Blondes do have more fun…!!!

Before

 This week I was set the task of dying my friends hair. To set the scene; she’s blonde, she has only ever had her highlights done in a salon, never used a home colouring product before and to top it all off I work with her – so no pressure there then! We used Garnier Nutrisse Creme (colour 9.13)

Application was quick and easy to apply and instructions were simple to follow. All products are included in the box, however you may need a few hair clips to help section the hair along with a comb or a brush. We used an old towel and placed this around the shoulders to protect clothes from any possible hair dye type drips or accidents! I would recommend using the gloves when washing the hair dye off to protect hands and jewellery. We left the product to develop for 20 minutes and  sat down with a cup of tea and danish! When it was time, we rinsed off the colour and applied the intensive conditioner (supplied in the kit). I really would recommend smothering this all over your hair and allowing a few minutes for this to really soak in, the difference is very noticeable – take it from someone who in the past has forgotten this important step!!!

After washing out the product we blow-dried the hair and smoothed over with straightening irons. The end results were fantastic! My friend made it clear that she wanted the colour to look as natural as possible, I think the colour was the perfect shade and it gave her hair a glossy sheen with lots of multi tones hopefully you can see that from the picture below.

After

 

Overall Verdict: 9/10

For anyone new to home hair dye kits this is an ideal place to begin! Semi permanent dye is gentler on the hair and you also have the assurance that if the shade is not for you then after 3-4 weeks chances are it won’t be as noticeable as first applied! The Nutrisse Creme’s conditioner is wonderful,  its worth buying the kit just for that, plus it smells delicious!!! The little bottle goes a long way too so I recommend applying once a week to help maintain the colour and gloss! So would I recommend to a friend – well I have,  plus I applied it too so the answer to that is YES!!!!

L’ORÉAL – Volume Million Lashes – So Couture Mascara

If you are looking for a clump-free mascara that creates a ‘false lash’ effect without the dramatic spider eyes look, then this is the mascara for you! L’Oréal have used their famous bendy pliable mascara brush to allow you to coat every lash to create a soft smoky eye look or to build up your lashes with several coats.  It’s an ideal night or day mascara that lasts without making your lashes hard or thick! I picked up this little nugget for £7.99 in Boots on an introductory offer (link below).

Pro’s

• Easy & quick application
• No clumps, no mess
• Great introductory Price
• Available in most retailers

Con’s

• Price, once introductory offer ends now £10.99

The Verdict: 8/10

TIP!

I am convinced that the secret to a good mascara is all in the brush…….. if you find a good mascara brush ladies keep hold of it…. you can always re-use these brushes and they make for excellent lash separators!

The “must have” Foundation Brush

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to how they apply their foundation. Some prefer a sponge whilst others (like myself) prefer to use a brush. I find using a brush is quicker, less messy and ensures you have an even coverage. I myself have invested in many foundation brushes over the years but my favourite is definitely the ‘stippler’ brush (pictured below). With this brush it is almost impossible to get that awful ‘jaw line’ look that you may notice when someone hasn’t blended their foundation in correctly.

Having always invested in MAC Makeup brushes, I never imagined switching to another brand. That was until I misplaced my trusty MAC brush and in a rush to get a replacement to be going on with, I popped into my local Wilkinson’s store.

Priced at £4 I wasn’t expecting this brush to even last or be of any real use, but how wrong was I…!!? The brush is super soft and does not malt as I would have expected it to, considering the price! It creates a great even coverage and the angle of the brush allows you to create depth with you foundation if you require. It is a perfect size and allows you to sweep into the corners of your eyes with no problem. Overall I would say that I find it better than my old MAC foundation brush!

Carrie’s Tips for Looking after your MakeUp Brushes

• Wash all brushes once a week
• Dilute baby shampoo in warm water and submerge your brushes
• Allow your brushes to dry naturally, although if in a rush dry under your hairdryer on a cool setting at a distant (you want to protect your bristles as much as possible)
• If in a rush you can use baby or face wipes to clean your makeup brushes

Carrie’s Verdict: 9/10

For the price alone the quality of this brush is a true ‘must have’ or at least a ‘must try’. I just hope that Wilko’s other makeup brushes are as good, as I will definitely be going back to buy some more!

The perfect daytime eyeshadow palette

I picked up this eyeshadow palette whilst at the tills in H&M. The colours grabbed my attention immediately as I have been looking for a palette with these shades. The lighter shades are perfect for creating a natural daytime look, you will need to use a good primer for your eyelids though as the eyeshadows are very light and powdery. Building depth to your eyes will be necessary with this palette.

If you are looking for natural shades that you can build depth and layers, then this a steal! The only downside to this palette is that the darker shades need a lot of application. I had to use a trusty smokey brown shade from one of my own eyeshadows to build up a darker shade.

Carrie’s Verdict: 7/10

It has to be said that this palette will never rival Urban Decay’s ‘Naked’ palette range, but this is definitely ideal for a natural daytime look and for the price it is perfect for keeping in your handbag!

A little bit of sparkle…!

With the Christmas period only around the corner, I thought I would practice some of my sparkly ideas for this festive season that is fast approaching…! Nude pastels are all the rage at the moment and I wanted to use these shades to really set the glitter off! To create this look I used NSI’s “Purely Pink Masque’ acrylic powder to build up the acrylic tip and once set I used Essie’s ‘Muchi Muchi’ (No 17) shade as the base coat. For the sparkly bit I brushed on OPI’s ‘Desperately Seeking Sequins’ across the tips of the nails and set this in place with a gel effect top coat. Of course this design can be created using all manner of colours of base coats and glitters!

Take a look at OPI’s website for more colours