I'm in Andorra!

Right now I'm in Andorra for a few days with my family because you know, a little vacay is always appreciated. That's the main reason I don't think I'll be posting much (at least beauty/fashion related), until next Saturday, when I come back home, as I really want to make the most of these days here and relax from all the stress accumulated.

Anyway, what I really want to share with you is some pictures I took yesterday, as I'm weirdly proud about them. I have to say it wasn't difficult at all to take a decent picture because all of the places we went were already gorgeous. Some of the pictures were taken during a hike we did in the hills (which literally killed me, my muscles are so sore right now), above the main valley in Andorra and the other ones were taken in a little town we went called Os Civís, which was really peaceful and cute.

Here they are...

Don't forget to follow me on my new Instagram account at @julia_coldwell to see all the pictures I've taken on my previous travels and other fun things.

Let's talk about gladiator sandals, y'all

Good Morning lovely people!
Today I'm going to talk about Gladiator Sandals or Lace Up Sandals, which are a very big trend this Summer. Let's break it down a little bit:

Brief Description: Traditional gladiator sandals are flat-soled, open-toed shoes that feature multiple straps. The shaft of a gladiator sandal usually extends to above the ankle, and at least part-way up the leg, typically reach mid-calf to just below the knee (by About Style).

Were on the runway of: Alexander McQueen, Isabel Marant, Chloe, Givenchy, Marni, Hermès, Hugo Boss, Dsquared2 and Valentino.

You can see them on: Jessica Alba, Anna Dello Russo, Gisele Bundchen, Jamie Chung, Anja Rubik, Rita Ora and Chiara Ferragni.

My (expensive) picks:

Gianvito Rossi black sandals
€1.715 - matchesfashion.com

Valentino black sandals
€1.200 - matchesfashion.com

Nicholas Kirkwood black sandals
€1.155 - barneys.com

Stuart Weitzman leather sandals
€470 - neimanmarcus.com

My (affordable) picks:

Topshop leather sandals
€76 - nordstrom.com

Charlotte Russe strappy sandals
€38 - charlotterusse.com

Topshop gladiator sandals
€36 - topshop.com

Leather sandals
€27 - newlook.com

Pros: 
- They are stylish
- They are comfortable
- Huge range of lengths, colours and styles
- You can wear them with casual or dressed up outfits

Cons:
- Putting them on
- The tall ones are attached to your calves all day

The verdict: Ailuj Thirteen Approved

How I repaired my skin (in two days) from a second-degree burn

Good morning lovely people!

So last Thursday I was sunburned pretty hard...
Story time: Last Thursday I went on a school trip which consisted on walking nearly 50km during two straight days. On the first day (and last day I was there) it was really sunny and there wasn't a lot of shade available, I applied sun cream on all of my body but I concentrated the most on my legs (which didn't get burned and are now white as snow). Later that day when we arrived at the hostel I was a little bit red but as the day went on I transformed into a human tomato (just on my face and arms, other parts were simply white). Then I applied some aftersun to my face, which made me feel as my face was burning, that's why I started to look for any cold thing I could put my face on, it was boiling. I went to sleep and next day when I woke up, I had blisters on my cheeks, nose and forehead; it was a horrible situation, when my teacher saw me she said I had a second-degree burn and I should see a doctor immediately.

How I repaired my skin in two days

1. First thing I did when I saw the situation that was going on in the mirror was to apply the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream on my face, which helped a little to calm down the skin. The skin on my arms was easier to repair as it was just a normal sunburn and only applying a normal body moisturizer (f.e. Kiehl's Creme de Corps) with a few drops of Argan Oil or Rosehip Oil a few times a day, next day were perfectly fine.

2. DRINK A LOT OF WATER!!! I know it sounds really cliché as they always tell you to drink water, but this really worked for me. You have to think that when you are sunburned you lose a lot of water and your body is dehydrated, so if you want the healing process to be quicker you MUST drink a lot of water in order to hydrated your body again. That day I literally drank 4 o 5 liters of water (TMI alert: Went to the toilet so many times I lost count).

3. Avène Thermal Water is the best thing you can spritz to your face for instantly refresh, calm and reduce the redness of your face. I applied it as an intermediate step between my face wash (which has to be one which doesn't agitates or irritates your skin, a great option is Avène Cleanance Gel) and my moisturizer.

4. As I've always had an oily complexion I've always used face creams which are specialized in mattifying my face, but lately my skin has been a little bit dryer so these kind of creams don't work as well as they did before on me, I find them drying. When I sunburned my face it was the perfect occasion to buy a new moisturizer for dryer complexions, so I bought the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rich Cream, which is incredibly hydrating. I'll probably do a review next week, but for now I really like it and I really recommend it for dry skins or if you get sunburned.

5. Later that day I went to my dermatologist and he recommended to apply a lot of cold water on my face, moisturize my skin as much as I can with a thick moisturizer (the one I recommended before works perfectly for this) and then he recommended to products:

• Zamene (30 mg): These pills help you heal the skin surface from inside and really helps to accelerate the process. He recommended me to take them after meals in different portions, which I think it's different on every person, so if you are in the same situation I was, ask your doctor or dermatologist. I've been taking them for four days now, I'll probably take them for another two days and I'll be totally done.
• Suniderma (Galderma): This cream is specially designed to be applied directly to only the affected areas and help you with the healing process, reducing the blister's thickness quicker.

I hope these tips help you if you're ever sunburned (which I hope is never your case).

Remember: Always protect your skin from the sun with a good sunblock lotion preferably SPF 50 which you should reapply during the day, keep yourself hydrated drinking a lot of water, avoid long hours exposed to the sun but if you do wear a hat or something similar to protect your face even more, if possible look for the shade ;this should prevent you getting sunburned. 

This is my question for you: Have you ever been sunburned? If the answer is yes, how did it happen? How did you repair your skin?

My 2014 Summer Wish List (Part 2)

Hello lovely people!
A few days weeks (ups... sorry) ago I did a post of my current beauty wish list for the summer and today I'll show you which fashion related things are in my wish list too. Same deal as the other post, I'll explain you a little bit of each thing such as where they are from and why I want them. (WARNING: Your wish list might get a little longer after reading this post, you are welcome #sorrynotsorry) Enjoy!

the fashion things... 

1. Orange Romper (H&M): Rompers are such easy and comfy things to wear plus they look fashionable without even trying (it's all about effortless fashion, am I right ladies?). I think this orange colour is gorgeous and would complement anyone's skin tone.

2. Black Rip Knee Jamie Jeans (Topshop): (First of all, why are they always out of stock? Boh) Oh Jamie Jeans from Topshop, you have been on my wish list for so long and you still aren't in my closet, why? I love me some good quality high waisted black jeans, I have some from Zara and I wear them non-stop but these... I know I could just rip some holes in mine because they are practically the same but these... look so cool. Jamie jeans are also known for being very comfortable, basically, these jeans have everything I want in a pair of jeans. (Times I said jeans: 6... oh well)

3. Bandana Denim Jacket (GAP): I love denim jackets and I know this just looks like a normal light denim jacket, BUT NO, it's not just that. On the back from the shoulders to mid back there is a very interesting bandana print that can spice up any summer look as the colours are quite stunning.

4. Raffia Espadrilles (Zara): These espadrilles have caught my eye since the first time I saw them because I thought it was a cool twist to the typical summer espadrilles as they have a leathery-looking fabric, but it's actually raffia. These have been quite popular so they are basically out of stock in every Zara and online shops, which bothers me quite a lot but I still haven't lost hope. THERE'S HOPE GUYS.

5. Watch (Daniel Wellington): Lately I've seen Mr Daniel's watches everywhere from blogs to Instagram(s) and I dunno why (and it's not because he has sponsored a LOT of kinda famous people...no): they are so simple and classic and they do look good with any outfit. I like this one in particular as it's rose gold and has some little rhinestones which give this watch a very feminine and casual look. Lovely, just lovely.

6. Eye Spy Necklace (Nasty Girl): I had to insert the brand's description as I thought it was great: ''For all you (eye) ballers, this necklace has a brushed gold chain with eyeball pendant and adjustable clasp closure. It's weird in all the right ways, so sport it when you want to keep your vibe quirky'' by the Nastiest of the Girls. I love it when the products' descriptions aren't serious, am I the only one? Moving on -> I love wearing simple chain necklaces and layering them and this would work perfectly for this job.

7. Bucket Bag (Gucci): I know this bag might be in my wish list forever for a long time or at least until I win the lottery but as I said before, there is still hope. Recently I've seen these kinds of bucket bags EVERYWHERE but this one is the one that caught my eye the most until I saw the brand (and the price) and wished I was blind, but come on, it's so cute. I also love the colour as I think that a bag with this colour can give life to any monochrome look (aka my everyday look).

8. Sleeveless/Peplum Shirt (French Connection): I know this shirt doesn't have anything special other than the peplum situation going at the bottom but (there is always a but), it's so chic and simple and you could combine it with so many pieces. If I had it in my closet it would definitely be a staple.

9. Skort (New Look): Looks like a skirt but it's a pair of shorts, SOLD. I love skirts but I just can't have the risk of exposing parts that I wouldn't want to expose publicly in a windy or not so windy day, because when I wear skirts I don't know how to walk,  how to sit down or how to function in life, that's why I want some skorts in my life. Sitting the way you want, embracing the windy days... think about it, you also want some and I just convinced you. (Wow I would really be a great publicist for fashion brands).

10. Headphones (Frend): Aren't these headphones the coolest thing you have ever seen (in the headphones world), because they are for me. They look so much more than just headphones as they are so fashionable, I would choose them over a necklace as they give such an 'umf' to any look; and I love listening to music, I listen to music 24/7, literally, but anyway right now I don't have any excuse to justify buying them as they are quite expensive for their function but... I still want them.

Much love,

Julia

My 2014 Summer Wish List (Part 1)

Hello lovely people!
We all know that even though we might have everything we think we need, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH. Am I right ladies and gentleman?  We all have a wish list in our head of the things we desire to have and this is my current one. My wish list is quite large but I divided it into the beauty things and the fashion things, I'll explain you a little bit of each thing. (WARNING: Your wish list might get a little longer after reading this post, you are welcome #sorrynotsorry) Enjoy!

the beauty things...

1. ''Coco Noir'' Perfume (Chanel): This perfume has a blend of grapefruit, Calabrian bergamot, rose, narcissus, rose geranium leaf, jasmine, tonka bean, sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli and white musk frankincense (I looked that up, I don't have such a refined nose to know that). This is a great night perfume and every time I see a Chanel counter I love spraying it but you know, it's Chanel=pricey so until I don't have the money or the reason to splurge on it, it will remain in my wish list. But trust me, when you see it, give it a sniff, you won't be disappointed.

2. Colour-Coded Eyeshadow Palette in Dolce Vita(Charlotte Tilbury): This palette is so gorgeous: first look at the colours, 4 beautiful neutral shades (I'm all about the neutrals) with a little bit of shimmer, second look at the packaging, it's such a luxury. This palette has been around for quite a long time so a lot of the beauty youtubers that I follow have it and do tutorials with them and they look SO GOOD. You can do from simple eye looks to very glam/night out looks with these all skin type flattering shades. Nothing else to say...I WANT IT.

3. Powder & Sculpt Brush (Charlotte Tilbury): This brush has a tapered end that allows you to contour (yep, I've been trying to get into that) your cheeks just under them, highlight on top or powder lightly under the eye zone or the T-Zone very precisely. It is a very soft brush and doesn't apply a lot of product at once, allowing you to build up the products and not having harsh lines.

4. Pro to Go Eye/Cheek Palette (Lorac): This palette just has everything you would need for a look: you have six neutral eyeshadows, two blushes and one bronzer in a little tiny packaging that you can carry wherever you want, it also has a mini brush, much appreciated.

5. Lipstick in shade Shy Girl (MAC): I love a good peachy neutral lip and the other day my friend was wearing this shade and the minute I saw her I asked: What lip color are you wearing? (Beauty psychopath right here, anyone else? Hope so...), it's such a flattering shade and you know how great MAC formulas are, need it.

6. Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz (Bobbi Brown): This has five bars of pearlized pigments that you can use on the lids and the cheeks and it create a soft pinky glow. This does the most beautiful effect, actually I'm inserting here a video by the gorgeous Tanya Burr as she uses it on cheeks and lids and as you are going to see, the effect is beautiful.

7. Naked Basics Palette (Urban Decay): (Yes, more neutrals) This compact palette has six  neutral shades and it's basically all you need for your everyday looks. And I' trying to find an excuse to splurge on it even I have similar shades but I don't find any... It just looks so convenient.

8. ''Sì'' Perfume (Giorgio Armani): From the first time I smelled this perfume I fell in love and as the Chanel one I always spray it on me when I find a Giorgio Armani counter and as the Chanel one, it's very expensive. It's a very sweet perfume at the beginning (well and later on too but not as much) but then it changes into a more of a fruity smell. I looked on the web to see what it has on it: cassis, vanilla, patchouli, freesia, may rose, ambroxan and woody notes.

9. Micro-Blur Skin Perfector (Kiehl's): This is basically a primer that reduces the appearance of your pores and smoothens your skin texture. I have large pores and I read so many good reviews on this product so I can't wait to use it, people also say that it helps your makeup to last longer. YES.

Much love,

Julia

Fashion Essential: The white T-Shirt

Hello lovely people!
As you might have noticed there is a new design in this blog, I really like it because now it has more of a minimalistic style and I think it looks cleaner, I liked the other design but I got bored of it as it was very pinky and very 13 year old me. So what do you think about it? Do you like it? Okay so let's stop the rambling and lets talk about today's theme: the white T-shirt. I can't even tell you how may basic white tees I have in my closet, they are just so convenient, you can dress them up or you can dress them down and today I'm going to show you how you can wear them and you'll see in how many ways and styles you can wear them. So let's get started, enjoy!

INFORMAL but EDGY

Afternoon Ice-Cream Chic

on the edge of green

It is over all chic

I stole my boyfriend's jeans

W&W

Tropical Boho

Question of the day: What's your fashion Essential?

Much love,

Julia