I have had my eye on Pretty Zombie Cosmetics for a few months now, lusting over their dark, vampy colours. I'm still very much a rockabilly gal at heart but I can't help wanting to unleash my inner teenage emo goth girl that I subdued in my mid teens.
Pretty Zombie Cosmetics, as the below video tells y'all, are a USA based make up company who sell vegan friendly, cruelty free liquid lipsticks. Each lipstick is $12 (about £7.50) and international shipping is $11 (about £7). They work out cheaper than MAC and so so so much better in my opinion. They go on wet but dry to a matte without being too drying on the lips. They are super pigmented and only need one coat (without a lip liner too!), plus they have a strong staying power!
(Ooh well I haven't done one of these for a while!) House of Satin is a new vintage inspired lingerie brand which hit the market late last year. I've heard great things from them and their stuff is super reasonably priced so I thought, why not? In the words of Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle "treat yo self!", From their eBay shop, I bought myself their "Vintage Style Full Cover Bra", a pair of briefs and their girdle, all in pale blue. I think the whole set came to just over £30 which is just...wow. Less than one What Katie Did bra!
Delivery was quick and I ripped open the parcel to reveal my goodies. The bra fitted well and definitely gave that vintage shape that us so-inclined lasses desire. What I particularly liked was the subtle shape, as it wasn't as pointy as a harsh 1950s bullet bra but definitely still had that perkiness that's more akin to 1940s and 1960s shapes. I'm yet to wear it under anything but I know it's going to fit well. I have little to comment on the briefs apart from they're comfy, good quality fabric and the elastic doesn't cut too much into my skin.
The girdle...hmmmm. I'm still in two minds about this. It looks great and it does hold my stockings up (always a bonus for long legged ladies like myself), but it doesn't hold much support in the tummy and definitely doesn't nip in the waist like other brands do. This might just be because I bought the wrong size, but the fabric doesn't feel secure or elastic-y enough to have much support no matter the size. I bought a medium, which fits well on my thighs but not so great my waist - maybe if I had bought a small the waist would have fitted better but then I worry it would have cut into my thighs. One last thing I would like to see is adjustable straps on the suspenders as they didn't quite sit well, but that is just a little thing.
All in all, House of Satin is amazing value for someone who wants to fill their lingerie draw with good quality, vintage style pieces. It is much more affordable than other brands but their bras and knickers are just as good quality. Their shapewear could be stronger in hold but it looks pretty and does keep stockings up securely. I'm definitely going to be buying more from House of Satin to add to my collection! Definitely can't wait to see what their Spring/Summer 2015 range brings us! (Photography by Jae Storer Photography)
As you all know I am some what of a MAC obsessive (this has not been aided by the recent addition of a second, yes second, store in Liverpool). I used to use their other eye brow pencil in 'linger', but I found, although the colour was perfect, it ran out far too quickly - not something I want for a product that retails at £12.50! I switched to using their eye shadow in 'courduroy' but it never gave me the look I wanted. So, you can only imagine my glee when I went into the MAC store to enquire about stuff in general that I was told about their new Veluxe Brow Liner that was coming out the very next day! Yippee!
The website says...
The artist's pencil of perfection. It fills, shapes and defines with a rich powdery formula that's matte and velvety smooth.
I really couldn't put it better myself. It has a glorious chalky texture that does not feel heavy on the face but the powder sticks to the hairs all day, so you can rub away and your brows slide down your face. This light powder texture also means that it lasts forever! I have been using it every day for the past ten days and I haven't needed to sharpen it and the point is still pretty decent. It's really worth the £15 it retails for because I can see it lasting me a long time.
Unsharpened point still looking good!
As it says above the Veluxe Brow Liner is supposed to fill and shape the brow; I am currently suffering from patchy eyebrow syndrome (I don't know how, they're just atrociously wild and untameable at the moment) so this was a big plus for me. My left eyebrow is especially disobedient, veering dangerously towards looking like a tadpole, but using the pencil filled it in whilst still looking like it was hair there, rather than product. This is also helped by the addition of a nifty little mascara wand style brush at the other end of the pencil to calm down the stray hairs into a workable shape before pencilling in your brows! Well done, MAC!
Nifty little brush - apologies for slight gunk!
I got the shade 'brunette' - apparently my natural hair colour is more brunette than blonde *shudders* - but the blonde would have suited me just as well. I chose brunette because I like that bold brow look, although I do have to be careful I don't leave the house with a so-called Scousebrow. Although the colour suited me, I can imagine this would be the main issue for other people out there. The website is cleverly deceiving in their swatches - the products themselves are actually all very similar in colour, except from the black. If you are fair haired or a red head, this product probably isn't for you as the colour might be too contrasting - that is if you are going for the natural look that is.
Personally, I think this product is amazing - it is everything I look for in an eyebrow product, but I can see it's flaws for other people so because of that I give it...
I don't think I've ever done a film review for 'Roxie Reviews' so here is my first one! I only saw this film for the first time back in September when they finally had it in stock in HMV, but I have seen images and what not from Cry Baby (1990) floating around on the internet for a while. The first time I watched it, it was all a bit of an excitable whirl of greasers, music and laughs so I didn't really appreciate the ironic genius of John Waters' creation. It wasn't until further viewing that the subtle jokes clicked and I fully fell in love with the characters.
Now ladies, please remain calm. If you are of a nervous disposition, enjoy 'drape' guys, and have a wee crush on Johnny Depp I would advice you to sit down, maybe have a brown paper bag nearby and perhaps even a tissue to mop up the drool. In my opinion, Mr Depp has never been more fine! The tagline "He's a doll. He's a dreamboat. He's a delinquent." has never, ever been more appropriate.
*Sigh*
Can you see why I wasn't really focusing on the storyline the first time I watched the film? Well, once you've picked yourself up from the floor and recomposed yourself its time to get into the story. It might appear basic at first but underneath there are definitely some values that Waters' is trying to convey. First, we have the Romeo & Juliet scenario with square Allison Vernon-Williams (Amy Locane) falling for drape Wade 'Cry Baby' Walker (Johnny Depp); this is the main storyline for the film and really plays on the 1950s teen movie parody theme Water's runs through the entire picture. Other characters, like the Drape gang, Allison's grandmother and boyfriend, and Cry Baby's a-little-messed-up family all play into this but equally come together under the more subtle themes like acceptance, denial and equalism. I've read a few things on IMDb that this film is racist and anti-American but I think it couldn't be further from the truth; the drapes - who were always the teenage delinquents that society scorned - appear to be the heroes (if such characters exist in this film) who accept anyone into their gang, removing the stereotype of highschool drop outs, and the so-called good guys of America (the squares) are nothing less than judgemental bullies. Of course, there is irony as Waters plays up the stereotypes of hillbillies (Iggy Pop's first scene as Uncle Belvedere Rickettes is him "butt neckid" in a tin bath), teenage mothers (Ricki Lake as sixteen year old Pepper Walker already has two children and is pregnant with her third), and tough, knife-flicking social outsiders (I wouldn't want to take on Hachett-Face), but I think that just adds to the charm of the film.
I wanna be in their gang!
On a more superficial level I would like to add at this point that I want to be Wanda Woodward (Traci Lords) so much! I would love to have that bad gal attitude, her hair (she is the reason I cut my fringe back in...) and her wardrobe. I truly join John Waters when he says that he always wanted to be in a drape gang as a teenager.
Wanda Woodward
Waters says that Cry Baby not Hairspray is his musical, and I have to say the music is amazing. He mixes more popular classics of the era with new rockabilly numbers written just for the film, such as King Cry Baby and Highschool Hellcat.
So, I'd like to finish this post with two things. First, I would like to reinforce (if you hadn't already gotten the message) that if you like rockabilly music, enjoy those teen movies of the 1950s, or just have a completely understandable crush on Johnny Depp I would definitely give this movie a go - it's only an hour and a half long, so what's the risk, eh? And lastly, just some quotes, because in my opinion, Waters is a genius script writer and he needs more credit!
Romona Rickettes: Oh Wanda, you sure is pretty in them tight clothes, all painted up like trash!
Hachett-Face: There's nothing the matter with my face. I got character!
Wade 'Cry Baby' Walker: Fellas of the press, this chicken race tonight is for my daddy. And I'd like to sing something in his memory. Something hill-billy... something colored!
Mrs Vernon-Williams (Allison's Grandmother): Juvenile delinquents are everywhere. Right here in this community. Boys with long hair and tattoos who spit on the sidewalk. Girls who wear tight slacks. Hysterectomy pants, I call them.
Remember a while back when I said the 1930s would be the decade for 2011? Well it looks like my predictions came true with the BBC's latest mini-series Young James Herriot coming to our Christmas viewing, as a prequel to All Creatures Great and Small - it even stars Ciaran McMenamin who was also in 32 Brinkburn Street. Set in Glasgow in (I can only guess) around 1933/1934, the three-part series follows James (Iain de Caestecker) in his first term as a veterinary student with his friends the suave and money-hungry Rob McAloon (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) and Emma 'Whirly' Tyson (played by one of my favourite actresses who is far too overlooked, Amy Manson), and the trials they overcome both animal-wise and life-wise.
Naturally, as she is marvellous, Whirly is my favourite character. She's feisty and headstrong with her battles against the masochistic Professor Gunnell and his refusal to provide a women's WC, providing a stark contrast to Jenny Muirhead, the naive wet blanket daddy's girl who is the only other female student in the institution. Whirly's aunt, Mrs Munro, is also high up there on my favourite character list, if only for her wardrobe!
Whirly Tyson
Mrs Munro
Although televised at 9pm I couldn't see much more than a flash of a (poorly accented) German man's bottom to warrant the post-watershed viewing. It's lighthearted to watch with little drama to warrant braincell action and characters that aren't too extreme or too boring. It is available on iPlayer until 27th December.
Now in it's third series 'Land Girls' has been quite a success story for afternoon television on the BBC. As with all afternoon television there has to be a little more drama than real life, and series three had the familiar threat of murder surrounding it. I was an avid fan of the first series of 'Land Girls' which showed the four newcomers to the farm go through the seasons; after the birth of an illegitimate baby and the murder of the lord of the manor (after an affair, no less) it looked as though the series was going to be a one off. Now, I won't lie to you, I can't really remember the second series as I didn't think it was that good. Something about the illegitimate baby being kidnapped by the whole of the American army I think...
Maybe I am biased to preferring the third series to the other two because I am a teensy weensy bit in love with one of the new characters. Meet Danny Sparks...
Played by Joe Armstrong (son of Alun Armstrong) the character is basically just Joe's character of Allan A Dale of Robin Hood fame in a suit and with a gun, although I'm pretty sure Allan wouldn't slap around his ex fiance and try to kill her!
Each series sees a few more girls to replace the ones who left. This series the newcomer was Iris; in my opinion I don't think she had enough screen time at all as the series remained focussed on the old girls Connie and Joyce. Ironically none of the land girls are my favourite characters although their leader (I'm not sure if there is a correct term for her historically, please correct me in a comment if you do know) Esther remained top of my leader board. Part mother hen, part boss Esther has a ethical storyline that modern woman often take for granted: she fell pregnant by the village baddie and had the agonising decision to make whether to abort it or face the shame of having to leave the service and bring up a baby as a single mother.
Esther Reeves, played by Susan Cookson
There were two main storylines this series, one concerning Joyce and another surrounding Connie and her shady east end past (gangsters in a little northern village? Really?). The Joyce one was much more realistic whilst the other brought the drama everyone craves in a afternoon viewing. We had met Joyce's husband in the second series (maybe first too, I forget these things) as he departed back to the war with the RAF bombing command, and in this series the couple must fight their own battle through what, sadly, happened to so many men when they returned from war as John suffers from servere shell shock. Connie, Danny and Rev. Henry were the drama for the show. Would Connie choose a new life with vicar Henry, make scones and do all those new wifey things? Or would she go back Danny and an exciting but dangerous life of crime? Personally I couldn't choose, both men are very handsome! (Oh hush, I'm not that fickle! But really, very handsome men.)
So, what do I think of 'Land Girls' in the end? To be honest, absolutely loved it! The fashions (check out the dresses in the end photo!), the hairstyles, the over-the-top-soap-style storylines all added up to a brilliant show. One thing though, Mr BBC, please put it back to a better time of half five because it really didn't deserve to be put at the awkward time of ten past two if it comes back for a fourth series (oh please say it will!).
Odette Samson (or one of her other countless names used throughout her life) is possibly the most famous allied woman in history. Her work as an SOE spy during 1942 and her mixture of French patronage (and eternal grace granted to so many French women) and English bravery in the face of the atrocities implicated by the Germans awarded her George Cross at the end of the war.
The book 'Odette' by Jerrard Tickell was first published in 1949, and was written with the aid of the great woman herself. This has allowed her 'character' to be unbelievably true to life with the anecdotes conveying the exact feelings and emotions felt by Odette during her war. The French have a strong characteristic of being incredibly loyal to their country and people, and even though adopting England as her home, Odette has an overwhelming connection to her homeland and it's freedom. Even at the end of the book when she is saved by the Americans from the horror of Ravensbrück she keeps her gentle manners by telling the SS soldiers that accompanied her to run (most likely for their lives) - this is an overall theme through the book that just because the soldiers were German does not necessarily make them Nazi, and they were just following orders from the evil above. Her sense of forgiveness is amazing.
The majority of the book is set in France or within her three imprisonments, with very little being set in England or her life before her SOE work; I can only guess that being having being written in 1949 a lot of the work done in Baker Street was still top secret information. The chapters set in France were very fast paced and I did find them quite confusing to follow (probably not helped by my lack of French speaking skills and a few pieces of information being in French) but the speed only reflected the dangerous excitement experienced by Odette and her comrades. At this point in the novel (is that the genre? Is it a biography? 'Faction' before Capote's 'In Cold Blood'?) Raoul - or Peter Churchill, who became Odette's second husband in 1947 - was my favourite character as he was that 'hero' figure, reminding me of a gallant knight from a Medieval folktale mixed with a bit of James Bond's suave style. However when Odette was imprisoned in the Parisian jail of Fresnes she met a German priest (who was an active soldier stationed at the prison) named Father Paul Heinerz; Father Paul was Odette's humane rock in Fresnes (which was unusual as Odette didn't believe in God, although she occasionally prayed in desperate times) and characterised that war didn't mean your enemy was evil and it affected all walks of life - he was German under the boot of the Third Reich.
So, overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book thanks to the extraordinary real-life story aided by great writing. As a Hamsphire girl I had always had an interest in the county's association with the spy networks across occupied Europe but I had never actively sort out any research on it, but I definitely will now! 'Odette' is the perfect book for anyone with an interest in World War Two, great women through history or who just loves a great adventure.
If anyone follows my Twitter they will know that I got very excited at my new 'toy' last week. I had nothing but praises for the Nicky Clarke Classic Blow Dry Styler (£13.27 from Boots) initially but after a few uses my opinion has changed slightly. I went for this styler because of the different attachments and because Nicky Clarke is a name regularly trusted so I thought I would be okay with the appliance.
The air dryer combines the brush and the hair dryer used for round brushing ones hair with two of its attachments (one for shorter hair - the thinner one - and one for longer hair to create volume), straightening hair with another attachment, and the last attachment can be used to tong the hair into curls. I never really straighten or tong my hair so the last two attachments didn't really interest me that much but as a time saver for traditional round brushing, the first two attracted my attention.
"Create salon styles quickly and easily with my 500W blow dry air styler. The four different attachments mean you can create numerous styles from smooth sleek locks to voluptuous bouncy curls whatever you hair type." - Nicky Clarke
It saves so much time round brushing wise. It usually took me about 45 minutes to round brush my shoulder length hair using a hair brush and a normal hair dryer, but with the Nicky Clarke Classic Blow Dry Styler it took it down to 30 minutes with styling.
It has two speed settings and one cool setting to set the style.
The appliance is very light to handle so it doesn't make your arms ache as you style your hair.
The curling brush works wonder on shorter hair styles to create flicks and volume. I did a Jackie Kennedy inspired style on my mum's hair with the appliance and was highly impressed with the ease of the usage and staying power of the style.
It can cut out a step in creating a style; it creates volume and curl that usually would need heated rollers to obtain - so your hair is subjected to only one dose of heat rather than two.
The Cons:
After two uses the fastest speed setting no longer worked, thus taking the heat and speed of drying levels way up. Not impressive at all! This is the main reason I am taking this model back and having it replaced! After it broke not only had the speed depleated but the heat had also reduced severely.
The curling tong doesn't heat up to nearly as hot as most curling tongs and does not produce the same curl as a result.
The straightening vented brush tugged too much on my hair and felt as though it was stretching each strand. I wouldn't use this attachment anyway so this didn't bother me too much.
The appliance over heats very easily, especially when using the tong and the straightening brush - I think this is the main reason for one of my speed settings breaking.
Maybe it was because I used this attachment after the speed setting breakage, but I found the volumising brush did very little in terms of drying my hair and certainly didn't produce the volume I was promised.
The Verdict:
★★★/5
As I said, I was initially very excited by this product, but I became more and more unimpressed with this appliance. I'm hoping I just got a duff model, because I am going to replace it as I think it has great potentional. The styles it can create (especially with the curling brush) are wonderful so I would probably only use this attachment whilst avoiding the straightening and curling tong ones. I can't give any recommendation until I have replaced my model and tried it out, but fear not! I shall report back on that and let you all know if it's worth it.
Recently I purchased five products from the £1.50 range of ELF Cosmetics online. I was really impressed with the website, the delivery and the majority of the products considering their price. For £1.50 you can't really go too wrong! The delivery was was £2.95 (not £2.50 like I said in the video) so that really wasn't too bad either.
For my nails I tried the Matte Finisher nail polish; I haven't tried any matte nail finisher before so I thought I'd give it a go and I was thoroughly impressed. I've had it on my nails a couple of days now and the shine has turned from matte to satin but anything that is matte will gain a shine with wear. I would definitely try this shade again.
I had been warned away from their foundations and powders by a friend, and for £1.50 I think I'd give them a miss anyway because good foundations tend to need to be expensive anyway. I toyed between their Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder and their All Over Color Stick. In the end I went for the Color Stick in Golden Peach and truth be told, I wish I'd gone for the bronzing powder. Although the pigmentation of the Color Stick was good it just wasn't right for my skin tone at the moment, and would have suited a more olive skin tone or holiday skin. However, they do do other shades - pinks, highlights, and plums - so I might give those a go when I get more money.
Moving onto eyes I was disappointed that ELF don't do a single eyeshadow - apart from their mineral range, priced at £3.00 - and instead you have to buy a duo, trio or quad selection. I went for a quad of the Brightening Eye Color because I wanted a bit of colour in my mini-haul. 'Punk Funk' certainly didn't disappoint! I was amazed that eyeshadows at around 38p each could be so pigmented! From just swiping them on my hand without a primer I was so impressed with the colour pay off. I've yet to wear them on my eyes so I don't know how long they will last but hopefully they'll be amazing.
I bought two lip products: one lipgloss and one liquid lipstick. The Hypershine Lipgloss in Vixen has just enough tint to have an effect on your lips, it's long wearing and quite moisturising. The range of colours for this product from ELF is also really extensive so there is sure to be a colour to suit everybody. However, the Luscious Liquid Lipstick was really disappointing. Traditionally a lipstick is much more colour pigmented than a sheer lipgloss, but this one from ELF has so little colour in it, regardless of what the website advertises. The image of the colour I chose (Ruby Slipper) shows a highly colourful deep red, but when I applied it to my lips it barely made a difference! So, for the lips I would definitely get the lipgloss again in varying shades, but I will keep well away from!
In my opinion ELF is well worth a visit, but beware, it's quite a lucky dip with what you'll get! But for £1.50, you're not exactly breaking the bank if you decide you don't like it, are you?
Here's my youtube review of my products so you can actually see them!
