Red Lips; Red Hair Turns 1: A Re-Introduction

It's now officially over a year since I first typed up a blog post and hit that lovely orange "Publish" button. I vividly remember trying furiously trying to be the best version of myself I could be because I was convinced I'd be an overnight sensation! I look back on what has, in essence, been a wild year and I can't wait to see what the next 12 months will bring! 

Then...

This time last year I was in a very different place, mentally speaking. I was severely depressed (and had been struggling for almost 2 years), taking medication to help with it, was attending multiple doctors, generally having a lousy time all around. I was also the heaviest I had ever been and HATED my body. I was fitting into a size 10 (which I know is not heavy, but I'm very slight and felt that my frame was a bit overwhelmed by the weight I was carrying). 

A few months later (sometime in the summer) I was allowed to come off my mediation, my doctors were happy with my progress and I felt, in all honesty like a baby penguin being released back into the wild. I was on my own. That was scary. It felt like I was being abandoned; Like the doctors I had learned to trust were getting shot of me. That wasn't the case though because I found something 1000x better. Blogging. Little did I know how much I would come to feel accepted and supported by the Irish Beauty Blogger community. I never was very good at making friends, though some people would say that is a complete lie with the amount  of bubbles I seemingly fizz eternally. I found my place in the world, at least for now. 

The year was hard, but looking back I think it was a memorable one with many good reasons. Making new friends, reconnecting with old ones, laughing til 2am over a bottle of wine watching Black Books with Aine, my 21st (though not the 3 day hangover), working hard at shoots (both my own, and other clubs), plenty of tea, sneaky cocktails in the middle of the day, adventures up North with Chris, twitter banter, getting accepted to a Professional Diploma course in DIT, getting my HIM/Venus Doom triptych, my conch pierced, and other shenanigans I'm sure! 

The point still stands though, that I am not the same girl from 12 months and one day ago. I am a different, new-and-improved version of myself. 

So lets have a re-introduction. 


The name's Amy, the game? Well, I have my fingers in a LOT of pies, so you can call me Pie-Fingers!! 
I believe in good books, good tea, and the comforting qualities to be found in a well wrapped burrito. I read late into the night, and sleep half of the days I'm not in college. I've been in a very happy, long-term relationship coming up on 3 years with the long-suffering trooper that is Chris. I'm grateful for my friends, boyfriend, wacky (read: maddening) family and cats. I love having the banter on what I affectionately refer to as "The Tweet Machine", shopping both with and without friends, and people watching out the window of Starbucks. I'm happier now than I remember ever being. It may also be worth noting that my fashion-blogger friends have rubbed off on me and I find myself with a sense of style in recent months!! 

To everyone who I have met over this wacky, wonderful, sometimes woefully hungover year, thank you for making this the best 12 months a girl could ask for. Stick around, because with 20,000 views and 176 posts, I'm only warming up! 

Amy (a.k.a Pie Fingers :-P)
xxxxxxxxxxxx

#SBBC Day 11: How Did "Red Lips, Red Hair"Get Its Name?

Red Lips, Red Hair is the second name my blog has had. When I first started this blog, I was under the moniker of "The Power Of Bilocation", whereby I felt that I could be in two places at once, because of my online space.

Most of you know I struggled badly with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and generally a bad few years (and to be fair sometimes I still do). Something changed in me when I felt myself getting better. I was always afraid of red lipstick, for some reason I felt too shy to wear it. Yet, as I felt myself getting stronger and more confident, I found myself wanting to rock a red lip.

"Damn it, I am a strong, confident woman and I have had my share of shit hit the fan, so why shouldn't I wear whatever I want to!!", was the thought process for the most part. So I went out, got a red lipstick and liner, and rocked it. Ever since then, my blog has had its Red Lips.

The red hair part:

I was in a pretty bad relationship a few years back. I had been wanting to go back to my ginger roots for a while, and when I would voice it to him he always said that I would be unattractive and ugly with red hair. I listened, like a fool. When I got out of that relationship I believed that the best thing was to stay dark-haired. While I was staying dark haired, I was also growing out my roots up top. Then one day I went into the hair dressers a purple haired emo kid, and came out with a pixie cut that was ginger and joyful. I loved it. I did have to go back for another chop to get the last of the damage off, though. It was a great experience. I'm a redhead and I am proud.

Red Lips, Red Hair is the reminder that I can do whatever the eff I want to, because I am strong and I surround myself with people who love me for the Ginger nut that I am.

Amy
xx

A Fun Little Project

A few weeks back, I asked in a Facebook group would anyone like to be a part of a make-up swap, because I was DYING to get my hands on the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation, and the first person to reply was the lovely Kayleigh, from Florida, in the US! I was delighted, this silly idea of mine was going to come to fruition, how cool!!

 So, after a few back and forth messages on Facebook, we figured out what the other liked, and set about shopping for each others tastes! I got Kayliegh some Natural Collection stuff, Essence, Catrice and I think even some Barry M and a few random bits I cant remember now.

I parceled them up, wrapped stuff in bubble-wrap, and sent it off last Tuesday. Today, and yesterday (?) the swaps arrived in each others possession, and then came the fun bit, seeing what was inside. That's where I'm going to leave this blog, and let me abysmal video skills take over!

I had so much fun doing this, and I am so happy with all my surprises! Kayleigh is uploading her unboxing later today, and when its up, I'll link it here too! I will of course, post a haul if anyone wants to see the products in more detail, so just let me know!

LOVE!!
Amy
xx

Short and Sexy...



Before...

You know you're doing something pretty drastic when the stylist who was assigned to cut your hair for you refuses!

That's what happened to me, anyways!



Kandee Johnson, rockin her short locks!!

Last Tuesday, after a week of sitting on the idea that I was going to get my hair cut, into a similar style as rocked by the beautiful Kandee Johnson, I booked myself in. Lucky for my broke ass, it was Half Price Tuesday, so I was going to get value out of my €25!!

I wake pretty early, so I rang at 9.15 and they told me they would have a spot for me at 2.30!! Deadly! So up I got, had a shower, got ready to go out and do my errands that needed doing in the morning, and before I knew it, it was 1.15 and time to walk into the village to get my hair cut. I was beyond early, so I wandered around the two chemists in Enfield and tried to kill some time!

When I did eventually make it into the hairdressers chair, my noggin all dripping and smelling of Salon Shampoo, I showed the girl the pictures I had on my phone so she could see what it was I was after! I showed her the pictures you see to the left and below, right.

She took one look at them, and told me I was nuts. I pretty much laughed flat out in her face. Hair grows!! And anyhow, I'm a paying customer, I expect to get what I ask for!

She excused herself and got a fellow stylist to come out and have a look at me, and my pictures too. This new stylist was far more into what I wanted! I was delighted when she said she'd do it. The last thing I want is to be made second guess myself when I am excited for a big change. Frankly, change usually scares the bejesus out of me, and when I'm as pumped for it as I was on Tuesday, I really don't need to be judged and questioned.

She combed my hair out, checked and rechecked the pictures and thoroughly explained what she would be doing to make sure it suited me perfectly, and then as she clipped up my hair, combed out a section at the back, and looked at me dead in the eye (through the mirror), she asked me, her tone utterly serious, "Are you sure this is what you want??"...

I had the biggest smile on my face as I replied to her with an unerringly clear "Yes!", and she got right down to it!

Snip, snip, chop, chop.

An hour later, the floor around my chair was completely ginger! I must have weighed at least a pound lighter and I was thrilled!

My lovely stylist was delighted at how happy I was and I think she knew in her heart that I really did need the change! She blow-dried my newly cropped hair, all the while saying "Gosh its so different, you look brilliant" etc, etc.


She put some product in my hair, and this really is the only bit I had an issue with. She told me it was matte. It was the shiniest gel on the face of this planet, actually!

When I was paying at the counter, I made a point of asking the girl who was originally meant to be my stylist what she thought. She conceded that I looked good, but I was still mental. Well, I am mental, but that's not for a stranger to point out to me!

So when I got home I jumped straight in the shower to wash the gel out, and wash all the stray hairs off my back!!

When I hopped out of my shower, dried my hair again, and pouffed it up the way I wanted it (with actual matte Fructis styling clay) I was somehow even more thrilled! Like a complete loser I went looking for my hot pink bandana so I could tie it in my hair a la Kandee!

T
To all the girls out there who want to change their hair, I want you to go out and do it! Even if you only like it for a week and then decided it was the worst choice ever, HAIR GROWS!!!

I for one absolutely love my new look, I have never felt sexier or more confident in my life, and I am glad to say that my amazing boyfriend still finds me sexy and attractive too! People have been complimenting me all week, including one woman telling me I looked "sexy as hell", and another saying "Jesus I didn't know who it was for the minute!!"

Feeling confident in my own skin, and under my new hair has helped me to ooze sex-appeal like I never knew I could! Who says you have to have long hair to be gorgeous? Kandee Johnson certainly doesn't, and neither do I!

Go for it, gorgeous, make that change, whether its dying your hair a crazy colour, going blonde, getting the chop or whatever! I know you can rock it!!


What do you think? Is it your tastes? Would you ever go for a drastic change like I did?? What do you think of Kandee Johnsons hair?

xoxo
Amy

Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick

Today I decided that I would wear my newest lipstick, Revlon's Colorstay Ultimate Suede in the shade Finale out and about to see how it fared.

Top Left: One Swipe (top), Multiple Swipes (bottom),
Middle Left: 095 Finale,
Bottom Left: Immediately after application in Natural Light.

First Impressions. 

As soon as I put it on, I was thinking "Suede means matte, and this isn't matte!!" It goes on glossy. I was confused. After all my raving and cheering and general recommendations of the Colorburst lip-butters, I was pretty deflated. Had Revlon been lying to me?! But I stuck it out and no sooner had I checked in the mirror than I realized it had mattified beautifully.

May Favourites

Hello there!! *wave* Its that time of the month again, its time for my May Favourites. During the month of May I trialed a few new products and rediscovered old loves. It's been a busy month in many respects for me, but I managed to stay on top of everything, and road-test a few products along the way!

May 2013 Favourites

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters

Left-Wild Watermelon
Right- Candy Apple

As a lover of Revlon's "Just Bitten" Kissable Balm-Stain, I have to admit right now I had high expectations of the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters since they started cropping up on every blog I've ever read, though I didn't know what shade to opt for. So, last night on the Twitter chat for Irish Beauty Bloggers, I put forth the question "What Revlon lip butter would you guys recommend?" and Dani, the lovely "Glamour Nazi" answered with "If you love a red lip, go for Candy Apple".

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter
035 - Candy Apple

Armed with a name and some good reviews, I headed for Boots, where the stand had just been restocked. Huzzah!! I swatched Candy Apple, hummed in approval, and decided to go the whole hog and see if the reviews of "Wild Watermelon" were as good as the Internet sad they were... I wasn't disappointed. That had to be mine too.

I must admit I did 3 laps of all the make-up stands, swatching and dabbing, but at €11.20 each, I had maxed myself out for one trip. I suppose the problem is when you're as attached to good quality budget brands like Essence and NYC, €11.20 seems excessive, but no matter.

I've been wearing Candy Apple all day (needing only 2 reapplications because of dinner and a cuppa) and it's immensely comfy. It makes a change from the drying nature of the matte colours I adore so much. The bottom left tile, on the photo illustrating the product shows swatches after one swipe (left swatch) and multiple swipes (right swatch). Its a beautiful buildable colour. A+!

Lush Loves Lips...

Its pretty much taken as Gospel that lipstick looks better on a lip that has been scrubbed smooth and slicked with something healing or softening before you slap on that color. The same goes with tan, foundation, even nail polish looks better on smooth nails!

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

As a result, every time I've found myself in a Lush store, I've somehow managed to pick up a lip scrub and just stand there smelling it. They have 3 flavors, Mint Juleps, Popcorn, and Bubblegum! Mint Juleps is lovely, very strong but sweet somehow, Popcorn smells like just that - popcorn, buttery, salty wonderful cinema food! Bubblegum is the best. Vibrant pink, smelling like the love child between candy-floss and Hubba-Bubba, it's a complete throwback from those childhood days!

Ever since they released these beauties, I've been lusting after and coveting them intensely. I had to have a bubblegum one, but at the same time, I'm unemployed so money is tight. These lip scrubs are somewhere in the region of €8, which can be a lot depending on the look of my wallet... But last week I decided it was high time I got my hands on the highly-coveted Bubblegum Lip Scrub. So off I went, into Dublin, so I could get a few bits (I will be posting a haul soon I hope), with a stop into Lush being top of my list...

Oh God, I've Become A Girly-Girl!!

Girls, we all love our beauty products and make up. Its just the way we are, and guys wont ever understand why we need 3 different mascaras, or 100 bottles of nail polish, but we do. Or at least, that's what we tell ourselves! 

We all have our favourites though, so here's mine. My favourites, for my face!

Skin Wisdom Youth Protect Facial Wipes.

Skin Wisdom Youth Protect

These bad boys are amazing! I stumbled across these when I finished my Simple Kind-To-Skin wipes. They have a "Recommended Age Group" on the side of the nice, shiny pink foil packet, saying you should use these between the ages of 20-35. I suppose, those are the years between which you'd wanna be protecting that youth of yours, missus! They smell lovely and they do a great job of stripping off makeup, mascara, everything! I will say that you need a good moisturiser for after them, because they can leave your skin a bit tight. Maybe that's the Youth Protect bit?!

They claim to cleanse, tone and moisturise in one easy step, and are enriched with rhodiola rosea and amino acids, as well as cranberry and white tea.

They also claim to be suitable for all skin types, but I would say if you have dry skin, either avoid them entirely, or use a damn good moisturiser after them!

At €1.69 (I think!), in Tesco, I'd recommend them, even just to see if they do anything for your skin, but personally, I love them and have already repurchased them, in case they ever disappear from the shelves!

Things That Piss Me Off...

Normally, I would leave this kind of thing to my lovely friend Aisling, aka The Rantigator, but today, I'm gonna have a bash at a good aul fashioned rant! I'm not going to tackle any particularly weighty topics, rather, I'll just have a moan about things that "grind my gears" as they say...



People who tell me one of the following...

"God, you're so skinny!"
"Have a ham sandwich or something!"
"Would you not try to put on some weight?!"

Right, here's the first thing. I weigh somewhere around 7st 4lb. I am naturally thin, though with that being said, if I got my mothers genes, I'll eventually be curvy, somewhere around the age of 23. The second thing, I eat!! I fucking adore food! I can't take dairy really and I'm not the biggest fan of certain meats, but I happen to hoover up roast dinners, cottage pies, any kind of pasta, I will mow through salads and paninis, and I can't get my fill of Mexican food. Making the assumption that I starve myself or limit my portions is rude and unnecessary! If you must know, I was on medication that slowed my metabolism and when I came off it, I went back to where I was beforehand.


I really shouldn't have to explain myself, but let me just clarify this one. My weight is nobody else's concern. It's just as rude and ignorant to comment on a thin persons weight, as it is to say to someone who is a size 18, "Would you not go on a diet, and try to slim down a bit?".


Take a long hard look in the mirror before you pick on someone's weight. Chances are, you're not perfect, yourself, love!

Red Hair is Unique, So Am I!

“It’s not about how others look at me, it’s about how I look at myself” - Neil Patrick Harris (Beastly)

When you read this, can you honestly agree?

I doubt there are many people out there can legitimately say they have always believed this. How many people do you know, that can say, with their hand on their heart that they are unaffected by the words of others? Is there anyone in the world who doesn't care about whats said about them? If there is, I would like to shake their hand. But I really don't think such a person exists, sadly. Everybody worries about the opinions of others, up to a certain point. That's just how it goes...

Then...

Most of us know how it feels to be belittled in some way, and usually, it's for nothing at all. People will judge you based on how you look, before you even open your mouth to introduce yourself. When we're sent off to school, at the age of 4, or 5, it starts. I have had the unfortunate experience of being bullied from Senior Infants, right up to the Junior Cert because of my hair. My hair!! It made me want to do anything to fit in. I briefly had blonde highlights as a teenager, wore make-up, tried to dress trendily. It didn't really suit me, if I'm honest... I didn't, and still don't suit that kind of thing.

When I got to 5th year, I decided to do things my way. I dyed my hair darker, almost maroon. It was awful, but it made me feel more like I blended in with my peers. To anyone on the outside, it must have been a drastic change, but to me, it felt necessary. Having been bullied for my red hair, it seemed like the right thing at the time. I wasn't doing it for others, it was all for me, and I continued to dye my hair, as well as dress the way I wanted to, for years to come.

I've noticed lately, a change in the way I see myself, as well as a change in the way I do things. What once was panicked, desperate attempts to blend in, has now become a calmer, more calculated desire to stand out. Thanks to a few of my favourite people, (and if they read this, they'll know exactly who they are) I grew out the dyed, damaged hair, and I embraced my Redhead status. In the past, when someone said "GINGER!!" I couldn't stand it. It upset me and made me angry. I did not want to be the ginger kid everyone used as the butt of some dusty, decrepit and frankly, backwards joke. Nowadays, though, its a different story.

Being a redhead is something I relish. Did you know, that 2% of the words population (at most) has natural red hair? That makes me unique, to some degree, and I wouldn't ever let the words of some stranger, someone who doesn't matter a damn to me make me feel small because of it. Ireland has the 2nd most intense concentration of gingers (yes, I know there's a joke in there somewhere!) in the world, with 10% (about 420,000) of us being lucky enough to say we're redheads!

When others made negative, bullying comments about my hair, I used to think they were right. I believed them. I thought, "You know what? They're the majority, maybe they speak the truth...", but I was so wrong. I saw myself as ugly because of my hair, because I was being told every day that red-heads were somehow lower than every other hair colour.

Now!! :D

I suppose it didn't help that somebody who claimed to love me told me, one day after I mentioned vaguely thinking of going back to my roots, "Having red hair wouldn't suit you, and I don't think you would be attractive if you decided to dye it back to your natural colour...". Stupid me, I listened. Eventually I decided to stick to my guns... I grew out the roots a few inches (which was awful but the ends justified the means) and headed for the chop. This time, I knew the change was drastic! 6 years after I started to cover up my uniqueness, I unveiled my newly short, red hair to my peers, and the response was wonderful. I can laugh along with the jokes now, because they don't hurt me.

How others see you, as much as we say it doesn't affect us, shapes us in ways we might not understand at the time... You might have believed the people who put you down at the time, but when you get away from those people, you'll gradually realise how wrong they were. In the end, when you believe in your heart and mind that you don't need to hide who you are, then you've done it. Personally, I went from hating my hair, to loving it more than ever! Its a part of who I am, it makes me unique.



How others look at you is unimportant. How you look at yourself matters more than anything.

Le Grá,
Amy,
xoxo

I Take It All Back... (Tears On Tape)

Everyone loves music. If you play an instrument, write music or sing, then you're spurred on by passion. However, if like me, you've not a note in your head, don't even know how to hold a guitar, much less tickle the ivories, then you're probably an appreciator of those who can create.

At the age of 16 or 17, I believed that the best band to ever grace the world was HIM, a Finnish band who created a new genre in the early-to-mid 90's called "Love Metal". I still love HIM, they have a special place in my heart, they have a place on my body, but its different now. I needed them at that point in my life. They came into my life at the opportune moment, and they made everything better. When I listen to songs like "Kiss Of Dawn", which was one of my favorite tracks from the first album I ever bought (Venus Doom), I still remember the sunny days where I lay out in my garden and just listened.

Red Lips; On a Budget!

Since yesterday I posted about how red lips were my way of drawing a veil over the past, I thought I'd post abut some products I've been eyeing, and buying!! These products are very easy on the pocket, as well as looking amazing, which has been the kicker for me, since its not about how much you spend, its about the products performing.

What follows may well be considered the blind leading the blind!! :P You have been warned!

Red Lips and The Final Chapter in my Struggle...

Most who know me will probably say I'm pretty easy to talk to, that I'm loud, bubby and always happy to see people. Well, I hope that's what they would say!! But people who know me very well know that I can be those things, but I can also be withdrawn, worrisome and obsessive when I get into a dark place...

Let me tell you a secret. The front I put up (though I don't like to call it a "front" because it doesn't have a good connotation) when I go out and interact with people is easy, breezy, confident, like I couldn't care less who says what to me or about me. And for the most part that would be true. But for the last few years I've struggled with crippling anxiety, been really sad (though not clinically depressed) and spent more than a few nights alone thinking about death. I had, at one point, a team of mental health doctors who helped me to verbalise everything every so often, and I was on a ton of medication at one point, but I've been off the tablets for a while now and everything is level without them. Life used to be a daily struggle. I was afraid. Afraid of being myself, of being weird and loud, not making sense, being too nice, being too strange, and mostly afraid of trying new things.