Excited to try products from the UK Global Makeup Awards 2019

Hi Everyone, 

It's been a while since I've done a makeup post.  In fact the last one was on NARS cheek palette. There is absolutely nothing I love more than must-have makeup pieces.  In fact, the NARS cheek palette in my last post was from my sister on recommendation from a beauty specialist at SpaceNK and boy was she right with that palette.  It was just perfect.

It's hard to know what is great makeup to go for without spending an absolute arm and a leg - especially when you make mistakes.  I hate going for a foundation and then finding out I hate it.  Who wants a powder finish foundation?  Ummm... hello wrinkles!!?

So in the quest for finding out some cool must have beauty pieces I actually stumbled upon the UK Global Makeup Awards on twitter.  This is super exciting to me as it's nice to find out actually what is the best mascara compared to all of them and not having to try myself and get them wrong! 

I've been following the winners from the awards and the reason why I'm excited as I know about 25% off the brands and products and absolutely agree with them winning the awards.  That means the judges must know their salt... right? either that or we just have identical taste ha!  For example - one thing we have in common is a love for foreo.  I didn't realise other people had even heard of this brand - and here it is, my absolutely favourite Foreo UFO mini wining an award in the www.globalmakeupawards.com - so exciting!

Love FOREO! Anyone else tried out this gem - I thought I was the only one - but it turns out the Global Makeup Awards love it too :)

There are some brands which everyone has heard of in the awards like Shiseido and Dr Lipp.   Anyone else was addicted to Dr Lipp when they were 18?  I'm excited to see they're still out there and they're now brought out some funky natural toned shades to the range.  Very tempted to try them out!

Speaking of which -  I was really interested to see who the lip winners were.  I am always struggling to find a good lipstick or lipgloss brand.  Im really specific with colours - I only wear nude or fuschia.  Hilarious as they are very hard colours to pull off and I'm not even doing it to be showy - i just do not suit a red or a dark lip.  It makes my lips look small and my teeth not white. Ergh.  So I was really interested to see winners included (apart from Dr Lipp. ) brands such as Avon.  Very interesting - I thought you only got Avon from reps but I can see from the link you can buy online.  Their award winning lip tattoo looks awesome and its only cheap so I am thinking of buying it.  Have you guys tried it?  You line your lip and with the other end fill it in. It means you've got the perfect shade for both always.  How awesome!? and their fuschia (is that how you spell it, it looks wrong hmmmmm) looks awesome.  It's already in my basket so watch out for an upcoming review.

 Also some lesser well known brands but ones I love anyway like PHB which is a natural and vegan brand.  This is totally on trend at the moment so I predict PHB blowing up in the beauty sphere.  However, as I said- I only had heard of about 25% of the brands in the awards.  I think its amazing that it wasn't just high street names, but lesser known names.  It really has encouraged me to look more online for beauty. At the end of the day, I do it for cloths, so why not for my makeup? This made looking at who the winners were in this cosmetics more interesting to me for sure.  

Have you guys checked out the winners - maybe you know more than me?  Maybe my 25% is quite dire and everyone has heard of the brand names???? I am beyond curious.  Let me know in the comments what you think??

Lots of love and hugs

Fiocco xxx

New Nouveau lashes enhance mascara for eyelash extensions review

The New Nouveau Lashes mascara review

Hey!

As you know I've been using the brand nouveau lashes for a while and really enjoyed their lash growth serum for longer lashes.  But recently I decided to treat myself to their Enhance mascara.

Enhance Mascara by Nouveau Lashes

The reason I purchased this mascara was because I had false eyelash extensions and was warned that not all mascara was good for extensions or could make them fall out quicker. This mascara, however, was made precisely for those who want to enhance their eyelash extensions.

Maybe one of the reasons it works is that is just comes away easily with warm water in the shower.  So you don't have to rub your delicate eyelashes with cleanser.  It also is developed so it doesn't affect the adhesive bond.

I also used this mascara for a holiday in Puglia which involved a lot of swimming, and and general damage and yet the lashes stayed in place.  For £19.00 for this mascara I think it's a great price if you are someone who wears false lashes or extensions.  You can of course use it when you're not wearing false lashes as well as it works great as a gentle normal mascara. I would personally recommend it for your makeup bag.

As a mascara I thought it was good for lengthening.  It does also volumise but I didn't use that much as I already had false extensions in .  I more just wanted to enhance the extensions and this Enhance Mascara by Nouveau lashes does just the job.

There is also one more special thing to say about this mascara and it's the double edged wand.  I can't believe more mascaras don't do this.  I love a fluffier look so really adore the side with many bristles.  Such a great idea depending on what look you want, or maybe you might use one side for the bottom lashes.

5/5, a truly awesome mascara for lash extensions xxx

#LashGang

What a whirlwind 2018

It's been a whirlwind 2018.... and I'm back and ready to blog!!!

It's been filled with incredible highs, lows and has been an all round roller coaster.  Sorry I've been away from the blogging game for a while.  I had been completely overwhelmed and distracted by work, but now, 2019 is time to take a breather, and go back to what I love.  Which is blogging, eating, makeup, beauty, fashion and entrepreneurialism!

In March 2018, I was proposed to by the love of my life in New York on top of the Rockefeller Centre from the Rainbow lounge.  With breathtaking views of the skyscrapers across New York, I have to admit it caught me completely unaware and became the happiest day of my life.

Getting engaged at Rainbow Lounge / Bar 65 at the Rockefeller Centre in New York

Sorry for the hazy photo.  Iphone's front taking camera in the dark has never been its strongest selling point.  But there are plenty more photos coming up of our amazing trip to New York.  Would you guys be interested in my top recommendations for attractions?

Anyway, going back to the location.  I had only chosen the Rainbow bar as it seemed like an Iconic New York skybar to hang out in.  It is dripping with glamour, and the waiting staff who make the cocktails are dressed like they should be serving at a Great Gatsby party.  With a menu full of champagne cocktails it is truly a place to remember for ever.  If you are planning a trip to New York I cannot recommend enough.  Be sure to book though otherwise you can only stand and a place like this definitely gets packed out on a Friday night.

Rainbow Lounge / Bar 65 at the Rockefeller Centre in New York

I actually got the photo above from their website and it definitely doesn't do the views justice.  The windows are  al round making it feel like you have a true 360 panoramic view of New York.  This is just what I was after as a Londoner.  I was completely consumed with taking photos that my other half actually had quite the struggle trying to get the proposal in.... oops!

I have so much to say about 2018, but this was really the starting point for me.  A trip to New York with the love of my life, exploring, enjoying and then ending up engaged too. After 7 years together it wasn't something that I was waiting for in that expect moment and absolutely took my breath away.  The months that followed were some of the busiest.  I hope you enjoy reading about the crazy year I had in the next posts as well as a few intermittent posts on my favourite places to explore in London.

OOTD Asos Black Mesh insert Maxi dress

Hey Dolls, 

I don't often post formal OOTDs on here but here's a goody.  It's called Black mesh insert maxi dress. It is a stunning dress perfect for formal occasions and was an absolute bargain from Asos.

Sooo drumroll on the price.... Just £17!  Can you believe it!?  Reduced from £25.99 and available here.

It's hard when youv'e got a formal occasion but you need a new dress.  I have several lovely formal dresses - did you see the melon coloured Alberta Ferretti dress?  But if you are with the same crowd it is often hard to repeat the same dress.  So, I had a little search on ASOS through their floor lengths and ended up getting two very similar ones.

I love the elegance of this racer neck dress and it has a stunning back which is a bit of a T style.  The material isn't the most expensive, but hey, what do you expect for £17!  It also has a thigh length split and looks perfect with heels in any colour.  It has a thin mesh see-through panel under the bust which I just love.

But I also bought a second dress which I didn't wear....and I love it more but it's a tad too short and was also another bargain at £25. (ps I'm 5 foot 10 so a floor length dress is a little tricky).  This one was a Club L racer front dress - but it is just too short and unforgiving because of its mermaid bottom.  I didn't have the heart to turn it back though....perhaps I'll wear it one day with no heels?

Love my LBD from ASOS

What do you think?  I think it was a fabulous buy for such a good price and a great way to wear a new outfit perfect for the occasion without breaking the bank!

Fiocco xxx

Makeup of the day and hair of the day

Hey Dolls, 

I haven't done a makeup or hair of the day in forever!

I have been loving this eye of horus mascara in black - this is a little gem of a makeup brand and I have been using their liquid eyeliner a lot too including in the below pictures.  The mascara retails for £18.00, which I think is a good price to pay for a decent mascara.  It separates and lengthens without leaving lashes clumpy. I also love having makeup in my makeup bag that not everyone has!!

So I went pretty natural on the face - I was using B50 foundation from YSL in the Teint Touche and followed by Hula bronzer from Benefit.  The look as all about the lashes so I wanted to keep my skin as natural as possible and also finished with a super nude Chanel lipstick.

I have been obsessed lately with Chanel's Rouge Coco moisturising lipsticks.  They leave a little shine on lips which looks great and is comfortable to wear. I am using Colour 400 Louise

To finish thhe Makeup of the Day is of course Hair of the  day!  I have been using:

 Kérastase Chronologiste Revitalizing Shampoo, Care Conditioner And Balm Treatment Trio

This fabulous revitliasing hair trio is currently discounted on Lookfantastic by £25 - so make sure you don't miss out. The third step - the hair mask is my absolute favorite of the three.  My hair was so glossy and shiny after using it when usually I have very dull and dry hair.  My brush went straight through without too much problems on tangles which makes it an absolute winner for me and has become a firm favourite!!  It is definitely worth the money in my opinion and a must-have for those with long hair prone to splitting.

So there we go! My hair and makeup favourites for the day!

Stay tunes for more as I have been discovering some beauties this month!

xxxxx

Nouveau Extend - eyelash extension review

Hey there!

As a proud brand ambassador part of my #Lashgang project I was invited to try out a Nouveau Extend treatment which is for eyelash extensions.

I LOVE wearing false eyelashes, and normally use the strip lashes, so I was really interested to try something which lasts longer.  The Nouveau Extend treatment is estimated to last 8 weeks so I can't wait to have a month of stunning lashes.

Yesterday I popped along to the Chelsea Day Spa to have my treatment done.  After a consultation with the Ultimate Lash Technician on the type of look I wanted (just a bit more than natural with a curve and more at the outer edges) it was time for the treatment.  You can't feel a thing, and the beautician applies each lash carefully one by one in what is an hour long treatment.  Lying with your eyes closed and with the gentle spa music in the background it almost sends you to sleep!

I have to say my before and after pictures are INCREDIBLE.  I think the pictures speak for themselves - longer lashes, more lashes and with an incredible curve.  I almost cried when I looked in the mirror to see those long sweeping princess lashes.  You also can't see there they've been applied as they magically look like part of your own lash.

The best part  is, despite them being long, thick and volumnous, it doesn't look like false eyelashes, they just look like you have naturally pretty insane lashes!  As you can tell I am over the moon with this treatment and would definitely go back there again.  I think this treatment is great for all year round as it mean you don't need o much makeup as you are already made up.  Personally I would love this look every day of the week January -December.  As it happens I'm off on holiday next week and love the idea of waking up with lashes like these every day.

Below are pictures before the Nouveau Extend treatment and immediately after.

The picture below was taken the day after and as you can see the lashes still look fabulous, long and natural

#NouveauExtend

All I can say is that this was a 10/10 treatment and I am in love with the results.  I don't know why but having amazing long lashes is such a confidence boost and makes you feel great walking out the door.

Thank you to Nouveau Lashes for this incredible semi permanent eyelash extension - I am in love with the Nouveau Extend treatment! xx
Fiocco

Artdeco Arctic Beauty Blush

Hello!

I have a gorgeous wintery beauty find for you all - 

It's a snowflake packaged blush by Artdeco called Arctic Beauty Blush in the shade 'ice garden'.  I have been wearing it all this week and have really enjoyed its three different dusky pink hues.

In the below pictures I have a little on my cheeks but have also used it as an all over powder.  The shade as I mentioned, is a dusky pink and blends beautifully in to give a natural blush to the skin.  I love the roseyness of this shade as it looks like you have a glow to the cheeks like when it's called outside - making its name Arctic blush even more perfect! 

I have also used the lightest colour  also my nose as an illuminator - perfect for not having to carry around too many different makeup items at once.  I love how this blush is perfect for highlighting the cheeks with blush and also for an all over glow.  The shimmer is also very light so you don't have to worry about big glittery particles which is the case with some other blushes!

The packaging makes it absolutely ideal for winter and I love having it in my purse for this time of year.  That being said, it is probably only going to be appropriate during the winter season so you better snap this up quick - and even more so because it is limited edition!

The blush also contains vitimins C and E, making it good for your skin by nourishing it.  I love knowing that when I'm wearing good quality makeup that it's these little things that keep your skin healthy and smooth.  I have also been experimenting with some other goodies from Artdeco so make sure to stay tuned to see what they are :)

Artdeco Arctic Beauty Blush in Ice Garden has a RRP of £22.30 and is limited edition - available form selected beauty salons and spas nationwide from the end of October



Fiocco xxx

*product sent for consideration and review

Essentials: Art Deco, Label.M and Batiste

This June, there have been three products which have been overwhelmingly used, to the point I would even describe them as Essentials. 

I don't use the word 'essential' lightly either, they say that the average woman has 70 products in her bathroom, but only uses 14 of them daily.  And the three products which I'm going to talk about today, definitely fall into that second category, as not a day goes by without me using them.

They are: 

1) Art Deco - Skin Perfecting Make-up Base

2) Label M Therapy Age defying Radiance Oil

3) Batiste Heavenly Volume Dry Shampoo

THE ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS IN ALL THEIR GLORY

REVIEWS

1) Art Deco - Skin Perfecting Make-up Base £16.59 available (here)

This is an incredible light primer which goes under makeup.  I love this product as it is silicone free but smoothly goes onto the skin and minimises pores.  It also keeps make up set in place all day while at the same time providing a more even finish to your makeup - which is of course the main reason I use it every day!

It is definitely a brand to try as it has a nice over all finish compared to other brands such as Benefits POREfessional which can be a bit too thick.

2) Label M Therapy Age defying Radiance Oil £25.50 available from Look Fantastic

As you can see there is only about a third left of this product.

I don't know where to start on this product, as there are so many reasons to love it.   Firstly, the smell is divine, which is a must have with a finishing hair product.

Secondly, it smooths frizz without leaving any greasy residue at all.  I use this product after blow drying to give my hair a silky feel, and it absolutely does that nourishing the hair completely, so it looks and feels great.

Thirdly, this product lasts months, even if you use it every day like me.  It just takes one small push of serum to work through the whole hair.  I absolutely would recommend all girls to try this miracle Radiance Oil.

Incidently this product is from Look Fantastic - a heavenly website with a really great variety of beauty must haves which you don't find on the highstreet and has a great range of high quality products.

3)  Batiste Dry Shampoo Heavenly Volume £3.99 from Boots and Superdrug 

Ok, I might not use this every day but it definitely is a hair essential.  This is the perfect rescue remedy if your hair is looking limp and needs a real pick-me-up.

This product has the dual purpose of boosting and volumising the hair as well as making grease disappear.  An absolute handbag must have.

So that's my round up of my absolute 3 essential products...and a picture of me today using all three!

Have you tried any of these products, what do you think of them?

Nu Skin bloggers event

 Good Morning!

I went to a fabulous beauty bloggers event ran by Nu Skin last week in Soho, London.  They had branded taxis which picked us up personally which really gave an exclusive feel to the event and made a nice change to getting the tube!

Nu Skin is a skin care brand which specialises in anti-ageing, nutritionals and weight management. They've been taking the UK by storm this year and have celebrated with an exclusive bloggers event.

I was so interested in their product range I couldn't wait to hear more and was super excited by my exclusive gift bag.  They even had their team fly over from Copenhagen to run the event, including the product specialist Jennifer who went to great lengths to make sure we knew all about their products as well as their Force for Good Foundation.  I really felt like I got to know the company and their products before trying  them out.

The beautifully set up Nu Skin centre

Me chatting to one of the other bloggers, Zen.

Getting stuck in with the Galvanic Spa

It was a really interactive event, and they got all the bloggers to try out their home spa called the Galvanic Spa.  As you can see in the picture above I was really getting stuck into the whole thing.  I mean, if this really is the 'home' answer to getting a facial done then I was keen on trying it out for myself!

The Nu Skin Galvanic Spa (link) is a sleek little machine which is used with charged gels, a pre treatment and a treatment.  The whole treatment takes just 5 minutes which is a huge amount of time saved compared to booking and going out for a facial.

The Nu Skin Galvanic Spa

My skin felt so clean and pure after using it.  It reduced all my redness giving my face a more even skin tone.  Also, my pores looked much smaller which has always been a huge concern of mine!

Oh, and they also have a delicious botanical range called Epoch.  I was absolutely smitten with the Baobab Body butter (link).  It is so hydrating but doesn't leave any sticky feeling at all.  It's also much denser than other body butters, giving it a much more luxurious feel when applying.  The foot softening cream 'Sole Solution' is also absolutely fab after a long day in the office and refreshes those aching feet while making them much smoother.

The Nu Skin Epoch collection

I would definitely recommend these Nu Skin products and over all I had an absolutely fab time at their bloggers event, especially getting whisked off in one of their taxis at the end of the night too!

Have you guys tried Nu Skin products??

If you have then definitely let me know!

xxx 

ps All products are available online from www.nuskin.com or from a registered distributor.

Amalfi Coast OOTD

Good morning!

It's really hard to describe a place like the Amalfi Coast, as I'll never do it any justice.  So here are a few snapshots of it's beauty.  We drove all the way down the coast for  several hundred miles, and it was pretty much all like the shot below - deep blue sees, green mountains and pink flowers.

Travelling I like to be as comfortable as possible, especially when we were driving for so long.  So I just wore trusty old denim shorts with this cute little 'Elland Vest' from Jack Wills. It's now in the sale too for just £14.00 - an absolute bargain as it's a top which goes with everything.  I then just matched with with some nude gap leather flipflops

I have a bit of an all blue OOTD, but whenever I'm by the sea, I always find myself wearing colours which mirror the sea! Weird I know, but I absolutely love it. This casual outfit was perfect for keeping me cool and comfortable and yet great too for casual trips to the beach, bars and restaurants.  Speaking of which - if you find yourself down towards the Amalfi coast, make sure you try the pizza 'Sorrentino' which uses fresh buffalo mozzerella, pendolini tomatoes and tonnes of basil.  You won't regret it I promise!

So that's it for now - I hope I've given you a bit of inspiration to go on a road trip round the Amalfi Coast too.  I know I can't wait to get back!

Lots of love xx

OOTD in Sorrento

 Hello lovely ladies,

It's hot hot hot and frankly, I couldn't be happier!  I love when the sun is out creating beautiful sunsets and you can go out at night and enjoy the cool air.  It reminds me of the holiday I just got back from in Sorrento so this is n OOTD which can be recreated here in our glorious British weather that we're having at the moment.

Clothes - I wore a Zara white long sleeve top with transparent shoulder panels (it is super thin though so perfect for the evening) with a dark blue zara pleated mini skirt.

Makeup -  I had a tan so foundation was out the door as a colour match with a tan is near impossible and paramount to sacrilegious! So instead I just put on powder to minimise the shine, bright fuschia YSL lipgloss and lashings of mascara.

Hair - Super straight with Label M age defying radiance oil.  I can't live without this oil - it is non greasy and does an amazing job at minimising frizz and making it smell delicious. It retails at £25.50 - this is pricey but I would definitely say its worth it.

It looks like I'm wearing old school 10 denier tights but this is my tan, can you believe it!

So that was my OOTD - I felt sleek and sophisticated in this outfit and absolutely perfect for an evening out on the Amalfi coast.  Italians always nail their outfits and I tried not to be the garish brit abroad with florescent shorts ( I saved those for the beach - you'll be getting a peak of them soon!)

I'm off to Italy

Hello my lovely ladies,

I'm off to Italy for a week!  As you may know I lived there from 2011-2013 so can't wait to get back and see some people I've missed and obviously have some incredible pizza!

Unfortunately I don't have a computer over there so you won't hear from me for a few days, but don't worry, I'll make sure I find some incredible beauty finds whilst I'm there!

Just to leave you with a couple of photos from last July of one of my favourite places - the harbour at Vallugola. I love seeing people jet off and enjoy the sea :)

Lots of love,

Fiocco bianco xxx

Nair Washable Roll-On Wax with Argan Oil & Orange Blossom Review

Hello my lovlies, 

Today I'm writing a review on Nair washable Roll -On Wax with Argan Oil and Orange Blossom (link).  I'm going to be honest with you all and let you know that this was sent for consideration and review.  And do you know what, I'm so glad I was sent this as it has opened my eyes to the world of home waxing and helped me find no short of a miracle product.

I use home waxing kits regularly as they're much cheaper than going to a salon, but if I'm honest, my results had never been salon quality until today.  I think the success of Nair's roll on wax is because this wax is hot, has a suitable non-messy applicator and comes with salon quality cotton strips that are thicker than the usual pre waxed strips you get which allows you to removal all the wax easily in one go.

The results were just incredible - so much so I think I can only now use this sort of wax in the future due to the success I had with it.  There's no way I'm going back to a salon as the results were just as good and at a fraction of salon prices.  

Below are some pictures of me waxing my legs - sorry if your squeamish!

So the picture isn't great as I was using my iphone but I wanted to catch the moment.  Basically, in the box you receive a  roll on applicator.  You take of the safety plug and then pop it in the microwave for just 25 seconds.  Then you just roll a few times and the product comes out of the roller applicator end.  You then roll out the desired amount and then attach a cotton strip, hold the skin tight and pull it off.

The cotton strips are much bigger than the usual 'pre waxed' strips you would get.  They're much thicker and you can use them over and over just like in the salons.

Some how, with just one pull, I removed ALL the wax and hairs.  This has never happened to me before with at home waxing and I really didn't think it was possible until now except in the salons.  I really cannot stress enough how much this roll-on wax really worked.  It is also scented with argan oil and orange blossom which smelt very pleasant.

So here's my post wax picture and all the hair has been removed.  I am literally over the moon at finding this product, as even though it was sent for consideration and review, I can hand on heart say I will be repurchasing this A LOT.  My whole legs were waxed in under 10 minutes and with very little pain and absolutely no mess.  Because the strip pulled of all the wax I wasn't left with gloopy bits on my legs sticking to the towel or any other debris lying around.

So, I think you can tell I am going to give Nair's washable roll on wax with Argan oil and Orange blossom 10/10.  I don't believe any other home wax can actually beat this one. If you wax your legs at home you have to give it a try because of its amazing results and absolute bargain price.  It costs £12.99, but I did my whole legs and only used half the bottle and I'm saving the rest for the next time I need it.  I'm absolutely in love with this product and would recommend it 100% to any girl.

It is available from Boots, Superdrug and Tesco.

Freshlook Colorblend Contact lenses in Gray

Morning my beauties!

Today I thought I would give a little insight into my favourite coloured lenses.  I naturally have hazel eyes, but I always play around with coloured contact lenses - green, gray, brown, blue - you name it, I've probably tried it! When I have these lenses in I just wear a flash of mascara and some eyeliner as I want to show of the coloured lenses and not distract from it with heavy eyeshadow.

They're great fun if you have to wear contacts anyway, giving you perfect vision whilst at the same time making your look complete.  I always use freshlook colorblend contacts (available here from vision direct) as they don't completely change your eye colour, as the name suggests, it blends your chosen colour with your real colour.

This is my current favourite colour - it's Gray by Colorblend.  I've tried the Sterling gray before, but that was more of an ice gray and though looked incredible, it wasn't very believable.  I always like to retain an element of natural (yeah yeah I know coloured contacts aren't the height of subtlety) and this shade of Gray could be almost believable that it was my own.

I wear these both for work and play, as I love playing around with different looks and need to wear contacts anyway.  If you're someone who wear lenses, you should definitely try them out, as they're not too expensive  and a great way to make the most of bad eyesight!

I get mine from www.visiondirect.com as they have always been reliable and have a great price: £24.00 for one pair or £40.00 for two.  Compared to normal clear contacts its actually quite a great deal and has made me quite the slave to them for the last three years or so!

Have you guys ever tired coloured contact lenses??? How did it go, do you still wear them?

Lots of love
Fiocco Bianco xxx

Istanbul 2014

Hello my lovelies, 

Sorry it's been such a while since I've written a post - I've been away to Istanbul.  Such a magical city and with even more baklava (99% of the reason I wanted to go there!).  It was a great 5 day escape but with so much of the city to see I've been left wanting to go back for more.  But the highlight of the trip was the amazing hand made burek these ladies made!

Pictures speak a thousand works so I've put a few my my favorites below.  It was pretty chilly so I'm hiding away in my fur trim jacked and jeans.  Such a fail safe outfit in chilly weather especially when going on river cruises!

 Even though it was cold there was crisp blue sky and the sea was a stunning dark blue for the whole trip.  We couldn't resist a boat ride along the river and it was so good we ended up doing it twice and at a bargain price of just £5.00.  So if you get the chance, make sure you go for a river cruise!

There was such an incredible sunset it really made Istanbul look enchanted with its mosques under the glow of the sun and the chanting running through the city. If you go, make sure you check out the fishermen passing there day on the bridge!

The blue mosque in all its glory

We literally ate over 2 kilos of baklava here!

Turkish coffee - don't drink it until there end otherwise you'll eat the beans!

Have you guys ever been to Istanbul?  It was such a great city break and such a last second decision to go but I would recommend it to everybody! Now to hit  the gym after all that baklava and kebab! :P

Lots of love

Fiocco xxx