Wednesday 30 March 2011

My all time favourite makeup brush...

Hello, Hola, Bonjour!

I thought I'd let you guys into one of my secrets, my favourite makeup brush! Well, it's not much of a secret, if you asked me, I'd tell you! But I thought I should mention it on this blog as it's a brush I feel would benefit a lot of people, is multifunctional, is a perfect starter brush to edge you into makeup brushes.. and is over all amazing!

So *drumroll please*, this brush is the MAC 217 Brush!


This brush is AA-MA-ZING!
It can occupy so many functions;

Eyeshadow blending brush
Concealer brush
Adding on more pressed powder brush
Highlighter brush
Blusher brush
Special effects brush
Eyeshadow brush

It is definitely worth the money! I first and foremost use it for putting eyeshadow on, if I'm rushing and just want say two colours, I'll whip a pale shade all over my lid, then the brush is the perfect shape to just add a darker shade in my crease for a touch of contrast - lovely!
If I'm doing a smokey eye and it's just too dark or the dark bits are in the wrong place, I lighten them by using this brush to apply pressed powder over the area!
I highlight cheekbones, down the nose and the brow bone with this nifty brush!
You can create a slight wash of blusher by sweeping this over the cheeks with a tiny bit of product on.
If you need to blend out harsh lines, this is perfect for the job!
Apply concealer with this bad boy!!

This brush is quite simply wonderful, it's my desert island brush for sure! What's your favourite brush?


xxxxxx

Want flawless skin?

Hello dears!

So I thought I'd give you an insight into how I do girlies makeup at photoshoots, and many a time they can't believe what their skin looks like! It's my super magic makeup secret (although I'm about to share it with the world hahaha). I don't believe in keeping secrets about how to look great, that's just mean! So if you want super hot skin, follow my magic recipe!

First, moisturise your skin with either Cetaphil moisturiser, MAC Complete Comfort Creme or Origins Starting Over Age Erasing Moisturiser. (Use Cetaphil on dry skin, Origins for more oily skin, and MAC more any skin type). Let this soak in for about 5 - 10 mins (I do my hair while I'm letting moisturiser soak in!)

Now prime your skin with MAC Prep and Prime Skin (IT'S AMAZING), it sorts oiliness, evens up dry bits, lovely! ..
Now blot any excess oil with a tissue (preferably a pink one ;) ),

Now apply Loreal True Match Foundation with your fingers, I use about two and a half pumps for my whole face and neck (I like thick foundation), for models with fab skin, I use one pump only on problem areas. If your skin shade is inbetween two shades, then buy them both, and use a pump from each..... orrrrr, another good foundation method I often use is to use a lighter shade on my highlighting areas (shown in yellow in the pic below), and a darker shade of foundation for contouring areas (the purple bits) - the bits that haven't been coloured yellow or purple are just an equal mix of both colours :) Because this foundation is so pigmented and medium/full coverage you won't need any concealer for any naughty patches!

You can see these areas quite well in the pic from my portfolio below;
(Photographer; Lynn Cameron, Model; Nina Haanes Hessen)

If I'm having an oily skin day and need something to really really grip onto my skin I mix Loreal True Match with some MAC Face and Body Foundation. I do love this stuff, if you want a dewy look, it's perfect mixed with Loreal True Match for more coverage, or used alone! Cheryl Cole uses it! ;) Again dab with a tissue if you're still a bit oily.

If you have really bad scarring, acne, eczema, skin discolouration... I would recommend using Vichy Dermablend Foundations (they're about £14 from Boots or online). I have really really really red/pink undertones in my skin as well as eczemaey bits sometimes, so I use that when my skin's being naughty haha! It is so thick and goes on just like normal foundation but has the most high coverage you would believe! They use this stuff in hospitals for masking skin discolorations. Although beware, it smells gross! You could even mix this with MAC Face and Body or Loreal True Match for your desired finish! :) (with face and body it'd dilute it a little so you'd still get good coverage but also look slightly dewy... with loreal true match you'd get a more matte good coverage look).

Now I use MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural Powders, with a sponge. I sometimes use a brush, but that's more often with a brush like the MAC 217 to concentrate powder on certain areas. I find a sponge means you can really smooth and pat the powder on where you want it (however, this can also be a very unhygienic method so make sure you use new sponges/wash them lots). Again, I often use a light shade for the highlight areas, and a darker shade for the contour areas. This means that my face looks naturally very shapely, and like I have cheekbones! Yey! I've done this on all my models and they've often been shocked at how the shape of their face changes, and how much more 'naturally beautiful' they seem to look with this super easy skin smoothing technique. Ashleigh even said she looked airbrushed!

If your skin is liable to having your pinky red undertones show through, I'd suggest using the MAC Mineralise Skin Finishes together with a more fuller coverage powder. Personally I absolutely love the MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powders, and especially the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, they're both amazing, and again apply with a sponge.

Here's some more examples of skin I have created!;

(Model; Nicole Abbott)

Models; Leanne Neicho and Hayley Camis

Photographer; Lance Burkitt, Model; Katy Coffey of BMA Model Management


Photographer; Lance Burkitt, Model; Ashleigh Edwards Pitt of BMA Model Management

On top of all these makeup products, obviously you should try and eat well, drink lots of water, do lots of exercise.. you know what I'm on about! :)
Hope this has helped you all!


xxxxxxx

Monday 28 March 2011

Want to be VERY fake tanned?

Hey sweeties,

So the other night when I got out of the bath my skin was super pale, red and blotchy - just gross! I really dislike my natural skin tone, so always wear dark foundation and fake tan (when I remember haha).. Well, what with moving house I managed to misplace my usual go to fake tanner - St Moritz instant self tanning mousse and my tanning mitt.

So I made a makeshift self tan creation, and it was AMAZING! I exfoliated with exfoliating gloves and Sanex Dermo Sensitive Bath/Shower Wash (it's amazing, my eczema loves it!), the only bath/shower wash that never ever irritates my skin! :)
Then when I got out of the bath I moisturised my dry bits and problem tanning areas (like knees, ankles, elbows, face...) and dried myself off. The using Primarks tanning mitt, St Moritz instant self tanning mist and St Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan Mousse I created my own self tanner! And boy was it fab! I used a good huge squirt of St Moritz, and a huge squirt of mousse too for each 'limb' and really rubbed it in to ensure there was no naughty dark or light patches. The only problem was the mist really sets into your skin in about 5 seconds, so you have to rub hard if any bits stain darker than others, but if you're quick off the mark this shouldn't happen! :) I went out that night and was super brown! But then, next morning, I woke up, and when I looked into my mirror I almost fell off my chair!!! I was SO BROWN! More tanned than I've ever been by going on holiday! I reckon the gradual tanner was really accentuated by the normal fake tan, and led to a super hot tan!

Just make sure you end up like this;
don't end up looking like this!...

Top ways to remove patchy fake tan;

Rub lemon juice and sugar onto the area with a cotton pad.
Spot or exfoliating pads will remove bad bits!

Try out my magical mixture, or create your own! :)

Another important thing to remember is that fake tan does not harm you in anyway at all, a natural tan from on holiday or even in the garden at home is so so dangerous! I've studied this at college and uni and cannot stress enough how dangerous the suns natural rays are! It causes damage for years that you can't see, so skin cancer is increasing in chance on your body and you don't even realise! Sun beds are even worse! They are like a concentrated holiday in about 10 minutes - think about all the sun cream your mom daubed you in when you were on holiday! It was on for a reason! Our skin is so delicate! You see all those wrinkly ladies that are super brown, the excess wrinkles are due to the suns damage!!!! Try and wear an SPF in your foundation or moisturiser, or just wear sun cream everyday (even in winter in the UK!), and I guarantee you'll be wrinkle free for a lot longer! Become a fake tan ambassador like me! :D Plus it's so more convenient! If you're looking a bit pale before a night out you can't just nip on holiday to look browner! With fake tan you can :D Enjoy experimenting, and keep sun safe,

xxxxxxxx

My favourite hair products

Hello lovelies!

I have very unruly and dry hair that splits a lot and is quite untamable! My hair's always been like this, and sometimes I love it cos I have fab bedhead hair, other times I hate it cos I look insane haha! My hair also has bad split ends (about an inch worth) because, get this, I haven't had it cut since I was 13! That's 6 years! I've done quite alright by myself though haha :) But as I've had no intervention from hairdressers, it's meant I've had to find and try out things myself and finally, 6 years later, I've found the perfect winning combination, which I shall share with you all!
But, before you rush out to buy these products, remember that we all have different hair types, so while this might be perfect for my dry and unruly hair, it might not be perfect for thin hair!

Rightio, first I shampoo with 'Osmo Deep Moisturising Shampoo'. This is to inject a huge amount of moisture and care into my hair whilst also rinsing out gross residue. I wash my hair once with shampoo.

Next up I make a big concoction of conditioning lovliness to keep my hair really soft nourished and shiny. I use a big squeeze (about 3 50p sizes worth) of Osmo Deep Moisturising Conditioner, another huge chunk (about 8 OXO cube sizes! (it's the only thing I could think of to explain size hahaha) of Osmo Intensive Deep Repair Mask, and about 4 bottle squeezes of Rusk Scream Hair Dye in Hot Pink. I leave this concoction on my hair for atleast fifteen minutes, longer if possible, and then wish it out with the minimum amount of cool water.

After this I towel dry my hair with a dark towel (there's always pink residue after I wash my hair) and pour on about two 10p size worths of Osmo Berber Hair Treatment Oil, this really locks in moisture and gives my hair a super shine :) It also reduces frizz and smooths my split ends.

My hair gets luggy very easily so I always rub a big dollop of Avons Banana and Coconut Detangling Cream through my hair, and it means brushing is always easy! :)

Now I just dry my hair :)
If I'm curling my hair, I use VO5 Strong Hold hair spray to keep my curls locked in :) I love the pink bottle!

When my hair is almost ready for washing I'll make it look lovely and ungreasy and textured by using Batiste Dry Shampoo with the Tropical Scent (I tried to branch out from tropical and use 'blush' and everytime I use it it gets stuck right in my throat and I stink like old ladies all day! On the other hand tropical smells lovely! :) )

I also use a special brush for my hair, it's honestly the only one that gets through my lugs easily and in a pain free way! It's the Denman Hyflex Vent Brush. They're really hard to come by nowadays so if I ever see one I buy about 5 to save for the future haha!


* ALL OSMO PRODUCTS I GET FROM SALLY'S *


Other coloured hair haircare tips;
Limit the amount water gets on your hair as much as possible!
Use cold water to rinse products out from your hair (well use cold water on your hair as much as you can bear it)
Try and wash it less, it'll keep the colour longer.
Use dry shampoo to give it a boost between washes.

Hope that's helped you guys! Tell me your top products for your hair type :)


xxxxxxxx

Friday 25 March 2011

How to get PINK HAIR! (and bleach hair!)


Hello ladies and gents,

So I thought all you plain haired people out there might like a quick 'how-to' on how to get lovely pink hair, cos we all know pinkies have more fun! We need more beautiful ladies to step over to the pink side and push their confidence demons away! Be empowered and do your hair how you've always wanted to, whether your 15 or 50!


So to go pink, you will almost definitely (unless you have super blonde hair already) need to bleach your hair. This sounds daunting but honestly, it's not! Bleaching can actually benefit your hair, I know mines been in super condition since I bleached it! If you're worried and have the pennies, I would recommend leaving your hair in the hands of the professionals. Just lay back and let them do all the hard work for you! If you're like me and could do without spending lots of money, then here's your DIY Pink hair guide;

I'd recommend cutting off a bit of your hair perhaps at the back and practising the process on that hair, so you can see what colour your hair is going to end up! (and get used to the process).

So first you're going to need to bleach it, you can get bleach kits from places like Boots or Superdrug for about £6, but if you're hair is longer than long boys hair then I'd really recommend getting about 4 boxes of the stuff! The last thing you want to do is run out of bleach half way through. Plus if your hair is much darker than mucky blonde then you might need to bleach twice. Sally's does hairdressing size bleach stuff, and you can get the peroxide and the powder for about £15 altogether so it might be worth your while investing! Also make sure you have a tint brush! It'll make bleach SO much easier to apply!

Protect your skin with a VERY thick layer of moisturiser all round your hairline and on your neck, and also apply vaseline and any other barrier products, the thicker the layer the better - you won't regret protecting your skin! (also do this when you have the pink dye on your hair).

Now follow the bleaching instructions on the packet, and ensure that when you're mixing the peroxide (if you want to be super safe use 30 vol peroxide) with the powder, that it mixes into a smooth paste, with the consistency of a little runnier toothpaste! This was the main mistake I made when first bleaching my hair, it was thick like the texture of hair putty, not good! And when applying it to hair apply VERY LIBERALLY! And by that I mean just completely cover your head and pile loads more on! Then there's no chance you've missed any!

I'd really recommend watching this video for a proper hands on guide;


If the bleach itches when it's on your head (it will!) then try and cope with it, however if it's unbearable, wash the bleach off and start again!

Also note that you may have to bleach your hair twice in the same sitting (ignore the scare mongers, this is not going to make your hair fall out!) My hair was dark brown and the first batch of bleach took my hair to a browny orange colour, the next batch of bleach took my hair to a blondey orange (the orange is impossible to get rid of out of my hair haha!). Leave the bleach on for maximum 1 and a half hours, if it's still not blondey white enough after this time, wash it off, then apply new bleach and wait again. If it reaches the required colour in less than an hour and a half then lucky you! Wash it off! :) Also don't forget that the bleach reaction happens quicker with heat, so apply bleach to your roots last - they'll bleach up super quickly!

When you wash the bleach out of your hair, like me you'll probably have yellow or orange tones in your hair still, and these will translate through the pink to give you peachy tones, so try to cancel these before popping the pink dye on by using a toning silver shampoo.
I got mine from the chemist for about £4, they're aimed at old ladies I think, but it'll help remove those orangey yellowey tones from your hair. Now you're hair should look something like this!!!....


Now don't worry if your hair doesn't look like Christina's - but well done if it does! Mine has never looked like that, it is always multi-ginger and blonde-tonal hahaha! But the pinks always gone on OK over that :)

Now it's time to go pink!

Pop your pink dye on as instructed on the bottle (I really recommend Rusk's pink dye, it's amazing!!) The only brand I've tried and not particularly liked as it's not strong enough to cover the orangey bits is Directions La Riche.
Now leave this on for about 20 minutes more than the bottle recommends (don't add 20 mins on for bleach though!) - (the dye will stop working about 20 minutes after the recommended time to put it on your hair, so there's no point having it on much longer than that!). I generally leave it on for 15 minutes and it's always been OK! :)

Now is the tricky part! You have to get as little water on your hair as possible to wash the dye out, and if any water gets on it, try and make it cold water - that'll ensure the colour lasts longer!

You really need to go to town conditioning your hair after the bleaching and dyeing process! Use super strong conditioning stuff, I like Osmo's intense deep repair mask (get it from Sally's or buy online), it's super cheap and smells divine! Leave any conditioning stuff you have on for about 15 minutes! Then rinse out again with the minimum amount of water possible - with COLD water! I know its not nice, but it'll make your hair colour last lots longer and be more vibrant! Plus it's good for the hair follicles to be shocked with the cold water which makes them shut, meaning more shiny less frizzy hair! :)

Now just dry and style your hair how you want!
To ensure longevity of your hair dye, try to wash your hair as little as often! Kinda gross I know but my hair seems to be not greasy for longer now it's pink! Also, you're probably going to need to dye your hair everytime your wash it! I do this by mixing half dye, half the osmo conditioner and leaving that mix on my hair for 15 minutes, that way it's getting dyed and nourished at the same time :)

Look at these beautiful pink ladies!..



So now you know how to go from this;

me ;)

To this!!!..... :)

eeep! new year (almost), new hair!

Happy pink hair!



Loves, Emily xoxoxox