Burnt Orange

As autumn is coming, I paired this burnt orange Zara top with black Jamie jeans from Topshop and my new pointed loafers from Schuh. Along with a long coat from ASOS.

The colour of the top gives this all black outfit a pop of colour and a very autumnal colour at that! 

Black jeans are a staple in everyone's wardrobe, I've been living in these! Literally, it's quite disgusting... 

The pointed loafers are so on trend and give this look a more edgy, masculine vibe! 

Burt's Bees

With a little trip to boots a few months ago, I picked up the honey lip balm by Burts Bees and I've been loving it.

It has a waxy formula that sinks into the lips and is very moisturising it leaves them moisturised for a long while as well which i was pretty surprised about. I usually put a thick layer on before I go to bed and I can still feel it on my lips in the morning. Amazing!  The balm has quite a nice scent which is also something I look out for in a lip product. It honey flavour- YUM!

As well as the product being the 'bees knees' (see what I did there) the packaging is also extremely convenient for on the go and much more hygienic than pots where you have to stick your bacterial fingers in, ew! There is a hefty amount of product which I think will last quite a while too and it also contains 100% natural ingredients. What's not to love?

It's just an easy, cheap and cheerful, through-in-your-bag sorta product it does the job and for only £3.69 you really can't go wrong!

GBK, NEW FRIENDS& PENNY BOARDING!

After a hectic month of exams with still more to go, insanity was kicking in so me and my bestfriend fancied getting out the house. The weather man hinted that the evening ahead was going to be warm so what would be better than heading out to central London. We grabbed our penny boards and jumped on the tube in hunt for some smooth ground to ride on. In search for ground it lead us to a little adventure- getting lost and all sorts.

Shirt-Zara// Leggings-Topshop //Shoes-Vans

After skating down some quiet roads, the crowds started to grow so we hunted down somewhere to eat. We went to the Gourmet Burger Kitchen, which was delicious and really hit the spot! I now know why everyone raves about it so much.

We started with the free monkey nuts. Yep, free!

I then ordered the Avocado Bacon Beef Burger with sweet potato chips. It was sooo good! Oh, and I can't forget the 'baconaise'... If the name doesn't give it away It's mayonnaise with bacon. Mhm mhm mhmmm!

After being full to the brim we needed some time to digest before pennying again and found a cute little spot which overlooked the beautifully lit, iconic London Eye.

The picture really doesn't do it justice! 

After sitting in what we thought was a unique spot we was annoyingly joined. After chatting to these 'intruders' we soon found out that they lived not far from us! Who would have thought?

Time flies when you're having fun and before we knew it, it was, sadly, time to head home. Finding our bus stop was an another adventure in itself and on our travels we bumped into some fellow penny boarders who gave us some tips of where to skate next time we're there! How nice!

The bus journey also gave us a few laughs, as it was a night bus so it was packed with so many crazy, drunken characters.

After the long, eventful night we were finally home. My bed has never felt so good!

With love, Stef

xxx

Go Green!

I've recently been drinking green tea everyday and It's not for the taste that's for sure! I've been told it's really good for you so thought I'd give it a try. It's really helped me to keep my weight in check when I can't help but eat anything I can get my hands on, my bad...
I wanted to look into some other benefits green tea has to offer and did some research!!

I found out that green tea originated from China and has been used as medicine for centuries ever since. Green tea has these many benefits due to the processing. The processing of green tea doesn't allow fermentation whereas the beloved PG Tips does. Why does everything bad for you taste so damn gurd?!
The process of green tea is what allows it to keep it's maximum amount of antioxidants and poly-phenol's which is the reason for it's many benefits, such as...

1. WEIGHT LOSS- green tea helps increase metabolism. The poly-phenol increases fat-oxidation levels and the rate in which your body turns food into calories.

2. SKINCARE- apparently the tea also helps wrinkles and any signs of aging due to the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activities.

3. ANTI-VIRAL AND ANTI-BACTERIAL- the catechins found in green tea are strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial agents meaning they are effective for treating a range of diseases from the flu to cancer!

4. TOOTH DECAY- the chemical antioxidant 'catachin' is also said to destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat infections and tooth decay.

5. DEPRESSION- The amino acid 'theanine' is naturally found in tea leaves and it thought to give a relaxing and calming effect.

6. BLOOD PRESSURE- reduces the risk of having high blood pressure.

7. CHOLESTEROL- green tea reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good to bad.

8. DIABETES- The tea helps regulate glucose levels and slows down the rise of blood sugar level after eating.

9. ALZHEIMER AND PARKINSON DISEASE- the tea delays the deterioration caused by these diseases. A study on mice showed that green tea protects brain cells from dying and restores damaged brain cells too.

10. ESOPHAGEAL CANCER - green tea can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in particular but it also thought to kill cancer cells in general without destroying the healthy tissue that surrounds it.

11. HEART DISEASE- It is thought by scientists that green tea works on the lining of blood vessels and helps them relax so they are better equipped to deal with changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against blood clots which are the main cause of heart attacks.

These 11 benefits are crazy but 'when it's too good to be true it usually is' -this phrase has proved me right so far and green tea makes no exception. Green tea contains caffeine and 'tannins' which decrease absorption of iron and folic acid so if you're pregnant this may not be the tea for you.

But for the rest of us the only thing about this hugely beneficial beverage is the taste. But don't fret, the Twinings collection has made that a little bit easier with the selection of green tea's infused with different fruits such as cranberry and my personal favourite- apple&pear.

Try it out and let me know what you think :)

With love, Stef

xxx

Olsen twin'spo

They just get it right everytime, don't they? 

As you can see the Olsen twins are my main port of call for fashion inspiration they are flawless always!

Follow my tumblr for more

http://stefcastiglione.tumblr.com

With love, Stef 

xxx

Spring Wish-List!

While being in the mist of taking my AS level exams the stress and boredom of revision has lead me to procrastinate quite a lot. So online shopping has been happening.. I always think online shopping is a good idea but after a few encounters with it recently I doubt I'll be ordering anything again any time soon. I ordered from a few clothing sites over the last week and I haven't been happy with what I've received. There's nothing worse than hating something after being so excited about it, if you're anything like me this is a major buzz kill especially after thinking of various ways to style it.  I am definitely a physical shopper gyal. But i do like browsing online websites to check out what's new. So here are a few things I am wanting o hit the shops for...

Firstly, these joggers from Zara. I've wanted a pair of these for quite a while now. I think they're perfect 'errand' trousers. Something to just through on when you're popping to the shops. They're comfortable yet stylish. Perfect combo!

The next one along is a blazer from Urban Outfitters. I thought this would be a great piece to liven up my usual all black outfits and light enough to wear in the brisk summer evenings. 

Next up we have these beautiful white sandals which I actually found on Ebay. I think these would be amazing for summer and would be a more glamorous alternative to flat sandals. I might have to make an exception of my 'no more online shopping' rule for these bad boys.

Okay so the next pair I realise are a love/hate type thang but i really like this slip on shoe trend at the moment. I think the look is so cool and chic. .These are also from Zara and I think paired with the joggers, they give a very chilled and effortless look. What do you think? 

The skirt/short hybrid A.K.A the skort is a spring/summer essential. It allows you maintain looking girly and feminine but eliminates the worry that with the first gush of wind everyone will see your knickers! This one is from Topshop.

Last but not least, the mom/boyfriend jean trend is another love of mine. I think the look is so cool and I'm yearning for a pair myself. I like these from Zara. My body shape and these jeans don't seem to be getting along so I'm on a mission to find the perfect fit. 

After exams a shopping spree is definitely needed!

With love, Stef 

xxx

Bobbie Brown: mini-haul/review

I love make-up and I'm trying to slowly build up my collection but it's just so God-damn expensive. But my lovely best friend brought me to the Bobbi Brown counter in the John Lewis of Westfield, Stratford and got me some goodies as an early birthday present, yay!

We were searching for a lipstick the same or close to our natural lip colour to create that 'my lips but better' look. We succeeded with help from the amazing MUA working her magic. She only had to look at us before picking out the perfect lipstick. The Rouge á Lévres in the colour 34 Tulle.

I'm quite lucky with my lips in the sense that they're fairly big and have a quite bright colouring. BUT this lipstick just makes them look flawless: it fills in the cracks leaving a smooth, satin finish. The consistency is also very moisturising when first put on and then dries as a kinda of stain which is long lasting.

Of course, I couldn't get a lipstick without the matching lip liner and I'm so happy I did. It just, I don't know, makes them look much bigger but very subtly. I just love it!! Well, I have to love it for that price haha! I got it in the colour Pink Mauve and it's a perfect match for the lipstick.

                                            

The lipstick retails at £19 and the lip liner was £16. It is very expensive but the quality is amazing and the help and service was great too so I definitely think it's worth it!

The last product the lovely best friend got me was the corrector paste. It's a peach coloured paste that counteracts dark under eye circles. It's beauty sleep in a pot! It has a creamy consistency and applies really nicely where a little goes a long way. I got the colour Light to Medium Bisque which suits my pale-ish skin tone well. This retails at £18.50 which is also a lot but I think it will last a long time. 

I hope this gives you some advice of some good products from Bobbi Brown if you're ever near a counter and feel to splurge on some good quality make-up!

With love, Stef xxx

Bank Holiday Fun

Bank holidays are my family's excuse to spend some time together as we don't get to do it too often. Time flies and we don't end up seeing each other for weeks. This bank holiday I decided to take charge. Being Italian we usually go out for dinner and revolve our day around food and as much as I love to eat I thought it was about time we did something different and see a bit more of the beautiful city we live in. London!

First stop, Greenwich! We went on the cable cars across the Thames. We went up quite high and on one side you could see London's famous sky scrapers and the O2 arena but on the other side the most we saw was rows of car parks. Quite disappointing.  

aw just look at them lovely car parks 

My padre.

After that, we went to 'The Slug and Lettuce' in the O2 arena where I discovered, what i think will be my new summer drink, Rekorderlig's strawberry and lime cider. Try it out, it is deeee-licious! 

Next stop, The Cutty Sark! This is a famous ship that used to bring food etc. to and from England. I don't really know much about it to be honest but here's a picture anyway...

Right next to The Cutty Sark there was a nandos, but not just any nandos...a nandos with a terrace! Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture but it was so cute. 

We couldn't go home without dessert so we hunted for an ice-cream shop...

Need I say more? 

Here's just a few of the many mandatory, silly selfies we took.


With love, Stef
xxx