HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!

It's my birthday it's my birthday I'm gonna party like its my birthday! I've officially had this blog for a year and I'm so pleased with what it's become. It's a little place that I have on the internet where I can chat to invisible people and hopefully make them happy for the time they read a post. I've learnt a lot about myself from doing this. Since the summer every time I return home to HK people have come up to me and mentioned my blog in some way, it honestly makes my day! It's something I love and if other people love it too then that's amazing :) 

Here are a few of my favourite posts so far! 

 Considering that the date is New Years Eve, you can probably tell that this blog was my New Years resolution. I have never actually gone through with one of my resolutions before, normally by the end of January I just can't be bothered. But this year has inspired me to make more resolutions which I will try my hardest to follow. I used to create unrealistic or unhealthy goals which I wouldn't even start, my advice is the create resolutions that you want to do. Don't say you're going to stop drinking coffee when you can't function first thing in the morning without it. Make it doable!

Unpopular opinion alert: I don't like New Years Eve. I say it all year but as soon as it gets past Christmas I make it another day to look forward to because you might as well be festive for as long as you can! But I'm always disappointed, you're pressured to get drunk and party your way into the New Year. When I drink there's a 70% chance I will cry and have a mental breakdown just because I'm THAT drunk girl. Thats a very bad way to start a nice new clean fresh year, and to make it worse you wake up puking everywhere the next day.... not a very inspiring start to the year. So I just want you guys to know you don't have to pressure yourself to have the best night ever and start the new year off great.

My resolution this year is to be happy with myself. It's so hard not to overthink your life, there's so much pressured to have fun, get a good job, experience the world. Just focus on you. I get my happiness from people around me, this year I'm focusing on getting my happiness from me. 

Thank you for a years worth of support and I hope next year brings you lots of happiness xxxxx

3 Party Outfits For The Holiday Season

December is a month of parties, dinners and a whole lot of fun. Don't let the cold weather ruin your sparkly spirits!  It's time to get your glad rags on ;) 

Here are a few ideas for some festive outfits you can wear for christmas eve, new year or everyday in-between. I've chosen 3 very different outfits as I know everyone has different styles and clothing preferences, I hope this can help you decide what to wear for your christmas and new year.

A Pop Of Colour 

I am very guilty of grabbing every black piece of clothing I own and wearing them all winter long, with this outfit you can. Just make sure your accessories have a perfect pop of colour and if your feeling really christmasy add a little sparkle in there too. 

Skirt: Forever 21, Shirt: New Look, Necklace: Monsoon, Clutch: Forever 21, Shoes: Steve Madden

I am so in love with this skirt, It's not usually a length I would wear but the sheer floaty over skirt makes it very girly and classy. This skirt would be perfect for anyone who is a little more pear shaped as it is extremely flattering and the floatyness hides any sneaky muffin top. 

Statement necklaces are everywhere at the moment, they add a touch of fancy to any simple shirt or even jumper. 

This bag is just so cute that I couldn't resist not featuring it on the blog! You can use any clutch just as long as it's not black to stand out against your outfit. I personally love the black and pink combination but it would also looks lovely with a gold or silver one. 

The perfect shoes can complete any outfit. I've had these for about 3 years but they alway make an appearance in the festive season because it's the only time of year you can get away with an excessive amount of glitter! 

Let it Sparkle 

Jacket: Cotton On, Top: Forever 21, Shorts: Forever 21, Boots: Steve Madden, Bag: Market.

Told you that I loved glitter!If you can remember way back to my first ever post "New Years Get Ready With me" You'll recognize this shirt ;) This outfit is so simple yet the sparkly top makes it so much more dressy. The best advice I can give you for wearing a sequin top or skirt is to keep the rest of the outfit plain otherwise it will be just too much. This outfit would be perfect for a night out in the holiday season. 

 

Since the top is such a statement in itself, I kept the accessories rather simple and just added bag to throw over my shoulder. A necklace would just get lost amongst all the glitter but if you did want to add a little more bling then a few bracelets or rings.

I've dressed it down by wearing boots but you can pair it with some heels or flats to give it a more formal look. Boots and shorts go together so well because they really flatter your legs. 

Keep It Christmasy 

Jacket: H&M, Playsuit: Zara, Necklaces: Forever 21, Tights: Forever 21, Shoes: Forever 21

This outfit is a little more christmasy with the festive red tights and a nice woolly jacket. The red tights add also add a pop of colour to what would have been a very black outfit. Not only does the jacket keep you nice a warm, but it also adds a cute touch to a fancy outfit. 

Layering necklaces also gives you a statement necklace, the gold goes beautifully against the black and white and it doesn't clash with the red because they are both Christmas colours. 

I decided on a gold clutch to go with this outfit because it matches the necklace, you could also choose a red, white or black bag to match. 

Although flat shoes arn't usually my first choice for party wear, I thought these were an exception as they look so elegant that the fact they're not heels isn't too noticeable from the front. They also stand out beautifully against the red tights. 

Which outfit do you like the best and what will you be wearing this holiday season? Have a very Merry Christmas everyone xx 

The 12 Nail Polishes Of Christmas

 13 days until Christmas 

Christmas is a time of magic and sparkle. From dressing up for christmas parties, to having a cozy nights in watching christmas movies. The best way to dress up any outfit is through nail polish, a simple black dress can be transformed into a christmas classic with some glistening gold nails. So I'd thought i'd give you a few simple ideas to make you nails party ready! And of course there's 12 nail polishes because I like to play on words like that ;) 

1 Polish Wonders 

Sharon- Andrea Fullerton 

Paired with a white coat or black jumper, a simple grey can really add a classy touch to an outfit. It also adds a subtle winter wonderland feel without being to in your face christmasy. 

Jingle Bells- Barry M 

Talking about in your face christmasy, even the name of this nail polish is OTT christmas, with a black dress this polish will glisten and sparkle. The occasion flecks of red really make this polish stand out. 

Crush- Barry M 

A classic all red nail is always a christmas favorite. This matt nail polish will stand out beautifully against a cream cardigan or even go with your cringe christmas jumper. 

Frozen 

Bottom Coat: Office - American Apparel 

Top Coat: Aqua Glitter - Barry M 

A true Elsa nail polish look for you Frozen fans! I know most of you wont have a blue dress made out of ice hanging in your wardrobe but don't worry, these nails will add a glistening winter touch to an all white or black outfit. 

Tinsel Town 

Bottom Coat: Don't Pretzel My Buttons- OPI

Top Coat: Sugar Crystals- Maybelline 

Simple, classy and a touch of sparkle, who wouldn't love this combination? Anything from a leopard print skirt to a onesie this colour will literally go with anything and give you a gorgeous twinkle when they catch the light. 

New Years Eve 

Purple: Ice Queen - Maybelline 

Silver- Light Up - Maybelline

Although these are christmas nails, I think this combination will be a perfect New Years look. The bright purple will contrast against the silver and add a real sense of party to go with your new outfit. 

Chocolate Truffle 

Gold: Oil Slick- Accessorize

Brown: Wooden Shoe Like To Know - OPI

Everyone loves a chocolatey treat during the holiday, even your nails. If you want to be christmasy without too much sparkle or red then this look is perfect for you. Against white or cream will give you a cozy winter look. 

Candy Cane Lane 

Bottom Coat: Crush- Barry M 

Top Coat: Light Up- Maybelline

Christmas wouldn't be christmas without a candy cane, too sugary and sweet but so pepperminty and delicious. Your nails will bring the party to any gathering, paired with red the silver will shine against both the nails and your outfit. 

Classic Christmas 

Gold: Gold Flash- American Apparel 

Red: Crush - Barry M 

You can never go wrong with the classic christmas colours red and gold. The red matt colour will be a subtle touch but paired with a gorgeous gold you'll be ready to collect a kiss from under the mistletoe. Paired with black or any other dark colour will really make them stand out. 

Hope you are all up to date with your christmas shopping and decorating. Which nails are your favorite? xx 

Brow Down To Me

 Now i've only just recently stated to realize that eyebrows are an important part of your face, everyone sees them all the time and that kinda freaks me out. Your eyebrows control a large part of your facial expression and with good brows comes big responsibility.

I only started plucking my eyebrows after some girl came up to me and sarcastically said "your eyebrows are so nice do you pluck them?" I legit looked at my brows for an hour that day thinking they were horrible hairy caterpillars. After that  started plucking.....a lot. One day I got so crazy about how bad they were I plucked nearly all of them out and was stuck with thin little sticks above my eyes that my brother laughed at. So as you can guess I was a little stuck for what my next brow move should be. Before year 11 prom my friend took me to her beauty centre I would say spar but it really wasn't like one. She told me I should get my brows threaded, which I thought thought was a very strange way to remove hair but I went along with it because why not? And yes my eyes watered extreme amounts that every working there laughed at me and yes they were all red and puffy. But once that all went away they were perfect!

So now i've said my goodbyes to the tweezers and leave my eyebrows to the professionals and for only 4 pound at Superdrug once a month it's a really easy way to maintain them.

Before threading them:

After threading them: 

As you can see they are so much neater and the shape is more defined making your look fierce. 

Now for my eyebrow routine, I don't do this everyday because i don't wear makeup everyday but when  I feel like looking like a badass then i'll step my eyebrow game up to the next level using only 3 products.

I normally leave my brows till the end of my makeup routine so I can work out how dark or structured they need to be. 

Firstly I take an brow brush, usually they are on the end of an eyebrow pencil as a little 2 in 1 kinda thing. I brush them all neat and in place making sure there are no little stray hairs affecting my game! 

Then taking my Maybelline 'Master Shape' brow pencil in the shade soft brown (they also do lighter and darker shades). I fill my eyebrows in from the start so they look fuller and a little darker for a stand out look. I then fill in any gaps in the rest of my brow and draw a little more shape into it so that it looks more defined. 

Then its back to the brush to smudge the pencil into the brow so that it all looks like natural beauty (no one needs to know ;) ) 

Now I promise I'm not sponsored by Maybelline or anyone for that matter but I used their "Brow Drama' sculpting brow mascara in medium brown. This helps your eyebrows to stay in place throughout the day as it gently places them down on your face. 

Now for the final step. Using any white eyeshadow place a shadow line underneath your brow so that it contrasts with the darkness of your eyebrow and gives it the finishing touch of definition that it needs to make you look hot as hell! 

And the finishing look: 

I hope you all feel as beautiful as you are. Don't let anyone tell you differently xx

The Makeover

 If you read my blog you'll notice I did a complete overhaul of it. But if you're new then HELLO heres a little context. Firstly my URL and my blog title has changed from "nicolealexandraslater" to "thathongkonggirl"- probably the biggest change you can make to a website. Next you'll see the traditional red background and pink writing have been replaced with a very noticeable black and gold theme. You can spot more changes as you read but I wanted to make this post to explain why I have chosen to change the blog's identity. 

I made this blog in January last year, I was still trying to keep that fact that I was from Hong Kong on the down low. But recently It's been hard pretending that my whole life hasn't happened. The people I care about most know everything about me and that is all I should think of. Why should I keep the most interesting aspect of my life, the thing that most describes me as a person a secret because I don't want to make people angry? To be honest being raised in Hong Kong is the only exciting thing about me. Why should everyone else get to show off their best qualities, when I have to tell some boring story? - rant over. 

But back to the blog change, I'm also thinking about changing the content a little. Of course i'll still do beauty and fashion posts but I would also really like to do some personal ones. Like this post! You'll see more of my personality (if you like this new/unfake me?) I hope you do. But we'll see how it goes.

Also I did a little photo shoot for my friend and me being the vain person I am, want to show you them!

I really appreciate all the support you guys give me and hope you're okay with this change xx 

Dead Prom Queen Halloween Tutorial

I was pretty stuck this year when I was thinking about my costume, for many years I have been going as slutty rather than scary and I wanted to mix things up. What's more scary then a bratty high school prom queen who is back from the dead?   I was never voted prom queen in high school so this is my way of getting back (just kidding....or am I?) 

Top tip before we start, use brushes that you don't mind ruining! 

Firstly I painted my whole face white with just white face paint (please don't use real paint I know its obvious but just incase) try and go for a more moist paint, it makes smudging a lot easier. For the parts that didn't go white very well I put a whitish nude eyeshadow on. 

I then applied black eyeshadow very roughly on my eyelids, you don't have to make it look like you're actually going to prom. If you're wondering I used Urban Decay "Blackout" because it's far to dark for me to use with normal makeup. I then lightly put a line of the same shadow my the bottom of my eye.  

To make my eyes look more bruised and dead like I put purple cream eyeshadow under my eye as well and smudged it into the black eyeshadow. Do the same to your eyelids as well to give yourself 2 very black eyes. 

Then I applied my usual eyeliner on my waterline, try and avoid touching your face when you do it or else you'll smudge your paint off! Then using a liquid eyeliner give yourself a cat wing on your eyelids. 

Then put on a pair of big long black...eyelashes ;) eyelashes can be difficult to work with but use the cat eye you made with the liquid liner as a guide. They will made your eyes pop and look really dramatic. 

Halloween just isn't the same without a little or a lot of sparkle, even if you are trying to be scary. I used Urban Decay's Glitter Glaze and applied it under my eye and on my eyelid. It is a little thick or I smudged it into the eye shadow to add to the bruising. 

Then going back to the trusty black eyeshadow, I put a thick amount under my eyes and smudged in down my face. This will make it look like you've been crying a lot because well....you're dead.  

I then put mascara on my bottom lashes and a little on my top ones, becuase you've still gotta look glamours, you weren't voted prom queen for nothing. 

I then filled my eyebrows in with the black eye shadow to give myself a more haunted look as the black contrasts to the white paint.

Now to give your lips the bloody attention they need (not swearing I genially mean bloody) First outline your lips with a red lip liner it doesn't matter if its messy, it one corner of your mount colour it outside the line to make it look like your lip has been slip open. I then used Benefits Bene Tint, I used this instead of red lipstick on my lips and corner of my mouth because I thought it gave it a more bleeding effect. 

This is where the fun really starts in the form of fake blood, you can really do anything with it. I used it a dramatize my split lip by putting it on my finger tips and rubbing the blood along the cut. I then got a bit excited and carried away and decided to cut my cheek up and put some blood on the side of my forehead. 

I decided to make the blood on my forehead into a bruise by adding some Bene Tint to it to make it look more red and outlining it with black eyeshadow. By mixing the black and red together a kinda purply red colour is made making it look like a fresh blow to the head. 

Now for hair, I wanted to have it up as It means more of my horrendous face is on show! I put it in a messy high pony tail and using a high donut I put it into a bun. 

Once my hair was nice and tidy in the bun I proceeded to pull bits of hair out of it to make it look like i've been running for my life. 

This is a perfect time to crown yourself queen, enjoy this moment it might be your last. Make sure you pin it on tightly especially if you going on a night out with it, we all know what drunk people are like.  (Crown was £5 from Claire's) 

Put your outfit on (mine was £20 off Ebay) and get ready to make everyone shit themselves! 

Happy Halloween Everyone! What are you planning on going as? xx