Beauty Blogger Inquisition: Secret Diary of a Fashion Journalist

The Blog: Secret Diary of a Fashion Journalist

The Blogger: Laura

What inspired you to create Secret Diary of a Fashion Journalist?

As a journalist, I really love to write. I have always wanted to have my own column in a magazine or newspaper, so I felt a blog would be the next best thing! Its lovely to have full creative control of an area, and also to have somewhere you can ramble about girly things like make-up, fashion, places you have been, and things that inspire you!

New 'fumes

At this very moment there are at least 10 perfumes oxidising on my dressing table, so what do I do? Consume more of course!

Beauty Blogger Inquisition: Make Me UP

The Blogger: Kia

The Blog: Make Me UP

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipsticks - 90s Rewind with Angel Pink and Burnt Caramel

Frosty baby pink and a brownish nude...ahh, the lippy colours of my early teens! I've moved away from these types of shades nowadays, but it was still fun to dabble with some nostalgic lippies!

Angel Pink is actually very pretty and the frosty finish makes lips look a lot bigger.  I'll be saving this lippy for when I want to work a 1960s look with a thick flick of black eyeliner.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick - I got Mulberry!

Despite lacking the colouring and lip shape to pull off this dark plummy shade, I do love the fact it's called Mulberry!  It's shown up a bit lighter in these photos than it actually appears in the flesh.

While not exactly frosted, it does have a pearlised sheen which brings this shade up to date.  I remember being obsessed with a 17 lipstick of a similar colour when I was about...17! I used to pile on the eyes and the cheeks, but this time round I can just about make this lippy work on me with very neutral eyes and cheeks.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipsticks - Ruby Tuesday and Pink Brandy Holiday Lips

I took two of the Max Factor lippies I'm reviewing with me to Sorrento and I made excellent choices - Pink Brandy was perfect for day and Ruby Tuesday for night, providing vibrant, moisurised lips all week long.

Ruby Tuesday is intensely red with blue undertones.  You do have to have a touch of the Dita Von Teese to carry it off, but even with my tiny lips I managed to wear it with aplomb.  Anything goes in the Italian sunshine eh?! 

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick - Everyday English Rose

I've been working my way through the seven Max Factor Colour Elixir lippies Caroline Barnes has challenged us to try and English Rose is my favourite and most moisturing out of the frosted ones.

I wasn't too sure about the colour when I first tried it, but it's really growing on me and I've been wearing it at work quite a lot, so it will be living on my desk from now on for quick touch ups.

Le Petit Jardin de Liloo - Bohemian Raspberry

While I'm saying my goodbyes to Sorrento and heading off to the airport, the lovely and amazingly creative Liloo of Le Petit Jardin de Liloo brings you a beautiful matte EOTD from Sleek's lesser-known but fantastic Bohemian palette (and a little from Circus too).  

Bonjour. My name is Liloo and I love gardens, false eyelashes and colourful makeup. I am very happy to cover for Kat whilst she is on holidays and to offer you a little post about makeup. Like Kat, I am very fond of Sleek Makeup. I am particularly fond of the limited edition Bohemian Palette which offers a delightful and refreshing mix of mattes and shimmery textures.

The makeup look I would like to share with you is very easy and could be achieved with using just the Bohemian Palette. However, I couldn't resist adding one of the most exciting colours of the Sleek Circus Palette (the magnificent shimmery duochrome purple) and Vanilla from Mac, which is my ultimate highlight colour and probably my favourite eyeshadow altogether.

Beauty Blogger Inquisition: Lauren from Lovelaughlauren

The Blogger: Lauren

The  Blog: Lovelaughlauren

What inspired you to create lovelaughlauren? 

I will be honest, I discovered Zoe's Blog and I thought everything about it was beautiful, and I wanted to create my own blog! I started following lots of lovely blogs before I actually began Lovelaughlauren. 

Beauty Geek - Haircare Favourites

Today's guest post is brought to you by the stunning Sarah from Beauty Geek who's sharing with us some of hair tried and tested hair care loves:

Hi to all you lovely Click & Make up readers!

I'm sure you're aware that whilst the lovely Kat is away on holiday she has handed her blog over to some very lucky bloggers to guest post and I was picked to be one!

Let me intoduce myself, I'm Sarah from Beauty Geek. This is the first guest post I have ever written and I was flattered that Kat asked me to guest post.  I racked my brains to think of a post and I settled on my favourite haircare products so here goes!

Beauty Blogger Inquisition: Dainty Dollymix

The blogger: Sinead

The Blog: Dainty Dollymix

What inspired you to create Dainty Dollymix? 

Fellow beauty bloggers were my inspiration to create Dainty Dollymix! I first started by blog as a means of commenting on my favourite blogs and not as a beauty blog! After reading so many wonderful beauty blogs (lollipop26, kelanjo, Gemsmaquillage) and getting into high end makeup i posted a make up haul and my blog was born! 

Pixielashes - Sleek Oh So Special Smokey EOTD

Today the adorable Natalie from Pixielashes brings you her take on a smokey eye from Sleek's Oh So Special palette - one of my favourites.  Her EOTDs are beautiful and if you are a Sleek fan, you must go check out her blog if you haven't already following her Beauty Blogger Inquisition on Saturday.

Hey Click and Make-up-ers,

I am so happy to be guest posting for you while Kat is on her holidays, and thought that an EOTD would be a fun post to do :)

One of my favourite make-up looks is definitely a smokey eye, nude lip combo, and sometimes rather than using the classic black, I like to experiment using different colours for a fresh take on the look.

Today I pulled out the Sleek 'Oh So Special' palette which has some seriously beautiful colours in it, steered away from the black for a change, and went for the gunmetal and deep purple shades to get a brighter more fun but still smokey effect.

Beauty Blogger Inquisition: Le Petit Jardin de Liloo

The blogger: Liloo/Tsunimee

The blog: Le Petit Jardin de Liloo

What inspired you to create Le Petit Jardin de Liloo? 

I was fed up that my so called friends on Facebook didn't give a monkey about my passion for makeup, fancy dress, fancy makeup, Halloween so I wanted to have a blog mainly about makeup and experimenting with makeup. Reading blogs also gave confidence to start one for myself. 

Sleek MakeUP PPQ Me, Myself & I Palette & Primal Green Eyes

Having blue eyes, I struggle to wear green eyeshadow, but I was immediately drawn to Primal Green and Golden Silvers in this new Sleek MakeUP eyeshadow palette collaboration with striking fashion label PPQ.  

Stay Beautiful - Pocahontas Look

I'm so excited to introduce you to Robyn today with her Pocahontas look.  She has a Disney series on her blog which you must check out!  Robyn was the first beauty blogger I met and is utterly lovely and one of the most creative make up bloggers and an amazing budding MUA. 

Hi everyone, Robyn from Stay Beautiful here. I've been reading Click and Make Up! for a long time and was honoured that the lovely Kat - who, having met in the real world I can genuinely say *is* lovely - asked me to guest post for her. She asked me to do a Disney inspired look and we settled on Pocahontas!

Beauty Blogger Inquisition: Natalie from Pixielashes

Despite intending to kick off this series in April after my friend Angel's inquisition, time got away from me, but it's finally kicking off with the lovely Natalie from one of my favourite blogs for amazing eye looks, Pixielashes.com

The Blogger: Natalie

The Blog: Pixielashes.com

What inspired you to create Pixielashes? I stumbled into blogging accidentally after searching for a product review and coming across Fee's blog (make-up savvy) before then I had no idea that beauty blogging and the whole beauty community existed! I thought it would be a fun way to share my passion for make-up with other girls and the idea of giving honest reviews on products that I had tried really appealed to me.

Max Factor Elixir - Bewitching Coral on a Saturday Night

Last week Angel from High Heels and Lipgloss and I went along to a Max Factor event launching their new Colour Elixir Lipsticks and Ageless Elixir 2 in 1 Foundation + Serum.  Award winning make up artist Caroline Barnes demo'd two of the lippies you see below and we got to have a play with the new foundation.

I'm going to be trying out these lipsticks for 7 days - one for each - I've brought a few to Sorrento to see how I get on with them there.

I've already tried Angel, English Rose and Betwitching Coral and they are very moisturising but at the same time, have excellent staying power for a lipstick - I find the darker shades almost leave behind a 'stain' which is lovely as it fades evenly. 

Caroline Barnes prepping the model for Mulberry

Sorrento-Bound

I adore Italy...can't get enough of it! I've already stopped off at Venice and Bari this summer and now I'm doing something I love even more - an end of summer holiday! We booked in June and I've been looking forward to this all summer.  I'm going with two of my friends from university, we had a legendary trip to Istanbul after our finals and we've regrouped to explore the Sorrento peninsula.  We're flying into Naples, but will be based in Sorrento and from there will explore the Amalfi coast (the southern side of the peninsula, Positano, Ravello, Pompeii and the islands of Capri and Ischia.   I cannot wait, and hopefully we'll get some chill time too, the hotel has a lovely pool and is very high up with a lovely view, much like in the painting above.

Last year you may remember I went on a Greek island odyssey from mid to the end of September and it was amazing to get away just as summer was packing away it's playthings, the nights were getting longer and the trees changing colour.  

If you typically holiday in July or August, I highly recommend putting next year's off to the end of summer.  No point wasting good decent British sunshine (when we get it) during our prime months - stay at home and jet off when all your colleagues are coming home with holiday blues! 

I've got some fantastic guest bloggers lined up for you over the next week, alternated with Beauty Blogger Inquisitions, to let you get to know some of my favourite bloggers a little better, so things will be relatively lively over here.  I've also revived my Beauty Blogger Inquisition series, which I plan to make into a weekly or fortnightly feature.

I hope you all have an amazing week - see you when I get back x

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17 Cosmetics - Free All About Nude Palette

I do love the free palettes 17 often give away with purchases, and All About Nude is no exception.  It came free with two purchases (which had to be over £4 each) so I went for First Flush blusher and Mirror Shine lipstick in Peace.

New Shoes & New Lust

I went on a shoe spree in August, and now I'm all set for Autumn and Winter, except for a nice new pair of flat, comfy Winter bots.

I've been hunting down these Aldo nude Lomacks (£60) for THREE weeks.  As far as I know they're mostly sold out, so no link for you, so the lovely Jess at the Oxford St. branch ordered these in from another store for me.  I love them and call them my 'K-Middys'.

These New Look platform nudes featured in my first Instagram'd post but I can't find them on their website now, but I've seen them in store.  I haven't worn them yet as they SO high and make me feel a little like a tranny, but I can't bear to bring them back.  They were £19.99.

Boring work shoes coming up, but today I collected the next two pairs of shoes from M&S - I already own these both but have wrecked the heels, so they needed replacing.  I can't believe what bargains they are, and it's so rare for me to find comfortable work shoes I had to stock up.  The kitten heels are £15 and the higher ones are £19.50, both by Limited Collection.

Never thought I'd be buying shoes boots, but here I am! And they're fantastic - so there!  £30 from BHS - again, can't find them online but they're definitely in store.

As if all those weren't enough, when I was looking for a link to my New Look platforms, I spotted these beauties! Le sigh! They're £24.99 and you can get them online here.

What shoes are you lusting after?

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Sleek MakeUP Starter Kit Giveaway Winner Annoucement!

So! My weekly summer giveaway series has drawn to a close, Boo! But be assured I've already got another few prizes up my sleeve that I'll be giving away in the next month or so.

Thanks to all of you who've diligently entered every giveaway, and I'm sorry if you didn't get the chance to win a prize. I was planning to announce the winner yesterday but had so many entries I've only just finished checking them and entering on a spreadsheet! Without further ado, a winner has been selected thanks to random.org:

Ms Red

Congrats! I'm tweeting you right now for your address details to send you this: 

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Last Chance to Win a Sleek MakeUP Starter Kit!

Hey girlies, I hope you're all having a lovely Saturday! I've come down with some sort of viscous lurgy but hope it clears off as I need to go out tonight to celebrate Angel's birthday!  

I just wanted to to let you know that your have until midnight tonight to get your entry in for my Sleek MakeUP Starter Kit giveaway featuring all of the below:

If you've entered an anonymous comment I'm afraid this won't be counted, so make sure you have signed up through your Google Friend Connect account.  If you can't see the box in the right hand column (Blogger gets stupid sometimes!), then just click on the button I've created.

You can enter here

...GOOD LUCK!

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August Loves

Bit of a mix for you this month - not all beauty and make up items - and I haven't done a favourites post in a long while, but this is what I've adored during August!

RayBans...resisted them for a long time...decided I had to have a pair... conceded that I look ridiculous in the original Wayfarer style...especially the black...so I plumped for the New Wayfarers in brown tortoiseshell.  Love them.  They make me want to smoke and wear red lipstick.

Longchamp Tree of Life - in typical fashion, I only decided I needed this limited edition bag started selling out...cue mad dash and phone round the whole of Greater London...but I got my spoils so it's all good!

ZARA Dress - My work buddies got me the best set of birthday presents which included this dress I have lived in for most of August.  Nights out, lazy Saturdays, work, blogger events, you name it, I've worn this dress to it!

ZARA Trench Coat - I bought at least 12 trench coats during August in the quest to find the ultimate one.  I've done a lot of returning and ended up with this Zara trench which is just the right length.  It's a bit tight on my boobs, but I'm hoping they'll go down when I get back into my gym routine.  I have to say, I think the coat looks better on me than on the boyish model - curves really set it off ya'know?

FitFlops - yes, I know they're not pretty at all on your feet, but when you're walking around European cities for 10 days, your feet will thank you.  And anyway, have you SEEN what other tourists are wearing?! I KNOW!

Here's where I cheat and recycle some photos which appeared on my blog over July and August, but it's dark now so I can't retake them and I want to get this post up!

Batiste XXL Volume - I cannot spread the good word about this new version of the dry shampoo fast enough.  Hand on heart, it's made the biggest difference to my hair of any hair product I ever used in my life. EVER.  

Au Naturel i Divine - have reached for this every day since I got it two weeks ago.  See that champagne in the top right hand corner.  It's beautiful.  That with a bit of the brownish red shadow on the bottom left and I'm good to go.

MAC Barcelona Red - favourite new red lippy.  See more about it HERE!

TopShop Head Over Heels - I haven't left this blush alone for even one day.  Get it now! Need to see more? Check it out HERE.

NARS Summer 2011 Limited Edition Blush Bronzer Trio - run people! Run to your nearest NARS stockist for this limited edition palette featuring NARS' holy trinity: Laguna bronzer, Orgasm blush and Albatross highlighter.  Beauty in a box.  See more of it my post HERE.

One Day - why have I only just finished this book now?! It's been maybe a year since I enjoyed a book so much.  I was determined to read it before seeing the film as I am in no way a Hathaway fan.  It made me laugh, cry, be sentimental and nostalgic and everything else in between.  I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

What did you love most in August?

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