Bold the Truths

I am a morning person.
I am a perfectionist.
I am an only child.
I am Catholic.
I am currently in my PJs.
I am currently pregnant. 
I am left handed.
I am married. 
I am addicted to MySpace.
I’m shy around the opposite sex.
I bite my nails.
I currently regret something I have done.
I don’t like anyone.
I enjoy rock music.
I enjoy RNB and pop.
I enjoy jazz music. 
I have a car.
I have a cell phone.
I have a pet.
I have at least one brother or sister.
I have been to another country.
I have been told that I’m smart.
I have been told that I have an unusual sense of humour.
I have had a broken bone.
I have caller ID on my phone.
I have changed a lot over the past year.
I have had surgery.
I have killed another person.
I have had my hair cut within the last week.
I have had the cops called on me.
I have kissed someone I knew I shouldn’t.
I have kissed someone of the same gender.
I have mood swings.
I have rejected someone before.
I have seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
I have watched Sex and the City.
I like Shakespeare.
I love to cook.
I love Michael Jackson.
I love sleeping.
I love to shop.
I miss someone right now.
I own over 100 CDs.
I own over 100 DVDs.
I own and use a library card.
I practice a religion that is not considered mainstream.
I read books for pleasure in my spare time.
I sleep a lot during the day. 
I think Britney Spears is pretty.
I will try ALMOST anything once.
I work at a job that I enjoy.
I would classify myself as ghetto.
I can name all seven dwarfs from Snow White.
I am currently wearing socks.
I am tired.
I am currently waiting for someone.
I lost contact with someone.
I hate Miley Cyrus.
I think Party In The USA is catchy.
I’d date Harry Potter.
I can name all the past presidents of the United States.
I know who was president before George Bush.
I love pickles. 
I need the internet to live.
I prefer vanilla over chocolate.
I watched Star Trek.
I watched all six movies of Star Wars.
I own an Xbox.
I think music is life. 
I prefer bands than singers.


I. Music (BOLD THE ONES YOU LIKE)

Acceptance. Coldplay. Dave Matthews Band. David Bowie. Foo Fighters. Hellogoodbye. The Killers. James Blunt. Teddy Geiger. Linkin Park. Ok Go. Panic At The Disco. Peter Bjorn. The Postal Service. Timbaland. Jack Johnson. Norah Jones. Drake. The Fray. The Wreckers.  Beyonce, Metallica. Massive Attack. Queen. Journey. The Cars. Supertramp. Eurythmics.Sublime. The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Wu-tang Clan. Fergie. John Mayer. Jason Mraz. Justin Timberlake. Michael Jackson. Kenny Chesney. Carrie Underwood. Lynyrd Skynyrd. Neil Young. The Beatles. Brad Paisley. Tim McGraw. Taylor Swift. P. Diddy. Jay Z. Lil’ Wayne. Lil’ Jon. Three 6 Mafia. Nelly. Young Joc. T.I. Sean Paul. 50 Cent. Eminem. Eiffel 65. Ace of Base. The Underdog Project. Dream Theater. Santana. Alicia Keys. Incubus. Victor Wooten. Ludacris. Gorillaz. Matchbox 20. Paramore. Say Anything. Adam Lambert. Taking Back Sunday. Eric Clapton. The Darkness. Weezer. The Eagles. Jimi Hendrix. Maroon 5. Billy Joel. Reel Big Fish. Anberlin. Green Day. Mae. Family Force 5. AC/DC. Electric Six. Outkast. Simple Plan. The White Stripes. Prince. Mika. Crystal Castles. Tokio Hotel. Britney Spears. Spice Girls. The Gossip. Lady GaGa.Nirvana. Smashing Pumpkins. Forever The Sickest Kids. Third Eye Blind. Metro Station. Motion City Soundtrack. The Rocket Summer. Tenacious D. Something Corporate. The Moldy Peaches. Mandy Moore. Plain White T’s. Yeah Yeah Yeahs. My Chemical Romance. Fall Out Boy.We the Kings. The Rolling Stones. Angels & Airwaves. The Beastie Boys. Black Eyed Peas. Boys Like Girls. Jonas Brothers. Demi Lovato. Selena Gomez. The Cure. Cobra Starship. Death Cab for Cutie. Deftones. Team Sleep. Filter. Honor Society. Katy Perry. Muse.

II. Movies (BOLD THE ONES YOU’VE SEEN)

Pride and Prejudice. Glory Road. Goonies. Center Stage. Seven. Newsies. 300. Robin Hood Men In Tights. Love Actually. Garden State. Donnie Darko. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. My Best Friend’s Wedding. Anchorman. Drop Dead Gorgeous. Wedding Crashers. Elf. Zoolander. Austin Powers. Clueless. Mean Girls. Hairspray. Moulin Rouge. Fight Club. Rocky. Pulp Fiction. What A Girl Wants. Kill Bill. Thank You For Smoking. Little Miss Sunshine. Requiem for a Dream. The Departed. Dawn of the Dead. Memento. The Lovely Bones. 17 Again. 8 Mile. Office Space. SBoondock Saints. Say Anything. The Silence of the Lambs. Saving Private Ryan. Superbad.The Prestige. Just Friends. The Devil Wears Prada. Under the Tuscan Sun. Titanic. Saw. Ace Ventura. She’s the Man. Because I Said So. Catch and Release. Music and Lyrics. Spanglish.Stick It. Step Up. The Fast and the Furious. Joyride. Halloween. The Italian Job. Crash. Must Love Dogs.The Last Kiss. Chicago. Harry Potter. Rush Hour. Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Clerks. Shooter. The Bourne Identity. Meet the Parents. Dirty Dancing. A Christmas Story. Rudy. National Treasure. Sleepless in Seattle. Miss Congeniality. The Science of Sleep. The Matrix. Everything is Illuminated. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Empire Records. Phantom of the Opera. Lord of theRings. Click. Scarface. District 9.

III. TV (BOLD THE ONES YOU’VE WATCHED MORE THAN A COUPLE OF TIMES)

ER. Grey’s Anatomy. Scrubs. South Park.America’s Next Top Model. Gossip Girl. Sex and the City. Friends. Dawson’s Creek. The Big Bang Theory. Seinfeld. The Office. Lost. Miami Ink.Made. Arrested Development. That 70’s Show. Family Guy. The Simpsons. Veronica Mars. Project Runway. Bones. Iron Chef. Alias. Pushing Dasies. Gilmore Girls. The Colbert Report. The Daily Show. Mythbusters. Avatar: The Last Airbender. Will and Grace. 24. House. Whistler. Heroes. Aqua Teen Hunger Force. 7th Heaven. Everybody Loves Raymond. Boston Legal. Bleach. What I Like About You. Reba. King of Queens. Survivor. The O.C. American Idol. Days of Our Lives. How I Met Your Mother. CSI. Boy Meets World. Law and Order. Numbers. Reno 911. I Love New York. Step by Step. Little People Big World. What Not To Wear. My Wife and Kids. Moonlight. Supernatural. Ace of Cakes. White Collar. Nip/Tuck. The Biggest Loser. Beauty and the Geek. Battlestar Galactica. Stargate SG1. The Inferno. Scarred. Wild N Out. Real World. Whose Line is it Anyway?. Trinity Blood. Dead Like Me. Dragon Ball Z. Futurama. Firefly. Medium. Star Trek. X-files. Cowboy BeBop. Sailor Moon.My Name is Earl. Six Feet Under. Dancing With The Stars. Degrassi. Greek.Glee. Secret Life of the American Teenager. The Hills. Laguna Beach

Eyebrow Tinting - What to Expect

Hey everyone,
Sorry about how long it's been between posts recently - school this year is set to be ridiculously busy and I really have been burning the candle at both ends. If it weren't for my little survival guide, I would quite possibly be dead right now.

But enough with the moaning, and onto the good stuff. Eyebrows have always been a pet peeve of mine. Instead of having my mother's thick, dark, shapely eyebrows passed down, I inherited my father's scrawny blonde strips - fine on him, not so cute on me. I've plucked, pencilled, powdered, you name it, to try and make these babies into the strong, face-framing brows of stars like Keira Knightley and Miley Cyrus (love her or hate her, the kid's got good eyebrows...). But no dice.
Until one day, I was reading a magazine article on eyelash and brow tinting. The idea seemed bizarre to me . The eyelashes in particular could be quite scary if something went wrong - I still haven't been brave (or stupid) enough to try that. But I did a little research into eyebrow tinting and eventually worked up the guts to give it a go.
I found a salon that uses holistic and henna-based dyes. I'd recommend finding one in your area; I'd rather use a product with lower levels of crazy chemicals if someone intends on waving a stick of it around my eyes for any length of time.
All in all, the process is surprisingly quick. Here goes:

1. You'll have a brief consultation with the therapist where he or she will ask about what you want from your brows and how light or dark you're looking to go. If you've dyed your hair very far from your natural colour, they'll also ask if you're looking to match your brows.
2. You'll then have a cleanser swiped over your eyebrows to remove any makeup, dust from the great outdoors and anything else that could prevent the product adhering to your hair follicles.
3. The therapist will then outline your eyebrows with a barrier product like Vaseline in order to prevent the tint bleeding where you don't want it.
4. Your dye colour is quickly mixed and applied with a little spatula-thingy (teehee). If you're only going a few shades each side of your natural colour, the dye's left on for a maximum of five minutes. If you're doing crazy colours, time will vary.
5. The dye's wiped off and your brows are cleansed again to remove traces of any product.

Threading -YOUCH!!

Usually with tinting, it's advisable to have your brows shaped in some way (whether done at the salon or afterwards by yourself at home). This makes sure any stragglers match the colour of the dyed hair and makes it look more natural. The three safest shaping methods for brows are plucking, threading and waxing. Plucking is time-consuming and I prefer to do it myself if needs must. Threading hurts wayyyyyyyy more than waxing. Trust me, I learnt the hard way. I also find that threading causes me to break out much more than waxing does.

When you're all done, an anti-inflammatory product like aloe vera is applied to soothe the area and reduce clogged pores, which can lead to spots and blackheads.

I really recommend brow tinting to anyone trying to enhance their face. Your brows frame your eyes, the area of the face you notice first. If you have good brows, you can pretty much get away with no makeup. The tinting darkens the blonde hairs in my brows and makes them look much fuller. If I want a really dramatic look for a night out, I'll still powder over my brows with an eyeshadow (brow powders are generally a waste of money), but I'm pretty much good to go.

A final word? The results last for about three weeks, and this varies from person to person. So make sure to scout around for good prices, as upkeep can be costly!

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Lots of love xx

Post-Workout Pep

Hey everyone,
Recently I've started taking classes in Bikram yoga, which is something `I never thought I'd do. Me and yoga have never been the best of friends, mainly because of my inability to sit down and shut up for more than three minutes. But the short story is, I love it.
It's a really intense workout and the heat draws all the toxins out of your body and skin.
One of my favourite parts of the whole things is the shower afterwards - I just feel so much cleaner than I do when I shower anywhere else, and it's the perfect exfoliating opportunity... which brings me to the point of this post. All you need for the softest, smoothest skin in the world is:

• A body brush. I like these so much better than loofahs or exfoliating mitts; they're lovely and massaging without being at all abrasive and they do a beautiful job.
• Shower gel. Easier to carry in your workout bag than a bar of soap, and lots have added nutrients for you skin. My favourites are the Radox Soul Soother Shower Smoothie and Original Source's Lime Shower Gel.
• An amaaaazing moisturiser. I lovelovelove Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula. It is amazingly moisturising but not greasy, it's helped to clear up the scars and marks on my body and it smells like CHOCOLATE :) yum.

Try it for yourself - you'll be amazed at the difference in the way your skin looks and feels!

Lots of love

xx

Breakfast Solutions: Oatso Simple

So I know this isn't really a beauty or style post but if you don't have your health you have nothing, right?
Right.

I don't know about you guys but when I was little, my mum tried valiantly and at regular intervals do get some porridge down my gullet. Ick. She tried it with honey, with berries, even with Nesquik powder. Nada. I was not going to eat no porridge.
I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it again: I am not a morning person. Ideally, I would just roll out of bed around the crack of noon and roam the streets in my PJs, but I can't. Somehow I get my feet on the floor, wash my face and body, do my hair, makeup and make it out the door - with no breakfast. This was never a regular thing - up until a few years ago I had never once missed breakfast. But as schoolwork increased, commutes became longer and I had to deal with putting together pretty outfits, it started to happen. Now, when people say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they mean it! It's not even about setting you up right or keeping your energy levels up (though of course it helps), but eating a healthy, moderate breakfast will keep you at a healthy, moderate weight. The same applies to eating balanced, decent meals at regular time intervals every day - you train your metabolism to expect food at a certain time so that it doesn't try and store energy in reserves. But if you're going to choose between breakfast and anything else, choose the former: your metabolism says "Hello, I'm awake now and because I'm being fed I know I'll have more food in a few hours so I am chilllllllled OUT!"

Yes? The hardest part for me is finding something nutritious, quick and scrummy. And here it is: Quaker Oats Oatso Simple sachets. One sachet (27g) with 180ml semi-skimmed milk holds 183 calories, 2.5g fibre, and 8.9g protein. I like the Sweet Cinnamon flavour best, but uou can check out the whole range here.

And the best part? All you have to do is add milk, microwave for 2 minutes, and ENJOY!

Max Factor 'Smoky Eye Effect' eyeshadow sticks review

Hey everyone,

So most of you have probably seen the ad for Max Factor's new(ish) creation: the Smoky Eye Effect eyeshadows (right). Now I don't know about y'all, but it takes me forever to do a really good smoky eye - and who has that kind of time on a regular basis?
The little short-cut-seeker that I rarely admit to being, I saw the gorgeous makeup in this ad and skipped out to git me some o' what she got (*insert Southern accent*).
The kits are cream shadows that come in double-ended sticks - one end for all over lid colour, and another conveniently tapered side for your crease. The sticks were on a two for three offer, so I bought Purple Dust, Silver Storm and Onyx Smoke (which is what the model wears in the campaign). Then I dashed along home to play with them.

The sticks are labelled 'Step 1' and 'Step 2', incase you're a total idiot (me) and can't work it out for yourself. They're very smooth in consistency, and relatively easy to apply. With the application, my one gripe is that the 'Step 1 ' or dome-shaped end, has to be pressed quite hard against your lid before you get noticeable colour. I would definitely prefer if this end were flat-topped. All the colours have a sheen to them, so they're not matte but there's no crazy glitterfest happening there.
My favourite of the three is probably Purple Dust, as it's very easy to create a day-to-night neutral smoky eye with. If you're planning on getting these babies know that:

1. Using a primer with them will give you the best results, as they do have a tendency to crease into your skin.
2. A fluffy eyeshadow brush (yes, I know they are cream shadows; and yes, I know they say you don't need to use anything but the stick for the 'perfect smoky eye') buffed over a generous amount of the shadows will make it look fabulous.

If all else fails, these are wonderful eye makeup primers and colour bases for more complex looks!

Thanks for reading xx

Advert image: http://images.blog.edelight.co.uk/lifestyle/beauty/maxfactor1.bmp

Eyeshadow sticks image: http://www.makeup4all.com/wp-content/uploads//2010/07/Max-Factor-Smoky-Eye-Effect-Eyeshadow-for-fall-2010.jpg

Dripping Moisture, Dazzling Shine

Hey guys,
To provide a full background to this post would mean going into the ins and outs of my hair. Boring and also very long. I will probably film a video on it and try to spice it up a little. Perhaps a little series on growing my hair out - would you guys be interested in that?
Anywho, the nub and gist of things is that about two months ago, my hair got very dry and dull. It pretty much looked like it was full of dust and felt like it was made of straw. I hadn't been abusing it, so what gives? But using a small variety of products and techniques, I managed to get it looking prettyyyy again :) and now I'm letting you in on the secret...

1. Shower Time

• As with most beauty routines, healthy, moisturised and shiny hair starts in the shower. I prefer moisturising shampoos over 'shine-enhancing ones'. They just do the job better. The main thing to look for is a shampoo with no more than one sulfate in it. Check out the deets here.
• I like to deep condition in place of a regular conditioner every time I wash my hair. Don't freak out - I body shower, shave, all that jazz on a daily basis, but I only shampoo every three days. For those in-betweeners, dry shampoo is your best friend. You can watch my video on how to use dry shampoo properly (and my favourite brands) here.
• Once a week before bed I'll coat my hair with my deep conditioner, clip it up and cover my hair with either a shopping bag or cling-film (whatever's handy). Wake up, wash out, presto - pretty hair.

2. Styling

• There are two to three products I use once my hair has been towel dried. The first is the Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream. This just acts as a leave-in conditioner and strengthener.
• Then I apply a generous amount of Shine Shock High-Shine Perfecting Glosser from the John Frieda Brilliant Brunettes line through my ends, then spread the remainder through the top sections of my hair.
• If it's a damp or rainy day, I'll use a ten-pence sized amount of John Frieda Frizz-Ease Weather-Proofing Style Sealant Creme. In short, hair cuticles that aren't flat (i.e. frizzy) aren't shiny. The top cause of frizzy hair: not having enough moisture in the cuticle. This means hair pulls moisture from the air causing it to go kerr-azy. A good anti-frizz product will either provide enough moisture to quench the hair shaft, or create a weather-proof barrier around it so that no unwanted water gets in.

3. Finishing Touch

• However I've styled my hair, I'll rub a pinkie-nail sized amount of shine serum between my palms and skim over my hair.
• Last but not least, I use a shine-finish hairspray like Dream Hair Sublime Style Super-Fine Hairspray by Charles Worthington. Opt for a spray with flexible hold that is weather-proof to eliminate that nasty frizz and stop the whole cement-head fiasco.

It worked for me, so now you can try it for yourselves! Fancy giving it a go? Leave me a comment on how you get on, and on what you do to keep your hair shiny and healthy!

Until next time x

Get it off! GLITTER NAIL VARNISH

Hey everyone,
So being the nail varnish freak that I am, I have a newwww craze: GLITTER POLISHES. My favourites?

OPI's "Absolutely Alice"

• The entire OPI Alice in Wonderland Collection. (I talk about these in my September favourites video). *sigh* Just gorgeous.
• Silver 555 by GOSH Cosmetics. This is possibly my favourite polish of all time - It genuinely is a silver nail varnish, and it's so highly pigmented that you only have to apply two normal coats to get perfect strong colour (none of that 'metallic' watery gunk here, thank you). It's proper glitter and unlike the Alice in Wonderland colours, is doesn't have great big chunks of actual sparkles in it.
• BYS Nail Enamel in Pot of Gold. More of a top coat or finishing touch, but still so pretty.

But for anyone who has worn glitter polishes before, you will know the dampener... removal time. OH my goodness, it is such a pain. The cotton pads catch on the glitter flakes and you're left with a tinge of colour and a roughness that you can either spend hours removing or days living with.

Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish

Remover is a fave...

Well - not any more! Obsessed, I wasn't about to stop wearing my new friends just because they had a nasty aftermath. So here's a little tip I came up with to help you say a goodbye to those sparkles:

1. Pour an acetone-based (read the label) nail varnish remover into a small side-bowl or sugar pot. Anything with a small diameter that your can get one hand into will do. You won't need to pour more than a depth of 2cm into it.
2. Dip the fingernails of one hand into your bowl, so that the whole of each nail is completely immersed. Best to leave them in for 2-3 minutes.
3. Dip a cotton pad into the polish remover and then gently slide it over each nail. Repeat once if necessary.
4. MOISTURISE like you never have before. It's always a good idea to apply a hand cream or Vaseline generously after using a nail varnish remover, because it will dry your hands and nails out. 

I hope this helps you guys - I know it's taken the pain out of sparkle polishes for me!

Love coming your way xx
OPI polish image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceVGCPOcX1OyCJTnSM82S3y1UyGf4wsoCn2ezY1C6p68fxPxaHnv3nMndgfT3kcmatOVdQZRlXzw3KjS3tU4Z5iFel45MjNenoNKdj0CuBzBVKg1LMznrJwbKFwyM47df_GA1xQIMHvoD/s400/opi-absolutely-alice-swatch-1.jpg
Cutex nail varnish remover image: http://www.lloydspharmacy.com/wcsstore/LloydsPharmacyScripts/images/catalog/otcMed/2490480_l.jpg