Pink Hair Don’t Care

February 9, 20151 Comment

I may not be a real one, but I feel like a fiery redhead through and through.
Which doesn’t help when I get pangs of jealously scrolling through the likes of Kylie Jenner, Katy Perry and Bleach Londons Instagram feeds.

Plus it doesn’t help when you arrive each week in work to find Robyn Rougette has switched her blonde ombré to blue, grey, pink or mauve depending on her mood. Hair envy at it’s best!

But to top it off, now my bestest buddy and Summer traveling companion decided to take the plunge too! Firstly by chopping off her mega long locks to reveal a quirky shoulder length bob, then by revealing she wants me to turn her from a natural blonde to a pastel pink pretty.

On the up side, this did mean I got to try Bleach London products out for myself. With a 3 for 2 offer and a price point well below others, the whole transformation cost around £10. Not bad if you haven’t got an extra £90 and don’t mind a DIY job in your own bathroom!

d th

First up, it’s time to bleach! We applied the Total Bleach kit to dry hair, as quickly as can be! Now, we did run out of product at the back of Sam’a hair, so I’d suggest 2 boxes, 3 if your hair is long or particularly thick.

Then it’s time to wait! Hair lightens at an individual rate, so we regularly checked Sam’s hair to make sure we rinsed at the right time. That said, some areas could of done with another 5 mins or so, and still had a little warmth in then. But then, we think this added to the multi-tonal effect!

Once rinsed and shampooed, it was time to tone! Bleach London toners are available in a vast variety of shades- plus you can mix them for your own custom colour! We decided to try Rose, a pretty, but vibrant pink.
Now, you are supposed to wear gloves, but of course I ignored that instruction- to my peril!!

Applied to wet hair, Bleach suggest the toner should be left for 10 minutes…. But we plumped for 30 for a bolder colour.

Once rinsed and conditioned, it was time to see the dry finished result- which I’m sure you agree, is pretty amazing!!

All in all, we were both pretty damn impressed with the results, especially since it cost so little and took very little time at all!

Now, how to convince myself to try that beautiful peach colour!

My Little Beauty Mascara

January 29, 2015January 25, 20151 Comment

So I’ve already found my new favourite eyeliner, but maybe it’s time to have a new mascara for the new year?

Once again, tucked away in My Little Box, I discovered another little gem. My Little Beauty Mascara Volume and Care, from the beauty box brand’s own cosmetic line.

On first look, I adore the simple but pretty black and white packaging. On a practical note, a white mascara tube would be pretty handy when scrambling through a dark make-up bag when your lashes need an extra lift!

My Little Beauty Mascara

Once unscrewed, you can see how wet the formula is. Although usually a good thing, an overloaded mascara wand can lead to overapplying and clumping. So it’s important to scrap off any excess from the wand with each coat.

Talking of wands- this wand is a fibre packed brush, full of shorter and longer bristles. Perfect for loading lashes for a fuller, more volumous look.

My Little Beauty Mascara Wand

But where does the ‘care’ aspect come in? The formula, complete with beeswax, jojoba oil, and a little virgin sesame oil leaves lashes feeling soft, not brittle and is easily removed with eye make-up remover.

Mascara application

My final thoughts? I really like My Little Beauty Mascara on first application. However, it does seem to loose it’s volume pretty quickly. Within the hour, I was desperate to hunt out my trusty Shu Uemura eyelash curlers to lift those lashes once more! (and remember, never curl your lashes after mascara- this can cause major lash loss!!)

But, don’t take my word for it, go and try it yourself!

Arcancil Starliner Eyeliner

January 26, 2015January 25, 2015Leave a comment

Thanks to a ridiculously busy month of festive fun, My Little Box and its yummy contents were left tucked up in their cosy home, until now that is! A quiet, chilled out January always calls for a beauty overhaul, and it’s the perfect time to try out new brands.

Within my Little Box was a handy black liner from a French budget brand. I had never heard of Arcancil Paris, but from now on, it’s certainly brand I’ll be investing in!

Their Starliner claims to be creamy in texture and completely waterproof, perfect for creating precise lines and smokiness. Available in 25 shades and priced at only 6.65 Euro, surely it’s too good to be true?!

Starliner Eyeliner

Apparently not! Starliners are packed full of pigment, and created the darkest, most dramatic flicks I’ve had in a long time!

I also didn’t suffer any of the dreaded ‘transfer’, which is a given with many budget brands.

Starliner Eyeliner

Arcancil Paris has been known as a make-up artist favourite since 1935, when the Havlick brothers created their first mascara and eyeliners. Now, they boost over 60 French stores and collaborate with talented artists such as Morgane Hilgars, so surely worldwide recognition is on the horizon!

Head over to the Arcancil Paris website and see for yourself, what French wonders await your make-up bag!

Starliner Eyeliner

My Little Cosy Box

December 9, 20141 Comment

Three months in and I’m still obsessed.

Yes, those little Parisian boxes which fall through my letter box each month (well, I say fall, it’s more likely that they get left with a heroic neighbour whilst I’m at work but anyway….) still bring a smile to my face after a rainy commute home.

Plus, Mr Flicks even gets semi-intrigued by what lurks behind these little boxes of French loveliness. Which, considering he knows as well as I do, that I DO NOT need more shoes/clothes/accessories/beauty/home products clogging up my teeny tiny boudoir, it’s a bit of win win situation when it comes to my spending vs. saving habits.

My Little Cosy Box

Anyway, back to it! This month I (well, we) were treated to a cute, cosy box, full of Winter warmers to keep our tootsies and heart warm on the upcoming chilly months. Plus, three gorgeous beauty steals which you can find my full review on later this week. (Remember to click subscribe if you don’t want to miss it!!)

My Little Cosy Box

I love the gorgeous coffee cup so much, I’m tempted to try and become an espresso drinker. Compete with design from my favourite illustrator Kanako Kuno, who is behind all the pretty pictures adorning your My Little Box, it’s definitely going to take pride of place in my new kitchen. If I could adorn every inch of my home with her work, I would.

Espresso Cup

Another handy yet pretty gift this month is the red-spotted wheat bag, which will warm your hands and feet up a treat! I’m planning on whipping this out each evening, after a hard days slog in the salon, to ease the inevitable ‘make-up artist’ back pain. Those of you in the industry will know exactly what I’m talking about!

Intrigued by what my previous boxes have contained? Last month we were well and truly spoilt with a box designed by the creator of the wrap dress herself, Diane Von Fustenburg!

DVF Headscarf

Red Lips Brooch

I’ve spilt the beans on my slightly unimpressed reaction to the My Little Beauty Micellar Water already- but I must admit to being head over heels in love with my patterned scarf and red lips brooch. Could this brooch be more perfect for a flicks and red lip wearer like moi?!

You can also see the contents of my first, and the UK’s for that matter, My Little Box by clicking here.

My Little Paris Box

So, if you are looking for a stocking filler or a super-duper gift for a Parisian obsessed, beauty and fashion lover, look no further than My Little Box!

Scouse Bird Problems Blog

November 27, 2014December 9, 2014Leave a comment

A few weeks ago we received a very exciting email at the So Coco Rouge salon. This email came from a local ‘celebrity’ and a social media channel followed by the majority of scouse girls, women and ladies alike.

Scouse Bird Problems. Ring any bells?

Anyway, Scouse Bird kindly asked us to work with her on a 1950’s Marilyn Monroe make-up tutorial, suitable for a glamorous Christmas party.

So, off Robyn and I went to our lovely friends and fellow creatives, Cetra’s photographic studio for a day of filming with model Jo in tow.

Model Jo on set

Creating Marilyn style glamour on set

Jo before

Jo after

The full video tutorial is now available on You Tube and you can read Scouse Birds Blog here.

Love the Marilyn Monroe look? Then why not pop by the Tate before 8th February for an amazing Transmitting Andy Warhol exhibition!

Make-up Courses at The Rouge School

November 24, 2014November 19, 2014Leave a comment

It’s been a busy old time at the So Coco Rouge salon once again this month! Not only have we been inundated with make-up and hair bookings, but we’ve had lots of new and experienced make-up artists joining us for additional training.

Our training side, The Rouge School, offers a number of courses and 1-2-1 tailored training days, which have become more and more popular as the year has gone on!

The Rouge School

Our Advanced Eye Techniques workshop, which is tailored and designed to benefit each students individual needs, can feature bold smokey eyes, bright creative peepers, and feline flicks for example.

Winged out smokey eyes

Full on smokey eyes

Student Kayla creating colour

If you are looking to dip your toes into a career in make-up, enhance your skills or rebuild lost confidence, we’d love to welcome you to the So Coco Rouge salon!

Our 1-2-1 training days start at £120 and can be booked by calling 0151 708 7245 and emailing mail@sococorouge.com

I look forward to seeing you there soon!

Make-up Revolution

November 21, 2014November 19, 20141 Comment

Instagram certainly is one amazing tool for promoting businesses, especially those in the fashion and beauty industries. For example, back in early Summer I started following an image-packed make-up account, and now these giants have reached the dizzy heights of 38,000 followers!

Since launching back in March 2014, Make-up Revolution has gone from strength to strength. From being stocked on the shelves of Superdrug, mentioned by hordes of bloggers and found in the kits of countless pro’s, this is one brand to keep your eyes peeled on. And one I have been dying to try.

My first Make-up Revolution purchase had to be their ‘dupe’ palettes, Iconic 1, 2 and 3. These palettes feature muted, neutral shades in matte, pearl and shimmer finishes. Ring any bells? Sound like the famed Urban Decay Naked Palettes at all?!

Well, for £4 each AND part of a 3 for 2 offer, these babies are a hell of a lot cheaper than the Urban Decay beauties.

But, will they deliver?

Make-up Revolution Iconic Palette 1, 2 and 3

At first try, all 12 shadows in each palette offered excellent colour pay off. Even the black and plum tones, which are renowned for being wishy-washy shades in many top brands delivered.

Make-up Revolution Iconic 1

Make-up Revolution Iconic 2

Make-up Revolution Iconic 3

Just like I would when using professional brands, such as MAC and Illamasqua, I decided to create my eye make-up first and follow with base. And I’m glad I did! Although the colours offered a quick, bold pay off, we certainly experienced some pigment drop!

Lots of pigment drop!

However, the texture of each matte, pearl and shimmer shadow blended beautifully together and would be simple to use, for even the most inexperienced of make-up users.

For a rich, smokey look I used Iconic 1, enhancing the outer corners of my eyes with the darkest shade.

Smokey look using Iconic 2

Whilst, Iconic 3 offers soft, golden and pink/plum tones, perfect to accompany a terracotta lip for a day in the salon!

Softer eyes with Iconic 3

I really can’t rate Make-up Revolution highly enough. For such a low-priced product, the quality of shade range and pigment power is second to none.

Seriously girls- get yourselves over to Make-up Revolution, and treat yourself to a whole new make-up bag for less than it costs for a cocktail or three!

Flicks and Red Lips

Or should that be baby sick and red nips?!

Category: beauty

Pink Hair Don’t Care

My Little Beauty Mascara

Arcancil Starliner Eyeliner

My Little Cosy Box

Scouse Bird Problems Blog

Make-up Courses at The Rouge School

Make-up Revolution