All posts in category Beauty

You are more beautiful than you think

I saw this video being shared around the internet and I finally watched it this morning. It’s six minutes long but I’m glad I took the time to watch it. Here it is:

Obviously this has been produced by a company trying to sell products but I think the message in the video is so important. Dove says that only 4% of women say they’re beautiful. In the video the women are asked to describe themselves so a sketch can be drawn and unsurprisingly they pick out all their flaws. Then someone is asked to describe how they see them and another sketch is made. The differences between the two pictures are marked. When describing themselves, they were critical and when others described them they were complimentary. They saw themselves as less beautiful than others saw them.

I think there are so many of us who struggle with how we look, are critical with how we look and spend too much time thinking about how we would change our appearances. I have definitely looked in the mirror before and thought about all the flaws I have. I just like the simple message in this video – that we are more beautiful than we think.

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we all have  flaws, no one is perfect but this doesn’t stop us being beautiful, it’s our uniqueness that makes us beautiful.

Victoria

xoxo

23 Comments
by Victoria-writes on April 17, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, inspiration, Musings
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Posted by Victoria-writes on April 17, 2013

http://victoria-writes.com/2013/04/17/you-are-more-beautiful-than-you-think/

Friday Finds

This week, I’ve been listening to Birdy’s album.

It’s a beautiful, relaxing collection of cover versions with a folky twist and Bridy’s voice is amazing especially considering she’s only 15. It’s very chilled so you need to be in a certain mood to enjoy it and as you know it’s been a reflective week for me so it’s been on my iPod while I commute to work.

Here’s my favourite song on there so far, Terrible Love:

I also watched Transformers: Dark of the moon this week. Sometimes my film taste edges into teenage boy territory and I loved the first two films for being fun action popcorn movies. The third outing is pretty much take three of the same although there’s a more definite ending and a change of girl. The bluray edition has amazing sound and picture quality, yes I am a geek :) so this got a thumbs up from me!

I’m currently reading Heist Society by Ally Carter. I love her spy school stories The Gallagher Girls and will let you know what I think about her new series, which is about a teenage thief.

I found a fab new nail vernish for Xmas from Barry M - red glitter, perfect for the festive season! But I’ve been on the lookout for a sparkly top to wear and I can’t find one so let me know if you spot a nice one in the shops or online!

Also on my buying plans this weekend, is the DVD of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, can’t wait to see this again!

Check out my blogroll too over on the right as I’ve added in some more favourites!

Any recommendations for me from your week?

Vix

xx

14 Comments
by Victoria-writes on December 2, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, Books, Fashion, Films, Friday Finds, Music, Shopping
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Posted by Victoria-writes on December 2, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/12/02/friday-finds-10/

Glamour puss

I went Xmas shopping at the weekend and my eye caught the girls on the Benefit make-up counter dressed up in forties style. One of them ended up defining my eyebrows, putting mascara on my mum and selling us £100 worth of products as pressies for us!

I love the idea of having a retro style and admire people with the confidence to wear it everyday. On the occasion I wear red lipstick, I instantly feel more glamorous and I’d love to experiment more with vintage. I was eyeing up the Benefit girl’s pin curls, which I might have to try at Xmas.

I think nowadays most people are pretty casual and that’s probably why I adore old school glamour as it’s so different to how we are now. I’m not sure I’m ready to go full out forties style but I shall try to channel some retro style when I can.

If in doubt, I shall look to the ultimate glamour puss style icon, the always inspirational Marilyn Monroe!

“I don’t mind being burdened with being glamorous and sexual. Beauty and femininity are ageless and can’t be contrived, and glamour, although the manufacturers won’t like this, cannot be manufactured. Not real glamour; it’s based on femininity.”
― Marilyn Monroe

Do you have a glamourous alter-ego you wish you could let out?!
Vix

xx

26 Comments
by Victoria-writes on November 29, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, Celebrity, Fashion
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by Victoria-writes on November 29, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/11/29/glamour-puss/

Fake photos

As you know I do like the Kardashians and I looked at their photo shoot for their new clothing line with interest, especially as the photos were taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. However, I was startled to see this pose of all three sisters all looking the exact same height.

This photo has totally been airbrushed. Khloe is 5 foot 9 where as Kim is 5 foot 2 and Kourtney just 5 foot. I think it’s sad that someone felt it needed to be photoshopped to make them all an identical height. I like the fact Khloe is different, she stands out and should be proud to be tall.

Air brushing just sends out a completely wrong message about body image. We all see these photos in magazines and even pretty celebs or models are air brushed into an unattainable person – smooth skin, a tiny waist and absolutely no flaws. We should celebrate how different people are not trying to make everyone look the same.

It makes me laugh when I see adverts for mascara on TV. Every advert has small print below it – lash inserts used and lashes enhanced in post production. I want to see what the mascara will actually make my lashes look like not see a fake advert as it make me less likely to buy the product!

I wish there wasn’t a fixation with airbrushing or Photoshop and we could see people how they really are and accept them for that. We should be proud of how we look!

What do you think about airbrushing?

Vix

41 Comments
by Victoria-writes on September 8, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, Celebrity, Musings, Photography
Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by Victoria-writes on September 8, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/09/08/fake-photos/

Be adorable

On my week off a book caught my eye on the shelf – pink, embossed and all about being glamorous, I snapped it straight up!

I love old school glamour, Hollywood stars of the past with their red lipstick, alluring eyes and long silky gowns. Marilyn, Audrey, Bette, Katherine … this books tells you how to be like them. Well, kind of. It’s actually quite tongue-in-cheek and gives plenty of secrets that these ladies indulged in to be so glamorous – wearing no underwear crops up a lot :)

I do wish that modern life wasn’t so much about jeans and t-shirts now but that we did pay more attention to how we look, speak and walk and inject a bit more glamour into everyday life. I love the idea of having a vintage style look but would lack the effort needed to pull it off. I did attend one black tie event once and curled my hair, wore a glitsy dress and red lipstick and got a lot of attention. I think it’s nice once in a while to push the boat out and sparkle like Marilyn.

Tips I’ve picked up from the book:

- Before you can convince others you’re attractive you have to believe it yourself (M. Monroe)

- There’s no such thing as an ugly woman. There are only those who have not realised their full potential (Arlene Dahl)

- Eat more pasta (Sophia Loren)

- Fashion fades, only style endures (Coco Chanel)

- Create a trademark like VB’s Hermes Birkin or Cindy Crawford’s mole – suggestions a piece of jewellery or hair style or quirky bag

- Always drink out of a glass

- No open mouthed kissing in public

- Be adorable on the inside – listen, remmeber birthdays, write thank you cards, give compliments and keep eye contact

- Don’t speak in a shrill voice

- Don’t use coloured eyeshadow in the daytime

- When all else fails smile (Elle Macpherson)

- Give your hair a champagne rinse a la Greer Garson

- You don’t have to be rich to be chic (Doris Day)

- Descend a staircase like a movie star – pause at the top for a few seconds, people will look to see who you are

- For a marriage to be a success,every woman and every man should have their own bathroom (Catherine Zeta Jones)

Do you ever long for some glamour in your life?

Vix

xx

54 Comments
by Victoria-writes on August 10, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, Books, Fashion
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Posted by Victoria-writes on August 10, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/08/10/be-adorable/

Top 10 beauty awards

Danielle over at ahappypeach tagged me on her Top 10 beauty awards post (http://ahappypeach.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/top-10-beauty-favorites/). Thanks Danielle for supplying me with a blog post today :) Without further ado here are my beauty favourites:

1. Mac eyeliner: I used to wear liquid eyeliner but decided it was looking a bit heavy. I went to the Mac stand to look for a lipstick and the girl at the counter was wearing a pretty teal green eyeliner so I brought that and a black one. I wear the black on my top lid and the green one under my eyes. The eyeliner is great as it’s waterproof and stays on all day and goes on really smoothly. Love it!

2. Mac lipstick - I used to wear lip gloss mainly but decided I needed a new boost in the lips department so I brought a coral lipstick from Mac, I thin it’s called Precious. It really brightens my face.

3. Blusher – I use Rimmel blush – it has three shades and it called Autumn Catwalk I think – it has a pink shade, a coral shade and a glittery pink shade and I brush over all three and it’s a really pretty colour.

4. Foundation – I use Max Factor colour adapt foundation in a natural shade. in summer, I also use Body Shop tinted moisturizer as sometimes foundation is too heavy and when I’m tanned I don’t really need it. Usually I’m as pale as Snow White though :)

5. Mascara – I’ve always found this is a nightmare to find a god one! I use two at the moment both by Rimmel – one to curl them and one to add a good black colour and it works okay.

6. I have a lot of eye shadows and don’t spend a lot on them. I like a green shade from Benefit or I sue a smoky grey one from Boots 17 range. I also have gold shades, browns, plums and silver for whatever mood I’m in.

7. I use YSL Touche Eclat for the dark circles under my eyes and I think it’s great for covering them and brightening them up.


8. I use Garnier concealer which also treats spots and it’s a great product for covering them up well and getting rid of them quickly. A great find!

9. I have loose powder from Collection 2000 if I need help reducing shine or keeping make up in place. It’s pretty cheap and is really useful.

10. Tools - I use my hands a lot but I do have a big brush for applying blusher, I just got it in Boots it’s not a brand or anything and I have a smaller one for loose powder.

What are your beauty standouts?

Vix
xx

34 Comments
by Victoria-writes on July 1, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, My fave things
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Posted by Victoria-writes on July 1, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/07/01/top-10-beauty-awards/

Be gorgeous today

Sorry male readers but it’s really tough being a woman! We have so many things to think about in terms of beauty – we expected to groom ourselves and work hard to look good. Nails, hair, make up, fake tan, plastic surgery, hair removal blah blah. This weekend I’ve painted my nails and toe nails and coloured my hair to hide the roots that are going grey (yes at 28 I’m going grey sigh) and it got me thinking just how many things we have to think about and how many ways there are to tweak nature to our own advantage.We are subjected to so many ideas of beauty that we’d go crazy if we attempted it all. There’s no harm in making the best of yourself but let’s try to feel satisfied with the way we are

So to any girls out there who have groomed themselves to perfection or are sitting pretty naturally we should all feel gorgeous today! . Here’s a themed Sunday Songs to give us ladies a boost!

Jessica Simpson – Who we are

Christina Augilera – Beautiful

TLC – Unpretty

Sugababes – Ugly

Alicia Keys – Superwoman

Have a beautiful day everyone!

Vix
xx

31 Comments
by Victoria-writes on June 19, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, Sunday Songs
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Posted by Victoria-writes on June 19, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/06/19/be-gorgeous-today/

The girl in the mirror

I have days when I look in the mirror and I really dislike what I see. Everything looks ugly on me, I feel fat and hideous and nothing goes right – my hair, make up or chosing an outfit. Or I see a photo of me and it’s completely unflattering and I cry out “Do I really look like this?!”

I felt this way over the weekend. I had got my mum to take some photos of me to post on here but they were all shocking and I started to moan to her that everything was wrong about me. She always tells me I’m pretty but on days like this, I just feel she’s being my mum and to her I may be pretty but to the world I am ug-gly.

It’s quite hard to break free of the funk once it arrives. There’s no rationality to it either. I probably looked exactly as I look on every other day but I felt different and that changed my perception of the girl in the mirror.

Saturday night I practically stormed to bed, completely positive no-one will ever love me because  I look so bad. I took my mum out for Mothering Sunday the next day and we went shopping. I reworked my hair (I’m trying to grow out a short cut, which is never easy) and put on a new t-shirt and did feel a bit better about myself. We also started the day with a cooked breakfast at a cafe in the shopping centre and that also perked me up!

I decided I needed to continue my upward spiral so went to the make up department to try and find a new lipstick. My product post of the day before had obviously inspired me! A nice girl at Mac put on a  coral colour and was really sweet about how it looked. She was also wearing a lovely dark green eyeliner that I decided I also needed and told me it would bring out my green eyes, I needed the flattery so I fell for it! But they had run out of the lipstick so I just left with the eyeliner. Walking past Bobbi Brown they had a similar shade but that had also sold out. Groan.

I took a peak in the car mirror on the way home, wearing the new lipstick I couldn’t buy and the eye liner that does make my eyes look greener and I felt more cheerful. I put on the new pair of earings I got – some sparkly hoops and my confidence levels went up.

I know that I didn’t look different essentially between Saturday and Sunday but doing small things to cheer me up made me feel better about myself in general. I hope I don’t sounds superficial here but I do think happiness about looks is linked with happiness about your self. I’m feeling down at the moment because of the frustration I want things to change but am not sure how to change them and that is affecting my confidence and how I am perceiving myself in that mirror.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.
Audrey Hepburn

What’s the moral of the story then? I want to try to reach for happiness and remember not to confuse feeling down with feeling ugly. To do things that will make me smile whether big life changes or finally getting hold of the coral lipstick. That girl in the mirror needs to learn to love herself inside and outside. She needs to believe in herself for better or worse, richer or poorer, for as long as she shall live.

Do you ever dislike what you see in the mirror? How do you make sure you love yourself?

Vix

xx

47 Comments
by Victoria-writes on April 5, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, Personal
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Posted by Victoria-writes on April 5, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/04/05/the-girl-in-the-mirror/

Product Queen

I love products. I love walking through the cosmetic area of a department store or making a trip to Boots, our biggest cosmetic / toiletries shop here in the UK. I love the smells, the fancy packaging and the promise of loveliness within. I am always on the look out for a new products although I also have a set of ones I stick to. I also pick up a couple of women’s magazines a week and check out the product reviews to see if there’s anything I should try.

Face

I have discovered a new wonder product. I read a review in Look magazine, which raved about it so I brought one yesterday. Garnier spot roll on …

This is a tinted concealer and a spot reducer in one, claiming to reduce redness and soothe spots as well as cover them and that you’ll see results in 1 day. I was skeptical but used it last night on a big spot I’ve had for over a week and this morning, it’s shrunk and is less bumpy and red. The concealer is also amazing at covering the spot while you wait for it to go down. I’m loving this product! It costs about £7.50 so pretty good value for something that actually works!

For my face, I usually use the Simple range. I take my make up off  every night because working in London really makes your skin dirty and cloggy. I use their make up wipes, cleaner and toner plus their moisturiser, which I use every morning. I have quite sensitive skin and I’m pale so I like that this range is gentle and natural plus it’s not expensive. I might switch to a richer moisturiser soon with some anti-wrinkle protection as I think prevention on that needs to start soon!

Body

I love a thick body moisturiser and go for body butter / souffle ones. Boots sell  range from a spa in London called the Sanctuary and I like their body souffle as it really replenishes your skin and smells yummy. You also get a huge tub for £10.

I spent a long time trying out different hand creams. I get quite dry hands especially in winter (and dry elbows!) so I do like to carry one in my handbag. I found a lof of them were really greasy. So I splashed out on Clarins hand cream and loved it. I have been buying it since – it really softens your hands but isn’t greasy and smells lovely. It’s expensive at £17 for a middle sized bottle but it’s lush.

Make up

I usually use the same foundation (Max Factor), blusher (Rimmel) and concealer with a dash of loose powder. I like to mix eye shadows up and have a range of browns, greens and grey for smoky eyes. I either use black pencil or liquid eyeliner as well.

One item I find really annoying is mascara It’s like looking for the holy grail to find the perfect mascara! And adverts are so stupid, at the bottom of  every one it says ‘Styled with lash inserts and enhanced in post production” – so basically the product has nothing to do with how lovely the girls lashes look. Grrr.

I used to use Benefit’s as I like the big brush but lately my lashes have been getting tangled in the corner of my eye so I decided I need to try a new one. I’ve actually ended up with two – one is a comb brush to separate my lashes and the other is a bigger brush with a good black colour to define them and curl them up more. Both are from Rimmel and seem to be doing the trick but I think unless you use flash eye lashes, you’re never going to get the perfect lashes. I tried false ones once and was useless, I glued them halfway up my eyelid  :)

Do you stick to certain products? Tried any wonder products lately?

Vix

xx

(All photos from Google)

18 Comments
by Victoria-writes on April 2, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, My fave things
Tagged , ,

Posted by Victoria-writes on April 2, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/04/02/product-queen/

Signature Scent

When asked in 1954 what she wore on bed at night, Marilyn Monroe answered, “Five drops of Chanel No. 5.”

I am jealous of women who have a favourite perfume. Who always wear it and who become synonymous with that scent. I think perfume suggests elegance. It has a timeless quality. If you know someone who wears the same scent, it reminds you of them, it links in your mind with a picture of who they are and what they stand for.

I am always frustrated by trying to find this elusive signature scent for myself. I currently alternate between Vera Wang Princess and Chanel no. 5 but don’t feel they particularly stick to me or that they’ve become recognisable to me. I am always unsure if it’s just about consistency – wearing the same one every day so it becomes you or searching for one that declares who you are or want to be as a woman.

Fashion designers have long proclaimed the importance of wearing perfume for women, leading us all to link elegance and being a true lady to wearing it …

“A woman’s perfume tells you more about her than her handwriting” – Christian Dior.

“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future” – Coco Chanel.

But is wearing perfume even important for women anymore? I find that it’s mostly my mum and her friends that have that familiar scent, my friends don’t seem to bother as much, maybe just for a night out but not every day use. Is this a sign that we leaving our ladylike qualities behind and losing that elegance that made women like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn have such timeless beauty?

Do you have a signature scent? Do you think perfume has lost its allure to us now?

Vix x

23 Comments
by Victoria-writes on February 28, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, Musings
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by Victoria-writes on February 28, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/02/28/signature-scent/

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