beauty Archives • Page 5 of 5 •

Posted on 21st April 2016

Liebster Award!

I am so excited to be accepting my very first Liebster award by both the lovely Kate of https://kateiscoveting.wordpress.com/ and Demitria of http://www.demitriadoes.com/. Kate is a genuinely lovely girl a great blogger too, and the same can be said for Demitria, plus her style is so on point – so you can imagine how grateful and amazed I was to receive this nomination. A MASSIVE thank you to Kate and Demitria for nominating me, it really made my day!

As I have only been blogging for roughly a month I am so honoured to have been recognised for my small achievements. The blogging community is so welcoming and helpful and I am SO GLAD I finally took the leap and started writing. This blog is becoming an amazing creative outlet for me, it helps with stress and to improve my creativity. I feel so humbled to have been nominated so thank you lovelies!

So what is the Liebster Award all about?

The Liebster award was created to recognise new bloggers and reward writing talent.
The award has German origins and the word “Liebster” has several meanings including: sweetest, dearest, kindest, nicest, beloved & lovely.
The award follows similar principles of a chain letter in the sense that when one blogger receives a nomination she/he must thank the blogger who nominated them then pass on the award to other bloggers who they admire.
The blogger who nominated you will have answered a set of questions about themselves & then they will choose their own set of questions for their nominees to answer.
The new nominees must then answer the questions set for them by the blogger who nominated them, created their own questions and nominate other bloggers.
Bloggers that get nominated are generally newer bloggers that have a following of less than 3,000 followers.

The rules of the Liebster award are:

1: Mention the blogger who tagged you and thank them.

2: Answer the 11 questions you’ve been asked by the blogger

3: Nominate 11 bloggers

4: Give them 11 questions to answer.

5: Notify your nominees on Twitter.

Here are the 11 questions that I have to answer:

What would be your perfect day?

I’m kinda hoping you guys have seen Miss Congeniality at this point, because then you’d have a giggle at my cheeky reference above. Also, April 25th is Katie’s birthday so that’s taken on new meaning!

In all honestly I’m not too sure what my perfect day would be! Would it be obnoxious to say my birthday? I love being the centre of attention for that one day and it’s in August so the weather is normally nice. Me, Dan and my family go punting in Cambridge during the day, go for a nice meal, do cake and presents and then I see my friends and have a drink [or twenty].

2. When did you last sing out loud?

Probably about ten minutes ago? Ha ha! I am currently in the library researching for my next assignment and for some reason I had the urge to listen to the whole Les Mis soundtrack, and you CAN’T listen to Les Mis without having a sing along. Especially I Dreamed a Dream.

To be fair, my library companions are lucky I didn’t burst into tears. Les Mis is just… Perfection!

3. What are you most grateful for in your life and why?

This is a tricky one… I have a lot in my life to be grateful for, but I think the main thing is my support system: AKA my friends and family. They are the ones who keep me motivated and who pick me up when I am down. That probably sounds really cliché but it’s true!!

Over the years, friends have come and gone, but that all happens for a reason. The best friends are the ones who you don’t have to keep in constant contact with – I am a reaaaaally lazy friend I must admit, so I am so thankful for those who stand by me whenever I need them.

4. If you could have one super power what would it be and why?

On days like today, when I feel super stretched I would love the ability to be in two places at once. I am still waiting for a call from Dumbledore telling me that my time turner has been despatched…

5. Given the choice of anybody in the world (alive or dead) who would you most like to have a conversation with?

I would love to sit down with my ten-years-younger self. Once again, I’m aware that I’m beginning to sound a little bit obnoxious and big-headed but hear me out. Ten years ago I would have been 11 years old, it was during my parents divorce, I was starting at a new school without any of my friends and it was a tricky time for me. I used to daydream all the time when I was younger about if I could have a sit down with my older self and be reassured by the idea that everything would work out in the end.

So I would love to have a conversation with the 11 year old Jade, to tell her that I worked out just great, my family life improved by far with the addition of Anthony, my step dad, and then my younger sister Amethyst, who I love more than words can express. I continued to pursue my passion in education, my writing subsequently improved, I found some great friends and have made so many amazing memories. I was so timid and quiet at that age, and although I wouldn’t change it for the world, I think I could have done with some firm assurances.

6. What are your dreams or aspirations and how long have you had them?

I have always wanted to either move or to work a summer abroad – I have wanted to do this ever since I was little, when my family used to holiday in the Caribbean.

The only thing stopping me is what I would have to sacrifice and leave behind. Me and Dan have spoken about moving to America or to Aussie-land so the dream is still alive. I have a lot to consider before making the huge commitment though!

7. Who were you in your school nativity play?

I remember acting as a cat, and I’m pretty sure this was in my school’s renditions of ‘Dick Whittington and His Cat’. My friend was originally casted to be the cat, and I was her understudy – we took an oath that she would DEFINITELY be there so I wouldn’t have to learn the lines. Long story short, she didn’t turn up and in year 5 I had to pretty much improvise the entire play. Good times. I pulled it off though somehow.

8. What is your most treasured possession?

Ahhhh this is such a tricky one! I would probably have to go ahead and say my teddy bears. Since being with Dan we have built up quite the collection, and I sleep with a handful of them every night. Maybe one day I’ll introduce you all … Yes I am that sad. I have tried sleeping without them before but it is honestly impossible… I love my bears.

9. What was your last fashion or beauty purchase? Was it an impulse buy?

My last fashion purchase was a pair of GORGEOUS heeled lace-up sandals from Boohoo.com which was…. last night…. Oops. Although this was an impulse buy, I have no reason to feel guilty as this was the last of my account credit, where I won £100 from an Instagram competition [EEEK]. So this purchase costed me zilch. I just have to try and patiently wait for it’s arrival now…..

My last beauty purchase was an Eyelure eyebrow pencil, because my trusty Anastasia Beverly Hills brow wiz broke all of a sudden [don’t worry, the despatching company have since replaced it free of charge – YAY] – I was honestly on the verge of a breakdown trying to get more out of the pencil in order to go to the gym, while Dan was huffing and puffing at me. Oh it was a stressful day! But the Eyelure pencil is surprisingly good bearing in mind it only cost me £5.45, [well, £4.90 after my work discount]. It was definitely an impulse buy but it was an EMERGENCY – I’m sure you all understand.

10. How many countries have you visited?

If I’m honest I’m not entirely sure!

As I mentioned previously, my family used to holiday in the Caribbean a lot when I was younger so I’m not entirely sure of how many places I have been to… That’s really bad. Having said that, I would probably say that it’s been between 5-10 countries all together!

11. If you could only wear one colour for the rest of your life what would it be and why?

Black. Always black.

Or as Wednesday Adamms would say: “I’ll stop wearing black when they invent a darker colour.” I love how confident black makes me feel and how it gives me total freedom with make up and accessories. I basically wear black 24/7 – but I don’t regret a thing. Monochrome is awesome.
My 11 nominations for The Liebster Award:

@katiexmiddleton of http://www.katie-middleton.co.uk/

@belkatya of https://katastrophique.com/

@sweet_allure of http://www.sweetallure.co.uk/

@beautbluebird of http://www.thebeautifulbluebird.com/

@bookswithbolino of https://bookswithbolino.com/

@LaceyFitspo of http://laceyfitspo.tumblr.com/

@Crazyblondegal_ of http://www.crazyblondegal.com/

@g_beauty_blog of http://www.gbeauty.co.uk/

@emilyrosevass of http://emilyrosevass.com/

@leluroxxblogger of http://leluroxx.blogspot.co.uk/

@EllexMay of http://www.xgardenofedenx.co.uk/
And here are the 11 questions I’d like you to answer:

1. What is your favourite part about blogging?

2. Favourite Harry Potter character.

3. Your last completed book.

4. What is your biggest achievement of 2016 so far?

5. Who is your beauty/ style inspo at the moment?

6. If you could take one blogger on an all expense paid holiday who would you take and why?

7. What is your favourite décor item in your house?

8. What inspired you to start your blog?

9. What advice would you give your teenage self?

10. Best Netflix season at the moment.

11. What is your all time favourite quote?

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

Twitter Instagram BlogLovin’ Pinterest Facebook Google+

Posted on 18th April 2016

The Body Shop Treats from the Tea Tree Range

Hello lovelies! I’d like to kick-start this week with a post about my recent gift to myself [I love myself soo much for this wise decision], my 3 little treats from The Body Shop tea tree range – the body scrub, clay mask and the foam cleanser.

I have heard many good things about The Body Shop in the past, but for some reason I have never so much as ventured into the store, let alone considered trying their products. I think it may have something to do with their popular brand name – for some silly reason I had the idea in my head that their items would be mind-blowingly expensive, when really they’re very reasonably priced!

What finally convinced me to give them a try was a The Body Shop consultant contacting me via Twitter. Danielle direct messaged me on Twitter asking me if I would be interested in buying from her, as she can keep me up to date with the best deals and discounts – what a bargain! Admittedly I was a little apprehensive at first because it seemed too good to be true, and I am always paranoid about online scamming/hacking etc. But Danielle understood this completely and put my mind at ease by providing her account code and information and allowing me as much time as I needed to make up my mind. By the time I had gone through the whole of The Body Shop’s website (about 50 times with a million tabs up on my browser – there were so many goodies to choose from!) the offer which Danielle was able to give me was 40% off 3 full priced items, which was perfect as I had my eye on three favourites in particular. These items were all from the tea tree range, the tea tree skin clearing foaming cleanser £5.50, the fuji green tea body scrub £15 and the skin clearing clay mask £11.

I paid Danielle via Pay Pal and the postage came to £4.25, which I found incredibly reasonable considering the quantity I was purchasing! With my discount my order came to a total of £23.15 with a total saving of £12.60 – I am incredibly frugal so I was chuffed to know how much I saved! My order arrived after only 3 working days, I was amazed! As I was ordering through a consultant I kind of expected a slight delay [I don’t know why I have these presumptions] and the packaging was so great it really brought a smile to my face.

I love the time and care which has clearly gone into packaging this item, it truly made me feel special and valued as a customer. I absolutely LOVE the quote which is printed on the inside of the box – I am a bit weird with quotes but it gave me the kind of excitement you get when the Dominoes delivery guy ACTUALLY writes out the Harry Potter quote or draws you a picture of a unicorn.

Ahhh, I just love the monochrome boldness of it!

I also really loved the fact that they had included a The Body Shop bag and sealed it nicely as this stopped my products from rolling around too much and becoming damaged, whilst keeping the beautiful aesthetic of the package appealing.

Maybe I’m a bit weird but I love packaging – especially paper bags

Now I’ll run through my items and why I love them so much in order of which ones I tried first:

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser

Admittedly I am pretty negligent of my skin usually as I lie to myself and say that I don’t have time for a proper skincare regime. After trying this product I can now confidently say that all that is about to change! What I love about this product is how easy it is to apply and remove. That may sound strange but some of them can be really slimey and get all over your hands, be tricky to cover your face with, then difficult to get off in one go. With the useful pump on this cleanser I used a small amount, probably about half the size of my palm to apply to my pre-soaked face and it was able to cover the whole surface. I did pump an extra one or two times, simply because I loved the smell and the feeling on my skin. With it being tea tree, it instantly smells so clean and refreshing, without being too harsh or overpowering. The foam absorbed into my skin instantly and I could feel it working straight away. Without causing pain or a stinging sensation, which I find some cleansing products do (I have mildly sensitive skin – probably why I’m so lazy when it comes to skincare), I was pleasantly surprised at how gentle on my skin this was! After massaging my skin for a couple of minutes I soaked my face in lukewarm water to remove the product and as I stood up straight to look in the mirror – the effect was amazing. All my pores seemed to have reduced in size by at least half and I just felt, well, cleaner! I will DEFINITELY be using this product at least once every two days in order to prevent break outs and to generally treat my skin. An absolute bonus is that the product only cost me £5.50, so I won’t be at all concerned about replenishing it when it eventually runs out!

2. Tea Tree Skin Clearing Clay Mask

This was a big step for me as I have only ever tried facial masks which you get in the sachets from beauty shops *gasp*. I just felt like I would get bored of an entire tub and want a change before I reached the end and it would be left to rot. Once again, this product has proved me wrong completely. The smell of the mask was a slightly more ‘earthy’ version of the last – so very natural, yet clean and relaxing. The colour is absolutely wonderful! I love its vibrancy and how it is green (I have always wanted a green face mask like they wear in films, yet I have never really seen one). The texture of the mask is very creamy, making it SO easy to apply. I don’t even know how to put into fractions or percentages how little of the pot I needed to adequately cover my whole face. As with the last product, I could feel it working instantly so I didn’t feel the need to slap it on as I usually do with face masks, desperate to use the most of the sachet as possible. I laid on my bed for the recommended 10-15 minutes, fighting the urge to drift off to sleep – it was honestly the most therapeutic facial mask I have ever worn. And after a good half an hour (I was enjoying myself with my Cosmo magazine and lost track of time), the mask was still perfectly intact, it was like a glossy green layer had been added to my skin – no unwanted crumbling or cracking!

BodyShop tea tree clay mask Wingitwithjade

After 30 minutes with the mask on! No filter needed *sassy hair swish*

I used a warm damp flannel to remove the mask, and it came off with perfect ease – and my skin looked so calm underneath. For the rest of the day I couldn’t stop touching it. It’s usually quite bumpy and oily but when using these products it feels so balanced, smooth and soft! The clay mask is slightly more pricey at £11 but to be honest it’s way worth it in my mind. A little goes a long way, so I know that the tub will definitely last me several months if I use it roughly once a week, which I definitely will be doing! The pairing of these two products has given me such confidence with my skin and have taught me a very valuable lesson: a skincare regime really does make all the difference!

3. Fuji Green Tea Body Scrub

Technically, I’m not sure that this fits into the tea tree range, but due to the colour and it’s nature I have put this in with the other two as they compliment each other incredibly.

Body scrub is the one product I do tend to use regularly as I receive them in sets for Christmas and Birthdays and find them crucial when I’m self tanning and leading up to the summer period, in particular to give me more confidence when baring my legs. The fuji green tea scrub smelt absolutely gorgeous! When I opened the lid the scent hit me like a wave and I felt like I had been whisked away to a Centre Parcs spa retreat (a bit cheesy but it’s true!) I was also amazed by the vibrant green colour – it’s very aesthetically pleasing.

Do you see what I mean? It’s so sparkly and pretty looking.

I used this item in the shower and it did everything it should have done – the beads were nice and firm and felt so nice to massage into my skin. The smell was absolutely gorgeous and relaxing too! My skin felt really nice and soft when I got out – this product is perfect for my needs and a very good purchase! Having said that, with the price being £15 I would be more reluctant to buy this regularly as it is more of a treat. I will definitely be adding this to future birthday and Christmas wish lists and potentially treating myself occasionally but purely due to the price, I don’t think I will be buying this as regularly as the other two! Having said that, I don’t regret buying this item and will definitely be using it as a little treat on my off days.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and will check out The Body Shop site or hit up Danielle on Twitter if you would like some great offers and promotions! Do you have any items from The Body Shop which you love? Have you tried these products and have something to say about them? Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

Twitter Instagram BlogLovin’ Pinterest Facebook Google+

Posted on 12th April 2016

Review of Sleek Au Naturel Palette

Hey guys, I hope you have all had a lovely weekend and this miserable weather isn’t bogging you down too much! I thought I would kick-start this week with my very first review; this is of my Sleek Makeup eyeshadow palette in Au Naturel; a gorgeous present which I received from my house mate and best friend Katie at Christmas!

I was a bit scared of eye shadow on coming to University because I always managed to make myself look like a train wreck whenever I wore it, but I was always envious of how amazing Katie’s looked so for Christmas I not-so-subtly hinted that I’d love an eye shadow palette and some! As always, Katie delivered and went beyond!

At first I struggled with matching the correct colours and with shaping my eye in order to compliment it, but with the help of Pinterest and trusty video tutorials, by January I was finally confident enough to use it every day. Practice makes perfect after all! One thing I love about this palette is the great range of colour which is available to you.

Apologies for the used appearance of my palette – I wasn’t clever enough to take photos before I used it

There are plenty of nude colours which can be combined to make a lovely, subtle day time look – but there are also some really nice dramatic colours which I love experimenting with!

As you can see above, Cappuccino and Honeycomb are my most used shades – for my daytime look I usually use Honeycomb on my lid and Cappuccino on my crease line. The colour is really pigmented so a little goes a long way! Although these colours appear quite neutral, it really makes my eyes pop, without going overboard.

The glittery shades have to be my favourite to experiment with. I have made some really nice dramatic looks out of Conker, Moss, Mineral Earth and Taupe. When paired with my winged eye liner, a tutorial for which I have here, I find that these shades are amazing for a night out. Next I think I will have a play with Regal – I have seen some absolutely gorgeous red smokey eyes out there at the moment and although this seems a bit adventurous for me, I am ready to take the plunge!

Downwards from top left: Nougat, Nubuck, Cappuccino, Honeycomb, Toast, Taupe. Downwards from top right: Conker, Moss, Bark, Mineral Earth, Regal, Noir.

As you can hopefully see in this swatch, one side of the palette is gorgeously subtle – perfect for a nude look, whilst the other is dramatic and bold – and one which I love to experiment with!

I am so happy with this palette, and as a beginner with eye shadow I found it has everything I could possibly want. It allows me to master both a nude and a more dramatic look. I love the colours and that it has a combination of matted and glittery shades.

I was really impressed with this product, so much so that I have since had a look online out of curiosity to see how much this set Katie back – and to eye up future purchases of my own. I couldn’t believe that this product only costs £7.99!! It’s incredible! If you are ever desperate for new eye shadows but you’re tight for cash, I would highly recommend you check out Sleek’s I-Divine range.

Alternatively, you can buy Sleek products from Superdrug, and if they don’t have the product you’re looking for? You can order it into Superdrug for free! No postage costs for you!

Do you have any Sleek products which you would like to recommend? Or any beautiful eye shadow palettes that I should try next? Please comment below – I’d love to hear from you!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

Twitter Instagram BlogLovin’ Pinterest Facebook Google+

Posted on 31st March 2016

How I Wing It: My Liquid Eye Liner Tutorial

Hey guys! I thought I would take this opportunity to write about something which I am frequently asked and praised about: my liquid eye liner.

At this point I think it’s important to admit… I definitely have an addiction to my wings. I have been practising and perfecting my technique over five years… FIVE YEARS – and it has been my every day make up for this amount of time. Here are a few photos to mark my progression:

January 2011 – the wings are born! Very Winehouse-esque

October 2012 – these wings definitely makes me cringe!

July 2013 – a post gym sweaty photo: apparently I only wanted my eye liner to cover half my eye [?!]

June 2014 – MUCH better! This was a very good wing day, my brows on the other hand… EEK.

March 2016 – We’re up to date!! I’m sure there will still be both good and bad days but I think we can all agree that I have come a long way!

In the past five years I have tried many different types of liquid eye liner but there has only been ONE which I have always been able to rely on, and that is Rimmel London Exaggerate Liquid Eye Liner in 100% black

Rimmel London Exaggerate Liquid Eye Liner in 100% black

The applicator brush on this eye liner is sturdy enough to confidently glide across my eyelid without it flinging all over the place – an issue which I have encountered with many other liquid eye liners.

Another major plus is that this eye liner is SO long lasting – I have never had a smudge or fade issue with this product. A massive thumbs up from me!

Rimmel London Exaggerate Liquid Eye Liner in 100% black

So here is my brief step-by-step guide on how I actually apply my winged eye liner:

STEP ONE – Glide the liner across the lash line, making as straight and smooth a line as possible

You can make this line as thick or as thin as you like. For me, it totally depends on my mood and how dramatic a look I’m going for.

You can already see such a huge effect on the eye and how it notches up your day time look to make it THAT much more dramatic.

STEP TWO – Create the basis of your wing by making a line from the outer lid to the corner of your eye

I find it helpful to angle the eye liner by following the line on the bottom lid.

STEP THREE – Fill in your wing. I try to make this joining as smooth as possible in order to create a more ‘natural look’

Once again, you can adjust these instructions to make your wing as thick or as thin as you prefer.

THE FINAL PRODUCT:

I hope this tutorial was as fun to read as it was to make! If you have any more questions or tips I’d love to hear from you, so please comment below.

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts. Links are posted in the sidebar.

Jade x

Posted on 23rd March 2016

Winging it…

I am finally doing it; I have created the Blog which for months and months I have been wanting to make.

001

There’s one thing you should know about me… I am really… really… REALLY good at putting off things which I long to do, I shall give you a few examples:

Dying my hair white/silver – Being a natural blonde, this really shouldn’t have taken me THREE YEARS to do. I browsed Pinterest for what now seems like days on end, making boards of my favourite styles, reading reviews online of the best dyes and the do’s and don’ts for dying at home; yet I still put it off.
Going to University – I love education. I love learning, I love reading, I love the classroom environment, I love what potential there is through education. Yet I still took a gap year, working two jobs with X amount of excuses as to why I shouldn’t go “right now”.
Driving – I am twenty one years old, and I am only now contemplating taking my first driving lesson. My sister (who is five years younger than me) will probably be behind the wheel and on the road to independence long before me.
Confronting my now-boyfriend about my feelings – It took me an entire year to finally come clean to my boyfriend that I had feelings for him, which meant that we only started dating when I moved to University, 80 miles from him. Although not the longest distance, it is almost laughable that back home we live less than a mile apart.

Phew… After writing all that down, I’m thinking: “It’s a miracle it only took me a year to make a Blog”.

But this issue of procrastination is one which I am trying to tackle, hence my name; “Wing it with Jade” (which also refers to my borderline addiction to winged eye liner). I’m trying to stop over-thinking things to the absolute extreme, when really I should be grabbing life by the horns and accepting all opportunities which are so readily available to me!!! In other words, I should be more like Monica at a party…

002

Through this Blog I’ll discuss hair, make up and fashion; how I wear it, reviews and do’s and don’ts. I’ll also discuss fitness as I am slowly learning to enjoy a healthy lifestyle – with the occasional binge of course. Anything else lifestyle related which interests me will be posted on here, be it book reviews, personal life changing events, or advice based on my own experience. If there’s anything you guys would like to see from me, please comment or get in touch!! I’d love to hear your ideas!!

Thank you so much for reading! Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and Instagram!

Jade x

Newer Entries

beauty

Liebster Award!

The Body Shop Treats from the Tea Tree Range

Review of Sleek Au Naturel Palette

How I Wing It: My Liquid Eye Liner Tutorial

Winging it…

Latest Instagrams