Get Your Summer Glow On - On a Budget!! - The best drugstore products for the sun kissed look

Cherubs!

I am going to share some top secret beauty tips with you all today! Summer is coming and it is time to get your glow on!

Whatever your shade of skin, when the sunlight hits, you want to enhance the natural glow it gives you. A heavy, matt makeup look is not going to acheive this, instead luminous, highlighted skin that catches the light just so, soft natural gold and bronze tones that sparkle subtley.. thats what I go for anyway!

However what you dont need to do is spend a fortune to achieve this. I have hand picked and tested some really high-performing products that won't cost you the earth.

1. Sugar and Olive Oil Body Scrub

You may be showing a little more flesh when the weather is hot, so you need to make sure it is in tip top condition. Start by using a body scrub which is nourishing yet effective at sloughing off any patches of dry, dull skin. The best and cheapest body scrub is this simple sugar and olive oil homemade scrub. Simply mix equal quantities of olive oil and granulated sugar. Add a good squeeze of honey and a dash of rose water. Keep it in a plastic screw top tub in your bathroom. Simples!

2.  NSpa Indulgent Toffee Shimmer Body Oil

So now your skin is soft and smooth, now you need to lock in the moisture to get a head start on that subtle, bronzed sun kissed effect. This product is a non-greasy body oil which smells exactly like sweet toffee! It is pigmented with a bronze, pearlescent effect. Spray and gently buff into legs, arms, collar bones, shoulders and it makes your skin feel so silky and soft. Best thing is it makes you smell good enough to eat! This little bottle of liquid sunset costs just £1 from Asda!

3. H and M Eyeshadow Duo in Hot Sands

I picked up this eyeshadow duo on an absolute whim for just 99 pence and really wasn't expecting an awful lot but boy was I surprised! This eyeshadow has a fantastic, buttery soft texture and is really, really pigmented. The colours give the most perfect burnished coppery gold smokey eyes and you can even use the lighter shade as a highlighter on the tops of your cheekbones. All you need to do is take a fluffy blending brush and buff the copper colour all over the eyelid and into the socket too. Use the lighter shade on the area under the browbone and in the inner tear duct. Sweep the copper shade under the eye too and smudge black kohl on your waterline and voila! You have the perfect sexy, golden goddess look down. Love this!

4. UNE Sheer Lips Balm

To keep with the hydrated, youthful, beach babe vibe, the lips need to be kept simple (especially if you opted for the sexy copper smokey eye look detailed above). Lipgloss seems like it would be the obvious choice but gloss can be sticky, yet, ultimately drying on the lips, not to mention not always as natural-looking as you may want. Instead try these gorgeous UNE sheer lips balms. They are so moisturising and they are kind of lip perfectors, as they make your lips look like the best version of your own lips - if you see what I mean! The colours are so natural and, well, lip coloured. Just perfect! It is a little more expensive at £6 or £7 however, the high quality, not to mention the sheer genius in being able to produce shades that mirror actual lip shades make it worth it.

5. Osmo Matt Sea Spray

The best thing about hot weather for me, is being able to really relax in terms of hair. I can just wash it, towel dry it and while its still damp, spray one product and leave it to set in the sun into perfect, beachy waves. The wonder product I use is Osmo's Matt Sea Spray. You can get this at those little hair product stands that sell all the Tigi products in the mall, or at Sallys Beauty Supplies or online for around £4!! I love that it gives a matt finish, because for me, beach hair is not greasy looking, but tousled, wavy and textured, as if you just spent the morning surfing! 

6. Rimmel Instant Tan Makeup

Now, my skin tone is around a MAC shade NC42 and I go up to NC44 with a tan, however, I still love to enhance the tan to give it that subtle bronze glow. The toffee shimmer oil mentioned above doesnt deepen the skintone really, so if you want to create a more tanned effect, without splashing out on expensive and time consuming spray tanning, nor spend hours exfoliating and buffing in the fake tan only to get an orange glow, try this little miracle instead! I use the medium shade which looks pretty scary as it is a deep deep dark copper colour, but it really sheers out.  For the face, the best way to use this is to mix a pea sized amount with your foundation or tinted moisturiser and using a brush, buff into your skin. It does contain shimmer so if you prefer shimmer to be restricted, just buff over your cheekbones, sides of the temples, across the bridge of the nose. Trust me on this, the effect on darker skins is absolutely gorgeous. For the body, if your arms and legs have been deprived of sun and you need a little pick me up - get some gloves on and smooth into your skin. The best thing, besides the price (just £6 for a bottle that will last years) is that it washes off!

7. Collection 2000 Shimmer Shades in Way to Glow

If the thought of using instant tan makeup is too much, I have found the perfect glow-maker for you! It is very long lasting and in a range of peachy, rather than golden, tones which very cleverly brighten the skin and give the perfect amount of luminosity for just £4. Think Jennifer Lopez. Collection 2000 is one of my favourite drugstore brands! Between Collection 2000 and Sleek you can get top of the range makeup quality for teeny prices. This 4 shade peach blusher can be swirled together to create that gorgeous flush of colour, or individually to contour and highlight. I use this every single day as, regardless of weather, when I put this on in the morning I look fresh, revitalised and glowy. I honestly will go and stock up on like 3 of these as I never want to run out, I love it THAT much. I just can't fathom how it doesnt streak throughout the day, it just really stays put. It is so unique - please go and try it! The pic below does it no justice at all, go try it next time you are in Superdrug or Boots, trust me.

What products do you use to get your glow on? Have you got any budget friendly wonder products you can recommend??

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Indian Bridal Style Soft Cut Crease Peach Pink and Green Gold Makeup - Client Portfolio

Hi Cherubs!

I wanted to share the makeup looks I did for some lovely clients on Saturday!

Apologies the lighting in the hotel room was poor hence the slightly washed out tones : (

The focus was to enhance her natural features and to complement the beautiful saree she wore.

The makeup look was natural glowy skin, glossy natural hued rose lips, soft cut crease pink and peach eye slightly smoked out with deep brown in the outer v and gold glitter in the inner corners of the eyes. Finally the look was made slightly dramatic by applying lots of mascara (no false lashes) and a double wing eyeliner.

I also did the makeup for her glamorous mother too! She was wearing a deep green and gold saree which she wanted to match her makeup to. Like most mature women, her eyes were hooded so I kept the lid a warm indian gold shade and blended a metallic forest green (one of the MAC's Mega Metal colours from the Peacocky collection) into the outer corner but faded this into a matt brown towards the inner corners of the eyes. Shimmery colours all across the socket area are not very flattering on hooded eyes. For the lips, I used a burnished wine shade in MAC's Supreme Sheen formula called "Can't Resist".

I really enjoyed the assignment, and hope they did too! A big thank you to both of them for allowing me to share their pictures with you all.

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Insanity Workout Review by a UK Woman!

Hey Cherubs!

I have been trying lots of ways to lose weight and tone up for some time but honestly my will power is none existant! Consequently I haven't managed to lose anything and keep it off consistently! Eek! My job is very sedentary as it is office based, this coupled with generally getting older (in my early thirties if you want to know!) I have noticed some small effects on my health - IBS, feeling tired all the time, bloatedness, skin issues...

Sooooo I decided to kick start my fitness with the Insanity Workout! Yes it is kind of extreme but simply going to the gym wasnt cutting the mustard. So I roped in my husband as a daily support system and workout buddy and dived in.

OK so firstly what is Insanity? Well it is a tough, cardio and resistance circuit training workout that focuses on max interval training. MAX Interval Training replaces your standard moderate intensity exercise with maximum-intensity exercise, and your short intervals of intensity with short periods of rest. Adding high-intensity exercise, during which your heart rate is raised to 80 percent or more of its maximum capacity, forces your body to use fast-twitch muscle fibers not normally engaged in cardio exercise. These fast-twitch fibers continue burning extra fuel even during lower-intensity exercise.

It is a 60 day program via dvds. You dont need any equipment, just the dvds and the workout calendar. You workout 6 days a week with one day of rest. Each workout dvd is around 40 minutes.

The first day is a fit test, so you can track your fitness levels. Let me tell you, the fit test was super hard! But that was NOTHING compared to the workouts themselves. Insanity is not even an exageration! It is sooo tough! Its so painful I couldn't walk for like the first 3 days of workouts. Literally I was hobbling at work as my muscles were in so much pain.

I am now on the 3rd day of my second week and I am noticing some slight changes - for instance, I am not in as much agony the day after a workout, my muscles and joints are already getting stronger.

Secondly, and this is kind of gross but if you suffer from bloatedness, IBS and constipation (as I know many women do!) this really gets your body detoxing - I mean really! LOL! Sorry just had to share as it is such a relief to get things moving again properly!

I would love to say that I have actually lost some weight too in just over one week but although my official weigh in day is Wednesday I had a sneaky check of the scales and have lost nothing so far (well actually 0.3 of a kilo but that type of fluctuation can happen anyway). One point to note though is that I have not changed my diet at all. In fact due to lots of social stuff we have even been eating out a lot too so I have made no real effort to change my diet. However starting this week, I am going to do so.

In terms of enjoyment, the workouts are in a weird torturous kind of way, fun! Shaun T the trainer is really hot (which helps! lol!) and he pushes you yet encourages at the same time, and his on-camera students are really motivating too, even when they are lying on the floor crying in pain (yes, really!!). BUT the workouts are flippin hard as nails and you really have to "dig deeper" and force yourself to push yourself. You too will be dripping in sweat, collapsing on the floor in agony and screaming, shouting and grunting your way through - if you are doing it properly that is!

If you want to literally kick your butt into gear, get a partner who won't flake on you, commit to 60 days, shut those curtains, check your shame and pain threshold at the door and DO IT!!!

I will keep you updated on my progress, please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Check out the infomercial for a taster!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J1fJv-S3BY

And check Youtube for some unbelievable yet authentic before and after shots of ordinary people who have completed the programme.

Have you tried Insanity? Would you? Let me know!!

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Top Ten Best Beauty Items Of the Moment!!

Hey Cherubs!

There have been a fair few beauty items that I have been using consistently recently, simply because they really work well and deliver every time. So I thought I would share ten of my favourites with you!

1. It's a Ten Miracle Hair Mask



Now I have tried a variety of deep conditioning treatments, and none of them have given me the results I was seeking, which is silky, nourished hair from root to tip. I have even tried the famous Moroccan Oil but honestly it didn't do anything for me! Now, just to explain I have very fine, wavy hair, but lots of it! It tangles so easily it's ridiculous. It's a Ten however gave me a fantastic surprise as it truly does what it says on the tin! It has ten USPs which I won't list here but suffice to say it conditions and detangles like crazy. Rough looking ends are transformed. You can buy this at Sally's Beauty or online at Amazon. It is more readily available in the US.

 2. Babyliss Pro Curling Wand



Staying with the hair theme, I am loving the results of my Babyliss curling wand! I bought the larger barrelled wand and it's fantastic in that it takes just seconds to heat up, gets extremely hot and stays hot, it's ionic so gives a great shine and best of all it holds the curl all day. Really. Plus, it takes me 7 minutes to get gorgeous waves all over my head. The only downside is it takes a little getting used to.

3. Lancôme Hypnose Drama Mascara


Wow. Now this is a true false lash replacement! Simply the best mascara I have ever tried. Very carbon black, perfect formula and a curved wand which cups the lashes. However there is a rather large downside to this product - it is frikking expensive! However if you are fed up with lack lustre performance of drugstore mascaras, spend the extra and you will not be disappointed!

4. Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre


I bought this at IMATS this year as it is raved about all over the net. I now see what the hype is about - it's just THE perfect moisturiser for normal to dry skin. It feels so rich but sinks in almost without a trace leaving your skin feeling very naturally hydrated. Again this product is only available online unless you happen to be in France or Canada!

5. ELF HD Powder



I bought this like 3 years ago but that same pot is still going strong. It is the perfect setting powder for the under eye area. It sets cream concealers really well and stops creasing of concealer, it blurs fine lines, and it keeps the area looking bright as it is translucent, rather than skin coloured. Best thing is its only £6!!!

6. Garner BB Cream


I blogged about this a while back, and I still adore it. I use it every day for work as it is the perfect all in one product, SPF, moisturiser, touch of coverup, and generally brightens my skin. An awesome product. I am, however, every eagerly waiting to try the NARS tinted moisturiser which should be out about now, but at around £7 a tube I don't thinks the Garnier can be beaten!

7. China Glaze  Nail Polish in Oxygen


I am still loving this milky nude colour! I know brighter pastels are all the rage at the moment, but there is just the simple freshness of this creamy snow shade that makes me feel sophisticated and on-trend every time. I've almost used up a whole bottle already!

8. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat


Speaking of nail polish, I still don't enjoy sitting around waiting for it to dry. Luckily Seche Vite has massively helped with that as it is the fastest drying top coat EVER! It's NOT just a clear nail polish, it's very unique in that it actually permeates all the layers of polish to transform the consistency, enabling it to set like stone very fast. And it makes the polish even more glossy so you get a glass like shine. Highly, highly recommend this product. Again I got this from Sallys but I am sure most good nail salons will stock this.

9. Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner in Black



Although I love MACs fluid line, the Bobbi Brown gel liner just pushes past the winning line. I think it's the longevity and the intensity of colour I prefer. Also, a little trick is to dip your kohl pencil into this and use it on your waterline for the longest lasting eye kohl. I would love to get some of the other shades..

10. Lancôme Teint Miracle Foundation

 

A very new discovery, this foundation is giving my absolute all time favourite NARS Sheer Glow a run for its money! It's very similar to the NARS but is a little more dewy and natural, and it's cheaper! So far I only have some very generous testers but I am ready to buy it now! I will do a full review once I purchase.

What are your favourite products at the moment??

xoxo A xoxo

Oscars 2012 Make Up .. and earrings!

Hi Cherubs!

As always I settled down to watch the Oscars, both red carpet and awards ceremony and as usual was just astonished by the beautiful gowns! The makeup was a little less astonishing with endless variations on traditional looks such as smokey eyes and pale lips, bold red/orange lips and delicate shimmering eyes with flicked out liner. Here are a collection of my favourites. Added bonus, you get to check out some bling earrings too! In my opinion, I would award the Oscar to Jennifer Lopez for her bold, cut crease gold and silver eye look, take a look..

Classic Red Lip Brigade

Shimmery Golds

Blues and Grey Smokey Eyes

Cat Flick Eyeliner

Golden Globes and Grammys! Awards Seasons Favourites So Far

As you all know I ADORE the awards season! Its a veritable fashion, hair, makeup, beauty, celebrity all-you-can-eat buffet!

Here are a few of my favourites so far, YUM!

 

 because I love him..!

IMATS 2012 London - Haul!!!

Hello my long lost but not forgotten Cherubs!

Yes I have neglected you, me, my makeup obsession for so long now. Many excuses for this but I am firmly committed to continue with this blog. And I also still dream of having a proper website and have gone so far as to design the logo, layout, concept and find a great web designer BUT time, energy and finances are slowing me down a little.

Anyway, on to the good stuff!

As usual I was really looking forward to IMATS but I have to say the vibe felt different this year. Perhaps the severe weather warning impacted upon the turnout, but it really felt like there were a lot less people there. Also, the atmospehere felt somewhat subdued, but that was just my humble observation! Anyway freezing weather aside, I had a lovely shopping spree there and met some cool people!

On to the pics!

Make Up For Ever

MUFE HD Foundation in shade 170

I have been hankering after this foundation since Kim Kardashian told the world it was her favourite one. Her skin is always immaculate looking and it is HD so should create a perfect canvas. The shades are limited, I decided to go darker rather than lighter so I could tone it down by mixing it with a lighter, more pink hued foundation. I will provide a full review soon.

MUFE Mist and Fix Spray

I tend to make my own special recipe fixing spray but wanted to try a "designer" spray to compare the difference. I will let you know how it performs.

Inglot

Advanced Makeup Component Liquid Blush in 88

The quality of this non-shimmer gel/liquid blush is fantastic. Super long lasting and natural finish. Some of the colours seemed a bit light hence going for this warm toned ginger shade.

Gel Liner Matte in numbers 74 (deep mauve) and 73 (pastel violet)

Good quality matte gel liners in various shades are hard to find at good prices. These are fantastically creamy, true to colour and set to an absolute budge proof finish. I was desperate for great quality purples to use as bases as well as liners. Some cool FOTDs coming soon using these - exciting!

Laboratoire Embryolisse

Lait Creme Concentre 75ml and 30ml

Another absolutely sought after holy grail product that serious makeup artists cannot stop raving over. I simply couldnt resist jumping onto the bandwagon. This balm is perfect for dry/combination skin and creates a nourished, smooth base for makeup. I will be using this ALOT!

Sleek Cosmetics

Lipsticks:

Matte - Heartbreaker (raspberry)

Sheen - Candy Cane (cherry red)

Sheen - Coral Reef (coral)

Matte - Bare All (peach nude)

Matte - Papaya Punch (deep watermelon)

Lately I have been transfixed by bright lipsticks. From watermelon pinks to fiery oranges. The problem is there are just so many that I want and although I love MAC's range, at £13 odd per lipstick it just seems too frivolous, even for me! Sleek has answered my prayers however as their lipsticks are unbelievable quality. Perfect, smooth, pigmented, on-trend shades in sophisticated packaging and in various finishes. Good quality matte finishes are just so hard to find in the lower end of the market, but Sleek just continue to up their game. Their range is probably one of the best and the prices are shocking - in a goooooood way! Stay tuned for some interesting ways to wear bright lip colours.

LA Splash

Glitter Eyeliner:

Golden Abalone (fine true gold glitter)

Kahlua (fine bronze glitter)

Eyeshadow Sealer/Base

I have been hearing about this brand for some time now, particularly their glitter products. Now I am really not a glitter, disco shiny kind of a gal, but there is something to be said for some perfectly placed subtle shimmer/glimmer. I grabbed the true gold and the sumptuous burnt toffee liners, so versatile and universally flattering.

The eyshadow sealer/base is another one of those absolutely raved products that once the bug gets you, you just have to try it. Essentially it is not just a standard eyeshadow primer, it acts like glue for glitter and loose pigments. I haven't played with this yet, but when I do I will report my findings to you.

Miss Adoro Lashes

Human Hair Lashes:

Full lashes WSP

Half Lashes 307

Lash Flares - Medium Black

I actually hadn't heard of Miss Adoro before, but I was impressed massively by the styles, quality and most of all the price! I have shown 3 sets of lashes here, but I bought FOUR of each for just £20. These are human hair lashes and they have the most discreet and flexible bands too so basically the most genuine way to fake it! My all time favourites are of course the half lashes but I have recently gotten into the individual lash flares too for a very natural way to enhance your own lashes.

Royal and Langnickel Brushes Silk Pro

Black kabuki brush

Contour Shadow Brush C265

Flat Top Kabuki Foundation C141

Dome Powder C130

Angle Eye Blender C460

There were so many brush stalls to choose from I was literally spoilt for choice. As I agonised over Bdellium, Real Techniques, Crown, Hakudoku and various others, I just kept coming back to Royal and Langnickel. The sheer range and quality is phenomenal and they had some awesome offers on. Although I was very tempted to go for a full set, given I already have a fair few brushes (ok, alot) I went for a more targeted strategy. As you can see from my selection, I felt I was lacking in the face brush department rather than the eye brush department, so I went for some choice cuts from the Silk Pro range and came away with:

the fluffiest, densest kabuki

delicate, kitten-paw soft tapered face brush

velvety flat top foundation brush to get that airbrushed look

Angled, flat topped shader brush to really get into the crease

puppies tail (ok, ok im sure you get it by now these are SUPER soft) highlighter brush

PHEW! Thats it. Just a few little treats!

Did any of you make it down to IMATS?

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo