GIMMI BROW

So the newest product to be launched from Benefit Cosmetics line is finally here... and it's amazing!
'Gimmi brow' is a brush on gel that leaves natural looking fibres on the skin and hair for fuller filled out brows. The brush allows for precision and shaping. You can go for a natural look with this product and also for a full on intense brow by building. It lasts all day and keeps your brows in place and is also (Thank God) water resistant. I literally love this stuff. It comes in two shades, light/medium and medium/dark, having used all of Benefits brow products I find this one the easiest and most natural looking. It also works well with 'Browzings'. Don't get it mistaken for 'Speed brow' which is a translucent brow gel purely for setting the brow hairs whereas 'Gimmi brow' also applies colour.

But.. seeing as I'm giving an honest review I feel is should also tell you guys what I found to be the negatives (There are hardly any). If you have quite thick jet black eyebrows this product may not be for you and I would recommend 'Speed brow' instead because 'Gimmi brow' is so pigmented it comes out an ashy colour on jet black as the darkest shade is a dark brown. One other thing that isn't entirely a negative is that the brush holds a lot of the gel on it so it can get messy if you don't realise this. I recommend practising in the mirror a few times to get your desired look or even going to any benefit counter and asking them for a make up lesson in how to apply it once you've bought it. They would be more than happy to help.

Here is a before and after I did on a client.

 

 

Mwah xo

Skin love

I love my skin! How many of you can say that? Hopefully all of you! Skin care is the blueprint to feeling and looking amazing with or without makeup. Im just gonna run thought a few remedies i use to keep my skin healthy and glowing. 

Breakouts are somewhat unavoidable, i doubt you will find anyone who has perfect skin all year round, your skin has to naturally goes through phases in order to repair itself. I find even the application of makeup so much easier on healthy skin. Here are a few tips, remedies and products i recommend :)

DRY SKIN - (that's me!) - If you have dry skin the main tip you need to always remember is YOU CAN NEVER OVER MOISTURISE... okay you can obviously but basically its easier to care for oily skin than dry skin. I use a Coconut oil, honey and olive oil (homemade of course) solution on my face once every few days and leave on my skin for up to an hour, i count this as my 'deep condition, speaking in terms of hair (don't ask, it makes sense to me this way). This is just a way of keeping your skin intensely hydrated for a long enough period of time to liven up your skin. Depending on how dry your skin is i recommend moisturising at least 3 times day. My way of avoiding getting over greasy skin is Tea Tree Oil (god send!) Tea tree oil is available in most chemists and drug stores but be sure you are getting products with a good amount of Tea Tree and not some sketchy mixture with 0.01% pure Tea Tree inside. As long as you control how dry/oily your skin gets you should get on fine with your skin, when you feel your skin tightening just do a 'deep condition' its all about figuring out what is right for your skin

***The (only) good thing about having dry skin on your face is that your skin cant usually get oily enough to give you spots! Woop!

OILY SKIN -

I find Tea tree oil works well on Oily skin as it dries out the skin and kills the buildup of bacteria caused by the excess oil that causes spots. A lemon juice and sugar scrub one or twice a week is very helpful as the lemon juice controls the oils and the sugar works as an exfoliater. Just make sure you find a non greasy moisturizer such as Aveeno cream, which is a deep moisturiser but the thin viscosity of it means it doesn't make your skin oilier it just keeps it smooth, and avoid moisturizing more than once a day, and more in winter as your skin dries out more then. Dusting a bit of baby powder on your face when your not wearing makeup can give you that natural look without shining bright like a diamond and the baby powder just ;eaves your skin feeling silky smooth.

DAMAGED/SCARRED SKIN - 

For dark areas and hyper pigmentation I find this video by YouTube's fabulous BritPopPrincess (Patricia Bright) sooo helpfull http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAEPzz0NSGo

IRRITATED SKIN -

One simple step that calms down irritated skin is oats! Yes like what you use to make porridge. If you have an area of skin that has inflamed or come out in an irritated rash mix plain oats with honey, or even just plain oats and a few drops of water.Layer it on and after 10-15 minutes rinse off gently and the area should have gone down. Do not apply to open wounds!

Products: 

- Shea Butter (PURE) http://uk.loccitane.com/100--pure-mini-shea-butter,83,1,29776,269684.htm Yes its expensive but the difference between the pure stuff and the non pure stuff is so noticeable. It really is worth it. I get mine handmade from Nigeria when i go in bulk so i guess I'm kind of cheating but if you have access to it, take advantage! Leaves your skin feeling silky smooth.

- Castor Oil (PURE) This one is much cheaper! http://www.loveafrocosmetics.com/west-indian-castor-oil-1001-p.asp can usually be found in most local Asian shops or Afro hair shops for about £2.00. Softens skin and also is AMAZING on your hair. Perfect two in one, hair and beauty product. Use sparingly as too much can make your skin feel greasy and unpleasant. Try mixing a drop in with your moisturiser and see how it works for you. Castor oil is what is knows as a warming oil so is perfectly suited to dry skin. 

- Tea Tree Oil - http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/shop-by-range/tea-tree/tea-tree-oil.aspx?cm_mmc=FusePump-_-GoogleShopping-_-TagMan-_-Link&gclid=CODitdqT57gCFS3HtAodADgALA This is the one oil that is not always necessary in its pure form simply because a lot of peoples skin cant handle the strength of it as its a powerful oil. Personally my skin is fine with pure and i do prefer that to anything else but even a Tea Tree face wash or something containing Tea Tree will be just as effective. Tea Tree is anti fungal/bacterial and draws out impurities to leave you with clear skin. If you feel a spot coming a long before it pops out just dab some Tee Tree and I'm telling you when you wake up there will be nothing there! #Amaze

Mwah xo

Hope this is helpful

Accentuate or cover up?

When I hear people (usually guys) complaining about girls being deceiving with how much makeup they use, and being called fake it really makes me wonder who they are seeing because no amount of makeup can truly disguise how someone looks! Obviously I have seen lots of makeup disasters in my life and know just how bad it can look, but assuming these girls who are 'deceiving people' is because they look 'better' with makeup means they are applying it well if it really manages to trick a person. The picture of Katy Perry without makeup that circulated the Internet a few years ago that 'shocked' people was ridiculous,1. She was in bed, most likely just got up, puffy face! Tired! 2. It's a picture! (have you never got a bad angle) 3. Cameras highlight impurities which is why actors/actress (even men) wear makeup, It still looks like her! Yes she looks rough but not unrecognisable, she looks real if anything, I still think she is beautiful, the thing about a persons face without makeup and with is that makeup will always look a certain way whereas your skin changes for so many different reasons, I have periods of time when my skin just doesn't agree with me and my face always looks puffy without makeup and other times my skin will look flawless, so many different factors affect this! Weather, hormones, stress?! So basically my point is Katy Perry most likely doesn't look exactly like that every time she isn't wearing makeup. The makeup she wears doesn't change the way she looks it just accentuates her good features. Her already striking eyes are made to stand out and her pale skin is given a glow. I think Rihanna is another example of someone who does the makeup thing right,  she never looks heavily made up and when she does her already beautiful skin tone is focused on with bronzer to bring out the golden undertones and her lips are always made to stand out with her statement lipstick and dewy eyes. For the people who complain about makeup all I can think is are people so shallow that they cant look past it. If someone wants to wear makeup they should feel free to do so, but like anything else if your going to do it do it well and for those who feel uncomfortable without makeup need to accept that nobody is perfect and being comfortable and confident in your own skin is key! I went through a period when I felt like this and would never leave the house without makeup on but I soon realised that covering what I thought was the problem was not helping so I became a little obsessed with skin care (Will do a post on my skincare regime) and let's be honest ladies, what is more sexy than flawless silky smooth skin!
Wow mini rant over :D
Thanks for reading
Mwah xo