Haircut for Cancer Research UK

On Friday the 28th of March, I cut my hair for Cancer Research UK. Eleven and a half inches of it. The money raised went to Cancer Research UK and the hair was sent to a charity that make wigs for kids with cancer.  

It feels quite weird to have a pixie cut... and also quite cold! But most of all it feels good to have raised money for a good cause. People keep telling me that I'm brave to have done this, but at the end of the day, hair is hair. It will grow back. To me, it is a self-esteem boost but to children with cancer treatment it can be so much more. 

Here is a little 'after' picture of my new, shorter cut! I'm going to have to figure out how to style it in a way that I like, but I'll get there I'm sure. 

Naked 3

Ever since it was announced in November that Urban Decay would be releasing another Naked palette I had been checking in at the Urban Decay counter in my local Debenhams to see if they were stocking it. All through December the answer was always either "we don't have it in yet" or "we can put you on the waiting list for one", so when I woke up on Christmas day and found out that my mum had managed to get a Naked3 palette for me, I was chuffed to bits and so grateful. 

The colours in this Naked palette are so beautiful. Whilst Naked and Naked2 featured yellow-y undertones, the shades in this ones are primarily soft pinks, with the occasional taupe and a black with a bit of a twist. 

There are three matte shades in this palette. I absolutely adore Urban Decay's matte shades because they make excellent bases. They can be worn alone as simple day to day makeup, or amped up a bit with shimmery shades. The matte shades in this palette are Strange, Limit and Nooner. Strange is by far the palest shade, and therefore the shade that I am most drawn to as a base. It can be applied right up to the brow-bone in order to eliminate the blue-ish undertones that sometimes feature on the delicate skin around the eye. I definitely think that this is the shade I'm going to end up using up first!

There are three satin shades in the palette: Burnout (a dusty pink shade), Factory (a pink-toned brown) and Darkside (a darker taupe shade) . I haven't ventured into the territory of Darkside yet but it seems perfect for nights out and would look great dusting the lower lash-line. As for Burnout and Factory, they are ideal for creating day-to-night looks: not to dark and not too light, they produce a really lovely subtle smokey eye if you apply them to the outer corner of the lid. 

A lot of the shades have shimmer in them: Dust and Buzz are the pinkier shimmers whilst Liar and Mugshot are more taupe-y. Trick is the Naked 3 palette's equivalent to the Naked 2's Half Baked in that it is a light gold. Trick is only shadow that has yellow undertones in the palette. 

The final shade in the palette is Blackheart - a blacky purple shade with flecks of red glitter. It sounds unusual but it works very well with the rest of the shades and is ideal again for lining the upper and lower lash lines. 

I haven't yet managed to use all of the shadows in the Naked 3 palette, but I'm really looking forward to using them, you can bet that more pictures are to come. 

All the best for 2014 everyone! Mwah!

Christmas FOTD (Face of The Day)

Please excuse the onesie, so comfy! ;)

Makeup worn on Christmas Day: 

• Esteé Lauder Double Wear Foundation in 1CO Shell
• Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light
• Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent
• Esteé Lauder Pure Colour Blush in Blushing Nude 
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow (Naked 3 Palette) in Limit / Nooner / Liar
• L'Oréal Paris Super Liner Brow Artist in Blonde
• No 7 Extreme Length Extend Mascara in Black
• Soap & Glory Super-Colour Sexy Mother Pucker Lipgloss in Half Naked

Thanks for reading, m'dears! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and all the best for 2013! :)

new hair, new hair-products!

Ok, so yesterday I posted about my newly-coloured hair, and I promised that I would write about the products that I use on my hair to keep it as looking healthy and shiny! 

I guess that I'll start with the basics: shampoo and conditioner. When I left the hair-dresser, I was aware that bleached blonde hair can quickly develop brassy undertones: darker streaks of yellowy blonde that aren't quite as fresh as light blonde hair. To prevent the blonde in my hair from darkening, I've been using John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner.

I had heard a ton of mixed reviews regarding this product: some extremely positive and others extremely negative, so I decided to do my research into the products before actually buying them. There were a few complaints about scalp irritation and accentuated dryness caused by these products. The reasons that I decided to purchase them despite the negative claims was because I planned to only apply this product to the ends of my hair that had been dyed, and not throughout my entire head of hair. Therefore, the product doesn't really come into a great deal of contact with my scalp. I will tackle the dryness "problem" later in the post. 

So far, I've not had any issue with the shampoo or conditioner. I have noticed a slight alteration in how blonde my hair is after using this product four times. I only shampoo my hair once, and follow this up with one application of conditioner. Whilst both products claim to be ammonia and peroxide-free, I'm guessing that lemon juice is a key ingredient in both. My one critique would have to be the smell of these products. There is a very subtle citrus tinge to the scent of both the shampoo and the conditioner, and I wouldn't be being truthful if I said that I find the smell appealing. Perhaps that's because I'm not fond of lemons, who knows! I will keep you updated as I continue to use these products in case anything I've said changes with continued use! 

The next product that I have been using is Organix Moroccan Argan Oil. 

You probably can't see from the picture, (the text has faded away on my own bottle, hence why I had to hunt the net to find a suitable picture of the product!) but Moroccan Argan Oil claims to "instantly penetrate the hair shaft" to "restore shine and softness". It sounds like exactly what bleached hair needs after the hair follicle has been stripped of pigmentation. I apply this product to my hair when it is damp and distribute with my fingers and later a wide-toothed comb.

I absolutely love this product. Honestly, everything about it is divine and I cannot recommend it enough. The smell of the product, the way that it leaves my hair, everything about it is spot-on. My hair feels soft, healthy and moisturised and I adore it. 

Since colouring my hair I have been abandoning my hair-dryer and allowing my locks to air-dry. I do this for two reasons: firstly because I usually curl my hair and I have been trying to limit the amount of heat that it applied to my hair to prevent further damage, and secondly, because my hair has been drying fairly quickly since having a good couple of inches chopped off of the ends! This set-up will probably change when I start university in September as I will probably be a little more pushed for time then.

The last product that I have been using is the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Spun Gold Balm. (Isn't that the prettiest name for a product ever??)

Regardless of whether I straighten or curl my hair, I apply this product after it has been styled. When my hair is straight, it makes my hair shiny and smooth. When my hair is curled, it keeps the curls bouncy and prevents them from falling within about a minute of being styled (the joys of fine hair...). There isn't really much else that I can say about it! Only a small quantity is required, and it smells nice and clean, so no complaints there! I can't imagine that it is all too different from every other texturising balm that it out there, but it certainly does the job and I'm happy to use it!

So... yip! That's my hair products for the time being. Thanks for reading, Lovely, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

I dip-dyed my hair!

Oh my goodness it's been a while! My final exams and working two jobs had been getting on top of me a little bit over the past few months but at long last I'm back and ready to blog! 

So my best friend and I, in a moment of complete madness last week, decided to book ourselves hair appointments at the last minute. Why a moment of complete madness? Well, we didn't opt for trims, let's put it that way. Whilst my friend got her long hair (which was about half-way down her back prior to the appointment) chopped into the cutest little pixie 'do, I decided that I was going to get my hair dip-dyed. 

I had always been a bit apprehensive at the thought of getting my hair bleached in any way, shape or form, and I would certainly never have the confidence to bleach my hair myself. I've heard, and even witnessed, a few horror stories regarding self-bleached hair, and I didn't want to risk not applying the bleach properly and damaging the hair follicle (which can result in permanent damage and loss of hair). I was also a bit nervous as, even though my brown hair was fine, it was very soft and shiny, and I worried that the silkiness of my hair would be lost during the bleaching process. No matter what anyone says, hair is already dead, and bleached hair cannot be "restored" or "repaired"- eek!

My friend and I usually have our hair cut by the same stylist, and so bleach was applied to my hair first, and whilst I waited for it to kick in, my friend had her long locks chopped off. The bleach was applied to my hair and left for an hour and a half. There was a horrible moment when I looked at the hair and saw that it was orange. Not even strawberry blonde, but tangerine orange. Me being me, I completely freaked out, but my hairdresser confidently reassured me that when bleaching brown hair, the hair will first lighten to an orange colour, before turning honey blonde, then light blonde, then white. My hair was bleached until the light blonde stage, and oh my days, I absolutely love it! 

I had to get a good two inches chopped off of my hair, seeing as I hadn't had it cut since April, but it feels so much better now - a lot healthier, which is bizarre seeing as bleach actually strips the hair but hey ho! I went on a little shopping spree for new hair products, and that will be on its way soon! 

Thanks for reading, I hope you have the loveliest of days! 

springtime lip colours 2013

Spring is here at long last! Seeing as it's May, some people might think that that's a bit of an unusual statement to make. In Scotland, however, 8 months of the year are winter, 3 and a half are spring / autumn and we get about 2 weeks of summer. It's not the greatest arrnagement but you get kinda used to it.

Anyways, even though there isn't much time dedicated to spring in terms of the scottish weather, we still get to see all of the beautiful and bright colours in the shops. Now that the sun is here, it's so much easier to get away with pink and coral colours. :) Here are a few of my favourite lip products this springtime. :)

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturising Lip Colour Balm
Colour: Roomiest Rose  

I've found that the colour pigmentation of this product is a lot better than that of the normal clinique chubby sticks (that do not have the "intense colour") that I've owned in the past. Roomiest Rose is a beautiful fresh pink colour that isn't too "out there", so it's great for everyday wear.

Sometimes in the springtime my skin gets a little bit mad. In the winter it tends to be very dry and in the summer it gets rather oily, so in the spring and autumn I definitely display combination skin. This goes for my lips too - even when the sun is shining and the harsh winter winds are gone, my lips can still be a little dry. This product is perfect for that - the balm stops any colour from clinging to dry patches on my lips, creating a pretty and smooth finish. :) Not only do I feel that I'm making my lips a little bit prettier, but I'm also nourishing the skin on my lips whilst doing so! You can't beat it! 

The colour lasts quite a while for a lip-balm (although I find it hard to think of this as a balm, for some reason!), so if you are planning of buying one of these be prepared to reapply after an hour or so, and definitely after you've had something to eat or drink. 

No 7 Moisture Drench Lipstick
Colour: Raisin Shimmer

This is one of my favourite lip products this spring - I have been wearing this lipstick non stop for the past few weeks. This lipstick is bright, although that hasn't really shown up in the picture (note to self- take better pictures, Kirsty!) but even so, you can wear it with anything: jeans and a top, a little black dress, anything. I'm kind of addicted to it.

On first application, this product feels a little bit sticky, but that doesn't last too long, and the colour sets into the lips fairly quickly. Again, it's great for lips that can get a little bit dry from time to time. I wouldn't say that it provides a lot of moisture, but the colour is so pretty that I'm not really fussed, and as long as it doesn't cling to any dry areas of my lips I'm alright with it. The colour lasts for hours, so you don't have to reapply it too often, making it a great product if you're going out for the day or night. 

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer
Colour: Celestial

Ok, so I know I went on a bit about these products in my last blog post, but I am in love with these little gems. The colours are absolutely beautiful, and the pigmentation is unreal. Celestial is a beautiful and opaque hot-pink, which is perfect for the months when the weather is heating up a little. The colour will last and last and last for hours, so re-application isn't too much of a worry. I've been wearing a little bit of lip-gloss over this colour whenever I've been going on a night out with the girls, just to provide a little bit of shine to dress up the colour a little. Otherwise the shades are very matte - something I don't have an issue with, but sometimes it's nice to add a little extra sheen if you're headed out. :)

It might be a good idea to slick on a little lip-balm before applying one of these, as they don't provide much moisture for the lips. However (oh jeez, I'm saying this again, but it really is a bit of a problem for me at this time of year) the product doesn't stick to any flaky skin on the lips whether the balm is there or not, which is definitely a plus. 

Sooo, there we have it, some of my favourite lip products this spring! I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my latest obsessions in terms of lip products! What products are you loving as summer is swiftly approaching? :) x

a sneaky little drugstore haul...

I work in a shop which sells, amongst other things, makeup. This is a good and a bad thing.

Reasons why this is a good thing: well! 

1. I get to keep up to date with the new releases of drug-store makeup brands.

2. I get to use my discount to buy said new releases...
3. I flipping love makeup. :)

Reasons why this is slightly less than a good thing:

1. I end up using up my entire break floating about on the shop floor and spending all of the money that I have earned that day... er... in the shop that I work in... If you think about it, they more or less pay me in makeup. My bank is just the middle man. 

I think, and I hope that you'll agree (please agree, it'll help me justify my actions), that the good reasons far outweigh the bad. Nothing wrong with keeping up with the latest trends, is there? :)

So last week I went on my break at work and decided to go a little wander around the shop floor. I promised myself that I would only buy a mascara. But this is me that we're talking about, and I never just buy a mascara... I've taken a little time to post up this little mini-haul / review because I wanted to give myself some time to try each of the products out properly before I write about them!

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher
41. Healthy Mix

There are so many things that I absolutely adore about Bourjois blushes. First things first, they seem to be never-ending. Seriously, these things last forever. They're great value for money. The quality of the blusher is great: it's highly pigmented, but is still sheer enough to look like a natural and cast pretty glow on the cheeks. Healthy mix is a pretty pink-peach colour. It's nice and natural - perfect for every-day wear. :)

The packaging for these is actually really handy as well. The little pot is the perfect size for your handbag or your makeup collection at home. The little brush that you receive with each blush is cute and dinky yet still does the job - it is curved so that it fits around the blush which I find is pretty handy if the cosmetics bag that I'm using is on the smaller size. 

Lastly, and this is probably the weirdest thing I have to say about this product, is (oh my goodness) the smell. These smell divine - like flowers! Obviously once the product has been applied to the face the smell isn't really noticeable, but I personally am definitely drawn to items where the manufacturer has thought of the little things... like the smell. :) 

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder
01 - Transparent

The next item that I bought was definitely an item that I needed. My skin can be a pain in the derrière at times - it is very dry in winter and yet a lot oilier in the spring and summer time. It seems like spring has finally sprung (at long last!) and so I figured that I had better invest in a pressed powder to keep oils at bay. I usually use this Lancome pressed powder, which certainly does the job but is a bit pricey for the average student. Rimmel has always been a brand that I've trusted as I've always managed to find something that suits my pale combination skin, so I picked this up at thought I'd give it a go! 


One of my biggest concerns when buying and using pressed powder is how it finishes the rest of the makeup - there's nothing worse than taking care applying a primer, foundation, concealer etc only to apply a pressed powder to set it all and ending up unintentionally looking like a pastry chef covered in flour. 
This powder, thank goodness, doesn't do that. It feels super light on the skin and eliminates any unwanted shine, finishing a completed look rather nicely. It doesn't cling to any of the drier parts of my skin either, which is one less worry: I can quickly sweep some powder over my face and not have to think too much about whether I'm going to look flaky. There's no scent to this product and it last for ages - perhaps not the 12 hours that Rimmel claims it does, but it can't be far off. :) I'm super pleased that I popped this into my basket - and it only cost £3.99, which is a bargain even if you are on a budget! 
The only thing I would really have to say about this product is that the colour selection isn't great. It's ok for pale folk like me, but the range of colours for people with darker skin isn't great. :/ 

Maybelline Rocket Volum' Express Mascara

When I first set out on my little in-store shopping adventure, I knew that I was going to buy this mascara. After hearing rave reviews about it for ages, both online and in-store, I had been dying to give it a go. 

And well... it was ok. But that's all I can really say about it. I don't think it quite lived up to the hype: the brush is a wee bit chunky for my liking, and care has to be taken to not create 'spidery' lashes. Another thing that I've noticed from using this mascara is that it smudges really easily when exposed to any natural oils present on the eyelid, so it might be a good idea to powder up if you're planning on using this. :)

 I'll still use it from time to time, in the hope that it will kind of grow on me in the same way that the Falsies Flared mascara by Maybelline did. You never know! 

Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer 

101 - Celestial
(please ignore my chubby cheeks)

Oh my golly gosh, last but certainly not least, I purchased some of Rimmel's Lip Lacquers: which are kind of a cross between a lip stick and a gloss. The application is very similar to that of a lipgloss, but the texture of the product on the lips isn't sticky or... er... glossy? (I could't think of a better word, oh dear!)

Anyways, these things are flipping ah-may-zing. Not only are the colours absolutely beautiful, but these are so pigmented and they last for ages. I went out to lunch with a couple of friends the other day wearing Nova and it lasted through all two courses, which I was super impressed with! I've also had lots of compliments on both colours since I've started wearing them, so I'm definitely going to buy some of the others available. 

So that's it for my little mini shopping make-up spree from last week, I hope I haven't rambled on for too long. :)