Makeup Crush: Megan Fox

Just when you think Megan Fox can't look any better...this happens...

This was a look she wore for a Thanksgiving appearance on the Jay Leno show last year.  I love the soft, retro feel to it with the set waves and flicked liner...she looks like an old fashioned hollywood starlet!  This is probably my all time favourite makeup look because it looks great on everyone.  I know some people may think that it's too 'safe' or boring but there's alot to be said for sticking to what suits you.  I don't see any point in wearing crazy bright makeup if it doesn't suit you.  After all, makeup is about accentuating your natural features and enhancing what you already have.  Sometimes less is more and in this case, the simplicity of the radiant, flawless skin, subtely sultry eyes and nude lips are just perfection.  I personally think that this is the best I have ever seen Megan look.

This is another Troy Jensen makeup look and here are the products he used:

Benefit High Beam

Cle De Peau Beaute Concealer

Cle De Peau Beaute Fluid Foundation

Guerlain Meteorites Illuminating Pearls

Cle De Peau Beaute Cheek Colour in no.1

Cle De Peau Beaute Transluscent Face Powder

Cle De Peau Beaute Eyebrow & Eyeliner Compact

Guerlain Brow Shaping Kit

Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow in Sparkling Nude

Guerlain Teracotta Mineral Shadow in Holy Smoke

Guerlain Summer Splash Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Divinora Liquid Eyeliner

Guerlain Le 2 de Guerlain Mascara

Dior Glossy Liner in Soft Nude Beige

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss Reflect Lipgloss in Beige Velvet 127

I think this is a very achievable look, there's no skillful blending or makeup trickery required...just a sparkling beige eyeshadow, a couple of varying taupe eyeshadows and a black liquid liner.  Everyone has that in their makeup arsenal.

My Favourite Eyeshadows

I thought I would do a post on some of my favourite eyeshadows in my collection.  I love it when other bloggers do these kinds of posts as it gives me a chance to see what else is out there and whether I need to add some new additions to my collection.  I love neutrals in the daytime but I prefer to experiment with a bit of colour for night time looks.  Here's a rundown of my favourite eyeshadows....

You know how much I love metallic eyeshadows and this has to be the daddy of all of them because the colours are so rich, pigmented and just plain gorgeous.  There is a yellow gold, a rose gold and a metallic taupe...pure heaven!  The fact that it's called 18 Carat just makes it seem even more opulent but without the massive price tag.

The Sleek palettes are a big with lots of bloggers and there's a good reason for that.  They're cheap, great quality and there's a good range of colours to suit everyone.  My favourite is the Graphite palette because it gives you the chance to create a blue toned smokey eye which is a nice twist on the usual greys and blacks.

Korres are a great brand for eyeshadows and my favourites have to be the Bronze one for an intense hit of metallic colour on the lid and the White shade to pale out any eyeshadows that are too harsh for me.  It also works really well as a highlight for the inner eye!

Mac have to be the best brand for variety of shades but as we all know they can be a bit hit or miss when it comes to the texture, depending on the finish you choose.  A couple of my favourites for a bit of colour are Parfait Amour, an amazing duo chrome purple and Shimmer Moss, a gorgeous iridescent green.  Parfait Amour creates the most gorgeous look when combined with Gesso, a matte white, as a highlighter.

This has to be my most used Mac 4 shadow palette that contains Woodwinked, Mulch, Nked Lunch and Satin Taupe.  These can be combined to create the perfect neutral eye with a bit of definition.  Woodwinked is an amazing gold toned brown that just makes my mouth water every time I swatch it! Mulch is a warmer toned brown that is great for adding definition on the lash line, it is great for accentuating blue eyes.  Naked Lunch is the perfect all over lid shade and also a great highlight colour.  Finally, everyone's best friend, Satin Taupe is a grey toned brown that acts as a fantastic crease colour and looks exceptional with Mac Mutiny Pigment!

Rouge Bunny Rouge is unquestionably one of the best choices for eyeshadows if you fancy treating yourself to a product with luxury packaging, a buttery smooth texture and amazing pigmentation.  This shade, Periwinkle Cardinal is a soft green that would work incredibly well with Mac Shimmer Moss.  This is such a wearable shade and is really flattering on fair to medium skin tones. 

Urban Decay are always a good bet if you want eyeshadows with a bit of pazzaz! Strip is a metallic blue that looks gorgeous as a lid shade for a smokey eye.  It would look amazing against brown eyes! Maui Wowie is just a jaw droppingly shiny, metallic silver beige and looks especially good with thick black flicked eyeliner.  So that's my fave eyeshadows...what are your picks from your collection? Are there any that you think are must haves?

On another note, I was shopping in town with my besty, Pamela, yesterday and I didn't intend to buy anything...how many times have you told yourself that? ha ha.  We were browsing in H&M and we spotted these fab black leggings with metal embellishments down the outer sides of the legs.  On checking the price tag, they were only £7.99 so I just had to have them!  Pamela said to me "well, you have to ask yourself if you really NEED them"...I then turned to her and said "It NEVER has anything to do with whether I NEED them...it's a must have Pam!"

Weekend Update And A Review

Wow...what a busy (predominantly alcohol-fuelled) weekend! It's not big or clever kids! Myself, Chris and some friends went out on Friday night for some 'quiet' drinks...but somehow we got back to the flat at around 3am...not sure how that happened?! Then on Saturday night we went out for dinner with 3 other couples to a new Brazilian Steakhouse called Tropeiro in Aberdeen.  It was my first time trying Brazilian food and I have to say that it was delicious! The whole concept of the restaurant is that there is a big salad bar with rice, potatoes, exotic coleslaws, amazing spicy sauces etc and then the waiters come around the tables with chicken, beef, lamb and pork on skewers and carve it for you.  All the meats were SO tasty, So flavour-some and really tender.  It's a really laid back place so it's a great place to go with a group of friends. 

After the meal, we intended to call it a night since we had been out the night before BUT in usual style, someone who will remain nameless, suggested we go for cocktails at a lovely place called Mim.  It's a contemporary fusion restaurant/bar and they do the most AMAZING cocktails I've ever had.  I particularly like the french and strawberry daiquiris! Yum!  After alot of laughs, alot of chat and quite a few cocktails, we headed home and needless to say we were all suffering on Sunday morning!  A walk on Aberdeen beach sorted that out though!...yes Aberdeen actually has a beach!

And guess what??? The wedding DVD arrived!!! I was so excited when it dropped through the letterbox yesterday morning and it looks so professional! I had to wait ALL day to watch it because I promised Chris I wouldn't watch it until he got home.  It was torture!  The dvd is amazing and I love how it turned out...it is totally worth the money because having a film like that of our special day is priceless! 

Although I would love to share it with you guys, I have made the decision not to post clips on my blog because I'm sure you can understand that it's a very personal piece of film which features my loved ones and I just can't open them up to the public domain.  I don't want just anyone watching it and by that, I don't mean my regular subscribers/readers.  What I mean is that I don't want horrible anonymous comments that have been doing the rounds on blogs lately.  It would break my heart to have someone criticising something that is so close to my heart so I decided to just post clips of it on my Facebook page instead. 

As soon as I got the dvd's, I phoned my mum and she drove all the way into town just to pick up her copy.  I also posted a copy to Chris' mum because I know she's dying to see it too.  Mum turned up at the flat with a present for me too! She bought me a gorgeous dusky pink longline blouse from Next that is in a smock style, gathered under the bust with a babydoll feel to it.  Basically it's fitted at the bust and then becomes kind of floaty.  I love it!  It will be perfect with my new black jeggings. So thank you mum!

I picked up the Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara from Boots on Sunday because I wanted to try a new mascara for every day use.  Something that's quick and easy to apply with minimal faffing around and maximum impact.  I have heard some good things about this mascara so expectations were reasonably high. 

First off, the rubber wand is probably the fattest one I have come across with very short spikes.  I wasn't sure how that would work as a mascara wand but I was willing to keep an open mind.  The wand is a bit awkward to use in my opinion and on more than one occasion, I ended up touching my face or lid with it and getting transfer of the product.  I'm always really careful with my mascara because I'm a bit of a perfectionist but this one is tricky.  I guess you just have to be extra careful with this wand so it's definitely not a mascara for anyone who speeds through their makeup every morning. 

Once applied, the mascara gives reasonably good length and a bit of volume too but I would prefer if it gave me more volume at the root of the lashes.  Once the mascara has dried it doesn't budge and there no flaking or smudging which is a plus.  This mascara only costs £7.99 so when you put it up against the YSL or Lancome ones then yes, it is good value for money because it does perform quite well.  But something about this mascara just doesn't do it for me.  I like to get more volume in my lashes and this kind of made them look too sparse when they are anything but at the moment (I have been using my Revitlash and Loreal Renewal Sreum religiously!).  I would probably give this mascara 6 out of 10 but I don't think I will be repurchasing.  I actually prefer the result you get from their cult product 2000 Calorie...that mascara allows you to build really dramatic lashes!

Style Crush, OOTD & New Look Haulage

My style crush for this week is the only British Victoria's Secret model...Rosie Huntington-Whitely.  So we all know how incredibly stunning she is but she also has great style from what I can tell.  I love her casual looks of skinny jeans or leggings, leather jackets and colourful scarfs.  Whenever she dresses down, she mixes high street stuff like All Saints and Top Shop with flea market vintage pieces and some designer pieces too.  I always feel like it's better to mix high street and designer because it brings more character and diversity to an outfit.  Anyone can throw on a designer outfit, straight off the catwalk but it takes real style and imagination to mix genres and pricetags.

Even when she amps it up and gets glam, it always looks effortless because of her loose, wavy, flowing locks.  The epitome of cool is when you can come across like you haven't even tried!

I love the fact that she can dress in a sexy way without being too obvious, it's never brash or in your face, just a touch of leather here, a short skirt there.  I guess it helps when you have the body of a supermodel though!ha ha.  But in all seriousness, be it casual wear or red carpet attire, she always looks well put together and chic.

I often get asked about my 'style' on here and to be honest I wouldn't have a clue on how to sum it up in one word.  I wouldn't say I'm on the cutting edge of fashion as I tend to stick to classical stuff that I know suits my figure and lifestyle.  I tend to have basic staples like a black blazer, a white shirt or skinny jeans and I mix it up with on trend shoes, bags and accessories.  I never wear all black because I'm addicted to colour so I need at least one accessory or piece of clothing with a burst of colour.  Brights colours make me happy and they boost your mood!

Yesterday, I nipped into town to have a nosey around New Look and also to set out on my mission to get those sheepskin trim boots I have harping on about for the past week! 

Well when I got to New Look, there was only one pair left in the whole store and they were my size!  I think we can all agree that a divine force wanted me to have those boots! ha ha...that's the way I like to see it anyway!  I always thought they were black from all the pics I had seen in magazines but they are actually dark brown. I snatched them off the shelf and toddled off to the changing rooms with a pair of black 'jeggings' over my arm.  The boots are £34.99 and despite the fact they are quite high, they are actually incredibly comfortable and easy to walk in!  I ended up buying the boots and the jeggings and here's what the boots look like with my outfit of the day (apologies for the rubbish quality of the photo...I dream of owning an SLR soon!):

 I'm wearing a long white shirt, gathered under the bust from H & M, a plain white vest top under that from Zara, black ankle length leggings from Ebay, a black waterfall front blazer from Warehouse and my new booties from New Look!  The gorgeous pink and coral patterned scarf was a present from my brother's girlfriend.  She brought it back from Qatar in the summer and I adore it because it has a lovely sheen to it...

The big, brown leather bag in the first photo was one I picked up on honeymoon from Kuala Lumpur.  My everyday style isn't particularly dynamic but I do like to look smart and I generally wear heels most days. Here's a pic without the scarf...

The long necklace I am wearing is one I picked up in a boutique shop called Fran & Jane in Cork but I have recently seen it here on the Tallulah Tu website in gold instead of silver, like the one I have.  I always get compliments on this necklace because it is really unique and really adds something special to outfits.  It's one of my favourite pieces of jewellery...

This is actually the first EVER pair of jeggings I have purchased because I think I had seen too many people wearing them in the wrong way and was put off them a bit.  They always seemed to be unflattering but that's probably because the girls I saw where wearing them with short, tight tops and it just didn't look good at all.  I think the secret for curvier girls is to wear a longline top or blouse or cardigan with them to flatter your figure.  After trying on these black ones in New Look, I knew I had to buy them because they were SO comfortable and they really do give the illusion of wearing skinny jeans.

The ones I bought were £19.99, they have an elasticated waist, pockets on the back, horizontal sweeping seams across the knees and a thin black velvet strip that runs down the outer side of the legs...

 I really like these details that add a very subtle military/utility edge to the jeggings.  They look perfect with my new boots and I know I will get LOADS of use out of them for the colder months.

The last thing I bought from New Look was this braided leather bracelet covered in crystals.  It just adds a little bit of sparkle to everyday outfits and everyone needs a nit of sparkle in their lives!

It was £3.99 and has metal cuffs to protect the ends with a small metal chain to fasten.

I hope you enjoyed my very first OOTD and hopefully I can do some again soon.  Have a lovely weekend everyone! xxx

Makeup Crush: Brittny Gastineau

Another week means another makeup crush and this time it's Brittny Gastineau's look that caught my eye! She is a model and socialite who is friends with the Kardashian's and I picked this particular look because it uses bold jewel colours that work surprisingly well together.  I wanted to choose something completely different from my last makeup crush for a bit of variety.  I'm not normally a fan of wearing bold eyes and lips together and I generally opt for one or the other but these shades used together have created a really sexy, sultry look.  This makeup just feels so autumnal and wintery to me...almost festive with the pinky cranberry lips and intense green on the eyes.  It would be amazing to wear with an evening gown to a christmas ball!  It really is an inspiring makeup look that will push me to be more adventurous with colour.  I think it's all about finding the right tones for your colouring.

As I said in my last Makeup Crush post, I will always try to find out what products were used in each look, where possible.  Apparently this look was created using mostly Guerlain products and here's a rundown in case you are interested in taking a look at any of the products:

Model's Canvas Skin Ehancing Primer & Illuminator

Guerlain L'Or Radiance Concentrate

Guerlain Parure Extreme Luminous Foundation

Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder (Brunette)

Guerlain Soothing Moisturising Mist

Guerlain Ombre Eclat Mono Eyeshadow in 481

Guerlain Retractable Eyeliner Pen in Bohemian

Guerlain Le 2 de Guerlain Mascara in Black

Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in Gala

Guerlain Kiss Kiss Pearl Gloss in Amethyst Pearl

What do you think? Are you brave enough to try bolder shades at this time of year?

Want a Discount on RiseFashion.co.uk?

Hi everyone! So this is my second post of the day but there's a very good reason for it! I just got a comment on my post I did recently on the lovely clothes available on the Rise website and it was from the owner of Rise Fashion, Janette.  She stumbled across my blog somehow and has offered a 10% discount to all my subscribers on all Rise orders when you use the discount code 'liparazzi'.

I will add a button to my blog as well just so everyone is aware of it...Thanks Janette!

How To Cover Redness

I have been asked a few times to do a post on how to cover redness since I have high coloration in my cheeks and also used to suffer from quite bad Psoriasis.  It can be something that really knocks your confidence so I wanted to do a rundown of my tips on how I cover redness.  You may already know some, or all of this stuff, but the great thing about the blogosphere is that you can share info with eachother and sometimes you learn something you didn't know.

1) Don’t have really hot baths or showers before applying makeup – this will cause the red blood vessels under the skin to become inflamed and emphasise any redness you may have.  Try to stick to warm showers because you may end up overcompensating with too much makeup to cover the redness.

2) Use a skin tone correcting serum or moisturiser every morning and night, like Origins Brighter By Nature Skin Tone Correcting Serum, the Origins Dr Andrew Weil range or Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturiser or serum. Over time, this should make a noticeable difference in the overall uniformity of your skin tone.  These are products that work for me however if you have chronic problems with redness though, then it would be best to consult a dermatologist to find out which products would be best suited to your skin type.

3) I do an aspirin mask once every week. This is a really cheap way to exfoliate your skin, tighten pores, prevent breakouts and even out your skin tone. Click here to read about the aspirin mask.

4) It’s important to exfoliate your skin gently to smooth the surface using something like Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish with the muslin cloth. Don’t over-exfoliate your skin as this can just aggravate redness even more so just be gentle. What you are trying to achieve is smooth, unclogged, radiant skin without any extreme redness.

5) Fake tan is a life saver for anyone with high coloration on their face.  It does an amazing job of evening out the skin tone and camouflaging any colour difference.  You can use a gradual tanning moisturiser like the Dove one or something with more colour like St Tropez or Xen Tan.  If you have a bit of a glow, then you also don't have to use as much foundation which is a bonus.  Bronzer will work in the same way and I think it's best to stick to matte formulas to get the most natural finish.  I love Dior's Matte Sunshine Brozing Powder in Honey Matte.

6) It can really help to use a good primer after your moisturiser such as Loreal Studio Secrets Resurfacing Primer which will help to smooth skin, fill in any fine lines, even out skin tone and make your foundation last longer.

7) Use an appropriate medium to full coverage foundation like Estee Lauder Double Wear, Revlon Colorstay, Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Foundation or even something like Cover FX Total Coverage Cream Foundation. It’s best to opt for a yellow based shade as this is fantastic at covering up redness and brightening the complexion. Try and pick the shade that is nearest to your skin tone but airing on the yellow side. I personally use Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation everyday, which covers the high colouration in my cheeks perfectly and lasts all day long. I would say this is medium to full coverage so if you suffer from something like Rosacea then the full coverage foundation like EL Maximum Cover or Cover FX one would be better for you. It’s important to use very thin layers of the foundation because the secret of getting flawless foundation is layering. Don’t try and slap on a lot at once or it will look cakey and unnatural.


8) I would steer clear of green concealers.  I know alot of people would advise this in the first instance but to be honest, it can often give a very opaque and unnatural looking finish, especially if you only have redness on certain areas of your face.  It would be ok if the whole of your face was red but if there are just certain areas, then it can make the rest of your face look strange. It’s always just looked weird on me and I was told by my wedding makeup artist that yellow toned concealers/primers like Benefit Lemon Aid are a much better option as they give a really nice finish and brighten your skin without looking weird! 

9) It can often help to use a light dusting of a yellow toned finishing powder like Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder. This will have a similar effect to the yellow toned foundation.  It will set your makeup and help brighten your complexion and conceal your redness further.

10) The last and most important point of all is to remember not to get down about the fact that you don’t have the perfect, flawless complexion naturally. Most people don’t, but once you learn how to conceal your redness with makeup, it won’t be an issue anymore and you can feel confident that your skin looks even, natural and radiant!

If you have any questions at all about this subject, just drop me an email and I will happily answer them.  I hope this has helped some of you out there who struggle with the same problem.  All of these things have helped me and I don't think you can tell from my photos or in real life that I have discoloration in my skin so I hope they work for you!