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50 Things About Me

2012-03-02T10:17:00.001Z

This is my 50th post, so I thought I would share a little bit about me with you.

1. I was named after my dads sister.
2. The first play I was ever in was my 3rd grade Christmas pageant, I was a shepherd and I still remember my first line.
3. My hair has been dyed every colour except green and it hasn't always been on purpose.
4. For my 3rd birthday I got a goldfish that I named Silver.
5. I hate confrontation...I'm a lover not a fighter.
6. Ive been acting since I was 15.
7. I was 18 when I had my first kiss.
8. My parents called me Tootse or Tootsie when I was little...my flatmate calls me Tootse now.
9. I spent a summer semester in London studying English Theatre and absolutely fell in love with the city...11 years later I moved to London.
10. I convinced one of my college roommates to shave her head b/c I really wanted to do it.
11. If I could wear flip flops every day I would.
12. I prefer to drink tea over coffee.
13. I used to think that the song Daydream Believer by the Monkees was about me b/c they sing cheer up sleepy Jean
14. I had braces for 5 years.
15. I am the youngest of 17 grandchildren.
16. I can recite Shakespeare.
17. The first vacation I ever went on was to Ireland, I was only a year old.
18. I can say the alphabet backwards.
19. I am able to give piggyback rides to people who are more than twice my size.
20. I have dual citizenship.
21. I'm not ashamed to say that I sing out aloud and dance alone in my bedroom.
22. The smell of freshly washed laundry is the best smell ever.
23. Ive always wanted a female Rottweiler and I want to name her Andromache after one of the characters in The Trojan Women.
24. I don't eat certain things b/c I don't like the texture of it.
25. I'm attracted to men who have unique talents.
26. When it was my choice to pick the video we were renting, without fail I would pick Beaches, Willy Wonka, Big Business or Steel Magnolias.
27. Ive broken my left wrist 3 times.
28. I took Latin for 4 years and after the 4th year my teacher to told me it would be wise to no longer to take it.
29. I love to knit, although I only know how to make things that are square or rectangular...I make a mean scarf though!
30. When I go out to dinner I have to wash my hands almost immediately after I finish eating.
31. I really enjoy ironing.
32. My mom and I have the same birthmark in the same place.
33. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason.
34. The boys in my 7th grade science class started calling me Jeanie of the Lamp and it stuck all throughout high school.
35. I don't regret waiting.
36. When I was in 6th grade I slapped my teacher across the face b/c he wasn't being fair in extra gym...not my proudest moment.
37. My favorite flowers are gerbera daisies.
38. I want to be a wedding and event planner.
39. I can still recite the first 2 paragraphs of the Gettysburg Address b/c I had to memorize it in 6th grade.
40. I overanalyze everything but am making a conscious effort to curb that.
41. I want a bagpiper to play at my wedding.
42. I used to want to be a prima ballerina...then I got hips and boobs and that dream was shot to hell.
43. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I have a sun burn and people feel it necessary to point it out as if I didn't know.
44. When someone asks me my name and they think I say Jane I correct them by saying, no Jean...like the trousers.
45. I want to be a pirate.
46. I love to buy presents for my friends just b/c something reminded me of them or I was thinking about them.
47. I think that men who can tap dance are sexy.
48. I wish I knew how to rap.
49. I'm addicted to lip balm.
50. Ive been a blond, brunette and a redhead and I can tell you that blonds don't have more fun (no offense.)

Also, as of yesterday, Google Friend Connect will be peacing out, and I'm in fear of losing any of you non-Blogger followers. So, see that little widget over there----------------> telling you to follow me on Bloglovin' click on that and join. I haven added an RSS Feed at the top right corner too.

A Striped Skirt in Paris

2012-02-22T20:04:00.001Z

Hello lovelies,

While curbing my boredom at work today I came across this skirt online at H&M and it got me thinking about my upcoming trip to Paris in May.

Let's talk about Paris first...since I moved to London, well before then really, I have dreamed about going to Paris. Living in London, Paris is only a 2 hour train ride away, but for me it was miles away...in another reality. I just couldn't afford a train ticket to Paris with the job I'm at. However at Christmas, my wonderful (and stylish) flatmate and I exchanged our gifts and stuck in an envelope, inside a Paris book was a voucher for the Eurostar. He made it affordable and possible for me to be able to go to Paris! *soupir

Now back to the skirt...it's she pretty?! I want to get this incredibly affordable skirt for when I go to Paris. It's quite a bold piece and I have been thinking about what I could pair it with....here is what I've come up with.

I think the skirt speaks for itself but I didn't want to pair is with only black and white. I do love the gold accents with the jewellery and the yellow (I thought about doing green also) in the scarf. What do you think?

Photos: H&M, Polyvore

Putting On My Bossypants

2012-02-06T10:47:00.000Z

Hello loves,

This post doesn't really have anything to do with style or beauty but to be reading is stylish, so I'm going to write about a book I just finished.

Bossypants by Tina Fey is witty and clever. Its a no nonsense autobiography, but it's written is short chapters giving us a glimpse into the life of Tina Fey. If you don't know who she is, I highly recommend you Google her as she is great! The book was such an easy read, I started it on Thursday of last week and by the end of the 1st day I was almost halfway through it.

However, seeing as though this is a style/beauty blog...if you are going to read why not do it in style, like I did.

Budget Living

2012-01-30T14:26:00.001Z

Hello lovelies!

Given that its the end of the month and tomorrow is payday, I thought I would write a little bit about how to be fabulously stylish and beautifully made-up on a budget. Living within my means is something I'm not very good at, however my current income forces me to be a lot more frugal. Here are a few tips and tricks that I have been learning.

Fashion:

As much as we all would like to be able to go out and buy new clothes whenever we fancy, it's not always possible. I mentioned my addiction to Pinterest in a previous post and what I have been doing is looking at the things I have pinned and thinking about how I can put together similar outfits with what I have in my wardrobe already. It forces me to really shop my wardrobe and it also makes me pull together looks that I might not have thought about before.

Yesterday this was my inspiration, but I wore a navy stripped shirt and a green cardigan.

This next outfit is something I am dying to pull together. I have scarves, tights and a white shirt and when I can spend the money, I found a very similarly skirt at Topshop for £26.99. I can absolutely do this and only spend a few pounds.

Makeup:

Being a makeup artist, I'm notorious for having a bunch of different products at any given time...mostly it's due to gratis or the incredible discount I had. However, I'm not really doing too much makeup these days so I have no reason to buy 5 different types of concealers or foundations. I've really cut back on my makeup spending. We all love to try to find the best thing out there and even when we find a product we love, we can't help but still want to find something better...I know I'm not the only one who does this. However, do we really need to buy a new mascara just because we read about how amazing is it, when we have a mascara that we might have just opened up? No, ladies, we don't! I'm slowly learning that I don't need to buy that lip gloss that Fleur, Tali or Dara are raving about..as much as I really want to. I need to learn to use up what I have before I go out and buy something new.

Also, I can't stress enough that you can get some really great products from high street (or drugstore) shops, we don't always have to shop high end. Pixiwoo does some great videos on drugstore makeup.

So there you have it, this is what I have been doing to cut costs and living a little bit more within my means. I hope that you found some of this useful.

What have you been doing to live within your budget?

Photos: Pinterest, Pinterest

Product of my Life

2012-01-18T10:20:00.001Z

Hello my lovlies,
I know the title to this post sounds a bit dramatic, but I have to admit that as long as they keep making this product, I will keep buying this product! What am I talking about you ask, only the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment that's all. When I moved to New York my lips became incredibly chapped, I don't know it if was out of nervousness that I kept licking my lips, if it was the change in water, different air...no idea. But on my 2nd day of living in New York I walked little behind into Sephora desperate for something that would help. The sales associate suggested this Fresh product to me by telling me that it doesn't contain any petroleum which is the main ingredient in most lip balms...did you know that petroleum actually dries your lips out which is why you need to keep applying the lip product? She also said that it's the only lip balm that she uses the whole tube of. I'm a lip balm-aholic and if its out there, I've probably tried it...however I was a convert as soon as I purchased this. It's magical!

Only until recently did I find out that there is a Fresh shop in London. Prior to finding out about this shop I savored my Sugar, using it quite sparingly until I knew if I would be back in the States to stock up or knew my sister would send me a new one. Now I feel more at ease knowing that I'm not completely without (I just need to have the funds to purchase a new one) but I still will continue to scrape out my Fresh Sugar down to the last bit. At £20+ a tube, it's certainly not Vaseline!

I said it before and I will say it again...as long as this product is made I will keep on buying it.

Photos: Fresh

I'm Sensing a Trend

2012-01-11T13:31:00.000Z

Hello lovelies!

I'm a bit of a Pinterest junkie as of late (Follow Me!) and I have noticed that there is definitely a trend I am loving...cardigans, scarves and boots all in one outfit. And to be honest, I'm wearing that exact trio with a dress at work today. I feel like this is my winter "uniform", but I also feel it looks pulled together and yet is still comfortable.

Are you seeing any trends in your current wardrobe?

Photos: Pinterest

I'm Back...With a Review

2012-01-09T16:29:00.002Z

Hello lovelies!!!
Sorry I have been away for so long, I hope to be more up to date with posting in the future.
But without further adieu...

A few months back I was working an event during London Fashion Week and met a representative for Sjal Skincare. I had never heard of the brand prior to this event, but after sitting down with her and hearing all about the line, I was very curious. Sjal is a gemstone and mineral skincare line and that alone can make any girl curious. The demo their rep did on my hand was enough to make me want to throw down hundreds of pounds right then and there for the whole line. My skin had this naturally radiant glow and left it baby soft. Sadly for me Sjal definitely has a higher price point ranging from £50-£200 and my purse was/is wearing a little thin so I was not able to buy up the whole line right then and there, but I was fortunate enough to be given oodles of sample packets to take home.

The products that stood out the most to me were the Balans deep pore cleanser and the Orbe eye contour creme. The cleaner is a cross between a cream and a gel. It doesn't foam up like a gel cleanser does but its a lovely texture and cleans the skin without being too harsh. I myself have quite sensitive skin and had no problems with this at all. The Orbe is by far my favourite product. I am always searching for a good eye cream. This is emollient, hydrating and absorbs quickly so you can apply your makeup very soon after. And most importantly, a little bit goes a long way.

Sjal is an excellent product line. I highly suggest trying it out. In the UK is can be purchased from Harvey Nichols and there are a few (but more than in the UK) locations in the US that sell it.

Margaux Lange

2011-11-21T13:41:00.000Z

Hello lovelies!

Ive been gone for AGES, I know, but now I'm back and hopefully with bang! Today I want to tell you about this amazing jewelry maker (Margaux Lange who also happens to be a friend of mine) who makes the most unique jewelry I have ever seen. Take a look for yourself!

She hand makes all of her pieces from Barbies. I have pined away for one of her pieces for ages and last Spring, just before I shipped out of New York City, I purchased one of her custom originals. She blogged the progress of her working on my piece which you can check out on her blog Midge's Mind and I was so lucky to see how this beauty was created.

I love my brooch so much and she even put a piece on the back of it so that I can wear it as a necklace if I want to.

Because each piece is handmade and a lot of time and effort goes then, they do come with a higher price point, but I do have so say...a Margaux Lange design truly is an original.

Yes, I Suck!

2011-10-26T16:11:00.001+01:00

I started this blog with as a new and exciting project. Blog about things that I like and what my opinions are on things. It started off with a bang, I had lost of ideas, I posted almost daily and then I hit a wall. I lost my motivation. I felt I was losing my creativity and the posts became less and less frequent. Its been over a month this I posted and I'm sorry, but I feel that stylistically I am stuck. Its hard for me to blog about things when I don't have new and exciting products or clothing to tell you about, I'm broke and can't buy much. I'm bored of my clothing and it only makes me depressed to look at clothing that I love...and cant afford. I know I sound like a Debbie Downer, but right now I feel like I am a complete loser.

I'm creative. I'm an actress, I'm a makeup artist, I love photography and crafting and all things pretty...but I'm stuck behind a desk at a boring office job that pays me pennies, and all for what?! I need my mojo back. I need a creative outlet. I miss being me.

Does anyone have any advice for a sinking artist?

Burberry Tweets

2011-09-20T11:50:00.000+01:00

Yesterday afternoon, about an hour before they were to show at London Fashion Week, I read an article about how Burberry was going to "twitpic" all of the looks and show them to their Twitter followers before the models walked down the runway. I thought this was genius! I'm sure you fall into the category of one of the less fortunate to sit front row at any of the shows during fashion week and see what is to come in the next season...but Burberry went above and beyond revealing their looks to us before Anna Wintour, Sienna Miller and Kanye West got to see them. Now there is a fashion label for the people!

If you missed the photos, follow Burberry on Twitter and check them out! The new line is gorgeous and it makes me long for an unlimited spending budget!

My First GlossyBox!

2011-09-16T20:55:00.000+01:00

Hello Lovelies!

(I sound like Tamara from Glam and Glitter 4Ever)

I jumped on the GlossyBox bandwagon this month. What is GlossyBox you might ask? Well, it's a subscription service where you pay £10 +shipping a month and receive 5 luxury samples sent to your door in the cutest packaging ever (have I ever mentioned that I am a sucker for great packaging!) Look for yourself!

I mean come on, isn't this the cutest?! But wait, it gets better...look what's inside!

Now, if you haven't already read a hundred million posts on GlossyBox's here is what I got.

1. Neal and Wolf Harmony Intensive Care Treatment: It's a deep repair hair conditioner and it's supposed to leave my hair shiny, healthy and manageable. I haven't used it yet, but if it does what it promises I am sold! My hair is in need of some love and I'm hoping this will do the trick! I'm smells divine too, clean and a bit floral.

2. HD Brows Eye&Brow Palette: I think this is the product I'm the most excited about. If you didn't know already, I am a bit of a brow fanatic. I'm obsessed with my eyebrows looking perfect. I wish had before and after photos of my brows from the age of 15 to now for you to see what I've been through. What a transformation! But I digress...this is a multi-use palette with four matte eyebrow colours. They can also double as shadow and liner and they promise to last 24 hours. I'm definitely putting this one to the test tomorrow with a long day of working a London Fashion Week event.

3. Kimia Exquisite Rejuvenating Facial System: This is a 100% natural formula that quickly absorbs into the skin to heal, protect and hydrate your skin. There are 2 products, a face oil and a hydra-activator. I'm quite curious about these as they are 100% natural and my skin can be very temperamental. We will see what it does.

4. Dead Sea Spa Magik Salt Brushing: This was voted the best exfoliator by You Magazine. It's a blend of pure Dead Sea Salts, vitamin E and coconut oil with a citrus aroma. I do love a good exfoliator and my skin is super dry so it will love me for this! And they gave us 2 packets which is fabulous!

5. Plum by Mary Greenwell: This is a signature fragrance by makeup artist Mary Greenwell. Top notes of English plum, blackcurrant, peach, bergamot and lemon blend with heart notes of gardenia, tuberose absolute, orange flower absolute, rose absolute and jasmine absolute with a base of precious woods, sandalwood, oakmoss, patchouli, amber and white musk. I put this on me to try it out as my body chemistry does weird things to fragrances and my sense of smell is super sensitive. I will be honest. I like the aroma but I don't think I like it on me. Its great in the bottle but on my skin I don't love it. I might need to try it again to properly judge it.

And there you have it! I'm super excited about this. I love trying things out and GlossyBox really spoiled me with the sizes of things. I will be sure to give you a real rundown on the products as I use them! I almost can't wait until the middle of next month to see what comes in that one!

Give Me A Kiss

2011-09-14T21:10:00.000+01:00

Red lipstick used to intimidate me like you wouldn't believe! I loved how it looked on other people, but for some reason I always felt like I would never be able to pull it off. I would sit at the mirror, apply (with perfection) lip liner and lipstick in beautiful shades of red, admire it for 30 seconds and no sooner wipe it away. This was a common occurrence for me as I loved the way it made a bold statement, but was never brave enough to wear it out the door. I was always envious of those women I'd see out with their red lacquered lips, thinking 'wow, they look so great.'

It wasn't until I started working for in makeup that I became brave enough to bust it out. There were no makeup rules so to speak, you just had to be wearing it and make it look impeccable. There are some of the most amazing shades of reds out there to experiment with also. While I'm a pretty hard core lip balm wearer, I do love to pull out the red lips on a number of occasions.

I've learned that you don't need to be getting all dolled up to rock the red lips, sometimes my favorite look is a t-shirt, jeans and sandals with minimal makeup and a bold red lip. It says, 'yep I'm rocking a red lip and I'm totally comfortable with it'

What is your feeling on red lips?

MAC Fail

2011-09-11T19:51:00.000+01:00

I need to vent for a moment...I am completely fed up with MAC Cosmetics and am considering giving up shopping there from here on out.

Where do I begin? I'll start with today, I went to MAC to use a gift voucher I was given for my birthday and it was a complete fail. This is the 3rd time I have tried to no avail to use this voucher. Everything about my experience in there was terrible, from the lack of customer service to the disgusting customers who were "shopping" in there. There was this one woman who kept grabbing doe foot applicator after doe foot applicator trying a lipstick and then just throwing the applicator on the counter...THERE'S A BIN YOU GROSS BITCH! But I digress. I understand that MAC is a popular brand and that there are usually always people in the stores shopping but I am appalled by the less than helpful sales people. I was once told that I needed to wait in line at the till to be helped. Now this is where is all goes wrong...I don't know if you know this about me, but I used to work for MAC. I worked at the busiest MAC in the New England area and we were very heavily staffed due to this. No matter how busy we were, there was always some who was able to grab a lipstick or an eyeshadow even if we were helping other customers. Not once in the 3 times that I have been into a MAC in the last month has this happened.

So then just a little while ago I thought, well I'll avoid all the hassle of going into another shop and I will use the voucher online. No no, that's not allowed! It can only be redeemed in store. That, my lovelies, is bullshit (pardon my language) I mean, why bother selling the vouchers at all if you can't even use it online?!

MAC is a good brand, I like what they stand for and I like what they give back...but I'm slowly liking them less and less. Not to mention I feel the brand is really starting to attract a certain type of person these days and I'm not sure I want to be lumped into that category. I'm not knocking you if you like MAC, I have loads of MAC makeup (mostly because I used to work there) but I am honestly considering using what I have up and leaving the brand behind altogether!

I'm not one to get so worked up about something like this, however the last few experiences have been terrible and knowing where the brand came from I am really disappointed. MAC was one of the first higher end brands of makeup I started using but I'm totally put off now. And its times like this that I really miss Sephora!

Photos: Anti-MAC

Updates Updates

2011-09-07T15:34:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies,

I'm sorry for the lack of posts these days. I have been a little uninspired recently and I am trying to muster up some things to write about and not leave you hanging. With the change of season I should have more to write about, so please bear with me.

I have some new things in the works so I promise there will be some better post and hopefully some new videos!

xoxo

photo: Scarlet Johanson

Approaching Autumn

2011-09-06T16:59:00.001+01:00

Autumn is my favorite season for some many reasons, one of them being because of the clothes. I love the colours of this season, reds, oranges, yellows, browns, greens...all of them are colours that look amazing on redhead actually (yes redheads can wear red, contrary to popular belief.) I'm also quite partial to the textures that come out this time of year, knits, tweeds, wool...heavenly.

On my lunch this afternoon I popped into the newly opened Rugby Ralph Lauren shop in Covent Garden and died. I am familiar with this shop having been in the one on University Place in New York City, but this is the first one in Europe. The store is gorgeous, tartan walls, dark wood, a real rustic feel...and the clothing, oh the clothing. Its is Autumnal heaven in one store. Here is what I am lusting after in there...

Are you looking forward to the autumn as much as I am?

photos: Rugby RL

Casual Comfortable

2011-08-31T15:10:00.000+01:00

This past weekend I was off in the countryside playing with dogs, going on walks in big fields, playing tennis (terribly), going swimming (at 2:30 in the morning) and doing a lot of relaxing. In my opinion, it was an ideal weekend away from London. On weekends when I'm just relaxing with friends and doing a lot of outdoor activities, I tend to be as low maintenance as I can be while still trying to look presentable. I spent most days this weekend wearing only a bit of concealer, powder, mascara and brow pencil. It's so nice to have it take less than 5 minutes to get ready.

Style wise I lazed around in either a pair of leggings, jeans or jean shorts, a tank top and long cardigan. At one point I was wearing my flatmates supersoft Abercrombie & Fitch hoodie, which made me long for one of my own. Now the only thing I can think about these days with the weather getting cooler is how much I want to curl up in an oversized hoodie and be all cozy. I don't own a hoodie right now and although I don't get much opportunity to wear one, I think having a cozy sweatshirt in your wardrobe is essential for relaxing days in the autumn.

Try and tell me this doesn't look super comfy!

Photos: Sweatshirt

She Bangs, She Fringe?

2011-08-25T16:26:00.000+01:00

Whilst on Twitter this afternoon Glamour Magazine tweeted a photo of Nicole Richie rockin' full ~~bangs~~ fringe, which gave me full on hair envy!

When I was little I sported a full fringe but it looked nothing like Nicole's as you can see...

Mini Me

I go back and forth between whether I want to grow out my fringe, have side-swept fringe or none at all. I usually opt for the side swept as I play with my hair way too much and I know my hair will never look perfectly coiffed. If you were to see me right at this very moment, I have my hair in a top not and the front twisted up and back...pretty much its a mess right now. Not to mention, any time I have hair in my face it drives me mental. Yet, why does seeing that photo of Nicole Richie make me want to take a pair of scissors and chop away?

Tell me ladies and gentleman (I know you are out there!) what is your opinion on fringe and what is your hair currently doing?

Boot Camp, No Joke

2011-08-24T16:45:00.000+01:00

My birthday was at the beginning of the month and one of the gifts I was given was a voucher for 8 sessions of ClearFit Interval Training (read boot camp) by my flatmate. You might be thinking that it's a backhanded way of telling me I need to get lose weight, but I thought it was an excellent gift as I have been really wanting to get back into shape. I know this is sort of contradicting what I wrote a few months back, but in the last 3 years I have put some extra weight and am not pleased about it. I'm making a conscious effort to boot my ass back into shape and what's better than boot camp to do it?!

I'm not one to go to the gym by myself, spend an hour working all the right muscle groups and doing the right amount of cardio, then leave feeling accomplished. I go to the gym alone and get bored after about 15 minutes. When I lived in New York I had a personal trainer who would tell me what to do and what to work on that day, it was excellent! At boot camp I get the same thing, but I'm also busting my ass during the hour I'm there. It's not a pretty sight when I leave that studio, my muscles are sore and I'm beat red, but I feel great mentally and I feel like I have accomplished something.

I've been a lazy lump this past year, OK maybe I have taken part in a couple runs but I definitely could have done more. Now that I am in taking these classes, it motivates me to want to do more. While I want to drop at least a dress size, I also want to get in better shape and be healthier. It reminds me of that quote from Legally Blonde...

Exercise gives you endorphins.

Endorphins make people happy.

And happy people just don't shoot their husbands...

they just don't.

Feeling good in the skin you're in always motivates me and it boosts self-confidence levels. But you know what, I'm still going to indulge in a cupcake at times like I spoke about in my previous post.

Product of the Week

2011-08-23T11:17:00.000+01:00

This week's product is a bit different, its a book.
I finished the first book in the Stieg Larsson trilogy and while I wait to get the second in the series I needed a quick book to read. My flatmate lent me a booked called e by Matt Beaumont and I cannot stop laughing as I read it. The book is written all in email correspondence via employees at an advertising agency. The blurb on the back of the book reads...

Consisting entirely of emails, e spends a few weeks in the company of Miller Shanks, an advertising agency embarked upon the quest to land Coca-Cola - the account they would sell their collective grandmothers in a car boot sale to acquire.

Meet:

a CEO with and MBA from the Joseph Stalin School of Management

a director who is a genius, if only in his ow head

creatives with remarkable brains, if only in their trousers

a copywriter with the two things no adwoman should ever let show -

underarm hair and a conscience

secretaries who drip honey and spit cyanide

the sad git in accounts

This is one pitch that nobody will ever forget.

I don't know about you, but to me reading is totally in style and this book is such a great light read. If you want a book that will make you laugh out loud, this is it! It comes highly recommended by me...if that is any consolation :)

Product of the Week

2011-08-15T14:11:00.001+01:00

I've slacked off on my "product of the week" posts and sincerely apologise for it. But since it's Monday again, this weeks product is...

TRESemme Volumising Dry Shampoo

I will admit, if I haven't already, that I do not wash my hair every day. I probably wash my hair about 2 times a week. You may be thinking "ewwww gross" but if I didn't tell you this, I assure you, you would never know. Yes, I'm one of those lucky bitches who can go ages before my hair looks like a vat of grease fell on my head. While I don't wash my hair daily, I do like to keep it looking good and this product does just that. I love it! I particularly like this one because 1.it isn't white like most dry shampoos 2. it doesn't leave my hair feeling gritty and 3. it is volumising. My hair is heavy, I have a lot of it and then add not washing it all the time and it can start to look a little limp. The bad boy helps me out loads.

If you are in the market for a good dry shampoo or if you have never tried one before and are curious, I highly recommend this.

Photos: Dry Shampoo

Travel Wear

2011-08-11T13:52:00.000+01:00

I used to be the kind of girl who would throw on my sweats when I got on an airplane, whether I was traveling a few states away or a few countries away. I was a right mess getting on and off of an airplane. Now I like to take some pride in my appearance no matter where I am headed (ok maybe not when I'm heading to Tesco after a crazy night.) However I don't want to get on a plane looking like a dump anymore. Gone are the days of the giant hoodie and sweats and here are the days of casual, comfortable chic. Also, I like to remain pretty minimal with what I travel in due to security checks and all that as well. There is nothing worse than getting stuck behind the girl with the boots that need to be unlaced and 24 pieces of jewelry that she has forgotten to take off when going through the machine. Oh, you know who I'm talking about!

I like to think that I'm a pretty seasoned traveller and I know how to make going through security happen as smoothly as possible. Therefore I avoid wearing any excess jewelry that might set off the detector. I also avoid belts as I have been that girl who did forget to take it off and walked through *hides face in shame* And I try to wear slip on shoes that will make it not only easy to take them off but to put them back on. In the winter I may opt for a slip on boot. If I'm going on a long trip I like to be as comfortable as possible but still look nice. Sometimes I will opt for a long flowy maxi dress or maybe I will opt for a pair of leggings with a long cardigan. One thing I always travel with is a pashima. I'm never without it. You never know when you will need some extra warmth, more cushion for a pillow or to give your neck a little more support. Not to mention its a great pop of color. I'm usually an all black dressed traveller. If the trip is a shorter distance I'll travel in what I wore that day. It important to me that I don't look like a trash heap.

Take pride in your appearance ladies and gentlemen, no matter if your on a 40 minute trip from New York to Boston or if you are traveling to the other side of the world. You know you will feel so much better about yourself when you step off that plane and don't look like you have crawled out from under a rock (too harsh?) I'm not saying wear your formal wear, be comfortable, but look pulled together.

A Bit of a Mascara Rant

2011-08-10T11:35:00.000+01:00

I'm not one to complain about products, but yesterday I tried a new mascara and it made me less than thrilled. Let me preface this by saying that I am always on the hunt for the perfect mascara and although I do have some that I really like, I have yet to find one that I love. However, yesterday I used one that I despised. Loreal's Million Volume Lashes Mascara was fine when I applied it, but as the day went on it flaked and smudged all over my face. There was no escaping the mess! Then last night I was lazy and didn't wash my face *hides face in shame* and woke up looking like this...

Needless to say, I will be throwing that mascara out and will be in the process of trying to find the next best one.

What mascara's do you use? Please send me suggestions!

What's In My Handbag

2011-08-07T21:22:00.000+01:00

I know, I know...its been ages!
Here is a little video to hold you over.

I'm Back!!

2011-07-31T21:50:00.000+01:00

I'm not usually someone who jumps on the bandwagon, especially when it come to beauty or style. I tend to do my own thing because I know what works for me. However, I couldn't ignore all the rave reviews regarding Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua so I gave in, went to Harvey Nichols and got a sample of it. Let me tell you, I used it for the first time last night and I fell in love! It's exactly what everyone has been raving about. It truly gives you a flawless, "second skin" finish. I'm not a foundation girl and although the product is marketed as a foundation, I have a hard time calling it that. Its so lightweight, the coverage is light and more importantly, it leaves my freckles still showing through. Its much like a tinted moisturizer rather than a foundation. Its magic!

Vitalumiere Aqua comes with a bit of a higher price point and my skin can be a bit finicky when it comes to products I put on my face, so I wanted to sample it before I make the commitment. The lovely woman working at the Chanel counter gave me a very generous sample bottle and since a little goes a long way this sample will last me ages. I will definitely be purchasing this amazing little bottle when I run out of my sample!

I Now Interrupt This Regularly Scheduled Program

2011-07-20T11:28:00.001+01:00

To bring you this...

I'm in Prague and am here until Friday. I know I've been really slacking on blogging, but I promise I will be back with bang! But for now, enjoy the sights with me :)

Product of the Week

2011-07-18T14:12:00.000+01:00

This week I am going to rave about Origins Youthtopia Eye Cream

Sometime last year I went to get a facial and the aesthetician told me that my skin is in great condition, but I should really be concerned with dryness around the eye area. I've been using eye creams for quite a few years now and while some have been OK, most have dried me out. I went on a quest for a great new eye cream and stumbled upon this one completely by accident. I was getting ready to go out and I was borrowing a friends products since I was at hers and used this. I have to say, I was so impressed with it after one application. A lot of times I will use an eye cream, apply concealer over it and immediately I can see the concealer caking, but not with this gem! I think I am hooked. Not only does it moisturize amazingly, but it also lasts forever. A little definitely goes a long way. I bought this pot back in March and I still have about a quarter it left. That's a great bang for your buck.

So, if you experience dryness around your eyes, try this out, you wont be sorry!

photo credits: Origins

Oh Hello Colour

2011-07-12T18:53:00.000+01:00

I have recently fallen in love with a gorgeous, drop waist, tennis dress from Zara...that is bright orange! I'm talking straight of out the Crayola box orange. It's bold and it's unlike anything I own. Sadly I'm not sure if this beautiful dress will become a part of my wardrobe due to my finances, but a girl can dream.

The orange dress is what inspired this post...
Unless you've been living under a rock or in the Unabomber shack, you may have noticed that this summer is all about bright, bold colour. My wardrobe is predominantly black and gray (what they're New York staples) but, I have been trying to make a real effort to add more colour. Don't get me wrong I really do love colour, but getting dressed in the early morning for work, sometimes it's easier for my brain to just grab a black dress and cardi. However I always (and I do mean always) have a bold coloured scarf on me to add in that pop of colour.

I can't help but be drawn to colour right now. I don't know if it's due to it being Summer, if I'm sick of my current wardrobe choices or if it's because every shop I go into colour is staring me in the face. Either way I like it! I also like the current colour blocking trend that is going on at the moment, but I'm not sure if I personally am ready for that much colour at one time. Baby steps for Jean :)

With that being said, nothing makes a statement more than bright colour, whether that colour be in your clothing, accessories, makeup or maybe even your hair. Colour is amazing!

On another note, I am a firm believer that colour can really have an effect on your mood (check out these links about this: Colour Psychology and Effect of Colour on Mood) and with the crazy "Summer" weather we have been having here in London I think adding some bright colours into your wardrobe can really help beat that dull, gray weather!

Photos: Crayola, Color Blocking

Product of the Week

2011-07-11T19:27:00.000+01:00

This week my product is...

MAC Face and Body

I love this "foundation", all year round but especially for the Summer as it is lightweight, sheer and sweat-proof. I don't usually wear foundation (unless I am going on a big night out or to an event) I wear tinted moisturizer. I usually switch between this and Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer year round, but at present I have been gravitating towards this. I have freckles and in the Summer my freckles are much more visible. As a makeup artist, one thing I despise is when girls try to cover over their freckles with foundation. It looks so unnatural! So I embrace this sheer goddess to even out my skin-tone and give my skin a healthy glow while still showing off my freckles*.

*to all the young girls out there reading this who hate their freckles, when you get older you will learn to love them. And not to mention, guys think they are cute :)

Filthy Gorgeous London

2011-07-10T11:06:00.000+01:00

Last night I worked an event in Battersea Park doing makeup for women who who had just run either a 5K or 10K. I fell into this job completely randomly, as I was at work and there was a competition being held by Venture Candy in my building. That morning I happened to be working on the side where the Health and Beauty part of the competition was being held. Noelle and Adam, two of the founders of Filthy Gorgeous London were in my reception area (have I mentioned I am currently a receptionist *yawn*) and we got to talking. Somehow it came up that I am a makeup artist and before you know it they were telling me to email one of their colleagues as they are looking for freelancers and that there is an event on the 9th that I could be a part of. I immediately jumped at the opportunity and there I was yesterday painting faces.

I had such a great time, the team I was working with were great. There was none of that "new girl awkwardness" I just jumped right in and did what I do! We spent about 5 hours working and it was boom, boom, boom...one right after the next. I couldn't tell you how many girls I made up. The interesting part was that this was the first time I was working with this makeup. We were using Naked Cosmetics eyeshadows which are loose mineral pigments and look amazing on the skin and Natio skincare and makeup. I was at a loss without my own brushes, but I made due with what I had. I am a makeup artist right, we can use any tools to make it work!

Filthy Gorgeous is this amazing company this located in Debenhams on Oxford Street in London and in Glasgow. The concept is one stop beauty where you can go get your hair, nails and makeup done all in one place before you go out. I think its genius! I mean, who wouldn't want to just sit in a chair and be fussed over before heading out...I know I would. The company has this vintage/rock feel to it and they carry some amazing products including their own brand of nail polish. Run to them now and make a booking to beautify yourself!

I hope that I'll be contacted to do more events with them in the future, not only are they a great company to work for, but they have some amazing people on staff. Oh and I kind of have a crush on Adam...not a real crush, I just adore him!

A Purple Smokey Eye

2011-07-07T22:12:00.001+01:00

I'm back at it with another tutorial. This one is a smokey eye using purple shadows.
There is no exciting music as this is the first video I edited myself. I promise there will be more exciting things in the future!

I hope you find this helpful and will want to see more!

Glam Your Gams

2011-07-06T11:08:00.000+01:00

I'm going to be embarrassingly honest...I get 5 o'clock shadow on my legs. I shave in the morning and by early evening I can feel those pesky little prickles rearing their ugly head on my legs again. It's probably the one thing I hate most. I wish I could shave and have smooth legs for days, but no that wont happen. I've never tried waxing my legs as I just cant be bothered to grow the hair out long enough to then have it ripped out. I would love to have laser hair removal, but after researching, I found out that having blond leg hair makes it almost impossible. C'est la vie! So I am forced to deal with shaving on a ~~regular~~ daily basis.

I'm now going to let you in on my shaving secret...I use hair conditioner instead of shaving cream. OK, I know I'm not the first one to do this, but I cannot tell you how amazing it is. Shaving cream, the foamy stuff, dries my legs out but conditioner leaves my legs feeling silky and soft (well at least until the 5 o'clock shadow happens.) I have to tell you though, it does wonders for the legs! I've been using Superdrug's Coconut and Sweet Almond Conditioner. It's so convenient as its come in a pump bottle, its £.99 and it smells gorgeous!

When I get out of the shower I moisturize my legs with Nivea Soft Intensive Moisturizing Creme to keep the legs feeling silky. My skin is on the drier side so I do my best to keep my body feeling like a baby's bottom :) This has been doing the trick for right now.

But I would be nowhere if it weren't for my amazing razor. The Gillette Venus Embrace is the most amazing razor I have ever used! I will sing its praises until the cows come home. If last forever and it's moisture strip that goes around the whole cartridge does wonderful things for a shave.

These three products have been life saving for my legs this summer!

Product Of The Week

2011-07-04T19:37:00.000+01:00

Starting today and every Monday I'm going to rave about a product I am in love with.

This week it is...

Moroccan Oil

I was first introduced to this Moroccan Oil about 2 years ago through my sister, who got it at her salon. I've always been a fan of hair oils as my hair is curly, coloured and heat-styled. Any type of oil I put in my hair immediately gets sucked right up, as it craves moisture. I'm a fan of stealing things from my sister (in my defense she steals things from me too) and I always use this when I stay with her. More recently, I have been too broke to get my hair cut (sad but true) so I have been in dire need of some hair help. This has been my saviour. That and my 1 to 2 times a week of hair washings (don't be jealous) and leaving my hair to dry naturally. I may look a little like a street urchin these days, but at least my hair is in better condition.

I would highly recommend this product to anyone who's ends are feeling a bit dry and unloved or for any curly haired girlies out there who want to put some moisture back into your luscious locks. Also, it smells divine and I would probably bathe in it if I could!

Embracing the street urchin look.

Give Me Hair

2011-07-01T16:17:00.000+01:00

Have you ever had a bad haircut? A haircut so bad that you've wanted to shave it all off because you know being bald would look better than how your hair looks now? I most certainly have! Except instead of shaving my head I went the other way and added more hair...hair extensions are my friend! I've had a weave, I've had bonds, I've had micro rings and I've had clip-in's. I love having long hair and extensions have made it really easy. Obviously the clip-in extensions are the easiest to deal with as you can put them in and take the out at your leisure, but if you want something long term to help grow out that bad haircut or the awkward stage of growing out your hair, the other options are best. However I do have to tell you, there is some discomfort that goes along with weaving, bonding and micro rings. You know that feeling when you have been wearing your hair up in a tight ponytail all day, multiply that by about 100 and it will feel like that for about 2 days after. I helped ease that pain by taking ibuprofen as it does lessen the pain. Also, it's so worth it (in my opinion) when you have beautiful mermaid hair!

The less expensive option is the clip-ins and I have tried a number of different brands. I've used HeadKandy, Halo and Luxy and I believe that Halo have the best selection. I have had a hard time finding a place that sells extensions that have a variety of red shades and they have different lengths as well as human hair, synthetic hair and different textures as well. If you want long hair but don't want to make the commitment or want something that is a little easier on your wallet, clip-ins are the way to go!

The great thing about human hair extensions is that you can treat them as if it is your own hair. You can dye it, use hot tools on it, wash it...amazing! And if you get great quality hair and you treat it with love, it will last you months. I could not recommend doing this more!

Here I am through different processes...

Micro Rings

Weave

Bonds

I Like Scarves

2011-06-30T15:17:00.001+01:00

"Blaine and I like football. Well, Blaine likes football, I like scarves."- Kurt Hummel from Glee

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I always always always have a scarf with me. I am a big fan of brightly colored scarves. I wear them all four seasons. Not only do they serve a purpose of keeping you warm in cooler weather, but they are also a great accessory. A scarf can truly add so much to a simple outfit.

I lust after this skull scarf by Alexander McQueen

Granted nothing looks bad on these two guys, but scarves work for men too

I love buying scarves from is Tie Rack in London as they always have a 3 for 2 sale going on. The have great colours as well as a lot of choices all of which are inexpensive.

Photos: Nicole Ritchie, Scarves, Girls, Colin Farrell, David Beckham

Thank You VERY Much

2011-06-29T15:09:00.000+01:00

This post is from my other blog but I thought I would recycle it as I need all the help I can get!

Fellow blogger friends, I have entered into this competition to win what would be the most amazing job at Very.co.uk and I am enlisting you to help me out!!! If you happen to read my post about looking for a new job you will understand how much this means to me. The competition is based on votes as well as selection and it would be great if you could vote for me!!! Just click on the link, 'Like' the page and search for me then click on 'Vote'. I don't really ever do this, but I would love to win this job. Its perfect for me and I would get to work with my friend Cate which is an added bonus! So please please please...I'm begging (I know it isn't pretty) vote for me!

Vote For Me Here!!!

Search for Jean and you will find me....

Thank you!!!!

ps~ I know this is a very link heavy post :)

I (heart) Tom Ford

2011-06-28T13:21:00.000+01:00

I would have Tom Ford's babies and that's saying a lot since I don't actually want to have babies, but I would hands down make an exception for him. Unfortunately for me, he doesn't play for my team (although there is this article...) and I have a snowball's chance in hell of having this happen. However, I must say I love this man! Everything about him oozes sex. From the way he dresses to the clothing he designs to the scents of his perfumes to just the way he looks...he is smouldering!

See for yourself...

*sigh* I do own Tom Ford Black Orchid and its such a sexy scent. A little goes a long way and every time I wear it I get tons of compliments. It makes me feel as though I am just a little bit closer to Tom himself and the sexiness he oozes!

photos: Tom Ford, Hot, Neroli Portofino

Attitude Over Presentation

2011-06-27T13:09:00.000+01:00

What do you do when you are all dressed up and suffer a wardrobe misfortune i.e. spilling red wine on yourself at a nice dinner, sitting in something while wearing white trousers or landing in a pile of mud when you almost fall in the Thames? I know first hand how upsetting this can be, since I did land in the mud while almost falling into the Thames.

I will forgo the story of my stupidity and just tell you that I have not laughed that hard in a long time, but at the same time, I was covered in mud, miles from my flat and had the whole day ahead of me. I'll tell you what I did...I owned that mud and I stayed in town all day. You're probably thinking that I'm some nutter for doing so, but the mud wasn't caked on my butt which is all that mattered to me. If I had in fact had a brown bottom I would have hightailed it back to SW11 and called it a day, but I wore my newly mud splattered jeans like they were the latest trend. Did I get looks from people? Yes, some people did double take, however more often than not the people didn't even take notice. I know that sometimes it's hard to grin and bear it! Although you will notice, when you can own the wardrobe misfortune and not look embarrassed by it, no one is really taking notice.

The lessons I did learn from this, when you think it's a good idea but know it's probably not, don't do it! And don't ask the people in Pret over by the Tower of London if you can have some napkins or kitchen towel...they will not help you out!

I Did What?!

2011-06-26T19:21:00.000+01:00

I filmed a tutorial. I never thought I would do something like this, but I did!
Here it is, just for you :)

This is also the finished eye up close since I filmed it on my MacBook and you can't really see how it came out.

Action Shot!

I want to give a shout out to my friend Naomi Rose who did the editing for me on my video! You rock :)

The Brows Have It

2011-06-25T23:14:00.000+01:00

Ladies (and Gentlemen) lets talk about a very important topic, eyebrows. First and foremost, there should always be two of them. If they are starting to connect in the middle take tweezers to them please! Eyebrows frame your face, some of you may only think of them as two clusters of hairs growing above your eyes, but they are more than that. We all have eyebrows (OK, I take that back, Whoopi Goldberg and Voldemort don't have any) and I believe that we should keep them maintained as no one really wants to have two caterpillars crawling across their face, right?! Each of us have a definite shape to our brows and by just cleaning up the strays around the shape voila, you have a whole new face, see for yourself...

There is also hope for if you've over plucked...

And for men, jut keep it simple. You don't want to end up looking like this...

or this

The same rules apply for men and women, just keep them tidy.

photos: Julia Roberts, Susan Boyle, Gwen Stefani

Taking Pride

2011-06-24T15:55:00.000+01:00

This is a little bit more of a rant than anything but I think you all should be in the know...

Last Friday I went to the Barbican to see a play and I was sitting next to a woman who literally looked like she either just rolled out of bed or came from the gym. She was wearing a worn out, button down shirt, yoga pants and running shoes; I fought every urge to turn to her and say "pleased to see you got dressed up to go to the theatre!" I was so appalled by her appearance it got me thinking...what happened to people taking pride in their appearance, especially when attending the theatre?

I remember when I was little and going to the theatre was such a big deal. I went to see The Nutcracker when I was 8 or 9 years old and was so excited to put on my best dress for a night out. Way before my time going to the theatre was a black tie affair. Men and women would pull out their formal wear to attend a show on Broadway but now people show up in ripped clothing, sweatshirts, baseball hats...yoga pants. Its a disgrace!

I'm all about comfortable style but I also am all about still looking respectable while being comfortable. But I also believe that there is a right place and a right time for that kind of dressing and the theatre is not one of those places.

Let Them Eat (cup)Cake

2011-06-23T14:51:00.000+01:00

Summertime is when we all start to become a little more body conscious due to the fact that we will be peeling off all those Winter/Spring layers and showing off more of our shape. This is the time where our purses definitely get slimmer due to shelling out cash for gym memberships or other exercise classes. I have to admit something to you, me and the gym, we are not friends...Me and cupcakes are. Therefore every Summer I have to ask myself, Summer Body or Cupcakes? The answer is usually cupcakes. I like my sweets and cakes, I can't help it.

I am certainly no skinny mini and could probably stand to lose ~~twenty~~ a few pounds but I have to tell you, I'm not terribly unhappy with the way I look. I try to keep active with some (very occasional) running in the park. I like to walk home from work (3.5 miles) when the weather is nice. I swim in the pool in my building (not as often as I should) but I try to stay active in order to indulge in the deliciousness that is Hummingbird Bakery. I see no problem when there is a bit of balance. Its not that I have given up completely on having Jillian Michaels' abs or Jennifer Aniston's butt, but I don't want to live my life at the gym and not get to enjoy the all food I love. I'm happy with being me plus or minus a few pounds, if it means I get to eat cake!

Photos: cupcakes

The Skin You're In

2011-06-22T12:35:00.012+01:00

I touched a little bit upon this topic here but I want to talk about how important it is to wear sunscreen. I know, I know, this topic has been harped upon over and over again...but really y'all, skin cancer is no joke!

I wont lie and tell you that every day of my life I have applied an SPF, because I haven't. However, I will tell you that on those days that I was exposed to the sun and was not wearing sunscreen, I suffered severely and regret every moment of it. Fun Fact: did you know that (according to the CDC ) Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. In the US in 2007, 58,094 people were diagnosed with melanomas of the skin, and 8,461 people died from it. And (according to Cancer Research UK) The statistics show that 6,183 cases of malignant melanoma were diagnosed in women and 5,584 in men in the UK in 2008. That year there were 2,067 deaths from malignant melanoma in the UK .This is some pretty serious stuff people!

Everyday I wear sunscreen on my face and if I am out in the sun with other areas of my body exposed I slather it on too. My makeup has an SPF 25 and if I am not wearing makeup during the day I will put on a facial moisturizer with one in it. I've been thinking I could probably use a stronger SPF and have been in the market for a facial sunscreen (any suggestions?) Not only does wearing sunscreen protect you from getting skin cancer, but it also prevents you from getting wrinkles. UVA and UVB radiation cause wrinkles by breaking down collagen, creating free radicals and slowing down the natural repairing of the skin. In other words...they do nothing but harm and age you. You don't want to look older than your years, do you? I didn't think so.

I don't want to toot my own horn or anything and I'm only saying this b/c I've been told over and over I don't look my age. But I'm 33 in August and no one believes me when I tell them my again. I guess I have been genetically blessed when it comes aging, but its also due to the fact that Im very aware being in the sun and applying sunscreen.

Have a look at this as well, it really resonated with me.

So Your Date Drives a Vespa

2011-06-21T11:55:00.000+01:00

This happened to me recently, I went on a date with a guy who drove a Vespa and as I was getting ready for the date I had difficultly trying to figure out what to wear. It makes looking pretty a little bit harder because you are about to hop on the back of a scooter and throw on a helmet.

Jeans and trousers are a must. As much as you would like to have on a cute skirt or dress, there is nothing graceful or ladylike about climbing onto the back of these things...believe me! And some sort of sensible shoe is essential. You cannot wear anything that isn't strapped onto your little tootsies or they will be gone.
If the weather is nice you may be able to forgo a jacket but it doesn't get quite cool on there with the wind whipping past you.

As for your hair, ladies, there is nothing sexy about shoving your newly blown-out hairdo into a helmet. Not going to lie... However, I assure you, that looking cute while riding on the back of a Vespa is possible!

Here are my tips...
1. Bottoms with legs, no skirts or dresses
2. A great strappy sandal in the Summer or rock a great motorcycle inspired book in cooler weather
3. A denim jacket or a cute blazer if its a bit chilly
4. Always have a hair tie to keep your hair from whipping you in the eyes (more importantly, your dates eyes)
5. We're your most attractive asset on your sleeve...your confidence! While you may be saying "oh my word" your body language will be saying "I got this!"
6. Sit back, hold on tight and enjoy the view!

or you could go bottomless like her...

Photo from Coolshowcase

Give Us A Kiss

2011-06-20T15:12:00.002+01:00

Red lipstick used to intimidate me like you wouldn't believe. I loved how it looked on other people but for some reason I always felt like I would never be able to pull it off. I would sit at the mirror, apply with perfection lip liner and lipstick in beautiful shades of red, admire it for 30 seconds and no sooner wipe it away. This was a common occurrence for me as I loved the way it made a bold statement, but was never brave enough to wear it out the door. I was always envious of those women I'd see out with their red lacquered lips, thinking 'wow, the look so great.'

It wasn't until I started working for MAC that I became brave enough to bust it out. At MAC there were no makeup rules so to speak, you just had to be wearing it and make it look impeccable. MAC has some of the most amazing shades of red to experiment with too. I've always been a huge fan of Viva Glam I and Lady Bug. While I'm a pretty hard core lip balm wearer, I do love to pull out the red lips on a number of occasions.

I've also learned that you don't need to be getting all dolled up to rock the red lips, sometimes my favorite look is a t-shirt, jeans and sandals with minimal makeup and a bold red lip. It says, 'yep I'm rocking a red lip and I'm totally comfortable with it'

So, get out there and play with some red lipstick. There is most definitely a brand out there that has the perfect shade of red that complements you. Don't be afraid, get ready to make your mark...on someones collar :)

Every Girl Needs A Handbag

2011-06-19T19:12:00.001+01:00

This is my handbag...

OK I lied, this is one of my many handbags. If I had all of them with me (sadly when I moved I didn't have room for all of them in my luggage) I would have taken photos of them all. What, I like handbags! But it leads me to a question I get asked quite a bit...why do you need so many? Ladies (and some gentlemen too, I don't discriminate) I'm sure you will all vouch for me when I say, one can never have too many handbags. The reason being, in my opinion, is that we like to have options. My little Gucci friend up there is near and dear to my heart and although you may not see it, he's suffering from a little wear and tear. Now, if I only had this lovey and carried him faithfully day in and day out, he would be suffering A LOT!

Also, he isn't always the right size for whatever occasion he might be accompanying me to. For instance, on nights out or on trips when I don't want to be lugging my trusty friend everywhere with me, I have Marc.

Marc is great for nights out, dancing, grabbing drinks with friends or solely on those days where you don't feel like carrying your entire life in your bag. You can throw your purse, your phone, your keys and a lip product in there and you are set for the night. Also, he has a great detachable cross body strap making him great to travel with. Take the strap off and you have a clutch, attached the strap and you have a hands free night. How can you go wrong?!

Being me and as long as I can afford my habits, I will probably continue to buy myself more handbags. I feel as though, if you have some real classic ones they will last you forever and they will always be in style. And you know my theory...they keep the others from wearing out! Therefore, as I said before, one can never have too many handbags.

** I would like to note that not all my bags are of the high end variety. I have some really beautiful ones that I love just as much from high street shops as well.

Curly Girly

2011-06-19T19:11:00.002+01:00

I have curly hair. It's not the kind of beautiful curls you see on girls like AnnaLynne McCord or Keri Russell (in her pre-chop Felicity days.) My curls are a bit more Sarah Jessica Parker on a non-stylist day. Don't get me wrong, I do love my curly hair because I have the best of both hair worlds, sleek and straight or wild and curly. But I have to admit, taming the beast can be a bit "knotty". Here's the problem, I don't like crispy curls. I like to be able to run my fingers through it without getting them stuck in product, but finding the right concoction to work for me is a struggle. Not to mention, having moved from the US to the UK, the water is different and the products I was using before don't work the same now.

In the States I found the perfect combination, a dollop (that's a technical term) of Aveda Brilliant Humectant Pomade when the hair is wet, working it in from the ends up. Then I would twist the hair into formed curls and use a diffuser attachment to dry my hair. When my hair was about 90% dry I would air dry the rest (usually as I was doing my makeup) and right before I was about to head out, I would put about a quarter sized amount of Paul Mitchell Foaming Pomade in my hands, work it into the hair (ends to root) and voila perfectly curled, manageable hair. Touching it up the next day by wrapping sections of hair around the barrel of a curling iron and it would reform the curls.

In London I am still trying a ~~boat load~~ few different products to get my curls to my liking. I have the all of the above mentioned products but I still haven't been able to get the curls perfect. They need more love with the curling iron than I wish to admit. However, if I am having one of those lazy SJP days, I'll toss in some John Frieda Frizz Ease and Aveda Be Curly when its damp and pop out the door. That will give me a very bohemian loose wave and I may actually get to work on time...I kid!

I will say though, I swear by Aveda hair products. I worked for the company for 4 years and know what works for me and what to recommend to work for you. They are a bit of a high end brand but the products are amazing for the hair and work like a dream! I may buy and try a lot of products on the market but I'll probably never stop drinking that Kool-Aid.

Ssshhh, don't tell anyone, but here is what my hair care basket looks like...

Embrace Your Curves

2011-06-17T13:44:00.000+01:00

This month Italian Vogue placed three gorgeous "plus-sized" models on the cover of their magazine.

Adele's who's album 21 has been on the top of the charts for 10 weeks now, graced the cover of UK Glamour this month.

And Mad Men's Christina Hendricks was voted sexiest woman by Esquire.

Besides two of these stunners being fellow gingers, they all have something in common...they all have and celebrate their curves. I think its phenomenal! While I may stand at a mini 5'1" (and 3/4's of an inch, but who's counting) I too am a curvy girl. Mama's got herself some hips! Sure, it may make buying jeans and trousers a bit challenging, I am happy to be a curvaceous women and it pleases me to see these (curvaceous) women celebrated for their beauty. I think its about time women with "normal" shapes and sizes get recognized for their beauty. There will never be another Gisele Bundchen, while she is gorgeous, she is a freak of nature (I mean that it the best way possible.) It's time to get over the 6' tall, 100lbs woman.

Curvy women unite!

*photos from Italian Vogue, Glamour and Esquire magazines

Summer Makeup

2011-06-16T13:52:00.000+01:00

I've recently gotten into a less is more Summer makeup routine. I love makeup and I love playing with different looks, but when the weather is warm (albeit not as often as I would like here in London) I don't like to wear a whole lot. A normal day for me, whether I am off to work or at the weekend, would be...

* Tinted Moisturizer
* Concealer
* Cream Blush
* Bronzer
* Brow Pencil or Shadow
* Eye Primer
* Eye Liner or Shadow as liner
* Mascara
* Lip Balm or Gloss
* on a very rare occasion I might use a bit of powder on my t-zone

It makes getting ready for the day so simple and it leaves you will a really polished look. Obviously if I'm heading out for the night I might change my routine a bit to suit the occasion, but these products are great for a clean, polished, no fuss look.

I apologize for the blurry photos, but I think you can get the picture.

Look at me exposing myself (my bare face) to you and we've only just met!

After

*Products shown above: Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer in Bare Radiance, Makeup Forever HD Blush in 14 Star Struck, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Bourjois Volumizer Mascara in Black, YSL Touche Eclat in Luminous Radiance, Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde, Anastasia Eyebrow Enhancer in Strawburn, Fresh Lip Sugar, MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium and Nars Bronzer in Laguna.

Summertime And The Living Is Easy

2011-06-15T11:10:00.000+01:00

As I have stated, I am a redhead and I'm one of those girls who have been blessed with skin that turns lobster red in the Summer. I have only a few options in the Summer sun, slather on SPF 500, wear clothing that keeps me covered from head to toe or stay indoors. Well, I don't know about you other fair-skinned beauties, but when the sun is shining I want to go out and enjoy it! I have a tendency to run a little warm so completely covering up isn't an option for me...therefore bring on the SPF! However, because I have to keep applying, I am that girl who tends to blind people with the whiteness of my legs (yes I AM that pale.) So it leaves me asking the age old question...to self tan or not to self tan?

There is always the debate of whether pale is the new tan or if us pale girls should bronze ourselves up. I'm not going to lie, I do love tanned skin, but for me it can be a right bitch to achieve, especially on a work day. I know, I know, I could apply it at night, let it develop, wake up bronzed and head off to work, but I don't always think that far ahead. The other thing is, how do you reach your back? I have a bottle of the St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse that I do love but I can't figure out how to get myself in the yoga position I need to be in to apply it to my back. My friend swears by the TanTowel but I like to see where the product is going to avoid any mishaps.
This is me tan...

My tan is obviously being put to shame by the amazing natural tan my gorgeous cousin has, but with that being said, I love how it looks. Bear in mind though, I wasn't working at this time and had plenty of time to carefully apply my St. Tropez.

I'm not one of those girls who feels the need to be tanned 12 months out of the year. Unless I lived somewhere tropical where the sun was always shining, the St. Tropez will be put away for the winter months. Come October I tend to look more like this...

Oh I wish!!!

But in all honestly, what do you ladies prefer...to tan or not to tan?

Photo credit Dita von Teese

Let Me Introduce Myself

2011-06-14T15:03:00.000+01:00

As the title of this post says, let me introduce myself...
This is me, I'm Jean.

I'm an actress, a makeup artist and all around fun, fearless (that may be a small stretch) female. I'm originally from the US (Boston and New York City) but am now living in the UK (London). I've had blonde, brunette and black hair at times, but have always returned to my roots...so to speak. Having dabbled in different dos I have had to change my makeup and clothing to suit my hair color. I have also worked at MAC and Aveda, worked as a freelance artist and being an actress have had to change the way I look over and over again. I'm confident in my knowledge of products and styles and am here to help you...if you want it! Also, this is my way of letting the creative side of me out. Therefore, I hope that you will come to me and see what I have to say. Join me on my style adventures :)