BERRY BERRY NICE!

Cosy jumper, log burning fire, hot chocolate, pumpkin pie and berry stained lips! Autumn is here and what better way to celebrate than with a berry stained lip! The trend of stained lips is back this Autumn and it’s my fav way to rock a dark lipstick. It’s an effortless and beautiful way to update your look.

Try MAC Lip Liner in Burgundy with a touch of lip balm. Just fill in your lips starting from the centre out, leaving the edges soft and then adding a touch of lip balm

Or

Try MAC ‘Dark Side’ for a richer colour (as worn by my beautiful model below!). Apply lightly all over the lips (ideally with a lip brush if you have one), but keep the edges soft, then blot the colour down to a light stain. Apply a little more colour the center of the lips for that ‘I've just eaten loads of tasty berries’ look. Dark Side is quite moisturizing, so you shouldn't need to use a lip balm, but that doesn't mean you can’t use one.

Finish with a light dusting of a rosy blush and you are good to go!

SMOOTHIE 4 - MIXED BERRY AND GINGER

This smoothie was absolutely delicious! I'm loving the fruit smoothies with ginger.

Ingredients:

Cup of cold water

Juice of 1 lemon

Inch cube of fresh ginger

Vanilla protein powder

Frozen mixed berries

Frozen strawberries

Hand full of spinach

I added a banana to Jon's smoothie, but mine was filling enough without it.

This has been one of the quickest and easiest smoothies due to the minimal amount of chopping/peeling required. I did need to use quite a bit of water as the frozen fruits make the smoothie too thick for me. It’s a real quick way to make a berry sorbet for a quick and healthy desert! I'm going to try to remember that for the future!

One thing I have learnt is that no matter how much you try to get all of the seeds out of the lemon before squeezing into your smoothie mix, there will always be at least one or two extra’s that come out! Once they have fallen in, they are such a pain to fish out! I think I will juice the lemon in a small cup before adding to the smoothie from now on.

SMOOTHIE 3 - PINEAPPLE, KIWI & GINGER

Ingredients:

1 small tin of pineapple in juice (not syrup)

1 kiwi

Juice of 1 lemon

1 inch piece of fresh ginger

1 teaspoon of flaxseed

1 cup of water

YUUUUUUUUM!! This smoothie has been my favourite by far! I was so energized and refreshed after drinking it. I had so much to do on Sat, including house work, shopping, socials, makeup bookings, gym etc (normal Sat for me!), but having this smoothie in the morning gave me the energy to get going and I didn’t have any kind of horrible sugar come down. Usually, I’m on the coffee early and by 14:00 I’m ruined and struggle to keep going. I think this has been the most rewarding effect of having a smoothie in the morning. I’ve noticed that I have a sustainable amount of energy throughout the day and when I get home, I still feel pretty good. Obviously, there are other elements that are contributing like not eating bread, reducing coffee intake, avoiding sugary snacks etc, but I honestly think that the smoothies are playing a big part. My skin is looking better and I feel a lot less bloated. This is only my first week and I can’t really tell if it’s effecting my weight yet (I hate scales and I’m not prepared to let myself get obsessed by the number on that dial), but I’m feeling pretty good and I think that’s what matters most.

BATH UNIVERSITY COMMERCIAL 2013

Back last year I was involved in a commercial shoot for Bath Uni (Hair & Makeup). Some of you might remember my ‘14 HOURS ON SET, A TAPED UP MANNEQUIN AND TOO MANY CUPS OF COFFEE!’ post? Well, below you will see the outcome of that day!

The students were awesome to work with, as were the rest of the team!

SMOOTHIE 2 – GREEN GOODNESS

Ingredients:

A few stems of broccoli (I only used about a third of what is shown in the image)

Hand full of baby spinach

Juice from 1 lime

Juice from half a lemon

1 peeled kiwi

Half a peeled apple

1 inch cube of fresh grated ginger

Chunk of peeled cucumber

Half a cup of cold water

I had this glowing glass of green goodness for breakfast and it was amazing! It was so fresh and really filling. I wanted to try using broccoli as I know how much goodness is in there but the thought of raw mushed broccoli for breakfast kinda made my stomach turn. However, the kiwi, lemon, lime and apple totally masked the taste of it. I didn't mind that it was a little on the thick side because it was so refreshing. The ginger wasn't as strong as I thought it would be either, you just get a nice warm after taste. 

I made a bit of a mess with this one! The amount of liquid combined with all the fruit/veg resulted in lots of spitting and splashing! The whole counter got covered! Next time I will build up gradually and use a lower speed. It was also quite a full glass and I still had a lot left in the jug! I couldn't finish it all as I was so full. I thought that I would be really hungry by 10:00, but I lasted until 12:00 without any need for a morning snack. Happy days.

I even managed to get the boyfriend in on some smoothie making action this morning! He didn't actually make the smoothie, but he was intrigued and I agreed to make one for him.

I pretty much used the same ingredients as The Breakfast Power Smoothie. Jon likes a good hearty breakfast and wasn't sure if the smoothie would be enough, so I replaced the protein powder with oats, used a whole banana, more peanut butter and a small amount of cocoa powder. He wasn't a fan of the green colour, but once he started drinking, he loved it! RESULT!

Making a smoothie on the morning isn't too much hassle and I love that you can put it in a bottle and go. However, I would love to find ways to make it easier and quicker. I guess I could wash, peel and chop my fruit and veg the night before? Or someone has even suggested chopping, then freezing the fruit and veg! If anyone has any handy tips, please share!

TESTIMONIAL: LOVELY WORDS FROM A LOVELY BRIDE

I always love hearing from my brides after their wedding. Their feedback is so important to me and it means so much to know that I have done a good job! 

I have to share this stunning picture of Kelly and her lovely comments :)

"Ami was my AMAZING make-up artist for my wedding at the end of December 2012! She made all of my bridesmaids and my mum look really beautiful and I was absolutely delighted with my make-up too! I wanted a glamorous look that Ami confidently achieved and she was very flexible and accommodating to all of the bridesmaids wishes. Ami is so calming and patient and she slotted perfectly into our day :-) Thank you so much and I have recommended you to all of my friends and I know one of them has already booked you for later this year!"

SMOOTHIE NO.1 – BREAKFAST ON THE GO!

Let the smoothie experimenting begin!

I purchased a lovely little hand blender for my smoothie making. It’s nothing fancy or expensive, but it does the job and is easy to clean.

This was my first attempt and I’m going to call it ‘The Breakfast Power Smoothie’!

Ingredients:

Half a cup of skimmed milk

1 scoop Vanilla Soy Protein Powder

Large handful of spinach

1 shot of espresso

Half a banana

1 small teaspoon of peanut butter

Small handful of ice

I forgot to take a picture, but it looked as disgusting as it sounds!

I have seen loads of recipes that include spinach and have been advised that it has a mild flavour. I was a bit unsure about adding it, but I can honestly say that the smoothie was really tasty and I didn’t even notice the spinach! Once you get over the fact that the smoothie you are about to drink is green, you’re all good!

As a breakfast smoothie, I was pretty impressed, very awake and quite full! I had it at about 8:00 am and wasn’t hungry until at least 12:30! That, my friends, is a long time to go without wanting a snack!  

Smoothie No.1 = SUCCESS!

ON THE ROAD TO A FIT, HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIFE!

Hey All,

Like many of you I decided that January would be my ‘clean’ month, which meant no fatty food, massive portions, chocolate, cheese, alcohol, coffee etc. Unfortunately, this didn’t go quite as planned. I was kidding myself if I thought I could get through one week without dipping into the massive bag of goodies left from Christmas! Also, with three big birthdays in Jan, including mine, how was I possibly going to avoid cake?! The truth is, I didn't  Hence, the month of January was probably just as bad as December, if not worse!

So, February has become my new January. Over the last couple of weeks I have felt so tired and lethargic. Not to mention my lack of motivation for any gym based activities. My hair, skin and nails have been looking pretty awful and I get depressed every time I try to squeeze into my skinny jeans, only to fail miserably. I know that every girl out there will complain about her weight/shape even when she is looking her best, but I know for a fact that I am not at my best and have every right to complain/cry/refuse to leave the house because I feel like a hippo! My wonderful boyfriend has been very patient and loving, but he is now at the point of saying “if you feel like a hippo, go do something about it because I can’t cope hearing you moan about it all the time!”. These were harsh, but fair words.

Operation ‘Nicole Shirt-Slinger Body’ is now in full effect!

I enjoy food way too much to do any crazy diets that involve fasting or eating only cabbage soup… I also can’t cope with calorie counting as it is way too much hassle and I’m far too busy and important for any of that.

So, this is my plan:

Eat clean. Lots of veggies, lean meat, fish and fruit

Eat only complex carbohydrates. I tried doing the whole ‘no carb’ thing before, but with all the exercise I was doing I just couldn't live without them!

Introduce smoothies and juices. This is totally new to me and I am excited to try some of the recipes I have found. I have a board on my Pinterest page with lots of inspiration. I will try to post up ones I've tried and how they tasted.   

Reduce portion sizes. I am quite aware that my portion sizes are a little out of control! I think this has a lot to do with the size of our dinner plates and bowls. Therefore, from now on I will use a smaller plate and bowl. I know I could weigh everything and count out my soy beans, but I honestly can't be bothered with all of that. Maybe that is something I could work towards?

Drink lots of water. I think the recommended intake of water per day is around 2 litres. I have a 500 ml bottle that I can carry around with me. So if I drink 4 of these, I should be getting enough water.

Reduce caffeine intake. What can I say? I enjoy coffee! I have read many studies about why caffeine is bad and why it is good. I think the killer with coffee is the amount people drink per day and how much sugar/milk they put in it. A guy I work with has 4 teaspoons of sugar!! I'm no nutritionist, but this can't be good! I have managed to get to the point where I don't need sugar in coffee or tea, but if I do fancy a bit of sweetness, I use honey.  

No alcohol. This isn't a massive issue for me as I'm not a big drinker. I am partial to a nice glass of red wine ... I'm sure I read somewhere that red wine is good for you on some level?!

Minimum 3 gym sessions per week. I love a good gym session and having an awesome gym buddy that encourages me is priceless! Check out www.bodyrock.tv for loads of fitness inspiration and workouts. I am totally addicted to this site and love their workouts!  

These are pretty basic things, but I know they work. I think if I can manage this for 4 weeks, I should be on the path to a fit, happy and healthy life! Losing weight and feeling good is obviously the main goal here, but I want to think about the bigger picture and how I can change my daily routine for a better life in general. Initially, I know this will be hard, but I'm willing to try. Goodbye sofa, cakes, bread, red wine and all other kinds of deliciousness! Hello treadmill, lean meats, fish, fruit, veggies and all things green and full of goodness!

Wish me luck!!

XXX

WHY HIRE A MAKEUP ARTIST FOR YOUR WEDDING?

WEDDING MAKEUP FOR LAUREN, CAPTURED BY MARTYN AT WESTPHOTOGRAPHY

I thought I would share with you some beautiful pictures I received from Martyn, at West Photography. His style is very natural, relaxed and classic. I have had the pleasure of working along side Martyn at a couple of weddings now and always love his images! Lauren looked absolutely stunning on her wedding day, as did her Mum and Bridesmaids. 

If you would like to find out more information about Martyn and his work, please visit http://www.westphotography.co.uk/.

60'S MAKEUP

I had the pleasure of working with the lovely Amie Scudamore at the Seanhanna salon in Bristol today. She’s auditioning for a chance to be part of the L’Oreal ID Colour training program and I hope that she does really well!

Her mood board was very 60’s monochrome, so the makeup look was loosely based around 60’s fashion model, Twiggy.

Here are the final results!

Product breakdown:

Kett Crème Foundation – Natural Palette

MAC Moisture Concealer – NW15

Urban Decay – Eye Primer Potion

MAC Shadow – Vanilla, Omega, Carbon

MAC Fluid Line – Blacktrack

Rimmel Khol Pencil Eyeliner - White

Maxfactor 200 Calorie Mascara – Black

MAC loose Powder

Bare Minerals – Warmth

MAC Lip Liner – Subculture

MAC Lipstick – Blankety

Natural False Lashes – Eylure 

Hair by Amie Scudamore at Seanhanna Salon, Bristol

Clothes provided by Topshop

SCHEDULED EVENTS: BRISTOL MARRIOTT HOTEL WEDDING FAIR 2013

Bristol Marriott Wedding Fair 2012

On Sunday 27^th January 2013, you will find me at the Bristol Marriott Hotel Wedding Fair. I will be accompanied by my beautiful assistant, Becky, and look forward to meeting all of the beautiful brides to be!

Come down and visit us!

This wedding fair is huge and full inspiration!

Free glass of wine or squash for all visitors.

Choreographed fashion shows at 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm

Free Wedding Magazines.

10:30 am – 4:30 pm

Admission £2 (u16s free)

For more info visit Wedding World (SW) ltd   

See you there!

xxx

XMAS BEAUTY GIFTS AND STOCKING FILLERS UNDER £10 - 2012

Not everyone has the luxury of having huge budgets at Christmas, so I thought I would help you all with some great beauty buys that are under £10! There are also some great ideas to help jazz up stocking fillers. Prices are just a guide line and may be different when you go to buy. It's worth checking out places like Boots for 3 for 2 offers! 

1. Models Own – Beauty Blender £8 Use damp to apply foundation for a flawless finish!

2. Nail Art Gold/Black Nail Set £7.50 

3. Topshop Lip Gloss Gift Set - £10 

4. Burt’s Bees Red Dahlia Tinted Lip Balm £5.99 

5. Maxfactor 2000 Calorie Mascara £7.99 This is probably one of my most loved mascara’s for creating big full lashes

6. Fearne Compact and Bijoux Mirror £8 A girl’s bag is never complete without a compact mirror!

7. Visit Wicked Nails for some great stocking filler ideas! Wendy has lots of Beautiful Nail Art gift sets available, at very reasonable prices! I love her Gold Gift Bag £4.50 Each bag includes Silver stickers, Gold stickers, Black 3d stickers, White 3d stickers, pot of mixed Rhinestones, 5 Hexagonal glitters in Silver, Gold, Red, Blue and Green and 2 nail files all supplied in a lovely draw string bag.

8. No7 Lift & Curve Eyelash Curler  £7.25 Eyelash culers are often over looked, but they are the best way to get the most out of your lashes, especially if they are very short.

9. Models Own Limited Edition Mini Nail Glitter Polish Trio Reduced to £6 online from ASOS 

10. No7 Mini Beautifier £10 This mini makeup palette with built in mirror, 3 eyeshadows, mini gloss, mini shimmer and mini mascara is great for travelling or to keep in your gym/hand bag for on the go beauty.

11. JK Jemma Kidd Air Kiss Duo Now only £4.50 online from ASOS! 

I appreciate that this would be quite an expensive stocking filler and is not under £10, but I had to include it because it’s awesome!

VictorinoxClassic Alox Swiss Army Knife– Mini manicure set swiss army style! £15.20 

I hope that this has given you some ideas for gifts this Christmas! Let me know what you found for under £10 or share your own ideas in the comments below. For more beauty Xmas buys, see my post for TOP 10 XMAS BEAUTY GIFT SETS 2012.

TOP 10 XMAS BEAUTY GIFT SETS 2012

Christmas is nearing kids, which means that there are all kinds of amazing beauty gifts in stores that should be on every girls wish list! It was so hard to pick a top 10 and I know that there are loads of great sets missing in my selection, so feel free to comment with products that are on your Christmas beauty wish list! Prices listed are just a guide line and could change by the time you go to purchase them.

So, my Top 10 beauty gift sets are (in not particular order):

1. NARS Andy Warhol Edie Set £54 I am in love with all of the NARS Christmas sets this year and would be more than happy for Santa to put any of them under my tree!

2. Ciate Cavier Mini Bar £20 Ciate nail varnishes are brilliant and this gift box displays them beautifully.

3. Bobbi Brown Uber Nude Lip & Eye Palette £36 Bobbi Brown never fails to put together some of the most amazing must have pallets around Christmas time, from nude and natural, to sparkly party colours.

4. Laura Mercier Signature Colour Essential for Face, Eyes andLips £45 I think that this might be exclusive to John Lewis as I can’t seem to find it anywhere else… Laura Mercier products are 100% in my top ten makeup brands! This is an amazing set that would suit almost every skin tone beautifully. It is really great value for money and I recently managed to persuade my Mum to buy it for herself and she LOVES it! My sister also took a liking to the lip gloss and it has now mysteriously gone missing!

5. Yves Saint Laurent Radiant Make-Up Set £48 Touche Eclat is a cult product and a beauty must have, especially around Christmas time with all the tired after party eyes! This is a real luxury product and a real treat!

6. O.P.I Limited Edition Bond-ettes Mini Set £12.95 Who doesn't want to feel a little like a Bond girl this Christmas?!

7.  Lancome Hypnose Mascara Christmas Set £21 Lancome mascars are about £21 on their own, so this is a great deal!

8. Clinique Lotta Colour Set £30.00 Cliniques chubby sticks are like tinted lip balms and are great for a sheer and moisturising hint of colour. Do you have a lot of friends to buy for this Christmas? Why not buy box set's like this and split them among your friends?!

9. Stila Brush Gift Set £20 Stila brushes are excellent and this gift set is a perfect mini collection.

10. Benefit Away We Glow Gift Set £29.50 Beautifully boxed beauty essential kit containing some of the best of benefit!

I hope this helps you find your perfect gift this Christmas!

WEDDING MAKE UP FOR BAHAR, CAPTURED BY DELIA MCDONAGH PHOTOGRAPHY

Gorgeous pictures taken by the amazing Delia McDonagh. She captured the natural beauty and happiness of Bahar and Graham’s wedding day at the Hare & Hounds Hotel, Tetbury. It was a pleasure to spend the morning making up such lovely ladies!

To find out more about Delia and see the full blog post, click here http://www.deliamcdonaghphotography.com/blog/.