Make-up by Laura Dawson

I'm a lucky girl, one of my best friends is a make-up artist (which is extremely handy) and she has done my make-up today using Benefit products.

The products that she has used includes:

Face:
- The POREfessional balm which minimises the appearance of pores
- Play sticks
- Hello flawless oxygen wow!

Cheeks:
- "Sugar rush flush" face powder
- Bronzing and highlighting face powder duo

Eyes:
- "They're real" mascara
- "Big beautiful eyes" contour kit 100% recommended***

Eyebrows:
- Brow zings

Lips:
- Bella Bamba ultra plush sheer bright watermelon lip gloss

Apologies for the poor quality of the photograph, they were taken on my phone.

Laura specialises in bridal and special occasion make-up including proms, graduations and nights out. She is also a mobile spray tanner using LA Tanning solution in the Chesterfield, Derby and Sheffield area, if you would like to contact her about any enquiries you have please call Laura on 07714582812.

Why second-hand clothes shops are booming

Where most high street shops are fading, charity and vintage shops are thriving. Whilst it is miserable that we are losing some of our favourite high street stores because of the recession, it is giving charity shops a boost.


Charity shops used to be knitwear, bric-a-brac and hand-me-down clothes maintained by elderly women. However the abandoned shops are now in full swing and sweeping profits due to the shops closing down frequently on the high street. There has also been a return of vintage clothing, and where else better to pick up a bargain and get yourself a fashionable item that isn’t worn by the majority of shoppers?

According to Charity Retail Association, there are 7,700 charity shops in England which raise around £200 million per year. They get tax concessions because all the profits from a charity shop go to fund the work of the charity, which provides public benefit. They serve a charitable purpose so they benefit from exemption from corporation tax on profits. They receive 80% mandatory non-domestic relief which is funded by the central government, with a further 20% relief available at the discretion of local authorities.

Amanda Silkstone, 40 from Chesterfield works as a sales assistant at Age Concern in Chesterfield. She said that Age Concern hasn’t increased in business because of high street stores closing because “we can’t compete with Primark.” She thinks that the economy will pick back up again and that it’s just going through a slump.



High street music and DVD stores have suffered the most, as people can now get the same products online for a cheaper price; GAME and HMV have been affected by the recession. Fashion retailers such as; La Senza, Firetrap, Azendi, Pumpkin Patch, Peacocks, Barratts and T J Hughes are just a few of the popular chains that have either gone into administration or have closed due to the recession.

Charity shops have now caught up on ‘visual merchandising’, they now have shops on eBay and stock trendy up to date fashionable items that appeal to the younger generation. It’s not just elderly women hunting for collectables in charity shops; it’s also youths on the search for one-off individual items that the high street doesn’t offer. It’s no longer embarrassing to shop in those kinds of shops, quite the opposite in fact.

Au revoir high street stores, charity shops have made a comeback. Boutiques, independent stores and good old-fashioned bargain hunting is back.

Revevant links

Find your nearest charity shop – Charity Retail Association charity shop finder
Age Concern – About the charity
Search eBay for charity items – eBay charity shops

Jewellery and make-up storage

Hello!

I have a mild form of OCD when it comes to organisation, I’m not the tidiest of people but when it comes to my prise possessions, (make-up and jewellery) I have to have everything in order and neatly presented.  

I have tried many storage devices that work, but aren’t exactly pretty, they’ve mainly been ugly boxes or a jewellery holder in the shape of a human body, I found this big and bulky and my jewellery never actually stayed on the holder. 

I stumbled across this heart shaped glass dish from a small boutique in Chesterfield called Moo Moo. It mainly sells lots of vintage home ware and modern silver jewellery. I initially bought it because I’ve never seen a design like it, then I thought it would make a contemporary lipstick and lip gloss holder! I can’t remember how much it cost because they sell it in about five different sizes; it was around the £20 something price range.

I bought this vintage looking jewellery hook from Next for only £12, I think it looks stunning against a plain background and adds that extra glamour and decoration to the room. I can display my favourite necklaces and bracelets for everyone to see!

Love Jess x

Nail stamps: The future of nail art

This kit can be purchased from Amazon for £12.99

The CATWALK Blog has found a new and exciting toy that you ladies might be interested it. The revolution of the nail stamper, it is cheap to buy, easy to use and gives you that extra detail to your nails.

The stamp kit consists of designs on metal plates, a rubber stamper and a scraper. 

VIDEO TUTORIAL 

And voila, the finished result is:

A hair must have: Moroccan Oil Review

It is hard to justify spending £30 on a bottle of hair oil, but after much talk about this product it was hard to resist giving it a try.

I straighten my hair almost everyday, and for special occasions I tend to back comb or curl it with heated rollers, so my hair takes a lot of damage. After using a number of products from the high street such as Toni & Guy, Lee Stafford and Bed Head I was never satisfied with the results.

My hair gets greasy quickly so I needed a product that wouldn't disturb the oil balances and make it heavy, I have used Moroccan Oil for the past 4 month and I love it! The results are amazing, I don't use it everytime I wash my hair just when it starts to feel dry on the ends. It makes your hair soft and shiny without leaving residue.

I 100% recommend this product for anyone who styles their hair daily with heated devices, yes it is very expensive but the bottle lasts ages. The only grumble is that the bottle does leak if you don't leave it the right way up. But other than that it's fab, it also smells lovely.

It is claimed by Moroccan Oil that it speeds up drying time, and I agree it does only take me 10 minutes or so to dry my hair after using the oil. Give it a try, you won't regret it.

What's in my beauty bag?

Miss Dior Cherie

Temple Spa Duvet body cream and Sugar Buff body scrub

MAC lipsticks, Seasoned Plum, Viva Glam &n Politely Pink

L'Occitane hand cream

Dior eyeshadow, 616 Golden Spotlight

Schwarzkopf Silhoutte hairspray

Lush Honey Trap lip balm

You don’t need an excuse to hit the shops, especially when it comes to essential toiletries. Okay so they’re probably not that essential but they are crucial items that you need in your wash bag in order to smell/look lovely. 

1    Miss Dior Cherie – this perfume isn’t overwhelming, it is a floral, fruity, light, and spicy fresh fragrance for every day usage. It has a sweet oriental flagrance for the girly girls out there, it also has the cutest perfume bottle ever!

 

1     Temple Spa Duvet and Sugar Buff – The Mediterranean body scrub is a deliciously smelling scrub that removes dead skin cells revealing silky smooth skin (it is also recommended for the removal of fake tan). The firming body scrub does leave your skin feeling cashmere soft and is a light texture which absorbs quickly. Both products are from the sleeping range, and smell heavily of lavender so it is suggested to only be used at night time. 

 

1       MAC lipsticks – three very different colours for day and night wear. MAC has produced moisturising glossy lipsticks, however CATWALK found that they don’t last long and need replying frequently. MAC does offer us all the colours imaginable though, and we do want them all. We found that applying a small amount of clear lipgloss on top helps the colour last longer.

 

1        L'Occitane hand cream – this fruity smelling hand cream is ideal to keep in your handbag. It is slightly greasy and doesn’t absorb straight away but it does leave you hands smelling beautiful and feeling silky smooth. 

 

1     Dior eyeshadow, 616 Golden Spotlight – Dior Golden Spotlight looks perfect for a night out, a neutral glitter shade that actually lasts despite the amount of glitter. But it does tend to smudge all over your face towards the end of the night, which isn’t a great look. We would recommend sticking to the matt colours as we are still on the search for a glitter eye shadow that satisfies our needs. 

 

1        Schwarzkopf Silhoutte hairspray – Schwarzkopf promises an invisible hold. And its promise does deliver, however we are not happy with this product. If used at night time, you will wake up with your hair feeling extremely sticky and greasy! Stick to Elnette, this product only gets a 2/10. 

 

1        Lush Honey Trap lip balm – this stuff is amazing. Screw Vaseline, Honey Trap has a delicious smell and actually leaves your lips feeling moisturised. It smells of orange, chocolate, almonds and honey. It’s good enough to eat; the waxy texture gives you a full coverage of goodness and reveals your lips natural condition.