Haute Body: British Pole Dance Academy Part 2...

Hey guys!

Hoping you checked out Part 1 of my British Pole Dance Academy Review because this is Part 2 and you'll be all lost if you didn't... only joking :) I'll catch you up; 1) I'm starting a new feature called 'HauteBody' 2) I've started Pole Dancing Classes (!) 3) This is Part 2 of my review of said Pole Dancing Classes. Up to speed? Good.

So, lesson two was even more fab than lesson one! Thankfully I knew exactly where I was going this time and managed to make it about five minutes early. This allowed me to chat to some of the ladies before I threw myself (literally) into the warm up lead by a sexy brunette lady whose name escapes me... so rude :( I did feel slightly odd as fellow blogger Victoria's Vintage was there watching me shake my booty and strut my stuff, but I soon got into it and managed to build up a sweat before I even hit the pole! The warm up consisted of a variety of muscle stretches (mostly on the upper body as obviously it's all don't to your arms to carry your fat a*s up the pole later on...), there was also bouncing from side to side using the hips and then a couple of floor exercises.

Once this was over, I headed to Hollie who was the beginners instructor who I was taught by in my previous lesson and happily was approached by the lovely Deb... Despite this only being my second lesson, it seemed that Deb noticed I wasn't struggling too much with the moves and she asked if I was confident to move up a level! Whilst flattered I was a bit apprehensive and said to her, 'I'm not sure... I don't want to fail then be sent back...' Deb simply laughed and effectively told me to man up, but with much kinder words of course.

Turns out I needn't have worried, whilst the intermediate moves were more of a challenge, I seemed to cope quite well! My pole-partner insisted this must be because on my 'gymnastic-induced bendiness' as she waved her arms around in the air. Deb and I laughed so hard. Seriously, that's something you don't expect... the British Pole Academy is a fab workout for the abs, not only because of the core strength required to support your body weight, but also because of the laughing you do! When a girl gets a move right, everyone stops and claps, and when someone suffers a pole-injury everyone is either A) very sympathetic or B) wetting themselves laughing depending on which is the appropriate response of course. For example, when a certain lady managed to break the WHOLE NAIL off her baby toe we all applauded her as we looked at the injured toe... luckily she was fine so naturally we all rolled about laughing, shocked at her fantastic recovery!

Before I knew it, it was time for the cool down and my body was glad for it. My muscles had been shaking for the last five minutes of the class, so I was happy to sit on the floor and fold in half.

One thing that I love so much about The British Pole Academy is the fact that it all feels like one great big happy family, and why shouldn't it? These ladies (led by Deb) virtually built the studio and the business from scratch so it means a lot to them. If you don't believe me, check the scrapbook in the lounge area of the room and see the photographs showing the shell the studio started off as. The care for customers in terms of safety, fun, and even finance by offering such cheap classes, are just three examples where this care is shown. The British Pole Academy is personal and professional all at once, and this is why I love it so much.

Just a couple of tips for anyone wishing to try pole-dancing for fitness...

1) Wear something inconspicuous. If you show up wearing jogging bottoms, you'll be noticed more than if you have tiny shorts on baring the thighs you've grown to hate. Trust me!

2) Make sure you complete both the warm-up and cool-down to the best of your ability. Your body will thank you because if you don't you're likely to injure yourself during the class and be aching for much longer for the next couple of days.

3) Make sure you hunt around for the best dance school. Most of the best ones will allow you a free trial, and don't pay in a block before knowing that you definitely want to attend lessons on a regular basis.

4) Don't take yourself too seriously. If you want to strut around the pole super-slutty or do huge outrageous over-exaggerated moves just because you saw them on Burlesque then go for it! Pole is very personal to everyone, with each student being there for a different reason... you're paying for it, so make sure you get what you want out of the class.

5) Find your style. Everyone has one. My style is more ballet than anything else although I do have a burlesque-esque vision in my head of how I'd like to look. Others wish to have a more athletic stance whilst some girls clearly want to bring out their inner-ho and you know what, that's all fine!  

To conclude, the class was absolutely awesome and I will be going back later on this week. My first two lessons were gifted by Deb, however, from now onwards I will be attempting to attend The British Pole Academy at least once a week at a detriment to my own wallet which proves I find this to be a perfectly worth-while spend... At just £6 an hour how could it not be? To book with the BPA call Deb on 07884423234.

Have you ever tried pole dancing classes? What do you think about exploring sexuality whilst getting in a good exercise? Have you heard of any other fun ways of getting a good work-out?


Thanks for reading guys :) Stay tuned for more HauteBody posts, one of which I'm planning right now...
On that mystery, I'll leave you :P
Love
gabriellasofia
 x

IMATS 2012... 2 Fab Offers!

Hey guys!

Since my last IMATS 2012 post I've been getting myself all hyped up for this weekend and I absolutely cannot wait... What to wear, where to spend, what classes to attend? So many questions and I'm sure all will become clear by Sunday night when I should be tired out from covering the show all weekend, all I know is that I'm a ball of excitement right now and having sorted with my pal Emily that I will be staying with her it seems like its all real.

Anyways, the main reason I'm posting this is because of two fab offers I wanted to make you all aware of regarding IMATS 2012 which you'll definitely be wanting to snap up if you're attending.

Firstly, famed body painter Einat Dan and Emmy-winner Valente Frazier will be presenting a four-hour workshop each on Friday which will provide the twenty students allowed in with a one-of-a-kind insight into these two specialisms. With Dan focusing on commercial and editorial looks whilst Frazier teaches the red carpet glamour inspired looks which he has previously created on the likes of Rihanna, Iman and Tyra Banks, these tickets are sure to be snapped up very soon. Especially because those who purchase a ticket for either of these classes will be exclusively admitted into the pro-only event on the day beginning at 2pm and ending at 7pm. So how much is this fantastic opportunity about to set you back? For the pleasure of getting a sneak-peek at the show, shopping without crowds and networking with some of the biggest names in make-up artistry, you need only spend £195! A fantastic opportunity for anyone who is serious about IMATS 2012. For more information on this bargainous couple of sessions head over to the IMATS Masterclass Page to get signed up!

Secondly, a freebie which anyone can enjoy at the show The VIP Lounge will be offering the 'royal treatment' with a selection of food and beverages available, plus mani-massage treatment indulgences. In conjuction with makeup411.com and Royal and Langnickel IMATS are putting The VIP Lounge on so that guests may rest and unwind while learning about what's new and exciting in the make-up world. The VIP Lounge will be open for business on Saturday the 4th February from 10am-4pm, so make sure you run along and check it out for a spot of pampering... you deserve it.

I will soon be writing about my plans for the show... where I'm going to go, what I'm hoping to buy etc. As a total IMATS virgin, I have absolutely no idea what to expect so I'm hoping to find some other bloggers out there who I may be able to tag along with. I'm sure I'll enjoy myself either way!

Are you going to the International Makeup Artist Trade Show? Have you ever been to a similar event? What trends should I be on the look-out for when I'm shopping the stalls?

Thanks for reading guys... can't wait to be reporting IMATS as it happens.
Love
gabriellasofia
x

HauteHaul January Part 3 - Boots Drugstore Essentials!

Some of you might find this a really dull video but I'm really nosy and love watching other people's drugstore hauls so I figured I'd film one. I've given you some tips here on where the bargains are at the moment too, so keep an eye out for 2 for 1 offers and Boots Advantage Card coupons also. They save me a bundle!

Don't forget to check out Part 1 which includes Topshop sale goodies:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautehaul-january-part-1-topshop-sales.html

And also my H&M, Lush and Dior bits in Part 2:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautehaul-january-part-2-h-lush-and.html

Please check out my other sites and let me know what you think in the comments box below:

Please follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Finally, here is the link for the Joe Gilligan Trust:

http://www.joegilligantrust.com/

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love

gabriellasofia x

HauteHaul January Part 2 - H&M, Lush and Dior!

Part 2 of my January spending-spree! These bits are all from H&M, Lush and Dior. There are some freebies too so I hope you like them, and don't forget, if you don't ask you don't get, so next time you buy something in Lush or from a department store make-up counter make sure you ask if there's anything else you could try... you might even walk away with more freebies than paid-for items, like I did in Lush. The lady was so lovely!

Don't forget to check out Part 1 which includes Topshop sale goodies:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautehaul-january-part-1-topshop-sales.html

And also my Boots drugstore essentials haul in Part 3:
http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautehaul-january-part-3-boots.html

Please check out my other sites and let me know what you think in the comments box below:

Please follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Finally, here is the link for the Joe Gilligan Trust:

http://www.joegilligantrust.com/

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love

gabriellasofia x

HauteHaul January Part 1 - Topshop Sales!

It's sickening how much money I've spent this January... In my defense January is my most hated month and I have this uncontrollable compulsion to buy pretty things... It's a condition. A terrible, terrible condition. The symptoms involve memory lapses and the appearance of new things in shiny bags being scattered around my bedroom. It could be worse :)

Don't forget to check out Part 2 which includes H&M, Lush and Dior goodies:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautehaul-january-part-2-h-lush-and.html

And also my Boots drugstore essentials haul in Part 3:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautehaul-january-part-3-boots.html

Please check out my other sites and let me know what you think in the comments box below:

Please follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Finally, here is the link for the Joe Gilligan Trust:

http://www.joegilligantrust.com/

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love

gabriellasofia x

Haute Body: British Pole Dance Academy Part 1...

This post marks the first in a new blog series which I hope to keep up from now on... The series is called Haute Body and it's all about getting the hottest body possible, whilst having fun, trying new activities and most importantly, living a healthy lifestyle. The feature will encompass everything from diet and body inspiration right the way through to exercise and health trends. I decided that I would start this series back in December, but obviously that's a terrible time to begin a diet and exercise regime (what with the Christmas pud and sherry...) Then I was going to start it at the beginning of January as a 'fresh start' to a healthy lifestyle, but we all know how depressing January is and the only thing that offered any kind of comfort to me was all the remaining selection boxes lying around my house... This is why I resolved to properly launch this feature now, just in time for February when I hope to inspire everyone out there to enjoy diet and exercise for a change!

The fact that the beautiful Deb from British Pole Dance Academy (based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent) invited me to review her Pole Classes was a clear-cut sign in my opinion that this was a feature worth pursuing.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no prude by any stretch of the imagination and I've actually dabbled in the past in a couple of Birmingham-based pole lessons. As an ex-gymnast and ballerina, pole dancing always seemed like the 'grown-up version' which allowed me to work out my body, improve flexibility and explore my sexuality all at the same time. However, driving to a new pole-school in an area you've never been to before wearing a tiny pair of purple booty shorts and your Kiss band t-shirt is enough to make anyone's originally steely nerves quake in their boots... I'm pleased to say that my unreasonable nervousness was completely unfounded!

I arrived twenty minutes late (which is embarrassing enough as I'm usually super-punctual but got lost on the way), and yet Deb was very understanding and paired me with another girl in the beginners group before I could even take in the amazing studio. I was welcomed by all of the girls and the lovely instructor Hollie and now I had my chance to really take a look around the gorgeous surroundings.

Deb's studio is breath-taking. No exaggeration. It kind of reminds me of a girly boudoir, decorated with hanging curtains of pink and purple. Having been to classes with another company in the past, I was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness of the floor, the sultriness of the lighting and the glamour of the stage. This place is sexy not seedy and trust me, there is a big difference where dance lessons are concerned!

Next, I had a closer look at the ladies around me. Packed full of about twenty lush ladies of varying ages, shapes and sizes, the studio was large enough, and so well-equipped that almost every girl had their own pole, a benefit which not many pole classes can boast. Perhaps the most obvious thing that stood out to me was that every woman there had a huge smile on her face. Right, I thought, I was after a fun new exercise to try... this seems about right!

Before I knew it, it was my turn to have a go at the 'Fireman' a simple spin with legs bent. AOK! I even got a couple of compliments from the other girls for my 'gentle' landing, pointed toes and all (that's the ballet in me I guess...)

As we were taught a couple more of the basics, I couldn't help but notice that almost every ten minutes Deb herself made a quick 'visit' to each of the girls, providing tips, mini-demonstrations and words of congratulations. I loved this hands-on approach and found that she possesses the perfect balance of friendliness and professionalism, not letting anyone give up, but gently encouraging us to try until we got each move right.

Before I knew it, it was time for the cool-down which Deb clearly considered of very high importance. The cool-down lasted for about five minutes and involved a variety of stretches. Apparently the warm up is quite extensive too, but we know I missed that, so I had that to look forward to next lesson. This reassured me that each of the instructors at British Pole Dance Academy and Deb herself truly care about the well-being of their students.

In conclusion, my first lesson (though short lived...) was absolutely fab. British Pole Dance Academy is a great place for women of all ages, abilities, shapes and sizes to learn a couple of death-defying tricks, get in a fun work-out and gain some extra self-confidence. I would recommend the classes to everyone out there, and for just £6 per lesson, you've got nothing to lose! Even after just forty minutes, my body was aching like I'd worked hard, and I'm almost positive I'll be going back after my PR lessons are over. To book, call Deb on 07884423234.

In Part 2 I will be posting about my second lesson at BPA, a bit of history on the company and some of my own tips in terms of showing up as a Pole-Newbie.

Have you ever tried pole dancing classes? What do you think about exploring sexuality whilst getting in a good exercise? Have you heard of any other fun ways of getting a good work-out?

Until next time ladies!
Love
GabriellaSofia

Review - Lumiere Mineral Cosmetics

I absolutely MUST share with you all my new make-up secret... it's called Lumiere Mineral Cosmetics, and it is the future! I was so happy to be sent these seven sample pots of some of their lovely products, and although initially I was quite apprehensive (due to the rumours that mineral cosmetics are sheerer-than-sheer) I was soon pleasantly surprised and now I'm not sure I'll ever look back...

So for the products...

I received two foundation samples, the first in the shade Light Medium. This was in the 'Cashmere' finish, specifically for those of all skin types. It offers a buildable light to medium coverage with a matte yet silky finish. The second was in the shade Medium and in the 'Flawless' heavier coverage which is perfect for normal to dry skin types. 

I was also sent two shades perfect for adding a bit of rose to my cheeks. A blusher named 'Mauvelous' offers a purple-hued blusher pigment whilst the second, a blushing bronzer, was called 'Spiced Apple' and provides a muted tones of red and copper with tiny sparkles which I have fallen in love with.

Finally, I was sent three eye pigments to play around with in the shades 'Tutti Frutti', 'Raspberry Margarita' and 'Starry Night'. The first two have a pinkish iridescence to them which is just divine... 'Tutti Frutti' is a baby pink, whilst 'Raspberry Margarita' is a more pigmented hot-pink to purple hue. Finally, 'Starry Night' is quite literally the most pigmented black sparkle I've ever used, really packing a punch of colour. 

Here is a picture without flash: 

This is what the colours appear like... Look how pretty the sparkles are and how pigmented each of the products appear! So impressed!

I really can't rave enough about Lumiere. You know how I love good value for money and retailing between $8 and $12 with a little going such a long way I really can't complain, not even a little bit. 

So I'm sure I'm not the only person who was a bit nervous about wearing this sheerer-than-sheer make-up. Perhaps I can pass on my tips since I went Mineral and will never go back...

1) If you're nervous with the foundations, wear a very sheer liquid foundation beneath in order to act as a security blanket. Then progress to a BB Cream (I used the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector) a little gentler on the skin, before going all out and wearing nothing but a primer. But NEVER forget your primer, because the powder does better with something to stick to.

2) With the blushers, pick up a tiny bit on your blusher brush, blot a little out onto the back of your hand then get dusting quickly. If you apply too much, wipe the brush on a napkin then pick more up off your face, like you would with a mop (weird) before you get the colour you want. You're way better off applying too little and applying more than having to fix clown-face...

3) If you're creating an eye look with the pigments, always wear a primer and apply your base afterwards in order to correct any fall out. These powders are really loose and you don't want to head out with sprinkles of varying colours all over your cheek bones because they fell off the brush! When applying, pat the colour on with a brush in order to pack it on, and THEN dust back and forth in a painting motion, this is fall-out damage limitation too!

If you want to see how I applied these colours, then head over to my Pink Smoky Eye Video Tutorial. Let me know if you have any tips for mineral makeup... Do you wear it alone as a base or with a thin liquid foundation underneath? What brushes do you think are best for applying mineral cosmetics? Are you nervous about trying mineral makeup?

Thank you Lumiere! 

Love you guys

GabriellaSofia

x

HauteFuture Beauty Tutorial Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette Gold Eye

I've been playing with this palette for months now and finally I'm ready to share one of my favorite looks with you! This bronze and gold look is a fab night-time look for transitioning from autumn/winter to spring/summer as it isn't too dark, has a nice amount of shimmer and stays put even when it rains or becomes warmer in the evenings.

Here's what I used:

Channel Vitalumiere Foundation: £33 at http://www.boots.com/
Maybelline Superstay 24hr Concealer: £6.19 at http://www.boots.com/
Benefit Brow Zings in Medium: £22.50 at http://www.boots.com/
L'Oreal True Match Powder: £8.19 at http://www.boots.com/
Urban Decay Primer Potion: £14.50 at http://www.urbandecay.co.uk/
Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette (used Vanilla, Cash and Deeper): UNAVAILABLE as this was a limited release unfortunately. However, Urban Decay does many similar colours so just have a hunt through!
Sally Hansen Sexy Curls Precision Eyelash Curlers: $7.99 at www.walgreens.com
Benefit They're Real! Mascara: £18.50 at http://www.boots.com/
Benefit Coralista Blush: £23.50 at http://www.boots.com/
MAC Mega Metal Shadow in Peek-at-You: UNAVAILABLE it seems like this has been discontinued... However, there are tons of colours which actually work better... try Crystal Avalanche which is £11.50 at www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Benefit Posie Tint Lip Tint: £24.50 at http://www.boots.com/
Topshop Lips in Rumour Has It: UNAVAILABLE :( This was a Limited Edition shade but they have one similar for £8.00 called Nevada at http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?storeId=12556&catalogId=33057
EcoTools Brush Collection: £15.31 at http://www.boots.com/

Please check out my other sites and let me know what you think in the comments box below:

Please follow me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:
http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:
http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Finally, here is the link for the Joe Gilligan Trust:
http://www.joegilligantrust.com/

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love
gabriellasofia x

GabriellaSofia Rants... Haters on the Internet

This is just the first of a new series. Some other videos I have planned for the series include one about how much I hate racists, bad service in restaurants, nosy people (particularly at the bank or in the doctor's waiting room), the unspoken rules of social networking, companies who call to as you to do a 'survey', people who make no attempt with their appearance, 'charitable' people who are horrible in real life, the media's attention to morons (eg. Kerry Katona, Denise Welch etc) and way more!

Here, check out my other sites...

Please follow me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Follow me on Bloglovin at:
http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3212873/hautefuture

Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:
http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/
Also, there are more instructions for EVEN MORE entries on the linked post, so make sure you check it out :)

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:
http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

What annoys you? Have any bloggers or vloggers out there experienced any nasty hater comments? How do you handle things when you're angry?

Let me know in the comments below and until next time, take care :)
Love
gabriellasofia
x

The Versatile Blog Award...

Only bloggers truly understand how lovely it feels when another blogger recognizes your blog as one of their 'favorites', or when they compliment you on something you've posted... So imagine how great it feels when you're given a 'Blog Award' and are mentioned in someone's Top 7 blogs worthy of congratulations on their page.

The lovely Lucee from LuceeLovesBeautyBox has very kindly recognized HauteFuture as such and I literally can hardly contain my pride :) When you blog, along with putting in the time and energy with each post you publish, you also insert something very personal; you. This is why it makes me so happy to receive the Versatile Blog Award, it's very touching for me, and I just wanted to say a great big thank you to Lucee, all my readers and everyone who comments on my videos and posts. Its fantastic to be able to see how much support everyone's given me with my blog, and I think it's very important to say thank you when it's due. This is why I'm running my first ever Blog Giveaway in which I'm giving my readers the chance to win a collection of beauty goodies including products from the likes of Nails Inc, Models Own, Juicy Couture, 17, Nars, Dior and Barry M amongst others. Please head over to my Giveaway Page in order to be in with a chance of winning :) This is my thank you to you guys!

Anyway, without much further ado, the rules of the Versatile Blog Award require that the winner provides 7 secret facts about themselves, so here goes...

1) I am half-Dominican, speak Spanish (my mom's first language) and cook a mean rice, beans and fried chicken... which I eat with a banana chopped up over the top, just as the Dominicans do. I do this with chilli con carne and chicken noodle soups too. If you never try it, you'll never live!
2) I'm not part of a group of friends. I have a handful of friends that I'd trust with my life, but we don't spend a lot of time together and we're not a group as most of them don't even know each other. I've always been somewhat of a lone ranger, despite not being a psychopath, nudist or total female dog. I feel like sometimes with friends, spending too much time together can be more of a hindrance than a help. To see who my friends are, Check This Out.
3) I'm a total television addict. Like, it's a serious problem. Programs I can't go without watching include: Casualty, Holby City, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI NY, Grey's Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, 90210 and Cold Case. And on top of that, I like watching: Toddlers in Tiaras, The Girls Next Door, Kendra, The Kardashians, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, Big Brother, The Steve Wilkos Show, The Jerry Springer Show, The Ellen Degeneres Show, My Super Sweet Sixteen, Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant and WAY MORE. See what I mean when I say it's a real problem? Bar my blog, my television dominates my life.
4) When I was 19 I was invited to and attended an audition for The Apprentice. The grown up one. However, I wasn't successful but had a fab day!
5) I worked at Walt Disney World in Orlando last summer, making dreams come true for a living. No joke. If you want to hear more about my Disney Journey, head over to my other blog All We Need Is Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust, and my Disney College Program Youtube Channel TheGabriellaSofia.
6) I go on a diet every Monday. I give up every Tuesday.
7) I could gladly spend all day every day in bed. No, I wouldn't get bored, lonely or depressed. I'd read mags, watch telly and write blogs and I would be as happy as can be!

So that's it! All that's left for me to do now, is pass the award onto some bloggers who I think are worthy of The Versatile Blog Award... I think there is a certain number of bloggers I'm supposed to hand it over to, but I'm not sure what that number is, so I'll just give it to a handful of faves. *Drumroll please*...

Victoria's Vintage

Tokki and Oliver

Miss Holly

Yoyo and Bel

Pretty In Pink

Well done girlies! You're all fab, put in a lot of time, energy and YOU into your blogs and that's why I'm pretty addicted to them :) They help me to wake up in the morning and relax at the end of a long day. I love them, and I hope you'll all keep up the good work, I sure will! If you could, please do me a favour and put my sexy new button on your page... All you have to do is paste the code underneath my button on the top right hand side of this page into a HTML widget on Design and I'll love you event more! This is what my button looks like...




Even if I haven't given you a Versatile Award, please post me your links in the comments box beneath, and maybe even 7 facts about you. I always want to know my readers better and be more interactive with everyone, so please use the comments as I ALWAYS reply.

Love you all
gabriellasofia
x

Other Places You Can Check Me Out...

Hi there :)

So I thought I'd get my PR on and advertise the different sites you can access me on at the moment...

GabriellaSofia'sHauteFuture Tumblr

First up is my Tumblr account which I'm sure I'll rapidly become addicted to. There are far too many pretty pictures on there for humanity and on top of those which I can reblog, I can also add some of my own, giving you guys a bit of 'extra' when I don't have time to write about something but just want to upload a picture or two. Pretty pictures only though! Each day I blog on Tumblr, anything I reblog will generally surround a central 'theme' for that day. Yesterday was 'Freedom' so I mostly chose pictures of pretty girls running in fields. Today I've been really annoyed because my Twitter and email account have been massively playing up (more on that later...) so my theme has been 'I'm in a Strop'. Both of these feels are portrayed by the photographs I've reblogged, and generally you should be able to work out what mood I'm in each day via my Tumblr so make sure you head over there!

HauteFuture's YouTube Channel

I'm sure many of you already know I have a YouTube account, but it's really important to me that you subscribe to my channel because then it means that I will be able to reach more of you each time I post a video. In order to subscribe all you have to do is have an account (set up in a matter of minutes) and hit 'Subscribe' above the top left corner of the video box. It's really easy and you'll have my tutorials, hauls and rants at your fingertips within seconds of me posting them online. Plus, I'm always willing to do requests so if you're going on a night out and want to create a new look then just pop the request in the comments box and I'll do my very best for you :)

HauteFuture's Bloglovin'

For those of you without a Blogger account but with an interest in reading my blog as and when I post, then I've finally opened a Bloglovin' account. It takes about two minutes to sign up to this service and you can follow virtually any blog in the world with it. It will give you a kind of 'Blog Post Newsfeed' at all times when you're signed in so you can always catch up with the latest stuff which me and other bloggers write about. It's a great resource and I recommend it to anyone!

HauteFuture on Facebook

Similarly, there is a Facebook page for HauteFuture which can be found here. Simply click 'Like' and then you can read all of my random daily musings which I figured my readers would be interested in but which wouldn't be able to inspire and entire blog post. Furthermore, I upload a ton of pics which weren't pretty enough for my Tumblr (eg. tutorial pictures where I begin with no make-up...) but which I think would be interesting for you guys to see. Just another way to get a bit more of me when I'm not blogging!

HauteFuture on Twitter

I can be followed on Twitter and the best thing about that is that I RT tons of awesome stuff from other bloggers. I will often RT about internships in media, marketing, advertising, beauty, fashion, PR etc. You can often find RT's about blogs I love to pieces and people who I know are selling or giving away fab fashion and beauty bits. I will occasionally post a Tweet of my own on the go, like meeting readers over Twitter and arranging to go to various events regarding blogging, fashion and beauty! A great resource, if I say so myself!

The HauteFuture Button!

<center><a href="http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj599/GabriellaSofiasHauteFuture/HAUTE2-1.jpg"/></a></center>

Finally, I have a sexy new 'button' which I would kindly ask all bloggers to put in their side-bar for them. All you have to do is go to 'Design', Add HTML and paste the code in. Simples :) This means that when your readers have read all of your fantastic content, they might click on my button and start reading some of my stuff too. This is what my button looks like:

Anyway, thank you again for all of the support I'm getting at the moment, especially where my Twitter account is concerned. For those of you who don't know, for about a week my # Tweets have been vanishing into cyberspace rather than going to the actual hashtag-chat. Similarly, when I RT people, it doesn't tell them that I've done it, even if they follow me. However, all of these things still show up on my profile, so please head over and check if I've posted anything important recently as it's pretty hard for me considering Twitter is my main tool for self-PR :( I'm working on getting this fixed as we speak, but it may take a little while, please just follow and be patient with me, I'm doing my best :)

Do any bloggers out there have a pretty button for me to upload to my sidebar? How do you use all of your social networking sites? I generally use mine in similar ways but with a slight tweak on each one in order to give a bit of variation, as you can see :) Are there any other sites I really must be a part of?

Love you all
gabriellasofia x

Nail of the Day With Nail Rock Wrap Review...

Hey there!

Sorry for the sparse postings recently... been too busy trying to get some surprise goodies together for my Giveaway!

Anyways, here's just a quicky about my Nail of The Day and a mini-review of Nail Rock nail wraps.

So I've tried my hand at the nail-wrap trend and I can honestly say that I don't think I'll be trying this again in a hurry. What a palaver! I'm not sure whether this is down to the brand or just down to the fact that nail wraps don't really work for me, but I was sorely disappointed with the effect of applying this Nail Rock black-and-white stripy pattern to my nails. I obviously only put it on my accent ring-finger nail, and this alone took me about five minutes per nail and essentially just looked and felt like I'd stuck a sticker on. Very cheap looking and tacky, and I felt it was peeling off from the tip of my nail after just an hour of jabbing away at my laptop keys which was very annoying after all the effort I'd gone to.

To apply the wraps, I prepared my nails first by using some nail varnish remover on a cotton pad to clear away the remnants of any old polish and also any dirt or grime that maybe have invisibly stuck to my nail and would have made it even harder for the wrap to adhere. Once I'd done that, I buffed my nails to make them shinier and create a more even surface as suggested on numerous online pages regarding the application of this kind of nail art. Now it was time for the wrap. Peeling the sticker from the backing paper I placed the square shaped edge against my nail bed as suggested, leaving a tiny bit of space between my cuticle and it, in order to prevent peeling. I stretched it across the nail (as directed by Nail Rock) so that I wouldn't get any air bubbles under the wrap and folded it over the end of my nail. I actually even tucked it under my nail all around for the next part, which is where I think the nail wraps failed me. I began to file off the surplus wrap which was really hard work. I actually hate filing my nails anyway (I'm weird... I much prefer clipping them into shape!) so I didn't enjoy this bit, and I had to do this for quite a while so as to prevent any damage to the nail, the wrap and my sanity.

Anyways, once I'd done it and the end had peeled off I thought, 'Huh, so that's it?' Looking at my nail I was seriously unimpressed. I mean, it looked almost perfect, but I hated the design and the plastic-y appearance of the wrap too. Nonetheless, I painted my clear coat over the top, did the other nail and was finished. Unfortunately, like I said, I may as well not have bothered with any of that as the nail wrap was beginning to peel from the tip of my nail shortly after.

Basically, I didn't like the effect, I didn't like the application and I didn't like the longevity of the product. I'm glad this came in the terrible GlossyBox forced on my sister at The Clothes Show or I would have been seriously disappointed if I'd paid for it and had the same experience.

And yet, this is just my personal opinion and I know that some people love wraps. Perhaps I was applying them wrong, my nails are rubbish or I'm just an idiot, but either way I can't see myself purchasing a pack of nail wraps in the future. I think they're just glorified stickers, like you get when you're a child but they call them 'wraps' to make them sound more adult. However, if you would like to buy some wraps like these, you can click through to Nail Rock and find that similar products retail at about £6.65.

I'm a huge fan of Topshop nail polishes and this colour is no exception. I received this colour as a Christmas gift and I think it was released with three other colours just for the season so it's no longer available in store. Plus, because it's just a mini and I've lost the box I don't remember what the shade is called :( It's a kind of deep-grey, deep-khaki colour and it's lovely! Similar gift sets from Topshop Nails retail at about £12 for three minis. Bargain.

What do you think about nail wraps? Was I applying them wrong? Does anyone else prefer hand-done nail art to these sticker-type things?

Thanks for reading and enter the Giveaway!

Love
gabriellasofia
x

HauteFuture's First Giveaway Including Barry M, Juicy Couture and Models Own Goodies!

So this is my 'Thank-You-Followers-and-Subscribers-for-Being-Amazing' giveaway! Watch the video, then get entering :) The giveaway ends on the 14^th February 2012 which I figured was nice because then someone gets to win something on Valentine’s Day. I will be drawing the winners from a hat on the 14^th and to prove that it’s all been fair I will record and post a video of the draw! This giveaway is open world-wide so everyone should enter, and please tell your friends. Swatches of the products to come soon and more sample-sized surprises to be included... 

How to Enter...

1) All those entering MUST be a follower with GFC (Google Friend Connect) - You can do this by clicking 'Follow' in the top left hand corner of the screen, or by clicking 'Join This Site' down the right hand side of my page next to all of the mini pictures of my followers. Once you've done this, you must comment and state something like 'I'm following as _____' and say your GFC name. You must also give your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win. This will give you 1 ENTRY.

2) Follow @HauteFuture on Twitter. This will give you 1 ENTRY!

3) Click 'Like' on the HauteFuture Facebook Page. This will give you 1 ENTRY!

4) Subscribe to my YouTube channel. This will give you 3 ENTRIES.  

5) RT this: 
'Head to http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautefutures-first-giveaway-including.html to #win #giveaway prizes from @BarryMCosmetics and @modelsown Thanks @HauteFuture x' 
This will give you 3 ENTRIES.

6) Tell your friends... If a friend of yours begins to follow with GFC because you've told them to, make sure they mention it in their comment down below and they will get 1 ENTRY and you will get an extra 5 ENTRIES! If you're a blogger, you may want to write a post about this giveaway, if not you may want to mention it in a Facebook status or show your friends my page or something like that :) 

Everyone wishing to be entered must state their various applications in their comment... For example, 'Hi, I follow with GFC as MaryBean. I also RT'd as MaryBean3, and I follow with that name too. I subscribed on Youtube with the name MayBe and I 'Liked' as Mary Berlap on Facebook. My email is marybean@gmail.com. Hope I win, thanks! x' This person would have won herself 9 ENTRIES into the giveaway. If her friend Jenny began following and said in the comments 'Hi I follow as Jenbo2012 and I was referred over by MaryBean. Email me if I win at jenbo2012@yahoo.com x' Then Mary would now have 14 ENTRIES and her friend Jenbo2012 would have 1 too! Simples :)

Once again, thank you so much guys for supporting me in my blogging and vlogging. It means an awful lot, and I hope that very soon I will be able to organize another giveaway when I get 300 followers! Good luck <3

Love

gabriellasofia

x

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Haute Future Beauty Tutorial Pink Smoky Eye with Mineral Make-Up... Lumiere, MAC, Benefit...

Hey Guys!

Just want to say a great big thank you to Lumiere Cosmetics... Literally, these samples have changed my life! Haha. Seriously, I never thought I would like mineral make-up as I expected it to be too powdery and matte, I didn't think it would have much staying power, and I was also worried about the amount of coverage it might give. I am a complete and utter convert! Lumiere is light, comfortable and most importantly, attractive. With a good primer underneath (I used my Garnier BB Cream and also my Guerlain gold primer both listed below...) this product goes on beautifully and stays put for most of the day. An occasional top up might be necessary following sports or some other kind of strenuous physical exercise but generally this is now one of my favorite brands for foundation and blush. The eye shadows are lovely too, although no different than Barry M's Dazzle Dust, Benefits Lust Duster and other pigment shadows, although the product is slightly finer than those. Even with this in mind though, the colours are so vivid and a little goes a long way so this brand is great for getting your money's worth and not having to use a ton of product for one look. Anyway, enough of my gushing about how much I love this brand... 

Here is the list of the products I used:

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One B.B. Blemish Balm Cream Light: £9.99 at www.boots.com

Maybelline Superstay 24hr Concealer: £6.19 at www.boots.com

Benefit Brow Zings in Medium: £22.50 at www.boots.com

MAC Mega Metal Shadow in Peek-at-You: UNAVAILABLE it seems like this has been discontinued... However, there are tons of colours which actually work better... try Crystal Avalanche which is £11.50 at www.maccosmetics.co.uk 

Lumiere Eye Pigment in Tutti Frutti: $8 at http://www.lumierecosmetics.com/

Lumiere Eye Pigment in Raspberry Margarita: $8 athttp://www.lumierecosmetics.com/

Lumier Eye Pigment in Starry Night: $8 at http://www.lumierecosmetics.com/

Guerlain Essence d'Eclat a l'Or Pur primer: £42 at www.debenhams.com

Lumiere Foundation in Light Medium Neutral Cashmere: $12 athttp://www.lumierecosmetics.com/

Lumiere Blush in Mauvelous:$12 at http://www.lumierecosmetics.com/

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain in Gothic: £5 at www.boots.com

Topshop Lip Stick in Rumour Has It: UNAVAILABLE :( Sorry!

Sally Hansen Sexy Curls Precision Eyelash Curlers: $7.99 at www.walgreens.com

DiorShow New Look Mascara: NOT YET AVAILABLE... I was kindly give this by Dior but it should be available for purchase very soon, so keep an eye on www.debenhams.com as it really is amazing!

Benefit Moon Beam: £18.50 at www.boots.com

EcoTools Brush Collection: £15.31 at www.boots.com

Thank you for watching! Please go check out my other links... I will soon be posting a full review with swatches of the Lumiere products and also of the DiorShow New Look Mascara...

Please follow me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Finally, here is the link for the Joe Gilligan Trust:

http://www.joegilligantrust.com/

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love

gabriellasofia x

Outfit of the Night 14th January 2012 Charity Gig - Topshop, H&M, New Look, Lumiere...

Wow, the third OOTD/N video I've posted in like, three days... Impressive huh? Haha, I'm just so obsessed with my clothes at the moment, I can't help it! Keep an eye out for my haul video coming soon, a tutorial for the eye look I've created here and also my giveaway prize post!

What would you wear to a gig? I've never worn pink eyeshadow before... what do you think? Also, do you think I'm an idiot for wearing band T-shirt to a gig where that band weren't playing? Some people get really tetchy about that!

In order to be aware when I post new things, you really must follow, subscribe and like my pages! Here are all of the links...

 Please follow me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:
http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:
http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Finally, here is the link for the Joe Gilligan Trust:
http://www.joegilligantrust.com/

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love
gabriellasofia x

IMATS 2012... Here I Come!

Hey Guys!

Let me apologize in advance for the stock photos which will be featured in this post... I haven't actually been to IMATS before and it's not until February so I guess we'll have to deal with the anticipation until then and just borrow photographs from IMATS' official photo gallery for the purpose of posting. So... Photos courtesy of Make-Up Artist magazine.

So for those of you out there who aren't aware, IMATS stands for the International Makeup Artists Trade Show and it is quite literally the Place To Be if you are a beauty enthusiast. Each year around February time, IMATS comes to London and holds host to lectures, awards sessions and most importantly, tons of our favorite beauty brands! As I say, I've actually never been to IMATS before, but I became interested in it last year whilst I was watching the beautiful Macbarbie07's YouTube channel. She attended one of the shows in the USA, seemed to have a great time and picked up a ton of beauty bits. Naturally I knew I had to go, so this year I got in touch with the beauty editor at Make-Up Artist magazine, Melissa MacGillivray, and chanced to ask if I might possibly obtain a press pass and she said yes! Great success :)

The first ever IMATS was started in 1997 and was located in sunny Los Angeles. The founder of Make-Up Artist mag, Michael Key, is responsible for giving all beauty lovers world-wide this fantastic opportunity to geek out together and enjoy our first love, make-up. What a legend!

Anyways, I wanted to tell you a bit about IMATS as I'd love to meet some other bloggers and beauty enthusiasts at the event. So what do IMATS say about themselves? Here it is...

"The International Make-Up Artist Trade Show is the make-up world’s biggest gathering. Thousands of make-up artists, vendors and enthusiasts discuss, display and collect the best the industry has to offer. Make-up pros from fashion and film (including Oscar, BAFTA and Saturn award winners) provide education and demonstrations at IMATS, and new products often debut there. IMATS also features a make-up museum and an Afterglow party, where trade-show guests can socialize.

Before IMATS, there were no trade shows specifically designed for make-up artists, although cosmetic companies had expressed a desire for such an event. In response, Make-Up Artist magazine publisher Michael Key held the first IMATS in August 1997 in Los Angeles. It allowed artists to customize what they wanted to see and it offered a diverse mix of products, demonstrations and education from industry leaders.

Like Make-Up Artist magazine, IMATS continues to educate and connect make-up artists from around the world. The show is held six times annually—in London in January;  New York in April; Los Angeles in June; Vancouver, B.C. in July; Sydney in September and Toronto in November."

Sounds great right? So, how can you buy tickets? Well, the show in London will be held in Alexander Palace on the 3rd-5th of February. However, the 3rd is reserved for complete make-up geniuses (maybe one day that will be me!) so I'm attending on the Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th of February. General admission for both days costs £70 with a student price of £58... huge saving so make sure you have your student card to hand if you own one. After heading over to the IMATS website, if you decide that you only want to attend lectures on one of the two days, it will only cost you £45 or £40 for a student. 

Let me be honest and say that as I haven't been to IMATS before, I can't say whether it is worth this cost. HOWEVER, I can also honestly tell you that had I not obtained a press pass, I definitely would have purchased a ticket this year as I've wanted to go for a while.

 

   

Now the nasty details are over, let me briefly run you through some of the features which really sold IMATS to me... MAC's Director of Make-Up Artistry Terry Barber, their Senior Artist Neil Young AND one of my favorite YouTube beauty gurus pixiwoo will each be presenting a lecture!!! On top of that, there are lectures on everything from Red Carpet Oscars-style and Editorial looks, right the way through to Bridal and even a Goblin Make-Up Demo from Nick Dudman (Harry Potter films veteran make-up artist) and actor Warwick Davis (THAT'S GRIPHOOK TO MY FELLOW HP FANATICS!!!) As if that's not enough, IMATS are also giving stalls to the likes of MAC, Tweezerman, Dermalogica, Illamasqua, MAC PRO, Naked, NYX, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Paperself, Sleek and tons more, so the shopping opportunities should be immense.

To conclude :) You can expect a ton of future posts between now and the show from me as I'm super-duper excited for my first IMATS experience. I encourage anyone who is into make-up in any capacity to purchase a ticket if funds allow, and if you do, perhaps we can meet up and hang out together? I'll need someone there to ensure that I don't collapse from all of the excitement... any takers? :D

I must say a great big 'Thank you' to Melissa at Make-Up Artist for giving me this opportunity, I literally can't wait :)

Will you be attending IMATS? What are you most excited about? Have any of you been to an event like this before?

Love 

gabriellasofia

x