Tuesday 28 January 2014

Tuesday Transformation - Scar from Lion King.

Hey Guys!
Hope your all well?
So for today's makeup look,I have got my inspiration from...
Scar.




Scar is the baddy in lion king and
since my last few transformation Tuesday's have been quite natural looking I thought I would go with a simple,wearable mysterious look! 
Off camera this look is a lot more bronzed but for some reason it hasn't picked it up too much! Grr.

I started with applying my usual foundation and concealer then began to highlight and contour.

I used a bronzer that is a little to dark for me to contour to really exaggerate my cheekbones like scar has.

I took my contour up into the temples too to create a slimmer looking face,and took my highlight over my cheeks,down the center of my nose and just above my cupids bow.


I wanted to have a very dramatic cat eye to this look.
It is down to personal preference and you could smoke this look out a lot more then I did,But I think with a dramatic flick of eyeliner its best to keep the eye shadows below the crease really.

For the look I used three colors,a brown eye shadow pencil (with glitter but you could just use a matte one as this is just a base for the other two colours),A 
rusty orange /brown shade,and then a matte black.


I took,my brown shadow pencil and placed it over the entire lid up too the crease,I then blended / smoothed it out slightly just by using my ring finger.


Then I took a rusty brown colour and packed this onto the lid - i focused mainly on the middle of the eye.
I blended it out a little with a fluffy brush (not too much though as I wanted a defined eye) then took a little bit of the rusty shade under my bottom lash line.


I then took a Matte black and worked this into my outer V,my  crease and then down towards the inner eye.
My tip for this part is just to start with a little,this way you can smoke it out gradually to avoid over doing it.
After I took this photo I did pack a bit more of the rust colour on to the middle of my eye and blended it into the inner eye to create that rusty colour Scar has.


To finish I lined the eye with a black pencil liner on the lower water line,and
then took my liquid liner and created a very dramatic cat eye flick to create that perfect feline look to finish of the eye makeup.




  

To finish I applied Rimmels Kate Moss Matte Lipstick In Colour Wine 107.


So that's the look I created inspired by Scar !
I hope you enjoyed it.
Stay Safe & Speak Soon
Kate 
xoxo

Monday 27 January 2014

Monday Mumblings.. Body Confidence.

Hey Guy's
Hope your all okay!

Today I want to do a post on something I think is pretty important.
Body Confidence.
Up to 8 out of 10 people have a lack of body confidence and don't like the way look and 25% of people may even have a distorted view of themselves.
This is so sad,and lets not forget this isn't just an issue with women - it affects men too.

The way we look can have such a big impact on our day to day lives so I wanted to write a post to try and promote Body Confidence.
After all WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL.

Now this is something I really do believe really needs to be highlighted.
In my early teens I really felt the pressure of media and to be a certain size / weight. I was a curvy size 8/10 when I was around 16 yet I never felt 100% about my figure and always wished I was thinner,yet when I fell ill,I ballooned in size due to fluid retention and steroids to prevent the liver failure and even maternity size 20 trousers wouldn't fit me.
So when I dropped down to a UK Size 4 after my second transplant,which meant I dropped from a size 20 to a size 4 literally over night when my fluid was drained away I was left with huge stretchmarks on my stomach,legs,thighs and feet.



I then had to regain my weight which was a long and hard process and after transplant #3 I had a similar experience I dropped to a size 6 and had to gain weight and this time due to illness I was given a feeding tube to try and bulk me up (as due to my illness i lost all my muscle mass and weight due to bed rest for months).

My body has been through so much strain,from being bigger to tiny again,and with that came judgement. The sad part? I was suffering with a chronic illness yet people would tut at me because of my size - if only they knew.

        


Having gone through all that I have become really confident with my size 10/12 body,my scars and stretchmarks make me who I am and there all part of my story!
I've realized that health and happiness is so much more important,and how we look doesn't define who we are. It's Important we all remember that!

 

But I knew just me telling you this may not be effective so I have got a range of beautiful girls (inside & out as you will see..) involved and asked them a set of four questions to try and see why people feel the way they do and ways to help...


Tanya - Mom of One and CF Patient.

 

 1.Are You Secure with your body Image ?
I think to be perfectly honest I act a lot more secure then I am. I like being perceived as confident and strong even more so when so because I get ill all these people feel the need to help me (I hate this) im the sort of person who will show anyone my baggy baby tummy and my poor excuse of boobs that breast feeding left behind, just to make someone feel better about themselves or even myself on hope they tell me it isn't that bad lol. When I look at myself in the I sometimes feel bad about myself(but thats when i'm naked lol) but other times I remember i look and think all my scares, stretchmark's, extra skin, lumps and bumps are all worth because its me fighting my illness and having a child which i was told i could do ..so yer worth every little mark.

2.Does Media / Celebs etc ever affect how you think you should look? When it comes to the media and there ridiculous idea a perfect women body i couldn't care less..i don't think there is a perfect body. I like to think the only way the media influences me is in the fashion sense and body image. I wouldn't want to be stick thin with no boobs and a thigh gap.
3.When do you feel most confident in yourself? Well i feel most comfortable/confident at home with my fella and son because you can be yourself and not worry how rough your looking. But there is also nothing better then getting a new outfit on and putting my make up which never happens for me now days and just popping out for a bit. To be honest most the time i don't even go out, its just to make myself feel hot for an hour or so while I'm cleaning lol.
4.What one piece of advice would you give to people who want to gain body confidence?
I think the best thing i could say is try not to care what other people think about you, be who you are comfortable being with and you'll find yourself being so much happier. If you feel confident you'll find yourself feeling great and happy with the way you look... as they say confidence is sexy. so believe you are and you will be. You don't need anyone's permission to feel good about yourself.


Lisa - Marie - Miss Crown and Glory North West First Runner up 2014


  

1.Are You Secure with your body Image ?
For many years I was very very insure about my body...I think through out school I developed quicker than other girls in my class, and that upset me, as i wanted to look like everyone else. I have always been a curvy girls with big boobs and since I've got older I am more i secure about my body, and grown to be happy with the body I have.

 2.Does Media / Celebs etc ever affect how you think you should look?
 Media does effect how women and girls look at their bodies. In magazines for example they will show how to slim down to a size 8 or 10 stating that is the size you are suppose to be. I have heard recently they are bringing out size 16 mannequins which is fab!! This is the size normal girls are and should be encouraging this!! It's great to see inspiring role models such as Kim Kardasian, Adele, and Kelly brook!! Beauty isn't how someone looks- its the inner beauty which matters most!!

3.When do you feel most confident in yourself?
I feel most confident when I am all glamed up- especially when I have a new dress! If you have an amazing dress on it always makes me feel amazing too!!

4.What one piece of advice would you give to people who want to gain body confidence?
 The best advice I would say is...choose a outfit which suits you and you feel comfortable in- and your personality will shine through and your confidence will grow!! The most famous pin up model was Marilyn Monroe who was a size 14 and a very sexy icon this is true beauty and what a real women these days looks like!!! Be confident, be sexy, be Marilyn x

Lauren - Music Student.

  

1.Are You Secure with your body Image?
 Nope 

2.Does Media / Celebs etc ever affect how you think you should look?
Nope, they're just full of Botox and operations; they don't really look like what they show everyone, so, why would you want to be fake? 

3.When do you feel most confident in yourself?
 Probably feel most confident when I wear new clothes and take forever to get ready haha!

 4.What one piece of advice would you give to people who want to gain body confidence?
my piece of advice for people that have low body confidence is; life is short. Don't ever care what people think about you, be happy in your skin, it's yours and you should work it! I'm not a size 0, I'm not perfect but I don't care! So Don't let negative people rain on your sunshine!!



Dani - Photographer.

1.Are You Secure with your body Image? NO! 
2.Does Media / Celebs etc ever affect how you think you should look? YES!!! When I look at magazines and see airbrushed images of models & celebrities, even though I know they are airbrushed, it still makes me feel like I should look like that
3.When do you feel most confident in yourself?  When someone compliments me (and its genuine!) or when I lose some weight
4.What one piece of advice would you give to people who want to gain body confidence? I wish I knew, would use it myself




Jade - Film,TV & English Lit Student.


1.Are You Secure with your body Image?
I think it's rare these days that girls are actually confident with their bodies, but I am. I'm confident on the basis of "What you see is what you get." You look at me, and you can clearly see that I'm not skinny, or slim, or toned, or anything like that. I'm not hiding any secrets under my clothes, what you see really is what you'll get, and I think that's why I'm confident and secure in the body that I have. There are loads of people who have the same body shapes, so I'm not the only one whose body looks like this.

2.Does Media / Celebs etc ever affect how you think you should look?
To be honest, they only affect the way I think I should look when I'm reading a magazine, and I see all these celebrities in their bikinis on the front page. The second I turn the page, I'm fine with myself. But for those five seconds that I am on that page, I'll think to myself, "What would I look like if I looked like that?" But I know I never will, because a lot of the celebrities who are featured in those magazines do not represent healthy bodies.

3.When do you feel most confident in yourself? 
I feel most confident with myself most of the day. There are a few moments when I sort of relapse, and wish I had a better body, but not for anybody else. If I want a better body, it's for me. As long as I eat healthily and look after myself, I tend to feel good about myself.

4.What one piece of advice would you give to people who want to gain body confidence?
The one piece of advice I would give to people wanting to gain body confidence is: Be happy with yourself. Feel content, and if you want to lose weight, or tone up, or anything like that, just do it, but do it for yourself. Don't do it to please anybody else. You'll never please every single person on this planet, but it's so easy to make yourself happy. So if you want to lose weight, do it. If you want to go eat a whole pizza, do that, too. It's your body. Nobody has the right to tell you what you should do with it, or how you should look. And as cheesy as it sounds, a smile does go a long way. If people see that you're insecure about your body, they'll try their best to put you down. But if they see that you're happy with what you have, then they have no choice but to feel the same way too.


I think this post just shows everyone feels differently but at the most part some of us have some hang ups that we wish we could change but girls...
Your Gorgeous!
I think what we can all take away from this post is that the most important thing is that we are healthy & in the end happy.
Yes we all have down days,where we may wish something was different about us but it always comes down to this,we will only ever have one body.
Bodies are an amazing thing,and we should all appreciate and love them for that.
So Be You,Be Happy!

Please let me know if I should continue these 'Monday Mumblings',
where we can talk about subjects that are sometimes kept slightly hush hush but there things that affect us all!

Stay Safe & Speak Soon
Kate
xoxo

Sunday 26 January 2014

Leibster Award #2


Hey Guys!
Hope your all well?
So yesterday the gorgeous Riley from City Princess nominated me for another Liebster award which was lovely as Riley writes a lovely beauty blog and is from the sunny Australia so make sure you go and look at her blog and follow her on bloglovin :)

I have done a liebster award once before (which you can find here ).
Any of you who aren't familiar with what the liebster award is,it is a award given to blogs with under 200 subscribes who deserve the recognition for there great blogs.
The rules are: 

1. Link the blog that nominated you for the award in your Liebster post
2. Choose blogs to nominate  
3.  Answer 11 questions given to you by the blog who nominated you
4. Let the people that you have nominated know that you have done so
5. You can't nominate the person who nominated you 
6. Create 11 questions for the people you nominated to answer
7. You must follow the blog that nominated you
8. Share eleven random facts about yourself! (Something unique that not many people who read your blog would know)


11 random Facts about me.

1. I have met the Queen - On Transplant Buisness,Pretty Awesome! 
2. I would love to work on the Radio for a week.
3. I have never been to a festival. Boo :(
4. I got sent a hoddie signed from one direction when waiting for transplant #3 - Eeek.
5. I sleep with a blanket every night - as well as a duvet (cringe I know ha ha)
6. I used to write music & sing,but stopped when I started college.
7. I am Currently Miss Inspiration Birmingham 2014.
8. I LOVE travelling plane,but haven't been on one for about 5 years.
9. I'd love to travel to Canada,New Zealand & Australia.
10. My favourite fruit is pomegranate but due to the tablets I take for my transplant I'm not allowed to eat them anymore Merr! :( 
11. I have a huge girl crush on Perrie from Little Mix.


Questions from Riley.

1.What made you want to start blogging or who inspired you?
I started blogging so I could document my progress after transplant so if you look back to the begging of my blog it was more lifestyle posts and things I was up to and it's slowly progressed to posting about everything I enjoy. My blog does have a lot of beauty posts as I fell in love with make up in hospital,as having months at a time of not wearing any it was nice to come out and experiment = my interest in make up and beauty began.


2.Who's your biggest style icon?
I would most defiantly have to say Perrie Edwards.
She has a really girly yet grungy style and that is defiantly something I take into my own wardrobe.
That said though,I would never wear something just because she did.
I am one of those people who doesn't really follow trends unless I know they will defiantly suit me,I wear what makes me comfortable and nothing less.
But Perrie is just effortlessly stylish as are all of the little mix girls.
3. If you could have a dinner party and invite whoever you wanted dead or alive who would come?
Oh my this is hard.
Plus how many people can I choose ha ha?
Well I'm going to say four people.
And those would be...
Zoe Sugg AKA Zoella on YouTube,she seems so adorable and down to earth and one of those people you could instantly have fun with.
Jennifer Lawrence simply because she is beyond Hilarious.
Shakespeare,I would love to see what he would write about today's dramas ha ha 

4. Whats your favourite place in the entire world?
Greece! By Far by Far by Far !
I love that place it is so beautiful.
My favourite place to visit though is Chania,in Crete it is a Beautiful port that over looks Chania's lighthouse. 


I have some amazing family memories here,of sitting here while the sun sets and seeing all the lights of Chania twinkling and in the day time going on a little donkey cart being wheeled around.Beautiful. 

 

(pictures from google )

5. Favourite shade of lipstick?
Hmm I love YSL Rose in Tension and Also All of the Kate Moss by Rimmel ones,but my favourite is Wine 107.

6. What's your Favorite cafe or restaurant you've ever been to?
This was one on holiday.
One in Egypt. 
I can't remember what it was called but was an italian place at the hotel we stayed at Coral Sea Resort.
The food was beautiful and so different!
Its by far my favourite just for the memories I have there.
But day to day is defiantly Bella Italia !

7. What are three goals for your blog to achieve in the next 5 years?
To hopefully continue to reach those who have had transplants.
To continue my efforts of been a positive representation of transplant.
And just to continue having fun with it,and hope others do to! 

8. Are you a cat or a dog kind of person and why?
Ooo so hard but Cat.
I have always has cats,and I love my cat nala.
Shes a Mainecoon and so so adorable.
But that said I do love dogs too,I have always had pet dogs growing up but our last dog had to be put down when she was still young which was heartbreaking.
I think cats are just easier to have when you live in a flat like me and my boyfriend.

9. Crunchy Peanut Butter or Smooth?
Neither!
Im afraid I can't stand peanut butter,I don't know why but its not for me.

10. Who would you most want to follow your blog?
Honestly?
Anyone!
I originally of course set this up to support transplant recipients,to show live after transplant is amazing (I really should start doing more lifestyle posts...) but the most important thing is if I can to brighten someones day.
I guess I would be really happy if say Tanya Burr of Fleur De Force followed me!

11. What disney princess are you most like and why?
Hmmm.
Now I'm obliged to say my favourite princesses here,but which one am I most like?
I'd say belle? 
I always try to make the best out of a bad situation and I always tend to see the best in people and always try to help people when I can.
So I guess it would be belle!



My Questions for the blogs I nominate.

1. When did you become interested in Beauty & Why?
2. What one memory would you love to relive ?
3. What is your one fashion staple?
4. Do you refer high end or high street..or both?
5. What made you choose your blog name?
6. Would you ever make YouTube as an extension of your blog?
7. Who is your favourite Blogger ?
8.Natural Makeup or Smokey Makeup?
9. How often do you share your blog with people you meet day to day?
10. If you could meet one blogger / youtuber who would you choose?
11. Do bloggers influence things you buy / try out very often? 

And I nominate..

Nicki's Nick - Nackery
She has posts with makeup for us pale girlys which I find super handy..

Perks Of Being Amy
She's super adorable and has blogged about yankee candles - can't beat it!

Maria Isabel
Beautiful girl who's just starting vlogging! 

The Pretty Possessive
I love Sian's Blog,She blogs Beauty & OOTD's - Fab! 

Have Fun Girls!
And Thanks Again to City Princess for nominating me.
Stay Safe & Speak Soon.
Kate
xoxo

Saturday 25 January 2014

Valetine's themed Lush Haul.


Hey guy's !
Hope your all well?
So today me & my other half took a trip into Luton,he needed to get a haircut so we decided we'd go get that done then we made a 'quick' visit into Lush (if you life in Luton be sure to check there lush out,the staff are lovely and beyond helpful!) 


Some of these products I have used before but some are also new additions to my 'collection' so once I have used them I could do a review along side with my huge lush box I got for Christmas maybe ? Let me know !

  

Ickle Baby Bot - £1.95 Each
"A gentle lavender bath bomb to relax children before bedtime."

Lush claim that this bath bomb is designed for little ones delicate skin and packed with aromatherapy oils can aid a great sleep.
I used to buy this all the time for my little sister ( She's 3 ) and she adores these little guys. They smell gorgeous and the lavender scent is so relaxing.
Moms face would often light up when I brought one home as she knew it would mean my baby sister would sleep well that.
So with that in mind I picked one up for me & Gareth as we both struggle to sleep sometimes (I say both of us - mainly me) and thought this would be a great one to try,plus I'm really curious to see if the chamomile blue oils properties do what they should (said to have antiseptic and antiflamatory properties)

One for the children and the big kids alike !
A gentle lavender bath bomb to relax children before bedtim
             




"A true rose fragrance, delicate and full of love. Amber and vetivert leave a touch of baby powder but little else complicates this romantic and exquisite love letter to rose."

I have always had a nosey now and again at lush's perfumes,as lets face it who wouldn't want to smell like a lush shop?
The few I smelt though were either to sickly sweet or wayyyy to strong,but today I discovered - Imogen Rose.

This is a Kate Scent for sure.
Its Floral Yet Fresh and just gorgeous.
I love the smell of roses and lately I have been using loads of rose based products so was rather excited to smell this.

It has a beautiful floral rose scent alongside with a faint what I can only explain like a baby powder scent - so so clean crisp and fresh. Ideal for me!

I would suggest though if your thinking of buying one of the 'gorilla perfumes' to go and smell them in store be sure you like the scent!


  

Rose Queen - £2.75
"A playful rose-scented bath bomb filled with pretty flowers that cheers the soul."
This is the first time I have ever got this one.
If I am honest it has always seemed pretty dull looking to me,but this little beauty was on the pile with a little sparkle of glitter on and flower petals poking through and with my current rose scent obsession popped it straight into my basket.
I can't wait to use this one,as apparently rose oil is meant to help with sadness - which with Gareth away next week I may need some help with he he.



Dragons Egg - £3.25
"A spectacular bath bomb that’s a treat for all the senses as it fizzes and dissolves in the water."
Ah what to say about this Bath Ballistic..
AMAZING!
The other kind of bath products I like aside from floral type sorts are most defiantly citrus smelling ones.Now this is a awesome one,it smells just like refresher bars! You know those lemon sherbet chews? Yummy!
It has popping candy in it,and multicolored rice paper confetti.
If that doesn't make you want one then I don't know what will,one of my absolute favorites defiantly!

 

Prince Charming 100g - £4.65

This is an addition to the new 2014 Valentines range.
Now I will be totally honest,I had to sniff this product a few times to decide if I really liked it.
It has a sweet fruity scent but the more you smell it you can tell it has a lot of depth and this smells just like turkish delight but the same time smells a bit choclatey! Pretty hard to explain the scent really.

What drew me too it was that it contains pomegranate and I LOVE pomegranate but sadly its one food your banned from eating after transplant (boo - it messes with our medication) so I thought what better then showering with a scent like it ha ha.

This is lovely,I'm just hoping this likes my sensitive skin as snow fairy broke me out into a rash :(



  

Love Locket - £6.95
"The Love Locket was inspired by the kind of heart-shaped locket you wear as a necklace, perhaps with a secret photograph of a loved one inside. In the same way, you have to unlock (crack open) this Love Locket bath bomb to reveal the secrets hidden within…"

Firstly the price. Now this is beyond expensive for one bath bomb BUT this can be split into about three,to make more baths if you do want to create more value for money (don't worry I did ask the lady at the till if this was true)
My other half got me this as I didn't get to try Santa's shop at christmas which I was pretty gutted at as that was similar in size but there we are.

I have heard people say in reviews that this smells like love heart sweets in the bath so I just had to have it,after all how adorable is this?

But I don't think I will be saving this for three baths.

After all it's valentines day and we only live once eh'? ha ha.

So that's what I picked up at Lush in Luton today.
I will be uploading a review on the huge christmas box I got once I have used up all the products ( pretty close don't worry guy's! )

Are you after an of these products or have you tryed them too?
Let me know below!

Stay Safe & Speak Soon
Kate 
xoxo




Friday 24 January 2014

Transform Tuesday - Bambi Eyes..

Hey Guy's,
Hope your all okay.
So my Elsa Make Up Look went down really well,I know this is a little late (should've been up on Tuesday) but any who I decided to do another disney inspired look and today I chose...

Bambi.

   



Its impossible to not fall in love with bambi !
Just the worlds cutest little deer and the first think I think about when I think of bambi is those huge eyes.

So I decided to do a pretty neutral wearable makeup look inspired by the colours of bambi to help create a wider looking eye,a look to make you look doe eyed !

I decided to use my new MUA Ever after MATTE palette to create a very natural eye.


I started by using the most natural 'skin' like colour in the palette ironically called 'Bare'.
It most defiantly is bare and I would use a tad darker colour usually but there we are..


Then I took 'Chino' a muavey brown shade and blended that into the outer V of my eye from about the centre up into the crease.
Again this was so neutral you don't need to blend very much.

   

Too add definition to the eye to create a wider eye look I then took 'Penny' which is true to its name in terms of colour,and blended that into my crease and took it down to the inner eye.
This gives you a 'cartoonish' looking effect to the eye instantly waking them up.
You could darken this up a little more if you want to but as you can see when the eyes are open it is very pretty and natural - very wearable.


You then want to take a black liquid liner and line the upper lash line.
I experimented around with different ways to wear liner with this look and I personally think it looks best following the natural lash line to the outer eye and then winding the line but not going to far out of the outer V!
I found winged liner seemed to somehow make the eyes look smaller with the natural makeup and after all this look is to get bambi - esque eyes.
Just thickening your liner also gives the impression of thicker lashes,something Bambi also has.

So I totally forgot to take a up close picture of the eye - duh!
Put I then took a brown gel liner and lined my water line BUT just in the outer corner as going across the whole water line closes the eye up.
Then took a white eyeliner and lined the inside and first half of the water line - again another trick to open up your peepers and make them pop!

Then I took a bronze liner and took it underneath the lash line and blended a little just to add a bit more of a sparkly look to the makeup.
I finished with Barry M's Lash Vegas masacara and a peachy toned lipgloss !

 


And Ta Dah !
A Bambi inspired makeup look.
Totally wearable,But totally adorable.

Stay Safe & Speak Soon
Kate 
xoxo