BearPaw - the Ugg-a-likes ...

Summer is over and the shopping for a winter wardrobe has officially begun.

A Scottish winter isn't just a cold one, we get pelted with extreme wind, rain and as we experienced last year, snow!  North of the border we take quite a pride in our appearance but the practicalities of winter can make it difficult and usually through the colder months, a sea of Ugg boots pound the streets as they battle their way through the weather.

This was the year I promised to ditch the wag-a-licious Ugg boot.  However, a shopping trip this week swayed me again.  You just can't beat a soft, cosy, comfortable boot when going about daily menial tasks (even if i do look like a TOWIE reject).

I was damned if I was paying nearly £180 for a new pair of Ugg boots and promised not to go fake after seeing this article.   When I stumbled across a pair of branded chocolate brown Ugg-a-likes in TK Maxx this week I chose to reconsider my decision to turn my back on uggly but practical footwear.

BearPaw are an American brand of Ugg-a-likes sold at a fraction of the price.  Roughly around £60-£90.  They are worn by the likes of Jennifer Anniston and J-Lo according to the press, not that this impacted my purchase at all.  They are made of the same materials as Ugg and apparently the only difference is the sole.  As far as i'm aware Ugg soles are made from a special kind of foam and BearPaw are made from rubber.  This makes sense after comparing my new BearPaw with an old and battered pair of Uggs.

The sole and support seem pretty sturdy so hopefully I won't get the dreaded sloppy heel which even my old Uggs gave me despite guarantees of extra support.  And the grips are, well, grippy!  All I need to do now is waterproof the boots so I can splash about in the slushy scottish streets which no doubt will hit us soon :(

And why am I raving about such a bland purchase?  Let me tell you... all I paid was £37!  Which saves me more money to spend on a luxe pair of boots for some winter posing ;)

So, if you see me out and about in my BearPaws, please don't judge, my tootsies just want to stay cosy.

Oh yeah, and do you call all boots of this style Ugg regardless of their own brand?  It's a bit like cellotape, hoover and tippex in my eyes.  A name that will forever be associated with this style of boot.

Who else favours practical winter footwear?

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The Beauty Store - 10% Discount off treatments

The Beauty Store situated in the nooks and crannies of Glasgow's Royal Exchange Square is a tranquil haven in the middle of the city centre that has almost become Glasgow's best kept beauty secret until now.

I first visited the salon over 5 years ago and since then it has gone through an extensive and rather plus revamp.  Decorated in shades of white and peaceful greys, it's  a picture of elegant glamour. 

They offer an extensive list of treatments from tanning to waxing to manicures.  Last night I was invited to the salon to try out their Shellac. 

I am becoming slightly obsessed with a gel nail these days.  I went for a retro inspired deep red to match my go to Autumn/Winter lip colour - berry red! 

For the month of October, The Beauty Store are offering all you guys and gals who read Saskia the Style Fairy to come along and receive  your first treatment with a 10% discount code. 

     
A friend who is a regular client at The Beauty Store has informed me they do the best and most pain-free (is this possible) bikini waxing so I have already booked up for that using my discount voucher :)

Enjoy, and do let me know what treatement you go for! I'd love to know what kind of pampering you all love!

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month: OPI

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month so in true style, the brands of the beauty community have 'pinked' up some of their products.  I thought I would try and show you some of these products throughout the month and see what takes your fancy.

Today it's all about nail polish, shatter nail polish.  OPI say 'let's shatter Breast Cancer' with their pink shatter topcoat.  All bottles cost £10.50 with £1 going to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

You can purchase online at Lena White.

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PIXIWOO Course August 2011

Most of you may know by now that back in August I took part in the 5 day intensive make up training with Samantha and Nicola Chapman.

I have long wanted to pursue a career in make up, it's something I have debated doing since my university days but had so many other time consuming interests that it always got pushed to the back.  However, over the years I have satiated the ambition with helping out friends, family and friends of friends with make up for events or simply the odd make up lesson here or there.   My blog also came as a breath of fresh air 3 years ago when I started it mainly as a make up blog but since then it has grown arms and legs.

My destiny is in my own hands and it's up to me to do something about it and my first steps on that mission was the Pixiwoo course.

It all started with a gruelling journey to Norwich, who'd have thought it was so hard to get to from Bonnie Scotland but I made it in the end.  I shouldn't forget to tell you what a beautiful and scenic place Norwich is ... it's absolutely lovely!

Meeting the Pixiwoo girls was a teeny bit of a starstruck moment, I was the first to arrive on day one and I'm not even sure I could find words to speak to them at first.  If you know me, you will know this is totally out of character.  I was struck instantly with how stunningly beautiful both Nic and Sam are in the flesh.  They don't need a scrap of make up - lucky devils!  Nic was also blooming in late pregnancy, giving us some R'n'B dance performances with her Harry bump, i've never seen such an agile preganant lady!

There were 9 girls on the course plus our gorgeous model Ashley and they were all a delight to learn with.  I feel I have made some great friends which is a delightful bonus you don't necessarily expect.

So back to the course, we started off the week learning about hygiene, natural make-up, contouring and a classic smokey eye before moving onto creative/drag make up, period make up and then a bit of freestyling toward the end of the course.   There wasn't a day that went by where we didn't leave the studio with a wild made up face as we experimented with products and looks on each other.

Examples of some of my coursework

The course definitely opened my eyes to areas I had previously ignored and helped me see where I needed extra coaching and practise.  It has definitely set me in good stead for starting as a freelance make-up artist and I now have a qualification to prove I know what I'm doing, something I wouldn't dare start a business without.

It was a fantastic week and the girls on the course as well as Sam and Nic really made it all the more enjoyable.  It was so sad to say goodbye to everyone but we are already in touch on a regular basis as we all pursue different routes in the world of make up artistry.

I have now set up as a freelance artist and I'm in the process of finalising my website and building my portfolio of work and already have a wedding and magazine shoot under my belt which I am over the moon about.  I am still pursuing other interests especially within the realms of social media but who knows maybe one day this could be a full time career, here's hoping! :)

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Scottish Ballet Autumn 2011

So my obsession with ballet continues.  On this occasion I went along to Scottish Ballets production of Kings 2 Ends by Jorma Elo and Pennies from Heaven by Ashley Page.

Rather than bore you with how amazing I thought it was, why not take a look for yourselves:


Scottish Ballet - Autumn 11 Part 2: Kings 2 Ends Trailer from Scottish Ballet on Vimeo.



Scottish Ballet: Autumn 11 Part 1 - Pennies from Heaven Trailer from Scottish Ballet on Vimeo.


If you have never been to the ballet before, I urge you to give it a try.  There is nothing more moving than watching a story translated into dance and when you see the strength and ability of the dancers ... well, it just makes you want to get off the couch and get active!

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Boudoir Prive

Beauty boxes seem to be the latest trend for the beauty conscious, product obsessed gal.  They work on a subscription basis, £10 a month gets you 5-6 deluxe samples (from reputable brands) for you to try out.  Delivery is free and they arrive on your doorstep hassle free.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the Boudoir Prive PR team asking if I would like to try out their September box.  I thought it was a good way of trying before I buy so last week a pretty pink package arrived to my delight.

Beautifully packaged, the suspense of undressing the box to see what's inside is exciting enough never mind what the contents may be.

Box Contents:

Tropic Skincare Body Smooth:  Founded by the Apprentice's Susan Ma (yup, this is her product line we all wondered about), this nourishing  moisturiser is enriched with nourishing Sea Minerals, Jojoba and Macademia oil.  It also smells like a zen like beauty spa - delightful.

Colbert MD Nourish Eye Cream:  Apparently used my Kate Middleton and Sienna Miller, this cream rehydrates skin around the eyes and reduces puffiness and dark circles.

Cargo Cosmetics Boogie Nights Eye Pencil:  A shimmery, glittery eye pencil perfect for nights out.  I have yet to try this on my eyes but swatched on the back of my hand the colour (05 Aqua) is vibrant ant the shimmer is evident.

Zoya Nail Polish:  I received the shade Marina from the new Smoke & Mirrors Collection for A/W 2011.  I have never tried Zoya polishes so can't wait to try this one.

Agent Provocateur L'Agent:  A seductive scent that will make you feel sexy, mysterious and captivating.  Or so they claim.  I have to say, I agree although I am a bit biased, I love all Agent Provocateurs boudoir like fragrances.

Macademia Hair Repair:  An oil treatment, suitable for all hair types, ensures your hair is visibly smooth, frizz free and shiny.  I was most excited to see this product as I am already a regular re-purchaser of this hair oil and have always intended to write a blog post about it.  I actually spend around £4-5 just buying the sample size alone!  I use it on my hair regularly to keep frizz at bay and keep it looking smooth.  Only the tiniest amount of product is required so even this sample size will keep you going for months.

I love the idea of beauty boxes and for those with little time to research or hunt down samples themselves  then it's a fairly inexpensive and effortless way to keep an eye on the latest products, trying before you buy.

If you are interested in a Boudoir Prive box you can find out more at www.boudoirprive.co.uk

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Getting Inked!

I make no secret of it that I would love a tattoo but can't decide where to get it or what to get.

On one hand I would like something quite bold in a very obvious place but on the other hand I worry about future employment prospects (a tattoo-ed face may not be the image a business wants to portray) and I do think it would be 'safer' to have it somewhere that could be hidden if needed (i.e, in front of Mummy & Daddy!!).

I got to dip my toe in the water so to speak while in Marrakech with a henna tattoo.  Marrakech is awash with women offering henna designs with some of them even glittered and look absolutely stunning.   I adore henna designs and it just happens to be one of the designs I had considered for a potential tat.  I quite like the idea of having my hand done so asked the artist to create me something gorgeous.  She initially tried me with red henna (original) but it didn't show up on my skin oddly enough, so she went with black.

I absolutely loved the result and after having it on for over a week now, I could definitely live with a hand tattoo so it's certainly food for thought.

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