Feasting at the farm

Who would of thought I'd spend my bank holiday weekend (yet another one...where have all these bank holidays come from?!) in a muddy field, wearing an anorak and wellies, drinking from a pineapple and attempting to 'rave' with my collection of glow sticks to a load of New Order and Joy Division classics.

But that's exactly what I did. Followed by a slightly hungover morning of strawberry beer drinking and chilli jam eating, thankfully this time in the sunshine.

Why were these my bank holiday activities?! Because it was time for our local food festival- Farm Feast, and their first music festival Livestock, both held at Claremount farm on the Wirral. 

I love food and drink festivals- You get to meet lots of local suppliers, try new food and drink and it's a fantastic excuse to get out in the great outdoors! Even if I'm not the biggest fan of outdoor wear- but being 'style spotted' by Regatta is always a bonus!

This year, three of my favourite Liverpool drinking holes also got involved- Aloha, Berry and Rye and Ship and Mitre, meaning I could indulge in my favourite beverages all weekend long, whilst exploring the farm!

Muddy times at Livestock

Sunny Farm Feast

During this exploration, I came across Riverford, who deliver fresh organic fruit and veg boxes every week. I've been angling after Abel and Cole boxes for a few months now, so finding a face to chat to from a rival company was right up by street, and I'm now very excited for my first veg box to land on the door stop next week!

So if you fancy a day of trying lots of new local grub, try and get down to your local food festival this Summer- I know you won't regret it!

Festival favourites- Hair

Well now you have your Festival make-up and beauty sorted lets move onto hair!

From the early noughties when Kate Moss and Sienna Miller sported tousled bed-head locks, the words festival hair and boho have gone hand in hand. And when you don't have a mirror or plug socket in reach, relaxed hair is definitely the way forward!

So where to start?! Well, if your budget allows, I would highly recommend visiting your local salon for a wash and blow dry the day before. If not, use a deep cleansing shampoo twice, to ensure your hair is squeaky clean! After all its going to be a while before its washed again! 

Toni and Guy Cleanse Shampoo is fantastic on virgin and highlighted hair, however if like me, you regularly colour your hair be careful with detox shampoo's. Just make sure you give your hair a really good scrub! Finish with your usual conditioner.

If you are having your hair blown at a salon, discuss the option of having it blown curly. Hugely popular in our Liverpool salon, So Coco Rouge, this will leave your hair full of bounce and volume which will last for days- especially if you ask to have the curls pinned until you arrive at your camp site!

If you are styling your hair yourself, start by applying a volumising mousse to roots and blow dry straight. Next, take sections around 1 inch thick and wind around either a wand or tong. My favourites are Remington Pearl Curling Wand and Babyliss Glamour Tong. To keep your curls tighter for longer, roll each section back up and pin close to the scalp, leaving for as long as possible. Misting a flexible hold hairspray all over to finish.

Once you are unpacked, with tent set up and a cold cider waiting, un-pin your curls and brush through using your fingers or a soft bristle brush. For extra volume you could also add backcombing at the root and crown area.

Now its time to decorate! Floral crowns are always a popular choice at festivals, I love the range by Rock N Rose - well if it's good enough for Pixie Lott its good enough for me! These guys have a great selection to choose from- you could easily choose a different one for each day your there!

Don't forget to pack the festival hair must have Batiste Dry Shampoo. As the days go on, this will not only absorb excess oil but add texture and volume too! Worried about loosing your curls? Try plaiting your hair overnight- this will help to eliminate frizz and keep your waves in place until you get home! 

Know that you will really struggle with your hair? Then head over to the Vanity Van!

Simply book your treatment online before you leave to avoid the queues!

Festival Favourites- Make-up

Festival season is once again upon us! From isle of Wight last weekend, to the daddy of all festivals Glastonbury in a matter of days and V, Reading and Leeds finishing our Summer off nicely, UK festivals have become pinnacles of the British Summer.

So whats a girl to do when she wants to maintain that glamorous glow during 4 days of mud, hot sun (or heavy rain depending on the weathers mood!) and un-comfy camping?!

Well, its simple- follow this weeks blog posts for the professional tips to keep you festival fabulous all weekend long!

First up- it's a girls best friend-  make-up.

When my clients ask me if their make-up will last all night, I can honestly say I know it will not only last all night, but that it will still be immaculate when they wake up the next day.

How do I know this? Because I take my time applying make-up in light layers, rather than speedily applying a heavy coverage.  

Now, I'm not suggesting you wear the same make-up all weekend long (Believe me, it has been and can be done if you so wish!) but following the layering tips, will ensure your make up will stay in place from breakfast through to a midnight rave and beyond.

So, how do we layer?

Starting with your base, apply a small amount of concealer to any areas needed.

Next, take a small amount of your foundation (I would HIGHLY recommend Smashbox Studio Skin for longevity) and buff into skin using a dual fibre brush on circular motions. Crown 406 is ideal for this.

Repeat until you have achieved the level of coverage needed. 

For a long lasting bronzed glow and peachy cheek,  using the same dual fibre brush, take a cream bronzer and apply where the sun usually hits- forehead, cheeks, chin and nose. Chanel Bronze Universal is expensive but its my absolute favourite. Next, apply a cream blush, such as Kryolan Lip N Cheek to the apples of the cheek, again using your dual fibre brush. 

(If you hadn't guessed already, this brush comes in rather handy!)

Then lightly powder skin using a translucent powder, I like Rimmel Stay Matte Powder for a budget buy on a fluffy powder brush such as MUA F4. 

Now for the next layer! Taking your powder brush, apply a powder bronzer and blusher over where you have applied your cream. Remember this will add an extra strength of colour, so apply lightly and repeat if and when neccessary. My favourites include- Max factor Bronzing Powder and MAC Blusher.

For eyes, it's the same technique as cheeks! Start by applying a long lasting eye shadow cream using your fingers- Estee Lauder Pure Colour Eyeshadow Paints are available in a wide range of colours and do not budge!

Layer your eye shadows on top, using a flat brush to apply, pressing the colour firmly. MAC Eye Shadows and their 239 Brush are the perfect tools for the job! 

Finish with a flick of No7 Stay Precise Felt Tip Liner and two coats of Stay Perfect Mascara (this mascara is seriously life-proof- perfect for our festival look!)

And for lips?! If you like a natural look, I would suggest lining and filling in lips with a liner, Bourjois Lip Pencils are a great bargain, and finish with a tinted balm like the selection by  Burts Bee's. For a stronger look, why not try my favourite No7 Stay Perfect Lip Stain. 

And voila! Your long lasting festival make-up is complete!

Next up- ultimate festival hair!

Coronation Street Gifting Lounge

This really has been a week full of Soap!

On Monday the So Coco Rouge team worked with our friends over at Label PR to pamper the cast and crew of Coronation Street at their Gifting Lounge.

The event was held in the beautiful Rooftop Gardens of Great John Street Hotel which is luckily situated directly opposite the Corrie set -so close we could even see the Kabin!

Throughout the day the lovely ladies (and a few gents too) dropped in to meet us and get their hands on some gorgeous goodies!

We were in excellent company, exhibiting alongside brands such as Simply Be, La Moda, South Beach, Lavish Alice and my personal favourite Rock N Rose.

Sisters Emily-Jane and Jess, who founded Rock N Rose back in 2007, were great fun, and definitely could be adoptive Rougettes!  Rock N Rose are most famous for their Floral Crowns, which often grace the pages of Look and Grazia magazines and are worn by celebrities such as Pixie Lott and Fearne Cotton. And now, even me, after the lovely girls kindly gave me my own, which compliments my red hair beautifully!

The Rougettes in our Floral Crowns

They also showcased a gorgeous selection of jewellery- from oversized bow rings to inverted cross necklaces and cute midi rings! If you like vintage inspired jewellery, quirky sunnies and festival headgear, you really need to take a look at the Rock N Rose website!

The Corrie Cast with their goodies!

Anyway, first through the door was the stunning Samia Ghadie, who plays hairdresser Maria, and her friendly manner set the tone for the rest of the day! Definitely no diva behavior here!

During the day we also had lots of fun with the lovely Jennie McAlpine (Fiz), Georgia May Foote (Katy) and Kate Ford (Tracey). Plus, we even met soap royalty Barbara Knox, who plays Rita! 

We cannot wait to give all the Corrie girls a full on pamper at the So Coco Rouge salon before their next trip down the red carpet!

The Corrie cast at the So Coco Rouge Stand