Category: Lifestyle

Getting ready for a summer ball

3 Comments

I was invited to attend a summer ball at the Porters Park Golf Club last week. I wanted to look my best so I spent my afternoon preparing for that event.

13438932_10209491489154864_4953796571216732710_n

Face:

I have recently bought a mineral-rich PRISTINE Beauty Dead Sea Mud Mask from Amazon.co.uk so it was a great opportunity to try it and check if it really works. According to the producer, the Pristine Dead Sea Mud Mask helps to:

• Purify the pores as a natural skin cleanse.

• Promote clearer skin and reduce the frequency of blemishes.

• Remove excess oil to combat shine.

• Minimise enlarged pores.

• Diminish the appearance of wrinkles.

• Address blackheads.

PRISTINE Beauty Dead Sea Mud Mask contains Vitamin E and is based only on natural and organic ingredients. Furthermore, it is a cruelty free vegan so it protects your complexion and the planet at the same time. I have a combination skin and enlarged pores so it seemed like a good idea to try it before the event as mask promised to deeply purify and provide anti-aging benefits.

The mask has a nice, creamy texture. I applied it for 15 minutes and then once it dried I rinsed it off with some warm water. My skin was soft, looked radiant and I could see some instant and noticeable results. The mask gave my skin a fresh, healthy glow and my pores were less noticeable. In addition, lines from under my eyes looked visibly smaller.

The only unfavourable feedback I could give was about its packaging. It looks very simple and unappealing but then again mask offers instant results and a great value for money. One pot of the mask (250ml) costs only £16.90 and it will definitely last you for a few months. I would recommend that you use it 2 to 3 times a week to see a long-term improvement.

You can get it from Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/PRISTINE-Dead-Sea-Mud-Mask/dp/B01FLUGRYG

Mask

Make-up:

I decided to wear my favourite ‘smoky eyes’ make up with some soft beige lipstick.

Hair:

I added a lot of volume and after decided to do some soft curls to get a soft look.

I hope that you enjoyed reading this review.

X

Pauline

X

Pauline

 

 

 

Asian-inspired Afternoon Tea at Buddha-Bar Restaurant, London, Knightsbridge

1 Comment

As promised last week, I will be sharing with you reviews of my Afternoon Tea experiences throughout the summer. Today, I would like to tell you about my Afternoon Tea at the Buddha-Bar.

Venue and location:

Buddha-Bar is located in the prominent, upmarket area of London Knightsbridge. It is easily accessible by public transport and the nearest tube station is Knightsbridge  which is just 2 minutes away.

Buddha-Bar was the winner of Best Restaurant Bar in 2014, 2015 & 2016 at the London Club and Bar Awards. I have visited it once before for cocktails so when I found out that the Buddha Bar was serving Afternoon Tea, I decided to book it and check it out. I was accompanied by my fiancé-James.

IMG_7555

Service:

We were served by Annie who was professional and friendly. When we sat down, she explained what was included in our Afternoon Tea experience and asked us whether we would like to start with a glass of champagne.

Atmosphere:

The atmosphere and staff were both welcoming. On our arrival, we were acknowledged straight away by a friendly receptionist. All staff that we had contact with were helpful and had a positive body language.

As soon as you enter, you are surrounded by impressive interiors and you feel like you have just arrived in an oasis of calmness. I was impressed by the floor to ceiling crystallized dragons and  the signature Buddha artwork located on the ground floor which was absolutely stunning.

The menu:

Once we sat down at the table, we were welcomed by our waitress-Annie. We had a glass of champagne each and then we received an excessive tea menu. I decided to have a pot of Jasmin tea while James had some Chamomile tea. Our Buddha-Bar afternoon tea included a selection of sweet and savoury Asian inspired, mouth-watering treats. To start with we received 4 savoury treats which were all full of aromatic flavours:

  • Duck hoisin steam bun sandwich – definitely my number-one savory dish.
  • Tuna tartar on toasted fennel bread.
  • Vietnamese vegetables summer rolls.
  • Crispy wonton cod and prawns.

As soon as we finished them, our waitress cleaned our plates and a couple of minutes later we received a set of 4 sweet treats:

  • Pistachio macaroons
  • Chilli chocolate mousse
  • Passion fruit and mango tart
  • Green tea cheese cake

All our snacks were beautifully presented and I am sure that a lot of consideration was put into preparing them.

Dress code:

The dress code at the Buddha-Bar is smart casual. I decided to wear my Monsoon Summer fuchsia dress accompanied by some Carvela heels in the same colour and my beloved Pandora jewellery.

IMG_7630

Overall experience:

Buddha-Bar offers a great food, atmosphere in a beautiful surroundings. I would definitely visit Buddha-Bar again and I would love to try their lunch, dinner or one of their masterclasses next. You should definitely go there next time you are in Knightsbridge area when you want to unwind and relax.

Price: £53 for 2 people

Website: http://buddhabarlondon.com/

Address: 145 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7PA, United Kingdom

IMG_7644IMG_7645

I hope that you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Exclusive Pandora shopping evening

Leave a comment

IMG_6574

I was invited to attend an exclusive Pandora jewellery shopping event in partnership with Marie Claire UK.  The event’s aim was to celebrate the launch of Pandora Rose in the summer collection.

All attendees were able to enjoy cocktails, bubbly and canapés whilst shopping or admiring the range, which fuses a unique blend of metals to create beautiful rose-coloured jewellery.

The new delicately hand-finished collection features Daisy stacking rings and the ‘Hearts of Pandora’ necklace, which is embellished with sparkling clear stones. I absolutely love this range and decided to purchase a couple of the items from their new collection.

Throughout the event, the Marie Claire fashion team was on hand to give some more insights into the new summer trends. It was great to hear from them about the jewellery styling ideas and get a little bit more understanding about how you should wear your jewellery this summer. On the other hand, I was surprised by Marie Claire presenter who seemed unprepared and lost in her notes… In my opinion, this was the only negative aspect of this event.

I hope to you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Gravitate Nutrition’s Weight Loss Kit

2 Comments

As some of you know, I am getting married in a couple of months and as all brides do I want to look my best on my special day.

I decided to try some diet pills that don’t contain any stimulants and will not harm my health. I came across the Gravitate Nutrition Weight Loss Kit that contains 100% natural ingredients. Gravitate has been ranked as “approved” by the diet pills comparison site and it was also ranked as a second best diet pill supplement available on the market now :
http://dietpill-reviews.co.uk/top-five-best-diet-pills/

Gravitate Nutrition Weight Loss Kit offers a 35-day money-back-guarantee as well as a free diet plan and worldwide shipping so I decided to give it a go. In addition, the website states that it is: ‘the most effective non-prescription weight loss supplement available’.IMG_6380

I ordered 30 Day Weight Loss Starter Kit from their website:

http://gravitatenutrition.com/buy-now/ and it was delivered swiftly.

Price: RRP £54.99 but currently if you order directly from Gravitate Nutrition website you can get it for only £34.99.

The 30 Day Weight Loss Starter Kit Included:

  • 1 x 30 day supply of DietVits. DietVits is taken alongside Supersculpt to ensure you tackle your weight loss from all angles (speeds up metabolism, blocks carbs, can help with fat burning & reduces tiredness and fatigue).IMG_6382
  • 1 x 30 day supply of Supersculpt.Gravitate Supersculpt contains our unique source of Glucomannan, in the optimum quantities necessary to provide weight loss. Studies have shown Glucomannan is the most effective, non-prescription weight loss ingredient with no adverse side effects.IMG_6381
  • FREE Weight Loss Guide.

It is a relatively new product so limited customer reviews and testimonials are available thus I am looking forward to seeing if it really works. I am starting my Gravitate weight-loss programme today so I will let you know how I get on with it in a month.

X

Pauline

Non-surgical face lift treatments

Leave a comment

As some of you know I am getting married in a couple of months. As all brides do, I want to look my best and this is why I decided to look into non-surgical face lift treatments. As we grow older our facial muscles naturally start to lose tone and elasticity. Non-surgical procedures are quickly gaining in popularity as a means of improving facial appearance by restoring the three-dimensional contour of the face without the need for surgery.

I would like to share with you a feedback on 2 treatments I recently tried.

First of the treatments I tried was CACI Non-Surgical Facelift.

CACI Facelift is a non-surgical solution to combat loss of muscle tone using CACI micro current facial toning therapy.

It is a painless cosmetic treatment and is commonly referred to as “facial toning” or “the non-surgical face lift”.

During my 1 hour treatment session all 32 facial muscles were gently worked on by a trained therapist using a series of specific movements. Soft cotton tipped wands were used on my face to transmit the micro current energy to the facial muscles to restore tone and elasticity.

Results:

I booked 3 sessions. After my first treatment, my face felt tighter however it was difficult for me to see a visible result. When I finished my 3 sessions, my facial contours looked lifted but still there was no massive improvement.

My beautician mentioned that the results vary according to the individual and a course of twelve treatments is generally recommended and only then I will see a visible results.

Price:

£60 per treatment

Location:

CACI treatments are very popular nowadays so there are lots of different beauty spas offering them. I had my treatments done at The London Tanning And Beauty in Wigmore street.

http://www.londontanningandbeauty.co.uk

official-caci-2

The second treatment I tried was ChinUp Mask which is designed for home use and its main aim is to diminish all sagging skin from underneath the jaw.

I was seriously ‘wowed’ by this mask which promises the visible results after just one use. The 30 Minute Non-Surgical Face Lift Trial Pack reduces fat cells and restores the skin’s natural elasticity. This revolutionary set features a tape measure to monitor the progress made through frequent use. Fine lines and wrinkles are also eradicated, leaving the skin soft, supple and youthful.

  • Vitamin E – Conditions, protects and revitalises the skin.
  • Corum 9235 – Promotes the reduction of fat cells in the chin area.
  • Q10 Coenzyme – Diminishes wrinkles, fine lines and sallowness.
  • Skintronics – Lifts and firms the chin by converting fat cells into stabilised fibrous tissue.

Set Contains:

  • Chin Masks x 2 – Targets fat cells and firms the chin area.
  • Chin Band x 1 – Aids and secures the effects of the chin mask.
  • Tape Measure x 1 – Take measurements of the chin area and witness noticeable results.

Results:

My chin was lifted and I am seriously impressed by the results I achieved in 30 minutes. I would definitely recommend it.

Price: £29.99 for Firming & Contouring Trial Pack

IMG_6253

You can order it from the libbie boutique page:

http://www.libbie.club/shop/customer/offers/ref/Paulina.Lopuch/

Hope you enjoyed reading this review.

X

Vitality Westminster Run-a healthy start of my birthday celebrations

Leave a comment

This year I decided to start my birthday slightly different than usual so I entered to run the 2016 Vitality Westminster Mile that took place on Sunday 29 May 2016.

Throughout the day, there were a series of races for runners of all ages and abilities. 2 weeks before the race I received my final instruction booklet that included some basic information about the race as well as the IPICO Sports Tag. I attached the timing tag to my shoe before my run in order to record an accurate time I managed to complete my race in.

The Start line

My race started at 10:20 a.m.  and I ran it as a part of the Vitality wave ‘Pink’ team. As it was my birthday I decided to wear something slightly more glamorous than my regular gym attire. The Vitality Westminster Mile course started on The Mall and headed towards Admiralty Arch before a right turn into Horse Guards Road following the perimeter of St James’s Park. The course then turned right again into Birdcage Walk. The second half of the race took me past Wellington Barracks before the final right turn into Spur Road and the Finish Line in front of Buckingham Palace.

The Finish line

The race Finish Line was on Spur Road, facing the magnificent Buckingham Palace. Once I crossed the finish Line, one of the marshals removed my timing tag from my shoe. I then received a goody bag containing my medal and some nutritional items before I returned to my fiancée.

Overall experience:

I decided that I want to lead a more active lifestyle back in April and this event was definitely a ‘healthy’ start of my birthday celebrations. I run a mile in 7:37 and I was second in my age group so not a bad result 😉 Following on from this experience I am now committed to run a 5k in a few months’ time. Who knows, maybe I will run a marathon one day!

Hope you enjoyed reading this post!

X

 

The Vogue UK Festival 2016

Leave a comment

The Vogue 2016 Festival ran for 2 days on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of May 2016. As I had some other commitments on Saturday I decided to attend it on Sunday. The event was run in partnership with Harrods and over these 2 days there were a lot of amazing speakers and designers who shared their ideas and participated in some interesting debates. This year’s impressive line-up of speakers included: Alessandro Michele, Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana, Kim Kardashian West, Charlotte Tilbury and Jenny Packham.

Venue and Theme:

The event theme was Vogue’s 100th anniversary. The festival was split between two venues: Vogue World venue which is located on the East Albert Lawn in Kensington Gardens and at the Royal Geographic Society which is located directly opposite. I took a train to High Street Kensington and both venues were only 10 minutes’ walk away.

Vogue Masterclasses

Throughout both days of the Vogue Festival, at the additional fee (£40-80), all participants could attend a range of ‘Super tutorials’ with the best in the industry giving insights into the beauty and fashion.

IMG_5561

IMG_5536IMG_5535

Vogue World Festival Beauty Hall

The Vogue Festival presented some remarkable styling sessions from Vogue’s own fashion and beauty editors. In addition, there were lots of brands offering their signature makeovers i.e. Bobbi Brown, Tom Ford and Kérastase.

All attendees were able to get a digital copy of Vogue Cover with their photo on it. I love mine:

IMG_5564

After a great afternoon at the beauty hall I was on my way to check what the Vogue Shop had to offer. You could find lots of the official Festival merchandise and collaborations including Dolce & Gabbana, Levi’s, Christopher Kane, J Crew and more.

There was a really stylish ‘Vogue Cafe’ on site serving some basic refreshments and some pastries:

IMG_5560

Ticket price:

Ticket prices varied from £25 for a one day entry ticket to £1000 for a ‘Gold Ticket’ that offered inclusive all-weekend access to every talk at the Vogue 100 Festival. In addition, each ticket included a 12-month subscription to the iPad and iPhone edition of Vogue.

Hope you enjoyed reading this post!

X

Getting ready for the Vogue Festival Event 2016

2 Comments

I was asked to attend the Vogue Festival UK event on Sunday 22/05/2016.

As it was one the biggest fashion and beauty events of this year I prepared my outfit in advance and established that I wanted to add a bit of glamour to my usual red-carpet make-up look.

Make-up

Face:

I applied my Laura Mercier make-up base followed by my favorite Dior foundation (Diorskin Forever) and some loose powder. I defined my cheekbones by some bronzing highlighter from Guerlain.

IMG_5518

Eyes:

I prepared a smoky-eyes look using my PUPA Cosmetics palette. A few days before the event I was thinking about my eye-make up and I was certain that I wanted to add some extra volume to my eyelashes and was thinking what the best solution would be. I came up with 2 options:

Short-term solution -FAKE Eyelashes

I wanted to try some fake eye-lashes that will add some extra volume and definition to my eyes. I chose the ‘Glamourise’ eyelashes by Invogue for an intense effect and thick, fuller voluptuous lashes. They were perfect for creating must-have full look for eyes.From what I read on the package: ‘eyelashes by Invogue are hand made, hand tied, quality lashes.’ They were easy to apply and easy to remove. Perfect for a big event like the Vogue Festival. the box contained one pair of lashes, along with lash adhesive and care instructions. If you’ve not tried lashes from the Invogue range yet, now’s the time to do so.

You can see with and without pictures listed below:

Long-term solution was to buy an eyelash serum that would help me to achieve a dream of flirty, long and thick lashes before my wedding in August. I ordered the Invogue Eyelash and brows serum with fibre lashes on my friend’s recommendation.Not only does the product work as a daily serum that strengthens and stimulates growth, it also contains fibres which create instant impact, giving the appearance of fuller, longer and healthier lashes and brows.

IMG_5519

You can purchase both of these products from:

Homepage

Lips:

As I went for the smoky-eyes look and I didn’t want to look like a drag queen I only applied some Clarins Lip oil to finish this look.

Outfit:

I wanted to wear something from a well-established British brand for this occasion thus I prepared my simple Burberry dress and paired it up with Burberry trench coat as it was quite a cold morning. I complimented the outfit with a pair of black Manolo Blahnik flats that added an ooze of glamour and elegance to my ensemble.

I was ready to leave house around 10 a.m. to start my adventure at the Vogue Festival. I will post my festival review in a few days time!

IMG_5524

X

Marie Claire @Work Live event

Leave a comment

I recently attended a great Marie Claire @ Work Live event which took place on Saturday 23rd April 2016. Marie Claire @Work Live event was a day of game-changing talks, practical advice, invaluable mentoring and hands-on workshops. The event took place at the ultra-modern Altitude London-one of Marie Claire @ Work Live sponsors this year. Altitude 360 boast breath-taking views of the London skyline and is one of the most fashionable venues in central London. Other sponsors included Cointreau who provided us with delicious cocktails during the day and NEXT who set up a Style Lounge on the 28th floor and run a lunchtime talk: ‘Buy it once, buy it right’. Throughout the day there were multiple workshops and all attendees were able to join the treatment area offering a fabulous range of express treatments in between the workshops. Murad, Elemis and Face Gym were some of the brands offering their signature mini treatments during the day.

I decided to attend quite a few workshops and seminars during the day.

First up was the ‘Opening keynote panel: Game changers: how can we direct our professional destiny?’ chaired by Marie Claire’s very own Editor In Chief Trish Halpin. Panellists included presenter and journalist Anita Rani, Google’s, Nishma Robb, psychologist, Laverne Antrobus and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, Laura Bates.

Secondly, I decided to attend a workshop about Personal Branding conducted by Linzi Boyd. I previously finished a Diploma in Image Consulting so it was great to hear what she had to say. Linzi demonstrated how important it is to have a strong personal brand you can start to take a strategic approach to achieving that goal.

IMG_1217

Thirdly, I joined the ‘Inspirations’ seminar where I heard from three exceptional women who have made it to the top of their game. Mediacom Chair, Karen Blackett OBE, Stella Creasy MP and bestselling author Sophie Kinsella engaged in inspiring talks about how to succeed.

During the afternoon, I decided to attend: ‘How to change your job prospects’ workshop run by Kathleen Saxton, Founder and CEO of Lighthouse Company. Kathleen started by providing us with some information on her background and during the session she showed the attendees how it’s possible to affect change within our industries or move into an entirely new career altogether. I found her workshop most beneficial and loved her sparkling personality.

Lastly, there was a ‘Closing keynote’ where I joined comedian, actress and writer Isy Suttie for some live-comedy on growing up and getting on with life. Isy was a fabulous closing act and made all the attendees laugh. What a great end to our day!

After all day of pampering and seminars and workshops I joined aMarie Claire’s team and other attendees for a drinks reception. We ended our day with some delicious cocktails provided to us by one of the event sponsors-Cointreau. The day was intense but at the same time I learned a lot from it so I am looking forward to attending it next year.

IMG_1249

Thank you Marie Claire for inviting me to join you during your second @ Work Live event!

X

 

Banquet at the Mansion House, London

2 Comments

I recently attended a super-exclusive event at the Mansion House. My fiancée’s father-Malcolm, invited us to join him and his wife-Karen, at The Worshipful Company of Insurers banquet.

11173335_10206350732877920_738292877815353843_n

It was my first opportunity to visit the home and office of the Lord Mayor. Mansion House is a magnificent building located opposite the Bank of England at Bank Junction in the middle of central London. A number of high profile events are held at the Mansion House each year to provide a platform for cabinet ministers, visiting Heads of Government, and other prominent public figures.

We enjoyed a wonderful evening of fine food and wines, live music and interesting speeches. The event provided a great networking opportunity for all attendees who work in the insurance industry.

I hope to attend more events at the Mansion House soon!

X