I am FREE!!

For a little bit anyway!! I handed in the last assignment for my current modules last night. As long as I pass it, I won't have another assignment to write for about 3 months. I do have exams next month but I've got a couple of weeks off work beforehand to use for revision.

I feel a lot lighter today!!

I'll be back later with some product reviews!

Red triangles and green stars

This week's green stars:

• The £50 Debenhams voucher that O2 are giving me for signing up for a 12 month Simplicty contract. I've saved myself £15 a month on my phone bill as well!
• The bargainous MAC order from Debenhams - making use of the 10% off when you bought 2 products online plus the free delivery option for Beauty Card holders made for a bit of a bargain on my new foundation and concealer. 
• The hair dye colour mix I did this month - The perfect burgundy shade. 
• The sunshine! Yay for spring! 
• Spending a couple of hours dusting on Saturday - the house just feels nicer. 
• Lamb Passanda from this recipe - delicious and healthy (substitute ghee for veg/coconut oil and use Total 0% Greek yoghurt, add in aubergine, sweet potato, mushrooms, and spinach)
• MAC Rain of Flowers nail polish. 
• Tiramisu cupcakes from ChefChloe via the Kind Life via my mate Kris!
• True Blood marathons. Although not enough Eric ;)

Red triangles:

• More essay.... 2000 words on performance management and learning in development management. Urgh. 
• The sunshine - it has brought pollen with it.
• My skin being a bit crappy, probably due to stress and tiredness. 
• Lancome Teint Idole Ultra foundation. Can we say oxidisation much? Within an hour I went from normal to considerably darker...
• Catching my beautiful broderie anglaise skirt on the door handle this morning and ripping it a little. Nothing that isn't fixable but annoying nevertheless. 
• Bah. Just bah.

(in case you are wondering about the red triangles and green stars, they are visual representations of good and bad performance used in many performance management systems - I'm such a geek!)

Spring is on its way!

Apologies for the lack of posting - I've been a busy bee trying to prepare for the hideous 3000 word essay I have due in on Wednesday. I've finally finished my first draft, so I've taken a break to say hi!

Truth be told, I've started a few posts and not finished them, because although ideas keep popping into my head, I haven't really had the time or energy to do them justice!

Today I have rewarded my study diligence with some pretty make up, inspired by a recent Pixiwoo video. I love the ladies at Pixiwoo, they explain things so well and just watching the videos I get plenty of tips and tricks that I probably wouldn't have thought of.

Anyway, I saw this video the other day and thought I'd use the same sort of colours on my eyes today:

Aqua Eyes:

Eyes:

MAC Gulf Stream (no longer available)

MAC Chill (also d/c!)

Chanel Base Beaute mascara base

Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Waterproof Black

MAC Brow Set in Clear

Face:

MAC Studio Tech in NW15

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW15

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light/Medium

MAC Powder Blush in Dame

MAC Prep + Prime Translucent Finishing Powder

MAC Fix+

Lips:

Neals Yard Lip balm

MAC Lipstick in Pink Plaid

I decided to give Studio Tech foundation another go having seen a different Pixiwoo video and I have to say, it is a much better colour on me. My usual Studio Sculpt in NC15 is a little light but this is better. However, I'm not sure about the coverage, but it is difficult to tell at the moment as my skin is playing up a little bit at the moment!

Speaking of which, I haven't managed to properly start the Good Skin Diet yet, due to being ill (it tells you not to start it if you are ill) so shall be attempting it at some point in the next couple of weeks. I have been using some of the principles though. Unfortunately I'm not sure it is making much difference! Although my skin is not great at the moment, I have pin pointed the cause. Cotton wool. Evidently my skin doesn't like the oil cleansing method, or anything that involves anything other than rinsing cleanser from my skin. 3 days of removing my make up using cotton wool last week and I get 4 humoungous spots that are under the skin, in contrast to the spots I have been getting recently which have been small and on the surface. Thankfully my skin is healing itself fast. 

Hope you like the eyes, I will hopefully be back in the next couple of weeks with my own take on foundation!

Tall Dresses - Tiered Body Con Dress At Long Tall Sally

I'm supposed to be studying but I just wanted to share my love for this!


Tall Dresses - Tiered Body Con Dress At Long Tall Sally

MAC Electra

I was catching up on a bit of Pixiwoo last night and started watching a video where they were talking about their best and worst beauty products. They started off talking about their worst MAC eyeshadow, which is apparently Electra, a colour I happen to love.

So today my make up involved Electra. Maybe it is because I'm so pale that it works, or maybe its because although I love dark dramatic eye colours, I'm also drawn to shimmery neutrals and pales, but I love this colour.

Eyes: Vanilla, Scene, Electra, Blacktrack fluidline, Chanel Inimitable mascara

I started by prepping my lid with Paint in Bare Canvas, then applied Vanilla eyeshadow over the whole lid up to the brow. I then smudged Scene into the crease, then blended Electra over the top of the lid and onto the lower lid. A touch more blending with a 217 brush, a generous slick of Fluidline in Blacktrack, then finished off with a coat of Chanel Base Beaute and Chanel Inimitable mascara in Waterproof Black (all products MAC unless otherwise stated). 

Please excuse my crappy skin - I've been ill, then forgot to take all my supplements away with me so my skin has suffered slightly!

I find it quite similar to the limited edition MAC shadow Artic Grey, although that is slightly warmer. I haven't used Electra recently, I am glad I was prompted to give it a go again!

Stormtrooper in Stilettos

Is the name of the Queen exhibition currently on at the Truman Brewery off Brick Lane in London. I first heard about this when I recieved an email from queenonline.com. As a massive Queen fan I immediately started plotting how to get there, where to stay etc. Fortunately my boyfriend's sister lives in London and we were long overdue a visit, so it enabled us to do everything.

The exhibition focuses on the first 5 albums that the band released, charting the stories behind the music and some of their greatest achievements, as well as displaying some treasures from the time. There are lots of TV screens with clips of interviews, and you can listen to the songs at appropriate points around the displays. These are my favourite Queen albums, so it was just that little bit more wonderful!

Some of the footage on the screens was of live gigs from various places and times and just watching it took my breath away. My favourite bit was catching a clip of 39 being performed - it is one of my favourite Queen songs for its sheer simplicity, and Freddie aside, Roger Taylor is one of my musical idols.

The slight maniacal grin shows you how pleased I was to be there!!

If you can make it to the Truman Brewery between Commercial Street (Spitalfields Market) and Brick Lane before the exhibition closes on March 12th then I heartily recommend that you go!

Oscar dresses

I'm coming a little bit late to this in the blogging world, as it is now 48 hours since the Red Carpet, but hey, I've been mulling it over, looking at different photos to get a good idea from different angles what the dresses look like.
So here are my favourites (pictures borrowed from the Independent).

Michelle Williams in Chanel

Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein



Cate Blanchett in Ricardo Tisci for Givenchy



Helena Bonham Carter in Colleen Atwood

Michelle Williams. Classic, elegant, beautiful, different.

Gwyneth Paltrow - a slightly different choice for her I think, she usually plays it quite safe but this is a bold and striking design. It works well, although she could maybe have left the brooch at home.

I wasn't sure about Cate Blanchett's initially, but the photo above sealed it for me, the movement and shape in the skirt is something else and the structured yet soft bodice is quirky and sophisticated. The colour suits her colouring beautifully and avoids being too 'pastel blah' with the flashes of neon yellow at the shoulders.
 
Opinion seems to be a bit divided over HBC's dress, but she is well known for her crazy outfits, which personally, I love. I love that she seems completely bat shit crazy at times! This dress is actually quite tame compared to some of the things she wears, but gorgeous nonetheless and hooray for black velvet bodices!