Month: July 2015

Freedoms Makeup London ‘Pro Decadence Magic’ eyeshadow palette review!   

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Hello my little buttons!

I received this palette while I was attending a makeup course at House of Glam Dolls in London. There is a review of the course just below this post if you’d like to hear more do have a read, now back to the palette. 

I want to jump straight in my saying Freedome have stepped up their game with these shadows. If your not familiar with my blog or instagram page I am an eyeshadow junkie. I love everything about palettes and really enjoy collecting and experimenting with texture, colours and different looks. As well as highend I do have a lot of affordable brand palettes, some of which are really big competitors against the more pricey palettes. This is one of those special palettes! I’m going to generalise slightly here, in most £6 palettes that involves mattes as well as shimmers there is always at least one dud that is just so disappointing. In this palette there’s not one single shade that’s disappointing, when applying on the eyes they are super pigmented, they blend beautifully and have very little fall out. Even comparing these eyeshadows to the Freedom mini palettes and 32 pan palettes these are defiantly a better quality, in the way they feel to the way they apply and last. I really think the colour selection has been very carefully thought out, you have your matte and shimmery highlights  base colours, matte crease colours as well as some of my favourite shimmers of all time. There are several shimmery shades I have not got in any other palette I own, and that is a rarity I promise you!!!! 

  

This was the look I was taught on the makeup course, it’s called ‘rose goddess’ I used a stunning shimmery pink all over the lid, a deeper matte pink shade in the crease, and a matte cream colour on my brow bone. I’ve tested this palette with several primers, patting on the shimmery shades then using my blending brushes for the crease and brow bone. 

  
I had so many compliments on this simple yet pretty eye makeup look, it’s like a goldy pinky creamy… Ok I can’t describe it but you have eyes so I’m sure you can see the colour for yourself! It’s not at all chunky or stiff it was smooth and really stuck to the primer lasting all day.

   
 
The next day I went for a darker look to test out some of the deeper shades, I chose this reddy bronzey brown. As you can see again it’s not glittery and chunky its smooth and shimmery and still I was impressed with the longevity with a primer. 

  
The last look I went for was using more bronzey browns, with a slighter deeper brown on the outer V, again loved this look really neutral but eye catching.  I find it interesting how each brand has different quality products within the brand, I’ve been happy with the other shadows from freedom but to me these are by far the winner!!!

  
Disclaimer: I did receive this item for free but that doesn’t remotely effect the honest review I have given I have not been sponsored or paid to promote this product. I would not sell my soul for free makeup xx 

My review on Freedom Makeup London ‘Rose Goddess’ makeup course @ House Of Glam Dolls!!!! 

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Hello my little buttons! 

The wonderful Freedom Makeup London offered me the chance to attend one of their makeup courses at House of Glam Dolls in London. Naturally I jumped at the chance. There were four courses to choose from, each offering step by step training on different makeup looks. I went for ‘Rose goddess’ as I love rosy makeup and was drawn to the face chart, who wouldn’t want to look like that?!

  
As well as the course I also got a nice big bag of goodies with key items for the Rose goddess look as well as other bits and pieces, which was very well received and a nice touch to the already amazing afternoon. I am not a makeup artist, nor have I had any makeup training so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would it be a ‘sit and listen’ kind of thing? Would it be interactive? Would I be so nervous i’d shake and couldn’t do my liquid liner? All these thoughts crossed my mind on the train journey up to London, but I really shouldn’t of worried. The building itself was fresh and modern and very easy to find using my trusted Google maps, and a phone call to the creative director, Chinyee Chu. Who, before I even entered the building made me feel so welcome and at ease. When I entered the space I thought I had died and gone to heaven, the room was STUNNING. Colourful, eclectic, vintage, modern, creative, imaginative… Incredibly well put together. 

  
Every nook and cranny was filled with beautiful interesting pieces, I could of spent all afternoon exploring and admiring, from the furniture to the wall art to the large cabinet of vintage and beautifully packaged special edition makeup, there was even a gorgeous unique shed/cabin! The space was designed and created by chinyee chu which to me made it even more personal to the brand.

  
  
Just being in the space inspired me, it made me want to get stuck in and be creative. I later found out this was Glam Dolls goal with the studio design, they well and truly hit the nail on the head. The space was spot on for learning and really pushing your creative boundaries. For a classroom it was freaking awesome!!! For those of you that don’t know im a nail technician who specialises in nail art, I was not expecting to come away from this course with a million nail art ideas but I’m already attacking my customers! This place is something special and a wonderful environment to learn in. 

The course was being run by David Horne, the other creator of House Of Glam Dolls. I’m actually going to insert a link here: http://www.houseofglamdolls.com/about.html   Which has all the back ground info on the super impressive chinyee chu and David Horne, as I could write a blog purely on what these amazing people have achieved in their careers. After hearing more from David about their history I knew I was in some of the best hands in the industry, and after seeing a framed article of him in VOGUE alongside Lisa Eldridge less than a year from opening their studio I knew I was in the presence of a legend! Have to say I was a tad star struck, which come to think of it I said out loud lol cring. 

  

The training itself was casual but informative. Sadly there was a group cancelation which took the group of four down to just me. Not that I was complaining! It was a relaxed yet professional atmosphere, my nerves melted away and I was comfy asking questions no matter how daft I thought they seemed. A real highlight was when David advised me how to create a wing that was flattering to my eye shape, something I had always struggled with. For someone that really is royalty in the beauty world and has achieved so much (honestly read the link!) he was down to earth and not at all a ‘makeup snob’ he was honest about the freedom products and very quickly I felt I could trust his opinions and guidance.

  
As David demonstrated on his beautiful model Dan Fitzpatrick, who was a student at the school and is now being mentored by David to co host the freedom makeup courses (jealous much?) I was applying my own makeup step by step with lots of tips, tricks and advice on how best to apply the products as well as how to get the most out of them. There were lots of options to really personalise the look too, for example I chose half lashes instead of full (house of glam dolls own brand, they were beautiful and easy to apply!) , I also had white liner on the waterline instead of black and with David’s recommendation I didn’t use mascara on the lower lashes. It really opened my eyes up making me look bright and awake!   

  
I was impressed with the quality of the Freedom products I used and received. Some of which are already staples in my collection others I had been itching to try. One favourite  product from the day has to be the eyeshadow palette, the colours were pigmented, smooth and easily blended. The range of shades work so well together I will get a lot of use out of this bad boy. The eyeshadow primer was already a favourite of mine as well as the concealer palette. The only item I didn’t think much of was the foundation as I like a really matte finish whereas it was more dewy, so I ended up using a Mac foundation instead. I also loved the blush and lippie, which for the price you really can’t go wrong. Another exciting thing I learned was that glam dolls will be working with freedom makeup to help develop more products in the future. I will be purchasing these as soon as physically possible!!!!

Overal it was a fantastic experience I would recommend to everyone and anyone, you can never learn too much about makeup! As well as being wowed with the quality of the Freedom products I was 100% charmed by House of Glam Dolls and am seriously thinking about signing up to one of their MANY courses they have on offer. If you would like to know more about House of Glam Dolls check out their page: http://www.houseofglamdolls.com 

If you would like to have a look at what Freedom Makeup London has to offer or to book onto a course similar to mine, check out their page: http://www.freedommakeuplondon.com 
Disclaimer: I attended the course to review curtesy of Freedom Makeup London but that does not remotely effect the honest review I have given. I have not been sponsored or paid to promote this product, I would not sell my soul for makeup. 

Avon Eyeshadow Primer Review

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Hello my little buttons!

Here’s my quick review on Avons Eyeshadow Primer in the shade Light Beige which I bought for £7 from my local Avon representative. I’m always on the hunt for affordable eyeshadow primers that really work. What I look for in a primer is a product that keeps my shadow put and holds that creasing at bay. Nothing drives me crazier than creasing eyeshadow it makes me look greasy, smudgy and overall a hot mess. So to me primer is essential in my daily makeup routine. 

  
As you can see the primer is a light creamy consistency, I like that there is a touch of colour to the product which helps even out the skin tone on my lids. It’s easy to apply and blends in beautifully, it dries slightly tacky which really helps my eyeshadows stick. I’ve tested this out with many different quality of shadows from elizabeth Arden and urban decay to makeup revolution and MUA, and each time the results have been the same. My eyeshadow has lasted with minimal fading, zero creasing and overall im really happy with the product it does what it says on the tin. 

  
The packaging I like, its a cute little glass pot with a black plastic lid, it’s sleek and has a nice weight to it making it feel fairly luxurious. My only moan, is the amount of product you actually get. As you can see when I remove the lid and hold it to the side there is very little product in relation to the size of the glass pot. A little does go a long way, I’ve been using it for several weeks and there’s still loads left but I do find it irritating as it seems like such a waste of space in my makeup bag. Apart from that this product gets a big thumbs up from me!

Hope you enjoyed this review please subscribe for more reviews like this! 

My favourite red lip stain EVER!

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Hello my little buttons!

Here’s a quick review on what I love about The Body Shop lip & cheek stain. I ADORE red lips, it’s a bold statement that looks gorgeous on anyone. There’s so many different reds with so many different undertones there really is a shade to suit everyone. Simple makeup with red lips you just can’t go wrong, so classy and 50s. Although I do have issues with red lipstick, when I wear it im constantly panicing is it on my teeth? Smudging across my face? Is it  fading and looking patchy? If it’s a matte liquid lipstick, is it looking dry and crispy?! Not a good look for anyone. So for me having red lips was few and far between as I didn’t fancy checking the mirror every two minutes. Until I found this lip stain! I got it as a free gift for spending over a certain amount at The Body Shop. In the tube it’s looked a beautiful red, but there was glitter in it. I was so disappointed as I have no desire to do the weekly food shop or school runs with red disco balls lips. I decided to give it a try anyway, to my surprise the glitter doesn’t transfer on the lips, not enough for me to see anyway! The formula is pigmented but not opaque which I think works in its favour. It’s a thin consistency so you have full control of how red you want to go, one thin layer is a more natural looking red. What I like to do is really layer it up, waiting for it to dry before adding more then as its setting rub my lips together to even the colour out and really rub it in. The doe foot applicator is fairly stiff so u can get a nice neat line around the edges so no need for a lip liner. It lasts for hours and fades fairly evenly too. It’s changed my life I can finally have red lips whenever the mood takes me!! It’s comes in 3 shades, the other two have no glitter at all, just incase that’s totally put you off. It’s available for £10 and is also beautiful on the cheeks, rosy and really long lasting. You can buy it from http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk or in stores. 

Great ways to express yourself through nails + lots of pics!

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Hello my little buttons! 

For those of you that don’t know I’m a Gelish Nail Technician specialising in nail art. I have a huge passion for nails and my lovely customers, I go into more detail in my recent blog ‘what I love about being a nail technician + loads of pics!’ 

I put my all into every set I do, but from time to time there’s Some really special sets I get to create, and I don’t just mean elaborate crazy nail art. I mean the meaning behind them.  

  
These were incredibly special to this sweet customer, a dedication to her poorlie father in law just to make him smile. As he was in the RAF she thought this would be fitting. We lightened them up with a pale sky blue and clouds, her husband loved them too which just added to her happiness in this hard and difficult time. 

  
   
   
  
Holiday nails!!!! There’s are always fabulous and fun, I do countless holiday nails in the summer. This is a time where even the most neutral girls like a bit of colour. They go bold and bright and I just love it!! It’s so much fun matching nails to a certain evening dress, bikini or even sandals, really bespoke sets catering fully to the customers requirements. 

   
   
 
Birthday nails are also a huge hit and can be really unique. Lots of ladies tend to go all out with glitter for big nights out or a quiet meal with friends and family. Although there are sets that have quite a bit of thought put into them. The rocky horror nails were for my very dear friend for her rocky horror fancy dress themed party, these were really fun to create she knew exactly what she wanted. The next set was another good friends nails for her 50th she had a 50s themed party so we matched her nails to her awesome dress including some tiny pink poodles on the thumbs. The last set was for one of my younger crazy friends who had a pink black and leopard print party, as her outfit was black we did leopard print with bright pink glitter. Nothing better than my customers and friends being happy with their nails! 

  
First date nails. This is a fairly new customer who I am falling in love with already! She’s a real neutral/French kinda gal. When she had a special first date she decided to be brave and go for colour, it really suited her and since then has even had nail art. She’s getting braver and braver which I know she would 😜 

   
   
Work do nails. Wether it’s a bonding day, a trip away or a night out all my professional ladies love their nails looking their best! This mainly involves matching colours or patterns to outfits, or choosing something that will go with anything if they are undecided such as black with super glitter to make them eye catching and special. 

    
 
   
    
    
    
   
   
 
And last but defiantly not least, I call this selection ‘random joy,’ nails that truly express yourself and are made for pure happiness and to make life a brighter place. These are for hardcore nail lovers that are not afraid of colour or pattern or what others think. As long as they love them that’s really all that matters.

I could literally talk all day about this topic but I will stop here! If you would like to see more photos check out my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/buttonnails or on Instagram ‘buttonnailslovesmakeup’ !! I really hope you enjoyed this blog, if you’d like to read more please subscribe! Have a fantastic day! xxx 

My heatwave makeup! 

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Hello my little buttons!

Here in the uk, where I live we are experiencing a heatwave. As this is not my usual climate, (as anyone who’s been to the uk knows!) I am sweating, burning and just struggling in general!!! So the thought of putting on makeup was not pleasant to say the least, but I didn’t want to look like a tiered mess as I had plans today. So I decided to really strip it back and just use the bare minimum, here were the Heros from today’s face. 

Base

SPF is super important to me, and the product I used combined light coverage as well as protecting my skin from the sun. Loreal Skin Perfection bb cream. Comfy to wear, once it’s soaked in feels like there’s nothing on and with an SPF of 25 that me sorted! 

Powder

To set the BBcream and to mattify I used The Body Shop 3 in 1 powder foundation which alone provides medium coverage. I used a big fluffy powder brush and lightly dusted it all over, then using a smaller brush went over any problem areas like under my eyes and a few little spots. I wasn’t trying to fully cover anything I just wanted to tone it all down and even it out. 

Eyes

I decided to go with my Bourjois Color Band eyeshadow & liner pencil. I wanted something quick and easy that I could take with me and top up if needed. I own the shade 04 Rose Fauviste which is a gorgeous metallic pinky rose gold colour. It sets really well and I get a good 5/6 hours out of this before it needs topping up, even in this hot weather. There’s still a pretty sheen to the lids and minimal creasing. 

Lashes

WATERPROOF ALL THE WAY!!! Is normally my mantra, I love it’s staying power as I tend to wipe my eyes thought the day and can get panda eyes if I’m not careful with other mascaras. I have been using Gosh Length ‘n’ build which doesn’t say it’s waterproof on the packaging but I’ve found it lasts the same as my waterproof mascaras. I’ve had it on all day and it still in its place looking pretty. 

Lips

I wanted something fairly neutral, that I could apply through the day without a mirror and felt balmy and comfy to wear. I went for my Bourjois Colour Boost lip crayon in 07 Proudly Naked, its one of my favourite lip products for being so pretty, silky smooth to apply and easy to wear it also contains SPF 15. What more could I want?! 

  
Here is the finished look. Don’t you just love ‘no makeup makeup?’ So pretty and flattering on anyone, letting your natural skin do all the talking with just a touch colour to the lips and lids. I didn’t go for blush as I’m really rosy anyway. The only products I didn’t mention was my Rimmel eyebrow pencil in hazel and The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in shade 01 which I very lightly dusted all over. 

I hope you enjoyed today’s blog! What have you been wearing in the heat wave? Comment below and subscribe!