Hello!

Hello and welcome to my new blog!
I've been lurking around reading and enjoying other people's makeup blogs and youtube videos for some time now, and thought it might be fun to give it a go myself. If anyone stumbles upon this and enjoys reading this then that would be great.

Here's a little about me. My full name is Lillian Lee Low, I'm a 21 year old an artist and illustrator. I live in London with my Mum, my girlfriend and our menagerie (3 cats, 1 dog, 1 rat and 3 guinea pigs). I have social anxiety disorder and social phobia, if you don't know this basically means i am so shy it is painful, crippling, causes panic attacks and affects nearly all aspects of my life. I find talking to strangers basically impossible, and in fact i even find it difficult to talk amongst my friends and family sometimes. I thought maybe starting a video log would be a good way for me to practice talking in a 'safe' environment, so i apologise if i'm a bit jittery and anxious-looking in my videos.

Anyway, while i'm a bit eccentric and kinda funny looking, i am very much a girly girl and absolutely love playing with make-up, dressing up and of course shopping. I have a serious retail therapy problem, which isn't great for a poor artist! I also love music, going clubbing and to gigs, watching films, slobbing around and generally goofing off.

I'm on holiday at the moment, staying in Antrim (near Belfast) in my girlfriends parents house. We are house-and-dogsitting and relaxing. While i've been here i've already bought some MAC from the duty free at the airport on the way, and yesterday we went into Belfast to shop and i got some things from Sally beauty. I've also just discovered there is an Illamasqua counter in Belfast, and as i've been itching to try out that brand for a while it seems like good enough reason to go back into town before we head home next week. So after that i hope to make my first video and proper review post :)

Now, as this is a make-up centred blog, here is a survey i stole from one of my favourite bloogers, Magpie sparkles (www.magpiesparkles.com), which i thought would make a good introduction:

1) On average, for application of your typical day-to-day work/college make up, how long do you spend?
Well i don't actually leave the house to work, and i've just graduated, so for the majority of the time i just wear moisturiser and lip balm :P But any time i have to pop out i slap on a basic face of mascara and lipstick, and that takes about 10 minutes. If i'm going out for the whole day i spend about 20-30 minutes, and a further 10 for my hair.

2)On average, for application of your going out/special make up, how long do you spend?
At least an hour.

3) If you were to be stranded on a desert island, which 4 products would you want with you?
A supply of very high factor (50 or over) sun tan lotion, as i burn to a hideous crisp without it.
A good red lipstick (my favourite at the moment is Mac's Dame Edna lipstick in Kanga-Rouge)
A good black mascara (my favourite currently is Lancome's Oscillation)
Lip balm!

4) What beauty ‘must haves’ do you always carry in your handbag?
A hand mirror, a powder compact, whatever lipstick or gloss i am wearing that day.

5) Which drugstore brand would be your favourite?
Probably Barry M, because they have such an amazing colour range, their lipsticks and nail varnishes are fantastic quality whilst being affordable.

6) High street or high end make up brands?
While i love high end makeup, and it is often better quality, i would probably go for high street makeup, as you can often get good reproductions of higher end products. I'd rather have both though!

Fashion
7) On average, how long does it take you to get dressed/select your day-to-day outfits?
About half an hour i guess.

8 ) On average, how long does it take you to get ready for a special occasion/night out?
Probably about an hour, not including the time for make-up and hair.

9) If you could only choose one item of clothing from your wardrobe, i.e jeans, which would be your favourite?
Definately dresses.

10) What outfit gives you instant feel good factor?
At the moment i have two, a red playsuit from New Look with a white pattern of mermaids, fish, starfish and other sealife which i wear with a pair of red wedges from Office and sometimes a sailors hat, and a white dress from Topshop with red hearts on it that look like they've been drawn with lipstick and a heart shaped cut out panel in the back. I can't wear a bra with it but amazingly my (34FF D:) boobs look ok, which makes me feel good about myself.

11) Which shops do you favour?
H&M, Topshop, Asos.com, irregular choice, etsy and ebay and fabric shops.

12) High street or high end clothes?
Definately High street, i can only think of 2 pieces of high end clothing i have.

xxx