Midweek Post: What have I been up to?

I have been a bit absent from blogging recently for a few different reasons. Firstly I have been working three jobs which has obviously been taking up a lot of time, then the days off I have had I have wanted to spend with friends or Ben, or on the sofa watching films! Secondly, I've lost a bit of 'mojo'- I'm using lots of products but I am having a bit of trouble forming an opinion on most of them, so I don't want to blog about them as that would be pointless, so I think I might include more makeup looks into the blog as I like to do them. Thirdly, I have been really busy aside from working, but it's those bits I'll include below :-)

I popped down to London a couple of weeks ago to be a practice model on a makeup course held by celebrity makeup artist Louise Constad. She was teaching a one day shortcourse to a lady who is a hairdresser at the BBC and wanted to branch out into makeup too. I'm booked in to attend Louise's 'Mastering Makeup' Course in March and she invited me down to meet her and to be a practice model. I really enjoyed myself, she has a crazy mini poodle who was so small! In the morning we had coffee and went through different magazines like Harpers and Vogue and talked through different makeup looks and trends. Couldn't help but notice an abundance of bleached brows! In the afternoon they did a natural makeup look on me, which included perfecting foundation and concealer, how to contour, different ways to do brows and a natural lip. Then they created a more dramatic look on me with graphic liner and Lady Danger lipstick from MAC (which I much preferred to the natural look ;-) ) My skin was so sore by the end of the day because my makeup had been off and on and off and on and being removed with makeup wipes each time which don't really agree with my skin. I had a great couple of days but they were so exhausting, really excited to do the week long course with Louise, March can't come soon enough!

Last Sunday I drove to Birmingham after work to see an old friend. On Monday morning we headed into Birmingham to do a bit of vintage shopping, we started in Digbeth and looked around the emporiums there. There was so many awful christmas jumpers I had to resist taking photos of all of them! She also took me to a sack sale where everything is a pound, and if you fill up a sack you get the lot for a tenner. I only picked up a couple of bits but I'm really pleased with them and you can't go wrong for £1 each! Later in the day we went to the German Christmas Markets which was absolutley huge, stalls included foodie ones with gingerbread, chocolates, candied nuts, deep fried cheese, waffles, pancakes, pretzels, reindeer burgers! Alongside mulled  cider and wine stalls, and Baileys hot chocolate. Shame I was driving home that night becaue I could have easily got pretty tipsy and spent the day tasting the alcoholic delights! There was crafty stalls too with German woodwork etc as well as local businesses that had hired pitches. Finished off the day in the Art Museum at the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition. I don't go to many exhibitions any more, but I should make more effort as I did a degree in Art History! I loved seeing Alma-Tadema's 'The Bath' in real life.


Right, I won't bore you with anymore, just thought I'd include the highlights from the last couple of weeks! Have you been to any christmas markets this year?

Midweek post: Urban Decay in China update & other beauty goss.

(image found here)

I tweeted a few months ago when I found out that Urban Decay were expanding into China. The reason this caught my attention was because, though I've never been a big shopper at UD, even I knew that they were an animal friendly company who were committed in their protest against cosmetic animal testing and were raising awareness of the issue. 

The Chinese government do reserve the right to test cosmetics on animals before they are sold for use on human beings. Unfortunately, studies also show that the typical Chinese consumer will show little to no regard over whether a cosmetic product has been tested on animals or not.

 

What Urban Decay have said: UD have stated that their stance on animal testing will not waiver, and that whilst they do not test on animals, the Chinese government may want to perform one-time tests of their products on animals before they are approved to be sold to the Chinese consumers.

Urban Decay believe that change will not happen by outside pressure alone, and that by entering China the company can help raise awareness and fight against animal testing from within. When UD first began, they fought for animal rights in the Western market and now they want to do this in China by encouraging change internally.

UD also want us to remember that they are passionate about women's rights too and are hoping to create new careers and jobs for Chinese women (as it is women who are primarily employed in cosmetics) with this expansion so hope to contribute the change in attitude towards the importance of women in that country.

Please not that they have not ignored the ever obvious reason for moving into China, and that is for profit. They also stated that if they don't expand into China, other companies with no stance on animal testing will and therefore nothing will change.*

  

http://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/

(If you're interested in using cosmetics that are not tested on animals, look for the leaping bunny logo on the product which ensures that no animal testing has been conducted on the finished product, nor it's ingredients, that it isn't carried out in any of the companies labs or by their suppliers)

Beauty news:

It's been announced recently that New CID cosmetics will stocked in all Champneys spas by the end of the year. The famous luxury spa already have their own range of bath and body products available in Boots stores but their spas will be stocked full of New CID cosmetics as they admire the quality of their products and believe they'll be perfect for the Champneys customer. 

Estee Lauder's granddaughter Aerin Lauder is releasing her own makeup range as part of her new lifestyle line. 'The Aerin Essentials Collection' is launching this year in the UK and the States.

Marvelscara 'three week mascara' may be coming to a salon near you! This new technology creates beautiful long lashes that don't smudge (and are waterproof) and already has 'celeb' clients such as memebers of the TOWIE and Desperate Scousewives cast singing it's praises.

Molton Brown are releasing a plant-based hair care range in September each set designed to combat certain hair problems.

Thankyou for reading! Do you have any beauty goss for me? What's your opinion on Urban Decay's Chinese expansion?

* Some information for this post has been taken from an article in Espirit magazine (July 2012 edition) where there has been an interview with an Urban Decay spokesman.

Disclaimer! : I've restrained from including my opinion in this *paragraph as the aim of this post was to inform you of the statement and real intentions from Urban Decay. FYI I do not believe animal testing on cosmetics is necessary, however I do not condemn brands who do.