How I Spot Cleaning my Makeup Brushes

So it's a Saturday night, the house is suffering right now after last nights Halloween antics. So whilst feeling a little sensitive I thought what better time than any to spot clean my makeup brushes. Not something I really love or hate doing but something that's easy enough to do whilst chilling in front of a film.

Now I know you should wash your brushes at least once a month to get ride of the bad bacteria that can settle on your brushes. But to be 100% honest, I only use the brushes on my face, if I were to use them on somebody else, I'd have cleaned them prier to use. But alas they only touch my face and i'm alright with that.

So the picture above shows everything I use to spot clean my brushes...

My brushes, a clean kitchen roll sheet (maybe two, depending no how much makeup you use and the amount of brushes) and finally the cleaner itself. I like to use the M.A.C Brush Cleaner.

Its the first proper brush cleaner I have tried but since I've started using it am constantly stunned as to how much product it gets out!

1. Layout all your dirty brushes (and if your like me, realize you probably should have done this before now)

2. Set up your drying station. (If you have the Real Techniques travel case, this is a great thing for drying you brushes on as you can angle them downwards. If not you can always use a clean flannel to rest your brushes on whilst they dry.)

3. Grab a clean kitchen towel sheet.

4. Grab your cup and pour a fair amount of the brush cleaner it to it. (You can always add more liquid, but from experience having to much left over is annoying, and you can't exactly up the dirty liquid back into the bottle!)

4. Dip the tip of the brushes into the cleaner and draw in circular motions on the kitchen towel and watch the magic happen! Once all of the colour is out of the bristles, Rinse the brush head under some warm water to get ride of the brush cleaner liquid.

6. Place your freshly looking brushes to one side to dry.
7. Appreciate the cleanliness of your brushes, it might not last long! (Yes this should be done!)

Charlie x

Current Make Up Bag Favourites

Things have changed up a lot since last time, and I am a complete creature of habit, so a change up in my routine is rather long over due for me I'm sure... but why ruin a good thing? Well to make it better of course!

Foundation: After seven years of sticking strong to one brand, the Maybeline Dream Matte Mouse, I took the plunge and tried a new foundation formula! I loved the Dream Matte Mouse, however the last pot I brought had different packaging and what seemed like a different formula too!? It appeared to have small bits of glitter running through it? Now I don't know if that was just that one pot or if they started to use a new formula, but I immediately didn't like it. Like my dad I have oily skin and glitter is a complete NONO for me! 
     I've started using the Maybeline New York, Superstay Better Skin Flawless Finish Foundation in the shade 005 Light Beige. Since changing, I have started to use brushes, (before, my steering wheel might have turned i little bit ivory, whoops!) I find that the bottle has lasted almost the same amount of time that the Dream Matte Mouse did. However I feel that I get a better overall finish, more smooth and blended and that it provides a better 'foundation' to the rest of my make up! 

Powder: I used to use powder a lot when I was younger, because I thought I had too. Well with the Dream Matte Mouse it just started to look bad and well, powdery - not what I was going for. However since I changed up my foundation I find I am getting a lot more out of my powder than previously! I am currently using Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder. It goes on easy, take away the shine and keeps it away for about four hours if I am at work. If I'm not running around anywhere it lasts a little longer. 

Eyes: Over the last couple of weeks, I have only been wearing something on my eyes when I've had work. The most go to thing I have been using has got to be L'Oreal Gel Intenza Eyeliner in 01 Pure Black.
The mascara I've been using is still the same, Maybeline Great Last, Very Black mascara. Still loving it and I use it every day! 

Eyebrows: I never really did anything to my eyebrows until recently. I fill them in a little bit with a pencil I've re-homed from my mum. However my eyebrows can be a bit unruly! I had been searching for a brow gel for months! They only seemed to be sold aboard. Last week however I can across this: Rimmel Brow this Way Gel. I've just started using it but so far I like what i see! 

Cheeks: I never really done anything with my cheeks, they go red enough on a daily basis as it is! But I guess with personal growth, the flush of red embarrassment has died down a lot (thank god) so I've started experimenting in blushes!! Ohhh they are a lot on the high street! My first starter however, is from a brand I've spoken about before, Sleek! I decided to stick to something I've used before and pick a pallet that gives me more than just the one option! This one is the Sleek, Blush By 3 - Lace 367 so far I am liking Crochet - the orange shade for that summer fresh look!

Lips: Lips change on a daily basis, and to be perfectly honest, I haven't warn any lip products for some time now. I have however, picked up The Body Shop Solid Oil Lips and I am testing it out! If things go well I'll let you know! 

Charlie x

M.A.C | Pro Palette | Eye Shadow No.2 Quarry

The Shadow: Quarry

Quarry has a slight purple, grey - taupe sort of colour too it. Although it is matte colour, it isn't dull. 

It is build-able, perfect for an everyday look and can blend well. Great for a smoky eye if you don't like harsh colours like dark brown and black. 

I use this colour for a crease or base colour mostly. I wear it a lot for work as it stays on for a suitable length of time. 

Although this is my second M.A.C eye shadow, I'm still learning what I can do with this shade. How best to apply it, learning what to put it with and what Not to put it with (Shimmery light colours don't tend to look good with quarry on me? Maybe I'm not blending enough) 

Unfortunately I can't give you too much information about this one, I love the colour, the purple/plum under tones work well with my green eyes. I don't experience much, if any fall out and it blends nicely into the crease with my Real Techniques detailer brush. 

I will experiment with this one more and give you a better informed post about how I've learnt to use Quarry. Would you like any pictures or example images or what I learn to use it with? Please let me know in the comments below!

Charlie x

  

27th Of June 2014.

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.

I know I've been gone a while, a lot of things have happened, finishing uni, getting a job, meeting new people, weddings and sad events. 

Unfortunately, during June, and a couple of days after her 12th birthday, our little Tish passed away.

Tish was our first dog, and after 12 years with her, it has been difficult to try and get along like normal with out her.

Tish never has been 100% healthy, when she was a puppy she needed a life saving operation just 10 weeks old. I remember how I felt then, having to leave her at the vets for a week, I was scared and worried we would never see her again. Since that first operation she was on a flurry of tablets all the time, building until she took eight tablets a day, fluctulating of course through the years with different illnesses and problems.

It wasn't until the day she passed that I suddenly realised that she had been a real trooper all the way through her life. Always being happy and cuddly, ready to play and ALWAYS ready to creep over for a fuss, she never complained, got angry or become difficult to deal with.

You don't realise what you have until it's gone, and you also do not realise that everything and everybody else deal with things differently. I never realised how selfless our dog was.

I think unless you have had a pet that's been part of the family, regardless of the time length, you deal with their passing differently. Personally I'm not good with change, even realising that there isn't anybody there to finish off the sunday chicken after the sunday dinner, or that, that same thing hasn't been sat under the oven waiting for the chicken to cook for two hours.

Our house is a lot emptier without Tish, she was part of our life for a long time and always will be. I feel that this has been a long time coming and that I need to write about it to help myself with the process as well as to share her life and story. I'm really thankful to have shared in her life. She taught me a lot and continues too, especially teaching me that...

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.

Barry M Matte Nail Polish?!

What is this magic?!

Well I guess it's not such a shocker seeing as a few years ago I found some Matte Nail polish by OPI which was a gorgeous midnight blue, but I hadn't ever seen the brand anywhere before:

Pinterest

This is the first that caught my eye!

I've never tried a Matte polish before and was curious about how it would work and look. I guess a part of me didn't really believe it (nieve I know). Well the other week I went out and brought one.

Surprisingly it has lasted five days pretty well. Normally my nail varnish chips two days later. In our course we work with our hands a lot, making set designs, so naturally things get covered in glue and it peals of the paint. This polish has managed to withstand a lot of potential chipping!

All in all, I wasa plesently surprised by a Matte Nail Polish and would consider buy more from the collection, I think, for me personally it is something I would wear more in the autumn/winter, leave the bright, shiny polishes for summer!

What do you think about matte nail polishes? Do you like them? hate them? Do you own any??

Love Charlie

xx

Too Much Information Tag!

Ok so I'm new to Youtube, if you've seen a video, you'll know that, and if you don't well, I'll link the video below, take a gander yourself.

So I first saw the TMI Tag on Fleur De Force's channel earlier this year, but I think that maybe from ItsWayPastMyBedTime may have started this earlier, I'm not sure who officially began this tag, but it's been fun to do and I don't know about you, but I like learning more about my favourite Youtubers! 

I then found the blog post by littlemissnerdybookworm, which inspired me to do one for myself!

So if you are interested, take a look for yourself and maybe give it a go too!


Hope you enjoy!!

Love Charlie 

xx

M.A.C | Pro Palette | Eye Shadow No.1 Satin Taupe

Connecting to the previous update post, which you can read here, I have decided to show the development and growth of my M.A.C eye shadow pro palette (note, this will take a few months, MAC is expensive and I have decided to keep my bank account semi happy, so I will only by a MAC product once a month if that, Life of a Student.)

Anyway on with it Charlie.... 

I have been looking at the MAC eye shadow ever since my first purchase of the Mineralise Skin Finish. MAC eye shadows are talked about a lot over on Youtube and some of the shadows have amazing pay off! 

My chosen palettes for the last few years have been SLEEK, particularly Au Natural. 

I like using eye shadows, mascaras and eyeliners because my eyes are my favourite part of me appearance, or at least the thing I like most about myself. 

So after a long period of time, five months maybe, I've finally bought a MAC eye shadow. 

Now I've already said this already but I feel I should say it again. MAC products are expensive, and being a student I don't really had money to speed willy-nilly, however a girl needs to treat herself every now and again!

So the plan:

1. Only buy a MAC product a month. ( yes that means it probably will take another 14 months to complete a palette.)

&

2. Make sure I do the research into the colour, pigmentation, is it a popular choice and will I use it everyday?

The Palette (Container and Tray) : £20.50

The Shadow: £10

My first Shadow: Satin Taupe

My dad has really got 'RESEARCH' into my head, only for products though, it is much more difficult to do for my work. Always the way. 

Satin Taupe; a must have by many Youtube Makeup Guru's, 

A slight shimmer to the pigment. It's a cool shade and has a slight purple undertone to it. It is a easy colour to build up and can transform from day to night effortlessly. 

I found it went on really well and suits my skin tone really nicely,  I think this colour would actually go well with any skin tone, it's shimmer is slit yet has effect. 

1.5g but I can't see it being used up very quickly! Even if I do use it almost every day. Definitely something I will be buying again, I can tell you that now! 

Love Charlie

xx

The Beginnings of My M.A.C Addition

"You get what you pay for"

- Something my mum had ALWAYS said to me, which I guess is why I am now sooo picky with what I purchase. 

So I guess this is just a little bit of an update post, and perhaps the first bit of evidence that will need to be presented to stop me of my future addiction that I will need to overcome.

 Before coming to university I hadn't really had any sort of feelings or knowledge about the company brand Makeup Art Cosmetics; M.A.C. I had heard that a lot of Professional makeup Artists use the brand and had thought It was kind of just for them.... Naive right. 

HOWEVER.... it wasn't until I was sat in one of my flatmate's room helping her get ready to go out, I was trying, and failing I should add, to make the heat rollers in her hair work whilst she did her face. It was a last minute decision and she needed to get ready quick!!  

Daisy's make up always look flawless and fresh and it wasn't until she started to apply her highlighter that I realised what she has, must have been pure gold! Of course I'm talking about the very first piece of M.A.C makeup I'd properly noticed. 

Mineralise Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle... This little pot of wonder was something I saw, I tired and I fell in love with.  

And as it went this was my first piece of M.A.C makeup. You can read about it here, however it isn't such a review, more like an update... 

Now I only have a small collection of M.A.C products, I did only start just under a year ago, but I have a pretty big feeling my little collection will grow! Especially now that I have found out about their eye shadows of wonderful pigmented colours!

So, I guess that's it for now, I have an idea of what I will post next, in relation to this little post and hopeful we can help each other out for our future purchases! 

Love Charlie 

 xx  

Being ill.

It's that time of year apparently, the time where everybody, one by one, gets sick and comes down with the dreaded COLD/FLU!

I don't know what it is about right now but it seems that everybody in the past week has caught a cold.

Granted I live in a student house, there are seven of us and that probably means that dodging that cold that's going around is like trying to avoid the masses of people leaving work at 5pm. It's just inevitable that you will get caught eventually and you will slow down and join the other people who look like death arrived too early.

I am not sure who brought the cold into the house but it been like a ninja killing everybody off since last friday... 

When I was younger and came down with the flu and of course be off school for the day, my mum would take such good care of me. There was definitely a routine when I was ill, which makes it sound like I got ill often (I didn't, I am just one of those people who, when gets hit by a cold/flu it hits me hard.)

The morning would always be about trying to get more sleep and rest, but there's only so much sleep you could have apparently? (Not now, I always feel like more sleep is essential, it's harder to get me to stay awake!)

By lunch time, my mum would come up and check on me. Usually, and this is the routine kicking in here, she would have already been down to the corner shop, brought me a bottle of Lucozade, a small tube of Winegums and a magazine (mizz magazine mostly).

So why am i telling you this??

Well inevitably (like the title suggests) I am currently wrapped up in a blanket and loads of layers, a glass of Lucozade by my bedside and a magazine to the side of me. (No sweets unfortunately).

Being at uni is great, but it's times when I get ill and start thinking (or allowing myself to think) about home and my family. And realising what my mum did for me when I was ill was so loving and, although now I have to brave out the cold to go get my own, Lucozade, magazine and medicine, the routine of those few things, that, let's be honest I could do any time of the year, makes me feel more homely and cosy that I generally feel better for it after! So thank you mum for giving me a routine that, even when I'm 300+ miles away from home, it still has the ability to make me feel at home and better!

A routine has 100% been helpful and comforting for me, and if there is any sort of advice that I could perhaps give to anybody who is not feeling great or health right now maybe a routine would be best for you too. Being away home comforts whether you are at uni or just away and ill, maybe try to do some of the things that you did when you were younger, whether it's a film you always watched, a drink (Lucozade for me) or a good book. Being away from home can for some people, be difficult, especially if it's for a long period of time.

So whether you are just getting a cold, in the midsts of one or even if you are just getting over one, I hope you feel better soon!

Love Charlie
 x

L'oreal Paris Skin Perfection

I've been using this little bit of bliss for a while now, since the June 2013 and it's still going! 

Considering that I use it almost daily, if not twice a day, morning and night, it has lasted me quite a while.

According to Boot's website it claims to ... 

'Swiftly dissolving all traces of make-up, the 'micellar' solution acts like a purifying magnet on the skin's surface to capture and draw out excess oil and impurities rather than spreading them around your face like some wipes can.

So gentle, skin feels soothed and tone' 

1st - It Dissolves Make-up

2nd - It Unclogs Pores and Removes Impurities
&
3rd - It Tones and Smoothes Skin

I can agree with this 100%, at least for my skin anyway. I love the way in which it can take off all my make up, especially my mascara as I find that the hardest part to remove, I think my eyes are quite sensitive and rubbing them hurts long after I've stopped rubbing them, and with this all you need to do is apply a it of pressure onto the eye and leave for a few minutes! This nifty little cleanser is fantastic for me!

 It does exactly what it says and with just a few minutes over my eyes, applying a little bit of pressure and Ta-Da!! All that product that was clinging onto my lashes is gones and my eyes are left refreshed!!  It also leaves no residue, dries quickly and my skin does not feel tight at all, which I often find when using other products, and one of the best things is that you can apply moisturiser immediately after! (Which is great for me as I will normal forget if I have to wait for it to dry.)

There is something I don't get on with to well about this product. My lips are very sensitive and, as good as this product it on every other part of my face, I do not like using it on my lips. I think they are just too sensitive. Never mind, I'm still on a hunt to find the right product to remove lipsticks and not damage or dry out my lips. 

Over all I am very happy with my purchase of the L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution and will definitely be returning to buy more once my bottle runs out!

 Being the consistency of water, a very well designed and tight lid I take this any where, if I will need to take my makeup off, to round a friends house, a trip away or a holiday. Also at the very time and moment it's on offer for £3.33 on the Boot's website, a great price and something I would recommend to everyone.

Love Charlie 

A Hello To Youtube

If you had the chance, would you take it?

If You Had An Opportunity, Would You Let Fear Stand In Your Way?

These are questions that is constantly on Pinterest and in general what what people say. Especially in films! Well It's a questions that, in films, tends to leave good things for the one who takes the leap of faith or courage.


So, June/July 2013 I thought about something a lot. The summer of 2013 was, to be honest, quite a long and boring one *warn and stretches arm above head*. Ergh just thinking about it makes me sad and tired. It was a lonnggg holiday! If you could call it that. 

EKKK!! It's not even private?!

I feel that this has been a long time coming and it's just me, I need to build up my confidence in the things I do, design and make, whether that's for my college projects, in life and now, hopefully on Youtube.

Some of the pople that I have been watching for months and even years now are all so inspiring and creative and brilliant people.

Youtube has finally intrigued me and pulled me in, well for one video anyway, if it doesn't go well... it will either end in me squeaking like a mouse and disappearing from the Youtube world or I won't go down without a fight, I know there can be a lot of people on there handing out negativity like its penicillin so lets see. I've a few ideas for videos that I can do in the future but if you have any suggestions or ideas as always, leave me a comment I'd love to get a bit of feedback!


                                      Lottie xo

New Year's thoughts

Can you still make New Year Resolutions two weeks into the new year?

I'm back at university now, and firmly into a big project, firmly but not securely. 

Admittedly I am surprised that it's already been two weeks, it crazy how fast last year went and what's more crazy, I can't really remember anything about it. Of course there's  few things, but mostly, I don't remember, good times with friends and family, times I got over my fear of the unknown and things that made me think differently about myself and who I want to be.

I've seen these 'Memory Jars' around on Pinterest for a couple of years now and to be honest I think it's a brilliant idea, but knowing me, it would be something I'd do a few times then probably forget about it, which is a huge shame!

So this year I will get a jar/container of some sort and fill it with all sorts of good things that I don't want to forget. 

#

Picture from : http://www.pinterest.com/pin/523402787915342855/

I love the idea about going back through it at the end of the year maybe christmas day 2014 because that's a day that is all rush rush rush then calm for hours. Always has been, just the way we do things :)

Has anybody tried this? Was it effective and enjoyable to read and look back on? I'd love to hear anybodies thoughts and experience with the idea! Looking forward to (hopefully) being impressed and relaxed about what's happened and what I've achieved.

xx

Picture is not my own. Borrowed from http://www.pinterest.com/pin/523402787915342855/

Welcome 2014

A New Year, A New Me.

That's what a lot of us probably said last night, but probably only some of us remember that...

So as the saying goes, a new me is on the cards. 

2013 was, an interesting year, ups and downs just like any other, but I can admit that I am not sad to see it finish. 

I'm not normally one for New Years Resolutions, mostly because I think if you don't like something about yourself then why wait until the new year? Another reason is because I'm very forgetful. No two ways about it, I forget everything, and 2013 was the year I realised that a year planner was my friend!!! We had them at school and I think I took advantage of it, not really using it for it's proper use. But now, well I don't really go anywhere without it, unless I loose the plot completely and leave the house without it... kind of defeating the objective isn't it...

Nevermind!

As I have a memory like a sieve I thought of a way to keep me in check and to remind myself, daily about what I want to achieve and how to go about it. I've gone an changed my laptop background to just something I whipped up on photoshop.

This is for me, specifically the things I need to remind myself to do. The things on here are in particular for my university work, a lot of the work we do involve a lot of work and progresses and documenting it. 

Just to elaborate a few...

Work Better/ Find inspiration first - Although I take a very arty subject I really do struggle to find inspiration, this then means I get behind on my work. If I just research into things first, find the inspiration I think this will make it a lot easier for myself. 

  Blog like a diary - I've never been good at remembering to write things down, or document things. I mean when I was younger I started a few diaries, but it only lasted about 4 days. Life would get busier, I'd have really poor time management and as per usually I'd forget... I need to work on my memory, I know.

Give up Fear - Now I know how this much look, and yes it does sound silly. I recently realise how much the two words 'What' and 'If' actually control my life and the things I do and quite a lot of the time, the things I don't do. 

I don't normally make them and I struggle to keep them. However I feel that sharing them with you and keeping them in my sights, because come on, not a day goes by with out my going on my laptop to go on  facebook, twitter, instagram, tumblr and all that other good stuff, then I might stand a better chance of remembering and maybe even achieving some of my New Year Resolutions. 

What are your goals for 2014?