Jennifer-Rosellen

Nip+Fab Frown Fix Instant Line Filler Review

2012-03-11T10:37:00.001-07:00

I can sum up this product for you in one word.

Useless.

And in one sentence.

Completely rubbish and a total waste of money. Don't buy it.

I picked this up today because it happened to be a 1/3 off in Sainsburys and it has been hailed as a 'miracle' product. Seriously, it's actually written in the blurb on the Boots website

I don't usually do negative reviews or 'DON'T BUY THIS' posts but I think the fact that this product has actually been marketed to the public as a 'miracle product' has really irritated me - because it does absolutely nothing.

You have to twist the brush for an age to get any product out and even then it has a mind of it's own, alternating between spewing out far too much of the product so it goes all over the floor or seemingly deciding to not dispense any product at all! The brush is white and gets dirty after about two uses. The product feels nice enough on your skin and that's probably the only good point I can think of. It contains 4ML and so to use every morning and night I imagine it would run out extremely quickly thus rendering it's relatively cheap price tag redundant.

They actually claim on the bottle to show results 'after 10 minutes'. I took before and after photos 30 minutes apart and you can very clearly see there is absolutely no difference. Not the slightest hint of any improvement whatsoever! I'm sure I've used about half the contents by now and this has been the case every time I've used the product.

I'm assuming it was just damn good PR that gave this product it's original buzz as it's spent the past few months completely sold out - yet just a quick peruse on the Boots website shows the following comments:

'What a waste of money!'

'NOT WORTH THE HYPE'

'Don't believe the hype'

'Do not waste your points!'

'Don't waste your money!'

'Disappointing'

I throw my hands up in the air and fully admit that I was taken in by the hype surrounding the product and I should have done my research. I feel like a complete idiot for thinking a £10 cream for Sainsbrys could make any real difference but I'm also extremely annoyed that they can claim it's a 'miracle' product. How can these companies get away with making statements like that?

So, I'm incredibly disappointed with this product. I have also been using Snoxin ('The highest allowable concentration of the most effective anti-ageing peptides come together in this advanced serum to combat all aspects of skin ageing appearance, including the look of dynamic wrinkles, deeper folds, fine lines, crow's feet, textural irregularities and sagginess') morning and night for over three weeks now and have to say that it has made no difference either.

Perhaps we are all completely daft to believe that a chemist-bought-cream is going to work miracles. I mean, if they did, why would botox, fraxl and face lifts exist?

I have one more to try (the more expensive £50 'Freeze Frame') before I completely write off all these 'miracle products' for good. Please let me know if you've had any positive (or negative like me!) experiences with 'miracle' products or any kind of anti-ageing creams.

xxx

My Beauty Lust List - Top five HG products (as seen in Flavour Magazine)

2012-03-07T13:54:00.001-08:00

I recently appeared in Flavour Magazine in their Beauty Blogger section and I thought I'd let you all have a little read of my tips! I think the section that you'll find most interesting are my HG products which you can see more clearly below:

P.S

If you spot this demented looking person in your More! Magazine - It's yours truly....

xxx

MUA Cosmetics - Love Hearts Collaboration Lip Balms and Quake Polishes

2012-02-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

I absolutely adore these £2 Love Heart themed tinted lip balms from MUA Cosmetics. They remind me of the MAC tinted lip conditioners (petting Pink used to be my favourite tinted lipbalm from the MAC collection) but the MAC lip conditioner retails at £11 so you could buy all five of this range for LESS than one MAC lip balm.

They smell like vanilla which I absolutely love and they're an absolute pleasure to use. You know how some lip products can feel dry on your lips well I have a habit of applying these over and over and over (my favourites for everyday wear being the two pinky colours [sweet kiss&sugar lips])because they just feel so soothing and moisturising. The packaging is super cute to boot.

I highly recommend these as both lip colours and lip conditioners/balms and are an almost perfect dupe for the MAC range without the hefty price tag for a LIP BALM - so win/win big thumbs up from me!

You can purchase the range from Superdrug.

I'm currently wearing falsies so I can't review the new crackle polishes properly but I am dying to try them out! They're taking the glitter trend and the crackle trend and combining them into wonderful-crackly-glittery-on trend-goodness.

These also retail at £2 which is perfect for me as I point blank refuse to buy high end nail polish when brands like MUA, 2true, Barry M, Look(etc) do fantastic quality polishes for great prices!

I promise to review them soon but I wanted to include the photo because...well....they're just so purdy!

xxx

Brazilian Blow Dry in a Bottle? Keratin Complex infusion therapy 'Straight Day'

2012-02-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

'Keratin Complex NEW Straight Day Styling Spray is a superior daily treatment that moisturizes and protects all hair types. On wet or dry hair, this hydrating spray smoothes, reduces flyaways and tames unwanted frizz.

The unique anti-humectant formula in Keratin Complex Straight Day locks moisture in and humidity out, so your hair will stay silky, soft and frizz-free throughout the day.'

I don't really understand the science-y part but I DO know that Keratin is good for your hair. Can't tell you why - but it is. I'm using this product (*) in conjunction with a shampoo and conditioner from the same range and am absolutely loving the results. I guess this product is similar to the John Frieda '3-day straight' (claims to do the same and both use keratin) although I haven't tried that particular product myself it was all the rage a little while ago.

I apply this product all over my hair and I can blowdry it and leave it - It seems to work with the heat or the hairdryer to leave your hair feeling and looking silky smooth and it's drastically reduced the flyaways. If I sleep on my hair I often have to straighten it (although much less so when I wear the Boots sleep rollers - then it's more a case of sometimes calming the hair down as it's so big!) and this really does result in your hair staying exactly how you style it until your next wash.

I'm constantly searching for ways to repair, grow and style my hair without using too much heat. I'm happy to use straighteners and heated rollers in moderation but I only use on my crown or the VERY ends of my hair. So anything that makes my hair look sleek and smooth is a huge win from me and I am so impressed with the entire Keratin Complex range. I know the bottle looks teeny tiny but it lasts forever.

It retails at around £20 and is only available online or in salons. Keratin Complex is now the 'leading smoothing system in the World' and their products have even been featured on the Today show - I know that last bit sounded like PR waffle but I only saw the video from googling and was pretty impressed - that's a big slot to land! So it's clearly a well respected brand (casual rhyme).

Just a little shot of todays nails - more imPRESS press-on nails. Click here for my review.

y and healthy hair.

Cosmo on Campus & Glamour Magazine Online

2012-02-21T13:24:00.000-08:00

Back in December I took part in a photoshoot for Cosmo on Campus and this week I was sent a copy of the issue I feature in!

I think they did an AMAZING job at recreating the catwalk looks and it just shows if you look around you can find dupes to almost anything you see in a magazine/on the runway etc.

Let me know your thoughts. Which is your favourite outfit? Socks and heels...yes or no? Big blue hairband...yay or nay?

Zoe (londonlipgloss) and I have been taking part in the 'Big skincare mystery' (Gemma - Gemsmaquillage -and lots of other magazines are also taking part).

We were sent an unbranded face wash item to test and then we were invited down to give our thoughts on the product for the brands Facebook and for the Glamour website. Click here or the photo above to watch my review.

If you check out the Facebook page you too can get involved in the big skincare mystery and receive a sample. I really would highly reccommend this cleanser - I'm still using it every morning (I use a stronger, glycolic acid wash most nights) and really loooove it.

Below is a random video of footage from the Cosmo shoot.

PINK AND SPARKLY. Topshop vibrant glitter ballet pumps.

2012-02-20T14:55:00.001-08:00

Okay, I'm guilty, I like pink.

A friend of mine added a photo of these to facebook and so I just had to ask her where they were from - these babies are from Topshop and are £19!

They're in stores now so go and buy them - because who doesn't want to own a pair of pink glittery ballet shoes??

(please don't say 'anyone over the age of seven...')

I already own a pair of ballet pumps from Topshop (these salmon ballet pumps) which I have worn to death. They come up true to size and they're really durable considering they look rather delicate. So if these don't float-your-barbie-boat they do dozens more colours and styles so perhaps a more subtle shade of girly will suffice.

Whilst photographing the shoes for this post I realised I made a teeny tiny mistake....

...and bought a pair three sizes too big for me.

OOPS.

Guess this calls for another trip back to Oxford Street.

Lifes tough.

PINK LOVE x

US nail brand imPRESS hits UK shores with imPRESS press on nails - the 'revolutionary' press on manicure.

2012-02-17T20:25:00.001-08:00

These IMPRESS press-on-manicure nails (*) come in a nail varnish bottle style packaging which I believe to make a lot more sense than the usual false nails packaging (whereby you open the packet and all of the nails proceed to instantly fall out and go everywhere) plus it's cute and quirky. You just pull off the lid and then you pop open the case. It's perfect for keeping the unused falsies (you get 24 nails in 12 sizes per bottle) in (you could even add other falsies in there too) and is teeny enough to fit into your handbag or on your vanity table etc.

Application is incredibly simple, as illustrated in the above photos (or watch the video below) you simply grab the tab at the top of each falsie and remove it. Each nail has the adhesive attached and so you just place the falsie over your nail and press down hard for about a minute - et voila. Each bottle has a sachet containing an alcohol prep wipe which you use on each nail to ensure the adhesive will stick.

What I love about these nails is the fact that they are completely chip-free, reminiscent of a gelish polish, and come in an amazing range of colours and styles. For me, nail art is not something I have the skill, time or patience for and I absolutely adore the fact that this range contains both simple colour shades and unique patterned designs. The nails are also incredibly flexible which allows for ease of application and wear.

Application takes about five minutes in total and I was over the moon when I first applied these as I thought I had found the answer to all my prayers. My fingers weren't covered with hard, dried glue and I hadn't had to continuously prise them apart as I do when using nail glues, it was incredibly quick and I was absolutely head over heels in love with the design.

Unfortunately things went downhill after about an hour. After taking off my makeup and washing my face I walked back into my bedroom and noticed two nails were missing. Two. In an hour. When my activities has consisted of washing my face and brushing my teeth. These nails are not reusable. Impress explains on their website:
'Impress nails are not reusable. They are made to be very flexible to provide for a comfortable fit, when removed they become distorted and cannot be reused.'

Not only that but obviously the glue isn't sticky any more! I really bloody loved the design so I was determined I wasn't about to give up on them - so I whacked out some trusty nail glue and reapplied the nails. Perfect!

During the course of packing my suitcase another four nails fell off. That's six in total that I had to reapply with nail glue. So much for the 'press on nail - no glue!' element of these falsies...

If you look closely at the photos below you can see that some of the nails have retained their shape well and not chipped whereas others have quite clearly fared as well (major example being the blue and yellow patterned nail on my middle finger). You can also see that my own nail is just visible 'poking out' at the tip. The photo above shows this most clearly - the nails literally just sit on top of the nail and it's pretty goshdarn obvious. You absolutely could not wear these if you had long nails.

You may ask why my index finger is painted (craply) with glitter - after going through about four falsies on this finger I eventually gave up and accepted that it just was not going to stay on so I had no choice but to paint it as I didn't want to remove all the other nine nails.

Removal is actually incredibly simple - you just peel them off. Because they are basically like stickers they bend and become misshapen (as Impress states - they're not reusable as they become distorted) but they don't damage your nails in the same way false nails or acrylics do and removal is much less time consuming.

I really wanted to love these nails and actually in essence I still do. I genuinely had people commenting on my nails (I always think people lie about this - but it really did happen!) so it's clearly not just me who found the designs appealing and eye-catching.

I feel like it's a fantastic concept which they so nearly-almost-got-right-but-just-didn't-quite. I imagine that this idea will take off and pretty soon there will be one which ticks all the boxes. The adhesive needs to be stronger and reach to the very tip of the nail to avoid the natural nail showing underneath. I would almost suggest buying these nails and using with false nail glue that you already own as the colour range is fantastic. I have found them to be the perfect size for my nails and they do not impact on typing or texting etc (BBM'ing in normal falsies is a herculean effort) and you can completely forget you're wearing them.

They're definitely not perfect - but they're definitely cute.

The full range is available at Boots and boots.com; plain colours are priced at £7.99 and patterns retail for £8.99.

Image taken from: Scrangie - Click the photo above or HERE to read her review.

How To Feed A Man - The best Cookbook ever?

2012-02-17T12:04:00.000-08:00

'The sexiest cookery book I have ever cast my eyes over. Dissolves the fears and makes you want to cook' - Marco Pierre White

'Utterly Genius! a new book that espouses the virtues of cooking' - Sunday Times Style Magazine

'The food of love, a passionate and inspirational cookery book' - Woman and Home

This has quickly become one of my favourite books of all time. I think it's the perfect combination of both an extremely useful cookery book and a beautiful 'coffee table adorning' book. It Combines recipes with notes on kitchen essentials and ingredients, and is also illustrated with eye-catching iconic and contemporary images as well as inspirational thoughts and poetry. My bedroom is scattered with books bought purely for their decorative nature, such as The Olsen Twins 'Influence', 'Boo the worlds cutest dog' and a selection of the 'Keep Calm and...' books.

It's commonplace to buy books for purely decorative reasons (I don't really know why!) but the novelty of cute pictures and inspiring words tends to wear off almost immediately after the first flick through. I can safely say that after a full day of 'AWWWWWWWWW!'ing over the adorable little puppy Boo - the book has remained untouched.

'A cookery book that is READ as much as cooked from, How To Feed A Man is a celebration of family life that is both engaging yet different'

I am not a good chef and that is an understatement. Cooking usually frustrates and confuses me but it's something I've always wanted to be good at. That is another reason that this book appeals to me. Now only is it visually pleasing but it's also damn good at explaining how to cook.

You feel like you're reading a recipe written by one of your closest friends as you flick through the beautifully illustrated pages. I just adore the chatty style in which it is written and the helpful hints such as '...Just throw some in and keep mixing, if it still looks a bit funny, add a bit more. Don't worry it will still come out right' - this is exactly what I think people need in a recipe book. We NEED to know that the mixture might split, or look a bit lumpy, or that it's okay to add a little bit more or less of this or that!

'I will wait for my star. But when it comes, I'm determined to make it shine.'

(*) The book usually retails at £19.99 but is on sale at Amazon now for £13.16

Let me know what you think of this beaauutifuulllll book and if you can recommend any other cookbooks for total beginners like me!

xxx

Va Va Voom OOMPH - Boots Large Sleep Hair Rollers

2012-02-16T16:19:00.000-08:00

Boots Large Sleep Hair Rollers

I purchased these sleep-in hair rollers after reading Laura's post. I love her blog and not only do we both love a bit of va va voom volume and OOMPH to our hair but we actually have quite similar hair type/hairstyles (when I'm not wearing my extensions) so I thought these would work perfectly in my hair.

There are six in a pack and I wear four-five at a time as I only use them around the crown. They cost £4.99 and have a 'self grip action to style wet or dry hair without the need for grips or clips and are suitable for use with a hairdryer and styling solutions.'

I've found that I don't need to add any kind of kirby grip or hairnet (old school!) as the rollers stay almost perfectly in place even though I am a very restless sleeper. I don't use any heat on them whatsoever (I allow my hair to cool after blowdrying and I don't use straighteners on it) nor do I spray with hairspray. It really is as simple as spending about 30-60 seconds applying each roller into the hair and then leaving them until the morning.

I have found that the lift they give at the roots is absolutely amazing. My natural hair is shoulder length and towards the end of my hair I can see that my hair just begins to curl. I brush through my hair gently after removing the curlers and any kinks vanish instantly. I would imagine that on longer hair these may produce more of a curling effect (or if you were to use a lot of heat with them or apply directly to wet hair) than the purely 'lifting' effect seen on mine (and Laura's hair) The photo below shows both the volume and lift to my roots and also the subtle curl added to my extensions after wearing the rollers for a few hours before my Valentines meal.

To use:

Comb through a section of hair and place a roller at the end of the section.
Curl to scalp in the direction required.
Push gently to fix in position.
To remove: gently lift roller and unwind.
Comb or brush lightly to style as required.

'But are they comfortable!?'

Surprisingly the answer is yes. The very first night I wore them I did find it bizarre and I really noticed them as I tried to get comfy but by the second night I was completely used to how they feel and fell asleep easily. The spongy inside (which I thought was packaging so stupidly removed and then had to spend ages trying to poke it back inside the roller - don't make that mistake!) allows them to be flexible and soft as you lie down or toss and turn.

As I mentioned, I am a RESTLESS sleeper. I toss and turn and flip the pillow over 5,00 times a night and have a tendency of sleeping on my side with my hands on my face in the praying-position thus resulting in a daily kink on the right hand side of my head. The constant tossing and turning also leaves my hair feeling knotted, static and can leave it feeling lank and greasy.

I was contemplating purchasing one of those silk pillows to eliminate this bedhead but they cost THIRTY POUNDS - so I'm SO glad I found the solution in these £4.99 rollers. I wake up with my hair looking salon-blow dryed instead of bedhead bedraggled. It really does save me a lot of time and effort and I believe will help the health of my hair - I don't need to constantly Batiste or Backcomb my roots for volume, nor do I need to straighten the kink in my hair day in and day out.

I give this product a 5/5 and would highly recommend.

I have a post on the enrapture rollers coming soon for those girls who are looking for the proper glam curls! (They are currently sat on my mums vanity table as she's stolen them off me as she's decided they're the 'best rollers EVER' - I shall be stealing them back very soon and asking her to help with the blog post on them.)

One night in Paris....

2012-02-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

Face

He-Shi Face + Body Tanning Gel

Chanel Perfection Lumiere - (Beige Rose 32)

Illamasqua cream blush - (Sob)

Mac Blush - (Well Dressed)

Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect (Tweed Pink)

Beautiful Brows Palette (Dark)

Two pairs of Ardell Lashes (Glamour & Demi Wispies)

Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Liner

YSL Rouge Volupte Perle (114)

MAC dazzleglass (smile)

Mac Prep+Prime Finishing Powder (Transparent)

Lush Hair Extensions

Outfit

Dress: Jones&Jones (similar dresses here and here)

Bracelet: Thomas Sabo

Shoes: Florida Outlet

We stayed:

Waldorf Trocadéro

We ate:

Le Coq

Following a month-or-so of cryptic clues and secret email exchanges avec mon père my boyfriend surprised me with a trip to Paris for Valentines day.

'The city of lovers…The most romantic place on earth'

We arrived late on Tuesday evening and ordered room service and champagne before falling asleep (I wont go into the nightmare of the boy leaving his wallet on the flight and five minutes after we reported it 'couldn't be found'...). On Valentines day morning the boy bought me breakfast in bed which was followed by a fabulous bus-tour around the sights of the city (during which we passed a huge crowd of girls swarming outside the Virgin Megastore on the Champs-Elysées and I pondered 'I wonder which celebrity is doing a signing? Probably some random French celeb' - I found out just now that it was only bloody One Direction wasn't it!) which ended outside the Eiffel Tower where we then took the lift up to the second platform and admired the awe-inspiring view.

Back to the hotel we went, after each consuming a giant chocolate and cream covered waffle, as it was bloody freezing and we napped in the gorgeous hotel room and the enormous double bed until awakening mid-evening to get ready for our night on the town. Tottering down into the lobby in my heels and fur coat, cringing at the idea of walking down the cobbled streets and freezing wind to the restaurant, we were surprisingly and ever so kindly offered a lift by a member of staffs friend who then also parked up in order to take photos for us of us in front of the Eiffel Tower (which, incidentally, looks even more incredible all lit up at night).

We arrived at the restaurant and were greeted with plush, velvet seats and a rose petal strewn table. We opted for champagne and 'le vin rouge'. I opted for Lobster Ravioli, Prawn Risotto and a chocolate cake from the set menu. The boy had the same to start followed by steak and 'french fries' and cheeses to finish. Neither of us actually managed to finish our dessert - probably because of the amount of bread rolls they kept putting on our table! - but we certainly managed to polish off our drinks...

We were the final two left in the restaurant and, eventually, after the staff turned the lights on and the music off and handed us our coats, we meandered back to gaze at the Eiffel Tower and then began the short walk back to the hotel (sensible girl that I am - I bought flats in the handbag). My boyfriend could literally make friends with a lamppost - he's that charming - so we were greeted by our new-found-hotel-friends from earlier who opened up the bar for us and we enjoyed some white wine (me) and Corona (him) whilst listening to a variation of English (the boy) and French (hotel friends) rap.

The obligatory-stupid-picture-taking resulted in some rather drunken but amusing snaps and at about 3am our Valentines evening was over and off we went to bed.

I really could not have asked for a more perfect Valentines Day.

Final day at More! Magazine...

2012-02-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

Outfit:

Jumper: Topshop

Shorts: Boohoo

Rings: Llymlrs

Nails: Kiss 100 Falsies

What I Rocked Today.

2012-02-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Kellie from Big Fashionista https://twitter.com/#%21/BigFashionistasuggested the title of todays post! I debated about adding a 'GRRR' due to the leopard print but decided the use of the word 'Rocked' PLUS a gratuitous 'grrr' would definitely catapult me into dickhead territory.

P.S Check out Kellie's Blog, it's hilarious. Like, seriously l-o-l funny. Woman needs a column, like yesterday! A personal favourite of mine is the 'Alternative London Fashion Weekend'!

Outfit

Top: Topshop (Mine was from eBay)

Top worn underneath: Hollister Cami (similar)

Pleather Shorts: Boohoo (similar item from missguided)

Nail Varnish: Electric Avenue and Bloomsbury Square (Nails Inc)

xxx

Internships (Part One:How to)

2012-02-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

Internships (Part One: How to)
This post is part one in my series of Internship posts. This will be my how-to guide on getting Internships in the creative/media industries such as Beauty, Fashion and Public Relations (PR). I'm not claiming to be an expert but I do know how hard it is to find internships but I have managed to find work experience/Internships at various places over the last few years.

I've recently started an Internships page where I list every relevant Internship that I find and try to do this as often as possible. You can find that site here. Loads of 'student jobs' or other Internship websites want you to sign up before you can view anything so they can spam you with emails and newsletters - it's ridiculous!

My best advice and the way that I have seen the majority of the Internships I have applied for and that I have posted on the Internships page is through Twitter. The best advice I can give you is to create a Twitter profile (or use your current one) and go through and follow absolutely everyone from the industry you want to work in. So, not just @CosmopolitanUK you follow @stylaura (Fashion assistant) @claresmith84 (Junior fashion stylist) @Hollycooop (Fashion assistant) @Shellyvela (Fashion Director) @Saireysmile (Fashion director) @Charlottta (Fashion Manager) @Pat_McNulty (Cosmopolitan.co.uk Editor)- you catch my drift? Then see who each person is following - they'll probably be following other people in the industry so scroll down and follow anyone you're not following - if the editor of Vogue or the beauty director of a PR company is following someone - they're probably worth following! Twitter is an absolutely invaluable tool for networking and researching. (P.S This twitter @UKFashionIntern has really good fashion internships)

I have to add here, DON'T BOMBARD THESE PEOPLE WITH TWEETS! The reason for following them is that it's infinitely more likely that if 'Alex Smith' from 'Womans Living' (made that up, evidently i'm not very imaginative but stay with me) needs an Intern or knows that the beauty/fashion desk or that the girls on the Revlon/Wella or nutrition accounts (whatever) need an Intern or an assistant then they'll probably send out a quick tweet asking you to email over a CV. It's these rare and usually missed tweets that offer you a much better chance of getting in contact with someone as opposed to randomly sending out blanket emails to mailto:'Dearwork.experiemce@magazine/prcompanyname.com'. Also, the more people you follow and engage with the more likely you are to see someone Retweet an internship or for someone to suggest one to you.

There is no harm in sending the usual 'blanket' emails to every and all PR companies or magazines because you never know. But I'm just going to warn you now, you probably wont hear back. I've applied to every magazine going and have never, ever secured work experience that way. My experience at More has come from being part of the More Hot 100, (I'll expand later but it just shows how hobbies/interests can do wonders for your CV and job prospects!) not through emailing magazines directly. However, I eventually managed to get work experience so the key is to a) be determined b) start early and don't give up. It might take one or two years before you finally get somewhere and that is the truth but if it's your dream career then don't give up and be prepared for lots of rejections or even worse, just being ignored! Remember you can't start at the top. You don't start at Marie Claire and Vogue!!! You can't be upset because Vogue doesn't want a first year drama student with no previous magazine work experience but 'has a blog', or a PR company which specialises in high end clients when you're a second year philosophy student whose worked at New Look for four years. You need to start gaining experience in any way you can - definitely start a blog about whatever interests you, keep a portfolio of any work you do and remember to set your sights lower down at smaller magazines or supplements (for example, Zest Magazine or Psychologies) before you apply for the big dogs.

Don't pester. It's not possible for a PR company to say 'yes' to everyone who replies to their tweet about needing a Fashion PR Intern and nor is it possible for 40 people a week to fit into the Grazia fashion cupboard - it just isn't feasible. I suggest that if you don't here anything back from a 'standard' (info@company.com/workexperience@company.com) email - forget about it. Apply to other things and come back to that company in a few months. If you've emailed someone who tweeted about an Internship, send them a quick tweet ljust letting them know you've emailed them. If you do not get a tweet back in response or an email then assume you haven't been successful this time.

I originally applied for my Lancome internship when they were advertising for an Easter internship - the dates didn't work but they said they'd keep my CV on file and contact me in the future if anything came up. Not all companies that say this actually do this and of course they can't get back to everyone, but they really do try and Lancome is a great example of a company actually keeping a CV on file! Lancome emailed me a few weeks later offering me dates in the summer which I could do. So don't be disheartened if it turns out you can't do the dates proposed originally, the position is filled or someone currently has more experience than you - you've made contact and that will be really useful further down the road.

With regards to cover letters I am really no expert, as i've said, i've been ignored or rejected more times than successful! I do know that common courtesy suggests trying to find the name of the person you're writing to (Not dear sir'madam if you can help it). I'd always include the name of the PR company/publication and a few sentences about why you like it and why you want to work there. If it's a PR company - what stunt have you loved that they've recently done? Or are they fab at social media- or do they represent a brand you love? With a magazine - what features do you like AND WHY. Include any relevant experience - even if it's not academic - for example your blog. I always include mine when I apply for anything and don't be scared to add that you're aware your experience is limited but you're keen and willing to learn. I also include how interested and active I am with regards to the Beauty Community and Social Media.

Continuing on with your covering letter and CV make sure you say YES to any opportunities that allow you to add to your CV! I know there's a lot of hoo-ha (yes, hoo-ha is the technical term) about Bloggers being paid for posts, but until you reach a certain level you should jump at the chance to contribute for free in just the same way you should try and write for the school/uni newspaper and get involved in events (offline, online or both p doesn't matter!) because it's all good experience and it sets you apart from other people.

Some people that don't understand or 'get' blogging may laugh at you for including it in your CV (or for just having one in the first place) but I recently landed a graduate scheme and the CEO told me he was 'impressed' at the dedication I gave to my blog in my free time. It shows commitment and passion and is a great way for an employer to quickly see your writing abilities (or photography, or fashion styling etc) so use it almost as a portfolio as well as experience

I hope that the tips above are helpful. Please leave any other questions below as I'm going to be doing a series of posts and videos on this topic as I get asked so many questions. I'm going to address what an intern does, the debate over paying interns and more! I'm also going to go into more detail about what qualifications I have, what degree/A levels etc (for the record I did Psychology - COMPLETELY UNRELATED!) but I can't fit it all in one post or it will be fiftene pages long! Do please leave questions in the comments or tweet @JRosellenM. xx

For now, you can read my other posts or watch my videos on my previous Internships.

Lancome Blogs One Two and Three

More Magazine Blogs One and Two

More Magazine Videos One and TwoInternships Page

Kiss Full Cover Nails - One Hundred Falsies!

2012-02-03T08:39:00.000-08:00

I decided to purchase some false nails before starting my More Magazine Internship as I couldn't be bothered to deal with the hassle or embarrassment of chipped nails.

I usually buy french manicured falsies (Broadway or Elegant Touch) but I decided to try a different brand and these caught my eye as I perused the aisles of Boots as I remembered seeing Sarah's Video where she used pretty cheap falsies and then painted them. They cost £6.49 for 100 nails.

(She used this Boots brand and I used Kiss - click here to read her detailed post on how to apply falsies).

I've often found that the false nails I've worn have literally pinged (yes pinged) off whilst I've been at work and it's incredibly awkward to continue a conversation whilst your mangled nail lies at your feet. I really didn't want to end up with falsies falling off left, right and centre and an accumulation of disgusting nails sat at the bottom of my handbag (or in my boyfriends bed - it really grosses boys out finding an old false nail on their pillow - funny that).

I have been so impressed with the staying power of these nails. It's friday afternoon and I applied them on Sunday and so far only the thumb and little finger have needed re-applying (they started to fall off - they never fell off completely).

I always go through and try on the different sizes to see which one works best and then lay the nails out for each hand like the photo demonstrates above. I have to admit I'm slightly puzzled as to why these nails are described as 'short' - as I'd say they are really quite long! They also wont be good if you want your nails to look real because they look artificial. It's very clear you're wearing false nails with these - but I don't mind that. You could file them down more to achieve a more natural look, but I didn't bother!

I painted them with this polish I randomly picked up at a 'drugstore' on my trip to America but you can find the brand on eBay. The colour is 'pink hottie' super bright and pink (surprise surprise!) and has not chipped at all since Sunday nights application.

I am super impressed by these. You get 100 nails plus the best nail glue i've ever used for falsies for £6.49.

I highly reccomend.

xxx

More Magazine Beauty Desk Internship (Day Two and Three)

2012-02-02T04:14:00.000-08:00

He-Shi Face + Body Tanning Gel

Ardell 117 plus Ardell Demi Wispies

MUFE Face and Body

MAC Cremblende Blusher (So Sweet, So Easy)

MAC Powder Blush (Well Dressed)

L'oreal True Match Super Blendable Powder (golden beige)

BY Terry Baume De Rose

Motel Rocks Leopard Print dress
Knitted Topshop Grunge Jumper

Black tights

River Island boots

Never Fully Dressed Tunic

Topshop Blazer (bought on eBay for £20-eBay is your friend!)

Topshop Burgundy Heavyweight Leggings

BooHoo Fur Coat (similar items here and here)

River Island Boots

xxx

Twist and shout honey bun

2012-01-31T09:10:00.000-08:00

1) Wash hair with Keratin complex shampoo and conditioner

2) Towel dry and apply Clynol Lift Mousse and Clynol Thicken Elixir (then blow dry as usual)

4) Backcomb using backcombing brush the apply Clynol Powder Punch Powder to the T-section
3) Throw head forward and scrape hair into a messy bun at top of head

4) Twist into a random/messy bun and secure with a hair CLAW or butterflies (NOT a hair band or this will become too tight and 'done' - a claw allows for more movement and a looser overall bun/style)

5) Gently grab front section/fringe and twist and secure with bobby pins for the retro twist/less severe look of a scraped-back-ballerina-bun. Adjust hair claw to loosen/move hair as you desire.

6) Spray with Clynol Uphold Hairspray

(My hair is pretty short - the longer your hair, the better the bun looks - add extensions or even buy a clip-in hair bun from beautyworks to enhance the overall look!)

(This is a competition entry )

More Magazine Beauty Desk Internship (Day One)

2012-01-31T03:43:00.000-08:00

Face

He-Shi Face + Body Tanning Gel

Ardell 117 plus Ardell Demi Wispies

MUFE Face and Body

MAC Cremblende Blusher (So Sweet, So Easy)

MAC Powder Blush (Well Dressed)

L'oreal True Match Super Blendable Powder (golden beige)

BY Terry Baume De Rose

Outfit

Playsuit: Topshop (can often be found on eBay)

Blazer: Zara

Shoes: boohoo

Bag: Pauls Boutique

Channelling my inner Kardashian...(Leopard,Lashes,Lips)

2012-01-28T16:43:00.000-08:00

Leopard print is absolutely huge at the moment. It's all over the shops, runways and magazines -but it always makes me think of the Kardashians - those girls have been rocking leopard print since way-back-when! So I dub this outfit 'Kardashian Inspired'.

This oversized jumper from Vila was an amazing eBay find and cost me £5.50. I've included the link and if you click 'You might like' or 'Similar To' should appear (for example this jumper is very similar) - otherwise search some variation of 'oversized leopard' or search for a size above what you usually wear for a baggier fit. I teamed it with these leggings from H&M for a super casual look, with just a hint of embellishment on the ankles with the cute gold zips, as I just stayed in for a takeaway Wagamamas with the boy.

The make-up was kept super simple. Witch anti blemish foundation (medium), Collection 2000 concealer (medium), Bourjouis Chocolate Bronzer, Body Shop Baked-to-last Blush in Petal, By Terry Baume De Rose and Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara.

No Kardashian-Inspired outfit is complete without a big set of la-la-lashes!

These are Eylure Glamour 116 Lashes.

(None of the links are affiliate links. I'm just super helpful....and an enabler.)

Love you dolls.

Ardell False Lashes and Revlon Gold Coin Nail Varnish

2012-01-26T14:26:00.000-08:00

Hardly revolutionary but I love this Revlon Nail varnish. It's one of the few that looks flawless after just one coat and doesn't chip for days. I guess it's quite a christmassy-wintery colour but I'm still rocking it and it's nearly the end of January. Quite keen to experiment by using it for some (simple) nail art - perhaps I'll start with hot pink nails (one of the OPI polishes I purchased) and gold tips. Any tutorials? Link me!

These Ardell lashes are my two favourites from the Ardell Range. They are so lightweight that I swear you cannot tell you're wearing lashes once they're on and it makes them a dream to apply.

I've actually started wearing 117 first and then applying the demi wispies on top for a 'double lash' that is much more wearable and comfortable than the Eylure double lash - I find the Eylure double lashes so fiddly to work with and you can really feel and 'see' them (as in, when you look around or up you can see the false lashes on your eyes!). They do look amazing though and I'm sure it just takes some practise. For now I'm happy to rock my homemade Ardell double lashes, especially as I'm buying them in bulk from Beautyzone so they're a million times cheaper!

Do you ever wear two or more pairs of lashes? I often wear two pairs and New Years Eve 2010 I wore three pairs (two on top and bottom lashes)! I have some bottom lashes lying around I really need to get the hang of using them, I mucked up the last pair i tried to apply completely. Boo :(

P.S I have a FACEBOOK page! Please 'Like' it so it looks less lonely and sad -and I feel less silly!

xxx

Literally Barbie...

2012-01-25T08:10:00.000-08:00

I was in the Oxford Street Topshop yesterday and this totally Barbiefied 'Quilted Molly' bag from Paul's Boutique caught my eye. I needed a new everyday bag as the two I purchased from Thailand in the Summer have both since fallen apart (false economy - buying fakes probably isn't cheaper in the long run!) so I pranced around in front of the mirrors with this pink delight and purchased it on a whim.

The keyrings make me want to be vomit. Violently. They're just absolutely vile. I know they're a Pauls Boutique signature but, bleugh, thank GOD they're removable. As you can see in the above photos I've photographed the bag with the keyrings and without. I am definitely preferring how it looks without the keyrings so good riddance to them they will not be returning to this bag - they can go and live on my car keys (or, more likely, in the deep dark depths of a drawer somewhere).

You can purchase this exact bag from Bank or Pauls Boutique or you can purchase it in blue (and other colours) from Topshop

I know this wont be to everyone's tastes but I just adore it. I love the bright pink colour, the quilted detail, the patent pink handles, the fact that the zip has a little padlock so there's no chance of anyone pickpocketing you or all your things falling out, the sturdiness and the super tacky leaoprd print interior. Plus I's such a good size - it can fit all your daily necessities but it's not so big that you overfill it and end up rummaging for hours - rummaging around in huge bags full of crap is the bane of my life -although I give it a month before it's full of rubbish and covered in makeup....

....Enjoy your time being pretty and shiny and clean while it lasts little bag!

QUILTED MOLLY BAG BY PAUL'S BOUTIQUE

Lady in Red.. (Motel Jet Plunge Neck Playsuit)

2012-01-24T08:34:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I celebrated my twenty third birthday at Embargos in Chelsea. I bought this Motel Rocks Playsuit for the event and absolutely adore it. I toyed with purchasing it for weeks and found it was constantly out of stock on the ASOS website so when it briefly reappeared in XS I snapped one up!

The link to the red version available from ASOS is here. It's currently only available in certain sizes

but it's also on sale (swings and roundabouts)! On the Motel website they have it available in Black and also in Hyacinth - or to us normal folks - blue.

I wore this with this Braza 'Reveal' Bra which was meant to spare me any blushes (which it did) and make my boobs lifted (which it didn't). I don't know if fake boobs are heavier than normal boobs but they're definitely a different shape (much rounder) so maybe that's why the tape didn't really seem to fit my boobs very well and started becoming unstuck at the top so I had to use some of the 'tit tape' that comes in the packet to ensure it stayed stuck. Luckily the playsuit itself doesn't actually move or slide around at all once it's on so you probably could get away with not wearing a bra.

Word of warning.

It's bum-cheek-skimming-bordering-on-full-on-ass-displaying. I did not realise just how short it was until I was on the tube. That was a fun realisation.

Hair extensions are Lush 15 inch Double wefted Deluxe in Bleach Blonde. I wore two pairs of eyelashes - Ardell 117 Glamour and Ardell Demi Wispies - bought from the Beautyzone eBay seller mentioned here) and lipstick was MAC Lady Danger (my HG red lipstick which I've worn literally a million times: for example here and here)

Remember, a woman should remain composed and dignified at all times...

...except on her birthday!

Bare Minerals Prime Time Eye Shadows (Chroma Violet and Urban Nature)

2012-01-20T12:52:00.000-08:00

Left - Chroma Violet. Right - Urban Nature (Flash)

Left - Chroma Violet. Right - Urban Nature (No Flash)

Bare Minerals Prime Time Primer Shadows (*) come in six different colours and I was lucky enough to receive two in my Bare Minerals Goody Bag. The colours I received were 'Chroma Violet' and 'Urban Nature'.

As you can see from the packaging photos the colour indicators are a solid purple and a khaki colour. Initially I assumed I wouldn't be a fan of either colour however once I swatched them I realised they weren't just 'flat' colours but multifaceted, shimmering colours which reflected different colours at every angle. I used the teeny tiniest amount of product and you can see just how pigmented it is and how a little goes a long long way - use these very very sparingly.

I would say Urban Nature is the more everday colour of the two but Chroma Violet would absolutely be perfect for a smokey eye. I have yet to experiment with layering these primers under other colours so there will be endless colour possibilities!

'Prime Time Primer Shadows provide vivid, rich, light-reflective metallic color in a lightweight texture. Wear these unique primers alone or try them layered with your favourite bareMinerals Eyecolors for more intense colour and infinitely gorgeous possibilities. Perfect for those with oily lids, uneven skin-texture or anyone who experiences creasing and fading.'

Below are a few more photos showing the metallic, reflective nature of the colours and a very short video demonstrating just how long-lasting and smudge proof the primers are (which is exactly what you need from a primer!)

These retail at £16 each from Bare Minerals. I'm super keen to get my mitts on 'bronzed twig'!

eBay Haulin' - OPI Nail Varnishes

2012-01-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

(L-R) Shorts Story, Save Me, Princesses Rule!, Metallic 4 Life

I've said before that I really don't like to spend lots of money on nail varnishes. Most OPI varnishes retail at £10.50 each - no bloody way! I am absolutely not paying that much money for a nail varnish no-way-no-how. I am a huuuugggge eBay fan anyway, so I decided to have a browse of the infamous

Beautyzone eBay shop.

OPI polishes cost £3.89 each. You can also purchase 4 packs of Ardell Lashes which retail for £6.10 or one pack which costs £1.94 - they're £4.95 per pack over here. You can buy lots of other things too but I was swayed by the girly OPI polishes and the falsies!

Shipping for lashes is £1.94 and for polishes is £2.92 - if you purchase more you receive a discount.

I purchased four bottles of OPI polishes plus 5 packs of Ardell False Lashes and I paid £23 pounds plus £9 in shipping (£32 total). If I'd made the same purchase from a UK store it would have cost roughly £65 plus posting and packaging.

It took twelve days for the polishes and lashes to reach me (it's an American eBay shop).

I'm head over heels in love with the colours I picked and ridiculously impressed by the prices. I would highly reccommend purchasing from Beautyzone.

So what do we think of my NEW CAMERA and the amaze photo quality eh!?

I'm so happy!

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lip Colour

2012-01-18T05:34:00.000-08:00

I've just got back from the Bare Minerals event at the Bare Escentuals HQ in Soho where we learnt more about the 'Be A Force of Beauty Campaign' (blogpost here) and got to have a look at the new skincare range - but I just HAD to do a post on the lip colour I fell in love with at the event.

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lip Colour in 'Ambition'.

I had a mini-makeover at the event where I had a smokey eye applied and I picked out this lipgloss because it was so vibrant looking it just shouted 'pick me pick me' - I took the photos at the event as I was so impressed with the colour and feel of the lipgloss.

I scribbled down the name of the colour ('ambition') and was already mentally planning a little trip to purchase it but on the train I realised that it happened to be the one in the goody bag - so massive win there.

It's an incredibly pigmented formula, the amazing lip colour gives the coverage of a lipstick but with a high gloss finish, for long lasting colour. This barely feels like you are wearing anything on your lips - it isn't sticky or drying - but it gives such an intense colour.

'The innovative hydrating glaze of our Pretty Amazing Lipcolor cocoons your lips in opaque high-impact lipcolor. The cushiony texture, insatiable shine and seriously polished appearance will propel you into an elevated state of gorgeousness. And our precision applicator handles like a racecar, cornering, sculpting and accentuating every curve of your luscious lips for enduring color with real staying power. Pretty Amazing'

I think that description by Bare Minerals sum it up pretty well!

Below is a video of the lovely Bare Minerals MUA applying my smokey eye using Bare Minerals eye shadows. She talks you through step by step how to achieve the look and which colours she uses. (Please excuse my super messy hair!)

Oh So Sophisticated

2012-01-16T12:34:00.001-08:00

Face:

By Terry Lumiere Veloutee (6 beige dore)
Collection 200 Lasting Perfection Concealer (medium)

Chanel Bronze Universal

Benefit Bella Bamba

L'oreal True Match Super Blendable Powder (golden beige)

Eyes:

Rimmel Volume Flash

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Collection 2000 Metallic Cream (1 Gold rush)

No7 shimmery brown eye shadow

Lips:

By Terry Lip Gloss (plum berry)

I felt ever so sophisticated and chic sporting this look. It's very different to my usual false lashes, fake tan and big hair full of extensions!

My hair is pulled up into a ballerina style bun and sprayed with looooots of hairspray. I'm sort of growing out the bleach colour - if anyone asks I say I'm rocking the ombre look but it's actually in a bit of a shitty in between stage right now but oh well it's actually growing so I can't complain. The days of bleaching the crap out of it every 6 weeks are behind me (boo hoo sob waa etc).

I went for a paler foundation as I haven't been fake tanning in an attempt to clear up my skin. I got this By Terry foundation in the spaceNK sale and it's definitely not worth paying full price for - it's nothing special and it's very strongly scented. I'd expect an 'ultra correcting liquid foundation' to provide a much heavier coverage but I still had to apply lots of concealer after using this so I wouldn't recommend.

I do love the lip gloss though! It's actually my mums as I went on a hunt for a slightly darker,plummier lipstick as everything I own is pink,pink,pink, paler pink, and shimmery pink.

None of the links above are affiliate links, I just typed everything into Boots in an attempt to be helpful as I always read blogs and think I WANT I WANT, GIMME GIMME, WHERE CAN I BUY.

Don't forget to enter my Clinique Giveaway (ends monday 23rd janary)

Thoughts on this look??? Suggestions on what to do with my hair! Please!

xXx

Jennifer-Rosellen

Nip+Fab Frown Fix Instant Line Filler Review

My Beauty Lust List - Top five HG products (as seen in Flavour Magazine)

MUA Cosmetics - Love Hearts Collaboration Lip Balms and Quake Polishes

Brazilian Blow Dry in a Bottle? Keratin Complex infusion therapy 'Straight Day'

Cosmo on Campus & Glamour Magazine Online

PINK AND SPARKLY. Topshop vibrant glitter ballet pumps.

US nail brand imPRESS hits UK shores with imPRESS press on nails - the 'revolutionary' press on manicure.

How To Feed A Man - The best Cookbook ever?

Va Va Voom OOMPH - Boots Large Sleep Hair Rollers

One night in Paris....

Final day at More! Magazine...

What I Rocked Today.

Internships (Part One:How to)

Kiss Full Cover Nails - One Hundred Falsies!

More Magazine Beauty Desk Internship (Day Two and Three)

Motel Rocks Leopard Print dress Knitted Topshop Grunge Jumper Black tights River Island boots Never Fully Dressed Tunic Topshop Blazer (bought on eBay for £20-eBay is your friend!) Topshop Burgundy Heavyweight Leggings BooHoo Fur Coat (similar items here and here) River Island Boots xxx

Twist and shout honey bun

More Magazine Beauty Desk Internship (Day One)

Outfit

Playsuit: Topshop (can often be found on eBay)

Blazer: Zara

Shoes: boohoo

Bag: Pauls Boutique

Channelling my inner Kardashian...(Leopard,Lashes,Lips)

Ardell False Lashes and Revlon Gold Coin Nail Varnish

Literally Barbie...

QUILTED MOLLY BAG BY PAUL'S BOUTIQUE

Lady in Red.. (Motel Jet Plunge Neck Playsuit)

Bare Minerals Prime Time Eye Shadows (Chroma Violet and Urban Nature)

eBay Haulin' - OPI Nail Varnishes

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lip Colour

Oh So Sophisticated

Motel Rocks Leopard Print dress
Knitted Topshop Grunge Jumper

Black tights

River Island boots

Never Fully Dressed Tunic

Topshop Blazer (bought on eBay for £20-eBay is your friend!)

Topshop Burgundy Heavyweight Leggings

BooHoo Fur Coat (similar items here and here)

River Island Boots

xxx