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Tuesday 28 October 2014

No7 Stay Perfect Shade And Define

Now ladies, you'll all know what I mean when I say 'No7 Voucher'...yup! You've probably got at least two in your purse right now, not to mention the ones that have already expired floating around in the bottom of your bag.

Personally, for a long time I didn't entertain buying No7, I'm not sure why, I guess I saw it as a brand for the more "mature lady." Although in recent times they've really stepped-up their game in terms of variety, colours, products, etc. So, if you hadn't already figured, you can see where I'm going this, I had a voucher and I bought their Shade and Define eyeshadow sticks.



I was actually after a few eyeshadows for either a good base colour, or a very easy, on-the-go colour. I picked up the shades 'Cool Mink' which is a brown,  taupe colour and 'Pink Pearl' which is a shimmery pink.



I was initially a little apprehensive about the cream element, would it smudge, would it last all day? Seriously, once it dries, there is NO smudging these babies, seriously, after swatching them for this post, I washed my hands a few times and they didn't budge, I was so impressed! The stick makes it perfect for quick application and it also comes with a sharpener so you can even use it as an eyeliner.






They are originally £8 each, however with the voucher they are £5, and at the moment it's buy one get one half price, basically you can get two shades for £9, who doesn't love a good bargain!

Have you got any of these shades? What do you buy with your vouchers?

L x


Monday 27 October 2014

Manicure Monday #7

Mani Monday is back! Now I do love a good manicure, but I was giving my nails some much needed TLC after I got my Acrylics taken off - and we all know how ruined they are after those!

Anyway, it's Autumn and I do not need an excuse to wear dark colours on my nails. I absolutely love the Barry M Gelly range and I was even more excited to learn that they have new colours out now, so naturally I had to try them.




I love this colour, dare I say it's a pretty sophisticated autumn colour that isn't your typical Dark Red or Black (which I still love by the way)

What colours are your loving  for your nails this autumn?

 L x



Sunday 26 October 2014

The perfect Red and Nude Lipstick?

I'm talking about the L'Oreal Color Riche Collection lipsticks in Red and Nude. I've been waiting to get my hands on these beauties for a while now but inevitably, whenever I go into boots, they didn't have the shade I wanted. Personally, I was after the 'Julianne' range as her face was the one I could identify with the most: i.e. pale skin, freckles and Red hair - well in my case brunette with a tint of Auburn.


Anyway, when I finally swatched the Red, it scared me a little bit just because it was so bright, a very vibrant red. I'm not gonna lie, at this point I was in two minds about getting it, but it turns out it suits me pretty well - at least I think so!



The nude however is gorgeous. On the website it's described as 'Barely Peach' I'd have to agree it's  super pretty, it has a slight shimmer quality to it, which I love, perfect for effortless daytime makeup.




Finally, the formula is lovely! I'd say it's pretty standard as far as lipsticks go, not too matte, not too glossy, feels somewhat powdery when it's on the lips, the Red especially, but it's not an unpleasant feeling. What I will say though is that the Red is so pigmented that it has a lot of staying power: it stayed on my hand for a full day before fading.



What is your favourite Red/Nude?
L x


Friday 24 October 2014

Travel Beauty Essentials Challenge

I was recently asked to work with SACO on a little challenge that they had running. The rules are super simple; create two looks, one day time and one night time look. Here's the catch...you're only allowed five products!

I was really excited to get involved with this challenge for a few reasons. I love a challenge and on a daily basis and we tend not to count how many products we're putting onto our face - it turns out we use a lot! The other reason is that I stay in hotels pretty often and I either bring what feels like my entire makeup collection, or a few bits that I've just grabbed on my way out the door. Not very organised huh?

So onto the two looks I've created. You'll notice they are drastically different, however I have remained true to what looks I would create for my day/night time looks. What is one persons glam, is another persons everyday, it's all about how comfortable you feel.



Look One
This is a very natural look, one you'd wear in the daytime, out for coffee, maybe some sightseeing around the city. If you're exploring a large city, you don't really want to be wearing a lot of make-up as you'll want to cleanse your face before applying your evening makeup.


...and here's how I achieved it using only 5 products...



1. Apply your favourite foundation, I don't need to tell you how to do this. However if you do want a lighter coverage, mix some with your moisturiser. I used Revlon Colourstay, this is perfect as I don't need to use a powder.

2. Then I applied the blush from my Sleek Face Form, to the apple of my cheeks. From the same palette I used the highlight to areas where the sun would naturally hit; i.e. tops of cheek bones, the centre of the nose, just on the cupids bow. 

3. I like to fill in my brows, even for a day look. I used the matte brown colour 'Bark' in the Sleek Eyeshadow Palette. If you already have fabulous brows, feel free to skip this step!

4, 5 & 6. Now for some black liquid liner, or mascara... wipe the excess mascara from the wand on the back of your hand, take an angled brush and apply as you would your regular liner.

7. Curl those lashes and apply your favourite mascara.

8 & 9. A lip-stain is perfect for a day look, it adds a hint of colour without going over the top and usually means you won't have to touch it up too many times in in the day. Dab your lip colour in the centre of your lips, take your finger and pat it into the lips until you're happy with the coverage.

Voila!

Now onto the evening look!

Look Two




1. Apply your foundation. I wanted more coverage for the evening, and to focus on any 'problem areas' I achieved that by using my foundation brush, then using my finger to pat a little more under my eyes, around my nose and any spots that I had, then blended with a damp beauty sponge.

2. Again I filled in my brows using the matte brown colour 'Bark' from the Sleek Eyeshadow Palette.

3 & 4. I wanted to contour my face more than I would in the daytime, so used the Sleek Face Form bronzer down the sides of the nose, in the hollows of the cheeks and just underneath the jawline. I then then used the highlight and blush exactly the same as in the 'Day look'

5. I used a thin brush just in my natural crease with 'Regal' I then used a fluffy brush to blend that very well. I then went in with the same fluffy brush with 'Conker' mixed with 'Noir' again and blended well. I then extended this colour to underneath my eye.

6. On the rest of the lid I used 'Nougat' as a base and 'Taupe'.

7 & 8. I used the same techniques for liquid liner and mascara as in my day look.

9. I went a little darker with the lips in the evening, but again this is a personal preference but I'll show both looks.


Are you guilty of taking lots of products with you when traveling?

L x




Monday 13 October 2014

How to be body confident


I've seen some statistics surrounding body confidence lately, most I have to say are really rather shocking. Women not going for an interview because of the way they feel about their body! Let me just tell you ladies I've been every where from a size 6 to a 16, so in-case you think I can't possibly relate - I can! ;-)

Ok, so what's the reason?

Others around you have made comments on your appearance

First up, you need to check who you're surrounding yourself with if it's one of your "friends" that has made such comments. Either, they aren't your friends OR they're more likely, in fact, to be projecting their insecurities onto you. A lot of the time, others make comments and assume that just because you're friends, you are automatically ok with what they're saying. If that's the case then you need to let them know and educate them and that you feel hurt by what they said, even if it was meant in good faith. You should find that if they're true friends, they will be horrified and never say it again!

Don't be subject to fad diets
If you're already feeling low, restricting your calories will NOT help: it will leave you feeling worse. Just make wise choices, this way you won't feel like you're on any kind of "diet".

Stop calling chocolate bad
Ok, so this one doesn't JUST apply to chocolate but in fact any foods that are high in calories or sugars, usually considered "bad food". A lot like my previous point, if you tell yourself you CAN'T have this food then you'll probably want it more...am I right?! We've all been there and it goes something like this;

"Today I'm going to eat well, no more chocolate."
You go to the shop to buy healthy groceries...and see chocolate EVERYWHERE.
You feel miserable that you can't have chocolate.
Who say's you couldn't have that chocolate...oh...you did? Don't you sound a bit crazy now, arguing with your own rules?

Do you think this would have happened if you just told yourself you can eat anything you want? Everything in moderation.





Don't stress 
Did you know that stress can actually stop you from losing weight, crazy huh? Cortisol (our stress hormone) is responsible for maintaining our blood sugar levels and insulin helps our cells absorb glucose. When we are stressed, both insulin and cortisol remain elevated in the blood, and the extra glucose is stored as fat - mostly in the abdomen. That's science people, so stop stressing and lose weight - easy!

Focus on features that you DO like about yourself.
Ok, so you might not like your thighs or tummy, but you do have other body parts you know! Usually we only dislike a couple of things such as, "oh I really don't like my tummy" or "I wish my thighs were slimmer."

So, I'd like you to tell me what you like about yourself...and I'll go first! I like my eyes, jawline, lips, my shoulders, elegant hands and the fact I'm really in proportion and tall.



Thursday 2 October 2014

A drugstore foundation, better than Chanel?!

Seeing as autumn is here and that Summer glow feels like a thing of the past, I decided to make a start on shopping for my Autumn make-up.

Now, for all of us pale-skin girls, shopping for foundation can feel like a nightmare...especially if you're trying to shop drug-store. I've found that I always get the lightest possible shade, usually of a very limited colour range, and even then it's just that teeny bit too dark. So you can imagine my surprise when I came across the Revlon Colourstay Foundation. Not only are there 9 shades but they looked great and, as I mentioned before, I immediately went for the lightest shade...and it was TOO LIGHT!



Wow, this was a new experience! So, I opted for the second lightest shade 'Buff', tested it on my jawline and it blended in seamlessly. Now, I have to admit I did feel ever-so-slightly pessimistic about how it would look in daylight, would I still be impressed?! Yes, the shade looked absolutely flawless on my skin. I have been wearing Chanel for a while, and I can't believe I'm saying this but I will be swapping it for this £12.49 Revlon foundation!

Pros:
Lightweight but buildable
Dries quickly
Lasts all day
Suitable for dry skin without looking too dewy
Looks flawless
Good price
SPF 20

Cons:
Only the packaging, it doesn't come with a pump but this is a personal preference

Have you tried this range?

L x