Update

Hello, it’s been so long since my last post but trust me I have loads of great products coming up soon.  Over Christmas I bought two lovely eyeshadow palettes, one by Dior called Incognito and one by Chanel called Mystic Eyes, recently on a shopping trip I found my Holy Grail nude lipstick which is also made by Dior and Chanel’s gorgeous eyelash curler. I think I may be in love with those curlers. But in complete contrast to this high end splurge I’ve found some fantastic drugstore products that range from £5-£12, I think.  These aren’t just cheap lipglosses either to pad out my kit, no these are the basic essentials such as foundation, concealer, and mascara.  All cruelty free too!

On a completely different note, for Christmas my lovely parents bought me a Canon 550D. It was on sale at amazon.co.uk and I think, but don’t quote me, cost around the £550 mark.  It’s been great fun taking pictures and videos with it of friends, family, pets, and purchases.  I will be updating all the old pictures that I can, but please bare in mind I don’t actually still own all the products.

Anyway thank you for your patience with this attempt at a blog, my attempt at a science-maths based higher education kind of gets in the way. But thankfully I’ve been given the gift of insomnia by study stress, that’s why I’m up at 4:12AM listening to Tracy Chapman and writing these random articles.

This is a rough list of what I’ll be writing about hopefully over the next few weeks;

Update, Up and coming,  Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk Foundation, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation, Collectin 200 Lasting Perfection Concealer, Collection 2000 Skyscraper Mascara, Chanel Mystic Eyes Quad, Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner, Recourbe Cils De Chanel (Eyelash Curlers) Dior Incognito Quint, Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, Urban Decy Lip Junkie Lip Gloss, Dior Rouge Lipstick, Bourjois little round pot, Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder, Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation, Ecotools Bamboo Kabuki brush, EcoTools Bamboo Smudge Eyeliner Brush, EcoTools Bamboo Deluxe Concealer Brush, EcoTools Bamboo Foundation Brush, Babyliss 2285U Curling Wand, Babyliss 2287BU Pro Curl 210 Curling Tong… yes I have bought or been given all this since my last post.

I think what I’ll have to do is use these products over the next few weeks in my everyday life and take pictures of the products on me, you can all see how well they wear, the real shades and payoff, and possibly how difficult those darned curlers are to use.

And I thought I’d just pop in this picture I found on Flickr, I absolutely adore the whole look.  Flawless skin, well defined brows, and glossy, soft taupey-brown eyes… aaaahhh beautifully done.

Vintage Accessories

So I’ve made a previous post about my passion for “upcycling” and vintage pieces,  I’ve also made a post about myself in which I talk about being a vegetarian,  so this particular  entry may seem a little odd.

I’m extremely drawn to leather,  particularly old worn out leather.  I’m obsessed with the smell and feel of it,  to me it screams luxury and quality.  This is quite wrong considering how strict I am with my vegetarian diet,  but I made myself a rule.  Vintage leather only.  This means I’m not contributing further to the leather industry,  and can feel a little less guilty in my day-to-day life.  So now I’ve cleared that up I thought I’d share my latest and in my opinion greatest purchases.

Doctor’s Bag

When I bought this bag it was covered in a thick coating of dust and was cracking and splitting at the corners,  but after removing the dust with a soft cloth and buffing in saddle soap for three days the leather darkened nicely and became incredibly supple.

Ankle Boots

I bought these at the weekend from a man who works in the salvage industry,  he told me that they were from a country house stable that he recently cleared out and had been made in London around about 1900,  but I’m skeptical about his story as he is a salesman and obviously was on the hunt for a sale.  I had to clean the grime and dust of these with a toothbrush,  which took me hours,  and then slather then in a tonne of saddle soap,  but now they’re so supple and look stunning.  I love these boots and I’m dying to try them out this weekend!

This is an inexpensive way of getting quirky and unique items,  and all you really need is some saddle soap for treating the leather,  and some rags or a toothbrush for getting rid of the dust and dirt.  I hope you liked my pictures and that this has inspired you to have a go at upcycling.

My Vital Statistics

I just thought I’d make a quick post about my “vital statistics” so you can decide whether or not the products I review or swatch will have similar (and hopefully) satisfactory results.

• My skin is bizarre,  I’m prone to blemishes but can also get dry skin on my T-zone.  This means facial makeup can often cling to my dry patches.  I think I’m about NC15 in terms of MAC foundations,  and the lightest shade in all others I’ve tried.
• I have an Ivory complexion and many of you other pale girls will know that finding the correct shade can be incredibly difficult,  but I’m not one to compromise so don’t worry about me recommending anything that’ll make you look tan-tastic.
• My eyelashes are very dark and dense but unfortunately they’re rather short,  I dream of long fluttery lashes reminiscent of bambi.
• I use Lush’s caca noir henna in my hair to achieve a natural dark brown colour and to improve its general condition.  My hair is centre parted and inline with the bottom of my shoulder blades,  so not ridiculously long but not exactly mid-length either.
• I’m on the cusp of being 5″5 but I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to reach the 5″6  mark since I’m still growing.  Think tall thoughts.  Currently I’m sitting at around 7.5-8 stone and I’m perfectly happy at that size,  I feel healthy and full of energy.

So I think that’s it all,  I covered everything I could think of but if you have anymore questions just post them below and I’ll try my best to answer them. 

I feel like a bit of an idiot and not too sure if I want to admit this online,  but the reason I haven’t made any new posts in so long is because I’ve lost my mobile.  It’s been missing for 9 days I think,  and I use it for taking pictures since I lost the charger for my camera.  BUT,  when I do find it and I know I will,  I’ll be uploading reviews and swatches for Diorskin Nude Foundation,  Diorskin Nude Glow Complexion Enhancer, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer,  MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer,  Chanel Coco Rouge Shine Lipstick,  Chanel Coco Rouge Lipstick,  and Burberry Eyeshadow (Rosewood!).  Yes that’s a lot I’ve got to do, but, once I’ve got my phone back that will all be done,  so keep watching.

UPDATE:  Okay,  I’m returning from my family holiday tonight.  So I’ll have a chance to look for my phone when I get home and put those swatches up over the next week.  Also I just had a brainwave, “A trio of eyeliners” I’ve got plenty of them kicking about so I may as well 😀

My Upcycling Addiction

Over the past six months I’m sure I’ve spent hundreds of pounds  in car boot sales and charity shops,  I’ve bought some beautiful bags and shoes but to be perfectly honest the majority of things I’ve purchased would only be described by most people as dust-catchers,  clutter,  and general grannyish trash.  I on the other hand adore the trinkets,  and I’ve collected a smorgasbord of prettiness.  I’ve squirreled away everything from odd pieces of fine china to a mechanised bird-cage clock.

My Favourite Harlequin Tea Set

 Buying a full china set even a second-hand one will be ridiculously expensive,  but by mixing and matching odd pieces you can get a beautiful set that can flow well if you decide on a general colour scheme.  And if you’re a clumsy like me then it doesn’t really matter if you drop a cup,  unlike a matching set which would be ruined.  I paid around 50p for each piece

My (what I think is) Swedish Bear

 

 I just saw this on a stall and thought it was hilarious,  the bear is so chubby and cute with its big bulging eyes.  I paid £2 for him.

My Compacts

 

 I keep one of these in my purse every time I go out,  it feels so much more special to fix your hair in one of these babies. 

My Personal Favourite,  The Bird Cage Clock

 

This may look like junk to some people,  but to me its gentle ticking is incredibly comforting and it’s a piece that makes me so happyand relaxed.

I hope my enthusiasm for my clutter has shown you how fun upcycling can be,  and remember giving the high street a miss and putting the money in a charity shop till can be your good deed for the day.

A Bit About Me

I’m a sixteen year old British girl,  who strongly believes in a light handed approach to makeup.  Animal rights are very important to me,  I try to do my best when it comes to brand research and I’ve been a vegetarian for three years now (no fish but plenty of dairy),  I’ll never try to convert anyone,  no one likes a preacher.  I’m an avid charity shop shopper,  or if you please an “upcycler”, and I’m also an Anthony Hopkins film fanatic – “Legends of the Falls”, stunning!

I love the fresh faced and dewy look,  so I’m constantly on the hunt for new,  and hopefully,  miracle products.  I have tried a variety of high-end and drugstore items,  I believe there’s quality at every price range and I’ll be doing reviews and swatches  for every budget.  Not all teens have the budget of Miley Cyrus,  but let’s at least have a little more class.