How To: Get Glitter Roots

There has been a new hair trend taking over Instagram and it’s glitter roots! Not only is it a bit space-age but it’s also a little bit festive with all the sparkles. 

It’s a super easy but super effective look to create that is perfect for nights out, Christmas parties or just to make a bold statement. 

You can either go for a glitter that’s similar to your hair colour if it’s already dyed into a colourful shade, or you can go for contrasting colours. In this tutorial we have gone for a holographic blue against brown hair, so it really stands out. 

I've collaborated with Charlie from the fashion blog Chazabella, she has awesome style and you should definitely check out her blog to find out what she wore to style up this hairstyle!

How to recreate the look

Step 1

Section your hair into a middle parting, even down the back and create a high top bun on each side (just like the classic Miley look). This can be done by pulling the hair up into a high pony tail on each side, twisting the hair around into a bun and then securing this with elastics.

Step 2

Mix clear hair gel and your chosen colour of glitter into a bowl. 

Step 3

Using a brush apply the glitter gel to the roots along the middle parting. Apply more product towards the parting and then brush it out to fade outwards. 

Step 4
Go out and make a statement with your new hair do!

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Twitter | @Alexandraahowe 
Facebook | Alexandra Elizabeth 
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Forget Contouring, This Is How To Master Strobing

If you follow me on social media you will probably know that I have been interning at InStyle magazine within their beauty department (a dream come true for a beauty lover!) and they let me write an article for their online beauty section! 

I couldn't believe it either. It didn't feel real until they actually put it live onto the site and to be honest it still seems so surreal! You can read the original article over here. If you don't want to go on head over there, you can read the same article here below. I hope you like it! Let me know what you think in the comments.

Issey Miyake's SS15 Makeup

We've only just mastered the art of Kim K Kontouring but now it's all about 'Strobing'. Not sure what I'm on about? Check out my guide to getting your glow on Strobing style…

Forget Kim K Kontouring, the latest beauty obsession is all about Strobing. It might sound a little sci-fi, but I'm not talking laser quest here, Strobing is officially the latest way to get a glow worthy of the red-carpet. The secret celeb beauty trick to looking, well, completely amazing, everyone's doing it. Miranda Kerr's supermodel skin? That's Strobing. Kendall's totally enviable dewy complexion and sculpted cheekbones? Yup, Strobing as well.

So what even is it?
Unlike contouring, rather than making the low points of the face appear more shadowed, Strobing brightens and illuminates the high points on the face for that fresh futuristic glow. It's way easier to master and a lot lighter on the skin, so there's no need to worry about it melting off! Summer friendly instead of sweaty? Tick.

Why now?
It all started at Issey Miyake's SS15 show where MUA Alex Box transformed models into glowing goddesses with a futuristic touch. Since then celebs like Amanda Seyfried, Kendall Jenner (rebelling against her sister's famous contouring) and Karlie Kloss have jumped on the brightening bandwagon to rock it on the red carpet.

Ok, so what do we do?

1. Hydrate
To start off you want your skin to be plump and hydrated, to do this massage a radiance-enhancing moisturiser into the skin. I love the M.A.C Strobe Cream, £24.50 (appropriate, non?) as it de-stresses and freshens the skin, and also contains iridescent particles to make your skin glow. The best bit? If you're worried about your skin not appreciating the extra layer of makeup everyday, this lightweight formula also contains anti-oxidants and green tea extracts to help improve your skin condition over time. Nice.

2. Prime
Shimmery products have a tendency to highlight and cling to dry patches of skin, not good. Primer is the answer. Smooth any lumps and bumps or large pores with NARS Light Optimising Primer, £26. It's oil-free and contains SPF15 to help protect your skin against sun damage as well as prepping the surface for getting your glow on.

3. Foundation & Concealer
For this look you want flawless looking skin.  NARS' legendary Sheer Glow Liquid Foundation, £31 has a medium coverage and satin finish to give you an airbrushed look. Don't be tempted to go too heavy with your base, we're going for youthful and dewy not contoured and cakey.

Cover any imperfections or dark circles with a slightly warm-toned concealer. Beware of cooler shades, it might seem logical to cover darkness with paler makeup, but a warmer tone will avoid your under eyes looking ashy. And, let's face it, no one wants that.  Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage, £26.50 is a must. It's two-shade system is super pigmented meaning you can easily get your perfect colour match without piling on loads of product. Remember, the key to Strobing is to make it look as if you just woke up like this. Healthy glow is the goal people!

4. Highlight
The actual strobing part of the process, to get that really intense highlight you need to layer products. A cream highlighter with a powder highlight on top is a guaranteed way to add instant glow with a flawless finish. Benefit's High Beam, £19.50 is a classic cream highlight which has a really easy application with it's handy little brush. Simply dot this along the high points on your face; the cheekbones, cupids bow, bridge of the nose, brow bone, inner corner of the eye and the centre of the forehead.

Set the highlighter in place and remove any hint of greasiness with a light dusting of powder over the same areas of your face. Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed, £30 powder is perfect for this, just make sure you choose the right shade for your skin tone. If you're a paler lady, Moonstone will work a treat, for those of you lucky enough to work a darker skin tone, Opal will look less chalky

My top tip?  If you're wearing a low cut or shoulderless top, sweep the highlighter across your collarbone, it'll do wonders for your all over glow.

Et voila! Ultra-glowy, healthy looking skin in minutes. Strobing never seemed so easy.

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Twitter | @Alexandraahowe
Facebook | Alexandra Elizabeth
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Find Your Perfect Summer Red Lip

Red lipstick is a staple product that every makeup lover should have in their makeup bags, it can transform a day look into a glamorous evening look. In this post I'm going to show you some of my favourite red lip shades and also give you a brief overview of which types of red lipstick are most likely to suit you.

What toned red lipstick should I go for?
Pink/Cool toned skin - go for the classic reds or a pinky red.
Warm/Caramel toned skin - go for a burnt orange/red.
Dark toned skin - go for the richer red shades.
Really there is no right or wrong way when it comes to red lipstick, so if you feel like it, go for whatever shade you like!

Some of my favourite Summer reds

Mac Lipstick in Ruby Woo £15.50 and Mac Lip Pencil in Cherry £12.50
Ruby Woo is the classic red lip, with its blue undertone and matte finish. This colour works beautifully against cooler skin tones, just like Taylor Swift.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick by Kate Moss in 111 Kiss of Life - £5.49
This lipstick has a mix of orange and blue undertones meaning it should suit a variety of skin tones. It claims to have a matte finish but I would call it more of a satin when you look at it compared to Ruby Woo.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Harlot - £14
If you prefer a lip colour to be more glossy the OCC lip tars are great. They have a really strong staying power as they do slightly stain your lips. Harlot is a more pinky red and is more likely to suit cooler toned skin.

Mac Lipstick in So Chaud - £15.50
If you have a warmer skin tone this lipstick is a stunner! It really warms up the skin with it's orange undertone, whilst also having a beautiful matte finish. I love to pair burnt orange/red shades with the Mac Pro Longwear Lip pencil in High Energy.

Mac Lipstick in Lady Danger - £15.50
Lady Danger is another staple lipstick, it's such a vibrant burnt orange without being too garish and neon. Again I pair this with the Mac Pro Longwear Lip pencil in High Energy to really get the full potential of the lip colour.

Connect With Me
Twitter | @Alexandraahowe
Facebook | Alexandra Elizabeth
Instagram | @Alexandraahowe