.: 2013

Thursday 26 December 2013

. . Merry Christmas Everyone . .

x . . I hope everyone had a very happy & merry Christmas . .x

x . . I had a very lovely but busy Christmas day shared with my family. .x

My Christmas Day Outfit

For Christmas I love getting dressed up & going all out because it only comes once a year. . For the past 4 years I get an idea in my head of what kind of look I fancy going for . . this year I decided a more relaxed look with one main focus point & something that I would be able to wear again . . I decided on this floral playsuit teamed with black tights which were covered in black diamonds along with these black heeled boots & my new dark purple fedora hat . . which I was searching & searching the shops for and I finally managed to pick this one up from Matalan for £8.00

I know this doesn't sound too casual but im usually pairing my outfits with coloured tights and loads of busy pieces but this year I only had one busy item . .

I decided to curl my hair using my Nicky Clarke curling wand & I wore a natural lip with a winged eye - created by No7 products which were gifts from my godparents

. . To me Christmas is about being with those who you love & sharing a special day with friends & family . . however I also enjoy & appreciate the gifts I receive on Christmas day . .

x.x.x

Friday 20 December 2013

New Years Eve Make-up Inspo with Kristie Blogs Beauty

Hey everyone . . im back today with a Christmas party or New Years Eve look .. I'm doing a collaboration with Kristie Blogs Beauty . .

So ive decided to go with a purple eye and berry lip because I love these colours and think they are a great colour for the season . . I have used a glittery eye shadow from Urban Decay to give my eyes a bit of sparkle. .

Follow these simple steps to create this purple berry look x

Step 1 - Cover eye lid with a cream eye shadow

Step 2 - Apply a light purple shade to the outer corners & into the middle of the eye

Step 3 - Blend the colour out to give it a more rounded look

Step 4 - Apply a darker shade of purple to the outer corner of the eye & blend in so the colour fades from dark to light

Step 5 - Apply a liquid black liner to create a winged look

Step 6 - Apply some glitter shadow over the lid and apply some mascara or false lashes - here im using mascara

. . Products I used . .

To prepare I used some Vaseline on my lips & Benefit Pore-fessional Primer on my face

I used the Garnier Eye concealer all over my face and used my bundle monster foundation brush to blend it in

I then coloured in my eyebrows using the Accessorize eyebrow kit

I applied my Collection 2000 lasting perfection foundation in shade ivory using my mac buffing brush . .

After my foundation I created my eye look . . I applied a light cream colour all over my eye lid using the 'lovely day' palette from Accessorize . . I took a light lilac from the palette & covered half of my eye lid from my pupil to the outer corner of my eye . . I then took a darker purple from the palette & created a triangle at the outer corner of my eye - I then took my mac blending brush and rounded off the shadow to help the colours fade into each other . .

After this step I used my NYC high definition eye liner to create a 'winged' eye .. on top of my eye shadow I applied some 2 true eye shadow dazzler in number 6 to create a more party & festive look . .

It was then time for a pop of mascara- I used my MUA lash boom & Max factor 2000 calorie

When I finished my eyes I contoured my face using a dark brown eye shadow from Technic & then highlighted my under eye area and mouth using my MUA Pro Base highlighting kit in shade beige . .

When I finished defining my face and blending the look in, I applied some Accessorize blusher in shade 8 'Quivers' and some Collection sheer loose powder to keep my make-up looking smooth & fresh

It was then time for my lips - I used my Natural collection lip liner in shade Ruby Rose to outline & colour in my lips - I then added some Rimmel Lipstick in shade 250 'Glamourous Pink'

I hope these steps help to prepare you for your next festive night out . .I hope you all have a great night out

Check out Kristie's blog at www.KristieBlogsBeauty.blogspot.com to view her Christmas Parties look's which will be live on Saturday 21st December

Monday 16 December 2013

Be.A.Beauty Christmas Party Top Tips

Get ready for that Christmas party following my simple tips & tricks

So for anyone who has me on facebook will know that ive been giving away my top tips to get party ready for the festive season . . these are just little tips & tricks ive picked up along the way . . they work for me to hopefully they'll work for you too . .

. . Fake tan . .

. . When applying fake tan , I always mix my tan with some moisturiser or body butter - I find this takes away the biscuit smell, allows me to blend my tan more evenly & helps smooth out my skin . .

. . When I get orange palms , simple get some soap / shampoo & a body brush and rub over hands - this will take away the tell tale signs of a fake tan application . .

. . Make up. .

. . Instead of rubbing in your concealer, pat it onto the skin - this will banish brush marks and help the concealer blend into your skin . .

. . To help prolong your foundation, I mix it with a tiny amount of primer, mix together and apply to my face - I find my foundation looks a lot more smoother and it really does help foundation last longer . .

. . When using a lip liner, colour in your lips - your lipstick will attached to the liner - meaning it will last longer . .

. . For smooth lips, gently exfoliate using your tooth brush with cold water at least twice a day - this will get rid of dry skin & help stimulate blood flow in the lips to give them a natural redy /pinky glow . .

. . Hair. .

. . For frizzy hair, mix 1 egg and a teaspoon of olive oil together - put mixture onto dry hair & leave for 10 - 15 minutes then rinse off - hair will appear shiny, healthy and frizz-free . .

. . For natural waves, section damp hair & tie the sections into tiny buns - although to dry over night - in the morning blast the buns with the hairdryer & then remove buns - you should then have some nice, natural wavy hair . .

. . Other . .

. . I often run out of products (ino I should stock up) - so when I do I follow these two rules -

1. if ive ran out of nail polish remover I simply repaint my nails and take off the polish right away - any polish underneath will come off aswell

2. if ive ran out of eye make-up remover, I get some Vaseline, rub them over my eyelashes & eye lids then get a damp cotton pad and wipe away the Vaseline - this takes of eye shadow, mascara & eyeliner . .

Sunday 15 December 2013

. . Christmas Shopping . .

At the weekend I went some Christmas shopping in Belfast - when I mean Christmas shopping it was presents for myself LOL . . I saved for this shopping trip for a while so I was excited to get a few new pieces - although I did get loads of pieces , there wasn't really much about Belfast that really stood out to me . .

But anyway back to 'What I Wore' . . I decided to go for a Christmassy look because its less than 2 weeks until Christmas & we decided to visit the Belfast Christmas market - so I wanted to get into the festive spirit .

I wore a plain black polo neck jumper, black tights, black boots, black leather jacket & my velvet grey skirt . . this sounds really bland but I then accessorised it up with my pink berry hat, pink leather gloves, mixed colour scarf and a wine coloured bag ..

Now im actually not able to write where I go all these items because I have them a good while. . I decided to clear oiut my wardrobe and re-wear many items , so this outfit is actually a few years old .

x.X.x

Friday 13 December 2013

Fur-tastic

On Saturday night I went to a Comedian & then off for a few drinks. . I intended on wearing heels & maybe a dress but decided last minute I wanted to go casual because I was only going to a bar afterwards . . I decided to wear my New Look leather skater skirt paired with my primark jacket, boots & bag . . my tights are from Accessorize - and as I always say - added some colour to my outfit !!

I alwayssss wear my hair down over my face - its like my guard- but I decided to get my hair out of my face and high up in a bump . .

I love my gold sparkly boots which I got last year in Primark for £6.00 . . I really loved them & couldn't wait to wear them during the Christmas season because the sparkles really bring out the festive mood !!

My jacket is also from primark & was a bargain for £10.00. . I didn't need it but I certainly wanted it so my sister persuaded me to buy it . im glad she did coz ive worn it a few times now & im always asked 'Where did you get your jacket?' . .

Printed jackets are a great investment because they go with trousers, skirts, dresses etc & turn a plain outfit into something a little bit more busy . .which is great for days when you just wanted to throw on some skinners & a plain white tee. .

Friday 6 December 2013

Hello December

Hi everyone . . on Monday me and my sister went for some lunch . . I decided to go casual for the lunch . . I wore my black leather skirt, black & white printed top, purple tights, grey boots, grey bag & my new grey coat with leather sleeves . . I added my own fur collar around the coat to give it some Christmas magic. . a fur collar is a great piece because it can be used to change any outfit. . I always pair it with my coats and leather jackets to make it appear more girlie . . I got this one along with a poncho from Accessorize . . It is detachable . .

I added a pop of colour by adding in purple tights, I was going to wear some black tights but I thought the colour would lift the outfit . .

This image was taken beside the Guildhall Square facing the Peace Bridge . . I adjusted the lightening to give it a touch of Christmas, cold & ice. .

x.x.x

Thursday 5 December 2013

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Hey everyone . .I know I haven't been on lately but with the run up to Christmas ive been so busy with work and getting ready for my beauty theory and practical exams but ive managed to put a few hours aside to update my blog - whilst listening to some Christmas music :-) . .

Cant believe that is December already . . I remember in January, Suzanne Jackson from SoSueMe.ie told her readers to make a list of the positive things that happened to you every month & I did . . I still have a few weeks to go but im excited to go back over the year in black & white. .

Anyway - Im back with an OOTN post . .On Saturday I went out for my Christmas staff do to The City Hotel in Derry. . We had such a great night . .

I decided to wear gold & black as my colour theme because I think it is a really Christmassy classic combination . .

My dress is from Miss Selfridge & I actually have this dress a few years and never worn it because it was always too big on me but this year I decided to get the dust off it & do some DIY to make it the perfect fit . . I was so happy I got it right . .

I teamed my dress with some gold & black wide ankle strap heels from International, a statement necklace from Penneys, a black glittery clutch rimmed in gold from New Look & small studded earrings from Accessorize

I was a bit confused as to what way should I wear the outfit - Hair up & statement necklace or hair down & big earrings . .From the picture you can tell I went with my hair up . .I wore my hair up to give my look a touch of class - finished with a classic red lip. .

x.x.x

Tuesday 26 November 2013

My skin problem solved

From the age of 12 I suffered from rosacea which is a form of acne but instead of spots, the skin appears very red and raw and nothing could cover it up for me. I was really down about it because nothing I tried would work. I tried so many things such as not washing my face for a few days, cutting out every single piece of junk food, drinking double amount of water, buying very expensive make-up products and not putting anything on my skin at all. I literally tried everything in the book and as I was getting older I was getting more and more upset about my skin. I was really embarrassed and would often get upset at my appearance.

After years of trying to solve the problem I decided that nature would run its course and I'd soon enough have my desired clear skin but turning 18 I still suffered very bad from the skin condition and it was getting worse, people would often ask me if I'd scratched my face or hit it against something. After a few times I began to get upset again and decided enough was enough and went to the doctors in April 2012.

When the doctor seen my face she did admit that it was unusual to see rosacea spread out over the cheeks, forehead and chin. Not only was my skin red and raw, it was bumpy and very dry so make up would cake on my skin and it looked awful.

I was prescribed a gel called Rozex gel. I was instructed to apply the gel twice daily. I chose to do this in the morning and at night. At the start I was pretty nervous because previous gels would have flaked off and made it look like my skin was peeling but to my amazement the gel made my skin feel really smooth and actually gave me a glow. Within two weeks there was a change in my skin. My left cheek was completely clear and my forehead was beginning to clear up but my right cheek was still very red and raw. I stuck with the gel and slowly but surely began to notice my entire face clearing up.

1 year later I've got the skin I always wanted and I can truly say I have a lot more confidence than I ever had. I will go days without wearing any make-up which before was scary for me even though it looked horrible over my skin.

At the time my friends & family said my skin was fine but when they look back they tell me it was actually bad. But I follow a skincare routine now that I maintain and my face is still free from rosacea but I do get the odd spot here and there.

I use simple products because I find them the best for my skin - not everyone will agree but Ive tried a lot and find these products the best for me.

Once a week I exfoliate my skin

Every morning I moisturize

Every night I cleanse, then tone, then moisturize

xxx

Saturday 23 November 2013

Lipstick kisses

Im always raving about how much I love lipstick and im confident to explore different colours from purple to red to orange. . So ive decided to gather my all time favourite lippies and give a review on the products . . lippie also allows you to change your look and adding a pop of colour to your make-up . . .and one other great benefit : deep red lippies make our teeth appear whiter yayyy !!

Okay so im always saying how I love a bargain and that goes for my make-up also . . the dearest lippie that ive bought (to date) is my Rimmel Kate Moss Collection which cost me around £7.00 . . it is a really deep red, it lasts for a long time and it smells great .

HnM - Up all night (£2.99)

Kate Moss for Rimmel - Shade 01 (around £7.00)

Collection - Shade 14 Mango Tango (£3.00)

Nivea Volume Shine - Shade 63 Berry Charms (£1.00)**

NYC - Shade 405 Blue Rose (£1.49)

MUA - Shade 3 - £1.00

I love all of these colours - in the image below the seem like similar colours - and yes, they are BUT they vary in shades and appear different when applied to the lip . . x

In the pic above im wearing my Kate Moss Rimmel lipstick . . I was going to a wedding and needing a long lasting colour . . I think I had to re-apply my lipstick only once which shows how well the colour stays . .it also makes my teeth appear bright and white which is a bonus x

** I bought the Nivea in Poundland - Im not sure of the RRP**

Swing dress

On Saturday night I went out with my sister and cousin for a girlie night . . I went on a shopping trip to Penny's last Monday and picked up a few bits and pieces including the dress im wearing in this picture... ive always wanted a swing dress but could never see any that stood out . .there were a few in Topshop & River Island for a price of £21 - £25.. which I thought was way too dear for just a plain coloured swing dress . . so when I visited pennys I seen this gorgeous patterned swing dress for 13 euro !! . .my favourite are purple burgundy's and wine reds, so the colour really drew me in too . .I also knew that id have the perfect shoes, bag and jewellery to match the dress ..

TIP: If you are unsure about buying an item, think to yourself 'How many ways can I wear it & what have I got that would match it' . .

With this dress I can wear it out for a night out (see pic below) & during the day if im going shopping with my friends - ill team my dress with some burgundy/purple tights, my black leather jacket, my burgundy hat & grey ankle boots to give a grunge feel to my girlie dress..

I felt I looked different on Saturday night to usual - 1. my hair was straight & 2. I look tan . . I usually wear my natural waves or bouncy curls and I normally don't look very tan but for Saturday night I fancied a change so I straightened my hair and put on a few layers of fake tan . .the tan I used was St Moritz mousse mixed with Asda's own branded body butter x

Burrrr Its cold

Well its official - Winter has arrived and I welcomed the new season by wearing my fur coat out on a recent night out . .I was given this coat as a present last year but by the time I got it, winter was over so I only got to wear it on a few occasions so im really excited to get its wear out of it this year !!

On Sunday night I headed out with friends for some drinks & dancing . .Because it was really chilly out I decided to wear a long sleeved top - I should have worn tights but I reallllyy wanted to wear my open toe heels so tights wouldn't really have went well . .

I wore my leather skater skirt along with a colour splash printed long sleeved top teamed with a peterpan collar necklace, burgundy heels, bag & belt - I'm a fan of this colour and tend to accessorize a lot of my outfits with one burgundy item (its also a favourite colour this season). .

Because of the detailing on the top and my peterpan collar necklace, I decided to wear my hair in a high ballerina bun using my doughnut . .to add some sparkle to my hair I wore 3 small diamanté clips on the base of my bun (which aren't visible in the picture)

I kept my eye make-up really natural with just a hint of mascara and a winged eye but went all out with my plum lippie from Nivea. .

My leather skirt is new and is from New Look - it was a steal at only £10.00 !! . . I will be wearing this for many different looks because its great for this season and is bang on trend . .

How ill wear it

Over a bodycon dress to create a top and skirt look

With patterned, glittery and plain tights, a pretty jumper / shirt and some black ankle boots for a casual look

x.x.x

Sunday Stroll

Hey everyone . .Ive been so busy lately and haven't been able to blog very much !! . .But im back today with a few new posts . . Ive had a really busy weekend (18 & 19/10/13) . .On Friday I was at my cousins wedding & on Saturday I had my friends 21st birthday so to chill out on Sunday I went a walk out the country and decided to take my camera with me for some blogging pictures . .

Because I knew I would be walking I decided to wear these flat black boots to make sure my feet wouldn't hurt . .I paired them with these red skinny jeans, black&white leopard print top, my white jacket & my 1920's style hat - which I love because the shape is gorgeous and the bow gives it such a girly touch . . I also think it added some class to my Sunday outfit . .

When I was planning my outfit I had my black leather jacket in mind but I thought that the white jacket would lookn better and it would enable the print on the top to stand out more - I also thought the black jacket would clash with my boots & hat .. I decided to add a pop of colour by adding my red skinnies - which worked perfectly against the leaves & trees spotted during my walk :-)

How to: Braided hair

I love hair braids and find myself doing braids very often . .I have really thick hair so it never seems to look pretty in a ponytail so I decided to give braids a go and found that I love having my hair out of my face but still looking pretty . .braids honestly take no time to do but they create a really girly soft look that adds a unique twist

What you will need

A hair brush to brush hair

Tail comb to get straight middle parting

Elastics to secure braids

Clips to pin up the braids

Hairspray to keep in place and keep flyways at bay

So, how is it done?
Step one: Brush hair, divide into two sections using a tailed comb, create a middle parting
Step 2: Begin braiding the hair at the top of the forehead
Step 3: Braid hair as close to the parting as possible, begin to braid back the ways towards the middle of your head
Step 4: Braid to the bottom of the hair and secure with an elastic band
Step 5: Take the end of the braid and make a small hole where the hair begins to come away from the top of the neck & pull the braid through
Step 6: Secure in place with some clips, making sure the elastic band is hidden at all times. Repeat with the other side and TA-DA your done

Toothbrush as a . . .

Toothbrushes aren't just for brushing teeth & I've found they work in a few different ways ..

Toothbrush as a Face Exfoliator

I mix together some sugar and face wash and mix it together. . this will create a paste with some rough texture to help remove dead skin cells on the face. . I put the mixture over my face with my fingertips using circular motions . .I then take a new toothbrush & begin to gently exfoliate in circular motions along my T-zone (the middle of the face) - working from the neck to my forehead

Toothbrush as a Baby Hair Flattener

Whenever I want to create a sleek look I always seem to have flyway's or 'baby hairs' appearing from everywhere . .to get my baby hairs to stay down, I take a n unused toothbrush, spritz some hairspray on the bristles and smooth down my baby hairs

Toothbrush as a Hard Skin Remover

Sometimes we find ourselves with dry patches or hard skin on our bodies and no amount of creams can remove it . . I find using a rough item can remove the hardened skin . . mix some water, sugar/salt & put it into a bowl . .take an unused toothbrush and apply the mixture to the hard skin . . if the skin is more dry, then do not use any products just the toothbrush as the toothbrush will be more rough

* *All toothbrushes should be new from a packet and only used for the purposes above - please do not use the toothbrush to clean your teeth after These are just my tips & tricks and I hope you find them useful* *

My Bargain Make-Up must have's

My Bargain Make-Up must have's

As a student I like to shop around and see what make-up is there for me which works within my budget range but also is of good quality. . Recently I found some great products from the Make-Up Academy, Accessorize, NYC & Collection 2000 range . .

The items I found

1. MUA Bold Mascara - £3.00

2. Collection Lipstick - £2.99

3. NYC Marker Eyeliner - £2.49

4. MUA Cream Blusher in Lush - £2.00

5. Accessorize Blusher - £5.00

6. Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Foundation - £5.99

7. MUA Pro-Base Conceal and Brighten Kit - £3.50

8. MUA Fixing Mist - £5.00

Each item is of really good quality and I find some of these products work just as good, if not better, than more expensive products . . however I do like to use more expensive products such as urban decay and mac but I tend to be bought these as gifts but they are very long lasting. .

When I first came across the MUA range I was a bit wary as the prices are really cheap . . my first MUA product was a red lipstick a few years ago and I was surprised with how pigmented the colour appeared and how well it lasted on my lips - from then I was hooked on the brand . . Scroll down for reviews on the fixing spray & the mascara

My very first foundation that I began using was from Collection and my sister would always buy me it as a treat, however I was too young to understand choosing the correct colour for my skin and how to apply foundation so I never thought it was a great product because it always appeared 'streaky'. .that was until I got older and learnt how to apply make-up . . I was using rimmel wake me up and the body shop foundation before hand - however I really wanted a change and this foundation seemed very promising so I gave it a go . . I really love this foundation and I use it every day . .it covers my rosacea brilliantly and really evens out my skin tone - A must try girls !!

Im a big fan of blushers because I think they add a healthy rosy glow to your face . .my favourite at the minute are the accessorize blusher and the MUA cream blush . . the MUA blush gives me the colour and the accessorize blush gives me the glow with its hint of shimmer

I think of lipstick and eyeliner as an accessory to my face so every day im always changing them about . . I always wanted an orangey lipstick for the summer and in September I found a gorgeous coral colour from the Collection 2000 ..as I loved it so much I got another more natural colour shade perfect pink . . the eye liner im using is from NYC and is the marker style which I find a lot easier to use and a lot more sturdy as it stays in place all day compared to liquid liners which I feel smudge and rub off after a few hours of wear . . .

I used all of the products above to create this finished make-up look that I wear every day . .