My Current Winter Handbag Essentials
I've never really done the whole 'monthly empties' or 'handbag must-haves' before on this blog, but that's usually because nothing tends to change that frequently in my routine. I have an army of trusted products that I always have to hand which may change, say, every season. Although light face mists and boring-but-necessary deodorants sit in my handbag during summer, when the colder months come swooping in my beauty routine does get a bit of a shake-up. Although the core perfumes and balms remain, a few products get adapted to my skin's winter needs. Heavy duty lip saviours and products that keep my skin hydrated help banish the dryness which can often seep in during chillier times, so as my handbag products get their seasonal shake-up, I thought I'd share what I'm turning to on a daily basis.
Short Eyelashes? Sample-Sized Mascaras Could Be The Answer
Losing my eyelashes and eyebrows to trichotillomania at the age of 3 years old has meant that I don't know what it's like to apply make-up with lashes and brows; using beauty products to cover up the damage is all I've ever known. Therefore, I want to share any random tips and tricks I've learnt in my 7 or so years of applying make-up, in hope that it will not only help someone else, but also create an open space for other hair loss sufferers to share their nuggets of wisdom. Of course, today's post doesn't strictly apply to hair loss- many people naturally have short, stubby lashes. One thing I've found which helps loads in making the most of these little hairs is using a sample-sized mascara. Here's why...
NEW! Benefit's Must-Have Goof Proof Brow Pencil (Free With ELLE!)
If there's one thing I can never have too much of, it's brow products. (And Golden Retrievers, obviously). Although recently having my eyebrows tattooed has eased the stress of creating perfect brows from scratch every morning, I still use a plethora of products over the tattoo to keep them looking as good as possible. Once hidden underneath foundation, my brow shade goes a little to light for my liking, so I usually use a trusty brow pencil to just quickly bolden up the colour. Despite being a bit set in my ways when it comes to brow products (I have my favourites and very much stick to them), when I saw Elle magazine giving away a little Goof Proof brow pencil with a purchase of this month's magazine, I couldn't resist indulging in change.
The Best Mascaras For Short, Sparse and Stubby Eyelashes
It's been a month since I had exams, and in that time my eyelashes have started to recover from a pretty hefty trichotillomania splurge. Little stubby hairs are starting to shoot back through (with the help of RapidLash) and I can finally start looking forward to the exciting prospect of wearing a bit of mascara again. When your eyelashes grow back through, they are thin, fragile and incredibly short, so if (like me), you can't wait to start applying mascara again, it's so important to find ones which are going to make the most of what little you have. I've got a few 'holy grail' mascaras for anyone with short, sparse and stubby lashes that I want to share with you, as I've found these to truly be the best ones for our circumstances.
Make-Up Tips & Products For Sparse Or No Eyelashes
If you suffer from hair loss, you will understand that it can sometimes overwhelm your life. Something that you have no control over, even if it is 'just hair', can have a huge affect on your physical appearance and your emotional state of being. Having trichotillomania and pulling my eyelashes out since I was 3 years old has taught me that hair is actually so important to me, and as a result, my appearance has been a meticulously thought-out operation for the sake of resisting judgement from the outside world. I never knew eyelashes would become such a focal point in my life, but experiencing hair loss has taught me ways to deal with not having lashes, and how to cover up these gaps. These tips and tricks will also apply to anyone who has sparse or stubby lashes (as well as none whatsoever), as I share with you my favourite products to boost growth or give the illusion of fuller lashes.
Trichotillomania: Drawing Eyebrows On From Scratch (And The Best Products To Use)
Not having eyebrows is hard work. Having to set your alarm half an hour early every morning just to set time aside for drawing them on is incredibly irritating (I'd much rather have the time in bed). Not only is it time-consuming- especially if they refuse to go right first time-, but it is disheartening, tedious and bloody difficult. Having to guess your natural shape and try and make them look like you haven't drawn them on with a sharpie is such hard work, and a task I'm still getting my head around despite having been stuck in this routine for about 5 or 6 years. This post is all about the best ways to draw your brows on naturally; from shape, to products and techniques, this is your bumper guide to trichotillomania brows.
PHWOARR! The Seventeen Concealer That's Better Than It's Benefit Sister
In these tough financial times, the term 'dupe' is becoming a hot buzzword. Emphasis is no longer lying on luxury and things you can indulge yourself in, but products that do exactly the same as their high-end sisters for a fraction of the price. Dupes open up great quality alternatives to the masses, providing a dose of opulence in people's everyday lives without forcing people to part with a lump of hard earned cash. One brand that has plenty of dupes of their products is Benefit, and this Seventeen Phwoarr Paint concealer is a fantastic doppelgänger for the pricier, award-winning Boi-ing. In fact, I actually prefer this £5.49 concealer to its £17.50 sister!
Maybelline Lash Sensational: A Roller Lash Dupe For £8?
We all love beauty bargains. That feeling of discovering a world-class product that has all the qualities of a luxury range expect the price tag is amazing. Recently, the launch of Benefit's new Roller Lash mascara generated a whole load of hype in the beauty world (most of it generated by Benefit themselves), with the magically crafted wand claiming to give you the perfectly curled and lengthened flutter. However, regardless of the quality, it goes without saying that £20 for this Benefit mascara is enough to make the average gal cry runny streams of Roller Lash. This is where Maybelline steps in with their new Lash Sensational innovation. For £8, can this do the job better than Benefit?
Lift, Volume, Definition: The New Benefit Roller Lash Mascara
I don't know about you, but I buy into every beauty hype going. So, when Elle announced they would be giving a way a world-exclusive sample of the new Benefit Roller Lash mascara with this month's edition, guess which magazine I ran off to buy? I usually find Benefit products a bit inconsistent in their quality; some I love (They're Real mascara, Porefessional, Benetints), others I simply can't get along with no matter how hard I try (They're Real eyeliner). As a general rule, I've found their mascaras to be pretty ace, and this newbie is probably the best of the bunch.
Winging It: Four Best High-Street Eyeliners For The Perfect Cat Flick
It's that timeless look that exudes chic, but one of the most difficult make-up skills to master. Winged liner takes a lot of practise, but when you get it right can bring together a whole beauty look with a simple flick. To make the classic look far easier to conquer, I've picked out my top 4 best liquid and gel liners which will get you looking fantastically feline in a flash.
Trichotillomania Top Tips: Eyebrow Make-Up
Throughout my struggle with trichotillomania, the hardest part of my make-up routine has been my eyebrows, or lack of. Putting on false eyelashes and drawing on subtle eyeliner was fairly easy to master in comparison to drawing on eyebrows from scratch. It still isn't a part of my trichotillomania covering-up make-up practice which I have totally gotten my head around, but I have picked up some tips and tricks over the past 5 or so years which may help others. Here are my top 10:
Over-Hyped Products #2: Benefit They're Real Push-Up Eyeliner
The Benefit They're Real Push-Up eyeliner has to be one of the most hyped up beauty launches of recent times. After their They're Real mascara was a smash-hit with pretty much all make-up enthusiasts (including myself), people everywhere were practically peeing their pants with excitement over the introduction of this revolutionary eyeliner to the beauty market. The first samples were sent out, and bloggers bowed down to the little liner, claiming it was the best thing since sliced bread and that you really needed to go out and buy it for yourself. I personally think we need to bring these reviews down to earth a little.
The Battle of the Brow Kits: Benefit VS MUA
It's a common saying in the beauty world that brows are the new black. Power brows are totally 'in' at the moment, and the caterpillars are making a comeback. If you're not blessed with naturally beautiful, bushy brows, there are numerous ways to fake it. Pencils, tints and gels are all having their time, but none are more convenient than the all-in-one brow kit. In today's post, I'm putting a budget kit against a renowned one to see if either live up to the hype, and whether they can create the perfect brows for trichotillomania sufferers too.
Benefit Goodies: The Real Steal
I'm always on the look out for a neat bargain, so when I saw this Benefit 'The Real Steal' bundle reduced on Asos, I couldn't help but treat myself. Benefit's They're Real mascara is probably the most hyped up mascara on Earth; every beauty blogger swears by it and it seems to be a staple of many make-up routines. Being a sucker for buying into any hype just to try it out, I've been wanting to try out this mascara for ages but could not justify spending £19.50 on it.
Benefit: The Big Easy
Benefit are one of my all-time favourite beauty brands, so when I heard they were bringing out their new foundation, the Big Easy, I jumped for joy. My skin is fairly clear, apart from the occasional spot, so I'm not particularly suited to thick, heavy foundations. Not only do they feel too much for my skin, I also don't particularly suit the 'caked-on' look. I'm a huge fan on No7's 'Intelligent Colour' foundation, which I will hopefully review soon, as it mattes my quite oily skin, so I thought the Big Easy 'Bigger than BB' would be perfect.
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