MAC Starter Kit

First of all, Merry Christmas Eve =). I wanted to write down some things that if you are new to MAC then what you might want to look for when you go to start your collection. My MUST HAVES from MAC are: concealer, foundation and powder all in the Studio Fix. I like full coverage but you can get the mineralized powder for a more natural coverage.
Brushes: #222
#272

#187

#239

#217

Highlight Colors:
Vanilla, Naked Lunch, Mylar and for more specific looks I use Nylon or Crystal Avalanche.
Basic Needs:
Nehru, Carbon or Black Tied (blacks, Nehru=dark blue)
Embark (good for darker brows as a filler)
Blending MUSTS:
(choose one closest to your skin color)
Wedge (this is what I use most), Cork, Era, Samoa Silk or Soba
Fun Colors For Adventurers:
Chrome Yellow, Bitter and Electric Eel
Great Crease Colors (these are the ones I like and use a lot but it comes down to preference):
Humid, Trax, Deep Truth, Contrast, Coppering, and Parfait Amour.

Pigments:
Melon (best for blue or green eyes)
Teal (best for dark eyes)
Violet (best for dark eyes)
Remember they are best because they will make the eye pop more. I still LOVE the Melon pigment and I have dark eyes!!!
Paint Pots:
Painterly, Rubenesque, Soft Ochre or Bare Study (all neutrals). These are all for priming the lid and when you get into specific looks you can start buying different colors like blacks and greens.
Lipstick:
This is ALL about personal preference but I would for SURE get Myth to matte your lips before any other color and if you are warmer toned, check out Jist.

Now for things that may look fun and are okay but I wouldn't recommend to start with and I kind of regret getting. You can get blush somewhere else cheaper and it's basically the same. The #190 brush for foundation. The #187 is 1000x better!!!!! Any of the shade sticks. The texture can make your eye look like a cracking desert...yuck. And no stick eyeliners even though they are super creamy, you can get them cheaper other places. I would, however get their fluid eyeliner that comes in a pot. EVERY color is amazing!!!!

Green for Christmas

First of all did I MENTION how much I LOVE this headband?????? It has SO many possibilities and is SO much fun. I created more height in the back of my hair and it worked out fine to with the big flower. Here is another look that will be coming soon. It uses all greens and some white. I am also using a different color for my eyebrows that I like SO much more than Embark from MAC. I'll talk to you about it soon =). I used the new mascara too and I am liking it so far. It curls well and gives good volume. What do you think???? Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!

Merry Christmas - Benefit's Festive Glow!

Get that perfect shimmering festive look this xmas with Benefit's Moonbeam, the natural golden pink colour gently highlights the cheek bones giving a radiant finish to your look. Just apply above the cheek bones & just under your eye socket after your blush (for best results use a cream blush). Also apply a little to your brow bone as well for some added shimmer or create an over all glow & add some to your moisturiser or foundation.

Mistletoe Perfect - Cherry Chapstick!

Since Katy Perry sang about it this summer the all time classic & original lip balm 'Chap Stick' has become a full on trend and of course it almost goes without saying that 'Cherry' is the most popular flavour!!! Perfect timing for the cold winter months & it's definitely the best way to keep your pout soft & luscious while tasting great! Get your hands on some before xmas eve & you'll be irresistible under the mistletoe!!!

Superdrug Vit E Cream - Best Budget Buy 2008

Here's some great news for beating the credit crunch blues while still treating your skin this winter, Superdrug's Vitamin E Cream has topped the beauty polls for 2008 as the best budget face cream. Perfect for protecting the skin against UV rays plus it absorbs brilliantly into the skin leaving it feeling soft & fresh with a great finish, also most importantly it's only £2.49!!!

No Video But a Hot Look

So I FINALLY (with the aid of my mother-in-law) found out how to take these close up shots and will now use my OWN eyes for the looks!!!!! I am SO excited. This eye uses Nylon on the inner corner faded into Bitter then Electric Eel and finally Deep Truth on the outer V. To soften the transition from the Nylon to the Bitter I patted a little Chrome Yellow. On the brow bone I used Vanilla. On the bottom lash line I used the darkest to the lightest color starting from the outside going in. Black liner and mascara finished off the look. Try it out ladies!!!!!!

Perfect Lashes from Revitalash!

Fed up with small, sparse or brittle lashes then this is the product for you, Revitalash is a revolutionary new eyelash conditioner from the US that promises to dramatically beautify your lashes so never again need you apply false eyelashes! It has quite a large fan base too with top celebrities such as Jessica Simpson & Marcia Cross snapping them up!
You simply apply once a day and within three to ten weeks your own natural eyelashes will look longer, thicker & fuller.
Doesn't matter how brittle, short, fragile, thin, or sparse your eye lashes are, this wonder conditioner can help you achieve long, beautiful lashes that any movie star would be envious of!!!
Available atHQhair

Posts To Come...

Hey ladies. I just got some WoNdErFuL pigment colors from Beauty From the Earth and I am SO excited to get back to doing tutorials soon!!!! I spoke with the owner Crystal earlier this week and have some great things to tell you all about their company and the benefits of buying from them =). I also have new looks that I've been working on. One uses All That Glitters (a shimmery gold with pink undertones), Era (soft brown) and Deep Truth (deep navy blue). The navy on top of the brown is AWESOME!!!! Sky blue & lavender, peach & maroons. Also, some Holiday looks and New Year creations. I am also working on tutorials for doing liquid liner, working with smaller eyes, and how to apply perfect false eyelashes. Stay tuned!!!!!!

Headband HEAVEN!!!!

Okay, so right now at Forever21 you can get these amazing headbands!!! They remind me of when Gwen Stefani wore those perfect flowers in her hair to an awards show. The only catch that I have found with such an enormous flower is to match the height with your hair. It looks best when you do the retro look I showed you for Twilight. In this case I put my hair in a tight bun in the back. This headband is a MUST and I can only hope that they will come up with more colors. They have other sizes and shapes but this one was my favorite. It was $5.99 and SO worth it!!! Go and get em ladies!!!!!

Bobbi Brown Party Collection

Bobbi Brown's new Party Collection is out now so grab yourself some while you can as they are only limited edition over the festive period! Their Glitter Lip Gloss is the perfect accessory for the office xmas party this year, they are infused with light reflecting flecks of glitter as well as a high shine gloss finish. There are six shades available from deep festive reds to light pinks as well as neutral. (£12.72 with reduced VAT)

Party Season Beauty Rescue!!

Mimic perfect skin after a hard night's christmas partying with 'Mymix' foundation from 'Myface', it's perfect for creating an instant radiant glow to the complexion, also it belends on perfectly feeling light on the skin giving you a natural dewy finish. Apparantly it has quite a celebrity following these days as well! Available from Boots (£12.99)

Are You All Down For a Little Test?????

Okay, it is official. After hearing all of your reviews and doing some looking on the net I am OFFICIALLY going to go out and get the Voluminous mascara. I saw a review on YouTube where a girl used a really expensive brand on one eye and then the Voluminous on the other. At the end of the day (and even through out) she kept us updated on how well the two held up. Did they flake, did they weight the lashes down. From what I could see the Voluminous was BETTER!!!! She said that they were the exact same but the one side seemed to fan out more and I am for SURE a fan of that!!! Go out if you haven't already and you can do this test with me. We will start on the 22nd of December and see what we think after a week. I want to hear comments from ALL of you. If you use it now, then tell us why you are hooked and don't want to change. If not, then tell us what you are seeing good and bad from this mascara. I'm excited!!!!! Go out and get your mascara on!!!!!!

Tipsy Tuesday....just written on Wednesday =)

Moisturizer!!!!! Even if you have oily skin (like I do). Your makeup application will go more smoothly, evenly and cover better. I LoVe Mary Kay's Time Wise age fighting moisturizer. It is like a DRINK to your skin but not greasy at ALL!!!!! It's oil free and great for sensitive skin too. I can put on my makeup immediately following. Go find something that works for you and USE it!!!! If we are going to do our makeup everyday, we might as well give our skin the hydration it needs. Also doesn't hurt that it helps with the elasticity of your skin as well. This is a win win people!!!!!

Christmas Shopping with Clinique

With Christmas shopping in full swing here are few of the popular gift sets on offer from Clinique this year & what's even better to celebrate Christmas Clinique are giving away free luxury gifts (four to choose from) with every order over £35 online, perfect reason to get some xmas shopping done, need to be quick though as the offer on lasts until tomorrow (12/12)!!!


Great Skin Home and Away I/II


Great Skin Home and Away I/II is the perfect Christmas Gift for those who want to sparkle this Christmas. This must have beauty kit includes:-

-Cliniques Dermatologically developed Liquid Facial Soap Mild 200ml with pump
-Clarifying Lotion 2 487ml with pump
-Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion 125ml with pump
-Travel size Liquid Facial Soap Mild 30ml Tube with flip top
-Clarifying Lotion 2 60ml
-Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion 30ml tube and a must have Clinique bag!
£ 58.72


Redness Solutions Favourites


A perfect Chirstmas gift set for a Redness Solutions fan.
Complete with a Clinique clear drawstring wash bag, this set contains -
-Redness Solutions Daily Protective Base SPF15 40ml
-Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser 150ml
-Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream 15ml.
£ 26.91


Get Glowing


Get them glowing this Christmas with this Get Glowing gift set. Inlcuding:-

-Bestselling Touch of Bronze Moisturizing Lotion 150ml
-Face Quick Bronze Tinted Self Tanner 150ml
-Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream 75ml
-Water Therapy Moisture Glove Hand Cream 75ml
-Plus a handy clear wash bag.
£ 29.36

Available online at Clinique

Body Shop Christmas Offers - Up to 50% Off!

As the credit crunch deepens, it’s time to say farewell to free-spending fashionistas and embrace your inner ‘recessionista’ for the Christmas season! With The Recessionista’s 12 Days of Christmas Facebook application as your guide, you can become a savvy shopper with smart yet gorgeous gifts from The Body Shop that deliver a sense of luxury without costing the earth.

With over half of The Body Shop products containing ingredients or materials sourced through its unique fair trade programme, Community Trade, The Body Shop products are both festive and fair.

Simply click here to add the application to your Facebook profile and then check the calendar every day to take advantage of the fantastic offers and competitions. With up to 50% off products and some fabulous prizes to be won, there’s sure to be something for everyone on your gift list, including yourself!

To whet your appetite here’s the offer for the first day of The Recessionista’s 12 Days of Christmas:

Friday 12th December

Was £12.50. Now £6.25.

Kick start your Christmas shopping with a twist on the traditional stocking filler – the deliciously scented Satsuma Body Butter at 50% off! An intensive, creamy, all-over body moisturiser with hydrating, zesty and invigorating satsuma essential oil.

To redeem this offer:

Online - Visit The Body Shop and enter code DHAD000135 at checkout

In-store – Find your nearest store and quote GTIN code 38914 at the till.

VAT reduction will be applied at checkout

Tipsy Tuesday

Is my mascara running?????

So, you have done your eyeshadow and it is PerFectIoN!!!!! You go to apply your mascara with precision and ease when......NOOOOOOOOO. You get it all over your lid messing up the magic of the eyeshadow that was once there. Instead of totally lifting up your eyebrows and getting a headache, just tilt you head as far back as comfortable thereby separating your lashes and you lid....you gotta keep 'em separated!!!! Whoah, bad joke!!!!

Luxury Christmas Gifts from ESPA

Great news for Christmas Shopping lists this year, ESPA have released a new collection of 22 inspirational gifts designed to suit every lifestyle, mood and occasion. Each lavish offering is individually hand-wrapped in luxurious tissue and exquisitely presented in a bespoke claret box, then tied with sumptuous ESPA ribbon. Whatever your budget, there is a truly special gift to suit everyone from this irresistible collection: gifts to relax and to revitalise, gifts for those who adore Spa experiences and gifts for men and gifts for the home. The perfect antidote to the stress of Christmas shopping, ESPA gift will also be available hassle-free online and will be beautifully wrapped and delivered for you with a personalised note.
I have been lucky enough to try out one of these luxurious gifts 'The Introductory Collecction' which is perfect to introduce someone to the ESPA range, it contains a complete skin routine in one little box! Firstly there is the 'Hydrating Cleansing Milk' a gentle creamy cleanser which cleanses deep into the skin leaving it feeling clean & fresh, the 'Floral Spafresh' is a light toner to sooth, hydrate & refresh your skin, 'Refining Skin Polish' is a gentle exfoliator to clarify & refine the skin, '24 Hour Moisturising Complex' deeply nourishes & hydrates helping to regenerate the skin & finally '24 Hour Eye Complex' which is a ultra nourishing cream gel which rejuvenates the delicate eye area. One of the most noticable thing about these ESPA products is not only do they feel great on the skin the fragrance is fantastic as well, leaving your skin feeling revitalised & ultra fresh as if you have just walked out of the salon every morning! The Introductory pack is only priced at £16 making it the perfect treat, more gifts from the range are below -


INTRODUCTORY CONCEPT COLLECTION (£41)


GENTLE DEEP CLEANSING BALM 5ML
FIRMING FACE MASK 5ML
REGENERATING MOISTURE COMPLEX 5ML
REGENERATING FACE TREATMENT OIL 10ML
REVITALISING EYE MASK 5ML
INTENSIVE BIO-COMPLEX 5ML



SOOTHE (£43)


SOOTHING BATH OIL 100ML
SOOTHING BODY OIL 50ML
SOOTHING AROMATIC T-LIGHTS



WINTER RESCUE (£44.50)


BOTANICAL LIP BALM 12ML
BOTANICAL RESCUE 18ML
WHITE CLAY HAND CREAM 75ML
REPLENISHING FACE TREATMENT OIL 10ML



INVIGORATE (£35)


BODY SMOOTHING SHOWER GEL 200ML
ESSENTIAL MOISTURISING BODY LOTION 100ML
COTTON CLEANSING MITT



THE ULTIMATE ESPA EXPERIENCE (£275)


HYDRATING CLEANSING MILK 100ML
FLORAL SPAFRESH 100ML
24 HOUR MOISTURISING COMPLEX 15ML
SKIN BRIGHTENER 15ML
REFINING SKIN POLISH 15ML
ESSENTIAL MINERAL MASK 15ML
REPLENISHING FACE TREATMENT OIL 28ML
SOOTHING EYE LOTION 100ML
PINK HAIR & SCALP MUD 100ML
MINERAL SEA SALTS 200G
EXFOLIATING BODY POLISH 100ML
ESSENTIAL MOISTURISING BALM 100ML
RESTORATIVE BATH OIL 100ML
RESTORATIVE BODY OIL 50ML
WHITE CLAY HAND CREAM 75ML
SOOTHING AROMATIC CANDLE 200G



SHAVE RITUAL (£39.50)


SHAVEMUD 200ML
POSTSHAVE 70ML
COTTON CLEANSING MITT

All Available www.espaonline.com

Sad News

So, my husband sold our laptop that had the camera on it. Yes this means that I can no longer do tutorials for the time being. He is trying to set up our other camera as quickly as possible!!!!! I will start doing "Tuesdays Tips"...or "Tipsy Tuesday" (as I like to think of it) and "Thrifty Thursdays" with pictures and reviews, but don't lose hope!!!!!!!! I am still here and I am still loving the fact that I get to interact and share with you =). "See" you soon!!!!!!

Serious Lash Attitude - Madame Butterfly

Make a serious statement with your lashes this party season with Madame Butterfly, amazing dramatic lashes that will certainly make you stand out from the crowd!!! The range also includes bejeweled lashes, coloured & feathered, plus with names such as 'Midnight Masquerade', 'Sexy Loren' & 'Burlesque Beauty', who could resist!!! £4.50 each at HQhair

Perfect Xmas Gift - GHD Purple Gift Set

This Christmas sees the brand new limited edition purple GHD gift sets flying off the shelf, the perfect present for any fashionista!
The set contains a set of purple GHD straighters with matching bag, a GHD travel hair dryer, purple hair clips & a heat resistant roll bag.

Available at 'GirlzNight' for only £145 -

Angelina Jolie - Red Lipstick Glamour!

Angelina Jolie wowed the crowds last night at the premier for Brad Pitt's new movie 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button', she wore a figure hugging dress by L'Wren Scott, making it almost impossible to believe she gave birth to twins only a few months ago! To finish off her glamorous look for the evening she was sporting a fabulous red lipstick which gave added hollywood glamour to the whole ensemble! Red lips are the perfect accessory for any festive outfit this month, try Clinique's 'Angel Red' lipstick (also the colour Niole Kidman wore in Moulin Rouge).