A Perfect Example of Doing Your Own Wedding Makeup

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What a beautiful bride and what a beautiful day it has been. 
I have to say I've spent most of the day watching the live coverage of wedding and looking the stunning images online, which I really didn't expect to do. However the whole wedding was such a beautiful affair I couldn't not and definitely something to remember for decades to come! 

However as I'm sure most of you have been doing the same as me, I thought I'd focus on  Kate's stunning wedding makeup which hasn't been spoken about that much compared to that amazingly beautiful wedding dress. 

So after all the rumours and most people thinking it would turn out to be un-true, she did in fact do her own makeup for her own very special Wedding Day that over 2 billion people viewed from all over the world! Which I find just amazing! That someone with access to the best of the best would decide to go it alone and apply her makeup by herself! 

This has definitely made me feel even more positive about doing my own makeup next year.

 
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So what did she go for!

Well as you can see slightly more tanned than afew weeks ago - but in a subtle glowing way. Also it seems that she neatened & darkened her brows slightly which definitely frames the face and gives a more 'put together' finished look. As for the cheeks I'd be tempted to say she was wearing a cream blush by Mac...but who knows! Either way it's a lovely rose pink shade that I personally think suits her alot more than her everyday blusher style. 
On the eyes it looks as if she was wearing a soft grey smokey eye with abit more definition than she would normally go for in the crease. Sadly though the bottom black liner that she normally wears is still there - which I'm tempted to say it slightly too harsh and would of been much softer if blended out slightly. For on the lips a lighter gloss than normal that finishes off the look beautifully. 

On the whole a stunning look for the beautiful Duchess of Cambridge.

However she was not without a prior help from London-based Makeup Artist Arabella Preston who gave Kate Middleton afew one-on-one trails to perfect her look and technique before the big day! 

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This definitely came as a nice surprise to me as Arabella Preston did the makeup of Cherry Healey; a wonderful TV presenter and writer that I absolutely love.

But something that impressed me even more - Arabella also writes a blog and even talks about high-street makeup! It's called A Line on Beauty which you can have a read of here. I'm also very tempted to book my own wedding makeup trail with Arabella as I do plan to do my own, next year in San Francisco, plus she is very affordable! 


As for Kate's Manicure...

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It was kept very simple with a manicure from Marina Sandoval who created the £36 'signature manicure' on the brides nails - consisting of a luxury soak, exfoliation of the hands, a deep tissue massage and finally a file, buff and polish. The actual polishes used were Bourjois Rose Lounge and Essie Allure to create a perfect light and subtle pink polish

Two shades that a bound to sell out within the week, I'm sure! 

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I don't think there is much else to say, except that I do hope it encourages more and more brides to be to do there own makeup and feel confident and proud! 

With that I shall leave you with a tweet from Face atelier early on today! 

From @FACEatelierCosm - Apparently Kate did her own wedding makeup. We certainly hope that this doesn't start a trend!!! ;)


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Welcome To The Beauty Sin Bin!

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Everyone has beauty product regrets but what happens when you purchase makeup on a weekly basis? 

You develop a beauty sin bin for all the lost causes! 

For me these are stored in a Keds shoe box, a No7 brow essentials box and a pretty Molton Brown box with a silver clasp, all in the back of the wardrobe.
I actually feel abit guilty on the rare occasion I bring out the boxes to see the light of day, in hope to re-discover a product I've maybe overlooked or use to once love. I mean surely they could go to a better home than just be sat in a box - but to be truthful I'm sick of using eBay and a blog sale seems too much hassle with how many products I now have. Plus I really don't want any money for the items! 
I guess it all feels rather indulgent to have discarded products stored away doing nothing and basically highlight how materialistic a love of beauty can be! 

Seriousness aside here is what residues in the depth of my wardrobe!

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Jelly Pong Pong Shadow Taffy - This is just one product I don't feel remotely guilty about even though I love the kitsch packaging! I've tried to love it but the shades are just stupid eyeshadow shades, I mean really who wearing bright pink eyeshadow and the product just doesn't last as it's so creamy.

NYX & Barry M Pigments - These on the other hand - Oh so guilty. I mean just look at the beautiful shades, so pigmented and perfect. But I'm just sick of the fall out and getting them everywhere. Really think I may be better parting with them on here as a set to rid me of the guilt! As I know they could be so much more loved and used in ways that I'm not skilled at. 

17 High Gloss Nail Polish in Real Romantic - Boring, boring, boring is all I see when I look at this shade. It reminds me of a shade my nan use to wear once she entered her 80's. Enough said I think.

Natural Collection Cream Blush in Rosy Pink - Another bland product that I actually had high hopes for sadly. It just blend out to nothing and doesn't add anything to the cheeks at all. 

Nail Rock Designer Nail Wraps - This is a product that I'm more annoyed at than anything as I really did think it was such an excellent idea. Little did I know how hard they are to apply and keep on! I've tried afew times but I've always had to cut them down to size and they just end up looking rubbish and almost wavy at the tip of the nail.

Benefit Justine Case - I actually re-purchased this last year so I must of loved it at some point hey! However the foundation is way too dark for me (and cakey), I also don't find the little tube of Eye bright does anything. The lipgloss is just about ok and the Benetint is the only star of the show. I think I must of got sucked into the wonderful packaging with this one! Definitely need the new 'Finding Mr. Bright' kit in my life though.

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Bobbi Brown Lengthening Mascara - For me this is a very standard mascara that really isn't all that special. Hence when it got throw into the box of doom to never be seen again. I just have way too many mascaras I do love! 

Bourjois Little Eyeshadow Pot in Argent  - I do love so many of the Bourjois pots but this is a shade that I just don't like. Way too much fall out and silver just isn't my shade. If you are wondering why I bought it, it was actually part of a set so again I don't feel guilty about this.

Pixi Beauty Sensual Smoky Eyes- This looked so promising when I first started my obsession with eyeshadow. However the lighter shades are really chalky and the darker shades are chalky and too chunky so create some major fall-out! Also hate the cheap packaging for the price.

E.L.F Complexion Perfection Powder - I do generally like Elf product but this product actually does nothing for me and I mean nothing. You are supposed to swirl your brush across all the shades and then sweep into to face and I personally see NO difference to my skin at all. 
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Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse - I had to include an up close image of this as really it reminds me of a sand pit for teeny tiny Borrowers! I mean just look at it... that isn't foundation. The application is so cakey and basically rubbish on me. Just shocking to think this is the lightest shade they do as well! 
Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish! 
Sorry Maybelline... I do love your new Drama Gel Liner though. 

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Soap & Glory Bright Here Bright Now - Hmmm a product I can't explain why I don't like really. I did use to like it in the depths of winter when I had a cold... in the same way I love Vicks Vapor rub when I have a cold, it made me feel more human. But in the light of day with a clear head this is a pretty rubbish moisturizer with a zingy smell and a tiny bit of shimmer. A pretty weak product compared to some of the other Soap & Glory products I've tried and loved.

MUA Matt Eyeshadow Shade 16  - You can't really grumble at a product you only spent £1 on, however I'm going to. I mean some of the pearl shades are actually outstanding for the price but this is just rubbish! Chalky with rubbish pigment and it really reminds me of an eyeshadow I use to own when I was 13!

Barry M Blue Glitter - There's actually nothing wrong with this, at all. But I just can't find an occasion that wearing blue glitter nail polish would seem or look normal! The Red glitter however is another story - love it! 

Benefit Bad gal Eyeliner - Again there is nothing wrong with the product, it's just not for me. Way too soft and the point isn't precise enough for anything other than using of the waterline which looks way to harsh on me plus it doesn't stay for more than 30 minutes before migrating to my tear duct, lovely. This needs to go to a good home I think.

No7 Cheek Tint in Clove - Another boring product that makes me want to yawn just looking at it. The shade is so bland (haven't a clue why I chose it) and if that wasn't enough it applies un-evenly unlike the other shades in the range. Maybe it's off? I don't know. But what I do know is it's too bland.


Do I still feel as bad for all the un-loved products I've collected over the last year? Kind of but at least I know it's for valid reasons. 

Watch this space for a mini blog sale in the near future maybe...

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Bourjois Rouge Hi-Tech Lip Tint Review

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Me and lipstick just don't get on - my lips are often dry so I always opt for lustre's or crayon style lip colour. However as soon as I eat or drink they disappear. To solve this I've tried long lasting formulas but they are just too dry and make my lips dry out even more. 

Is there a solution to this? No. However I feel a stain is half way to solving the problem when I'm sick of wearing lip gloss or lustre formulas that wear off. Of course stains cling to any dry areas on the lips so it's crucial that I remove all the dry skin with Blistex and a Cotton bud. But once the stain is on it lasts and it doesn't add to the dryness and I also all apply a lip balm over the top!
 
My stain of choice has to be the Bourjois Rouge Hi-Tech Lip Tints 8.5ml which use to come in a wide range of shades but not so much now as I don't think they ever became that popular. Boots still do stock them in afew stores and online here for £7.29. But I personally think this is on the pricey side (even though these will last you forever & a day) however lots of discount websites such as Cheap Smells £3.99 and Fragrance Direct £2.49 sell them in a wider range and at a discounted price. 
 
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As you can see I own two of the lips tints - Cyber cassis and Praline digitale which I've had for around a year now and have used up very little even though I do use Cyber cassis quite alot.

The packaging is exactly like the Bourjois Shimmer Shine eye shadows (which I also really love) as they are both water based products and I actually think Bourjois have done pretty well on the packaging front as these haven't dried out in the slightest and are still very liquid based. However the plastic packaging shade definitely doesn't represent the shade inside quite could be misleading if you don't swatch them - however be warned they do stain the skin when swatched!!

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Application 

As you can see the stains definitely give a bitten lip look and just deepen your own natural lip colour slightly and give a bit of vibrancy. My lips above are afew dots of the stain blotted out with my finger though it is buildable if you are patient and let each coat of stain dry between application. 
I have to say the doe-foot applicator isn't helpful as you really can't get a neat application with it, which is why I resort to using my fingers and just blotting it out. 

The other major benefit of these if it already hasn't popped into your head is that they can be used on the cheeks as a cheek stain. Now they do work well however it can be hit and miss especially if you apply it in a rush (like I have done afew times)! These dry really fast and then just don't budge as they have already soaked into the skin, basically staining it, so only foundation really can cover up any errors. So I always apply a drop of this onto my index finger and then work it in really quick before it dries. 
Again the stains last all day even in hot weather - but they do take some getting use to!

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Shades 

Cyber cassis is clearly my favourite as it reminds me of the lovely Benefit tint I use to own - minus the lovely rose scent that Benetint has. As for Praline digitale I'm still abit unsure of it as brown lips aren't all that appealing to me and on the cheeks it just looks all wrong so I sadly don't use it all that often. 

So I'd definitely suggest looking at the bright shades in the range, as a vibrant stain can look striking where as a dark stain can just look abit on the bland side. 

The other thing I love about them is they are weight-less something I'm very into in summer when I can't be bother with too much makeup - so on goes the tinted moisturizer, a sweep of black liner and abit of this on the lips and cheeks and it literally feels like I'm makeup-free. 

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Though staining is an issue especially as I seem to always use afew fingers to apply it! If I don't remove the product from my fingers with nail polish remover before I go out this will actually still be on there the next day! 

I guess this just shows how long the pigment does last!


Over the next few weeks I'm going to try and do more individual reviews on the products I truly love I think! 


Fee xo.

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Wedding Makeup Series Part 3.2 - Purchasing The Perfect Base That Will Photograph Well!

I'm sure I overwhelmed afew of you in my last post especially with how much there is too think about (even though it's just foundation & concealer).

But really if you stick to spending one day for being colour matched and taking home lots of samples. Then a week or so of trying them out in natural daylight and even photographing yourself wearing the different samples then you can't go wrong!

I would actually suggest purchasing your choice of foundation right at the last minutes. Of course have a sample of it, purchase the rest of your makeup (which is the next post) so eye shadows, blush, mascara and then actually go to your dress fitting wearing the makeup you will be wearing on the day. Mainly to see how the foundation looks against the shade of your dress. Especially with white it can actually warm up your complexion even if you are fair skinned, so your foundation may actually look abit on the orange side or just a touch too dark.

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Though if you want to get your makeup out of the way book a wedding makeup trail with a beauty counter that you think best suits you - most counters offer wedding trails for around £20-25  (or sometimes free) which is redeemable against the products you buy. Take along a material swatch of your bridesmaid dresses or a picture of the flowers that will be in your bouquet. But most importantly make sure to wear a top the same shade as your wedding dress.

Really don't just agree with what the sales assistant/ makeup artist picks out for you, really have an input into the shades they try out on you. If you aren't sure and want to see how it lasts and photographs take a camera with you and get the SA to take a picture of you with flash (inside and at least 6 feet away) and then take one yourself outside in natural lighting without flash. Do afew hours of shopping and if you are still happy with how it looks and has lasted go back and purchase the products you loved the most.

Back to the makeup I didn't really touch upon in the last post - blusher and primer! Both
equally as needed in my opinion.

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Primer

Primer is one of those things that people skip over as it is a bit of a boring product and tends to be on the pricey side. However it will really help smooth over any imperfections in the skin and will make your makeup last so much better. The two I would suggest are the Smashbox Photo finish primer £26.10 (3) and the DHC Velvet Skin coat £14.50 (1) which are both silicone based primers so will really fill in any enlarged or stretched pores. If you are on a budget though I'd go for the 17 Photo Flawless primer £4.99 (4). I've also heard very good things about the L'Oreal Studio Secrets Resurfacing primer £14.29 (2)

Tip: Apply the primer with the foundation brush you are using to apply your foundation with, as it will make for a smoother foundation application.

Blusher 

I'm not really a blusher person (though I do own over 20 and try to wear it daily so I don't look pasty!) but whenever I'm going to be having my photo taken or even if it's going to be sunny then I definitely wear it. Why? Because both photography and sunlight can wash out colour on the face and it can result in the face looking abit flat/lacking definition, so it's important to just add a touch of colour to the cheeks.
Of course it's hard to suggest shades as it's personal choice but if you are going for a natural
soft look then a neutral - nothing too coral, nothing to pink type of shade would be best.
If you do want the cheeks to have a hint of colour without looking powdery then a cream blusher after the primer and under the foundation would be perfect - just to define the cheeks. See blusher recommendations below.


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Application for a flawless finish

The first thing I would suggest is buying a standard double-sided mirror (see my bargain £4 mirror here) , especially if you are getting ready at the location of your wedding venue. As alot of the time they will only have a fixed wall mirror in the hotel and a bathroom mirror (with artificial lighting) so having a stand alone mirror means that you can put it next to the window and apply your foundation in natural lighting.

As for how to apply your foundation I'd say a flat foundation brush is best (it doesn't need to be expensive). You want to get the foundation onto the face & neck with one side of the brush then really get to work blending it out so it looks even and almost invisible. You want to look flawless so only apply a small amount of foundation to the centre of the face and work it outwards this will stop the skin looking too matte and just nice and healthy! Stippling foundation brushes are good but they can actually exfoliate the skin while working the product in, especially around the sides of the nose so it you have dry or combination skin this is definitely a brush to avoid! Though I highly recommend the Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge £5.50 for a light airbrushed finish.

Tip - Remember the tops of the ears as this can be the first thing to go red when nervous or in the sun!

Concealer

As for concealer I would be tempted to opt for a concealer style pen for under the eyes that you can brush on and then blend well, lightly with the ring finger (Clinique
do a nice one) but again avoid anything that claims to highlight such as the iconic YSL Touche Eclat ( even though I personally love it for everyday use) as it will look oily in photographs and is also on the thin side. For blemishes and redness you will need a very small precise concealer brush (I'd even consider looking at lip liner or precision eyeliner brushes) just something with a small point that will only cover the blemish and not the area around it as well. There is more to talk about with concealing dark circles and even the out corners of the eyes but I will come back to it when talking about eye makeup in the next post.

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Brushes 
Talking of application and getting a good overall finish, brushes are differently needed and if you are into makeup then my guess is you have a fair few already! So giving them all a good clean afew days before your wedding day and organizing them would be a good idea. However if you only have the odd few then purchasing a nice brush set of essential brushes would be a good thing to do right at the beginning of purchasing your wedding makeup so that you can get familiar with them and work out how best to use them. 

I find purchasing travel sets or normal sets alot cheaper with most brands (though I've been told the MAC travel brushes are a big no-no as they aren't as good as they core line) E.l.f  brushes have to be the cheapest out there and are very good. Eco Tools also offer quite a few good sets at around £15 from Tesco/Boots and Sigma also offer a very affordable travel set of 8 brushes for around £35 inc. p&p from the US.

Product/Brand Recommendations



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Foundation

High end foundation (no SPF) - Mac Face & Body Foundation 120ml £23.50 (4) in nothing below a NW shade if you have pink undertones and any Clinique foundation £20+ (2) - there's just so many to suit all different skin types.

High street - Bourjois range healthy mix/10hr sleep effect £9.50 (3) and Sleek New Skin Revive £7.30 35ml  (1) With 20 shades in total for fair to black skin (the biggest shade range on the high street in fact !). Sleek also offer foundation tester kits of the Skin Revive range in 4 different shade ranges so you get 5 x 2ml samples for your shade range at only £2.99! Really great!


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Concealer

High end - Clinique Airbrush Concealer £15.00 (3) Concealer pen and Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer kit £23.50 (4).

High street - For blemishes No7 Stay Perfect Blemish Stick £8 (especially oily/combination skin). For more liquid concealers I'd go for either Bourjois Healthy Mix £7.00 (1) or Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer £4.19(2).

I would also suggest a really high coverage concealer to hide bruises, tattoos or even a dreaded red spot on the day with Vichy Dermablend Start Kit  for only £4.50 from Escentual.com.


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 Blusher 

High end - The Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush £14.50 (3) are amazing just so natural, blend perfectly, last all day and you need the tiniest of amounts. My favourite shades have to be Life and Cherub. There is of course Mac and Nars again amazing and both with such a huge range!


High street - Cream blushers are definitely the most natural option my favourites being the Topshop Cream Blush in Nutmeg £6.00 (1) which actually are a cream to powder formulation so easy to blend but stay in place. Max Factor also do a perfect range of cream blushers called Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush £6.99 (4) in a  nice range of natural/pink tones. If you are wanting a matte powder blusher then opt for Revlon Matte Powder Blush £7.99 (2).


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Bronzer

High end -I'm probably not the best person to recommend matte bronzers as I do like abit of shimmer and I also love my Bourjois bronzing powder. Though Soleil Tan De Chanel £28.60 (2) is very popular indeed as is Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder £23.50.

High street - Finding a good matte bronzer on the high street is difficult as really there are very few. However there is Bourjois Delice de Poudre £6.99 (1)


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Though out the day you may need to blot the skin especially if you are warm - pick blotting papers that aren't coated in powder instead of pressed or
loose powder as it won't cause any build up of makeup on the skin and remember to blot and not wipe!!
Clean & Clear do some good blue almost stretchy sheets (from Boots) and Paul & Joe refills (can be found for £4 on Ebay) are great for pretty packaging and non-powdered and of course nice and slimline for the clutch bag you or one of your bridesmaids will be carrying.

Next up is talk of actual colour - so what shades suit different seasons, what shades to avoid, what shades to go for and how to incorporate the style of your wedding into your makeup! 



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A Beautiful Refillable Perfume Wand for only £6!

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With so many perfumes I'm constantly thinking of ways to decant my current favourite into something lighter so that I can carry it in my handbag without the weight of a full sized bottle. 

Of course there's the Travelo a 4ml refillable spray that you can buy from most fragrance shops for around £8-10. But to be honest it's not the best looking thing which is why I've never been lured in to purchasing one, it's just too practical and rubbish looking for my liking. 
However what I do own is a Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker 4.4ml perfume wand which you can buy for £6 and is one beautiful product! Sleek, well made, compact and yes, practical.

As it is a Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely product is does of course contain 4.4ml of Lovely perfume oil which is a beautiful scent in itself and I only did re-use it after I'd used up most of it. But if you really didn't like the perfume you could just pour it away or even decant it into afew perfume sample vials. 

So here's how to turn this £6 product into your own beautiful refillable perfume wand for any perfume!
 
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The perfume wand is pen style roller ball that's made up of mainly glass with a metal outer casing to protect it and trust me it can with stand alot as it's been in my handbag for the last 8 months or so and is still in perfect condition. 

As you can see below the whole thing actually dismantles quite easily. The metal casing just unscrews off so you can see how much perfume you have left I guess! Then you can also pop off the plastic roller ball part by using your finger nail or a normal kitchen/eating knife. 

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Even if you have used up all the perfume in the wand (like I had) or your just pouring it away or into something else you will need to thoroughly wash it in warm soapy water to remove all the oil residue and the scent of the perfume. You will also need to do the same to the plastic roller ball part. 

Once you have cleaned it so there is no scent at all left behind then you will have to leave the inside to fully dry by a window or you can hair dry it dry on the cold setting. 

Then of course you pick the perfume that you want to use with it - for me this was simple as I'm still pretty obsessed with the now discontinued Space NK Tuberoli perfume. But I hardly carry it around with me as the 50ml bottle is on the weighty side and I'm always scared of it smashing in my bag (as I can't just pop into Space NK and buy it anymore!).

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The next part is more than easy as it takes seconds (I guess all of it's been easy to do though). All you really do is squirt the perfume directly into the glass tube continuously until it's nears the top. However if you know that you may want a different perfume in it say next week then only fill a 1/4 of it as once you have done it there is no way of putting the perfume back into it's original bottle. 

Then you pop the rollerball top back in, screw back on the metal casing and you are done! 

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The roller ball is really good quality as it doesn't stick while you are using it so it released the perfume evenly and as it's less than a spray, the 4.4ml with last you a lot longer than you expect! 

For the price the perfume wand really is beautiful and as I've shown just so handy to use with any perfume so that you can finally carry it in your handbag and not even notice! 


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Beauty Blog Link Love 23/04


Here are a few link loves for you all! Really think it's a good way of find new blogs and different posts that may interest you. My other current love for finding beauty websites is Stumble Upon which is great for procrastinating or curing boredom! 

Hope you all have a lovely Easter weekend! xx


Mariella at Musing On Beauty tries the whole Becca Skin Perfecting Makeup System and reviews all the products for you.

Spiced Beauty is on a crusade to end discolouration, scars and stretch marks with Palmers: Skin Therapy Oil!

Kelly from Gouldylox learns that a nude by any other name is not the same. Or at least this nude looks different on everyone. Any by different, she means gorgeous.

Do you hate messy mascaras as much as Tracy at Beauty Reflections does? Then you should try LashControl Mascara and say goodbye to gloopy mascaras!

Miss Beauty Nerd is a sucker for cute and is hopelessly giddy over Anna Sui's Doll Face lipstick collection.

Nicole from Lipstick and Luxury shares how to get a perfect pout from the NEW Beauty for Real lip glosses!

Kimberly from KimmieKarmaLove has a camera dump and struggles finding the perfect lippie.

Vonnie of Socialite Dreams goes blonde! Check out her Marilyn Monroe inspired hair and makeup look.

Have relaxed hair? See how WEN Pomegranate Cleansing Conditioner worked for Kim Porter.

Wedding season is upon us! So if you are getting married then have a read of Makeup Savvy's Wedding Makeup Series for tips on how to look picture perfect for the big day.

Beauty's Bad Habit reviews and swatches uber geek chic indie make-up brand, Shiro Cosmetics.

Check out swatches and a review of Morgana Cryptoria's new Shifty Eyed Eyeshadow Collection at the Pretty Exclusive.

Jellyminx shows you how to recreate the look worn by Megan Fox in the Armani Code ad in this simple tutorial.

With the long awaited sunshine finally arriving, Hellcandy gives a sneak peek at Estee Lauder's new Bronze Goddess Collection for S/S 2011!

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Beauty Crazed is giving away more makeup then any sane person could possibly want - but who said you were sane? So go enter already!

Beauty Info Zone is celebrating their year anniversary with contests galore. Visit to see the latest MAC giveaway!
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Brights Vs. Nudes for Summer!


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All credit for this post has to go to 25FLONDON and her post on bright nail polishes for summer and seriously if you love bright polishes you need to go have a read/look. 
Plus she can hold more nail polishes with one hand than I can!!

Joking aside with all this warm weather and me loving nail polish you would think I would be making the most of it with all different bright shades. But sadly I'm stuck in a nude rut and keep falling back on my lovely Revlon Nude Chic for comfort... except for Tuesday when I sported Prada Banana print nails with Collection 2000 Sherbet Lemon. I doesn't sound chic, but it was!

Also if you are wondering why there's been a lack of nail posts (not that anyone would wonder about that) it's actually because I have had a lack of nails! My nails never break, ever... but I went of a Slim Fast meal replacement diet and literally all my nails broke off after my 5th day on it. Clearly my body wasn't getting enough nutrients, but then again I was making up my own rules for the diet!!

Anyway, so clearly there is no competition with wearing brights over nudes come summer - but as I love my nudes so much I thought it was a good chance to show them off, again!

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Little finger to thumb - 17, Nails Inc, OPI, Models Own, Revlon.

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Revlon Peach Smoothie  (14ml/ £6.29)- Almost a re-vamped version of my favourite Revlon Nude Chic. Still opaque in two coats but with a hint of shimmer and the scent of peaches (which is slightly crazy, but fun) this is perfect for summer if you do love nudes.

Models Own Champagne (14ml/£5) - This is like the non pink equivalent of Gosh Frou-Frou, just so shimmery and light reflective. It only takes two coats but is on the thin side so you do need to remember to apply a topcoat daily or else it will chip! 

OPI Bring On The Bling (15ml/£10.50) -  This isn't even a nude, but I love it, so I thought I'd include it! Makes sense... anyway this is one of my favourites and I'm so looking forward to using it this summer over brighter polishes with just one thin coat. But it is definitely one for night's out for full on glitter-tastic nails!.

Nails Inc Caramel  (Free with Diet Coke/Boots Offer) -  I really don't know why I like this so much as it is quite a boring nude but it's maybe because it's so warm looking and soft. Who knows! I just love it... again it is on the thin side as the consistency is quite watery. 

17 Unknown shade (10ml/£3.49) -I wish I knew the name of this but unfortunately the label has rubbed off but I'm sure it was Toasted something or other. Anyway it isn't the most amazing of polishes as it does take a fair few coats to get an opaque finish but I was just so impressed with the high gloss finish! It's almost like it has a top coat built into the formula that makes it appear so shiny on the nails. 


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Little finger to thumb - George, Collection 2000, 17, Collection 2000, George

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George @ Asda Sunset Orange (5ml/£1.50) - For the price this is an amazing shade! It can be slightly hard to work with like all pastel/cream polishes but if you let each coat dry then it applies like any nail polish. As it states it does dry quick which is good especially for the price. All in all just a really cheap & very summery nail polish.

Collection 2000 Fruit Salad (8ml/£1.79)  - I do really like this shade as it's kind of a muted coral but it really works well with a nice tan. However I haven't had it forever really and it has gone gloppy which I have noticed can happen with the Hot Looks nail polishes. My guess is they are made rather cheaply. But then again for the price, the shade and application of this is good. 

17 Mint Choc Chip (8ml/£2.99) - I also look at this as think I don't like it as it's such a bright blue pastel but then I apply it and always like it! However never on the toes... it just looks odd, it seems to highlight them. It also seems to look better on short nails rather than long as well.

Collection 2000 Sherbet Lemons (8ml/£1.79) - I've only had this afew month and have only really used it a handful of times as it is pretty much a banana yellow! But then again yellow nails are supposed to be in this year and they definitely look good if you are wearing navy. Unlike the other one, this hasn't gone gloppy but I'm sure it will start heading that way in 4/5 months. This is definitely more of a trend shade than one that I'll be using for years to come. 

George @ Asda Magical (5ml/£1.50) - In the bottle this looks amazing but it just takes so many coats to get it looking like the bottle shade! Which is abit of a shame as I love the shade but it always just looks on the weak side. However this on the toes is perfect in 3 coats and it looks fab. Again you really can't grumble at George prices.

So which bright shades do I need to buy? Well actually reading 25FLONDON's post I now want to get Rimmel Tangerine Queen and I think I definitely need to try afew of Barry M's pastel shades. Also I have spotted afew smaller & brighter Barbara Dala nail polishes at Tesco whilst food shopping. 

Also I think I may just have to have a look on Ebay for the OPI mini Summer Flutter set!


Feel free to drop me a comment recommending bright shades that I can google for swatches... pretty please!



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May 2011 Magazine Freebies



I did get slightly bored of writing these types of posts last year, however as summer will shortly be upon us! I thought I'd start doing them again as there are bound to be some good freebies! 

So for May's June Issues I've found two pretty good offers - both in Marie Claire & Instyle and both on sale from May 5th! 

The first offer is the one you can see above which will be found with Marie Claire - there is a choice of 3 Body Shop Body Butters but as you can see they are only 50ml each so they are in fact the smaller versions and not full sized. Though the Shea Body Butter & Mango are my favourites especially for summer. 


The next offer I sadly couldn't get a picture of as I didn't have this month's Instyle to hand. 
But the freebie is pretty good with the return of the free Nails Inc polishes! 
Again there's a choice of 3 full-sized Nail Inc polishes - Candy Orange, Electric Teal and Fashion Fawn (all worth £11 each)

To be honest I do love how Nails Inc are teaming up with so many different brands to give away free polishes but the shade range is getting abit of the boring side and these definitely remind me of the last Boots offer shades. Having said that I won't be looking a gift horse in the mouth and shall be snaffling up Candy Orange and Fashion Fawn. 

I have to say Fawn has never been fashionable though! 
Oh a total side note...how hot is Tom Ford?! Oh my is all I can say...  

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Little Pots of Goodness!


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It may sound a bit crazy but I love little pots of makeup! It can be anything really, as everything that I've bought that comes in a pot I've really loved. 
If I'm being logical I'd have to say it's something to do with the type of product that needs to be stored in a pot - for example the consistency of the Rimmel Colour Mousse is so jelly-like that it couldn't be stored in anything other than a air tight pot and stay as fresh feeling!

I have a feeling this won't make much sense but I just feel the consistency of products that come in pots are just 'better' and the pigments are always so strong (if you want proof just take a look at the swatches at the bottom)! 

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So seeing as this is a pretty nothing type post I thought I'd go through why I love all the products above - 

Neom Organic Multi Balm 14g (£12 as part of set) - It may be sad but I love organic products just because I know I put so many bad chemicals in my body daily but I love organic products even more when they don't look and smell all 'organic' and mother earth-ish! The heavy glass pot is classed as a multi balm for a reason and I just keep finding different ways of using it almost weekly. I now use it as a lip balm, cuticle oil, on dry skin,  for nasty little burns and I've also just realized it's perfect for removing eye makeup without that stingy effect that can happen with other cleansers. It's also lasting so well due to the consistency! 

Rimmel Colour Mousse (swatch below) £4.10 at Argos (yes, Argos!) - I've talked about this many times so I will keep it short & sweet. I've had this little pot for way over a year now and it's exactly the same pigmentation and texture as when I first purchased it. Just so 'fresh' feeling and amazing - plus I can't even see that I've used any, it's crazy as I use this product weekly! 
Just ordered three more from the range so I'll be sure to put up a review with swatches in the next month or so. 

Maybelline Drama Liner (swatch below) £7.99 at Boots - This is now the only gel liner I use as I just cannot fault it. It just stays and lasts all day and is so opaque. But most of all it doesn't dry out and becomes hard to work with, which has to be down to the little glass pot again! Keeping it fresh and just as perfect as when I bought it. The brush that comes with it is also pretty damn good! 
Amazing value for money - this is literally high street makeup at it's best along with the Sleek palettes and Rimmel Eye Mousse Eyeshadows!


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Models Own Lip gloss in Fuschia-full (swatch above) £6 at Boots - Another product that doesn't look like I even use it that much! As you can see from the above swatch the pigment of this is just amazing and perfect for when you want colour but have dry lips that can't even handle a lustre lipstick! Just really moisturizing and glossy and pink! Perfect stuff. 

Origins GinZing  (R.R.P £20) £12 as part of set at Boots - I have been converted! I'll probably never try another eye cream for years as this just does the job that I never though it would or even could! So there is definitely no point in getting obsessed and trying all different eye creams. 
Again love how the ingredients feel fresh and kind of active especially as the ginger in it does have a zingy feeling. 

So even though it sounded crazy, there clearly is method to my madness .
 Would love to know if any of you feel the same about products that come in pots!  

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When Life Gives You Lemons...


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...find the nearest child with a paper cut! 

Oh that's terrible isn't it! But that's how my week has gone so far... stuff the Lemonade I say! 
I won't bore you with all my woes but normally if things are abit rubbish there's always blogging, but this week my Internet when down for the 3rd time this year and serious I was at a loss!

Well I say at at a loss, but I actually I managed to switch my winter wardrobe for spring/summer clothes, sort out quite alot of makeup and organize upcoming posts a bit better!

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All pretty boring things that I'd been putting off really! 

I did also start enjoying afew new products as well - especially the new Sleek palette (hate Bellini though) which is perfect for summer and actually discovered my Neom Multi balm took off eye makeup perfectly. I also seem to be wedding crazy at the moment even though my own isn't for a full year yet. But afew friends and family are planning weddings in the summer and with writing my Wedding Makeup series I just seem to have it on the brain at the moment!

As for what's coming up on Makeup Savvy - I'm definitely going to try and be more organized and finish off the S/S Nail Art Tutorials and hopefully do a nice giveaway at the end of my Wedding Makeup series for any brides-to -be!


Just get back into the swing of things and start posting daily, again.


Of course hope you're all okay and enjoying the beautiful spring weather! 

Fee xo.

 


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Wedding Makeup Series Part 3.1 - Purchasing The Perfect Foundation & Concealer That Will Photograph Well!


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Getting foundation and concealer right has to be the most important thing when it comes to makeup for your wedding day especially for them all important photos. But truthfully it's the hardest thing to get perfect when you have so many things to consider - the weather, your skin type, how it will photograph, will it last the full day... whilst also looking to achieve flawless looking skin that looks like your own just essentially more beautiful!

Which is why I've wrote two posts of epic proportion on the subject and I even surprised myself on how much there is to actually say about picking the right foundation and base products. 

Whatever your wedding plan's I'd suggest you need to schedule in at least two shopping trips just for makeup alone, though when you do it is totally up to you, as long as it's not the week before!

On the first trip you want to be looking at everything you plan to apply to the face on the day (minus anything for the eyes,lips and cheeks as it could easily become too overwhelming) - so that could be a primer, foundation, concealer, powder and a matte bronzer if you are wanting a touch of warmth to the face without having a fake tan. On the subject of fake tan if you are planning on having a spray tan or having a self tanner applied make sure you go shopping 2 or 3 days after you have a trail tan done so that you can get colour matched whilst tanned!


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Shopping for Foundation Samples
 
Back to shopping, well I say shopping but I wouldn't suggest buying anything on your first trip. The main focus is to get colour matched for both your concealer and foundation at a range of counters and then take home samples to try out near a window in good daylight to see how natural it looks and also how it lasts. Now asking for samples and beauty counters are equally as daunting but even though I love the high street I definitely feel a high-end foundation is needed for the big day as these brands have a huge range of shades and finishes and you will need quite a specific type of foundation (which I've detailed below). So if you are going to splurge on anything let it be your foundation and concealer.

Nearly all beauty counters will colour match you if you ask - likely the sales assistants will colour match you just above your jawbone, proceeding to show you how pretty your closest match looks and then mostly likely expect you to hand over your cash there and then. But you of course don't know if it looks natural with all the artificial department store lighting around or if it will last on your skin! So ask for a sample of the shade you have been colour matched to, though be prepared for the SA to say she hasn't got any samples to hand! Which is when you produce your own little plastic jar (you can buy travel sized pots from Superdrug or Boots) for her to put afew applications of foundation into. If the sales assistant for whatever reasons says she can't do that then WALK AWAY! There is no point in spending £20+ on a foundation that may not look as natural as you thought once you get home. You NEED to apply a full application and see how it feels, lasts and looks.


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When foundation shopping for your wedding makeup you need to consider at least 4 key points -
  •  No SPF (the sales assistant may try to sell you one with even a low SPF in especially if it's summer but just don't go for it! It just photographs badly and there are many foundation choices without it. Also avoid anything that promotes to be radiance enhancing, light reflective or dewy as this can appear oily looking on the skin in photos.
  • Try to find a foundation that suits your specific skin type - If you have oily skin avoid anything that has anti-ageing properties or hydrates the skin etc. All common sense really!
  • Look for a sheer to medium/semi-matte or satin to matte coverage - you want your concealer to do all the work hiding blemishes and not the foundation. A full coverage isn't going to look as natural as you want it to.
  •  This is the most important time to find a shade that matches your skin perfectly so don't rush! Never try a foundation at a beauty counter and buy it there and then. Ask politely for a sample to try out at home - explain it's for your wedding day if you hate having to ask for samples. Asked to be colour matched even if you think you know what your shade is - Too dark you risk looking dull, muddy or at best just orange! Too light and you risk looking like a Casper the wedding ghost in photographs. You need to find the perfect shade, so if this means going to 6 different brands... DO it!

If you do have quite pink undertones, flush easily or suffer from redness then you definitely want to opt for a yellow based foundation as photography will only enhance pink tones in the skin so the yellow based foundation will help to counteract this problem.



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Concealer
All the same rules apply for concealer - though I can't stress enough how you don't want to purchase anything that's going to be light reflective under the eyes. So nothing that says 'radiance' 'dewy' 'hightlighting' 'brightening' you just want a simple liquid concealer with no shimmer - the concealer pen's are great but just keep in mind the above. It's even more important to get the right shade of concealer for under the eyes as you don't want that 'racoon' look that you can sometimes get in pictures from picking a concealer that's too light for you. It should of course match your foundation and be of good coverage.
SPF isn't your friend! 
Avoiding sunscreen in cosmetics for your wedding day could be a post all of it's own! But I will try to keep it as short as possible because it is pretty boring if I'm honest. Like I previously mentioned you want to be avoiding any SPF in foundation but this also applies to your primer, concealer, powder and any mineral makeup basically whatever makes up your base you will be applying. Check on ingredients list that it doesn't contain Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide or Zinc Oxide. As these UV ingredients will bounce off flash in photos and create a white powdery cast over the face or lighten the whole face and your features. There are also a few products to especially avoid like the Make Up For Ever HD Powder and Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder that are the worst culprits for looking really white and powdery in photos.


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The effects of up close flash photography with HD and brightening powders!

However the result of 'ghost face' in non-celebrity land is basically down to the wrong use of flash photography. So my guess is your own photographer's photos will turn out perfectly. But them snaps Auntie Jean will take with her digital camera (and will also kindly uploaded onto Facebook) at the night reception 2 feet from your face won't really be showing your makeup in it's best light! To solve this... you could ban all cameras or tell people to stand the hell back (only joking)! But really there isn't much you can do except count your lucky stars you have a pro that knows what he or she is doing!

Whatever your skin type if you feel you need an sun protection during the day (especially if it's summer or you are going abroad) then you need to apply it but there's also a chance of you sweating from the heat and moving about so much in probably quite a heavy dress which means your makeup has a chance of sliding/wearing off so applying a cream sunscreen under foundation just isn't going to work. So before applying any makeup to the face, make sure to apply a mineral powder SPF from either Bare Escentuals or Peter Thomas Roth. Making sure you don't miss out the neck - this will also decrease the risk of looking like you have ghostly skin in photos! If your budget won't stretch to such a costly mineral SPF then your next best option is an oil sunscreen as this won't leave a film on the skin. Also don't instantly go for the highest SPF the range does - the lower the better for the day but of course nothing too low that will still let you burn.

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Bronzer
You obviously want to go subtle on the bronzing front so opt for a matte powder bronzer that isn't too dark for you. If you have particularly dry skin you may want to consider/try out a foundation 2 or 3 shades darker than your own as a contour, which can be blending in with your foundation brush. For this a sachet or sample pot will be your cheapest option instead of the full-sized product!

Highlighter
Powder highlight can be too harsh in photos or even look too shimmery. You need to be very aware of what you want the camera to pick up, so you really want to just highlight the high points of your face - along the tops of the cheekbones and lightly along the brow bone, again this can all be done under the foundation for a subtle effect. 
Avoid pencil brow highlighters are they will give a harsh edge and even makes your eyes look abit puffy in flash photography and  also dusting a powder highlighter all over the face isn't a good idea. You really want to find a nice liquid skin illuminator that you can sparingly apply to certain areas, this will make the skin look nice and glowy and will be perfect for your wedding photographs. 

Powder
To set everything your actually looking for a finely milled powder that is the nearest to your own skin tone with a slight yellow cast to it and not in fact a translucent one liked you'd think (as again it just doesn't photograph well). You will only need the smallest amount on the day but it will really ensure your makeup will last the day whatever your skin type.

Have I missed anything out? More than likely! But I'm sure I'm starting to bore you now! My next post will be the second part in which there will be talk of  brushes & primers, foundation & concealer application, keeping your skin oil-free throughout  your wedding day... and actual brand recommendations for different skin types! 

Hope you are enjoying the series so far!

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