Everyday Makeup!

I've had many different phases in make up and have experimented with many different looks. However, now my favourite go to look is simple and natural.

I think this began when I started to appriacate Parisian style. The hair and make up was always more natural and effortless seeming. Making you look at the woman not the make up and importantly making you remember the woman not just the make up.

Whenever listening to any Parisian woman one thing they would often say is to embrace any 'flaws' as they are part of you. Many of the women that I know and look up to also have this same mind set. If you have a pimple, you have a pimple. You are human. If you have a line or wrinkle its because you laughed and have lived life. There shouldn't be any shame attached to it. Of course, if you do want to get something done and 'fixed' then do that as well!

The point is that make up is for you and should highlight your features not hide them away. And if it makes you feel good then do it!

Skin care is where I start but we will save that for another post. I carried out my skin care routine just before I began to film. We start at moisturiser. Very important to help keep your skin looking healthy. Also a great starting layer for your make up. Personally, I have dry skin and after a long day wearing make up it can begin to show, which doesn't look great. Moisturiser helps to keep it at bay. Then onto primer. Again very important to help your make up last longer.

For an everyday look I have started to only use concealer. Applying it under the eyes, around the nose and mouth and anywhere else you think necessary. I like to use my fingers to blend as, I think it has a more natural appearance.

Then onto contour. Which isn't something I do everyday. But when I do I like to use as little as possible because sometimes I think it can make my skin look less clear. I apply it in a cresent moon shape to chisel out my cheekbones. I also apply a little bit on the sides of my nose and underneath it. Then blend all that in.

For blush I have found an old lipstick which I love to use. It is in a peachy colour and I think it adds a great natural and healthy colour. I also find it blends into the skin extremely well. I then use a cream highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones and my nose.

Then powder. Where you add this can be a personal preference. I like to apply it to my jaw line, lightly under my eyes and on my forehead.

Brows. I have found the best method is to tint your brows every now and again. This means you can get away with only filling them in with a matte powder. Resulting in a softer finish. I also like to add a little bit of brow gel in the summer months to help keep them in place.

Then I will take a shimmery, light eye-shadow and place it on my brow bone and the inner corners of my eyes.

Curling your lashes is very important and really opens your eyes. After I like to apply mascara thoroughly.

For my lips I like to go with a bold colour. Usually it is a shade of red. Applying with your finger also helps to give a softer result. Any product that is left on your finger can be used on your cheeks as more blush.

Et voila!

Products used:

L'Oreal skin expert/Paris Hydra-genius aloe water

Clarins Beauty Flash balm

Maybelline Fit me concealer (Shade 10)

Fenty Beauty match stick (Mocha)

The lip stick had no brand but the Mac (Kinda Sexy) is very similar.

Benefit Watts up

Maybelline Fit me pressed powder(Shade 120)

Urban Decay Naked Basics Faint - brows

Urban Decay Naked Basics Venus - highlight

Benefit Ready,Set,Brow!

Too Faced Lip Injection extreme

Maybelline Great lash

Nars Intrigue

Monica Geller: My Sprit Animal.

When I first started watching Friends, many years ago, I always wanted to be Rachel. She was always my favourite. However now I realise Monica and I are very alike. A while ago, while watching Friends I started to think 'oh, I do that' or 'oh, I'm like that'.

Now it's official. Monica Geller is my spirt animal and here's why.

1) I'm ALWAYS the hostess. I love organising events - lol

2) This moment, I'm sure we have all experienced.

3) This is also said pretty often

4) And this...

5) Not just clean *Emma* clean.

6) I've defiantly know this feeling...

7) I probably think this every day

8) When she bought expensive shoes that ended up killing her feet. Most of my shoes fit into this category.

9) I probably should be embarrassed about how much I relate to this...

10) This spectacular moment when she wowed Chandler with her glow up. Defiantly on my bucket list to recreate!

Gingerbread Recipe

As soon as I feel the chill breeze of autumn I immediately want to light the fire, get out the cozy blankets, the yummy food and turn the Christmas music up.

Sadly we all know the weather doesn't always behave (hot weather in October is just unfair) and I also do follow the rule of waiting till November to play Christmas music. But don't worry, I do have one thing you can do when you are craving the cozy mood.

Bake!

You should always start making your Christmas cakes around the end of September anyways, but we will get into that another time.

Today I am talking about Gingerbread men. (They can also be both Halloween themed and Christmas themed). They also go great with a Baileys coffee. Trust me.

So let's begin!

Ingredients:

250g Self-raising flour.

50g Butter

Pinch of salt

100g Caster sugar

3tbsp Ginger

3tbsp Golden syrup

4tbsp Milk

1. Sieve flour, salt and ginger into a bowl.

2. Mix and melt butter, caster sugar and golden syrup in a pan.

3. Add warm mixture into dry ingredients.

4. Slowly add milk. Start with 2 tbsp's of milk. Then add other 2 when necessary.

5. Knead dough together until smooth.

6. Roll out dough and cut out shapes.

7. Use either chocolate chips or currents to mark eyes, mouths and buttons.

8. Cover baking paper on a tray before using.

9. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 160/325