My Makeup Essentials!

Here are some of my makeup essentials for if you're maybe going out, or travelling and need to take a minimum of products!

From Left: Both Brushes are face brushes from Bare Minerals, NARS Laguna & Orgasm Duo, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

We will begin with face products. Of course you can have a foundation or BB cream but i didn't include one because i don't usually wear any.

To conceal any dark circles or blemishes i use the trust Collection Lasting Perfection concealer (as you can see it's well used). It provides a heavy coverage and conceals anything that needs to be. It lasts a good amount of time and a little bit definitely goes a long way.

For contour i like to use my NARS Laguna bronzer, its the perfect shade for any skin tone and is matt so you don't get any unwanted shine or sparkle on your face. It's my favourite bronzer ever, i actually purchased this when i went to New York in February.

For Highlight/blush i like to use Orgasm by NARS. It's a beautiful pink with gold highlight which warms the face and looks super pretty. Also as the bronzer and blush are a duo it takes up less room in my makeup bag!

To set my face makeup i use my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light. This powder is my saviour. I suffer from oily skin so when in doubt i whip this out and quickly powder my T-Zone and I'm all oil-free! 

From Left: Colourlash Mascara in Clear by Collection, W7 Angled Eyeshadow Brush, Fashionista Eyebrow Palette, Maybelline Collossal Volume Express Mascara, Miss Sporty Waterproof 24hr Pump Up Booster Eyeliner, Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze, Ruby and Millie Eyeshadow Brush, Emite Makeup Eyeshadow in Nect

Next is eyes and eyebrows.

I fill in my eyebrows using powders from my Fashionista Eyebrow Palette and my W7 Angled brush which i brought of off Amazon.co.uk. After filling in my brows i set them with Collection's clear mascara, this just holds them in place all day.

For my eyeshadow, using my index finger i'll take some of my Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze and put that all over my lid and blend with my ruby and millie brush. In my inner corners ill use Nect by Emite Makeup (they're a foreign brand so i don't know how easy it is to get hold of). Its a beautiful champagne shade with a lot of shimmer to make your eyes pop. I sometimes use this as a brow highlight also.

I'll then line my upper lash line with my favourite eyeliner ever; Miss Sporty's 24hr Pump Up Booster Eyeliner and create a small flick.

And to finish coat my eyelashes in the Colossal Volume Express Mascara by Maybelline, a favourite of many!

From Left: Bourjois Colour Boost in Orange Punch, Maybelline Babylips in Cherry Me, MAC Lovelorn

To complete the look i'd take with me 3 different options of lip colours, all extremely hydrating and moisturising.

Bourjois' Colour Boost's are super hydrating and pigmented. Perfect for summer! Orange Punch is a gorgeous orange shade which looks so nice with golden/bronze eye looks.

Maybelline Babylips are extremely popular within the beauty bloggers/youtubers community and i can understand why! Cherry Me is a sheer red lip balm. It's great for young teens who are still in school and want a little colour but not too much.

Finally is my beloved MAC lipstick in Lovelorn. This pink shade is so natural and pretty, it's great for everyday as well as going out. It's a formal feminine shade for people who prefer lipsticks over balms or crayons.

Favourite Summer Nail Polishes!

Now i have finally grown my nails after years of biting them i've become a nail polish addict!

In general i love pastel colours especially pastel blue and pink, so i thought i'd include two blues and a pink!

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint £3.99 -Superdrug     Colour: Sugar Apple

Barry M is my all time favourite nail polish brand. It's products are always amazing and they provide so much variety it takes me an hour just to pick! 

Sugar Apple is a pastel turquoise and looks super pretty especially if you have a tan! If you really like white nails but want a slight change, it totally recommend Sugar Apple.

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint £3.99 -Superdrug    Colour: Dragon Fruit

Drag Fruit is a light pink shade with tiny sparkles in it which give a glossy finish, similar to if you had gel colours at a salon!

Dragon Fruit gives you that girly Barbie-like look without looking tacky. It's such a pretty, feminine colour!

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint £3.99 -Superdrug   Colour: Greenberry

This is a well used favourite of mine, i'm nearly out! 

Greenberry is a bright turquoise which looks amazing when you're on holiday, or going to the beach! It stands out and again looks super good with a tan!

My Favourite Fragrances!

This August i thought i'd share with you two of my favourite scents, a perfume and a body spray.

Passion Struck $14 Vistoria's Secret

My absolute must have body spray is Passion Struck from Victoria's Secret. All of Victoria's Secret's body sprays smell amazing so i would recommend any and i'm pretty positive that they have deals where you can buy 2 or 5 for a certain price!

Passion Struck is created by Fuji Apple and Vanilla Orchid scents. It's a fruity, summery scent which is good for all seasons! And the best part? It lasts ALL day!

Daisy by Marc Jacobs around £40-£50

Whenever i go out for a special occasion like a party, a family meal, or something more formal i love to wear my Daisy perfume by Marc Jacobs. I received this for Christmas and instantly fell in love with the scent! 

I am awful at describing scents so this is what Marc Jacobs describe it as: 

Fresh and feminine, Daisy is a playful bright and alluring scent. Daisy captivates with the luscious freshness of wild strawberry, then blooms with the modern vintage edge of velvety violet petals and finishes with a luminous blend of gardenia and jasmine. The white accords of birch and cedarwood add a bit of intensity.

It's a really feminine and formal scent for any age!

Does It Work: BlowPro Texturising Spray

 BlowPro Texturising Spray £0.70 -Superdrug    GHD Straighteners (really old)

I'm a hater of perfectly pristine hairstyles, i love messy hair with texture! Personally my hair is extremely thick and has a lot of volume naturally but has no real style. I had been on the hunt for a good, affordable texturising spray for a while when i saw this green can reduced to only 70p! 

This amazing spray provides your hair with a fuller, texturised look. I definitely recommend this to people with thin, limp hair!

How To Style:

I normally use my GHDs to give my hair a wavy look. I do this by turning the straighteners one way and then the other to make a wavy/crimped effect.

watch this video to see what i mean:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PjQ29deZUg

I then spray in my texturising spray (onto dry hair obviously) and scrunch it to separate the waves and give it a more bed hair/messy look!

I love this look, and maybe you will too? try it out!

Collective Haul! -Summer 2014

Over the past week or so i have been shopping and bought a few items i thought id share with you.

Shift Dress £8 New Look     Bag £25 Urban Outfitters

These are two of my favourite purchases! I absolutely love shift dresses at the moment and i luckily found this bargain in the New Look sale the other day. The colour is so spring/summer and definitely makes your tan look 10x better! 

This bag is my favourite thing ever! I was on the hunt for a new bag which was made decently and would last me a long time when i stumbled across this amazing leather studded bag in Urban Outfitters in the sale! It a perfect size, especially for college and the beach and just looks amazing with anything and everything!

Kimono £24.99 New Look     Denim Shorts £10 H&M

I think the festival look is really in at the moment and i personally have wanted a kimono for a long time. I think they pull any summer look together and also protect you from the sun; win win situation!

Already i have one pair of denim shorts from Topshop which i have had for around 2 years or so, and i adore them! But i thought i would try a darker shade out for this summer. I really like the rips as i think it gives it a more carefree look and can make your outfit look instantly more interesting. Again i found these in the H&M sale!

Playsuit £14 Primark    Sandals £10 Urban Outfitters

Today i was hunting around Primark and came across this gorgeous baby blue playsuit. I think its such a nice colour for any skin tone, and it's got such a flattering shape! There was also a printed version, of which i think i will be purchasing asap. It was unbelievably cheap and made very well!

These sandals are going to be my holy grail for summer! I recently broke a well loved pair of white sandals that i had owned for years and i was in desperate need for a new pair! White is definitely the 'in' colour for this season and i believe it's an underrated colour; white makes you look way more tanned, and looks super summery! I found these in the Urban Outfitters sale for only £10!

Floral Co-ord £22 Urban Outfitters

To finish i found this amazing floral co-ord in, again, the sale of Urban Outfitters! it was only £22 for both the top and the skirt. I am absolutely in love with it! i think it's so vintage but also really on trend with the pink/purple floral print.

Why Is Peppermint Tea So Good!?

 

Recently i've been trying to go a bit more healthy and by doing so i've had to cut out my favourite drink ever, tea. 

Well... normal tea anyway.

My friend, Beccy, introduced me to Peppermint Tea which i'm not going to lie sounds way to healthy for me BUT as I'm on this health hype i decided to give it a try. At first i totally despised it, but i think it's because I'm a sweet lover and my tea always had about 3-4 sugars in it...

Anyway i made my mum purchase some from Waitrose and have forced myself to drink it every morning to refresh and cleanse my body, and i have in fact grown to love the stuff.

It leaves a real refreshing after taste and makes you feel cleansed and it's actually quite relaxing.

It's very healthy as you only add hot water to the tea bag, no milk or sugar.

And in addition it has soooooo many benefits! 

1. Relieves stomach pains: Peppermint is considered a stomach healer that can assist with irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, stomach aches, diarrhea or constipation.
2. Aid digestion: Peppermint acts as a cooling carminative that helps to relieve pain in the digestive tract by helping gas to move through your stomach and intestines after you have eaten.
3. Relieves nausea, fever and cough: The antispasmodic qualities of peppermint can help to prevent vomiting. The analgesic properties of the tea can help to calm and relax the stomach and intestinal muscles that can help to get rid of irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea or stomach cramps.
4. Boost immune system: Many people consume peppermint tea when they are suffering from the cold or flu because it is full of calcium, vitamin B and potassium that can give the immune system a boost.
5. Reduce bad breath: Those with bad breath can sip peppermint tea to help encourage a more pleasant smell.
6. Relieve stress: The taste and smell of peppermint are known to help relieve stress. Drinking peppermint tea is found to help people sleep more easily at night because of these stress-relieving properties. 
7. Other benefits: Some claim that peppermint tea can suppress the appetite, which is helpful for those that are trying to lose weight. Others think that giving a baby peppermint tea to sip on can help to manage colic. Still others have found that drinking peppermint tea can help reduce the discomfort that is associated with headaches or migraines.

Go grab some peppermint tea and try it yourselves!

How I Got Silver/White Hair!

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                                   BEFORE                                                    AFTER

DISCLAIMER:

This will not work on dark hair, you will need to be a very light shade of blonde like i was.

I have wanted white/silver hair forever and now i have finally left school i decided to attempt to do it myself! The reason i don't go to hairdressers very often is because i never think they achieve the result i actually want. My hairdresser, Louise, actually does get the results i want as you can see i wanted to be a very light blonde and she achieved that (see before picture) but i just genuinely prefer doing it myself as i feel if it goes wrong i can only blame me.

Provoke Touch Of Silver Shampoo + La Riche Directions White Toner

To go from the light blonde i was to white/silver i didn't actually use a 'dye', i used a white 'toner'. I brought this toner online from Amazon.co.uk for around £3 a pot -amazing right?

I'd say i used around 3 1/2 pots as i have quite long hair. If you have shoulder length and thin hair one is probably enough.

Before i did any of this i did ALOT of research, i watched a tonne of youtube videos and read lots and lots of reviews on the toner i was about to purchase. I have intact used Directions before when i dyed my hair pink last summer so i knew it was a good brand.

Prior to the process i did a strand test to find out how long i should leave the toner on.

I also had washed my hair a few days ago so it was in need of a wash. Make sure your hair is product free.

I began by sectioning my hair from the bottom working my way up (like you would when curling or straightening). I used a hair colouring brush (you can buy these so cheap online) and layered on the white toner making sure to evenly cover all my hair. 

P.s you don't need gloves as the toner isn't dye and won't stain your hands because its white.

After i had covered all my hair, i put it all onto my head and clipped it when a massive bulldog clip. The pot says to leave it on for 15 minutes but i left it on for an hour or so because my hair wasn't an extremely light blonde and i also have dark areas as my hair was highlighted.

After an hour i rinsed out the product, i didn't use any shampoo or conditioner because the toner itself is very conditioning, it doesn't cause any damage.

And that was it! i was then left with silver/white hair.

This won't last forever though as it is only toner. Therefore i brought myself some Provoke Touch Of Silver Twice A Week Brightening Shampoo, this stuff will maintain the colour of your hair. 

Its got a strong violet pigment which cancels out any brassiness and keeps the white tone. And it's only £3!

Buy them now:

La Riche Directions White Toner

Provoke Touch Of Silver Shampoo

Prom/Summer Ball Makeup 2014

So i don't know if I've ever said, but i am actually only 16, and therefore have FINALLY finished my GCSEs and completed all of my school years...actually quite upsetting.

Anyway, due to having successfully survived the last 4 years of constant work we, of course, had our end of school prom or summer ball.

(aka dress up and look as good as possible)

Being as obsessed with makeup and hair as i am i of course had to show you what i wore on my face, in my hair, and on myself.

EYES

To begin my makeup i primed my face with my MAC prep + prime which kept my makeup on from about 2pm-3am so it is AMAZING!

Next i primed my eyes with my Urban Decay eye primer (as i suffer from oily skin and eyelids this is an essential for me) which literally kept my eyeshadow on ALL night.

As my primer was sinking in and working its magic i began my eye makeup. I began with the MUA heaven and earth palette (cheapest, best makeup ever!) and picked the first shade which is a light champagne. I put this all over my lid with a flat eyeshadow brush.

I then opened up my beloved Naked palette and took 'Hustle' and placed it in the crease, i then blended this with my insane 217 blending brush (makeup essential!). I then added some 'Buck' to the crease to make the look warmer and blended that again to make sure there were no harsh edges.

To pull this look together, i did a winged liner look with my favourite eyeliner ever; Miss Sporty's waterproof liquid eyeliner (o m g can i just say how I'm so bad at eyeliner yet this makes it actually look okay ALSO its waterproof and with stands my oily eyelids and lasts ages! 

ITS SO CHEAP TOO!)

And finally added some of my favourite Eylure false eyelashes to create to illusion of full, long eyelashes!

i didn't apply any mascara to my bottom lashes at all.

FACE, BROWS AND LIPS

I filled in my brows with the fashionista eye brow kit (i think it has been discontinued unfortunately) and combed through them with a brow set from the Collection brow kit.

Now onto the face! 

I used my Real Techniques expert face brush to apply my MAC face and body foundation all over my face. I then applied a little bit of Collection lasting perfection concealer under my eyes and on any problem areas and blended using my foundation brush. 

To contour i used my trusty NARS orgasm and laguna duo. I used laguna under my cheek bones (to actually give me cheek bones) and then orgasm to create a subtle blush. Then i grabbed my Urban Decay face case in 'Shattered' and used the highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones to create a really natural glow.

To complete and mattify my face i took my amazing MAC mineralise skin finish in 'Light' and powdered all over to make sure i had no flashback in pictures!

And finally lips. I used my favourite lipstick; 'Lovelorn' by MAC.

MY HAIR

So, in my hair i had a headband with gorgeous floral and pearl detailing from Accessorize. I also have extensions in from Sally's which are 100% human hair.

I just loosely curled my hair, teased the crown and gripped it half up/half down. 

MY DRESS!

My amazing (what i like to call) 'Elsa' dress is from a small shop in Brighton, but the original make is Paparazzi by Mori Lee, and the dress is called: 95090 Beaded Chiffon Prom Gown. It actually came in many other colours included a beautiful mint colour!

I don't have a picture of my shoes, but they were platform court heels covered in a sparkly fabric, and they were from Next.

I think overall this look is natural enough for my age, but also enhances my eyes and makes me look warm and glowing without getting that horrible flashback in photos!

Here's some more pictures from my prom :-)

Best Summer Glow 2014!

What does everyone want for summer?... A TAN! 

I have collected 3 different fake tan options for a great summer glow this year. I have purposely picked 3 options with different price ranges so its affordable for anyone!

Superdrug's own Solait Tinted Bronzing Foam

£3.48

I'll begin with the cheapest and definitely one of my favourites. Solait (Superdrug's own brand) have produced a tanning mousse which creates incredible results for only £3.48! Like any other tan a great prep of exfoliating and moisturiser before hand will make it last longer. This tanning mousse is not wash off but will fade without streaking.

Of course you'll need a tanning mitt or glove to help apply this evenly so you don't have streaky legs!

P.s. this is a tan where you need to apply before bed and then wash off in the morning.

Rimmel's Sun Shimmer Instant Tan

£4.65

Carrying on to an affordable buy for everyone, Rimmel have released their instant tan sun shimmer (They have actually changed the packaging to this, but it is exactly the same!). This instant tan is good for when you realise you're a little pale and need to quickly top up the tan. You can purchase this in either a shimmer or matte (i personally prefer a matte tan). As you can see it says it's water resistant, again you can also purchase it as a wash off tan.

This tan is brown gooey lotion which shows you your instant tan, well, instantly! 

It also smells amazing!

St. Tropez Everyday Body Gradual Tan

£9.59

Lastly i have picked the famous St. Tropez. This isn't an instant tan like the others, it is infact a gradual tan. St. Tropez's everyday body gradual tan lotion develops over the period of a few hours, so either putting it on in the morning for a party or leaving it over night you will achieve a great natural looking tan! It comes in either a light/medium or a medium/dark, i got the medium/dark and it still looks natural unlike others which can make you look dirty!

P.s. you definitely need to apply using a mitt or glove as it can become streaky and you won't know as its a gradual tan, therefore make sure you have exfoliated, moisturised and covered the skin evenly to achieve that streak free summer glow!

Squeaky Clean Skin with Elemis!

As a teenager i usually stick to buying the cheap drugstores-own products which i can afford, only now i have realised splashing a little cash can make a massive difference!

Elemis is a well known brand which appeals to an older generation id say, but don't let this fool you! It is AMAZING!

From the picture above you can see a small collection of products i use on a daily basis in the evening and morning to make sure my skin is squeaky clean and prepped for my makeup!

Before using the Sensitive Cleansing Wash i wipe off as much makeup as i can using some kind of facial wipes (usually Simple's oil balancing wipes). I then move to my sink and dampen my face with warm water. I pump a small amount of Elemis' Sensitive Cleansing Wash and rub in circular motions all over my face. The Cleansing Wash has a silky texture and you can almost feel it working in an instant. After i've fully foamed up my face ill wait a minute to let it do its job and then wash off with warm water. This will leave your face silky smooth and clear from any extra makeup!

Next i'll grab a few cotton pads and put a dollop of Elemis' Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser. Gently rub the pad all over your face and you'll be amazed as to how clean and rehydrated your skin will feel.

After this put a few drops of Elemis' Soothing Apricot Toner onto another cotton pad and wipe all over your face, this smells amazing and cools and soothes your face making your skin feel refreshed and clean.

Finally ill moisturise my skin with this amazing little wonder. Elemis' fresh skin Softly Softly Daily Moisturiser is a light, non-greasey moisturiser which leaves your skin feeling fresh. It smells and leaves the skin feeling a lot like tea tree but it isn't.

As this moisturiser is about the size of my palm it is perfect for travelling and keeping in your bag if you suffer from dry skin or just like to moisturise when you are out or travelling.