Eyebrows

My natural eyebrows are really fair and sparse because when I start plucking them I can't stop! I don't mind though, because I find the thinner my natural brows are, the easier it is to create new ones. I like my brows to look really dark, arched and neat. My eyebrows take longer than any other part of my makeup, so I'm so excited to get them tattooed on at Natural Enhancement in January.
The things I use to create my brows are: MUA Brow Kit, MAC Studio Fix concealer, Urban Decay All Nighter fixing spray and a very thin angled brush (I get mine from Barry M).
I start off by taking the brush and making it damp with a baby wipe. This makes the brush hairs really 'together' so it's as thin as possible. Next I take my MUA brow kit. I use the darkest shade. I spray some fixing spray directly on to the powder, making it wet. This makes the powder go on really dark and makes it apply more like a liquid eyeliner than a powder. I prefer using fixing spray to water because it makes my brows darker, and they literally won't budge. Even when I take my makeup off at the end of the day, it's hard to remove!
I do the outline first. I like to follow my natural brow and create a high arch too. I then fill my brow in in the same way. Once I've created my brows, I use a small concealer brush and my MAC studio fix to go around the border of my brows. This makes them look really neat and lets you correct any mistakes. I do my brows first before the rest of my makeup. After brows, I do my eyeshadow, then eyeliner, then foundation and powder, then eyelashes and mascara, then blusher and bronzer, and finally lips!

Hair Extensions

My natural hair is absolutely horrible - it's sooo thin, ratty and short. I hate it, and I would never go out without wearing hair extensions. My hair is also really damaged thanks to years of bleaching and straightening, so extensions totally transform my hair, and make it look really healthy.
I wear four full heads of hair extensions, because I like them to look really thick and luscious, and I think the thicker they are, the more natural they look. I wear 24" extensions, which are really long. I trim about 2" off them - you might wonder why I don't just buy 22" to start with, but I find when I trim them, the ends look really thick and healthy.

I wear two full heads in #18/613 - this is a mix of really light brown and bleach blonde, and I also wear two full heads in #60 - which is a really light blond. I also like to replace my hair extensions every 2 months so they look and feel really soft and silky. If you have highlighted hair like me I would 100% recommend going for two shades - they look so much more natural!
I try to wear the darker extensions around the bottom of my head, as I usually only get a half head of highlights, so the darker ones blend well here. The light ones go closer to the top of my head. I wear clip-ins because I find these are so easy and low maintenance, and they mean that I can still do regular treatments on my hair without hair extensions getting in the way. I also get my hair highlighted every 4 weeks, so having micro-rings or prebonded extensions would make this difficult. I get my hair extensions from
Cliphair.

Lips

My Lips


I get asked questions all the time on my lips - from how often I have them injected, who by, and what with?
I have been having lip injections for nearly two years. I started off using Juvederm Smile, which comes in 0.55ml syringes. I think you can get bigger syringes, but that's the size I started off with.
I went for my first ever appointment at Harley Medical Group. I paid £200 for 0.55ml of Juvederm. This was my first time and I wasn't aware how painful it would be or if there was any numbing treatment available and I wasn't offered any! OMG, it was SOOOO painful.  I remember lying there thinking it would be a good way to torture criminals. I have since been back to Harley, but this time I took my own numbing cream! Instantly after my first syringe, my lips were a little bit bigger, but within a few hours, I didn't notice any difference - and this was with swelling!
I went back around 2 weeks later, this time to a different person (anyone in Bournemouth, I highly recommend Anna at Nurse Cosmetics). Anna gave me loads of numbing cream which made it a much more bearable experience. I had another syringe and was pleased with the results. Ever since then I have been having my lips injected every 2-3 months.

Most recent

I recently switched to using Succev, not because I don't like Juvederm, but just for convenience as the lady who currently does my lips uses that, and she comes to my house, so I don't have to worry about going somewhere after work.

Before having any lip injections

Succeev comes in 0.9ml syringes, and it contains no anaesthetic. With Juvederm, around half of the syringe is actually anaesthetic, which makes it less painful, but means you get less filler. Succev is pure filler which I like. It is £250 per syringe and because it contains no anaesthetic, I do find it hurts quite a bit. The first two times I used Succev, I just used EMLA cream to numb my lips, but the most recent time I had them done, I got a dental block, which made it so much more bearable. I will definitely be having a dental block next time I get them done. I have heard Succev doesn't last as long as Juvederm and I would definitely agree with this. I am thinking about going back to Juvederm, but to be honest, I doubt I will as it's so easy for me to get my lips done where I currently do.
I have my lips injected all around the border, and in to the body, so they're full all over. I always try and get equal amounts of filler in both lips, as I like my bottom lip to be a little bigger than my top one.
The one thing I would say when it comes to getting botox and fillers, is make sure you don't get ripped off! You should be paying around £200 per syringe of filler for your lips, and around £200 for one area of botox. My best friend and I got our lips done last Christmas got totally ripped off, paying £250 for HALF a syringe of Juvederm! Something pathetic like 0.225ml.
Link to video of my lips a few days after their last pump:  http://www.keek.com/!mF01dab

My Favourite Face Products

My Favourite Face Products

Foundation - Estee Lauder Double Wear

At the moment I’m using Estee Lauder’s Double Wear foundation. I know so many people are obsessed with this foundation but I’m not a massive fan. I find it really hard to blend, because it dries quite quickly. I like FULL coverage with a foundation and I hate the way Double Wear doesn’t layer at all well. Even when I try and add concealer over the foundation I find it can look cakey. I don’t absolutely hate it, I just find it hard to work with. I still manage to create a flawless base with it, although I prefer MAC Studio Fix Foundation which I will be going back to after I finish with Double Wear. I have also heard amazing things about Vichy Dermablend foundation so want to give that a try too! 

 

Powder – Chanel Mat Lumiere

I could never go out without powder. My skin is naturally really oily and I love having a matte finish – I like my makeup to look totally flawless. I’ve tried so many different powders and ever since trying Chanel’s Mat Lumiere powder I’ve been totally hooked. The powder feels light on my skin, but has great coverage and makes my skin look totally matte and smooth. The coverage is buildable, and you can apply it with a sponge if you prefer an even heavier coverage – although I find applying with a brush it’s still perfect. A little goes a long way with this powder and I’d say wearing it on an everyday basis I manage around 6 months before I hit pan. The packaging is gorgeous as with all Chanel products and I love using the compact as a mirror when I touch up my makeup in public.  I wear the shade Sable (40) which is the perfect shade for tanned skin. It matches me perfectly after I’ve had a spray tan (which is nearly all the time!).

 

Concealer – Studio Fix Concealer

 

I have been using this concealer for as long as I can remember and I always go back to it. I love the coverage it gives and the balmy texture of it makes it really easy to apply. I use a small concealer brush and build coverage. I also use this to define my brows and for contouring. I have a few shades – NC15 for under eyes and defining my brows, NC25 for blemishes and imperfections and NC35 for contouring. I apply this after my foundation.

 

Blusher - Chanel Joues Contrast Powder Blush in Pink Explosion

 

I love my makeup to look slightly dolly-like, and pink cheeks add the finishing touch. I love this Chanel blusher because it’s such a gorgeous pink shade, and it contains just the right amount of highlighter to give your cheeks a healthy glow without looking like you’ve had a shimmerbrick crushed on your face! It comes in the gorgeous Chanel compact with a tiny brush – the brush is rubbish so I never use it to apply the blusher. It lasts all night and is really pigmented so a little goes a long way.

 

Bronzer - MUA Dark Bronzer and Chanel Soleil Tan De Bronzing Powder

 

I am a bronzer addict and I have SO many. My favourite is this dark one in Shade 3 by MUA. I love the way it’s totally matte – I use bronzer all over my face and in particular on my cheekbones so I don’t like one with too much shimmer as I find it can highlight any imperfections. This shade is also really nice and dark. As I am usually quite (fake) tanned I like the way this bronzer is actually a shade darker than my skin and makes a real difference. It was really cheap – I think around £2 in Superdrug! I also love Chanel Bronzer, the one I have is actually quite light and subtle and I apply it on my cheekbones over the MUA bronzer.

Fixing Spray – Ben Nye Final Seal and Urban Decay All Nighter

 

I discovered Ben Nye when I heard the Kardashian’s raving about his famous Banana Powder and I knew I had to try some of his products. As I mentioned above, I am totally in love with the powder I currently use and at the time I wasn’t interested in trying another brand. I did come across the fixing spray which I was desperate to try. I know this is regularly used on stage to keep makeup in place, and I like my makeup to stay in place throughout the day and throughout the night when I go out. I usually just spritz it in to the air and let the spray fall on my face for even coverage. I find this is AMAZING when I mix it with my eyebrow powder as it make my eyebrows stay totally in place. Even when I try and remove them, they won’t budge. I close my eyes and spray it on my eyelids to keep my shadow in place and it’s amazing. It doesn’t make your face feel stiff and it has a lovely minty smell. I picked this up for around £10.00 from ScreenFace. I also recently started using Urban Decay All Nighter which is pretty much exactly the same as Final Seal!

 

Highlighter – Soap and Glory Glow All Out

 

 I rarely use highlighter, I have so many products on my face already that I don’t want to overload it with shimmer and I prefer a matte look. Occasionally I dust a little highlighter on the tops of my cheekbone, my cupids bow and my brow bones. I hate cream highlighters, and my favourite powder highlighter I have tried so far is Soap and Glory’s Glow All Out powder. It’s a really nice shimmery neutral shade and makes me look glowing and radiant. I don’t always apply this, usually just when I’m bored and playing around with my face.