Kerry1487

First Experience with Gelish

2012-01-29T18:18:00.000Z

During the week before christmas I had the sudden urge to get a more longer lasting manicure, one that would see me through the holidays and withstand all the cooking and cleaning.

Now i've dabbled with OPI Axxium before and really enjoyed this treatment but its more expensive in my salon than the Gelish so I thought this was worth a try.

Luckily I managed to nab a last minute appointment the day before Christmas Eve. I couldn't believe how quick the application was. My nails were complete in half an hour and that included soaking them first whilst the beautician finished up with another client.

To keep with the festive theme I chose Hot Rod Red with Good Gossip on top to add a bit of sparkle.

On my nails the Gelish lasted three weeks and my nails grow quickly so I definitely got my moneys worth. Unfortunately I failed to take any pictures and am only realising now but thought I would continue with the post anyway as I will certainly be treating myself to Gelish again.

Seeing how simple the procedure was has really inspired me to try it at home and i've already been browsing eBay for UV lamps and Nail Harmony colours. For those of you who carry out DIY Gelish at home and have any tips please leave a comment below.

On an exciting note (well for me anyway), my very first Glossybox is winging it's way to me. This is the first beauty box i've subscribed to so we shall shall if I keep it up. Right now I'm avoiding any spoilers of whats inside the box, namely Gemma's blog.

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

I'm back... with an in & out

2011-07-31T13:21:00.000+01:00

It's been almost a year since I last did a blog post so you probably weren't expecting me to make an appearance on your blog roll any time soon.

There's been a combination of reasons behind my hiatus, some of which will feature in this post.

So rather than bore you any longer, lets get on with it...

- moving house - me and the fiance have purchased our first home. In February we moved into our two bedroom apartment so the majority of my time has been spent redecorating, furnishing it and in general settling in.

- the new addition to our family. A house wouldn't be a home to us without a dog so along came Lola, a black pug who is now 7 months old.

- reconnecting with makeup. I had kind of lost touch with makeup and just stuck with the same products everyday namely studio fix fluid and patina and mulch on the eyes but now i've enjoyed delving back into my stash and playing with products i'd long forgotten about.

- Youtube - as well as not blogging, I gave up on YT too and that also went for not watching any videos but the other night I sat down and watched my first video in months which was from hollyYMBB.

OUT

- being cheese and egg intolerant. No more pizza and pancakes for me :-(

- dry skin. Lately my skin has been really dry and flakey. Nothing seems to be hydrating enough and no exfoliator removes it.

I want to say a big thank you to those who have continued to follow my blog even though I haven't updated this in so long.

I hope everyones had a great weekend and i'll leave you all with a photo of Lola when she was 8 weeks old.

Dupe Alert!

2010-09-13T20:40:00.000+01:00

Now I can finally cross NARS Albatross off my want list as I think i've found the perfect dupe and at a considerably cheaper price might I add.

I placed a small order from E.L.F a few weeks ago which consisted of Natural Nymph mineral lipstick (love!) and Gotta Glow blush from their Studio line.

I would not refer to this product as a blush. For one it's not your everyday cheek colour and two it's not a product you would want to be heavy handed with. However it's a beautiful product none the less and at £3.50 you couldn't beat it with a big stick.

In real life it appears as an off white with lots of shimmer...

Swatched - a beautiful champagne colour

And on application has pretty much the same effect as MAC's Vanilla pigment

You don't have to take my word for it seeing as I don't own NARS Albatross to do a proper comparison but feel free to google a swatch and form your own opinion.

What dupes have you found lately?

Let me introduce you...

2010-08-27T19:21:00.000+01:00

to the Goody Start Style Finish 43mm Ceramic Ionic Porcupine Hot Round Brush. Now exhale!

I stumbled across this bad boy in Boots whilst looking for a round brush, something similar to the BrushLab Thermal Jumbo Hair Brush so that I could attempt LolaMarie7's "round brush your hair" tutorial. I'm sure you have already seen it but for those who haven't you can watch it here.

I've never heard of this brand before but after a bit of research with the aid of Google i've discovered they produce a wide range of brushes and combs for every stage of hair styling. They claim by selecting a tool from each step you'll see your best results yet.

This brush promises to:-

- add volume

- help reduce frizz

- straighten

I can vouch for 2 of the 3. I've come to accept that my hair doesn't retain volume. If your hair is thick/heavy like mine I wouldn't expect miracles from this brush. Saying that however the bristles have reduced frizz and made my hair feel uber soft plus it takes me half the time to blow dry my hair due to the quick dry ceramic plates.

Despite its bulky size, it's relatively light therefore it's easy to maneuver through your hair. I'm a big fan of the porcupine bristles. A lot of brushes are made entirely of the flexible bristles however the Goody brush has a combination . For my hair type I need a sturdier bristle to get through my mop. My hairdresser always jokes that I have a lot of hair hence why it's so thick.

This brush has pushed my Denman paddle brush to the back of the drawer.

The Goody brush range is stocked in Boots but you can also check out their website. Prices range from £3.49 to £11.99.

Have you tried any Goody brushes?

What Sundays are all about

2010-08-22T15:11:00.000+01:00

For me Sundays are about 3 things:-

1) sleeping in late and lounging about the house all day (pyjamas optional)

2) catching up on blogs, YT etc.

3) experimenting with makeup

When you have no plans it's great to play around with different makeup looks, at the end of the day no one will see you and you can remove it and start over if you wish.

Today I stepped away from my usual black gel liner and opted for an eggplant shade in the form of Gosh's Funky Violet Velvet Touch Eye Liner. I can't remember the last time I was without my Blacktrack Fluidline, so you can say this is definitely out of my comfort zone.

I'm not usually one for pencil liners either however this has a creamy formula and is waterproof. This is true to it's word and will be a job for my cleanse off oil to remove.

This is how it looks on. You can apply it lightly or as heavily as you like.

The weekend also welcomes a change to adventurous nail colours. My nail of the day is Models Own Jade which I first spied in Augusts edition of Cosmopolitan and just had to have it.

With Flash

Without Flash

If like me you don't like Barry M Mint Green. Try Jade Stone. It's got a thicker consistency so no streaking however I only applied this last night and already there are signs of chipping :s

What other colours are must haves from Model's Own?

Another FOTD...

2010-07-19T18:37:00.000+01:00

This week i've been dabbling in wearing more makeup. I returned from Turkey on Monday :( and whilst away I didn't wear a lot, if any at all, except a thick coat of mascara and some lip balm. Usually I don't like my freckles but this year I embraced them.

So without further ado this is the slap that featured today and the day before that etc.

Face:

* A bit of MAC SFF to allow my freckles to show through and even out my skin tone

* Chanel Bronze Universal as a bronzer and contour

* NYX cream blush in Glow

Eyes:

* MAC Style Snob all over the lid

* MAC Antiqued in the crease and on lower lashline

* MAC Blacktrack fluidline on top lashline

* Maxfactor 2000 Calorie mascara (my HG)

Lips:

*good old Carmex

* YSL Rouge Volupte No. 2

Holidays are perfect for giving your skin a chance to breathe not to mention a healthy glow which is a shame really to mask it in heavy coverage foundations. Thankfully my MAC Face and Body foundation arrived today and I can't wait to give it a whirl tomorrow.

N.B. must go on more holidays in 2011.

I've already decided on Cyprus for next years adventure with hopefully a few city breaks in between.

Where should I go in Cyprus? Let me know about your experiences there.

Things I'm Currently Lovin'

2010-06-23T21:15:00.000+01:00

I have a few things i've been using/wearing consistently these past few months.

1) Water - I know it's not really an item as such but i've increased my intake of H2O. I haven't quite reached the 2 litres a day but the pitiful amount I have been drinking has made an impact on me. By keeping me that little bit more hydrated, my skin and lips have become noticeably less dry which is a definite improvement to what they were like previously.

2) Nuance mineralize blush - This was released way back with MAC's Sonic Chic collection. It's a peach colour with gold throughout. I don't know what drew me to pick this out of my vast blush collection and I'm very happy. It's a summer staple for me and works well combined with the next product I'm going to mention.

3) Benefit 10 - I "borrowed" this from my mum two years ago to take on holiday as it saves on two products. It is a contour/highlight combined in a cute box and will be coming to Turkey with me in July. It works well with my skin tone but for those who are darker, you might find it a bit light.

4) Urban Outfitters - It's a shop I never really go into because I find some of their clothing is not to my taste and can be overpriced. However saying that their jewellery range is fantastic and recently i've made a few purchases, one being a beautiful gold chain bracelet with the words "love you" intertwined in the links. It's very delicate and is my favourite piece of jewellery at the minute and is constantly on my wrist.

What are your current loves?

SOLD: NARS Sheer Glow

2010-04-29T21:53:00.000+01:00

I have for sale a bottle of Nars Sheer Glow foundation in the shade Gobi.

It has been used a maximum of three times.

I colour matched myself to this shade with the help of Temptalia's Foundation Matrix. In reference to MAC shades, this would be the equivalent of NC15. I'm slightly lighter than this so this foundation is not an exact match to my skin tone.

This was purchased from HQ Hair for £29 and am selling for £18.00 including postage and packaging.

Please note that I no longer have the box and I will only ship to the UK.

If your interested please leave me a comment with your paypal email address so that I can invoice you. It will be first come first serve :)

Tempting FOTD

2010-04-28T18:13:00.000+01:00

Today's "Face of the Day" consisted of a few products I haven't used in a very long time but I have to say I really like the results.

For foundation I used my NARS Sheer Glow in Sante Fe. This will be the third time i've ever used it considering I purchased it in December. I find this foundation really hard to describe. One word that sort of sums it up for me is "magical" (cheesy, I know). It blends in effortlessly, cutting down the application process and leaves a luminous glow. For those who suffer from dry/flaky skin like me this doesn't cling to it and I haven't needed to touch it up. Overall this gets two thumbs up from me!

Now onto the cheeks. For my contour I used Expresso by NYX. I found it best to use the tiniest amount as it's quite pigmented and just build it up. I'm also going to try using this as a blush. So we'll see how it compares with my skin tone. On lazy days I usually just apply a darker blush which adds colour to my cheeks but also contours at the same time. This could be one of those blushes.

Lastly the eyes. I started with Gleam by MAC on the first third of the lid and inner corner followed by a light dusting of Tempting on top. I was going to leave it at that but instead I added some Carbon to darken the crease. I finished the eyes with some fluidline and a slick of mascara.

Feel free to leave me a comment with your current shadow combinations. I'm always looking for new ideas :)

First ever IN and OUT post

2010-02-11T18:43:00.000Z

I'm finally only getting round to doing one of these posts now. I needed a simple post to ease myself into blogging again.

So lets begin...

1) No more spending ban - I've only been spending money on the essentials recently in order to save some money but now that I have my Balenciaga (it makes me smile every time I look at it) my spending can resume however I'm now more careful with my cash. Pre ban I would have my wages spent within 2 weeks of payday which would leave me miserable the rest of the month. Now I carry a list when I shop and only buy what's on it leaving no room for unnecessary purchases.

2) Being pale - Never thought it would be IN but I'm enjoying be pale. It's feels good to get out of bath/shower and not have to stress about applying fake tan and then removing it = tedious job. It is nice to have a healthy glow but it's also nice to rock your natural skin colour from time to time. The only downside is all my foundations match my skin when I was tan and I have to replace them.

3) My birthday - On the 21st February i'll be turning 23. It's not great to be getting older but my boyfriend has planned something special which is a surprise that I'm looking forward too. I've also booked a few days off work for a much needed break.

OUT

1) Allergic reactions - Recently I had a delayed allergic reaction to fake tan hence why I have to embrace the pale. My skin was itchy and very sensitive, I also had break outs on my face. This has happened once before so I'm assuming that I'm allergic to DHA, which the primary ingredient in sunless tanners. Now the St Moritz is saved for nights out only.

What are your IN and OUT's this week?

Anniversary Outfit of the Night

2010-01-09T15:56:00.000Z

Last night me and my boyfriend finally got the opportunity to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We booked a table at one of our favourite restaurants and I ate a little more than I could handle and was ready to sleep by the time we ordered dessert.

Because of the weather I didn't want to get too dressed up so choose jeans and boots that were not on the practical side.

The bf still hasn't quite mastered how to get a full outfit shot.

Blazer - New Look

Plain black tee - H&M

Black cardigan - Zara

Jeans - Topshop (their jeans are the best fit for me)

Chanel style bag - ASOS

Black ankle boots (not shown) - eBay

and my attempt at the full thing..

I was trying to get a better picture of the boots but this is the best I could do. They are faux suede with a 5 inch heel and not the easiest to walk in especially on ice but they kept my toesies warm, thats all that matters.

My lastest obsession

2010-01-05T19:07:00.000Z

Move over beauty blogs I've found another addiction this week...

...In the form of fashion blogs!

It's nice to have a bit of variety in your google reader :)

I found myself extremely bored last weekend and was looking for new bloggers to follow. I stumbled across one blog in particular and then found many others via her page.

Here are a few i'm loving:

Closet Full of Nothing - Coco proves you don't have to be tall and skinny to look great in clothes. Most fashion bloggers i've come across tend to have the same model-esque image and that can be quite boring. She also has a fabulous shoe collection.

Style Scrapbook - Andy is in my top 2 and I would say a large part of her wardrobe is from H&M and Zara (these stores seem to feature a lot in fashion blogs along with ASOS) which makes me wonder why I can never find anything half decent in them. I must not be looking hard enough.

Comer Over To The Darkside - This is my no. 1 fashion blogger. She reminds me of Roxanne McKee (aka Louise in Hollyoaks). Her style to me is edgy but yet still feminine. I'm now lemming leather look leggings and over the knee boots.

To name a few more:

-My Fash'

- All About The style

- Fashionnerdic.

All their individual styles are wearable and thats what I prefer to read/look at. I like the idea of being able to recreate it (minus the Louboutins), just like a makeup tutorial!

Please check these amazing girls out and feel free to link me to your favourite fashion bloggers.

My New Years Resolutions

2010-01-03T20:45:00.000Z

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and fabulous New Year. Mine were both low-key and consisted of chilling out with family and friends and consuming lots of food and drink.

What better way to begin my first post of the new year than with my 2010 resolutions.

Lets see how many I can stick with.

1) Be more healthy - I think this one is on everybody's list. Me and my boyfriend have agreed that tonight we had our last takeaway, it's only home-cooked meals from now on. I will also be back to drinking 2 litres of water a day, this took a backseat during the holidays.

2) Spend less and save more - I admit none of my wages goes into a savings account, I seem to spend it all and if I keep on going like that I'll never be able to afford to move out which is on the cards over the next few years. My aim is to only buy the things I need and to go shopping with lists which I will hopefully stick to (a little tip I picked up from Shopaholicjo).

3) Get back behind the wheel - I passed my driving test little over 2 years ago but haven't been in my car within the last 8 months. I'm terrified of driving by myself mainly because I'm not very streetwise and would probably get lost. I've since given my car to my sister as a wedding gift although I'm still on the insurance and should really get back to driving to build my confidence. I'm also encouraging my bf to start lessons so that I can have my own chauffeur :)

4) Find a new job - I know a lot of people don't actually enjoy what they do for a living, its basically a means to pay the bills but I would like to be one of the few that can say they like going to work. These past few months have really made me realize how unhappy I am in what I'm doing and is also one of the reasons behind me enrolling in a makeup course. At least I have something to look forward to after work on a Tuesday. It's my own secret pastime.

5) Make more YouTube video's - It's been a few months now since I made a video, I just haven't felt very inspired and it's not often that I have the house to myself. I also need more ideas on what video's I can make because at the minute I'm not spending so if you have any suggestions please let me know.

What are your New Years resolutions?

Round of applause for eBay

2009-12-20T20:51:00.000Z

Yay I finally have my MacBook back. It's been a very long 10 days with out it hence the no blog posts and recent tweets. However there was a bit of shopping on eBay.

I go through fads with eBay. Some months i'll be addicted to it and others i'll never be on it. I think it's amazing that it's one online "store" which you can find virtually anything.

I'm currently making a big change in my skin care routine and am switching to high end brands to see if they make a difference. I thought i'd try eBay first to see if any bargains could be found.

I manageed to pick up a 50ml bottle of Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher. That is certainly a mouthful, if your lazy like me Idealist will do.

This retails for £49 and I bought it for £26. This should hopefully last me a while. I also bought a sample size of their Advanced Night Repair to try before I make the commitment of getting the full size. I've only used it once so it's too soon to tell if it's actually doing anything.

As well as these items I am also waiting on an Origins moisturiser (paid £15) and Laura Mercier Perfecting Water (paid £8).

Don't worry I haven't fallen of the no spending wagon already. These are christmas presents from my mum who didn't know what to buy me. Come January and most importantly pay day I will not be spending any money on me so that hopefully in February i'll be able to buy that beautiful Balanciaga handbag.

I have bought myself one present but this was purchased almost one month ago and arrived in the post yesterday.

Yep it's one blingtastic phone case. It's pink and tacky and I love it! This too is also a purchase made on eBay.

All I can say is that eBay, at the minute I heart you :)

Do we have any other eBayer's in our midst? What are your recent purchases?

Joining in

2009-12-12T19:24:00.000Z

From the start of the New Year I shall be joining Laura aka Lollipop26 and everyone else who is participating in Project 10 Pan.

This will be a first for me and is going to be tough because I never finish anything so it will probably take me forever to complete this.

There are two reasons behind my decision.

1) My boyfriend doesn't think I can go without buying makeup and I want to prove him wrong.
2) The money saved is going towards buying a special present for myself :)

The present i'm taling about is a Balenciaga Giant City handbag.

I've been hmming and haaing about this bag for the past few months. The pricetag to me seems a tad unrealistic, I'm definately not a saver.

I don't expect to be able to pull together the cash for this bag by just cutting back on buying makeup. Oh no. Therefore i'm cutting back on all unessacary expenditure. Basically i'll not be living much for the next few months. Luckily for me I don't have alot of outgoings apart from rent and paying off a store card.

My justification behind this purchase is that it's a bag for life. It will also be my first designer bag unless you count a Juicy Couture daydreamer which i've owned since my teens. I'm maturing now so feel the need to transition to a more "grown up" bag and I work hard so it's only right to treat myself to something extravagant once in while.

What is your most recent treat to yourself?

Outfit of the day: 5

2009-11-21T19:38:00.000Z

It has been a miserable day here in Belfast with plenty of wind and constant rain. It was also my day to work, thats two consecutive Saturday's i've been in the office although hopefully i'll not be doing anymore until after the Christmas holidays.

My outfit choice today was influenced by comfort more than style. This weather calls for the winter accessories i.e. scarves and gloves and my flats have been retired well at least for drier days.

Anyway on to the outfit.

- Black double breasted jacket - Topshop (a few years ago)

- Black turtle neck jumper - Primark's finest :)

- Navy denim skinny jeans - Topshop Baxter's

- Black leather boots - River Island

(Gloves and scarf were also worn but not included in this photo)

It's a very basic outfit I just pulled together but it ticks all the boxes for me. Does it keep me warm? Yes. Does it keep my feet dry? Yes

Sundays Plans

2009-11-15T15:30:00.000Z

I've just spent most of the morning organising and decluttering my coat wardrobe. I've been putting this off all week but my bf has taken his little brother to the wrestling so it was the perfect excuse to get it done.

I moved my coats and scarves etc to my old wardrobe in my old room removing bits and pieces I no longer wear as I went along. Now I have my coats, jackets, bags and half of my shoe collection all in the one place.

I love a good decluttering session. I can't stand hanging on to things just for the sake of it, instead I bag it before I can change my mind.

This is the result of a few hours work.

There's a combination of spare dressing gowns, halloween costumes, shorts for summer and then my jackets. I have put my shoes that come with boxes at the bottom too, though I still haven't decided what to do with the shoes that just come loose. I have considered maybe buying those clear shoe boxes and transferring them all to those that way its easier for me to find a pair.

Most of my bags are now stored in the bottom drawer and are easy accessible.

I always wonder what's in peoples wardrobes, I guess i'm just nosey like that. Feel free to let me know how you organise your wardrobe.

Saturdays Outfit of the Night

2009-11-09T19:02:00.000Z

Saturday was my friends' birthday. To celebrate a crowd of us went to Rain and had such an amazing night.

I bought a new dress for this occasion, it's very rare that I would wear the same outfit for a night out twice. I chose a black dress from Miss Selfridge and accessorized with a clutch and heels. In my opinion you can't wrong with a black dress.

It's a black denim dress which flares at the bottom, with a faux leather band around the waist and also across the chest which wraps around the neck. For a better idea you can check it out here.

I paired this with my New Look stud blazer

For shoes and bag, I wore my staple Red or Dead black stilettos which have a suede effect and get dirty very easily. They are also murder on my feet but vanity wins over comfort! The clutch bag is a cheap one from New Look. I love this style of bag. You have two options, it can be worn in hand or under the arm and it was only £8 :)

NARS EOTD

2009-11-01T16:10:00.000Z

Sticking to using products I haven't touched in a while, I broke out the NARS and came up with this "eye of the day".

To create this I used the following:

1) Mykonos cream shadow. On the website this is described as copper but in real life I would say it is more of a burgundy brown.

2) On top of that I applied MAC's Naked Lunch which is a gorgeous shimmery beige.

3) On the lower lash line and in the crease I used Lola Lola.

These were all applied using MAC's 239, a brush I had previously overlooked, it couldn't do anything my 217 couldn't do. I only began using it again after watching tutorials from pixi2woo.

This girl is beautiful and has some amazing uploads, a few which i've already favourited. If you haven't watched any of her videos I urge you to check them out.

This weeks favourites

2009-10-24T14:27:00.000+01:00

There are 3 products i've been using consistently this week and no they're not new, i've had them all for about a year now but I have only recently rediscovered them lurking amongst the rest of my make makeup.

I feel like I'm stuck in a bit of a rut. I reach for the same things every day and the rest of my collection is neglected. I really need to make more of an effort with my choices and shake things up a bit.

This week i've been wearing:

1) MAC Sculpt & Shape powder in bone beige/emphasize has replaced my Natural Collection bronzer as a contour.

2) Urban Decay Primer Potion - My go to base is always MAC's Painterly which works really well with my oily lids, the primer potion not so much.

3) NYX Trio TS15 - This is a lovely palette for a quick daytime look. The colours work great together. I have a few of these trios but this is by far my favourite.

And when you put them altogether...

Ohh! Blushed again...

2009-10-16T19:28:00.000+01:00

It's finally Friday and I'm feeling very lazy so I've cheated and stolen the blog title from the product I'm about to talk about.

I was in Boots last week picking out some cheapish makeup to use in my makeup class. The stuff we currently have to use is a disaster and extremely cheap. It makes me very grateful that I can return home to my MAC, NARS etc...

I bought a few shadows, eyeliner and bronzer. I also picked up a blush but in the end I changed my mind and decided to keep it for myself :)

It's by Miss Sporty and is £2.99. There are three shades available. I went for the lightest which is Rose. This is a very pretty baby pink, not that dissimilar to MAC's Well Dressed.

To look at it straight on it looks like a dusty pink but in some angles I think there is a hint of peach. Overall it's lovely on and lasts just as long as my more higher end blushes.

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm starting mine with some popcorn and Confessions of a Shopaholic :)

Brush Cleaning!

2009-10-12T20:16:00.000+01:00

Its not a job I like to do and one I certainly don't do often enough. I'm yet to find someone who can say they like to clean their makeup brushes. It's very tedious! If I had a smaller collection of brushes I probably wouldn't find it as bad but it's not until I have them all lined up on the towel to dry that I realize just how many I have.

I am ashamed to admit that I'm lucky if I clean my brushes once a month :O I know it's bad and unhygienic but as of now that will change.

I typically wait until all my brushes are dirty and then do a bulk deep clean. This leaves me stuck if I need to use a particular brush. But now I'm going to start cleaning my brushes as and when I use them.

I prepared myself last night and washed all my brushes. There are so many of them it took me close to an hour to wash them all.

After applying my makeup this morning I separated the dirty brushes from the clean and set them aside to be washed in the evening (which I've just done).

I stored the dirty brushes in a straw basket I got from Dunnes which use to house my nail polishes. This makes it handier for me to cart them to the bathroom.

Once all clean and dry they go back with the rest of my makeup brushes which I keep in these metal plant pot style containers filled with rice, a very cheap substitute for vase fillers.

How often do you clean your brushes? Are you guilty of being lazy?

Belated Holiday Post

2009-10-10T19:49:00.000+01:00

I'm definitely behind in posting some photo's from my recent holiday, but better late than never.

When it comes to taking photograph's I'm really slack. It's very much a chore to me. We didn't take alot of pictures mainly because I didn't feel I needed to capture the days that I was sick and that was about half of the holiday.

But anyway here are a few snapshots from my time spent in Lanzarote.

This is a few from the balcony

There was 3 pools but this is the one we used as it was just outside our apartment

This is a view of the beach from the strip, featuring some pretty palm trees :)

Enough of the scenic pictures here is one of me in my favourite dress looking more sunburnt than tan

Watch out for some pics of my sister's wedding coming soon :)

Buy of the Week!

2009-10-09T18:39:00.000+01:00

Last night I did a bit of late night shopping with my mum. We trundled off to T K Maxx to find her a purse however I found myself looking at the sunglasses.

I found an amazing designer pair at an amazing discounted price. Not that I will be needing them any time soon, however they have inspired me to pull my finger out and get booking another holiday pronto.

The sunglasses are by Oscar de la Renta. They are oversized square frames with a tortoise shell pattern and have some copper detailing at the side. The only signature on them is a tiny O on the leg which I prefer rather than have huge symbols at the sides.

I'm not sure what the original retail price was but I paid a bargainous £12.99.

I have a bit of a thing for huge sunglasses and have a drawer full of them, yet I only ever seem to wear one pair. These could be my new faves:)

I'd love to read what bargains you have found lately.

D.I.Y!

2009-10-09T17:48:00.000+01:00

I finally decided to bite the bullet and tint my own eyebrows, something I should have done along time ago and now I'm wondering what I was so afraid of.

I viewed paying someone to do this as a wasted expenditure and the results were not that great and didn't last long.

The task in hand itself couldn't have been simpler.

I used a dark brown dye for lashes and brows by Colorsport (purchased from Boots for about £7-£8) which contains enough for 16 applications and the effects apparently last for 30 days. So far it has lasted a week so I can't comment yet.

These are my brows before:

Not a great picture I know but you get the idea, they are pretty non-existent!

You mix some cream dye with a few drops of developer liquid until its a paste like substance and then apply it to your brows with the wand included. It should look a bit like this...

The instructions say to leave for 1-2 minutes before removing but this didn't work for me so I left it on for roughly 10 minutes. These are the results...

Not a vast improvement but there is a definite difference

Now I can go makeup free to my course and only look half as scary as now I have a bit of framing to my face and don't look as dead.

How many of you tint your eyebrows or get them done professionally? I'm very jealous of those who have full, dark brows.

Another blazer.....

2009-10-03T19:34:00.000+01:00

On Wednesday morning before I left for work I placed an online order on New Look's website. I spotted a blazer which is a web exclusive and from that moment it was love at first site. Wednesday was also payday so I ordered it before my size went out of stock. I chose express delivery, thats how badly I needed this jacket :). Having never ordered from their site before I didn't know what to expect but it was hassle free and my package was with me before noon the very next day.

You can see the blazer here. I'll also leave you with an idea of how it looks on.

Its a basic black blazer with studded detailing embossed on the lapel. I'm not one for following all the fashion trends and I certainly can't keep up with them but even I know studs are very in at the minute so you can say this is my contribution.

Keeping on the lines of first times, I also called in to Space NK, a shop I have never stepped foot in before. I don't know why this is but I think I was a little intimidated. I picked up the NARS Pleasure of Paris palette which was being held over for me. Many bloggers and YouTubbers have raved about this product and now I finally have my hands on it. No doubt this will feature in tomorrows makeup.

And here's a little picture of it.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend. Me and my boyfriend spent a small fortune in HMV so we've planned a movie marathon tonight :)

New Skin-care Routine

2009-10-02T22:12:00.000+01:00

For those who don't know i've recently enrolled in a makeup course which entails learning a bit about skin care. In a nut shell you have to be able to analyze your clients skin and determine which products will be appropriate for their skin type.

I never really took much notice of what I was using on my skin and whether it suited me however my tutor spoke about the consequences of a lack of daily skin care routine which leads to dehydration, skin sensitivity and wrinkles!!

The latter made me panic a little. I'm a firm believer that it's never too early to start using anti-aging products. It is better to prevent wrinkles rather than begin to use treatments when it is too late.

On tuesday night I was the guinea pig and let the tutor assess my skin. The verdict is I am dry/sensitive skin type. Those with dry skin are more perceptible to wrinkles and can look very dull in appearance and the products I was currently using were not designed for dry skin so I was in need of a change.

Whilst I was in this new frame of mind I took advantage of Boots 3 for 2 offer on their skin-care and picked up a new routine.

We have:

1) Norwegian Formula Foaming Cleaning Wash - I really like Neutrogena skin care and am still a loyal user of their Visibly Clear 2 in 1 wash and mask and this cleanser is no different.

2) Garnier Soft Essentials Soothing Toner - I don't usually use a toner but I do in class so I thought i'd give it a go plus it helps remove any excess cleanser.

3) Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil-free Moisturiser - This will do for the time being but when we move into winter I change to a thicker moisturiser because my skin gets very flaky and rough.

I don't see any harm in mixing products from different brands and hopefully I'll see some improvement in the condition of my skin as it could be better.

Maybe i'll blog more about other tips I pick up from my course.

Also whilst in town I did drag the bf to MAC to check out the new collections and i'm pleased say no purchases were made from them however I did buy another set of lashes and shale e/s :)

Sundays Effort

2009-09-27T17:34:00.000+01:00

Despite me still being in my pyjama's I did apply full face makeup. It gives me an instant pick me up and I do this even when I'm sick.

Todays face consisted of Milani shadows, Coralista blush ("borrowed" from mum) and YSL Rouge Volupte No. 2. I also added some false lashes which I've been meaning to try for ages.

I was sent a combination of false lashes and nails from Janet, the assistant brand manager for Revlon. The set I'm wearing today are part of their Fantasy Lengths range in 91128 Lush.

I haven't seen this particular set for sale in the UK so they may only be available in the US :( You get four individual pieces per eye, as you can see I only used three and there is a glue included however I applied these using Lash Grip.

They remind my of the individual lashes although I prefer the effect these give as they contain more lashes which vary in length. They are perfect if you find it difficult to apply a full strip of falsies. I find those very fiddly.

Lashes without flash:

Lashes with flash:

Out of the lashes I received, I would say these are the most daytime appropriate. They add depth to the lash line but also give you some length. What more can you ask for?

Has anyone else tried these particular false lashes?

Second time lucky

2009-09-21T18:38:00.000+01:00

Before I went on my holiday I had the sudden urge to remove my gel nails, not because I didn't like the way they looked or because I wanted to have my natural (unglamourous) nails back. No it was because I had a botched infills job done and I didn't want further damage to occur.

This was my first set of gel extensions so I didn't really no what to expect. The initial set application was fine but the infills were a nightmare. Basically the gel already on my nails had to be buffed done and then new layers of gel would be applied. It doesn't sound too scary does it? However the nail technician not only buffed the layers of gel away but part of my natural nail bed on a few fingers which left me with red, sensitive nails. This was strengthened by the new gel but the damage had already been done and I felt butchered.

I chose to remove them myself (which was not an easy task) rather than go back to the salon an give my nails a 2 week break. Surprisingly the nails that weren't damaged were still strong and had grown quite long under the extensions.

I booked an appointment with a different salon which specializes in gel nails before I went away and explained what had happened just in case they weren't happy with applying a new set. I had my nails done on Saturday and they did a fabulous job. The nail technician was lovely and answered any queries, it was all very professional. She actually looked at my nails in horror in particular my thumb nail which is missing a partial bit of nail and had lots of gel still on it because it was too painful to buff it off myself.

The gels I have now are Biosculpture in a french manicure style and in my opinion are more realistic than the previous tips:

My experience hasn't put my off nail extensions, I like being pampered at a nail bar and they make my nails look normal compared to whats underneath. Although these are slightly more expensive than my previous it set it really goes to show you get what you pay for. I'll happily part with the extra cash if it means I will get professional treatment as well as results.

Have you any beauty treatment horror stories? Feel free to share.

Lanzarote here I come!

2009-09-02T20:42:00.000+01:00

Today was my last day of work and the official start to my summer holiday. Tomorrow morning I will be leaving for Belfast International airport to jet off to Lanzarote for two sun filled weeks.

The majority of my stay will be spent catching up on some light reading, something I haven't had a lot of time for recently and to work on my tan, a natural one that is. So as you can tell nothing too exhausting.

I will probably manage to fit a bit of shopping in too. I haven't got a list prepared or anything in mind of what I want to pick up in duty free, I'm just going to "wing it" and see what catches my eye.

For those with any suggestions for purchases please let me know and for those who have been to Lanzarote before, please leave me recommendations for places to eat, visit and shop :)

I won't have my laptop with me so can't update :( I'll have a lot of catching up to do when i'm home.

Playing with minerals

2009-08-31T15:58:00.000+01:00

After reading a blog post by Lollipop26 which featured an E.L.F mineral shadow in Natural, I was influenced to buy it. But I couldn't just make one lonely purchase so instead I made three :)

We have Natural (shimmery champagne), Caffeinated (bronze with olive and gold undertones) and Confident (frosty brown).

They are £2.50 for 0.85 grams and can be ordered from E.LF's website. The downfall of the E.L.F website is that the online swatches can sometimes differ from the real thing and they don't offer shade descriptions. I played it safe and googled for alternative swatches which I found more helpful although a little time consuming.

I used two of the shadows yesterday and here is the finished look, taken at approximately 9pm so they are long wearing.

For eyes I applied Natural all over with a tiny bit of Caffeinated in the crease using the 219.

And for everything else....

Face - Revlon Colorstay Sand Beige - I find this heavier than my SFF and a bit too light for my face but I want to use it up.

Cheeks - Smashbox Tint

Lips - MAC Pure Rose L/S - Released in the Emanual Ungaro collection and I really wish I had of bought a back up :(

Next combination.... maybe a light dusting of Caffeinated with Confident in the crease?

Todays Face of the Day

2009-08-29T20:26:00.000+01:00

I opted for a subtle smokey eye today which isn't very dramatic at all but still has that little bit of definition.

I also incorporated lots of shimmer into todays face, something I rarely do.

Onto the products used...

Face:

- MAC SFF NC30

- Smashbox blush in Tint (I adore this product so much)

- Natural Collection bronzer in Golden Glow which is my bronzer of choice this week.

Eyes:

- Painterly paint pot

- Naked Lunch applied all over lid, under brow and down the centre of nose

- Patina on the outer third

- Twinks - Just a tad concentrated on the crease for some depth

- Blacktrack fluidline and lashings of Maxfactor false lash effect mascara

Lips:

- YSL Rouge Volupte No. 7

I couldn't resist a pouting pose, it's not often i'm daring enough to sport a brighter lip :)

On another note I think i've conquered St Moriz! I have to apply a generous coating of moisturiser and let it set a while before applying the tan.

Enjoy the rest of your bank holiday weekend x

Packing light

2009-08-19T21:00:00.000+01:00

When it comes to packing I tend to overdo it and end up with everything bar the kitchen sink in one suitcase all to myself.

Clothing is a big issue and is not an area I can afford to bring too little of however with beauty and skin care I can downsize a little.

Every year i've made the mistake of lugging about full size bottles of everything and with limited luggage weight allowance, it's not the way to do things.

This time I'm going to organize myself properly and attempt to pack light.

As part of my mission I bought several travel size products including tiny bottles of Tresemme shampoo and conditioner and mini Sensodyne toothpaste all of which can be purchased from Superdrug.

Now unfortunately my skin care regime isn't available in handy sized bottles so as an improvisation I picked up an empty travel set from H&M for £2.99.

How cute are they?

Included in the set is a squeezy bottle and two small plastic jars with screw off lids which are embossed with Hello Kitty's head.

My nail varnish remover has been allocated to the bottle and i'm thinking of filling the jars with moisturiser but i'm wondering if that will be enough to last me for 2 weeks?

I get overly excited when it comes to packing and become a tad OCD, I make lists of everything although i'm undecided what to do with my MAC palettes and how to travel safely with them.

What is the best way to pack them so that none of my shadows break in transit?

Outfit of the day: 4

2009-08-16T20:02:00.000+01:00

Technically this constitutes as an "Out of the evening" as it was only about an hour ago that I decided to get dressed :D

Sundays for me are a day to lounge about in sweats/pj's, catch up on YT, and watch House.

My choice of outfit was really lazy and kinda rushed but it was ok because i was only going to the McDonald's drive-through.

Outfit consists of:

- Navy nautical style top from Primark with white sleeves, and yes the flash on my camera has picked up my bra underneath.

- Topshop skinny jeans. I really do live in these! Next on my shopping list is a pair of bootcut or straight jeans. If anyone has any recommendations let me know.

- Black flats, again another bargain buy from Primark.

- Too top it off flat, unstyled hair.

Not only did I return with a yummy McChicken sandwich meal, I got a free limited edition pink can style glass. You get one with every large meal or salad and there are six colours available.

What are Sundays all about for you?

Itty Bitty Haul

2009-08-10T18:57:00.000+01:00

I think we all now know that the first Thursday of every month (well at least in the UK) marks the release of a new MAC collection of in this months case, three.

1) Graphic Garden

2) Love that Look

3) Baby Bloom

Two collections from which I made purchases.

From Baby Bloom I picked up the Studio Moisture Tint in Medium. Although you can argue that it may be the wrong time of year to release a tinted moisturiser, there are no doubt people who wear one all year round not only for the summer months. My purchase was purely because i'm yet to go on my holiday and will like a lighter coverage. It also has SPF 15 so for those who are like myself and are not completely comfortable with sunbathing with zero makeup you get minimal coverage with a little bit of protection. I tested this moisturiser at the weekend. It was refreshing to say the least and it lasted extremely well.

My last purchase were from Love that Look. I picked up two shadows in Glamour Check and Style Snob. I skipped the Starflash shadows when they were originally released last year but decided to give them a chance this time around. Glamour Check is a brown/red with gold pearl. Style Snob is a light brown with purple undertone, to me it looks similar to Satin Taupe also by MAC.

Left: Style Snob Right: Satin Taupe

What did you pick up from these collections? Did I miss any essentials?

You!

2009-08-04T20:02:00.000+01:00

The count down to my summer holiday has now begun and I'm itching to get packing my suitcase. But first things first I need clothes to fill it.

I don't have a lot of day time dresses due to the unpredictable Belfast weather, I play it safe with jeans. So for this month I want to invest in a few that I can take with me but also that I can wear when I'm home.

I popped into New Look because i'd seen some pretty 2 in 1 dresses on their website. Unfortunately they didn't have any left or there wasn't any in my size but as I made my way out down the store towards the exit I came across a boutique brand i've never heard of.

You! They had a small collection of dresses but one in particular caught my eye.

Its a strapless dress which ends above the knee. It also has a cinched waist to add some shape. I will probably cover the seam with a tan belt to define my waist that little bit more.

The dress is grey with lilac, purple and magenta flowers all over it. There are also buttons at the bust which is slightly a love-heart shape.

I plan to wear this with sandals on holiday and whilst at home I will team it with tights or leggings, flats and a cardigan.

Please leave any suggestions where I might find nice "summery" dresses.

I heart Hearts

2009-08-02T18:11:00.000+01:00

I made my way to Accessorize today to se what bargains I could find in their sale. It turns out there were no, it seem I had left it too long.

However before leaving I did check out their new stock and picked up two sets of earrings.

The first are these gold vintage inspired heart shaped studs with floral design.

They aren't too small and they aren't too big so that they pull on my ears, they are the perfect size and light weight. They are very delicate looking and the floral pattern prevents them from appearing too plain.

The last pair I bought where small diamante heart shaped studs.

There isn't a day where I don't wear some form of earrings. My usual everyday pair are plain studs, so this pair will add a tiny bit of sparkle. I thought they were very cute and just had to have them.

Beauty Springclean

2009-08-01T20:31:00.000+01:00

Over the past year I have accumulated so many beauty products I don't know what to do with. Many of which do the same job (I blame YouTube and Blogs).

I have drawers of current products i'm using, drawers for products i'm yet to use or to use when one is finished (kind of like a backup drawer), I have a large drawer dedicated entirely for hair care and a drawer for skin care accessories and tools. Now this seems a little excessive to me what about you?

Here is a pic of mentioned "backup drawer"

It is filled with spare lotions, shampoos I've never finished, self tanners and cleansers. It probably says a lot about my character, I can never finish anything :)

Starting today, I'm embarking on my own take on "Project 10 Pan". Rather than using up 10 products i'm going to be a little bit more lenient and allow myself to buy something new only when I have finished the equivalent product (if that makes any sense?). For example: I can only purchase a foundation once I have used up my current one.

Although this rule will only apply to certain items:

1) Foundation - I only have one face therefore one base will do

2) Self Tanners - I'm going to throw some of these out because the majority I have tried and hated so why hoard them?

3) Moisturisers - I don't have an excuse for why I have so many of these

4) Mascara - One of my previous posts explains this

5) Primers - I don't believe these actually work for me. I have dry skin anyway so my makeup tends to stay put anyway.

Thats all I can think of for now.

This idea was spurred on by L'oreal's Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer. I really want to buy this but at the minute I'm using MAC's Prep & Prime which is almost empty so when it is I will feel guilt free when purchasing the L'oreal one.

I have already gone through some drawers and thrown out products I hate and will never use again which included Dove's gradual tanner. I'm too much of a novice tanner for this to work for me, i'm all about the tans with guide colour :)

What do you think about this idea and do you have drawers where you hoard products?

Bonnebell Liplites

2009-07-26T19:56:00.000+01:00

If I'm ever seen to be wearing lipgloss, it's likely to be from this range.

I had originally bought the talked about Bonnebell Liplites in Cappuccino from Ebay and after applying it once came to the conclusion it wasn't for me.

Since then I have received another Cappuccino in a swap and this one I love. It wasn't until I compared the two that I realised the packaging had changed as well as the colour.

As you can tell the new one is a more wearable tan shade in comparison to the previous chocolate brown. These lipglosses smell and taste delicious and are relatively long lasting if you can stop yourself from licking it off. I have already added to my collection Strawberry Parfait which is another Ebay purchase.

I've included some swatches below:

I purchased Strawberry Parfait from this seller:

Overstockmadness

Outfit of the day: 3

2009-07-14T17:00:00.000+01:00

Todays outfit was a lazy choice. I had hoped to stay in my pj's all day and enjoy my last day off before returning to work tomorrow but I had to return an item so had to go into town.

I ended up having lunch in town and soon found myself at MAC purchasing the Honey Skin Salve and also booking an MA from MAC to do the bridal makeup for my sisters wedding. So I'm glad I made a bit of an effort wardrobe wise.

Apologies for the poor image quality, it was taken on my phone.

1) Black skinny Topshop Baxter jeans. I hardly wear any other style of jeans and Topshop jeans are the best fit for me.

2) Nude blouse with frill detail from H&M (another great buy from this store) I've cinched it in at the waist using a plain black satin ribbon.

3) Black Topshop blazer with 3/4 length sleeves.

4) Black faux snakeskin flats from Primark with gold knot detailing at the front.

What did you all wear today?

Gel Nails

2009-07-10T20:26:00.000+01:00

So some of you may already know that on Tuesday I had an appointment at my local beauticians to get nail extensions. I had originally wanted acrylics but decided on gel nails in the end.

Although acrylics are the most popular throughout the world, gel nails are on the increase and according to the nail technician she finds they are more durable and longer wearing.

Of course there are always negative points to these types of beauty procedures but if looked after correctly the damage should be minimal.

I opted for the french manicure tips for days when I don't want to wear polish. I can't believe how realistic they feel. I am no longer cautious with them (the first day I was careful with what I did in case one popped off). The brochure said to maintain them every 2-3 weeks but I've been told I may not need to go back for 4-6 weeks, it all depends on your natural nail growth.

Overall the procedure was not painful, the technician took her time and answered all my queries. The plan is to keep them on so that my own nails grow all the same length, I will then remove them and get a gel overlay which is basically a semi permanent french manicure.

To keep the gels in tip top shape I was advised to invest in a cuticle oil to prevent the skin from attaching to the nail and to add moisture to the nail. I picked up one by Skintruth and apply it every night before I go to bed.

Have you any other tips to maintain gels/acrylics?

Stained Nails Begone!

2009-07-02T19:45:00.000+01:00

If like me you paint your nails and are too lazy to apply a base coat then wonder why your nails are stained, I have your solution right here so keep reading.

I change my nail polish on a regular basis and my favourite colours happen to be dark, rich shades which are a nightmare to remove and stain your nails as well as the nail bed. It was only until recently that i invested in a decent nail base but the damage had already been done.

I have been left with horrible, yellow "smokers" nails which show through the lightest of polishes so darker shades of polish have now become a must. I even visited my gp regarding this issue thinking I had a fungal infection (disgusting I know) only for her to ask if I painted my nails alot?

Problem solved! Now for the solution.

I have tried remedies such as lemon juice and soaking my hands in water mixed with denture tablets but nothing worked. I visited the nail salon to enquire about acrylics and if they would cover the stains when the technician asked me if I had tried to buff them out. She sat me down, removed my polish and began to sand down my baby nail. In seconds the stain had lifted. I have since removed all my polish and began to tackle the remaining nails.

I used a buffer that I got in a hand and nail care set.

It took a while but the majority of the staining is gone and my nail surfaces are super soft.

"It's a miracle" true words as spoken by my boyfriend :)

Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic

2009-06-30T20:43:00.000+01:00

I have mentioned this product in my recent video but I thought I would go into a bit more detail. I had first seen this product on the Lush website and put it on my to get list, so whilst I was shopping yesterday I was happy that the sales lady recommended this to me. I tend to get red patches on my cheeks and especially around my nose. This face mask claims to calm and cleanse the skin and is filled with calming properties such as chamomile and other minerals which help reduce inflammation.

This goes on exactly how it looks, bits of blueberry included. It is a bit messy to work with but aren't all face masks, and it dries in pretty quick. You are instructed to leave it on for 3-5 minutes but I left it on for longer. Once removed I was left with baby soft skin which didn't feel tight.

It's too soon to tell whether this has actually helped my redness but if all else fails it will make a really good after sun treatment.

I have included a picture of me and the mr enjoying our pampering session and also of his birthday cake made by my friend.

Outfit of the night

2009-06-30T16:19:00.001+01:00

I took my boyfriend out for a birthday meal last night and this is the ensemble I wore. I kept it summery and not too "dressed" up.

Colourful camisole top from Miss Selfridge.

Dark denim skinny jeans from Topshop.

Tan sandals from New Look (not seen).

I also wore my staple black Topshop blazer and black woven bag from Miss Selfridge.

Mascara Trick

2009-06-28T14:05:00.000+01:00

One day whilst having an OCD moment, I felt the urge to sort through my makeup and reorganize it because it looked a tad messy.

When I reached my mascara drawer I found I had about 15, which is way too much for just one set of eyes. Many had been purchased, used once and never seen the light of day since. I've managed to whittle it down to 10. I threw out ones that had dried up or that I just plain hated (Diorshow Blackout that means you). The only mascara that I have used consistently is Maxfactors 2000 Calorie.

In order to not let any more mascaras go to waste i've been pairing them up and applying both. If you hate clumpy lashes this technique is probably not for you.

Today I paired MAC's Fibrelash and Covergirl's Lash blast.

Normal Lashes

One Coat of Fibrelash

One Coat of Lasblast

Finished Look

This is a great tip in my opinion if you don't want to be wasteful with products and i'm really happy with the results i'm getting.

What are your current beauty tips?

Nail of the day!

2009-06-26T19:53:00.000+01:00

The polish i've been sporting this past week on my nails and my toes is China Glaze's IV.

A beautiful cream coral, not that dissimilar to Revlon's Tropical Temptation however the latter has more of an orange tone to it whereas this is more on the pink side.

This has made it into my top nail polishes which isn't an easy achievement. Colour is not always key with me, it must have good application as well.

Not only is the colour pay off great (I applied one coat only, no streaking) but it is also long lasting. The only downside for me is the China Glaze brush which is very narrow. I'm a fan of the wider brushes that can coat your entire nail in one sweep.

Now I shall be removing this polish. Next up is OPI's Done Out In Deco.

Accessorize Haul!

2009-06-20T16:51:00.000+01:00

I should have been looking at fascinators in Accessorize however I was easily distracted by all the beautiful items of jewellery.

My style in jewellery is cheap and cheerful, that way in the event that it breaks or is lost I will not be distraught. However I do believe in the concept of having classic, statement pieces that will never be outdated e.g. a masculine watch. The same goes with clothes e.g. a blazer, LBD etc.

Anyone on to my little haul.

First item I picked up was this bow pendant. N.B I have not deterred away from my bow fetish.

This is just a simple gold necklace with a mesh bow and pearl charm. For those who are interested there is also a ring to match.

The last thing I got was a ring. I don't own a lot of rings maybe i'm just waiting for that all important one ;)

It's a dainty ring with a cream enamel bow. Out of all the bow rings, and trust me there were quite a few, I loved this one more it was the least garish. This is how it looks on:

I've been a bit slack lately on the YT and blog front so i'm going to try and be productive this weekend and make a video or two and do some more blog posts.

Lipstick Rules 123

2009-06-16T19:36:00.000+01:00

I had arranged a swap with the lovely Michelle (Lipstick Rules 123) who is from Canada. If you are not aware of her, here is her blog.

May I add she is also very generous. Here is what I received in the post yesterday:

The Lucky Charms were a request but she also included some chocolate, Eco Tools blush brush, Bonnebell lipgloss and some products from the canadian brands Joe and Annabelle.

How gorgeous is this bronzer from Annabelle which doubles as a highlighter?

I am taken aback by her kindness. Thank you so much Michelle, your package brightened up my day :)

Cheap lipgloss FTW!

2009-06-07T21:06:00.000+01:00

Whilst perusing the rails at H&M I landed upon their cosmetic corner. Now H&M is not a store I would associate with makeup shopping but interestingly enough you can find some little gems.

I left with a shimmering lipbalm and a lipgloss.

The lipgloss is called Bella Bellina which is a nude gloss with subtle hints of pink and gold glitters. For £1.99 I wasn't too bothered if this turned out to be a disappointment however i'm pleasantly surprised by its quality.

There are two things that stood out for me with this product:

1) It is a high shine gloss which is non sticky and

2) It is long lasting. I applied this at 5pm yesterday and there was still remains of it on my lips around 10pm last night (although no food and barely any drink was consumed throughout this period).

This is a swatch of it on top of MAC's Patisserie l/s.

Next time you find yourself in H&M I would encourage you to check out their makeup line. Not only will you bag a bargain but you could find some impressive products.

Glamour Magazine!

2009-06-06T22:05:00.000+01:00

For those in the UK who may not know, Glamour magazine's latest promotion includes a free Benefit Bad gal lash mascara with every purchase.

I read a lot of magazines and have a handful of favorites which I repurchase on a monthly basis however Glamour is not one of them. The last time I bought it they were giving away a Nails Inc polish.

This is a great deal - a mascara which retails for £9.50 for £2! There are three covers to choose from. I opted for Fearne Cotton (not sure if this effects the mascara?).

Grab yours while you can :)

New Bikini!

2009-06-06T11:31:00.000+01:00

These paths months have been flying by very quickly and before I know it, it will be time for my summer holiday. This means shopping for my holiday wardrobe has commenced and a new bikini is definitely called for.

I like to get my bikini's early before all the good styles and sizes are swept off the rails. I picked this one up from H&M.

Its a basic triangle, halter-neck style with a floral print. H & M always has a pretty good range to choose from. This is the one that stood out the most to me. The design and colors used certainly puts me in the mood for summer :)

Here's a close up of the print.

It looks great with tanned skin, fake or real :) This is definitely a favorite of mine, however there is still plenty of time left to shop for more. Bikini's are something I tend to overpack.

Sundays EOTD

2009-05-31T22:24:00.000+01:00

We have been experiencing some great weather in Belfast this weekend. In an attempt to spend as much time as possible outside in the sun I chose a very basic eye combo that was not time consuming.

Today I'm wearing Mulch all over my lid with Print in the crease, Blacktrack fluidline for liner
and for mascara, Cover Girl Lash Blast.

I hope the sun was out for you where ever you live :)

Wedding EOTD

2009-05-24T14:58:00.000+01:00

My bf's aunt got married yesterday, so I spent the whole day away at the wedding.

The ceremony was lovely and overall it was a great day which everyone enjoyed. The night was filled with drunken dancing and shots with my Mother in Law, now thats what weddings are all about :)

For my makeup, I wanted something subtle and not too over the top. After much consideration I opted for MAC's smokey eyes holiday 2008 palette.

Scant was applied all over the lid with satin taupe in the crease. For mascara I used Maxfactor's 2000 Calorie followed by Ardell 110 false lashes (cut in half).

For the rest of my face I used:

- Revlon Colorstay foundation in Sand Beige

- MAC MSF Natural in Medium Dark

- MAC Well Dressed Blush

- Chanel Bronze Universal

- MAC Hue lipstick

- Covergirl Wetslicks gloss in Guava Splash

The majority of the wedding photos were taken on my bf's dads camera but I did find one on mine of the flower girl (bf's little sister). I will upload more photo's once I get copies.

Enjoy you bank holiday weekend everyone x

Wedding Outfit!

2009-05-15T19:42:00.000+01:00

I gave you a brief preview of the dress and shoes i'm wearing to a wedding next in my latest You Tube video.

Here is the outfit on:

Dress: Warehouse

Shoes: Dune

It was a toss up between this dress and a French Connection which I had blogged about previously. I just think this is more suitable for a wedding.

Here are closer pics of the shoes and dress:

Youtube Channel!

2009-05-10T19:54:00.000+01:00

I've just uploaded my first video to YouTube. I don't know how the guru's can do this on a daily basis, it is nerve wrecking (hence my mumbling).

So if your bored this evening feel free to watch my pathetic attempt at a hair tutoria l :)

NOTD!

2009-05-09T16:01:00.000+01:00

12 o' clock today marked the start of my weekend and also a change in nail colour. This is usually the point of my week when I can wear wacky colours which are not office appropriate.

Lollipop26 had mentioned OPI's Mod About You on Twitter which reminded me that I have yet to wear mine. I picked this colour up after watching a video from LisaLisaD1 (if your not a subscriber got check her out!) and this is what she had on her nails.

Without flash:

With flash:

It looks a lot more toned own in the first photo but in person it is a bright baby pink with lilac undertones. Depending on how I feel on monday I may wear it into work if not i'll revert back to my new favourite, China Glaze's Evening Seduction :)

My new blazer

2009-05-09T15:39:00.000+01:00

It's finally reached that time of year where a winter coat is no longer required, therefore mine has been retired to my second wardrobe in amongst the rest of my clothes which I don't really wear anymore.

Despite not needing to wear a heavy coat some covering up is still required, mainly in the form of blazers and spring jackets.

I already own a black blazer but I find that it can be a bit blah and have been constantly looking for the perfect grey one.

Introducing my Topshop find:

This is exactly what i've been looking for. It's not too light nor too dark and I especially love the lining on the sleeves. It looks fab with skinny jeans and heels or with dresses, this is how I will wear mine.

What items of clothing are you currently loving?

New foundation brush

2009-05-01T20:47:00.000+01:00

Do you love the airbrush finish the 109 provides but hate the way it sheds?

If the answer to this question is yes then you need the LY34 from Louise Young.

It is the round version of the 190 brush which is my second favorite for applying my base. The hair is extremely soft although it is denser than the 109 and cannot be maneuvered just as easily around the face as the head is more domed than flat. Just like the 109 it can get into all the small crevasses of the face and speeds up the foundation process nor do you have to worry about streaks.

My 109 is now restricted for use with my Chanel Bronze Universel only, although I'm not sure how long it will hold up due to it's copious amount of hair loss.

I haven't heard a lot about the makeup artist Louise Young or her cosmetics line. I first came across the range because Pixiwoo uses the foundation brushes in a few of their tutorials.

Has anyone else tried any of the brushes by Louise Young? What are your opinions?

FOTD

2009-04-22T20:52:00.000+01:00

Here's the makeup I wore today, nothing special just one of my favourite eyeshadow combinations. I'm also back to wearing my hair curly. Why did I ever stop?

Face:

- MAC's Prep & Prime: I haven't worn primer in a while but want to use this up. I don't notice any difference in the longevity of my makeup wether I prime my face first or not.

- MAC Mineralize Satin Finish NC25

- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural

- MAC Enough Said blush: I don't use this enough

- Chanel Bronze Universal: this is a must for every collection

Eyes:

- Painterly paint pot

- Revlon colourstay shadow in Champagne

- All That Glitters e/s

- Mulch e/s

- Blacktrack fluidline

- Max Factor 2000 Calorie mascara

- I've also been experimenting with Eylure's Individual lashes. I have 2 medium sets applied to the outer corners of both eyes.

Lips:

- Rimmel Airy Fairy which was purchased prior to Project 10 Pan. So far I haven't got through any products yet hence me using my primer.

Need your opinion

2009-04-14T20:47:00.000+01:00

For those who follow me on Twitter, you may know I have to attend a wedding in May. This leaves me with a limited amount of time in which to plan my outfit.

This is what I have come up with so far:

Dress: French connection

Heels: New Look

Clutch: Topshop

To complete this outfit I would probably accessorize with some gold/brown/aqua jewellery and cover up with a tan blazer.

What do you think?

Please leave comments with any suggestions of suitable wedding attire x

Outfit of the day: 2

2009-04-13T15:50:00.000+01:00

This was actually yesterdays outfit but I was too tired to post last night.

I took my dogs to the beach because it was a gorgeous day and would have been a shame to waste it.

Tunic: H&M

Vest (worn underneath): Topshop

Jeans: Topshop

Pumps: Primark

Wooden bangles: Gift

Here are some pictures of my dogs at the beach:

This is Charlie showing off his swimming skills

This is Jack. He would only dip his paws in, not much of a swimmer.

Hope you all had a lovely Easter break x

Drugstore EOTD

2009-04-11T16:55:00.000+01:00

A few days ago I received a Maybelline eyeshadow palette in the post and have been wearing it these past two days.

I was inspired to keep my eye products to drugstore only, well most of them anyway.

Products used:

As my base I used a Maybelline Dream Mousse eyecolour in Caramel Karma. This has not creased on me what so ever, definately will have to check out the other shades.

The Maybelline palette is in 40 Designer chocolates. I applied the cream shade to the inner corners, the two medium shades all over the lid and the dark brown in the crease. This was a really easy look to do and was complete in a few minutes.

For mascara I used Rimmel's Sexy Curves. This mascara is ok but not great, I still need to play about with it a bit more. i find the brush hard to use on my lower lashes. Does anyone else have this problem?

Lastly for liner I cheated and used MAC Fluidline. This is my favourite liner. It's easy to apply, lasts all day and I like the finish compared to liquid liners which don't look natural on me and pencil liners always transfer to the upper part of my eye.

And the rest?

Cheeks: Benefit Coralista

Lips: The Body Shop Born Lippy Watermelon lip balm which is a sheer milky pink colour. If MAC's Underage was made into a lip balm this is what I imagine it to be like.

Have a lovely easter everyone. I can't wait to tuck into my bunny :)

Shopping on a budget

2009-04-05T17:13:00.000+01:00

Today I followed in Kelanjo19's footsteps and went makeup shopping armed with only £20.

In total I got four items, the majority of which were on my to get list.

We have:

1) Maybelline Watershine Gloss in Baby Pink

2) GOSH Soft N' Shine Lip Balm in Barbie

3) GOSH Cool Lip Jam in 101

4) Eyeko Pastel Polish (I can't get over how tiny this is)

The Maybelline gloss is fantastic. It's a lovely milky pink and isn't too sticky. It reminds me a bit of MAC's Underage but more pinky and doesn't have to be blended onto your lips.

All these items were bought from Superdrug. Total spent = £20.04

I then sort of cheated.

After reading reviews on the Oui Oui Oui lip butter from The Body Shop I had to get my very own. I also needed a body exfoliator so I allowed myself these purchases. To me they are essential and I do need them, sort of :)

Whilst paying I was told by the sales assistant that I didn't redeem my birthday purchase in the month of February and that I could pick anything in the store worth £10.

I've got lots of body butters and nothing else really caught my eye. But I remember reading about their Vitamin E Face Mist which is said to rival MAC's Fix+, this I had to try.

To make up the remaining balance I picked one of their Born Lippy lip balms in watermelon. I'm a sucker for anything with this scent.

I love shopping and getting lots of bargains.

What bargains have you acquired?

Sugarsweet Haul

2009-04-04T21:04:00.000+01:00

For me this collection was all about the MSF's.

Nothing else really appealed to me and I already own some of the products released, namely Lollipop Loving and Saint German lipstick and Penny shadestick.

Overall I didn't get a lot but I'm glad of the pennies saved.

We have Perfect Topping and Refined msf's, Bubbles lipstick and Aquavert eyeshadow, the lovely MA even gift boxed my purchases.

The msf's are love. Today I wore Refined alone on my cheeks which gave a lovely tan glow.

I wouldn't normally buy a green eyeshadow especially a pastel green but I thought this would be great applied to the inner corners and IMO I was right. If you have brown eyes this really makes them pop.

I wasn't going to get Bubbles because I had no idea how to wear a frosty white lipstick but the MA suggested that I could tone down other lip colours by applying this as a base. The frosty effect highlights the lips and can make them look bigger. I tend to blend it in around the edges so that it only highlights my cupids bow.

I had thought about getting Peppermint Patti nail polish but after reading Lollipop26's blog post regarding Barry M's nail paint in 304 i'll opt for this instead. I love dupes :)

Thats it for this collection, nothing too exciting. I'd love to hear what you got or plan to get.

Xen-Tan - Face Results

2009-04-04T20:08:00.000+01:00

Happy1234 has requested some photos of my face after using Xen- Tan.

I apply it all over my face and neck before bedtime and wash it off in the morning. I just use a simple cotton pad to spread it over my face, this method works well for me.

I top up the tan on my face every 3 days and my body every 7 days.

For reference I'm nc15 in MAC which at times looks dark on me but with Xen-Tan i'm up to nc25.

Beware these photos are of my bare face which you shall all see is far from flawless.

Sorry I had to crop this one, I had two huge, horrible spots.

Hope this was what you were after happy1234 x

Outfit of the day: 1

2009-04-03T19:11:00.000+01:00

We had some gorgeous weather here today in Belfast which encouraged me to perk up my normally boring work attire.

I kept my outfit basic but paired it with a statement necklace which gave it more of a summery vibe.

Shirt: H&M

Trousers: River Island

Necklace: River Island

Shoes (not seen): Topshop

Necklace on closer inspection (excuse the patchy tan):

It is actually coral but appears more red in photographs and looks great on tanned skin, natural or fake ;)

How do you incorporate a bit of style into your work wardrobe?

Chanel Bronze Universel

2009-03-30T20:46:00.000+01:00

I bought this product back in february after it was featured in numerous videos by Pixiwoo. I knew I just had to have it.

I heart the classic packaging!

For £26 you get 30g. Its consistency is hard to explain. I would describe it as a creamy wax which smells like Play Doh. A little goes a long way so this will last me for ages. The only downside of this product compared to powder bronzers is that brush hairs get trapped and when it comes to makeup I'm very OCD about keeping it clean.

I use this everyday as my bronzer and also to contour. I've only ever applied it with the 109 brush which does an excellent job. it really buffs it into your skin leaving no harsh lines.

In my opinion this will suit all skin tones. It doesn't look muddy at all and has the tiniest hint of shimmer.

swatched on hand

applied under cheekbone

I'm happy to declare Chanel Bronze Universel as my HG bronzer and thats without trying NARS Laguna, thats how delighted I am with this product.

The perfect lip colour

2009-03-26T19:10:00.000Z

I've tried dozens of lipsticks from all sorts of brands an in all different colours however I always return to my fail safe.

MAC's Hue!

What's not to love about this colour?

Its the perfect nude for me with a mixture of peachy pink undertones.

The texture is amazing. It's not drying and adds a nice sheen to my lips. Hue is a glaze which I find can be sheer but this packs the right amount of colour. I can apply this on the go, no mirror or adjusting needed unlike Myth which has to be blended.

What is your perfect lip colour?

My summer glow

2009-03-24T20:27:00.000Z

I've finally taken the plunge and experimented with fake tan.

I'm a complete beginner when it comes to tanning, in fact I only ever use Rimmel Sun Shimmer when I'm going out and that's because it washes off.

Out of all the products on the market I opted for Xen-Tan Dark Lotion.

Xen-Tan claims to produce a streak-free tan in 3 hours. I applied mine using vinyl gloves and circular motions. I left it on over night and then rinsed off in the morning.

I prefer this to gradual tanners as I like to see where the product has been applied. This left me looking like a mud man afterwards. I was seriously doubting what the end result would be.

I'll give you a hint:

A slightly bronzed arm.

Note I'm extremely pale, this is as tan as I get.

Parts of my tan are streaky (mainly my feet) but this is nothing that can't be corrected with a bit more practice.

Xen-Tan in the bottle smells like sweets but don't let this fool you. Once the tan starts to develop the familiar fake tan scent starts to surface.

I've used this all over including my face. Because of its moisturizing properties it doesn't cling to any dry areas. I've only used this since Saturday so it may be a bit early to tell if it breaks me out.

Overall I'm happy with my first attempt at home tanning. I'm getting used to seeing myself looking a little bit more healthier compared to my previous ghostly pale skin.

The colour is supposed to last at least 7 days so I'll see how it holds up. I haven't decided if I'll stick with this beauty commitment but I'll give it my best effort.

Please share any tanning tips you have :)

Today's Lip

2009-03-22T20:25:00.000Z

As part of my swap from the US I received a Cover Girl Wetslicks fruit spritzers lipgloss.

505 Guava Splash

This stuff is amazing. It smells like melon and tastes delicious. For those of you who are like myself and hate sticky glosses then these are for you. The worst thing for me is having my hair stuck to my lips but with this it isn't an issue.

The pigmentation is sheer which I don't mind and it does moisturise my lips.

As for its longevity? I applied this before my nap (don't know why I did this) and woke up 3 hours later with it still in tact. I only had to reapply after eating.

This is the gloss applied:

Lips were muted with foundation then gloss applied on top

For anyone who can recommend other non sticky glosses please leave me a comment :)

Package from California

2009-03-21T17:14:00.000Z

I participated in an international swap with a lovely girl called Sarah from California.

These goodies arrived from her in the post today:

I couldn't believe the amount of things I received, the majority of which were a surprise. We have Ardell lashes, Burts Bee's products, eye shadow trios and the infamous Milani Luninous blush.

Included in this swap were five OPI polishes which are quite expensive to buy in the UK. My immediate favourite is Samoan Sand. For those who read Look magazine they featured a review on this polish. It was given top marks, beating Chanel's Django.

Thank you Sarah for my goodies, this had made my weekend :)

Everyday Shoes

2009-03-15T20:13:00.000Z

I pretty much live in pumps, be it for work or outside of office hours.

The only time I wear heels is for nights out otherwise I feel overdone although i'm trying to break this habit and venture out more.

My favourite pair of flats have had their day! They were metalic style pumps from New Look which i've had for years. They are in such bad condition i'm not going to embarrass myself by uploading a picture.

Needless to say they have now been binned and replaced.

These are a nude suede pair from Miss Selfridge with peuter bows. I'm a sucker for bows!

I prefer the daintiness of round toed shoes. I especially love the gold studded detail on the bow:

What are your all time favourite shoes?

Calling all stylistas!

2009-03-10T18:29:00.000Z

I've got my eye on a jacket from Topshop (pictured below).

Its £55 and can be worn as casual wear and also to the office.

Frill Swing Jacket

My problem? I can't think of enough outfit possibilities to justify the price tag.

Thats where you come in.

I need your help to provide me with ideas of what I can pair this jacket with (tops being my biggest issue).

I've been messing around on Polyvore but so far have only created the coat and skinny jeans.

Please help me with my dilemma (I really want this jacket).

New Collections

2009-03-06T20:38:00.000Z

MAC's Hello Kitty Collection was finally released in the UK yesterday, however I was able to get some items from their online preview on the 25th February.

Throughout the day I had this dreaded fear that everything would be sold out before I had a chance to go to the store.

So after work I raced down to MAC.

To my surprise, everything was in stock :)

My online purchases included Pink TLC and Tippy beauty powder blush, I knew instantly that I woulnt regret these. In town I got a backup of Pink Fish and two of the nail polishes in Something About Pink and On the Prowl.

Another favourite of mine from this collection apart from Pink Fish is On The Prowl, a lovely pale grey.

I prefer this over Barry M's nail paint in Grey which is darker. For reference that is one coat of polish over a base coat.

One thing my MAC didnt have was the Grand Duo's but after asking the MA when they would be released she realised they should have had their stand out but it was overlooked.

This was good news for me. I got first peek :)

My first impressions? Very impressed indeed. So impressed I took home three.

Top: Moon River, Bottom Left: Love Rock, Bottom Right Grand Duo

I love the permanent line of Mineralize blush so it was kind of a given that I would like these.

Today I wore Love Rock which is very pigmented and reminds me a bit like Tippy so a light hand is needed unless you like the doll effect.

I'm in two minds whether to get the Hello Kitty medium makeup bag. For £25 do I really need it? For those of you who already own it what are your opinions. Should I give in and buy?

International Swapping!

2009-03-03T19:33:00.000Z

Everyone from Lollipop26, AllThatGlitters21, Magpie Sparkles and now Av are participating in swaps (CP's) throughout the world.

Now I want to be part of the craze.

The basic concept is swapping makeup (a budget should be agreed beforehand) that is either hard to get or not available with people all over the world.

If you have certain items in mind feel free to provide a list or I can leave it as a surprise.

I will post to anywhere in the world.

For those interested please contact me on: kerryw121@hotmail.co.uk

x

Birthday gift

2009-02-28T20:32:00.000Z

It's my bosses birthday on monday so my afternoon was dedicated to finding her the perfect gift.

It took one shop to produce the goods.

Accessorize always has the best jewellery and at reasonable prices.

My boss has a thing about earrings, in fact its the only items of jewellery she wears. I know these flower design ones won't disappoint.

Along with the earrings I also got her a paisley stole, very pretty.

Before leaving town I called into Topshop to find a new pair of pumps for work. I left with these:

Just simple black patent flats with a grey ribbon and smaller black ribbon, very office friendly :)

A cheaper alternative!

2009-02-26T21:40:00.000Z

I've been debating whether to get arcylic nails or gel nails which can both have damaging effects on your natural nails.

Instead i've opted for press on nails.

Same effect as acrylics/gels without the damage.

I used Nailene So Natural in 71000 Pink (short length/square shape) which were £6.85 from Superdrug.

These are a bargain compared to the upkeep of acrylic nails. They are simple to apply and can easily be removed.

They come with a nail glue which I neglected to use. I bought Nailene ultra quick glue which seems to hold them on for longer.

I applied mine on Monday and they are still going strong :)

They have curbed my cravings...for now!

BBR Contest!

2009-02-24T22:23:00.000Z

I've chosen to recreate Katy Perry's look for Holly and Hele's contest.

Her makeup stood out the most to me not to mention those piercing blue eyes.

This is my interpretation:

Products used:

Face: MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Porcelain
MSF Natural in Light
Chanel Bronze Universel to contour and bronze
MAC Vanilla pigment as highlight
MAC Well Dressed blush

Eyes: Katy seems to be wearing a light wash of colour on her lids. Her main focus seems to be under the eyes.
MAC Soft Ochre paintpot
Urban Decay Blunt e/s all over lid
MAC Vanilla e/s as highlight and also in the inner corners
MAC Blacktrack fluidline on upper lashline
Maxfactor 2000 Calorie mascara
MAC Brassy fluidline on lower waterline
MAC Tempting e/s smudged along lower lashes
MAC Charcoal Brown e/s to fill in brows and then set with vaseline to obtain Katy's glossy brows
NYC false lashes

Lips:
Blistex to prime
Concealer to mute my natural lip colour
NYX Round lipstick in Orange Soda

Hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed doing it.

Intriguing Scarlet: Warm Eyes!

2009-02-22T15:56:00.000Z

I created this look using my new MAC palette which I mentioned in my previous post.

I used - Warm Suede, Well Spiced and Real Drama:

I also used Bobbi Browns gel eyeliner in Ivy Shimmer Ink (which I received in a swap from Magpie Sparkles) along my upper lashline and water line although you can't really tell from the picture.

For reference I used:
Cheeks - Enough Said
Lips - NYX Harmonica Round Lipstick

Today is a proud day

2009-02-21T15:25:00.000Z

I have finally completed my first MAC palette. It's only taken me two months.

I'm very pleased with the end result.

Top Row: Modest Tone, Mythology, Wintersky, Deep Truth and 100 Strokes
Middle Row: Woodwinked, Sable, Cranberry, Mulch and Femme Fi
Bottom Row: All That Glitters, Plum Dressing, Tempting, Gleam and Smut

What shadows made up your first palette?

X

Junction One

2009-02-21T14:14:00.000Z

This morning I made the long journey to Junction One, a shopping outlet in Northern Ireland which stocks NYX but most importantly has a Cosmetic Company Store where you can find discounted brands such as MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique and Estee Lauder.

My main focus was the MAC counter which usually stocks items from previous collections but you can find permanent items too. There was brush sets and palettes from the holiday collection just past, Metal X shadows and some leftovers from Neo Sci-Fi, Fafi and Moonbathe.

My haul:

Smut E/S, Red She Said blush in Enough Said and Trax E/S

Top: Enough Said (tan with gold pearl)
L-R - Smut (black with red shimmer) and Trax (burgandy-plum)

Intriguing Scarlett Warm Eyes Palette

Top Row: Warm Suede, Grand Entrance, Real Drama
Bottom Row: Gentle Heat, Well Spiced, Sweet Joy

Two fluidlines in Dip Down and Brassy. I intend to use Brassy along my lower lashes for added colour.

I never noticed before but the Cosmetic Co. Store also sell empty palettes.

I picked up an empty 15 slot palette and a quad.

E.L.F Makeover

2009-02-20T20:18:00.000Z

On Wednesday night I placed an order with E.L.F cosmetics. My goodies arrived this morning, just in time to be featured in todays makeup.

My goodies include: Empty eyeshadow palette, Eye shadow pans in Moondust, Golden Glow, Mocha and Truly Pink (currently all £1), All Over Colour Stick in Pink Lemonade, Hypershine Lipgloss in Fairy and Mineral lipstick in Nicely Nude.

The eyeshadows have quite good pigmentation and have lasted all day (I used UDPP as a base).

Despite the quality of the eyeshadows, the lip products where a let down. The hypershine gloss looked horrible on my lips. It showed up as a glittery purple although it may look better if I apply lip erase first. The mineral lipstick was far from nude. Its more of a pink. I applied it lightly to get just a hint of colour.

This is the finished look:

My favourite product has to be the All Over Cover Stick in Pink Lemonade. First of all this smells delicious and works great as a base under powder blush. I paired it with MAC's Well Dressed. I found it easier to dab my 168 onto the product rather than swipe it directly on my cheek,that way you can't overdo it.

Current craving

2009-02-19T19:20:00.000Z

Recently i've found myself lusting after arcrylic nails.

Photo courtesy of sensalsa.co.nz

I know these are not the healthiest for your nails and there are lots of horror stories but i'm so jealous of those with well groomed, long talons

I've always wanted WAG style nails with the perfect french manicure. This obsession has been encouraged with the current state of my nails ie bad cuticles, different lengths and certain nails are always peeling.

They are permently hidden underneath layers of dark polish.

So come pay day I hope to book my first appointment to have acrylics fitted leaving me with the nails I yearn for :)

I sort of know before I ask, but what are your feelings on acrylic nails? There must be some people who swear by them and who are keeping nail salons in business.

Check out this video. It certainly made me feel better about acrylics.

What i'm using right now Tag!!!

2009-02-18T20:33:00.000Z

I was tagged by the lovely Av to list the products i'm currently using.

Shampoo: John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shine Release Moisturising Shampoo

Condtioner: John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shine Release Moisturising Conditioner

Styling products: John Frieda Satin Shine Finishing Creme, TiGi Bed Head After Party

Shower Gel: The Body Shop raspberry shower gel

Body moisturiser: The Body Shop Raspberry body butter

Deodrant: Dove Invisible Dry

Fake Tan: Don't do this

Cleanser: Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2 in 1 Wash and Mask

Eye makeup remover: L'oreal eye makeup remover

Exfoliator: Neutrogena Visibly Clear Gentle Exfoliating Wash

Primer: MAC Prep & Prime with SPF

Foundation: MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15

Foundation brush: MAC 190

Concealer: Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit in porcelain

Powder: MAC MSF Natural in light

Blusher: Nars Deep Throat

Bronzer: cheap Rimmel one

Highlighter: MAC Blonde MSF

Eyeshadow base: MAC Soft Ochre Paintpot

Eyeshadows: Scant and Satin Taupe

Eyeliner: MAC Black Track Fluidline

Eyelash curler: one by MAC

Eyelash base: Don't use one

Mascara: Maxfactor 2000 Calorie

Lipstick: GOSH Darling (134)

Lipgloss: Vaseline

Nail Colour: Barry M Nail Paint in Grey

I tag anyone who wants to do this

x

Lash Experiment: Week 1

2009-02-17T20:14:00.000Z

These are my lashes before the treatment, pathetic I know.

Before

These are my lashes after a weeks use of Ardell's Brow & Lash.

Week 1

As you can tell no difference as yet.

Maybe next week...

MAC's Tempting & Carbon Recreation

2009-02-15T15:38:00.000Z

I was inspired by Lollipop26's latest tutorial using MAC's Tempting and Carbon e/s with a little bit of Mythology on the inner corner.

This is the combination i'm wearing today.

I am loving this look. Its easy to achieve and can be worn either day or night with just the right amount of Carbon.

You can find the tutorial here.

Lash Experiment

2009-02-10T20:16:00.000Z

For a while i've been wanting to try a lash growth stimulating product.

On sunday I finally gave in and ordered Ardell Brow and Lash Growth Accelerator.

I was sold on this product after watching a review from sayanythingbrooke.

I got this off ebay for £8 including shipping which is considerably cheap compared to what you would pay for Lilash or Enormous Lash.

Ardell Brow and Lash contains multi-proteins that repair weak lashes as well as added conditioners which soften dry lashes, enabling them to grow longer, thicker and fuller.

To be honest i'm not expecting too much from this product. It doesnt claim to encourage the growth of new lashes rather it just conditions your existing lashes so that they appear healthier (thats my take on this).

You apply this treatment gel before bed after cleansing your face. Unlike Lilash which has an eyeliner wand, Brow and Lash has a mascara wand which you apply to your lashes like you would a mascara.

I will be starting this treatment tonight and will be posting weekly updates on how im getting on.

For those interested in trying this, I got it from this seller.

Has anyone had any experience with this product?

BBR, Creme Team & Well Defined

2009-02-06T19:33:00.000Z

All throughout work on Thursday I was itching to get to the MAC counter to check out the new collections.

Although this was an expensive haul, i'm really pleased with all my buys :)

From BBR collection I picked up Femme Fi e/s and 100 Strokes e/s. French Cuff was on my list but it is very similar to Mythology which I already own.

I chose the Blonde MSF (Brunette was too dark for me) but I think i'll go back and get the Redhead as well. I can't get enough of MSF's :) Today I wore the darker side on my apples and the lightest shade as my highlight.

The only lipstick in that collection which stood out to me was Marquise D' which is a really nice peachy nude.

I only got one lipstick from Creme Team and that was Creme Cup. The lipglosses didn't appeal to me and their colour pay off was disappointing.

Left to right: Creme Cup and Marquise D'

I couldn't resist getting the new Studio Sculpt foundation and concealer which i'm wearing today. Both of these give great coverage and you get 10ml extra compared to MAC's Studio Fix Fluid. The foundation doesn't feel heavy to me and its gel formula is great for my dry skin. These get two thumbs up from me.

Bad Skin = :(

2009-02-03T19:41:00.000Z

For those who you who follow me on twitter will know that i've been experiencing bad breakouts on my face.

The reason? Who knows...

I've narrowed it down to some possibilities.

1) I've stopped using MAC's Prep & Prime because i've read it can make you look very white in photo's which I don't want for my blog posts.

2) My new HG foundation brush, the 109.

3) New Bourjois bronzer.

To be honest, I think the 109 is the culprit. This brush is used all over my face, basically everywhere my skin has broken out (even on my brow bone :( )

My solution?

I've reduced the amount of makeup I wear down to the bare minimal ie. foundation, concealer, mascara and blush (these are the products i've used for months with no side effects) until I can see improvement in my skin. This method seems to be working so tomorrow I might introduce eyeshadow into my routine.

These past few days have reminded me of when I rarely used to wear makeup, before I really got interested in it. I prefer myself when I have my full face done, anything less makes me look and feel tired.

This experience will teach me to try one new thing at a time, that way I can measure the effects it has on my skin.

For now i'm back to using Prep & Prime and my 190 and will be back to posting full face looks once these spots are all gone :)

To be continued...

2009-02-01T16:27:00.000Z

These are the last items from my Boots haul:

I got carried away with myself and bought 6 new lipsticks, all from the nude family.

Back right: Bourjois Paris Sweet Kiss lipstick in Beige Elegant. This is a new release from Bourjois which promises high intensity colour as well as moisturising properties. It does feel light and moist on the lips but not its not long wearing and I found it gathered in the lines on my lips.

Back middle: 17 Sheer Moisture lipstick in Balmy Beige.

Back left: 17 Lasting Fix lipstick in Shell.

Front right: Boots Natural Collection Sheer Natural in Sorbet. Its a coral/pink but appears shows up on my lips as a baby pink.

Front middle: Natural Collection Moisture Shine in Apple Blossom.

Front left: Natural Collection Sheer Natural in Lotus. This is my favourite out of the bunch and is also the palest.

Pay Day Haul!

2009-01-30T20:36:00.000Z

January has been a long month for me.

However I was paid a day early so what better way to celebrate than a much deserved shopping binge :)

First stop MAC.

One item to tick off my ever growing want list was Gleam eyeshadow which i'm wearing today with Mulch in my crease. This also completes my six items to Back 2 MAC, once depotted of course.

I restrained myself in MAC so just picked up one last thing.

Saint Germain lipstick. Such a lovely barbie pink and ho doesn't love barbie?

Here is it applied on my lips:

My last stop of the night was Boots.

I picked up quite a few things, mainly lip products but i'll start with the non lip items.

I got the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner set in Velvet Rope.

From left to right: Yeyo (metallic white), Stash (olive green with gold glitter), 1999 (plum with gold glitter), Bourbon (brown with gold glitter) and Zero (black)

I've yet to use these properly but from swatching them they go on smoothly and its quite hard to remove them.

Boots were doing a special offer on Maxfactor's False Lash Effect mascara (only £7.76) so I nabbed myself one. I already love their 2000 Calorie Mascara so i'm pleased to report that this is great too. The wand and packaging is identical to Cover Girls Lash Blast apart from the container being black.

For reference Lash Blast is on the left and False Lash Effect on the right.

I havent tried many products from the 17 collection except for their lipgloss and nail polish but I spotted a lip pencil and just had to have it.

It is their Perfect Pout lip liner in Fawn.

I really like this. Its a peachy nude. I'm going to test this as an all over colour with a layer of vaseline on top and see how it turns out. This was free as it was 3 for 2 on selected 17 items.

This post is to be continued...

Skincare Routine

2009-01-28T20:04:00.000Z

These are the fundamentals of my everyday skincare routine.

To begin with I have dry skin so these items are what I find work for me.

In my earlier teenage years I suffered from oily/spot prone skin but thankfully thats cleared up since i've aged.

To remove my makeup at night I use your bog standard baby wipes. If it's good enough for a babys butt its good enough for my face.

Next step is my cleanser. I use Neutrogena's Visibly Clear 2 in 1 wash and mask. I only ever use this as a face wash because the clay mask will only make my skin feel tighter. (Picture not included because this item is in my bathroom).

To remove any leftover eye make I use L'oreal Dermo-Expertise gentle eye make-up remover. If i'm wearing heavy eye make-up or thick mascara which won't budge i'll use baby oil but this leaves my lids very oily which I hate.

For my toner I use Clean & Clear's deep cleansing lotion for sensitive skin. This helps prevent spots and the build up of oil and dirt.

Finally to moisturise my face i'm currently using MAC's Studio Moisture Cream. This smells amazing and feels really light. I was using an oil free moisturiser which i've been told is wrong because it will only dry out my skin even more.

This sums of the products I use on a daily basis.

Twice a week I will exfoliate using MAC's Microfine Refinisher. This is great at removing flaky skin but leaves my face looking red so I leave this step until bedtime allowing the redness to calm down.

If I ever feel a spot coming on I will coat it in Sudocrem (nappy rash treatment) and leave it over night. By morning its usually gone :)

At this point in my life I should probably invest in an anti-aging cream. In my opinion its never too soon to start so if you have any recommendations they would be most appreciated.

Lately...

2009-01-26T14:45:00.000Z

i've been rediscovering my love for Urban Decay.

At the very back of my makeup unit, I stumbed upon two e/s palettes I got last christmas and probably haven't used since. They are both by Urban Decay and are the Skull Shadow Box and the Eyeshadow Ammo Shadow Box (the latter is the one I use most often).

My everyday eye consists of UD's Sin applied all over the lid and Smog in the crease. To define my eyes a bit more, I only apply my blacktrack fluid to the outer corners and creating a wing.

This is a very easy look and one I would wear to work regularly. To turn it into an evening look I apply more Smog and a some Oil Slick to deepen the crease.

Are there any other UD eyeshadows i'm missing out on?

MAC Springsheen Blush

2009-01-22T20:45:00.000Z

I've been wearing this blush everyday for the past week. Its becoming a favourite of mine next to Well Dressed and Stark Naked.

I bought this based on a swatch I had seen online although it wasn't on display in the store so I didnt really know what to expect.

Honestly, the colour initially scared me.

It looks orange and quite stark against the black packaging but once applied its very sheer and is more coral not orange!

Its a sheertone shimmer and is described by MAC as being a light peach with gold pearl.

This would be amazing paired with a tan, definately a must have for when i'm on holiday.

Does anyone else really like this blush or is it just me?

X

All That Glitters + Mulch

2009-01-20T21:46:00.000Z

Today I paired MAC's All That Glitters with Mulch, my new favourite :)

This was created in two easy steps:

1) All That Glitters applied over the lid
2) Mulch used in the crease and along the lower lashline

To complete this look I applied YSL Faux Cils and MAC powerpoint in Feline.

To add a bit more definition to the crease I added a little bit of carbon. Gives it more of a dramatic boost and turns any day time look into an evening look.

What do you like to pair together?

Foundation application using the MAC 109

2009-01-18T15:10:00.000Z

This morning I used MAC's 109 brush to apply my Studio Fix Fluid.

I have talked about using this brush for my highlight but alot of people have been using this brush to apply their liquid foundation.

Now its my turn...

This is the finished look:

I assumed this method would take me forever, therefore I was shocked when I had applied my foundation in under 5 minutes. Applying foundation is a lengthy process for me :S

Everything you've heard about this brush (hopefully all good) is true. My skin to me looks airbrushed. For a brush so small it can cover everything in less time and with hardly any effort. Its really soft on my skin, something i'm not used to when using the 190. Another plus is that it doesn't absorb alot of product and throughout the application it had lost one hair.

I used a light hand with this brush and buffed the product in. I was very cautious not to be too rough in case it ruined the hairs. I often found myself swiping the brush in a downward motion instead of circular because thats what im used to.

This could be my new HG foundation brush. I'm amazed by the results :)

If anyone has this brush please try this.

Question: What's in my makeup bag?

2009-01-17T18:30:00.000Z

Answer: Not alot!

I don't carry much makeup around with me because I hardly ever need to touch up.

Out of all the cosmetics I do have in my makeup bag the majority are lip related as this is my problem area.

I suffer really dry, chapped lips. No matter what I use nothing seems to help long term. I'm currently using a cream for cracked lips and cold sores which is in there along with my Chapstick in cherry (I have a thing about cherry based lip products, they smell so delicious). To touch up throughout the day I carry the lipstick im wearing that day. Today i'm wearing pretty please.

A must have in my makeup bag is my MSF Natural. This is just to matify any oily spots I might have during the day. I depotted my MSF from its orginal packaging into my Dame Edna container.

Check out RicoLovesMAC video for how to do this.

Now we get to the boring stuff which i'll just run through quickly. I have a compact mirror, hand sanitizer, tissues and a hair tie and clips for those bad hair days.

I'd be interested to know what's in your makeup bag.

Makeup Brushes

2009-01-14T19:22:00.000Z

I was asked by Laura what makeup brushes I use so I thought i'd share with you all the ones I use on a daily basis.

They are mostly MAC Brushes, but the cheaper alternatives I have do the job just fine.

(excuse their dirtiness, Im lazy when it comes to cleaning them)

1) To apply my foundation I use the 190 brush. It doesnt leave my foundation streaky and doesnt apply it too sheerly. If I want light coverage i'l use the 187.

2) For concealer I use the 190 SE because it works on a bigger surface area. To apply concealer to my under eyes I use my fingers. I find it helps warm the product.

3) I know some people use the 266 for fluidline but I use it to shade in my eyebrushes because the brush hairs are quite big and in my opinion too big to apply liner with.

4) For my bronzer im using an ordinary powder brush. Some day i'll get the 134 to replace this along with NARS laguna bronzer.

5) I use the 129 for my blush. I love this brush, enough said.

6) I was talked into buying the 109 to apply the MSF's because they were sold out of the 181 and I haven't looked back. Its great at buffing in highlighters.

7) To contour I use the 168. Again this is a brush from a holiday collection. It has a small head compared to the standard 168 which is great as it fits nicely under my small cheekbones.

8) For shadow application I will either use the 239 or ELF's eyeshadow brush (pictured above) and for my crease I use the 217. Its great at applying colour and for blending. I own the 224 but it doesn't really work for me. Its quite big in comparison to my small lids.

What brushes do you use for foundation, eyeshadow etc?

NYX FOTD

2009-01-13T22:13:00.000Z

All of this....

created this....

This is just your basic, neutral eye which I wore to work today using my new NYX trio from Cherry Culture.

I used MAC's soft ochre paint pot as my base and applied the lightest shade (barely there) all over my lid. I then applied the middle shade (champagne) to the outer half before applying the darker shade (root beer) to my crease. I used Maxfactor's 2000 calorie mascara followed by blacktrack fluid and voila a simple daytime look. Great for when your running late for work, which I usually am.

Onto the face and cheeks....

I used MAC's well dressed blush on my apples and Prestige's mineral powder in pure shimmer as my highlight. For an all over glow I used a bronzer from Bourjois which was recommended to me and which I love :)

Finally the lips...

Plain and simply Barry M lip paint in 101

Hope you enjoyed :)

Biosilk Silk Therapy

2009-01-12T19:02:00.000Z

Where have you been all my life?

I'm having a really good hair day today and I think it may be down to this miracle product.

Used for the first time last night, I applied a small amount to my damp hair and worked it from my roots to ends and then combed it through for more accurate distribution. To finish I applied Chi Keratin Mist to my ends before blow drying.

My hair is super soft and less frizzy. The downside is that when I curled my hair the curls fell out, im guessing because of the softness of my hair?

On the upside i've noticed my hair has more texture and volume to it, something I haven't really experienced after straightening my hair usually falls limp.

There has been mixed reviews about this product. A lot of people had claimed it made their hair oily. As long as you don't apply too much to your hair I can't see it being a problem. A little bit definately goes a long way.

I won't be using Biosilk everytime I wash my hair because I dont want my hair to get use to it and over time become immune to its ingredients.

Biosilk has multiple uses. According to the packaging it can be applied to dry skin to add extra moisture and can also be used for pressing pigments as it doesnt irritate the eyes.

Overall i'm impressed with the results after one use. This has worked wonders on my unruly hair and I would recommend it to anyone.

Check out the results for yourself.