Vice 3 Smokey Eye

Hello again!

What's this? Another blog post? That's right pals!

Today I'm going to show a look I did using the Urban Decay Vice 3 palette. I kind of forgot about this one for a while, but I found it again (not that I'd actually lost it, I just fish it out of the drawer) and decided to have a little play.

These shadows are suuuuuuuper pigmented, but very soft so they're easily blended - just like all UD shadows. They're very pretty jewel like tones so great for these colder months.

As I was just playing around, I didn't end up lining and putting mascara on both eyes, so apologies for that. But you get the idea. So, here's what I did!

Face

Foundation was Benefit Big Easy in 01 Fair

Concealer was Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory

Powder for setting for Benefit Hello Flawless in Ivory

Contour powder was Heliopolis from the Sculpting Duo Palette which I applied in the hollow beneath my cheekbones

Blush was Benefit Rockateur

Highlight was Lumos from the Sculpting Duo Palette which I applied just above my cheekbones, looks so pretty with Rockateur

Eyes

Truth (a matte peachy/pink) was applied to the entire lid, up to the brow bone and in the inner corner

Last Sin (a shimmery taupe) was applied all over the lid

Angel (a shimmery brown) was applied on the outer third of the lid

Bondage (a dark slightly shimmery plum) was applied over Angel and into the crease

Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of blending using a clean fluffy brush - seriously, blend the crap of these colours!

Then I applied Bourjois Volume Clubbing liquid liner in Ultra Black to the upper lash line and winged this out

I tight and waterlined using Urban Decay 24/7 eye pencil in Perversion

Maxfactor Clump Defy False Lash Effect mascara on the top and bottom lashes

Lips

EOS pomegranate lip balm

Rimmel Vintage Pink lipstick

And that was it! I hope you like it!

IOTD - Khloe Kardashian

I feel like this is quite a KoKo-esque look, and she's awesome, sooo...

SOTD - Intro by The XX

Everyday Make-Up

Hello lovely people!

I thought I'd show you a really easy, simple, but still pretty make-up look that can be worn on an everyday basis, or for an evening out by adding a bright lip. I hope you like it!

So I used shadows from the Urban Decay Naked Palette, which I absolutely love! It's probably my most used eye palette and has so many combinations of colour and effect. You can stay pretty neutral in your make-up with this one, which it predominately my "look", but because the shadows are highly pigmented, you can build on them to create something more dramatic and creative if you want to.

Whenever I get a new palette, especially one as well known as this one, I generally hop on to YouTube pretty quickly to watch some tutorials and other looks people have created, just to see how other people are finding it and the sorts of things you can do with it. I got this one back in 2011 as a Christmas present and I've loved it ever since! One of the tutorials that I watched was by Anna Saccone from TheStyleDiet. She's a neutral gal like me, so I was drawn to this tutorial which I'll pop below:

 

This routine has pretty much stuck with me since then and is the basis for my go-to look. I don't wear it every single day, but it's one I go back to pretty often. Anna's is fairly dark, I keep mine softer, especially if I'm using liquid or gel liner on the upper lid.

So I'll just leave a list below of what I used and where I used it. 

Face

Foundation was Benefit Big Easy in 01 Fair

Concealer was Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory (I think - the label has rubbed off, hmp!)

Powder for setting for Benefit Hello Flawless in Ivory

Contour powder was Heliopolis from the Sculpting Duo Palette

Blush was Benefit Rockateur

Eyes

Virgin all over the lid, inner corner and up to the brow bone

Sin over the lid

Buck in the crease and down onto the outer third of the lid

Maybelline Lasting Drama gel liner on the upper lid

Urban Decay 24/7 eye pencil in Perversion in the tightline

Maxfactor Clump Defy False Lash Effect mascara on the top and bottom lashes

As you can see, I left out a few steps from Anna's original tutorial and I kept my brushes in very, very, very light contact with my lids to keep this look soft and natural. You want the brush to barely touch the skin and you want to blend really well using a clean fluffy brush. 

Lips

EOS lipbalm in Pomegranate

(I was doing an interview/observation day when I wore this, so I wouldn't have been able to keep reapplying lipstick. Lipbalm was the next best option!)

I hope you like this look, and this new list form of what I used. I'm going to try it this way for a while just because I think it looks a bit tidier and cleaner on the blog, and it stops me rambling on about products - ha ha!

IOTD - Anna Saccone. She was one of the first beauty bloggers I found, and she heavily inspired me to start my own blog. Her message has kind of always been "Change your style, not yourself" which is a message I like. Experiment with fashion and make-up, but stay true to who you are.

SOTD - Showstopper by Brandon & Leah. I've been watching a lot of Kim & Kourtney Take Miami and this is the theme song. Brandon Jenner is their stepbrother and he has this band with his wife. They have a couple of EP's on iTunes and I really like them.

Theatre - Wicked at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre

Hello everyone!

Back in December, me and 2 of my best girl friends decided to do something special together before Christmas. We've all known each other for 10 years but now they both live in London so I don't get to see them as often as I'd like to because of work and social schedules not fitting together. 

Last year, 2 of us went to see The Nutcracker and we had such a great time! You might remember my blog post from back then - you can see it here. I was so excited when the idea to do it again came about and started searching for the perfect thing we could go and see. Unfortunately.... I didn't actually find anything that looked good - there's a lot of weird shows in London!

But as soon as my friend suggested Wicked, I knew we had to go see it! I've always seen the posters and adverts, but have never actually got my act together to see it (act...theatre...see what I did there?) but I'm really happy that we did!

I didn't actually get to take any photos outside - too much chatting and catching up! And obviously I didn't take any inside either, it's not exactly the done thing to start snapping whilst the performance is on! I'll insert some that I found on the official website so you can get some idea of what it looks like and what it's about.

The show takes The Wizard of Oz and turns it on it's head, telling the stories of the good and bad witches from the classic story. It's the tale of an unlikely friendship between two witches with polar opposite personalities. 

This is taken from the synopsis from the Wicked London website - 

"Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths.Glinda's unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba's determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West." 

As you can imagine, I was blown away! It was one of the best London shows I've ever seen. The costume and set design were incredible. It was like an industrial themed Wonka factory which to me is what dreams are made of! The plot and script were so clever - and SO funny! I would highly recommend this muscial to every single person I know, even people that wouldn't normally enjoy a typical West End show. There's something for everybody in it and it truly is fantastic.

Here's a video of the trailer so you can get a further little taste of the musical -

Please, please, please go and see Wicked - you won't regret it!

http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/wicked-london.asp

SOTD - Defying Gravity by the cast of Wicked

IOTD - Jennifer DiNoia, the actress playing Elpheba

Benefit Easiest Nudes Ever Review and Mini Tutorial

Hello everyone!

Here's a little review and mini tutorial of a Benefit kit I got from my sister for Christmas. Everyone that knows me knows that I'm a huge Benefit junkie! I'm slowly building up to owning EVERYTHING they make! I love the make-up, it's great quality in my opinion and the packaging is always so cute! I put a few things of theirs on my Christmas list but obviously didn't know if I'd get any, and if I did, I didn't know what it would be so I was really excited to get this kit! I already had the Most Glamourous kit and really, really like it (blog post to follow!) so I knew I'd like this one too!

Disclaimer #1: I'm not sponsored by any of the brands or companies that produce the products that I've used. I wish I was, but no, sadly not!

Disclaimer #2: You might notice that eyeliner wings are slightly uneven. I experimented with Scotch tape and positioned one of them slightly different than the other. If any of you have used the gel liner that I used, you'll know that it's one of the most stubborn liners to remove, so to be honest, once it's on me, it's on. I ain't going back in there to correct that! Also, my eyes are actually quiet uneven anyway, so they're never going to look 100% symmetrical.

Disclaimer #3: My roots are disgusting. I know that too ;)

This is the make-up with the flash on.

So, inside the kit you get 2 cream shadows and 4 powder shadows. It also comes with a mirror in the box and a few little hints and tips, which is something Benefit include in pretty much all their products. I think that's a really nice touch because if you're experienced with make-up or just starting to use it, there might be something there that you pick up.

The cream shadows are in the shades RSVP and No Pressure. RSVP is a soft pink-ish copper colour and No Pressure is almost a shimmery cocoa kind of colour, although it's not super dark as you can see from the photo below. The cream shade is Call My Bluff and is great as a base or subtle and matte highlight. Then there's a very light pink called Pinky Swear, a shimmery brown called Thanks a Latte and a dark brown called Quick, Look Busy.

Sorry that RSVP (pictured left) is used. I was so excited to try these out on Christmas day that I didn't think about taking blog photos, I'm afraid. But never mind, you still get the idea of what they look like!

Here are the swatches that I took. I am so in love with Thanks a Latte and Call My Bluff! They are a great combination to wear for daytime and create a really quick eyeshadow look! 

No flash.

So here's my little tutorial. Hope you like it!

Start by applying moisturiser to your entire face and neck, concentrating on any patches of skin that might be dry. For me, it's the space between my brows and nose that can get quite peely.

Next, I like to apply colour correcting creams so that my foundation goes on in a more flawless way. To do this, I apply the green cream concealer from the Coastal Scents Eclipse concealing palette -  which I got from amazon - to any redness on my skin, which could be on blemishes or areas that get over stimulated through washing my face, cleansing and moisturising. I then take Benefit Lemonaid which is a yellow toned concealer cream perfect for neutralising areas of skin that are purple toned - 2 words people: DARK CIRCLES! This is a great product, but I'm not 100% sure if you can still easily buy it. I got mine from Debenhams, anyway, so you'll probably be able to.

You'll end up looking a bit crazy after the colour correction, so that's where foundation will come in. I apply Benefit Big Easy in 01 Fair to my entire face, making sure I cover the colour correction, using the Real Techniques foundation brush which is the thin slanted brush. I then use the expert face brush to buff it into my skin.

I follow this with concealer, I'm using Rimmel Wake Me Up and then I contour using the Illamasqua sculpting duo. After this, I apply blush which at the moment is Dandelion by Benefit.

I then took the Easiest Nudes kit and started on my eyes. First, I apply RSVP to my lid and crease of my eyelid. I then applied a little Call My Bluff on my lid, brow bone and inner corner of my eye. After this, applied Thanks a Latte to the crease, outer third and just on my lower lid close to my lashes. I used a slanted fluffy brush from Real Techniques which is great as it helps create more of a slanted, cat eye effect with your eyeshadow, blending it towards the end of the eyebrow. I applied Pinky Swear to the inner third of the lid.

I then lined my tightline using Urban Decay 24/7 liner in black and applied winged Maybelline Lasting Drama gel liner on my lid. I experimented with Scotch Tape to create a nice, sharp, straight line. It worked so well on my left eye because I took my time! I rushed the right eye a bit and it was at slightly the wrong angle. Oh well, no harm, no foul!

I finished with a few coats of Max Factor Clump Defy False Lash Effect mascara, a generous application of EOS pomegranate lip balm and then Go Guava lipstick by MAC, which is part of the Trend Forecast Spring 15/Lip and Cheek palette.

All done!

SOTD - Flawless by Beyonce

IOTD - Caroline Flack

Update!

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate and that you're looking forward to the start of a new year!

Once again, it's been a really long time since I blogged, but I have just been so busy! The combination of work and completing the make-up course was quite a lot for me. I'm a bit of a perfectionist so I put my heart and soul into everything I do and it all just ended up taking up all my time. I've just ended up making myself unnecessarily stressed out which has ultimately caused me to get nice and poorly - I currently have shingles which is so horrible! I'm hoping that I'll have some free time soon to start writing on here more often because I really do love it! I have so many posts planned out that I want to share with you, so fingers crossed it starts to happen soon!

So, what's been happening?

Well, I'm still working in retail which is fine for now. It's been very busy due to it being Christmas and then going into the sales. My illness could not have come at a worse time, but never mind, I'm trying to power through as much as possible!

My biggest news is that I finished the make-up course and......

Drum roll please.....

I PASSED!

I am so beyond happy! I can confidently start to market myself as a make-up artist knowing that my work is of a good standard and that I am practicing hygienically and maintaining good client care. I really enjoyed taking the course - the tutors were amazing and so knowledgeable, I learnt such a lot from them! And all the other girls that I took the course with were so lovely! I'm hoping that we stay in touch and cross paths again in the future.

I studied Level 2 make-up at the Jackie Hamilton School of Beauty which is in Norwich. I don't actually live in Norwich, or Norfolk for that matter so I had to travel from Suffolk every other Sunday to get there for 10am. Leaving the house at 8:20am on a Sunday morning is not the one - but I'm SO glad I did it! We learnt all about hygiene, client care, colour theory, face shapes/tones/types etc, cosmetic science - and so much more! We also (obviously!) learnt how to apply make-up correctly for 4 different types of make-up - daytime, bridal, evening and special occasion. We were also given the opportunity to unleash our creativity a bit and do an "Other" make-up, for which I re-created a historically accurate 1920's look. We then took a theory exam which was multiple choice and the following week we took our practical exam for which we showed an examiner that we could perform a full cleansing routine and daytime make-up in 30 minutes following high standards of hygiene and client care.

Now that I've passed the level 2 course, I have applied to do the level 3 course which starts in February and focuses more on fashion and photographic make-up. I'm so excited to start!

In the meantime, I'll be starting to launch my business and build myself up as make-up artist whilst I'm still at work.

Thank you all so much for reading and I'll hopefully be updating this blog really soon!

SOTD - Blue by Beyonce

IOTD - Zoe Sugg

The Start of Something New - UPDATE!!!

Hello kind readers!

I hope you are all doing wonderfully and have had a fab month while I haven't posted (that's my covert way of saying sorry for being lazy...).

I've been really busy! Working, socializing and getting ready to start my new training course. You may be thinking, "Training course?! What training course?!", wellllllllllllllll... I'm about to start training to become a qualified make up artist!!!!!! HOW EXCITING!

I've actually known about this since June, but I didn't want to write about it until the time came for the course to start. My track record of dropping out or chickening out of things is pretty darn high, so I wanted to make sure I didn't write a massive post about it, only to write another one telling you how much of an epic fail I am! But I start on Sunday and I'm really hopeful that this will turn out well.

I'll be studying at a small - but perfectly formed! - beauty school in Norwich, The Jackie Hamilton School of Beauty and the course will take place over the next 12 weeks. I go in for a day a fortnight and then complete case studies during the periods I'm not there. In December I'll take an exam and then if all goes to plan, I'll be able to start working as a pro MUA.

Over all the years I've spent trying to decide what I should do with myself, beauty therapy and specifically make up is something I've always come back to, and also something that my friends and family have always said I'd be good at. I'm not sure about that, but I do know that it's something I'll enjoy. I'm so interested in make up and it's honestly my dream to make a career out of it. In years previous, I thought it would be best to get a degree and then do something more "sensible", but that's so not for me. I tried it and it was a disaster. It's so much better to do something that you know you'll enjoy. So if that's going to university and getting a degree and then a job through that, then you should definitely do it. But if it's going to beauty school, or something else that's more vocational, then do it!

SOTD - Waterfalls by TLC

IOTD - Samantha Chapman

My faaaaaaaaavourite make up artist. Sam is someone I look up to so much, and if I can be even half as successful as she is, I will be over the moon!

Glossy Box Review - Luxury Freebie

*DISCLAIMER - I am NOT in any way affiliated with Glossy Box and this review is in no way sponsored by them. The subscriptions have always been paid for by me and I am not receiving any freebies or payment from the company*

Hello lovely readers!

Back in 2011, I started a subscription to Glossy Box - a monthly beauty box containing 5 luxury samples of new and popular products available on the market. Anything from lip gloss to perfume to fake tan. I enjoyed them for a while, but started to tire of what I was being sent.

However, I recently received an email from Glossy Box about an offer for a box worth £75 if you subscribe for 3, 6 or 12 months. Being a sucker for a deal, I decided to sign up for 3 boxes and see if there were any improvements. 

When I initially opened the parcel box, I was surprised to find a black and gold box inside. Normally the boxes are light pink unless there's a theme, which as far as I was aware, wasn't the case for this month.

Inside was the leaflet that describes all the products for you. This said "Razzle & dazzle this festive season", which, again, I thought was a bit odd. I've tweeted Glossy Box, but I imagine this is my £75 box with full size products. I'm happy with the products, but they're completely wrong for this time of year. Obviously this is the Christmas box from last year, which doesn't quite work for August.

As usual, the box was beautifully packaged. The box was slightly scuffed up, but I guess that's because it was from 8 months ago and in a black box, so the marks will show more. Doesn't matter though, I just keep the boxes for storage inside drawers/cupboards/etc.

So, let's get to the products! I'll quote what is said in the leaflet and then let you know what I think of them on first viewing. I haven't had chance to use any of them properly yet, but any I think are worth reviewing, I'll do so in separate posts.

So I'll start with the Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer. The leaflet says:

"Searching for a festive-inspired manicure? This fabulous Butter London nail lacquer is all you need! Long-lasting and rich in colour, this high-performing nail polish leaves a smooth and glossy finish". 

This nail polish retails at £12. It's a lovely chocolate brown shade and will be perfect for the Autumn and Winter months. It's a shame I won't want to try it quite yet, but as soon as I do, I'll try to remember to review it for you all. I've never used any Butter London products, but I know they're very popular, so hopefully I'll enjoy using this one!

In the little pink tube is a Absolute! Perfume Stick. The leaflet says:

"This unique Absolute! perfume stick is a seductive scent, instantly conjuring up images of a winter wonderland. Packaged in a beautiful and elegantly designed bottle, it's the perfect Christmas gift".

This retails at £9.50. It smells very floral, and actually does work really well in August. I like the idea of a solid perfume, no more lugging around full size, glass perfume bottles in my handbag - much less risky (perfume bottles can smash phone screens - believe, I know this from experience!) and it's a real space saver. I have quite sensitive skin too, so was wary that this kind of perfume stick might bring me out in a rash, but it didn't, so I'm happy about that. Overall, it smells great and is a really good idea for a product.

The white tube is a So Susan Cosmetics Water-based Pure Luminizer. The leaflet says:

"Want the perfect red carpet glow for Christmas? Simply apply So Susan's lightweight Water-Based Luminizer to highlight your cheekbones, brow bones and eyes for a sparkling luminosity that will last all night long."

This retails at £25. This was one of the most disappointing products for me. This box was supposed to contain full sized products, which I suppose it technically did, however I was expecting full sized products that were actually full of the product. This could easily only have been half full - I had to really squeeze the tube to get any of the luminizer out, which is a real shame because I actually quite like it. I tried it out on my hand and it's very dewey and glowy. It could actually work well as a moisturizer on the legs if you fancied going tights-less for an evening out, though you'd want to mix it with a regular body lotion so you don't end up really sparkly! I'm intrigued to try it on my face over foundation as it does look kind of pigmented. I currently use Soap 'n' Glory's Hocus Focus illuminating cream mixed in with my foundation which just gives me a pearly glow. However, Hocus Focus is a white cream, so blends in completely transparently to the skin. I don't think this So Susan product will do that, and in turn might be too dark for my complexion. But considering I want to become a make-up artist (post on that to come!), I need to start building a kit that contains products for all skin types and tones, so this could prove very useful!

Next is a tube of EuPhidra Pearly Lip Gloss. The leaflet says: 

"This lip gloss should be on everyone's wish list! Why? Simply because the perfume and Paraben-free Pearly Lip Gloss by EuPhidra not only gives you a perfect finish, it also protects and treats your lips with Vitamin E and Oryza Sativa Oil, ensuring they're in top condition throughout the year."

This retails at £11.90. My first impression of this was "Holy sparkles, Batman". It is SO glittery. Reminds me of the Bourjois 3D Effet Lipgloss that I got free from Boots when I was about 12 or 13. It was BRIGHT pink with a tonne of gold flecks in it. Not a good look for me! This is more subtle. It's a softer pink and the glitter is surprisingly subtle. I think it work best for a party, but I do quite like it. I wouldn't pay £11.90 for something like this, but as it was free, I'm pretty happy with it.

The bottle is a Philip B African Shea Butter Gently & Conditioning Shampoo. The leaflet says:

"Let your hair steal the show this season! Give yourself a glossy Christmas treat with Philip B's African Shea Butter Conditioning Shampoo. The gentle cleansing properties protect and strengthen your strands, leaving your locks full of body and shine."

This retails at £9.50. This one scares me a little. I'm wary of 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioners, and although it doesn't explicitly say it's 2 in 1, it does say it's a conditioning shampoo, sooo.... I'll try it if I'm ever desperate, but I can't say I'm that eager to. I love the smell of Shea Butter though, so mayyyyyyyybe....

And finally, there is a Be A Bombshell Cosmetics "Blush" - which was actually a bronzer. The leaflet says:

"This highly-pigmented formula is a must-have for all make-up kits, leaving you with a long lasting rosy glow that's flattering for all skin tones."

This retails at £9.95. Obviously this description isn't quite correct... Shame really, I would have much preferred a blush as I don't really use bronzer. I would have really enjoyed this "must-have" blush. It's waaaaaaaaaay too dark for my skin. The FCUK bronzer that I do seldom use, is a much lighter shade, so this is completely wrong for me. I did choose the light skin option on the form that is supposed to tailor your boxes to your specific needs, but I guess it didn't quite translate in this first box. Never mind, like the the luminizer, it'll be added to my ever growing kit to use on potential future clients. Not a total loss!

Adding up all the retail prices, this box actually comes to nearly £78, which although is only £3 more than advertised....is STILL £3 more than advertised! Which I think is pretty generous. I was expecting it to be slightly (or perhaps quite a lot) less than £75, so I'm pleasantly surprised that it wasn't.

All in all, I didn't love this box, but I didn't hate it either. It was alright. Hopefully the 3 monthly boxes I've ordered will suit me better, but I'm looking forward to using the lip gloss, perfume stick and nail polish.

SOTD - Wonder Woman by Frankmusik

IOTD - Dawn O'Porter

I think I might actually be in love with this woman. Genuinely. She's so cool! I just finished watching her series "This Old Thing" where she gave tips for vintage shopping and revamping old clothes in your wardrobe and I really enjoyed it! I picked up lots of advice, but the one that I thought was best for me personally was to try things on when shopping. I hate trying clothes on whilst shopping with a passion. It really depresses me if things are too small and ruins my shopping day. BUT Dawn is changing my ways. It's worth trying clothes on because they will look different on you than they do on the hanger - obviously! And yeah, it might look terrible, but something else might look AMAZING on you!