Pretty Picture Post and Promises

I thought today I would do something different and share some lovely pictures I have found. I think these pictures are beautiful and inspiring and I thought you all might enjoy them. I have a lot of posts planned, but getting around to them and actually writing them is proving a little difficult at the moment. It seems I have too high an expectation of myself with blog posts.

If you like this kind of post let me know so that I keep doing them. I might keep doing them anyway regardless...

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* by paper fashion (go look up the facebook page it's full of awesome.

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Your Favourite Blogger,

Natalie

Saving Your Pennies: Beauty

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I don't know if you've seen my 'Saving Pennies: Style' post, but I thought it was about time I did another post of this nature, but this time make it about beauty. Because carrying signs around that say "Give us money, we are pretty" is not guaranteed to work. I don't begrudge anyone spending their money on expensive cosmetics. Spend your money how you like. I just thought I'd do this post for people with money troubles who don't want to neglect their appearance. I do not claim to be an expert. I am no make-up artist or hairdresser. Just a girl who reads a lot of magazines and owns way too many beauty products.

I thought I'd break this post up into the following sections: hair, make-up, skincare and nails. I want to include a few tips and notes from my experiences with different things and a list of basic products that most people need to create a variety of looks. And, yeah this post is probably going to be pretty extensive. I will try and keep it as short as possible. I just wanted to write something basic that separates what you really need from what all of the magazines will tell you that you need. I would love to actually create a list of items and prices as an example, but I don't want to be seen as advertising or defaming anyone.

Also, I want you all to know that I'm not trying to say that people have to do anything to make themselves more beautiful. It's up to you if you want to wear make-up or not and how much. This is simply a guide for people who want to buy this stuff, but are on a budget. Make-up does not always make a person look better. If you use make-up correctly it can help you to accentuate your best features. Sometimes the best looks are the more natural ones or the ones where you emphasise one feature. 

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HAIR:

I wanted to cover the topics of hair-colouring, styling for special occasions, everyday styling, hair-cuts and haircare. Hair can be one of the most expensive aspects of a woman's beauty regime.

HAIRCUTS:

Most hairdressers recommend a period of about 4-8 weeks between trims, but this depends on the style of haircut and the type of hair you have. Unless you are a hairdresser or are really handy with a pair of scissors I wouldn't recommend cutting your own hair (though I know of a few vintage enthusiasts who do and they seem to do a fine job). The price of a trim is usually cheaper than a "Style Cut" and the price will vary between places. You will have to check around for prices, but the home-hair dressers are usually cheaper than salons because they don't have to pay salon rent or wages for other hair-dressers. You can also try a barber shop if your hair cut is pretty basic and you just need a trim. I've done it a few times and I didn't have any real issues with my hair cut. 

HAIR COLOUR:

Getting your hair coloured by a hairdresser is definitely more expensive that getting it coloured at home, but hairdressers can usually apply the colours a little neater and they can do all the tricky stuff like Ombre tips, streaks and foils. If you want to dye your hair a plain colour at home I recommend getting a friend to do it for you. I often dye my mother's hair and she dyes mine. If you don't have any gray hairs you could just choose not to colour your hair. I know some people who actually can't colour their hair. The colour just doesn't "stick" and it rinses out pretty quickly.

HAIR STYLING:

There are a lot of books, YouTube videos and blogs designed for the DIY hair stylist. Though, while it is arguable cheaper to style your own hair it's not for everyone. My sister had her hair styled professionally for her graduation and debutante ball, And, I think it was money well spent. It looked pretty flawless and it lasted. Again, shop around for prices from different hairdressers sometimes they will have deals on offer where you can get your make-up applied professionally as well.

HAIR CARE:

If you don't have any problems with hair being too oily or dry you usually don't have to spend too much on a shampoo. I wouldn't go for the cheapest brand, but there's usually something decent available in a supermarket that will do the job.

CURLING:

If you like to curl your hair can pick up a packet of pin curl clips pretty cheap on eBay (correct name double-prong clips), but this method is time consuming. If you are going to by a hot-tool it's important to consider what effect you want to create, because some tools only have one purpose. I have seen a few people use a straightener to create a few different effects, but I have tried it and i don't think it works as well as the individual tools do. It is important to consider the quality of a product versus the price, because if it doesn't work you've just wasted money on it. Some examples of the different tools you can get include: curling irons, curling wands, straighteners, hairdryer (and attachments), wavers, crimpers and hot rollers/sticks.

YOUR ARSENAL:

Basic items that everyone should have:

- A shampoo and conditioner (check the quantities the larger containers are usually cheaper per litre)

-A leave in conditioner or hair oil ( good for winter months or after swimming in chlorine pools and can reduce frizz)

-A hairbrush and comb. (something with longer bristles if you have tangly hair. A tail comb is handy for styling hair)

- some hair spray

-pins/barrettes/alice bands/hair bands (whichever you prefer for keeping your hair tidy/styling)

Extras that are only required for specific needs:

-Dried shampoo

- mousse/gel/wax

-shower cap

-specialty brushes

-pomade

-shine/gloss spray

-detangling spray

-setting lotions

-hair masks

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MAKE-UP:

There was a feature about women's beauty products on TV the other day. Apparently most women have hundreds of dollars worth of make-up products stored in their bathroom drawers and they just keep buying more. My dad looked at me and I said "hey! I'd never store make-up in the bathroom. hello? Mold..." which obviously wasn't the point, but the point is, that unless you are a total make-up fanatic who likes to experiment with a heap of different eye shadows and liners, you probably don't need a lot of make-up. And, if you are, there are ways to hoard every colour of the rainbow without going broke. 

Brands I would Recommend:

E.L.F (Eyes Lips Face) is a brand that sells a big range of make-up at lower than average prices. Not all of the products are winners though, so I would google reviews for the products you want to purchase. 

Sleek Make-up I really like this brand. Not everyone is a fan, but for the price you can't complain. I find it cheapest to buy direct from their website.

NYX  has a big range of colours and specialty make-up products. This brand is available from Crush Cosmetics.

AVON pretty decent prices. Though I usually do wait for catalogue sales. Some of the Colour trend stuff isn't very long lasting though.

Sites I would Recommend:

Crush Cosmetics I have done a few purchases on here. Some brands do get marked up quite a bit, but not all of them. The shop has it's own brand of make-up brushes that are really soft.

Priceline Is an Aussie department store that specialises in Health and Beauty products. 

Fashion Addict Another Aussie Site. The prices are really good on here, but watch out for the cheaper, lower quality products.

MULTIPURPOSE PRODUCTS:

- You can use lipstick as a cream blush and cream eye shadow. (not recommended for oily skin)

- You can use blush as an eye shadow

- You can use a light pearly eye shadow as a highlight.

- You can use a concealer as an eye-primer (a pencil concealer can also per used as a nude lip liner)

APPLICATION:

There are a lot of websites and books out there dedicated to helping you get the perfect winged eyeliner and statement lip, but if you are still unsure about doing your own make-up for special events you can get a make-up artist do it for you or purchase a lesson with one so that you can do your own in the future. 

YOUR ARSENAL:

Basics that can create a variety of looks:

- Eye shadow colours: a matte neutral, a champagne colour (for highlights), a medium brown (for contouring) and a metallic colour (like gold or silver for a night out). You can usually get a neutral palette that has most of these shades included.

- A medium neutral lip colour (such as a mauve, pink or brown)

-A red lipstick for good occasions (you could choose another bright or dark colour instead like plum, fuchsia or tangerine)

-a clear, shimmery lip gloss.

-A blusher and a bronzer (you can sometimes get these in a palette that comes with a highlight shade.

-A waterproof mascara ( I always by waterproof when I can unless the colour is purple or something and it's not available in a waterproof variety)

-chosen base (if you have relatively clear skin a tinted moisturiser is fine)

-primer (your skin will thank you for it)

-concealer

-an eye liner in black or brown

-a basic set of brushes (one for powder, blush, eye shadow, brows, lips)

Extras that you don't need, but can buy if you want:

- a variety of liners

- a variety of lipsticks, paints or glosses

- a variety of blushes

- a variety of eye-shadows

-an eye shadow base or primer

- a variety of mascaras

- a brow kit

- a variety of lip pencils

- a highlight

- setting sprays

- lip seal

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SKINCARE:

Thanks to Department store brands and a few other affordable brands like 'Simple', most skincare products are available at a fairly cheap price. It doesn't matter if your approach to skincare is chemical or natural, you can usually find a decent product for less than fifteen bucks. If you are really stretched for money try the 'Beauty Essentials' brand from Priceline, which is by far the cheapest I have seen. 

Basics that everyone should have:

- Cleanser for face (In the old days cold cream cleansers were very popular and they are still very available today)

-Eye make-up remover or Makeup wipes. If you are going to wear make-up you will need this.

-Face Moisturiser

-Body Wash and Hand Soap (try something soap free if you have dry or sensitive skin)

-Moisturiser (even if you don't have dry skin, this will come in handy for winter months and sunburn affected skin. If you have sensitive skin choose something that's fragrance free. Redwin's Vitamin E cream is fairly cheap and is a rich moisturiser.

- Deodorant

-Sunscreen (supermarket brands are way cheaper than other brands. I go for water resistant SPF 50+)

-a good lip balm

Extras that not everyone will need:

- Toner (good for people who have problems with larger pores)

- Exfoliating Scrub (good for buffing away dead skin)

-Clay Mask (good for drawing out imperfections)

-Pimple Cream

-Eye Cream

There are some vintage beauty guides out there that offer a DIY approach to skin care. Depending on what methods you use, you might save some money.

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NAILS:

Now I don't know about you, but I find it pretty hard to hand over $20 for a bottle of nail polish just because it has a special brand name. Now if you are going to do nail art you are going to need a whole heap of different tools and pens and paints. However, I decided to just do a section for the average nail painter who wants plain nails.

I have bought most of my nail colours from the chemist in town. Ultra3 brand is usually $2 each. There is a MUD brand available at the supermarket for about $3. Sinful Colours from Target is about $5 and there is an Essence brand available on Priceline for $2.75.

If you are not big on nails and don't have a steady hand you may be better off paying for your nails to get done professionally instead of spending money on nail polish .

Basics:

- a nude or light pink polish and white polish/tip whitener for a french manicure look

- a medium pink

-a red (to go with your red lipstick)

-a manicure set (you can usually pick one up for under $10 from a cheapy store)

-nail polish remover.

-top coat

EXTRAS you might want or need:

- Base Coat (if you have issues with your nails yellowing)

-Nail strengthener (if you have brittle nails)

-Matte top coat (if you want a matte finish or have a pastel polish that goes streaky)

-all the polishes you heart desires.

-Nail art stuff.

AND NOW TIME FOR SOME FUN GIFs...

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'Princess Diaries' Movie

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'Wish Upon a Star' Movie

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'St Trinnians' Movie 

AND, REMEMBER: STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF...

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'Ten Things I Hate About You'

Don't feel like you have to wear makeup if you don't want to or don't have a lot of money to spare. I just wanted to share a few of my favourite shops and brands that are quite affordable who those that want to do the full face make-up and can't afford to buy expensive products or don't know where to start. I hope this was helpful.

Your Favourite Blogger,

Natalie

DIY Cover Picture for Facebook Timeline

Those who follow the blog's Facebook page may have noticed a knew timeline picture (pictured above). I came up with the idea to create one using Polyvore after seeing many collage cover pictures generated by apps on personal facebook pages. I thought: "I wonder if Goodreads has an app like this?" If they did have one I still haven't found it. And then, I remembered that I used to make little pictures for my blog (still do) for segments and such, and why didn't I just make a cover picture using polyvore. Even better, why didn't I make a template so other people could use it and I could make a new one when I got sick of the one I just made?

HOW IT WORKS:
It's actually pretty simple. I created a template on Polyvore.com (via Create>Template) which I published with instructions on how I recommend the template to be used. I then filled out the template (via Create>Set) and found the template (via Templates>My Templates), filled it out, published it and used the 'Snipper Tool' (Which most modern computers have). I highlighted the area I wanted to save as an Image, saved it and then went on to facebook and uploaded a new cover image.

If you are using a template created by someone else you will need to visit a set of that template (a filled out template someone has published) and click on the miniature image of the template below the set. You will be taken to a screen with an empty image of the template and will need to click on the option to "Fill this template". I have created a collection of sets (Click Here) that I have made using different timeline templates. To access the template click on the set (the template filled out) that you most desire and follow the instructions at the beginning of this paragraph.

FILLING OUT YOUR TEMPLATE:
-The template can be filled out using images from 'My Items' or from the polyvore search engine. Select the image you want and drag it over to the placeholder you would like to put it into. Once the placeholder is highlighted orange drop the image.

-To find the item you want be sure to use the right keywords. For example if you are looking for a galaxy background image be sure to search "galaxy background", because "galaxy" will land you with a heap of really pretty star splattered skirts.

-To add items to 'My Items' so that you have them for later you can click on the image you want (In the right sidebar only; don't click on images in the template) and a few options will come up. One of them should be 'Save to my Items'. If you want to add images to Polyvore that aren't there already you can install the Polyvore Clipper which allows you to download images from your favourite Tumblrs and blogs.

-If you are having any issues with your image not looking right in the template you can:

• Move it around within the placeholder, by clicking on the image (not letting go of the button on the mouse) and move the mouse until your image is in the desired spot.
• Make the image smaller or larger using the slider thing (that looks kinda like a volume adjustment thingy) at the top of the page.
• Flop or flip the image using the buttons up the top of the page
• Take away the background of the image or add the background of the image. There are two squares next to the slider thing.
• "Fit" the image. Which really just means that the biggest part of the image (length or width) does not exceed the placeholder.
• Remove the image and add a new one.

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN MAKING A TEMPLATE:
I'm not going to explain how to make a template. If you are a polyvore wiz you'll know all about it. If not it's probably easier for you to use someone else's template. If you're still interested check out Polyvore Help center: How to create a template . It's not the best explanations, but like somethings, making templates is a bit of learn as you go/ trial and error.

-When making a template you really want to get the size right. You want a cover picture that isn't cut off by facebook, because it isn't the right size. To get this right I like to search for 'Timeline' in the search engine and use one of the facebook timeline images that comes up as a stencil for the background colour or place holder (and then I delete the initial image I used). Be sure that the image you found in the search engine is the right size. some of them can be a little bit "tall".

-Remember that your profile picture will cover up part of the bottom left hand corner.

-Remember that the images will get zoomed in when the cover picture is uploaded to facebook, so don't be afraid to make them a little bit smaller.

-You can't type text to use when filling out the template. You can only type text when you are creating it. If you want to be able to choose song lyrics or quotes you  might be lucky to find image versions through the search engine. If not, you could create image versions to upload onto Tumblr and upload them onto Polyvore using the Polyvore Clipper.

STILL CONFUSED?
Polyvore is a site used to create fashion/art/interior design layouts called 'Sets'. 'Templates' can be made so that people can fill them out to make 'Sets' instead of starting from scratch. I designed some special 'Templates' for facebook timeline. I made a cover picture by filling out the template, publishing it, using the snipper tool (you should have one in your computer) to save the set onto  my computer and uploaded it to facebook.

Here's one I made for my personal facebook page:

The Picture on the bottom left corner (The hand holding the stick, pointing at the moon) was mostly covered up by the profile picture. You can see a bigger version of this timeline on polyvore (via the link to the collection higher up in this post)

If you have found or made any new Timeline Templates (Templates, not sets) could you please leave a link in the comments so I can add it to my collection?

I've noticed a few Polyvorians that normally don't "Like" sets of trivial stuff have been liking these timeline sets I've been publishing, And, people have been liking the ones I've published to facebook. Which seems unusual. So, I'm guessing it's a decent sort of idea? We'll see...

Your Favourite Blogger,
Natalie

The tumblr addiction

Yep, I've joined that lot. I've been tumblring alot. It's so easy to fall into the pattern of scrolling pictures, reblogging, hearting and labelling. And, then I'd think about doing a blog post and my head would hurt, because then I'd have to actually think and write things that sound kinda smart. I think this is a bit of a phase though; this tumblring. I think the blog will always be more important, and so I continue to read... I sure won't be dissapearing anytime soon. Look out for more book reviews and fashion related posts in the future!

Your Favourite Blogger,
Natalie

P.S.

If anyones interested. My tumblr is: Here