On-Trend: Holographic Triangle Nail Art!

 Essie in Demure Vixen

 Kiko Digital Nail Lacquer in 31

Essie in Licorice

Hey Beauty Lovers! One of the nail trends this year will be the triangle nail art and although it looks quite elaborate it actually is pretty easy to create. You will need two nailpolish shades of your choice, one glitter overcoat, a fine artists brush, and adhesive tape. To create this look I applied two coats of Essie Demure Vixen as a base colour, it's a very pretty nude taupy pink with a purple sheen. Then with a fine artists brush I painted two lines to make a V shape in the middle of the nail, using Kiko Digital Nail Lacquer in 31, which is a pink holographic glitter. It's a very pretty fine glitter overcoat with a clear base, I applied two coats. 

Then it is important to let the nailpolish dry completely before you do the next step. To finish the look I applied two strips of adhesive tape over the holographic V [this will give it that sharp and crisp edge], and then I painted over with one coat of Essie Licorice, which is the most opaque cream black. After about a minute while the nailpolish is still wet carefully lift the adhesive tape and pull away slowly. Leave the black to dry for a few more minutes and then finish off with a glossy topcoat, this will make the holographic glitter sparkle and keep your nails super shiny. The thumb accent is optional, but basically it's a similar concept.

LOVE

How-To: The Perfect Topknot with Bumble and Bumble!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Today I decided to share with you how I create my perfect topknot. Everyone has their own way of wearing it, but I prefer my topknot quite loose, slightly messy and with some texture. I can never get a perfect topknot when my hair is silky smooth as it just falls flat around the crown and I don't think it's a particularly flattering look. So I make sure my hair has some texture, which gives it a bit of volume and holds a good shape. To create that texture I use a dry shampoo and a salt spray. I use the Bumble and Bumble White Hair Powder spraying it a good few times into the roots and the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray, which is a salt spray I spray just a couple of times through the length. 

For the actual knot I use a simple hair tie and a couple of bobby pins. I simply pull up the hair into a ponytail at the top of the crown where I'd like the knot to sit, then I twist the ponytail and start to loosely twirl it around to create the knot. Only when I'm happy with the shape of the knot I then fix it in place with the hair tie and with bobby pins I take care of any hair that is sticking out. And that's it!

LOVE

Prada SS13 Inspired Floral Nail Art with Essie!

Base: BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry [2 coats]

Nail art: Essie Licorice [black], Lollipop [red], Blanc [white].

L to R: Essie Licorice, Lollipop, Blanc.

Prada SS13

Hey Beauty Lovers! The nailpolish I'm wearing as a base is the BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry, I have featured it in my last blogpost so if you'd like to see more pictures and swatches click here! I decided to take it further and create a floral nail art look inspired by the simplistic and chunky Prada SS13 flowers. 

To create this look I have used a fine artists brush. Starting by drawing a black like with Essie Licorice, it's a super opaque cream black. Then I added the white petals, Prada SS13 flowers either had four or five petals, I went for the five petal design. For the white I used Essie Blanc, it's also very opaque. And finally to finish I added red dots to the centre of the flowers, using Essie Lollipop, which is a cream red, it's not as opaque so I went over it twice. 

LOVE

BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry!

 BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry

Shades L to R: Blueberry, Guava, Greenberry, Lychee

Hey Beauty Lovers! When I still get excited about a nailpolish I know the brand has done a fantastic job! These are a-mazing! I purchased them back in summer [hence the colour choice] when I popped into Boots with a friend who was visiting. We were literally like two kids in a candy store. I have blogged about BarryM Gelly High-Shine nailpolishes before, creating a polka-dot and a sunflower nail art. But it's been a while since I painted my nails with these babies, and the other day I went through my extensive nailpolish collection and couldn't resist them! I went for Blueberry, it's just the most stunning lilac blue. On Instagram it's my most liked nailpolish in history, I'm not kidding! I even got a compliment from my hairstylist, who I believe is straight... 

The formula is just incredible considering how cheap they are!!! I remember BarryM nailpolishes in the old days, I wasn't too impressed, but they have gone up in quality so much in the recent year or two. They last without chipping for days and days, they are super shiny, very smooth and very opaque - I'm wearing two coats btw. I seriously consider these as one of my best beauty discoveries of last year. And I would highly, and I mean highly recommend you get a few, trust me you'll get addicted! The colours I have tried and would recommend are Blueberry and Lychee [the most flattering nude].

LOVE

New: La Roche-Posay Redermic [R] - Retinol Treatment!

Hey Beauty Lovers! I started using La Roche-Posay Redermic [R] about a week before Christmas. At that stage my skin seemed clear and I had no breakouts [my skin type: oily/combo + acne prone]. About a week in I started noticing visible changes to my skin. I'm actually very excited about this skincare product! To begin with, Retinol is a very powerful ingredient when it comes to anti-aging skincare. By lifting off the top layers of dead skin Retinol works deeply into the skin tissue rejuvenating skin cells. This makes fine lines and deep wrinkles appear diminished as well as making premature dark spots fade, leaving skin texture smooth and even-toned. Retinol is also the ingredient that is used in dermatological treatment for acne, as it lifts all the impurities. It is important to wear a high SPF especially when you are having a Retinol treatment!

Retinol is a very intense ingredient and can be too harsh on sensitive skin. However the great thing is that La Roche-Posay Redermic [R] has 0.1% pure Retinol with an exclusive Retinol booster complex which helps to enhance the efficacy of the formula, while maintaining suitable tolerance on the skin. So it's super gentle and suitable for all skin types. Retinol helps the skin to heal fast, so even if you get a spot it will take care of it really quickly, and next day or the day after it will simply make the skin peel in the place where the spot was rather than leaving it to develop into an ordeal, yet it won't leave your skin feeling dehydrated.

So for about two weeks all the pore impurities were lifted to the surface of the skin. Retinol acts like a hoover lifting everything out of the pores even if you couldn't see anything beforehand with the naked eye. Those were deeper pores that Retinol was working on, so potentially these could have been formed into more substantial spots later. I also noticed suddenly I got quite a few black heads, which I normally don't get. But I didn't get any cystic acne or nothing that resembled a general break out. My skin was getting properly cleansed and resurfaced, skin starts to peel [only in the beginning] but it's totally worth it in the end! And only now it seems Retinol has vacuumed all the junk and my skin texture is beautifully smooth and clear. 

Redermic [R] can be used in the morning and evening, it's meant to be a great make-up primer, but since I'm using another primer at the moment I apply it in the evening. It's super light-weight and gets absorbed immediately. The texture is very light and creamy similarly to a serum. Redermic has a pale yellow colour which is typical of Retinol. I will be doing an updated review in a few weeks to let you know how it's taking care of a pigmentation spot I have, I haven't noticed any changes yet.

LOVE

On-Trend: Decadent Floral Nail-Art with Essie!

L to R:

Essie Beyond Cozy, Licorice, Merino Cool

Hey Beauty Lovers! The other day I went through my entire Essie nailpolish collection and found Merino Cool, which I haven't worn in ages. Merino Cool [cream cool toned taupe] was one of my very first Essie purchases. So I decided to take a walk down the memory lane and create a nail-art look incorporating Merino Cool, I'm wearing two coats of it as a base. For the decadent floral nail-art I got inspired by flicking through Mr Candiipants' Instagram. 

It's one of her older nail-art looks, she calls it the 'Grown Up Floral Nail Art'. This is of course nothing like hers, her nail-art looks a-mazing, it's impeccable and very neat!! But I liked the general shape of the flower and made it bigger and also applied a touch of gold glitter to create a velvet kind of effect. For the flower I used Essie Licorice [cream black] and for the glitter I used Essie Beyond Cozy [fine champagne gold glitter], applying both with a super fine artists brush.

LOVE

A Pick-Me-Up Lip & Fave Eyeshadow of the Moment!

 Stila Countless Colour Pigments in Encore

Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Bedroom Black

Topshop Lip Stick in Hedonist

Hey Beauty Lovers! This is the look I wore today, I haven't worn a bright lip in a very long time. An über bright lipstick can be a true pick-me-up in the winter. If you keep the rest of the makeup neutral there is nothing wrong with wearing a super intense lip colour. Topshop Lip Stick in Hedonist is an almost neon matte orange red. Before I wear a matte lipstick I tend to thoroughly exfoliate my lips, then the matte lipstick goes on beautifully. 

For the eyes I used Stila Countless Colour Pigment in Encore, which is my go-to eyeshadow of the moment. There is just something about it that makes it a very pretty nude eyeshadow shade with a satin finish. I just swirl the brush in all the colours except for the lightest and apply it all over the lid as well as under the lower lashes. 

For an extra dimension I like the Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Bedroom Black, it's a soft black. This eyeliner is as soft as butter so be careful how you place it as it dries really quickly and will last untouched until you are ready to take it off. I love wearing it in my waterline as it isn't too intense for this type of look and also lasts forever without transferring. 

LOVE

On-Trend: Holographic Nailart with Ciate Colourfoil Manicure!

 BarryM BLE2013 B330 [Limited Edition]

Ciate Colourfoil Manicure - Holographic foil.

 

Hey Beauty Lovers! Ciate Very Colourfoil Manicure is a rather fun thing to do on a late rainy weekend evening... I have gone for something a little crazy, a bright yellow nailpolish isn't really a winter shade, but I had a serious colour-craving and decided to break the rules. This BarryM yellow is a Limited Edition shade that I got back in the summer, so I'm not sure if it's still available, but I love how glossy and super opaque it is! Ciate Very Colourfoil Manicure come in two styles I believe, one is all metallic foils and the other all holographic foils, each set has six shades. It also comes with a full size Ciate nailpolish in Cream Soda [cream grey], a Foil Fix [glue] and a nail-wheel. 

Basically once your nailpolish has dried you then need to apply a thin layer of Foil Fix in the places where you want the foil to stick, then wait until it has gone from white to transparent and press the foil matte side down and that's it. Very simple and super fun!

LOVE

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Original Formula Hair Serum!

Hey Beauty Lovers! This is one of the best-selling John Frieda hair products, but somehow I've never given it a go. And since my hair lately has become rather frizzy I decided to finally try out this famous smoothing hair serum. And I really love it! After washing my hair I apply one pump of the serum into still wet hair [just into the lengths and ends, avoiding the roots] before blow-drying it. It also has heat protection which is great! The formula is light and doesn't weight the hair down, leaving it looking smooth and glossy, whilst eliminating frizz and repelling humidity.

LOVE

Essie Sleek Stick Nail Stickers in Love to Love You!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Happy New Year, I hope you had a blast of a celebration and lots of champagne!! When it comes to nail-stickers they are purely an emergency situation. Just like today, I had a massive chip on my nail and was in no mood for a full-on manicure as I was feeling way too lazy for that but I was going out so had to have decent looking nails. From all the nail-stickers I have tried these are my favourite so far. First of all I love the design! They are quick and easy to apply [no need for drying time] and easy to take off [ just peel them off]! They come with a little file that takes off the excess sticker on the tip. My general problem with nail-stickers is that they never perfectly fit my nail-plate. But purely out of convenience these are great!

LOVE

New Years Eve Chic Sparkly Black Smokey Eye!

Clockwise: 

Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold Slik Gilding Highlighter, 

Chanel Powder Blush in 84 Accent,

Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Bedroom Black,

MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline,

Cosmetics a la Carte Plump & Prime lip base,

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in 8 Pink in Confidence, 

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in 85 Marifique.

Hey Beauty Lovers! New Years Eve is almost there, just one day left and this is the look I came up with that I will be wearing. It's important to start with the outfit, depending on what you will be wearing you can then create a fitting beauty look that will be in tune with the style. I have decided to keep it chic and wear a black dress, but because it's a rather special night I have also gone for a bit of sparkle. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in 85 Mirifique is the perfect match, as it's a black cream/mousse textured eyeshadow with lots and lots of black and silver fine glitters! It is a stunning shade, I'd highly recommend it!

So to create this rather stunning smokey eye I have first applied a base, I find the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadows sit much better when applied over a base. In this case I used the MAC Paints in Sublime Nature [a neutral shade], over the top I layered a generous amount of Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Marifique. If you prefer a sheer look one layer will be enough, but I repeating this step twice as I was going for a more pigmented look, and it also makes the eyeshadow last much longer. Then for extra definition I have lined the lid with MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline, which is a very intense black, blending it with the eyeshadow. And on the waterline and under the lower lashes I applied the Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl  Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Bedroom Black, which is a soft black and it's absolutely smudge-proof, it will last a whole night without transferring under the eyes.

Because the eyes are so intense I chose Chanel Powder Blush  in 84 Accent [a must-have], it's the most gorgeous bronzy shimmery shade, very natural and warm. And of course I wanted my skin to look fresh and glowy, so I added a touch of Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold Skin Gilding Highlighter, it can be used on the face and body, so I applied it on the top of my cheek-bones and also highlighted my collarbone! And as for the lip I wanted to keep it nude-ish with a touch of pink and quite light. YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in 8 Pink in Confidence, is perfect for this type of look as it is super moisturising and really lightweight and sheer. To make it also last longer I applied it over the Cosmetics a la Carte Plump & Prime lip base, which makes any lipstick look even better!

LOVE

NYE Glam Glitter Nail Art with Nails Inc. and Kiko!

Kiko Digital Nail Lacquer in 32

Nails Inc. Gel Effect in Kensington High Street

Hey Beauty Lovers! This is a rather glam nail look which is very simple to create and it's perfect for nye! To begin with I applied two coats of Nails Inc. Gel Effect in Kensington High Street, it's a gorgeous burgundy shade, I'd highly recommend it! The formula of these Gel Effect nailpolish is amazing, currently obsessed with them! Then taking a thin artists brush I applied thin stripes lengthwise in the middle of the nail plate, using Kiko Digital Nail Lacquer in 32, which is a fuchsia and silver small glitter particles nailpolish with sheer fuchsia base. You can do just one stripe on all nails, or if you want to add an accent you can also apply more stripes, I did three on my ring and middle fingers. It's a great way of bringing a little bit of a sparkle to the New Years Eve party without going over-the-board!

LOVE

NYE Chic Violet and Sparkles Smokey Eye with Stila!

On the brows wearing Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Colour in Light

Blush: Stila Baked Cheek Duo in Pink Glow

Eyeshadows: All Stila in Kitten [shimmery pearl]; Rose Quartz [silvery taupy glitter]; Dahlia [matte violet]

Browliner: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Colour in Light

L to R: Stila Eyeshadow in Dahlia; Rose Quartz; Kitten

Stila Baked Cheek Duo in Pink Glow

L to R: Stila Baked Cheek Duo in Pink Glow the darker and the lighter shades.

Stila Eyeshadows in Dahlia, Rose Quartz, Kitten.

Hey Beauty Lovers! I think violet eyeshadows can look really chic when you use them as an accent rather than the main colour. To create this subtle violet smokey eye I applied the Stila Eyeshadow in Rose Quartz all over the lid [do use a primer!], it's a glittery sheer eyeshadow that creates that wet eyelids effect. Then taking the Dahlia, which is a matte deep violet shade, onto a flat eyeliner brush - I applied it right into the corner as if creating a light flick but then brushing the eyeshadow upwards a little so that it blends nicely into the sparkles. With the same brush I took Dahlia also into the socket, but keeping it quite light. For the smokey eye effect I also blended a touch of Dahlia under the lower lashes. 

Using a black eyeliner [MAC Kohl Power in Feline] I have then lined the eyes making sure to go over it with Dahlia to blend edges for a softer look. For the eyebrows I have used Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color in Light, it's a perfect shade for blondes. I love it with my current hair colour! It has a fine brush, so you can literally draw in hairs for a natural brow look. 

And finally I have applied the darker shade of the Stila Baked Cheek Duo in Pink Glow where I usually apply blush, and then I followed up with the lighter shade applying it higher on the cheekbones and also right on the apples of the cheeks blending in the colours. The two shades blend in beautifully, giving you that super pretty glowy cheek! It seems to have a pearly shimmer, but not too excessive and rather flattering. And I love the metal rose-gold packaging!

LOVE

NYE Luxury Beauty Look: Charlotte Tilbury's The Bombshell!

 Carpe Diem tat from the Skin Art Temporary Tattoos In Your Own Word set.

Absolutely loving these! Available at Boots! 

For further info visit skinartuk.com!

 Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Dolce Vita

Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold Skin Gilding Highlighter

Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Bedroom Black

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in So Marilyn

  Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Dolce Vita

 Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold Skin Gilding Highlighter

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in So Marilyn

Hey Beauty Lovers! Hope you had a lovely Christmas, lots of delicious guilt-free food and warming and rich mulled wine, and of course lots of cute presents! And now it's time to start thinking about the outfits and beauty looks we will be wearing for New Years Eve! I will be creating a few beauty looks, as this is when make-up can look rather special and we can spend extra 20 mins perfecting every brush stroke of beauty genius... This look is inspired by stunning The Bombshell beauty look that Charlotte Tilbury recreated in her latest vid. 

The Bombshell is that Tom Fordian sexy glammed up yet modern stunning beauty look that  makes you feel and look rather a-mazing. So here we go... First I applied the Prime shade of The Dolce Vita palette, then mixing the Prime and the lightest touch of Enhance, I defined the socket and smoked it out under the lower lashes. The main focus in this look are the luscious red lips so the eyes don't carry too much colour but for extra drama dab your finger gently into the sparkly Pop shade and just push it into the middle of the lid. 

Then using the Bedroom Black eyeliner, which is named fittingly as it's not an intense black but more of a slept-in type of black, and it stays put until you are ready to take it off, really great lasting power! I also applied it into my waterline, and it didn't smudge under my eyes whatsoever! As for the lip I also used the same lipstick shade as Charlotte did, the So Marilyn! It's absolutely gorgeous, an über glamorous retro red! And finally I applied Charlotte's Bar of Gold on the top of my cheekbones and temples as well as on the bridge of the nose and also on my collarbone! It looks stunning on the collarbone, super glam!

LOVE