Festive Make-Up! Look 1

This time of year it's all about sparkle and shimmer.  I'm fully in the festive spirit!  So I shall share a few festive make up looks to go with Christmas.  I'll start off nice and subtle. Every look will become more dramatic but in keeping with the festive scene so expect to see lots of glitter!

Look 1 

When you think "purple"  you think  " bruise" - that really doesn't have to be the case.  Below is an example of a shimmery purple look that does not look like a punch in the face...unless tinker bell punches with a fist full of her magic dust, then maybe this would be the result!

With the flash.

No flash.

What I used :

• Urban Decay eye primer potion.
• Ben Nye Eye shadow in Vanilla  - all over the lid, up just past the crease of the eye socket. (base colour)
• Nars eye shadow in Daphne  - all over the lid.
• Bobbie Brown shadow palette  " Black Ruby Sparkle Eye Palette"  using three colours Pink Rose - dusted over all over the  lid on top of Nars Daphne.  Black Ruby - Outer corners and lower lash line  and Crushed Silver -  inner corners and brow bone.
• Ben Nye eye shadow in Pearl Sheen ( favourite silver eye shadow!) for  inner corners.
• INGLOT eye shadow  498 ( black shimmer colour) to line the lash line top and bottom.

These Bobbi Brown shades are best used as a ' top layer' shadow, you will need as base colour ( I chose Nars Daphne ) as they need a bit of a boost, add to any look and the shimmer is amazing! 

http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/product/2300/19481/Gifts/Simplify-Organize/Palettes-Sets/Black-Ruby-Sparkle-Eye-Palette/FH11/index.tmpl

If anyone has any requests for make up looks please let me know!

Cleansers - Liz Earle, Elemental, Shu

So I can admit,  I've only just  recently started to get into a really  good skin care routine for myself.

I turned 25 in September and now I'm petrified I may wake any day and find that  I have turned into a prune!!

 

PRUNE.

(Potential me......or what my thumbs resemble when I've been in the bath too long.)

My Skin..

Can be oober sensitive when it wants to be and very much more on the dry and red side.. oh and hello pores.

Life style wise..

I don't smoke,  I do love the sun but I'm that lady with the pair of shorts covering her face by the pool,  always wearing factor 50 on my face and a high factor on the rest of me.  I drink very little alcohol, apart from if it's on a night out with the girl's to have a bit of a boogie,  even then sometimes no drink. ( Speaking in the last two years, in my hay day was a bit different!)

Liz Earle


Cleanse and Polish

I have been using Liz Earle for many many years.  My Mum is a huge fan of QVC and that is how she learnt of the now famous Liz Earle Skin Care range.

I'm a big fuss pot when it comes to things stinging my eyes.  Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish I can say does not.

I like the muslin cloths as you can really see how much make-up/dirt is being cleansed away.  I tend to carry on cleansing until nothing is rubbing off onto the muslin cloths so I know my face is definitely clean.

It's also amazing to take face paint off  (  if you have kids and have a battle with scrubbing away the favourite Tiger face...this will be gentle on their skin and a lot faster than a bar of soap!)

Great for all skin types and all ages.

Also really good value for money starting from £13.75 - bargain!

http://uk.lizearle.com/

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish will always have a place by my sink but recently my eyes have wondered....

Elemental Herbology

( I will be mentioning this range in another few posts too.)

Purify & Soothe

Facial Cleansing balm

It says on the tube to pay special attention to areas of congestion. I get breakouts like most ladies in that special period of time.. . (har har ).

I had a bigger breakout one month and decided to use a different cleanser, after a few days of using this it seemed to do the trick and clear the nasties up!  If you have a severe case of acne consult your G.P and do a little more research on the brand to see if it suits your skin.

The balm made my skin feel really hydrated and I noticed a difference after just one use!  To take off the balm you need to use a muslin cloth.

If you have dry, sensitive or mature skin this is a good one to try.

One of the ingredients is marshmallow!

Priced at £28

Have a look at their website. - Had a good review from Vogue recently!

http://elementalherbology.com/

Shu Uemura


Skin Purifier

Having used a creamy cleanser for so long I was dubious trying an oil.

If your going to try something for the first time you might as well do it right! Voted number one cleansing oil the Skin Purifier is a good place to start.

You spread  the oil all over your face and eyes on dry skin, then add water which turns in into a milky consistency.  The directions say to rinse with warm water but I still used a muslin cloth which worked wonders with this product.

The day I decided to use it I had a full whack of eye makeup on. One pump and a rub all over my eyes.... my make-up had disappeared!! I did a double blink in surprise! There was no stinging sensation either(yey).  Two more pumps for the rest of my face and neck and I was done and clean!

The price is steep at £56.50 but that's for a 450ml which looks huge! £28.00 for 150ml.

It's moisturising  and full of anti oxidants and a good choice if you have ageing concerns.

http://www.shuuemura.co.uk/

I do not recommend mixing all three of these cleansers together. Try one product at a time or your face will get very upset with you!

Curly Hair Bumble and bumble, Pantene, John Frieda

How I achieve my curls...

SCRUNCH SCRUNCH SCRUNCH

1) I always wash my hair with my head upside down! - This gives my hair volume at the roots!
2) I brush my hair with my 'TANGLE TEEZER' when washing it,  mainly combing through the conditioner.
3) I don't wring out all the water after rinsing as it makes my hair  frizz!
4) I try and have a warm towel at the ready ( either fresh out of the old tumble drier or from the radiator ) and start scrunching my hair with the towel and occasionally  using my hands to scrunch too!
5) I add a small amount of Bumble and Bumble's  'curl defining creme.'  ( not at the roots).

http://www.bumbleandbumble.co.uk/hob/index.tmpl

6) I then let my hair naturally dry for about 5 - 10 mins.

7) Scrunch again with the warm towel ( does not matter if it is a little damp).

8) Then I add a tiny little bit of  mousse. - ' Pantene Style PRO - V  Perfect Curls'. Not applying too much or my hair will dry hard, which is really not the desired effect!

( Available at any Boots store)

I then leave it alone and let it dry naturally.  If I'm in a hurry, or I have to go outside and I'm not driving, I will use my diffuser for 5 - 10 mins constantly changing the direction of the hair dryer. - and yes I scrunch when doing this too!

If my hair is looking particularly dry on the ends I add a little of 'John  Frieda - Sheer Blonde Gleam Creme' adds a lovely shine! 

(Available at Boots)

Scrunch :  continuously grabbing fist full's of hair in an upward motion. (just in case)

Leave in Conditioner for Curly Hair - Bumble and Bumble

Curly hair  can be a nightmare if not maintained ... If I do not brush it enough  my hair starts to resemble dreadlocks - I kid you not.  I end up in all sorts of trouble especially if it's been slept on!  So as I said brush brush brush!

I don't often use a leave in conditioner but I have found one product that I can recommend!
Bumble and  Bumble ( such a cute name!)

This link goes straight to the curly section.
Look out for the ' Curl Conscious Defining Creme '
At this moment in time the website states this product is sold out! - I'm not surprised!
When using this product my curls really do look a lot more defined ( in a good way ) and feels super soft!

http://www.bumbleandbumble.co.uk/products/65/Products/Curl-Conscious/index.tmpl

I've actually ran out of mine ( hence no photo)  and the bottle has gone with the bin man already, its on my list of re- buys!
It's priced at around £21.00 it's good for coloured hair too! - yey!
Also sold at Amazon Space N.K and John Lewis.

I haven't tried the rest of of the curly products but I am keen to!  Has anyone else tried the Bumble and Bumble range and can recommend anything?  Or any other curly products?  Please let me know as I would love to hear!/read about it!

Hair care! OJon, Fekkai, Tangle Teezer

So, I'm going to start from the top down!  At the top... is my hair (I'm not wearing a hat or this post would have been about that!) so hair is what I shall talk about!

My natural hair colour is a light brown/dirty blonde shade.  I do colour it to look more of a beach blonde!  I've been every colour you can think of from black, red, purple and even green! ( green was an accident,  an unfortunate case of too much chlorine on holiday and not enough protection ( my hair was bleached white blonde before it happened!)

It's spiral curly that drops rather than tight curls that defy gravity!  Here's a photo of me on a night out sporting my head of hair!

Maintaining one's head of hair...

Ojon Hair! ( I pronounce it ''Oooh Jon!''). This is a ' Pre - Cleansing Treatment' - preps hair for cleansing and conditioning.  I use this once a week to give my hair that extra bit of hydration ( like a hair mask).  The tube says to leave it on for 5mins,  I tend to leave it on a little longer if I'm having a bath!  Then I comb through and  follow with my shampooing!

Yes I quite agree it looks like a small turd (unfortunate colour..the tube is brown what should we expect?)

It actually smells like caramel and chocolate!! ( ahhh better explanation of the colour!)

It's a little bit expensive mainly because it's a treatment  at around £30.

Look out for the range on QVC ( link below) you may find some better deals, shampoo products will be cheaper! This range is also sold in John Lewis!

http://www.ojon.co.uk  ( official site)

(QVC link to Ojon Hair)

http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.html/params.file.%7Cframes%7CClasFrameU185,html/walk.yah.UKHB-U185?cm_mmc=Google-_-Beauty-_-Ojon-_-hair%20ojon&source=searchignite

Fekkai!

I am in loveeee with this shampoo and conditioner!

I actually look forward to washing my hair now!  I've always gone for a shampoo to 'add volume' or 'add shine' never really a colour care range.  Oh how wrong I have been!

I find more expensive hair ranges do not 'lather'' up compared to the standard shampoos on the market, this one is in the middle on the 'lather Richter scale'.

The smell is amazing!  A floral clean smell.  There is a lovely waft of it when you're washing , then it stays on when your hair has been dried and styled!

Then the conditioner... when you're rinsing your hair it feels transformed it feels sooo smooth and soft!!

I can see a huge difference in my hair either when curly or blow dried.  Since using this range it has a glossy shine and feels amazing to touch...not forgetting the yummy smell too!

The shampoo and conditioner is priced at £20 each.

Sold at House of Fraser, Amazon, Space NK and QVC to name but a few!

http://www.fekkai.com/

If I have my hair curly I brush it when I wash it! I tend to comb through the conditioner but avoid the roots.

I end up with better looking curls and more volume at the roots rather than if I brush it before I dry it ( either with a diffuser or naturally).

Recently I have been using a little gem called 'TANGLE TEEZER''.




 

My hair is prone to knots and horrids so this has saved my scalp a whole lot of grief!  It Manages to get  through all my knots almost pain free, also it  doesn't feel like it's breaking my hair like some other brushes do!

I have a mini version which I have for my kit! Priced at £10.20.  You can purchase an array of fun colours in the 'original' on the website.

http://www.tangleteezer.com/

This has been my very first post! Next post will be how and what products I use to style my hair either curly or straight!