Nails 2014 / Q1

I’ve been playing with glitters a lot, lately. 

I’m not a massive fan of glitter polishes, mainly because they are such a pain to remove; but I have a few in my collection so I took them out for a spin, these past few months.

I really like the 'tips dip' look. I feel it looks even better when it’s a couple of days old, uneven and a bit rough around the edges.

Zoya in Rina / Leighton Denny in Honey Trap

I took inspiration for this blue tutorial from Nouvelle Daily… Btw, I need to get my hands on Essie Aruba Blue… *gorgeous!*

Revlon Colorstay in Indigo Night / Essie in On A Silver Platter

Barry M in 354 Amethyst Glitter is so versatile and you can pair it with purples, pinks, blues... a really steal for a few pennies. 

Finally, big shout out to Simply Sarah - a classy lady with great taste and I was lucky enough to win her first Giveaway - Yay Me!!! ;)

... and remember to enter my current Giveaway here too!

Haul / Boots pt.2

Second part of the Boots haul - you can check the 1st part here!

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder - yet another setting powder, you guessed it (see the Bourjois here) but this was kinda of a spur of the moment purchase. I was browsing in store and swatched it randomly; it has such a weird slippery/silicony texture. It looks yellow in the pan but it’s pretty translucent on the skin. I think it could be good to set undereye concealer. What’s everyone opinion on this product?

I’ve been eyeing the Rimmel  London Glam'Eyes HD 5 Colour Eye Shadow palette in 022 Brixton Brown for a while; it doesn’t appear to be anything special but... oh boy, it is. For £6.99 you get 5 pretty and versatile colours and quality is good too; as you can see in the pic above, the centre shade is a revelation: it pulls quite orangy/copper in the swatch and it looks beautiful when layered on top of one of the browns. 

I ran out of my trusty Rimmel London 5in1 Base & Top Coat and went for the Revlon Colorstay Gel-Smooth Base Coat this time. I love the Colourstay range: it’s formaldehyde, toluene and DBP free, too.

I had a Soap & Glory Bath Pillow years ago from a Xmas giftset but sadly broke; I’ve been looking into replacing it and decided to pick up another S&G one. This one is huge!! Too big, actually and it's kinda of awkward to attach to the bath so I cannot recommend it, unfortunately. :(

Boots Essentials Eye Make-Up Remover Pads - I used these years ago; they are cheap as chips (£1.50 for 40 disks) and the wee container keeps them wet until the very last one. I went back to them to deal with stubborn mascara (yep, I’m talking about you Benefit They’re Real). They are very oily, tho – which doesn’t bother me because the product rinses easily – but be aware if you don’t like the feeling of it. They are also great for travelling and fragrance free.

I picked up the A-Derma Sensifluid Cleansing Lotion (to use in conjunction with a toner in the morning) and Garnier Cleansing Wipes Start Afresh (for the gym). The cleansing milk is thicker than others that I used before so I find that half a pump is enough for the whole face; the wipes have a gentle texturised surface, a lovely scent but I'd like them to be a tad bit wetter. 

I'm been wanting to try Una Brennan line for few months and I decided to start with this Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Brighten Dark Circles Eye Cream; definitely interested to check if it delivers with the brightening claims (and that will probably swing me in trying other products or not). I didn't think it was that cheap (12.99GBP) and so far, I'm not a fan of the flowery scent.

Finally for the body:
Garnier Ultimate Anti-Cellulite Oil - they've just come out with 3/4 different types; I chose the anti-cellulite, naturally. I already love it! The grapefruit scent is divine and it's definitely a great budget product for everyday hydration.
Argan 5 + Body Sculpting Serum is a firming body cream and Bionsen Dermoprotective Roll-On Deodorant which is aluminium and paraben free.

*** Have you entered the Spring Giveaway yet??! ***

Haul / Boots pt.1

Ok - so I went a bit overboard in Boots last month but I haven't actually shopped in Boots since November (I've been religiously compiling a list, waiting for the 3for2 offers to start).

I had to split the haul in 2 posts... here we start:

Essie Nail Polish in On A Silver Platter - I don’t even like glitter polishes but I just couldn’t resist this prettiness! It looks silver in the bottle but it's actually gold, when it catches the light; the description says 'violet holographic glitter' but they seem pretty blue to me. In any case, it's beautiful and I bet it will look stunning as an accent on the tip of the nails... can't wait to play with it.

Invisibobble traceless hair ring in Brown - oh yeah, I can’t resist a good gimmick ;) I think they work alright and look pretty. You can do a loose ponytail but can't really go around more than twice (I think they may snap), so couldn't really use them at the gym, for example. Something I wanted to try but I'm not sure that I would buy them again - they feel a bit fragile. Have you tried them?

I bought the Revlon by Marchesa Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliques in Royal Burgundy specifically  to wear them with an outfit for an event (link); I’m usually not a big fan of nail wraps since you basically get a single use out of them and they are outrageously overpriced. These are a beautiful pattern but they lasted nothing! I experienced major tip wear in less than 48hrs. I have a few spare ones left so I’ll try and add a top coat and see if it makes any difference…. Very disappointing! :(

I was actually looking for the Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush but I could not find it anywhere in store or online (in Boots). 

I bought the Real Techniques Blush Brush, instead; I meant to add it to my collection at some point anyway. No complaints: it’s just as dreamy as the other RT brushes that I own. It’s truly fantastic to apply powder blush and super soft.

Bourjois Poudre de Riz de Java - first of all, I love the packaging and the scent (the typical baby powder, like the blushes). 

I think it’s a lovely loose powder! Although it looks pretty sparkly, I can safely use it all over the face lightly and it keeps me shine-free all day; I don’t find it to work as an highlighter on me but definitely add radiance to my complexion.

If you read my end of the year mascaras reviews (link), you’ll know that I’ve been replacing all my old mascaras like a good girl. ;)

There’s too much choice around!!! I was set on a Maybelline one and picked up the Maybelline Volum'Express the Colossal Cat Eyes kind of randomly; some people hate it, some people love it… I liked the look of the wand… I shall let you know I get on.

The second part will be up in a few day - Have you tried any of these products yourself? What is your experience?

Don't forget to enter the Spring Giveaway! :)

FOTD & OOTD / Wedding Guest

Hello lovelies!
I attended an amazing wedding at the weekend - some dear friends got married in a beautiful Scottish location, the bride was stunning and we had a fantastic time.
Since I got all dolled up, I thought I would take full advantage of the occasion... and make a post out of it! :P

***
Dress: Oasis
Earrings: Swarovski
Nails: Revlon by Marchesa Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliques in Royal Burgundy


Face - Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in deauville, Urban Decay Dew Me Moisturizing Make Up Setting Spray, Benefit High Beam, Mac Sheertone Blush in blushbaby, Guerlain Meteorites Perles in teint rose', Kiko Fierce Spirit Sun Bronzing Blush in 103 mariachi pink;
Eyes - Urban Decay Naked 3 palette, Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo in permanent taupe, Kiko False Lashes Concentrate Building Base Mascara, Neve Cosmetics Pastello Natural Eyeliner in cincilla', Chanel Inimitable Mascara, Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara;
Lips - Neve Cosmetics Pastello Natural Lipcolor in sfilata/amaranth, L'Oreal Paris Glam Shine Balmy Gloss in mad for pomegranate.

Shopping My Stash / #11

This week, I've been using the MeMeMe Seventh Heaven primer which never fails to keep me matte; I used it to 'counteract' Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance Foundation (link) dewiness (I haven't been feeling in the mood for this look in winter) but still providing a good coverage; I also set my base with Mac Mineralize SkinFinish Natural in medium. All together a pretty full face but still quick and easy to achieve every morning.

I skipped the highlighter and only used Nars Blush in Sin (link) which is winter epitomised!

On the eyes, I played with different combinations of browns and greens from the Urban Decay Oz Theodora Palette (link) and Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in zero which stands even the wettest of days.
Finally on the lips, I used Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in 096 macaroon (link): the berry/brown shade works really well with Sin and it's moisturising for my wind-battered lips :(

Have you used any of those products before?

1st FOTD of 2014

My skin has been looking a bit dull lately, probably due to all the indulging food of the festivity. I used quite strong hue to brighten the skin but still keeping it fairly simple.

Face: Clinique City Block Sheer SPF25, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 05, Mac Mineralize SkinFinish Natural in medium, Giorgio Armani Master Corrector in pink, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in medium, Becca Beach Tint in guava, Bobbi Brown Face & Body Bronzing Duo;

Eyes: Revlon GrowLuscious mascara, Kiko Water Eyeshadow in 202;

Lips: YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain in Corail Fauve.

Nails 2013 / Q3

A collection of nail looks (don't think they classify as nail art) from the last quarter of the year… I'm not super creative when it comes to nails but nails are always a popular subject… let me know if you like this type of posts! :)

Played with a bit of french manicure here:

Revlon Top Speed in 607 Hazy as base and Revlon ColourStay Longwear Nail Enamel in 180 Indigo Night for the tips. 

Blue polishes are my absolute favourites!

Execution leaves a bit to be desired but I think the matte/glossy combo looks fantastic!
I used Nails Inc in Lily from the Gossip Girl Collection; I don't really like Nails Inc polishes because they take ages to dry but I got to say that this colour lasted well and it's still fluid after few years. For the matte coat - I used Rimmel Matte Finish Top Coat.

I like the liquid sand effect of OPI What Wizardry Is This? It gives such foolproof results, especially if you're in a hurry. I added Pupa Lasting Colour Gel in 18 Delicate Crimson on my ring finger for a pop of colour.

Finally, a Christmasy look: I used a Ted Baker Gold colour from last year giftset and Essence Happy Holidays Nail Sweets that my sister brought me from Italy :)

I've also been using these Revlon Quick Dry Top Coats - one is a 'proper' transparent polish, whilst the second are drops. I like them both equally and don't smudge. I've used Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Speed Dry Drops in the past (which I like a lot!) and definitely recommend these too, for a cheaper alternative.

p.s.: sorry for the poor quality of these photos. Something went wrong when I uploaded them and I've already deleted them from the memory card :(

Empties / December 2013 + Mascara Round-Up

Happy New Year lovelies!

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and a wonderful start to 2014.

I didn't finish many products this month, however I decided to add an end of the year mini mascara reviews.

Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Eye Gel: I'm actually falling in love with Yes To… ranges; this eye cream is no exception. It feels fresh and hydrating and  I also think my concealer looks better when applied above this gel. I like to keep it in the fridge to enhance the cooling effect of the gel.

Repurchase: Yes 

REN F10 Smooth And Renew Mask: I like all the masks that I have tried from REN but I think they are all very similar; like the Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask (which is my favourite), this is a chemical exfoliant that eats at the superficial layer to reveal a smoother skin.

Repurchase: Maybe 

Lavera Hand Cream: at first I loved this cream but soon the scent started to annoy me; It's just too herbaly for my liking, I wish it would just smell like almond & shea butter - the main ingredients. It's a shame because I like the fresh consistency: it really feels like a splash of water and dries super fast.

Repurchase: No

First Aid Beauty Gentle Body Wash: this wee bottle had been sitting in my cabinet for far too long. Scent-free and nothing special in my opinion.

Repurchase: Nope

I'm definitely guilty of not changing my mascaras enough but I recently bought some new ones and I kept these for this post; as a rule of thumb, I don't like wet formulas and I prefer volume to length.

THUMB UP: 

One of my favourite mascaras of all time is Clinique High Impact Mascara; I usually prefer a plastic wand to the fiber but this one is super soft and flexible and create amazing volume effortlessly. 

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara does exactly what it says on the tube - create tons of volume! As mentioned above, I like the short plastic teeth of the wand that are great to coat even the shortest lashes.

Benefit Bad Gal Blue Mascara: not a big fan of the huge brush and it dried out pretty fast but I always got loads of compliments for the colour.

t-b: Benefit, L'Oreal, Clinique

NEUTRAL: 

These mascaras didn't particularly impress me but I didn't hate them either. ;)

Ellis Faas mascara is impressive to hold the curl but the wand is too long, which makes it awkward to apply; I like the brush of the Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara which is flat on one side; I'm not a fan of scented mascara tho and this one has a strong floral smell.

t-b: Ellis Faas, Lancome

THUMB DOWN:

I know that many people like the Revlon GrowLuscious Mascara but it just didn't work for me: I think because the brush is too big and I couldn't really get in there at the root of the lashes; it also stung my eyes when removing it at the end of the day. Similar experience with the Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara that has an even bigger brush.

The downfall of the Collection 2000 Extreme Coloured Lenghtening Mascara is the quality; maybe mine was faulty but it was completely dry from the beginning… and I like dry mascaras so enough said. The colour simply didn't transfer and was flaky - shame because the brush looks good!

t-b: Revlon, Soap & Glory, Collection 2000

Anyway, I enjoyed having a wee break from the blog and just spend the holidays with the family… but now I'm looking forward to another year filled and shared with beauty with you! :)
xxx