How To Look Taller - The Magic Of Nude Shoes

The post where I appear taller!

After searching for what seemed like a lifetime and then having to wait for the right shoes to come back into stock, I finally posses a pair of nude coloured shoes. They have just the right amount of heel to give me some actual height and are a good width so they do not crush the toes together.

They got their first outing on Sunday night and I have to say I love them.

You may remember this black Coast Dress (Nikita) from a previous post where I teamed it with purple accessories for a wedding. The post can be found by clicking here . On that occasion I wore ankle strap purple shoes, which are one of my favourite pairs as they are relatively low heeled and quite comfortable.

However, I think that this combination of the black dress and nude heels really work. I feel that this elongates my body and legs and creates the illusion of me appearing taller than I actually am. This is classy and elegant, and very grown up!

I love my ankle strap shoes but when I compare them to this photo I can see how they are making me look shorter, my legs appear to finish at my ankles and this is just not as flattering as a court style/stiletto shoe can be.

Let's face it at just 4ft 11 I need all the help I can get to look taller :-)

What do you think?

How To Create The Illusion of Bigger Eyes

I have small eyes, there is no getting away from that fact. Whilst I can wish all I like to have bigger eyes, it will never happen so what I have to do is try my best to give the illusion of bigger eyes... I love heavy smoky eyes but the reality is my eyes look bigger and brighter the lighter I keep the shadow and liner around them. So whilst occasionally I will experiment with other looks I tend to stick to what looks best on my eyes.

A couple of tricks that I use - 

Don't over line the eyes - I rarely will line my eyes all the way around as this closes the eyes - instead I start lining from the outer corners of my eye and take the eye liner up to the start of the Iris. This prevents the eyes from looking so close set.

I briefly touched on the other tried and tested method a few months ago in my Breakfast at Tiffany's post 

This is in my opinion THE best tip I have learnt.

Apply an ivory/cream pencil on the waterline - You can use white but that can come across as too stark. I tend to do it just on my lower eye but you can do it on top too.You can can then still apply your chosen liner under it. 

I used both this methods last night when I was heading out for a party - I have attached a few pictures so you can see. What do you think? Do my eyes look bigger and brighter?

What I used 

Primers - Benefit Porefessional, Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion
Foundation - Estee Lauder Double Wear 2C1 Pale Almond 02
Bronzer - Accessorize Baked Bronzer Duo - Bali Shade 2
Blusher - Nars Deep Throat
Highlighter - Mac Rose Quartz Mineralize Skinfinish (MSF)
Eye Shadow - 17 Trio Eye Shadows in Enraged
Eye Liners - Clinique Cream Shaper in Chocolate Lustre, No7 Limited Edition Double-Ended Pencil in Ivory/Dark Brown
Mascara - L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes in black, Clinique High Impact Mascara in black
Lip Gloss - Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF15 - Juicy Apple

Face Of The Day - FOTD

I am really loving the new range of Elixir lipsticks from Max Factor. Here I am wearing the shade Mulberry. This is a gorgeous berry shade with a very slight frost finish to it which stops it being a flat colour.  I will be doing a full review on the Max Factor Elixir lipsticks shortly.

The rest of the makeup

Primer - L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer
Foundation - Airbase High Definition Airbrush Makeup - Medium 03
Bronzer - Accessorize Baked Bronzer Duo - Bali Shade 2
Highlighter - Nars Orgasm Illuminator 
Blusher - Accessorize Merged Baked Blusher 6 in Scandal
Eye Shadow - Max Factor Earth Spirit Eye shadow - 107 Burnt Bark
Mascara - Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

Remaining fresh looking and flawless all day, I was very pleased with this combination.

What do you think?

*NOW CLOSED* Giveaway - Win A Collection of False Lashes From Superdrug!

*GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED*

One lucky winner will win 5 different sets of false lashes from the Superdrug collection worth a total of £25.

Each design includes glue and instructions for easy application.

The prize -

Natural Edition 11 - Natural volume and length
Natural Edition 12 - Natural volume and length
Volume Edition 20 - Added volume and length
Volume Edition 21 - Added volume and length
Double Volume Edition 40 - Ultimate volume and length

**How To Enter**


Open only to UK citizens
The winner will be picked at random using random.org

You MUST be a follower of this blog via either Google Friends Connect/ Networked Blogs/ Bloglovin/Email or Twitter.

Please let me know which way you follow in the comments box. Once I announce the winner, the winner has 48 hours to get in touch to claim their prize.

* Gain an extra entry if you tweet about it -' I have entered the lashes giveaway @BeautySwot' and include a link to the giveaway *

Gain an extra entry if you put it on your blog/side bar (please mention in your comments if you have done so)

There is a maximum of 3 entries per person

The giveaway ends on the 13th November 2011, at 23.59pm  

Good Luck!

The Friday Column - A Fictional Tale

All About Me - A Tale of Fiction

Today I am due at the swimming pool but instead of ringing the bell, I just stay firmly seated on the bus. As the bus passes the swimming pool, I feel the tiniest pang of guilt. Right about now the children would be in the changing room excitedly getting ready for their lesson. The mums would be chattering away with each other and eagerly awaiting their free time when they could decamp to the cafeteria for their overpriced watery coffee that would require 3 sugars to make it drinkable. The pang of guilt vanished as quickly as it came and the corners of my mouth turn up and a smile breaks across my face.

Today it would be all about me, the children’s happy faces would turn to sad but I like to think that at least one child would have felt an ounce of relief, just like me when I would find out that swimming lessons were cancelled for the day. I would put back on my clothes as fast as I could and skip out of the doors singing at the top of my voice. My mum would have that look on her face, the one that said she could really have done with an hour of relaxation. I didn’t care though, I was free.

As the rain lashes against the bus windows my mind wanders to what I could do instead. I could stay on this bus all the way to London. The lights in Oxford Street have been put up but it would be ages before they are turned on, I could fit in some Christmas shopping but that would be for someone else. Today would be all about me. I know this is selfish but every day I wake up and I do the same thing. Monotony and drudgery, how did my life end up like this? I married a nice man, but he is content to do the same thing day in day out. My daughter has grown up the same way. I want my life to be different. I get bored of repetition; I do it only because it is expected of me but am watching it slowly and determinedly sucking the life out of me.

The bell rings, this is my stop. I head down Oxford Street and make my way into Selfridges, past the designer bags and through to the beauty hall. As I walk past each counter the women turn and smile at me, are these smiles of pity? I find myself stopping at a beauty counter whispering 'I want a new look, a new me'.

An original work of fiction - all rights reserved

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - Reviewed

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum


I first tried Advanced Night Repair when I was in my early 20's, it was included in the bonus gift bags that you  would receive when buying 2 or more products. I liked it then but I guess at the time I thought I was a little young for it and so never made the step to purchase a full size bottle.

My mum purchased a bottle of it and was liking it a lot but has been suffering with some illness/medicine related skin problems that has meant she has had to stop using most of the beauty products she owns. As it was just sitting in her cupboard she offered it to me.

I have used a few serums in the last couple of years but have suffered break outs either immediately or within a few days of use. I am pleased to say that I have not had a reaction to this serum.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex 


Claims - 

Reduces the look of past visible damage

Helps protect skin's future (by reducing the appearance of damage by environmental factors)

Targets the look of lines, uneven skintone and provides immediate hydration.

Dermatologist-tested

Ophthalmologist-tested
Fragrance-free
Non-comedogenic

How to use 

Apply to clean skin at night

Use 4-5 drops

Smooth onto skin and follow with your night moisturiser/cream

My thoughts

I have been using Advanced Night Repair for the last three weeks and noticed an immediate difference from the very first night I used it. My skin was so soft the next morning.

Since then my skin is looking clearer, feeling smoother and softer. My face appears brighter and I am sure that the line (don't laugh) on my forehead has pretty much reduced. Each morning I wake up with wonderfully hydrated and soft skin. I love it.

It is a nice light serum and the smell is pleasant. This is a pleasure to include in my nightly beauty ritual and I would definitely repurchase.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair costs £41 for 30ml or £54 for 50ml.

Gorgeous Accessorize Make-up A/W 2011 - Blusher and Bronzer!

I was recently sent a few bits from the Autumn/Winter 2011 Accessorize Make-up Collection to review.  I have to say I was really looking forward to receiving this package as I have been wanting to try Accessorize makeup for a while now and not managed to find any apart from the nail polishes in the shops.

Two items that immediately caught my eye were the blusher and the bronzer. They looked so pretty encased in the butterfly packaging.

I wasn't disappointed with either products and have been reaching for both since I received them.

Accessorize Merged Baked Blusher 6 - Scandal - £6

I love blushers and this is fantastic quality. The gorgeous swirl pattern just makes me want to dive in and bears more of a passing resemblance to raspberry ripple ice cream! Scandal is a very pretty shimmery warm raspberry shade that is just perfect for Autumn. A light touch is all that is needed as this is wonderfully pigmented.

Accessorize Baked Bronzer Duo - Bali Shade 2 - £6

This duo is another great product from the Accessorize range. One side is a matte brown and the other is a stunning bronze shimmer. This is a fabulous bronzer,  I have found this so easy to use, layer and blend. Powdery soft on one side and on the other, slightly chunkier in texture. I have been embracing a warm golden glow on my face and this is just right for looking really quite naturally tanned. I personally use the shimmery side as a highlighter on my cheek bones.

Swatches of Accessorize Blusher in Scandal and Baked Bronzer in Duo Bali

L -R - Scandal, Matt, Shimmer and blended together on other

I have included another swatch of the blusher as this is a more accurate depiction of its colour

I was really impressed with the blusher and bronzer, they are great quality products for exceptionally reasonable prices. I would highly recommend trying out some make-up from the Accessorize range. I know I want to try some more of the blushers and am tempted now to pick up a nail polish or two.

Look out for my review of the eye shadows - coming soon!


Accessorize makeup is available to purchase at participating Accessorize and Superdrug stores.