How To: Relieve Stress & Feel Better

I, along with 1 out of 12 people in the whole population suffer with depression. 

Mental health seems to have a growing naive stigma, many people find it difficult to reach out for help because they feel embarrassed or ashamed. Especially as a young person, having a mental health issue is a lot more challenging. It's often dismissed as 'teenage angst' and this shouldn't be the case. 

Today I'm going to share how I cope when I'm feeling low and need cheering up. These aren't going to solve your situations or make you forget about everything, but they can help. Remember, you never need to depend on anyone to make you happy!

#1: Art Therapy 

I am so impressed with this book! I discovered these 'adult colouring books' in Waterstones a few weeks ago and they looked really fun so I decided to buy a cheaper one off Amazon to give them a trial. I think why it works so well, is because you're concentrating so much on colouring in, that you forget about everything else. It has some great patterns and I could spend hours doing this!

#2: Reading

Reading can very much take your mind off your thoughts too. Reading about other people's lives and problems (in magazines) can put your situation into perspective too. You can also get inspiration and motivation.

#3: Spend time with loved ones

Surrounding yourself with positive people is going to make you feel better within yourself. If you're laughing and having fun, chances are you're going to forget about your problems for a while. Having family and friends around you, is going to show you what's important.

#4: Watch something

When I'm stressed, I love to watch YouTube video's. Most likely make-up tutorials. TV choice is most likely to be something to do with crime. DVD choice's are never romance! I will refuse to watch any romantic film, just because I don't want to chose to cry or make myself feel worse. I love anything with action or suspense, this is going to really hold your attention and focus your mind elsewhere.

I hope this post has helped some of you, I felt quite nervous posting this but I guess that's due to the stigma I talked about. Remember it's human to be upset and stressed sometimes.

"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions"- Dalai Lama.

Love,

Amy x

New In: Highstreet Finds

Sorry there hasn't been a post in a while, I've been feeling really unmotivated lately. However, I have made time to be dipping in and out of Boots and Superdrug!

PRIMARK FASHION NAILS, £1 EACH

I picked these up in a nude colour, and a pink floral design (very similar to the Ted Baker one's). You get 24 nails with an adhesive in each pack. I use my own glue as I find the glue that comes with fake nails to be rubbish. They were really easy to apply and are quite short which is perfect for me.

MAYBELLINE NEW YORK COLOUR TATTOO 24HR LEATHER EFFECT IN 'CREAMY BEIGE 98'

I picked this up in Superdrug as I've been wanting a dupe to MAC's Paint Pots. The consistency is a lot thicker and harder to blend than a Paint Pots. However, it's brilliant for layering underneath a brown/black eye shadow as it just doesn't budge. It's a Toffee kind of colour, with a tiny tiny bit of sparkle.

Top: Colour Tattoo / Bottom: Peach Party

SOAP & GLORY PEACH PARTY, £11

This is a beautiful multi-colour blush brick. It's formed of rose, bronze and champagne colours. Very similar to Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick. The swatch above is all the colours swirled on a brush together. You can obviously just use what shades you want, it can be a blusher or bronzer depending on what you choose. And as ever, super cute packaging from Soap & Glory.

L'OREAL PARIS TRUE MATCH FOUNDATION IN GOLDEN BEIGE, £9.99

I thought I'd try this foundation after seeing so many people rave about it. The consistency is light, it's not thick at all. Once applied it's medium to full coverage and it blends lovely. It does make the skin look oily after a while if you don't powder other than that, a great product.

MUA LUXE VELVET LIP LAQUER, £3 EACH

After seeing the release of the Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks I was so desperate to get my hands on any liquid lipstick. I definitely prefer a matte lip, and at this time of year, you don't really want the whole hair-sticking-to-lip scenario! I saw these in Superdrug and squealed inside. I bought the colours 'Kooky', which is a dark purple; Halycon, a light pinky beige and Tranquility, the perfect Kylie Jenner nude lip. 

I found the formula pretty good when applied, but after about 10 minutes of having Kooky on, the lipstick started to crumble and my mouth was left all patchy. I applied a lip balm before and whilst it was on and it didn't really make a difference. However, the other two stayed on fine!

Top to bottom: Tranquility, Halycon & Kooky.

I promise there will be more posts soon! Thanks for reading.

Love Amy x

Hair Rehab London Syn Wrap Ponytail: Review

I've been following Lauren Pope on Instagram for a while. I am always in awe of her amazing hair. I took a trip over to the Hair Rehab website and had a browse.

As I have to wear my hair up for college and work 5 days a week, I wasn't looking for any proper hair extensions, more just a staple piece. I watched a few of the Hair Rehab tutorials on their YouTube channel to see what looked the most natural/ easy to apply. 

 I fell in love with the Syn Wrap Ponytail as I watched Lauren apply it in minutes.
The ponytail is quite heavy so I don't really recommend it for a night out, all the dancing might cause it too fall out.

Hair Rehab London don't accept returns if all the packaging isn't in tact, so it's really handy having a cut out side to colour match before opening the whole box. I chose the shade 'Midnight' which is their darkest colour for the Syn Ponytail. My hair is black but I still feel this shade is a tiny bit light but it still looks natural as the roots of anyone's hair is naturally darker.

The piece has a claw in the center which is placed within the gap between your ponytail and your head. You then tuck the side in, and wrap the sticking out section of hair round the ponytail securing it in place. 

Really recommend this product and will be trying out more Hair Rehab London pieces!

Love,

Amy xo 

My Makeup Collection

 If I really love a product, I will keep it until I finish it, despite it being dried up or way past its use by date (lovely!). However, I recently threw out a lot of old makeup and are willing to show you my now, much more compact (some may say) makeup collection.

 Here is my favourite little spot in the whole house. 

The ever-famous Muji drawers make an appearance on my dressing table. They really are fab, they come in different widths & heights and are perfect for easy makeup storage. I store my daily makeup in here.

I then have a 24 acrylic lipstick holder which I bought on eBay. 

This No7 mirror has made such a big difference on how I see my skin. You see every little detail and hair (which may or may not be a good thing). Perfect for when I pluck my eyebrows and applying foundation.

 My 'Random Bits And Bobs' box is so handy. I keep all my hair grips and daily jewelry in there.

I store my makeup brushes in two white glasses. The left one is from Sainsburys and the right, from ASDA. My makeup brushes are mainly Real Techniques, MAC and MSQ.

Here is all my makeup that I don't use daily. Sorted into various sections. I picked these black dividers up from a pound shop. They're not very nice to look at but they do the job. I store my palettes at the back of the drawer.

Here are all my lip products. 

MAC, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, Topshop, Clinique and Sleek lipsticks.

MAC and Kiko lip liners

Smashbox, Tanya Burr, Estee Lauder and Lancome lipgloss'.

All my foundations.

Rimmel Wake Me up, MAKE UP FOR EVER HD and Laura Mercier silk creme foundation are my favourites,

Brows.

My holy grail brow product is Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Chocolate.

I love using Benefit Gimme Brow to set them in place. It has fibers in the product so your eyebrows look thicker and more natural. 

 Everything eye's.

Lots of Sephora 12hr eye pencils.

Some sample Guerlain and Mac mascaras.

Bobbi Brown gel liners.

The best mascara: Urban Decay's Perversion.

A few Loreal liners.

 My palettes. 

Do The Bright Thing, by Benefit.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess.

Bobbi Brown Warm Eye Palette (the packaging is so beautiful)

Sephora Moonshadow baked palette in 'In the tropics'

Urban Decay Preen/ Peacock palette

Urban Decay NAKED 3 palette

 Powders/ blushes.

MAC blushes in Dainty and Peachykeen

Much loved COLLECTION pressed powder

bareMinerals spf15 foundation

NARS orgasm blush

MAC Studio Fix Powder

Bronzers.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Global Glow, the most beautiful radiant bronzer

Topshop bronzer in Sandcastle

Bourjois bronzing powder

Benefit Sun Beam

Chanel Brilliance Pur Luminous Face Shimmer, lovely when mixed with a foundation

 Concealers/ primers.

Erase Paste by Benefit

"That Gal" brightening face primer by Benefit

Bobbi Brown Creamy concealer

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Smashbox Hydrating Under Eye Primer

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer

 Highlighters.

NARS Illuminator in Orgasm.

Benefit High Beam.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal.

MAC Cream Colour Base in Pearl.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Ethereal Glow.

Eyeshadows.

MAC Cranberry, Sketch, Satin Taupe and Make Your Mark.

Smashbox Full Exposure Eye Shadow duo.

Sephora Diamonds Are Forever No60. Eyeshadow

Maybelline 720 Iced Fudged.

Hope you guys enjoyed this post,

Love Amy xo

SFX Tutorial: Burnt Peeling Face

Something a bit different. I've got really into Special Effects make-up recently, since practicing bruises and cuts at college. I decided to buy some Liquid Latex, a bruise wheel and some scar wax of Amazon and create some looks for myself.

You will need: 

• Liquid Latex
• Gel Blood
• Bruise wheel (cream coloured makeup)
• Spatula
• Paint brushes/ old makeup brushes
• A makeup sponge
• Tissue
• Cotton wool
• White and red face paint (optional)
• Ground Coffee beans or the inside of a tea bag

Apply a thin layer of Liquid Latex to half the face, wait to dry. Repeat 3-4 times.

Once dry, pick at the skin creating small, large and medium holes. Don't worry about being neat, as a real burn would have texture and different sizing.

It should end up looking something like this,

OPTIONAL: To add more texture, apply cotton wool over wet latex and then set with more latex.

OPTIONAL: For even more texture, you want to sprinkle ground Coffee beans or the inside of a tea bag over wet latex, and again set with more latex. 

OPTIONAL: Lay ripped pieces of thin tissue on top of wet latex then wait to dry, and repeat 2-3 times.

Now for the fun part, you want to colour in the crevices with a dark colour. Anything you have, purple, black, brown or blue. Then proceed to colour the rest of the face in red and purple.

You will end up with something like this. If this isn't gory enough, you want to go ahead and add the fake blood. You can apply this all over, or just to the crevices.

Hope you enjoyed learning how to achieve this super gory burnt look. If you want to give this look a go, all the materials are fairly cheap and available online.

Love,

Amy xo

Current Favourites: December/January

Hi everyone, this is my first ever post on this blog so be nice! I aim to post outfit of the days, beauty products I'm loving, product reviews, make-up tutorials and anything else that might be requested. I'd love to hear your feedback. I'd been umming and ahhing over whether to start a blog, but what a better time to do it than in the New Year.

Pink Floral iPad case, from New Look. £14.99.

I only bought this a couple of days ago, I spotted it when I was at the tills and it caught my eye immediately. It has a stand at the back, so you can have the iPad standing up without holding it. Great for Netflix in bed.

For reference I have the iPad 2

Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream, £7.69

Hands down, this is the best moisturiser I've ever tried. For the days when my skin is extra dry, or has flaky patches, this works a miracle. I can't believe it's this good and available in Boots. (Also on offer right now!)

Nars Illuminator in Orgasm, £22.50

I use this product as a liquid blush, or a highlight for when I'm self tanned. Either way, it does a great job of making the skin look fresh and radiant. It's very glowy, but without having shimmer or sparkle, which helps to look much more natural.

MAC 217 Blending Brush, £19

As we all know, MAC products are quite dear. Especially the brushes. But if I were to own only one MAC brush, it would be this one. It blends like absolute heaven. I intend to buy a lot more of these!

Elie Saab Le Parfum, £38

Pretty much the only perfume I wear these days. Even though it's Winter, I still find myself reaching for this perfume. The smell is very light and refreshing. It has notes of; jasmine, orange and cedar wood.

Bath and Body Works 3 Wick Candle in Winter, $22.50

A contrast of the summery perfume now. I bought this in New York back in October and didn't end up burning it until Christmas Eve, to get me even more excited for Christmas (I'm such a child). It has notes of; pine needles, winter citrus and 'white wood's.. apparently that's a thing.

Elemis FreshSkin Skin Glow Exfoliating Skin Wash

I got this in a set for Christmas, it came with their Purifying Skin Wash. I've found myself reaching for the Exfoliating Wash more as my skin's been breaking out and had a lot of dry patches. I feel like this face wash has combated and helped to eliminate this.

Benefit High Beam, £19.50

An oldie but a goody. I've been using this for highlighter years and it works well every time. It is quite pink, so maybe not great for darker skin tones. I use this as a brow bone highlight and on the tops of my cheekbones.

Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation, $42

This foundation makes my skin looks airbrushed and flawless. I would say it's more light-medium coverage, than medium-full like it says. If I don't set it with a powder, it can go quite oily on my t-zone.

Topshop Lipstick in Hazard

I've been wearing this so much over the Christmas holidays. It's the perfect Winter shade.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

This brush blends my foundation like nothing else. I've even converted from Beauty Blender to this! No matter what foundation I use with this brush, powder or liquid, it blends effortlessly. 

Dolly's Mixtures Pina Colada Shower Gel, £2 from Asda

All I can say is BUY THIS. I can't believe something that smells this good is only £2. Smells of my holiday in Ibiza.

Pickle Parade A5 Cat Scribble Notebook, £4

When I get this notebook out my bag to write down blog/makeup ideas, it makes me instantly smile. I'm definitely going to buy more of the Pickle Parade range. So. Cute.

So that's been my first blog post guys, hope you enjoy.

Love,

Amy xo