Saturday 29 January 2011

Giving it a go

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Good Evening folks, hope you and yours are well......

I never thought I'd be lured in by the power of advertising however when I saw an advert for a free Model's Own Make-up kit and all I'd have to do is buy two Sunday newspapers, I had to have it.

The first week the token was in the paper, I completely forgot so I had to wait for week two and what did I do? yep I forgot again?!!! Fortunately I did remember halfway through the afternoon so I ventured out only to find that the local shop had run out of that particular paper and all the other shops I tried didn't sell newspapers?! what the heck? how can a convenience shop NOT sell newspapers??!! So my quest for a free make-up set turned into a challenge, I really felt like I was on a game show like Crystal Maze (do you remember that programme?!), I was driving, parking-up, jumping out and into the shops as quick as a flash, only to return empty handed and have to do the same routine a few blocks up the road. By the time I actually got my hands on a paper, I was so exhausted, I went home and jumped into bed, didn't even bother cut the voucher out after all that.

Week three, I was much more organised but I guess it was because that was the final token and I would actually receive the goodies that day! So in the spirit of giving it a go, I tried all the products out as soon as I got home ;-)

Models Own Free Make-up Kit from Fabulous Magazine

The make-up set consists of tweezers, eye lash curler, liquid eyeliner, mascara and an eyeshadow duo set called 'Goldie-rocks' which is one shimmery cream shadow colour with a dark grey/brown shadow colour in a little compact and both shades have silver glitter in them.

It all came in a cute little pouch and I like the pink and black packaging of the eyeliner and mascara, very girlie. The tweezers have an angled head and are very effective, quick removal of those stray eyebrow hairs.

The liquid eyeliner is black, personally I think the brush/tip is a little too small so I had to use it a couple of times to get a solid line and it doesn't seem to dry so has a wet look which I'm not too keen on but that's just my personal preference.

My eye lashes are short, few and far between so I didn't try the eyelash curlers, I never use em, a good mascara usually does the trick and boy am I loving the mascara in this set! There wasn't much product actually in the mascara as the brush came out a little dry but I popped the brush in another mascara bottle that I have and the brush is fantastic. It applies just the right amount to the lashes to curl and shape them perfectly. I've been using this every day since I got it, it is brilliant.

The shadows are lovely too, there was no fall out and they are smooth on the lids. Also, you don't have to use too much product to get the full effect of the colour in the palette on your lids....


So for a couple of quid I got quite a few products, am considering getting this mascara when my current one runs out, it really is that good.

Off to raid the fridge, see you later x

Tuesday 25 January 2011

How do I look?

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Hey, how y'all doing? hope all is well with you and yours!

Last week I kind of by accident did an experiment. I was running late (as per usual) to do the school run, so I thought I'd save some time and put my make-up on when I got to work....

...when I got to work I completely forgot that I hadn't put done my make-up, until I was in a training session and one of the girls on the course walked in, all made up, looking like a supermodel and then I remembered that I forgot to put my face on???!!! Anyway, when we broke for lunch I went back to my office and asked my team, how do I look? They all said "you look like you normally do, why?" I told them that I didn't have any make-up on they all reckoned that they couldn't tell the difference. Now I really don't believe they were all brown-nosing seeing that I have no real power in the organisation so it got me thinking, why do I wear make-up? is there really no difference in the way I look with or without it? and if so why do I bother?!

I didn't bother to put my make-up on after that, although I felt comfortable enough to go through the whole day without it, I was still wondering why do I wear the stuff? I'm sure my other half will say "told ya you don't need all that stuff on your face" after my revelation above and perhaps he's right, however the unintentional experiment made me realise that I don't need to wear it, I just like putting it on for my own pleasure. It makes me feel 'dressed', kind of like my armour for the outside world I guess and more importantly, I simply enjoy playing around with make-up just as my hobbie and I ain't about to stop now! 

So full steam ahead with my playtime, I've done TWO looks with my Ruby & Millie palette using the other colours that I haven't swatched as yet!

Ruby & Millie Eyeshadow Palette
This first look is with the brownish colours on the top row of the palette


I like the look of this combination of colours, however, they have lots of gold glitter in the pigment which can make all the colours look as though they are blurring into one if you're not careful. There was quite a bit of fall out as well so I'll have take extra care when using them again so I don't end up with glitter all over my face!

The second look is with the blue/green shades on the last row of the palette and this time I decided to apply the shades in thirds, vertically working from the right of the palette



The colours remind me of a peacock, with the blue and green hues, what do you think? the colours work well together, can wait for summer to come so I can do this look again!

Strangely, there wasn't much fall out with these shades in comparison to the brown shades I used previously? no big drama though, all in all this is a lovely palette with colours to mix and match or use alone for a number of looks, a good staple to start your collection with or to add to your hoard of products, it gets the thumbs up from me.

See you next play time x

Sunday 16 January 2011

Just for the hell of it

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Hey, hope all is well with you and yours?! I'm having a quiet night in tonight, no parties or dinners to get glammed up for, I guess everyone is still broke from Xmas - which is a distant memory now. So I thought I'd try out that Ruby & Millie palette I blogged about the other night, just for the hell of it.

Inspired by last weeks metallic purple & blue look, I thought I'd keep that combination of colours but perhaps in lighter shades, for a fresh spring look (although we aren't quite yet in spring, a girl can wish though right?!). I opted for three colours in the middle of the palette lilac, purple and turquoise with the white in the top palette for my highlight:

(from left to right)
Top Row, 1st Shade - White, Brow Highlight
Middle Row, 1st Shade - Lilac, Lid
Middle Row, 3rd Shade - Purple, Upper Eye
Middle Row, 4th Shade - Turquoise, Lower Lash Line
First I covered the entire lid up to the crease in lilac, then I lined the lower lash line with the turquoise. Then I applied the purple shadow to the upper eye area from the crease to the brow bone and added the white highlighter under the brow. I blended the purple and white highlight a little but not much with the lilac and purple as the colours are quite similar and didn't want one to get lost in the other. Once I had done some blending I did need to reapply the lilac so that it stood out, also added some eyebrow pencil and mascara just to complete the look:



These shadows are smooth on the lids, very little fall out although I did have to apply quite a bit of product to achieve a rich colour, even with my Urban Decay Primer. That shouldn't put you off trying any of these shadows though cos once they're on, they are gorgeous don't you think?!




If only uploading my pics was as pleasant. I took these pictures at 9pm, check out the time I posted this blog below?! I've spent hours online searching net forums trying to work out why my software update wasn't working?! Seems like I'm not the only one with the problem however after trying two methods to fix the glitch (which seemed to take forever to do) and a cut bottom lip from all the lip biting I was doing, I finally managed to fix the problem (touch wood) and upload me pics. After all that, I hope you like it! Right, I'm off to get meself a drink for all my hard efforts (she says) but really it's just for the hell of it ;-)

Friday 14 January 2011

Hello All!

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Hello All! I thought I'd do a blog today to say hi to new followers and those that have been looking at my blog but haven't subscribed as yet.

I had planned to show some pics of an eyeshadow experiment I did this evening but for some reason, my software update hasn't worked and now I can't upload my pics? Very disappointed about that as I've been fiddling with the darn net book all evening and now my forehead looks like a tube map with all the frowning I've been doing!

So instead I've got some pics I uploaded previously of a great Ruby & Millie Vanity Case that I got at Xmas and will be experimenting with soon. This sleek, stylish, gold, leather (well leather's cousin polyurethane) case has so much goodies inside, to be honest I'm not quite sure how I've managed to contain meself and not try all the stuff out yet but rest assured I will be, soon!

Ruby & Millie Gold Vanity Case
The vanity case contains a palette with 12 eye shadows, 4 lip glosses, 2 blushers, a removable brush case with 5 brushes and a removable make-up bag....


Ruby & Millie Vanity Case Contents
I'm loving this palette and I know it's going to become one of my make-up staples as the shimmering shades will look fantastic when used individually and great combined together to create different looks. The colours aren't labelled in the palette but from the pic below you can see that there is a great range of colours, white, black, blues, greens, pinks, lilacs, purple, brown and bronze.

Ruby & Millie Vanity Case Palette
Top Row: 4 lip colours,
Middle Three Rows: 12 eye shadows
Bottom Row: 2 blushers
The lip colours range from an organgey gold, pink, purple and red, the blushes are tan and bronze with gold shimmers. I don't think I'll be able to use one of the blushers on my skin tone but this can always be recycled as a shadow or a highlight at some point, waste not want not.....

Brushes from left to right:
Lip, Eye Line, Eye, Powder and Foundation Brushes

The five piece brush collection is everything you need for getting started - foundation & powder brushes for the face, shadow and an angled line brush for the eyes and a lip brush. It also comes in it's own little gold case and all the brushes are labelled on the wooden handles which is helpful. I'm not sure if the fibres used are synthetic or natural as there is no reference in the packaging, but they feel mighty smooth on the skin so I do hope that they work well and don't start molting once I start using them regularly - nothing worse than walking around looking like wolverine with  whiskers or a moustache with everyone around you being too polite and to say "you've got something on your face" in case you actually do have facial hair and don't give a damn!

I've already started using the make-up bag, it perfectly holds all of my daily make-up essentials and fits well into most of my handbags. I hope to start trying out the shadows over the weekend, so technology permitting, I'll have some pics for you all soon xxx

Wednesday 12 January 2011

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year Folks! Yes I know it's a bit late but better late than never eh? So I hope you all had a great xmas and a good start to the New Year? I did, ate and drank far too much but it's got to be done hasn't it?!

Going back to work was traumatising I tell ya, I was in desperate need of a power nap at 11am on the first day back and as if that wasn't bad enough I got called into a two hour meeting at the last minute (yawn). So there I was trying to keep my eyes open, thinking I was doing a good job until I snapped out of a daze and realised half of the people in the room were watching me staring at my blank page! I was supposed to be taking minutes and the only note I had written was to myself 'must stay awake' and the meeting had been going on for at least half hour......

The week got progressively worse, so much work to do, by the time Friday reared it's head, my nail polish had started to come off as I'd typed so hard and fast, felt like asking "do you want fries with that?" everytime the phone rang, seeing as the whole building seemed to be ringing me with one request or another!

So, when one of my girlfriends suggested dinner with the girls on Saturday night, I jumped at the chance to glam up, shake off the week and have a good stiff drink, oh and dinner too lol. I thought I give the Strictly Latin Look Book a go, seeing as I tried out the 'Stunning Look Book' previously.

Strictly Latin Look Book
The 'Stunning Look Book' has three metallic eyeshadows in dark purple, dark blue and slivery white, with a blusher and three lip glosses in plum, purple and red. Again I used my own Jemma Kidd brushes rather than the ones it comes with for application and literally followed the instructions inside using the silver as a highlight, purple on the lids and blue for the top and bottom lash line. There wasn't much fall out with the shadows and as I had put my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion on first, the shadows stayed put all night (this pic was taken at 1am!)


Purple, blue and sliver shadows plus mascara

 I'm very impressed with the final look of this combination of colours and the metallic edge to the colours really set off the biker chic outfit I went for, can't wait to rock this look again and I suggest you put this lookbook on your tip list folks, it's my favourite out of the two I bought, it's great!
See you next time x