May Favourites

Last month I really did try to get a draft set up for an April favourites post but I just didn't get round to it, I thought instead that I would write a mid-may favourites as not to get behind on my blog.


Hair and Beauty Favourites

I have been obsessed with my Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick that I got from my sister at Christmas. I use a little bit of this every day to highlight my cheek bones and it gives such a gorgeous glow. Its even nice to use as an eyeshadow replacement for a golden goddess look! I get so many compliments when I wear this and really recommend it, trouble is it's a Christmas edition so they don't sell it any more! 

Speaking of golden goddesses, I am a fake tan fanatic much to my boyfriends dismay! I never like to look too dark though so whatever I buy I always get the light or medium shade, never go dark! This St Moriz Mousse is just the best! Its cheap, it lasts ages and gives me the best glow. I tend to reapply once a week and usually do it in the evening using a mitt, then I shower in the morning and all the residue washes away leaving a really nice glow behind.  I find if I use this method it wont give me splash marks if its raining or when I was my hands. The tan usually lasts a good 3-4 days.

This months hair favourite has been VO5s Strong Hold Hairspray. Where it is getting warmer outside I prefer to have my hair up in a bun instead of around my neck and shoulders and as I have a lot of layers I tend to get a lot of fly-aways and strands that fall out. This monster can of hairspray works wonders and keeps my hair in place all day long. It also brushes out really easily so I don't have to wash my hair that night and can wear it down the next day, I don't usually find that with a lot of hairsprays.

Favourite Food

I have been making sweet potato fries a lot recently. As well as being healthier than your usual french fries they taste so yummy! If you season them with a bit of spice and drizzle with olive oil before cooking they'll be crispy with a nice kick. I usually have these with chicken breast and veggies after I finish at the gym. I do want to do a recipe post on these in  the future but where I am moving house very soon all kitchen utensils are packed away and we're living off ready meals!

Favourite Book

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. 

   I picked this book up a few months back when there was a deal in WHSmiths. It was in the top charts so I thought I would give it a try as when I read the back it sounded very mysterious and exciting. The plot (without giving the story away) is a young woman, Nella (short for Petronella) moves to Amsterdam in 1686 to start a new life with her husband. As a wedding present her husband gifts her with a cabinet-sized replica of their home. Nella seeks out a miniaturist to help furnish this house but their creations seem to be predicting their future and somehow holds their fate. The book was gripping at times but the story overall was very slow moving, I personally feel the characters' relations could have gone deeper but all in all I did enjoy this book and it was a nice read.

Favourite Youtubers

I have been obsessed with watching Shaytards vlogs this month! They are just the coolest family and so entertaining. If you haven't watched any of their vlogs before I really recommend you do! Its about a family with 5 kids living their life vlogging every single day and they're completely mad!

Summer Glow Makeup Look

For ages I have been wanting to a makeup tutorial type post because I love doing makeup so much but I rarely get the chance to do other people's. So when me and my sister had a BBQ to go to this weekend we took advantage of the opportunity and the lovely summer weather to create a fresh summer glow. Here is how I created this look below.

I started off by applying Garniers illuminating light lotion to Cara's face. This moisturiser is brilliant to use when creating a 'glowing' look as it has built in light reflecting pearls. It is also fast absorbing so you can apply primer straight over the top. 
I used Benefit's The POREfessional to minimise pores and create a soft blendable base for Rimmel's Wake me Up Foundation in the shade 'Classic Beige' to go over. I used the real techniques face blender brush to apply the foundation and kept buffing it in circular motions to eliminate any streaks or patches and make the base look flawless. Then I used the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer to cover any dark spots or blemishes and a the collection concealer to brighten under the eyes. Along with the concealer I applied Benefit's High Beam by dotting it along the cheekbones, down the bridge of Cara's nose and on her cupid's bow, I blended this all in using a beauty blender. 
I then went onto contouring using Soleil Tan De Chanel which is a brilliant bronzing makeup base. I used a real techniques face blender brush for this too as it just has the right shape to get into the hollows of the cheeks. The easiest way to contour, I find, is sucking your cheeks in like a fish to pinpoint exactly where the dark shade needs to go. I also applied this base under the jawline and on the temples in the shape of the number 3.
I then set this all with Rimmel's  Stay Matte Powder using a large powder brush.

To add more colour and definition to her eyebrows I used Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette eyeshadow in 'Faint'. Using an angled brush I gently applied this eyeshadow in strokes to create a more defined and arched look and also filled in gaps. I always like to use Brow This Way Styling Gel to keep them in place while maintaining thickness.

As Cara has quite small eyelids we thought it would be better to go for one block colour, I used Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in the shade 'Pink Gold' for a dewy and shimmery look without being too heavy on the eyes, I applied this with my ring finger and simply blended it using a MAC 217 brush.
To keep the eyes simple I applied a very thin layer of eyeliner along her top lash line using Revlon Colourstay Liquid Eye Pen and then applied Lancome's Grandoise mascara for long fluttery eyelashes. I have raved about this mascara in a previous post you can read here. It is honestly the best mascara I have ever used and people always comment on how long it makes your lashes look.

For the cheeks we went for Max Factor's Creme Puff Blush in the shade 'Seductive Pink' for a slight pink glow and using a Real Techniques Contouring Brush I applied some of NARS' Laguna Bronzer into the hollows of her cheeks for a more defined cheekbone. To add extra golden glow I finished off with Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick in Copper Diamond. This was part of the Christmas collection so you can't buy it any more. But this gave such a gorgeous, bright, summer glow to Cara's face.

We finished off the whole look with L'Oreal's Colour Riche Extraordinaire in 'Molto Mauve'. This is a pink/nude creamy lip gloss, I wouldn't say it is very Mauve but it does have some dark tone to it. The colour just suited the look and eyeshadow perfectly, it's very simple and I didn't want anything to be dramatic and to just really let the golden glow speak for itself.


Below are some pictures I took and some from the BBQ later during the day.

Katie 

x

My Top Tips for a Spring Makeover

Spring is the perfect time to go through your make-up collection and have a "spring clean".

I like to have a beauty refresh around this time of year as the weather gets warmer, nights get longer and it is vital to change from the heavy-duty foundation in the winter to the dewy cheeks and coral lips for the summer.

Remember the deep berry toned lipstick you bought back in September for your ultimate autumnal look? Or the midnight black eye shadow you purchased for the perfect wintery night smoky eye? They've most likely lived out their shelf life or just gone past their best before dates. 

So what more of a perfect excuse do you need to go and buy a heck load of new products?!

Bold lips are a BIG statement trend for this spring. It's been seen on the catwalk from the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Zac Posen and Burberry. To really pull this trend off you need to find what colour best suits you, whether it be ruby red, tangerine, fuchsia or electric pink, don't be afraid to go to counters and experiment with different colours or even ask one of the beauty consultants they're always happy to help! The most important rule is to make sure you are comfortable with whatever colour you choose, to fully pull the look off you must be confident and you want to show that. 

Handy tip: Try picking a colour that is blue-toned to give the appearance of brighter, whiter teeth as opposed to an orange-toned colour that can make your teeth look yellow.

Brown eyes are also a big trend in 2015. Think taupe, sand or tan colours for more of a neutral, nude shade. Great brown colours come from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. My go to shade out of this collection is the colour 'Faint' I wear this almost every day. These light brown colours suit all eye colours and they are a much better alternative for those who aren't quite so daring to use dark grey or black, making it easier to do the sexy smoky eye look without going to overboard. Brown shades are also rumoured to be great for making you look a few years younger!

Pink Lip gloss is the ultimate staple in my spring make up collection. I like to wear it with lengthening mascara and dewy cheeks to really wake up my daytime look. Some good products I really love are Picnic in the Park by Tanya Burr Cosmetics and Urban Decay's Naked Ultra Nourishing Lip gloss in the colour Love Child  both of these are available from high street shops and have really good long-lasting qualities. 

Purple is also a big colour this season, though I do find it a hard colour to work with. I do not tend to go out of my way to purchase a purple liner or eye shadow but when it comes already included as part of a palette I will try to find a way to use it. A great way to work the purple trend is lightly smoking the colour around your eyelid working as close to the lash line as possible using a small blender brush. This look goes great on people with brown eyes (sorry for you blues or green out there!) If you try this look, don it with a nude lip as to emphasize your eyes to the max.

Handy tip: Try looking for more of a red-toned purple to spice up the look rather than a blue-toned shade, those around me know how I despise a blue cosmetic product although it being my favourite colour. Weird, I know.

Extra Spring Clean Tips:

• Don't be afraid of your freckles! My skin seems to burst with freckles as soon as I walk into the sunlight and I love to wear a lighter less dense foundation so I am able to still see them. Freckles are natural beauty and make it look like you've caught the sun. Embrace the sun kisses but remember the SPF!

• Wash your make-up bag out. Nothings worse than putting all your new products into your make-up bag then pulling them out the next time and they're covered in loose powder and eye-liner smudges from where you've lost the lid- ew!

• Go through your products and ask yourself have I ever worn this? It could be the neon yellow liner you promised yourself to pull off somehow or the orange lipstick that was too bright for your skin tone. If your answer is no its time to part with it my friend.

• Make sure you wash your brushes, sponges and applicators regularly. This won't only minimise the spread of bacteria but they'll also last you a lot longer!

Katie 

x

Check out my last post: Make yourself into a morning person