How To #12: How To Do a BBQ (British Style)

It seems to have become a British tradition that as soon as the slightest bit of sun appears, people get their bangers out (come on people, I mean sausages). In England, where it rains on average 109 days out of a year, and the other 200 being overcast, that leaves 56 days of sunshine. Thus, us Brits love to celebrate these glorious sunny days with a BBQ, complete with drunk relatives and someone getting pushed into the paddling pool. For those of you that didn’t think that there was an etiquette to the Great British BBQ, well there is. Whether you’re from abroad or a Brit and need a refresher course, here’s my guide to doing BBQ, British style-ee.

1.       Gas or charcoal BBQ? I have no idea, I suppose this depends on your preference, but according to my not so extensive research, whilst charcoal BBQs are cheaper and give that authentic chargrilled flavour to your food, they are also a bit temperamental. Like the British weather, funnily enough. Gas BBQs are more expensive but are also easier and quicker to use, as you don’t have to wait a millennium for the coals to get hot and for your guests to give up and go home.

 

2.       Do men always have to man the BBQ? Now, I’d hate to be one to conform to gender stereotypical roles, but, yes, man does seem to have this desire to control the BBQ. I think there is an evolutionary explanation for this relating back to cavemen times- think “me man” “umm meat!” “umm fire!” and you’ll get the picture.

 

 

3.       What exactly does one bring to a BBQ? – Interesting question, so glad you asked. In an ideal world, one would turn up with a bottle of wine, however, it appears turning up with a pack of sausages to put on the BBQ is just, if not more, appreciative.

 

4.       What happens if it rains? I am yet to meet a Brit that has not had their BBQ rained on at least once. You can’t just give up and go inside though, because that would be embarrassing, not to mention completely go against our ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ mantra. So, that is what one must do, the parasol can double up as an umbrella after all. Genius.

 

 

5.       My burgers are looking a bit black, do I still serve them?- Of course, one expects their meat to be “well done” at a BBQ. It’s better to serve cremated meat than give them all food poisoning, right?

 

6.       What does one wear to a British BBQ?- BBQs pretend to be laid back but they may as well come with a dress code. Formal dress is a no-no, but you knew that already I hope. Same goes for white, the last thing you need is burger sauce dripping down your white shirt. Think a simple short and shirt, or a light summer dress to nail the BBQ look.

 

 

7.       I’m a vegetarian, shall I bother turning up? Although BBQs were definitely not intended for vegetarians, ask politely if the hosts wouldn’t mind catering to your non meat eating needs. To avoid conflict, tuts, and “the nerve!” comments, it might be wise to bring your own non meat options, such as Quorn burgers etc.

 

8.       What’s for dessert? Can I stick a cheesecake on the Barbie? No you may not. If you even have room for dessert after the farmyard you have consumed, I would suggest light options, such as Ice Cream, or indeed cheesecake, which, I repeat, does not belong on the BBQ.

 

 

9.       It is acceptable to get drunk at a BBQ? – When isn’t it acceptable? Next.

 

10.   Anything else I need to know?- Yes, when people start falling asleep on your patio because of the amount they’ve had to eat/drink, it’s time to call it a night.

 

Hope this helps and happy BBQing!

Love Georgia x

 

 

Don't forget to check out the food blogs on my Must Read Blogs List!

If you have any How To suggestions, e-mail me at: georgiasunshine429@gmail.com

 

How To #11: How to Cure a Hangover

I’ve never actually needed to cure a hangover, so in the name of research, I went to a party and had one to many, many being the operative word. After throwing up in my sink when I got home, come 5am in the morning, my head was pounding, and not in a good Ke$ha kind of way. Pop songs may glamorise it, (Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night” anyone?) but spending the morning with your head down the toilet is about as glamorous as, well sticking your head down the toilet. I tried every hangover cure known to man (or at least those I could find on Google) and tested them to see if they would miraculously cure my hangover. In short, none of them did. There is no “cure” for a hangover, dummy. Some remedies however are more effective than others at preventing walking around with your own personal sick bucket for the remainder of the day.

1.       Don’t Drink: Simple and obvious but it sure as hell works. SCORE: 10/10

 

2.       Don’t Drink on an empty stomach: You don’t need to tell me twice. I ordered one large Indian takeaway before going out on the town. Apparently, a meal that includes carbohydrates (such as pasta or rice) or fats will help slow down the body’s absorption of alcohol. My Verdict: Although I may not have gotten drunk as quickly, this didn’t make my hangover any less bearable come the morning after. I couldn’t even stomach my Weetabix SCORE: 3/10

 

 

3.       Don’t drink dark coloured drinks: I’ve never heard of this one before, but apparently they contain natural chemicals called congeners, which are basically impurities, which irritate blood vessels and tissues in the brain and can make a hangover worse. My Verdict: as any young adult knows, most of the drinks aimed at our generation are either clear (i.e. vodka) or an unnatural neon colour, apparently to make them more appealing. Staying away from the dark coloured drinks did not keep my hangover at bay. SCORE: 1/10

 

4.       Drink water or non fizzy drinks in between each alcoholic drink: in order to replace the water you are losing through drinking. My Verdict: Confession. I actually read this tip wrong and mistook it for saying drink fizzy drinks in between each alcoholic drink. Yay, I can mix my diet coke and vodka I thought. Nope. Carbonated drinks speed up the absorption of alcohol into your system. Thus, sticking to diet coke and vodka all night wasn’t the best option. SCORE: 6/10

 

 

5.       Drink a pint of water before you go to sleep: My Verdict: I never got to this stage as I passed out on my kitchen floor before I could reach the tap. Oops. But I assume it helps as alcohol leads to dehydration, thus you are replacing the water you’ve lost by drinking a pint of water before you go to sleep. SCORE: N/A

 

6.       Take Painkillers: These can help with headaches and muscle cramps. Paracetamol based remedies are preferable, as aspirin may further irritate the stomach, causing sickness and nausea. My Verdict: After a night out drinking, I usually always take a painkiller before going to bed, which eases the symptoms in the morning. However, as I said, I never made it to the kitchen exactly. Thus, it had to wait until 5am in the morning when I next woke up. Painkillers do help though. Just make sure you don’t exceed the recommended dosage. SCORE: 8/10

 

 

7.       Sugary foods may help you feel less trembly:  My Verdict: I had planned on pancakes the morning after but the mere smell of them made me want to run back to my old friend toilet bowl. The closest I got was a few mouthfuls of Weetabix doused in sugar SCORE: N/A

 

8.       “Hair of the Dog”- This is basically drinking more alcohol to cure a hangover caused by alcohol. I’ve heard often that a Bloody Mary is particularly good in curing a hangover from hell. My Verdict: I didn’t try this method because it is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Drinking in the morning is a risky habit, and something I don’t wish to adopt thank you very much. Avoid this old wives tale at all costs. SCORE: 0/10

 

The moral of the story is, stay away from the drink kids.

 

Love, Georgia. x

How To #10: How To Do House Parties

House parties have become a sort of rite of passage for young adults, where the drink is flowing, people are single and ready to mingle, and someone usually ends up face down in a bush. I generally prefer house parties as unlike large venues where there is certain etiquette, the only rule at house parties is to get as drunk as possible. This also means that it is easy for things to get out of control, so whether you are attending or hosting a house party, here are my tips for having a wild night rather than a full blown riot.  

1.       Chill Out- this mainly applies to those hosting the party. You can’t be too uptight if you want to be a good host, or indeed, hostess. You can pretty much guarantee that your house will not be in the same state you left it- expect at least small volumes of vomit, broken glasses, drinks spillages and your Mum’s ornament being replaced with a bottle of Bulmers Cider. If you really are a neat freak, and god forbid, own a cream carpet, I’d suggest laying down plastic sheeting or, better yet, hosting the party outside if you have big enough garden space.

 

2.       Don’t just stand there- House parties, by their very intimate nature, are intended to encourage mingling and socialising. So as much as you would like to stand by the doritos all night, you simply cannot.

 

 

3.       Know your limits- not to sound like a party pooper but the last thing you want to end up as is that person who vommed all over the walls. Stay away from the hard stuff, particularly vodka as it is easy to drink too much of it. Wine may seem innocent but a large glass contains 3 units on average. Unless there is some kind of contest, there is also no need to get off your face within the first hour- pace yourself- if necessary, drink water regularly in between your boozing and avoid mixing alcohol with fizzy drinks such as coca cola, as they speed up the absorption of alcohol into your system. 

 

4.       Parents or no parents?- It really doesn’t depend on your preference, or should I say, your parents’ preference. In my experience, having the whole family around means people are much less willing to go crazy. However, a little parental supervision here and there won’t stop a good party- although it will if someone throws up in your Mum’s wardrobe.

 

 

5.       He’s cute, should I get off with him? God no, beer goggles are a genuine thing- although he may look like Zac Efron now, he’ll look like Mr Bean when the pictures emerge on Facebook in the morning, trust me.

 

6.       Hangovers aren’t that bad are they? Depending on how much you’ve had to drink, yes they can be a bitch. No one wants to admit they threw up in the sink.  Keep yourself hydrated and cool, and if possible, remain in bed all day with the curtains firmly shut. Also a good tip is to take a pain killer before you go to bed (though make sure you are supervised.) See tomorrow’s blogs for more handy hangover tips.

 

 

7.       Can I be sober and still have fun? Of course, if anything you’ll have even more fun observing all the drunk people, whose antics will keep you entertained for hours.

 

8.       The Morning After: Try to avoid social media from the risk of seeing somewhat embarrassing photos of you from the night before. If you were hosting the party, get downstairs early, make yourself a cuppa, and decide how the hell you are going to get this mess cleaned up before your parents wake up.

 

Happy house partying,

Love Georgia x

How To #9: How To Write a Bucket List

Making a bucket list, or as I like to call it, f**k it list,  is always something I’d planned to get round to- like writing a novel or going on a diet, but have never done- until now. I stayed up most of the night making mine, not because it’s necessarily hard to do, but because once you start listing stuff, you can’t stop- something I like to call Pringle syndrome. However, it can be a daunting task- you have to think about what you want to do with your life in the lead up to your impending death, at the end of the day- so here are my top tips for starting a bucket list.

1.       Have a f**k it attitude: seriously, even if it seems absolutely ludicrous, but still makes you smile, write it down. Want to travel the world in eighty days? Write it down. Want to learn how to fly without wings? Maybe a bit ambitious but whack it on the list anyway. Once you let go of any boundaries your list can really get going.

 

2.       It doesn’t have to be material things: no one said you can’t have any, we are living in a material world and I am a material girl. But make sure to throw some simple ones in there too, something as simple as sleeping under the stars or donating to charity.

 

 

3.       The goals you set yourself are meant to be impossible, that’s the point: am I ever going to run a marathon? Probably not, I can barely run down my road without panting, but I stuck it on my list anyway. Although the goals you set yourself now may seem impossible, you never know, you may actually achieve them. Plus, it never hurts to dream a little

 

4.       Saying that, put some achievable goals down too: No one wants to end up with a bucket list they can’t complete, so set yourself some that you know you can achieve one day.

 

 

5.       Start Planning! If, unlike me, you are not a student and broke, and are serious about your bucket list- plan how you are going to achieve each goal. Next to each goal you write down, also write down how you plan to achieve it, and give yourself a realistic time scale of when you would like to achieve it, for example, in the next five years.

 

Good Luck!

Georgia x

 

If you need inspiration, click here to view my bucket list (still incomplete!)

If my bucket list didn’t quite get your creative juices flowing, bucketlist.net is a great website where people share their bucket list ideas.

How To #8: How to do Prom

It’s prom season right? Right? I don’t know, It’s been two years since my prom, which was unnecessarily built up by the way. What I had imagined was getting picked up by my date, drinking the punch someone had spiked with vodka and dancing the night away. What actually happened was me going to the prom alone because my friend had ditched me last minute for her prom date, the coke was £2.50 a glass so I had to stick to tap water all night, and the only people dancing the night away were the teachers who had had a little too much vino. Bearing in mind this was a UK prom, not a US one, which I’m guessing are exactly how they are in the movies. This was more like an episode from The Inbetweeners. No matter what type of prom you’re having- here’s my guide to making sure your prom goes to plan (sort of, I’m not a miracle worker.)

1.       Choosing a Dress/Tuxedo: In my experience, the boys get this so much more right than the girls. This is because they rent their attire. It’s relatively cheap and they never have to dig it out again, bonus! Girls at my prom splashed out over £200 on a prom dress, Big Fat Gypsy Wedding style (this was the type of school I went to, folks) Mine was a relative bargain at £65 from Jane Norman (R.I.P)- it was £85 but I got a discount because there was a rip in the hem. I’m so classy. Downside is it’s still sitting in my wardrobe collecting dust as I haven’t worn it since. So, my advice is unless you regularly attend balls or are a member of the Royal Family, and will require a formal attire of this type often, rent a dress or tux- it’s cheaper and more practical.

 

2.       Getting a Date: This is also something that is very Americanised, so us Brits feel pressure to get dates to the prom or risk being a total loner. No teen movie would be complete without a scene where the guy hypes himself up to ask the girl to prom or vice versa of course. I did have a date, sort of, but we decided to go together when we were drunk, and in the cold sober light of day, we realised we didn’t actually like each other (his excuse was: “um, I actually think I’m going on holiday that day.”) So, I was dateless, until I agreed to go with my best friend, deciding to make a girls’ night out of it. Then, she ditched me for an unexpected date. Thus, I ended up going to prom with a larger group of friends, girls and boys, and still had a good time. My point is? Prom dates aren’t actually that important. Just because you don’t have one should not stop you from having a good time.

 

 

3.       Getting Ready: Initially, all my girlfriends and I had planned to get ready together, High School Musical style. However, then their turned out to be this craze where it was absolutely necessary to get your hair and make up done professionally. Myself, not one to stick to the status quo, curled my own hair and got my make up done for free at a Boots counter (although I did spend loads on cosmetics afterwards.) I got my eyebrows threaded and my nails done professionally, but we’ll keep that between you and I. This really all is down to choice- getting ready with your friends can be great fun and you can have a sneaky vodka and coke beforehand, however, if you insist on looking your best and have the money to do so- I would advise getting your hair, make-up etc. done professionally.

 

4.       Arrive in Style: it may be cheesy, but it sure is worth it in order to make an entrance. My friends and I got a limousine to the venue, which looking back was incredibly tacky and I kind of wish I’d arrived in a VW camper van instead. Whatever your taste, despite the cost, hiring an alternative mode of travel is well worth it (unless the venue is down the road to your house, in which case it is not.)

 

 

5.       Outside is where the party happens- If your prom venue has an outdoor area, use it, as I quickly found out that this is where the real fun happens. When we first arrived, we were sat around the table, awkwardly drinking our diet cokes whilst being closely monitored by the teachers. Outside, my fellow peers were secretly knocking back beers and having a crafty cigarette- outside is away from the prying eyes of chaperones and also has a more laid back, less formal atmosphere, which is what a girl like me who had previously never worn a pair of heels needed.

 

6.        Avoid the food if possible: Unless your school is rolling in it and can afford Gordon Ramsay to cook for you- avoid the food like the plague. Not only did the food look disgusting, by the time I’d circled the catering area a few times, all I had done was pick at a soggy Brownie and eat the least Asian samosa I have ever tasted. This is something I have picked up as a basic rule now because of that night- eat before you go out, because you may not like the food there.

 

 

7.       Use the Prom to your Advantage: For most people, the prom is the last time you will see the majority of your classmates, some of whom I’m sure you can’t wait to see the back of. Yell, “boo, you whore” to the Regina George in your year, or punch the guy in the face who always got on your nerves. If you can’t tell people how you feel now then you never will.

 

8.       Do Not Leave too Early: I mistakenly left early 1. Due to an awkward encounter with my then crush and 2. Because the invite said it finished at 11:30, which I had assumed meant that everybody must be out of this building by 11:30 on the dot or else. I left early only to be told by my much more party animal friends that I had “missed all the fun.” Apparently, the party kept jumping til 1:00am, which was not disclosed on the invite. My advice- live out the last days of your Senior year for as long as possible.

 

 

9.       Take a Camera: For loads of bathroom selfies, obvs.

 

10.   Prom is Overrated: so even if it doesn’t live up to your expectations, such is life. Welcome to adulthood. Just enjoy your prom for what it is, even if you do feel like you’ve been cheated out of £35 for décor designed by the year 7 art department.

 

Have a fab prom!

Love Georgia x  

If you insist on going all out and buying an extravagant prom dress, this website has loads of choices:

www.sheindress.co.uk

Struggling to find the perfect prom dress on the high street? Here are some great places to look:

www.dorothyperkins.com

www.asos.com

www.lipsy.com

www.boohoo.com

Burton also does a fab tuxedo range, which you can rent or buy, visit them in store or online:

www.burton.com

 

Looking for inspiration? I love ‘The Blonde Salad,’ a blog bursting with ideas to get you inspired this prom season! Check it out on my Must Read Blog List.

How To #7: How to Get An Ex Back

Normally, I avoid these sorts of articles at all costs. They make me cringe and feel like I’m some kind of agony aunt. But, alas, it was one of the top suggestions this week, so here are my top tips for getting an ex back. Ugh.

WARNING: From my own and others’ experiences, I would never actually recommend trying to get an ex back- THERE WAS A REASON YOU BROKE UP, REMEMBER? Whether she cheated or he kept leaving his pants on the floor, is this really something you can live/put up with again?

1.       If you decided to completely ignore my warning, than more fool you. My first top tip for getting an ex back is to become the person he or she ‘fell in love with.’ Sound cheesy? That’s because it is, but apparently it seems to work. i.e. if she loved your humour, than be funny and if he loved your intelligence, then be smart or whatever.

 

2.       Prepare your first words- i.e. when you next bump into your ex, don’t cry or laugh hysterically or immediately start an argument, e.g. “WHY DID YOU DUMP ME?” No. They will most probably run off in the other direction and whoopsies, you’re back to square one. Example conversations starters include “Hi, how have you been doing?” – any awkward pauses after this point is all down to you folks.

 

 

3.       Use the past to your advantage: Did they love it when you had a beard? Grow it out! Did he love it when you wore your hair that way? Get down to the nearest hair salon. Remind them of the past you shared with them. Note to all divorcees- do not use this as an excuse to walk around in your wedding dress 24/7, this is unnecessary and also a little odd.

 

4.       Find out if they still care- If they have moved on, i.e. fallen in love, gotten married and had ten kids, they obviously don’t care about you in that way anymore. Do you have any mutual friends? Get them to casually throw you into a conversation- though try not to use your most extraverted friend for this task as all kinds of cats will be let out of the bag.

 

 

5.       Ask if they’d like to do something non-committal with friends: so you found out that they still care- great! To move the re-patching process along- go to the movies with a large group of friends so it doesn’t seem obvious that you have orchestrated this whole thing just to get them back.

 

6.       Let them know you were thinking about them- so, you’re on this large, non-committal gathering and your friends ditch you one by one, leaving you and your ex alone together. Awkward. To get a conversation going, bring up past events, preferably that relate to the current event. So if you’re at a party, say “hey, remember that time you threw up on the sofa at Jess’s party?” DO NOT SAY “Remember that time we were madly in love with each other?”

 

 

7.       Pay attention to your appearance if you have been neglecting yourself in that department: e.g. if you have been sat at home watching Netflix eating ice cream for the past month and have not even bothered to shave your legs- DO SO PLEASE, or wear trousers if it’s winter. WIN.

 

8.       Stop Caring About How Others Perceive You: A break-up can really knock your self confidence, which can be rectified if you stop giving a damn about what others think of you. Even if your friends tell you that you are cray cray for giving your ex another chance, if you think you are completely and utterly sane in your decision, then go for it.

 

 

9.       Remain positive- if nothing seems to be working, this is by far my favourite “look at me, I’ve moved on” tip. Social media is a wonderful thing, so use it- upload pictures of you having a whale of a time without them- it will make them realise what they’re missing.

 

10.   Remember, no situation is hopeless- even if nothing seems to be working and you want to crawl up with ice cream and a Gossip Girl box set for the rest of your life, unfortunately society says this isn’t the proper way to live. As my mum loves to say, “there are plenty more fish in the sea,” which is perhaps the only true cliché saying I have ever come across. Give being single a go- switch the Taylor Swift to the Beyonce and the vodka to a pina colada- you’ll have loads more fun, trust me.

 

Best of luck!

Love, Georgia x

Fretting over relationships? There isn’t much in the way of relationship blogs (surprise!)  but ’20 Nothings,’ a blog which I have mentioned previously, takes a gloriously witty approach to relationships and life during your 20s (and 30s)-  definitely worth a read.

 

How To #6: Make-Up for Darker Skin Tones

Being mixed race, it took me years to find a foundation that didn’t make me look like Casper the friendly ghost, let alone make-up that actually complimented my skin tone. So lucky you folks, I’ve done years of trial and error, epic fails and experimentation so you don’t have to.

Foundation:

It is hard for anyone to get an exact foundation match, but is made even harder when you have a darker skin tone. Luckily, there are loads more options now than ever before. It is paramount you have the closest match possible for your skin tone, too dark and your face doesn’t match the rest of your body and you are left with tan like lines and too light you look like you’re dressing up for Halloween. I’d recommend this for any skin tone but the best advice I can give you is ask a make-up consultant next time you are in a cosmetics store. For some bizarre reason, women seem more embarrassed to ask advice at a make-up counter than they are getting their bra size measured. They’re advice is useful and free- bonus! They’ll help you find the closest matching colour foundation to your skin tone.  

 

My Epic Fail: Maybelline Dream Nude AirFoam in  'Caramel' (too dark!) and Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse in 'Sun Beige' (too light!)

My Pick: Max Factor Second Skin Foundation gives flawless but light coverage and doesn't feel heavy on the skin- I wear shade 080 'Bronze'

 

 

Added extras: Concealer and Powder

Concealer is one of my must have make up items- add to your problem areas to cover imperfections.
 

Go easy on the powder, but I find powder particularly useful if I want shine and oil free skin as it helps create a matte effect. Dark skins are also more prone to being oily so I often favour powder over foundation as a cover up.

My Picks- Max Factor Pan Stik concealer can also double up as a light foundation, so I sometimes wear this on its own. I wear shade 'Cool Copper.' Other picks include Max Factor Powder in 'Medium Beige' and 17 Bronzer in 'Medium'.

Skin Care
This doesn’t really apply to any specific skin tone, but I find it unnecessary for women to put so much make up on their face. Give your skin a break! I once went a week without face make up and my spots and impurities had dramatically cleared up. As I said before, darker skin tones are more prone to oil and spots/impurities so simple cleansing and moisturising will mean even your make up free skin is flawless!

My Pick: Clean & Clear Morning Energy Shine Control Daily Face Wash. This is also an oil free product so doesn't add to the oil on your skin. I also love Simple Moisturiser, but I'm all out *cries*

 

My epic fail: Value moisturiser-I love a bargain but cheap doesn’t always mean it will be as effective, and this is definitely true of moisturisers.

 

Eyes

Guess what? If you have a darker skin tone, your options are endless! Bright eye shadows pop on darker skin tones and bronze tones create an Amazonian look. Smoky eyes also look amazing on darker skin tones- make sure you blend it in well, and if you are looking to create that extra effect, add on a pop of colour around the inner corners of the eyes. I love Urban Decay eye shadows, and Naked Palette 2 is like my beauty bible. Lighter eye shadows such as pinks and creams/whites, I usually avoid, as I think it makes my skin tone look washed out. Don’t be afraid to be bold!

My Pick: Urban Decay Naked 2 palette and Urban Decay NYC palette

 

My Pick: Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette- some gorgeous nude shades for day and night. I would recommend this edition over the newer Naked Palette 3 for darker skin tones.

 

My Pick: Limited Edition Urban Decay NYC palette- this palette is so fab I only use it for special occasions. My recommended shades for darker skin tones are circled in red.

My epic fail: pale palette colours, such as peach, white and cream- wouldn’t advise using these as a base colour, but they can be useful when placed in the centre and inner corners of the eye against a darker colour for a ‘wide awake’ look.

Lips:

Lips are a tricky one when it comes to darker skin tones. I am still yet to find a lip colour that was “made for me.” Lighter lip colours such as peaches and pinks are a no-go for darker skin tones. This is because often, the colour of your lips is darker than the actual lipstick colour, so again can make you look washed out, or like you’re trying out the 80s electronica look. Personally, I avoid lipsticks as a given rule as they dry my lips out. During the day, I either wear Vaseline cocoa butter, or Benefit lip gloss in ‘Dallas.’ Of an evening, go bold with bright lip colours. I’m channelling Rita Ora at the moment and love her Rimmel London collection which include 'Colour Rush' lip crayons, which I find stay put longer- who has the time to reapply anyway?



My Pick: Rimmel London Colour Rush Lip Crayon in 'The Redder the Better' gives hours of lasting colour. During the day, I love a nude lip gloss such as Benefit High Flying lip gloss in 'Dallas'

Nails:
There are no rules here! I am yet to find a nail colour that looks terrible on dark skin tones. Bright colours such as neon yellow and green look amazing on darker skin tones.

Go Bold! This summer, I am loving bright nail colours, which look amazing on darker skin tones.

My epic fail: White nails- can look fab on most skin tones but wasn’t cutting it for me.





Need more make up advice for dark skin tones? Below are some great YouTube tutorials:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql0plqMVbAs


www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wKVQxb_ltA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzQrLfXGij0


www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXoNFOWQ_vM


A budding Beauty Queen? Check out the beauty blogs 'London Beauty Queen' and 'Raspberry Kiss' in my Must Read Blog List to the right hand side.