Monday 26 March 2012

♥ Foundation Routine ♥  


Most common of all #GirlProblems - FOUNDATION! Foundation is the enemy, yet we love it and can't live without it. So we all have to learn to deal with it and work out a routine that works best for us, which sadly takes YEARS to master, plus our skin changes, PLUS weather effects us too! we just cant win!

I'm going to share my current routine in the hope it may help at least somebody. But remember everybody's skin is different so what works for me may not work for you.

To Begin I wipe off any excess make up that may still be on my skin. You should always take everything off before bed but some nights it just doesn't happen, we're all human. I use simple wipes which are amazing. I have very sensitive skin and all make up removers that have strong ingredients like most eye make up removers in bottles irritate me! Its not pretty. plus using non chemical make up and skin care will prolong ageing ;)


CLEANSE, TONE AND MOISTURISE!
Unless your skin is airbrush perfect you will need to polish your face with the most vital pieces of skin care you will ever own! If you haven't got these products,GET THEM!
1. An exfoliating face cream
2. A cleanser
3.Toner
4. face moisturiser (not body)
These products eliminate any flaky skin and any dry patches on the face plus give you the perfect base for foundation to sit on an even skin surface. I use bodyshop products as they have worked best for me over the years.If you go into a store they will consult you on which range will be best for your skin type.



Use a primer! I only recently saw the importance of using a skin primer under my foundation. I'd never used one before and saw an amazing difference. Foundation sits better on top of a primed face! Your skin will have a much better Matte finish! Primer hides pours, so you will look 100% airbrushed and feel fab! I again use a bodyshop primer but since its my first I can't say its the best I've ever used. I'll try a few out and let you know in time.




After years and years of buying foundations, nothing has ever compared to Ese Lauder Double wear foundation. Its easy to apply and spread. Its full coverage but its not too thick. It doesn't irritate my skin in the slightest, frankly its just perfect! I just use my fingers to apply all over my face, Using a brush is just too much hassle; you have to wash it out every week and it gets lots of bacteria etc. Just make sure your hands are clean and fingers work fine. 
If you have any spots you want to hide or any discolouration on your face, Estée Lauder also do a Concealer which is just as great as the foundation. But generally the foundation is highly full coverage you shouldn't need any extra help. 




Finally, When my foundation is dry I like to set it in place for the day. I Use a pressed face powder from bodyshop (again) and I lightly apply a thin layer all over my face, working in small circular motions with a fluffy bronzer brush. 



 I'll Do a YouTube video of the routine soon and buy some new products to experiment with =] x

































Saturday 17 March 2012

♥Hide Your Roots♥


I have bleach blonde highlighted hair which is a nightmare when my hair grows! Unfortunately it's nature and nature can't be stopped =[ So over the years I've come up with some tips and tricks to hide roots.

Lightening spray


I love John Frieda lightening spray is truly works. It will lighten up any roots to blend in with your dyed or highlighted hair. Of course this is not a miracle spray it wont magically match up the colour of your dye and make your hair instantly the same colour. It does take a few applications before it gets gets very light, but in the mean time it does lighten your hair to blend a lot better and looks more natural than black roots and white hair!
I've been using this product sine I last had my hair highlighted 9 months ago now! Its been such a money saver, Especially at the moment only being £3.48 in Superdrug! Its a fab fix between salon visits.


Dry Shampoo


I love dry shampoo! Its an instant fix to hiding your roots! lots of people tell me they don't like dry shampoo and I think its because they use it wrong or their hair is just too dark for it. The first time I used it I made a complete mess! I sprayed too close to my roots and then couldn't work the product into my hair, I looked like somebody had poured flour over my head! it does take some time and practice to get it right. 
Dry shampoo also give you volume, which is another great way to hide roots.
I've found that for blonde hair and bad roots, the best dry shampoo is Batiste 'light and blonde'. unlike other dry shampoos it does not spray on a white powdery consistency, instead a golden light blonde colour to better disguise those awful roots. Like all of these products it still needs some getting used to but once you've mastered it, you wont be worrying about your roots any more. The only downside to these products is applying them wrong or having the wrong hair for them. If you have black hair I doubt you'll ever be able to work it in enough to hide the light powdery colour. If you spray too close you'll also not be able to work it in enough to evenly distribute it through your hair, it'll look a complete grey mess, be warned. Read the instructions carefully! they're there for a reason! 


Baby powder

This is no joke! Baby Powder works great in the right colour hair! Unfortunately that's only for us bleach and platinum blondes. It works quite like a dry shampoo but its a lot cheaper to buy. All you need to do is put a small amount on your roots and work into your hair so you no longer see powder on your scalp. Be careful not to put too much on, you will look like you have grey roots! Again its about trying it out a few times and seeing what works best for you and your hair. 
Warning; Any kind of powder in your hair will make it dry, so be sure to wash it out properly and use lots of conditioner to moisten your hair after. 
Also its a kind of messy method, so maybe do it over the bath tub if you don't want to make it look like its been snowing in your bedroom/bathroom. =]


Volume Volume Volume

I originally tried got2be Powder'ful by Schwartzkopf on new years for some extra volume. To my amazement I also found its a great little root hider too! It instantly lifts your hair so all your fabulous blonde is on top and all your roots are hidden underneath.  
I can't quite describe how this product feels, its a complete mystery, it seems to look like a powder but feel like some kind of thicker semi liquidy gel type once its in your hair.  Like I said, its near impossible to explain, it has to be tried!
Plus Side for Everybody- It leaves no trace of white or grey powder in your hair! So if you're blonde, brunette, redhead etc it will work for you!


Back-combing hair

One of The oldest methods which everyone will no is back-combing! Every hair colour can do it and its very east to master. Unfortunately its also the most hair damaging.  But to minimise breakage of you hair do not try to brush the back-combed hair out hen your hair is dry, jump in the shower and put lots of conditioner on then gently brush through.  Do NOT sleep with your hair still back-combed; you'll just have more trouble brushing it out and more hair damage. 
Another huge NO-NO is filling your hair with hairspray and then back-combing the sticky roots..NOOOOOOOOOO, it makes me cringe when I see girls doing this in the mirror of ladies toilets! 
That is MAJOR instant damage, and then because their hair is so damaged and thinning they do it more to hide that they are losing so much hair! its a viscous cycle.
As long as you don't over back-comb, don't do it everyday and use plenty of conditioner and are gentle getting it out you should be fine and have minimal damage. 

♥ Cheap Eyelashes ♥




2True Lashes


So I went to SuperDrug today in search of what I thought was too good to be true. Last week I'd seen on their website that they do false lashes for £1.99.. And identical to the £5+ Eylure lashes id normally buy. So of course I had to check it out.... And they do! The brand is called '2true' the lashes them self are great but you have to observe them carefully in the box as I did see a few faulty pairs with splits etc.
However the glue provided is pretty awful but I didn't even expect glue to be provided for £1.99 do I'm still over the moon. I'm a regular false lash user and having bought so many pairs over the years I have a huge collection of adhesive glue! So the glue in the '2true' box being so-so wasn't a problem in the slightest! I used my eylure glue from a previous box and they went on a perfectly!

Its now been day later, I wanted to wait to post this just in case I had any problems with taking them off, or if they would be ruined for whatever reason after one use.
But Luckily I don't so the raving review stands and I second telling you to go buy a pair NOW!!!
The Lashes have kept their shape and are 100% reusable! I will be wearing them again today :) Also they hold their shape if you pull off any excess glue which has seemed to ruin many pairs of mine in the past!
The only possible downside to these lashes is that there are not enough different styles and shapes.

Thursday 15 March 2012

♥Favourite Hair Products For Blondes♥



I've just finished blow drying my hair and it feels so lovely! I have bragging rights because of the amount of money I spend keeping my hair in good condition =]

Being blonde is EXPENSIVE!!! So I'll tell you a few sneaky ways to hide roots and prolong the need for highlights! But first off I'd like to share a few products which keep my hair healthy and fresh.

JOHN FRIEDA!!
I love everything John Frieda, their blonde collection is amazing and works wonders on my hair... True it's on the pricey side but it's definitely worth it! Highly recommended!


Shampoo & conditioner

Sheer blonde go blonder shampoo and conditioner is heaven to my hair. It always adds shine and Brightens up my colour dramatically. After I've used this I always get compliments. It's officially my favourite combination of shampoo. And conditioner. However if you use it everyday your hair will get used to it, like any other brand and the full effects will not be as beneficial. So always vary your brand to get the greatest out of any shampoos and conditioners. If you have coloured hair try to use a conditioner for damaged and colour treated hair for extra softness.

Another shampoo/conditioner I love, also from John Frieda, is Sheer blonde tone refreshing! It's purple which contracts any brassy tones which us blondes will always suffer with. Only use this product once a week at the most.. Warning: don't over use this product.. I found my more damaged ends turn a soft purpley colour when I used it multiple days in a week. But the refreshed brightness this product brings outweighs any down-points!

Lightening spray!


This product from John Frieda is a miracle! It's called sheer blonde, go blonder lightening spray.
I had my hair highlighted in June of 2011... It's now March 2012, I've been using this product since my roots started coming through and since, I haven't needed highlights! It's saved me so much money! I'd normally have had my hair highlighted at least twice in-between that time; Which would have cost me £400!
The lightening spray is 6.99!!!!!! I've only needed two bottles in 9 months. Wow right!?!?!?
It may take a little bit of time to spray in and blow-dry but I outweigh that by thinking of the endless hours sitting in a salon! Trust me if you're blonde you NEED this product. =]

More John Frieda ....


Leave in conditioner

Sheer blonde leave in conditioner is a must if you're using hot tools on your hair as It also is a heat protectant spray. I use this product every time I blow dry my hair and each time it feels so soft and well conditioned. It's a perfect accompaniment to the rest of the John Frieda range. Also putting this product on and letting your hair dry naturally works as a leave in conditioner and a deep conditioner. It absorbs and drys straight into your hair Instead of being dried off with a hair dryer.



Amlika leave in conditioner

When I first bought this leave in conditioner from BODYSHOP I thought it was over priced. At £5 for a tiny bottle I was almost not going to perchance it, except, I'd heard such great reviews I had to give it a try. Im do glad I did its lasted over a year and it's fab on hair. I've never felt such a silky difference. When I first bought this product the ends of my hair were in a dry frizzy bad condition, Amilka instantly softened my hair after the first use. I've continued to use over this year and my hair is now in great condition, I even surprise my hairdresser. It's worth a try to see what you think. Hope you love it as much as I do.

Deep Conditioning

Aussie 3 minute miracle really is a miracle. It's an Intense condition from root to tip and it leaves your hair smooth its even impossible to backcomb, do if your looking to work your hair in bouncy and big styles do not use this product. It makes my hair so smooth its pretty much only good for straightening after.. If anything it over does its job. But I'm not complaining, it's a fantastic product for damaged hair.
You should always use a deep conditioning treatment the week leading to having your hair coloured and let as much natural oil into your hair as possible. This means not washing too often! Your hair will take to the colour quicker as its not dry which leaves less chemical contact with your hair and scalp. =]

 ♥ St Patrick's Days Nails ♥





Indulge in Glitter! This weekend is St Patrick's Day! Which means its an excuse to go out at midday and get drunk and wear 100% green and not get told you look like a fool! So, a recipe for a great weekend. 

Today I was looking through my wardrobe for green nail varnish to match my outfit and found it dried up and 90% hard! Well I wasn't about to go out and buy another! So I decided to restore it instead! I'll tell you how and show you in a video in another blog and on YouTube.. but for now this is about getting gorgeous glittery nails.

To get this look you are going to need; 
Green nail varnish.. preferably very bright
A Clear / top coat varnish
Some kind of fine glitter (mine was from hobby craft) 
And paper for excess glitter


Its an extremely simple and quick look to do,  you can also substitute the green for any colour or occasion, e.g valentines you can use pink or red etc etc... 






Give it a go yourself and have fun =] x

❤ Tanning Secrets ❤


FAKE TAN - wash off tan

Im not a big fan of wash of tan. I've never found one that doesn't run off on my clothes and sheets! Also they rarely go on evenly.
But if you do decide to use them instant colour spray tans are good for a full evenish coverage you may need a friend to help you do your back .. But be warned if it rains you'll be stuck looking like a tiger.

If you decide on a cream or gel instant tan make sure to use a tanning mit or wear gloves! There's nothing worse or more embarrassing than bright orange hands.. And it doesn't quite wash off (like it says on the bottle!)



FAKE TAN - gradual glow


I use these kinds of products regularly they're great for first time tanning too! Not too messy and pretty much idiot proof.. Although I admittedly have ended up with orange hands before.. Again wear gloves! .. Before applying, moisturise areas that are dry eg knees elbows also do hands and feet..
Start with a small amount of product for your first time then gradually add more day to day to get the desired colour. My favourite gradual tans are dove and palmers cocoa butter tan. Both are reasonably priced too =]


FAKE TAN - 'Professional' spray


Well, I've had many spray tans in my time and the majority not so successful. Ask your beautician about experience! I had many dodgey patchy tans with stripes on my arms and white in-between my fingers where the 'professional' didn't spray! If that happens do not hesitate to ask for your money back or go back for FREE corrections! ..
Always make sure the spray used is a representable brand.. Eg St Tropez, Fake bake... Cheap alternatives will run and not last as long.
ALWAYS exfoliate before visiting the salon for a spray tan and make sure you do not put on any oily moisturiser or roll on deodorant .. You will get a streaky tan!
DON'T forget to shave before getting a spray tan, you will scrape off the tan with your razor leaving horrible uneven streaks of colour.
DON'T wear makeup to the salon the day you go for your spray tan despite what some people say it will not go through foundation it's not a miracle liquid? :s
Wear loose clothing when you go to the salon! There's nothing worse than getting home and half your tan has rubbed of onto your clothes, also it's best not to wear a bra.. Tight straps leaves marks!


FAKE TAN - indoor tanning


Yes Sunbeds are bad but I'm addicted and I live in the UK where there is no sun! So leave me alone =]
Plus they build an amazing base tan if you are going away which in the long term is good for you because you don't get burnt on holiday ;) you just end up with a fab dark tan!

Always wear eye protection no matter how long you go on for, some salons I have been to have told me only 6minutes plus needs eye protection.. Walk out of those salons! they have no regard for your eyes.

I always put an SPF on my face before visiting the salon, normally factor 20 or 30, I don't want wrinkles, plus if I'm putting makeup on my face why does it need to be tanned?

For extra help to boost that tan on a Sunbed use a tanning accelerator. If you're an advanced tanner use a tingle cream for best effects, it may feel odd but it sure does work!
Amazing product alert - Australian gold (HOT)

Anybody else should use a normal accelerator with extra moisture and a low SPF .. It'll get your skin prepared and ease you into building that stunning tan.
Australian gold original is a great start!


TANNING - sun

Like I said before a great way to get a tan in the natural sun is by going to a salon a few times and using a tabbing bed to build yourself a base tan.
But if you're against Sunbeds its fine. But you'll still need to build that base tan. Just use a high factor on your first few days of tanning .. I'm sure your mothers taught you how not to burn from a young age.
The most important thing to me member is never let yourself burn, you can do serious permanent damage to your skin! Plus major wrinkles in early life! Who wants to look old? Not me!

Wednesday 14 March 2012

♥ Favourite beauty products - March 2012-so far ♥ 


JOHN FRIEDA - full repair!!!


Absolutely amazed by this new product! As a very light blonde with thin; fine hair I struggle finding products to control and truly moisturise and care for my hair. UNTIL NOW... I bought the full collection, from Cleansing to Treating to styling. My hair looks and feels amazing! ill post a before and after shot soon to show you the difference this stuff actually makes! .. highly recommended =]

BARRY M Nail varnish

I'm sure everybody has tried Barry M and loved the colour range! Today I bought i bright vibrant green like the one in the photo as St Patrick's day is coming up and ill be out celebrating (drinking) and dressed in full green to show the spirit :D.....
Outfit Of The Day (OOTD) video will be posted to my YouTube channel =]
As much as i love Barry M nail varnish i do find it peels off relatively easily but with an expensive top coat of OPI or other top quality brands it stays on just fine.





ST TROPEZ Fake Tan


This is and all year round favourite of mine! but especially as summer is approaching and the weather is getting warmer, soon you'll want to show a bit of skin. Why not be healthy and tanned before the sun has even begun to shine.

I bought a can of St Tropez spray tan today from boots as mine has run out, its £20.49. which is pretty price considering the first time i bought this I got a whole tannign set of 4 products for £30 but I was desperate for a glow this weekend. If you are looking for the cheaper option try; www.lookfantastic.com ...If you want the perfect colour I suggest also buying the tan optimiser shower crème. it works a treat at keeping the tan even and your skin moisturised.




MAX FACTOR Colour Effect Flipstick
This is a new product that id never seen or head of before so I thought id give it a try.. ill do a full review on my YouTube channel.. but I have to say its not my favourite product for obvious reasons. you are meant to put one colour over the other to highlight your bottom lip or create different effects. as you can imagine the colours mix after talking for a few minutes, you cant rub your lips together and the colours on the lipsticks get messy like a felt-tip pen would if you draw over a different colour.
However the colours on their own are fab! and when you first put it on with the effects of them both it does looks pretty funky! I bought colours in shades; Bloomy pink, Salsa red and Boreal Mauve

I'll keep trying effects and techniques with this product and ill let you know how I get on.