Mini High-street clothing haul (including the Bank closing down sale)

Hey Sweethearts,

So this week, I'm going to chat about another little clothes haul, but this time from right here on the high street!

I met up with my Mum last week for coffee & a girls day out, and we went bargain hunting on the high street (Scotland, UK).

I'm a sucker for sales and love bargains, but who doesn't, right?

We walked through the main shopping area and I spied a sign saying that Bank fashion is closing down, so I popped in for a look.
 For those who can't get to a store, the website is http://www.bankfashion.co.uk though if you pass by a store, the items will vary depending on what they have left in stock.

I've always found bank a bit hit-or-miss for me when it comes to my personal tastes, and it's usually way out of my price range, but when I spotted a good sale I couldn't resist dragging my Mum in for a nosey.

I didn't actually think that I'd find anything that I liked enough to buy (I like a lot of different things, but realistically I'd buy them, wear once, then into the cupboards they go) so I was really pleased when I stumbled across some lovely, spring/autumn type jackets at the back of my local store.

This comes with it's own set of problems though....

I said above that I tend to wear things once, then put in cupboards, remember?

Well....I seem to have accumulated 35 jackets/coats over the years. Yup, 35...plus the 2 new ones makes 37 of them. I have a little bit of a problem (read: I have a massive jacket obsession) >.< I will be aiming to half my jacket collection in the near future, so that's my justification...and because they were super cute!

Here's what I ended up buying:
This Jacket is by the Pink Soda brand that I came across in Bank-fashion. It's a soft, dusky pink, faux leather jacket with wool on the inside. 
 I thought when I first saw it that the material would be pretty stiff and hard, but it's actually pretty soft - the wool on the inside makes it lovely and warm too! 

If I remember rightly (this one isn't available on the website any more) this jacket was £65 originally, or there abouts, but in the sale I paid £20! 

This 2nd jacket is also from the Pink Soda brand.
Again, this is a faux leather jacket in pastel pink. This one is a more biker styled, cropped jacket with plenty of attitude. I really love the black accents on the zips, and the overall shape - it really caught my attention.
I've been looking for some fresher styled jackets that fit in with my style a lot more, I'm not the girl that can wear black constantly any more so a lot of my black jackets will be going to new homes soon.
This one is still available online, and is reduced from rrp: £50 to £25 http://www.bankfashion.co.uk/products/pink-soda-pastel-biker-jacket/152534

          

This trip also re-enforced why I'm not that bothered about dress sizes in clothing. The first jacket is a UK8, and the 2nd is a UK10 - both from the same brand, but there was no way I'd get into the 2nd one if it were a size 8! It all very much depends on the cut of the clothing, I've seen myself wearing a size 16 lingerie waistbelt before from h&m that fit me perfectly!

Speaking of H&M, after my massive £75 saving in Bank, I headed on over to h&m to see if I could find myself a cute jumper or some new jeans.

Unfortunately the jeans didn't happen, but I did pick up this super cute jumper!

I absolutely fell in love with this jumper when I spotted it! It's (again - I think we're starting to see a colour pattern here) pale pink, with "Amour" spelt on it - so cute!
It retails at £12.99, and I chose to get it in the biggest size they had in stock, which was Large. I really wanted this to be quite casual and baggy, as I'm really loving oversized jumpers at the minute. They really feel quite Spring-y to me.

Of course, I had up pick up some cute Hello Kitty socks too! They were £7.99 for a pack of 3 in assorted designs - they're really thick too, so perfect for wearing with boots or around the house to keep your tootsies warm! ^_^

What do you think? Are you feeling the oversized cute jumpers? What is in your Spring wardrobe?
Love,
          Kasumi x

My first order from CutesyKink - Japanese Fashion Store

Hey Sweethearts!

You all good?

I'm a massive fan of Japanese Fashion (as if you couldn't already tell! >.<)  and have been looking at buying pieces from UK based stores for a while now, though for some reason I've never actually gotten round to purchasing anything.
 (I suppose I'm pretty wary when I order things online from somewhere for the first time.)
This week I really want to share my recent purchases & experience shopping with www.cutesykink.co.uk 

I've always loved the range of clothing from CutesyKink (their website is also really cute!), and finally got round to placing an order.
 It took me a good few hours to pick out an outfit that I wanted the most, though- they have so many things to choose from, I was like a crazy kid in a candy store!
"OMG I want this and this and this and...uwaaaaaaaaaa that's adorable! I have to have that too!"    However, I think had I given in and bought everything that I wanted, my bank card would have been left whimpering in the corner!

Ordering:

Ordering from the CutesyKink website was really easy as everything was well laid out, and I could pay via Paypal - that's a massive decision-maker for me when I purchase online, I find Paypal the easiest option, and it's also secure. I tend not to buy from places if I can't use Paypal.

Shipping:
 I ordered pretty late at night, but my items were shipped the next day. Usually I expect a couple of days before items are shipped out as I run my own online store, I understand that order volumes can mean that it's not always possible to send out items the next day, so I was really pleased!  Shipping was done via Hermes, and my order had a handy tracking code from them so I could see where my item was at all times.
 The email from Hermes said to allow for 2-3 working days for my items to reach me, and my items arrived on the 3rd working day - delivered to me in the morning by a really nice delivery man that chuckled at my dishevelled yet totally excited face!

Shipping cost just over £4, which I think is reasonable given the great service and 24h tracking abilities.

Unwrapping:

This is what my parcel looked like on arrival - all pretty in pink with the CutesyKink label! 

Once I opened the package, neatly packed inside were my new clothes! It came with a kawaii business card, and a little gift of cute nail art slices with it! 

Clothes:

I got this sweet floral print top from the "Cute Girl" section, and it was labelled as Vintage Gyaru style.

I love how girly and romantic it is with the off the shoulder fit and ruffles, but at the same time it's made from a fleece-type material so it's pretty warm too! I really expected this kind of item to be a lot thinner material-wise, so I was really pleased that it's actually quite thick! This means that I don't need to wait until summer to wear it around.
The bow on the top is held onto the top by broochpins instead of being sewn on, so this means I can adjust it a little and there are no stitches that could come loose in the wash.

Size-wise, it was marked as Freesize, which is quite common in Asian clothing, as opposed to here in the UK. I'm a UK8 on top, and tend to wear heavily padded bras so I wondered how well it would fit on the bust(I won't lie, I wasn't blessed with breasts, so I cheat!) but it fit me really well. It's quite a loose style, so it covers my wobbly tummy bits, but it's also really quite stretchy with elastic at the top, bottom and wrists which make for a super sweet shape. I reckon this could stretch to a UK10.

             Price: £8 (on sale)

To complement the top, I picked a pair of cute shorts! These are a lovely beige colour, and again are made from stretchy yet pretty thick material, with a lovely shimmer & lace leg detail - and also a cute belt!

I was really hesitant about buying these if I'm really honest. I loved the way they looked online, but as a pear shaped girl with a pretty large bum & thighs, I wondered if it would actually fit due to the differences in Asian sizing and body type.
 I picked a size M going by the measurements/waistsize given, but I know that my bum can pose a problem despite that! (I usually have to try on jeans/shorts/trousers before I buy them, I can fit anywhere between a uk8-12 depending on brand/cut/fit - big butts are a nightmare....'and I cannot lie' :P) 
I tried them off with an air of panic, but breathed a sigh of relief as they actually fit over my keester, and didn't dig into my thighs at all!

They are short-shorts though *who wears short shorts?I wear short shorts!*  so I couldn't wear these without tights, as I don't have the legs for it. They'd definitely look cute without tights as well, for ladies with more body confidence than me!  

Price: £8 (on sale)

Here are some photos of the outfit when worn! Photography by Louise Cantwell Photography, something a little fun before I morphed into an ethereal being later in the day.

Wig: Ebay (I really wish my hair were naturally like this though! I'm growing it in hopes that one day it'll be long and kawaii XD)

Verdict: 

Overall, I'm super happy with my order from CutesyKink (as you can see from my silly faces)! Everything arrived great and super quickly, so I'd most definitely order again...once I can make a definite decision on what I want to buy next XD

Check them out: cutesykink.co.uk

Love,

          Kasumi x

Love is in the Air - Valentines Day chatter

Hey Sweethearts!

I hope you're all doing well! ^_^

Love was most definitely in the air for Valentines' Day - did you all have a good day too?

VDay Gifts:

My lovely Bf surprised me this year with a card and a beautiful bouquet of flowers when he picked me up for our date on Saturday. I absolutely adore flowers, so this was super sweet!

_____________________________________________________________________

Makeup & Hair

I really wanted to have a romantic, girly look for our date this year, so drew my inspo from HimeKaji looks to create my Vday co-ord.

I used the same high ponytail that you all saw in last weeks blog, as I feel it suits me really well, though this time I kept my fringe full and curled the sides of my hair to add some more fun to the look. My makeup is my current favourite style of Gyaru makeup, using Princess Mimi Sesame Grey circle lenses, and a super cute pink lipstick and gloss that I picked up from Miss Sporty.
_______________________________________________________________________

Outfit/Co-ord

Moving on to my outfit choice!

This was a bit of a random match up in the morning as I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to wear
 >.< (girl problems) but I just knew it had to include my super cute shorts/fake skirt from River Island!
I'm pretty funny about wearing shorts a lot of the time, due to having super chubby legs, but when I saw these I fell in love - and they were on sale for £5! I think the shorts/skirt combo is great for me, as it  covers the tops of my thighs at the front which I'm most insecure about, but they're still shorts at the back.

Starting from the top: 
Hello Kitty Print Kanzashi flower hairclip from Yume Kanzashi (you can see it better in the middle of the image) 
Cream furry jacket: Jane Norman
Pink v-neck jumper: Jane Norman
White lace high neck tshirt: Primark
Watch: Sekonda
Bracelet: Won at Arcade
Crystal Belt: Primark
Tartan Shorts/Skirt: River Island 
Tights: Primark
Boots: Ebay + Self D.I.Y
____________________________________________________________________

Nails
When I picked up my last bargains from Primark, I spotted these false nails for £1 and impulse bought them in case of a girly outfit day, which turned out to be Valentines!
 I did add some cute pink crystals to the nails for that extra bit of sparkle too ^_^

______________________________________________________________

Our Date:

This year my Bf & I decided to head to Glasgow to do something fun, instead of just going for dinner. We decided to go and be overgrown children and play the arcade games at Xscape which was soo much fun!

 I've totally decided that I'm the best at the shooting games, but I fail miserably at driving/racing games... T_T It's probably just as well that I don't drive, as I'm pretty reckless and crash constantly - the idea was to race, but I decide to have dirty tactics and take everyone out on the way XD

We also won a good amount of tickets too - Bf got super lucky on one of the games and won the 1000 ticket bonus!

Using the tickets, we came out with a sparkly bracelet (you can see that in the pic of my nails), a super cute Hedgehog toy that we named Choccie, and a bubble sword!
After that, it was time to go for dinner!

We decided to go to Frankie & Bennys' for dinner to save us driving in and out of the city centre, and had a lovely meal! We had garlic and cheese mushrooms, and calamari for starters, followed by this plate of awesomeness! I totally recommend the New Jersey Chicken from there - chicken, pulled pork, bacon, bbq sauce and jalapeño cheese - what's not to love?!!?!?!

We were pretty full after the meal, so didn't opt to have any desserts from there, only a couple of cocktails for me. True to form, I couldn't stay away from a dessert - I love sweets and cakes so much!
 There is a little place inside Xscape that makes crepes and waffles, and we had a crepe to begin our evening, so this time I absolutely HAD  to try out the waffles too!

Underneath the layers of cream, marshmallow and nutella was such a delicious waffle - I'd definitely go and eat it again!

We then finished off our Valentines' day night watching movies in bed with a bottle of Champagne - it was perfect!


That concludes my Valentines' Day post - what did you all do? Stay in or go out?
As usual, leave me some comments below and don't forget to follow me!

Kasumi x

DIY time! Sweetie pie Princess Boots!

Hey Sweethearts,

This weeks' post isn't the most informative, but I really wanted to share my little DIY project with you all.

For Xmas, my Bf usually gives me a clothing allowance, so that I can update my wardrobe (I know, I have 4 wardrobes & 2 chests of drawers....but trust me, I NEVER have anything to wear!). Unfortunately there were a couple of items that I couldn't get from my list, so I ended up getting a super cute pair of boots!

I totally fell in love with them when I saw them, and I've been needing some nice warm boots, so figured these would be perfect to go with some cute warm co-ordinates ^_^

The only drawback for me, was that I found them to be a little plain for what I was looking for, so decided to do a little bit of DIY/embellishing to give them some impact.


                                                 

For the front, I decided to add a little swag of pearl beads, with a cute sparkly alloy heart just under the bow. I also added a little leafy embellishment to the front of the bow that I found amongst my haberdashery pots. (The lucky part about being a designer, is that I always have interesting things floating around for many a craft use)

Around the entire platform of the shoe, I added a row of pink flatback gems, and attached pearl beads to the bottom layer of lace, for a subtle addition.


                         

For the sides, I remembered that I had some pink ruffle & rhinestone trim that was looking for a project to be a part of, and figured that they'd fit perfectly to add some shimmer and sparkle, so I stitched them to the fur around the boots. Although you can't see it in these photos, it really catches the light well!

I also found some AB plastic bead trim in amongst my pots of treasures, and thought they'd be a fantastic addition to jazz up the otherwise pretty dull heel! After much humming and hawing about whether or not I had enough trim to create a swag on both sides of the heel, I tried my luck and it was a success! I got out my trusty gluegun, and placed a line of glue from the connecting seams, and started off the trim from there, and when I made the swags, I just needed to bring the trim up and glue at the back of the heel!

For the outer side of the boots, I added a couple of acrylic roses (also using the glue gun) so that it would have a little more than the inside - I thought the different pink tones worked really well for this!

As I mentioned when I talked about the front of the boots, I lined the platform/heel with a row of pink flatback gems, and I also added pearl beads all the way along the bottom of the lace to add that extra something. The glue that I'm using for the gems wasn't dry when I took the pictures, so they look white - but rest assured, the glue I used dried clear and sparkly - I was just too excited and had to take pictures!


                                          

This is the back!

I found an old pair of earrings (once again in my pots of treasures) that were pretty simple and heart shaped, so I thought that they would look alright hooked in just under the ruffle trim (which is flapping down a little in this pic..oops!)

You can see here how I've created the swags, and I love the way it looks from the back! I added another couple of pink toned acrylic roses to complement the ones on the sides, and added a little flatback gem under each of the roses at the bottom to tie in with the gem trim!

I'm super pleased with how these came out, and can't wait to find an outfit and occasion to wear them! I'm thinking they would suit a Himekaji look pretty well! What do you all think?

Did I do ok for my first attempt at DIY-ing my shoes?
Let me know in the comments section ^_^

Love,

Kasumi x

Don't break the bank! Purse friendly products - mini haul!

Hi Sweethearts!

Following on from my review on the w7 In the Nude palette, I thought I'd share a mini makeup haul that I treated myself to - all super budget friendly, so Ladies (and Gents) that means you won't have to worry about spending all your wages on products!

I'm going to use stock photos here for the most part, as my photo taking skills are questionable at best...so let's start!

Firstly, as I'm in Scotland, I decided to take a little trip to my local Watt Brothers store.
For those of you unfamiliar to Watt Brothers - it's a chain of stores up here that offer great products at amazing discounted prices, from makeup, to homeware, clothing etc.

Their makeup section offers products for a range of brands eg. budget brands such a w7, technic etc all the way up to YSL, CK etc.

For this mini haul, I focused on the already budget friendly brands, though with an extra discounted
price!




First up: w7 Light Diffusing Concealer! 

Watt Brothers price: £2.99
w7 Website price: £4.95 This is essentially the budget version of YSL Touche Eclat concealer, but without the £25 price tag. (though Watt Brothers has it in stock for around £20)

A handy twist pen design, for easy application. (though I put this on the back on my hand then apply with a brush)
 This is a light, smooth concealer that reflects light to illuminate your face, and banishes dark under eye areas.

I tested this out last week for the first time, after previously trying the YSL version a while back - but there's no way I could justify the price tag.
I suffer from pretty dark under eye circles, and found that the w7, budget version to be just as good for making those circles disappear!
 For me, I'd also use this as a light highlighter, as it has a lovely dewy effect and isn't as thick & heavy as the concealer I usually wear.
 It's absolutely perfect for day to day wear as well, as it doesn't weigh you down.
With a pocket friendly price of £2.99, I've definitely been converted.

Next up: w7 Super Brows pencil

Watt Brothers price: £0.99
You can find this online for £1.99- £2.99 roughly. 

I'd been searching for a new brow pencil to match my 2015 brown haired look, and came across this on my mini haul trip.

This comes in a couple of shades, and is a soft eyebrow pencil at one side, with a handy brow brush at the other.

What I found with this, on first application, is that it is a soft pencil, and goes on pretty strong. However, you only need a small amount of this, as the super handy brush will blend the pencil along your brows, whilst keeping them in shape.
 It may take a little bit to get used to, but I'm pretty happy with this, especially given that it cost me just shy of £1.
 It lasts pretty well, and I didn't find any smudging or melting during the course of the day, but then again I don't tend to wear anything apart from my fringe near my brows and don't tend to rub. If you find that you could rub it with hats, or are subject to a lot of heat, then you can easily a thin layer of eyeshadow over the top to give it some extra hold.

 As you only need a little bit at a time, it's great value for money since it's also a pretty long pencil!
My only disappointment, is that it doesn't come in many shades, so it's more suited to brunettes/dark haired beauties. (unless of course you're into rocking light/bright hair and dark brows!)
 

Technic Fruity Lip Gloss

Watt Brothers price: £1.99
Online price: I found it on lovethymakeup.com for £1.49, though you have a £2.50 delivery charge, so will have to leave it until you've got a list on things you'd like to make it worth your while ordering from here.

I'm usually quite apprehensive with lip glosses, and tend to try out a good few, as I've found a couple of cheaper brands that can be pretty sticky.

However, this one definitely isn't sticky at all. This is a lovely sparkly gloss, that comes in a variety of shades and has a brush pen applicator. (Once again, I tend to put this on the back of my hand, then apply with a lip brush) 

This gloss goes on quite nicely, and doesn't smell or taste bad (I'm guilty of licking my lip/hanging my tongue out when I'm concentrating >.<) and gives a nice, girly, plumped up look without being "in your face".  

I like to use glosses over a nude lip, for a subtle, glossy, almost English rose effect, or over the top of a matt coloured lipstick to give it some extra oomph!

Royal False Nails:

Watt brothers price: £2.99
Online price is about the same if you are willing to look around.

This is a bit of a wildcard, in terms of buying the exact same set from Watt Brothers.

I find that they tend to stock a variety of different Royal false nails, and only tend to have a few of each. Every time I pop in, there are always different styles in, so trying to track down the same set twice may require some online hunting!

I use Royal nails quite a lot, and they usually come in some really cute and interesting designs. I had the Mirrorball versions last year, which I really liked too.

They come in a good array of sizes within the pack, which is handy since I have pretty dainty hands and nails. The nail glue that comes with it is also pretty hard wearing, even for someone like me that's quite active.

I picked up these particular ones, as I think they'd be a great base for Hime Gyaru style nails, due to the lovely pink colour and little 3D flower design. When I get round to wearing them, I'll be adding some cute crystals and other nail attachments (can't think of the proper term for this) to create a really standout set of nails.

Here's a couple of photographs of other products that I found in my local Watt Brothers and tend to purchase a lot from them:  To see the images bigger, right click and select "open link in new tab/window) 

The Technic lashes are also pretty good, they're not too thick on the lash band, and have a good curl so they don't sit flat on your eyes.

 I usually swear by Maybelline Colossal Mascara (I've been trying out other brands lately but always go back to Maybelline) usually in other stores they retail at about £8, or there abouts, but Watt Brothers sell them for £4.99, which is a great bargain! I love the length, curl and deep black of Maybellines' Colossal Mascara, and I don't find that it clumps at all which is a major plus.

On the right, you can see the pretty good range of brushes that they stock, though I only took a snapshot of the Royal ones, as these are the ones I buy the most of - look at those prices! Really good bargain for some good quality brushes that do last!


After I left Watt Brothers, I remembered that I was running out of my staple powder and liquid liner. Off to Superdrug I went!

2True Liquid Liner:

Superdrug Price: £1.99 or 3 products for £5

This is my go-to liquid liner! I'm not a massive fan of gel liners, or more brush like liners, as I don't feel I can get as sharp a line as I'd like to with them. (That's personal taste, mind you. Gel liners I find to be more hygienic when you're applying makeup to others instead of just yourself. )
I absolutely adore this liner! It goes on a rich black, dries in no time at all, and lasts the whole day through! The applicator is sturdy and has a good thin tip to allow for fine lines and flicks, which is my daily liner look. Having used a few liquid liners before I discovered 2True, I find that the applicator stays sharp/maintains it's tip for longer than the others I've tried, usually for the length of time it takes me to get through the liner.  (previously I tried Collection 2000 & w7 liners, but was never a big fan of either of them for various reasons.) 

2True Matt Pressed Powder:

Superdrug Price: £1.99 or 3 products for £5

This is another staple in my makeup kit. This powder is great value for money, comes in the paler shades that I tend to like, and is pretty good wearing for me, despite being under studio lights and having  really oily skin in places such as my nose/forehead.
2True White Eyeliner Pencil

Superdrug price: £1.99 or 3 for £5

Once again, 2True at Superdrug tends to more often that not have a 3 product for £5 deal, across a good range of different products so you can get a good combination of products for a budget friendly price.

This is the first time I've used the White liner from 2True, as I've usually bought the slightly cheaper version from MUA at £1.
 In saying that, I've always liked the Black liner pencil that 2True has, and the white didn't disappoint me!
Although slightly more expensive that the MUA version (which is also pretty good for the price), it goes on a lot easier and stronger in colour, which means just a simple quick glide on and you're ready to go! A liner that I do tend to use a lot of for adding extra definition under my brows, and for making my eyes look a little bigger.

Useful Links:
 www.superdrug.com
http://www.w7cosmetics.co.uk

That was my mini budget friendly product haul!
I really hope is helpful to a lot of you, especially to those who ask and are curious to know which products I buy, and where from! ^_^

Please let me know your thoughts, or any questions in the comments below, and please remember to subscribe to keep up to date with my posts!

Love,

Kasumi x

Simple Sweetie - Gyaru Makeup

Hello Sweethearts!

I mentioned at the bottom of my last post (congrats if you managed to make it through!) that I am going to do a tutorial for the simple & sweet gyaru makeup that has kick started my 2015 style.

When it comes to Gyaru, for me it's all about the eyes. Circle lenses and lashes are an absolute must, but there's absolutely no need to break the bank for this!  (I'm wearing Princess Mimi lenses in Sesame Grey that I won from www.pinkyparadise.com)

 This is a pretty simple tutorial for me, however you'll get to see me go from bare faced & drab to socially acceptable. Please bare in mind that I'm not that comfortable seeing myself on camera without inch thick makeup so it's quite a thing for me!

 I'm going to give you a video tutorial with annotations, and then I'm going to talk about products a little bit! This was the first time that I've used my camera & studio lights for a video tutorial, so I'm still trying to work around the colour cast (which makes my hair looks blue/green even though it most definitely isn't!Also having the lights up at my face has made my body seem more tanned than it is - rest assured, I'm all one colour!) and trying to get a good set up in my flat, so please excuse any lighting mishaps!

Here is the look:

Here is the video tutorial:

(for better quality, please watch on youtube & subscribe to my new channel! ^_^ )

If you can't see the video, follow this link to it on youtube!

Ok, so let's talk products!  
Base:
Etude House CC Cream in Glow

 I was given this as a gift from my BFs sister when she came over from Hong Kong as I really wanted to try out CC creams, but couldn't find anything that I liked the look of in the UK that wasn't going to cost a fortune!

 I've used this as a base, as I really love the fresh glow it gives. It also gives a pretty good base to apply foundation over, and it's built in lightener works well for the pale look that I like.

Foundation: 
I'm using Max Factor Colour adapt in shades 40 (creamy ivory) and 55 (Blushing Beige).
 I usually wear my makeup a lot heavier than most people, as I'm that used to having to pile it on for photoshoots, so this is a nice thick foundation that gives really good coverage. I'm using 2 foundation shades to start my facial contouring process.
 In Gyaru makeup, having a strong contoured face definitely completes the look. You want to slim down your nose and give your face definition - which you'll see me do in the video.

Concealer;
2True Cover 'n' Conceal in shade 1.
  Again, this is quite a heavy stick concealer, which works well for camera ready makeup. (Studio lights and flash has a nasty habit of bleaching out makeup, so you need to really layer it on for these occasions) I use this in place of a 3rd, lighter, foundation, as it's lighter than my normal one - so I use this to add highlights to my face. It blends out really well for me, and covers what I need to cover.

Powders:
Generally, I use 2 powders. I first do a general cover in a normal, ivory pressed powder. In this case, I'm using 2true pressed powder from Superdrug for my general coverage.
 Then I go over and strengthen contouring with a darker pressed powder. This time round, I'm using MUA bronzer in shade 1, I think. I'll use a darker powder if I want a really, super harsh contouring effect, but I use this one in day to day life as it's not too harsh and warms my skin tone up after all the super light foundation.
(You can also use a matt brown eyeshadow for contouring, which I also do.)

Blush:
W7 'The cheek of it' pink blush, which I got from Watt Brothers but you can get this from Amazon. Really inexpensive, but super pigmented and blends well - amazing value for money since a little goes a long way!

Highlighter:

Using a w7 highlighter powder here, to add a lovely glow. This one is a lovely shimmery pink colour, and reflects really well. I use it to bring out my cheekbones, bridge of nose and cupids bow. I do like to add a little to my chin and forehead, though you have to be careful with this or else you'll look greasy.

Eyeshadow:

Again, another w7 product: In the nude palette. (This was a Birthday gift from a friend)
 It's pretty much a far cheaper alternative to Urban Decays' Naked Palette, but it doesn't scrimp on quality. Goes on really well and blends perfectly. I will do a full review on this soon as I love it so much.
  I like to use around 4 shades of eyeshadow for this type of look, despite it being pretty subtle! I know it sounds a lot, but I like to build up layers and dimension.

Eyebrows:
There are so many ways to fill in your brows, all depending on what look you're going for! I've just used one of the colours from the w7 palette on an angled brush to fill and define my brows as it's the simplest, and usually most effective way to go about it.
 If I want to make them stronger, then I may wet the shadow and use it as a liner although in this case, I want them to remain rather natural.

Liquid liner: 
2True black liquid liner from Superdrug. I much prefer liquid liner, as it goes on pitch black, and has a nice sharp applicator that's easy for me to use to create defined eye looks.
Usually you can get 3 for £5 deals on 2True products, and they're definitely worth using!

Under Eye Highlights:

I have to confess, I absolutely LOVE the Crystal Tear Liner from Etude House. I had this and some other products brought back from a friend that was studying in Korea.

 This is very similar in colour to my w7 powder highlighter, except that it's a liquid and a lot more reflective/shimmery. I use this to brighten up the inner corners of my eyes, and in this look, I used it underneath my eye to make them look puffier and bigger due to the reflecting qualities.
 It also looks super cute!

Mascara:
For me, Maybelline mascara always wins, hands down. this time around, I'm using their smokey eye mascara. Goes on really black, and does create a lovely look. In this case, I'm onto using a little here so that my lashes will blend in with the falsies.


Lashes:Ok, for Gyaru looks, lashes are an absolute MUST. Without it, you're not really going to look Gyaru at all.
 Usually you see everyone wearing Diamond Lash, Dolly Wink etc, which are lovely and Gyaru type brands from Japan, but I genuinely can't afford to buy these, especially at the rate I chew through lashes.

For this look, I bought some cheap lashes from Savers, which cost me I think £3 for 2 sets from Nlashes, and the ordered a box of 10 pairs of bottom lashes from Ebay (coming from Taiwan) -Under £5 for the box.
 For me, these work really well and are very easy to use.
As a western girl, I tend to have pretty long bottom lashes, so I like to use bottom lashes that are more defined and thick so that you can actually notice them. I've extended them past my natural eye line, and also placed them slightly lower down to make my eyes appear larger, without going totally overboard.

Lips:Another wonderful product from Etude House - Juicey pop Tube in their Pink shade. I went for this as I really love the high gloss look, and it's not sticky or heavy on your lips at all. It's not a really strong colour either, so it allows for your eyes to do the talking!

Wow, I really didn't think I'd write this much if I'm honest!
 Hopefully this, more in depth product list (compared to my usual list at the end of videos) is quite helpful to you.
 I very much believe in Beauty on a Budget, so I will also do a post on how much I actually spend on products! Usually I don't like spending over £5 on a single product, unless it's foundation, in which case no more than £10.

Until next time!

Love,

Kasumi x