Beauty Inside Art

2015 Top 5 Beauty Inside Art Posts

2016-01-04T21:25:00.001+02:00

Following the tradition started in 2013, I am sharing my top blog posts of the year that has just left us. More specifically, I will be listing the top 5 most viewed blog posts from Beauty Inside Art in 2015.

In case you are interested in the top posts from previous years, here are the 2014 and 2013 versions.

1. Rimmel 60 Seconds - 850 Aye, Aye, Sailor
The 2015 post that generated the most views was one about nails. In fact, it is about one of my all time favourite shades and brands. In addition, I love the photo I was able to snap with the lights in the background and my hand. It took quite a few tries to get the picture to look right.

2. The Angels Have The PhoneBox : the fashion
I definitely did not expect that this post would be the most popular fashion blog post of 2015, probably because it's simpler and not as colourful as the ones I usually post. It's more monochrome and everyday-grunge outfit.

3. 5 Blog Resolutions for 2015
I most certainly did not think this post would be the third most popular post. It was like a small list of goals to reach in 2015, but truth be told I failed most of them. Since this post received so many views, I think I should do another one for 2016.

4. Yellow Vibe : the fashion
Now that's a more interesting fashion post, with some awesome lighting, if I say so myself. Still not my favourite outfit of 2015, I feel like it may be a bit much, even for me! Nonetheless, I do like it.

5. All About Colours : the fashion
Lastly, we have one of my favourite fashion blogposts of the previous year. This outfit is SO me, I love mixing different colours, textures, patterns and fabrics. Again, the lighting in these photos is sublime, in my opinion.

I hope you have enjoyed my blog in 2015, even though it was the year I blogged less than ever before. I hope 2016 can be a more creative and full of quality content year.

Georgia

Art Summary 2015

2015-12-30T21:31:00.000+02:00

This year has had its ups and downs in all aspects of my life and that is also evident in my art journey. This has probably been the year in which I drew the most, even though I had occasions where I would not draw for weeks. I started focusing on my art skills in the summer of 2014 and I have improved dramatically since then. You will be able to see the difference from my 2014 sketchbooks which I will share with you soon on my youtube channel.

Personally, I believe I have improved in 2015, probably not as much as I would have like to, though. It was the year I tried new art supplies, experimented with different styles, studied life and other illustrators and worked on digital art like never before.

I have decided to share one drawing or sketch from each month to depict the evolution of my art. If you follow my Instagram, Tumblr or Deviantart then you might have seen some of them.

January's is a watercolour and ink drawing from my imagination. For February I have my entry to the Robomance Challenge of the month by the youtube artist Jazza. March's digital painting was a study of a real person's face. It was a month that I really wasn't drawing much, as was April, for which I have a traditional ink drawing. May was also a slow month, and I have chosen a simple sketch from a real life person I had seen at the bus stop. June was the month I started drawing more, focusing on figure drawings, hence the nude watercolour lady. July is another entry for Jazza's challenge of the month, where we had to depict the emotion of fear. I have a speed-paint video for it on my youtube channel. August's drawing is an ink sketch from my imagination. September has a small watercolour painting of a lady enjoying the remaining days of summer. For October I was really trying to do an ink drawing everyday for Inktober and this one was my favourite out of all. November was definitely a very art-empty month, for which I had about 3 drawings and I've chosen this watercolour one. Lastly December was a digital drawing, again for Jazza's challenge of the month, in which the theme was Epic Santa. I have filmed the inking part for this drawing and posted it on my youtube channel a few days ago.

Georgia

Dolce and Gabbana, Farfetch : the wishlist

2015-12-13T18:15:00.001+02:00

Another fashion post today. I definetely have a weakness when it comes to fashion, and this post proves it. A couple of weeks ago, Farefetch introduced me to this amazing competition, in which you had to create a fashion forward look using a Dolce and Gabbana items from their website. The look should also include a Sicily bag and be true to the brand's italian style. The winner would get a mini Miss Sicily bag.

I struggled to minimise my choices and I was finally able to narrow it down to two fashion looks. I believe you can tell which one of the two is my first choice - I'll give you a hint, it's not the left one.

So let's talk about my number one look first. It consist of a stunning rose print Brocade sweatshirt and a floral stitched, white skirt to balance the look. Since it is winter, I decided to include the short, red, double breasted peacoat. The rose printed pumps are also a statement piece for this look and they tie the whole look together. Lastly, I picked the small, black 'Sicily' tote that also has floral details. I absolutely love this look, it's also ideal for the festive season. For some people it might be a little too much, because it has print, colour and texture, but personally I love mixing up such elements.

The runner-up look is definitely more girly and subtle, but it still consists of statement pieces. I'm in love with the daisy applique shorts and the bright yellow 'Sicily' tote. I think they're a perfect match. In addition, I added a monochrome, flower print blouse, tweed Mary Jane pumps and a cameo necklace.

Georgia

Exam Season : the fashion

2015-12-12T20:23:00.000+02:00

I feel like I haven't posted something fashion related for so long! Well, it's because it's been ages since my last post, which was in the summer!

It's exam season at uni and I feel like I have to become a million pieces in order to get everything done in time. I don't only have to worry about university exams, projects and presentations, but I've also really neglected this blog and I am pushing myself to create relevant, interesting and frequent content. Truth be told, this blog will be the only thing I'll have to focus on after graduating.

Let's talk about the clothes, though. This isn't a particularly interesting outfit. I wore it yesterday, when I met with a friend at Starbucks for a uni project. My magenta, fluffy and super soft jumper is from Marks & Spencer. My grey coat and blue jeans are Primark. The blue and brown backpack, that has a lovely white heart print, is from Springfield at Debenhams. Lastly, a few days ago my mum decided to give me this great brown pair of ankle boots that she had purchased from Carrefour.

Georgia

Blue Silence - Short Film

2015-12-11T21:15:00.001+02:00

Have you known that I am a filmmaker? Well, I have shared another post in the past talking about a day of filming for a class project. You can check it out here. However, the short film I am sharing with you today, was made prior to that bigger film. This was also created for a class project of the same course - Film Production 1. I have made other films after this one and I might share them with you in the future.

This film had to depict the feeling of fear in a way, and I believe I have accomplished that. I did not want to create a horror film, but something a bit mysterious and dark, with feelings of anxiety. The professor had also given us specific types of shots to use for the film and that pushed me to create things I wouldn't normally have tried to do. Looking at this now, a year later, I can not say I am particularly proud of it, but at the time I was definitely satisfied with the result. My professor really liked it as well. Ah, I miss having lessons with her. This semester at uni has been a major let down.

Blue Silence - Short Film from Georgia Nicolaou on Vimeo.

It was filmed with the Canon 600D (T3i), with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 and edited in Premiere Pro CS6. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know your thoughts about it. It can be positive or negative, I don't mind!

Georgia

Meet Bruno

2015-12-10T20:56:00.000+02:00

Monday, September 21st, 2015
I was having a really long day at uni and my internship at Rialto Theatre. I finally got home, knackered, about to have dinner, when my father said he wanted to show me something, I got a bit annoyed. Truth be told, I really wasn't in the mood for anything other than going to bed, but he showed me a tiny, brown, scared puppy. He was a bit frightened as he had left his mum and siblings for the first time. As soon as I saw him, I loved him.

We immediatly connected. He trusted me, I fed him, I played with him. That same night, I made sure to tell everyone about my new puppy! I was so excited! I hadn't had a puppy or a dog in so many years, a decade or longer even. As soon as I could, I started searching for his name, asking my friends and family, looking through websites. I believe it was my mum that first suggested the name Bruno, I used to have stuffed puppy called Bruno that really looked like him, when I was a child. That same stuffed puppy I have given to my niece as it is in absolutely perfect condition and made with great care. When my niece saw him, she also suggested the name Bruno, so in reality it wasn't my name choice, but I wouldn't change it. Bruno is a perfect name for him, even though some of my friends didn't seem to like it as much. The odd thing is, when I showed him to my best friend and I asked her for a name suggestion, she also included Bruno in her suggestions.
My dad had informed me that he was planning to bring me a puppy, as a friend of his had a pregnant dog, in the summer. He took so long to bring him, that I wasn't even sure he was going to. He said he was bringing me the puppy in order for me to get better psychologically, to ease my anxiety disorder. Bruno has definitely helped me in that department. Somehow, I feel like he understands it when I'm not well, even though it probably sounds unrealistic. I'm currently much better, since when I first got him almost three months ago. I can't believe it's been that long! Here I'm sharing some photos from these three months. The first one is from the 3rd of October, when he was really young, 2-3 months old, the second one from the 20th of October when he was playing with one of our cats and the last one was taken today. He loves to play with everything, cats, shoes, pillows, even Christmas decorations!

Georgia

Essie - Fiji

2015-12-01T12:34:00.001+02:00

Pale pink is probably the last colour you would think for Christmas, but personally, I have fallen in love with Essie's Fiji. It feels like a shade that could be appropriate for every time of the year, for every season. For summer it's fresh and cool, for autumn is fun and unexpected, for winter it can mimic the snow and cold weather, for spring it can represent the fragile new flowers that are beginning to blossom — that sounds rather poetic.

Let's not forget that it could look absolutely lovely for bridal nails, as well. I believe it is timeless, classy but also fun. I can imagine people of all ages and colours with their nails painted to this. I'm pretty sure it suits everyone. In addition, it definitely is more flattering on the nails than pure white, which in some cases looks completely unnatural.

Like with the majority of nail varnishes, you probably need two to three, thin coats for best results, however, the brush applicator that Essie nail polishes have is very convenient. That being said, in some cases air gets trapped between the coats of lacquer and some tiny bubbles may appear on the nail. That usually happens when I'm in a hurry and don't allow the layers to completely dry, and/or I am applying thick coats.

I'm going to attempt to blog every day for December — I'm probably going to fail dramatically — to try to make up for all the months that I hadn't posted anything.

Georgia

ShoesPie : the wishlist

2015-07-13T15:21:00.001+03:00

I'm doing another wishlist today, but this one's about shoes! We all love shoes, don't we? Shoes and bags are a bigger weakness than clothes to my little heart. I'll be picking some of my favourite items from ShoesPie - http://www.shoespie.com - which has a great variety of boots for women cheap - from two categories, that pretty much sum up my personality.

Casual Boots - http://www.shoespie.com/C/Boots-c1-101405/

The casual shoes that I have picked - click on the images for the product link - depict the more easy going, sweet, girly, young side of my personality. Look at the cute prints these two pairs of canvas shoes have! Also, the first pair of boots is hand painted and it's adorable since I love cats. In addition, I love floral patterns, so you can see why I've picked these two pairs.

High Heel Boots - http://www.shoespie.com/C/High-Heels-Boots-101421/

On the other hand, the High Heel Boots that I've picked are more mature, feminine, sexy even! Shoespie have a great selection of cheap and sexy booties for women. I'm pretty sure you can find any type of style you want on their website. My choices however, are a little modest and safe, since I've gone for black ankle boots. The first one has a butterfly design with a stiletto heel, which I believe is a very unique and flattering element. My last pick is another high heeled boot that would add confidence and style to my every winter outfit.

Aisle Style : the wishlist

2015-07-10T15:56:00.000+03:00

Yesterday, I was introduced to a lovely online store, Aisle Style (check out their facebook page too). It is an affordable store with great variety and elegant styles of Wedding, Bridesmaid, Evening Dresses and Accessories. The website is really easy to navigate and use, with great filtering options so you can find exactly what you are looking for, for any occasion. Since I'm not planning to get married any time soon, I'll be doing a wishlist of my favourite Bridesmaid and Evening Dresses.

Simple A-line One Shoulder Ruching Short/Mini Chiffon Evening Dress
This simple and elegant short dress is absolutely lovely for a variety of different occasions. The red colour makes it seductive in my eyes for some reason. It's something I could definitely wear to a fancy date. But in case red isn't your colour, there are plenty of other colours to choose from.

Charming A-line Spaghetti Straps Ruching Floor-length Chiffon Evening Dress
This one is simply glorious. It looks so regal and elegant and I would love to own it. The rich forest green colour also adds to the feeling that the dress gives me.

Charming A-line Off-the-shoulder Ruching Floor-length Chiffon Evening Dress
Another elegant piece of clothing that resembles something a Greek goddess would wear. The pale colour makes it seem more subtle and pure.

Charming A-line Sweetheart Crystal Detailing Lace Ruching Floor-length Chiffon Evening Dress
This one is the most extravagant and special dress. The blush pink colour is beautiful and the crystals are lovely.

Natural A-line Jewel Chiffon Zipper Bridesmaid Dress
This one is the cutest one, don't you agree? It's so lovely and versatile.

Satin A-line Zipper Floor-length V-neck Bridesmaid Dress
I can't write this post without mentioning this gorgeous dress. It's got lace and a belt with a bow, what more could I ask for?

Floor-length Chiffon A-line Natural Zipper Bridesmaid Dresses
I feel like this one is most appropriate for summer, the mint colour, the chiffon, the loose skirt.

Chiffon Sleeveless A-line Natural One Shoulder Bridesmaid Dresses
But then again, this lovely one shoulder dress is short, so it's even better for the warm weather.

Back on Track : the fashion

2015-07-08T22:02:00.000+03:00

Hello everyone! Today I'm sharing my first summer fashion look of 2015! A couple of weeks ago, I did some shopping from Pink Woman, which is a greek store - i think - similar to Stradivarius, Bershka, Tally Weijl. I left the shop with my wallet being €100 lighter, but it was worth it! I've shared some photos of what I got on my instagram, in case you're interested. I still feel the need to do some more shopping though, mainly in Topshop...

Anyway, let's talk about this outfit. Firstly, I decided to name the post Back on Track simply because it's high time I started focusing on my blog, and take it seriously. This is a look I wore on a night out with my best friends. In the photos I'm not wearing any makeup because I would have lost the light, had I done my makeup beforehand. I should've started getting ready sooner, but I am a lazy cow after all. My makeup was lovely though, and it's a shame you don't get to see it.

The lovely floral dress and my tan/white shoes are from Pink Woman. Surprisingly, I was able to match the tan of the shoes perfectly with a Tally Weijl bag and a bow belt my sister bought from eBay and gave to me. She's given me the necklace as well.

Also, notice anything new about my hair? I've got some blonde highlights in there.

Chic in the Street : the fashion

2015-06-30T18:48:00.000+03:00

Well hello there. Long time no see. I know I've been a terrible blogger since March, but with good reason. Uni is always my priority and the previous semester was definitely the most demanding and draining yet. Besides that, I started suffering from panic attacks and extreme anxiety, which is thankfully, currently under control.

As summer has arrived and I have had slowly started to have some free time, I though it was high time I posted something on my blog, but as I was about to prepare a fashion post, I noticed I had this fashion post in my drafts. How on earth did I completely forgot about this post since the end of January is beyond me.

Anyway, let's see where each item is from. The lovely white jumper is from Marks & Spencer, as well as the gold and ivory heels. My 'sort of boyfriend' polka dot jeans are from Primark and so is the ivory bag.

I hope you don't mind me posting this 5 months later :)

The Angels Have The PhoneBox : the fashion

2015-02-23T12:00:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone. How has February been for you so far? As you were probably able to tell, this month I haven't been posting much content, nor have I been replying to comments, because I've got quite a few things to get done. Besides going to classes four days a week, I have to babysit, and do my uni coursework, plus I want to draw every now and again. Sadly, my blog hasn't been on the top of my priorities, but I'm still better than last year, so far.

Anyway, let's talk about this simple fashion post. I think I don't do monochrome, or black outfits often. Usually, I tend to wear colours and patterns, but this outfit is a nice change to all that. The main piece of this post is my black tank top from Snapmade*, which has a Doctor Who quote on it. 'The Angels have the PhoneBox, I've got that on a T-shirt' says Larry Nightingale in the episode called 'Blink' - one of my favourite episodes - and now so do I! They had a lot of designs I was interested in, 'I am Sherlocked' being one of them, but I ended up picking this one. It's my first fandom-related piece of clothing and I just love things like this. I live for the day somebody recognises this quote and we start talking about this brilliant show.

Like I've previously mentioned, the black Doctor Who custom tank top is from Snapmade*, underneath I'm wearing a simple black long-sleeved top from Primark and on top of that a sheer black shirt also from Primark - you can tell I love layering. One of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe, that I surprisingly don't wear that often, is my faux-leather jacket from Terranova. My grey jeans are from Primark, too. Lastly, my silver cuff necklace and black boots are from Marks & Spencer.

Rimmel 60 Seconds - 850 Aye, Aye, Sailor

2015-02-16T12:00:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone. How are you doing? I'm currently quite stressed as uni work just keeps piling up, but I've managed to find some time to write this quick nail post. I would like to talk about a rather new purchase - featured in this haul video, the Rimmel London 60 Seconds Nail Varnish in 850 Aye, Aye, Sailor. What a cool name, don't you think?

As the name suggests, it's a navy blue shade, and dare I say, it's the best navy blue I own. Depending on what the lighting may be, its hues slightly change. There are times it's a dark navy, or it has a deep forest green tint and in some cases it can look almost black. I genuinely believe it is a beautiful colour for these cold months.

I'd say it needs about two or three coats for best results, but it dries quickly. The brush applicator is one of my favourite things about this range of nail polishes, including the lovely colour range, pigmentation, quality and lasting power. The brush is rather thick and can cover the entire nail with very few strokes, while you can easily avoid touching the skin.

My Valentine's Day Art Prints

2015-02-13T17:12:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone. It's been ages since I last wrote a blog post, because I have been quite ill the past two weeks. I wanted to get this post up at the very beginning of this month, but I literally couldn't. I won't bore you with the details.

Anyway, I had a few ideas for 'alternative' Valentine's Day prints/cards and I did these for fun a few weeks ago. I've decided to put them in my society6 store in case anybody wants a copy. They were all created on thick watercolour paper, with a black ink pen and watercolours. Later, they were scanned and some text was added to them. Also, I decided to play around with different colour variations - I have more on my store.

Love is in the air, wear a mask!
The idea behind this one is rather simple. It's for the people who are single or just simply don't care about this day. I belong in this category, since I've always been single on Valentine's Day, and I don't particularly care about it.

D'you wanna watch 50 Shades of Grey with me this Valentine's Day?
Here's a more 'sexy' print. Basically by asking someone to watch 50 Shades with you, things might heat up and something could happen. Who knows what the night will bring?

I love you, you little monster.
Lastly, we have a more traditional, cute illustration about a couple that loves each other no matter how crazy the other person might be.

I hope you like these little illustrations. My skills might not be very good, but I just felt like doing them and sharing them with you.

5 Blog Resolutions for 2015

2015-01-29T19:14:00.000+02:00

It's still the first month of the new year so I am entitled to post some kind of resolutions for 2015. I have quite a few random ones, do well at uni, get better at drawing, sell some illustrations, be happy, see my friends, enjoy quality time with my family, etc. But when it comes to my blog, we are entering a different and bigger set of resolutions. I've managed to narrow it down to around 5, though.

1. Most importantly, I must blog more than any year before. I failed to keep that promise last year - 2014 resolutions post. 2014 was actually the worst year in terms of the quantity of content on Beauty Inside Art, with just 42 blog posts - how shameful. I was miles behind the 89 posts of 2013 and even 2012's 59 posts. This year I must publish more than 90 blog posts, but not just anything. I want to share quality content, with stunning photography.

2. In order to achieve the stunning photography I want, I should invest in some equipment soon. I most certainly need a better tripod - as I mentioned in my Blog Photography Tips - the one I currently use is not very sturdy and I've had it since early 2012. One other thing I would like to buy at some point, is professional lighting, maybe a soft box or a ring light. Not only for blogging purposes, because I'm also a photographer and filmmaker.

3. This blog is overdue a design makeover. I can't remember since when I created this template with Artisteer, but as I am currently on my second semester of Web Design and Development, I think it's something to be ashamed of. I should use my 'skills' and 'knowledge' to create a minimalistic but cute design that captures my personality and my blog's identity. You can expect the blog re-design in late May-early June, when uni ends.

4. Another thing you should expect around that time, is to forget about the .blogspot.com ending to my blog's link. If all goes according to plan, I will have bought a domain name and it will be just a .com. I'm not a 100% if I should change my blog's name at that time, what do you think? Do you like Beauty Inside Art?

5. Now, let's be a bit greedy for the finale of this post. By the end of 2015 I would like to have reached 100 000 views on the blog. At this exact moment, I have 53 858, so that means I need to get 46 142 views in a year. That's quite an ambitious and difficult resolution to make, but I would want to do my best and get more traffic here. Considering it took me less than 3 years to reach 50 000, it really seems impossible to reach the number I want. But if I reach something like 70 000, I'll probably be happy too. I just want to aim high and see what happens.

Yellow Vibe : the fashion

2015-01-24T09:00:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone. How are you? University started this week - so far not that much to do - but when I look at my courses' outlines I get a tiny panic attack. There's a big chance you won't hear from me in April, but so far I've been really good and I'm currently preparing some future posts.

This post shows an outfit I wore when I went out for dinner with my best friend, yesterday. Sadly, I hadn't taken my camera with me, but if I had, I would have included a photo of the gigantic Caesar Salad I ordered. These photos were taken before I got to do my makeup and hair - I would have lost this perfect lighting otherwise.

This outfit was a bit of an experiment. I had spent quite some time trying to figure it out. I knew I wanted to wear my brand new M&S skirt - I got it for €19.50 instead of €39.50 on the sale. It's a size 8, but it feels a bit larger than my liking. What is going on? If you've watched my recent haul, you know that I bought sizes 6 and 8 - I'm usually a 10. Either I've lost weight, or something has happened with the M&S sizing. Anyway, back to the outfit. I also knew that I wanted to pair purple and yellow - hence the purple tights, but this purple jumper I had in mind, didn't really work. After half an hour of trying on different shirts, I somehow came across this monochrome, sleeveless, polka dot top I bought in the summer sales - I have a haul and it will be uploaded soon. Since it's still rather cold I had to wear a black, plain top underneath. I think it turned out alright. A bit of a daring choice to combine polka dots, yellow and purple. But that's what my fashion style is, colourful, with patterns and elegance - at least that's what I hope for.

The stunning lemon yellow coat is from Marks & Spencer, as well as the lime/mustard yellow skirt. The polka dot top is also from M&S, my heeled ankle boots are from Quiz and my black handbag was actually a gift from the friend I went out with, from Stradivarius.

What do you think of this outfit? My friend told me that I looked sophisticated - like a psychologist - but younger than my age with the new haircut. I'm not sure I can consider that a compliment!

Thor Super-Selfie Painting : the video

2015-01-22T22:30:00.001+02:00

Hello everyone. Today, I am sharing with you my latest youtube video which is something I haven't done before. It's a digital painting timelapse, in Photoshop. Actually, this is my first proper digital painting and dare I say, I'm in love with it. Although, nothing can compare with mixing inks and a real paint brush, digital painting is fun, and sometimes errors can be dealt with much easier. I'm quite proud of myself and what I was able to create - even though I had reference images. I really hope you like it too, and you can check out the completed artwork here. Watch the video if you would like to know why I drew it and what's the story behind it.

5 + 1 Blog Photography Tips

2015-01-20T10:30:00.000+02:00

This is my 200th blog post and I wanted to do something special for you. Sadly, I can't afford a giveaway - full-time student with no income here - so I've decided to share some simple tips for blog photography and provide some examples. Considering that I've had two semesters of photography lessons at university and I've taken a small online course, I consider myself an intermediate photographer. Also, I've had a web design course, that really changed my views on the right quality for online pictures. I've also photographed some small and local events. I'm slightly scared about this post, because some of you may think that these tips are nothing you didn't already know, but I thought I should take a risk and do it. If I manage to help just one person, then I'm happy. This is all from my experience and what works for me, so if you are doing things differently I'm not saying you are wrong. Brace yourselves, this post is huge, so crap a cuppa.

One of the biggest things when it comes to photographs on blogs is the size and resolution. You don't want to be too small or too big in this department. Often, I'd come across blogs which take ages to load their images, so please look into image size optimisation. You don't need a 3000x2000 image with 300dpi, unless you are printing it. Personally, my photos are usually around 1300 - 1000 pixels wide, whilst they appear at about 700px on the blog. If you use Photoshop or any other software for images, look into any save for web or devices options, and make sure you are uploading images that have a resolution of 72dpi. Trust me, it saves a lot of loading time without losing any quality.

I love bright photos on blogs, they can look so clean, pure and professional. The more light, the better, mostly. I'd rather look at overexposed images rather than underexposed ones that come with noise - I shamefully confess that my 2012 photos were in this category. So please do your best to shoot at daytime with as much as natural light as possible - and please don't use flash, unless it's a crime scene. However, I have taken this photo quite late, but I do like it. If you are using an SLR, or any other camera that has a manual mode, play with it. Increase the ISO - lower than 800 is best, to keep the noise at bay, a shutter speed higher than 60 usually works without any blurriness - I usually keep it at 100 during the day when indoors - and of course the aperture has to be as open as possible - that means a smaller number, I'm always shooting at f/1.8.

If you are interested in doing a fashion post on your own, maybe you don't have anyone to help you, or you feel awkward with other people - the latter is my reason for not asking for help - the most important thing is a tripod. I have a really cheap and light one, but I really need to buy a better and heavier one, as I live with the constant fear that one day it will fall apart with my camera attached to it. To take your pictures you should set the timer on your camera, but there's also the option of taking continuous photos and that's something you'd most probably want to use. To get the focus right requires a lot of trial and error, unless you have an item to put in your place and focus on it - I used to put my handbag, but the road can be dirty. You could focus using a remote control, but I just don't feel like it helps me that much here, plus I could be quite far from the camera and it doesn't work. Mostly, I focus on the ground where I know I will be standing, and pray for the best! It's not the easiest thing, but it's definitely one of my favourite aspects of blogging on Beauty Inside Art. For fashion posts I prefer to shoot at 3pm in the winter, and 5pm in the summer, with a shutter around 250-320, because I'm usually shooting against direct sunlight and I move my body to get a more natural and interesting result.

Don't be afraid to take risks and try something new - do the opposite of my tips if you feel like it. We have seen so many beauty reviews with flowers in the shot - I've done that here with a Ren clay mask, but I quite like it though - or a completely plain, white background - I've done this too, here for a Sigma brushes review and for my empties here. Add your personal touch to stand out. Do you have a nice wallpaper sample? Use it as a background, like I did here for Essie Tart Deco. Do you have a favourite mug, include it in a post like I did here. Do you have a piece of fabric you like - in my case leftover curtain? Here's how I used it for a nail post. Love fairy lights? I sure do, and I've used them in countless blog posts. My favourites include the previous one with the curtain, this skincare post and this post about washing makeup brushes. Use a different angle, play with the depth of field - if you can - try to give a feeling about the product like I did here, where the body oil looks more glorious and important as it is shot from low to high. Also, here I have focused on Seche Vite whilst I have other top coats that are not worthy blurred in the background.

If you have the possibility of editing your images before uploading them, then it's another bonus. You won't need to do anything drastic in most cases, and you most certainly don't need any fancy and expensive software. Personally, I use Photoshop, because I use it for uni, digital paintings and more. Sometimes, I crop or align a picture, increase the exposure to my liking - since I shoot in raw, I don't worry about loss of quality - add a slight blue/cooler hue with curves or adjusting the white balance. A few times I might add a bit of sharpening also, and then I save for web in order to get the smallest possible size with the best possible quality. I always keep my photos under 1MB, now.

Lastly and most importantly, have fun with it! My favourite part about blogging is probably taking the photos for a post and trust me, I rarely take just a few. Usually, I take about 60 for a fashion post and then I have to narrow it down to a much smaller number. Sometimes, I have such nice pictures that I just can't leave them unpublished, like my recent fashion posts here, here and here. For this particular blog post I took 47 pictures and I spent a day trying to choose the right one! In the end I decided to add two. For my previous article, which was about my haircare favourites I took 20 - that's the curse of a perfectionist.

So, in conclusion, don't be afraid to be yourself and try new things - or try old ones if you want. But most importantly, remember that it takes time, patience and practice to be able to understand how to capture the perfect shot - by no means I consider my photos perfect, but I like them and I'm proud of my work. My photos when I started out in 2012 were so ugly, noisy and grainy, with bad lighting, so just start taking photos. Every photo you take brings you one step closer to a blog with great photography.

2014 Haircare Favourites

2015-01-18T17:44:00.000+02:00

Is it too late for 2014 favourites? Oh well, better late than never. I think that this is the first time I'm actually talking about hair products on this blog. The reason is simple. I'm lazy and I hardly ever do anything to my hair. There are days that I don't even brush it!

Anyway, this post is not about my laziness, but the haircare products that have been used in 2014. Starting from the most used one, the Garnier Fructis Goodbye Damage Strengthening Shampoo. It's a really lovely shampoo, gets the hair clean without over-drying and it has a beautiful fruity-sweet scent - I've actually been complement on my hair's smell. It keeps my hair soft, and I actually believe it helps with damaged hair - my hair is really damaged, I haven't dyed them in two years and I regularly have a trim.

To go along with it, I have the Garnier Fructis Goodbye Damage Strengthening Hair Creme. Ever since I started using this conditioner I felt like I didn't need to use any hair masks - even though I've included one in this post. I usually apply it on my hair - after shampoo - focusing on the ends and leaving in there for a few minutes. I use my body-wash, shave whatever needs to be shaved, exfoliate my face or body, and then I rinse it off. This way it leaves my hair feeling amazingly soft and easy to brush afterwards.

After showering I will (probably) brush my hair with my blue and sparkly Tangle Teezer. I love using it, especially now that I have short hair. It helps brush through my hair, removing any tangles effortlessly, even though I seem to drop it rather frequently. I think I'll probably need a new one soon, as I've had this one for over a year now.

During the winter and sometimes in the summer, I blow-dry my hair. Before using any heat on my hair I spray the Ghd Style Heat Protect Spray, and then I brush my hair with the Tangle Teezer to spread the product. I feel like not only it helps protect my hair, but it also helps them to be softer - seriously, I couldn't stop touching my hair when I used it yesterday. I very rarely use any other heat tools on my hair, so I can't really say how well it performs when used with a curling wand, but I'm sure it doesn't disappoint. The smell is slightly more masculine than my liking, but it's not that big a deal.

Oh, great! I completely forgot to include a product in the photo and now it's too dark to take one! The Toni&Guy Classic Limited Edition by Lulu, Shine Gloss Serum that I got in a GlossyBox last year. I use this after using any heat tools, or after blowdrying to smooth the hair, or at any time that my hair gets frizzy - which is rather often. I'm quite cautious when applying it, as too much can make the hair look greasy.

Like I said previously, I rarely use any other heat tool, but on those few times I wanted some hairspray - mainly in the summer - I used the Wella Wellaflex Hairspray with Ultra Strong Hold. It does what it says on the tin, holds hair in place, without losing their softens and it smells fruity-sweet, which I love.

On those very few occasions that I feel like my hair really need a boost of moisture and softness, and before using the Fructis Conditioner, I used the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Conditioning Treatment. It's leaves my hair feeling amaaaaazingly soft and smooth, without any tangles. I feel like it's a heavy-duty rescue product for damaged hair. I don't feel the need to use as much now that I've cut my hair.

Registration Day + Haircut : the fashion

2015-01-16T05:00:00.000+02:00

I'm getting worse at choosing my best photos for my blog posts. Ten photos for a fashion post are way too many, but I can't help myself. I hope you don't mind. Anyway, notice anything different about my hair? I had a haircut a few days ago, and I'm so in love with my hair now. I hope short hair suit me - I've been getting mixed opinions - it's not that short, anyway. I'm planning on doing a little post on my thoughts about short vs long hair.

Today, was the registration day at uni, and we had to go there and pick one elective. After three years we finally have the option to choose a lesson that we want - we didn't have many options to pick from though. We start on Monday, and that probably means that I will not be able to post as many stuff on this blog. But, I've made a promise to myself to do at least one post each week. Interested in knowing what courses I'm having? Well, on Monday I have Three-Dimensional Modeling and Animation II, on Tuesday Multimedia Project Management and then Film Production II, which was the one I chose. For Wednesday I have Web Design and Development II and lastly, on Thursday I have Computer Games Design and Development. Overall, I think this semester is going to be great. I still have to see what each lesson will require, but so far I'm really excited.

Should we talk about the outfit I wore to the registration? My beautiful and huge, red, knitted infinity scarf is from Debenhams. My amazing fluffy and soft magenta jumper is a recent purchase from Marks and Spencer - haul video here - and my lovely dark wine red boots are from New Look. My black coat, blue satchel and skinny jeans are from Primark. I was so happy when I wore those jeans and they fitted me this morning. I've been doing a bit of work to reach and maintain my ideal weight - not too much, I'm lazy remember?

Festive Mall

2015-01-15T18:38:00.001+02:00

Ah, I feel like I haven't done a lifestyle post in ages. My last one was probably in the summer, mainly because I hadn't been going out at all, until the Christmas holidays. Well, I can't say that I've been going out that much, I've been quite ill these past few weeks. Nonetheless, before I got ill, I went to the mall with a close friend and I took a ton of photos - seriously sorry for posting so many.

The mall and the shops were so crowded, but I was very pleasantly surprised to see that BeautyLine sells Rimmel and NYX cosmetics. Personally, I haven't tried NYX, so if you have any product recommendation, please leave them in the comments. Rimmel, on the other hand is one of my favourite brands, I've tried a Kate Moss lipstick, a shade from the Apocalips range, a 60 second nail varnish, a ScandalEyes liner, the Stay Matte Powder and Wake Me Up foundation. I love and use all of these products, except the foundation, as it is slightly darker than my skin-tone and filled with shimmer. Anyway, after a lot of swatching, testing and deliberation, I bought two items - yes, just two, I don't have a lot of money to spend - you can see them in my recent haul.

I had one more amazing surprise. Essie is available in Cyprus - praise the lord! I've always had issues with ordering nail varnishes online, as some stores won't ship them. I love Essie and I got overwhelmed with all those beautiful shades and thus I didn't buy anything - I was in shock, okay? My only fear is that they might stop bringing them, and I won't have the opportunity to enjoy this brand.

Some of my other photos include Zara and Swarovski storefronts. Oh, and you can see my awkward attempt to take an outfit photo in a jewellery store, as my friend was paying for some earrings. I've filmed a Get Ready With Me video for my look, but let me say quickly that my jumper and skirt are from Stradivarius, ankle boots from Corso Italia, coat and handbag from Primark.

The last set of photos are from T.G.I Friday's - my favourite place to eat - and they had some lovely christmasy decorations. I enjoyed a delicious chicken burger with philadelphia soft cream cheese - yuuuummm - with a peach iced tea.

I hope this post doesn't feel too delayed, but I couldn't just leave it forgotten on my computer - I've done that for a lot of posts.

Rimmel, M&S and Debenhams Haul : the video

2015-01-10T23:55:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone. I've taken a small break from blogging, as I have been really ill lately. Today, I'm actually feeling a lot better and I finally uploaded a new video on my youtube channel. It's a haul, showing the beauty and fashion items I bought from Rimmel London, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams. I was really happy with the items I was able to buy in the sales. And actually, I went to M&S with my mum again today and she bought me a lovely mustard-ish yellow skirt and I finally bought some blueberry muffins.

All About Colours : the fashion

2015-01-06T22:51:00.000+02:00

Okay, I know, there are a lot of photographs for this post. I was having way too much fun when I shot the pictures, and this outfit is definitely one of my favourites. So many lovely and cute colours. At first, I thought I had overdone it with the colour scheme, but the more I look at the photos, the more I love it. I feel like this outfit really captures me and depicts my personal style. I'm a person who loves colour, pattern, texture, accessories and I want my clothes to describe me as fun, daring, fashion-forward and elegant. But above all, the most important thing is for me to be comfortable in my clothes.

Let's talk about each item. My awesome, bright yellow coat is a very recent purchase from Marks & Spencer - I have filmed a haul, it's coming soon. My pale teal jeggins are also from M&S. My pink, cropped jumper and gold, bow necklace are from Stradivarius. Lastly, my ring is from Primark, my booties are from Corso Italia and my gorgeous handbag is from Bershka.

Hope you enjoy these pictures as much I enjoyed taking them.

2014 Skincare Favourites

2015-01-04T23:31:00.000+02:00

I wasn't planning on writing a blog post on my favourite skincare products, but I got the idea today. There isn't a particular reason as to why the thought hadn't crossed my mind, maybe because I think my skincare routine is very, very basic. There's also a little skincare routine post, from last year. I think I'm also going to do favourite hair products, and maybe even fashion items. Seems like January is all about my 2014 favourites, so far. I've already done my makeup favourites and most viewed blog posts.

There's one makeup remover that I have used in the past year - for those few times I actually wore makeup - the Loreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution. This is the best makeup remover I remember using, but I really haven't tried that many, and this product is far from perfection. It removes makeup well - I use it for face, lips and eyes, as it says - and it's very cheap, but it has a slightly unpleasant smell. Even though it says it's safe for the eyes, if I get a lot of product on a cotton pad and put that on my eye area, it can sting a tiny bit. I should also add that this is the only micellar solution I have ever tried, so I can't compare it to anything else. I haven't used it with waterproof mascara - which is my nightmare - so I don't know how it performs, but I feel like it wouldn't be strong enough to completely remove it. In addition, after using it my skin feels very clean and tight.

With a makeup-free face I can move on to cleansing. The Body Shop Tea Tree Cool & Creamy Wash* has been my choice - review here. It makes my skin feel fresh, soft and clean every time I use it. Let's have a moment of silence, because The Body Shop is no longer available in Cyprus, all of their stores have closed. I don't know how I'm still standing, after hearing the news.

I'll admit the next step is not something I do every time - lazy girl here - but since I don't own a toner, I spray some of Mac Fix Plus on my freshly cleansed face. I know it's probably not indented to be a toner, but I have it lying around with no use for it, and one day I got the idea. So many other toners out there are just watery sprays with vitamins and stuff and Fix Plus is a skin refresher. I bought it because I thought it would make my makeup last longer if I sprayed it after completing a look. But it really didn't do anything for me, and I actually didn't like the way it made my makeup look after spraying it.

Moving on to a very big favourite of mine. The Ren Invisible Pores Detox Mask - review here. This product never fails me, it always makes my skin feel clean, clear, soft and fresh like you wouldn't believe. Even though it's addressed to combination-to-oily skins, it works perfectly fine for a normal-to-dry kind of girl like myself. Just look at the before and after pictures on my review.

Last item is again a product that I adore, but sadly I've completely run out of. I'm talking about the Nuxe Crème Fraîche de Beauté Enrichie which is a 24h soothing and moisturising rich cream. I'm not sure about the 24h because I haven't used it in a while, but it smells so lovely, and moisturises my skin brilliantly. I'm currently trying the Light version of this, which is lovely, but not as moisturising. I really can't wait to get my hands on a new tube of this cream.

So that is it for my favourite skincare of 2014. I know that it's very basic and simple, but I've told you before that I am a rather lazy person.

2014 Top 5 Beauty Inside Art Posts

2015-01-03T23:50:00.000+02:00

Following the post I did about the 2013 most viewed posts on this blog, this post is about my top 2014 ones. Basically, I'm going to show you the posts that have the most views and were created in 2014.

This hasn't been the best year in terms of quantity of content, but I hope and believe that the content's quality has increased from previous years. I found myself writing a lot more fashion and lifestyle blog posts in 2014, which is something I really enjoyed. I've let more of my personality shine through this little website, I believe.

How I organise my make-up
I don't believe I expected that this post would be my most viewed one, but maybe it's because it was created in January. To briefly describe it, it's a blog post that shows how I organise my makeup - which is still similar to the way I have it now - after throwing a lot of unused cosmetics. Also, it's a bit like a makeup collection post too. It's most certainly not my favourite blog post here, but you should check it out.

A Makeup-less Face : the fashion
Again, I'm surprised but glad to see this one so high, as it is a rather simple, everyday uni outfit. The only thing special about it is that I briefly talk about why I don't wear makeup everyday, and I just express some thoughts about our society. In addition, I really like the photography of the post.

A Day in February : the fashion
Another fashion post with lovely photography. I believe this was my first time taking such good fashion photos on my own, and it was the time I fell in love with the whole process. Again, it's an everyday outfit for university.

Currently Watching
If there's one thing I love more than shopping, it's watching TV shows. Actually, I used to have a blog reviewing episodes, but I can barely take care of this blog, you can imagine how neglected that one is. So, I don't see a reason why I shouldn't talk about what I'm watching on this blog. This post mentions 5 TV series I was watching at the time, and my thoughts on them.

Animal Photography : the art
Finally, we have a photography post. Photography is one of my biggest passions, in case you can't tell already. In this post I talk about 6 beautiful photos of animals - cats, horses, a bee, a butterfly and a snail - that I have taken. I give a bit of story behind each one and provide you with some technical information, like lenses, shutter speed, f-stop. Also, I give links as to where you could buy high quality prints of the photos. I'm glad that this post is included in this little list.

I'm also glad to see that there's a bit of beauty, fashion, art and life on the top for 2014. 2014 was the year that I decided to include more different types of blog posts, and it's good that people responded to that. Of course there were other posts that I worked harder on and believed that they would receive more recognition. Here's to a successful 2015 and less blogging breaks from me!