Sealed With A Kiss

We all know what it's like in these hellish Winter months, nights get darker, the rain and wind get heavier and your skin generally needs a pick me up. The parts of my body that seem to dry out the most are my lips & also my hands - which I know are big problems for many out there.

Below I have 3 wonder products that have helped me banish the Winter blues & have silky smooth skin for any month of the year. 

Lush - Popcorn Lip Scrub £5.25

I got this nifty little pot as a stocking filler from Santa & I've not been disappointed.

All I use is a quick dip with my pinky & buff all over my lips in a circular motion.

The ingredients are Coconut and jojoba oils, sugar, sea salt and polenta which are the perfect mix to buff your lips to perfection and leave them smooth and moisturised.

It also has popping candy sweetness with a hint of salted caramel flavour which they recommend you lick off afterwards, it was quite surreal but go for it :-) 

Vaseline Aloe Vera - £1.79

After using the above lip scrub I pop on this timeless little number. Vaseline has been around for years & I don't think quite gets the praise it should. It's a multipurpose product that I always have in my kit for make overs. It tames stray brows and also mixes well into a highlighter for cheeks, along with applying to the lashes for a day you don't wish to wear mascara. At £1.79 it's a steal, & this aloe vera version has got to be my favourite. 

Soap & Glory - Hand Food £5.00

I also got this as a stocking filler, & I already had one from my birthday back in November..(I'm a big Soap & Glory fan) I'm always one for using hand cream, & had never found one that worked to my standards. That was until I came across this little beauty. It has the famous Soap & Glory scent but works a treat on your paws. You only need a tiny amount as it goes a long way & keeps your hands silky soft all day long.

With it now being February I hope it's not long until the bitter cold leaves us for a while & we can welcome a little milder weather, but if not do not fear as above is your dry skin survival kit to get you through :-)

I'm heading off to New York next week so I'll hopefully return with some new Stateside products to add to my collection & I'll pop up a little review or two.

So Long

Amy x

A New Year

Hello Blog-Land,

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas & New Year & that Santa was good to y'all.

December flew by for me, in between picking up extra bits & bobs for presents & working it was Christmas Eve before I knew it, then New Year quickly followed.

This post isn't really on anything in particular, mainly just a little splurge of my thoughts and what I hope for in 2013 & looking back at my 2012. Last year was a great year for my make up, I was part of shoots & jobs that I never thought I would be, so thank you to each person I worked with & to those who recommended me to others as I wouldn't have got those posts without your help & faith in me. 

I also had a good first year in my para planning business which I do Monday through to Friday down in Irvine, it's a world away from my make up, being in with the finance world but to be honest I prefer that, it keeps the spark alive in each make up booking I do & job I get asked along to. 

I get said to me a lot from people "Being a make up artist must be amazing.."

The truth behind the matter is that yes the job itself is amazing, but being a FULL TIME freelance make up artist is hard, work doesn't come so easy through private bookings & believe me you have to do a lot of unpaid work first of all to get yourself out there in the open & to be recognised within the fashion industry. It's not a steady income and some people don't look at it as a "Proper job", whatever that may actually be but if you have faith in yourself & your work & don't let anyone stop you from achieving then you will get there, yes have a back up job that gives you the bread & butter monthly income that you need to get by on but never give up on your dream. I have a personal dream for my future with make up & I hope one day it happens, I've been very lucky in my line of work with some of the projects that I've got to be part of but that didn't come with a lot of graft before hand. It's a tough industry, not only for models but for all aspects, MUA's, photographers, stylists. I can now say that I'm proud of the work that I've achieved within 2012 & I hope that 2013 brings me another step up the wonderful creative ladder.

I am no where near the position of where I want to be within the creative world but I'm young, have all my years ahead of me & I believe that I have the determination and standard of work to get there. Will it be tough? Of course but I have got this far & that I am incredibly proud of. 

To anyone who is either taking those first steps to becoming a make up artist, or who have just graduated or to those who are merely just thinking about it but aren't 100% sure, I say GO FOR IT!! If you have creative flare, imagination & passion for your art then you will succeed. There's no doubt about it.

If there's anything that is worth following in 2013 then it's this..

I hope everyone has an amazing year.

Make all your wishes come true..

Amy xo