Lumps and Bumps

so Its been a while since I've had time to post! But now I have all the time in the world I'll be posting all day long... watch this space!

Today I've chosen the topic of Bra Fitting... did you know that over half of women wear the wrong bra size?! and don't actually know how to put on a bra properly... and also don't know what a good fitting bra is suppose to feel and look like?!

I chose to call this post lumps and bumps because... well simples... lumps and bumps come as a result of bad bra usage!

a good bra may not be pretty but you can assure yourself you won't get those unsightly lumps and bumps. You will have better posture and also better fitting clothes!
if you have a really good bra it can help you trim a few inches here and there too! :D

why wouldn't you want to have a good fitting bra?! well there are a few things to know about such a wonderful bra...

There expensive and there not very attractive! >.< But wearing unsightly underwear under a T Shirt or under some work clothes for 8 hours a day isn't so bad right if your able to have a better figure, better posture and a smaller clothing size?!

take a look at the picture above... i know its slightly extreme and most of us do not have breasts like that... but the effects of an ill fitting bra can have horrible effects on your body! Imagine what it would be like to wear clothing on top of the lumps and bumps?!
Not attractive right?!

so in order to find the correct bra, you should go and get measured professionally! Don't just buy a bra because you think it will fit! Its important to try on!

So... my guide to buying the perfect bra!
1. Go into an underwear store and get measured by someone professionally!
2. Choose some bras which you think you will be comfortable wearing
3 TRY ON YOUR BRAS!!! - this is very important that you don't just get measured and then buy the bra because it is your size. like humans bras can come in various cups and sizes according to the brand name so beware!!!
4. When trying on your bra make sure that it is comfortable and that you are wearing it correctly!

Now buying a correct bra and buying a bra which fits is a completely different thing! for one a bra has to have enough support in order to prevent strain injury to your back.

so how do you know the bra is correct?!
1. when you have fitted the straps correctly you should be able to put only a pen or finger between the strap and yourself any looser and the bra is not on correctly any tighter and it is too tight!
2. it is best to buy bras with a full cup instead of a half cup. This gives you more support and trust me really helps with the whole better figure issue!
3. I know bras with dinky straps and little backs are cute and sexy and look nice but did you know that these bras actually don't have enough support?! and don't actually help with posture or anything else for that matter! try to avoid those bras!
4. you should make sure that the back of your bra is horizontal on your back! if it goes up or down then you are wearing your bra incorrectly! Who knew there was so much knowledge to wearing underwear!
5. your bra should not make your skin or flesh lumpy. Your bra should fit perfectly like a glove! if you find you have bits hanging over your bra then it is too small and you should consider a bigger bra!

This is what a good fitting bra should look like!

I know it is not the most attractive but if it will help you trim some inches are you willing to give up the slinky underwear in favour of it?! I know I am!

just one more thing, its surprising how many people wear there bra to bed! Its not healthy and it restricts blood flow and also restricts growth! So people... you should only be wearing it for a maximum of 8 hours a day!

If your wearing a good bra you will see some change in your posture and body shape within a matter of weeks!

Happy underwear shopping!

Check back on my tutorial on how to put on a bra correctly! It will give you an amazing cleavage!
an amazing posture and also make you look inches skinner everywhere! well... everywhere meaning your back your arms and also your under bust! 

Hope you all find the perfect bra which will give you posture and better figure!

Introducing Grace Powell

So its been a little while since I've done a post, but I've been a little busy of late!
However we did get to do a shoot with the lovely Grace Powell the other week and I've only had time now to update you guys on the shoot! :)

This shoot was shot with Nick Shek as photographer and Philip Wong as the photographers assistant and Amy as MUA/Hair and me as the stylist.
Grace is very young but we wanted to create a look which looked fresh and summery without making her look too young.
Heres what we came up with:

This is the first look that we came up with. The playsuit is from a small market stall in Hong Kong and as is the denim Jacket! The wedges are the models own and the belt is from Bershka. The outfit is a mix of random things just thrown together which worked really well.
Initially we styled this outfit without the belt but found that it lacked a little something with the belt we created this look! Hope you enjoy!

As for the make up we kept it very natural with some greens and a very natural complexion with a little blush.
I came up with the idea for fish plaits for the hair as it reminds me of summer and youngness. Everything was kept simple so that the focus could be on the model.

Look 2

For this look we originally actually styled it with wedges but when we were walking through the dene to this doorway there were a lot of nettles and prickly things so Grace changed into her uggs. We thought that the work looked so did a couple of shots with the uggs!
As for the t shirt and the shorts, I was originally going to put her in a pair of darker denim shorts with a white tank top but then she showed up with these and I had that t shirt which made outfit number 2!
As for the hair and make up we darkened it up a little still keeping it looking quite natural. We took the plait out backbrushed it a little and put the had on her! and Voila look number 2!

Here's what it looked like with the Wedges
The day wasnt the nicest of days being very rainy and a little damp and clammy it wasn't very warm either so grace had a jacket with her
It was a fur jacket that she just happen to have, when she threw it on with this look it worked well and we kept it on for a couple of shots heres the picture

We got to an old church after the Dene and went for one final look which was to be a little darker and a little more mature.
This look actually came from Nick and Grace themselves we changed the make up and the hair up by making the eyes darker and the hair well... you can see for yourselves...

I really love these pictures and proves that with some subtle changes in make up and clothing you can totally change your whole look with minimal effort!
Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed creating them!
For more information on the photography please visit Nick Sheks website linked  HERE and for more info please visit our website HERE

Photo Shoots...

Coming up...

Fashion Shoot in Jesmond Dene with Nick Shek - Sunday 8th May
Beauty Shoot with Stewart Shek - Monday 9th May
Fashion Shoot with Stewart Shek - 15th May
Beach Shoot with Stewart Shek - TBC

SPF...

For those of you who enjoy and love the sun will know that to protect your skin its important to put SPF on... in other words sun cream...
But the normal suncream you purchase for your body is usually not suitable for use on your face as it can be sticky, oily and just not very nice.
So here are my top SPF and tinted moisturizers which I have tried and tested!

1. Missha Time Revolution, White Cure, UV Sun Protector, SPF 50.
Missha is a Korean brand but its products are really good to use! I have a lot of its range and I am in love with it! The cream smells really good and lasts for ages! You only need to use a small amount and it spreads very far. You can use it on its own as a primer under your make up! Or just use it on its own for those days your feeling lazy! Although it's not available from the UK you can get it online!
The official website is Here! Although I am not sure whether they deliver to the UK! I get mine straight from Korea!

2. Biotherm Sun Multi Protection Face SPF 30
This one comes in different strengths of SPF. I myself prefer the 30 as I don't think that the 15 is enough. I've always been a fan of Biotherm and I started using it when I was about 14, although a lot of their products have been discontinued, I remain a fan.
The sun protection is very nice to put on and doesn't give you a sticky or greasy feeling at all!

 3. Benefit You rebel and You Rebel Lite
Offering SPF 15 is brilliant for those hot summer days when you just want a light coverage which protects your skin too!
It goes on really well and blends into your skin, although some may find that the original one is a little too dark at first when its on the skin but by the end of your make up application you should have an application which matches with your skin tone.
I used this one year when I was in Hong Kong for a holiday and it worked brilliantly. The temperature was about 37 Degrees and I didn't feel that my skin was caked or suffocating. It felt good on the skin and I didn't feel as if I was melting away in the sun.

4. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF 20
Offering SPF 20 in 10 different shades you are sure to find a shade which suits your skin tone! Although a little pricey it is well worth the price tag! I started using this when my cousin introduced it to me and I found it was an amazing product.

Jas Productions New Website

Jas Productions has a sparkly New website...
Check it out for more on our portfolio!

http://www.wix.com/amysmith_174/wwwwixcomjasproductions

The importance of removing make up!

Everyone knows that make up although looks very pretty can be a killer for your skin if not removed properly!

So in order to remove make up properly you need some good products!
So:.

Step 1 

Remove all the make up you can see on your skin using a wet wipe or facial wipe...
Generally I find that facial wipes are a little rough on the skin and are a little harsh, there expensive too. I used to use a mix of Johnsons 3in1 and also simple wipes which I found were the best ones to use!

 

But at around £3.00 for 25 wipes was getting a little expensive not to mention that there were a whole load of other products which I needed to buy too! So when I ran out of wipes one day I started to use baby wipes which were lying around the house, and voila discovered they were just as good! 

So for a fraction of the price around £1.50 for a pack of 80 I started using these instead! 

Baby wipes were softer and worked just as well! Hey if your gonna use them on a baby then there is no reason why you can't use them on your face too which is just as delicate as baby skin! 

TIP: For those hot summery days pop your wipes in the fridge for a refreshing and cool clean :D 

Step 2

For those who wear mascara, especially waterproof mascara we all know that it can be really hard to get rid off, but make sure you do get rid of it all otherwise it can lead to nasty looking sty on your eyes!  So for removing eye make up I use L'Oreal. I've tried all the expensive stuff, the not so expensive stuff and the very cheap stuff and I find that this works the best.

Just squeeze a little on to some cotton wool and wipe in a circular motion til the mascara is fully removed! Its cheap and cheerful :D and definitely not messy!

Step 3 

Next I like to get some water on my face, so I use a foamy cleanser, but you can use a creamy one if you prefer those! 

If your after a creamy one then I would suggest another Johnsons product 

The Johnsons 3in1 make up removing lotion, which cleanses, tones and moisturizes. Its really good and if you like that fresh clean feeling without all the stickiness of cream on your face then this one is definitely for you! Although I think it now comes in a new bottle and packaging! 

This one is really easy to use! Just squeeze a little onto some cotton pad and wipe in a circular motion and don't forget about your neck and jaw line! 

If your after something which uses water then I really do recommend the Neutrogena 2 in 1 

It doubles up as a face Mask too! Its really simple to use and your skin feels really soft after it too! 

For those of you who like to splurge a little and use some more expensive products then I think I have definitely got the products for you! 

RMK cleansing oil. I swear by this! It is amazing! and melts all your make up off your face leaving you with a really clean and soft face! 

Although at around £20 a bottle it is a hefty price to pay for a cleaner but it is well worth it! All you do is apply to your face with some cotton wool or with your hand, you can even use this on waterproof mascara! 

and then leave for a couple of minutes and wash off with luke warm water! 

Although RMK isn't available generally speaking in any of the local shops and chemists you can get it from somewhere like Selfridges in Birmingham, you used to be able to get it in Harvey Nichols in London too but I think that counter is no longer there. 

You can try online resources! Or send a friend to Hong Kong or Japan... or any Asian Country for that matter. Hey its a good excuse for a holiday! 

TIP: Always use luke warm water when washing your face as Cold and Hot water can be really harsh on your skin damaging it! 

Step 4 

Tone and moisturize as usual! and voila your done! Its a lot of hassle but good skin is the key to looking flawless and beautiful! No matter how much make up you put on it wont look good without good skin to go under it! 

More another time on Toners, Serums and Moisturizers! 

New Photo Shoots Coming up

In the next couple of weeks we will be doing some collaboration photo shoots with a photographer friend, Nick Shek...
you can check out his stuff on here . 
Hopefully everything will work very smoothly on the day as I will be styling and Amy will be doing the make up for the shoot :D
Check Back for the results of the shoot! :D


Will also have some more work with Stewart Shek in the next couple of weeks coming up. Check back for photos of the fashion shoot we will be doing :D