My Make Up Storage

Sunday 29 June 2014

Shabby Chic Letter Rack


I store all my make up at the back of my desk using this letter rack/desk organiser that I picked up quite cheaply from TK Maxx. Although this wouldn't have been it's original design purpose I love it because of its compact size and different compartments.

The main section is split into 3; a longer section at the front and the same divided into 2 at the back. In one side I keep all my brushes, including the bags I use when travelling with them, and in the other I store my everyday make up including mascara, concealer, bronzer and eyelash curlers. In the longer front section I have a bag with all my mac make up in, then to the right of it my lip crayons.


What's great about this desk tidy is that is also has a drawer where I can neatly store away other products such as spare mascaras, lip products and varying pencils.


To the right of my main storage I have palettes and make up bags as well as more everyday products that wouldn't fit (foundation, lip balm, translucent powder and an Elf blush). I also have a Ted Baker tin that I picked up from eBay which has smaller sample sized products that have come with other purchases or are magasine freebies.

Although I am almost reaching the point of running out of room, I currently love the look of this set up. It doesn't take up much room but still allows me plenty of options for separating different products.
Lara xo

Blender Inspiration

Saturday 28 June 2014

Breakfast Smoothie


For my 18th one of the presents I was most looking forward to getting was a blender. Not your standard cause of excitement, I know, but I just love soups and smoothies; I guess my laziness has reached a peak where even chewing is too much effort. 




The blender I have is the Breville Pick and Mix Glass Blender in 'Pistachio' which is also available in cream and pale pink and was admittedly chosen for its appearance (although equally it also does its job great!) I've been playing around and have made a couple of meals now including roasted red pepper and tomato soup from the guide that came with the blender and crepes from '101 Things to do with a Blender' available here Another recipe book I got was 'The Blender Bible' here and I love both these books as they offer more unique ideas of recipes which you can use a blender in such as Yorkshire puddings and banana nut bread. It allows more variation than a standard soup cookery book. 

I've particularly been loving a smoothie called 'Sunrise Booster' again from '101 Things to do with a Blender'. It's intended as a breakfast smoothie but I much prefer something with a little more substance in the morning so have been having this as a snack.








It includes: (for 2 servings)
1 small banana
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sweetened cornflakes
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
and 2 ice cubes












Blend this away and Bob's your Uncle! It's also worth adding that for those who prefer to work in ml there's a handy conversion chart in the back.


I've also found blenders are surprisingly easy to clean; fill the jug half up with warm water, add a small amount of dish soap, use the pulse button then rinse. Here's to more blender experimentation in the future!
Lara xo





How I Clean my Makeup Brushes

Friday 27 June 2014

The task we all hate . . . 


Everyone despises it when the time comes and your brushes are looking a little grubbier than they should, but in the interests of hygiene, it's something that needs to be done. In a quest to find something that would make brush cleaning a little more entertaining, I stumbled across Sigma's 'Spa Brush Cleaning Glove' which promised to be a quick, easy and effective method. However, at $35 and being a brand hard to get in the UK I began to search elsewhere. Of course I turned to eBay, the glorious home of cheap alternatives, where I found a Silicone Oven Glove with the same textured surface and costing only £1.99 plus 99p for postage. I decided there was nothing to lose.

Along with the glove I use a basic shampoo. This is an Alberto Balsam Shampoo which can be picked up for 99p here . I start by laying out my brushes on the toilet lid (classy, I know), putting them in the groups I plan to wash them in, so faces brushes, eye brushes, smaller brushes etc.

I take about 4 brushes at a time and damp them all under a running hot tap. I then squeeze some shampoo onto the glove and individually swirl them in it, rinsing and repeating until the shampoo remains white. The glove is excellent as not only does it stop you burning your hand when the tap starts running too hot and prevent your hands from drying out with all the water and scrubbing, but the lumps and bumps on it really getting into the bristles providing a deep clean with minimal effort.







 The Sigma version has a specific grooved  'shaping' section between the thumb and fingers, however I settle for just using that area to squeeze out any excess water so my brushes dry quicker and then just shape with my fingers.


For drying, I like to lie my brushes flat so that water doesn't seep into the section where the bristle are attached. I use just ice cream tubs lids with a piece of kitchen roll in each. I normally let them air dry, but if you're in a rush I recommend either using a hairdryer or placing them in the airing cupboard.

Overall, I love this cleaning glove and for the price is it definitely not one to miss. It even adds a bit of novelty into an otherwise extremely tedious task!
Lara xo


Outfit of the Day | Summer Skater Dress

Monday 23 June 2014

OOTD 

The sun's finally making an appearance in England so I opted for this sky blue dress with floral lace detailing, which is also available in other colours including white, pink and mint green. I paired it with brown pumps with a very slight wedge. Both are from Newlook here and here.

I'm off to enjoy the weather now, hopefully I won't get too burnt!
Lara xo


Face of the Day | End of Exams

Saturday 21 June 2014

FOTD


With revising and only leaving the house for exams recently, I haven't faffed around with my face too much. However, as I'm going out tonight and therefore decided to make a bit more of an effort.

Products Used:






I also used my Remington Pearl Curling Wand on Amazon here and wore this blue vest from New Look.
Lara xo

Easy Nail Art for Super Short Nails

Friday 20 June 2014

Summer Triangle Nail Art

    

With leavers' ball coming up I decided it really was time to start trying to grow my nails again after nail-biting exam season. I've always enjoyed splashing creativity on my nails and hopefully now I'll also be less tempted to have a quick nibble!




My nails are naturally small to start with, but I began by filing them all down to an even length and buffing them to remove those tell-tale bite marks. I used Boots 4 Way Buffer Block here - cheap and cheerful.

     

As a base I used Essie's 'Grow Stronger Base Coat' here which both stops the bright polishes staining the nails weird colours and helps strengthen them from breaking. I painted 4 of my nails  with Mystify by Misguided which is a standard hot pink shade and added an accent nail on my ring finger using Barry M's nail paint in 'Indigo' here.





Using a nail art brushes which I picked up from Ebay for only 99p for 15 brushes here, I added a triangle on each nail before using a dotting tool and a white nail polish by Natural Collection. As the dot covers the tip of the triangle, this means the point doesn't have to be precise!
I finished with Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Speed Drops on Ebay here which lock in the design and reduce drying time.
Lara xo






25 Questions Tag

Thursday 19 June 2014

Get to Know Me (maybe)

In keeping with the whole 'just started a blog' thing, I thought I would answer a questions tag. Not that after 25 answers you can conclude to really know somebody, but that suits my shyness anyway. Here we go!

  1. Do you have any pets? -  No and I never have (unless a boyfriend counts!)
  2.  Name 3 things that are physically close to you -  Laptop, cushion and a brand new iPad which is never far from my side at the moment
  3. What's the weather like right now? - Nondescript as it so often is in England
  4. Do you drive? If so have you crashed? - No to both, in theory my 17th birthday present was driving lessons, however I'm yet to have claimed them
  5. What time did you wake up this morning - 7ish which for me is a lie in! (the early bird catches the worm and all)
  6. When was the last time you showered? - Baths are much more enjoyable and I'm looking forward to having one tonight
  7. What was the last movie you saw? - Almost definitely a Disney one
  8. What does your last text message say? - 'ok' (thrilling I know)
  9. What's your ringtone? - I've no idea, my phone is permanently on silent
  10. Have you ever been to a different country? - Yes but I much prefer typical English holidays. Despite the unpredictable weather the limited sunshine is a much safer option for my very pale skin
  11. Do you like sushi? - I'm not adventurous therefore have never tried it
  12. Where do you buy your groceries? - Sainsburys
  13. Have you ever take medicine to help you fall asleep faster? - No
  14. How many sibling do you have? - 2
  15. Do you have a desktop or a laptop? - A 5 year old laptop which will hopefully be being replaced by a desktop quite soon
  16. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? - 19
  17. Do you wear contacts or glasses? - Glasses but very rarely
  18. Do you colour your hair? - No
  19. Tell me something you are planning to do today? - Find the courage to post this blog post!
  20. When was the last time you cried? - Last night, I have come to the conclusion that my eyes just naturally hold too much liquid
  21. What is your perfect pizza topping? - Once upon a time it used to be pepperoni until I realised I had a complete inability to cope with even mild spice, so ham and pineapple now
  22. Which do you prefer, hamburgers or cheeseburgers? - Cheeseburgers
  23. Have you ever had an all-nighter? - No, I become grumpy dwarf without sleep
  24. What is your eye colour? - Blue/green/grey/who knows
  25. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke - Yes and I don't like either

Phew!
Lara xo



Salutations

Wednesday 18 June 2014

" 'Salutations,' it's just my fancy way of saying hello or good morning. " 

~ E.B.White, Charlotte's Web



Today marked both my 18th birthday and my last exam - I have now completed A-Levels!!!!! *takes moment to compose self*

Being unsuccessful at gaining a place at drama college this time, today also means I have officially started my gap year, hopefully not to become gaps years. I want to use this little space on the internet to document my experiences and as a hobby to relax, as I prepare to face proper 'grown-up' life (whilst still looking like a 12 year old).
It's always difficult to know what to write in a first blog post but I promise I'll get better with practice. For now, let's just see where this journey takes us!
Bon voyage, arrivederci, and all that jazz,
Lara xo

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