Weekend of Weddings

Last weekend was packed with bridal parties and weddings so I thought I'd share my hair, makeup and outfits. To those of you who aren't familiar with Asian weddings, they're usually very bright and flamboyant! 

Mehndi Night

The bride hosts a Mehndi party (where her hand is decorated with henna patterns) a few nights before the wedding. 

The Wedding

Wearing: A white sari with antique gold detailing

Hair & Makeup: I used MAC's Tan Pigment on the eyes and MAC By Candlelight MSF as an iridescent highlight. for the hair I tonged it all over and then backcombed the crown.

Loving: Sarah false lashes from the Eylure Girls Aloud collection :)

The bride in a bright red embellished sari... Her makeup looked amazing but I couldn't get a close up... sorry!

So as you can see I've had a very busy weekend, but it was loads of fun! I love Asian weddings because I can go a little crazy with my hair and makeup lol

Anyone else love weddings as much as me?!!

Sami xx

PS Outfit fail of the night: Not only was it impossible to walk in my sari, the Bride's sisters all wore the EXACT same colour as me... so much for standing out eh?! 

MAC Venomous Villians haul.... finally!

I know I am hideously late on the MAC Venomous Villains collection but I did pick up some things a few weeks ago... Instead of going for the lipsticks I thought I'd try something different and ended up with some lip glosses instead!

I still haven't thrown out the lovely packaging!

Briar Rose Beauty Powder

A cool pink powder blush thing (what exactly IS a beauty powder?!) that you can swirl over the face with a large brush. The colour is subtle, yet very pretty, and it gave me a nice glow - I think this works great in the morning when you need your skin to perk up.

Hot House & Revenge is Sweet Lip Glass

Revenge is Sweet - this has a lovely subtle pink sheen to it, which you can layer over lipsticks or wear on its own. I've worn this one a lot to work and it has that 'your lips but glossier AND better' effect. My lips are quite pigmented so I usually use a nude lipliner before applying it.

Hot House - I think the pic says it all! It's a juicy dark pink with a fine thread of glitter running through it to give it that extra gloss. It also made my lips look HUGE, which is weird because darker colours usually have a slimming effect. A beautifooool colour that'd work well for a glamorous/sexy look :) 

What did you guys think of the Venomous Villians collection - inspired... or tacky?! 

Sami xx

Indian Bridal Look !

This look was inspired by MAC Lipstick in Impassioned, which is such an amazingly vivid pinky/red, and I think it works well on Indian bridal looks. Asian brides usually wear very bight and bold outfits with lots of jewellery so the makeup needs to be just as bold and extravagant! 

What I Used:

FACE

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation mixed w/Strobe Cream

MAC Studio Select Concealer

MAC MSF Natural 

Ruby and Millie Matte Bronzer

MAC Blusher in Breezy

MAC MSF in Candlelight

EYES

UDPP

MAC Paintpot in Groundwork

Barry M Dazzle Dust in Yellow Gold

Gosh Pigment in Gold

Gosh Pigment in Bronze

Urban Decay Half Baked

MAC Blusher in Breezy

Shu Uemura Gel Liner

Cheryl Cole False Lashes

LIPS

YSL Lip Contour

MAC Lipstick in Impassioned

Hope you guys liked :- )

Sami x

Lush Xmas Treats

Can I just say that this Lush Christmas Candy Box would make an amazing gift! Yes I know there are still another three months 'til Xmas but better to be prepared right? This cost £19.95 and came with six candy-themed products, which I think is really good value, considering that Lush can be overprice

A peek inside:

The box includes the following:

Snow Fairy Shower Gel This cult product that was very popular last year and now it's back.. yay! Smells like sweets and has a slight hint of glitter and sparkle.

Bubblegum Lip Scrub A yummy, pink, lick-your-lips scrub that gets rid of all the dead skin on your lips.

Candy Cane Bubble Bar Creates a creamy lather and turns your bath pink! The smell was not as strong as I'd hoped though.

Honey I Washed the Kids & Rock Star Soap - They both smell delish but aren't as moisturising as the shower gels and creams.

Snow Fairy Lip Tint - Haven't tried this yet but will update you once I do!

I'd recommend this gift box to Lush fans and Lush virgins alike because it's good value for money and has some lovely, girly products, it also includes a 10% off voucher for your next purchase. I love the candy scent... it's so sweet that I was tempted to eat it (that would kinda ruin the illusion though, as I'm guessing soap doesn't taste that nice...?) You can check out Lush's Christmas range out here. 

Another Lush Love...

Ultra Bland £5.75, described as 'the most thorough of all cleansers' caught my eye because I've been looking for a makeup remover that didn't: a) dry my skin out, and b) didn't irritate my sensitive eyes, but hadn't had any luck. This is like a creamy butter that you slather all over your eyes and then clean off with a damp ball of cotton wool. 

Did it work? 

Yes! It cleaned my skin thoroughly and my mascara practically slid off! The only down side is that it's sooo creamy that it can leave you with a greasy layer of skin (due to the Almond Oil in it). If you're prone to shine or have very oily skin I'd use this with a toner.

Is anyone planning on getting some Lush goodies from their Xmas range??

Sami x

Nail du Jour: OPI Cozu-melted in the Sun

My local department store had a mahooosive 20% sale on all OPI products a few weeks ago so I just couldn't resist ANOTHER nail varnish... Eeek! This one is called Cozu-melted in the Sun and it's a glossy, shimmery beige-pink. It's not too in 'yer face so would be great to wear for work. 

I think this may be my new favourite (although I say that about all my new nail varnishes - fickle eh?!). And it kind of reminds of a silk nightie - sexy, glamorous and understated. Definitely a must-have : - )

What do you guys think? Is it worth it even with a 20% discount?!

Sami xx

MAC Viva Glam Gaga Lip Glass

After the amazing success of the Viva Glam Lipsticks, MAC have come out with a lip glass version! I never brought the lipsticks because I didn't feel the colour would suit me, however, the Viva Glam Gaga Lip Glass* is (in my opinion) a lot more wearable.

Let me just state that I NEVER wear lip gloss... like EVER! I don't even own any! Reason being that they usually taste like crap, can be very sticky/gooey and I don't see them as very long lasting compared to a lipstick. So you can imagine how I felt being faced with this little beauty....

My Verdict: Amazing! The lip gloss was not sticky, tasted okay and lasted for a a good couple of hours (I'm not sure if all MAC Lip Glasses are like this though... am I telling you guys something you already know?!). The colour was also, surprisingly wearable. It's a milky, opaque pink but the glossiness of it meant that it didn't look too light and it didn't wash me out. I also tried the Cyndi Lauper one but I wasn't crazy about the colour... if you want to see how it looks let me know and I'll do a separate post :- )

FYI: Viva Glam Lip Glasses £12, available from October for 6 months ONLY!

Are there any other MAC Lip Glasses that are really good? I've discovered a love for them so any recommendations would be great! 

In other news....

Bring on the Bling

I've been feeling a bit flash lately (it's a shame my bank account hasn't...) so decided to finally buy into the hype and get Paco Robanne Lady Million. I have been lusting over One Million forever so I was really excited about this fragrance. I'd describe the scent as a fresh and fruity (helpful eh?!) and on first spray it is quite delicious... but after it settles the smell becomes quite musty and I can smell the alcohol...Eeek! I'm really disappointed because the men's version is sooo sooo much better! 

Paco Robanne Lady Million 30ml, £45

I also got these beautiful earrings from River Island... They're much sparklier in real life and I love the little diamantés! I think they were about £9.99

Has anyone else tried the Lady Million perfume and what were your thoughts??

Sami x

Easy Peasy Smoky Eyes

If I'm being honest I'm a bit scared of smoky eyes... When applied wrong it can look a bit Taylor Momsen (Eeeek!) but if done right, it can look really glamorous and sultry. Well, I've managed to find a way to achieve it with minimal effort and maximum impact! 

This was my first proper go at it so it's by no means perfect... and I still haven't plucked up the courage to leave the house with it on... Maybe one day!

I used: Urban Decay Primer Potion, Urban Decay Naked Palette, L'Oreal Millionize Mascara, Gosh Liquid Eyeliner, Black Khol

HOW I DID IT

After applying a primer on the eyelids, dab a black shadow, like Gunmetal with a flat brush up to the crease (DON'T GO ABOVE THE CREASE - we're not going for a Panda look here). Extend the eyeshadow out with a pointed brush so it creates a winged out effect.

With a small fluffy brush apply a neutral colour, like Naked to blend out any harsh edges.Apply liquid liner on the top eyelid for extra definition and wing it out.

Apply a black khol or eyeliner to the bottom eyelids and smudge with a pointy brush or your fingers. Add a highlight, like Sin, to the tearduct. Or for more of a cat eye join the eyeliner. 

Apply a generous amount of volumising mascara then finish the look off with a matt bronzer to contour and a highlight on the top of the cheekbones. 

I also applied MAC Lipstick in Blankety to help offset the intensity of the smoky eyes. 

This look is quite strong because it's ultimately a solid black on your eyes, but it can be softened with a highlight. Once I master a 'proper' smoky eye I will definitely post it (but don't hold your breath!)

What do you guys think? How do you do your smoky eye?

Sami x