Update Ur makeup wardrobe for A/W '13

Alot of people I talk to get very frustrated trying to decide how they should update their makeup for changes in seasons. Just when you got it right for last season suddenly there is a new trend in fashion!!! Very annoying. We see so many makeup trends gracing the catwalks and the problem is most of the time they are too exaggerated for everyday wear so in this post I will give you some great advice and inspiration on how to change up your makeup look for Autumn/Winter '13 aswell as how to make some of those crazy catwalk looks much easier to pull off.

I would like to firstly say that not all of the looks below will suit everyone, but you sure can have fun experimenting to find the perfect one for you. Also, not all of these looks should be worn together. Just because the nights are getting darker doesn't mean we have to go crazy on the makeup to make us stand out that bit  more!!

Some of you will be happy to know that perfected skin never goes out of fashion. This is as beautiful in the summer as it is in the colder months. I personally love a matte foundation for winter but alot of people opt for a more hydrating glowy skin in the winter. Find what suits you best and work with it. Whatever foundation finish you choose be sure to use a good concealer to hide any imperfections to create that perfected canvas. My product recommendations would be Rimmel's Stay Matte Liquid Mousse foundation (review here) or Estee Lauder's Double Wear for the perfect matte look, Revlon's Colour stay foundation or Laura Mercier's silk creme foundation for medium to full coverage but with a natural finish and Revlon's nearly naked foundation for a natural light coverage finish. Makeup Forever's full coverage concealer is amazing at hiding facial imperfections and discolouration or for a cheaper alternative I would recommend Revlon's Photo Finish concealer.

On trend this season is to wear no blush. Personally I would not wear this trend as for me blush is the finishing touch to any makeup look, even if it is only a slight wash of colour.

Your perfected skin will look amazing with a just pinched look to the cheeks. Peaches, pinks and plum tones are stunning on the cheeks. Opting for a cream blush is great for this time of the year aswell as summer to ensure makeup last longer while keeping skin hydrated. Absolutely loving Max Factors cream blush in soft pink aswell as boujours cream blushes. Benefits cheek and lip stains are great for adding a wash of colour and their original Benetint cheek stain would be perfect for this time of year. If you love the reddish, plum tones on cheeks but prefer powder blush Mac's Frankly Scarlet is to die for.

Vampy lips are HUGE this season. Hues of wine, pink, purples, plum and beautiful berry's graced the catwalks. But don't be scared if you are not brave enough to wear a full on lip then a nice berry tint on the lips is also spot on trend. A great tip is to buy cheaper lipsticks if you are not sure if a shade will suit you so that you don't waste your money on an expensive lipstick that you will never wear. Great A/W lipsticks are Urban Decay Venom, Mac's just a bite matte lipstick, Mac Rebel, Mac Up the Amp, and a lovely reddish orange is Mac's Ruby Woo Lipstick.

If you are not a fan of deep lips then how about dark eyes??? Deep colours on the lid are a fab way to update your look. I love navy blues, golds, greens and purples in Autumn/Winter time. Smoking this up with a grey, chocolate brown or black is a great way to add definition and drama to the eyes. My favourite smoky shades are :Inglot Shadow Pearl 428 (navy blue) or 426 (cobalt blue), Matte 348 (grey), Pearl 414 (dark green), Pearl 439 (deep purple) and Pearl 404 (Gold). I also love Mac's espresso which is a deep brown matte shade, perfect for smoking the eye.
If you don't want to do a full on smoky eye, dusting a matte grey eye shadow across the eyelid will give a really nice smoked up effect without looking overdone. This is great for wearing during the day or pairing with those deeper lips.

Deep dark eyes are best paired with nude lips. I love Revlon's lip butter in Creme Brulee or Inglot's lipgloss cube in shade 14. These are my go to nude lip products for this season.

Bold brows are never going out of fashion and autumn/winter is a great time to wear them. Deep lips, big brows and minimal eyes are amazing for this season but bold brows are equally as nice with smoky eyes. Just be sure not to bring the eyeshadow too high on the eye as this begins to look messy if you have big thick brows.

Winged cat eyeliner is also another trend that is great this A/W. It looks super sophisticated with any look and adds so much definition to the eyes. Don't be afraid to pair this with a nice set of flirty eyelashes to add some glam. My favorite eyeliners of all time are Catrice's Liquid Liner or Inglot's gel liner in shade 77 Black. Both do amazing jobs and last ALL day.

So that's all I have to say about makeup, just remember not to wear all of these looks together and have fun experimenting.

A small note before I finish up. During the colder months our skin tends to get dehydrated as we are fighting colder weather and central heating alot of the time. To ensure your skin looks its best and stays hydrated its often a good idea to use a richer face cream if your skin needs it. If you don't want to do this during the day then use a richer cream at night and add in a hydrating serum during the day which will not make your skin greasy.
If you are going to attempt the deep bold lip be sure to use a lip scrub and lip balm on regular occasions to keep your lips plump and ready for beautiful lippy.

I hope you found this post helpful. What trends will you be trying for Autumn/Winter 2013? Let me know

Have a great day

Anita xxxx

I got ZINCed and Loved it!!!

When I was invited to Zinc Hair & Beauty to try the Cocoa Brown Spray Tan by Marissa Carter and 3D Browz of course I was only delighted to give the treatments a go and even happier that it was at Zinc Hair & Beauty because I know how friendly and highly skilled the staff are there.

Zinc Hair&Beauty 637 South Circular Road.

When I walked in I was pleasantly greeted by the owner Lisa who was busy with a client and she asked me to take a seat and Tanya, the girl who would be looking after me today would be with me shortly. I was only seated and Tanya took me into the treatment room where she explained that she would do my 3D Browz treatment first and she asked me to lie up on the treatment bed. Ahhhh finally I can relax!!!!! Tanya then assessed my current brow shape and asked me what type of shape I would like and what colour tint I wanted. She also recommended that she gives my brows more definition. I knew I was in capable hands so I told her to do what she thought would suit me best. She then applied the tint and left it settle for a few minutes. Except for a split second Tanya didn't leave the room while the tint set which I thought was great because we got to have a chat about the Decoderm makeup that Zinc stock and use in the salon (review here) and she also was telling me about the new range of Decoderm nail polish that they got in in the last couple of days. I found her very easy to talk to and interesting at the same time which to me is so important when you are spending time alone with someone.

When the tint set Tanya then advised that she would wax, thread and trim my brows to the shape which would best suit me. Tanya was super quick at this and so the treatment was virtually pain free (even the threading which I don't particularly like). Once that was all done Tanya then wiped my brows and applied some sort of liquid (sorry not exactly sure what) which I think maybe sealed in the brow colour. She then showed me the finished result in a mirror and I have to say I was delighted. They looked much more defined and even though I had zero makeup on and I was as white as a porcelain doll I didn't look too bad because my face had definition. I was really delighted. I was very happy to see that the colour wasn't too dark and it blended well with my hair colour because for me their is nothing worse than having two huge thick, dark brows that just look like caterpillars on your face.

 Tanya did explain though that everyone has one eyebrow that can cause problems and needs more work and mine is my left one (don't I know it, it has caused me problems for years) so she explained that I should come back every six weeks and get them done and she will work on the shape and get them more uniform. I will definitely be doing that!!! I am a perfectionist and can see that my left brow is slightly thicker than the right and it will bother me for awhile but I have to take the advice of Tanya and trust her that by regular treatments this will be rectified over time. 3D Browz cost €30 per treatment at Zinc and they recommend you get the treatment done every 6 weeks to get a perfected result.

Brows Before being 3D Browz'd

After being 3D Browz'd

Next Tanya brought me into the room for my spray tan and told me that there was a hair net, disposable undies and some moisturiser to use if I felt I had dry patches. Seriously, does any other salon give you that much care??? None that I have been to anyway. So Tanya left me to get ready to be sprayed. When she came back in she asked how dark did I want to be and I said as dark as possible and she explained that like the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour tan the longer you leave it on the darker it will be. So she suggested leaving it on for 3 hours and then just giving it a light rinse and moisturise well. When Tanya finished spraying my whole body she then went over my legs a second time. I was taken back by this but thrilled because we all have had experiences where the tan takes beautifully all over the body and not on the legs so Tanya explained that by spraying them twice that this wouldn't happen....Hooray, its like she read my mind. Before I got dressed Tanya gave my skin a quick blast with a hairdryer to make sure I was dry all over(again another first for me)...although there was very little drying needed because the tan seemed to soak into my skin instantly.

The tan itself had the usual Cocoa Brown smell of Tahitian Gardenia (review of 1 Hour tan here) which is so pleasant rather the usual disgusting curry smell of other fake tans. The colour itself was almost instant, I felt I could go out on the town without even rinsing it off. A great thing when you have to go out in public after getting sprayed!! When I was on the way home the tan did start to run on my arms and legs which freaked me out a bit but it didn't make any difference at all so I would say this was only the colour guide running. The tan developed in an hour and I could see it getting darker up to the three hours after when I washed it off. I LOVE the colour of the tan, its dark enough but yet looks so natural. There wasn't a streak in sight (except for a tiny bit on my palms and bottom of my feet that shouldn't have been there...think this was my fault) and even the rougher areas like my ankles, knees and elbows were all perfect. This is down to the great work of Tanya and also the fact that I prepped my skin the night before with Cocoa Brown's new Tough Stuff body scrub (review here) which is available from Zinc for €3 for a 50 ml Sachet. I love the lack of fuss around this tan, you go in, get sprayed, get dressed almost instantly, have no sticky residue and wash it off after three hours (or one hour if you want a lighter tan) and you have perfect, streak free tan that lasts for days. It costs €20 to get a Cocoa Brown spray tan at Zinc.

Before                 After application      3 Hours later

Overall, my trip to Zinc Hair & Beauty was very pleasant, I got amazing services with impeccable results and got to meet some lovely people and try some great treatments along the way. I was so happy to have been ZINCed and plan on making it a regular place to visit to be beautified. Thanks for having me ladies and see you soon!

You can visit Zinc's website for more information on their staff and services they offer. http://www.zinchairandbeauty.com/

Love and Kisses
Anita xxxx

My February 2013 Favourites

Hello There,
So I have kept my new years resolution and am trying LOTS of new makeup and beauty products. During February I tried a fair few products, both brand new products and some I have tried before and just gave them another go in February. This post is all about the products I loved most and products I would recommend. I hope you enjoy

The First Product I am in love with is the L'oreal Expert Intense Repair Shampoo for Dry Hair. I don't necessarily have dry hair but I do tend to get frizzy hair as my hair is naturally curly. I bought this at Christmas time and I have to say it is amazing. I have seen a really big difference in my hair and have had alot of compliments. I feel it really does hydrate my hair without weighing it down so it allows my curls to stay bouncy. I know some people do not believe in spending money on expensive haircare but I recently have become a firm believer in good haircare. You just cant beat it. I also got the mask in the same range and this is great. I use it as a normal conditioner and if I want a more intense treatment I leave it in for longer. These products smell amazing and really have given my hair great body and nutrients.

Next up is the Sigma Mrs Bunny Essential Brush Kit. I use this kit everyday and love it so much. For my full review please check out my review in my product reviews.

I always love a fresh peach glow to the skin in Spring/Summer. So I decided I would get ahead of the game and try the Benefit Coralista. This product is around for a few years now but I never tried it before now. I had read so many great reviews on this product and so I decided to give it a go. I have to admit I wasn't disappointed. The minute I opened the box the beautiful sweet smell hit me and I was sold. Then it got better when I tried the product. It gives me the most amazing "glow from within" look that is very hard to find in a product. It is a little pricey at €34 but you get ALOT of product and it really is worth the splurge!

I have always suffered with dark circles and blemishes(sometimes really angry acne) so I am always searching for a great under-eye concealer and a blemish concealer but I never expected to find the two products in one as usually you need a light consistency for under the eye and a thicker one for covering redness and blemishes. However, I do think I found it in this product. Its great for under the eye area as it gives you great coverage but doesn't sit in fine lines. The product is just as good for covering blemishes, it has a great thick consistency but one that spreads evenly. It seems Revlon have made another great base product. I just love this brand!!!
I am not currently using this for my under eye area as I am road testing something else at the moment but I have used it and use it on clients and it stays put all day and night and doesn't crease like so many other products(even high end ones). I am using this everyday for blemishes though and it has become my holy grail blemish concealer. Its around €10.99 so it is very reasonable especially if you use it for both areas.

I am an addict when it comes to black liner. The blacker the better I say. I love the intensity of gel and liquid liners but as I am up early every morning I don't have time or energy to apply these products perfectly. I have been using pencil liner for years now and have loved Avon's Supershock Gel Liner for many years. I have tried many high end brands and nothing comes close to this product. It comes in a pencil which means it is extremely easy to apply. This stuff literally glides across the eye and the finish is exactly like a gel liner(just like the name suggests). I can 100% verify that this product doesn't smudge as I often wear it for 15 hours at a time. I mostly wear it on my top lash line and would wear it on my waterline on nights out and it has NEVER let me down. I think the full price of this is under €8 but its almost always on special offer in the Avon catalogue.

Every Christmas I get the big Soap and Glory gift set as a present. When I received it this year I was slightly disappointed when I seen there was a mascara in it so I left it in my drawer until the beginning of February when I decided to give it a go. I have to say I was amazed by this product. I love the way it makes my lashes look. It gives me loads of volume and length and doesn't clump or flake which is exactly what you want from a mascara. The wand is quiet thick (reminds me of the Diorshow mascara) which is great for coating your upper lashes but requires control to apply to the bottom lashes so be careful when doing this. Also the product does tend to try out quick as I feel I need a new one and am not using it that long. However, all that said its a fantastic mascara and I will definitely be repurchasing this.

I have used the e.l.f brow kit for ages now and when MUA had a 50% sale on I decided I would try some (or alot) of their products and this was one of the products I definitely wanted to try. This kit contains a light and dark brow colour, a wax and a highlighting shade. It also contains a mini dual ended brush and a mini tweezers. I use the dark brow colour everyday and its a perfect match for my eyebrows. If I am having a "no makeup day" I will use the lighter brow colour(would also be great for blondes). I also set my brows everyday with the wax. The powder is so pigmented and soft and glides on effortlessly but has amazing staying power. When combined with the wax your brows will stay in place all day long. I don't like the highlight colour as I feel it is way too dark to higlight so I dont use this. I dont use the brush either but I have tried it and its a really dense brush which is ideal for perfecting your brows. I really like the little tweezers. For such a small tool it does a great job. This kit is only £3.50 so you really cannot ask for more. I have tried many high end brow products and this one tops them all. A definite stable in my makeup kit from now on!!

The last of my Feb Fav's is another MUA product. Its the Love Hearts Lip Balm in Sweet Kiss. This Lipbalm is so nourishing to the lips but it also has a really beautiful finish and sheer colour which lasts for a very long time. If I don't want a really glossy lip I use this over my lipstick or on its own and I love the look it gives. It also tastes amazing which is always a plus!! I will have to try the other balms in this range. They are only £2.00 which is an absolute bargain for such a cool, fun and great product. 

So that's all my favourites for Feb 2013. I have already started to test new products and will continue to do so throughout March so stay tuned for some more product reviews during March. If you have any questions or would like me to do a more indepth review on any of the products mentioned above (or any other products) please let me know. Thanks a mill everyone and chat to you all soon xxxx