Counting Till Christmas // Christmas Nail Art

Normally at this time of year I feel Festive and looking forward to Christmas but this year I am feeling as feastive as ever and really am counting the days down to all the exciting events this month. So since I'm feeling so festive I thought I would translate it to my nails! What I have done is very similar to what I did last year. I have been practicing nail art a little bit more and this just makes me feel happy when I look at my nails. This is however surprisingly simple once you get the hang  of it. I've done something different on each nail so if one of the designs are to complex you could always pick one of the more simpler designs and do that on all your nails! So let's get cracking...

First I'm going to start with clean nails and I'm going to file them into the shape I want, I have done my a bit shorter than usual because I stuggle to get my contact lens out with longer nails! I then apply a base coat to protect my nails and this will also make my nails stronger and make the nail polish go on better. The base coat I'm using is Revlon - Multi-Care Base Coat and Top Coat. 

Christmas Tree - 

 

For most of us a Christmas Tree is quite important and well most defiantly decorate our living rooms and bedrooms with Christmas trees so I had to do a Tree. You could do this in lots of different ways like actually draw the tree on your nail but I decided to do the simple version as I did do my nails when I was tight for time! 

I used OPI - Did it on 'Em from the Nicki Minaj collection as my base colour. This is the only true green I have as its not really a colour I would normally wear I did have a look in boots for a Christmas tree green but there was none! I the. Used Barry M - Gold Glitter as tinsel (using the brush it comes with) and then I used a dotting tool to put red bobles on with China Glaze - Red Satin.

 

Snowman - 

 

As little kids we've all proberly made a snowman that you'll always rembember and if you can bear the cold and can be bothered spending time making one. It can be a fun snow day activity. I started my snow man with a few coats of Maybelline - Winter Baby (good name for this time of year!) this is quite sheer so I used about 3-4 coats to et it opaque. For his buttons I used a small dotting tool with Barry M - Black and for his scarf I used OPI -  Did it on 'Em and China Glaze - Red Satin this a dotting tool but it was straight and pointed which was perfect for creating stripes! 

 

Santa -

 

For Santa you have to start with his red coat - I used China Glaze - Red Satin. For his belt and buttons on his coat I used Barry M - Black and a dotting tool, and for the fluffy trimming I used Maybelline - Winter Baby, again I used quite a few coat not just because I kept smuging it! Seriously I smudged it about four times! For the finishing touch on his belt I used Barry M - Gold Glitter. 

 

Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer - 

 

We all know Rudolph is the most famous Raindeer of all, so I had to represent him! This is actually really easy even though I messed his month up - I have a large dog that things it the size of a chliis and likes to sit on your knee even though she's bigger than my knee! For the base Leighton Denny's - Supermodel is the perfect colour! For his red nose I used China Glaze - Red Satin and for his wanky mouth I used Barry M - Black.

 

Snowing - 

 

We all secretly hope for a white Christmas even though it makes life generally very difficult. But it's just Christmas if you can get some where easily right?!? For the dark nights sky I uses Elf - Dark Navy and for the falling snow I used a dotting tool and Maybellines - Winter Baby. 

 

Once there done I would wait about five - ten minutes for them to dry by themselves as your top coat can smoge them a bit. Once you think there mostly dry then go over with a top coat. My favourite is Seche Vite - Fast Drying Top Coat which I finally dry after. About a minute of putting the top coat on. 

 

To go along with my Christmas series Counting Till Christmas is is currently 3 weeks or 21 sleeps until Christmas! It does sound quite far away but these posts will fly by and before we know it I'll be posting my what I got for Christmas and it will be over! I hope you enjoyed this festive themed post! Also sorry that this is being posted on Thursday instead of Wednesday I had trouble with my internet last night and today we have a full blown storm! Fingers crossed my power doesn't go out!

 

Are you in the festive sprits?

 

My Ten Most Used Beauty Tools //

We all love our beauty products right!? But we need tools so that we can create the perfect face - no? Today I am going to share with you my top ten beauty tools including brushes. I would also say these are the essentials that you need and then you can build on top of this but these most defiantly are the basics and would find it incredibly difficult to do make make-up properly without them!

Tweezerman - Mini Slant Tweezers

 

 Every single person in the world needs a good pair of tweezers, and Tweezerman are about as good as they get. I use them on a daily basis - to pluck my eyebrows, putting eyelashes on and quite a lot more! I even use them to open make-up products that won't open easily so that I don't chip my nails! I love these ones because there good quality, easy to use/ easy to hold and they are supper cute with little bumble bees even though some of the bees have rubbed off!

 

Cosmopolitan - Maximum Effect Eyelash Curlers

 

 I refuse to put mascara on without curling my eyelashes first! It just makes such a difference. I just picked this up in Superdrug one day and I have to say I really like they do the job!

 

 

Beauty Blender Sponge

 

 Please excuse the state of my beauty blender! I have had it for quite some time and well it's a mess! I really need to get a new one! If you don't know what a beauty blender is and think it's just a normal make-up sponge, well no! You put the sponge under running water and then squeeze the excess water out of the sponge and it gets about 3 times bigger than the size it the picture. With this sponge you can really get flawless looking skin!

 

Real Techniques - Expert Face Brush

 

 I defiantly over use this brush, it's just perfect! I normally use it day to day to blend out my concealer and foundation but you can also use it to contour with cream bronzers. I love how it blend in my base and because this brush is so dense it gives such a nice finish!

 

 

Real Techniques - Blush Brush

 

 Like the last brush I use this everyday, I tend to use this to put pressed powder on then my bronzer and then my blush. The shape is just perfect!!

 

 

Real Techniques - Base Shadow Brush

 

If you've not guessed by now I really like Real Techniques brushes! I use this to put eye shadow all over my eye-lid but you can again use it for many different uses like cream products and powder products. You can also use it for concealer, cream eye-shadow, powder eye shadow. I just love it!

 

Frontcover - Fluff & Buff Blending Brush

 

 This is exactly the same as the MAC 217 which is great for applying and blending colours in your crease. A brush like this is essential!

MAC - #224 Tapered Blending

 

 This is another must have brush for doing your eye make-up, when doing eye make-up you need to blend everything out even if your using natural colours and only two shades it's crucial  to blends to everything blends and doesn't look choppy and well awkward!

 

Real Techniques - Brow Brush

 

 Ahh... How to express my love for angled brushes! I have far to many and use about 3 different ones while doing my make-up! I use them to fill in my eyebrows, gel or powder eyeliner on my upper lash line and also to pack colour on my lower lash line. They are a must!

 

Elf - Lash & Brow Brush

 

This is a tool a lot of people abandon and to be honest so did I for a while put they are so handy. Of course there's the one side for eyebrows with is great for grooming and shaping, it's also very dense so that if you put to much product into your brows this can help to even it out. And we all have the time where we think on more coat of mascara and then all of a sudden you have lots of clumps in your lashes and there all stuck together, all you have to do if comb through your lashes and there separate and looking acceptable!

I hope you enjoyed and found this somewhat useful. All of the items above I have talked about before so you'll know I really do love them! My next post is going to be the official start of My Christmas Series - which I'm really excited and well I've been working really hard on it! Thanks for Reading!

What are your essential beauty tools?

 





Autumn Eyes // All That Glitters & Sketch

If you've managed to get through all of the pictures then well done! I've been struggling recently to take photos because it's so glumly and dull outside and taking good enough photos has been quite some task. And since they came out bright I thought I would include the ones that came out the best! Anyway as it is well and truly Autumn I thought I would do a make-up post which has been inspired by the colours of Autumn which I like to like are crisp golden shades like the changing colours of leaves as well as the signature purples and berry shades we all like to incorporate into our look whether it's with our nail polish, lipstick or even our clothing. 

I personally prefer to have stronger and darker eyes than to wear a dark coloured lipstick. I feel my lips are to small to try and rock bright and bold lips even though I absolutely love the look of it! But it can work in my advantage sometimes because I have green eyes purple and berry toned colours work best with my eyes and really makes them pop - which I really love! I don't just wear these shades at Autumn time, I do tend to wear it similar looks like this all year round. 

Face - 

Bare Minerals - Prime Time

MAC - Studio Sculpt Foundation - NW15

Maybelline - Fit Me Concealer - 15

MAC - Pro Longwear Concealer - NW15 

MAC - Mineralized Skin Finish Natural - Medium 

Benefit - Hoola

MAC - Cream Blush - LadyBlush

Elf - Golden Bronzer - Golden

Eyes - 

MAC - All That Glitters, Haux, Sketch, Embark, Ricepaper, Wedge & Charcoal Brown Eye-shadow

Soap & Glory - Supercat Liquid Liner

Maybelline - The Rocket Mascara

Maybelline - Brow Drama - Dark Brown

Lips -

MAC - Lipstick - Angel

Rimmel - Lasting Finish by Kate - 107 

I used four colours on my eyelid which were All That Glitters - all over the lid, Haux as my blending colour in the crease, Sketch in my crease and Embark in my outer corner. I then used Ricepaper in my inner corner to brighten my eyes up. I also used Sketch and Embark mixed together under my eye to balance the look out. I then used my favourite liquid liner from Soap & Glory along my lash line and then the amazing Maybelline The Rocket Mascara which really defines my eyelashes and makes them stand out - it also lasts all day without making my lashes fall down. 

For my eyebrows I used Charcoal Brown on 3/4 of my eyebrows and on the start of them I used Wedge - both from MAC. To set them in place recently I have been using Brow Drama by Maybelline. 

For my face I used a full coverage foundation to make my skin look as good as it could - which is pretty difficult with my skin! I used MAC - Studio Sculpt which is good for this time of the year as it is a gel formulation and works well on dry skin. I didn't want to go overboard with bronzer or highlight but I did want to have an Autumn coloured blush and MAC - Creme Blush in Lady Blush is great for that look. 

As for my lips like I said earlier I prefer natural colour on myself like MAC - Angel but it is a darker natural pink so is perfect. If you do like darker lips then the famous Rimmel - Lasting Perfection Lipstick by Kate in 107 is perfect. 

I hope you enjoyed! I have more Autumn and Winter themed posts coming up soon. I love this time of year, when the leaves are changing and the weather is cooler but it isn't completely freezing! 

What does your Autumn Make-up consist of? 

What's on my Face #2 // Everyday Make-up

A few months ago I started a series called "What's on my Face" which is basically just showing you what make-up I am wearing. After I did that post my skin broke out and ever since I have been battling with acne, now mine was bad for me personally but compared to some other peoples skin it wasn't much. Because my skin was really bad and the spots stood out on camera I have never published any of these posts. I have however managed to be able to control my skin more however I do still have some breakouts but nobody's perfect and I want to do these posts! So please just look past my skin! 

I have been wearing this look quite a lot recently as I love they way it looks and how the colours complement my skin tone and eye colour. Here is the make-up I am wearing: 

Collection - Lasting Perfection Concealer - Fair 1

MAC - Studio Finish Concealer - NW15

Rimmel - Wake Me Up Foundation - 100 Ivory

Rimmel - Stay Matte Pressed Powder - 004 Sandstorm 

Bourjois - Bronzing Powder - 51

Benefit - Coralista Blush

Elf - Golden Bronzer - Golden

MAC - Charcoal Brown Eye-shadow (brows)

MAC - Rice-paper and Satin Taupe Eye-shadow

Soap & Glory - Supercat Liquid Eyeliner 

Soap & Glory - Thick & Fast Mascara

YSL - Rouge Volupte Lipstick - 13 Peach Passion

I love Rimmel foundations, I prefer some of them over my high-end foundations. I like the wake me up one as when I have fake tan on (which I do know however it is fading) this is a great colour for me and to think its the lightest colour in the range and I have St Tropez tan on! Benefit's Coralista blush is defiantly one of my all time favourite blushes, it's just so gorgeous and wakes your skin up. Rice-Paper and Satin Taupe are gorgeous eye-shadows they really complement my eye colour as I've got green eyes. My mum was also very kind and treated me to a new YSL lipstick that she knew I really wanted as I've been swatching it in Boots for months but grunge shelling out £24.50 for a lipstick even though it worth every penny. It is the most gorgeous peachy coral and wish I had got it when I originally seen it at the beginning of summer. 

Do use any of the products that I have today?

Monthly Favourites // June 13

I feel like I never know how to start a monthly favourites post without saying I can't believe the month is over! And well this month thinking about it - that actually isn't true, it has felt like June would never end! It seemed to last forever - I've tried a few new products this month and I have also re-discovered some products within my collection. 

MAC - Face & Body Foundation - C1

I have been using this foundation for over a year (on and off) and I have always loved it but I gave it a break and used it one day and it felt like I was using a brand new foundation. I love how it is very build able so you can get whatever coverage you want from it really. 

Bourjois - Bronzing Powder - 51

I have given my Benefit Hoola a rest and gone with a bronzer that is much lighter. In fact these bronzer are complete opposite - I love using this bronzer on an fluffy angled brush as it adds colour and a bit of dimension to your face. I am however wanting to get Nars - Laguna bronzer so if you've tried it could you leave your thoughts in the comments below!?

Elf - Golden Bronzer - Golden 

Even though they call this a bronzer - it really isn't, please do not use this product as a bronzer!!! However this is a really pretty subtle highlight for your cheekbone and even on your brow bone. 

MAC - Rice Paper Eyeshadow

This was the first MAC eye-shadow I bought coming up for two years ago!! And I totally loved it in fact I had hit pan on it but the my dog knocked some of my make-up drawers smashing alot of my products - and I had never really gotten around to re-purchasing it but I have and have fallen back in love with it! 

Blistex - Intensive Moisturiser Lip Balm

For some reason this mouth my lips have been extremely dry and chapped and nothing was helping not even my favourite that always works! I went onto the boots website and looked for there most intensive lip balm and this is it! This is my miracle products as soon as I put it on it started to work - a full review is on its way! 

Toni & Guy - Sea Salt Texturising Spray

I have been trying salt sprays out for a few months now and I really love this one, the smell is amazing and it gives your hair nice texture as long as your don't put to much in or it will go all crunchy like and nobody wants crunchy hair!

TRESemme - Platinum Strength Deep Conditioning Treatment

I had seen a lot of other beauty bloggers talking about how good this products was and I was in the market for a new conditioner so I thought might as well treat my hair to a deep conditioner as I don't was my hair every day as it is to long and takes me a while do wash, dry and style it. I do like this product but not completely convinced but I think that's because I don't use the line of products it goes with. 

The Body Shop - Cranberry Joy Body Butter

Now I have only been using this for just over a week and a bit but I loved it from the moment I got it. First off it is from there Christmas collection so I got it for £3! And it is there full sized body butter which I thought was a great deal. The smell is very unique and it leaves your skin feeling amazing hours and hours later! 

Real Techniques - Duo Fibre Collection (LE)

This set got realsed at the end of May and I spent a lot of time searching for it but they were worth the wait. I think it shows how much I love them by the fact that I got 2 sets! 

Real Techniques - Expert Face Brush 

This is also a new addition to my brush collection, it has been on my wishlist for a while. I love the ways it applies foundation. It would also be great to use with cream bronzer as it would fit into the hollows of your cheeks just nicely - and as always with Real Techniques brushes it is great quality and a great price. 

Ted Baker - Summer Bloom Make-Up Bag

This is also new a new purchase, I didn't need it just now but I got it in preparation for my holiday next April as it is a great shape (a shape that a lot of make-up bags don't have). It is quite compact but has a good amount of space inside and of course it has a cute design on it - Ted Baker make-up bags are my favourite, I have a small collection that is quickly growing. 


Random Favourites -

Wimboldon 

Big Brother

The Vampire Diaries

Selena Gomez - Slow Down

Jason Derulo - The Other Side 

Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines

I hope you enjoyed! I have to say I have done my favourites a bit late this month for me as I usually have them up on the 31st or 1st but I hope you enjoyed them anyway!

The Weekly Post #3 // My Everyday Make-up Drawer

Buttom Drawer - Everyday Make-up

If you have been following my blog then you will know I started a new series called "The Weekly Post" and well I'll be honest to say I have found it hard to keep up since most Saturdays I have a make-up job meaning I spend most of the day either doing make-up or preparing my kit by packing/ unpacking and cleaning. So it really does take most of the day. I have now decided to begin to prepare the post before the day it is meant to be posted so hopefully I can get into a good routine of actually make them weekly! 

Any way today I am going to share with what's in my everyday make-up drawer. I have most of my make-up storage into about ten clear acrylic muji boxes and going through them on an almost daily basis would mean I take even longer to get ready - which trust me is a long time! So I have dedicated an entire box to products I use on a daily basis or products that I have forgot about and what to start using. I thought this would be interesting to show since it shows products that I like to use a lot. I do however change the make-up that is in it on a fortnightly basis. I don't keep any eye-shadow in this as I normally use either my Mac or Urban Decay Palettes. 

Benefit - Porefessional Primer

Rimmel - Match Perfection Foundation

Collection - Lasting Perfection Concealer

Rimmel - Stay Matte Powder

Bourjois - Chocolate Bronzer

Benefit - Hoola Bronzer

Elf - Golden Bronzer

Benefit - High Beam

MAC - Well Dressed Blush

MAC - LadyBlush Creme Blush

Bourjois - Cream Blush - 03

MAC - Quad with two broken eye-shadows!

Inika - Eyeliner - 06 Coco

Soap & Glory - Supercat Liquid Liner - Black

Maybelline - Mega Plush Mascara

Benefit - Bad Gal Lash Mascara 

Vaseline - Rosy Lips

Well that is a list of products that I like and that I use most days. I like to use the Elf - Golden Bronzer as a subtle highlight as it is quite shimmery and it is mosaic which four different colours. I also have quite a selection of blushes because I like to change my blush. Everything is however pretty much self explanatory - since I didn't really mention any eye-shadow I might do a post in a few weeks about my favourite eye-shadows. I hope you enjoyed! If you have any requests for next weeks weekly post then please leave them in the comments! Thanks for reading! 

Love