Prom Makeup

It is now well into prom season and most of you have probably already had your proms... But just in case you haven't or you have a prom coming up next year here's a little bit of inspiration for you!

I have actually worn this makeup look for a night out too so it's suitable for any occasion!

Quick little insert of my outfit in case any of you were interested!

And here's a close-up of the makeup look I am going to share with you!

I am only really going to cover the eyes in this post because the rest was all pretty basic and standard anyway and I was very proud of my eyes as I haven't always been the most talented in makeup so when this turned out pretty much perfectly on the night of prom, I was rather impressed with myself!

Primer: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

I started off by putting this all over my lid to ensure that the eyeshadow didn't crease because it was a very long night and the last thing I wanted was my eyeshadow to fall off!

Base Colour: NYX Eyeshadow

I'm not sure what shade this is because the palette was made up by one of my friends for my birthday but it works really well as a base for the glitter on the inner corner and inner half of the lid as it's just a very light silver.

Outer Colour: Urban Decay NAKED Palette - Gunmetal

I used this colour to create the smokey effect in the outer corners and just blended it right out so there was no clear line separating the skin and the shadow.

Eyeliner: Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner in the shade 001 - 100% Black

I did this step before I put the glitter on so that the glitter didn't cause me problems when putting the eyeliner on as it can sometimes go lumpy and bumpy if you put it on over the top of the glitter. This way you can just touch up the eyeliner later. I did also use tape for all of the eyeshadow and eyeliner steps to ensure I had a straight line and to prevent some of the fall down onto the cheeks.

Glitter Primer: NYX Glitter Primer

I used a small angled brush to apply this to the section of the eye I wanted the glitter to stick to. In this case, I put glitter on the areas where the lighter shadow was on the inner half of the lid.

Glitter: NYX Face and Body Glitter Brilliants - number 10 (silver)

I then used a small fluffy brush to accurately place the glitter in the areas I wanted it. I patted the lid lightly to ensure the glitter was stuck to the glue and wouldn't drop down my face through the night.

Mascara: Maybelline Lash Sensational

I only put a small amount of this on my upper lashes as I did put false lashes on but I applied a normal amount to the bottom lashes to make them stand out just as much.

Lashes: Eylure London - Texture No. 157

I applied these lashes using the Eylure glue that comes with them. I also used the Eylure lash applicator tool to apply them - this is great for anyone who struggles to get lashes on! I did have to cut the lashes down slightly to make them fit my eyes so make sure you check this before you put the glue on.

And that is basically it! I did my skin makeup after this and then used my Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray to finish it off and I was ready to go!

I hope you enjoyed my first real post back!

Until next time...

Bx

Update!

Well doesn't this feel weird...

The last time I posted anything on this page was the 16th of August 2016, almost a year ago and that post wasn't even me, it was a guest post! So its safe to say writing this feels a little weird!

I have been a ghost to this page for almost a year now and we can blame A Levels 100% for that. It got way too difficult trying to balance everything and my blog unfortunately had to be the thing that I sacrificed. But its all good because I had my last ever A Level exam yesterday so I am officially free! I have decided that this summer I am going to try and get my blog back on track because I have the time and its something for me to do while I'm waiting to find out if I'm going to university in September which hopefully I will be!

I have really missed blogging but I am a little bit out of practice so you're going to have to bare with me a little bit while I get back on my feet and get up to date with everything that's going on! I'm also not going to promise anything more than the occasional post every now and again while I get myself sorted again because I need to think of some things to write about before I can do anything else! 

I'm not sure how long it will be until my next post but I do have a little idea about what I might do so until then, I hope you are all enjoying the summer wherever you are! In the UK its raining pretty much everyday where I am so I hope you're having better weather than me!

If you do fancy seeing what I'm getting up to, head over to the 'Contact Me' tab at the top of the page and you'll find all of the links to my social media which get updated much more regularly than this!

Until next time!

Becca xo

Guest Post By Lauren DeLamiellemure | How To Grow Long Hair

 

 My name is Lauren! I run www.loloslife.com and have a beauty YouTube channel. I am seventeen years old. I love all things fashion and beauty related, which you can see on my blog. I live near the beach in Florida. I'm super easy going and love giving advice! I really hope you all enjoy my post and thanks again Becca for letting me share my post on your lovely blog!

 

Hey there! I thought this would be a great post for the season. Most girls go through the stage of craving long hair or they may just want to fix a bad hair cut. So, here are my tips and tricks to growing those tumblr pictured locks.

• Be gentle with your hair-especially if it's thin like mine! Right when I get out of the shower I brush my hair gently using a wet brush. I highly recommend purchasing one. Perfect for removing tangles and knots (without ripping out your hair). I would never advise to brush hair with a normal brush because their bristles are way to harsh on our fraigle hair aka split ends, which = yucky hair
• Scrunchies! Scrunchies! & Scrunchies! Cute, gentle, and fun. The cloth surrounding the ponytail is way more gentle on your hair. Not to mention, they are so cute. I just purchased a multi colored pack and I love matching them with my bathing suits. 
• Hydrate. Drink lots of water..all the time. Not only will it help your hair but it will also flush out toxins + keeps your skin pimple free. 
• Give your hair some TLC. Hair masks are awesome..my favorite one to buy is the "Roots" from Lush the peppermint smell is ahh-mazing. Don't wanna splurge? Make your own! Mix up a tablespoon of coconut oil,  half a smashed banana, and a teaspoon of honey. Mix it all together and apply from root to tip. To really lock it all in.. wrap your head/hair in saran wrap and then take a hot towel and wrap your head (like you would to dry your hair) over it. The heat will help the product soak in.
• Pop some pills vitamins. I love the ones by nature's bounty. They don't taste awful because they are in a gel form and they are packed with tons of vitamins for your hair, skin, and nails. Though these products can't officially  "make your hair longer" they can't hurt it, right? 

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and found it helpful. Don't forget to check out my YouTube channel Lauren DeLamielleure- new videos every week. 

 

PBB - Pet Blood Bank

A few months ago, I was given the opportunity to go along to work with my Auntie when there was a dog blood donation taking place. Before my Auntie told me about it, I’d never really thought of dogs donating blood, and I don’t think many people realise that dogs need blood transfusions too.

The bank for the UK is the PBB (Pet Blood Bank) and they basically go all over the country to different donor sessions to collect blood which is then dispatched to the veterinary practices that require blood. They are based in Loughborough where there is an incredibly hard working team working to make sure that all of the blood gets transported to the right place in the right time.

The problem is, although so many dogs donate, this is still not enough in comparison to what is needed. There is a high demand across the country for blood to use on dogs and stock is used very quickly making it challenging to keep up with the increasing demands. Pet Blood Bank also only collect to a level they will use – so blood donations are never wasted. 

I don’t have a dog myself and I never had, but I have grown up with dogs around me in the family and they really are man’s best friend. I can’t imagine my life without the two dogs my Auntie has, they’re a member of the family and that goes for all families with dogs. They are just another member of the family and that is why we do all we can to protect them and give them an enjoyable life.

The amount of dogs lives that have been saved from the amazing dogs that regularly donate is more than you would imagine. 450ml of blood is taken in each donation. This can then be packed into red blood cells and plasma which can go to save up to 4 small dogs.

I got to watch about a dozen dogs donate and it was so interesting to watch but it was also really enjoyable to see the dogs before and after their donation. They seemed to be so proud of themselves after their donation and even before they got up on the table how confident and comfortable they were being lifted and placed on the table. They all sat so still as well and just let the phlebotomist do what they needed to do.

Once the dogs have finished donating, they get some food and water and get to pick a toy out of a huge box. There are also presents for dogs after they have completed a certain number of donations and then also when they retire. The dogs also get their bandana tied around their neck and have their photo taken to show the world they are saving lives.

There are certain criteria that your dog has to meet for them to be eligible to donate blood to ensure their safety and to make sure that the blood they donate is going to be useful. They must:

·         Be fit and healthy

·         Be between 1 and 8 years old

·         Weigh more than 25kg

·         Have a good temperament

·         Have never travelled abroad

·         Vaccinated

·         Not on any medication

The donation process involves two steps:

·         Health and suitability check by a fully qualified vet where they will generally check the dog’s health, clip and clean a small section and also microchip the dog if they have not already been microchipped.

·         The donation

This normally doesn’t take much longer than 20 minutes but extra time may be needed depending on how each dog donating on the day handles the process. Overall though, it is a very easy and virtually painless process for the dogs as most don’t even really know they are donating.

The experience I had was very rewarding as I got to see the dogs go through the whole process and it was genuinely really enjoyable to see so many people and their dogs helping other families by donating. If you have a dog, you will know how much they mean to you and how important they are to your life. If anything were to happen to them, you would hope that there was enough supply that would be able to make them better. Without enough donations, veterinary practices do struggle to keep up with the demand.

If you have a dog that meets the criteria above and has never donated, I highly suggest thinking more about it and whether it is an option for you. Your dog could prevent up to 4 families from losing their best friend and family member. There is so much more information on the PBB website about how you can register your dog and when and where your nearest donation services are. There is also a section on the website where you can read the stories of many dogs who have donated or received a donation so you can see where the blood goes.

I know there will be people who read this and didn’t even know dogs could donate blood, I didn’t either but now if I had a dog that was suitable to donate, I know I wouldn’t hesitate to get them to donate. It’s the same concept as humans donating, we do it to save other people’s lives, our dogs need saving too.

If you don’t have a dog at all, or you do but they don’t meet the criteria, you can still help. The PBB has volunteering opportunities at different stages in the donation process which you can easily get involved in through the website. Or, there is also information on the website about how you can do some fundraising to help out too.

There are so many ways to get involved whether you have a dog or not. Please do your best to either help out yourself, or if you can’t help, share this article on so others can see it who might be able to help.

I have left links below for you to find out more information about how you can get involved and read stories about the dogs who donate and the dogs who have survived because of a donation.

PBB Facebook Page

PBB Website

Here are the two dogs in my life just for a little bit of cuteness...

One Pair of Jeans, Four Looks

I think one thing in life that us ladies have to deal with is being very busy. We’re all just generally very busy people, and this often involves going straight from one place to another.

This can be super difficult sometimes, especially when there are completely different dress codes for different occasions and events that you need to be attending.

To help you avoid or solve this problem, I have put together 4 outfits for 4 completely different events or occasions by only changing my top and shoes. I have used the same pair of jeans in every single outfit. It’s much easier to change your top and shoes than your pants, much quicker to do.

The jeans I have used in this post are the Topshop Joni style in the washed out black which now looks more like grey after all the washes they’ve had but we’ll continue anyway!

 

 

This look is smart casual I would say. The shirt and heels create the smart part of the outfit, but the jeans make it look much more casual and relaxed. I wouldn’t say this is fully office wear, but I suppose that all depends on how strict your office dress code is! I don’t work in an office or anything like that so I don’t own any smart pants but this would definitely be a suitable outfit if you were meeting someone to discuss some important arrangement or something along those lines because it shows you can create a good balance between smart and casual.

 

 

 

This outfit has a very casual and very comfortable off-the-shoulder khaki top. This is the most comfortable top I have ever owned. This is so easy to wear and I have just paired it with some really casual purple snakeskin flats. This is a go-to outfit for me when I am going to sixth form because it is so easy to create and it still looks like I might have made a little bit of effort and thought about my outfit a little bit… It’s also super comfortable which I think is important too!

 

 

 

In this outfit I have paired the jeans with a casual cream tank top or camisole or whatever you want to call it. It has a little bit of embroidered detail on the front which I don’t know if you can see on here and it also has cross straps at the back which makes it quite interesting. It is also a really comfortable top as it is loose fitting and perfect for hot summer weather – if we get any… I then put on my white high-top converse because these shoes just go with anything really and I think they are my most comfortable pair of shoes. They are so versatile as well you can wear them for a lot of occasions.

 

 

 

In this final outfit I have paired the jeans with a black chiffon v-neck vest top. It has cross-over detail on the front in the v-neck which makes it more interesting and it has adjustable spaghetti straps. I have then put on a pair of black heeled boots. The heel is only a couple of inches so they are that perfect balance between casual and club shoes. I wear these everyday as well as at night, I think they work really well for any time of day, dependent on how you dress them. I have worn this outfit in particular when I have been going out for a meal etc. I think the gold zip down the side of the boot also adds something a little bit extra.

So, there are my 4 different looks using the same pair of jeans! I think this actually helped me realise how many different outfits I can get out of one pair of jeans! I hope it was just as helpful for you!

If you are looking for a pair of versatile pants, head over to the Betabrand website and have a look at their selection of ladies’trousers. (It is primarily an American site but you can change the currency and order from the UK as they ship worldwide). They have a huge selection of colours, shapes and styles for you to browse through and I’m sure there are multiple uses for each pair! Happy shopping!

Have a go at creating multiple outfits with one pair of trousers yourself! Or even better, have a go at it with one top and see how many bottoms you can fit to it!

 

 

 

 

May Favourites

So since it's been a while since I properly blogged, I decided since it's the 1st of June today and since I am quite out of practice, a favourites post would be the best way to go. Some of these favourites may be from before May because I haven't been blogging and so I haven't really been keeping up with new products and new things in my everyday life, but it's just some things I've been loving recently!

I'm going to start off with makeup, I haven't really purchased anything new really recently but I have purchased a few new products since I last wrote a makeup related blog post. 

The first thing I wanted to talk about is the newest addition to my eye shadow palette collection. I had seen Morphe palettes all over Instagram and I thought they looked absolutely amazing and completely affordable for what you get. So, I decided to have a look and find one that I thought was really nice and one that I would be able to use on an everyday basis, nothing too bright or extravagant. I went for the 35W palette which has a lot of browns and burnt oranges as well as some greys and pinky purples. You can create so many different looks with this palette and I have been loving it so far. I don't often have time to do my makeup properly with eye shadow and everything else, you know the full monty, but when I do I really enjoy having lots of colours to play with. Some of these colours are more pigmented than others, I would say the lighter the colour is the less pigment you are likely to get out of it, but that is on my skin and with this particular palette so it is worth experimenting with.

The next makeup product I want to talk about is the Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation. It has been a long time since I found a foundation that I thought really lasted all day. This I find, with some powder to set can get me through a whole day at school and a whole 9 hour shift at work without needing topping up. By the end of a day at work or school, I do notice a little bit of shine on my nose from the natural oils in my skin but other than that the foundation is perfectly in tact keeping bronzer, blush and highlighter pretty much in tact too. I would definitely recommend giving this a try. 

The final makeup product I want to mention for this month is a Sleek blush in the shade 142 'Antique'. I have been using this blush straight, every single day for about 2 months now. I say every single day, I mean the days where I have worn makeup because I have a lot of no makeup days these days as a result of tiredness and laziness... Anyway, on days where I have been wearing makeup I can guarantee if I had a blush on it would have been this one. It's quite a distinct colour and I wasn't sure I would like it at first but on the skin it looks really pretty and isn't too strong or overpowering. It does have quite a significant shimmer in it so highlighter is not necessary, but I like quite a lot of highlight so I put highlighter on as well as this. I also love the little mirror that comes inside, you'd be surprised at how handy a little mirror that size is.

Still beauty related but not makeup, I have been using and loving Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water as my holy grail for removing my makeup and cleansing my skin. A few drops of this on a large cotton pad and your makeup just comes straight off. No hassle at all and there's none of that aggressive rubbing of the eyes that leaves them red and sore because it takes makeup off so easily. It also makes my skin feel really nice and I think it has significantly improved my skin from the days of being lazy and just using a makeup wipe and nothing else to remove my makeup and cleanse my skin. The 400ml bottle also has approximately 200 uses and it has lasted me a really long time so far, so I think it's really good value for money. It's certainly lasting me longer than your average pack of 25 wipes would.

And the final beauty related product is a perfume. I don't often talk about perfumes and sprays because I've never really found one that I thought was really worth raving about. For my birthday at the start of this year I received the Marc Jacobs original Daisy perfume in a set and I have used it to death ever since. I go between 2 perfumes and a body spray on an everyday basis but this is definitely my most used. Looking at how much is in the bottle and thinking my birthday was almost 6 months ago, you wouldn't think I'd used it much but it just seems to be lasting a really long time, which is fine by me because I love it so much! It's such a fresh smell, I can't really explain it so you'll have to go and smell it yourself if you've never smelt it before.

A fashion favourite I have really been loving recently is Topshop's Joni jeans. I have seen these jeans worn by most girls I see at school or just walking around town and there have been many times where I have considered buying them and have put them back, mainly because of the price. However, I realised that I have a job now and I can afford and need to buy myself some decent jeans because my ratio of pants to tops is very unbalanced. So, the first pair I bought was the washed out black pair and I loved them so much that I went back and bought a blue pair. They are so comfortable and so easy to move in and I have eventually found a style of jean that fits me right. I can see why people wouldn't want to spend £36 on a pair of jeans especially as a teenager because money can be hard to come by and trust me I know that from before I had a job and still even now with my job, money is always an issue. But, if you are looking for a good quality pair of jeans that will last you I think Topshop Joni style is the way to go. There are so many colours to choose from as well so it can suit everyone. 

So now my more random favourites... My friends have been watching The Vampire Diaries for god knows how long now and they have been hounding me about watching it ever since they started watching it. Honestly, at first I had absolutely no interest in it but then when they were talking about it and telling me about it more I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I still have one exam left to sit next week but I have had 5 already and my aim was not to start watching it until my revision was over and so I waited until about 2 weeks ago and then I started binge watching. After watching the first episode I couldn't stop. I have however had to stop watching it late at night because it was starting to run around my mind a bit too much when I was trying to sleep. But, I am still watching it during the day whenever I get a chance and I absolutely love it. I am currently on season 2 so please NO SPOILERS because I really want to get all the way through without any! I can guarantee my friends will let something slip at some point but I would like to keep that risk to a minimum! If you haven't watched it before, I recommend watching the first episode. But if you're in the middle of exams wait until they are over!!! You will be addicted, especially if you are a fan of Pretty Little Liars, this will be right up your street.

And that's it! I'm pretty sure I've covered the main favourites of this month in this post and it felt really good to be able to sit down and write a post. Something I haven't done in what feels like forever and I hope you enjoyed it! I also hope that I wasn't too rusty and that everything made sense... Not writing for 6 months and the calm after the storm of exams has me completely run down but this felt good. 

See you soon,

Becca x 

Almost 6 Months Later...

Hello strangers!

 

I haven't done a blog post in almost 6 months and I realise that 6 months is a very long time to be away from this little domain I have here. But trust me, for me, the last 6 months have completely flown by in a complete blur. A levels turned out to be a heck of a lot more time consuming than I ever thought they would be and I just haven't had the time to write anything worth sharing.

I realise that there are a lot of people out there who write a blog fine and dandy throughout their A levels, and I salute them because I do not know how they do it so hats off to those guys. I take 2 50% coursework subjects and they took up so much time in the run up to exams making sure that everything was complete in time and then now I only have one of my 6 exams left to sit. It has been a very stressful few months for me and in all honesty, my blog was the last thing on my mind. I hate to say that because I never wanted to sacrifice my blog for anything but unfortunately my school work had to come first and I hope you can understand that.

 

Now then, it's officially May half term and I am off school for a week, 2 weeks including the extra week of study leave that I have left after the May half term while I sit my final exam for this year (it's only General Studies hence why I'm saying all this). So, since I have some time off with no coursework or revision to be doing, I want to take a bit of time to update my blog a bit. I am making no promises about schedules or any regularity here and that will unfortunately be the same until I finish my A levels because I can't sacrifice my school work. However, I have about 5-6 weeks back at school after study leave before I am off for the 6 week summer holidays and during that time I will also try and create some content for my blog.

 

I realise this is starting to turn into a very rambly apologetic post but I felt like I really needed to explain myself a bit before I just came back with a new post. I have missed blogging unbelievable amounts and I'm excited to get back into it. I hope that I will be able to create something worth your time but give me a break because I am going to be a little bit rusty, it's been 6 months!

 

I will see you all very soon with something new! Let me know if there is anything you would like to see from me over the next few weeks and I will do my best! As I said, a little rusty since it's been so long!

 

 

A more recent picture of me, you know, just in case any of you forgot what I look like...

Becca xo