The Little Beauty Blogger

LUSH Creamed Almond & Coconut Smoothie

2012-01-26T09:10:00.002Z

Okay, so I probably should have blogged about this earlier as this specific product has now been discontinued but who knows, they may bring it back as a retro product. I don't know if all of their shower smoothies reflect the quality of this one (may have to buy another type and see... for review purposes of course(!)) but here's what I thought of LUSH's shower smoothie!

What's in it and what does it do?
Shower smoothies are supposed to be soft soaps - A bit like a creamy shower gel I guess. It's supposed to be very moisturising and it was but I found it to be very waxy on the skin after washing it off.

How much and how long?
I got this as part of the My Fair Lady hatbox and it was a little 100g pot. The other shower smoothies are around £9 - £16 for 200g - 250g pot. A little doesn't go a long way for this product and so I use massive dollops of this - A 100g pot lasted me two weeks.

How does it smell?
When I opened this for the very first time it smelt absolutely beautiful and the name described it perfectly. Once opened in a warm shower however the scent disappeared completely and it's never been the same again - The beautiful scent has just disappeared into thin air!

Other comments:
Would I buy this myself? Nope! I will probably try another in the range though to see if it's just this one didn't work for me.
Would I recommend it? Nope, unless waxy unscented shower gels are your thing ;)

Models Own To Launch A Bottleshop!

2012-01-24T11:52:00.000Z

I literally squealed when I opened up the email and saw this! Models Own are going to be opening a Bottleshop in Westfield White City in April 2012!

It will be located opposite Top Shop, Apple and Zara (nice!) and will include all their 200 colours, cosmetics and some in-store exclusives. I love the fact that it's the something different and will be in shape of a bottle - I can't wait to see it in person when it's up and running!

L'Occitane Fleur Cherie Hand Cream

2012-01-19T10:55:00.001Z

Since running out of my L'Occitane Shea Butter hand cream I have been experimenting with various others, including this Fleur Cherie one - Which I also got on a magazine offer for free!

Will upload a better picture later today!
What's in it and what does it do?
It's mainly made up of grape seed oil and Shea butter. It has a considerably lighter texture than the Shea Butter hand cream, almost quite liquid. It sinks in quickly, gets to work straight away and it does do a good job at keeping my hands moisturised but the Shea Butter does an even better job!

How much and how long?
I of course got this 'free' with InStyle magazine in Oct '10 (LOL) but the travel sized tubes, 30ml, retail for £7.50. This travel tube, which I use every night before bed, will last me about 2 months!

How does it smell?
It has a pleasant floral scent - I am guessing it's the neroli!

Other comments:
Would I buy it again? Probably not as I prefer the heavier texture of the Shea Butter.
Would I recommend it? If you prefer lighter hand creams and like floral scents, yes!

Metallic Union Jack Nails

2012-01-14T14:28:00.000Z

Bit of a late post but I actually did these to 'celebrate' the Duchess of Cambridge's birthday... which was on Monday! I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to wear these metallic false nails from Elegant Touch and this royal red polish and this was the time. I really hope the nails are not Limited Edition like it says on the package, as I reckon they are pretty fantastic for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations on 5th June 2012! I can't remember the last time I tried false nails (I am guessing once when I was like 14/15) but these really impressed me - They lasted a whole week, before I removed them myself and the design didn't wear off either!

Products used:
- Save The Nail Repair & Rescue Treatment
- Orly Reel Him In
* Viva La Nails rhinestone rounds in Dark Blue
- Elegant Touch Queenie Rocks Union Jack Nails
- Orly In A Snap

Korres Leave On Conditioner

2012-01-10T08:48:00.001Z

Before I finished using my TIGI Rockaholic leave in conditioner I started my search for a new one. My first port of call was to feelunique and immediately I found a new list of things to try there. I decided to give the Korres one a go as I haven't tried any of their haircare products before.

Price & Size
For this 150ml bottle I bought mine for £9.50 from feelunique.com. Slightly pricier than TIGI but I thought since it's Korres it would be worth it. This spray dispenses a lot of product in one pump onto the hair so you have to keep it quite far to ensure you do not overload your hair with product, which is very easy to do with this.

Ingredients
If you're interested in the ingredients, click here.

Scent
Absolutely hate it - Smells like strong aftershave! The scent lingers on till you next wash it as well!

Recommend?
The actual conditioner itself is good but I wouldn't recommend it as the scent is way too strong for my taste. I think this is a product which is going to be sitting on my shelves for quite a while as I have just been avoiding using it whenever I can!

Airy Fairy

2012-01-03T15:39:00.002Z

I was inspired by this (bottom right) picture on the Nail Girls' blog and wanted to try and recreate something similar for myself. I did an 'OK' job but can clearly do with a lot more practise ;) I also did the French tips a lot thinner than I usually do... And I think I will stick to this in the future as it looks a lot better IMO!

Products used:
- Save The Nail Repair & Rescue Treatment
- Eyeko Petite polish
- Models Own Snow White (tips)
- Models Own & WAH white nail art pen
- Orly In A Snap

Reader's 2010 Favourites

2012-01-01T22:34:00.003Z

First of all... Happy New Year everyone!! Hope you all have a wonderful year ahead of you :)
I thought I'd go through my reader's favourite posts from 2010 today... I don't want to bore you so will just stick to the top 3!

Most viewed and searched for :
1 - The most viewed post on my blog for 2010 was my review on the Toni & Guy's Deep Barrel Waver. This was the 1st and 3rd most searched for post, after shortiee31 (my old blog name)!
2 - Deborah Lippmann dupes came second for most viewed and searched for post.
3 - And finally in third place we have GOSH Nail Glitters, again the third most viewed and searched for post!

Take care and enjoy the final day of 'festive fun' tomorrow! :)

Sparkle & Shine

2011-12-28T12:04:00.001Z

I knew at one point during December I wanted to wear this super glitzy nail polish and so here it is! I pretty much copied this look from HollyYM as I loved how subtle it was, yet it still made an impact. Removing glitter will always be a pain but hopefully by keeping it restricted just to the tips it will make life a bit easier ;) I used Orly's Rage as my base colour - A gorgeous metallic rose gold (super hard to capture).

Products used:
- Save The Nail Repair & Rescue Treatment
- Orly Rage
- NYX Girls Nail Polish in Carnival
- Orly In A Snap

Happy Christmas!

2011-12-24T09:35:00.000Z

So I am pretty sure most of us will be running around tomorrow and so I thought I'd wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas now!
I am one of those people who do enjoy Christmas and I got into the festive spirit by making little Gingerbread men as little gifts for everyone and this year I attempted my first ever Gingerbread house. For a first attempt I am pleased with it but it took an awful lot of work - About a whole day's worth put together!

Hope those celebrating Christmas once again this year have a wonderful time... And to those who aren't - Hope you're enjoying the holidays and celebrations! :)

Candy Canes

2011-12-22T09:21:00.003Z

How I had been waiting all year to do this stripy colour combo...! This was inspired by a picture I saw on fuckyeahprettynails about a year ago and once my red striper brush had arrived this was the first thing I painted on. Very easy to do and I got plenty of compliments at the Secret Santa do I went to - I think I have found my Christmas manicure! :)

Products used:
- Save The Nail Repair & Rescue Treatment
- Models Own Snow White
- Orly Instant Artist in Fiery Red
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

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Philosophy Peppermint Hot Cocoa

2011-12-15T09:50:00.004Z

I have had this shower gel for a very long time (2 years) but only opened it up last month as I have been using various other bath/shower products! I love the packaging that this bottle came in... So Christmassy! So onto the shower gel itself... :)

What's in it and what does it do?
The ingredients list is very foreign to me but you can find it here if you're interested. Just like VBC this feels slightly greasy after washing it off but it does leave my skin soft like it says it will! I am guessing that all their shower gels are like this, so if you like the squeaky-clean fresh feeling you may want to try a smaller bottle or avoid this one.

How much and for how long?
I got this for $16 back in 2009 but I believe their shower gels are still $16 in the USA but £14-19 in the UK (lovely). The bottles are pretty big though - 480ml for these large ones. I don't think this is available in the UK but I think this may be available in the USA still!

How does it smell?
Just like the description/name says, a hot chocolate with peppermint undertones! Initially you just smell the cocoa but after creating lather, which is very easy to do, the peppermint comes through very nicely. The scent doesn't linger at all so you don't need to worry about it getting too sickly!

Other comments:
Would I buy it again? As nice as it is and as much as I love the outer packaging, I prefer Vanilla Birthday Cake... And so I probably won't buy this specific one again.
Would I recommend it? If chocolate shower gels are your thing, then you'll love this!

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Gingerbread Men

2011-12-12T09:27:00.004Z

A little idea popped into my head yesterday and I set about creating these Gingerbread Men nails! I plan on making a gingerbread house this year and thought these nails would be very suitable as it ties in perfectly with the Christmas theme too ;)

Products used:
- Save The Nail Repair & Rescue Treatment
- Eyeko Petite Polish - This post also has a sparkly mani very suitable for the party season!
- Models Own Bronze Rage
- Models Own & WAH black nail art pen
- Models Own & WAH white nail art pen
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Beauty Buys

2011-12-10T11:17:00.001Z

It's been a while since I did a beauty haul post, so here's one today! I recently took a trip to LUSH to get some Christmas goodies for myself, particularly Snowcake soap (LE) and Yuzu & Cocoa bubble bar (not LE). While I was shopping for myself, instead of buying Christmas presents for others, I headed to Boots and got some essential items as well as a red lip liner by Rimmel in time for the "red lip season"!

I also got a new base coat and top coat by Save The Nail - I have used the top coat before and I would say it works better than the Nails Inc one so this is a repurchase! Another repurchase love is the L'Oreal Voluminous mascara... Again, sticking to what I know here ;) One new item I did purchase from Boots however is the VO5 hairspray which claims to be weatherproof and curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to see if this was better than my Umberto Giannini ones!

A while ago (you may have seen my tweets) Buyapowa had the UDPP going on for a bargainous £9 so I also bought that. The new packaging is so much better and I am really pleased to have got it at such a good price. I would recommend checking Buyapowa regularly for amazing beauty deals as they go very quickly! And with that note, I'm done :)

West Hollywood It-Girl

2011-12-07T10:09:00.004Z

I am back with some Christmassy nails again... Surely a bit of glitter and a bow or 2 seems suitable for the party season? ;) I got the ncLA glittery nail polish in the HPMSocial goody bag and I found it too sheer to wear alone, so I applied a matching colour underneath to save the trouble of applying 3/4 coats of glitter. I hadn't tried or heard of ncLA before receiving this; the polish has quite a matte but smooth finish - I of course applied a top coat to give it more dimension and because I like a glossy finish. Finally I painted on a golden bow for a finishing touch!

Products used:
- Save The Nail Repair & Rescue Treatment
- Models Own Pink Fever
- ncLA West Hollywood It-Girl
- Models Own Gold Rush
- Models Own & WAH black nail art pen
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Hershesons At HPMSocial

2011-12-04T09:31:00.000Z

One of the highlights of my day at HPMSocial was getting my hair done at the pop up Hershesons blow dry bar... And so this is what I shall be writing about! The rest of my day pretty much went like this and so I won't be blogging about it but I shall direct you to Nerd About Town's blog instead :)

I have longed to get my hair done at Hershesons and have been following their website/blog for quite a few years now. I hadn't actually gone to their salon/bars to get one of the styles myself as I haven't had a need to get my hair styled professionally but it was definitely on the to-do list (and still is)! For those of you who don't know, Hershesons have 10 different hairstyles (you can view them here) which they can recreate for you in 30 minutes for £24 at any one of their blow dry bars in London - A truly brilliant concept I am sure you will agree!

So as you can see in the photos above I opted for 'The Big and Brushed' - Volume and movement galore! (Thank you Stephanie for the first picture!) My hair was looking pretty flat and dull after the morning madness of trying to get there on time, (three platform changes within 10 minutes anyone?) I was pretty pleased that the Hershesons girls were there on hand! The lovely Jenna did my hair and I was totally in love with it... Sadly as my hair couldn't be freshly washed beforehand, it only lasted a couple of hours but it was a beautiful affair while it lasted ;)
One day Hershesons, one day....

Bad Romance

2011-12-01T19:20:00.001Z

It seems like another Deborah Lippmann (Bad Romance) dupe people! I feel like I haven't worn any purples in such a long time so decided to bust these out and put that right :) Same excuse goes for the polka dots too! I did these quite a while ago but only found the pictures hiding somewhere now....

Products used:
- Models Own Lilac Dream
- Models Own Purple Pasion (polka dots)
- Models Own Black Magic
- NYX Girls Nail Polish in Super Funk
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Boots Christmas Shopping Event!

2011-11-29T08:55:00.001Z

It's that time where we all get our Advantage Cards at the ready! Boots Christmas shopping events are back for one day only on either Wednesday 30th November (tomorrow) or on Thursday 1st December! All you have to do is spend £50 to get £12 worth of Advantage card points!

I have had my shopping list full of essentials ready for a while now so should be able to meet the £50 mark required ;) For those who can't make it to a store you can collect £12 worth of points for every £75 spent on Boots.com from Wednesday to Thursday only. Enter your postcode here to find out where your nearest participating Boots store is :)

Candle Comparisons

2011-11-26T09:44:00.000Z

Like many others at this time of year, I love lighting a candle a few times a week. Last year the candle brand that appeared to pop up everywhere was Lily Flame and so I requested the Chocolate Truffle in a tin for Christmas. I was pleased with the packaging but was slightly disappointed when it didn't smell like the real deal and didn't disperse around the room quickly.

This year Yankee Candles and Jonathan Ward seem to be the big thing in candle world (to me). I am going to put my hands up and say that I am a bit cheap when it comes to candles and so I decided to buy a few samplers of the Yankee Candles. I shopped around and came across Yankee.co.uk where I found some which were on special offer. As you can see I bought Candy Corn (which smells quite warm and sweet), Baby Powder ( light soft scent, not very strong which disappointed me) and Christmas Cookie (which smells like vanilla cookies)!

If you are looking for a cheap and highly fragranced candle I would recommend Jelly Belly - I got the Toasted Marshmallow candle and it smells beautiful (if you like foody scents)!
Also has anyone tried any candles from Bake Boutique? They all sound scrumptious!

White Christmas Nails

2011-11-24T15:32:00.001Z

So sorry for not posting for a whole week - I have been crazy busy and have had no time to sit down and type away! Everything should be back to normal now, hopefully!
I am so ready for Christmas this year, especially after missing out last year (yes, I am still going on about that)! With December just around the corner I have started trialling possible looks to contend for my Christmas Day and New Year's manicure... And this is hopefully the first of many. This White Christmas themed manicure was inspired by WAHnails :)

Products used:
- Models Own Snow White
- Lancome Vernis Absolu, shade Lunaire (pearlised iridescent pink)
- Models Own Sterling Silver
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Simple Gentle Care Shampoo

2011-11-17T12:34:00.001Z

I've got a couple of shampoo's that I have meaning to review and have repurchased (this itself speaks volumes) and so I have decided to review this before I move onto another one!

Price & Size
I bought mine from Boots for a mere £2.54 for a 200ml bottle. I do get through this pretty quickly as I need quite a bit to make it lather up for my reasonably long hair. It really is gentle and in this cold, dry weather my scalp is really happy with this! I do feel like I need to use a more 'stripping' shampoo to get rid of build up every once in a while though.

Ingredients
If you're interested, you can find the ingredients list here.

Scent
This shampoo has a very light, almost non-existent scent that I can't even make out what it is! Perfect if you're load up on other hair products which do have scents to them as they won't mix too much.

Recommend?
If you tend to get a sensitive scalp during the colder months, I would recommend giving this a go. I would indeed purchase this myself, again, as I have already done so!

The Lash Diary - Vintage Cosmetic Company Connie

2011-11-15T10:14:00.004Z

The last time I tried false eyelashes from the Vintage Cosmetic Company, you may remember I wasn't too impressed. The whole range consist of very wearable false eyelashes but Betty just didn't do it for me. Connie on the other hand, I love. It's one of those eyelashes you could wear literally every day. I am not talking about random girls here by the way, each of the false eyelashes have different names!

I did notice that the Connie pair didn't lift off the edges and did last after hours of wear (around 8 to be precise) and plenty of dancing. Yes, the pictures were once again taken at the end of the night! I also found the band much thinner and flexible than it was the last time - This would be because the band varies between the different eyelashes. At this point I should state that the picture below is of the eyelashes after being worn and the band is holding onto the glue and black liquid eyeliner from the night before!

If you think false eyelashes won't/don't suit you then I suggest you try these ones out as you can't go wrong with them! The eyelashes are priced at £6 and are stocked in following boutiques - The Powderpuff Girls, Truly Madly Vintage and Amzi Boutique.

Monochrome Stripes

2011-11-12T08:40:00.000Z

As I said in another post a while ago, I wanted to experiment more with my black & white nail art pens... A couple of weeks later and I am back with this simple look! It was very quick to do and it just adds an extra touch :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Barry M Lollipop26
- Models Own & WAH black nail art pen
- Models Own & WAH white nail art pen
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

The Lash Diary - 2true

2011-11-09T09:56:00.001Z

I was on the lookout for a couple of inexpensive falsies and came across these 2true Glamour Lashes. I wore them out to a surprise 60th birthday party I attended last Friday and even though they fared well, I won't be repurchasing them again.

As you can see in the blurry shot below, the Glamour lashes have a very obvious white band. This was quite tricky to cover up and I had to apply liquid eyeliner twice over them to ensure it didn't show. Another thing which has put me off buying these eyelashes again? There were a few bits of clear plastic stuck to the band of the lashes - Not something you want to put near your eyes. As I was only going to be applying them once, I carried on with the tedious task of removing them carefully and applying the lashes.

These lashes have a slight spiky look to them but are very wearable. The white band is flexible and so the ends didn't pop up even after 6 hours of wear. All the photos were taken just before midnight (and in artificial lighting) so apologies for looking/feeling tired because I certainly was! 2true Glamour lashes are available on Superdrug online for £1.99.

Cherry On Top

2011-11-07T12:45:00.000Z

I really need to do my nails again but haven't had the time! I quickly snapped my 'Birthday nails' after wearing them for a whole 5 days... I still haven't removed them and they are chipping all over place *oh the shame* ;) I will definitely be doing them later today but for now, I am off to eat a cupcake!

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Rimmel Portobello Pink
- Models Own & WAH white nail art pen (icing)
- Miss Sporty Manga (sprinkles)
- Barry M Turquoise 295 (sprinkles)
- OPI Red Hot Gift (cherry)
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Kleenex Facial Cleansing Products

2011-11-04T08:53:00.003Z

You have all probably heard about Kleenex's new facial cleansing range that they have brought out by now... But here are my opinions on them!

Kleenex Facial Cloths - Very quilted and soft. When used wet it feels very heavy and removed my face masks off with ease. It pretty much absorbs anything in sight, so I probably wouldn't use this with a facial toner. When cutting it up in squares to use with nail polish remover it worked well but not as well as cotton wool pads. You get 30 cloths for a mere £1.99 which I think is very good. I will be buying this myself once it runs out, just to use with face masks.

Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets - Hands down my favourite product out of the lot! You can see where the shine has come off your face and is very easy to use. Handbag friendly. Love that they are powder-free so anyone can use them without worrying about light powder having to be brushed away. I have actually run out of mine and need to buy a few packs. £2.99 for 50 sheets - Honestly, I would love it even more if I got more sheets or got it for a lower price.

Kleenex Facial Cleansing Wipes - I am still loyal to my Johnsons & Johnsons make-up wipes so I didn't try these out on my face. I did however use them a few times when swatching and felt that the quality of the wipes are slightly poor. It just sort of broke apart quite easily when rubbing (not even aggressively)! It has got a light pleasant scent to it. In a packet you get 24 wipes for £2.99.

Kleenex Eye Make-Up Removal Wipes - Again, I didn't use these on my face but it seems like a smaller version of the facial cleansing wipes. Again, you get 24 wipes for £2.99.

Overall, I can only see myself repurchasing the first two products but I'm afraid the wipes are a miss for me. All the products mentioned are available from Superdrug now but will be available in all leading retailers from January 2012.
Ps. I'd also like to add... I like the packaging of the products, simply because of the masquerade mask!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:50:00.000Z

Hey guys, just a quick post to say Happy Halloween to those of you who are celebrating it tonight! Here's a quick picture that I just snapped (on my phone) of my Mum's nails - Inspired by this picture from fuckyeahnailart.

Have fun and stay safe whatever you do!
Right, now off to celebrate my birthday with some family & friends! :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Black Magic
- Models Own nail art pen in White & Black
- Special K Red
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Mini Reviews for Mini Products - 2

2011-10-30T09:34:00.001Z

I had another Halloween themed post planned but it didn't work out... So it's going to be another regular post from me! Here are some more miniature products which required mini reviews.

LUSH Vanillary Solid Perfume - Has a beautiful, warm, sweet, vanilla scent - Not cupcake like though! Lasts a good few hours but not all day long. Very handbag friendly. I really like this and am considering purchasing the little spritzer one next time. 12g, £6 from LUSH.

VOYA Time to Shine Body Buff - Not too abrasive, good scrub. Not to keen on the very herbal-like scent - It's probably the seaweed. Doesn't leave the skin feeling dry. Like that it's made with organic ingredients. Probably wouldn't purchase again because of the scent. 75ml, £9 from lookfantastic.com.

Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner - Like the slightly sweet scent of the conditioner. It may not be the 3-minute miracle one but it conditions the hair really well. Has quite a watery consistency. Would recommend this. 75ml, £1.62 from Boots.

Umberto Giannini Rock 'n' Roll Extreme Hairspray - Provides a strong hold and lasts hours. You don't need much to ensure it holds. Has the signature UG hair scent. Again, I would recommend this. 30ml, £1.99 from Boots.

Halloween Nails

2011-10-27T13:11:00.001+01:00

Now Halloween is usually not something I take part in (my Birthday sadly lands on the same day), so here I am celebrating it a week earlier! The photos seen here are all inspired by ones I have seen on fuckyeahnailart and I have been waiting all year (when it is most appropriate) to do a mix 'n' match on these! I will state in brackets as to what they are meant to be, as it may not be clear at first LOL ;)

Products used:

Thumb (Pumpkin):
- Miss Sporty Manga, Models Own nail art pen in Black

Index (Blood drops):
- Models Own Black Magic, GOSH Glitter in 05 Ruby Red

Middle (Mummy/zombie):
- Models Own Peach Sherbet, Models Own nail art pen in Black & White

Ring (Cobweb):
- Models Own Black Magic, Models Own nail art pen in White

Pinky (Frankenstein which looks more like Oscar the Grouch...):
- GOSH Glitter in 12 Jade Green, Models Own nail art pen in Black & White

- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

TIGI Bed Head Sugar Dust

2011-10-25T08:55:00.002+01:00

A sweet sounding product for a slightly Halloween week theme :) Prior to using Sugar Dust, I had never tried a root powder before. It's a very interesting product/concept but honestly thought it wouldn't do much - But I have to admit, I was slightly wrong there!

What does it do?
It's an 'invisible micro texture root powder' which gives a little lift/volume to the hair, adding texture to help the hold. I used this on second day hair and found it did give me a nice bit of volume after applying this and almost massaging my scalp lightly. It also claims to absorb oil in the hair - Maybe it's because I used this in very small quantities but this didn't absorb anything for me! Oh and yes, this was invisible upon my black hair.

How much and for how long?
Cheapest I have found it for is £9.35 from feelunique.com. You get a mere 1g of product - When I received this I initially thought all the product has been tipped out and it was empty as it definitely feels like it (nothing had come out though)!

How does it smell?
I wanted it to smell of something sweet but I couldn't detect anything.

Other comments:
I would imagine you would get better results with a bit of backcombing and that it would last longer but I try to avoid backcombing regularly.
Would I buy it myself? As much as I like this product I don't think I would buy it because of the price/quantity. I wouldn't mind paying £10 but I honestly feel as if I am not getting enough product.
Would I recommend it? If the price/quantity doesn't bother you then yes! :)

Shooting Arrows

2011-10-23T09:44:00.002+01:00

I love how easy this was to do and how much it gives the nails a little kick, especially against a bright colour like this. I was inspired by a picture I saw on fuckyeahprettynails but decided to change it around a bit to make it easier to apply :) I feel like I haven't used my nail art pens in a while and I think it's time I change that (again)!

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Barry M Turquoise 295
- Models Own & WAH black nail art pen
- Models Own & WAH white nail art pen

Ps. Please excuse the slight smudges, I didn't apply a top coat this time!

Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Masque

2011-10-21T08:46:00.000+01:00

Last week was chocolate week and a few beauty blogs mentioned this inexpensive beauty... So I dug it out from my face mask pack and thought it was time I had reviewed it, as I've applied this 4 times now! I honestly don't know what took me so long...

What's in it and what does it do?
It contains cocoa, dead sea salt and Shea butter amongst other things. It's suitable for normal, dry and T-Zone skin - I have combination skin and found it fine though! The mask looks just like melted chocolate and feels incredibly smooth on the skin. After leaving the mask on for 15 minutes and wiping it off, my skin feels very soft but I still apply a little moisturiser afterwards. This didn't work any wonders on my face so there is not much else to say really apart from it's a nice mask!

How much and how long?
I bought it for £1.01 from their website. I got a 4 uses (and a bit extra) from one packet.

Other comments:
It smells like a warm, comforting hot chocolate! I personally found the scent quite sickening (almost as if I ate a whole load of chocolate) after a while - This is probably just me though haha.

Recommend?
If you're looking for mask which smells of chocolate and gives you soft skin - Yes :)

Broken Pavements

2011-10-18T08:48:00.002+01:00

The title.. Don't ask(!) I wanted to try painting on some stripes with a crackle polish and came up with this. I saw a pic of some tips with crackled polish and drew some inspiration from that. For some reason it reminds me of Egyptian inspired something... I can't put my finger on it! Hmm I've got mixed feelings about this...

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Gold Rush RTW
- MUA Nail Quake in Quiver
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Selfridges White Christmas Event

2011-10-14T08:54:00.001+01:00

This will probably be my last Christmas event post for this year! Once again, back in July I headed off to Selfridges, Oxford Street with Lipglossiping, VexInTheCity, MouldyFruit to see Selfridges' Christmas offerings. The 'White Christmas' themed event was held at the Ultralounge (lower ground floor) and it looked amazing as it was complete with Christmas trees and fake snow. I hadn't had a proper Christmas last year as I was holidaying away in Morocco so this sort of made up for it - Even though it was 6 months later ;).

So the main offering which excites all beauty lovers is the Lancôme advent calender, which is now available to buy online for £80. This was very popular last year so be quick as it will probably go out of stock as it slowly gets closer to Christmas! I loved the look of the NARS Bento Box (£95) which I think will be making another appearance soon.

Onto the accessories and how beautiful is this Toy Watch - I could look at it all day! There are plenty of LE white handbags and accessories to go with Selfridges' White Christmas theme but here is one of my favourites by Michael Kors.

And finally, how could I forget the sweet treats... Love the fun Mr Choco-Late chocolate lollipops and the beautiful sculptures.

Ps. It was nice to see you again, HellCandy, and meet LondonMakeUpGirl - Hopefully I will see you ladies again soon :)

Foiled French

2011-10-11T19:23:00.001+01:00

What a hot combo... The silver nail wraps really gives this a kick! Peacock Green is beautiful itself but pair it with a metallic colour and it really sets it off IMO. This was pretty easy to do - Just get your nail wraps and cut it straight across, stick on tips and file off the excess. If you need to, trim the sides so it's secured down properly on the edges. I saw this look somewhere else but can't find the exact picture which inspired me - Here's another one by WAH Nails though :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Peacock Green
- Elegant Touch Nail Polish Stickers in Metallic Silver
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Superdrug's Christmas Launches

2011-10-07T08:40:00.000+01:00

Back in July I went to INC Space, Covent Garden with Lipglossiping to view Superdrug's new Christmas launches & collections. I remember being pleased with the pretty good lighting there - It's a pain trying to capture amazing products in poorly lit rooms. Anyway, onto the products; one of the first things that caught my eye was the 'Stig soap on a rope'... As a Top Gear fan I loved the look of this! The lady talking me through the products clearly thought I was mad...

Along with the array of manly products, there was plenty of goodies for the little un's and pretty much everyone. The products that I really liked were the following... The Accessorize kits and the Nivea kits (simply for the packaging). The lady there pointed out that the Nivea packaging was designed like that so it can be reused to store all your beauty bits - Genius idea.

I really liked the look of the Studio kits - Especially the false eyelashes set! Here is a fab picture of what I am talking about, taken by Peonies & Lilies. I think I will pop this one on the wishlist along with the Thai Spa coconut candle, which I gravitated towards because of it's natural coconut shape!

And finally this caught my eye for all the wrong reasons haha - A gigantic bronzer by the famous TOWIE gang. There were also of course plenty of Vajazzle stickers/designs on offer!

Overall it was very lovely to see what's going to be on offer to us in Superdrug, in store and online, for Christmas this year :)
Ps. Thank you Superdrug for the invite once again :)

Special K x Nails Inc

2011-10-05T10:11:00.006+01:00

You may have noticed this already but Special K have teamed up with Nails Inc to create the perfect Special K Red. Special K (honey clusters especially - yum) is one of my favourite cereals, so I was more than happy to find out about this competition.

To get one for yourself you can win the nail polishes by entering one of the unique codes inside Special K packs here. There are 100 bottles to giveaway every day until 5th December 2011 and you can find read the FAQ's here.

OR....

You can enter my giveaway and one lucky follower will win a bottle of Special K Red as I was kindly provided another one to giveaway :)

To enter my blog giveaway...

You must be a follower.
UK only I'm afraid.
Just leave a comment below saying "I would like a bottle of Special K Red".
You can only enter once.
Closing date for giveaway is 12th October 2011 midnight GMT.

I love the red rhinestones/jewels on the lid - Gives it a Special touch don't you think ;) - Pahaha!

EDIT: NOTD is now up - As you can see it's a pretty true red but has a slight orange (as opposed to blue) base if I am being super precise :)

Umberto Giannini Painted Lady Palette & Swatches

2011-10-02T09:38:00.002+01:00

Ok now that is October I feel I have waited long enough to start talking about the products that are all available to us for Christmas! The launch for Painted Lady was held back in July, along with many other "Christmas in July" product launches and one of the star product in the range is the Painted Lady palette.

The palette contains 4 lipsticks and 8 eyeshadows, along with a double-ended lip brush and eyeshadow applicator. I adore the lipsticks in the palette as they are very wearable, very pigmented, have no scent to them and are surprisingly super moisturising!
The eyeshadows are soft and are well pigmented (you will need to swipe the colours on a few times).
T starts for top row, B for bottom row and 1-4 from left to right - Yes, I didn't think this through.

The packaging is up there when it comes to palettes - It all just sums up the glamour with a slight Gothic twist to it IMO. I really hope Umberto Giannini bring out some lipsticks in this consistency as they are really great and are the winners for me! The Painted Lady palette costs £10 and is available exclusively from Boots.
The lipsticks - Again 1-4, left to right and the eyeshadow duo.

Ps. The eyeshadow duo in the pictures above are available in the Party Loving Hair & Makeup Kit, £25 and the Fashion Loving Hair & Makeup Kit, £30.

Peach Daiquiri Anyone?

2011-09-30T09:59:00.002+01:00

Last week I played the Good Samaritan (ha) and let a friend of a friend who's training to be a nail technician to practise on me. She did a great job but as always, my nails were in a bad state after seeing a professional (or in this case to-be professional). I asked her not to buff my nails as it always breaks whenever the pros do it but I did let her cut my cuticles - And after a week they have stopped peeling and paining... Never again (or so I say for now).
On the upside of all of this, I got my nails painted with a stunning coral colour which frequently changed in different lighting!

Products used:
- OPI Nail Envy, Dry & Brittle
- Essie Peach Daiquiri
- Essie Good to Go

The Lash Diary - Revlon

2011-09-28T10:12:00.002+01:00

Last Friday I had one final wedding to attend for the year 2011 and once again, I had taken this opportunity to sport another pair of false eyelashes. These were the longest pair of eyelashes I had worn to date but they were still in the "enhancing" category as opposed to "drag queen" territory, so I felt very comfortable with them! Please bear in mind these pictures were taken after 8 hours of wear and running around...

Revlon's Long Volumizing false eyelashes provide great length, while still keeping it natural, with a hint of volume. It's probably not something I would wear everyday (that is if I were to wear falsies everyday) but it is something I would wear again, for a special occasion. If you're after something very natural I would recommend Revlon's Intensifying lashes. These false eyelashes were sent to me last year when they were stocked in Boots & Superdrug but now I can't seem to find them anywhere... I decided to go ahead and review them anyway, as it may still be stocked in US and you can purchase them through Revlon's website.

Nailphilia Exhibition

2011-09-26T12:16:00.005+01:00

Last Thursday I had finally visited the Degree Art gallery to see London's first nail art exhibition. There was art work by all of the big boys in nail game - Sophy Robson, Jenny Longworth, Mike Pocock and The Illustrated Nail to name a few!
I took plenty of pictures but here are my favourites - Sophy Robson's Crystalize sculpture (I so want this in my house)!

A variety of tribal nails and an installation by Sophie from The Illustrated Nail.

Recognise these nails? I did! These are the claw/talon rings by Laruicci from Beyonce's Run The World video! And finally we have the "Handelier" by Minx.

I asked one of the lovely gentleman working there whether Nailphilia would be coming back and he said that if everything goes to plan, they be holding another nail exhibition in February! Furthermore, all the displays will be totally different to this one - I will definitely be paying another visit. :)

Quick Update

2011-09-24T00:32:00.002+01:00

Hello guys, I wanted to write up a exciting post on Degree's Art current Nailphilia nail exhibition which I visited on Thursday but my Mother is ill at the moment so those plans are on hold for now.
It ends this Sunday so I just wanted to do a quick post (before it ends) to encourage you to visit if you can do so - Fab exhibition for any nail art fans out there :)
Speak very soon I hope! x

Olive Body Moisturising Milk

2011-09-21T09:52:00.003+01:00

I have only ever used lotions and butters to moisturise my skin, before using Olive's body moisturising milk - Which sounds oh-so Cleopatra! With it's unusual formulation (to me) I knew I had to share this with you guys...

What's in it and what does it do?
Honestly, I am not getting anything apart from Olive oil, green tea & Vitamin E but if you're really interested in all the ingredients you can view them here. When rubbing the 'moisturising milk' into the skin, it feels it looks as if the milk expands and takes a while to rub in. I honestly feel as if my skin has benefited from using this - Not just straight after moisturising but all the time, which is great as it claims to improve the skin's natural structure.

How much and how long?
For a 250ml with a handy pump bottle it costs £16.99. You can find it here for a bit cheaper at £15.30 though. This should last me about 2 months.

How does it smell?
It has a light, sweet, pleasant scent to it - I can't make out exactly what this is!

Other comments:
Would I buy it again? Yes, probably during warm/normal temperatures as it's a light lotion and I would need something heavier for the winter.
Would I recommend it? Yup - I saw an improvement in my skin's texture so it's a good one :)

Pink Cocktails

2011-09-17T09:31:00.003+01:00

A while ago I was searching for a simple but beautiful white gold cocktail ring but couldn't find any that I particularly liked. After much deliberation I decided to get two made (the other one will appear in another post) and I am pretty pleased with how they turned out. I know I will keep and wear these 18k white gold rings for very many years to come so I see it as an investment ;) The placement of the stones were inspired by a picture I saw on fuckyeahprettynails.

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Rimmel Pulsating
* Clear rhinestones from eBay
* Viva La Nails golden rhinestone round
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Toni & Guy Tourmaline Wave & Curl Tong

2011-09-15T11:39:00.002+01:00

I had been on the lookout for a large barrel tong/curler for a while now but only recently came across one that was in the price range I was looking for and met my requirements. So today I will be reviewing Toni & Guy's Tourmaline Wave & Curl Tong.

Are there adjustable heat settings?
Once again there are 25 different heat settings which you can choose from and it can heat up to 180c. In the picture below I put it on just above 15 for volume and light waves/flicks/curls to the hair. If you use a higher setting you can get large, loose curls (depending on how long your hair is).

How long does it take to heat up?
It heats up pretty quickly - Under a minute. There is a light indicator which flashes when heating up and remains at a steady red to show you when it's ready for use.

How long do you hold it for?
Once my hair is around the barrel I hold it for about 8 seconds before I unravel it again. If you want more curls than waves then you should probably hold it for a few extra seconds.

How much and where from?
You can get this from any Toni & Guy stockists for £19.99. I bought mine from Amazon for £14.30 though :) It comes with a 2 year guarantee.

Other information/comments:
There is a round cool tip at the top which came into good use. Like some of their other stylers, it uses Tourmaline technology which helps prevent colour loss and gives a smooth shiny finish. The tong itself is not that heavy to hold. This also comes with a 3m swivel cord.

Recommend?
I found that the waves/curls and the volume didn't last that long (without any product) which was slightly disappointing, as it gives almost a 'blow dried' hair look. I wanted super loose curls and with a 38mm barrel, I got that with this tong :)

New Blog...

2011-09-10T19:03:00.000+01:00

I have a new blog - Little Alterations! You can read more about why I created it in the 'About me & my blog' section, if you're interested.

I will still be blogging here and pretty regularly i.e. as normal... Sometimes I feel like writing about things and then my mind goes blank when it comes to actually typing up a post - I think writing about something other than beauty will help me out. Don't get me wrong - I still love beauty blogging but I just want to blog about the other stuff I enjoy too!

You can check out Little Alterations here. Leave me a comment if you drop by and let me know what you think - Even if you're there as an one-off! :)

Deborah Lippmann Dupes!

2011-09-08T10:47:00.003+01:00

Probably one of my favourite nail posts I have ever written on my blog to date... Today I present to you - Dupes for the famous Deborah Lippmann glitter nail polishes!

I bought the glitter nail polishes from Cherry Culture for a mere £1.25 each approx. (at current exchange rate). Yes postage is a lot - I paid approx. £10 but if you have been lusting after the originals then it works out way cheaper and it's so worth it. Let's put it this way... I bought 5 glitter polishes (other 2 in another post) and including shipping it was just over £15, just £1 over one DL polish :) I used one coat of glitter for each nail.

Products used:

Thumb - Dupe for Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday
Used: Models Own Sterling Silver, NYX Girls Nail Polish in Carnival

Index - Dupe for Deborah Lippmann Forget You
Used: Models Own Black Magic, NYX Girls Nail Polish in Carnival

Middle - Dupe for Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow
Used: Models Own Gold Rush, NYX Girls Nail Polish in Prismatic Gold

Ring - Dupe for Deborah Lippmann Ruby Red Slippers
Used: Models Own Black Magic, NYX Girls Nail Polish in Dorothy

Pinky - Dupe for Deborah Lippmann Candy Shop
Used: Models Own Pastel Pink, NYX Girls Nail Polish in Carnival

- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

The Lash Diary - Girls With Attitude

2011-09-05T10:10:00.002+01:00

I bought these eyelashes years ago for a mere £2.99 in TkMaxx but hadn't actually worn them out until yesterday, where I had attended a wedding. The eyelashes felt very light and didn't lift off in the corners, as the band is very soft and flexible - I of course used my own glue which hasn't let me down yet.

Flutter Babe (extensions) is great if you're looking for a naturally longer and voluminous look. It's the sort of effect I love when I am looking to wear false eyelashes - Better than my own eyelashes but not look/feel like a drag queen! I am really pleased with these lashes and it's something I would pick up again. You can find them for £5 on GirlsWithAttitude's website or £4.50 on Amazon - Both with free delivery :)

Faux YSL Arty Ring

2011-09-01T12:01:00.000+01:00

Some people love shoes, clothes, handbags.. Others (me) like jewellery. I bought this ring about a month ago after I saw NerdAboutTown tweet about in on Twitter. I wasn't sure about whether I loved it or whether it would fit me properly (it's a bit loose) but at £15 I couldn't go wrong. So I went ahead and bought it from LoveHearts&Crosses - They have it in other colour combinations just like the real thing too. I thought I'd match my nails to this ring to show it off beautifully on here ;)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Black Magic
- GOSH Nail Glitter in 01 Silver
- Andrea Fulerton Gloss Up Overcoat

Sibu Repair & Protect

2011-08-30T10:44:00.001+01:00

It's time for another face cream review from my Mother today. She's been using Sibu's Repair & Protect daytime facial cream for the past couple of months now and had asked me if I was ready for her opinions haha - And of course I said yes!

Mum said she liked that the cream was light and moisturising enough to use in the warmer months but didn't think it would be suitable enough for the cooler climates. It sinks into the skin quickly so there was no oily residue. However, once again, she didn't notice any great changes in her skin even though it is an anti-ageing face cream.

Mum also said she liked the glass bottle and the pump which ensured every bit of the cream was used up and that there was no wastage. She really appreciated the fact it contains a 100% natural ingredients but was put off the scent (I agree with this - It's an unusual scent), which is why she said she probably wouldn't purchase this again.

You can buy this cream from Nutri Centre for around £20.45 for 30ml.

Half Striped

2011-08-27T09:27:00.006+01:00

It was time to cut my nails short again and so I decided to try out this "half striped" design by WAH nails (the middle one). I opted for light, pastel colours to lift up my mood as the weather hasn't been to good recently, which seems to quite easily affect me. It's a bit different but I personally prefer the racing stripes and normal striped design...

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own BlooBoo
- Models Own Pastel Pink
- Models Own & WAH white nail art pen
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Ps. Models Own are currently having a 50% of sale - Just spend over £20 and use code FIFTYFIFTY at the checkout. I won't be placing an order this time as I finally have all the colours to satisfy my needs/wants!

Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast

2011-08-23T11:18:00.000+01:00

Quite an unusual concept by Blistex - A limited edition lip balm. I don't know if they have done this before but it's the first I have heard of it! I intended to write this review 2 weeks ago but it's now been a month since I had first started using this *sigh*.

What's in it and what does it do?
The ingredients consist of coconut oil, jojoba extract and beeswax amongst other things to keep the lips feeling very moisturised. This lasts a good few hours on me and I didn't feel the need to reapply this every hour or so.

How much and how long?
Blistex products are very affordable and the same applies to this lip balm too - It costs £1.75 for 4.25g and is exclusively available from larger Superdrug stores. As I mentioned before, it is LE so you have to be quick to pick these up!

How does it smell?
It has a very sweet scent of course. It reminds me of Fanta Fruit Twists, one of my favourite soft drinks!

Other comments:
Love that it contains SPF15. Compact and hygienic, as it is in a tube - Favourite form when it comes to lip balms! I am not to keen on the sweet taste - I prefer my lip balms flavourless.

Recommend?:
Would I buy it myself? I would say yes as it's a great moisturising lip balm but the sweet taste puts me off slightly.
Would I recommend it? If you don't mind the taste too much then yes, I would highly recommend you check this out before it goes :)

Look At Me Now

2011-08-20T09:29:00.002+01:00

I finally got around to doing this easy peasy, cheerful look originally created Sophy Robson - The famous "Giles eek" eyes nails! I can't stop smiling like a wierdo everytime I look down at them :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Barry M Turquoise 295
- Models Own Lilac Dream
- Nails Inc OMP!
- Nails Inc Atomic
- Models Own Peach Sherbet
- Models Own Snow White
- Models Own Black Magic
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

LUSH Catastrophe Cosmetic

2011-08-18T12:41:00.001+01:00

I finally managed to collect 5 black pots and hand them in to my nearest LUSH store in exchange for a free face mask! I decided to try Catastrophe Cosmetic this time as I hadn't tried it before.

What's in it and what does it do?
This face mask contains calamine powder, fresh blueberries and various oils. I leave this on for 10 minutes and I make various funny faces to loosen the dried face mask so it comes of easily. After using this my skin feels siginficatly softer (I got a feeling that's the powder) and my skin looks much calmer - The face mask intends to reduce inflammation and acts as a mild antiseptic, so it's great for calming the skin. One slightly negative point is that this did leave a slightly white'ish sheen after washing it off - Again I presume this is the powder.

How much and how long?
For £5.50 you get a 75g pot. Last time I used their face masks it lasted for 2 months (using it twice weekly) so it's not bad at all! As always, you have to keep their face masks in the fridge.

How does it smell?
The light, sweet, powdery scent reminds me of a bit of Parma Violets!

Other comments:
Would I buy this myself? Yes, I probably would! I do love Cupcake a little bit more than this but if I want to mix it up then CC it is :)
Would I recommend it? Yes! On my combination skin it was a nice treat but if you have suffer from redness then maybe this will would even better for you :)

Thunder & Lightning

2011-08-16T11:24:00.001+01:00

Believe it or not but this is the first crackle polish I have ever used! I wasn't too keen on the black ones when they came out but after browsing the large range of colours they now come in, I settled for this beautiful dark blue colour. I bought Quiver because I felt it would be the most suited with other colours - Depending on what mood I am in! I applied a thick coat and I quite like the effect - Fewer crackles the better IMO, so next time I am going to try applying an even thicker coat :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Sterling Silver
- MUA Nail Quake in Quiver

Toni & Guy Deep Barrel Waver

2011-08-13T09:32:00.001+01:00

This, my friends, is the affordable alternative to the latest hair tool that's been doing its rounds in the blogging world... Yes, I am talking about Enrapture's Amplify Jumbo Waver! Since I set my eyes on the waving iron (not crimping, there's a difference!) I wanted to get my hands on it. Once I found out it will cost £75 I was slightly heartbroken - No way was I going to spend that much on a waver, only on a pair of straighteners *cough* ghd's. So in came Toni & Guy's Deep Barrel Waver and I was a happy lady once again :)

Are there adjustable heat settings?
There are 25 different heat settings which you can choose from and it can heat up to 180c. In the pictures below I put it on 20 to achieve the ultimate beach waves! If you want really soft waves then just opt for a lower setting.

How long does it take to heat up?
It heats up pretty quickly at just under a minute :) There is of course a little light indicator to let you know that it's turned on.

How long do you hold it for?
In the little instruction booklet it says to place the hair in between the ceramic plates for 5-8 seconds (for fine hair). I held it for 5 seconds which was perfect even though my hair is not that fine but for thicker hair you would probably need around 10 seconds.

How much and where from?
You can get this from any Toni & Guy stockists for £39.99 from September 2011. I would recommend checking this out on Amazon where you could probably get a nice little discount :) It also comes with a 2 year guarantee.

Other information/comments:
There is a cool tip which some may find handy but I didn't use/need it. I really liked the fact it comes with a lock function, so the plates can remain closed when not in use. It uses Tourmaline technology which helps prevent colour loss and gives a smooth shiny finish. It also has a handy 3m swivel cord (I despise stylers with short cords so I appreciate this)! The styler itself is not that heavy.

Recommend?
I am trying to find a fault with these but I can't - The waver gave me plenty of volume and the perfect beach waves, which lasted exceptionally well for 2 whole days. If you're looking to create soft waves or beach wavy hair then I would highly recommend checking this out :)

All Tied Up

2011-08-12T10:52:00.002+01:00

Earlier this week WAH Nails released a tutorial with ELLE TV (albeit a slightly rubbish one) on how to do their infamous bow design. I have been longing to learn how they do it and it appears you need a thin nail polish brush (I don't have one which is where I went wrong) and a very steady hand (again I need a bit more practise with this)! From quite a distance it doesn't look too bad but I definitely will be doing this again and perfecting the bows :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Lilac Dream
- Models Own Peach Sherbet
- Models Own & WAH black nail art pen
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Haus of Gloi Twice is Nice

2011-08-09T13:17:00.001+01:00

The last of the 3 scrubs I bought from Haus of Gloi is this bubbling scrub - Twice is Nice. I have never used or come across a scrub like this before... And I will tell you why!

What's in it and what does it do?
This bubbling scrub contains organic cane sugar, glycerin, Shea butter amongst other things. As I have mentioned before, all their products are handmade and vegan. The scrub provides a light exfoliation and then after a few seconds it transforms into a soft, thick, luxurious lather!

How much and how long?
I bought a 2oz sample (approx. 55ml) for $3.50. The products are of high quality and are pretty affordable. This lasted just over a month for me.

How does it smell?
It's very sweet - On the description it says it smells like buttery sugar cookies, creamy coconut and toasted almond silvers. I can definitely all of these so their description is pretty spot on! The scent doesn't linger for too long after, which is always good IMO as it could get a bit sickening if it did.

Recommend?:
Would I buy it again? Yup, probably in other scents too!
Would I recommend it? If you like soaps & shower gels that lather really well then yes :)

I've Been Guest Blogging!

2011-08-07T09:09:00.000+01:00

I wrote my first ever guest post over on Sabrina (alittleobsessed)'s blog, which you can check out here! Hope you guys like it :)

Blue Sapphire

2011-08-06T09:34:00.001+01:00

Blue Sapphire is the perfect name for this nail glitter, so I thought I'd use it as the actual post title (that and it's too early in the morning to think of one)! I loved having this on my fingers for the past 4 days as the colour really stood out in comparison to normal nail polishes. The first image is a much more accurate representation of the nail glitter - It contains a mix of light & dark blue glitters from what I can pick out :)

I followed the steps I used last time except this time I didn't use a base colour but dipped my finger in the glitter pot straight after applying the base coat.

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- GOSH Nail Glitter in 10 Blue Sapphire
- Andrea Fulerton Gloss Up Overcoat (to seal it)
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat (to dry faster)

Mini Reviews for Mini Products - 1

2011-08-04T10:47:00.002+01:00

I have quite a few travel sized products which I picked up before my holiday and also accumulated through blogger/press/PR events' goody bags. Instead of doing separate reviews which will take an age, I thought I'd do some mini reviews on them :) Do expect another post or two on more mini products!

Charles Worthington Takeaway Sunshine - It claims to be an intensive treatment but my hair didn't feel amazingly conditioned during/after at all. Has a light consistency and has no obvious scent. Love the bright packaging but personally wouldn't recommend. 50ml, 99p from Superdrug.

Umberto Giannini Backcomb in a Bottle - People rave about this but I don't think I know how to use it properly. Gives a little bit of volume which only lasts a few hours. I found it's perfect for 'sculpting' your hair a certain way though. Has that nice, distinctive scent that most UG products have. Would recommend you try it and may consider purchasing it. 30ml, £1.99 from Boots.

Superdrug's Coconut & Shea Butter body lotion - Moisturises well even though it has a very light consistency. Light, sweet scent of coconut. I feel as if it could do with more natural ingredients though. Probably won't purchase again but would recommend you try it. 50ml, 99p from Superdrug.

TBS Sweet Lemon body scrub - Perfect for holidays and hot climates. Fresh, clean lemon scent. Moisturises lightly but no greasy feeling after. Is a perfect combo with the Sweet Lemon shower gel. Abrasive enough to say I will purchase again. 50ml, £5 (currently on offer £3.50) from The Body Shop.

The Best Things in Life Are Free

2011-08-02T15:54:00.000+01:00

After what seems like years of saving up my Boots advantage card points, I ended up buying a much needed new mascara and a new long-lasting eyeliner. Sadly they are not HG product material but hey.. I got them for free! Then I dropped by LUSH and returned 6 black empty pots in return for a free, delicious smelling Fresh Face Mask. While I was there I couldn't help but spend money on something and bought the Vanillary solid perfume. How I love loyalty programmes ;)

Black & Yellow

2011-07-31T11:33:00.003+01:00

Ok, so it's not yellow.. But it is a very yellow-y gold! For this NOTD I looked to WAH Nails' recent creation for Paloma Faith - As you can see, I adapted it slightly by varying the direction of the lines and the thickness of it. I got asked by 3 young ladies if I was rocking nail wraps and 2 lovely gentlemen said my nails looked very nice (all at separate times) - Not bad! ;)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Gold Rush RTW
- Models Own & WAH black nail art pen
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

The Lash Diary - Vintage Cosmetic Company Betty

2011-07-29T11:03:00.005+01:00

Back in June I was invited to the launch of Vintage Cosmetic Company's new false eyelashes range. Sadly I couldn't attend as I was ill in bed with that mysterious travel bug. However, I was kindly sent the Betty pair for review out of the 5 available for purchase.

I used my own trusty eyelash glue when trailing these lashes, as I don't think many people use the glue that false eyelashes usually come with anyway. The band of the eyelashes are not as thin as the others I have used in the past and found that after a few hours of wear they started lifting off slightly in the inner corner of my eyes - The picture below shows the falsies after a few hours of wear.

Betty is perfect if you're looking for a very natural look. Apart from the outer corners of my eyes, you couldn't really see much difference. The eyelashes are priced at £6 and are stocked at boutique stores such as The Powderpuff Girls, Truly Madly Vintage and Amzi Boutique. Personally, simply because of the thicker band and the style of the lashes, it's not something I would pick myself. But if you do like fluttery lashes on the outer corners of your eyes, then I think you will like this :)

Purple PR Event

2011-07-27T12:50:00.001+01:00

On Monday evening I made my way to the Purple PR offices with Lipglossiping to see all the beauty brands that they work with. The brands consisted of Laura Mercier, REN, ReVive, Jurlique, TIGI and Smashbox - The last two are the ones that caught my attention. I always forget about Smashbox as a brand as it is only stocked in Debenhams (in the UK) and is priced quite highly. Looking around at the range, I really liked the look of their lip stains and eye products, which I took a picture of below.

Next it was onto TIGI where we got told a bit more about the new "Session Series" Catwalk range (not pictured) which was used in over 24 different shows backstage. If you're interested I recommend checking them out on feelunique where it's cheaper and you get free delivery. The good old Bed Head products were also present.

Purple PR were also showcasing some new products from Laura Mercier which included these 4 new eyeshadows, nude lip glaces, moisture supreme foundations, smokey eye palette and caviar stick eye colours. At the end of the event we got presented with a few products featured in the room... And it included the Smashbox lip stain that I liked the look of. After looking around VexInTheCity, TheBeautySlice, WandesWorld, Lipglossiping and I went out to grab a bite - Not a bad start to the week! :)

LUSH The Olive Branch

2011-07-25T11:39:00.000+01:00

I have been using this for the past couple of weeks and I am absolutely loving this stuff! Initially I thought it was going to smell horrible... Maybe it's because I thought of olives? I really don't know.

What's in it and what does it do?
It contains olive oil, vine leaves, sea salt, lemon oil and lots of other good stuff. The consistency is not like your usual shower gel - It's pretty watery. Surprisingly it does lather up very well, which is always good in my books. The natural oils leave my skin feeling clean, fresh and moisturised - No oily layer here.

How much and how long?
The picture above was taken after a week of usage - It's currently in line with the top of the label. The 100g bottle for £4.25 should last around one month. They also come in larger sizes - 250g for £8.50 and 500g for £14.95.

How does it smell?
It's such a beautiful, soft, unisex scent. To me it smells very warm and fresh - If this was a perfume, I would buy it!

Other comments:
Would I buy it myself? I got this in the LUSH hatbox but I would definitely buy it again - I think it's the scent that does it for me!
Would I recommend it? Yes.. For men and women - You can't go wrong! :)

GOSH Nail Glitters

2011-07-23T09:37:00.007+01:00

Last week GOSH finally released their nail glitters and I popped to Superdrug on Wednesday to get my hands on a pot! I only saw about 6 (out of the 10) on the stand and bought 03 Grey Moonstone to try out. This stuff is surprisingly easy to use and after seeing Holly's post on these I opted for a French manicure style to start out with - But next time I am going all out!

I applied my chosen base colour, used a clear nail polish to paint the tips, dipped my finger into the pot of glitter and tapped the excess onto a paper (to put back in the pot later). Once I had applied the glitter to all my fingers I used a top coat to seal it. If you wipe the brush on a piece of paper or towel before you dip it back in then there won't be much glitter transfer. Gently wash the skin around your nails and all the glitter will wash off straight away.

Grey Moonstone has a dark grey, dusty, glittery appearance at first but once the top coat is on it transforms into a black base with silver & blue shimmers... Looking very cosmic! :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Mushroom
- GOSH Nail Glitter in 03 Grey Moonstone
- Andrea Fulerton Gloss Up Overcoat

A Few Tweaks...

2011-07-22T12:32:00.004+01:00

I made a few changes around the blog to keep it a bit more interesting and more organised. After about a month of changing the layout back in April I didn't feel happy with it - To me it just felt a bit cluttered on the right column...

I think I am happy with it now but the main things that were bothering me have been amended for the time being!

Sparkly Touch

2011-07-21T10:49:00.001+01:00

This NOTD was very nearly a massive fail as I attempted to do an intricate design with very little time... And so it then turned into a fail French manicure and then I ended up with this... Third time lucky and all that! Not your regular French mani but I like the little sparkly touch to it :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Eyeko Petite Polish
- Models Own Snow White
* Viva La Nails pink rhinestone tears
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

The Lash Diary - Superdrug LASH Pod

2011-07-19T10:49:00.007+01:00

Today signifies the beginning of a new series which I am introducing to my blog - The Lash Diary. I have accumulated lots of pretty false eyelashes and thought this would be a great way of comparing and reviewing them all. To kick start the Lash Diary, today I am going to talk about Superdrug's event, which took place on Friday evening on the iconic London Eye to promote their new LASH false eyelashes.

I met up with ChantelleMakeup1 before the event and we went to Yo Sushi! to fill our bellies before we headed off to meet the other bloggers (including VexInTheCity and MouldyFruit) and the PR girls on the pod. Once we were on the pod, eyelashes at the ready, we all sat down to get our chosen eyelashes applied for us. I was slightly apprehensive about getting them applied while "on the move" but it wasn't too bad. My eyes were watering a lot but this was due to application (all fingers, no tweezers, lack of instruction as to where to look) - But after a while all was well. All the ladies present were lashed up within the 30 minutes!

I choose the Natural Edition 11 so I can wear them with confidence knowing I won't look like a drag queen haha. I will do a more in depth review on this later on in the series :) Overall I had a lovely time and I think the whole idea of placing the LASH pod on the London Eye was pure genius!

In The Nude

2011-07-17T09:36:00.003+01:00

This was one of many WAH nails designs sitting in my "Nail inspiration" folder... And finally it's moving to the "Done" folder :) After sporting a few crazy designs for the past few weeks, I decided to go with something quite simple and opted to recreate this NOTD.

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Nude Beige
- Models Own & WAH black nail art pen
- Andrea Fulerton Glitter Puff Dusts (Gold)
- Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat

Painted Lady Launch

2011-07-15T10:19:00.006+01:00

On Tuesday Umberto Giannini launched their new makeup line - Painted Lady. I met up with Sophie Is Made Up and A Little Obsessed beforehand and then we were on our way to Home House on Portman Square to view the collection on offer.

As soon as you entered the Georgian town house you were greeted with the old, regal decor. The launch took place in the Asylum room and suited the Painted Lady's sleek & sophisticated theme perfectly. Katie, a lovely lady from the PR team, showed me around and talked me through all the products. The first image you see below is of the Painted Lady Palette which has 4 lip colours and 8 eyeshadows (£10). Next to it is the Glamourising Beauty Essentials kit, complete with the Feliner liquid eyeliner pen (also £10).

One of the kits I most loved the most was the LE Fashion Loving Hair & Makeup Kit. The front of the tin looks absolutely stunning - The design team did a fantastic job (sadly I couldn't capture how amazing this is). The contents are great too - Along with some of the UG styling products there are some flutter false eyelashes, a tail comb, the Feliner eyeliner, eyeshadow duo, navy blue nail varnish and stick-on lace nail wraps! This set will cost £30.

There will also be the Party Loving Hair & Makeup Kit, £25. This contains some full-size UG products as well as the eyeshadow duo, feliner pen and the navy blue nail polish. They will come in a massive travel bag, which is pretty useful for holding your toiletries etc. to take with you on any holidays!

We also saw celebrity makeup artisit Paul Gooch (right) and Yogi from UG's Selfridges Birmingham salon (left) working their magic on transforming a beautiful model into The Painted Lady! At the end we got given a bag, which included the palette and the eyeshadow duo - I shall try and do a FOTD with it sometime soon. The range will be released at the end of August in Boots stores :)

It's Black & White

2011-07-13T12:38:00.001+01:00

Another water decal nail wrap for you all. Yesterday I attended the Umberto Giannini's Painted Lady launch (post will be up very soon) and I got asked about my nails nearly everywhere I went! They really do make a statement because of the contrasting colours - I love it :) At £2.95 you can't go wrong either.

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle (base and on top)
* Viva La Nails Water Decal Nail Wraps 05

Time For A Trim

2011-07-11T10:24:00.003+01:00

Last time I got my hair cut (in January) I had quite a lot taken of the length. I have now got quite used to this length so decided to just get it trimmed and get a heavy side fringe cut in - Something I haven't had before! I love how my hairdresser has blow dried my hair and I could only dream of achieving something like this... *sigh* I do love a good blow dry! :)

Butterfly Wings

2011-07-08T10:40:00.001+01:00

So I still haven't got around to buying some top coat, so my next NOTD was definitely going to feature some of these water decal nail wraps. They are very easy to use and apply perfectly on my nails too, so I am very pleased with them!

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle (base and on top)
* Viva La Nails Water Decal Nail Wraps 29

Slice Up LUSH Body Butters

2011-07-06T10:32:00.002+01:00

The last time I had used one of LUSH's body butters I cut it up into little chunks so I could get more uses out of it - And it worked an absolute treat! So this is what I did again with my Buffy body butter over the weekend.

Keeping it stored in a plastic container is also a great way of ensuring it doesn't go all soggy in warmer temperatures or in the shower, where it will melt away when it comes into contact with water :)

Locked Up

2011-07-04T10:23:00.000+01:00

Quite an unusual combination I am sure you will agree but yet I quite like it. I completely ran out of top coat so decided to use some qiuck drying nail polishes and nail wraps - This will give me enough time to get some later this week! The Nail Rock wraps really stand out IRL and in the photos, which is great for accent nails :)

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- Models Own Black Magic
- Models Own Sterling Silver
- Nail Rock Black & White Stripes

Beauty & Accessories Haul

2011-07-02T09:32:00.002+01:00

This is a bit of an accumulated haul as I have bought these things over the past month.. I first picked up the cosmetics buds, Urban Decay eyeliners and the Andrea Fulerton glitter puff dusts from a trip to Westfield. Then at Duty Free before my trip to Sri Lanka I bought the MAC Impassioned and New Temptation lipsticks!

At Duty Free I also thought I'd treat myself to a pair of Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses. During the holiday I also made a little trip to the market and bought a couple of these beautiful rings for £1.50 each - Bargain! There was a store called ODEL which appears to be quite a big deal there and I got a hot pink scarf (I appear to collect them)... I love the detailing on it :) Then when I came back to the UK I bought a rhinestone covered phone case for my Samsung Galaxy S from eBay - Surprisingly good quality for £5!

Summer Fruits

2011-06-30T10:23:00.002+01:00

The only thing I pretty much love about Summer - The delectable fruits. I just can't get enough of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries these past few weeks! I thought I'd do some strawberry nails as my way of celebrating Wimbledon season ;) This mani was inspired by this picture by WAH nails.

Products used:
- Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle
- OPI Red Hot Gift
- Models Own Grace Green
* Viva La Nails glitter in Gold
- Nails Inc Albert Bridge Topcoat

SkinnyDip Butter Fingers

2011-06-26T09:33:00.000+01:00

It's great discovering exciting new brands... Especially the wonderful products they have on offer. A couple of months ago I came across SkinnyDip who make handmade natural skincare products - Which I have a thing for as of late :)

What's in it and what does it do?
Butter Fingers hand cream contains beeswax, cocoa butter, frankincense and mandarin. It's quite an intensive moisturiser and has a thick consistency. It melts into my skin instantly but feels like my hands have been cared for properly.

How much and how long?
A pretty 50ml purple pot costs £8.95. It lasts a very long time - 2 months along the line and I have still got a lot left! It's quite pricey but it's a good quality product and I reckon they can just about get away with it in my books ;)

How does it smell?
I can't describe the scent but it's light and pleasant.. Quite sweet too.

Recommend?:
Yes, I would really recommend this if you like a thick, luxurious hand cream :) You can buy their products online here.

Flash Of Light

2011-06-23T10:17:00.003+01:00

I never thought it would be that hard to place a few small glitters in a straight line! Stripey designs really help elongate your nails and adding a few shiny things really makes a statement when it catches the light :) This was inspired by the WAHnails girls.. Specifically this picture.

Products used:
- Nails Inc A&E Basecoat
- Nails Inc OMP!
* Viva La Nails glitter in Silver
- Nails Inc Albert Bridge Topcoat

Montagne Jeunesse Cucumber Mask

2011-06-21T10:09:00.003+01:00

I have been so lazy when it comes to applying face masks lately but I am getting back into them now :) I finished using up this mask last night so thought I had better do a review on it before I forget about it!

What's in it and what does it do?
Some of the ingredients include cucumber, jasmine and lime. This mask is intended for normal/oily skin and provides a deep clean. After peeling of this mask, my face felt soft and fresh - It also felt tight and needed a bit of moisturiser after. If you apply a thin and even layer, it does peel off properly in one go! :)

How much and how long?
I bought it for £1.01 from their website. I got a 3 uses (and a bit extra) from my packet!

Other comments:
It had a pleasant, fresh scent to it - I much prefer this to the Green Tea mask! This also had a consistency of a gel and was very easy to apply and remove.

Recommend?
If you're looking for a quick, cheap cleansing mask - Yes! :)

Free Nails Inc with Fabulous Magazine

2011-06-18T09:36:00.008+01:00

Nails Inc are offering more free nail polishes people! This time they have joined with News of the World's Fabulous magazine to offer you 2 nail colours perfect for the summer - Atomic (bright cream orange) and OMP! (bright cream pink).

All you need to do is cut out and collect 3 of the tokens printed over the next 4 weeks in Fabulous, starting this Sunday (tomorrow - 19^th June). You then need to take these to participating Tesco stores from 3^rd July to claim your free nail polishes.

There's also another funny YouTube video to advertise the promotion, which you can view by clicking here :)

Apparently you can also treat yourselves to a half-price manicure for £14 (usually £28) at any participating Nails Inc salon but I can't see anything about this on the box itself? There is a 20% off Nails Inc code to use online though :)

Draped Half Moons

2011-06-16T10:03:00.003+01:00

As soon as I got my hands on the Leighton Denny nail polish, I promptly changed my nail colour. Surprisingly I didn't have a wearable bright orange nail polish in my collection, so this a lovely addition! I also thought I'd try double half moons as it's not something I have seen before... I think it looks alright? :)

Products used:
- Nails Inc A&E Basecoat
- Leighton Denny Do me a Flavour
* Viva La Nails glitter in Black
- Nails Inc Albert Bridge Topcoat

Free Benefit Mini's & Leighton Denny

2011-06-15T17:22:00.000+01:00

The freebies in this month's magazine of Glamour and Harper's Bazaar have come up trumps! Benefit are offering 3 different mini's of their popular products - Benetint, Poisetint (both tints for cheeks & lips) and HighBeam (highlighter for brows & cheekbones). Glamour magazine is £2.

Then you have Harper's Bazaar who are also offering 3 colours of Leighton Denny's nail polishes worth £11 each. You get to choose from Do me a Flavour (a bright orange which is what I opted for), Supermodel (griege) and Viva la Diva (bright red). Harper's Bazaar is £4.20.

Doing The Polka

2011-06-13T10:04:00.000+01:00

I was pushed for time when painting my nails so went for a quick and simple polka dot manicure. I realised that I hadn't used this beautiful turquoise colour in a while and what with the sun out, it was only a matter of time! I added a rhinestone on each nail for a bit of extra sparkle. Some readers may remember I did a pink version of this before :)

Products used:
- Nails Inc A&E Basecoat
- Barry M Turquoise 295
- Models Own Sterling Silver
* Clear rhinestones from eBay
- Nails Inc Albert Bridge Topcoat

Well Hello There...

2011-06-12T12:44:00.003+01:00

After 13 whole days of not blogging I feel like I should document why...

1) I was holidaying away in the beautiful island of Sri Lanka - I was there for 9 hot, sunny days. I decided I wanted to really do nothing and that included blogging for the last few days of my holiday!
2) I got back last Saturday where I threw up over 10 times within the space of 12 hours.. Most of my plane journey was spent in agony, clutching my stomach - Nice. The travel bug didn't leave me alone for many days and only today do I feel well enough to blog again.. So that is what I will doing today!

Ahh it feels great to blog again! :)

Haus of Gloi Vice Sugar Exfoliant

2011-05-30T10:11:00.001+01:00

My sugar scrubs from Haus of Gloi are sadly coming to an end, so this prompted me to review them! Vice is my least favourite out of three.. I sort of still do like it though :)

What's in it and what does it do?
It contains essential oils, coffee grounds, sugar etc - All of their products are handmade and are vegan. This scrub provides a light exfoliation and is therefore a good scrub to maintain soft, smooth skin.

How much and how long?
1oz sample (approx. 30ml) costs $2. It's very affordable given the quality. The sample pots are the perfect way to find out which works best for you and is a great idea for international customers especially. One sample pot lasted just under a month for me.

How does it smell?
To me it smells of coffee cake - More coffee than cake though!

Recommend?:
Would I buy it again? Probably not, as there is a bit too much coffee in the scent for my liking.
Would I recommend it? Coffee lovers rejoice - This could be your new favourite scrub ;)

Water Decal Nail Wraps

2011-05-28T10:05:00.002+01:00

What a genius idea - Viva La Nails are really onto a winner with these water decal nail wraps! I genuinely think the water decals is their best product that they have on their site. These are the perfect alternative to nail foil stickers and are much simpler to use. No heat is required, just water. They glide on and are easy to position. They are very thin and so they curve around the nails with ease. No scratchy ends. They last for days, once you secure it with some topcoat. I honestly can not fault these beauties! I just hope VivaLaNails expand their range as their current designs seem reminiscent of the 60/70's...

Products used:
- Nails Inc A&E Basecoat
* Viva La Nails Water Decal Nail Wraps 30
- Nails Inc Albert Bridge Topcoat

John Frieda Live Show

2011-05-26T10:19:00.001+01:00

Really liked the sound of a live show so I am just giving you all a heads up/reminder about this! I hope they "record it" and make it available to watch later as I am sadly going to miss it :( If you're free tomorrow (Friday 27th May) at 1pm then make sure you tune into John Frieda's live hair academy by clicking here.

If you have a question you would like to ask the pro's you can ask them on their Facebook page :)

Here's a trailer if you're interested...

22/05/2011 - Face Of The Day

2011-05-25T10:04:00.000+01:00

I am still loving bright lips :) I don't think I have shared the wonder that is Girl About Town in all it's glory before... So here it is! I've also realised that I haven't spoken about Benefit's cream eyeshadow since the event - This stuff doesn't budge so it's perfect for the hot weather. I really was expecting it to smudge being a cream eyeshadow but I am seriously impressed. It's a shame that it's such a light colour, as it just doesn't suit me when I wear it any other way.

Products used:
Eyes:
- Benefit creaseless cream shadow/liner in RSVP (upper lashline)
- Benefit BAD gal eyeliner (lower lashline)
- Clinique High Impact mascara
Cheeks:
- MAC Dollymix blush
Lips:
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone
- MAC Girl About Town lipstick

LUSH Charity Pot

2011-05-23T10:16:00.000+01:00

One of the many things I got inside my LUSH gift box was a small tub of Charity Pot. I've been using this for a month and it's coming to an end... Therefore I figured a review was in order.

What's in it and what does it do?
On the pot it states that it contains cocoa butter, almond oil and ylang ylang oil (you can find the full list of ingredients here). Apart from the whole purpose of using a body lotion - to moisturise - it doesn't claim to do much else. This is primarily because LUSH emphasise that all proceeds from their Charity Pot go to their charity pot fund. Even though it doesn't claim to do much, it does moisturise very well and leaves my skin feeling super soft. It sinks in very quickly, which is also a bonus.

How much and how long?
It's a hand and body lotion but as I have a lot of hand creams lying around, I used this as a body lotion. You can buy a 10g trial size for £1 and the 240g full size pot is £12.75. The 95g pot which I received in the hatbox will last just over 6 weeks for me so I imagine a 240g pot would last for well over 3 months!

How does it smell?
I can detect something which smells like Turkish Delight but LUSH claim this has a chocolatey scent. Whatever it is, the scent is borderline over-powering and I can't imagine that you could apply this in the morning and get away with layering a perfume over it...

Other comments:
Would I buy it myself? The scent is slightly off putting for me and for that reason, sadly not.
Would I recommend it? Take a sniff or two and if you like the scent then yes. All the money goes to charity and it does do a very good job of moisturising so you can't go wrong!

Rock Chick Nails

2011-05-21T09:28:00.002+01:00

Rock chick or chic? I will let you guys decide :) I was saving these studs for a special occasion as they are hard to come across - And I finally got the chance to use them! The black nail polish dried very quickly, making it easy to work with the studs. The placement was slightly inspired by the WAH nails girls, specifically this picture here. *Happy sigh* I love these nail studs too much :)

Products used:
- Nails Inc A&E Basecoat
- Models Own Black Magic
* Round silver nail studs from eBay
- Nails Inc Albert Bridge Topcoat

14/05/2011 - Face Of The Day

2011-05-20T10:06:00.002+01:00

Last Saturday I went to my cousin's 10th birthday party and it was quite a big do, so of course I decided to dress up a bit! This also meant that some falsies were going to make an appearance - I took this opportunity to wear the new LASH false eyelashes by Superdrug which are launching soon. They are very natural and easy to wear - I got plenty of queries as to whether my eyelashes were real or not ;)

Products used:

Eyes:

- UDPP
- The Body Shop Eye Trio in 02, Sundown Glow, lightest colour (inner corner)
- The Body Shop Eye Trio in 02, Sundown Glow, darkest colour (all over lid)
- Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow in Underground (highlight)
- Urban Decay Liquid Liner in Perversion (upper lashline)
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero (lower lashline)
- Clinique High Impact mascara (one light coat)
- LASH false eyelashes in Volume edition 20
Cheeks:
- Inglot face blush 30 (peach colour)
Lips:
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone
- MAC Craving lipstick
- MAC Tasty Tricolour lipglass

Palmer's Deep Conditioning Protein Pack

2011-05-19T10:15:00.000+01:00

Wait till you read it's full name... Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Deep Conditioning Protein Pack. As the (very long) name suggests it is an intensive treatment for the hair.

What's in it and what does it do?
It's formulated with Pure Coconut Oil and Vitamin E and is a concentrated conditioning treatment. You're only meant to use it once a week, after shampooing and you leave it on for 10-20 minutes. On both occasions I left it on for 10 minutes and my hair felt just as soft as it did when I used MJ's Chocolate Hair Mask. This hair mask is ideal for coloured, heavily styled, processed hair.

How much and for how long?
One packet is £1.99 from Sally beauty stores. I have long hair and so I only got two uses out of it - I did use it very generously though.

How does it smell?
Like pure sweet coconut oil :)

Other comments:
Would I buy it myself? Probably not as my hair doesn't need many intensive treatments as I condition it well and I don't colour my hair. If and when I do need it, I will definitely be using this again!
Would I recommend it? If you do colour your hair then I would highly recommend this as Coconut Oil is great for transforming your hair back to its top form.

Let It Burn

2011-05-17T10:02:00.003+01:00

Ahh we all love a bit of Usher :) My Mother wore a gorgeous block orange & black dress to a party recently but it was a bit plain so I wanted to jazz her nails up! I decided to use the rhinestones to create a flame shape to go with the fiery/smoke colour theme. I love the way the black glitter particles catch the light IRL.

Products used:
- Nails Inc A&E Basecoat
- OPI Lunch At The Delhi
- Models Own Black Magic
* Viva La Nails glitter in Silver & Black
* Viva La Nails metallic rhinestones in Amber
- Nails Inc Albert Bridge Topcoat

Aqua Sheko Fish Spa

2011-05-15T10:18:00.004+01:00

On Thursday I visited the Aqua Sheko fish spa in Soho, close to Chinatown. Aqua Sheko was the very first fish spa to open in London. I had never been to a fish spa before, so I opted for the Deluxe Hands Package, which included a 25 minute fish manicure along with a 20 minute head & shoulder massage. I wanted to try the fish manicure over a pedicure as I haven't come across any reviews on it (and I am not to keen on feet...)!

Receptionist
I was greeted by a lovely lady called Ruffina who allowed me to start my fish manicure straight away... Even though I was 30 minutes early! She talked me through the process and made me feel at ease, as I was slightly apprehensive about feeding my hands to the little Garra Rufa fishes haha. I asked Ruffina if Aqua Sheko have had any celebrity clients, to which she told me that Paloma Faith, The Saturdays and Leslie Mann are just a few who have visited Aqua Sheko. I also found out that the fish liked cucumber but they much prefer dead skin ;)

Fish manicure
I found it to be a strangely relaxing experience - Ruffina told me this was because the sucking stimulates your pulse points. The 25 minutes flew by as I was mesmerised by looking at the fishes and listening to the oxygenated water gently trickling into the tank. My hands weren't that dry to start with but they genuinely seemed softer than what it had been before. I would assume you would get even better results from a pedicure though.

The massage
After the manicure my masseur, Andras, gave me the perfect neck & shoulder massage. He applied plenty of pressure but made sure that it was fine by me - Which it was! Dare I say it, I may have perhaps enjoyed the massage a tad more than the fish manicure! I left the spa feeling very calm and totally relaxed after Andras massaged the tension out of my shoulders :)

Ambiance
With an all black interior, as well as exterior, the Aqua Sheko spa really stands out next to its neighbouring stores. The darkness of the interior made me feel very relaxed and I could have easily fallen asleep while sitting in the massage chair! All the furnishings are very sleek & stylish, which I really liked.

Price
The Deluxe package costs £45 but they do offer a similar deal for £30, which is the Energiser hands package - 15 minute hand fish therapy and 10 minute head & shoulder massage. Of course you could always have some time with the fishes alone - £17 for 15 minutes and £27 for 25 minutes. You can view the full treatment menu here.

Out of 5?
I would give it a 4 - As the first fish spa in London, these guys know what they are doing and how to do it. It's a brilliant experience which everyone has to try - Which is why I am planning on taking my Mother soon. I would definitely recommend it to all you ladies & gentlemen and would happily do it again. It is slightly pricey which is why I knocked of 1 rating but to be honest that's just the sort of prices you get in Central London! :)

Andrea Fulerton Nail Boutique

2011-05-13T19:24:00.000+01:00

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to get a manicure by Lena, who works at the Andrea Fulerton boutique in Superdrug, Westfield. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands and requested a mix 'n' match design, which Lena patiently created for me. As I was walking around the other stands I got plenty of compliments - Thank you Lena! I tried to keep a close eye as to what products were used (listed below). I have also included an image of the price list (end of post) which I picked up in Westfield yesterday as I tried to look for it online and couldn't find one :)

Products used:
- AF Pre-Varnish Prep
- AF Lily nail colour (hot pink, base colour)
- AF Annie nail colour (silver, middle finger)
- AF Stripe & Sparkle in Pattie (black, on thumb, middle finger and pinky)
- AF Stripe & Sparkle in Brooke (silver, on thumb)
- AF Crystal Gemstones (ring finger)
- AF Glitter Puff Dusts & Gloss Up Overcoat (silver glitter, on index finger)
- AF Gemstone Overcoat (pinky)
- AF Quick Dry

Andrea Fulerton Nail Boutique bar prices:

Superdrug BeautyCard Event & Launches

2011-05-11T09:02:00.002+01:00

I just don't know where to start... There is so many new launches and treatments to write about! First of all, apologies for the rubbish pictures - Low lighting and I stupidly left my camera at home. Moving on, I guess I will start off with the venue - The Superdrug BeautyCard launch took place at the beautiful Haymarket Hotel, near Piccadilly Circus. All the stands/treatments were situated around The Swimming Pool.

The first stand I had visited was by LASH false eyelashes from Superdrug, launching on 6th July. Here they applied some false eyelashes of my choice - I opted for Volume, Edition 20 (FOTD and pics in a separate post). The special introductory price is £3.99 for the natural ones and £4.99 for the double volume lashes, until 2nd August 2011). I think there are 8 different lashes in the range.

Next I visited the Andrea Fulerton stand to get my nails done (pics in a separate post once again). I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting the lovely Andrea Fulerton herself and got a photo taken with her. She was an absolute pleasure to talk too and told me about the new "Mock Croc" crackle polishes (in black & silver) that are launching soon!

I went to the Fashionista stand which is a new brand launching in August 2011 which is based on the Inglot/Bobbi Brown freedom palette idea. They have a huge variety of eyeshadows, blushers and nail polishes and they will be working with top British designers who will be designing palettes for them! Fashionista use the same manufacturers as Accessorize makeup. The picture on the end is actually their gel eyeliners, which has an interesting brush function.

There are also two new skincare ranges coming up - The Beauty Parlour (reminiscent of Soap & Glory) and Ooh La Spa! (reminiscent of The Sanctuary Spa). The latter is the new premium spa range for Superdrug, launching end of May.

GOSH are also releasing new matt nail polishes and glitter for nails. They have 10 different shades of glitter. MUA makeup will also be launching a professional range - Priced between £1.50 and £4.00. They will be releasing everything except lip products (more focused on perfecting the skin tone and adding colour to eyes & cheeks) and it should be launching around June-July'ish.

And finally the BeautyCard - Which launched today! Superdrug wanted to offer more opportunities to earn points through special promotions than handing out more than 1 point per £1. You can see the list of opportunities to gain points in the picture below! Superdrug will also be giving out 50 bonus points for every £5 spent on Superdrug branded products in store (until 7th June) to celebrate the launch.

We also got handed a goody bag at the end of the event/launch containing a mixture of miniature travel-sized products Superdrug stock, as well as one pair of their LASH false eyelashes and The Beauty Parlour's "Boob tubes in a box" firming cream.
Ps. Thank you for the invite Superdrug :)

Animal Instincts

2011-05-09T09:54:00.003+01:00

I wanted to give Zebra nails another whirl, this time in it's traditional black and white form. I managed to do them quicker than I did last time... So practise does make (near) perfect nails ;) I am quite upset that however careful I was with my topcoat, I had still managed to smudge the lines a bit!

Products used:
- Nails Inc A&E Basecoat
- Models Own Snow White
- Models Own Sterling Silver
- Models Own & WAH black nail art pen
- Nails Inc Albert Bridge Topcoat

07/05/2011 - Face Of The Day

2011-05-08T10:13:00.007+01:00

Lately I have been making more of an effort with my makeup again i.e. not just going out with some mascara, blush and toned down lip colour. I've been sporting more brighter lippies and eyeshadow as of late. I think I shall make a trip to MAC soon to pick up some much needed new bright lip colours :)

Products used:

Eyes:

- UDPP
- The Body Shop Eye Trio in 02, Sundown Glow, lightest colour (inner corner)
- The Body Shop Eye Trio in 02, Sundown Glow, darkest colour (all over lid)
- Inglot eyeshadow in D.S 465 (outer corner)
- Urban Decay Liquid Liner in Perversion (upper lashline)
- Benefit BAD gal eyeliner (lower lashline)
- Clinique High Impact mascara
Cheeks:
- MAC Breezy blush
Lips:
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone
- MAC Ruby Woo lipstick
- MAC Lustrewhite lustreglass