Henna Patterns

A few weeks ago, in a post, I showed a picture of some recent henna I had done and since I have had a few requests to make a blog post all about my henna, so here it is! Its going to be an image based post mainly, just so you can see what I like to do, but I will add in a few little bits of info here and there! Enjoy! :)

(Also, I'd like to say that I am in no way trying to turn Indian culture into a fashion statement or anything. I am not trying to offend anyone and I don't want any arguments about cultural appropriation in my comments. I simply find the traditional henna patterns beautiful and really enjoy doing it.)

I buy my henna from a user on Ebay who makes all her henna fresh. I also always get natural brown henna. 

There are two types of henna; black henna and brown/natural henna. Black henna has chemicals in to give it a dark black colour and also to make it last longer. This is the type which you hear horror stories about, people can have severe allergic reactions to black henna, which in turn can cause them to have reactions to hair dye and cause blisters and stuff. Brown/natural henna is made from henna powder (made from a plant) which is them mixed with essential oils (such as tea tree), sugar and lemon juice. People don't really have allergic reactions to this as it is all natural, unless of course they are allergic to sugar etc…

I did this one on my friend Rachael for one of her belly dancing shows. 

Here's the seller I get it from. She always has a special offer on, which is you get a free cone of henna for every one you buy. So if you buy 2, you get 2 free and so on.

Ebay Username : henna-art

On my friend Megan

To make up my patterns, I look images up on google to find inspiration. I don't copy directly from them though. I like to use parts of lots of different images and join them together. I draw them on the skin using a felt tip and then simply go over it in henna when I'm happy with it!

Huge rose on my sister! Love this one!

Cute little symbols are nice to do too!

Once the henna is applied to the skin, its name changes to mehndi. All the traditional patterns, from the simple paisley and swirly ones, to the mandalas and suns all have different meanings. They are all about happiness and finding inner light etc. Just google it to find their proper meanings, they are all so pretty! 

Sun and moon on my sister's thigh

Instead of doing work, just do henna ;)

Giant paisley piece on my sister!

Even just simple dots are cute!

Henna once on, will last around a week to 10 days. After you've put it on the skin, leave it to dry for at least two hours. It takes time as it needs to dye the skin. Then, if you want it darker, wrap you hand, or whatever its on, in cling film. This will trap in the heat, causing it to dye more. The hotter and longer its stays on, the darker and longer it will last!

Sorry about the image quality. They were all taken on my phone, then put on instragram, and then were put onto this post! If you'd like to know anything else about henna/mehndi just ask! 

Update! And discount codes!

Hello! I just wanted to do a little update on what I've been up to and why I haven't been blogging as much as I usually do! 

Also keep reading and I'll give you some discount codes to use on loads of online shops, such as Boohoo, Missguided, Gap, ASOS and more! 

I don't want to blab on too much but I moved away from home and started university in September. I am studying Fashion Design, Image Making and Styling and I love it! This is the main reason why I have been so busy! I currently have 3 separate projects on the go, and have just handed in another. Theres a lot of work involved in my course, from drawing and designing, to fashion photography and street style spotting. Its all really exciting, but it does take up a lot of my time.

I might start posting some of my work on here as its all fashion related and some of you may want to see it, but let me know in the comments as I don't want to start posting all my arty stuff if you don't want to see it! If you would like to see some of my work anyway, check out my instragram as I quite often post my drawings on there!

Also, I was recently model scouted and since then have been signed to Vanita Model Management in Manchester. I have been super busy doing testings and photoshoots for the agency and my portfolio, as well as helping out stylists on my course with their shoots. Here's a picture from a test shoot I did with Lucy Ridges, I looovvve it! 

(Check out her portfolio here!) 

I am really going to try hard to start getting back to at least two posts a week, I will be definitely be doing at least one a week, I promise!

In the mean time, follow me on twitter to keep up to date with what I've been up to! I tweet all the time! Don't be afraid to say hi :)

@Juliette_Ste 

~~~

Now that we have that out the way, heres some discount codes for you to enjoy! Most of them are to use just for this weekend (as its black friday) but have a go anyway! 

20% off Missguided

Code : CYBER20

(ends on Monday 1st Dec - also free delivery on orders over £60)

30% and free delivery at Boohoo

No code! Its automatic!

(ends on Monday 1st Dec)

20% off All Saints

Code : CYBER

(ends Monday 1st)

20% off ASOS

Code : CYBERWKND20

(ends Tuesday 2nd December)

40% off French Connection

Code : FC40BF

(ends Monday 1st)

an extra 30% off French Connection

Code : 30FCBF

(ends tonight!)

50% off GAP

Code : BLKFRIDAY

(ends tonight)

50% off Urban Outfitters

Code : BFDELIVERY

(ends tonight)

25% off Stephanie Ever After 

Code : BLACK

(ends Saturday 29th November at noon)

ENJOY!!

Lace Nail Art & Quiz Dress Competition #quizdressnails

I have recently been contacted to get you all, and myself, involved in a competition that Quiz and BeautyUK have just launched! The competition is to create your own nail art design based on one of Quiz's new season dresses. Simple! 

There are three prizes and the winners will receive a £100, £50 and £25 voucher to spend at Quiz, as well as a goody bag worth £25 from BeautyUK. 

I have chosen to base my nail design on this dress. 

The Black Chiffon Lace Panel Prom Dress (buy here for only £59.99)

Image copyright to Quiz

So as I am entering this competition, but want you all to enter too, I have decided to show you my design and how I did it, to give you some inspiration and to show you how simple they can be! 

Heres the nail polishes I used. I also used a dotting tool, but you can just use the end of a bobby pin, or even a wooden cocktail stick if you down have either of these. 

(as usual, click to buy!)

Bourjois Paris So Laque! in 30 Noir de chine - £5.99

P.S. Love by Primark in white - £2

Rimmel 5 in 1 nail treat, base and top coat - £3.99 (alternative here)

If you are using this post as a tutorial, obviously you don't have to stick to the polishes I used. Use whatever brand you have or even try some different colours! I think a navy base with the lace in white would look amazing!!

Before I started, I drew out the pattern I wanted to do. This is inspired by the eyelash lace on the dress, as well as the monochrome colours and the stripe down the middle of the dress. 

Step 1

To start off with, I simply painted my nails white. I used 4 thin coats before the colour became opaque enough for my liking. I then waited for this to completely dry!

Step 2

Next, I painted a thin line down one edge of my nail. I did this at different sides on each nail just to be a bit different, but if you want a more 'ordered' look, you may be better keeping them all the same. Don't worry if this isn't neat as you will be adding more bits! 

Step 3

I then added these small bumps along the line, and added a dot in the middle of each one. Again, none of this has to be neat as we are adding more bits! 

Step 4

I then added larger bumps and filled these in with dots and random swirly patterns. I tried to make the border of these bumps thicker, just to make them stand out more.

Step 5

Finally, I added the 'eyelashes'. These are just little lines which come off the bigger bumps. You don't have to put these on if you are just recreating the nails, however I did them as I wanted the lace to be as realistic as possible! 

And here's the final result! They look so much prettier in real life!! 

If you would like to enter the competition, simply 

-pick a Quiz dress that inspires you

- create a nail design based on the dress. It doesn't have to be a complete copy, just something inspired by your favourite dress

- post a picture of your nails to twitter, or post it down in my comments, using the hashtag #quizdressnails

- follow @BeautyUk and @quizclothing on twitter to keep up to date with the competition

Click here to see Quiz's newest dresses to pick your favourite! 

The competition closes on Sunday 30th November! Good Luck! 

Stripteas - the 14 day Happy and Healthy Teatox *

Just over two weeks ago, I was sent the 14 day - 3 step teatox from Stripteas. The teatox (tea detox just incase you don't know) is a two week course of herbal teas, which you have three times a day before meals. 

It is said to have many benefits, such as aiding weight loss by boosting your metabolism and keeping away hunger pangs, clearing up skin, helping with energy and just generally making you feel better by detoxifying your body! 

Keep reading to find a discount code for all teas on their website! 

When I first opened my package, I was pleasantly surprised with how cute the packaging is! The colours are nice and bright, but also go with the different times of days. The packaging also has lots of inspirational quotes which juts make you smile (haha how cheesy does that sound? But its true!) For example, the Sleep Tight Tea, has "sweet dreams" on the top and the Wakeup Tea has "to make dreams come true, first you must wake up" on the back! 

The packaging also includes simple step by step instructions (which can also be viewed online here) as well as ingredients, disclaimers and allergy advice.

One thing that I was slightly worried about when receiving the tea was the taste. I am not a big fan of herbal tea, I prefer a nice not-so-healthy hot chocolate, but I was actually quite impressed at the taste! Stripteas do three different flavours for their daytime tea; original, berry burst and vanilla. I chose to get the vanilla flavour! 

The morning tea tasted very refreshing and really did help you wake up. It had an almost lemon-y flavour which I really liked. The daytime tea was my least favourite, however it certainly wasn't bad and you definitely got used to the taste after around three days. As I said, I chose the vanilla flavour and it did taste as it should. It also had a hint of pepper, which did sometimes get a bit strong if I forgot to take the tea bag out! And the nighttime was by far my favourite! I ended up looking forward to going to bed just so that I could drink the tea! It has a minty, vanilla flavour, which doesn't sound too good, but it actually was delicious! 

Stripteas is made from all natural ingredients, and contains no laxatives! This is good as you don't end up running to the loo after drinking your tea, as with other teatoxes. On the website, they have a free diet plan to go along with the tea to really help you get the very best results. (click here)

I didn't really follow their eating plan, however I did try to eat healthier than usual, and had smaller portions (this was mainly due to the fact that I just wasn't hungry!). I was very impressed with the results! I did loose weight which is what almost everyone wants, right? I also did find that I had a lot more energy and it certainly did suppress my appetite!! 

I really cannot recommend this tea more! Not only does it taste really nice, but the results are definitely worth it! The teas are available to buy separately, or you can but the 14 day, three step teatox for only £27.99. Worth it or what? :)

Also, Stripteas were kind enough to give my readers a 10% discount code to use on any of their teas. Simply enter JULIETTE10 into the promo box at the checkout! That means that the 14 day teatox will be yours for only £25.19! 

Visit their website here!

And click here to buy the 14 day, three step teatox! 

OOTD - featuring Boohoo Izzy Velvet Boots *

Hello! How are you all doing? 

Recently, I received the 'Izzy' boot from Boohoo! They are a bright red, velvet chelsea boot and look amazing with an all black outfit. Here's how I wore them!

What I'm Wearing :

Joni Jeans - £36 - Topshop

Sheer Jumper - £19.99 - Missguided

Handmade Velvet Triangle Bra - £7 - @emmmma on Depop 

Izzy Boots - £17 - Boohoo *

As usual, click the item of clothing to buy!

These boots are so comfy, and with them being velvet, they are really warm and cosy, which is perfect for the autumn weather. Although the other material is velvet, they are lined with a thin faux leather which means your feet won't get wet if it rains or you step in a puddle! 

They are elasticated at both sides so are super easy to pull on, and they are very comfortable for everyday wear as they have a 3.5" heel with a 1" platform. They are also cleated which is very in at the moment, but also mean they are very grippy so are suitable to wear for when it gets icy!   

I found that they look the best with a monochrome or all black outfit as they are very bright. However, if you're brave, they could be worn with a navy dress possibly, or even lots of bright colours for a super arty feel! Team your all black outfit with some bright red lips and these boots and you're good to go! 

These red boots are on sale at the moment for only £17, and once they are gone, they won't be restocked. Find them on the Boohoo website here! 

These boots also come in Royal Blue, Black and Taupe. (all £30)

     

Also check out the rest of Boohoo's new A/W boots on their site! There are some amazing pieces! I have my eye on the Zina, Sophia and the Ellen boots ;) 

And for next day delivery on these items, use the promo code swift and get them in time for the weekend for only £1.99 rather than £4.99!

Also, check out @emmmma on Depop! She makes the most gorgeous pieces of underwear by hand and they fit perfectly! I love her stuff so much! 

Thanks again to Emily for taking my photos!

OOTD - Vintage Jumper and Leather Skirts

Hello! Sorry I haven't posted in almost a week! I have been really busy with university projects and everything, but I promise that my blog posts will get back to its normal routine of twice a week very soon! 

Here's what I wore today. These photos were taken on the way home from uni by the lovely Emily (follow her on twitter here!) Big thanks to her for taking them for me! 

I bought this jumper the other day after stumbling upon a vintage fair! It is so comfy and warm and is one of those things that are just so ugly that they're cool! (if you know what I mean!) 

The bag I use for university is the Zara City Bag. It has so much storage space and padded sections to carry my iPad/laptops which is very handy! It also has lots of zipped compartments which is good for my purse and phone etc so that they don't get pinched! 

My boots are from Primark and almost every blogger has them! But why not? They're so comfortable and go with literally everything! Only £15 too!

Jumper - Vintage - £5.10

Leather Circle Skirt - H&M - £19.99 (alternatives here)

Boots - Primark - £15

City Bag - Zara - £30 sale (newer version available here)

As usual, I couldn't link the boots as Primark doesn't have a website, but if you just pop down to your local Primark I'm sure you'll find these! Also I couldn't link the vintage jumper as its vintage, so the best way to find a jumper like mine is to just rake around in charity/vintage shops and fairs! 


I'd also like to say a big thank you to StripTeas for sending me their 14 day teatox to try out! I'm currently doing it now so expect a blog post about it in about 2 weeks! Find them on twitter here and visit their site here.

My Everyday Eye Makeup Routine

So recently on a few blog posts, I have been asked to show my everyday eye makeup! So here it is!

The finished look!

 I've made this step-by-step on how I create this look and which products I use. Obviously  you don't need to use the same products as me, using a similar product will give the same effect!

To make this look, I use these products! (I know its a lot.. sorry!) 

Click the product to buy!

 - Bourjois Paris Eyeshadow in 90

- Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Blackest Black

- Max Factor Wild Mega Volume Mascara in Black

- Collection Super Size Fat Lash Mascara in 01 Black

- L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim in Black

- Lancome Le Crayon Kohl in 01 Noir

- Rimmel Soft Kohl Eye Pencil in Pure White

I also use an eyelash curler, an eyeshadow brush, an eyebrow brush and an eyeliner smudger tool thingy!

I start my makeup always, using the Witch Primer (read my review here!) I also do my foundation, concealer and powder before doing my eyes. Lets get started! 

Step 1

Using the L'Oreal Super liner, I create a winged line over my eyelid. Try to keep as close to the lash line as you can, getting wider as you go across the lid. I finish the wing quite low down, past my lower lash line. This makes my eyes look bigger (I think so anyway!)

Step 2

Next, using the Lancome Le Crayon Kohl, line around your lower lash line, only about 2 thirds of the way across. Make sure this matches up with the winged liner on the top. I then use a smudgy tool to slightly blend it so it isn't as dark. This doesn't have to be super neat!

Step 3

I then line my water line with the white eyeliner. I don't put too much on. I like to just lighten the water liner, not completely make it white, so just a quick sweep of eyeliner will do!

Step 4

I then use my white shimmery shadow in the inner corner of my eye, I also slightly blend this along the lower lash line, into the black liner. Again, this doesn't have to be neat. Using a shimmery white (or any other light colour) eyeshadow on the inner corner reflects light into your eyes, making them look bigger and shinier. 

Step 5

 Then I curl my lashes. The eyelash curler I use is from Primark and I think it is the best one I have used, and also the cheapest at only £2! I then put on all 3 of the mascaras I mentioned. I use the Great Lash mascara first, this lengthens my lashes, I then use the Super Size mascara which also lengthens and finally the Wild Mega Volume, which adds volume. If you have an all-in-one lengthening and volumising mascara, you can obviously use that rather than all three of the products I use. 

Step 6

Finally to finish the look, I give my lower lashes a slight cover of mascara, using only the Great Lash mascara. This mascara is perfect for the lower lashes as its really small so you can be really precise with it! 

  And then heres the finished look! I also brush out my brows, but I don't fill them in or anything as I feel like I don't need to. You can if you want to - just please don't do the slug brow!!