Anyway, I kinda got bored with melt and pour after a while and progressed to making Cold process soap. That's the soap made using fats/oils and Sodium Hydroxide to make soap. If I had known I was going to have to remember a lot of the chemistry I learnt in school, I would have paid a whole lot more attention in class all those years ago! Honestly, I never thought something so simple could turn out to be so complex! It's been educational, exciting, frustrating and fun all at the same time. I just wanted to show you guys my latest batch that is going to a very special bridal client shortly.

Blue Cupcake Soap favours

It's a bit hard to capture the true colour of these soaps (I was using my phone camera) but you get the general idea. They are sprinkled with a crystallina glitter and scented with a fruity mix of bananas, grapefruit, mango, kiwi, mixed berries and coconut. It smells delish!

Blue Cupcake soap

I am hoping that after little man is born I will be able to start an online store selling my soaps. I'm sure I'll blog about them a little more as time goes on but it's always nice to share with you guys!

Happy Friday!

Anyway on Saturday, hubby and I had a co-ed baby shower. Now I've seen them done before but a few people were surprised that we decided to have one. To be honest I originally hadn't planned on having Zucherro there but he's clocked onto to the fact that we ladies have all the fun plus the food is always good so he wanted in! (He's discovered our secret!). I wanted to share a few pictures from the shower. I realised just how fussy a person I am when I am bothered because I ended up doing the decor for the shower cause I wanted it to be perfect! 

 Baby shower Cupcake Stand

 Our colour scheme was Green and brown. I made some cupcake toppers to go on the cupcakes cause they looked very cute! Chocolate brownies too! All about those yummy desserts.

 Baby shower Banner

 Printed on cream card stock meant the banners were very easy to assemble and put up. 

 Baby shower Bunting

Our theme for the shower was "Sweetpea". I can't remember who came up with the name "Sweetpea" but that is what we have been calling our little boy throughout my pregnancy. Sometimes we call him "Pea" because it sounds more manly but Sweetpea has generally stuck! It will be interesting calling him by this real name when he arrives.

 Baby shower custom water bottles

We got bottles of mineral water and relabelled them "Spring Pea Water" because I guess he'll be a spring baby for our guests. 

 Baby shower soap favours

I found some very cute teddy bear moulds to use to make soap favours for our guests. The green soaps were for the girls and the brown soaps were for the boys. The scents were very grown up but I couldn't help making the actual soaps rather cute!

As new parents, we are completely and utterly open to any advice that other parents might have. It doesn't mean we will take all of it on board but its good to hear what worked for others. Our little advice box worked a treat. We got some funny tips, some sobering ones and some down right strange ones! But all in all we don't regret having the advice box for Mommy and Daddy Pea!

 Green and Cream Baby Shower decorations

A glimpse of what the room looked like. Cream and Green helium balloons decorated the tables and the centre stand had our desserts and favours which you can't see but you have a bit of an idea. 

 Baby bump

And of course this is the money shot! Me in my full prego state! There is only one baby in there. And he is a explorer. He is all front. Nothing in the sides or the back. And you won't believe me when I tell you this but I weigh the same now as I did at the beginning of my pregnancy. I was sick and lost a stack but have gained a bump in the process! I hope the next time you see me I'll have a gorgeous choconilla in my arms to show you all!

She wasn't keen on any sort of lip products so we used a clear gloss and to be honest her lips were already pigmented so it worked well for her. Her mom was also having her trial that day. I love working with mature skin. I feel that they are some of the best faces to work with. Why? Just cause some older ladies give up after a while with makeup and are very surprised when they see themselves. Makes me smile when they light up afterwards.

Again we were keeping everything very clean and neutral. She has few pigmentation spots she wanted to tone down and so we sheered down her foundation to make it look natural. A good lashing of mascara brought her eyes out and she was even adventurous with the lipstick. Overall she was very happy with the look. 

I've put myself on maternity leave now. I'm going to see how I recover after little man arrives. But I do have bookings for summer of this year. It's already turning out to be a busy year! Should be fun!

P.s. If you had the privilege of seeing the half done post that went up a few days ago, apologys! Baby brain meant I published it instead of saved it in drafts! It will be up later this week :) 

I present to you my scraggly, almost finished tube :)

 Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre

Make-up artists all over the world agree that this product is holy grail status in their kits and I agree. I initially bought it for my kit to cater for my really dry clients. If someone sits in your chair with flaky, scaly skin looking like they've been trekking across the Sahara for weeks YOU NEED THIS. Don't hestitate. Just get it. Your client will thank you and your canvas will be easier to work with. 

Don't ask me how and why I ended up using it on myself. I genuinely cannot remember. You see, this moisturiser is VERY rich. (Partly because of the Stearic Acid, Beeswax and Shea Butter in it). If you're an oily girl it will leave you looking extra shiny in the beginning. But that being said, I am an oily girl. And using this has been surprising. It could be a combination of pregnancy hormones and winter but my skin is loving this. When I first started using it, I really felt it on my skin. It took forever to sink in and I almost gave up on it. Slowly but surely my skin adapted. Now it only takes a few minutes to sink in, my skin is left feeling plump and fresh and life is good! (Yeah I love it that much!)

There is nothing special about the ingredients in Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre. You will find a lot of these ingredients in other skincare prodcuts. Check them out...

Aqua, Paraffinum Liquidum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Triethanolamine, Cera Alba, Cetyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii, Penoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutyl Paraben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Steareth-10, Polyacrylamide, C13-014 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Parfum, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein and Aloe Barbadensis. 

It contains Mineral oil (By product of pretoleum), Beeswax (Can clog up pores), Parabens (Some people have big issues with these) and Proplylene Glycol (found in anti-freeze!)

Personally I have no problem with the ingredients. I know people have serious issues with Mineral oil but if you research into it, it's not as bad as people make out. (Will I get shot for this?) It's the same with parabens.  I know there has been a whole lotta talk about it causing cancer etc but if you read the studies (I've read quite a few...ask me how I know) there is nothing conclusive about it. And you need to understand that the percentage use of parabens in most skin products is less than 1%. There are some products that just do not preserve well without parabens. I would rather use them in less than 1% than potentially harm myself with some nasties because the prodcut has gone off. So you need to take everything that you read with a pinch of salt. Oh and Propylene glycol....excellent humectant even if it is found in anti-freeze! 

On the back of the tube it says "All skin types". I believe them now. I definitely didn't in the beginning. But if you are looking for a fabulous skin moisturiser try this. I think you'll be very happy. 

I've been thinking about it and I think I simply lost my blogging mojo. I didn't have any sort of crisis in my life I simply lost the motivation to blog for a while and I waited for it to come back. It didn't. For a very long time. And then along the way hubby and I started our first baby and that kinda sealed the deal for a few months more. But here I am again. 

The itch has returned. But I don't wanna do this if I can't give some from of consistency to it. So I've been thinking long and hard and I've decided to give it another go. I guess what makes it different is that I have a plan this time. Previously there were no plans. I was totally flying by the seat of my pants. But being better organized has made blogging a whole lot less daunting. Cause lets face facts it can be daunting. 

I have major respect for those bloggers out there who turn out 5 posts a week. At this present moment I hope to churn out just one a week to start off with. If I can faithfully do that then I will be a happy woman. 

If you've stuck around, thank you and God bless you. Most people would have long quit on a sister. Let's hope that we will have 52 posts by the end of this year. 

Blessings xxx

I was wear the Sleek sparkle palette on me eyes (the green colour), Inglot cream foundation, My facecosmetics blush, a gosh light pink lipstick and mac spiked for brows.

Eh as usual I cannot remember the rest of the items on my face. But I hope you get the gist! David took the pictures and thats really the reason why I had make-up on the first place.

Wouldn't it be nice if I could get organised enough to do regular blog posts?! Pray for me y'all!

Be Blessed xxx

So I am sure you have had your fair share on IMATS posts. I enjoyed this year better than the last. I know some people found it boring and left after a while but those  of us who are are doing this as part of our living it was fantastic. I was working at the Make-up Artist Boutique this year. And I had a blast I tell you. I got to help sell a brand that I love and have used over and over again. And I got to build my kit some more. The only problem I have now is that it doesn't fit in its current case and I am going to have to re-jig a few things or get a bigger bag. I'm rolling like Pat Mcgrath y'all!!!!

Anyhoo I only went to 3 talks this year. Kevin James Bennet's tool talk (with Royal brush) and Einat Dan's Make-up for Advertising and Dany Sanz's HD talk. All of them were very very good. Can you believe I went all the way to IMATS without my camera. I only realised halfway through the second day. I guess I just wasn't bothered.

KJB aka Blendarella is absolutely bonkers! I even got to meet and chat to him for a while and he was flipping fantastic. A total diva but hey the dude knows his ish! I blame him for my new found love of Royal brushes...I wish I had been able to attend his Embryolisse talk as well. Next time...next time!

Einat Dan was great. A very humble woman which amazing skills. I honestly thought there would be more of a buzz around her but alas she moved seamlessly though the crowds and no one seemed to really notice her which I thought was a shame. I wish I could have gone to her pro class on friday. Maybe next time.

Dany Sanz is off her head! The woman is fabulous but some of the things she came out with made me do a few double takes!!!! She's another one who knows her stuff. What I liked in particular about her talk was that she showed us how to correct skins that you might come across with regular clients. Acne, some who has uneven skin tone and so on. Very helpful stuff.

So what did I buy? Well I bought a lot. Hmm. I had too many regrets last year and I made sure it was not going to happen again this year. So here it is!

 Beauty So clean, Embryolisse, Inglot Liquid Highlighters, Nars Taj Mahal (for myself), MUFE Aqua cream in Orange, MAC Pro Long wear (for myself), Face Atelier lip glaze in Peach, Inglot AMC cream eyeliner, SuperMatt

OCC and Temptu airbrush foundations, Temptu SB concealer, Some OCC liptars, Disposable mascara brushes, OCC face primer, Embryolisse lip treatment

Yaby Pearl Pain Palette, Yaby brow powders, mini set bag, Samples from MUFE, Cozette container

Royal and Langnickel Silk Pro brushes (very soft synthetic brushes)

MAC brushes

Crown Brushes and a Royal brush I forgot to add to the other lot

My beloved Hakuhodo brushes!

Do I have any regrets? Nope. This year was a good year. I loved the fact that there were so many new brands to check out. A few of them were kinda dodgy but hey each one had something unique to offer. The pro shopping hours were DEFINITELY WORTH it. It was so so much quieter and some brands had a further 40% discount on the marked prices shown (hence the Royal Silk pro brushes...). Like I've said before, if you are kit building and wanna meet and network then get thee to IMATS. It will be worth your time.

I hope to get into some regular blogging routine. There are so many reviews I am behind on!!!

Be blessed xxx

Oh my goodness!

I CANNOT express just how EXCITED I am about IMATS 2011! Having had a good year make-up wise I think as a make-up professional I really do appreciate the awesomeness that is IMATS. I feel like 2011 will be a great improvement on this year's show and I will be attending both days.

Make-up Magazine have been publishing bits and pieces about the exhibitors. There are a few that I am particularly looking forward to. Particularly:-

Face Atelier (I've heard so much about their foundations. But do I really need more foundations?! Do I care?! I still wanna!!!! Plus pro's rave about their lip glosses so my kit shall be stocked!)

Graftobian (y'all know how I LOVE Graftobian. Great, affordable all rounder brand)

Hakuhodo (*sigh* These guys will make me BANKRUPT! Their brushes are beautiful...)

Inglot (body highlighters and loads of other affordable things....I'm scared for my life and back!)

Make-up Artist Boutique/Yaby (What's not to love about these guys? Yaby is awesome.)

Every other exhibitor shall be great as well so I really need to bolster up my wallet! I'm sure how my bank balance will manage! but manage it will I tell you.

The speaker line-up this year looks good. David Klassfield from OCC will be speaking as well Eve Pearl. I thought I was seeing things but Kevin James Bennet aka Blenderella himself shall be there! I have to be in his talk. KJB is brilliant! And his website www.inmykit.com does not lie! I can't wait to see what little nuggets of wisdom he gives. The awe inspiring Dany Sanz is set to be at IMATS as well. I just she would bring the whole Make-up Forever stand with her too. But I'm sure we will be well catered for.

2 new things that will happening at IMATS for you pro artists out there.

1. Friday 28th of January there is going to be a Master Class with Einat Dan. If you do not know who Einat Dan go here and see the amazing work this lady does. I personally want need to go to this class. She's brilliant. If you are a pro and you can go to this...then go!

2. On Sunday the 30th of January from 9am to 11am only pro-artists will be allowed to shop. Exhibitors are supposed to be having special deals just for pro artists. MINT! Make sure that you have applied for your Make-up Pro Card because you will need it to get in. This pro-card gets you expedited entry during normal hours as well as 10% discount on magazine and select and offers from Make-up Artist Magazine and other prestigious brands. Well worth getting. Best part? It's FREE. All you have to do is qualify on their professional credential list and you are good to go.

If you're going to IMATS this year please do let me know! I wanna meet you!!! Who knows I might say hi first this time :)

Blessings xxx

 Keromask was orginally created to serve people with:-

• Acne marks and scars
• Birthmarks
• Broken capillaries
• Bruises and Post-operative bruising
• Burn Scars
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Eczema
• Flushing
• Moles
• Permanent pigmentation problems
• Port wine stains
• Psoriasis
• Rosacea
• Scar discoloration
• Tattoos
• Temporary discoloration
• Varicose veins
• Vitiligo

 ....but I use it on my clients :)

I have become quite choosy when it comes to my kit and I enjoy having a dynamic kit that changes according to what I need it to be. Concealer has always been one of those products I've never quite been happy with and Keromask changed all that.

The pigmentation in these little 15ml tubes is unreal. Please don't take this lightly, this concealer is HEAVY DUTY. You only bring this out when

1. Your bride hasn't slept at all

2. Your model has a mohoosive break out

3. You are dealing with EPIC undereye circles

Ok  perhaps not quite as dramatic but pretty close enough I would say. You only need a tap to get medium coverage. 2 taps on you're good most times. Because I can cut this concealer with my Yaby Foundations (in fact all my foundations) it's extremely versatile when you need to change things up. It doesn't go on cakey if you need to build it up and it lasts a very long time if you set it properly. It can settle into fine lines so you have to be careful about how you prep the face at times but it's worth it for this product.

The swatches are pretty opaque. That's just the residue from the cap. Nothing squeezed out. These tubes are going to take me through the whole of next year and the great thing is they fit perfectly into my kit. Keromask comes in a variety of colours that you can custom mix. Not exactly perfect for individual consumers but brilliant for make-up artists. Check it out. Especially if you are a product junkie. Don't say I didn't tell you!

Be blessed

xxx

 What do superstars Queen Latifah, Vanessa Williams, supermodels Tyra Banks, Iman and Naomi Campbell all have in common? They’ve relied on the expert hand of celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine!

 On the 3rd and 4th December 2010 we have the privilege of welcoming Sam Fine to the UK for the first time EVER. Sam Fine will be hosting two exclusive events in the UK, one aimed at professional makeup artists and students and the other for black women who want to learn how to apply flawless makeup on themselves.

Makeup Master Class

Sam Fine will host an exclusive hands-on makeup master class. The class is aimed at makeup professionals and trainees. Attendees will leave the course with an in-depth study of makeup application techniques for women of colour, a deeper understanding of celebrity makeup, substantial improvements in their own makeup application techniques, and a certificate signed by Mr Fine.  The master class will be an intimate affair with 24 attendees.

The Beauty of Makeup Seminar

On the 4th December, Sam Fine will be sharing his artistry to an audience of fans, makeup enthusiasts and women who want to learn how to apply flawless looking makeup on themselves at the Beauty of Makeup experience. Sam Fine will give a step-by-step makeup demonstration and answer all of your beauty concerns. In addition attendees will also have the opportunity to network with likeminded people and to meet Mr Sam Fine in an exclusive meet and greet session.

 This event is open to anyone with an interest in makeup. Regardless of the level of experience one will leave with a full understanding of all that goes into creating a flawless beauty look and how to wear and apply colour.

Make up Master Class: £299 (£279 if booked before 31^st October)

The Beauty of Makeup Seminar: £75 (£55 if booked before 31^st October)

Tickets are available at ticketweb.co.uk

I would have loved to have attended this seminar with Sam Fine because I think he's brilliant but alas I shall have to hear from those who are going! If you interested I'm sure it will certainly be worth the time (and money!)