New Year's Eve Party Look inspired by YSL in Vogue

Isn't this picture gorgeous? It's for the Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick by YSL and flicking through this month's Vogue, it was this ad that caught my eye. I've used it as inspiration for my latest vid which you can see here but think I'll also be checking out the YSL counter tomorrow and see if I can get my hands on some sexy red lips!

He knows if you've been bad or good...

If you're a nosey bugger like me, you will have spent the past 2 or 3 days refreshing your blog follow list, hoping that someone will have done a 'what I got for christmas' post. I love these and so thought I'd share mine.

Christmas in my house is usually spread over 3 days - divorces, work commitments and physical distance between us means the fun starts on christmas morning and usually goes on until the 27th. Then my brother, mum & I hit the sales on the 28th. The upside to this is that present sharing goes on for 3 days!

I was thoroughly spoiled this year and don't want to go on about every tiny thing I received, but here is a small selection of my absolute favourite things Santa delivered to my door...

Make Up For Ever 'Rock For Ever' Aqua Eyes tin

I followed Santa's journey on Twitter on Christmas eve and didn't notice him making a pit-stop at Guru Makeup Emporium in Fulham, but he must have been in stealth mode. Good old Santa!

Tanya Burr for Talullah Tu Bracelet

I fell in love with this the moment I spotted it on the website. I must've been awfully good this year!

A5 Finsbury Filofax in Aqua

For as much as I love my iPhone & various other whizzbit technologies, I've never ever got to grips with relying on electronic diaries. I love the romanticism of carting around a filofax stuffed with post-it notes, random scribbles, old payslips - you name it, it's in my filofax! My previous one saw me through my wedding planning (it was the same but a pink 'personal' size) but it was just never quite big enough. This bad boy will keep me organised!

Vivienne Westwood Earrings

J'Adore

Fossil Ceramic Watch

If you'd been in my house this Christmas, you could be forgiven for thinking I had shares in Fossil, but I love that store so much. I love the earthy, no-nonsense functionality of all their products but they never compromise on style. In addition to this watch from my brother, I also received a steel bracelet & necklace from my mum but unfortunately there's no pics on their website of those.

Was Santa good to you? feel free to leave links to your present posts!

A x

A Girl Can Dream...

**warning! complete fantasy post!**

If I was given free reign to run riot at Net-A-Porter, I wouldn't go for clothes. I wouldn't be interested in the latest addition to their designer boutique. I would head straight for the accessories tab, followed closely by shoes & handbags.

I love clothes (y'know, especially the fact that they keep me warm), but I'd much rather be in a pair of grey skinny jeans, a black t-shirt & a fabulous cocktail ring, than wearing the latest designer dress. Let's face it, fat days where nothing fits, or days when you just can't find the right thing to wear happen all the time but I've never had a bad accessory day! I am a total magpie for 'things', and whereas I am happy to wear a jumper from Primark, I like to invest in my accessories as I think they'll always be stylish (or at least ironically cool). One of my favourite things to do is surf for hours looking at stuff that kind of hits the mid-way almost touchable designer stuff. I own a couple of Vivienne Westwood pieces - I get that kick of buying something luxurious, but because it's say a small pair of earrings, it hasn't cost the earth.

Anyway, these next items are certainly not my kind of accessible! Listed below are a few things I came across on Net-A-Porter whilst trying to bag a McQueen scarf bargain. These are all items that I would literally need to win the lottery to buy (well, except for the scarf... that's on my genuine 'real-life' wishlist. And it wont go away, not matter how hard my husband tries to convince me that one from Dorothy Perkins will be just as good...)

(all pics from Net-A-Porter.com)

Alexander McQueen Cashmere Blend Scarf £215

I first fell in love with this in Vegas, although the one I tried was purple & turquoise but I haven't been able to find that here. I wish I'd just bloody bought the thing in the States as it has been haunting me ever since. Now I'm home, it feels like a much more 'serious' purchase. But it is firmly on my 'one day I will really have this' list.

Mulberry Tudor Zip Around Leather Notebook Case £165

I am a complete & utter stationery geek. I love pens, pads, notebooks - anything that makes me feel like I could, at any moment, compose a beautiful letter, write a song, sketch a picture or simply note inspiring thoughts... I have recently upgraded from the Personal Finsbury Filofax to the A5 Finsbury & spent most of Christmas Eve on the Filofax website choosing which inserts were essential to keep me organised - starting to get the picture?

Until yesterday, I didn't know such a thing existed and today I can barely sleep, unable to understand how my life will be complete without this in it. I might even want it more than the scarf. No! Yes!... aargh I don't know!

Barbie by Christian Louboutin £100

Growing up I never had a barbie (I wasn't deprived - I was only interested in climbing trees). So the natural order & justice of the world dictates that it would be perfectly acceptable at 28 to spend £100 on one that wears mini Louboutins, no?

Mulberry Bayswater iPhone Bag £165

I hate myself for how much I secretly love this.

Lanvin Faces Playing Cards £55

If these ever were to cross my palm, I think I would probably frame them. In a giant frame. I don't think I could bring myself to play with them!

And finally, something I spotted a while ago; it makes my heart skip a beat. I don't know why, because I don't even think it's particularly pretty, but it's so friggin cool!

Solange Azagury-Partridge Hot Lips Ruby Ring £14,600

I know, I know, you're thinking £14,600??!! Is she kidding? But, if that is a little out of your budget, then you can have a pink lacquer one for only £980.

So I know that isn't about makeup, but I probably love accessories just as much. If you enjoyed this, leave me a comment & maybe I'll do posts on shoes & bags too!

Love A xx

Merry Christmas from Beauty Blogging Blonde

To everyone who is celebrating over the holidays, hope you have a lovely christmas, hope santa is good to you and have a fabulous new year!

If you need makeup inspiration for a new year's party, skip over to my YouTube channel! See you all in the new year!

A xx

Xmas/New Year Makeup Matte Eyes & MAC Rebel Lip

Hi lovelies,

Was getting a bit bored of having glitter all over my face & decided to do a matte look. Was also challenged on twitter to come up with a look using MAC Rebel Lipstick & here's what I did!

You can see the video here, but here's a quick break down of what I did...

Skin - MUFE HD Foundation, mixed with a smidge of MAC Face & Body in white, to lighten it slightly. Concealed under the eyes with MAC NW20 Select Cover Up.

Eyes - covered from lashes to brow with Brulee. Created an outer V & kept the crease super dark and defined (don't blend too much) using MAC Carbon. Defined the lashes with a very thin line of Clinique black gel liner. Loads of black mascara on top lashes only.

Brows - defined using Shu Uemura brow pencil, then darkened with MAC Carbon.

Cheeks - Illmasqua Nymph Blush & Chanel Bronze Universel to contour.

Lips - MAC Rebel Lipstick!

hope you like it!

A xx

Products of The Year 2010!

Hi everyone!

It's nearly christmas! Yay! It's also that time when you will be inundated with posts of people declaring their favourite products of the year, so I jumped on the bandwagon and did a vid of mine.

I'm sorry I don't have time to do a full post, but the video has full details of all the products.

So go check it out here!

Garden Girl Palette - Only a few days left to get 15% off!

In case you haven't seen yet, you can get 15% off a Garden Girl Palette over at Cocobeau.co.uk by using the code BBB15 at the checkout. This is only until New Year, so if you're thinking about it, you'll need to do it soon!

If you want some inspiration as to what you can do with it, check out these posts or these videos...

Yellow Glitter Eye Makeup

Purple Smoky Eye Makeup

Silver/Blue Evening Makeup

A xx

Products Revisited... PerriconeMD Skin Clear Hydrator

If I was doing a 2009 'Products of The Year' post, this would be top of my list, but I'm not. I do explain the history between Perricone MD & I in this post, but here's it in brief... 2008/2009 saw a lot of hormonal changes and resulted in a massive acne outbreak. Nothing could control it & I had a course of treatments at the Sk:n Clinic. One of the products I was given was the Skin Clear Hydrator & it made a massive improvement to my uncontrollable & oily skin.

When I posted about this in February, I was still using it daily and my skin was looking fab. By the time my wedding rolled around in August, however, my skin had changed, was much less oily and needed something a bit more moisturising. Since then, it's gone even further & now I'm slapping on Embryolisse every day!

I would still highly recommend this to anyone with very oily, spot prone or sore skin as it's so calming to use, but it's not the top of my list anymore but only because my skin has changed!

A xx

INA Crystals White Gold Detoxifying Crystal Salt

I suffer from chronic sinusitis & at the moment, it's so painful. I feel perfectly healthy apart from the extreme burning pain in my forehead - it's not like a cold or flu and I've had so many courses of anti-biotics for it over the past few years that I am pretty much now trying to just avoid being sent for surgery to sort it out. Being a total wuss (the thought of anything being put up my nose makes my palms sweaty and I want to puke), I'm desperately seeking anything that might help.

Spotting this post by Dempeaux, I'm wondering if these bath salts might be worth the investment?! At the moment, it's too painful to inhale through my nose so a menthol bath is a no-no.

Has anyone tried them? worth a shot? I wish they were sold in a smaller trial size!

A x

Products Revisited... Benefit Benetint

Can't believe Christmas is a week today! And I've hardly managed to do any 'revisited' posts!!

Not much has changed since I posted about this back in February. You can read the full rave review on the earlier post. All I'll say today is I love it & think everyone needs one!

New Video... Purple Eyes for Green Eyes!

You can watch the latest video here

Love my new ring!

Festive Red Lip: New Video!

Tonight's video is a really simple, clean & modern red lip. Perfect for the festive season, a christmas party or just for wearing about the house!

And I just wanted to show you... In the video I used Benefit's She Laq on my lips & eyebrows. The video was shot about 5 hours before the pic below and in the meantime I'd eaten lunch, drunk some milk and some kisses (!) and this lipstick has not budged!!

(scuse my glasses... I stabbed myself in the eye a few days ago with a 224 and still struggling to wear my lenses)

Suggestions on a Postcard Please!

This post is physically painful. I have to say it, it's tearing me up inside. I'm. going. to. be. 2-2-2-29 in a few weeks. I can't bear it. I've loved my 20's and I can't believe I'm facing my last year *double sad face*.

Now before you all get on your high horses about how 29 isn't old, I should be lucky that I'm not turning 40, or I should just be grateful that I'm still in 20's - I am! I'm just struggling to say goodbye to them and I want to be prepared. And, I certainly don't want to be like Phoebe in Friends who discovers she's actually just turned 31...

So, to ensure that when I do turn 30, I'm feeling happier about it, I want to try and achieve as much else as I can in my 20s. I already have the usual things; lose weight, learn a new language, be tidier etc and this isn't necessarily about life changing activities. So this is where you come in... I want you to tell me what you think I should do that could enhance my last year as a fresh-faced 20-something. Got a favourite flavour of ice cream? Let me know. Read an amazing book? Share! Got a hobby you think I might like? Tell me! It could be anything - and hopefully a few will inspire me!

I have about 4 weeks before D-Day. I look forward to hearing your suggestions!

Last Minute Gift Guide...

Going shopping tomorrow? Still got no idea what to buy?

Your Man

Do you have a sneaking suspicion that your Philosophy Purity cleanser has been used by the man in your life and that it hasn't just 'evaporated'? Get him some manly products from www.mankind.co.uk such as this Anthony Logistics Face Kit at £30.

Your Mum

Having had the pleasure of browsing a sales assistant free beauty hall in John Lewis with my mum a few sundays ago, we spent ages at the BB counter and I finally got the chance to try this Extra Face Oil out. Both my mum & I loved it and weirdly, we both loved it on our hands and kept remarking for the rest of the afternoon how lovely & soft our hands were without being greasy. Is a fab product for the slightly more mature (but beautiful!) woman in your life and will keep her skin in tip top condition throughout the winter months. £38.50

Your Gran

My gran loves this Estee Lauder 'Beautiful' fragrance. I'm sure yours would too! Plus Estee Lauder always have special offers on fragrances, you might be able to treat yourself to a special something too! Starts from £32.

Your Glamourous Best Friend

Chanel makeup just screams luxury and is of some of the highest quality around. This limited edition eyeshadow quad is perfect for your best mate who has everything and always looks gorgeous or for the friend who just needs an extra special luxury treat.

Your Dad

Undeniably, this shower gel is one of the most recognisable from the Molton Brown range and is the absolute epitome of masculine yumminess! Strikes that elusive balance between luxury without being feminine and perfect for the 'gruffer' man in your life. £17

Your Sister

Dior Lip Colour Glow - This is the perfect little treat for a busy woman on the go - combining a beautiful lip colour with a lip balm that smells, tastes and looks bloody amazing. From £20.50

Your Daughter

This range by Fearne Cotton has been developed exclusively for Boots and as much as I am still peeved with Boots, i can't deny that this range would have made me squeal with delight as a 12yr old. Prices start from about £6-8ish and go all the way up to about £30 ish so there is something in there for every budget.

Products Revisited...

Blistex Relief Cream Revisited

I first posted about Blistex back in March when I was doing a make-up bag essential series and since then I've probably purchased half a dozen new tubes. I seem to suffer from permanently dry, chapped lips. I don't know why - is it a vitamin deficiency? Can someone tell me??

Anyway, this tiny little tube contains, in my humble opinion, a miracle cream. Technically, it's for cold sores but it works wonders on lips with sore, broken & dry skin and within hours of first application, it magically heals away all the little sore bits. You know, when you smile and your lip starts bleeding? Wave goodbye to those lips and say hello to soft, smooth attractive lips!

If you haven't bought it yet, then you are either mad or have luscious lips already. If it's the latter, can you please tell me your secret??

New Video... Jewelled Glitter Party Makeup

you can watch the video here

My Christmas Wish List

This is very much a wish list!

I love this bracelet from Tanya Burr's collection over at Talullah Tu. I already have the black and gold skull earrings and the pink skull ring and think this bracelet would compliment my small collection perfectly!

I bought some Vivienne Westwood earrings in London earlier this year and I wear them all time. I love them so much that I think I need second pair!

Apparently I need to see this film.

I drink up anything Chanel and these books look fab!

A Zuca Travel Case would be perfect for carting my kit around.

I tried this powder on the Pixiwoo course and loved it. I have just never got round to buying it myself. A perfect present!

This is the new Illamasqua brush roll - it's £95 so quite pricey, but I've heard amazing things about their brushes.

I have one of the MUFE aqua pencils and I love it, so how could I not love this??

Perfect for my kit!

I swap my MAC pans around so much and it's so footery to get them out of the little MAC palettes. I always end up jabbing my finger nail into the shadow when I try and lift them out - these Z Palettes look like the perfect answer!

I need this brush in my life. MAC 109

And this pigment limited edition collection

I am loving the new H&M Homeware collection! These towels and cushions would look super cute in my girly makeup studio!

What's on your wish list this Christmas?

Party Season Must Have! Benefit She Laq

It's not very often that I will try a product and want to blog about it immediately, but I was so damn impressed last night with this stuff that I wanted to tell you about it right away!

Last night was my office Christmas party and I glammed it up with applying MAC's Antique Gold Reflects pigment over the top of Benefit's 'Strut' cream shadow, but we all know that even over the top of a cream, pigments can move around. As I was wandering around town yesterday picking up last minute party essentials (shoes, dress etc hehehe) I was planning in my head what makeup I would be wearing* and this video by Tanya (Pixi2woo) popped into my head - she had mentioned She Laq as a good makeup sealer and so I popped in past Debenhams and quickly scooped up a bottle.

When it first came out and without even trying it, I'd notched it up as a product that would sting, dry out skin and generally make whatever makeup you put it over, look crap (Lipcote of 10 years ago anyone?) but I was so wrong! This stuff is bloody amazing!! I put it over the top of the MAC loose pigment - it didn't clog or mess it up, it just made it stay put! I put it over my eyebrows which I'd filled in with Shu Uemura pencil and my eyebrows were fixed all night. Amazing - I danced the night away, didn't take my makeup off before I went to bed (I know I know) and when I woke up this morning feeling mega rough I just about fell over when I looked in the mirror and saw my makeup was still 100% intact!

And it gets better! As I was in a rush, I literally just grabbed a box off the shelf at Benefit without paying much attention and it was only when I opened the box when I was getting ready did I realise that it comes with 4 brushes! I have a couple of Benefit brushes and think they are excellent quality, so to pay £17 (Debs had a 10% discount) for the She Laq and 4 brushes, is fairly amazing value. Mascara spoolys are often very expensive and I'm delighted to have another one!

I think Tanya said in the video that she hadn't tried it over eyeshadow but that she was sure it would be fine and I can confirm that is definitely the case! If you have a problem with oily lids, smudging, lipstick not staying on, brows rubbing off - this is the product for you. I can't believe I haven't tried it before now! Definitely a party season must-have!

* I'd planned on wearing MAC Reflects Pearl pigment but when I got to Lisa's, she offered me a dusting of Antique Gold - it literally looked like my eyes were encrusted with jewels, it was blinking gorgeous. I didn't get a chance to properly take any pics of my makeup, but there are some general party pics and if there's a decent one of me, I'll get it up. I will be doing a vid recreating last night's makeup though as I loved it so much.