Enrapture Encode Totem Styler set to 1-1-3, GHD Brush, Wide Tooth Shower Comb, Mark Hill Party The Night Away, Mark Hill Dirty Little Stop Out
So, There ya go, How I do my hair. Im constantly asked about how I curl it, but I honestly don't think I do anything different to it than anyone else in the world! Which is why I always put off recording a video on it. I just use my beloved Enrapture Totem Styler and curl bits in no particular order however I feel like it! I know it's not perfectly styled or very slick or polished hence why I refer to it as a "messy, bedhead" style! This is highly requested and how I do my hair most days, I really don't do much to it and if I'm being honest it turns out looking different each time I do it. The next video is on the products I use and should be up in week sometime. Also, side note but I've been trying to get this to upload all weekend by my internet is so slow, So today I caved in and paid for the BT Wifi in my area and it uploaded in 9 minutes YES 9 freakin' minutes! Anyone who uploads HD to Youtube would be impressed with that! It was taking over 3 hours on my home broadband, So I know what I'll be using from now on!
Watch on Youtube for more links & information on what Im wearing, my makeup and some other bits and bobs. And if you wanna see more hit that subscribe button! (:
Products: Shiseido Eyebrow and Eyeliner Compact in Light Brown*, MAC Espresso, HD Brows Kit*, Pixi Beauty Beauty Brow Duo*, MAC 266, Unbranded Spoolie, Threaded by Feroza @ Feroza's Beauty Salon, Tweezerman Tweezers, Rapid Brow*
AKA the llymlrs guide to Scouse Brows:
To follow up on a recent post on how I maintain the shape of my brows. I thought it was about time I did a quick updated routine post to show you how I fill my eyebrows in and what I do to them! The routine has slightly changed ever so slightly since the last one I did over a year ago! I think filling in your brows (in my opinion!) is so important to the shape of your face, I think once you start filling them in you don't go back! I
I still use MAC Espresso to fill my brows in most days as I find it the perfect shade for my brows, not too dark or too light. It's simply a matte mid brown eyeshadow, but obviously make sure you pick a shadow that suits your own brow colour. Although I also use a Shiseido Eyebrow and Eyeliner Compact which is a handy eyeshadow and cake eyeliner compact. I like to mix the two colours together for my perfect brow shade. I also occasionally use the HD Brows Palette that I got in a Glossy Box way back in September. I find these colours okay but slightly too dark even for my thick dark brows, I feel they look a bit too done when I use this so I tend to use this palette if I want a statement brow. As you can see I tend to only use powder on my brows because I feel it's much softer than using a pencil. I apply all of these with an angled brush. I really like the MAC 266, as it's so small and flat, which means shaping the front of my brows really simple. I comb through my brows before and after adding the powder colour as I find it gives a much softer effect and takes away some of the excess colour. I use a spoolie brush. You can pick these really cheaply from a variety of stores or just use a clean mascara wand! The brow gel I use is from a Pixi Beauty Brow Duo, and although I really like the liner part of the duo it's a bit too light for my dark brows!
I've given up plucking my eyebrows completely and ONLY get them threaded by Ferozaat her Salon (review of her work here!) I just think she's incredible and works so lightly and has enlightened me on how important it is to leave my brows alone and not get carried away plucking them on a daily basis. I go to her every two or so weeks, which does mean I have a little straggly eyebrows by the end of it but getting them threaded looks so much better than me plucking them daily and having bits grow back at different! If I was to use tweezers on my brows I would still wholeheartedly recommend Tweezerman Tweezer's, I don't think I've ever come across a pair of tweezers that are as good as these. I think until you've tried them out for yourself you won't see how incredible they are! So worth the money in my opinion! I've also been using Rapid Brow on my eyebrows to make them grow thicker at the front and help my elongate one brow that doesn't grow as much. I have to admit I have seen a slight difference since using the Rapid Brow and my brows seem to be growing back correctly. Feroza has recommended Castor Oil. to help them grow, which is alot cheaper than specific brow growth products!
To fill my brows in I use small precise strokes to darker the front part of my brow as it's fairly sparse, I then simply take the angled brush down the end of my brow to elongate them a bit then brush through with a spoolie to soften them slightly. I keep getting requested to do a video on this, and for the moment I won't be doing one on this. Mainly because the way I fill mine in might not work the same way on you, it's best to work with what you have than draw them on in a certain shape. It's important to find the correct eyebrow shape for your face and follow the natural shape of the brow.
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, Muslin Cloth, Bioderma Crealine H20, Boots Extra Large Cotton Pads,
How I remove my makeup
I start by using BIODERMA CREALINE H2O to remove the "initial layer" of makeup. I personally like to double cleanse my skin so I sort of use the micellar water as a makeup wipe before I move onto cleansers. To do this I saturate two large cotton pads with the solution and apply them to my eyes. I like to use the Boots extra large cotton wool pads, These are from the Baby section of Boots but I like using the larger sized pads for no real reason apart from I feel they take off makeup a little better! I normally start by taking off the eye makeup and then using another cotton pad for face makeup. This is so Im not smearing it all over my face. I then use Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish all over my face including the eye area just to make sure every trace of eye makeup is off. I then warm up either a flannel or a muslin cloth under some hot water and then remove the cleanser from my face. After that I just wash my face with my current face wash and then follow up with my usual night time skincare routine.
So there it is, the follow up to my everyday hair style video with the products I use! I filmed this ages ago, probably about three weeks ago so it's taken a while to get up properly! I hope people find it interesting and a bit of a insight into the products I use! I feel so brainless when I talk about things on camera so below are some additional details on things that I might not have articulated properly within the video! Thanks for watching/reading and open on Youtube for all the details of what Im wearing/makeup, and please do subscribe to my channel, thumbs up etc!(:
Shampoo and Conditioner: At the moment I'm using two different Shampoo and Conditoner's: the Label M. Honey and Oat Shampoo and Conditioner and the Ojon Dry Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner. As my hair is fairly thin and fine I try not to use too weighty products but my main concern with my hair is it's dryness so I will normally pick a shampoo and conditioner for dry hair rather than one that adds body and volume. I wash my hair almost everyday as I work out alot, but on weeks when Im a bit lazy and not working out I wash my hair every three days.
Treatments:My all time favourite hair mask is Philip Kingsley Elastizer, Nothing I've ever used has left my hair so soft and nourished. I tend to use this once a week, or every 10 or so days. It's fairly expensive so I don't like to buy it very often! For a cheaper treatment I use the VO5 Moisture Mask as a in shower treatment. I use this probably twice a week as I really like the way it leaves my hair feeling. I always use a hair oil before I dry my hair too, Im currently using the Organix Morrocan Argan Oil in Morrocan Oil packaging because I prefer the pump action. I run about 4-5 pumps through the hair and then blow dry with a round brush.
Styling: The only product I use religiously is the Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme. I apply it to damp hair on the mid lengths and roots and then blow dry. I don't always use hairspray, It irritates my eyes most of the time so I skip it unless Im going on a night out or leaving the house and only use it when I style my hair with a curling iron. I would typically flip my hair over and spray either Ojon Volumising Hairspray or the Mark Hill Party the Night Away hairspray. The Ojon one is probably the most heavy duty hairspray and the Mark Hill is lighter but has a firm hold.
Products Mentioned: Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme, Wella Professional Luxe Oil, Remington Hair Dryer, Ojon Dry Recovery Moisturising Spritz*, TresSemme Texture Devine Definition Spray*, Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo
How I dry my hair
I dont know if this is even a good idea for a video or not because I can't actually talk about how I blow dry my hair. However I am often asked how I do my usual straight hair style. I'm lucky to be blessed with naturally straight hair, but it takes forever to dry. On average it'll be around 20 minutes. For the sake of this video I left it to air dry a bit before attempting to dry it so it didn't take as long! I don't actually do anything apart from blow dry it roughly with a hair dryer and hope for the best! I wish I could actually blow dry my hair properly but I'm all fingers and thumbs when it comes to using a brush and a hair dryer!
First off I use the Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme, It's my all time favourite hair product and I've raved about it a fair few times. I mainly apply this too the underneath part of my hair, focusing around the roots area to try and give my hair a bit of texture. With it being so fine adding texture is my number 1 concern. I then use a hair oil, for the sake of this video I use a Wella Professional Luxe oil which was absolutely gorgeous. It smelt divine and left my hair feeling really sleek and nourished without leaving a greasy feel to it. I have to admit I was surprised how lightweight it felt once I rubbed it in. I then take my hair dryer and just blow dry until it looks dry! I scrunch my hair as I go along to make give it more texture and volume. Then once my hair's dry I normally spritz a few pumps of the Ojon Spray and then go over it again quickly with the hair dryer. After that I'm done! Sometimes I'll use hairspray or dry shampoo to add a bit more texture into my hair but thats it!
Prepping my hair before styling is a massive step in my hair care routine. Having long, fine hair with lots of it can leave my hair either a variety of ways flat straight to my head, weighed down with the wrong sorts of products, one big lions mane or generally just not sitting right on my head. I've been testing out product combinations for a while to give me root lift while also leaving my hair in tip top condition with minimal volume loss. Prepping my hair before blow drying and styling makes sure it doesn't look like I've just wacked a load of product in it or roughly dried it while I lay down (I have actually done this before… a few times…).
First off after washing and leaving my hair for about a hour while wrapped up in a hair towel. I like to use one of those hair turbans to make sure I take all the excess moisture out before adding products and drying. Although it's adding a hour or two to my routine is does mean I can use less heat on my hair. I take a few pumps of my favourite hair oil the Wella SP Luxe Oil. This is a really lightweight product that has a gorgeous scent of almond oil and also contains Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil that leaves the hair silky smooth and soft. I work this into the very ends of my hair and then work any excess towards the roots.
I then pick my prepping product. I either use a mousse, a texurising cream or a spray depending on the looks that I want to achieve. I wear my hair normally in three different ways, straight and volumised, soft and beachy or curled. I try to prep with the right product for that look so here's my simple guide on what I use to create each look.
Messy hair is my thing and I always try to embrace it but I find it always needs a product to get it ready for styling. For a this undone look I tend go for Bumble and Bumble Texurising Creme. This was a firm favourite of mine for a while as I loved the beachy look it gave my hair without weighing it down. I would normally take about a 50p sized dollop and apply it to the mid sections of my hair, avoiding both the roots and the ends. I'd then flip my hair over and give it a good blast with a hair dryer.
I currently actually quite like wearing my hair straight and natural. If I want to go for a sleeker but volumised look I tend to reach for the L'oreal Ellnett Heat Styling Spray in Volume. This is perfect for those days when you want to wear your hair straight but also have some lift. I spray this all over my hair and then flip it over and do the same. I then comb through with a wide tooth comb to distribute product evenly and then blast it with a hair dryer. This also contains heat protectant up to 230C which is a bonus. This is one of my favourite products to use when styling my hair at the moment as I light to wear it straight with a little bit of lift.
Now mousse is a tricky one. I've tried it countless times before as a volume booster but I've been left with crispy, not very nice looking hair. However I've been using this Four Reasons Volume Mousse and it's actually been doing a pretty good job. Not to mention the super cute packaging this mousse is light and perfect for adding to the roots. I take a good dollop and flip my hair over and work it into the root area, focusing on the crown. I tend to use mousee on those days I want to style my hair with heat as I feel it gives something to my hair that makes it easier to hold a curl or a wave. It's a great product to use when prepping your hair but you do need to be careful not to overload!
I've always been reluctant to share my skincare routine, I don't know why it's just one of those things that is hard to talk about as it's personal. Over the years I've learnt that skincare is SO subjective. To the point where something that works wonders for you might not work at all for me. It's easy to get caught up in marketing or even blogger hype and buy everything that people sing the praises of, yet nothing works. However recently I've got firmly into a little routine that works well for me, keeps my breakouts at bay and has been helping clear up some of my skincare issues.
I know people are probably going to look at my routine and think its super basic, but I used to do the whole cleanse, tone moisturise, eye cream etcetc and although I know the importance of doing this. I've over complicated my skincare routine for years but never had results like I do now. It just wasn't working for me. While I do slowly want to go back to a solid routine of products but for now these are what work for me and my skin and I'm sticking to them. I actually only use two products on a daily basis, but I cant tell you how much these two products have changed my skin.
A little about my skin for reference but do take all my recommendations with a pinch of salt! salt-II have combination skin, although it's somewhat on the oilier side sometimes. Often it can get dehydrated and feel tight and taught. My skin tone is fairly sallow due to the paleness and yellow undertones in my skin. I do have breakout prone skin, especially around my chin during hormonal periods, and I limit my dairy as much as I can as it breaks me out.
First product in my two step routine is the Clarins Pure Melting Gel. This is a balm cleanser than melts down into an oil once warmed. I apply this all over my face twice daily, morning and night. Initially I'll use it to remove all my makeup, wipe with a hot flannel and then I'll repeat this to make sure my face is completely clean. I also do this once in the morning to refresh my face while in the shower. I'm so lazy when it comes to makeup removal this really cuts out all the faff as it's so quick and easy to do. Definitely a lazy girls cleanser!
The other product I use is the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo. I've sung this one's praises for a while now but this sebum busting serum has done wonders for my skin. The overall tone, appearance and look of my skin has completely changed. Breakouts are kept at bay, pore size has reduced and my skin looks clearer and brighter. I use this twice a day, morning and night, although I have been known to apply this a few times in the evening! I use it in place of a moisturiser as I've found my skin is still supple and soft even though I've heard this can be drying on some people. I've not felt the need to use an extra moisturiser with this even despite the colder weather.
Other products I use on a semi regular basis is the Aesop Parsley Seed Mask which I really enjoy using. It has a fresh clarifying scent and dries down to a clay like finish. It leaves my skin feeling brighter and less congested. I was recently introduced to the REN Sensitive range and I've been giving theF10 Smooth and Renew Mask a whirl, it's the baby sister to the REN Glycolatic Peel (which I do like as well, I've just used it up!) It's a sticky thick mask which is almost like marmalade on the face. Packed full of fruit acid's it gently exfoliates and refreshes the skin. I've found it's really helped reduce some of my scarring and keep my face smooth and refined.
Occasionally I'll use Alpha H Liquid Gold, possibly once or twice a week alongside my Effaclar Duo. Especially when my skin is broken out or starting to heel from breakouts. The Glycolatic acid helps aid the healing time of my spots as well as helping renew some of my scarring on my face. Another product I use on occasion is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir Generally when my face is feeling a bit blah in the morning I give it a good squirt of this refreshing uplifting mist and I feel I can face the day again.
So thats my super short skincare routine, 6 products but I really only use two daily! I've really noticed how much my skin has calmed down since getting into this routine and sticking to it. The minimal products are perfect for a lazy girl like me!
Products Used: Clarins Instant Smooth Primer, Laura Mercier Radiance Primer*, Laura Mericer Silk Creme Foundation in Cashew Beige, Real Techniques Buffing Brush, Makeup Atelier Concealer*, By Terry Touche Veloutte in 02, MAC Espresso, Angled Brush (Unbranded), Urban Decay Primer Potion*, MAC Mythology, MAC 217, Pixi Eyeliner in Black Cocoa*, Shu Umera Eyelash Curlers*, Chanel Les Volumes D'Chanel, MAC 168, Guerlain Four Seasons Bronzer in Natural Brunettes, Real Techniques Contour Brush, Nars Gina Blush, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light, Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brush, Hourglass Opaque Rouge in Riviera
More and more recently I cant be bothered with actually applying a full face of makeup. It just seems like such a chore and everything gets a little bit too much effort. However the last few weeks my go-to makeup has been this three product face or what I like to call my no makeup makeup. Designed for lazy days, weekends and those I want a bit of makeup but nothing to fancy. A good even base, a natural contour on the cheeks and a good lengthening mascara are all in my no-makeup-makeup cheat sheet.
I always start off with a nice matte base and recently I've been opting towards using Nars Sheer Matte Foundation. The word sheer really put me off this foundation when it came out a few years ago, and I've tried samples of it but never committed. I was matched to one of their newest shades Vallauris which is a dream match for my awkward skin tone. The finish is matte but light and doesn't feel dry or cakey on my oily skin. It's not sheer in the slightest, and I find it to be light but buildable. I've been contouring my cheeks with the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder which much to my surprise is the perfect contour shade despite looking muddy and grey toned in the compact. It gives a natural shadow effect on the skin, which I find that because it's so neutral it looks really minimal but really sculpts the face. As for mascara I've been using the Bourjois Twist Up The Volume Mascara. I find it gives the lashes a good coating of colour while really defining them and adding length. As you want the makeup to look natural I didn't want huge spider lashes, so a picking a good lengthening and separating one like this works a treat! You can twist the brush to give two different mascara styles, so it has a compact brush which is great for volumizing if you are so inclined!
I do sometimes fill my brows in as well, but most of the time I really don't bother. As you can see my brows are quite full naturally! A slick of lipgloss or lip
