The answer to week long chip-free nails

Hello! I am currently writing this feeling a bit sheepish as I haven't blogged in quite a while (something you can't really get away with when you're attempting to lure in new readers!). Don't get me wrong, I have been thinking about blogging, reading other people's blogs (Essie, I love you) and making lists of blog post ideas, but I've been falling at the last hurdle- the writing bit.

However, today when I was paying for something in a shop (would you judge if I said discounted Easter treats?!) the cashier complimented my nail colour. When I went to reply with the product recommendation, I suddenly realised I have no idea what I was wearing because I haven't had to reapply in over a week. That means my nails have remained chip-free for a whole week! Now that is something to blog about.

So do you want to know the secret? Well here it is...

Models Own Base Coat (£4.99) is the best base coat I have ever used and will ever as I would not bother trying anything else now! Honestly, it's incredible!

So I love Barry M nail varnishes because they have such an amazing colour range, but I do find that they chip far too easily. I've always been loyal to Mr M but it did start to take it's toll so I began to go elsewhere (any Rimmel variety, especially Salon Pro). But luckily during a Models Own online haul, I spotted this base coat and thought I'd give it a go. 

When I first applied it, the drying speed was very quick and I was a happy bunny. Little did I know that was only the start of its magical powers. Put any nail varnish on top, and it somehow turns it into an invincible layer, ready to tackle any activity!

Let me know if you've had any break through discoveries, I'm all ears!

Georgie.

DIY brows

Hello! I hope you've all had a lovely week and you've been celebrating two days of no work in style. Unfortunately, I've not been able to travel home for Mother's day this year due to work commitments so I'm feeling a little bit sorry for myself. But we've decided to celebrate in a couple of weeks when I can make it home so yummy afternoon teas and spa time is heading my way soon (phew!).

Anyway, I've been meaning to blog about this topic for a while now since a few requests I received after mentioning in 'My Essentials'  post that I dye my own eyebrows. As my brows are fairly thin, I still use the Benefit Brow Zing in Fair as a day-to-day filler, but to make sure my base shape is always there, I rely on my DIY dying!

Now I first stumbled across this when my Mum's hairdresser offered to dye my blonde eyebrows for me if I bought the products. The thought of having two visible hairy things above my eyes did scare me at first, but seeing as the vast majority of the world have their eyebrows on show I thought, why not?!

Two weeks later I was raring to go. Recommended products purchased and notepad and pen at the ready to jot down all of the details. Twenty five minutes later, I had a set of eyebrows and an empty notepad. Luckily it is so simple to do so I didn't need to make any notes (how I thought simultaneous eyebrow dying and note taking would work, I dont know!).

So here we go, a little step-by-step guide to dying your eyebrows at home...enjoy!


The products

Strictly Professional eyelash tint developer (£5.00)- This is the solution which helps the dye to develop. Enough said really!

Combinal eyelash and eyebrow tint dye (£9.99-£12)- I use the brown shade of this dye as my hair is quite fair, but you can purchase this dye in black and for some bizarre reason in blue as well (maybe Kim K's next trend?!)

Lip brush- I use this to applicate the dye as a small brush makes it easier to create the desired shape.

Small pot- Use this to mix together the developer and dye

Tweezers- If you're like me and have blonde eyebrows, when you dye them for the first time, it is scary to see the amount of strays that have been lurking for so long!

Step 1- mixing the solutions

 

To start, add 3-4 drops of the developer into your small pot.

Next, add a small finger nail sized amount of the dye into the pot with the developer in.

Mix the two liquids together until they create one brown solution which is thick enough to sit on the eyebrow and not drip!












Step 2- applying the dye

 Use your lip brush to apply the solution. Start on the inner corner of your eyebrow and use long, sweeping strokes to apply across.

 Do this a few times to ensure you have created the shape you want, with no gaps (even Cara D couldn't pull off bald spots in eyebrows).

Take a make up wipe or a cotton wool bud and wipe around the eyebrow to make sure you don't have excess dye left on the skin around the area. Don't panic if you miss a bit at this point as I find that over night the skin that was dyed accidentally seems to go back to a normal colour (hurrah!).



Step 3-  the wait

This bit depends on how bold/dark you want your eyebrows. Personally I leave it on for 20-25 minutes when I haven't done it for a while. My hairdresser recommended 15 minutes when she first did it on me, but as I have blonde eyebrows, this didn't give me the obvious 'I have eyebrows' look I was hoping for. During this time, the dye will darken quite a bit- don't panic! You will look very odd as time goes on but it's all for a good cause. Just avoid any human contact during the waiting period.



Step 4- the grand reveal

When the time's up, you can wipe the dye off. I use a make up wipe to do this. First of all I take the main bulk, and then I scrub a bit harder around the eyebrow to get rid of any excess dye. At this point I also quickly grab the tweezers before anyone spots the unruley beasts that have appeared on my forehead.





And that's it! I hope this post is useful for anyone who is spending a copious amount of time and money on getting their eyebrows dyed professionally. I mean yes, it isn't as relaxing as sitting in a salon with a cup of tea in your hand and the latest Cosmo on your lap, but it is far cheaper and you get a bonus accomplished feeling at the end- perfect!

Let me know how you get on.

Georgie.

MAC Pro lip pallette- Editorial reds

Hello, hello! Hope you have all had a lovely weekend and made the most of that glimpse into summer we experienced on Saturday! I've been a busy bee again this weekend again but it's been another good one! On Friday evening my boyfriend and I drove up to Hereford to spend the weekend with his family. On Saturday we spent the day walking along by the river and soaking up the sunshine, followed by a pub quiz in the evening (we came second to last...oops). Today we spent more time lazing around and enjoying the relaxing countryside before travelling back to reality this afternoon!

The one thing that was perking up the gloomy car journey home was the thought of testing out my new MAC Pro Lip Palette- Editorial Reds with another new purchase; the Real Techniques retractable lip brush. I've been hunting for a lip brush to apply this beautiful palette with but after many evenings of scouring blogger's reviews, I ended up back to square one with the trusty Real Techniques brand. 

The first thing I did (after staring at it lovingly for a little while) was swatch it on my arm. I wanted to see the true colour pigmentation of each shade before letting my lips takes them for a spin. The palette is made up of two cremesheens (Ruby Woo and Dare You), three mattes (Lady Danger, Russian Red and On Hold) and one satin (MAC Red). 

As you can see from these swatches, some of the shades have quite a pinkish base despite the title 'Editorial Reds'. Personally, for my favourite looks I love to wear a neutral face with a pink lip so it came as a nice surprise! 

The application, as with all MAC lipsticks, was very easy and the colours have all lasted extremely well (even after the all important chocolate brownie and tea tests I had to endure). To get a really bold lip takes quite a few layers, however like I just said, once it's on, it's on and only a little touch up here and there is required! But here's where we meet the only slight downfall...it's size. Because MAC wanted to treat us all to these gorgeous shades, unfortunately it is not very practical to carry around in your handbag when you just need to use one of the shades. But hey, we've all been in the situation where we're trying to justify our stupidly large handbags!

My favourite shade from this palette would have to be Lady Danger as it is a perfect coral red shade for Spring. And my favourite thing about the palette- it's so much more than 6 shades! Apply lots of layers for a bold lip, a little less for a subtle day time feel or blend shades together to create your very own personal MAC shade (what's not to like about that?!).

Have you tried any of the MAC lip palettes? Which is your favourite? Have you got a good colour combination for me to try? Leave your comments below :)

Georgie. 

My recommendations for a good night's sleep

Hello everyone, I hope your Monday has been delightful whatever you've been up to. After a busy weekend of wining and dining at a local Michelin restaurant (it was amazing!), catching up with friends and running a half marathon (I'm one of those crazy people who enjoys running- don't judge) I am now longing for my bed after a tiring day at work. The thought of getting up at 6am for another four mornings in a row at the moment seems impossible. So tonight I've planned in my early night and (sadly) I can't wait!

So I thought I may as well share with you guys my favourite sleep inducing products which always ensure I have a natural and easy journey into the world of dreams...

This works- deep sleep pillow spray (£16)

Something that makes me feel relaxed, whatever mood I'm in, is a lovely scent. When I'm in my lounge in the evening, I always have a Yankee Candle on the go and it helps me to unwind after a hectic day. However, lighting a candle when you're trying to head off to the land of nod is not always practical, or safe! So instead I reach for this This works- deep sleep pillow spray to fill my room with a beautiful aroma. The lead scent is lavender, as with most sleep products, but this spray is also infused with essential oils of vetivert and wild camomile. With just a few sprays, you really do feel it starting to work its magic in soothing your body and mind.

This works- deep sleep pillow spray (£18)

To take it one step further, I love this deeply moisturising This works- deep sleep dream cream. Not only does it smell as wonderful as its sister product previously mentioned, but it also gets to work on any dry skin patches you may have so you wake up feeling smooth and refreshed!

The scent for this product is less powerful than the pillow spray which is a good thing otherwise you may send people off to sleep when in a confined area with them. For this reason, if I was to purchase only one of these products to aid sleep, I would choose the pillow spray.

Badger Balm- sleep balm (£7.99)

I've saved my favourite until last here as this little tin has rescued me on many stressful evenings when I've gone to bed with a head full of to-do lists. The organic Badger Balm- sleep balm is infused with rosemary, ginger, bergamot, balsam fir and of course are faithful sleep friend, lavender. As advertised, this balm claims not to make you sleepy as instead, ' ... the sophisticated blend of essential oils helps quiet your thoughts and clear your mind, then you fall asleep naturally'.

They advise you to apply to your temples but I like to rub it under my nose too for a more intense smell (you can never be too relaxed!). The best thing about this product is the fact you can pop it in your toiletry bag when staying somewhere else and you know you're guaranteed a good night's sleep (even if you've been left a tiny bit of floor space at the end of a friend's house warming party). 



Some of my other rescue items

 Bach rescue remedy (£9.99)- If you haven't tried Bach's rescue remedy range and you're a bit of a worrier like myself, then look no further! Day or night, drop a couple of pipettes of this relaxing liquid on your tongue and within seconds you'll feel your worries drift away (as you can imagine I was very popular in exam waiting halls!).

Twinings Calming Camomile tea  (£1.49)- I'm a huge lover of herbal teas and I am constantly refilling/pouring the kettle! Recently I've discovered the sweet taste of camomile tea and it has become an important part of my bedtime routine. It caters for my sweet tooth and my need for lots of sleep- perfect!

Russell Brand- Revolution (£8.45)- You can't beat a good read just before bedtime. My current book is Russell Brand's Revolution. I'm a big fan of his books and throughout this particular one I have gone to bed feeling full of reflections and positive thoughts (I kind of feel like I'm helping to put the world to rights which is a very productive thing to do in my pjs). I am a little biased however as I have always been a massive Mr Brand fan and even got the chance to meet, hug and kiss him (it was a book signing...I'm not one of his numbers if you're wondering).


So that's the end of my bedtime routine. What products/rituals can you recommend to help others have a peaceful night's sleep? Please leave comments below, it would be great to hear from you.

Georgie.

My favourite lip looks

Hello, I hope you've all had a lovely weekend so far. How is it Saturday night already?! The weather has been miserable where I live today so I've spent the day with friends, sipping on coffee and gorging in olive bread and dips- perfect!

Anyway, back to why we're all here- the lip looks. Below I've shared some of my favourite lip looks at the moment. The majority of them are high street based lip products so they are easily affordable if you fancy trying any of them out for yourselves.


The 'this is what my lips naturally look like-  I'm secretly Kylie Jenner' look

So this is my current go-to look. It's such an easy way to boost your natural lips by adding a bit more colour and shape. The Maybelline Color Drama lip pencil in Nude Perfection (630) is a beautiful corally-nude shade and can be worn completely on its own as the liner is a very creamy formula. I like to use this all over my lips and then add a bit of Rimmel London Colour Rush balm in Drive me Nude (10) to give my lips a touch of shine. The final outcome is a gorgeous warm nude colour which goes perfectly with khaki/olive green eyeshadow shades.


The 'sweet and nice' look

As the sun has started to appear a little bit recently I've been reaching for my Urban Decay Naked lip gloss in Liar as you can't beat a glossy finish on a cheery day! Urban Decay have got this nude colour spot on and the smell of the gloss is absolutely dreamy.

To help the gloss last a bit longer, I have been adding a light layer of Rimmel London Exaggerate lip liner in Eastend snob. As you probably already know, this liner is a brilliant high street dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lip liner but at a fraction of the price. The formula creamy again so it is very easy to apply as a light base which can be blended into the lips before applying the gloss.



The 'yes, I can pull off deep plum' look

This is one of my favourite looks when I feel like wearing bold daytime lips. As I'm a big fan of the velvety feel and lasting power of the Maybelline Color Drama lip pencil, I purchased another one for this look in the shade Berry Much (310). Like the first lip look, this pencil can be worn on its own, however when paired with this Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Raplumzel. The two shades together create a gorgeous deep plum colour which lasts for ages (I've tested this look over many yummy meals and trust me- it lasts!). I usually wear this look with a light blush on the cheek and just a thick eyeliner flick look on my eyes. 

The 'I'm slightly bolder than nude' look

This everyday easy lip look features my much loved Rimmel London Exaggerate lip liner in Eastend snob again as a base. This shade matches perfectly with my Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in 08. Everyone can pull off this look as it really is only a little bit bolder than a natural nude look. Both of these Rimmel products leave lips feeling moisturised and have a rather nice scent- what more could you want?!



The 'sophisticated and slightly gothic but not too gothic' look

For my last look I've gone a bit vampy (but not in a scary way, I promise). This look consists of Rimmel London Exaggerate lip liner in Obsession to shape the lips and stop any colour bleeds and . This shade matches perfectly with my Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Starry eyed (128). 

The two colours work really well together and they create a deep reddish/brown shade. I love to wear this look with a fresh dewy finish on my face and subtle contouring using Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow (as featured in the picture above). 

And where they all live

To make these lip looks easy to grab and use in the morning, I store them in my Muji Acrylic drawer set. This lipsticks/glosses/liners that I keep in here change based on my current favourites and the weather (is that weird?).  

The MAC Pro Lip pallete in Editorial Reds which you can spot in the bottom left of this picture is new and I cannot wait to review it soon. My lovely friends treated me to it for my birthday and I'm so excited to have a play around with blending the colours!

What are your favourite lip looks? Can you recommend any good lip brushes for applying my new MAC lip products? 

Please leave comments below and let me know your thoughts!

Georgie. 

The most underappreciated bathroom product (awhh)

Well it's been a long ol' Tuesday but I have been feeling rather smug. Whilst others around me discuss looking forward to downing a rather large glass of wine or catching up on the latest Broadchurch episode when they get home, I have a different plan in mind. Say hello to the best kept secret in the world of bathroom luxuries- Fenjal cleanse and sofetn shower mousse.

This beautiful little can contains the most sumptuously soft mousse which somehow manages to transform your shower into a Hawaiian beach. With one little pump, the mousse creates an amazing aroma. Then, as if by magic, the mousse begins to expand in your hand (it truly is a wonderful feeling when you feel like you're gaining product the more you use it!). Then comes the best part- lathering up! It does exactly what it says on the tin (well can I suppose). The formula is so silky smooth and leaves your skin feeling as though you've just had a deep cleanse.

Alright, I know I'm doing a bit of a Nigella by sexing up an everyday item, but honestly, try it and I'm sure you'll agree with me! Catch it whilst it's on offer in Boots for a bargain price of £3.60 rather than £5.40.

What are your favourite bathroom products?

Georgie.

My essentials

Is it possible to experience writer's block when sitting down to compose my second blog post? I mean the pressure of the first blog post is always there lingering in the background as it's your first greeting to the blogging world- a bit like your opening line on a first date (Hey there, do you come here often? was the most original I ever got). But the second blog, well it seems there is even more pressure because you actually need to start sharing thoughts that are worth while... 

On with the show then, and here it is- my essentials. I've never been into wearing a full face of make-up everyday. This is partly down to the fact I can't pull it off, and also due to my sheer laziness in the morning. However there are four key products which I would really struggle to leave the house without. 

Up first is the highly talked about Chanel Vitalumiére Aqua (I use Beige 10). With it's easy application and light feel, it's no wonder so many of us reach for this trusty little bottle. One feature which I think often gets forgotten about is the gorgeous smell! Every time I unscrew the lid the beautiful scent wafts up- it's amazing! And who wouldn't want a nice smelling face?!

Next I grab my favourite mascara- Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara (in extreme black). I, like many others, have tried numerous mascaras. All it would take is for a new advert to tell me my eyelashes would grow ten times longer over night and I would be queueing up in Boots straight away. Waking up the next morning with the same old stubby lashes which are now clumped together was not the end result I ever wanted, but unfortunately it's what I always got! Now these troubles seem like a distance memory thanks to this beauty. It applies well, making sure the eyelashes do not clump together and it does actually make my eyelashes look slightly longer than when I was 3 years old (result!). 

Now my next essential is a must. My natural hair colour is ginger and with that comes blonde eyebrows (it's never made sense in my head either). Anyway, I dye my eyebrows myself at home after I was shown which products to use and how to do it in a hair salon a couple of years ago (let me know if you would like to read a blog on this topic). Unfortunately my eyebrows never have, and never will be as bushy as our jammy friend Cara D, so I use this Benefit Brow Zings to fill in the gaps and give my brows a clearly defined shape. It does come with two applicators; one for the powder and one for the wax. I use the powder applicator but prefer to use the Real Techniques Eyebrow brush from the Eyes Starter Kit for applying the wax as it it easier to create a neat shape. Currently, Real Techniques do not sell this brush as an individual item, but this kit is often reduced on Amazon and the other brushes are useful so it's worth a purchase!

Finally, a fairly new essential for me, Soap and Glory's SuperCat eyeliner. I've always used felt-tip pen style eyeliners as I'm fairly incompetent when it comes to drawing a straight line (I've only just conquered 'the flick'). I used to use Maybelline's Masterpiece eyeliner but after receiving Soap and Glory's little pen as a free gift, I thought it would be rude to ignore it. Let me just say, I've never looked back (sorry cheesy pun)! It's a happy medium between thick and thin, it produces a great, bold black line and it has supported and guided me through drawing some of my first acceptable flicks- something that needs to be celebrated!

So there it is, my list of 'essentials' which I just couldn't live without (sorry to sound so extreme). Do you use any of these? Have you found any drug store dupes for the higher end products?

Georgie.

The start of a new adventure

A few weeks ago I visited one of my close friends who is an established fashion and beauty blogger. After sipping on rather strong cocktails before midday on a miserable Sunday, I told her I was going to follow in her foot steps and have a go at this blogging business myself. 

Although this decision was finalised with a slightly blurry head, it is not the first time I have had this thought. For many years I have revelled in the blogging hype and have spent endless hours flicking between VDM, Lily Pebbles, Essie Button and llymlrs to name but a few. Never, however, have I put myself out there. So here it is, my first blog. I'm hoping (and kind of assuming) that there isn't a right or wrong when it comes to blogging, so if you feel in some way you can relate to me based on these initial ramblings then please stay tuned and share your thoughts!

Georgie.