MY favourite O.P.I nail polishes!

Without flash (see colours below in order)

I have hundreds of nail polish bottles from O.P.I, Essie, Dior and Chanel but I have to say, O.P.I is my favourite brand that I go to. 

I have picked out 10 of my most popular shades that I reach for (depending on my mood) and use on both my finger nails and my toe nails.

With flash (see colours below in order)

I love how these polishes last a long time without going 'gloopy' and 'lumpy'. If they do turn thick after a while, I use O.P.I nail polish thinner to even out the texture again. It's fantastic! I simply put 2 drops in and shake the bottle till the consistency is back to normal again.

From left to right :
O.P.I Avoplex, O.P.I Chip Skip, O.P.I Start to finish topcoat and basecoat, O.P.I nail envy, O.P.I files and O.P.I hand cream.

When applying the nail polishes, I make sure my nails are in good shape before applying the colour. O.P.I's Avoplex formula is great for nourishing the cuticle and the nails surface. It makes the nail smooth and hydrated before applying polish. Simply apply one drop and massage into the nail. 

I also use a shiner buffer file and nail file - both O.P.I again - to get the nail into the right shape and texture. I always think that my nail polish lasts longer when I apply it through a salon routine than just sticking it on.

Apply a thin layer of primer such as O.P.I Start to Finish base and topcoat. No fuss! It's 2 in 1 and easy to use.

Follow with 2 coats of your favourite polish and your done! 

I finish with a good moisturiser. The one above is O.P.I tropical citrus massage hand cream and it smells so gorgeous!

I always keep a nail treatment/strengthener (O.P.I nail envy comes in different strengths for different types of nails and uses) and chip resistant polish (O.P.I chip skip) in my nail bag; as it's good to treat the nails after a while if you wear polish all the time. 

Colours from RIGHT to LEFT:

• Happy anniversary
• Princesses rule!
• Heart throb
• Japanese rose garden
• Ate berries in the canaries
• Pink flamenco
• California raspberry
• Manicurist of Seville
• My chihuahua bites!
• Austin-tatious turquoise

It's hard to narrow them all down but I hope this was helpful or useful guys!

Thanks for reading :)

Please leave any comments or questions below.

Botanticals Skincare

I recently completed an intensive (one day) beauty facials course with Gateways www.gatewayworkshops.com.

The tutor I had was very friendly and gave plenty of advice and thorough training. I received a booklet with tips in how to remember each technique and all the anatomy and physiology to carry out  beauty facials. Highly recommend this course!

The products that I used on my model during the day were from a brand called Botanicals www.botanicals.co.uk.

I bought this kit from my tutor for £30 (which is a great saving). All the products have a use-by date on which is helpful to know.

The products are absolutely gorgeous and of the highest quality. The smell is so lovely - it really reminds me of when me and my mum went on a spa day together! These products feel so luxurious on the skin and when used altogether, leave the face soft, supple and glowing!

 I also love how the products are organic - not using harsh chemicals on my sensitive skin.

However, the only two problems I have come across whilst using the Botanicals kit are: 

• that products are quite expensive to buy individually 
• you do not get a lot of product within the pots/bottles

BUT - you do not need to use a lot of product during each facial! A small amount goes along way!

I received 5 products in the kit and some little wooden spatulas. The products were bedding down in shredding with small rose buds (which I thought was lovely). 

The kit consisted of:

• Botanicals Rose & Camilla facial polish 25g.

The grains of this exfoliator are really small, which is great for getting rid of dry skin or dead skin cells without harsh scraping and rubbing on the skins surface. It nourishes the skin and leaves it soft and radiant. Its great for normal, dry or mature skin types. Simply massage into the skin and remove with a warm muslin cloth or flannel.

If bought from the Botanicals website, it would cost £16.95 for a regular 50g pot, £28.90 for a large 100g pot and £70 a salon size 400g pot.

• Botanicals Rose & Camilla cleansing melt 25g.

I have to day that this cleanser is one of the best I've tried! Its so gentle on the skin but leaves it super clean and hydrated. This natural cleanser is a makeup remover too, removing all dirt and excess oil from the skin. It has the same method of use as the facial polish - massage onto the skin and remove with a warm muslin cloth or flannel. 

If bought from the Botanicals website, it would cost £16.95 for a regular 50g pot, £28.90 for a large 100g pot and £70 a salon size 400g pot.

• Botanicals Rose & Camilla organic facial serum

I love how this serum has a squeezy tube applicator which dispenses the product by droplets. It really measures how much you need and gives a controlled application - no need to waste any of the product! This serum sinks straight into the skin with no excess oily residue left on the skins outer layer. Fantastic for dry or mature skin. Simply massage into the skin. If used by a oily/combination skin type, simply blot off any residue that has not sunk into the skin with a tissue. 

Again, it smells utterly wonderful!

If bought from the Botanicals website, it would cost £18.95 Regular 30ml (28g), £26.95 Large 50ml (48g) and £48 Salon 100ml (98g)

• Botanicals Rose & Camilla organic skin tonic with white tea extracts

This product is packed with anti-oxidants. Apply to the skin by using the toner with cotton pads after cleansing. This removes all unnecessary excess oils, leaving the skin soft and hydrated. Like a barrier on the skin, it keeps the pores small to keep out dirt etc.  

If bought from the Botanicals website, it would cost £7.95 Small 70g, £14.95 regular 150ml and £28 Salon 250ml. 

• Botanicals Rose Clay nourish masque

This masque is deep cleansing, gently exfoliating and anti-ageing. It restores the skin and leaves it well hydrated - drawing toxins out of the skin. Simply apply to the skin, leave on for 10 minutes and then wipe away with a warm muslin cloth or flannel.

Great for dry or mature skins!

A small pot contains 25g and costs £11.95, a regular pot contains 45g and costs £17.45 and a salon pot contains 400g and costs £70. 

These products are great as a gift (Bontanicals offer different gift sets online to suit), to use on clients as a therapist or to use for your own use. 

Botanicals also offer different products throughout the website depending on your skin type (oily, combination etc) and the type of product you are looking for (i.e. cleanser or masque etc).

They sell 'try me' sets, samples and gift vouchers which I will definitely be purchasing in the future. Great for all those who are undecided about the brand and their products.

Overall guys, a fantastic brand that sell amazing products! Well worth the money and I highly recommend them. 

I think I will be buying a moisturiser and massage oil to go into this kit too! 

I hope this was helpful or useful :)!

Please leave any questions or comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Embryolisse lait-crème concentré and Embryolisse Baume Riche

I have heard a lot of good things about these two ever-so-popular products, especially from YouTube beauty gurus. To be honest, I thought they would be like any other moisturizer but no, I was wrong! So I thought that I would do a quick review for both of these fabulous skincare products and think that they should be shared to all those who haven't discovered this brand yet!

The Embryolisse lait-crème concentré is am-a-zing and has to be my favorite of the two. 

It's multi-purpose (great for makeup artists to have in their kits) - good to use on any skin type or tone, does not leave an oily residue and leaves the most flattering glow on the face. 

Its fantastic for priming the face before makeup and smooths over any dry areas of the face for a more nourished, plumper complexion. It leaves the skin feeling really hydrated and soft, which is lovely! 

'Provides the skin with all the nutrients and water needed for its balance, reconstitutes its hydrolipidic film - the barrier that protects the skin from aggression - and accelerates cell renewal.'

You get plenty of product for your money and you only need the smallest amount to cover the face or affected area. 

I bought mine from www.love-makeup.co.uk for £16.99 (75ml). The shipping was £2.99 for both products.

The second product, Embryolisse Baume Riche, is great too! However, I would use this balm on a mature, extremely dry or sensitive/irritated skin.

This product is denser and richer than the lait-creme concentrate and has different ingredients inside it to help treat and nourish problematic areas on the face or body.

'It's lipid-replenishing with natural nutrients (olive extract, shea butter, white beeswax)'

It sinks into the skin beautifully, restoring it to a softer-looking healthy glow.

I won't go to a makeup job without them!

I bought this from www.love-makeup.co.uk for £20.99. Expensive but well worth it! 

I hope this was helpful guys!

Leave any comments or any questions below  :)

Thanks for reading!

TAIWAN SpecializedMadeByHandEntirely Eyelashes

I was looking through my kit the other day and realised that I needed some new lashes. I only have a few sets of MAC lashes and I always save them for special shoots or occasions. 

I wanted to buy these in bulk - if I could, as it would save me time and money. I searched on Google 'good quality lashes' and these popped up under eBay.

I am really impressed by these lashes. They are such good quality and look fantastic on the eye. They are not heavy or too long and even though some of them are quite dramatic, they do not look synthetic or fake-looking. They really open the eyes up and sit well on the lash line. 

The bonus is - there are so many to choose from! I spent AGES looking through them and finally came up with 3 that would suit most clients and that are ranging from natural to slightly thicker and longer. 

I always buy lashes that have an invisible lash bind as these blend effortlessly into the makeup and look like your own individual eyelashes.

Another fantastic factor about these eyelashes are that they are so, so cheap. What makes it even better is that the postage was free too! I bought 3 sets for £6 including postage!

However, the only down side to buying these would be that they are from Hong Kong - so if you need these lashes in a hurry, I would not recommend them to you unless you can contact the seller for different postage options.

I did not receive mine until 20 days after the dispatch date. But I didn't complain as the Olympics are on at the moment and the postage was free after all! 

Also, they do not come with glue. This is not an issue for me as I always use DUO adhesive to stick lashes on. Cannot beat it. You can buy this at any MAC counter or online at www.maccosmetics.co.uk for £10 - 14g tube.

These lashes are too good to keep secret so I will leave the link to the eBayers' profile down below.
They are especially good for anyone starting out in makeup or beauty.

I will definitely be going back for more in the future!

Hope this was helpful guys! 

Leave comments or questions below if you'd like to know anything else. 

Thanks for reading!

:)

eBayer: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/bigecity

Japonesque Lipstick Palette

I follow Lisa Eldridge www.lisaeldridge.com all the time on YouTube and via her website/blog. She is one of my favourite makeup/beauty gurus on YouTube. I think she is utterly amazing! 
I took inspiration through her lip palette that she created and decided to create one myself.
I bought the Japonesque 36 Well  Lip Palette from www.gurumakeupemporium.com and it cost me £21.50 plus £3.50 postage.


The palette is made of plastic (both inside which is white and outside which is black) and has slot on the inside for a lip brush. It comes with a see-through sheet that is stored in between the palette to make sure that the colours do not mix together. This can be wiped clean after use. 

Bobbi Brown BBU Palette Review

I first saw the Bobbi Brown BBU palette through a number of beauty/makeup gurus using it on YouTube for makeup tutorials. 

I found the palette on www.bobbi brown.co.uk in the foundation section of the website.

It was £185 (which is a lot of money) but was well worth it. I received samples with my order too.

This was my first purchase from Bobbi Brown, so I was eager to try it out and see how good the product was. I have not gone on a job without it! Its the holy grail for makeup artists. Everything in one palette! It's a go-to product. You are able to condense your kit down by taking the palette instead of lots of foundations, concealers and correctors.

It's easy to use, easily cleaned (plastic) and has a variety of shades throughout. It even has a little section on the right hand side of the palette which can be used to mix different shades together. 

The panel in the middle has the names of the corresponding shades that are in the palette opposite which is good to know if you have to re-stock the shade. It has this on both sides! It's also great for separating the makeup from one another, so it doesn't mix together. This can be wiped clean too.

My freelance makeup kit (MAC Zuca traincase)

Here's a look inside my freelance kit. It mainly contains MAC cosmetics but there are a few other different cosmetic brands inside (Bobbi Brown, BECCA, Makeup Forever, Makeup International, Estee Lauder, Dior, YSL, Bare minerals and Laura Mercier).


I wont tell you what shades I have, as I think every person is different and the product will be adapted to you and your needs.
Also, I wont list all my lipsticks as I have so many! I have a Japonesque palette which I have filled with my favourite go-to's, so I will do a blog post on that soon instead!


I will start with my foundation pouch (below). I have a mixture of colours and coverages in here as you never know who you will be working on. I have the following:

MAC Face and Body - £26.50 120ml www.maccosmetics.co.uk
A water-based, water-resistant foundation. Light coverage but buildable coverage in layers. Good for using on the body and comes in a wide range of shades.
MAC Studio Sculpt SPF 15 - £24 40ml www.maccosmetics.co.uk
A gel-based foundation that provides medium to high coverage with a natural satin finish.
Long lasting, thick texture and in a variety of shades. Water resistant too.
MAC Pro Longwear SPF10 - £24 30 ml www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Long lasting 15 hour wear foundation. Light to medium coverage (buildable). Stays in place and provides a flawless natural finish. I use the MAC 130 duo fibre brush with this foundation as it buffs it into the skin really well.
MAC Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 - £24 30ml www.maccosmetics.co.uk
This foundation is great on the skin. It has light reflective particles which gives a dewy glow to the skin and can be set with the MAC mineralize skin finish naturals for an even flawless look. It is a light to medium buildable coverage with a satin finish. Contains vitamins A, C and E to condition the skin.
MAC Select SPF 15 - £20.50 30ml www.maccosmetics.co.uk
A water-based liquid foundation. Medium coverage. Provides a matte finish (great for oily skin). In a variety of shades!
MAC Full Coverage - Only available at MAC Pro stores.

Bobbi Brown BBU palette - £185 www.bobbibrown.co.uk
A mixture of foundation sticks, creamy concealers and correctors. Great for makeup artists! I couldnt live without mine now - will be doing a post on it soon!

CHANEL PERFECTION LUMIÈRE Long-Wear Flawless Fluid Makeup SPF 10 - £36.00
www.debenhams.com

Powders and Concealers:

Powders:

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - £21 www.maccosmetics.co.uk
MAC Studio Fix powder plus foundation - £20.50 www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Mac Prep+Prime Transparent finishing powder - £19.50 www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Mac truth and light powder 
Laura Mercier brightening powder
Bare Escentuals Id Minerals Face Radiance Clear - £19 www.selfridges.com

Concealers:
MAC studio finish -  £14.50 www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Mac select moisturecover  - £14.50 www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Bobbi brown creamy concealer - £18 www.bobbibrown.co.uk

Blushers and Bronzers:

MAC Mineralize skinfinishes - £21.50 www.maccosmetics.co.uk

MAC Blush: 1 palette of pinks and 1 palette of browns/peaches. Palettes cost £11.50 each and pan refills are £14.50 each. 5 Individual blushes including creme blushes) www.maccosmetics.co.uk
MAC Lustre Drops - £17.50 www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Makeup forever HD blush - £22.50 www.gurumakeupemporium.co.uk
Bare minerals blush - £19 www.debenhams.com
Becca shimmering skin perfecter - £33 www.beccacosmetics.com
Becca beach tint blush - £20 www.beccacosmetics.com
Dior bronzer £29.50 www.boots.com

Lip liner/Lip gloss/Lip balm:

Lip liner:

MAC lip pencils - £11.50 www.maccosmetics.co.uk

NO.7 lip liner  - £7.50 www.boots.com

Lip gloss:

MAC cremesheen lipglass - £17  www.maccosmetics.co.uk

MAC dazzleglass - £17  www.maccosmetics.co.uk

MAC plushglass - £17  www.maccosmetics.co.uk

MAC lustreglass - £13.50  www.maccosmetics.co.uk

Lip balm:

MAC lip treatment conditioner - £11  www.maccosmetics.co.uk
MAC Prep+Prime lip primer - £12  www.maccosmetics.co.uk

MAC Zuca

I absolutely LOVE MAC cosmetics. When I was a student, I was lucky enough to have MAC pro membership for a year (which I built majority of my kit up with) and now... I have it again. It's fantastic for being able to get discount on MAC or MAC pro products and master classes throughout the year. 

To be able to buy the MAC Zuca, you must be a MAC pro member. I paid £25 for my membership, which lasts a year. You can apply for this by going to the MAC pro website however you must be a makeup artist or in a profession of something similar.

I rung the MAC pro enquires line (0800 054 2676) and paid £205 plus £2.95 postage for the Zuca. It was delivered within 3 working days by Yodal courier service.

When I first opened it, it was smaller than what I thought it would be. However, that has not side tracked me and I would definitely still use it.

It is very sturdy, lightweight and easy to use/pull along. It has really good quality material and zip linings. Even the handle is great - you have to click down the red button on top of the handle to pull up/push down. It has a good level of security (the zip to the main compartment has a hole for a keypad lock and a clip to secure the flap which covers the main compartment zip).

The seat is comfortable too (for you or your model). I think you can buy padded cushion covers for them - which I may do for extra comfort.

There are several compartments and straps throughout the bag which you could use to store clips/grips onto. Good for all those who organise their kit thoroughly! 

There is meshing on the inside of the bag (on the top - which would be great to store a brush belt etc) and at both sides. 

There are 4 pouches inside the Zuca. Each pouch has the MAC branding on the top (which I love). They have small handles on the sides of each of them and have white tags to label each pouch if desired. It has plenty of storage space! Even with 4 pouches inside it, it still has lots of room on top to store extra kit (or store at least an extra 2 pouches!)

It comes with a protective quilted liner which slots over the top of the Zuca when travelling or when its not in use. On the covering, it has a zip in a semi circle shape which can be undone to pull the handle through when pulling along.

It is SO much easier to use the MAC Zuca than to cart around large bags. I was never a fan of beauty trolleys or makeup boxes however, this looks professional and was worth every penny!

I even received a small sample of MAC prep+prime skin base visage! All helps! :)

I will be doing another post on how I pack my Zuca for makeups very soon, so watch this space guys!