Hi happyholidays! since this is the time of year of a million christmas parties and when you need to look your best here are the 10 secrets you should know to transform you into cinderella:
1) if you have oily skin milk of magnesium is your best friend. you can buy it from boots or any pharmacy (though you will have a uphill struggle in superdrug) for under £2. simply put it on a clean face after your moisturizer with a foundation brush (mac 190) then apply your foundation on top. don'tpanic that it makes your face casper the friendly ghost white you're gonna cover it with foundation so no'one will see it
extra tip: avoid primer when you use milk of magnesium.
2) once a week use a deep conditioning mask- my favourite is l'oreal ever strong nourishing intense mask, rinse it off as normal then when your hair is still damp add a SMALL amount to your hair and dry as normal
3) so you are at a christmas party, you look fab, everyone hits the dance floor but your shoes are too tight so you end up doing this super attractive weird hobbling walk/dance. um no. grab air tight sandwich bags, fill with water, put in the part of the shoe that hurts ( like the toe part) and pop the shoe in the freezer for a couple of hours. the water will turn to ice (duh) and stretch the shoe. just make sure you wear them around the house for about 30 mins after to keep them stretched
4) most people (myself included) dont have supermodel legs so when you dare to go without tights in your sexy new dress mix some foundation in with your moisturizer and rub in on your legs. intant heidi klum legs. if you want to go all out add shimmer down the front of your leg and bronzer on the sides.
5) this season is all about the glitter lip. dont panic if you wear gloss you can wear glitter. try revlon lip butter in sugar frosting ( review on this coming up) with barry m fine glitter dust in pink sealed with lipcote for that extra christmas sparkle
6) for a easy winged eyeliner look hold tissue in a straight line from the edge of your nostril to the corner of your eye and up and use it as a template to draw the straight line
7) cant stress enough the importance of curling your eyelashes every day.
8) concealer- always pat in rather than rub it in and concealer has to be set so apply more translucent powder than you think you need.
9) soap and glory hand food is the best hand cream bar none. keep it in your handbag and massage it on to your cuticles whenever you remember and your hands will be "HANDsome" by christmas
10) line your lower water line with a white eyeliner to make yoyr eyes bambi large. my favourite is urban decay 24/7 eyeliner in yeyo. glides on smooth
so thats it. hope you all look fab for your parties and all get kissed under the mistletoe
xoxo
Sunday 16 December 2012
Sunday 23 September 2012
and here was me thinking dot to dot was a kids game....
So I finally got hold of both the Carins and Burjois 3 dot eyeliners. I was really excited so do a little comparing and contrasting as I love a new fad and what better product to start with than "the product that makes messy eyeliner a thing of the past"
The idea is that you dot the felt tip like pen around your upper and lower lash line trying to stay as close as you can to the root of your lashes and that, along with your mascara, gives the illusion of longer and thicker lashes.
First of all whats the difference between the two? The answer is...not much. The only difference is the Clarins one is more of a intense colour so if you are into statement makeup it's worth splurging and buying the Clarins.
They both only come in black but since you are dotting the eyeliner on and want it almost in the roots of your lashes the lack of colour choice isn't a problem or issue and they both last through out a busy day.
Is it worth buying? Well in one word yes! We all have days when we don't have the time to spend as long as we want on our makeup (I refuse to believe I'm the only lazy person out there who takes my alarm going off as a personal insult) and this is ideal for those days when you want to make a effort but just don't have the time to do the full monty
Clarins=£20
Bourjois=£6.99
Both out now
Happy shopping all you dotty people
xoxo
The idea is that you dot the felt tip like pen around your upper and lower lash line trying to stay as close as you can to the root of your lashes and that, along with your mascara, gives the illusion of longer and thicker lashes.
First of all whats the difference between the two? The answer is...not much. The only difference is the Clarins one is more of a intense colour so if you are into statement makeup it's worth splurging and buying the Clarins.
Is it worth buying? Well in one word yes! We all have days when we don't have the time to spend as long as we want on our makeup (I refuse to believe I'm the only lazy person out there who takes my alarm going off as a personal insult) and this is ideal for those days when you want to make a effort but just don't have the time to do the full monty
Clarins=£20
Bourjois=£6.99
Both out now
Happy shopping all you dotty people
xoxo
Saturday 8 September 2012
sewing your hair
So having a bit of a bad week. Was going to review the new Bourjois 3 dot eyeliner but can't find it for love nor money. Stormed into town every lunchtime making myself very hot and bothered but every day I was greeted with empty shelves so everyday I bought myself some Malteasers as a consolation prize and now the weekend is here and I'm eye liner-less and spotty and fat.
As if that wasn't enough disappointment for the week my new heated rollers from the states have arrived and I've just realised I don't have a adaptor for them and the shops have shut now so my dream of going out looking like Gretchen from the Real Housewives was just that. A dream. I was hoping it was a premonition. Well on with what I'm actually reviewing before a lightening bolt strikes me or the computer bursts into flames...
As you all are probably aware hair sewing is in all the magazines lately. It's the next big thing so you don't ruin your hairstyle with the appearance of ugly grips and hair ties. Kevin Murphy has brought the kit out (check out youtube for him)
The idea is you use the linen thread in the kit (because it has tiny imbrication's that catch on to the hair) and a large blunt needle. The kit comes with 3 different colours. Brown for brunettes, black for black hair (duh) and a blond one but to be honest unless you are the type of person who changes their hair colour regularly it's a bit of a waste. You would be better of going to places like Hobbycraft where you can get your chosen colour and a blunt needle for a fraction of the cost.
I followed Youtube tutorials from the man himself but remain...unimpressed. First of all can't over emphasise the importance of a blunt needle. Trying to hold your hair in one hand and sew the back of your head with the other is ridiculously hard and trust me you are gonna stab yourself. Secondly my hair is very long and very thick so the sheer amount of stitches I needed to hold my hair was... extreme. 20 mins later I had a sore arm, very little patience and a hair style that less secure than a cat balanced on a melon. (trust me from life experience that's not secure at all) and with all that time and effort I could of just hidden the grips. Don't get me wrong I love knitting but think I'll leave the sewing well alone...
xoxo
As if that wasn't enough disappointment for the week my new heated rollers from the states have arrived and I've just realised I don't have a adaptor for them and the shops have shut now so my dream of going out looking like Gretchen from the Real Housewives was just that. A dream. I was hoping it was a premonition. Well on with what I'm actually reviewing before a lightening bolt strikes me or the computer bursts into flames...
As you all are probably aware hair sewing is in all the magazines lately. It's the next big thing so you don't ruin your hairstyle with the appearance of ugly grips and hair ties. Kevin Murphy has brought the kit out (check out youtube for him)
The idea is you use the linen thread in the kit (because it has tiny imbrication's that catch on to the hair) and a large blunt needle. The kit comes with 3 different colours. Brown for brunettes, black for black hair (duh) and a blond one but to be honest unless you are the type of person who changes their hair colour regularly it's a bit of a waste. You would be better of going to places like Hobbycraft where you can get your chosen colour and a blunt needle for a fraction of the cost.
I followed Youtube tutorials from the man himself but remain...unimpressed. First of all can't over emphasise the importance of a blunt needle. Trying to hold your hair in one hand and sew the back of your head with the other is ridiculously hard and trust me you are gonna stab yourself. Secondly my hair is very long and very thick so the sheer amount of stitches I needed to hold my hair was... extreme. 20 mins later I had a sore arm, very little patience and a hair style that less secure than a cat balanced on a melon. (trust me from life experience that's not secure at all) and with all that time and effort I could of just hidden the grips. Don't get me wrong I love knitting but think I'll leave the sewing well alone...
xoxo
Sunday 2 September 2012
the key to normal hair
As many of you will know if you've read my ramblings before, my hair sucks, so when I find a good product that makes it look normal I want to shout it from the rooftops (without actually climbing any ladders) so my fellow roof top dwellers...Body Shop coconut hair shine!!!
I use this after I've curled my hair. (using the Conair xtreme heat rollers-yes I am Gretchen from real housewives crazy before you ask. she is my hairspiration) when I take the rollers out i use the tiniest amount on each curl to stop the frizz and make it sleek. The word in the previous sentence you have to acknowledge is TINIEST. Get overeager and you go from Cinderella at the ball to grease ball in 0.12 seconds
I love the smell of coconut and think its quite a sexy smell if you know what I mean. Remember in Frasier when Niles was obsessed with smelling Daphnes hair? I always imagined it smelled of coconut and while David Hyde Peirce is nowhere near my ideal husband, it would be nice to have that sort of effect on someone. This is oddly a disappointment for me as I cant really smell the coconut when I have it in my hair. Maybe its like perfume though and you can't smell it on yourself. I'll get people to smell me (in a non weird way) and get back to you all.
Anyway it's cheap and because you only use the smallest amount it lasts forever making it the best budget thing for your hair since the invention of the doughnut bun.
Just a short review this week. I'm ball gown shopping and that has my attention. For those of you who are interested I'll post a pic when it arrives. Now all I need is a fairy godmother and a pumpkin....
xoxo
I use this after I've curled my hair. (using the Conair xtreme heat rollers-yes I am Gretchen from real housewives crazy before you ask. she is my hairspiration) when I take the rollers out i use the tiniest amount on each curl to stop the frizz and make it sleek. The word in the previous sentence you have to acknowledge is TINIEST. Get overeager and you go from Cinderella at the ball to grease ball in 0.12 seconds
I love the smell of coconut and think its quite a sexy smell if you know what I mean. Remember in Frasier when Niles was obsessed with smelling Daphnes hair? I always imagined it smelled of coconut and while David Hyde Peirce is nowhere near my ideal husband, it would be nice to have that sort of effect on someone. This is oddly a disappointment for me as I cant really smell the coconut when I have it in my hair. Maybe its like perfume though and you can't smell it on yourself. I'll get people to smell me (in a non weird way) and get back to you all.
Anyway it's cheap and because you only use the smallest amount it lasts forever making it the best budget thing for your hair since the invention of the doughnut bun.
Just a short review this week. I'm ball gown shopping and that has my attention. For those of you who are interested I'll post a pic when it arrives. Now all I need is a fairy godmother and a pumpkin....
xoxo
Friday 24 August 2012
tooth whitening- the snow white of teeth
Now before you all start giving me "just how gross and yellow were your teeth to have tooth whitening?!" looks THEY WERE FINE! but you know, life takes it's toll and red wine must be drank. All of which dull your teeth so ...
I went to the dentist and had some alginate impressions taken (you know the orange goo in the tray they shove in your mouth that makes everyone heave) Apparently it's made from seaweed but judging from the way it tastes it's more like seaweed dumped in nuclear waste. They then got sent away for the whitening trays to be made.
A little over a week later I was back to have them fitted and to get my whitening gel. The trays look like upper and lower mouth guards only much, much thinner and fit over the teeth with like a well over the tooth surface to keep the gel in place when you wear them. The gel is 10% Carbamide Peroxide which works (I'm channelling Sheldon Cooper for the science bit) when it breaks down to form Hydrogen Peroxide which in turn oxidises the stain that's in the tooth enamel leading to brighter, whiter teeth
I wore mine over night for the next two weeks. Some dentists say you only need to wear them for 5-6 hours and to wear them in the evenings when you're watching TV but A) even though I'm a spinster I don't watch that much TV and B) I like a nice cup of tea and a packet of M&M's when I'm watching TV not a mouthful of gel. It didn't particularly bother me to wear them through the night, its comfortable and after about 10 mins you just forget about it. My first tip of this review is if you do wear them through the night, when you remove the trays the next morning, immediately brush your teeth without closing your mouth because, trust me, you have never tasted something so gross.
Hmmm well I guess we are getting into the tip part...
Tip 2: Remember whitening only whitens natural teeth. NOT white fillings, crowns etc
Tip 3: Sensitivity! 75% of people get sensitivity to hot and cold when whitening. its not permanent. Only lasts while you are actually whitening but OW!!!! Stock up on a sensitive toothpaste such as Sensodyne or Colgate sensitive and if it's really bad just do the whitening every other night
Tip 4: Stay away from red wine, curry, coke and other highly coloured food when whitening as the extra oxygen makes your teeth more porous
Tip 5: Keep the gel in the fridge otherwise it wont work
Tip 6: When you clean the trays don't use hot water or they will distort as they are plastic
Tip 7: Keep the trays and top up once a year to keep them looking the way you want them. Whitening doesn't fade but living a life gradually discolours them again
I went to the dentist and had some alginate impressions taken (you know the orange goo in the tray they shove in your mouth that makes everyone heave) Apparently it's made from seaweed but judging from the way it tastes it's more like seaweed dumped in nuclear waste. They then got sent away for the whitening trays to be made.
A little over a week later I was back to have them fitted and to get my whitening gel. The trays look like upper and lower mouth guards only much, much thinner and fit over the teeth with like a well over the tooth surface to keep the gel in place when you wear them. The gel is 10% Carbamide Peroxide which works (I'm channelling Sheldon Cooper for the science bit) when it breaks down to form Hydrogen Peroxide which in turn oxidises the stain that's in the tooth enamel leading to brighter, whiter teeth
I wore mine over night for the next two weeks. Some dentists say you only need to wear them for 5-6 hours and to wear them in the evenings when you're watching TV but A) even though I'm a spinster I don't watch that much TV and B) I like a nice cup of tea and a packet of M&M's when I'm watching TV not a mouthful of gel. It didn't particularly bother me to wear them through the night, its comfortable and after about 10 mins you just forget about it. My first tip of this review is if you do wear them through the night, when you remove the trays the next morning, immediately brush your teeth without closing your mouth because, trust me, you have never tasted something so gross.
Hmmm well I guess we are getting into the tip part...
Tip 2: Remember whitening only whitens natural teeth. NOT white fillings, crowns etc
Tip 3: Sensitivity! 75% of people get sensitivity to hot and cold when whitening. its not permanent. Only lasts while you are actually whitening but OW!!!! Stock up on a sensitive toothpaste such as Sensodyne or Colgate sensitive and if it's really bad just do the whitening every other night
Tip 4: Stay away from red wine, curry, coke and other highly coloured food when whitening as the extra oxygen makes your teeth more porous
Tip 5: Keep the gel in the fridge otherwise it wont work
Tip 6: When you clean the trays don't use hot water or they will distort as they are plastic
Tip 7: Keep the trays and top up once a year to keep them looking the way you want them. Whitening doesn't fade but living a life gradually discolours them again
Now for the results....drum roll please.......tah-dah!!!...
XOXO
Saturday 18 August 2012
best £35 i ever spent
You have to admit-nothing says sexy like a smokey eye. And nothing does smokey eye better than Urban Decay's smoked palette. I am in love with it and if marrying a cosmetic were legal.......
It comes with 10 eye shadows, black (perversion) eyeliner and their mini eye primer. Not bad for £35 right?
Oh and a instruction book in case you are too lazy or unimaginative to think for yourself.
The shades are:
What else could you buy for |£35 that brings this much happiness??
xoxo
It comes with 10 eye shadows, black (perversion) eyeliner and their mini eye primer. Not bad for £35 right?
Oh and a instruction book in case you are too lazy or unimaginative to think for yourself.
The shades are:
- kinky- (great name) which is almost a satin-y vanilla colour
- freestyle (looks particularly good on my warm skin tone) and a peach-y colour
- mushroom (absolutely beautiful. even my mum likes this one and she doesn't "do" eye shadows) a taupe colour
- backdoor ( doesn't suit me at all) matte dark brown and generally ugh
- blackout (been my go to colour for years for smoky eyes). dark highly pigmented black (obviously)
- barlust (the first shimmery colour in the palette and looks better on than off) dark golden brown
- rockstar (nice sexy shimmery purple)
- evidence (see its nice that this palette actually has colours isn't it?!!) dark blue with shimmer
- loaded ( the best colour in the palette. amazing with brown eyes. love love love) a dark forest green
- asphalt a grey that in certain lights almost has a purple tinge to it
What else could you buy for |£35 that brings this much happiness??
xoxo
Sunday 12 August 2012
dragged through a hedge backwards
Now I must confess I'm not in the best mood this weekend so in all honesty I could be reviewing Jensen ackles' naked body and i'd still find something to moan about but Headmasters salon experts colour brilliance miracle moisture mask sent me to moaning heaven.
I'm naturally a brunette but have a complicated hair history of dying it blond (read that as poring bleach over it every 6 weeks til I looked liked Marilyn Monroe) then have dyed it back brown over the top so it's very, very dry and needs a lot of TLC to keep it relatively nice. I'm also a extremely fickle person and change my shampoo and conditioner regularly. What do psychologists say fickle people have now? O yeah fear of missing out (FOMO) syndrome so I always think there's a better conditioner out there. Unfortunately this is not it.
First of all "miracle moisture mask" really? 1) This is not a miracle. Walking on water = miracle, Me one day finding a husband = miracle. This is a poor excuse for a conditioner. 2) Moisture? ummm there's more moisture on a grain of sand in the middle of a desert than in this. My hair couldn't be any more dry. It's like I've just shampooed and left it.
That's not the worst part though. This seems to have a magical power of making your hair very dry but oddly greasy at the same time. You know that I need to wash my hair look. Not attractive!!!
You think I cant possibly say anything else bad don't you? well I haven't mentioned the knots in my hair when I attempted to comb it. Strange as I don't remember being dragged through a hedge backwards..........
I'm naturally a brunette but have a complicated hair history of dying it blond (read that as poring bleach over it every 6 weeks til I looked liked Marilyn Monroe) then have dyed it back brown over the top so it's very, very dry and needs a lot of TLC to keep it relatively nice. I'm also a extremely fickle person and change my shampoo and conditioner regularly. What do psychologists say fickle people have now? O yeah fear of missing out (FOMO) syndrome so I always think there's a better conditioner out there. Unfortunately this is not it.
First of all "miracle moisture mask" really? 1) This is not a miracle. Walking on water = miracle, Me one day finding a husband = miracle. This is a poor excuse for a conditioner. 2) Moisture? ummm there's more moisture on a grain of sand in the middle of a desert than in this. My hair couldn't be any more dry. It's like I've just shampooed and left it.
That's not the worst part though. This seems to have a magical power of making your hair very dry but oddly greasy at the same time. You know that I need to wash my hair look. Not attractive!!!
You think I cant possibly say anything else bad don't you? well I haven't mentioned the knots in my hair when I attempted to comb it. Strange as I don't remember being dragged through a hedge backwards..........
Sunday 5 August 2012
i'm such a two faced glampire
If I had to compare myself to a makeup product in a bizarre psychiatrist test I would pick Too Faced glamour dust in Glampire. You might as well rename it Amy in a jar.
It's definitely a love or hate product (much like me or marmite) as its glitter. Yes glitter, but before you all run for the hills imagining the thick, chunky chavvy glitter we all used to wear to junior school discos it's a way more grown up approach to adding some sparkle. It's very very fine so can be used over lip gloss for added wow or as it's intended either on top of a eyeshadow or alone on the lid.
I wouldn't exactly call it subtle but nothing annoys me more than buying a glittery product and it having 3 specks of glitter in (urban decay glitter eyeliner are you listening??) and the fall out is ridiculous so do your eye makeup first so you can clean up your cheeks but for the negatives you get the most prettiest pinky colour, sooooo much sparkle for your money and to be honest the best flipping name ever
xoxo
It's definitely a love or hate product (much like me or marmite) as its glitter. Yes glitter, but before you all run for the hills imagining the thick, chunky chavvy glitter we all used to wear to junior school discos it's a way more grown up approach to adding some sparkle. It's very very fine so can be used over lip gloss for added wow or as it's intended either on top of a eyeshadow or alone on the lid.
I wouldn't exactly call it subtle but nothing annoys me more than buying a glittery product and it having 3 specks of glitter in (urban decay glitter eyeliner are you listening??) and the fall out is ridiculous so do your eye makeup first so you can clean up your cheeks but for the negatives you get the most prettiest pinky colour, sooooo much sparkle for your money and to be honest the best flipping name ever
xoxo
Saturday 28 July 2012
"y-am what i y-am" no popeye not olive oyl ARGAN OIL
OK I'll admit it. My first thought when I saw Josie Maran Argan Oil was of pretty little liars and Hanna Marin. She has lovely skin and she can apparently pass for a 16 year old even though she's my age so it's no surprise this particular impulse buy made it into my basket.
I want to say nice things about this product-and I will-but for the money it sure doesn't last long. Now I know you're meant to mix it with your moisturiser (it's the first Argan oil product designed specifically for the face) so you're not meant to use much, and the eyedropper you use to get it out the bottle reinforces that message but COME ON! bought it the beginning of June and now it's gone. My face isn't that big! I really begrudge spending that amount of money for not even 2 months use. I will because of the benefits but I will begrudge every penny.
Like I said (well you might of missed it with all my moaning) this product does have a lot of positives which are...drum roll please...
xoxo
I want to say nice things about this product-and I will-but for the money it sure doesn't last long. Now I know you're meant to mix it with your moisturiser (it's the first Argan oil product designed specifically for the face) so you're not meant to use much, and the eyedropper you use to get it out the bottle reinforces that message but COME ON! bought it the beginning of June and now it's gone. My face isn't that big! I really begrudge spending that amount of money for not even 2 months use. I will because of the benefits but I will begrudge every penny.
Like I said (well you might of missed it with all my moaning) this product does have a lot of positives which are...drum roll please...
- It's especially good for spot prone skin-always used to get the odd spot-now every day is a clear skin day
- It blurs and makes fine lines less noticeable. A million times better than that awful vile Nanoblur whose sole job was that.
- It's a 100% pure. Not that chemicals particularly bother me...
- You get a healthy glow from it. and I have oily skin!
- It helps reduce hyper pigmintation-I have sun damaged skin on my forehead which shows when I've been in the sun....well used to.
- For any germ freaks out there it's a lot more hygienic than dipping your finger in a pot of moisturiser twice a day
- It's a good "all rounder" can be used on your hair, cuticles etc...well you could if it lasted longer !!!!
xoxo
Sunday 22 July 2012
botox or notox? i am the frozen queen
I've always understood the whole never never growing up philosophy of Peter Pan. I don't mean I want to relive 2002 (the year i turned 18) or start wearing green tights but a wrinkle free face? yes please!!
I was 26 when I first had it done. I'm tall and look my age and having older friends who were constantly mistaken for younger than me knocked my confidence...or threw me into a mood so evil i put Lex Luther to shame, however you want to phrase it so I booked myself an appointment.
I had it done between my eyebrows (glabellar lines ) as all those times I forgot to put on sunglasses and just squinted were beginning to show and you know what they say prevention is better than cure.
In my opinion botox isn't that big a deal. I had it after work and its literally a 5 min appointment. What's frustrating is waiting 4-5 days for it to work. I was obsessed about knowing when it started so I spent the best part of as week running to every mirror I saw and trying to frown then groaning when I still could (slightly embarrassing when you're out or at work) but 5 days later frowning was a thing of the past.
I'm not ashamed of having botox. In my mind its maintenance like having your hair done or having a facial. There's nothing wrong with trying to look the best you can but do feel its like a drug. Once you've started it's really hard to stop. My last lot was in march and its wearing off which is making me irritable every time I see myself frown. You get used to your forehead not moving and feeling smooth and start comparing every line on everyone elses faces to yours.
It's hard being a girl. Maybe Barbie had it right all along by being plastic
xoxo
I was 26 when I first had it done. I'm tall and look my age and having older friends who were constantly mistaken for younger than me knocked my confidence...or threw me into a mood so evil i put Lex Luther to shame, however you want to phrase it so I booked myself an appointment.
I had it done between my eyebrows (glabellar lines ) as all those times I forgot to put on sunglasses and just squinted were beginning to show and you know what they say prevention is better than cure.
In my opinion botox isn't that big a deal. I had it after work and its literally a 5 min appointment. What's frustrating is waiting 4-5 days for it to work. I was obsessed about knowing when it started so I spent the best part of as week running to every mirror I saw and trying to frown then groaning when I still could (slightly embarrassing when you're out or at work) but 5 days later frowning was a thing of the past.
I'm not ashamed of having botox. In my mind its maintenance like having your hair done or having a facial. There's nothing wrong with trying to look the best you can but do feel its like a drug. Once you've started it's really hard to stop. My last lot was in march and its wearing off which is making me irritable every time I see myself frown. You get used to your forehead not moving and feeling smooth and start comparing every line on everyone elses faces to yours.
It's hard being a girl. Maybe Barbie had it right all along by being plastic
xoxo
Friday 20 July 2012
a blissful virgin
Does anyone remember the magazine 'Bliss'? I used to read it when I was about 11 then overnight it changed and turned into the biggest load of rubbish ever. Either that or I suddenly matured and that was the reason it seemed ridiculous and boring but that doesn't sound like me. If you had to pick 3 words even now to describe me "mature" wouldn't be one of them. In fact "mature" wouldn't make the top 100. Anyway my complete hatred of the magazine and by extension the word "bliss" has made me, until today, a bliss skincare virgin.
To pop my proverbial bliss cherry I have spent the afternoon at the spa having the famous triple oxygen facial. Like all first timers I was scared I'd be left disappointed having built the whole facial up in my head so it was no longer just a facial but a miracle waiting to happen.
The facial lasts an hour and 15mins and the triple oxygen instant energising mask and eye mask are meant to complement it and be "at home" versions.but lets start at the beginning since its a "unusual" facial...
First the skin is cleansed and exfoliated ,then a fruit acid is applied where the word "stinging" comes to mind rather than the "tingling" they say. (as you can see this post is very keyword orientated.) but as the saying goes beauty is pain...then the oxygen starts with a oxygen cream which is covered in a wrap to open up the pores.... then the torture begins where they "extract them"
Just as I was beginning to think that I liked my pores where they were I was rewarded with a calming oxygen mask which must be code for miracle worker as instead of the blotchy red skin I was expecting after those "extractions" (I keep thinking teeth when I hear the word extraction) it was clear, glow-y and even. Would I have the facial again? ummm...probably not. I'm not saying it wasnt great. It was. Just not worth the money. If it was cheaper I may change my once a month facial who knows.
Now the "at home" versions. The mask goes on and feeling light with a fresh citrus-y smell. it goes on as a gel then turns into a fizzing foam. think champagne for the skin. I know it sounds stupid as fizzing bubbles don't mean anything but subconsciously you think its fizzing that means its working!!!!
My first look in the mirror confirms why this was voted one of Instyles best beauty buys...can you say glowing?!!! the $60,000 question is how long will it last? This to be honest is what I'm worried about. When you try to read about it you just get told about how it "delivers oxygen to the skin with innovative fluid02 technology" ....all sounds good BUT WHAT THE HECK IS FLUID02 TECHNOLOGY??? all I want to know is that it works. Don't need a science lesson. It's recommended that this is used twice a week so technically I shouldn't need to use this until Tuesday and my skin should stays glowy. Has anyone used this? Should I prepare for disappointment or add it to my boyfriend snaring list of products?
It's hard to say whether this is worth the money just yet since I've only used it today and my skin wasn't bad to begin with. (I'm a religious cleanse, tone , moisturiser-er and think going to bed with makeup on is a mortal sin.) Putting my foundation on after my facial I felt it went on smoother and looked better but for the money i think i could find better products out there...
xoxo
To pop my proverbial bliss cherry I have spent the afternoon at the spa having the famous triple oxygen facial. Like all first timers I was scared I'd be left disappointed having built the whole facial up in my head so it was no longer just a facial but a miracle waiting to happen.
The facial lasts an hour and 15mins and the triple oxygen instant energising mask and eye mask are meant to complement it and be "at home" versions.but lets start at the beginning since its a "unusual" facial...
First the skin is cleansed and exfoliated ,then a fruit acid is applied where the word "stinging" comes to mind rather than the "tingling" they say. (as you can see this post is very keyword orientated.) but as the saying goes beauty is pain...then the oxygen starts with a oxygen cream which is covered in a wrap to open up the pores.... then the torture begins where they "extract them"
Just as I was beginning to think that I liked my pores where they were I was rewarded with a calming oxygen mask which must be code for miracle worker as instead of the blotchy red skin I was expecting after those "extractions" (I keep thinking teeth when I hear the word extraction) it was clear, glow-y and even. Would I have the facial again? ummm...probably not. I'm not saying it wasnt great. It was. Just not worth the money. If it was cheaper I may change my once a month facial who knows.
Now the "at home" versions. The mask goes on and feeling light with a fresh citrus-y smell. it goes on as a gel then turns into a fizzing foam. think champagne for the skin. I know it sounds stupid as fizzing bubbles don't mean anything but subconsciously you think its fizzing that means its working!!!!
It's hard to say whether this is worth the money just yet since I've only used it today and my skin wasn't bad to begin with. (I'm a religious cleanse, tone , moisturiser-er and think going to bed with makeup on is a mortal sin.) Putting my foundation on after my facial I felt it went on smoother and looked better but for the money i think i could find better products out there...
xoxo
Monday 16 July 2012
screw the iphone,lip gloss is the best invention of the 21st century
Behold the best invention of the 21st century:
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I know these have been out a while but in case you've been living in a cave let me tell you what science has done for us. GOSH light n shine lip gloss is genius. Actual genius.
I have literally hundreds of lip glosses but always come back to this one even thought I'm not usually a fan of GOSH.
Packaging: Rectangular tube with a brush applicator. Now here's the amazing part......get ready to say WOW!!!... it has a mirror on one side and when you take the brush out it lights up!!!...i know WOW!!! right? I really cant tell you how useful this is. If you're in a club, the cinema or just outside when its dark, having a light and a mirror makes badly applied lip gloss a thing of the past and it's much, much easier to have all three things built in one. I don't know about you but my going out handbags are all ridiculously small so multi-purpose products are a must. The only down side I can find packaging wise is the bristles on the brush end up splaying out when you've used it a few times. Gets right on my nerves.
Product similar to: MAC dazzleglass. Only cheaper. Even more so now as it's currently on offer at £5.99
Shade: The shade in the photos and my personal favourite is 01 which is a clear gloss with pink and purple glitter. Sounds gross i know but soooo pretty. Wearable by itself or over another colour for added gloss and sparkle.
Actual product: Not that pigmented but plenty of wearable shimmer. The glitter doesn't look like glitter if that makes sense and by that I mean its not "gritty" like some glitter glosses and there's not massive chunks of it. Nice subtle smell and not sticky but you do have to apply frequently throughout the day. The downside of all lip glosses. Another random problem I have with this is that it transfers really well so if you kiss someone on the cheek you leave an actual impression of your lips in sparkles on them. Not bad if you want to mark them as yours but be careful wearing it and kissing someone you shouldn't be...actually on second thoughts don't worry about it. Whats life without a little bit of danger?!
xoxo
I have literally hundreds of lip glosses but always come back to this one even thought I'm not usually a fan of GOSH.
Packaging: Rectangular tube with a brush applicator. Now here's the amazing part......get ready to say WOW!!!... it has a mirror on one side and when you take the brush out it lights up!!!...i know WOW!!! right? I really cant tell you how useful this is. If you're in a club, the cinema or just outside when its dark, having a light and a mirror makes badly applied lip gloss a thing of the past and it's much, much easier to have all three things built in one. I don't know about you but my going out handbags are all ridiculously small so multi-purpose products are a must. The only down side I can find packaging wise is the bristles on the brush end up splaying out when you've used it a few times. Gets right on my nerves.
Product similar to: MAC dazzleglass. Only cheaper. Even more so now as it's currently on offer at £5.99
Shade: The shade in the photos and my personal favourite is 01 which is a clear gloss with pink and purple glitter. Sounds gross i know but soooo pretty. Wearable by itself or over another colour for added gloss and sparkle.
Actual product: Not that pigmented but plenty of wearable shimmer. The glitter doesn't look like glitter if that makes sense and by that I mean its not "gritty" like some glitter glosses and there's not massive chunks of it. Nice subtle smell and not sticky but you do have to apply frequently throughout the day. The downside of all lip glosses. Another random problem I have with this is that it transfers really well so if you kiss someone on the cheek you leave an actual impression of your lips in sparkles on them. Not bad if you want to mark them as yours but be careful wearing it and kissing someone you shouldn't be...actually on second thoughts don't worry about it. Whats life without a little bit of danger?!
xoxo
Sunday 15 July 2012
the eyes and lows of novalash eyelash extensions
The thought of having a new boyfriend fills me with dread sometimes. I'm not saying I want to be a spinster (I hate cats) but that initial period of having to impress someone 24 hours a day....well that's just too stressful. If any of you have seen me first thing in the morning you will know why. I look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards. Maybe I was who knows. I'm a heavy sleeper but hair stuck up at all angles, morning breath, no makeup on.....that's quite a picture I'm painting for you isn't it?
I've been the person who has set my alarm for 5.30 in the morning, secretly brushed my hair and put on some makeup and then pretended to be asleep and woken up "pretty" but surely there must be a easier option..drum roll please...........eyelash extensions.
Eyelash extensions really do transform you from blah to wow in a instant.
This time I had Novalash put on. I have previously tried Xtreme lashes and Hollywood lashes but lost interest with them both as they fell out ridiculously quickly leaving me with huge gaps and didn't give me the volume and length I craved. I heard good things about Novalash and one of my patients wore them and I had a girl crush on her lashes so made my appointment. (just to make it clear before I go on that I don't work for Novalash or benefit in anyway from my review. It's merely my opinion as are all my entries)
My appointment was like any other lash appointment. 2 hours with your eyes shut while someone patiently glues the extension on to each individual eyelash but it was the end result that was different. We all know to gain more volume you need lashes of different lengths but she had created a glamorous fan of lashes Beyonce herself would be jealous of.
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They have been in 2 weeks now and obviously shed along with your natural eyelashes and this is still the result: (taken with no makeup on so you can see how they are naturally)
They use a platinum bond adhesive which has won awards for lasting and are the only lashes I know of where you can still use oils on your face and it wont break down the glue. Great news as I swear by Moroccan oil.
xoxo till next time and if your out and about and get swept up in what feels like a hurricane it's probably just me batting my eyelashes
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I've been the person who has set my alarm for 5.30 in the morning, secretly brushed my hair and put on some makeup and then pretended to be asleep and woken up "pretty" but surely there must be a easier option..drum roll please...........eyelash extensions.
Eyelash extensions really do transform you from blah to wow in a instant.
This time I had Novalash put on. I have previously tried Xtreme lashes and Hollywood lashes but lost interest with them both as they fell out ridiculously quickly leaving me with huge gaps and didn't give me the volume and length I craved. I heard good things about Novalash and one of my patients wore them and I had a girl crush on her lashes so made my appointment. (just to make it clear before I go on that I don't work for Novalash or benefit in anyway from my review. It's merely my opinion as are all my entries)
My appointment was like any other lash appointment. 2 hours with your eyes shut while someone patiently glues the extension on to each individual eyelash but it was the end result that was different. We all know to gain more volume you need lashes of different lengths but she had created a glamorous fan of lashes Beyonce herself would be jealous of.
They use a platinum bond adhesive which has won awards for lasting and are the only lashes I know of where you can still use oils on your face and it wont break down the glue. Great news as I swear by Moroccan oil.
xoxo till next time and if your out and about and get swept up in what feels like a hurricane it's probably just me batting my eyelashes
lip gloss goes on lips- not superglue. BENEFIT LIP GLOSS
It's happened to everyone. At least that's what I tell myself when I'm fleeing the scene red faced. You see a hot guy. You look at him. He looks at you. You go to walk past working your cute jeans and thanking the lord for the good hair day then it happens. The wind picks up and large quantities of hair gets stuck in your lip gloss leaving you looking like a extra from planet of the apes and coughing up a hair ball. Whats a girl to do? we have to have our lip gloss. The answer to our prayers...(cue angel voices singing in triumph).... Benefit ultra plush lip glosses. The truly non sticky lip gloss.
There are 6 shades to choose from. My 2 favourites coralista and dandelion and dallas, hoola, sugarbomb and bella bamba. Sound familiar? Yep they match all of Benefits pretty boxed powders and blushers. Its the makeup equivalent of matching your handbag to your shoes. First it was Urban Decay with the matching eyeliner/nail varnish now this. A dream come true for all those who like order in their lives.
I bet a lot of you are surprised I like these. After all I don't do subtle and by Benefits own omission they are sheer but for days when your working your eyes and want a sheer pearly "natural" lip look no further.
Dandelion is a pretty, girly light pink with some shimmer (grown up shimmer, not 12 year old look at me shimmer) and has a nice fruity smell that will make you want to lick your lips.
Sugarbomb is definitely the nudest colour with only a hint of pink but has specks of shimmer in that catch the light and look gorgeous.
Not a fan of shimmer? (I'm giving you a weird look, who hates shimmer?!) then go for Dallas. Its a pinker version of sugarbomb but no shimmer.
Coralista is surprise, surprise a coral colour but a sheer one. So if the coral colours seem too bright to you or you're nervous of them give this a try. It can open a whole new world of makeup colour for you. Its coral for beginners. Also looks great with a tan. Not that the UK remembers what the sun looks like. Wettest summer since records began. GRRR.
Hoola is a browny/gold colour which I personally can't stand. I hate brown and just doesn't do anything for me so I will say no more....oh OK ...uurgghh! Definitely not my cup of tea.
On that note I have to go before my recurring nightmare of the colour brown starts.
xoxo
There are 6 shades to choose from. My 2 favourites coralista and dandelion and dallas, hoola, sugarbomb and bella bamba. Sound familiar? Yep they match all of Benefits pretty boxed powders and blushers. Its the makeup equivalent of matching your handbag to your shoes. First it was Urban Decay with the matching eyeliner/nail varnish now this. A dream come true for all those who like order in their lives.
I bet a lot of you are surprised I like these. After all I don't do subtle and by Benefits own omission they are sheer but for days when your working your eyes and want a sheer pearly "natural" lip look no further.
Dandelion is a pretty, girly light pink with some shimmer (grown up shimmer, not 12 year old look at me shimmer) and has a nice fruity smell that will make you want to lick your lips.
Sugarbomb is definitely the nudest colour with only a hint of pink but has specks of shimmer in that catch the light and look gorgeous.
Not a fan of shimmer? (I'm giving you a weird look, who hates shimmer?!) then go for Dallas. Its a pinker version of sugarbomb but no shimmer.
Coralista is surprise, surprise a coral colour but a sheer one. So if the coral colours seem too bright to you or you're nervous of them give this a try. It can open a whole new world of makeup colour for you. Its coral for beginners. Also looks great with a tan. Not that the UK remembers what the sun looks like. Wettest summer since records began. GRRR.
Hoola is a browny/gold colour which I personally can't stand. I hate brown and just doesn't do anything for me so I will say no more....oh OK ...uurgghh! Definitely not my cup of tea.
On that note I have to go before my recurring nightmare of the colour brown starts.
xoxo
Saturday 14 July 2012
who doesnt love an orgasm?!
There are only a few cult products in the beauty world. Ones which every brand tries (and fails) to copy and NARS orgasm blusher is right at the top. In fact orgasm is so cult that NARS have created the whole orgasm collection with a lip gloss, nail varnish and so on but its the blusher that's a stand out.
Its a colour that's wearable for everyone and don't be put off when its described as peach. Obviously the people who say that have no idea what a peach looks like. I'm not saying I'm a religious 5 a day girl (unless chocolate orange counts) but i can tell a peach from the colour pink.
Orgasm is a just ran around the park and don't i look healthy and glowy pink!!!! OK rant over! people cant help being colourblind I guess.
Every one's got there own reasons why they love the NARS blushers but mine is because its just so highly pigmented. I'm not a subtle person. You cant be on a husband hunt like I am and have anything subtle about you (well not if you do it properly) and nothing annoys me more than finding what you think is a lovely shade of eyeshadow/blusher etc only to put it on and it to be so barely there its like wearing nothing at all. I'm not saying you need to look like a clown but colour is good! embrace the colour! and the shimmer. Did I mention the shimmer? Oh yes this is the blusher that just keeps on giving. All for the low, low price of....well its quite expensive but as my nan always say "buy cheap buy twice"
So ill leave you with two thoughts: don't buy a copycat when the original is always the best and who doesn't love an orgasm?!
xoxo my pretties
Its a colour that's wearable for everyone and don't be put off when its described as peach. Obviously the people who say that have no idea what a peach looks like. I'm not saying I'm a religious 5 a day girl (unless chocolate orange counts) but i can tell a peach from the colour pink.
Orgasm is a just ran around the park and don't i look healthy and glowy pink!!!! OK rant over! people cant help being colourblind I guess.
Every one's got there own reasons why they love the NARS blushers but mine is because its just so highly pigmented. I'm not a subtle person. You cant be on a husband hunt like I am and have anything subtle about you (well not if you do it properly) and nothing annoys me more than finding what you think is a lovely shade of eyeshadow/blusher etc only to put it on and it to be so barely there its like wearing nothing at all. I'm not saying you need to look like a clown but colour is good! embrace the colour! and the shimmer. Did I mention the shimmer? Oh yes this is the blusher that just keeps on giving. All for the low, low price of....well its quite expensive but as my nan always say "buy cheap buy twice"
So ill leave you with two thoughts: don't buy a copycat when the original is always the best and who doesn't love an orgasm?!
xoxo my pretties
Friday 13 July 2012
sexy foundation is the key to everything
So have any of you girlies tried the new Yves saint Laurent touche eclat foundation yet? I must admit I was slightly dubious in trying it. The touche eclat is great, fantastic, a beauty must have but the same sexy highlight ALL over the face?! ummmm.
But given my recent obsession with all things Yves saint Laurent (if i ever have a baby I'll name her Yves- I'm that obsessed) I decided to give it a go and i have two words for you and they are f***ing wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lets start with the bottle. Its one for the dressing table ladies! looks much more expensive than it actually is. Nice thick heavy bottle and the normal YSL gold. Definitely the Elle McPherson of the foundation bottles. and the pump makes applying it the easiest thing ever. First pump gives you a light coverage similar to using a BB cream and the second pump gives you that sexy airbrushed look. I work in a surgery with the brightest, most unflattering lights ever that highlight ever flaw i have and a few i didn't realise i even had and you have never heard so many compliments on my skin.
It comes in 22 shades in 3 categories (rosy beige,beige and golden beige) so unless you are green or use far too much fake tan and are a oompa loompa shade of orange there really is a shade for everyone and if that isn't enough its got liquid gold in it! I feel like Midas and now I feel smug and clever that I even know who Midas is. What other foundation gives you that much self esteem??!
xoxo
But given my recent obsession with all things Yves saint Laurent (if i ever have a baby I'll name her Yves- I'm that obsessed) I decided to give it a go and i have two words for you and they are f***ing wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lets start with the bottle. Its one for the dressing table ladies! looks much more expensive than it actually is. Nice thick heavy bottle and the normal YSL gold. Definitely the Elle McPherson of the foundation bottles. and the pump makes applying it the easiest thing ever. First pump gives you a light coverage similar to using a BB cream and the second pump gives you that sexy airbrushed look. I work in a surgery with the brightest, most unflattering lights ever that highlight ever flaw i have and a few i didn't realise i even had and you have never heard so many compliments on my skin.
It comes in 22 shades in 3 categories (rosy beige,beige and golden beige) so unless you are green or use far too much fake tan and are a oompa loompa shade of orange there really is a shade for everyone and if that isn't enough its got liquid gold in it! I feel like Midas and now I feel smug and clever that I even know who Midas is. What other foundation gives you that much self esteem??!
xoxo
Sunday 1 July 2012
the big thursday news
So guess what I'm doing on thursday? Drum roll please.........Having eyelash extensions again!!!! woo-hoo! yay! yipee! and other excited words. Now I've had them before and wasn't over impressed. They never lasted long on me, only 6-7 days without great clumps of them falling out and do you know how hard it is to do a eyelash combover???? but this time im trying novalash which i hope suits me better than xtreme or hollywood lashes.
This time next week I could be fluttering my long camel lashes at some sexy guy but then again there only eyelashes not a miracle worker
xoxo
This time next week I could be fluttering my long camel lashes at some sexy guy but then again there only eyelashes not a miracle worker
xoxo
IMATS
So what did you get at IMATS? I hear you ask. Out of all the stuff you bought (couldnt carry it all) what was the stand out product? ....um...I'm embarrassed to say the thing i'm most pleased with is the Maybelline age rewind concealer I got in the supermarket on the way back.
Now before you roll your eyes and possibily throw things at me let me explain. THIS IS THE BEST UNDER EYE CONCEALER EVER!!!!! why o why dont they sell this in the UK god only knows. I'm seriously considering moving just to be in shopping distance of it. Details of IMATS soon but couldnt wait to share the good concealer news and this is as good as shouting it from the rooftops
xoxo
Now before you roll your eyes and possibily throw things at me let me explain. THIS IS THE BEST UNDER EYE CONCEALER EVER!!!!! why o why dont they sell this in the UK god only knows. I'm seriously considering moving just to be in shopping distance of it. Details of IMATS soon but couldnt wait to share the good concealer news and this is as good as shouting it from the rooftops
xoxo
lipgloss and kisses
Hi my lovelies. Me again. Sorry I've been quiet lately but i've been doing important scientific research...You know Einstein and whatnot. I put to the test just how long ysl rouge pur couture vernis a levres glossy stain actually lasts and whether its drink proof and kiss proof (the things i do in the name of research)
I got shade 15 rose vinyl which is a bit daring for me, i'm more of a statement eye and nude lip girl but trust me if you have pale skin it has that pop of colour our skin needs.
Day 1 of the test was a work day. I do my makeup about 8am and have my first cup of tea around 8.45 so i'm usually reapplying right before i start seeing patients at 9am.
On the test day i applied the glossy stain (what's with the weird smell by the way??!!) blotted it and applied a second coat as per instructions and carried on...At first my heart sank. The first sip of the day and i take the cup away from my mouth and noticed it had left a large pink stain on it but i needed not to of ran to the mirror because it lasted! Yes the gloss part of it was long gone but my lips were still stained a nice bright pink. and that was the same after the second, third and fourth cup (tiny bit obsessed with tea) and no matter how many men i insisted on kissing in the name of "science" it was still there.
The bottom line is if you want the wet look of gloss you will have to reapply as often as you would with a traditional gloss but if its the colour that makes you swoon this is for you. Think of all the extra time you will have now without reapplying lipgloss every 5 mins..you could learn a language ;-)
i'll be back soon. If you have any questions and comments feel free to chat. I don't bite. Well if i did my lipgloss would still be flawless :-)
xoxo
I got shade 15 rose vinyl which is a bit daring for me, i'm more of a statement eye and nude lip girl but trust me if you have pale skin it has that pop of colour our skin needs.
Day 1 of the test was a work day. I do my makeup about 8am and have my first cup of tea around 8.45 so i'm usually reapplying right before i start seeing patients at 9am.
On the test day i applied the glossy stain (what's with the weird smell by the way??!!) blotted it and applied a second coat as per instructions and carried on...At first my heart sank. The first sip of the day and i take the cup away from my mouth and noticed it had left a large pink stain on it but i needed not to of ran to the mirror because it lasted! Yes the gloss part of it was long gone but my lips were still stained a nice bright pink. and that was the same after the second, third and fourth cup (tiny bit obsessed with tea) and no matter how many men i insisted on kissing in the name of "science" it was still there.
The bottom line is if you want the wet look of gloss you will have to reapply as often as you would with a traditional gloss but if its the colour that makes you swoon this is for you. Think of all the extra time you will have now without reapplying lipgloss every 5 mins..you could learn a language ;-)
i'll be back soon. If you have any questions and comments feel free to chat. I don't bite. Well if i did my lipgloss would still be flawless :-)
xoxo
Saturday 16 June 2012
how to look pretty when asleep
Hi my lovelies! Hope your Saturday is full of happiness and sparkles. Now i don't know about you but without my makeup I'm not exactly what you would call a natural beauty (more like a creature from the black lagoon who got hit by every branch on the ugly tree) and that makes bedtime, especially with a new beau a minefield of taking your makeup off in the dark and setting your alarm for stupid o clock in the morning to sneakily put on some makeup before he wakes up (i used to set my alarm for 5am to secretly brush my hair and put on some foundation) but all that is a thing of past thanks to bare minerals pure transformation night treatment
The treatment comes in different shades but unless you have a darker skin tone go for clear as even medium is quite dark and is meant to reduce the appearance of pores, increase luminosity and deliver faster cell turnover to make you look young and beautiful.
I must tell you......i can now look in the mirror without makeup without flinching (or scaring small children) Absolutely love it. It evens out my skin, actually does minimise my pores (a miracle in itself) and gives me the confidence of wearing foundation without actually going to bed with makeup on.
I wasn't expecting to like it to be honest not being a big fan of the mineral foundations and was put off by the price but it lasts and lasts and whats the point of buying cheaper products that don't work? like my nan always says "buy cheap and buy twice" total false economy. The pure transformation is worth every penny. So happy to have this product now all i need is a prince charming.........................
xoxo
The treatment comes in different shades but unless you have a darker skin tone go for clear as even medium is quite dark and is meant to reduce the appearance of pores, increase luminosity and deliver faster cell turnover to make you look young and beautiful.
I must tell you......i can now look in the mirror without makeup without flinching (or scaring small children) Absolutely love it. It evens out my skin, actually does minimise my pores (a miracle in itself) and gives me the confidence of wearing foundation without actually going to bed with makeup on.
I wasn't expecting to like it to be honest not being a big fan of the mineral foundations and was put off by the price but it lasts and lasts and whats the point of buying cheaper products that don't work? like my nan always says "buy cheap and buy twice" total false economy. The pure transformation is worth every penny. So happy to have this product now all i need is a prince charming.........................
xoxo
Friday 15 June 2012
anastasia eyebrows and annoyances
Hi my lovelies. Sorry for the delay-Internet was down. Its been like living in the dark ages. All i needed was a bone in my hair and a pet dinosaur and I'd of been at home in the Flintstones. Anyway on to one of my newer purchases Anastasia Beverley hills brow kit. The kit contains a brow powder duo, brow wax cream, eyeshadow duo, angled brush and stencils.
I was very excited to get this having heard rave reviews about it on you tube and other beauty blogs but i must say I'm very disappointed.
The stencils which was what i was most excited about were very unnatural-at least on me. You are meant to choose the one closest to your brow shape and use it to get the "correct" shape. My eyebrows are slightly too short but found i looked like a clown when i used even the thinnest stencil. Anastasia or a-nasty-sia?!
Saying that the brow powder is nice and the wax does keep your brows in place but stay away from the stencils!
A while ago i had a disastrous eyebrow wax with some psycho girl who made them very thin and shortened the right one. I've been putting Vaseline on my eyebrows for the last 3 months and found that my eyebrows have magically grew back. so if disaster ever strikes remember reading this.....
That's it for brows for today, except a gentle reminder to always highlight both under and above your brows. i use YSL touche eclat and coincidentally tomorrow we will chat about the new summer collection from them!
xoxo
I was very excited to get this having heard rave reviews about it on you tube and other beauty blogs but i must say I'm very disappointed.
The stencils which was what i was most excited about were very unnatural-at least on me. You are meant to choose the one closest to your brow shape and use it to get the "correct" shape. My eyebrows are slightly too short but found i looked like a clown when i used even the thinnest stencil. Anastasia or a-nasty-sia?!
Saying that the brow powder is nice and the wax does keep your brows in place but stay away from the stencils!
A while ago i had a disastrous eyebrow wax with some psycho girl who made them very thin and shortened the right one. I've been putting Vaseline on my eyebrows for the last 3 months and found that my eyebrows have magically grew back. so if disaster ever strikes remember reading this.....
That's it for brows for today, except a gentle reminder to always highlight both under and above your brows. i use YSL touche eclat and coincidentally tomorrow we will chat about the new summer collection from them!
xoxo
Tuesday 12 June 2012
mac, ysl, bare minerals haul
hello my lovelies! just a relatively quick post tonight as its my birthday but since i promised this blog would be updated every day every day it will be. I'm loyal to the (very few) who have begun to read my blog...
So today was the big shopping day and my first stop was MAC where i bought (takes a deep breath) hey sailor pigment in naval blue, hey sailor powder blush in fleet fast, hey sailor pro longwear bronzing powder in nude on board and paintpots in blackout and pure creation. I would of also got hey sailor eyeshadow in jaunty but they had sold out making me have a mental debate as to whether I'm too old to throw myself on the floor and have a tantrum.
I will be talking about these products in a few weeks once I've worn them for a while as only then do you know what a product is actually like but first impressions (of the hey sailor collection, obviously we've all seen the original mac products before) is that its fab.
Usually i don't like longwear formula's as i find them quite drying even on my oily skin and they end up with that "cakey" look half way through the afternoon. I thought i'd feel the same way about the bronzers especially as the pro longwear one looked slightly more orangey than the normal one and I'm not quite a typical English rose but not far off but once they were swatched i much much preferred the longwear. If your pale like me fear not there is now a bronzer for us!
The pigment in naval blue is the same or very similar to a old one i had of one of macs collections and i used it til it ran out. SUCH a pretty colour. Great for dark sexy eyes if you want something more wearable than black. Very messy though so be prepared to clean up the mess when you use it and for goodness sake do your eye makeup before your foundation, blusher etc
Speaking of blusher (how's that for a segway) the fleet fast blush is one of the most wearable blushers I've seen in a while. Its one of those ones which everyone can wear regardless of skin type, tone or colour. it will suit everyone!
Anyway that's it for now. I'm off to enjoy my birthday festivities.
Speak to you all tomorrow
xoxo
So today was the big shopping day and my first stop was MAC where i bought (takes a deep breath) hey sailor pigment in naval blue, hey sailor powder blush in fleet fast, hey sailor pro longwear bronzing powder in nude on board and paintpots in blackout and pure creation. I would of also got hey sailor eyeshadow in jaunty but they had sold out making me have a mental debate as to whether I'm too old to throw myself on the floor and have a tantrum.
I will be talking about these products in a few weeks once I've worn them for a while as only then do you know what a product is actually like but first impressions (of the hey sailor collection, obviously we've all seen the original mac products before) is that its fab.
Usually i don't like longwear formula's as i find them quite drying even on my oily skin and they end up with that "cakey" look half way through the afternoon. I thought i'd feel the same way about the bronzers especially as the pro longwear one looked slightly more orangey than the normal one and I'm not quite a typical English rose but not far off but once they were swatched i much much preferred the longwear. If your pale like me fear not there is now a bronzer for us!
The pigment in naval blue is the same or very similar to a old one i had of one of macs collections and i used it til it ran out. SUCH a pretty colour. Great for dark sexy eyes if you want something more wearable than black. Very messy though so be prepared to clean up the mess when you use it and for goodness sake do your eye makeup before your foundation, blusher etc
Speaking of blusher (how's that for a segway) the fleet fast blush is one of the most wearable blushers I've seen in a while. Its one of those ones which everyone can wear regardless of skin type, tone or colour. it will suit everyone!
Anyway that's it for now. I'm off to enjoy my birthday festivities.
Speak to you all tomorrow
xoxo
Monday 11 June 2012
the mascara monolgue part 3
I'm sure some of you are wondering why I'm spending so much time on mascaras when there's so much lip gloss, eyeshadow, eyeliner, blushers, moisturizers etc out there, well never fear my lovelys i will get there. This blog will become well rounded. a blogging sphere if you will. but as the eyes are the window to the soul and having the right mascara is like having those windows wide open on a warm summers day with a vase of lilies on the windowsill. (very important if you are husband shopping like me) I'll spend today continuing the mascara monologue
To continue the alliteration I'll start with max factor. The max factor false lash effect mascara to be precise. I feel slightly like a fraud for reviewing this as I've only ever had the mini sample tubes but i feel this suits my needs down to the ground.
Max factor more than any other company always has those buy 2 products or spend a certain amount of money and get a free sample case full of mini goodies offers. even though i barely buy anything from max factor i seem to of collected so many mini mascaras I'm sure the figure is close to if not exceeding 3 digits (hmm now that I've written that maybe my "i barely buy anything from max factor" statement was a slight exaggeration...or bold face lie)
Anyway i always keep mini makeup products to take on holiday with me in the vain hope of making my suitcase lighter so max factor false lash has become my official holiday look. Maybe its the holiday feeling or maybe I'm getting soppy in my old age (the big 2-8 tomorrow) but i quite like this mascara. It holds up well in hot weather, resists the odd stray splash from the pool but the fact I've never got a full size tube speaks volumes. Maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something...
The right mascara gives us all the long thick lashes we wish nature had given us but before giving up all hope of ever being a true "natural beauty" try putting Vaseline on your eyelashes before you go to bed. You have to be religious about it. Every night without fail, but within a couple of months you will find that your lashes grow longer and thicker over time. that's a tip right there. From me to you.
Anyway my lovelys thats it for today
wish me a happy birthday eve and tomorrow we will chat excitedly about the new mac collection and whatever else catches my magpie eye while shopping
xoxo
To continue the alliteration I'll start with max factor. The max factor false lash effect mascara to be precise. I feel slightly like a fraud for reviewing this as I've only ever had the mini sample tubes but i feel this suits my needs down to the ground.
Max factor more than any other company always has those buy 2 products or spend a certain amount of money and get a free sample case full of mini goodies offers. even though i barely buy anything from max factor i seem to of collected so many mini mascaras I'm sure the figure is close to if not exceeding 3 digits (hmm now that I've written that maybe my "i barely buy anything from max factor" statement was a slight exaggeration...or bold face lie)
Anyway i always keep mini makeup products to take on holiday with me in the vain hope of making my suitcase lighter so max factor false lash has become my official holiday look. Maybe its the holiday feeling or maybe I'm getting soppy in my old age (the big 2-8 tomorrow) but i quite like this mascara. It holds up well in hot weather, resists the odd stray splash from the pool but the fact I've never got a full size tube speaks volumes. Maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something...
The right mascara gives us all the long thick lashes we wish nature had given us but before giving up all hope of ever being a true "natural beauty" try putting Vaseline on your eyelashes before you go to bed. You have to be religious about it. Every night without fail, but within a couple of months you will find that your lashes grow longer and thicker over time. that's a tip right there. From me to you.
Anyway my lovelys thats it for today
wish me a happy birthday eve and tomorrow we will chat excitedly about the new mac collection and whatever else catches my magpie eye while shopping
xoxo
Sunday 10 June 2012
the great mascara chase part 2
Hi again! I'm back with part 2 of the mascara tales. Part 3 will be tomorrow and then its MAC day hooray!
so I'll start off part 2 with a mascara i got when i went to Florida. The covergirl lash blast volume. I was intrigued to try this after hearing so much about it from other makeup blogs (I'm rather obsessed with makeup and trying to use it to trap myself a husband) and of course from the famous covergirl commercial every cycle on America's next top model (all together now easy, beautiful, covergirl) and i must say i was pleasantly surprised. Definitely one of the best cheaper mascaras. It's a shame about the packaging as its orange and cheap looking-not one to keep in your handbag but overall reasonable amount of volume and length. Grabs on to those ridiculously tiny lashes and makes them look half way decent. One to wear to work/school/around the house.
lancome hypnose precious cells mascara was one i bought months ago, now i love juicy tubes soooo much i didn't think lancome could top those but i dutifully gave the mascara a try....its good...(are you sensing my lack of enthusiasm?) this is the one that's meant to regenerate new lashes quickly and help mature lashes hang on in there. Can't say i noticed a difference but maybe I'm too rough in taking my makeup off or didn't give it chance to work (patience is just a take that song to me) used it for about 6 weeks and now its been demoted to the bottom of my makeup bag. Forgetting about the lash regeneration the mascara is good but....oh...um...what's the word?...oh yes...forgettable
Now on to maybelline. great lash mascara is a classic. Like a little black dress of the mascara world if you will. Every company has a product that it will always be remembered for and this is maybellines. It had the honour of being the first mascara i ever bought and its still in my ever expanding makeup room (not the same tube obviously as that's disgusting) and yes i do have an entire room dedicated to my makeup and yes photos will be coming on here but back to the mascara. Great lash is fun, stable, familiar and comforting. like coming in from the cold and the rain and eating hot buttered toast. One every girl whatever the age should have in her makeup bag.
Unfortunately i cant say the same about the illegal lengths mascara. Obviously a man invented this as they often exaggerate about the length of things. Expected to have eyelashes like a camel but noticed very little difference and no volume. Still don't let that put you off the fibre mascaras. modelco fibre lash is very good. you do get a false eyelash effect with it. You can see how much fibre goes on to your lashes and you cant help but be impressed at the length. What i have a issue with is the price. Its expensive for something that only lasts for 30 uses. especially when you consider i used to pay roughly the same price for individual false lashes but still worth it for a night out if you don't want actual falsies.
I will speak to you tomorrow my lovleys
xoxo as always
so I'll start off part 2 with a mascara i got when i went to Florida. The covergirl lash blast volume. I was intrigued to try this after hearing so much about it from other makeup blogs (I'm rather obsessed with makeup and trying to use it to trap myself a husband) and of course from the famous covergirl commercial every cycle on America's next top model (all together now easy, beautiful, covergirl) and i must say i was pleasantly surprised. Definitely one of the best cheaper mascaras. It's a shame about the packaging as its orange and cheap looking-not one to keep in your handbag but overall reasonable amount of volume and length. Grabs on to those ridiculously tiny lashes and makes them look half way decent. One to wear to work/school/around the house.
lancome hypnose precious cells mascara was one i bought months ago, now i love juicy tubes soooo much i didn't think lancome could top those but i dutifully gave the mascara a try....its good...(are you sensing my lack of enthusiasm?) this is the one that's meant to regenerate new lashes quickly and help mature lashes hang on in there. Can't say i noticed a difference but maybe I'm too rough in taking my makeup off or didn't give it chance to work (patience is just a take that song to me) used it for about 6 weeks and now its been demoted to the bottom of my makeup bag. Forgetting about the lash regeneration the mascara is good but....oh...um...what's the word?...oh yes...forgettable
Now on to maybelline. great lash mascara is a classic. Like a little black dress of the mascara world if you will. Every company has a product that it will always be remembered for and this is maybellines. It had the honour of being the first mascara i ever bought and its still in my ever expanding makeup room (not the same tube obviously as that's disgusting) and yes i do have an entire room dedicated to my makeup and yes photos will be coming on here but back to the mascara. Great lash is fun, stable, familiar and comforting. like coming in from the cold and the rain and eating hot buttered toast. One every girl whatever the age should have in her makeup bag.
Unfortunately i cant say the same about the illegal lengths mascara. Obviously a man invented this as they often exaggerate about the length of things. Expected to have eyelashes like a camel but noticed very little difference and no volume. Still don't let that put you off the fibre mascaras. modelco fibre lash is very good. you do get a false eyelash effect with it. You can see how much fibre goes on to your lashes and you cant help but be impressed at the length. What i have a issue with is the price. Its expensive for something that only lasts for 30 uses. especially when you consider i used to pay roughly the same price for individual false lashes but still worth it for a night out if you don't want actual falsies.
I will speak to you tomorrow my lovleys
xoxo as always
MAC hey sailor haul- 2 days to go
forgot to mention it's MAC day on tuesday (otherwise known as my birthday) so check back here for the full hey sailor collection review and swatches!!!!!!!
the great mascara chase
hi! I'm Amy and I'm going to start this blog by trying to answer one of the hardest makeup questions. Which mascaras are worth getting and which you shouldn't waste your money on. So. lets get started...
I'd like to begin with Armani eyes to kill ORIGINAL. yes its expensive (£24.50 here in the UK) and hard to get as there isn't many Armani beauty counters compared to brands such as Chanel, Dior and lancome but well worth the hassle. Its one of the few mascaras I buy again and again and is build up-able (is that even a word??!) to go from a more subtle daytime look to out and out nighttime glamour. Makes my fragile lashes long, thick, black as coal and like Ive got twice as many. I love it and want it to become my mascara child.
Armani eyes to kill excess on the other hand is in my opinion awful. Its the same price as the original though i got several samples of it when i bought other products. I would of been upset to spend that amount of money on something that goes on clumpy giving me spiders legs rather than the beautiful lashes i crave and smudges under the eye throughout the day. Its crazy how two mascaras from the same brand can be soooo different. Like night and day.........
Moving onto Benefit they're real. Yes i admit it. I'm a benebabe. I absolutely love their packaging and always get drawn to their counter though oddly enough had a real aversion to their mascaras. I had a bad experience with the bad girl mascara that i never got over (got it home, opened it and the entire tube of mascara came out on the applicator in some sort of weird, solid, cakey alien goo) which made me avoid benefit mascaras like the plague but after months of my friend telling me they're real is great i finally relented and its restored my faith. Well 70% of it. It definitely gives your lashes a curl and more importantly a curl that lasts a good few hours and even if your lashes do already have a curl in it does open the eye up to give the impression of a really good nights sleep (providing you also have a good under eye concealer which I'll be talking about soon) so why only 70% i hear you cry! surely if it does all that you should be bowing down to it and being thankful you live in a world with it in...but i haven't got to the BUT yet. Yes i know. there's always a but. Nothings ever perfect. The but on they're real is two fold. 1) if you try to use eyelash curlers with it....well...pointing and laughing happens and 2) it doesn't sit well with other mascaras.I often use a combination of two mascaras even for work (I'm that vain) and it just doesn't work well with others.
Now I'll admit it- i love things out of the ordinary and I'm one of those suckers who believe everything i read/see/hear is true so am forever let down when makeup fails to live up to its promises. borjois fast and perfect rotating mascara however is quite good! def a favourite amount the "chemist brands" quite a bargin especially when its often got 3 for 2 offers on and the rotating application does actually seem to make a difference when used correctly. (slightly embarrassing when the on switch goes on in your bag though as it's surprisingly noisy and happens more than you think)
that's it for part 1 girlies (and the odd questionable boy) part 2 coming soon where i'll add dior, covergirl, maybelline and lancome to the list
xoxo
I'd like to begin with Armani eyes to kill ORIGINAL. yes its expensive (£24.50 here in the UK) and hard to get as there isn't many Armani beauty counters compared to brands such as Chanel, Dior and lancome but well worth the hassle. Its one of the few mascaras I buy again and again and is build up-able (is that even a word??!) to go from a more subtle daytime look to out and out nighttime glamour. Makes my fragile lashes long, thick, black as coal and like Ive got twice as many. I love it and want it to become my mascara child.
Armani eyes to kill excess on the other hand is in my opinion awful. Its the same price as the original though i got several samples of it when i bought other products. I would of been upset to spend that amount of money on something that goes on clumpy giving me spiders legs rather than the beautiful lashes i crave and smudges under the eye throughout the day. Its crazy how two mascaras from the same brand can be soooo different. Like night and day.........
Moving onto Benefit they're real. Yes i admit it. I'm a benebabe. I absolutely love their packaging and always get drawn to their counter though oddly enough had a real aversion to their mascaras. I had a bad experience with the bad girl mascara that i never got over (got it home, opened it and the entire tube of mascara came out on the applicator in some sort of weird, solid, cakey alien goo) which made me avoid benefit mascaras like the plague but after months of my friend telling me they're real is great i finally relented and its restored my faith. Well 70% of it. It definitely gives your lashes a curl and more importantly a curl that lasts a good few hours and even if your lashes do already have a curl in it does open the eye up to give the impression of a really good nights sleep (providing you also have a good under eye concealer which I'll be talking about soon) so why only 70% i hear you cry! surely if it does all that you should be bowing down to it and being thankful you live in a world with it in...but i haven't got to the BUT yet. Yes i know. there's always a but. Nothings ever perfect. The but on they're real is two fold. 1) if you try to use eyelash curlers with it....well...pointing and laughing happens and 2) it doesn't sit well with other mascaras.I often use a combination of two mascaras even for work (I'm that vain) and it just doesn't work well with others.
Now I'll admit it- i love things out of the ordinary and I'm one of those suckers who believe everything i read/see/hear is true so am forever let down when makeup fails to live up to its promises. borjois fast and perfect rotating mascara however is quite good! def a favourite amount the "chemist brands" quite a bargin especially when its often got 3 for 2 offers on and the rotating application does actually seem to make a difference when used correctly. (slightly embarrassing when the on switch goes on in your bag though as it's surprisingly noisy and happens more than you think)
that's it for part 1 girlies (and the odd questionable boy) part 2 coming soon where i'll add dior, covergirl, maybelline and lancome to the list
xoxo
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