KRYOLAN TV PAINT STICK

Being the makeup junkie that I am, I am constantly on the lookout for new beauty finds and bargain buys from a little something that will hardly break the bank, to the not so little something we all need once in a while.

Lately, in a bid to perfect my make up application ranging from the barely there everyday wear to wedding party looks, I have been watching countless You tube tutorials and subbing to a wide range of people, those that knew what they were talking about of course and so, I noticed that they all had these little tubes of paint pots in their kits. Me being me, I quickly discovered that there were the Kryolan TV paint sticks, foundation sticks in an impressive wide range of colours in a handy twist it tube.

Now, I may be a little late in my little discovery here, but It made me think, the days where solely endless tubes of Mac liquid foundations being used, were well and truly over. To be honest, although still popular, I had gotten bored of my Studio Fix in NC42, it was turning into a love/hate relationship. Whilst it provided great coverage for a few hours in the day, it just didn't work wonders on my skin anymore, in fact, it had dried it out, rather unusual since I have always suffered from combination skin for years. Besides, wanting to live up to my reputation as a makeup addict, I didn't believe in restricting myself to just one particular product or brand either.

Having said that though, I don’t usually rush out to buy the new product without researching or reading several reviews on it, my favourite being Make up Alley where I stumbled across nothing but positive stuff. Being a die hard Mac fan and a bit of a snob when it came to other branded foundations, I decided to take the plunge and purchase not one but two shades that were near enough the same, particularly after reading that 100% of users would buy it again.

As I had brought it on line, how on earth did I know what shades to select I hear you ask? I've got to admit though, one of the advantages of the Mac counters were at least you were able to test the product there and then and get some help with application if needed.

In a bid to avoid disappointment, I decided to message a few good make up artists such as celebrity make up artist Naeem Khan and Sukhi Sanghera at Asiana Bridal who both use it extensively on their clients and models and both agreed that FS36 and Oriental would be best suited for a NC40/42 shade in Mac. I decided on two shades purely because I have uneven skin tone, my forehead is slightly darker so I figured getting two shades close to each other would be better, with FS36 being the primary shade, and Oriental, slightly darker as a base for my eyelids and under eye circles which I am forever attempting to get rid of.

Of course I was a little sceptical and didn't want to waste my hard earned cash but I decided to take their word for it, since I figured they probably knew what they were talking about anyway. I was also a great admirer of their work. Now, I guess the initial risk here, as with all on line shopping for makeup would be in knowing what shade to select and hoping  it is the right one for your skin as remember, the great swatch of colours on line are not really true to life. And of course, asking a few good makeup artists as I did before making your purchase would also be a good idea.

Shade FS36- Google Images.

I decided to use the paint stick for a solid two weeks which I thought was sufficient before writing a review, so here's what I think:

If you are looking for a high coverage foundation stick, then this is the one for you. I like the fact that it has good buildable coverage, depending on whether you want medium coverage or full and it really does last all day long, great for brides, wedding and photos.The tube itself is of a good weight and contains lots of the product so a little goes a long way. Unlike other foundations, it didn't require a sponge or brush for application, although, still can be used, I found the heat from my fingers helped in blending it straight away to create a flawless finish with just a touch of a good setting powder as a finish to avoid an over the top dewy look.

Now, a few people had commented that it appeared a bit too 'cakey ‘on them and I could see what they meant. I found that dipping my sponge and brush in a drop of water helped a little in order to correctly blend which of course is crucial with all foundations. I also thoroughly recommend using a good moisturiser or primer (Benefit, That Gal Brightening Face Primer and Gosh Velvet Touch) are usually good and works for me, prior to applying this especially if you suffer from dry skin.

What’s more, is that it also doubles up as a concealer so you don’t have to apply any and I usually top it up a tiny bit under my eyes during the day. I have to say though, it doesn’t exactly smell of fresh roses, paraffinum liquidum, paraffin, candelilla cera wax, hydrogenated poluyisobutane and octyldodecanol are just some of its main ingredients and it may appear quite heavy for those suffering from really sensitive skin so beware, however although it is heavily pigmented, it actually does feel quite light on the skin, although, personally I find its a bit much for daily use and it IS known for theatrical/stage make up so I decided to leave it aside for special occasions.

Putting all the above aside though, the best part of all is that a great professional product such as this doesn’t come with a professional price tag thankfully. I managed to get hold of mine for a bargain price of £10.50 plus P+P from stage make- up shop on EBay as I naturally didn’t trust any other website, one with my payment details and secondly, in buying an authentic product.

All I can say is buy and try now, I'm glad I stumbled across it, and I keep asking myself why I hadn’t come across this before, like myself and several others, you won’t be disappointed!

Buy yours now from: http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/stagemake-upshop/&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2754


xxx

Beating baby blues

I am in no way claiming to be an expert at Motherhood, in fact far from it. Almost a year down the line, there are still occasions where I feel like ripping out the last bits of my hair and locking myself away in a room and crying. In fact, it almost reminds me of the mini crisis/ pantry cupboard scene Charlotte had from SATC2, except of course, I did not have a hot nanny.

Nevertheless, having said that, I no longer depended on my Gina Ford's 'Contented Little Baby Books' and of course her 'The Secret to Calm and Confident Parenting' book and just so that they were not a complete waste, I decided to sell them to some other poor mum on Ebay who I'm sure would have a 'contented little baby' just as I did.

After three years of marriage, two holidays, many trips to the cinemas and meals later, the husband and I decided to settle down, of course it meant moving into a place of our own, saving more and if we were really lucky cram in another fantastic holiday. Little did we know, nature had already taken its course, and as it intended, we were going to have a baby!

Naturally, we were a little shocked, despite the delightful news, it was big, it was going to be forever. Amongst the congratulations from family and friends, many had also kindly warned us of the late nights, early mornings and all round hard work before adding it was also one of the best things in the world.

Aunts, grand mum, friends and women in general had warned me of the pains of labour, the lovely in depth details of just how unbearable the contractions, pressure and pushing stages were, nothing an epidural wouldn't solve they later added.

In fact, what they had forgotten to mention was just how painful it would be after, the effects mentally, physically and emotionally. Do our bodies ever go back to the way it were I hear you say? Sadly, ladies, no matter how many times your midwife, GP or other says, the answer is that it wont. Stretch marks, uneven skin tone, a weak pelvis, and a few extra pounds are just some of the results of our beautiful bundle of joy.

At first, the phone never stopped ringing and the doorbell never stopped chiming, there were lots of 'ooohhs' and 'aaahhhs' from people looking down at the moses basket and our big coffee table had turned into a mini florist and card shop thanks to visits from kind family and friends.

Luckily, mum and grandmas were around to help and teach yet I knew it wasn't going to be forever, as grateful as I was, all I wanted to do on the other hand was crawl up anywhere and sleep. Needless to say, with baby waking up every two hours for a feed and nappy change, I barely slept, showered or brushed my hair. I was exhausted, frustrated and cranky and resembled a zombie, I hardly recognised myself. The husband and I barely uttered two words to each other purely because we couldn't find the time or energy to from the all day mothering and fathering. The days of long leisurely soaks with magazines and chocolates in the bath were long gone I sighed.....

To make matters worse, it was the middle of winter, long cold dark days and being cooped up in the house with no social life was every new mums nightmare. But, I kept telling myself this wasn't going to be forever and just had to suck it up. I had this beautiful little person depending on me, looking up at me, curling its sweet little fingers around mine and best of all, its smile and laugh even in the early hours of the morning made it all worthwhile.

Along with the horror stories of labour, the lovely ladies also told me it did get easier. I often asked myself would I ever be able to be me and relax again? Be 'off duty' just for a little while? If you find yourself asking the same question, the answer is yes! Six months later it DID get easier, baby and me were in a lovely routine, thankfully I was able to sleep a few more hours at night, shower and wash my hair during the day all purely because once I was settled mentally and physically, naturally, so was baby. In fact, I had successfully beat those baby blues and with focus, support, organisation and getting priorities right, so can you. Of course, I'm afraid it means getting your priorities in order, dropping a few things from your life and knowing the things to fight for.

I realised housework could wait, despite my inability to stop cleaning and polishing each and every corner (cluttered house equalled cluttered mind), I decided to not let it 'break' me, which I why when I could afford to, I paid for a cleaner who on the plus side, did massages too!

One thing I wasn't prepared to sacrifice however, was 'me time' even if it meant one hour a day, even it it meant savouring the serenity and being able to eat and drink with both hands. Even if it meant going to the loo in peace.

And finally, don't be too hard on yourself, no matter how many kids you have, remind yourself that the mere feeding, nappy changing, dressing and caring for a small human is an amazing achievement, one which I would definitely go through all over again.

1) Sleep when the baby sleeps, even 30 minutes will ensure that you are refreshed and energised and of course make up for lost sleep.

2)Talk to your husband/partner about how you really feel, don't shut them out, work in a partnership and take nightly feeds in turns. After all, its a joint responsibility.

3) Be organised, get up before baby does and have your shower and breakfast before they wake up, even little things like combing your hair or putting the washing on.

4) Unless you are Cindy Crawford, don't pressure yourself on losing the baby weight immediately, be realistic, it will happen naturally and besides experts recommend allowing your body at least six months to recover. Instead, use this time to really bond with your baby and get settled.

5)  Invite friends around the home when you feel ready, catch up over cake and coffee so you don't feel you are missing out on your social life.

6) Get yourself and baby into a nice routine, feeding, playtime, bath time and bed times, not only do babies like routine but it will allow yourself some time with your partner.

7) No matter what the weather is like outside, try to get some fresh air and natural daylight, even if it means simply taking a walk outside in your garden.

 

8) Try to keep on top of everything, a messy house will only create more work for yourself and make you more flustered, also do important things like pay bills on time etc.

9) Take some time out for yourself, a hot bath works wonders provided your baby monitor is nearby, put on a bit of make up, straighten your hair, wear your favourite jeans or call up a dear friend.

10) And lastly, do not be afraid to ask for help, there is no shame in asking family and friends for their help, if you need to pop out or simply need to sleep. After all, its what they are there for!

 

With strength and courage you'll find yourself labelling PE kits and making yummy packed lunches in six inch heels and freshly blowdried hair in no time, and somewhere, a new mum will be asking how on earth do you manage it all!

Do blondes really have more fun?

Katie Price, AKA Jordan, AKA ex Mrs Andre and now ex Mrs Reid to be. Is she possibly the most hated person in Britain at the moment? So just to recap, she married Peter Andre in a whirlwind wedding after the pair got together during ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here’, whilst the world thought everything was going great for this bizarre couple, (Still, I suppose, stranger things have happened) shortly after two gorgeous children later, Mr Andre and Ms Price get a nasty divorce. Needless, to say, I for one, wasn’t surprised. In fact, I wish I had betted on it, could have brought myself that fabulous Chanel bag I keep lusting after…..



In typical Jordan style, the drag queen ahem sorry, former glamour model publically had a bitter divorce feud with Andre. He said black, she said white, he did Cava, she did Cristal, the doting dad stayed at home with the kids, (Partially blind Harvey included from her previous relationship with Dwight Yorke) and she partied until 5am and often publically flirted with other men. And the surgically enhanced model even threw a ‘divorce’ party if the rumours are anything to go by. Whatever her ex-husband did, she did it twice as bigger and better, and she no doubt cashed in on it all too.


For a while though, there was the whole ‘will they/ wont they’ get back together hoo- haa. It became tedious and so, I stopped reading the stories. Indeed, there were far more bigger and better things to read up on. The next thing you know, she had a ‘quickie’ wedding to cage fighter Alex Reid in Las Vegas. Apparently, no one, not even the GROOM TO BE himself knew of the wicked plan she had hatched. What were her motives? Was this another ridiculous story the media could print on her? It all happened so fast, quicker than you could say ‘Mysterious Girl’. But this was Katie Price; and she was capable of anything….


Surely, it had all happened too quickly though, I mean surely the ink hadn’t yet dried on her divorce papers and there she was saying ‘I do’ to yet another poor, naïve (he doesn’t know what he has let himself in for) man?


It was far too good to be true. Pictures of the two publically canoodling, family outings, was it all a big fat publicity stunt? Not so long later, the cracks began to show, the pair couldn’t get their stories straight, she often tweeted of a ‘marriage crisis’ whilst he claimed everything was 'fine'. As if that wasnt enough, she also accused him of shooting blanks and frequently told the papers how 'frustrated' she was at not getting pregnant as she was desperate for another baby. (Yawns!).


Peter Andre, by now had well and truly moved on and good on him. His career went from strength to strength and so did his fan base. It was clear, the majority of the public were ‘Team Pete’ On the other hand, Katie Price was often pictured in the media for all the wrong reasons. Whilst she surprisingly hasn’t been pictured looking worse for wear falling out of nightclubs like her former alter ego Jordan, she was however pictured getting cosy with young hunky boxing champion Amir Khan. On several occasions, she was pictured minus her wedding ring. The so- called married couple were hardly seen together in public and in true celebrity style, they even had a ‘make or break’ holiday to Egypt, no doubt staying at a luxurious hotel on a luxurious beach sipping luxurious cocktails which still didnt do the trick.....a bouquet of flowers is usually enough for the majority of us!

It later emerged that ex Peter Andre was happily dating sexy Spanish Ultimo model, better known as ex WAG, Elen Rivas, the former long term partner of footballer Frank Lampard. The mum of two is said to be a‘classier’ version of Katie Price and she even shares Peter Andre’s passion for food, rather than just “Eating a packet of chocolate biscuits”, as he said in his New magazine column, where he was clearly referring to his ex-wife. No doubt, the news of her ex-husband’s new lover infuriated her, if it wasn’t for the hundreds of pounds worth of Botox, she would have actually expressed her true emotions.
The beautiful new happy couple were recently pictured getting affectionate with one another for the first time in three months. Ah bless! I, for one, couldn’t be happier for Pete. What’s more, they both have two children from previous relationships not to mention ex partners, so they couldn’t be better suited if you ask me. (With a mix of Greek and Spanish blood, can you imagine just how gorgeous their children would be? *Wonders*)

So its clear, marriage number 2 was officially over for Katie Price. Was history repeating itself? Was this some kind of déjà vu for you and me? Two failed marriages, Ms Price has yet done it again. She should get an award really. 

She recently went to a ski resort in Switzerland where the mum of three openly flirted with polo players whilst she was promoting her new equestrian range. Whats more pathetic though, Alex Reid is STILL living in the marital home he once shared with his wife. Apparently, he wants to have his fair share of the money he is (Wait for it.....)‘entitled’ to, whether his lawyers advised him to stay put or not for his 'financial reward' is another story.


However, it’s really Katie Price I feel sorry for in all of this though. Peter Andre has well and truly moved on. In good time, so will Alex Reid. Will she ever find the man of her dreams? Somebody with whom she can take a back seat with for once?Such a man that cannot be ‘controlled’ by her? Does such a man exist even? Is there one that can see past her fame and fortune? And what about the poor children? A doting dad they may still have, but can the same be said for their mother? Straightening daughter Princess Tiaammi’s hair at the tender age of three? Fake eyelashes?A mini-me? Need I go on? Peter continuously expressed his outrage and disgust at this (amongst other things) and rightly so.

Determined to get some of the limelight back on her, (is it of any surprise!) Katie Price decided to dye her hair (well extensions) back to platinum blonde. Was she trying to make a statement here? Which goes onto my next question- do blondes really have more fun?

LOOKING SUMMERTASTIC THIS SUMMER

Like me, I’m sure many of you have said a big welcome to Spring, longer days, lighter hours, but most importantly a little bit of sunshine meaning no more of that dreadful winter blues and having to hide away in our ugly Uggs (Bless them!) and jumpers for those horrible winter days, and boy what a cold winter it was.

Although, it’s not yet sunny enough for us to be able to leave the house in our flip flops and gladiator sandals, (Which explains why I haven’t seen any ice cream vans about too!) we can actually pack away our woolly hats and gloves for next winter. Yay!

As the days get warmer and longer, I have to rearrange my wardrobe to put my ‘summery’ ‘floral’ clothes at the top and realise I am in a desperate need of a few bits and pieces for the warmer weather. Having doing a little bit of online shopping, I’ve come to suspect, the colour Orange will be big this season. Some of the high street shops have already started featuring accessories, bags and shoes in this gorgeous colour and as I pick out some of them, including a fabulous orange maxi and cocktail dress, I wonder whether I should put in some golden highlights put in my hair to complete the whole summer look? Hmmmmm….

As well as the colour fiery red orange being big, I see a few pieces from the Military look and tribal trends making a reappearance particularly at places like Vogue and River Island and think to myself to how the gorgeous Khaki green coloured accessorised with gold bits and bobs could never actually really go out of fashion don’t you agree?

Summer though girlies is not always about clothes, If you’re like me and hid away all winter long in Uggs and socks, means that we actually neglected our poor feet and hands. Crusty, chipped toe nails are an absolute no-no and simply is a sin so I've added a ‘hot peppermint foot soak’ and a pedicure to my evening beauty regime and I can already see it’s starting to pay off. There’s nothing like bright neon nail colours to get you in that summery mood, my personal favourites are orange and hot pinks and Collection 2000 and Barry M both @ Superdrug do some great ones.

All those horrible dark, cold and wet days last winter, with then a few hours in front of the hot radiator meant overlaying our poor skins with all those woollies. I do not know about you, but it’s left me with dry, flaky skin that even a whole tub of E45 couldn’t solve, so I’ve started ‘body brushing’ again and using a few body scrubs which has already prepped me up for that much desired summer bikini body, although I’ve still got a long way to go before I can actually bare some flesh and hit the beach.

As well as looking good, who agrees that life is much better in summer? (Despite Hay fever) For starters, women pay more attention to themselves and make an effort to defuzz, everyone has a healthy glow about them, people are instantly in a much happier, positive mood and actually make time to socialise. Outside seating in Costa and Starbucks are buzzing, pubs and bars are full, not to mention the high streets for shopping and those summer sales.

As this is Britain, who can actually blame us for making the most out of the good weather as we all know it certainly does not last too long :(
Right then girls, now would be a good time to defuzz, polish and brush ourselves for the warmer weather we have coming, whip on that bikini and be confident in doing so and embrace the good weather.

I tell you what, now would also be the time to get on the phone to the Travel Agents to book that much holiday don’t you reckon?
Here’s to gorgeous weather and looking and feeling Summertastic! :-)

©

CHERYL AND ASHLEY- THE END?

She vowed to ‘Fight For This Love’ and ‘Stand By’ him when the papers first claimed that her footballer husband of four years Ashley cheated on her, but it seems now Cheryl Cole or should I say Tweedy could be fighting a lost battle for her love after it emerged that he sent a string of X rated text messages and photos of himself to a glamour wanabe Sonya Wild and to another unnamed woman, just nine months earlier while poor Cheryl was working hard as a judge on the X Factor.

Firstly, how does anyone even think of cheating on a woman like Cheryl Cole I do not know. Now would be a good time for Ashley Cole to book that much needed appointment at Specsavers do you not think as clearly he does not see how successful and gorgeous his soon to be ex wife is.
What’s more, the cheat even had the nerve to accuse Cheryl on his infidelity claiming she was never around to be a ‘good proper wife’- well I’m sorry Ashley, but that’s just not good enough and certainly not an excuse to play around.

Cheryl worked damn hard to forgive Ashley and get her marriage back on track after the 2008 allegations and said to a magazine that she wanted to try for a baby soon once she finishes filming the X Factor and even claimed that her marriage was rock solid.

It just goes to show that money cannot buy everything…Cashley Cole earns a staggering £82,000 a week at Chelsea and is married to the nations sweetheart but yet that still wasn’t enough..and the ‘sex text cheat’ didn’t just cheat once on the poor Geordie lass….just when she thought her marriage was finally back on track after the scandal with blonde Aimee Walton, she had to be publicly humiliated again just when she got off to a flying start with her solo career.

The recent scandal with John Terry and his wife Toni welcoming him back with toned, tanned open arms doesn’t help either, it’s almost as if she easily let him off the hook and what about their recent pictures in Dubai canoodling with one another? You’d almost think they were newlyweds on their honeymoon! I’m sorry Toni, but don’t you know…once a cheat, always a cheat! If the likes of Cheryl Cole gets cheated on, what hope do the rest of us have? Facebook users have even created a group on the Facebook site:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/If-cheryl-cole-gets-cheated-on-then-weve-got-no-hope/315072230641?ref=mf which of course I became a fan of.

You got to give it to her though, ever the professional, once the news was out, she still carried on performing at the Brit awards on the 16th of February, minus her wedding ring. Viewers reported that she was ‘tired’, ‘gaunt’ and’ lip synched out of tune’ which of course was perfectly understandable. She then jetted off to LA the next day using hunky dancer Derek Hough’s shoulders to cry on when further news of her husband splashed across tabloids including the Seattle city council worker, Ann Corbitt.

Fortunately and finally, she came to her senses and her management announced the couple’s split after she sent him packing via a text with even rumours flying around of a ‘quickie divorce’ Hurrah! Although, lets not get our hopes up just yet, apparently she has agreed to meet Ashley after he bombarded her with a billion of his calls and texts and her friends and family are said to be worried that her cheating husband could manage to talk her round a second time.

She is set to appear on 'Friday Night With Jonathan Ross' on the 12th of March, no doubt millions of viewers will tune in to hear her formally announce her split with Ashley Cole, although its got to be debated, will she or will she not cry on the show? I, for one, will certainly tune-in to find out.

If they do permanently split up, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing for Cheryl. As they didn’t sign a pre nup, she is entitled to half of the £22million fortune and assets. PR guru, Max Clifford reckons she could make it big in America and will become even more well known if she splits from him and she may just take up Simon Cowell’s offer on judging the American version of the ‘X Factor’ as nothing is stopping her now Ashley is out of her life.

Ultimately the decision is up to Cheryl with how she wants to move on; although we say DUMP HIM! One thing for sure though, is that Cheryl has many supporters behind her. Hopefully she will choose the right decision and the one that’s best for her…….the one that involves divorcing Ashley Cole.

Now now boys…form an orderly queue please….

What are your views on all of this? Should she or should she not dump her cheating husband?

HOW TO LOOK LIKE CHERYL COLE…WELL ALMOST.

Ok, so all the women want to look like Cheryl Cole and most men find her attractive. Whilst in 2003, she made headlines for her assault on a nightclub worker, these days she seems to be famous for her success as a judge on the Xfactor, her L’Oreal deal because ‘She’s Worth It’, her fantastic wardrobe and even fantastic looks. Don’t think the same could be said for her husband though….
She has come a long way since she first appeared on Pop Idol, both in terms of success and looks. Not that she was an ugly duckling before mind you, and it’s clear that she has not had any drastic plastic surgery; instead she dropped a few stubborn pounds that defined her face and gave her cheekbones most people would pay good money for. She had a few veneers put in to give her the classic Hollywood smile and most people alleged that she had Botox…which she strongly denies….in all fairness, she does have great skin and airbrushing is simply not an issue here, she looks just as great as she does on stage, TV and pictures. The rest was simply down to good make up and wardrobe and hiring the best hairstylist to give her the ‘most desired’ hair vote in every poll. Jealous…us?
Ok, but let’s not forget an important factor in all this, as much as she hates the tag (and although she has her own career and money in her own right) she is a WAG (That’s Wives and Girlfriends to you and me) and being married to a footballer certainly helps. Mr and Mrs Cole have something we mere mortals do not and that’s simply millions in the bank.
These millions can mean having the best facialist, manicurist, pedicurist, stylist, make up artist, hairstylist, nutritionist and god knows what other ‘ist’ these celebs have at their call 24 hours.
The stunning Geordie makes the most of what she has, for starters, she’s not particularly tall, but wacking on a sexy pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, gives her height and not to mention making her slim, tanned, toned legs stand out......something that’s not impossible for us humans to do too if we wished.
I guess what I am trying to say here is that ok, we will never completely and utterly look like Cheryl Cole physically (unless you resort to the surgeon’s knife? no didn’t think so) but by using clever make up, getting clothes to suit our body shape, having a new hair cut and colour and a few pampering sessions could mean one thing ladies…we too could soon look like Cheryl Cole.
Here are my top ten simple tips below to get you that one step closer to looking just as gorgeous ….and that is without needing millions in the bank…
1) WEIGHT. If you are short (like me) with a few stubborn pounds, it may be best to lose these, tone up by exercising for 30 minutes 3 times a week, work on the upper area one day, the middle part the next and on day three the lower part, i.e. thighs and bums. Toning up will define cheekbones and our clothes will look better. Who needs a costly gym membership, doing this at home will work out the same, jogging on the spot, skipping etc.

2) HAIR. One thing obvious with Cheryl is her gorgeous mane, thick and smooth. I would suggest getting clip in hair extensions (Clip Hair are quite good- Google it) and choose some chocolate brown colour with a few highlights in it. The trick is to get the extensions the same length as your own hair and not longer, this is what Cheryl does. Get some help in cutting the extensions to match your hair and wear these as often as you want as they don’t damage your hair and takes about 5-10 minutes clipping in. Invest in a good shampoo and ALWAYS condition hair, leave in for a few minutes and if you’re really brave do your final hair rinse with COLD water as this will smooth down the cuticles and give a natural shine. For volume, use a good voluminising mousse, (Tresemme and BedHead are good) and use large hair curlers at the ends to get waves/curls like hers and blow dry using the correct brushes, rounds ones, and blast it with cold air to hold your style in place.

3 ) MAKE UP. Cheryl obviously has great skin and is never seen with heavy caked on make up. Invest in good quality make up; MAC is the best in my opinion. She is known to use MAC face and body foundation (get some help in choosing the right shade for your skin) and L’Oreal Volume shocking mascara in carbon black, of course on special nights out, try out false eyelashes- Eyelure ones are usually good, and whats more, Girls Aloud have designed their own range- Kimberly’s are the best in my opinion. (They usually contain instructions as how to put them on- apply a few coats of mascara on top). Use a good fake tan lotion, Cheryl is a fan of Fake bake, St Tropez is good too, apply this over your body for a sun kissed glow (but exfoliate first as application will be smoother) and use shimmering lotion to define shoulders, cheeks, bust etc like Cheryl.

4) SKIN .MOISTERISE, MOISTERISE, MOISTERISE, if possible, cleanse tone and moisturise every day, and always remember the neck area as people tend to neglect this area. ALWAYS remove make up before bed as the dirt and oil will clog up your skin. To keep your skin hydrated, drink 2 litres of water a day, cut on caffeine, starchy foods, fizzy drinks and sugar. If possible, drink green tea throughout the day as not only is it good for metabolism, but it has great antioxidants too. Fruit juices and smoothies can also count towards your daily 2 litres. If you smoke, give up! Once a week, put on a face pack, or make your own at home. Steaming your face will also work and open up your pores.

5) NAILS. Nail extensions are also a great way to look groomed, medium length; square tips with a French manicure will usually look the best and will last 4-5 weeks depending on where you get them done.

6) FOOD. ‘You are what you eat’- ALWAYS have breakfast, a porridge or bowl of Special K will keep hunger at bay till lunch. Do not eat any carbs after 6pm, and snack on fruit, carrots, blueberries, celery sticks. You can dip it in hummus to make it less boring and of course don’t forget to treat yourself once in a while! (Chocolate!). Take a good hair, skin and nails supplement like Perfectil tablets if your diet is not rich in nutrients.

7) EYES. To make your eyes stand out, invest in Freshlook cosmetic lenses; get almond/chocolate brown coloured ones to match your Cheryl’s eyes! Bring these out, with lashes of mascara and kohl eyeliner around the eyes.For fresh eyes, invest in sparking/brightening eye drops and to soothe tired, irritated eyes, the good old cold cucumbers over them always work. For puffy eyes, keep your eye gel in the fridge and apply this when needed.

8) POUT. For a ‘fake’ it pout without all the injections, invest in a good plumping lip-gloss. Sally Hansen and Soap and Glory are some good affordable ones to name a few. Available from all Superdrug’s and Boots.

9) BODY. Apply any good cream after coming out of the shower to lock in moisture, best to do when you skin is slightly damp. Also, use a body brush and ‘dry brush’ in circular motions over your body brushing towards to heart, paying particular attention to the knees and elbows. This will remove dead skin cells and boost circulation.

10) BE HAPPY. There is no point in doing all of the above religiously if you are not happy inside. Eliminate any major stress in your life, relax and have some ‘me time’ when you can. Get plenty of sleep at night, eight hours is usually sufficient, think positive, do positive, do Yoga when you get some spare time, spend quality time with your loved ones and if you feel good, you will definitely look better for it.

See, told you it doesn’t need to break the bank, print this out, stick it wherever you like and where you can see it, (mine is on the fridge!) , do at least 2 of these things daily and you’ll be looking fantabulous in no time, quicker than you can say Cheryl Cole.

SUPERDRUG- GET YOUR BEAUTY FIX.

Everyone that knows me knows that I am a total make up junkie, which is why I just LOVE Superdrug. Maybe the fact that I was once a Saturday girl there has a little something to do with it, but the fact that is, I just luurrvveee a bargain and can always be sure to find a few there. Not to mention, the gorgeous hot pink themes and carrier bags you get to carry your lovely shopping in as opposed to Boots boring standard ones that looks better when my grandmother’s carrying them.

Whether you are simply stocking up on your shampoos and shower gels or buying vitamins, everything about Superdrug is fun and girly. What’s more, you find quality products at affordable prices. And if your budget cannot stretch far that month, (We all need to look after the pennies at some point!) Superdrug own brands are just as good.

To mention a few old time faves, Superdrug Vitamin E All Over Body cream 4754ml at £2.79 is an absolute godsend! I’m never without their Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner in Coconut Sweet Almond, smells so divine you almost want to eat the thing. And at just 0.97p it hardly breaks the bank. So what do I do? I buy four bottles of course and it still works out cheaper than one bottle of Head and Shoulders. Bargain with a capital B!

Much to the horror of my other half, my cupboard at home now resembles a shop, from a cellulite firming gel, to a bust cream, firming neck gel and a cute mini pink dental floss. See, the thing is, who needs expensive lotions and potions? (Crème de La Mer anyone?), when you can get absolutely anything and everything under one roof? Why pay a ridiculous amount for a moisturiser when one at Superdrug can do just the same thing to your pretty face.

If you’re a proper girly girl like moi and love magazines just as much as make up, Superdrug has a monthly magazine called ‘DARE’ and guess what it doesn’t cost a penny! This little magazine is like my mini high street beauty bible, its packed with lots of goodies up for grabs in competitions, the latest health news, interviews with celebs (Even A-listers) great offers, the latest hot looks and a perfect size to fit into your handbag! Could a girl be more happier?
To say im like a kid in a sweet shop would be an understatement…just recently I went in to stock up on a few beauty essentials and found that they now do a fab hot pick reusable bag for just 99p, all the more reason to shop and do your bit for the environment!
And what about the fabulous 2true make up range you can find on their rotating stands? Its obvious Superdrug hasn’t scrimped on quality with these gorgeous products and it ranges from bronzers to fake eyelashes and the best bit…? All at £1.95 each or three for a fiver! Hows that for a glam look on a purse friendly budget? My personal favourite is their Eyeshadow dazzlers in shimmering Copper.

You got to love Superdrug for their fantastic offers each month, this month I stocked up on my Vitamin C vits not just because I want to steer clear of a cold but also because they are Buy One Get One Free this month till the 16th of Feb.
For those lazy gals (And guys!) if you are just too lazy to go out, you can shop online on their equally great user friendly website http://www.superdrug.com/ they promise free delivery provided that you spend £35 or more. Call me old fashioned but as much as I love all this ‘online’ stuff nowadays, I cannot get the same buzz as I do in store when I ‘oooh and ‘aaah’ over smelling the gorgeous shampoos and luxurious shower creams and hearing the beeps of my shopping being scanned at the till.

When im feeling a little low and miserable, I can always count on a trip to Superdrug to brighten up my mood and splash out on my beloved make up and creams without feeling guilty. J

Here are my top ten Superdrug essentials:

1) Superdrug Vitamin E All Over Body cream.
2) Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner in Coconut Sweet Almond
3) 2True Eyeshadow dazzlers in shimmering Copper.
4) Superdrug Vitamin C 500mg Tablets
5) Superdrug Total care Mini Dental Floss in pink.
6) Superdrug Extra Strength Mouthwash Original.
7) Superdrug Beauty Essentials Nail Polish Remover
8) Superdrug Lip Therapy Aloe Vera
9) Superdrug Cotton Wool pads
10) Superdrug Tea Tree and Peppermint Facial scrub.

I hope you found this round up fun to read as much as I had fun writing it J

What are your beauty essentials and why?

Speak soon,
Superdrug Addict xoxo