Gifts Galore…

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas, I thought I’d do a quick post to show you some of the lovely pressies I got for Christmas. I know that some people don’t like these posts, in which case feel free to ignore the rest of this post :)

Surprisingly I didn’t get any beauty products and aside from a Lush box this Christmas was a smelly-free zone! The Mr’s mum and dad did give me a MAC gift card however, which will be spent in the next couple of weeks!

DVD/Book-wise I got Take That - The Circus DVD and CD, Russell Brand – Scandalous, The Complete Collection of Gavin and Stacey and a box set of the Sookie Stackhouse series which I can’t wait to get into!

…the lovely Mr got me this super snuggly Hello Kitty dressing gown, a digital photo frame and a Lovelinks Bracelet with five charms….

…my mum and dad got me these boots from Aldo which I’ve had my eyes on for ages and the best present in the world ever – a new personal plate for my car, eeek!! I know not everyone likes personal plates and some people think that they’re posey or whatever but as soon as I realised it was possible to get one this perfect I became obsessed with it! (Plus, driving round with my old plate which I recently realised said BLOB was wearing a bit thin!)

….and finally (also from the in-laws) I got a new camera, which I’ll try not to drop down the toilet!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and Santa was good to you, if anyone else has done a Christmas gift post link me as I always like a good nosy!

xxx

Questions, Questions, Questions

Before I get onto my Christmas pressie post (I hear these aren’t flavour of the month but I like being nosy and I’m sure other bloggers out there are just the same), I thought I’d finally finish my make up survey post. This was stolen from the lovely Jo about a month ago but I just haven’t got round to doing it until now. I’ve edited it down a bit, mainly because I have other things to do tonight and completing it was taking an absolute age!

Just some basics.

Name: Briony
Age: 24
Location: Sheffield
Birthday: 25th August
Single or taken: Taken
Height: 5ft 6
Weight: too much!
Skin Complexion: Fair
Age you started wearing make up: About 15/16

Eyes

Do you wear eyeliner? Yes
Liquid or Pencil: Both
Colors: Black/Brown
Brands: Urban Decay, No 7, Collection 2000, MAC
How many eyeliner pencils/liquid eyeliners do you own? About 25
Do you line your inner rim, bottom lid, or top lid? All of the above
Everyday use or only Occasionally: Every day
Do you wear eyeshadow? Yes
Everyday or just whenever you go out? When I go out mainly
Which colors do you wear the most? Neutrals
Stick, powder, or cream? Powder
Brands: MAC, Barry M, Sleek
Do you line your bottom lid and/or inner corner with eyeshadow? sometimes
How many sets of eyeshadow do you own? I haven’t got enough fingers or toes!
All together what colors? Mainly neutrals, golds and bronzes
Do you wear mascara? Yes
Color: Black and brown
Brand:Lancome, Maybelline
Waterproof? No
Top lashes, bottom, or both? Both
How many coats? 2-3
How many tubes of mascara do you own? 10 +  
Do you curl your eyelashes? Yes
If so, do you curl them before or after you apply mascara? Before
How many eyelash curlers do you own? 2
Everyday use (both mascara and curler) or only occasional? Everyday
Do you get your eyebrows waxed or do you pluck? Pluck
1st time you did your eyebrows, did you do them yourself or done professionally? Myself

Lips

Lipstick, lip gloss, lip balm, stains, or just chapstick? Lipstick
Colors/flavors: Nudes
Brands: MAC, Maybelline, Lancome
How many do you own? 30 + 
Everyday use or occasional? Everyday
Do you wear lip liner? No

Face / Cheeks

Do you wear blush? Yes
Brands & colors: MAC, No7, Maybelline, Bourjois pinks 
How many do you own? 15 ish 
Everyday use or Occasional: Everyday
Do you use tinted moisturizer or any other kind of moisturizer? Yes  
If so what kind? Soap and Glory 
How many do you own? 3
Everyday use or occasional: Everyday
Do you use bronzer? Yes
If so, what brand? Bourjois
How many do you own? 3
Everyday use or occasional: Occasional
Do you use concealer or foundation? Both
If so which brand? Maybelline / Rimell 
How many do you own? 6
Everyday use or occasional: Everyday
Do you use a highlighter? Yes
If so which brand and color? Benefit Moon Beam/High Beam 
How many do you own? 3
Everyday or occasional: Everyday
What kind of face wash do you use? Witch  
Any other stuff you use for your face? Like acne medication: No
Do you exfoliate? Yes
Method of exfoliation: Face scrub
Do you use any kind of mask? No
If so what kind/what's it called? Soap & Glory
Do you use any kind of pressed powder? Yes
If so which brand? MAC MSF Natural  
Everyday use or occasional: Everyday
How many do you own? 2

Fragrances

Body Spray or Perfume: Perfume
Favorite fragrance: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle 
How many do you own? 5 bottles (different perfumes)
Everyday or occasional: Everyday

Hair

What color is your hair? Platinum blonde
Is it your natural color? No
If not, what's your natural color? dark blonde 
Did you dye it yourself or get it done professionally? profesionally
If you did it yourself what brand of dye did you use? n/a
If done professionally what salon did you go to? a place called The Color (its the only salon I know that uses Paul Mitchell colours even though it is a 180 mile round trip!)
Do you have highlights? No
How long is your hair? just touching my shoulders  
Is it layered? No
Is your hair naturally curly, wavy, or straight? Curly 
If naturally curly or wavy do you straighten it?  yes
Which method, straightener or chemical straightener? my trusty GHDs 
Professionally of done yourself? done myself 
How many times do you wash your hair a week? 2-3
Which shampoo do you use? Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde / Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes 
If your hair is naturally straight do you curl it? Sometimes
Which method, Curling iron or the whole scrunching thing? Curling iron
Which styling products do you use? Paul Mitchell Heat Seal, Daily Boost and Super Skinny Serum 
How many times do you get your hair cut a year? every 5 weeks

Happy Christmas!!

Hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and Santa brings you all lots of lovely things

xxx

Rating and Slating 21/12/2009

Rating

·         Only one more day left at work - and then 2 weeks of freedom!!

·         Festive Food - I love Christmas food, eating it, making it, and watching the endless TV shows on it!

·         Seeing my family - Living  away from my family is rubbish, but getting to see them over Christmas is great (especially the Canuck branch of the family!)

 

Slating

·         The Snow - ordinarily I love the snow, I just don't like the way the UK grinds to a halt as soon as we get a sprinkling

·         Sheffield Wednesday - I'm not sure if its dedication of stupidity, but something makes me turn out to a match when its -2⁰C and we're third bottom in the league

·         My Sky Plus planner being empty - recommend me some new shows please people!!

 

xxx

 

 

Feeling Festive

Now that I've got less than a week left at work, I've started feeling extra festive. So festive in fact, that I've been playing with my many glitter eye-liners. After all, if you can't wear glitter eyeliner at Christmas when can you wear it?? 

Given the fact that we're currently winding down, I thought that I'd try something a bit different for work. I didn't go for full on eye-makeup as I doubt it would have gone down to well, but I tried out a slightly more subtle look (Subtle? Glitter??), with just a flash of glitter/colour.

On Friday I went for purple, using Collection 2000 Glam Crystals in Shake It Up and GOSH Velvet Touch eyeliner in Purple Stain. Unfortunately I didn't have the foresight (or time) to take a picture, but I today I did….. I went for a green look, involving Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter eyeliner in Stagedive and Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Covet.

 As you can see its not too much at all, and I think that the little flash of glitter is quite cute and VERY Christmassy! I think tomorrow I might go for a gold/brown combo :) 

Let me know what you think xxx
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Rating and Slating 14/12/2009

Rating

·         Only six days of work 'til Christmas - need I say any more??

·         The Aussie Event in Manchester - I was lucky enough to be invited by the lovely Sinead, and I'm pleased to report I had a fab night! It was great to meet some other bloggers :)

·         Winning a Christmas award at work - Apparently I make the office a better place to work. I assume its due to my baking and endless tea rounds…..

·         My Unlimited Card - I swear the cinema staff think I've moved in

 

Slating

·         Pre-Christmas Poverty - This is the first job I've ever had where I don't get paid before Christmas, and I'm not sure I like it very much!

·         My recurring knee injury - I'm not sure what's caused it but its seriously hampering my gym going

·         My spending ban - I struggle with ideas of what to blog about when I'm not buying anything new so any suggestions would be gladly received!

 

xxx

It’s here…….

X Factor final night!!

You know what you have to do – VOTE OLLY!!

….and a special treat, just in case we don’t get the button ripping action we all crave…..

…a gratuitous topless shot never hurt anybody!!

xxx

Golden Greats

I’m not the most adventurous person with eye shadows, in fact you could go as far to say I’m stuck in a bit of a rut! I always seem to reach for neutral/gold/bronze shadows and I’ve amassed quite a collection in the past few years.

As the Mr was having (yet another) afternoon of Championship Manager, I decided to have a bit of a tidy up of my eye shadows and decide which of them I am going to start with when I finally get round to the great pressing experiment. During the tidy up, I realised just how many golden-toned shadows I have so I thought I’d share my top 4 with you in a quick post. Surprise surprise, they’re all loose shadows!

Here they are with flash…: 

….and without:

Top to bottom we have:

• Barry M Dazzle Dust in Tan (39)
• MAC Pigment in Gold Mode
• Barry M Dazzle Dust in Bronze (44)
• MAC Pigment in Melon

Again, sorry about the dodgy pictures – not long til I get my new camera I promise!

xxx

All I want for Christmas….

Christmas List by BrionyLou featuring Disney Couture jewelry

I’ve been a very good girl, honest!!

xxx

A Storage Post....

I thought I’d do a quick post on where I chuck how I store my make up. I somehow managed to convince the Mr to turn our second spare bedroom into a dressing room for me a few months ago, and I’ve finally got a new floor in it (how middle aged am I?!) so here is a sneaky peek at where the ‘magic’ happens…..

….it’s come on a little bit since the plastic drawers! I’m looking for some white drawers to match my dressing table but I’m struggling to find anything for under £300, hopefully after Christmas it will be looking a bit more colour co-ordinated.

Anyway on to the storage (and my pitiful collection). I’m currently using a set of boxes I picked up in Next last Summer.

Lipsticks/Lipglosses:

Eye shadows/liners:

Mascaras/blush/face products:

I’ve tried to separate things out so that I don’t start slapping eye shadow on my cheeks when I’m a bit bleary eyed in the morning, but I’ve realised that my haphazard system needs a bit of an overhaul. I’ve been inspired by the cute drawers which have come highly recommended in this post by the lovely Toni. I’ve been to Meadowhall in search of them three times now to no avail, but I’m determined to get my sticky paws on them sooner or later.

As you can see I’m in desperate need of some organisation, I hear Anthea Turner is at a loose end……….

xxx

Bad Form

Just a quick post to say     sorry for being thoroughly rubbish for the past week or so. I haven't been keeping up with writing (or reading) blog posts as I've been stupidly busy with work, socialising (it’s a hard life), and trying to finish off my Christmas shopping / card writing.

 

At the moment it's looking like I have a relatively free weekend (my only commitment being a date with the delectable Mr Murs on Saturday night at 8 pm), so I'm hoping to spend the majority of it in my PJ's knocking back endless cups of tea and catching up on the important things!

 

xxx

Rating and Slating 3/12/2009

Rating

• New Moon – Still!
• Christmas party season – as if I need an excuse to crack out the Glam Crystals……
• My car’s quickclear windscreen – bye bye de-icer, hello an extra 5 minutes in bed!
• Hats, scarves and gloves – a necessity, but a very cute necessity

Slating

• Losing my River Island Panda hat – I’m not sure where it’s gone, but I’m gutted
• The cold – I’m getting to to point where I don’t think I’ll ever take my UGGs off (until March at least)
• Sky Plus dying, AGAIN – and taking with it about a million unwatched ANTMs. Boo.

xxx

Blog Award {part deux}

First of all I want to say a HUGE thank you to Catanya for nominating me for this award. There don’t seem to be any rules as such attached to this one, so I guess its just a case of passing it on.

So here are the lovely ladies I’m sharing the love with:

• Sinead - Ditzy Makeup
• Domanique
• Daisy
• Emma
• Sinead - Dainty Dollymix

The list could go on and on but I had to be quick as its almost gym time – wish me luck!!

xxx

Festive Giveaway

What could possibly be better than a giveaway I hear you ask………. Well HERE is the answer – a FESTIVE giveaway, courtesy of the lovely (and very generous) Sarah.

Get your entries in quick ladies, as the giveaway closes tomorrow

xxx