About 30SomethingMel

DISCLAIMER – All views on this site are my own. I am not paid to endorse any products nor are my reviews influenced by PR’s or Companies/Brands. All products are purchased myself, less otherwise stated. If an item is sent to me for review purposes it does not mean it will get a glowing review, I am still honest in my opinions. If an item is sent to me for review purposes it does not guarantee I will review it if I do not feel it is suitable or beneficial too my blog. I pride myself on being completely true and honest about products and if I do not like them I feel I owe it to my viewers/readers they know my feelings.

If you would like me to consider a product for a review or tutorial please contact me via email or my contact form.

Here’s some information about me personally and about me as a person…

Skills:

I am a qualified hair dresser, I have also trained as a btec makeup artist and have recently qualified as a Nail Technician.

Hair:
I have hair that sits about 6″ below my shoulders. I am naturally a dark ash blonde (Around a 7 in depth on most colour charts with under tones of ash and gold). My hair currently a medium brown (Around a base shade 5). My hair is medium-thick in texture and in quite good condition. I have mainly straight hair with a slight wave in places (Only when wet) and also about 5% grey (But please don’t tell anyone!!). I do suffer with psoriasis on my scalp this is minor and doesn’t stop me using most products. I regularly use curling iron, straighteners and a hair dryer. I am also rarely seen without extensions, I prefer clip in Extensions as I find them more versatile but am open too trying different things.

 

Skin:

Face – I have combination skin on my face, dry under my eyes around my nose and slightly on my chin with a slightly oily t-zone. My skin is generally good bar some eczema under my eye area, this does not flair up with use of other products nor does it get irritated. I have minimal out breaks from products (Less they are extremely oily) and don’t have many problems with skin care products. I use a facial wash every day, make up removing wipes and tone and moisturise my face twice a day.
Body: My body skin is generally good in appearance, I moisturise daily and apply fake tan 2 times a week. I also exfoliate twice a week. My skin is normal. I can use most bubble baths, soaps and shower gels.
Hands and Nails: My hands are always dry and in winter get chapped and sore. I am obsessed with applying hand cream and do this frequently throughout the day. My nails are strong whether I have overlay gels on them or not and grown long and don’t break.

 

Coloring: 

My colouring naturally is light/medium toned. I have quite neutral tones in my face. With the constant applications of fake tan I don’t often have my ‘natural’ skin tone showing and am then a medium/dark colouring with warm tones.
Here are some examples of foundation shades that I wear;

Foundation Colors:

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation (25 hours) Shade 200 Soft Beige

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (16 hours) Shade 55 Dark Beige

Chanel Vitalimiere Foundation Shade 40 Beige

Nars Sheer Glow Shade Santa Fe

A little more about me, like you haven’t had enough already with my blog!

I’m Mel (or Melanie but I’ve never really liked my full name) and I live in Essex in the UK. I have 4 gorgeous children who I love to pieces and spoil way too much! I live with my partner Mark in a zoo like environment – I currently have 7 cats and 2 dogs! So its busy and manic!

M & M in London

M & M in London (I’d had my hair cut short 1 week before this photo was taken). This is the last photo with my Gucci sunglasses before my lab puppy ate them!

Things I love; Fake tan, Clinique’s All About Lips, nail varnish, mani/pedi’s with my bestie, hair extensions, false eyelashes, MAC and lots and lots of make-up.

Things I hate; My eyelashes (Too short, too stubby), pink lycra, most items of gold clothing or gold shoes and bad hair colouring!

january2013Me

A current picture of me, taken January 2013

I have always loved beauty stuff and fashion. Not that I was really a girlie girl, far from it and I’m still not now. At school I wanted to be a ‘window dresser’, too much time watching Mannequin I’m sure but that soon changed and I went into graphic design.

I love art and being creative so this really worked for me! I worked for a publishers but got made redundant and was a little lost as to what to do. So I went into hairdresser and got my NVQ. I soon realised unless I could colour all day and be creative it wasn’t for me and went back into graphics. In 2011 I decided too do a course in Nails and have now qualified as a Nail Technician which I absolutely love, this was the year I also did my BTEC in Makeup.

After having my children I decided I needed to get creative again, since then I have gained my level 2 in creative writing and also taken up making jewellery. I am still keen on graphics and designing and also enjoy photography too.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop wanting to learn new things or trying them, which is why I probably enjoying reviewing. I have been a reviewer at a guess now about 10 years.

I started on the likes of Dooyoo and Ciao and as times have changed moved onto Boots and also Goodreads (which is where I review books). I research everything I buy and only when it is a new product do I buy without checking others reviews.

Everyone wants good products and not to waste their money so why not go to someone and see what they say. That’s what I love about the blog and youtube communities, most of the time you are getting a good honest review on something and it gives you the confidence to either buy, or in some cases avoid.

At 37 (Ack I said it!) there’s still a few years left in me and with good genes I don’t actually look my age (Well I’m told I don’t) so can still try most new trends and not look like mutton dressed as lamb.

Me in my 20s

Just for fun, a photo of me in my 20′s.

Anything else you want to know, I guess just pop a comment and ask or drop me an email.

Lots of love,
Mel xxxx