Mini Lush Haul

I've always been a huge Lush cosmetics fan and today I want to share with you two products I have recently tried.

The first one is the Intergalactic Bath Bomb, I particularly adore Lush bath bombs, which in my opinion are the best in the world! I've tried bath bombs from many different cosmetic companies and nothing compares. I think I've tried almost all of them so when I spotted this one while I was shopping earlier today, I knew I had to try it!

I really love the colour of this bath bomb, it lasts a long time and gives off a lovely  peppermint scent which isn't overpowering. I usually prefer fruity scents or the scent of my ultimate favourite, The Big Blue but this was a nice change. I found that it really made my skin feel soft and didn't irritate it like a lot of skincare products do and I could still smell the peppermint on my skin afterwards. I also noticed that it turns the bath water a deep blue and green colour with pops of fuschia and golden glitter. I absolutely love this bath bomb and I will definitely be buying it again, yet another favourite to add to my collection, this is available for £3.95.

The second product I'd like to tell you about is the Mint Julips Lip Scrub.

I have always coveted one of these lip scrubs, having tried the bubblegum one in the past but at £5.50 I always found it a bit steep for what is essentially a glorified lip balm. But that's where I was wrong because this isn't just any old lip balm, the key word here is scrub. Much like a facial scrub, this does the exact same thing but on your lips. It basically buffs any dry or chapped skin off your lips to reveal a baby soft finish which is then perfect to apply lipstick on top of.

This product would be great for when you are applying matte lipsticks which often show up chapped lips. I use this a couple of times a week as I find it's not a product I can use all the time as it can be messy. I adore the smell and taste of this, the strangest part is once you have applied it and smoothed it over your lips you can then lick it off to reveal soft lips (just make sure you do as you will end up with tiny scrub grains all over your face) and despite it's price tag, you do get a lot of product for your money, I think this will last me years! Overall I'm very pleased with my mini haul.
Jen
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90's Inspired Make-up Look

It's been a little while since my last blog and today I wanted to do something a bit different, I was always a fan of the makeup looks of the 90's which usually consisted of matte brown lipstick, neutral eyeshadow and lashings of the now iconic Maybelline Great Lash mascara and when I think of this era immediately what springs to mind are the many supermodels of that time such as Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Claudia Schiffer. So today I thought I'd tell you about how I achieved my 90's inspired makeup look and what products I used...

I am so inspired lately by the makeup looks of various eras and I always try and create my own interpretation of them. I swear by some of my old faithfuls to create these looks and also some new products and tricks that I have recently discovered. 

This here is everything I use to complete the above look. The first thing you may notice is the microporous tape, a makeup artist actually taught me about this, I use it on the corners of my eyes before applying my eyeshadow to give a defined finish after blending a smoky eye, it's also good to use as a template for liquid eyeliner to get a perfect line. 

So in order of use, this is everything I have to achieve my look:

Boots microporous tape

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

Seventeen Falsify HD Mascara 

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara 

Maybelline Master Ink Eyeliner

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

Revlon Colourstay Concealor in shade light medium

Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation in shade Dawn

Naked On The Run bronzer

Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in shade 002 Hazel

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lip Liner in shade Mauve Moment

Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in shade Smoky Rose

Benefit Watts Up Highlighter 

The key to creating a 90's inspired look is to keep it simple - dark lipstick with lip liner to help define your lips and give the colour some depth and keep the eyes smokey but neutral using brown and beige eye shadows. I find bronzer, instead of blush also helps. Use browns and beiges on the eyes with a bit of black eye liner and subtle highlight and bronzer on the cheeks. It may be tempting to do some extreme contouring as seen on super models in the nineties but it works best for a modern day twist, with subtle contouring using bronzer. Apply a light brown eye shadow using a crease eye shadow brush, I use Real Techniques brushes, then simply apply in the eye crease slightly blending upwards and out at the same time. 

Try not to overload your brush as you will end up with eye shadow particles falling everywhere. The trick here is to start off with the lightest colour and then layer it and build up using the darker colours so that you end up with the darkest colour at the outer corners of your eyes and try not to blend the darkest colour all the way across your crease, keep it at the corners to avoid intensity.

My favourite part of this look is the trademark lipstick, no nineties look is complete without a dark lipstick. It took me a while to find the perfect colour for this look, as many of the genuine nineties lipsticks I had been recommended by people had been discontinued. I was told Toast of New York by Revlon was a very popular colour back in the nineties but I am unable to source it, the next best thing I could find was Smoky Rose by Revlon which really is a beautiful shade and not too dark to use for different looks.

I hope you enjoyed my nineties inspired look and tutorial. Share your ideas and creations by commenting! 

Jen

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Mog On The Tyne Part 2

So it's been a little while since my last blog and as regular readers of the blog will know, me and Lucy are not frequent bloggers which means that we only blog when we can and feel like it. So today I wanted to share some photos from my second visit at Mog On The Tyne cat cafe.

In this post, I want to focus more on the cats than the experience, as I blogged about that in my first post which you can read here.

The usual suspects

As I explained in my last post, the cat cafe is basically a coffee shop but with cats. They all came from Westgate Ark cat rescue centre and they each have their own traits and unique qualities - some like to play, some like to sleep, some like to pinch food and some are very mischievous. The stand out cats for me are definitely Stan and  Tinks. Stan is so cool, never getting too close although he does allow the occasional pat on the head and Tinks is very beautiful but naughty, attempting to steal people's food when they aren't looking. 

Tyrian

A visit here definitely makes me miss my cat and makes me want another, As I explained in my last post, the cat cafe is basically a coffee shop but with cats. They all came from Westgate Ark cat rescue centre and they each have their own traits and unique qualities - some like to play, some like to sleep, some like to pinch food and some are very mischievous. The stand out cats for me are definitely Stan and  Tinks. Stan is so cool, never getting too close although he does allow the occasional pat on the head and Tinks is very beautiful but naughty, attempting to steal people's food when they aren't looking. I know it's only a matter of time before I get one.

Whilst I'm a big fan of bengal and calico cats, there is something about black and white cats that I love, also known as tuxedo cats because they often look like they are wearing them. 

Watching the world go by

And then you have ginger cats, the bigger and fluffier the better! There are two ginger cats at Mog On The Tyne, I believe this is Jaffa but there is also Tokyo.

Tyrian is one of the more active cats who loves to play

Another of my favourites is Tyrian who is very playful, she loves to play hide and seek and pop out of places when you least expect it.

Of course it's difficult to choose favourites as they are all beautiful and cheeky in their own way. .

Rum the stunning bengal kitten

There is a good mix of kittens and older cats at the cafe and whilst I love kittens (who doesn't?) there's something about older cats that I love. I love the striking markings of the bengal kittens like Rum and I dream of owning one someday.

Sir Francis

Tokyo or is this Jaffa?

The beautiful Tinks

I love Sir Francis's cheeky little face and how he just loves to sleep and gaze at everyone with one eye open while he has his head stroked. Most of the kitties turn to putty in your hands as soon as you rub their heads though many of the cats at Mog On The Tyne have a back story and a rough start in life. Tinks was a young mummy cat who had four ginger kittens as did Gizmo who is mum of Maggie and Sir Francis the two black and white kittens. The cat cafe has given them all a new lease of life and a forever home.

If you are interested in giving a rescue cat a forever home then you can check out Westgate Ark's website here. I hope you enjoyed my second visit to Mog On The Tyne, more posts coming soon!

Jen 

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Back To Blogging! 

I've really missed writing up some blogs and reviews as I haven't uploaded in I don't know how long! But thankfully Jenny has kept the site running with her regular life and beauty updates! I have had some technical issues with my camera and uploading photos and I am a technical dinosaur when it comes to dealing with these issues. But hurray! I now have my blogging paraphernalia working again and want to crack on with some reviews of things I've been loving from my summer make up collection. 

Bare Minerals 'MOXIE gloss'

I was given a beautiful collection of lip glosses for my birthday and have been wearing them non stop throughout the summer. They are the Bare Mineral MOXIE gloss lip glosses. They are quite pricey and I would never buy all these shades at once! But I was so chuffed to receive them as a gift! I think they retail at around £16

I have the shades 'rule breaker', 'high roller', 'miss popular', 'stunner' and 'life of the party'. I've got to admit I'm not a huge fan of the names of the shades as I think they are a bit silly and also have no relation to the colour of the product, for example 'rule breaker' is the palest nude shade and I don't see how the name connects to the colour. Maybe it's 'rule breaking' wearing natural shades? Yes I am this sad and over think these things (don't judge me!)

      

I swatched the colours on the back of my hand and the shades are as follows (top to bottom) 'High Roller' 'Miss Popular' 'Life Of The Party' 'Rule Breaker' and 'Stunner' 

My review of these glosses is that they are some of the best I've tried! They are marketed as lip plumping and they really do plump lips up. They feel cold and tingly on your lips and it's different but nice. These glosses feel very nourishing and feel like they are doing something good for your lips. They have a lovely smell too! 

The glosses all pretty much all offer sheer coverage but can be built to medium coverage after a few layers of application. As the glosses are sheer they are good to apply over a lipstick to add gloss and plumping.

Wearing 'Miss Popular'

Wearing 'Rule Breaker'

The shade that I've been wearing a lot of is 'miss popular' it's just a fun, very light bubblegum pink and steers away from the more crazy dramatic and darker colours I often reach for. I think it's a subtle but cute shade for summer when you want a softer summery makeup look.

LUCY XOXO

       

My Top 10 Fashion and Beauty Icons

Inspired by Lucy's post, which you can read here. I thought I'd share my top 10 fashion and beauty icons, I couldn't possibly squeeze it into 5. I love the classic looks of 1950s icons, the red lips, winged eyeliner and fitted dresses, though I also love the simplicity of modern styles. So in no particular order, let's begin... 

 Marilyn Monroe 

Okay so it may seem like an obvious choice, Marilyn always seems to make it in people's lists of icons but there's no denying her look was iconic of the 1950's. I can't say I know much about Marilyn other than her signature red lipstick, winged black eyeliner and figure hugging outfits but there was just something about Marilyn that was mesmerising. Men loved her, and women wanted to be her -- or at least look like her. And with good reason. Marilyn Monroe was sexy without being trashy, and she remains a fashion icon nearly 50 years after her death. 

 Grace Kelly

I first noticed Grace Kelly's style in Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, in which she walked around in classic 1950's gowns complete with figure hugging corsets and puffed out skirts. Her look was so classy and elegant and again, classic of the 1950's era. Even her wedding dress screamed elegance and grace and was the inspiration behind Kate Middleton's wedding gown. To this day, I still find her style timeless and stunning, I just wish we still wore gowns like this. I feel that Grace often downplayed her makeup in order to let her outfits take centre stage. I would describe Marilyn's look as classic and Grace's as elegant. 

 Elizabeth Taylor 

There's no denying that Elizabeth Taylor was stunning back in her youth. Known for her winged eyeliner, groomed brows and bold choice of lipstick, her makeup was always so perfect and on point. She was probably one of the first icons to perfect the brow which made her overall look bold and stand out complete with her dark flowing locks. By far my favourite look of hers was as Cleopatra. 

 Aaliyah 

Many may not be familiar with the late R&B singer Aaliyah, who died tragically at the age of 22 but whether she was dressed from head to toe in an awards ceremony gown or casual with her signature tomboy look, she was always flawless and on point. Many describe her look as classy as opposed to the often trashy looks we see from some celebrities who shall remain nameless. Back in the 90's, she was known for her tom boy style of baggy pants, Calvin Klein underwear, denim dungarees and back to front caps, but as her career progressed so did her style as she experimented with bold makeup, gowns and ombre locks and because she was so fascinated by the ancient Egyptians, this was reflected in many of her looks. 

Katy Perry

I just love how colourful and quirky she is! Katy does what everyone wishes they could do and dresses like a cartoon. She's not afraid to be outrageous or daring and always takes risks with her style. I think she suits every look she tries, whether she's quirky and dressed up like a smurf or classy and elegant in a gown, whatever she tries, it's always a winner! 

Kate Middleton

Finally a British icon in my list! I love how she is so effortlessly elegant and classy but with a modern twist. It's like she doesn't really have to try but still somehow always manages to look sophisticated. I particularly love her casual everyday dresses with heels and a clutch bag. Her makeup and hair are usually subtle and understated whilst her gowns are simply stunning, she usually picks soft pastel colours which clearly work so well for her. Her look may not be for everyone and she has faced criticism for her weight but there is no denying that she has good taste in fashion. 

Audrey Hepburn

Of course who could forget Audrey? I love her classy French inspired look with strong brows and flawless makeup. I particularly loved her capri pants and flats look which was both casual and classy. I think her style is classic but yet so different to that of other icons around at the time as Audrey did not go for the sexy look, instead she was elegant and graceful and it clearly suited her so well as it showed off her natural beauty. 

Emma Stone

If there was ever going to be a film version of my life, Emma Stone would be the one to play me, I love how she can be blonde or brunette and somehow suit both, I love her quirkiness and overall style. She often chooses fitted dresses with a pop of colour which makes her overall look fun, modern and fresh. I don't think I've ever seen her look bad plus her makeup always looks so fresh and flawless. I particularly love her makeup in the Revlon campaigns. 

Gwen Stefani 

Like Lucy, I'm a big No Doubt fan and have been since their prime in the 90's. I've always loved Gwen's look of signature platinum locks, bold red lipstick and quirky outfits. Her style is modern classic as her makeup looks as though it came straight from the 1950's so it's clear she loves this era and is inspired by it. Since the 90's her look has evolved from blue tinted hair and edgy to modern classic. She's clearly found a look she loves and has stuck to it throughout the years. 

Lady Gaga

So her style isn't exactly wearable or mainstream but I love how she can transform herself and doesn't even look like the same person. When she first burst out onto the scene, her look was colorful, unique and edgy and has since evolved into classy and elegant depending on the event. She proves that she can do both but what I love most about her style is that she is just being herself and simply doesn't care what anyone thinks of her, she's just having fun. 

I hope you enjoyed my top 10 fashion and beauty icons, they may not be to everyone's taste but I love all their styles for various reasons, whether it's the style itself or the person wearing it and their attitude of not caring what anyone thinks. Some styles are wearable and some aren't but I like to draw inspiration from all of the above and sometimes incorporate elements of it into my own style. 

Jen

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