A Little Late......Christmas Gifts!

Happy Wednesday!

I have wanted to do this post since Christmas Day but time has absolutely flown by since then! I can't believe it's the 8th of January already! 2014 feels like it's taken off and isn't set to slow down. One major thing i'm looking forward to is getting the lovely other half of Twice Upon a Blonde back. She's still working her little socks off in Guildford on the costumes in Cinderella! So we've been separated for most of the festive season! Orla will be heading home a few days before I jet off to (hopefully) sunny skies! So our next encounter is set to be brief, but SO overdue! Cannot wait!

Anyway, enough of the life story and more about CHRISTMAS PRESENTS! This year I was well and truly spoilt by everyone, and these are just a selection of my presents. I chose the most relevant to our beauty blog, meaning i'm leaving out anything non beauty related that I was lucky enough to receive!

Finding Mr Bright - Benefit 

This is a gorgeous gift set of miniature sized items I actually already use. The minis are perfect to pop in your handbag if you're like me and cherish those extra 10 minutes in bed in the morning and tend to do your make up on the go! This set includes an erase paste under eye concealer, Girl Meets Pearl night time primer, High Beam highlighter and Posie Tint lip and cheek stain. This includes some of my favourite products, so definitely a huge Christmas present win!

I also had these two Benefit lip glosses as a stocking filler. These are two really pretty colours that are really easy to wear! They last for a good amount of time before needing to reapply and are a really nice consistency. They are not at all sticky and I'll definitely be checking out the other colours in the range! 

 Owl Design Sleep Mask

 Another stocking filler was this super cute eye mask with lavender seeds inside. It's a really relaxing and soothing scent and I can't wait to take this on the plane with me to Florida so that I can try and get 40 winks on the way home! The design is very sweet and the underside has a fleece feel that rests against the eyelids, which feel really comfy when this is on. 

Real Techniques - Travel Brush Set

I have been SO excited to try these and can confirm that I've not been disappointed! This set includes a domed foundation brush, multi task brush and the domed eye shadow brush. I am so excited to have these in my collection, especially now right before my holiday! Trying to put together a condensed make up kit is not the easiest thing to do! This has sorted out my brush choices! 

Body Shop Lip and Concealer Brush (not pictured)

This was one of my gifts from Orla......now I can stop borrowing hers! I love this brush! It makes lipstick application so much easier and makes the lines much cleaner. I have quite full lips but sometimes find it difficult to apply make up without it looking like a toddler has gone at me with my lip stick! This brush allows me to create a really defined cupid bow and generally finish off my lips perfectly!

Lovely Vintage Gift Set

This is a stunning gift set consisting of body lotion, body wash and bath salts. I adore the packaging, it looks like it's taken inspiration from Soap and Glory but with a little more attention to detail. These products smell great and you get a really good amount of product in each, especially considering it's part of a gift set.  

Aussie Hair Care Gift Set

Another stocking filler that couldn't have come at a better time! I totally ran out of my Aussie shampoo and conditioner before Christmas, so was over the moon to open this! I love this brand, it the three minute miracle conditioner does wonders for my split ends and I really do notice a huge difference when I use these. They also came in the cute bag you can see in the background!

Body Shop White Musk body lotion and wash 

This little set was another stocking filler with one of Body Shops signature scents. This set comes with a body sponge and a good sized bottle of each of these products. I was also given a travel nail kit. This is something that I have wanted for a really long time! It comes in this perfect little carry case and has already had lots of use!  

So that's everything beauty related that I was given this year! I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know if you want to see reviews of anything! 

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw

Big Blogmas Project!

Happy 1st of December!

We can't believe how this year has flown by and we're already getting ready to open those little doors on our advent calendars! 

As this is our first Christmas since starting the blog, we wanted to do something fun and festive to celebrate! We were asked if we wanted to join in with the #bigblogmasproject. This involves us blogging everyday from the 1st December, through until Christmas eve! We jumped at the opportunity and have been busily planning what we want to blog about over the next 24 days!

You'll find lots of beauty posts, Christmas fashion and lifestyle posts, as well as some fun things about what we're getting up to this Festive season! We hope you enjoy our involvement in the Big Blogmas Project and that you check out some of the other lovelies who are also taking part!

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw

Coleoftheball                 Hanclarky                         Cometomybdr                  Bw_sheep

Kammitted                    Ambipage                          Ohkalukalay                    Lovelyjubbly8

 Pp_puff                        Jessbarnes                         Missmills_                         Nikmakeupjunkie  

Missbeccabeauty         Amelia_florence               Tansandtiarasx                    Thebeauty_baker  

Vintageteapot              Likeslippy SGBlogxx       BethanywellsMUA             April_todd    

Berrycrumblexxx        _Sammyjane_x                  Bexclaree_                         Sassydoveblog

 Kellovesclothes           Hannahlouisa__              CourtneeeyJ                        2sisters1blog

Unexpected_roar         Char_beyy                         Neyavbeautytalk                Naomi_joy_  

Victoiraearls                 Anothergirlyblg                 Beautyblogger20               Cerysannex   

Missksmudger              Sarah_lumsden                 Byalextweets                     Sarahivell8    

Jessicakbrown              Shadowlinergirl                Allmadeup21                     Hintofsparkle  

Jessiekinsxo                  Srslylou                           Tayscollectionn                   Lianne84  

 Cutelil_b_blog           Chloe_bellamy                    Kendalsblog                       CMWB   

Lucy_a_bigail             Sophieeroseex                     Jesslynjuly                         Misslaurameow    Adaynasaur                Hitnmiff                              Knitteddaisy                      Sweetsparklyser   4evafashion92            Mallowbeauty                     Beautysupergirl                Aqeela_mua   Jordanmarie89           Polkadotteapot2                  Fashforeverblog               Kelseyshepherd_ 

Hmkeyes                    Dixxgina                              Uggynog                            imogenrose20   Joni_blog                  Laural0uisee                        Frostedplanet                     Rowbowk   Maclovergirl96         Danniannie                          Juststephblog                    _bethhenderson  

 saloca                        Kaitlynisabel                      _nameofbeauty    

Beau XOXO Giveaway Video! *LAST FEW DAYS!*

We are now in the final few days of our fabulous GIVEAWAY! We have created this little video to give you some more information on Beau XOXO and show you what we couldn't resist buying from this stunning online boutique!

This giveaway will run through to 29^th November 2013! Anyone can enter and the winner will get a gift card to spend in the Beau XOXO online store! Here's a little link to the website for you so that you can pop over and see all of the beautiful items on offer!

http://www.beauxoxo.com/

‘Beauxoxo is an online boutique that boasts an array of lovingly handmade pieces, for wonderfully affordable prices. What started back in 2010, as a girl's dream for chic yet inexpensive hair accessories, has now blossomed into a worldwide success, and now everyone is able to adorn pieces that are complimented by a unique blend of both whimsical and playful charm.' 

We’re so excited for you to get involved, so please feel free to share this on twitter and social media! Obviously don’t forget to enter the competition to your hearts content! 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

imPRESS Nail Review.....

If you're anything like us, then you will dream of beautiful nails with minimal work! We have tried every nail strengthening product on the market just to achieve the desired look but still haven't found anything we are in love with....yet. 

There has been quite some hype around imPRESS nails, so we have have been desperate to try these out. There was quite a large range of designs available from completely clear, ready to paint any colour to lace patterns and coloured tips. We opted for the classic french manicure design (£8.99) for our trial. 

The packaging claims that these may last up to one week and are extremely easy to apply! Application does stay true to it's word as all you need to do is peel off the adhesive strips, press them into place and go! We really loved the look of them once they were in place and followed the instructions to the letter. The instructions recommend not getting your hands or nails wet for up to 30 minutes after application. We played it safe and kept our hands out of water for well over an hour to try and ensure that the nails had the best chance of survival!

The nails did feel really quite secure once they were on which was great. Although, as the adhesive is not applied all the way up the length of the nail, so they can start to feel quite loose if caught on something. 

In order to give the nails half a chance at surviving, I put them on on Saturday before going out for dinner. They lasted the night very well and all of the following day. With a dance class, audition workshop and singing class. Unfortunately on the Monday the index finger nail came off. I tried to see if one of the spares would fit but none of them were really the right size. I opted to leave them as they were to see how long the rest of them lasted. I managed to keep the remaining 9 nails in place until the Thursday - so 5 days in total.

Although they didn't quite last the full week that they claim to, I thought that the look of these were great and I would absolutely purchase them again for  a one day event. A wedding or night out would be perfect for imPRESS nails!

Overall I feel that these were £8.99 well spent. I think I would keep some nail glue in my purse at all times just in case I was to lose one during the day as one nail falling off was not quite the look we were going for! 

Please like, comment and subscribe to our channel if you enjoyed this! Don't forget to also follow our blog using the Bloglovin link below! Comment below if you want to share your looks - we love being nosy and seeing what you're up to too!

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw

Poor Unfortunate Souls - Ursula Halloween Looks!

Hi Lovelies,

So, this is a little bit later than we expected BUT thank you so so much for checking out our Ursula from The Little Mermaid Halloween looks!

We have had some computer trouble over the last week and we were very concerned that our videos would be lost forever! Thank fully it all came good in the end! We were most concerned that we would have to re shoot this video, which would not have been ideal! It took 15 takes just to get the introduction and end bit because we were so tired and had a serious case of the giggles! Thankfully, we got there in the end!

This is Orla's full on make up look for Ursula - This would be perfect for any belated Halloween parties or general cosplay!

Christine designed this more every day/glam look for Ursula - Inspired by the colours her character uses in the film!

Please like, comment and subscribe to our channel if you enjoyed this! Don't forget to also follow our blog using the Bloglovin link below! Comment below if you want to share your looks - we love being nosy and seeing what you're up to too!

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw

Topshop Autumn Day Look Wishlist - Orla

Happy Halloween!

Ta da! It's Orla's favourite Topshop picks! What do you think of this look? It's made up of pieces that Orla chose from Topshop to create her Autumn day look! We thought it would be a nice idea for us to show you our favourite picks individually as we have quite different styles. Christine tends to go for more girly patterns and cuts, while Orla favours slightly more tomboy trends.

What do you think of this look? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! Share your blog links and favourite outfits too! 

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw

Topshop Autumn Day Look Wishlist - Christine

Hello Lovelies! 

Sorry that we've been a bit absent this week! We've both had major busy weeks with Orla working on a show and me at a Musical Theatre Workshop for most of the week. 

Don't panic! We're back with my favourite picks from Topshop for Autumn! This would be my perfect weekend day look! 

Look out for the pieces that Orla picked for a day look from Topshop tomorrow!

Let us know what you think of this look in the comments below! Share your blog links and favourite outfits too! 

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw

Argan Oil Review....Is It Worth The Hype?

Argan Oil is something that has intrigued me for a while. I've heard all of the hype and read up on it multiple times.  It is considered to be one of the go to products for celebs and is frequently cropping up in fashion magazines hair and beauty pages.

I’m always a little unsure when the word oil is mentioned because I happen to have very thin and fine hair that I constantly battle with to give it volume and oomph. Oils tend to mean that my hair will be slightly shinier but flat. I decided to bite the bullet and give Argan Oil a chance, just in case it was the miracle hair product I've been looking for. Since this was going to be a trial, I didn’t want to spend the earth. I shopped around and found that Moroccan Argan Oil by Organix was the best value at £6.99 for 100ml bottle. I liked that it didn't look like a bargain product on the shelf!

The Facts

Argan oil advertises a multitude of benefits to your hair including split end repair, restoring damaged hair back to a healthy smooth state as well as strengthening hair….to list a few. As you can see, these are some pretty big claims! My hair has definitely suffered from some of the issues this product tackles, so I was keen to give this a go:

    Hydrates hair in a natural way

My hair was certainly much more hydrated even after the very first use. While I am a natural blonde, I do highlight my hair to give it a more platinum/golden colour. This has resulted in my hair becoming dry over time and nothing seemed to work to stop the ends looking dry.

      Helps to repair and restore damaged hair due to heat products & styling

I wouldn't say I’m bad with heat products on my hair. I don’t straighten it because I’m one of those immensely irritating people with dead straight hair (what I wouldn't give for a natural curl or bounce)! I rarely curl it because it’s simply not long enough to do yet. My main sin with heat is definitely blow drying. It’s the most effective way for me to get volume and I only ever let my hair dry naturally if I’m doing a treatment on it before bed or not planning on going out anywhere. I have noticed that my hair is quite brittle and dry on the ends, this is made worse when it’s blow dried. I have noticed that Argan oil has helped to smooth the ends out even when blow dried.

 Rich in omega 3 and 9 fatty acids that will help in the healing of split ends

So, my split ends are pretty bad at the moment. I am definitely due a cut, but I am trying to grow my hair out of a graduated bob and want the back to be a bit longer before I chop the longest bits off to the same length. I've had short hair for the last 5 years and have got to a point where I’m a bit fed up of the limited options I have with my hair. I have noticed a slight improvement since using the oil but it’s nothing to really shout about. In my opinion, you can’t fix split ends, you can only make them appear better than they are. My only hope is going to be snipping them all off!

  Restores and adds natural shine to your hair while helping to treat brittleness of coloured hair, restoring its natural smoothness

Being blonde, I find it hard to make my hair look shiny. In the sun or the flash of a photograph it seems to reflect light extremely well and sometimes makes me look like half of my head is gone because the colour is so light! That’s definitely not the same as shine though. This has helped my hair look more shiny but it’s a fine line between shine and grease, even on the days I wash it. I have never had a problem with greasy hair as it’s naturally quite dry. This has definitely had an effect but I’m still not 100% convinced it’s shine that this has added. My hair is naturally soft and smooth when I don’t use volume enhancing products on it, so it’s hard for me to really rate this point fairly. I’d be interested to see how Orla rates this when she reviews this product as she has more naturally curly, thicker hair than I do.     

Verdict

I think it’s fair to say that Argan oil has some real benefits. I think for the particular type I bought, the instructions could be a little clearer. The suggested amount to use is very vague and I would suggest that if you have thin/fine hair too, only using it on the tips after towel drying. 

It certainly isn't right for me to use as an everyday or even once a week all over hair treatment but I can see how this would be great on thicker and more coarse hair types. If volume wasn't so important to me, I would probably consider using this more often, but 80’s volume is the dream and unfortunately, Argan Oil flattens that – literally! 

I will definitely be using it again, but only as a treat for when my hair is in distress! 

Please comment and follow using the Bloglovin link below if you enjoyed this! Check back for Orla's Argan Oil review - for thick, curlier hair! 

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw

What's This? A Nightmare Before Christmas Tutorial...

Welcome to the first of our Halloween make up tutorials! 

If you've read our previous blog posts, you may have seen that we spent three days in Disneyland Paris last week. it was all decked out with pumpkins, ghosts and ghouls at every corner. While we were there were inspired by some of their spooky characters and villains. When you really look at Disney Villains, you begin to see that they are usually quite fabulous! Think of Mother Gothel from Tangled or even fashion obsessed Cruella De Vil. Everything is about looks, appearances and being delightfully villainous. With this in mind, we wanted to try and recreate the signature looks from some of these famous villains for you to try yourselves. 

We toyed with ideas about how to do this, as normally a tutorial only requires one person. We were both completely inspired and had ideas flowing for this venture so decided instead of choosing one character each, we would do two tutorials for each character!

-          One with a full make up look to transform you into the character – perfect of a Halloween party!

-    The other, an inspired look design that is more subtle but could be worn if you don’t have a party to attend or want something a little more every day.

We are really happy with both of these looks and hope you have just as much fun watching and recreating them as we did designing them!

Keep your eyes peeled for the next Villain in our Halloween series…..only ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ would miss it!  

Please like, comment and subscribe to our channel if you enjoyed this! Don't forget to also follow our blog using the Bloglovin link below! Comment below if you want to share your looks - we love being nosy and seeing what you're up to too!

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw

Autumn Lookboook Video...

We're SO excited to share our Autumn Lookbook video with you all! We had such a great time putting these looks together and hope you like what you see!

Lovelock Vintage Skirt 

We have chosen some of the key trends from this season and added our own little twists here and there. As you will see in the video, we aim to keep the cost of our outfits low, so this is very much a budget Autumn Lookbook.

Please like, comment and subscribe to our channel if you enjoyed this! Don't forget to also follow our blog using the Bloglovin link below! Comment below if you want to share your lookbooks - we love being nosy and seeing what you're up to too!

Thanks for checking this out! 

Twitter 

@twiceuponblonde

Instagram 

Twiceuponblonde

Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKztQ7sRCbFQZeGXdQOMEOw