About me

My name is Sandra, I am 26 and I am based in Glasgow/Scotland/UK.

I am obsessed with skincare, make- up, accessories, photography, handmade jewellery and DIY projects.  I also love cooking :)  I am married and I am a mother to a beautiful baby boy Zachary :) 

I always loved reading blogs and I finally decided to start my own to share my passion for beauty products, photography, fashion, home decor and more.

I love to ramble about lipsticks, eyeshadows or an amazing face cream I discovered and that's why most of my posts are beauty related.  You will probably see an occasional outfit, lifestyle or home decor post thrown in for good measure :) 

 I try to stick to natural and organic products and eliminate harsh ingredients from my life, especially in terms of skincare. I make exceptions though,  mostly for makeup.

Oh, and let me introduce you to my husband Scott and my cute baby boy Zachary :) 

FEEL FREE TO GRAB MY BLOG BUTTON:

<a href="http://www.theblackpearlblog.com"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dANpasPCBa8/UPR05HPrVLI/AAAAAAAAQGQ/v0oR2MhjN98/s250/new%2520blog%2520button%2520for%2520the%2520black%2520pearl%2520blog%25202.jpg"/][/" /></a>

<a href="http://www.theblackpearlblog.com"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ibCx4mJnLAQ/UPR05Ffbj_I/AAAAAAAAQGU/HsTb9t-0CJQ/s250/new%2520blog%2520button%2520for%2520the%2520black%2520pearl%2520blog.jpg"/][/" /></a>




I often get asked about my camera equipment, so here is the answer:

I use an Olympus E-510 with two kit lenses (14-42mm and 40-150mm). Please note, that this is an old camera (I've had it for over 5 years) and it isn't the best thing you can get your hands on. It is also falling apart and the lenses are really scratched. The photos E-510 takes are quite dark and I have to use two big studio lights or adjust brightness (or use the curves tool) in Photoshop (CS6) to make them look brighter. It takes a lot of time and effort. I also use a couple of manual Zuiko lenses with a bridge with my SLR, if I want to achieve a blurry background.

I would recommend getting a better camera than this one - Canon, 600D is a cheap option and the quality of the photos it takes is much better and you won't have to spend too much time in Photoshop to make them look brighter etc. I am getting a Canon 600D soon - you can also record  videos with it and it has a flip screen.

Please remember, that it is not about the camera, but the person who takes the photo. Some of my photos are taken with an iPad and people can't tell the difference. Don't feel pressured to get an SLR and studio lights purely for taking blog photos. I bought all my equipment years ago, because I love photography.