Because they are amazing, easy-peasy to apply and last a very long time.......

It's kind of like I've found the holy grail of nail polish but without the drying time and chip free for 10 days. Impossible? No!

Sally Hansen have geniusly created their new 'Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strip' which comes in the most amazing, creative, wearable, prints  and colours. After eyeing them off in the nail polish aisle day after day contemplating if they would be too hard to apply, and if they would really last 10 days without peeling, I felt brave and took the plunge. To my surprise they were soooooo easy to apply and best of all they lasted through my obsessive compulsive cleaning and detergents!! Typically I'd paint my nails or have them professionally done only to leave the salon, walk to my car and ruin them while scrounging around in my bag for my keys! There is no drying time with the strips and you can resume your daily tasks without a worry.

They come in a range of nail bed sizes so I have no doubt they cater for every ones pinkies and are easily removed with normal nail polish remover.

To prove how simple they are to apply visit the Sally Hansen website where they have a detailed video guiding you step by step! Just click on the link below:

HOW TO VIDEO

If that's not enticing enough they're now on sale at Priceline and come in the most amazing Easter prints right in time for the festive period. If prints are not your thing you'll adore their range of single colours!

How can you not love them!!!!

The trouble is they last so long its taking me forever to get through all the prints..........if that's a problem!?!?!

How to properly clean your Makeup Brushes!

SORRY! That's all I can say.

I'm terribly sorry its taken so long to post but I do have a great excuse and its called an Hawaiian holiday.

Very soon Ill be showing you ALL of my purchases (*gasp) there is a lot, with reviews and recommendations on them all.

But in the interim, and following my post on brushes, I wanted to share with you the way I clean my much loved brushes. With the right tender love & care brushes can last you a very long time and considering you're spending so much on them its only right you really look after them - right? Cleaning them regularly also rids them of all the yucky unwanted bacteria that lurks and breeds in your brushes particularly if you're a makeup artist!

There are several ways to clean them with my favourite simply being some baby shampoo and warm water. The reason for this is that its gentle and it thoroughly cleans them leaving them without any residue.

• All you need to do is place a small amount of the shampoo into the palm of your hand, wet the bristle part of the brush and gently massage the bristles in with the shampoo. 
• Once you've worked up a lather rinse the brush doing your best to avoid the ferrule (the metal part of the brush) to avoid the adhesive deteriorating. 
• Grab yourself a clean towel and squeeze the brush head/move it gently around the towel to remove excess waters.
• Lay them flat on a table edge NOT STANDING to dry. The reason you need to have them not  standing is to once again avoid any excess moisture moving down the brush particularly the ferrule section causing them to eventually come apart.

For quick and easy cleans in between you can purchase pure alcohol or brush cleanses (MAC stocks one), spritz a little onto a tissue and clean the head of your brush. I often find many brush cleansers leave a soapy/oily residue so I personally would choose the alcohol which instantly cleans and kills any bacteria.

MAC Brush Cleanser

BEN nye alcohol based cleaner

Fun tip!

When choosing a concealer and it's coverage swipe a little on the inside of your wrist - if it covers your veins it will cover anything!

What's the difference between synthetic & natural fibre brushes?

Ones made from synthetic fibres and the other natural right? Well yes, but there's a lot more to it than that.

When choosing brushes think about what you're going to be using them for. Generally speaking natural brushes work best with powdery textures such as eyeshadow, finishing powders, blush and bronzes. Synthetic fibre brushes work best with cream textures including foundations, concealers, lipsticks/gloss, liquid eyeliner, cream eyeshadow & blushes.

Quality brushes make all the difference when applying makeup but it doesn't necessarily mean they need to be expensive. Ensure the brushes don't absorb a lot of your product and they don't excessively shed when using them.

Some natural fibre brushes may cause a reaction if you or your client are allergic to animal hair. They can be made from goat, hoarse, squirrel or sable hair so always test first!

Best makeup at the 2012 Golden Globes.

 I just loved staring and all the beautiful people (well almost all) and all their stunning makeup.

Below are my top 5 in no particular order…..way too hard to choose!

Angelina Jolie.
GLAMOUR! GLAMOUR! GLAMOUR!

Reese Witherspoon.
Im surprised she made the cut as traditionally Im not a fan of her style but I thought she looked stunning here. Her beach sexy hair and after sex glow is to die for.

Charlize Theron.
She rocked the natural romantic look.

Kate Beckinsale.
She truly looked beautiful. Her subtle bronzed cheeks and eyes suited her perfectly.

Zooey Dechanel. Not only was her makeup cute but her nails were even cuter!!

When does your makeup expire?

We've all been there - you've pulled out your mascara from the bottom of your bag, twisted the lid, pulled the brush out, only to find it smelling a little strange and looking dry. Or, you're down to the last centimetre of your favourite lip liner and when you go to glide it on your lips it almost slices them off! Right!?!


Well, just like most things cosmetics do have a shelf life and what a better time to cull all your old makeup then the New Year! Continuing to use old makeup is a breeding ground for bacteria and germs (eek!!), not to mention the loss of quality and change of colour.


As a guide, the below will give you an indication of when its time to cut the umbilical cord and toss:

• Foundations/Concealers: Depending on the amount of air they're exposed to and whether you're shoving your fingers in the bottle, its safe to say these they can last up to 1 year. If there is a bad odour or colour change bin it.
• Mascara: Remember I mentioned breeding ground for bacteria, well this is king of it. In very rare cases the infection can cause temporary blindness so please don't risk it. After 3 - 6 months throw it out!
• Eye liner/ Lip liner: These are great for longevity and hopefully you'd have used them before its time to chuck. These colourful pencils can last you up to 3 years. Ensure you sharpen them before each use.
• Face Powders/Eyeshadow: As this product doesn't contain any water, save your powder puff (but wash it!) cause you can hold onto powders for up to 3 years.
• Lipstick/Gloss: If looked after and you don't double dip from your lips to your lip brush, lipsticks can last a while. I would recommend 2 years but if smells……you know what to do.
• Creams/Gel Cleansers: 1 year but really whose cleanser lasts over that?
• Makeup Brushes: If its a quality brush you can get up to 15 years. Just remember to frequently wash them with warm water and mild detergent.

Obviously depending on how frequently you use the products the time may be more or less so just keep a nose and an eye out for signs.

Unruly Eyebrows?

Not everyone is blessed with picture perfect eyebrows - well not many actually! It's true they do frame your face and should be groomed frequently.


If you happen to have those unruly caterpillars that have a mind of their own here's a quick tip : Take a clean old mascara wand, spray it with some hairspray and brush your brows into place. It's that simple!!

Megan Fox gets it right!