Jane Iredale Starter Kit

Afternoon all!

Just recently, the lovely people at Jane Iredale sent me over their new Starter Kit, which is aimed at helping you to achieve radiant skin in three easy steps.

Before I went to university, I worked in a hair and beauty salon, and the beauticians were always using Jane Iredale on the clients. It was a brand I’d never heard of before, but the clients absolutely loved it. So a few months ago I reviewed their Puremoist Lipstick for a newspaper I write for, and began to understand why this brand has such a strong reputation. All of their products are of amazing quality, and the brand has your skin’s best interests at heart.

Now I’ve tried a lot of foundations and as you’re probably aware from my recent make-up post, I’ve come to the conclusion that nothing can beat mineral foundation, so I was well and truly excited to be given the opportunity to work with another patron of this make-up wonder.

The Jane Iredale Starter Kit contains a Primer, an Amazing Base, which is basically a loose mineral foundation, a PurePressed Base, a Hydration Spray and a mineral foundation brush, all of which come in a chic travel-size cosmetic case with an extra-large mirror.

The Amazing Base is for more of a luminous, natural look, whilst the PurePressed Base gives a semi-matte look. After trying both separately, both matched my skin perfectly, but I didn’t find the coverage as strong with the PurePressed Base as I did with the Amazing Base. The PurePressed Base would work really well for a light, daytime look, if you don’t like wearing anything too heavy. The Amazing Base is light too, but the coverage is more of a matte porcelain look. For me, I used both, and really loved the results. I’ve also never had a foundation that matches my skin tone so perfectly. I absolutely hate the line of foundation you get just above your neck, and no matter how much I blend, I’m always really conscious of it. I loved that with these products I didn’t have to worry about that.

I found that the brush provided wasn’t dense and rigid enough to blend the minerals into my skin; instead it just kind of stroked me. So I opted for my Body Shop mineral foundation brush, which did the job perfectly. Before I knew too much about make-up, I never bothered with primer, but I’m slowly being convinced as to why it’s a worthwhile investment instead of a money making scheme (I sound so cynical haha)  The only other primer I’ve tried is the RevlonPhotoReady Perfecting Primer (which by the way, is INCREDIBLE), so I only have that to compare to. I was really happy with this one; it creates a smooth and matte base which works really well with the other products by minimising the appearance of pores and increasing luminosity. The only criticism I’d have is that the amount given in this starter pack isn’t enough. One thing I love about mineral foundations is that you don’t need a lot, and they last forever, but I’m almost half-way through the tube of primer, and I’ve only had the products a week.

I’ve never used a Hydration Spray before, and had no idea what it was for. So for those like me, the POMMIST Hydration Spray helps to set the minerals and give your skin a dose of healthy botanicals. The smell of this stuff is amazing. It’s like spraying fruit juice on your face, but without the stickiness. I find that with the primer and good quality of the foundations, the make-up lasts pretty well on its own, but I guess there’s nothing wrong with an added helping hand. I think a product like this would be more useful during the hotter months, when you can feel your make-up sliding down your face.

So all in all, I’d give this product 4/5.

I adore the foundations, and although I have intentions to review plenty more, until I find the next best thing, Jane Iredale’s foundations are my new make-up soul mates. I love the primer too, but there just isn’t enough, and I’m yet to discover the full benefits of the Hydration Mist.

Retailing at £34.95, I’d say this little set is well worth the price if you’re just getting into make-up and are looking to test out mineral foundations, primers and hydrations mists for the first time. If you were to buy these products individually, it would cost you a lot more, so for those make-up newbies out there, it’s a worthy investment.

Steph x x x

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Jewellery Lust

Hello lovelies. For today’s post, I've decided to share with you beautiful people two amazing jewellery brands that I've discovered in the last few weeks or so.

 For me, when it comes to jewellery, I love anything really unique and different. Sometimes I think an epic piece of statement jewellery can make an outfit, and some of my favorite outfits are ones where I dress quite simplistically, but team it with a really unusual necklace or ring.

 These two brands definitely fit into that category. 

I fell in love with them the moment I saw them. They're the kind of brands where you just want to own absolutely EVERYTHING. So far, I have a piece from each brand, and am slowly working on building up my collection. 

 So the first brand is The Rogue and the Wolf on Etsy. Set up by Eloise H.R and Michael W, these creative geniuses seem to take a lot of inspiration from fairy tales and their love of wild things. From antlers and cat skulls to silver daggers and brambles, their pieces wouldn't look out of place on Maleficent (who by the way is the most badass Disney villain. CANNOT WAIT for the film.) 

 The second brand is Regal Rose. Run by twin sisters Rebecca and Louisa, I feel this brand is part of an emerging fashion trend that consists of the celestial, the mysterious and the romantic. Think crystals, moons, stars and precious stones. Those four elements on their own sound very ‘peace and love’, but Regal Rose adds a slightly grungy element with their use of hard metal that gives their pieces an edge. 

 From The Rogue and the Wolf I bought the Queen of Hearts Crown Ring (as an Alice in Wonderland obsessive, this was a must) and from Regal Rose, their Crystal Cluster Stacking Rings in white acrylic.

So seriously, if you're looking to add a bit of excitement to your jewellery collection, go check out these brands, I guarantee you'll want it all. 

Steph x x 

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My Daily Mask

Happy Saturday people!!!

What are you guys all up to this weekend? 

I'm off to see The Book Thief with my Mum after waiting for what feels like decades for her to finish the book that I lent her. 

So I have a lot of plans for make-up and hair posts for this blog, which I'm really excited about. But before I start any of that, I thought I'd share with you my daily make-up routine. The majority of these products will most probably feature in future posts and for me, they're the Crème dela crème

Products I've used:(Top left to bottom right)

Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Powder Foundation Brush

bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Mineral Foundation in Medium Beige

BareFaced Beauty Mineral Blush in Selene

Bourjois Powder Brush

Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Mascara

Art Deco High Precision Liquid Liner 01

Betty & Walter Rose Lipbalm

For me, bareMinerals is the Holy Grail of foundation. I bought it on a whim after testing it in Debenhams. I've tried so many foundations over the years from Estèe Lauder to Yves Saint Laurent , mainly because I struggle to find one that suits my olive skin. I also have quite a dry T-Zone and was finding that all the liquid foundations I was trying would just cling to the dry areas, and it would look gross. 

With bareMinerals, the range of colors is incredible, and because of it's mineral nature and blendability,  it adapts to my skin tone. 

One thing I really disliked about liquid foundation was that I didn't feel like it looked natural, and I was so conscious that I was wearing it. 

The Body Shop Foundation Brush is amazing at blending, and by the time I'm done, I'm left with flawless, natural looking coverage that feels so light and lasts all day, and that's without even using primer. 

BareFaced beauty is a similar brand in the sense that it really focuses on the skincare benefits of using minerals. The color looks quite harsh in the pot, but I use a very tiny amount for some natural looking warmth. 

It's a pretty good job that the base of my daily routine is so natural looking, because as you can probably tell from the picture below and previous posts of mine, I choose for my eye make-up to be the main attraction, and with all the other foundations and blusher's I have tried with this particular eye make-up style, it was just way too heavy. 

I'm pretty sure that if, like me, you're a winged eyeliner fiend, then no matter how many years you've been doing it, you're never quite satisfied with the outcome, with one wing ever so slightly wider/longer/thicker/angular than the other. For years I used pencil, thinking that I couldn't move onto liquid eyeliner until I was a wing master. I finally made the move, but nothing I tried cut it. That was until I was asked to do a product review for Art Deco make-up, and they sent me their precision liner. With this product it's the closest I've ever got to creating wings that I'm happy with. 

I found liquid eyeliners with short, hard brushes difficult to use when creating a wing that flows, so the long brush on this product is perfect. 

I also use this tutorial that I found to create the shaped wing that I like. 

http://www.topinspired.com/top-10-eyeliner-tutorials-for-irresistable-cat-eyes/

So there it is. I wear this look so often, and it works with practically everything, giving a delicate yet alternative edge to an outfit. For an evening look (which I'll do in another post) if I don't feel like changing my eyes, I'll pair this look with either a dark brown or a dark purple lip just to add a more sultry, gothic touch, but at the same time keeping it feminine. 

I hope you're liking my blog so far. I'd love to get some feedback, so feel free to tell me what you think about it so far. 

Who of you out there is a fellow winged eyeliner lover like me, and what products/techniques do you use to create the perfect wing? 

Steph x 

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The Return of the Choker

YESSS!!! Choker’s are back (can you tell I’m excited?)

In my opinion, there’s not much that can be salvaged from the 90s when it comes to fashion, although I was pretty young then, and the stuff my Mum dressed me in was pretty shocking. However one item that I’m very happy to hear is making a comeback is the choker.

When it comes to colours, styles and textures the sky is the limit, in fact statement necklaces are still in right now, so the bigger and bolder the better. This trend is so tasteful, and I love that there are two sides to this trend. Both the grungy, punk rock style and the understated, refined style (also known as necklace cuffs) go to prove that something so simplistic can actually make a dramatic change to an outfit.

If it is the more understated look that you prefer, a simple gold or silver band is enough to add an element of glamour to whatever it is you’re wearing, whilst elaborate, jewel encrusted statement pieces are all you need to add drama to something that was previously quite subtle.

This is actually a trend that is so flexible that if you’re a dab hand at crafts, you could even make your own.  

The current interpretation of the choker trend is very varied, but I’m a sucker for nostalgia, so I’m really pleased that the ever so 90s stretch tattoo chokers as well as the simplistic black velvet ribbon chokers are working their way onto the high street, so at the moment, I’m definitely veering towards the grungy look.

So just recently I purchased a velvet ribbon choker with pentagram charm from Ebay, and I’m absolutely in love with it. It gives an instant retro gothic look to anything I wear it with. 

One of my favorite jewelry companies Regal Rose do some amazing chokers here that I can't wait to get my hands on, so go check them out if you're looking to get one yourself.   

I'd love to hear your views on the choker. Do you prefer grungy or refined? What are you wearing yours with? I'm really enjoying discovering new blogs, so get commenting so I can look at yours : )

Steph x x x

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Leather and Lace

Oh my. 290 views already. I would have been over the moon with 10, so thank you to everyone who took the time to look around BS&H, it really means a lot. 

This is my first today-I'm-wearing post. I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but the sun is out, and I decided to embrace it and do some outside photography of what I was wearing, seeing as the lighting in my house is so poor. 

 I have a variety of different styles that I like to explore, but looks like this are definitely my favorite. I am a massive lover of black, in fact, until the last few years that's all you would find in my wardrobe. But I think if you are going to wear all black, you really need to play around with the textures.

Here I'm carrying through the Victoriana  trend of Autumn/Winter 2013/14 into Spring, with this lace high-neck top from Zara (it's now sold out, but you can find similar here.) This would look great just wearing a black bra underneath for an evening look, and a leather jacket, but being a size E, I really didn't think that was something I could get away with, so I've teamed it with a black cami top from Topshop instead. 

The faux leather skirt is a recent purchase from H&M that is becoming one of my favorite basic items. It works with so much, and the leather works really well to cut up the lace texture that is flowing from the top down to the tights. I do struggle sometimes to find a non-elasticated skirt that really flatters my curves, and I do worry that I' m going to have to pay ridiculous amounts of money for the privilege, but this skirt is a saving grace, and a massive money saver. I can't find the exact one on their website, but there's a similar one here. 

As for the tights, I'm not sure if you'll be seeing them again, because I love them so much I've worn them within an inch of their life. I wear them with absolutely everything, even just a simple skater dress, and they really add a whole new dynamic. I've had so many compliments and people asking where I got them from, that I'm pretty sure ASOS can thank me for their selling out. They're a unique twist on netted tights, and I think they actually make the outfit. 

Now, this blog is called Blood, Sweat and Heels for a reason, and I think the beasts enveloping my feet can give you a good reason as to why. They're my most recent purchase from Boohoo.com and they are my babies. Being only  5'2, they make me the tallest I think it's possible for me to be without looking like I'm on stilts. I wear chunky heels more than stilettos and I love the gothic feel they add to any outfit, yet not taking away from its femininity. 

Jewelry wise, I accessorized with my Alexander McQueen Ninfea Skull Pendant and my new The Rogue and The Wolf  Queen of Hearts ring.  (I've just discovered this brand on Etsy, they're jewelry is amazingly creative. Go check them out)

Sorry this one's so long, mega well done if you read it all. What's your opinion on wearing all black?If you love it like me, how do you wear it in the Spring/Summer?  I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions. 

Stephanie x x x

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Hello Everybody!!!!!

Eeeeeek my first post!

 I'm actually more nervous about this than you can imagine, and I'm very new to this so please be kind. Having my own blog to explore and express my love of fashion and beauty has always been an ambition of mine, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I've been putting off this first post, constantly telling myself there's more I can do to prepare (crazy I know) But I've forced myself to dive straight in, otherwise this blog space I've spent ages setting up will just sit here empty. 

I've spent quite some time following some amazing bloggers, and decided to get involved myself. I feel I have quite a unique sense of style that I really want to share with you. 

 I've just recently graduated after dedicating three years to an English Literature degree (another one of my passions) and I think those three years was when I really developed as a person. I discovered my passions, my own sense of style, and really thrived in being given the opportunity to be individual and discover my identity. I did struggle for a while though. Being 5'2, with a rather curvaceous figure meant that there were a few styles that were shut off to me, and for someone just starting to explore their style, that was quite hard to accept. Now though, I feel I have created something that reflects everything I love. 

I love anything dark, weird and unusual, and try my best to portray that in the way I dress, and as you've probably figured from the title of this blog, I love to wear heels, they're my weakness. The chunkier, more dramatic, and more likely they are to give me altitude sickness, the better. I would say that's what the majority of my hard earned cash goes on, so you can expect to see a lot of shoe porn haha.  

If you're wondering what you can expect from Blood, Sweat and Heels, well, it'll be a mixture of today-im-wearing posts, product reviews, trend and runway reports, some of my favorite things,  and me and my hairdresser friend Natalie (I'll introduce you to her at a later date) are going to throw some awesome hair tutorials your way, inspired by the latest catwalk and celebrity looks. 

Well aren't you guys in for a treat : p

Really can't wait to get started, and I hope you enjoy reading Blood, Sweat and Heels as much as I enjoy making it. 

Stephanie x x x x

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