Just Like A Star ... NOTD

Friday 30 September 2011

I'm really excited to show you what I've done ...

I'm wearing false nails for the first time EVER!! Can you believe?! Haha.



As soon as i saw these Paris Hilton by Elegant Touch falsies i knew I'd have to give in to false nails. I first saw these in Tesco's while on my lunch break and ooh'd and aah'd over them for a further TWO months before finally caving and purchasing them.


before ...

I have quite weak nails that are prone to splitting, I also have quite a hands-on job at times so my nails are always getting caught on things. For these reasons i never wanted to try falsies as i thought a) they would make my poorly nails even worse and b) they wouldn't last long and just rip off while working.



One top reason that helped make up my mind about buying these nails was the introduction of Nailene Ultra Adhesive Tabs that claim they 'will not damage natural nails!' (Super sticky, clear stickers that lay on top of your natural nails and you simply push the fake nail on top of that - no glue!)


I have to admit the Nailene Ultra Adhesive Tabs were really fiddly to apply - as mentioned above they are super sticky - great for holding the false nails but i got myself into a bit of a muddle so the tabs did not end up neat at all! I was a bit worried this would muck up the application of the nails but it all turned out ok, phew! (I should've snapped some pictures of this but by this point i just wanted to speed through the rest of the process as i was getting flustered, ha)

The nails in question are called 'Party Girl' and they are super cute clear nails with black, gold glitter and grey 'slicks' in one corner and a super emo star outline in the other. So me!!


Overall i was really impressed with these nails and the little adhesive tabs - i especially like that by using the adhesive tabs i can reuse the false nails again and again - bargain alert!



Paris Hilton by Elegant Touch false nails retail at £6 and can be found in Tesco's, eBay and various online outlets.

What do you think of my first foray into false nails? Have you tried these or the Nailene tabs?

xoxo



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The End of Summer ...

Thursday 29 September 2011

The day before i went on holiday this little package arrived for me to firmly install my holiday mood and set me up for the summer fun times ahead ...


I won Charli's Aussie-versary Giveaway and was so happy i got to add another bottle of Aussie Miracle Moist to my collection.

I love love love Miracle Moist products and chose the 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner as for some unknown reason i have failed to spy this on the shelves of Boots!

I was pleasantly surprised when i received my little bundle as it came wrapped in a luxurious gold envelope and was filled with a whole bunch of goodies; Aussie flip-flops, a pair of Rayban-esque sunnies, popping candy, party poppers, a cute golden heart sparkler and of course the 3MM in a limited edition bottle.

My hair is in desperate need of some TLC after the scorching sunshine, seawater and chlorine - I'll be hitting the Miracle Moist big time tomorrow :)

And before i go....


Here's a snappy snap of me enjoying said sun and pool - chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool on a rubber ring ... Jel?! haha.

xoxo

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Best Blog Award ...

Wednesday 28 September 2011

The lovely Rosie @ The Budget Beauty Book has awarded me with the Best Blog Award - thankyou so much!

I love Rosie's blog - she's a girl after my own heart with her barginous ways and creative, DIY items :)


 
The rules:

1. Answer the following questions ...

2. Mention and link who passed you the award ...

3. Share 7 facts about yourself ...

4. Award 15 blogs ...

The questions:


What is your favourite colour? Black/Grey

What is your favourite song? Right now; 'I Still Believe' - Frank Turner

What is your favourite dessert? Chocolate sponge with chocolate custard

What's pissing you off? Facebook - so much so I'm seriously considering disabling mine for a while

When you're upset you ... Listen to Gallows

Black or white? Black

Biggest fear? Sequins!

Your best feature? Eyes

Everyday attitude ... Glass half-full ...

What is perfection? Shantel Vansanten - stunning!

Guilty pleasure ... Towie, Keeping Up With The Kardashians ...

7 random facts about me ...

1. I feel naked without my biker boots and leather jacket :(
2. I enjoy an afternoon nap on a Saturday
3. I rarely eat breakfast 
4. I dream of owning a Chanel bag - I'm planning on how i can save up for one while moving out at the same time :/
5. I've already found my wedding dress and I'm not even engaged!
6. I hate big dogs!
7. I haven't dyed my hair since July! *Thank god for John Frieda's Go Blonder products*

Passing on the award to ...

All my followers - send me the link to your posts as I'm nosey and want to see all your answers :)

Thanks again to Rosie - you have to check out her blog :)

xoxo

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Ahaha What You Laughing At? ... FOTD

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Virtual *high-five* to whoever guesses what song the titles from, lol

Here's a FOTD from Saturday day/night. We went to a comedy club in Greenwich for a friends birthday, to be honest it wasn't all that although the last act was pretty funny.




I did a quick smokey eye look with a pinky-brown cream pigment from Illamasqua and an indigo-purple powder shadow from the 17 Vintage Love palette. I finished the look with a hot pink lips - I'm finding myself grabbing this lipstick more and more for a night out these days - totally rocks up my look!

I couldn't actually decide what eyeshadows i wanted to use so i made the bf pick two colours - i was pretty impressed, i think he chose well :)


Concealer: Witch Anti-blemish Liquid Concealer - 02 Medium
Foundation: Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation - 021 Nude
Blush: MAC Sheer Tone Blush - Pink Swoon
Powder: Collection 2000 Pressed Powder - 10 Daydream
Eyeshadow: Illamasqua Cream Pigment - Delirium and 17 Vintage Love Perfect Pastels Palette - Indigo Purple
Mascara: MaxFactor False Lash Effect - Waterproof Black
Eyeliner: Barry M Kohl Eyeliner - Black
Eyebrows: ELF Treat and Tame - Light
Lipstick: 17 Lasting Fix Lipstick - Pink Power and a slick of clear lipgloss


So there we have it, a simple pimple FOTD.

What do you guys think of this look? Impressed with the bf's colour choices?!

xoxo


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Eyeko London Lips Lip Gloss * Review*

Monday 26 September 2011

So just as i decide to review Eyeko's London Lips Lip Gloss the brand have a huge makeover and discontinue a whole bunch of their products! #sigh

I received this as a free gift when i placed my first Eyeko order and was sent the 'Shoreditch' shade which is a lovely reddy-pink colour.



Eyeko's London Lips Lip Gloss has a really sweet scent and taste, almost like Refreshers (remember those fizzy little sweets!?)




The product comes in a compact, clear plastic squeezy tube which is decorated with Eyeko's old-style branding and London tourist sights like a London bus, Underground signage, Union Jack and more.



London Lips Lip Gloss has quite a thick, gloopy consistency and is also rather sticky - usually qualities i despise in a lipgloss but i really do like this product. It's a lovely rich shade, which is buildable; slick on a thin layer for a nice sheer hint of colour or layer it up for a pop of red/pink tone.



I've had the product for about 6 months now and use it 3-4 times a week.

Eyeko's London Lips Lip Gloss is long-lasting and the colour stays put for hours!

They previously retailed at £5 - I'm hoping Eyeko will reintroduce this with new branding in the future as I'd like to pick up other shades.


Have you tried any of the new Eyeko range? What do you think of their makeover?

Don't forget if you purchase anything from Eyeko you can use my  Ambassador code when you checkout to receive a free gift: E14935 :)



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Holiday OOTN ...

Saturday 24 September 2011

Yoohoo! I'm back from my summer hols, how are you all?

I had a lovely time, relaxing by the pool with a cocktail in the searing heat :) Will post a little holiday diary for you soon, bit hectic at the moment though.

Today I'm sharing a quick OOTN from my hols ...






Dress: Select (about 5 years ago!)
Skull ring: Primark
Skull scarf: Primark

I was pretty impressed with my hair on this particular evening - i had it tied up in a messy bun on top of my head all day by the pool and when i released it i had nice subtle waves! I just sprayed on a bit of Umberto Giannini's Backcomb in a Bottle and voila!



FOTN:



Eyeshadow: 17 Eye Dazzle - Gold
Mascara: Maxfactor's False Lash Effect Waterproof - Black
Blush: MAC Sheertone - Pink Swoon
Lipstick: MAC Viva Glam Gaga

What's the goss girlies? What have a missed? :)

xoxo

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Guest Post: Cat Litter Face Mask ...

Tuesday 20 September 2011

Hola Senoritas

I'm so excited to bring you today's post by Rosie from The Budget Beauty Book. I'm an avid reader of Rosie's blog, she's a girl after my own heart with her cost-saving ideas and budget buys and below we have a super unique DIY face scrub for you to try ...

Hello lovely people!

I was so excited when Kirsti said she was looking for people to write some guest posts for her while she was away, I’ve been a lover of her blog for some time now so this is so lovely for me!

For those of you who don’t read my blog I basically set out to find the cheapest ways to make myself look and feel beautiful. So I thought I would share with you one of my newest DIY face masks that is making me all giddy and excited!

I recently ran out of my clay face mask and as I’m doing Project 10 Pan I couldn’t go out and buy a new one so I set out to find a way to make my own without spending too many pennies.

So what are we using as our clay you may ask? Cat Litter. Yes you heard me right. Cat Litter.  Before you get all grossed out and stop reading let’s hear some science stuff to help explain….

Cat Litter is made out of a type of volcanic clay called Bentonite. This clay is hydrophilic which basically means that it loves water! It therefore has a negative charge so it draws all of the gross toxins in our skin, so when we remove the clay it takes all of these things with it leaving skin purified and detoxified. Convinced yet?

This mask is amazing for all types of skin as it can visibly help reduce acne, wrinkles and the size of pore amongst many other things! But it is particularly good at helping combat oily skin. You must be convinced by now?!

So here we go! How to make your own cat litter face mask….


You will need:

Unscented Cat Litter

A Glass of Water


A Tablespoon


A Bowl


Any Additional Oils e.g Olive Oil, Lavender Oil (Optional)


1.       Place 2 tbsp of Cat Litter into your bowl, if there is large grains in there it may be a good idea to break them down slightly. This can be done by taking your spoon and pressing down firmly on the litter with the back of it.


2.       Start to add water a little at a time. The clay can take up large amounts of water so it’s important not to do this too face to allow this to happen. We want it to have a muddy consistency, don’t be afraid to have a little excess water in the bowl, that’s a good thing!


3.       Now you can add any extra oils or the like to your mask. I personally add a little olive oil and few drops of lavender oil. Be sure to mix it all in well after!


4.       Now it’s time to apply the mask! Remove your make-up, wash your face with warm water and pat your face dry. Now apply the mask evenly all over your face and leave for 15 minutes until it dries. Wash it off and VOILA, super smooth and amazing skin. Not what we would expect from cat litter eh?


So there you have it, something a little different for you all.

Thank you so much for letting me write a post for you Kirsti!

* A massive thankyou to Rosie - who's gonna try this? *

xoxo

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Guest Post: Spice Up Your Everyday Eyeliner Look Tutorial ...

Sunday 18 September 2011

Hey ladies! How's it all going? I am now midway through my hols (here's hoping I'm not burnt to a frazzle!) Today we have the gorgeous Lyuba from Funky Makeup Junkie who has a fab post waiting for you ...

Spice Up Your Everyday Eyeliner Look Tutorial

Hello Everyone, 

I'm terrible with introductions! So I'm Lyuba from Funky Makeup Junkie and just like my blog name suggests, I love everything funky. ;) However, I realize that not everyone likes to wear bright makeup on everyday basis, so today I'll show you how to add a little somethin-somethin' to your everyday eyeliner look. This way you can have a touch of color, but without going overboard. 


1. Start with prepped eye. 

Prep your eye area as you would usually do and apply a little bit of UDPP to your lid, or any other primer that you like to use. 


2. Apply any dark eyeliner you like. Here I'm using my favorite GOSH Long Lasting Eyeliner Pen in Brown. Don't worry if it doesn't come out perfect right away, play around and more importantly practice because practice does make perfect! :) 


3. Take any bright opaque eyeliner and paint a (think-ish) line from the center of your eye until (about) the corner. Follow the outline of your base eyeliner, and make sure to stay inside the base eyeliner! You can use any shade you want, as long as it's opaque enough to cover the base eyeliner. Here I'm using Wet n Wild Mega Liner Liquid Eyeliner in Turquoise, but I also think it would work with any red or gold eyeliners. Experiment! Have fun with the color combinations. 



4. Take the accent eyeliner and draw a thin line right under the "wing" of the base eyeliner, making sure you follow the outline exactly and extending the line a bit. 


5.  Apply your favorite mascara. 


6. Don't forget to do the same thing to your other eye, preferably at the same time. If you do both eyes at the same time, you will have an easier time making it all look uniform. 



7. Finish up with your favorite gloss or lipstick, put on your pair of glasses and you're done! 

I hope this tutorial inspired you to experiment with your everyday eyeliner. Don't worry if it doesn't come out perfect the first time, just keep practicing and have fun and you will get there! :) 




* Thanks again Lyuba, i will definitely be trying this out when i return :) *


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Guest Post: Viva La Vivo ...

Thursday 15 September 2011

Aloha dolls! Hope you are all well?

I am currently sunning myself on a beach in Corfu with a cocktail in hand (jel?!) Today i am leaving you in the capable hands of Sam from The Beauty Diaries. Please do check out her blog if you haven't already, it is amazing - i have much admiration for this girl :)

VIVA LA VIVO
Hi there everyone how are you all? My name’s Sam and I write reviews on cruelty-free beauty products. I’m really excited to be guest posting for Kirsti today as I’m reviewing some products from brand new range Vivo Cosmetics (yes they’re cruelty-free, which makes me happy!), who are being hailed as the ‘MAC of supermarket make-up brands’. I also love their tag line ‘Alive with colour’ and their products certainly look very sleek and chic in the press release, another bonus is the price range, which varies from around £1.50 for eyeshadow to £6 for a baked shimmer eyeshadow palette. Not bad in my opinion! So let’s take a look at what they sent me shall we...
As you can see I’ve been sent a liquid liner, a lip gloss and a foundation to review. I’m especially excited about the eyeliner as I only have 1 other liquid liner, so it will be great to see how this one compares

First up, I tried the foundation; called ‘Toast’ (or shade 4), which is way too dark for me, so I tried it on my sister who was willing to be my guinea pig lol. I have to admit I’m not too keen on the consistency, it felt quite thick and sticky when I was applying it to my sister’s face, which she did agree with (see image below). It also doesn’t dry very quickly, as it did wipe off on her fingers after a couple of minutes. So I would probably recommend a setting powder to help last that little bit longer! That said, when looking at the ingredients I notice there are no oxides, like Titanium or Iron, which means no ghostly white faces when photos are taken with the flash (i.e. on a night out with the girlies), this is a huge thumbs up as far as my sister is concerned as she loves to wear fake tan but hates how ‘luminous’ her MAC foundation makes her look in pictures




Considering this foundation is only £2.59 I’d say this foundation isn’t too bad, especially if you like a lot of coverage! I personally don’t, so will be donating this to my sister, who even though said it felt thick, I think she will love the results it gives in pictures when the flash is being used
Next up I’m looking at the eyeliner, and this has really impressed me. I’m always worried that liquid liners with a thin brush instead of a ‘pen-like’ end will be more difficult to control, but this was so easy I literally drew this line within a matter of seconds. It’s also perfect at creating that beautiful pin-up flick at the end a la Dita Von Teese! As you can see it’s a real raven black so gives a very dramatic effect even when a thin line is drawn. Plus it doesn’t sting like a lot of ‘cheaper’ eyeliners do so I’m really impressed by that. It’s a mere £2 as well so I know I will be buying more when this baby runs out!






And finally we have the lip gloss, which is a diamond sparkle is Sheer Spice’ (or shade 3). I don’t know about you but I much prefer when products have names to describe their shades, I hate all this shade 1, 2, 3 malarkey, it feels lazy to me. Anyway, the thing I really like about this gloss is it has a brush applicator on the end, which actually feels really lovely on your lips, and makes application so much easier and softer. It’s a gorgeous sparkly berry shade so perfect for a night out due to the amount of sparkle to it. I personally couldn’t wear this to work though – bit much! It is really hard to squeeze out of the tube so be prepared for a bit of a workout there! Once it’s on though it feels soft, smooth and glossy without any stickiness or tackiness, and if there’s one thing that puts me off glosses, it’s the tackiness on your lips!! Even as it wears off there’s no stickiness at all. The glosses are only £1.50 each too







So there we have it; my first impressions of Vivo cosmetics. Have any of you used this range yet? If so what are your first impressions? Do you think it deserves the nickname it’s been given as the MAC of the supermarket? I think I will be able to get a better view when I try more of the range out. It was released on the 1st and is exclusive to Tesco, so I can’t wait to raid my local store.

Thank you again to Kirsti for having me guest post, it’s been a real honour as it’s a fantastic blog! Thanks again for reading, and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
xoxo

* Thankyou so much Sam, i thoroughly enjoyed reading this post :) See you all soon *


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