Barry M's Miracle Wink Liner!

It's not often that I come across a product that I'm absolutely fanatical about but Barry M has done the dam thing this time!!

The Barry M Wink Marker Pen is my best beauty buy since I discovered Lauren's Way fake tan last April, and here is why:

Designed to look and work like your everyday Sharpie, this eyeliner practically swipes up to 20 minutes off my daily beauty routine. As a massive fan of smoky, statement eyes (as seen all over the Chanel shows this season) the Wink Marker Pen practically eliminates the effort needed when applying liquid eyeliner.



Previously, my search for a decent liquid eyeliner took me far and wide and, surprisingly, ended up with me settling on the Claire's Accessories Liquid Eyeliner. The brush is very thin which although makes application accurate, it still didn't stop the inevitable lid-run and end-of-day panda eyes.

The Wink Marker Pen is not only quick and easy to use, clean AND accurate, it stays on all day: Yesterday was windy and rainy outside then hot and muggy inside, for example, I was also tired so probably rubbed my eyes subconsciously throughout work, too, BUT it was still in place smudge and crack-free when I got home from work at 1.30am!

This is all well and good but what tips it over to become the Miracle Marker is the price - it costs less than a fiver and lasts for ages! How can all of this be?!

If there was ever an excuse to go out and purchase something pretty then I'm sure 'spending an extra 20 minutes in bed and still looking fabu every morning' is perfect!



The Barry M Wink Marker Pen is only £4.59 on the official Barry M site - CLICK HERE TO BUY!

Thrifty Thursday: Free Ways To Guarantee A Good Night's Sleep

We all know sleep is important: Most of us wish we had time for a lot more of it! Yet ever since the rise of social media and since our lives are becoming busier and busier, a fair few of us struggle to get the recommended 8 hours every night! Just a few small, FREE changes can aid the sleep quality in your life. Can you do it?!

1) De-clutter your room, de-clutter your mind
It may seem simple but those with a tidier room have a clearer mind which means they're able to switch off quicker at night! Instead of stressing out trying to find my cleanser and then scrabbling around looking for a clean pair of fluffy socks, I'm in bed unwinding already!

2) Lose yourself in a good book
Removing yourself from all the thoughts of your reality, pick up your book and get lost for at least 30 minutes before you try to sleep. The main cause of sleep deprivation is the inability to close off from to-do lists, daily stresses and every day strains. I'm reading Croissants and Jam by Lynda Renham and it's the perfect brief escape to help me dose off!

3) Drink a milky drink before bed
Milk contains melatonin which is the helpful stuff apparently! Not only is it proven to prevent bone decay, balance the chemicals, postpone ageing and aid the prevention of cancer, it has also been used as a Pre-bedtime drink since way back in the day! Mother has a milky coffee before bed every single night, my grandad has hot cocoa and my nan usually has tea! My tipple of choice is an Options Hot Chocolate in either Vanilla, Banana or Coconut flavour!

4) Take work outside
Your room is supposed to be your escape, the one place you can go for ultimate privacy and down time. If you've spent all day in there working on that presentation, article, spreadsheet or whatever it is that you're doing, when it comes to shutting off and going to bed, you're not leaving it behind anywhere! It's like trying to kip in the office.

5) Ban social media from the bedroom!
I could be feeling the sleepiest I've ever felt, then I quickly log onto Twitter to 'check' my feed. Instantly I'm involved in a string of retweets, a live web chat, multiple trending posts... I just can't help myself. Before I know it it's an hour later and I'm getting 7 hours instead of 8 hours sleep! No more 'checking' the feeds before bed!




Photo Sources:
http://reddphoenix78.deviantart.com/art/Tidy-Room-Tidy-Mind-314465070

http://www.sainsburysentertainment.co.uk/en/Books/Paperback/Lynda-Renham/Croissants-and-Jam-A-Romantic-Comedy/product.html?product=E11148522

http://mind-power-book.com/blog/Hot-Chocolate-Bed-Time-Drink-or-Disturbed-Sleep

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/body/healthy-toolkit/cell-phone-health-risks/?page=4

Top 10 Bargain Beauty Buys

When I'm reading other people's blogs I always get so jealous that they are reviewing or recommending products from MAC, Benefit or Clinique! These babies are not only wonderful but they also come with a price tag that I just can't condone splurging that much on such a small item! So, until I'm healthy-wealthy I will stick to spending less than £3 on each of my make-up bag items; I have all I need for all eventualities and all for under £30! Here are my Top 10 bargain beauty buys that I just can't live without:

 

Natural Collection Shine Away Foundation - £1.99 - Boots

Natural Collection Pressed Powder - £1.99 - Boots

Natural Collection Eye Liner - Not Available Online (Otherwise I use Rimmel Jet Black Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil - £2.99 - Boots)

Africa by W7 Bronzer - I got for £2 on a market stall in Watford but also available online at Amazon for £3.41

E.L.F Duo Eyeshadow Cream in Blueberry - £1.50 - E.L.F Cosmetics

Disney Eyeshadow Palette - £2.99 - H&M (Not now available but other palettes are - CLICK HERE)

Natural Collection Lash Build Mascara - £1.99 - Boots

True Colour Lipstick in Liqueur - £4.99 - Sleek Make-Up

Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil - £2.99 - Boots

Natural Collection Cover-Up Stick - £1.99 - Boots

 

Although cheap and cheerful this collection is all I need for everyday make-up, nights out, lunches with the girls, dinner with the boyf, everything!

50% of it is from Natural Collection - Boots' own range of cosmetics. I find that not only are the products excellent value for money they also rival their dearer competitors: I tried out the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara last month and found that not only did I pay over double for it but it lasted half as long as the Natural Collection mascara! It dried out in less than 2 weeks whereas NC Lash Build lasts me well over a month at a time.

 

NC Eyeliner does smudge throughout the day which is annoying. I'm considering trying out the Studio Makeup Mist & Set from E.L.F (£3.75) to see if it holds it in place!

Has anyone used this or have any other tips for smudgy eyeliner?!

 

The bronzer from W7 is one of my greatest ever beauty discoveries! Casually browsing a beauty stand in the Harlequin Centre in Watford I found this for about £2. It was one of those spur of the moment, 30-second purchases which I've grown to love! It's so much darker than all my other face shades which really accentuates my cheek bones and because of the multi-coloured blush and thick brush that comes with it, you get a pinky-tanned glisten perfectly wearable in the day and evening times.

 

The most expensive item in the collection is the Sleek lipstick. Luckily for me this was a Christmas gift but it has definitely got me hooked on the brand! Sleek is also available in Superdrug which is handy if you're out and about on the high-street. I have it in 'Liqueur' but am hoping to try something bolder next time like 'Loved Up' or 'Exxxagerate'.

 

For £25 I have basically stocked my make-up bag for at east 1-2 months with products that are reliable, cheap and look great! Who said being on a budget meant we had to suffer?!

 

What's in your make-up bag?? Tweet me @sheldan2207 or comment below

 

xoxo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Ebay APPrehension - iPad APP Review

Desirable of the week: The eBay iPad app.

Brilliant but concerning all at the same time: The utter tentativeness when I placed my first ever bid, then the sudden rush of hysteria when I am still the highest bidder when that little red time is ticking down from 10 seconds...

9...

8...

7...

6...

Why did no-one else bid this high? It's such a lovely blouse...ISN'T IT?!

5...

4...

OMG It's a scam, it's not really ASOS it's Primark!!!

3...

2...

1...

ENJOY YOUR NEW ASOS BLOUSE 12 BEIGE!

 

Panic spreads throughout my OCD mind like a crazed wildfire burning every inch of shopper's satisfaction and I start flicking through the pictures again. There are only two pictures - one of the blouse hanging on someone's bedroom door and one of the label...THE LABEL!! It clearly states ASOS and the size. Fine.

 

Continuous e-mails flood my inbox - PAY NOW, ENJOY, OTHER ITEMS RECOMMENDED FOR YOU...

Where am I the casino?!

I'm exhausted and still have to work out how to use PayPal, leave me alone for one minute.

They have recommended a fabulous pair of jeans in my size though...

FOCUS.

 

PayPal is just something else isn't it. Somehow my credit card is already fixated onto the account but I can 'add funds' from another bank account if I register it. Ok, since my credit card is looking mightily full these days I'll add funds: Following the instructions on PayPal, I logged into my online banking account and transferred £2.50 into my PayPal account. I'm not tight or anything (I am) but even this had me worried. PayPal are definitely going to commit fraud or something.

 

Ok, paid for and confirmed - my lovely, silky, flowy blouse will be on the way soon.

Wildfire burnt out and shopper's satisfaction creeping back in, I had a quick look at those jeans...

And the River Island bralet, the Boohoo dress, the Calvin Klein bra, the MAC Lipstick...

 

It's done. I'm now part of the seedy world of eBay addiction. I've won a dress, skirt, bra, lipstick and a blouse and every time such a mix of emotions welled up inside me that, in the end, I just pretended not to notice.

 

Most of the decent stuff on eBay is usually sold for the shop price anyway (or for over a tenner which, to me, defeats the object of an online car boot sale) which has lead me to dislike the thing. But the app is still there, right in the middle of my iPad screen staring at me just to come and peep to see what I can find. I scroll through the Women's Clothing with such a stiff pokerface, refusing to bid on anything, but afraid of missing out on the world's biggest bargain.

 

So blogger friends, if you haven't succumbed to the eBay dragon yet - DON'T! It's a seedy market place where everyone stares at you like it's your first day at school: Evil eyes that seem friendly until you're attacked by a hungry pack of women all vying for the same vest top - However the smug sense of accomplishment when you win that vest top is of the same sort of pleasure as that of finally kicking your childhood bullies in the nuts!

 

ADDICTION: Doing something that you know impacts you in a negative way (rinsing funds from my bank account for used goods) but doing it anyway.

 

Happy Bidding x

Visit eBay (if you dare) - CLICK HERE

Oscars Label Lust vs High Street Copies

The Oscars are more about who is wearing what than who is winning what. Every year the world's biggest stars in the industry show up in show-stopping suits and gowns reminding everyone how deliciously rich and beautiful they are.

 

From funny lass Leslie Mann to the stunningly petite Salma Hayek, my top 9 ladies put everyone else to shame whilst celebrating last night's awards bash:

 

 

 

Anne Hathaway - Performin' Les Mis in Prada

Leslie Mann - Attendin' the Vanity Fair 'do in a stunning orange Andrew Gn gown

Diane Kruger - Rockin' a Giambattista Valli cape-back dress (which she teamed with Laboutins)

Naomi Watts - Sparklin' in head-to-toe Emilio Pucci sequins

Natalie Portman - Takin' things very seriously in her Dior gown

Emily Mortimer - Showin' off her enviable figure in a fitted midnight blue dress

Britney Spears - Pullin' out all the stops with a floor length sequinned number and a new brunette 'cut

Reese Witherspoon - Pullin' in her tiny waist in a Louis Vuitton gown chosen by her daughter

Salma Hayek - Winnin' hands down the award for most delicious lady in her Alexander McQueen halter neck dress

There's no need for us to be jealous, though! I've searched the inter-webs for wearable, high-street versions of these ceremony stunners, and seeing as most of us aren't being invited to such prestigious events such as the Oscars, I've decided to shop for visits to our local boozers, clubs and house parties!

 

 

 

 

1) Get Anne's tiered ruffle look with the Tula Dress at Monsoon (£89) - It comes in Cobalt Blue, Nude & Green

2) Structured-shoulder dresses are hard to come by! This gorgeous little red number is £27 from Missguided

3) Get your cape on this season! It's much easier for us to wear a cape as outerwear because we are not Diane Kruger. I chose this W-toky Jacket by Diesel at House of Fraser - £125

4) One shoulder sequins as seen on Naomi Watts... and online at Boohoo.com for £20! BARGAIN!!!

5) It's not quite Dior but it is floor-length monochrome - this Paprika Maxi Dress is £32 from ASOS

6) Hybrid Fashion have a huge range of dresses with every neckline and colour you could possibly need for a chic entrance like Emily's at the Vanity Fair Oscars After Party

7) It's quite hard to party in a dress as long as Britney's - so I'd go for the French Connection Midnight Sequin Dress so you have room to throw some shapes!

8) Nothing says 'HERE I AM!' than a royal blue, structured, strapless panel dress! The one at Chiara Fashion is only £20

9) This Paprika Bodycon Dress at Very is as close as we are going to get to becoming as perfect as Ms. Hayek herself. At £36, you can't go wrong trying, can you!?

 

What do you think?

Comment below or follow me on Twitter @sheldan2207

 

x

[[ All celeb photos from www.glamourmagazine.co.uk ]]

Thrifty Thursday - Fashion DIY Pt. 1 - Cut-Off Denim

I have never, ever attempted to 'do my own fashion'. Whether it's dying, sewing, cutting, blinging...I've never done it.

 

Reading through multiple magazines this week I've seen so many cut-off denim shorts which I L O V E. You can wear baggy, frayed shorts with tights and ankle boots whilst we await the arrival of some warmer weather (hopefully sooner rather than later, I don't think I can take another weekend snow report!) and then bare legged in the summer. How very economical...

 

 

 

 

Anyway I happened to find the ugliest pair of old jeans in storage today to test some ideas I had for cut-offs. Don't get mwe wrong, I'm aware that chopping the legs off these bad boys does not make them socially acceptable. This is purely my first go. A draft, if you will...

 

These are the offending jeans:

 

 

Ew.

 

So firstly I thought it would be a good idea to research hemlines. Short shorts apparently have a hem of between 2 and 3 inches. So, taking my thighs into consideration, I went for 5. Using a ruler to mark where I wanted to cut, I got chopping.

 

 

Now I faced the problem of how to perk them up a little bit. Using one scissor blade I made horizontal slits in the denim, then used a cheese grater to fray them up a bit... *blushes*... There was no sand paper in the house!

 

 

 

I also thought I could rip one of the back pockets so it would flap down and be all hipster. In fact, it looked ridiculous, so no photo for that little actvity!

 

After sorting the turn ups out I tried them on... not bad for my first ever attempt:

 

 

Now I've popped my own DIY Fashion cherry, the plan of action over the weekend is to scour eBay and my local charity shops for a baggier pair of jeans (preferably boyfriend style), invest in some acrylic spray paint and a cheap lace top. I'll show you how this works out in a couple of weeks...

 

Next week I'm posting a trend a day with celeb inspirations, high street bargain buys and an exciting Thrifty Thursday that involves a bucket, rubber gloves and salt (DIY Fashion Pt. 2)!

 

Tweet me @sheldan2207 or comment below, I love your ideas and feedback

 

xx