Saturday 21 June 2014

Holiday to Scotland 2014!

For my recent holiday post, I'm just going to upload a bunch of pictures I've taken from it to show you guys what I've been up to! The first is to show you my holiday nails and cappuccino cheekily making an appearance! This is from the train journey from London to Carlisle.

I have painted my nails using a Leighton Denny Polish in the colour Lolly Pop, but where it looks quite coral in the picture it's actually more of a bright fuschia colour. 

I'm just going to include a few pictures of the house we are staying in, just to give you an idea of what it was like, as personally I love to nose around people's houses! It's so well presented, and just so bright and lovely!
(L-R) - the top left corner is the room we stayed in, top right is the wallpaper and fireplace in the living room. Middle is part of the garden, bottom left is the living room, and bottom right is part of the kitchen! 

This is the River Nith, which is the river situated exactly by the town centre we stayed in! It was a bit of a miserable day but was a nice walk into town! 

Breakfast on the first day here! Waffles with golden syrup, and a coffee! So unhealthy but when you're on holiday I think it's completely acceptable! 

I have had a tiny bit of a shopping haul, as we went shopping in Carlisle yesterday, which has all the shops I typically would like; River Island, Next, Lush, The Body Shop, Topshop, to name a few. I found this absolutely gorgeous pale pink jumper in Next for £28, which I really wanted but just couldn't justify the price tag in the Summer season!

From Lush I bought the Think Pink Bath Ballistic, the Rose Jam Bath Ballistic, and the Creamy Candy Bubble Bar. From The Body Shop, they had a deal on two Body Butters for £7, so I bought two of my favourite, Papaya. We had gotten to Carlisle at around 4, and the shops closed at 5, so it was a mad dash into Starbucks and then all the stores we had wanted to go to! So on the way back, we nipped into Tescos, where I bought two books for £7, The Fault In Our Stars, and Looking For Alaska, both by John Green. I also bought Lindt Dark Chocolates as they were on a deal for £3.50. My last purchase from Tesco was a £4 pyjama top, as me being me, forgot to pack one! 
I also bought a couple of bits from the local odds-and-ends kind of shops, a huge beige coloured wool throw with cute little caramel coloured hearts knitted into it, and also some rose oil fragrances for my oil burner back home. 

I've bought a Babyliss hair wand too, as I've been on the lookout for a good one for ages that met all my requirements. I had wanted it to be specifically a hair wand instead of a tong (as I'm terrible at using tongs!), for it to heat up to 210 degrees, and be in the £15 price range, and I found it in B&M. 

I've also spent a lot of time in Starbucks this holiday week (disclaimer: This isn't my original picture, but I just forgot to take any whenever we've been but wanted to throw in a picture anyway just for general interest!). We've been there at least three times this week as we just have so much family and friends in the area, and it's the most local coffee shop to just meet them and have a catch up. It's been so lovely to see them all, I'm genuinely so gutted about having to go back home as I just really love being up here with them! We had a lovely barbecue this afternoon to end the week and so they could all spend some more time with my three-month-old son, Rhys. We made up a huge batch of chicken, mushroom, and mixed pepper skewers, had a generous amount of strawberries and cream each, and shared a bottle of Prosecco between us, and generally just gorged ourselves on good food, and the best company! It was such a lovely day, it really was absolutely perfect, and Rhys got cuddles with all of my extended family and he was just so happy!

We spent our final day here by the coast, in Carsethorn, and Southerness. We arrived at this adorable little local fishermens pub, The Steamboat Inn, and had a gorgeous seafood lunch of mussels for starters, scampi for the main, and a light coffee for afters! We then went for a walk along the coast, and ended up at the local arcades, where we won Rhys a giant Despicable Me minion! 





I painted my nails on the last day with a gorgeous duck egg blue colour that I borrowed from my cousin. We're now in the car on the way back to London, having a final look at all the beautiful sunny Scottish scenery! It really is such a shame to leave as it's just so beautiful! 

So this has been my holiday this year! Well, I say this year, but we're actually planning to come back in September - I'm not sure whether or not I'll be able to as of yet as there hasn't been a date set for my college course to start! But I'm really hoping we'll be able to, as Rhys will be able to engage a little more with my family and they can see him grow and develop! 

I hope you've all got amazing holiday plans this year, and I really hope you enjoy them! Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

Sammii-Jane x





















Wednesday 18 June 2014

Pro Makeup Kit Purchases

Hey guys! So, so, so, sorry for the complete lack of recent posts! Very recently, I decided to start building up my professional makeup kit, and having ordered it today, I also managed to get my first commission as a freelance makeup artist (in two weeks time). Well, I'm probably stretching the truth a little, I'm doing makeup and hair for a friend who will be attending a wedding. I was happy to do it for free as I want to build up a portfolio, but she insisted she would rather pay, which was very sweet of her. I have wanted to try bridal hair and makeup for ages now, and I'm so excited that I finally get to! So, this week, I decided to start finalising the contents of my kit, and I thought I would share with you what I purchased! I'm really quite nosey so I love seeing what makeup other people put into their kits! Here goes (the incredibly extensive) list! 

Brushes

- Bobbi Brown Mini Face Blender Brush
- Bobbi Brown Mini Foundation Brush
- Bobbi Brown Mini Concealer and Eyeshadow Shading Brush
- Bobbi Brown Eyeliner Brush
- Bobbi Brown Eyebrow Brush
- Sheer Cover Sheer Coverage Powder Brush
- Sheer Cover Angled Blusher Brush
- Sheer Cover Concealer/Lip Brush
- bareMinerals Full Coverage Flawless Face Brush

Skincare
- Benefit Total Moisture
- Garnier Micellar Water

Face
- Revlon Photoready Primer
- Clinique Anti-Redness Primer
- Benefit Porefessional Primer
- Benefit That Gal Brightening Primer
- Three Bobbi Brown Stick Foundations (in the shades Porcelain, Cool Beige, and Honey)
- Benefit Posietint
- Loreal Lumi Magique Highlighter
- Seventeen Tan Liquid Glow Bronzer
- Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick (in the shade Wild Rose)
- bareMinerals Warmth Powder
- bareMinerals Translucent Mineral Veil Setting Powder

Eyes
- Stila In The Light Eyeshadow Palette (to use for eyeliner, and eyebrow filling, too)
- 32 Colour Eyeshadow Palette (palettes stored at bottom of case)
- Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner
- Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner (in the shade Navy)
- Clinique Quickliner Pencil (in the shade 11, Black/Brown)
- Mac Brow Set (in the shade Beguile)
- Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara
- Climique High Impact Mascara
- Sheer Cover Lash Extending Fibres
- Sheer Cover Lengthening Mascara
- Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara
- Bobbi Brown Smoky Eye Mascara
- Collection's Clear Lash and Brow Set

Lips
- Collection Transparent Lipliner
- Collection Pure Gloss Clear Lipgloss
- Neal's Yard Lipgloss (in the shade Goji Berry)
- Bobbi Brown Lipgloss (in the shade Rose Sugar)
- Clinique Superbalm Gloss (in the shade Raspberry)
- Yves Saint Laurent Sheer Candy Lipstick (in the shade Coco Givree)
- Bobbi Brown Lipstick (in the shade Nude Rose)
- Mac Satin Lipstick (in the shade Brave)
(I still need to make a purchase for two more Mac Lipsticks, in the shades Poodle Pink, and Mac Red).

Extras (stored at bottom of case)
- Mac Brush Cleanser
- Mac Fixing Spray
- Pack of 100 Cotton Pads
- Cotton Buds
- Makeup Wipes
- Makeup Powder Puffs
- Hypoallergenic Makeup Sponges
- Stretchy Black Hair Band
- Eyelash Curlers
- Pencil Sharpener
- Tweezers
- Eyelure Eyelash Glue
- Pack of 10 False Strip Eyelashes (in the style Natural)
- Pack of Individual False Eyelashes
- Small Pack of Tissues

Makeup Storage Case


The case itself opens up like this...

So, now that my bank card has a dirty great makeup shaped dent in the funds, I can now rest peacefully at night comforted by the knowledge that I have all the makeup a girl could possibly need for professional makeup application. I hope you guys have had fun reading this (I had a lot of fun buying it!), and I cannot wait to be able to start using it. Hope you guys are having a great week!

Sammii-Jane x

Sunday 15 June 2014

Snow White Hair and Makeup Look

... Really random, I know! But yesterday, I made a sneaky trip to the hairdressers, as my hair was just in awful condition, I never styled it, and it was just a bright mahogany mess on the top of my head. I really wanted something sleek and sophisticated, and managed to leave the salon (Toni&Guy), with a sleek and glossy dark brown long bob, with a curled blow dry.


I decided after that, that I felt like Snow! I love how bouncy and swishy the style is, it's a thousand times better than it was before! The stylist just used a small rounded brush and a hair dryer with a concentrator nozzle to blow dry it curly, it's definitely going to be something I will try! 
So for my makeup today, I really wanted to play on the Snow White makeup look; ivory skin, rosy cheeks, a bright red lip, and I added a slight flicked black eyeliner and false lashes to polish up the look. Also, please ignore my hairline! I know it's really bad but in fairness, it was dyed only yesterday!

After cleansing and moisturising, I primed my skin with Maybelline's Baby Skin Pore Eraser before applying Loreal Infallible Foundation (in the shade Porcelain). I concealed any blemishes with Seventeen's Phwoarr Paint (in the shade fair). I added a touch of Loreal's Lumi Magique to my cheekbones. For this particular look, bronzer wasn't necessary, so I just applied Collection's Blush by Little Mix (in the shade Perrie) to the apples of my cheeks, blending it really well. I then set my face makeup by using a clean fluffy powder brush to apply Sleek's Luminating Powder. 
I then used my Barry M Angled Eye Brush to fill in my eyebrows with my 2true Eyeshadow Duo (shade 14). I did want a really dark brow for this look so I built the colour up to make it appear stronger. I then coloured over my eyelid using Collection Work The Colour Shimmer Stick (in the shade Antique Rose) and blended it into the outer corners by using my fingers. I then applied Maybelline's Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner over my upper lash line, and subtly winged it out at the outer corners. I then curled my natural lashes, before applying False Strip Lashes by using Eyelure Lash Glue. For my lips, I used a dab of Cold Cream as an intensive moisturiser, before applying Barry M Lipstick (in the shade 121). I then spritzed Rimmel's Fix Me Up Makeup Fixer to ensure the makeup would last all day. 

So this is my Snow White makeup look! Of course, I can't take credit for the hair, but it did end up being the inspiration for the makeup. Also, I'm so, so, sorry for the lack of posts, there will be more shortly! I've just been so busy this week as I've been finally getting all the bits for my Pro makeup kit together (everything has FINALLY been bought, so I will be showing you guys all my purchases really soon! I've also been getting everything ready for my family holiday next week, so there will be a Holiday Haul to show you, and then pictures from the holiday at a later date! 

I hope you've all had an amazing weekend!

Sammii-Jane x





Thursday 12 June 2014

My 2014 Hair and Makeup

This post is just a little update of how I've progressed with finding my particular "look" that I feel most comfortable with. When I first took an interest to makeup, I felt awful about myself, I had absolutely no clue of shades or makeup application, I literally rubbed foundation into my face using my hands. I didn't even know what primer was. I felt so uncomfortable with myself, I just wasn't put together at all (in fairness, I was heavily pregnant at the time), so this year, I made a huge effort to present myself well. I've opted for paler foundation to match my skin tone, dark mahogany hair because I decided to be brave and play around with my look more (I hated blonde hair when I was pregnant, it looked awful!), and more grown-up clothing, rather than wandering around in say, leggings, or sportswear - it was just so unflattering for me! As well as having a complete hair overhaul, I've also been concentrating on the techniques of makeup application, too. Makeup has just opened up a whole new world for me, of products I never even knew existed, and I am enjoying every second of learning about it, through trying new products, reading up on skincare, purchasing makeup application books, and starting a college course soon in Cosmetic Makeup. On the left is what I used to look like (just after a bareMinerals makeover, amazing foundation coverage!), and on the right is my current makeover! 


Of course, I still don't feel completely perfected, I do still get constant flare-ups with my skin, but it has gotten a lot better than before, when I was pregnant. I've also stopped feeling the need for plastic surgery (I always wanted my nose, and boobs done, but I'm more comfortable with both now. I know how to make my nose look slimmer using makeup, and my boobs did stay a cup size bigger after my pregnancy, which I'm much more comfortable with as it suits my frame a lot more - it really does make a difference!). I also, as you can see, have really short eyelashes, which is something else I'd love to change, but I guess that's what false eyelashes are for! 

So, this is my current look that I feel so much more comfortable with! I do feel like I've come along so far as I think it takes a lot for a girl to feel comfortable with herself, while it's just so easy to criticise yourself and I suppose, look for flaws. But now, I know how to apply foundation, I know how to do a flicked eyeliner, I can contour, I can shape my eyebrows, and can style my hair (very simply!) but it's all a huge learning process, and there is still much more progress to come! 

Hope you've all had a lovely week,

Sammii-Jane x

Sunday 8 June 2014

My Daily Makeup for Spring/Summer '14!

I have a complete makeup overhaul around every four months. I really like to have fresh makeup for each new season, as personally, I like quite light, fresh makeup for the Spring season, a warmer foundation for Summer, muted Taupe tones for Autumn, and full coverage for Winter. I've also discovered more recently what makeup suits my particular colouring, and hair - before, I just dyed it a light blonde shade without really thinking about whether it suited me or not. But this year, I've made a conscious effort to always look fairly put-together makeup-wise (my hair is a work in progress), and I feel that the older you get, the more aware you are of what suits you. I think you just get more used to, and accepting, of your personal features, so you choose to work with them rather than despite them. Anyway, this is my Daily Makeup for Spring! 


For my face, I've changed up my skincare recently so I cleansed using Glycerin and Rosewater and moisturised using Boots Cold Cream. Cold cream is so rich, and moisturising, that primer just simply isn't needed, so I've skipped on the primer and applied Maybelline's Dream Pure BB Cream all over my face. I then applied my Seventeen Phwoarr Paint Concealer (in the shade Fair)over my blemishes, and under my eyes, for extra coverage. The concealer doesn't budge, and is a great colour match for the aforementioned BB Cream. I then dusted Bourjois Delice de Soleil Bronzing Powder over my cheeks, and added some Collection by Little Mix Blush (in the shade Perrie's) on top of the bronzer for a pop of colour. I then applied a tiny amount of Loreal Lumi Magique Highlighter to my cheekbones, and brow bones, before setting my face makeup by using a powder brush to apply Sleek's Luminous Pressed Powder. 
For my eyes, I always start by doing my brows in first. For this, I use my Barry M Angled Eyeliner Brush to fill them in with 2true Eyeshadow Duo (in the shade no. 12). I then use the same brush to apply my Maybelline Gel Eyeliner over my lash line. This brush makes the application really precise, and because it's angled it's also easier to get the 'flick' on the outer corners. I then curl my natural lashes before applying False Eyelashes using Eyelure Lash Glue, before binding them together with Maybelline's The Falsies Mascara
For my lips, I prepped using Palmers Cocoa Butter Lip Balm, before applying MAC Satin Lipstick in the shade Brave. 

And that's the finished look guys! This is my Spring/Summer transitional daily makeup look. I hope you guys are looking forward to a lovely weekend!

Sammii-Jane x

Saturday 7 June 2014

Facial Beauty Oils

Products that are so important, yet underrated, are facial oils. No one seems to really know much about them, and because of that are reluctant to try them - so I thought in today's post, I would talk about them. Facial oils are so, so, incredible. They've really managed to fix my problem skin, and I really cannot rate them highly enough. The reason I want to make people more aware of them is because my skin was just so bad, and I strongly believe they can work for anyone else suffering with bad skin.

I know I reference from this book ('21st Century Beauty Bible'), a lot, but the information in it is so important it just has to be shared! I really wouldn't think it to be fair for me to hoard information on this subject when it could really help someone! Page 80, if you have it, reads the following.
'Many women shy away from using facial oils because they believe they'll leave their skin looking like an oil slick: greasy, shiny, messy. But in reality, facial oils are absorbed very quickly, allowing their active ingredients to get to work, delivering intensive skincare benefits. 
In truth, they're better for night-time skincare than under day-time makeup - so why not try facial oils to maximise your 'beauty sleep', in place of your usual night cream? (Even once or twice a week, if not every single night, can make a difference.)'

I have been using Glycerin and Rosewater for the past month now, and I'm never looking back on it. This is oil based, with Rosehip oil being a natural, anti-bacterial skin healer. Glycerin and rosewater together is very clean, very moisturising, and naturally smells of roses! Before I used this, my skin was so problematic, red, raw, spotty, dry, oily, it was horrible. It genuinely hurt to touch. But now, it's soft, it's generally quite clear, and this has exceeded my hopes and expectations for what my skin could look like. I use this by drenching it onto a cotton wool pad and wiping it all over my face, at least twice a day, in the morning and at night, but also whenever my skin just feels slightly sweaty/tired/dirty. It just wakes your skin up, as well as clearing it, and gives you such a beautiful glow. It also has managed to calm all my redness, and this is genuinely my number one beauty product. If I could only own one beauty product, this would be it. 
Equally, facial oils are usually pure plant extract which are so good for your skin, and work for every skin type. Even oily ones - my skin is combination oily/dry and it's definitely worked for me. As well as improving your complexion, they also improve your mood. As they relieve your skin, the scents of the oil also work on relieving your stress levels, promoting a calm frame of mind. I also really like to have a scented oil burner while I'm in a hot bath, as it really does help me to de-stress, and I come out feeling so much better every time. 


Rosehip Oil is definitely something I want to try! The Glycerin and Rosewater I'm using right now is amazing, but does seem to contain a lot of additives, and it would be better to try something purer. The purer the product, the better it will work. Rosehip Oil is quickly and easily absorbed into your skin, and improves skin rejuvenation (thanks to Vitamin A), which makes skin glow and appear fresh and soft. Another benefit is pigment reduction (due to Vitamin C). It also improves your complexion by cleansing and moisturising, and also allows mess-free moisture retention. Rosehip oil has a light and smooth texture, making it unlikely to clog pores. In other words, it is such a cult beauty product, as it keeps your skin hydrated without bring greasy, makes it look and feel healthy and supple, is incredibly nourishing, and is also an anti-bacterial skin healer, which clears up problem skin in no time.

Argan Oil is not just for hair, but also to help restore a youthful glow into tired skin. This oil is incredibly high in the antioxidant Vitamin E, which protects and repairs skin cells. Clinical studies have also revealed that argan speeds up wound-healing, skin cell stimulation, and regeneration. It smooths the skin and works wonders for any slightly older women. 

Borage Seed Oil is particularly good for dry, flaky skin. It has also been confirmed that a daily dose of GLA (Gamma-linolenic acid) in the form of either borage seed oil, or evening primrose oil, calms inflamed skin. Herbalists have long used borage for sore or inflamed skin, even including eczema. Studies have shown that skin creams containing this ingredient have dramatically decreased skin roughness, and water loss through the skin. 

Avocado Oil is especially good for more mature skins. It is very moisturising, and high in plant sterols, which may help to reduce age spots, and to heal sun damage and scars. It also works very well for sensitive skin, including eczema and psoriasis. Avocados also contain Vitamin E, and chlorophyll, which is can help to regenerate skin cells.

Sweet Almond Oil is very mild and non-irritating, so is perfect for sensitive skins. It is also recommended by natural health professionals for people with pimples and acne, as it is lightweight and non-comedogenic, so it doesn't clog pores. It's also really good for improving lustre and gloss in your hair, and also can be used neat for strengthening nails. It can be used for so many different purposes, and is such a versatile beauty oil.

These are just a few skincare oils, but there are so many beauty oils on the market there is at least one to suit every skin type! To highlight the benefits of any facial oil, they are all natural, which means irritant free, they are cleansing, usually very good skin healers, incredibly nourishing, moisturising, and won't clog pores, as well as improving the elasticity within your skin and improving your complexion, plus can be used on problem dry/oily/acne skin. You can buy these organic oils from health food supermarkets such as Holland and Barretts, as well as stores like Boots, and Superdrug, selling the commercial branded versions. Beauty brands like Liz Earle, Clarins, and Bobbi Brown, use natural oils in most of their skincare products. So, I hope that you're having a lovely day, and are equally interested in trying facial beauty oils - I promise you they will make such an improvement to your skin, you will never look back! 

Sammii-Jane x

Thursday 5 June 2014

Hair and Beauty Haul June '14

I know, I know, I buy a lot of beauty products. But, in fairness, I did genuinely need a lot of it as replacement products for items I've run out of. Technically, very technically, my only splurge was a nail polish. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway...

Hair
I used to dye my hair a light blonde previously, but for the past couple of times I've dyed it I've changed it to a medium brown shade. But because of how many times I've dyed it blonde, the brown isn't really sticking to my hair that well and is leaving it with a greenish tinge to it after just a few weeks! So, I thought if I went for a slightly redder shade, then it would hopefully counterbalance the green undertone. I chose a Schwartzkopf Color Mask in the shade Warm Mahogany, and got a Clairol Red Colourseal Gloss. I also thought that as I will be doing a Beauty Course soon, I really want to be taken seriously in the industry, but my image just hasn't been right. I've had badly dyed brown hair that is curly and unkempt, and it really needs to change! I had my hair trimmed yesterday and finally straightened it for the first time in months, and it looked so much better glossy and sleek! So I bought the Got2b Straightening Blow Dry Kit too. I really need to make an effort with my hair, but atthe same time my son barely gives me time to do my makeup in the mornings so I still need something that doesn't take a lot of time! I also bought a Tresemme Mini Paddle Brush as a hairbrush I can keep in my handbag, as I don't have the space in it for a bigger hairbrush, yet unfortunately always have messy hair by the end of the day!

Face
For my face, I always use Glycerin and Rosewater as a cleanser, toner, and moisturiser, so this is a replacement product I use everyday. I've also ran out of my Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer, but it was also too dark for my foundation anyway so I decided to give Seventeen Phwoarr Paint Concealer a go. So far, I am absolutely loving it, I can't believe I haven't tried this before. It is such a good concealer, it hides everything, and the shade matches my skin and foundation perfectly, as well as being seriously heavy-duty - it doesn't budge. As another need, I bought a Barry M Angled Eyeliner Brush as I've started to fill in my eyebrows with eyeshadow by using a bigger version of this brush that I bought from The Body Shop a while ago - but the problem is that the brush was just far too big so was very easy to make mistakes. Hopefully with this smaller brush the application will be much more precise! I also bought a Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in a cute spearmint green shade, as I am absolutely loving minty nails for Spring/Summer this year! 

Body
As I've recently run out of body butter, but in all honesty am too lazy to go into the next town to properly browse through and find a new one, I picked up this Vitamin E All Over Body Cream from my local Superdrug (where I've picked up everything else...). This was on offer at £2.99, and as I've never used a product with Vitamin E I've never really known about the skincare benefits of it, so it will be interesting to see if it does make a difference to my skin. As well as being incredibly cheap, it was also the biggest pot at 475ml, so I should definitely get a lot of use out of it! 

So, these are my recent products, and I'll be doing a review soon to show my hair makeover, and also to let you know how I get on using the budget straightening treatment! I'm really hoping it works, as if it does, it will be excellent value for money! Hope you're all having a lovely week!

Sammii-Jane x


Wednesday 4 June 2014

My College Interview Makeup Look

So, I had my college interview recently, for the Cosmetic Makeup course I applied for - I got offered a place! I thought I would show you guys the makeup look I went for, for this occasion. I wanted to create a really flawless base for my skin, which was fairly easy to do just with BB cream, and concealer, as my skin is in relatively good condition. I then used an angled eye brush and a dark brown eyeshadow to fill in my eyebrows. I kept my eyelids bare, but outlined my eyes using my Maybelline Gel Eyeliner, and winged it out a little at the outer corners, before finishing my eye makeup with two coats of mascara. I then used bronzer to contour my cheeks, applied some blush for a pop of colour, and a little highlighter to both my brows and cheekbones, before setting my face makeup with my Sleek Luminating Face Powder. I then glossed my lips using a Lancome Paris Juicy Tube (in the shade Fraise), before going over with a Rimmel Colour Rush lip pen (in the shade Rumor has It), to finish the look. This is how my makeup went. It actually looked really good, but because of the lighting this doesn't show the look to it's full potential!


I think it's interesting to see how people do their makeup for formal events such as this. I was apprehensive to apply false lashes as I thought they might be a little too much for an interview, but I was keen to show I could apply makeup, and I was also meeting my friend for a drink after, so I just went for it anyway! Luckily, I met all the requirements for the course, and as my interviewer had such a friendly personality, we even chatted about my son Rhys! 

As for my course, I'm excited for it so I thought I would tell you a little bit about it! I get to learn skin care, how to apply makeup for day time, evening, and also bridal. I will learn everything in a professional salon (which I got to see - it's huge!), and this course is the foundation course for both Makeup Counter Sales work, and as a Makeup Artist. Dermalogica are sponsors for the beauty department of my college, so I get to start by using all their skincare products. I was also told that bridal and catwalk work can make a lot of money, and also that London Fashion Week hire A LOT of makeup artists for the shows - exciting! I also have an induction next month where I get to meet other people on my course, and purchase the uniform, kit, and books. The course is graded on case studies of applying makeup to models, and explainng why you chose the certain makeup you did, maybe it enhanced her cheekbones, or the colour eyeshadow you chose suited her skin tone, etc. It's also graded on multiple choice questions. The course just sounds so amazing for me! By this time next year, I'm hoping to be a qualified makeup artist, with a decent CV, and portfolio. I'm also going to work on getting my professional MUA kit together. The College Kit is made up of fairly cheap brands which, to be honest, no one paying for a professional service wants these kinds of products used on their skin, so I will be saving any money I get, and Christmas/Birthday presents etc, to buy reputable branded products, MAC foundations, Blushes, Lipsticks, Bobbi Brown brushes, Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks, as these are all typical products used in professional MUA kits. 

I suppose progression-wise, I would like to work as a freelance makeup artist initially, as I have a young son I will need fairly flexible hours. I would also LOVE to work at LFW, so I do want to keep myself available for that. Then, when Rhys starts school, Counter Sales would be ideal as I would still like to be in the local area, but also still get evenings and weekends with him. 

So, this is where I want to take my career and education. I can't wait to be working in an industry I love, and can't wait to see what the future brings for myself and my son! 

Sammii-Jane x
















Tuesday 3 June 2014

The Bobbi Brown Makeup Bag Essentials Kit

You guys have no idea how much I have been lusting after the Bobbi Brown Makeup Essentials Kit. Let me tell you - I have been lusting after this kit so much. It has literally at the very top of my wish list, even somehow beating the bareMinerals face palette. I haven't blogged about it previously because i never thought I'd be lucky enough to actually own it, as being able to afford it was a little bit of a stretch for me. I have never used Bobbi Brown products before, but I really want to branch out a little more - I mainly use high street makeup, mixed with Clinique, bareMinerals, and Benefit - so I've been really wanting to try products from other brands to mix it up a little more. 

The Makeup Bag Essentials Kit has basically everything I like to use. It has a shimmer brick blush compact with the mini face blender brush (so many bloggers rave about this brush - I am desperate to have it!), a gel eyeliner pot with a fine liner brush, a mascara, and a lipstick. I use all of these kind of products on a daily basis, but I really love this as a more luxurious, updated version  of my high-street daily makeup! 
What I love about Bobbi's kits are that all the shades of the products she puts into them are universal - all the products will suit any skin tone, so everyone can wear them. I have been eyeing up this kit for the past two weeks, and I have finally been lucky enough to place my order! 
I bought my kit from the Bobbi Brown website, which also has a deal on free delivery, as well as 3 free samples of your choice on orders over £50, which works out a much better deal as you get more products than if you had purchased it at a counter, with no travel, or delivery costs. For my free samples, I selected the Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover (30ml), the Soothing Cleansing Oil (30ml), and the Extra Eye Repair cream (2.5ml). I've been on the lookout for a good eye cream, and I absolutely love cleansing oils - they just feel so luxurious to me! I also really need to start taking my makeup off with a proper makeup remover rather than wipes, and that's why I chose the makeup remover. I really can't wait for it to arrive, it looks so amazing!


A couple of days later...

I am so excited right now. I was just wondering what I was going to do today as I didn't have anything planned - when the postman knocked on the door with a parcel for me, which was the Makeup Bag Essentials kit I ordered! Here's what I was lucky enough to open today! Here's the front of the product.

And the back of the box...

The free sample products hiding underneath... 

The contents of the box...

All the products I received altogether...

And a close-up of the Shimmer Brick, to give you a good idea of the colour! It's a dusky light pink, and just looks so beautiful! It's in the shade Wild Rose.

A full list of the products I recieved...
- 'Wild Rose' Shimmer Brick
- 'Twilight Night Shimmer Ink' Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
- 'Nude Rose' Rich Lip Colour
- 'Black' Mini Extreme Party Mascara
- Mini Face Blender Brush
- Mini Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush

And as my free samples...
- Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover (30ml)
- Soothing Cleansing Oil (30ml)
- Extra Eye Repair Cream (2.5ml)

So, this is definitely so far my all-time favourite beauty purchase ever - Eight Bobbi Brown products for the total price of £65, such good value! I already know I'm going to love it. I'll be doing a product review on it soon, and will be showing you how it looks on, which I'm so excited for! Anyway, I hope you've had a day as lovely as I have had! 

Sammii-Jane x

Monday 2 June 2014

My Skin Care Battle

Through my recent pregnancy, I was unfortunate enough to get hormonal acne. It was so horrible, it was really severe, and did nothing to help my mood swings, and I always felt so self-conscious and unhappy because of it. When it ended up getting unbearably bad, I decided to try a huge bunch of different skin care brands, all to try and combat oily skin and breakouts, as that seemed applicable to me. I couldn't try any hormone control pills as obviously it could have affected my baby, and of course, he was always the priority.


I started by trying (not pictured) Superdrug's Tea Tree range. When that didn't work, I tried Clean and Clear for two months, and it made my skin so much worse, it stripped all the natural oils, and made it so painful and red-raw. From there, I tried Clinique's Anti-Blemish range as Clinique's products are irritant free, and that did make my skin better but didn't fix it completely. As my skin did get better from using that, but was still a little too harsh, I then used products from Clinique that were designed for normal skin, which made absolutely no difference to my skin, positive or negative. 


I was then dipping into a book one day, The 21st Century Beauty Bible, and was reading a part (page 67, if you have it), that read, "The temptation with oily and problem/acne-prone skin is to strip away oil almost as fast as it is produced. But what happens then is that oil production whirrs into overdrive, producing even more to replace what you've swiped away.
We've spent hours, while promoting our books in beauty stores, diverting oily-skinned women (and men) away from harsh toners and anti-bacterial cleansing washes and in the direction of very gentle products instead. 
Many have later told us that their skins have been 'miraculously' rebalanced by following this advice."
I then decided to try this, after further reading that rosewater is a natural anti bacterial skin healer. After all, I'd tried everything else, so what did I have to lose?


I made a conscious habit of using this as a cleanser every single day, and having many makeup-free days at home, in an effort to clear up my skin. Let me tell you - it has worked so, so, well. I won't be trying anything else now as I just don't need to. I just drench a cotton pad in Glycerin and Rosewater (£2.47 from Boots), and use it in the morning, and night, and whenever my skin just feels a bit dirty/sweaty/tired. Your skin goes through a lot in one day, and as Rosewater oil is also moisturising as well as cleansing, it keeps my skin soft and spot-free! I absolutely love it and I don't use anything else. I don't even need to put makeup on my skin now (which is great, because as much as I love makeup, I hate the feeling of foundation on my skin. I like to adopt a more natural approach, and embrace my features rather than hide them). 
It has made my skin so much better, and has gone from spotty, and red, to much calmer and better! I will also mention that this is the only beauty product I am using, but I am also using Marvelon too, which is a contraceptive pill that controls your hormones and keeps your breakouts at bay. However, I started using the Rosewater previously and saw results, but I did want to really make sure that my bad skin wouldn't come back, by using a medicated pill too. 

Completely makeup free, this is what my skin looks like. I have pencilled in my eyebrows and applied a bit of mascara as this is how I'm going out today! Makeup-free is scary stuff after feeling so self conscious about it! My forehead was my problem area and it still is a bit dry but now I've got it fairly clear I don't use chemical scrubs on it, just a hot washcloth to gently wipe it away. 


It's so nice to feel comfortable enough to go out makeup free! I can't believe I'm about to post a makeup free picture on a makeup blog, but it's all in the name of skincare! I would also like to add that if you are suffering with unsightly skin that makes you self conscious, definitely try both rosewater, and Marvelon! I didn't think anything would work for my skin but this did! Hope you're all having a lovely day, wherever you are! 

Sammii-Jane x