HD Brows....the brow of the future which imitates the past!

HD Brows have been in magazines and on the foreheads of celebrities since the summer......did you start to notice how over summer and moving in to Autumn a lot of celebrities were suddenly sporting these perfect brows.... I know I did! 

I have always had big dark brows! When i was at school i recall the thinner brow being favoured....the chav brow! Luckily i never succumb to the pressure.I do recall my dad telling me 'never loose those brows!' Boy am i glad i listened to him and have a brow to work with though in the case of HD brows this does not have to be the case! The thinnest sparsest brow can be transformed in to a brow to rival Elizabeth Taylor's bad boys! 

So how does it work? Nilam Patel is the founder of the HD brow,she has been the personal brow shaper to many a Hollywood celebrity.She combines traditional techniques such as threading,plucking and waxing in order to achieve the perfect arch! The brows are they dyed and then filled in using pencil,powder and lightly dusted with mineral powder.

After hearing so many good things about HD brows i decided to see what the fuss was about and waited with bated breath to see the results.....i was not disappointed! 

The Process

Time taken - 40minutes (i have big wirey brows so 

                                               may take less time for others)

My brows were waxed,then threaded and the plucked.

They were then dyed with a brown/black dye to give more definition.

My brows were then trimmed and pencil was applied along with powder to fill in any gaps.

Finally my brows were dusted with mineral powder and voilà!!

xXx

Perfect Jasmine cupcakes

This is a beautiful recipe for all year round! So delicate and floral in flavour and a wonderful addition to any afternoon tea!


Ingredients for 12 cupcakes  continue reading for the frosting!


-2 jasmine tea bags or 2 tea spoons of loose jasmine tea
-1 cup of milk
-100g unsalted butter
-2 eggs
-1 cup of sugar
-2 cups of flour
-1 teaspoon of baking soda
-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or flavouring
-1/4 teaspoon of salt






Firstly- Preheat your oven at 250 degrees.
                Heat a pan and add a cup of milk and add either jasmine tea bags (2) or loose leaf jasmine tea.


Once the water is beautifully fragrant you can turn off the pan....


Into a bowl bowl beat the butter until soft and add in the sugar,beat until fluffy (around 2-3min) Then add the eggs one at a time beating for 30seconds each.


In another bowl- mix the flour,baking soda and salt.Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat to combine.


Now-add half of the jasmine milk made earlier to the mix (of course if you used loose leaf use a sieve)


continue stirring the mixture and gradually adding all of the milk and all of the dry ingredients.


Vanilla extract can now be added! Beat to combine the vanilla to the mixture...


You can now add your mixture into your moulds....i like to use silicone cups.Fill them only half full as your cupcakes will rise quite high!


Put into the oven at 180 degrees and leave for 15-20minutes!

some bun in the oven reading time?? Here are some Jasmine Facts and tips before the frosting recipe

 

The beautiful jasmine flower has many uses from beauty to culinary.It is drank in tea in china,worn in the hair of women in South east Asia and used to make an essential oil in Egypt! Of course in the west these days we have adopted all these methods and also use jasmine as a top note in many perfumes.




How I use the prettyful Jasmine flower


I am often referred to as Jasmine by my friends but this is more for my similar looks to the Disney princess and not for my love of the sweet perfumed flower! It is purely coincidental that Jasmine is my favourite fragrance! 


I eat,drink,wear and smell of Jasmine! It has so many good uses and is very beneficial! 


Once a week I rub jasmine oil into my hair and leave for a couple hours.I don't add so much that i look like i have been thrown head first into a chip pan but rather i just have a bit of a shine and the smell is so comforting! I wash it off when i wash my hair and it leaves it amazingly shiny! My hair has become a lot thicker since i started using jasmine oil so I highly recommend it!


I like to drink pots of tea! I do like normal British tea but i can only have a cup or so but herbal tea i drink like water! Though i don't really like water...My skin was quite dry and dull prior to drinking herbal tea from dehydration so boy was i glad when i found i liked it! Of course a favourite of mine is Jasmine tea!!! Now you must try Jasmine tea with some cake as the sweet taste from the cake and slightly bitter taste from jasmine tea compliment each other greatly!


If you suffer from dry scalp and skin


Try mixing jasmine essential oil with almond oil.....


To rid of dandruff add 2 teaspoons of pure jasmine oil to a cup of olive or almond oil and massage on to the scalp twice a week...lesson when you see improvements


For dry skin use the same and massage into the dry areas...add a heated towel to the area and leave for a good 20minutes.....do this 3 times a week to begin with and lesson as you skin improves 






When your cakes are ready!!


Let them cool before adding the frosting!




For the frosting-


-110g butter


-120g icing sugar 


-1 jasmine tea bag 


-1/2 cup of boiling water 


Add the tea bag to the half cup of boiling water and leave......


Beat the butter until soft and then beat in the icing sugar a table spoon at a time....you can then add 2 tablespoons of the jasmine tea and any colouring you wish to have if any..


Making sure your cakes are cool pipe on the icing or use a table spoon to add and shape the frosting....your frosting should be soft yet firm enough to stand on the cake without dripping


Now enjoy!!




I hope you enjoyed this Post...stay tuned for chocolate and 


lavender cupcakes, how to-theme party series,Vintage make


 up looks and glamorous Christmas!!




Best wishes


Jaya

xXx

Perfect coffee table books

The humble coffee table is often taken for granted yet it can house inspiration,knowledge and be a wonderful talking point.The books which you choose to adorn your coffee table not only say a lot about you as a person but can also provoke inspiration in others which is why the coffee table should no longer be taken for granted ;-)

My personal preference is to not have too many books on the table but to have maybe two or three books which are very different yet all as inspirational.The coffee book should along with your coffee give you a perk of energy as well as a perk of inspiration and positive outlook. Travel are some of the most popular coffee table books and i too like this variety.There is something motivational yet comforting about coming home from a hard day to sitting down and looking at distant exotic places. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/501-Must-be-there-Events-David-Brown/dp/0753717719/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp

This has to be one of my favourites.I like the idea of the 501 series,they have other travel books but this one sparks interest in me as i am one for including events in my travels.This book tells you what events are on around the world and when FANTASTIC!! So if you fancy planning a future trip to Venice and would like to attend a mascaraed carnival then this book will most certainly be of use :-)

Along with Travel fashion is always a firm favourite,this can be more personal touch.Many designer and well established magazines have books.

 

This book came out in September of this year and consists of beautiful images shot by top photographers and features clothing from designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, Donatella Versace, and John Galliano.

My third choice of coffee table book is by one of my Idols.Burlesque and the art of the Teese was published in 2006 and i am sure has graced many a civilian pin up's coffee table since.The book contains beautiful images of Dita her self accompanied by text.Dita reveals her style inspirations, favourite designers and how she styles herself.The book also includes the history of Burlesque and Dita's favourite performers. The second half of the book is dedicated to fetish and the art of teese including some extravagantly exotic photography. 

This may be one to perhaps but aside if little eyes are present but for me personally i find her so inspirational and a breath of fresh air!

So doll's get those coffee tables polished and lovingly add a book or two to keep your life inspired and those around you too !

mwah !!

Welcome to the classy and vibrant blog that is Candy Crystals and Gluttonous Galore! 

This blog will have everything pin up,vintage,modern glamour,old Hollywood glamour and cooking and baking to compliment this! If you like the lux life style then darlings this blog is for you ;-)