How To Have Alluring Lips

In my opinion, a made up face with bare lips can really let down a look, lips can really finish off your make up. It is such a shame that so many women leave there lips bare.

The Basics

Most women have some hair around their lips, the amount, colour and type of hair varies from woman to woman. This can be down to genetics or hormones. For example women with very light hair may have some upper lip hair which is barely noticeable, whereas a women with very dark hair could have quite a 'shadow' in the lip area. As women get older and reach the menopause, body hair decreases but facial hair increases. It is important to tend to hair growth around the mouth area in order to avoid looking unkept. I would not recommend waxing as this is too rough and really pulls on your skin, not just your hair. Hair removal creams can be used, however they can be a little awkward and in between using these creams, you may get a build up of regrowth.

I do get quite a dark shadow above my upper lip and also have some very light hairs just below my lower lip. I would recommend using a beauty trimmer which you can purchase for under £10 from most health and beauty retailers. They are so compact you could take it in your handbag on holiday if necessary. They usually only require one AAA battery. They only take a couple of seconds to use and are a good way of keeping on top of regrowth. Unlike normal shavers, they do not make the hair grow back coarser or darker.

Lipstick

Lipstick can really add glamour to your look. The only brand of lipstick that I use is Barry M. Like all Barry M products, they are suitable for vegetarians. I could not be more satisfied with this brand of lipstick. They are available in an array of beautiful colours, stay on for hours, moisturise your lips and do not have a horrible taste. In fact, I can do without using a lip liner. You can purchase Barry M lipsticks from Boot's or Superdrug where they normally retail at £4.49 per lipstick. If you want to be really savvy, why not stock up on lipsticks when either Boot's or Superdrug have 3 for 2 on all cosmetics. They have this offer on quite regularly. Barry M also have a range of lip liqueur crayons, lip liners and lip glosses.

My top tip for lips, make sure you have put a thin coat of vaseline on your lips before applying lipstick. This will make your lips stay well moisturised.

Keep an eye out for my upcoming Blog 'How To Have Luscious Lashes'

Many Thanks!

Delila DeMonte x

Face Masques Nourish Your Skin

If you ever feel like you need some pampering, why not try an old favourite, a face masque. They are inexpensive, easy to apply and leave your skin feeling smooth and soft. You can get hold of a generously sized single use sachet for under one pound, which is great value for money. They can be used once a week. I like the Montagne Jeunesse Range and the Face Food range because they are approved by the Vegetarian Society and BUAV approved. They come in all different forms so you can find one to suit you. I like the self heating masques in the winter as they make your face warm. If you are with a friend, it is a great idea to share a masque sachet as there is enough for two even though they are designed for one single use. Once opened, a sachet has to be used.

How to use a masque:

1. Cleanse your face with warm water.
2. Apply to face and neck taking care that it is spread nice and evenly and avoiding eyes and lips. 
3. Relax for 10 - 15 minutes or until it dries. (Why not try adding two slices of cucumber over your eyes to reduce puffiness and have a lie down.)
4. Wash off with water.
5. Pat your face dry.
6. Use a special eye moisturiser for around your eyes as this area is very delicate. Take care not to drag the skin in this area, use your baby finger to dab tiny amounts of moisturiser around the eye area.
7. Moisturise your face and neck with a facial moisturiser.

Here's my top tip for the day. Why not start using anti-wrinkle/anti-aging cream even if you are in your teens or early twenties. After all they do say prevention is better than a cure. I would not recommend spending a small fortune on such creams, they can be purchased in pound shops. I am not saying that they definitely work, it is hard to prove or disprove claims, however I think the ingredients used in anti-aging creams will benefit your skin.

Look out for my upcoming Blog 'How to get Luscious Lashes'.

I hope you have enjoyed my Blog's so far! Back Soon.

Delila DeMonte x.

How To Shape Your Eyebrows

Yes it is true, eyebrows do frame your face. Too many women ruin their brows because they have been over waxed or over plucked. Unfortunately eyebrow hair may never grow back once it has been plucked out or waxed off. It is just a shame the same can not be said for body hair. I would recommend using only tweezers for your delicate eye area and doing it yourself. This is good because it will save you money and you are in control of how much hair is removed. Salon eyebrow waxes tend to remove too much hair. Sparse brows may age you and clash with your features. Remember the aim is to tidy up stray hairs and create a lovely shape which compliments your facial features.

1. First of all you simply need a pair of tweezers, a brow comb/brush, a pot of vaseline, a cotton bud and a mirror.
2. Make sure there is good lighting in the room. 
3. Remember to pluck in the direction of the hair growth.
4. Never pluck above the eyebrows, only the hairs in between and below.
5. Make sure brows are clean.
6. Brush your eyebrows up using your brow comb.
7. Look at your brows. Your brows should start slightly before, (directly above) the inner corner of your eyes. Any hair in between this area may be gently removed. Take a pair of tweezers and pluck the hair in between your brows. 
8. Now take the cotton bud and place the bottom of it in line with the corner, outer part of your nose. Place the top end in line with the outer part or your iris, (coloured part of eye) up to your eyebrow. The end of the bud on your brow marks where the highest point of the arch on your brow should be.
9. Carefully remove hair one by one from under your brow in the direction of hair growth making sure you check you are following the right track. You should be able to see your brows natural arch shape which you can follow. Remember to use the bud technique as a guide.
10. Remove any stray hairs from the end of your brow. I tend to leave alone because I do not have many stray hairs in this area and I do not want short brows.
11. Remember you can always go back and remove a few more hairs if necessary. It is better to leave too much than to not have enough.
12. Everyones brows have their own shape. You should not try to follow someones eyebrow shape because we are all individual, and hair growth varies from person to person.
13. When you have finished plucking hairs, you may want to add some definition using a brow pencil. 
14. Finally, using either an old cleaned mascara wand or a brow comb/brush, dip into a pot of vaseline so the comb/brush has a delicate coat of vaseline on. Using the brow comb/brush, comb your eyebrows in the direction of hair growth. The vaseline will keep your eyebrows in place all day and will actually condition them at the same time.
15. All you have to do in order to maintain your brows is pluck out the regrowth long enough for the tweezers to grip.

So now you know how to frame your face.

Look out for my upcoming video on how to care for and style long curly hair on a budget.

Thanks for reading!

Delila DeMonte x

How Sleep Can Revive You

Many people today lead hectic stressful lives. Too much to do and not enough hours in the day is an all too common problem in society. Staying up late to get work done is often regarded as the solution. Late nights out in town are a good chance to have fun and socialise, however this often leads to lack of sleep, especially if you are expected back in work early the next morning. It is important that your body has chance to rest and recover ready to start another day. There are all kinds of health issues which have been linked to lack of sleep. For example, you could be more prone to picking up colds if you do not get enough sleep.

In the past, I have regularly gone without enough sleep in favour of having a few more hours to spare.  As it has recently become a new year, I have made a resolution to prioritise sleep and see it as essential in looking and feeling well. How much sleep an individual needs varies from person to person. Sleep needs can alter with the changing seasons as people tend to sleep more in the winter. An adult from age 18 - the end of life needs an average of 7.5 hours - 8.5 hours in a 24 hour period. I would say that I am on the lowest end of the scale. All you have to do is assess the amount of sleep you have had in a 24 hour period and compare it to how you feel during the day. Obviously as people age, they tend to have more 'cat naps' during the day. If you are still relatively young and feel like going to sleep during the day, you are not getting enough sleep. Taking note of your under eye area is often a tell tale sign of your sleep pattern. If you have more colour under your eyes, for example, grey or purple then the chances are you need more sleep.

So there you have it, having enough sleep can make you feel ready to face another day, generally in a better mood because you are more prone to being irritable if your tired, have a reduced risk of certain health conditions and can also make you look younger ......(and save a pretty penny on under eye concealer)!

My top sleep tips are:

• Try and switch your mind off as soon as you have gone to bed, an overactive mind leads you to stay awake and you are less likely to go to sleep the longer you are still awake.
• Taking a bath before bed may help to relax you.
• Read a book or listen to classical music to 'wind down' before bed.
• A drink of chamomile tea (naturally caffeine free) may be useful.
• Cut down on caffeine a couple of hours before going to bed.
• Do not over think about going to sleep, just relax.
• Wear an eye mask in summer as it will block out early morning light which could wake you.
• If you get up during the night and go to the bathroom, avoid putting on bright lights, using a lamp or torch could be a good idea, this avoids telling your body to wake up.
• Keep your body temperature from being too high or too low as this will affect your sleep, this may mean taking off or putting on some clothing, increasing or decreasing your heating or slightly adjusting the position of your duvet cover.

Thanks for reading and keep a look out for more blogs coming soon!

Delila DeMonte x

Simple Ways To Care For Your Hands

During the winter, hands can become dry and are prone to cracking. I am always using my hands for washing dishes and cleaning. Of course constantly using water can increase the dryness. When I switched from using fairy liquid to cheap washing up liquid as a cost saving measure, I acquired a really painful crack on the end of my right finger. It took a long time to heal up and meant that the finger I most commonly use, was out of action for a while. I also found that the cheap washing up liquid, which stated on the label, use sparingly, just did not create any bubbles, was more like water and I had to use at least five times more of it than fairy. Anyway, the point I am making is fairy liquid is kinder to your hands than other brands of washing up liquid and also works out cheaper. You can get it on offer at the supermarket or you can find it in pound shops all year round.

I do not use rubber gloves because even extra strong gloves do not last five minutes. When in contact with hot water, they seem to leak straight away. I cannot afford to replace gloves on such a regular basis. Regular moisturisation of your hands is a must in order to prevent dryness. After washing your hands and before you go to bed, apply some moisturising cream taking care to rub it in to your hands and nails. I bought some cheap body lotion from my local supermarket and it does the job.

Some women like to wear false nails and have regular manicures. Whilst this looks nice, personally I find them  impractical and costly. Manicures are not cheap and are sometimes viewed as an essential part of a beauty regime, when in fact they are anything but essential. False nails can damage your natural nails. For a wedding, or a very special occasion, by all means treat yourself to a manicure. I like to keep my nails trimmed and just gently push back the cuticles using a cloth. However, I never trim cuticles as it is so easy to make them bleed. I always keep a nail file close by. I would recommend Barry M nail polish which is available in gorgeous neon colours. All Barry M cosmetics are suitable for vegetarians and many are also suitable for vegans. The brand is inexpensive and available in Boot's and Superdrug. I am only permitted to wear natural coloured nail varnish at my place of work which I suppose restricts me most of the time. I think as long as you take time on the rest of your appearance, healthy looking hands with natural coloured varnish or coloured nails look just as nice as professional manicured nails. You can always add more glamour by wearing dress rings or wearing bracelets on your wrists.

Coming soon in future blogs:

• the secret to feeling more alive and invigorated without spending a penny
• how to avoid salon bikini waxes
• caring for your teeth

Thanks for your time!

Delila DeMonte x

How To Save Money On Perfume

Some people spend a fortune on branded perfume.  Anything from £20 - £100 is seen as a normal cost for a fragrance. In the past, I used to stock up on impulse or charlie body sprays when they were on offer for £1.00 at local retailers. However, I found that they smelt nice when I first sprayed them, but the scent quickly wore off. Sometimes I would buy one perfume for about £5.00, but if you get through a lot, that can be quite costly when living on a budget. I have found some perfumes in a place which may surprise you. Across most UK towns or cities, pound shops can be found, selling many branded health and beauty products for just £1.00. This is where I discovered the lovely fragrances at a bargain price. They really do smell nice and last for many hours. In fact when I have sprayed it on a scarf, and come to wear it a few days later, I can still smell it. As a vegetarian, I do take an interest in the ingredients of things such as perfume. On the outer box of theses fragrances, it clearly states they do not contain any animal ingredients, are not tested on animals and are made in the UK. They are normally 100 ml. I have been using mine for quite a while now, and it doesn't seem to go down much, even though I use it all the time. I have got quite a few spare boxes as I like it so much. Some pound shops may have testers, others do not, but they may have opened boxes where people have decided to test them, so I suppose you could have the odd spray. I just took a lucky guess on my choices, and it turned out right.  Well, there you have it, now you can smell nice all the time, be cruelty free and spend less.

In my upcoming bloggs, I am going to explain how to:

• frame your face with shapely eyebrows without spending a penny
• (in a video) how to care for and style long, curly hair and only spend a bare minimum time and cost

Thanks for your time

Delila DeMonte  x

Why Shopping In Charity Shops Is Fashionable

As promised in my previous blog, I will tell you how to buy good quality brands of clothes with just a few pounds.

In every town or city, you will find a selection of charity shops. People wrongly assume they are full of rags. Something that has been donated and is second hand, may have been the wrong size or style for an individual, however it might have never been worn and could be very high quality. All you have to do is follow some simple steps when browsing in charity shops.
If you come across an item of clothing or footwear that you like, check it carefully to see whether it has been worn a lot. If so, its probably not worth buying. If it has plenty of life left and is priced well, by all means buy. Why would you want one top for £50, when you could have around 12 good quality tops for the same price. Charity shops are often selling clothes from fashionable high street shops such as River Island, Dorothy Perkins, Top Shop, H&M and many more. Some still have the original price tag on. However, there is no need to buy second hand knickers, you can pick up new ones quite cheaply. Bras are also tricky because after washing they slacken and can go baggy, but if it looks like new, go ahead and purchase. I sometimes have a hard time finding my bra size (32 D - 32 DD) in several underwear retailers, and miss out in sales, but I have stumbled across the odd second hand one. Remember to disinfect footwear thoroughly and wash clothes for hygiene purposes.
Of course it is not just clothing and footwear that you can buy second hand, accessories such as bags and scarves can also be found. I often come across things that are so unique and I love rummaging through an assortment of garments which I know are reasonably priced. When I go into a high street fashion retailer, I have a browse around, maybe find something I like, look at the price tag, gasp in horror, and walk out. If you come across an item which has a slight mark on, but it can be washed out, you may be able to get a reduction. My recent purchases from The British Red Cross Charity Shop was 3 dresses with a price range of £1.75 - £2.00.  They had a half price sale on all clothes in the shop. One was from Top Shop and like new. What a bargain!

So here are the pros of buying in charity shops:

• Spend less
• Help Charity
• Recycle
• Get Something Unique
• Enjoyable browse 

Here are the cons:

• Embarrassed to be seen shopping in charity shops
• Unable to brag and show off how much you spend on clothes

Well folks, the choice is yours!

In my next blog I am going to tell you how to buy a perfume which is cruelty free, smells delicious and has real staying power all for £1.00. 

Delila DeMonte X