Makeup Tip Tuesday | Easier Blending |

I thought I would start a series of posts called Makeup Tip Tuesday which funnily enough will be posted on Tuesdays. There are lots of tips and tricks to be shared around the make up world so I thought I could share a few with you all. I welcome any other suggestions that you may have and they will only be short and sweet posts to maybe give you some ideas and inspiration.

My first Makeup tip is to apply powder to your face before adding contour, blush or bronzer. By doing this after your foundation it enables the rest of your makeup to blend into your skin easier as it has a smooth surface of powder to run over rather than a sticker foundation base. Blending is the key to a good contour as you don't want any harsh lines to give the game away that you aren't as chiseled as you may appear ;)

I hope you like this first quick Tip Tuesday and let me know if you like it and would like to see more.

Hayley xxx

August Glossybox | International Superstars |

As I went to snap the pics for this blog post my camera battery ran out and I have mentioned in previous blog posts my camera is in for repairs and I am borrowing a snazzy camera. I can't quite work out how to charge it yet so I am sorry for this picture lacking post. Anyway, down to the more important things. This months Glossybox was themed around items from all over the world. It couldn't have come at a better time with all the Olympics hype just ending. Many of the items are cult products in that particular country so it's really interesting to get to test things out that I normally wouldn't be able to get my hands on.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Vera Valenti eyeshadow palette. I was so excited to see this however when I swatched it the pigmentation was awful and reminded me of those eyeshadows you used to get in make up sets when I was 5. In saying this, I used a mixture of the dark browns today as a crease colour and after a lot of building up, it actually looked quite good.

The other item which I got excited about was the Alessandro Pro White which claims to optically brighten the appearance of nails which may be yellowed from staining. I have used this once and as it's blue tinged to cancel out the yellow tones, you can see it in some lights which isn't the most flattering. I will have to use this more as I am not sure whether it just claims to brighten the nails once it is on or produce long lasting whitened nails once used for a long period of time.

One of my favourites from the box has to be the All For Eve Eve's Balm which is an easily absorbed recovery balm to help moisturise any dry areas. In the pan, the product just looks like a plain balm however when you touch it, it turns into an oil. I love to use this on my lips while doing makeup ready for the application of a lipstick or gloss.

Lots of lip products in this months box! As an added extra I received the Glossybox Lipstick in Glossy Pink. It is a lovely rasberry pink colour which has a surprisingly smooth texture. After the brush that the Glossybox team sent out a few boxes ago, I was dubious of the Glossybox own brand however this is a really good product. I assume the Lipcote was put in there to team with this product and I have always wanted to try it out. Lipcote is a lipstick sealer which helps to create a more long lasting lip colour. I will definitely be doing a future blog post on this to see whether it is worth the hype or not.

Last of all, I received the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil which is a water soluble cleanser which helps to remove any makeup, dirt or impurities built up on your face during the day. I have used this once and as I have never used an oil cleanser before I didn't really know how to use it. I just whacked it on my face an massaged it in before attempting to use a cotton pad to remove the rest of the oil and makeup. This method didn't really work. The instructions say to wash your face afterwards so I guess I will do it in the shower next time and use a face wash afterwards. Even if it was a fail on my part, I love the concept of an oil cleanser and I think my skin will benefit from it in the winter when it gets super dry.

Hayley xxx

Review | Benefit They're Real Mascara |

I love Mascara. It is the one item that gives me confidence and makes me feel my age, rather than a wide eyed 12 year old child. I have been testing the Benefit They're Real Mascara out for a good few months now and the first time I applied it even my boyfriend pointed out how good my eyelashes looked (that must be a good sign.) I really like the packaging, it has a metal like finish and resembles a mini cocktail shaker so feels sturdy and expensive (which it should do for £18.50 pop!)  The picture below shows the wand way better than any of the pictures I took and I really like it as it has different length plastic bristles with a bristle ball at the end to get into the little nooks and crannies of the eye.

The formulation is not dry at all but it's not super wet which I like. If it is too wet I find it drags my lashes down once I have curled them. Once dry, this mascara does not flake off but on my long eyelashes, it does transfer on to my brow bone. Below are a couple of before and after shots of just the mascara and no other makeup on.

My eyelashes are looking a bit more sparse than usual  however hopefully you can see hoe much length an volume it gives with only one coat. I have so many mascaras on the go at the moment so expect to see more reviews and an empties post coming soon :)

Hayley xxx

Cream Eyeshadow Convert

Recently there has been an influx of cream eyeshadows in both the high street shops and in higher end products. Lots of people are put off by creams as they stereotypically crease and slide all over the place. I personally love them, they are super quick to apply as brushes aren't necessary and they last all day on my eyelids even though they can get quite greasy. If I know I will be wearing the eyeshadow for more than around eight hours I  will however use the e.l.f. eyelid primer which is surprisingly good, especially as it is so cheap. Cream shadows can be either used by themselves or layered under a powder eyeshadow to increase its vibrancy or longevity.

Popular creams include the MAC paintpots (which I have yet to try) as well as the Laura Mercier Creme Eye Colours. If you want a cheaper option you could go with the MeMeMe Dew Pots or my personal favourites, the Maybelline Colour Tattoos. E.l.f. even do their own versions which are part of their studio line and priced at only £3.50.

The first product in the swatch above is the e.l.f. Cream Eyeshadow in the colour Dawn. I love the shimmer that it gives to the lids because it is so effortless but looks really put together once the rest of the make up is done. The middle shade is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in the colour  40 Permanent Taupe. It's a matte taupe shade which looks great under other eyeshadows. My favourite of the three is the last shade, another Colour Tattoo but in number 35 On and On Bronze. I wear this all over the lid with just a brown eyeliner and lashings of mascara to add some colour and definition. The Maybelline creams are smoother in texure than the e.l.f product which makes the application that little bit easier. They are all however great shades that I  switch between often. The only downfall of the Colour Tattoos are the shade range. The two colours I have are the only ones that to me, are wearable on a day to day basis and I wish we had some of the other neutral shades that came out in the States. I would have loved to see a champagne shade or even a peachy nude shade! Hopefully they will bring out new shades to the UK in the future.

Have you tired any of the products above? I would love any suggestions for any more neutral cream eyeshadows that are available in the UK.

Hayley xxx

NOTD #7: Jazzed Pink

I love painting my nails. I find it almost therapeutic and relaxing to take half an hour once or twice a week to give myself a mini manicure. For a base coat I always use the O.P.I. Nail Envy and at the moment I am also using it as a top coat as I am on the hunt for a good and inexpensive replacement. Any suggestions will be hugely appreciated!

For a base I applied the No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in the shade Pinky Pure. This takes three thin coats to achieve an opaque colour which isn't ideal but it gives a really chic, manicured feel. To jazz it up a bit I decided to layer two coats of the Miss Sporty Sparkle Touch Nail Varnish which has multicoloured glitter particles mixed in and goes with literally any polish. I love this combination which lasts on the nails for around seven days due to the glitter top coat which helps to prevent chips more than one without glitter. The only thing I dread about glitter nails is the painfully long process of taking it off once it starts to chip! Someone really needs to invent something that makes it less taxing :P

You can purchase the pink nail colour here and the glitter polish here. Hope you enjoyed this quick nails post! :)

Hayley xxx

July Favourites

This month I have purchase a few new things which I have loved so I thought there would be no better way of showing you than a favourites post.

I have been looking for the perfect bronzer for a while now as I own the Bourjois 'Chocolate' Bronzer however I found it a bit too orange to be worn all year round. When I was looking at the No7 make up with a £5 voucher in my hand I stumbled across the Starfish Bronzing Powder. There are two sizes, a matte dark shade and a light, shimmery shade and when both are mixed together, gives a beautiful 'sunkissed' glow and makes me look more alive. Even though the packaging is plastic and doesn't feel very luxurious, it holds a mirror which is really useful and the starfish design adds a nice touch. I really love this product and I have been using it literally every day of July on the days I wore make up.

I have been loving lip products this month and the three that I have been rotating are the Revlon Colourburst Lipbutter in Peach Parfait, the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Honey and the Bourjois 3D Effect Lipgloss in Corail Idyllic. Peach Parfait is a shimmery peach shade which is very subtle, but gives a bit of oomph to your lips. (If you are a glitterphobe you will hate this!) It is similar to the Bourjois Lipgloss but a bit more opaque and deeper in colour. My favourite is possibly the Revlon Balm Stain as it stays on all day and the colour can be worn with any outfit or make up combination.

On a day to day basis I don't tend to wear foundation and save it for evenings, events or bad skin days. However, I have worn the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in the shade Universal Glow nearly every day. I must admit, it adds hardly any coverage which I personally like as my skin is blemish free most of the time. When I first squirted it onto my hand to apply it, I nearly ran for the hills as the shade I have comes out literally orange. I have found that using my fingers to apply it works best and once you work it into the skin, it gives a lovely radiant glow. As it is summer and I have a slight tan (which is still fairly pale), it does not look orange on my skin at all so darker skin tones will definitely get on well with it, however in the winter I am not sure I would be able to get away with it so I might look into getting the colour Light. This is my first dabble into BB creams and so far I really like them and am interested in any others if you have any suggestions.

Another product I have used and used in the month of July is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze. I use my fingers to apply this to my lid and lower lash line then use another favourite, the e.l.f. bamboo bending eye brush to blend out the edges. This creates such an easy eye look with a bit of eyeliner and mascara but I always get compliments on it!

Left to Right: Honey, Corail Idyllic, Peach Parfait, Starfish Bronzing Powder,  On and On Bronze

So, that is the round up of my favourites this month and I have really enjoyed all of the products I mentioned. Above I have included swatches which I hope you like as personally, I really enjoy posts that include a lot of photos and swatches. I am impressed with the make up Revlon and Maybelline are producing at the moment as they aren't brands that have stood out to me before.

Hayley xxx

7 Things for 7 Days: August

As I enjoyed last months 7 Things for 7 Days I thought I would do it again this month. If you don't know the idea behind it please visit Louise's blog post for more info but basically it is about realistic goal setting. So in August I will:

Exercise 

As i have a bit more free time I have decided to make an attempt to get fit. The aim wont be to loose weight or anything, just to balance my lifestyle out a bit more. The first step was to purchase trainers which I did yesterday as when I started to get ready for a run I realised  didn't actually have any that fit!

Keep Calm

This is the month of the dreaded A Level results and if worst comes to worst I vow to stay calm and try not to feel like it is the end of the world :P

Pamper

This was in last months post however I plan to do a bit more pampering as for my mums birthday I have booked her and I a spa day which I am so so excited about. 

Watch

Only people living with no social  interaction and have been living under a rock for the last seven years will not know about the London Olympics. I am really enjoying watching the odd event, especially the swimming, rowing and cycling. Also, Team GB won two golds today which is great!

Spread the Love

Next week I should be getting a kitten! I already have one cat and I don't want it to feel left out and unloved so need to be able to distribute my attention between a cute, over excitable kitten and an older, jealous cat.

Save

As I have mentioned before, I will hopefully be going to uni and I need to save up. As my laptop is on its last legs, I am currently saving up for a macbook pro which should last me the three years easily :) 

Friends

I am going to Thorpe Park with a few friends next week and I will hopefully plan more get togethers however it is quite difficult as most of my friends have jobs and are busy in the evenings.

Thanks for reading my 7 Things for 7 Days and be sure to do one yourself!

Hayley xxx