Red on red

Blazer: Vintage

Top: Ebay

Skirt: H&M

I decided to wear this red on red look, by wearing my vintage blazer with the H&M skirt, which surprisingly is a perfect colour match. I love the coordinate look, i think it can look really great if the right pieces are chosen and i think this look, with the red blazer and red skirt really works. I decided it needed a bit of an edge so i'm wearing my 'more issues the vogue' tee, which is a favourite of mine, basically because it's true lol. I think the black looks great against the red and the red really makes the text on the tee stand out. This is a very eyecatching outfit due to the brightness of it, but i think a little brightness is needed sometimes.

Carly's 5 Beauty Tricks You Probably Didn't Know (Guest Post)

As a beauty junkie/fanatic/obsessive-who-probably-needs-some-therapy-and-no-not-the-retail-kind, I'm constantly looking for new beauty tips and tricks that will blowwww myyyy minnnddd. Some of them are so simple yet effective it leaves me scratching my head and wondering "why on earth didn't I think of that?" and some of them are just so downright cray that they must have been invented by Dynamo or someone. Proper wizarding shizzle. So here are 5 of my favourite ever beauty tricks that have been tried and tested by yours truly. (P.S. Just to clarify, when I say "tricks" I don't mean Expelliarmus or the Patronus Charm. Harry Potter fans will be disappointed, there ain't no Dumbledore up in here!)

  1. Draw a cross with your lipliner to get an even Cupid bow  

Hmmm... Cupid bow.... Now where have I heard that before? ;) for those of who you aren't sure what this is, it's the curve of your top lip, which is shaped like Cupid's love arrow. See it now? When drawing on your lip liner this is usually the hardest bit to line and can sometimes end up lopsided. I discovered this nifty little trick a while ago and it's easy like Sunday morning... If you draw a cross just below the dip of your lip (Carly was a poet and she didn't know it) it will give you a much more even Cupid bow. You could even draw it a little higher above your natural lip line to get a full, luscious Angelina Jolie pout! Brad not included. 

2. Pop your finger in your mouth after lipstick application to get rid of excess

 

We've all been there. Chatting to a hot guy and can't help but notice he's staring at our lips. This is it... He's going in for the kiss... Oh wait... What... He's walking away... What the... *looks in mirror* Ah. More lipstick on your gnashers than your lips. Ugly Betty alert. To avoid future embarrassments that could cost you your future husband, pop a finger into your mouth after applying your lipstick and pull it out. It will pick up the excess that normally finds it's way onto your pearlies so you can spend the nigth worry-free!

  3. Using tape at the corners of your eyes to apply even winged liner

 

Hands up who’s ever done a perfectly angled winged liner on one eye, but then ended up with the other eye practically pointing in the other direction, like your 4 year old sister has had a go? And then you have to take it off, smudging your eyeshadow with it which was flawless! Save yourself the agro and use sticky tape at the corners of your eyes to act as a stencil. Stick the tape to your hand and pull it on and off a couple of times to remove some of the residue, as you don’t want it to take off your foundation when you remove the tape. Then apply to the outer corners of your eyes and run the eyeliner against it. VOILA! 

4. Spray perfume behind your ears, knees and on the inside of your elbow

 

Now I'm about to get all scientific on you... *pops on lab coat*... As well as your wrist and base of throat, you should actually spray your perfume behind your ears, on the inside of your elbow and behind your knees. These are your pulse points which create heat, and once sprayed the heat will help to diffuse the scent of the perfume. These are parts of your body which are also constantly moving, allowing the fragrance to be wafted around you... *takes off lab coat*... Or as Coco Chanel famously said "A woman should wear perfume wherever she wants to be kissed". That's more like it. 

5. Use shaving cream to get makeup stains out of clothes

 

So you're rushing around to go out, just finished doing your makeup, pull your top over the head and run down the stairs to leave. You look in the mirror for a last minute check and you're horrified to see that your top has makeup all over it. &%£*&%#*^!! The thought of having to choose another outfit with literally no time to spare is nearly sending you into cardiac arrest. Hold your horses! Try this instead. Apply a dab of shaving cream to the stained areas and wipe it away with a damp cloth. It will dry very quickly and you'll see the makeup has vanished! OK so I reckon this one may have come from Hogwarts... Harry Potter fans there was something in it for you after all!

   

 www.thecupidbow.com 

Facebook: The Cupid Bow 

Twitter: @thecupidbow 

Instagram: @thecupidbow 

Tumblr: thecupidbow

Hold your head high

Hat: Primark
Jumper: Tesco
Jumpsuit: New Look

I've had this jumpsuit for a while but have been wary about wearing it, see i'm not a big trouser fan, so wearing something like this is a bit of a fear for me, usually i'd always opt for a skirt or dress. I thought it's about time i atleast tried wearing this jumpsuit, and i'm actually surprisingly pleased with how it looks. Unfortunately, i think it makes me look rather large around the hip area, and i think that's why i usually steer clear or things like this. But anyways, i decided to wear this jumpsuit with a white woolen jumper underneath as it's super cold in the UK and i think the monochrome look always looks fabulous. To finish off this outfit, as opposed to adding jewellery, i decided to wear this hat which i think really brings the outfit together, and creates a nice, yet quite simple look.

Catherine's Plum Makeup Look (Guest Post)

hey! my name is Catherine and i blog at beauty is in the eye of the beholder, i always enjoy guest posting so when Courtney asked on twitter i jumped at the chance!

If you have seen my blog, you will see i like darker makeup,and i lead towards the more gothic side of things. this time of year is always when i enjoy playing with my plums eyeshadows and colours. so ive put together a bright plum look, with as close as i could get lips to match! wanna know what i used and how i did it? read on!

EYES
started with elizabeth arden eyeshadow primer.

next, i took wet 'n' wild eyeshadow palette in lust, and using the bright pinky/purple/plum i patted this onto my lid. then i blended this out using a tiny bit of the shadow and a fluffy brush. take your time with this! i went as far up as i wanted, you want to go above the crease.

then i took the glittery plum/black from the same palette and pressed it into the crease and outer corner before blending this too.

then, i felt i needed some shimmer so i took my urban decay dangerous palette, and using rockstar, a shimmery pinky plum, i patted this onto my lid, and blended it in, i didnt go to far above my crease with this.

then i used rockstar again, this went on my lower lashline, then i blended the bright pinky plum into this.

i then used nyx nude matte eyeshadow in i have a headache (a matte shadow, same shade as my skin) and this went to blend any edges out and as a "highlight".

i used virgin from the dangerous palette, as a inner corner highlight.

next, i used maybelline master precise liquid pen eyeliner and drew a normal ( for me) line and flicked it out.

then i lined my waterline and tightline using barry m waterproof eyeliner in black.


finally for the eye i applyed bourjois volume glamour mascara.

FACE.
first i primed using NYX pore filler.

next i used NYX HD foundation in nude,i buffed and buffed this in.

NYX concealer wand in porcelain, i used under my eyes and on any spots.

i used my maybelline dream matte powder in rose nude to set my t-zone and the concealer.

for blush, illamasqua powder blusher in hussy, a tiny bit!

to contour i used daniel sandler sculpt and slim, using the contour side.

MUA undress my skin highlighter for my highlight.

finally-

LIPS 
i used illamasqua lipgloss in a dark purple (names rubbed off sorry!) and rockstar eyeshadow!!

thats it :) i hope you like this and thankyou again to courtney!


bye peoples x


thankyou!

Roisin's Mac Lipstick Must Haves (Guest Post)

Hello Lovelies, 

My names Roisin, and I am behind the Irish Fashion Beauty and Lifestyle Blog The Fashionista Observer. I created The Fashionista Observer nearly 5 years ago and since I started it again a year and a half ago after a long hiatus I have loved every second of it. Thanks to Courtney she let me share my Make-Up thoughts with all of you lovely readers. 

I absolutely love winter. Not only is it a season filled with cosy jumpers and tasty hot chocolate but it is also the season for incredible lipstick shades that complemented the season perfectly. 

As a lover of all things MAC related , I have picked my favourite shades from their amazing lipstick collection. Although they are a higher priced lipstick, I feel they justify their price perfectly through their incredible pigment and moisturising texture. They are also very long lasting in my opinion and offer a huge range of shades and finishes. 

Below are my top 4 must have shades for this festive season

Hot Gossip

Hot Gossip is the perfect plum pink shade. Perfect for a darker take on a classic nude lip and works perfect for an understated night time lip also. With a Creamsheen finish , it is moistursing to the lips and adds just enough colour to the face without being too over powering. Its purely plum perfection.

Russian Red

Winter always calls for a perfect Red Lippy. MAC offers a huge range of Red shades but my favourite by far is Russian Red. Russian Red is a very pigmented Red with a Matte finish to it, making it a dream to apply.Even with the huge amount of Reds, Russian Red is still a number one lipsticks in the MAC family. With blue undertones, this lipstick works perfectly with most skin-tones. Make sure to moisturise your lips and line them with a similar red lipliner to ensure a perfect application. 

Brave

Brave is a beautiful Mauve lipstick, It is a beautiful 'My Lips But Better' shade. Similar to Hot Gossip this is a perfect day time shade that is slightly darker than a neutral lip colour. With a Satin finish it gives a smooth application with a slightly Matte look to it. To transition this shade to nighttime, or for a darker day time shade I will apply this with Hot Gossip to give another dimension to the 2 shades. 

Good To Be Bad

Good To Be Bad is a beautiful deep purple/burgundy shade MAC produces in my opinion. It comes from the Sheen Supreme collection which provides the impact of a lipstick with the shine of a Lipglass. It is the perfect in-between. I wear this during the day and the night for a suitable vampy look. It is the standout piece of your make up so wear with a minimal eye look and you will have the perfect winter lipstick look. 

What are your go to winter lip colours??

Hope you all enjoyed my post and thanks again to Courtney for letting me share my thoughts and my blog on her incredible blog.
Let me know if you pop by mine.

You don't have to worry

Dress&Jumper: Topshop
Blazer: Primark

I've had this Topshop dress for ages, i just had to have it when it first came out, i love the colour of it, and i'm a big fan of spotty prints and i think the white dots look great against this deep orange colour. I decided to wear a jumper over the top of the dress, just allowing the collar and the bottom of the dress to be seen, acting as a skirt. I went a "borrowed" one of my mums jumper from her wardrobe, and thought the colour combo looked great together. I really like the double pockets on the jumper, it's a bit different and edgy. Considering it's quite cold her in the UK (& by cold, i mean freezing) i thought i'd finish off this outfit with a simple black blazer, which smartens the outfit up too.

Laura's OOTD (Guest Post)

Hello! My name is Laura, I usually blog at lthornberry.co.uk but Courtney has very kindly asked me to guest post on hers for today! My blogs content mainly features posts about fashion, beauty and lifestyle, whether it be OOTD's, beauty reviews & hauls, wishlist posts, outfit creations posts and favourite music posts from time to time.

For today's post, I have decided to put together an OOTD featuring one of A/W's biggest trends; Tartan! Now if you're a regular shopper on the high street, you would have seen tartan pop up literally EVERYWHERE! It's definitely a huge trend and something that can be quite tricky to style or even hard to wear, if you feel the print to be too bold or you just don't think it would suit you! I wouldn't say I was a huge fan of this trend and my wardrobe isn't filled full of this print, but for my outfit, I have embraced the trend and taking it on board in my own way!

When it comes to OOTD posts, I'm definitely one for going more towards a casual, laid back outfit than a more dressed up, formal look. This outfit post would be more of an everyday sort of daytime look, whether you're going out with some friends, going out shopping or for lunch, just a general daytime casual outfit! (just be warned the photographs aren't great quality, I'm still on the look out for a new camera as my Iphone 5 doesn't quite cut it anymore, so any recommendation, feel free to let me know!)

So here's what I have put together today!

Tartan Studded Collar Shirt: New Look

Disco Leggings: Ebay

Burgundy Vans: Very

Leather Jacket: Ebay

Nail Polish: Barry M Matte Nail Paint in Vanilla

Midi Rings: Primark

Arrow Ring: Ebay

I'd like to thank the lovely Courtney for giving my this opportunity and I hope you all like the outfit I have put together! If you did like this post, and would like to see more of what I do and write about, then my social media links are as follows...

Blog - http://www.lthornberry.co.uk/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LThornberry_

Instagram - http://instagram.com/lauraaaaaaa_t/

Bloglovin - https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11143417

Laura Thornberry x