Time Saving Beauty Tips for Busy Women

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Modern day living can be really hectic at the best of times. Sometimes we're so busy that it is all we can do just a run a brush through our hair in the morning. In all aspects of life people try to find ways to help them save time. With that in mind, why should our beauty regime be any different? Here are some of my favourite low-maintenance ways to help you save time getting ready.

BB cream

Most of us will apply moisturiser, wait for that to dry, and then apply foundation. Cut out a step with tinted BB cream. You will look fresh faced and your skin will be glowing thanks to the cream. Ready for a day at work, or a night on the tiles.

Dry shampoo

Dry shampoo is such a saviour when you don’t have time to wash your hair. If you have grease-prone hair and would prefer to not have to wash it every day, then dry shampoo is the answer. Before you go to bed, spray some of the dry shampoo into the roots of your hair. Overnight it will rub into your hair and absorb the oil. In the morning your hair will look clean and voluminous. Plus, you can buy a range of shampoos with different smells, so you are sure to find one that suits you.

You don’t have to do it before you go to bed, but when you spray dry shampoo it leaves white marks in your hair. If you do it in the morning you have to brush the white spray out of your hair, whereas leaving it overnight will let it rub in.

Permanent makeup

If you hate getting up in the morning and doing your makeup, try permanent makeup instead. You can get extra definition around your eyes, on your lips and eyebrows. You don’t have to worry about your makeup melting off when you go to the gym, or when you are out at the club. Imagine always having flawless brows! I have a friend who has had her brows done. They look fab!

Get easy waves in your hair

If you like having a natural kink to your hair, but can’t be bothered to waste time curling it, try plaiting wet hair instead. As your hair dries it will take on a wavy shape, so when you loosen the plait your hair will look incredible. This is something I have been a lot lately! I have thick, long hair which is naturally curly. It takes a long time to dry and a long time to straighten. When I’m short on time or simply can’t be bothered, I towel dry my hair and plait it before going to bed. I wake up with fabulous beach waves and they last two days in my hair!

Quick dry nail polish

The worst thing is when you spend so much time giving yourself the perfect manicure only to smudge it because you don’t have time to let it dry. Never let your manicure get wrecked again with quick dry nail polish. I was sceptical at first that the polish would really dry that quickly, but I remember the first time I used it I was ready to go minutes later. You can also buy top coats, sprays or drops which help your nail polish dry quicker.

Nail corrector pen

To complement the quick dry nail polish, you also need to get a nail corrector pen. This is great for people who can’t paint their nails without painting their fingers too. The pen allows you to clean up the messy bits, whilst leaving the nail intact. I can paint my left hand beautifully as I’m right handed but my right hand always looks like I’ve painted my nails with my eyes closed! I could definitely do with a nail corrector pen!

Have you got any other time saving beauty tips? Leave them below in the comments or tweet me @lostinlipstick

Rachel x

Win a Luxury Break worth £5000!

Are you a budding designer, doodler or wellington boot lover? If so, Joules have the competition for you! You can design your very own Joules Wellies!

All you have to do, is go to http://getcreative.joules.com/ and submit your design to enter the competition.

The winning design will be put into production with all proceeds going to their charity partners via Charitably Joules as well as winning a Luxury Forest Holiday worth £5000!! This will include 3 nights in a golden oak treehouse cabin plus lots more!

There will also be 10 runners-up who will each receive a £250 Joules gift card.

The winning welly design will go on sale at joules.com.

Submit a design and enter the competition here - http://getcreative.joules.com/

Full terms and conditions can be found on their website.

Good Luck!

Rachel x

Wagamama at The Trafford Centre

On Monday 12th October, Wagamama finally opened their doors at The Trafford Centre. I'm a massive fan of Wagamama but up to now I've had to travel into Manchester to visit. The Trafford Centre is much closer and easier for me to get to. As it was a new store, customers could apply for tickets to try out their new menu for free. I jumped at this opportunity and took along my husband who had never been before!

 We had the opportunity to share a starter. We went for the Duck Gyoza, which is tasty fried duck dumplings served with a dipping sauce. We had a giggle when it arrived as five dumplings arrived and there were two of us. This reminded us of The Big Bang Theory episode where three of them order dumplings and the order comes with four! I was kind though and let Rory have three! There were delicious and I would love to try the other varieties in the future, especially pulled pork!

We were able to choose a main each. I am normally a creature of habit and always order a Chicken Katsu Curry. I decided to be a little more adventurous as we were there to try the new restaurant so I wanted a completely new experience. After a while, I settled on Wagamama Ramen. Ramen is a hearty bowl of hot soup filled with fresh ramen noodles, toppings and garnishes, all served in a traditional black bowl. I think Wagamama Ramen is their special as it came with grilled chicken, barbecued pork, prawns, chikuwa and mussels in a miso, ginger and chicken noodle soup. topped with half a tea-stained egg, menma and spring onions. It was absolutely delicious and I'm so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone! I think I have a new favourite!

Rory had heard me rant and rave about Chicken Katsu Curry from previous visits and decided to see what all the fuss was about. He absolutely loved it and would definitely order it again. Since our visit, he has said a couple of times, "I want Wagamama again!" Hopefully this means we will be back very soon!

For dessert, we had to have the Mochi Ice Cream, which are little balls of ice cream wrapped in a layer of sticky rice, served with sauce. We had the 'Mix It Up' version which allowed us to try all three flavours. I was only a fan of the raspberry flavour and would order these again, although there are some delicious looking desserts on the menu. Rory enjoyed the coconut and raspberry flavoured ones.

We both had a lovely afternoon at the restaurant and we will both be back very soon! The restaurant is lovely and is in a brilliant location, upstairs in The Orient (next to TGI Fridays). We were served by an extremely friendly and helpful waitress who explained everything to us clearly.

Thank you to Wagamama at The Trafford Centre!

Rachel x

10 Essential Steps to Beautiful Skin

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Beautiful skin doesn’t always come naturally. Many of us have skin problems, from red spots to scarring. I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and one symptom is acne. Even with some skin problems, if you’re determined and consistent, you can get beautiful skin. The following 10 steps are essential in any beautiful skin routine. Take a look:

1. Find Out Your Skin Type

You need to know your skin type if you want it to look its best. You can’t start using any old product and then wonder why it looks worse than it did before. Find out whether you have normal, oily, combination, or dry skin. You may also have sensitive skin. If you have no idea at all, there are helpful guides online, and somebody on a makeup counter should be more than happy to give you advice.

2. Use Products Specifically Designed for Your Skin Type

You need to use products specifically designed for your skin type to get the best benefits. I’ve heard people ask whether they should use dry products for oily skin and vice versa, as they get confused. No. You need to use products labeled oily for oily skin. Using products that aren’t designed for your skin type can lead to big problems. A beauty myth I hear over and over again is that you shouldn't use oil on oily skin. This is so wrong; you just have to use the right oil. You can get more info on products here. Never buy products just because you like the packaging! Something I think we are all guilty of!

3. Keep Up A Routine

You can’t expect to see results if you don’t keep up a routine. You should be practising your skincare routine every day, twice a day to see the best results. Make sure you read the instructions on the products you’re using though, just to be sure. It can take almost a month to see the effect as your skin is made up of many layers and works on a cycle. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t see results overnight!

4. Always Take Makeup Off Properly

Wearing makeup is fine providing you take it off properly. Don’t just use a wipe. You should be wiping off the surface makeup and then performing a double cleanse with a good cleanser to clean your skin. Sleeping with your makeup on is never ok. If you really can’t be bothered or you’ve just got home from a night out, leave your wipes next to your bed and use at least two of them. Then make sure you cleanse properly the next day!

5. Wash Makeup Brushes Regularly

If you use makeup brushes to apply your makeup, these should be washed regularly as they also hold a lot of bacteria. We're all guilty of being too lazy and not washing our brushes as often as we should. I try and aim for once a week and if something pops up or I really can't be bothered, I clean them every fortnight.

6. Change Towels Regularly

I have my own face towel and I change this regularly. Nobody else uses it to dry their hands or anything to stop the spread of bacteria. I swap it over every three days. I also use a muslin cloth or flannel to remove my cleansers. These are only used once before going in the washing machine.

7. Change Pillowcases Regularly

Your pillowcases can hold a lot of bacteria, so change them regularly to avoid transferring it back to your face. Something I always do is flip my pillow over half way between a bedding change.

8. Watch for Changes During Different Seasons

Anybodies skin can change at any time, but it’s especially common when the seasons change. Watch for these changes and change your products if you need to. This is especially common as we enter the colder months. Central Heating and the cold weather is to blame as our skin is exposed to hot and cold temperatures too frequently. I always switch my moisturiser for a more nourishing one. I always know when I need to do this as my lips dry out!

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9. Drink Lots of Water

Water helps to clear the skin as it flushes out nasty toxins. It has lots of other benefits too, from weight loss to added energy. Get at least 2 litres a day and you’ll notice how great your skin looks in no time!

10. Eat Right

We are made from the food we eat, so it only makes sense to eat quality, natural food to look great. Processed rubbish and foods like that are going to make you look rubbish. That’s a fact. Eat right 80-90% of the time and allow treats every so often to keep skin looking amazing.

Use these tips and you’ll always have beautiful skin!

Rachel x

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Makeup Revolution Beyond Flawless Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches

Makeup Revolution Beyond Flawless Eyeshadow Palette £8

At the end of August, I purchased my very first Makeup Revolution product; I just couldn't resist that gold box plus I had heard great things about this palette! For just £8 you get 32 shades - it's worth a shot! I had been eyeing up Makeup Revolution palettes for a few months before actually making a purchase as I already have quite a few neutral eyeshadow palettes in my collection. I don't need another one or so I thought! On first impressions, I was impressed. The packaging is lovely. Firstly, there is the golden box which actually makes the product look more expensive. Then the actual palette packaging is black, sturdy and secure with a huge mirror inside. It actually took me ages to open it the first time so I'm confident it wouldn't open if used for travelling!

The eyeshadows are actually really high quality considering they work out to be 25p each! They are soft, easy to blend, (mostly) well pigmented and little to no fallout (depending on the finish). There are a few different finishes within the palette which I love and would suit most people's tastes. There is a good mixture of matte, satin and shimmery/metallic shades (these have a little fallout but even shimmery high end shadows have fall out). A lot of budget makeup brands don't give the shades names but Makeup Revolution have given all shades a name and I actually really like the names. These come on a clear piece of plastic and a suggestion would be to have these on the back of the palette as I've already lost mine!

A few shades are not as pigmented as the others and it was really difficult to get a good swatch of these. On the whole though, the pigmentation is really good. Some of my favourite shades are Spice, Cookie Dough and Expresso. I love reaching for this palette as so many different looks can be created with just one palette. I'm really happy I was attracted to this palette and I have my eye on some of the face palettes. If you have any recommendations, let me know!

Rachel x

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