Stranger Things Eleven Makeup & Costume Tutorial

Anyone else as obsessed with Stranger Things as me? YES? Well then this is the Tutorial for you! 

I wanted to take this costume to the next level, so custom made an Eggo handbag to go with it. I feel like Eleven would love it, and I do too! 

It's super easy to do, and I've actually been wearing the handbag as an everyday throw on my shoulder kinda bag and been getting the most insane compliments on it - people can't believe I made it! I suppose it's the glossy acrylic box that does that? 

The bag it's self is a super cheap acrylic handbag I purchased on eBay HERE for less than £10!! 

I then roped in my ever patient and talented BF to help make a template that fit the exact measurements of the bag. It's so simple to do, just download and print out the PDF we created HERE, cut it out carefully along the outside, fold and pop into the bag! Secure on the inside with a touch of scotch tape and you'll be ready to go before you can even say demogorgon! 

Happy Halloween! 

Em x

I've dyed my hair blue!

You may have read about the time I accidentally dyed my hair purple after an incident with a bottle of purple shampoo. What you may not have read, is that in the few days that the colour lasted in my hair,I began to love having it. Then after listening to all the tweets, comments and emails I received about it - I came to only one conclusion, It was time to mix things up a little bit and delve into the world of pastel hair.  To get this colour hair, I used a mix of semi permanent dyes from La Riche - Directions in Silver, Lilac and Lagoon Blue. 

I'm in my twenties, and I've been bleach blonde for so long, it has kind of become boring. Although I experimented with crazy hair colours in my teens, I haven't really changed up my hair in a long time. One thing I wanted to do in 2015, was get my hair into a style I'm happy with, and keep it that way. Although having blue hair isn't what I had in mind for my new do - I'm going with it and having fun with it until I settle on a new style. 

In terms of a permanent style, all I know is that I want to have a 'root stretch' and incorporate more of my natural dark brown hair colour into whichever look I decide to keep, purely out of laziness so it means I can put less bleach on my hair and keep it in better condition. 

So things are about to get a little more blue around here, and I hope that's okay with you guys too!

Em xxx

Celebrating One Year of My Pale Skin!

I can't believe I'm saying this, but today is the day that My Pale Skin turns one year old. When I started this blog a year ago, I had no idea it would receive the support it has. I didn't have a clue how big the beauty blogging world was, nor did I ever begin to imagine how it would change my life - or that I'd manage to hold onto a hobby for an entire year!

Before I started this blog, I wasn't really in a good place in my life. I had huge confidence issues due to some traumatic experiences I'd faced in the years previously. I also had a lot of spare time, and nothing to fill it with which meant that I felt like I was sort of just coasting through life. My general life pattern was work, internet, eat, sleep, repeat. My social and friendship circle was non existent - I didn't really have any friends, as i'd developed a coping mechanism of  shutting people out to help me deal with a lot of the personal issues I was facing.

My Pale Skin has taught me so much, in such a short amount of time and that's all thanks to you. I can't even begin to express how much it fills me with joy to see that people actually read, comment and even watch what I have to say.  But, here we are - one year and almost 300,000 page views later! I want to say thank you, to all of you, for clicking, tweeting, reading and joining me on my blogging adventure. 

I'm so thankful for all of you for helping me grow, not only as a blogger, but as a person, and a friend. This blog means so much to me, and I can't wait to see where we are, or what we've overcome  this time next year.

I've got some exciting things lined up to help celebrate this occasion, and that includes a full blog makeover! So expect to see some changes happen to the way My Pale Skin looks pretty soon! I'm also hoping to have a content upgrade and produce some more exciting content for you, which is where you come in. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see more of on this blog, what posts you like to read and which you're not too keen on - so do let me know in the comments.

Once again, Thank You. Thank you for reading, sharing and welcoming me into the blogging community. Thank you for helping me reach my first blog anniversary, and thank you for helping me let the light into my life.

Em xxx

Why Life Is too short for matching socks... & other blogging musings.

Running a daily blog, numerous social media channels, being a girlfriend, friend and working a full time job all at the same time means something has to give at some point. For me that thing is matching socks, ironing and making my bed. Granted the previous sentence makes me sound like one hell of a slob, but I can safely say I'm only part slob.

Since I switched to posting daily on My Pale Skin, I've had to make some adjustments to my life, daily routine and schedule. When you work around 50 hours a week and then spend a further 30+ blogging, you learn (or attempt to learn) how best to manage your time and how to make time work for you rather than make yourself race against it.

Essentially, the decisions I'm in control of, in life, boil down to a few questions...

1. Will it make my life easier?
2. What could I be doing instead?
3. Will I get longer in bed?

Now, i'm not saying these three questions will change the world, boost your blog readership or make you queen blogger... but what they can do, is help you to reevaluate how you spend your time to make life easier and more productive. So as an example, let's try out those 3 questions - against the question and scenario of "Should I pair my socks?"

1. Will pairing my socks make my life easier?
In theory, if you like to show of your little sockles, pairing them will make your life easier. However, if like me, you constantly live in jeans and biker boots or ankle boots and can't remember the last time another human being (minus your bf/gf/roommate) even saw your socks, then why waste that time pairing them all up when you can be doing something else instead...

2. What Could I be doing instead of Pairing my Socks?
Writing a blog post, scheduling tweets, editing photos, taking your make up off... the list goes on...

3. Will I get longer in bed?
If you put your laundry away before you go to bed, then the answer is yes. The earlier you get your chores done, the earlier you get to bed. If i'm super tired and putting laundry away at midnight, and i have the decision of pairing a mountain of socks or getting to sleep earlier... sleep wins every time.

Now, i'm not saying you should judge every decision you make in life by these questions but instead to use them in situations where they could be applicable. If you're a long time reader of My Pale Skin, then you'll know that I often struggle to "get out more" and i'm doing my best to learn 'how to friend' as an adult. Sometimes you need to go against short term goals to reach the long term goals and if that means sacrificing a lie in on a Saturday to go to a blogger meet up, or going out for a few drinks after work instead of participating in the blogger chat that night, or vice versa, then don't worry about what the 'norm' is and do what works for you!

One of the things I often forget is that in order to truly write about and appreciate life, you have to live it for yourself and not just read about it. I've been trying my hardest to make the most out of life, and organize around it instead of making my life work against my organization. So far, this seems to be working, I haven't missed a day since I begain blogging daily and these 3 little questions have helped me.

So embrace the random things that life throws at you, go against what the 'norm' is and do what works for you. If that means an extra ten minutes in bed and socks that don't match? Do it. If that means staying in to talk to online friends rather than 'real life friends' do that too! 

If you had an extra 20 minutes each week to do something, what would you drop, and what would do with that time? Let me know in the comments as i'd love to hear!

Em xxx

My Top 5 Everyday Lipsticks for Pale Skin

I often get asked about my favourite lipsticks, which products I'm currently wearing and what products work for pale skin... If you're a long time reader of My Pale Skin then you'll know about my love nude and pink lipsticks, as they're part of my staple every day look.

I find myself constantly reaching for the same products and I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the ones I've been obsessed with over the past few months.

1. Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Lipstick - Peach On The Beach*

I love this peachy coral shade and how it can lift and brighten a look in an instant. I've been wearing this shade so much over the summer and i'm almost convinced I can still make it work in the winter... I love how easy these are to apply and how effortlessly cool they look on.

2. NYX Matte Lipstick - Tea Rose

This is the first NYX lipstick I ever purchased and It's my go to shade for when I need a make up look to carry me from day to night. I love this Rosy shade like to really go for a full matte look when wearing it. The NYX matte lipsticks have a great formula that apply really easily without tugging and don't feel overly drying on the lips either. This Tea Rose colour compliments pale skin so well. I love it.

3. Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick - #26 Beige Demographic*

Possibly the best nude lipstick i've tried in a long time. Bourjois have the Shine Edition Nude lipstick nailed. This shade is actually the perfect pale skin 'my lips but better' shade and to top it off this range has a great formula which is made up from 1/4 gloss! 

4. B. Rich Intense Colour Lipstick - Doll's House

I randomly bought the B. Rich Intense Colour Lipstick quite a while back. It was my first and also only purchase so far from this brand. I love this natural peach shade. It has a beautiful satin finish and adds a touch of glamour and elegance to an every day look.

5. Mac Matte Lipstick - Pink Plaid

Now you might be wondering why I have two lipsticks which look remarkably similar in my top 5. I Have to say, that having never compared Mac Pink Plaid and NYX Tea Rose side by side before, I can't say I ever noticed. Mac Pink Plaid was the first Mac lipstick I ever purchased and I'm so in love with this shade. It's a slightly lighter shade than the Tea Rose, less deep and wears slightly more pink. If I had to choose just one lipstick for here on in - this would be it.

I love these shades, and If you have any recommendations for others based on these favourites - do let me know in the comments.  I'd love to hear which shade from my Top 5 is your favourite!

Em xxx

August Beauty Wishlist

There are a quite a few products I've found myself pining for this month, so i thought I'd share with you what's currently on my High-End August Wish List!

1. Tarte Limited Edition Amazonian Clay Palette

It seems like no matter where I go on the internet, I keep running into some gorgous looks created using this palette or the V2. I really wish we could buy Tarte products more easily here in the UK. I'll keep wishing, as I'm not sure I can justify an entire Sephora international order for one palette just yet...

2. Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette

There are so many things that are amazing about this palette. You can now mix and match and choose individual pans to make the perfect contour palette  for your skin tone!! As a cool toned pale skinned girl, this makes me so happy... however, it's another product I wish was sold in stores in the UK. Sadly at the moment it's sold out at Cult Beauty so you'd need to import from the US. 

3. Nars  Creamy Concealer Chantilly

The Nars Creamy Concealer is a product I was actually hoping to pick up about 2 weeks ago.. however after a not so great experience at Space NK, I left empty handed. I'm still hoping to pick this up, so I may try to head to Liberty to grab one soon! I'm currently wearing the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, and would love to upgrade.

4. Naked 2 Basics Palette

I am so excited for this Palette to be released. The Naked 2 Basics Palette is filled with 6 cool toned matte shades, and I swear when I pick this little baby up, it will be on my face every day.

5. By Terry, Ombre Blackstar Eyeshadow - #09 Velvet Orchid

At £28.00 for 1.2g of product, the Ombre Blackstar eye shadows are not cheap. However, they are long lasting, luxurious and beautiful to wear. I recently picked up Frozen Quartz, and I have my eye on Velvet Orchid next... I'm slowly aiming to collect the whole set.

Have you tried any of these products?? Which would you recommend? Let me know in the comments...
Em xxx

My 100th Blog Post!

I can't believe i'm writing this, but this is the 100th post on My Pale Skin. I started this blog at the end of January as a creative outlet, a hobby and after some persuasion by some make up obsessed online friends. The past 7 months have flown by, and I find it crazy how much of a whirlwind it has been. I've made new friends, been to some incredible events, bought products I never knew I needed, upped my photography game, improved my confidence, and most importantly I've had fun.

I've started a YouTube channel, worked with some great brands, learnt how to use Instagram, hauled, created tutorials, tweeted over 5000 times. I've had 50,000 people see what I look like without make up on (scary) and as cliche as it sounds, I feel like I've grown as a person.

I've loved every minute of blogging, which is probably a good thing as it takes up nearly every minute of my spare time and I'm excited for the future of My Pale Skin. I'm working to improve it and better it every day.

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to those of you who not only inspired me to create this blog, but for reading, supporting, encouraging me and welcoming me into the blogging community.

I look forward to the next 100 posts, meeting new people and learning new skills. I'm always interested in honest feedback, and would love to hear what you'd like to see more - or less of in the future. So if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them in the comments.

Thank you for joining me on this journey!

Em xxx

Foundations For Pale Skin: Pale Test #7 MUA Undress Your Skin Review!

I get asked on an almost daily basis which foundations and concealers are the best for pale skin tones, and this series is going to explore all different types of  products from varying brands and at all price levels which will hopefully help you to make a decision on which foundation and concealer is right for you! 

In universal skin tone terms.. I'm an NC15 in Mac. However, Mac isn't really doing it for me at the moment, so i'm on the hunt for a replacement that will be the perfect foundation for My Pale Skin. 

Product: MUA Undress Your Skin

Price: £5.00

Packaging:  The MUA Undress Your Skin Foundation comes in a plastic tube with a screw on lid. It's unoffensive, but certainly not the prettiest. The problem with this packaging is that it has no structure. What I mean by that is that the tube is fairly flexible, but the contents are surprisingly runny! Be prepared for volcanic eruption of foundation upon opening and for the love of make up, do not squeeze the tube hard when the lid is off.

Coverage: The product gives a medium - full coverage.

Colour:  MUA Undress Your Skin comes in 3 colours. I chose the lightest shade - Porcelain. I find the colour to be a slightly odd one. It has a sort of Salmon undertone to it which oxidizes and becomes ashy in places. It certainly was not a good look when I tried it.

Finish:  I expected this product to give a illuminating glow, with a smooth even coverage. What I actually got was a salmon ash cake face. It is not the easiest product to apply, i'm not a fan of the formula and I couldn't get it to work.

Final Verdict:  If your skin tone is similar to mine, save your £5 and buy a slice of cake instead. The MUA Undress Your Skin foundation has FAILED the pale test. I like MUA, and I think they have some amazing products, but this to me was a let down. I don't know what I expected, but I certainly expected one aspect of the product worked, but I wasn't a fan of any of it. I don't like posting overly negative reviews... but yeah, I couldn't see any redeeming qualities which is such a shame.

As Always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this foundation or what you'd like me to try next, let me know in the comments.
Em xxx

Foundations For Pale Skin: Pale Test #6 Mac Prep+Prime BB Beauty Balm - Extra Light

I get asked on an almost daily basis which foundations and concealers are the best for pale skin tones, and this series is going to explore all different types of  products from varying brands and at all price levels which will hopefully help you to make a decision on which foundation and concealer is right for you! 

In universal skin tone terms.. I'm an NC15 in Mac. However, Mac isn't really doing it for me at the moment, so i'm on the hunt for a replacement that will be the perfect foundation for My Pale Skin. 

Product: Mac Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm - Extra Light

Price: £24.00 

Packaging:  The Mac Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm comes in a sparkly plastic tube which a screw on lid. The lid is made out of standard Mac matte black plastic ... the material that no matter how much I try, I can't seem to get away from. The packaging doesn't really have the wow factor, but it is functional.

Coverage: The product gives a light coverage, it can be built up to a certain extent, but if you're looking for a product that will fully cover blemishes without the need for a concealer, this is likely not the product for you.

Colour:  The Mac Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm in Extra Light is on the warmer side of the pale spectrum as it has a slightly beige/pink undertone to it, make sure you check it in daylight if you have yellow or cool undertoned skin.

Finish: This product gives a luminous dewy finish that naturally blends into the skin without looking heavy. It enhances the skin, and I find that on my pale skin it gives it more life and stops it looking dull.

Final Verdict: I wasn't sure what to make of this product at first as it's so different to anything i'm used to wearing. The Mac Prep + Prime offers a similar amount of coverage to a tinted moisturiser, and is the perfect product for hot summer days as it offers 35spf. It's light, easy to apply and the finish is natural enough to look like you aren't wearing anything at all. However, if you're looking for a product which will cover blemishes or dark circles then you may be disappointed with this one as you will need to pair it with a full coverage concealer to mask any problem areas.

In regards to colour, i'm pleased to report that it has PASSED the pale test, although if you have cool toned skin, make sure you check it in daylight for peace of mind. The one major downside with this product I do have to warn about is that if you get it in your eyes - it stings like crazy! So make sure you take your time when applying near the eye area. Quite a few times I had to bathe my eyes after getting a bit happy with the foundation brush... I do think this product is worth a shot if you're prepared to stump up the £24.00 and if you're on the fence, ask for a sample to try it out before you buy!

As Always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this foundation or what you'd like me to try next, let me know in the comments.
Em xxx

Foundations For Pale Skin: Pale Test #5 - NARS Sheer Glow, Siberia

I get asked on an almost daily basis which foundations and concealers are the best for pale skin tones, and this series is going to explore all different types of  products from varying brands and at all price levels which will hopefully help you to make a decision on which foundation and concealer is right for you! 

In universal skin tone terms.. I'm an NC15 in Mac. However, Mac isn't really doing it for me at the moment, so i'm on the hunt for a replacement that will be the perfect foundation for My Pale Skin. 

Product: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation - Sibera (Light 1)

Price: £31.00 

Packaging:  The foundation comes in a thick glass bottle with a matte black screw cap.  The foundation does not come with a pump, and you will have to purchase one separately, I didn't now this when I  purcahsed it, so just a heads up. The packaging feels luxe, however I'm not a fan of porous black matte packaging on foundations - purely down to the fact that they take so long to clean and remove any signs of product which has made it's way onto the outside of the lid.

Coverage: I find the Product gives a medium to full coverage. It's a buildable foundation, and applying in different ways will give you a different coverage. For a sheer look, try using a beauty blender and for a full coverage, try using a brush such as the real techniques expert face brush. I like to buff mine in using a buffing brush such as the Nanshy flat top buffer.

Colour:  The Nars Sheer Glow foundation in Siberia is the lightest of the entire range. I'm so happy to have found this foundation, as it seems to be the perfect shade for my pale skin, with no orange tones to be seen!

Finish: Although it's called 'Sheer glow' I find that when you first apply it, the foundation does have a dewy glow, however, after buffing I find that It does seem to transform more to the matte end of the spectrum. If you're looking for a dewy foundation, you may find yourself disappointed with the glow not being overly obvious in this one.

Final Verdict: At £31.00, The Nars Sheer glow foundation is the most expensive I've ever purchased, and certainly one i'd recommend you swatch and test to make sure you're happy with before splashing out on it. I love the coverage, and the subtle 'glow' which is more of a sheen, that this product gives. The Nars Sheer Glow in Siberia (Light 1)  I'm happy to report has PASSED the pale test with flying colours.

As Always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this foundation or what you'd like me to try next, let me know in the comments.
Em xxx

Foundations For Pale Skin: Pale Test #4 - Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream (31)

I get asked on an almost daily basis which foundations and concealers are the best for pale skin tones, and this series is going to explore all different types of  products from varying brands and at all price levels which will hopefully help you to make a decision on which foundation and concealer is right for you! 

In universal skin tone terms.. I'm an NC15 in Mac. However, Mac isn't really doing it for me at the moment, so i'm on the hunt for a replacement that will be the perfect foundation for My Pale Skin. 

Product: Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream* is a product I often see discussed on twitter.  Famed for it's ability to even out skin tones and give a 'lighter than air' coverage.

Packaging:  The foundation comes in a plastic tube with a screw on cap. It doesn't feel lux, but the lid shouldn't come off in your bag as it screws on quite tightly.

Coverage: I find the Product gives a light coverage. If you have dark circles or break out areas, you will need to pair this with a good concealer as it it very unlikely it will cover any problem areas.

Colour:  The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream* is available in 4 shades from Boots. I've been testing out the lightest shade from the range which is Shade 31 - Ivory. However, as I've found with nearly every Bourjois foundation or concealer i've tried - the colours are off. For some reason Bourjois make their base products in an extremely limited colour selection which is a shame, as I've heard so many lovely things. I wasn't too surprised to see that shade Ivory, was more natural beige.

Finish: Bourjois have added some light reflective pigments to this foundation which really does give a lovely dewy glow to the skin.

Final Verdict: At £9.99 it's a great dewy product, however if you have Pale Skin like me I wouldn't bother. Unsurprisingly, Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream* has FAILED the pale test. I'd say that from an NC25 and above, give it a swatch, and make sure you check it in daylight. But sadly, it won't be one i'll be using.

As Always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this foundation or what you'd like me to try next, let me know in the comments.
Em xxx

My Space NK Haul!

Sometimes, a little retail therapy is just the pick me up I need, so on Monday I headed to Space NK for a browse and to buy some Nars Sheer Glow Foundation. Believe it or not, this was actually my first ever Nars Purchase!

I feel like such a fraud as a beauty blogger saying that, but for some reason, Nars has always been one of those brands that I've never actually managed to add to my collection, but not for the want of trying. I must have the worst luck, as a few weeks ago I went into 4 different stores and called around but nowhere had the Siberia Sheer Glow in Stock. After calling the store on and discovering it was back in, I made sure I headed there to pick it up. At £31.00 It's one of the priciest foundations I've purchased, but I'm hoping it will be worth every penny as I've read so many great reviews about it. 

However... that wasn't the only thing I came home with! 

Monday afternoon, I mentioned on twitter that I had been lusting after one of the By Terry, Ombre Blackstar Eyeshadow Sticks but at £28.00 for a single eye shadow, I wasn't sure if I wanted it enough to justify the price tag. Upon posting this to twitter, let's just say my news feed got a little hectic, with tweets flooding in half gasping at the price to half telling me to buy it. I soon discovered that twitter is full of bad spending influences! Here are a few of my favourite tweets from some enablers...

Remind me never to actually go shopping with that lot in person as I'd be bankrupt before I even step foot into the shops! 

Even though it has the most difficult packaging in the world to photograph, i'm so in love with my Frozen Quartz, By Terry Ombre Blackstar Eye Shadow already, and I'm so glad the girls encouraged me to buy it, because it's one of the best purchases I've made in a while. I'm looking forward to trying it out and sharing the results with you all!

Have you tried any of the By Terry Ombre Blackstar eyeshadows?? Let me know in the comments... 

Em xxx