My makeup/beauty storage

The other day I went to Matalan with my mum to have a look about and I was surprised to find that the home range is quite nice! They've hooked up with Lawrence Lwellyn something... (the guy from Changing Homes...? Remember him??!) and he's designed a few affordable decor pieces. Now, there were two things that immediately caught my eye, one being a black jagged cup and the other a matching ice bucket thingy (sorry, i'm really bad with the names of things!). I really liked that it looks so unique and weird (it's got that boudoir glam thing going on) and it goes really well with the rest of my bedroom furniture. 

Of course I didn't actually buy it to put ice in - it's my little storage area for everyday essentials that I use regularly... as you can see from looking inside, it's quite big and fits a lot of stuff!

The cup is great for storing pens, combs, brushes, etc

In case anyone is interested here's a brief guide to how I store the rest of my stuff....

These little baskets are great for separating your stuff into categories (lashes, samples, hair stuff, etc). 

I got this vanity box from Argos and I use it to store most of my makeup. (I'd show you guys how it looks inside but it's sooo messy!). The only problem is that it doesn't fit much stuff in.

This little box was on sale in WH Smiths for 75p so I immediately picked it up, even though I had no use for it at the time. Now it's become home to my nail varnishes... I really wish I'd bought more of them!  

Finally, this little drawer is where the rest of my stuff live. Usually I cram whatever I'm not using in here and it gets forgotten :-S

So that's my makeup and beauty storage. It's nothing spectacular but it works for me. If anyone has any clever/unique storage solutions please let me know because i'm always looking for new places to store my stuff!

Sami xx

Barbie Nails!

As some of you may know I am a little obsessed with Barbie and pink. So when I got this Estee Lauder Pure Colour Nail Lacquer in Wild Orchid I was crazy excited! Now I don't know if it's my pictures or what but the colour you see here is not exactly true to real life. It's more of a disco pink with fuchsia glitter running through it - very glossy, in yer' face and a little tacky... but I like it :) 

The consistency is very easy to work with but it's quite thick and sticky which means two coats is enough. And the bottle just screams glamour... definitely a dressing table prop. 

I'd recommend this for those looking to get a luxury nail varnish (for £12 it is more of a treat then a must-have), as long as you don't mind looking like a six year old...!

The colour reminds me of these cute pink jelly sandals I used to wear as a child :-)

Side Note: this product was sent to me but that's not going to stop me from giving my honest opinion.

Summer Nails

I've been using Barry M's Pink Flamingo nail varnish for quite a while now and I still don't know how to describe the colour! During the day and in the sun it comes out like this gorgeous fluro pink but in some lighting it's more of a coral/peach tone... What I can say about the colour is that it looks different every time I look at it!

This picture doesn't do the polish any justice because it has soo much more depth to it!

Since discovering Pink Flamingo I've been neglecting my other nail polishes so I think I'll mix things up and try out something totally different today :- )

My first ever awards :-O

Today I was really happy to find that I had been given two awards from the wonderful Arabian Eyes aka Nada.... thank you!! I never imagined getting one let alone two so that was a surprise! Lol

Anyway, I'm not really familiar with how this works but let me give it a try.... I think I'm meant to pass these awards on to my followers.... so here goes....

For this award I nominate: 

Asian Beautifier 

Hi Fashion

Siamese

And for this award I nominate:

Hijabinista 

Princess Shabie Wabie

Bollywood Wonder

I've only nominated 3 for each category because I don't have many followers :$ 

Anyhu, enjoy ladies.... and thank you once again Nada :-)

Sami xx

Jai Ho Inspired Makeup Look

I know the song is old but I absolutely LOVED Nicole Scherzinger's makeup/outfits in the Jai Ho video so, during a boring afternoon I thought I'd recreate the makeup look, as you do...

Now, I'm not attempting to be like Nicole Scherzinger in any way (I realise she is way hotter and so my look is just a version from the vid!) But I'm sure you get the overall idea - lots of pink, bold eyes, bindi, etc....

Here's how to get the look:

Face: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Barcelona all over face. Barry M Blusher in Pink Orchid over the cheekbones. Ruby & Millie Bronzer below cheekbones as a contour and Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick on the top of the cheekbones as a highlight.

Eyes: Urban Decay Sin Primer Potion all over eyelids. Dark brown eyeshadow from Too Faced used to define and thicken eyebrows. Too Faced eyeshadow in Velvet Revolver all over eyelids (the Sin primer makes the colour come out really intense!) Gosh Liquid Eyeliner over the top lashline and slightly flicked out at the ends. Shu Uemura Gel Liner over the lower lashline (apply it quite thickly for a more intense look). Finish with  two coats of mascara (I forgot which one I used :-S) or you could apply falsies (I wasn't bothered). Add highlight to the eyebrows with Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick.

Lips: Mac Lipstick in Girl About Town lightly applied on lips (like a stained effect) and Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss for a fuller pout!

Extras: If you want to go for a more Asian/Eastern look add a Bindi!  

Dabbling with Lip Gloss

Ordinarily I wouldn't wear lip gloss because I don't think it really suits me but my sister gave me this Clarins Gloss Appeal lip gloss so I thought I'd give it a try.

What it says: A grown-up gloss for all seasons. Lightly almond-scented, this gloss hydrates, plumps, smoothes and protects lips.

I got the Orchid colour which is a deep raspberry pink with fuchsia glitter running through it. Now, my first thoughts were taaaaacky (it reminded me of something you'd find in a 8 year old's Barbie makeup set...) but once I applied it the colour came out quite sheer with very little glitter and sparkle. The texture was also really smooth and didn't leave my lips feeling sticky or gross. 

The Clarins Gloss Appeal was a pleasant surprise. It felt smooth on my lips and smelt of cherry drops... yum! I'd recommend this to lip gloss virgins as it's not too in your face, just the right amount of fun and glamour!

Sami xx  

Clarins Gloss Appeal, £14

My Goodies!

As previously mentioned I was lucky enough to receive a goody bag from the press event I attended. Here's a run down of the stuff I got

I haven't had a chance to try the beauty products out yet but I'll give it more of a review when I do.

P.S The chocolate is AMAZING! 

Sami xx

Lush Love

Until yesterday I had never been inside a Lush store! I came across it in Regents St and thought I'd go and investigate. Due to my lack of funds (I recently blew most of my wages on a handbag...) I didn't actually buy anything but I've got a huuuuuge shopping list of stuff I want to get (mostly the massage bars, soaps and bath stuff). I did however get a deodorant sample, which smells odd but I'm yet to see if it works...

Here's a visual (and the reason why I'm loving Lush right now)

Like a kid in a candy store...

As much as I enjoyed looking around in Lush I have to say that The Body Shop is still my firm favourite when it comes to body products. Sure, it's not as creative and quirky, but I love all the scents and the products are such great quality. That being said, I haven't tried many Lush stuff so if anyone has any recommendations  let me know as I'm hoping to get a few things from there soon :- )

Sami xx

Laurus PR Press Day

Today I was lucky enough to be invited to the Laurus PR press event so I thought I'd share the highlights from the day with you! Laurus PR are a company that look after both beauty and fashion clients. For the purpose of this blog I'll cover the beauty stuff... if you want to know about their fashion clients/collections then let me know and I'll do another post on that :- )

During the press event I was introduced to some lovely beauty clients including; Colorsport (who specialise in semi permanent makeup like 30 day mascara dyes and 24hr eyeliner), Beautifully Delicious (a range of body products in yummy scents), Aubrey Organics (organic beauty and makeup stuff) and loads more! As well as showcasing the latest products there were complimentary hand massages, fruit cocktails, gorgeous cupcakes and a lovely goodie bag! 

I'll do another post in more detail on some of the brands I liked, as well as reviews from the products I was given, but for now I'll leave you with some pics from the day!

Enjoy xx

Little Me Organics

Aubrey Organics

Colorsport

Beautifully Delicious

Sheeffah enjoying a relaxing hand massage :- )

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Speed Dry Drops

I love painting my nails. But what I don't love is waiting impatiently for them to dry! I don't think I've ever managed to paint them without smudging at least one nail.... So you can imagine how happy I was when I got the Sally Hansen Speed Dry Drops. Basically you paint your nails, apply one or two drops, wait for about 30 secs and voila, you're good to go.... well that's what I assumed when I used it this morning. 

I waited a bit longer than 30 secs (you know, just in case) and then proceeded to get changed. The next thing you know my nails were all smudged and icky looking! You see the problem with these drops are that they form a protective layer over your nails but they don't actually dry them. I think I had high expectations with this product because I automatically assumed that I would use it, wait for a bit and they would be solid as rocks. 

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Speed Dry Drops, £5.95

On a more positive note, the drops are infused with shea butter so anything that goes on your fingers or cuticles will help replenish the skin. I think I'll carry on using the drops to see if it was just teething problems but if you're very impatient like me I wouldn't recommend this as an 'instant' solution. 

Hope that was insightful :- )

Sami xx

F.Y.I This product was given to me, however the opinions expressed are entirely my own

Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil

Shu Uemara isn't a brand I'm that familiar with but a friend introduced me to it last year when I was looking for some falsies (they do the best false lashes I'm told). Anyway, I brought a bunch of stuff and the guy gave me some samples of their cleansing oil. I started using it to take off my makeup when I ran out of wipes (yes - I'm that lazy I use wipes most nights!) So you put a few drops of the oil on wet hands and the formula  transforms into a milky consistency.  You massage it onto your face and rinse off.

Does it work? Yes. After using the oil my face felt clean and soft, rather than tight and itchy. It also took off most of my makeup, although it was tricky getting my eyeliner and mascara off (it doesn't irritate my sensitive eyes either, which is a bonus). 

Would I repurchase? Probably, but I've heard so many wonderful things about the MAC cleansing oil and the Clinique cleansing balm that I'm wondering if I should shop around before finding one to stick to you.... lets see...

As you can see the samples are tiny!!

The Shu Uemura cleansing oils cost around £25 and are available in most department stores

Rouge Volupte Lipstick: My New Love

When it comes to lippes I tend to just stick to MAC's collection, but after hearing so many great things about the YSL Rouge Volupte Lipsticks I decided to see what all the fuss was about... and OMG.... I've really been missing out!! Not only is the packaging to die for, they're richly pigmented, soft, creamy and really moisturising - it actually felt like I was wearing a lip balm. After much deliberation I brought the aptly named Pink Fetish lipstick (No 8 i think... ) which looks like a rosy pink but actually comes out quite pale... I'd probably wear it lightly so it doesn't look too porn star (my sister says it makes me look like a bimbo... LOL). The colour is also quite similar to MAC's Pink Nouveau (left swatch) but the Rouge Volupte has a smoother, creamier consistency. 

Apologies for the shite picture quality... my digital camera battery needs charging so this was taken with my phone :-S

So, all in all a good lippie... I'd highly recommend you to invest in one of these if you suffer from dry lips (as I do!) My only bugbear is that it's so damn expensive (£21 for a lipstick? Really??!) This is bad news for me because I'm now contemplating getting a few more :- S 

Anyone got any colour recommendations for me? Sami xx

Product Rave: Crown Brushes... and a little something....

During my trip to The Vitality Show I came across a stall selling Crown Brushes. Now, I don't know if anyone's heard of them before but they are a small family owned company that sell makeup brushes and eyeshadow/blusher palettes. What caught my eye is that they had LOADS of brushes in different stages, so there was the Badger range (the high-end range) and then lower down there were the Basic range. What also caught my eye was the amazing prices! Compared to MAC or Ruby and Millie these brushes were good quality AND affordable.

Here are the two I got:

The Mini Oval Smudger

This brush is really great for creating a highlight on the tearduct and lower waterline

Not sure what this one is called but it's basically a larger version of the previous brush and I use it to contour the crease on my eyelid and create a smoky effect 

Really sorry for the poor description and lack of info but the website is not very helpful. You can't zoom in much so I couldn't really tell which ones I got :- S

Mine were from the Luna range and cost about £2 - 3. I really regret getting only two because they were such a bargain and if you order online they charge you £5.49 :- (

If anyone has ordered from them online please let me know about your experience as I'm thinking of getting a few more things from them.... Sami xx

P.S. Makeup addicts HAVE to check this out:

Professional 88 Palette 01, £27.49

Can you believe that this little beauty only costs £27.49?!! I don't know how well pigmented the shadows are but if you're looking to learn about makeup and techniques I think this is a really good investment as a starter kit. I'm still pondering over whether I should get one... Sami xx

*Crown brushes and makeup palettes can be purchased online at www.crownbrush.co.uk

Gucci: An introduction

I realise that this post has nothing to do with beauty/health but I couldn't resist posting some pics of the latest edition in my family!

Sorry to disappoint the fashionistas out there but I'm taking about this little kitten my sis bought home a few weeks ago...!!! Isn't he gorg?!

Me unsuccessfully trying to give him a kiss and making some weird shape with my mouth instead :- S

Enjoy!

Sami xx

Mint Julips Lip Scrub by Lush

I suffer from dry, flaky lips so when I was presented with this little lip scrub by Lush I was immediately intrigued - would it actually keep my lips soft and flake-free all day??!

In a word: yes. After brushing my teeth I rubbed a tiny bit on and it instantly buffed away any dead skin... and it tasted like After Eights (YUM!!) The only issue I have with this baby is that  for £4.50, it's a bit overpriced for something so small with so little inside it... and to be honest I could just mix some honey and sugar DIY style and make it myself for a fraction on the cost. 

That being said it did taste/smell absolutely divine and now I've got my sweet tooth set on the bubblegum and vanilla ones.... :- )

As you can see there's not much in there

Plaits, plaits, plaits!

Gone are the days where we associate plaits with 5yr old girls or Heidi. Now, thanks to the fashion world plaits are COOL! The plait trend I've been channelling lately is the Side Plait, which has also been given an honourable mention in Belle du Jour's blog. It's a lot messier and edgier than the traditional plait.

To achieve this simple hairdo lightly backcomb hair, create a side parting and pull into a messy plait. A a light spritz of hairspray to set the look. A quiff (like Rachel McAdams) is great for a punky, evening look, or if you're after something a little more casual, create a deep side parting and add a cute hairband like Vanessa Hudgens. I did mine with hair extensions so the plait came out longer and fatter.

Enjoy,

Sami xx

A Spring Clean!

As you may or may not have noticed I've pimped my blog! I always wondered how so many blogs had these lovely layouts while mine was boring, plain ol' white. Then I discovered ShabbyBlogs.com - a site with loads of cool backgrounds and buttons to add some bling to your blog!

I'm still playing around with it but I'd love to hear what you guys think of my new, revamped blog so far!

Sami xx