January spawned an iron will.

Hello my lovelies! January is the time to make resolutions, yah? I've thought about it, and thought some more and have decided on five beauty resolutions to really treat my skin.

1. To remove make up properly. Eye make up is the worst but I am going to remove it all, tone and moisturise.

2. Use YouTube to its greatest advantage and find more up- do tutorials instead of Morrissey posturing, getting so into the one that you end up doing your very best 'November Spawned a Monster' floor-wriggle.

Can you make it to 2mins20 for the ultimate in Morrissey posturing?

3. Be kind to my eyes and rest them more often. Having a good rest does everything for a healthy complexion. Easier said than done. Especially when there are plenty of Morrissey videos to dance around the room to. The same goes for...

4...#thirstythursday is for my own good and not my followers. Plenty of fluids, including water. I tend to gulp drinks down when thirsty. Really, for the sake of my skin, I should steadily keep my levels of hydration on an even keel. It does my body/skin/brain no favours to be as dry as the desert in Morrissey's video.

5. Make some YouTube videos of my own. That do not consist of me wailing like a banshee whilst flailing my arms around in the air, flamboyantly if you will.

Have you made any beauty resolutions? Let me know and leave your links in the comments below!

I am human and I need to make [wish]lists!

Wishlist
with Rimmel London, Urban Decay, Benefit

1.I'm big into bold lip colours, and matte effect is even better. £4.99 @ Boots / Superdrug.

2.What is in the picture is actually Urban Decay Dangerous Palette. Can't be an eyeshadow fanatic without an Urban Decay palette. £25 at Debenhams Click

3. A GODDAMN MORRISSEY FESTIVE JUMPER.£44.99 I would wear it all year round. VIVA MOZ! 

4. Benefit Hervana Box Powder £23.50. 'A good karma face powder'. I live and die by Benefit box powders but I haven't got this one...yet. (Click)

5.Benefit Gina Goes Glam £19.67. Gina is my favourite Crescent Row scent. So lusty and powerful but glam? I can't begin to imagine that! Currently on offer here!

6. Apple iPod Touch with iOS 6. To listen to Morrissey on OBVS! http://www.apple.com/uk/ipod-touch/

7. Too-Faced Shadow Insurance. I'll need a primer for all the lovely shadows I'm going to be trying ut in the colourful New Year!

What is on your festive wishlish? Is anyone else getting sick of the word festive yet? 

#NOTD As festive as I'm going to get. Barry M Magnetic Nail Polish

What could be more festive than nail polish the colour of a glittering Christmas Tree? I'm not very good at detail so on my quest for ultimate nail art nirvana I am testing out magnetic nail polishes.

348 Magnetic Green Sparkle£4.99 from BarryM.com

 I think it is a fairly festive colour. (I really am not one for precision and detail, I have neither the time or the patience).

ALWAYS USE A BASE.

I had a nightmare once with green nail varnish. It stained my nails and made me look as if I was moldy. The horrors of getting it off will scar me for life.

I always opt for Nails Inc Hyde Park Base Coat. £12. (Buy it here).

The next step is to layer a thick coat of the varnish and allow it to dry completely.

One thick coat allowed to dry completely.

If you don't let it dry properly then air bubbles start to form and the effect won't work properly. 

Then coat the nail with another thick layer of varnish. IMMEDIATELY hold the magnet over the polish for at least 10 seconds. The lid has a nifty little groove to place your finger in, but be careful not to press to hard as the polish smudges all over the lid. Yes, I am that clumsy.

I have left this photo unfiltered to see how evergreen the colour actually is.I am impressed with the polish, it is fairly thick and dries quickly so I didn't have to wait for too long. 

Set the pattern with a layer of your favourite topcoat and the end result is very effective, I am tempted to get the other colours to mix and match the magnetic pattern, but first I shall wow a lot at the thriftiness of this boutique effect.

How festive are your nails?

Sachet Training #3 Doctor Duve Anti-ageing Skin Cream

I sit and I stare at the packaging. Is it 'aging' or 'ageing'? My mind naturally flickers to the latter spelling. By this point I am convinced it is the latter and I head to my friend Google, just to be on the safe side. You can see for yourself the whole debacle here. As I live outside of North America I'll continue using anti-ageing and be done with it.

£129 for 50ml Jar of Clarifying Face Cream

£115 for 30ml Tube of Eye Cream

Doctor Stefan Duve, pronounced exactly like the bedspread, claims this is perfect for priming skin before and after aesthetic surgery. Lovely. Hefty price tag to match, growth factors must be expensive whatever they may be.

I don't know how keen I am on layering acid on to my clear skin, even if it is hyaluronic. An extensive search as to what this meant left me flustered but I think it aids cell reproduction.  The plus side to this cream is the fact that it is totally fragrance and colour free. Still, this type of sample just does not appeal to me.

The eye cream was suitable for my sensitive skin, it eliminated puffiness but my tender skin was left feeling dry and nothing really differentiates it from the face cream.

The same thing in two stingy packages. 

I won't be heading out to buy this. In actual fact I'm quite glad it is such a small sample, I can swiftly move on to the next.

Which spelling do you prefer? Aging just looks wholly strange to me!

Any anti-ageing eye creams you can recommend? Feel free to leave me links below.

My final She Said Beauty Box

So I arrived home from my invalid holiday to the final beauty box from She Said Beauty. I had been hearing disappointing things. I was kind of used to it at this point; being asked if my tonsillectomy included the removal of both of my infected useless tonsils was just the start of it.

Next thing; Norovirus. (December did indeed spawn a horrible monster).

 THE LESS SAID ABOUT THAT THE BETTER!

It took all my energy, but wowsers, I've photographed my beauty box to share with you all.

I'm certainly intrigued by the Doctor Duve products, they come with a pretty hefty price tag.

 £115.00 for the anti-ageing firming eye cream 30ml

£129.00 for the Skin Boosting Cream 50ml.

This cream is marketed as a wonder cream for mature or demanding skin. One trick I learned from Mizz magazine? The earlier you use anti-ageing products the more benefits you get. Prevention is better than cure. I'm not sure that I'm fond of the word acid on the packaging when it claims to be natural yet innovative. Hmmm. We shall see.

Luxuriating in festive bliss will be fun with 24K Gold Under Eye Masks by Jamela. I could look like a festive Lady Gaga! Imagine that! I am so looking forward to that post!

They look fairly yellow in this picture, but they are gold in colour and vacuum packed with a liquid in a pack with no instructions. I'm guessing it's fairly straight forward, the name gives it away, but you never know!

So I found their website and I think I'll be haunted for life.

Cleopatra does luxury, now where is my bottle of asp's milk?

Here is the rest of the goodies included in the box. I won't bore you with the trivial details but technics? Reeaaaallly? 

I don't know which beauty box to try next now that SSB aren't doing anymore. Glossybox? I am up for ultimate luxury. You can find me on She Said Beauty here.

Which beauty boxes do you like? 

For all the trouble of making it paraben free they can't get the packaging right.
£25.00 for 100ml

Xmas treat: Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask - hardly seasonal.
Retail price £1.50

technic - Tawny Port nail varnish
Retail price of £1.25

£5.40 for 15 whole leaf bags of tea.

Lastly luxury tea to have while I bathe in asps milk with gold eye masks under my eyes. 

Oh the glamour!

Thursday's travel-sized tresses: ORGANIX Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

You may, or may not be aware that I am trying to pace myself on the products by doing some serious sachet training. We can all go rushing out to the shops and spend on the latest development in the hair care and cosmetics industries. No not me. I'm using samples from beauty boxes and travel sized products to sample and review.

This week the shampoo and conditioner trying to tame my unruly, dry, fine and brittle hair is the renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner by Organix.

Travel sized Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner 88.7ml £1.99

Oils are a big thing now, right? Argan oil, mythic oil, macadamia oil? Oils feel so much more luxurious, especially in this cold weather where central heating blasts is and frost dampens it. Short of putting honey on my hair I tried the next best thing.

At £1.99 you get a fairly large sample, worth pretty much a whole week on my shoulder length hair. The only way I can think to describe the product is like the Royal Jelly talc and body lotion sets, slightly peach in hue with a rich exotic scent.

You can buy the full size shampoo & conditioner at Boots for £6.99 a piece. 

They claim the formula is hundreds of centuries old. I am sure they mean the oil and not the shampoo, did they use shampoo hundreds of centuries ago? The shampoo lathers into an indulgent foam but the conditioner merely coats my fine hair with protective sheen. My hair is left feeling soft and shiny but still quite brittle.

I'm sure Morrissey would approve of this highly environmentally friendly product using post consumer resin, whatever the hell that is!

Healthy ends. What more could you ask for? 

Thursday is obvs the day to talk about hair. Click here to see more Thursday Tresses.

Sachet Training #2 Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint Beige 02

Today I decided to give my face a bit of a breather. I soaked it in the last of my Night in Shining Armour by Soap & Glory overnight. It has such a truly sumptuous and luxurious scent to it. (Again with the witty name; always a sucker for a witty name!) I mentioned it in my first ever blog. You can't go without a night cream; it provides an ultimate base, before you even mention primers and BB creams.

Well it just wouldn't be Soap & Glory without its trademark wit and retro packaging.I'm considering a change for my next skincare staple, it feels as if my skin is getting used to this one, and sometimes my face can feel rather oily in the morning.

Liz Earle's Sheer Skin Tint 02 Beige

I haven't tried Liz Earle before but I was lucky enough to get a few samples from a friend. I feel I am making a more informed choice about products since joining the blogosphere and people RAVE ABOUT THIS STUFF! Well lots of people are posting stuff as she appears to have an advent calendar, I've been distracted by TattooedTeaLady's Liz Earle's Advent Calendar. (You can click here to see her post of the first week's goodies!)

I always opt for the warmer shade to my skintone. I can be drastically pale but I prefer to have a honeyed glow. In this case it was beige 02 as it said it would suit most caucasian skin tones. I'm not sure the inside of my wrist is the closest colour to my face but here is a swatch!

I was surprised at the amount of coverage it gave from such a frugal droplet. I found it quite difficult to spread as the formula is quite thick. I loved the feel of it on my skin, it was refreshing, but nowhere near light weight. Disappointed slightly, I dabbed dots all over my face and tried to stretch them together. I found it difficult to blend, it took a whole lot longer than usual. 

After it had settled in I felt it gave long lasting coverage as this photo was taken after several hours wear, and the thick balmy consistency tricked my mind into believing my skin, albeit briefly, could face the cold wind for a few hours. 

It was nice for a day off foundation, but I'm sure I'd end up using too much product if I bought a whole tube. The sachet training has paid off.

What tinted moisturisers do you love? 

Matte Finish: more high-end than rat look.

No one told me that matte black nail polish looks so classy. A subtle change that works well, I'm really pleased with the expensive effect a matte top coat creates.

First a good base is needed. Nails stain easily but the stains can't be removed that easily. Trust me; I've done it too many times to think about it.

Dark nails make fingers look longer and slimmer. I wasn't overly keen on a crackle coat until I bought a lovely gold colour, so wasn't convinced I was going to achieve the Chanel Black Velvet effect I was striving for.

After a recent post I went in search of a mattifying top coat gratefully aided by my beauty loving friends. I had seen an Essie version but was not willing to pay the £8.99 price tag.

Bourjois & Rimmel Matte topcoats.

Well I was just beside myself. Boots had an offer buy one get second half price (I think boots have eventually cottoned on that three items would be considered a haul and therefore frivolous). I opted for the cheaper of the two and made a handy little beauty set how to guide. 

Please do feel free to comment and leave links, have you ever tried matte finish or so matt? What did you think? 

I endeavor to let you know how long this mani lasts!

High-end nails in no time.
with Nails Inc., Rimmel London

I am really surprised with the effect it creates. I'm pretty darn sure Morrissey wouldn't recognise it as a fake. 

Nail Wraps for the National Front Disco

One of my pet hates is painting my toe nails. They all seem to squish up against each other so I end up with painted toes rather than nails. I would do anything to have them done in an instant. I'm so clumsy that I generally steer well clear of nail art that requires precision; the one hand will look fine, well the other? We'd best not mention that.

Nail art is a trend that sooner or later you just have to try. Colour changing nail polish, magnetic patterning polish, holographic, heavy duty glitter, safe to say there is much more than your average UV top coat that was scientific feat way back in the '90s. They even sell nail wraps in Primark now. Encouraged by my last experience: MUA's Nail Constellation in scorpio I gave some cheap glittery nail wraps a try.

When I bought them I found I had to wade through big piles of patriotic union flag nail stickers and foils. There has been a very specific trend that glued itself to the country's nails for two whole weeks this year; the one where everyone, I MEAN EVERYONE tried to paint a union flag on one, if not all of their nails! I just wore the earrings and a tee shirt I thought revolutionary in 2004. 

Anyway. I tried nail wraps and they worked! All you need to do is choose the right size, possibly shape too. Most seemed to fit my nails nicely even if I did have to jump two spaces on the nail scale leaving me with the thought that my feet are really strange. After that you fold the excess wrap over and file downwards until the nail peeps through. It makes the wrap perforate and separate from the nail easily. Seal it with a top coat 'for a longer lasting effect' or in my case to stop me peeling off the sticker that it really is!

Despite the weird toes I think it is quite a good effect. No painful toe separators needed, just a little bit of patience and a nail file. Now I know I'm no expert but I could do them!

WE ALL KNOW I LOVE A BIT OF GLITTERING GOLD LEOPARD PRINT.

I'm saving my finger nails for a treat with a matte top coat tomorrow, but that's for another time.

Have you tried anything new? You should, you could surprise yourself!

What a difference it makes...

I can't begin to describe such a little thing that makes a big difference.

Being a big believer in skincare I have found another product that I totally adore thanks to a beauty box. A She Said Beauty Box. Pleased with the large sample I smothered it on, not thinking it would last the whole week.

Lovely cream that seeps into the skin, locking in moisture overnight. Tendency for very dry skin, especially during the winter months. It took a week to use the 5ml sample from the She Said Beauty box. At first I did not think it was rich enough, and the smell was a bit grannyish, but I have found my skin to be beautiful and supple in the mornings, without leaving a layer of grease. It didn't feel as if it was clogging my pores making fertile ground for spots and black heads but rather left my cheeks fresh and ready for make up!

I love my night time routine. I trick my body into falling asleep. So much so that I actually have grown fond of the rose granny scent. I reminds me of a few summers ago when I wore nothing but Paul Smith's Rose. Delicate is the word I am looking for.

[Tenuous Morrissey link: All his fans want to get on stage and give him a blue rose. Not me, I just have quiet admiration from a distance and that is enough for me]




So if 5ml lasts a week then 30ml should last a month. So £14.95 for a full size tube is a reasonable price for one made so environmentally and Morrissey friendly. I'm just lamenting the end of my free sample. Still, it could always be worse.

I said I couldn't begin; before you know it I've ended my beauty diatribe.



Do you have any night time tricks? I'd love to hear about them.

Budget Beauty Wishlist #1

Bereft of brain space to think up a witty title.

So as I have been wandering the blogosphere I have discovered how beauty bloggers work. Key words are: haul, swatch, wishlist, trend oh and not forgetting giveaway! This afternoon I went to look at make up in my local town centre. It's a good hobby; so many free sprays.

I was planning to do swatches on my arm and take photos but the rain and the angry Newportonians soon put me off doing that. The trouble with Newport is the lack of a good department store.  The only one,'Wildings',is a scene straight out of  'Are You Being Served?' The problem caused by the lack of a good department store is the the scarcity of high-end make up to try and well I just love high-end make up and fragrance. (I especially like trying it for free.)

As I brave the internet sales torture I am going to compile a high-end wish list and a budget wishlist. I thought of this when I tested some cosmetics at your standard boots make up counter. (Note, and note well that I did not look at Boots No7 or the the tiny clinque bar - strictly High Street if you will.)

Lusting over Chanel's 'Black Velvet' nail polish for too long before I realise it was only a special edition will teach me not to try things sooner.

As modeled here by the beautiful Karen-O. So I know right, I know I want the Kate Moss lipstick with matte black nails. Superb. Make the bling stand out even more, right? The Chanel one isn't to be found, especially in the deepest darkest depths of Newport. It came out over a year ago, would it be retro to bring it back? 

Had my paws all over the nails inc. and OPI websites. Do you think I could find one? NO. How could you make a polish go matte? Oh Essie, they have the answer to everything nail related.

Essie's matte about you in Superdrug. £8.99. I'm sure I have seen it cheaper but I can't remeber the brand. Still I suppose I could make any of my polishes have a matte appearance with this and not just have a rarely used Chanel piece in my polish collection. 

This happens to be another budget beauty item on my wishlist.

I saw Rimmel London's gel pot eyeliner in aubergine priced at a reasonable £6.49 in Boots and Superdrug, both of which have associated cosmetics offers. It is a rich pigmented waterproof liner that takes some work to get moved! The best thing about the product is the brush which is kept in the lid. No more fussing and finding the tiny applicator brushes you get with other sorts of liner that comes from a pot. I have this in black, and violet or aubergine rather will look rather spectacular against my deep brown eyes. Sometimes, it's a handy trick to dip a kohl pencil in the pot and use that to set the eyeliner in place. 

I'm looking forward to 'doing a haul' and sharing the results. Tell me of any budget beauty finds you keep on your wishlist or links to your blog. I like them too!

This blogging malarkey is catching on, addictive isn't it?

Such a little thing.

"Such a little thing..."

My trip to the threading bar.

Yes, I know it's Movember. I'd love to be a mo sista, but my pride lets me down. I just cannot leave my upper lip lined with downy blonde hair that people assure me they can't see. A side effect of PCOS that drives me to the biggest Tesco in Europe of a Thursday to get my facial hair threaded. Great fun. I've started something here, the first time I had it done. I have to get myself in to a trance like state in the middle of a busy supermarket. Is a supermarket salon is a step up from a shopping centre or the window of a Superdrug? I'm not too sure. Halfway through when I am on the verge of feinting I have to drag myself back from the brink. I always consider walking out after one eyebrow now it happens right before she tells me she is done. 

I just love the benefits of threading. I don't so much love the pain. Next time I think I'll have ten pots of porridge and a sugary tea to deal with the kind of shock my body goes through when being errrr threaded? Such a little thing, but it makes such a huge difference to my make up and face. 

I have heard them be described as HD eyebrows as '"it's what the celebs do when they are going to be on high definition TV."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     So I googled 'scousebrow' and images of Kate Middleton appear. See, classy? Refined? 









































 I like to call them my HD scousebrows. I absolutely love it when thick heavy eyebrows are on trend. So therefore I like mine thick and groomed and full of colour. 

Can you imagine how mortified I was to discover that the ummm threadist had taken pretty much all of my brows except for a tiny line? Well, very is the answer. Thankfully I have an amazing product to help me colour them in on a daily basis. 

You can't mention brows without mentioning Benefit's amazing browzings. If I am going for a more dramatic look I will always use the pigmented wax separately; defining the shape. Then I use the lighter powder to keep them all in perfect nick ALL DAY! If i'm in a rush I tend to use the wax and powder all at once and it also does the trick and lasts for ages.

There are three different shades to choose from. As I have red hair I chose the medium variant and I love how rich the colour is. The hard angle brush and smooth wax consistency makes the product gilde on without leaving a heavy residue. Gone are the days of clear mascara or vaseline to hold the enormous brows in shape. 

Thing is, now that I have started threading, I'm just going to have to carry on. I could never go back to plucking, tweezers are evil and it makes the hair grow thicker. After an unsightly rash on my top lip after using a depilatory cream I couldn't bring myself to buy another. So that is how I ended up sitting in the middle of a supermarket on a Thursday evening, well in the zone.A month of psyching myself up for the next round in the threading ring.

Still, they help me pull a good non impressed Morrissey face.

Two free samples from awesome total moisture range or porefessional here!

The Girl Least Likely To.

Well I just know there is a real scarcity of beauty blogs out there I thought I'd try my hand at it myself. You need a unique angle. You see, it appears to me that the most die hard Morrissey fan is generally male I figure I'll have a niche audience.

What, should I be plaguing companies for samples, showing them my writing portfolio? Nah, I've got a wealth of product right here. So I'm going to review some of my skincare staple diet.

First up; Soap & Glory's Night in Shining Armour.

You can't mention Soap & Glory without commenting on its glorious packaging. We all know that, it is the first rule of beauty blogging. This cream is a sumptuous treat for the skin. If you have overly dry skin like mine but a tendency to break out in spots, also sadly like me, then this cream is a little greasy but it remarkably soaks in to the skin overnight. So I woke up with the skin of a radiant goddess even if I didn't feel like one at six forty-five the morning after. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't already sold on the witty name, but that's just me.

It would be a sin against beauty blogging if I didn't mention my secret weapon. Should I? Really? Go on then; Benefit's Moisture Prep Toning Lotion.  Helps with daily radiance, I like daily radiance. The shinier the better, I'm all for a dewy face! It primes the skin for the treat of night cream. Smoothing it over the skin before some BB cream in the day works well too.

Using this my skin feels supple and moist. That is always a bonus as I seem to scrunch my face into a thousand expressions in a single day.