Beyoncé Makeup Look

So I previously did a Cara Delevingne makeup look and I got so many lovely comments that I was eager to transform myself into another well-known celebrity. There wasn't much deliberating who to do next, Beyoncé being my favourite person pretty much EVER. I re-created a penultimate Beyoncé look circa 2010 that she wore at the Grammy's. 

1) Face and brows

I started by using a dark foundation to match Beyonce's skin tone. I experimented with different concealers and foundations untill I had the perfect match. I then concealed my under-eye area with The Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer and put that along my nose bridge, on my cupid's bow, on my chin and in the centre of my forehead. 

I then drew on my eyebrows in the shape of Beyoncé's. I think I may have got a bit carried away with the thickness though, oops! My brows aren't identical either, but don't stress about making them perfect; Beyonce's eyebrows are super defined but they're not perfectly groomed. Besides, eyebrows are sisters, not twins!

2) Eyes

Taking a dark black eye shadow, I can't remember which one I used, I applied this all over the lid and above for a dramatic wing. You might want to use a baby wipe or apply some sellotape for a clean, sharp edge. 

Now for a bit of sparkle! I took Sin from the Urban Decay Naked Pallette 1 and ran it under my bottom lash line and put it in the tearduct. I then went over that with M.A.C's Vanilla Pigment for some extra glisten. 

I then ran a black eye pencil from Victoria's Secret along my waterline and tightline and used the Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara. All that was left was to pop in some light brown eye contacts. 

3) Bronzing and Glossing

After a bit of bronzing using Nars Laguna, I contoured my nose bridge so it looked a bit slimmer and added some outer shadows for the appearance of a wider, rounder nose.

Lastly, lips. Using  a lip pencil from Victoria's Secret I turned my non-existent top lip into a fuller one and added a bit of plumpness using Rimmel Stay Glossy lip gloss in 101 Non-stop glamour.

A quick glimpse of my bare face before:

And here is the finished look!

I edited my hair online for a more accurate representation!

Have fun releasing your inner Beyoncé! 

"Your life is your message to the world. Make it inspiring. Write something worth reading." - Beyoncé

Lots of love,

Lily

A Beautiful Day

It turned out to be a glorious day the other day so my Mum and I headed down to our local(ish) park for a bite to eat and to soak up some sunshine. I'm still as pale as I was before, but I have certainly had my fix of vitamin D that I was well in need of! I took some beautiful photos of the surrounding nature. I do apologise for my wonky shots though; I have a habit of taking pictures one-handed, I must be getting a bit cocky with photography. 

The beautiful blossom tree was in full bloom and the petals laid on the ground like confetti

This isn't a demonstration of my wonky hand - the tree was actually tilting!

I'm hoping this gorgeous weather is here to stay for a while!

"Don't wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul." - unknown 

Lots of love,

Lily

Easter Cupcakes!

I'm sure you're all more than aware that the Easter celebrations are about to commence. I didn't get round to doing as many creative things this year as I would have liked for no good excuse other than I have simply been enjoying having some time off and seeing friends! There is one thing I always have time for though... and that is cupcakes! I am a keen baker and I love getting stuck into cake projects where I can practice my sugarcraft and try out new things. This isn't a recipe post, I just wanted to share with you the cupcakes I made in the hope that some of you might gain some inspiration - there's still some time after all!

I found myself more busy than usual this Easter holiday so I kept things easy with this simple design. Usually I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to these annual projects I set myself, but I was surprisingly more laid-back with these cupcakes. 

They're no where near perfect, but they're 100% homemade so you can get away with that, right? 

The cakes are a coconut sponge with a white chocolate buttercream. Coconut and white chocolate is one of my favourite combinations for cakes and I tend to use it a lot! I did all of the sugarcraft myself too. Pastel blue seemed the perfect colour for the festivity and you obviously can't make Easter cupcakes without sticking on some chicks and butterflies. The pearls embellished around the blue discs add a cute, vintage look to the cupcakes too.

Have a lovely Easter filling up on chocolate and maybe some cupcakes too!

"Easter is the only time of year when it's perfectly safe to put all your eggs in one basket." - Kurt Avish

Lots of love,

Lily

My Top 5 Skin Care Products

Being a teenage girl, it's no secret that our skin can go through a bit of a war at times with spot breakouts etc. This can be super annoying and it can actually lower your self esteem a heck of a lot more; I find that I have a lot more confidence when I am having a 'good skin day'. So, I thought I would share 5 of my favourite products that help keep my skin happy and healthy. My skin is a combination type and it obviously goes without saying that these products won't work for everyone as we all have different skin. Also, all of these products besides the spot treatment from Lush are available at independent pharmacies, drugstores or supermarkets.

1) Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream

I thought we would kick things off with my favourite of them all. If you're not familiar with this, it's an antiseptic healing cream that is more commonly used for nappy rashes and eczema. What people don't often realise though (unless you read the small print) is that this can also be used for acne and it is an absolute miracle when it comes to making my spots disappear. You can probably tell by the gunky pot that this thing is well loved in my household! What I usually do is apply a thick, generous amount over my spots and go to sleep so it has time to dissolve into my skin and work its magic. More than often, my spots will be on there way to going or gone in the morning! The price for this varies slightly like most of these products depending where you shop, but it is around the £4.00 mark for a pot like this.

2) Grease Lightning Spot Treatment - Lush

I was attracted to this product by the name first and foremost as I found myself instantly belting out the song. When I started to read more about the product, it sounded like a brilliant idea and so I was eager to try it out. Having had this for about 3 months now, it has not disappointed at all. All you do is squirt a pump onto your fingers and dab it over the blemish to stop spots appearing. Alternatively, you can apply the gel to already formed spots and it will kill them too - totally worth it for a small cost of £5.65.

3) Bio Oil

Most people associate Bio-Oil with diminishing the appearance of stretchmarks and scars but it is actually a great moisturiser for the skin too. My sister got me on to this as she read somewhere that Abbey Clancy uses this on her skin. This has become part of my skin routine already and I can't see it being replaced very soon. I just pour some onto my hands and wipe it over my face and my skin instantly feels hydrated and fresh. It also prevents my foundation or tinted moisturizer from caking and looking crusty as my skin is left baby soft after using this. Bio-Oil is proven to be anti-aging too and it evens out skin tones which is ideal for me as I have a lot of redness around my facial area. If you have oily skin, this probably won't be for you but if you have dry or combination skin, give it a go and see what you think! A small bottle like the one above costs £9.15.

4) Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3

Since I suffer with large pores, it is always good to have a toner as it really minimizes the size of them. I borrow this from my Mum (since it's such a large bottle we can share) so bare in mind that this shouldn't really be used frequently on young skin as number 3 is extremely strong. I only use this when my skin needs it. It basically wipes away all of the dirt from your face which unclogs any pores and prevents spots. This is a little more on the pricey side at £16.5o but it is worth every penny as my skin always feels so awake and amazing after using this! You can tell we have got a lot of use out of this too and we're in need of a new one!

5) Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser

I believe that every girl should have a moisturiser in their beauty bag - it is a necessity! This one from Simple is perfect for people with sensitive skin like me as it is light and hydrating and a pea-sized amount goes a long way. It isn't expensive either at the price of £3.99 which means I can keep stocking up without breaking the bank. Just using this product alone every day would keep my skin satisfied as it is so nourishing.

If I have helped just one person that would be great but don't stress too much about achieving or maintaining flawless skin. As long as you are comfortable and happy in your own skin, that is the main thing! Remember it's your personality that makes you beautiful.

"Nature gives you the face you have at twenty, but it's up to you to merit the face you have at fifty." - Coco Chanel

Lots of love,

Lily

Cliffs Pavilion Wedding Fayre

As a Sunday day trip, we went along to the Cliffs Pavilion Wedding Fayre to see my sister Daisy model her huge princess ballgown down the catwalk. We'd be lying if we said we don't like having a snoop around Wedding Fayres for future inspirations too! Don't worry, I'm not getting married yet, nor is she! It's always nice though to collect ideas and take bits and pieces for upcoming events - be it weddings, parties, whatever the occasion!

Shortly after having her makeup done - how gorgeous!

The Blushing Bride

 The Afternoon Tea laid on as a display - the cakes weren't to eat sadly!

What did you get up to this weekend?

“To know someone is not to know their face, but to know their heart.” - Vikrant Parsai

Lots of love,

Lily

Mango & Banana Smoothie Recipe

Since spring has sprung, I have decided to incorporate more fruits into my diet as we all know that summer will soon be here! I also like to eat relatively healthy when the weather is a bit sunnier; you can get away with bad eating in the winter! I find smoothies super convenient when in a mad rush and they're a great way of getting a few of your five a day in one hit. This mango and banana smoothie contains only ingredients that are good for you and it tastes delicious too, believe me, this is no April Fools!

Ingredients (easily serves 2):

1 small mango or half a large mango

1 banana

Juice of half a lemon

1 cup of almond milk

Mis en place (prep your ingredients)

Chop the mango and banana into small pieces so it is easier to blend.

Put all of your fruit in the blender and add half the juice of a lemon. This will stop the banana from browning quickly.

Pour 1 cup of almond milk into the blender. You can't even taste the almonds once blended, but it has so many health benefits!

Blend all of your ingredients together, and there we have it! 

Enjoy your delicious fruity beverage!

"Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand." - Mother Teresa 

Lots of love,

Lily