Eyes White Shut

 

So one stand out makeup trend from fashion week was white eyeshadow as seen at Ralph Lauren and 3.1 Phillip Lim. Models sported a fresh faced wide eyed look:

My take on it is slightly different. I love using light shades when I have a tan because the white compliments it really well. Unfortunately I do not currently have a tan so in the picture at the beginning of this post the white does not stand out. However, for that photo I used Milk It! and Pause for Applause, both by benefit.

(Milk It! all over the lid and then Pause for Applause just above the crease in the outer corner)

When used with a tan the eyes really stand out. 

(picture circa 2011/12)

I usually pair the white eyeshadow with a bright lip as they also look great with a tan however because I am so pale right now I am almost see through, I just went for a standard nude (Dior La Grege)

Voila!

I actually use white on a daily basis for my everyday makeup look in the form of Mac’s eye khol in Fascinating. I use this white pencil to highlight under my eyebrows and the water line of my lower lashes. It is a staple in my makeup kit however I haven’t done the white shadow thing in a while so it’s interesting to see it come back in January. I think this is something that will work better in the summer when we don’t all look paler than Lord Voldemort. 

 

Urban Decay has us Naked for a 3rd time!

First it was just rumours. Then the rumours were confirmed by Urban Decay. Then it was only a matter of waiting. The pictures were released, tantalising us. This palette promised to be the best yet, all in hues of pinks and purples. It was released in America at first. Urban Decay showed us pictures of Naked girls queueing to get their hands on this long awaited palette. And yet we still had to wait. Finally it was released in England. In stores first then, at last, online where I purchased mine (beautybay.com £37).

It arrived with the standard complimentary eyeshadow brush and with an extra four eyeshadow primer samples.

When doing my own makeup I go for universal wear. Looks that can be worn in the day but will also not look out of place at night. The first look I tried with this palette was intended for a day look, however with a pair of false eyelashes, and a less subtle lip it could easily be turned into a night time look.

I used the following shades:

I applied Dust all over the lid with the fluffy end of the Urban Decay brush and then used the defined shader end to apply a cheeky bit of Nooner to the outer corner, blending it with the fluffy end. I lined my lower lashes again with Nooner and then applied my eyeliner and mascara.

I love this palette because I find that pinks and purples are great for making my eyes look even browner. Often when I wear purple shades I am asked if I am wearing coloured contacts. HOWEVER, despite the fact that all these shades are apparently brand new and exclusive to this palette alone, I find similarities between some of these and Urban Decays other shades. For example Strange looks almost indistinguishable from Anonymous (Vice palette) and Virgin (Naked original palette). But I suppose to the more trained eye its the same as the difference between white paint and eggshell..

This bankrupting palette is beautiful, however I think the reason it is priced so high at £37 and not nearer £30 is because it is more of a collectors item. That is what the Naked legacy has become. You can’t have one and not the others.

“And God Created Woman…”

“And God Created Woman” is a smoky eye palette from Nars that provides a selection of six neutral/brown tone shades. It also comes with some sample size eyeshadow primer and a mini eye shadow brush. This was a Christmas present and I have already gotten so much use out of it. The colours are perfect for anything from a day cut crease look to an evening dark smoky brown and works particularly well on the brown eyed girl. 

 

For the day I used the top left lightest burnt peach colour on the lid and the bottom left sparkly brown in the crease and to line the lower lashes. 

Pictures from Instagram @barbzhj

Unfortunately these were taken with the front facing camera on my iPhone so they are not the best quality and you can’t quite see the detail but I love this look. The light peach is really gorgeous on. Furthermore the primer is amazing. I usually use and Urban Decay eyeshadow primer but this was so good I want to invest in a full size one. Not only did it keep my makeup in place all day but it also made for very easy application of the eye shadow which is not something I usually notice in primers. 

I basically am really happy with how this looked and it is my current day look when I’m making an effort. I pair it with a nude matte lip.

Picture on Instagram: @barbzhj

My Visit to WAH Nails

I am obsessed with nails and I love them long and fake. I love acrylic. I know that, and I own it. I like the hardness of them. You can’t do any real damage with gels. Also maybe I’m a bit old school. I have followed WAH Nails on Instagram for years and I love their designs and their nail art. I think it is amazing what they can do even on the shortest nails. Knowing this, my brother got me a Topshop voucher for my birthday a couple of weeks ago to use at the Wah flagship bar in the Topshop at Oxford Circus. I couldn’t wait to use it and this is how it went down.

When I arrived at Topshop with my mum we went straight down to the beauty area on the basement level. It is hipster paradise down there! With a Bleach salon and a tattoo and piercings parlour and wig shop, you can literally transform yourself. It’s almost overwhelming in how cool it is. I went to the Wah section and managed to book myself an appointment for less than an hour. There is an EAT. in the actual shop right next to the nail bar if you don’t want to kill the time fishing through 4 floors of clothes.

When I went back for my appointment I chose the design I wanted from a big wall full of myriad of spectacular nail wonders. I originally went in wanting camo print but my mum spotted the Breakfast at WAH design which is painted to look just like a Tiffany box. As my parents had given me a Tiffany necklace for my birthday I thought it was kismet. I had my appointment with a very Dalston and very charming girl with pink hair and a spiked collar. We chose the perfect Tiffany blue together (Alimony by Trophy Wife) and she then set to work on creating her masterpiece.

After my nails had dried cuticle oil was applied and the classic Instagram pictures were taken.

The pictures were uploaded about 12 hours later and I have to say I was pretty excited to see my nails enjoying their moment in the spotlight. I only wish I’d gotten a plug for my blog in there, like writing it on my forehead.

Overall it was a very fun experience. My only criticism is there are no machines for drying your nails so you have to sit for ten minutes air drying and I didn’t dare put my coat on for half an hour. I think if they invested in some UV dryers they would free up seats much quicker. In the end I put them in the Dyson hand dryer in the toilets. Cause I’m resourceful like that. Anyway thank you WAH and thank you Hugh for the thoughtful gift. So in love with my nails right now ❤

 

Guide to Vamp Lips

A really big trend right now in fashion makeup is the deep berry lip. It is an unforgiving colour that favours the fuller lipped girl but can look fabulous.

Picture off my instagram @Barbzhj

 

I’ve gone for Mac’s Matte Diva lipstick (£15) with Mac Lipliner in Currant (£12). The lipstick has a burgany/brown-ish look to it in the tube but has a more purpley tinge when applied.

Currant on top, Diva on the bottom.

For a luxury buy, Tom Ford’s Violet Fatale is gorgeous, but at the top of the range at £36. In my personal opinion, what you are paying for is the name. Once you get over £25 with lipsticks you are not buying quality, you are buying the name. However, having said that, if I could I would buy this in a second.

Tom Ford Violet Fatale (£36)

 

Another new trend in the world of lip colour is the CC cream for lips. It is a colour that nourishes as well as looking good. If that is what you are after, Mac have a great option for you. Their new Huggable Lip Colour.

 

For the vamp look go for Commotion (£17.50). You are paying more than you would just for a lipstick, but this isn’t just a lipstick.

Commotion available at Mac £17.50

Some of these options are quite pricey, so if you are on a budget and want to achieve the look for less, I cannot recommend OCC Lip Tar enough. They are fantastic tubes of gloss that you apply with a complimentary brush and it dries like a lipstick. They are also 100% vegan. I recommend Black Dahlia for that devilish look.

OCC Lip Tar in Black Dahlia £11.50

For a more glam rock look, OCC have released the same colour in metallic, called Black Metal Dahlia. OCC are available at Selfridges, one of the few UK stockists of this product.

So get vamping! ‘Tis the season.

 

How to Become a Mermaid in 30 seconds (Hair Chalk Review)

Ariel and Azalea Banks aren’t the only girls who can work the mermaid hair look. I don’t know any girl who doesn’t want to be a mermaid, AND NOW YOU CAN BE! Hair Chalk is relatively new to the (mainstream) beauty market and it is only going to get bigger. Having the ability to transform your hair in seconds with no mess and no commitment is something we like.

I have just purchased the Kevin Murphy Color [sic] Bug (£14) available at Beauty Mart and now I look like I’ve just been to Bleach in Dalston. I bought the pink one (obviously) and used it on my ends for a dip dye look, and also because my ends are blonde and it shows up much better on blonde hair. In fact if you have blonde or bleached hair this will take much easier to your hair so just bear that in mind if you have work the next day and are hoping to just brush it out. Also if applied to wet blonde hair it will last for a few days. I haven’t personally tried this yet so I’d approach with caution with trying this because it might not work or it will work rather too well and you will also have bright pink hands. The packaging on this particular brand recommends placing a towel on your shoulders before applying to catch excess chalk and also to use latex gloves. This is a good idea, although I did not use gloves and the chalk washed right off. My top is now slightly pink though, so I would definitely recommend the towel and shaking out any further excess before hitting the town. Or sofa.

Overall, Hair Chalk = big yes from me. Just be careful with your clothes and parents’ furniture. Have fun!

Give Good Face (On any budget)

Face. Face. Face. Do you want to give face like RuPaul?

It all starts underneath the makeup. Great skin is a the beauty holy grail. I consider myself a bit of an anomaly in the makeup world, as despite the fact that I love makeup and applying makeup, I am also fundamentally lazy and would choose the extra hour in bed over doing my face any day. As a result I am makeup-less more often than not. Consequently I take great care of my skin so that it looks as good as possible without makeup.

No.1 invest in a clarisonic type brush! You do not have to splash out on a ridiculously expensive one. Mostly I am of the belief that you get what you pay for but only up to an extent. A beauty product in the hundreds is, frankly, unnecessary. It is the same with these brushes. The one I have in No.7 and when it comes to cleaning your face I do not know how a £300 could do a better job. These brushes are fantastic at properly cleansing your skin removing every hint of makeup and dirt. This in turn prevents imperfections, which makes it a great investment for teenage skin. It is even better when paired with a great cleanser…

No.2 Cleanser! I currently use Mac’s Marine Bright Lightful Cleanser. As I am obsessed with glowy skin, this cleanser is perfect. Not only does it leave skin clean and soft, but it INSTANTLY creates a nice glow.

No.3 Face Masks. I do a face mask once a week (this is also a good time to do a hair mask so you get it all done in one night) Most supermarkets and drug stores have those little sachets of face masks for £1. These are great if you are on a budget. I particularly like the Montagne Jeunesse Honey Peel Off mask. Honey contains natural anti bacterial properties, along with smelling great. I also like the peel off effect because it’s so addictive. Alternatively you can make your own anti bacterial face mask very simply out of turmeric. Just add equal parts water and turmeric to a ramekin and apply to clean skin. You may want to use latex gloves because turmeric does tend to stain your nails. Leave on for about 20 minutes then wash off with warm water and lots of cleanser otherwise you will have a slightly Simpsons looking face for the rest of the day.

No.4 Diet! I am not going to talk about food, because that would be hypocritical of me as I eat absolute rubbish a lot of the time. However I do drink a LOT of water. And I mean a lot. At first it was a conscious effort to make myself drink more however after a week or two my body needed the extra water and I didn’t even have to think about it. Water is not just great for your skin and hair, it is also a great caffeine supplement. About 3 years ago I gave up caffeine in favour for more water. I drink a whole glass first think and whenever I feel I am lagging throughout the day I have more water. It really has a similar effect to caffeine for waking you up because it replenishes your electrolytes. And this isn’t just beauty rubbish, I used to be a student nurse and it is a fact. Along with water the benefits of drinking green tea and hot water with lemon are innumerable, so I’ve posted a list below:

I am afraid I cannot speak about moisturisers because I have oily skin so moisturiser just makes me break out. Instead I use Mario Bedescu Glycolic Gel. This stuff is a god send. It is incredible for reducing appearance of scars, fine lines and pores.

Top 5 beauty products of 2013

 

These are my beauty highlights of 2013. Either they were released in 2013 or I just fell in love with them in 2013. All of them significantly altered the way I did my makeup/hair. 

5. This product is not makeup, it is a hair oil but I have to include Lee Stafford’s Arganoil Nourishing Miracle Oil because it saved my hair life. I have been getting highlights since I was 16 and when I turned 19, after 3 years of bleach, my hair started to really suffer. I used to have very long hair, almost down to my waist, however with all the dye my hair stopped growing, so that everytime I got it trimmed it would not grow back but just kept on getting shorter. Then when I decided I wouldn’t get it trimmed 8 weekly and just let it grow, it decided it would not grow any more. Although my roots still came through but my hair never got longer so maybe the ends were just breaking off whenever they got past my shoulders. Either way it was making me blue because as any woman knows, a hair is her crowning glory. Anyway, I decided to never apply any dye or heated product (including hair dryers) until it was long again. In 2013 I started to apply a pea sized amount of this oil to the end after showering and then just letting it air dry and my hair decided to grow again and now it is as long as it ever was! I forgot how amazing it feels to have lovely long locks again so I cannot praise this product enough. It really is a miracle oil. 

4. My Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 33 La Distinguée. My go to lipstick. This is the perfect colour for my natural look. It is matte which I love in lipsticks and the colour is very 90s. This Rachel Green in the first series of friends. Which I happen to love. 

3. I always say primer is like underwear. Bad underwear and you might as well not be wearing any, but good underwear can make any outfit look good. This Laura Mercier Radiance Primer is a perfect partner for a radiant foundation for a long lasting glowy look. I used to do nursing and you really appreciate a good primer when you apply your makeup at 5am and come home at 8pm still looking fresh. Thank you Laura Mercier for getting me through those 13 hour back to back shifts. 

2. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. Where do I even start with this concealer. It is a face saver. I apply all over the under eye area, a line down my nose fanning out in the centre of my forehead, a dab on my chin and just above my cupids bow and then blend with my Beauty Blender Sponge. It is perfect for subtle contouring. I like to go a couple of shades lighter than my foundation because there is nothing worse than dark concealer. It’s this generation’s touche éclat.

1. My number one product is without a doubt the famous YSL Le Tient Touche Eclat. When it comes to foundation nothing has ever come close to the love I have for this product. I am a big fan of the dewy look and in the matte vs dewy war I am without a doubt team glow. This foundation is basically youth and radiance in a bottle. It is basically a foundation version of their Touche Eclat which is repeatedly the best selling beauty product of the year every year since it’s release in the eighties. Anyone who has owned a Touche Eclat knows it creates a glow that reflects light away from imperfections and makes you look like you have just come back from a light jog at the age of 18. This foundation is that, but all over your face. Also it provides just the right amount of coverage which for someone like me who has very annoying facial scars is vital. you can apply as much as you want without it becoming cakey because it just looks more glowy. I cannot recommend it enough and I have one in almost every shade for each stage of my tan throughout the year. 

Welcome!

Hello all my beauty lovers,

My name is Barbz and I am an aspiring Makeup Artist and beauty blogger. My blog will aim to be a one stop shop for makeup tips, beauty reviews, tutorials and the occasional picture of one of my cats because come on they are ridiculously cute. I hope you enjoy it! You can also follow me on twitter and instagram @BarbzHJ

xx