faking it

Writing a blog post on post holiday beauty, you would assume I would be talking about your typical skin care routine and hair treatments - well this is one instance where you shouldn't assume anything.

Following a holiday in the sun, you catch up with friends and show off your beautiful tan - wrong! Not everyone has this luxury.. 

So if you are one of the few who would love to be able to show off a tan to your friends or just like me you want to look less like you went away and  spent your time under a tree (which I did) then this tan is for you. The St. Tropez Dry Luxe Tanning Oil is the best tan I have used. Having been through a lot of fake tan I have used most graduals and instants you would find on the shelf in Boots. I have recently discovered what a lot of fake tan really meant when clearing out my bedroom.. 5 half empty bottles later I would still go right back to this tanning oil. However, avoid wearing it when you know you will be sweating a lot as it can rub off in patches - not hot.

I swear by St. Tropez, I find St. Moriz is a good cheaper alternative but I think if you have the money and don't want to worry about how the tan will sit on your skin/fade/blend then get yourself the the St. Tropez stands and shelves. I always thought all tan was the same as a youngster, it all did the same job and as a dancer I applied a lot of the stuff to get that subtle orange glow that goes so well with stage lighting. After switching tans every fading moment from instant to gradual, from mousse to lotion, from Dove to Boots own depending on the mood, or the special half price offer, for the past few years I have finally settled on my favourite brand for all of my tanning needs.

My mum uses the gradual to maintain her sunbed tan she catches so well and it leaves a lovely colour on the skin - no streaks or orange tint. The same goes for the instant mousse which I have been using for the past year, another advantage to this mousse is that it leaves a light colour after a shower. Now some may not want this and feel it stains the skin, if so I recommend using La La Madame Instant Mousse which is fairly resilient against light rain (light being the operative word there) and yet still washes off really well with a light exfoliation (no vigorous scrubbing necessary).

This tanning oil however is totally different, if you want to maintain a gorgeous colour for up to 10 days this is your best friend. Apply a light coat and give 8 hours to develop, it dries really quickly so you don't need to stand around nude yet the oil blends in really well giving the gift of absolutely no sign of streaks. Moisturise daily to maintain an even fade and you are laughing with your friends about how miraculous it is you finally caught a tan on your jolly hols!

Fake Tanning Tips:
1. Always use a mitt, no matter what type of tan - no streaks and no orange hands! And there are no excuses because they are cheap as chips..
2. Create a claw with your hand and brush the mitt lightly over the top to tan your hands with the remainder of the tan on the mitt
3. Let yourself dry...
4. Don't apply to peeling/burnt skin that might peel (without moisturising at least) to avoid patchiness
5. Use the remainder of the tan for your face, try not to use a full blob!

I also recommend the ever affordable options of the St Moriz collection. Alternatively I love Dove Gradual Tan as a daily tan application (I have used this before, during and after holidays before now to give myself a glow) or as a top up that smells divine. Rimmel Instant Tanning Lotion is a cheeky one to apply to legs and arms (maybe even chest ;) ) before a night out in any country and clean away in the morning before a trip to the beach.

get your backpacks out...

Hello boys and girls, I know it has been a long time but I literally got back from my month long adventure in beautiful Thailand 2 days ago. Now the jet lag is waring off and I have all the time in the world so blog my heart out.

My prep for my trip to Thailand involving lashings of fake tan (didn't last), resisting a hair cut (the humidity would just ruin it again!), veeting, shaving, sit ups and my new favourite tinting. I went to Shavata, 3 days before flying, in Harving Nichols and got my lashes and brows tinted. For a student it is a little pricey but they did a really good job - I wouldn't have gone anywhere else for my first tint as I was really nervous I was going to walk out with slugs on my face. They did a gorgeous job and I ended up getting a shape too (which once tinted I realised I needed!). Result? No more invisi-brow and non need for mascara on the beach.

Picking what to put in my rather massive backpack for my travels was quite difficult because I am so used to having piles of beauty products and a sack full of make up with me at all times.. So I had to narrow it down and adjust it to what I needed instead of what I wanted to take (this was very hard for me!). I managed to narrow it down to the above - after lots of deliberating with myself. While I was away my beauty regime changed and adjusted so I brought back some things I couldn't live without out there.

To start I obviously needed my sun cream, Soltan Factor 30 is normally perfect but it seemed it just wasn't strong enough to protect my ginger skin from the Asian sun. So I had to upgrade to Soltan's Invisible dry Factor 50 - (even using this I managed to burn my back red raw... ). When I packed I was determined not to be my milk bottle self and so I found the best and longest lasting fake tan I could find, St Tropez Dry Tan Oil - it (in normal weather conditions) lasts up to ten days. I unfortunately over estimated the stuff though, as it just sweated off in the humidity of Bangkok as soon as we arrived! So I remained pale, now I am back in English weather I have a healthy natural looking glow ;)

Then there is the essential tropical holiday things you need, like Insect Repellent (from Boots) and Bite & Sting Relief Cream (Boots again) that I couldn't have lived without considering the amount of bites we got out there.

Then things I convinced myself I HAD to take, like my long lasting Mitchum 24 hour deodrant (totally essential), and GOSH Forever eyeshadow for Half Moon and Jungle Experience, Super Stay Maybelline Gel Polish in Berry (melted off but I still reapplied it several times before it peeled away a day later) and GOSH mineral powder (again for partying but again sweated off ever so attractively).

While I was out there I got myself Nivea Dry Skin Therapy Serum as my skin was dry from the lashings of insect spray and sun lotion and 2 showers a day. This as well as Nivea After Sun Lotion were must haves for me the past 5 weeks. I also was absolutely fascinated by the amount of whitening make-up, moisturisers, serums and washes there were in the pharmacies in Thailand, it was extraordinary but then when I thought about it look at how much bronzer and fake tan we have over here! So I bought Pond's White Beauty Lightening Facial Foam - I don't want to try it yet given my recent fake tan top up but I will in a couple of weeks and pop up a review with some of the other products that were in the whitening ranges so you can see the extent of it.

As for my hair.. God knows it was a state and still is due to my desperate need for a hair cut.. but for those nights where I kept it down for an hour I smoothed it out with Shauna's Blow Pro Smoothing Spray (it did the job until the humidity kicked in)

So that's basically it! That is what I tried to survive with while out in the jungle (slash in cosy little hostels and cheap restaurants). It wasn't much but it got me through and compacted into the side pockets of my backpack rather well.. that is until the shampoo I got while I was out there burst.. oops.

I have to say it's so nice to be back after a hour long bath I feel clean, freshly blow dried silky hair, a full face of make up to make me feel pretty again and nice clean clothes that I haven't had to wear for 5 weeks. But it was an incredible trip that I could do again in a heartbeat.

Remember all the product names are links to where you can find them and more info about them! :)

be back soon

Currently boys and girls I am sat in Abu Dhabi airport waiting on my flight that is a whole 8 hours away.. We have been to the stunning Emirates Palace and had a Chicken Big Mac (yes they exist!) since we arrived here at 8.30pm. I am writing you all a 'be back soon' note from my uncomfortable plastic chair that today will double as my bed, to say I wont be posting for a month! But I am bringing back loads of post and more regularity when I get back I promise!!

See you all after my Thai adventure sweethearts xxx

moving out empties

Sooo I may have mentioned in my previous post that I was in the process of moving from London back home to Manchester to finish my degree. I finally made the move this weekend and given that ALL my stuff is packed in the next room here in Manchester I can't get to the rest of 500 products of summer before I go to Thailand on Monday. SO to make up for my 1.lack of posts and 2. my ditching 500 POS .. as I packed everything in my room I found a pile of empty beauty products...

HAIR

TRESemme Salon Silk Shampoo... I have talked about how much I love this shampoo before so I don't need to reiterate that it is a favourite of mine! Then there is the kms Hair Play Texture Spray, again I have spoken about before a while ago .. it is a really light texture spray that gives you a bit of oomph if you have flat hair. It smells lovely too, which is actually always something I pick up on in any beauty products.

BODY

To start, I need to say, the other day my friend said to me that I have an obsession for sprays.. and I am slowly realising it might be true! One spray I love is lynx, I actually have a men's lynx in my vast collection that I loooove. But this Lynx is actually the Attract body spray for her that I nicked off my mum! It's really nice and there is that classic lynx back fragrance to it, can't say it works attracting men as the adverts say but it is nice! Another spray I've emptied is Ghost Sweetheart that I got for Christmas, one of mine and my mums favourite affordable perfumes.. it's sweet and slightly musky too. It stays on all day and I always get compliments on it.. my mums dressing gown actually reeks of it! Then there is the wonderful and sadly empty bottle of St Tropez tanning mousse, again I have reviewed this product before.. my favourite tan of all time. I am actually getting the tanning oil that stays longer for my trip to Thailand.  Last but not least, the Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil by Aromatherapy Associates, this little bottle of miracle oil is the only thing that made my 6:30 morning showers possible, a few drops rubbed on my belly get into the steam of the shower and make me feel so much more human! I love it.

HANDS

My hands always need to be looked atfer, as a nail art amateur I am always polishing and removing polish and so I need to always be moisturising. So it's only natural I have two empty hand creams and an empty polish remover. The Soap & Glory Hand Food is absolutely gorgeous, marshmallow fragranced light and silky hand cream that sinks in fairly quickly and doesn't leave a sticky layer which I hate! Another lovely hand cream is Nivea Express Hydration Hand Lotion which is made to sink in super fast and it does.. it disappears and hydrates your hands in seconds.. I love Nivea moisturisers they smell fresh and don't irritate sensitive skin. The Sally Hansen Acetone Free Polish Remover is a really nice and soft remover, I prefer acetone free because removers with acetone tend to hurt the cuts I get on my fingers and dry skin around my nails.

FACE

I try not to put a lot of things on my face or change my routine but my constant experimenting and curiosity means I do switch foundations and concealers and cleansers so here a few old products I've loved and used up. I've always struggled with foundations .. finding they weren't light enough or they were too thick, I think a foundation should look natural. I found this light liquid foundation last year, it's MUA Undress Your Skin in Porcelain it's really light and perfect for winter, it doesn't cover up my freckles and doesn't feel caked on. Then there is the Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix which is a colour correcting eye concealer, it's the perfect shade of orange (opposite to purple) that covers my under eye bags when I'm tired and worn out. I love the Porefessional primer by Benefit, my pores just disappear! when I am switching between make ups and cleansers my skin can break out, or just from a rush of hormones!!, I find my Witch blemish stick a complete must as a bedside essential, I sit and rub it on while I watch telly and by morning my spots have gone down by a mile.

So that's all my empties from moving out of my London house :( .. I will be posting again this week before Thailand with what me and Shauna are packing and then I will be away for a month!!

the nail art update: overload

Well well well.. it's been a few weeks since I wrote the weekly nail art update I enjoy doing so much. I do apologise for my recent absence but I have valid excuses. I am leaving London this weekend and so have been saying my goodbyes to my favourite parts of this lovely city and ticking things off my London Bucket List ready to leave. As well as this I have been tackling mice and partying hard - as you do.

While I have been away I have had a few different nail designs. One good, one average, one I don't like anymore! In my attempt at the July Californails Nail Art Challenge 39037th month in a row I failed and managed 2! But I guess God loves a trier right?

So given that I haven't much of a tutorial like I planned, I am going to keep this post nice and visual...

I'm a lover not a hater (well..) .. but I think I might hate this design. I thought it was super cute and simple at first but my opinion on it slowly declined. It was part of the nail art challenge and I did it whilst watching American Dad in the dark! - so good effort but I think it could have been much much better!

Going for gold is one thing intend to do in life, and I LOVE my gold nail polishes (I have a few glitter and just plain shiny like this one). This design I really like and can see myself doing again and again in variations and different colours, all I used was two sizes of a dotting tool and two shades of gold/cream polish. And tah dah! Easy peasy!

Slurple the Purple... Hehe couldn't think of anything purple related!... This is a new design for me and a good first attempt - I did rush with my top coat as it was so late and I was tired! But my advice  with doing dark colours on top of light is WAIT UNTIL ITS TOTALLY DRY. Honestly, you will regret it if you rush it and ruin your design! Generally though I enjoyed doing these nails, the inverted moon is new for me and I am getting a good feel for negative space now :)

I am dying to get thinner nail art brushes as well and have them on my wishlist for after my trip to Thailand! Where I will be backpacking for a month finding fun beauty ideas and Thai tricks to put on here in dingy internet cafes! So keep your eyes peeled for those posts in August! x

French Connection A/W Launch Party

There is no jazzy pun title on this post because you all need to know exactly what I am talking about straight away! I am not a fashion blogger but I am a fashion marketing student and so I do have a huge interest in fashion, like most girls but slightly elevated. I follow fashion weeks and with my PR/Marketing brain break down every campaign in the industry - and I enjoy it. This week I was invited by a friend, rather last minute, to a wonderful event for the launch of the French Connection Autumn/Winter range and campaign.

My initial thought was - 'Oh no! Look at what I'm wearing!'. I have spent the entire day walking and tubing around London doing POS checks for work in my Rebook classics with an old pair of frilly Topshop socks and a vintage dress I was sweating through that probably cost me all of a fiver. I was sticky and not too excited at this point. So I popped to Primark bought myself some ballet pumps, confined myself to the Westfield White City loos to backcombed my flat hair, slick on the mascara, concealer, eyeshadow and lippie to make myself look more like a girl without a care than a girl without a towel at the gym - I was ready to go.

The event itself was really exciting - I walked in to the Oxford Street store to be embarrassed by friend at the door (I won't elaborate as to why so she doesn't kill me in my sleep for exposing her) and once we sorted her out we waltzed in like we thought we were the belles of the ball. Up the stairs and past the photographer and branded backing board we entered the mini makeshift hallway into an open room full of beautiful models. Everywhere I looked were chiseled cheekbones, perfect eyeliner, blow-dried hair - on trend men and women that looked like they had just stepped out the pages of Vogue... Need I say I felt my height was my only advantage in this room of beauties, it was fabulous.

Next thing I knew - I have a super strong vodka and juice in my hand and was gabbing away with my friends about which man was the most beautiful (shame the majority were certainly gay - not that we had much of a chance!). This is were it got interesting, a few vodkas later in came Nick Grimshaw to DJ, then I was told Azealia Banks had just been and gone, next I turned around to totally deny to myself that Jourdan Dunn (a personal favourite) walked through the door, to then be told 'No- it really is her Abi!', bumped into someone called Luke from the X Factor on my way back from the bar (not a huge follower, forgive me but all I remember is her never washed his hair) and so after all that excitement I spent the night staring at model who's skin looked like caramel and cheekbones could cut you. Perfect evening.

Aside from being star struck the campaign itself I loved! The theme 'Never Miss a Trick' and hashtag Abrafcukingdabra says it all. A magician doing tricks on camera, surrounded by magicians props, top hats filled with sweets and playing cards is all you need to know. As for the clothes, gorgeous, typically FCUK - simple, tailored clothes and  stunning shades of blue (I spotted a lovely wool oversized coat I would love to have hanging in my wardrobe) were what caught my eye. Through the blur of the vodka (thank you French Connection) it was a brilliant range and campaign and event overall. I had a ball.

Check out the fantastic range and campaign yourself by clicking here. 

And enter their £1000 shopping spree competition here by 31st Aug!

rainbow lips for pale girls

Taking a break from my 500 products of summer today I am going to review some lipsticks. The first set from Makeup Revolution aa affordable brand that explores colours I couldn't have seen coming. The second GOSH lip lacquers I have been using a couple of for a while and I thought I would review the whole set. I wanted to concentrate on how these lipsticks suit my skin colour because sometimes I see pale girls wearing that just aren't the right shade for them.

MAKEUP REVOLUTION SCANDALOUS LIPSTICKS

I have been seeing Makeup Revolution all over the blogger community and so I looked them up online and saw their limited edition scandalous lipstick range was on offer for £5 for all 5 lippies, how could I saw no? Incredible colours with incredible names. From the stop:

Crime: A gorgeous deep purple/pink shade, that goes on perfectly and is such a lovely colour for girls with pale skin. Love it.

Vice: A bright tangerine shade, goes on quite nicely and is a current trend for this summer so perfect if you are after a catwalk look. It didn't drown me out as I expected, I probably wouldn't wear it too often. An occasion lipstick for me.

Depraved: Almost a violet colour, something I've not tried before as I normally wear a darker purple but I really loved this shade, it matched my orange hair! But unfortunately it didn't stick very well to my inner lower lip :(

Felony: Yellow lipstick. YELLOW! I didn't like this lipstick at all I'm afraid. It completely drowned me out and was really difficult to get an even colour!

Immoral: Or as I like to call it Ichiban! Lipstick for men! I LOVE this, but more as a gimmick lipstick than a serious one - it also was quite difficult to apply.

Overall, I like the lipsticks for their price (usually a £1 each). They don't last that long but are easy to apply and are rich in colour! I would definitely buy more.

GOSH COSMETICS LIP LACQUERS

I love the brand GOSH, I have a lot of their nail polishes mainly, so I tested their lip lacquers that were launched earlier this year. These charming little nail polish style pots of gloss are lovely and smell lovely. I only picked colours that suit my skin.

Hot Lips: This shade isn't to harsh a red, it's soft and gentle. A perfect red for during the day.

Dangerous Lips: I love this red, it's great for evening drinks. It stays, but doesn't stain your lips. And its a nicer colour than the picture shows!

Sweet Lips: I wasn't sure about this shade, I don't normally wear pale pinks in light of the face I am pale but I like this lipgloss. It is really soft, not thick or sticky.

Other lipsticks and colours I am liking at the minute are Clinique's Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry (a deep pink) , MUA's Lipstick in Shade 1 (a really dark deep red) and GOSH Velvet Touch Lipstick in Yours Forever (a dark deep pink - almost red).