Beauty on a budget: Superdrug's MUA Professional range

In the last 6 weeks I have moved house and jobs AND country (it's only Wales mind you, but it's across water so it counts) so needless to say my beauty regime has taken a back seat. I know, not great for the Beauty Magpie to admit but I figured no one knows me here so no one can comment that I "look tired" if I go without eyeliner or fake tan). 

Beauty Icons and Girl Crushes of 2011

Every other day there seems to be a headline or article slating female celebrities for what they wear and what they weigh. And I'm sick of it! So unlike the Daily Mail or Dan Wootton or any other bitchy journalist out there, I do not intend to end 2011 on a negative note with a run down on who could have done or looked better. Instead I plan to support the sisterhood and celebrate my biggest beauty icons of this year. Because whether you're a big fan of them, or not at all, at least we can probably all agree that 2011 would have been a much uglier place without them.

The Essex Factor: "BIB"

I suffer from a pretty inconvenient illness. It isn't rare mind you, you've probably even encountered it yourself. You only have to turn on the television and see the girls from The Only Way is Essex and you know you're in the presence of this all-consuming problem. Because doctors have yet to recognise this really serious affliction (I mean, honestly) I've taken medical matters into my own hands and named it 'BIB' - BIGGER IS BETTER (no, not like that you naughty slags).

Festive nails

Don't tell anyone but...I prefer winter to summer.

I CAN'T HELP IT, OK? I'm pale as f**k so the sun doesn't agree with me and I prefer my body to be covered up by clothes rather than on display in a bikini (well...only until I can afford to get my boobs done anyway). But also because winter make up is just so much more fun.

More's Blog Boudoir

I'm not used to winning stuff. I'm definitely no Charlie Sheen. So forgive me whilst I totally big myself up for becoming one of the blogs chosen to be part of More's Blog Boudoir. Ohhh yeaaaah. *puts shirt over head and does victory lap around the living room* I'm very chuffed, especially since my blog is a mere infant next to some of the others chosen. But I'm particularly touched because Lydia from The Only Way Is Essex was on the judging panel - that's all the approval I need in life.
"So I'd like to thank my parents, my record company and God..."
If you've been directed here from More's website, welcome and thank you for checking out my rofltastic ramblings (I can be arrogant now because of this, soz). And for more frequent ramblings follow me on twitter: twitter.com/chrystiread.
In all seriousness, I am delighted. I'm probably more pleased about this than I was getting a journalism degree or when that guy from Hollyoaks came onto me. So I'm really really pleased.
Here are the other blogs chosen. As you can see, I'm in good company. Well done to all the other bloggers. xx

Babble Emporium....

Beauty & The Blog....

Beauty Magpie....

Because wearing black looks mysterious....

Oh Chlo!....

Girl lost in the city....

L'Espoir de ma vie....

Romeo and the lonely girl....

Thunder and threads....

Write like no one's watching

"Show me your dirty face, put away that butters one"

A sober Black Swan

Ahhh Sunday morning. The sun is streaming in through the window of my massive Hollywood mansion. I dreamily roll over and kiss my beautiful boyfriend Zac Efron good morning. Ever the charmer, Zac just so happened to remark on how gorgeous I look in the mornings... 

Lady and the tramp

In order to get away from the depressfest that is Reading (after 7 years at school there and returning there again after University last year, I've sampled all it has to offer. Which is not a whole lot), I've recently moved to Cardiff. I like daffodils, I like rugby and I especially like Welsh men so it seemed like a good fit. Unbeknownst to me though, Cardiff apparently has a little bit of a reputation. I was completely unaware of this until an old school friend who lives here told me that it can be a "bit rough" and contains a "whole lot of wasters." Well I never! This was futher backed up by images by Polish photographer Maciej Dakowicz's exhibition where he documented nights out in Cardiff over four years. Worryingly most of the photographs were of women. And it didn't exactly paint us in the best light.