“When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching -- they are your family. ” ― Jim Butcher

This post isn't about superficial beauty, this is the real deal.  True beauty.  My family.  Don't get me wrong, as individuals we're loaded with imperfections, but as a whole I think it's pretty perfect.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening sat in my Grandma and Grandad's lounge while 23 members of my family (that's not even all of us) came in and out to see the newest member, the truly beautiful Christopher.  In my opinion he's pretty damn lucky to have been born into this family; it's taken me a while to get that people can love me because they want to not because they have to, but I finally get it, and more importantly, I feel it - there is always an open door, a shoulder, a slice of cake or a cup of tea, and I feel like at any point I could call on any or all of those services.

In one family, I've found; my best friend, my greatest inspirations, and pride. 

Sorry, this is mushy and not really what this blog is about usually but I hope you don't mind.

xxx

Favourites #1: Lips

I'm sure we all have a bit of a go to feel good look when it comes to makeup, something that you know will pep up either your mood or your makeup...or preferably both! For me over the past few months it has got to be the lip combo I am about to share with you.  It never fails to put a smile on my face (literally haha) and give me a little bit of confidence.

Please excuse the slight changes in the lighting of the photos in this post, I took some of them over time to try and show you the wear of the product and obviously that changes the amount and angle of the natural light...not a lot I can do about our position in the solar system! 

My weapons of choice are;

• MAC Lip Pencil in Beet
• MAC Lipstick in Impassioned (it's an Amplified Creme incase you were wondering)
• MAC Tinted Lipglass in Pink Lemonade

Without further ado, I give you my step by step application of my favourite fuchsia lips! 

1 - I have to prepare my lips somehow because despite my best efforts they are as dry as the Sahara and at times flakier than puff pastry! I use any old lip balm I've got to hand, and slap it on before I do the rest of my makeup, or about five to ten minutes before if I'm just changing my lip colour not the whole face! 

2 - Using Beet I first line the outside of my lips, making sure I get right into the corners.  Once I'm happy with the shape I use the lip pencil to fill in the majority of my lips.

3 - Then, using a lip brush (my favourite is by Illamasqua) I apply Impassioned lipstick all over the lips.  I sometimes leave it as it is, but if I fancy a bit of extra shine, or my lips are feeling particularly dry I'll add an extra step.  The formulation of this lipstick, especially over the lip pencil means it does have a tendency to feel quite tight and drying on my already parched pout! 

4 - To add that extra sheen and injection of moisture I slick on Pink Lemonade, which has got to be my favourite Lipglass by a mile, and then I'm good to go!! 

As you can see this lip finish looks quite different depending on the lighting...and I love it however it looks!!

The wear of this combination is incredible, you don't need to touch it up all day; and I mean all day.  After six hours of drinking numerous cups of tea, stuffing my face with lunch (and maybe a little millionaire shortbread) and chatting away it puts up a damn good fight and begins to fade (see photo below).  And the fade is something I love about this combo; it doesn't go patchy, it doesn't all vanish at once, but it slowly loses its intensity but at no point does the colour die completely.  After I'd taken the photo below I went to an exercise class and did a flipping hard work out, and even after all the sweating (there was a lot) and wiping my face with a towel (again - quite a bit) the colour remained and took a damn good scrubbing to remove in the shower.

So there you have it, my favourite lip to wear at the moment.  Full reviews of the individual products are to follow if you're interested.  

What is your go to 'feel good' lip combo? I'd love to know so I can try them out and see if they can become my new favourite too! 

I hope you're all well lovely ladies

xxx

Review (actually, it's a rave) Jessica's Phenomen Oil

I can't believe I've not written a post solely about this product yet, I know I've mentioned it before but it really does deserve its very own slice of the interweb! I give you Phenomen Oil by Jessica.  For those of you who don't know, Jessica is a professional nail brand and they offer some really amazing products (GELerartion is my latest love from them) and this 'intensive moisturizer' is no exception.  

Ingredients such as  Vitamin E, Jojoba, Sweet Almond Oil and Rice Oil really help to make this a wonder product.  It can be used on any areas that are crying out for some extra moisturisation (elbows and tough dry bits on the feet stand out to me as the areas that most need some TLC) but its original function is to act as a life saver for your cuticles and nails.  I don't know how it does it, but this oil really does seem to penetrate right down into the cuticles and dramatically improve their appearance.  Jessica also say that Phenomen Oil will help to strengthen your nails and keep them supple and healthy.  

While I wouldn't feel comfortable vouching for its effectiveness in terms of my nail strength, I am more than happy to sing the praises of this product with regard to the state of my cuticles.  I've tested it out,  and having used this every night for two months I decided to give it a break for a few weeks....man are my cuticles begging me to bring this puppy back into my nightly routine; they're dry, tight, hard and generally horrible and I do believe that this is all down to the fact that I've not been using Phenomen Oil.  I know that the cold weather wont be helping but it's not as if I've been standing outside in a blizzard.  I can now promise my poor little cuticles that this is now firmly back on the menu, and I shall once again resume my nightly application.

As for how to apply it; it's simples! It comes with a pipet (man I love them it makes me feel like a scientist) and all you need to do is place one drop onto each nail (I tend to do this at the base of the nail to coat both the cuticle and nail) and then give that area a good old massage and voila! The massage is important because it increases the circulation to the nail and promotes growth.  If you have any excess oil on the tip of the finger just treat yourself to a bit of a hand massage! By the morning the oil will have completely sunk in and 

you should wake up with soft mitts ready to start a new day!

Phenomen Oil ranges from around £9 to £14 depending on the size bottle you get, but I believe it is totally worth it and I will be repurchasing mine before it even has a chance to run out! 

Are there any products that you swear by? 

♥

Brush Cleaning #3: The Deep Cleanse

And now, for the final installment of my brush cleaning series, I give you the big guns...the DEEP CLEANSE! If you're interested in parts one and two then feel free to check them out HERE and HERE.

It's a fact of a makeup addict's life that all that slap creates a bit of a mess as far as brushes are concerned, and it's important that we treat those brushes well - they're the tools of our trade and must be looked after! So, unless you apply your makeup with a trowel (in which case I suggest you use surgical spirit to clean it), then you've got to choose a cleanser that will suit your brushes rather than damage them.  A quick google or YouTube search will bring up a million and one different products which people wear are the best, and I have no doubt that maybe some are better than my method, but I'm just going to share with you my choice of product and method of giving my brushes a little tlc.

Johnson's baby shampoo is my preferred cleansing agent; it's gentle but effective and it doesn't have too much extra fluff and stuff (by fluff and stuff I obviously mean nasty chemicals and exotic scents!) it's also cheap which is a massive bonus in my eyes! 

Before you begin 'the big cleanse' you might want to prepare the area that you're going to use to dry your brushes.  Ideally you want to allocate the edge of a work top/dresser/table and place a towel along the edge, this way you can leave your brushes to dry really easily without waving around wet brushes as you fumble about one handedly trying to get your towel and then lay it out (I speak from experience or so I've been told)

Next up, gather all your dirty brushes, I keep mine in an old mug (it was a sad day when the mammoth crack appeared but I knew it's life wasn't over yet!) and take them to your sink of choice along with the Johnson's baby shampoo.

Then for the fun part! Rinse your brush under warm water, not hot but warm - it's important because hot water could melt the glue in the ferrule (the metal bit between the handle and the bristles) and this would cause your brush hairs to shed or your whole brush to fall apart! Another important thing to note, is that you need to keep the brush angled down at all times, again this is to prevent water from going into the ferrule and ruining your brush.

Once your brush is nicely wet take a pump of the shampoo (vary the amount based on what size brush you have and which products it has been used with - eyeshadow brush with light eyeshadow will require hardly any whereas kabuki style foundation brush that's been used for a week or so will use quite a lot of product) onto the palm of your spare hand (the one that doesn't have a brush in it!).  

Then gently start to swirl your brush in the shampoo so that it creates a nice foamy lather, the lather should be the colour of whatever product you're washing off the brush - it's ever so satisfying! You can rinse and repeat as many times as it takes before the lather is pure white, and believe me, some brushes will have you there for a while but don't give up because you'll get there in the end!

It's very important to rinse all the shampoo from your brush once it's squeaky clean, so I rinse and then swirl it on my hand again to see if any soap bubbles appear and keep rinsing until when swirled nothing happens.  With larger brushes, don't be afraid to pull the excess water from the brush, so run you hand in a clenched motion down the brush and over the hairs to get off any excess water, and just keep rinsing until the water is clear.  

Then give your brushes a final squeeze to get the bulk of the water out.

You're now ready to lay all your brushes out.  It's important to give them room, they shouldn't be touching because this could effect the shape that they dry into and nobody wants a deformed brush if they can help it.  This is also the reason why it's so important to leave the brushes overhanging the edge of a table, this way they don't end up with one flat side.  

The drying time will depend on the size of the brush, the density of the hairs, and the material the hairs are made from.  A small synthetic brush like the Real Techniques deluxe crease brush will only take about half an hour to dry, whereas the larger ones like The Body Shop face and body brush and the bdellium 957 will probably take a day or so.

Wait until they're all completely dry before putting them back in their usual storage or using them, and then relax and enjoy how wonderfully soft they are (it's ok, I wont judge you for giving your face a bit of a stroke with them, we've all been there!!)

I hope this was helpful, and I'm sorry it was such a long post!! 

xxx

Super Sleepy Sunday

Boy oh boy am I feeling ridiculously tired today.  I'm finding it physically impossible to stop myself from yawning every five seconds...is there a cure for yawning?  On 24 Hours in A&E I saw a man who had gone to hospital with hiccups so maybe should take myself down there and see what they can do for my yawning?! Alternatively I could continue to do what I am doing right now, which is lying on my bed writing this post with the view to having a nap shortly afterwards! 

Roast - CHECK

In my defense, I have been fairly busy (not really) this morning; up and at body attack for 8.30 this morning, then coffee morning (eating pastries and drinking tea not only undoes all the hard work at attack but it's flipping exhausting  - back me up here Grace!), following that I went straight to my Grandma and Grandad's where my brother had cooked up a mighty fine roast.  I'm a little concerned that if I don't buck my ideas up soon though, I wont make it through Strictly Come Dancing which I recorded last night, and that would be a sin! I also need to tidy my room and do some homework but to be perfectly honest it all pales into insignificance when I weigh it up against the thought of sleeping through Strictly!! 

On a side note; how good is Autumn tv?! We've got Downton Abbey, The Great British Bake Off, The Paradise (love it!), and now Strictly...what more could you ask for (well, actually if they brought Waking The Dead and Spooks back I'd be over the moon)?

I do apologise for the fact that this is a totally uninspiring post, but I don't particularly feel like I've got it in me to write anything too mediocre incredible today! 

Hot Chocolate - has been substituted for plenty of tea, but there is still time! 

Primark's finest - coming right up! 

I hope you're all having wonderful Sundays! 

xxx

Brush Cleaning #2: Spot Cleaning

In this post I talked about my choices of brush cleanser, and how and why I have chosen to decant them.  This post is on spot cleaning my brushes.  Because it doesn't require the use of water it makes it a much quicker method, so it's great if you need to use that brush again quickly (between colours or clients say) and it's also great for keeping on top of all the dirt and bacteria build up of brushes that will still need a deep cleanse (foundation brushes for example).  If you want to know more about the MAC brush cleanser that I use (price, why I decant it etc) do go and check my first brush cleaning post here.

So, first of all I need all my dirty brushes in one place! I seem to have developed a pretty large brush collection over the past couple of years (oops) so I don't store them all together, instead I get a selection that will do the job and put them all in this old (and cracked) Cath Kidston mug which lives in the bathroom which is wear I do my makeup.  Then, once they're in need of a bit of a clean (this tends to be once a week) I bring them all into my room to get down to business!

Because this is spot cleaning if there is one eye brush I'm particularly desperate to use but it's already covered in eye shadow I can get it back to working condition in a matter of minutes (particularly synthetic brushes) which is perfect! 

A selection of brushes all ready for a good old clean!

There are many different ways to spot clean your brushes, and if you'd like me to let you know some of the alternative methods please do let me know and I'll either explain to you personally or write another post.  To save this from being uber long I'm just going to focus on one technique for now.

I use an old towel to clean my brushes on, but you could use kitchen roll (I'd advice against toilet roll as it just isn't strong enough), couch roll if you have it (beauticians etc), an old flannel or muslin cloth, an old t-shirt or a bit of old sheet - you get the drift; it can be anything!  I simply place this on my work surface of choice and get ready for cleaning.

Place your brush on the towel or hold it slightly above, and then spray your cleanser onto the bristles.  You can turn the brush over if it is particularly dirty to ensure you've coated both sides.

Then, simple swirl your brush around on the towel.  Be very gentle with this, you don't want to end up scrubbing away at it, just use soft circular motions or gently sweep it one way and then the other in a line.

You can repeat the process if you need to, simply apply more product and gently wipe it over a clean section of the towel.  At the end of the process you should be able to wipe it over without leaving any makeup residue behind.

Once they're all squeaky clean you can either simply lay them flat on the towel, or place the towel near the edge of the surface and place it so the bristles are sticking just over, this prevents the brush from becoming misshapen as it dries.

Smaller brushes tend to dry in a matter of minutes using this method because they do not become too saturated in cleaning product, and the alcohol evaporates quickly, but do make sure your brushes are completely dry before you either put them back in their home (mug etc) or use them again. 

So there you have it, my spot cleaning process.  If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Next up - the deep clean!!

Happy Brush Cleaning!!

xxx

Review: Origins Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Pads

Around a month ago I had a 'complimentary facial' at the Origins counter because it was my birthday; of course it turned out to be the most expensive facial of my life because I got suckered into buying nearly every product that the lovely girl on the counter used on me!!

Despite the fact that I already own the Super Spot Remover gel (post coming soon) I somehow managed to come away with the Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Pads.  I'm still a bit annoyed with myself because I hate anything like this - essentially by selling you a prescribed amount of pads Origins are making sure you can't eek out the product for as long as you like, and at £22 (available here) for 60 pads with the instructions of using a pad in the morning and evening, we're talking £22 a month for one element of your skincare regime.  I think that that is daylight robbery, and I'm sorry Origins but that's just too much to ask! 

Thankfully, I was advised to only use one pad per evening (despite this, I'm still tempted to cut them in half to get more out of them...is that taking it too far?!) and so that is what I've been doing for the past month once I've cleansed my face and applied toner to the areas where I'm not suffering from breakouts. 

The Salicylic Acid, Oregano and Clove are meant to help fight spots and blemishes by exfoliating the area, unclogging the pores and helping to clear up and fade any current blemishes.  To control the level of excess oil Saw Palmetto is used; which also helps to clear up any dirt left on the skin. 

After cleansing with Origins Pure Cream cleanser in the evening I pat my face dry and then sweep one of these pads over the areas that either have current breakouts or are prone to them (nose, hair line, jaw and chin...that's basically my whole face).  More often than the sensation is just a cool feeling, but occasionally if there's a really big b*****d then it does sting/tingle a bit.  Once I've given it a while to sink in (it probably doesn't do anything of the sort, but I feel as though it might need a moment to do whatever it is going to do), I apply my serum and night cream and then I'm good to go.

So, have they made a difference? The truth is, I don't know.  My skin hasn't been particularly clear recently (but it isn't horrific - even though it feels like it is), but then I don't know if it would be worse if I wasn't using these, it's a tough call.  I just keep hoping my skin will clear up of it's own accord soon because I don't know how much more money I can throw at it! I want clear skin damnit! 

Have you tried this relatively new offering from Origins? What do you think of them? 

What do you feel is your secret weapon to keeping spots at bay? 

xxx

Is it time to tan?

I've got a bit of a fear of awful looking fake tan.  I notice it really easily on other people, and I would be so critical and paranoid if I wore fake tan that looked, well, fake, but I'm in a bit of a quandary because right now I'm just feeling a bit fed up with my pale skin, I don't think it does me any favours and seeing as I have to get various limbs out for my course (beauty therapy) I feel as though I'd be more comfortable doing so if I had a bit of a glow instead of the dull flubber that currently has to be uncovered! 

But, where do I start?

I've bought fake tans in the past but I've never really used them - I get the fear and never commit! Does anyone have any tips for me? Which tan should I go for, how and when is best to apply it? Do they all stain the sheets? How do I avoid looking like an oompa loompa? How do you do your back if you just can't reach it?! 

If anyone has got any tips I'd be really grateful.  I know it's something people do day in, day out but I don't and I'm not sure where to start!!

xxx

Current Loves

Book I've got to admit that since I moved and started my new college course I've barely had any time to read and I've been just so exhausted that one page has sent my straight to sleep.  I'm lusting after Dorothy Koomson's new release though!

Nail Varnish Essie Watermelon I've had this on my toes for a week and I just love the colour, it's so bright and summery which is nice when all I can see is pouring rain!!

Face Product Origins Pure Cream cleanser.  It's gentle and it does the job, what more can I say?

Lip Product Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream I have the fragrance free version (in case you care) and have been slathering it on before bed every night...I've still got dry lips though, damn you cold weather!!

Hair Product This is a tricky one because right now I'm not loving my hair...it's probably my Tangle Teezer again, I may not be liking it but at least it's kept knot free!!

Drink It's not the most exciting answer but boy oh boy have I been loving chugging back the ice cold Water, don't get me wrong though I've stayed faithful to my one true love tea!

Food Muesli has been keeping me going recently, and I know people argue about how good it really is for you because it's crammed with nuts and seeds and fruit but hey I don't care!

Website YouTube, I just can't get enough of beauty videos, I swear I could watch them all day every day!

Place Shoreham (home) I've moved back to the place I was born, and it feels good! 

I'd love to know what you're current loves are, let me know in a comment!! 

xxx

Brush Cleaning #1 - Making life easy for yourself

Cleaning your makeup brushes is essential if you want to look after your brushes, care for your skin, and get the best from your makeup.  That said, it's a bit of a chore and although I find it therapeutic and love the feeling of looking at all your clean brushes drying, it's still sometimes just something I'd rather not have to do!

But, if we've got to do it, and honestly, we really do, then I like to make it as easy as possible.  

First Impressions: Tigi Catwalk Your Highness

I'm a massive fan of Tigi hair products and have been using them for about six years on and off (you've got to switch it up every now and again).  In terms of shampoo and conditioners so far I've used

-  Self Absorbed

- Brunette Goddess

- Styleshots Epic Volume

- A Rockaholic one that I can't remember the name of...(helpful I know)

Some of them I've repurchased and some I've been glad to finish to be honest (I always get the tweens and at 750ml per bottle that's a lot of hair washes!!)

This is the first set from the Catwalk range that I've every tried and I've got very mixed feelings I've got to admit.  After my first use of this I was astounded, it really did give me great volume and once I'd styled it my hair seemed to keep it's shape and volume for ages, which is very rare with my pancake flat locks! Sadly, after my second wash I was left with limp hair that felt heavy and ladened with product still.  I thought that maybe I was being an idiot and had suffered temporary amnesia and forgotten how to wash my hair properly, but this turned out not to be the case as I've made a mental note to be super super extra thorough when washing the product out but still more often than not my hair feels a bit lank and product laden. I'm hoping that this will miraculously change, and I'll fall in love with this tween, but until then I'm staying put on the fence! 

I'll let you know if my thoughts change!

Have you ever used this range? If so, what did you think of it? What's your favourite shampoo and conditioner? 

xxx

A bit of a hairy situation

Adios dear Venus, I miss you already!

Hair removal, or even admitting that we have hair anywhere other than our heads, eyebrows and eye lashes is something that is seldom spoken of in the blogging community, but I wanted to share with you my latest hurdle in the hair removal stakes; to not remove it! 

I have been categorically told to step away from the razor, the tweezers and the way and let all hair that I'd usually remove grow!  The reason for this is because as some of you may know, I'm doing a beauty therapy course and we've got to do waxing, and you can't practice on hair free skin; so, for the sake of my course I am about to become some kind of wolverine (highly unlikely I'll snag myself a boyfriend this month hey?!) 

Personally, I do not care about other people's hair removal preferences, whether the keep it or get rid is totally up to them, but it could take a while for the urge to grab the razor when I'm heading to the shower to subside.  I wax my legs, bikini and eyebrows so I'm used to having regrowth in those areas, but what I'm really struggling with is my underarms, not shaving them daily or every other day is just such an alien feeling to me and I've got to be honest so far I'm not loving it.  At the gym particularly it's making me feel uncomfortable, and I'm now scared to raise my arms when socialising in a top without sleeves.  

To be honest, it's also made me feel a bit pissed off with our society and culture...why the feck do I feel this pressure? It's not dirty, it's not unhealthy, in fact, hair removal probably creates more permanent problems compared to it's relatively short term gains (ingrown hairs, shaving rash, irritated skin, sensitive follicles, and even razor cuts: I'm looking at you!) yes we feel temporarily silky smooth but is it sodding worth it, and why do we bother in the first place? I want to ask a question, if you do remove hair, who do you do it for, is it yourself, your partner, or just to fit in?

I may sound a bit like a raging feminist here, but don't get me wrong - I'm a slave to hair removal, and I hate to think how much I've spent over the years on waxes, tweezers, razors, hair removal creams etc and I can't see that changing any time soon, but I also suffer from awful ingrown hairs, and I do sometimes wonder why on earth I still go through it!!

Sorry that this isn't a particularly thrilling post, but hey, it's still a pretty big deal in the world of beauty! 

Lots of love,

Alice and her hairy pits (lovely mental image for you there...and they're not even more than stubble yet!)

x

Review: The Breakfast Scrub

I've got to admit that I'm a bit of a flake *honestly there was no pun intended* when it comes to using body exfoliating products.  I definitely go through phases, one minute I just can't get enough, and then the next I've shoved the poor things back on the shelf for another stint of dust collecting! I think that in summer I'm the worst, but I can't bear the thought of shedding any of my skin while I've got a tan...I can't afford to lose any of colour I've managed to grab!! Another reason is sheer laziness (coupled with a bit of shower OCD), but scrubs in pots are just a bit of an effort; I hate it when they get water in them, so you've got to be really careful about where you put them, and then you've got to make sure they're screwed tight, but then you've got product all over your hands so it becomes a massive mess - urrrggghhhh!  It's safe to say that I'm much better with a tube of scrub... so naturally I've bought myself yet another pot!

Suffering for a case of blogger's block

I'm suffering from a case of 'blogger's blog' and I thought that instead of waiting for some great spark of inspiration, I've decided to just blog about it! 

So much has gone on over the past week and a bit; I've turned 23, I've moved 220miles away and into a new room in a new house, I went to the Paralympics closing ceremony and I've started a new course at a new college with new people...it has been absolutely insane! Mostly I am feeling exhausted this morning, but I am also content.  I finally feel like I am in the right place, doing the right thing and let me tell you, I haven't felt that for a long time! 

Here I am, ten minutes from Brighton, surrounded by family and friends, I think I've already made a new friend at college, without sounding too cheesy or lame I'm really hoping that now is my time! 

It's ok, I know I look crazy!

With my mum, brother and dad! Love those guys! x

 I hope I'll now be back into the swing of things and be able to blog blog blog! 

xxx

Sod you technology!!

Sometimes I get utterly bamboozeled (and quite frankly really pissed off) by technology.  The reason for my annoyance today is that I took a gazillion pictures of me wearing Redd lipliner and Russian Red lipstick (because they'd been requested and I simply love them) - I'd got my lighting right, I'd taken the pictures from loads of different angles and all the rest, I then looked back over them and they seemed fine.  Now, here I am ready to insert them into my blog post about these products, the camera is plugged into my laptop and I'm ready to import the pictures but sadly the pictures are not ready to be imported.  And why is that? Oh, because THEY HAVE DISAPPEARED. They have gone without a trace never to be seen again!!  

I'm finding this extra annoying because a) the weather is now rubbish so lighting will be awful b) it is more effort to take photos of me actually wearing makeup than just images of products and I'm exhausted and c) I haven't posted in what feels like ages because my house has been like a hotel recently and I've not had five seconds to myself let alone long enough to write a post!

I can only apologise that instead of a post about some truly beautiful makeup, you've got the rantings and ravings of a frazzled mentalist. I truly am sorry, and maybe after tomorrow I'll be more mature and able to deal with these things seeing as I'll be a whole year older and the grand old age of 23! 

Am I the only one who gets well and truly screwed over by electronic devices? 

xxx

MAC Painterly Paint Pot: Review

For £14.50 I was initially a bit disappointed with this product.  I don't know what I really expected, I knew it wasn't going to be anything exceptional to look at, but opening this product to see a bland paste play dough/putty kind of thing made me feel a bit *meh*. It may not look like a star product but believe you me, it's superb!

I own Urban Decay's Primer Potion, and nice as it is (and it is great), it does sometimes go a bit weird where it meets my foundation at the very edge of my eye (which seems impossible to budge).  Painterly on the other hand, applies really easily; I just pat it on with my ring finger, and then I slap my eye shadow on! It gets rid of the horrible red that rims my eyes, and it makes applying eyeshadow an absolute dream; the colour of the shadows appears intensified and your eyelids become the smoothest canvas to apply product.

Worn alone, this Paint Pot can be used to just even out the eyelid.  For me personally, this is a nice extra step when I just want to wear eyeliner and mascara, or mascara on it's own (this is very often) because the discolouration is taken away and it makes the liner/mascara stand out more. 

I've found that the best way to store Paint Pots is lid down, as this helps to prevent the product from drying out.  It's also very important to make sure the lid is securely fastened because you don't want any of that moisture escaping, and if you're using this for a long period of time (on a shoot for example) then just put it face down on a clean table top in between uses for the same reason.

What are your favourite eye shadow primers? Or are you lucky enough to get away without needing it?

xxx

Bdellium Tools 957

Current Loves

Book Stieg Larsson The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo I tried to read this a while ago but I just couldn't get into it, I've given it another go though and I'm loving it.

Nail Varnish Jessica Geleration French Manicure I love Geleration manicures, they're long lasting, quite drying and brilliant.  Having said this though, I have got a chip in one of my nails after only a couple of days though - not cool after two days of its 2 week expected lifespan!!

Face Product Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronze Universel I've got a whole blog post coming up about this very soon, it's been a beautiful product to use this summer - lightweight, beautiful and it smells delicious! 

Lip Product It's got to be Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm, this is probably my most favourite summer product, click on the product name above and read my full review of it! 

Hair Product Tangle Teezer running this little beauty through my hair after a shower just makes it so easy to work with.  I've been using this on my 11 year old God daughter's hair and I'm the only one who has been able to brush her gorgeous long hair without making her cry, so that's got to be a winner! 

Drink Morrisons Apple and Elderflower High Juice plenty of ice and a nice tall glass is summer drink perfection! 

Food Homemade Butternut Squash Soup with Chilli and Ginger If you'd be interested I'll do a blog post on this recipe? 

Website twitter.com I've become a twitter addict recently and I never thought that would happen to me because I couldn't get why people loved twitter so much until relatively recently! If you want to follow me its @martinalice22

Place The beach living in North Cornwall has disadvantages (being an hour and a bit drive away from any decent shops) and advantages, and the beaches are a massive advantage.  Rain or shine they're always impressive but on those days of brilliant sunshine they are incredible and I feel so lucky to live where I do, and I honestly wouldn't want to be anywhere else while I'm admiring the area that's on my doorstep! 

Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Creme

This was the beginning the end in terms of my failure to stick to my spending ban.  In my defense I'm going to pass the blame on to somebody else, and that somebody is Anna, who mentioned that this was on sale on BeautyBay.  I was forced to pause the video and make my purchase in a frantic dash (it appears to be becoming a bit of a habit) before I resumed watching her wonderful video! 

To be perfectly honest I don't know why it has taken me so long to get my hands on this wonderful product, it has been on my list of products I've lusted over for years and years (that's a slight exaggeration but you get my drift!).  Having said that, highlighter is one of the products that I tend to neglect, highlighter and prime.  I think the reason for this is a fear of 'the glitter-ball face' crossed with 'the so much grease you could fry an egg face' - yes, I'm phobic of shine, and looking back over my makeup history, it has been a good five or six years since I gave up the shine and shimmer in favour of matte products. As I'm a week away from the grand old age of 23 I thought it was time I faced up to this particular fear and embrace the subtle and lovely shine (cue Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Creme).  The word dewy appeals to me, having said that it is frightfully close to the word wet - not a look I look I wish to sport! And wet is something I think I look scarily close to sometimes when I use Benefit High Beam (and I just hate the way it applies - it just looks like a smear *vile word* that smudges all my foundation!).

Hmm, I got a little sidetracked...back to this wonderful product! 

It is available in two shades, Ice Gold and Rose Gold; I chose Ice Gold basically because Tanya Burr and Anna and the like use it, and I'm on a quest to look like them!! I would like to get the warmer toned Rose Gold too but all in good time hey! 

Monday Questionnaire

Again this is nabbed from Amarixe. I love reading these questionnaires, they're a nice insight into people's lives and being a nosey parker that suits me just fine!! 

1. Mood:
Content, I've done lots of cooking which makes me feel good.
2. What is your favorite article of clothing to shop for?
To be perfectly honest I'm not a massive fan of clothes shopping at all any more.
3. Three hours ago, I was ____________.
Eating a very late lunch after a walk to the beach
4. Current nail polish:
A Jessica Geleration French Manicure
5. When is the last time you read an actual paper newspaper (not digital)?
Ohh too long - I feel shamed.  It was during the Olympics
6. Current outfit:
Superdry trackie bottoms, Topshop vest top and a big slouchy Topshop jumper
7. What is your natural hair texture?
I've got pretty fine wavy hair.
8. Would you rather go a week without your phone or a week without your computer?
Probably my computer seeing as I can basically do everything I need to on my phone. 
9. What is your favorite musical?
Ohh that's a tricky one, maybe Chicago...
10. Weekly goals:
Blog lots, plan my packing for my move and keep up my skin routine (i've been so busy that it's slipped a bit recently)

I'd love to read your answers to these questions (posted below) so either leave them as a comment, or post a link to your blog if you write a post.

xxx

.) Mood:
2.) What is your favorite article of clothing to shop for?
3.) Three hours ago, I was ____________.
4.) Current nail polish:
5.) When is the last time you read an actual paper newspaper (not digital)?
6.) Current outfit:
7.) What is your natural hair texture?
8.) Would you rather go a week without your phone or a week without your computer?
9.) What is your favorite musical?
10.) Weekly goals: