Ultimate Make Up Crush | Baked Eye Shadow

Ultimate Make Up Crush | Baked Eye Shadow 

Technic 'Bronzing Eyeshadows Baked Eyeshadow ' in
 'Frosted Rose' and 'Golden Bronze Baked Eye shadow'.
The image is taken in artificial lighting to show the shimmer and
satin effect they create even in a dark, night time environment. 

Hey,

For this post, I thought I would share with all of you my one makeup product that I just can't not get enough of right now: baked eye shadow and the smokey eye look. When it comes to my favourite make up, I don't just mean big brands, oh no, I mean all the brands I have.

Eye shadow is also a great product to use to do your makeup for dance, such as for a dance show using the smokey eye look, as it contours your eyes making them easily visible on stage whilst looking great for a show. I used my 'Golden Bronze Baked Eyeshadow' for the dance show I took part in in June 2016, and the results are great. In the photos taken of me you can see the smokey eye look and my face easily on stage, and the look appears professional too.

Technic 'Bronzing Eyeshadows Baked Eyeshadow 'in
 'Frosted Rose' and 'Golden Bronze Baked Eye shadow'.
The image is taken in natural lighting to show
the shimmer and satin effect they create.

 
So for my baked eye shadow, this collection consists of many different brands that I discovered and now adore. If I love a make up product, I don't mind what brand it is, be it cheap or averagely priced, I'm willing to try it out and adopt it as my own; because I love to save money via the best deals and money saving includes trying new brands at more affordable prices.

To  me, baked eye shadow is amazing. I love the look you can achieve with it and the consistency this eye shadow has with its satin-like effect when it catches in the light. Because it's baked, I find it tends to last longer, yet still looks fabulous on your eyes, meaning you can save on topping up your stash. Another great thing I find about baked eye shadow, is that due to this eye shadow being baked, it has more shimmer to it, making the coverage fuller on your eyelids. This in turn allows you to develop your look from pretty to glam, just by adding more baked shadow with the best results via dabbing and pressing the shadow gently onto the lids for a chick look. So let me introduce my most used baked shadows and their looks. I have incorporated images to show their consistency, some taken in the day with natural lighting to highlight the intensity of the pigment and satin-like shimmer, and images taken in artificial lighting to represent their satin effect and pigment in darker environments at night. 

Day: 'Golden Bronze Baked Eye shadow'.
Upper left: 'Copper Gold', upper right: 'Golden
Bronze', lower left: 'Frosted ivory', lower Right:
'Chocolate'.

Baked eye shadow is my ultimate make up crush right now. When I'm getting ready for a night out, such as to a restaurant or occasion, I always turn to is my smokey eye silver look (yes I created the name myself because I think a commonly used look has to have an official name).

 
For the day, my first look I turn to is my most faithful 'Dark Bronze Baked Eye Shadow' set which I adore. This shadow is versatile (like other baked eye shadows) and can be paired with any normal pressed eye shadow, such as when I use my 'Golden Bronze Baked Eye Shadow' with my 'Silver Nude Pressed Shadow' from a long lasting palette of mine. This duo go hand-in-hand to achieve a subtly smokey look for the day, using 'Silver Nude' for the base and 'Golden Bronze' for the crease of the eye. 

Night: 'Golden Bronze Baked Eye shadow'.
Upper left: 'Copper Gold', upper right: 'Golden 
Bronze', lower left: 'Frosted ivory', lower Right: 
'Chocolate'.

   At the night to achieve my second favourite look with these baked shadows, I use the dark smokey look, by adding 'Chocolate' to the look on my outer corner of the eyelid to create depth and make my eyes pop; highlighting my eyes with the 'Silver Nude' whilst giving off a dark smokey look with 'Golden Bronze' and 'Chocolate'. In my post, 🎃 🎀 Halloween Look | Broken Porcelain Doll 🎀 🎃 I used these shadows to create my look and illuminate my eyes, which you can see by clicking the link.  

My third favourite look, is a simple coat of my 'Golden Bronze Baked Eye Shadow'. I start on the outside of my eye lid and work my way in, building on the intensity of the shadow, adding more pigment to the crease of the eye and blending the shadow. My favourite part about this look is the way the shimmer in the eye shadow catches the light, highlighting your eyes and giving a soft glow along side the warm pigmentation which compliments my skin tone. An even better fact is that this eye shadow look takes minutes to perfect and just adds a little extra to your make up look. 

Day: Technic 'Bronzing Eyeshadows Baked Eyeshadow'
 palette in 'Frosted Rose' 

Finally, the last baked eye shadow that I will rant about, is my newly discovered 'Bronzing Eyeshadows Baked Eye Shadow' Palette from Technic. This palette was around £2.99 I believe and I came across it when Christmas shopping one day. Being the baked eye shadow addict that I am, especially a bronze coloured eye shadow lover, I snatched it up. I had been looking for a pinkish bronze baked shadow for a long time, so when I came across this palette I couldn't believe my luck. There were so many palettes to choose from, all with lush colours, but in the end I turned to this 'Bronzing Eyeshadows Baked Eye Shadow' palette in what I like to call 'Frosted Rose' because of the shimmer and pinkish undertones which I adore 

 Night: Technic 'Bronzing Eyeshadows
Baked Eyeshadow' palette in 'Frosted Rose'

   The palette consists of six shadows, all as individually gorgeous as one other, and all with a pinkish pigmented undertone to them. A great part is that not only was this brand cost effective, costing just £2.99 for baked bronze eye shadows, but it's against animal testing, unlike top brands such as 'Rimmel' and 'Maybelline'. This may come as an unexpected fact for some, as many people believe 'cheap' or cost- effective make up is of low quality and therefore bad morals; but in this case that stigma is wrong.

I am  ultimately in love with this 'Bronzing Eye Shadows Baked Eye Shadow' palette, even the way it looks is amazing, with the rose-silver pigmentation and effect it presents. When I got this palette home I loved it so much, I even said to myself "Ohh this palette is so bea" when testing a few shadows on my hand 😄  I am so excited to try this new palette, and see what new smokey eye looks I can concoct, and which of these are best suited to specific occasions. It's decided: this palette is a keeper. 

The back of the Technic 'Bronzing Eyeshadows Baked
Eyeshadow' palette. The small heart says 'Against Animal Testing'

So there are a few of my looks along side the baked shadows I use to create my most used looks; including the introduction to my newest ultimate makeup crush, the 'Bronzing Baked Eye Shadow' palette.  

 
   A thing I cannot get over about baked eye shadow, is that it has such an intense shimmer and allows you to create more depth than pressed shadows allow you to. This makes your look appear even more glamorous then it would be if using pressed eye shadow alone, and more chick than usual; a perfect way to make your look unique. 

Thank you for reading,

Yours truly,

Caris 

This Season's Statement Item | Chenille Roll Neck Jumper

This Season's Statement Item | Chenille Roll Neck Jumper

Hey,


With the clocks set back and the day light fading, Winter has set in. And with this change of weather, there's nothing I like more than a new, warm item to add to my Winter wardrobe collection.

This Chenille Roll Neck Jumper is my newest addition to my Winter wardrobe, and being a massive jumper addict- especially for the thick, roll neck types- I am in love with this new jumper already.
Costing me just £16, it's affordable and a great fashion statement item that will keep you warm in the cold Winter months.

The Chenille Roll Neck Jumper achieves a casual, effortless look for the Winter season. Paired with Black Skinny jeans and Black Chelsea Boots, I feel this outfit is elegantly congruous for any Winter occasion.

This jumper is a definite favourite of mine. It's affordable, simple and elegant. It is extremely warm with a soft texture to it, making it very comfortable to wear; something I believe is highly important for any item included in my Winter wardrobe this year.

Thank you for reading,

Yours truly,
Caris

Photography | Catching the Last of Autumn

Photography | Catching the Last of Autumn

Hey,

hope all is well,

I thought that with Autumn nearly gone for the year, I would catalogue just a few images taken on my phone the past few days to share with you all. 

I love Autumn with it's gorgeous contrast of colours and can never resist to take a few pictures when ever possible. I love the way the trees look and the way the birds sing when it starts to get darker, the cosy nights snuggled up warm at home watching your favourite films, and the way the leaves float to the ground, spiralling and spinning like a dancer (which could be an possible influence for a dance piece: Autumn). 

   

Autumn also reminds me of new begins before the new year starts in January, with the trees letting their leaves go as if they're memories from this year being placed out of the present and into the past; a catalogue of memories. This may attach to me as one of my favourite seasons, because of this, I am an Autumn baby, but also find beauty in nature and the trees letting their leaves free. It's just magical. It has also been a changed year for me, with things happening that have transition me out of the same routines and into a less predicted world with new beginnings in itself.

So without further ado, here are the pictures I captured on my phone the past few days before we see the last of Autumn and it's gone for the year. Enjoy 😃 🌌

Hope you enjoyed these photos as much as I love them and their beauty.

Thank you for reading,

Caris 

🎃 🎀 Halloween Look | Broken Porcelain Doll 🎀 🎃

🎃 🎀 Halloween Look | Broken Porcelain Doll 🎀 🎃

The final look: Broken Porcelain Doll

Hey,

During the Halloween period, I can't help but take part in the fun and get creative with Halloween looks. Every year I enjoy the fact that no matter how unusual you look, it's acceptable because it's Halloween and everyone looks extremely different to their normal, human selves. And so I thought I'd share my Halloween look with you. 

This year, I dressed up at work to raise money for the children's charity the NSPCC, which my employer frequently supports all year round, and with the chance to show my creativity, I couldn't help but take part and become a broken Porcelain doll. 

   I just love the idea of a broken Porcelain doll and all its hidden meanings for Halloween. Think of the symbolic representation that's associated with dolls: the notion that they resemble childhood and joy, yet when broken, a doll can convey sense of a loss of freedom and hope a child may feel when their toy is broken. This is the basis for all films with creepy, haunted dolls; they symbolise a loss of childhood, broken dreams and lost joy. An example, Annabelle the possessed doll.... 

Make up used for the look

So with my love for horror films, and my interest in the hidden meanings and symbolic representations, I decided to get creative and become a broken Porcelain Doll for Halloween. The idea sprang to me when I was thinking of a Halloween look, and my idea for the broken Porcelain doll popped into my head. My design is my original idea and was created using just my ordinary things: make-up and my every day clothes. I personally prefer not to use expensive make-up for Halloween looks, as you cannot tell the difference and at Halloween the aim is to look as creepy as possible, even if your lipstick is cheap as you'll only be wearing it for a short period. Plus drawing on myself is a bit of a waste of make-up, so I tend leave big brands out of the picture, except for my everyday makeup which consists of brands such as Maybelline, Rimmel and Soap & Glory because I have no other make-up brands to use.

Silver Nude eye-shadow

     The images are from two occasions, my first practice so I could have time to take the images for you lovely people, and the others are from after I got back from work; as I had to set off at 9 for work so wouldn't of had enough time to take images of my look.

Firstly, for the look, I wore my White Long Sleeved Turtle Neck- my essential top for everything - my Black Dungaree Pinafore Dress and white shoes. I paired myself with an old teddy, that is conveniently broken at the back, to mimic the toys that dolls would come with, and give off a creepier vibe. 

Golden Bronze baked eye shadow

For my makeup, I put on my every day look: foundation, concealer, press powder and mascara. I then used a lot of pink blush for my cheeks to mimic the rosy cheeks dolls have, and smokey eye look to make my eyes pop using my frosted Silver Nude eye shadow, and Golden Bronze and Chocolate baked eye shadow. I followed this with my Avon Matte Lipstick in 'Peach Flatters' (which I have previously blogged about alongside other lipsticks: Favourite Lipstick Picks | Lipsticks I Couldn't Live Without) to achieve the heavy and bright lipstick dolls would have.

Chocolate baked eye shadow

I tied my hair into two messy pig tails, then left my fringe out at the front, to present the often childlike hairstyles that dolls would have. This look can also be with your hair down which I wore for work when I decided to leave my hair down for the day after it fell out. 

The finished look close up: Broken Porcelain Doll

To achieve the cracks on my hand and face, I used my Soap & Glory felt tip eyeliner pen and drew the cracks lightly onto my skin, filling in some parts to make it seem as though I was missing pieces. Soap & Glory is the only brand I own for eye liner, as I find it to be amazing because it doesn't smudge, lasts all day, and the felt tip is perfect for precision of make up. The trick with drawing the cracks is to make them as thin as possible and imagine your drawing what cracks on a delicate window would look like. I drew cracks on my right side of my face reaching from my jaw line to my temple, and a smaller one on my left side of my face by my jawline and cheek bone. I then dusted press powder lightly over the cracks on my face to help set the eye liner, and to gain depth of the cracks on my hand, I used ordinary eye shadows in jet black, grey and then white to go over the harsh black lines to give a blended effect, and complete my look. 🎃 🎀


Thank you for reading and happy Halloween,

Yours truly,
Caris  

       

Autumnal Look | My Autumn Wardrobe Favourite

Autumnal Look | My Autumn Wardrobe Favourite

Hey, hope all is well,

With the leaves turning brown and the temperature dropping, Autumn has arrived. in response to the change of season, it only seems appropriate to grab anything warm we can find and throw it on. And with this norm, I felt it was time to update my Autumnal wardrobe for the chilling season ahead. 

In this cold weather, there's nothing I love more than big coat to keep me warm; and I think I've found my love. A few days ago, I brought this Faux Fur Collar Burgundy Duster Coat for £35.00, and have decided it is one of my favourite items 😃

I love the colour burgundy, especially in the Autumn when the leaves turn yellow, to gold, to burgundy, to brown. Walking around buttoned up in this coat, I've never felt more congruous for the season. Paired with skinny black jeans and a jumper and black Chelsea boots, I feel set for the cold weather. 

I adore this coat and it's growing on me by the day. The best part is that it's a statement piece that changes your look from cozy to glamorous and makes you look felicitous for the Autumnal days ahead.

The Faux Fur collar keeps you warm and the best part is that it can be unbuttoned and taken off, transforming your coat into a Boyfriend Coat; meaning you can change your look and add to it to suit any occasion. 

Thank you for reading,

Yours truly,

Caris 

Day Out | Trip to The Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Day Out | Trip to The Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Hey hope all is well,

A few weeks ago (possibly two if I can separate that memory from the memory of the stress A-Levels have given me these past few weeks) I went to The Victoria & Albert Museum in London, to see a recorded screening of the play Jerusalem for my A2 English Language exam. 

     Now you may be asking 'why did you go to see a play that is the recording of one instead of a live performance' and my class and I asked the same question. I guess our teacher felt it would be easier to understand and refer to the play for the exam if we watched it, which is true. But I also found that trips to London with my A2 English class are very amusing and eventful, such as our breakfast at Weatherspoons before we left Oxford for London; and the lady serving hated me with a passion because I paid 39p on my debit card 😂 ....

 However that's not the basis for this blog post, although it's a pretty funny story that I may talk about another time, but the story behind this post is that before I watched the play, I managed to take some pictures of the artifacts, and I've decided to post some of them here for you all to see; because believe me some of them are amazing!      Unfortunately when I tried to get these images onto my laptop, they deleted themselves off my phone, and some artifacts I was not allowed to photograph, but the ones I still have and was allowed to take pictures of are below; so just have a scroll down and take a look. I believe I was in the 'Religion' section -although I cannot recall the exact name- so I believe most of these images are of religious items and just to say I didn't manage to write down what each item was, but it's amazing how beautiful these artifacts are. Here are just a few of the pictures. 

Hope these were interesting, and apologies that there aren't many here, as thanks to my phone they are now deleted 😡 But these are the surviving images and I still think they're just as amazing 😄

Thank you for reading,

Yours truly,
Caris

Best Ballet Buys | Clothing Goals For Ballet

Best Ballet Buys | Clothing Goals For Dancing 

Hey, hope all's well,

I am one for the sales: like the sales that give you 70% or more off items for great prices. And so it should be too with Ballet clothing and accessories.

My cross over cardigan
before it's tied.

My cross-over cardigan
connected on one side
through the loop.

    Ballet clothing and accessories can be expensive. A skirt can cost over thirty pounds, or a branded bag can cost up to fourty pounds. So I've decided to give a bit of inspiration on my recent purchase, especially when you're like me, where being a full-time student means you can't work that many hour to earn enough to spend on ballet expenses or on other fashionable dance items as well.

I recently purchased a short wrap cardigan, perfect for Ballet with it's light weight material that's short in length, and its cross over effect that can be tied into a bow to the front or side of your body for a casual look. When it comes to Ballet items, as long as they're suitable for their purpose, such as size or length, then whatever you find that doesn't have to be specifically from a big Ballet brand, like Pointe shoes, can be used for your usual dance lessons.

Cross-over cardigan
connected from behind which
is done through connecting ties
through the
loops on either side.  

The cross over cardigan
completely tied with the cardigan
crossed over and tied to the side
for a nice elegant finish.

This cardigan was £7.00 from H&M and I have been looking for a short, wrap cardigan that's perfect for my usual Ballet lessons, and at a good price. In the past, my only other cardigans I have to wear for ballet is a bat-wing, over-sized effect cardigan, which persistently kept falling off my shoulders when I went to do an arabesque or a jump; so I think I can say that this cardigan definitely wasn't ideal for my usual Ballet lessons and was extremely annoying to have to constantly adjust.   

Hope this was useful and proved just how much easier it can be to find the perfect dance wear, such as for Ballet that's cost effective and looks great too. 

Thank you for reading,

Yours truly,

Caris