New In: Make-up

There comes a time every year when I have the harrowing realisation that I must chuck out my dried up mascara and crumbling blusher; once I've squashed my inner-hoarder and binned half my make-up collection, it's time to head to Boots and re-equip myself.

SHOP: Soap and Glory Thick & Fast Flash Extensions Mascara - £10.50 // Real Techniques Stippling Brush - £11.99 // Rimmel Match Perfection Fix & Perfect Primer - £6.99 // Botanics Angled Blusher Brush - £7.99 // Soap and Glory Hocus Focus Illuminator - £11 // Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask - £5.99

How To: Galaxy Nails

The galaxy trend rocked up on Tumblr back in 2012 in the form of Black Milk leggings, and has lingered ever since. You'd be lying if you said you didn't own at least one galaxy piece, whether it be a dress or a scarf, or perhaps some quirky trainers; we're all guilty! I always favoured galaxy nails, as they're slightly more subtle than some of the things on the market and a really funky alternative to a manicure. 

I always assumed that it would be a difficult technique to conquer, but after watching a few tutorials on the look, I realised that all you need is a little patience and an artistic eye! I've done these nails a few times now and always been complimented on them, my favourite part being that no two designs will look the same so you end up with your own little galaxy on each finger! I hope that this tutorial will inspire you to delve in to the world of galaxy nails too...

Umberto Giannini Painted Lady Talons - Nail Wrap Review

I have been wanting to test out a set of nail wraps for ages now; there's something very appealing about being able to just stick a pattern on your nail with the promise of it lasting for a whole week, especially when you're as lazy as me. However they can be pretty pricey and I wasn't ready to drop £10 on a product that may or may not work for me. Whilst making an enthralling purchase of sixty hair grips in Boots the other day, I saw these Umberto Giannini nail wraps in the clearance bin for just £2 and I couldn't resist giving them a go.

 Umberto Giannini Painted Lady Talons in "Green Python" - Boots, £5.00

Statement Nail Art Tutorial

I can't remember the last time I didn't have a sleek layer of polish on my finger tips, so today I decided to try something a little bit different whilst painting them. I'm a huge fan of statement nails; having a contrasting design or colour on one nail is a great way to make a manicure stand out. So, I decided to try a little bit of DIY nail art, using two of my favourite polishes and a bit of sticky tape. I went for a simple black and gold design, as I wanted something chic and glossy looking. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out, and now that I'm feeling a little braver I'm definitely going to try some funkier patterns! Remember, I am most definitely not a nail/beauty expert, I just like to experiment with things and share them on here when they work out... I mean, I've been working on this tutorial for weeks with all my super professional products and am now pleased to share it with you.

 You will need: Scissors // Sellotape // Top coat // Two nail varnishes that work well together.

My Winter Lips

'Tis the season for lipstick, is it not? There's something comforting about applying a thick, dark layer of lipstick on a cold Winter's morning. I used to wear this look every day to sixth form in the colder months, and have recently started playing around with it again. 

Along with burgundy nails and tartan scarfs, it's not the most ground-breaking look for Winter, but it works for me. As I've said before, I don't really know all that much about beauty things, I just like to play around with putting make up on my face so I apologise for this not being the most professional of tutorials. Here we go...

I apply Vaseline and then go on to do the rest of my make up, so it has time to moisturise my lips. I like the "Rosy Lips" one, as it gives a nice tint.

Nails I Need

Having become a bit obsessed with Barry M Nail Paint's lately, I often find myself perusing the Boots website, lusting after the shades I want to purchase next. Now that I could name pretty much any polish in the Barry M collection, I decided it was time to branch out and start stalking other brands. 

Of course, my first stop was Chanel; at £17.50 their nail varnishes don't come cheap but they are definitely the most hard-wearing polishes in my collection. I found two gorgeous colours, "Taboo" is a much more obvious shade for this time of year but "Orange Fizz" would certainly brighten up any Winter outfit.

I desperately need a black nail varnish in my life, as they are so versatile and great for creating statement nail art. With Barry M Nail Paint's being only £2.99, I couldn't help putting their black one on my wishlist along with a beautiful pastel pink.

I don't actually own any Models Own nail varnishes, and after sitting at my laptop gawking at their entire collection for a good ten minutes, I have to ask myself why. Seriously, why? Just the names of their collections are magical; Wonderland, Beetlejuice, Fireworks, Fruit Pastel, Mirrorball, Tropical and Kaleidoscope. Need I say more? I picked out "Blizzard" because to me, it just looks like Christmas in a pot. "Indian Ocean" also reminds me of an icy Winter's morning and is pretty much the most gorgeous shade I've ever seen. 

I also had a look on the Essie website, as I've seen many beauty bloggers raving about their products. I picked two pastel shades, purely because I have vowed not to purchase any dark red/ burgandy/ purpley-red this season. 

So now I must go and restrain myself from spending £67.98 on nail varnish. Maybe I'll put them all on my list for Santa instead...

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Taboo - Boots, £17.50 // Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Orange Fizz - Boots, £17.50 // Barry M Nail Paint in Black - Boots, £2.99 // Barry M Nail Paint in Ice Cream Pink - Boots, £2.99 // Models Own Wonderland Collection in Blizzard - Models Own, £5.00 // Models Own Beetlejuice Collection in Indian Ocean - Boots, £5.00 // Essie Nail Polish in First Timer - Essie, $8.50 // Essie Nail Polish in Pink About It - Essie, $8.50 //

What colours are you loving this Winter?

KJ xo

October Beauty Favourites

It's the start of a new month and that means it's time to review last month's favourites! Last month I enjoyed a lot of beauty products, so have a peek at these bad boys...

Halloween Make-up Tutorial: Evil Fairy

Today I was playing around with some ideas of what I wanted to dress up as for Halloween and I finally decided that being an evil fairy was my calling. As much as I love fake blood and inventive costumes, this year I wanted to go for something a little more dainty, that allowed me to utilise some of the make-up that I don't wear day to day.

Major Make-Up Organisation

For ages now I've fantasised about owning a huge vanity case with all sorts of compartments and pockets so that I can have a nice neat, organised make-up collection. It took a while but I eventually found this one on eBay which answered all my prayers. I don't have a particularly huge selection of cosmetics but what I do have needs to be organised or else I go a little bit crazy.

"Beauty Things I Suck At" Tag

I was tagged by Jasmine to do the Beauty Things I Suck At tag, so here it is...

May Beauty Favourites

I don't claim to know a lot about make-up (or anything else, for that matter) but this month I discovered five products that helped my face look a bit more socially acceptable and thus decided that they must be quite good. 

Rimmel London BB Cream

 I'd heard a lot about BB creams and liked the idea of using something lighter than foundation to give coverage, because foundation scares me. A lot. Of course I wasn't going to spend more than £5 on a product that could essentially turn my face in to a tangerine, so at £4.99 a bottle, Rimmel's BB cream seemed like a good one to purchase for experimentation. So far I have really liked the way it makes my skin look, I wouldn't go as far as to use the word "flawless" but it certainly helps even things out and make me look a little more alive. However, the shades do come quite dark so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone of a vampire skin-tone. 

Models Own 5-Piece Brush Set

For a long time, I've been using make-up brushes that I got free with a cheapy teenage make-up set many many years ago. I recently realised that these probably weren't achieving the purpose for which they were made and decided to splash out (£10) on a brand spanking new set of brushes. In the set you get a powder brush, an angled brush, an eyeshadow brush, a blending brush and a lip brush. I doubt I'll find a use for the angled brush as I once attempted to fill in my eyebrows and looked like a transvestite, but the others will be used on a daily basis and so far have been well worth the money; they feel beautifully soft against my skin and the bright orange colour is rather summery.

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous"

I'm not quite sure when I realised Chanel was an integral component in my pursuit of happiness, I think it was probably at the age of 15 when I was immersed in books, TV shows and films based on the lives of those living in the most glamorous parts of New York. I rapidly decided my life needed to mirror the likes of Blair Waldorf, and the best way to do that would be to douse myself in Chanel. 

For the 15-year-old me this meant spritzing every perfume I could get my hands on, at every department store I visited, on every item of clothing I happened to be wearing. 

For the 16-year-old me this meant Granny gifting me my first ever bottle of Chanel No.5.

For the 18-year-old me this meant Mummy bestowing me a matching lipstick and nail varnish. 

It may have taken me three years to collect as many products but a wise person once said 'less is more'... Now if anyone wants to help the 19-year-old me acquire a Chanel LBD, donations are welcome!

KJ xo