The Problems with Braces

Hello! This isn't a typical post from Daisy today... I'm Daisy's best friend, and seeing as she's on holiday and can't update, she decided to leave me in charge of doing a new blog post. I decided I'd do a post on something which she doesn't have experience with (luckily for her)... Braces! I've had braces for over a year now, and honestly, they are so stressful. However, if by the end of the procedure you're going to have perfectly straight teeth: then it's worth it! I have a few tricks and ideas that some Orthodontist's might not tell you.

If you have braces/are going to get braces, then there are a few things which you must know and do. Firstly, IT WILL BE PAINFUL. When they are put in for the first time or are tightened, that's when they are most irritating; the pain will subside after about five days. To keep your mouth and teeth in as much comfort as possible during those five days: drink a cold glass of water during and after every meal or whenever you eat; have a painkiller (follow the instructions for dosage) and try and stick to soft foods and don't snack. Other drinks help such as hot chocolate or warmed water mixed with salt (DO NOT DRINK THIS! Only swash it around your mouth for a minute). Foods I stuck to were soups, yogurts, ice cream and soft meats.

Another vital piece of information is to keep your teeth clean! If you don't, when your braces come off you will have white marks where the braces were. It is definitely not an attractive look. To avoid the stains stay away from eating sugary products and acidic drinks as much as you can. If I'm honest, this is a rule I haven't really stuck to... I regret not sticking to water and squash; if you wan't to have white teeth as well as straight teeth then keep away from Coke and Lemonade etc. Also, make sure you wash your teeth at least twice a day. Whenever you brush, use a Tee-Pee brush to get in between the brackets and the places which a toothbrush can't reach.You can buy Tee-Pee brushes anywhere, if you're in the UK, you can purchase them in stores like Tesco's or Superdrug.

What I stress most about with braces is making sure my brackets don't break! Brackets are the little square things which are attached to your teeth. Your Orthodontist will usually give you a maximum of three brackets to break before your braces are removed altogether... If I'm honest, I've broken more than that! So don't panic if you break a couple, but do try to keep the damage to a minimal. To avoid having your brackets fall off, avoid hard fruits like pears or apples and chewing gum (I have chewing gum all the time but just be careful). Don't brush ridiculously hard either, because, yes it may keep your teeth clean but also, it will weaken the glue between the teeth and bracket. 

Also, try and keep up to date with your appointments! They're roughly every three months and it's incredibly easy to forget when you're next appointment is. And last but not least, STOCK UP ON WAX. This is a complete must: if you don't want your cheeks to look like a tiger has ripped them apart, then keep wax with you wherever you go! Your Orthodontist should give you a packet and you can ask for some more whenever your appointments are. If the braces are rubbing onto the inside of your cheeks, roll a piece of wax into a ball and place it on top of the bracket which is creating the sore area. This wax is specially given to you from the Orthodontic's though, it's not from a random candle or anything so don't try and be clever and use candle wax.

With all of that said, you're ready to go.Good luck with the braces and just remember: by the end of it all, you're going to have completely straight teeth! If you feel like there's any tips I missed or need some extra advice feel free to comment below!

Five Ultimate Makeup Tips

I originally wrote this for a guest post on Beky Lou's blog; so if you want to check out her blog then the links right here.

Pigmentation Lacking

If a beauty product suddenly lacks in pigmentation then you can lightly score the top layer to release pigmentation; or if your like me and would find it painful to purposely destroy the look of your makeup then use a piece of Sellotape to pick up the first layer of the product. By doing this you can release the pigmentation, The products will suddenly lack in pigmentation due to the oils from your fingers and brushes sealing the top layer of the product. (This especially occurs in baked products.)

Moisturiser Base 

Before you apply your base makeup or even a primer start of with a moisturiser - not only does this lock in your product for the duration of your day; but also acts as a barrier. When you apply products to your face effectively your face eats away the product so by applying a moisturiser it acts as a barrier therefore should also help to clear or prevent breakouts.

Applying Powder 

When you're applying powder (in particular) brush downwards so the hairs on your face lie flat. Then If you are applying a powder, blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, etc; and don't want it to look cake-y then gently dust a fan brush over your face to dust of the excess. 

Brightening Concealer 

Nobody wants to look like a zombie in the morning, so thats why the majority of use a brightening concealer, and then powder so it can stay for the duration of the day. (Of course.) But honestly in order to get the brightening complexion then you also need to powder your under eyes using a powder in a shade or two lighter. If your on a restricting budget then find an all round concealer, and use a powder one or two shades lighter instead; overall it gives the same effect. (Powders typically retail lower than concealers.) 

Multi Use Products 

We all wouldn't mind saving a few pounds even if its to save for other luxurious beauty items but with the extensive range of beauty products us girls require it hard to save our pennies and even harder to save our pounds! If your on a budget save by doubling products, By holding a pencil liner under a flame for a second - let it cool for fifteen-seconds and the consistency will chance meaning you now have a gel liner. After you sharpen it instantly filters back to a kohl liner. You can also add petroleum jelly to pigments to make your own lipgloss. Pigments can also be used as coloured mascaras, add pigments to clear mascaras, and can even be used as nail varnishes when added to clear nail varnishes. Pigments are incredibly versatile and save money.

So those are MY five top makeup tips, but i'd love to hear yours just leave them in the comments below - I'd love to read them! I also do not know when I will be able to post next as I am on holiday so please bare with me!

Updated Summer Skincare Routine

I am one of those lazy people that don't seem to stick to a Skin Care Routine and then wonder why I keep breaking out, so I've finally found a skincare routine thats fairly quick, and actually works wonders on my skin.

So I first remove my makeup using the Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Cleansing Wipes, they improve your oil balance which is great as I have oily skin and I can see that they are working, and they also claim to improve your skin within two to three days and I have noticed my skin being clear but I cannot pinpoint that down to using these. If you have super sensitive skin then I wouldn't recommend these, as the ingredients can be a bit harsh sometimes. If my skin is being sensitive or a bit agitated I'll use the L'oreal Micellar Solution instead as it's much more gentle on the skin and just as easy to remove makeup.

I then wash my face using my Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser this melts away any makeup that may be left on as well as improving the redness of your skin. I have chicken skin, which is basically red raw goose bumps on the surface of your skin and its on my cheeks so when I wake up it's quite red; but after using this my skin has been so soft and it's drastically improved my skin. I apply this to the back of my hand, dampen my skin with a warm flannel (warm water opens pores) and rub it in in circles across my face. I also find that most cleanser's are drying but this completely keeps my moisture balance in touch. I recommend this so much!

 I then use my Dermalogica Pore Control Scrub, and I only apply this to my cheeks and nose as this is were I have blackheads. I use my fingers to scrub it in, and then wash it off with cold water after. (Cold water closes pores.)

Then I use my Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment and apply this all over my face and neck, this clears breakouts overnight, and I love this. Again, if you do suffer from heavy breakouts or acne then this is defiantly the product range I recommend.

If my face has been a bit dry and needs a moisture surge I use the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion. It's a fairly heavy moisturiser so I only use this on the days that my skin is dry. I also apply to my neck as well.

If I have been having bad skin days or exceptional breakouts then I use my  LUSH Grease Lightening, and just dot this on my spots. Somedays when I can feel that a spot's coming through I also apply this and it prevents them from appearing too.

So I hope this gave you some inspiration on your skin care routine, I recommend all of these products I particularly love the Redness Solutions! I am going on holiday tomorrow so I have been unable to take a picture, but hopefully when I get their I will be able to take a picture. I also don't know how often I will be able to blog which is annoying but I hope you don't mind too much!

I hope you are enjoying your holidays! What is your favourite Skin Care Product?

How to Pick the Right Beauty Products

(I was desperate to get this up tonight therefore had to compromise with photos. This is not my photo and I in know way take credit for, all credit remains and goes to the beautiful Essie Button. Finally,  The giveaway has ended, thank you to all entries! I know my international readers were really disappointed, and I am really sorry to all of you! I love you all! As for the winner, she has been contacted and it is going to remain anonymous!)

Now I recommend taking this chance to get yourself a cup of tea and a biscuit(s) and sit back because this is going to be a long post.

Foundation and Concealer 
I have already covered this on my blog, the links for which are as followed. For foundation click here, as for concealer click here.

Blusher
For me I find selecting the right blusher shade is the hardest. To select the perfect blush shade you need to decipher from your own skin tone. For fair skin remember lighter is better, if you have applied a heavy amount use a fan brush to flick of any excess you may have. If you have a medium skin tone then select a peach or rose gold/pink. Anything too dark can be clownish, anything to light with end up washing you out. For you dark skinned ladies choose a dark orange or deep shimmertone-d (is that even a word? Well, you know what I mean all the same!) red. This will help reflect a beautiful glow!

Bronzer
When choosing a bronzer shade hold it up to your skin, and select a shade that is one or two shades darker. This will give you the most natural bronzed glow. When choosing a brush for bronzer choose a brush that fits into the hollows of your cheeks perfectly - don't feel pressured into choosing a brush specifically for bronzer; but one that sits on top of your cheekbones.

Mascara
With mascara's being the heaviest on the market, and drugstores overflowing with choices it can get a bit overwhelming - lets be honest. Each type of mascara provides a different purpose, and job. Short wands are the best for short lashes. Where as long brushes with evenly spread brushes are the best to define, separate and lengthen lashes however don't add volume. So this would be the best choice for somebody who already have full lashes. For maximum volume find a large rounded wand, with dense bristles. This will grab and coat each lash. I find that brushing the wand horizontally from the base in an outwards direction will help to add volume and dimension. For straight lashes, a curved brush will lift the lashes and hold a maximum curl effect.

Lipstick 
Lipstick shades also rely on your skin tone. For fair skin coral reds or dark reds with a pink undertone looks the best. Pink and cranberry shades or brick reds suit medium to olive skin. Reds with burgundy or brown tones and deep colours such as purples suit dark skin. For women who want to add dimension satin or sheer lipsticks help to make the lips appear fuller and plumper. Where as creamy lipsticks are good choices for women with full lips as they help the lips to appear firm.

Eyeshadow 
Now I don't think there is a specific rule to as what looks best, you can pretty much make any shadow colour work but their is certain colours that suit certain  eye colours. For blue eyes bronze and gold shades work the best along with peach shades. (Too much peach will look like pink eye, so be careful within that region.) For Green eyes taupe, and violet shades look the best; and for grey eyes choose a charcoal, brown or purple shade. If you have brown eyes count yourself lucky because you can pretty much wear any colours, however metallic shades can really draw attention.

So I think thats pretty much it, bronzers is pretty self explanatory for light skin choose the lightest shade for darker skin tones choose the darkest option. As for brushes their also pretty much self explanatory. If you would like to see a post about brushes let me know in the comments below!

What's your favourite makeup look?