Make Up For Glasses Wearers | Guest Post by Holly Sparkle

Hello, I'm Tessa and I am a glasses wearer. It can be a bit of a struggle to adjust your make up routine to allow for face accessories if you're not used to it so I wanted to share an easy make up look that I often use.

The Main Products:

For a foolproof make up look that goes great with glasses I like to keep it fairly simple. My top three tips are:

1. Use minimal and non smudgy eye make up
2. Add contouring to keep your face shape from being distorted by the shape of your glasses
3. Don't overdo mascara if you have long lashes, you'll end up with black smudges all over the lenses of your glasses!

1. All about that base I started with a good base of the Elf Flawless Finish Foundation in Porcelain mixed with Barry M white Foundation Creme because I am as pale as a ghost. I use the Elf Stipple Brush to blend them together and apply. If you want your make up to last a bit longer or have oily skin then you may want to use a primer before this, I'd recommend both The Body Shop Instablur and Elf Mineral Infused Primer.

2. Highlight and accentuate areas that are hidden by glasses

I then go back in with the white foundation on it's own to highlight under my eyes, the brow bone and anywhere else I feel could do with a bit of brightening.

3. Shape the face - glasses frames can make face look wider than they are, contour cheeks to slim it back down

The next step for me is contouring, here I used an Elf Bronzer, but I would also recommend The Body Shop Honey Bronze, particularly for paler skin tones. The only secret to contouring is blending thoroughly.

4. Seal it all in

My favourite powder for setting my make up is the Elf High Definition Powder. I do this after contouring but before blush as I find it helps to blend out the bronzer and can dilute the colour slightly.

5. Pop some colour on those cheeks

I used the beautiful coral blush colour from the Barry M Starry Eyed Palette, but sparingly - I dab it on across my cheeks with my finger and then blend with a brush.

6. Define the eyebrows

Using the Elf Eyebrow Kit I create a strong brow that will be able to compete with the dark and thick frames of my glasses, you don't want your glasses to overpower your face.

6 cont. Now it's time for the eyes

Use the colour shown above from the Barry M Natural Glow Palette 2 all over the eyelid and blend out up to the brow.

The Elf Cream eyeliner is great for making a perfect winged liner look, which is just what you want for this look. A nice clean and sharp edge makes all the difference, smoky eyes can look too messy beneath glasses.

I finished off the eyes with a quick coating of the Elf Defining Mascara.

Lastly I added a touch of lipstick by Elf in the colour Charming. 

So there you have it, a simple and easy make up look that's suitable for when you've got your specs on. I'd love to know if you try out this look. 

If you want to see more posts by me then head over to Holly Sparkle. As you may have guessed, I'm a big fan of Elf make up!

Illamasqua Freak

Illamasqua Freak Eau de Parfum

Cruelty-free. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

For a good few years I didn't wear perfume at all, because I couldn't find a cruelty-free one I liked enough. I didn't look very far and was happy to go without. But a few months ago I suddenly had a desire to smell nice. Who doesn't want to smell nice?! 

I had read about this perfume from Illamasqua many times, with amazing reviews. So I took the plunge back into the world of perfume. In fact, I bought this before I knew what it smells like! But as soon as I unwrapped it I knew I had no regrets and I'm so glad to have found a gorgeous perfume for me.

I was first struck by how unique it is. The scent is heavy, but enticing. The fragrance notes are a heady mix of exotic sounding blooms, such as Opium Flower, Poison Hemlock and Queen of the Night. They make an irresistible mix.

It feels like a warm scent, not overly sweet like you might expect from all the floral ingredients, but there are certainly strong floral overtones and it's a little fruity too. A pretty but powerful perfume that lasts all day.


What's your favourite perfume?

6 Things I Learnt About Blogging In 6 Months

Six months ago I decided to start this blog and it's quickly become one of my favourite hobbies. Before I started, I was forever googling product reviews, researching what brands were and weren't cruelty-free and looking for new beauty goodies. 

At the time I couldn't find very many cruelty-free blogs here in the U.K. with the information I wanted. So I started my own as a way to share my experiences, thoughts and reviews on all things cruelty-free.

Six months in, here's what I've learnt so far.

I've discovered so many more amazing blogs since I started. Blogging, especially when you have a niche, immediately gives you something in common with others who blog too. No introductions needed!  For ages I put off getting Twitter because I thought it wouldn't be my thing, but having a place to talk to other like-minded people is so enjoyable. The weekly #cfbloggers chats are awesome for anyone interested in cruelty-free.

One of my favourite things to do now is tweaking my blog design. Everything you need to know is readily available in online tutorials, which make it super easy to change your layout. I really like changing little bits here and there and then being proud of having learnt something new.

Unless you exercise a lot of willpower! I'm currently practising this as all the gorgeous beauty, fashion and lifestyle blogs I read make me want to spend, spend, spend. I really would like to lead a minimal, Pinterest worthy life someday so overspending is out.

There's so much involved in creating just one blog post! Photography techniques, composition, lighting and editing. Writing for an online audience, editing your own words, promoting posts and keeping up on social media. There's so much to learn about blogging and it's always changing. It certainly keeps me on my toes!

I love doing something I enjoy that also feels productive. Planning out my 'editorial calendar' makes me feel super organised and having lovely feedback and comments on my posts always makes me happy and inspired for the next one.

This is what I'd say to anyone who wants to start their own blog and it's one of the best pieces of blogging advice I've come across. Write about what you want, what you're passionate about and you'll enjoy blogging no end.

What have you learnt from blogging?

Valentine's Bold Lip Looks

For Valentine's Day I wanted to create a few bold lip looks because I think they're a fun, expressive way to show your personality. I left the rest of my make-up quite natural looking to really draw attention to the lip colours (except for my penciled eyebrows because I'm addicted). All three of these lipsticks come out quite differently to how they look in the tube, a lot lighter, brighter and more colourful!

Barry M Lip Stain Absolute Burgundy

Cruelty-free. Suitable for vegetarians

This stain is a very vivid pink colour. I was a bit scared of it at first! Ordinarily I don't think I'd be brave enough to wear this in the day, but I think it's a great look for a night out when you want to feel a bit glamourous. As the colour is so intense I'd definitely recommend applying with a lip brush instead of straight from the bullet to get a clean line.

The staying power is incredible; this is a really long lasting stain. I wore it all day without reapplying and it faded really nicely and evenly, to a more subtle pink shade. I think it would look awesome with a little black cat eye flick.

Autograph Ultimate Shine Twist Up Lip Colour in Damson

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans

A gorgeous pink colour, this is super moisturising. I love the crayon shape, it makes it really easy to apply and top up. The lasting power is very good, around three to four hours before I had to touch it up. I needed to re-apply after eating but was pleasantly surprised to see that it only left a very faint pink mark on the white teacup I was drinking from.  

Because it's so moisturising it really doesn't feel like wearing lipstick at all and I think my lips actually benefit from wearing it. I really want to try more of these!

B. Rich Intense Colour Lipstick in Carmen

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans

I was a little apprehensive about this colour as red is not a shade I wear often. But I love it! The formula is very smooth and moisturising, lasting about three or four hours, which I'm happy with as it doesn't dry out my lips.

The tube has a pop up design; you press the bottom, the lid pops up and then you twist up the lipstick as normal. I love that it has this little extra so I know it's safe to throw in my handbag and not worry about the lid coming off. I've been so impressed with everything I've tried from the B. range so far and I can't wait to get my hands on some more :)

Do you like a bold lip or prefer a more natural look? Let me know if you'd like to see more make-up posts as I really enjoyed doing this one!

Natural Skincare | Sibu Beauty

I was introduced to Sibu Beauty by Tashina of Logical Harmony, who recommended their skin care and specifically their eye cream. I put the eye cream on my Christmas list and was then lucky enough to find the day cream and the scrub in TK Maxx for £5 each! 

All three of these have an amazing smell, almost like oranges, which I can only guess is the magic sea buckthorn ingredient. Their line is all completely natural, cruelty-free and vegan. So far I'm very impressed!

Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Nourishing Facial Cream

This day cream feels lovely to smooth on and sinks in really well. When I use it my skin looks brighter and feels really nourished; it's the perfect cream to use after a face mask. As it doesn't contain SPF I've actually been using it at night and I find it really relaxing to moisturise with just before I go to sleep.

Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Exfoliating Scrub

This scrub does such a good job of exfoliating; all the dry skin on my feet was easily buffed away with it. I did use it on my face twice but unfortunately the teensy orange beads are a little too hard for my face so I can't attest to it's pore unblocking abilities. As a body scrub however, it's excellent.

Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Age Defying Eye Cream

The last few months I've really started to notice the fine lines creeping in around my eyes. I thought it was time to invest in a specific anti-ageing eye cream, instead of just using my regular moisturiser around my eyes. I needed something natural that wasn't going to irritate my sensitive eyes, and I've had no negative reaction to this cream at all. It's very light and soothing, perfect for the delicate eye area. 


Do you like to use natural skincare? 

Three From Barry M

Raspberry

Berry Cosmo

Vintage Violet

I've blogged about my love for Barry M before and I'm sure I will again. They're a brilliant cruelty-free brand with a huge range of nail polishes that I adore. They're quick and smooth to apply, and with the matching top coat last me up to a week with no chips. All three of these are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Barry M Nail Paint Raspberry

Usually I don't wear red nails but I think the name of this one swayed me. It's a shiny sophisticated red and what I really like about it is that it looks different according to the light. Sometimes it's a bright red, sometimes a dark cherry.

Barry M Nail Paint Berry Cosmo

I don't feel the photo above does this colour justice! It's a lot shinier, a beautiful deep purple that feels perfect for a cold winter's night. It's rich and very pigmented so two coats create that beautiful berry plum shade.

Barry M Nail Paint Vintage Violet

This is my favourite of the three. It's a gorgeous purple-grey or a 'dirty purple'. I left this one without a top coat as it's just the right amount of sheen. I think it's the perfect transitional shade for winter to spring.

What do you think of these three shades? What nail polish are you loving at the moment?

Lush Locks

R&B Hair Moisturiser

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Cruelty-free.

I originally went into Lush wanting the Shine So Bright hair balm for split ends, but they were  all sold out. After explaining to one of the very helpful assistants that I seem to always get split ends these days, even after cutting my hair, she recommended this delicious smelling pot of goodness. 

It's a leave-in moisturiser, which you can use on your whole head, or just on the ends. After washing I rub it into the ends of my hair, which is dip dyed blonde and prone to drying out where it's been bleached.

About four weeks ago I got my sister to give my a hair a really good cut to truly get rid of all the existing split ends. I've then been using R&B twice a week and am super happy that my split ends have not reappeared!

It's also made me realise that although I thought my hair was more on the healthy side before, it's so much better now. It's shinier, softer and just looks and feels better. At £11.50 I thought this was a bit of a pricey treat, but as I've discovered you only need to use a teensy bit. I've barely made a dent and can easily see this tub lasting me for the rest of the year.

No Drought Dry Shampoo

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Cruelty-free.

Dry shampoo is something I just cannot live without. As I have very long hair (and I'm a bit lazy) I only wash it once or twice a week. In between I use a sprinkling of this powder, which freshens up my hair a treat.

I shake the powder out onto my hand, then tie back my hair so I can properly rub it into the roots in sections. The powder soaks up all the grease leaving my hair looking completely clean. It also has a lovely citrus scent!

Lush recommend brushing it out afterwards, but I've never found I need to. Once rubbed in the white powder completely disappears into my dark roots. I will say it takes a little getting used to if you've been using aerosol dry shampoos. It can also get a little messy so I usually use it before getting dressed to avoid white spots on my clothes.

I've been using this dry shampoo for around six months now and I'm super happy with it :)

Do you like Lush? What are your favourite Lush products?