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This morning I decided to wake up early, I aimed to be in work for 8am , when it got to 7:30 and I was still at my house I realised that my 8am start was failing and that I should just embrace it.

With that I decided to fully contour my face , I find that when I take time out to contour properly I am super in love with my face, as opposed to when I rush it , I keep telling myself If I haven’t got the time just don’t do it , im hoping one day il heed this message, im actually in the process of finding a good day to day make up look so when I finally come up with that il let you know.

Today, I thought I would share the products I use to create my look. I have tried so many from Anastasia Beverly hills to the Clinque chubby sticks.

And although I will say I am in love with Anastasia Beverly hills, I do think that its not always the best if you don’t have a lot of time to sit there and blend and also if your new to contouring.

SO these are the basic product ive been using this month.

In order I use..

  1. Smash box Photo finish Primer water available at Smashbox.co.uk £20.00
  2. Bobbi brown Long wear even finish Foundation £31.50
  3. Kevyn aucoin sensual skin enhancer (See previous beauty post)
  4. Ben Nye Banana Powder ( to set the concealer)  available at http://www.Camerareadycosmetics.com £8.68
  5. Black up Contour stick colour 1 available at Debenhams.co.uk £28.00
  6.  Set with a Translucent powder of your choice, for a darker contour and natural glow  go over with bronzers and powders such as Kat von D shade and light , Anastasia Beverly hills powder contour kit, in my case I used the Revolutions contour kit £8 available at boots.com

 

Black up’s contour stick is amazing , especially for people who are not used to contour, because a lot of these contour sticks only come in a dark shade , then you need to buy either a light foundation or stick separately, and to get a natural contour you need to make sure that the lighter shade isn’t just any shade lighter, this does all the hard work for you, as it comes with a dark side and a completing lighter shade,

I love this as Kevyn aucoin pops the under eyes , by putting this on the cheek bone above the contour, it evens out the brightness.

It also very creamy which makes it very blendable, if you have oily skin I would suggest a good setting spray such as Urban decay’s De slick over it after the loose powder just to ensure it holds all day, however, I have never had any problems with it and I like the silky look it creates,

I also allows you to build up your look without it looking too cakey , for example,  You can  create a natural contour with it really easily by just  blending softly and evenly with a beauty blender, to create a more harsh evening contour you would blend upwards leaving the line more defined and add product as needed.

I would  recommend the Black up stick to anyone especially those with deeper skin tones as it is available in a nice range of colours, I will be dragging blessing to the nearest Debenhams as soon as she returns from her holiday lol

It comes with a cute simple set of instructions too so no excuses!

Again we are in the process of sorting out video tutorials so let us know if you would like a contour one as well 🙂

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Love

The Girls Next door

xx

 

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“Glamour is not self-conscious; it’s not trying really hard. It’s just expressing your own truth. I think that’s what the essence of glamour really is—expressing your uniqueness.” Kevyn Aucoin

So what comes to your mind when you think of Sensual Skin enhancer.. for some of you many things but for us we think of a life saver, yes its true, I’m slightly obsessed. It will all sound a bit crazy until you buy it.

Anyway so …I took Blessing to Space NK with me over the weekend, and she too looked at me awkwardly as I went on a huge rant about how much this product has changed my life, so much so that even when I finally got into Space NK and managed to get her (the non make up wearer) to try it I was still finishing my rant, to which the actual employees said I should become a spokeswoman for the brand ha!

Believe it or not Blessing is now on my wave and is now a Kevyn fan, probably preaching to someone out there about this product as I type, the instant glow on her face which I will put down to sheer excitement about the product and because the product is just that good and highlights so naturally, was clear for us all to see, I could tell that, like me when she pulled out her credit card she knew it was her best buy yet!

So how do you use Kenvyn aucoin ? Exactly the same as you would your normal concealer.

Can It be used to create a natural coverage? 

Yes, because it is a foundation and concealer it has a amazing coverage, you need to use the smallest amount I’m talking a light dot and you will get a smooth blendable coverage.

What do the girls next door use Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer for? 

For that perfect contour, it works amazingly on the nose as a highlight and if you like that button nose look it blends really well with illuminator powders.

What brush do you use to apply Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer ? 

Ideally any concealer brush and then once applied we blend using a beauty blender , however, the product is super blendable with fingers also.

Blessing says:

I genuinely didn’t think I could get excited about any makeup product as I did the Kevyn Aucoin. I’m almost certain me purchasing this product is the beginning of my best relationship yet. With amazing coverage and for someone that doesn’t like putting on too much makeup; this is the real deal. I recommend your standard face with a hint of this and I promise you won’t be disappointed. 

Any Tips? 

Yes,

  1. Set your skin enhancer with a powder like ben Nye banana powder for a bright undereye appearance
  2. Use along with a natural coloured concealer to create a more natural look
  3.  Use anywhere the light touches your face
  4. Apply with caution as you may be too hot for yourself to even handle 

    We are working on getting some makeup tutorials put together for our favourite looks monthly let us know if there is anything you would like to see and we will try our best to make it happen

    Love

    The Girls Next Door

    xx

    Available at    http://uk.spacenk.com/en_GB/women/ £38.00

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    Gone are the days of bushy brows. Whether you wax or thread pretty much most ladies last £3-£12 goes to making sure those eyebrows are on fleek! 

    If you don’t then I’m sure there are reasons for this maybe you don’t like the pain, or maybe you have extra thin brows so you pluck them instead.

    Whatever the case, one thing we should all have in common is filling our brows – why you ask? Well eyebrows can define your whole face, it can finish your makeup and make it look more well rounded, I remember once doing my whole face and doing my brows in the wrong shade shaped as they were something was just off! 

    So rule one make sure you get the correct shade! 
    So what difference do brows really make ?

    I’ve done a short semi rushed (Blame work for that ) brow pictorial to hopefully convince you to start filling your brows if you don’t already and some amazing products I swear by to do this. 

      
    Without brows done. 

      
    With brows done. 

     Products used

    Suqqu eyebrow liquid pen available at selfridges.com 

    http://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/cat/suqqu-eyebrow-liquid-pen_396-3000994-LIQUIDPEN/

    This is perfect when you want to create a natural brow sometimes I use this by itself as its brush is so soft that it almost looks like hair when u draw each line. 

    This is also perfect to draw on freckles! 

    Urban decay brow box available at urban decay.com 

    This is available in two shades so you can mix and match to find the perfect shade it also comes with a wax to hold that sharp edge in place all day I usually go over my corners to create definition and seal it with the gel. 

    Sometimes I go over my brows with a eyebrow gel to hold it all day most do the trick and are available at stores such as super drug and boots. 

    Without brows (they have been threaded)  
     Filled brows and makeup  
    I love the easier and more natural look So I’m currently using eylure eyebrow pencil in a dark brown shade. Available to buy from most cosmetic stores and sites. 

    http://m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?unCountry=uk&path=/en/Eylure-Shape-Shade-Brow-Pencil-and-Tamer_1051186/ 

    I tend to draw an outline of my brows and then fill it in with the pencil. I finish the look by going over the brows with the l’oreal brow artiste shaper pencil which has a finishing wax and is perfect for keeping my hair in place because nothing is worse than a messy brow.

    http://www.superdrug.com/L’Oreal-Paris/L’Oreal-Brow-Artiste-Dark-Brunette-4/p/673552

    My advise is to sample different products when it comes to your brows because it took me a while to find what worked for me and I’m still chopping and changing. Brows can be tricky but once you find the perfect product, your confidence goes up at least 3 notches just by having statement brows! 

    Let’s all make a statement today by drawing on immaculate brows 🙂 

    Love,
    The Girls Next Door 

    Xx

      

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    So summer is officially over, if your anything like us you have already started ordering your autumn/winter wardrobe.

    But have you thought about your autumn makeup looks? 

    Makeup can be a bit of a scary subject for some however, this amazing duo FACE2FACEM instagram page will put all fears out the window they post looks each week and give a breakdown of exactly how to nail each look and which products to buy, we are obsessed! 

    So of course when they asked me to model for them I didn’t refuse. 

      
    Just to wet your appetite here’s part one of the makeup process make sure you follow them! 

    @face2facem

     

    The girls have spoken about eventually starting up a YouTube and scheduling master classes so we will be sure to keep you updated! 

    Excited much? We know we are 

    Love 

    The girls next door 

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    This month has been a exciting month for the girls next door.

    With the events that we attend we thought it would be nice to vary our looks a bit. With all the beauty bloggers around, it can be a nightmare trying to sieve through which products work best, take for example makeup contour products, there are millions of brands who do versions, even this morning I saw a ad for smash box contour pencils, they look amazing because they can be blended with your fingers, dream come true if you ask me – ha

    Over the coming weeks the girls next door will be bringing you a few makeup tips here and there for those of you, who, like us want the easy simple version of what to buy when looking for the best results.

    So far our favourite products are

     

    This primer is perfect as it leaves a cooling sensation on your skin, I also find that although matt it does not leave my face dry and my makeup till manages to hold perfectly throughout the day, it is ridiculously easy to apply and you don’t have to worry about applying to much


    This foundation is the mother of all foundations – in my eyes anyway. I have used everything from full coverage’s like MAC and Bobbi brown to the smooth medium coverage of Laura Mercier, for me this is by far the best match especially if you have light brown skin, it does not leave you looking ashy if worn alone, the dewy finish leaves a natural glow as suggested and is perfect to wear alone when you are going for a I woke up like this look, it is also blendable with fingers ( bonus!)


    Don’t knock it until you try it, this powder sets off the perfect highlight under the eye, it sets a great ground for contours, and is blendable with or without a brush, depending on the look I blend mine with a beauty blender, and then dust over the top with a small brush. It is perfect when setting a cream highlighter like Anastasia Beverly hills, or setting a normal concealer.


    It took me a while , but I finally gave in, I read mixed reviews as some said it was hard to master, however, I am happy to tell you this is the best product I have brought this month, and if you only buy one product off of this list make it this ( and the banana powder- eek that’s two) This is totally blendable , matches perfectly with any skin tone, it can be used to create the most natural contour, or to create the base for a heavier contour. Best used with a concealer brush I use one from MAC and a beauty blender.

     

    This lipgloss is everything, on a date night this will be your best friend, if your like me and have zero etiquette this is perfect because it will not leave your lips, even if you are eating the greasiest burger, I repeat it will not leave your lips! and for under £10 who is complaining.

    So there you go those are my top 5 buys for this month. What’s your favourite buys?

    Comment , like and share

    Love the girls next door

    xx

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    So we are not exactly having the best summer. I liturally just came into the nail shop and looked at the sky thinking where is my umbrella!

    Anyway, just because the weather wants to be boring doesn’t mean you have to be! You can still whip out those feet ( how unattractive does that sound) haha but it doesn’t have to be, and that’s why the girls next door decided to head down to HELLO GORGEOUS http://www.lemonpink.com.

    This super cute nail and photoshoot parlour is the perfect after work drinks with the girls alternative.

    The service here is great they are very attentive and friendly, and offer you a choice of cocktail on your arrival. Perfect after a long day at work looking at spreadsheets if you ask me- but that’s just my humble opinion!

    Prices for a pedicure start from £18.00

    So make sure you check them out don’t let the weather be the reason why your toes look bad!




    Ps : the decorations on the table were for a party they were hosting 🙂

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    We had the pleasure of receiving an invitation to the John Masters Organic salons anniversary event.

    We both opted for tailored jumpsuits with nude lips (pictures posted below).

    But first, if you haven’t heard of John Masters organic products then let us introduce you! https://m.johnmasters.com

    These products are loved by locals and celebrity’s alike. Based in New York John Masters is loved my celebrities such as Lupita Nyango, Kourtney Kardashian, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and supported by magazines including Vogue, New York Times and Stylist List. 

    Can you blame them? These products are all naturally made from essential oils and plant extracts and they smell uh-mazing! 

    Lucky for us we received a lovely goodie bag filled with body washes and conditioners, so I guess my hair will be feeling and looking amazing for another few weeks thanks OMG (Organic masters salon).

    We would recommend popping down to OMG as they are officially stock listers for John Masters organics hair and skincare range. 
    Let’s face it if is good enough for the gorgeous Rosie, it’s most certainly good enough for us!
      
      

    As we both came from work we both decided to wear jumpsuits.  

     

    The jumpsuit!

    This is a old buy but she got it from missguided £20 we are bargain hunters if you haven’t guessed! 

     
        Tuxedo jumpsuit 

     Also a old bargain from miss selfridges sale £15.00 

    Since you can’t buy the ones we are wearing I’ve found some other cute jumpsuits if you were thinking of buying 

    1. Never Fully Dressed Tuxedo Neck Jumpsuit available at www.asos.com £22.00 
    2. Michelle Keegan loves lipsy tuxedo jumpsuit www.asos.com £33.00 


    Love The Girls Next Door x

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    Hey guys! Hope you’re having a productive week so far! Mid-week already so I’m not going to complain or bash the week as I would do, all about being positive right?

    So I’m back with a revised and honest review in regards to Coco White. As you may have seen in our previous post I was trying out a new product called Coco White which is a reformed tasty way to practice an ancient tradition called oil pulling with coconut oil for your teeth and oral hygiene.

    Right, so over the last couple of weeks, I have been using Coco White nearly everyday by swishing a sachet of flavoured coconut oil a day around in my mouth for 15-20 minutes. To be completely honest I haven’t seen a big difference. However I missed a couple of days and I’m a social smoker so I do think that has played a part and hasn’t helped in terms of getting the results I wished within 14 days.

    A few pictures from Coco White results
    A few pictures from Coco White results

    After day 3/4 I did feel like I was seeing a difference which prompted me to continue but like I said I’m a social smoker and I’ve had a few night outs which has made me smoke a tad bit more. I have seen pictures on Coco White’s website and Instagram which has displayed great results so I do think its a matter of varied time lengths for different individuals.

    I’ve decided to order another box and wait 4 weeks to see if i can achieve the results I would like to see so don’t let my experience cloud your judgement because like i said everyone is different.

    Even though I didn’t achieve the results I would like, I do give them props for making Coconut Oil tastier than I expected. I have tried coconut oil in the past for the oil pulling method and I have to admit it, it was horrible. Even though coconut oil smells yummy, it’s still oil so the feeling of oil in your mouth is horrible but Coco White really disguised that with the 3 yummy flavours it comes in.

    In the meantime, I’m aware Coco White is doing a 20% discount promotion for 24 hours so why not go onto their site and take advantage of their promotion if you’re interested in trying the product for yourself.

    Until next time.

    http://www.cocowhite.com

    Love The Girls Next Door x

    P.S A massive congrats to Coco White for winning a Richard Branson choice award as part of the Shopify Build A Business competition. 🙂

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    Don’t you just love the fact that this year has all been about women empowering each other and loving the skin that they are in.

    It’s so easy to look at other women with envy, so it’s been a breathe of fresh air for The Girls Next Door, we are the type of females who see hot people and run to them just to tell them we like their hair or makeup, we used to look like right freaks, with girls wondering why and how we can do it.

    When your confident with yourself to see something equally or more beautiful gives the same feeling as a fat kid and cake.

    Today we are going to run though some of our favourite ladies.

    We will also be telling you about a event we have the pleasure of blogging for next week! So keep reading..

    Our first favourite is the beautiful ..

    Jennifer Lopez (come on I know your not surprised) she is the definition of flawless, she has dated the likes of Ben affleck, P Diddy,Casper smart and Marc Anthony. Through all the heartbreak she still manages to look young fly and effortless.

    So how does she do it ?

    In her interview with Instyle magazine in July she said

    1. The cleansing gel £60  available at www.cremedelamer.co.uk

    2. Skin ceuticals daily sun defence SPF 20 £35 available at www.skinceuticals.co.uk

    3. True match foundation L’oreal Paris £10 available at www.boots.com

    4. Rose day cream Dr Hauschka £28 available at www.johnlewis.com

    5. Blusher in shade 1 by Serge lutens available at www.sergelutens.com
     It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t have Katy Perry  on our list, if your feeling bored of your look she should be your inspiration, Katy has had every colour and every look under the sun!

    Luckily she too did a interview with Instyle magazine August 2014

    Her beauty must haves are

    1. Sleeping correctly if your like us you rolled your eyes but she suggested a cute gadget to help *unrolls eyes* UP Band £99 Available at www.jawbone.com

    2. Dry texurizing spray by Oribe £39 available at www.spacenk.co.uk

    3. Shu uemura cleansing beauty oil £30 available at www.shuuemura.co.uk
    Other beauty crushes include 

    OLGA KURYLENKO She shows us how it’s not all about a full face of makeup someday minimal is best! 


     

    KELLY ROWLAND   We love kelly ! She is so cute and perfect! 

     SCARLETT JOHANSSON Get her signature red lip with dolce and gabbana classic cream lipstick in Devil www.harrods.com

     NICOLE SCHERZINGER  from her amazing hair to her perfect skin tone she is always going to be our WCW. 


     KARRUCHE TRAN model and stylist turned actress what’s not to love about kae and her flawless skin! She is bringing petite people back into style! 

     

    JILLIAN HERVEY She makes me want to wet my hair and run out the house ha except I would not look as fierce as her doing it … Hair implants anyone ?? She has the most amazing hair and rocks it perfectly! 

    GIGI HADID we wish we looked this great waking up (just being honest) 


    So there you have it our favourite ladies … We know we have missed some but you all have to get back to work! Ha

    But check back next week, we will be running through the ladies that set the trend in the hair department as we will be going to OMG!  ( Organic John Masters ) Salon anniversary event, we can’t wait!

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    frank body 1

    So what exactly is the Frank effect, maybe you’ve seen the cheeky pictures up on Instagram and like me, you were probably wondering what this is about, well, don’t worry your not getting old by the time you finish reading this you will think you invented it !

    I was going for coffee with one of my friends and I’m sure like all you ladies, the conversation goes from north to west and back to north, so we began with speaking about where we were going on holiday, new jobs the usual and then I started moaning about these girls on Instagram who use Bali body (blog on this coming soon) their tans are so amazing! Unfortunately Bali body is only available in Australia and that’s when my friend told me about another amazing Australian product – Frank Body.

    She said her mum uses it and swears by it, in my head I figured how could it be any different from the scrubs I usually get, on Instagram I saw girls pasting their faces with Frank body and posing with it so I decided to see what all the noise was about.

    Well I have now been seduced by the frank effect!

    Pro’s and con’s

    • The only con I experienced was the slight mess the coffee creates in the bath but this is easily washed away and doesn’t take up too much time

    Now for the pro’s…

    • “Just like it wakes you up from the inside, coffee can wake you up on the outside, too. That’s why all my products contain this key ingredient”

    As it says the smell of coffee in the morning makes my 6am wake up’s a little less painful, the smell is so refreshing.

    • “I’m all about tough love”

    Surprisingly it isn’t too harsh on the skin, sometimes I would use scrubs and be left with red rashes (sensitive skin problems) but with frank body I have yet to experience this.

    • “natural, vegan body scrubs”

    Frank targets cellulite, stretch marks, acne, psoriasis, eczema and scarring – and all you have to do is rub 3-4 handfuls all over your bod, focusing on problem areas, because it is natural you don’t have to worry about it making your condition worse. My sister has eczema and I’m always catching her stealing my scrub.

    • “They have a scrub for everyone”

    Frank has a tough and gentle side for those of you who have really sensitive skin.

    • “Free UK Delivery”

    Yes I said Free so there is no excuse! Get online and order yours now the original coffee scrub is available for $14.95.

    They have many other options including Cacao, peppermint, coconut and a new facial skin range – it’s nearly the weekend, treat yourself and go crazy!

    https://int.frankbody.com/

    Love

    The girls next door

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