July Favourites

Today's post is just a very short one to say that my July Favourites video is now up here. Please click the link and go and check it out.

Admittedly it isn't the best quality video, I did actually end up filming this and my ELF haul three times, the first the light was far too bright on one side, there was too much noise filtering in from my loud mouth neighbour who spends all day shouting at her dog and I was so unused to filming after leaving it so long I was failing at speaking the English language successfully.

The second time I was so flustered from failing the first time that it was just an immediate fail.

The third and final time I just decided to film one evening, but unfortunately the lighting was terrible. I was aware that this would be the case but I was feeling much more confident about filming and I felt like if I didn't just take the plunge I would give up and never pick it back up again. Yes, the video quality is pretty shocking, but it's up, it's done, and the ELF haul will be just as bad, but I don't feel as daunted about filming another video in better conditions because I feel a little bit more comfortable being back in front of the camera again.

With that in mind please do take a look at the video as it would mean a lot to me.

xx

ELF Matte Nail Polish Top Coat: First Impressions

I have taken a day or two off posting to film videos and also because I haven't been feeling too well. But here is today's offerings.

I ordered a few products from ELF last week (full video and blog post will be up next week) but I thought I would give you my first impressions on the ELF matte nail polish top coat, because in all honesty it was a disappointment.

Firstly I will say I could be using this wrongly. I tested it out over a Maybelline Colour Show nail polish, maybe it is only compatible with a matte polish or even only ELF's own nail polishes. However, I would have expected this to be suitable for use over any nail polish to create a matte rather than glossy finish.

The results were not good, in fact they were so bad I had to immediately remove the nail polish. I applied the polish then used the top coat and it instantly cracked the Maybelline nail polish as shown in the photograph. Such a disappointment. 

I will, of course, try this over different polishes, including ELF's own and let you know whether I have a more successful result.

On a side note, I have discovered the most amazing glossy top coat EVER and I will blog about this very soon. I say discovered, it's well known in the beauty community as an amazing top coat but it's taken me a long time to try it as I never understood the hype around it. Afterall, a top coat is a top coat right, and I have a few including Sally Hansen and China Glaze, both respected polish brands. No, not at all. But that is another blog post...

xx

Seven Sins of Beauty - TAG

Welcome to day six of my attempt to blog everyday in August. If you want to be picky about things it is actually day seven right now, we've passed midnight so it's now the 7th August. But I haven't been to bed yet so to me we are still on day six, albeit very late.

I'm not sure what to blog about right now, I said I'd be back to beauty posts today but I get the feeling most people will miss this post with it going up so late on a Tuesday night and will probably just pick up from tomorrow's post.

I do have plans for tomorrow. I have physio in the morning but in the afternoon I am going to be filming my July Favourites video and also I received some E.L.F goodies in the post so I may film a video haul, or blog it, or both.

But for tonight I think I might do a TAG. It's quick, easy and fun.

Seven Deadly Sins of Beauty - TAG

Greed - What is your most inexpensive and most expensive beauty product?

The most inexpensive beauty items I own are probably some of my MUA products, I have a few eyeshadows and lipsticks by them and they only cost £1 each. I also have two eyeshadow brushes I picked up in Matalan for about 50p or £1 each in the sale after Christmas and they are surprisingly good for what I paid for them. The most expensive is probably a perfume, perhaps my bottle of Valentino's Rock n Rose Couture which is almost empty and has been discontinued now, how annoying. Following that it might be my Laura Mercier loose setting powder which was £29 and well worth the money I might add.  

Wrath - What beauty product do you have a love/hate relationship with? What has been hardest to find?

Love/hate would probably be liquid eyeliner in general. I love the product and the effect it can give but I never seem to like it on myself these days. I think it's because in the past I would just put it on and didn't know about eye shapes and corrective techniques etc. Now I can never seem to get it right. I have hooded eyes so I am fully aware that unless I take my eyeshadow a lot higher I can end up looking like all I am wearing is black eyeliner all over the lid. I am also aware of where flicks should be added and that I can only add flicks in a way that makes my eyes look too long as my hooded lid will distort the line otherwise. I'm also aware that one eye is more hooded than the other so it is almost impossible to get even eyes with liquid liner when trying to create flicks. So I have to settle for not doing the flicks. Which is the one thing I love most about liquid liner. Rant over and onto the next part of the question. 

I have two hard to find items. One is the recently discontinued L'Oreal Telescopic Waterproof Mascara. I found it hard to get hold of the first time I bought it and now I know why, I have found it on eBay so will be stocking up as it's the only mascara that has ever worked well enough for me. Secondly is something I managed to find today, the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in the shade fair. I can find it in every colour but this, I've had the shade light for ages now but it has always been way too dark for my natural skin tone. I've been searching for about six months and today I finally found the fair shade, so once I am back to not tanning again in winter I will be able to give it a go.

Gluttony - What are your most delicious beauty products?

I don't think I have any really nice flavoured lip products (I almost bought some Soap & Glory lip crayons today and the scent was incredible and I will have to get one someday soon). I think with this one I'm going to run with Soap & Glory's The Breakfast Scrub. It's sooooo good.

Sloth - What beauty products do you neglect due to laziness?

Usually if I'm going to skip anything it's eyeshadow. I usually just pop a bit of primer on to stop my oily lids or use a cream eyeshadow instead. I can't always be bothered to do full on eyes. I also don't bother with highlighter but that's because I haven't found one I really like (again I was eyeing up the S&G one today but I left it). I've also lapsed on my night time moisturising routine since my surgeries, I got out of the habit and never got back into it. I have really gone off my night cream lately and just haven't found anything to replace it with as yet, and also I'm still on the hunt for an eye cream to use at night.

Pride - What beauty product gives you more confidence?

Deodorant? Lol. No one ever answers with that but it's so true. There's nothing worse than being around people and worrying that you don't smell too good. Aside from that I would say mascara or a bright lip. Mascara simply because I have blonde lashes and so a coat of mascara does wonders for making me look less tired as it opens up my eyes and I think a bright lip is just good for a bit of fun. Under eye concealer is always a winner on a tired day.

Lust - What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

Not sure why this is one of the questions as it has no relevance to anything. Regardless, what I want from someone of the opposite sex is someone who is supportive, understanding (particularly of my medical issues), fun to be with and most importantly, someone who I can trust.

Envy - What item would you most like to receive as a gift?

There are loads of products out there that I would love to try and gifts are always lovely, but certainly not necessary, and in truth I much prefer to go out buying for other people when I have the money.

xx

Current TV Loves

So for the last month I have been addicted, and I mean addicted, to the TV show Sons of Anarchy. I watched all five seasons in about two weeks and now I am awaiting the release of season six which I believe will be out around September. 

If you haven't watched it already it's something you must check out. Without giving too much away, it's about a group of outlaw bikers from a small town called Charming, and their illegal dealings, turf wars and battling with morality and family values. My description probably doesn't sell it for you but I can't say much more without giving too much away.

I'm now really hoping to go and see Pacific Rim at the cinema, which stars both Charlie Hunnam and Ron Perlman from Sons of Anarchy. Unfortunately I think I may have left it a little too late. The film has been out a few weeks now and is starting to phase out at all of my local cinemas, which means travelling further afield or waiting for DVD. Now I've finished my SOA marathon I don't think I can wait for both the TV series and the film.

I do however have many other TV series to keep me occupied.

I'm currently re-watching Prison Break with my boyfriend. He hasn't seen it but I have, and it's actually really interesting second time round as you get to piece together stuff a little more and see how and why things worked out the way that they did. I'm on season three now, probably the weakest of the series but I can't wait for the other half to see all the twists and turns of the final season. If you only ever watch one TV show make it this one, I guarantee you'll be on the edge of your seat at the end of every episode.

I'm also watching Dexter, I think everyone loves Dexter. And if you don't, get on it! Be warned, the first episode is really annoying and you will want to Dexter to strangle Deb almost every episode. But it gets so addictive. The general synopsis is of a guy called Dexter who is a blood spatter analysis in the forensics team of Miami Metro Police by day, and serial killer by night, his targets being those who have escaped justice for various crimes.

I just started watching 24. I'm not really sure it's got me as hooked as some of the other shows but I'm going to keep going with it anyway as it seems pretty interesting. Basic plot line being that a government agent has been assigned to investigate and stop an assassination threat on one of the US presidential candidates, whilst also trying to track down his runaway teenage daughter who may have got in way over her head. The series is filmed in real time, which I find a really interesting concept.

Pretty Little Liars is another one I have been watching for some time, this is definitely more for the girls. Four friends are up against an anonymous enemy known only as A, who threatens to expose their darkest secrets in the wake of the mysterious murder of their friend. As the show progresses the threats and happenings get a lot darker, and the plot thickens as more people become involved.

Breaking Bad returns in just six days! A brilliantly scripted and at many times a funny show about a science teacher who is diagnosed with terminal cancer, his reunion with an old student and their plan to raise money by cooking and selling crystal meth. Science, bitch!

There are some fantastic TV shows out there, much better than the crap they air on a day to day basis, you just have to look for it. I've also watched the first episodes of The Walking Dead and Game Of Thrones so will hopefully be able to continue with those also. 

I hope you liked this mini guide to some of the TV shows I've been loving. Normal beauty product reviews will be back tomorrow, and I am also going to be doing some filming over the next few days so I should have a video up by the end of the week (more than likely it will be my July Favourites). Right now I am off to watch the latest Dexter episode.

TTFN

xx

Love of the Week #1 - New Car!!

I wanted to start a bit of a weekly thing, perhaps every Sunday, where I post about something in particular I have loved that week. This could be anything from a product, a make-up artist or their work, food or drink, a film or TV show, website, blogger, YouTuber, you get the picture.

It just so happens that this week I got something extra special. This will probably be the biggest and most awesome thing I post about in my Love of the Week series.

This is my beautiful new car and I am loving it. It's only my second car so saying goodbye to my little X-REC was hard but I am so happy with my new one.

The car is a Vauxhall Corsa Energy 1.4 in Lime Green. I adore this colour, the colour choice wasn't very extensive but this one stood out to me from day one. It's full of awesome gadgets which are going to take some getting used to compared to my old car which had a cassette player (how retro) through which I used a cassette adapter to play my iPod through.

I don't have a name for it yet, I don't know if to give it a name, my first car only got a name due to it's reg plate. Suggestions are welcome.

xx

Tanning - St Moriz & Garnier Ambre Solaire

Aghh so day three and I already failed to post anything on day two. To be fair it was rather a busy day of trying to get car insurance organised and phoning garages and also trying to get through to the doctors for a sick note. Blogging was the last thing on my mind.

Excuses out of the way and I'm going to tell you about the Garnier Ambre Solaire No Streaks Bronze Self-Tanning Mousse and Gel.

Recently I have moved on from the Palmers Natural Bronze onto full fake tan and I was trying out the St Moriz after hearing rave reviews. For £2.99 I liked it, but in all fairness I think I was liking it mainly for the price and not for the results. I found it easy to work with, needed no real attempt to blend, the colour was good and it dried quickly. The next day it washed off to leave a nice even tan. It did however cling to my knees, feet and hands no matter how much I prepped my skin and left me feeling dry beyond belief. I had to buff my dry patches with baby oil every day and by the second day the tan was going patchy. By day three or four certain areas of my body just looked dirty and others were back to pure white. Not a good look.

 

On Thursday evening I bought the Garnier products. These were around the £7-10 mark each so a little more pricey but if they work better it's still a reasonable amount to pay. The reason I bought both was so I could use the mousse over most of my body and the gel, which is probably more hydrating, can be used on my drier areas, so hands, feet etc.

The colour is more golden than the St Moriz and these products contain shimmer. Instantly I liked the way these applied and they definitely felt more hydrating, including the mousse. The guide colour was actually very wearable, I could easily apply this and go about doing day to day stuff while it develops, unlike the St. Moriz (unless you were going mucking out a cow shed in which case you would look right at home). The shimmer wasn't overbearing and this washed off the next morning anyway. After showering off the guide colour I was left with a really natural looking finish and no awful looking dry patches. Even today (Saturday) I have no patches, look like I've naturally caught a bit of sun and feel perfectly hydrated. So far so good but I will let you know how long it lasts and how it wears off.

xx

The Beautiful Art of Body Painting

The other day I was browsing the internet looking at beautiful images of skilled body painting, so I thought I would share some of my favourite finds with you.

Before we go any further I should probably add this disclaimer:

This blog post contains images of full frontal artistic nudity.

Now that is out of the way, onto the interesting bit.

I love body painting, I just wish I was better at it. I have only really attempted a few body paints and was never really taught any techniques as such, we were just thrown in the deep end at college and told to paint. Since college I haven't really had much practice, partly due to not being well for the last 7 months, but also it can be quite hard to find a willing model that doesn't have too high an expectation of the final outcome, particularly when starting out and experimenting, especially when they have to stand/lay naked or just in underwear for a long period of time. Practising on yourself is all well and good for smaller detailed projects but really you need to have a full canvas.

There's a lot more to body painting than just slapping a bit of paint on someone. You have to take into consideration the shape and contours of the human form and incorporate these into your design. This is why it is best to have a body other than your own to practice on.

I really hope to be able to learn how to body paint properly and improve my skills and techniques. I find the works of other artists so inspiring and it is one area I enjoyed so much during my two years at college.

Below are some of my favourite images from when I was browsing a couple of days ago. None of these images belong to me and I will credit the artist or company where I can, but some of these were just random finds.

Enjoy. xx

 

Unknown artist

 Artist: Carolyn Roper

 

Artist: Carolyn Roper.

I was lucky enough to see this in progress at IMATS London in 2012.

 Artist: Carolyn Roper

Artist: John Vargas

 

 Unknown artist

 

 Artist: Lisa Berczel

Artist: Lisa Berczel

Artist: John Neyrot

Artist: John Neyrot

Artist: John Neyrot

Unknown artist

 

Unknown artist

Unknown artist

Unknown artist

Artist: Guido Daniele

 

Artist: Guido Daniele

 Artist: Guido Daniele