Friday 19 October 2012

Advice for my Teenage Self

I fell in love with the concept of this topic when I saw the lovely Fleur de Vlog upload a YouTube video on the subject!
So, what was I like as a teenager? 

(There are much worse than this but fortunately I cannot find them!)

In my opinion I was ambitious and motivated. I knew what I wanted and I knew what I needed to do to get there. I had a great love for my family (still do!) and my friends. I was bubbly yet reserved, funny then shy. I was a little deviant too HOWEVER very clever with how I covered it up. 

Looking back, this is the advice I would have given myself:


Fashion & Make-up


1. Stay away from the flare pants!
Lots of people thought these combat style trousers were cool. They weren't. The material tassles hanging off them should be enough indication! I think I had 3 different colours as well. Just bin them, in fact don't even buy them. Big mistake.

2. Wear less eyeshadow and more foundation
In high school, when everybody else was beginning to wear make-up nobody really gave me the heads up and said, "Amy, you should start wearing it" so I didn't. When I did it was just way too much pink eyeshadow and maybe a little bit of mascara?! I have a very strange complexion and my cheeks get very red. I should have worn foundation to get rid of this for definite!

3. Don't dye your hair
I had blonde, fair hair. My roots were coming through a dark brown colour. Therefore I let my Mum dye it bleach blonde? Not a good call. I was so young and it looked so unnatural. Consequently, we dyed it brown - only for it to go green. Wait until you know what you really want before you commit!

4. Invest in a pair of GHD's
No explanation needed really.

5. Wear simple clothes
I was so unconfident, so hard on myself that I let my Mum dress me as a girl with no personality who was bigger than she should have been. Let your inner self shine through what clothes you wear. Make a statement but for yourself. If it doesn't feel right then do not wear it. 

Boys


1. Boys can be your friends too!
I was so, so scared of being friends with boys. I just didn't think I could be myself around them. I didn't know how to act or talk around them. It took me a while until I realised that by being yourself did the trick!

2. If you like them, tell them
You know when you start to have feelings for someone, let them know. Life is too short to be in denial or worry about being humiliated. At a young age it can be scary but totally worth it.

3. Will be boys. 
Leave them to it. Sometimes it helps to laugh at their jokes - laugh harder if you are the punch line.

Girls



1. Are gossips
Every girl does it, even you. It may be hard to admit but we do. It can be very bitchy at school but the people that are bitches usually end up paying for it when you leave. 

2. Compliment each other!
Don't be afraid to tell your best friend she looks beautiful, or that her new dress is gorgeous. Try not to compete with anyone else because it isn't worth it and you will not win! Girls should stand up for each other and be able to put a smile on each others face.

Spirit & Mind





1. Be yourself
You will still be finding out who you are, I don't think we ever stop but embrace it and challenge yourself. At least then, if all else fails, you know you have been true to yourself.

2. Don't worry
People will gossip, laugh, question, ridicule and judge. THAT IS LIFE. You have to hold your head high and ignore it. When you walk into a room don't worry about who is looking at you, it is probably due to your astounding smile.

3. Have fun
You are only here once! Bad things will happen but you can't let them define you or how you live your life. Use the bad experiences with the good to make you stronger and live a little. Do crazy things, make mistakes and panic later. In 5 years you will look back and laugh.

-x-

If only, all those years ago, my current elder self, had sent me a blog post or a link to a YouTube video to allow myself to maintain a substantial amount more sanity I probably would have been grateful. But then again, where is the fun in that? You live and learn! Please leave any comments you feel fit below!

Keep Smiling. 

Wednesday 17 October 2012

HD Brows - Worth the pain?

Totally worth it! 
(Scroll down for photos)


If you are thinking about venturing out to the salon to get your eyebrows done, I would definitely suggest going for HD Brows. They may cost a little more but they also achieve much more so I feel like you get your moneys worth. I had mine done this morning and I thought I would share the experience and show you the results! 



This was my right brow before the procedure. (I apologise for the quality!)


The point about HD Brows is that they are styled to your face shape and features. Your beautician will take some time on your first visit to ask what you want to achieve with your brow and how you want it to look.


They start off by wiping away in make-up or oils that may be on your eyebrows with Aloe Vera. This is cold but soothing! The tint is then applied. The beautician will go with the tint that is closest to the colour of your roots so they look as natural as possible. The tint is left on to work for about 10-15 minutes. Once the excess has been wiped off it is wax time!


When wax goes on it feels quite warm. It isn't there for long as the beautician will use paper strips to take off the wax and of course in doing so, any unwanted hairs. I have quite sensitive skin, but for me waxing isn't too painful. Obviously it stings as you are putting your skin through something very unnatural but after the first couple it isn't too bad. 


Threading. This is a fairly new procedure (also known as epilation) when you compare it to the others, it has only become popular in the last few years. A thin, twisted cotton thread which has been designed for threading is used. The thread is rolled over any untidy hairlines/unwanted hair and takes out the hair at follicle level. The main advantage of this procedure is that the thread allows an entire row of hair to be taken, rather than just the odd one. This is where the shape of the brow really begins to form and clear lines can be seen.


If needed, the beautician will then go on to pluck any dots (where hair hasn't fully grown through) or any hairs which may have been missed. For me, this is the most painful part as plucking can be quite a sharp sensation especially on recently waxed skin! Trimming of the brow will then begin, which does  not hurt at all. This just prevents any longer, bushier hairs and means that they stay smoother for a lengthier amount of time.


And there you have it! 


You can see they are much more defined and darker. The redness is also apparent. It is a good tip to apply some form of moisturiser to the skin after having your eyebrows done as it will soothe and prevent spots. The length of time it takes for your skin to 'get back to normal' depends on you and how sensitive your skin is. For me, they stop stinging and the redness reduces after a few hours. I then go on to use an eyebrow pencil or a HD brow palette (I haven't bought a new one yet). The reason for this is to fill in any gaps in the brow and enhance the definition. 

Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in 001 Dark Brown


Eyebrows after pencilling in
 I hope this has been somewhat useful or even interesting! This is my first blog based around beauty and I have really enjoyed it. I am not claiming to be an expert, I am just giving my views and tips as I experience things myself. If you did enjoy please follow me on twitter @amyj109

Just to give you an idea how the brows look on a finished, whole face!

Until next time droplets xx

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Hello!

I admit, not the most intriguing blog title but it is late, I am new to this and quite honestly it sums it up!

This blog will coincide with my new YouTube channel under the same name, 'dropletsofcolour'.

I hope to bring fun, smiles and a whole load of interesting ramblings! At the moment I think my main focuses will be clothing and make-up hauls alike and weight loss (my personal journey).

It may take me a whole to get up and running and I would much appreciate any advice anyone could give me how to go about any of this.

A little about me? Well... I am 21. Age doesn't define me, but I thought you would like to know :) my name is Amy, I live in Southport and I love anything which brings challenges and experience! After all, we are for a reason aren't we?

I hope you enjoy what you find here, and that this will be the start of something fulfilling.

Stick with the smiles. Add the color as you go.

Amy xx