A bit of everything – then some more

Do you ever, like me, go into TK MAXX and feel like a kid in a sweet shop, not knowing where to look?

That happens in most locations, but I always managed to find what I need: be my most convenient, London Stratford or my closest to work, Bank, but their new Oxford Street location just took that feeling to a whole new level, where big brands at small prices are spread across four floors.

Modern, spacious, organised, friendly and full of cute corners, with a killer stock!

You can find their usual accessories, beauty, shoes, women, children, toys and men sections, together with the coveted Gold Label, jewellery and also Pre-Loved, a small super luxury section where you can find big ticket second hand designer accessories.

Think original dream handbags, procured and authenticated. How great is that?

The beauty section is always fun for me – so many fabulous brands I love and worked with in the past and you can truly find some gems.

It is also a great place to discover new brands and products!

Now, the home section has my heart – so much that at my visit to the new shop I ended up getting most of my little visit haul from there, including a set of four beautiful iridescent glasses for £7.99 and a 15oz candle for the same price.

Where can you find great glassware at such good price? Cushions as fas as the eye can see? Towels so soft and so affordable? Kitchen utensils staples but also some you didn’t even know you needed?

Candles, for example, I will never pay through my nose for that again; they have so may options of excellent quality!

Not going to lie, I got this very seasonal Sea Salt Pumpkin (yum) there the last time, but I have at least two of the same brand, with more classic fragrances I like for my home, purchased a while back, stocked up and ready to go.

And the shoes? Have you ever paid attention to the calibre of the designers at the Gold Label section? It is INSANE. And the savings you get?

Add that to the rows and rows of the non- gold label footwear at even better value.

Talking about Gold Label, the same goes for clothes. Some gorgeous stock going.

I went a bit more modest and got this fabulous pink coat at a very affordable £39.99 that is going to see me through the autumn very well. I love a pop of colour, especially in the colder months where everything is so grey!

I have, apart from the goodies I got in this shopping trip, many a gems from TK MAXX.

My kitchen is full of amazing accessories from known brands which were purchased there for a fraction of the price.

Who remembers my gorgeous silver holographic glitter boots that look a million dollars but was purchased for £17 a few months back?

And who hasn’t got the heartache of not having bought something, just to go back a few days later to get it and not find? A black leather handbag, circa 2010, Clapham. My heart.

TK MAXX works with many designer brands – big and small – and are always procuring the latest in fashion.

You may think most of it stock is past season, but the vast majority comes from current season overproduced, overbuys from stores, and some especially manufactured stock for TK MAXX which negotiates volume and good prices, which are passed on to us, consumers!

Great for the pocket and also a good chance for surplus stock to actually get sold and used. Oh, and it does not hurt they look sooooo good!

Oh, and they have plenty of Halloween stuff at the moment!

TK MAXX has many stores across the UK, Europe and Australia – so easy to find one near you. Visit the new one at 203-207 Oxford Street, just a few minutes from the tube station.

Oh, and don’t forget they also put some of their stock online, so visit their website – you can use gift cards and even click and collect at the shop!

written by Dani

Please note that this was a PR offered opportunity. I was invited to visit their new shop and given a gift card to buy some tempting items, but the above is based on my experience on the day and general, asa customer, with TK MAXX.

The end of nail-painting as we know it?

nailsinc_paintcanCould a spray change it all?

Nails Inc is stunning us all and bringing out a spray nail polish, the Nails Inc Paint Can. And it’s understandably causing a stir.

Will it soon be time to retire our nail polish brushes? Is this the future of manicures? Bear with me, I don’t have the answer quite yet…

Spray on nails will be quick, but uncontrolled. How hard it actually is to remove the excesses, how much mess it makes in the surroundings and the finish are the key to the success of this polish.

nailsinc_spraycanApplication is simple: spray and done. Obviously there will be some mess, but according to the instructions, after applying a base coat to the nails (a must), you just spray it on and wait until it is all dry and to remove the excesses you just wash your hands with soapy water or use wet wipes. Eh?

The nail polish sticks to the base coat, or old nail polish you have on, for a quick refresh. If that really happens seamlessly, this will be amazing.

Other questions I have would be around uniformity of coat, pigmentation, need for multiple coats and durability – although they do recommend also using a topcoat.

Really, it is not often that something this revolutionary hits the nail market and I am dead excited. Plus, it would be an amazing helping hand to all of the time-strapped ladies beautifying on the go.

On top of that, it could make a great quick drying base for nail art.

Being a Nails Inc product, you can pretty much guarantee great quality.

There are two pretty colours, a silver shade called Shoreditch Lane and a metallic pink hue, Hoxton Market, both brand new.

I cannot wait to get my claws on it. It’s available from November 12th, but you can pre-order it now from the Nails Inc site. It costs a reasonable £10.

While I don’t get my mittens on it, you can see all my Nails Inc posts on the blog.

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Nominate So Many Lovely Things for the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2015

Those who know me will know I really blog for myself. It’s something I love. But I suppose getting an award wouldn’t be so bad…

I would be forever grateful if you could nominate So Many Lovely Things for the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2015 under the Best Beauty Blog (ambitious, I know).1441186218-cosmoblogawards-2015-nominatemebadge

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the followers, the comments, the interaction with people who share the same love as me, the fabulous brands that believe in me and in what I do.

 

And oh, the unique ability to inspire, even if one person out there, and to perhaps give them a little nudge to enhance their amazing selves… it is truly priceless.

But my blogging has a more selfish reason to be: me. My passion for beauty, style, fashion – and shoes – that is so huge that leaks out from my small person into these virtual pages.

Most importantly, it has given me comfort when I needed the most.

I never thought that, in claiming my little corner of the internet, I would be exposed to so many amazing things.

It has given me the chance to work with amazing brands, it has exposed me to a wealth of knowledge which is ever growing, backing up my love for the subjects.  And the people… I met amazing people.

I feel extremely lucky, privileged and humbled. Oh, and eternally grateful.

However, I take an award wouldn’t go amiss, right? So please (I say again, just in case) nominate me for the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2015 in the Best for Beauty category. It’s super quick, and you can do it by filling the form on their page.

You never know, I might even get shortlisted! Should I be, there will be a little post asking you (yes, I always ask too much) to vote for me.

And thank you. Not just for this, but for being here. There’s a lot of love going round.

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Red soles… for your lips. Louboutin lipstick is coming

louboutin lipstick - sofie valkiers

Image: Sofie Valkiers (Instagram)

Oooh, Loubi… oooh…

It looks like some fabulous Louboutin Lipsticks in matte red have been peppered around the world. With the successful launch of the nail polishes, no wonder Mr. Louboutin would venture into more beauty, after all, his works are beauty itself (yes, yes, I am a fan).

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H&M Beauty, revamped

Image: H&M

Image: H&M

I say about time! H&M is finally stepping up their beauty game. Sara Wallander, concept designer at H&M Beauty says it will be “fashion for the face”. I salute you and look forward to that!

I always looked at H&M beauty items as a bit of a limp proposition – just to tick the box, more than anything.

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Beauty News: Olivia Palermo for Ciaté

Olivia Palermo for Ciaté - image from Elle UK

Olivia Palermo for Ciaté – image from Elle UK

Nail brand Ciaté’s creative director for 2015 is Olivia Palermo. That means there are some new ail polish shades coming…

Starting with the packaging, it is still Ciaté’s curves rectangle, but it has a luxury feel – a touch of gold and some pretty box.

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MAC Wash & Dry collection

washdry1

What a weird name, eh? But the colours are inspired on vintage laundromats, so it’s ok!

The MAC Wash & Dry collection, which is full of vibrant and fresh colours has already launched in the UK – the laundromat is indeed open for business!

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MAC x Philip Treacy

phillip-treacy-mac

I do love a collab and MAC has let me down with that Cinders business but got close to making up with Toledo… now, this is something to be excited about: MAC x Philip Treacy.

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