Eyebrow Stencils

I often get asked how I do my eyebrows...I thought about having them tattooed on but I'm so worried they'd go wrong.

I currently use a brown Rimmel pencil which costs me £2.99...and then spend ages trying to make them even.

 

However, while browsing Ebay the other day I found these stencils...they cost me £1.25 and there are a couple of packs to choose from.

 Remember people- Eyebrows are sisters, not twins...sometimes they look different to each other

But at least with these stencils you can tell they're related :)

Mascara Reviews

I recently had a request to do a post on my favourite mascaras. With so many brands out there now its difficult to know where to begin in finding the right one for you.

As you probably know I wear false lashes 90% of the time but I do wear mascara with these to help them blend better. My favourite mascaras are Great Lash Mascara by Maybelline or Scandaleyes also by Maybelline. I find that they don't clump or smudge at all and separate my lashes ready to put my falsies on top. 

I find that most Maybelline Mascaras do what they say they do. They are also reasonably priced, even the top end ones and are readily available in most cosmetic stores.

The Colossal Volume Express mascara is one of their more pricey ones (£9) but its good for building volume and filling in gaps

If you're looking for a cheap mascara which still does the job then the Natural Collection at Boots do a really good mascara for people on a budget. It comes in black or brown and is great if you want a casual day look.

Mascaras to avoid...

In general I'm not a fan of MAC mascaras. They tend to be quite thin and runny and give little volume. However they are always dark which is great for a heavy smoky eye.

Try to stay away from plastic bristles and stick to a more hair like feel where the bristles are close together and resemble small brushes. These glide through your lashes easier and separate them better.

I really like the Superdrug brand MUA and they do some great cosmetics at low prices. However their mascaras aren't great as they use plastic brushes.

At £16.50 rrp the Benefit Bad Gal Lash mascara is pretty pricey so you'd expect to get a great mascara right? Wrong. It smudges easily when it's wet and then flakes when it dries. Benefit cosmetics are usually really good but for some reason this mascara just doesn't do it for me.

However another of their mascaras, Beyond Real, has got great reviews and my sister is a big fan of it (although I haven't yet used it myself)

So what have we learnt today kids?
Maybelline do the best mascaras and the more expensive brands tend not to do what they claim.
Whether you like the tranny look or a more natural eye then there's a mascara for everyone, its just a case of finding it!

Please let me know what you think of this post below and feel free to add any more mascaras to this list :)

Lets talk about hair....

Micro-bonded weave

Clip in Extensions

Weave dyed using Garnier Nutrisse box dye

I'm always getting asked about my hair...I get bored easily so I'm constantly changing it.

Firstly- I'm naturally a mousy brown colour...I think...

 I started out with clip in extensions at the age of 14- I purchased my first weft of hair from the brand Dreamgirl Hair Extensions and they cost me £28 for 16" length. I then sewed the clips on myself as this was cheaper than buying a ready-made pack!

Sewn-in weave

Dip-Dye

I switched to pre-bonded extensions in 2008. These were fitted by a lady in Bishopstoke, Eastleigh... check out her website www.dawns-hairextensions.co.uk/
They lasted 2-3 months at a time and I had them constantly for 3 years. They cost me £1 a strand and you need between 120-150 for a full head.
These were brill as you could add highlights in to the mix of hair for no extra cost, completely changing your look.

I then switched to a weave- I tried a plaited one which involves the hair being sewn in and then a micro-bead one which bonded the hair to my own using adjustable beads.
Mariea is based near Southampton and is absolutely fab at what she does- check out her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/designerstyleshairextensions?ref=ts&fref=ts

I decided to remove my weave at the end of last year as I decided my hair is now long enough to go natural-
I currently have a blonde dip dye with blonde highlights. I'm working my way back to being an 'all over' blonde :)

I will be adding my 'Bleaching on a Budget' tips in the near future so stay posted :)

False Lashes...my beauty essential.

I very rarely leave the house without my strip lashes! I've worn them for about 5 years now and I wouldn't be without them.
I always get asked where I buy them from and how I manage to keep them on all day.

Firstly, you need to make sure the glue you're using is decent stuff. The one that comes with a set of lashes is rubbish and I don't recommend it at all unless you like the half stuck on look!
Eyelure do a brilliant glue especially for strip lashes and this 6ml bottle lasts for weeks.
Just be aware that they do a very similar bottle of glue for lash extensions...don't make the mistake I made a few years back and pick up the wrong one. The lash extension glue will rip out your own lashes when you try and remove the falsies. It is not designed for daily use!

My actual lashes themselves are bought from stockists in China or Japan, via Ebay.
I buy 10 pairs for less than £1.50.
Just type 'false eyelashes' in to the search box and choose the option 'Price and P&P cheapest first' This will bring up stockists, some of which are located in the UK for slightly more if you do not want to wait the 2 week delivery time.
I refuse to spend 7 quid on a pair of lashes from somewhere like Boots when I can get them alot cheaper and at the same quality.
Each pair lasts me roughly 2 weeks depending on how I treat them. I prefer thicker lashes and I may even double up on a night out but generally I just wear one pair!

To apply them:
I always put a layer of mascara to help them blend with my own lashes
I then draw a line of liquid eyeliner in line with my own top lashes- this stops the falsies looking out of place on my eyelid.
I apply the glue on to the false lash and blow on them before carefully placing them on my eyelid. Allow to sit for a minute or so and then carefully push down each side, either with your index finger or a cotton bud.

And voila :) budget lashes that will last you all day but certainly won't break the bank :)

Let me introduce myself...

So I've been thinking about starting a fashion and beauty blog for a while now...firstly let me introduce myself and then I'll talk about the actual blog itself :)

My name is Katy, I'm 21 and I live in Hampshire.
I love fashion, hair and makeup. I'm always being asked where I buy things and people are often shocked by how little I spend on my look.

Throughout my teenage years my look has been constantly changing and evolving. I've learnt how to work my look around a budget and I'm keen to share this with others to help them do the same.

Through this blog I hope to include tips on:
-Hair care and products
-Makeup and beauty items
-Clothes and accessories
I will also be including links to where you can find any products/items I use and their price tag.

I hope you enjoy reading my posts. Please leave me comments and follow me :)