July Favourites

I know this is coming a little early, but I'm on the husbands computer which means I can't hook up my camera. However, make sure you look out for tonights/tomorrrows (haven't decided when I'll put in the effort to sort my laptop) post on what I'm taking on holiday. Anyyyway, my current favourites are (in no particular order):

1.Benefit Benetint

Oh. My. Goodness. How did I not have this in my kit before? I love it. For a start, I love the fact that it has a gorgeous rose scent not the alcoholy scent that you can sometimes get with stains (I'm looking at you Body Shop). Also, it's just brilliant. The combination of this and either tinted moisturiser (yup, still loving the Lush Colour Supplement) or The Bosy Shop Natures Minerals means I can look half decent for work in under 3 minutes. I'm also finding that the new Lush Lip Tint (It Started with a Kiss - the red one) is a perfect pairing for this. All you need to add is a bit of mascara and maybe a flick of eyeliner if you're feeling fancy and tada - you're good to go!

2. The Body Shop Nature's Minerals Foundation in 03

I think I've mentioned this foundation before, but I probably didn't love it quite as much then as I do now. When it was a little colder, I was wearing this over tinted moisturiser, however, in the crazy humidity/heat that we have at the moment, I'm choose to just us this on it's own and it's lovely. It's a light to medium coverage, very matte, and great for when you've got fairly clear and sunkissed skin. It adds that little bit of evenness and coverage, without feeling heavy or clogging up your pores. Excellent!

3. Boots 17 Va Va Voom Mascara

I have a horrible, horrible feeling I've mentioned this tonnes before, but tough. I love this mascara. It's cheap (£5.99 I think) and more importantly, it's excellent. Buildable volume, excellent formula, intense colour, never flakes, fairly smudge proof, not over the top..... argggh, I could talk to you about this mascara all day. I honestly love it, hence why I've already convinced 3 people that they need this in their life. I'd like to advise you all to head to your nearest Boots, pick up this mascara and take it to the checkout. I think you'll thank me.

4. Tigi Hard to Get Texturizing Paste

Since I got my hair cut all short and choppy again (ok, not that short and choppy, but still...), I've started using this. It smells incredible (like watermelon) and it's not too heavy or sticky. The texture on your hands when you melt it is a cross between a serum and a wax and it's great for giving your hair extra texture and a bit of matteness without making it look like you've shoved tonnes of product on it.

5. Cloud Nine Iron

I was given these when I went the a Cloud Nine Photo Shoot a little while ago, and I'll be honest, I hadn't given them much use. I had a good play around when I first got them, and tried to curl my hair a couple of times (which apparently I'm utterly rubbish at *sigh*) but since getting my hair cut, these are making my life happy indeed. I love the fact that you don't have to completely fry your hair to get it to be nice and straight and shiny, and I really love the fact that you have more options than just poker straight (which makes me look utterly ridiculous). Love these. Will try to do a bit of a longer post on them soon because they're fab and if you're looking for new straighteners, these are definitely what I'd recommend!

What are your July favourites?

Cloud Nine Sneak Peek - Behind the Scenes

Wow, where has this week gone?! I promised I'd show you a bit of behind the scene action from the Cloud Nine Shoot, so here it is!

When Jen and I were first invited to the Cloud Nine Shoot, we thought it would be a PR event - turn up, try to avoid eating any snacks for fears of starting a riot and being called Liggers, sit and listen to someone tell us nice things about the brand and then leave ready to tell you what was coming up. Hence it was a bit of a shock when we found out that a)it was just the two of us and b)it wasn't an event as such but a behind the scenes look at their newest style campaign!

When we arrived at the studio (which was the in the middle of nowhere!), we were greeted by the team - stylists, photographers, videographers (Jen and I spent a heck of a lot of time trying to avoid getting our face on film - we're not the most confident of girls!) and stunning models.

Ok, this is where I have to be blunt - you know those articles in magazines that tell you that models aren't all skinny and gorgeous etc etc? They lie. Models are just as stunning in real life as they are in magazines. Yes, obviously make up covers up a multitude of skin sins, and the odd bit of photoshopping will happen here and there, but wow! They're gorgeous. Very very skinny, but still stunning.

Anyway, we basically got the chance to hang around the studio, watch the make up artist work her magic and watch Guillaume work his magic.

It's incredible to see how many photos are taken to just get that one perfect shot - we only actually managed to see one model being shot and we were there for hours! Hundreds of different poses, facial expressions and styles are created and then sifted through.

So, was there any scandal? Any shocking revelations? No :) It was just a fairly chilled out room of people working at things they're passionate about and incredibly talented at. I was in awe of the photographers and all their kit, and I loved the fact that there were bowls of sweets and chocolates laying around and a nice big spread for lunch. I'll leave you with a few pictures and a wee video of our chat with Guillaume. Later today, tomorrow and Monday, I'll be showing you some of the new looks and the videos of how to create them, as well as my own attempts (it will be hilarious, trust me)

(Top 3 photos + video property of Propaganda Pr, everything else is mine!)

*Disclaimer* I'm not being paid to do this, and my opinions are all my own.

Cloud Nine Shoot - Exclusive Preview Week

Hi Ladies!

So some of you may have heard me and Jen chatting about the Cloud Nine Event that we went to a few weeks ago - turns out it wasn't an event but an exclusive behind the scenes look at their new summer style shoot. The most exciting thing about their new campaign is that a)all the styles are incredibly easy to recreate at home and b) they can all be achieved at under 150C :D

We got the chance to chat to the incredibly talented Hair Stylist Guillaume Vappereau, lust over the make up artist's kit, watch each of the 3 looks being created and even got let loose on each other's hair (under Guillaume's supervision thankfully - poor Jen really didn't know what she'd let herself in for with me *straightening retard*).

Throughout the week, Jen and I will  be bringing you a series of posts including our attempts at each of the styles, some exclusive behind the scenes pictures and footage and a few other bits and bobs. If you're really good, Jen might even let us show you the videos of her doing my hair (oddly, there's no footage of me doing her hair.... I wasn't that bad, was I? Was I? Oh.)

Anyway for now I thought I'd just show you a couple of shots of Jen and I before we'd been whipped into shape by Guillaume and a few little sneeky looks around the shoot itself! Enjoy :D

Beautiful Jen! (property of Propaganda PR)

Me looking terrified (Property of Propaganda PR)

Our Cloud Nine Irons - we were very excited about these!

Where the photo magic happens...

 That's not even half the of the make up - we were in awe!

*Disclaimer* This post is being bought to you in association with Cloud Nine, however, all views, thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not being paid for doing this post and was not paid to attend the shoot. For more disclaimer info, please click the link at the top of my blog.

PS - I promise I'll blog about some non Cloud Nine things this week as well :)

Hair Straighteners

So I had my hair cut yesterday, and my lovely hairdresser used GHDs to do pretty things (hairdressers always get excited by my hair and always end up asking me if they can do something fun with it at the end ... it adds on an extra 45 minutes but costs me nothing so I say yes). Having GHDs used on my hair made me remember how utterly rubbish the straighteners I own (but rarely use) are.

I can't really afford any but I was just wondering what straighteners you ladies use, and if you think that there's anything that can beat the might GHDs?

Interestingly, my hairdressers were sent Cloud Nine straighteners but didn't really rate them against GHDs - I know that a lot of you ladies have been sent them to try, what did you think?