Contouring

I have a confession. I’m crap at contouring. As someone with more than a severe case of moonface ( a lovely term my boyfriend coined for those of use with more or a round visage) it’s something I long to perfect but I just cant seem to get right. I’m yet to find my perfect contouring product, you might remember I put the Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel in my wishlist post – if any of you use this for contouring please let me know how you get on with it!

Credit: Gossmakeupartist

The brilliant gossmakeupartist on Youtube, made this video that is a great tutorial on how to contour with cream products, under your foundation. The end result looks like everything I want to achieve, I have been using my matte Too Faced bronzer to (attempt) to contour, and I’m finding it looks way too obvious, and just not what I’m after.

Credit Lisa Eldridge

Another helpful video is Lisa Eldridge’s Contouring Video, but I can’t seem to find a product that doesn’t look too bronze/orange. I did try to track down the MAC Sculpting Powders when I lived in London, but they must have got discontinued as I could never find them in the Pro store. I’ve been wanting to try NYX Taupe Blush for this but again it’s pretty hard to get hold of!

So it would seem that the high-street isn’t quite up to speed on contouring, much like myself, the chances of finsing a matte bronzer at all in Boots are pretty slim, let alone a non orange one!

If you’re a contouring wiz , please let me know what you use and any tips and trick you may have in the comments! I’ll be sure to keep you updated with my contouring quest!

Relaxing with Yankee Candle

I’ve had the pleasure of getting two consecutive days off this week (I work in retail, this rarely happens) so rather than waste the time, I’ve made an effort to turn my house upside down, and try to make it a bit more welcoming and cosy. To help with this recently I’ve really got into burning candles, I find it makes my house feel a bit more homey (is that a word??)

When my generic vanilla tea lights just weren’t cutting it I starting buying Yankee Candle samplers (£1.40 - £1.75) but since reading The Sunday Girls posts about Yankee Wax Tarts I picked up a few to try out. They are a lot cheaper than the candles, and cost about £1.20 (I picked up my Christmas Cookie ones on sale for 90p) and burn for about 8 hours.

I’ve got a Christmas Cookie burning at the minute and it smells, amazing! If you like sweet, cakey scents you will love this.

Do you like candles/oils? Are there any that I should check out?

Where You Drink Champagne and It tastes Just Like Cherry Cola

Another shot of Lola, taken in front of the fire, in the five minutes of the day that she is actually tired. I’ve spent today sleeping in, eating sushi, blogging and napping. Perfect Sunday! I’ll be going to see Breaking Dawn tomorrow, and although I wouldn’t class myself as a massive fan of the film series, I’m really looking forward to see how it pans out. I’ve read a lot of negative reviews of the film, but I don’t think Twilight is the type of flm that will ever win critics hearts, so I don’t pay all that much attention to them. I’m also looking forward to seeing 50/50 when it is released on Friday, it stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer) and Seth Rogan (Green Lantern/Knocked Up).
I’ve got a busy week next week, as I work in retail, Christmas preparations are in full swing, and I have lots too organise!

LLYMLRS Jewels, A Lipstick of The Day and An Introduction

Since I started reading LLYMLRS, I’ve thought the rings she wear were gorgeous, and I’ve finally got round to ordering some! I made use of the 3 for 2 deal she has running, which means you can get your pick of any three rings for a purse-friendly £8. I can see these getting daily wear, I chose some lovely warm, autumn colours but most of the rings are available in a choice of 8 colours. All the rings should fit most people as the sizing is adjustable, they fit my fairly large middle finger without pinching or being uncomfortable, so I can’t see anyone having that issue with them.

You can find LLYMLRS Rings in her Blog Shop, and they are priced at £4.

Apologies for the rubbish picture, I was in a rush to make my train, and didn’t realise how zoomed in my camera was! I wanted to post this because I rediscovered MAC’s Rebel Lipstick in my stash which is one of my favourite colour’s for A/W. It’s a lovely pink-toned berry shade. I think it would suit most skin tones, and I can imagine it would be beautiful on dark skin. It pulls quite pink on me, but that makes it lot more unique than my other (and I have a lot!) berry toned lipsticks.

I would like to introduce you all to Lola, my parents new dog. She is a one year old Chocolate Dalmatian, who they have adopted from the RSPCA. I went to meet her on Sunday, and she is gorgeous, a real character. She is deaf so she is sadly going to have to be kept on a lead in open space, as she tends to get excited by new things, and wants to bound over to investigate, and can’t hear you calling her back. I’ll be going to visit her after they pick her up on Thursday and can’t wait. Since I lost my dog, Tess( who was also a rescue dog) I’ve really missed having a pet in my life. Lola also has one blue eye and one green, she looks like David Bowie in dog form!

Not A Make-Up Post

image from weheartit.com

I always read Karen over at MBB’s Monday Poll, so when I saw Fee had posted in on her blog I thought I’d get myself in on the act!
1. Mood: Tired, but looking forward to catching the next episode of The Walking Dead on FX in an hour!
2. If you could dine (for free) anywhere in the world tonight, where would it be? I would love some Dim Sum, nowhere in my town sells Dim Sum, so I only get to eat it when I visit London. I would love to go to one of the great Dim Sum restaurants in China Town. I could eat my weight in steamed Crab and Pork Dumplings!

3. Do you have any siblings?I have a younger sister, she’s 17.

4. If your pets could talk, what would they say about you? My dog, Tess, passed away not long ago, but she always used to look at me like she was trying to say something. I would sit and natter on to her for ages, and she always looked like she understood. I’ve been looking at adopting a dog, from a local shelter but I need to fix my new house up a bit first, I really miss having the companionship of a pet.

5. Which one do you follow most often, your heart or your head? I normally manage to rationalise my hearts way of thinking, and although I’ve second guessed my decisions, I don’t think I’d change anything.
6. What are three songs on your road trip playlist? David Bowie – Rebel Rebel, The White Stripes Icky Thump, Wretch 32 – Tracktor

7. Would you consider yourself renowned or famous for anything in particular?I like to think I’m quite good in the kitchen, but I love trying new recipes, so I’m not always making the same things. Although I can make a mean chicken curry from scratch.

8. Your favorite place for dessert?I went to a French Cafe/Restaurant while I was in London this summer, and I tried my first Crème Brule. I can’t wait to go back there, and have it again.

9. Scariest movie you’ve ever seen? The SAW films, I’ve seen the first two, and I refuse to watch any more. I really hate them!

10. Weekly goals: Have a relaxing weekend. I’m pretty stressed and the minute, but I’m hoping to challenge that with shopping, and copious amount of Peppermint Hot Chocolate.

Are You Putting On A Mask Every Morning?

Image Credit

After reading  this article I found myself wondering why people seem to have such a desire to judge themselves against celebrities and make themselves feel bad for putting on bit of slap in the morning. So many times women are judged for covering up the ‘real’ them by wearing make-up, what if they don’t feel themselves without it? When did self-expression become an invitation for judgement?

I have no problem leaving the house with no make-up on, but I happen to like wearing make-up, I enjoy spending that time on myself in the morning and I wouldn’t roll in to work without putting a brush through my hair or my teeth; but nobody is commending celebrities for walking around with bad hair and breath that smells of last nights curry.

I’m sure some women do use cosmetics because of social pressures, but don’t judge all women by that thought, some of us like playing with lotions, potions and bright colours. What’s so wrong about that?

Secret Single Behaviour

I’ve been working shifts lately and have had a completely different schedule to my other half, meaning I have a lot more time alone, to watch Sex and the City re-runs. I was watching the episode where they discuss their ‘Secret Single Behaviour’. ‘Secret Single Behaviour’ (or SSB for short) being thing you only do alone away from your partner/spouse/friends. Carries for example was reading Vogue standing up and eating crackers with grape jelly.
Mine involve tweezers, copious amounts of Nair, nail clippers and polish, and as I’ve been preparing to go on holiday this week, I’ve been indulging in a fair few of my SSB’s ( I have obviously been a vision of beauty, with a face covered in hair removal cream, and clipping my toe nails).
How about you what beauty routines do you save for alone time? Or does nothing on the path to gorgeous embarrass you?

Mac Collections: Worth the Hype?

I use Mac make-up on a daily basis, they make a lot of great products, that I can see myself repurchasing and staying faithful to. Their permanant range of make-up is (mostly) up to the right standard for the price.
 The one thing I have never understood is the mass hysteria which follows their L.E Collection launches, with many of them selling out within the day they are released, the elevated website traffic often slowing the checkout system down or grinding it to a halt ( as I believe happened across the pond, with the recent, Bloggers Obsession launch), all this makes me ask are the products really worth it?

A lot of the type the hype surrounding a collection is all surrounding one product, which is either publicised to death or a repromote that is known to sell out, a very good marketing ploy, as lets face it, how many of us leave a store or counter with just the one item we intended to?
This always makes me think, if people are willing to part money to buy a L.E product in bulk, why not just save us all the hassle and make it permanant?
Rant over! Would you go out of your way for that sought after Limited Edition Product? What drives you to part with the cash?

Waiting for autumn....

I don't know what it is about autumn, collections, but they always seem to grab me a little more than summer ones. It probably has something to do with the fact that plums and pinks suit my skin a lot better than bronze and coral.
Here's some promo's from the collections I've been eagerly awaiting...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these neutrals, perfect for workwear, just the kind of thing I can see myself using daily to perk my face up.

 Seroiusly lusting after the nail polish...

How cute is the honey imagery? I've been wanting Black Honey for a while but I might hold out for the duo ended version now.
What seasons do you favour? Any collections you can't wait for?

Buying bans are they ever successful?

I've been trying to stop myself from spending money on items I don't need,which after frequenting Boots, Superdrug and Debenhams on at least a weekly basis, not even including online shopping is quite a task. I've already caved a few times and bought things excusing myself because I was having a bad week, or it was limited edition, or any plausible reason I can convince myself is reason to part with the limited cash I have and should be stowing away for my trip to London in August.

How I've missed Selfridges!

No matter how much I try to tell myself that I can't afford myself I always seem to find myself happily parting with cash and walking out of the store with some product that I've convinced myself is going to work wonders on my dark circles, eyelashes, complexion. Yet somehow I have amassed a stash of this crap that I think deep down I knew wasn't going to be the miracle I was hoping for. So for the next month I'm not buying any make-up or skincare! 

Instead I'm going to try to find some hidden treasure that have been lying forgotten while I was distracted by new rubbish. Im determined to not fail this time and will be avoiding my local town centre until I go on holiday, safe in the knowledge I have enough of my essentials to last me, at least a good few months. 

I'll be doing reviews of the products I think are worth checking out as well as the one to ignore/ dismiss the hype! 

Also let me know if you've ever been successful on a spending ban!

Back from Brummie!

Back from a long day of retail therapy in Birmingham, spent most of the day in Selfridges, had some great food and spent some quality time with my mum.
Ill be back with a real post tomorow, just thought Id check in!
How were your Mondays? Hope they were good x

Im bewildered for we're strangers when we meet

No make up today, I headed straight to the gym after work so I didn't really want to put more make up on when I got back. I did take my dog Tess out for a walk round the local park, it's finally starting to feel like springs arrived in the UK. And I was very happy to find lots of daffodils.


She didn't really want to pose for the camera

I also watched Up The Air with my boyfriend last night. I'm not normally a fan of George Clooney, but the plot line of this film intrigued me. The outline is, without ruining it for any of you who haven't seen it, is that George Clooney fires people on behalf of their employers, this leads him to spend the majority of his life on the road, which he unusually loves, and hate when a newcomer to the company tries to take it away from him. Anna Kendrick was brilliant in the film and proved she can do more than support the cast of Twilight. I'd recommend the film to anyone. 

Testing 1,2,3....

My name is Hollie and I'm a self-confessed make-up and beauty junkie, from the UK.
I'm 19, and spend most of my spare time dragging my long suffering boyfriend round cosmetics stands, my fascination with makeup started with the purchase of a Laura Paige ( generally found in tiny pharmacies) mascara and nail polishes. I'm an equal opportunities offender and won't ignore a product because it's cheap but that doesn't stop me swooning over things I can't afford in Debenhams and John Lewis!
Other than make-up my main interests are animals and photography and I will be starting a Degree in Animal Management and Welfare in September.
Hope you enjoy reading my ramblings!