Back to Basics | How to get the Perfect Brow

Fellow Blogees,

This week we're looking at the very problematic issue of creating the perfect brow. We all know it's a challenge: too arched, too fake, too pointy etc etc. Truth is, it's very confusing and can take years to master the perfect brow. So feel free to make use of the state of the art diagram to help achieve the life goal of perfect eye brows.

Very mathematical is this brow business. I know what you're thinking, don't bring maths into an already complicated situation, but in this instance, maths might actually help?

1. Using a makeup brush, position it up between the end of your brow and your nostril, these should line up. If stuck, consult the diagram!
2. Again using a makeup brush, your nostril should also line up with the beginning of the brow.
3. (At the risk of sounding repetitive) AGAIN using the makeup brush, the arch of the brow should line up with the middle of the nose.

Handy Hints and Tips:
1. For super duper natural looking brows, a powder is best (you don't need to specifically buy a brow powder, eye shadow works fine too), use an angled thin brush to apply this.
2. Use a powder/gel/whatever with a more khaki undertone. Natural hair has a khaki undertone, and red undertones products really show up in pictures and bright day light.. so stick to khaki to avoid a crisis!
3. If you want your brows to look prominent, you can use a light concealer around the brow, or a highlighter on the brow bone.
4. Don't fill in your eyebrows and make them look solid, use light brush strokes, making them look feathered (if you want a natural look, which is what most of us are after). Natural brows tend to be lighter towards the centre and thicker as they go out, so when working on the beginning part of the brow, don't use a brush with fresh product on or it will look too heavy.
5. If you tend to have mega crazy, rebellious brows, hairs that curl and don't do what their told etc, you might want to use a brow gel to hold them in place, especially good if you need your make up to last all day!

So there you have it, you should now be able to go off and create brows like you never knew you could. If anyone tries, do let us know, we'd love to hear!

Until Next Time...

LLB x

Nails Inc. Porchester Square Dupe

Happy Sunday!

So we're talking about a dupe... a cover up, a farce if you will. We found a practical replica of the Nails Inc varnish for a fraction of the price, but does practically the same job.

The one in our pictures is Barry M in the shade 'Almond'. It's a perfect alternative to a nude, but still makes your nails look like they have been cared for, which is always a plus! Barry M's (I always invisage a fat middle aged bloke painting each nail a different colour whenever I see Barry M, but that's probably just me) is just £3.99, where as the Nails Inc Gel formula is 14 squids. The colour is basically the same, just Barry's has a slight beige tone. Does that really matter? Naaaaaa, if you can save roughly a tenner, you can buy two.

If any of you try, do let us know!

Love always,

LLB x

Back to Basics | How to Clean Makeup Brushes

Hey Everyone,
This weekend we're talking about everything brush care. I think we did promise this in one of our earlier posts, so don't say we don't keep to our word.

First up, you're better to use a gentle shampoo (i.e. a baby shampoo). Should clean every week to 2 weeks because makeup, oil and bacteria is collected in the bristles... which as we all know, isn't the nicest thing for your lovely skin or spreading spots. Provided you wash them properly, you'll prevent the bristles coming out and keep them in th bets condition for as long as possible. You can get daily brush cleaners for those of you who are insanely fanatical about keeping your brushes in tip top condition, but in reality, this is completely unnecessary and over washing brushes will make them unhappy!

To complete a deep clean, you'll need:
A basin of luke warm water
Baby shampoo / gentle shampoo
Towel or brush holder.

Complete these easy steps to achieve brush heaven:

1. Run the brushes under luke warm water, with the brushes always facing down so the water doesn't run down the brush to where the bristles are glued in.
2.squit a bit of baby shampoo into the palm of your hand.
3. Swirl the brush in the shampoo, keep doing so until it lathers up.
4. Wash out the shampoo, and you will se all the old makeup washing out too - keep shampooing until the water runs clear when washing the brush.
5. Lay the brushes flat onto the towel, facing down is preferable (the holder the real techniques core collection and starter kit come in is ideal) - this will prolong the life of the bristles as the glue will not be dissolved by the water/shampoo.

TA DAAHH.. there you have it, how to successfully clean your kit and still have them in good condition at the end of it - win win.

Hope you found this useful, and if you use any of our tips, do let us know!

Until next time,

LLB x 

LUSH H'suan Wen Hua Review

Aloha kids!

Staying on the tropical theme, we thought you needed to be made aware of this wonderful H'suan Wen Hua, hair miracle worker by LUSH.

WHY?
The remedy is super moisturising and nourishing moisturiser to improve the look and feel of your hair. Full of all things good such as advocados and bananas (not literally, their oils) plus eggs to strenghten your hair (free range obvs). Plus, it has a strong hint of cinnamon, the smell stays on your hair up to the next time you wash it, and who doesn't love that? It's also really good for your roots, which dictate weather you have a good or bad hair day, so make good use of the bay leaf infusion that is meant to stimulate your scalp.

HOW TO USE:
Basically, leave on your hair for an hour (Lush say 20 mins, which is fine but if you want to really feel the effects, leave on for as long as possible) which allows time for it to detangle your hair and makes it super soft. Massage generous amounts into dry hair before shampoo and conditioning. After doing usual routine, sit back and enjoy your beautifully revived hair.

Buy me here - LUSH, £9.25

Let us know if anyone tries it!

Until Next Time,

LLB x

What we're loving... Golden Globes 2015

Heey Gals!

Last Sunday the celebs were out in full glitery force for the Golden Globes. There was some glorious emsambles from the guys and the girls, so let's get on with the show!

First up is Chrissy Teigen in this AMAZING Zuhair Murad gown. This gorgeous dress is super embellished, and the colour looks great against her lovely bronzed skin! Deffo loving.

Next up os the lovely Diane Kruger in Emilia Wickstead. This icy blue colour is a fresh update to the usual colours seen at awards ceremonies, but the form fitting shape works beautifully with it too!

The gorgeous Eddie Redmayne in a Gucci suit is my favourite look of all the celebs, but that might be more to do with him, rather than the suit. Not only did he look fabulous, but he also bagged himself an award for basically becoming Stephen Hawking. Nice one Redders.

AW! Joanne Froggatt looks adorable in Marchesa. Who knew Anna could scrub up so well eh Donton Abbey fans?! Makes a nice change to see her break free from "downstairs" and celebrate her victory. Loving her hair aswell, super cool braid-age.

OK so Kate Beckinsale looks radient in this Elie Saab number. All we can say is congratulations, and we bow down. She rocks it, and Elie Saab is a an absolute God. That is all.

Another kissing Kate in the form of Hudson, in this Versace white dress is pretty smokin' also. Godddd, how do all these people look so good maaaaan.

Sienna Miller looks positivly dashing in this Miu Miu dress, complete with Jimmy Choo heels and Tiffany&Co jewellery. WOW, must have cost a few bob, but she totes works it. Jude Law must have been crying into his cornflakes when he saw these pics in the paper on Monday.

We also thought we could look at the successful make up looks of the night too, be rude not too!
The main look of the night was fresh and flawless dewy skin, and a metallic eye look.

Emily Blunt had a cool plaited updo, complete with the metalic eye look, and a classic nude lip.
Jessica Chastain sported lovely waterfall waves, also with the metalic eye and nude lip.
Disney Princess Amy Adams had a lovely set of warm peachy tones complete with a bronzed look.
Utter babe Keira Knightley wore her hair in a pretty up-do, complete with peachy tones for the blush shad, dark berry lip to add a sprinkle of drama. Overall, just lovely.

Ahhh, so that concludes our picks for the Golden Globes. We hope you enjoyed, and if you have a favourite look from the night, feel free to leave a comment!

Until Next Time,

LLB x

All pictures from Vogue.co.uk

Indeed Labs Powder Exfoliator Review

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Today we want to tell you guys about a product you might not have stumbled across in your make up exploration, but believe us when we say, it's potentially life changing stuff.

The Indeed Labs Powder Exfoliator is revolutionary of it's peers. It's a fairly new product, only hitting public consumption at the middle of last year. Powder exfoliater is better for people with sensitive skin or skin prone to breakouts. We feel ya sistas, it's a tough problem to deal with. But luckily, this product is a lot gentler to your skin, and you can change the consistancy of the powder depnding on how concerntrated or dialuted you would like the exfoliater.

To use the powder exfoliator, shake a 10p sized amount onto your hand (it takes a while to be a pro at getting the right amount). Mix with a little water to achieve a foamy consistency. Next, rub in circular motions across the face, focussin particularly on the dry skin areas. After that, wipe off with warm water, tone (it's optional but recommended) and then moisturise. What you are left with is super soft and shiny skin like you wouldn't believe kids. You won't believe your eyes, as all th dull and dry skin disappears. Your skin will look visibly brighter and polished (who doesn't want that) and plus the fact, foundation looks great on the skin after you've used the exfoliator.

So basically, you'd be craaaazzy not to try this! Best 18 quid we've ever spent.

Let us know if you try or buy!

Until Next Time, 

LLB x

7 Top Make up Tips

Fellow Blogees,

New Year, New you right? No us neither. But, we thought you might thank us for a few new Make Up tips that we think every girl deserves to know. These aim to illiminate every day problems that grind you down. These tips sound simple enough, but you'll be amazed at how much they'll change your life.

Number 1: How to make your eyes look brighter. We've all been there, waking up in the morning to the horrendous image of bags/puffiness/black under eye issues. Well no more, just use white eye liner on the lower lash waterline, and then mix this with a touch of shimmer to put on the inner corners of  your eyes. This will leave you looking revitalised and ready for action in no time at all!

Number 2: What colour to use for under eye circles. Most people should stick to using an orangey-pink colour to get rid of dark circles. We would recommend the Benefit Erase Paste or Mac Prolong Wear Concealer, which will nicely cover all dark circles all day long. If you use a yellow based concealer it tends to make your under eye circles look grey... which might not be the wisest move.

Number 3: How to pull off bold make up colours. It's a tricky problem we all face. For fear of getting grinded down into the same routine, you want to sproose things up a bit, but don't know how. Basically just experiment and see what colours look best with your skintone. Lighter skin tones can take bold reds and pinks, whereas more orangey peachy shades are better suited to tanned skin. Our advice, don't over do it. To pull it off successfully, just choose either eyes or lips to pack the punch. Don't attempt both.

Number 4: The best location for putting on your makeup. In some cases you don't have a lot of choice, if you have a crazy schedule you'll be hardpressed to find the perfect conditions. However, ideally, you should use a front facing mirror with as much natural light as possible. That way, you can see how it's really going to look.

Number 5: How to clean your make up brushes. To achieve a successful makeup look, you must look after your tools! Wash out your brushes at least once a week, using some gentle soap or baby shampoo is fine. We will be doing a more in depth post on this in a couple of weeks time, so if you want speific steps to follow, hold tight, they're coming!

Number 6: How to apply Bronzer. The easiest way is to use the 3 trick. Use your brush with bronzer on it to draw a faint number 3 along the side of your face. Use this with the top and tail ends of the 3 on your cheek and jaw bones to get a natural contouring look.

Number 7: Applying foundation. You should probably do your skin a favour and moisturise 5-10 minutes before you apply your foundation. Not only is it the kindest thing for your skin, but your make up will apply so much smoother and stay on for longer too.

So there are our tips, short and simple! We hope you find them helpful, any other questions you have feel free to ask in the comments!

Until Next Time,
LLB x

Makeup Inspiration | Emma Watson

Today we thought we would kick off 2015 in style by having a gawp at one of our make up icons in the glamourous form of Emma Watson. A new year is a perfect excuse to try out new things and be adventurous, and we suggest trying to recreate Emma's look as a great place to start.

Starting with the foundation, Makeup Forever HD Foundation does give a satin finish to the face. Emma's skin looks fairly matte but still looks illuminated and glowy. Nars Blusher in the colour 'Orgasm' would be perfect to create the peach tones seen on Emma. It also has a shimmer in it which will add to the highlighted and illuminated glow everyone is after. Emma wears a smogasboard of natural warm browns and taupes around the eyes. All these shades can be found in the Naked Basics 2 Palette, which is a very handy bit of kit as it contains all the shades you need in one place. Emma continues with the peach hues on her lips too, we think MAC Lipstick in the shade 'Peachstock' would be a good replica of this colour, as it is a peachy/beige coloured colour. For the brows, we would recommend 'Benefit Gimme Brow' to recreate the thick but natural looking brows Emma sports so well. To recreate the full lashes, we would use 'L'Oreal Vollume Millions Mascara' to get big and voluminous lashes. We don't think Emma is wearing any false lashes, but if you wanted to create even more volume, you could apply indivdual false lashes. They look very natural and are easy to apply. 

So there we have Emma's look and the tools you need to recreate it. We hope thats fairly easy, and if any of you have a go, do let us know!

Until Next Time,

LLB x

Best of the Sales

1. Warehouse Dress £35 (was £50) 2. Topshop Sweater £25 (was £42) 3.Kurt Geiger Shoes £39 (was £75) 4. Zara Coat £59.99 (Was £79.99) 5. Daniel Sandler Blush,  £13.05 (was £14.50)

Well, hello one and all and welcome to 2015! We hope you all had a fab new year and are read to hit up 2015 with a bang. One of the obvious advantages of this time of year (despite Christmas and New Year being all out the way :() is the sales are in full swing and we can take full advantage of them, in the hope they might make us feel better about the post-Christmas blues. However, as fun as sale purchasing is, we don't want to be held responsible for any bankrupsies that may occur. So please shop responsibly, and a good sale tip: it's only a bargin if you will actually use it/ have wanted it for a long time! Don't get swept along in the excitment of it all, your January statement won't thank you for it.

Kicking off is this gorgeous dress from Warehouse. Dresses are always a good purchase in the sale because you can get the wear out of them by accessorising differently depending on the time of the year. We love this printed shift dress. The bold floral print makes it easier to wear, and would be great for a party or a spring wedding. Enjoy!

This sweatshirt from Topshop has a great reduction price. We like this because of it's simple relaxed style. This will see you all the way through the cold months, and grey is  key colour as it could be paired with practically anything.

Kurt Geiger have a good reduction off of these regal looking slipper pumps. These are super snazzy, and still able to be warn all year through. A good investment we feel.

This lovely monochrome coat from Zara is also featured in the sale. This may have featured on the blog before, so if you loved it then, love it now and buy it in the sale. Coats are always good sale purchases because you still have some of the coldest months of the year to come.You can still use them in the folowing Autumn to come aswell (sorry, did I really just talk about the following Autumn?), so go on, spoil yourself!

This lovely monochrome coat from Zara is also featured in the sale. This may have featured on the blog before, so if you loved it then, love it now and buy it in the sale. Coats are always good sale purchases because you still have some of the coldest months of the year to come.You can still use them in the folowing Autumn to come aswell (sorry, did I really just talk about the following Autumn?), so go on, spoil yourself!

Lastly are these wonderful blushers from Daniel Sandler. To feel the benefits of the sale, you can purchase these on feelunique.com. These blushers are very natural looking and just all round perfection to be honest. Now, we are quite aware that this discount is far from 70% off, but in their defence, there is an aray of shades to suit all. So if you're in need of a new blusher, thi might be one to look into.

So there's our pick of the sales, hope you enjoy kids!

Until Next Time,
LLB x