How To: Easy Up-Do...

I'm currently going through a bit of an experimental stage with my hair since it has got to the length where I feel I can do most hairstyles with it. After many hours (sadly) on Pinterest, I have found various incredible up-dos that seem near-on impossible. I did however, find one which seemed pretty achievable. This hairstyle is perfect for long to mid-length hair, and can be adapted easily for straight or curly hair- in fact curly hair will be perfect for this up-do (think of all the time you can save on curling it!). My hair is naturally quite straight so I needed to wash it the night before so it wasn't too silky to fall out the grips. You need this to be as secure as possible so it lasts all day/night. Here's the easiest guide for this hairstyle that I can scrape together:

You will need:

- Lots of kirby grips

- One hairband

- Hairspray

- Curling tongs/straighteners

- Dry Shampoo

1. Brush through your hair. Knots will only make you regret not doing this (think, a birds nest). I spray Batiste Dark and Deep Brown dry shampoo to my roots to get some volume so my hair is full of secrets (please appreciate the Mean Girls quote…).

2. Separate your hair into two and clip the top half so you can forget about it for the moment. This doesn't have to be neat because you'll be covering the wonky parting with your luscious curls. Mmm.

3. Secure the bottom half with a bobble in a low ponytail so it is tight to your head. The more securely this is fastened, the less time you'll be worrying about your hair falling out. Not literally- just the style. 

4. Now, backcomb the ponytail. If you think you are finished, you probably aren't. Backcomb until you feel your arms are falling off or until your hair resembles that of blonde/brown cotton wool. You will thank yourselves later.

5. This is where the hairstyle starts to take shape. Twist the ponytail upwards and curl it into a large bun- using your fingers to hold it into place. Then, clip this with kirby grips onto your head, making sure its secure. Spray it with hairspray so you don't get any stubborn fly-away hairs. 

6. Release the top half of your hair and use curling tongs to give it some lovely curls. The size of these curls is up to you. I tend to do them quite small, then brush through them to get a nice wave. To get even more volume once you're done curling, backcomb the roots as it's your last chance to all night! Your hair at this stage will look very strange like a doll, but don't worry, the next bit will make it all come into place…

7. Using kirby grips, bring your curls over the backcombed bun and pin into place underneath, on top and on the sides. Don't worry about making this look perfect, it's meant to look quite messy and boho. To complete, spray hairspray all over so your head feels invincible.

The finished result! 

x

In My Make-Up Bag...

Admittedly, I love make-up. I think the artistic side of me enjoys the aspect of painting my face with lots of different products! It's until recently that I've felt I've understood and grasped make-up and beauty products after years of trial and error. Whilst growing up, I would try loads of different products (mainly cheap ones) that would just disagree with me and make my skin breakout or look too caked. However, with every bad product seemed to come a good one. Some of these good'ens have stayed in my make-up bag for years so it's only fair that I share them on here. Also, in my recent beauty shopping sprees, I have had some surprising success stories when trying out new products. Therefore, this blog post seemed pretty appropriate…

Behold my make-up bag…

My make-up bag is from Primark and it's the perfect size. I have had make-up bags from other places but none of them beat Primark ones (and the price tag). For Primark, they are really good quality and even though it sounds silly- the zip is really good! My past make-up bags break at the zip and results in my make-up going m.i.a. in my handbags whilst cracking and making a mess. This make-up bag is slightly padded so prevents this happening. I love the geometric, monochrome print as it can be on display in my room at home and at uni without clashing with everything (it's a girl thing...). 

I keep my make-up brushes in a little white metal bucket, which, in it's past life, was the container in a toiletry gift set. So, sometimes those Christmas gift sets which seem pointless, actually have some pretty useful stuff in it. It's the perfect size without squashing all my brushes in. I have Real Techniques make up brushes (the foundation brush, the blush brush, the multi-purpose face brush which I use for bronzer and contouring, and a domed shadow brush- an absolute lifesaver for blending eyeshadows). Other brushes in my little bucket are a set from Amazon- you can never have too many! 

Primers & BB Cream

My first ever primer was the Benefit Pore-fessional and I found it's so light on the skin and clears out imperfections. The price is about £24, which I find quite steep for everyday usage. Being a typical student, I went on the hunt for a cheaper alternative as I couldn't justify the Benefit price tag. I came across Body Shop's Instablur and All-In-One BB Cream after researching it on the Internet- initially being a bit skeptical over Body Shop cosmetics as I have never used them before. These are amazing for everyday wear. They apply enough coverage, blur out the imperfections, and don't make your skin look like you have caked it on. It's that good that I don't wear foundation daily anymore. For both, it's £20 and if you get a Body Shop loyalty card you get 10% off, so it's a no-brainer really...

Foundation, Concealer, and Powder 

In the past, I used Benefit's powder but I found it was very cakey and expensive, so after reading other beauty blogs, Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder was the most popular amongst the blogosphere. Being no more than a fiver and no more than a few miles away in your local drugstore, this powder is so ideal for people on a budget and stays put for a pretty long time. Benefit's Boi-ing concealer is in it's own words 'industrial strength', which I admit, I need sometimes! Being a staple in my make-up bag for 4 years, it applies amazing coverage and lasts a very long time.

Foundation for me has been the most difficult make-up product to suss. When it comes down to it, I look for the best coverage, something that's not too matte and not too dewy, and one that matches my skin colour so I don't look like I'm wearing a mask. MaxFactor's Whipped Creme Foundation was a discovery when I couldn't get hold of my old foundation. It was the quickest option I could find in my local Boots and it was a very desperate time! Self-described as a 'semi-matte' foundation, I was really pleasantly surprised as it had a nice dewy finish to it and covered up the redness of my skin. At £10 a pot, it lasts me a good few months so you get your money's worth and more. 

Blushers and Bronzers

How people don't wear bronzer is beyond me, it just gives you the essential healthy glow! I use Benefit's Hoola Bronzer because it is the perfect tan colour and is matte so you don't look like a disco ball with glitter all over your face. I use it to contour and as a light powder when I have a tan (rare occurrence). Benefit's High Beam is also perfect when contouring, and works alongside Hoola in giving you the healthy glow. I apply this to the tops of my cheeks and on my brow bone to highlight. 

Blushers are another one of my difficulties. Having a naturally reddish tone to my face means that blushers can backtrack everything you achieved with your foundation and bronzer. They essentially make you look pink again. I have a MAC blusher in the shade 'Fleur Power' which is a bright rosy pink. I call this my 'going-out blusher' as it works best when I have the most make-up on my face where my redness is covered by ALOT of make-up. I then have a slightly paler blusher by L'Oreal called 'le blush' (I don't know the shade!) which is lovely on your skin for an everyday pink. However, my favourite of all is the Korres Zea Mays Blusher in Peach (18). A peach or coral blusher with brown undertones rather than red helps banish the redness in your skin and instead, brings out a more tanned look. This is something I definitely need and have used this blusher for a few months now and it is amazing! 

Skin Preparation

Due to being very spot-prone, I have been told to stay clear from moisturisers. Then, there's the mantra saying that how you treat your skin in your 20's, will determine the future of your skin. I don't really want to age horribly so looking after my skin has become more of a priority recently. I used Body Shop's Vitamine E Aqua Boost Sorbet, which melts into the skin. It feels amazing (like your skin is having a drink) and hydrates your skin as it quickly soaks in. With working outside most of the summer, the vitamin E in the moisturiser is ideal for protecting and replenishing your skin. At £12, it is pretty good!

I use Soap and Glory Puffy Eye Attack to reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. Even though this doesn't have immediate effect, within half an hour your eyes don't feel like they are being weighed down. I apply this before make-up and it doesn't affect it at all, which I initially assumed it would. 

Eyeshadows

This could be a whole blogpost itself! Jumping on the Urban Decay Naked Palette bandwagon, I am a self-confessed eyeshadow lover. I aim to collect all of them as they are all so beautiful and create some amazing looks. I particularly love the matte shades in the two palettes as they look so effortless and natural. I personally believe these are the best when it comes down to pigmentation, colour variety, and quality for neutral eyeshadow shades. The black one above is a Sleek Palette which I do return to every now and then, but it's just not the same as my beloved Urban Decay. 

Eyeliners, Eyebrows and Mascaras

Since I first discovered that eyebrows do indeed need defining on your face, I have used Sleek eyebrow kit in 'dark'. It comes with a shadow and a gel- the perfect combination for filling in your existing shape and defining it. I find this method looks the least 'drawn-on' as eyebrow pencils and pens look too unnatural. This eyebrow kit also lasts forever. I have been on the same one for the last two years and it has only just reached the pan.

In terms of eyeliners, I have two which I use as they both have their pros and cons. I use Rimmel's Exaggerate Eyeliner for a blacker, bolder and more stronger line, and Eyeko's eyeliner pen for a neater, less obvious yet more precise line. Rimmel's eyeliner is harder to use so I don't use that when I'm in a rush, but if I do have the time, it has the best results. This eyeliner therefore, has been in my make-up bag for as long as I can remember because my mum used to use it on me for dance competitions.

You'll never catch me using a different mascara to this one. My friends and I are the biggest fans of Maybelline Colossal Volume Express Mascara due to it's voluminous, jet black finish that doesn't clump or dry out your eyelashes. I use it in waterproof because my oily skin can cause non-waterproof mascaras to rub off onto my face. 

I think this blog post is about 10 in one! Just because they're all in my make- up bag, doesn't mean I use all these products on my face at once haha. For any new products I find in the future, I aim to do write reviews on them and compare them to these existing ones. If I am doing as well as I'm doing at the moment on my successful beauty discoveries, I'm expecting a lot more new arrivals into my make-up bag...