IYAAJAY // MENS STYLE BLOG: July 2016

OOTD / NUDE TONES FT TOPMAN // IYAAJAY

July 27, 2016

taupe faux suede snapback - Topman (click here)

tan longline tee - Topman (click here)

shredded denim shorts (using Galluck’s DIY technique check it out here) - Topman (similar available here)

neutral tones such as beige, tan and pink have been a huge trend in the past few months and Ive always been a little sceptical because of my skin tone but I thought id try and introduce some neutral into my wardrobe. I love pairing different shades together such as this taupe snapback with the tan longline to create contrast but also keep within the theme. Pairing it with shredded denim shorts add a bit more edge and detail, especially with seeing hints of skin. Im really pleased with how my DIY came out using a different technique to what Ive done before (Cheers Joel for the hints!) I paired this with white tube socks and my Vans Sk8Hi in black suede for the casual vibe that I love currently but you could easily dress this up with a couple of tweaks (why not take off the hat, and add a revere collar shirt over the top, especially in a floral which would look great)

What do you think of this look? What would you pair these pieces with? Let me know below or on social media using #IYAAJAY

Until next time,

Jay

TWITTER // INSTAGRAM // BLOGLOVIN // FACEBOOK

PREVIOUS POST // SNAPCHAT 'IYAAJAY'

loreal

LOREAL PURECLAY REVIEW // IYAAJAY

July 18, 2016

I don't often do skincare reviews as I'm no expert on the subject (If you want to read great skincare reviews, head over to MANFACE, where Thom creates some amazing content and reviews) but when I did read a press release regarding these, I knew I had to get my hands on them as soon as they launched.

Making their move into the mask market, there are 3 available in the PureClay masks; Detox, Glow and Purity, all which claim to target the three main areas of skincare. Now as with every new product, I'm always a little sceptical because theres no other reviews to read, no other people to ask so its risky but I'm so glad I took this plunge.

The packaging is incredibly weighty and feels a lot more expensive then it is (£7.99 per pot for approx 10 uses), my only little gripe is theres no applicator which means you've gotta stick your fingers right in which if you have a slight thing with germs isn't the best but hey, I'm shoving those fears aside for this product. I usually love Loreal products, especially their haircare, so I was excited to try these out and push them to the limits.I tend to hate the smell of these products but they're all slightly fragranced to take off the weird musty/muddy smell they all seem to have (or is that just me?) I love the fact that these can either be applied all over the face, or you can create a combo that fits perfectly to the different areas of your face (like Ive done) I suffer with a super oily T zone, so I made sure to hit this area with the Detox mask, a dark grey with charcoal that aims to detoxify and clarify, when feeling the T zone now feels super smooth with a decrease in pore size. Ive used charcoal masks before and found that they're usually really drying and irritating but this one, with its creamy formula has left my skin treated without the crusty dry feeling. The reddish areas of my face, I've used the Glow mask, placed where the light would usually hit my face (temples and under eye area) With its added Red Algae, it brightens and exfoliates the skin, really giving it that added boost and perk. My under eye area nows looks brighter and more refreshed and dewy. Finally the mint green areas are the Purity mask with Eucalyptus which purifies and mattifies skin which is great if you have combo skin where it can be dry at times or oily. I decided to use this where I have been getting quite a few spots to calm down the skin and also take off the shine of being busy/a little sweaty (anyone else hate that weird sheen you get if your just a bit too hot?)

All in all, I definitely recommend these as a great introduction into face masks and also finding what suits your skin and I can't wait to really get use out of these.

Until next time,

Jay

TWITTER // INSTAGRAM // BLOGLOVIN // FACEBOOK

PREVIOUS POST // SNAPCHAT 'IYAAJAY'

brand ambassador

OOTD / BASIC FT TOPMAN // IYAAJAY

July 15, 2016

Taking looks back to basic is always a great way to shake up the wardrobe and theres nothing easier to wear than a white tee and jeans, so it got me thinking, how would I style such a simple look? Well luckily, the sun was out, I grabbed my camera and headed out to show you guys.

white rib textured t-shirt - Topman (click here)

light wash blue ripped stretch skinny jeans - Topman (click here)

1461 smooth 3 eye shoes - Dr Martens (click here)

suede belt - Uniqlo (no longer available, but similar from ASOS)

What do you think of this look? What would you pair these pieces with? Let me know below or on social media using #IYAAJAY

Until next time,

Jay

TWITTER // INSTAGRAM // BLOGLOVIN // FACEBOOK

PREVIOUS POST // SNAPCHAT 'IYAAJAY'

dior

RECENT PICKUPS / DIOR // IYAAJAY

July 12, 2016

Im super sorry I've not done a new post in a while, works got super busy lately (if you work in retail, you know that this gap between July and September is usually busy with back to school and students) but I got away for my weeks holiday to Spain with the family last week and it was such a great time to kick back, get some sun and also relax because I never seem to slow down. To get a proper break, I didnt take my phone, laptop, iPad etc with me so I had no distractions and could totally unwind.

Whilst away, I visited Barcelona for the annual 'splurge-a-thin' where I usually pick up something that I've been saving for and this time, I really wanted to finally get my hands on Dior sunglasses (I was super close last month but had such issues with trying to get them that I decided to walk away from one pair) so I decided to take the opportunity to try on all the different styles and see which ones would really be great for me.

black tie 220s - Dior Homme ⎨if these are out of the price range, ASOS has this pair available⎬

*deep breathing* CAN WE JUST?! I can't believe I finally managed to get these after originally falling for these when I visited Selfridges at the beginning of the year (and falling also for the Reflected, the So Real and seriously contending with the Abstract)

I feel that these will be a classic staple because they're almost like a reinvented take on the wayfarer/aviator hybrid which I think are the best of both worlds for when it comes to a investment piece. I picked these up from Solaris, which is the european arm of Vision Express, where they had these on sale for 30% off the original price of 359 euros (£302.76) to 251 euros (£211.68) which is a huge saving on the UK base price of £335.

sauvage eau de toilette - Dior Homme

Another Dior purchase that I've been meaning to make for such a long time was the Sauvage fragrance that I've been loving lately. I picked mine up at Fernans, which is a selection of department stores that deal in fragrance and cosmetics in Salou and Tarragona, where they were having 21% off (which is the Spanish tax %) so I snapped mine up for around 60 euros (£50.64) With notes of Bergamot, Ambroxan, Geranium, Pepper, Lavender, Vetiver and Patchouli, the lasting power is pretty incredible as it starts off very heady and deep but really softens down into a warming scent which has got me tons of compliments so far.

Until next time,

Jay

TWITTER // INSTAGRAM // BLOGLOVIN // FACEBOOK

PREVIOUS POST // SNAPCHAT 'IYAAJAY'