Just a quick post to share 2 things I am absolutely loving at the minute

• Big Brows – I started growing my eyebrows out again a few months back. The in between stage wasn’t so great, but now that they are mostly back to their unplucked glory I think they look major. A fuller brow definitely makes for a more youthful face and I’ve even taken to filling them in darker than usual. Though if I go overboard and start resembling Helena Bonham-Carter please be sure to have a kind word with me!
• Barry M WINK Eyeliner – A complete revelation for me. I am serious when I say even the most cack-handed person could apply great liner with this. Best of all it’s just £4.99 and doesn’t budge all day! I have the stunning Aine of Peasoupeats to thank for this discovery!

Toodle pip! xo

My annual obsession with all things Christmas continues to gather speed.

I just couldn’t resist buying these two ridiculously glittery nail polishes from Sally’s.

The O.P.I Holiday Collection is just gorgeous, especially “Dear Santa” which is a tomato red sparkly number. However it was “Smitten with Mittens” that won me over. It has a deeper red hue laced with gold glitter, a tad more sophisticated (well as much as a glitter bomb varnish can be…) and wearable.

I also couldn’t leave China Glaze Emerald Sparkle sitting on its a lonesome. It seems this little bottle didn’t manage to find a home in Winter 2008. I’m going to try and show it some love, perhaps in the form of some Christmas themed tacky nail art incorporating Smitten with Mittens….

xox

And the lucky winners of the “Tidy up time” Nail Competiton are:

1st Prize – C Beth Glitter

2nd Prize – Sarah

3rd Prize – Olga

4th Prize – Sassyele

Well done winners! Please email your postal adress to arlene@dressjunkie.com and I’ll get your goodies sent out to you asap!

Thank you to everyone else who entered but didn’t win this time, there will be plenty more chances to win fab prizes soon

xox

Hi everyone,

I thought I’d start this week with a little competition for you all

The inspiration behind this one is actually the sad state of affairs that are my fingernails. They have been neglected for about the past 4 weeks, really really badly. I’m actually ashamed of them

The nails themselves haven’t been filed into shape in weeks, they look manky and discoloured due to all the bright nail polish abuse. The cuticles are ripped and torn…. I’ve seen better nails on Pete Doherty..

If you’re easily turned look away now

So in an effort to get them back into shape for summer I’ve bought myself some treatments including Sally Hansen Nail Growth Miracle, Cuticle Cream & some new nail files.

I’m hoping to see an improvement within a week – 10 days…. and I was thinking… surely my lovely readers would like a chance to treat their talons too? We can compare progress!!

There are 4 prizes up for grabs, to enter you will need to leave a comment below saying “Enter me please”, you will need to be aged 18+  due to the fact that some of the prizes are classed as solvents, although I will post to anywhere in the world.

One entry per person please and no third party entries from “money saving” websites, I reserve the right to delete such entries. Competition closes Friday June 12th at 12 noon GMT. Winner will be announced shortly after.

1st Prize Winner will receive

• 1 x Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
• 1 x Sally Hansen Nail Quencher
• 1 x Sally Hansen Natural Shine
• 1 x Ms Manicure 4-way (ooooer) Nail Buffer

2nd Prize Winner will receive

• 1 x Elegant Touch Fortifying Nail Spa
• 1 x Barry M Nail Paint in 301 Block Orange

3rd Prize Winner will receive

• 1 x Elegant Touch Fortifying Nail Spa
• 1 x Barry M Nail Paint in 300 Acid Yellow

4th Prize Winner will receive

• 1 x Elegant Touch Fortifying Nail Spa
• 1 x Barry M Nail Paint in 302 Fuchsia

GOOD LUCK

xoxoxox

Hot pink lips are officially back!!!

Catwalk lips are big, bold and bright! Think Betty Jackson & Osman Yousefzada and you’re only halfway there!

Barry M are upping the auntie with their new hot range and leaving the big names quaking in their Manolos. This is an affordable drugstore based brand thats gaining a cult following.

Why have one Illamasqua/ YSL/ MAC lippy when you have have 3 from Barry M for the same amount of your hard earned ker-ching?

The sizzling new range from Mr M includes:

• Cerise Pink 144 a very berry shade
• Punky Pink 145 a fiery pink
• Dolly Pink 146 a cute bubblegum pink
• Peachy Pink 147 to leave lips looking just peachy

The PR “Each lipstick has a smooth texture and being packed full of natural moisturisers they simply glide on and stay put for hours”

I was lucky enough to be sent 147 Peachy Pink & 145 Punky Pink (can you guess which is which…..) Wowzers!

With Flash

Without Flash

Peachy Pink 147 is the type of matt colour I tend to shy away from in horror. I’m not a massive fan of the blank porn staresque lip “on myself”. This is because my own lip colour is very pigmented and rosy and I find these shades bleed through and look cheap and unsightly.

I am pleasantly surprised by Peachy Pink and that has alot to do with the coverage this lippy offers. One coat covered well, 2 coats was opaque. Surprisingly I think it looks quite soft on me. I like it. My only issue with it is that I think it could be quite drying for a full days wear. I’ve tried it with a thin layer of MAC Sizzlepeach Lipglass and thats working better for me

Peachy Pink.. mwah!

Punky Pink 145 is my kind of lippy. This is already firmly in my personal makeup bag. I LOVE it!!!

It reminds me of the vibrant fuschia pink often sported by Cheryl Cole (I believe thats MAC Show Orchid), this is not a world away from that. It applies like a dream, really smooth and luxurious. I’d say its noticeably more moisturising than Peachy Pink. If this was given to me blind to test I’d honestly have guessed Chanel or YSL. Its THAT good

Punky Pink

I’m really excited by these lipsticks. Everyone has been banging on about Illamasqua and how their range is designed to bring out your alter ego. Well IMO all makeup can do that for you, regardless of the brand or price tag. It all about what you do with it, how you wear, how it makes you feel…… and to give you an idea of what I mean this is how I feel as soon as I put this colour on…..

Ooooo Matron!!!

TMI?

Barry M New Lip Paints are in stores from June or you can buy them online now here for £4.25 each while stocks last. Hurry! You DO NOT want to miss these!!

xoxo

Barry M released 6 new Dazzle Dusts on Thursday & I have been dying to get my hands on them!!

Imagine my disappointment then when I rocked up yesterday to my local Superdrug only to find the shelves labelled with the new colours but a severe lack of the dazzle dusts themselves. I went in search of answers…..
In retrospect the interrogation I gave the shop manager as to their whereabouts may have been a little over the top (in my defence I am a make-up addict)….. but she assured me they were simply late and would be arriving in the next delivery.

I returned today and unfortunately they still had no stock of 2 of the Dazzle Dusts, namely Block Blue 93 & Parrot Green 95, however much to my insane pigmenty joy they did have the others
I got Dark Chocolate 97, Teal 94, Gold 96 & Petrol Black 98. I also picked up one the GOSH Extreme Art Eye Liners in 10, a vibrant electric blue, it looked so gorgeous on my chum Kelly that I just had to have!

Yay!!

From left 97, 94, 96, 98 (Minus Flash)

From left 97, 94, 96, 98 With Flash

How amazing do they look under flash? I can’t wait to play around with these, expect a FOTD soon

xoxoxox

My skin hasn’t been great, combination of a certain “budget” beauty product (more of that to come) and impending time of the month, however I made the effort to put a full face on today and really felt the benefit of it.

The sticky base I used was MAC’s Cream Colour Base in Fresh Morning (a mauve). I paired two of my fave Barry M Dazzle Dusts 34 & 89. No 89 is one of those Dazzle Dusts that you might overlook, I think it looks boring in the pot, however once swatched it comes alive, a beautiful minky lilac duochrome. In general Barry M’s description names destroy me, they rarely conjur up a good representation of the actual colour (in my mind anyway).

Top 34 Cherry, 89 Oyster Grey

Left 34 Cherry, 89 Oyster Grey

I am wearing MUFE HD Foundation in 117 which really is probably my fave foundation of the moment, MAC Select Cover Up to cover blemishes and Benefit Thrrrob, gives a lovely subtle colouring to the cheeks and grows on me every time I apply it.

Under the lower lash line I have a thin line of NYX Jumbo Pencil in French Fries just to warm the purple tones up, they can look quite cold on me otherwise.

Liquid Liner is Rimmel’s Exaggarate which I find increasingly difficult to work with, I find it hard to get an opaque enough coverage with this, but I like the applicator so put up with it.

Lipstick is MAC Angel, a firm favourite.

xox

Am so stupidly excited today about Christmas!!

I am always childishly hyper (hubby would say annoying) in the run up. It has got ten times worse since having my own kids, as I just feed off their innocent hope and wonder towards all things “Santa”!!

It totally hasn’t helped that @cimota presented me with this “surprise” package yesterday. I have absolutely no idea what it contains but can’t WAIT to find out!!!

So in an effort to keep calm I’ve turned to my make-up for a half hour

This is a smokey purple look, almost charcoal looking, but as you can see in the third picture under certain light you see the pretty purple haze. Its very sultry and would be gorgeous for wearing to a Christmas Eve party or even New Years Eve. I have taken the sparkle up an extra notch using body glitter over the lid but you could leave that step out for a more subtle shimmer.

Click on pictures to enlarge

What did I use?

Face

• Revlon Color Stay Foundation 180 Sand Beige
• Barbara Daly @ Tesco Concealer Medium
• M&S Autograph Dark Circle Concealer under eyes
• MAC MSF So Ceylon (highlight)
• Paula Dorf Cheek Color Ballet

Eyes

• UDPP (base)
• NYX Jumbo Shadow Pencil 606 Baby Blue (main lid)
• Coastal Scents Neutral Palette Soft Pink (2nd row, 3rd from left) (brow bone)
• NARS Night Rider (main lid)
• NARS Barbuda (crease & under lower lash line)
• Coastal Scents Neutral Palette Purple Black (top row, far right) (smoked into crease)
• Barry M Loose Body Glitter 8 (applied with mixing medium all over main lid)
• Max Factor Master Piece Glide & Define Liquid Liner (top lash line)
• MAC Powerpoint Pencil Engraved (water line)
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Carbon Black

Lips

• Chanel Gloss 108

This is a follow on look from the “Winter Blues” of last week.
Not everyone will be able to carry off the cold blue, especially those of you that actually have beautiful blue eyes to show off, therefore this is a similar look but with mint green as the focus.

You could add a lovely soft green or silver eyeliner to the upper lash line to glam it up more if you were going to a party. I would also use a white kohl pencil on the water line to keep it looking very snow queen but fresh (couldn’t put my hand on mine!!).

Face

• Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
• MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW20 (using this up, stupidly believed the MA in MAC when she said this was the shade and finish for me, doh!)
• MAC Select Cover-up NW25
• Benefit High Beam
• Coastal Scents Blush Palette (2nd row, 1st pan)

Eyes

• UDPP (base)
• Revlon Illuminance Palette Green Cream Shadow (over lid and into crease as base for pigments)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust 65 Green Iridescent (brow bone area as highlight)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust 83 Green Silver (main lid, crease & under lower lashes)
• Jemma Kidd Crushed Jewel Gel Eyeliner 01 Diamond (top lash line & inside of eye)
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Carbon Black

Lips

• NYX Round Lipstick Thalia
• Maybelline Elixir Gloss Cosmic Pink

Its a rainy, dark, dismal day in Northern Ireland

So in an effort to cheer myself up I created this icy blue look.

Excuse the reddish tinged brows in the close-up, I thought I would try a different eyeshadow as a filler, and lets just say it doesn’t quite work

So what did I use……?

Face

• Revlon Color Stay Foundation in 180 Sand Beige
• Barbara Daly @ Tesco Concealer in Medium
• MAC MSF in So Ceylon
• Coastal Scents Blush Palette (second row, 2 from left)

Eyes

• UDPP (base)
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in 606 Baby Blue (main lid & under lower lashes)
• NYX Shadow in White (crease to brow)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust in 20 (outer two thirds of lid and crease)
• No 17 Eye Dazzle in Star Crossed (inner third of lid and under lower lashes)
• Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Electric (top lash line)
• Jemma Kidd Crushed Jewel Gel Liner in Diamond (over Electric)
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black

Lips

• Gosh Lipstick in 134 Darling
• NYX Lip Gloss in 104 Sweet Heart

Party season is upon us and its a rare chance to break out the glitter with a vengeance, plaster on the eyeliner, and generally teeter on the thin line (of taste) between glamourista/ strictly come dancing contestant/ drag queen!

I adore silvers and greys but I think they are really hard to wear, especially with my pale skin. Adding glitter to the mix is a must for me, and also a rosy blush, essential if I am to avoid looking like an ice queen.

Although I’m just wearing lip balm above, if I was wearing this look out on the works Christmas do etc I’d wear a bold red lipstick/ gloss with the obligatory falsies (thats lashes, not boobs).

I know its “apparently” a big no no to accentuate both eyes and lips in one look, but I think thats a very boring 21st century rule that I like to break whenever possible. Certainly there are times when playing one up against the other works better but Christmas is NOT that time.

Pump up the volume and glam it up!!!! xox

Face

• Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Sand Beige
• Autograph Illusions Dark Circles Concealer in Light
• NARS Blush in Outlaw

Eyes

• Urban Decay Primer Potion (eye base)
• Bourjois Loose Glitter Eyeshadow in Gris Pixel 26 (main eyelid)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust in Silver Iridescent 8 (inner third of lid)
• No 17 Eye Dazzle in Star Crossed (crease)
• MAC Eyeshadow in Vellum (brow bone)
• Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara Black

Lips

• Carmex Lip Balm

I have done a look today for the upcoming Christmas party season. It is quite daring and not for everyone, but I like to have fun with make-up and especially love green against my eyes. I have used a mixture of products, but most are very inexpensive and available from Superdrug or Boots.

All the coloured pigments I used were from Barry M, Superdrug is currently running a promotion of 3 Dazzledusts for £10 which is great value. I covered my lid with MAC paint in Bare Canvas to give a nice sticky base for the pigment. Then using homemade mixing medium (1 part glycerin to 3 parts water) I made a nice paste of each pigment. Far far easier to work with and no annoying fall out. Yay!!

I then took it a bit further, couldn’t resist!
I added a splash of red to the corners to make the look really young & fun
Please excuse the eyebrows, I have ruined my tweezers by using them to perform a number of non tweezer related jobs (ie DIY things that actually required pliers). Ooops

Eyes

• MAC Paint in Bare Canvas (all over eye to prep)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust in Emerald 72 (lid & up into crease)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust in Lime 75 (inner third of lid)
• Barry M Dazzle Dust in Cherry Red 84 (outer third of lid)
• MAC Eyeshadow in White Frost (Brow bone)
• Rimmel Exaggarate Eye Liner Intense 001 Black (top lash line)
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Covet (under lower lash line)
• Collection 2000 Glam Crystals Gel Eye Liner in Pizzazz (over the 24/7 on the lower lash line)
• MAC Plush Lash Mascara in Plushblack

Just messing about trying out new looks, as you do, and came together with this little concoction.
As a fair skinned brunette with green/brown eyes I find blue hard to wear. It has to be warm and this can be hard to achieve. However I think the following works.

I prepped my eyelid with MAC Paint in Bare Canvas, letting that almost dry. Then I took a flat brush, MAC’s 239 is ideal and packed Barry M’s Fine Glitter Dust in Denim 20 over my entire lid. I didn’t blend at this stage. Then I took the same brush and used Collection 2000′s Dazzle Me Pigment in Heavenly 5, applying it to only the inner third of my eyelid to brighten. Again didn’t blend (so by this stage I look a bit Pat Butcherish). Then I took Barry M’s Dazzle Dust in Emerald 72 and applied it to the crease of my eyelid with a fluffy blending brush and swept it back and forth in a window wiper motion. Then used the same brush to buff the pigments lightly into each other, starting at the inner corner and working out. This removed any harsh lines. Then I took a fluffy tapered brush, MAC’s 224 and picked up some Deep Truth (a dark navy shadow) and using a circular motion rubbed this into the extreme outer edge of the crease, working it over towards the centre of the crease to add smokiness and definition. Then using a firm slanted brush I took Coastal Scents Gel Liner in Turquoise and applied it to my upper lash line as you would a liquid eyeliner, I also applied it under my lower lashes to tie the colour together. Finally I coated my eyelashes in L’oreal’s Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black. This is my fave mascara at the moment, the brush design looks gimmicky but I’m telling you, it coats every single lash and seperates them with ease, and no nasty clumping! Hooray!!