Cleaning your Beauty Blender | Liquid Blender Cleanser Review

How sad do you feel when you have to chuck your beauty blender? Or perhaps more accurately your Real Techniques Complexion Sponge when it gets grotty beyond repair? Suddenly your baby shampoo and squeeze hack simply isn't cutting it any more and it looks like it's time to retire your tried and tested friend to the bin, really I must have gone through at least a dozen beauty blenders only to find I ended up with a sponge that was more foundation than foam. So getting sick, tired and fed up of wasting so much money I began to seek other cleaning methods of my spongey compadre and came across this liquid blender cleanser in Boots funnily enough by 'Beauty Blender' themselves.

The Liquid Blender Cleanser is a soy based product free from dyes and skin irritants and comes in a handy squeeze down 150ml bottle which lasts and lasts, which makes it's £15 price tag a little less painful to contend with. The cleanser has a faint lavender scent to it and leaves your beauty blender, sponges and make up brushes (if you choose to use it for that) squeaky clean and free from germs, dirt and impurities. Disgusting as it may be during my weekly brush cleaning routine my favourite part is seeing just how dense and full of product my beauty blender is and squeezing out as much foundation as possible. Using this cleanser has been a real eye opener as to just how full of dirt and germs my sponge has been over these last few years! 

I use the cleanser once a week on all of the beauty blenders / make up sponges I'll have had on the go and I'm chuffed with the results I have been getting. I really feel as though it's better for my skin, better for my make up collection and I have found something that really works. My only qualm with the product is that it can get quite messy as you have to push the damp (and dirty) blender down on to the pump for the liquid to come out so you really need to put kitchen roll or a tea towel down to protect your counter. I also worry with this kind of pump at just how much product I'm wasting when it spills all over the place so it'd be great to get a different type of pump to distribute the product a bit better.

If you're as gross as me you'll love this product and you'll be so surprised at just how much foundation you're wasting away week on week! Beauty Blender also offer a solid blender cleanser which where it may indeed be a bit cleaner and easier to use will waste away very quickly as it dissolves like a regular bar of soap in water. Have you ever tried a specific blender cleanser product? How did you find it and did you just love seeing all the gunge come out like I do?  Leave your thoughts in the comments section below, come share the gunge and gore with me on Twitter or keep up with me and the blog on Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, it's time to get gunged!

H.Elizabeth x

Urban Decay | Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer Review

 

Concealer is something I've never felt an intense need to splurge on. After finding my tried and tested collection lasting perfection concealer all of those years ago I thought I was finished with my search (at £4.19 a go I wasn't complaining) However having now began my own make up artistry business I've found that many ladies simply don't appreciate me using a collection concealer on them, and you know a small part of me understands. If I were to visit a make up artist and they used the likes of make up revolution, MUA and collection I might pull a face or two, after all you're paying for the best. So off to the department stores I went in search of another concealer that could dazzle me as much as collection had all those years ago.

Enter Urban Decay. After nipping in to Debenhams for a top up of my favourite setting spray ever I hadn't expected to walk out with a concealer, particularly as Urban Decay have previously only been known for their sprays and shadows, but alas here we are and I want to introduce you to the Naked Concealer.

I chose the lightest shade available which I think is fair neutral to give it a good test run before committing it to my kit, the product is of a waterier consistency than my collection concealer but the brush is perfection. Flat on either end and spongy in texture it is so gentle under your eyes and distributes the perfect amount of product every time. The shade may be a little light for me but I've been using it so far to highlight around my brozner and contoured areas, buffed in with a damp beauty blender it offers a lovely dewy finish coveted by many at this time of year! Overall I am impressed with this product, particularly the coverage it offers and minimal creasing in my undereyes at the end of the day, and it also helps that it smells just like summer (open one and take a whiff you'll see what I mean!)

 

I've seen a lot of other reviewers online who claim that it has broken them out, doesn't agree with their skin type or is just generally a bad fit for them, and that's true in even the greatest products, so my best advice to you would be instead of splurging the £17.50 straight away, go in past your local Urban Decay counter and ask for a sample.

Overall I'm looking forward to stocking my kit with this little wonder in the future (my bank balance on the other hand is having heart palpitations) but don't worry I'll still have my trusty old Collection concealer on hand in case I need a stand in. Have you ever tried any products other than the Naked palettes by Urban Decay, I'd love to hear your thoughts and recommendations or even any product recommendations in the comments section below, come share them with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram even, or you can keep up with my latest beauty buys, finds and reviews on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, let's get Naked.

H.Elizabeth x

July-lights | My month in Instas

It has been a while since I've had a segment on here, back in the days when I first started Granite City Girl (when I had a sparkle in my eye and such hopes and dreams) I had so many segments, too many even, ranging from best buys and cookery posts to OOTD posts and tags (so many tags) and I binned 'em all! Recently however I've been getting much much more into Instagram and as my side panel just can't seem to keep up with my constant posts I thought I'd share some of my highlights right here!

 #1. New hur don't cur! I'm such a cool dude now thanks to @saksaberdeen and @lina92x (apologies for the scruffiness!)
This month I changed my hair again and made sure to document the process on instagram - of course!

 #2. Feet are already sore but feeling fab at the @h.j.c.styling launch @theaberdeenmal.
For the first time in forever I donned my heels for the launch of a brand new styling business which you can read all about right here.

#3. Bringing a whole new meaning to golden eye with this look on the lovely Sara from a couple of weeks ago.
I have been a busy little bee in the salon this month, between occassion and evening make up as well as wonderful wedding guests and this look has been my favourite by far!

#4. How times have changed, I love a good then and now make up transformation pic.
I love a good look back and nothing makes me happier than seeing just how much my make up artistry skills have improved - particularly in only a year!

#5. Over on the blog today I reviewed AND swatched some of my newest @kyliecosmetics lip kits including #exposed #posieK and #22.
You'll have seen just how obsessed I have been with these lip kits right here and on Instagram. In fact you can read that review right here.

#6. Popping in for an impromptu browse @maccosmetics @unionsquareaberdeen where I helped @93hayleym buy her FIRST EVER MAC Lipstick and liner.
As I'm on a spend ban I thought I would offer my skills and services to those in need! I succeeded and then some I tell you!

#7. Flicks oan and I'm ready to start the day @blushhairaberdeen.
This has been my favourite look to recreate on a daily basis (super easy, super quick and I can get that extra 10 minutes in bed!)

#8. Also coming this week to the blog!
Hayfever season - need I say more! Read my top tips to manage hayfever meltage right here.

#9. After painstaking hours of watery hayfever eyes and pulling on Spanx I am wedding guest ready! @banchorylodge I'm coming for you!

I was lucky enough to be a wedding guest at Banchory Lodge hotel (beautiful, beautiful venue) and I can only say I wish I looked like the above when I eventually got home!

Until next time folks, these have been my July-lights.

H.Elizabeth x

 

Lights Camera Action | My First Photoshoot

Putting your new business out there can be one of the most daunting things you'll ever have to do, you'll be filled with doubt and anxiety and above all questions, like, 'will people respond positively,' 'will I get any business from this,' and 'am I good enough,' and this feeling only intensifies when you land your first ever paid brief. And this is a feeling I experienced for the first time only a couple of months ago when I worked my first ever photoshoot as a make up artist with a local photographer, model and hairstylist.

The shoot itself took place at Red Dawn Photography Studios in the centre of Aberdeen with photographer Chris Denslow, model Jenny Clewlow and hairstylist Kerry Mackenzie and after talking for a couple of weeks on Facebook we decided on a vintage theme for our shoot, which of course is RIGHT up my street. After the initial set up, introductions and getting over the wibbly, wobbly nerves we got stuck right in to the first few looks.

We went for a traditional 1950's 'housewife' look complete with a vintage 'cat eye' flick and a defined crease, complimented by a great up do by Kerry, pulled off marvelously by Jenny and shot professionally by Chris. After a couple of touch ups and outfit changes we were good to go on to our second make up look of the day. This time we went for a twiggy inspired cut crease which I had great fun creating.

Overall I was really pleased with how the day panned out, if I could literally do photoshoots and make up all day everyday I would consider my life made (with of course a couple of blogging moments thrown in there!) and I'm really looking forward to working on my next one.

Big, huge, gigantic shoutout to the team for the day who just made it a fun and professional experience. If you'd like to see any of the teams work simply click on their names, photographer Chris, Model Jenny, Hair Stylist Kerry and of course thanks to Red Dawn Studios for the space.

If you'd like to see more of my work however you can always catch me making faces on the various channels, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and weekly updates from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, cue the lights! 

H.Elizabeth x

Building my Pro MUA Kit | FalseEyelashes.co.uk Haul

False eyelashes may be my biggest expenditure to date. Forget the MAC foundations and the Bobbi Brow liners, forget the Kylie lip kits and Too Faced eyeshadow, the real and greatest expense of being a make up artist comes from your disposables (so cotton pads, cotton buds, micellar water and baby wipes) But what's my biggest disposable? Lashes. Lashings and lashings of lashes. You see the thing with lashes is, once they're gone, they're gone. They aren't reusable, you can't cut a lash in half and use the other half for someone else (gross) so if you have 4 ladies needing a face, that is 4 pairs of lashes, roughly costing £20 - £25 if you use Eylure from Superdrug / Boots as I have. Naturally this couldn't continue if I wanted to continue pursing my Make Up Artistry career and I decided to go on the hunt for a cheaper similar quality alternative. 

 

 

That is when I discovered falseeyelashes.co.uk who not only stock my tried and tested Eylue lashes at a lower cost, but American / Canadian brands I was otherwise unable to get my hands on in Scotland. Ardell, Red Cherry, Peaches and Cream, Eyecandy and even Mink lashes (not sure how I feel about these) And not only is the website cost effective but the delivery was super quick too, I for example, placed an order on the Saturday night and received my lashes by Tuesday. With that in mind today I thought I would share some of the lashes I picked up in my first ever pro false lash haul.

Ardell Demi Wispies Multipack (4 pairs for £11.99)
If you're a beauty blogger or watch a lot of beauty you tubers then you'll have seen these lashes kicking about pretty much every where. The Demi Wispies are Ardells most popular lash and it's not hard to see why. They're textured, they're lengthening and they'll really help open up your eye as they fan out towards the sides which I love! As you can see I picked up two of these as I can see these being a very popular choice with the girls who visit me in Blush.

Ardell 105 Glamour Multipack (4 pairs for £11.99)

For the bold and fearless ladies looking for a bit more glamour in their lives! These lashes are super long, super full, super voluminous and will be really lovely for those ladies who are heading for a night on the town. 

Eylure Lash Edit - Paris Set (3 pairs for £6.95)

Okay admittedly these are sort of for me, but of course if someone spies them in my kit and wants to give them a good go, then I will not stop them (I may cry but we'll carry on!) These ones are a bit cheaper than the New York set (RRP £9.95) but I don't know why. You get good day lash, a good voluminous evening lash and of course something for those in between moments. These would be classes as lengthening and voluminous as opposed to textured, great for when you've got minimal eye make up but still want to make a statement.

Red Cherry Lashes (Complimentary gift)
With my order came these Red Cherry Lashes which the company must be trying to shift, but hey I'm not complaining I got free lashes! I have never tried Red Cherry personally but I have seen a lot of beauty based You Tubers who have used them in tutorials so I'm looking forward to giving these a go regardless.

Hopefully ordering this way and trying, experimenting and using new styles means I will find something a bit more appropriate for my kit and of course something that the ladies in my chair will love! As for you lovely lot I hope you have enjoyed this post, leave a comment below telling me what you favourite style of lashes are or your favourite brand and I'll be sure to check those out during my next haul. As per I'm on the usual socials, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and more from the blog on Bloglovin!

Until next time folks, lashes so long!!!

H.Elizabeth x

Kylie Cosmetics | 22, Posie K & Exposed Swatches

Eight! I have bought eight Kylie Cometics lip products to date. The cost of these little suckers doesn't even bare thinking about, but what can I say? I'm OBSESSED! Not with the Kardashians, not with the Jenners, hell not even with Kylie's lips, I'm simply obsessed with these products. These lip kits are hands down the best liquid lipstick forumlas I have ever tried. Their lip liners, as I mentioned previously really deserve a post of their own given how creamy and easy to apply they are and just how well they prepare your lips for the coming products. Their lipstick companions just complement them so, so well and I can now say that I have bought every colour I have wanted in the collection (so far) having completed my lip kit fam with 22, Posie K and Exposed (in addition to a metallic and a gloss which I'll post about separately.

When I first saw some of these shades such as 22 and Exposed I was a bit like, 'nah' 22 is a deep orangey-red colour which I just wasn't sure would suit me. But when I saw those swatches.... lordy I needed one! 22 has actually earned a place with one of my favourite lip colours ever and I have been rocking this shade these last few weeks when I've been feeling particularly summery with a pared back, neutral eye and fluttery lashes. Exposed grew on me once I saw Kylie herself wearing it in an instagram post, it looked very much like a nude I didn't have in my collection (I was wrong) Exposed is very much a toffee coloured lip colour which admittedly I was a bit disappointed with as all of the online swatches made it look significantly lighter, but it's still a gorge colour all the same. Posie K I KNEW wasn't going to be the colour as all of the swatches I had seen online but I had expected it to be quite a bit darker than my other love Koko K, I was right. Posie is a deeper pink / purple shade that is gorgeous for making a look that bit more girly. I've been loving pairing this one with a defined vintage eye using a brown gel to make the look a  bit softer.

And guys, now I feel fully justified in my purchases. In total I now have 8 Kylie Cosmetics products including 6 of the highly sought after lip kits - if you want to read my first impressions review of Koko K, Dolce K and Mary Jo K click this link right here for swatches and musings and all sorts. Otherwise and yet again I hope you have enjoyed, perhaps found this helpful and got more of an idea of how these kits look on the palest of pale. Tell me have you bought any of these kits? How have you found using them? Love to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences and brain farts in the comments section below. Otherwise you can catch me on the usual channels Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc.

Until next time folks, EIGHT!

H.Elizabeth x

Send Nudes | My Nude Lipstick Collection and Swatches

Nudes are all the rage right now. Nope, put that phone down ladies I'm talking about nudey lips (though if you're Kim K nudes are ALWAYS the rage in your house) and over these last few months I've built up quite an extensive collection of nude lipsticks, glosses of all shapes, sizes, finishes and price ranges and today I wanted to share with you a few of my top picks from my pro make up artistry collection and of course ones from my own personal make up bag.

Swatches L-R: MAC Half N Half, MAC Blankety, Maybelline Colour Drama in Nude Perfection, Revlon Matte Balm in Mischievous, Too Faced Melted Matte in Nude, NYX Lip Cream in London, Kylie Cosmetics in Dolce K, Kylie Cosmetics in Exposed, Kylie Cosmetics in So Cute.

MAC Amplified Creme in Half N Half

Half N Half was one of the first shades by MAC I ever bought, way before the days of the Velvet Teddy reign I was rocking my good old half n half. This one is a bit darker than my other nudes and is perhaps verging on a more brown shade for us pale girls, but on a darker skin tone this would be perfection. The finish of this one is an amplified creme, so it's very creamy and quite heavy on the lips and what's great is it won't dry out your lips, great for those winter months (when they eventually roll in)

MAC Amplified in Creme Blankety

Blankety is one of my staple staple favourite. Whenever I don't know what to wear I'll always reach for blankety for comfort (ha I know!) Blankety again has a lovely creamy texture and consistency and is much lighter than it's sister Half N Half. I often use Blankety to lighten up the mid section of my lip and pat it out to give myself that 'ombre' lip, it also helps make your lips look fuller and bigger which we new age make up lovers of course all die for!

Maybelline Colour Drama lipstick in Nude Perfection
This one is perhaps the most affordable of the bunch and is one of the most surprising. Whenever I apply this shade it lasts all day! And as far as I am aware that isn't part of the major selling point, in fact I don't even think these have been to widely advertised. This shade is literally what it says on the packaging, nude perfection and is a great starter nude for you dabblers out there. My only criticism is the size is really quite small and you also have to invest in a large sided pencil sharpener just to get additional uses.

Revlon Matte Balm in Mischievous 

These matte balms are worth a look in for the forumla alone, which contains peppermint extract and leaves your face smelling minty fresh! If I could bathe in this I would! I use mischievous again to create ombre looks the majority of them time and it's a nice, blend-able, light shade which also doesn't feel drying.

Too Faced Melted Matte in Nude

The applicator for this is not great for hygiene and hence I do not stock them in my pro kit, which is a real shame because they are gorgeous. I wouldn't technically say that this was a particularly matte lipstick, it semi dries but not entirely. The finish however has a very tacky, strobed look and again is great for summer. It is quite a warm nude, even warmer than the Kylie Exposed kit so I usually pair this with a cool toned eye just to balance out the face.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in London
One of my brand new babies from the brand new NYX counter in my local boots, I've been loving the finish of this lip cream, it feels more like a light soufflé finish than an actual cream which is lovely for summer when you want to feel a bit lighter. The shade itself is quite light with what I would say is a hint of orange very similar to the Too Faced melted matte shade. You do have to top NYX up quite a bit through the day but as they're high street I'm not complaining and it's a gorgeous shade!

Kylie Cosmetics Lip kit in Dolce K
I won't go into too too much detail about Dolce as you can read my full review and first impressions of it right here. 

Kylie Cosmetics lip kit in Exposed

First of my many, many mattes is the Kylie Cosmetics lip kit in Exposed. Exposed is a toffee / caramel shade which is unlike most other colours on the market. On darker skin tones it is a gorgeous cool, light colour, however on myself it is far warmer in colour and helps bring a bit more depth and dimension to my moon face. This is not perhaps one to dabble with if you're new to using nude colours on your lips as it can be quite intense but I cannot fault the formula it is beautiful!

Kylie Cometics lip gloss in So Cute

So Cute is the most versatile colour I have ever used it's gorgeous and this summer I would not be without it. It looks exactly as it did on the Kylie Cosmetics website and can be layered over the top of just about any colour to give your look an extra oomph. But I genuinely just love wearing this on it's own with a pared back eye and subtle contour for a great summer barely there look.

For all of you nude connoisseurs and nudey newbies I hope you found this post helpful, informative, entertaining or maybe I've even just inspired you to get out there and spend some pennies (go on treat yo self!) What are your favourite nude shades? I'd love to hear them in the comments below, come link them to me on Twitter or if you're just interested in seeing these nudes in action be sure to check out my Instagram and Facebook pages.

Until next time, let's get naked!

H.Elizabeth x 

A Tale of Two Faces | The Power of Make Up

Last weekend I ran out of one of my favourite brow products. No problem though, right? Well, I was slap bang in the middle of filming my first ever You Tube video, typical right, oh and did I mention I was only able to finish one brow before I found myself in this predicament? So with a heavy heart I shut off my camera and packed up my wares, to film another day, but instead I took the opportunity to be a little two faced, nah I wasn't having a rant and a moan behind my beloved MACs back, I mean I quite literally took the opportunity to be a little two faced.

I've seen a lot of bloggers, vloggers, instagrammers and tweeters doing this challenge entitled 'The Power of Make Up,' where you make one half of your face up and leave the other half bare as a baby. The challenge was pioneered by Nikki Tutorials in order to get folks thinking about make up, why they wear it , how it makes them feel as a person and to show that us gals aren't making ourselves into gorgeously glittery glamazons for no guy. I mean PLEASE I ain't buying a £60 palette and painting my lids purple for anyone but my own enjoyment!

To me make up, as many before and many more after me will say, is a form of expression, a form of control and an opportunity to transform not just your appearance or aesthetic, but your entire mood and outlook on life even if just for a day, an hour, hell half an hour, if it makes me feel good then I'll be doing it on the daily! From that self concious 14 year old girl and her first ill advised purchase of a Rimmel mascara that I couldn't work out how to use without going all panda eyed, to me today, a far more confident, life owning girl boss......still making ill advised purchases but luckily I'm a lot less panda.

So guys I'd love to hear your stories! How does make up make you feel? Do you feel all nostalgic over your first ever purchases? Be sure to leave all of your thoughts, word vomit and brain farts in the comments below, come share your selfies with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook even (where could be more appropriate?

Until next time folks, what can I say? I'm a little two faced after all!

H.Elizabeth x

Eye Define | Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner Review

Back in the day pencil eyeliner was my go to, though I do think I've been through every phase under the sun throughout the years, liquids, creams, pencils, bright colours, dark colours, mattes, shimmers, you name it I've wore it! But today I want to share with you my latest liner obsession and that is the Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner. 

Currently I stock two colours in my kit, black ink which is a beautiful blacker than black shade and sepia ink which is a dark taupey brown which is great when trying to create a more 'natural' look (fab for brides!) and given just how much I have fallen in love with these I'm excited to buy more. The liners themselves come in small pots with 3g worth of product inside, but believe me when I say that a little goes a very long way. 

To apply these I use a damp tapered brush, typically my weapon of choice is the winged liner brush by Zoeva which came as part of my taupe collection. I start by painting my outer corner in short even strokes right at the root of the lash line and then working my way inwards and finishing off by tight lining my eye. By doing this I find the forumla goes on evenly and if necessary I'll wipe the excess off of the brush using a piece of kitchen roll before going near my eye. If used on the waterline which I rarely do, this last all day and according to claims can last as long as 12 hours on the eye (though I rarely wear make up in excess of 12 hours)The gel formula has helped me create perfect feline flicks faster than any forumla previously and doesn't smudge like most other liners do. This liner is perfect for ladies and gents who love the look of a liquid liner but don't want the smudging, running or hassle of application. 

At present I can't see myself needing anything more from an eyeliner than what these already give me, my only gripe in fact is that I don't have more colours!These pots retail at £18.50 each which sounds steep in comparison to high street brands but this will not only last all day but the pot will last you months guaranteed! You can buy these at any Bobbi Brown counter worth their salt in most Debenhams or John Lewis stores up and down the country.

Have you ever tried these gel liners? I'd love to hear how you found them, be sure to leave all your thoughts, comments and criticisms in the comments down below, perhaps you've found something EVEN better than Bobbi, I love getting your recommendations! As usual though you can catch me making faces on the usual channels Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and of course more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, nothing beats Bobbi!

H.Elizabeth x

Too Faced | Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette Review

Am I a bit late to the party? Probably, but then again aren't I always? Today I just wanted to share with you my new fave, my new bae if you will, who I picked up during my recent travels and jaunt to Sephora which I have literally been using to make up my face every day (every day I leave the house) and that is the Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar palette.

Having previously been a hardcore advocate of MAC eyeshadow palettes and investing quite a deal of time and money in them I just have to say, don't waste your damn time! (What a 360 right?) Too Faced, as the rest of the world undoubtedly knows by now, are well known for their melted liquid lipsticks and their eyeshadow palettes who famously smell as they are named, in this case rich chocolatey goodness which just makes playing with make up that much sweeter.

The semi sweet palette is a slightly deeper and richer version of Too Faced's ever popular chocolate bar palette and contains a range of finishes such as glitter, shimmer and matte shades which can help you create a wide range of looks just from a handful of colours, whether you're into natural, barely there make up, or dramatic, bold, draggy styles (like me!). The colours are all named after sweets of some form or description and so far my favourite 'go to' shades for every day have been peanut butter, mousse and puddin' but their shimmer shades caramel and bon bon are GORGEOUS. The colours are all highly pigmented and easy to apply which is a must for me as one of my peeves is eyeshadow you really have to work into the brush! 

I do plan on purchasing more Too Faced shadow palettes in future, namely their newest Sweet Peach range which looks great and light for the summer time (and I also hear smells divine) You can pick up Too Faced products at Sephora, however if you can't afford the plane fare I know you can get your hands on them in select Debenhams stores.

Hopefully you have enjoyed this super quick, super snappy and super sweet review of the Too Faced Semi Sweet palette, I'd love to hear just what you think of their products in the comments below, Tweet over your recommendations for other shadow brands or of course if you'd just like to see how I've been using the palette head over to my Instagram and Facebook page.

Until next time, feelin' sweet!

H.Elizabeth x

Eylure Enchanted | Adored, Cherished & Beloved Lashes

Okay if there's one thing that can be said about me it's that I love, love, love false eyelashes! In fact I'd go as far as to say I'm a connoisseur of the false lash, a falsie addict, an artiste when it comes to application and I'm always looking to try new styles, products and make up techniques to enhance my own lashes. So upon buying the latest limited edition collection by Eylure I was excited to say the least and I expected to love and take these lashes in as my own go to gals! I was sadly mistaken and bitterly disappointed!

These lashes, where do I even begin, perhaps with the oddly formed band which can neither be trimmed to fit my lashes without looking ridiculously out of shape nor fit my shape naturally (a feat I have long admired the Eylure range for) Or shall it be how ridiculously uncomfortable these lashes are? Never have I ever been more uncomfortable while wearing a set of false lashes, and I have NEVER been so uncomfortable that I'd rip them off halfway through the day, but hey there is a first for everyhing. Alas this is what happened not once, not even twice but three times with these lashes as they're simply ALL as uncomfortable as the next.

Honestly, these lashes look so beautiful that I literally bought one from each set so now I'm lumbered with these devil lashes who want nothing more than to see me suffer! I implore you not to go for the enchanted collection (no worries Eylure it isn't all your fault) I for one LOVED their Katy Perry and Girls Aloud lashes and I've got to say I'm a big, big fan of their House of Holland lashes as well as their regular texture and lengthening lashes, so do try and test what you like to find your own falsie style (but not enchanted!) 

Sorry that this was something of a rant but I just wanted to warn you and spare you the scratched lids and dry eyes that these lashes offer you everything but the Enchanted experience you may be expecting! 

Did you get your hands on these? What did you think of them? Maybe it was just me? Be sure to let me know in the comments below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter, or if you'd just like to see me making faces we can catch up on Facebook and Instagram!

Until next time folks, no these were NOT the lashes I was looking for!

H.Elizabeth x

MUA Moans | The True Cost of Make up artistry

Since embarking on my new make up artistry journey over these last few months I really do feel as though I've seen it all, the good, the bad and the ugly (i.e. unblended shadow, unblended shadow EVERYWHERE!) But in all seriousness today, I'd quite like to address a post that sort of made my blood boil recently on one of the many many MUA / wedding forums on Facebook relating to one bride in particular who quite simply saw her wedding and make up for the day as a god given right. 

The post in question was from a lady down south who wanted to give one 'learning but highly skilled' make up artist the privilege of working on her face for her wedding FREE of charge instead paying the artist in exposure, and her reason? She does not have it in her allocated wedding budget to pay a make up artist but is quite happy for whichever poor soul she is able to rope in to this utter, utter scam to take pictures of her on her big day. Now I'm sure all of you creatives out there have come across this at some point in your life, and it is RIFE in the wedding industry, with a lot of brides expecting free trials, free alterations, photographs, you name it! After seeing this post and understandably feeling a bit tetchy I sat down to write this post and basically outline the main three reasons make up artists charge what they charge.

Time

Time is quite a large factor when it comes to charging for various make up artistry. For example an evening make up will take less time than a bridal appointment. But people forget that it isn't just time spent with your client, it's time drawing up face charts and contracts, it's time sitting down with your client and discussing their requirements, it's time sanitizing your kit and making sure you're giving your client the best possible experience and service, and particularly for those working in a salon or studio, for brides it's time spent away from that salon.

High Quality Products
I've seen people screw their faces at being charged £30 or so for occasion make up, but did you know that some of the individual products your artist is using can cost upwards of £30, particularly if they stock brands such as MAC. So you're not just paying for time, application and knowledge but the products too. Some artists will use your own foundation and your own products if you request this and they'll charge you at a lower rate but generally you want the best of the best for your big day or event and at the end of the day you're paying for use of their kit.

Expertise
Just like any other profession you're paying your artist to use knowledge they've studied and acquired through various courses, degrees, training and painstaking hours spent getting those flicks on fleek! Basically your artist has put a great deal of work into their craft and it ain't cheap for them either. It's a bit like if you hired a decorator to help you achieve the dream home you've always wanted, would you expect this service for free, or ask your handyman to do this for the experience? Probably not.

Now obviously this is a very quick, thrown together and basic list of just why you're being charged that £30, but there is so much more. From advertising and marketing yourself to researching new products, keeping on top of the current trends, travelling to various locations, replacing disposables on a weekly basis and generally working your arse off to man and own your one person business (and guys that's the TIP of the iceberg)

Have you ever had your make up done professionally? Did you find it was worth the money or were you left questioning why you were charged so much? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below, come share your brain with me on Twitter, or if you'd like to see more faces you can visit me on Instagram and Facebook.

Until next time folks.

H. Adams Make Up Artistry x

My First Ever | NYX Haul Boots Union Square

Hallelu, NYX has come to the Granite City, Union Square to be exact and I could not be more excited! I have seen so many rave reviews for NYX products from my favourite beauty bloggers and vloggers out there, but my are they difficult to get your hands on for a good ole swatch sesh especially in the UK. But today the good old Granite has been blessed with a brand new NYX counter in Boots, Union Square and naturally I was first in line to trial and push my very own purse to it's limits.

NYX Jumbo Liner in the shade Milk
I have never seen a You Tuber who hasn't used this jumbo liner. Whether they're using it as a base, as an actual liner or for SFX inspired tutorials this was just something I knew I had to get my grubby wee mitts on!

NYX Colour Corrector Palette
Some may say colour correcting is over but in the world of make up artistry, nu uh honey! Colour correcting has been around since the times of yore and long may it continue!

NYX Yellow Colour Correct Concealer
Dark circles....nuff said. Swatch after swatch I got excited at the quality of the product so I'm excited to see how this stands the test of time...and sweat.... and smile lines.

NYX Vivid Bright Liquid Liner in the shade Sapphire 
As I've been dabbling in a few more dramatic looks, what can be more dramatic than an electric, sapphire blue liquid liner!?! Stay tuned for some of my more quirky, out there looks in future.

NYX Soft Matte lip cream in the shades Cannes and London
No matter how hard I try, I cannot escape these nudey, brown, red colours. Like a moth to a flame! And I've heard through the grapevine that these can serve as fantastic, low cost dupes for some of the bigger, high end matte lip creams....only time will tell!

NYX Liquid Suede lipstick in Stone Fox
Well I wished for a black which was blacker than black but I had to settle for a slate. As I mentioned above I'm looking to practice a few more 'out there' and SFX inspired looks in the coming months so I thought this would do nicely. Stay tuned for the verdict of course!

Once again, thank you for reading and helping me alleviate some of those guilty feelings I've been having since spending a fair bit on these products! I will be posting more in depth reviews of the individual products once I have trialled and tested them for a significant period so do stay tuned for that. As per you can catch me mulling about on the usual channels, Twitter for rants and musings, Instagram for made up faces, Facebook for business and Bloglovin for more of the above!

Until next time folks, sweet dreams my NYX!

H.Elizabeth x

Get it in the bin | Make Up Shelf Life

Now we're all guilty of this, I know we are! I myself have been known to hoard and covet some products WAY beyond the point of acceptance, but for the good of our skin we need to shape up and brush up on the shelf life of our make up. Since posting this on my make up artistry Facebook page I've been pretty inundated with messages of but what will happen if I don't throw away my foundation, but what if this and what if that. Well to put it quite bluntly, acne, blindness, DEATH!!! Okay I'm exaggerating, but the effects of out of date products on your skin ain't good. I mean would you eat a yoghurt covered in mould? Or drink from a separated carton of milk? Nope so why put something like that on your face? Do yourself a favour, make it this months resolution to replace or get rid of any out of date beauty products that you and I both know are lurking in the back of your beauty cabinet and start this summer a new.

Are you guilty? Do the expiry dates on some of your favourites shock you? Let me know in the comments below, come and share your outrage with me on Twitter or as per you can keep up with me and my world shattering news on Instagram, Facebook and Bloglovin.

This has been your weekly PSA by Granite City Girl, stay safe and stay sanitary!

H.Elizabeth x

Barcelona Baby

 
By the time you read this I'll be long gone...... to Barcelona baby!

As you guys know from my last post I am off to Barcelona with my hubby this week and as is a tradition with Granite City Girl and I guess now Hannah Adams Make Up Artistry, I will be taking a little, tiny wee break to refuel, recharge and have myself a jolly good time abroad. Did I mention I run on solar power? Ach see now you know why I've been a big bogged down, I just need to catch me some rays! But my absence of course doesn't mean no content, heavens no! Instead I'll be handing over the reigns of Granite City Girl to some friends from the #Abzmeet gang namely Anastasia of Natbees Fashion.

You can of course keep a spy on my Twitter and Instagram if you want to keep up with what we're doing in Barcelona , where we're going and what we're seeing. Otherwise have a lovely, lovely week guys and I will return next Wednesday as per with brand new content and hopefully a photo diary of Barcelona and our adventures.

Until next time folks, love ya bye!

H.Elizabeth x

Everybody makes mistakes | My Biggest Ever Beauty Blunders

Even make up artists can get it wrong sometimes. When I was a children boy did I make a good few facial doozies when it came to my make up application, technique, product choices, let's just say, if it could go wrong it did. So today in light of my recent trips down memory lane (i.e. my old Facebook profile pictures) I thought I would share my biggest and baddest ever beauty blunders and hopefully prevent some of you younglings from making my mistakes.

Liquid liner in my waterline

In what world is this a good idea, particularly for an individual with me who has watery eyes? Liquid liner and damp areas simply do not mix, it's a recipe for gooping, running, smearing and unfortunately coloured eye gunk, my goodness the eye gunk! Don't follow in my footsteps, be smart, pick the pencil!

Using only my right hand to apply mascara

I'm not sure why I regarded my left had as the inferior helper when it came to mascara, but when I first ever got my hands on that coveted Rimmel Volume Flash mascara I refused to let my left hand do any helping. Resulting in overly coated lashes which unfortunately flaked all over the sink (sorry mum) as well as my school uniform through the day, and if I was REALLY unlucky a big blob of thick black mascara over the bridge of my nose, guys it's called goth mascara chic okay?

Ill coloured foundation

Top of every 20 something girls list of beauty blunders seems to be the highly sought after Dream Matte Mousse by Maybelline,  which I bought in seemingly every colour BUT the one that made my face match my neck! Not only did I completely miss the mark where my skin tone was concerned but I totally misread what my skin wanted and needed, and that my friends was intense moisture which, clue in the name, a matte foundation just wasn't going to give me. Woops, sorry face! 

Using my fingers as application tools

You name it, I applied it with my fingers, be it foundation, be it concealer, eyeshadow (what a mess!) you name it I had it ALL OVER MY FINGERS! Now I'm not saying using your (clean and sanitised) fingers isn't great for really warming the product up and pushing it into areas that need that coverage (i.e. eye primers, concealers etc) but when you're smearing your black as night eyeshadow and hot pink glitter pigment across your lids like war paint, it might be time to invest in some finer tools.

Using frosted eyeshadow to fill in my brows

Forgive me fleeky for I have sinned. It could be said my under plucked, non waxed or styled brows were absolutely not on fleek, and this carried on until I was about 20! That's how recent my blunders are bringing me. I would (sigh) dust brown eyeshadow with a cheapy applicator across my brows all to match my hair..... enough said really right? Don't do this! Get your brows shaped and invest in a brow pencil at the very least.

Dazzle dusting all of the things

Who remembers the Barry M dazzle dust pots? I know my mum does since I spilled an entire black pot on her pristine and clean flooring at the tender age of 15 (I've said sorry okay?!) At the time, of course being a hardcore advocate of using my fingers as my primary make up tools I would get this stuff everywhere, I always applied it dry, and for some reason it always seemed to be black! To be quite fair though the fallout did sometimes make me look like I had chic, high fashion black freckles, though most of the time it did just look as though I had been chimney sweeping. If you're going to use a pure glitter pigment I seriously suggest using a damp brush to pick it up and press it on to the area you want it (and you know put down a tonne of black bags to protect your floors)

Hopefully in some way this has helped you, saved your adolescence perhaps or maybe even just made you cringe laugh at my misfortunes, either way it's a win! I'm sure in future I'll look back at myself in my early 20s and cringe at whatever I'm doing now, who knows maybe winged liner and bold brows will be ridiculed in future (NAT!) Make sure you leave your biggest beauty blunders and downfalls in the comments below, if at the very least to make me feel like a bit less of a twat, come share them with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or you can just keep up with my recent cringes on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, blundering my way through the MUA world!

H.Elizabeth

Prep and Prime | Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo

 

As you lovely ladies and gentlemen should know by now, I've always been all about that base, and these days it's not just my face base I'm obsessing over. Nope, it could be said I like to cover all of my bases and none seem more important than our eye base. They say eyes are the windows to the soul, and I love nothing more than decorating mine with some of the finest drapings my local make up counters have to offer. But what I don't love is when my shadow slips, slides or worse gathers in my crease! But luckily there are so so many products out there that can not only stop your eyes from slipping down to your chin or crawling into your hairline, but give you  a fierce, fierce colour pop that you can create a multitude of looks with, and today I'm going to share one of my faves, the Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo.

These cream shadow products come in a wide range of colours and finishes, from mattes to shimmers and even a leather finish came on the go a while ago and whether you're just using this as an eyeshadow as intended or the way I use mine as a primer then you're set to achieve an eye poppin' look. As you can see I have mine in a multitude of colours from their creamy neutral creme de nude to my deep dark pomegranate shimmer which was my go to favourite during the holiday season and finally my brand new colour pops of teal and purple. But today I'm going to focus on my creme de nude as this is what I typically use for a base. 

If I'm working on a client with these I'll pop some of the product out onto the back of my hand and work through it with a brush and gently press the product across the entire eye lid and go back in with my ring finger to press it on that little bit more and blend it so there are no creases. If however I'm working on myself I'll take some on my finger and gently rub and press it along my eye lid and socket, this typically works much better than a brush because the product will have warmed up and will be easier to apply and move, but of course brushes are just fine they simply take a little longer.To set that in place I'll take an eyeshadow that is around the same colour as my skin tone, perhaps a little darker if I'm going for a dramatic look and sweep that all across my lid where I placed the colour tattoo product.. This will help set the primer and mattify your lid so colours you go in with from this point are true to form. You should now be good to go with whatever eyeshadow drapings and looks you desire because my dear your eyeballs are prepped and primed! 

These colour pots retail at £4.99 each but usually there is a deal on in Boots so you could end up getting a 3 for 2 or walk away with a gift of some sort. As you can see these are far, far more cost effective than their high end counterparts from MAC, but of course the only downside is that they don't quite have the range of colours or finishes as the paint pots in MAC.

Let me know in the comments below if you've ever tried using these coloured shadows as eye bases, how did you find them? Or have you found something that's even better than Maybelline? As per I hope this was helpful, useful in some way, maybe funny or maybe I've just aided in your procrastination of the day! Either way I'm more than happy to oblige. If you want to procrastinate even further come chat with me on Twitter, like my new make up snaps on Instagram or you could just stick around and follow the blog using Bloglovin!

Until next time folks, this ain't no slip n slide!

H.Elizabeth x

Updated Brush Cleaning Routine | How to care for your brushes

You guys will maybe remember that about a year and a half ago I shared with you just how I was cleaning my collection of make up brushes of the time, you remember, all 5 of them.. Well today I'm here to tell you to scrap that, because with my new found MUA in training wisdom I'm here to lay down some truths, home skillet, on how you should really be cleaning your make up brushes so as to avoid the dreaded fallout (it can actually be avoided, trust me) 

When you think about it all of the tips and tricks I'm about to share with you really ought to be common sense and it all revolves around the make up and design of your actual brushes themselves, but if you don't know, you just don't know. Your brush bristles are glued in to the base of your brush, but that base doesn't go as far as you can see, it goes even further usually going right to the base of your handle, so if you get warm water or really any foreign liquid into the brush you'll loosen the glue bonds to the point where eventually your bristles will fall out.

With that firmly in mind, here are my biggest do's and don'ts when it comes to safely caring for your facial tools:

DON'T submerge your brushes in water. Water will loosen your glue bonds and fall out will occur over time.

DON'T tap your brush on the side of a counter or on your hand to remove excess powder, this can also loosen glue bonds. Instead Potter it up with a graceful swish and flick.

BEAUTY BLENDERS should be placed in a pillow case and washed in the washing machine (sorry guys but this is the only way to effectively sterilize them)

MUA TIP: DO wash your brushes after every client you've worked on, don't compromise on cleanliness when your business is on the line!

DO hold your brush downwards at an angle under a slowly running tap to help wash your brushes. NEVER hold them upwards as water will enter the base of the brush and .. you  guessed it.. loosen the glue bonds.

DO use a gently cleansing shampoo such as Johnson's Baby Shampoo to wash the product out of your brushes and gently swirl them in the palm of your hand to work a gentle lather.

DO rinse them thoroughly always holding them downwards at an angle.

DO lightly spritz your make up brushes with an alcohol solution such as surgical spirit to keep them squeaky clean and free from bacteria.

DON'T dry your brushes roughly with a towel, instead dab them to remove excess water.

DO reshape your brushes and leave the tips of your brushes hanging over the edge of a counter so they don't lose their shape.

DO store your brushes in a safe, clean place such as a make up brush belt, or you could even store them upright in a wee decorative pot, as you see many MUA's and beauty bloggers doing (for the pics guys, for the pics!)

If you follow the above tips, theoretically your brushes should last you a good few years, in fact my Glam Candy coach had a brush in her collection that she has had for 15 years, so just let that sink in for a moment!

Hopefully some of you have found this helpful, I know this has worked wonders for the tools in my kit in that I haven't had to rush out and replace my brushes every month or so. Be sure to leave your top brush cleaning tips in the comments below, come share them with my on my Twitter, Insta, Bloglovin whatever and wherever you fancy, I'm just a beep boop away!

Until next time folks, I'm gonna wash that tan right out of my brush!

H.Elizabeth x

Hannah Adams Make Up Artistry

Well guys, it looks as though this has snowballed doesn't it? Today I launched Hannah Adams Make Up Artistry professional services for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire on Facebook and hopefully I'll get myself all sorted with a new website very very soon. Over on the page I plan on sharing what's in my kit, which looks and techniques I've been loving, faces I've been working on and of course any beauty features I be writing on here.

I'd love it if you'd head on over, give me a cheeky wee 'like' and of course if you're a blushing bride, aspiring model or you're just looking to get all glam for your next night out give me a buzz. I can come to you (if you're in Aberdeen!) you can come to me, the sky is very much the limit. 

Before I sign off I just want to say a big thank you to my friends and family for helping me start up my exciting new venture, with a particular shout out to my hubby who has put up with my moans, groans of setting up and of course the glitter and pigments ALL OVER the living room and kitchen...bathroom...bedroom...car...on the cat, everywhere really! 

Though I have launched my professional services to all of you lovely ladies and of course gentlemen out there I would still love to work with any local photographers and models who want to try a few more creative bits and cut my teeth on some more 'out there' edgy looks so do get in touch by emailing hannahadamsmua@gmail.com if you've got any ideas or shoots in mind.

As usual you can keep up with my own latest looks and portfolio images (and the occasional foodie post) on Instagram, you can still catch me chit chatting on Twitter and now of course Facebook!

Until next time folks, this is Hannah Adams, professional make up artist signing off!

H.Elizabeth x

Face Off with the Body Shop | Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

Who doesn't want to slather butter all over their face on a nightly basis in the name of beauty? To be quite honest as a former 'fat kid' that's kind of my idea of heaven and thanks to the Body Shop my dream has become my reality, now I've just got to tick off giant edible gingerbread house and I'm all set for life (another job for the Body Shop?) Move over micellar, get out of the way cleanser it's all about balms, butters and basically the ability to melt your face off.

As you guys perhaps deduced from my last couple of posts my beauty routine has had a serious ice bucket challenge wake up call through these last few weeks. This is namely due to my shameful overuse and abuse of make up wipes which dried out my skin so badly that my face looked worse than nuked (yes nuked, not naked) Superman (comic / movie geeks know what I'm talking about!) And what would you know, the Body Shop held the answer!

I'm sick of Micellar waters, and I'm so over using a separate eye make up remover, it's costly and I always feel like I'm wasting so much product, not to mention damaging the skin around my eyes with rubbing! Enter the Camomile Cleansing Butter. The product retails at £13, which at first I thought was a bit expensive, but I have been using this for a couple of months now and I've only just hit pan! It comes in a 90ml round tin, smells divine and is designed with all skin types in mind. So there's no need worry if you're excessively dry, overly oily, extremely sensitive or you're just a hoverer like me, the forumla is designed to be gentle enough to suit everybody, and bonus, it can be used to remove all types of make up, that's right even waterproof mascara!

To remove your make up you rub your fingers into the product to warm it up and get a little on your hands, and you basically rub it all over your face and melt your make up away. Now at first I got in SUCH a mess, honestly I looked like I was set to go to war or I had just come back from a day of chimney sweeping, needless to say this was not the smokey eye look I was going for! But all of the trauma is short lived when you wash it all off in the sink and marvel at just how much product you had on your face that day. There's something that is just so satisfying about seeing how much make up you've had on your face all wash away in the sink (not so much when you think of how much it all cost though!)

What I love about this product is that it has made something I used to consider a chore a more enjoyable experience and it's so so quick to do it honestly takes less than a minute, and eye make up? GONE completely. My skin isn't dry anymore, it isn't red or rough from constant rubbing with pads, it feels much softer, and after using this product it smells fantastic (not that my skin had a particularly unpleasant aroma before!) I highly, highly recommend purchasing the Camomile Cleansing Butter at least once in your life I implore you people, and if we're friends IRL come to my house and give it a go!!!

I hope you have enjoyed yet another peek into my new updated skincare and beauty favourites, if you'd like me to do something that's a little more specific for example a look into my skincare routine, a look inside my kit at my go to skincare products then please do let me know in the comments below. Otherwise you can catch me on the usual channels Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and of course the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, butter me up boys!

H.Elizabeth x