Bored waiting to Board; A guide to Hawt Holiday Packin’.

Kimevamay / / 3,297 Comments

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I’m staring at my ASOS Basket which is a saved virtual “wannabe wardrobe” of everything I want to buy, but can’t. It’s depressing as hell at the realisation that my whole-i want/ i need pile is probably worth, well, a hell of a lot and i’m going to L.A soon and need new stuff. Pronto.

Yep. I am going to L TO THE A. Los to the Angeles. Alright, alright, i’ll stop shoving it in your faces, but my fourteen year old past self is jumping up and down about it.

The whole holiday has been pretty last minute and suffice to say, we don’t have anywhere to stay….yet. But for some reason, all I can think about is, what the hell am I gonna wear?

Summer fashion is probably the hardest for me. I like to layer, accessorise and play with different textures and with the heat, it’s pretty near impossible to do those things without either being restricted or boiling your oven body off. I’m also not one to have everything on display, ‘everything’ being my tits and arse basically. I totally give it to the people that can rock their arse and tits like it’s a Ricki Martin Livin’ La Vida Loca old school party with pride but I would be so out of my comfort zone it would look less vida loca more this is a joka.

So what do I do?

When it comes to holidays my packing ethos is pretty simple-shove it in and worry about it later. I’m pretty much a lad about it but with me, shoes take presidence. At 5 ft 7/8 i’m not exactly the shortest bean, but i’ll pretty much never wear flats or the ones I do wear are my Supercolour trainers that give the fake impression i’m sporty. I have a bit of a love affair with heeled boots and heeled sandals and trying to whittle down which pair to pack and which pairs to buy is near impossible for me without weighing down my suitcase. Working in Make-up you’d be right in guessing my makeup bag is pretty HHHHUUGGGEEEE and having to decide what to take and what to leave behind is near impossible. And slightly upsetting.

So for you ladies that need a little help with your holiday worries, i’m on hand to help. Except I won’t be on hand to close your suitcase. Tip: SIT ON IT. JUMP ON IT. Make. It. Close. With. Bladdy. Force. I promise you won’t be paying that extra luggage fare okay…?

One: Kimonos, Kimonos, Kimonos. And need i say, Kimonos? They are the best thing to take with you if you need a beach cover up, something to pop on during the cool evening or if you just fancy adding alittle quirkiness to your everyday outfit. There are so many options from print to length and I would highly suggest packing a couple of these gems to get you through. There’s been many times I’ve been away and hated what clothes i had on me, so i  threw on my kimono and wore it as a dress with a belt. Power to the Kimono i say.

Two: Block Heeled Sandals. Note, the word ‘block’ because this is gonna be your key word for these types of shoes. Especially when you’re walking a few blocks. (Sorry for that pun but it was too hard to resist).  A block heel is generally the most comfortable shoe because the width of the heel is wide and will support the foot a lot better than your narrow, near impossible not to wobble stiletto heel. It’s also very on trend for S/S 16′, so whether you fancy rocking a Mule heel, chunky platform, 70’s boot or gladiator block sandal, with these guys you’re onto a winner. For colour palettes, i would also opt for one neutral, one print/colour to mix it up depending on what outfit you’re wearing with it. Playing it safe is fine but not playing it safe is funner. So give yourself options!

Three: Denim. Denim has been with us since pretty much day one of existence-ish and is a firm favourite for most of the population. Denim fashion is forever changing in ways to style it and you’ll notice there’s a million ways to infuse it into your holiday wardrobe even in the heat. Denim short dungarees or pinafore dresses are great ways of layering, taking you from a casual day look with a tee to smart/cas, paired with a blouse or lace flared sleeve and those chunky platform boots. Denim Jackets or sleeveless waistcoats are also great ways of dressing your outfit down or for keeping warm when there’s a little breeze.

Four: Slits. Yes, Slits. As weird as it may sound, during the summer period i make it my mission to hunt for clothes that have slits in- such as, maxi dresses, harems or long tops because it’s a subtle way of showing skin while injecting a little “air” in your clothes when it gets super hot.

Five: Makeup wise I look for waterproof based liners and mascaras and usually choose matte textured lipsticks/liquid lipsticks in tones such as oranges, watermelons and chocolate beige’s, so it’s long wearing and i can focus on playing up my lips rather than doing a full smokey eye in the heat. In terms of foundation I will either take a build-able sheer/medium tinted moisturiser and a full coverage foundation. This enables me to have a day to night swap around, as well as mixing them both together for a lighter, not so full all over coverage. A lot of people worry about foundation when their skin changes colour during the heat and i would advise to mix a darker toned face instant tan into your current foundation or simply warm up your completion with an all over face powder in a tone deeper to your skin.

Six: Hair Accessories aren’t raved about enough because when it’s hot, do we really want our long locks, curly hair or thick fringe getting all up in our grill? A simple Bandanna can be worn around the head or can be worn as an improv neck choker. Wack out those 80’s scrunchies and pop your hair up in a high ponytail or why not inject a couple pom poms in there? Braids are pretty big as well as Miley Cyrus buns either side of the head-so play around with accessories and hair gems to add a little hair interest, especially if you’re not keen in wearing lots of metal jewellery.

Seven: BackPacks. I don’t care what anyone says, back packs are in and definitely don’t make you look five. These are absolutely golden for long walks, beach stops and general everyday carrying your shit. They’re big enough to pop in a dress change (should you choose) and you can wack in any necessities for the day. There are SO many different styles from Boho fringing, mini backpacks, embroidered numbers, snakeskin or crocodile print for a sophisticated edge or you’re standard clean line backpack. My black fluffy backpack got me through two months of New York Living and i am so grateful i stumbled across it in Topshop for £15. I call that a deal.

In fact, after writing all this, i’m kind of less stressed out about the whole, what will i wear situation. Though i will note one thing- Wear something that you’re comfortable with and feel emulates you, not just for a holiday. In the past i’d bought things for one purpose and ended up regretting it because it wasn’t really “me”, probably because it was abit titty and arsey and Livin La Vida Loca.

Source: YouTube

Skin Talk

Kimevamay / / 3,575 Comments

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Yup, that’s me bare faced letting my skin breathe during the summer sun and boy, it felt good and pretty bladdy exposing at the same time.

Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies, an organ that we might spend years getting to understand, discovering how it adapts and changes to climates and with age.

Skincare isn’t exactly the most fun thing to buy for, well it’s not for me because I want to be buying colourful things filled with pigmented lipsticks and glitter shadows. But investing in the RIGHT skincare for YOUR skin will make a greater impact when it comes to buying those colourful things you want to put on top of it.

Working within the Make-up Industry I’ve met a lot of people that either use the wrong skincare for their skin, don’t use anything at all or don’t know where to start.

So lets begin with the fundamentals when your uncovering what you need to treat your skin and it all begins with your Skin Type.

SKIN TYPE. 

The top layer of your skin is called the Epidermis, and this is the part that absorbs and takes in benefits of whatever you decide to put on it. Everyone’s requirements are going to be totally different based on skin sensitivity, texture and pigmentation. Usually the skin is going to be equated into different sections:

Dry/Dehydrated

People with dehydrated skin are often mislead to believe it’s dry. The characteristics may be dry for short breaks of time but overall your skin is close to normal. Dry skin will feel rougher in texture and can be a result of environmental factors, genetics or the medication you may be using.

Oily 

The key thing to note with oily skin is shine production and enlarged pores. You may also find your foundation slides off more easily throughout the day than those who have dry or normal skin. Oily skin is also a trigger of blemishes and can be a sign of hormonal imbalance which will occur in teens and women during menopause.

Sensitive 

Sensitivity of the Epidermis can result in redness or patches that itch or burn after use of a product. I would advise to avoid heavily perfumed products as this will only irritate the skin even more. It’s also good to check the ingredients first and discover if you have any repeated allergies to a specific product you’re using.

Combination

A huge percentage of the population has combination skin and you may find yourself having similar symptoms of all skin types listed. Typically combination may leave your skin with an Oily T Zone (I.E shine on the Forehead, nose and chin) and you may be dry around the cheeks, although it will differ for everyone.

Normal

If you have normal skin, your skin will be neither too oily or dry and you won’t suffer from any major reactions to any skin products you use. Your texture will remain relatively smooth although you may still have pigmentation in areas due to blemishes or ageing.

So what skincare products do you use once you’ve assessed your skin type?

If you are a lover of thick, creamy moisturisers but you have oily skin then you’re not using a product that’s right for your skins needs. You need to be using products that counteract it, so you’ll need to swap that moisturiser for a thin, light one or even a serum if you’re a wiser woman.

I started taking care of my skin at a young age but for a long time I didn’t know what I should or shouldn’t be using based on my skin type. As I’ve gotten older, my skin has changed and it’s needs are different to when I was a teen. So, with that, I decided to compile a list of products I’ve tried and tested throughout the years that I would recommend to those that have differing skin types to inspire the search of your own! The best advice I would give is to get SAMPLES from the Brands and products you’re interested in and try, try, try.

Dry/Dehydrated

Oily

Sensitive 

Combination

Normal

You’ll notice some brands I have repeated and that’s because they’re honestly my skins beauty saviours that I couldn’t find an equivalent of that works as good.

So, go ahead and share some of your favourites with me or even ones you’ve felt didn’t work the way you wanted and why. Cause once you’ve investigated you can experiment…and that my friends, is pretty fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Make-up Trends for Summer 16′.

Kimevamay / / 6,451 Comments 
I know, i know, it's only March and I'm already talking about Summer, but hey, it's my favourite season! 

Whether you attended any of the Fashion weeks this year or not, you will begin to start seeing repetitive make-up trends that will be popping up in fashion stores, magazines or in make-up departments as we're approaching Summer. And this summer, it better be bladdy hot or else I'm eloping to Barbados.  

Anyway, I thought I would whittle down some key make-up trends you'll start noticing as festival season is fast approaching. And this year, its a goodun. 

1. COLOUR POP. 

Colour Pop is all about channelling a statement bright eye or lip, whether it be rocking a vibrant fuchsia matte liquid lipstick and teaming it with a bold canary yellow eye, it's all about injecting some 80's magic onto the face. 

                                 Image source: Brit+Co



2. IMPERFECT SKIN.

Did I just say "imperfect"? Yes I did. You can all breathe a massive sigh of relief at the fact that the summer trends are all about representing the real. If you have freckles, don't hide or cover them up. In fact, this season people will be drawing them on! For this trend think of it as a back to school vibe, rocking those back-packs and hair plaits in tow. The warmer the weather, the more you will see people breaking away from their full coverage bottles of cover up and cracking open the tinted moisturisers and light weight foundations. Colour correctors are on it's way out, as were finally embracing our skin the way we should.                                   Image source: Allure


3. GLOSS. 

Gloss on eyelids, above cheekbones and lips, Summer 16' is all about the glowy sheen and wet look that leaves everyone pining for the beach. It's also the quickest, low maintenance way of multi-using a product in three different ways. With the Matte liquid lipsticks that everyone has been buying on repeat, you will see a new order of lipgloss throbbing it's way back onto the scene. 

                                   Image source: Vogue


4. BRUSHED BUSHY BROWS.

When Cara Delevingne stepped into the spotlight and onto that catwalk everyone wanted her brows. In fact, people would do almost anything to get them, resorting to brow implants just to rectify the brow plucking they had mastered in the 70's/80's when it was deemed cool to have little to none. 
But this year, the bush brow doesn't need to be perfect. Throw away your brow pencils and get to grips with your new best mate the brow gel. To create the 'brow bush', simply brush your brows with the gel or comb in sweeping directions to emulate a fluffy full brow look. 

                                  Image source: The Times

5. THINK PINK. 

You might not be girly and you may never have played with Barbies or think your related to a Unicorn but pink will be magically appearing into our wardrobes and on our faces. 
From pastels to bold tones, the shade pink will be festering around us like a growing giant blossom flower and we can't but help liking it. 

inspiration PINK EYES                                 Image source: TrendyMood

6. GLITTERATI.

THANK GOD for this emerging trend and cheers Lady Gaga for repping the glitter    theme for the Super Bowl in America this year.
Glitter is causing a big scene this coming season and you'll see it scattered over the lids, used as a liner and a big favourite of mine, the glitter lips. Team this with the gloss trend and you're onto a festival winner.

                                   Image source: Elle


7. GRAPHIC LINER.

Wing liner has been 'winging' it's way onto people's eyes from the mid noughties and has been a firm favourite look for many. But this season it's not just about the standard "cat flick" anymore. You'll be seeing a lot of bold choices taking place with the liner this coming year, from feline cat eyes, geometric shaping, double wings, liner used above the crease to create a modern 60s twist, as well as liner dots, extended bottom lashes, hearts and animated stars (think Kat Von D/ Marina and the Diamonds). 

                                   Image source: Vogue 

But the most fun thing about these trends is that it allows you to EXPLORE and make a  bitof a creative mess with these looks. Anything goes. Literally. 

So go get creating and share your make-up looks with me for the summer either on here or my Instagram!