My work is in a shop window!!!

So yesterday I went to cambridge to do another job for Reeds Hair, I had 7 Models to do so it was all super fast paced and a bit like a little make-up conveyer belt! But I love shoots like that because your rushed off your feet and you get such a little buzz!

It was for Reeds new hair collection and I shall post pictures as soon as I have them.

Anyway, when I left the salon for the evening, I noticed a big picture in the shop window and was like ohhhh my gosh! Thats my work! 

The work I had previously done for their salon about a month or so ago, was right in front of the shop for all customers and passers by to see!.

I know its not the biggest achievement in the world, but I'm trying and working so hard with my freelancing at the moment to try and get my name out there, and as far as I know, this is the first peice of my work to ever be displayed on the highstreet, appart from some previous fashions styling work. 

So as small as a step this might be to other make-up artists out there its a MASSIVE deal to me!.

Walking out and seeing my work on display? I have to say I was super proud!.

If anyone is based in cambridge or are going there any time soon, pop by Reeds and see if you can see it :)

If any of you want to find out what I get up to with my freelancing click here. 

Hope your all having a lovely start to the week.

Loves to you all

Gemma-x

OOTD 2 :)

Another quick little outfit of the day.

Today I was treated to Nando's by Jim, one of the lovely hairdressers who I do make-up for, which was very super lovely of him, cheers Jim :).

 I've never worn this little combination but I alsolutly love it!

I also cannot and will not ever get over the love I have for this little trilby hat, I wear it so so often.

Shirt:H&M

Skirt:H&M

Trilby:Republic

Cross Neclace: A prize from ticket wins at skegness!

You can't see my make-up at allll in these photos, but I kept it warm and neutral, a light soft pink on the cheeks, filled in brows, on the eyes :Mac wedge, Mac expresso and a deep berry plum colour by bedhead.

I know it doesn't look very weather appropriate but actually today wasn't all that cold really, however the slight breeze did cause a few embarassing moments... especially when your wearing bright green underwear with sean the sheep with googley eyes...

Haha oh dear!

Loves to you all,

Gemma

-x

Challenge: Can anything beat the Liz Earle cleanse and polish?

If theres an award for the product with the most hype and reviews in the beauty and blogging world, it would have to go Liz Earle's cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser....

 This has been my most repurchased product ever and I've been religiously using it for about 2 years.

The thing is I've been so hesitant to write a review becasue well there is SO many out there.

Well this is going to be a bit more of a review, also a challenge.

I've tried an infinate amount of skincare products, especially cleansers, I'd switch them up all the time and my routine changed transitionally but fairly often, untill I tried this product.

I can honestly say I've never used another cleanser untill I've lost/run out of or forgotten to take my Liz Earle. This is because the difference in my skin after after only a few uses was so dramatic.

I've never really had problem skin, infact I didn't get my first spot till I was about almost 18! I do now get the occasional break out, but never really dramatic *touch wood*. However I darn well notice when I'm not using this product! My skin looks that clear and bright that I can happily go out with a tiny bit of tinter moisturier, and sometimes, when I fake tan, I don't even feel the need for it!. 

I still do get the occasional minor breakout, this doesn't perminantly banish blemishes for good or promice flawless skin 24/7, but it's the closest thing to it! 

Now heres what I propose...

I've always wondered is this actually THE best product out there? I've never ever seen a negative review, nor have I ever heard anyone state anything better that they prefure to use, but with all these products on the market, is it really Liz that comes out on top or are we missing something?

I've tried out lots of different products claiming to do the same as the cleanse and polish, avon, number 7, soap and glory... all lovely products, I particually like the avon, however, nothing even comes close to it, and I always feel like I have to use my Liz afterwards.

HOWEVER, I do remember, back before I got into the Cleanse and polish and worked at lush, I had another holy grail product...

Angels on bare skin, this is a solid fresh cleanser, that you turn it to a paste. You take a small amount and add water to turn it into a paste. Now from what I remember, I was possibly as excited about this as I am about liz earle, but when I left lush, and couldn't get my nice 50% discount, I tried other things...

But that in mind, I do rememer this cleanser for me being 'skincare life changing' so I may have to grab a pot and give it a road test again and compare..

So thats the challenge I set you guys, can you find a cleanser that you could love more than Liz?

Have you already found that product?

I've love to hear your thoughts on this :)

Gemma

-x

I won a giveaway!!!!

So not that long ago I entered the lovely Sandra's giveaway over at the beauty balm.

The give away was for some clarins goodies from the energizer range, and to my surpise, I won!

Sandra was one of my very first followers so her blog is very dear to my heart, and its fantasic, you should deffinately check it!

I've been so busy lately with working and christmas shopping, that I sadly missed Mr.Postman, but had time tonight to go to the depo and collect my parcel.

I honestly can't believe the amount of thought and effort thats gone into this!

First of all look how cutely it's wrapped and packaged!

And the adorable card that she send with it!

I actually bake cupcakes quite often, a big hobby of mine, so this card made me squeel a little bit!

Again look how cutely the individual products are wrapped!

Heres what I got :)

The Daily energizer wake up booster!

This sounds fantasic, I'm deffinately not a moring person so this will be a savior!

Daily Energizer cleansing gel.

Daily energizer cream.

I am SO so excited to use these products!

My best friend actually works for clarins and she raves and raves about it. Sadly since she's moved away for work, I don't get to see her as often as I'd like to, but I rang her about this prize and she said that these are actually the products she personally uses and are her favourite in the range! So can't wait to give them ago!

Thank you so so much Sandra, this was so lovely :).

Have any of you guys ever won a give away?

P.S. I shall be doing my own giveaway when I reach 100 followers ;]

Gemma

-x

OOTD :)

Thought I'd do a little outfit of the day post for you.

I will get around to doing my review of the new glossybox, but thats just how uninspiring it is... usually I'm roaring to review!

Anyway I'm just about to head off to do a make-up job, its some ever day make-up and some aging make-up this is the first time I've ever done age make-up outside of practicing it on myself!

Might do a little post about that once I've finished it.

Anyway one to the out fit of the day, sorry they're not the best quality photos, my camera's memory card broke and I can't afford a new one at the moment so its either using my iphone or my macbooks icam!

Both the skirt and blouse are from h&m. The blouse was £6.99 and the skirt cost me £3 in the sale, only downside is that its a size 6 and I'm usually an 8/10... but worn slightly higher on my waist,

I can fit in it, woo!. I love the pop of colour to add a bit of pazzaz!

The make-up I'm enjoying wearing at the moment is a neutral eye with a light/midtone matte beige on the lid, brown liner in the waterline and smoked slightly under, paired with a beige or plum toned blush with a vampy deep berry lip :). Main 3 products I used for this look was mac wedge eyeshaddow, mac stark naked blush (limited edition no longer available) and an urban decay chunky lip crayon.

What look are you rocking at the moment?

Gemma

-x

Beauty swaps and sale :)

All these item's are up for swaps and sale. Just let me know if your interested in any of them and we can sort something out. I will post pictures asap!.


Dainty Doll eyeliner in shake your tail feather

Caudalie quenching sorbe cream

Mary Kay satin hands hand cream

L'ancome Hyrazen moisuriser

Anew retroactive repair cream

Avon seeing stripes blush compact with mirror pink shades (similar to BB shimmerbrick)

Mac studio fix fluid NW33*never used wrong shade*

River Island smooth body balm

Mini Lancome juicy tube shade 'fraise'

mini lancome juicy tube untra shiny range a sheer glittery coral shade

Trever sorbe straightning addict smoothing balm travel size

Aheva deadsea water mineral body lotion

mini essie polish in a light grey colour

2true emerald glitter eyeliner like UD

2true polish shade 25 (like leighton denny orange colour)

avon colour pigment shade golden

avon blue rush perfume (fullsize not sample)

avon woman of earth perfume (fullsize not sample)

Tv Presenter style lust!

So recently there's been two TV presenter beauty's who's style I've been admiring.

Caroline Flack on the Xtra Factor and Laura Whitmore on I'm a Celebrity get me out of here now.

I could post every single outfit that they wear, how ever they have both worn 2 outfits that I deem my favourites.

Firstly heres Caroline flack and that gorgeous dress she wore on the Haloween special.

I actually had already spotted this dress on Asos myself before she even wore it, but in the black colour, which I think I still prefure.

However here are the dresses on Asos. They are £65.

Next is Laura Whitmore. 

I also envy her hair as well as her style, her hair is what I'm trying to get mine to be like, I'm close, but no cigar just yet!

Also I love the make-up she's been wearing so simple yet lovely, matt mauve/dark dude lips, with a soft plum blush and flicked eyeliner with neutral shaddow, so soft and pretty yet still has a slight edge to it.

I instantly loved this dress, but it felt very familiar, it was then I realised that I was sure I had seen it in press release and bloggers photos from  River Island's catwalk. Needless to say I was right. Laura posts an outfit diary every day on her twitter and says where everything is from. (By the way how hilarous is Russell Kane? He always features in her outfit posts in some hilarous way, love this man so much and can't wait to see im in december).

So here's the dress from River Island and its £50. Both are on my xmas and birthday list! My birthday is in January so what ever I don't get for xmas I ask for my birthday :')

Lastly, just for a bit of eyecandy for you all and on the I'm a celeb theme, heres a hot picture of Dougie, phwah!.

Who's style are you lusting after at the moment?

Gemma

-x

Carmine Novemember review!

I was excitedly woken up today by my mum who had kindly answered the door the postman with my carmine box!

Most of you who read my blog will know how much I love and rave about this company. The first box was amazing and their customer service and interaction is fantastic. 

I was not dissapointed at all!

Unlike Glossybox, who's first box was amazingly good and second one failed to live up to the standards, and don't even mention their novemeber box, which I have yet to recieve but am not looking forward to, you'll see why soon enough...carmine has done a fab job again!. 

One of the things I love about carmine, is how make-up heavy they are!. In both box's they have been more make-up focused which with the main audience of beauty box's being beauybloggers, we love a bit of make-up! So well done carmine! 

 Lets have a look at the products then shall we?

First up is the Lulu's Time bomb fashback night cream.

Despite being an antiaging product I'm excited to use this! I actually really love antiaging facecreams, I find they smooth out my skin and make it feel more taught. Not that I need to be usuing this kind of product at the ripe age of 19, but it's not doing any harm ey! Its £30.74 for 45ml and £9.50 for 15ml which is the size received in the box.

Next is the fabulous ipout! This retails at £15 from New <ID cosmetics, it comes compete with a built in mirror on the base of the lipstick and a light! I got one of these lipsticks in a red shade in my carmine competition prize box!. Its a pretty slightly frosted pink, I swatched it once on my hand its fairly sheer which I like, its not as bright as it appears here in the picture infact its relatively subtle. 

Next is Nicola Roberts Dainty Dolly eyeliner in shade 004 Shake your tail feather. My camera was being a silly billy and wouldn't capture the colour on the end of pencil. Its a beautiful teal colour. Only problem is, loving that colour so much, I have about 5 other pencils that colours and really don't need anymore, so if you recieved a different colour, I'm open to swap :). It retails at £10.

Next is Neom organic body lotion, this was featured in Bazaar's beauty top 100!. It retails at £23.50 for 240 ml and I received a 50ml sample. I love organic products, this has a very similar scent to the hand cream I got in the last carmine box, which was also organic, very aromatherpy like. 

Last but certainly not at all least. Is my favourite product of the bunch! Brow ink by the amazing Cosmetics A La Carte'. The retails at £22. I swatched this on my hand and though its beautiful, it is slightly to dark for my hair colouring, the colour I got was taupe, if anyone recieved the lighter version and would like to swap please please lt me know!.

I absolutle love this brand! If you haven't tried carmine, I really, reccomend them, for £10 a month plus p&p its the same as glossybox and In my oppinion much better, if glossybox don't up their game very soon, I may be unsubscribing!

Expect a glossybox november post sometime soon!.

Hope your all having a fabulous weekend :)!

Gemma

-x

Cutest phone case ever?

If any of you swear by your iphone, I know i do, then you might just fall in love with this little gadget!

If you're like me and love anything a little bit quirky but usefull at the same then this little cover might be for you!

Meet iBunny. Actually, its not technically called that, but thats what I'll name it!

This is super fun and functional! The tail is detachable but when attached supports as a stand for your phone both vertically and horizontally. The cute little ears means its going to be far easier to find your phone when its lost at the bottom of your bag!

You can find the origional bunny case here at Harrods for £19.99

Or if your like me and aren't fussed about having the 'real deal' (which frankly, its an iphone case not a fake hangbag, therefore I don't care), you can find LOADS on ebay, the one I shall be purchasing is from here at a meer £1.77 and free postage! There's also a selection of colours but I'm opting for the black.

Lastly I wouldn't have even known about this amazing item if it wasn't for reading Laura's blogpost at Buy now, Blog later. This is the lady formally known as 'lollipop26' if any of you have been reading the beauty blogging world for a long time I'm sure you'll know who she is!.

What do you think of this iBunny?

Gemma

-x

Versatile Blogger Award!

Eeeee what a lovely little surprise!. Thank you Holli at the Draggon Mommy blog for picking me for this cute little award!.

Rules-

1. You have to thank the person that gave you the award and a link back to their blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself.

3. Send the award on to 15 other bloggers whose blogs that you appreciate and then let them know that they have been given the award.


7 facts about me-

1. I collect rubber ducks! It all started when I saw an odorable little rubber duck note book many many years ago and from then I just started collecting them and I have LOADS now literally hunders, all in a cute little cabnet in my room, everything from your plain ol yellow duck to a statue of libery and blues brothers ducks!

2. I'm oober musical. At school from as early as about 6 we were taught to write poems and our school was pretty hot on it and we continued that through to the final year of primary. I loved it and it inspired me to write my own little songs from a very early age, and its something I've carried through till today! I also sing, play guitar, keyboard and collect lots of weird instruments!

3. I'm a bit of a comic, I was always a bit of a class clown at school, I don't take much in life very seriously, I'd actually love to have try at stand up but I'm far to scared! I also LOVE Russell Kane, a bit obsessed, I'm seeing him at the Apollo in December and watching his new tv show being filmed, he tweeted me back last night and I squeeled just a bit!.

4. I have 5 tattoo's and counting! From my photo's you really can't tell but I have a biggie on my thigh and few others! I'll do a post maybe :)?

5. I am pizza addict, badly!

6. I auditioned for xfactor twice, came very close once to seeing the judges but was booted one round before that! However I have had my face in the audition queue crowd shots 2 years in a row now!

7. My room is union jack mad! I'll show you when its all finished :).

I pass this award on to-

Tara and Jade at The Style Rawr.

Adrienne at The Sunday Girl

Talita at The Gloss Gloss

Angie at The Beauty Belle

Sandra at Beauty Balm

Vicky at Golly Gosh

Melanie at Morbidly Fabulous

Sarah at Pretty In pink

Adrianna at the little petite

Colly and Amy at Sugar Plump Beauty

Olivia at Dolly Daydream

Claudia at Claudia Kitten

Georgie at Handbags and Gladrags

Tina at Glitter Stick

Alex at Weapon of Mass Consumption

Just some of the amazing blogs I adore! Love you little lovelies!

Gemma 

-x

The Ebay game

I feel so naughty for not posting anything for a few days! I just wasn't feeling inspired and honestly, I just don't want to put out any posts without my full efforts and backing in it. However today I want to share with you something I do allllll the time, and I like to call it the ebay game.

Basically this game involves winning some darn good bargains, and heres my little rules on how I get them, this is a more fun, different way of shopping on ebay, as long as not looking for a really spesific thing :)

You can set your self a budget if you wish, I normally set myself a bedget of £4 and see what I can get for under £4 including postage! I've had many 99p bargains and many things for under £3 including postage so it can easily be done! And with some beautiful items as I'll show you in just a moment :).

Step1: Choose an item!

This could be anything, fancy a new skirt, shorts, dress? Just type in for example 'dress' and simply dress alone.

Step2. Change your settings to 'low to high +p&p'.

This way your getting the cheapest bargains coming up and you won't be cheated into seeing a gorgeous dress you think is 99p but has like £10 postage on it....

Step3. Brouse :) 

This is where it gets fun and its a little like carbootsales, charity shops etc. You have no idea what you'll find, but there will be gems amoungst the tat! Being so generic you'll get lots come up, but not everyone labels their items very well so less people will see them, these are usually the best bargains! Find what you want and WAIT don't place a bid just yet....

Step4. 'Watch' the item!

This is vital for getting the item at a bargain price, you don't want to bid straight away and end up in a bidding war with someone upping the price before its nearly ended! By watching the item, you can check how its doing and gives you change to snipe your bargain last minute.

Step5. Snipe!

Wait until the very last minute before bidding, personally i bid in the last 20/30 seconds, but i'll bid my maximum, that way if someone goes to bid a few seconds after me, they will be outbid, and if they go to bid again, because its in the last seconds, the auction will have closed before they have the chance!. However if you're worried you'll miss out or you can't be online at the time of the auction see my final cheat step.

Step6. Optional hepful cheat!

There are a few websites that will automatically bid for you in the very last seconds, you enter the item number and they'll do it for you! It costs normally a few pence! The website i use if i want to do this, is Esnipe!

I'm not sure if I'm the only person that plays ebay this way (I say play because to me usuing it like this is like a little game and makes it more fun). Another way to do it is to view by 'ending soonest' and try and see what you can find and snipe last minute :)

Heres 2 of my favourite ebay game purchases.

This dress cost me a meer £3! I love it, worn it on a couple of nights out and always gets compliments!

This is my favourite bargain I think, it cost me £3.25 and its from the kate moss range at topshop and i believe retailed at something like £70? Its gorgeous and I love it so much :)

Sorry the photo's aren't the best, I searched my pictures for me wearing things from 'the ebay game' and this is all i could find, that showed the items clearly anyway.

I love shopping this way, its fun, it doesn't break the bank, and you can get some fab items, its really very satisfying :)

Are you going to have a go at the ebay game? What are the best bargains you have ever snagged?

Gemma

-x

Everything5pounds.com!

This is for all you bargainista's out there!.

I've actually known about this website for quite a while, I've just completely forgotten about it till i recieved an email in regards to their new stock.

Now I haven't actually purchased anything from this website before (more fool me!), and to be quite honest alot of the items on there ar very hit and miss, in other words really, you have to hunt out the gems from the tat... BUT, there are some serious good finds! I particularly think their shoes are the best bargains to he had!. They regularly update their stock and some items so tend to fly off the shelves oober quickly! I've been gutted many times to find some shoes I was lusting after had sold out.

Anyway everything on their website really is only £5! 

In my oppinon however, some of the photos and models don't do the items any justice, but have a hunt and you'll find some fantastic buys, here's my pick of the stock, and yup, everything is a fiver, honest!

I LOVE the animal print heart bags, and the totes below I know are such a copy of Pauls boutique, but they're not trying to fake them in any way at all and they're super cute, and hey for £5 who cares?!

Have you heard of this website before, what do you think about it and do you know any other bargain websites?

Let me know your thoughts :)

Gemma

-x