♥ Trend: The Crop Top

Fashion Collage: The Turtleneck Crop Top

I am sure I am not the only one to be really sick of the winter right now. Today, it isn't raining or snowing- there is a freaking tornado (okey the weather is a bit more windy than usually). Anyway, I need to start sharing my fashion collages again so here you go.

I know this is far from a new trend, but I really love all of these, just haven't got around to buying one. When the summer comes I will definitely be stocking up on these :)

You can find all of these here from Misguided.

What do you think of these?

xx

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♥ Pretty Purple Eyes

Pretty Purple Eyes

Here is a little Sneak Peek of an upcoming whole FOTD look I will be posting very soon. I definitely wanted to use some shades I don't usually use, and I think it came out quite pretty.

How to get this eye makeup?

• Use a shimmery white/light shadow on your eyelid
• Use a nude transitioning shade to blend out the light shade and bring it up towards your brow
• Apply a plum shade in your crease/outer V and blend.
• In the outer corner of your eye, apply a "dot" of a very dark purple shade for definition, and blend out.
• Apply eyeliner & liquid eyeliner!

What do you think of this?

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♥ My Pink Lipsticks

Lipstick Collection; My pink lipsticks

I got the idea for this post after seeing a few "my lipstick collection post". With all of them, I though wow that is a big collections, but was then shocked to read "so yeah these were only my reds". What I am trying to say is that compared to a lot of bbloggers, my collection is not big. 

I don't like having duplicates and as you can see these are all very different shades of pink (except for the two nudes).

Therefore I decided to show me my favourites shades- the pinks! I wear one of these almost daily and I love all of these different shades.

< || Calvin Klein Nude Pink Lipstick || Natural Collections Nude Pink Lipstick || NYC Coral/Pink Shimmery Lipstick || Tom Ford Violet Fatale Lipstick || NYC Shade 405 "Blue Rose" Lipstick || MUA Shade 1 Bright Pink Lipstick || Sleek Pout Paint Shade Mauve Over || >

(click on the linked ones to read a review/overview)

Above you can see some close ups, and below I've swatched all of them! :)

Which one is your favourite?

xx

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♥ Di Palomo Enriching Hand & Nail Cream

Di Palomo White Grape & Aloe Enriching Hand & Nail Cream

Here is another product from the #bbloggersxmas event. It's quite small with 25 ml/0.8fl.oz. of product, but I just thought it made a perfect hand cream for my hand bag /makeup bag. I hadn't heard anything about the brand before but I was very happy with the results.

This products is pretty fragranced so if you have got sensitive skin or just don't like strong fragrances you might want to stay away from this. However I think this smells really nice.

The formula is non greasy, of medium thickness and feels very nourishing! Top ingredients are Grape Seed Oil with Aloe Vera leaf extract in the middle of the ingredient list. I am definitely happy with this as the ingredients are fairly natural and will turn your dry hands very soft!

Ingredient Check:

• Mineral Oil (/)
• Silicones (x)
• Parabens (/)
• Butylene/Propylene Glycol (/)

Get the full size 75ml product from Feel Unique for £6.30.

Have you tried this or anything else from

Di Palomo?

xx

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♥ New in: Shoebou Leather Studded Ankle Boots

Shoebou Leather Look Stud Heel Detail Tassle Zip Boot Black

My fashion post have been fewer and fewer lately and I suppose I have turned in to a beauty blogger, however- that was not my aim when I created my blog, and if you check out my tab in the menu above called "Fashion" you can check out my Outfits & Trend Collages.

Anyway, I was contacted about reviewing a pair of shoes/boots of my choice from www.shoebou.com and choose these. I am really happy with them as I didn't have any black boots nor heels like these.

How do you like these boots?

Do you have any similar boots?

xx

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♥ DIY Bentonite Clay, Green Tea & Argan Oil Face Mask

DIY Bentonite Clay, Green Tea & Argan Oil Mud Face Mask

Today I have got an exciting DIY to share with you. I've had this Bentonite Clay lying around for quite some time but after a few failed attempts at using it, I just put it aside. I should probably mention that my failed attempts were most likely due to be mixing the bentonite clay with a metal spoon which is the only thing you shouldn't do because it reacts with the clay which has some kind of electrical charge (lol not sure how that works, google it). 

The most common brand of Bentonite Clay is the Indian Healing Clay which I think is available at stores like Whole foods or online on sites like Amazon. Common uses are:

• As an internal detox (sounds scary though)
• As a mud face masked by mixing Bentonite Clay & Water, and sometimes Apple Cider Vinegar
• As a hair clarifier by using the same recipe as above

 Bentonite Clay in your face is meant to draw all impurities and toxins out of the skin. I got the idea of mixing it with Green Tea after trying out the GlamGlow Youth Mud Mask which contains Green Tea leaves & Green Tea extracts. So I decided to give this clay another try.

Here is my Bentonite Clay, Green Tea & Argan Oil Mud Face Mask Recipe:

• A bowl of water
• Two Green Tea Bags
• A wooden spoon to stir (or anything which is Not metal)
• Bentonite Clay
• An oil/essential Oil, I used Argan Oil

How to?

1.  Add water to a bowl (optional: add 1/4 ACV* to the water, use Rose Water, Use Aloe Vera Juice) || Add a bag of Green Tea and let it brew for a few minutes || Add a few drops of the oil of your choice, I used Argan Oil
2. Pour the leaves of one Green Tea Bag into your mix
3. Stir it with anything that isn't made of metal
4. Add the Bentonite Clay until the mixture has the consistency you want it to have

This is what mine looked like!

My thoughts on this? 

The first time I tried mixing a Bentonite Clay face mask I felt like the clay didn't properly mix with the water, but as I said above- this could be because I used a metal spoon. This time it definitely mixed, but I am guessing it mixes better with the mix if you do Not put oils in your mix. My mix took ages too hardened, I think it was because it wasn't mixed too well nor distributed too well in my face and I also put quite a thick layer in my face. Next time I might try putting a bit more water in my mix.

Results?

Oh my god. Results definitely exceeded my expectations. I knew that your face could get a little bit red from using this, but due to my mud mask taking long to harden, I left it on for like 30 mins while I was showering. My face was soo red. It didn't hurt or anything but I literally had a line in my face where I was red from the mud mask.

Anyway, surprisingly this just left my face suuuupersoft. Like I exfoliated it, which it didn't really because I didn't have any scrubbing beads in it. Maybe my face was so clean that it just felt soft, either way this i definitely a keeper and I will be using this face mask recipe again!

Have you tried a Bentonite Clay face mask?

& do you have any other DIY face mask recipes, if so, link them :) 

xx

Check out my other natural DIY's here, where I've got recipes of Lip Balms, Lip sticks, Deep Conditioners, Protein Treatments, Body Scrubs and much more.

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*Apple Cider Vinegar

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♥ Shopping My Stash

Shopping My Stash

 Nivea Pure & Natural Moisturising Day Cream: For a brand like Nivea, with creams and face creams usually packed with mineral oil- this is a great product! The glass jar gives a less cheap feel to the product, and it contains Argan Oil. It absorbs quickly and is very light but yet  moisturises your skin. I just haven't finished it because I got way too many face moisturisers lately.

St Ives Sensitive Skin Apricot Scrub Gentle: This is another great affordable product. Even though it's gentle, it definitely has enough of exfoliating beads for a great scrub, leaving your skin soft! The beads are walnut shell powder and it doesn't contain sulfates which is a plus!

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Cream with Vitamin E: This is a completely natural product with the top ingredients Glycerine, Olive Oil, Oat Kernel Flour & Lanolin. So as you can see it is not water based. It is not a cream, but more like a salve or pomade and works best as an over night treatment as it is very thick and sticky.

The cream puff from Collection 2000 is a great product, you can see my review here. The Lavera cream is all natural and has got SPF 15, but due to the Zinc Oxide it's very white and leaves your face with a white film. Love the fully organic NYR eyeliner but I'm just too bad at using up an expensive product like this- don't wanna waste it.

Do you have any products you like

 but never got around to finish?

xx

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♥ Intense Cat Liner & Dramatic Lashes

Intense Cat Liner & Dramatic Lashes

All the products I used are in a picture at the end of this post

For today's makeup look I am wearing an intense eye liner, a defined crease and a contoured and glowing face! This is definitely a going out look because I am wearing foundation, concealer and everything as well as a lot of eyeshadows & eyeliner.

To make this a day time look- skip the heavy base of foundation and concealer for a normal moisturiser or bb cream. Wear no eyeshadow or neutral shades as opposed to this sparkly heavy eyeshadow.

How to do the eyes?

• Apply a neutral eyeshadow to your lid
• Use a black eyeliner to draw a line on or slightly above your crease
• Blend the black line out with a thing detailer brush
• Apply brown shadow above your crease and bottom lash line
• Mix NYC primer & highlighter (or just use a concealer) on your lid.
• Apply a loose sparkly eyeshadow or pigment to your eye lid.
• Using a liquid eye liner, line your eyes starting at the inner corner of your eye with a flick outside of the tear duct. Line all the way out to the wing and start to line your lower lash line (not your water line).
• Wait a few minutes for the liquid liner to dry. Now with a pencil eyeliner, go over the liner on the bottom lash line making it more smudged and intense, line your waterline and tighline if you wish.
• Use false lashes or your normal mascara and lash fibres like the Magnifibre Brush on Lashes

How to do the base?

• Apply a primer to a clean and moisturised face, wait for it to get absorbed to your skin.
• Using a foundation brush, apply your foundation all over your face (I blended some of my sparkly loose eyeshadow to my foundation for a glowing look)
• Clean up and brighten your under eye using a concealer
• Using a contouring shade, apply quite a lot on to a medium sized brush or a contouring brush and draw a "line" along the hollows of your cheeks- blend this out a lot to avoid a harsh line.
• Contour the sides of your forehead
• Use a highlighter on the apples of your cheeks

How to do the lips?

• Start off with moisturised and non chapped lips
• For an even neater effect, you can use a lip pencil, I didn't do this
• Apply some concealer around your mouth and cupids bow
• Apply highlighter to your cupids bow
• Apply your lipstick using a thiner lip brush
• I used Calvin Klein lipstick

Here are all the products I used, some of the products are linked if I have previously mentioned or reviewed them. So click on them to see the review :) 

 || Micabella Eyeshadow || NYC Eyeshadow Kit Primer & Highlighter || Company Liquid Liner || Which Skin Anti Blemish Skin Primer || Maybelline 24hr Foundation || ELF Palette Contouring & highlighting shades || Real Techniques Starter Set Eyeshadow Brushes || Real Techniques Travel Essentials Brushes || Viva La Diva Eyebrow Pencil || ELF Beige & Brown Eyeshadow || Magnifibre Brush on Lashes || Boots Natural Collection Mascara || Inika Black Intense Organic Eye Liner || Calvin Klein Lipstick ||

Forgot to show my Collection 2000 concealer in the pic

Do you like this look?
& Have you done something similar, if so, link it :) 

xx


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♥ January Makeup Wish List

January Makeup Wish list

Collage by me. Pics from Google, Sleek.co.uk, Harrods.co.uk & Inglot.com

1. Glam Glow Youth Mud Mask: You might have read my review on this here, but that was just a sample- and I'd love to buy "the real thing" :) However, I'm guessing it's quite pricey so I might just make a DIY version myself, and show it on my blog.

2. Chanel Les Four Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow Raffinement: I am not a high end girl, but the purple shade in this just caught my eyes. How gorgeous is this?! I could imagine creating loads of nice looks with the shades in this.

3. Sleek Face Form Contouring Kit: Saw this in a blog and I knew I had to get this, at some point. You might have heard me raving on about a rose gold blush from ELF, the only blush I ever use and like. So the blush along with a contouring & highlighting shade is just too perfect! Love it.

4 INGLOT Round Eyeshadow Palette: The more I experience with makeup looks the more I crave some high quality but affordable eyeshadows. I have a 5 shadow freedom palette from INGLOT already and would love one of these round shadow palettes- & the shades in this picture are gorgeous!

5. YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats: Lipstick shade 204 Rouge Scandal. Again I am not a high end girl but this packaging is gorgeous and so is the shade! I've really been looking for a dark red lipstick lately.

See my other wish lists here.

Do you own any of these products?

& What's on your current wish list?

xx

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♥ Transitioning Diaries Pt. 8: Transitioning to natural hair style tutorial

Transitioning to natural hair tutorial, 8/9 months post relaxer

I thought I would share a quick and easy tutorial on how I've been wearing my hair lately- a great style for transitioning or natural hair. The reason I haven't posted many transitioning to natural hair styles is because I don't really know many. You might recognise the picture above from my "FOTD: Pink, Turquoise and Flat twist".

Anyway, as you might have understood I don't really wear a lot of different styles now that I am growing out my natural hair, because I just don't know how to. I learned how to twist natural hair a while ago, but I'm not good at it, now I've (almost) learnt how to flat twist, but only a big one as the one in the pic below. And it's not very neat lol.

If you don't know how to flat twist I suggest you go on to youtube and watch a few tutorials. That's how I learned and I just hope as I keep practising I will get better at it lol.

What hair styles do you suggest for natural/transitioning hair?

xx

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♥ KIKO Nail Varnish Shade 337 Blue Violet

KIKO Nail Varnish Shade 337 Blue Violet

This is what I am currently wearing on my nails. When it started snowing, I just felt like this blue/violet nail varnish would go well with the season. 

Although I have showed this nail varnish before here, the picture really didn't do it justice. And also, the nail varnish is just between violet and blue- but it is definitely not a blue in the picture below. The last picture which is taken with a flash is more colour accurate.

I needed two coats for this to be completely opaque and it didn't leave any streaks- and it definitely leaves a glossy finish! These pictures were actually taken before the top coat.

Have you tried KIKO nail varnishes

& what's your favourite winter nail varnish?

xx

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♥ GlamGlow Youth Mud Tinglefoliate Treatment

GlamGlow Youth Mud Mud Mask Tinglefoliate Treatment 

Super Sexy Super Radiant Skin

"For when you need great skin and a glowing complexion in just 10 minutes. This utimate at home mud mask delivers a serious WOW facial treatment – feel the tingle as it works its magic on your skin"

I got the sample of this GlamGlow Youth Mud face mask at the #bbloggersxmas event. I have to say that personally, this is my favourite type of face mask. If you've read my blog for a while, you might have seen my review on the Garnier Wash Scrub Mask which is practically the same type of mask- a mud mask with exfoliating beads in it.

The ingredient are amazing with pure Green Tea leaves, Ivy, Camomile and Cucumber Extracts & Lavender Oil among many.

                                                        

As you can see in the picture, it is the typical mud based face mask, and the "stuff" you can see, is (I am guessing from reading the ingredient list) Green Tea leaves. I left it on my face for about 15 minutes. Despite hearing from others that it might- I did not experience a burning sensation, not even a tingling sensation which the packaging states it will give. However if you have sensitive skin you might want to test it out on a smaller part of your skin before using it. As directed, I used a think layer which you can see is more than enough, and it dried very fast creating that hardened face mask effect. I washed it off by applying water whilst scrubbing my face and I must say this was my favourite part about it- the scrubbing beads were great! Definitely not gentle, so if that is what you are looking for, this might not be for you.

Ingredient Check (see full ingredient list here):

-Mineral Oil (/)

-Silicones (/)

-Parabens (√) Yup, all the bad ones

-Buylene/Propylene Glycol (/) (read here why those two ingredients are sometimes found in face masks, and why they are bad) 

Have you tried?

What is your favourite type of face mask & which one is your favourite mud face mask?

xx

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♥ Magnifibres Brush On False Lashes

 Magnifibres Brush On False Lashes

"Magnifibres and applied inbetween two layers of your favourite mascara. The brush- on fibres give an immediate and stunning false lash effect- achieving length and volume beyond belief."

Another product from the generous #bbloggersxmas goodie bag. I was quite excited to try this as I think it's a great concept and could be perfect for super long every day lashes without having to use falsies. Which by the way, I've never actually used.

As you can see, the packaging is pretty adorable and has all the instructions you need to know, as well as pictures of the result. What I particularly like about that is that the picture seem to actually show the real results as opposed to many other mascara before & after pics. 

< One Coat of Mascara || One Coat Plus Magni Lashes || Another Coat on Magni Lashes >

As you can see the results with one coat of mascara, then one coat of magnifibre lashes, and then lastly a finishing coat of mascara doesn't give any amazing results- but still noticeable. If you check out the post below, or click this link to view my previous FOTD you will see the results after Two coats of magnifibre lashes- you can see there that my lashes look quite long!

Another plus is that it has the design of a normal mascara which makes it easy to bring with you if you travel and perfect for daily use.  As you can see below, it really is just fibres on a mascara wand.

Summary: Overall I definitely think this does what it promises on the package. It's perfect for everyday use but does require a bit of practise to get your technique right. I am still working on this! The effect is definitely build-able which gives you the choice of using it for your every day looks or even for more dramatic evening looks. Lastly, it washes of like any normal mascara so no problems there!

See my previous FOTD where I am used these Magnifibres here.

What do you think of this product?

Have you tried any similar ones?

xx


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♥ Tom Ford & Magni Lashes FOTD

Tom Ford & Magni Lashes FOTD

 For today's FOTD I actually tried out the magni lashes (review coming) from the #bbloggersxmas event for the second time. The first time, they worked, but I'd say they gave more volume rather than length. For those who don't know, magni lashes are fibers that come on a mascara like wand, and are applied after your first coat of mascara, and finished off with another coat of mascara.

The first picture is with flash and the picture above is without flash. 

What I used for this look

• Brown & Beige matte INGLOT eyeshadow
• Tom Ford Violet Fatale Lipstick
• Viva La Diva Eyebrow Pencil
• MUA eyeshadow primer

How do you like this look? 

xx

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♥ Schwarzkopf Supersoft Ultimate Shine Superfruit Conditioner

Schwarzkopf Supersoft Ultimate Shine Superfruit Conditioner (£1)

"Radiant, healthy shine with Lychee & Noni-Berry Extract. Nourishes and smoothes the hair structure"

In addition to my staple conditioner which is the Tresemme Naturals Silicone free one I like to have a really cheap protein based conditioner for my weekly DIY deep conditioner treatments (read: monthly lol). My most recent favourite was the Beauty Formulas Tea Trea Conditioner but when I wen't to the discount store to get another one, they didn't have it anymore. So I found this one and really liked the ingredient list, so here are my first thoughts.

As I explain in my DIY deep conditioner tutorial (see here) I mix it myself using a protein based conditioner and then add extra honey (or you can use Glycerine) for moisture, a carrier oil or butter for nourishment and if you are using a non protein based conditioner- you can add Coconut Milk, Egg, Mayonnaise for extra protein.  

As you might understand, I haven't tried this yet but if you see the ingredient list above you can see that it is pretty great for £1. Behentrimonium Chloride is a gentle detangler and emollient and Panthenol is Provitamin B5. After that you've got hydrolysed keratin which is a protein that strengthens hair, and after that a few oils- sounds good to me! :)

Have you tried this conditioner?

How did you like it?

& Also, do you deep condition your hair?

xx

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♥ Green & Yellow EOTD

Green, Turquoise and Yellow EOTD 

Here is a quick EOTD for you guys. Not entirely happy with this as it was a really quick look I did a few days ago in about 10 minutes, and I also took the pictures really quick so I didn't get a good picture of it.

Again, here is a pic of what I used. In the picture you see the lightest shade on the left from my ELF Palette, the black & green eyeshadow from my MUA Glitterbomb palette and a turquoise matte from INGLOT which I used in my crease. One of the reasons I am not happy with the pic is because you can't really see the turquoise shade which I used more of than the green shimmery one.

Also, forgot to take a pic of the yellow matte INGLOT eyeshadow, which I am sure you can see in my EOTD pic anyway :)

How do you like this look?

xx

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♥ Fake Tan on Dark Skin Tones

A Guide to Using Fake Tan For Dark Skin Tones

If you have a darker skin tone, using fake tan is probably something that has never even crossed your mind. After all, surely the whole point of tanning products is for pale skinned people to achieve a darker look? Well actually, you might be surprised.

Let’s take a look at why you might decide to use a fake tan, and consider important questions such as how to choose the right shade and prepare your skin before application.

What are the benefits?

Fake tan for dark skin tones provides a flawless base and a smooth but natural complexion. Scars and stretch marks could sometimes be quite apparent on darker skin, so having a subtle cover-up can be a great way to boost your confidence. If you’re planning a holiday or a big night out, it can be just what you need to have you feeling like a million dollars.

It can also be a brilliant addition to your everyday make-up routine. By spending just ten minutes a few times a week applying your fake tan, you can wake up to brighter skin every morning. You could be ready to face the world in no time at all, with just a little mascara and lipstick.

How do I choose the right shade?

If you’re looking for a clearer complexion from your tanning product, look for a shade that is as close as possible to your own skin tone. This will allow you to use it on just certain areas of your body without looking mismatched! If you do want to add a little darkness to your skin, only go a shade or two darker. Anything more, and you run the risk of looking unnatural.

How should I prepare my skin before application?

When it comes to fake tan for dark skin tones, preparation is absolute key. For the best results, shave and exfoliate the day before you plan to apply your product, and cover yourself with plenty of moisturiser. As with all things, practice makes perfect! It might take you a few applications to get the hang of it, but after a while, it’ll become just another part of your beauty routine.

Do you use fake tan?

 Would you recommend it to other women with dark skin? 

&Do you have any tips on terms of the application?

xx

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