Guest Bloggers | Ombre Glitter Nails

Hi guys! Hope you're all well. For this guest post I've decided to do a nail tutorial. I love love love nail art & have just started learning how to do my own! I've never done dazzle nails before, but I thought I'd show you how I've done it & we can learn together. Ahh, cheese! ;)

So, first things first... what do you need?

• A base coat - I'm using Boots essentials base coat.
• A coloured nail polish - I'm using OPI that's berry daring.
• A Barry M dazzle dust or another sort of pigment - I'm using Barry M shade 71.
• A top coat - I'm using Sally Hansen's InstaDri
• A spoon with a flat end

& here goes! Apply one coat of your base. This step is obviously optional, but doing so will prevent any staining to your nails & will provide a more even finish to your polish. Once the base coat is dry apply your polish of choice. This is where you need to be on the ball!

Now, using the flat end of the spoon pick up a little of your dazzle dust & place it just above your nail cuticle. Whilst the polish is still wet blow the dazzle dust in the direction of the nail. I learnt from doing mine that if you blow nice & slowly you get a better effect. Otherwise, the dust just goes everywhere. You might make a little bit of a mess, but just do it outside or on a tray & all is dandy!

Repeat the above steps on each of your nail, & you should end up with something like this... very messy, glittery fingers!

By the time you've done all of your fingernails the coloured polish will probably be dry. So now you can apply your top coat.

Once the top coat is bone dry you can clean up your fingers & be left with beautiful nails! I just used a face wipe for mine & it worked great. I did get my sister to help though, preventing any smudging.

& voila, there you have it! My first impressions... I really like it! I like the subtlety of the colours. I think it gives a gradient/ombre type of effect. Next time I'll use contrasting colours & the dazzle dust will be a lot more obvious.

If any of you guys try this out, lemme know! & lemme know what colours you think work best :) Send me a comment over at http://www,jensbrightandbeautiful.blogspot.com.

Guest Bloggers | Prolonging Make Up

Today's blog post is by Aniqah at http://andlaughatguildedbutterflies.blogspot.co.uk/ Enjoy!

I know many people will often come across the problem of how to prolong their make-up.  Whether it is due to an oily skin-type that allows your base to slide all over your face, a dehydrated patch of skin than quite literally sucks up all your make-up, or the weather, which, let's be frank, is a tiny bit on the weird side at the moment.  Then there is the issue of how to make your make-up last for occasions such as weddings or graduations and wotnot.  I have, in my cosmetics and skincare arsenal, a number of products that I use to help me with this problem, and thought today might just be the time to share it with you!

First up, you need to know your skin-type: by identifying this, you can identify exactly what you need to do with the rest of your routine to help your make-up stay on all day.  My skin-type, for example, is oily, with a dehydrated nose, meaning that my nose suddenly has no foundation on!  To counter this, I quite often use a combination of a balm cleanser to add moisture, clay mask to draw out impurities, then a moisturiser to re-balance the skin.  My products of choice at the moment are the Boots Botanics Organic Cleansing Balm, Good Things 5 Minute Facial Mask and the REN T-Zone Balancing fluid.  To add extra moisture to my dehydrated nose and eyelids I often use an intensive moisturiser such as my DCL Post Peel Quick Recovery Lotion at night.  When it comes to skincare, use products suitable for your skin-type but always remember that you need to put back some of what you take out: balance deep-cleansing products with moisture-replenishing products, and your skin should be happy.

I have one primer that I turn to when needed - I generally go without a primer as I already pile layers and layers onto my face.  It is Philosophy The Present, which I find acts as yummy-scented super glue!

In terms of foundation, I would say the best I have come across in terms of longevity is the Dior Forever.  It comes in a large range of shades, has a matte, very polished finished, and is buildable from around a medium-high to a flawless coverage.  It easily lasts around 7 hours unpowdered, BUT I always powder.

When it comes to a setting powder, I have only used one for the last 2 years: the Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder.  It is a super finely milled powder, white in colour, but completely translucent on the face.  It works to blur imperfections, creating a soft-focus finish on the face, and helps in the battle to control oil.  I use this after my pressed powder, and find that I really notice the difference when I do not use it.

Newest to my little arsenal is the Collection 2000 Fix It Up Spray.  This is a last step after all make up is applied, although I prefer to use it before I apply mascara, but each to their own.  You simply spray from a couple of inches away, inhale the yummy smell, and wait for it to dry and therefore set your make up.  I find that this really holds its own when used during the day at any point where you might get shiny.  It does not disrupt the make up at all, and just serves to perfect it further.

I hope you liked my tips - and remember it all starts with skincare!

Love A.x

Guest Bloggers | Autumn Staples

Hello gorgeous readers here at Ditzy Glamour, I'm Ana and I've been busy blogging over at We All Think Differently. If you haven't already why not come check me out?! Jess here, told me she was going away on Holiday and wanted some guest bloggers, so i volunteered, but here's the deal..I've never blogged over at anyone else's blog, (Call it lack of confidence) and i may not be as interesting or funny as Jess is. So basically, I'm scared to do this post, but Jess told me I'll be fine, so I'm taking her word for it and jumping in.


Lets talk about Autumn Staples in your Wardrobe..

With summer coming to end, (Well lets face it, with the ONE week of British summer we had.. finished) I am super excited that Autumn is on its way..i was sitting at work the other day thinking how rubbish summer has been this year and it hit me that I'm actually so excited to get my beanies back on my head and to wrap up in my scarves again..so I'm going to be chatting a little about what staple pieces you should have in your wardrobe OR at least what pieces I WILL have in my wardrobe.

-Scarves.
I LOVE THEM, the longer, the better..i don't really use the thick ones until Winter fully kicks in but one that i can wrap around myself a good few times, usually excites me.
-Hoodies.
This is one thing that's in my wardrobe throughout the year, I just love them, and again the bigger the better, if you have a boyfriend, their hoodies are by far the best to wear. I like wearing mine in a dressed down way.. on my "relaxing" days, and I  also like looking for hoodies that have university names on them, I  kinda collect them.
-Flat high boots.
These for me are preferably in black or brown, I practically live in my flat boots throughout autumn, i like them high and I LOVE wearing them with my skinny jeans. This look can be quiet dressed down or with the right accessories can be glammed up.

-Beanies.
The bigger the better, that's all I'm saying, I'm talking about those beanies that look like they're about to fall off your head.. i have SO many of them and in lots of different shades! :)
-Heeled Ankle Boots.
Perfect for a night out, they don't have to be all dressy up they can be simple and it would still work.. you can wear them with a dress and some tights, or even with some jeans.. i think everyone should own a pair.
-Flares.
Bear with me on this, as I think of few of you may disagree, BUT some good fitted Flares to me are a MUST.. they are perfect with some heels, and again can be dressed up or down.. I think I'm going to wear mine to my new work quiet abit this Autumn.

-A Leather Jacket.

I spend alot of my Autumn time in mine, I have a brown one and a black one, the black is by far my favourite and I wear it usually with my long scarves.
-Jumpers.
I love jumpers throughout the Autumn months, I look for jumpers with great pictures or designs on the front and i look for ones that look fluffy and warm.. I tend not to go for REALLY thick ones as i always think "I will get too hot, its not winter or Christmas yet."
-Jeans.
Weather they be skinny, or flares, or even boyfriend jeans, I love jeans, i practically live in mine, all year round. I love then cropped and I love them long. To me this is an essential piece of clothes every wardrobe should have regardless of the season!

And there you have it, my MUST HAVES.. for the coming Autumn month.

What are your staple pieces and have I missed anything out?!

Thank You to Jess for allowing me to write this little post on here..! :)

Ana X

Top ten tips for beautiful Valentine’s skin

This is a guest post. More details at the end.
If there’s ever a day that requires a little bit of extra beauty titivating, it’s Valentine’s Day. It’s coming up quickly and so it’s best to make a start now. Think radiant and irresistibly touchable. Follow these simple tips and you’ll be glowing come February 14th.

1. Scrub up.

The sooner you start an exfoliation routine, the better. If you start now you can rid your body of any dry and scaly bits in time for your romantic night. I would always recommend Soap and Glory’s Breakfast Scrub.

2. Scrub again.

Don’t just leave your body well scrubbed; if you are going to achieve that glow then your face needs work too. Nubo’s Bio Electric Buff is pricey at £38 but it works wonders. It leaves your skin feeling tingly and refreshed and the mini micro beads wipe away dead skin.

3. Don’t stop scrubbing yet.

Finally, but most importantly, your lips need some scrubbing. Use an old toothbrush and a big blob of Vaseline and rub away a few times a week.

4. Cleanse.

Aesop is a great brand – all the products are nice and natural and based on botanics, plus they look great. Their Fabulous Face Cleanser is nice and gentle so you can use it everyday without your skin feeling stripped and tight.

5. Tone.

I always think this time of year calls for a bit of balancing. You might have some dry patches of skin and other oily bits that threaten spot outbreaks at any moment. Using a balancing toner should help sort this one. Elemis do a lovely lavender balancing toner that should hit the problems spots.

6. Moisturise. Moisturise. Moisturise.

You really can’t quench your skin enough at this time of year. Central heating and harsh winds take away moisture every day so you need to put it back. My top tip is to slather baby oil over your skin straight from the shower and then back this up with you favourite Body Shop body butter.

7. Sleep on it.

When it comes to moisturizing your face the best time to give your skin a drink is over night. Cleanse and tone as usual and then add a rich night cream such as Neal’s Yard Vitamin E and Avocado night cream – it’s just full of nourishing goodness.

8. Get a good foundation.

Once it comes to the big night use a night light foundation like Garnier’s BB cream. It’s only £9.99 and works as a moisturiser, concealer and foundation in one.

9. Bronzer, blusher and highlighter

.
In the dark depths of February everyone needs a bit of help to look glowing and healthy. Invest in a non-sparkly cleanser for your cheekbones, a rosy-glow for the apples of your cheeks and a subtle highlighting cream for those bits that needs a little brightening.

10. Get set to go.

E.L.F’s lock and seal is a great little product (at the great price of £3.50), just apply over eyeliner, eyeshadow or lipstick for a look that will stay in place however much snogging you do.

Saisha Potts writes on behalf of www.cafelamoda.co.uk, the social fashion site. Visit Cafe La Moda to find all of 2012's beauty trends in one place.

Saturday Takeover 004.

Today's post is from Kayln who is blogging about her top 10 Lush products (in no particular order!)

1. Mask of Magnaminty

Photo Credit: kaboodle.com

This mask rocks my world. Unlike the other face masks from Lush (which I also love), this one does not need to be kept in the fridge and has a much longer shelf life. It gives my skin a nice tingly clean feeling and leaves my skin soft and glowing, and dramatically more even than before I put the mask on. This mask is a must for me if I know I'm going to be going out that night, and it's especially great before a night out because the cooling sensation is so refreshing. I think this mask would be great for most skin types, besides extremely sensitive. For the record, my skin is fairly sensitive and I have no problems with this.
2. Big Shampoo

Photo Credit: beautyjunkielondon.com

Let me start this off by saying I have the finest, thinnest, flattest hair ever. I mean, my hair with no styling, etc. makes people think Gollum has left Middle Earth and come to the Midwest. Yeah. It's scary. This shampoo, however, gives my hair body and texture even if I don't use anything else on it and I let it air dry. I don't use it everyday because I color my hair and the sea salt can be drying, but if you're looking for a good special occasion volumizing shampoo, this is what you're looking for. It also lightens my blonde. I wouldn't recommend it for people who darken their hair because it's been known to strip color (hence the lightening effect).

3. Rock Star Soap

Photo Credit: http://makeupbyjessica.blogspot.com

This soap...where do I even begin? The scent is like if a million angels cried tears of joy and then those tears were molded into a delightful pink, creamy bar of soap. But seriously, it's the best sweet berry candy scent I've ever smelled. It gives a creamy lather and leaves your skin feeling lightly moisturized and it looks adorable sitting in your shower. I just wish the scent stayed on my skin longer, but most Lush soaps don't have too much of a lingering scent. This one does linger for a few hours on my skin, but I wish I could sit and huff it all day long.

4.The Comforter Bubble Bar

Photo Credit: http://lipstick-lollipops.blogspot.com

I swear to God, Lush's bubble bars make the most luxurious bubble baths ever. You crumble a bit of it under the running water and you instantly have a tub full of bubbles, perfect for crafting an extremely full and fluffy bubble beard. (You know you do it). This one smells like heaven on earth, with a really warm berry scent. It lingers on your skin amazingly, and
really is extremely comforting.

5. Big Blue Bath Bomb

Photo Credit: karennutton.co.uk

I'm a big fan of all of Lush's bath bombs, but this is the one I will always go back to, in any season. It has a delicious fresh, salty, ocean-y scent. It's hard to explain, but you all know what I'm talking about. It's something that would be called "sparkling waters" or "ocean breeze". Also, since it's loaded with sea salts and little bits of seaweed it makes for a very relaxing, moisturizing, and spa-like soak. You'll feel like a mermaid in your bright blue water with bits of seaweed floating all around you. For those who might get grossed out by the seaweed, you can always put the bomb in the end of a pair of nylons and it will catch any debris. But I highly recommend indulging in a bit of mermaid fun.

6. Sugar Babe Sugar Scrub

Photo Credit: fashaddix.com

I'm a HUGE fan of exfoliating my body (on account of in the winter my skin tends to start literally looking like an alligator handbag) and this does an excellent job. My only complaint is that it's a bit messy, but to me it's worth it. I just break off a bit and soften it up with water and exfoliate all over. The pink lotion stuff in the middle in combination with the scrub itself give you the smoothest skin ever. It also leaves you with a really delightful fresh, sweet scent that I can't really put my finger on.

7. Marilyn Hair Treatment

Photo Credit: beautyalmanac.com

As I mentioned earlier, I have very thin, fine, brittle, color-treated hair. This mask is super-food for my hair. I put this on dry hair, leave for about an hour, and then rinse it out in the shower and HOLY SOFT HAIR, BATMAN! This stuff leaves my hair SO silky and soft, and also does have a slight lightening effect. It also leaves my hair smelling of marigolds for a few washes, which I really enjoy. There's not much to say except if you have dry hair, you MUST try this hair treatment.

8. Strawberry Feels Forever Massage Bar

Photo Credit: amazon.com

I live in the Midwest, and the winters here are excruciatingly cold and snowy. Because of this, my skin gets scaly to the point where no moisturizer can save it. Besides, of course, an extremely rich massage bar from Lush. I'm a fan of all the Lush massage bars, but this is one of my favorite scents. It's a very sweet, creamy strawberry scent, and it will leave your skin so smooth and glowing you won't believe it. I find it's best to put it on straight after a shower and then give it a bit to sink in, or put it on at night and sleep with it on. Both methods result in skin as soft as a baby's bum. I also like to run a massage bar down my shins and arms if I'm going out for a sexy sheen.

9. Charlotte Island Lotion

Photo Credit: bloglovin.com

This stuff is heaven sent. When I went on my trip to Florida, and I feared blinding all the other tourists with my whiter than paper legs, this is what prevented a national catastrophe. This lotion gives you the most natural looking tan I've ever gotten from a body tint. Now, it will wash off as soon as you go in water, so I wouldn't recommend wearing it to the beach if you'll be swimming, but for days out on the town it's amazing. It has a really yummy chocolate fruity scent too so your legs look AND smell good enough to eat. (Ooher). A word of caution: let this set a bit before putting on clothing or it will transfer. It will come out in the wash, but no one wants brown streaks on their top.

10. The Smell of Freedom Perfume Spritzer

Photo Credit: http://hairspiration.blogspot.com

This perfume is one of the most unique I have ever smelled. It's a really earthy, spicy, and fresh scent all at once. It will make you feel like some sort of woodland goddess. I can't really put my finger on the notes, but according to the website they include: lemongrass, lemon myrtle, neroli, jasmine, ginger, fire tree, clove, black pepper, sandalwood, oudh, and orris. All I can say is that it smells wonderful and I get tons of compliments whenever I wear it. I've never smelled anything like it. The scent also lasts all day without having to reapply, without being overpowering.

Big thank you to Kayln for doing a guest post for me. If you want to follow her blog, you can at http://bathbeautybattlestargalactica.blogspot.com :)

x

Saturday Takeover 003.

Today's post is from Peg, who is such a lovely girl and she always leaves lovely comments on my blog. Her post is on plus size fashion...

(All clothes are from New look and Dorothy Perkins online sales)

Hello, I am Peg your average Londoner in my 20’s. I have been lucky enough to guest on Jess’s marvellous blog. On my blog What’s New Peg, I usually write about my life, fashion, beauty and baking on my blog and writing, and since Jess’s blog is similar to mine I thought I would write a post on fashion with particular reference to plus size fashion.

I have always found it difficult to find clothes that would fit me properly and suit my shape; I’ve always been in the plus size area of fashion. I never like going into the plus size section of shops as I always think the designers have not thought about their customer, maybe they do not want to look like their wearing a tent, making them look a size or two bigger then what they are. I used to only be able to wear plus size clothes and I used to go past all the other clothes and wish I could pull off outfits that are shown all around us whether it is in mags, shops or on others. I understand that some people would not mind hiding behind their clothes, but I think that the fashion industry has dictated what people should wear and what the perfect sizes should be. Clothes should be a reflection on an individual’s personality not a form of prison.

So why am I rambling on about this? Because finally mainstream stores have began to cater for plus size fashion more openly and begin to look at how clothes are shaped on a lady’s body. The picture above is from new look and Dorothy Perkins and pretty much from the mainstream section of their sites. I particularly love the dresses, as they look so classic in design. I cannot wait to go clothes shopping to buy some clothes that are similar to these, dam the delay on my deposit coming back to me. I shall leave you lovely readers with a wish list outfit that is to be made up of plus size clothes, in fact I will be buying most of this outfit when I have some lovely money.

Ta ta for now

Peg x

Make sure you check out Peg's blog - http://www.sowhatsnewpeg.blogspot.com :)

xo

Saturday Takeover 002.

Today, my blog is being taken over by Jess. She has done a review of Lush's Toner tabs, which I loved as I've wanted to try these for a while.

Lush Toner Tabs Review

Hello girles!

First off, let me introduce myself. I hope you're all doing okay today. I am going to be doing a review on Lush Toner Tabs in Tea Tree. I have to say I have wanted to try this product ever since it came out and because I don't have a Lush near me so it was a case of either travelling a good hour and a half to a store or purchasing online. So not long ago I did an online order which you can see on my blog.

So let's get onto the actual review before I bore you all...

It is 75p for one tea tree tab. To be honest, I don't mind paying this as for a face mask you would pay about a pound and I would rather use this than a face mask. I only use it once a week like a face mask so I can justify spending 75p a week for this little treat!

What Lush says:

"The tea tree tab is for toning teenaged, troubled and traumatized skin. After you've fizzed and steamed, dip cotton wool or a face cloth into the bowl and use the toner liquid to refresh your face and remove any traces of cleanser really gently, to get all the benefits of the anti-bacterial essential oils."

How I use this product:

There are a number of ways you can use this product that I have used that can also make this little toner tab go a little further. To start with what I did was get a bowl of boiling water straight from the kettle and then put the toner tab into the boiling water. It reacts a lot like a bath bomb and fizzes until there is nothing left.

I then created a tent with a towel (which is what the Lush website says! Haha) around my head and covered everything, laying my face over the steaming water for 5-10 minutes. I then closed my eyes and let the steam hit my face and breathed in through my nose to get the tea tree into my skin and pores. After about 5-10 minutes I dried off my face and then I used a normal muslin cloth and dipped it into the water (once it had cooled a bit) and simply washed my face with it.

My overall opinion:

(Excuse my no make-up/messy hair/silly face)

Here is a before (left) and after (right) picture. To be honest, you can't really see an instant difference in the skin and in real life you can't really either. But what I can say is once I took my face out the steamer it instantly felt softer and I don't know whether you can see in these photos, I get a spot in between my eyebrows when I have them waxed and that is completely gone now - it went within 2 days of using the tabs and usually I will have this spot for weeks and weeks. So there was a difference in my skin, just not straight away. After using the tree tabs continuously I have found my skin to be the softest and clearest it has been for a while. However, I haven't got really bad skin, or acne, so I can't say it will completely clear up a lot of spots or breakouts or what not. But this is my opinion on it and I WILL be repurchasing. It is vast becoming a staple in my beauty routine. You can buy this product at http://www.lush.co.uk/

So ladies, I hope I haven't bored you too much and this post was somewhat informative! Let me know in the comments if you've tried any Lush toner tabs or your favourite Lush products! I am always on the lookout for new Lush products to try.

I have done a few different Lush posts on my own blog (see below) if you are interested. Lastly, I would like to say a big thank you to Jess for giving me the chance to be a guest blogger.

-

Thank you to Jess for writing this great review, her blog is http://www.xbonjourbelle.blogspot.com/

If you are interested in writing a guest post for me, feel free to send me your post to jesswd18@hotmail.com :)

xo

Saturday Takeover 001.

Today is the first of my guest blogging 'series'. I'm still looking for more people, so if you're interested, contact me. :) Today's blogger is Grace.

Grace’s Guide to summer glamour

In an ideal world as soon as the sun is out we would all ditch our heavy make up routines and embrace our natural beauty by running in to the sun make up free….. but hang on a minute, being in a world that is over run by being judged by what we look like on the outside it not always possible to muster up the confidence to do that! So here are my tips to achieve that summer glamour (and yes you can keep your make up!).

Skin – always use a good moisturiser preferably one with an SPF in this will keep your skin hydrated and give a bit of extra protection from the suns rays. Swap your foundation for a tinted moisturiser, you still get the coverage but it won’t be so heavy! Using a tinted moisturiser will give you a fresh dewy look and as you become more sun kissed it will shine through!

Blush – Swap you darker rouge for a pale pink or coral, these shades work really well with a tan and for those of you who have yet to catch some rays it will freshen up your look with no effort at all! I recommend Orgasm from Nars and Dandelion or Posie Tint both from Benefit. 

Bronze – The secret weapon for taking your daytime look to full night time glamour, general rule of thumb is less is more, you can always add a bit more if you need too, If your bronzer has a shimmer to it this rule is a must….the only glowing you should be known for is your gorgeous tan! I recommend Solar Powder from Soap & Glory

Eyes – Hold back on heavy eye make up in the summer, using a good mascara and a little eye liner (try a blue or turquoise to brighten up your look) should be ample but when you do use shadows go for colour, there are some great pastel palettes out there! I recommend Flasies from Maybelline for your lashes, and the Monaco palette from sleek.

Lips – Summer is the best time to get brave with your lippy! I love to use fuchsia pink or a bright coral gloss and against a tan it will definitely pop! My recommendations are Pink Poodle (lipglass) from MAC or Pink Apricot (sexy mother pucker) from Soap & Glory

So those are just a few super simple ways to brighten up your make up for easy summer glamour!

Stay Gorgeous

Grace x

If you loved this post, feel free to follow Grace on her own blog: http://www.ooooohpretty.blogspot.com

x