Simple steps for wavy hair

Bonjour People, 

There are many methods of creating the perfect wavy hair but personally, I like to use the french plait technique. It gives a nice textured look without looking too fake (if that makes sense).

Step 1. Wash hair and either towel dry/use hairdryer to the point where its only slightly damp.
(For more volume, blowdry hair upside down so the roots get a little lift)
Step 2. Section your hair into two pieces; one being the fringe/forward part of the crown, the other being the rest of the hair. 
Step 3. Start to french plait the fringe section, not too tightly - unless you want extreme tight waves.
Step 4. Midway down the fringe plait begin the bring in the rest of the hair starting with the closest sections on the crown, then the side sections working your way back. 
Step 5. Keep this hairstyle in for at least a few hours (or overnight like me)
Step 6. Undo your whole plait and decide how you are going to style it.
Step 7. Spray some salt spray (available in most cosmetic stores) and then hairspray. 

VOILA!

I used this hairstyle on a night out in London to a concert and it lasted the whole night!

To make the waves really tight, make sure the plait is neat and not loose. 

Hope you've had a good day!

Love love xx

 

e.l.f Cosmetics Haul!

Bonjour People,

Wow. Wow. Wow.

I had the spur of the moment beauty haul the other day, I was on the e.l.f Cosmetic website in search of just one thing, I should have realised that wouldn't be the case. I just couldn't stop myself, they had loads of wonderful products I just had to try!

Opening a parcel and seeing it full of makeup is one of the best moments in life. I'd like to say thank you to my packer Andrew for doing such a lovely job!

This is everthing that I ordered to add to my mahussive collection. I was like a little kid at christmas, didn't know what to open and try first!
I love the neutral colours and softer shades of red/pink/coral so the majority of my order reflect that.

Let's begin with these Jumbo Eyeshadow Sticks. I love eyeshadow sticks, they're so easy to use and give a noticeable effect without being 'too much'. I chose the colours 'Like A Boss' which is a dark blue/grey and 'French Lace' which is a golden rose colour (love it, blends so nicely with my skin). The product itself has a lovely creamy feel making it easy to apply and perfect for blending when creating a smokey eye effect. An added bonus is it's 'twist up' feature. (£2.50)

In the colder months of the year, I suffer from dry lips and always have a gazillion lip balms however, none of them provide any colour. I found this soothing lip balm 'Strawberry Creme' and my heart skipped a beat, I knew it was for me. Not only does it provide treatment for chapped lips, it also gives them a pop of colour. What makes this product that little bit special is the smell of the balm! Yep, you guessed it, smells like strawberries :P (£1.50).

 I never used to be a fan of lipglosses, they used to get everywhere! On my clothes, on my work, on other people :P But back then, I was jeuvenile and didn't appreciate my makeup as much. Anyway, these Plumping Lip Glaze products are brilliant. It is double ended, one with a clear glaze which gives an instant fuller lip look and the coloured glaze. The application brush works perfectly in the sense that when you go to apply the glaze to your lips, there isn't a massive gunk on the end of it. The test mark on my hand to the left is the colour 'Fire Coral', to the right is 'Baby Doll'. These glosses provide the right amount of moisture and colour without your lips looking like they're covered in glue! A definite must.(£1.50).

 My lipstick collection is quite unbelievable. When I was younger, I remember saying to my mum "I will never be a girly girl and wear lipstick"...
For my fair skin, these colours a fabulous, really compliment each other. From left to right, 'Flirtacious', 'Seductive' and 'Charming'. Perfect considering Valentine's Day is tomorrow! The product has a smooth conditioning feel to it making the lips all lovely and smooth and when I tried kissing my hand, there was hardly any residue! So pucker up people! Surprisingly, there is a subtle minty smell to the lipsticks making them all that more appealing. (£1.50).

 These All Over Cover Sticks are genius. Definitely be taking these on a night out! The far left is 'Light Beige', I use this to treat my dark circles underneath my eyes and the odd blemish on my cheeks, works like a charm! It provides great coverage without being heavy or cakey. 
The two on the right are 'Pink Lemonade' and 'Spotlight'. These are used to brighten the eyes, lips and face. Personally, I would only use the Pink Lemonade as a blusher. The contrast between it's colour and my fair skin would be too much for my eyes. As a blusher, the product gives a soft rouge colour, you don't need to apply a lot, just a small hash tag (#) on the cheek and blend.
Spotlight is a god send. I recommend for the fairer skinned ladies out there! I used it under my eye and instantly you could tell the difference. It was like an immediate eye lift! Sorts out those dark circles no problem. With the smooth texture, it's really easy to blend with a brush or even your finger.(£1.50).

This 32 Piece Eyeshadow Palette is perfect for people on the go or to take on holiday. It has a sleek compact design and contains a mirror and dual ended eyeshadow applicator. The colours are gorgeous; there are shades for everyday simple looks and shades for a more dramatic impact (I cannot wait to try out the light aqua colour on the bottom row!) Each one has enough shimmer for that little bit of sparkle around the eyes and you don't need a lot on the brush to get the colour onto your skin which means they should last a fair while! The only thing I would change about this product is the brush. I prefer to use a bristle brush rather then a sponge applicator for eyeshadow but that's just me. (£6.00).

Overall, I am majorly impressed with e.l.f cosmetics. I will definitely making another order for summer time products! The prices are very reasonable, they often have sales/discounts and the range of products is absolutely fantastic. Something for everyone!

I hope you have all had a lovely day!

Love love xx

Casual Drinks Look + Eyes

Bonjour People, 

I'm going out for drinks with a few friends at the weekend but my dilemma was what to wear! The weather in the UK is atrocious (so any special plans for my hairstyle is out the window) but when you get inside a bar, you get quite warm if you wear a coat. So this is my solution...

Jacket: New Look, £27
Top: New Look, £6
Disco Pants: Missguided, £10
Boots: New Look, £25
Necklace: New Look, £5

For a casual night out, this outfit is perfect. Keeps you warm but also girly (in a slightly rock chic kind of way). I used to be one of those girls who despised any sort of leggings in general but then I tried a pair on and never looked back. I love them.

This is one of my favourite necklaces (out of my infinite collection). It's not too heavy but it has enough weight so that when you move/jump about, it's not flinging around in your face. As you can see, it has black and gold detailing so keeping your outfit with that theme in mind would make a great outfit. 

This jacket/blazer is absoultely gorgeous. It is slightly tailored in the sense that the shoulders have a thick lining to keep them in shape and the bottom of the jacket has a minor peplum effect, giving the look of curves for those who may not have some. The gold zip actually opens into a proper pocket, big enough to keep money/cards safe if you have a really small clutch bag. It doesn't have any poppers/buttons to do the jacket up but because of the slight flaring out, it is more fitted around the waist area so no need to be done up. I think this jacket looks great with skinny jeans, leggings or tube skirts.

Sorry for my dirty boots, I've been wearing them all day around town. These shoes are ridiculously confortable. The heel has enough height to give you that little boost and are thick enough so that your feet don't ache at the end of the night. They have small tassles on the outside edge of the boot to give it that little twist (which I love) and have zips at the back. These look great with pretty much everything! Black ankle boots are a must.

With this outfit, I've kept my eye makeup quite plain. I used MUA concealer around the eyes (I get terrible dark circles), Natural Collection Sea Shell eye shadow, black eyeshadow (brands name has worn off), mascara and black eyeliner. For a proper night out, I'd glam my eyes up a little more then this but for a casual night out, this is just enough. I've kept it simple by creating a semi-smokey eye look on the upper lid, heavier in the outer corners of the eye and blending it out to the inner corners. Eyeliner is applied to both the upper and lower waterline. This makeup is easy to do, especially if in a rush and creates the look of thicker longer lashes. 

Super Posey Picture. In this piccy, I've only done my eye makeup.

Right, Cheltenham, lock up your sons! :P

Love love xx

Daytime Date Look

Bonjour People, 

So Valentine's Day is coming up and I'm sure a lot of you have some exciting plans. If I were to go on a date during the day (as long as it wasn't something like paintballing) I'd wear this outfit.
I would like to state that I personally wouldn't have my hair braided in a french plait, I just came out of the shower and plan to have wavy hair for tomorrow ;)

 

Top: Primark, £8
Necklace: Primark, £3
Skirt: New Look, £8
Shoe boots: New Look, £25
Cavcahon Puppy: £750

What I love about this outfit is it's girly and flirty with a hint of class and sophistication. 

The top from primark is really comfortable and sleek to the touch. The buttons are hidden down the centre apart from the very top around the neck. The cuffs also have a singular button and aren't tight around the wrists. This particular top comes in many different colours, it's hard to choose from! Great thing about the top is it's so versatile, it'd be suitable for work, casual or even nights out. Love. 

I apologise, I didn't notice one of the pendants was flipped up!

This necklace, also from primark, is really good quality (to my surprise), it's lightweight and just makes enough of a statement without being overpowering on an outfit. It is a gold plated chain with pearly pink triangular pendants with smaller gold traingles on top.

The skirt from New Look is a maroon colour with hints of little white speckles. The band around the waist is elasticated so it is comfortable to wear throughout the day and it just has enough flare, not so much that it blows up in the wind showing your goodies to the public.

Now I am a shoe-aholic. I could buy shoes all day, everyday. These are my latest purchase from New Look and oh my god do I love them. I have tested them to the limit, great in wet weather and you can run in them!

They are deep tan colour with a size zip on the inside length of the shoe. As you can see they have a small platform just so the heels aren't too steep on the feet. These ankle boots look great with pretty much everything; skinny jeans, leggings, tights... And are extremely comfortable, I could wear them all day long.

With an outfit like this, I'm sure your date will be impressed!




Hope you had a good day!

Love love xx 

H2O

Bonjour People, 

Growing up I've never had a real issue with oily skin, acne or any other facial skin problems (thankfully) and I know for some it can be really disheartening. I truely believe a contributing factor to great skin is water.

I love water. Drinking it, swimming in it, using it in art... I think I was supposed to be born as a mermaid, I love water that much.

I'm not saying drink the "8 glasses a day" rule but make sure it's a part of your daily diet instead of sugary drinks. By all means, have them too if you want :) but make sure it's balanced.

Simple tips to include more water...

• Have a glass of water beside your bed so you can have a sip or two when you wake.
• If you're at work, keep a bottle of fresh water on your desk, so it's within easy reach to top your glass up throughout the day.
• If you're out and about during the day, carry a bottle of water so you can have a drink whenever you want.
• Increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables; they have a high water content. 

Your skin contains lots of water and keeping hydrated can help the skin look more youthful, it won't get rid of those wrinkles (darn it) but it'll help! 

You've got to admit, a nice cold glass of water with ice cubes is soooo satisfying! 

Bottoms up!

Love love xx

Sleek i-Divine Palette Review

Bonjour People, 

Sleek's i-Divine palettes are an essential feature of both my daily and night-time makeup. There are so many different choices; from vibrant neon colours to subtle ethereal shades.

This particular palette is 'Au Naturel 601' and has a selection of 12 mineral based eye-shadows. The top row of shades are perfect for the natural everyday look. They give a subtle but noticeable hint of colour to the eyelid. 

From left to right, top row; Nougat, Nubuck, Cappuccino, Honeycomb, Toast and Taupe.
Bottom row; Conker, Moss, Bark, Mineral Earth, Regal and Noir. 

The bottom row of shades take you from your everyday look to your night on the town makeup. Great for layering and creating the smokey eye effect. 

 Taupe, Conker and Mineral Earth have a slight shimmer to them so blending those three shades together would work perfectly. 

The actual case itself has a nice overall black polished look, lightweight and is small enough to fit in your bag. Included is a double ended foam applicator and a perfect size mirror. Perfect if you're going straight from work to meet up with friends!

The palettes cost £7.99 and are available on the sleek website or in Superdrug stores. I recommend checking out their full range! 

Love love xx

Affordable Everyday Makeup

Bonjour People, 

Soft and subtle everyday look with products that are actually affordable!

Personally, I love the liquid liner wing look, both minimal and maximum, I feel it gives a little flirty look and can really emphasize your eyes. 

I would like to apologise for the lighting on the photo, we had a powercut so I had to use whatever I could find!

Foundation - Beautyuk, Matte-FX foundation, 01 Ivory. 
Concealer - MUA, Hide & Conceal, Fair.
Face powder - Rimmel, Stay Matte Pressed Powder, 002 Pink Blossom. 
Eyebrows - Collection, 3 Blonde.
Blusher - Collection, 02 Bashful.
Eyeshadow - Natural Collection, Sea Shell. 
Mascara - Miss Sporty, Fabulous Lash Waterproof Black.
Eyeliner - 2True, Waterproof Black.
Lips - Beautyuk, 7 In The Buff.

These products are so easy to use and will not disappoint. I found all these items in Superdrug :)

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Love love xx

Sultry Vampire Lips

Bonjour People, 

Just a little makeup review today.
I've gone for a vampire look; defined eyes and lips.

Beautyuk (beautyukcosmetics.com) are a fantastic brand. I'm especially impressed with their lipsticks.

This gorgeous shade of deep red is called 'Vampire' no.6.
It gives both the moisture you would want from a lipstick but also a "solid" colour to make that bold statement.
A really useful feature of this lipstick is the lid. It shows the colour on the top so when I've got all my lipsticks standing in their case, I can easily spot it amongst the others.
I've only recently ventured into bold lip colours because, I'll admit, I was afraid of standing out. My new years resolution was to improve my confidence and this is one way of achieving that. 

Great thing about this lipstick is it's so cheap! £3.49!! There are 17 shades in this line of lipstick (including Vampire). I want them all!!

Hope you're having a good weekend!

Love love xx

Scrummy Yummy Cakey Goodness

Bonjour People, 

Today I have been the stereotypical 50's housewife. I've been cleaning, shopping and cooking food all day. Sadly this will not last. I've only done these things because I have family visiting for the weekend!
 
My brother and his girlfriend, my nana and Noel (Noel is such a babe).
It's also my darling dog's birthday on Sunday. She'll be seven! I can remember the exact second she was born, where have the years gone!!! Anyway, I made her a special little cupcake just for her :) I also have two other dogs - Bonnie (Mum), Millie (Daughter/birthday girl) & Toula (my little tinker).

So, battle stations! Got my weapons at the ready!

Well...a good few hours later, I made a gazillion cupcakes (of which my dad ate a lot), a lemon drizzle cake and a victoria sponge :D

TA-DA!!! These are the cupcakes for Millie's birthday :D You can see her special one in the middle. Bet the cake won't even touch the sides of her mouth!

If you're planning on doing some baking in the near future and want to decorate it really nicely, head on down to Asda! Their baking section is chocker-block full of decorations from little characters, mini sweets, colourings and loads more!
I've never tried this squirty icing cans, but now I've used them, there's no going back! They're amazing! They come with four different nozzles so you can choose how the icing comes out and it's so easy to use, plus mega-delicious!

This is Millie. She is a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel and is my chubba. She is a real poser, you crack the camera out and BOOM. She's there ready and waiting. I love her so much. Can't believe my chubba is going to be a senior!!! Happy Birthday Millie. Love you lots, like jelly tots and vodka shots. 

Hope you all have a good weekend!

Love love xx

Mini Highstreet Haul!

Bonjour People, 

Today I went into the town centre to run some errands and of course I ended up doing a bit of shopping (typical Ellie), so let the show begin!!!

Let's start with Primark...

Normally I don't wear high round neck tops as they tend to make me look a little like a boy however, I just couldn't resist!

I'm 5"6 and a size 8-10, this top is a size 8. Its a gorgeous navy colour with a white nautical pattern and slightly turned-up sleeves. The thing I like most about this top is the material isn't right underneath your armpit so you've got space to breathe! The top cost £5. 

Look how sweet the pattern is! <3

Next item...

This is half crop/half normal sized top (hope that makes sense!), looks good with a pair of high waisted or disco leggings. It was hard to take a photo that included the whole print but it says "Parental Advisory Explicit Content"....thought it was just a bit of fun. I'd wear this on a casual occasion with subtle dark smokey eyes. This top was £6.

Last but not least!

I know summer is wayyyy off (especially for the UK) but I just couldn't resist these jumbo sunglasses! Plus they were only £1 and came with a little case. They're brown with a hint of animal print and I just love them <3 Bring on the sunny weather!!!

Moving onto Topshop.

I just love this t-shirt. It's a little bit quirky and fun. This top is a size XS. The colour is a nice marly grey with slightly turned up sleeves. Looks good with leggings or skinny jeans. This cost £20. 

This is my favourite animal on the top... Sally 'Loves the Funk' Skunk. Ah they're all adorable!

I recently discovered Topshop does their own makeup now! (You're probably like duh Ellie!) Anyway I bought a lovely blusher.

The colour is called 'Flush' and it's a mixture of liquid and powder so it's easy to apply and blend on the cheeks. I would recommend this blusher for fair skin types just because it is a rosey pink colour. It comes in a little black and white dotted box and was around £5 (sorry can't remember the exact price).

Nice chatting to you ;)

Love love xx


P.S. Sorry my blogs are so sporadic, life is a bit hectic at the moment so I'm just doing them whenever I can. I'm throwing the idea of a makeup tutorial around for my next blog....if anybody reads this and has any ideas, feel free to leave a comment! 

Vintage Heels

Bonjour People!

I recently went on a mini shopping spree in Cheltenham with a friend of mine. I'm fairly new to the area so she was she showing me around whilst we gleefully spent our money. 

I came across these gorgeous vintage inspired shoes and instantly fell in love. Apparently when I tried them on a full-on beaming smile replaced my normal face. 

 These lovely shoes are from Primark. They are black patent leather with a cream trimming and buckle. They also have an adorable little "shoelace bow" at the front; adds that extra bit of cuteness.

 They are one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes I own and feel like they won't ever really go out of fashion, like they'll stand the test of time. 
 

 The heel on these shows aren't too high either so you could wear them day or night. They measure 3.5 inches from the bottom of the heel to the top. 
Best thing is they're at a good price! £14!!! Go get them. Go get them now!

Love love xx

P.S. I'll be making a few more "mini haul" blogs and might even make a youtube video... possibly. Take care!

Embrace the Paleness!

Bonjour, 

Pale. That's what I am. Always have been, always will be. But I love it.

For some people, finding the right foundation that matches their skin is difficult. I'm talking about the people with fair skin. For years I've been exploring many different makeup brands from Rimmel to Natural Collection in search for that perfect foundation. Now, I've finally found it...

Well Hello Beautiful People!

Allow me to introduce myself...

Hello! My name is Ellie. I'm 21 years old and currently a student at university studying Animal Science. However, I will be soon enrolling on a makeup/special fx course.
For a long time I've wanted to create my own blog but never had the confidence to do so. Now, after some life changing events, I came to the realisation that you only get one life so do what makes you happy. Voila! EllieBelly Beauty was created. 

Since I was a young girl, makeup fascinated me whether it was a simple everyday look to the wild and wacky creative designs. I love it all. 

I'm not saying I'm an expert on the subject of makeup/fashion, I dip my toe in the pool of new trends and ingenuity everynow and get the odd comment on my makeup and style so I'd love to share any beauty tips and tutorials, reviews and thoughts on brands and styles with the occasional life update.

 

Hope you like what I have to share. Au revoir!