*****NEW BLOG*****

Hi Guys!

I've been thinking about doing a different blog for some time now - something that fits me a bit better and I've decided to do just that with a focus on my experiences as a makeup artist. I always wanted to incorporate that element here but felt it just wouldn't work.

Please follow my new blog A GIRL AND HER ZUCA: INSIDE THE MIND OF A MAKEUP ARTIST

Viva Glam Nicki

I picked Viva Glam Nicki up on a recent trip to MAC and as you've probably seen a hundred and one of these posts already I'm not going to ramble on and on about how beautiful it is.

I also know that Instagram, as divine as it is, can distort colours so here is a completely untouched, unedited and unfiltered version :)

Hope you're all enjoying the beautiful weather we're having in the UK at the moment, apparently it isn't here to stay so make the most of what is clearly our summer!

Vicky xoxo

TAG: Seven Deadly Beauty Sins

I've seen this tag on quite a few blogs and YouTube channels recently and I must say; it's something I find interesting because I am immensely nosey so I thought I'd give it a go.

Greed

What is your most inexpensive beauty product?

What is your most expensive beauty product?

Inexpensive - this is a tough one (mainly because I don't want to go and search through my makeup bag and kit so I'm doing it off the top of my head!) but I think it's probably my Natural Collection cream blush - it's the most beautiful natural colour for cheeks and lips and retails for £1.99.

Expensive - This one is a lot easier! If brushes were included they would definitely be at the top of this list, as would the combined cost of my MAC palettes (eyes, lips and cheeks - they are eye-wateringly expensive!) but for a single product it would be my NARS Sheer Glow which retails at £29.50 and has been repurchased more times than I dare to think of!

Wrath

Which beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with?

What has been the hardest to find?

Love/Hate - Benefit They're Real Mascara. I really like this mascara; I like the brush, I like how it applies and I like how it makes my lashes look. Positives aside it is the worst mascara I have ever had the misfortune of trying to remove. I only apply one coat and it still takes two or three Bioderma soaked cotton pads to try and get the mascara off completely. 

Hardest to find - I have two: Embryolisse and Bioderma. I'd struggled for ages to find these in the UK and only managed to get my hands on them at IMATS however I am informed you can buy both at Guru Makeup Emporium in London and Embryolisse is also stocked in Screenface. 

Gluttony

What are your most delicious beauty products?

Most delicious products - Lush lip-scrub is actually good enough to eat. Aside from that I love the minty fresh OCC lip tars.

Sloth

What beauty product do you neglect due to laziness?

Neglected due to laziness - on an every day basis I would say eye liner/shadow. I just can't be bothered to apply full eye makeup every day and tend to only make the time when I'm going somewhere. 

Pride

Which beauty product gives you the most confidence?

Confidence boosting product - For me, that would be foundation. My skin isn't my favourite feature and I definitely rely on foundation to even out my skin tone and cover the slight marking/scarring on my cheeks - more on that another time.

Lust

What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

What I find attractive - this is quite a random question for a beauty tag but I'll go with it. It's a cliché but for me, personality is key. There is nothing more attractive than a man who can make me laugh/is a nice person. In terms of physical appearance: strong arms/good shoulders are always a bonus! But you can't beat nice eyes and a good smile.

Envy

Which item would you most like to receive as a gift?

I would most like to receive - I love perfume so I'd say a really nice fragrance. 

Well that completes my Seven Deadly Beauty Sins! I tag you all and I'd love to see your answers so please if you do this tag, leave a link in the comments.

Vicky xoxo 

Update!

Hello all!

Sorry I've been such a bad blogger lately; I've been so busy with work and photo shoots etc that I haven't had time to sit down and blog, nor even sort my giveaway prize which is very, very naughty of me.

I have much of this week free though so in addition to finally sorting Aoife's MAC Lipstick out I will be posting about some new things I've picked up recently and maybe even some of my work if you would like to see it?

I hope you're all well and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Until next time, here are some pictures :)

Vicky xoxo

MAC Lipstick Giveaway WINNER!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered, I won't ramble on here because I know you all want to know who the winner is!

I input everyone into a spreadsheet and I was quite strict with it - several people didn't leave the lipstick they wanted with their comment which was part of being entered so they were not counted; similarly, for two entries I said 'share on your blog' so facebook entries were not considered as two entries. As such, the final number on the spreadsheet was 64 which I input into random.org.

And the winner is: AOIFE from FASHION TURN TO THE RIGHT! Aoife chose 'Impassioned' as her MAC lipstick of choice.

Thank you to everyone that entered :) 

Vicky xoxo

GUEST POST: 'The Healing Power of Makeup' by Jackie Clark

I was recently contacted by a lady named Jackie who asked if I allowed guest posts on my blog. Jackie is an outreach worker for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance and I think her message is very important.

Without wanting to get too personal, cancer (though not Mesothelioma) has affected people that I know and love very much and it is probably my greatest fear. 

Recently, somebody I know was diagnosed with cancer; a young, vibrant mother of three young children. Whilst undergoing treatment she lost her hair, her eyelashes and her eyebrows; when you're already going through something so traumatic, to lose something which has previously been your identity is immensely hard and that is the reason why I decided I would gladly allow Jackie's message to be spread via my blog.

I hope you are as touched by it as I am. If you wish to contact Jackie, you can find her on Twitter @jakieClrk.

The Healing Power of Makeup

By: Jackie Clark

It simple really but makeup consists of a bit of pigment that's mixed with powders or liquids; however, the effects it has on women can be profound. According to the Makeup & Cosmetics website, research is beginning to show that women facing challenges such as a mesothelioma cancer prognosis can benefit in tangible ways from regularly wearing makeup. Feeling beautiful again helps a woman feel in control, which aids the healing process and allows a woman to feel fabulous while doing so.

Makeup and Imagination

As anyone who has done a little theater can attest, makeup has the ability to transform a face from light to dark, make noses smaller and eyes look bigger. It also plays a key role in character development; the more an actor looks like the character, the more likely he or she will act the part. This distinction has some real life applications. For those who may not feel so great physically or who are dealing with emotional setbacks, makeup can do wonders. A woman who looks beautiful and healthy will very often begin to act beautiful and healthy. What the mind focuses on is what it moves toward.

Providing Routine

Creating a normal routine is one of the main recommendations to obey by when it comes to dealing with the difficulties in life that cause people to feel trauma. The process of putting on makeup and other grooming tasks are part of the daily routine that most people take for granted. However, by taking the time to pamper yourself and look great can be enormously helpful in treating illness by heightening your self-confidence. This simple act provides a sharp, but welcoming contrast to necessary outings to doctors or other health care professionals and look fabulous while doing it.

De-Stress

As any woman knows, there are activities that are related to putting on makeup, but don't deal with makeup directly. These include activities like taking a leisurely bath, trying out different perfumes or giving oneself a facial. These activities will contribute to a woman's sense of well-being and will potentially help her to de-stress; this counts as another important recommendation that a person facing physical challenges will get from their doctors or mental health care workers. These simple acts are the steps that women can take as she prepares her face and mind for wearing makeup and should not be avoided. They're all part of the healing process.

Conclusion

Makeup is for every woman. It makes a healthy woman feel confident, and it also assists a woman who is facing physical challenges or illnesses to feel better about herself and become more optimistic. As such, it should be considered a necessary part of any cancer treatment regime or mental health program. As the L'Oreal Skin Science website states, “Cosmetics do more than embellish the outside. It also stimulates what is within.” Go out and live a beautiful life inside and out regardless of what obstacles you may be facing. The road to recovery will be so much more fun while looking sexy, fabulous and beautiful!

REVIEW: Real Techniques Brushes

As you may remember, I picked up some Real Techniques brushes at IMATS earlier this month and now that I've had a chance to use them all, I thought it was time for a review.

Designed to create a 'pixel-perfect' finish, Real Techniques brushes are made from hand-cut Taklon bristles, are cruelty free and labelled and colour coded for ease of use. Oh and they were designed by professional makeup artist Samantha Chapman (aka one half of YouTube sensation Pixiwoo).

I purchased the Core Collection and the much talked about Stippling brush. The Core collection includes: contour brush, pointed foundation brush, detailer brush and buffing brush.

Now I'll get into individual reviews of each brushes a little further down (it's going to be a long one so grab a creme egg and settle in [I've eaten two creme eggs since writing this - somebody save me from myself]) but I want to do a quick overview of the pros and cons first.

Pros

• The bristles are good quality: they're sturdy but not scratchy as I've seen a few people say
• They wash well: cleaning brushes is something I am very, very fussy about and the RT brushes wash and dry well and as yet, I have witnessed no shedding
• They're a very reasonable price: the Core Collection retails for £21.99 (in Boots) for four brushes which is approximately £5.50 per brush whilst the Stippling Brush comes in at £10.99. Compare to other brushes on the market and you'll find RT are the best price for their quality
• The labelling: not something that benefits me personally as a makeup artist (I'll get onto that at the end) but for someone starting to develop an interest in makeup it's a great idea.
• They're synthetic: synthetic brushes are generally better at applying cream products.

Cons

• The design: I find them bulky - they're not heavy or awkward to hold, they're just different and I don't prefer them to the slimline/tapered brush handles I'm used to. Also, the self-standing base comes across as gimmicky, I don't stand my brushes up nor do I wish to. The case is a good addition but the design means you wouldn't fit them in a standard brush roll.
• They're in sets: if I had the choice, I would have just bought the Buffing brush from the Core collection as it would be the brush I'm more likely to use - this isn't an option however. Now more brushes is not something to complain about I know but I'd like the option to be able to buy them individually.

So there's my quick overview on the pros and cons, I have a few more general points to make at the end but for now, here are individual brush reviews.

Contour Brush: the contour brush is smaller than it looks so it provides more precision in application. It's brilliant for really getting into the hollow of the cheekbone to create a realistic looking contour and it also works well for highlighting.


Pointed Foundation Brush: probably the brush I'm least likely to use. It's tiny! For that reason I would only use it on certain areas of the face (around the nose for example) rather than the whole face.

Detailer Brush: a nice sturdy little brush that I will use for concealer rather than lips even though I think it would be a decent enough lip brush. It serves its purpose, would I have bought it on its own? Probably not. Was it an added bonus? I'd say yes.

Buffing Brush: my favourite of the set. I've used the buffing brush to apply my foundation and whilst I liked the finish it gave and how quick it made the application, I also found it used a bit too much product and sometimes looked a little too heavy as a result. Since then I've been using it just to buff foundation in (after I've applied it either with the stippling brush or my fingers) and it gives a flawless finish. Vice versa, if you apply your foundation with the buffing brush, using the stippling brush to buff the product into the skin creates an equally beautiful finish.

Stippling Brush: I personally love a stippling brush. The bristles are short and densely packed which I love, I prefer the tension this creates and therefore the finish you get with it as you're able to really work the product into the skin. The stippling brush beautifully applies both foundation and cream blush/bronzer/highlight. I've been using it to both apply my foundation or to blend foundation applied with the buffing brush and I love the finish, they two brushes are very complimentary to one another.

Overall, I do like the Real Techniques brushes and I would say that if you're looking for a set of brushes that are both good quality and affordable you can't go far wrong.

I hope this was somewhat helpful to anyone considering buying the Real Techniques brushes. If you have any questions about them or comments, please leave them below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Vicky xoxo