Formal Makeup Inspiration

Hello darlings,

On Wednesday night I'm going to the Leeds Uni Law Ball as a date to someone. I say this as though I have no right to be there myself when in fact I do, I have just thus-far managed to avoid said occasion. However, I am going to be in attendance this year, and could I say, it's been a lot more work (and money!) than what was initially anticipated! I have the dress, the shoes, the handbag and the accessories, but I'm still stuck on hair and makeup. I want to do something different. I know I'm going to wear my hair up, which will be a mammoth task in itself, but I don't know what I'm doing with my makeup. 

My dress is pale pink, so I'm not going to go wild on the colour front as I would most likely end up looking like a dragon. I'm decided on soft pink lips, I just need to decide on the eyes now. These are my picks for inspiration.

Most of you will have seen the first look on Facebook, I must have seen it a hundred times now. But every time I look at it, I think how beautiful it looks. I'd swap the peach tone for a pink though, something like 'Expensive Pink' from MAC which is a bronzy dusky pink. 

I'm also in love with the lips on the third look, the fact that they're so luminous really attracts me. 

I think I'd like to aim for a sort of cross between the first and third images, although I do love how sultry the final look is. I think I need to have a play around with some shades and see what I think. If I get time, I'll pop a few looks on here and see what you ladies prefer?

I hope you're all having a lovely day!

Lea

x

(Images via weheartit.com)

FOTD - Glamour Style

Good afternoon lovelies!

It's been a fair while since I did a FOTD so I thought it was high time I got on with it!

I was having a little play around this morning and this is what I came up with, I hope you like it :)

Eyes:

I used Soap and Glory's 'It's About Prime' as a base.

I then used Sweet Lust by MAC all over my lid.

I added Expensive Pink by MAC into my crease.

I then added more definition to the crease with Bobbi Brown's Black Plum eyeshadow, as well as taking it under my lower lash line. 

I then blended any harsh lines with more Expensive Pink.

I used white shade from the MUA Heaven and Earth pallet to add light to my inner corners.

To finish off I used Black Gel Eyeliner by Bobbi Brown, and a generous coating of Bobbi Brown's Extreme Party Mascara.

I finished up by applying some false lashes. These are by Eyelure and are their 'natural ones'.

Lips:

I used Vaseline's Pink Bubbly limited edition to condition them before applying colour.

I then used Estee Lauder's, Double Wear, Stay in Place Lip Duo in the shade 19 Forever Fuschia.

Rather than use the attached gloss, I finished up by applying some of the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip perfecter in pink, concentrating on the centre portion of the lips.

Cheeks:

I contoured using the Sleek Contour Kit.

I then applied Chanel's Fantasia blush and blended it out.

I used the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose Quartz to Highlight. 

--------------------------

For the rest of the day I've been working on some Jurisprudence prep that I had to do, and generally jamming around the flat to Northern Soul, all in all it's been a pretty good and productive day!

(Note to self, the mirror is streaky - I can never seem to get it perfect!)

What have you been up to? Anything exciting?

Abiento <3

Lea

x

Autumn Hair and Beauty Inspiration

Hi Darlings,

I've been having a scout out for some Autumn/Winter beauty inspiration this afternoon and I'm super pleased with what I found!

I love the whole transition between Summer and Autumn/Winter, it's so exciting to try out all the new textures that appear!

 Add a pearl to your ponytail at the nape of your neck, it's an instant way to make your everyday style classic and chic. 

Try a texturising spray to achieve the matte effect. This is fantastic for the winter months as it will hide a multitude of hair sins. 

 For a night out why not try the graphic eyeshadow look? Add false eyelashes in a feathery texture to add drama.

Try out some new colours. Shimmery shades in a bold colour offer a change from the Autumnal burgundy lip.

 Opt for minimal eye makeup and a flawless complexion. Pair it with a red lipstick in a shade that suits your skin tone, and use it as a light stain on your cheeks to achieve a matchy matchy look.

For a twist on the dark shades that dominate our nails during the colder months, apply a nude shade and paint the tips in your favourite wintery colour. 

I love finding new inspiration, so please link me back to your blog in the comment section if you have any for me!

Have a fantastic autumnal day lovelies,

Lea

x

Photos via Vogue.com

Gucci's Autumn 2012 Makeup

I find these images really powerful, normally women who have the appearance of no eyebrows are not considered to be beautiful, but Gucci seems to have come together with a group of the most interestingly beautiful women I have seen in such a long time. Whether it's a beautiful hair colour, stand out eyes, or flawless porcelain skin, these women really have it.

What do you think?

Lea

x

Images taken from Google Images.

A Makeup Inspiration [3]

Soft Messy Hair with plenty of volume.

Flashes of white around the eye.

Soft fluffy lashes for a girlish look.

Peacock smoky eyes.

Bright orange-red lips.

Soft natural lips, for a soft kissable look.

Deep burgundy with highlighting work and a high shine.

Chanel's crescent silver-pink nails.

Lea

x

Images via Vogue.com

MUA Pastels Pallet Swatches and Review

Swatches are taken in natural light and correlate to the first image. No primer has been used and they were swatched 2-3 times each.

I haven't done a review in a little while so I thought it was about time. This is one of the first things I have bought in quite a while that I really enjoy using, so I thought why not, and at £4 it's a complete bargain!

Most of you will be familiar with MUA, it's a range stocked in Superdrug where the majority of makeup retails at £1, with the odd 'larger' product being slightly higher. The pallets are £4, and are fantastic for the money. I use the Heaven and Earth Pallet from MUA very frequently and am actually on my second one!

This particular pallet is their new addition, filled with pastel shades. I had been on the hunt for something like this for quite a while but to my surprise there really wasn't any kind of answer to a true pastels pallet available in my Boots or Superdrug. I knew MUA did one but it was never in stock so in the end I went ahead and ordered it online and I'm so pleased I did.

As you can see by the swatches, they give a lovely sheen of colour, and I have to say that when applied to the eye they stand out even more. The exception to the good pigmentation however is the first shade, so the top left. It has very poor pigmentation, but it's not something I'm worried about for the price and the fact that I don't like the colour all that much personally. Having said that, it could be used as a base to other eyeshadows, so not all is lost!

I'm not afraid of wearing colour on my eyes, so I'll be rocking these all over my lid, but if you're more of a neutral fan, I'd say that since they're shimmery and pastel, they're much easier to wear than a bright matte shade, so maybe a good place to start if you'd like to wear more colour on your eyes :). Another way to wear would be to use them under your lower lash line for a flash of colour, that would look beautiful too!

What do you think? Is this your cup of tea? I'll definitely be sneaking this away with me on holiday for a few quick and easy looks, with a fun edge!

Lea

x