Monday 31 October 2011

Cosmo Blog Awards - OOTD

No doubt you have already seen a plethora of posts about the Cosmo Blog Awards last week, so I am going to keep it short with a little outift post. I had a fun night catching up with a few of my fellow bloggers and it was so exciting to be nominated :). Massive congratulations to all the winners!
 Dress: Karen Millen (similar here), Belt: H&M, Shoes: Kurt Geiger (similar here).

I decided to go all out in sequins for the evening... Christmas is just around the corner after all!
I styled my hair using a large Babyliss curling iron and created a simple silver and grey smokey eye, finished off with MAC lashes.
The lovely Fleur and I enjoying our (non-alcoholic?) cocktails.
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John Frieda Teaser...

A few weeks ago I took part in a fun shoot for the launch of a new product from John Frieda.

Can you guess what it is yet? ;)

Keep a look out for the full details of the launch and a video from the day to come. xxx
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Thursday 27 October 2011

Shu Uemura Retro Graphic Lashes

I am a big fan of false lashes, so much so that I rarely have a night out without them. Nothing adds drama like falsies and they can be the quickest way to take your makeup from day to night!

I have always admired the innovative and fun designs of Shu Uemura lashes, but previously only purchased the more mainstream styles (eg. smokey layers). So when at a recent event I was kindly offered to have some lashes applied by one of the Shu Uemura technicians I decided to choose one of the most striking and original designs in the selection!
The Retro Graphic lashes come with a thick black and white zigzag band that stretches out to create a lavish cat eye eyeliner.
They look absolutely incredible on and make a big statement! At first glance it isn't obvious that the lashes and the band are attached so you can fool people with your amazing liners skills ;). However, when your eyes are open they look much more subtle (especially if you have less lid space like me) and you can just see a hint of the monochrome along the lashline.
I am yet to brave applying these for myself, but I imagine the trick is getting the two 'flicks' at the same angle. The MUA took all the guess work out of the process by adding two perfectly placed dots of eyeliner where the tip of the flick should be. It's funny that in Russian an eyeliner 'flick' is called an 'arrow'!

The Retro Graphic lashes can be purchased at Shu Uemura counters and retail at £18.50.

Are you a fan of Shu Uemura lashes? Have you tried any of their more eccentric designs? What are your favourites? Will you be attempting any of the dramatic eyelash and liner combos? xxx
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Thursday 20 October 2011

Rebel Nails

I have been very much intrigued by the new 'nail wraps' that are popping up all over the place. As much as I love collecting bottles of nail polishes I am the first to admit that my impatience, coupled with my very shaky hands, doesn't often result in the neatest of manicures. I normally leave my nails to the professionals and have become a familiar face in my local nail salon. However, this can be a very expensive habit!

I was therefore very much excited to try Rebel Nails! They have a huge range of colours and patterns to choose from and are more affordable than other wraps (though I think of them more akin to stickers) on the market.
I decided to go for all out glitter in silver for my first attempt and was impressed by just how quick and easy they were to put on. Each pack has a good selection of sizes to suit most nails, and plenty of extras if you make a mistake.

The nail wraps should be applied to clean, polish free nails. Though I had to cheat here (as you will probably see in the photos). As I have gel nails that are in desperate need of refills and trimming I left my nail polish on because using nail varnish remover could have lifted some areas of the gel nails.

To apply the nails I used the plastic guide that comes in each pack to select the size most appropriate for each nail. I then peeled the Rebel nail design from the backing and warmed it with a hair dryer for a few seconds. This is probably the most tricky part as sometimes the adhesive edge can stick to your finger, but if you angle the hairdryer down this shouldn't be a problem. I then applied the nail wrap to the nail, starting with the curved edge at the cuticle, and smoothed out any creases or bubbles towards the edge of the nail. I wrapped the excess over the edge of the nail and filed it off using downward strokes. Easy!
Even on my first attempt my nails were done in less than 10 minutes - no drying, no smudging, and no mess! As you can see above there were some ridges due to the gels, so I expect they will be much easier to apply and last longer on natural nails (up to 2 weeks). After three days of perfect wear I found that the edges did lift a little when I was washing my hair so I decided to remove them. I'm sure you all know how difficult it is to remove glitter polishes, so it was great to be able to peel them off in seconds!
If you are interested in trying Rebel Nails for yourself they have been kind enough to provide a discount of 15% between the 20th of October and 1st of November with the code NATALYA15 to be used at checkout. 
 
Plus to get in the Halloween mood Rebel Nails are running a special promotion! With a minimum spend of £10 between 20th - 31st October on www.rebelnails.co.uk a set of fun halloween themed wraps will automatically be added to your order.

I will definitely be practising my technique and playing arounbd with different designs so watch this space... ;).

Have you tried nail wraps? What do you think of them? What designs would you like to see? xxx

*This is a sponsored post*
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Wednesday 19 October 2011

15% OFF at M&S!

This will probably be the least exciting post I write this year... or perhaps the most. I mean who doesn't love a bit of M&S?

Marks and Spencer are offering 15% off your purchase on their website with the code: 15OFFMNS. This offer is only valid 19th – 20th Oct.

I'm going to take full advantage and stock up on tights!! xxx
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Tuesday 18 October 2011

Beauty Recommended Feature

This month I was lucky enough to be featured in Beauty Recommended, P&G's fabulous online magazine!

Since October is a great time to explore your alter ego I created a special video with some tips and tricks for vamping up in the spirit of Halloween. Please check out my little feature (on page 20 here).

What are your tips for switching up your look this October? xxx
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Monday 17 October 2011

OOTD: Peplum

Those of you who have seen a few of my OOTD posts will know my love for Closet at Dorothy Perkins (and at this rate they should be paying me lol)!

I first noticed this dress on the DP website and fell in love with the bright turquoise colour and soft ruffles. The shape of this dress is gorgeous, I just wish it was a little longer, or had a lining, as the material is on the thin side and it does ride up a lot when you walk...

 Dress: Closet at Dorothy Perking (v. similar style here, £45), Wedges: Primark.

Are you a fan of the peplum? Have you checked out Closet at Dorothy Perkins? xxx
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Sunday 16 October 2011

Travalo Giveaway and Review!

 ******Exclusive discount of 20% for all my subscribers with the code FGM******

Like any other girl about town I love to change up my perfume depending on the season, my mood, what I'm wearing... but the last thing I need is numerous bottles of perfume rattling around in my bag all day! After years of collecting samples and purchasing mini versions of perfumes I was very much excited to discover the Travalo - a refillable mini perfume atomizer spray. 

Check out my review and details of my giveaway below :).



To enter the giveaway and win one of 15 Travalos all you have to do is:
- Go to the Travalo Facebook page and click 'like'.
- Post 'Natalya sent me' on the wall. 


In the month of October Travalo will be also be donating 100% of the profits from every Perfect Pink Travalo bought online here to Breast Cancer Research.

Have you tried the Travalo? Have you seen any similar products on the market? Good luck in the giveaway my lovelies!! xxx
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Thursday 13 October 2011

Rigby & Peller Bra Amnesty for Breast Cancer Care

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Rigby & Peller are showing their support through their bra amnesty for Breast Cancer Care!
From 4th to 31st October for every bra that you recycle you receive £10 off per bra that you purchase from their new Autumn / Winter range. R&P will also be donating £1 for every 10 recycled bras to BCC. To take advantage of this offer you can visit R&P stores with your old bras to receive £10 towards a new bra purchase.

The founder June Kenton is a breast cancer survivor, so the cause is a personal one for her and inspired her to develop a dedicated range with a specialised fitting service for mastectomy sufferers and prosthesis.

Hope you guys can make the best of this offer, and for a good cause too! xxx

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Tuesday 11 October 2011

Cosmo Blog Awards!!

Thanks so much for those of you who nominated me - Filthygorgeousmakeup has been short listed in the beauty vlogger category! Yay!!!

It's still not too late to vote (here)! Best of luck to all my lovely bloggers and YouTubers!! Thank you all so much! xxxxx

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Wednesday 5 October 2011

MaxFactor Elixir Challenge

At a recent event the lovely Caroline Barnes set us a challenge to try out all the shades of the new Max Factor Elixir lipsticks. As you all know I'm a lover of lippie so was excited to wear all the colours and decided to do so all in one week!
There is really good selection of shades to chose from in the range, though I was apprehensive over how some of these would go down at work lol...
 Top L-R: Bewitching Coral, Burnt Caramel, Ruby Tuesday, English Rose.
Bottom L-R: Pink Brandy, Mulberry, Angel Pink.

Monday mornings are always difficult and inevitably I end up running late, so I decided to go for the lightest shade in the range - Angel Pink.
This lipstick is a lovely, delicate shade of pink that works equally well with a neutral or dramatic eye. However, as the finish is quite frosty I would recommend applying some lipbalm beforehand, so as to smooth the lips prior to application. I would say this shade is quite retro and reminiscent of the bubblegum pinks of the 60s, so would be best suited to lighter skintones.
On Tuesday I decided to keep it super neutral with Burnt Caramel.
This lipstick is a little more brown based than I would normally wear, but it has a lovely rosy tone to it that brings it to life. To keep it from looking too dark I applied it straight from the bullet and tapped around the edges to blend it into my natural lip colour. I think this lipstick would look particularly beautiful on darker skin tones.
A little more striking than a nude, and more sophisticated than a pink, it is a very welcome addition to my collection.
On Wednesday I went for Pink Brandy, which I had already fallen in love with after seeing Caroline wearing it at the presentation.
This is such a wearable coral shade with a slight pink undertone. I think it would be universally flattering for all skin tones. If you are scared of strong colours this would be a great shade to start with as it's bright, without being too striking. To soften the colour and make it modern I applied it to the centre of the lip and blended to cover. I then added a slight touch of clear lipgloss to make lips look fuller.
On Thursday I had to keep my makeup professional for a meeting, so I chose the shade English Rose.
This is a very classic pink that would suit anyone. Once again the frost makes it a little different as it adds quite a lot of shine and texture to the lips. This shade is very flattering and versatile and would work with an abundance of eye and cheek colours!
On Friday I decided to be brave and go for it with Ruby Tuesday.
Wow! This is such a beautiful, true red. I can't tell you what a raucous this caused in the office, but lets just say that I got many a compliment that day! As with any red this did need a little care in application. To prepare the lips I lined them with a red pencil and then filled them in lightly to provide a good base. I then applied the lipstick with a lip brush. As this lipstick has a blue base it not only lifts the complexion, but also makes teeth appear whiter.. yay! This lipstick lasted really well, even through a coffee meeting and lunch, and only needed one little touch up throughout the day. Ruby Tuesday will definitely be one of my go-to reds in future.
On Saturday evening I chose Bewitching Coral for a dinner date.
In keeping with the bright colour I played up the coral in my cheeks and added a little extra bronzer. To keep the colour fresh and modern I created a stain by applying the lipstick with my finger, and then topped it with a clear lip balm to add some shine. This colour is really flattering and would work even better with a tan!
On Sunday I attempted the most adventurous shade of the collection - Mulberry.
I was a little apprehensive about this shade as it is a little darker than I would normally wear. However, it completely surprised me by just how gorgeous it looked, even on my pale skin! I applied the lipstick carefully straight from the bullet and blotted off any excess. I then tidied up the edges with a burgundy lip liner to add some definition to the cupid's bow. I wanted to keep it looking modern, and not overlined, but to still create a really polished look. This lipstick really is something special, it's dark and dramatic, yet the shimmer particles make it still girlie and fun. I am absolutely in love with it.

Overall I am really impressed with the new Elixir lipsticks. They smell yummy (perhaps vanilla) and come in a great variety of shades. The Elixir formula contains a 60% blend of skin emollients, conditioners and antioxidants (including vitamin E), promising to make lips feel smoother in 7 days. After my week long trial I didn't notice a dramatic change in the texture of my lips (though I do put on a balm overnight anyway), but even the very strong colours didn't feel drying while wearing them so I was happy. After trialling the selection of colours and different ways of wear and application I can highly recommend these lipsticks to you guys, they really are lovely, and retailing at the £7.95 mark also affordable.

Have you tried any of the Max Factor Elixir lipsticks? Which shades are your favourite? xxx

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