Kitty Gets Pretty

These are a few of my favourite things...

2013-10-18T16:29:00.001+01:00

I'm back!

Trying to write a blog about pretty things is rather difficult when you've been living in the library in a hoody for 6 months (Dissertations are not as fun as they sound...) however I'm back into the swing of things again -I'm showering, wearing makeup and even on the rare occasion painting my nails! Madness!!

Here's a few of my favourite things that I've been obsessing over recently:

I've been smelling like... Juicy Courture - Viva La Juicy

I've been blushing over... MAC - Stay Pretty

I've been decorating myself with... Turtle Ring/other cute rings.

I've been looking all fancy in... Dresses that resemble carpets, in the best possible way courtesy of River Island

I've been styling myself... A lot of black, studs, grungy/glam?! Bag and skirt both Primark.

I've been getting cosy in... These beautiful velvet slippers from Boden.

What have been your favourites?

So this happened...

2013-10-18T15:37:00.001+01:00

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bubbly nails !

2013-01-22T17:58:00.001+00:00

On a recent venture to SuperDrug I came across a product I've been waiting to try out, some call them 'bubble nails' others call them 'caviar nails' but I shall refer to them as 'creepy nails'.
Mua were selling the sets of the coloured little things for £2 so I decided to give them a try!

My initial verdict was that they were pretty fiddly to apply but the process was quite therapeutic. You gently pour the beads on top of wet nail varnish and even more gently tap them into place.
Once set they feel weird.
Really weird...

Within minutes I felt unable to do anything with my hands, my cardigan kept catching on them, as did my hair! I kept accidentally eating the beads when they fell off into food! Nightmare!

The next morning they looked awful and did not look anything like they has the night before; they had chopped off, discoloured and just looked gross.

My verdict: creepy. Very creepy.
Not for me! But maybe fun for one night out...

Enbrightenment

2013-01-09T13:20:00.001+00:00

Aveda is a favourite brand of mine. When it comes to skincare, their enbrightenment cleanser is the stuff of dreams so I was very excited to try another product from the enbrightenment range.

I got this moisturising correcting creme for Christmas and have been indulging in it daily since. It smells amazing thanks to the delicious organic ingredients including shea butter, lavender, sandalwood and rosemary. The combination off essential oils and vitamin enriched ingredients help brighten the skin and diminish the appearance of any dark spots or scars.

Looking on their website they claim you can notice a difference after 8 weeks but I am already seeing an improvement. My scars are looking much lighter and the dark areas under and around my eyes look much brighter which is strange seeing as my sleep routine is terrible at the moment!

I have a combination skin type with a really really oily t-zone and dry patches around my neck and on my cheeks but this seems to work perfectly for me. It provides a great base for foundation and sinks into the skin quickly so theirs no need to sit impatiently while it does its work.

Unfortunately, like any Aveda product this is pretty pricey at an eye watering £45 *gulp* ! This is definitely not something I would by myself on my stusent budget however it makes a great gift and because it is so concentrated one pot can last much longer than usual moisturisers.

So until I become wealthy I will just treasure this pot and hope it doesn't run out anytime soon!!

How to spruce up your student room

2012-12-19T22:47:00.001+00:00

I've lived in four different student flats/houses now so have had my fair share of cell-like bedrooms, my newest flat in Edinburgh is much nicer however when you know you're living somewhere for just a year, it's often quite hard to find the effort to make it pretty - but trust me it's so worth doing!

Here are my rules when it comes to decorating student rooms:

1) Go crazy.

Not literally, of course... But decorate your room as much as you want! You will be writing thousands of words in this room, revising 'til the early hours, sleeping of many hangovers and possibly having a few visitors! You want this room to be fun and comforting! Take advantage of the fact its a short-term thing and treat it like that - try new things, new styles and new ways of decorating, have fun while you're young and in your first year at uni! We all know we will never get the deposit back! This is a photo from my first year room.

2) Get cosy

Student beds are usually pretty dreadful so I always load them up with mattress protectors and thrown a snuggly feather filled quilt on top with loads of throws and pillows. I think it's important to make the bed as cosy as possible as it really will encourage you to get that much deserved sleep after weeks of essay writing. I also use my bed as the main vocal point of my room, I try to make it up everyday to help my room look nicely made up. Which lets face it - can be difficult.

3) Be practical

If you're anything like me then getting ready for nights out/days out can turn my room into a complete mess with makeup, clothes, shoes and hair grips spread accross the floor. If you know you use your makeup/hair products lots then leave them out. I always make a makeup/hair station that's completely accessible in my room. There's no use tidying them into little draws when you will just be using them off the desk all week. Make your makeup area organised so that everything is easy to reach and most importantly - easy to put back.

Similarly if you know you won't be reading the books you brought to university - to make you look smart - then put them away, you know where they are if you want to read them but don't keep things out unless they are for decoration or if they are something you need. Most uni rooms are tiny so don't waste space by trying to look cool ;).

4) Lighting.

This is what will make your room transform. Usually we're given horrible bright, white lights that do no room any favours. I always get some fairy lights, a nice bedside lamp and nice candle holders to give the room a warmer colour and make the room feel lovely and cosy at night.

5) Fragrance.

Stale, old, mouldy...? The usual smells for student rooms unfortunately, I always get a room diffuser - I use the oil ones where you put sticks in them to release a really nice gentle scent into the room. I'm not a huge fan of the fake 'apple' smelling things you plug into the wall personally. Pick a fragrance that suits you and disguises the natural smell of the room, also candles are great for this - Primark do some amazing vanilla candles that make my room smell sweet all day long.

6) Desk inspirations.

After a long night of revision the last thing I want to look up to is a blank wall, I always cover the wall in front of my desk in inspirational quotes, photos, newspaper clippings, postcards and a few photos of my nearest and dearest. Don't make it completely distracting but help make it an area that will inspire you and make you want to sit and do work.

And finally...

7) Keep it private.

From my experience there will be alot of new faces coming in and out of your room at uni, and until you feel fully confident with who your living with keep certain things private. There's many reasons for this, the main one is that it's not like at home where the security of the house is taken care of by your parents. Any one of your housemates could forget to close their window, lock the door properly or forget to put their laptop out of sight. Lots of people take advantage of students forgetting to lock up properly so keep things you want safe out of sight and make sure to lock everything properly. Better safe than sorry.

My Christmas Face!

2012-12-17T13:16:00.001+00:00

This was my look for a Christmas party this year.

What I'm wearing:
Eyes- l'Oreal Lash Architect Mascara, urban decay naked palette 2 (booty call - inner corner of eye and under brow, Foxy- all over lid, tease- in crease). L'Oreal super liner in black, Girls Aloud 'Nicola' false lashes.
Skin- Estée Lauder double wear foundation in 'desert beige' WAY to dark for me! Mac Pro long wear concealer nw15 and nw20.
Cheeks- Nars 'Laguna' bronzer, mac highlighter in 'soft and gentle', sleek blush 'life's a peach'.
Lips- mac lipstick 'Russian Red', Graeme cotton red lipgloss.

Barry Glitter

2012-12-17T12:51:00.001+00:00

Barry M has done it again with providing the most sparkly, glittery and festive nail varnishes this winter!

These are some of my favourite ones, I like to put them over turquoise or deep pinks however they look beautiful just on their own too.

I love how big nail art is now, and glitter is the simplest way of making your nails look amazing! I stole a cheeky ombré glitter nail technique of my friend which il post about very soon. SuperDrug have fab offers on Barry M atm so a new polish shouldn't break the bank this Christmas :)

But be warned... they are a bit of a faff to remove, however if your anything like me you gradually crack them off. Oops!
If you don't want to damage nails then I'd recommend soaking little cotton wool pads in nail varnish remover, place them on top of the nail then wrap them up in foil, 10-15 minutes later slide the foil and cotton off and voila! No glitter!

Bourjois Paris 'healthy mix serum'

2012-12-17T12:43:00.001+00:00

If you are looking for a foundation that gives a dewy finish, applies evenly and smoothly to the skin, smells fantastic and brightens up your completion - this is the one for you.

Because this foundation is a serum it can be applied using your fingers giving the perfect finish. It feels so moisturising and is the only foundation that hasn't made my skin look dull and dry this winter.
Also the smell... Wow!
It smells fantastic!! Like sweet berries, it's my go-to foundation when I'm a bit worse for wear as it really brightens my skin.

I used to be shade 52 but as I appear to be getting paler by the day this winter, I'm now a shade 51. Shading wise they are great for light skin up to a slight tan as the shades go up very subtly mixing between yellow and pink undertones.

My one criticism is to do with their colour range, I think it's ridiculous that bourjois don't have a foundation range that caters for all skin shades - naughty naughty!

Cream in your coffee

2012-09-10T22:58:00.003+01:00

Here is my new go-to makeup for when I'm in a rush but want to make myself look more awake and need to brighten up my skin. The look is very bronzed with lots of brown tones and plenty of highlighter, I should really tone the highlighter down as sometimes I do border on looking like I've just had some fairy dust chucked on my face... but then again, that can't be a bad thing can it?

The products:

Mac 'cream in your coffee'

Mac paint pot in 'groundwork'

Mac mineralize skin finish in 'soft and gentle'

loreal infaillible eye colour in 'hourglass beige'

Nars bronzer in 'Laguna'

Sleek blusher in 'Suede'

And this is how it's done:

Firstly I moisturise my skin with Oilatum natural repair face cream, I let this settle on my skin for about 10 minutes before doing the rest of my makeup to ensure that I don't have any dry patches where powders will cling on to.

I then put on this beautiful BB cream by No7 (shade: Medium) it's for normal/oily skin but comes in other formulas depending on your skin type. This gives a really lovely colour and a light coverage but it's incredibly buildable so can easily give a fuller coverage if you use a stippling brush. Once my skin tone has evened out I apply a correcter under my eyes, this one is by Bobbi Brown (shade: light bisque) this cancels out the grey misery under my eyes, on top - using a concealer brush by No7 - I apply my mac pro longwear concealer (shade NW20) I also apply this to any blemishes and red areas such as around my nose and chin. The concealer brush helps me to work the concealer into my skin to prevent it looking cakey which my skin has a habit of doing. At this point I apply my eye makeup as from experience I find that powdered blushers/bronzers don't sit well on newly applied foundation as they cling to areas that are still settling into the skin.

For the eyes it is very simple, I just use my middle finger to apply macs paint pot over my eyelid, blending the edges out with whatever is left on my concealer brush. This gives a really subtle amount of colour to the eyelid that won't crease/budge all day as it dries into a powder. I then apply plenty of Mascara to both my top and bottom lashes, Smokey lash mascara by Makeup Forever is quite a dry mascara which is great for giving nice spidery lashes (my personal favourite). To brighten my eye area (which I like to do even more so since having a longer fringe) I use a loreals eye colour just on my tear duct area, this is a great tip for making your eyes look bright when you're in a rush.

Now we need to bronze up the face, I am in love with Nars Laguna bronzer at the moment. The colour is beautiful and doesn't give that horrible orange tone that so many bronzers do these days. I apply this using my faithful Primark kabuku brush and dust it over my cheeks, down my neck, forehead and down the centre of my face. I then apply my Sleek blusher using my real techniques brush to the apples of my cheeks and up towards my hairline, this colour is heavenly and gives a really natural look to the skin. Now to add some shimmer I use mac mineralize skin finish, I apply this to the top of my cheek bones, down my nose, above my cupids bow and under my brows, this brings the whole look together and looks beautiful when your face catches the light.

And finally for lips I use macs 'cream in your coffee' which is a beautiful warm brown toned lipstick, this is a great colour for everyday or can be applied more heavily for an evening look. This lipstick has a creamy consistency which makes your lips look slightly glossy however when blotted the colour is much more matte, so depending on my mood I sometimes add more gloss or blot away.

Girl About Town

2012-09-10T21:43:00.002+01:00

I was hungover and bored, so here's a cheeky 'before' and 'after' of me testing out the Urban decay Naked 2 palette and my new 'Girl about town' mac lipstick.

Let me know if you want me to talk about the other products I used in this look, it's really easy and simple to do, providing you have the confidence to wear such a bold lip.

Don't you just love makeup? I love gold eye shadow with a pink lip it's so fun and girly!

April Favourites

2012-05-02T23:26:00.003+01:00

Firstly, I have to mention the book trilogy that has been taking over my life for the past month! 'The Hunger Games' oh my buddha!. Amazing. I'm taking my time reading the 3rd one after racing through the 1st and 2nd. Such amazing books! Let me know if you've read them/ are reading them :)

Now this is something to talk about - my holy grail. Wrinkle cream. That's right, at the grand old age of 22 I use wrinkle cream, and do you know why? Because it makes my skin feel bloody amazing! My spots have cleared up, scars are fading and my skin feels firmer. Also it smells amazing!

My new favourite face wipes, they don't dry out fast and are really sensitive for my skin and eyes.

My new favourite alternative for perfume, I got these on offer at boots and love taking them with me wherever I go when I want to freshen up without reaching for perfume!

The beauty blender! Such an amazing tool! My makeup goes on flawlessly however... I did manage to tear it in half whilst cleaning it last night #awkward But now it means I have two!

Some new jewellery pieces that I'm loving...

I'm obsessed with this peppermint colour and love the festival look this headband gives, even though this year I doubt I'll be going to any festivals *sob sob*

Haircare - wowa wee wa! Love these two products, my hair is so shiny and healthy looking from using these before I blow dry. The oil is amazing for finishing off a hairstyle by giving it shine and taming any frizz.

My first ever BB cream, I bought 2 for an amazing £19! On the buy one get one 1/2 price offer at boots! So I got one in each shade in preparation for getting a tan this summer ;) The texture is beautiful and it gives significant yet subtle coverage meaning I can throw it on with a bit of blush before work without having to worry about smothering my face in concealer for extra coverage.

Tangle Teezer - where have you been all my life? Amazing. Just amazing. One brush and my hair is smooth, normal brushes take 3 times as long to brush my whole head with!

Oilatum took a while for my skin to adjust to but now I'm loving it more than ever, great before foundation leaving my skin feeling moisturised throughout the day without leaving too dewy a finish.

New camera! Nikon coolpix L310, simple yet effective!

Some of my new and favourite products from mac and sleek! Paint pot in 'groundwork', lipstick in 'up the amp' and blusher in 'Suede 921'

New obsession with clear glittery nails. For this look I combined a mixed glitter topcoat with a gold glitter topcoat over the top, finishing with a clear gloss. Glitter is so resilient and lasts me a full week at work as the chips aren't as noticeable.

What have been your april favourites?

Step into Spring

2012-03-12T23:12:00.001+00:00

Lisa Eldrige showed some of these stunning new products from No7 in a recent video and I ran to boots the next day to have a look for myself!
I got the lipstick, blush and highlighter from the range opting for the pink colours rather than the corals as I overdid the coral look a while ago and haven't quite built up the courage to wear it again since. I managed to make myself look sunburnt and orange all at the same time... horrific.
The packaging is beautiful and really stands out from the standard dark coloured No7 packaging.

The cream blush is so easy to use and sets like a powder so unlike normal creams it doesn't move the foundation below it and it has an amazing colour pay off. I love using a tiny bit on the apples of my cheeks.

The lipstick is my new obsession and it is perfect for both day and night, it is quite a sheer natural pink colour with one layer but the more you apply the brighter it becomes. It is a really moisturising formula and lasts well leaving a pink tint to your lips for the whole day.

The highlighter is EPIC, the packaging is unbelievable and the pattern stays long after you've hacked away at the powder! I have used this highlighter almost everyday and since doing so have had compliments on my skin almost everyday - even when my skin is really dry and covered in blemishes, this highlighter manages to distract the eye. I like to think of it as the 'Edward Cullen effect' ;)

Here's a closer look at each of the products:

And finally those all important swatches:

(from left to right: lipstick, blush, highlighter)

Pucker up!

2012-03-05T23:11:00.001+00:00

I have really gotten into wearing lipsticks recently, I'm obsessed with red lipstick at the moment so with all the attention being on my lips I have started giving them the TLC they deserve!

This is what I do when my lips are getting a bit chapped, dry or just looking mildly traumatized:

Lip TLC Instructions

1) Lick your lips in excitement before pressing your finger into the scrub (the sugar clings to anything and everything so be careful not to be too overzealous when getting it out).

2) Gently rub it all over your lips until it starts to dissolve and then lick off the tasty bubblegum sugary (also dead skin... ew) goodness.

3) Repeat to ensure your lips are fully shed of their former lives (if this stings your lips or they feel sore after the first scrub then don't repeat it).

4) Apply a generous layer of lip salve or balm - avoid pure petrolatum or bees wax products for this as they only provide a barrier to stop you loosing moisture, try and get one (such as the one listed below) that uses oils such as sweet almond and rose oil that help hydrate and restore the lips condition as well as preventing loosing moisture.

(Lush bubblegum lipscrub)

The lip scrub removes all that gross dead skin leaving my lips smooth and with a fresh layer of skin ready for moisturising!

(Rose & co. apothecary Rose Petal Salve)

I love Rose & co. products they smell wonderful and always have amazing packaging and of course do their job amazingly. Their Rose petal salve which is heavenly if like me you love the smell of rose and are not ashamed of the fact your granny may also own this product...

Other products I love are anything from the Balance Me range or good old softlips in french vanilla is so handy to throw in my bag as a go-to lip rescue.

Now go show off those healthy pouts!

My favourite everyday look

2012-02-27T18:35:00.000+00:00

This is my most worn look by far, the combination of the bronzer and blusher makes my skin look really healthy with a subtle glow that can be worn at any time of the year.
Plus it takes no time at all to do!

The products:

Nivea Soft face, body & hands

Bourjois Healthy mix serum (51)

Collection 2000 concealer (2, light)

Bourjois Healthy mix concealer (52)

Primark kabuki brush

Real techniques by Samantha Chapman multi task brush

L'oreal Paris Lash Architect 4d mascara

Bourjois bronzing powder (52)

Sleek Face Contour Kit (884, light)

Sleek Blush (Life's a Peach)

17 Mirror shine lipstick (Belle)

How it's done:

I put my moisturiser on a good 10 minutes before I start applying my foundation to help it sink into the skin. I then apply the foundation using my fingers as it's quick and easy and uses much less product than it does if I use a blending brush.

Once my skin tone is evened out by my foundation I apply the healthy mix concealer under my eyes and around my mouth and then cover any blemishes with my Collection 2000 concealer as this has much better coverage.

I then use my amazing kabuki brush and apply bronzing powder to the top of my cheek bone, temples, a little bit on the nose and chin and then blend it out towards the hollows of my cheek. Then with my multi task brush I apply the sleek blusher to my cheeks brushing it upwards towards the cheekbones. Then with the same brush I apply the highlighter from my sleek contour kit just above where I placed my bronzer and blusher on my cheek and a little bit down the centre of my nose, also if I'm feeling a bit pout-y I'll put a bit on my cupids bow :)

Then I apply a whole load of mascara to my top and bottom lashes I love big eyes with long bottom lashes so don't apply any eye liner as it's a bit of a faff for everyday and my fringe covers most of my eyes anyway!

Then to finish it all of I apply a generous layer of the wonderfully moisturising 17 lipstick.

This look is really simple but I love the way the cheek colour looks with my skin tone and eye colour. Don't be alarmed by the bright blusher as when used with a light hand it can provide a beautifully natural look.

Get yo hurr did.

2012-02-26T18:42:00.000+00:00

I thought I'd share with you all my current hair routine with some products that I use and my thoughts on them plus a few tips for anyone who has a full fringe like mine and suffers from the well known - bad fringe days *cringes*.
So here are my day to day and night to night essentials:

For Healthy hair:

Coconut Oil Hair Shine - The Body Shop
I absolutely adore the packaging for this product! At a first glance this 'hair oil' looks like one of the Body Shops famous body butters due to its consistency and amazing smell. The way I use this product is by scooping out a coin sized amount and warming it up between my hands then apply the product to the ends of my hair by grabing bits of my hair and lightly scrunching them, if theres any oil left on my hand I run it through the rest of my hair but avoid my fringe as it can make my hair look greasy if I get a bit overexcited with it. For best results I use it when my hair is damp just before I blowdry it or leave it to dry naturally, also if my hair is looking a bit frizzy near the end of the dair I'll run a bit through my hair to tame it slightly.
Good points:
1) Because the product comes in a tin there are no oil leeks like I suffered from with the moroccan oil which leaked into my bag on more than one occasion (grrr!).
2) It smells amazing and I find it moisturises my hair and provides shine.
3) It helps to de-tangle my hair after a shower better than anly leave in conditioners do.
Not so good points:
1) Like I said before if you use a bit too much your hair can look greasy which is never good
2) Unlike other oils I've tried in the past it takes the longest to be absorbed/for the oily texture to turn into shine.

Aussie Dual Personality Heat Protection
I am a HUGE fan of aussie products and this one definitely doesn't dissappoint! The smell is as gorgeous as all their other products and my hair appears shinier after using this spray over using any other heat sprays. I apply it to damp hair before blow drying and then once again before straightening as my hair is very thin so suffers from heat damage very easily!
Good points:
1) It smells totes amaze! Just like their 3minute wonder conditioners do - yummy!
2) It protects hair from heat and provides shine
Not so good points:
1) The pump sprays out the product quite directly rather than a fine mist so ensuring the product is applied all over your hair can use more of the product than you would find on heat sprays that give a fine mist that covers a larger surface area.
2) The product doesn't state what temperature the hair is protected up to so considering my straighteners can reach up to 320 degrees - I don't know if this spray will protect my hair on that temperature.

For Volume:

Batiste Dry Shampoo for medium & brunette hair
I am not the hugest fan of dry shampoo to help hair last another day without washing, as my hair gets greasy very fast and I prefer to wash it daily because of this. However... for volume and for ensuring a fit fringe I am a big lover of the dry shampoo! I use mine almost daily to give my fringe a bit more umph and to stop it looking greasy or separating, I simply spray my hair at the roots by my fringe and ruffle it with my fingers down my hair to get rid of any greasy looking hair and to provide some volume. For nights out I apply the dry shampoo and then tease the area to get extra hold before hairspraying. The brunette sprays are better for me as I have medium-dark hair so the normal dry shampoos can make my hair look a bit grey/ashy if I don't rub them in properly.
Good points:
1) It provides instant volume and makes your fringe look fuller and cleaner!
2) It is lightweight so perfect to through in your bag to ensure a perfect fringe all day.
3) It's great to help your hair last until the night time by giving it a little bit of a freshen up without having to wash it again.
Not so good points:
1) I'm still not a huge fan of the smell. Partly because it reminds me of festivals and of having dirty hair haha!

Schwarzkopf Got 2b Powder'ful Volumizing Styling Powder
I've tried many of these powders out and find few differences between them other than value for money. This one had the most product for the cheapest price which is why I purchased it. Like all other powdered volumizing products you shake it and then sprinkle it onto your hair either before or after teasing it with a comb and rub it in. It leaves your hair with a strange texture however makes it appear much thicker and this particular brand holds the volume for much longer than other ones I've tried such as toni and guy and V05.
I apply it for nights out before I tease my hair to give me more volume around the crown of my head.
Good points:
1) It has a nice smell and holds hair well providing good volume.
2) Good value for money
Not so good points:
1) Like all powders your hair feels strange a kind of sticky powdery texture which is difficult to brush out the next day.

Holding Down The Fort:

Gum Hair Salon Expertise Flexi Professional Hairspray
This is my go-to hairspray if I know I need a lot of hold and will be using ALOT of hairspray. I used it for anything fancy dress or anything wear I don't need my hair to look particularly natural or have much movement. The finish can be slightly crispy if you use a heavy hand but the hold is unbelievable, you can still restyle it but know it won't let go of the hold.
Good points:
1) It's from home bargains so is very inexpensive and you get a lot of product for the price.
2) Your hair will not budge at all
Not so good points:
1) The smell is not the nicest, very typical of a cheap hairspray so I usually spray a bit of perfume in my hair after if I want to disguse the hairspray smell.
2) The ingredients aren't great which is why I only use this for fancy dress or occasions where I have already ruined my hair by curling/straightening/crimping the crap out of it haha!

Schwarzkopf Got 2b 2 Sexy Collagen lift effect Big Volume Hairspray
This is my day by day and night by night hairspray, it smells delish and gives great volume and hold. When used with a light hand I can restyle my hair throughout the night, however when used heavily it provides amazing hold with a shiny healthy looking finish. I spray this on hair when it's been back combed/teased or to keep loose curls in place. I can even use this on my fringe without it leaving it looking crispy or loosing it's natural movement.
Good points:
1) Smells amazing
2) Sprays a really fine mist so not much is needed, has excellent hold and gives volume.
Not so good points:
1) Can feel sticky when first applied
2) Doesn't hold hair well if it's sprayed on top of other products such as oils or wax

And finally I can't recommend a small brush such as the tresemme one above as they are great to take with you in your bag to brush through your fringe with when it's playing up.

Hope this was helpful!
Lots of love

xxxx

Oh hello there!

2011-11-20T13:46:00.000+00:00

I got a fringe!!

I quite like it!

Meow

xXx

November brings new things and no money.

2011-11-17T22:25:00.001+00:00

I've recently been spending money I don't have, lusting over things I can't afford and digging out products I once knew and loved.
So here it is... my mid-November favourites!!

Bobbi.
Bobbi Brown does it again! The Hydrating Gel Cream is my new favourite primer, it is so moisturising and keeps my makeup on all day long giving a lovely smooth base for me to work with.

Bourjois, Bourjois, Bourjois!
This is my newest purchase after seeing SWalkermakeup and Lisa Eldridge talk about it I had to give it a try. Already it is my favourite foundation! It gives you an instant glow with a really natural looking coverage that you can easily build up, the makeup stays on all day and doesn't slide even after a long day of work - it's a gooden!

MAC.
Studio finish concealer is a winner in my eyes, I've tried and loved other products but this one has stood the test of time and never fails to cover any imperfections.

Pretty eyes.
I've never been a huge L'oreal fan however I recently got a box of L'oreal goodies after spending too much money in boots, this eyeshadow was inside and it was love at first sight. The colour is hawt and does not budge! Its a great base colour but I've been loving using it in the inner corner of my eye to brighten my eyes up and to try and draw the attention away from my under eye circles!!

Rose Petal Salve.
This product has been in my room for donkeys! I recently watched a 'uglyfaceofbeauty' video on youtube where she spoke about how much she loved this salve and it instantly sent me on a wild goose chase to try and find the salve! 3 hours later after turning my bedroom upside down I found it! It smells and tastes beaut. It gives your lips a really pretty shine and keeps them moisturised for hours without feeling sticky or too oily.

99p nails.
I've always been a fan of H&M nail varnish so you can imagine my excitement to find these cute little 99p bottles! I saw a colour similar to this by nails inc. in October but couldn't justify spending so much money on it. But 99p? Who wouldn't!!

Moroccanoil
This bad boy makes my hair so shiny and keeps it in great condition, after dying my hair back from blonde last year I've been trying to get it healthy and finally with the help of this the split ends are backing off.

Powdered Volume.
V05 instant oomph powder is the work of the gods. My hair is ridiculously thin and limp but with a tap of this my hair is huuuge!

Animal hats.
I never got on the panda hat band wagon last year but am catching up now! I got this Owl hat from River Island in September, its so cosy and provides alot of entertainment when pulled down over your face...

Birdy.
Her album is stunning, my favourite tracks are:
# Never Forget you
#The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
#Young Blood
Definitely worth a listen!!

Cups of tea
At one point I had eight... 8!! Mugs in my room, I don't know what's worse - how much tea I'm getting through or how gross I am for leaving them in my room. Ah well.

HTC Rhyme
Possibly the most beautiful coloured phone of all time?

Meow!

xXx

Today is a very sad day...

2011-08-19T20:46:00.000+01:00

Today has been emotional.
Earlier today I experienced the painful moment when you reach for your Bobbi Brown oil control lotion and realise that... there is none left.
At first I experienced anger, thinking things like 'How did this happen to me?' and 'This is wrong!' then it turned to self blame... 'I used you too much' and 'I never thought to check how you were doing.'
Now, I reflect on the time with my oil control lotion and think how lovely it was, how matte my skin looked and how smoothly my foundation was applied.
Unfortunately I cannot afford another bottle 'til september. The summer has hit my pocket hard.
I'll miss you, dear friend.

R.I.P primer of joy.

Above: Primer of joy looking full of life.

*please note that when I say ran out I mean every inch of that bottle had been scraped clean... poor thing.

Meow

xXx

Come on, VOGUE

2011-08-11T13:17:00.003+01:00

Kate Moss looked absolutely timeless on the cover of the August 2011 Vogue

I wanted to try to recreate the look without buying products that would give me the look instantly such as a red glossy lipstick/lipgloss or a creamy eyeshadow.

For the eyes I used one eyeshadow colour in a coffee beige colour, I simply applied more of this colour where I wanted the shadow to be stronger. I then patted on some clear lip balm over the top to give it a glossy effect. For the skin and cheeks I applied a fairly low coverage foundation but matified the skin using a translucent powder and added a tiny bit of bronzer and some of my bourjois 'rose' blush to get the 'english rose' style look. The lips were created using my MUA £1 red lipstick (bargain!) with an unhealthy amount of glossy lipbalm (from the hello kitty range at h&m - in pear flavour NOM!) to give it that glossy look.

I wanted to show you can mimic these high fashion, glamorous looks without going out to buy new products. It's all about looking at your makeup in a different way.

Hope you like the final look and it inspires you to try things out with your makeup :)

Meow

xXx

Skin Care

2011-07-23T15:49:00.000+01:00

Throughout my teens I tried all the different facial washes, masks and wipes, but none of them seemed to work, many friends of mine went on pills designed to help their skin - and they worked! But for some reason I was never tempted to resort to fixing my skin that way, part of me always thought it was because of what I ate or was due to my hormones.

But now I realise, my skin was just a bit of a bitch.

Then in 2007 I found 'Dermalogica' and their products made my skin so much better! I still had spots and the monthly break-outs but it was nothing a good concealer couldn't fix, however as I got older my skin was changing and it needed more moisturising products. I had never moisturised my skin until I was 17, thinking back I'm horrified! But at the time my skin just felt so oily that the thought of putting on something moisturising seemed pointless and quite terrifying!

It was at this point (aged 18) that I went to uni where I was too poor to keep buying the fancy dermalogica products I'd been using, instead I used any cheap cleanser I could find, and oh boy did my skin pay for it!

In my 2nd year of uni I decided to do something about it and went into the 'Aveda' shop in Leeds - and I have never looked back!

Their Enbrightenment facial brightening cleanser is the work of the gods! It has done me proud through the last 2 years and I couldn't dream of using anything else. Now my skin is less prone to breakouts and I think it is due to:

a) being 21 and my hormones 'settling' down

b) using my toner and moisturiser twice daily

c) Using a natural and good quality face wash

d) Using high quality foundations and concealers.

The main things I have found throughout all the years of struggling with my skin are that drinking water, avoiding touching your face/picking at spots AND not using cheap make up can all really help improve your skin.

Now that rant is over! Here is what I use on a daily basis (except for the face mask that I use once every 2-3 weeks):

Meow

xXx

A Summer Glow

2011-07-21T17:25:00.000+01:00

Summer is apparently here so I have been having a play with my make up trying out different summery looks. Bronzer has always been a close friend of mine so I've been using LOTS of that, my 'Avoir La Peche' palette from sleek has also been the basis of most of my looks using peachy, orange and brown colours to create a really warm look. These colours also are fab for making any eye colour pop.
So here is my 'Summer Glow' look:

The eyes:

Big Fake Lash - Collection 2000, A very battered Rimmel black eyeliner for the waterline all around the eye and the Avoir La Peche Sleek palette for eyeshadows.

The skin:

My beautiful primark Kabuki Brush - best £1.50 I've ever spent!
The Lips:

Meow
xXx

I've got it covered.

2011-07-19T19:01:00.001+01:00

Concealers - they can be your best friend or a complete pain in the arse!
Having struggled with bad skin throughout my teens I have tried various types of concealers from sticks, creams, gels and liquids. But recently I've realised that I've never compared my concealers to see which was better, I just tend to grab what's nearest and hope for the best. So here it is...

CONCEALER vs. MOLE
dun dun duhhh....

Mole pre cover up:

Mole after using 'Collection 2000 Illuminating Touch concealer' in shade natural 2:

Mole after using 'Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer' in shade Medium 3:

Mole after using 'UNE: Skin-Echo Concealer' in shade E01

Mole after using '17 Hide & Chic Eye Brightening concealer' in shade light beige

Mole after using 'MAC Studio Finish concealer' in shade NW20

Mole after using 'Bobbi Brown Corrector' in shade Light Bisque (correcter is not a concealer I know but... well I don't care)

RESULTS:
Bobbi brown correcter really cancelled out the darkness of the mole and I know from using it that it is fab for covering up any scarring or dark circles so... I think I'll cheat and make that #1. Shortly followed by Mac, this concealer gives a very even coverage and isn't patchy so that is going to be runner up!
Now... the rest.
In a way I feel using my little mole was a bit cheeky, first of all this mole is on my hand, and secondly most concealers are designed to be used on blemishes. As a result some of the concealers I love and swore by didn't turn up too great in this test, but for under eyes and blemishes they work fine. The Collection 2000 illuminating concealer did me proud and gave my skin a lovely brightness and although it didn't completely cover the mole it gave it a good try.
One shocker was the Collection 2000 lasting perfection, that stuff when using on top of my foundation could cover anything!! But alas on my mole it didn't seem to do much. 17's under eye concealer did okay but didn't give as even a coverage as the collection 2000, which was surprising as they are both in the same price range.
However...
There is one that I knew would do badly, and that one is the UNE concealer. Urgh I HATE the stuff! It smells like vanilla yoghurt (normally I would like this but in a concealer no. Just...no.) it also is way to liquid-y (new word) and no matter how I've applied it using brushes/my finger it still looks uneven and covers nothing at all. It also separates throughout the day - so basically it is really s###!! Also it was really pricey!!

So to conclude, in the battle of CONCEALER vs. MOLE the winner was...

Bobbi Brown Corector <3 shortly followed by MAC studio finish concealer.

So maybe it is true - high end products really do cut the mustard! So dig out your dosh ladies!

Meow!

xXx

Lets get tangoed

2011-07-11T15:45:00.001+01:00

Sleek brought out another wonderful palette over Easter full of beautiful orange/peach colours, but I've only just got around to trying it out!

Some of the peachy colours make my eyes look quite tired but I really enjoyed wearing the orange, it's a pretty intense look but with thick eyelashes and plenty of eye liner I think it could be pretty wearable for a night out.

I teamed it with some white eye liner in my waterline to intensify the orange and an unhealthy amount of mascara.

Meow

xXx

Paint it Purple

2011-06-23T12:11:00.001+01:00

Barry M are very well known for the amazing nail paints they make and recently I've been loving their creamy pastel colours. I picked up number 308 in 'Berry Ice Cream' from boots last week and I am in LOVE with it!

After just one coat it is pretty damn purple, but after two - oh boy!

I think it's just replaced 'Blue Moon' as my new favourite colour.

Meow
xXx

My 'No make-up' make-up

2011-06-21T12:43:00.003+01:00

I recently watched a Lisa Eldridge tutorial on how to do 'no make-up' make-up, she showed how to keep the skin looking dewy and fresh but still being able to cover up any blemishes. I loved the natural look of the make-up so decided to give it a go myself.
And this is what I came up with:

Products I used:

Swatches: Blush, concealor, foundation, lipstick

Eyes: Collection 2000 Extreme coloured lengthening mascara (Black 1)
Face: Toner - Dermalogica soothing protection spray
Moisturiser- Bobbi Brown Oil control lotion spf 15
Foundation - Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation spf 15 (Warm Ivory 1)
Concealer - Collection 2000 Illuminating Touch Light diffusing concealer (Natural 2)
Blush - Natural Collection Cream Blusher (apricot blush)
Highlight - Sleek Makeup Face & body highlighter (peach shimmer)
Lips: Lipstick - M.A.C. Cremesheen (shy girl)
Lipgloss - Balance Me Cool brightening lemon & spearmint salve

This look is perfect for everyday as you can have confidence in your skin looking flawless without worrying it's looking cakey or like you've made too much effort ;)

Meow
xXx