... being social: Scarlett Hearts is now on Facebook, so................

........ PLEASE like my page!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's pretty much it, this is a very short post indeed!

Thanks everyone :)
xx

... beauty: Urban Decay Book Of Shadows IV + more giveaway!!

This rather amazing giveaway (with a 1st and 2nd prize!!) can be found at Beauty and the Brute so I suggest you check it out :)

Good luck!
xx

... beauty: More chances to win the Naked 2!!

You may have gathered by now that I really want to win one of these, so I was rather pleased to come across another giveaway!!

This one can be found at Miss LV's blog and is open internationally!!

Many thanks, Miss LV, for giving a girl another chance to win :)
xx

... beauty: EOTD - Subtle for School

Had a class today. It was raining. Simplicity required.

1. Mally eye primer
2. Mally eyeshadow - Shimmering Taupe blended through my socket
3. Bare Escentuals - Nude Beach shimmer pressed over my lid below the socket and on the inner corners
4. Clinique Cream Liner - True Black winged straight out
5. Brow Highlight - Laura Geller Wonder Wand
6. Maybelline Full n Soft Waterproof mascara

Hope you like it!
xx

... beauty: EOTD - red and gold smokey!

It's Chinese New Year!!!
Cue the gratuitous red and gold eye shot!

I'm afraid I couldn't resist! Not that I ever need much encouragement ;)
Here what I used:

1. Primer: Mally Beauty
2. MAC "Smoulder" pencil smudged along upper an lower lashes
3. Smoked out the black using Cranberry from MAC (this rhymes, it was not on purpose)
4. Blended out my socket with Glamorous from MUG
5. Highlighted under brow with Shimma Shimma from MUG
6. Added a little bit more intensity on the top lashes by blending in a little MAC Beauty Marked

I hope you like it - it made me feel festive!!
xx

..... a third award!!!! Versatile Blogger...

You wait all year for an award and then three come along at once!
This award was given to me by the lovely MargaretH so make sure you check out her blog!!

Here are the rules:
1. You must thank the person who gave you the award, including a shout out with a link back to their blog
2. Share 7 random facts about yourself
3. Send the award to 15 other bloggers whose blogs you love and let them know about it

The facts:
1. I wish that Russell Brand still had a podcast
2. I am looking forward to seeing Prometheus, the prequel to Alien.
3. I saw Fight Club four times in the cinema
4. My favourite childhood films were Labyrinth and The Last Unicorn and I still love them both!
5. Rocket salad makes me gag :(
6. I love Las Vegas!
7. I am wearing a moisturising face mask as I type!!


15 brilliant blogs:
My Makeup Obsession
My Shallow Life
natalieslove
Secret Diary of a Fashion Journalist
Super Gorgeous
Viva Adonis - Irish Beauty, Makeup, Skincare and Lifestyle Blog
".Bows and Curtseys...Mad About Makeup."
...OBSESSIONS to LIVE FOR...
A Brilliant Brunette
A Girl and a Beauty Blog - UK Beauty Blog
Anna Saccone
Annie's Beauty Life
Makeup And Beauty Blog - MakeupSavvy 
ASIAN BEAUTIFIER
Barbara's Beauty Bar

Thanks for reading
xx

..... My second blog award WOOHOO!!

Rejoice! 'Tis award season on both sides of the Atlantic and I have been as lucky as an A Lister this January!!
My second award was given to me by the fantasmo (I'm making it a word, 'k?) Lipgloss Lily!!

It's for new bloggers with less than 200 followers and here it is in all it's awardy glory!!

So her's what I have to do:
1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who awarded/nominated you
3. Copy and paste the blog award to your blog
4. Reveal your top 5 blog picks!
5. Drop by your top 5 picks and let them know you nominated them by commenting on their blog

So here they are, they are all fairly new so I am passing the baton and giving them a shout out!!
http://quiinest.blogspot.com/
http://abnormalallure.blogspot.com/
http://justlove-xx.blogspot.com/
http://cosmeticscharlotte.blogspot.com/
http://jessii-charmaine.blogspot.com/

... My first blog award :)

SPICEWORLD!!!! Yes, I am quoting Alan Partridge (and if any of you have not seen Alan Partridge you NEED to) in order to express my chuffedness at getting this award from not one, but TWO gorgeous, amazing bloggers:

Katie Alice

and

Mica McLaren

Seriously people check out their blogs, even before you've checked out Alan ;)

Here is my lovely award:

What you have to do:

1. Link back to the person that gave you this award

2. Answer the questions below

3. Award 10 other bloggers and let them know

4. Share 7 random facts about yourself

Here are my answers:

1. Name your favourite song.

This is so hard, it's like choosing your favourite child!! 

Currently: "Seven Nation Army" - White Stripes/Glitch Mob Remix. I heard this in the new GI Joe trailer and almost sh*t my pants!!  "Iron"by Woodkid, which I love. Also feeling the love for Shinedown, especially "Fly From the Inside" and "Second Chance".

All time: "Voodoo People", "Firestarter" and "Smack my Bitch Up" by The Prodigy, actually pretty much anything by The Prodigy.

"Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden

AARGHHH There are more, I will kick myself later!

2. Favorite Dessert

At the moment I have a serious addiction to the M+S Toffee and Pecan Roulade - it's AMAZING!!!

Runner Up: Cake!! Specifically coffee and walnut cake........ or ice cream..........or, oh bloody hell, I like a lot of desserts ok??!!

3. What ticks you off?

We could be here all day really but the one that is currently at the forefront of my loathe list is bad manners. Seriously a**hole, stop f*cking binding me with your texting and watch the bloody film!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, would a "thank you" kill you? Would it?

4. When I'm upset I......

Wallow. Also if there is chocolate in the vicinity it's in for a short life!

5. Favourite pet?

I don't have one but I would absolutely rock the black Pegasus from the Clash of the Titans remake. Yes,  I would call him Swift Wind and pretend to be She-Ra.......

6.Black or white?

Eyeliner - BLACK!!!!!!

iPod - white

7. Biggest fear?

Oh dear, I am quite the scaredy-cat in some respects, like death and mortal embarrassment. Also ghosts...

8. Everyday attitude?

Procrastination, procrastination, procrastination. Do you think I should call Phil and Kirstie??

9. What is perfection?

Spending a cosy day with my OH watching movies and eating heinous amounts of crap!

10. Guilty pleasure?

Trashy reality TV like What Katie did Next, until it expired. Also movies aimed at teens - I watched Beastly this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it!

7 Random facts:

1. My hair was as straight and shiny as a shampoo ad campaign until I was 12 years old...........

2. But while my hair turned curly my eyelashes turned straight and would not curl on their own if you paid them

3. I love working out!!!!

4. I do not love cutting out junk food :(

5. I love vampire films and books - be it the Cullens or the Chronicles I will take it all!

6. I cannot walk in heels for sh*t!

7. I used to do a really amazing impression of Anna Paquin in The Piano!

10 AMAZOIS BLOGGERS!!!
Ariel Hope

Cut-Throat Beauty
EMAN makeup artist
Glitter is my crack...
Just Peachy
honeyflower3
iCRAiZ
make up it girl
Makeup Junkie Nikki
Musings of a Make Up Maniac

Thanks for reading :)
xx

... beauty: EOTD - Summery Purple Smokey

I know its's a little early but a little bit of sunshine has gone to my head!!

PRODUCTS USED:
Primer: Mally eye primer
Lid + under inner 2/3: MAC Creme de Violet
Socket + under outer 1/3: MAC Purple Haze
Liner: MUFE Cream Liner No 6 (Aubergine/Eggplant) topped with Purple Haze to make it intense
Shimmer on lid: Napoleon Perdis No7
Brow highlight: Laura Geller Wonder Wand
Waterline: MAC eye kohl Smoulder

Hope you like it :)
xx

... Showbiz!! Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol - a vague and long winded review, featuring my thoughts and opinions on Tom Cruise and The Vampire Chronicles...

I saw this film yesterday. I rather enjoyed it. That's pretty much it as far as the review goes actually. It's Mission  Impossible! It's Tom Cruise! It does what it says on the tin.
I will say, though, that it is always nice to see Simon Pegg doing his thing and that Jeremy Renner (who is about to play Jason Bourne!!) also gives an excellent performance.

Recommended? Yes. If you enjoy this sort of thing.

And now ladies and gentlemen.....Tom Cruise.

He was never a childhood/teen crush of mine but, over the years, I have come to really appreciate his work.
Some might say that he is always Tom Cruise in whatever role he plays and I would agree up to a certain point. However, I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing because, for me, it has almost become a (reasonably) reliable sign of quality.

Obviously he was hugely famous before this but he first really came to my attention playing Lestat, in Interview With the Vampire. I LOVED those books in my teens (The Vampire Chronicles, by Anne Rice, for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about) and, even though everyone thought he was going to do a shitty job of playing a vampiric icon, he put in the work and he nailed that sucker.
My favourite scene is still the one where he is throwing grapes at Louis (Brad Pitt) across the dinner table. He captures the essence of the character perfectly throughout the film and really made the role his own.
Seeing a recent trailer for the upcoming Rock of Ages, in which he plays a leather-clad 80's rock star, makes me even sadder that he never got to play Lestat all the way through to Queen of the Damned. Instead we (well, I at least) had to suffer through that absolute clusterf*ck starring Stuart Townsend. Is there such a thing as book rape? I think so.


Oh, how things could have been...................(Thank you Google search!)

So, in a nutshell, I like Tom Cruise. Well, acting-wise at least, I don't know him personally.

Do I care that he is a Scientologist? No.

Am I disturbed by his relationship with Katie Holmes? Couldn't give a f*ck, Jones. (Ooh, obscure Bridget Jones quoting - nice!)

The only question that matters to me is: Did he do a good job? and, most of the time, the answer is Yes.

Rant over, for now at least..........

Thanks so much for reading :)
xx

... beauty: EOTD - The Red and The Black

It's EOTD time!!

This one might not be that wearable for some, but it packs a punch and it's quite simple.

Blurry! Nice.

PRODUCTS USED:
Base: Mally eye primer
Lid + under eye: MAC Cranberry
Socket + under lower third of eye: MAC Beauty Marked
Highlight: Laura Geller Wonder Wand
Waterline: MAC eye kohl Smoulder
Mascara: Maybelline Full n Soft (waterproof base to hold curl) + Maybelline Falsies over the top

Hope you like it :)
xx

... beauty: Bare Escentuals Ready 8.0 Palette - Review + EOTD!!

I heart B.E. I love the sparkle, what else can I say? So when I heard they had released a festively golden palette crammed full of sparkly deliciousness how could I resist? Seriously.

Here are the colours:

I don't know how to rotate this photo - I 'm sorry!!

Here is the first look I tried:

PRODUCTS USED:
Primer: Mally Eye Primer
Lid + under eye: Remix (the golden colour in the bottom row)
Socket + under outer corner: Pumped (warm brown in the top row)
Liner: Clinique Cream liner True Black (winged out + brought underneath)
Highlight (brow + inner corner) : One Hit Wonder (the shimmery off-white in the bottom row)
Waterline: MAC eye kohl Smoulder




I can't say that I am 100% happy. The amazing looking teal shows up more as a black with a teal shimmer unless I use a greeny base underneath so that was a little disappointing but, overall, I am pleased, so if you see it in the sales treat yourself!

Thanks for reading :)
xx

... freebies!!! Grab your chance to win a Naked 2 Palette!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's shiny and new and it could belong to you!!!!!

image: http://laineylulu.blogspot.com

The Naked 2 Palette - so lovely it inspires poetry.........

All you have to do is click HERE and follow the lovely Lainey LuLu's simple instructions.

Good luck to one and all!!....... but I still hope I win :P

xx

... beauty: EOTD - Experimental Smashbox

You know when you have something you don't want to do and so you put it off and try not to look at it?

Well that is what I have been doing with my Smashbox Shadow & Liner Trio in "Hot Date" that had somehow broken without me dropping it...... but not anymore!!!!! 

Inspired by my liner-as-shadow success in my green/gold EOTD, I decided to try the same sort of method with the Smashbox cream liner that is included in the trio. I am not particularly keen on these liners, I find that they disappear really easily, but using it this way has proved far more longwearing.

Here is the look:

Here is the palette:

image from justbeautydirect.co.uk

Base: Very light application of Mally eyeshadow base

Lid: Pale colour from the palette

Socket/ top+bottom lashline: Cream liner with the purple eyeshadow blended over the top

Liner (top lashline): MUG Corrupt eyeshadow (intense black - love it!)

Waterline: MAC Smoulder

Mascara: Maybelline Full 'n' Soft Waterproof + L'oreal Lash Architect 4D

I really like how this turned out. It's a bit smokier in real life but I'm so pleased that i have found a way of using this trio, I will be trying it out with the Girls Night Out trio (that was part of the same kit) asap!!

Thanks for reading xx

... beauty: Who wants a Naked2 Palette??

If you answered, "ME!!" then head on over to Lily's blog and check out this amazing giveaway,

Look at it, it's beautiful...........

http://chloeash.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-new-year-and-win-your-own-naked2.html

... randomness: Bare Escentuals Buxom lipgloss packaging....

As part of Project Blade (Use it!!) I decided to pick a lipgloss and stick with it and the one I was closest to finishing was my Buxom "Dolly" lipgloss so it was in and out of my handbag constantly for about two weeks. One day, though, I pulled it out and got a bit of a shock.....

As you can see, the part of the container that actually holds the lipgloss is waaaaaay smaller than the outer casing.
Oddly enough, I actually preferred it like this because it fitted in my bag better!

Happy Sunday!!

... beauty: Green and gold EOTD featuring MUA and Bare Escentuals Ready

I was lucky enough to receive the MUA Forest Green pencil for Christmas from my Mum and the Bare Escentuals Ready Palette for my birthday from myself!!


-Primer: Bare Escentuals Brightening Primer

-Lid and under inner 1/3: Remix, the gold colour from The Playlist Ready Palette

-Liner, socket, under eye: MUA Forest Green pencil, alone on my upper lashline and blended through my socket and under my eye with Max Volume, the teal colour from The Playlist Palette

I also swept a light wash of Remix through my socket to add dimension to the green/teal

-Highlight: Laura Geller Wonder Wand

-Waterline: MAC Smoulder

-Mascara: Maybelline Full and Soft waterproof to hold the curl with Maybelline Falsies on top.

The first pics shows how it looks in the (non existent) daylight this morning and the second shows it under the bright light in my bathroom after a day of shopping!

Hope you like it :)

Thanks for reading.xx

... beauty: UPDATED WITH PHOTO!!! Classic golden brown EOTD featuring Make Up Geek eyeshadows....

I originally put this up as an EOTD without pictures because they just weren't picking up how pretty the colours are. They still don't really, but I think that some pictures are better than none so here they are!!


This is a classic, wearable, golden-peachy-brown look. It is extremely flattering on most people but I absolutely adore it for bringing out the warmth in my dark brown eyes.

In natural daylight

In bright indoor light

Primer: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Socket: Purely Naked as the main colour with a little Cocoa Bear added for extra depth
Lid: Glamorous
Under eye: Purely Naked with a little Glamorous blended over the inner third
Liner: Corrupt
Highlight: Shimma Shimma on browbone and tearduct


I hope this explains the look clearly. Please click here to see swatches of the shadows if you would like to recreate it for yourself.

All the shadows I used were from Make Up Geek and I bought them myself.

... beauty: Project Blade December 2011

Bit belated with this post but here are the product I used up during December......

I'm pretty happy with that. I have also used up various foundation and skincare samples over the last month but forgot to keep the sachets for the end of month pic - duh!

- Dove deodorant - definite repurchase

- Argan oil from ebay - no repurchase. It didn't have the same effect on my skin as the Josie Maran oil.

- Estee Lauder moisturiser sample - it was a free sample, I don't think I would buy it as a full size as it's a bit pricey

- Naked Coco de Mer Shower gel - I have loads of these from when they had a 50% off sale so I would repurchase but I don't need to for about 2 years!!

- Hair Gel - These are 2 for 99p in 99p stores. Definite repurchase to make the curls behave themselves.

- Bare Escentuals Buxom lip Gloss (Dolly) - Would not repurchase as the colour doesn't really show up on my lips and I am just not a fan of the minty tingle, especially in Winter because it makes my lips bizarrely cold!!!

Thanks for reading xx

...beauty: EOTD - Weirdly Wearable pink, red and black

Blog Sale on the way folks but today we had some actual sunshine so I decided to make the most of it. My camera still did not quite do it justice - it is a little pinker, purplier and sparklier in real life but the pics are not too bad today!

-Base: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

-Lid + inner 2/3 of lower lashline: MAC Sushi Flower

-Outer corner/Socket/outer 1/3 of lower lashline: MAC Cranberry

-Extra socket definition: MAC Beauty Marked

-Lid + Inner lower lashline Highlight: Napoleon Perdis shimmer dust No.7

-Brow highlight (which has not shown up at al!!) : Laura Geller Wonder Wand

-Waterline: MAC eye kohl Smoulder


As you can see, the three pics all look fairly different. The reality is somewhere in the middle, but with more sparkle!
I love Sushi Flower and Cranberry together, I think they make such a pretty combination. Quite Summery, reminds of things to look forward too while it's freezing cold with gale force winds....
The Napoleon Perdis pigment is a pink/gold/very slightly green tinged shimmer powder that gives extra dimension and vibrancy to the look.
Beauty Marked is amazing for darkening red or purple shades because it takes on the colours rather than taking them over like a standard black. For example, over Cranberry, it turns into a dark purple.

Anyway, I hope you like it.
Thanks for reading.xx

... beauty: Classic golden brown EOTD featuring Make Up Geek eyeshadows....

First of all I have to apologise for the distinct lack of a picture. It is soooo dark here at the moment and I just cannot get the colours to show up on my camera phone.
I will keep trying, though, so do check back here if my written explanation isn't enough.

This is a classic, wearable, Sophia Loren-style look. It is extremely flattering on most people but I absolutely adore it for bringing out the warmth in my dark brown eyes.

Primer: Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Socket: Purely Naked as the main colour with a little Cocoa Bear added for extra depth
Lid: Glamorous
Under eye: Purely Naked with a little Glamorous blended over the inner third
Liner: Corrupt
Highlight: Shimma Shimma on browbone and tearduct

I hope this explains the look clearly. Please click here to see swatches of the shadows if you would like to recreate it for yourself.

All the shadows I used were from Make Up Geek and I bought them myself.

Thanks so much for reading. Please check back for my blog sale - it'll be up as soon as I have some light for pictures!!

...beauty: New Year, New Eyeshadows!! Make Up Geek Eyeshadow Review and LORAC Serenity dupe...

Two years ago  I started swapping out my traditional make up for talc free, paraben free mineral make up. There were two flaws in my amazing plan: the first being that I had more make up than I thought so rather than replacing items I simply doubled the amount I own, the second being that minerals can be a bit of a palaver to use, especially when travelling, and the pots don't make it easy to really see all the colours I own so I tend to forget what I have and end up sticking to the same colours.

Due to this cosmetic mis-calcuation, when I saw Marlena's video I was definitely not in the market for trying anything new but, somehow, my habitual behaviour saw me clicking on the link and checking out the starter kit.......
Talc free you say?
No Parabens?
No filler?
All in a convenient MAC sized pan at a limited time only reduced price??

SOLD! To the cosmetic compulsive at the back......

While I waited for the shadows to arrive I felt uneasy. I already have too much stuff, what if they're rubbish and I've wasted my money?

Well, they finally arrived last Thursday and I am truly ecstatic to say that I have ZERO regret with my decision!
I have tried all eight shadows and love them all. My favourite colour so far is Glamorous, a BEAUTIFUL golden brown that is a perfect dupe for LORAC's Serenity eyeshadow at about a quarter of the price - amazing!!

One shadow I was a bit concerned about was Purely Naked, I just didn't think I would use it, but it is the perfect nude socket colour for my skin and I am so glad that Marlena included it in the kit.

Click here to see the kit and be sure to check out the rest of the MUG website for some amazing tutorials.

Next up:
- BLOG SALE featuring MAC, Bare Escentuals and Mally beauty!!
- Multiple EOTDs featuring MUG eye shadows!!

Please come back and check them out :)

Thanks for reading xx