELLERY AND THEIR #OOTD

Hi lovelies! Ever wondered about a man's true opinion on women's fashion? Well, one man tells all! Read on for his views!

Fashion is a puzzling thing to most men, and I am no exception to that rule –read on for this man's awkward take on what's hot and what's not.

Alright so as a blogger, I tend to do a lot of research before I open up about any given topic but this time I thought I'd wing it for the sake of your own personal entertainment.

Looking through scores of web pages with the acronym #OOTD, I was educated in its meaning as I thought it was just a Canadian way for spelling “out”. It turns out it means “outfit of the day”, how neato.

Billions of photos come pouring onto my laptop screen, those of self-described fashionistas who were probably foodies yesterday; who have their boyfriend follow them around with an expensive camera neither of them know how to use very well, and heaps of compliments in the comments.

I feel like I'm looking at a different website altogether –cut off heads, angled shots that are rarely ever thoughtfully framed, I begin to get vertigo and take a moment. 10 minutes and one bullet-proof coffee later, I am ready: I brave the polite, reassuring and sometimes bizarre TMI comments because there is no accounting for taste and I hamper on.

I see Beetlejuice pants are popular again! Rad.

And then I find what I was looking for; a Cyndi Lauper clone giving it straight, telling it like it is, at the ripe old age of seventeen.

Mental note to self: Girl sites have more girl pictures than guy sites about girls do.

With over 260,000 Instagram followers, I think I found my lady girl. She's hip, happenin' and wears really flappy hats. I'm sold.

I peruse, and I peruse some more, and then it hits me in the head like a Ugg boot on the first day of Spring; she actually looks pretty good, and I am beginning to get it.

Tones and Jewellery

I will not buy the big giant gaudy, err, “Gotti” rock nonsense, I am simply too male, and too old (33) to fall for that –but what she said about skin tones intrigued me because it reminded me of Art School. Cool tones look good next to warm tones, and primary colours look best matched with secondary colours.

So, in my boy mind looking at this diagram, a blue pair of shorts looks wonderful with an orange top. Eh? Am I getting it or what? Move over Blue Steel Ben Stiller.

Well, the same rules apply for gemstones and precious metals; wearing a purple top with say, a sparkly citrine gemstone gold ring will make you look pretty alright. Throw on a neutral like a brown or khaki pair of pants or jacket, and you're good to go.

Wearing a warm colour? Then try a delightful blue tanzanite gem stone in the form of a brooch, tennis bracelet, and a platinum ring and as bonus earrings to match it. Platinum rings have quite gotten the popularity it clearly deserves. And why not? Learn more about platinum rings and see why it is on the rise.

Not bad so far, I'm glad we did this.

The next website I find is 1,000 photos of a girl wearing different things and she is clearly in a store dressing room. Oh, le sigh. I am a blogger, I know a lot of bloggers, and I pity any shopkeeper trying to figure out if that selfie-obsessed fashion blogger is going to buy anything. I'd ask for her URL and see if her site is monetized and how it ranks on Google. If she isn't first page, she's going to be asked to leave.

But I digress.

Her colours followed the magical thing I just learned above, except she also explored patterns quite a bit. My scroll-bar indicator draggy-thingy was about 2mm thick, so the page was long and the quantity of photos immense. I picked up a pattern though, and I am not just making a pun!

Simple outfit, one big chunky piece of jewellery to tie it all together; colours matched as mentioned before. So I guess this is the piece of flair I heard so much about in Office Space. She certainly was doing the “bare minimum” (joke you will not understand without seeing this movie) with a really nice oversized antique Seamaster watch, and the bracelet and necklace were by Sira & Mara. And anything more would have been overdoing it, so nice job.

All of this jewellery gazing has made me feel like exploring engagement rings –for me. I mean men. Yes, not for me. I am a lowly, single blogger man. But haven't you ever thought about jewellery for I don't know, not you? Come, let us explore how to choose the perfect engagement ring for a man, you modern woman, you.

ADVERTISING: VALENTINES OFFER

Hi lovelies! Happy Valentines Day! I wanted to do this post to let you all know about an offer I have on my ad packages at the moment. From today and for the rest of February I am offering advertising in my sidebar for £20 for a whole YEAR! This is fab for new bloggers who want to get their blogs out there to a like minded audience.

When I first started my blog, I found blog advertising really useful as it was a sure way to get other bloggers to visit my blog! So, I'm offering this for the next two weeks only to bloggers that would like a little extra exposure. This also includes shoutouts on twitter as every little helps!

If you purchase this ad package, you'll also be entered into a draw to win an exclusive ad package (including an opportunity to guest post and instagram shoutouts)

Get in touch via chloe@chloesway.com if you'd like to take advantage of this offer!

BEST AND WORST VALENTINES IDEAS

Hi lovelies! As it's Valentines Day tomorrow, I thought this post would be an interesting one, as I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Personally, I think that some of the best Valentines ideas ever are those that come from the heart (cheesy but true), so a romantic night in with all your favourite foods, rather than a fancy night out, a bunch of your favourite flowers rather than generic roses etc etc.

For me, my best ever Valentines Day was last year, I was working on Valentines Day and didn't have a lot of time to get ready before our night out and yet, I came home and Darren had bought me new perfume and a dress that he knew I'd been eyeing up, so that I didn't have to stress about getting ready for our meal. It was also a special one as I was working in a Primary School at the time and got lots of adorable hand written notes from the kids!

I can't say I've had a worst Valentines Day and I certainly wouldn't say you need to be with someone to have a fab day. Some of the best Valentines Days can be a girlie night in with your friends! I personally think you're going to have a rubbish day if you're sitting in moping about being single, because let's face it, it is just another day and there's no need to stress about having the perfect Boyfriend and bunch of roses on one day if it doesn't bother you too much the rest of the year.

I think there's too much pressure to get Valentines Day just right though and sometimes the worst ideas for Valentines day are those that are over-thought. Thinking you have to go for a fancy meal in a restaurant you don't feel comfortable in and that you must get the champagne chocolates that you don't even like just because they're in a heart shaped box, can ruin the day. If you want to really show your partner, friend or family member that you really care, it's better to find something you know they'll love, whether it's a fancy restaurant or ordering Dominos and watching Pretty Little Liars on Netflix.


For example, this gold spray painted dinosaur may be the worst gift ever for some (aka me), but if you're a dinosaur lover, then this is a seriously thoughtful present. Think Ross from Friends.


Something super sweet and thoughtful like this may be perfect for some people, but for others it may be far too sickly sweet and cringey. Personally I'd make a jokey version like '52 Reasons why I put up with your Sh*t' because I know my Boyfriend would find that much more fun and entertaining than something overly smushy!

And finally, definitely do not do this.


For some more Cute Gifts and hilarious Valentines Fails, visit Balloons By Up, Up and Away, which is where I found these images.

Let me know your thoughts! What's your perfect (or least perfect!) Idea of a Valentines Day?
Are you more Netflix and PJs or Diamonds and Champagne? Let me know, I'd love to hear your opinions!

DREAMING OF SPRING: ZAFUL WISHLIST*

1. Faux Gemstone Pendant Necklace - £4.81 - 2. Blue Long Sleeve Zipper Coat - £26.05 - 3. Short Sleeves Floral Print Dress - £18.67 - 4. Solid Colour Chain Metallic Tote Bag -£25.26 - 5. Faux Gem Heart Bracelet £3.96 - 6. Short Sleeve Floral Print Dress - £19.40 - 7. Scoop Neck Letters Pattern Sweatshirt - £22.01

Hi lovelies! As we're now well into February and March is slowly but surely creeping up, I'm starting to dream of slightly warmer weather, pretty pastel clothes and not having to wear 15 layers before stepping foot outside!! With that in mind, I've put together a little wishlist of items from Zaful, a site full of very reasonably priced clothes and accessories that ships worldwide.

I absolutely love all of the items in this wishlist and not one of them is over £30! The dresses are both stunning shapes and prints and I think the darker one could even be worn in the cooler weather with black tights too. If you know me at all, you'll know I have a slight obsession with coats and jackets, so a spring time coat is an absolute must (particularly in the British weather!), I think this blue one is absolutely stunning and such a fab price too! Probably my favourite clothing item though is the gorgeous pink sweatshirt, I'm a sucker for pink and I think this paired with jeans or leggings would make the ultimate casual, yet girly outfit. Love it!

Of course, you can't have a Chloe's Way wishlist without some gorgeous accessories! Both the super cute pastel statement necklace and sweet little heart stacking bracelet are less than £5 and would both really finish off an outfit. The candy coloured pink bag is perfect for those days where you want a pretty, statement bag, but don't want to lug a huge one around with you all day.

What do you think of my picks? Are you looking forward to spring?
Definitely check out Zaful if you're looking for some super affordable, unique pieces, you won't be disappointed!

CALLING ALL HERTS/ ESSEX BLOGGERS

Ladies of Herts and Essex, I need you! If you're a blogger in the Herts/ Essex area with easy access to Bishop's Stortford, then I have an exciting opportunity for you! Please get in touch with your name and blog link for more info on chloe@chloesway.com

Thank you!

(Normal posting will resume soon!!)

MOVIE INSPIRATION: PROM

Hi lovelies! Yes, it's early, but even now I've started seeing Prom dresses up in the windows of shops and while I'm too old now to have a prom (sob), as a Beauty Therapist/ Makeup Artist, I know that lots of girls start thinking of Proms very early. Makeup, hair and beauty treatments are booked well in advance, dresses and accessories are bought months before the big day etc.. 

Today I wanted to share a few of my favourite Prom dresses from some super cheesy movies, just to give a little inspiration to those thinking about Proms, weddings or other big events!

 For something really classic, I loved Brittany Snow's dress in 'Prom Night'. Yes, it's a horror movie, and not a very good one at that, but there were some seriously pretty dresses in that movie! I love the gold dress she wore as it's so simple, but so pretty and quite a statement colour.

Mega cheese alert, but who can forget Vanessa Hudgens dress in the 'High School Musical' prom?! Super unique and definitely not traditional, I think it's fab to sometimes choose a dress that will be entirely different to anything anyone else is wearing. I think I was too scared to wear something too 'out there' for my prom at school and I do sometimes wish I did. You get this night once, choose wisely!

Hillary Duff's Prom outfit in 'A Cinderella Story' is one of my all time favourites, the gorgeous white gown is a little bit more wedding than prom, but if you want to stand out from the crowd, this is definitely the way to do it!

Unfortunately, one of the things I got so wrong at my Prom (I was only 16!!) were the accessories. I picked a pink dress with deep pink jewels, which made it super hard to accessorize, so I ended up with a bag and shoes that I never wore again. I think if you go for a simple dress, or a statement dress with easy colours, like silver gems so you can easily tie in accessories. I think if I were to do Prom again, I'd go for a fairly plain, simple and elegant dress, with lots of beautiful jewellery and accessories. I found all of the above at New Look in their Occasion Wear section and I think they're gorgeous!

Have you got a prom or special occasion coming up? What will you be wearing?

BENEFIT INSTANT BROW PENCIL REVIEW

Hi lovelies! I feel very out of the blogging loop right now, as I haven't actually sat at my laptop to write a review post for a couple of weeks now. All my recent reviews have been scheduled as life is a bit crazy right now! I'll update you all on this very soon, but today, I finally have some time to do some old school blogging, sit, write, publish. No schedule, no pre writing and I love it! So, I know I sound like a stuck record with the Benefit products and eventually I will stop (or run out of products to review!), but they're a brand that I love right now and am using a lot and I'd rather review products that I'm genuinely using rather than buy products just to try, review, then leave to sit in a drawer. 

As a blonde, I really struggle with my brows. My natural hair is a slightly mousey colour, darker in the winter, lighter in the summer, so while I have my hair highlighted very blonde, my brows are slightly darker. However, some light brown pencils are still too dark, but many blonde pencils barely show up. Benefit however are a brand that I believe have got brows seriously right. After trying Gimme Brow last year, I absolutely fell in love with the perfect not too light, not too dark shade of their light brow gel, so while I was on the hunt for the perfect brow pencil recently, I decided Benefit was the obvious choice! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love using products from the same brand as they're literally made to work together and I have to say the same for this pencil.

As you can see from the swatch, this pencil is not so light that it's barely visible, but it's not so dark that it's brown. For me, I do like my brows to be slightly darker than my hair to match my roots, but I don't like them to be too dark, so this shade is just spot on. It matches my Gimme Brow exactly so these make the perfect pair for my brows. This pencil is very soft and glides on easily without creating harsh lines and unlike a lot of lighter brow products, once it's on, it stays on. What I love about this is how buildable it is, you can use it with a very light hand for a slightly filled in look, or build it up for a more noticeable look (or to fill in gaps when you get tweezer happy!). The little brush on the other end does a great job to soften any lines and tame your brows too, so that's perfect. Often brushes that come with products are totally useless, but this one is absolutely essential if you want to tame and soften your brows after drawing them in.

This isn't the cheapest pencil at £17.50 and while it is long lasting, I do find I need to sharpen it fairly often, so it won't last months and months, however used with a light hand, this will last for quite a whil, particularly as you almost definitely won't need touch ups throughout the day! 

What do you think? Have you tried the Benefit Instant Brow Pencils? What's your favourite brow product of the moment?

WHAT YOU DID NOT KNOW ABOUT LOUIS VUITTON

Did you know that every year Louis Vuitton burns all its unsold bags to prevent putting a lower price on them? A brand is not a product, it is an idea, it is an identity wrapped up in perseverance and guided by a vision. There are some brands like LV that have created history. When you know how an idea, when nurtured with passion, zeal and hard work transformed into the brand that it stands for, you will value LV like never before.

If you wish to own one, without burning a hole in your pocket, you can easily get high qualityLV replica bags from authentic sites like Hottest Bags and show-off your personal style with cheap Louis Vuitton replica handbags.

Knowing Mr. Louis Better

Start appreciating and viewing LV like never before with these 8 pointers, you are sure to order if not original a Louis Vuitton Replica Purses & Wallets for sure.

1. Louis Vuitton envisaged this luxury brand with the same name over 150 years ago.

2. He was born on August 4, 1821, in Anchay, a small settlement in the east of France to Xavier Vuitton, a farmer by profession, and Coronne Gaillard, who met with an untimely death when Louis was only 10.

3. At the age of 13, he was exhausted with the unfashionable life he led and was sick of his stepmother, so he went out on an excursion to Paris. The 292 mile long journey on foot took him two years. During the course of the journey, he did odd jobs to support himself.

4. He stepped on Parisian soil in 1837, and started his career box making and packing as an apprentice in a workshop. In few years, he learned the tricks of the trade and was known for his expertise.

5. His wheel of fortune took a positive turn when in 1853, the Empress of France, Eugenie de Montijo, who was the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte , appointed him as her personal box maker and packer. This showed him the window to the virgin market of the rich and the famous.

6. In 1854, he tied the knot with Clemence-Emilie Parriaux, who was only 17 years old then. After that, he left his job to start his own box making and packaging workshop. The signboard itself hinted at history in the making, since it read, “Securely packs the most fragile objects. Specializing in packing fashions.” He created robust and waterproof trunks by using canvas instead of leather.

7. Vuitton's workshop was robbed and destroyed during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). But he was unstoppable; he launched another shop in a posh area of central Paris.

8. The fashion world witnessed the loss of the great soul on February 27, 1892.

If you’ve always loved the brand but never thought it could be within your budget, all you need to do is look online for a wide variety of high quality yet cheap Louis Vuitton replica handbags. LV replicas for sale are indistinguishable by the lay person from the real thing. So, don’t wait, flaunt your fashion sense with panache today! 

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