Quick tip...

Whenever applying moisturiser, always pat onto the skin to wake it up and enhance it's natural glow. This will also have a better long term affect on the skin.

Use menthol moisturiser to stimulate your legs and feet! 

Thick creamy moisturisers are great, but use to a minimum as too much clogs the skin and feeds spots.

Salicylic acid based facial washes are fantastic treatments for acne and Keratosis Polaris. 

Scented moisturisers do smell great, but can dry your skin out in the long term. Try using a moisturiser made with natural ingredients. The Simple range is great and they even smell great too! 

Try the +Simple range for great natural products. Your skin will thank you! 

Lauren x 

Top 20 Most influential Fashion Icons of all time...

My two favourite things to blog about are beauty and fashion. Through watching endless fashion shows, anxious waiting to see what was worn on the red carpet and what Kate Middleton is going to wear next, I have decided to write a post on the top 20 most influential fashion designers of all time.

• At 10, +Burberry . Founded by Thomas Burberry in Basingstoke, England. The line has kept a reliable and quality name throughout the years. Comissioned by the War Office, Burberry was the designer of the famous trench a coat. A style which is frequent topper of the fashion must haves.And with models such as +Eddie Redmayne , it is not difficult to see why this brand is such a hit!

• 9 +Christian Dior  ,  his fashion house Founded on December 8th 1946, was backed by Marcel Boussac, a cotton-fabric magnate.He presented his first collection Corolle in early 1947. Dior introduced extravagant fashion after the reserved period of World War II. Dior was a lover of the curvaceous women's body and so, created the Peplum style, flaring from the waist. His Iconic change to the fashion industry rightly earns him his place at number 9!  

• 8, +Yves Saint Laurent . It all started when he entered a young fashion designers competition, submitted three sketch and won first place. after attending the awards ceremony he met Michel de Brunhoff, the editor of Vogue magazine at that time. Impressed, he suggested Laurent become a fashion designer. A story so simple yet equally inspiring. And here two great were to cross paths. It was +Christian Dior who would hire +Yves Saint Laurent and see him become one of the most iconic fashion designers of all time.His fashion collections were an instant hit and at only 21 years old he found himself the head designer of the House of Christian Dior S.A. A huge achievement for anyone, especially at such a young age! It is no wonder that by working with +Christian Dior, +Yves Saint Laurent would become such a huge success! Net worth $4.3 billion.

• 7; Ralph Lauren. A College dropout, a tie salesman to the world renowned designer he is today! It's almost hard to believe, but not much would have been expected of +Ralph Lauren in his younger years. His famous Polo design was an instant hit, and is still collected by men all around the world today! Despite his exquisite taste in fashion he is now know for collecting rare and classic cars. Not bad for someone who was once a college dropout. Net Worth $7,5 billion.

• 6; +Versace ; The boutiques were founded by her sister Gianna, However after her murder Donnatella took over the brand and has proven herself worthy of her sisters past success. Versace has been a clear go to name for celebrities and the line is complete hit! With labels for all ages, It is clear that +Versace  meant business and she has certainly earned her millions. Net worth: 340,2 million Euros.

• 5; +Calvin Klein ; Founded in 1968, the line has been particularly famous for it's men's boxers. However Klein has proved his worth in many other aspects of fashion such as the: Jeans; Golf and One ranges. All highly successful. Not only has +Calvin Klein made his name in fashion, but also as a high end fragrance designer. The One Shock range is top selling and I have to say that Eternity is a personal favourite of mine too. Networth $700, Million.

• 4; +Giorgio Armani ; After a short period in the armed forces, +Giorgio Armani became a window dresser at la Rinascente. He then took a job in the Menswear department and began his way to success. He is famous for his clean cut, sharp Menswear collection; a reflection on his roots and how he started out. He is said to be the best fashion designer to ever come out of Italy and he is also the first to ban models with a Body Mass Index of less than 18. Networth $7,2 billion.

• 3; +Fred Perry ; Originally famous for his skill in tennis; became the face of a tennis clothing label which soon when on to make millions in the world of fashion. The simple polo design with the logo of the Laurel wreath, launched at Wimbldon 1952 was an immediate success! After that the polo's began a fashion choice for teenages across the country. The brand is still as famous and the polo's have never left the fashion trends.
  

• 2; +Louis Vuitton ; Despite being in business long before World War II, +Louis Vuitton had it's big break after this huge historical event. By incorprating leather into its designs, the labels made luggage holders, purses and wallets; All of which were a huge success.Today +Louis Vuitton is hugely famous for it's fashion lines and is one of the most successful fashion brands to this day. Worn by the likes of +Victoria Beckham. It is clearly a safe go to for many celebrities. Networth $24,5 Billion

• 1; +CHANEL ; If there is a movie about your life prior to fashion, you are clearly something special. That is exactly what is Coco Chanel. A young orphan who built herself up in the world can only be admired. From her wise words and famous quotes; this woman really knew what she was doing. She changed fashion forever, and even now chanel has stuck to it's founders roots keeping style simple; elegant and classy. For her time her fashion was bold and out out of place, but she stuck to her guns and made a life out of it. From her clothes to her fragrance +CHANEL knew it all. It is clearly reflected in the sales of Chanel no.5. A timeless fragrance which goes on with her legacy. Networth $6,2 Billion.

Pale skin..?

If you are having trouble finding a foundation which is right for you skin tone: Look no further!

Here is a quick guide to finding what shades are right for you! 

Look inside your wrist, under natural lighting what colour are the veins..?

Are they Green ? If so you have a warm skin tone, and require a foundation with peachy tints. 

Bluish ? Then you have a cool skin tone and pink tinted foundations will work best for you.

A mix ? This colour for neutral skin tones and luckily you can wear foundation of both the cool or warm spectrum! 

However Reddish skin tones require reddish brown to copper foundations regardless of shade, light medium

or dark!

Lauren x

Quick Fix Beauty Tip...

If you notice an upcoming spot, pop on a little dab of +Sudocrem over night to make it disappear by morning.

*Top Tip: If you don't have any +Sudocrem handy, try some toothpaste. Works a treat!

Lauren x 

Highlighting in all the right places...

Highlighting is fantastic, but only when done right...

Not to worry: Help is on hand. Today i'm sharing my highlighting tips, so that we can all enhance our natural glow! Once you learn the basics, it's really easy to do, and not too time consuming either! 

Here is a quick step by step guide that will have you highlighting perfectly in no time:

• Step 1: Highlight the inner centre of your forehead.

• Step 2: As mentioned in my last post: Highlight under the arches on your brows. This creates a clean look. Hiding strays and enhancing your facial shape.

• Step 3: The nose. Highlight the bridge of your nose. This should be the part of your face that receives the most light. Try not to over do it as we only want to add a little glow here.

• Step 4: Under the eyes, in the corner of the eyes and around the nose. Dot on a little highlighter in a semi circle under the eyes and in the corner. Dab it out and around evenly. Use as little highlighter as possible. Around the nose, use a similar technique and dab around the skin.

• Step 5: Directly under the cheek bones we should use a bronzer to define their shape. However under the bronzer, from the outer corners of the mouth to about half way across the face, use a little highlighter to define your features!

• Step 6: On the centre of the chin dab a little highlighter downwards.

• Step 7: Brush a little shimmer powder onto your collar bones to finish!

*Top Tip: Always use the minimum amounts of substance when creating your beauty look. After all Less is More!

why not use the provided image as a guide to get you started!

Lauren x

Eye brows: What you need to know...

Bad eyebrows can make you whole appearance appear uneven. They are a beauty night mare! Today i'm going to share my techniques to take you on your way to perfect eyebrows! The steps are quick and easy and you'll never have a bad eyebrow day again! 

So here goes:

 I would recommend having your eyebrows threaded and stay committed to plucking out strays. However if you are a DIY Person, here is how you can shape your eyebrows with a professional finish.

• Step 1: Use either a pencil or make up brush and hold it upwards from each side of your nose. This is where your eyebrow should start.

• Step 2: Keep the marker at the side of your nose, but rotate the top so that it passes your eye's pupil. This should be the highest point of your eyebrow and where it should arch. Use and eye pencil to mark this as a stencil.

• Step 3: Similarly keep the marker by the nose, but this time rotate the top so that it passes by the outer corner of the eye. This marks where your eyebrow should end. Again, mark as to have a stencil. 

• Step 4: Repeat for the other eye, and then begin the plucking process. Be careful not to over pluck as if you do the brows may not grow back. 

• Step 5: You should be committing to regular maintenance of strays. Eventually the number of stray will minimize to a point where less or even no more maintenance is needed!

You Should now be well on your way to having beautiful brows. Once you have the correct shape for you, the rest is easy! 

*Top tip: Always pluck from the bottom of the eyebrow. After all you want to enhance your natural shape and not change it completely. Only remove visible strays from the top of the brow!

If you have "Barely There" eye brows, not to worry! A quick, easy fix is to fill in the gaps with a light brow powder. Eye shadow works too. I would avoid using pencil as many people over do it! 

*Top tip: Use a one shade darker than your hair colour for your brows! 

Lauren x

Beauty tip of the day...

To add definition to your brows, use a light shimmer eye shadow just underneath the arch (A shade lighter than your foundation). This will add great definition and disguise strays. It also helps to even out your features. It's a great quick way to glam up your every day look and it still looks very natural. Keep it to a minimum and don't over do it. 

Always remember: Less is More!

Follow my blog for more daily tips and tricks. 

Lauren x

Quick Beauty Tip of the Day...

For super smooth lips in second apply vaseline to your lips. Add some sugar and lightly rub in circular motions to exfoliate! Luscious lips! Lauren x

+Vaseline

Washing your hair: the right way...

Many of us are guilty of scrubbing our scalps and lathering our shampoo so much that our faces are hidden by the mountain of bubbles on top of our head. But did you know that although we are cleaning our hair, we are damaging it severely. Breakages and dry and brittle hair are a result of this. We should really try and wash our hair as little as possible to allow essential oils to work their magic. I myself used to be serial washer, scrubbing my hair everyday, but then I stopped and decided that I wanted my once luscious locks back!
 I started by changing how I washed my hair. A little shampoo goes a long way! I would put a small amount on top of my hair and run my fingers through multiple times to a lather.  From root to tip my hair was tangle free. I often suffered from tangles prior to using this technique. Then i would rinse my hair: continuing to run my fingers through it as to not create tangles, but to ensure there was no residue remaining.
Then for the conditioner, I was and still am guilty of using an obscene amount of conditioner. Anyway I would start by applying some to the tip of my hair. This helps protect against split end and add nourishment to the driest part of the hair. I would then add a little more to the mid-length of my hair. This ensures equal moisture and shine throughout the hair. Finally add a little to the roots. massage the roots (This helps promote growth) and then rinse. Ensure all residue is out of the hair; pat dry and then I suggest using a hair turban. A hair turban helps by taking out all the excess moisture before drying the hair with a dryer.

Tip: Always use a heat protection spray before using any hair stylers. I personally love Argan Oil Heat Defence Spray. It really

works wonders on your hair!

Are GHD really the best straighteners..?

For years now people have sworn by the reliable name of GHD when buying hair products: particularly their straighteners. However is it really true that they are the best money can buy ? In my life I have owned many brands of straighteners, and until recently I would have also sworn by the GHD name. So why are they so world renowned ? Is it it because of their sleek style, or is it really for the quality ? In my life I have owned a few pairs of GHD's and w

hilst the quality is there, they are not the best straighteners I have ever owned. In fact the best I got at half of the price. 

The "Remington S8500 'Shine Therapy' straightener" In my opinion the Remington straightener heats up much faster and does not do half of the damage the GHD does to the hair. These straighteners are fantastic, with an electronic heat selection and natural oil and vitamin E emitting to leave the hair smooth and shiny. They are an all round winner. Don't throw out your GHD's just yet though as the GHD straightener is available in different widths and breadths for different hair types, and they are a straightener of extremely high quality. However if you are on a budget and in search of a quality straightener, Remington is for you! Lauren x 

+ghd +RemingtonStyle RO 

Vaseline and eyelashes. Does it work..?

Hey Ladies! For ages I had been telling myself that I was going to try out this old trick and see if it works, and over the past few weeks i decided let's do it! After just one week of trying it, it had worked! My eyelashes were already pretty long, but as girl: they're never long enough! So anyway, I've been applying Vaseline religiously for almost four weeks now, and I have to say: it is fantastic! The results are amazing, and not only are my eyelashes longer; they're thicker fuller and better than ever before. I don't know if it will work on everyone, but hey; you never know unless you try it! Given that we're approaching the months leading up to Christmas; I would start now! I was really impressed with the results and as I curl my eyelashes everyday; they are absolutely gorgeous! Who needs to spend fortunes on Party Lashes and Extensions when you can have naturally long, full and beautiful lashes! Who would have thought that this "Old wives tale" would actually work ? Well it does, and i haven't had any fall-outs since! I applied the Vaseline each night after my eye cream and night night just before going to sleep. It only take a minute to do, and with the end result, it is definitely something worth sticking to! For more reviews, tips and tricks follow my blog. Lauren x
+Vaseline

Gum hair...

Having long, thick hair is fantastic, but it is also a nightmare! The longer the hair gets; the more it loses it's volume. Fortunately GUM Va Va Voosh is there to give my hair the lift it needs. It's is light and doesn't make my hair feel greasy with product. The thing I like most about this product is that just a little does very much, so there are no expensive frequent replacements and it really keeps you're hair voluptuous all day!

The Hairspray is also ideal. It has a strong hold and doesn't make your hair sticky at all! It is light but not in a way that is ineffective.  It also doesn't choke you when it is spayed (an infamous trait of hairsprays.) With this Hairspray I always feel comfortable and confident that my style is going to last, and I never feel the need to top up throughout the day or night! Lauren x

Moisturising tips and tricks...

Throughout my adolescence I have suffered from the skin condition "Keratosis Polaris" It is, unfortunately incurable, but there are ways that it can be disguised. Firstly, Always wash using a loofa. It will stop the excess buildup of protein under the skin. Secondly, never, NEVER Dry shave! Always shave during a hot shower as this will open up the pores of your skin and help release the protein that has previously built up. Always use a light creamy moisturiser that is quick drying. this will help keep your skin nourished and healthy looking. Finally, use a product which contains salicylic acid. This is a known treatment for acne and works similarly with KP. Although it will not make it disappear, it will minimise it's appearance and hopefully have you flaunting the confidence you should be in no time! Lauren x

No. 7 Intense volume Mascara review

I have really long eyelashes and so often suffered from mascara imprints just below my brows. It drove me mad! However saviour came when I found No.7 Intense volume mascara! The applicator was great, The quality of the mascara in itself was fantastic and it was all round genius! It never smudged, and despite breaking the golden rule of sleeping in my mascara (only sometimes) I've never woken up a panda since. It's easy to remove, yet smudge proof! I absolutely love this mascara! My lashes are fanned out and they look fabulous; thick; lucious and flicked! Due to the applicator I would recommend this item to those of you who have long lashes like mine. It really is a fantastic buy! It is an all round winner and I won't be changing my mascara anytime soon. +Boots UK

ME Makeup...

Okay, so I recently stumbled across the Makeover Essentials range and I have to say I was rather impressed. For those on you on a budget it a little expensive, but if you're en route to a fully fitting makeup bag, then I would definitely recommend investing! Firstly the Shimmering Glow Eye Colour Kit: It's a little expensive for a few eye shadows, but the colours are vibrant and it is handy as an on the go makeover kit complete with compact mirror. Overall this kit is good, but if you prefer a smokey eye: It's not for you. The colours should be worn individually unless you are trying to acquire the bold looks of the catwalk. The set comes complete with two double sided applicators, however if like me you prefer to use a brush then perhaps it's best that you don't buy this set and opt for another. The quality of eye shadow is great! It's long lasting and stays on really well. Being a compressed powder I would not normally expect as good a result as a loose one , but I have to say: this set really did the trick! I would give this set an 8/10 because all the quality is there: the colours can be awkward and the price is perhaps a little steep.
Now the "Ultimate Beauty Kit" I really enjoyed this product! It contains a wide range of eye shadow shades, and is perfect for experimenting or creating a smokey eye look. I found that working every third colour together was a winner for creating many beautiful combinations, and I had fun finding out what worked and what didn't. For me the set is fantastic, but it is quite expensive and maybe not in price range for those on a budget, and if i'm completely honest, I would have preferred to have spent my money on something else. However one thing I particularly loved about this product were the three palettes of blush and bronzer. I loved the peachy red shade which I had searched endlessly for beforehand. If you're a pale red head like me you'll see that it really compliments your skin tone! The other two shades are also great! This aspect of the sets, I found perfect. The lip colours however were really disappointing. The volumes of them were very little and also the shades were lovely, they didn't stay. This I didn't like at all. I would grade this set an overall 6/10. +Makeover Essentials

Finally the "Shimmer Powder Brush" in bronze. I have to say I was really disappointed with this item. When i opened it, it seemed very unprofessional. The plastic cover of the brush would move up and down at free will and the feel of the brush was quite rough and very far from luxury. The product itself was very dark and unnatural looking. Although it is nice to be a shimmery bronze at times this product was just too much and too little all the same. I would rate this product and overall 4/10.

Thank you for reading this. If you have any questions on comments please leave them below! Lauren x

May your wings be equal...

Hi Ladies! We have all had the problem of just never having equal eyeliner wings and if you say you haven't, well you're in denial! Anyway after years of trying to master this look myself: I finally found a solution! I have always used liquid eyeliner as I find it is much easier to apply. So here goes! Firstly set a tilted mirror so that it is at angle and just below your chin. Close your eye, and then draw a thin line along your eyelashes and flick upwards as desired. One you have done this; work backwards by filling in the space from the flick to about half way along the eye line. This should give you the desired effect. From this you can make it as thick as you want, but I would recommend keeping it quite thin as too much black makes the eyes look smaller. Repeat for the other eye and enjoy never having uneven wings ever again!

Beauty on a budget...

Beauty on a budget can seem difficult, especially when in magazines and online the budget beauty buys are far from the financial reach of average person. So I have decided to share some of my star buys and best products from the high street at what really are "affordable prices." So here goes: The "Fit Me" range from Maybelline really is little treasure. As it is available from stores such as Boots and Superdrug, the range is often on offers such as: 3 for 2 or Buy 1 Get One Half Price! Fantastic! Anyway, for a while I had difficulty finding a foundation within my budget which would give long lasting and flawless results. This range, for me, was Perfect. Having freckles I had always felt like I had a horribly uneven complexion, and most liquid foundations would just make them look awful! However not "Fit Me" It's light and creamy and goes on really easily. And the best part is that just a small amount goes along way! It really does have a professional feel and look. And the bottle lasts for AGES! An all round winner. In regards to concealer, they have one for every skin tone. There are keys to matching the foundation and concealer to your skin tone which makes it really easy to find the right one for you. And guess what, no more looking orange or having a mask where your face meets your neck. The applicator for the concealer is really good and it makes it really easy to apply. The thing I enjoyed the most about this product was that it was light and gave perfect coverage. You could never tell I was wearing any or that I had been suffering from a breakout! Any Pro of this range is that the products are swear proof. Trust me: I spent two weeks in Magaluf out every night, and my makeup was always intact when I got home. As you can imagine: In sweaty clubs you would expect your makeup to wear of slightly, but not "Fit Me." It stayed on and it was so light that I couldn't even feel it! They all have a great range of blushers; bronzers and eye shadows. I absolutely love this range because it means that I can afford to have flawless makeup all the time and it doesn't eat a huge hole in my bank account! For tips on how to apply concealer and foundation correctly follow my post! Thank you! +Maybelline UK

First impressions.

Hey Ladies! My name is Lauren and i'm new to the art of blogging. I'm looking forward to posting all my beauty tips and sharing advice and results with you! I first became interested in Make up and hair at a young age and have been experimenting ever since. Being a red head I had difficulty finding looks for myself, but recently I have discovered found many looks that work for my pale complexion and fiery roots, yet practicing on my friends and sisters I have found many other beautiful looks and combinations. I look forward to sharing fashion and beauty with you, and if you have any inquiries into a product or any results that you would like to share, please do! I look forward to all your beauty stories!