Sunday 28 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #27 Nailspiration

For anyone that uses Tumblr, you'll know that it's actually a great place to pick up little tips and tricks for beauty and make up. I'm constantly on there like a little ninja looking for something new that will inspire me.

Here are some cute ideas for nails this Summer, I can't wait to give some of these a go...
 Light pastel colours are fun and easy to do.
 These colour tips are gorgeous and really glam for those summer nights out.

 Nail wraps are a great simple and cost-friendly way to have cute, professional nails.
I love how clean and elegant these look - a really classy look.

 This three toned stenciled look is really bold and different and has great personality.
 Havinga different colour or pattern on just one finger is a good way of mixing things up, and is less boring than one row of block colours.

 A mixture of patterns can be cute and stylish, like this vintage wallpaper look
 If you're wanting to impress, experimenting with a nail pen can have a really interesting effect.
Mixing a bold colour with a delicate pattern can look exquisite, nail jewels are a great idea.

Saturday 27 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #26 The Makeovers

After some helpful advice on Twitter from other very kind beauty bloggers, I successfully managed to make over several of the lovely women going to the wedding. This is the first time I've ever done this for a formal occasion and I was very pleased with the end results.

Some of the problems I was having was that I had never given  makeovers to such a varied age-range of people. I always like to apply a powder base after the primer goes on but I wasn't sure how this would suit a more mature skin. Thankfully with some help from @BloodandGrace , whose blog can be found here I ended up foregoing this step and just mixing some foundation with a little moisturiser, and this worked alot better.

These are two of the lovely ladies who have consented to let me use their images for todays blog.

Shirley has a very medium/fair skintone, and a few of the problems shes come across is that she always opts for a darker foundation than she needs, and the result doesn't look quite right. However, she didn't want to look pale either. I applied a No7 Intelligent Colour foundation onto her skin - because it has a higher quality formula that adapts to the skintone. The I gave her a good dash of bronzer under her cheekbones, and blusher on her cheeks for colour.

Shirley isn't very comfortable with putting eyeliner on herself - but a tiny bit of eyeliner can make alot of difference so I just used a soft Khol around the eyes. The absolute making of this look though was the lipstick - Maxfactor Colour Elixir in Chilli Red - which goes beautifully with her vibrant cropped red hair. I was really happy with this look on Shirley because before she wasn't making the most of her colouring. Lots of women want to look tanned but if your hair is short and bold then it can look absolutely stunning against paler skin, as long as you put a bit of colour into the apples of your cheeks and wear something flattering on your lips then it a paler complexion doesn't need to wash you out.

Valerie is Shirley's sister and they have a very similar medium/fair skintone. However, Valeries blonde hair means that a much softer look suits her. I wanted to make her look alot more girly and feminine to compliment not just her hairstyle but her pastel and floral outfit.

I started off with a good No7 primer, and then used a brush to gently dab Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Ivory into her skin. Then I lightly went over this with just a suggestion of powder. I was careful to put primer on her eyelids, Unlike Shirley who was wearing a metallic plum colour, I decided that a natural brown would suit Valeries colouring more.

Valerie also admitted that she wasn't fond of wearing lipstick because she had never found one that suited her. What I did was find a beige lipliner, and just went around the lips to enhance them. I then used a nude lipstick, and finished the look off with a cheap and cheerful lipgloss - Toffee Cream by Natural Collection. The touch of blusher really compliments the fairness of Valeries skin. This was a more complex makeover than some of the others - it was trial and error with finding exactly what was right for Valerie, which is something she has never made time for before.

Blog-A-Day April #25 Wedding Make Up

Hello there!

 Some of you who follow the blog regularly may know that recently I've been involved in a wedding, doing makeovers for guests. So I'll be doing a blog on the makeovers. Some of you may also remember that I made a big deal about finding good make up for myself on budget for the day, so I'll begin with showing you what I chose.

This is me on the morning of the wedding, I went with a cream and pastel pink theme for my outfit because it's elegant and feminine, and I wanted make up that complimented the colours so I went for a very minimal nude look. I probably would have done something a bit more extravagant with my hair but I was very pressed for time with doing other peoples make up. Here is a list of the make up I used for the day...

What I Used
No7 Stay Perfect Shine Free Primer (£12.50 but had a £5 off voucher).
Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation (£8.99) 
Rimmel Mono Blush - Smoked Oyster (£3.99)
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick - In The Nude (£6.29)
Barry M Bold Waterproof Eyeliner (£3.99)
L'Oreal Volume Millions Lashes Mascara (£9.35)
Lipcote Lipstick Sealer (£3.69)

The Mascara, Foundation and Primer I had at home anyway so I managed to get away with only spending £17.96 on make up in the run up to the wedding- and really that was more than I needed to. I could have cheated a bit more - if I had used lipstick with a bit more colour on my lips then I could have doubled that to smudge a bit of colour into my cheeks instead of buying blush, and I had an eyeliner at home but I wanted a waterproof one because it was an emotional day and I didn't want to risk having panda eyes all through the reception.

All in all it was a really lovely day and everyone complimented my choice of colours so I think things were a success!

Thursday 25 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #24 Just a note

Just wanted to share some thoughts with you today!

Firstly, I would like to thank all the people who have messaged me recently to say that my blog really helps them, I've recieved some really positive comments and the blog - which is still in its infancy-  is getting more and more hits daily which makes this feel really worthwhile!

Secondly I would like to throw something out there that has been in disrepute. Recently I had some really uneccessary comments from someone really unimportant about how I'm not 'pretty enough' or 'thin enough' to be a beauty blogger.

It got me thinking, why are women so awful to each other? Most women of the world are not perfect looking. I've been there - I've had a different colour face to my neck, I've had the worst hair days known to man, I've even left the house with only one hand of nails painted before. So what? I can look back now and laugh about it and share my experiences with you. I'd so much rather be that way than in a group of horrible girls who can only focus on how other people look, because they're so insecure about themselves.

Most women aren't perfect, but we go through our daily life striving for a perfect image, striving for a perfect set of white teeth, or to crinkle out the lines in our scrunchy faces, or to vanquish our shiny faces. Here at the lipstick bullet I don't want perfect readers, I want fat women, skinny women, short women tall women, frizzy women. I want women with weird toes and bad acne and dry skin. There's always something to improve, and we're not alone in wanting to fight our demons like that!

Well I'll leave now because it's the wedding tomorrow! The practise makeover's I've been giving have all gone really well and have turned into a nice little earner - a good beauty budget tip is paying friends to do your make up before a big event; most of the time they'll understand your colour pallette alot better than a stranger.

Thanks everyone!x

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #23 Tanning - Booths vs. Beds

I have something shocking to admit.

Before today, I was a tan booth virgin. *gasp*.

I've always been pale, so much so that my dad has nicknamed my legs the 'great white cliffs of Dover', but with a wedding coming up on Friday I decided that it was time to bring colour back into my life. These were the failed techniques I had used before....

Sunbeds
A few years ago I began to use sunbeds on a regular basis, and my tan looked really even and well. However, the long term damage that I witnessed through the experiences of a friend is horrific. You've heard the stories about what sunbeds can do to your skin - well it's true. Even if the multiple health risks don't put you off, because you're the kind of laid back gal that doesn't fear dying a very painful and undignified death. Really, who wants to even take a chance with that?

Not to mention how quickly sunbeds can become an addiction. It's just not sexy walking around thinking you look like this...

But actually looking like this....


Sprays
The only other spray tan I've had in my life was so bad that it's taken me all this time to go back for another one. It happened in the backroom of a hairdressers, where for £15 I got to stand there awkwardly in my knickers while some chavvy gum-chewing girl sprayed me up and down with some fake bake, while asking me about various scars on my body. The room was messy, the walls were dripping with tan and the podium I was stood on was so wobby that I ended up leaning on the walls - leaving massive brown streaks all down my arms. Needless to say, I've never been back!

Luckily though this time round was fantastic. I went to a place in Fallowfield, Manchester called The Sun Room. For £10 I was taken to my own little pod where in my own time I could get undressed, given wipes to exfoliate with, paper underwear and protective foot pads, and shown how to use the booth. It only took 5 seconds to spray me up and down and my tan is absolutely perfect!

In the Bed vs. Boots debate, Booths are a clear winner for me!

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #22 Maybelline Gel Mousse Mascara

So Maybelline have just released their first Gel Mousse Mascara and it is so cute.
I absolutely cannot wait to own one.


Monday 22 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #21 Make Up Tips for Older Women

So today I've been scouring the web for make up tips for older women, because on Friday I'm doing the make up of a few ladies that are over 50, for a wedding. I need some advice to make sure I don't fall into the same bad habits that older women often do with their make up.

These were the best bits of advice I found...

- Avoid dark colours on lips. I think I'm going to go with light seasonal pinks anyway. Dark colours makes lips look thinner , and I'm going for a moist plump look.

- Avoid powder foundations - they can enhance lines and creases in the skin and make complexions look too chalky.

- A light cream blush. I despise women who use too much blush and don't blend it properly. Just a dash of light cream blush should look respectful and dignified for the occasion.

If anyone has any other tips before Friday then that would be great! Please do comment.

Sunday 21 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #20 SPF Your Foundation

So the weather has been a bit better lately, and of course that means there's lots of outdoor socialising to be done. Most of you probably know - the sun is harmful no matter how hot it is outside, and if you're going to be outside for most of the day then I can't stress enough how much better for your skin it is to use a foundation with a sun protection factor.

Here are my three favourite foundations that are good for people on a budget, and give your skin the SPF it needs.


Maybelline New York FIT Me Liquid Foundation SPF 18 30ml
This has quite a smooth formula, and it lasts quite a while because it can spread very thinly but still give a decent coverage. It has an SPF 18 and is £6.79 from most drug stores. This is quite a nice product because it doesn't include any oil or waxes in the ingredients, so your skin has plenty of room to breathe.

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation SPF 15 30ml
I want to start off by saying this is fine for me because my skin is very dry, otherwise you might find it quite oily. What helps is if you use a brush and use some powder to set it into your skin, but once it's on it looks fine and has a long lasting time. It's SPF and £6.99 for 30ml.

Maxfactor Ageless Elixir SPF15 30ml
This is a great sun-worthy foundation, because it's formula is designed to fight against ageing, which is something the sun naturally does to your skin. It has a SPF 15 and is a 2 in 1 Foundation and Serum. The shades are all nice and natural for a perfectly blended bare-faced look with a bit of extra protection - perfect for slightly older skin too. It's slightly more costly at £12.99, but for all the added benefits you get then it isn't too much more at all.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone, just don't neglect your skin in the sun - the biggest mistake you can make is exposing your skin to dangerous UV rays with little protection, and you'll regret it later on when your skin is dry and patchy!

Saturday 20 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #19 In The Nude

After a really long week, I decided to indulge in some retail therapy, and I splurged a little bit on some new lipstick...
Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick 700 In The Nude

This is great for a nude look, whether it's the smooth barefaced look or just matte lips with stunning eyes, and it has a really good staying quality - which is how I justified spending £6.29 (a little bit under because of my discount card).

Moisture Renew is probably my favourite lipstick range by Rimmel, it's definitely one of their higher quality products, so really if you're going to buy Rimmel, you may as well buy good quality Rimmel.


Ignoring the fact that I have literally no other make up on in this picture please, this is me playing around with it. I love that it gives me a really matte nude lip and I don't have to worry too much about reapplying it.

£6.29 to find a colour I can use over and over makes it well worth the indulgence.

Blog-A-Day April #18 No7 Vouchers

I didn't blog yesterday, because I was intoxicated, and when I tried to get to my laptop I tripped over the bed and hurt my face. I'll do two today instead!

Those of you that know me in person may know I'm a No7 buff. Those of you that know me even better than that may know that I hate spending money, and No7 isn't the most budget-friendly brand ever.

But to be honest No7 is a really good brand to buy now more than ever, it's just been clinically proven that their anti-aging creams prevent the signs of aging. I mean clinically proven - that's huge! It is a scientific fact that they will make your skin look younger if you carry on using them.

So they're worth having, and if you're smart there are ways of getting around the price. For example, Boots do alot of 3 for 2 offers on No7 - so you're nearly always getting one product for free. This is good if you follow the standard procedure of serum, day cream and night cream. When it comes to your skin there's no way of cheating either - so really you need all three, at the very least you need a serum with your day cream.

Secondly...these...

These are seasonal £5 off vouchers by Boots, you may recognise them because at certain points in the year you're lucky if you can get out of Boots' without being given a voucher, but these are really handy for those of us that need their No7.

Some of you may be thinking - but what's £5 off when you're buying a few products that are about £22 each. But actually there are a few really good buys that you can get with them...

These wipes, usually £7 count as Skincare - so they're only £2 with your voucher. Or if you're feeling something more cosmetic, No7 Stay Perfect Nail Varnishes are only £3 - which for the amount and quality of the product you're getting is a really good deal.

So my little budgeteers, collect your coupons when they come along, be scrupulou, because lifes too short to spend the full amount when there are vouchers in the world!





Thursday 18 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #17 Barry Nails It Again

Really excited for this new Barry M product...
These really fab new Nail Art Pen pretty much summarise why we love Barry. It's new, it's current, it's useful, it's something we wanted before we knew that we wanted it.

The pens are literally just as they describe - pen like applicators that are easy to use, and look something like this.

Scanning the internet, I found a whole load of pictures to show exactly what can be done with these pens, and I'll post a few of my favourites here...





At £4.99 each, these might seem like a bit of an expenditure, but the wonderful thing is that they can be reused over and over and never look the same. Team them up together, with a nail colour you have at home. Spend hours finding a look that you love, or spend minutes stenciling in some cute hearts for a classic but simple look. Barry M proves once again why he's the man for us.





Wednesday 17 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #16 Garnier Perfect Blur

Hi Muffins.

K, let's talk about this...

If you live in the UK and haven't heard about Nanoblur Optical Skin Cream then the chances are you live under a rock because it is huuuge.

It's also £19.99 for 30ml, which isn't very budget-friendly.

Luckily, for the thrifty amongst us, Garnier have brought out their own version called Perfect Blur, It's really big in work right now and no wonder - it claims to be effective in just five seconds. FIVE. SECONDS.

We're a nation full of women who spend our lives trying to hide our skin. We cover it, we scrub at it, we pretty much do anything we can to change it to our own will. Perfect blur is an optical skin cream - so it doesn't actually change your skin at all, it just appears to. You use about a pea size amount and rub across your skin, and it allows you to go barefaced whilst disguising any discrepancies on your face - blemishes, wrinkles, acne scars etc.

It's also a much more affordable alternative to the Nano, at a cost-friendly £12.99.

If you want to try it for yourselves then the contract is exclusive to Boots until June 31st so that's where you'll be seeing it.




Monday 15 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #14 Bad Make-Up Habits

You can Google "Bad make up habits" and be given an endless list of things you should and shouldn't do. These are just five things that people do with their make up that really peeves me off, and they would just look so much better if they didn't do.

Heavy make-up on both the eyes and the lips. Seriously it just makes you look scary. My golden rule is one or the other - if you're having glamorous eyes then tone down your lip make up and vice versa.


Not knowing your foundation tone. I see this alot lately, girls who have really brown faces, pale bodies and then a bold foundation line on their jawlines. The comparison to your face and your neck is making you look ridiculous. Nobody wants people to notice their make up, you want your make up to draw attention to the skin you already have, so just take a bit of extra time choosing your colour, use testers on your wrist and your neck. You'll thank yourself in the long run.


Using foundation to cover acne. Acne is one of those things. We all get it and it sucks big time. But one of the biggest mistakes people make is caking their make up on over their spots. All you're doing is making your skin worse and drawing more attention to your breakout. You'd be so much better off just using a BB Cream - one with decent coverage. Make sure you're exfoliating your skin on a regular basis, and then add your BB Cream. If there's still a bit of red coming through then dab gently at it with a tiny bit of concealer and blend in circular motion using a light sponge tip (try not to use your fingers, often this can just spread bad bacteria into the skin). It looks so much more natural than just caking on the powder, then the foundation, then the concealer and god knows what else and clogging your pores up more.


Having the wrong colour lipstick. I think I will have to explain this one a bit, because it sounds a bit vague. Because of the change in light, aspects of your make up should change in the evening. For example, I always wear softer colours during the day because the combination of harsh light combined with my skintone makes really bold colours look ridiculous. They wash me out, they leave no room for subtelty. Everyone is different, and you will make mistakes with this. For example I've convinced myself before now that a Crimson Red is a good look for work - the problem is that I have full lips, and it doesn't do me any favours. So these days I wear a warmer, softer red if I want to wear red in the day, or a coral red, or if I'm going somewhere like a festival then maybe a nice orange red. Now I can wear dark reds at night/in the evenings just fine. Each person is different and it's just a case of finding what works, but there's nothing glam about walking around thinking you look fantastic and really you look like a clown.


Foundation Lips. Similarly, worse than having a ridiculous day colour is people who do the foundation lips. Now don't get me wrong, I love a nude lip. I have about seven different nude lipsticks and with a tiny little bit of lipgloss it's a look that can look fantastic. However, girls who just go over their lips with foundation do drive me mad. Your lips are supposed to be a different colour to your face otherwise you're going to look like a corpse. Also your foundation is designed to cover your facial skin, but lips are very obviously darker. So 9 times out of 10 your lips are going to end up patchy and the real colour underneath is going to come through. It's just a much nicer look to get a nude lipstick and go a tiny bit darker than your foundation - and be honest, it feels better too.


Those are just a few pet peeves of mine. You may not agree - you may even have some of your own that you'd like to share in the comments :) Au revoir! x

Sunday 14 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #13 The Cop Out

I've actually got nothing to discuss with you guys today. Except to let you know that now my holiday is booked for less than 2 months time, my diet begins NOW.

I can't be bothered talking about make up today. Here's a picture of me instead, lying in the bed I assembled myself next to the wallpaper I put up myself.


And I'll leave you with some wise words ....

"Everyone thinks finding true love is every girls dream. My dream is to eat without getting fat"



Saturday 13 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #12 Holiday Make Up

That's my holiday booked for this year! Me and t'other half are on our way to Sunny Kavos for sun, sea and clubbing in June.

You know that means? I only have a month and a half to save up for my holiday make up.

It's trial and error with holiday make up for me, I nearly always get it wrong, and because holidays are far and few beween, and this will be my first one with the other half, I've decided that this year I'm going to do it right.

Of course people are full of different suggestions but so far this is probably what I'll go for...

A really good tinted moisturiser - possibly No7. My skin is dry anyway but in the added grecian heat moisturisation is everything. I'm open to any recommendations.

Concealer - a shade darker than my usual. From a budget point of view this is a really good idea, concealer sticks aren't costly and my skin will most likely change colour in the sun anyway, so this'll just work in the evenings when we're going out and I want to cover a few little blemishes.

I usually buy my mascara's and eyeliners in waterproof anyway, because I get really watery eyes when I'm tired, so I'll just take my eyemake up as normal.

I'll take my Rimmel Sunkissed Bronzer for a little bit of added glamour.

For my lips I'll just take a suncare lipbalm with SPF for during the day, and then a laquer gloss wand for at night when we go to the nightclubs.

I'll probably choose a standard nail varnish of which I know I like - like a summery coral or a warm red, and take the bottle to keep applying. I probably won't be bothering too much with changing my nail varnish during the week, as there'll be lots of other things to do.

Thankfully I have naturally curly hair that looks nicer when it dries in the sun when I'm blowdrying it. This is great on holiday because I don't have to take straighteners or a hairdryer. I am going to take plenty of leave in conditioner and a good 200ml bottle of conditioner, because I don't want my hair to dry out.

I'll be keeping you updated if I find any really good buys but if anyone has any great holiday must haves then I'd love to hear about them :)

Friday 12 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #11 Mascara Dilemma

Just a short one today guys! Because it's a Friday and really, who has time to sit and talk make up when I could be putting it on, finding a nice dress and going to party party?

I was in work today and I got talking to a woman about Mascara for ages (like you do), apparently when she was on holiday (didn't say where) she had a woman put a lengthening mascara on her, and it had like a powder in the formula which built up the length of her lashes.

She said it was the most amazing mascara she's ever tried, but she didn't have enough money to buy it on her at the time. She thought it was called "Blackberry Mascara" but if you can see the problem I'm having searching it on Google ...

I'm going to guess she either got the name really wrong or it just flat out doesn't exist.

If anyone can think of a mascara that has a powder included, perhaps under a different or similar name then please do let me know :)

Happy Friday everybody!

Thursday 11 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #10 Dry Skin

Soo recently I've been decorating, and I have no idea why but my skin has gone really dry. So much so to the point that two weeks ago when I put my foundation on, I got these weird little creases on my face where my skin was so dry.

So basically, I needed a new moisturiser. As much as I love my Nivea tinted moisturiser, it just doesn't cut the mustard with the wear and tear that I'm exposing my face to.

So I tried this ...

Garnier Moisture Match Ultra Hydrating Rich Cream.

I bought a couple of tubes when it first came out and they've been in my bathroom cabinet, forgotten about. The range comes in different colours and each colour is specific to a different kind of skin problem - ie, dull skin, dry skin, greasy skin.

The pink one is absolutely perfect, in just over a week I've noticed my make up goes on alot better, I'm less prone to those hard little red spots that I was starting to occasionally get, and the application feels lovely. It's ever so lightly fragranced and it just sort of slides on.

Of course this might be too greasy for some people, but I recommend finding the Garnier Moisture Match to suit your type of skin. They're a bit of a bargain too, as they're currently retailing at £3.99 a tube instead of their usual £5.99. I intend to stock up while the offer lasts!

Wednesday 10 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #9 New Make Up!

"No unnecessary expenditures" my boyfriend said to me this month, after we'd bought a tonne of furniture for our new flat.

Good thing that all of these were very, very necessary.

I am a woman out of control.

Seriously though, I have a gorgeous nude pink and black dress for my cousins wedding this month and here was the look I was thinking of going for ...

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation 30ml (£8.99)
This foundation provides really good coverage for a really matte finish, the beautiful tone in the colour gives my skin a bit of radiance too. It's good for skin like mine that doesn't tan very easily. Normally I don't like a full coverage look, I like to keep things natural, but a complete one-tone will really compliment the look I'm going for.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter Creme Brulee (£7.99)
I wanted a nude lipstick, because I'm going for excessive eyemake up on the day, so I want to keep my lips nude. This Revlon Lip Butter creates a lovely nude look with just a hint of pearly sheen. Very feminine and pretty!

Natural Collection Pressed Powder Warm (£1.99)
This really is a bargain product, when it comes to powder I generally only use it as a base for my foundation, because it prevents liquid foundation from smudging around the face or coming off completely throughout the day. This cheap and cheerful Natural Collection powder does the job nicely and doesn't break the bank.

Also, this is a bit unusual but I'm using a Barry M eyeliner instead of lip liner. The colour is a beautiful beige/brown and I couldn't find one as nice in their range of lipliners, but I've tried it out and it still looks really well when it's on.

I'm also going to be wearing my Katy Perry falsies in blue. I'm still on the lookout for some really pretty eyeshadow to complete the look.

A day well spent in my opinion!

Tuesday 9 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #8 Favourite Twitter Tips

So I'm a Twitter addict. I'm not one of those obvious "writes a post every 5 seconds" types, I'm more of a "lurking in the background sponging up all the tips" kind of girl.

Here are some of my favourite Twitter Tips, some of which I've tried, some which I'm going to try, some which I just think are good idea's. Enjoy...

1.@TheBeautyTips
"Create your own tinted lip gloss. Simply mix any of your favorite lipsticks with a dab of Vaseline"

"If you are unhappy with a hair conditioner, it will still make a great "shaving cream" for your legs in the shower"

"If you want your pout to appear thick and full - line your lips after applying lipstick, as you can then manipulate and accentuate the shape"
.
"If you need to trim false lashes, cut from the inner so you don't lose the longer length at the outer end"

"Nude lips are huge right now. Get a neutral shade of lipstick and apply gloss to the middle of the lips for a flawless look"

I've included the links in case anybody wants to follow them on Twitter - I can promise they give some really useful and handy hints for make up and beauty!


Monday 8 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #7 The Pro's and Con's of Buying in Bulk

Okay so I did something the other day that I might regret or I might be really pleased with ....

I went onto Ebay looking for some Make-Up bargains and I ended up buying one of those bulk random selection things. It was only £7.99 and the deal was that I'd be getting these 10 Wholesale Makeup Items....


1 Collection 2000 Foundation 40ml or 30ml
1 Wet n Wild Mascara Blackest Brown
1 Wet n Wild Liquid Eye Liner Brown
1 Astor Eye Liner Pencil Brown
1 Outdoor Girl Blusher 5.5g
1 Royal Blusher Brush
2 Wet n Wild Silk Finish Lipstick's Toffee Delight
2 Miss Sporty Lip Gloss 

They haven't arrived yet, and as someone who is extremely fussy with make up, I'm just praying they don't all end up shoved at the back of a drawer and forgotten about forever.

But my logic is that I'm trying something new and that even if I find a couple of things that I like then it was still worth the money.

Anyway then I carried on perusing the web for make up bargains like a woman on a mission, and I ended up finding sites that sell make up at wholesale price...but in bulk.


Now in theory, it's potentially quite a good idea, but I wonder if it would work in the long haul. So I made a list to help me decide the advantages vs disadvantages of bulk make up buying, and I thought I would share it with you all today.

Pro's and Con's
  • You're saving money. Say there's a foundation you just keep going back and buying  again and again at £8 a time. You could buy Six bottles of the stuff for about £16 and as long as you know you'll definitely use them, you'll be saving money.
  • The weather changes my skintone. I literally change the colour of my foundation about once every three months. In winter I use cooler tones and summer depends on what kind of summer we're having. I either go a shade warmer or a couple of shades darker.
  • You never run out of your must-have colours, even when they're discontinued. What's that? Your favourite lipstick has been discontinued? Not a problem when you have a cheeky six more tubes stashed away somewhere.
  • That's alot of money to spend in one go. This is the main reason I haven't actually bought anything in bulk yet. Who has a casual £30 just to spend on make up. And if I had it why not go out and enjoy myself with it, wearing the make up I already own?
  • All of those identical bottles/tubes would look so beautiful lined up on my dressing table. Yes, this really is how my brain works. Sad isn't it.
  • I like to experiment with different make up and try out new types of make up. One of the worst things we can do as women is get stuck in a routine with our make up. The world of cosmetics is constantly evolving, trends are constantly changing and it is our divine right as women to try out as many new looks as we possibly can. Who wants to keep looking the same? Bo-oring!
In the end, I decided it probably wasn't worth it for me personally, despite the appealing wholesale prices! But I'd love to hear what you all think! x

Sunday 7 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #6 Neutrogena Handcream

So in my job I spend alot of time ripping open cardboard (to get to cosmetics inside - I don't just rip open cardboard), and fiddling around with wood and card show material.

I enjoy my job but it really does take its toll on my hands - they always end up dry, hard and sore.


This is my secret to lovely soft hands. This 50ml tube gives replenishment to my skin and brings back the moisture to dry patches. It's available from most drug stores. The formula is light and non-greasy and a little bit lasts a long time.

Nothing else that I've used has ever had quite the same effect - although once a week I like to smother my skin in Olive Oil and that makes my skin feel so luxuriously soft afterwards. But for practically purposes, Neutrogena is a little gem of a product.

Saturday 6 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #5 Jonathan Aston Tattoo Tights

Today was an absolutely beautiful day, walking around in the Sunshine made me think of a product that I'm actually really excited to wear this summer ...











It's Jonathan Aston's beautiful collection of Tattoo Tights. Not only do these look fantastic with my cropped denim shorts, but they look really elegant when teamed up with a nice dress to give your outfit something a bit special.

All of the Jonathan Aston tights that I've worn so far are really good quality and are designed for comfort as well as style - so you don't spend all your time pulling them up, and there's less chance of them accidentally laddering.


Friday 5 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #4 New Dressing Table

It's been mentioned in previous blog, I have a complete love of Dressing Tables. They are one of my many obsessions. I've been decorating my flat for about a week, buying second hand furniture  and whatnot, but I've actually just been given a really gorgeous dressing table by a friend who was about to throw it out.It's lovely, just a tiny bit plain for my liking so I've decided to personalise it a tad....

This is a picture of the unfinished version, I still need to clean it up a bit round the edges. But overall I'm quite happy with this little 2 hour DIY job. Now I'll feel really special whenever I'm sat at it putting my make up on.

If anyone else has any cool or quirky ways of keeping their make up then I'd love to hear about it!

Thursday 4 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #3 Make Up Tips From Mum

As a girl with two older brothers, I can tell you that learning about Make-Up is tough. The only person you have to look to are friends your own age (who aren't always making the best make up decisions themselves) or your mum.

When it comes to Make-Up, my mum and I are completely different, but there are a few things that she taught me that have stayed with me over the years, and they really work. Some of them are pretty standard things but they are rules that I just never break.

1.  Lipstick makes a fantastic quick-fix blusher.
I'll be honest with you, I own about 4 different blushers and none of them ever give me as good a result as when I do this little trick. I apply my foundation, apply my lipstick and then I use the tiniest dab of lipstick and to smear onto the apples of my cheeks. It takes a fair bit of rubbing - and it can look ridiculous if you don't blend in properly, and the bolder the shade the smaller the amount, but overall it really does look good.

2. Suck your cheeks in and apply blusher to your apples.
It makes you look like a fish for about 30 seconds, but my mum always taught me that blusher should only go on the apples of your cheeks. It seems like such a simple and obvious thing but when someone goes really badly wrong with this rule and gets trigger happy with the blusher brush, it really can look dreadful. Even if your face is the most washed out pale colour ever, it's still better than using too much blusher and looking ridiculous. Stick to the apples and you can't go far wrong.

3. Baking Soda To Whiten Teeth
I'm lucky that when it comes to teeth mine are naturally quite white. I work in Cosmetics and I see people spend hundreds of pounds on their teeth - getting them whitened, buying a self whitening kit. A little bit of baking soda is a cheap and cheerful way of doing this. If you look online you can hear all kinds of reasons about why you shouldn't do this and how this has gone wrong for people - what you need to remember is to not be an idiot. Of course if you put baking soda on your teeth every day then you're going to wear away the enamel on your teeth. Of course if you leave it on for ridiculous amounts of time it won't be good for them and of course if you feel any slight burning or tingling then you should wash it off. The reason this goes wrong for people is because they don't use their common sense. If you put a little bit of baking soda on your toothbrush, brush for a few minutes and then rinse, and maybe try it every few weeks, your teeth will gradually get whiter. I've done it before, people I know have done it before and my mum did it when she was younger - her teeth are fine.

4. Always match your foundation to your neck
One of the best ways to test a foundation to your skin is by matching it to the colour of your neck. Really this is just good sense - foundation is designed to make your skin look better, you want people to notice your complexion - not your make up. If your face is a different colour than the rest of you then you're not going to look as good (something my mum tried explaining to me when I was 13 and convinced a bright orange face and chalky white neck were an acceptable combination). Whenever I'm trying out a foundation now I always test a small blob onto the side of my neck and rub well to see the end effect, before I purchase it.

5.  Preparation H for baggy eyes
For as long as I can remember my mum has kept a tube of Preparation H in the house. It's one of the oldest beauty tricks in the book. Ideally, if you're eyes are puffy and tired looking, then long term you want to be looking at getting more rest, staying better hydrated and checking yourself for allergies, but short term - nobody wants to walk around with puffy eyes. A tiny dab of Prep H reduces the swelling by restricting the blood vessels. Mother knows best!

If there are any little tips or tricks that your mums taught you, please feel free to comment and discuss :)

Wednesday 3 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #2 Philosophy Lipgloss

So being on budget is all well and good, but once in a while us working girls need something to splurge on - we work hard all week, why should we not have a little bit of indulgence in our life?

My very special indulgence this week is my Vanilla Birthday Cake Philosophy Lipgloss.

9 times out of 10 I will tell any woman that looking fab doesn't have to cost the world - and it's true, but occasionally a product comes into my life that makes me think, yes, this is just right.

It's not even so much about looks - yes the tube provides a nice glossy coverage, but it has a luxurious feel to it. The mixture stays on my lips without being sticky, it has just enough of a delicious aroma to be enticing but not overpowering, and it looks fine as a standalone,every day gloss or glamorous on top of a tiny bit of lipstick.

The tube cost me £10 from the Philosophy counter in Boots, and I'm trying to be sparing with it. Although if I had unlimited money I would quite happily purchase the entire range of flavours - which includes the gorgeous spicy "Cinnamon Buns", a cool "Coconut Frosting" and a playful "Melon Daquiri".

An exquisite product to treat yourself with, girls.

Tuesday 2 April 2013

Blog-A-Day April #1 Lashes&Nails

Okay guys ...It's Blog-A-Day April!

This means that every day in April I will be writing a blog. Because I missed out on yesterday (only came up with the idea this morning), I will be giving you two really fab products that are getting me excited for Summer.

If you're British like me you probably still aren't sure what time it is because of the hour change. But one thing I do know - it's officially Summer. So be excited.

Katy Perry Lashes (by Eylure)

Basically, I have a very cool job which occasionally involves me getting a bunch of Freebies. The last lot of which I recieved were false nails and lashes.

I've always been a bit weird about nails and lashes actually - and I'm particularly hesitant about putting on fake lashes, luckily for me, when I tried some of these out we had professionals putting them on us, but if you aren't all fingers and thumbs like I am, I can tell you that Katy Perry's are the most fab lashes I've ever tried.

There are three colours that are eye-specific and it goes something like

Blue lashes = blue eyes
Purple lashes = brown eyes
Green lashes = green eyes

Easy enough right?

Actually the free pack that I got were for blue eyes, and mine are a kind of hazel green. Either way they still look absolutely fantastic. In fact I'd be more tempted to swap the lashes according to my make up and outfit than worry about them clashing with my eye colour.

I will be uploading pictures in due course, once I've managed to put them on myself without glueing my eyes shut or something.

Elegant Touch Nail Wraps
You may have noticed these amongst my freebies, but actually since trying them I have been out and purchased about five different packs of these. They are so easy to use and if you're one of those people who (like me) prefers being able to use their hands, then these are the perfect solution.

I don't mind fake acrylics as long as they're very short, I can't afford to get my nails done every few weeks (I'm still saving up for my Sensationail), nevertheless these nails wraps look tidy, professional and to be honest like you've put alot more effort into your nails than you really have. They also peel off easily afterwards without damaging your nails, so they're great if you're taking a break between falsies.