Your highness.

Shirt -from a carboot with the sleeves hacked off.
Shorts - Topshop
Belt - Chairty Shop
Ring - River Island
Polka Dot nails - Nails Inc. colours.

I planned on trying to be a bit quirky and getting in the patriotic spirit by wearing red white and blue but I only got as far as the shirt and got bored.  It was the Royal wedding today, as if you all didn't know.. I quite liked it, was a bit kitsch and quite sweet. I made Rich sit and watch it all despite him declaring he'd rather eat our cat. I'm not going to say anymore about it though, because there'll be about a million posts written about it so I do not want to add to them. However, yes, it was a nice dress.

In these pictures I'm wearing that shirt that I bought from a carboot sale last week if you recall, pictured here. I chopped the sleeves off this morning with some rather blunt scissors and this was the result. Quite happy with it considering it was only £1. I've meant to do lots of uni work today, as it's not too long til I go back, but instead I think the most productive thing I've done so far is eat a huge amount of Dorritos. Rich will be back from work soon so I daresay I'll do no work then either...tomorrow, perhaps.

I've been paid today, so I'm toying with the idea of purchasing a nail art pen. Thing is, I manage quite well without one, using random things from around the house. My polka dot nails in the pictures above were done by dipping the end of a pencil in white nail varnish, sounds a bit ridiculous but it does the job nicely. Might do some leopard print ones later on as these are all chipped now, but we'll see.

Might go to the cinema later on, anyone seen any good films recently? I don't even have a clue what's on come to think of it. I really need to stop munching on easter chocolate, either that or do some exercise. I fear neither are going to happen anytime soon - send me some motivation someone? Hope you're all ok. What're you all doing this bank holiday weekend?

Emily xxx

All that glitters.

Evening all! Sorry for the silence yesterday, I spent all day job hunting/posting CVs etc, lots of boring stuff which left me a bit exhausted for blogging. Today I went to my first BBQ of the year, at my friends house. There were only the six of us, but it was lovely. Here's what I wore:

*scruffy hair*

Peacock blouse - Topshop

Necklace - Carboot sale

Bangles - Topshop

Bag - Accessorize

Before heading out, I had a play around with some new make-up I got recently from the myface cosmetics Blingtones range. The colours are inspired by metallic colours and precious jewels and the nail chromes are designed to perfectly match their eyeshadow counterparts - what a fab idea!

I tried Purple Haze and Bellbottom Blues blingtones eyeshadows and matching 'lil bling' nail chromes.  

I really love this idea, it's such a hassle trying to find a nail varnish that will match your make-up sometimes, so this is a real problem solver! Here's how they look on...



What I thought:
I've already told you I love the idea, but wasn't sure if I'd love the products. However, despite not usually being a lover of bright eyeshadows, I love the blingtones. They are really easy to apply and although I had concerns the colour might not be very vibrant once applied, it was a needless worry as hopefully you can see how bright they are. They are also quite glittery which I also like - if you're gonna do bold and bright, why not through glitter in to the equation too?!
The nail chromes I am also surprised at! I genuinely usually hate shimmery nails which I presumed these would be, but these are just metallic and beautiful! So easy to apply and they dry super quickly too, I only need one coat for a good even finish - bonus. I'm going to pick up some other colours when I get paid as these could be a new favourite!

The blingtones eyeshadows are £9.99 each and the lil bling nail chromes are £5.99. The eyeshadows are obviously a little expensive so I won't be using them for everyday wear as my budget for eyeshadow is quite a lot lower! I will definitely be using them on a night out though, and would recommend them if you were looking for a good quality eyeshadow with a bit of a difference. Have any of you tried these? What did you think?

I've had a few emails this week asking how I get my hair cut - I actually do it myself, would any of you be interested in how-to tutorial?  Love Emily xxx

Ps.Please don't forget to vote in my poll in the sidebar darlings!

Chocolate Eggs and bargains galore.

Hey dolls, Happy Easter! Have you all been scoffing lots of choclolate all day? I know I have!

I woke up extra bright and early this morning, as Rich and I had decided to go to a carboot sale. He quickly informed me however, I was absolutely not allowed to go and shower because I had an easter egg hunt! Bless him. We went to bed fairly late last night, around one-ish, but as soon as I had dosed off he had hidden eggs and clues all over the house, how sweet of him! So there I was hunting around the house for chocolate goodies before it had even turned 7am. He got me some lindt bunnies and a huge variety off eggs, Yummy. I am going to be huge!

Here's a quick outfit post before we get started, please bear in mind it was about 7am...

Top - Miss Selfridge
Jeans - Topshop
Belt - Vintage Store
Necklace - Charity Shop
Bangles I always wear - Topshop

So off we drove to a carboot about 10 minutes away from us, and boy did I get some bargains. It was such a hot morning, I caught the sun in the 2 hours max I was in it!

Ok, I'll show you what I got.

Probably doesn't look that exciting..however, I got..

1. A GENUINE CHANEL PURSE...for £10? I think so. It even came in the little box thing and has hardly been used! They were fools for selling it that cheap, I would have paid so much more.

2. Two pairs of brand new and unworn miss selfridge earrings for 50p. I'd actually almost bought both these pairs in store so I couldn't say no.

3. Brand new Freedom @ Topshop bangle, same as above, has lusted after it instore but couldn't justify it. 50p bargain

4. Little vintagey gem pendant. I think it's cute and for 30p it was always going to be mine.

5. Navy and White Topshop blouse thing. I bought it knowing I was gonna hack off the sleeves - which I will post up at a later date! £1.00

6. Pink chiffon material frilly blouse top, looks so nice on (will post soon). 75p

7. Replica Chloe Paddington Bag. I'm not one for fakes, but I love the Chloe bags and am too poor to afford one. This bag is a really closer copy but just doesn't have the branding and for 50p how could I not buy it?

So in total, I spent £13.55p. So little money for some ace stuff, actually made my day, especially my purse - so chuffed! In between munching on chocolate, Rich and I did a bit of gardening and sat out in the sun. Has been lovely actually!

How have all your easters been? Lots of chocolate and family time, or perhaps you've been out and about like me! Do let me know lovelies!

Love Emily xxx

Ps. Please don't forget to vote in my poll in the sidebar, I have so many beautiful followers but only 6 of you have voted so far!

Project DIY - Newspaper Nails.

Hey guys, as promised here is a (hopefully) quality post for you. Again, my apologies for the silence, have been bogged down with uni work. Today, my project DIY is newspaper nails..who needs a trip to the salon when you can do awesome pattern yourself at home? Before we get started though, here's a quick OOTD.

I'm wearing..
Pink floaty top - Primark
Jeans - Topshop
Belt - Charity Shop
Big Pendant Necklace - Charity Shop
Earrings - New Look
Bangles - Topshop

Ok, so down to the newspaper nails!
You will need..

• A sheet of newspaper
• Nail varnish
• Vodka
• Scissors

Step one: Firstly, paint your nails the colour of your choice! I've chosen a nude colour, but it also works well with brights, whatever takes your fancy!

Step two: Cut out some small squares of newspaper a bit bigger than the size of your nails. They don't need to be exact shapes, just aslong as they're a bit bigger than your nail.

Step three: Pour a small amount of vodka in to a cup/shot glass or whatever else you want to use.

Step 4: Dip one of the squares of newspaper in to the vodka, making sure it's all covered.

Step 5: Place in on your nail making sure it goes to the edges. I find it works well when you press down on the nail for about 5 seconds.

Step 6: Remove the newspaper and voila! Now repeat on all your nails and you'll be left with something like this..

You can seal it with a clear nail varnish or nail hardner if you wish, but if you choose to do so, make sure the newspaper print is completely dry before hand or it could smudge!

I love my nails - what do you think? Will you be giving it a go?

Don't forget everyone, theres a poll in my side bar about what you want to see more of - please vote!



Love Emily xx

Mini Revamp!

Hello darlings!

I've just spent the last hour or two making the blog look a bit prettier - what do you think? It's not hugely different but made a new header and de-cluttered the side bar a bit as well as adding a few new pages.

You can now ask me all you like at www.formspring.com/curiouser1 and if you're not already following me on twitter @_EmilyDivine then please do come and say hello to me!

Also, quite importantly (to me anyway..) I have added a poll to my sidebar, asking what you want to see more of. I write this blog for me, but also for you, so it would really help to know what you like reading about most - It's live for a month, so get voting!

I haven't posted in a few days because I've been stuck in the study doing uni work but tomorrow I'll be posting, promise!

Can't wait to hear what you all think, and look forward to getting your votes!

Love Emily xx

My Top fake tans...for all budgets.

I am a self-confessed fake tan convert and now addict. When I decided to write this post I admit I was cynical to say the least, as a very pale-skinned girl I'd never tried fake tan, thinking I'd look ridiculous. After trying out a whole load - and I mean a whole load - as I said, I'm a convert and officially jumping on the fake tan band wagon.

Just so you don't have to, I have tried out a ridiculous number of fake tanning products from a variety of price ranges and chosen my favourite three to recommend to you. They are of various prices so hopefully there is something for everyone.

Dove Summer Glow Moisturiser - £5.10
This is the cheapest of my top three fake tans, at just over £5 it is a real bargain. It contains ''A unique combination of active Dove moisturisers and a hint of self tanning agents to gradually build a natural summer glow''. I guess the idea is much the same as Johnson's holiday skin, but I preferred this product. It goes on like a normal moisturiser, having used the Johnson's version before, I was really thorough with rubbing it in and making sure there was a good coverage to avoid streaks. The only downside is that you have to wait a good 2 hours before it is entirely soaked in, which is why I'd recommend to apply it before bed. I thought the colour was really nice and noticeable, but still subtle and natural looking. As it contains a moisturiser, my legs were also silky soft. Unlike a lot of fake tans I tried, it doesn't wash off or go streaky once you've been in the shower which is fab, infact it tends to develop in to a deeper colour over about a week after which it starts to fade. It's a really good bottom price fake tan, you can't argue with the quality for just £5.


MakeBelieve Range - £30 per bottle

I tried two products from the Makebelieve range, both of which I think deserve to be in my top three - The Self Tanning Mousse and the Self Tanning Lotion with Bronzer. The mousse applies clear and develops over time, again, I'd recommend doing it at night and you see clear results in the morning. The colour you get is quite noticeable, but again subtle so you don't look like you've been tangoed. As it applies clear you do need to be careful you rub it all over so you don't miss any patches but that much the same with them all. With the tanning lotion, the colour is instant so its very easy to determine the colour you want and to get an even coverage. The only downside to the lotion is that it does fade in the shower quite quickly, but re-applying regularly will maintain the colour you want. A fab pair of products if you've got a bit more money to spend. Makebelieve also sell 'enhance' products, their own make-up range to compliment their fake tans, including bronzers, highlighting creams and lipglosses. 

HeShi Range - £40 for all three steps incl. tanning mit.

The HeShi range I tried consisted of three steps - A Body Exfoliator that smells divine, Liquid Tan and Souffle Mosturiser - also smells beautiful. You can purchase a mit to apply the tan with, which I would definitely recommend to do as for me it meant I had a really even, streak-free tan and also, it protected my hands from becoming orange. The tanning lotion is a bronze colour allowing you to see where you are applying it and also to determine the colour strength you want. If you purchase all three steps and the tanning mit, it is admittedly the most expensive in my top tans, but I absolutely think it's worth it. I will be definitely following the HeShi steps from now on. You can buy them individually, if altogether they are a bit out of your budget - The liquid tan is £21.00.

So these are my recommendations to you, a pale skinned girly to fake tan lover. Have you tried any of these? Are there any you think deserve to be in my top three?

Let me know what you think!

Emily xxx

Peachy Keen

Hey Dolls, here's my OOTD as promised, as well as 2 lipsticks reviews further down! Today I'm going to visit my grandparents as it was my grandads 87th birthday yesterday! They live about an hour and a half away, I'm anxious about driving, especially the M25. Scary road.. Wish me luck! :)

I'm wearing:

New Look Polka dot tee (I love the colours and the collar!) - In stores now for £12.99 I think

Topshop High Waisted Shorts - Last Season

Black & Gold Belt - Vintage from a Charity Shop

Tights from Primark (where else?)

I've been trying out 2 new lipsticks this afternoon - No. 17 Mirror Shine in Beehive and Barry M Lip paint in 147. My mirror shine is a bit squashed and yucky already, boo. I chose these two as I'm loving my nudes at the mo, and so it was a no brainer with the No. 17 and then thought I'd be ever so slightly more adventurous and go for a peachy shade, hence the Barry M.



Barry M - Lip Paint in 147

 

No. 17 - Mirror Shine in Beehive



Barry M - Right
No. 17 - Left



No. 17 Mirror Shine

Barry M - 147

 No. 17 Verdict - I absolutely love the No.17 Mirror Shine. Beehive is such a beautiful colour if you want a Nude lip. It almost feels glossy and it feels hydrating which is fab for me as lipstick usually dries out my lips. The only down side to it is that the lipstick itself seems very delicate and soft as you can see from the picture above, mine is ruined already and that was between looking at it in Boots and bringing it home. Despite that, I'd give it an 8/10.

Barry M Verdict - I really like the vibrancy of 147, Barry M do some great colours. Only thing is, it feels so dry! As I said before, lipstick dries out my lips but this one seemed to do it even more rapidly than any of my others. For me personally, because of that fact, I'd give it a 6/10. However, if you don't suffer the awfulness that is Dry lips, then I think it would be fab. I'll still use it again, just with a huge dashing of vaseline or something beforehand!

What're your favourite lipsticks? I want some new ones for summer so let me know which to try out, or link me to your page if you've done a post on one!

On that note, I'm off to make a veggie sausage bap and then start the dreaded drive, will post this up when I return. Sorry it's a bit picture heavy. Lots of love, Emily xxx

Ladybug

Hello beauties! As you all know, I'm an Aussie angel for their 'Lusciously light' campaign and part of the Luscious long tribe. As part of this campaign we were all asked whether we wanted 'lighter self' or 'lighter style'. I chose lighter style along with a load of other angels. Choosing lighter style means we get to try lots of new hair styles and colours and at the end of it they cut or style our hair however we like. I, like a number of Angles, were really curious as to how they wanted us to try these new looks out - I had visions of disastarous home hair dyes and all sorts. However, I got a fab package from Aussie today...and look what it contained..

A wig.
Why on earth I never thought of that is a mystery to me - it seems so obvious now! Anyway, I also got some 'Lusciously light' conditioner too, which I'll review soon. Each angel is being sent a new wig each week so we get to try out a huge range of colours and lengths - this week mine is short, curly and dark brown. I have tried it on already, and if i'm honest, it looks ridiculous. Mainly becaue the curls are all over the place from being in a box for a few days, so i'll take a comb to it and then i'll take some pictures for you! I'll need your honest opinions so I can decide for my salon appointment at the end of this all!

I just have to tell you, I got a car again yesterday! I haven't had one for over a year now because I couldn't afford the insurance and everything else that went with it but it's got to the stage where I can now, so goodbye public transport! I drove it for the first time today, I was petrified, and despite a few stalls I didn't run anyone over and by the time I pulled up outside my house again, I felt like that year didn't exist.
Here's my little car. It's like a ladybug.

Looks so nice and clean here, but in town a water pipe had burst and the road was flooded with gross murky water and so now it's all grubby.

I promise I'll do a OOTD tomorrow - I've been a bit rubbish with them recently because I've been so busy with uni work etc. I've also got fake tan reviews to write and some nail colours to try out and review - my nails are all short, broken and horrid though so those will have to wait!

I'm just about to do a load of editing from a photoshoot a did the other day for a 50s sounding band, sore wrists from clicking, here I come!

Do any of you have any particular favourite Aussie products? Emily xxx

Products that'll make you go 'Mmmm...' and some Primark goodies.

Evenin' darlings! Hope you're all feeling fabulous, I've got some goodies to share with you!

We all know that Spring and Summer brings the typical fruity and floral scents, however I've come across some beauties that are just that bit different so I felt I just had to share them with you all!

Firstly, Anatomicals - You need a bloomin' shower!

This lovely shower gel is Rose and Jasmine scented which is not a scent I'd usually go for. However, the cheeky packaging made me want it and after using it I am a convert. The elegant but subtle scent stays with you all day and makes you feel like a real English Rose! Unlike most products around in spring/summer, the smell is not overpowering which is a relief - we don't all want to smell like we've been rolling around in a flower bed, do we! The anatomicals brand is fantastic. Self proclaimed as 'outstanding bodycare products with a sense of humour', they're not fibbing. Even reading the side of the bottle will made me chuckle. You can snap this shower gel up at http://www.anatomicals.net/ as well as their other yummy products. I've got my eye on a few more so I'll let you know what I make of them!

Secondly, Body Shop - Banana Shampoo

I've gone banana-rama for this shampoo! It smells good enough to eat, really really yummy. I find it gently cleanses and nourishes my hair, leaving it soft and shiny. I've used this for a while now after seeing Tanya Burr talking about it on one of her YouTube videos. It's an old favourite from The Body Shop as it originally launched in 1990 and the fact that it's still around today proves how good it is! By the way, they also sell an equally fantastic Banana Conditioner. You can buy these from any Body Shop store or you can get it online at http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/.

They are so good it makes me want to go and have a shower just thinking about it! Have any of you used either of these before or plan to now?

Oh, and my primark goodies! I actually bought quite a few things on my little trip there this weekend, however, my dressing room is a tip meaning I can't find half the jewellery I bought and I can only suspect that I've put a load of brand new clean tops in the wash, as I do by accident regularly. So down to my own untidiness, I've got 3 things to show you. A sheer loose fitting peach top, a chunky necklace and some super cute wedges.

So hopefully you can see my top and necklace here. I'm not gonna lie - I couldn't be bothered to get my tripod out, and I deliberately missed out most of my face (tired, make-up-less me is not a pretty sight!), which resulted in this appalling photo. Back to the top - as I said, it's sheer and so I've got a vest top underneath. It has little turn up sleeves and a small pocket on the left side. It was only £8 but I almost put it back a few times, after wearing it today though, I'm very glad I didn't! The beads are a variety of pinks, corals and oranges on some chiffon type ribbon - £2 bargain!

The wedges - literally love them SO SO much. They also have them in black and I wasn't sure about them at first, thinking 'I wish these were in a tan colour', but love the shape and style of them so tried them on for the hell of it. I have to say, as nice as they look even here, they look so much better on. Trying both the black and the blue, I just felt the navy were so much nicer for S/S despite the fact that black would go with everything. I did mean to do an OOTD with them on, but I've had a lazy day doing uni work so haven't managed one. Back to the shoes, they're £12 which I think is fab.

 I'll get some piccys up of all the other bits and bobs once I've tackled the mamouth task that is tidying that room.. Have any of you bought anything lately from there that I might just have to have? Link me to your post! What do you think of my purchases?

Emily xx



A bargain dress and some vitamin D..

It's Friiiiiday, hurrah! I've had a really fab day today actually and only partly because of all the sunshine and how hot it was!

Firstly, my afternoon lectures were cancelled because the lecturers child had had an 'accident' at nursery and she had to go and get him, poor child but worked out well for me!

Secondly, I decided to start job hunting again. You see, I got a job at the hospital just doing HCA work alongside my course literally months ago but still haven't started yet. All they keep telling me when I ring is that they're processing my details and will be in touch regarding ordering uniforms etc and I am so skint that I can't wait for them any longer, especially as I'm informed that it takes months for your uniform to come through - I am poor now, that means I can't afford to wait til july to start working. Phew, long sentence. I've been debating whether to long elsewhere for a while now so I'm just relieved to have made a decision.

Thirdly, I rang around some nursing homes about job vacancies. Might seem odd that I want to work in places like that, but they love having student nurses work for them as it's given that you'll be good at the job. So after being told about a million times that they had no vacanies, one place had a big long chat with me and said they would call next week regarding an interview. YAY! I can see a light at the end of this tunnel of poor-ness at long last.

Lastly, I'm getting a car again. I sold mine when I started uni but now I need one for potential jobs and for my placements so when I get my student loan on the 18th I'm just gonna blow it all on that as I won't be able to afford to get one for a long while otherwise.

So I'm in a good mood now, they're only little things but boy do they lift your mood!

Intrigued by the bargain dress mentioned in the post title? Well, it's part of my OOTD and so see what you think. I literally love it. It's so on trend with the peter pan collar and it's colouring..

This little beauty is from F&F at Tesco of all places! It's only £10! I know right - shocker. There I was just popping in for some milk and there was this gem staring right at me!

The waist belt is from a charity shop and my trilby was from Peacocks for about £7 I think.

What do you think? It's definitely my bargain of the year so far!

Tomorrow, fingers corssed for lovely weather again! I'm going to pop to Primark bright and early because there have been some posts on their summer range recently and everything looks divine. After that, me and Rich have decided we're going to do some gardening of all things! I've bough some sunflower seeds to plant, they're my favourites!

What're you all up to this weekend? Hope you've had a fab Friday!

Emily xx

A lovely 'tips & tricks' post from pro make-up artist Carla Mireille Jones, you lucky things.

When I was asked to do an article about makeup I thought great, then 10 minutes later realization hit in….. I’m a dyslexic musical theatre actress turned hair and makeup artist for stage and screen, I’m no J.K.Rowling when it comes to writing things down.  So please forgive me if this is not the most interesting read, but ill try my best.

When it comes to makeup one of the main keys to makeup is skin care! You can spend hundreds of pounds on the best makeup, but if you haven’t looked after your skin with a good skin routine then even the best makeup won’t look as good.  But the same can be said for the other way round too - if you take the best of care over your skin, but use cheap makeup products, it will look like your using cheap makeup products.  So the thing is finding the balance, finding a good skin routine and makeup products, but being able to afford them too.  When buying cheaper products you will be using more of the product and topping your makeup up throughout the day, but with the better quality products which can cost a fair bit more, you use less and it lasts throughout the day a lot better!

Skin Care: When it comes to skin care, look at your skin in the mirror; is it oily, dry, combination or normal?  If you are unsure go into a counter and ask for their advice.  A general skin care routine would be: cleanse, tone and moisturize, a separate eye moisturizer and once to twice a week exfoliation. A lot of people with oily skin make the mistake of not moisturizing because they think it will make the skin more oily - this is not true, not moisturizing will make the skin produce more oil.  When picking a moisturizer be sure to go for a water based moisturizer rather than an oil based one, this will put water back into your skin and rehydrate it, helping to reduce the amount of oil that your skin produces. I always recommend using one that is water based rather than oil based.  When looking at what skin care products to buy, I’d never suggest buying the first one you’ve been recommended, if your going to the counters ask them to give you a skin consultation and ask for some samples for you to try for a few days before you buy, as everyone’s skin is different and what might work for some people wont work for others.   Personally the best skin care line I have found and the  one that I carry in my kit is Dermalogica - http://www.dermalogica.com/uk/   

Base: Once you have figured out the best skin care for you then you can get to the makeup.   When it comes to foundations think about weather you want a matt or satin finish, and a full coverage or a light coverage.  When looking at new foundations, go to the counter and ask for the advice of the person working on it, don’t fall into the trap of believing everything that they say, because at the end of the day they are sales assistants and work on targets.  Ask them to try the foundation out on you, and ask for a sample if they offer them so you can try it out.  Never buy a foundation straight after they have put it on you, always go outside and look at it in the natural light, as the harsh lighting of the shops gives a different look to foundation. Also you want to see how it lasts throughout the day.   It is important for you to try putting it on yourself as well as it might look good, but when you try putting it on you might not get along with it.  Some of my favorite foundations are Dior Forever, Dior Nude, Estee Lauder Double Wear, Mac Studio fix and Illamasqua both rich and light.  I always use a liquid foundation applying it with a sponge or foundation brush, this gives a better finish and means the oils and dirt on your hands don’t go onto your face; then brush a light amount of powder over the top to fix it and stop the shine.

If you are prone to spots, redness and dark circles under your eyes then here are a few of what I consider the best things you can buy on the high street.   For a concealer that covers spots and redness I would go with Mac select cover-up or Illamasqua concealer, and to help with bags under the eyes I would use the Yves Saint Laurent  Touché Eclat, this is a light reflector so its to be put on over your powder.  If you suffer from quite dark bags under the eyes then after the liquid foundation dab a small amount of the Mac select cover up under the eyes, then brush  powder on then use the Touché Eclat, only needing a small amount, this is a light reflector not a concealer.  When putting concealer on, first apply your foundation and then the concealer followed by the powder.

Brows: After Foundation I go to the eyebrows, if you get a pencil or brush and hold it against your nose pointing upwards your eyebrows should start where the brush is, then angel it so its at the bottom of your nose and the corner of your eye and where the brush is, is where your eyebrows should end.  This shows the best length that your eyebrows could be, eyebrows can make your eyes look bigger or smaller depending on length and in doing this it should open up your eyes.  I always use a eyebrow pencil and/or powder, going with the shape of your eyebrows to enhance the brows and frame the face.

Eyes: When it comes to eye shadows, I love matt eye shadows for a natural look, but it is difficult to find them at the moment. Nars are the only company I can think of that do nice matt colours.  If you come across some nice matt eye shadows stock up!  A trick I use with every look is getting a Matt creamy/white colour and brushing only a small amount under your eyebrow, not so it is noticeably there but this will lift the eyebrow and open your eyes up more.  Mascaras, there are so many different mascaras it can be quite overwhelming.  In my personal opinion some of the best mascaras that I’ve found are Dior’s Dior show or Dior Blackout, also the Chanel Exceptional.

Lips: Lips are always a tricky one to get right. I would always go for a natural colour lip liner, this helps stop the lipstick bleeding, but also means that it won’t be so bold that it will give you that 80’s look that so many of think of with lip liners and leave us with a look of horror on our faces.  With lipsticks, if you’re unsure on what colours to go for, stick to a colour that matches your natural lip colour, this will just enhance your lips without looking too made up or having the wrong colour.  Red lipsticks are always a tricky one, if you go for the wrong shade of red it can be to pink/orange or even worse can look cheap and tacky!  The best red lipstick I have found ( and lord knows I’ve tried tones) is Dolce & Gabbana in devil red, this is a pure red so it hasn’t got the pink or orange undertone, so it will match pretty much any skin tone and wont look cheap and tacky.  It is also a long lasting lipstick, but doesn’t dry your lips out. Lets just say I’ve put it on before a night out and its still been on at the end of a night after the drinks and the obligatory pizza at the end of the night. 

 

Carla’s given us some great tips there girls! For more advice or bookings, check out her website http://www.carlamireillejones.netau.net 

Which of her tips will you be incorporating in to your routine? xxx

TRASH FASHION LOVES: Natural products

As a vegetarian and animal lover, I think it's fab that more and more companies are striving to make their products natural and organic. In my eyes, there is nothing more beautiful a person that cares about where the products they use come from. There are some fab stores out there that have been doing it since the beginning, so I think they deserve a shout out along with some of my favourite natural products.

Lips

It's probably my pet hate having dry, unkept lips, so it is important for me to having a good lip balm I can rely on. SuperSmoocher.com have an amazingly vast array of vegetarian and vegan lip balms which are all 100% natural - no yucky nastiness anywhere near them. They stock super brands such as Apple & Pears, Burts Bees, Hurraw, Figs and Rouge, Pin up Balms, Green People as well as many more. My current favourite is by Hurraw! in Vanilla Bean (it smells divine and is only £3.99) which I would highly recommend to anyone, it's never out of my bag! Hurraw also comes in 14 other flavours so there will definitely be one for you. For natural lips this season http://www.supersmoocher.com/ is the way to go.

Mosturisers

Silky smooth skin is a must for any girly especially in spring and summer when you're flashing a bit more flesh! My current favourite natural moisturiser is by a brand called Betty Hula. Again, all natural ingredients, so you can't go wrong. All Betty Hula products have a hawaiian inspired scent which is what make them really unique to other natural products out there. I love the Rum and Blackcurrant Shea butter - this yummy scent is inspired by the pacific islands and leaves your skin feeling sweet and smooth. They also have Aloe Vera and Cocoa Butter based products, check them out at http://www.bettyhula.co.uk/


Hair

From dying, drying and styling, my hair is dry and always in need of some love, as I imagine, is the case with most of yours! Now the best organic shampoo and conditioner set I've found is from Green People - their Neroli & Marshmallow 'dry hair kit'. It smells yummy and leaves your hair feeling even nicer. They also do kits for other types of hair,as i'm sure you don't all have dry hair - Oily, Dull and lifeless, normal, coloured and sensitive. All products from Green People are vegetarian and vegan friendly, completely organic with no nasty chemicals, hurrah! http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/

Have any of you tried any of these brands or got any you can recommend to me?

Oh and before I forget, I have started a more personal lifestyle blog, so if you want to stay more up to date with my life and me in general than through my fashion and beauty posts here, follow me http://www.blackbirdandmagpie.blogspot.com/ xxx

Sunshine, lollipops...

Todays OOTD! It's so beautiful today I felt like being all glittery, so although the pictures don't really show it, I am, promise. I'm wearing a glittery chunky bangle, glittery cardigan and my eyes are too, should have taken a picture of them really... I actually took off the tights in the end as it's so warm! I'm currently trying out a whole variety of fake tans so watch out for the post on it coming in the near future!

Cardigan: Topshop

Vest top: Primark

Bodycon Skirt: H&M

Bangle: Topshop

Necklace: Charity Shop

So tell me girls - which are your favourite fake tans? I'm trying out a whole load of them and will then compile a list of my top 3 based on quality and value for money. Get in touch!

xxx