Team Dannii!

*Warning: Geektastic post awaits*

X Factor is back and sad to say I am glued to the screen every Saturday evening and sometimes nursing me through my Sunday hangover.

Aside the fact that I like the 'singing and dancing' ... oh and often blatant humiliation of the sometimes not so great British public, what I love most about the X Factor is watching Cheryl and Dannii parade on stage every week in their array of high end fashion. Cheryl has already won over the hearts of the nation but Dannii still seems to get a hard time whether it's down to her looks, personality or career credentials!

Dannii is in her late 30's but I am in awe of how amazing she looks. Okay, okay, I realise she has probably had a bit of work done here and there and obviously quite a bit of botox but there is no denying she looks absolutely flawless. Cheryl must be over 10 years her junior yet she is hot competition alongside her. She has a figure to die for and skin that looks like it has been licked to perfection by a handful of siamese kittens!! I need to get tips from her make up artist - I want to know every single product she uses!

What I am trying to say is that I find her quite inspirational (in the looks department at least)! While we have a nation of 20 somethings who would do anything to look like Cheryl Cole (Admittedly, I had a Cheryl Cole manicure last week - oh the shame!) ... as a late 20 something looking for a more sophisticated, sharp yet quirky look, I think from now on I shall be channeling my inner Dannii - that's if I have a Dannii in there somewhere?!!

As far as Dannii's talent goes ... does anyone remember the album Neon Nights?? hmmm, no? Well, I do, I loved it and it still comes out at parties in my flat! In fact, Justice even remixed some of her songs from Neon Nights at their set in Pacha when I was in Ibiza! I literally screamed with delight when I heard it! Ok, I ain't winning any cool points here am i??! ;pSome pics of Dannii in her Neon Nights hey day! Obviously she has much more under her belt talent wise but thats my personal fave!
This is the pic that proves to me how utterly gorgeous Dannii is - at the airport wearing minimal make up and still looking flawless! *gush*

Soooo... I just thought Dannii deserved some love since she is often overlooked! So who are you with this year? Team Cheryl or Team Dannii or like me do you crossover from time to time?

x

Glam Tan!

I'd love to say this is what I came home with but sadly for me my holiday in the sun only gave me a few extra freckles ... however, what I am referring to is the Prestige bronzing mineral powder!

Now you may think I am a little slow on the uptake with this one as everyone was raving about this months ago - yes, I agree but until now I could not find anywhere near me that stocked Prestige products and I had lusted over Glam Tan for so long!

Before my holiday I picked this up in my new and improved Boots store. Its a marbled bronzer with lots of shimmer.
Because of the shimmer in this product I would never wear it on a daily basis, for me this is strictly for evening wear only. I would also never wear it on its own, I need the contouring effect of Nars Laguna or Barry M's dazzle dust. Here is how it looks on me ... this was when I first applied with a fairly heavy hand! I think you will agree that less is probably more with this product and I have been getting much better results applying lightly. It gives just the right amount of glitzy shimmer required to glam up a night time look!

What does everyone else think of Glam Tan? Are we all fans or has everyone moved on??

x

Gone Fishing!

Tomorrow I am jetting off for a relaxing and chilled week in the sun! No clubbing this time, minimal sight-seeing and no cell phone! This is a well deserved week of rest ...
See you all when I get back :)

x

Saskia's Guide to Streak Free Tanning!!

I was asked to do a post on how I apply a my false tan while avoiding nasty streaks and patches, so I have put together a list of what works for me. I understand everyone applies their fake tan differently and it really is about experimenting and finding what works best for you but here are my top tips :)

• I ALWAYS use a tanning lotion/mousee with colour guide - this means the lotion/mousse is usually brown in colour as opposed to white/clear
  
• I exfoliate a day or 2 before I tan, NEVER on the same day. Whenever I have exfoliated on the day, I find it never sits well
• I also never moisturise or shave my legs on the day of tanning as again it never sits well and tan can get clogged in pores. Instead I usually de-fuzz my legs the day before
• I DO moisturise my knees, heels, elbows and any other areas prone to dryness beforehand as the tan will stick to these areas and create dark patches
  
• When applying my tan I always wear gloves, this in itself helps give a smoother effect and avoids orange palms! If I am using a mousse tan I use a tanning mit (like the st tropez mit)
• I usually tan in front of a full size mirror so I am getting to see where I apply from all angles, ensuring that no part of my body is missed
  
• I try and take my time when tanning but with more practise the quicker you get
• I tend to wait about 5 minutes before I dress after application to make sure everywhere is dry. I also usually tan at night before bed which makes the whole process easier to deal with
  
• When showering my tan the next morning, I will wait until most of the excess colour has drained away before using any shower gel. Even then I will use minimal shower gel and stay in the shower for the least amount of time possible
• Once it has showered off I usually don't moisturise until later that day or evening (I actually don't know why I do this)
  
• Everyday thereafter I moisturise my full body
• If there are any streaks I usually use exfoliating gloves to scrub and get rid of this and if need be I will re-apply a small amount of tan to that area, buffing down any excess with a mit
• About once a week I will exfoliate my whole body and remove all traces of the false tan in time for starting over again!

Phew!! Yup, I know that seems pretty long winded but as I say, practise makes perfect and the whole process gets quicker and quicker. I honestly don't spend a lot of time applying fake tan, 10-15 minutes tops but I have been doing it for years. In the Summer, I usually apply tan 2-3 times a week to achieve a darker look but in the Winter I usually stick to once a week.

I hope these tips are useful to some of you but the key is finding your own method that works for you.

Does anyone else have any tips for a streak free tan?

x

What's Inspiring Me?

This is really a quick post to kind of update you on me! I don't usually give to much away on my blog, I like to use it as more of an escape however quite a lot has been going on in my life this last few weeks.

One of the major things to happen is my Husband and I buying a house. We live in a great flat at the moment but we just need more space and I need my own dressing room! We had casually been looking for a new place for a couple of months and stumbled across a lovely little pad a few weeks ago! So, at the moment we are preparing to move and also working hard to perfect our flat to sell on. This means I probably won't be updating the blog as regularly but I still have lots of posts queued that I am dying to finish!

I am also going on holiday again on Monday for a week away in the Sun ... which I am so grateful for as I need a proper rest this time, still haven't quite recovered from Ibiza!

Anyway, onto what's inspiring me? I am already an avid amateur interior designer... in fact when I left school I was booked on a uni course in interior design but ended up taking a gap year (or 2!) and ended up doing a completely different course. I still love it as a hobby and nothing thrills me more than the thought of moving to a new home and putting my stamp on it!! So, here are some pics that have been inspiring me lately and hopefully I can incorporate some ideas into my new home!!
I am a big fan of open plan living with clean lines but rustic and quirky features. I also love black and white framed art work on walls.I like a cosy yet chic and stylish bedroom ... I also adore the juxtaposition of modern with traditional
Style is the order of the day but with subtle hints of glamour everywhere (I need to remember my Husband has to live here too, lol) And of course, I need plenty of space for my clothes and shoes!!! What's been inspiring you lately?

x

Products i'm McLovin!

A few posts ago I shared the products that weren't really doing it for me at the moment so now it's time to share the products that are floating my boat!;)

1) The Body Shop Black Velvet Apricot Lip Balm
This is from a new range at TBS. This lip balm feels lovely and moisturising on the lips, smells nice and has the slightest tint and sheen to it. It's great for on the go and can be worn over lippy too so to tone down the colour. This range also do the burning oils (is that what they are called?) for at home which I am also loving!


2) MAC Moisturelush Cream
I purchased this last month for the first time. My skin once again is going through a rough patch and I honestly put it down to all the messing about with different products that I do. A MUA recommended this ... in fact, I should add it was an MUA with to die for skin so I put my trust in her 100%. I have to say the tip off has bode well and my skin is feeling lovely and smooth with this and dare I say it, younger! The cream is rich and thick in texture and warmed up a little it is easily massaged into the skin. I wear this at night as for me it is too thick as a morning cream. My skin is far from perfect but I do believe I need to work from the inside out to achieve that *pledges to drink more water*

3) MAC All That Glitters and Glamour Check
Admittedly, All That Glitters is a bit of a cult favourite and probably needs very little explanation but the reason it is in my favourites just now is because I have been wearing it most often teamed with Glamour Check (see previous FOTD post) and I am loving the results. Glamour Check is a lovely deep, warm brown with burgundy reflects. I have been creating a daytime smokey eye with this and for night time I add some definition using carbon or beauty marked. I would say that Glamour Check is very very close to Twinks and Antiqued so if you already have those then there may be no need for this product.

4) MAC Vegas Volt
I blogged about this a few posts ago and it was my holiday product winner! The tone of the coral-orange is just gorgeous and is versatile for day or night time wear. I'm off on holiday next week again and this is definitely coming with me :)
5) Bobbi Brown Colour Corrector in light bisque
I love my concealer, i pack it on especially under my eyes, however a few weeks ago while visiting Bobbi Brown the MUA suggested instead of packing on the concealer ensure I used my colour corrector more readily (already in my stash) and I should feel less need to layer up on the concealer. You know what? She was right! I've been using the colour corrector every day and I there is definitely less concealer wastage. This particular colour corrector is a light pink in appearance and it counteracts purple tones (undereye dark circles) in the skin. This really is a wonder product for me.

6) Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Sand
I mentioned in a previous post that YSL perfect touch really wasn't doing me any favours in the beauty stakes and vowed to stick to what I know. Well, this is what I know! Bobbi Brown foundation stick is what I wore on my wedding day and my skin looked flawless so going back to this has been a bit of a saviour. It is medium coverage but can be built up to full coverage without looking cakey, thick or greasy. I find it gives me a radiant glow and lasts the full day too which is a major plus point for me!

That's my top products of the moment, what are your favourites just now?

x

FOTD, OOTD and Candyfloss hair!!

Last night I was out to play so thought I would show you my look for the night. I literally got ready in about 40 minutes and instead of going through the usual routine of styling my hair down, I went for a back combed updo and also went for a quick smokey eyed look - sticking to what i know when in a hurry! (I always seem to be in a hurry these days!)

So here's the face!

Face:
Bobbi Brown Pro Stick (this is a fail safe for me as mentioned in a previous post and i'm loving it!)
Prescriptives mineral foundation (a light dusting to set the foundation - it's a night out after all)
Mac Select Cover up
Bobbi Brown colour corrector

Eyes:
Mac All that Glitters
Mac Glamour Check
Mac Beauty Marked
Mac Fluidline in blacktrack
Dior Show Mascara

Lips:
Mac Cremesheen in Partial to Pink

Cheeks:
Nars Laguna
Mac MSF Redhead
Illamasqua blush in Unrequited

.... and the hair:I basically hairsprayed and back combed all of it then started pinning it at the back with bobby pins so in the end it had a candyfloss french roll effect. In the end i think it could have looked a little 'fluffier' as bedhead was the intention with this hair do.

And finally, what I wore:
Apologies for the whited out photo but I was trying to hide the wonderful backdrop that is my bathroom!!!

Sequinned dress from H&M - this reminds me a little of a 1940's flapper dress, I love it but my husband think it hides my waistline. This can only be a good thing for me as it is expanding at such a rate, why would I want to show it off?!!

Topshop platform shoes

Mango bubble ball bracelet

I kept accessories low key as the dress was sequinned and I don't like to overgild the lily as they say. I teamed this with a black blazer and I was good to go!

What was your Saturday night ootd/fotd?

x

My Vintage Wardrobe - numero deux

So, here is the second installment of 'my vintage wardrobe'.

It's my little gold box-like clutch. I picked this up a few years ago in a vintage store in Charlottenberg, Berlin. This has got to be one of my all time favourite clutch bags and it certainly gets the most compliments whenever I wear it out! It goes with so many dresses and outfits and even has a strap so I can wear it round my shoulder but more often than not I tuck that inside.
It has some slight damage to the front which I always say I will get fixed, although I am not sure how I could fix it. Usually i place my hand strategically over the mark so nobody notices but in all honesty I think it adds to the allure of the bag - it has a story! There is no make or brand on the bag and it is of fairly simple structure with just a little snap hook to open and close it.
It's not very big but I still manage to fit my mobile, keys, cards and some vital make-up items in it! I absolutely love it but I am always on the look out for more vintage clutches. I think they really add to an outfit when you have something unique to carry in your hand.

Who else loves vintage bags? share share share ;)

Keep posted for more installments of My Vintage Wardrobe :)

x

Products i'm not 'feeling' at the moment!

Yup, this is a little post to let you know of some products i had bought, quite liked but are just not doing it for me anymore for one reason or another. I am not 'feeling' the love!

1) Estee Lauder Perfect Clean Cleanser and Toner
Initially I loved this cleanser and toner, it got rid of everything, had a pleasant smell and a refreshing cooling sensation from the toner but then disaster struck. I got spots! Lots of them. Naturally, I stopped using it and the spots cleared up. It's a shame as I did like this cleanser and toner but it seems that it is full of the bad stuff my skin hates!

2) Gosh Velvet Touch Primer
I understand why they call this 'velvet touch'. The gel like formula literally feels like velvet on your skin. However, it almost feels like it is creating a barrier between your make up and skin rather than a base for your foundation. I have worn for a few weeks now and safe to say everyday I come home from work and pretty much all of my foundation has disappeared. Not exactly the job a primer is supposed to do!! I have dry/combination skin, I'm not sure if this is what makes the difference but it's back to Laura Mercier I go for my fail safe foundation primer.

3) YSL Perfect Touch Foundation
I have to apologise, I keep moaning about this on twitter except I keep telling everyone it is Estee Lauder Double Wear that I'm hating!!! It's not! I have yet to try EL, what an idiot! So yeah, its YSL Perfect Touch. I wanted this because it was full coverage and on the first few uses I really did like it, it gave me what looked like a flawless complexion but on closer inspection, it looked like a layer of plastic had been spread over my skin and in fact gave me the fakest, thickest layer of foundation. Instead of looking naturally flawless, I looked horrendously made up. I am getting a bit fed up (and think my skin is too) of experimenting with foundations so I think I am going back to basics with the foundations I know and love - Mac, Bobbi Brown, Nars and Revlon colourstay. They have always worked for me so I am gonna stick with them ... for now!

That's it! Only a small list really but just had to get that off my chest! There are products I am loving too so I will endeavour to post about them soon.

Ministry of Burlesque

I am a huge fan of Burlesque and cabaret so a couple of weeks ago my husband and I took a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe to see a fabulous Burlesque show called 'High Tease' presented by Ministry of Burlesque.

Definition of Burlesque:- a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor; consists of comic skits and short turns (and sometimes striptease) ; parody: a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way

When people think of Burlesque they usually think of someone like Dita Von Teese and her alluring striptease performances but there is a lot more to it and it usually goes hand in hand with cabaret performance.

'High Tease' was held at a venue called the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh (above) which is set within a wonderful period building with dramatic black and gold decor. A perfect backdrop for such a show.

The performances were pretty varied from Kittie Klaw (above, Founder of MOB) and her cutesy striptease to nonsence Can-Can dancers, a 'boy'lesque performance (below), Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer who sang hip hop songs to the ukulele and The Kitsch Kats (below) - thanks lionlovingtiger on reminding me about them!! The audience were also so much fun with many dressed in a Burlesque or Vintage style. It's always great when everyone really gets involved in the spirit of an event!

The show was presented by Des O'Connor (No, not saturday night quiz show Des) but the cabaret legend who is also famed for his own show 'Desmorphia' and maybe more commercially as the musical Director of Scott Mills: The Musical! To say Des was anything less than hilarious was an understatement - he sang to the audience playing his ukulele (yes they feature a lot in cabaret it seems) ... the most remembered song of the evening definitely has to be 'Any Hole's a Goal!!' or maybe 'Jizz Mopper' - possibly not for the faint hearted but for anyone interested you can watch and listen HERE.

The Finale of the show was a special 'Star' guest - Amanda Palmer (below) of The Dresden Dolls. To be honest I hadn't heard of Amanda but she seems to be pretty famous on the cabaret circuit given the audiences reaction. She describes herself as 'Brechtian punk cabaret' and to be honest her sound and style is pretty unique. Some of her songs are quite haunting and others a mixture of pain and the comical. She is definitely not for everyone with some of her songs being quite controversial and dark but if you google her, you never know, you might become a fan?!In totality the show lasted just over 2 and half hours so a real treat and well worth the money! I am already getting geared up for my next evening of Burlesque and this time I think I will dress up too!

Is anyone else a fan of Burlesque? What shows have you seen?

x

S.O.P.H.I.E

A highlight of last nights Illamasqua event was the presence of Sylvia Lancaster, mother of Sophie Lancaster and founder of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

Two years ago, Sophie and her partner Rob were the victims of a horrific, unprovoked attack by a gang of youths. Their injuries were so bad, Sophie was left in a coma and never recovered with her family making the heartbreaking decision to switch her life support machine off. Sophie and Rob were attacked because of the way they looked. The looked 'different/alternative', expressing their individuality through their clothes and make up.

In Sophie's memory, Sylvia set up the SOPHIE foundation. Stamp out Prejudice, Hatred and Intolerance everywhere. Simple as that. However, Sylvia still has a fight on her hands to ensure laws are changed to recognise hate crimes against 'alternative' subcultures. Syvia told us a bit about the foundation and the progress they are making.

Illamasqua have close involvement with the SOPHIE foundation by contributing £3 of sales of Sophie Pencils to the SOPHIE foundation and also selling merchandise such as the SOPHIE wristband which can be purchased for £2.

I was given a band last night and I am proud to wear it on my wrist!
You can find more information about the SOPHIE foundation at the following links:

http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com
http://www.myspace.com/inmemoryofsophie
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9360669082

I urge you to support this foundation and what it stands for.

x

Illamasqua Dystopia

Yesterday I attended the Illamasqua bloggers event to showcase the new collection, Dystopia.

The event was held at Ithaca in Manchester with Creative Director, Alex Box and the Manchester Illamasqua make up artists demonstrating some amazing looks using the new collection.

The collection is a celebration of our darker side, and was inspired by Fritz Lang’s 1927 masterpiece ‘Metropolis’. This iconic film explored the civil unrest that was being felt by society in the 1920s, and translated it into a metaphorical futuristic urban city, a city of Dystopia – the opposite of Utopia – mysterious, edgy and sinister.

Personally, I love the new collection. There are a mixture of silvers, blacks with some pink and purple thrown in. I am pretty scared of silver to be honest, I find it washes me out but Leena from Illamasqua made up my eyes using the silver, purples and black and i loved it!

The new collection consists of a liquid metal, 2 pallettes, 2 nail polishes, some shadows, 2 pigments, lipglosses and a lipstick. Sorry, it's late and I cannot remember the finer details but definitely check it out. I think the imagery may be a bit scary for those who enjoy a neutral look but the colours are very wearable and diverse enough to translate into an everyday look.

Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me at the event so no photos to show you however we were given goody bags as we left so have taken some swatches of what was in my booty! I originally had 3 items but after a swap with Rowena of Cosmetic Candy I went home with 2!! Oi!! Rowena you sneaky little thing you ;p

So, I left with a powder shadow in Machine, it's a blackish charcoaly colour (i'm good with descriptions huh?) with glitter through it, although it's not a glitter shadow. The other item is an intense lipgloss in Galactic. This colour is amazing. It literally looks like the liquid metal in lipgloss form .... I don't think I could wear this on it's own (except when I am dressed as the Tin Man at Halloween) however, I will play about with this using other colours. I might even use it on my eyes and see how it goes there but have a feeling it could crease like a bitch!

Dystopia hits the shops on September 10th and apparantly the liquid metal is already selling out on pre-orders alone so get in quick girls!! I am looking forward to picking up a nail polish and some pigments!

Anyone else looking forward to the release of Dystopia? What are you planning on buying?

x

The Body Shop - Thank You!

Last week The Body Shop held a beauty bloggers event in London. I had been invited to this but unfortunately I had already a booked a night at the Edinburgh Festival for my husbands birthday so I couldn't attend.

After catching up with some blogs after it, I thought their new make up collection was worth a look but before I got a chance to go and have a look I was sent a bag of goodies in the post!! I was absolutely wowed by what was sent and have to say a big Thank You to The Body Shop for their generosity! They are well known for being a fantastic, ethical brand and I really feel the girls at the Body Shop are a real credit to the company, it's a lovely personal touch to still be thought of even when you have missed an event.

So on to the goods!
First up is 11, yes 11 lipsticks!! I find it hard to pick lipsticks for myself so when i tried all 11 and they all suited or just the very fact I liked them all was a real surprise! Some of the girls are absolutely lush. So far I am loving numbers 59, 60, 69 and 71. Sorry I do not have the correlating names, I should have done my research before starting this post!
I was also sent this blush in 'Warm Sunset'. It is a mix of bronzey, terracotta shades. You can use the 3 shades seperately but I have applied by just swirling them all together. I absolutely love the warm glow it gives me and it has been a staple in my make up bag this week. It did crack a little on transit but still ok to use.
Then there are these 2 eyeshadow trio's in (from left to right) sundown glow and moonlight lustre. I am yet to try them out to be honest but I love the colours so will hopefully to a little fotd with them at some point soon. Finally, we have these gorgeouse eye pencils. The colours are so bright and vibrant and just quite simply, something a little bit different than your usual browns, blacks and greys. I do love a coloured liner, I usually wear on my waterline to add a little bit of colour to an otherwise neutral eye. From left to right we have; Shimmering Steel, Brilliant Blue, Glowing Amethyst, Vibrant Emerald and Burnished Amber. They are so smooth and velvet-like to apply, I will really enjoying playing with these :)

I was also sent some bodycare items which I have been using since I received and really love so I will blog about them seperately in a future post.

I would definitely recommend the new autumn make up range from The Body Shop, the previous collection wasn't so good for me but this definitely makes me want to go back and repurchase :)

What do you guys think of it? Have you checked it out yet?

Swatch!

Hands up who had a Swatch watch at school?? *hand shoots up in the air*

Obviously, that was then and this is now and Swatch have lost their cool points over the years however I stumbled across the Swatch shop while in Edinburgh last week so I strolled in for a ... aherm, swatch!

Many of the watches were in the style I remember fondly, colourful, fun and a little wacky. However, there was a sophisticated yet still a bit funky watch or 2 on display. One of which caught my eye....
It's a Swatch Chrono watch. It has little diamantes on the face and the hands glow in the dark yay! (geek). Originally, having had my eye on a Marc Jacobs watch, this was half the price - big plus points there.

I was a little hesitant to make the purchase at first but the more I thought about it the more I convinced myself of how cool it would be to own a swatch again. I'm not known for being a follower of the crowd anyway so I guess it suited me fine that they are not necessarily bang on trend. I like the retro, quirkiness that comes along with having a Swatch watch.

Anyway, since then I have discovered that the Swatch Group actually own or a number of high end brands like Omega, Tissot and Calvin Klein so I guess I'm not in bad company ;)

What do you think of Swatch? Cool or Retro naff?

x