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!

FOTD - Chanel Eyes!

Just when I thought my make-up bag would be doomed to be a budget-bag for all eternity, I get the gift of Chanel for my birthday! Uber happiness!

 

I tried the natural eyeshadow palette and mascara today and got so excited that I took pictures before I finished getting ready! So, before you see the pics there are mucho things I need to apologise for:

 

1) Wet hair, don't care!

2) White line 'round the lip, get a grip!

3) No blush, in a rush!

 

 Ok, GO! (Don't Judge Me!)

 

 

 



 

 Let me begin with the Chanel mascara (Le Volume de Chanel 10) - it is AWESOME! I got this voluminous look from just one coat! The brush on the other hand is absolutely huge which I find too awkward to use. My usual Natural Collection wand is very thin and very precise, which is what I'm used to. Thank goodness I only need one coat of the Chanel miracle mascara, though!

The eyeshadow in the palette (Les 4 Ombres 39 Raffinement) has the texture of both cream and powder shadows making it very easy to apply and of course it blends wonderfully. The little applicator brushes that come in the packages are nothing short of useless - happily I had some of my own that I could hold nicely (even with my acrylic nails on!).

What I was hoping to achieve today was a nice natural blend on the eyelid with a heavy eyeliner presence (Natural Collection pencil eyeliner) to make a sassy daytime cat eye.
This was my mini look-book of inspo:

 

 Now that my eyes are done I better go and do something with my hair! Work will shortly be calling my name - as will my drunken customers later on! Have a sexy Saturday everyone!

-x- 

 

 

Photo Sources:

Sengook / The Fashion Muse / Elle / Still Glamorous

Beauty Review: Anatomicals Deep Cleansing Mud Mask

For £3 and free delivery, ASOS really is a lifesaver a couple of days before payday!

 

I found myself totally out of cleansing lotion, toner and moisturiser, relying entirely on semi-dry face wipes to remove my make-up before bed when I stumbled across this 3-pack of face masks on ASOS.

 

Arriving within the same week I ordered them (the ASOS darlings could clearly sense the pimple outbreak from inside my laptop) I bust into the Deep Cleansing Mud Mask first.

 

The little sachet appeared to be so small I was wondering how I was going to cover my whole face, considering how large my forehead is...but I had plenty and even had enough to cleanse my neck.

 

Lathering my face in the nice-smelling goo I spent the next 15 minutes dancing around the bathroom pretending to be a cross between Beyoncé and Princess Fiona.

 

It may seem obvious but, for me, a good face mask is one that you can feel working. As the 15 minutes went on I could feel the mask tightening and my skin tingling ever so slightly as my pores were being wiped clean for a cool, fresh start.

 

Blasting my face with lukewarm water the Princess Fiona mask trickled down the drain with half of last week's foundation in-take!

 

My pores were visibly clearer if I pressed my nose up to the mirror and I was far less blotchy which, for £1, is more than I expected.

 

To buy the Anatomicals Face Mask 3-Pack

CLICK HERE

 

 

Bow Down Bitches: Queen Bey Backlash?!

Beyoncé is too awesome to resort to bejewelled boobs!

 

Did I really just read a sentence that begins with 'Beyoncé is too awesome to...'??

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY ON 'MSN HER'

 

The problem I'm having right now is that Beyoncé is clearly heading for some form of backlash - which is a damn shame because she is the epitome of the perfect woman.

Ever since her jaw-dropping Super Bowl performance I've been re-obsessed with Beyoncé as if my life depends on it - but I can't help but feel something is different this time around.

 

The last time I felt this uneasy about a 'Bey Phase' was back when Deja Vu was released: Video was hot, Jay-Z was hot but then her vocals were, to put it bluntly, rather OTT. Her improv's at the end of that song are simply a form of expressive wailing!

Although her work was cut out having to follow one the best-selling debut solo albums of all time - Dangerously In Love - B'day was still a slight let down and was saved by classics such as Irreplaceable and the extremely fierce Upgrade U.

 

But all was forgiven because her album art looked like this:

 

 

 

We can actually probably forget about B'day entirely as what followed were arguably two of my favourite albums of all time (I can see that being a spin off post at some point!!) - I Am...Sasha Fierce and 4.

 

So we've had 2 wonderfully phenomenal albums plus live gigs for the UK telly audience, live DVDs (Roseland is...something else!) and, of course, her brand new tour.

 

Hmm - let's discuss this tour!!! How many of you were on hold for almost an hour, whether online or on the phone or, like me, BOTH just to get hold of a ticket to her Mrs Carter World Tour??? And how many of you people, like me, were denied access to these apparently sold out tickets only to log onto eBay and find them for £1,000,000,000 each?! Me too, me too...

 

So it was unlikely I was going to get tickets, what with her being a mega-superstar and all that.

 

The tour began with an enormous BANG last night in Serbia! Lucky, lucky Serbia!

 

 

"The 31 year-old put on a spectacular show for the adoring crowd at the Kombank Arena in the nation's capital, Belgrade." 

- MSN Music

 

"The singer ensured the opening night of her world tour didn’t go unnoticed thanks to a series of sexy outfits she donned throughout the show in Belgrade, Serbia"

 

- Tim Nixon for The Sun

 

"Despite the lack of new tracks, Beyoncé kept fans happy with a spectacular show which saw her perform in a string of varying skimpy outfits"

- Caroline Westbrook for Metro

 

Now there are some cranks out there who feel Beyoncé has lowered her tone of late. Her brief release of track 'Bow Down Bitches' didn't go down that well with fans:

 

"Is that Beyoncé song a joke?" - Tweeted by Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills

"I don't like this Bee" - Souncloud comment from one fan

"I hate this song" - Soundcloud comment from another fan...

and the comment that everyone was thinking but didn't want to say it out loud:

 

"Beyoncé's better than this.."

 

LISTEN TO 'BOW DOWN' - CLICK HERE

 

And some of her stage costumes have got tongues wagging, too. Caroline Corcoran hits the nail on the head contributing for MSN Her today:

 

"Beyoncé knew the world would be talking about her sequinned breasts today, and didn’t care, because that’s the outfit she fancied wearing. It’s difficult to argue with that: the right to wear weird fashion is one of the most fun things about being a woman.

As long as Beyoncé knows that from the rest of us (the female contingent at least) comes a rallying cry that we love her for her attitude, her talent, and the warbly bits in Love on Top. And none of that requires a sparkly nipple."

 

READ FULL ARTICLE - CLICK HERE

 

We all adore Queen Bey. Perfect body, perfect attitude, perfect voice - but I can't help but feel she is over-thinking what usually comes naturally to her! Don't try so hard Bey, we got your back!

 

What do you reckon - will Bey EVER face a backlash?? Or is she just too good for everything?

 

 

 

x-x-x

 

Photo Sources:

www.beyonce.com

www.fanpop.com

http://style.uk.msn.com/socialvoices

http://evolutionaryparenting.com/celebrity-mom-beyonce/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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

LDN : SKIN By OPI - A Friday Fake Bake Special

As far as fake tanning goes I'm an amateur. I've had a bottle of Lauren's Way sitting on my shelf since last May, haunting my milky complexion from afar!

I've always relied on Sprays done by the professionals; they know exactly what they're doing!

Yesterday, I spent the morning shaving, exfoliating and moisturising (as instructed) then headed off to get my OPI LDN:SKN Fake Bake from local beautician Stephanie Anderson.

Not only was it NOT a messy spray tan, it was expertly applied by hand AND smelled amazing! Everyone always carries on about the 'biscuit smell' that is immediately associated with fake tan but this had a lovely sweet, musty smell which reminded me of the fragrance section in a department store.

Having to go straight to work from a tanning sesh is never ideal. The last time I did this I looked worse than Jodie Marsh on competition day. After getting the OPI tan though, the colour developed just enough and actually stopped getting darker after a few hours.

The morning after, I showered apprehensively as this is usually where it all goes wrong for me; being so pale the streaking can be extremely obvious! The tan I have from OPI is so even, natural and still streak-free! Hugely successful considering some of my previous experiences!

This tan comes highly recommended by me! It comes in 3 shades available in a mousse, lotion or a spray:
Tone 1 - An everyday application that comes out over a few days;
Tone 2 - What I had... Pics will follow in tomorrow's outfit review!
Tone 3 - A really dark application suitable for your cameo on TOWIE

If you're from Hertfordshire and want to contact Stephanie, follow her on Twitter @pupsydog
(Photo belongs to Stephanie Anderson)