holiday!

i had a fabulous time on holiday and enjoyed eight days of 30+ degree weather - most of the time i was either in monaco or venice. here is a very, very small snippet (believe it or not!) of what went down. i'm surprised my face hadn't melted into pure gloop from the sheer heat.

i felt very humbled to be able to go! i'm so lucky.

review: collection 2000 cream puff moisturising lip cream in "fairy cake".

errrrrrm, why did this not post? this was meant to go up whilst i was abroad (more on that another time). what has changed since? well, i am now broke. completely and utterly penniless. if this had gone up when it was supposed to, i would not be wittering on about financial woes - especially when i'm supposed to be going to bestival and have zero camping stuff. maybe i shouldn't have gone. £180 would be so good right about now... and to think, i had £180 at one point. :'(

my latest plaything is cheap though, so all of you fellow broke ass bitches better listen up. it retails for £2.99 (or did, when i bought it) and off the top of my head, is the cheapest piece of make-up i own. i can't claim to know much about collection 2000 but was really excited by the concept of a matte lipgloss, the cutesly-named "cream puff lip cream". eeeee cream puff. eeee shade called "fairy cake". eeee fat. i love matte lipsticks (the ones by revlon are my favourite) but their biggest problem is how drying they can be, and so i was curious to see how that problem would translate in gloss form.

i'm not going to lie and say that this is the most hydrating thing to ever touch my lips, but it's pretty damn good. for £2.99, even better. it also smells delicious. fortunately i didn't find this to be drying at all like regular matte lipsticks, and i absolutely loved the bright pink-coral shade. however, it does present the same problems in that your lips have to be in tip-top condition before you apply it, otherwise it will look terrible. it also won't last the entire day - i think i got about two or three hours out of it. all in all though, i think it is fabulous and would urge anyone to try it, especially if they are put off by matte shades in lipstick form. 

my only real disappointment is the colour choice: there are four shades in total, and i'm going to be blunt and say that if you are not white, then two out of the four will possibly work with your complexion (this one, and another more nudey tone, the name of which i do not know). however, this is an issue with cheap brands in general who don't cater for a wider variety of skin tones, and so i'm not going to specifically hate on collection 2000 over it. i'll just have to hope that this will be a great success and that they'll branch out with more universally flattering shades!

beauty inspiration: madonna.

LONDON HEAR ME ROAR. WHAT IS WITH THE CONSTANT RAIN AND COLD TEMPERATURES?! i am feeling remarkably confused when it comes to appearance. my brain is telling me that it is august and that i should opt for summery clothes and bright make-up, but i just don't feel like it when it's absolutely freezing and raining constantly. so, i've sort of developed some kind of mish-mash way of dressing. note: mish-mash is not attractive. it just makes you look retarded. can't wait to leave this place tomorrow, although i'm gutted it's not for a very long time.

my current looks (crimped hair anyone? christ) is semi-inspired by a late night gaze at one of my (many) large photobooks about style in the 80s, as i am planning on selling it. i'll be upfront and confess that i don't even like the 80s unless i'm looking for a giggle. i like the music, but i think it was absolutely awful in terms of style, so why i am drawing anything from it i just don't know. however, there are two exceptions to my "everything 80s is gross" stance. i do like boy george and think that he was exceptionally pretty (there is no other word)... and i also like the look of MADONNA. i do not care for 99.9999% of her music, and i think she is borderline insane. but, no one even comes close to how amazing she looked in her video for "justify my love". that was her PEAK. the marilyn hair, the thick brows, the bold lips... absolutely fabulous. definitely something i'd like to try out for myself! i do wish someone would tell rihanna et al that that video is how you do something risque (even more so considering that it was over twenty years ago in a more conservative society) - as current efforts just seem relatively pathetic by comparison.

U GO GURL

unfortunately, i have about as much sex appeal as a slice of lettuce. i think this still is more me...

nevertheless, that single video is very inspiring (in terms of style, not sex with transgender people) and is one of my favourite things in the entire world. 

face: sephora base subliminatrice, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, rubie and millie perfect eyes pallette, rimmel exaggerate liquid liner, urban decay 24/7 eye pencil (zero), urban decay eyeshadow (creep), max factor false lash effect mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: nars bronzer (laguna), duwop blush (peach).
lips: revlon (mauve it over).

in other news: i've recently been feeling less of a need to see friends. not in a horrible way at all. i'm just tired and want to live a quiet existence. it's official: i've become old.

so sleepy...

i think i have narcolepsy.

i am tired. somehow i feel as if all the sleep in the world is just not enough and it's beginning to show on my face. i graduate in september and my biggest concern is no longer my weight, but having big dark circles under my eyes. i used to be able to cover it quite decently with make-up, but the sleep-deprived look is slowly fighting back and with a vengeance. my favourite concealer is clinique's airbrush concealer as it is really light, easily blendable and feels so smooth. it's also one of the few brands that caters for my special shade of yellow. it's still my favourite product when it comes to covering up spots and blemishes (i have a fair few right now), but is slowly finding itself unable to cope with the epic bags under my eyes. i think i am definitely going to branch out and see if anything out there is up to the job.

ramble aside, this is the make-up i wore today. if i had thick black eyeliner on, i would be able to say that this is my staple look: simple eyes, bright cheeks, and bright lips. i decided to go for something a little bit smokier and softer though, just to make it a bit different from my usual thing.

i would also really appreciate it if everyone could ignore the eyebrow situation that is going on here - as i am going on holiday, i am trying to not touch them until later this week (right before i leave) so that i can get them fixed up. they are shocking, i know. :(

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: ruby & millie eyeliner pencil (brown/black), revlon grow luscious mascara, maybelline gel liner, the body shop brow and lash gel.
cheeks: bourjois bronzing powder, nars multiple (portofino), no 7 highlighter (peach).
lips: revlon (wild orchid).

review: topshop blushes in "pop" and "high five".

i'm going to be blunt - generally speaking, topshop make-up doesn't really excite me in the least. that is, until i start playing with their blushers and coo over everything. i love their blushers to the point of insanity, purely because it's such value for money which is actually rare these days (i know my rare shit, my last read being "amazing rare things" by david attenborough; there was definitely a make-up chapter in it). it will last you forever, and costs £6. off the top of my head, £5.40 with student discount! with that, barry m's blushers are like £1 less, which i hope puts this whole thing into perspective. no cheap shimmers or glitters in these bad boys whatsoever.

this is my current collection, the top two being cream blushers and the bottom being a powder blusher.

i have a thing for cream blushers. they're more long-lasting, and when i am packing and going abroad there is no fear of the blusher falling or getting crushed with powder going everywhere (i'm sure everyone has either experienced or heard of a horror story regarding this). sadly they're more common within more expensive brands though, and any cheap cream blusher i've seen is borderline miniscule in size or unimaginative with their colour choice (yes you, max factor). gives me sadz.

ohai. my lipstick is from max factor (chili). 

THAT IS UNTIL A BRIGHT SPARK AT TOPSHOP RECTIFIED THIS. topshop have brought out three new matte shades in the past week: pop (a pinky apricot), high five (a deep pink), and powdered (a baby pink). i didn't get powdered because it was a tad *too* pink for my complexion. i think that baby pink is fantastic for lightening your complexion, but for that reason, it's one of the few shades which i think works with a bit of shimmer - just to illuminate and highlight the skin that little bit further. for that reason, the only baby pink i absolutely adore and could never betray is mac's "well dressed" - check it out. i must admit that in the picture below, pop has photographed as a pink for some peculiar reason - it's not.

  "pop" is on the left, and "high five" is on the left. 

these blushers are easily to blend and build up so you could have anything from a sheer finish to a vivid cheek. for the price, the quality is fantastic and the pigmentation is really decent. obviously high five lasted longer than pop, but i equally love both. plus with a name like high five, who can resist...?! maybe it gives you super powers a la todd from scrubs.

review: no 7 essentially natural foundation.

more and more companies are encroaching into what used to be a niche market when it comes to make-up: organic, mineral and natural being key. i like the idea of it and do certainly prioritise natural beauty products when it comes to lotions and the like, but i am also a human being and i am not blessed with a naturally dazzling face. this is why i'm not so keen on it in a make-up context. one waaaaaambulance for me please...

additionally, i also don't feel crazy about the lack of silicon in natural products. i know it's not the best thing for your skin, but it makes such a difference when it comes to application. however, the only foundation i'd ever use which falls into that sort of thing is by no 7 - and so i thought a review might be useful for others who might be hesitant about using more mineral products. if you have a lot of pigmentation, scarring or acne then i wouldn't bother with this as it is extremely sheer and has very light coverage - i couldn't ever imagine it covering flaws the same way mac studio fix fluid does. it's also not very long-lasting either, which makes it hard for me to justify its £13.50 price tag. i know, i know... i'm probably not selling it well. but - THERE IS A BUT - it is so hydrating and lovely if you have dry skin. it feels so light and makes your skin feel silky smooth, and is therefore my to-go product during the cold winter months.

that's right: winter months. it is now august. i would fall on my knees and plead with england to give me a singular ray of sunshine but i am going on holiday this week and so a breakdown has been averted...

face: no 7 essentially natural foundation (light beige).
eyes: lancome l'extreme mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: topshop blush (neon rose).
lips: max factor (chili).

'no make-up' make-up.

not once had i ever seen the appeal of wanting to look as if you have no make-up on all the time. for me, the fun in make-up lies in the fact that you get to look 'done'. you get to be a little bit ridiculous. i wouldn't say that make-up ought to act as some kind of mask, but i personally believe that people should be playful and embrace the possibility of looking different every day. but each to their own. i got a bit sick of my own face and so went for something natural myself, so i guess i better shut up and sit down now - unfortunately i couldn't go completely natural as my skin is awful right now, so i had to cheat... 

face: sephora illuminating primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), paula dorf magic stick (#2), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).

eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadow (naked), no 7 perfect eyes pencil (brown), maybelline gel liner, lancome l'extreme mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: no 7 blush tint (blossom).
lips: vaseline.

ps - look at all the stuff my mother has dumped in my room, tsk. :( LOOK HOW STRAINED AND OPPRESSED I APPEAR.