Foundation Foundation Foundation

Hello lovelies,

So glad to be back blogging again! :-) I've been super busy and had a few knocks to my confidence but now I'm back full of joy again to tell you guys and dolls all about my thoughts on everything from makeup to the ocean :-)

I want to review all the foundations I've used - it's a question I get asked quite often about my favourite foundation, what I'd recommend, what are different foundations like.. Hopefully I can answer all your questions here! :-) However, don't ask me what foundation shade would match you cos without seeing you face to face there's no way on earth I can tell you for definite! I may have a rough idea but don't want you guys purchasing foundations just based on what shade I think you might be.

Note; all the views I'm giving of the longevity etc. of a foundation are based on it being worn with MAC Prep and Prime skin, and then with a powder such as MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural or Body Shop Pressed Powder (which is AMAZING) applied with an Illamasqua Blush Brush.

Anyway, let's get going...

MAC Studio Fix Fluid

Most peoples favourite MAC foundation is Studio Fix Fluid. Personally it is one of my favourites that they do but I don't really love or entirely recommend it at all.

It is a medium full coverage foundation which means it'll cover any uneven tones in your skin, mask redness well and just really disguise any problem areas you'd rather not let the general public see! Personally I think it's best applied with fingers, or a MAC 187 brush or a sponge - but that's all down to personal preference, and I definitely prefer application with fingers with any foundation! :-) The foundation glides on and sits well on the skin. However on dry skin days no matter how much I've moisturised my skin, I do feel Studio Fix really enhances the look of my dry skin, making it flakey and thus more noticable :-( It lasts for a reasonable amount of time (I'd say 6hours ish) but then slides off in heat :-( So all in all it is a foundation that does its job reasonably well but is not particularly great. In general I use it to mix with other foundations to make a mix that is more full coverage due to the addition of Studio Fix.

Chanel Pro Lumiere Foundation

Dear old Dan bought me this for my birthday after a Chanel lady in Meadowhall applied it - and boy was I impressed! It is a pretty amazing product, it makes skin look luminous without looking sparkly or too oily - it just seems to make you look like you have a super healthy radiance and warmth. Not many products can make you look like you've just finished a week long pamper session! My main downfall with this product is the coverage, it is Chanels idea of full but too me that just isn't enough! I have quite red cheeks and they still show through slightly.. which I guess is good if you want to look natural but slightly enhanced - but I like to look matte and as if my skin is surrealy perfect! :-) So I have to use this foundation with a lot of Dermablend concealer underneath and usually only use it on reasonably good skin days. This apricot smelling foundation is just lovely and although I have to work around it I'm sure I'll be repurchasing when I run out.

Vichy Dermablend Foundation

Now this foundation isn't for the fainthearted. If you want full full full coverage, no underneath pigment showing through, no undertones coming through - you basically want to mask your skin, then this is the foundation for you. I've only found it in Boots in the UK and online - so if you fancy some pop there :-) This foundation is mainly used for people with skin conditions and more as a corrective makeup - for example to correct pigmentation in the skin, mask scarring or tattoos.. but that doesn't mean you can't use it as everyday makeup. Its formulation has been made to work well around any skin type or condition, so not only was it fine with my slight facial eczema, it actually helped it! Brill :-) It is a thick gloopy liquid and you hardly need any to really get the finish you want. It lasts for ages and I am so impressed with it! The only trouble with it is that it does feel quite thick on so I don't particularly like wearing it in summer on warm days, but for nights out and the rest of the year it's perfect! :-) I'd really recommend it :-D Apart from it smells pretty rank hahaha

MAC Studio Moisture Tint

This is more a tinted moisturiser than foundation but on good skin days, sunny warm days or times when I just don't fancy feeling like I've got a full face of makeup on... I use this because it has a good enough coverage to cover things I don't want to be seen, but feels really light on the skin and it kind of feels like I'm letting my skin breathe without being conscious that I have no makeup on. It lasts reasonably well if you keep doing a few powder touch ups and keep your eye on it :-) I'd really recommend this :-)

Loreal True Match Foundation

Lo and behold my favourite foundation in the world EVER. I could sing from the rooftops till the cows come home about this foundation - it stays on all day, it can be mixed with other foundations to vary the finish and coverage you want, it is medium to almost full coverage, it has a matte coverage when powder is applied over it - it's wonderful! You definitely need to wear powder with it though, my skin looks way too shiny without it. I love this stuff so so much! Plus its cheap enough and Boots always have offers on like buy 2 get 2 free so it means you can get a few shades so anytime of the year you can mix them together to get your perfect shade :-) I think that Loreal made this to make a super similar high street dupe of MAC Studio Fix Fluid but I actually think this is better! So don't go wasting your money on Studio Fix :-)

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

Initially I completed hated this foundation with a passion, I slapped too much on and it just made my skin look cakey flakey and dried out! But then I decided to try using a tiny pea sized amount and it blew me away. It covers any discoloration so so well, and it really makes it look like your own skin is just amazing. You need the tiniest amount ever so I reckon the bottle will last foreverrrrrrrrr (however the bottle is pretty badly designed so it's super hard to squeeze once it's getting a bit emptier :-( ). It lasts longer than an average foundation but not for a super super long time but powder certainly helps its longevity. It can also definitely be used as a concealer too/instead and then use it as a foundation over the top too, just use a teeny amount over a small area to help conceal particular bad spots.

MAC Face and Body Foundation

MAC Face and Body foundation is probably my favourite foundation that MAC has to offer. It's super liquid, has an odd smell but I really love it, and makes skin look SO oily, but once you've got used to it and understand it as a product it can work so well for you! Personally, I apply it in layers until I get the desired coverage I'm after (one layer would just look sheer but you can keep applying layers to get a medium coverage). It sticks to skin really well and is very long lasting - and mixed with other foundations will also make them last longer on your skin too. The only problems I encounter with this foundation is first that it makes my skin look so so shiny and feel kind of oily, but with a sweep of powder the shine is banished!, and secondly that it kind of makes my skin feel like it can't breathe! - but you get used to that hahaha. A huge positive is that it really feels like it moisturises my dry skin and it usually makes my eczema less noticable. I think this foundation is a good all rounder and you can just adapt the way you use it to find a method that works for you.

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation

This is another foundation that I'm quite a fan of. Again, like Loreal True Match, I suspect that this is a foundation Revlon have brought out to try and create a dupe of MACs Studio Fix Fluid - as it just seems so similar. I would say it is of comparable quality to Studio Fix and I'm not sure which edges it as the better/worst.. Anyways, I really like this one! It has good coverage, lasts a while (but nowhere near as long as Loreal True Match!!), and when I fancy a change from my faves this is the one I turn to. As well as this, although I've never tried it, apparently it is formulated to look super perfect in photos compared to other foundations :-) and that's always a winner!

MAC Select Foundation

I'm not a particular fan of MAC Select Foundation as I want a medium/full coverage foundation that gives me a matte finish - this is the complete opposite! It gives low coverage with a super sheer finish - which just makes me look completely oily and ridiculous! I sometimes mix it with Studio Fix or True Match to sheer and thin out those relatively thicker foundations - but other than that my Select foundation doesn't get used too much. I reckon it'd be better suited for people with normal/dry skin who have pretty perfect skin with no imperfections that they want to mask.

MAC ProLongwear Foundation

MAC Prolongwear is another foundation that is just too low coverage for me. I did try and build up coverage, but it took so much product and in the end I felt like I had about 3 inches of makeup on! Never a good thing! As I didn't particularly apply this product in the way MAC intended, it definitely didn't live up to its name as Prolongwear - it only lasted 5ish hours and I just wasn't impressed with it at all. However my friend Amy recommends using MAC Prolongwear Concealer as a foundation as it lasts ages and provides good coverage - so I think I might try that! :-)

Clinique Superbalanced Makeup

This was my first ever high end foundation and I was oh so disappointed with it. I explained my skin type and problems to the Clinique lady and she recommended this to me, but all it did was make my skin super oily for days after using it and bring me out in spots :-( Plus when I actually did wear it it just enhanced my dry bits by a ridiculous amount - it made my skin literally look AWFUL! Never to be used again!

Right girlies, that's it for me and my foundation views! I hope I've helped you guys in making decisions on your next foundation purchase.

Let me know if you have any questions with regards anything I've said :-)

Lots of love always

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My favourite pink MAC lipsticks!

Hello my dearies,

As you must all know by now, I LOVE PINK! :) My hair's pink, my bedrooms pink, my nails are pink.. and my lips are alwaysssssss pink! So I thought I'd give you guys a list of my favourite MAC pink lipsticks :D

First up and top of my favourite list is 'Snob'. It's kind of a rude name haha, but I love it! It's a really girly baby pink but it has a muted grey and blue tone to it that means it's not in your face at all. With a slick of gloss over it it just looks amazing! Or alone.. This is my 'most worn' lipstick :)

Next is 'Angel'. Oh how myself and gorgeous Kim Kardashian love this lipstick! It is just so beautiful, again a muted pink, but even more 'muted/toned down' then 'Snob'. It's perfect for everyday wear, but also sets off a smokey eye amazingly well. I love this one! It just adds that bit of glamour when you have a little makeup on and just want to feel super sexy! Lovely! :D

Another colour high on my 'most worn' list, is 'Viva Glam Gaga I' (ie the pink one from her first campaign, not the peachy nude one that's out now). It's such a bright fun happy pink that really just makes me smile! I also love wearing it knowing that every penny of my fee for that lipstick has gone to helping people out there less fortunate than me. The pink is really blue toned so suits a lot of skins and I must admit you might need a bit of courage to wear it at first, but once you've worn it once you'll love it! :D

Lovelorn is a louder version of Angel - there are more peachy and pink tones in it and it comes off just that bit brighter and more in your face. I wore it today with no liner on or gloss and it went on smoothly and gave me lips a beautiful hint of pink, I loved it! It's been in the back of my makeup drawer for too long, and it's definitely going to be high on my 'most worn' list before I know it. As it's a lustre formulation it's soft and creamy enough to be worn alone and your lips will feel so lovely and nourished :)

What're you fave MAC lipsticks? I'd love to know!

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Want flawless skin?

Hello dears!

So I thought I'd give you an insight into how I do girlies makeup at photoshoots, and many a time they can't believe what their skin looks like! It's my super magic makeup secret (although I'm about to share it with the world hahaha). I don't believe in keeping secrets about how to look great, that's just mean! So if you want super hot skin, follow my magic recipe!

First, moisturise your skin with either Cetaphil moisturiser, MAC Complete Comfort Creme or Origins Starting Over Age Erasing Moisturiser. (Use Cetaphil on dry skin, Origins for more oily skin, and MAC more any skin type). Let this soak in for about 5 - 10 mins (I do my hair while I'm letting moisturiser soak in!)

Now prime your skin with MAC Prep and Prime Skin (IT'S AMAZING), it sorts oiliness, evens up dry bits, lovely! ..

Now blot any excess oil with a tissue (preferably a pink one ;) ),

Now apply Loreal True Match Foundation with your fingers, I use about two and a half pumps for my whole face and neck (I like thick foundation), for models with fab skin, I use one pump only on problem areas. If your skin shade is inbetween two shades, then buy them both, and use a pump from each..... orrrrr, another good foundation method I often use is to use a lighter shade on my highlighting areas (shown in yellow in the pic below), and a darker shade of foundation for contouring areas (the purple bits) - the bits that haven't been coloured yellow or purple are just an equal mix of both colours :) Because this foundation is so pigmented and medium/full coverage you won't need any concealer for any naughty patches!

You can see these areas quite well in the pic from my portfolio below;

(Photographer; Lynn Cameron, Model; Nina Haanes Hessen)

If I'm having an oily skin day and need something to really really grip onto my skin I mix Loreal True Match with some MAC Face and Body Foundation. I do love this stuff, if you want a dewy look, it's perfect mixed with Loreal True Match for more coverage, or used alone! Cheryl Cole uses it! ;) Again dab with a tissue if you're still a bit oily.

If you have really bad scarring, acne, eczema, skin discolouration... I would recommend using Vichy Dermablend Foundations (they're about £14 from Boots or online). I have really really really red/pink undertones in my skin as well as eczemaey bits sometimes, so I use that when my skin's being naughty haha! It is so thick and goes on just like normal foundation but has the most high coverage you would believe! They use this stuff in hospitals for masking skin discolorations. Although beware, it smells gross! You could even mix this with MAC Face and Body or Loreal True Match for your desired finish! :) (with face and body it'd dilute it a little so you'd still get good coverage but also look slightly dewy... with loreal true match you'd get a more matte good coverage look).

Now I use MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural Powders, with a sponge. I sometimes use a brush, but that's more often with a brush like the MAC 217 to concentrate powder on certain areas. I find a sponge means you can really smooth and pat the powder on where you want it (however, this can also be a very unhygienic method so make sure you use new sponges/wash them lots). Again, I often use a light shade for the highlight areas, and a darker shade for the contour areas. This means that my face looks naturally very shapely, and like I have cheekbones! Yey! I've done this on all my models and they've often been shocked at how the shape of their face changes, and how much more 'naturally beautiful' they seem to look with this super easy skin smoothing technique. Ashleigh even said she looked airbrushed!

If your skin is liable to having your pinky red undertones show through, I'd suggest using the MAC Mineralise Skin Finishes together with a more fuller coverage powder. Personally I absolutely love the MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powders, and especially the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, they're both amazing, and again apply with a sponge.

Here's some more examples of skin I have created!;

(Model; Nicole Abbott)

Models; Leanne Neicho and Hayley Camis

Photographer; Lance Burkitt, Model; Katy Coffey of BMA Model Management

Photographer; Lance Burkitt, Model; Ashleigh Edwards Pitt of BMA Model Management

On top of all these makeup products, obviously you should try and eat well, drink lots of water, do lots of exercise.. you know what I'm on about! :)

Hope this has helped you all!

xxxxxxx

Ten Things That Are Under A Tenner!

Hello sweetie pops,

Today I'm going to do a fun blog including ten things I'd really really recommend that are under ten pounds each! :) Hope you enjoy this post! :) Let me know what your favourite items are that are under £10 :)

1. Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Liner £2.99

Lip liners are so important to help your lipstick stay on longer - they usually atleast quadruple how long my lipstick stays on! They also help enhance my lipstick colour :) You can even use lip liner as a lip stain, by using it with lip balm to just change the colour of your lips - and it'll stay for ages! The 1000 Kisses lip liners from Rimmel are an essential in my kit, for all these reasons! It just helps matters that they're super cheap and they come in great colours! :)

Buy it here;

http://www2.rimmellondon.com/au/products/lips/Lip+Liners-Pencils/1000+Kisses+Stay+On+Lip+Liner.aspx

2. Barry M lipsticks £4.49

I love these lipsticks so much! They're so so pigmented, they have the brighest fun colour range ever, and they stay on super long! I love their bright pink shades, as well as their nudey ones - Shade 101 in Marshmallow was one of my favourites when I had brown hair! It's very similar to MAC's 'Myth'. For the price they're cheap enough to buy to fiddle and play around with, rather than spending like £12.50 on a MAC lippie you're not sure about. They're also super moisturising, which is very important when buying lipstick, you need it to soften your lips up not dry them out!

Get them here;

http://www.barrym.com/lip-paint

3. Rimmel Soft Kohl Pencil Liner £2.99

I prefer gel liner on my upper eyelids to create a Marilyn Monroe-esque flick, but on the bottom I prefer a smudged line, and these pencils do that perfectly! I really love the Jade Green shade they offer, it really makes any colour eyes pop! Kohl liners sometimes smudge down your face ten minutes after and create panda eyes, but this one just doesn't smudge! It stays put and keeps super pigmented for a really long time :) Lovely! :)

Get one here;

http://www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-Soft-Khol-Kajal-Eye-Pencil_6950/

4. MAC Eyeshadow Pro Palette Refill Pan £9.50

I'm picky with my eyeshadows as I hate nothing more than creased eyelids after 5 minutes. It looks so so gross! (Use Urban Dacey Eyeshadow Primer Potion to prevent this!) These shadows are so soft, super pigmented, stay on a long long time, and MAC offers the most amazing colour range ever! Any colour you're after they'll have :) At the minute my favourite colours are Parfait Armour, Beautiful Iris, Sushi Flower, Vanilla, Plumage, Brule and Cranberry. These shades are perfect for a nice lilac lid that can be darkened with the deeper colours for night time.

Get them here :)

http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/spp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CAT21850&PRODUCT_ID=PROD66212

5. Eylure False Eyelashes 'Double Lashes' Number 202 £7.10

I hate not wearing eyelashes, my eyes feel so naked and wide open hahaha As my eyelash addiction has developed, I've started to wear thicker longer lashes - I love them! :) These ones are very Katy Perry-esque. They are about £1.50 more than eylures regular false lashes, but I think these are so so worth it! They create volume and length, and make you feel wonderous :) Lovely! Stick them on with some DUO Eyelash Adhesive :)

Get big long lashes here;

http://www.boots.com/en/Eylure-Naturalites-Double-Lash-False-Eyelashes-202_1115653/

6. NYX Pigment £4.99

I've only just got into pigments, as I always imagined they'd be too messy and time consuming to use. They are messy, if you breathe to deeply by accident or twitch, then that's it, colour everywhere, but just keep a steady hand or keep it on a hard stable surface.. and they are time consuming. But not much! Obviously just dipping your brush into an eyeshadow is loads quicker than faffing about opening seperate colours and taking the seal lid off, butttt the effect is sooo worth it! The colour is so so pigmented, they go on like a dream, so soft, and stay on foreverrrr! They blend well, have a beautiful twinkle to them, they're just wonderful. For special nights (or days :) ) I take the extra time to make my eyes look super sparkly with these lovely pigments :) Also, use their goldy vanilla coloured pigment to highlight the tops of cheekbones and cupids bow - very Kim Kardashian-esque :)

See all the shades and get them here;

http://www.love-makeup.co.uk/cosmetics-pigment-shades-p-4365.html

7. Stars Makeup Haven Eyeshadow Single £4

I tried these shadows out on a whim, as they're cheap compared to the likes of MACs palette pans, so I thought why not! And boy am I glad I did, they're super pigmented, feel soft and creamy, blend really well, last forever, and there's so many colours to choose from! I'd really recommend them! And cos they're so cheap it doesn't make you feel too bad if you don't absolutely love the colour! But every one I've had so far I've loved :)

See all the shades and pick your favourites here;

http://www.love-makeup.co.uk/stars-makeup-haven-m-24.html

8. Yaby Cosmetics Eyeshadow Pan £2 in any finish (either matte, satin, frost, pearl) £1.99

These eyeshadows are insanely amazing! They're my favourites over MAC and the Star Makeup Haven ones - they're so cheap but the size of the pans is tiny! Less than a penny size, in face the size they are in this picture is an exact representation of their size - so small! But, they last forever! So size hasn't been a problem so far. The colour feels super creamy on the brush, you need the tiniest amount to get the hugest pop of colour ever, and the colour range yaby offers is amazing, as well as offering different finishes. My personal favourite finish are the pearl ones :) I also love how amazingly cheap they are!

See all the colours on offer and get yours here;

http://www.love-makeup.co.uk/yaby-cosmetics-m-53.html

9. Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser £4.07

I bought this when there was loads of media hype about it when Kylie Minouge recommended it, as well as a few other celebs and lots of magazines :) And I must say, it is as good as everyone says it is, if not better! You rub it on and it feels so cool and refreshing, as well as super moisturising. Then I use cotton pads that are moistened with water or MACs Fix+ to take off the cream, and it gets every last bit of makeup off! Better than any wipes I've ever used, better than any makeup remover! Just amazing. It leaves skin feeling soft, firm and nicely plump and really looked after. And for just over £4 I reckon that's pretty amazing!

Get yours here;

http://www.boots.com/en/Ponds-Cold-Cream-Cleanser-50ml_1120639/

10. Z Palette (Small) £8.99

I really really love these palettes, they're such an ingenious idea! You just pop in any eyeshadow, blusher, powder - anything that has a magnetic back will stick to the Z Palettes magnetic base! So that means you can reduce the size of your makeup bag by thousands! For example, the eyeshadow pans I've mentioned previously on this post, - they'll all stick and stay in one of these palettes! You can fit nine MAC sized eyeshadows in, so that means once you've got your collection going you can organise each palette into smokey eyes, bronzey golds, lilacs, blues - organise them any way you fancy! Plus they have a see through lid, so it means you don't have to faff about opening each palette to see what's where (like you have to do with the MAC palettes). You can also, if you're careful, remove the pans from the makeup you already have - almost all of them are stuck in their packaging with a magnetic strip - so carefully removed the pan, and you can reduce space by sticking them in your Z Palette! These palettes are definitely a makeup artists essential, but would be such a helpful and fun addition to any persons makeup set! My personal favourites are the pink and leopard ones :)

Get one here;

http://www.love-makeup.co.uk/small-customizable-palette-four-designs-p-4492.html

xoxoxox

Guest Blog: What it means to be a Make-up Artist

Hello lovelies,

So a while back I asked fellow Sheffielder and Makeup Artist Amy to do some guest blogs for me. Amy is a makeup artist trained in all areas of the trade, and is amazing at what she does, so much so MAC employed her straight away and she's still there creating beauty now! She also goes to uni studying Fine Art, blogs lots on her tumblr, has a long term boyfriend and finds time to look incredibly beautifully amazing everyday! Here's a picture of her :) look how perfect everything about her is! :)

So here, I bring to you, Amy's first post!

What it means to be a Make-up Artist

When deciding what to write about for my guest post on this blog I thought about talking about something that’s very close to my heart and something I want to talk about more openly with everyone … which is what it means to be an artist.

My dream since being a little girl was to be noticed for my talent for art and photography and anything creative. I have such a passion for art that I was determined to make this a career. Nowadays I work for MAC and since doing that I am inundated with questions about how to get the job and what qualifications people need etc etc. No one ever asks me about my job outside the brand so heres my little post about what matters to me in art.

I think art is very open, there are so many avenues to explore that the desire to lead a creative life is always present. I live my life as an artist. Its about the way you think, the way you can critique work, how you approach life and overcome problems. Art is more about a way of thinking then just technical skill. It has to make your heart skip a beat.

I want to stress make-up artistry isn’t about the glamour or the ‘cool’ status that seems to get pinned to the title. Its about exploration, painting a real life canvas. Stretching your imagination as far as it will go and having no limits.

Its about personal ritual, having that quiet time to reflect or meditate on the day ahead, it's carving the person you are, letting them into the real world. How many people look exactly how they feel they are on the inside? Make-up stems from a primitive ages and has been used for celebration, war, lifestyle, adornment, as tribal protection and for spiritual purposes. Make-up can be so much more fascinating than a oil painted canvas because it is an art you live your life in. It’s a pure injection of personality, emotion, colour and vibrancy. Make-up has the power to do anything. Even on the lowest of days it can make you feel invincible. Every one is unique in make-up no two people look the same, every time you pick up that make-up brush there are subtle differences.

One of the problems professional make-up artists encounter is competition, feeling inadequate because of someones opinions, feeling like you haven’t the contacts, the skills, the willpower to carry on, especially if you have an awful client. Its not always easy to pick yourself up after a bad day. Luckily I feel I have overcome a lot of competition by staying true to myself and trying hard to achieve my dreams. There have been bullies and hardships along the way, I've lost several friends who resented me for making something of myself. MAC was a big hurdle, I enjoyed a new found sense of accomplishment, that out of hundreds of girls MAC thought I was special enough to invest in and give me this wonderful job, but the price of that was people I worked with became bitter and jealous and nasty towards me.

I think we all shouldn’t be as down on ourselves! True inspiration doesn't happen when we are stressed out and can’t cope. We try to juggle so many things and it ends up stifling our creative spirit! Its never wrong to take time out to reflect, pamper and enjoy your own company or spend time with loved ones, it helps the artist develop and its very important to feel free and open to new ideas. Humans are not machine we cannot work 24/7 and expect perfection!

A strong work ethic is important, but also not to take life too seriously, learn to laugh at yourself, push yourself and be brave and confident of who you are J

If lovely people have said to me I'm an inspiration to them; it’s the hugest and most amazing compliment I could receive!! To be in a position to be who you truly want to be…. sometimes takes effort and courage and to shrug off the opinions of people who say you cant do it. Because if you want something badly enough you will keep on trying until it happens for you! xoxox

Find Amy at her beautiful tumblr here;

http://amyeemae.tumblr.com/

I don't know about you guys but I can't wait to read her next guest blog post :)

xoxox