Wednesday 27 March 2013

Outfit Of The Day - A Dress Fit For A Runaway Princess

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life

- Holding Out For A Hero, Ella Mae Bowen / Bonnie Tyler






Outfit of the Day:

Dress - courtesy of Dressestylist
Flower Crown - "See That Summer Sunset, Sweetheart" available from my Etsy shop CrownedByFlowers
Shoes - Wittner 
Necklace - Lovisa

This is my second dress from Dressestylist and I am absolutely falling in love with their styles! I felt like such a fairytale princess in this gown, and I can't wait until I have a formal event to wear it to. If you're after a beautiful custom-made dress, I cannot recommend Dressestylist highly enough. 


If you're interested in this particular dress, here's the shopping link, and you can choose from a whole range of colours and input your exact measurements so you know it'll be a dream fit.

I'll be making a little video featuring this dress soon - stay tuned!
Share:

Thursday 21 March 2013

How To Wear Matte Lipstick + My Tips For Lipstick Problems!

I would like to introduce you to someone. Meet matte lipstick.

Oh, come on now, don't be shy! A strong bold colour on the lips isn't something to be scared of -- wearing a matte lipstick may seem old-fashioned and grown up, but I promise you, there are so many ways to modernise your matte.

I am a HUGE fan of matte lips, I think they look grown up, sophisticated, and have that whole Madmen vintage vibe going on. If you're a frequent reader of my blog, you'll know how much I adore winged liquid eyeliner -- and the perfect partner in crime for a cat eye is a bold, matte lip colour.


If you're shying away from a matte lipstick because you're nervous that it will make your lips look dry, that the colour will crack or feather, don't stress! Today's blog post is all about my tips for long-lasting, flawless lips, which means you can wear your matte lippy with confidence!

Taken By Surprise Tip #1 

Prepping your lips to reduce dryness/flaking


Most people complain to me that when they try to wear matte lipstick it makes dry or chapped lips more obvious. The key here to a smooth matte application is to exfoliate your pout!

Exfoliation:
My favourite methods is to use a wet toothbrush to gently buff your lips in a circular motion (like brushing your teeth, just on your lips!) or to enlist the help of a sugar scrub. You can make your own using honey and raw sugar, or use a pre-made one like this one I bought from LUSH.

LUSH Lip Scrub in "Mint Julips"
Moisturising:
Then using your favourite chapstick or lip moisturiser (I love Maybelline's Baby Lips or Lucas' Papaw Ointment) apply generously and leave on your lips for a few minutes before wiping off with a tissue.

Maybelline Baby Lips in "Pink Glow" & Lucas' Papaw Ointment
Taken By Surprise Tip #2
Long-lasting application & preventing "feathering"
Most matte lipsticks are already quite long-wearing due to the formulation, but because the colour pigment is often super bold, it means that your lipstick can sometimes go walkabout and smudge easily.

Line your lips:
Stop that lipstick in its tracks! First up, make friends with a lip liner in the same shade as your lippy. Don't make the rookie mistake of only lining the outside of your lips - that means that if you neglect to touch up your lipstick, you'll be left with a weird looking outline on your lips! Make sure to not just line your lips, but to also fill in your lips! The liner helps your lippy "stick" to your lips, so the colour lasts a lot longer.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lip Liner in "Wine" 
WHAT NOT TO DO.
Much better!
Applying matte lipstick:
If you're not confident applying your lippy straight from the bullet, invest in a lip brush. Using your lip brush, swipe it across your lipstick and then apply to your lips. This method is much more precise than applying straight from the bullet, creating a more even finish. But if you're confident skipping the lip brush, go for it girl!

Sportsgirl Pout About It Lip Colour in "Night Owl" & Sportsgirl Brush With Fame Lip Brush
Pout-o-rama
Preventing lipstick from getting on your teeth:
This might sound weird, but put your finger in your mouth, press your lips firm over your finger and then slide your finger out. See all that lipstick on your finger? All of that product was on the inside of your lips and would have gotten on your teeth! Repeat for the left and right sides of your lips too.

No lippy on your teeth, whoop whoop!
Stop feathering/bleeding lipstick:
Feathering is what happens when your lipstick bleeds out from your lips, ending up with little lines of lipstick around your mouth. This generally happens to older women, but these tips also work to stop your matte lipstick from smudging. After you have applied your matte lipstick, use a concealer brush and your favourite concealer to cover up any uneven areas around your lips, making sure to blend the concealer. The concealer not only helps you create your desired lip shape, but it also acts as a barrier, preventing your lipstick from moving!

ecoTools Concealer Brush & Benefit Erase Paste Concealer in "Medium"
And now you have beautiful matte lips!
Taken By Surprise Tip #3 
Other ways to wear your matte lipstick
One thing I love about matte lipsticks is that they can be worn in a multitude of ways. Having one matte lippy means that you also have a lip stain, a creme blush, and you can also turn clear gloss into coloured gloss!

Turn your matte lipstick into a lip stain:
If you don't want a super bold lip, after you have applied your first coat of lipstick, press a tissue against your lips. It will pick up most of the product, but leave the colour behind! This is great for a more subtle lip look.


Like I just ate a cherry!
Reinvent your clear gloss:
Want a glossy finish but don't have a coloured gloss with you? After creating your lip stain (above), apply your favourite clear gloss for a shiny, flirty look.

Sportsgirl Give Some Lip Liquid Lip Colour in "Clear"
(It used to be clear, but I use it over my lipsticks a lot haha) 
Mmmm juicy pouty smooches

Creme blush:
For a natural looking blush, swipe your matte lipstick straight from the bullet across your cheeks. Then blend with your fingers for a natural cheek stain.

The lipstick I used was Innoxa Lovely Lips Lipstick in "Pink Peony" 

My favourite matte lipsticks & swatches:
All Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colours...
L - R
"Berrylicious", "Sweet Valentine", "Night Owl", "Almost Famous" and "Bombshell".
For some reason "Sweet Valentine" and "Night Owl" look glossy here, but they're not!
Don't want a traditional matte? Try a semi matte like the new collection from Rimmel London and Kate Moss. A semi-matte lipstick has a super smooth application and a more satin finish.


Rimmel London Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipsticks in "Rosetto" and "Kiss of Life"

What's your favourite matte lipstick? Have any application tips? Let me know in the comments below!
Share:

Friday 15 March 2013

Flower Crowns For Sale!

I have opened an Etsy shop, 

I have been completely getting my crafternoon on lately, making gardens and gardens of flower crowns for the fairy princess in all of us, and now you can buy one of your very own!

The crowns range from $20 - $30 AUD, with $10 - $20 shipping depending on where you live. 
Plus I also do custom designs.

You can see some of the crowns below, but be sure to visit my shop to see the full collection available!

"Baby She Wants Blue Roses" Flower Crown - $25 AUD
"Baby She Wants Blue Roses" Flower Crown - $25 AUD
"Romantic Roses" Flower Crown - $25 AUD
"Tropical Carnations" Flower Crown (Left) - $25 AUD
- crown on right currently unavailable - 
Visit my shop CrownedByFlowers

Share:

Thursday 7 March 2013

Make The Most Of Your Maxi Skirt!

Do you know why they call it a "maxi" skirt in the first place? Not because it's the longest type of skirt you can get or big like a maxi cab, but because it has the most uses out of all the other kinds of skirts, so you get the most out of it!*

*Okay, this may or may not be true, and I may or may not have just made this up. But it's no fib! Every girlladywoman should have a maxi skirt in their closet because you can do SO MUCH with it when it comes to styling your outfits.

So in today's post, I'm going to help you get the most out of your maxi. I'm going to teach you how to transform your maxi skirt into not just one, but FOUR OUTFITS. Wow! I hear you say. Tell me more!


cheeky grainy GIF time
Your humble maxi can be hocus-pocused into a below-the-knee fishtail skirt, a draped high-low midi skirt, a wrapped tube mini skirt, and into a one-shoulder cocktail dress!



And I'm going to show you how.

For all of these outfits, you will need:
1. A maxi skirt, duh. Mine is from Landes Essentials ($39.95)
Buuuuuuuut if you don't have a maxi skirt, a sarong/scarf/large piece of fabric secured around your waist like a skirt will also work too!
2. A long tank top, or a short fitted dress. Mine was a uni-student-budget-friendly one from Supre ($15)
3. That's it. WOW SO EASY!!

In this post, each step will be shown through photos without written instructions. This is mainly because I find this kind of tutorial is best shown using pictures - that, and I had no idea how to articulate each step besides, "twist this piece of material and then tuck in." I hope these tutorials make sense and that you enjoy them :)

Max it Out - Fishtail Skirt


Max it Out - Midi Skirt


Max it Out - Mini Skirt 


Max it Out - Cocktail Dress



Which outfit was your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!
Share:
© taken by surprise | All rights reserved.
Blogger Template Developed by pipdig