B's Positive Beauty Pledge

Another week, and of course another lovely Positive Beauty Pledge :) This weeks is from B, the wonderful writer of Blush, Pout and Pose! If my memory is correct, it was actually B's blog that introduced me to the amazing bargain brand that is E.L.F which I have huge appreciation for. So, without further I do, I introduce...B!


B's Pledge

As the writer of the beauty blog Blush, Pout and Pose, I hereby promise not to judge other people or myself negatively on appearances because no one is ugly and everyone is beautiful. I promise to recognise everyone’s own unique beauty including my own and we should accept all kinds of beauty. Everyone has a right to feel beautiful and we should all help each other to recognise this.

There is too much pressure from the media to fit into the conventional way of beauty but there is not one size fits all. Criticizing someone for being ugly will not make you any more beautiful but I will compliment people where it is due as everyone deserves to be told that they are beautiful!

The Bad

What are you doing in this picture?

It was my friend’s Birthday and we were out for dinner in April 2010.

Why don't you like it?

I’ve suffered from eczema since I was a child and it was really bad when I was younger. As I got older it has been more controllable but in this picture due to the stress of my final year at uni my eczema had gotten worse again.

I know you can’t see it in the picture but it was pretty bad that clothes I wore had to cover every part of my body and I just didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin preferring just to stay at home away from people. I only went out because it was a special occasion.

Is there anything that you like about the picture?

The only thing is my hair because it was long which I miss now that I have short hair!




The Good

When was this picture taken?

It was taken in March 2011.

What are you doing in this picture?

I’m just getting ready to go out with my boyfriend to celebrate our two year anniversary.

Why do you prefer this picture to the first one?

It’s been nearly a year and my eczema had fluctuated a lot, including a skin infection. But after months of treatment my skin is finally clearing up with just some scarring left. Although I’m not entirely comfortable baring my arms and legs, it was a lovely sunny day and I went without a cardigan for once but the tights stayed on.

Has comparing how you feel about both of these pictures made you realise anything about how you view yourself?

That I can’t really change what I’m born with and the only thing I can do is accept it. There are other things I can change about myself to feel better and should not feel unhappy because of one thing about me.

Give us an example of someone that you consider to be "unconventionally" beautiful.

Katie Piper


Why do you consider her to be "unconventional"?
After her acid attack she felt that she longer could carry on with her TV career because of the scarring to her face. She is not a face you would typically see in beauty and fashion magazines but that does not mean she is beautiful because beauty comes from within.

Why do you think she is beautiful?

I watched her documentary “Katie: My Beautiful Face” and I was deeply moved. I admire her for being so brave and strong and she has come a long way since the fatal attack. It made my imperfections seem irrelevant. I think she looks fabulous and pretty with a beautiful smile! She’s a strong, independent woman and I really admire her for that.

Finally,

Thanks Kat for running this Beauty Pledge!

And thank you B, for doing the Pledge. Here is your lovely Positive Beauty Pledge Badge for you to use, as you see fit :)

If you are interested in taking part in the Positive Beauty Pledge, drop me an email for details :)

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Zoe's Positive Beauty Pledge

This weeks Positive Beauty Pledge, comes from the lovely Zoe from The  London Lipgloss, who I am thrilled wanted to take part :) So, here is her pledge:


Zoe's Pledge 


I, Zozo Louise from The London Lipgloss, pledge not to judge anyone based solely on their appearance. I believe in society today, as unconventional as some people choose to dress, we are all allowed freedom of speech though any medium fit. I believe entirely in the S.O.P.H.I.E foundation in memory of Sophie Lancaster and will do anything I can to raise awareness of this. Growing up as a young punk in a tory area wasn't easy, but I thank each and every single day where I could have potentially been the victim of an entirely appearance-based killing. I want to teach others that no matter how someone looks on the outside they are just as beautiful as you on the inside, and we are all entirely equal. I love that through my very unconventional beauty blog I can show the world my style and hopefully bridge a small gap between high-street fashion girls and alternative girls. I pledge to fully support all aspects of beauty and fashion blogging from all different kinds of fashion bloggers, and be an active part in raising awareness of awesome people.



The Bad

What are you doing in this picture?


Going through my myspace scene queen stage of life, trying very hard to impress boys on the internet by clearly trying to have the worst extensions and the best eyeliner.


Why don't you like it?

I felt very fake at the time, I didn't like having to cake my skin in all that makeup and I didn't like the extensions in my hair, but I did it because I wanted to fit in with all the myspace emo/scene trends of the time. It really hurt, looking back at it now it's pretty ridiculous really! Also I didn't take care of my hair at all so it just got really frazzled and just erghhh, horrible. I never blowdried it properly and never styled it. I hate the way I look here.


Is there anything that you like about the picture?

I like the framing...


The Good

When was this picture taken?

Funnily enough it was taken today for my new outfit post, but I absolutely love it. 

What are you doing in this picture?

I'm showing my outfit of the day for my blog, in Del's garden. I've just moved in with him.

Why do you prefer this picture to the first one?

It's me. It's taken me sometime to find the real Zozo especially after being buried in a lot of makeup and stuff for years trying to fit into a conventional emo look. I feel so proud in my skin that i've found myself, i'm not conventional at all but I love my Katy Perry hair and my kooky dress sense.

Has comparing how you feel about both of these pictures made you realise anything about how you view yourself?

Yes absolutely, it's made me realise how much happier I am now, being much much more of a natural girl. I feel i've let my inner girl run free!

Give us an example of someone that you consider to be "unconventionally" beautiful, and why do you think she is beautiful?

Now i wouldn't go as far as saying Dita is unconventially beautiful, as she's far more of a classic beauty. But in this modern age of fakery and well, fashion, Dita maintains a classic pin up look and by this current century perspective, I don't view her as a conventional idol for most girls. I however, love her attitude toward makeup and beauty aswell as her beautiful face and body. She truly is inspirational because she, like hundreds of other women all over the world, defy convention everyday and attend rockabilly conventions and still dedicate their lives to the fashion of the 50s. I absolutely love this era and I admire women who are an active part of it. I think Dita leads the way, and she is a remarkable woman. We could all learn a thing or two about life from her.


Final Thoughts


And Kat, as a final thought, I just want to say how happy I have been this evening after reading your wonderfully positive blog. The beauty blogging world can be a horribly negative place at times, as it has become competitive and about popularity. The fact that you are just simply spreading some simple good old fashioned love amongst this negativity is incredible, and I really really admire you for doing it. TLL will wear her blog badge with absolute pride. Thank you.

Thanks very much Zoe *blushes* I'm always glad to know that people are so keen to support the Pledge. I agree there is a lot of negativity around the beauty blogging world and it's hard not to get sucked in by it, or to allow it to really drain you emotionally.

It's important for us all to remember that we're all here for the same purpose of sharing our views and thoughts on products that we use to make ourselves look and feel beautiful. We should work together, as a unity, not against each other.

Following on from Zoe's really kind words, I am deeply honoured to present you with your very well-deserved Positive Beauty Badge :)

If you want to take part in the Positive Beauty Pledge, throw an email this way, and I will send you the details when I get chance :)

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Figuring Out Hair Types

Image from Google

I received an email this morning, promoting a range of natural shampoos and conditioners. Great, I thought, because I've been meaning to give some natural products whirl for quite some time, because I'm tired of my hair feeling bogged down by chemicals and crap, especially since my hair is so fine and limp. So, I decided that I would check out their website, and have a little snoop at what they had on offer.

I'm not going to name the website, or even any brands, because the point I'm about to make is certainly not unique to them, it is in fact completely universal, and I am pretty certain that 99% of companies that sell shampoo fall into this trap.



What trap am I talking about?

Categories.

When I was younger, we had one shampoo in our house hold. Head and Shoulders for "Normal" hair types. But, thinking about it, what on earth is "normal"? But, that's not the point of the blog, the point is that these days there are more shampoo categories than sense. Let's list a few that I've come across this morning, shall we:

Image from Google

• Normal to Fly Away 
• Coloured Hair
• Normal/Dry Hair
• Oily Hair
• Dry Hair
• Fine Hair
• Damaged Hair
• Normal but also helps hair growth (erm...what??)
• Blondes
• Brunettes
• Red Heads
• Enhancing Layers
• Adding Volume
• Taming Frizz
• Clarifying

The list goes on and on, with nearly every brand adding even more to the endless list. Of course, a lot of these categories add up to being the exact same thing, but what really irks me about these categories, is the fact that they place people into a box. And inside that box a girl (or guy) only has one problem.

Okay, so which shampoo should I use for my fine hair, that is greasy at the roots, but dry at the ends, and is also colour treated? Do I use a volumising shampoo for added oomph, that encourages my hair to fade? Do I use a deep nourishing conditioner for the ends, and just shampoo my roots? Do I use a coloured hair shampoo and just put up with my hair being flat, unless I use post-shampooing hair care? But, I also have layers in my hair, so what do I use for that? Although, admittedly, I would never think to use a shampoo or conditioner to "enhance layers", but who am I to know anything?

Image from Google

I know I said I wouldn't, but coming across so many brands using the concept of "Normal" hair, really does make me wonder what constitutes as being normal? I can not think of anyone who doesn't have some kind of issue with their hair, whether it's fine, thick, coloured, frizzy, curly, greasy, dry or whatever. Surely, no one fits into the category of buying a "normal" shampoo?

I also know that the idea of mixing several categories up to suit peoples more individual needs is kind of out of the question, because it's already confusing enough when it comes to buying shampoos, but I just want someone to take me aside and tell me which shampoo and conditioner would be best for my hair's needs. 

For example, about a month ago, my hair had become incredibly damaged, due to excessive heat use, and I'd wanted to use a deep conditioner to nourish it, but because I have greasy hair, most "experts" tell anyone with similar hair, not to use these types of products. So, what am I supposed to use?

Please, someone assure me that I am not the only person that is completely baffled by the Hair Types on Shampoo bottles? I beg of you :)

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Introducing Kat Mummy

On Thursday, I was honoured to feature in Just Nice Things' 20 Questions, within which I mentioned my Mum. Of course, I made the slight *cough* mistake of telling her about the piece, and so she decided to get "justice" as she put it, by commenting on the post (seriously, you don't need to check out what she said, at all!!)

As a result, Katie from Lady from a Tramp requested a guest post, from my mum with "childhood stories". I assured my mother that she did not have to do one, but the post that is coming up, is fortunately not that much about me, so I'm more than happy to share it.

Hence, I introduce my Mum, also known as "Kat Mummy" (her words, not mine)...so here you go!




Well. It’s not every day that a little old lady gets invited to write a ‘piece.’ If that’s the correct terminology?

But what to write about.? Kathryn is the writer in the family. If I were to tell about the story she wrote and entered into a television competition, would I be further embarrassed? 

Long before she was born, when the old Humber ferry was about to be retired, it was decided that a last round trip from New Holland to Hull be undertaken just for the sheer nostalgia of a disappearing part of our lives. Late in the afternoon, leaving the car at New Holland we boarded the ferry for the short trip, Standing room only, arriving at Hull the boat emptied so that we were able to find a prime seat for the return journey only to be told that the boat would not return until the following day.

One adult already tired having been up since 5am, one small child, cold, tired and hungry, one 6 month pregnant whale, no money, no outer clothing and stranded in a foreign country (Hull) washing at home on the line, no beds made up.

Credit card buys train tickets back home. Telephone call to Mother gets washing brought in and beds made up. Except she laughed so much that it got quite irritating.

Small amount of change from bottom of handbag buys chocolate.

First train home breaks down, gets going again but now going to miss connection. Guard rings ahead and second train waits for us. Bet it wouldn’t nowadays. Train doesn’t go to where we left the car and it’s now so late the buses have stopped running so have to get a taxi, telling the driver that although we had no money on us, we would pay him when we got home. Thankfully he was ok with that. 

When Kathryn heard the story, she wrote and told the BBC. She didn’t win the competition but they still put it on a special teletext page for the world to see.

And so, if anyone wants tickets for a return trip on the Humber ferry, I know where there are some!!

Hehe, this story never fails to make me laugh, and yep, I really did enter it into a competition. As if they didn't pick it as winner though....how rude!

What do you guys think of having my Mum doing more regular posts (perhaps once a month)? What do you think she could blog about? Make up, or do you (like Katie) prefer the idea of hearing more stories from my childhood and beyond? Luckily, these stories don't "tend" to embarrass me haha :P Share your ideas, and I'll see if I can persuade her if people are interested ;)

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Sunday Snippets

Week in News in Fifty Words: 

Danni Minogue officially quit X-Factor, whilst a range of others were tipped to fill her shoes. Azerbaijan won the Eurovision, with both Jedward and Blue doing very well. Tenerife became a place I no longer wish to visit, and Mississippi floodgates were officially opened for the first time since 1973.

Week in Blogs:



I don't need to remind everyone, especially those who use Blogger, but this week has been a bit of a pain with the inability to blog for 24 hours, followed by missing posts and the ongoing problem of missing comments, but, fortunately, I still managed to get a bit of reading in this week. Unlike last week, when I hadn't done much reading at all, I had so many blog that I wanted to talk about, this week, but I've just picked a few of my faves, so here's a sneak peak into what I've been loving and think you should check out too :D


Jade Boylan: Cards and Charms: Jade is probably one of the most talented young ladies that I have come across since getting into blogging. And, if her latest post doesn't show you how awesome Jade is, well, you will never be convinced! She's a talented artist, and she makes incredible little soft toys and charms and all sort. Please check her out :D


Lady from a Tramp: Guess who's Back: No, she's not blogging about Eminem, and she assures us that she's not a Zombie either. But, Katie is back in the blogging bubble, and her blog is looking pretty damn amazing! I am actually jealous! In fact, I think I may have to steal it when she's not looking ;) Go show her blog some lovin'.


Le Petit Jardin de Liloo: Pearl Eyeliners From BeautyUK - The Whole Collection Swatched: If there is still anyone out there, that hasn't discovered the lovely little Liloo, then you really have been missing a lot. Last Sunday she wrote a great Swatch blog about a brand, that I have literally just discovered in my nearest SuperDrug; BeautyUK. I've heard a great deal about the brand recently, but never tried them out, but Liloo's blog on the whole range of Pearl Eyeliners has really made me want them all! They are such pretty colours, I want them!


The London Lipgloss: DIY Outfit Post: I own three band t-shirts (Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance and The Hush Sound), that I usually take when I go away somewhere, just to sleep in. Why? Because they look so hideous that I couldn't wear them, especially being a larger gal. But Zoe's suggestions for DIY-ing your band tee's is really cool. I'm just trying to pluck up the balls to take scissors to t-shirt and do some altering...hmmm LOL.


Ghostparties: Top Knot Tutorial: I actually tried doing a look similar to this Top Knot Tutorial quite some time ago, but couldn't quite figure it out, perhaps because my hair is too fine. Nevertheless, Kate's tutorial made it look so simple, so I may just give this a try. And, it looks really cool, because it gives the illusion that you have a lot of hair, and no one needs to know otherwise ;)


BritishBeautyBlogger: Screams: For a long time, it has become increasingly (and blatantly) obvious that there are still a large amount of companies that simply do not *get* blogging. They don't know how to handle us, they don't know how to benefit out of us, they don't know the potential power that a large number of bloggers can have to make or break a product. But this post, from the BritishBeautyBlogger just adds wood to the ever-growing fire of frustration, that even the most popular bloggers have to endure. 


Other Blog Announcements:


Georgia from Lippy and a LBD has just launched her own jewellery shop, and she currently has some lovely pieces available, so make sure you check her out.


B from Blush, Pout and Pose! is now on Twitter, so go follow her now!


Kat's Beauty Reviews Announcements:


Some of you might already know about this but, I'm going to be away *a lot* over the next few weeks, for a variety of different reasons, that all seem to have come along at the same time (as always seems to happen), so I'll be updating less. 

Fortunately, I have two Positive Beauty Pledges that are scheduled to go up on Tuesday 17th May and Tuesday 24th May, and I have a third one, that i'm in the process of putting together, that will be scheduled for Tuesday 31st May, so there will always be at least one post going up, and let's face it, the Beauty Pledge ones are the most interesting, anyway!


Support for the Beauty Pledge has been incredible, and I have a few people currently writing theres up. But, that doesn't mean that there isn't room for lots more. So, if you're interested, then you can either email me, because I will have my phone with me. Or, if you just want to get on with it, just copy the basic idea of one of the other pledges that have been done so far, and write your own answers, which you can email to me. Although, please remember to attach images, or provide links to images.


What have you been reading this week?

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The Art of Smiling

When I did my Positive Beauty Pledge a couple of weeks ago, one of the most important things that I learnt about myself, is the fact that I look my best when I'm smiling. But, just like Nicola Roberts, of Girls Aloud fame, I am not a naturally smiley-type of person. And when I do smile, I always worry that I look like Nicola Roberts, in the sense that because she's very aware that people have noticed that she isn't a naturally smiley person, when she does smile they look forced and unnatural.

Image from Google

I'm definitely a firm believer that a natural smile can only be achieved when something really does make me warm and happy inside. So, when I'm not feeling 100% comfortable, that smile just isn't going to come along. I guess, I'm just one of those people that is completely incapable of hiding how I really feel about something, emotionally and on the surface.

In some ways this is a really nice thing, but through my School days, it was an absolute nightmare, and I still get sick of the comment: "Cheer up, it'll never happen." Just because I don't have a smile permanently attached to my face, does not mean that I'm not happy, it just means that I'm not entirely comfortable with the person shooting the comment at me.

So, how do I know that Nicola Roberts isn't a naturally smiley person? Well, anyone who watched the recent episode of How I Met Your Mother will probably know the answer to that question. The gang were trying to figure out why they had this underlying "fear" of Kyle MacLachlan's character The Captain. And the reason was because, even though his mouth was smiling, his eyes were angry, as you can see in this still from the episode:

How I Met Your Mother

So, to really exemplify this point, let's take a lookie at this picture of Nicola..

Nicola Roberts, Girls Aloud

Okay, so her mouth might be giving us a smile, but if you look at her eyes, they don't look happy. They're not bright and cheerful, and hence her smile looks unfortunately fake. This isn't anything against Nicola, she just isn't a natural smiler, and that's okay, I just wish the media would leave her alone about it. She's a beautiful young woman, with issues of her own, and I am certain that she does not need the media adding to it.

Of course smiling makes a girl look prettier, but surely a natural smile that says that a person is comfortable is more important than forcing them to. Perhaps if the media laid off her, she'd feel more comfortable in public and she'd smile a bit more, without feeling forced into it.

Are you all naturally smilers, and do you think that a smile makes a person look better?

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The Lure of Loyalty Cards

When I first heard that Superdrug was bringing out a loyalty card, I was absolutely ecstatic. Why? C'mon, we all like to be rewarded for spending money and being "loyal" to a company. But, to be fair, I have quite a rocky relationship with the notion of loyalty cards.

The Very Bad (in my opinion)

For example, I think that the PureHMV card is a complete waste of time. You gain loads of points per transaction, which, on the surface, makes it look like a really great scheme. Nevertheless, in the grand scheme of things (sorry, bad joke!), whilst it looks like you have a lot of points, you need even more to get anything of any real value (gig tickets, magazine subscriptions etc).

Image by HMV

I'm also a little anti any apparent "loyalty" card that rewards you in things that you don't want, or need. I know that there are a lot of items on offer, through PureHMV, but unless you are interested in practically everything, it's hard to find something that really matches your tastes.

But, my biggest grievance with PureHMV, is the idea that points "expire". Unless, you buy expensive products such as Playstation 3's or very regularly buy video games as soon as they come out (noting that a typical "new" game costs between £25 and £40, from HMV), very few people are ever going to get any real opportunity of bagging the really big "treats" through PureHMV.

In fact, when I was told that "some" of my points were about to expire (apparently they expire after two years!), I had accumulated just over 34,000 points, which sounds a lot, but really isn't. In order to spend a few, before they expired (I could hardly let them go to waste), I spent a very long time trawling through the crap of key rings and posters, that, let's face it, anyone older than 16, or anyone without a really strong "fandom" towards a film/band etc just wouldn't be interested.

In the end, I think I've just resolved to collect points, on the very rare occasion that I'm in HMV these days, and when they're due to expire, maybe get something. HMV certainly isn't top of my list of places to shop though, as I tend to buy video games from Game or Gamestation.

The Very Good

I love my Boots Advantage card, because I seem to gain the most out of it. For me, saving up the points is really handy, for those times when I suddenly run out of an essential, such as Sanitary Towels, Shampoo or Cotton Buds, and I don't have enough free money to buy them, at that time. So, I'll use my points to buy them.

That might seem quite boring, but it's useful.

Image by Boots

Plus, living in a very small, rural town where the only "major" shops are Co-Op, Tesco and a teeny, tiny, minuscule Boots, often Boots is the only place that I can buy my essentials, so it is very nice to be rewarded for that. Although, I should just say that living two minutes away from a Boots, I often go without my purse, instead just opting to take the cash, and very often forget my Boots card...d'oh!!

With the Advantage card, you collect 4 points for every £1 that you spend, and there are plenty of opportunities, throughout the year, to collect bonus or double points on everyday essentials, as well as the luxury items, which is another bonus for me. And, each points translates into 1p off anything you want to buy.

And, that is where I feel that loyalty cards such as Boots, will always win out over schemes like PureHMV. Of course, it's nice to save up for something luxurious, but we as human beings, like choice. And not the kind of restrictive choice "offered" by HMV. Yes, sometimes, it is nice to save up for something of novelty or "once-in-a-lifetime", but in the real world, more times, I'll need the essentials, and an essential is not a Despicable Me keyring, no matter how cute it might look!!

Plus, let us not forget, that Boots points do not expire!! And, with the Boots Advantage card you can take up the opportunity to register as an organ donor, which I personally think is really great.

My only issue with the Boots Advantage card is that my card is starting to look a bit raggedy through popular usage, so I'd really like a new one :D Although, I have had it around ten years hehe!

The Indifferent.

And finally, of course, we come to Superdrug's brand new BeautyCard. As I already stated, initially, I was excited about news of this loyalty card, but as details started to leak out about Superdrug only offering 1 point for every £1, well, compared to the Boots 4 per £1, I have to say that I was incredibly disappointed. For a company to not even appear to try and thwart the obvious competition seems "weak", almost as if they are afraid to challenge Boots.

Image by Superdrug

But, at least the Superdrug card offers me the opportunity to buy things I want and need, unlike PureHMV, which is an absolute definite plus side!

One thing that I may have changed my mind on, was my original thought that the fact that the card is a mirror, seemed really gimmicky and pointless, but having only had my card since Tuesday, I have already used it, and as long as you don't bend the card, it isn't that bad a mirror as you might expect. Personally, I was expecting one of those cheap mirrors that you used to get in kids make up sets that were more fun house effect, than anything else!

So, will the BeautyCard encourage me to shop in Superdrug more? No. I opt to shop in Boots, primarily because they have more things that I want, but there are a lot of things, such as own brand Hair Dye, that I will always head to Superdug for.

In a sense, I feel like Superdrug has leveled the playing ground when it comes to choosing between Boots and Superdrug, because they both offer some kind of loyalty scheme. So, whereas I might have deliberately headed to Boots, for something that both offer, purely because I'd be rewarded for it, now it'll probably be a case of, whichever one I get to first. It's nice, as well, to feel rewarded for buying the things that I can only get from Superdrug. Going back to their own brand hair dye, I often felt cheated that this would be the product that I always wanted to buy, but never felt obliged to, because I honestly wanted to reward points. So, now I feel more obliged to buy it from where I'd really want to, as I do genuinely prefer to use that brand of product.

Have you all picked up your Superdrug BeautyCard? Do you think it's worth it, or do you think Superdrug could have done much more? And, which store brands (beauty-related or not) do you think offer the best and worst loyalty schemes?

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Just Checking In

Hey Guys. Just a really quick post to fill you in on a couple of things.

First of all, I'm really happy to tell you guys that I'm featured on Just Nice Things, as this weeks 20 Questions, so  please make sure that you check that out. Especially check it out if you want to know a bit more about me, and to find out my biggest secret ;)

I've just got back from a couple of days away with the boyfriend, celebrating five years together. We went to see Thor, had some lovely meals and of course, fit in some shopping at Meadowhall.



Anyone who was around Twitter earlier this week, might have seen that I set myself a challenge to buy a product of at least one cosmetic brand that I had never tried before, and I actually had two in mind:

The first was Sleek, because everyone seems to be raving about them on their blogs, and I wanted to know what the fuss is about. But, on visiting the Sleek stand, in Superdrug, in Meadowhall, I was instantly turned off the idea. Why? Because, considering the shop had been open less than half an hour, the Sleek stand was absolutely disgusting. Most of the areas were empty, and those that had products in were so messy and all over the place. I didn't stick around to have a better look.

The second brand that I had in mind was BeautyUK, after seeing Liloo's review of the pearl eyeliners. And, to be honest, the BeautyUK stand was only a little better than the Sleek one. There were more products there, but every single pencil-type eyeliner that I picked up was either broken, or when you pulled the lid of you could tell people had been sampling it, and I seriously do not fancy buying something that some horrid person has smushed all over themselves. Gross.

I did actually end up buying a palette from the BeautyUK stand, because at least when something is wrapped up in cellophane, you know that no one has touched it. Plus, for £3.99 I thought it was a good bargain. I'll hopefully have a review of that on here soon, when I've had chance to have a little play.

I also picked up a GOSH Kabuki brush which I'm looking forward to testing out, and whilst I was at the GOSH counter, I swatched three really nice eyeliners, that I'll be talking about a little bit in a future post. I didn't buy them, but I'm starting to wish I had :-/

As always, I am still accepting pledges for the Positive Beauty Pledge, just shoot me an email and I'll send you the details that you need to send me in order to pledge.

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Christopher's Positive Beauty Pledge

When it comes to body image and body confidence, it's easy to think that it's just us girls that have issues, but men also have their hang ups and issues that they have to wrestle with everyday. If they're not muscly enough, or if their hair is receding, they don't always feel happy within themselves either. So, I am really thrilled to introduce this weeks Positive Beauty Pledge (and yes, this is the boyfriend, so please be nice ;))




Christopher's Pledge about Others

I, Chris Jacklin of Busy Lifefilms, do solemnly swear to never make a nasty comment regarding someone else's appearance, either on my blog or spoken in public. I will not make fun out of the clothes other people wear and I will not be a part of the negative comments made by others. If I think someone looks good then I will tell them so as it will cost me nothing and it will give them boost in confidence.

Christopher's Pledge about Himself

Sticks and stones etc. Seriously though, my honest to goodness promise to myself is to never let anyone bring me down

with childish comments. I am what I am, as Popeye would say.

The Bad

What are you doing in this picture?

Starting a weeks holiday in Wales. I look a bit zonked out however I'd just been travelling a few hours. 

Why don't you like it?

I just don't like the face I'm pulling (looks a bit Shaun of the Dead). I think this pic was taken without me realising

so I was a bit caught off guard. 

Is there anything that you like about this picture?

I think I weighed a bit less then. I don't think that T-shirt would fit me know. 

The Good

What are you doing in this picture?

Going for a walk somewhere in Wales.

Why do you prefer this picture to the first one?

I look a little bit shaper and I'm holding a camera (I suppose it hints to my creative side). 

Has comparing how you feel about both these pictures made you realise anything about how you view yourself?

Both pictures bring back fond memories which is important to look back on as the years go by. 

Give us an example of someone that you consider to be "unconventionally" beautiful (for a male, "beautiful" doesn't seem right, but just play along!!):

Bill Bailey

Why do you consider him to be "unconventional"?

He's probably not considered to be particularly attractive (hmm, this is difficult coming from a bloke) compared with the Brad Pitts and George Clooney's of this world. After all the media industry is full of stereotypically attractive people.

Why do you think he is "beautiful"?

He has a gift, a gift to make people laugh which is a talent that affects many people in a positive way. This will be remembered over someone's looks any day. Expect maybe Emily Browning. Ahem.

And with that, I award my lovely boyfriend with the Positive Beauty Badge:

Hmm, do you think I should have made him a more "manly" coloured badge?? Oh well, I'll just let him have this nice picture of Emily Browning to go with it ;) It'll keep him happy for a little while anyway :D

If you want to take part in the Positive Beauty Pledge, just fire me a quick email at katmusselwhite@gmail.com

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Sunday Snippets

Here we are again, yet another Sunday :) This post is a bit longer than normal, because I wanted to include a little update of my own, which you'll find at the bottom.

Week in News in Fifty Words: 

Danni Minogue officially quit X-Factor, whilst a range of others were tipped to fill her shoes. Azerbaijan won the Eurovision, with both Jedward and Blue doing very well. Tenerife became a place I no longer wish to visit, and Mississippi floodgates were officially opened for the first time since 1973.

Week in Blogs:



I don't need to remind everyone, especially those who use Blogger, but this week has been a bit of a pain with the inability to blog for 24 hours, followed by missing posts and the ongoing problem of missing comments, but, fortunately, I still managed to get a bit of reading in this week. Unlike last week, when I hadn't done much reading at all, I had so many blog that I wanted to talk about, this week, but I've just picked a few of my faves, so here's a sneak peak into what I've been loving and think you should check out too :D


Jade Boylan: Cards and Charms: Jade is probably one of the most talented young ladies that I have come across since getting into blogging. And, if her latest post doesn't show you how awesome Jade is, well, you will never be convinced! She's a talented artist, and she makes incredible little soft toys and charms and all sort. Please check her out :D


Lady from a Tramp: Guess who's Back: No, she's not blogging about Eminem, and she assures us that she's not a Zombie either. But, Katie is back in the blogging bubble, and her blog is looking pretty damn amazing! I am actually jealous! In fact, I think I may have to steal it when she's not looking ;) Go show her blog some lovin'.


Le Petit Jardin de Liloo: Pearl Eyeliners From BeautyUK - The Whole Collection Swatched: If there is still anyone out there, that hasn't discovered the lovely little Liloo, then you really have been missing a lot. Last Sunday she wrote a great Swatch blog about a brand, that I have literally just discovered in my nearest SuperDrug; BeautyUK. I've heard a great deal about the brand recently, but never tried them out, but Liloo's blog on the whole range of Pearl Eyeliners has really made me want them all! They are such pretty colours, I want them!


The London Lipgloss: DIY Outfit Post: I own three band t-shirts (Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance and The Hush Sound), that I usually take when I go away somewhere, just to sleep in. Why? Because they look so hideous that I couldn't wear them, especially being a larger gal. But Zoe's suggestions for DIY-ing your band tee's is really cool. I'm just trying to pluck up the balls to take scissors to t-shirt and do some altering...hmmm LOL.


Ghostparties: Top Knot Tutorial: I actually tried doing a look similar to this Top Knot Tutorial quite some time ago, but couldn't quite figure it out, perhaps because my hair is too fine. Nevertheless, Kate's tutorial made it look so simple, so I may just give this a try. And, it looks really cool, because it gives the illusion that you have a lot of hair, and no one needs to know otherwise ;)


BritishBeautyBlogger: Screams: For a long time, it has become increasingly (and blatantly) obvious that there are still a large amount of companies that simply do not *get* blogging. They don't know how to handle us, they don't know how to benefit out of us, they don't know the potential power that a large number of bloggers can have to make or break a product. But this post, from the BritishBeautyBlogger just adds wood to the ever-growing fire of frustration, that even the most popular bloggers have to endure. 


Other Blog Announcements:


Georgia from Lippy and a LBD has just launched her own jewellery shop, and she currently has some lovely pieces available, so make sure you check her out.


B from Blush, Pout and Pose! is now on Twitter, so go follow her now!


Kat's Beauty Reviews Announcements:


Some of you might already know about this but, I'm going to be away *a lot* over the next few weeks, for a variety of different reasons, that all seem to have come along at the same time (as always seems to happen), so I'll be updating less. 

Fortunately, I have two Positive Beauty Pledges that are scheduled to go up on Tuesday 17th May and Tuesday 24th May, and I have a third one, that i'm in the process of putting together, that will be scheduled for Tuesday 31st May, so there will always be at least one post going up, and let's face it, the Beauty Pledge ones are the most interesting, anyway!


Support for the Beauty Pledge has been incredible, and I have a few people currently writing theres up. But, that doesn't mean that there isn't room for lots more. So, if you're interested, then you can either email me, because I will have my phone with me. Or, if you just want to get on with it, just copy the basic idea of one of the other pledges that have been done so far, and write your own answers, which you can email to me. Although, please remember to attach images, or provide links to images.


What have you been reading this week?

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