Olsens+Hair

I really think this was my favourite era or their hair. 
 Not that it's not always amazing all the time , it is but Ashley's blonde and MK's hair length combined is my dream hairdo'
And when I'm done with being blonde I want my hair MK's colour here, isn't it just the perfect mix of red/brown and blonde....amaze!
X

Studio Sculpt Foundation

Ok, So sorry for the extreme close up of my face, it's a little intense i know but I just wanted you to be able to see the foundation on my skin and my colouring for matching purposes!

I have used this foundation for years, it's my all time favourite.

I am super pale and have Lot's of freckles on my face, I really don't like when foundations 'mask' freckles as I always think its looks so weird and heavy on your face and it looks like you are trying to cover something up rather than embrace them, so I was really happy when I first tried this as it doesn't do that as all, it gives you full coverage but doesn't hide or mask my freckles.

It's really buildable too, and it doesn't go cakey on my skin at all.

MAC describes it as medium to high coverage and i would definitely agree with that although i always just wear it more towards the medium scale.

I really do think it gives a really great, flawless base for you to build your make-up on.  It's gel based so It's so easy to apply, stays on all day and it dries with a sort of luminous sheen rather than sheer or matte.

I use shade NW15 which is the second palest I think.  I had to get the girl at MAC to match me as I had no clue when I first bought it, they just put a little bit on your neck/chin to see which would suit you better.  This is a near exact match for my skin, maybe just a tad warmer than my natural tone but it looks the exact same when it's on.

I would say I get a full days wear of the foundation without it disappearing on my face, its really long lasting.

I know it's that time of year where a lot of people start to look for a bronzer or light foundation for summer, so that's why I thought I would do this post just now as I think this would be perfect if you want to try out something not as heavy for summer time.

You can buy this HERE or in MAC stores for £23

P.s- Oh and it has SPF 15 in it too!

X 

The Oxford

Love this simple blue shirt, It's exactly the thing I have been looking for and I just know that this would fit in perfectly with my summer wardrobe.

Buy it on ASOS for £20 HERE

Sorry for the sporadic posting guys, literally the minute the beautiful sunshine started to appear I got a big ole' horrid cold and sore throat so haven't really felt like doing outfit posts/make-up etc but I'll be back on my feet in no time and I have some lovely new bits and bobs I can't wait to show you later on in the week!

Until then I am currently cosing up, eating throat sweets by the dozen, sipping Hot Lemon tea, finally reading John Green's Paper Towns on my Kindle and getting ready to watch my favourite of favourite show Suits (Best.Show.Ever, right?)

Hope you are all having a lovely day enjoying the sun!

X

Sunday Show and Tell

I.N.I.T.I.A.L.S

I have been coveting one of these necklaces for such a long time now.

I actually put in an order for two for my sisters for Christmas, I had got them both  one with the initials of their babies names on them.

But unfortunately had to cancel the order because I was so late putting it in, it wouldn't have gotten here for Christmas.

The lady who owns the store was so good about it though and really understanding,  I've got to say that's something I really love about Etsy, the amazing Customer Service that I have experienced from all the stores on there that I have bought from, everyone seems to be just so willing to help with orders and any questions you have.

But since having to cancel the order I have been determined to make another as I really want the single pendent for myself with my initial on it.

I really love simple, classic, sweet necklaces that go with everything that you can wear all the time and I think that's what this would be. And I love that it looks like someone has just stamped out the initial and that it doen't look too perfect, more unique that way!

I also think they would just make the best presents too.

So thoughtful but still super pretty too!

You can buy these at this Etsy store HERE.

The single pendent is £18

The double is £19

The triple is £23

And you can get even more pendents on a necklace if you want too, the price is just slighter higher for every one you add.

Shipping is worldwide and only costs around a couple of pounds, dollars or euros depending on where you live!

Oh and if you check out this shop on Etsy why not have a peek at mine when your passing (Ha, see what I did there, good link ha!)

Let me know what you think, do you like these necklaces?

Do you already have one?

P.S You can now follow me on HelloCotton HERE or by clicking the little pink banner at the side of my blog.

I have fallen a little in love with this site, SO many amazing blogs to check out on there and I can't believe how simple it is to use, definitely the easiest following tool I've found!

X

Dem Bangs

I realised I had never shown you my full fringe since I've had it cut.

I really don't wear it like this often, really only if my hair is up like this as I think it looks a bit weird when my hair is down and curly, but I kinda like it messy and undone like this....

I bet since New Girl has started hairdressers have seen a massive rise in people wanting a Jess/Zooey fringe, right?  She just looks so effortless with hers, and when we are on the subject of New Girl can we just discuss...

A.  The amazingness of Schmidt, is he not just the funniest thing on TV, like in the last episode with the controlling of the apartment cleaning...ahh too funny.

And B.  Um.. anyone else a little in love with Nick, I so want him and Jess to get together!

Anyway enough TV talk, I could literally discuss it all day...

Purple Shampoo

 

Purple Shampoo - a little bit pointless and don't really do anything for your hair?

Well, that's what I used to think until this little beauty came along.

Before we go on we should probably cover a few things though, right?

What is Purple shampoo and eh...why is it purple?

I had no clue as to what the answer was to the above question before I started to use it either but with a little help from the 'Touch-Of-Silver' website, here is the answer...

"You need to know a little about colour theory. The general rule to remember is that opposing colours neutralise each other.

The opposite of yellow/orange is purple/violet and using a purple shampoo that deposits violet colour pigment will effectively neutralise yellow tones in grey, white & platinum blonde hair. It also works for natural blonde's in need of a bit of a boost, as well as highlighted blonde hair"

Well, I think we've covered that now, huh?

The first time I went blonde I never bothered trying a purple shampoo and from the minute I walked out of the hairdressers I felt my hair was brassy so this time around when i went blonde I was determined to keep brassiness at bay by using a purple shampoo.

So after spending way more than i wanted to I ended up going though a tonne of different high-street branded ones like John Frieda and similar makes.

I saw no difference at all, like not even a slight change to the colour or yellow/brass-tones in my hair

So when I went to get my highlights done at the end of last year, I asked my hairdresser about the purple shampoos.  She said that you will never get much difference from a 'High-street' branded purple shampoo because the concentration of the mixture isn't strong enough as they are not allowed to put as Strong quantities of the things in it that tones your hair to take out the brassiness..(I should state this is just her opinion and I'm sure there are lots and lots of high-street brands that really do work for some people)   

Then here comes the best bit, she got really animated and was like, what here till i get you something and she came back brandishing the above bottle of shampoo.

She said that they always use professional purple shampoos form Sally's (Salon Services) and that's where she would normally have recommended me go to get one although they are always expensive.

But they had recently discovered the above shampoo and have been a bit obsessed about it since, seriously at this point all the hairdressers in the salon came over to tell me how amazing it is.

I think it has recently been re-branded as I think it used to be marketed at just for White or Grey hair but now it's also aimed at blonde hair.

She told me that I HAD to go buy some the minute I left the hairdressers as it was so good.  She said it was the best they have ever used, even better than the really expensive professional ones and that it really genuinely keeps aways the brassiness.

And the best part of the whole thing, it's super cheap.

I got mine from my local chemist and it was just over £2.  My hairdresser told me to wait about a week to let my highlights settle and she said to watch as it's super strong shampoo and if you use it more than the recommended twice a week your hair will get a lilac tinge to it (which I actually thought sounded kinda nice to be honest, ha!)

If I'm truthful i was really doubtful of it still and was sure It wouldn't live up to the hype but after i used it the first time I literally could not believe my eyes when i saw myself in the mirror, keep in mind this was only a week or two after i had had my hair re-highlighted so it was looking nice and blonde anyway but with the shampoo it had managed to make it look even better and turned my hair into a lovely ashy white.  I was so Happy with it and i  have used it ever since.

It has been so good that i have actually managed to get an extra few weeks or so out of my highlights as its kept the brassiness away so well and actually changes the colour and makes its look so light and newly done.

This is my number one beauty must have.

Honestly I can not rave about it enough!

If you have highlights or even just naturally blonde hair i can not urge you enough to try this, it really really does make a difference.

The one I use can only be used only twice a week.  You use it like a normal shampoo and leave it on for 5 Min's, i have found the longer i leave it on the better the colour,  but watch out as it dyes the palms of your hand a slight lilac colour until you give them a good wash. 

You can also buy the everyday version of the shampoo and you can get a dry shampoo too which i am desperate to try as i imagine it will be amazing!

Check out there website for the full range and more deets HERE.

You can buy it online.  The best price i can find for you is HERE. Its also stocked in most major retailers including boots but i really would urge you to check out your local chemists/drugstores as that's where i got mine and its was even cheaper in there.

Have you guys ever tried it?

Are you a fan of Purple Shampoo's, Do you think they work?

If you try this shampoo, please do let me know how you get on with it and if you love it as much as I do!

X

P.S. It does have some strong colourings and chemicals in it you could be allergic to. Although because it's only a shampoo that is very rare for that to happen.  I take allergic reactions to lots of things as i have super sensitive skin and i am 100% fine with it but i just wanted to point it out so you can be aware of it in case your sensitive to any of the ingredients used!

Tangle Teezer

There will always be faddy kinds of things in beauty and fashion that are created just to charge a ridiculous amount of money for something that looks extremely pretty but doesn't really do much.  And when I first heard about The Tangle Teezer I kinda have to be honest and say I thought that this would fall into the 'Faddy' category.  But I have to say that i was 100% wrong.

Basically for anyone who doesn't know, The Tangle Teezer is a new kind of brush for your hair.  It is as the name suggests meant to get rid of all the tangles and knots in your hair quick and pain free.

I have naturally really curly, super thick hair but I have never, even when I was little had tuggy/tangly hair thankfully, so I only ever used to comb my hair not brush it because of the curl and it was totally no bother at all and only took a second but now that i have a head filled with bleached highlights its a totally different story. 

It was like it happened over night.  I went to the hairdressers with lovely tangle free tresses and then when i washed it the next day i literally had this head full of knots, i sat for what must have been a good half hour, slowly separating and teasing out my hair with my hands, then a comb, then finally i was able to brush it.  By the end I had a headache and a lot of hair in my hands!!

A few months earlier I had gotten my sister a Tangle Teezer as she has super tangly hair  and she had told me how good the TT had been for her, so at Christmas my mama bought me one and honestly its amazing.

It's weird as I have no clue how it works, it just looks a bit like a horse brush with plastic bristles but it really does untangle your hair amazingly well.

I can get this through my hair in seconds and it's not painful and doesn't pull out your hair at all.

Unlike normal brushes you can use it on your hair wet or dry and when I brush this through my curls it doesn't even make them go frizzy it just sort of separates them and make them bouncy, so it would be great for anyone who curls there hair using a curling iron/wand too!

You can get the TT in loads of different colours and in Lot's of different places for around £8 give or take a few pence.

I got mine from HERE (although it seems to be a bit cheaper HERE) and if you want to hear more about the TT from the creator you can watch this video HERE.

What do you guys think, are you a fan of the Tangle Teezer?

I would love to know?

Anastasia Lash Genius

So, the awesome people at Anastasia were super duper kind  and gave me the chance to try out their newest product a few months before it hit shelves.

As you know I tried out Anastasia's BrowKit a little while ago, you can read the post HERE.  I LOVED the kit so much and I have worn it non-stop since.  So I couldn't wait to get my hands on Lash Genius to see if it lived up to all the hype. 

If you don't know who Anastasia is, she is the Eyebrow queen. No exaggeration, seriously.  She is the go-to gal for Miss Lopez (my beauty idol!)  all the beeautiful Kardashian girls and well every other A-Lister that you see that has epic eyebrows chances are Anastasia has waved her magic wand over them. It would be my Dream to get my eyebrows done by Anastasia in L.A, ahhh the life!

But it's not just eyebrows anymore that Anastasia wants to help us with, oh no, she branched out and now has a fabulous cosmetics line to help us achieve that Hollywood  beauty style.

OK, so what is Lash Genius, well its a clear waterproof seal that you can apply over any mascara and it Will instantly refresh and waterproof it.

And it really is that simply.

No tricks or fads or fancy words.  It literally does exactly what it says on the tin.  Which is why i am so beyond impressed by the product.

It's one of those things when I got it and started reading about it that I thought to myself 'really, why on earth has no one made this before' it is such an amazing idea.'

I don't know about you but I never wear waterproof mascara, it's normally a couple of pounds more expensive, and it's such a nightmare to come off, but then when you need  some waterproofing for an event, holidays, gym, weddings, whatever then your only option is to go and buy another new mascara on top of the one you already have, which is such a hassle.

So Lash Genius basically solves that problem.  100%.  You can keep using your favourite mascara and then whenever you need your old faithful mascara to become waterproof (or just to freshen it up during the day, it makes it look blacker and shinier too) you just brush one or two coats of this over the top and your good to go.

I also got given a little Lash Genius booklet along with this product which I have also put up picture of as it was just so darn pretty and also who doesn't want to do the Flashdance dance?

But I also put it up because it explains the product way better than i could and lists the ingredients too.

I also done a little QVC style experiment.  I thought wearing something like this really won't show you what it does, so that's why i done little swatches on my hands rather than eyes as i thought it would show the product off more.

I put two exact same samples of Dior mascara on my hands, waited a few secs for it to dry then applied the Lash Genius to one swatch only, then I got my mama's little plant-watering-spray-thing (yes, that is it's official name!!) and squirted my hand with loads of water, the equivalent of either a bad break up (major tears) or a watching a showing of The Notebook (Major, Major, Major tears, yes we've all been there, right?) and this was the results. 

I mean I have worn it and thought it was amazing on my eyes and actually made my mascara look fuller and nicer and my eyes had watered a bit with the cold and the mascara stayed put but even I was shocked with these results.

The swatch of mascara that has nearly 100% disappeared is of course the one that isn't waterproof and the one that hasn't budged at all is the one with lash genius applied to it.

How amazing is that?

Such a cool thing to see, that the water looks like it actually runs off the Lash Genius.

I just really love when a product lives up to the hype and more so.

I am so happy with this product and I wanted to do the little experiment to test it for myself so i didn't need to take the product paskagings word for it and i am so happy i did!

The Lash Genius will be $21 when it is launched in May at Sephora.

Everyone from anywhere in the world can also buy Anastasia products on her official website HERE

And now us UK'ers can also get Anastasia products HERE too!

What do you think?

Do you think this is a great idea for a product and will you be buying it?

Oh and P.S It comes off super super easy with waterproof makeup remover which is the one i use all the time anyway which is the 'Simple' one.

Yellow Shoes

Dress - Primark
Tights - ASOS (seriously Best.Tights.Ever)
Earrings - Topshop
Shoes - Clarks
Gold ring- Disney Couture
Rose ring- Rock 'n'Rose


I got this dress in a sale in Primark, it was £10 but i kinda really ooh'ed and ahh'd over whether or not to buy it, but I'm glad I did now.  It has a separate navy slip that came with it for underneath, and it actually sits better on than I had thought it would.  I like the shape of it and the style of the sleeves too, and the cute little design on it!


Last year Clarks were kind enough to gift me a pair of their beeautiful boots for Wintertime (they are still going strong and looking as good as ever!) and a few weeks ago they good in touch again as they knew how much I loved my boots to offer me a pair of shoes from their new S/S collection.

I was so excited to take a peek at their new range but as soon as I hit their homepage, I saw these beauties just pop up on my screen, It was love at first sight and I knew I had to have them.
The colour is just perfect, I have never had yellow shoes before and I was a tad over excited to add a pair to my collection.  But even more than the colour it was the style that caught my eye, if you ever did dance classes when you were little, you'll know that these are so similar to the jazz shoes you needed for some of the classes, so beyond cute.  I kinda feel like I'm in a 1950's version of Strictly Come Dancing (or if your in America, Dancing With The Stars) 

They are probably even a bit more bright yellow than these photos show, and they are suede too which just add's to the sweetness of them. 
The heel is what I would describe as being an everyday heel, not too high but still giving you enough height and because they are Clarks they are super duper comfy too.

I can't recommend these enough and I promise it's not just because they sent them to me.  I would never accept anything for my blog that I wouldn't or haven't bought for myself before. 

I am so happy with these and can't wait to wear them minus the tights in the warm weather too!

To buy these shoes click HERE
And to check out Clarks new collection then click HERE

What do you guys think, are you a fan of Clarks new collection?

Patterned Jeans

I LOVE patterned jeans, I think they are fun and so easy to wear with a simple sweater or Tee.  When things are so 'On Trend' I normally skip them as I like more classic pieces but these are just too cute, that I just can't help myself!
Although, because they are so 'Now' which normally means by the end of summer you will be fed up with them, that I don't think they should be an expensive item, I think the cheaper the better as you don't know how long you will want to wear them it's not like investing in a good pair of blue jeans, these are just little bits of fun for your summer wardrobe.


So with that in mind I have put together a little post with some of the prettiest ones out there but they are ALL under £50 so it means you won't be out of pocket and still get some really cute jeans just in time for the sun to start shining!


Let me know what you think and if you will be buying any Patterned Jeans?


Here are the links to buy...
The Stripes-
1.  Pink
2.  Blue
3.  Black+White


The pastels-
1.  Blue
2.  Crazy Patterned


The Bold-
1.  Leopard
2.  Spacey Print
3.  Floral


The Baroque Print-
1.  Blue
2.  Pink
3.  Dark Blue
4.  Red

Victoria Nails Inc

I LOVE a pastel or a neon nail colour but my classic forever favourite nail shade is this one right here.  A deep deep Burgundy red.

This one that I'm wearing above is Nails Inc's Victoria, which is a near exact match of my hero nail polish Chanel's Rouge Noir.  

I would say if I had to choose one difference between the two, and believe me they are scary-similar it would be that Chanel's is a deeper more even colour on your nail, whereas Nails Inc's Victoria can sometimes look a little lighter on.

They are both amazing and always make me feel so chic when I wear them.

Isn't it weird how nail colour can do that?

What is your classic-always-favourite-never-goes-out-of-style-nail-colour? 

You can buy Nails Inc Victoria HERE

Or Chanel's Rouge Noir HERE

Sunday Show and Tell

This is so perfect.....

Who would you send a dream in a bottle to?

Words and Image Found VIA

"One rainy Sunday afternoon in 1989, with encouragement and much-needed help from her father, a 7-year-old girl named Amy decided to send something to Roald Dahl.

Taking inspiration from her favourite book,The BFG, and using a combination of oil, coloured water and glitter, Amy sent the author a very fitting and undeniably adorable gift:

 one of her dreams, contained in a bottle.

Thankfully, the sentiment wasn't lost on Roald Dahl.

His lovely response can be seen below."

The Black Eyeliner

 

You know when you start wearing make-up when your younger and you are trying to get used to what you look like with it on, and how to apply it and what to use, well I loved all that, the trying the mixing and experimenting with different types of make-up but it wasn't until I found The Black Eyeliner (see what I did there, it even deserves it's own capital letters!) that I truly felt like I found my face and along with it fell head over heels in love with make-up.

When I first dabbled in the area of black eyeliner, I was initially a bit scared of how to apply it without looking like a drag queen, so I started gently by using just a plain Kohl eyeliner pencil, I think it was Rimmel.

Don't get me wrong i loved the difference eyeliner made to my eyes but i just didn't really fall in love with kohl pencils and to be honest I still don't love then that much.  I find Kohl to be a very light ash-y black, as much as you try it's very hard to get definition and for it to stay in place, and I now only really use a pencil for my inner eye or for when I'm doing a smoky eye.

From there I got my first every Liquid Eyeliner and that's where it all began really.  It was the MAC fluid liner in Black.  I was determined to make my eyes look like the girls from the 60's and I knew this was the tool to use to do it.  Liquid liner completely transformed the way I wore my make-up.  A lot of people over the years have asked me how to put liquid liner on, how to make it straight, make it flick out. Not because I am better than anyone else at it but I think just because I have got mines down to a fine art of always looking the same.  But in all honesty I say the same thing to everyone that ever asks about it.  Just practice.  I wasn't born with an extremely steady hand equipped for painting a straight line on my eye, its not like its a talent people have or don't have it's just something that you can either be bothered trying and getting wrong over and over again until you get it right or you just give up after the first few tries because seriously it can be super annoying trying to get it right!

I can not tell you the amount of time i have have liquid eyeliner on my eyebrow or down my cheek or more commonly on my nose, it's annoying but you just have to wipe it all off and start over again.  When people say 'oh there must be a easy way you do it' or 'What tricks do you use' I always say again the same thing, just practice it.  Leave yourself enough time to get it wrong before you have to go out and keep doing it over and over again till you get it how you want it.

When I was little there was nothing more in the world that I wanted than to be able to skip with a skipping rope.  And when i was old enough (or tall enough rather) to try, my mum taught me how to do it,  and i was devastated because I just could not do it, no matter how hard I tried i would catch the rope with my feet or my head or i would trip and i was so convinced that there must be some trick to getting it right that i was missing.  I used to make my mum help me practice every day over and over again until finally one day i just did it, i skipped, we were hooting and hollering and i was so happy(I think secretly she thought I was missing the skipping gene or something, it took so long!) and the only reason I managed to finally do it was because i practiced none stop, because I really really wanted to be able to do it.  So aside from what all the magazines would have you believe, i personally don't think there is any magic trick that will give you the perfect liquid line other than what I did with my skipping, practice. (FYI i went on to become quite a big deal in skipping, seriously I can jump rope pretty fiercely even if i do say so myself, hehe!)

The only other tip I can give you is use the eyeliner I use.  It's the Bobbi Brown eyeliner gel above and it honestly makes the whole eyeliner processes a lot easier for even me who has been doing it for years, I can not recommend it enough.

I loved MAC's fluid  line so much, but the brush was just a teeny bit big for my liking, and it turned to a greener black by the end of the day as well as cracking a little bit too.

The Bobbi Brown one, stays on all day, doesn't transfer, even when your lids are sweaty (Ewww) and I have had this one for a few years, using it all the time and its still got loads left in the little tub. 

I tried a lot of different brushes with it as it doesn't come with one.  But I found this to be by far the best, even the MAC ones couldn't compare.  I really really love Smashbox products I just find them to always work really well and this angled brush is no different.  The tip of the brush is actually a lot smaller looking than it looks in the pictures, so you really can use it for any kind of line you like and along your waterline too.  I thought the whole 'angled brush' thing was just a fad, but i personally feel like it makes it so much easier.

I have just found a link and Debenhams seem to be selling the eyeliner for £14 with free delivery, such a good price and the best one I have found online, I don't know when the offer ends though so you may have to be quick.Click HERE for the link.

And you can buy the Liner brush which is number 21 also on Debemhams HERE for £13 free delivery also or you can buy it HERE for £11 but  i imagine there will be delivery so you may be cheaper with Debenhams.

Are you a Black Eyeliner fan like me, what is the best ever eyeliner you have tried, I would love to know?

X

P.S I know I haven't put a photo of me wearing it here.  But any photo you have saw of me on this blog wearing eyeliner, it's been this!