Do People Treat You Better When You Wear Makeup?

For this week's Beauty Debate I wanted to discuss a topic which is very important to me - makeup. I feel like depending on how little or how much makeup I'm wearing, people treat me differently. If I go out bare-faced I'm guaranteed to get those you look tired/ill/hungover comments. I was born looking tired so I don't find them offensive but they do knock my confidence. I know that usually these less flattering comments are made out of concern for my well-being so I try not to take them to heart.

Thanks for social media it's seems young people nowadays are more susceptible to public criticism on the way they look. I've noticed this especially with fellow bloggers. This has resulted in a culture which is highly concerned with having the perfect appearance.

The truth is, not only do people treat me differently when I wear makeup, I feel differently. Sans concealer I feel less confident. Makeup has become my armour and I almost feel braver with a face of makeup. The right red lipstick can boost my confidence and makes me feel happier. People have such strong reactions to beauty - is this a bad thing though? When I wear a full face of makeup people seem to notice me more and I get more attention which makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't wear makeup to get attention from strangers. I wear makeup to please myself and not others.

Here's what you lovely lot had to say on twitter.

Have you found people treat you better when you wear makeup? Catch up on previous Beauty Debate topics here. 

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Simple Skincare | Kind to City Skin Giveaway! CLOSED

I'm a lover of Simple Skincare so I'm so excited to share this giveaway with you! Whenever my skin is feeling irritated by all the products I use on it  I turn to trusty Simple to bring my skin back to normal. I'm giving away a Simple Skincare goodie bag worth over �25 this week. Read on to find out why and how to enter...

About the giveaway

Stress, pollution, weather, artificial environments; all these city life factors play havoc with our skin causing sensitivity and harming our skin's health. The experts at Simple Skincare have started a Kind To City Skin Campaign to help women understand the impact that city living has on their skin. A lot of people don't realise how their everyday city lifestyle can make skin sensitive. The effects of city life can result in redness, dry patches and flakey skin. Having a good skincare routine is important to combat these effects. As sensitive skin expects, Simple is the brand you can trust to be kind to city skin. I love that Simple products contain no artificial perfumes or colours and they don't use harsh chemicals either. 

The prize

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes// Simple Kind to Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion// Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner// Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser// Simple Kind to Skin Moisturising Facial Wash// Simple Kind to Skin Illuminating Radiance Cream

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway T&C

I'm really happy to host this giveaway for you as I'm a genuine fan and user of Simple products! The competition starts today and will run for one week ending at midnight on Friday the 4th July. Open to UK residents only. Simply enter by filling out the Rafflecoptor form below. False entries will not be counted. The prize has kindly been donated by Simple. One lucky winner will be selected and announced on my Twitter @KiaMakeMeUp on July 5th.

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Natural Toothpaste for depilation

There are several ways you can remove body hair, and each of you can choose whether to be a shaving razor or with the help of creams and wax. Of all the methods of wax is popular because it provides the longest period when you do not have to worry about hair.

Some ladies settle on medication by beauticians in light of the fact that it is so natural and some are doing it without anyone else's help at home. The choice relies on upon the extent to which you are ready to contribute their time to dispose of the hair and the extent to which you need to spare. It is great that medication can make themselves not just with the assistance of cream that you purchase at the store, yet with the assistance of fall that you can make yourself. 


For the individuals who need to attempt their hand at planning natively constructed pasta, emulated by some helpful data that you can help with that. The main thing you ought to do is watch that you have all that you requirement for the mixture. From the elements you require a couple of portions of cotton, 1 lemon, 1 little measure sugar, 1/2 glass nectar, stick frozen yogurt or something to that effect, and cornstarch.

Take special vessel in which you mix all the ingredients. When you mix the put them in the microwave for 2 minutes, but do not forget to stir every 30 seconds. After all ingredients are dissolved, leave them to cool and transfer to a shallow dish. After the mixture had reached room temperature, it is time to apply.

Before you start removing hair, be sure to wash that part of the skin and dry it to remove all traces of fat. To facilitate the application of the paste and its cleaning the skin before you put a little density.skin and pat dry to remove all traces of fat. To facilitate the application of the paste and its cleaning the skin before you put a little density.

With the aid of sticks for ice cream, apply the paste in the direction of hair growth and cover with a strip of cotton. Good press and leave for up to one minute, then quickly pull the strip in the opposite direction of hair growth.

Treatment Repeat until you have removed all the hair. When you have completed the grease spot waxing cream to prevent irritation. The hair is gone, and you no longer have to think about going with beauticians.skin . The hair is gone, and you no longer have to think about going with beauticians.

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How I Use My Real Technique Make Up Brushes

I'm a Real Techniques convert. After reading so many rave reviews online I just had to get my hands on some. I bought mine from Boots but I've seen them in Tk Maxx and even Asda! I've been using the brushes for about 8 months now and I wanted to share with you what I use them for. They all have specific purposes but I've completely ignored what they were designed for and use them these ways...

Expert Face Brush
Created for blending liquid or cream foundation - which it's great for! I also find it handy for cream blusher as the firm bristles help to blend. The small size makes this a good brush for contouring too.
Pointed Foundation Brush
I don't really use flat brushes for foundation any more. I do save this for mousse foundations such as Rimmel Stay Matte however what I really love this for is solid concealer like Seventeen Phoawr Paint. You can really build up coverage with this brush. Perfect for dark circle gals like me.
Buffing Brush
This makes a lovely foundation brush, it's so easy to use and foundation looks so much better. The brush size is also nice for applying powder blusher. I don't often use powder but it's also perfect for that too.
Detailer Brush
Made to use with lipstick, I really love this for concealing small blemishes. When I've got a bit of time to spend doing my make up I get all Lisa Eldridge on my face and do some pin-point concealing.
Contour Brush
I never use this for contouring as I LOVE using this to blend liquid concealer. It allows to get full coverage and helps stop concealer creasing.

How do you use you RT brushes? Do you use them what they were designed for? 

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La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ | Review

(You know it's time to review a product when you've cut it in half.) I suffer from spot scars quite badly especially around my chin and some stay around for months, which is so frustrating! I never tried the original Effaclar Duo but I was eager to try their new and improved version.

La Roche Posay understood these stubborn spot scars can become a source of anxiety and created a product to solve this problem. The red marks left on our skin are caused by inflammation and can take anything from 3 weeks to 3 years to fade.

What Effaclar Duo+ does differently from the original is that it targets blemishes at every stage of their life cycle and is suitable for the most sensitive skin. Not only does it target blemishes, clogged pores and excess sebum; it also eliminates acne marks from the moment they start to form.

This product claims to start working in just 24 hours. I did notice after the first couple of uses my scars were visibly less red. You can use it alone or use it with a moisturiser but I chose to use it by itself morning and night. The texture is really light-weight and absorbs quickly. It has an instant soothing effect on the skin which is lovely and refreshing. I really wanted to test this out properly before sharing my thoughts. After using this for 5 weeks I have noticed my spot scars have reduced and some have completely gone. Some stubborn marks are still there unfortunately. Using this hasn't prevented me from getting breakouts but any new blemishes that have appeared haven't scarred me.

Overall, I would repurchase this product. It's very moisturising, reduces pesky spot scares and leaves skin feeling smooth and hydrated!

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+* RRP �15.50 40ml. Available from Boots. 

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Feeling Patriotic - The Americana Collection

It's collection time again!! This time I take inspiration from the upcoming 4th of July and the national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, to bring you the ultimate Americana Collection. :)

Available on:

www.spellboundnails.com

www.spellboundnails.etsy.com

www.spellboundnails.storenvy.com

This collection has a little of everything. 2 glitter toppers, 2 shimmered holographics in red and blue, and a creamy white crelly with red and blue glitter.

And did I mention how amazing they look together? I used all 5 to create this amazing mismatched mani - perfect for any patriotic holiday. It is seriously easy too! This is 2 thin coats of Star Spangled on my middle fingers, 3 thin coats of Rockets Red Glare and Twilight's Last Gleaming with one thin coat of Home of the Brave and Bombs Bursting in Air over each respectively.

Stick around to get a look at each polish. :)

Twilight's Last Gleaming is a blue holographic with a chunky blue shimmer. It dries to a matte like finish so a top coat is a must to really bring life back.

Bombs Bursting in Air is one of those very simple polishes that manages to be something amazing! It's a mix of red, white, and blue stars and bar glitter with a dose of rainbow colored shimmer. I am reminded of fireworks exploding in a night sky every time I look at this. Shown here over Carbon Copy from The Neutrals creme collection.

And here is a close-up of how it looks over Twilight's Last Gleaming. That shimmer is just to die for!!

Star Spangled is a creamy white crelly with red and blue hexes and stars that is just sheer enough to showcase every piece of glitter. Shown here is 2 thin coats. The key is keeping your layers thin so you show glimpses of the previous layers glitter. :)

This may look familiar to those of you who have been with me from the start. This is the reformulated Miss 'Merica that was tucked into orders around the 4th of July last year. Now going by Home of the Brave, this polish is a perfect fit for the Americana Collection. It's a mix of red, white, and blue glitter with blue stars. It adds a patriotic touch to any polish. Shown over Hearthstone from The Darks creme collection.

Last but no where near least is Rockets Red Glare. This one is so hard to photograph, and I really didn't manage to capture the true awesomeness of this polish. It is a red holographic with a fine red shimmer. I direct your attention to the mismatched mani at the top of this post as it really shows a lot more of its shimmer and shine in that pic. This polish also dries to a matte like finish so a top coat will really help add shine and sparkle. :)

If you stuck around through the whole post - congrats and I hope you enjoyed the Americana Collection. Do you have a favorite from this collection?

And here's a bit of real life news if you stuck around. One of my nieces just turned 16 yesterday. Where does the time go?? For the first few years of this little girl's life I helped raise her ... so I'm really feeling old. 

Until next time,
? Ashley

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Guide To The New Boots App

I very rarely get excited about an App but you know how much I love Boots and a beauty bargain. When I first heard Boots were launching a new App I knew immediately I needed to download it. I wanted to do a little review of the features and share my thoughts as I think it's something a lot of you would be interested in!

My Offers
This is my favourite part of the App. You can find out the best instore offers, local store events, new launches and personalised offers just for you. Some of my offers included �2 off Revlon and �2 off when you spend �5 on Botanics. To get these offers you simply add the offers to your Boots card then next time you're shopping you just need to present your Advantage  card. No need for paper vouchers or your phone!
Shop
This takes you to the Boots website where you can browse products and purchase directly from your phone.
Locator
showing you your nearest store.
Scanner
By scanning the barcode on an item instore you can read products reviews and find out more product information.

Link for iPhone users
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/Boots/id880993267?mt-8
Link for Andriod useers
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.boots.flagship.android

I'm just loving this app for the personalised offers, brb just going to check out Revlon. Will you be downloading the new Boots app?


p.s this isn't a sponsored post, I just really like the new app(and shopping).

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What Is Your Definition of Beauty? #BeautyDebate

If you're reading this you probably have quite a strong relationship with beauty. Maybe it's part of your job, you might be a beauty blogger or you may simply enjoy using beauty products and make up. But what I want to know is - what is your definition of beauty? For me beauty is happiness and being confident and positive with the way you look. Beauty can be anything.
You may have spotted the #BeautyProject hashtag floating around twitter recently. This was a result of Selfridges hosting a variety of events in collaboration with Dove last month. The Beauty Project explored and celebrated modern beauty. This 6 week programme compiled of a series of talks, events, happenings and debates. One particular event which I found particularly inspiring was the Mirror Mirror workshop with Hollie McNish. If you're not familiar with Hollie McNish, she is a extremely talented UK poet. At this event Hollie explored our relationship with mirrors and why we feel compelled to look at them. If you wanted to hear Hollie in action click on the video below.

I really love Hollie's work, especially the video above. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Will you look in the mirror differently tomorrow morning now? 

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Beauty Products I'm Scared To Use

I tend to stay in my comfort zone when it come to all things beauty related. The other week I swapped my black eyeliner for navy blue which was pretty wild and crazy for me. You know when that's the most exciting thing you did that week you really need to get out more. So I thought it was time to break this beauty bubble I'm in. I'm going to give these scary beauty  buys a go. Who knows, I might end up enjoying it! I was also inspired by the lovely Zoe's post about her experience of trying make up items out of her comfort zone. Go give it a read here.

Urban Decay Electric Palette (review + swatches here)
Colourful eye shadow and I just don't really get along. I like to stick to my neutrals; I've never given bright eyes a chance. There is no denying this palette is beautiful. Seriously I can't stop looking at it. At first I thought I could save this for a music festival (Bestival in September YES!) or fancy dress but life is too short not to wear 5 different eye shadow shades to Tesco. Plus there are loads of really cool tutorials on YouTube for this palette!

Maybelline Brown Lipstick
Brown lipstick seems to be on trend right now. It's a staple with the likes of Kylie Jenner and Little Mix but it reminds me of that whole Spice Girls era of the 90's. Maybelline are really pushing the nude look right now. The Colour Sensationial Nudes is a 5 piece collection of creamy nudes suitable for all skin tones. I have the shade 728 Honey Beige which is a true brown shade, the kind of colour J Lo wore when she was still Jenny from the block. I'm determined to make this work. The lipstick formula is buttery and gives opaque coverage with just one swipe. Any tips for rocking a modern nude lip?

Percy And Reed Wonder Balm

We have primers for our face, even our eyelids so why not have a primer for your hair? This gel/cream is suppose to be used by applying to towl dried hair from root to tips. It claims to prep hair for styling and give it definition. However, all the looks I've seen created with this look really wet and almost greasy. I'm really unsure about trying this, I just don't think we are going to get on!  

Maybelline Baby Skin Primer
Silicone based primers make me shudder. Just the thought of applying them on my face makes me feel dirty. It just feels like it's blocking my pores and doing nothing good for my skin. I did spot Anna from Vivianna Does Make Up mention her love for this so maybe I should give this a go. Anyone tried this before?

What beauty products are you too scared to use? 

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3 Moisturisers You Need This Summer

LUSH British Nanny Facial Moisturiser SPF 30* �26.95

Packed full of natural oils such as almond, hibicus, coconut and jojoba so it contains Vitamin C and E which are skin-loving ingredients. The formula of this is really thick, I think it would suit dry skintypes best. I love that it has a high SPF. It has a strong sun cream scent so bare that in mind if you're not a fan of that smell. I really like this but the high price tag for such a small pot puts me of purchasing. 

Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Brighten Moisturiser �16.99

Applying Vitamin C can help brighten skin and prevent ageing. This moisturiser has UVA/UVB protection which help to fight the damaging effects of the sun. I love the refreshing orange scent this has and it leaves skin feeling soft and hydrated. 

Simple illuminating Radiance Cream SPF 15 �7.99

Infused with multi-vitamins and light reflecting minerals. This instantly gives skin a radiant glow, it has tiny shimmer particles but it's really subtle and hardly noticeable. The moisturiser sinks into the skin really quickly and is the perfect primer for make up. 

Make sure you apply SPF first thing in the morning, but re-apply every few hours if outdoors. look for foundation with SPF if you didn't want to re-touch your moisturiser. 

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