Kiss Everlash MD Serum

No sooner had my RapidLash run out than I was sent this new lash enhancing serum to try out. It was pretty much fate as I was in a wee panic. I had become quite addicted to the effects the RapidLash had had on my peepers!

Unlike the RapidLash, I hadn't heard of anyone else that had tried the Kiss Everlash MD serum so had no idea what to expect. All I could do was compare it to the RapidLash I'd just finished. I decided to leave my lashes for about a week just to give them a rest between treatments as well as to give the new serum a fairly blank canvas on which to do it's work.

The first thing I noticed was that the outer shell of the packaging is pretty impenetrable! It was like trying to get into Fort Knox! At least I know there was no way anyone could have tampered with my serum pre purchase!

The second thing I noticed was that when I applied this serum it stung to high heaven! Oh my goodness! I was nearly in tears for the first few nights when I put it on. I wasn't experiencing any redness or irritation that lasted more than a few minutes but it sure did hurt. What I've since discovered is that I need to wipe the brush on the inside of the tube before I put it on my lash line. I suspect this is a packaging issue. Not enough excess serum is taken off the brush when it comes through the lip of the tube and then it runs into your eyes as you put it on. As long as I remember to give it the extra swipe against the lip then I'm totally fine.

As far as the serum's results go, I'm thrilled. Obviously the Kiss Everlash MD had the advantage over the RapidLash as I'd already been using a serum for eight weeks. But in the last four weeks my lashes have really gone to the next level. They're not necessarily any thicker but they're certainly darker and much longer. I don't think I can go back to my regular length lashes. This is what my lashes were like in my twenties and I forgot how much I loved having such long lashes! Now I just need to meet some handsome boys to flutter them at!







The Kiss serum is £34.99 a tube and you can get yours' here.

Kisses,
Rebecca xxx

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OOTN & FOTN–The Outdoor Types Boat Party

A few days ago I talked about an album I’m loving by The Outdoor Types. Well, on Saturday night they had the album launch on a boat by the Thames. What does a girl wear to such an event on a balmy evening? Especially when you’ve spent two days in bed with the flu and probably should be staying at home.

It was all about the balance of laid back glamour and being comfy. The top is from River Island and was perfectly floaty when teamed with dark denim flares and five inch strappy platforms.

I kept my colour theme to the navy and gold in the top. I’ll do a post on my nails properly later in the week but they were a couple of custom blended varnishes. A metallic navy base with some gold domino style dots across each nail. My eyes were a semi smoke using a navy Naked pigment and a gold MAC pigment. I lined the upper and lower water lines with MAC Fly By Blu and the upper lash line with MAC Feline. I contoured the crease a little with a smidgen of MAC Carbon. My cheeks were Nars Orgasm and I had a honey/golden gloss on my lips.

Sorry I didn’t take more extensive pictures of my hair. All the detail was through the top and back and it was tricky! I curled it using my Babyliss wand and tousled it all up with VO5 texture spray and Oomph powder. Then I took a section to the left of my fringe and put a small braid in it, tucked it in half way down my head and put some grips in to hold it. Then I swept a chunk from the right around to the side on the left and pinned it into a not-bun. It was secured into place and decorated with a square tortoiseshell clip. It’s one of those does that looks like you just rolled out of a hedge, but you haven’t.

Much fun was had by all at the party. The band were amazing and, as usual, I was seen to be getting my groove on. Definitely check out the link I posted above. They’re a fab band.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

Superdrug Handmade Lashes

Superdrug are bringing out their own line of handmade lashes. These look amazing! There are eight designs to start with and they cover most of your lash bases. They all come with lash glue and can be used a whole bunch of times if you look after them.
They’ve just started to hit stores in the last few days. Watch out and stock up as they’re going to be on special for £3.99 and £4.99 until August 2nd. There isn’t any need to panic, though. When they go to their regular prices, they’ll only be £4.49 and £5.49. Bargain!
These lashes are like the rest of the Superdrug own-brand range as well. They’re all BUAV approved so you can look gorgeous without feeling like you’ve done the wrong thing by any kittens or fluffy bunny rabbits. Bonus!
Kisses,
Rebecca xxx

Today I Am Loving…

This kaftan top from River Island.

The Outdoor Types’ new album, It Is The Mercy. My favourite tracks are Down In The Swamp and The Murderer.

I’m poorly. I hate this stuff but it actually makes me better. Stupid Lemsip.Luckily my Mum sends over a box of cold and flu remedies including this every year as she knows I’m rubbish at being prepared or taking care of myself.

The Miro exhibit at the Tate Modern. I’ve been three times so far. I’m a member so I keep dragging all my friends there. I need to go on my own with the audio guide and be truly nerdy about it. I’m a long time fan of Jean Miro. In fact, I’m a big modern art geek in general.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

Airbase Foundation

I've been dying to play with Airbase for ages! I was at Illamasqua in Beak Street last week and the foundation and airbrushing unit were being demoed along with some of the lovely new Illamasqua colours.

I didn't get to play with the actual unit but seeing it being used was amazing. It's so small, light, quiet and portable! Not like the hefty, huge, noisy unit I had back in the day and was trained on!!! I'm seriously dying to get my hands on one!

I was a very lucky lady, though and was colour matched up with some of the Airbase foundation. Being the shockingly pale person I am I need to blend their lightest colour down with the new highlighter/white colour. It's a pretty quick process.







I use a nearly half and half combo of these two. It's a really lovely match and I don't need to use much. My skin is absolutely hating me at the moment and I'm suffering from the breakout from hell. The Airbase foundation has been layering up really well in those spots and I've not been using a separate concealer. I'm really pleased with the results and the lasting power is terrific. I have set it in this pic with a little powder but that's mainly because of my breakout.

I was given the Airbase foundation brush to apply these with but I found that it pilled off over my nose. That's never happened to me before! I rarely recommend this but using my fingers has been the best way to put this foundation on.

This is definitely a foundation I'll keep on wearing! Each foundation is £32.95. A little bit of this goes a long way. Especially if you're using the airbrushing unit. You can find it online at Www.airbasemakeup.com

Kisses,
Rebecca xxx

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New Hairstyle!!!

I've been wanting to do this for a while but was too worried that my hair was too thin and fine to do it. I also have a deceptively small head and face so wasn't sure if I could do a thick fringe. However, with my side fringe having grown out again I noticed I was looking older and tired. It was either a visit to a clinic for some Botox and fillers to smooth out my forehead or a fringe to cover it up. I needed a trim anyway so I opted for the latter.

It's weird, I always thought I'd be that girl that's full of Botox and fillers and plumper lips and every procedure under the sun. The older I get the more I'm resisting it, though. I don't know what's gotten into me! Trust me, ageing gracefully certainly isn't my style. It's entirely possible I'm just in denial about the ageing process having finally hit me! I have to admit, I'm also pretty horrified about how many gorgeous, young girls are running about looking far older than their years in pursuit of perfection.

So, for now I'm just going to keep my new set of curtains covering up my wrinkles!!! Hopefully that will keep the needles at bay for a little longer. I tell you what, though. My huge hang up is still my freckles and they had better watch out!!! The minute I figure out how to get rid of them, they're outta here!!!

Kisses,
Rebecca xxx

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NOTD - Models Own and Zoya

I got loads of compliments on this combo. Models Own Peacock and a nail on each hand with Zoya's Casey. I'll have to do it again!!!

Kisses,
Rebecca xxx

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Giveaway Winner!!!

I’m so excited! I’ve been saying for ages that I’d do a giveaway when I got to 100 followers and I’m finally there! Yay! I went to random.org and it gave me number 51. So I counted down to 51 on my followers list and it came up to someone that writes a blog I really love! Even more exciting!

So, Big Fashionista, keep an eye on your letter box!

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

FOTD–Very Bright Eyes

I was in the mood to mess around the other day. How unlike me. I’m loving the trend for orange and coral tones in makeup at the moment and I wanted to take that to a wearable extreme. I know a lot of people wouldn’t really call this look “wearable” but wear it, I did. I went into London and swanned around Soho with these circus colours on my eyes.

The three colours I played with were these:

The peach and the orange were mixed together and went through the crease. The pink went through the brow bone, over the mobile lid and along the lower lash line. I didn’t use any liner at all. I didn’t want it to look that “done”. I just piled on loads of mascara.

 

 

 

 

For the cheeks I put on some Nars Multiple in Cannes and then I mixed a few lipsticks together to pull the look together. It was Elf Rosy Tan with a punch of pink and coral. I wanted it to be fairly neutral but it needed the same tones as the eyes or else I was at risk of looking like a complete Picasso.

This definitely isn’t a look a lot of people would wear for fear of not looking truly “beautiful” but I think it’s fun to play and to see how far you can push things. I felt more beautiful that day because I was brave enough to go out with all these bright colours and not look like everyone else.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

One For The Boys – Murad Age Reform Night Regime

I’ve had a friend of mine, Tom, trying out a bunch of products for me lately. I thought it would be fun to have some male grooming reviews on here as well as my usual makeup bits and pieces. It’s perfect timing this week with Father’s Day on Sunday.

Technically, these aren’t male specific but they are unisex. That makes it a perfect Fathers Day gift as it means you can muscle in on them as well!!! We ALL know boys secretly use our lotions and potions when we’re not looking so it’s about time we got the chance to do it back!

There are three products in this regime. A cleanser, Night Reform Glycolic Treatment and a Perfecting Night Cream. They’re all designed to reduce wrinkles and increase firmness.

So what did Tom have to say about them? Pretty much all the things you’d want to hear about a product. As far as the cleanser went he really liked how it worked, particularly when it came to his beard. He really noticed how it got through thick stubble easily and left his skin feeling clean and refreshed. The treatment has made a noticeable difference around his eyes as well. That had been one of his main concerns when describing what he wanted out of a treatment. There was a definite fading of dark circles and the area around his eyes is substantially smoother. The moisturiser appears to be a hit as well. Most men complain that moisturising leaves their skin feeling greasy. That’s mainly because men’s skin is thicker and products tend to just sit on top rather than soak in and do what they’re supposed to do. Tom mentioned that he didn’t have that this with night cream at all.

All in all it sounds like it’s been a successful trial. It would be a perfect Fathers Day gift or even just a special treat for no reason. You can get all three products here direct from the Murad website. You can also get them from salons. Stockists are listed on the website as well. All three products together are £85.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

PS, These products were provided free of charge for review purposes.

FOTD - Nars Silk Road and an Electric Pink Lip

It's sunny so, obviously, I'm all about the pink lip again. I kind of went to town on it today. I teamed it with soft pink eyes courtesy of Nars' Silk Road, brown eye liner and a pink cheek stain. Tres summery!

Kisses,
Rebecca xxx

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Superdrug Restoring Skin Care Oil

This stuff is great! I love it! I use it on my body and some nights over my Alpha H Liquid Gold on my face. If you simply rub it into any area that has any scaring twice a day and it will start fading out before you know it. It’s great for dry skin as well. It’s packed with Almond Oil, Soy Oil, Grapeseed, Rosemary and loads of other stuff. I love the fragrance as well. It’s really comforting.

For just £6.69 it’s a snip! You can get yours’ here. Be sure to use your Superdrug Beauty Card too and collect extra points.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

Lisa Eldridge for British Vogue – Complete Perfection.

There is nothing not to love about everything in this video. The clothes, the styling, the divine makeup, the amazing hair. It’s so beautiful to watch the model in action. So so fluid. I do flinch every time I see the beautiful clothes go anywhere near the lip gloss! I know if it was me I’d have gloss on everything! I’m also in awe of her not sticking her stiletto through the sheer flares!

In a perfect world, I’d be all dressed up and made up like this every day. Sadly, I’m just going to be donning jeans, canvas shoes and some form of smock or smocked top as usual.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

Kiss Ever Easy Lashes

I was on a music video shoot over the weekend and part of the brief was to use loads of interesting eyelashes. So I got to go shopping!!! I’d heard about Kiss Ever Easy Eyelashes with their groovy little strings for quick adhesion so when I saw this pair I thought it would be perfect! There were due to be five artists doing hair and makeup for fifty dancers plus the artist so I needed products that would work well on a time crunch. Plus, the call time was 4am so it was highly unlikely I was going to be anything approaching lucid.

This was the only pair of “interesting” lashes from the Ever Easy range I could see at my local Boots. The rest were ranging from very natural to full. It’s a shame as they’re currently on 3 for 2!!!! I would have loved that! Here is the video on just how they’re supposed to work…

In practice I still think this is a brilliant idea. At first it was going really well and it definitely felt like the whole process was going super quickly. It was very easy to get quick, correct placement using the strings. However, this particular pair had a really stiff band on them so I had to get the dancer to close her eyes and then I placed her fingers on the strings so she could press down on them while the glue fully dried. Until I did that the ends kept popping up despite me having given them a really good twirl around a narrow makeup brush. I just did her hair while she held them in place as I simply didn’t have time to stand around and wait. The rest of the lashes I saw that weren’t so decorative all looked as though they had much more workable bands.

The other thing I wonder about with these lashes is the cutting process so they’re the right size. The strings are placed at each end which means if they’re too long for you there isn’t a way to cut them and still benefit from the easy placement process. The pair that I bought were quite short but I’m not sure about the more natural pairs. I think if you’re putting these on yourself as opposed to someone else it’s definitely the way to go and will make your false lash life a lot easier.

These retail for between £6.50 and £7.50. You can get yours here.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

FOTD – Coppery Smoky Eyes

I let my hair dry naturally today. Well, with some VO5 Miracle Concentrate, VO5 Tousle Spray and some Tresemme Naturals Mousse. With the volume, wave and curl that came with that I wanted makeup that reflected the same summery, dishevelled feeling.

I started by placing a pale peach shadow from the lash line to the brow. Then I took a copper shadow and put that all over the mobile lid, on the inner third under the lower lash line and in the inner corner. Finally, I blended three shades of brown to come up with the perfect colour to blend through the crease, outer corner and the outer two thirds of under the lower lash line.

 

 

 

 

I didn’t put any liner on with this look because I wanted to keep the relaxed feeling to it. I did, however, put on loads of mascara.

For the cheeks I buffed in some Nars Orgasm and the lips were some golden lip gloss mixed with a shot of peach coloured pigment.

My base was a couple of pale MAC Face and Body foundations mixed with some Nars Orgasm Illuminator. I got the illuminator from the May GlossyBox. I pressed in a few layers of the foundation and got a surprising amount of coverage from it. I then set it with a dusting of MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural. I quite liked the look the illuminator gave my skin when it was used all over. I’m yet to try it as a regular highlighter.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

Recent Photoshoot

I thought you’d like to see a little of what I’ve been up to lately. The model, Wan Li, is gorgeous! It was two very different looks in one fairly brief shoot.

I hope you like!

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

PS, the hair is by Chris Evans, photos by Stephen Norris

FOTD – Neutral and Lavender

I think we can all agree that this isn’t the best picture of me floating around! It’s been a very big month with a lot of working and a lot of partying and it’s clearly taking its toll on my ability to look like I’m awake! I’m wondering if that’s why my obsession with neutrals is still going strong. It’s so unlike me. Especially this brown and purple combination. This is a very subtle version but that’s what it is.

I started by mixing these two colours and putting them all over the mobile lid and a little above the crease.

 

 

 

 

Then I blended this lavender colour through the brow bone and down into the previously applied colours. No eyeliner, just lots of mascara. I had some Nars Malibu Multiple on my cheeks to give a pretty sheen.

 

 

 

 

 

For the lips I just lined with my MyFace lip liner pencil in Fair Nude and went over it with some Michael Kors for Estee Lauder lipstick in Hollywood Gold.

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

FOTD–Urban Decay Ammo Palette

It was another of those days where I wasn’t doing much of anything and just fancied a fairly neutral face. I haven’t used my Ammo Palette for a while so decided to pull it out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I started with Sin all over the eye nearly up to the eyebrow. Then I put some Chopper to just above the crease and shaded with some Smog to create depth. Along the lower lash line I ran some Maui Wowie all the way along. I wanted definition on the upper lash line but not a proper line so I went through the roots of the lashes with my Rouge Bunny Rouge black kohl pencil.

On the cheeks and lips I used some 2True Blush Pink tint and after I’d powdered I used a rosy pink powder blush and a candy pink lip gloss.

It was a super quick and easy look that didn’t require much effort at all.

 

Kisses,

Rebecca xxx

More Ways To Get Big Hair

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only girl out there with the same obsession I have with big hair. In all fairness, I don't actually know anyone that tries to reach quite the same heights (or widths) as I do.

As I've discussed time and time again I was "blessed" with very fine hair. Historically I had lots of it so it didn't look so bad. Age, London life and years of colouring have left it in a right state. About 18 months after I left Australia my parents came to visit. I was walking down a Paris street in front of them and my Mum gasped, "Rebecca, all your hair has fallen out!". Shortly after, while I worked at Space NK, one of the hair brand reps scanned my hair and was shocked at how sparse my follicles were. Indeed, it's taken a lot of hard work and effort to get that quantity of hair growth restored but I think I've finally cracked the secret concotion of lotions and potions that work for me.



I've ditched all the volumising shampoos and conditioners and only use moisturising ones now. My current favourite is the VO5 Moisturise range. I religiously give it a deep treatment once a week. My current one is the Andrew Collinge treatment. I also put VO5 Miracle Concentrate on it every morning. My favourite secret is Vitamin B12. It's made a really big impact on encouraging more hair to grow whereas the rest of my regimen is about keeping what hair I have from breaking off.

For times when I'm going out and want big hair like in the photo above, I get started as early in the day as possible. After washing I put Miracle Concentrate through the towel dried hair. Then I spray some L'Oreal TecniArt volume lift through the roots, smooth some L'Oreal TecniArt liss control through the lengths then spray Andrew Collinge heat protectant all over.

Now is the only time I use heat in this whole process. I try to avoid heat on my hair in an effort to keep breakage at bay. I flip my head over and rough dry the whole thing while I'm upside down. This helps to get that lift at the roots. Then I flip back over and go through it section by section with a ceramic round brush. After that, I put it all up in large velcro rollers in a brickwork pattern and spray it into place with some Lumenesse Super Charged Firm Finish Spray. I'll leave those rollers in as long as humanly possible taking them out not too long before I leave the house. They're not for curl, just volume.

After taking out the rollers I'll flip upside down again and give my hair a vigorous shake through with my fingers. Then I'll put some VO5 Instant Oomph Powder all over through the roots. Once I'm flipped back over again I'll make sure the crown has enough Oomph Powder and then the whole thing gets finished off with Tresemme Amplifix Hairspray. While I'm spraying I lift sections of hair to make sure it has the same volume through the lengths as at the roots. (I like my hair bushy as well as big)

This might sound like a lot but my hair is notorious for not being able to hold a style, curl or volume. Plus, I need longevity. The night the photo above was taken I was on my way out for a six hour 70's music dance fest in a basement that gets very hot and sweaty. Sure, when I was on the 5am train home my friend mentioned that the lift had finally gone out of it. He was fairly impressed when all I had to do was zush my fingers through the roots and the Oomph Powder reactivated nearly all of the original volume. It was totally worth the effort.

Kisses,
Rebecca xxx

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