Wednesday, 31 August 2011

August Favourites 2011

Another month where i don't know where it's gone! 
This year is swinging by so fast! 
I've  had a few exciting new things in August, despite being on a shopping ban. In all fairness a lot of the stuff i have aquired this month has been the result of a credit card balance transfer which actually left my previous card in CREDIT!! Red rag to a bull or WHAT!! There were other things i received that i had ordered in July (and so they dont count towards an August shopping ban. HA!).

So here are my favourites for this month. It is not necessarily all NEW stuff, but stuff that I have really been reaching for lately.


August was the month that i FINALLY got the chance to own the Urban decay Naked Palette. Like so many I had been lusting after it for such a long time and when the lovely Ms. Red mentioned that she was planning to sell hers, i handed over my paypal details fast as lightning! And it hasn't let me down. I've really enjoyed using it and there are firm favourites emerging. Naked and Buck are perfect for everyday and Half Baked is just BEAUTIFUL as are Smog and Sidecar. Who am i kidding... the whole thing is FABULOUS! 


There are TWO lip products in this month's favourites. Mainly because i just couldn't choose between the two of them. I have been reaching for one of these two products EVERY day without fail. 

Elf Matte Lip Colour in Natural - I got this as part of a little haul i did from Elf and i love it! Its kind of like a lip pencil and lip colour in one and really does allow for a precise application. The shade is just a lovely natural pinky nude and I bet it would suit almost ANYONE! For a matte product it's not TOO drying, unlike some. I do sometimes pop a little Carmex over it but I don't find it to be an issue. I recommend that EVERYONE pick one of these up next time you order from Elf. At £3.50 it really is a little GEM and comes in a range of colours. 
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in (700) Nude Delight - This has been a feature in my make up bag for several months now, but it wasn't until it went MISSING earlier this month that i realised just how much it meant to me! Off i trotted to Boots to buy a replacement. It's just such a perfect Nude and feels GORGEOUS on the lips. I find it very peachy in tone, which is always a winner for me as i looooove my peachy things. I used this lipstick in my previous FOTD post as well as in my Halo post so if you would like to see what it looks like in all lights do check them out. LOVE LOVE LOVE. 


Rimmel Day 2 Night Mascara - This was a bit of an impulse purchase on my part back in July. I'd popped into Boots with the sole intention of purchasing cotton buds (woooo exciting) but, as usual i entered through the make-up end and was greeted with a £2 off promotion on this mascara. I'd heard good things so i sneakily snapped it up. Great purchase! I'm particularly impressed with the lengthening wand (the slimmer of the 2) because it doesn't pick up as much product and is perfect for bottom lashes as well as a subtle lengthening effect on the top. The fatter volumising wand is nice as well but does tend to pick up a LOT of product. i suspect this will be a mascara that works better as it dries up a little. I really like it. Winner!



I can't do my favourites for this month without mentioning my new Elf Studio Brushes. I picked up the Stipple brush, the Blush brush and the Contour/Crease brush. These have really made my life easier. I'm especially in love with the Stipple brush and it's been BRILLIANT for applying my foundation. The Taklon bristles are VERY soft and because its got different length bristles is distributes and holds on to the product brilliantly and i find i actually need LESS product when i use this brush. 


Last but not least is the new Garnier BB Cream (Medium). I'm not gonna lie, i heard the hype about this product and after playing with it in Boots and putting it back, the next time i went in i just HAD to get it just to see what all the fuss was about. And i do REALLY like it! It makes my skin feel GORGEOUS all day and does actually cover rather well! I find i do need to powder my nose with it as i gives a dewy finish and certainly isn't mattifying but if. like me, you're within spitting distance of 30 and want a product that will take care of your skin as well as giving you the colour and coverage, I'd definitely encourage you to at least TRY it. It doesn't break the bank at £9.99 either. Full review Here 

So those are my little gems from the last month. Hope everyone had a great August and those who went on holiday had a FAB time (JEALOUS!!)

What were your favourites for August? Link me to your posts/videos cos i love reading them

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Friday, 26 August 2011

One Halo that DOESN'T Slip!

I am one HAPPY girlie!!
Since i have been poorly, I have struggled occasionally to find the energy to deal with my very thick, wayward hair. For this reason I made the heartbreaking decision to cut my waist-length hair into a shoulder length bob as it really was a little much for me to tackle when i was first diagnosed with ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia. 
It was a decision i INSTANTLY regretted. My brunette hair had been long for a LONG time and, although i experimented a little with colour to compensate for the change in length, I just didn't feel like ME! 

Fast forward to LAST Friday and I got a little message on Twitter to tell me that i had WON a set of Halo Hair clip-in extensions!! I was over the MOON! I seriously did NOT stop smiling all day!! 


My prize arrived early Tuesday morning.... 5mins before my dad was due to pick me up to take me to my hospital appointment. No WAY was I waiting until i got home to crack that baby open!! And, luckily, I had them out of the box and in my hair faster than you can say ANGEL. They really are THAT easy to apply!!



100% Remy Human Hair!

So what's in the Box???
2 x 3-clip wefts
2 x 2-clip wefts
4 x Single clip wefts
Full instructions on how to wear the extensions
Miniature sizes of the NEW Halo shampoo and conditioner to help you care for your new extensions.

My beauties are the 20" Clip-In set in the shade Dark Brown (no2)
So here's my hair BEFORE these came into my life....


My hair is relatively short, therefore i had worried a little that there would be a definite GAP (only word i can think of to describe what i mean) between my hair and the extensions, and that the result would be a little..... disconnected. Worries unfounded. The way the wefts are applied blends in perfectly. The single clip wefts can be positioned anywhere to hide any bits that 'stick out'. The only thing i will say if you have shorter hair is that you will not get the thickness in the lengths that you would with longer hair, and you may not be able to do some of the hair-ups that you see in the YouTube tutorials. I personally have always had long hair with shorter layers so the finished result for ME is almost as my hair was BEFORE i had the chop!!

So... Colour Match???


Pretty damn PERFECT!!!! I can't tell the difference at all! I guess it's easier to match dark hair as it's only in the bright sunlight that you can see any tonal differences, but even then i haven't found any! Blondes and red-tones might need more careful consideration when colour matching extensions, and if your hair is bright PINK??? Then you will definitely have to face the fact that you will have to DYE your extensions, so make sure you choose a pale shade!

The End Result!!!




I ADORE THESE EXTENSIONS!!! 
And i also ADORE the people at Halo for holding the competition. Make sure you follow them on TWITTER as they hold the competition EVERY Friday!! Tweet them soon because they are also SUPER nice and happy to chit chat away on Twitter. For me this also gives me more confidence in their brand (as if the product didn't speak for itself). They also have a page on FACEBOOK where you can keep up to date on the latest news and read the latest reviews and tutorials. 

The set of Clip-Ins that I have retail for between £44.99 and £59.99 and are available in a great range of colours with a choice of 16" and 20" in length. Also make sure you check out the Halo which is a hairpiece which is attached around the head with a special wire.



For an EXTRA 10% OFF your own Halo I even have my very own discount code especially for readers of this blog which is....

HALOLOVESLISA


Thank you so much to the lovely people at Halo. I've been beaming from ear to ear all WEEK!!!
Stay tuned for more EXCITING Halo news, reviews and tutorials to come on this blog. I also have a special treat for one lucky follower once i get to 200 followers so GET FOLLOWING!!
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Thursday, 25 August 2011

My New TOY!! Ft Diva Pro Styling

Good evening ladies!! 
I swore this week that i would up my game but yet AGAIN I have gone a couple of days without a post. I'm not gonna beat myself up about it (I've had work and hospital appointments to attend which has left me KNACKERED) but I still look at the number of posts for this month and feel a little disappointed. Not least because I have a few VERY exciting things still to show you this month.
And one of those things is this little beauty....

Diva Pro Styling: Ultima 5000 Pro Hairdryer


Imagine my excitement when the postman asked for my signature for THIS!! I was sent this by the company as i had mentioned that, as a hairdresser, i would be VERY interested in trying out some better equipment. I see clients at home and had been making do with a relatively standard, drugstore hairdryer. It's great to finally have a good quality tool like this! 


So here's the vital statistics from Diva....
New ultra slim ergonomic handle
Noise reduction system
High pressure motor system
77km/h
Ionic conditioning for faster drying, reduced static and frizz, for healthy looking shiny
hair
4 heat & 2 speed settings
Ceramic and tourmaline grill
True cold shot
Removable easy clean rear grill
Housing in super-tough nylon
3 metre soft flexible power cord
Available in rubberised black, gloss black, metallic hot pink

I think you'll agree that those are some IMPRESSIVE statistics!! I couldn't wait to put it to the test!! I've been using this hairdryer for around 2 weeks now. 
First thing that stikes you about this hairdryer is that it's PINK!! I am not ashamed to admit that i am one of those girls that likes something even MORE, just because it's pink. It comes in black as well, but give me the pink version ANY day of the week!  

Here's what i LOVE about it....
The airflow is AMAZING and this makes drying time so QUICK!! I also feel like it helps me to control my hair better during drying. From a hairdressers' point of view this is also a bonus as it means less time in the chair for your client. 
It has FOUR heat settings (including the cold shot), which is one of the biggest bonuses for me. I have MASSIVELY thick hair and the cooler setting does NOTHING for me. Whereas I worry that the HOT setting is too hot and will eventually FRAZZLE my hair (especially as i have coloured my hair a few times recently). Its great to have something in the middle. 
It gives my naturally wavy (in a bad way) hair the smoothest finish of ANY dryer i've every used (professional or otherwise). The photos for tonight's post were taken after JUST blowdrying. No straighteners. Nothing else. 


Here's what I DON'T love so much....

I got quite excited when i saw that it had a curling wand attachment. I don't actually have a conical waver at the moment as mine has been loved to DEATH and finally given up on me. I loved the idea that i could dry AND curl my hair in a single step. 
Well i didn't get along with this from the first moment i TOUCHED it. It's almost impossible to attach and remove from the hairdryer (even though the 2 concentrator nozzles provided are no problem to change). So much so that, the first time i attempted it, a portion of the skin on one of my fingers became TRAPPED between the wand and the dryer and I could NOT free it or get the wand off. I now have a lovely scar on my finger after i had to do a-la 'SAW' and rip my finger away from it myself. 
It doesn't do ANYTHING on dry hair.
Using it on WET hair is near impossible as it burns both your fingers and your head after a couple of seconds (I tried it on all heat settings). You'd definitely need to wear gloves. And even on the hot setting the payoff isn't great. This could just be my hair though. It is VERY heavy and thick. 

The Results???


As i said before, these photos were taken after using JUST the hairdryer WITHOUT straightening. My hair is thick and wavy and I would usually NEED straighteners to get a result this smooth. For this I blowdried my hair with the Ultima on the medium heat setting and the highest airflow setting. I used a medium sized barrel brush. The only product on my hair is Moroccan Oil (put on whilst wet). 

The Verdict??
All things considered.... this styling tool is a WINNER for me. From a personal and professional perspective I would recommend it. Its a great tool for stylists and it offers high performance and reduced service times. On a personal note, this would suit anyone with thick or difficult to manage hair who wants more control while styling and a smoother finish. Just make sure you use your regular conical waver/barrel tong/straighteners for curling. I wouldn't want you all hurting yourselves haha. 

The Diva Pro Styling range is available from www.sallyexpress.com and also includes conical wavers, straightening irons and waving irons amongst others. I'm actually intrigued by the waving irons. I've never tried them before. And I'm seriously considering purchasing their conical waver to replace my old ones. The Ultima retails for £79.99

Have you tried any of the Diva styling tools?? What are your biggest issues when styling your hair?? If you have any questions about blow-drying or styling, feel free to comment!!
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Sunday, 21 August 2011

Elf HAUL!!!

Evening girlies!! 
Been gone a couple of days. Mainly due to my health this time. Just been feeling too poorly to blog. A few things have come into my possession over the weekend that I'd like to share with you. This is because on Friday i did an ELF order!! I haven't had anything from Elf in a LONG time and felt it had been way too long. So i thought, "to hell with it", I deserve a treat for getting my place at University confirmed this week so i dug out the credit card and ordered some STUFF!!! 
It arrived the VERY next morning, even though i'd opted for the free standard shipping (order was over £30 - Just). They really are super-quick!!
 I wasn't able to take the photos straight away for this post but i couldn't RESIST swatching and playing around with my purchases so they have been slightly 'disturbed' in the photos haha. Don't judge me, I'm just impatient!! 



The bits i was MOST excited about were the brushes I ordered. I've been DESPERATE for a Stipple brush for a long time now and, at the moment, my budget doesn't stretch to MAC, Sigma or Real Techniques (although I am determined i will own some of Sam's brushes one day). The Elf studio brushes look and feel like decent quality for the price of £3.50. The Taklon bristles are super soft and I can't wait to try them out!! I also opted for a blush brush and the contour/crease brush. 
I also couldn't resist picking up a brush case to keep them in. I'm sick and tired of digging around in my bottomless make-up bag for my brushes. Being organised makes me happy (Virgo, nuff said). I can't wait to let you know what i think of my new brushes!!


I picked up two lip products in my haul. Both of which i had spied over on Natalie's blog BLUSHBLENDBEAUTY 
The first was the Conditioning Lip Balm (spf15) in the shade Mellow Melon


This is a pretty coral/pink colour which i suppose is like a Watermelon shade (hence the name). I tastes yummy too!! Love that it has the sunblock in it too!! Lips feel lovely and soft with this on!

Next was the Matte Lip Colour pencil in Natural...


Not as dark as it looks in this pic, this is a lovely nude pink. I do find it a little drying on my lips (although not as drying as some matte formulas) but its nothing that a little Carmex can't fix. Mmmmmm.... Caaaaarmex :)
The pencil, like application makes it very precise and great for on the go as its hard to go wrong when you apply it. Its like a lip pencil/lipstick in one. It survived my bar shift yesterday as well so that proves its staying power! I've worn this to work every day since i got it so its a WINNER!!

Next up is the BLUSH...



One word.... Disappointed. 
I got the Studio blush in the Shade 'Peachy Keen' as I wanted another peach to compare to my Sleek one. This looked lovely in it's picture but, as is the drawback of online shopping, you can't swatch it. And if i HAD been able to swatch it i would have seen the distinct LACK of pigmentation and put it right back. You can't even see the swatch on my hand, although it does have a lovely shimmer to it (the Sleek one is matte) so could maybe be used as a highlighter. Will have to experiment. 

NEXT!!


Elf Studio Pressed Powder in Caramel...
Again I'm nervous that i can't swatch things when i buy online so i tried to go for the shade that was slap-bang in the middle of the range.  I had worried that Caramel would be a tiny bit too dark, but Buff (one shade lighter) didn't look dark ENOUGH so i went for it. It was a good choice though. It matched up lovely when i swatched it. Haven't put it on my face yet but I'm not worried :) 


Last up I picked up some new eyelash curlers. My old ones got lost in transit when i moved back from Tenerife the last time and I'd just NEVER got around to buying some more. They were a total bargain. If they do the job then i don't care that they're cheapo haha. 

So that's my haul. Picture heavy i know, but i hope you enjoyed looking through my finds! Please let me know if you have any requests for reviews of products from this haul. I have a feeling the brushes will definitely be getting a mention.

Did you order from ELF lately?? What did you snap up??
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Thursday, 18 August 2011

UD Naked Palette: Black & Gold

Evening girlies!!
Since I coloured my hair back to my usual dark brown/black shade (that blonde thing was never gonna last long with me), I've been looking forward to wearing dark, smokey eye looks again. I just didn't feel it went with my fairer hair and had gone for more subtle shades as a result. 
So when i was having a little play around with my Urban Decay Naked Palette today i decided to try and create a darker, more vampy look with it compared to the everyday looks i usually go for when using it (i usually use the neutrals and gold shades). And here's what i came up with!! 


I stuck with my love of gold... but i wanted to create a dark, smokey eye so i went for Creep, which is the darkest shade in the palette. I just love the little flecks of light that run through it. I kept the base of the look gold and went for (one of my favourites) Half Baked, which i put all over the lid. I then applied Creep over the top. I did it that way because i still wanted the Half Baked to show a little through the dark shade. I took Creep out into a subtle flick and finished it with a sweep of liquid eyeliner and Rimmel Day-to-Night mascara.


I did not line my lower lids. However i did apply the same two shades along the very lashline, meeting in the middle. In the inner corners and on the browbone i used the lightest shade in the palette which is Virgin. 



I think this is about as dark as i dare to go so far.... I might get braver over the winter, you never know. I really like this for a summery evening look. It has the dark drama AS WELL as the gorgeous golden shimmer. 
I'm no pro at applying make up so some of you will probably think i've made a complete hash-up of it. I'm still learning. But i like it and it was relatively easy for me to create so maybe others without all the tricks and know-how of an MUA might be able to as well. 

How daring have you gone with the Naked Palette?? 
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Wednesday, 17 August 2011

Stars of Summer 2011 - Lipstick

Evening girls!!
Another LATE post tonight. Been slogging it out at work again. Summer certainly hits hard in Bakewell, especially if you work in the service industry!! Hungry people everywhere you look haha.
Tonight I wanted to blog about something I've been LOVING over the summer and I've decided that, as summer appears to be on its way out and Autumn fast approaching, that i am going to begin a series of posts about the products that I have loved over the last 3 months and just SCREAM summer to me. 

And I'd like to start with MAC Vegas Volt!!


This lipstick is the most PERFECT Coral for me!! It's not too pink and not too red and not too orange. It just seems to be the perfect mix of all three. On the photos for this post i think it looks more pink than it is (and actually looks quite RED in the picture of the packaging above) but i feel that it can change depending on what other colours you are wearing it with and its so wearable compared to other brights such as Morange (which i also love but haven't worn so often due to it's in-you-face-ness). It's an Amplified finish which means it's very pigmented and largely matte but with a lovely creamy texture.




See what i mean about it looking pink in the bright light?? And what the HELL is going on with my BEARD?!?! Looks like I'll be waxing BOTH my lips from here on in haha.

I've worn this lipstick vamped up on my (rare) nights out, as well as in the daytime with toned down, neutral eyes and cheeks. It just makes me feel very summery and i have really enjoyed wearing it. A dusting of bronzer and a bit of gold shadow and you're good to go.... INSTANT summer!! I think i will definitely try and incorperate it into my make up routine all year round. I don't know how my tastes will change over the colder months but at least i know a way of switching on the sunshine (even if it's just on my lips). 

What colours scream summer to you?? Coral?? Orange?? Fuchsia?? 
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Tuesday, 16 August 2011

Garnier BB Cream - First Impressions

Evening girls...
I LOVE impulse buys... well this one was sort of a second-viewing impulse buy really. I'd gone into Boots looking to do away with my No7 vouchers but, as usual NOTHING from No7 catches my eye even with a voucher. It's all overpriced and nothing from the range interested me so i'm saving my vouchers and will buy a stockpile of face wipes before they expire. 
While i was in there I took a second stroll past the display for the new Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector (the BB cream I've heard soooo much about in the last couple of weeks). This time i decided to go for it and it just 'fell' into my basket. Lucky, that haha. Excited to see what all the fuss is about i've been playing with it for the first time today and thought I'd share my first impressions with you....


What Garnier say.....
Discover our all-in-one skincare solution that immediately perfects your skin! The light, non-greasy formula gives an even skin tone with a healthy glow, blurs imperfections and redness, smoothes the appearance of fine lines, hydrates for 24hrs and helps protect with SPF15.
Save time with your skin care: In just one step moisturise, unify and brighten your skin.





What I say.....
The texture of this product is VERY smooth. It comes out of the tube rather thick but is very easy to work with. I used my fingers to apply it to my skin and it glided on easily. 
The colour of the product (i purchased this in Medium) looked a lot darker coming out of the tube than it did once i swatched it. The Fair version (swatched in Boots) wasn't as pale as a lot of products marketed as being for fair skin but it was still just that LITTLE bit too pale for my medium skintone. Please note that i do have a little tan on my hands so the product MAY look slightly paler than it would normally come up on me. 
I applied it as if i would a tinted moisturiser to be used INSTEAD of foundation and I like how it turned out. My skin feels very smooth and has a nice glow to it. It gives a dewy finish and feels super light on the skin. Coverage wise, a little went a long way and it spread easily. 


Here is the finish on my skin. I don't have many blemishes or imperfections on my skin as such but i do have a couple of feint scars on my chin and a few little lines around my eyes (I'm pushing 30 so i'm not doing TOO bad haha). All of this seemed reduced after I'd applied this product. My pores have always been quite visible but I'd say its definitely unified my skin tone. Really evened it out all over my face. In these pictures i am wearing NO other make up apart from the BB cream and a bit of liquid liner. 


I tend to suffer from shiny T-Zone syndrome so for this second picture i had powdered lightly over the product in these areas. I think I'd be quite happy to wear this product daily. It was a pleasure to apply and smells yummy too. I'll be interested to see how it fares with continued use and will definitely update you on it's progress. I've had this product on my face since 3pm this afternoon and my skin still feels silky smooth and it hasn't budged yet. It even survived my nap!!

You might not like this product if....
- You like a matte finish or have oily skin. This product gives a lovely dewy glow (although it works well with a dusting of powder over any oily areas, if you have VERY oily skin you may need a more mattifying product than this).

- You don't NEED it. This product is aimed at women aged around 35 according to Garnier. I'm knocking on a bit and did feel like this product might still benefit me but if you're under 25 then I'd say you'd need pretty blemished skin to actually benefit from using this cream. Those with gorgeous, young, fresh skin should save their money because you probably won't feel the benefits of this product. 

I've heard mixed reviews on this product but I'd say that, so far, on the whole it's a thumbs up from me. I'd happily wear this instead of a foundation for day to day. 

Have you tried this product?? What were your thoughts??
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Sunday, 14 August 2011

NOTD: OPI Pirates pt4 - Skull & Glossbones

I've been MEANING to produce this final part of my Pirate themed NOTD series for you for the last WEEK!! But busy-ness and subsequent ILLNESS have prevented it! I've been struggling to keep up with work lately and as a result have been too tired and useless to even pick up the laptop, let alone write a blog post. I did manage me hair post though and I am also working on a Diva Pro Styling review on the Ultima hairdryer (which i am LOVING by the way) so expect that on Tuesday on my day OFF! 

So here's Skull & Glossbones for your viewing pleasure!!


I love love LOVE this colour!! Not an obvious choice for a summery polish but it really does set off  tan PERFECTLY!! I did find that it is VERY similar to Stranger Tides, except the latter does lean a lot more green once it's applied. In the bottle, however, it's not immediately obvious which is which.  
I have found the mini OPIs to be gloopier than the regular size polishes. Not sure what's going on with that to be honest. It does take a lot more effort to get a smooth finish and I always need to put a topcoat on it. I'll forgive them though. The minis are a great way to sample multiple colours for a bargain price (compared to a tenner per regular size OPI).
I did, the following day have a little creative moment where i decided to pop a bit of the Neon Pink La Femme Crackle polish over my ring fingernail as an accent, just to see what it would look like....


Not an amazing photo and I had been at work so the polish is a little battered (bloomin wire wool scourers in kitchen). But i like pink and grey together and was quite pleased with how my little accent turned out! The La Femme crackle polishes i have were £1 EACH from my local market and I'm having so much fun using them! Expect a post on them in the next week or so! 

To sum up the OPI Pirates of the Caribbean collection I've really enjoyed these colours for summer and i will continue to use them throughout the year i think. Skull & Glossbones and Stranger Tides are my FAVOURITES of the 4 just because they are so different to any polish i would usually choose for summer and they have really pleasantly surprised me! Don't know why i haven't tried these colours before because i LOVE greys and khaki greens when choosing clothes and the colours REALLY bring out a tan! 
Planks a Lot and Sparrow me the Drama are also such PRETTY colours! I do not own another pink or purple polish like them! The tones are just lovely. VERY pleased with my purchase of this collection! I will be treating myself to some full-size versions in the near future!

What did you think to the OPI Pirates polishes?? Which other colours should i be searching for that i didn't receive in this set?? 
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Monday, 8 August 2011

IT'S BACK!! AOTM - August 2011

JOY!!
I've finally got a replacement iPhone!! Okay so i've officially DOWNgraded from the 4 to the 3g but I really wasn't getting along with the Blackberry i had and feel much more comfortable with an iph0ne in my hand. I hope the lil thief who took my original iPhone from the college salon is happy with her de-activated, blocked BRICK. I adored that phone.
So, now, after a 2 month gap since i started my....
 Beauty App of the Month 
series, I can finally get back with my second pick of the most GORGEOUS apps on the web!! I do try where i can to find apps that are also available for the Android market so, even if you do not use an iPhone, I may feature an app for you  in future AOTM posts so don't despair!!
This month's AOTM goes tooooo.....

Marie Claire Beauty Genius!!!

^^ Click to view in iTunes ^^

This app is brought to you by Marie Claire magazine in association with Bobbi Brown and offers celebrity trends, step by step make up and hair tutorials and up to the minute Spring/Summer looks available to download to your iPhone. Every product used in every video is listed with the option to save as a kind of 'shopping list' for reference. 

Pros...
Once you have downloaded a featured video it remains available to watch as many times as you like without having to download again. 
All of the looks are EXTREMELY wearable for Summer
All the latest catwalk plaits and hair trends
So many Celebrity tips and tricks! 
Provides all the links to Bobbi Brown, Marie Claire Website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube profiles.
You can email requests for looks you want to see added to the app.
Easy to navigate with a high quality user interface
The tutorials are easy to understand and follow

Cons...
It features, almost exclusively, Bobbi Brown products and doesn't offer alternatives (i know this is because the app is endorsed by BB but i, for one cannot afford their products)
You need a GOOD mobile internet (or preferably wifi) connection to be able to use the app. It can be VERY slow or just not work at all if network connection is dodgy. 
The music played with the videos is sooooo ANNOYING!! 

The app is FREE and the iTunes store rating for the current version is **** up from *** for the original version (they very recently updated it). To view it in iTunes and read further reviews click on the picture above. 

So until next month... Hope you enjoyed this Beauty-on-the-Go type review. Can't believe how relieved i feel  to have an iPhone again! Missed my apps!!
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Friday, 5 August 2011

I finally got NAKED (with Urban Decay)

Good evening my lovelies!!
I have an apology to make to you all. I have been away from my blog since MONDAY, which is the longest i've been quiet probably since i started this page. My reason is that work (and indeed, Bakewell) has been CHOCKA this week with tourists clamouring to attend Bakewell Show this week. A lot of rushing around has been done and I've, honestly, been just too EXHAUSTED to blog by the end of each day. I've hardly even touched the laptop. I'm also pleased as punch to return to find i have new blog followers! Thank you for following girls and i will do my best not to disappoint!
 So I'm very very very sorry girlies and I'll get on with this post now....

I GOT ME A NAKED PALETTE!! 
I'm aware that Naked Palette posts are ten a penny at the moment but this isn't just ANY Naked palette... It's MY Naked palette and I'm DESPERATE to share it's prettiness (even though you've probably all seen it a MILLION times before). 


Isn't it pwettyyyyyyyy!!!! I've been after one of these for AGES and when the Lovely Ms Red mentioned that she wasn't getting along with hers i jumped at the chance to own it and handed over my paypal details without hesitation. 
The colours in this palette are just so beautiful and I totally believe the hype on this one. They are a perfect mixture of matte and shimmering shades that can be worn every day or glammed up to the MAX!! A couple of clear favourites emerged straight away in Sidecar and Smog along with the GLISTENING Half-Baked. The matte shades are so wearable too for daytime (even in my job) or as a base for the other colours. I haven't played around too much with it yet as i am hoping to document my adventures with this palette in further posts. I hope you will enjoy seeing what i can create with it because the possibilities are ENDLESS!!


This palette comes with a miniture version of the trusty Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (affectionately nicknamed UDPP by my lovely tweeps), which i am also loving, and a great quality brush. No useless sponge applicators with THIS baby! I just can't tell you how pleased i am with this item! 

I'm not going to go into major detail on this palette as yet as i intend this post to be, mainly, an interlude to my further experiments with the colours. Hopefully now it has calmed down a little in Bakewell i will have more time and energy to get back to normal as far as my blog goes. I have really been trying to stick to my pledge to blog every day (when possible) and I've been lagging this week. Well, NO MORE I tell yee!!

Do you own the Naked Palette?? Which are your favourite shades?? What looks have you created using them??
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Monday, 1 August 2011

Another Bargain Market Haul!

Evening girlies!
Sorry this is another late one again!! Truth is i got a little caught up on ebay bidding for a new (ish) iphone to replace my stolen one and, it took a while, BUT I got one! Woohoo!!
I tweeted earlier that I'd had a VERY good day for bargains today. Monday is Market day is Bakewell (i prefer to call it IDIOT day usually cos it brings out all the stupids) and the make up stall is HUGE!! 
I AM embroiled in a bit of a spending ban this month (yeah Im not doing very well on that am i) but that is A) to allow me to purchase the new iphone - CHECK, and B) so i can save up for my birthday Meadowhall binge in September. Todays haul, however, i don't think counts as i received my tips from work today and EVERYTHING you are going to see on this page tonight came to a total of less than £12!!! 

Think i did quite well!!

So here's the Haul....
W7 Powder Blush in Baby Pink
Revlon Creme Shadow Quad in Va Va Bloom
Royal 'Lashed Out' black Eyelash Adhesive
3x La Femme Crackle Nail Polishes in Orange, Gold and Pink
Ancient Wisdom Pure Essential Oil - Sandalwood
Random no-brand Contour/Blush brush

 Can't wait to play with these!! They look sooooo summery! Will definitely do a post with these. They look like they could make some SERIOUSLY funked up nails!!
I've not really tried creme shadows before (not sure why as I've nothing against creme formulas) but these were £1!! And the colours are so lovely! Purples tend to make my green eyes really go POP!
How PRETTY is this blush!! I was trying to walk past the stall altogether but this JUMPED out at me! I haven't got a really GIRLY pink blush like this and as it was ALSO just £1 i had to have it!! Can't wait to see what it looks like on my face! 
Lash glue.... what can I say, it's black lash glue. Yeah. So thats that......
I'm a big burner of essential oils and I use Sandawood A LOT as it relaxes the arms and legs. As an ME/CFS sufferer this really helps in helping me relax in the evening. This was the most expensive of the bunch but totally worth it. 
TWILIGHT SAGA!! Totally un-beauty related and don't count towards breaking my spending ban as they were purchased on WEDNESDAY but i only got them today. You'd think 3 for £5 was awesome enough BUT as I'm mates with the manager of the store I got them for £1 EACH!! Yeah so they didnt have the first one in stock but... that wasn't my favourite anyway haha. 

This was an inexpected haul but TOTALLY worth the TINY amount of money i spent on it all!! I've felt so ill today due to the heat and as i had a busy weekend I've been in pain most of the day too but this has cheered me RIGHT up!! Result!!

What bargains have you got recently?? Are you a market stall digger like me??

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