Women in Business Awards - Hair and Makeup

Hello loves, I was really fortunate to be nominated for a women in business award recently. I have to admit I was really excited and honoured.


The awards were held this Thursday night and I was more than a bit excited to get all glamed up. The first choice I had to make was the outfit????
Being a plus size lady makes finding beautiful couture a uber difficult task. So I decided to rope my darling mum in ( she is a dressmaker). I wanted something vintage/retro ish, so the hunt began.

Not a flattering pic of us but you get the idea

Back in her hey day mum used to work for one of the big couture houses and a pattern or two may still be in her collection. So I ended up with a beautiful (scaled up lol) vintage Dior dress pattern. I decided I wanted it to be simple so stuck to black satin. It was such a rush getting out the door that i didn't get many full length shots.

I decided to stay in keeping with my hair and have a vintage inspired do, I love my hairdresser she hit the nail right on the head I LOVED my hair.

Back view of the DO

For my makeup I decided to give a coloured brow a go, as my hair is so red ATM i matched them pretty well I think, i kept the rest of my makeup pretty simple, matching my lips to my brows and a simple double winged liner.

front of the hair masterpiece


I cant not talk about the shoe situation ....I had ordered a stunning pair of christian Louboutins for the event but due to all the flooding just prior they didn't arrive in time, so I searched and found a cute pair and matching bag.

Now I didn't win the category I was nominated in but I did make it through to the finalists so I was super happy and honoured.

FOTD - not for everyone

Today I had a meeting/interview that was quite exciting and hopefully I will be able to share some good news with you soon ( I will get back to you) so when i got home i took a quick photo to show you a look that was a bit different, I know it wont be everyones cup of tea but i had fun with it.

Its looking a bit second hand but keep in mind I took these pics about 10 hours after I had applied my face so it didnt hold up too badly.

The products used  -

eyes-  Inglot gel eyeliner in number 85 ( as a base under the green pigments)
       -  MAC pigment in Landscape green
       -  Naked pigment in SE -02
       - MAC cream colour base in Root ( as a base under the black shaddow)
       - MAC eyeshaddow in carbon

Cheeks-  MAC blush in well dressed

Lips - Stila long wear liquid lip colour in petal

Favourite hair care products for 2011

2011 was the year my alter ego "Madame Rouge"emerged, hence the start of my flaming red hair...
So coloured shampoo and conditioner became my new bestie.
I received the Wella colour shampoo and conditioner as part of the ABBW and have fallen head over heals in love with it.
To maintaining hair this colour is a full time job, and I colour my hair about every ten days, so I have a lot of colour that "bleeds"out at every wash.
Before using the Wella products I found that when i shampooed my hair i was loosing so much colour that it  looked like blood in my hands. The colour continued to run through the entire wash,  condition and towel dry process. ( I have destroyed about 6 towels )
When i gave the Wella a try one of the first things I noticed was that the shampoo only took on a slight pink tinge and after I have applied the conditioner the water ran clear. It seemed to lock in all the colour, no more pink towels.

My other favourite is the Loreal Mythic oil, this stuff rocks my world, I put a ten cent size amount in my hair before I blow dry it and hey presto no more dry brittle ends. It doesn't hurt that it smells incredible either. The job that this product has made so much easier is brushing the girls hair. Miss 7 and 9 have really long thick hair, and it can be a nightmare for all trying to brush out the knots. The Mythic oil makes it sooo easy i apply some to their towel dried hair after it has been washed and then again in the mornings if needed. It has saved many tears before school, even some of the kids : )

better late than never favourite skincare of 2011

Here it is a promised my must have skin care items for 2011.
I started last year fighting tooth and nail to get my adult acne under control, I was failing miserably. I have already done a post on this range so it will be no surprise to you that this is rocking my world. Yes i did use a lot of other products during 2011 but nothing comes close to the Rationale Skin care.
I started this range late in the year but the results i have achieved speak for themselves. I haven't used anything else at all since starting the essential 6 range, and that wont change any time soon.

So there it is short and simple if you purchase anything for your skin this year make it this most defiantly worth the investment.

Body Shop haul

I was out and about on the weekend and thought i would share a with you some of the goodies i picked up.

My first stop was the body shop I had the girls with me and they love the place we can walk past with out a customary sniff of all the pretty soaps and lotions.

I got well and truly sucked in by the latest addition the Chocomania range.
I grabbed the
 - Chocomanina Shower cream  the first words on the back of the packaging are UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION... I'm not surprised this stuff smells so bloody good it is yummy if you don't like "sweet"or food like smelling products this range is not for you but to wake up in the shower to the smell of chocolate sounds like heaven to me.

I also got the - Chocomania body scrub  this thick scrub is to die for it smells and looks like mud cake batter i used this one last night and my skin felt great after my shower so soft and not dry at all.

I backed that up with the - Chocomania Body Butter the butter is a lot subtler than the shower products but still packs a nice chocolaty goodness, and delivers they same hydration as the other body shop butters.

I was in the scrub zone and also added the Pink Grapefruit and the coconut body scrub to my collection. The pink grapefruit is in total contrast to the chocomanina range it is fresh and zingy, and great wake up call on a  sleepy morning.
I also fell in love with one of the fragrances so picked up the body mist in the White Musk Libertine range, not my usual "type" of sent but really pretty for summer.

I also pick up an item that has become a HG for me its the Almond nail & cuticle oil love the product and the packaging.
 Do you have a Favorite body shop range ????