Saying Goodbye To 2014.

After an unexpected blogging break over Christmas, having had to jump in and finish painting and decorating my mothers house for Christmas as the builders were weeks late finishing the conservatory she had built, I'm back - on the very last day of the year.

2014 has surprisingly been a great year and honestly, most of that is down to this blog, and you.

11 Months ago today, I started 'My Pale Skin' and when doing so, I had no idea what it would turn into. I never imagined that in less than a year hundreds of thousands of people would be clicking and reading. I had no idea that i'd get the opportunity to work with some incredible brands that I've been wearing and using for over ten years, nor did I have any idea that I'd get to make some amazing friends and become a part of the blogging community.

I feel like I've grown so much as a person in 2014 - more so than in the past few years. I've improved my photography, writing, and make up skills. Made actual friends, learnt to step out of my comfort zone,attended fashion shows, blogger events, bought all the make up in the world (according to my family), discovered brands that I never even knew existed and most importantly - I feel like I'm on the road to truly becoming happier and more content as a person.

I love where this blog has taken me in 2014 and I can't wait to see what is in store during 2015. I'm excited and looking forward to bringing you on this roller coaster adventure with me. Hopefully there will be a few changes going on around here - maybe a new layout and more creative content, but i'm hoping to make this little space on the web the best it can be.

Thanks for reading, clicking, commenting and watching during 2014 and I promise 2015 will be a whole load better.

So Happy New Year to all friends, new and old and I'll see you on the other side. 

Em xxx

Kerastase Elixir Ultime Review

Let's talk about Hair Oils today. Now, Hair Oils are products that I haven't used that often before, but after receiving a bottle of the Kerastase Elixir Ultime* in a goodie bag at an event I went to a while back, I thought I'd give it a try. 

I have bleached hair, and I'm sure as hell that I should be using all the products all the time. Hair dressers like to inform me of this every time I visit the Salon... yet I always come away feeling a little bit miffed, a little bit scorned and a little bit like i've been preached to and overly criticized by the hair dresser. Which, then makes me not want to go back. It's almost like an endless circle of disdain for my hair, but i'm working on it... For instance, my hair is now the longest it's been in years, and is in pretty good shape considering how much it's bleached every month.

I started incorporating the Kerastase Elixir Ultime* into my routine about 3 weeks ago. I like to use the oil on freshly washed, damp hair. To start, I squirt around 3 pumps of product into the palm of my hand. Next, I gently rub my palms in a circular motion. Finally, starting at the ends of my hair, I begin to massage into into my hair working upwards, and concentrating on the ends and midlengths, I find that avoiding the roots means that my hair doesn't get greasy, yet still feels the full effects of the product - Which is great! 

I then blow-dry my hair as usual and when complete, I apply one more pump of product into the ends, and brush it through. I find that applying the product in this way leaves my hair feeling silky soft and gives it a real luxurious feel.

I also can't talk about this product without mentioning the scent. This product smells divine, it's like a mix of fruitiness and a high end perfume and will certainly leave your hair smelling like you've just walked out of a salon.

At £28.40 for 125ml it's not cheap in the slightest... but i'm convinced and converted and absolutely can't live without it now. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on hair oils! Do you use them? Let me know in the comments...

Em xxx

Pale Skin Friendly, Christmas Party Make Up!

This week I've had a chance to create some make up looks and really have fun with make up, more than I have done in the past few months. It's amazing how motivated you can be and how much fun you can have with make up when you're not rushing to go anywhere or constantly aware of the clock.

I've had time off this week and i've finally been able to relax, de-stress and just spend time doing things that I want to, without worrying about what time it is -  which is incredibly rare. 

Red Lipstick isn't a colour I usually wear on a day to day basis. Truth be told, it frightens me. I'm scared of wearing red lipstick with my bleach blonde hair because I just can't help but feel a little over done. Colour scares me, and even though I'm trying really hard to get out of my nude make up rut - I'm not quite sure i'm ready to make a red an every day wear just yet - even though the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet - Hot Pepper* I'm wearing is the most gorgeous shade of red I think I've worn in a very long time. 

If  you'd like to recreate this look, here's everything you need to know:

Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow - Siberia

Concealer: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - Chantilly

Contour: NYX Taupe Blush

Highlight: MeMeMe Beat the blues highlighter, pearl pink*

Eyebrows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade - Medium Brown

Eyeshadow: MUA Undress Me Too palette - for bronze/golds / Make Up Revolution Salvation Palette  - for transition shades

Eyeliner: Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Liner

Mascara: Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

Eyelashes: Total Minks - not sure which ones*

Lipstick: Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet - Hot Pepper*

As always I'd love to hear your thoughts on this look! Let me know in the comments.

Em xxx

The Perfect Holiday Gift - Daniel Wellington Watch.

There's something about a beautiful sleek wristwatch that just  screams 'Hello' and 'I'm ready for business'. The current king of the wristwatch has to be Daniel Wellington* - especially if the endless amount of beautiful images that keep popping up on Instagram is anything to go by.

If you're still struggling for gift ideas, then look no further! I think any lady would be pleased to find this under the tree.

When the Daniel Wellington team got in touch with me and asked if I'd like to feature one in my gift guide, I jumped at the chance as I'd be craving one for a while. There are so many beautiful styles available, and it was incredibly hard to decide which watch to go for. I wanted something that was simple, elegant and timeless, so I chose the Classic Sheffield* £159 with the simple black strap. For the watch face, I chose Rose Gold, as I love how it gives that extra touch of glamour.
I'm also a big fan of items being versatile, so I chose a 'St Andrews'* £49 strap to interchange, depending on my mood and outfit.

I also have an exclusive discount code for anyone that's interested in ordering one. For 15% off, enter code: holidaymypaleskin at the checkout. There is still time to order before Christmas on Express Delivery -woohoo!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this watch? Which Strap is your favourite? Let me know in the comments.

Em xxx

*Gifted Items. I was not paid for this post.

Last Minute Beauty Stocking Filler Ideas!

With Christmas exactly a week away (oh my gosh I'm so excited!!), I wanted to share a few ideas that make brilliant last minute stocking fillers. If you're a regular reader of My Pale Skin, then you'll know that Bourjois is my favourite drugstore brand. They have great quality products that are so affordable and easy to wear. Here are a few ideas to get you feeling festive.

Foundation

The lightest shade in the range is shade 51 - Vanille Clair*. If you're pale, double check it under natural light as well as indoor light. I've heard from a few people that it's pale enough for them - just make sure, and definitely swatch before you buy. This foundation is so natural that it makes an ideal gift for an older relative - mum, aunt, etc.

Nail Polish

If you want to keep up the festive spirit, or pass some onto someone else, a nail polish is always a great edition to any beauty lovers bag. I love how the 1 Seconde Nail Polish Range* and they actually last on my peeling nails for around 4 days before they begin to chip. Hurrah!

Eyeliner

Eyeliner is a girls best friend, I've been testing out the Bourjois Mega liner* over the past week or so and am loving it so far. At £7.99 it's a great stocking filler.

Lipstick

The Rouge Edition Velvet* line are some of my favourite lipsticks of all time. I've been having a lot of fun playing with Hot Pepper* Which you may have seen me wearing in Yesterday's post. At £8.99 they're a great bargain and I never leave home without one in my bag.

Blusher

There's something about cream blushers that makes them look oh so natural on the skin and during the summer, they're my must have item. The Little Round Pot Blushers* are fantastic and at £7.99 are reasonably priced too.

Lip Crayon

The 'On The Beach' lip crayon barely left my lips this summer and now I have a new favourite that you'll be hearing about very soon. I love how creamy and glossy these crayons are, without the stickiness of gloss - meaning you don't have to worry about that dreaded hair in gloss moment. At £7.99 The Colour Boost Lip Crayons* are a must have and if there's one Bourjois product you buy this winter - this is it.

So these are my top picks for Stocking Fillers from Bourjois. I know i'd be incredibly happy to receive any of them in my stocking... which leads me onto the question - We can make our own stockings right? That's acceptable.... right??

Em xxx

*PR Sample. 

5 Top Tips To Survive Christmas With Your Family.

With Christmas now almost upon us, millions of people around the world are preparing to spend time with their loved ones. It's a funny old time of year, it's a time for celebration, joy, feasting, relaxation and if you're anything like me - a time for trying your best to not feel like a caged animal with everyone pushing your buttons. 

Don't get me wrong, I love my family - I also love being able to do my own thing, on my own time and have a bit of space, and surprisingly I'm not alone in feeling the same way over Christmas. So i've been racking my brains and have come up with the following 5 Top Tips to survive Christmas - without any family warfare, and to ensure you keep your sanity. 

1. The Family Pet Is Your New Best Friend.

Whether it's a dog, cat, budgie or hamster... Your pet will get you through this. If you have a dog, take them for a walk, lots of walks or put on your winter coat and sit outside in the garden with them - instant peace and quiet, There's always time for snuggles with pets, and they don't judge you, feel free to give them a rant and maybe they'll let out a knowing whine in sympathy. If you don't have a family pet, that's okay - stuffed animals work just as well - Try a hooty owl - they give warm hugs. 

2. Social Media Is Your Saviour.

When I was a kid, I loved opening my presents and playing with what seemed like endless new toys all day. As a 20 something girl, I like to think of Social Media as the toy that never gets old. and gives you that same added value. Stay in touch with your friends, live tweet any christmas arguments between relatives and keep up to date with what's going on in the world. It will help - trust me.

3. Plan Everything In Advance.

I admit. I plan Christmas Dinner the same way I plan a film shoot - although I don't go as far to send a call sheet out... But what I like to make sure I do is plan the main 3 day period out for ease, speed and peace of mind.  I make lists of what Presents I've bought for each person, how much they cost and links to each item - I then colour code if they've been bought. I plan meals, who is eating what for each meal, roughly what time. Do we have all the ingredients? DID SOMEONE FORGET DESSERT? You get the jist... I enjoy planning and coordination. It also means you can prep things ahead of schedule to make life easier on the day.

4. Use Your Blog As A Get Out Of Jail Card.

That's right, shamelessly blame your blog for why you have to leave early, why you're on your phone every ten minutes, or even for the reason you have to be by yourself for a little while. You blog won't mind, it will thank you for all the extra love and support it's receiving from you. Think of all the content you can create. And if you don't have a blog, Congratulations, you've just decided to start one!

5. If All Else Fails, Get Drunk.

You've planned your day, you've bought all the right presents, checked social media, taken the dog on 20 walks and still losing the will to live? You have one option left - Get drunk. That's right, get drunk. Tear up the plans, cancel the schedule and let everyone else do their own thing whilst you sit in the corner of the room, holding a plastic cocktail glass, legs draped over the sofa and cackling to yoursef - Channeling your inner Samantha (Sex and The City). And unfortunately, if you don't drink? That's okay, because I don't either. Carb up, or load in on sugar - You'll have about 2 hours until the full force of the food coma kicks in, the you can take yourself off for a little afternoon nap.  

So those are my top tips to help you survive this Christmas. Fingers crossed I see you on the other side.

Em xxx

An Alternative Christmas Look....

Y'know when you start doing your make up and go off on a tangent and create something you never expected to? Well that happened... and here we are. 

I was going for the Christmas look, and then found a green Make Up Revolution lipstick in my collection and got to work creating something new, that I hadn't attempted before. 

I can't say I've ever worn green lipstick before, and although it photographs incredibly well, it does look a little odd in real life and I'm not sure I have the confidence to really pull it of in the real world. I did however, have a lot of fun creating this look.

Here's the full list of everything I'm wearing:

Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow - Siberia

Concealer: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - Chantilly

Contour: NYX Taupe Blush

Highlight: MeMeMe Beat the blues highlighter, pearl pink*

Eyebrows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade - Medium Brown

Eyeshadow: MUA Undress Me Too palette - for bronze/golds / Make Up Revolution Salvation Palette  - for transition shades

Eyeliner: Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Liner

Mascara: Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

Eyelashes: Total Minks - not sure which ones*

Lipstick: Make Up Revolution - Serpent*

Headpiece: Primark Necklace*

Now that my Skin has started to recover from the insane breakout caused by a skincare product that really didn't agree with me, I'm hoping to share a lot more looks with you! So if you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments and I'll try my best to make them happen.

Em xxx

Ciate Speed Coat - Fast Drying Top Coat Review

If there's one area of my beauty regime that I often need a helping hand in, it's nails. As someone who leads a busy life, I often find it hard to find time to sit down and give my nails the love and attention they deserve, and it's not that I don't enjoy painting my nails - it's just the waiting around afterwards that kills me.  The Ciate Speed Coat - Fast Drying Top Coat* is a product that seems like it was created for people like me.

I hate waiting for my nails to dry, i'm slightly clumsy and usually after having them painted I've ruined one within 5 minutes - so when a product like the Ciate Speed Coat* comes along that 'guarantees touch dry nails in 60 seconds' you know that i'm all over it. Retailing at £11.00 this top coat isn't cheap, but  let me tell you this - it works, and is easy to use too.

After painting nails as usual, wait a few minutes for the colour to dry, then apply a slick of Speed Coat* over the top. I found it took a little longer than 60 seconds - more like by time you've listened to a song on the radio, or caught up watching a vlog, your nails will touch dry, leaving you able to carry on life like a functioning human being!

Overall, It's a great product that actually works and makes life easier! With the downside that it's a little bit pricey, and it takes a little longer than 60 seconds to dry. Needless to say, painting my nails should be a lot easier now.

I'd love to hear your top tips for speed drying nail polish! Let me know in the comments..

Em xxx

*PR Sample

Bleach London Pastel Hair Christmas Gift Guide!

Christmas is not only the time of year we all spend time with our loved ones, it's also a period of time off from work, school, college and university... which in hand, means time away from rules and dress codes... you see where I'm going with this? 

Bleach London are known to be the experts at cray coloured hair in London. With Salons in Shoreditch and even Topshop, a range of hair dyes that can be bought in drugstores too. Bleach seem to know their stuff. If you've been a fan of the pastel hair trend, or know someone who is, the Christmas period could be the perfect time to experiment with wash in colours to add a little edge to a look. I wanted to share with you my top picks from the Bleach London* Gift range that are all super affordable (and even on 3 for 2 at Boots!) and are a great way to mix up a look. 

Bleach London Spin The Bottle* - £12.00

The Bleach London, Spin The Bottle* gift set is great value for £12.00 and offers a one off opportunity to try so many different colours. It's the type of set that I would have killed to get my hands on as a teenager, and I can imagine a group of friends having so much fun at a sleepover experimenting and creating some great looks.

In the set, you get:
1x Sea Punk Super Cool Colour
1x Washed Up Mermaid Super Cool Colour
1x Violet Skies Super Cool Colour
1x Bullini Super Cool Colour
1x Rose Super Cool Colour
1x Awkward Peach Super Cool Colour

 I will point out though that these shades will not work on dark hair, you will need to have light blonde hair, or highly bleached hair to get the full effect of the shades. These are also Semi Permanent dyes and they will wash out in 2-10 washes, depending on your hair type.

I have three weeks off over the festive period, and I'm hoping to get through at least half of these colours before I go back to work... and you never know, If I like them... I may make one of them a permanent thing.

Bleach London Hold It's Hair Pencil Case Set* - £10.00 

What I love about the Bleach London Hold It's Hair Crayons* is how easy they are to use. At £10.00 it's an incredibly affordable set, that not only fits in to a secret santa budget, but is a great stocking filler too. The set contains 3 different shades that work well together to create an ombre effect, or by using varying amounts of pressure, work well on their own to create a cool 'faux dipdye' hair do. I love using the Rose and Bruised Velvet crayons together to create beautiful pink & ombre looks in my hair and the best thing about these crayons is that they wash out straight away, meaning they're perfect for a cool night out and you can head back into the office the next day without anybody ever knowing...

Bleach London Rose Cool Colour Bauble* - £5.00

The Bleach London Rose Cool Colour Bauble* could well be the ultimate stocking filler for a cool blonde, or light haired friend that you know. At £5.00 it makes a great little gift that is welcome in my stocking any day, you can also stay bang on trend with a Scrunchie... (I still can't believe scrunchies are back in fashion?!). A beautiful rose pink dye that is easy to apply and washes out in 2-10 washes, it could be a great way to mix up your look over the festive period. 

Bleach London Phone Case & Sticker Set* - £10.00 

Finally, a gift idea for the ultimate Tumblr reading, pastel hair loving girl - a great stocking filler is the Bleach London Phone Case & Sticker Set* that even comes with dare I say it, a cute NIT key ring... That's right, a hair nit. The set comes with some cute stickers and the case fits an iPhone 5/5s. At £10.00 it's a cute gift that fans of the brand will enjoy, I'd say this is more towards the young teen age range, and If I wasn't such a clutz who needs a hard bevelled edged case - I'd totally use the case on my phone. 

So those are my picks from the Bleach London Gift range. I'm dying to get to grips with the hair dyes, so stay tuned to see what looks I come up with! I'd love to hear which is your favourite product from the range, let me know  in the comments.

Em xxx

*PR Sample.

Charles Worthington Strength And Repair Split Ends Binder Review

If you dye or style your hair on a regular basis, you may find your hair in need of a little helping hand every so often to tame those split ends in between trims at the salon. I bleach and curl my hair and it would be madness to say that my hair is in perfect condition - it's far from it, but the Charles Worthington Strength & Repair Split Ends Binder* may just be the product that every girl needs in her hair care collection to cheat the appearance of perfect hair.

At £5.99 The Split Ends Binder is more of an affordable keeping up appearances product, rather than a fix all - what I mean by that is that it's not going to solve the underlying cause of the split ends, but it can improve the appearance of those already there and offer them a helping hand to ensure they don't get worse by protecting it. 

It's super simple to use, and I apply it into towel dried, freshly washed hair and blow dry as usual. I've found that once dry, the product doesn't leave a residue, however it does take slightly longer to dry my hair after using this product. 

It's surprising the difference that one little product can make to your hair, and well and truly love using this product to keep unruly split ends under control, and It's certainly earned it's place in my hair care collection.

I'm always on the look out for product recommendations for hair care, so let me know your favourite split ends remedy in the comments,

Em xxx

*PR Sample

Real Techiques Miracle Complexion Sponge Review

The Real Techniques miracle complexion sponge is a product i'd been meaning to pick up for quite some time, but kept forgetting to do so. On a recent supermarket trip whilst visiting my family, I noticed the sponge in the beauty aisle and in a now or never situation... it made it's way into the trolley.

Retailing at £4.99 the sponge is incredibly affordable, and not only that, but it's easy to use too.

To apply my foundation using it, I first soak it under the tap in cool water and squeeze out the excess. I like to dispense a little of my Nars Sheer Glow onto my hand and then in small stages, I'll gently take the flat edge, and begin to apply over my skin, in an almost bouncing sort of way - never dragging. If needed I'll change to the pointed end to make sure the product is applied under my eyes and around my nose, ensuring it's all even and blended out. 

I find that applying my Sheer Glow foundation in this way does make the product more sheer, and gives it a lovely natural dewy look on my skin - which makes a refreshing change.

What I liked about this sponge is how it can be used for different purposes in different ways. One end of the sponge tapers down to a point which is extremely useful for blending out concealer under your eyes, The sides are rounded which makes for easy bouncing of product onto your face and the other end is flat which allows for precision application of foundation or even contouring. 

My only negative with this sponge is that, no matter how much I seem to clean it, it always seems to be stained with foundation - which makes me feel a little uneasy about using it again.

Overall, a great budget buy and one that has made its way into my every day make up essentials... it just leaves me with the question.. How do you store yours? 

Em xxx

December Beauty Wishlist

For my December Beauty Wishlist, I wanted to share with you the products that i've seen constantly raved about on social media which have wriggled their way into my brain. These are the 5 products I'm dying to get my hands on this December.

1. Mac Soft & Gentle £23.00

I see so many beautiful make up looks with gorgeous highlights on Instagram and social media, and many all seem to feature this Mineralize skin finish powder.

2. Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Concealer - $25.00

I'm dying to get my hands on some base products from Kat Von D, and I hear great things about this creamy highly pigmented concealer.

3. Burberry Body Perfume £45.00 

I recieved a sample of this perfume from World Duty Free, It smells divine and I'm hoping it will be my 2015 scent.

4. Zoeva Brushes - €65.00

I've seen so much love for these brushes online and this beautiful Rose Gold Collection is just to die for. 

5. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Facial - £45.00

Another product that is a much loved staple in a beauty bloggers skin care collection. I've read nothing but love and admiration for this product. I wasn't sure about investing, due to the price, but I've not been able to stop thinking about this product since trying it on the back of my hand. 

I'd love to hear from you if you've tried any of the products on this list, or if you too are wishing for them! Let me know your thoughts on them in the comments!

Em xxx

Introducing Blogmas 2014

It's December 1st! Hurrah, we are now edging that extra bit closer to Christmas. With it officially being December, i'm sure that means we can now talk about the festive season without scorn, or worry for being judged for being overly eager.

As this is my first Christmas as a Blogger, i've debated for quite a few days whether or not to join with Blogmas, and I've decided that as Christmas only comes around once a year, I want to join the club and try and come up with a few festive themed posts of my own.

Now, don't worry... normal service will still remain on My Pale Skin, however you may notice some Christmasy themed posted intertwined throughout the month. I'm also going to use this as an opportunity to mix in some other posts on the blog that you may not usually see... some gift guides, party clothes ideas, or if I'm really feeling dangerous... some baking ideas. 

I want to take Blogmas as an opportunity for you guys to really get to know me better, and I'm hoping you wont get bored! So if there's anything in particular you'd like to see, or anything you don't... let me know in the comments!

Em xxx