YSL Marrakesh Sunset Palette from Summer 2013 Collection!

Hey Beauties! As I have already mentioned on Instagram I have purchased this beautiful YSL Marrakesh Sunset Palette from the Summer 2013 Collection back in June as an early B-Day present to myself. But because it's so stunning I almost was scared to mess it up by using it, it's silly but you know what I mean. This palette, as are all YSL 5 Colour Eye Shadow palettes, is pretty expensive but they are so stunning that I can't help myself and break the bank on occasion when the palette is extraordinarily stunning as is this Summer's Marrakesh Sunset palette! The Limited Edition palettes always have a different and opulent design, which makes them a real beauty collector's item! 

The palette has five colours, all are very shimmery to replicate the Moroccan decadence and glamour. There is a brown shade with multi coloured shimmers, underneath it there is a peach with pink and silver shimmers, across it there is the gold with pink and gold shimmers, and above it there is the purple with blue and purple shimmers, and finally in the middle the highlighter is a cream with gold, silver and pink shimmers. It is really hard to pick up the exact shimmers with a naked eye as they are super finely milled, but the purple shade seems to be the most sparkling and glitter packed! A beauty look wearing the eyeshadows from this palette is coming soon.

LOVE

Nail Art: Van Gogh Inspired Sunflower Nail Look!

 BarryM Gelly in Greenberry [L] + Guava [R]

 China Glaze Sun-Kissed, Essie Fear or Desire, Essie The More The Merrier

Hey Beauties and Nail Art Lovers! The summer is almost over and I decided to create a slightly crazy in terms of colours nail look. It started of as just alternated colour polkadots, but I thought it wasn't adventurous enough, so I decided to cover the polkadots and add some neon yellow flowers. The result is slightly messy and so it kind of reminds me of that legendary Sunflower painting by Van Gogh...

So here is how I created it: Firstly I always protect my nails by applying one coat of OPI Nail Envy [the original] as a base, then I applied two coats of BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Greenberry and Guava alternating the nails. After rectifying the polkadot situation I then dotted [using my Cheeky dotting tools] a neon yellow flower shape using China Glaze in Sun-Kissed, which is a shimmery acid yellow. Next I applied one offsetting dot into the centre of the flower, choosing Essie Fear or Desire, which is a cream bright orange. And finally to add some foliage I applied double green leave detail to each flower, using Essie The More The Merrier, which is a cream pea green. To tone it slightly down you can just do the sunflowers on one accent nail, that would safe you a lot of time!

If you'd like to see my Cheeky dotting tools click here for the blogpost! Also let me know below in the comment box if there is a specific nail art design you'd like to see and I'll try to create it for you!

LOVE

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Petal Shimmer + Candy Shimmer!

Hey Beauties! Here are two new additions to my Clarins collection. Couple of summers ago I was totally obsessed with the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector in 03 Nude Shimmer and it was the only lip product I have used for a month non stop. It's just such an easy and effortless lip product that instantly makes your lips look beautiful. I love the texture it's not sticky, wears beautifully, you can reapply it while on the go [literally] don't even need a mirror! Although they all have 'shimmer' attached to their shade names it is not about crazy sparkles or anything like that, it's super natural but it does have a beautifying sheen to it, which ultimately makes the lips look natural yet plump and delicious. Speaking of which, the scent reminds me of sweets, like toffee or something. 04 Petal Shimmer is a super cute baby pink and 05 Candy Shimmer is like an English rose pink.

LOVE

Cosmetics a la Carte Bare Blush in Moonbeam and Lipstick in Ballerina!

 Cosmetics a la Carte Bare Blush Cream Blush in Moonbeam

 Cosmetics a la Carte Plump & Prime [lip base] and Lustre Lipstick in Ballerina

There is something about this base, it makes all lipsticks look even better and I find it prevents them from running, quite often I like to wear it on its own just as a nude lip!

Cosmetics a la Carte Lustre Lipstick in Ballerina

Hey Beauties! As featured before here is a look I created wearing the beautiful Cosmetics a la Carte Moonbeam highlighter and the pretty Lustre Lipstick in Ballerina. It's a really natural and fresh looking beauty look, which is emphasised by the glowing complexion and a pretty light pink lip with a sheen. If you haven't seen my previous blogpost with in depth review on these products, all the shades info and swatches click here! 

Although it's called a Cream Blush it really is a highlighter, but you can use it all over your face including cheeks and eyes just avoiding the centre of the face except for the bridge of the nose. The way I like to use it for that super glowing complexion is by applying it on top of my foundation and using it just like I would a highlighter but I also apply it where I'd apply blusher. Then on the cheeks on top of Moonbeam I layer my powder blush of choice, what that creates is a beautiful subtle sheen from underneath which means it doesn't look greasy, it just lifts the blush. Moonbeam  is a warm peach/rose gold shade, very beautiful. You can apply it with fingers, but I prefer to use the realTechniques Contour Brush with it, it applies it like a dream creating that airbrushed finish!

I have become a huge Cosmetics a la Carte lover this year, there are just so many great products I keep discovering! I particularly love their lipsticks, the textures are beautiful, the different finishes, they wear nicely, and somehow every lipstick I have tried looks effortlessly beautiful! Ballerina is such a pretty casual pink with a sheen. Although it's a Lustre finish it doesn't have a frosty shimmer, it just has a flattering sheen, which I find adds freshness to the face just like a glowing complexion does!

LOVE

Too Faced No Makeup Makeup Palette!

 I have done a full review and created a look wearing the Too Faced Bronzed & Poreless Pore Perfecting Bronzer and the Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool, to see the blogpost just click here!

Hey beauties! As you probably gathered by now I'm the type of girl that loves make-up. Not only do I enjoy wearing make-up but I actually love the whole process of applying make-up, and find it incredibly therapeutic! And this is why I wanted to share this palette, I have used it so many times this summer purely to make myself put together and not leave the house looking like I just got out of bed. This palette is great for someone who either doesn't like wearing much make-up or for those of us who need at least something in situations like hanging out by the pool, going to the beach and maybe groceries shopping on the way back. 

So if you don't want to wear the full make-up yet want to look representable you can quickly beautify your complexion. And if you also don't have a mascara close by the Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool is also a great idea, you can quickly dot it on along the lash line and that visually makes the lashes look thicker as well as subtly defining the eye.

I absolutely adore the Crème Blush and the Luminize highlighter. It's such a cute palette, you literally get everything you need in one place: concealer, highlighter, brightener, blushes, and a bronzer. And what's convenient about it, even if you don't have a brush close at hand you can quickly do your face just with fingers as the concealer, highlighter, brightener and one of the blushes are all crème texture! I adore the packaging, reminds me of the vintage tin palettes, and you also get a guide to three looks you can create with this palette: Wake Up Makeup; Nude Radiance; Red Carpet Contour. Very neat!

LOVE

Burberry Lip Glow Pink Sweet Pea No.20 Natural Lip Gloss!

 Shade: Pink Sweet Pea No.20

This is the first Burberry Lip Glow lipgloss I have ever tried, and I love how pigmented it is. You can either build it up or just apply a thin coat for a sheer hint of colour. Pink Sweet Pea is such a pretty name and so is the actual shade, it's a hot pink with a blue shimmer which makes the lip appear plump and luscious! I also like the non-sticky texture of the Lip Glow. And of course the ever so luxurious Burberry packaging is rather pleasing to the eye!

LOVE

Nait Trend: Neon Tribal Nailart!

Cheeky Dotting Tools in Medium

 H&M Nail Polish in Why Not?

 Rococo Nail Apparel in Funboy Matte

 BarryM Nail Paint in BLE 2013 B 330 [not sure what that name is but it's Limited Edition]

BeYu [bi:ju:] in 318

Here is a bit of a fun summery tribal nailart look I came up with using the dotting tools and neons. I particularly like the white and black contrast up against the super bright neon pink and the tropical yellow! Here is how I did it: firstly, I always forget to mention but I start any manicure by applying one coat of OPI Nail Envy [the original] as a base, then I applied two coats of H&M Why Not?, I really like this white, it's milky and on a sheer side but has enough pigment and the application is great. 

Then I started to add colours, dotting a triangle shape right at the base of the nailplate with Rococo Funboy Matte, it's a crazy bright neon. To divide colours I dotted a pattern with black [BeYu in 318] every time after adding a colour, you can be as creative as you want with it that's the beauty of nailart. And with tribal look it doesn't matter if you make a mistake, I prefer it when it doesn't look perfect, imperfection adds a character to this look! Next I dotted this beautiful BarryM tropical juicy yellow which is a Limited Edition and I have no idea what the name is, all it says on the bottom is BLE 2013 B 330, go figure... And finally the tribal nail look is completed with this funky uneven black edge. This look is not hard to recreate, but it does take time. 

LOVE

Smokey Eye with MAC Cranberry + Feline Power Kohl!

 MAC Eyeshadow in Cranberry

 Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout

Hey beauties! MAC Cranberry is one of my favourite eyeshadows, and although I have featured it many times before I decided to share this look. In summer with a little bit of tan Cranberry looks very pretty just as a simple smokey eye and a black kohl of your choice. Here is how I created this look: as a base I use MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork applying it on the lid upto the socket and under the lower lash line, on top I applied Cranberry making sure to blend the edges so that they fade out. To highlight the brow bone I applied my new favourite MAC Eyeshadow in Grain, it's a beautiful satin texture, which really lifts that brow! Highly recommend it! As a liner I used MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline. 

I have heard so much about MAC Feline and always wanted to try it but somehow only got my hands on it just now. I can't say it's my favourite in terms of staying power as it does go everywhere after a while, but when I'm in the mood for that messy edgy look then it's great as it is super pigmented. I love the way it looks on the waterline, there is something that makes it look almost wet so yeh very feline-like, great for a wild smokey eye, wish it would stay put though!

For the lips I chose Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout, it's a cool toned flattering nude-ish pink. I first heard about this shade when Lisa Eldridge featured it in her favourite lipsticks video! There is something about Pink Pout, it just brings freshness to your face, it's not overtly pinkelicious, and looks really sophisticated and modern.

LOVE

New Hair: from very long and tired to fresh and healthy!

 Before...

 After...

The inspo I took to show my hairstylist: Jaime King and Heidi Klum

[shoulder length  + different textures]

Hey beauties! I always get a lot of questions asked about my hair so I decided to do a blogpost on this subject. Firstly I should explain that I had long hair for over a decade and only once during that time I had cut a very short bob [which I really was regretting afterwards]. But for years and years I really enjoyed growing out my hair and just getting the ends trimmed once in a while. I absolutely loved wearing long hair. But this summer I turned the big 30, and I have no idea what happened but I started craving a massive change in everything, including my long hair. 

Besides that I learnt never to get my hair done while on vacation. The girl that did my highlights ended up being a total amateur, she completely fried my hair to such an extend that I ended up wearing a bun every single day for a month! The hair was so damaged that it literally was sticking up like straw in all directions looking absolutely horrific, which was so frustrating because although I had fresh highlights done I no longer could enjoy wearing my hair down, I hated even touching it let alone seeing it!

So one afternoon I decided it was time to wave goodbye to my 20s and my long hair and embrace my 30s with a new hair style! I googled a few images and the beautiful Jaime King and Heidi Klum shoulder length hair styles seemed really appealing. I wanted something that would be super quick to style and also it was important to have the flexibility to style the hair either wild and textured or glossy and sexy. So it wasn't something I've been contemplating for a long time, I just went with it. Booked the appointment at my local Trevor Sorbie salon, and bam! 

Tom did a fantastic job, he got me straight away. There wasn't a second of regret of having half the length of my hair chopped off. In fact right the opposite, I came out feeling fresh, amazing and ready to take the world by its balls...  Remember when Carrie gets her curls cut off and gets a new job, and her life takes a new turn, a more grown up turn, nonetheless she still remained herself that witty and flirty Carrie but sexier, more successful, more confident. It's interesting how a haircut sometimes can almost transform a woman's life. 

You can see how my hair looked before I left to the salon, and then Tom styled it to have a bit of a wave in it and lots of volume. But I tried doing different things since like curling, blowdrying with a round brush, or not doing anything to it at all other than letting it dry naturally and everything seems to work beautifully. I certainly didn't feel like it was a hairstyle I had to adjust to, it felt like me instantly. Now it just feels like I wore this hair for years, in a way it feels more sophisticated and suits my lifestyle much better! I love it, thanks Tom!

LOVE

New Kerastase K Lift Vertige!

When I went to get my new haircut at Trevor Sorbie, Tom introduced me to this new Kerastase product called K Lift Vertige. He used it when styling my hair and I really liked the effect, so I purchased a bottle to take home with me. Basically what it does is giving you that voluminous hair by lifting it at the roots. It's a gel like texture that comes in a pump bottle, and one pump [pictured above] is more than plenty! You need to apply it right into the roots when the hair is still damp and use a round brush to blowdry and lift the hair at the roots as you go for the best result. It has a medium hold to give you that natural movement. 

LOVE

Autumnal Beauty Look with Cosmetics a la Carte!

 Cosmetics a la Carte Blush Touch Powder Blusher Compact

 Shade: Grape

Cosmetics a la Carte Lustre Lipstick in Strawberry

As promised in the previous blogpost here is a look I created wearing the lovely Cosmetics a la Carte Blush Touch Powder Blusher in Grape and Lustre Lipstick in Strawberry.  For more pictures and swatches click here! The powder blusher is really pigmented, so you only need a touch, Grape is a very pretty autumnal tawny figgy colour. I absolutely adore this blusher and lipstick shade, it looks beautiful with a smokey eye. Strawberry is such a yummy colour, although it's a lustre it has a flattering sheen to it making your lips look voluptuous, rather than giving them that 80's slightly scary frost effect. The best way I can think of describing this colour is a strawberry jam! 

LOVE