5 Tips on How to Make Your Makeup Look Better

This post comes with a warning, you probably wont want to hear some the tips I'm going to give you in this post because very little of it has to do with what makeup you use or how you apply it. Sorry guys! However if you're intrigued to what little things you can do to improve the look of your makeup, read on!

1) Drink lots of water - I know, I know! You'll have heard this 100 times over from anyone who preaches about health but if you genuinely want to make your foundation in particular look better, then you need that H2O! Hydrated skin looks more plump, radiant and clearer therefore making your foundation look even better and you'll need less of it. Dehydrated skin is thirsty and looking for any water based product it can get making it more inclined to "drink in" your foundation, making it look patchy or dry.

2) Your diet shows in your skin - Again, another thing you didn't want me to say but honestly, you are what you eat (well your skin certainly is). I've worked on Makeup & Skincare counters for 5 years and it's amazing how much people are willing to fork out on expensive skincare but won't do the most obvious thing for their skin! If you are having a problem with your skin, I guarantee it will be related to your diet, water intake or something you're using. I'm not saying you have to be perfect all the time, but making even small changes to the amount of veggies you eat or that one less takeaway will make the difference. Try it, you'll thank me later!

3) Skincare - The number of people I see using the best, most expensive makeup out there but don't invest a penny in their skin is crazy! The way I look at it is, if you had to paint a wall that hadn't been plastered correctly or in years, then your paint job is going to look rubbish. It's the same with makeup and skincare, they go hand in hand. I'm in no way saying you need to spend a fortune on your skincare, stores like the Body Shop do great ranges which are affordable. Everyone should be using at least a cleanser, exfoliate once a week and a moisturiser.

4) Priming - Prepping your face for makeup is such an essential step if you want your makeup to last and look fresher for longer. Now, most people think primer is only for the skin however there is primer or a way to prime for every area of the face. Facial primers can do amazing things in terms of making your foundation look better and there are different kinds depending on your skin concerns. Eyeshadow primers are absolutely key to making sure your eyeshadow doesn't crease, keep it looking fresh and vibrant and for bringing out the best pigmentation in all of your shadows.

5) Brushes - This is the one thing I cannot preach enough to anyone who wants their makeup to look better: Use good quality brushes. Going back to the paint analogy, would you paint your walls with your hands? I think not, so why would you put your foundation on with your hands? And the same goes for applying all parts of makeup, if you use amazing brushes, they will do the work for you.

I hope these tips were useful and if you have any of your own, please leave them in the comments! :)

ark xo

Health & Fitness

Now, before I say anything about Health and Fitness I would just like to point out that I'm no expert on either of these subjects. These are just my opinions and what I do to help keep fit & healthy.

Lately I seem to have finally caught the fitness bug, only after my 22 years on this Earth. This was largely inspired by my boyfriend who is a bodybuilder, so it's a little hard to keep sitting back doing nothing when your other half is a...well...tank.

So, a couple of months ago I made the decision to join my local gym and start exercising regularly, as well as making general changes to my diet. I was incredibly apprehensive about joining a gym as I had visions of all these people who looked amazing looking at me thinking "What the hell is she doing here?"but after a few weeks these disappeared and I actually started enjoying going to the gym.

My exercise routine consists mainly of weight training & some light cardio, I find these to be the most sensible and effective way of reaching my fitness goals. The goals I set are pretty normal for most people, just tone up and lose body fat, which so far I have successful in doing. The routine I follow consists of 3 different days - Back, Leg & Chest. On back day, typical exercises include Deadlifts, dumbell rows, lateral pulldowns & medicine ball twists. Leg day is all about weighted squats, lunges, kettle bell swings etc. Chest day involves more pushing exercises. I also try and incorporate some more abdominal exercises at home when I can. 

Nutrition wise, I pretty much do the obvious thing, I eat as healthily as I can most of the time. Breakfast is typically Wheatabix with almond milk or porridge, lunch can be anything from wholemeal chicken wraps to lentil soup and dinner I tend to stick to either chicken or beef with rice. In some of these meals or post gym, I'll have a protein shake as I find it hard to eat as much protein as I should. The result of these changes to my diet has been huge, I have so much more energy, I feel less tired and I'm not plagued with sugar headaches. Don't get me wrong, about once or twice a week I'll pig out and have a "cheat" meal where I pretty much have exactly what I want and don't feel guilty about it. These meals are such a treat for me now that I value them so much more than if I ate them every day.

In terms of what I have to drink, I've always only drank water anyway so that wasn't a big change. Instead of coffee, I'll have green tea with lemon which gives me a bit more energy if I'm flagging. When it comes to alcohol, I still drink but very occassionally. I find my body doesn't react well with even small amounts of alcohol anymore and, to be honest, I can't handle the hangovers anymore!

All of these changes to my lifestyle have made me see definite changes to my body and health. I'm stronger, leaner, more energetic and toned. 

I'll keep you up to date on my progress throughout the months. Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll answer them as best I can!