Wednesday 30 November 2011

How to create Christmas Pudding Nails!

So it’s the 1st of December tomorrow meaning it’ll be 25 days until Christmas. I don’t know about any of you, but I’m very excited for Christmas, I just love everything about it! Today I thought I’d create some jazzy Christmassy nails to fit in with the festive period! And as you’ll know by looking at the title of this post, this tutorial is Christmas pudding nails!

During December I’m going to be doing 4 Christmas nail tutorials and this is my very first one.

To create Christmas pudding nails, you will need the following:
-
Brown nail varnish
-White nail varnish
-Green nail paint (or nail varnish)
-Red nail paint (or nail varnish)
-Dotting tools

Please do not feel like you have to rush out and buy dotting tools as cocktail sticks work just as well.

If you would like to create Christmas pudding nails, all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps!

For the Christmas Puddings
1.) Apply 2 coats of brown nail varnish to your nails. (Excluding your ring finger nail)


2.) Let’s give our Christmas puddings some icing. To do this you will need to use white nail varnish. All you have to do is create 3 stripes but make sure they are different lengths.


3.) To complete the Christmas puddings you’ll need to add holly. To do this you will need to use green and red nail paint and some dotting tools.



For the Holly
1.) Apply 2 coats of white nail varnish to your ring finger nail.


2.) Let’s draw some holly on our ring finger nail. To do this you will need to use red nail paint and a medium sized dotting tool. For the holly leaves you will need to use green nail paint and a small dotting tool.



And you’re done! :)


I hope you all liked this tutorial! If anyone decides to do Christmas pudding nails then let me know as I'd love to see!

If you have any questions or requests then please feel free to comment below! 
:)

Saturday 19 November 2011

My Skincare Routine

Skincare is very important to me and I live by the rule 'you only get one face so look after it'. When I was younger I didn't really have a skincare routine and relied on facial wipes to clean my skin which if truth be told, ruined my skin. They left me with under the skin spots and pores. It has taken me a couple of years to sort out my skin but now I have a structured morning and night skincare routine. I used to have different products for the morning and night but now I just stick to products that I can use in the morning and night, that way it's cheaper and it kinda makes more sense. 


No7 Cleanse & Care Eye Makeup Remover (All Skin Types) - £7.75 - Boots

I never use this eye makeup remover in the morning as there's no need to, I solely use it for taking off my eye makeup at the end of the day.
I initially switched to the No7 eye makeup remover because I found that Clarins was getting a little too expensive. And I have to say that I'm so glad I switched, there's literally no difference between Clarins and No7!
All you have to do with this eye makeup remover is apply a bit to a cotton wool pad, hold on your eyes for a couple of minutes, then wipe away. It's as simple as that!
This eye makeup remover really does remove everything, from cream eyeshadows to waterproof mascara, I also use it for taking off long wear lipsticks. 
The good thing with the No7 eye makeup remover is that you can mix it with water meaning you don't use a lot of the product, I think one bottle would easily last around 1-2 months depending on how heavy your eye makeup is. 
I think it's great how the remover comes with a pump too because it means you won't waste a lot of the product, you can just pump the amount you need. 


No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Cleanser (Normal/Dry Skin) - £8.00 - Boots

I use this for cleaning my face in the morning and also taking off my makeup at night. 
All you have to do is pump a small amount of cleanser onto a cotton wool pad and then wipe away at your face. You may need to repeat this step if you're wearing makeup. 


No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner (Normal/Dry Skin) - £8.00 - Boots

I use this toner in the morning and also at night. 
Again like the cleanser, pump a small amount of toner onto a cotton wool pad and then wipe away at your face. 
It leaves skin feeling fresh, revived and hydrated, perfect for those of you who suffer with dry skin.
I've also been using this toner for a week and it doesn't look like I've even touched the bottle. You honestly do not need to use a lot, a couple of squirts should do the trick. 


Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream (All Skin Types) - £24.00 - Boots

This has to be one of the best exfoliators that I've ever used. The microbeads are just the right size, not too big or small, they're perfect for getting into every nook and cranny. This exfoliator removes pores, dirt and dead skin so it's great for every skin type.
I recommend using this 2-3 times a week and preferably after taking off your makeup as you'll give your skin a real deep clean. I wouldn't recommend using this exfoliator over 3 times a week as your skin may become dry and painful. 
At £24.00 it is considered a little pricey so you may want to find a cheaper alternative. I would recommend the No7 exfoliators as they're just as good as Clarins, the only difference is the price tag.


Clarins Daily Energizer Cream (All Skin Types) - £19.50 - Boots

I used this in the morning and also at night. 
It smells so divine, it's literally like applying oranges to your face. Some of you may not be fond of the orangey smell but I personally think it's lovely. 
The moisturiser also has such a nice consistency, it doesn't feel heavy or thick and it absorbs well into the skin.
Overall it's a great moisturiser but it began to give me spots which is a little weird as I've used it for over 2 months. Looks like this little pot of gorgeousness is going to be replaced with the No7 moisturiser. 


ASDA Skin System Cleansing Facial Wipes (Sensitive Skin) - 46p 

I never use facial wipes for taking off my makeup off, if I did then I'd feel like I'd have committed the biggest crime ever. It's a well known fact that facial wipes aren't good for your skin and it's recommended that you only use them once a week, and that's only if you've been out for a long time and cannot be bothered to clean your skin properly.
The only reason why I use facial wipes is to remove fall out when applying eyeshadow. I have come up with a new name for the wipes, they're known as my 'fallout-y-away wipes'
I used to buy the Johnsons wipes as they seemed to constantly be on offer but since ASDA have launched their own cheap and cheerful wipes, I've just been buying those.
I cannot really say if these wipes are amazing or not as I don't take my makeup off with them, but with regards to removing fallout, they're fab!


Montagne Jeunesse Hot Chocolate Mask (All Skin Types) - £1.09 - Montagne Jeunesse

I was recently sent this face mask and I have to say that I was a bit dubious about it at first. It seemed fun and colourful but I doubted whether it would do exactly what it said on the packet, luckily it did. 
This mask smelt like melted Terry's chocolate orange which was a massive bonus for me because I love the smell of chocolate orange! 
It was a pleasure applying it to my face because it smelt so fab and I especially loved how the mask was self heating. I thought that the mask would have dried but it remained wet whilst on the face which I thought was bizarre. 
It was a bit of a pain when removing the mask and in the end I had to remove it using a flannel (handy tip if you buy this mask). The sink also turned a lovely brown colour when I removed the mask so be prepared to clean if you buy this mask. 
Once I removed the mask I noticed that my skin felt so so soft and it had removed quite a large amount of pores on my nose. I think these masks are great for using once a week as they're considered to be quite fun but they are pretty messy so I doubt many people would want to use them daily. I'm not sure what other masks are available but I'll definitely be trying more. 

So to round this up, here's my routines:
Morning:
-Cleanser 
-Toner
-Moisturiser

Night:
-Eye Makeup Remover
-Cleanser
-Toner
-Moisturiser

Occasionally:
-Exfoliator
-Mask

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below!
:)

Sunday 13 November 2011

How to create Children In Need Nails!

As many of you will know, it's Children In Need on Friday so I thought I would create Children In Need inspired nails. Not only did I create these nails because Pudsy bear is a little cutie, but it's a fun design and it's supporting a good cause.

To create C.I.N nails you will need the following:
  • White nail varnish
  • Black nail varnish
  • Yellow nail varnish
  • Blue nail varnish
  • Green nail varnish
  • Red nail varnish
  • Orange nail varnish (Optional)
  • Dotting tools
Please do not feel like you have to rush out and buy dotting tools for your nail art as cocktail sticks work as great dotting tools. 

If you would like to create C.I.N nails all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps.
1.) Apply the white nail varnish to your finger nails. You may need 2 coats depending on what your nail varnish is like as some white nail varnishes tend to have a thin consistency. 


2.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small blue dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using blue nail varnish and different sized dotting tools (preferably medium and large sized dotting tools).


3.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small green dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using green nail varnish and different sized dotting tools. 


4.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small red dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using red nail varnish and different sized dotting tools. 


5.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small yellow dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using yellow nail varnish and different sized dotting tools.


6.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small orange dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using orange nail varnish and different sized dotting tools. This step is optional so you don't necessarily have to add orange dots, I did just to give my nails a little more colour. 


7.) It's time to draw Pudsy. First we need to do his outline and to do this you will need to use a large dotting tool and yellow nail varnish. I also went around the yellow outline with a bit of black nail varnish.


8.) It's time to give him some features.
For the eye, nose and mouth you will need to use a small dotting tool and black nail varnish.
For the eye patch you will need to use a medium dotting tool and white nail varnish.
For the spots on the eye patch you will need to use a small dotting tool and green, blue, yellow and red nail varnish.


And we're done!...


I hope you all like my C.I.N nails! If anyone re-creates this design then you'll have to let me know as I'd love to see!

If anyone has any questions or requests then please feel free to comment below!
:)

Friday 11 November 2011

Ring, Ring.... Hello?!

I haven't written a jewellery post in a while so today I thought I'd share some of the lovely items that I'm going to be selling in my shop. All new items are rings as my shop needed a few more rings in its life! But I'm going to be selling new bracelets and necklaces very shortly.

I also have a new ring that is ideal for the Christmas period and I only have 3 available so if you want one, grab it while you can! I only made 3 as I wanted to see how many of you lovely people were interested in it.

So without further ado, here are my new rings...

Peacock Print Ring - £2.25


Rose & Pearl Ring - £2.25


Owl Ring - £2.25


Bird Ring - £2.25


Gold Double Finger Cross Ring - £3.25


Christmas Pudding Ring - £4.25

I also have a burger and chips ring to show you but the photograph was incredibly blurry so I'm going to have to take another photograph tomorrow. I would have re-taken one today but my camera kindly died so I had to wait for it to charge by which time it was dark outside so I couldn't have taken another photograph. I hate how it goes dark early, it's just so very inconvenient ;) 

I'm also thinking about doing christmas themed jewellery, for example, charm bracelets, christmassy earrings etc. I just wondered what your thoughts were on this? 

Thank you so much for reading, if you have any questions then please feel free to comment below. It'd also be great if you could give me feedback about the christmas themed jewellery! 
:D

Friday 4 November 2011

Cher Lloyd 'With Ur Love' Look

I have grown to love Cher Lloyd's new song so I thought I'd re-create the look that she wore in her video. It's such a smokey yet subtle look and I have to say that I love it. 

Here's the look...


Products used to create this look:
  • Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
  • Urban Decay Naked Palette (Eyeshadows used were 'Virgin' and 'Buck')
  • MAC Eyeshadow in 'Groundcover'
  • MAC Eyeshadow in 'Short Shorts'
  • Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner Pencil in 'Zero' 
  • Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara
  • False Eyelashes (Bought in a pack of 60 from eBay)

If you would like to create this look all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps.
  1. Apply Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion to your eyelids. Blend using your finger.
  2. Apply 'Buck' to your eyelids using a flat eyeshadow brush. I find that patting the eyeshadow onto the eyelids works best. 
  3. Blend a small amount of 'Groundcover' into the crease using a tapered eyeshadow brush. I blended the 'Groundcover' slightly up to the browbone just to create a more smokey look. 
  4. Apply 'Short Shorts' to the browbone using the tapered eyeshadow brush previously used. Also blend into the crease colour.
  5. Apply 'Virgin' to the very edge of the browbone using a small eyeshadow brush. 
  6. It's time to apply the eyeliner to your bottom and top lash line. Make sure you apply a thick layer as this adds to the smokiness.
  7. Apply mascara to your eyelashes and then add on a pair of false eyelashes. It isn't necessary to apply false eyelashes but I did for the purpose of this tutorial. 
I hope you all liked this makeup tutorial, if you have any requests please feel free to comment below. 
:)

Tuesday 1 November 2011

October Favourites

So as you probably may have guessed by the title, I'm going to be showing you all my October favourites.

Couture Couture by Juicy Couture - £49.50The Perfume Shop

This perfume has such a unique scent, it's strong, sweet and has a hint of tanginess. It's the perfect scent for the Autumn/Winter months and it really does last all day.

 No 7 Cleanse & Care Eye Make-up Remover - £7.75Boots

I initially switched to the No7 eye makeup remover because I found that Clarins was getting a little too expensive for my liking. I was a bit dubious about trying the No7 eye makeup remover at first because I hadn't read any reviews on it but I'm so glad I bit the bullet and decided to try it because now I LOVE it. It's just as good as the Clarins, if not better! The good thing with the No7 eye makeup remover is that you can mix it with water meaning one bottle is going to last for a long period time. I think it's great how it comes with a pump too because it means you won't waste a lot of the product. 

Illasmasqua Skin Base Foundation in '06' - £25.00Illamasqua

This is such a beautiful foundation and it's the best foundation that I've ever owned. It leaves skin looking flawless and it has a lovely light texture that covers any form of imperfection. Another pro to this foundation is its longevity, it lasts all day without fading or sliding off the skin. 
The Illamasqua skin base foundation is available in 18 different shades meaning there is a shade for everyone. The Illamasqua skin base foundation can be purchased from any Illamasqua counter or from ASOS which is great if you're a student as you'll get 10% off!
The only downfall is the price tag as it may seem a little expensive but you only have to use a tiny amount. To give you all an indication, the amount I have on my hand in the swatch photo is enough to cover a full face. 

MAC Lipstick in 'Mlle' - £13.50 - Discountined

This is the perfect lipstick for wearing everyday, it's a lovely neutral colour and it goes with pretty much any look. It's ideal for wearing with a dramatic smokey eye.  
Even though it's a glaze lipstick it really does last for a long time meaning it's great for those who have a busy lifestyle.
When applying this lipstick I apply one coat, blot on a piece of tissue, then I apply a second coat. I find that this process needs to be done with MAC glaze lipsticks. 

MAC Eyeshadow in 'Short Shorts' - £11.50 - Discontinued

This eyeshadow is ideal for using on the browbone as it adds subtle shimmer to any look. It's also a great eyeshadow for toning down dark eyeshadows. 

MAC Eyeshadow in 'Groundcover' - £11.50 - Discontinued

I got this eyeshadow for my birthday but I hadn't really used it until now. It's great for creating an everyday smokey eye because it gives subtle smokiness without being too dramatic. 

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in 'Darkhorse' - £35.00 (Full palette price) - Debenhams

I absolutely love the Urban Decay Naked Palette but I especially adore the 'Darkhorse' eyeshadow. It's the perfect 'eyebrow' colour and it great for using when creating a brown smokey look. 

Hakuhodo Eyeliner Brush - £5.00 - Hakuhodo

I own a few eyeliner brushes and this is by far the best eyeliner brush ever. It has a very thin tip meaning it gives such a precise line, and it's also great for creating a winged effect. The best thing about this brush is that it was only £5.00! 
The only criticism is that you can only buy Hakuhodo brushes online, and with it being an American company you have to pay high shipping costs, approx. £30.00 so as you can imagine it's not worth spending £30.00 on shipping for the sake of a £5.00 brush.

Swatches...

From left to right; Illamasqua Skin Base, Mlle, Short Shorts, Groundcover, Darkhorse.

I hope you all liked my October favourites, if you have an questions please feel free to comment below!

Thanks for reading beauties!
:)

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