Oh Boy. This happened. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I won a BYS Bright Orange Crackle Kit, and decided to try it out. I want it off now, but I don't have time. Maybe tonight. Worlds shortest manicure. Enjoy. And you can laugh if you absolutely have to. I'll understand.
Oh, do you know what else is funny? I actually applied the Top Coat to extend the life of the colour!
Yes, I know, someone needs to start using copious amounts of hand and cuticle cream to get rid of those unsightly little bits of skin.
Do you like my bling at least?
Joy from Beauty Bargain Queen dared me a while back to perform a Three Bottle Hold. Here it is, Joy!
And here's another Three Bottle Hold FTW. That's skill, that is. :)
Starring: Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt, Rupert Grint, Rupert Everett
Genre: Comedy
Bill Nighy plays solitary hitman Victor Maynard, who is hired to kill charming art thief Rose (Emily Blunt) after she rips off Rupert Everett in a cunning heist. Instead, he becomes intrigued and slowly falls for her. Along the way, they meet Tony (Harry Potter's Rupert Grint) who is quite happy to become Victor's apprentice, thinking that he's a private detective, not a hitman.
I was pleasantly surprised by this quaint British comedy. The central three actors deliver impressive performances, especially Bill Nighy as the lonely professional hitman who likes order, cleanliness and plastic on his furniture. Such a measured performance. Emily Blunt does well as the free-spirited (and fingered!), beguiling, charismatic Rose. I love her wardrobe in this flick, such colourful and fun pieces! Also, something seems to have happened to Rupert Everett's face (the non Harry Potter Rupert; yes a movie starring two Ruperts. WEIRD!). I remember him being quite pale, with thin lips and squinty eyes. Looks like he's had some work done. He's now tanned with fuller lips and seems to have had an eyelift. LOL. Overall, this is an enjoyable hitman comedy with great performances and numerous funny scenes. I loved it!
Let me just start by saying Drugs Are Bad. Mmmmkay? And you shouldn't do them. Here's why. There's not an eye cream on earth that will get rid of those under eye bags! I think Stoner Unicorn may not have actually inhaled though, due to a notable absence of bloodshot eyes. Which I totally could have helped with, by the way (Red Eye Fix in my Beauty Tips post here). Also, who can apply blue eyeshadow and curl their hair that perfectly when they're stoned? I smell a fish! Oh, I think it's rat. I smell a rat!
Starring: Ryan Reynolds
Genre: Thriller
Paul Conroy, a US Truck Driver carrying out contract work in Iraq, is kidnapped and taken hostage by terrorists, sealed in a wooden box and buried underground. How will he escape before running out of oxygen?
Buried is Disturbing. Terrifying. Stressful. Moving. Frantic. Intense. Depressing. And Brilliant. I watched it because a) I'm a Ryan Reynolds fan and b) I'm very claustrophic and wanted to challenge myself. I laugh at that now! This movie is so much more than a claustrophobics worst nightmare. Immediately after watching this, I regretted it. I tried to force myself to forget it. But this truly is unforgettable. Ryan Reynolds is the only actor in this movie, and it's 90 minutes of him trapped in a box. He gives an impressive performance, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats with anticipation.
This is an ambitious concept which could easily have gone very wrong, but Director Rodrigo Cortés' impressive use of lighting and angled shots keeps it tight and exciting. What an achievement. I can't imagine DVD sales would be particularly high; this isn't the type of movie you want on high rotation. It's taken me two weeks to bring myself to review Buried, because it was such an intense experience for me. I think I'm still trying to get over it. You have been warned!
I thought I'd share with you a few beauty tips I've picked up over the years, even though most of you will know all these, and more! I'm hoping there's a beauty noob out there I can help. Hello noob if you're reading!
Volumous Hair Trick
For full-bodied locks, use thickening spray or mousse and blow-dry with your head upside down. It lifts the hair away from the head, building body from the roots. Scrunch and blow-dry on a low setting or with a diffuser and finish with a light spray of volume hairspray!
Hairspray Fix
If your hairspray comes out gluggy resulting in embarrassing large, wet (and very noticeable) bubbles on your hair, don't panic (I know it's hard!). Blow-dry the area using a hot setting. It melts away the bubbles. Keep going until they have completely disappeared.
Eyeliner Fix
If you've put your pencil eyeliner on too thick, cotton buds are great for tidying up the line, removing some of the eyeliner, or even cleaning up if some eye makeup has gone astray. The tightly-wound ones are better than the cheapies, as you have more control, resulting in a better tidy-up.
Eyeshadow Trick
Everyone probably knows this one (even if you've had to learn the hard way), but placing a tissue underneath your eye when applying eyeshadow will catch the fallout (little particles of eyeshadow that fall from your lid onto your face upon application) and prevent horrible dark makeup dots on your perfect foundation that inevitable smear when you try to remove them. I tend to get more fallout when applying eyeshadow with a brush rather than a sponge applicator, I think because it teases up more shadow from the palette so I'm applying more and also because the product doesn't stick to the brush as effectively as it does to the sponge applicator. I also use a different tissue for each eye just in case some of the fallout from the first eye makes its way onto my face. Fallout's a bitch. Michelle from Eat Paint Sniff Glue recently blogged this helpful tip, which you can read here
Red Eyes Fix
Very simple one. If your eyes are red, simply apply 1-2 drops of red eye clearing eyedrops in each eye. I don't know if everyone knows about this product. Nearly every brand of eyedrops have a red eye clearing variety. Check it out next time you're in the Chemist. I don't know how they work, but all the redness disappears and you are left with clear whites of your eyes. Probably not a good idea to use this product a lot though.
Plump Lips Tip
To maximise lip plumpness, I apply my lip plumper right at the start of my makeup application routine, so it has plenty of time to work its magic. You can re-apply midway through putting your makeup on and by the time your ready for lipstick; juicy, plump lips!
Lipstick Fix
This one's as old as the hills (that's a saying, right?) and in fact I learned it during a Deportment course I did when I was 13 (that is AGES ago!). And it sounds kind of rude, too. To prevent lipstick on your teeth (especially helpful if you've gone with a fire engine red lippie), put your index finger in your mouth and put your lips firmly around it, then slowly pull it out. LOL. All the lipstick that would have ended up on your teeth is now on your finger. Wipe finger. Haha.
Nail Polish Tip
Another simple one. If you want to extend the life of your manicure, use a top coat. I'm generally lazy and cannot be bothered with a base coat (yes, I know I'm not protecting my nails), but after carefully applying my chosen colour, I don't want to see chips on Day 2! One quick layer of top coat will not only make your mani last longer, it just gives a nice, shiny finish to your nails. Tara from Keeping Up With Me recently blogged about base and top coats here
Concealer Application Trick
This one particularly relates to the under eye area. Prepare the area well first with a good eye cream. I've found that if you tilt your head back slightly and relax your face, when you dab on your concealer it skims over fine lines instead of settling in and emphasising them. By relax, I mean don't pull the "mascara face" (mouth wide open, face stretched out!). It's also important to dab and blend the concealer rather than use strokes that drag across the skin.
Foundation/Concealer Application Trick
For effortless application, ensure your hands and fingers are warm first. This helps warm the product up and it tends to blend in a lot easier. I rub my hands together or if it's a really cold day, run them under quite warm water until they are heated. Anything to make that makeup go on easier and look its best!
What are your favourite beauty tips?
OOPS! Oh well, at least they were having fun on the Wii ! So, who wins out of a Unicorn or a Dragon? My bet's on the Unicorn, because I can clearly see he's wearing his wrist strap. Safety first! That fucker is not flying off and smashing the TV, that's for sure.
I wanted to share my current favourite lip products. Here we have a Lip Balm, Lip Shine, Lip Gloss and a Lipstick. Something for everyone! So here are some photos, including swatches, with a little explanation as to why I'm loving my selections.
The Body Shop Born Lippy Passionberry Lip Balm
I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to buy something I used in my school years. The first thing that came to mind was The Body Shop Lip Balm. My all girls college banned makeup, but my friends and I used to wear this everyday, I'm pretty sure in Strawberry (it was red). This stuff is just as good as I remember! Gorgeous fragrance and unbeatable formula. This is my ideal consistency for a lip balm. Slightly sticky, good amount of colour and completely wearable. I'm loving this long time.
Dermalogica Clean Start Smart Mouth Lip Shine
I won this as part of a Clean Start pack from Dermalogica a few months ago. I love the squeezy tube and the cocoa seed butter fragrance of this product is intense. My lips feel soft and moisturised after application and this really provides a great shine to my lips. This is also fabulous to use over a matte lipstick.
Bloom Lip Gloss in Melon
I love the subtle melony sheen this imparts on my lips. I also love the price I got it for. SCORE! Rummaging around the Reduced section of Myer is SO much fun. This is such a flattering shade and I just love the gorgeous Bloom packaging. How can I not smile?
Australis Moisture Intense Lipstick in Mystery
I was after a few nude type lipsticks and I scored big time at Big W as the Australis lipsticks were half price ($4.88 each from memory). After trying them all out on my hand, I decided on Mystery (sheer light brown crème) and Sugar Plum (sheer beige plum shimmer, according to Australis). Mystery is just what I was after! I hadn't actually tried Australis lipsticks before, but I'm immediately converted! The formula is so creamy and luscious, and the shade is perfect. I will definitely be purchasing more Australis lipsticks in the future!
What lip products are you loving at the moment?
Starring: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel.
Genre: Comedy
This remake is based on the 1974 Land of the Lost television series. Paleontologist Rick Marshall is stuck in a thankless, lowly job as the result of his sucky interview with Matt Lauer becoming a viral hit, which all but ruins his career. Along comes student Holly, his biggest fan, who encourages him to complete making his tachyon amplifier and travel with her to the cave where she found a cigarette lighter fossil. Things go haywire when Rick activates his tachyon amplifier thingy and they are transported through a time warp to fuck knows where, really. The middle of nowhere may suffice. There's Dinosaurs, lizard men, primates and numerous other things from all manner of eras. And they all seem to want to kill our hapless trio.
This movie was a box office failure, but to me, there's something insanely funny about Will Ferrell pouring a large bucket of Dinosaur piss on his head. I also love the Matt Lauer interviews that book-end the movie. And the casual, hilarious banter between Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) and Will Stanton (Danny McBride). It made me wonder how much was improvised. The great thing about Will Ferrell movies is, although there's a script, like many other talented comedic actors, a lot of his lines are improvised.
Interesting trivia; Actor Danny McBride frequently collaborates with Will Ferrell. Ferrell is an Executive Producer on McBride's HBO TV series Eastbound & Down, and also regularly guest-stars. Also, sci-fi buffs will recognise Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, as the voice of The Zarn, the telepathic alien. The original actors who played Holly and Will (Kathy Coleman and Wesley Eure) filmed cameos, but they never made it to the final cut.
I could tell it was quite bad when I was watching it, but I didn't care. Will Ferrell entertained me and that's all that mattered. Watch it just to see him pour Dino wee all over himself. Awesome stuff.
Starring: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Will Arnett, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Danny DeVito, Anjelica Huston
Genre: Comedy
Any fan of TV series Veronica Mars is sure to love Kristen Bell in this romantic comedy, although it's more silly than funny, really. I still cannot see the appeal of Josh Duhamel, but Kristen Bell is charming in the lead female role as Beth, an Art Curator who has lost faith in love after a series of bad relationships with men. She meets her match in Nicholas, a fellow attendee at her sister's wedding in Rome, and sparks fly, but in typical fashion, there's a misunderstanding. And then, of course, some weird shit happens with some coins in a fountain, numerous wacky men fall in love with our leading lady, and fun ensues as she tries desperately to avoid them. Obviously!
Kristen Bell is currently dating one of her suitors, Dax Shepard, so those scenes are fun to watch (although I haven't actually worked out if they were in a relationship at the time of filming this movie). Also, if you're a Napoleon Dynamite fan, don't miss Jon Heder's scenes, there's a small homage to that cult movie that's worth watching. Overall, this is an enjoyable flick if you don't mind your romantic comedies to be heavy on the ridiculous.
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Chris O'Dowd, Jon Hamm.
Genre: Comedy
Bridesmaids was co-written by Saturday Night Live regular Kristen Wigg, who also stars. It was directed by Paul Feig and produced by Judd Apatow, famous for comedies including Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin. The story follows Annie (Kristen Wiig) a single woman in her thirties as she tries to organise her best friend Lil's (Maya Rudolph) Bachelorette Party and deal with the other bridesmaids, in particular, Helen (brilliantly played by Rose Byrne), Lil's rich, up-herself new friend. There are a few hilarious scenes, and although this is a silly, ridiculous comedy, it still manages to have heart.
A standout performance from Melissa McCarthy as Megan (who stars in TV's Mike & Molly), who is so funny, I looked forward to her every scene. *SPOILER ALERT* Interesting bit of trivia; Melissa is actually married to Ben Falcone, who played the Air Marshall in Bridesmaids! *END OF SPOLIER*
Chris O'Dowd is charming and charismatic as Officer Nathan Rhodes. Fellow geeks will recognise him as Roy in TV series The IT Crowd, but he also holds his own in numerous big screen comedies, including Jack Black vehicle Gulliver's Travels and Dinner for Schmucks. Overall, a refreshing female buddy comedy, perfect for a date flick or a day out with your friends.
If you're new at Empties (like I was until recently), it refers to the products that beauty bloggers finish. For some weird reason, it's fascinating to peek inside someone else's bathroom and see what products they've been using. Here are the ones I finished in June.
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Super Styling Lacquer Extreme Hold
This is a staple in my bathroom, a product I've been using for years. My favourite ever hairspray.
Batiste Dry Shampoo in Tropical
You probably all know I'm a massive fan of dry shampoo, and this is my second favourite, after Toni & Guy Dry Shampoo. This works well and has a lovely, refreshing scent.
St Ives Moisturizing Olive Scrub
This scrub was so-so on my face, not really up to the standard I've set for a face scrub, so I used practically the whole thing as a body scrub. I really loved it as a body exfoliant, because it was very moisturising and left my skin feeling soft and gently exfoliated. It's just not the type of product I want to use on my face, though.
Yves Saint Laurent Paris Eau De Toilette
I'm so sad I've finished this, my favourite perfume ever. But luckily I can now start on the smaller version hubby bought me. WOO!
Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
This was a free sample I procured from somewhere. I have no idea if its any good at reducing dandruff 'cos I dont have it. But it was free and I used it. Not something I'll be buying in the future. Even the name 'Head & Shoulders' kind of freaks me out. Hehe.
Bellaboo All That Clean Skin Facial Wash
This came in a set of Bellaboo products I won some time ago. It's actually a cute little wash, clearly aimed at teenage girls. The scent was quite pleasant, and it did a satisfactory job on my face.
A'kin Rose & Geranium Cleanser & Toner in One
Quite a nice creamy cleanser. I'm not in love with it though, and probably won't repurchase. Quite a small size, so it may have come in a trial pack of A'kin products. I can't really remember where I got it from.
The Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter
This smelled gorgeous and was so creamy to apply. Loved the consistency and the way it absorbed quite quickly and left my skin feeling luxurious. This was part of a pack given to employees as a Christmas gift about four years ago, right before I left work, so it has held up really well over time. It's been sitting in my bathroom for years, half-used (poor thing!); I'm really glad I rediscovered it. I may go and look at other Body Butter varieties from The Body Shop, because it's a great product.
