Hollywood Glamour Before and After

It really is amazing how makeup can transform the way you look and feel.  I love getting ready and always have fun deciding how to do my makeup. 

Today I was playing dress up with some of my mum's beautiful Harris Tweed dresses that she has designed and decided to chanel a little Hollywood Glamour.

Before

After

Products Used

Face

Foundation- Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting in 'Linen'

Concealer- Vichy Dermablend in 'Opal'

Undereye Concealer- Bobbi Brown Eye brightener in 'Light Bisque'

Eyebrows- Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in 'Taupe

Contour/Highlight

Nars Laguna Bronzer

Nars Albartos Highlighter

Eyes

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Black

Smashbox Always sharp Pencil in 'Bare'

Mascara- L'Oreal Paris 'Miss Manga'

Lips

MAC lipliner in 'REDD' 

L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in 'Julianne's Red'

Brushes

Foundation- Beauty Blender used damp

Conceal- Real Techniques 'Delux Crease Brush', 'Accent brush'

Contour- Bobbi Brown Sheer Powder Brush

Highlight- My Own

Liner-  My Own

Outfit 

Dress- Elizabeth Martin Tweed

Belt- Dune

Available here http://elizabethmartintweed.co.uk/product/iona-curve-skimming-classic-styled-dress/

Alicexox

Juicing Benefits

This weeks post is all about Juicing, It's benefits and why I love it so much.  Before I get started however I'd like to acknowledge that I am no expert on health and would never claim to be.  I love sweets, crisps, pasta, bread, cheese and generally most things that are not so great for you however I try to eat all of these in moderation.  I love food but am also conscious of my health and exercise as often as I can.

One year ago I watched a documentary called 'Fat, Sick and nearly Dead' which documented a man called Joe Cross and his journey to regain his health through Juicing.  For 60 days he drinks nothing but fresh fruit and vegetables and the results are nothing sort of amazing!  Now 60 days is obviously extreme and he was 100lb's overweight but I felt inspired by his story and decided to buy a Juicer and give it a go.

For 7 days I drank nothing but fresh fruit and vegetables and I can honestly say that I have never felt so healthy and full of energy.  I was and still am absolutely hooked.

Why Juice?

Juices are rich in active enzymes to aid digestion

Juices are packed with essential vitamins and minerals

Juices help eliminate toxins and boost our vitality

Juices help clear the complexion and give skin a radiant healthy glow

Juices contain essential amino acids

Juices are rich in the superfood chlorophyll

Juices help balance the body's acid/alkaline levels

Juices are rich in antioxidants that protect us from disease and premature ageing

Juices help with weight reduction.

Why do I love juicing?

I know exactly what I am drinking, nothing is processed

I am getting all the nutrients from freshly extracted fruit and veg that I might not always put on my plate

It's quick and easy and can be made the night before ready to throw in my bag for a busy day ahead

The beauty benefits for my skin are amazing as they help aid the body's natural functions of cleansing and repair.

Believe it or not they taste really good

My morning routine

Every morning I have a glass of hot water and lemon followed by a banana and a fresh Juice.  I try and have one other juice at some point throughout the day.

The majority of my Juices are packed with vegetables as fruit juices are naturally high in sugars.

Information on Juicing

Juicing is really easy to do and I would encourage anyone to give it a go.  Yes you will need to invest in a juicer and yes you will need to buy more fruit and vegetables than you are used to but if it's good for your health then I believe it's a worth while investment.  I buy all my fruit and veg from Aldi's and Lidl's as they are relatively cheaper than other supermarkets.

I love the Liz Earl Juice book and I also use a book by Jason Vale called 'The Juice Master'.

Jason Vale also has various app's which I would recommend as they are really easy to follow.  I currently have 'Juice Master 5lb's in 5 days' and 'Juice Master 3 day detox'.

I have a Phillips Juicer and I think I paid roughly £80 for it.

Amazon is where I would recommend buying a juicer as you can sometimes get them slightly cheaper.

Jason's books are also available on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jason+vale&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ajason+vale

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/about.html

http://www.juicemaster.com

Alice xox

February Favourites

Here are the products that I've been loving this month...

Bobbi Brown 

I really needed to get some new brushes and decided to try a new brand and invest in Bobbi Brown.  I wanted brushes that were going to be versatile so picked four from the range that I thought I would get most use out of.

Sheer Powder brush £30

This brush I have so far been using for highlight and contouring.  It is fairly compact so perfect for dusting a little highlight on the cheekbones and sweeping through the hollows of the cheeks to contour.

Eye Blender £25.50

I normally use MAC's 217 to blend eyeshadow but find the bristles are quite course.  The bristles on this are a lot softer and so nicer to use, particularly on clients.  It is also perfect for dusting highlight down the bridge of the nose and cupids bow.

Touch up £24.50

This brush is designed to 'touch up' foundation or concealer but is also great for blending shadow under the eyes.

Eye Smudge £24.50

Bobbi's 'eye smudge' brush is perfect for blending shadow through the eye socket and also under the eye area.

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner £7.99

I have recently started using this again and find it much easier to use than liquid liner.  It comes with a brush but I use my own fine angled brush with it.  If you use MAC's gel liner but find it dries up far too quickly then this is a great alternative.

L'Oreal Paris 'Color Riche' lipstick in 'Julianne's Red' £6.99

I love L'Oreal's Colour Riche lipsticks.  They are completely matt, highly pigmented and long lasting, which is amazing for only £6.99.  They are available in various shades of Red and Nude's. Julianne's red is a beautiful bright red and more importantly is great for redheads which is why I picked it.  I paired it with MAC's lipliner in 'Cherry'

Dior Diorific High Fashion Lipstick in 'Delicate Shock' £27.50

I adopted this lippy from my Auntie and absolutely love it.  I've been trying to wear more nude lipsticks but sometimes struggle to find the perfect shade.  I have been loving this as it still carries a bit of colour without being too washed out.  It consists of two tones, One being a lovely creamy matt and the other a pretty gold shimmer. I paired it with MAC's lip liner in 'Spice'.

In the image above the colours go as follows;

From left to right 

MAC's Spice Liner

Matt shade

Matt shade with shimmer on top

Shimmer

Alice xox

January Favourites

I thought I would start the New Year by sharing with you some of my favourite makeup products I Loved throughout the month of January.  While everyone has been watching their wallets, I have been trailing the makeup counters on the hunt for some new products and I haven't been disappointed.

My makeup routine doesn't always change from month to month, I have my staple's that I tend to use continuously before switching but I love it when I discover something new and am always on the hunt for exciting new makeup discoveries.  So without further ado here are my January favourites.

Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener £20

Nars Creamy Concealer £22

This month I have been loving two different types of under eye concealer.  

Bobbi's Eye Brightener is a lightweight formula, great for anyone just looking to brighten their under eye area.  Ive been using this during the day when I don't want as much coverage.

Nars Creamy Concealer is exactly as it states 'creamy'.  I've been wanting to try this for a while as I've heard amazing reviews and it definitely doesn't disappoint. On their website it says the coverage is lightweight to medium to high.  I don't agree with it it being lightweight and would say it is medium to full.  This concealer is great for anyone who needs a little extra converage to hide those dark circles.  

Beauty Blender

I love love love this little sponge! Used damp it helps create a flawless finish when applying foundation.  I doubt i'll change this for a while.

Nars Laguna bronzer £27

This bronzer has long been at the back of my mind.  Ive watched numerous bloggers, youtubers and makeup artists rave about this product, I don't know why it has taken me so long to try it.  The Laguna bronzer can be used to give a healthy glow or even contour the face.  It is described as having a slight gold shimmer but nothing to worry about as it's very subtle.

YSL Luxurious Mascara Waterproof £24.50

This used to be my all time favourite mascara but I stopped using it as it used to dry up really quickly and become extremely clumpy.  However, they have re formulated it in a bid to stop this from happening, so I decided to give it another chance and i'm glad I did.  So far i'm back in love, the new formula seems to prevent clumping while still achieving full on volume.

Nars Illuminator Copacabana £22.50

Nars Blush Highlight Albatross £22.50

I've been loving Nars this month having tried two highlight/illuminators.  

The Illuminator in 'Copacabana' I used for the first time on a model and it looked amazing, her skin was glowing.  This is a great product for achieving luminous radiant skin. It can be used under foundation, mixed with foundation or just on the cheekbones.

My second highlighter 'Albatross' was a complete impulse buy.  I was originally going to get one by Laura Mercier but after my friend recommended it, it was quickly added to my basket.  My picture doesn't do it justice but it creates a beautiful light reflecting glow to the skin.  I apply it to the tops of my cheekbones.

Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks £22

These I got in a set at Christmas and have used them constantly throughout January.  They have a luxurious and creamy texture and blend beautifully.  Perfectly suited to those days when you don't have time to spend blending eye shadow. A little bit smudged over the eyelid with your finger and your are ready to go.

 

Alice xox

Rituals Miracle Hand Scrub

So The new year has finally descended upon us, Horray! 

This year I was extremely busy over the festive period and as a result my beauty regime has been severely neglected. My hands and nails in particular are in need of a little pampering, they are always the last thing I think of.  This in turn leads me on to 'Rituals Miracle hand Scrub'.  I discovered this little gem tucked away in one of my 'Latest in Beauty' Christmas gift boxes and have been obsessed with it every since.   

It is ultra softening and smells absolutely delicious.  I have used it every day for the past week followed by my hand cream and my hands have never felt softer.  

Available in John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer

£11.50 75ml

Alice xox

Christmas Beauty Gift Guide HO! HO! HO!

Christmas has finally descended upon us and I can honestly say It is my favourite time of year.  I love everything about it from the cold frosty weather to the crazy rush to buy and wrap all my presents in time to put under the tree.  It's such a fun and magical time of year.

Todays post is going to be a mini Christmas beauty gift guide.  All the gifts I have picked are things that I personally would love to receive and are great value for money.  Lets face it, it can be quite overwhelming buying gifts with the choice being so vast, so hopefully I can help some of you who up until this point have been avoiding the daunting task of buying for your loved ones.

Fragrance

Jo Malone Cologne Collection Gift Set £68

Jo Malone have really outdone themselves this year.  Their gifts are to die for and their gift wrapping is even more luxurious.  Perfect for those of you who aren't very good at wrapping, Jo Malone does it all for you.  This set contains 5 miniature fragrances perfect for someone who likes to mix and match their scents and ideal for popping in your handbag.

Tom Ford 'Black Orchid' Gift Set  £76

Black Orchid is one of Tom Ford's signature and best selling fragrances.  Rich and spicy this perfume is perfect for someone who likes to stand out from the crowd.  A normal 50ml bottle retails at £72 however in this set you also get a 75ml body emulsion all for only £4 extra.  Buy it in store and benefit from Tom Ford's luxurious gift wrapping.

Body

Laura Mercier 'La Petite Patisserie Souffle Body Creme Collection' £45

I have long been a fan of the Laura Mercier body cremes, they are so creamy and smell amazing.  This set contains all the different scents, all equally as delicious.

Lush 'Your a Star' Pampered and Perfect gift box £42.50

Every year Lush Christmas boxes get better and better.  The products are amazing and the packaging is always really fun.  This little box is indulgent and glamorous.

Makeup

Urban Decay Naked 'On The Run' £37

I spotted this the other day and totally fell in love.  If you know someone who already loves the Naked palettes then this will be perfect for them.  An amazing travel kit for any makeup junkie.

Bobbi Brown Mini 'Lip and Eye Palette'  £25

This little makeup set contains everything needed to create a simple, classic look.  Ideal for putting in your handbag.

Lipstick Queen 'Red Carpet Edit' £45 (available in SPACE NK)

I would recommend this for someone who isn't afraid to make a statement.  Containing 3 gorgeous red lipsticks in differeing textures and shades, this gift will delight any makeup lover.

Benefit 'Easiest Nudes Ever' Eye Set  £23.50

If you are looking to buy for the younger generation, Benefit is a great place to look.  Their brand is vibrant and fun.  I would recommend this gift set for someone just getting into makeup and beauty.

These are only some of the Christmas gifts on offer this season but hopefully it will give a few of you some ideas. :)

Alice xox

The key to longer lasting eyeshadow

An important element in applying your makeup is preparing your skin, i.e cleansing, moisturising and priming.  Primers are often applied under foundation in order to smooth the skin and fill in any fine lines and pores and is also great for adding longevity to your foundation.  The same concept can be applied to your eyeshadow.

There are two key points to long lasting eye shadow-

1. Applying Primer
2. building your eye shadow



Primer

Most cult brands now have their own eye primers so you definitely wont be stuck to find one however here are some that I would recommend. 

Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base £19.50

Urban Decay Primer Potion £16

Rimmel Exaggerate Primer £4.99

Building your Eyeshadow 

If you are creating a 'smokey eye' pack on your eyeshadow.  Building your colour will help achieve depth and intensity as well as longevity throughout the day or night. 

Similarly, cream eyeshadows are also great for creating a base and intensifying your makeup. 

To apply, Sweep the cream shadow all over your lid using your fingers.  The heat from your fingers will help blend the product out.  Once this is done pack on your shadow.

 Cream shadows are a great base for a 'smokey eye' as they help give your shadow something to cling to allowing you to build colour and create an intensity to your look.

My favourite cream products are MAC's Paint Pots and come in a variety of colours. 

I hope this has been of help to some people.

Alice xox