Lauren Conrad & WAH Giveaway Winner!

Hey everyone!
A quick winner announcement today and then I'll be back to posting about regular things.

The winner of the Lauren Conrad Beauty book and the WAH Nails Book of Nail Art is, as selected at random by Rafflecopter....
Catherine (@missladyliquor!)

I have tweeted and emailed you already for your address. Get back to me within 24 hours! Congratulations.

I wish everyone could have won a prize this time around, but if you didn't don't worry, hopefully I'll soon hit 1000 subscribers and I'll do something then!

S xx

Stila Giveaway Winner!

Hey everyone!
A quick post today as I am not feeling super well, to let you know who won the Stila giveaway! Don't worry if you didn't win, you still have time to enter my contest to win the Lauren Conrad Beauty book and the WAH Nails Book of Nail Art - just click here.

The winner of the giveaway, as determined at random by Rafflecopter, is:

Sophia Ford of Tattooed Tealady! I've emailed & tweeted you to let you know so just send me an email with your details and I'll ship off your prize ASAP.

Sorry to those who didn't win this time around but don't forget my other giveaway, and that I tend to have them a couple times a year so stay tuned!

S xx

MAC GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Hey everyone!
Sorry I was absent yesterday, just trying to get caught up on work. Now though, I'm excited to announce the winner of the MAC Viva Glam I lipstick giveaway!

The winner is....Emma F.!

Emma, I have already emailed you to tell you you have won.You have 24 hours to write back or I'll pick someone else! Congratulations!

For those who didn't win, don't worry, you can still win a Stila eyeliner set here, or two beauty books by Lauren Conrad and WAH Nails here. Hurry though, because they finish tomorrow and Friday respectively!

S xx

Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows: Weekly Round-Up

Hi everyone! Hope you had a great week! Enjoy the latest post from Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows!

Weekly question: What is your biggest frustration when it comes to makeup?

Seonaid's answer: My brows! They are so unruly, simultaneously thick, unarched and sparse in parts. No matter how hard I try I can't get that smooth, arched, groomed look that seems to come easily to other people. Any tips for me?

This week's links:
Affairs Magazine- is on vacation in Morocco this week!
Beauty & Baggage -  kicks off her Christmas giveaway week!
Fashionable Heart  - shares some pictures from IMATS!
Massachusetts Mask - is still recovering from working on Black Friday!
Norwegian Elephant - unveils the first part of her birthday/Christmas wishlist!

What's your biggest makeup frustration?

S xx

Weekend Supplement #18

Hey everyone!
How was your week? Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to all my American readers! This week, most of my internet surfing has been built around a central theme; uninhabited places of the world. There is something so fascinating, and often terribly sad, about abandoned cities, ghost towns, and empty islands. So I dug in and did some research:

See the abandoned island city of Hashima, as Messy Nessy Chic takes us into the latest Bond villain's lair.

Mental Floss discusses ten uninhabited islands, and the reasons for their being empty of people, in this fascinating article.

Urban Ghosts explores nine ghost stations of the underground - these photographs are spectacular, and it's odd to think of these spaces lying unused right under our feet.

Image: Tattooed Tea Lady

My blog pick this week is Tattooed Tea Lady, one I'm sure you already know. But if you don't click on over, it's awesome you'll be clicking back through the archives in no time!

S xx

Blanx Giveaway Winner!

Hey everyone!

Just a quick post today to announce the Blanx giveaway winner, as determined by the Rafflecopter widget.

The winner is... Aiimee Bumble-Beeh!

I have already contacted you via whatever means you provided in the form! Get in touch ASAP so I can forward your address to Blanx and they can send you your prize! If you don't respond within 24 hours a new winner will be chosen.

Congratulations!

And everyone else, don't fret. You still have a chance to win a MAC lipstick, Stila gift set, or some beauty books in my Christmas giveaways.

S xx

My Top 5 Winter Nail Picks

Hey everyone!

Today I thought it might be nice to share the nail polishes I think I've worn, and will be wearing, the most over the winter season. This time of year, I get into deep blues, dark reds, and Christmassy glitters.

Illamasqua Propaganda may be discontinued, but if you can get ahold of it, it's a shiny, deep Prussian blue. Essie Dive Bar (£7.99) is a dark, blackened duochrome shimmer that dries shiny and smooth with flashes of teal. Essie Solemate (£7.99) is a creamy, darkened plum. Revlon's Facets of Fuchsia is a much hyped shade that applied well over dark cream polishes, with multi-sized fuchsia glitters in a thin black base. Models Own Scarlet Sparkle (£5) is a slightly gritty bright red glitter that applied opaque in three coats, and will add a Christmas feel to your nails.

What are your top nail polish picks this season?
S xx

Christmas Giveaway! Part Three: Lauren Conrad Beauty & WAH Nails Book of Nail Art

Hey everyone!

Today is the third and final part of my giveaway. Don't forget you can still enter my MAC lipstick and Stila Smudge Stick Set giveaways. I'll be announcing the winners next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Today's prize are two books I feature in my gift guide: The WAH Nails Book of Nail Art, and Lauren Conrad Beauty!

Some rules/terms:

1. The giveaway is international.

2. It will last for one week (till the 29th November).

3. I will announce the winner here and via whatever contact information is given in the Rafflecopter form below.

4. No blogs or twitters created specifically to enter giveaways - it's not fair on everyone else. I do check.

5. Please be over 16 or have your parents permission.

6. Read the entry requirements - complete the mandatory entry!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Giveaway! Part Two: Stila Seeing Stars Smudge Stick Set

Hey everyone!

Today is day two, and part two, of my three-part Christmas giveaway. There is one more prize to be announced yet, but today's is the Stila Seeing Stars Smudge Stick Set, which comes with five of their smudge sticks, in some gorgeous shades. I hope you like it!

Some rules/terms:

1. The giveaway is international.

2. It will last for one week (till the 29th November).

3. I will announce the winner here and via whatever contact information is given in the Rafflecopter form below.

4. No blogs or twitters created specifically to enter giveaways - it's not fair on everyone else. I do check.

5. Please be over 16 or have your parents permission.

6. Read the entry requirements - complete the mandatory entry!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Giveaway! Part One: MAC Viva Glam I

Hey everyone!

Welcome to part one of my three-part Christmas Giveaway series! Three giveaways will be popping up over the next week, hopefully giving you enough time to receive your prize before Christmas. Today's the day of the first giveaway and here is the prize:

The gorgeous MAC Viva Glam I lipstick! I chose this lipstick as the money goes to a great cause (the MAC Aids fund) and because everyone needs a lovely matte red in their life. Hopefully you agree.

Ok, so a couple of rules/terms:

1. The giveaway is international.
2. It will last for one week (till the 28th November).
3. I will announce the winner here and via whatever contact information is given in the Rafflecopter form below.
4. No giveaway blogs/twitters - it's not fair on everyone else.
5. Please be over 16 or have your parents permission.
6. Read the entry requirements - complete the mandatory entry!

Most of all, good luck!
S xx
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Renu Soft Touch Toner

Hey everyone!

I know, I know, another skincare post. I promise more makeup related posts soon, I've just been trying to get through my backlog of products to review! Today it's all about a toner; the Monu Renu Soft Touch Toner (£22.50)* to be exact.

From what I can see on the website, this toner has since had a packaging redesign to make it fall more in line with other Monu products. This is a chunky bottle with a lot of product, especially since you don't need a lot per use. 

The formula is paraben-free, and contains hyaluronic acid which I know is a raved about skincare ingredient.

This toner is different to many others I have tried in that it doesn't smell scented, it doesn't feel astringent, and you don't use cotton pads to apply. You simply warm to product in your palms and press all over the face and neck.

This feels pretty awesome, actually, and the toner doesn't sit on your face, but rather makes it feel fresh, clean and very soft. I'm sure you could use it on a cotton pad to remove excess makeup and cleanser, but for me, I like it as a gentle, non-skin-stripping, softening product and will certainly use again.

Some toners are terrible for my skin as it's dry and they can make my skin feel tight and itchy but this does none of those things. I can't speak as to it's anti-ageing effects, but it claims those as well.

What's your favourite toner?

S xx

Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows: Weekly Round-Up

Hey everyone!
I hope everyone's been having a great week. Enjoy this week's Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows!

Weekly question: What's your least expensive beauty item, and is it any good?

Seonaid's answer: I'd say my least expensive beauty item is my MUA Lipstick in Shade 1, which is £1. It's actually one of my favourite lipsticks, and was an easy way for me to test out a red lipstick without breaking the bank. I'd highly recommend it, and you can see why if you try it yourself. A great dark glossy red.

This week's links:
Affairs Magazine - Michelle is mixing more Lush cocktails this week!
Beauty & Baggage - might have been swayed by St Tropez fake tan.
Fashionable Heart - shares what is in her purse!
Massachusetts Mask - talks about the hit or miss quality of MAC Blushes and shows her collection!
Norwegian Elephant - finds a pretty nice way to tame her fluffy 'do!


S xx

Weekend Supplement #17

Hey everyone!
I hope you've all had a lovely, lovely week. It's been pretty grey and miserable here, apart from the lovely leaves we are getting from the trees (I do love autumn, you can see how much on my Instagram feed - @seonaidbee). Here's some things I've been looking at on the internet this week to keep me cosy:

So, much to the alarm of my boyfriend I love to read wedding blogs (I promise, it's just about the cute mason jars! So what if I get a litttttle bit tearful! ). But I was always kind of weirded out that a lot of wedding blogs had only heterosexual couples; especially since I come from the UK where civil unions are legal (and in Scotland we'll soon have gay marriage!). But I recently found A Bicycle Built for Two and Wed Haute that feature LGBT engagement shoots, real weddings and all the other stuff that wedding blogs feature. They are especially touching when the weddings are held in places where gay marriage is not yet legal - I am keeping my fingers crossed that this won't be the case for much longer.

On a similar note, how awesome are Macklemore & Ryan Lewis? I first heard them on my KEXP Song of the Day podcast, but recently heard their singles Thrift Shop (Explicit) and Same Love (which gave me actual chills). Check them out. Amazing.

People dressed UP for the H&M Maison Martin Margiela drop in NYC.

Be sure to check out Stacey's amazing blog, The Makeup Edition. She has recently blogged about her trip to Japan, along with some spectacular photographs, but regularly posts on makeup and especially lipsticks, with great pictures and involved reviews.

Have a great week!
S xx

Blanx Whitening Toothpaste and Giveaway!

Hello everyone!

Today I have a post on the Blanx Advanced Whitening toothpaste (£7.85) - and you could also win a tube!

Blanx is a non-abrasive whitening toothpaste, so it doesn't have any scrubby pearls or anything in it. I much prefer this - and I quite like that it isn't incredibly minty like some other toothpastes - rather it has that quite clean, baking soda type taste that some whitening toothpastes have.
After brushing my teeth feel very clean - I don't have particularly white teeth to begin with thanks to some bad tooth staining habits - and feel I'd need professional whitening for a drastic effect to be seen. However, with consistent use of Blanx for about two and a half weeks now I would definitely say I see a difference in my teeth - they have been lifted a couple of shades lighter, if not entirely white.
I do think you have to be cautious of how much you expect from a toothpaste but this works pretty well - if your teeth are already pretty white and just need some stain removal and lifting, I would absolutely recommend this toothpaste. I'll keep using it as it keeps my teeth from going back a couple shades, and I like the non-aggressive taste.

You can win a Blanx toothpaste by filling in the Rafflecopter form below! The giveaway will run for one week. Remember to complete all 3 mandatory entry requirements! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

S xx

Philip Kingsley Elasticiser

Hey everyone!

In my current quest for good hair, I was pleased to find a sample of the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (£22.30 full size)* in my Cosmo goody bag. It's one of the most hyped hair products around, so I was interested to see if it held up to the claims.

I put a few squeezes of this into my wet hair, covered with a shower cap and left it on for twenty minutes before rinsing, and washing as normal.
I found the smell was quite nice, but that I did have to use quite a lot to get it into my whole head of hair - I can only imagine how much you'd have to use on long hair!
Once my hair was dry it looked very shiny and healthy, but it didn't feel particularly better in terms of condition. This pre-shampoo treatment did make my hair very soft, with a glossy finish and some bounce, but to be honest given the very high price I'm not sure I would repurchase.
I think you may be able to get a similar effect from other products such as the Lee Stafford mask, or perhaps a combo of hair oils and mousse, but this does the trick in one product. If you feel it works significantly better for you than other brands then by all means, go for it. I love the effect of it, I just don't like the price.

S xx

http://test.skimlinks.com

Christmas Gift Guide Part Eight: Lips and Tips

Finally, we come to the end of the gift guide for this year, wrapping up with lip and nail products. This is arguably the largest section, but I could not narrow it down. There are some amazing gift sets around this year. As always, the images and the links below are clickable.

New out this winter, Models Own Wonderland collection makes a very desirable Christmas gift - for making nails look like sparkling snowfall. For a vampier Christmas present, try the Illamasqua Glitterati and Viridian Duo. Models Own and Illamasqua are my favourite polish manufacturers. If you're buying a gift for a classic lady, why not treat her to OPI The Top Ten with a selection of traditionally beautiful shades from pale pinks to vampy reds and inky purples.

A fun, fruity stocking filler can be found in the Body Shop's Born Lippy Fruity Lip Balms, which come in a sweet lollipop case. Or try the Clarins All About Lips set, which contains the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector adored in the blogging world. If you are looking for some sheer, glossy colour, gift this Clinique Whole Lotta Colour set of bestseller Chubby Sticks. For the girl who dresses in Dita Von Teese style vintage, this Elizabeth Arden Lipstick set makes for a beautiful addition to the dressing table.

Finally, and most excitingly, the Illamasqua Lipstick set comes with a set of pinks in Eurydice, Test, Corrupt, Brink, Climax, and Scandal as well as a lip brush. While more adventurous ladies might be upset at the absence of darker colours or brights like Apocalips, this makes a really exquisite treat as a present.

S xx

St Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturiser Medium Dark

Hey everyone!
I am not usually one to fake tan - one disastrous spray-tan experience for my 18th birthday, which left me looking like I'd dipped myself in orange paint, put paid to that. But I picked up a sample of the St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturiser in Medium Dark (£14.39 full size)* -what a mouthful! - in both my ELLE and my Cosmo Blog Awards goody bag, so I thought I might as well give it a try.

I'll start by saying there are no before/after body shots because: one, it's far too cold to wear shorts and two: it's hard to take full body shots of yourself without a tripod. 

However, I have included a photo below of my face post-tan. I know it's not a facial tanner, but I couldn't let me face be a different colour to my body.

I like the packaging of this - minimal, sleek, and easy to use. The tanner has a very faint biscuit smell but it dies down straight away. The tan itself is like a white moisturiser that sinks in clear, and then develops into your tan colour. This differs from other tanners I've seen that go on dark and then wash off. 

In a way this means you can miss spots, but just try to apply all over and remember you can go over the areas each day as it's an everyday moisturiser.

Obviously, I'm very pale and this shade is probably not meant for me. In the future I'd probably go with light/medium. As it is, I mixed the tanner with a little bit of my La Roche Posay Lipikar Baume AP to thin it out before applying. I would always moisturise before fake tan anyway, but this lightened the colour for me.

I applied all over and waited till touch dry (for me, 10-15 minutes) before dressing. The colour is even, natural looking and non streaky, at least on me.

I feel like in my sallow winter months, this makes me look a lot healthier! I may be a fake tan convert. See the results below (I am not wearing makeup):

You could easily go darker if you felt like it, just don't mix with moisturiser! But given how pale I am normally this was a step in the right direction for me, and it's not so heavy that it looks fake.

Do you use fake tan? Which do you recommend?

S xx

Christmas Gift Guide Part Seven: Eyes

Finally, the Beauty & Baggage Christmas Gift Guide series makes it's way onto makeup. Today's instalment provides a selection of sets to treat others to, or to put on your Christmas list with crossed fingers. As per usual, each image is clickable, as are the links below.

For a long time, Wet n Wild products have been hard to get ahold of in the UK, so treat a friend to some of the pigmented and popular ColorIcon Trios, now available via Nelly. Or for lash-obsessed lovelies, this set of Katy Perry for Eyelure falsies provides a variety of styles for experimenting with.

Larger sets like the Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set, which comes in lovely packaging with the cult Shadow Insurance and a mascara, or the new bareMinerals Ready 8.0 Star Treatment palette (with primer, brush, and shades for the perfect smoky eye) are perfect gifts for any neutral shadow lover.

Finally, we come to the eyeliners. Almost everyone would be overjoyed to recieve the Urban Decay Smoked 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencil Set with it's six liners perfect for a sultry smoky eye. Stila consistently produce excellent Christmas gift sets, and this Seeing Stars Smudge Stick Set packages up five of their intensely pigmented, shimmery liners in one pretty box. 

S xx 

Renu Extra Firming Lip and Eye Active Lift

Hey everyone!
Another skincare bit today, and one that I'm unsure about. Let's see if you can help me decide on Renu Extra Firming Lip and Eye Active Lift (£29.95)* because I'm not sure if I'm imagining the difference.

As always, I love the slim, minimal, clean packaging and the pump dispenser. The formula of this cream is slightly thicker than I had thought it would be, but is easy to blend and doesn't feel tacky on the skin in the slightest. In fact it looks radiant and light reflecting whilst feeling relatively satiny on the skin.

One thing I do not like about this product is the scent. It dies down pretty much straight away but at first it is really overwhelming, and to my nose, not altogether pleasant. Here's my before/after. I see a difference, but I don't know if it's just me. I know the camera exposure is slightly different but in general I see a more light eye contour and a hydrated eye area. Do you?

Do you have a favourite eye cream?
S xx

Christmas Gift Guide Part Six: Haircare

Haircare can be a wonderful gift to give: for one, I find that giving people gifts of items they need to repurchase often can be both practical and thoughtful. Hopefully this guide will give you some ideas. As always, both the images and the links below are clickable.

Travel sets can be a good way to get multiple products at a value price; why not gift hyped product Philip Kingsley Elasticiser as part of his travel set? Or perhaps the Percy & Reed set, which includes my much beloved Volumising Mousse and Dry Conditioner?

Alternatively, gift sets are another way to give someone the opportunity to try out several items without shelling out for the often expensive full sizes; both the Macadamia kit, with it's coveted Deep Repair Mask, and the Lee Stafford trio, including the drugstore-favourite nourishing treatment, will hopefully be welcome presents.

If you know your recipient is in dire need of some hair rescue, I cannot recommend Phyto Phytoneutre shampoo enough - it is the one product which has genuinely turned the condition of my hair around. 

Finally, to give a friend the opportunity to partake in this years obsession with coloured dip dye or crazy all-over brights, buy a couple of Fudge Paintbox Extreme Colours and let them paint away.

S xx

VO5 Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray

Hey everyone!
I must be the only person in the world who doesn't have a can of dry shampoo constantly in her arsenal. I think we've established before that I am very lazy and bad at doing my hair, which is something I'll be trying to improve come January when I set myself a hair challenge.
However, when I received this VO5 Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray (£3.49) in my Cosmo Blog Awards bag, I thought I'd give it a go.

The spray has that talcy, powdery smell that dry shampoos have. I hold it pretty far from my head, give a spray all over, pull my hair back to get the underneath roots, and then massage into the roots with my fingers. After, I sometimes use a paddle brush to distribute the product more evenly.

I have to apologise for two things; one is my terrible roots, which I really need to get seen to (but lady hair salons are so expensive!) and the other is my greasy before picture. I let my hair get pretty bad to test the efficacy of this dry shampoo, so the before picture is kind of awful.

I think the picture speaks for itself, but in case it doesn't, this transformed my limp, greasy hair into volumised, clean looking locks. Yes, your hair will feel a little dry, a with all dry shampoos, but for a quick fix nothing is better.
I felt completely different with it in - I have never had a dry shampoo give me such good bounce before.
Also, if like me you sometimes want to wear a ponytail on gross-hair-days, but can't because your underneath layers are bad too, this works well when sprayed underneath - it gives your hair movement and body, so you can do a bouncy ponytail without looking like you've slicked your hair back.

Have you got a favourite dry shampoo? Let me know!
S xx

Around the World in 80 Eyeshadows: Weekly Round-Up

Hey everyone!
Sorry for the extremely late post today; it has been a  very long day. Hope you had a great week!
 Enjoy:

Weekly question: What's top on your beauty wishlist for the holidays?

Seonaid's answer: That's a hard question! There are a few things I'd like this year, although mostly this year I'd prefer to get a new bag to replace my one that is actually falling to bits, and maybe some winter boots? And if I'm being truthful, probably just money since I need to be saving this year.

But in terms of beauty I have a long wishlist, and at the very top are three items: the Burberry matte lipstick in 'Bright Poppy'; a YSL Glossy Stain in 'Violet Edition' and Illamasqua nail polish in 'Glitterati'.

This week's links:

Affairs Magazine - Michelle welcomed November with some great new products!

Beauty & Baggage - gets into the holiday spirit a little early with her Christmas Gift Guide!

Fashionable Heart - is excited about Toronto's IMATS!

Massachusetts Mask - is admitting her addiction to salves!

Norwegian Elephant - gives a happy dance for finding the "perfect" dupe!

So what about you guys? What's on your beauty wishlist for the holidays?

S xx

Weekend Supplement #16

Hey everyone!
I hope you've had a good week; especially you guys in America recovering in the aftermath of the storm and also having your elections this week. Sorry for relentlessly tweeting about them - I've been ill all week and was consequently up until 5am watching them here.
Aside from all that, here's what I've been looking at online this week:

If you know me, you'll know I go crazy for the Christmas season. One aspect of this is that I pick a colour theme for my gift wrap ever year (say, last year's was red and white; one year it was kraft paper; one year it was white, turqouise and gold) and buy relevant paper; tissue paper; sprinkles, ribbon, gift tags...the list goes on. That's why Gift Wrap HQ is like my dream blog - beautiful photos and handy links to the best and prettiest wrap around.

I know this has been around for a while (there's even a book!) but A Love Letter For You, the street art project in Philadelphia, is just moving and gorgeous.

Ah, style icons. I already knew about the male counterpart blog to this, but Nerd Girlfriend is amazing.

In Twin Peaks is an awesome site documenting one man's journey to visit the locations of the TV show Twin Peaks and document how those places have changed since the show was shot.

Image: teahab

Francesca's blog teahab is amazing - and I'm not just saying that because I met her in person at the Cosmo Blog Awards and she was funny and awesome. The blog has some awesome homemade jewellery tutorials (i.e. jewellery you'd actually want to make) and there is a different theme each month (for example, we just finished Shrink Plastic month). Really worth browsing through the tutorials - I'm sure one will catch your eye!

Anyway, have a great week everyone!

S xx

Monu Line Smoothing Skin Perfector

Hey everyone!

Another skincare bit on the blog today - and something I did not think I was going to like - in the form of the Monu Line Smoothing Skin Perfector (£17.50)*. Sorry that my pictures are a little grainy - getting any natural light in the increasingly short days of Scottish winter is next to impossible.

This comes in lovely packaging, I think. White and blue, so very clean and fresh looking. The fluid itself is actually very lightweight and smooth. It has quite a strong scent but I don't find it offensive.

It is full of not-so-natural ingredients, which means if you're not a fan of certain ingredients like siloxanes and silicones then this will not be for you.

I know that these are not long term solutions for your skin.

It goes on really smoothly and easily - it glides on and settles fast. This is not a radiance boosting, hydrating primer. It smoothes out imperfections and makes my skin feel satin-matte.

Here I think you can see the difference between bare skin and skin with the product applied, and beneath is how I look with makeup over the top.

I do think it makes my skin look more even. It also had the odd effect of matting down my BB cream, and making it amore satin finish as opposed to the more dewy finish I usually prefer. It did not, however, make my skin look or feel more dry. It also made the BB cream appear slightly higher coverage and last a little longer.
I enjoy this product - I didn't think I would because it gave a more matte finish than I would go for. However I think it makes the skin look naturally good - no artificial glow or super matte high coverage, just somewhere in between. I don't think I'll be using this every day though - mainly because I prefer a more glowy finish. On days where I want to look more satin skinned, this will do the job.
I feel this would work well for oily skins in that respect. I would just double check the ingredients list first!

What's your favourite primer?

Sxx

Christmas Gift Guide Part Five: Skincare

Skincare can be a tricky gift to buy - what scents do people love? What irritates their skin? It can be a minefield, and if you're unsure I'd suggest skipping it, or at least checking what the recipient keeps in their bathroom cupboard to avoid any mistakes. For Santa's benefit I will say I'd be happy with any of the above, as well as a refill of my favourite Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub and La-Roche Posay Lipikar Baume AP. But everyone is different, so think hard before purchase! As always with these guides, both the images and the links below will take you to the places you can buy them.

For French pharmacie fetishists, purchase the two-pack of Bioderma, and save them the hassle of ordering it themselves. Girls who suffer from chapped winter hands will appreciate the Happy Hands set by L'Occitane, or will perhaps be charmed by the Burt's Bees Tips and Toes Set featuring the much raved about cuticle butter.

Those of your friends and family who enjoy fragranced bath products will possibly enjoy the seasonal, popular and incredibly feminine Snow Fairy Gift from Lush; or the slightly more grown-up looking and smelling Korres Jasmine Set.

Finally, for an expensive treat for men or women, try Aesop's New York Travel Kit housed in a sleek black case and featuring favourites from their Parsley Seed range.

S xx

The Beauty Blogger Tag

Hey everyone!

I was tagged to do this post by the lovely Kat from Kitsch Snitch - you should all go read her blog now. I think this tag was originally thought up by Tattooed Tealady, so go check out that blog too! I think the one Kat tagged me in has a ton more questions than the original tag though, but I didn't really have answers for the questions in the longer tag (favourite eyeshadow palette, best beauty deal) so I did the shorter one.

The only additional question I wanted to answer was what camera I use; for reference I use a Pentax K-X, with the kit 18-55mm lens.

Why did you start blogging and how long have you been blogging for?

I have been blogging since late July 2011, so just over a year. I started blogging after reading a lot of other beauty blogs and thinking it looked like so much fun - I was also in the middle of a heavy, dense academic degree that I loved and thought this would be a great way to do some creative writing as a pastime. 

I was also feeling pretty lonely at the time, having just moved back home from my semester abroad and saying goodbye to all the friends I had made there. I guess I just wanted to do something I enjoyed!

Whose blog did you fall in love with first?

Oh goodness, that's a hard question! I started out reading Fee over at Makeup Savvy and watching Youtubers like Vivianna does Makeup, Vintage or Tacky, Essiebutton and Amarixe. I now have a huge reading list full of blogs I love (check out my Weekend Supplements for someone I recommend each week) and a huge Youtube subscription list. There are so many wonderful blogs out there, big and small, that I couldn't possibly list them all here!

What was the first blogosphere hyped about product your bought and was it worth the hype?

That's hard to remember! But I think it might have been my YSL Rouge Volupte in Sensual Silk. I was so overwhelmed at the time, reading loads of blogs and writing for my own. This is a nice lipstick, but it's too close to my skin tone, I think. I do love the packaging however!

What are your five favourite things about blogging and being a beauty blogger?

I love a lot about blogging. I love that it makes me a part of a great community. I love that I have met (virtually and in person) some really amazing, lovely and talented people. I love that I can talk to people (other bloggers, my readers) about beauty things and sometimes other issues, for hours on end - my boyfriend was certainly getting tired of hearing about it! 

I love blogging because it allows me to do something each day that I absolutely enjoy and am never bored by. I also have to say that I love the fact that it has made me more confident - something about the support of the community, I suppose. I've been able to put the blog on my CV and use it as an example of work ethic in job interviews. That is something I would never have been confident enough to do a year ago.

What have you learned from being a beauty blogger?

That for the most part, people are lovely, but that you also cannot please everyone! In fact, I've never had a nasty comment so far but if I do I hope I can take it with a pinch of salt.

I have also better learned how to manage my time, how to make informed purchases (although that doesn't always prevent me from impulse shopping) and how to take (hopefully) better photographs. It's also taught me a fair bit about editing software (see the blog overhaul) and social media, as well as bits and bobs of HTML.

Have you changed anything since being a beauty blogger?

With my makeup routine? TONS. SO MUCH. I use a far better foundation for my skin type for one. I use better skincare, I'm far nicer to my hair. I get my brows threaded instead of just hoping no one will notice how massive they are. I am also now able to line my waterline without going 'ewwwwwww' the whole time, which I consider a massive accomplishment. I have worn red, and now purple lipstick for the first time. I have purchased and not immediately discarded a lipgloss.

Hopefully I never stop learning new things.

What advice would you give to a beauty blogger just starting out?

Go for it! Don't listen to pessimism. Write about what interests you and in your own style. Don't expect a million followers overnight, although they will (hopefully) come, just enjoy yourself. Make an effort to be part of the community and be grateful to your readers. I am so pleased when I get a new reader or a new comment - it's nice to have that interaction.

On a more practical level - social media is important; get on Twitter and on Facebook at minimum as they're a great way to keep in touch with people. 

Natural light is your friend - whether you are taking photos on an iPhone or a Canon. I did not learn this for ages. On the other hand, don't fret if your photos aren't magazine standard - you'll improve over time and as long as most people can see what you're swatching, they don't mind. 

Mostly just have fun with it!

Name your top five beauty brands.

This, I have to say, is highly changeable, as is my answer to the next question. But currently, and in no order of preference:

Revlon - their lip products are easily the best on the high street or in the drugstores. 

Illamasqua - their nail polishes and lipsticks are amazing; they come out with some gorgeous collections and I love their ethos as a brand. As someone with lots of Australian friends, I also appreciate their lowering of Aussie prices so that people can actually afford to buy their products.

NARS - I love their blushes, eyeshadows, lip products, eyeliners...the list goes on. In the core collection they are great, although their latest special collection hasn't interested me much.

Percy & Reed - got me interested in hair products. I love their dry conditioner and volumising mousse, they make such a difference!

Monu - not because I got to try their stuff for free, honest to goodness. Their skincare has good and bad bits, but their good products have really shone for me these past couple of months.

Recommend your top five beauty products.

At the moment, not always:

No7 Beautiful Skin BB cream; E.L.F Studio Lengthening Mascara; Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner in Perversion; Phyto Phytoneutre Clarifying Shampoo and Seche Vite topcoat.

Tag other beauty bloggers to do this post!

I tag all of you that have blogs! And if you do it please link to it in the comments, I'd love to read it.

S xx

Christmas Gift Guide Part Four: Stocking Stuffers

Stop here for budget friendly last minute gifts - everything in this instalment is under £10. To take a closer look at anything click on the images themselves or the links below.

Instead of going the traditional route, give bath product gifts a twist with these deliciously deceptive Cinnamon Bun Soaps. For artsy friends or interior obsessives, a tin of Blackboard Paint can do the trick. I know I love getting stationery as a gift, and these Number Paperclips are functional, fun and purse-friendly too. 

If you know an obnoxiously cute couple, how about these Earphone Splitters so they can indulge in PDAs to the same soundtrack? Or for achingly cool (but achingly broke) girls, treat them to a tiny bit of designer with this J.W. Anderson for Topshop Camera. 

Do you know someone who wishes they could be more adventurous in their style but can't bring themselves to go the whole hog? ColourMania Hairshadow does the job temporarily. And lastly, the ubiquitous iPhone cover gift - in an inexpensive and rather sweet form.

S xx

Percy & Reed Volumising Mousse

Hey everyone!

As you may remember, I really enjoyed Percy & Reed's Dry Conditioner when I tried it, so when I got their Volumising Mousse (£12 full size)* in my Cosmo Blog Awards bag I was excited to try it out. 

I was charmed as ever by the Percy & Reed packaging, which I really like. I was unsure about trying this, as my memories of mousse from a younger age are of crisp, crunchy hair. But I gave it a go. I pumped it into my hand, dipped my wide tooth comb into it and brushed it through damp hair, from root to tip. 

 Here is my hair (terrible, terrible roots and all - I really need to make a salon appointment!) and I think you can see the results:

Sometimes I add more to the roots for extra lift, but here I just brushed it through and I for one can see how much more body and bounce it has given to my hair, instead of it falling straight and limp to my shoulders.
And the surprising thing? I cannot feel any product in my hair. It feels smooth and frizz free and very light in texture - but it also feels thick and full of volume. This has become a necessary addition to my hair routine whenever I am blow-drying, and my hair stays full of life for the whole day and occasionally the next.

If it wasn't clear already, I love this mousse. Do you use any? What kind?

S xx

Christmas Gift Guide Part Three: Gadgets

In keeping with the technology theme, each of the images above are clickable (as indeed are all the images in my gift guides) but feel free to use the text links below instead.
I love a gadget. In fact I am very easily swayed by the new, shiny and feature packed which is why I was not allowed to go phone shopping by myself. That by no means makes me an expert however, and so this guide is just a collection of technology related things that I think would be either useful or fun. Mostly the latter.
The Cyber Clean may not be the most glamorous of gifts but it's certainly practical and useful for those people you know who eat toast at their laptops (ahem.) For nostalgic family and friends, treat them to either a sweet restackable Tetris Lamp or a seriously old-school 35mm film camera in the Lomokino.
For Instagram addicts, the Olloclip 3-in-1 iPhone lens is perfect, allowing you to switch between macro, wide angle and fish-eye lenses on the go. And finally, for the serious gadget geek, pre-order a Pebble Watch, an e-paper technology watch with touchscreen, a variety of add on apps and the ability to sync music, email, texts and calls via bluetooth.

S xx

NYX Jumbo Eyeliner Pencil in Black Bean, Dark Brown, Rust and Pacific

Hello everyone!

I had a gift card to Amazon kicking about after selling a bunch of old books on their trade-in service and decided to put it to some use when I realised they sell NYX products. I'm a fan of my Jumbo Eyeliner Pencil in Milk, so I thought why not try out a few other shades? I picked up Black Bean, Dark Brown, Rust and Pacific for £5.80 each. You can also get them on the NYX website for £4.50 but I had a gift card and free shipping.

I was very impressed by how easily these glided over the skin, not tugging or pulling at my eye at all, and how pigmented each of the shades was on first application. Only Pacific was a little patchy in places. Black Bean is a creamy black, Dark Brown is a warm, slightly red brown, Rust is a shimmery rust-red and Pacific is a shimmery, pale ice blue.

However, as you can see in the above photo (taken 1 hour after application) this formula is glossy and will crease on even the least oily of eyelids, like mine. So alone, they don't work. As a base under an eyeshadow is where they really shine.
They make shadows more intense and pigmented, they last longer and they add dimension to the eye. In the photos below I buffed out the creased eyeliner pencil and added a layer of MAC Brown Down eyeshadow.

Then to test, I swatched some shadows alone versus over the NYX Jumbo Eyeliner Pencils. From left to right is a Sleek eyeshadow in black from the Au Natural palette, then the same over Black Bean. Then comes MAC Cranberry eyeshadow alone, then over Rust (these two are near dupes for one another). After that, MAC Brown Down alone and over Dark Brown, and a blue iridescent shadow from the MUA Glamour Days palette alone and over Pacific. I think you can see the difference it makes in pigment, texture and dimension.
Sorry about my goosepimpled skin, by the way, it really is freezing in my house!
So, what do you think? Have you tried any NYX Jumbo Eyeliner Pencils? What shades are your favourites?

S xx