WHATS IN MY MAKEUP BAG?

I thought i'd share with you all a sneak glimpse of what I am enjoying using at the moment. Our makeup bags are forever changing and new products are constantly finding their way into our makeup collections, I love looking at what new products people are enjoying so I hope you enjoy having a nosy through my makeup bag at the moment!

I have included both high-end and drug-store make up in this post so whether you're on a budget or looking for some more luxurious products, you can all gain some ideas from this post.

Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser £37

This is hands down the best tinted moisturiser I have ever tried. First of all, a little bit really does go a long way with this product so it lasts for a very long time! This tinted moisturiser gives me a fresh faced 'no makeup' look as well as giving my face a slight tint and light covering which helps even out any uneven skin tones. It gives my skin a healthy, duey looking finish which I love! Before using this I had never really liked using tinted moisturisers as they just sat on my face and did nothing, however this has completely changed my opinion.

Nivea men aftershave balm £5.35

Now this may seem very strange but I have recently discovered from the many youtube videos I watch that this is a great, cheaper alternative for a foundation primer. When I tried it I found that it made my face feel fresh and smooth and also had a lovely fresh smell to it. It has glycerine in it so it is smoothing and moisturising making it a perfect primer!

Make Up Forever 'Full Cover extreame camoflauge cream' £21
This is a concealer I wanted to try out for ages as I had heard about the very high coverage. It is said to be good for covering extreme markings on the skin and even tattoos so I knew it would be a brilliant concealer before I even got my hands on it! I love this product and it definitley lives up to my expectations, however because this is such a thick formula it is not the best for under the eyes as it tends to crease a little bit.

Benefit 'Hello Flawless!' powder foundation £25.50

I have recently re-discovered this product in my makeup collection. I really like how this powder doesn't make my skin look dry like most powders tend to do. It is a little bit darker than my skin tone so I use a tiny bit to stop me looking overly shiny and to warm my skin tone up. I like how you can use this powder as a sheer finish or build it up to be a heavier, flawless coverage depending on what you want. It has a lot of product in there and lasts a long time and has lovely packaging with a large mirror inside and a little sponge/brush (I don't use this brush but it's good for on the go!)

CharlotteTilbury 'Filmstar Bronze & Glow', Face Sculpt and Highlight £49

This has two amazing products in one, a perfect contour and a subtle highlighter with light shimmers. The highlighter is not overly glittery like some which I like and the contour colour is very pigmented meaning a little goes a long way. I use this for a lighter, subtle everyday look as well as a more built- up contoured face for nights out. The rose gold packaging is also lovely to look at!

Bobbi Brown shimmer brick eye palette in 'raw sugar' £35 
This is the perfect mini palette to carry around with you, it has warmed tones golds and browns which are all so easy to wear. I tend to just use a small bit of the light gold tones for a wash of colour over my eyelids for a simple, quick look. The colours are so pigmented and very creamy when applying.

No7 'beautiful eyebrow' sculpting pencil £8
This pencil is a bit old and battered but it is my all time favourite for my brows. I find this so easy to use with the sharpened pencil and brush on the other end. I find pencils the most easiest to use as you can be quite precise with them and shape your eyebrows exactly how you want without them going wrong! I have to admit im not the best at doing my eyebrows but with this I find it much easier. This exact pencil is not actually sold anymore, however they have a newer updated version which is just the same!

Bourjouis Liner Feutre felt tip liner in '11 noir' £6.99
Felt tip liners are my favourite as I find them so easy to use. I find this one doesn't move or budge throughout the day like other drugstore ones I have tried. The colour is a strong, dark black which I use for bold, dark flicks if I want a more dramatic eye look. If you are looking for a cheap felt tip liner, I would 100% recommed this one!

Befefits 'Rollerlash' mascara £19.50
This super curling and lifting mascara is my new fave. I find that I don't have to use curlers when using this mascara as it curls my lashes perfectly. This mascara also gives a lot of length to my eyelashes and the dark black colour makes them stand out more.

Urban Decay glide on eye pencil in 'stag' (from a travel size of five £25)
I receieved this mini travel set (in 'cosmic') around Christmas time and especially loved this shade. This colour is a substitute to a darker black if you want a more natural look or find black is too dark for you. These eyeliners are so soft and glide on the eyes so smoothly, however because they are so soft, they do not last very long.

YSL 'Rouge Volupte' lipstick in '1 Nude Beige'
This is a light nude pink which is perfect for everyday use. Although I love this lipstick, the formula is not good if  you have dry lips and so I find myself having to apply lip balm before using it. This colour is very light and so wouldn't suit all skin tones, however there is a big selection of colours so everyone can find their perfect shade. These lipsticks also have gorgeous packaging which made me instantly want one!

Thankyou for reading,
Love from Georgia
xxx

FCP NTU OPENDAY

Today I went for an open day at Nottingham Trent University to find out more about Fashion Communication and Promotion which I have recently received an unconditional offer for! (soo happy!). I already had a feeling this was the perfect course for me that I have been looking for and today certainly confirmed it! I needed to find out more about the course and what it was about so today really helped.

As an ice breaker we had a short task given to us to get to know everyone else. We were asked to empty the contents of our bags and arrange them on the table. We then had to move to the persons bag on our left and describe what we think that person is like based on the contents and how it was arranged. The girl who was asked to describe me got me spot on! This was such a fun task, everyone was so lovely and I loved being nosey and looking at what everyone carried around with them!

So as you can see my bag was ridiculously full! I am one of those people who NEVER empties their bags which results in me collecting millions of different lipsticks, lots of perfume, pointless objects and a LOT of receipts! (though I have to admit, I purposefully didnt put these out). I thought I would share this with you as it's kind of like a 'what's in my bag' for you all (though without all of the rubbish, receipts and random vouchers!).

So i'm aware this isn't the best photograph but we had a short period of time to do it and I had soo much in my bag! I was told my bag was like a tardis because I had so much stuff in there haha. This kind-of gives you an insight into what I carry around with me on a daily basis. I really don't know why I keep scissors, pencils, paintbrushes and stamp sets in my bag, I'm pretty sure I don't need to carry them around with me, these are the things that make my bag so heavy! 

I had Alexa Chung's book to read on the journey to Nottingham and a smaller notebook for writing any notes from the open day that I needed to remember, I also took some hello pandas as a snack (strange but soo good). My collection of lip products and perfumes always seem to grow in my bag, i'm sure it's not just me who throws the lipstick and perfume they are wearing in their bag and then completely forgets about it? Also, my purse is from River Island if anyone is wondering, I love it, especially because it has a giant bow on the top!

Thankyou for reading, 

Love from Georgia

xxx

TAYLOR SWIFTS BOLD NEW LOOK AT THE GRAMMY'S

I have loved looking at all of the different outfits worn at the Grammy's but one person that stood out to me in particular was Taylor Swift. I have never really been into Taylor or her music, however she really caught my eye with her bright outfit choice and new bold look. 

Her two-piece dress by Atelier Versace revealed her midriff area and a lot of leg, it was so bright and bold and I couldn't decide if I loved or hated it at the start. The bright fuscia pink and orange-red colours she was wearing are two colours I love to look at but don't necessarily like to wear (yes I am one of those people that wears black a lot), however they are definitely two colours that I think will show up a lot this spring/summer and the orange-red colour in particular looks great with a tan! I like how her look was so simple yet it made such a massive impact, block colours tend to stand out much more than fussy patterns and sparkles so I think she chose her colours well.

I think the big slit up the skirt was a risky move but she certainly pulled it off with her long, slim legs. The slit also showed off her barely-there strappy gold heels which is one of my favourite styles to wear and gold was the perfect accessory colour to choose with the pink and orange.

Now lets talk more about her brand new hairstyle! I am personally a big lover of long hair, I think you can do so much more with it, style it in different ways and it's more of a girly look which I prefer. I have to admit, Taylor pulls off her new chop but its not my favourite of her looks and I feel as if it almost ages her. A lot of people on social media have been taking the mick out of her new do by comparing her to people and characters such as Anna Wintour, Ledgend Diane Keaton, Dora the Explorer, Cody dressed as a girl from 'Zack and Cody' (I miss that show!), Violet Beauregarde from 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', and even He-man!

Another comparison even took the mick out of her outfit by comparing her to Larisa Oleynik's character Bianca in the film '10 Things I Hate About You'. Though Taylor definitely looked a lot more stylish than that!

Did you like Taylor's bold look at the Grammys?

Thankyou for reading, 

Love from Georgia

xxx

Photo credit: eonline.com

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN SPRING/SUMMER 1999

Whilst researching for my final major project I initially started looking at the idea of deconstructing beautiful things. Through this idea, I discovered Alexander McQueen's 1999 spring/summer catwalk collection with the spray painted dress finale. The beautifully made white cotton muslin dress with a white synthetic tulle underskirt was permanently changed by two mechanical, spray painting robots! This dramatic performance piece was so beautiful and inspiring to watch and I loved how the simple yellow and black spray paint created such a modern and unique design and made the dress into something completely different, a piece of art in itself.

The finale shows Canadian model Shalom Harlow who trained as a ballerina, this probably explains her balletic, soft movements as she turns around and around on the turn-table.

In McQueen's words: 'The finale of this collection was inspired by an installation by artist Rebecca Horn of two shotguns firing blood-red paint at each other'.  His finale was described as one of the most memorable moments of his runway shows (so i'm sure he had some thanking to do!). This piece has inspired me for my own designs and I am excited to eventually show you what I come up with for my final major project.

If you would like to watch the video for yourself, you can view it here:

Thankyou for reading

Love from Georgia

xxx

Photo credit-Google images

MY FAVOURITE FASHION BOOKS

I'm sure i'm not the only fashion lover out there who is obsessed with collecting fashion books! Whether it's becoming a designer, a stylist, store owner or editor, we all know that fashion is unfortunately a ridiculously difficult field to break into. I find most of my inspiration and motivation from books which has lead me to begin quite a collection! I already have my eye on many more but I am happy with my collection so far and I want to share it with you all. A few in particular that I want to purchase soon are Brooklyn Street Style, How to be Parisian, Vogue Covers book, Love Style Life and The happy closet, I have seen a lot of good reviews on these books so I hope they live up to my expectations!

Fashion Insiders Guide- New York.

So i'm currently a little obsessed with the idea of travelling to New York. It's somewhere I have always wanted to visit but have never had the opportunity to. However, one of my university choices offers the chance to visit the big apple in the first year and so my dream is becoming more realistic! I discovered this book which includes the top places to visit in New York for fashion lovers. It includes popular places to eat, great places to shop and brilliant beauty and healthcare spots. This pocket sized book is ideal for carrying around with you when you're there and has a lovely silk-fabric cover.

#GIRLBOSS

Sophia Amoruso

Sophia Amoruso, the founder and CEO of Nasty Gal went from rebelling, stealing books and selling them on eBay to starting a very well known, successful online clothing store. This book is so inspiring and I feel as if there are messages for every type of girl (or guy!) out there in this book, whether you're looking to blog, set up your own successful business or go and get that degree. She talks about her own experiences which made me feel as if I could personally relate to her more, she is teaching us much needed lessons on how to get things done and become a #GIRLBOSS.

100 Ideas That Changed Fashion

Harriet Worsley

If you are into the history of our fashion, you need this book! It shows some of the most influential fashion movements of the twentieth-century that has shaped the way we wear our clothing today. This is such an interesting book and I am constantly referring back to it when doing research on my course. Not only does this book show us the movements and history of our fashion through text and images but it explains as well which is so useful when learning and using it for research.

Vivienne Westwood & Ian Kelly

Vivienne Westwood is one of my all time favourite designers. I love her crazy eccentric style and how she still has elements of traditionalism running throughout her work. I have recently been researching the 1970's and Punk clothing for my Final Major Project on my course and so Vivienne Westwood (Queen of Punk and fashions favourite rebel) has been very useful for this. I have been researching a lot about Westwood and McLaren in their younger days with the Sex Pistols and find her life fascinating! I am still yet to finish this book as its extremely thick! However if you are a massive lover of Vivienne Westwood like me, then you wont have any problems in finishing it off.

The Teen Vogue Handbook

I feel as if this book is a must in everyone's fashion book collection. If you want advice, and to learn everything about positions in the fashion world then you need this book. From designers, stylists and editors to photographers, bloggers and models, it is packed with advice and tips on how to make it in the fashion industry. It almost gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the people at the top and is set out like a magazine making it very fun and easy to read. I also love the fact that there is a section on Anna Wintour who I have recently discovered 'The Devil Wears Prada' is said to be based on (and let's face it, we all love that film!). 

Big Book of Fashion Illustration

Martin Dawber

I added this book to my collection when we began practising fashion illustrations on my art foundation course. This is a very visual book which I use to flick through when I am in need of some inspiration. It includes illustrators from all over the world, showing a variety of different techniques and styles used and has sections on womenswear, menswear, youth culture, children, sport, accessories and beauty. So what more could you want! For all the graphic designers and illustrators out there, I would completely recommend this for you.

Alexa Chung- it

This is another great, easy read, as soon as I began this book I could not put it down! Global fashion trendsetter Alexa Chung shares some of her own experiences, personal inspirations and quirky sense of style. She seems so down to earth and honest which just made me want to read more and more. Her book feels much more personal than your usual autobiography, perhaps because she includes some of her own drawings, writing and old photographs. She advises us by speaking about some of her own inspirations and experiences. If you love Alexa Chung, you will love this book.

Remembering Marilyn 

LIFE

This book was purchased in Disneyland in America (random i know). This isn't exactly a fashion book, however Marilyn Monroe is a massive fashion icon for many people which is why I included it in this post. This book talks about her and her fascinating life and features amazing fashion photography, so if you are a very visual person like me, you will love it!

I hope my post inspires you to go out and buy even more fashion books! Let me know what your favourite ones are!

Thankyou for reading, 

Love from Georgia

xxx

MY MAC LIPSTICK COLLECTION

Hello! You fellow makeup lovers will know that MAC lipsticks are a must in our ever growing makeup collections! The range of colours, different formulas and high pigmentation of these lipsticks never fail to dissapoint me and I love the creamy, vanilla scent they all seem to have. MAC is definitely the brand where I purchase the majority of my lipsticks from and so far I have collected twelve. My collection may seem small to some yet obsessive to others, however I can safely say I love and wear all of my MAC lipsticks (though I may have favourites!). I am no where near finished collecting these beauties and have already got my eye on loads more. The £15.50 price tag isnt exactly cheap for a lipstick but for this luxurious product, its worth it.

I much prefer knowing what shade im going to buy so I dont have to spend hours standing in the MAC store in a crowd of people grabbing any old shade off the stand (im sure weve all been there). I constantly find myself looking through peoples MAC lipstick collections to see which one I need to purchase next, I love being nosy and stalking other peoples collections so I thought i'd share mine with you! This blog post is a guide for people like me who are forever searching for their next lipstick purchase! I have included swatches on my arm so you can see the true colours of the lipstick shades.

From left: Russian Red/ Rebel/ Girl About Town/ Lovelorn/ Captive/ Chatterbox.

From left: Russian Red/ Rebel/ Girl About Town/ Lovelorn/ Captive/ Chatterbox.

Russian Red

This classic red shade was my first ever mac lipstick and is a must have in everyones collection. The matte colour stays on all day and is very eye catching! I tend to keep this shade for a special occasion or for when i want to stand out and make a statement because it is so bold and glamorous looking. I usually dont get on well with matte shades as they tend to dry my lips out, however with a little bit of lip balm underneath I have no problems with this formula.

Rebel

This is a plum shade with berry pink undertones. I purchased this shade when deep purple lipsticks were the big craze and although I dont wear it as much as I did, it is still a lipstick I feel as if everyone needs in their collection. The satin formula is non-drying and gives a lovely shine. This has an almost sultry, vampy look and is perfect to wear on a night out.

Girl About Town

This is an amplified formula which makes this fuscia pink bright and pigmented,  I tend to use this colour on a day where I feel as if I look quite dull and need brightening up as it is such a young, fun shade to wear. This colour has very strong blue undertones and so makes my teeth look whiter. It also goes well with my light blonde hair and pale complexion so for my fellow blondies out there, this is the shade for you!

Lovelorn

This shade was bought on the way to Turkey last year and so I wore it a lot on holiday, it went very well with a tan and natural makeup. However, this lipstick isnt just a holiday shade, it has a very pretty muted pink colour which is perfect for everyday wear and the lustre effect gives it a nice, subtle shine. The more you build this lipstick up, the more pigmented it becomes so you can wear and apply it in different ways.

Captive

This satin formula lipstick is an all time favourite of mine in winter. The cool, berry toned colour can be worn both in the daytime and nightime and is what I would describe as a darker neutral shade. This colour tends to warm up paler complexions so if you have fairer skin like me and always forget to fake tan then I would reccomed it!

Chatterbox

This is probably one of the shades in my collection which I wear the least as I am not sure if it suits me or not. It is the perfect cool toned pink colour and is definitely a summer shade. I do like how this shade isnt at all overwhelming and is not to bright or neon. I think this shade would suit a smokey grey eye and a bit of sheer lipgloss to soften the colour even more.

From Left: Craving/ Dark Side/ Milan Mode/ Velvet Teddy/ Neon Orange/ Syrup.

From Left: Craving/ Dark Side/ Milan Mode/ Velvet Teddy/ Neon Orange/ Syrup.

Craving

This shade is very similar to Captive however it is slightly lighter and more on the pinky-red side. You can dress this colour up or down depending on your look/mood. I find this shade very warming and when I wear it I tend to pair it with Nars orgasm blusher and neutral warm-toned eye makeup.

Dark Side

I love wearing this deep burgandy/berry shade in autumn/winter. It is very dark and very bold which i like as it makes an impact. Although I really like this shade, I would have prefered it in a matte formula as opposed to amplified as the matte shades dont tend to fade or move at all. I find myself having to re-apply this shade, however with a lipliner underneath I dont think i would have this issue. 

Milan Mode

This is one of my most unusual lipsticks as the formula is a lustre (which i dont normally go for) and it has some subtle glitter in it. The bright magenta pink shade has pink and silver shimmers and is quite cool toned. I purchased this shade because I was instantly drawn to the shimmers and glitter, however I do find it slightly more difficult to wear than my other matte and neutral shades.

Velvet Teddy

Thanks to Kylie Jenner, the 'Queen' of nude plumped lips, I am sure this lipstick colour is now in everyones lipstick collections! This matte, deep toned beige colour suits almost every skin tone and really does make me feel like my lips look plumper. I pair this with Urban Decay's 'Sesso' lipgloss and different nude lipliners to get the full Kylie Jenner look! I was always too hesitant to try out nude lips because I didnt want it to wash me out or give me the 'foundation lips' look, however this lipstick completely changed my mind and inspired me to purchase even more neutral nude toned lipsticks.

Neon Orange

This is another lipstick I chose before setting off on a holiday. I really wanted a bright orangey-red shade that I could wear with a sparkly gold eye and tanned skin. I love how bright this amplified lipstick is as it really stands out. This isnt the most wearable Lipstick however as I only really wear it when tanned or when wearing black clothing!

Syrup

This is my current favourite lipstick shade from my MAC collection. It is so easily wearable and is almost a 'your lips but better' shade. This berry toned nude shade is in my favourite daytime formula lustre and is so glossy and moisturising when applied to the lips however you will need to re-apply it throughout the day. This lipstick is natural and sophisticated looking making it the perfect colour to wear to work. 

I hope you enjoyed my lipstick collection, Im sure i'll end up collecting many more so be prepred for an updated version in my future blog posts! I'd love to know what your favourite MAC lipsticks are, please leave a comment down below!

Thankyou for reading

love from Georgia,

xxx

FOUNDATION PART TWO, FINAL GARMENTS

Hello! If you are reading this then you will be experiencing my first ever blog post, I'm a newbie and am completely clueless at the moment so you will have to bare with me im afraid.

For my first post I thought I would share with you something I am doing at the moment on my course. I have taken this past year out in order to complete an art foundation diploma before I head off to university-eek! On my course I have chosen to specialise in fashion and textiles so I have had to make a lot of different fabrics and garments which I am loving! I have always wanted to make my own clothing and have definitely made a lot of disastorous attempts in the past so this course has really helped me learn the right skills and knowledge I needed.

There are three parts to my course and I have just completed part two. I decided to focus on Miss Havisham (Charles Dickens, Great Expectaions). This book was about a woman who was jilted at the altar, she slowly deteriorated in her wedding dress and after many years she eventually burned to death. I know this may seem like a strange morbid theme to use but the delicate lace materials and deteriorating textiles in the wedding dress was a very interesting topic to base my work off. I really enjoyed creating the delicate fabrics with aqua-film and bonda-web which I then distressed using a wire brush- this was very painfull if you acidentally brushed your hand though haha!

Two images of Miss Havisham that I used for inspiration

For my final garments I made a corset and an A-line skirt. I added a peticoat to the skirt and sleeves to the corset to give it a more old-fashioned, Victorian look.When my garments were complete and all put together I decided to do a  photoshoot in a wood nearby my house with my lovely cousin. It was absolutely freezing but she did so well and properly got into character for me, dont you think she looks like a model?

The location was perfect for what I wanted. I love how the bridge and bare trees go soo well with my theme and blend with the bouquet of dried flowers that I added to the look. 

 

My Miss Selfridge lace detailed shoes also went with it nicely!

I cant wait to share with you what I will be doing in part three of my course. Our final major project determines what our overall grade will be so its a pretty big deal!

Thankyou for reading,

love from Georgia 

xxx