Product review and lipsticks!!

Okay, so I said I'd talk about the interview. I'm scared. Like, hella scared! I'm totally unprepared for this mentally and I don't know how I'm going to cope on the lead up to it. I've been asked to bring images of things that inspire me. My inspirations come from drag queens and more theatrical/creative make-up and I don't want that to hinder me if they think that I can't do more "basic" looks. So I have a photo album with different make-up looks I've done on myself as well as other people in the hopes that if I take it with me, they'll take a look and see that I'm more versatile than it might seem from my inspiration! And there's a skills assessment. And and a written part. I can't even. I need to take a passport sized photo with me as well which is just fan-bloody-tastic as I don't have any just laying around. So desperately hoping that I can get one which looks half decent as I look like a serial killer in my actual passport photo which is about 9-10 years old! I just hope I can get past this fear of "people" and just try as hard as I can to make it through. Even if I don't get in, at least I'll know that I've tried, to the best of my abilities.

Next, product review! In preparing for my drag make-up on Wednesday, I needed gold glitter and I had run out of mascara. Instead of buying glitter, I stumbled upon glittery eyeliner from Collection which seemed like it would be easier to apply than a brush, adhesive and glitter. Plus, it was only £2.99 in Boots so it was cheap enough just to give it a try. Mascara-wise I went for Barry M's Show Girl mascara (£4.99) and due to the chest detail on the drag look, I needed a felt tip eyeliner so I bought the Collection felt tip liner as well in Black. Unfortunately, I managed to make myself look like a complete idiot at the checkout since I kept picking up bloody testers!!

The gel eyeliner was great. The eyebrows went on perfectly and was definitely a wise choice. It was wet enough that it slid across the skin but not to the point where the glitter was sliding down my face. It dried pretty quickly as well and stayed on for a few hours before I had to wash it off again. It completely washed away as well, as glittery products I've tried in the past left random glittery residue all over my face even after washing! This morning, I thought I'd use it as it was meant to be used and pop it on as eyeliner. I fancied doing a cut crease, which actually turned out better than the ones I'd tried in the past and popped on some of the liner across my lash line. My only problem there was, when coming to apply my mascara, the excess glitter that had gone onto the tops of my eyelashes, was almost impossible to cover up. I got most of it covered but it meant that I've quite a lot of mascara on at the roots of my lashes. I'd definitely be more careful next time not to get any on there.

Mascara-wise, it's a bit 'meh'. It boasts that it's "extra lengthening" but to be honest, my eyelashes look the same as they did before but just darker. It's not particularly expensive so I'm looking at it from the perspective of "I didn't spend a hell of a lot on it so can't expect it to be the best mascara in the world" but I've bought really awesome make-up from cheaper brands before. I won't be buying it again but it's not bad enough to throw in the bin without finishing it first. I think part of the problem is the applicator as opposed to the mascara itself though.

The felt tip eyeliner... well... that's a different story altogether. I tried using it for the chest detail on the drag look and also as eyeliner but honestly, it might be the worst eyeliner I've ever used in my life. And I love eyeliner. I've tried a hell of a lot of them. It was too wet, too see-through, didn't apply evenly, it was tragic. I had to go over the full lot with gel liner to try and fix it. It's not something I'd recommend and definitely not something I'd ever buy again. The tip of it was pretty good, it's just a shame the liner itself was so terrible, I even tried going over it several times to build up the colour but it just wasn't happening whatsoever!

The question from the make-up challenge today is asking what lipstick, gloss or lipliner do you like. Well, anyone who knows me, knows my obsession with Jeffree Star Liquid Lipstick is seriously unhealthy. I only have 10 of the current colours, 5 of which are the Holiday Collection which I managed to receive as a gift for Christmas and the colours are EVERYTHING. I'd never recommend any lipsticks to anyone apart from Jeffree Star. The colours are so bright, they last for ages and they're matte without being drying. At the moment, I have Androgyny, Mistletoe, Ho Ho Ho, Drug Lord, Doll Parts, I'm Nude, I'm Royalty, Blue Velvet, Weirdo and Prom Night. It's not enough! I want them all!! So I'm still building up my collection but there are two new colours being released this year and also another collection of lipsticks which I believe are due out in the spring, it's currently spring actually, so I hope they're going to appear soon.

The only colour I couldn't find a photo of was I'm Nude but I'm pretty sure I'll have something up in the future with it on.

I'm planning on going out to buy a camera next week so maybe I'll get some videos posted on YT and can supply a link to an alternative to written tutorials because it's just not the same trying to follow a written photo tutorial as opposed to a video but my accent is horrible and I have a tendency to ramble on quite a bit, as is pretty obvious from this blog but we'll give it a shot. The worst that can happen is rude commenters so we'll see what happens.

x M x

Boots: Collection Glam Crystals Eyeliner £2.99
Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Eyeliner
Barry M Show Girl Mascara

Collection Glam Crystals Eyeliner 5/5
Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Eyeliner 0/5
Barry M Show Girl Mascara 2/5

Drag Wednesdays (yes, it's Thursday) and foundation...

Well, it was Drag Wednesday yesterday!! This week's episode of Drag Race was absolutely fantastic! The main challenge performance was fantastic and honestly, there was nobody out of the crowd that I could say was worthy of being in the bottom two. Unfortunately, there had to be two and Laila McQueen and Dax Exclamation Point were the two unlucky queens to land in the bottom. Now, I really like both queens and I was hoping, due to the fact that nobody was actually bad in the challenge, that it was going to be a non-elimination and was just gonna be an opportunity to scare the shit out of the queens and get them to step their game up. The lipsynch that followed sealed their fate. Both queens were lipsynching to 'I Will Survive' and it didn't end well.  Halfway through the mediocre (sorry but as much as I loved them both, it's true) lipsynch it became apparent what was going to happen. None of the judges seemed impressed throughout the whole thing and, to be honest, Rupaul looked as if she was glaring at them the whole time. When both of them were eliminated, it wasn't much of a surprise as I think it was intended to be. Disappointing end to such an electric episode.

So this week's runway look that I decided to attempt (and fail), was Acid Betty's look. Out of all the queens, this was the one that really caught my eye. It was so creative and really made me go 'Wow!'

Covering my eyebrows is the bane of my existence and it causes me great strife. I never seem to be able to get them completely smooth no matter how hard I try and I think I might end up shaving half of them off again to help aid the covering. But we'll see what happens. I'll pop the products used underneath...

Pre- blended contour photos are always worth a look...

Honestly, it's not the worst drag look I've ever done (honest) but it's definitely not on par with the original look. I left my make-up box feeling a little bit disappointed but, like I said last time, I've seen worse! LOL 

After seeing the photos, I really have fallen in love with golf eyebrows and really thinking of incorporating gold eyebrows into my everyday make-up. Already I can picture the looks on people's faces when they see them but I think it's fierce and definitely eye catching.

Question #4 on the make-up challenge was about foundation. Whether you like wearing foundation, what foundation do you like and what colour are you.

Whenever I wear make-up, I ALWAYS wear foundation. I figure that if I'm going to put in the effort to make my eyes look good, what's the point in leaving the rest of my face mediocre. It's been a struggle finding the perfect foundation and I've tried loads of different brands in the hope that one day, I'd find the right one. I'm currently using No.7 Beautifully Matte foundation and I discovered it by accident.

My sister and I have quite different skin tones, she's more pinky and I'm more of a yellow base (even though I'm actually white as a sheet when you see me from a distance) and this foundation colour (Calico, which I believe is the palest shade) was totally off on her skin tone. So I found it laying around one afternoon and thought I would give it a shot, just to see what it was like. To my surprise, I loved it. Normally, I don't buy No.7, for no other reason than I seem to forget the brand. I normally shop in Superdrug and No.7 is only sold in Boots. It's a nice full coverage foundation. Not too watery, not too thick and it covers SO well! Primer wise I only use a small amount of Nivea Post Shave Balm so there's not really any coverage underneath and I don't use concealer very often unless I have a break out (usually around THAT time of the month) so I was pleasantly surprised at the flawless finish. It's £14.50 for a bottle and you don't need a hell of a lot to do your face as it covers so well. And like I said, with the consistency of it along with a beauty blender (Real Techniques one), it's really smooth and easy to apply. I won't try any other foundation since stumbling across this one!

Oh my god! I can't believe I forgot! I got an interview for college next week. Since I've rambled on quite a bit this morning, more on that tomorrow!! Interview prep, inspiration and comfort zones to follow!

x M x

Products used in drag look:

Nivea Post Shave Balm

Cheapy contour pallete (second darkest shade of contour)

NYX Jumbo pencil in white (for highlight & eyeshadow base)

MUA Loose Powder

NYX powder blush in Silky Rose

Collection glittery liquid liner in gold (for eyebrows)

Cheapy 180 eyeshadow palette

B is for Beautiful gel eyeliner (for eyeliner and chest/face detail)

Primark Dramatic false lashes

Barry M Show Girl mascara

LA Splash Lip Coutour liquid lipstick in Poison Apple

Cheapy contour palette (sparkly light shade for highlighting cheekbones)

MUA highliter pressed powder (for nose highlight, forehead and upper lip)

Day 3 (ish), RPDR and the return of DRAG WEDNESDAY!!!

Good afternoon!!

Okay so the wait is finally over, season 8 of Rupaul's Drag Race (the epitome of guilty pleasures) started on Monday. After the farce that was season 7, I was unsure if I'd ever watch the show again. But true to form, I couldn't help myself. I am so bloody glad I did!! That one episode was better than the whole last season rolled into one.

So Drag Wednesdays... Basically, every time I watch Drag Race, I like to take the opportunity to try out drag make-up (because I bloody love it) and every single time, I ultimately fail. That doesn't stop me from posting it on the internet for everyone to see and laugh at though. My favourite look from episode one had to be Kim Chi's runway look. It was absolutely flawless and my jaw actually dropped when I saw it. Definite contender for winning the crown!! If you have no idea who she is, do a quick YouTube search and you'll be blown away. You won't regret it!! So I thought I'd give it a try...

With my limited make-up skills, I didn't really have high hopes for the end result. As you can tell, I'm slightly lacking in the confidence department. But it wasn't the WORST drag make-up I've ever seen (or done for that matter)...

As usual, the worst part was actually covering my brows. This time around, they actually covered quite well so will post a photo tutorial at some point in the future. There's a lot that can be improved but it's generally not *THAT* bad although a far cry from the original look. The white below the eyes was supposed to me quite a bit smaller but thanks to a finger slip while applying, there was no going back. Also, that wonky eyelash is seriously frustrating the life out of me, I tried removing and re-applying but it had affected the black liner underneath. I've had a few tips given to me from a real life queen so gonna try it again at some point and see if I can get it to a more acceptable level.

Sadly the photos don't reflect the contour and highlight very well. Pretty poor lighting in the house means that I can't ever put the full effect of my make-up across from showing off contour to reflecting how bright the colours I use are. I'll put a list of products used down below at the very end.

On the subject of Drag Race, what a bloody episode that was!! I think the show might be back on form. Season 6 was such an epic season with the queens and challenges involved so it would've been difficult for season 7 to have topped it anyway.

I felt a bit sad to see any of the queens go, to be honest, although the queen most deserving of being in the bottom two (& wouldn't be missed by myself), wasn't. So I felt a bit shafted there. I don't want to be shady naming names but I think, to anyone reading this, it's more than obvious. Naysha (beautiful and talented queen) definitely did not deserve to go home by any means and I would have liked to have seen what she brought to the game in future episodes! But Laila really did tear it up during the lipsynch and I'm glad she stayed so I'm torn! I think she's got a lot of potential and it would've been a shame to not have been able to see what she had to offer! Really looking forward to the next episode to see what happens next!

So I kinda forgot about the make-up challenge a lil' bit! So day 3's question was "What are your favourite brands?" Which is a pretty difficult question to answer. I don't have any particular favourites but there are brands I'd definitely avoid. Any company who aren't cruelty free are an instant write off which is a shame because there were brands I loved to used that turned out to not be CF. I'm also put off by companies like Younique which sadly involve quite aggressive selling. I don't want to buy a product because I'm being pressured into it or told that I *have* to buy it. The brands I'm currently using are Urban Decay, LA Splash, NYX, MUA, Make-up Revolution, Jeffree Star and Freedom London but no favourites as yet. I have some LA Girl lipstick on the way so we'll see if they're worth buying into as well.

So anyway, eyebrow covering tutorial tomorrow for sure and see what else I can conjure up in the next 24 hours.

x M x

Products used for drag look:

Pritt Stick glue stick
MUA Red lipstick for colour correction on brows
MUA Matte Perfect Loose Powder
Maybelline Dream Satin foundation (bought before I found out they weren't CF)
Cheapy contour palette from eBay
Make-up Revolution Girl Panic palette for powder contour & eyes
Jeffree Star Liquid Lipstick in Weirdo (for eyeliner & lips) and Drug Lord (for white under eye and waterline)
Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara
Primark falsies (Define Lash) - If you're gonna try Primark lashes, the lashes themselves are pretty good but the glue is a bit sub-par so I'd suggest buying a better quality eyelash adhesive!
Freedom London pro-brow pomade in ebony brown

Day 2... where did you learn how to do make-up? Typical make-up look...

Okay, so technically I missed out on two days. In my defense though, I had a show to go to on Friday and was too tired for make-up yesterday as I didn't get home until 3am the night before! A rare occurence for me to be happy to skip doing my face!

Admittedly, I'm pretty knackered today. We've got a poorly 6 year old who has been sick all night and then again this morning but I had to do the school run anyway with the 4 year old so here we are.

Day 2's question is "Where did you learn how to do make-up?"

Growing up, my Mum always wore make-up. No matter where she was going, she had her warpaint on before leaving the house. I remember watching her as a kid in the mirror and seeing what she was doing. It was fascinating for me seeing anyone's transformation when it came to make-up and she always stuck to the same look the whole time since as far back as I remember. It was always a fairly natural look with the eye make-up and either brown toned lipstick or gloss. Recently, I've managed to lure her out of her comfort zone and she's worn different lip colour but that's pretty much as far as I can push her by the looks of things.

When I started wearing make-up to school as a teen, I pretty much followed the same routine, although back then, my eyeliner game was pretty rough so I always skipped it. Different coloured lipsticks creeped in over time and eventually eye shadow. The best piece of advice I ever received from her was probably to blend into my neck and stop going overboard with the bronzer. Looking back at photos of me as a teen, I feel mortified (although was hideously offended at the time) seeing the obvious tide marks and the bright orange cheeks. I was a hot mess.

Over time, I managed to improve my skills thankfully. When I discovered YouTube tutorials as an adult, I was already competent at doing my make-up but it was great to see different styles and how to execute them. Particularly with eye make-up as that's my "thing".

I have to thank her for the inspiration growing up, to be honest. Without that introduction to make-up, who knows if I'd have as much interest in it as an adult? My guess is probably yes but who knows. I could still be sitting here an adult looking like I've been tangoed with lines all around my chin. Thank you mother!!

So for the photo challenge, day 2 is "typical make-up look". Well, I don't really have a typical make-up look as I like to try something new every day but I do have a failsafe for any time I'm in a rush and I need to throw on something reliable. So here goes. Basically foundation routine is all the same but instead of some bright eye make-up, it's a natural lid with eyeliner. No matter what I have on my face, I cannot skip the eyeliner!! Coupled with a red lip, it's something that'll fit any occasion and is easy enough just to whack on.

I've used the Urban Decay Vice4 palette. 'Framed' all over the lid, a small amount of 'Bitter' in the crease, a small amount of 'Deadbeat' smudged under the eyes and 'Bones' for the highlight. At the moment eyeliner-wise, I'm using B is for Beautiful gel eyeliner. It seemed awesome at first but I'm starting to wonder if I'd ever buy it again. It seems to dry up pretty quickly even though the lid is screwed tightly shut after every time I use it. Never a good thing. And for the red lip, I either reach for Jeffree Star's Mistletoe or LA Splash's Lip Couture in Poison Apple. Both are liquid matte lipsticks and don't have a tendency to rub off or bleed if I can't find my lipliner (which always seems to disappear). Links below for all products used.

This takes roughly 15-20 minuted depending on what eyeliner I use. This one is particularly hard to work with as it's drying up faster than it should (!) so it takes a bit of fiddling about with to get it just right.

It's something that suits everyday wear but can also work if going out in the evening so it's pretty versatile so a good failsafe!



Nivea for Men Post Shave Balm £5.29
B Flawless Complete Coverage Foundation £5.49 (usually £9.99) I use the colour Rose Ivory which is currently not in stock on the website but can be found instore.
MUA Matte Perfect Loose Powder £3
NYX Powder Blush (Silky Rose) £5.98
MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder £3.00 (Opalescent Amber)
Urban Decay Vice4 Palette £43
B is for Beautiful B. Precise Gel Eyeliner (currently £3.49)
Freedom Pro Brow Pomade (Ebony Brown) £5

The only thing I can't include on the list is the Jeffree Star liquid lipstick in Mistletoe. Unfortunately, it was part of the limited edition collection that was released around Christmas time. If you search about online, there might be some online stores that still have some stock but it was pretty popular, so there might be a chance that's it's unavailable. They do a similar colour called Unicorn Blood which is similar colourwise but the Mistletoe is more glittery. Alas, it's out of stock on the Cocktail Cosmetics site which is usually where I get my JS lipsticks from but they're always replenishing their stock so keep an eye out. Link to site below.

Cocktail Cosmetics

x M x

From make-up disaster to the best night ever...

Well, the wait was over last night. Finally went to see Adore again!

Unfortunately, the lead up to leaving was almost a total disaster. My original plan was to do a step by step on my eye make-up but the shit hit the fan and it didn't turn out as I'd hoped. Honestly, I wish I'd had time to remove it and start again but threw some glitter over the top of it and worked it as best as I could lol. Went for the Urban Decay Vice4 palette and Jeffree Star's I'm Royalty liquid lipstick. Thankfully in the photos we got, it actually looks pretty good. Clearly I'm photogenic but look atrocious in real life!!

After hunting around for ages for a parking space, we finally made it to the venue in time for the meet and greet. Cue anxiety appearance...

We got inside and were queueing on the stairs waiting for the M&G when I started getting a bit shaky and nauseous. Thankfully, it was nothing compared to the first time where I actually almost walked out because I was freaking out so badly (but being a stubborn cow, I hate running away when the going gets tough lol). We were moved into a booth inside the club and sat waiting "patiently" to be shown through. 15 or so minutes later we were moved to the queue on the dancefloor and she was within viewing distance. Cue further anxiety. Mixed with excitement, it made for a very nauseating wait lol!

Once we got right up to the stage and it was my turn to go up, I started shaking again and walked up to her pretty much vibrating with anxiety. I nearly peed my pants when she went "Oh my god, hello, it's you!" so she either remembers me from last time (aaaaaargh!) or thought I was someone else 😂😂😂 , I'm sticking with the first option!! So I got a cuddle and I apologised for the shaking and she was so sweet as always. Then I got her to autograph my tattoo so I could get it tattooed over. I actually got overly excited over a Sharpie pen. I went in with eyeliner and she asked if I wanted it done in permenant marker because she had a Sharpie & I was like "OH MY GOD YEAH, DO YOU HAVE ONE?" I'm such a weird one... But anyway, I can't get it done for a while so I've taken a picture of the positioning and autograph for when I get a chance to go back to the tattooist and I've just to get her arm tattoo added in and it'll be complete!! Ended up talking about my lipstick which amused me to no end because I actually was able to keep calm by this point! Got another cuddle, which I wished could never have ended 😂 Did photos and then we went to wait for the show to start. I think it's wonderful that even though she's such a star, she's so humble and sweet and you can see she really does make an effort to have time for her fans! We were due to get a signed copy of the album but the release date was moved so we all received a signed cover of the album and part of our ticket refunded so we're able to pre-order the album anyway so I'm so excited for that to come out. The songs we've heard so far from the album are amazing and I can see it ended up on repeat like it did with her first album (links for albums at the bottom, definitely a worthwhile investment!)

Photo from last night 05/03/16

The show started a while later and we had Davina De Campo up first who was just fabulous! They did a lipsynch battle between 4 of the audience which was quite entertaining and then we "patiently" waited on Adore to come back on. As per the last 2 times we saw her perform live, she was amazing. I've been sorely disappointed in the past hearing artists sing live but every single time Adore totally slays it!! It was just pure perfection. Between the stunning vocals, showering the crowd in water and crowd surfing, she definitely knows how to work one hell of a performance 😂! Got a few pics from the AXM Glasgow's Facebook page. 😂

It was a wonderful evening and we had a blast! Definitely going to keep watch for the next time she's back. Unfortunately the tickets for RPDR Battle of the Seasons (where she's due to appear again in Glasgow) in a few weeks are sold out so we're going to miss out there but holding onto hope that it won't be too long after that she's back!

Thought I'd just chuck in past photos of times we went to see her before just because, well, why not?

These were from the first time we saw her in August when she did an album tour. She was amazing. This was probably one of the times that my anxiety was at nuclear meltdown level but she made me feel really relaxed and it gave me a fuckton of confidence after that night to actually go ahead and do things that scared me because I did that one thing that really caused me so much fear and panic. It was a life changing experience as cheesy and ridiculous as it sounds!

This was from the second time when we went to see her in November. Was a much calmer experience, I have to say which was totally out of character for me. Again, an amazing show even with technical faults with the sound system in the club. I'm so glad she even came back after that to be honest!

All in all, it's always a fantastic experience and I hope that we have a repeat pretty soon <3

x M x

Amazon: Adore Delano - 'Til Death Do Us Party

Amazon: Adore Delano - Afterparty

New tattoo, drag queens & pain...

Good evening :) So today isn't a make-up related post but tattooing. This afternoon, I decided to get a new tattoo to cover up an old one & decided a tattoo post would be more fitting.

I have always admired tattoos but never really had the guts to go all out & go for it (unless you count foolish 16 year old impulsive tattoo, more about that later). Like with make-up, it's a wonderful form of self expression but more permanent. Something you can have on you and be proud of forever. It's not a decision to be made lightly, it's there for life (unless you're willing to fork out for removal and the associated pain). You really need to make sure it's exactly what you want and research different tattooists before going for it. Some tattooists may specialise in one thing but be less talented in others so look at as much of their work as you can, both fresh and healed. I was left in the position I was in today due to an impulsive tattoo decision when I was a teen and decided true love was forever & got a boyfriend's initial on my shoulder, not thinking of the fact that it was permenant and if we split (which we did not long after), I'd be left with it. Basically, make sure you know what you want and know you're going to have to live with it no matter what happens, do your research on different places and don't choose somewhere based solely on price (you might think more expensive means a better place but you can end up with a really shitty tattoo from an expensive artist or an amazing piece from a cheaper studio).

So, anyway,  it was mostly fear that put me off for so long. It was less the fear of pain and more the fear of people. My anxiety was the main factor in me not actually going for it. I went on about getting more for years but like I said, the confidence just wasn't there.

Last year I decided to bite the bullet because I wanted something dedicated to my two boys. We always read 'Guess How Much I Love You' growing up so I chose a quote & illustration. Deciding where to go was pretty easy, my friend recommended a tattooist who is a friend of his and upon looking at the studio's work, that sealed the deal.

So I turned up at Unit 19 (will put details at the bottom) absolutely terrified. Was in the door 5 minutes and the girls were so welcoming and friendly, it put me instantly at ease. The tattoo itself surprised me in that it was nowhere near as painful as I expected. Whether it be the pain tolerance or the fact the girls kept me distracted with conversation & laughter! I left 2.5 hours later with a beautiful memento permenantly attached to me & I loved it.

Then I went back a few months later for a mermaid tattoo. I love fantasy & fairytales so it seemed fitting. Previous to this I had met my favourite drag artist of all time, Adore Delano (drag alter ego of Danny Noriega & recording artist). A life changing experience in itself because it had a massive impact on my anxiety & confidence. So I wanted to incorporate that into my tattoo. So I went in with a copy of Gay Times which she graced the cover of and decided to get her made into a mermaid with the song lyrics "Everything we do is magic... We make other girls look tragic..." from the song 'Calling All Goddesses' Adore Delano - Calling All Goddesses Live at Glasgow O2 ABCI've still to get her tattoo and autograph added on but I'll get it done before the year is out. Again, I left with a tattoo that totally fit what I was looking for but was considerably more painful due to the flabbiness of my thighs lol. And yet again, it held certain meaning for me.

This afternoon, I went for a cover-up that I had been toying with for ages. I just couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it. I wanted to continue on the fairytale/fantasy theme so was on the hunt for something with fairies but everything seemed too delicate or just not "me". I stumbled across a picture from a colouring in page which just jumped out at me. A fairy, sitting in flowers, holding a mirror. Again, fairytale and fantasy was there and with my affinity for make-up, the vain fairy held a certain charm. I was sold. I went in with an open mind regarding colour. It was just an ex boyfriend's first initial I was covering up (you know the old 16/17 & believing your love is forever lol) so it wasn't particularly big but solid black so I needed help choosing colour which would cover it well. Donna (the tattooist and owner) was great in picking colours that fit my taste. Bright, beautiful and bold. I have to say, out of the tattoos I have, my shoulder was by far the most painful. It actually crossed my mind to finish up halfway through and come back to get it finished another time but being the stubborn cow that I am, I decided to stick it out. D was great, she could tell I was struggling and gave me a few breaks and letting the tattoo cool off before going back to it. She put up with flinching, tears & twitchy arms and if it drove her crazy, it didn't show lol!! Once more, I left with a piece that I find beautiful, really "me" & something to be proud to show off.

Before

After

If you live in the Glasgow area (and surrounding areas), I really would drop in to Unit 19. Donna is an experienced, talented tattooist with a real flair for dealing with customers. The studio is a very comfortable atmosphere & along with her husband & apprentice, they make you feel really at ease & have a laugh while you're in. Contact details are on their Facebook page (Unit 19 Tattoo Studio) along with photos of past work and booking page. 

I'm definitely not finished yet with tattoos, I have plans for many more in the future but after the pain of today, I think I might be leaving it a while lol!! Watch this space.

x M x

Make-up challenge day 1... bare faced and when we first started wearing make-up...

Good morning! :)

So I found two "30 Day Make-up Challenges" on Google the other day and thought it would be fun to take part.

Day 1 is "post a picture of yourself wearing no make-up" on one list and the question "When did you start wearing make-up?" on the other so here goes...

I started wearing make-up as a teenager when I started high school. I didn't have much confidence in myself and I found make-up gave me that confidence. I was probably about 13 and grew up watching my Mum do her make-up and waiting for the day when I could start wearing it regularly. I never had YouTube tutorials or anything like that back then so was basically going off whatever I had seen from my Mum and making the rest up as I went along.

Looking back on it,  I was a hot mess. Honestly. In most pictures I see of myself, my face is bright orange, I have tide marks where I haven't blended my (far too dark) foundation onto my neck properly and my eyebrows were just tragic. 

Moving on from then, when I started working in a shop, I stepped my game up. I finally matched my colour properly and didn't look as much of a riot leaving the house. I always loved bright colours and have never been one to regularly go for a natural look so it was always bright and bold. 

After having my two kids, make-up wasn't a daily thing. I was so busy dealing with babies and toddlers that I only really wore it if I was going out shopping. The rest of the time I was bare faced. Don't get me wrong, now as an adult, I have much more confidence in myself physically but I feel it's almost a kind of mask. I have anxiety and putting on that mask gives me that more of an "oomph" but it's more a case of actually enjoying putting the make-up on than anything else. I feel I can express myself with colour and style. Not only that, but with the anxiety, I feel like sitting down and methodically applying the make-up itself relaxes me. At the end of it, I can look at it and see that I've actually achieved something. Whether it be my less favourable natural look or something wild, wonderful and creative. 

Now I've realised that I want to do make-up for a living. I want to give that confidence to someone else, pass on the creativity, inspire others. We are all beautiful. No matter what we look like, there is beauty in all of us but sometimes it takes just that little bit of make-up here and there to give someone confidence, cover flaws that make us feel self-conscious, let us express ourselves and be creative, accentuate that beauty that is already there.

x M x