Autumn Wants

October now, Autumn's here! And it's possibly my favourite season, there's nothing nicer than crisp blue skies with crunchy leaves and the excuse to wrap up warm! I've been looking round the shops quite a bit recently and a few autumnal items of clothing/accessories caught my eye, so I thought I'd blog about a selection of them!

Blouse: New Look - £29.99
Leather Jacket: River Island - £65.00
Jumper: Republic - £45.00
Shoes: Wallis - £29.50
Tights: Wallis - £5.00
Shorts: Republic - £30.00
This is the perfect Autumn outfit! I have already hit the shops now I'm back from Portugal to start buying the big woolly jumpers and thick tights!

Which is your favourite item?

Who else loves Autumn!?

Katie xo

Bath And Body Works

When I was younger I used to go to America every year to either travel around or see our friends in Chicago, and we discovered this amazing store called Bath And Body Works. As soon as you walk in you're overwhelmed with the smell of incredible products! I easily spent a good hour in there each time. My favourite product was the Winter Candy Apple scented shower gel/body lotion but annoyingly I've ran out and can't get anymore till I go back!

But thanks to my Dad and Stepmum, Amy, they recently bought me back a couple of products from their holiday travelling around Utah and Las Vegas. They bought me Sweet Pea Shower Gel and Body Lotion which I've already used endlessly. The scent is beautiful, I can't get enough of it! It may even top my love for Winter Candy Apple...

Left: Shower Gel    Right: Body Lotion

Swatch of the shower gel

Swatch of the body lotion

Not only does it smell nice at first, the smell lasts on your skin for hours which is an extra bonus! Next time I head across the pond I'll definitely have a good spending spree in Bath And Body Works! The shower gel is $11 and the body lotion is also $11. I believe you can actually buy these online and get them shipped.

Has anyone used these products themselves?
What's your favourite Bath And Bodyworks Scent?

www.bathandbodyworks.com

Katie xo

All Things Jewellery

I was never one for wearing much jewellery however recently my collection increased and now I'm obsessed! Rings are my favourite, however I've only got small hands so I can't wear many :-( I've just put together this small post to show you my favourite bit and bobs to wear!

My favourite ring!

I bought this from Accessorize a few years ago now and it's still my absolute favourite ring! It was roughly £6.00. I love it mostly because of the intricate diamante leaf design!

Looking a tad rusty... oops

I bought this also from Accessorize about three months ago purely for my holiday (either that or I was so in love with it I found any pointless reason to buy it). Again it was £6, I find this quite pricey for a ring which being honest isn't great quality, but I love them, so I'm prepared to pay it! Again, a leaf design, however a more bronzed colour this time with pink gems. Gorgeous!

They're like golden pebbles, aw!

Surprise surprise... Accessorize! I think I'm a tad obsessed with that shop. This was also bought for my holiday to match the ring (colour wise) and I can't waaaaait to wear it! It's quite heavy and bold for me, but why not go for a change right!? It was on sale when I bought it at about £3.

I love the colours!

We recently got a new shop in the city where I live called Bijou Brigitte, I went in there for the first time the other day and it's safe to say I'll be going back very soon! I only had enough money at the time to buy these two bracelets unfortunately but I loved the colours and felt they had a sort of Moroccan look to them with the gold beads so purchased them both for £4.95!

I think I have a thing for this colour...

I bought this from Debenhams the other day as I start my new job at Next soon and wanted a watch! Originally I was going to buy a bronze coloured one with the same style from River Island for £25 but tried it on and because of my stupidly small wrists it didn't fit. When I found this I was unsure because of the gold colour but I tried it on and new I had to have it haha! It was £30, but conveniently it was 20% off that day so it ended up being £26! I had it fitted to my wrist size that minute for free actually at Debenhams and walked away wearing it.

The diamonds are clear... not black... silly flash

This necklace is very special to me, it belonged to my Grandpa's sister, Janet, and she gave it to him, who passed it on to me a few years ago. I've never really worn it as it's very delicate but just recently after being very ill for 5 years and sadly passing away two days ago I feel now is the right time to wear it.  

Do you have any pieces of jewellery that mean a lot to you?
Which is your favourite item of mine?

Katie xo

CheerUp Magazine Photo Shoot

As promised, here is my post on Saturday's photo shoot, with me as the makeup artist! In case you're not aware my boyfriend and friends run a magazine (which I contribute to) called CheerUp Magazine, and for their next issue they wanted to put together a fashion shoot which took place on Saturday. It went really well, it was hot and sunny with great models and friends around us. It was a 6 hour day but it flew by as it was all good fun! They are a ridiculous amount of shots, however I chose the best ones to represent the makeup that I did for them. So here's a few for you to look at...

Model: Daisy Lawless
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

Model: Daisy Lawless
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

Model: Daisy Lawless
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp



Model: Jess Leathem
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

  



Model: Jess Leathem
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp





Model: Jess Leathem
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp



Model: Zara Brooke 
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp



Model: Zara Brooke 
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

Model: Zara Brooke 
MUA: Me
Photography: Darryl Merkli/CheerUp

We're looking forward to the second photo shoot next month! Also, I'll be starting up a fashion blog specifically for CheerUp Magazine very soon - so keep an eye out for that!

Please take a look at their magazine: issuu.com/cheerup 
You can also find them on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/CheerUpMag


Which out of the pictures is your favourite look?

What are your thoughts on the leopard print!?

Katie xo




 



 






 



Animal Eyes

My boyfriend's magazine 'Cheerup' is holding a fashion photo shoot tomorrow and I am the makeup artist! So I've been having a mess around with ideas today. I'm still undecided whether or not to do this look (zebra on one girl, tiger on another, plus a leopard for the third model), it's between this and your good old smokey eye. Oddly though, I find I am better at the more complex looks in comparison to a smokey eye, which no one can understand including myself! But hey ho, we're all different right? 

Left: Tiger Eye      Right: Zebra Eye

Please excuse my face here, it looks horrendous, NOT a fan of the four Graftobian Foundation/Concealer Palettes that cost me over £100, grrrr.... The shiny parts on my face there are ironically the driest parts of my face usually. So I'm not entirely sure why this foundation is rated so highly when it provides extra grease, not a good look! The eyes are a tad smudged as I was in a rush however for a 15 minute job, I think these pass as okay! I will post pictures from the shoot tomorrow so you can see the final outcome!

What do you think of animal print eyes?
Would you dare to wear them out?!

Katie xo 

Barry M Nail Paint '134 Yellow'

My blog is fixed yay! Sorry for the delay on this post.

I'd been eyeing this colour up for a good month or so now, and despite the horrified reactions I got from people when I said I wanted it, I bought it anyway. Another addition to my growing Barry M collection! I love them so much I even drew them for my GCSE Art exam haha! The price is inexpensive at £2.99 and although it does chip, the coating is far stronger than other nail paints I've tried.

Close Up

Close Up

Nail Paint On My Nails

My Barry M Collection!

Once I'd applied it I was amazed. Suddenly it looked like my tan had upped at least 20%! The colour is pretty bright, but not too in your face. Admittedly it is more of a summer colour, but I have a weeks holiday in Portugal coming up so I will be wearing this gorgeous colour with absolutely no shame! The colour itself is definitely in my top 5 favourites, alongside all the pastel colours I have! Biiiiiig fan of those. I plan to continue to add to my collection untill I come across an even better brand!

Do you like Barry M Nail Paints?
What's your favourite colour?

Katie xo

Stupid Internet...

Okay, so I'm currently having a few technical issues with my blog, I've been trying to post all day and it won't let me attatch pictures *grrrr* so I'm going to have to try and sort it. Bare with me readers!

Thank you

Katie xo

Cherry Carmex Lip Balm, Bursting With Flavour!

This item should have been in my beauty kit months ago. It's just what I've been looking for! In the past I've

purchased the Bodyshop Cherry lip balm, however like many others I've tried, they've all left a gross coating on my lips which is most definitely not a good look! I've also tried the Next Gold Tin and the Little Blue Tin, but I've found them all a bit dull. They left a ridiculous amount of excess shine and had no flavour what so ever. Cherry is my absolute favourite flavour, so when I found cherry Carmex lip balm I fell in love with it! But the best part is that afterward your lips tingle with a sort of, mintyness!



Cherry Carmex Lip Balm

Cherry Carmex Lip Balm

Cherry Carmex Lip Balm On My Hand



Me Wearing Cherry Carmex Lip Balm

Although the pictures don't really do it justice, I cannot stress enough how much this lip balm has become a favourite product of mine. There are 5 main reasons for this! One; my lips seem to soak in the moisture how they should, still leaving a good amount visible. Two; the cherry flavour is to die for! Three; No cakey residue left on my lips at all. Four; it's SPF 15. Five; Less is more! You need so little of it each time you apply it, there's plenty left as the pot is filled to the brim. Fab fab fab.

Short review due the fact the product really does speak for itself, buy it from local drugstores and find out why I think it's so great! It's pretty inexpensive too at £2.55. I can't stop applying it, I have a holiday in the sun coming up and I can safely say due to the SPF 15 quality it will be my best friend out there!


Did you find this review useful?
Who owns this absolute beauty!?

Katie xo

Written Proof - Finally A Qualified Makeup Artist!

My Certificate!

Just a short post to express my happiness of my recent success, passing my Level 3 Makeup Course at College! Woooooo! It was a difficult year I'll admit. I managed to get glandular fever a quarter of the way into the course which resulted in me suffering for a good few months with it, but despite that and the amount of work I had to do for it I passed so all is well!

Although I'm not sure if I'm going to continue with my career in Makeup, I'm over the moon that I have this qualification behind me. It's something to be proud of :-)


Have any of you guys studied makeup?
Have you considered it?

Katie xo

Nice Bubbly Baths

Who doesn't love a good bath right? I was running one this morning when my mum came across a few bath bits, which I got to use, win! I can easily say this was the nicest bath I think I've ever had...  Below are a few images of the things that went with my luxurious bath!

Flower Power Face Mask!

Ok so this was a little odd, I thought it would be a cream that you self applied, but when I opened it, it was literally a mask! I looked a little like the grudge with it on (as it's ghostly white with eye, nose and mouth holes... plus my long dark hair!) but I must admit it was quite relaxing. It was a Botanic Extract Lavender Facial Mask that you left on for 15 minutes, I did feel refreshed afterwards! I'm unaware of where it came from as it was a gift, however I can tell you it was made by Natural Products Ltd.

Pumice Stone

These things are great, I walk around a lot bare foot so this is really a life saver for hard skin! I used to own one on a plastic stick in the shape of a foot however it broke away easily, since I swapped to the actual stone I've found I get much better results! I bought mine from Superdrug.

Elvive Nutri-Gloss Conditioner

Elvive Nutri-Gloss Conditioner

I've had this pot for a good few months now and use it once a week for about 10-15 minutes on my hair, it leaves it looking so silky and glossy! I recommend it highly! As much as I love any normal conditioner I personally need to use a more intense one due to the length of my hair... it breaks so so easy! Any more than once a week would be too often I think, I use it just to give it that extra healthy boost. I picked mine up from Superdrug once again.

Refreshing Foot Soak Scented Soap Confetti

These beauties are soooo cute! They are mint scented, and you float them in your bath until they eventually dissolve! They smell great and leave your skin feeling super smooth. Plus the shape is beyond adorable! These are also made by Natural Products Ltd.

Lily Pad Bath Flower

This puzzled me at first as I though it was made of material, but once I put it in the water I realised it was just like the Refreshing Foot Soak Scented Soap Confetti, it dissolved! I left the bath a tad messy, but I can still smell the perfume scent from it on my skin. It floated for a good 20 minutes or so before it melted away! Too cute, I want another one! Also from Natural Products Ltd.

Here's a picture of them all floating!

Ooooh Bubbles

And finally, after my bath I applied a bit of this!

Burt's Bees Hand Cream

Burt's Bees Hand Cream

Burt's Bees Hand Cream

Burt's Bees Hand Cream

This is so small and compact, great for travelling or a day out! It's scent of almond milk is a little overwhelming at first but, like I say, less is more! You barely need any at all. It smells great and it leaves your hands feeling fab! You can purchase this in many places I imagine as it's such a popular brand (also a gift, so I'm not sure where exactly!).

Well that was my bath, I really do suggest you guys try out some more exotic, beautifully scented baths such as my one today. I'll be purchasing more bits like these and having another one!

Have you used any of these products?
What is your favourite?

Katie xo

My Makeup Artist Idol - Lisa Eldridge!

Lisa Eldridge

Lisa Eldridge has over 20 years of experience and is one of the most highly regarded make-up artists on the international beauty and fashion circuits. And that is why I love her work! I've spent endless hours watching her youtube tutorials and having a go myself, no matter how good I get at makeup my work will never compare to Lisa's. Her talents have appeared on the pages of virtually every fashion magazine including British, Italian, Chinese and Japanese Vogue, Allure, Glamour, Elle, Numero, Pop and Lula. She has worked with a great list of celebrities including Kate Winslet, Katy Perry, Keira Knightley, Emma Watson, Eva Green, Cameron Diaz, Amanda Seyfried, Kate Moss, Helena Christensen, Cate Blanchet, Demi Moore and Selma Hayek. And she's not stopping anytime soon, thank god!

Kate Winslet's Red Carpet Look By Lisa Eldridge

This image here is a personal favourite of mine, the class of the makeup created here is incredible. If only one person could pull off that shade of lipstick, it's Kate Winslet. This shade cannot go wrong with such a gorgeous minimalistic look, it stands out the exact amount. What catches my eye also is the peachy bronzed glow of her cheek bones, Lisa Eldridge can contour like there's no tomorrow. The eyebrow definition is classy and neat, perfect for a red carpet event. And finally, the minimal eye makeup compliments her dress so so well, over doing the eye makeup is a big no no for such an elegant woman! Overall, if I wore this to an event, I'd be pretty damn happy with how I looked that's for sure! 

Keira Knightley

This is equally a favourite look for an equally classically beautiful lady. This time, Lisa opted for a nude lip so she could focus more on the intricacy of the eye makeup. Firstly, what a lucky woman to have such a fantastic complexion. I'm sure I do not speak alone when I say... jealous!? The warm glow of her cheeks really suggests her 'English Rose' persona. Her eyebrows not too over done, not too forgotten. Simplicity is the key to a look like this! Lisa created a questionably mysterious look about her eyes with the warm brown tones above and beneath them, this really suits her especially because of her chestnut brown hair colour, what a match! And her dress, the combination of the entire look makes Keira look like an elegant winter swan.

It's safe to say, Lisa Eldridge is a genius with the contents of her makeup kit. We can all dream, right!?

What are your thoughts on the 'less is more' makeup theory?

Would you wear this look yourself?

Katie xo 

Company Magazine - October 2012

Fearne Cotton October 2012

The beautiful Fearne Cotton makes the front cover of Company magazine for the October 2012 issue, which I love, because I envy Fearne's look and feel she should get more recognition for it! She looks incredible to say the least here, and I feel she really represents the fashion and beauty industry well. Her statement spiked stilettos and fur coat reflects her bold and outgoing personality which we are all familiar with from her progressively growing career as a television and radio1 presenter. Her hair here is what I wake up every day wishing for, although I am brunette, I have considered getting a mid-length blonde wavy style instead! Her glossy shine is desired by all I'm sure.

However the main thing that strikes me about this image is her makeup. Never have I truly considered putting that shade of lipstick on a blonde, but it so works. The lips for me are the key part to every look, a well executed lip line and tint shade is très important! My eyes immediately went to the deep winter berry colour and I instantly thought 'I'm doing a blog post on this, today.' 

Her kooky look here is great, I love what she's wearing. Lace shirt, retro glasses and print shorts, I can't fault it. Like they say... if you've got it, flaunt it! And she certainly is in this shot. Currently expecting a child she couldn't be happier, which you can tell by the look on her face in all the publicity shots. Good for you Fearne! I think it's fair to say what a great life she has right now, and it's only getting better for her! I wish her all the best!

What are your thoughts on Fearne's baby news?

Would you wear such a statement outfit!?

Katie xo 

Hello fellow bloggers!

Vogue, Company, Glamour, we're all familiar with these glossy paper back bibles that the majority of our feminine population refer to each and every day. There's not a morning in London, New York or Paris where you'll be walking through the city and not see one of these publications. I used to be a huge fan of 'Mizz' as a child, but my interests then evolved and lead me wanting to grab a copy of some of the more sophisticated magazines out there. From that day on I began to love anything fashion, beauty and lifestyle related! I previously wrote a blog about makeup, following my Theatrical and Media Makeup course at College, however I felt it was time to expand on the contents of my blog and visit areas of fashion also.

So expect plenty of product reviews, pictures and tutorials of looks I've assembled plus a ton of magazine articles and images of fashion/beauty icons making a statement that I couldn't help but LOVE. I hope you enjoy having a good old read of my posts! I'm open to comments, suggestions and any requests you may have.

You can find me on:
http://twitter.com/katyjanecollins
www.facebook.com/KatieJaneMakeup

Back soon!
Katie xo