Awards 2014 - Beauty watch

This time of year means one thing, awards season...NTA's, Golden Globes, Grammys and lots more. 

This is just one of the times in the year my eyes are peeled for make up and hair looks on gorgeous celebrities.

Here is a collection of some of my favourite looks from 2014's award season...

Favourite beauty looks...

I have to say I'm not much of a Rita Ora fan, but this look at the Grammys deserves some recognition, I adore this type of make up.. A deep smoked out purple eye, matte clean skin and blanked out lips with a slight pink tinge. Also loving the retro curls.

Giuliana Rancic is one of my favourite faces, I love the emphasis she always puts on her eyes and lashes, this look isn't too far our from her usual but ties in perfectly with her outfit.

I don't think she needs any sort of introduction, Mrs Carter chose a midnight deep red with blue undertones to really finish off her outfit. I don't think this look would have had the same effect with her previous longer locks.

Kelly Osbourne went for lots of lashes and slick black liner with a berry lip - her skin looks flawless!

Ciara was glowing with this bronze look, her hair was simple, a tucked under messy bob. Just the right amount of glamour to go with a stunning dress and cute baby bump. 

Rochelles hair at the NTA awards looked gorgeous, full of volume yet sleek and tousled. 

The Wolf of Wall Street actress Margot Robbie was simply stunning at the Golden Globes this year, the low bun was perfect for her look.

Least favourite looks...

Alicia Keys' look was quite the disappointment, she went for the understated soft brow, soft eye, neutral lip, her dress really did say enough but I really did want her make up to say a lot more,... though I can't fault her signature hair style, a curled quiff mohawk.

Katy Perrys make up is always on my favourites list, her skin is always glowing, however her hair in this look is the reason she is on my least favourites list.. 

The dress she wore said so much, I really think a simple loose bun would have worked better than this towering up braided bun, if the bun was somewhat smaller I would say it might have worked too.

There was quite a theme across all the ceremonies when it came to the beauty side, we saw a consistent make up trend with good skin being the common factor. We didn't spot too many celebrities far from their usual comfort zones.

Some more glorious images...

Which was your favourite celebrity look?

xXx

Emergency - Make Me Up

I work down in the City so during the Olympics I've been getting to work at 7am to avoid the rush, which has meant waking up at 5am! This partly involves looking like a zombie all day, to save time in the mornings and give me more time to sleep I have quickly been putting my mascara and base on and then doing the rest on the train. Yes, I have become one of those girls you end up watching on that boring journey whilst they battle a moving train with lipstick in their hand.

So the reason this post is called 'Emergency' is because in my morning rush I actually FORGOT my make up bag at home! I was having palpitations until I realised that I could  pick up some bits from Boots on my way in..There is a very large Boots in Liverpool Street Station which has all the beauty counters.

So after completing my journey nearly make-up less I went in and picked up these bits, I thought there is no point picking up expensive products which I already have sitting at home so I would just pick up some 'drug store' cheaper things.

For some reason this picture did not want to rotate!

This lot came in under £15, which may seem a little steep for drug store products but the reality is that's how much this stuff costs. You are only going to find something cheaper by hitting the bargain brands like MUA ect. 

The bronzer by Bourjois claims it has a chocolate scent which to me sounds awful, I mean I love chocolate but don't want it on my face! I find that the colour range is sometimes way too light for me with drug store ranges but this works really well and surprisingly smells divine!

I picked up a couple of Kohl liners as I usually smudge them out along the top and bottom lines so I don't need eye shadow.

The Rimmel blush is lovely, would definetly recommend it, I like light blushes which create abit of mess - the powdery type, purely because they blend nicely - probably the reason I like mineral blushes so much too.

So in the end Boots saved the day and my face was restored to full make up glory!

xXx

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair #bbloggerspost #beauty #skinrepair

This product is like air to me, I cannot go without it!

It is a repair serum that I swear by, it closes up my pores, speeds up the recovery of imperfections, and generally clears up and repairs the skin from pollutants and sun damage.

I apply it morning and night before my moisturiser without fail. If I  am having a bit of trouble in one particular area I will concentrate on it and apply more there and I'm always a bit more generous when applying it at night because I know my skin will really take to it.

If you hav'nt tried this before, I would go to an Estee Lauder counter to talk to someone who knows the product inside out, the counters don't tend to have samples of Night Repair which is common with the brand, I was once told it's because the products are so well established they don't need to provide samples..believable but come on, everybody likes a free sample!

Did you know: MAC is owned by Estee Lauder?

Beauty Tip: If you are lucky enough to have a Sephora near you or know someone who is flying to a country who does, the store give you little testers of any product you like! Yes, any product so go wild!!! :D 

The bottle retails at £50 for 30ml and £65 for 50ml..I stock up when I'm at the airport. Luxury product for a luxury price but well worth it.

Holy Grail Product by far!

xXx

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar

If you're a lipstick lover, or can't stand having bare lips, then lip tars are a must for your collection..

OCC stands for Obessive Compulsive Cosmetics...If I were to ever create a make up line this would be the perfect name! Love it. 

OCC don't stock the usual pretty reds, pinks and nudes, they deal with the much more racier colours like purples, greens, and blues. However, I chickened out a tad and played it safe with a subtle pink shade.
 

Momento was the first lip tar to my collection, but I have plans to expand..believe it or not!

Your probably thinking that there is more product in this tube than anyone could possibly need, but the reason being..OCC have developed these tars for mixing, and depotting..the idea is that you experiment and create your own shade with one, two or more shades. 

Application: You need to use this with a brush, WARNING-Do not attempt to apply straight from the tube or you will be sorry and there will be a lot of wasteage!

You literally need a DROP for your whole lips, it is unbelievably pigmented and that's what this product is known for. 

It goes on like a thin matte gloss but dries to a satin finish like lipstick.

The staying power is about 5 hours, which is very impressive and all the colours have a refreshing peppermint smell to them.

Lip Tars are free of parabens, cruelty free and 100% vegan...can't say that about many products these days can we?!

Product Summary

Overall - 100% Opaque colour, it applies quite thinly and spreads well. Best used with a brush.

Best For- On its own for a block of colour or under a lip gloss

Availability-
 LoveMakeUp.co.uk £8.99

Debenhams Oxford Street

The Perfect Blow Dry

I just overdosed on a fix of the Pixiwoo Blog [Link], and had to share something I read with you..

Personally, I don't tend to blow dry my hair much but I know that we women are always looking for a way to replicate the same glossy, inch perfect hairstyle that we only seem to get after spending a bomb in the salon.

Are you one of those people who tries to make your salon perfect, fresh, blow dried hairstyle last longer than it really should because you can't bare to wash it out, knowing it will never look like that again? (My hand is raised!)

If so, then you need to watch this video. It's a video from the YouTube channel of the world famous Gielly Green Salon and it shows how to create the ideal home blow dry for volume that will knock your socks off!

Okay, who else thought the crazy head of tissue looked really funny?..Saying that, it was so easy and you don't even need to splash out on rollers..all you need is a brush, heat, kitchen tissue and a finishing oil..See my Moroccan Oil post [See Link] for the Argan Oil Fred mentions.

My two pennies worth is that the perfect blow dry like anything needs to start with a good base- the shampoo..you will need a shine enhancing light shampoo that doesn't weigh the hair down and so, allows lots of volume to be built. 
So say bye bye to the arch enemy- damaging backcombing!

xXx

New Brushes! Real Techniques

Have you ever watched a Pixiwoo video?
Don't know what I mean? Get onto YouTube now and type them in..if you subscribe I guarantee you will be addicted!

Pixiwoo consists of two very talented and very pretty ladies...Sam and Nic.
Last year, Sam launched her new line of brushes and they have gone viral! Since watching the first video where she introduced the brushes I have had them on my 'To buy' list and I have seen them in practically every video I have watched since, I've noticed the US are crazy over these brushes!

So this Christmas I asked for them and my sister kindly bought me them..It is clear to most that visit my bedroom that I have a thing for collecting make up brushes. I don't know what it is, I just need to have two of everything, let's face it washing brushes isn't the most glamorous of jobs, and we've all had the moment where we reach for one and it's dirty...in comes the second brush back up..see, always handy to have two (there's me trying to justify my obession).

Back to the brushes- which I love, I chose the core collection which includes four core brushes, believe it or not!

-Lip brush
-Contour brush
-Buffing Brush
-Pointed Foundation brush

I prefer to use a buffing brush for my foundation. Prior to discovering the Real Techniques buffing brush I was obessed with my Sigma F82.  [See Post] I feel like the F82 is alot denser than the Real Techniques brush, so it has taken abit of a back seat when it comes to my everyday routine.


I wouldn't say the foundation brush in this kit is ideal for foundation but that's what I love about brushes, you can adapt them to your use. I use this for dabbing on under eye concealer, or for a highlight on the cheekbones instead of for foundation.. I think it's purely down to the surface area..I'd be there doing my foundation all year with this brush.

The Countour brush is great for getting under the cheekbone and hitting the temples.

The brushes are synthetic and not real hair, which is great because it means they won't start to malt if used with liquid products.

That's Sam on the back of the box!

The kit came with a cute little brush holder which will be great for travelling..it's so annoying when your brushes go out of shape or the bristles get caught in the make-up bag zip!

Do you watch pixiwoo on YouTube? What's your favourite pixiwoo video?
xXx

Morroccan Oil Tame your unruly locks @hqhair

There are alot of opinions on Moroccan Oil. Moroccan oil the equivalent to Argan Oil which comes from Argan Tree fruit -which as the name reads are grown almost only in Morocco. The oil is used as a lavish moisturiser for the skin and hair. 

The reason I say there are many opinions on this product is because it's not 100% Argan Oil and that has put some people off, 100% true Argan Oil is available to buy and some do find great results, but Moroccan Oil have used the Oil with some similar Silicone based ingredients to what John Freida's Frizz Ease has to develop a bespoke hair product that I now won't live without.

The Oil comes in two types; a light version for those of us who have normal or thin hair, that starts to look greasy often and needs a wash more than three times a week. Then there is the normal version which is for everyone else, I fall under this bracket as I can get away with washing my hair around 3 times a week as it doesn't look greasy, that might be down to the fact that it's jet black!

I use it on every other wash just when my hair is a little damp but not soaking wet. The reason I don't use every time is only because I usually wear my hair curly and I find that if it's too silky smooth the curls don't sit as well...But that's just down to personal preference. Alternatively you can use a little to tame those unruly fly aways and finish of your look with a glossy shine.

The oil comes in an amber glass bottle, which for centuries has been used to protect the contents, preserving the life of the product. You may find perfumes oxidise and turn a funny colour after a while, and this is usually down to too much exposure to sun light...which an amber bottle avoids.

This stuff smells divine! It's doesn't reek of perfume, but it smells just sweet and fresh enough to leave your hair with a nice scent, perfect for those L'Oreal moments.

Consistency is relatively thick when pouring or pumping it out of the bottle but once it's in your hands rub your palms together and warm the product up, this will help spread it evenly over the hair and also thin it out abit so you don't get left looking greasy...Saying that this product really does soak into the hair very well..I have fallen victim to putting too much on in one area, my hair was freshly washed so I freaked out but after a few minutes you wouldn't have been able to tell because it all soaked in completely!

As someone with thick curly and wavy hair I can definitely recommend this product, I think it's even better value for those of us who buy those little bottles of John Freida frizz ease, this will last you much longer and do a better job!
 

Product Summary: 

An extremely light formula that seeps into the hair leaving no residue

Great for -Those looking for a deep conditioning or who want to add shine or tame a few fly aways to finish their look.

Availability - Hqhair.com 100ml / £30.45

Lush Cuticle Balm- Lemony Flutter

I first read about this cuticle balm on Emilys Nail Files, I use Olive oil as a cuticle oil at night and an Avon Lavendar Cuticle oil on the go.

Cuticle oil is a must if you want healthy nails. If you are going to be pushing them back as preperation for working on your nails, the oil will help make it easier and protect them from damage which could stunt the growth of the nail.

I'm not usually a lover of a Lemon scent on my skin, although I don't mind it in my salad.
Lemony Flutter isn't the kind of Lemon that reminds you of toilet cleaner, it's a much more subtle and bearable scent.

 
The consistency is a little strange, its a mousse like texture but a little grainy at the same time. The graniness disappears once you've rubbed it in, and it leaves an oily moisturised feeling all round. The girl at the Lush store said you can use this all over your hands or your elbows and knees, she even said that she used it on her face too but I won't be going that far.

Even after washing my hands a few times I can still smell the lemon on my hands and it's actually quite pleasent.

I would probably use this more so at night, only because the tub is a little big for what I would usually keep in my handbag and the consistency is not that practical. I can't see myself loving an oily mobile phone, which is what would happen after using this.
As always, you get alot of product in Lush Tubs, this tub will last me absolutley ages as you only need a very small amount each time.

xXx

@Illamasqua Medium Pencil

Say hello to the alternative open eye white waterline look.

Lining your waterline with a white khol liner can give the illusion of more white space in the eye which will make eyes look bigger.

My problem is that as I have jet black lashes it just looks really obvious that I am wearing a white liner. Anything that is supposed to be an illusion shouldn't be obvious, but hardly noticeable.

So as usual I got researching into a colour that would best suit the colour of my eyes and waterline.

Mac have a pro Chromagraphic pencil in 'skin' colours that match the foundation shades, so NW25, NC35 ect, but I found this so hard to get hold of. So I turned to my trusty Illamasqua. I found out that they have a similar product (Yipee!) so I headed down to my nearest store on Beak Street (Flagship Store).

Unlike most make up brands, Illamasqua realises the importance of being able to multi task with one product..as much as I might be a tiny bit of a make up hoarder I still like to know I'm spending wisely!

The medium pencil is really quite clever, certain products are reccomended for use only in certain areas. 

This pencil has been designed for use all over

I love their packaging!

How I use my Medium pencil:

Highlight the brow bone

Highlight the inner corners of the eye

Highlight the cupids bow - I love doing this when I have a nice lippy on!

All over the lips as a base for a dark or bright lipstick to make it 'pop!'

On the waterline for a wide eye look

Or in true Illamasqua style you could use if to create a bold look for your alter ego ;)

Medium Pencil in Vow

xXx

MUA mini shop with MAC Dupe!

Hello you lovely readers!

I havn't posted in a while, I've had alot going on..some good and some bad so I havn't felt like blogging, and to be honest it is harder than I thought to get back in the swing of it.

That aside, I made a little trip to Superdrug a few days ago, I think I'm not the only one that does this..I say 'little' trip but I always end up spending so much more than expected when I only went in for cotton wool!

However, my MUA purchases were beyond a bargain, and for that reason I couldn't resist.
MUA - Make up Academy is a budget beauty brand that has recently launched in the UK. I've read quite alot about their products, budget brands can usually be a bit hit and miss with the quality of their products but nothing I have read has led me to believe this.

I'm an absolute fan of Carly a.k.a Glitterdollz7, she did a review/dupe comparison of a MAC eyeshadow with a MUA eyeshadow and since then I've wanted to get my hands on it! I managed to pick it up this time round.
The eyeshadow is called Pearl 12, if you do go to get this check the label properly because I noticed a mistake, some were called Pearl 11 and some Pearl 12, Pearl 11 was more of a silver whereas Pearl 12 was the two tone one I wanted.
It's a gorgeous mixture of bronze, silver and subtle shimmer and it applys very smoothly. 10/10 from me.

Next, I picked up an eyebrow pencil, I prefer a thinner pencil but for just £1 I thought it was worth picking up. It is a pencil on one end and a brush on the other which is so handy becuase it means I don't have to carry a mascara spooly to brush through my brows, this sort of thing would normally retail for £3-5 with other high street brands. The colour was great, I have black hair so I always pick a dark brown

Lastly, I picked up a couple of blushers at £1 each..Bargain much! I needed a compact blusher to pop in my handbag for touch ups during the day after I was heartbroken to find my last Estee Lauder blusher had crumbled into a thousand bits, and it was a limited edition..sad times. 

Moving on, these blushers are very pigmented and are quite powdery, I usually prefer a mineral blush, but it's nothing a good bit of buffing  with the leftovers of your foundation brush can't fix.

 

So there you have it, my little MUA fix, I'm very pleased with all my purchases. The major plus point here being the price, for a pound you just can't go wrong..Who doesn't want make up for £1?..All the more money for that handbag you have your eye on ;)

Is there a product from the brand that you love? Let me know because I'm looking to pick up a few more bits.

xXx

Estee Lauder Makeup Artist Collection only £50!

If you love make up as much as me you will literally be drooling at the thought that everything in the image above can be yours for only £50 when the RRP is over £300!! This offer is so tempting it is truly dangerous..

Estee Lauder have launched this Christmas offer once again. Amazing value and amazing products, can you tell I am just in awe at this selection of gems?

The kit is available at £50 only with the purchase of any Estee Lauder fragrance.

(If you are buying online, don't forget to add it to your basket for the discount to be applied.)

This gorgeous kit includes: 

-Eyeshadow Compact with 18 shades

-All-Over Face Compact

-2 Pure Color Gloss'

-3 Pure Color Long Lasting Lipsticks - Full Size

-Sumptuous Bold Volume™ Lifting Mascara -10-day supply; in Black

-2 Artist's Eye Pencils - in Soft Smudge Black & Soft Smudge Brown

-Gentle Eye Makeup Remover - Full Size 100ml  
(This is my go to eye make up remover, love it!)

-Red Cosmetic Traveller 

It's coming up to that time of year where I'm trying to avoid buying gorgeous things like this for myself because I should be buying for others, but it's just so tempting. The good point is that because you have to buy a fragrance in order to get the huge discount on the kit everyone wins..fragrance for her, make up kit for you! ;)


Are you as tempted as I am? Let me know..x

xXx