Christmas Gift Guide 2015: What to Buy for Her

Christmas is just around the corner and the shops are getting more and more crowded as the weeks go on with people hectically trying to find the perfect gift for their loved ones. Buying for others can be tricky, especially finding something unique, special and something that they would not usually buy for themselves.

In this post I am going to be sharing with you my gift ideas for the girl in your life who already seems to have everything. I have included various present ideas suited to different budgets so whether you are looking for something small or maybe you are willing to splash a little extra cash, I should have the perfect present idea for everybody.

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Pallets
I think that any makeup addict would be extremely happy to find a luxury eyeshadow pallet under their tree this Christmas. Urban Decay eyeshadows are my all time favourite; the quality is outstanding and the shade range is fantastic. There are 4 full sized Naked pallets on offer which include the Naked original, Naked 2, Naked 3 and Naked Smoky. Personally, my favourites are the original Naked and the Naked Smoky however they would all make a brilliant present.
Setting you back £38 for one of the full sized Naked pallets, with 12 shades inside each; I think that the value for money is great considering the quality, although on the other hand if £38 is slightly pushing your budget then Urban Decay also offer two smaller basic eyeshadow pallets at £22 each. The Naked basic pallets are ideal for achieving a simple day time eye and would be a great gift for somebody who is just starting to get into makeup.

Lush Bath bombs
There's nothing better than running a warm bath in the winter time and it is always such a treat to use a colourful fizzing bath bomb to make it even more special. Everybody loves a pamper night and I think that gifting a few goodies from Lush will always be a winner.
Lush have a massive range of pamper essentials, from their colourful bath bombs, sweet shower gels and luxurious skincare, I am sure you will be able to find something perfect.
You may choose to buy one of the pre-wrapped gift boxes which Lush bring out every Christmas, however if you want to get a more personal gift, you could select a few different items which you know your friend will love and wrap them up yourself.
A few of my favourite Christmas products from Lush include the Snow Fairy shower gel, Candy Mountain bubble bar, Luxury Lush Pud bath bomb and Cupcake face mask.

Lipstick
A luxurious lipstick will always put a smile on any beauty fanatics face, there is something so special about unwrapping a sparkly lipstick and revealing a clean crisp bullet ready to be loved. Brands including Chanel, YSL, Charlotte Tilbury and MAC are ideal and are bound to put a smile on their face. Red lipstick is timeless and you can also never go wrong with a creamy wearable nude- try and pick the colour that you think suits their personality best.


Phone Case (Sighh Designs)
I have recently discovered Sighh Designs which is an online store where you can buy various handmade/ hand drawn products including phone cases, tote bags and mugs. All of the products are hand drawn and I really love all of the designs and ideas. Polly Vadasz, the artist and creator is extremely talented and has come up with some fantastic and original ideas that I know many of you will love. On her online store you can find a variety of products although the phone cases are my personal favourite and I can imagine them to be the perfect gift. The phone cases range from £12-£18 so they make a nice affordable gift.
Check out Sighh Designs by clicking here.

Beauty, Fashion & Makeup books
There are many interesting beauty, makeup and fashion books on the market today which are a brilliant read for anybody interested in the topic. I have read and loved Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes many times and cannot fault it; I have picked up many tips and tricks from reading it and could not recommend it enough to any beauty fanatic out there. If  you would like to read more about my thoughts on this book then you can click here to read my review.
A few other books that I would also like to mention are Face Paint by Lisa Eldridge, Miles of MAC and Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual which would all make a great gift.
Reading something held in your hand is much more special than reading a computer screen and I love to collect books like these to reference back to in either my blog or researching for a project in college.

Makeup brushes
I am hoping to receive some makeup brushes for myself this Christmas so I thought that it was only right to include them in my gift guide. Good makeup brushes can be pricy but they are also a great investment which can last for years so I think that they make an ideal gift.
Real Techniques have good quality affordable brushes, I use these brushes almost daily and really love them. I would recommend the Real Techniques core collection brush set which has everything a girl could need for creating a flawless makeup base. These brushes would be great to buy for somebody who is just starting to get into makeup.
If you have a slightly larger budget then I would recommend the makeup brush sets from Zoeva.
Zoeva is a German brand and you can order their brushes online at BeautyBay. There are many different sets available ranging from £30- £110. These brushes are extremely high quality and I think that the sets are very good value for money comparing the price to other high end brands.


Subscription (Magazine, Music; apple music or Spotify)
Still stuck for an idea? Does your loved one seem to have everything they could ever need? Then maybe they would appreciate a slightly different present this year like a subscription to their favourite magazine or a music app. You could sign them up to receive their usual magazine of choice to their door every month- maybe Vogue, Elle, Glamour or OK?
Spotify Premium and Apple Music are both subscriptions you pay for to receive access to music offline and to listen add free. This would be the perfect gift for the music fanatic in your life.
I think that this is a very personal and thoughtful gift that would not be expected and a nice surprise that can carry on even after the big day.

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I hope that this has helped you out if you're stuck for what to buy for the girl in your life.
What have you put on your Christmas list this year?
Happy holidays!

My Kit Co Makeup Brushes & Accessories.: The Launch Party & Review

On Tuesday night I was extremely fortunate to be invited to the exciting launch party of My Kit Co which is a brand new collection of high quality makeup brushes and accessories designed for professionals by James Molloy. I had never been to an event like this before so I was extremely excited when my tutor from college managed to invite myself and 3 other students along to this fantastic evening.

The launch was held at the Cloud 23 bar in the Hilton hotel, Manchester, giving us the most amazing night time view of the city. On the evening we were each greeted with a goody bag and a quick hello from James himself who was very friendly and welcoming. We could really tell how passionate he was about the brand and how much effort and time had gone into making it the best he could.

Throughout the night we were treated to a live demonstration from James himself on two stunning models, Rachel Marston and Louise Cliffe where James showed us a few simple looks using a few of his favourite brushes from the collection. There was also a mini stall selling the whole collection of brushes and accessories at an exclusive 20% off.

Inside our goody bag, we were gifted one small face brush, two My Kit Co face charts, some brand badges and a handy clear pouch makeup bag. I think that these brushes are probably one of the softest I have ever felt and I cannot wait to start using them. The brush that we received in our goody bag was a small soft face brush which I can imagine to be perfect for applying precise powders, for example highlighter and blush.

I really need to improve my face chart art/ drawing so I am sure that these blank face charts will come in useful for me to get practising. I am obsessed with keeping my kit super organised and neat so I love clear pouches to keep all my products separate and tidy. I was really happy to see that we were gifted one in this goody bag.

Now onto the products that I bought for myself with the impossible to resist exclusive 20% off discount- after seeing James use the brushes in his demonstration I could not help myself buying a few of his recommendations! I bought three brushes which were the 1.6, 1.3 and 3.4.

1.6 Smoothing Shadow is a small compact fluffy eye brush which reminds me of MAC's 217 brush but the My Kit Co brush is more compact so I can imagine it to give a more precise application whilst still being soft enough to blend out colour.

The 1.3 Defining Crease brush is long and tapered so will be perfect to help achieve a clean cut crease with smooth definition through the eye crease.

3.4 Expert Line & Define has an ultra fine brush tip made from natural fibres, the shape and finish of this brush will be perfect for achieving an expert finish when lining the lips. James Molloy was demonstrating how to use this brush and he managed to create an extremely neat bold lip in seconds which definitely helped persuade me to buy the brush for myself!

All of these brushes are extremely soft and well made; from the solid wooden handles and tightly crimped bristles to ensure the longest life of your brushes, each piece is finished to the highest quality and I can definitely see where the care and thought has gone into the process of each makeup brush.

I also decided to pick up one of the My Kit Co makeup brush rolls after seeing how many brushes it fits in with such a small overall size. This soft and durable brush roll has multiple compartments and a protective fold, making sure that the brushes are not only protected but are easy to access and find quickly. I already have a brush belt that wraps around my waist however I thought that this roll would be ideal for when I want my brushes laid out on a work station and on view to easily access.

Have you ever perfected a flawless base then found a mark on the cheek from where your hand was resting? Me too! .. Well these Deluxe Puffs are designed to protect the face whilst applying makeup and can also be used for application of powder. I know that these will be great to use when touching up makeup on set, especially when photography is used to avoid any hand marks/ finger prints on the models face.

I am extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to go to the My Kit Co launch party as I know that the brand will be extremely successful and impress so many customers.

Check out the My Kit Co online website where you can order your brushes and accessories now!

http://www.mykitco.uk/

MAC Makeup Haul

As many of you already know, I am currently in my second year at college studying hair & media makeup which I absolutely love and am extremely passionate about. Last week us students were lucky enough to get a visit from one of the UK's MAC senior artists who gave us a demonstration of some current high fashion trends and she also treated us to a one off 35% off discount to redeem at our local MAC pro store.
I obviously couldn't resist the fantastic opportunity to build up my kit with such a great discount and in this post I will share with you what exactly I picked up on my exciting shopping trip!

Face & Body Foundation, N1 N5 N9
I really love face & body foundation because it is so versatile; you can mix it with other products or simply use it alone to give a beautiful glowing sheer coverage.
This foundation gives a light coverage and has a very watery consistency which may not sound ideal for your glam night out looks however I think that this is an essential in any makeup artists kit because it is fantastic to use on all skin types whilst being easy to mix with other products to give different effects- eg. mixing face & body with a small amount of a full coverage foundation will give a flawless medium coverage base without looking cakey. Face & body is great to use backstage for a catwalk model as the brief of these jobs is usually a very glowing 'skin like' finish with little coverage. I also find face & body to work perfectly for male makeup/ grooming.
I already have the shades C1, C3 and C9 in my kit so I decided to add a few more tones and shades to make it easier for myself to find the perfect colour match to all of my clients/models.

Sculpt & Shape Powder, Lightsweep Shadester AND Bone Beige Emphasize
I have been after some good contour powders for a while now so when the MAC girl who was helping me fill my shopping basket recommended these two compact powders to me, I couldn't resit giving them a go. Lightsweep Shadester is best for paler skin whilst Bone Beige Emphasize is perfect for warmer skin tones- both great additions for my kit to ensure that I always have the right shades for everyone.

Pro Longwear Paint Pot, Groundwork
I have used and loved MAC's paint pot in the shade Painterly for years so I decided to pick up one in another popular shade, Groundwork. The MAC senior artist recommended this product when she visited my college so I knew that I had to pick it up. The colour is a soft warm brown and I can imagine it to be perfect to use as an eyeshadow base on all skin tones as well as working alone all over the lid for an easy natural look.
I already know that these paint pots are extremely creamy and bendable so I know that I will enjoy using this.

Fluidline, Blacktrack
Gel eyeliner is my favourite form of liner and I have already used up an entire pot of this stuff so without a doubt I knew that I would be picking up another pot on this shopping trip.
I love blacktrack fluidline which I always use paired with a fine bent eyeliner brush to give a super sleek winged cat flick- it is by far the best eyeliner I have used and I will always go back to it.

Eye Khol, Coffee
I like to use MAC's Feline black eye khol for smoky eyes however when I want to achieve a more subtle natural look, brown eye pencil seems more appropriate. Coffee eye khol pencil was recommended to me by the shop assistant and I am sure that I will love it as much as I love my other pencils from MAC.

Lip Liner, Whirl
Along with MAC's eye pencils, I absolutely love their lip pencils so I could not resist picking up another in my recent shopping trip. Ever since Kylie Jenner revealed what exact products she uses to achieve her famous pout, MAC's Whirl lip liner has been almost impossible to get hold of- I must have dropped lucky because when I visited the store last week they had just received an order of fresh sparkly lip liners ready to be sold. Of course I had to pick one up and I now I should be able to see what all the fuss is about!

Lipstick Matte Royal
MAC lipsticks are my all time favourite and I always struggle to leave the counter without slipping one into my basket. I love bright, bold shades and I have been desperate to get my hands on this brand new blue lipstick that was launched just a few weeks ago and has now been made into MAC's permanent collection. I have never seen a lipstick similar to this so I knew that it must go into my ever growing collection.

Lipstick Moroange
I love creating high fashion makeup looks and bright lipstick is always a fun way to add a pop of colour or to be the highlight of the whole face. Moroange is a beautiful bright block orange colour that I am sure will look fantastic on camera and be really fun to work with.

Mineralize Skinfinish, Medium
Loose translucent powder is usually my go to powder for most makeup looks however when I want a little more coverage for say a glamourous party makeup or maybe a photography photoshoot where flawless full coverage skin is essential, a powder with extra colour and coverage is a great product to have in my kit. Mineralize skinfinish is one of MAC's bestsellers so I knew it had to be worth a try and I am looking forward to using it.

Fix +
Fix + is another one of MAC's bestselling products and I have heard people rave about its multi use purposes including setting makeup into place and to be used with loose pigments and powders. I have previously used similar products from drugstore brands that have a much smaller price tag so I thought that whilst I was receiving a discount I would pick up Fix+ to see if it really is worth the extra pennies compared to its cheaper alternatives.

Strobe Cream
Strobe cream is a cult beauty product that I have heard so many great things about but never tried for myself so I decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss is about. Strobe cream is designed to use under your makeup to help you achieve glowing and healthy skin whilst working as a good base for makeup. I decided to pick up a mini sized to go version of the stuff to try out before I splurge on the full sized bottle.

Oil Control Lotion
I have never used any skincare from MAC before and I was interested to see how this lotion would perform; I am guessing that it will be a great makeup base and it will be fantastic to use on people with a more oily skin type or for when I want the makeup to last longer than usual with a matte finish. 

Eyebrow 101

I am constantly getting asked questions about my eyebrows ... how do I shape them? what do I use to fill them in? what products are best?... Eyebrows can really compliment the face and can also help to enhance the rest of your features- they really do help to pull off a whole face of makeup. Keep reading to find out exactly how I do my brows and what I recommend to keep your brows looking their best!

Grooming 

Personally, I like to get my eyebrows threaded every 2-4 months and pluck away any stray hairs in-between treatments (I always visit Benito brow bar which you can find in most larger Debenhams stores). An good eyebrow thread will cost you just over £10 and whilst it is one of the most painful methods of hair removal, it is in my eyes the most hygienic and effective method when compared to waxing and plucking. Having said that, I do believe that after a few threading treatments, the pain will reduce and it will become much more bearable to face every few months or so. 

In comparison to waxing, threading is a lot kinder to your skin - constant waxing around the eye area can lead to skin sagging quicker as you age from the pressure pulled from the wax strip.Waxing also tends to cause more irritation than threading . Threading will always give a more precise and neat finish as your beautician pulls each hair individually giving them the ability to be in control of the exact final shape, whereas with waxing the wax strip covers a large amount of hairs so can be left with an uneven result. 

Everyone's hair grows back at different paces so whilst I only find that my brows need threading every 2-4 months, you may find it hard to last any longer than 2 months without running to your nearest brow bar and jumping in the next free chair to get a good tidy up. 

Many beauticians will advice against plucking stray hair's in-between threading treatments however I completely disagree and don't see the harm- especially if they're expecting us to constantly be forking out a tenner here and there whenever there's a stray hair poking about!
I say try and only go and get your brows done professionally when you're finding it too hard to manage or are not happy with the shape ..... As long as you get yourself a good pair of tweezers (Tweezerman do the best) and always use a magnifying mirror then you should be fine!  

Makeup .. (filling them in)

I can't imagine doing a full face of makeup and leaving the brows bare- it just wouldn't look right! Eyebrows really help to shape the face; whether your aim is to make your face look more round or you are trying to make your forehead appear smaller- your brows will help you to achieve the look you're going for. 

There are many different methods of filling in your eyebrows which include using brow gels, brow pencils and brow mascaras, all of which can be extremely effective and depending on your preference can be the ultimate makeup tool to give your face a dramatic lift. 

I personally prefer to use brow gels that come in small pots and are applied with a brush, similar to a gel eyeliner. My favourite brow gel is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade which I use on myself in the shade medium brown- I love this product and find it extremely easy to apply using a small angled brush. 

Everybody has their own techniques for applying makeup however I always draw on the arch of my brow first and draw a straight outline underneath the brow, then using a 'spoolie' brow brush (just like a dry mascara wand) I push up the product at the beginning of the brow to give a natural effect without leaving any sharp edges. 

Once I am happy with the shape of my eyebrow, I like to then use a concealer to give a sharp edge and tidy up the whole look. You can use any concealer you like although I always find it easier to use one in a pallet like the MAC Conceal & Correct pallet so that I can simply get a small detailed brush with some product on and draw out around my brows.
Finally I get a very small blending brush to buff out the edges from the concealer and give a neat, sharp look.

Depending on how long your brow hairs are, you may now choose to use a brow mascara setting gel to set the hairs into place. I like Maybelline's Brow Drama which I use as a final step to make sure the hairs stick in place all day long - you can also get this product with a hint of colour which could be used to give a more natural look or for when you're short of time in the morning and want to give your brows a little more definition and shape.

What do you use to fill in your brows? Have you ever had a eyebrow beauty horror story?!

Let me know if you would like a more in-depth video tutorial all about my eyebrow routine!