A guide to MAC foundation colors. C? NC? N? NW? W?

So many of you are confused as to what the difference is between MAC's foundation shades (C, NC, N, W, NW). Its pretty simple unless your really rubbish at remembering! Okay so....

C - Stands for Cool. Best for yellow, golden olive skin.
NC - Stands for Neutral Cool. So is best for skins with a slight golden glow. Common color.
N - Stands for Neutral. Beige skin. Common color. (only available in Studio Fix Foundation)
W - Stands for warm. So best for pinkish skin.
NW - Stands for Neutral warm. Pink beige skin. If you have irish in your blood you could be W or NW.

Ive found MAC foundations to be so easy to apply. Unlike most foundations it doesnt dry as quickly so its very much easy to blend and smooth out. It also doesnt have that powdery look afterwards so its great for all skin types including dry. Most of all there isnt that awful shine you get with some foundations, even if your skin is oily MAC foundations seem to work with every skin type.  You can layer the foundation up or keep it to simply not there bare.  They are a great way to get your perfect match with their personal colour chart that Highstreet Brands just simply dont have. I myself go between NC30 and NC40 - a great way to mix.

Top 5 home remedies for super shiny locks.

We've all walked down the 'Hair Care' isle and been over whelmed as to what does what and whos is the best. With over 50 brands of hair care products and hundreds of different types of frizz tamers, shine sprays, colour locking formulars, curl tamers etc, its no wonder we just grab the first that says 'shiny' or 'soft' and get straight out of there! But why keep paying rediculous prices and testing so many of these products when you've got everything you need at home?

1. Olive oil - This hidden wonder is not just for cooking. Olive oil acts as a hair shine conditioning mask with its natural oils bursting through the hair shafts surface to get right inside where your hairs at its dryest. Simply take an egg cup amount of olive oil and rub through the hair. Wrap the hair inside a towel or shower cap, leave for 2hours or for best results over night and use the regular shampoo/conditionair routine in the morning.
2. Milk - Milk is one of the main ingredients used in shampoo's and conditionairs. Because of its creamy forumlar it helps smooth split ends down to create that shine, great for blondes and actually can help straighten your hair. Directions of use? Take a spray bottle and fill it with half a cup of milk. Spray the hair till its damn and comb through. Leave for an hour and wash out with shampoo/conditionair.
3. Beer - Want to get hair as soft and smooth as possible? Next time your male friends sipping that beer, steal a can. Its great for bringing out brunette color. Directions? Simply use like you would shampoo and massage into the scalp, Leave for 10minutes and rinse, shampoo/condition.
4. Yoghurt - Like milk yoghurt can straighten, smooth and make hair look extra shiny. Yoghurt is easier to use than milk and can be used as a hair mask. Simply slap on the yoghurt, comb through and leave for 30minutes. Shampoo and condition.
4. Vineger - Yes, vineger. It brings out that rich brunette colour in natural or coloured hair, smooths down hair ends and adds shine. Take 2 teaspoons of vineger and mix with your regular shampoo.
5. Lemon Juice - Great for getting rid of that yellow/orange blonde you hate. Lemon juice is usually used to get rid of stains, as it actually contains its own natural bleach. So mix two table spoons of lemon juice in hair conditionair and leave for a couple hours. Rinse and shampoo/condition.

So next time, before you go wondering down the Hair Care isle, check whats in your kitchen cupboard!

Go Grow A Pair

Press on the accelerator and run over those false lashes. Arriving is Rimmels ' Lash Accelerator Mascara'. Proven to lengthen and strengthen those Fluttering beauties. A 30day mascara with added 'UMPH'.
After just two weeks I can official join the 95% of the tried and tested population which noticed results in just 14days. My lashes which natural curl upwards where noticeably longer, stronger and had a natural shine.
The mascara itself coats lashes evenly and with its spiked applicator brush appears to lengthen as you comb. The benefit of the lashes being longer after the make-up remover comes out is just one for Chinese Whispers.
Rest in Peace false lashes. Hello Natural beauties.

Maybellines New Products!

Im quite a fan of the Highstreet brand Maybelline. Its ' Lash Stiletto' mascara is one of my favourite voluptuous lash lengthener I've tried, (Check out Augusts Blog for the review). So upon wondering into my nearest Boots I decided to to pick up the new '24H Superstay Foundation' and the new 'Eye Studio Quads Palette' in 'Glamour Browns' .

24H Superstay Foundation? Its silky formula smooths over the face without a problem and allows you to blend outwards without it drying too quickly. It comes in 8 shades, very light sand - dark cocoa, I usually slap on a medium self tanner and so I bought 'Nude Beige'. It was a perfect match to my skin and full coverage in half a pump. I usually apply a mineral powder to minimise shine and set the foundation, but as this claimed it lasted 24 hours I decided to try it out. Twenty Four hours later...... Looks freshly  applied and I didn't even need to use powder as there was no shine! ' Do-It-All-Through-It-24hour' Yes you can.

Eye Studio Quads firstly come with 4 engraved numbers in the 4 colours chosen and a small application guide for base, lids, crease and line for 'instant impact'. Perfect for those who want to try something new or get the hang of the smouldering brown smoky eye. The 'Glamour Browns' palette which I chose came with white, gold, light brown and dark brown, all colours had a slight sparkle but not to heavy, so great for everyday wear or layer it for night clubbing impact. It does have 'lightweight feel on the eye' and i found there wasn't any dropping residue. The colours are very similar to Mac eye-shadow's in (Vanilla, Gorgeous Gold, Charcoal Brown and Twinks) Great little palette for your make-up bag!

Beauty Tricks and Tips

Buns - They are still in this season and we all want that big, fuller looking bun. So how do we get it? Spray some dry shampoo over the hair (like Batiste Fresh)  and comb through, the hair will immediately appear thicker and fuller.

Longer Fingers - Luckily we're rocking the pale colours this Autumn/ Winter which appear to make your fingers look longer. If you want to use a dark colour, don't be afraid just paint the centre of the nail and leave the sides.

Lasting Lipstick - Lip-liner! Its the only key for smudge free, longer lasting lipstick. If you don't want those lips to look all 'trout-pout'. Than use a neutral lip-liner to line those beauties.

Staying Power Foundation - 'Revlon Photo ready foundation' is just perfect. Leaves you looking naturally airbrushed and stays put. But another trick for those nights out is Hairspray! Yes, using a small amount spray over the face approximately 20cm away and off you go.

Dry Skin - We use anti-dandruff shampoo on our hair (The Body Shop Ginger Shampoo ive found is fantastic) so why not use it for our face? The ingredients in the shampoo minimises yeast that causes the dryness. So next time your in the shower rub some shampoo over your dry areas.

Big Hair - We all love that big 1960's hair. And the cheapest way to get it is to DIY. Take a spritz bottle (£1 from Bodycare) and add two small tea spoons of sugar. Spray at the roots and leave to dry - immediate boost.

Fake Tan Disaster - Orange Palms or Streaky skin. Best thing to use is washing powder. It acts as an exfoliant, aswell as easily removing the tan with its stain removing ingredient it uses for clothes. Remember to moisturise straight afterwards as washing powder can dry the skin out.

Route Disaster - So your going on a big night out and you realise your routes are as long as a motorway. Grab your black/ brown mascara and spread it over your routes. Easily quick fix and washes out.

Yellow Toenails - So that nail polish looked great on but now you've taken it off and its left those fresh feet with yellow nails. Fix it up using lemon juice and buffing cream both ingredients together ex foliate the nail plate and remove the stain. Just remember next time to use a base coat.

Breakouts - Dont rush out buying 5 different brands that claim to get rid of spots in however many hours. Always use natural products like Tea tree which dries the spot out. Or use Sudacreme, yes that's right. Usually used for nappy rash on babies Sudacreme works perfect fro spots too! Dab on and leave over night, reduces spots significantly.

Straw Hair - Your hair looks rather like a scarecrow? Easy - head to your kitchen and grab the olive oil. Take about 4 table spoons and rub through your hair. Wrap in a towel and leave for a couple hours. Wash out using your regular routine and taa-daar yours hair looks more healthier than a trip to the salon.

Va Va Volume!

I've been desperate to find a 'magic' product to volumise my hair the same way as back-combing but without causing damage. And after prowling down every isle in Boots i've found it! It works! And it smells great! 'Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Backcomb In A Bottle' claims to provide instant miracle volume and sexy texture...And does it? Yes. Ive found I can run my fingers through my hair and still keep the volume, unlike when backcombing where my fingers get tangled in the strands asoon as i sweep it back (not a good look). Its really simple to use: just adjust into position and spray, i do prefer to lift individual strands and spray the root.  So for just £5.49 your hair wont have to get strangled in your comb and can stay healthy. Perfect!

Back to Base

Stand up and be prepared to salute 'Gosh Velvet Touch face primer'. Creating a uniformed finished base to smooth over foundation leaving you with that desired no-shine flawless finish. This is my new favourite primer! It goes side by side to Urban Decays Primer Potion and for half the price! I've wanted to try it for quite a while and boy-o-boy, am I happy I have. Perfect for a basic moisturiser on clean skin or as a face primer before applying your foundation. Gosh primer comes in 'Clear' and 'Apricot' finish serum so would work great as a tinted moisturiser too. If your wanting a serum a little stronger Gosh have created 'Velvet Touch Line Corrector' to smooth down lines that appear a little deeper. Is it for you? It works on all skin types as there is no added oils or perfumes and its preservative free. Perfect 2in1 'nifty' bottle in my opinion!

St Tropez's £3 contender!

I'm a big fan of Faking it than Baking it and I hate spending that last £20-£30 on a bottle of brown liquid, yet I do! I use to think there was nothing better than that St Tropez golden glow and yes it's the best; streak free, natural and easiest tanner I've found. But, I have discovered a VERY close contender! Streak free? Yes. Natural looking? Check. Easy application? Check. Price? Only £3 a bottle! Now that's worth getting the word around. It does exactly the same job as that money stealing St Tropez and it even has 9/10 of the same ingredients! Could it get any better? I've found the best place to get hold of this little treasure is; Home Bargains, cheap Beauty Stores and Bodycare. Go get golden girls!

BeautyTrend (Autumn/Winter 2010)

Berry Lips! Yes girls, this confident classic is back for those who love strutting there stuff with 'power-pouting' confidence! From classic strawberry to the sweetest blackcurrent theres a range of shades to experiment and recreate that modern beauty. Outline your lips with a shade darker than your lip colour and create that desired cupids bow. Then splash on that juicy lip colour and your ready to rock that trend. (Check out Boots No7 lip range)

Kohl Crazy! Dip back into your makeup bag and pull out that hard-working kohl pencil or liquid liner if you prefer. Let your eyes be the focus for Autumn/Winter and experiement with creating that mysterious glance. Wrap Kohl around the entire eye (no broken lines) and add a dash of personality with a flash of coloured shadow. (Best: Benefit Bad Gal Eyeliner in Black) or (Benefits 'Smokin Eye Kit' perfect to add Bold Brows! and Kohl Eyes)

Bold Brows! Total opposite to last winters 'no-brow' look. We're now adding fullness to our brows, framing those smokey eyes and strengthening that expression. The look needs tamed brows to pull out those tweezers and those loose hairs. Grab your brown pencil or shadow and start filling in those brows!

Blushing Beauty! We're loving the seasons touch of color with a light pink blusher! To create the look you'll need to dust the cheek bones with a candy pink layer of blusher . (Best: Benefits blusher  in Coral). For extra contouring, dust the forehead and temples too.

Translucent Skin! Taking a slight tip from the Victorian Era were looking for that airbrushed bare look. Using a foundation such as (Revlon: Photoready). Take a peasized amount of liquid and apply using a brush or sponge. Get rid of any excess with patting a tissue over the face and apply some translucent powder (Revlon: Photoready Translucent Powder) this will set the base and your makeup will last longer aswell as ontrend! 2 for the price of 1.

Pale Nails! This trend is forgiving to those nail nibblers who's short nails aren't too pretty in bold colours. Pale colours lengthen your fingers and work with any outfit. Thankyou! Best 'pale-nail' colour (Topshops: Hide and Seek nailcolour).

Metal Lids! We're looking for natural beauty with a twist! Add 'rock-chick' syle to natural eyes with a splash of metallic cream shadow! Cigarette colours are a must, thats; fawns, golds, ambers, yellows, browns, beige and creams. I adore Rimmels metallic cream shadow collection and they're cheap! So smooth on that cream shadow and be ready to rock that trend.

Peaches and Cream: Touches of peach and cream colours are definatley key this season. To add innocents to those smouldering Kohl eyes or those edible Berry lips. Add touches of cream and peach blusher or eyeshadow to those temples, jawline, eye sockets and forehead.

Top Ten Beauty Buys!

Invest in a new make-up buy this month without breaking the bank. From mascara to nail polish these beauty buys will get you buying them in every color! Snap up these beauties quick before they sell out!
1. Maybelline Stilletto Lash Mascara: Lengthening and volumising mascara with a no smudge technology, and in the shape of a stilletto could we ask for any more!
2. TopShop Nail Varnish: Topshops new range has hit the stores and is selling out fast with its fashionable packaging and its got all our favourite on trend colors for summer!
3.NO7 lip products: Boots No7 range has become more popular now selling over 4 types of lips products and in so many colors! Theyre perfect for a matt day lipstick or a glitzy night out pout!
4. Collection 2000 Bronzing Powder: Perfect for a sunkissed glow and not too glittery! Only £3.99 and can be used to add color to face, neck and shoulders.
5.Revlon Photofinish Foundation: Perfect staying power and gives you that HD Photoready look. Perfect for getting that full coverage that doesnt look too thick!
6. St Tropez Fake Tan: Best fake tan around by far! It isn't as cheap as some false tans but it gives you that golden brown glow with just one application! (Available half price in TKMAX)
7. Olay Glow Moisturiser: I use this as my face primer, it adds a dewy face glow so my foundation looks more natural! It comes in a small travel sized bottle and lasts forever!
8. Elnette Hairspray: I cant go anywhere without having a bottle of hairspray! It keeps your hair frizz free and your makeup too! (big tip for extra staying power- spray face with a light coat of hairspray) Elnette brushes out without any dragging the brush through knots!
9. Benefit Blusher in Coral: This little box has lasted me since Christmas! It is a medium pink tone with a light highlighting pigment. It lasts all day too!
10. Mac Liquid Liner: Perfect saying power! I use black liquid liner and use a brush to apply this product, but it doesn't flake or smudge and last the whole day and night. Couldnt ask for anything better.