Monday 31 October 2011

Beauty Tutorial: Halloween Dead Geisha Look


This is my dead geisha look. People love to look dead on Halloween. Others love to look provocative. So I figured I'd combine the two in this sophisticated look! All of these products were purchased with my own money and I haven't been paid to endorse them;

Maybelline Superstay 24 hr Concealer in Light Beige - £6.19 at www.boots.com

InColor FabuLiner Liquid Eye Liner in Brown - $1.99 at Walgreens

Collection 2000 Pressed Powder in Ivory - £1.99 at Superdrug

M&S Talcum Powder - £1 at Marks and Spencer

Urban Decay Primer Potion - £18 at Debenhams

Fluff Brush - £5.99 at Ecotools at www.boots.com

MAC Frankly Scarlett Blush - £17.00 at MAC

InColour Fabuliner Liquide Eye Liner in Black - $1.99 at Walgreens

Sally Hansen Lash Curlers - $5.99 at Walgreens

Benefit BadGal Lash Mascara in Black - £16.50 at www.boots.com

RED LIPSTICK OLD

Ecotools Lipstick brush – Bought in a set of mini brushes for £4.99 at www.boots.com

Benefit Hoola Bronzer - £23.50 at www.boots.com

EcoTools Bamboo Contour Brush - £9.99 at www.boots.com

Ecotools Blush Brush - £7.99 at www.boots.com

MUA Eye Shadow in Shade 23 Pearl - £1 at

SuperdrugFake Blood - £2.50 at my local fancy dress shop

Hope you liked it! One more Halloween Beauty Tutorial yet to come... If you have any requests then please let me know :)

If you are interested, please follow me on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/hautefuture

Keep track of my YouTube Channel where I post new tutorials, hauls and tags all the time! You can find it at:http://www.youtube.com/HauteFuture

Also check out my facebook page at:http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Please rate, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)
Thanks for watching, beauties.
Love
gabriellasofia
x

Saturday 29 October 2011

Beauty Tutorial: Halloween Sexy Vampire Look





This is the first of three Halloween Make-Up Tutorials that I'll be uploading today and tomorrow. This is the Vampire Look and I hope you like it. My top tips with Halloween Make-Up are that you can never use too much... and to only use cheap stuff. You don't want to be piling on £50 worth of eyeshadow when you can get well-pigmented pots from MUA at Superdrug for free!

Here is a list of the products I used, and where you can get them... all the products used were purchased with my own money and I'm not being paid by the companies at all;

InColor FabuLiner Liquid Eye Liner in Brown - $1.99 at Walgreens
MUA Eye Shadow in Pearl - £1 at Superdrug
Fluff Brush - £5.99 at Ecotools at www.boots.com
Mini Fluff Brush -- OLD
Barry M Dazzle Dust in BLACK 91 - £4.50 at www.boots.com
17 Black Eye Shadow in Darkness - £3.99 at www.boots.com
Topshop CRAYON in Black Jack - £5.00 at www.topshop.com
Grow Luscious by Revlon - £7.99 at www.boots.com
Red Lipstick -- OLD
MAC Frankly Scarlett Blush - £17.00 at MAC
EcoTools Bamboo Contour Brush - £9.99 at www.boots.com
MAC Nightmoth Lip Liner - £14.00 at MAC
Fake Blood - £2.50 at my local fancy dress shop

Anyway, I hope you liked it! If you have any tutorial requests then let me know :)

If you are interested, please follow me on Twitter at:
www.twitter.com/hautefuture

Keep track of my channel where I post lots of tutorials, hauls and more:
http://www.youtube.com/HauteFuture

Also check out my facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Please rate, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, beauties.

Love
gabriellasofia x

Monday 17 October 2011

An Idea Is Born...

Do you ever have an idea where it just pops into your head and you think, YES! Well, I've recently had one that I'm super-excited about...

I don't want to tell you too much, just in case it doesn't come off (it would be a MASSIVE project for me and my partener - if I get the partener I want - perhaps a little too ambitious, but you know a little ambition never killed anyone!) However, I will tell you that it revolves around my plans for what to do next year.

'What are you planning on doing after uni?' Is the question that all final-year degree students greet with clammy palms, a palid expression and a raised heartbeat. Throw in a dry mouth and raging pulse and you've got a perfectly normal response to the 'future-related' question. With graduate employment at an all time low and masters courses raising in prices, most final-years mumble something about taking a gap year and living with their parents before rapidly changing the subject.

You know what I'm like, optimistic, ever-positive and most importantly full of drive, passion and ambition. So I've kind of ignored all of the reasons that most final-years are running home to a part-time job and mummy's cooking, because no-one ever got anywhere by undershooting, right?

And still, my ideas are all over the place. This is the first time I've revealed any or all of them in a public forum but I figured that since I have so many ideas, I may as well go ahead and vocalise them, so here goes;

1) I might campaign to be Guild President at my student's union in May of next year. The role runs from around June/July time and lasts for a year. It is a paid position, but not an awful lot, but it will give me another year to live the life of a student whilst earning some good money doing something I care about... Good shout!

2) I could find a casual-hours job and while away all of my days off writing this blog and organising work experience placements on magazines.

3) Applying for a Magazine or Beauty Journalism course at either London City University or London College of Fashion is my third option. However, this would cost me at least £9000 for a year-long course. Plus, both courses are ridiculously competetive to get onto and require me to study for a whole other year!!! Scary prospect...

4) I could go travelling across the world having organised magazine work experience placements in many different countries. Only problem with this is that I probably wouldn't make any money whilst travelling which means that financially I will be worse off by the end of it. Having said that, I might stand a better chance of getting a good job if I get an impressive amount of placements. Catch 22 or what?

5) I could apply for paid internships or graduate schemes with Beauty PR, Magazines or any company with a blog (eg. Topshop, benefit etc). However, this sort of internship or grad scheme come few and far between, although I have already identified one with Conde Nast and another with Glossybox.

Now, if you think those ideas are ambitious then you've got another thing coming, because this new secret idea is about ten times bigger than any of them, but it is rapidly becoming my favorite! There are only four people (apart from my mom, sister and dad) who know about this secret, and I'm absolutely 100% not telling anyone else anything about it. Apart from you guys, who will get little hints here and there. Here are the first few;

IF this pulls off then I should be able to divulge every detail by July AT THE LATEST.
IF I and my partner decide to go for it, it will include a relatively big investment for someone of my age, in time and money.
IF I go for it, then it's likely I will be based in Birmingham.
IF it is successful then I should have the opportunity to do a similar thing elsewhere in the country, but I would need at least a year of success before a decision like that is made.
IF I get to do it like I want to do it, then it will be massively involved in the two areas that I am most passionate about - Fashion and Beauty.

And that's all you're getting! It would be a big project to take on, and even if I don't go for it this time round I definitely have plans of doing so at some point in my life.

So there you go. This is definitely going to be my Best Kept Secret in ages, so don't try and squeeze it out of me, haha :)

Anyways, let me know if you've ever had an idea you were nervous about other people knowing. I'm sure I'm not the only one!

Love as always and stay tuned for more hints!
gabriellasofia

Sunday 16 October 2011

Knowing Your Worth...

So this is a post all about female empowerment, knowing how great you are and NEVER letting a guy make you feel small (even if, like me, you're only 5 foot 1!)

Recently, my best friend Vikki's douchebag boyfriend made all my dreams come true, by becoming her ex. Of course, that makes me feel like a massive bitch, because the beautiful Vikki (who can be found at her lovely blog Victoria's Vintage http://victorias-vintage.blogspot.com/) was quite upset by it. However, I know that she'll be much better off in the long run, because she is a million miles cleverer, sexier and funnier than I think he will ever be and that's just a few of the attributes which make me love her.

It makes me sad that she's not the only girl out there who is made to feel worthless by the guys in their life. It needs to stop.

Guys that don't respect you, don't deserve your respect! Simples. Even if the way he abuses you isn't as obvious as physical or sexual abuse, it still counts and he needs to lay off. Verbal, mental and emotional abuse are just as detrimental to your health as those types which leave bruises on your body and we shouldn't stand for it.

If he says you are ugly, know that you're gorgeous. If he says no-one likes you, call your friends. If he says he doesn't love you, find people that do. So, I guess it is easier said than done. Especially if you've been in a long relationship, no-one wants to break up with someone and feel like they've wasted all that time. Not to mention that getting back 'on the market' as such is never easy... You wonder, 'Will I ever find anyone else I love as much as I did with him? Will guys even think I'm attractive? Have I lost my appeal???' And you know what, I have to tell you that yes, you probably have lost your appeal... But only because he's taken your sparkle away and each extra day you waste being with him his insults and under-appreciation of you will steal another fleck of the glitter that makes you quintessentially you!

You know the best results come from taking steps we are afraid of. So take it! Ditch the loser. If you don't, you know you'll only be in the same position tomorrow or next week or next month and life is too short to throw away.

If you need another push, find a friend or sister or your mom and make them write a list of why they love you. Read it, then see that you are better off without him. Then be without him.

No-one ever said it would be easy! Actually, it will be really hard, I'm not going to lie. There will be days where you feel lonely, or sad, or even angry. Like, why did this happen to you? Why are you the one that ended up with a waste of space? Why didn't it work out? Are you a failure? What could you have done better? There must be something, and YOU couldn't work it out. Well, let me tell you that it's not your fault. If he couldn't see the amazing girl he had in front of him, and treat her as such, then he's the idiot, not you for choosing him.

The fact of the matter is, it happens to the best of us. We choose guys who we think are perfect for us at the time, then they end up being yet another frog and in the process turns us into a bit of an ogress... (I think I'm mixing up my fairytales...) And we all have to pay for it, by feeling really grim for days, weeks or months. But one day, you have to give yourself a slap in the face and just say, 'SNAP OUT OF IT!'

Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Stop looking for answers. Stop contacting him. Stop talking about him. Stop dressing yourself for just in case you see him. Stop dreaming about him. Stop whining to your friends. Stop thinking you're a mess. Or if you can't stop, then fake it until you make it! It really will get better, I promise, and if it doesn't then you can come after me and I'll perform a forfeit of your choice :) Anything you choose. THAT'S how confident I am that you will rise above it.

So ditch the douche and rediscover all those things that you used to love about yourself! Pursue a project or catch up on your songwriting, blog posting or picture painting. Go for a run, join a club or make up a dance routine. Do something by yourself that will help you remember who you can be without him pushing you down.

Go chase your sparkle! That's what we all love you for and it's because we hope that there will be that light at the end of the tunnel that we are weathering the storm right now. We know that you're worth waiting for... just don't make us wait too long :)

You're worth a million of any guy that puts you down. Just remember that. Knowing your worth is the sexiest thing a girl can do, so be confident and do what makes you happy. I'll be right behind you!

Love as always
gabriellasofia

How I'm Wearing the New Season's Trends...



It's been a nightmare so far this autumn trying to decide what to wear each day as, here in England, the weather has been so remarkably unpredictable... Some days it's been so warm I've been able to go out without tights on or a jacket, whilst others I've been throwing on knits and waterproof jackets! At least you're about to see A LOT of outfit diversity. Let's get on with the fashion show :)

In the photo to the left I was off to visit my boyfriend and meet his family for the first time in Cambridge so I wanted to make a good - respectable - impression... I think I achieved it. I've got on a sharp-looking blazer from Forever 21! I picked it up in the States this summer, and think it's perfect for that androgynous look that's been all over the catwalks for Autumn/Winter 2011. I'm just wearing it with a simple black t-shirt as it was relatively warm that day, and you can also see I have no tights on. Nonetheless, I couldn't bring myself to totally summer-it-up with gladiator sandals, so went for a more season-suitable flat; the black brogue again in-keeping with the slightly masculine trend. Offsetting that, I incorporated a bit of femininity with this cute floaty mini-skirt with a pink, lavender, black and peach watercolor print. Many of the pieces in this post can be found in my Fall Haul video posted on YouTube a few weeks back. If you missed it, then check it out by following this link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=4dTbp0uQL6s

Next up is an outfit which I wore for my mom's birthday meal out. As you can see I've done a cheeky repeat of the jacket (I'm all for repeats... we're living in a recession after all!) However, this time I wore the buttons open and teamed it with a navy, chiffon skirt with cream lining as a nod to the nautical trend of the summer (it was still hot weather, so I figured this was permissible!) I wore this cute little wine-colored cotton vest top tucked in, cinched at the waist with a brown woven belt and my matching Miss Selfridge platform wedges.

I'd curled all of my hair with my curling wand by
Babyliss. As for my make-up look, I sported a pretty, soft, neutral eye with lashings of mascara, a super-groomed brow, rosy cheeks and a Pinot Noir colored lip thanks to MAC! This has been my daily make-up look so far this season.

Ok, so this outfit repeating is getting a bit out of hand now, I know... but as a self-confessed Recessionista who is in love with her blazer-cute-skirt-combo, I can hardly resist! What does it matter anyway?
It's not like I don't work it out by changing up the accessories, right? So, this is what I wore for the Inspire and Mentor lecture with Marie Claire about How to Get Into The Beauty Industry... I did a blog review of the event which can be found if you just click on this link; http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2011/09/marie-claire-inspire-and-mentor-how-to.html Anyways, as you can see, this time I wore the outfit with a pair of granite-colored opaque wooly tights which I just love (it was getting a little nippy out!) And my heeled tan brogues to give me some height among all those glamorous magazine-types. I accessorized with gold jewelry like this gothic cross necklace I picked up at Forever 21 this summer, plus a dainty gold bracelet I was given for my 15th birthday... Unfortunately, you can't see the bracelet :(

Now, the weather was getting chillier, and yet the sun was shining to its heart's content, so I wore warm-ish clothes to go mooching around the shops, whilst keeping the fabrics relatively cosy.

These cute cord mustard shorts were bought this summer from Delia's and they have these adorable little flowers on the cord in autumn colors like jade and deep pinks which matched perfectly with this slouchy jumper and ribbed tights! I wore my cross necklace again because I love it, then put on these little shoe boots that are super comfy, courtesy of (you've guessed it...) Forever 21.


One weekend a couple of weeks ago, my boyfriend came to visit and we went for a walk around a lake near to my house. The weather was cold and looked pretty rainy, so I decided to layer it up, big-time. I wore this black flowery dress with my biker-boots bought in my local market for about £15 last winter (bargain!)

I chucked on an old denim shirt I found on the Topshop sale the January before last. Due to the rain, my mom forced me to wear this uber-cool (SARCASM) rain-jacket over the top, and I added her black pashmina as a scarf because it really was quite cold. As before, I cinched the shirt with my woven belt, kept my legs warm with grey tights and carried my vital belongings - lipstick and other necessary things for a lake-walk - in my slouchy black Topshop handbag.

On one of my days out in London I really wanted to dress warm, but also, fashionable! So I gave the teddy-boy trend the 'old college try'. I paired this plaid green shirt with my shoe-boots from before as the colors are ever to similar. Then again, I sported the trust grey tights, plus this tan skirt with a orangey-brown belt which almost matched perfectly in color with the button down vest whose collar I had poking over the top of the outer shirt. This was a decision I made simply because of how cold it was outside, but I really liked the double collar look and as collars are set to be diverse this season (Peter Pan collars, fur collars etc) I figure it was a cool new take on the trend! My make-up was kept pretty simple with a neutral lipstick in Rumour Has It from Topshop and a dusting of blusher, and my hair bun was similarly fuss-free, but again this look should be quite familiar as it's been in mags all season!

As for outerwear, I threw on a faux-fur gillet I got in Topshop last A/W and my leather jacket bought for a steal at $20 in Papaya during a family holiday a couple of years back but I couldn't track down any pictures of that :( However, here's another London outfit I wore that weekend with the same faux-fur gillet and leather jacket combo, and the skirt is in cord from Topshop... How cute is the pattern? Who says florals are for summer?! Not me.

Again, I am an ITEM REPEATER with the shoe boots and plaid shirt, but with these rust-colored high-waisted peg-legs and my sisters Topshop cover of a Barbour jacket, I loved this blokey look! I think it would look better if I was a little taller, and yet I think I look a bit country - in a good way - like, a farmer's chic daughter who is dating the handsome stable-boy perhaps... Oh, to dream!

Finally, at the train station on the way to uni the other day, I looked down and though, dang, you look like a little rock chick! So I asked my lovely uncle who was visiting for a couple of weeks to snap this shot and honestly, I strutted around uni more confident than ever before... the rock chick look is really quite empowering - who knew? The shorts are from Forever 21, the little T-Shirt is from Topshop and so are the biker-boots with a little heel. I actually love these shoes so much that I got them re-heeled instead of buying a new pair as they are no longer in stores (I've had them at least two years now...) As usual, I'm rocking the leather jacket and grey tights look... perhaps I need lots and lots more clothes! Haha. If only my student loan would allow it, eh?





Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my little How I've Been Wearing the Trends post! Let me know what you've been wearing so far this season, I could always do with some new ideas :) Take care and tell your friends to follow please!

Love
gabriellasofia

Thursday 13 October 2011

Top Tips for Bikini Wax Virgins...


If you've never been for a wax, then I know what you're thinking; 'No. No. No. It's not for me.' Well, I'd say that's a shame! Are you really prepared to give up having a neat bikini-line just because you're too chicken to endure fifteen minutes of discomfort? After all, variety is the spice of life! I'd tell every girl (and maybe even guy) out there to suck it up and try something new for a change... it's not like it wouldn't grow back if you changed your mind at a later date.

So why is waxing the way to go with hair removal? Well, unlike shaving where you can't quite catch every stray without nicking yourself or taking hours of standing, legs spread, over a mirror, waxing is something a professional can do for you and it is over in minutes. Not to mention, hairs tend to grow back finer after a wax rather than stubbly after a shave, and as the hair is tugged straight from the root rather than slicing the visible part of the hair off, nasty ingrowns are less likely and the smoothness lasts for 3-6 weeks (depending on your rate of hair growth) in comparison to the 2-4 days with shaving. AND you don't get shaving rash, but quite the opposite as most wax formulas these days are infused with aloe vera and the like to sooth skin and keep it soft also.

Perhaps you prefer depilatory creams for hair removal on your legs, or underarms? Why not use them down there, I hear you ask? Well, pluck a hair from your leg, then pluck one from your bikini-line. Obviously the latter is much thicker, which means you would need to leave the depilatory formula on for longer than you would with your legs... This is longer than is advised on the bottles and leaving the creams on for too long can irritate your skin and in extreme cases, burn it off. Not to mention that it probably still wouldn't touch the hairs! Again, even if it did, it wouldn't dissolve the hair from the root, meaning that ingrown hairs and quicker re-growth are to be expected.

Threading, epilating and plucking? Don't be so ridiculous! You don't have time for that nonesense and anyway, why would you want to drag the pain out?

So now you see, waxing is really the only way. Now that you know this, perhaps you need some tips to get you wax virgins out there started. Here goes...

1) DON'T do it yourself until you've had it done a few times first. Unless you want to rip your skin off. Raw is a look for meat, not bikini-lines.

2) DO research salons and DON'T just go to the cheapest one. If your hairdressers do waxing and you're pleased with their work on your head, give them a try down there. If not, then ask friends or your mom for a recommended salon. Otherwise, check the papers; there are often salon adds in there and having an add in the paper means they have money, meaning they earned money by being bikini-wax-wizards. Probably.

3) DO appear confident and like you know what you're doing there. Just like hairdressers and beauticians, these artists can sometimes get carried away with their own 'vision' and push you into something you may not be after.
If you didn't go in there wanting your pubic hair shaped into a rose, or ten grand's worth of Swarovski crystals on your bits then don't come out with it! Simples.

4) DO start slowly unless you're absolutely sure of what you want. If it's your first time and you are only just coming round to the idea of waxing then just have things neatened up a bit. If you've been sporting a power-muff for years, coming out with what my friend once charmingly referred to as a 'chicken-arse fanny' might be a bit of a shock to the system.

5) DO take a painkiller before and DON'T go during your period. As well as pain thresholds being lower during that 'time of the month' you also don't want to make a mess when your tampon string gets stuck on a wax strip... Grim.

6) DON'T be shy. Each day beauty therapists wax bikini-lines, ball sacks and butt cracks. It's really nothing new! If you are feeling a bit timid then DO wear a skirt so you don't have to properly remove your clothes and take some small knickers with you. The therapist may ask for you to remove your knickers, or she might be able to give you a paper pair which might allow more space for manoevre. However, if you want it all off, it's way easier for both parties if you stop being a baby and wang off the panties.

7) DO take a look at the job and have a feel before you leave. A pet hate of mine is to be having a shower and then find three random hairs that somehow managed to escape the Wax Massacre. If you want a full Hollywood (like a baby's bottom... literally) then you might want to offer to flip over so she can make sure you're taken care of at 'every angle' if you know what I mean. Make sure you leave with it exactly like you intended, because once you're home it's so much more of a hassle to go back in, row with the therapist so you don't have to pay more for her to finish her job, or try to do it yourself.

8) DO chat with the therapist and follow her instructions. When you first go in she might ask you to lift your skirt, remove your knickers and bend one leg to the side. Then she might ask you to hold the skin taut or hold your clothes out of the way. Do as she says. You don't want her to hurt you, now do you?

9) DO use moisturiser afterwards. Most salons with use an oil to remove any wax residue afterwards and this is usually full of essential oils to sooth the skin, but a layer of body butter will really seal in that moisturiser.

10) DON'T cry and think you've made a massive mistake when you're skin is looking pink and puckered. It's supposed to look that way, I promise! Just keep it moisturised and cotton-pantied for 24 hours then take another look. You'll love it... and so will he... or she... whatever floats you boat!

So I hope those tips really help. I genuinely think that everyone should at least try new things as often as possible, and it's those that scare you that end to have the biggest pay-offs. Go for it and you'll never look back :) Let me know how it goes!

Love
gabriellasofia

Sunday 2 October 2011

Who's THAT Girl? - Amelia Buxton

So this is a new feature that I thought I'd try out on you guys... It's called 'Who's THAT Girl?' and basically the whole idea is that I'm going to scout out girls who I think are beautiful, strong, intelligent, full of personality, and most importantly, have a killer wardrobe!

As this is my first of this type of post, I've been lucky in that I haven't had to look far for my girl crush... incest-ually enough, it's my little sister Amelia Elsie. She is just 15 years old and yet her sense of style is way beyond her years. With a kind of hippy-grunge look she definitely breaks style barriers and meshes staple items from each season's collections into a messy, envy-inducing, killer cool outfit and I absolutely love it!
I had a quick interview with the chic chick herself and here's what she said!

gabriellasofia: How would you describe your style?
ameliaelsie: I don't know... perhaps high-street bohemian.
gabriellasofia: Nice! We love to hear about a girl rocking a cheap look :) So what are your top three favorite high
-street stores?
ameliaelsie: TOPSHOP! Definitely always Topshop. Then I love Urban Outfitters too, and probably American Eagle as it's super laid-back.
gabriellasofia: Mmm I love AE too. Now, how about style icons? Who inspires you?
ameliaelsie: I don't really have 'style icons'... Vanessa Hudgens looked good at the Coachella festival this year... She had on a pair of denim shorts, and cropped-crotchet top with face-paint on and lots of miss-matched jewelry, with beads, feathers and lots of colors. I like the style that Gillian Zinser (Ivy from 90210) is often working. Very boho and comfy-looking. Apart from that I usually get my outfit ideas from the fashion shoots in Nylon
magazine.


gabriellasofia: That's funny because I think you look a lot like Vanessa Hudgens! Moving on. What are your ultimate fashion pet hates?
ameliaelsie: I'm just going to say it: I hate Ugg boots. Big confession right? I've just never really liked them because once a chav tries to pull off an item, you know it probably wasn't that unique to begin with!



gabriellasofia: That's so true! I hate when people wear worn out Ugg boots so they're standing on the fabric as well as the sole... know what I mean?
ameliaelsie: *Nods manically*
gabriellasofia: So what sorts of shoes DO you like?
ameliaelsie: I'd go for kind of like, boyfriend style shoes. Like Reeboks and Doc Martens. They're really comfy, although I do like heels when the occasion demands them.
gabriellasofia: And what's your favorite piece you own?
ameliaelsie: My leather jacket! It goes with anything and pulls a look together.

ameliaelsie: Perhaps... My main make-up item is black eyeliner but I don't like to use it in a gothic way, more i gabriellasofia: Is your beauty style as 'rock chick' as your jacket?
n a smudgy, edgy way. It helps to define my eyes. Apart from that I don't really use much make-up at all!
gabriellasofia: Unlike your pretentious older sister... Finally, if you could design an outfit for Autumn/Winter this year, plus make-up, what would it be?
ameliaelsie: Well, it would be a night-out outfit. I'm thinking a cute bralet, a midi skirt, my leather jacket (I know it's not new but I really can't be without it!) a Marina Diamandis pink lip, Benefit Smokin' Eye, simple earrings and a pair of super-high, sky-scraping velvet heels!





gabriellasofia: Sounds lush! Well, I'm sure you'll be looking fit if your fashion-history so far is anything to go by! Keep up the good work, Meewps :)
ameliaelsie: Thanks!

She's a sweet in person as in pictures!

If you know a Who's THAT Girl? worthy chick, then let me know! Who knows... maybe next month, even you could be THAT girl :) Let me know what you think of Amelia Elsie, what's your favorite outfit she's rocking? Thanks for reading!

gabriellasofia









Review - Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector



Oh my goodness, my life is now worth living! I have found Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector and my life is complete! This product quite literally works miracles.

Let me tell you first the condition that my skin was in a couple of days ago. I've been having unsightly breakouts around my chin and mouth recently which have been causing me a nightmare. I've been using a Clean and Clear foaming face wash in the mornings and a Clearasil overnight wash in the evenings which have kind of done the trick, but then my skin get's really dry... I'll tone down the foaming face washes a little and up the moisturizing but then I get the breakouts again. It really is a vicious cycle and I've been at my wit's end, particularly because every time I apply my foundation and concealer I've been concerned about drying my skin out even more or oiling it up too much. I simply couldn't win.

I was considering giving up skincare for good (why bother when none of my expensive products have been working?) when the lovely people at Garnier sent me three free sachets of Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream and everything changed.

Now for a little background; B.B. Creams (Blemish Balms!) were developed by a German doctor back in the 1950's in order to provide a light-to-medium coverage for problem skin WHILST fighting the problem itself. Made famous by a beautiful Asian actress with a gor
geous silky complexion, this idea spread across Asia and has finally made it to Europe. All of the big cosmetic brands are jumping onto their own version of the BB Cream each promising to make your skin look, and more importantly, feel good.

Let's check out Garnier's product claim:

"It's your latest beauty secret... An all in one, sup
er dooper, anytime, anywhere, skincare solution for perfect skin.
Use it on its own, use it as a primer, when you get up, after the gym, a post-work touch up, pre-date beautifier... the list is endless.
Discover the 2 little letters that are driving beauty editors into a frenzy... B.B. has arrived!
- Feel the sensation of the light texture that ins
tantly melts into your skin.
- The formula with mineral pigments gives an instantly 'perfect' skin. The result? Sheer coverage; imperfections look blurred, lines softened. Your skin look luminous, smoother and more even. See the B.B. difference!
- 24hr hydration. Skin feels more supple, smoother, softer. Feel the B.B. difference!
- UV protection: SPF 15 to help protect the skin
Go B.B! In just one step, even, cover, hydrate, illuminate and help protect your skin."

Let's get down to business. This product currently costs just £8.99 at www.boots.com and if you want to try it before you buy (although take my word for it, you'll LOVE it) then hop on over to http://www.garnier.co.uk and request your free sample.

So how did I fall in love with a beauty product? Well, like I said, I was struggling with my skin when this product arrived for me in the post. I wanted to try it immediately, but I already had make-up on and I was about to settle down for the night, so I decided (begrudgingly) that I would wait until the next morning to try out the Miracle Skin Perfector.

Now, although I had high hopes for the product, my expectations were not so great because basically, this product sounded too good to be true. Usually the words 'miracle', 'skin' and 'perfect' don't go together in my experience, so I figure

d it was all just a gimmick although hoped that it wasn't. I was not disappointed one bit.

BEFORE...



I woke up on Friday morning and my skin was as miserable looking as ever. Dry in patches, spotty in others, and my eyes looked tired and grey. 'Fantastic' I thought as I tore the top off the sachet in my bathroom. Initially when I saw the three sachets I figured I had three days worth of product... When I began applying the product and realized the extent to which 'a little goes a long way' applied to the cream, I was really pleased to see that each sachet could be used for about three days. Of course this depends on the amount of coverage you would like.

The formula is really creamy and rich when first squeezed onto your finger. I applied directly to my face with my fingertips and I felt that when I started to stroke it across, it became a lot lighter and more liquid, which made it feel more moisturizing and comfortable to wear. After patting it onto the skin on my forehead, cheeks, chin and nos

e I noticed that it was still a little streaky, but this may well have been because I was using too much product. This was easily remedied though by buffing it into my skin with a standard powder brush.

Now, the finish... was... heavenly. My skin felt silky soft to the touch, my complexion looked milky with no discoloration at all and even my spots we only noticeable upon closer scrutiny. My dry patches vanished and yet my skin felt like it could breathe; the Miracle Skin Perfector was not clogging up my pores or creating a suffocating film trapping the oil into them. In fact, my pores which are usually quite present were virtually invisible. My skin was even and the tone was a sort of natural-looking perfection which I've never seen on my own face before.

Although the coverage was just right (amazing con
sidering the brain-boxes at Garnier only call it 'light to medium') I did dust a little powder over my T-zone as I was looking a little 'dewier' than I usually like. Then again, this could be down to the amount of product I used.

AFTER...


The finish held it's ground all day until I removed it with a make-up wipe in the evening. My skin underneath was already softer than usual.

Now, I've only been using this product for three days, as I said. And yet, I feel like the general condition of my skin has already improved vastly. Even without the product on, my skin feels much more hydrated, the redness around my eyes has faded and even my spots appear less red and the sizes appear reduced. Basically I could not be happier.

For the first time in ages, I feel like I've found a product which lives up to its claim and I can genuinely recommend it to anyone. It is cost-effective is you only need a little bit, a great price for the effect you get, good for your skin, works well alone or as a base and actually stops people as they come out of lectures so they ask you, 'Excuse me... I know this is weird but... what foundation do you use?' (Ok, so that last one only happened once, but still!)

In my next Boots haul I'm definitely buying a full tube... Garnier sent me a £1 off voucher too so I'm an extremely happy bunny!

Have you guys tried out a B.B. cream yet? Will you be purchasing the Miracle Skin Perfector? You're mad if you don't!

gabriellasofia

How the Mouse Stole My Magic...

So I guess this is going to be one of those Heart-to-Heart blogs. Five years ago I found out that my favorite family holiday destination runs a summer program, where university students from around the world can go and work making dreams come true at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando Florida. I waited those years until I had the university student status necessary to make me eligible to apply. This time last year, I was going through the initial interview stages, each time shaking with nerves as I felt that there was so much on the line. The most amazing summer of my life. A defining moment where I would realize that I was going to have to up and move to Florida once my degree was over to sprinkle pixie dust over thousands of tourists every day... About nine months ago I found out that my dreams had come true and I'd got the job. I spent the next few months preparing myself for the summer of a life time. Then a month and a half ago I cut my program short and came home a week-and-a-half early.

What changed? Well, firstly, you have to understand that this is a very personal thing for me... This is me acknowledging that I was wrong in thinking that life is as simple as just being on holiday and earning money while you're at it. I mean, for some people that may sound like a dream, but I'm different. I soon learnt that I simply cannot spend my life working in a mundane job just to live for the weekends; I need to be passionate about what I do... I need to be as excited about my work as I am about my days off. Unfortunately, the role I was given at Disney did not give me this, and so I basically decided I was wasting time and left!

I will never be able to explain it to anyone. People automatically assume I had a terrible time, or that I regret going. This is completely inaccurate. I had an amazing summer... the summer of a lifetime in fact! I wouldn't take it back for the world. I learnt so much about myself, and about how to work hard. And yet, madly enough all I kept thinking is, 'I wish I was at home applying for magazine work experience, starting on my third year reading list and writing blogs' all of which I would do all day every day for free, because I'm passionate about those activities. So I made the decision I'm proudest about so far. I left my friends behind, I quit my job and I came home to do the things I'd missed all summer. And I've never looked back.

People say to me, 'Why did you bother going? There are tons of people who will have wanted your place!' My response? 'Those people should have written a better application form, or done better in the interviews. I earned my place fair and square. As for why I bothered going? I'm young, I wanted to have fun, make dreams come true and earn money. I did all of those things, and once I'd finished, I came home.'

Sure I miss being able to go and catch the Magic Kingdom fireworks after a long day at work, or having the option to take a boat to work, or lying on the beach with the biggest food hangover from eating ice-cream until I literally wanted to vomit... But that can't go on forever, can it? What makes those things amazing is the novelty! If you could do it every day then it wouldn't be as exciting!

I must admit that in my personal experience I did not feel that The Disney Company helped me to feel stimulated or challenged or even supported. I was scheduled around 60 hours a week 6 days a week, which meant that I was often exhausted and hence unable to enjoy the 'perks' like going to the theme parks before or after shifts, or on my days off. One weekend was particularly hellish when I was scheduled a shift from 11am until 3am the next morning, and then was expected back in at 7am until 9pm. On top of that exhaustion was the fact that I had been assigned to an attraction in which I had absolutely no interest whatsoever... Uninterested workers make for unhappy workers which in my case joined with other negatives and resulted in my leaving early. Finally, another one of the main things which helped me to make my decision was their disinterest and lack of care for my well-being. I broke my pinky finger on the job, but was offered no compensation, was expected back in at work the first thing the next morning and given an increase in hours despite the fact that the painkillers I was taking induced epic amounts of drowsiness. Basically for the last three weeks I was a zombie.

At the end of the day everyone is different. I have friends who had almost as many hours as I did and yet they loved it, and wanted to extend their program. I worked with tons of people who work there all day every day and plan to do so for the rest of their lives. And they are happy. But not me.

My days off will stay with me forever. Especially those in my last week where I started to call in sick every day as I knew I was going home. Actually, I never knew my last shift would be my last as I had a day off and I was looking to change my flight home as I'd already decided that I didn't want to travel after the program as I'd initially planned. It turned out that if I flew home five days later I would only pay £30 to change... After talking to my parents about it (something which was very difficult for me as I didn't want to disappoint them, or for them to be worried, heightened only by the fact that the only real reason I had for the decisions was that 'I'm just not passionate about it!') I booked myself on that flight and started packing. In my last five days in Orlando I broke all the rules. I called in sick five days in a row, I went into the parks even though calling in usually means you can't, I returned my uniform in secret so that I wouldn't get sacked before quitting and basically got myself organized. Sounds like a lot of stress, and yet I also went to see Wishes, had a great time splashing about at Typhoon Lagoon and spent about $600 in the shopping mall with two of what have become my closest friends in the world.

You wouldn't be able to pay me enough to get me to go back and work as many hours as I was working in the place that I was working. I started to think, 'If you live your whole life for the weekend then only two sevenths of the rest of my life will be fun.' That kind of terrified me a bit, so I came home and I'm so glad I did.

Don't get me wrong, I will definitely holiday at Walt Disney World again. But I will never make the mistake of being sold on a job just because of the perks ever again. The job has to be a perk in itself. I soon realized that I would blog every hour God sends about beauty and fashion and lifestyle, and so I know that a career in written media is what I want to pursue, especially in terms of beauty journalism.

I have to be in a job that brightens my sparkle rather that takes it away! Who knew that a mouse would steal my magic eh? Haha. At least it's back now and I can scribble it all over my blog :)

Anyways, thanks for reading and letting me confide in you. If I could give you some advice, I'd say Make Sure You Follow Your Passion... you'll never have a dull moment!

Love

gabriellasofia

Saturday 1 October 2011

Letter From the Editor: Finding the Balance!

What a lovely start to October here in the UK! The weather has been glorious for the past couple of days, I've been able to wear my 'Florida-clothes' for a couple of days longer which is just lush... The only real downside to all this beautiful sunshine is the heat in the evenings. It has been really too warm for the past four or five nights which means that I've been sleeping really quite poorly. Considering my boyfriend came to meet my parents for the first time for the weekend, I've been caravaning with my grandparents AND I've just begun my last year at university, I could really have done with a regular sleeping pattern, but alas, no such luck! I know it's no excuse, but this business and tiredness has resulted in me skipping a couple of blog posts, but never fear, I promise I will deliver each of the posts I promised on September the 1st. I just need a little time to get myself back into a routine and I'll be on it :)
This is something that's been really playing on my mind recently. I'm not sure about you guys, but I need to get organized. I love my day planner, and highlighters, and Post-It Notes and more importantly, I feel less stressed when I put them all to good use. October is all about getting settled for me. Getting used to the differences in my life since summer-time (like not being able to sit for hours at a time sipping ice-cold strawberry cider, or whiling away the time slicking on suntan lotion, or trying out bronzer after bronzer for that 'natural' tan look... ahhh to reminisce!) and falling back into the likes of work, university, blogging, socializing and keeping on top of my extra-curriculars! Sound like a lot to think about? Well it is!
I'm sure you've all got responsibilities of your own so we all need to make sure we've got the balance right. Let me know how it goes, and in the meantime keep checking back here at HauteFuture for your latest dose of beauty, fashion and lifestyle chitchat :) Here's what's coming up this month:

2nd October - Blog - Beauty - Review - Garnier BB Cream
3rd October - Blog - Fashion - My October Wish-List
4th October - Video - Beauty - Groomed Eyebrow Tutorial
5th October - Blog - Feature - Tips For Bikini-Wax Virgins...
6th October - Blog - Feature - Knowing Your Worth!
10th October - Video - Nails - Rocking The Gothic Trend
11th October - Blog - Health - Keeping Our Immune System's in Check
12th October - Blog - Beauty - Review - Estee Lauder Free Gift Review
13th October - Video - Hair - 'Nice Buns' Tutorial
14th October - Blog - Guest Feature
17th October - Blog - Beauty - Review: Beauty Counter V Drugstore Foundation
18th October - Video - Beauty - Estee Lauder's Alan Pan's Beauty Tricks
19th October - Blog - Health - How To Get a Good Night's Sleep
20th October - Blog - Feature - Finding a New Boyfriend When 'The One' Becomes 'The Ex'
21st October - Blog - Fashion - Blog Sale!
24th October - Video - The 'What's In My Bag' Tag :)
25th October - Blog - Feature - Who's That Girl?
26th October - Blog - Guest Feature
27th October - Blog - Beauty - Review - Dermalogica Range
28th October - Blog - Feature - How Many Free Beauty Products Can I Get in Selfridges? UNDERCOVER REPORT
31st October - Video - October Faves

Hope these are all to you liking :) As September has proven, I may not ALWAYS begin to stick to this schedule as strictly as I'd like, but this serves as a general guideline as to the posts that I want to get out there! Also, like I said, I will work hard to get any missing posts/videos from September out to you as soon as possible... The posts I owe you include; A New Spin on the Smoky Eye, How the Mouse Stole My Magic, Disco Ain't Dead Nail Tutorial, a Guest Feature, How I'm Wearing the New Season's Trends, a-Who's-That-Girl?-post and of course my September Faves which are due to be posted tomorrow!

Ciao for now, Lovers
gabriellasofia