Tuesday 30 September 2014

How To Do Copper Ombre

Oh I've done it again... the change of the hair colour edition 2. Some of you may already know that Autumn is my favourite season. Not only did I just celebrate my birthday on the 26th September, but I love the colours, the trends, the jumpers that Autumn brings. I could list so many more reasons as to why I love Autumn but we'd be here for a while. However stiring back into the topic to hand, I have always wanted ombre hair but have unfortunately had a number of problems in achieving this. I first (tried to) ombre my hair around two years ago which ended up in disaster. Put this way, ombreing your hair on old henna'd hair and using a box kit really does not mix well. But two years later I am here to tell you another story. Having naturally dark hair with dye already in it, my hairdresser had to give me a very light bleach bath to get all of the random tones out- it is here where I changed my hair to a auburn colour (which I absolutely loved). However this time I wanted to fulfil my desire to have ombre hair. Copper ombre in fact. Having loved my auburn hair but missing my brunette frame (around my face) ombre hair also felt like a great compromise. But do note, my hair in the images below were done by Lisa Trigo who is a professional hairdresser. The tips below are just a guideline as to how you can obtain the best looking copper ombre hair yourself. Much of it is hair dependant so do read the hair dye guidelines before applying.

Step One: Firstly, It is extremely important to evaluate your hair. If your hair is blonde or of a lighter colour, it is more than likely that your hair is going to go more of an orange tone rather than copper. You may have to pre-prepare your hair before doing this type of ombre. Do contact your hairdresser if you are unsure.

Step Two: Apply the root base colour (or alternatively use your own). Now this step is wholly dependant on your own hair colour so the time will vary. As you can see in the images below, I opted to have my ombre fairly high up so you can go down (or up) as far as you want.

Step Three: Wash the dye out and then blow dry your hair until fully dry.

Step Four: Now the key tip to obtaining good copper ombre is to be 'random', so this means having 2-3 different colours to hand, and to avoid any straight lines (which is is often the common mistake). The colours that were used in my ombre were blonde, auburn, and copper. These were applied using foils which were placed randomly amongst there hair. There was no order to it.

Step Five: Yet again, leaving in the dye will wholly depend on your original hair colour. Mine was left in for 20-30 minutes and then shampooed and conditioned out. Washing your hair under lukewarm/cooler water will help to add extra shine to your hair.

Step Six: Dry and style- you are now ready to rock your own Autumn ombre hair!


So what do you make of copper ombre hair?
Much Love
Eltoria x



Share:

Wednesday 24 September 2014

1 Year Blog Post

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Eltoria Blog. Happy birthday to you. Woo! It's pretty much been a year since I have started blogging (time has just flown by). So this post is really a memoir/collaboration of all of my favourite blog posts in the last year. From beauty tips to life advice, this post will give you a broad insight into the world of Eltoria. So how did it all come about? I started this blog for a number of reasons, firstly; I love beauty, secondly; it was something that I could incorporate into my degree and the last reason (I'm sure) will be shared with you all sometime in the future. So much has happened in the last year and I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read this blog. Do let me know in the comments whether you are an 'oldie' or a 'newbie'- it will be great to know how far some of you go back! Ps: if some of the posts mentioned in this post takes you fancy, you can access it by clicking on the text in bold.

Beauty Posts: Originally this blog kicked off giving beauty, makeup, and health advice. My e.l.f make up review (left) and face mask review (right) were one of my first beauty posts that I did. My face mask review gave advice as what you should look out for in a facemask. If you have oily, problematic, or dry skin, this post will give you a huge insight as to how you can over come your skin problem. On the other hand, My e.l.f make up review gave you the 'do's' and 'don'ts' in make up application. This later transpired into other posts where I even wrote about 'How To Contour Like Kim Kardashian'. 

How To Posts: This blog can also give you tips, methods, and ingredients as to how you can make your own beauty products! From 'How To Make You Own Lipscrub' and 'How To Make Your Own Hair Mask', you sure can rely on Eltoria to give you some money saving tips! (Although it is fun too).

Lifestyle Posts: With my first year of blogging being a success, I decided to give my fellow readers tips and advice into writing their own blogs. From 'How To Increase Your Blog Views' (currently my most read post) to 'How To Get Over The Writer's Block', writing life style posts has been one my favourite genres to write about. I have even written about my own bullying experience called 'Bullied' and other various posts like 'The Common Lies Women Tell Men' and the 'Expectations v Reality of University'. Give them a read (some are quite a giggle)!

Fashion Posts & Prize Giveaways: Who doesn't love a good prize giveaway and a sneak peak into someone's 'Outfit Of The Day'. From being published on Select Fashion's Instagram page to running designer sunglass giveaways for Michael Kors and Carrera, you can sure rely on Eltoria to win some snazzy things. Maybe a new giveaway will follow in celebration of my 1 year birthday?

Health and Food Posts: Oh who doesn't love a good smoothie or work out? With recently graduating from University, I have tried to stay away from Domino's and Kebabs after a night out. Giving you all a sneak peak into 'My Food Diet Diary' and 'How To Go From Damaged To Healthy Hair' you can learn how to change your life style in a heart beat.

YouTube: With making my YouTube debut in February this year, over coming my fear of 'talking to the camera' has become a distant memory. From 'LUSH Hauls' and 'How To' videos to 'Things That Bug Me' you can get a whole range topics creeping up on my channel. After recently doing a video sponsored my e.l.f , I am really keen to to start putting more time and effort into my channel. So watch out year 2! You can check out/or subscribe to my channel by clicking here.

Well that's a little insight into my world guys!
What style of post tickles your fancy?
Much Love
Eltoria x

Blog Giveaways to Check Out:

Share:

Monday 22 September 2014

Go Ape!

Waking up at 6am on a Sunday and putting my new iPhone 5C in jeopardy (for the sake of this blog post), I would say that I was one ballsy blogger. Some of you may know that it is my birthday this week *cough* 22 *cough* and the thought of growing up is kind of scary. Not only is it my own birthday, but it is also my twin sister's and technically this blog's too. So triple celebrations all around! So as a early treat, myself and 5 friends booked to go to 'Go Ape' in the Forest of Dean. Now I had absolutely no idea what to expect- all I got told was that it was some sort of zip lining activity in a forest. Once we arrived we got all harnessed up and enjoyed the embarrassment of my sister whacking her head on a tree in front of at least 20 people (well done sis). I can honestly say that I hadn't had that much fun in a seriously long time- we laughed, we giggled and it was also nice to appreciate the beautiful outdoors and forest. Not only do you do a lot of zip lining, but you also do other fun activities like running across wobbly planks of wood and jumping like Spider Man onto nets. You are completely safe and get shown how to use the equipment before you set off. My friend Jess (who absolutely hates heights) really enjoyed it (despite being a little shaky at the beginning!) This is definitely somewhere I'd recommend to go and have fun! I loved it! So to stop babbling on, here are a number of photos that were taken on my phone:

All harnessed up: off I go!
Forest selfie!
Left: Anouska, Jess, Me
Climbing a ladder to start the activity!
On top of the zip wire: so beautiful.
Just hangin' (see not too far down)
Amie: Wobbly ladders!
Starting left: me, Anouska (my sister), Caz, Amie, Jess, Jenny
Woo: We even got certificates!
Have you been before? Plan to go any time soon?
Much Love
Eltoria x


Blog Giveaways to Check Out:

Share:

Wednesday 17 September 2014

Real Techniques Makeup Brushes

Let's face it, Real Technique make up brushes have been cooking up a storm in the British beauty market recently. With the average woman 'umming and arring' over the prices of make up brushes (some sets topping a £1000!) it is no wonder why Real Techniques have stolen our hearts. And let me tell you now, if I haven't had you at hello you seriously need to keep on reading (you guys are going to freak). So with me being one of those girls 'umming and arring' over the prices of make up brushes, I went on a mission. And you've probably guess it, a bargain mission it was. Firstly I checked Ebay (face palm). Ebay is riddled with fakes and old make up brushes, some are fine but most will probably break on you within a week (sorry to crush any hopefuls out there). But eventually I went international. Now, Boots sell Real Technique brushes at approximately £10-£20 a brush which in my opinion is reasonable yet slightly still pricey (I kept the umming but lost the arring). Instead I decided to check out realtechniques.com (in America) and oh my goodness they are so much cheaper (and yes they're real!). I bought the Eye Definition Starter Set (5 brushes) for $18.00 (£11.00!), the Core Collection (4 brushes) for $18.00 (£11.00) and a Foundation Brush for $8.00 (£4.91). So I spent £26.91 on 10 brushes- this would of cost £53.97 if I bought them in Boots! Incredible. Additionally it cost £2.63 to ship to the UK so my total saving was £24.43! You could buy two more starter kits and it still would be cheaper. Eltoria 1, the British beauty market 0.



The brushes themselves are amazing and are of such high quality; they are made of of synthetic bristles which are hand cut. High quality synthetic brushes are just as good as natural brushes (each being better than the other depending on the use). Synthetic brushes are particularly good for foundation and cream based products because they do not absorb the product as much. Whilst on the other hand, natural bristles are better for eyeshadows, bronzers and blushers because they stick to the bristles better. So ultimately both are good to have in your make up bag. I personally love the Real Techniques range and they are definitely worth the investment. I used the Real Technique range in my recent elf cosmetics project which you can watch by clicking here. 

I hope you liked my huge money saving tip!
Much Love
Eltoria x


Blog Giveaways to Check Out:

Share:

Sunday 14 September 2014

elf Makeup: Win 10 Products

Competition: Win all 10 elf make up products! Enter through the portal at the end of this post.
Is it Christmas already? Because it sure feels like it! Earlier in the week I received a fabulous 10 piece package from elf Cosmetics which made a brilliant excuse to play around with my new products and make up brushes. elf Cosmetics is a low cost high quality cosmetics brand who offer a wide range of make up and tools for all aspects. As you can see below, a wide range of products is exactly what I got. Whilst I was inspired by the 'Going Back to School' theme, instead I wanted to this post and vlog to be slightly more dramatic and less 'preppy' (if that makes sense?). So ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, I present to you the ultimate Back to University Look. Oooh yeah. The reasoning is this; I have recently graduated from University and I am (kind of) gutted that I shall not be making a return this semester. As an ex student I know how costly make up can be and with friends pestering you all the time to get ready quickly, your make up needs to be 'student versatile'. Therefore my versatile idea is this; a slight smokey eye, a light contour with a punchy coral finish on the lips. Makeup fit for both lectures and the Student Union- you can't wrong!

As you can see in the image at the very top of this post, the look is ever so natural yet subtly powerful. Although I am no make up artist, I decided to also create a YouTube video (see below) so that you guys can see exactly how I managed to create this look whilst getting a good look at the products too. I always like to see exactly how products look and sit on the skin as sometimes the colour differs from what is actually advertised on the packaging! Therefore, here is a brief summary of my thoughts on these products:

Elf Concealer: this concealer is beautifully thick having the ability to hide any impurities and dark circles. 
HD Mattifying Cream Foundation: as I am not a huge foundation wearer (usually preferring minerals) I was however pleasantly surprised on this foundation's extremely light finish. This foundation is oil free which makes it perfect if you have combination or oily skin. As we speak (or as you read) I am touching my skin thinking how soft it is. 
Translucent Matte Powder: shine be gone! I love how this powder banishes all shine away from your face. Yet again it is ever so light making it perfect for redefining and and adding a smooth finish to your skin.
Elf Shimmer: I got this shimmer in the colour gold which adds a warm finish to the skin. I like to use this product on my cheek bones, collar bone and shoulders because it helps to illuminate your features. I feel like a defined gold magnum!
Mineral Glow: contour, contour, contour-the pigment of this mineral is gorgeous! A little bit goes a very long way on your brush, so don't go too crazy!
Cream Blush: I am not usually a big fan of cream blushes but this one was surprising. Whilst I was half expecting it to just melt onto my brush, it however went on nicely. I applied this blush to the apples of my cheeks and it looked oh so rosie! 
Eye Shadow: This eye shadow is extremely versatile! You can also use it to fill in your eyebrows.
Volume Pumping Mascara: dark, mysterious, and valumptious! All you need in a mascara.
Natural Lash Collection: vaaa vaaa vaaa vooom! These lashes are great for adding extra length and thickness.
Moisturizing Lipstick in Coral: Oh my days I just LOVE this lipstick. I would have to say that this product is my favourite above the rest. Usually my lips get very chappy and sore in the cold weather, so dry lipsticks are a major no no. This lipstick is a moisturising heaven; it treats the lips whilst giving it that dramatic coral finish. If there is one product to get from elf, this is it!

WIN: Want the whole look too? Thanks to elf Cosmetics, one of you lucky readers can win yourself all of the above products mentioned in this post. Yes all of them! To enter all you have to do is subscribe to Eltoria on YouTube, share the video, and follow elf Cosmetics on Twitter! However, you will be disqualified if you cheat or show any dishonest behaviour, for example, follow and then unfollow. Those of you who do subscribe to my YouTube channel will automatically enter my next competition. Best of luck!

Watch the makeup tutorial by clicking here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you make of this look?
Much Love
Eltoria x

Share:

Thursday 11 September 2014

100,000 Blog Views & £100 Carrera Sunglasses Competition

Chanis Cherry KYS sunglasses by Carrera £90.00
I honestly cannot believe that I am saying this... over 100,000 views on Blogger and over three quarters of a million on Google+- I seriously cannot thank you all enough! It has been a great first year and I cannot wait to bring you all so much more in my second year of blogging. Therefore this Friday I have a HUGE treat for you all. Thanks to The Sunglasses Shop and Carrera, I received these gorgeous pair of Chanis Cherry KYS sunglasses which are utterly amazing! I have never owned a pair of sunglasses that have not either been black, brown or white; I'm not entirely sure why but I guess new hair means new style right? These pair of sunglasses were designed with the female fashionista in mind wanting to create a punchy and playful look. The colour of them (as you can see) are of a deep red/pink colour which look fabulous against a bluddy lip (not literally of course). So with moods being high and The Sunglasses Shop being one of the best places to buy sunglasses, one of you lucky readers can win yourself a £100.00 pair of your choosing! The only mandatory requirement is to like The Sunglasses Shop on Facebook by entering through the portal below (end of post) and to comment below which pair you would like (otherwise I won't know which one you want!)Other than that, best of luck ladies and gentleman! Please read Terms & Conditions below.



You can check out other ranges The Sunglasses Shop stock by clicking here. They stock the likes of Michael Kors, Ray-Ban, Dior, Gucci, Oakley and many more. Carrera stock glasses for both males and females so check them out here.

Terms and Conditions
So how can you win yourself a fabulous pair of Carrera sunglasses? It is mandatory to like the Sunglasses Shop on Facebook, and comment below the sunglasses that you would like (no more that £100.00 in value). You can select your pair by clicking here. Additional requirements are to follow Eltoria on Google connect (followers)subscribe to the YouTube channel, follow and like on Twitter and Facebook. These are not mandatory to enter but will give extra accreditation. You will be disqualified if you cheat or show any dishonest behaviour, for example, follow and then unfollow.
Much Love
Eltoria x



Share:

Wednesday 10 September 2014

Glitzy Secrets Earrings

Call me a magpie, but these earrings are utterly gorgeous! Brought to you by the glamorous Glitzy Secrets, you will no longer have trouble in adding a touch of frost to your outfits. Glitzy Secrets is an award winning jeweller stocking anything from hair pieces to cocktail rings for any occasion. I would particularly say that this company would be perfect to anyone who is currently planning a wedding (or alternatively a big occasion) as they have a wide stock of wedding and bridesmaid pieces. Talk about narrowing down the stress for a soon to be bride; they have absolutely everything on there. Other than weddings, they stock everything that you could possible imagine; hair pins, tiaras, hair slides, vintage pieces, hair flowers, necklaces, earrings... (I am seriously just naming a few). Their website is like walking into Harrords made just for jewellery- you'll be like a kid in a candy shop. I chose the crystal Starlet's Trio Earrings  (RRP £20.00) for two reasons. Firstly the style reminded me of a three leaf clover which (leading onto my second point) represents three major developments in my life at the time. First: graduating from university, second: starting my law career and third: passing my driving test. Ironically these happenings all came within 3 weeks of one another so it only seemed appropriate to choose these earrings. A story behind my choosing; how appropriate would that be to the soon to be bride! Here are some of my favourite pieces:
Left: Starlet's Trio Earrings Centre Left: Treasure of Beauty Side Tiara Centre Right: Vine of Yester Year Bangle Right: Heirloom Charm Hair Claw
We also congratulate Glitzy Secrets who have recently been short listed for Best Wedding Jewellery in the Perfect Wedding Awards 2014! What an achievement.

What do you make of these glitzy products?
Much Love
Eltoria x

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN' |YOUTUBEGOOGLE


Share:

Monday 8 September 2014

Outfit of the Day!

Outfit of the day has to go to this amazing little number- I cannot express my love enough for this dress. Since going ginger (or should I say a sassy auburn) I have been going mad on restyling and updating my image. From working life to going out a lot more, it is sometimes nice to find a dress that suits both attires. This dress oozes sophistication and is designed by AX Paris. A number versions of this dress is available but I particularly liked the lace embellishment and sleeves; it sang the party girl's lyrics and spoke the working girl's language. It's so versatile. The material of this dress is definitely worth the mention; a soft body-con fit which hugs like a glove. It feels ever so light and comfortable to move in- perfect to have a boogie in (or alternatively a huge works lunch). I will definitely be purchasing more of AX Paris's dresses because their quality against their prices is just a steal. I bought this dress for £30.00 and you can purchase it (and other colours) by clicking here.


 


 What are your opinions on this dress? Drop a comment below.
Much Love
Eltoria x


Share:

Baby B Browne Tan

 Baby B Browne is a fabulous new tanning lotion on the market which offers more than just a pair of bronzed pins. Jammed pack with Aloe Vera, Seed Butter and Leaf Extract, this product will leave your skin feeling soothe and soft like a pair of silk pyjamas. Yes I did just say pyjamas (how indulgent of me!). What I particularly like about this product is its 'body lotion' feel, sometimes I prefer to use gradual self tanners to others because I feel that its lasting effect looks much more natural.  The 'B' in Baby B Browne sure does mean brown! As you can see in the image below, the product itself is very dark. When you first see/use this product you instantly think that it is going to be too dark for your skin but have no fear ladies, this is one clever product. The tan only comes in one colour (medium) but the lotion is designed to react with each individual's skin pigment to create a realistic looking tan that is specific to you. Unique and clever? I like. When you apply this product onto your skin I would highly recommend using a tanning mit because the tanning process starts instantly. After all, you don't want a 'Dorito hand' do you. The smell of this tanning lotion is also like no other. Expecting a hint of Indian food, I was pleasantly surprised to get a waft of vanilla! I know ladies, is this for real? So whilst looking like chocolate and smelling like vanilla, this tan has GIRL written all over it. Definitely worth a try!

I am totally in love with this tan. As you can see (below) there is a huge difference in colour (even when I first applied it I saw a huge difference!). The only critique I have of this product is its drying time after application- I feel like that you couldn't put this product on in a rush. You are going to be stood like a starfish for a few more minutes than usual. Lastly, I would recommend showering off the excess (after the tan has developed) and not to sleep on light sheets (trust me I learnt the hard way). So whether you're an English Rose or an Olive, this tanning lotion is perfect for any skin shade. You can buy this product for £14.95 at http://www.babybbrowne.co.uk/

Will you be keeping up your Summer tans this Autumn?
Much Love
Eltoria x


Share:

Thursday 4 September 2014

Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

Now some of you may of heard that Argan Oil is one of the best ingredients for you hair. Not only does it add strength to brittle ends, but it also adds gloss and shine. Happy Hair Days is a brand that I had never heard of before. These bottles were sitting on the bottom shelf of Sainsburys hiding behind the likes of V05, John Frieda and Herbal Essences. So in other words, the big dogs were stealing the show. So what drew me to the bottom shelf? I love how authentic and simple these bottles are (and of course the big wording of 'Argan Oil' made it extra alluring). Sometimes I like to buy non-commercialised products because I feel that they are just as good (or better) than those commercialised in magazines and on TV. Argan Oil or 'Miracle Oil' (as I like to call it) also has many other benefits:

 Argan Oil is high in Vitamin E which helps to repair the cuticle of the hair.
 It is able to stop fly away hair, the curliness and the roughness of the hair.
 For those who love to style their hair, Argan Oil can help repair the damage caused by styling (i.e. back combing).
 Argan oil is rich in omega 3 and has 9 fatty acids which help replenish thirsty split ends.
 Contains antioxidants which help to strengthen the hair.

You can purchase Happy Hair Days products for 2 for £5.00 in Sainsburys... bargain!
What do you make of Argan Oil?
Much Love
Eltoria x


Share:

Wednesday 3 September 2014

The Bathory

Oh bath lovers you are going to LOVE this. If I told you that you could make your own bath product from scratch you would probably say that I was lying. Finding a good (and reliable) retailer that offers this service is extremely rare, but you can now look no further. The Bathory is a gorgeous and quirky 'bath mad' enterprise situated in the beautiful English countryside. The company firmly believes that their customers ought to know exactly what goes into their baths, so going the extra mile, the company additionally make their products by hand! Not only are their products well thought about, they are also extremely fresh. With products made to order using the finest ingredients, bathing in luxury is the only option here. So depending how you feel at the time, pick, click and it will be with you in a tick. No honestly, although it is made by hand my order came in a day. So how does this ingenious idea work? Well check out the diagram below:

Now you all know that I love my fresh and natural ingredients because I tend to find them much more benefiting to the skin. So having the option between a number of salts, I ended up choosing Epsom Salts and Rhassoul Clay. Epsom Salts and Rhassoul Clay have extremely detoxing properties helping to keep your pores clean and skin feeling mighty fresh. Epsom Salts are also good for anyone who suffers from ingrown hairs, swollen muscles and bruising as they help to soothe and relax pores and tissue. As you can see in the the boxes hatched black (see images above and below) I opted to have Chamomile, Lavender and Ylang Ylang oil in my product (a menu of other oils are available). Now call me granny, but I absolutely love lavender. In the Autumn months I tend to prefer scents that make me feel cosy and sleepy (goodness I'm like a hedgehog in hibernation). But overall, after lighting some candles and soaking in the bath for a good 40 minutes, my bathing experience was ever so relaxing. My skin felt; soft, nourished and ever so soft. I rate this product a highly respectable 9/10. I would love to see The Bathory do some bubble bath next!
You can get this product for £18.00 ($30.00) which is also available in other international countries too.
What do you guys make of this product?
Much Love
Eltoria x


Share:

Monday 1 September 2014

Phil Smith Hair Shine Spray

To be brutally honest with you all, I had never heard of Phil Smith before. Whilst browsing for my beloved Shine Spray by V05, Sainsburys decided to either run out of stock or not stock it at all, so an alternative was on the cards. Since using shine sprays I have seen a massive difference in the texture of my hair- especially when it is down. Shine sprays help to add shine and gloss to the hair without being too heavy. They are particularly good if you have dry or frizzy hair as they help to hide and tame those challenged locks. So what did I make of the Shine Spray by Phil Smith? Firstly it does smell pretty incredible and has a similar smell to Soap & Glory products (so girly and fresh). This spray is also great for finer/oiler hair has it is very light on both the ends and root of the hair. I felt that this spray was a great alternative to V05 but for me, (in relation to my hair type and preference) the V05 spray is slightly heavier giving off more gloss and shine. The preference is wholly dependable on your hair type so giving them both a go would be worthwhile. What I also liked about this product is its versatility. Whilst providing a luxurious shine finish to your lifeless locks, it additionally adds a hold to the hair making it great for styling too. I  particularly like using this product after curling and putting my hair up- its properties are light and natural which doesn't make your hair look 'clumpy' and 'gluey' like some hair sprays do (get what I mean?) 


You can pick up this spray for just £2.50... bargain! 
What do you make of shine sprays?
Much Love
Eltoria x



Share:
© Eltoria | All rights reserved.
Designed by Eltoria | Built by pipdig.co