Lashings of Glitter

Hello everybody! I apologise for the lack of pictures with this post. I left my camera with all the pictures in Cardiff and now I'm back in Suffolk for the festive period. I will upload them as soon as possible on my return. 

It’s almost New Year’s Eve, the last big party before the long, exam-riddled month of January and it is obligatory to pull out all the stops for this event. In my opinion nothing short of full-on Christmas tree emulation is acceptable. In order to ratchet up the glam factor to these truly magnanimous proportions I strongly suggest investing in a pair of false eyelashes. Not any lashes at that! No, if there’s one night of the year we can let loose our secret desire for those sparkly creations, those ludicrously long ones, embellished with diamante and dunked in glitter then this is it. The only slight problem is that unfortunately eyelashes are a bit like pizzas and you do pay more for the extra toppings. Nevertheless, after much hunting around I found five seemingly fabulous pairs ripe for testing. 

Now I know false eyelashes are not the easiest of things and that many allow themselves to be perturbed by one bad experience. All I can say is- persevere. Numerous times have I stared at myself in the mirror, batting one perfect lash whilst the other perches crookedly, having somehow crawled half way up my eyelid. I’ve poked myself in the eye and almost driven myself to tears trying to stick down that stray corner but when I sit back on my heels, victorious after a successful application I remember how worthwhile all the effort it. Not only do they look great but also in my opinion (and I know this is a controversial one), they feel fantastic, luxuriously weighty, like your eyelashes are wearing a velvet ball gown. In short false eyelashes are makers and breakers, they may break you but they will make your outfit.

Eylure Paris Hilton Lashes Super Girly- £4.95, tested by Fi: Oh dear, I should have known better. Christmas tree emulation is one thing but would anyone really choose to look like Paris Hilton? These weren’t that bad really, just a bit disappointing. They added a bit of sparkle but had no real impact; a bit like Paris herself perhaps. The glue was also rather vicious, making the lashes hard to remove and when they finally were, most of the glitter remained attached to Fi’s eyes so that she was forcibly festive for the next few days. 2/5

Claire’s Accessories Party Lashes - £4.00, tested by me: Hmmm these were all right but not really special enough for my liking. Although you could see the sparkly bit when I blinked, with my eyes open I just looked as if I were wearing rather obvious false eyelashes. They were the kind of halfway house between festive and wag that makes everyone feel a bit embarrassed and question whether you are trying to make a fashion statement or have just slipped into fashion faux pas. 2/5

Cosmopolitan Indigo Lashes (available at New Look)- £4.99, tested by Grace: In my opinion these looked really good although they were lucky to be tested on Grace who has been blessed with great shaped eyes. They didn’t have as much impact on as they did in the packet as their deep indigo colour was rather diffused when added to black lashes but still gave a glam effect. Although the most expensive, they did look the best quality out of all of those tested and they came with good glue giving them staying power. 3/5

Accessorize Party Lash Style 1 - £4.00, tested by Nims: Grrr this is a hard one. The eyelashes were pretty as a picture and very reasonably priced. The only problem was that the box seemed to contain two left lashes and consequently they didn’t fit terribly well. Thankfully they were assigned to Nims, the only one of us with any real creative flare, who was able to rectify the problem with a few deft snips of her nail scissors. In conclusion they looked good but the necessity of adaptation meant they were marked down. We may have just been unlucky and therefore I’d be really interested to hear if anyone else has an opinion on them. 3/5 

Primark Party Lashes - £2.00, tested by Bekki: Bekki is one of those reticent folk when it comes to false eyelashes but I think even she enjoyed wearing these. Although they are a bit less obvious than some of the other pairs, they have a good chunk of sparkle in the middle making them unmistakably festive. Primark has also pulled out the stops with their Andy Warhol-esque packaging, which I appreciated. The only problem is that the glue isn’t terribly good, (Bekki had to borrow Grace’s) but at £2 who can really complain? 4/5

That's why the Lady is a Vamp

There is something infinitely glamorous about red lipstick. If applied correctly (and this is a big if), it seems to immediately transform the wearer into a more sophisticated, worldly and alluring version of themselves. This recognition of red’s mystical properties is by no means confined to our generation.  The ancient Egyptians would crush carmine beetles to extract their red pigment (they were a resourceful race) and Italian ladies in the thirteenth century wore it as a sign of high social class. Elizabeth I was also partial to a bit of lippy, although perhaps her taste is cast in a somewhat dubious light by her simultaneous preference for poisonous, white foundation.

Iconic as these women might be though, I would bet my bottom dollar that when we slick on a hefty coat of pillar-box red it is not old queen Bess we hope to emulate (although rumour has it she was quite the man-eater),but rather those 50s stars of the silver screen,  Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. Provocatively pouting at the camera, these ladies have come to epitomise the golden age of Hollywood glamour and a level of female seductiveness to which us mere mortals can only aspire. Is it any wonder that they had the world’s richest and most powerful men falling at their feet? Wouldn’t you be in awe of a lady that could carry off such a daring colour with that level of panache? I certainly am. Anyone I see applying red lipstick (well) when out and about gains my instant respect and envy, not least because their hand can remain suitably steady post three double vodka redbulls.

Nevertheless there is another, darker side to red lipstick which I feel it is my duty to warn you of. The line between screen goddess and child-let-loose-in-make-up-bag is a fine one. You may think you’re exuding Marilyn Monroe but there is a distinct possibility that you look more Marilyn Manson and, although the rise of Twilight and the prevalence of black leather on the catwalk could be considered evidence of a minor Gothic revival, this under no circumstances should extend to the make-up bag. I also trust that I don’t need to warn you about the age old association between red lips and ladies of ill-repute. Throughout the medieval period make-up was the reserve of prostitutes and although nowadays I doubt anyone will mistake you for the devil incarnate, don too garish a shade and you will be avoided like the plague. To help you avoid this disastrous outcome I have taken it upon my housemates and myself to go before you and test out some shades of red. Whether we were transformed into screen goddesses or ghouls, the results are as follows.

Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon No.2 - £4.99 I strongly believe that Barry M made this colour into a Crayon for a reason; it is only good for children. Perhaps if you have a great aunt Gladys with a penchant for outrageous lippy this might also be suitable for her but I would not like to be seen encouraging this, especially as it's smudgy texture would mean it quickly transferred to her dentures. On the positive side it felt quite nice in a heavy kind of way and it had a strong colour, although considering the shade, I’m not sure whether this isn’t more of a negative. 1/5

No 17. Mirror Shine in Holly-wood- £4.59 This promised so much and yet delivered so little. Winding up this lipstick I was met with a glossy shade of scarlet that left me salivating to give it a go. I applied it and… applied it again, and again (you see where I’m going with this), there was no colour! It was like a slightly red lip balm. Nims, especially was appalled by this and repeatedly told us all how unflattering the slight shade was on all of us. Again the only good thing said about it was that it had a nice texture but as Grace commented, who wouldn’t prefer a Vaseline? 1.5/5

Marks and Spencer Lipstick in Red - £2.50 Good old M&S. This may not have been the best received of all those lipsticks tested but it presented excellent value for money and did exactly what it said on the tin. The packaging was a bit juvenile but the colour (a deep red), was full on sophistication and its creamy texture meant it applied well. However not everyone can carry off this rather grown-up tone. Although it looked great on Fi, whose blonde hair and Cheshire cat grin make a natural candidate for Marilyn status, the colour on Grace and I had a definite air of Mummy’s make-up about it. 3.5/5

Collection 2000 Lasting Colour in 9 Cherry Bomb - £2.99 This lipstick was the nearest to orange in the red spectrum and this slightly controversial colour meant it had mixed reviews.  Fi wasn’t such a fan and Nims thought it looked a bit cheap but I really liked it and Grace said it was exactly the shade of a MAC one she had. The tangerine element to it meant that it wasn’t as overtly sex-pot as some of the redder shades but it was still a punchy colour that would get you noticed on a night out. I’m defiantly going to give it a go. 4/5

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 170 Alarm- £4.99 Alarm by name but surprisingly not by nature! We all agreed that this was the best all-rounder, the most likely to transform you into a head turning starlet. It had a rich, red colour with a smooth texture that looked good on both fair and darker skin. Also (this sounds a bit odd) it was noted that the lipstick had a really good shape and was consequently easy to apply. 5/5

A Turn to the Dark Side

Ok, so I know this post isn't strictly cosmetically based, but it's something that I really wanted to share. I'd also love to hear your opinions on the matter.

Since I turned sixteen and had my first head of highlights, I have progressively been turning more and more blonde (excluding a miner flirtation with copper but this did not last long). A warning to all those considering it; going blonde is addictive. No really, I think it should probably receive class A classification. The government thinks that obesity and alcoholism are national problems but I for one am sure that the compulsion to colour is far more prevalent. I started with caramels, moved to honeys and before I knew it I was requesting the occasional strand of ash.  Before my sixth form leavers ball I was so upset when I came out of the salon a shade below bleach that I cried for a whole afternoon. My dad was so traumatised by this event that he still brings it up every time I go to the hairdresser.

                So why, after encountering the highs and lows of the blonde colour spectrum have I decided to throw in the towel with this long-term relationship? My mum (who is doing a counselling course), has numerous opinions on the matter. Equally, social theorists might view this reversion to a less exuberant palette as a reflection on the dark economic times. Would anyone believe me if I said I just felt like a change? Certainly not my mother, (she’d argue that denial presents only the repression to the subconscious) and maybe she’s right. After all, as someone only just nudging 5’2, I have worried that my diminutive appearance will prevent my being taken seriously in a professional capacity. If I'm honest, I do wonder if the age old association between brunette and intelligence might not push the balance a little more in my favour.

                This though, leads me on to another great stereotype.  Do blondes have more fun? The question has been pondered throughout history and by a lot weightier minds than mine. Darwin’s correspondence has revealed that the great man himself questioned the role of hair colour in choosing a mate, wondering if the decline in the blonde population could be linked to a greater propensity for singledom in blonde females. Although Darwin’s and many subsequent studies on this subject have proved inconclusive, I hate to admit that I’ve always had a sneaking belief in this mantra’s truth.  Those who know me will know I am not the luckiest in love and I worried that a departure from blonde might reduce my chances in this sphere yet further.

                Nevertheless, psychoanalyse my motivations as I might, the nagging desire to turn brunette continued to plague me, so yesterday I bit the bullet. I went to a hairdresser’s, (Guy Christian on City Road- I’d highly recommend it) and had my blonde locks dyed a rich, chocolaty brown. I was so nervous about the event that I couldn’t sleep for the whole night beforehand but I can honestly say that I was ecstatic with the results. I instantly felt older, oddly more confident and my friends were also very complimentary. Now whether this new-found positivity is merely the result of a new haircut (this always perks me up), or the change in colour remains to be seen but I cannot wait to road test my new look. I might not be able to provide the long sought after, definitive answer but I’ll at least be able to give my personal opinion as to whether blondes really do have more fun. 

New brown hair pictured on the right

Bright Eyes or Pinkeye?

I strongly believe that we all have make-up ‘looks’ that we are curious about but never daring enough to try. Whether it is red lipstick, false eyelashes, whatever; there is always something that we saunter past in the shop, cast a wistful glance in the direction of, but would never buy. For me, this is bright eye shadow. I see girls in magazines with eyes more profuse in colour than Joseph’s dream coat, pinks, greens, oranges extending right up to their perfectly shaped brows. I am filled with envy at their cosmetic audacity and think that I really must try something different before returning heedlessly to my fail-safe of grey or gold.

                This month I decided to use this blog as an excuse to fulfil my secret make-up ambition. The decision was met with much consternation by my housemates, who apparently don’t share my enthusiasm for the brighter side of life. Nevertheless I am not one to be deterred by a little light resistance and so, spinning them some yarn about bright eye shadows resembling fireworks and thus befitting of the season, I over-ruled their objections. I don’t think they bought it but were too polite or busy to argue further with my creative decision.

                Happy and in the spirit of research I wondered round the make-up department of John Lewis testing out a whole array of colours. Bobbi Brown currently has an amazing palette filled with a selection of punchy matt colours, reminiscent of a child’s painting set whilst Nars always has an extensive hoard of powdery jewells. However as we all know these are out of my budget and so, with a heavy heart and a light purse, I trudged off to find some hidden gems. The results are as follows... (I’ve reversed the order this week after my friend Clare told me no-one would read beyond the winner if I put it first. She’s so supportive).

5^th- H and M eyeshadow in Brown dust (£1.99)- Now this was a difficult one and it’s low ranking is really no fault of its own, it simply did not fulfil the brief. It represents my reversion to type and should serve as a warning to all who embark on the quest for a bright eye-shadow. Don’t be half hearted about it and cop out with gold. Bright sparkle is not the same as bright colour and will have nowhere near the same impact. Having said that we all loved the colour and it was the only shadow that came with an applicator.

4^th- Collection 2000 Dazzle Me! In Illusion (£1.99)- Oh wow this was awful. The texture was very clumpy (despite being topped with an odd sieve-like contraption) and it was impossible to apply evenly. We all got it down our faces which led to a nice rash-like effect. Even staying power, a quality I usually look for in an eye-shadow became a negative attribute in this case. It simply wouldn’t come off, so not only did we look vaguely rash-y but also like we had a severe house outbreak of conjunctivitis.

3^rd- Models Own powder eyeshadow in Purple Sky (£5.00)- As the most expensive product this was disappointing. The first comment I received was that it was a bit of a prostitute colour and although it pains me to admit it there was definitely something of the street-walker about it. Again it was very clumpy and although the colour was strong, it was that kind of unrelenting matte that is very unflattering on anyone.

2^nd- Barry M Dazzle Dust in London (£4.50)- It probably won’t surprise many of you that Barry M (king of the sparkling shadows) ranked highly in this challenge. This eye shadow had a good texture and so was easier to apply than many. It also came off fairly easily, which following five minutes of frantic scrubbing at our pink-eyes, put it at something of an advantage. I also thought it looked really good on both Nims (normal) and Grace (pale) revealing versatility in terms of skin-tone.

1^st- Primark eyeshadow dust (apparently Primark doesn’t bother with shades) (£1.00)- What a bargain! The cheapest and the best (and you got two shades in a packet), this is what this blog is all about. Both colours had a flattering, subtle shimmer to them and a nice, silky texture. It should be noted however that you needed to layer colour quite thickly as lackadaisical application left us looking like we’d been in a brawl. Also in typical Primark style the two colours in the packet didn’t go terribly well together so, unless you’re attending an ‘under-the-sea’ event, don’t try any risky blending techniques.

Now, the mildly perceptive amongst you may have noticed that my product reviews perhaps haven’t quite lived up to my initial excitement for this month’s theme. They say you should never meet your heroes and I think this warning is probably as valid in the cosmetic sense as it is the celebrity one. I now realise that bright power eye shadows are a bit like shearing-lined clogs. All over the high street and catwalk but rarely seen out.  The reason...they’re impractical, difficult to carry off and there’s a high percentage chance you’ll end up looking a bit of a ninny.

Avocado Face Mask Anyone?

Despite the undoubtedly hectic nature of the student lifestyle and the punishing effects it has on our skin, I have yet to find a student loan that will stretch to a restorative facial.  So this weekend, with a surplus of time and a shortage of cash, I decided to carry out some DIY repair work on my face and those of my unwitting... and quite frankly unwilling housemates. I perused the Internet and had my curiosity piqued by the rejuvenation and regeneration promised by an avocado and honey face-mask. Mmmmm.  Avocado, it said, was rich in numerous vitamins and potassium, known as the youth mineral. This made me waver for a minute because really I don’t need to look any younger... I probably wouldn’t be adverse to an ageing mineral actually. Still, as apparently Cleopatra used honey as part of her beauty regime and I am not one to pass up beauty tips from the queen of Egypt, I decided to give it a go.

                So this morning I gamely whacked out my blender and, bribing my housemates with bagels, began to blitz my way to a glowing complexion.  In went two avocados, a couple of dollops of honey and hey-presto we were done. So far so good. I sat back to have a self-congratulatory munch on my bagel and there was my first mistake. Anyone who has dealt with avocados will know that when exposed to air they oxidise. Now getting people to smear a vibrant green, mousy concoction on their face is one thing but when it has formed a skin the colour of baby poo, (Grace’s words not mine) it is quite another. When I bought forth the fruit of my labours it was received with universal scepticism. Nims and Bekki suddenly had highly sensitive skin and even Grace, usually the most gun-ho of my housemates with her face, looked less than impressed.  After numerous assurances of the purity of the ingredients however, I persuaded them to give it a go.

                 Now texturally I wouldn’t say it was the most appealing of substances, (I think I might have over-blended a little bit) and the smell also left something to be desired, but once it was on it really wasn’t that bad. Now all we had to do was sit and wait, (looking like Shrek’s offspring) before rinsing our way to rejuvenation. After 20 tense minutes, during which I approximated dermatologist bills for five, it was time for the moment of truth. Rinsing away the green goo with cold water, (apparently this closes the pores, sealing in the moisture)  I was actually pleasantly surprised! Not only had I avoided giving the entire house a skin condition but we all agreed that our faces felt very soft and smooth.

                Now for the question... Was it worth it? If you’ve got a free morning/ evening and a ripe avocado at hand then the answer is yes. I’d say there is far less risk to your beauty involved with this homemade recipe than some of the cheap, chemical-filled concoctions you can buy in the shops and there was a definite positive result for not much effort. Just remember that a little goes a long way, I used 2 avocados between 5 (for some reason I thought we’d use as much on our faces as we’d eat in a salad) and this was far too much. Half an avocado for two would be fine and would avoid that awkward remainder down-the-sink or in-the-bin dilemma that I’m having now.

Bronzer Blitz

So it’s the beginning of October and, as the rain pouring down my window confirms, summer is officially over.  It is a sad fact of life that university lifestyle can quickly reverse the rejuvenating effects of two months of travelling and that by week two the Joyful greetings of “you’re so tanned!” will inevitably be replaced by the not-so-helpful observation that “you look tired.” Fresher’s week is undoubtedly the prime culprit for this premature loss of summer glow. One (or two) weeks of heavy drinking, sleep deprivation and late night pizzas miraculously accelerates the inescapable effects of British winter, leaving us looking less San Tropez and more sick bay.

It is at this time of year that a decent bronzer becomes essential. I know that there is a trend for nude make-up at the moment (I read a horrible article the other day encouraging women to ditch mascara) but I strongly believe that unless you’re going to spend a lot of time painstakingly applying and blending perfectly matched concealer, there is nothing like a good sweep of bronzer to perk up a flagging complexion. Don’t get me wrong here. I am certainly not advocating that we all follow jaundiced Julian’s lead (Bridget Jones’ Diary anyone?). No. In the house we all agreed that a natural glow was the goal, we all wanted to look sun kissed rather than sun-abused.

So with this in mind I tentatively embarked on my first mission to find five bronzers for under £5. First impressions suggested a surprising range of products available within my price range. Nevertheless, closer inspection revealed that a lot of these were in fact bronzing pearls. Now in my opinion these are pretenders to the bronze crown, all style over substance and irritatingly impractical. They’re either too hard and require significant grinding before they can be used or they’re too soft and get stuck in a large brush. Also if you’re applying them post-first beverage and are as clumsy as I am, chances are a high percentage of them will end up on your bedroom floor. However there is no reason to despair. I did manage to dig out five real bronzers for testing and the results are as follows...

1st Maybelline Dream Sunglow in 03, (£4.99) – 4/5 We unanimously agreed that this was the winner. Despite its strong smell (a bit like Talcum powder) it had a good natural colour, very much on the golden, sandy spectrum. Although fairly dark, it had a firm consistency which worked well to build up layers. This made it versatile- a hit with Bekki (my olive skinned) housemate but also Grace who’s more English rose.

 

2nd 17 Instant Glow Bronzer Powder (Light), (£3.99) - 3.5/5- Now this was an interesting one. It was a lot looser texture-wise than I’d normally go for but because it was fairly light (pinky/peachy undertones) it produced decent, natural looking coverage. It warmed up the skin nicely and could be used carefully as a powder foundation but was a bit disappointing as a bronzer.

 

3rd Natural Collection Suntint Bronzing Powder in Golden Glow, (£1.99) - 2/5- A controversial one. Again it was quite powdery so unless you were careful it was easy to end up with patchy results. Bekki found it suited her skin tone and interestingly enough Grace (pale) also rated it highly. However as her reason for doing so was that you didn’t need much of it, I’m not sure whether that wasn’t the stingy student in her taking it one step too far. The rest agreed that it was too dark for the majority and that the Natural Collection did not produce natural results.

 

4th Bronzing Powder by H and M, (£4.99) - 2/5- This scored very highly on packaging but really it was a bit of a terracotta terror. Good things about it were the size (good value for money) and the fact that it had an inbuilt mirror which none of the others tested did. Nevertheless it was definitely too red, consequently producing alarming results when applied to Grace. It was also far too big to take on a night out unless, ironically enough, you are Grace and like to take a small suitcase out with you.

 

 5th Miss Sporty Ooh! Tan So Fine Bronzing Powder 001 (£1.99) - 1/5 A perfect example of a good idea poorly executed. Comprised of two tones, this bronzer promised the possibility of colour mixing according to personal preference. However, as the large metal ridge running through the centre quickly puts pay to any attempt at combination, unless you want stripes, there’s nowhere really you can go. Thankfully it’s so hard that unless you beat it to a fine pulp you’re not going to get much colour from it anyway. Nims, in a moment of rare generosity, commented that it would be a good one to take out as you wouldn’t mind it getting smashed on a club floor. The biggest compliment Bekki bestowed was that it smelt like her old furby. Nice.