How to Wash your Makeup Brushes + Beauty Blender like a Pro

First off, Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful mamas out there!! I am many miles away from my Mum but she was really pleased to speak to me. I made her a special card and got her some special treats (makeup and beauty bits) which she said she loves! I have done a quick video on how to wash your makeup brushes like a pro. A lot of people dread washing their makeup brushes because it is quite a tedious process and I don't blame you if you hate it. I hated it at some point but when I learned to use the right products, I actually started looking forward to brush wash day. I have a similar post here on what I love to use to wash my brushes and it takes me a much shorter time to get them clean.



As always, I made a video showing you how I wash it. You can find a link here to the video if you are reading from an email. If you like the video, give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more. I aim to post a video every Sunday and I have been enjoying my little schedule lately. Thanks for watching and see you in my next post....xxx

DIY Beauty Storage Ideas #2

I am sure if you are a regular reader of this blog you would know I love beauty storage and I have quite a few. I am obsessed with Muji beauty storage (post here) and many other acrylic storage (post here) and I really don't know what it is about this storage systems but they just look damn pretty in photos and real life. However, I appreciate that not everyone wants to shell out on Muji or any other Acrylic beauty storage which is why I have some alternative ideas/tips on storing your makeup with items you already have. None of these ideas are new because I am pretty sure many people store their beauty items this way already but I thought it would be useful to collate some of my favourite DIY ways.






Chocolate Tin Boxes 
Many people would get tons of chocolates during Christmas and majority of these chocolates may come in fancy packaging. Once the chocolates are gone, it's time to reuse the packaging. I actually learnt this tip from my Mum who stores some of her beauty items in old cookie tins and they look so beautiful and fancy. I got this chocolate tin last Christmas from work and it's useful for storing some makeup bits like lipsticks and lipglosses as it is quite compact. One tip is to line the bottom of the tin with paper or leave the paper that comes with tin as this would help prevent any damage to your beauty item or the tin itself.







Gift Boxes 
I think these are my favourite DIY beauty storage because they look so pretty and they are large enough to store quite a sizeable amount of products. My favourite gift box is my Ed Hardy Love Kills Slowly Perfume Gift Set which I adore and it still remains one of my most used fragrances. The Gift box it came in is very fancy and well designed just like the perfume bottles. The good thing about it is that you can use both the lid of the box and the box itself as storage. I store majority of my nail polishes in this gift box and they look so lovely. I didn't use the lid as storage rather I put it under the box to give it some reinforcement as nail polishes could be quite heavy. My Illamasqua Alter Ego Mystery Gift Box  is useful for storing eyeshadow palettes and it looks really classy mainly because it is black. It is not as sturdy as the Ed Hardy one which is why I opted to store lighter makeup like eyeshadows so the box does not get destroyed





Old Beauty Subscription Boxes e,g. Birch Box, Latest In Beauty, Glossy box, etc
 If you have ever purchased a beauty subscription box, you would know the joy that comes with reusing the boxes afterwards as beauty storage. They can also serve as drawer dividers especially if you own an IKEA desk. The Latest in Beauty Box which was featured here is my latest addition to my stash of boxes and I have not used it for anything on my desk yet because I need to save space but I think it would be lovely as a storage for foundations. You can store the foundations upright or flat against the box and it looks beautiful either ways. I also think you can store your most used products or every day makeup here so you can just grab them if you are in a hurry.



I hope you have found one or more beauty storage ideas which can help you organise your makeup. If I had a large dresser or a lot of space, I would definitely use all my empty DIY boxes but I can't for now which is why they are not displayed on my vanity. You can also customise these storage options anyway you like and I have a post here on some more ideas. I hope you have had a pleasant weekend and I would catch you in my next post....x

Eylure Dip Brow Review- (DIY-Tinting my Eyebrows)

My eyebrows have always been sparse and I have never plucked it or done anything outrageous; that's just the way it grows. Over time, I have learnt to enhance it with various eyebrow pencils, brow kits and gels. I have threaded them more than a few times and I have even had it temporarily tinted (fail!) by a professional all in a bid to get the perfect eyebrows (do they even exist naturally?) and spend less time trying to achieve it. I came across the Eylure Pro Brow Dye Kit and I thought I may as well try having tried so many other things. So naturally, I was inclined to give it a whizz. Excuse some of my dodgy pictures; I took the pictures early in the morning and I was literally half asleep...all excuses!!!

Packaging

The packaging is quite clean and crisp with clear instructions of use. It comes with the dye cream (5ml) in a tube, a lil' bottle of activator(10ml) , a spoolie, a tiny applicator and a small groove in the plastic packaging for mixing everything. It promises to last for six weeks and you get 12 applications from this bottle.

 

How I use it

All instructions are included in the packaging but for the sake of this post; I would do a little rundown. I started off with washing my face and I patted it dry. Next, I went in with an astringent to take off any oiliness around my eye area because oil can interfere with the dye. While my eyebrows were getting dry, I released about 2cm of the dye into the groove and added about 5 drops of the activator. The instructions are quite precise and I suggest sticking to it at least for the first time. Next, I used the small applicator to mix it thoroughly until it formed a little paste. By now my eye area was dry, I applied some Vaseline around the perimeter of my eyebrow to prevent any dye spillages on my skin and it also acts a protective layer. Note I did not apply to my eyebrows; just the skin around it. I dipped the spoolie in the mixtures and gently brushed my eyebrows ensuring I covered all areas. Then, I used the mixing applicator to smoothen things out. It says leave it on for 10 mins; I left mine a little longer than 30 minutes because I had read other reviews who did the same. Once I was satisfied with the time, I removed the excess with a wet cotton pad and washed it off gently.

Results

Because I had recently threaded my eyebrows, the results seemed to stand out to me. My eyebrows were definitely much darker and much easier to work with and they just looked much more defined. I was really pleased and amazed at how much difference it made. Now, all I do is apply a little brow powder and concealer underneath to define it further; I am totally loving it. I am not sure I agree with it lasting for 6 weeks at all but it lasted for just 2 weeks which may be down to me vigorously washing my face. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has sparse brows as it is really good and easy to use. Depending on what kind of hair and skin you have, you may have a different experience to mine in respect to lasting power and how long you have to leave the dye on during the process.

Cost

Eylure can be purchased directly from the Eylure website. I bought this for £6 and there were no discounts and I was not really looking for any. I reckon you can get it for maybe less if you hunt for good deals or wait till there are sales in Boots and Superdrug or any beauty supply store you use. I got mine from Wilkinson which is my new favourite store for buying inexpensive beauty supplies.

Personal thoughts

I definitely love it and would be reapplying sometime soon because it is lovely and it has made a massive difference to my overall makeup and face as we all know eye brows frame the face so if you get it right, you have little to worry about. See you in my next post...x

DIY Makeup Storage Ideas 101- The Brush Holder

Hi My Lovelies,
I hope your week has been lovely. So, last month, I had some down time which i love so much. You know those mornings when you wake up and realize you don't have work to go to and the day is all yours to spend as you please...I cherish those days although they are really few. Anyways, on one of those days, I was a little bored and decided to try my hands on some DIYs . I had no idea what i wanted to make but it was just trial and error and if it worked out, i will blog about it ans if not, it will be chilling in my room...Promise not to laugh at this little DIY but here goes my take on a simple DIY Brush Holder made from Nido Milk Tin (ohh yeah!! I love this milk so much and the BF thinks I am a cat because i love milk so much). P.S. I made other DIYs but I will be sharing them later if you want and if not, that's still okay :-)







What you need
1. An empty tin
2. Tape (Cellotape) or Gum
3. Wrapping paper
4. Tissue wrapping paper
5. Scissors
6. Ribbon (optional)

Method
1. Start off with cleaning the tin to ensure there are no leftovers.
2. Get rid of the lid and insert some tissue wrapping paper into the tin (be very careful to ensure it actually sits in the tin.
3. Cut off the overflowing edges- don't worry it does not have to be too neat as it will be taped down.
4. Tape down the edges neatly ensuring it is secure and is laying flat against the tin.



4. Tape down the edges neatly ensuring it is secure and is laying flat against the tin.
5. Lay the other wrapping paper flat on a smooth surface and place the tin on the edge to measure out how much you wrapping paper you need.



6. Roll the first side of the wrapping paper on the tin and tape it down to secure it.
7. Keep rolling until the entire tin is well covered.
8. Place some tape in an inverse way so the sticky side catches the edge of the wrapping paper and tape it down. Alternatively, just use sticky glue or gum taking care to avoid any spillages.
9. Neatly fold the bottom of the tin so it is not bulky and can rest on a flat surface easily and tape it down.



10. Place you brush in and enjoy your new sexy brush holder all made by yourself. *Ignore my filthy brush-Today was not a wash day..:-)*.

I really hope you enjoyed this and let me know any more DIY ideas you have done that can help out makeup storage or any ideas at all; i am interested...See you in my next post...toodles...xx

How to: DIY Home Spa Facial Treatment

Hey My Lovelies,

I hope your weekend has been relaxing; the sad thing about Sunday is that it goes too fast and heralds Monday before you can blink. Sundays are special to me because I go to church and pamper myself in many ways like sleeping for a long time, watching different movies, reading magazines or lazing about as usual. The most important and constant routine on sundays for me is my Facial Spa Treatment which I do for myself. I know it is more fun to have someone do it for me but I doubt if I can coax the BF to learn...hehehehe. I don't mind doing it myself though; it's still fun. I am going to share my home facial spa routine with you...let's get started

                                                               Cleanse

This is my number one step as always and I go to my trust L'Oreal Micellar Solution (previously raved about here) and wipe off any makeup on my face. I use cotton pads for this and it feels refreshing like water which is why I love it and it takes off my makeup effectively. I use the Lancome Cleansing Milk for my eyes because it is effective, hydrating and gentle; I love this lil sample so much. Next, I grab my favourite cleansing tool, my body shop facial brush armed with the Balance Me Cleansing Wash (mini review) and scrub gently to remove any traces of makeup still left and rinse. I pat my face with my face towel but I leave it a little damp for my next step.

                                                                    Mask it up

Next, I apply a thin layer of the Aqua Mineral Spa Mud Mask which has been featured here already. I apply in a circular motion to encourage circulation by nudging the blood flow to the top of my skin. This helps to draw out any dirt or oil or makeup that may have been embedded in my skin through the week that have escaped my powerful cleansers. I leave this on for about 15 minutes or so and rinse off ensuring no residue is left. I prefer to use mildly warm water.

                                                              Gentle Exfoliation

Knowing that some dead skin may be lurking around with the embedded impurities removed by the mud mask, I use the Lancome Smoothing Exfoliating Cream which has micro bead which are gentle but effectively remove dead skin cells from the skin's surface without bruising delicate skin. I love this product and it smells really nice although I know many ladies prefer skin care products to be free from fragrance. I use this also in circular motions to encourage blood flow and leave it on for a minute or two and rinse off.

                                                                 Toners

Next step is the toning with the Lancome Hydrating Toner (review here) which helps balance out the PH of my skin from all the drying out of the above steps. I particularly like this toner because it is also hydrating and does not contain alcohol so it leaves your skin soft, hydrated and PH balanced.

                                                                    Moisturise

Now that the skin is back to its balanced PH, I moisturise it with my favourite moisturiser which is actually an oil. I know many people who have oily skin are scared to use oils on their face with good reason. But there are oils and there are oils! If you opt for oils that are sources from the most natural sources ever, you will find that it is absorbed into your skin easily without leaving the evil shine we hate so much. That's exactly what you get with the Gamila Secret Facial Oil (review coming soon). To say, I love this oil will be an understatement. It feeds and nourishes my skin and I use it both morning and night and especially for my spa treatment. I apply this lightly on my face with a gentle massage.

                                                               Hydrate

I know many people will have done this step before using the oil but i prefer it this way and this has worked better for me. I prefer to put some moisture and water back to hydrate my skin after using my oil. As i mentioned earlier, the Gamila Secret Oil gets absorbed within two to three minutes so I use the Lancome Hydrating Mask to lock everything in. This mask really really makes my skin feel soft. I apply some of it on my face, leave it to absorb for about 5-7 minutes as wipe off any excess. Note: i only wipe off the excess not the product in itself. I leave this on over night. In the morning, I wake up to the softest and most glowing face ever. Sometimes, I add a little eye cream like the one below which is the Lancome Absolue Precious Cells Eye Cream.

You can see why I love Sundays a lot because it is my day; a day where I do all the things I have dreamt of all week and I honestly think my sundays give me the motivation for the previous week. I hope you enjoyed my Home Spa Facial Edition. Have a blessed week ahead and see you in my next post...toodles...xxx

Makeup Storage Ideas: How to Organise your Makeup and Beauty Stash

Hey Lovelies,
I hope everyone has had a super weekend. I know I did and  I am unashamedly looking forward to next weekend..As you may or may not know, I love beauty and makeup items and I do have quite a few of them...I'm lying, I have quite a good number of them. The most important thing in acquiring these makeup and beauty product is ensuring they are properly stored to increase their longevity and prevent them from getting damaged. In addition, you want to store your makeup in a way that makes it easy for you to reach them easily. Of course Pareto's 80-20 principle applies to makeup, at least for me, I tend to use 20% of my make up 80% of the time which means I have my most reached for and Go-to everyday make up essentials (blog post here) and the items in my make up bag (blog post here). I love to arrange and store my makeup in an easy and attractive way for the above reasons. I would share with  you all a few storage bits and bobs and how I organize my beauty and makeup. Let's get started..



                                             Wicker Compartmentalised Basket- Unknown Origin
This was given to me by my lovely flatmate when I moved into the flat. I am not sure where she bought it (She does not know either as it was for her cousin; it has indeed served many people well) but I love it because it functions like a miniature dresser/vanity table since I don't have one at the minute. It is quite sturdy and has different compartments which is why I love it so much. I don't have any set arrangements for the items included but I tend to just throw in all my beauty and hair bits into the largest section. 



The smaller compartments house a few of my my make up bits which I reach for every now and then such as my YSL Touche Eclat foundation (review here), Maybelline Fit Me Foundation (review here) and  Fit Me Powder. I also store my Illamasaqua Makeup products which were included in the Mystery Alter Ego box (review here). One of the outer section stores all my brushes including my mostly reached for brushes like my beloved Real Techniques Brushes (review here). As you can see from the picture, I don't have too many makeup brushes; just a few nice ones and I think they serve me really well. That's all I have in the wicker compartment basket.




                                      Muji Storage Two Tier Cabinet (Find it here)
I really love this cabinet and it had been popular on beauty blogs and YouTube at some point. I love all products from MUJI because they are affordable, unique and great quality. I could not wait to get my hands on it and I hope to add more to it. At the moment, I just have one although I could do with more.It is made from Acrylic with two drawers which can slide in and out easily. 



They are very sturdy and solid which is why I love them. They are also easy to clean which is big plus for me in case I have some spillage or  I just want to give it a cheeky little clean. The first drawer houses all my Drug Store and MAC Lipstick. 





As you can see, I don't have a lot of High End Lipsticks in fact the only High End ones I have in here are from MAC which I got free from their Back to MAC programme. I love how this drawer fits all these lipsticks and it is transparent as well so I can see and reach for them easily. I also store a few lip glosses here although I am not a huge fan of lip glosses.





The next drawer houses all my samples mainly from Lancome which I totally love. I love this drawer a lot and I open it every time I feel like giving my skin a home made little spa pamper treatment because I know I would always find the right product in here.




                                                 3 Tier Mini Cabinet/Drawer - Poundland
This was my latest addition to my make up storage family and incidentally it is the cheapest. I got this for only £1 from Poundland near where I live. I was absolutely delighted and I greedily went back to buy more and it was sold out. I was mortified. At least, I was wise enough to buy two at the time. 



As you can see from the pictures, it has three drawers which do not open to the end. Of course, this drawer set is nowhere near as sturdy as my Muji one but it serves its purpose for organising my makeup. 



Majority of the compartments are used to store my Sally Hansen Lipsticks and a few NYC lipsticks while a few compartments store random things like eyelash glue, primers and back up makeup products like my Maybelline Fit Me concealer and Model Co Mascara. I really like this little drawer and I have not experienced any hiccups with it except for the occasional unwarranted movements as it is not the sturdiest drawer but, then, it only cost £1, so I am not complaining. AT ALL.




                                      Acrylic Makeup Organiser- Amazon (Find it here)
I think this was one of the first makeup organiser/storage I ever bought and it is pretty old; I think I have had it since 2010. I love how you can use it for anything you want. Formerly,  I stored all the makeup I reached for every morning in it because it had many nice compartments as you can see from the pictures where you could store lipsticks, foundation, powder, etc. 



Now, I have upgraded it to a nail polish organiser where I store my smaller nail polishes in the small compartments and bigger ones in the larger section. I still have some other nail polishes which do not fit into it but I store them elsewhere. At the moment, this stores all my Lancome Vernis in Love Collection nail polishes which has been reviewed here..



The only downside is it is difficult to clean because some areas are really narrow and hard to reach. I don't know how but some ink got into it and I have just not been able to clean it properly but all in all, I think it is a brilliant lil'piece and it is perfect for any beginner who is just building their makeup stash.



The beauty of makeup storage is you can find them anywhere especially in the most random shops ever. You can also be creative and make yours out of any old random bits which you may have lying around in the house; those are more affordable than some of these lot. All you have to be is creative and do it. I hope you enjoyed this post. It seems like a little while since I posted, I guess it's simply because I was posting everyday last week but since I have a few deadlines, my posts may be fewer but I always enjoy reading your comments and feedback. Have a blessed week ahead...xxx..toodles..