Schmokin'

Last week my family and I celebrated my mom's 50th birthday (yay!) and so we went out for a lovely meal in an amazing Thai restaurant called the Baan Thai. How fitting! I decided upon a conventional smokey eye, beige skinnies, black embellished shoulder top and black wedges.

FACE
MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW15
Benefit That Gal Primer
Bere Escentuals Powder Foundation in Light
Benefit Erase Paste
MAC Select Cover Up Concealer
Natural Collection Bronzer in Suntint
ELF Pink Passion Blush

EYES
Estée Lauder Stay in Place Eyeshadow Base
UD Naked Palette; Naked and Buck
Smashbox e/s in Envy
Catrice Gel Liner
Essence Lash Mania Ultra Volume Mascara in Hypnotic Black
Inglot Brow Pencil in 515


LIPS
Barry M Lip Paint in 100


Top: H&M
Jeans: Zara
Wedges: Topshop

Im nearly at 300 followers! Yay! Thanks to everyone who follows me and reads my blog, I love you all!
Also, I may stop doing these face pic posts for a while and get down on some reviewing!

Love :)

Lip-Lock

I don't really have a good relationship with lip products. I never really have. For some reason in my little head I always pressume a certain colour will suit me, I buy it, rip off the packaging at home, slick it on, and low and behold it is the complete wrong shade for me. At least for my complexion. I don't know what it is. I always go for the wrong colour. I have gone into MAC numerous times to persistently ask the girls if they can match me to a pretty lipstick as I always pick the wrong shades, although the ones they choose for me aren't always ones I actually like, at all.
However, I do happen to own a limited collection of lip products which do in fact suit me. Here's a few of my favourite lipsticks that I find I always tend to reach for.

Top From L- R: Barry M 101, MAC Cute-ster, Smashbox Smashing Beam, MAC Politely Pink, Revlon Nude Attitude, Revlon Fire and Ice and Rimmel Spotlight Beige
Bottom From L-R: Revlon Really Red, MAC Strayin', Lancome Rouge Rayonnat, Maybelline Hollywood Red, Maybelline Ambre Rose, MAC Hue, Natural Collection Biscuit

From L- R: Barry M 100, MAC Cute-ster, Smashbox Smashing Beam, MAC Politely Pink, Revlon Nude Attitude, Revlon Fire and Ice and Rimmel Spotlight Beige

Barry M 100: This purchase was an accident. I actually thought it was the famous no. 101, Marshmallow, and it wasn't until I got home and whipped it on that I realised I looked like I had painted my lips with baby pink chalk. The texure is quite chalky, but I have grown to love the colour, because it's something I never would have thought to buy.

MAC Cute-ster: This is from the Hello Kitty Collection yonks ago. I really like this lippie. It has a lustre finish, and is a nice shade on the lips.

Smashbox Smashing Beam: This is a lip conditioner as well as a lipstick. The shade is quite similar to my natural lip colour so it adds moisture as well as shine. Win win.

MAC Politely Pink: Politely Pink is a really soft baby pink with a lovely lustre finish. Quite pretty and neutral.

Revlon Nude Attitude: I didn't really like this when I first bought it as it is a Matte and can be quite drying. The shade is also quite bland in colour, but I really like this worn with a brighter gloss, as it's the perfect base for any colour.

Revlon Fire and Ice: This is such a punchy fire engine red and I absolutely love it. I wore it alot when I had dark hair but I think it's such a perfect red that I can't really fault it!

Rimmel Spotlight Beige: This is such a gorgeous peachy brown that was recommended by Amy at Makeup and Beauty. She is a blonde and I have found this also suits me more as a blonde than a brunette!

gotta love a bitta those panda pjs.

From L-R: Revlon Really Red, MAC Strayin', Lancome Rouge Rayonnat, Maybelline Hollywood Red, Maybelline Ambre Rose, MAC Hue, Natural Collection Biscuit

Revlon Really Red: This is another one of the Revlon Matte shades. It's alot darker than Fire and Ice but still flattering. And not drying at all.

MAC Strayin': Another from the Hello Kitty collection. This is a frost lipstick and one of my favourites in my entire collection. It has tiny silver flecks of glitter in it which I don't generally like but I do in this case. This is such a 'poppin' lippie.

Lancome Rouge Rayonnat: This is such a statement lipstick. Is it just me or do Lancome lipsticks smell absolutely amazing!? It is so smooth and creamy that I always apply just enough. I love this colour.

Maybelline Hollywood Red: This is more of a deep magenta than a red. It's quite flattering and surprisingly long-lasting.

Maybelline Ambre Rose: This is such a sweet rosey pink and it makes me feel very feminine when I wear it.

MAC Hue: Although this is a glaze and im not that fond of the glaze lipstick, this is such a lovely shade and no need to wear a gloss!

Natural Collection Biscuit: This shade looks like a dark brown in the tube but more of a soft dark beigey pink when worn. This is very pigmented, and so cheap!

Top: From L-R: Johnsons Lipcare Stick, NYC Lip Plumping Gloss in Pink Champagne, Various Barry M Lipwands in Cherry, Toffee, Bubblegum, MAC Dazzleglass in Phiff! and Stila Lip Stain in Pomegranate Crush
Bottom: Sleek Pout Polish in Pink Cadillac and Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter

I love these glosses. The Johnson's Stick and Vaseline are perfect for both winter and summer, to slick on when lips get dry and chapped in winter, or when I want to channel a bit of effortless chic in the summer.
The Barry M Lipwands are gorgeous, as I have mentioned before. They come in such lovely colours, are cheap enough and last a long time. Oh they also smell AMAZING.
As for the Sleek Pout Polish; its sooo lovely! I got sent this by the fabulous Cami along with a plethora of goodies when I won her Youtube Contest yonks ago. For a giggle, you can watch my entry HERE.
It gives the lips such a gorgeous hue, and it last for ages.

These products are some of my favourite lip products, bearing in mind I am not exactly a lip product person. I yearn for the day when I can splurge on a Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick without batting an eyelid, (No. 13 Gardénia to be precise), and if it doesn't suit me, I give it to someone less fortunate, like my sister. Love you sis!

If there is anything to be learnt from this post regarding lipsticks, it is to always match your lipstick with your blush. :)

C'est fini. Hope you are all enjoying this lovely sunny day.
Love :)

Mermaid Sashimi

My sister always scolds me when I edge near the shadows in MAC, Boots and Inglot and then insists that I "have way too many shadows and never use them!". Amen Sista. That is too true. I have a huge pile of assorted shadows that I have failed to depot and that incidently come in a serious array of colours. I always opted for the mad colours when purchasing shadows, god knows why, because as of late I have been seriously embracing the neutral eye or an eye look of many browns. I find Benefit's Naked Palette to be scrumptious, albeit a little sparkly for my taste, but I have found myself to be reaching for those wacky colours in my collection recently.

I tend to switch back and forth, and when I feel like the shocking blues and purples in my collection are being neglected, I'll quickly pick them up and use them for a random look like this one here. I'm quite fond of the combination of MAC's Newly Minted, Revlon's Venetian Blue and the purple shadow from the Sleek Bohemian palette, and have used this combo on a number of occasions. The shades are all matte however, so I do find that a subtle wash of something glimmery takes the harshness away.

I've been consistently using my Bourjois Healthy Mix in 52 on my face, blended out with the Inglot Stipple Brish. On top, a swash of MAC MSF in Light Med and Benefit's Coralista, finished with NYC's Lip Plumper Gloss in Pink Champagne.

Earrings: Primark
Pearls: Primark
Hairband: Primark
Camel Long Sleeve: Asos
Trousers: Topshop
Crochet Bolero: Primark

I'm a total walking ad for Primark/Penneys right now. I always buy loads from Primark before/during summer. They do have some nice pieces, it's all about the rummage. Now I shall leave you and love you! I plan on doing a big giveaway when I reach 300 followers! Nearly there now :)

Thank you all for reading!

Aoif :) x

Ooh Cheeky Cheeky

I know I know. These pictures look so poser-ish. But I mean its not like showing off my makeup in a picture like this would be any better.

I recently purchased some new ELF products and this bright pink slightly Barbie look was born. I don't in any way compare myself to Barbie. Btw. Heres what I wore on ma face for a lazy shopping day to the Drum as I like to call it. Thats Dundrum shopping centre for those of you not in the know!

EYES

I used a mix of shadows from this No. 7 palette that came free with a mascara in Boots yonks ago. It was described as a Spring palette, although I personally feel the first two colours are quite Spring-y and the second two are more Autumnal shades. I used the latter.

LIPS

I purchased this Hello Kitty Lipstick from MAC again ages ago, in the shade Strayin'. May I just say I feel very proud to be breaking out all these oldies in my collection and rediscovering why I purchased them in the first place! It is a hot pink frost lipstick which I very rarely wear as I find it has quite the shock factor. My gloss is my fave Barry M lipwand in Bubblegum. And yes, it smells like bubblegum. I thought this lip combo would go perfectly with my blush, which was a recent purchase from ELF.

FACE

From Clockwise Top left: ELF Cool Bronzer palette, ELF Brow Set, ELF Pink Passion Blush and ELF Gotta Glow Highlight.

These all came in the mail to my surprise as it was a friday and I thought I would have to at least wait until monday for them to arrive. I wore all of these today to test them out. And I am quite happy with all of them. The blush has to be my favourite product though. If you've seen my recent Youtube Video you'll already know I love it. It is unlike any other blush I own, and that's why I opted for it. I find all the blushes in my collection to be quite a similar shade of pink, and this one screamed at me on the ELF site. I reeeally like it. I also used my Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, Bare Minerals Powder and L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara.

So there is my faaace of the day for you all, hope you all have a lovely weekend :)

Aoif x

Festival Savvy

To me, summer is about the festivals, the barbecues, the heat, the beach, the fun. But there is nothing worse than being unprepared for a festival. Believe me, I know. I've done the whole Oxegen charade, and it is safe to say that I wasn't as well prepared as I honestly would've liked. Now that I'm a bit older, and wiser , I thought I'd share my fashion and beauty tips with you as well as some general tips so that you can make your festival experience a happy one. :)

GENERAL

Try not to take your mobile phone with you or any other very valuable items that could get lost or stolen. It can only do more harm than good. I know you're probably thinking: "Aaah what if I get lost and can't find my friends and I need to ring them?", I hear ya, but chances are not all your friends will have their phones on them at all times, let alone hear it ringing amongst the crowds. If you really want to bring it, carry it in a ziplock bag to keep it safe from mud and rain and keep it in a safe place. Or make a small cute drawstring pouch to fit around your neck! Sounds daft, but I did this and kept all my valuables in it. I made it a long string one so it wasn't visible at all under my clothes. Find out how to make one HERE.

Bring loo roll, and lots of it! This one sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many people take yours because you brought it! Also, keep it in a ziplock bag to prevent it becoming damp or muddy. (Ew.) Squash the cardboard bit inside the roll flat to save room in your bag. Portaloos at festivals are not always the nicest and loo roll is one thing you most definitely need!

If you've been at a festival before then you know how jealous you can get over the group of guys who were smart enough to bring those small foldy chairs with them. These are actually a really good idea to bring with you to sit on during the day when you're not listening to bands. Be the girl everyone else is jealous of this time!

Bring a few bin bags. These are great for sitting on if the grass is a bit damp (and you weren't one of the lucky few to bring a foldy chair with them), for temporarily patching a leak in your tent, and for cleaning up after yourself when it’s time to leave the festival site. Kudos for multipurpose items!

Baby wipes andhand sanitiser. You need these! The wipes are great because you most definitely WILL get muddy. The sanitiser.. Do not trust the portaloos!

Water and more water! Many festival goers are more concerned with the amount of drink they are able to carry in their rucksack, but you really need water with you. Fill large bottles!

Snacks. The food at festivals is very overpriced and alot of the time quite dodgy. The sandwiches from the Centra within our campsite was all I lived on for 3 days at Oxegen. Terrible really. Bring snacks in small sealed containers so they don't spill or leak, and remember there is no point bringing food that will get squashed in your bag or foods that have a short shelf life. Some good ones are crackers, rice cakes, hummus, pre-cooked meals which have been cooled and sealed in tupperware boxed such as pasta and rice with mixed veg, and cereal bars. Many people don't want to be bothered taking up valuable alcohol space in their bag with food from home, but it really is worth it if you don't want to be filled up on, excuse me, shit, for 4 days. :)


FASHION

Dresses and skirts are probably your best best for festivals, and they are comfy, and easy to whip on and off. Jeans are a no go. If they get wet you will spend the rest of the festival trying to get them dry

Wear your wellies! If there is a lot of mud, your gorgeous shoes will be ruined. Bring a few pairs of knee high socks to wear under your wellies if it is rainy or cold.

Bring a rain mac or poncho. This was a lifeaver for me. Don't assume the sun will shine for the whole weekend! More often than not it lashes, and you don't want to get soaked.

Bring a hat with a brim to keep any sun or rain off your face.

Don't forget a warm jumper to wear at night if it's a bit chilly, or if its cold or rains during the day.

Bring a headband and a few bobbins to whip your hair up into a pony or messy bun to hide the greasiness!

BEAUTY

Bring sunblock. Slather it on every morning and a few times throughout the day to avoid getting burnt.

Opt for messy or wavy curls on the morning before you leave the house. If it rains your perfectly straightened hair will transorm into a frizz mop! Not sexy. Waves look effortless and chic.

Bring dry shampoo. If you're not one of those people who is going to queue for an hour to wash her hair this is perfect.

Remember that a full face of makeup is not going to look perfect as you won't have the room or resources. Bring a small compact mirror and a few beauty staples, multiples if possible. Opt for a tinted moisturiser, mascara, blush and lippie. If you slick on a bold lip colour like bright red it'll look sexy but not as if you've made a HUGE effort. Win win.
You also don't want to be hoarding around tonnes of makeup. Heavy = effort.

PLANNING

You want to plan ahead and make out a list of things YOU think you'll need for the weekend. Be smart about it. You won't need a full sized shower gel and facewash or a phone charger!

Here's my checklist of festival essentials :


Tent
Sleeping Bag
Extra Blanket
Fold up Chair
Bin Bags
Loo Roll
Camera or disposables
Drawstring Pouch
Money
Water
Snacks
Hand Sanitiser
Baby Wipes/Face Wipes
Underwear
Jumper
Rain Mac
Few pairs of socks
Wellies
Suncream
Hat/Hairbands
Sunnies
Compact Mirror
Dry Shampoo
Miniature Toiletries - Shower gel, deodrant, toothpaste
Makeup Staples

And thats it! I think :) If you have any more festival essentials let me know! Let me know if you're going to one aswell! :)

Aoif x