Thursday 28 March 2013

Red Lips

Ok so at work this weekend we're doing "Give It A Go Friday" - basically every friday and into the weekend, we try and persuade people to try out something new. As much as 70% of women admit that they are stuck in a rut with their make up, so this is a good way of trying out new things and playing around with new looks.

Our first theme is red lipstick. There's so much to be done with beautiful red lips. I personally love using the theme to create a vintage look - using hair rollers, red lips and matching red nails.

One thing I always say though is that if you're doing something bold with your lips then you should keep eye make up minimal, there's nothing worse than going around thinking you look fabulous and actually looking like a clown!

Here are my top 5 bargain products to get red lips this weekend....
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain - Romantic £7.99

A lipstain is a fantastic way of making sure that your lips keep their colour. I love this deep crimson colour, and although I'm no Emma Stone, I'm always impressed with the results. I would reccommend buying the balm also to keep your lips nice and moist.

Maxfactor Lipfinity - Fiery £10.99

This is a little bit of a luxury buy, but completely worth it. I justify it by not having to pay extra for the balm as that's included. Lipfinity not only makes a beautiful sparkly red colour of your lips, but keeps that "just applied" look about it. It's fantastic.

Bourjois 3D Effect - Rouge Democratic £7.69

Although this is a gloss, the application is quite waxy and thick, and creates a very nice deep glossy colour. It's nice if you want something a little bit different to a usual Matte red, and the thin applicator brush ensures a precise application. It's very glamorous!

Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish - 22 £5.49

This was my very first ever red lipstick, and I always tend to go back to the Kate collection for a perfect Matte look. Maybe for me it's hazed with nostalgia , but I absolutely love this product. I have both 01 and 22 which are both reds, but the 22 is the one I use the most.  Unlike some lipsticks this applies really easily, has a great bold colour and is lightly scented.



Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer - Stellar £5.99

This is only a recently tried product but I just absolutely love the rich colours of the Apolcalips collection - particularly this trendy coral red. It just brings something completely new and vibrant to the theme of red lips, it really is a celebration of colour.


Those are my top five, but there's something no lipstick wearer should live without...
A lipstick sealer like this one from Lipcote really seals in the colour - there's nothing more sad than faded lipstick. The formula is great, not too runny, not too sticky, just the right consistency to keep you looking fantastic. You can pick these up from any chemist or drug store for £3.69, and the effects are long lasting.




Wednesday 27 March 2013

Local Gems

I'm a girl who loves my designer brands. I love my Chanel perfume, my MAC make up and my Louboutins.

Mostly when I can't afford these things, I still like my big brands. I like my Boots Essentials baby wipes, my Jonathan Aston tights and Eyelure fake lashes.

But lately it's come to my attention that it's so easy to get stuck into the same routine with things. I like these things, so I always buy them, I like the hairdressers I go to, so I carry on going there. Really am I not just paying more for the brand?. I love Chanel because it's Chanel, I love Eyelure because I know them, I like Boots because I trust the brand name.

Girls it's time for us to break these traditions and start looking for local gems of beauty that are right in our area. Talented, trained people who are trying to make a living out of what they do best - beauty, accessories, nails.

Every so often I will be writing a post about what I call "Local Gems" - great beauty places that I find right on my doorstep in Stockport, or Manchester, or the North West.

My first one is a new nail place in Stockport called Nails At Love. Owned and Managed by local girl Miss Stacey Daniels, Nails At Love is living proof that you don't need to pay ridiculous prices for beautiful Nails.

Nails At Love is found along the A6 in Stockport on Buxton Road, and appointments can be made by calling 01614770161.

If anyone has any comments or any more local businesses that they feel are worth a mention, please help us to help our local business and helping them to get their voices heard, because girls on budget deserve to look our absolute best!

DGJ Organics

So anyone who is even vaguely connected to my life knows that I've been dying my hair lately. I stripped it, and I bleached it, and then I dyed it a few times, and then I bleached it again. So basically - I was having a bit of a 'hair mare' when this product came along...

Hangover Hair Intensive Conditiner Repair and Gloss Treatment by DGJ Organics.

My hair has been through a lot in the last few weeks, and usually it would be extremely dry, but I've been using this treatment every few days and my hairs in pretty good condition now. I feel like I'm back on the road to healthy hair. If you aren't on some hair homicide mission like me, then I'd reccommend using this every 1-2 weeks, depending on how dry your hair is. Just slather it on and leave in for about 20 minutes, then wash out.

I've also been using the matching DGJ Hangover Hair shampoo and conditioner.

Both products feel really luxurious, with a soothing lavender scent which lingers around in your hair - this was perfect for me because it covered the nasty hairdye smell. I'm going to carry on using products by DGJ Organics because they are ethical, affordable and I have absolutely no qualms about reccommending them to anyone.

If you want to have a browse at some of their other stuff you can find their website here.

Saturday 23 March 2013

Sensationail

Even for me I have been incredibly quiet this week, but I want you to know I haven't forgotten about TLB, I've been out there doing training, doing Salesplan and doing research, and I've got some fabulous things lined up for my next few blogs so remember to keep checking the site!

One of the most amazing things I'd like to mention is something that I'm extremely excited about - Sensationail. Now unless I'm going out or getting ready for something important, I have a habit of being really lazy with my appearance. Girls you know what I mean - dry shampoo, hair tied back, quick drying nail polish that can be applied on the go. I'm even worse when it comes to spending money on treatments, I don't have a year-round tan, I leave my roots for as long as possible and I would rather paint over my nails than find £25 and an hour and a half out of my day to go and have them done. It's just how it is.

Luckily, coming to the high street is a little thing called Sensationail.
Retailing at about £70, Sensationail is a starter kit for having gel tip nails all year round, for about the tenth of the cost of Salon price. The kit comes with the Gel Cleanser, Gel Primer, Colour Gel Polish, Gel Base and Topcoat, UV Lamp and 10 different shades. Each manicure lasts upto two weeks and there is enough equiptment for 10 manicures - that works out at about £2.50 per each manicure!

I got to try out the product on Wednesday, at first the price put me off - £70 is alot of money to spend on something that, like all my other failed quick-fix manicure attempts, may just end up in the back of a cupboard. I needed answers - what does Sensationail have thats different?

Well for a start, this new product may be different to anything the average consumer in Britain has ever bought, but Japan are way ahead of us on the DIY Gel Tip front. Kits like Sensationail have been big over there for about 5 years!

So I met the lovely people of Sensationail and they allowed us all to play around with their starter kits. What I loved was the fun aspect of the product - unlike other nail varnishes all the colours that come with the kit are mixable. You can just use a little bit of tin foil to blend colours, and because the UV lamp means the polish dries instantaneously, it leaves room to be creative - add a sheen effect, add some glitter, try out a few different shades on one hand.

I was also impressed with the lasting effects of the gel nails. This is my manager's hand mid-way through the process.

As you can see she went for a bold Crimson colour, which not only looks perfectly finished and glossy, but professional. The process is fool-proof, the effects are fantastic and for just 10% of the price you'd be charged in a nail salon, it's undoubtedbly economically sensible.

Sensationail is an effective, quick and easy process that means that busy girls, budgeting girls and tired girls can leave their nails to the last minute without feeling the pressure, and I for one cannot wait to get my very own starter kit!

Sunday 17 March 2013

Recommended!

So in work yesterday a man walked in -  quite an average older man who looked completely lost and confused amongst the female skincare ranges. After a quick chat, I found out his wife had sent him out to buy this product ...

Olay Regenerist daily 3 point treatment cream.

Usually I have to try something at least once to recommend it, but this guy told me that his wife had been using the product since she was 24 and now at the age of 60 she looked like a woman of 40.

He spoke so genuinely and warmly about his wifes face that I thought that if someone has that much faith in one product then it's probably worth letting people know about.




Wednesday 13 March 2013

Navy Blue Eyeliner

Sorry I haven't posted a blog in a few days, I've been really busy with the new make up salesplan for next month in work.

I walked into the back office and there were so many boxes with my name on that I thought Christmas had arrived early this year.. and it kind of was like that ...(if Christmas involved alot of organising, building show material and matching products to item codes!)

Obviously I can't say too much but one thing I think is going to be massive this Spring is Navy Blue Eyeliner.

Navy is everywhere.

Navy nails, navy eyeshadow and navy blue eyeliner.

One thing I cannot wait to purchase is Rimmel ScandelEyes Shadowstick, and as well as Navy I'll be looking out for Olive Green's, Teal's and deep shimmery purples!


Saturday 9 March 2013

What I'm Using #1

I took inspiration for this from Ebruska's Make-Up Blog, which is fantastic and as sophisticated as one day I hope mine will be.

Basically, I have a little No7 make up bag that I carry around with me full of the make up I'm currently using. You won't see me anywhere without it; it's on my "things to never leave the house without" list. I work with make up all day and I test alot of make up in my free time, so every product in this bag has my absolute seal of approval. Here is a list of the products that I am currently using...

Primer
Bourjois Flower Perfection Translucent Smoothing Primer
No7 Airbrush Away Primer 30ml

Foundation
17 Photo Flawless Foundation - Natural
Maybelline FIT Me Foundation - 115 Nude Beige 

Concealer
The Body Shop Concealer Pencil #01
Bronzer
Rimmel Sun Shimmer Compact Bronzing Powder - Light
Blushes
Maybelline Dream Touch Blush  - Berry
Rimmel London Lasting Finish Blush - Pink Rose
Bourjois Little Round Pot - #37 Rose Pompon
bareMinerals i.d. Blush - Vintage Peach

Highlighter
Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer  - #001 Flush of Pearl

BB Cream
No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream Normal/Dry

Eyeshadow
Maxfactor Smokey Eye Eyeshadow Stick - Bronze Haze
Maxfactor Smokey Eye Eyeshadow Stick - Purple Mist
Rimmel GlRam Eyes Quad Eyeshadow - Sun Safari
17 Smoky Eye Pallette

Mascara  
Loreal Volume Millions Lashes - Black
Maybelline Volume Express Rocket Mascara - Blackest Black

Eyeliner
Boots' Natural Collection Kohl Eye Pencil - Black
Boots' Natural Collection Kohl Eye Pencil -Olive Green
Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
17 Tatoo Me Semi-Permanent Liquid Eyeliner

Lipsticks
Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Collection #107
Rimmel Kate Moss Collection #01
Rimmel Kate Moss Collection #22
Rimmel Moisture Renew - Soft Coral
Loreal Colour Riche - #252

Lip Stain
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Precious

Lip Balm
Nivea Lip Butter - Vanilla and Macadamia
Vaseline Ltd Edition - Pink Bubbly
Lipsmacker Lip Balm - Fanta Orange

Skincare
Boots' Essentials Cucumber Facewash
Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit daily scrub
Montagne Jeunesse Peel Off Anti-Stress Masque -Cucumber
Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden Salt Scrub
Soap and Glory Smoothie Star Body Milk
                    No7 Completely Quenched Body Moisturising Lotion
  Boots' Coconut and Almond Body Lotion
 Boots' Cocoa Butter and Mallow Body Lotion
Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula

Haircare
Aussie Colour Mate Shampoo
Aussie Colour Mate Conditioner
Pantene Heat Defence Gloss spray
Boots' Coconut and Almond Leave-in Conditioner
Batiste Blush dry shampoo
Elnett Supreme Hold Hairspray

The Primer Police

It's amazing how often I hear people say "I don't use Primer" or "It's a waste of money" or "My make up goes on fine without it" and "I don't really understand what it's for".

If you were putting wallpaper up, you would have lining paper underneath it to smooth out any imperfections on the wall, so that the lumps and bumps don't show through the end result. Well that's why you need a primer under your make up.

Your face goes through a lot every day and having that thin layer of cream/gel before you apply make up does not only improve the end result, it adds just a tiny bit more protection for your face, before you clog it up with powder and foundation.

Furthermore, it keeps your make up perfect for longer. The best way to apply your make up is with a brush - when you use your fingers you're just moving the formula around your face, using a proper make up brush helps to press foundation onto your skin and into those area's that you want covered the most.

For the best results, use a primer first. They come in all textures. My personal favourite - as previously mentioned on my blog - is Bourjois Flower Perfection Primer, which comes as a very light and easy-to-spread gel.

Once that's applied you add your powder and then your foundation - it's widely disputed which one of these you're supposed to put on first. I always put on my powder first, I find it keeps the foundation on for longer as it kind of sticks to the powder. I don't know if this is true but it's always worked for me.

For me, that is a standard make up base and I would go from there, but I would always reccommend having that Primer on first. They aren't too expensive either, you can find most decent drug store brands cost less than £10 and the effects are well worth the money.

Pamper Day


So we're off to the Casino tonight, and this is how I'm spending my day.

I'm wearing a beautiful new dress and I don't want my skin letting me down, so these peel off masques are fantastic for just a little bit of rejuvenation. These cost me £1 each from my local Boots, and they're worth every penny.



Friday 8 March 2013

GHD's Candy Collection

I should start off by telling you that I have beautiful GHD hair straighteners. I've only had them since just before Christmas and I got the Limited Edition Peacock Green ones at an absolute steal price of £99, because I worked in the airport and I got them from Duty Free.

I love them - they're cute, they look smart, unlike my old battered Babyliss pair I'm not ashamed to whip them out in public and give my locks the once over. But recently, my affections have been wavering .....because of these....

The new GHD Candy Collection; they are absolutely perfect. I feel like I'm cheating on my own straighteners. They're cute, they're fuctional and they're an absolute bargain at £110 each. I have lost my head over so much less, but for the sake of my bank balance I have to keep my cool and wait for my own pair to die (or until I win the lottery, at which point I will buy all of these and line them up cutely on a massive dressing table).

So here I am being completely selfless and sharing the love on here. If anyone does have them then I would love to hear how they are as a product!

Why I do what I do


There's nothing more rewarding than when someone says something like this.

Much love to the person who facebook'd me that, you made my day!

New Hair

Hello ginge! I wish it wasn't such a long and ginger road to Blondeville.

Boots Extracts Mango Sugar Scrub

It's Friday morning! My skins feeling really tired and I wish I had some of this ....

It's Boots' own brand and it's just the most gorgeous product. The actual scrub exfoliates and leaves your skin feeling fresh and revived, and the smell is a heavenly tropical mango.


If I were not too poor and too lazy I would be going to pick up a pot now, so I can have lovely glowing skin for tonight! Luckily I think I have a sachet of Sanctuary Spa packet salt scrub somewhere, which is almost as good. This is definitely on my to buy list though!

Wednesday 6 March 2013

ColourB4 Results

Ok so just to recap, I used Colourb4 to try and get rid of the red in my hair instead of bleaching it, because I was worried that my mission to go blonde would end up as a mission that makes me bald.

Firstly, the smell isn't fantastic. It's like a burnt rubbery smell; my hair is now dry, I've sprayed Boots' own brand coconut leave-in conditioner and some Pantene heat protection spray and nothing is covering the smell.

Apart from smelling like I've been in some sort of rubber-fueled bonfire though I'm quite pleased with the results. When I first stepped out of the shower I could see tints of orange that put the fear of god into me, but once they had dried they're more of a light brown. There are a few orangey looking tints and I probably wouldn't be comfortable keeping my hair this shade - which is much lighter than my natural hair colour, but as I'm going blonde anyway this isn't too much of an issue.

Here are the before and afters:

Before
                              












After













My hair is slightly dry, but that's nothing that a decent conditioner won't sort out. Yeah, I'd reccommend ColourB4, as long as you're not ridiculous and dyeing your hair every other week then it's an absolutely fab product to use.





Dressing Table Post #1

Old, new, fashionable, modern, quirky, stylish, elegant, clunky, sweet, funky, themed...

I am absolutely and irrevocably in love with dressing tables.

I'm going to be posting pictures of fantastic dressing tables.

Send me a picture of yours to jess.whatsonmyface@gmail.com

My favourites will go on my blog!



















Best New Buy!

I've just bought these from Ebay! They're absolutely beautiful. £4.99 and you get the bag free. I am one verrrry happy girl right now.

Click here if you want some, they'll make your day!

ColourB4

So basically, if you know me you know that my hair is probably my favourite thing in the world. Well, I say that about a few things but just to give you the general gist of my warped priorities it goes something like this ...

  1. Family/Friends and other boring stuff I need to put first
  2. My Make Up
  3. Ed Sheeran
  4. My Hair
  5. Everything Else
 So you see, number 4 .....that's pretty well up there. Anyway recently, I've decided to go back to being a blonde, from has been dyed "Passion Red" every 6 weeks without fail, for two years. Anyway someone at work recommended ColourB4, it's bleach free, ammonia free and basically excludes all those things that kill damage and destroy hair. As stripping my own hair is usually up there with "cutting my own hair", I decided to seek professional help ....


I asked Facebook.

And I got a lot of feedback, and everyone had a little debate and went off on hair-related tangents, but overall everyone gave me something helpful to think about. And almost everyone who'd used it assured me it wouldn't go bright orange.

So here I am, about to go off and give Colourb4 a chance, and praying I don't come back bald.
Wish me luck!



Primer Time

As I was lazing around on my morning off, as I was googling "MAC Primer" (as you do), I came across an article by Elle about the six best primers, which you can find here.

Now, when it comes to primers, I find that it's a very trial-and-error process and you definitely want to get the best quality product that you can, but the products that Elle reccomends are extremely pricey, and since I work with make up all day, every day, I've come across a few really impressive primers that actually don't cost the world, but have great results.

Anyone that comes into my store seeking help about their foundation almost always leaves with this product:

Flower Perfection by Bourjois works particularly well for people with oily skin, especially around your T zone. The texture is that of an extremely light gel, that spreads easily - a lot really goes a long way. It dries almost instantly and evens out your skintone. It makes the foundation application much smoother and to be honest - it just feels absolutely gorgeous on your skin. Alot of customers I let them test this on their wrists first and they often come back and tell me how fabulous it is. At £9.99, it's reasonable, and until 30th March there's a 3 for 2 offer on Bourjois products so you can really make the most for your money.