NOTD: Illamasqua Faux Pas

Hey everyone!
Here's my second post with my new nails - see here for an explanation of what I use.
I decided to paint my nails with Illamsqua Faux Pas (£13.50).

This is a one coat, rubber finish, proper purple purple. I love this polish - it might be my favourite! The formula is great, smooth and easy to apply.
An update on my false nails - a couple came off today so I removed the rest and cleaned them, ready to be worn again when I feel like it. I'm curious about everyone else's experiences with false nails, and glue in particular. Are they really as terrible for your nails as I've heard?
S xx

NOTD: Revlon Dreamer & Boots False Nails and Nailene Ultra Adhesive Tabs Review

Hey everyone!

Remember in my Spring Nail Picks post, when I talked about my awful, awful nails? Well, given that my mum's wedding is in less than 2 weeks and no magic nail-fairy was going to come and fix them, my mum and I decided to get false ones.

I have never had false nails. They have always seemed too long and I have seen the glue ruining people's real nails - which I guess I don't really have to worry about since mine are already so weak and bendy - but still.

So, my mum and I bought the pack of 200 false nails from Boots (£8.50) and some Nailene Ultra Adhesive Tabs.

The point of the tabs is that they stick to your nails and the falsies without ruining your nails. When you want to take nails off, you just push them off and roll off the tab. They are water resistant too, and are meant to last around 5 days.

So, how did they work for me? Well, for starters, I liked the 200 false nails - there were loads of sizes to choose from so I reckon everyone will find the size for them. However, I had to trim and file mine down a lot because I do't like long nails on me. So the picture below are after filing, which I might add I didn't do it very well.

Secondly, I'd recommend filing under the false nail to get rid of the overlap caused by the tabs. The tabs were also quite long, and when they stuck out over my natural nail, they often didn't stick properly to the underside of the false nail, leaving a wrinkly sticky bit under my nail that got stuck to my hair.

So, that's them. What do you think?
Once the nails are pressed on the don't shift properly. Maybe after a shower they are a little more loose but I found them easy to keep on.
Also, after painting, if you want to change the colour, use an acetone free nail polish remover and that way it won't make your tabs unstick.
You can clean the nails and your own nails with an acetone remover and then save the nails at the size you want for reuse.
I can't tell you how long they last for really - I took mine off after 2 days for work, but other reports say that they last for 5 days. If you don't mind rebuying the tabs, these could be the nail-safe false nails for you.

Also - I figure they will work for me while I try to encourage my real nails to grow without biting, or splitting at work.
Here is the first colour I painted my nails with - Revlon Dreamer (£6.49), which is also the colour I will be wearing at my mum's wedding.

It's a lovely, creamy blue with a hint of grey. It took 2 coats to get it this opaque.
I could have painted the nails when they were off, but I wanted the nails on to file them to the right size. However, if you have shaky hands for nail art like me, the fact that you can paint these off the hand is a real plus!

Wait until you see my nails from today, which I will post tomorrow; it's my favourite nail colour yet!

S xx

L'Oreal Super Liner Gel Intenza Swatch and Review

Hey everyone!
A quick review for you today; a new gel liner a picked up in Boots when I was getting some nail things that I'll be reviewing for you shortly!
I picked up the L'Oreal Super Liner Gel Intenza (£8.99) because my E.L.F Cream Liner has gone crumbly and dry recently, and I much prefer gel liners to pens or pencils.

The liner comes in a thick glass pot which makes it look like there is more product than there is (which seems to be a trend recently!) but it looks very nice.

The formula is wetter than the ELF liner but not messy, and is pigmented and incredibly black. The two swatches above were done using the brush that comes with the liner, as are the eye swatches below. 

 The liner goes on very smoothly and very pigmented, and the brush isn't perfect but does the job fine.
This liner lasted all day on my eye without smudging or crumbling, and it actually took a bit of effort to get it off at night.
I think this is a worthwhile purchase as it ticks all my boxes: smooth formula, easy application, truly black pigmented colour and long-lasting.
Have you tried this liner yet? What do you think?
S xx

PS- Don't forget to enter my Facebook giveaway to win a Maybelline Color Tattoo!

Spring Picks Series: Top 5 Spring Lipsticks

Hey everyone!

Welcome to part three of my Spring Picks series, which will be all about my Top 5 Lipsticks for Spring. You can see Part One: Nail Polishes and Part Two:Blushes by clicking the links. When I was trying to pick these colours, I thought about corals, semi-sheer formulas, pinks and then, for fun, a pop of bright red to mimic the splashes of bright colour every collection seems to have this spring.

MAC Hue; Revlon Kiss Me Coral; Dior Bobo; 17 Barely Blush; NYX Amsterdam

Dior Bobo; Revlon Kiss Me Coral; NYX Amsterdam; 17 Barely Blush; MAC Hue

1. Dior Addict Lipstick in 530 Bobo (currently on offer for £21.60 at Debenhams), I reviewed this really recently - you can see here - so I won't go on too much about it except to say it's a lovely formula, sheer and moisturising with a hint of coral warmth. It's expensive but I love it.

2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Kiss Me Coral (£7.49) is always going to be one of my favourite lipsticks, as are most Revlon lipsticks because the formula is so awesome. This is a creamy, long lasting, bright red-leaning orange with a yellow base that is not unflattering. You can see my original review here.

3. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam (£5) is an easy pick for me because despite the fact that it's matte, it has a great finish, isn't drying and is super soft and velvety to apply. The colour is bright and has more than a touch of pink in it which I think makes it perfect for spring. You can see my original review here.

4. 17 Supreme Shine Lipstick in Barely Blush (£4.99) works great because it's a rosy dusty pink but with a semi sheer formula that makes it look soft and flattering on the lips. I think it's great for spring, for a hint of barely-there colour. You can see a review and lip swatch here.

5. MAC Lipstick in Hue (£13.50) is my favourite ever 'nude' lipstick, a glossy glaze formula with hints of pink and peach. It's extremely wearable, easy to apply sans mirror and in general one of my favourite lipsticks ever. You can see my original review and swatches here.


Don't forget to head on over to my Facebook giveaway by clicking here. It ends next Wednesday at midnight GMT.

What are your favourite Spring Lipsticks?
S xx

Facebook Giveaway! Win A Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr!

Hey everyone!
Just a super quick post today (which, by the way, was my last day of University for my undergraduate degree!) to let you know that in order to celebrate the launch of my Facebook page, I'm having a little giveaway on it.
You could win a Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in either On and On Bronze or Permanent Taupe.

Click here to find out how to do it!

S xx

Spring Picks Series: Top 5 Spring Blushes

Hey everyone!

Today is part two of my Spring Picks Series. You can see part one, which is all about nail polish, by clicking here. Today I'm dealing with blush.  When I think about blush for spring, I think about pastel pinks and coral colours, with a couple of cream blushes thrown in for that dewy skin finish. Here are my top five:

Clockwise from top left: Dior Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush 001 Rose Petal; NYX Cream Blush Glow; Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour Rose Petal; Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge Fresh Melon; Vivo Baked Blush Peaches & Cream

L-R: Vivo Peaches & Cream; Laura Mercier Rose Petal; Dior Rose Petal; NYX Glow; Bobbi Brown Fresh Melon

1. Vivo Baked Blush Peaches & Cream (£4) is finally available online (and with international shipping!) So many of you asked about it after my original review, so hopefully you will now be able to get your hands on it. This is a lovely, creamy, shimmered apricot peach with a hint of gold that will subtly warm up complexions for spring - if you have darker skin I bet you could use it as a highlight.

2. Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour Rose Petal (£20.50) is pricey, yes, but I'm only just starting to make a dent it in it. A semi-sheer, velvet soft rose pink, it's warm yet soft and I'm sure it's the nicest warm pink for springtime.

3. Dior Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush 001 Rose Petal (£29.50) is another expensive one. You can see my original review here. I love how this blush is formulated to look different on everyone's skin, and on my face it looks like a light, candy pink without being overly cool and washing me out. It fits with this spring's pastel trend and just looks so gorgeous!

4. NYX Cream Blush Glow (£5.50) is a blush I've had for a while and I've barely made a dent in the pot. A little goes a long way with this pigmented cream blush, which is a warm bold pink with slightly yellow tones that I think are what gives it it's warm glow on the face. This isn't incredibly long lasting but it's very blendable so you can build it up or sheer it out for a pop or wash of colour.

5. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge Fresh Melon (£18) is one of the loveliest blushes I own - and it's essentially a cream, non-shimmer version of the Vivo baked blush. You can see my original review here (it's currently my most popular post!) where I describe it as a soft, dewy cream blush, coral coloured with a warm peachy tone that allows for a natural flush. This is currently my go-to blush, especially when I'm in a hurry as it's so easy to apply and difficult to overdo.

What are your favourite spring blushes? Let me know in the comments - I'd love to hear!
S xx

Spring Picks Series: Top 5 Spring Nail Polishes

Hey everyone!

Sorry for being such a terrible blogger - this week is my last week of University so things have been a bit hectic! I promise I'll try harder! 

Today I'm doing the first of three-part Spring Picks series, showing you my top 5 spring nail polishes. First though, a word of warning: you know why I never do NOTDS? Because I have awful nails! Seriously, they are so weak and fan-shaped. For my mum's wedding I think I'm going to have to get (short, rounded) acrylics, and maybe use falsies from now on. What do you think? Anyone got acrylics experience they can share?

Anyway, here are my picks, please excuse my nails!

No7 Tangy; Revlon Sweet Tart; Models Own Lilac Dream; Barry M Blue Moon; Barry M Peach Melba

Barry M Blue Moon; Models Own Lilac Dream; Revlon Sweet Tart; No7 Tangy

Barry M Peach Melba

1. Barry M Blue Moon (£2.99) is a lovely pale, milky pastel blue. This was one of the easiest to apply of the nail polishes, although it takes three coats to become opaque.

2.Models Own Lilac Dream (£5) is one of my favourite polishes ever! Opaque in one or two coats, creamy, and dries quickly. Plus it's a lovely pastel lilac.

3. Revlon Sweet Tart (£3.45 on eBay) is a bright, fun true pink. I think it's the perfect pop of bright colour that would work well spring-to-summer. Also, Revlon polishes apply amazingly well, and they are so easy to get hold of at discount prices online.

4. No7 Tangy (£7) is a bright, red leaning hot orange. Again this would work as a spring-summer transitional colour, although I think oranges and corals are great for this spring. It dries fast and applies well, although the brush is too large for me - it involved a lot of cleanup!

5. Barry M Peach Melba (£2.99) is a lovely coral peach that I keep trying to work with because it applies on me so badly. It might just be a dud bottle, but mine is thick and gloopy. However, I really love this colour, so I might just add a few drops of thinner to this. And it's cheap so I don't mind!

Have you got any favourite polishes for spring to recommend? What do you think of these?
Keep an eye out for my next two instalments of Spring Picks, and also don't forget that you can now follow me on Facebook - I'm thinking of doing a little giveaway there soon, when I'm done with coursework, so keep checking!

S xx

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP Review

Hey everyone!

Another skincare review today - something I picked up in Boots the other day after hearing loads about it. To be honest I've been mostly looking for anti-inflamatin and anti-irritation products since my mum's wedding is coming up, and I have to (shock) bare my legs which haven't seen the sun for about six months, so they are pretty blue looking and irritated and dry.

I've spoken at length about my dry skin before, and how sensitive it can be, so after hearing great things I picked up this: La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP. I got it for £13.28 from Boots, but I also found it for £10.35 at Escentual.
I am going to go right ahead and say I love this body balm and would highly recommend it, especially if you have dry and sensitive/irritated skin. I have been using this after every shower, paying specific attention to my legs. It is (to my nose) completely unscented, as well as being free of parabens.
It feels like a thickish texture, half-way between a true balm and a moisturiser, but it is so easy to spread and rub in, and it absorbs like a dream.
It does not sit on your skin, it does not feel heavy, and it does not lock in heat like a lot of other moisturisers have on my skin in the past.
I have already noticed a significant improvement in my body skin since I started using it. Often when I get out of the shower, especially after I've shaved, my legs especially are dry and irritated, but this (along with Avene Eau Thermale) soothes and smooths my skin.
Even my boyfriend commented on how soft my skin was after I started using this!
I honestly feel like it is having long term as well as short term effects. No doubt one of my favourite purchases so far!

Have you tried this? Do you like it?
S xx

NARS Grand Palais Eyeshadow Duo Swatch and Review

Hello everyone!

Did anyone pick anything up in the ASOS sale? I was snooping around for some makeup shaped gifts for a friend's birthday, and came across the NARS Grand Palais Eyeshadow Duo for £17.50 (that's £6 off retail price) so I guiltily put it in my online bag. I am actually so glad I got it though, because even though it was a limited edition AW11 release, I think the colours are perfect for this spring. 

As per usual, the packaging is gorgeous. I found these shadows to be just as buttery smooth and easy to apply as other NARS shadows I have tried.  The left shade is a silvery taupe (which I love) that is shimmery but without fallout, and the right is a matte rose shade. I have barely, if ever, used pink on my eye but this actually wears flatteringly. The matte does kick up a little excess powder but blends super easily.  I wore the silver taupe all over my lid and along the browbone, and the matte rose in the crease:

So, what do you think? Is this a duo you'd choose, or do you have a favourite NARS duo?
I'd love to hear!
Also, you may have realised I now have a Facebook page! Check it out by clicking on the link! :)
S xx

Avene Eau Thermale Thermal Water Spray Review

Hey everyone!

I've been updating my skincare this spring - getting more into searching for great products, especially, as everyone seems to be, French Pharmacie products. They seem to be much more suited to my skin which can often be sensitive. I'm still using my Liz Earle but I'm not opposed to trying out different cleansers. Any suggestions? 

Hopefully soon I can share my full skincare routine, but until then I have some individual reviews.

This is the Avene Eau Thermal Thermal Spring Water Spray. I got the 50ml since I was testing it out but would easily buy the full size now.
You can get it from Boots for £3.15 or Escentual for £2.70, but the cheapest place I found it was on Amazon for £2.10.
This Thermal water is meant to soothe skin, particularly sensitive skin, after cleansing, shaving, sunburn or other irritants. It's meant to work as a kind of toner and brightener, and you can also use it to refresh and set your makeup.
I have found it to be a particularly helpful multi-use product. I use it after shaving and it cools and soothes my skin, I use it in the morning after my other skincare products, often leaving it until after I've applied my makeup to keep it looking fresh yet set. It's brightening and tightening simultaneously, but I'm glad it doesn't tighten the skin too much - with my dry skin that would be an irritant.
This does refresh my skin and seems to give it a boost - for such a cheap price I'll be sure to repurchase!
I know it's just water with added minerals and what have you but this really seems to work, at least for me, and so many other toner type products are way too astringent for my skin, so I'm endorsing this one.

Have you tried it? What do you use it for?
S xx

FOTD: Work Night Out

Hey everyone!

Just thought I'd post a quick FOTD from the other night, when me and some people from work went out, now that the shop has closed down. I tried to keep it nighttime appropriate but not too full on, because after all, it's a work thing. Here's what I wore:

Face:
NARS Multi-Protect Pro Prime
Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation 101 Beige Porcelaine
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit Ivory
Sleek Blush Suede
Bourjois Blush Rose Ambre

Eyes
Sleek Brow Kit Dark
E.L.F Gel Eyeliner Black
Make Up Forever Smoky Lash Mascara
MAC Eyeshadow Amber Lights (lid)
MUA Eyeshadow Shade 21 (crease)
MUA Eyeshadow Shade 12 (inner corner/browbone)
Both MUA shades from Immaculate Collection palette

Lips
MAC Lipstick Blankety

S xx

OOTD: Sparkly Leopard

Hey everybody!

I got some quite nice feedback on my last OOTD, so here's another one. The boyfriend and I are still trying to work out how to make these photos good/less grainy - my ideal is to get them looking as nice as Shirley B. Eniang's, which is a long shot, but hopefully these aren't too terrible.

This perhaps isn't the most spring-like of outfits, but as I mentioned before it is still grey, drizzly and overcast here in Scotland so I'm still playing it down colour-wise. I have more than one colour of this sparkly jumper, but I don't think they sell it anymore which is a shame as this one has a rip in the shoulder. I still look terribly awkward!

H&M t-shirt / H&M jumper / Topshop skirt / New Look wedges / Topshop bag / Biba rings one and two / Lorraine Law ring

Lipstick: Revlon Wild Orchid

Nails: Illamasqua Faux Pas (only £8.00 at ASOS!)

S xx

Revlon Lipstick Collection: Swatches

Hey everyone!

Before I start this post, I want to say I got the idea from the gorgeous and awesome Romzs over at Norwegian Elephant. Before you look at my post you should go check out her blog, it's great! Promise. I saw Romzs post on her Revlon lipstick collection and realised we had the same amount of lipsticks, and three shades the same also! Great minds...

Revlon are easily my favourite lipstick brand. Yes, more favourite than MAC. They are the brand I have the most lipsticks from, I love their creams and their mattes, and I also love their price point.

What is also awesome is that you can get some of these shades for a lot cheaper than retail on eBay. I'l put links below!

L-R: Mauve it Over (Matte); Pink in the Afternoon; Kiss Me Coral; Cherries in the Snow; Wild Orchid; Black Cherry

 Mauve it Over is a peachy nude-brown matte, that goes with everything and wears brilliantly without drying out my lips. You can see it on my lips here. I definitely want more Revlon mattes if they are as good as this. US Ebay has it here for £2.51.

Pink in the Afternoon is a light, warm pink and a very recent addition to my collection which I have been loving. It's pigmented by soft and doesn't overwhelm my face. I think it's pretty neutral since it doesn't pull too blue or too yellow, although it's definitely a warmer pink. Amazon has it for £2.25.

Kiss Me Coral is a glossy, bright orange colour which pulls a little red. It is awesome and bright and actually doesn't make me look too mental - you can see a picture here. You can get this here on eBay, where the current bid is 99p.

Cherries in the Snow has been around since the 1950s, and is a bright, warm, blue based raspberry pink. I thought it would be more red but it's just very deep pink. You can see it on me here. It is not available for cheaper on eBay or Amazon, as far as I can see.

Wild Orchid is an almost metallic looking bright, blue pink. People have compared it to MAC's Show Orchid. You can get this on eBay for just over £4.

Black Cherry was one of the first Revlon lipsticks I ever got and it's a deep blackened red purple. You can see it on me here - I think it's a surprisingly flattering colour. It's another which is not cheaper on eBay or Amazon.

If you want to buy them from normal shops, Boots are currently running a 3 for 2. Here are the creams, here are the mattes, both are £7.49. They are the same price from Superdrug.

Have you got any Revlon lipsticks? Which are your favourites?
S xx

Dior Addict Lipstick in 530 Bobo Swatch and Review

Hey everybody!

If you saw yesterday's post, and the post from the day before, you'll know I went to Dior to get a wedding makeup trial in preparation for my mum's wedding. The have a two product minimum purchase, so I got a gorgeous blush which I showed yesterday, and today I'm going to show you the lipstick.

Hands up who knew I was going to get a lipstick? Haha!

I got a Dior Addict Lipstick in 530 Bobo (£24.00) for 10% off at Debenhams. I guess my mum and I were lucky we went on a sale day!

Packaging like this usually wouldn't be my thing - I prefer black, as evidenced by my love of NARS packaging. However, this is kind of cool and a little bit sci-fi. I like how the packaging reflects colours when it catches the light. My boyfriend thinks it looks like a pepper mill, though, so it could go either way!

This is a really gentle, glossy coral colour with a little bit of shimmer in it. It doesn't feel gritty on application at all. It's smooth to apply although the bullet does feel stiff at first, and whilst the colour isn't in your face opaque, it's got enough colour to warm up the face. I think this is probably quite a universally flattering colour.

You can see me wearing it here.

It's not the most long-lasting of lipsticks; it lasted on me for a couple of hours and then I had coffee and off it came! But that's to be expected, which is why I bought it for touch ups throughout the actual day of the wedding. 

I also got some samples, that were quite unsual; Chanel badges, Dior temporary tattoos and a couple of Dior charms. I think I'll save a badge and charm for my next giveaway!

 I just wanted to say that today marks 1 month of me posting every single day on this blog! I checked - you can see my post from the 11th of March here. And since then I've posted each day. As I move towards graduation and some final stuff I have to do for Uni I probably won't be posting every day (this is my last long summer after all, and also I'd probably run out of things to blog about) but I hope to keep up regularly.
I wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who follows me, or has followed me, and has made this so awesome - I recently hit 400 subscribers and I honestly did a little dance. So thanks for making this so much fun!
S xx

Dior Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush in 001 Rose Petal Swatch and Review

Hey everyone!
If you read yesterday's post, you'll see that I got two things from the Dior counter yesterday. The wedding makeup comes with a two product minimum purchase, but luckily, at Debenhams right now it's 10% off all beauty, so it looks like my mum and I went at the right time. I asked you to guess what two products I got, and here's the first. Tomorrow I'll post about the second.

Yes, of course it's a blush. This might be the fanciest blush I've ever had though - usually it costs £29.50, but if you hurry you can get the Diorskin Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush in 001 Rose Petal (what a mouthful!) from Debenhams for £26.55 !

Let's take a closer look:

How cute is this blush? Don't be terrified by the colour in the pan, as the whole point of this blush is that it is supposed to adapt to your skins moisture levels to create a unique colour for each individual. So it will not wear on me the same as it will on you, and unfortunately for the swatch below, it won't wear on my arm as it will on my face.

I love the embossed logo in the blush, I think it's sweet, and the case with the huge mirror feels comfortably sturdy and well made. It comes with a little velvet pouch, which I'm keeping it in until the wedding! The brush that comes with is ok, I would use it on the go but probably not for everyday use. It's nice to have though, and very soft.

Just...how pretty??

So here it is swatched on my arm. I couldn't get a great photo because the colour is so soft and pretty. This is not a chalky blush, at least not to me. It is very soft though, and you may kick up a little powder when dusting the pan.
Of course, this will be different on everyone, but on me it's a warm flush of pink with a neutral undertone and a luminous finish, although NO. SHIMMER. Which I personally rather like.
You can see a photo of me wearing this blush in yesterday's post.
Dior claims this lasts all day, and I can vouch for that. I had my makeup done at 10am and took my makeup off at around 9pm, and at that point the blush was still flush and pretty, although not as done as when first applied.
My tip? Apply gently, and in one layer, and then allow the blush to sit for about 5 minutes. The colour develops on the skin and you may find you apply to much if you try to build up colour intially.
On me this developed and deepened in the first 5 minutes and stayed pretty all day.
Whilst this is expensive, I'd highly recommend it. I'm so glad I got it!

Have you tried this blush? Or any other Dior things? This is my first Dior purchase and I could not be happier!
S xx