Wearing false lashes for every day. It's a little bit of a contentious topic. If you say it, people tend to think you're either extremely high-maintenance, or drastically insecure (or possibly both..). And indeed, there is something about the degree of faff required to do it that would put most sane people off. Until you have to, that is...

I will freely admit I'm a bit obsessed with eyelashes. Although they don't seem majorly noticeable, having a bit of a flutter is something that makes me feel more confident and, well, prettier. A nation seems to agree with me, judging from the rocketing sales of false lashes, growth serums, and volumising mascaras. When I was younger, fake lashes were the preserve of make-up artists, whereas today you can wander into any drugstore and be confronted with a dazzling array of fluttering falsies.

Like a lot of girls, I've become a dab hand at applying strip lashes to boost my flutter power on a night out, but until recently, I've never worn them during the day.

However, this all changed after I had individual permanent eyelash extensions applied during the Christmas party season. My best friend, Lady T, continually has them and is always singing their praises, so I assumed I'd love them as well. In fact, the only reason I hadn't gotten them done before was the high initial cost (good extensions are upwards of £70 for a full set, and then £30 every three to four weeks to maintain and infill them). However, I managed to get a deal on Wowcher to have a full set for just £19 at a place near where I work.

I did not get on with them at all. When I first had them done, it was almost as if I had an allergic reaction to the glue, as my eyes were streaming and stinging for a good couple of hours after they were applied, which was weird. And then, although I liked the look of them, I really struggled with the feel. They felt heavy and scratchy, like they were pulling on my real lashes. My eyes were even more puffy than usual, sore and irritated in the mornings. Plus, you have to be so careful with how you remove your makeup and not getting them wet, which is near-impossible in the shower. They also got foundation or some other makeup caked in them which I couldn't remove!

I did intend to keep up the maintenance of them, but being away over the Christmas holidays and then I wasn't able to go either on my first week back at work- before I knew it, lots had shed and they looked patchy and awful. Then I just wanted them off. But even though I had a little tube of removal formula, most of them wouldn't budge. I tried soaking cotton pads in baby oil but it was only half- successful. It took ages for them all to finally shift, and it had ruined my real lashes, which were left short, sparse and patchy. In short, I won't be having extensions again!

Anyhow, the state of my remaining lashes is pitiful. I was so embarrassed, I actually tried wearing strip lashes to work, just to cover up the bald patches in my own lashes.

I thought it would be a major hassle each morning to put on falsies, plus I didn't want my colleagues to notice I was wearing any, either. However, it turned out that with the right tips and tricks, wearing lashes can be just as quick and easy as piling on mascara every day! So I wanted to share the great things I've found that make falsies every day an effortless reality...

1. Choose the right type of lash

Thick, dense or fancy falsies can look amazing on a night out. But during the day, you don't want to look overdone. So choosing the right lashes for the job is the most important part of the process. Lashes with a big, thick band that needs to be disguised with heavy eyeliner are not a good choice. I discovered Eyelure do a range called 'Ultra Naturals', that, you guessed it, are designed to look like your own lashes- only better. Why are they so natural?

• The strands on them are ultra-fine to blend perfectly with your real lashes.
• The lashes are a mix of brown and black fibres, to tone with your own
• The band is very thin and clear- virtually undetectable

This makes them the perfect choice for wearing during the day without announcing to the world that you're faux! They are also reusable, so if you care for them properly you can get a lot of uses from them. They're advertised on the packaging as an 'alternative to mascara'

2. Trim to fit your peepers

It's a really important step, but one a lot of my friends who complain that they find it hard to apply fake lashes never seem to do! Eyes come in all different shapes and sizes, whereas lashes are standard, so before putting any glue anywhere, hold the lashes up to your eye and check the length. If they are too long (and they usually are, even though these Eyelure Ultra Naturals fit me perfectly), trim a little section of the inside edge with nail scissors. Taking off from the inside edge looks far better than trimming off the outer edge, which generally ruins the gradient of the lash. Make sure you match up both lashes!

3. Choose the right glue

I think most people now know that, generally speaking, the little bottle of glue that comes with your lashes, is not great quality and only really good for touch-ups on the go. And if you're going to be wearing falsies on the regular, then you need a good quality, waterproof glue that won't let you down. I've got nothing but praise for the 'quick beauty' brand Girls With Attitude that does false lashes and nails and nail wraps. But more importantly, you're going to need one that comes with an application brush, like their Hypoallergenic Eyelash Glue. Either that, or source a very fine eyeliner brush that you don't mind messing up, because...

3. Apply the glue to your lashline, not to your falsies!

Admittedly, this is not what we're usually told when it comes to applying our lashes, but I have to tell you its the single thing that makes the most difference to getting a good fit and getting them on quickly, and if you're really using your falsies as a mascara alternative, a quick application means they are practical. I can honestly say that, even though its a simple concept, I had never considered using glue on my lashline rather than on the band of the lashes.But I was idly browsing YouTube for false lash application tips (I like to think I'm fairly good at it, but you can always learn new things) and found a video with this tip.And now I've discovered it, I'll never go back to doing it the other way. It's a small change, but its sooo much better because:

• The lash goes on exactly where you place it, rather than sliding about wet and smearing glue over your lid
• If you reuse your lashes as I do, there is less of the glue build-up on the lash band over time, which is hard to clean and is usually the main reason I end up throwing a pair away

4. Use an application tool

With the rise in popularity of false lashes recently, more and more tools have started to appear to help us to put them on swiftly and accurately. I've had a couple of different applicators now, but hands down the best I've tried are the Bourjois 2-in-1 Lash Applicators, which they launched alongside their own line of fake lashes. If you find putting on lashes is difficult, this will perhaps be the best investment you could make. You use the shallow fan 'tweezer' end to grip the lashes and position them, and the end that looks like a cuticle pusher to press down the corners and make sure they adhere nice and tightly. Using these babies to apply my lashes literally made it a two second job, meaning you could do it every day with no fuss. These are much better than the other lash applicators I've bought, and well worth the £4.99 price tag if you plan on wearing lashes a lot.

5. Rinse and repeat...

You really need to clean and care for the lashes properly if you expect to get multiple uses out of a pair. At the end of the day, take a cotton pad and soak in some eye make-up remover and a drop of two of Baby Oil (this will gently dissolve any glue left on the lash band). Peel off your lashes carefully, and place them onto half of the pad before folding it over. Leave to soak while you take off your other make-up. Gently press down on the pad to pick up any residue, but don't rub too much or you might end up damaging the lashes. Keep your lashes stored inside a proper travel eyelash container when not in use to keep the shape. Lots of cute travel lash cases are easily available on eBay, like this...
If you take the small amount of time to look after your lashes properly, you'll get many uses from one pair, which means wearing them regularly and during the day needn't cost a fortune!


And voila, the finished, natural daytime look...

So, what do you think? Would you wear falsies during the day? Have you got any top application tips?

Til next time... xxx

Just recently, I’ve started to get into Avon cosmetics, and I got my delivery the other day from them so I thought I’d do a quick haul and review post on the items I purchased.

I haven’t used Avon for many a year. When I was very little, I remember loving to play with my mum’s sample box (she had been an Avon lady several years before I born). It had all these miniature bottles of perfume and teeny-tiny sample lipsticks, which I was fascinated with. I used to play beauty counters with it (an interest that clearly hasn’t gone away with age!). Mum still used Avon products and she used to get the odd thing for me, too. I remember loving their ‘Planet Spa’ range as a teenage- which they still do!

After I left home I didn’t know anyone who did Avon, and so I haven’t used anything from them in many a year. Truth be told, I started to think of them as a ‘old’ brand that didn’t have much to offer. But they seem to have had a bit of a revamp and started to creep back into my consciousness, First, they got Reese Witherspoon on board as a ‘face’, and their mascara and lipstick ads were on the TV.

Then, I began hearing really good things about their Anew Clinical Pro Line Corrector serum, which made quite a splash in the beauty media. I was quite desperate to try this, so when I found an ‘Avon lady’ at my new workplace, I started placing orders again.

The serum is now one of my absolute faves. At £20 a bottle, its a lot more cost-effective and just as good as the Clinique Laser Focus Repairwear serum I was using, and I think it’s given me better results. It comes in a neat little mirrored vacuum pump applicator that looks good on the dressing table as well, so I’m pretty much a convert.

I didn’t need any more serum this time, but here’s what I purchased and my thoughts:

•    Anew Clinical Eye Lift Pro - £9.99

This cream comes in a split pot, with an amber-coloured get to use on lids and browbones, and a lightweight cream to go below the eyes. Both formulas are easily absorbable and don’t leave any oily residue, so you can apply make-up afterwards with no problems, which is good. I’ve been using the cream day and night. Its primary aim is to target and erase lines, but I don’t have any around my eyes (yet), so I’m just using it to try and combat my dark circles and puffy eyes. It seems good at taking down the morning puffiness somewhat. My circles aren’t too bad at the moment and I’m not sure if that’s the effect of the cream or not, as they do vary anyway. Nothing I have tried so far (even creams that specifically promise to tackle dark circles) has really shifted them, but based on a couple of weeks use, this is doing as well as anything!

•    Herve Leger Purse Spray Trio - £9.99 (currently going for £18.99 on Amazon, so looks like I got a good deal!)

This was in the end of year sale, and I couldn’t resist it, although I normally wouldn’t buy perfume without smelling it first. You get a silver metal atomiser (not amazing quality but it’ll do) and three different slim vials of perfume that slot in- the scents are ‘Femme’, ‘Ete’ and ‘Intruigue’. Ete is nice and fresh, Femme is my favourite, and a gentle floral, and Intrigue is more of a spicy, honeyed wooded scent. All are perfectly nice, especially since I mainly bought this for keeping in my desk drawer or handbag and freshening up on the week. I love handy products like these! I think Avon perfumes have improved a lot since smelling my mum’s sample book.

•    Shine Attract Lipstick in ‘Happy Pink P04’ £5.00

I didn’t really need a new lippy, but I was intrigued to try this one. It has a core of colour surrounded by a clear gel, resulting in a sheer semi-gloss wash of colour for the lips. Plus points: the formula is nice and moisturising, the colour I chose is pretty. I also like the packaging with the slim silver tube and clear top- it’s a lot classier than their usual lipstick packaging. However, this is just too sheer for my liking. It would work a lot better if they made the centre a ‘stain’ rather than a lipstick formula. I doubt I would repurchase this, just because I’d barely finished applying all my make-up before it had sunk to an invisible trace! Not a bad formula, but definitely needs more staying power! Good for a ‘natural’ look.

•    MagiX Face Perfector £7.00

I had been quite keen to try this after hearing good buzz, and I’m not disappointed, although I think I might have misunderstood the product. I believed it was a primer- one of the first ‘drugstore’ ones you could get before everyone started bringing them out last year- but I now think it’s actually meant to be more of a ‘Nanoblur’ style product, which delivers an improved, soft-focus skin finish. Or perhaps you can use it for both, I’m not sure? It made my skin extremely matte and smooth, presumably coating it with silicone, so make-up just glided on. I wouldn’t wear it without anything else, but I do think it works very well as a ‘companion’ to your foundation, and it supplies SPF 20, which is an added bonus. I think I will get a lot of mileage out of this product in the summer months when my skin is a lot oilier and foundation doesn’t go on well.

•    Quick Dry Nail Spray £3.00

For me, this product was the absolute star buy of my order, and something I will certainly be repurchasing. I always use a quick dry spray on my nails because I’m chronically impatient at waiting for them to dry and usually end up smudging them. Also, I used to have a very bad habit of painting my nails in bed (I know, I know..) which of course meant I’d usually end up getting polish all over the sheets! I have been using a drying spray from Pretty Perfect that comes in a large aerosol can, but it absolutely stinks (and you can smell it for days afterwards on your hands) and it’s freezing cold, which is less than pleasant in winter. This Avon spray has changed all that. It’s a little pump-action bottle, and the smell is only a faint, innocuous melon smell that fades quickly. It also dried my polish a LOT quicker, and my nails were touch-try in about 5 seconds flat, which impressed me no end. The spray is kind of oily (good for your cuticles?) but sunk in quickly. I’m very impressed with this, it’s my new best friend as a girl who’s impatient but loves nail polish! I don’t think I will be without this now as its so far superior to the spray I had been using. Definitely recommend this product!

So there we go, Avon has recaptured my interest and I’m sure I’ll be looking at more of their products in future. If you don’t know an ‘Avon lady’, you can order online at avonshop.com.

My side-swept style

I know December has only just landed at our doorsteps, but this weekend, I've been feeling quite Christmassy all of a sudden!

This Sunday was one of those beautiful, golden and frosty mornings where the air feels like champagne. I went for a long, chilly walk along the misty river bank with my Mr, amaretto latte in hand. And then after story time with our niece and baking my signature Jack Daniels mince pies in the afternoon, and best of all, seeing the Coca Cola Christmas ad (commercial, I know, but it seems like its not the festive season until its on air), I've really begun to feel like the holidays are fast approaching!

In that spirit, I tried out a new hair style that I'm planning to wear to my work Christmas do, which is quite a glamorous, black-tie event. I'm wearing a full length gown, and I wanted a hairstyle that would be quite dramatic and 'Hollywood' to balance it.

Usually, I make a trip to the hairdresser before big events, but I thought the style I wanted to achieve would be fairly simple to create by myself, so I decided to have a go and see if I could try it myself. This saves my pennies and also gives me more time instead of rushing back and forth to the salon, can't go wrong!

I based this style on these gorgeous, romantic side swept styles with soft curls modelled by Eva Longoria, Penelope Cruz, Taylor Swift and Diana Agron. It was really quite simple to create and I love the overall effect!

Products and Tools:
Paddle brush (mine is from Tresemme)
Tail comb
Dry shampoo or a Volumising hair powder- I used Clynol Play
A curl spray - I used Umberto Giannini Old School Setting Spray
Flat irons or curling tongs- I used my GHDs
Strong hold hairspray - I used Umberto Giannini Rock n Roll Extreme Hairspray
A shed load of hair grips

How to create it:

1. First of all, smooth out your hair with the paddle brush to make sure there are no nasty knots and tangles- your hair needs to be super-sleek for this to work. The style is best created on 'day old' hair, as it has a bit more grip and guts than silky, freshly washed tresses.

2. Spray a dry shampoo into the roots or massage in some hair powder to plump up the roots and give the hair more hold.

3. Use your tail comb to section the hair into a low side parting. For the most flattering part, I traced a line up from my eyebrow and section off a two-inch piece at the front. Clip this to the side, out of the way.

4. Go in with the tail comb again and section off the piece of hair at the crown. Backcomb this piece at the roots, spritzing with a strong hold hairspray to fix. Use the paddle brush to smooth over the top section and clip this pouffed up piece out of the way.

5. Section the remaining hair off into pieces about an inch thick. Spray each section with a curl spray or a setting lotion that will help to lock the curl in place. Using your tongs or your flat irons, curl each piece and spray with hairspray.

6. Unclip the crown section and curl the ends. Push the 'pouff' upwards on itself and fix with hairgrips to lock in the volume.

7. Take the top few curls from the less full side of your parting. Twist and pull diagonally across to the other side of your head. Use two kirby grips crossed over to fix each piece securely and leave the tail of the curl dangling free.

8. With the bottom section, sweep it over to the opposite side, rolling it up as you go. Fix the bottom of the twist into position with more criss-crossed grips. This pattern really locks the style in place.

9. Seal the whole thing with more of the strong hold hairspray

10. If you have any, adding some jewelled combs or grips to the top of the low twist at the back can really add some glitz to this look.

And there you go! A very easy, quick half up half down, side swept look that's perfect for weddings, parties and any occasion you want to look pulled together quickly!

It's been a while since I've done a 'Five Favourites...' post (see my June favourites, here), so I thought I would combine it with a few products I've amassed lately in sort-of mini hauls that didn't merit separate postings. All these things I would definitely repurchase, which has to be a good sign!

 1. Maybelline SuperStay 24h Foundation (£7.99)

This is not a new product, by any means, but it's new to me. I quite like Maybelline for foundations -  they seem to suit my skin- and have tried a few of them, but somehow this one passed me by. I went in actually wanting to try their new launch, FitMe, but I decided I didn't like it. It's gel-based, which is appealing to some people, but I don't get on very well with gel formulas (I sometimes use Mac Studio Sculpt, which is also gel-based but it makes me look very greasy and I'm not a fan). When I discovered it's only selling point is matching your skin tone, I wasn't impressed. That's not supposed to be a special feature- all foundations should match my skin tone, or I shouldn't be wearing it!

Instead, I found myself picking this up, intrigued by the promise of long-lasting, flexible coverage. I recently fell in love with Chanel's Lift Lumiere, but it's pricey so I'm saving it for special occasions. Most days I wear a BB Cream and some powder, but there are days when I need some extra coverage. I've been using Maybelline's Dream Nude Airfoam, but the foam format is messy and I'm nearing the end of my can, so this is my replacement.

It's comfortable to wear on the skin and long lasting- a perfectly decent, mid-range foundation that may well become my new weekday staple!

 2. Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Definition (£9.49)

I've wanted to try this mascara since it first came out, but it's always been sold out when I tried to find it, which made me want it even more. Like all my favourite mascaras, it features a plastic brush- I find they give a much better result than traditional fibre brushes. The result is volumised, thickened but still defined lashes. The brush has a special tip to catch all your tiny lashes, and the formula itself boasts volumising agents and black pearl extracts, which can't be bad! This product is really nice to use and easily buildable for mega-lashes. It doesn't flake out either, so it gets my vote. And, as ever, the super-cute Bourjois packaging make it really fun to use.

3. Bourjois Little Round Pot Light 01

Another hit from the French drugstore cosmetics brand, this eyeshadow is a new concept, designed to be highly concentrated and two times as luminous as a normal eyeshadow (how you measure that is beyond me, but still...) Using super-reflective mother-of-pearl pigments, the shadow feels silky and light on the lids, although I do find that the baked shadows require a firmer brush than I normally use to gather enough pigment.You can either apply it alone over the whole eyelid to brighten up the eyes, put it on with a dampened brush to ramp up the shimmery effect, or you can layer it over a normal eyeshadow to add a shot of pearly light to the colour. This makes it quite interesting- they also had an 'intense' darkening eyeshadow to act like a transformer too, but that just looked like a normal dark grey shadow to me!

This is really pretty and I've been relying on it for days when my eyes look tired and need an extra boost!

4. Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Rock N Roll Extreme Hairspray (normally £5.61) and Old School Setting Lotion for Big Hair(normally £5.49)

Ok, this is sort of a two for one situation, I'm putting both these products as one. I really like Umberto Giannini hair products, and have long been a fan of their Overnight Beauty Balm to sort out my parched, processed locks, so when I ran out of hairspray, I thought the time was right to try their Rock N Roll Extreme Hairspray. I was looking for something with a strong hold, and I am a fan of the gorgeous, fashion-girl illustrations they use on their packaging. Its a light spray that really holds, but most importantly, doesn't give that awful crispy effect bad hairsprays do, which means that although its strong, it's also lightweight and untraceable. It also smells gorgeous!

The second product was an impulse buy (at two for £7.00, it would have been rude not to really!), but is actually something I've been searching for. Despite not being poker-straight, my hair resolutely will not hold a curl. Despite investing in a quality curling iron, I've spend many an hour painstakingly labouring over my curls, only for them to promptly drop out within half an hour. Boo! I happened to mention this to my best friend's housemate, an American from the deep south where big, bouffant curls are a religion (her words, not mine!). I asked her what the secret to keeping curls in place was. She asked what product I used, which I replied was nothing but hairspray. Apparently, this is equivalent to building a house without the proper foundations! That kind of makes sense. She advised me to use gel, but I thought something must have got lost in translation because I couldn't imagine that working. However, I had read in the 'olden-days' of setting lotions and thought I needed something of the sort to make my curls stay. This product describes itself as 'bringing back the classic ‘set’ of the 50s but with a quick drying formulation. Gives volume, bounce and shine plus a long lasting hold'. I haven't actually tried it out yet, but I'm really excited to!

5. Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliation Treatment Pads (£12.99)

I read about these in the weekly bible (aka Grazia magazine),was sufficently intrigued to track them down, and after a couple of uses, I can safely say these will be a staple part of my new skincare regime. The little disposable pads aim to provide regenerated, smoother, brighter skin. They contain those key anti-agers, glycolic and hyluronic acid to stimulate cell turnover, plus blue daisy extract to calm the skin. They tingle a bit when you first use them- and the packaging states that you must always use a moisturiser with sunscreen as use can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

I loved how bright, glowing and renewed my skin looked after using these. I think combining regular use with the paper collagen masks I love will hopefully really give my winter skin a boost and help to tackle the fine lines I've started to notice. They're such a quick and easy thing to do that really improves the look of your skin, I'm instantly a fan. If you don't like standing their using a scrub as well, they really do the trick!

As you might have spied from my other posts, whether its cosmetics or pieces of clothing, I love it when things work overtime. Any product, or object, which promises multiple benefits or different uses gets my interest. Why? Well, just the convenience and the feeling of having bought something that's working hard and smart for me. I'm just fascinated by anything that multi-tasks.

Which is why I might well have found the perfect bag for me. Its from an online fashion boutique called POPKORS (which roughly stands for 'Popular Korean Accessories') and they sell a wide range of bags in loads of great designs for highly reasonable prices (with free UK shipping, to seal the deal). Some of the designs are blatant 'homages' to Hermes and Balenciaga, but they have some great own designs, too.

There were quite a few bags I would gladly have ordered on there, but it is the month before Christmas, so I can't really justify spending huge amounts on myself! So with massive self-restraint, I limited myself to this one:


I picked the beige (because I thought it would go with more), but I could have quite gladly had the black and the red as well! I love the chunky, oversized gold postman's lock, it's so chic. The slouchy, fold-over top is also brilliant. It works as a clutch bag, and I really think the design details on it are very elegant and designer-looking. But the best bit? The straps! Behold:



 Not only does this beauty have an elegant little chain strap, for when you want to hook it over the crook of your arm or sling it casually over your shoulder.....but it also has a really long, cross-body strap so you can wear it like a satchel (I like to be hands-free when I'm hitting the dancefloor!)





Honestly? I think I'm in love. This seems like my perfect bag. It could even work as a smaller day bag (I do haul a loooot of stuff around with me in my well-loved Alexa, but I could see me using this out on a shopping trip or nipping for coffee with friends).

If it's as nice as it looks when it arrives- damn international shipping, it's so slow!- I will re-order the black one in a heartbeat. It just looks so well designed and versatile, I can see me loving this bag for a looong time (perhaps even as much as my beloved Mulberry, and at a fraction of the cost to boot! This bag was priced at $30 AUS dollars, which was about £24 sterling).

POPKOR trade on eBay, so you can access their fabulous selection of bags online. I am definitely a fan, and will be purchasing again if all goes smoothly.

Trying out Freshlook Colorblends in 'Sterling Grey'

Coloured contacts. I learned this week that for an innocuous little piece of plastic, they can really divide opinions. In this day and age of Botox, boob jobs and body modification, you wouldn't think they'd be so controversial. But you'd be wrong, as I found out when I made my second foray into the world of lenses.

Let me start by saying I have absolutely nothing against brown eyes, they can be stunning. And I've never had a problem with my eye colour. It's quite a light orangey amber colour-exactly like my mother. But my dad and all his side of the family have a very distinctive family look- honey-coloured skin, dark hair and light blue eyes- and part of me has always wondered what I would look like with my dad's combination. And I find dark hair and blue eyes a particularly special combination (my Mr has this, and his DNA is great!).

So, I've always been slightly intrigued by the possibility of using coloured contacts to switch up my look. Now to me, this is no more offensive than dying your hair or using fake tan. We're so used to those kinds of appearance changes that it doesn't really phase anyone. And yet changing the colour of your eyes is seen as really wrong by some people, it seems.

My Mr was horrified when the nice package from contactlens.co.uk dropped through the letterbox. He finds something horribly low-rent and tacky about using coloured contacts, and his disgusted and bemused reaction actually threw me pretty badly. "But why would you want to change your eye colour?" he asked. When I explained that to me, it was just a bit of fun to switch up my appearance, he didn't seem to agree. He made me feel pretty worried that I was doing something that would look awful.

But actually, I'm pretty pleased with the final result!

As mentioned, it was my second time trialling coloured lenses. The first try went disastrously wrong. I didn't know anything about lenses, or eyes in general (having 20/20 vision, I've never even been inside an opticians yet) and I didn't do any research before I ordered. I simply picked an unfeasibly bright blue and clicked to purchase.

When they arrived, I didn't have a clue what I'd ordered, how to insert them, how to care for them....and in short it was a disaster. I only managed to get one in and then promptly freaked out because I didn't know how to get it back out. In any case, I didn't really like the effect as it looked really bright blue, fake and weird. The second one I couldn't even get in because I kept blinking too violently and I was stressed out and panicked about getting them out. I didn't have any of the right storage equipment, so when I did get them out I did the wrong thing and tried to store them in a little tupperware pot with some tap water, where they promptly dried up and died before I could try them again.

This time, I was a little smarter. I did plenty of research beforehand, about different colours and brands, how to insert and remove the lenses, and proper storage and care of them as well.

Here is my first time guide to it for coloured contact lens virgins:

1. Spend time thinking about what colour you really want

It's all too easy to go crazy and opt for the shocking blue, vivid violet or bright green shades. And, if you are after a certain, larger than life look, then that's the result you'll get. However, if you're after a more passably natural eye and you're not keen on the idea of random strangers knowing you're wearing lenses, then consider a shade such as grey. This is a soft colour that subtly lightens dark eyes, without screaming 'obviously fake'. It's not the first shade I'd think of, but it's really pretty and subtle, especially on Oriental eyes. Of course, if you already have blue eyes and you just want to make them standout more, a vivid turquoise could really work. It all depends, so know what you're looking for and what you hope to achieve before you buy.

2. Research the brands available

With the thousands of review posts of pretty much everything invented, ever out there on the web, there's not much excuse for not doing your homework to choose the right lenses for you and getting a good deal on them. About 2 seconds of web research will probably show you that Freshlook Colorblends are generally considered to be the best currently available. There are lots of other brands too. Google Image Search will allow you to see the lenses in action on different types of people, and how it looks. Try to find an image of someone with a similar colouring to you to get an idea of how the colour might look on you. Now you need to find where to buy. Of course, your best bet may well be to visit an opticians, especially since they will probably show you how to put them in. But if you're impatient or price-consious, then you may want to order online. Once I'd decided I wanted to try the Freshlook Colorblends in 'Sterling Grey', I found a reputable, good value site- contactlens.co.uk retails them at £7.00 per lens with free UK delivery (yes, right and left are sold and priced as different items, which I never suspected! Of course, this is because some people who actually need lenses for vision correction need different strengths and prescriptions in each eye. Duh!) If you don't need a prescription, just select 0.00 in the menu and make sure you order one left and one right eye!

With one lens in, so you can see the difference!

3. All the gear and no idea

Another thing I never understood before is that you don't just need the lenses, you need a few items with them! The lenses come in little, individually-sealed pods that don't re-seal. You will need somewhere to store them after use, and it must be airtight. Luckily, eBay can help you source these items real cheap. I bought a cute little white compact (search something like 'travel contact lens case' for similar) with a mirror, tweezers for picking up the lens, airtight lens case, and a couple of little bottles for holding a small supply of contact lens solution, and it was only £3! Then I also bought a big bottle of contact lens solution for a couple of pounds, again this can be sourced very cheaply. You really do need this stuff, so don't be tempted to leave it out.

4. Learn how to put them in and out properly

At first, I underestimated how difficult this can be. I figured that because I'm not especially squeamish about touching my eyes, it would be fairly straightforward. It was not. It was totally difficult, frustrating, and I hated the feeling of having a foreign object in my eye to begin with. So leave plenty of time before whatever event you want them for. I would suggest trialling taking them in and out several times before the day of whenever you want them for. The last thing you want is to be rushed and frustrated. Accept it's difficult and it takes practice to get right, and allow yourself enough time. It took me the best part of 40 minutes and countless attempts before I could get them into my eyes. Put them in before doing any make-up, as it can really make your eyes run and will probably ruin anything else you've put on your face!

Youtube is your friend. It has some excellent video tutorials that I'd highly recommend running while you try and put them in. Methods of insertion are varied, so take time to find what works for you.

Very straightforward tutorial on how to insert them here

This one is also great for newbies (mute to avoid the cheesy Japanese lounge-singer music)

And, how to take them out (although I found removing them very easy)

5. Shake Up Your Make Up

Of course, the beauty of changing up your eye colour, is that different eye make-up will now suit you! It's fun to play and experiment with your new eyes! I recommend trying out bronze shades or a classic smoky eye to make baby blues really pop, and if you're trying out brown eyes, purple and green shades will look beautiful and will really make your new colour stand out. Have fun trying new shades to contrast with and compliment your new eye colour.

6. Carry eyedrops!

If you've never worn lenses before, then you don't realise how much your eyes can dry out with lenses. To keep this comfortable, stash some eye drops in your clutch bag and carry them with you so you can freshen up with the lenses in.

So, what do you think? I think the grey shade is really beautiful and I've enjoyed playing about with my eye colour. I don't think there's anything 'wrong' with coloured lenses, but my husband's reaction has made me realise some people think its a bit weird or somehow insecure (I say: no more than any other hair dye, fake tan or cosmetic!). So, if you do want to try them, be prepared!