Anniebeauty

Friday 17 April 2015

Why I love coconut oil as a beauty product - what can you do with it?

Coconut oil - what is it?


Its extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. Its edible and a great healthy option for regular oils BUT its also an amazing multi use beauty product!
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Face
I use coconut oil for its moisturising values, its suitable for body and face.  Its takes the name 'oil' but is a thick consistency almost like wax but it melts on contact with your skin. This isn't going to create a really oily face and it hasn't caused spots for me (obviously every ones skin is different) I use it sometimes in place of a moisturiser or as a base before make up for a nice subtle glow and it helps the make up glide on. I recently got a tip from a friend to use it as a cleanser to remove make up so gave it a try and it took my make up off like vanish! Use a warm face cloth to remove.




Body
I use it on dry patches on my body such as knees and elbows - I rub it in whilst watching TV or just chilling out and it makes it nice and supple. Also, good for feet! especially coming up to summer when its nearly time to get the flip flops out.


Cuticles.


Self manicure anyone? Cuticle oil can be expensive especially from some of the leading brands so you can substitute this with coconut oil. Just rub into your cuticles and hands like you would an oil or hand cream.




Hair
The other day I covered my hair (dry) in coconut oil and left it for an hour or so. when I washed it out I shampooed it twice just to make sure all the product was out! I used shampoo and conditioner as normal - The softness it gave me was lovely. My next plan is to leave it on over night and then wash it out in the morning for an extra coconut masque!


I did spread a tiny bit through the ends of my hair when it was dried and straightened but in all honesty it did feel a little oily - maybe I got carried away?




I think it is all trial and error with most at home products like these and its just finding what works best for you. E.g. more for dry and frizzy hair as apposed to thin and limp hair......


You can find coconut oil specifically for hair or skin in Holland and Barrett or online but I got mine in the hair department at Superdrug for £2.29.Buy Superdrug Coconut Oil

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As I am completely obsessed with this product please share how you use your coconut oil or any tips and tricks?












Annie x

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Estée Lauder double wear review

Iv recently been using Estée Lauder double wear and I just completely forgot how good it is!

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I used to wear this foundation religiously but I think I switched over to mac and just totally abandoned it, I recently picked up
A sample for a promotion and rekindled my love instantly!

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This is a funny foundation because it runs out of the pot yet when you put it on your face it can feel quite thick - I find the most effective method is to use a foundation brush for maximum benefit, I pat it in with a sponge after just to ensure no brush marks.

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At the moment because I'm tanner I use the shade 'tawny' but when I'm paler my shade it dessert beige (I'm an nc20 In mac for reference) this stuff really does stick like glue! Even if I mix it with my Laura mercier primer, it spreads evenly and lasts all day! And I mean ALL DAY not ones that claim to last 'ALL DAY'! When I get home from work my foundation still looks perfect - and even though I have dry/combo skin, I'm not lucky with my staying power usually..

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I use a light dusting of setting powder but that's more through habit and reassurance than need.

Have you tried double wear light or maximum coverage? How does it
Compare?

Best wishes!

Annie x





Wednesday 8 April 2015

Current favourites

Firstly, apologies for my lack of posting due to being CRAZY at work and home. To make up for it here is a HUGE post listing my current favourites for the month of August going into September....

Vichy derma-blend liquid foundation £15
This. Is. My. Holy. Grail.
I first bought this when I read a blog that it could cover tattoos, it was then I had to try it out in boots. Now I don't have any tattoos so I can't judge on that one, but it doesn't cover a multitude of sins including scaring, uneven skin tone and blemishes. I use this alternately with my mac studio fix fluid, it's especially good when I'm having a bad skin day (week) if you don't like heavy coverage then this isn't for you, you can sheer it down with some moisturiser for a more medium coverage or just use it as concealer if you wish. This is available from boots and I believe it comes in 5-5 shades.

YSL baby doll mascara £26
Now if I Said I wasn't coaxed into buying this by the counter assistant in house of Fraser I'd be lying.. But I'm glad i was!!! I love this mascara.. It separates my lashes but lengthens them at the same time. I would suggest though when the mascara is quite new it's very wet, so wipe it on the outside of the tube as you bring the wand out or you will get way too much product! No one likes a tarantula eye!!! :-)

MAC Fix plus £14
This product has so many different purposes, you can use it to 'foil' your pigments and eye shadows to make them stand out more or use it under/over your
Make up. My main use for this is to spray over my make up when I'm finished like a setting spray. This doesn't set your make up or help with longevity in my opinion
But it does stop you looking cakey. I have dry skin but it still needs setting with a powder in my T zone, and even if I don't use a powder I still look cakey because I'm so dry! I use fix + to merge the powder into the liquid to get rid of the powdery look and get more of a dewy look! You only news a few spritz over your face and I promise it doesn't ruin your make up!

Sally Hansen nail polish £6.99
Now a few people (including my boyfriend) may say these two polishes look exactly the same? Well they aren't. They are actually very different, one is a pink tone and one is a peach tone but they both look white in some lights -
I love that!!! It's taken me SO long to find an opaque 'white/nude' colour. I have tried my way though loads of nail varnishes to find this but they are all so sheer!!!! That's why I love these Sally Hansen polishes - they ate opaque but glossy and elegant at the same time. I will definitely be buying more of these!Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


MAC Soft and gentle highlighter £24
Being a dry skin girl, I love a good highlighter! Soft and gentle by mac is my favourite so far because of the colour, it's not a fake disco ball highlight like a silver! I guess it's kind of a golden brown with a slight pink tinge (???) it's finely milled to create a subtle highlight but a little goes a long way so be careful... I apply this on my face last across the top of my cheekbones, tiny bit on the forehead and chin and Cupid's bow. You can also use this as a brow highlight!

Indeed indeed hydraluron moisture booster £24.99
I have dehydrated/dry skin - this means no matter how much i moisturise, use expensive creams and exfoliate, my skin still looks dull and lifeless :-( So when i saw this on a blog i decided to give it a try! You get about 30ml in the tube and you only need a small bit. I use about 2-3 pea sized ammounts under my normal moisturiser. It sinks into the skin almost instantly like nothing was ever there so you need to put your nomal topical moisturiser over the top. This has definately helped my make up apply smoother and look more radiant! Some people say that they couldnt live without this and it has changed their skin completely! I wouldnt go this far but its definately a good buy - i got it when it was on offer too for £16.99 in boots!Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Alberto VO5 Give Me Texture Instant Oomph Powder £4
Love, love, LOVE this stuff!!!! Its Iike dry shampoo, mixed with OOMPH mixed with SEXY. I cant go a day without this to boost my roots and give me the 'just out of bed' look. A lot of the time when I have freshly washed hair it goes flat and looses all life, so every morning i shake a bit of this (just like a salt shaker) on top of my head and over the fringe area - I then take my fingers and push my roots upwards (and maybe throw in a bit of a backcomb for extra measure) it makes my hair look BIG - and bigger is always better!!
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I am still LOVING my previous favourites but didnt want to repeat all the same things by putting them in again, so these are my ADDED favourites of the moment!

Hope you are all having an amazing transition from summer to autumn (fall) !

Annie




5 Best Make Up Hacks (Tips and tricks) that will change your life!(well.... ish)

I thought I would kick start the start of spring with some handy tips and tricks, especially ones for making our make up last longer or my "secret" tweaks to get the most out of our make up and tools to enhance the beauty that we already have :-)


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1. For extra curly eyelashes.


We all want sky scraper lashes which is why eyelash curlers can be a girls best friend. But what about half way through the day when your lashes start to droop and all of a sudden aren't as perk and fluttery as they were before you left for your commute? My tip is to blast the curlers with your hair dryer before curling (not for too long - we don't want to fry them) a few second is fine (saves buying fancy heated curlers) When we curl our hair using a barrel, the cooling down period is what sets the curl in place so hold your curlers until they start to cool down. This sets my eyelashes for the day and ensures no drooping! For extra reinforcements use a waterproof mascara!

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2. Sealing your gel/liquid liner.
To stop your gel liner from fading or cracking, set it in place with a really black eye shadow. Use an angled brush or whatever your eyeliner application weapon of choice is and go over the gel to sandwich it in place. This will 'set' it just like a powder over foundation and will keep it in place a lot longer! My favourite product for this is Urban Decay 'Crave' from the Naked Basics Palette.


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3. Longer, Thicker Lashes.
To make my lashes extra thick strand by strand I follow my routine in Tip 1 (above) then follow it with this...
Before adding your first layer of mascara, Coat your lashes in powder. You can use a black eye shadow (tap off excess) or a translucent powder (even baby powder). The powder will make your lashes thicker and your mascara stay on because it wont slide off as easily, this trick is especially good if you suffer from oily eyelids. You can also use this step between coat's, but be careful.... less is more.

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4. Make your Kohl Eyeliner Extra Dark.
Ran out of eyeliner and only have the crappy back up plan? Don't worry, with this trick you can make your eyeliner extra black and soft, perfect for smudging and blending a smoky eye! Take any eyeliner and a naked flame (candle lighter or match) wave the eyeliner in the flame for about a second. Leave it to cool for around 10 - 15 seconds, not too quick so you burn your eye but not too long so it dries! (trial and error to see what works best for you and your brand of eyeliner) and then apply to the eye. Smudgy, Black Perfection!

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5. Make your base last longer.
Especially good for oily skins but also combination to dry. We all face humidity and sweat throughout the day so this is good for most skin types. After applying your liquid base (foundation) take a tissue and pull it in half so you have only one thin layer (if that makes sense). Use the tissue to lightly blot your face, you don want to take the foundation off so this is literally like tickling the face to take off the excess moisture and oil. Less oil in the skin will prevent your make up from sliding off through-out the day. You can then continue your routine with powder, blush, bronzer or whichever you choose to use!

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What are your beauty tricks and tips?