Nails: Pretty In Pink

Tour de Finance ♥ Cascade Cool ♥ Milan ♥ Elizabeth Street ♥ Gala Pink

While I was trying to decide which of my favourite shades to show you this month I completely dismissed pink as an option as I didn't think I actually had that many…turns out I was wrong, I have a lot and it was such a difficult decision deciding on these 5!

First up is Essie’s Tour De finance, the brightest of the bunch with such a beautiful shine. I usually pull this baby out when I’m wearing a little black dress to give a pop of colour to my outfit.

Another Essie favourite is Cascade Cool. This is the perfect candyfloss pink it’s super girly and perfect for the summer.

I went through a face last year of wearing No7’s Milan all the time because it’s that stunning. I think the silver shimmer running through it makes it unique, I've never found another colour that comes close to this.

Don’t you love it when magazines give away great nail polishes? Well I have a magazine to thank for this beauty (I can’t remember which one). Elizabeth Street by Nails Inc is a gorgeous ’my nails but better’ colour. It’s great for French manicures or if you just want something that isn't over the top.

Gala Pink By Bad Apple cosmetics* is heading more to the coral side of pink but again it’s just a great summer colour I especially like this if I'm wearing a white outfit.

Which is your favourite? Does pink frequent your nails a lot?

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Roses are Red and So Is My Lipstick

Happy Valentines Day

If there’s ever a more perfect occasion to rock a red lip than Valentine’s Day is it. I know a lot of people feel Valentine’s Day is a bit of a cop out and you shouldn't have to celebrate your relationship on a specific day, but I think it’s sweet, if you get given a card or flowers etc. its guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Everyone associates red with love and Valentine’s Day, its bold, sexy, and head turning, you can’t walk into a card shop without seeing a sea of read hearts.  

These are my products of choice to complete that Valentine’s Day look.

Lips

I've opted for Rosetto 022 by Kate’s Lasting finish Collection. I love this colour; it’s bright but also quite deep with blue undertones which make it suitable for all skin tones. As the name suggests it is very long lasting so perfect if you’re going out a date.

Nails

Salsa by No7 is a beautiful red with silver shimmer running through it which makes it that extra bit special. I think red nails are so sophisticated. The colour is opaque in two coats and I usually find it lasts about 2 days without chipping (without a base or top coat.)

How cute is this card! I absolutely love it and it really makes me giggle because it describes me and my boyfriend perfectly.

As my boyfriends is at work on Valentine ’s Day I shall be spending the evening with my house mate cooking up a storm, or possibly a ordering a takeaway. I remember last year 3 of my friends and I went to the chip shop had a bottle of wine and watched films, who says romance is dead!

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Nails: Purple Passion

Fantasy Fire ♥ To Buy or not to Buy ♥ Vivid Violet ♥ Purple Mystique ♥ Berry Ice Cream

As my Case of the Blues post went down so well I thought it would be a great opportunity to create a series of my favourite polishes, today I am showcasing my passion for purple. Purple is one of my favourite colours, I love how it’s so versatile and can look great at any time of the year. These 5 are my most reached for and just the most gorgeous shades.

Fantasy Fire byMax Factor is the most beautiful colour to look at it has a gold shimmer running through it. The gold really makes the colour a bit special and looks fabulous on a night out. The only problem with this is its very sheer and takes at least 4 coats (yes I said 4!) to get an opaque finish. To be honest I usually lose interest after coat 2 but if I have the time and effort to put in it looks great.

To Buy or not to Buy was my first ever Essie polish and  think its gorge, it’s a very pale lilac with tiny flecks of glitter perfect for summer I just with the glitter was a bit more noticeable.

Vivid Violet by No7 is another great shade for all year round; I love the shiny finish it gives. Purple mystique by Models Own is probably the colour that frequents my toes the most often, I don’t know why but purple toes make me happy.

Barry M’s Berry Ice Cream was without a doubt my polish of choice in summer 2012. Pastels are essential in the sunshine and Barry M certainly knows how to work a pastel! In fact Today's winner has to be Barry M’s Berry Ice cream, wearing this again has really made me remember the good times of last summer and I can’t wait until the sunshine arrives back here in England!

Do you love a purple polish? Which one is your favourite?

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Sunday Night Pamper Session

Sunday Essentials

There's no better feeling than putting your feet up after a mad weekend and that exactly what i'm doing tonight.

After spending the weekend at my friends in London eating, drinking and sleeping on the floor in my sleeping bag all I want to do is feel clean and have a good sleep in my own bed.

To start the huge bags under my eyes are hideous lack of sleep really does take its toll, so I soaked 2 cotton pads with Liz Earle’s Eye Bright and left them on my eyes for 10 minutes, I find this so relaxing. Next up my skin needed a mega deep clean, Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm, what the hell would I do without you?! I could literally feel the effects of the weekend melting off my face. I then followed this with the No7 Purifying mask just as a little extra treat for my skin; I love how soft this leaves my skin.

While I’m waiting for my boyfriend to finish work I decided to paint my toenails to, today’s choice is No7 Vivid Violet and Purple Haze by Models Own, pretty painted toenails make me feel special.

Sunday night wouldn't be complete without a cup of tea, cheeky bar of chocolate, the #bbloggers chat and an early night, gosh I sound old. Once I've gone through my photos I’ll hopefully be able to show you a few from my weekend, if you follow me on Instagram you may have already seen the delicious food I have indulged in! I can't believe its Monday already tomorrow, where does the time go!?

What have you been up to this weekend? Do you have a Sunday night routine too?

Nails: A Case of the Blues

Bikini So Teeny ♥ Celestial  ♥ Dazzling Blue ♥ Azure ♥ Betty Blues

I’m one of those girls that like to paint my nails according to my mood and this week didn't start great for me, hence feeling a bit blue. I also like to use nail polish as a way to lift my mood; if I have pretty nails it makes me feel that bit better.

It turns out I own quite a few blue polishes, who knew?  I've picked out my top 5 which are a lovely mix of shades. Essie’s Bikini So Teeny was one of the most hyped polish of last year, a gorgeous pale blue perfect for summer. When I purchased Bikini So Teeny I didn't realise i actually owned a very similar colour, Topshop's Celestial is just slightly brighter, I might not have bought Essie if I had realised this but I still like them both.

Dazzling blue From Max Factor is a lovely sky blue with a gold shimmer running though it, I love this just because its really different. Rimmel's Azure I wear when I fancy something a bit in your face, I love the pearly finish it has. Last but not least is Betty Blues by No7, a navy, off black which I think is quite sophisticated. When it catches the light you can see its beautiful midnight sheen.

This weeks winner though has to be Bikini So Teeny. Even though I said its perfect for summer, I think it looks great in this cold frosty weather. I always get complements on my nails when I wear this and that did help give me a little lift.

Do you own any of these colours? Which is your favourite?

Stars of 2012

I can't believe I'm writing this post as not too sure where 2012 has gone! Nevertheless I thought I would put together a post dedicated to those products that I have had a love affair with this year.

Skincare

Since this time last year my skincare routine has had a radical makeover, long gone are the days where I can only be bothered to use face wipes to remove my make up, oh no, I'm an absolute skincare fiend! These are the products I believe that have transformed my skin this year.

Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser. After receiving a sample size of this I've never looked back, the formula is so gentle it leaves my skin feeling great. I use this every morning and if you have oily/combination skin I cannot recommend this enough.

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser. Who knew you could find such a fantastic high street version of Liz Earle! I am a fan of Liz Earle Cleanse and polish don't get me wrong, but this stuff works exactly the same and is bigger and cheaper. I use this every night and it removes every scrap of make up.

No7 Beautiful Skin Purifying Mask. Another No7 product but I had to include it. An essential for pampering my skin I cannot tell you how ridiculously velvety soft this leaves my skin feel, its like an exfoliator and mask in one, you really need to try it to understand the level of softness I'm talking about here. I love it, I use this about twice a week for a little skin treat.

Caudalie Beauty Elixr. A product that I was so hesitant to buy but can no longer live without. I love a multi purpose product and this is great as a toner, for setting your make up and for just giving my skin a boost through out the day.

Liz Earle Moisturiser  I love this stuff, I use if every night and it really helps my skin recover while I'm sleeping. I also use this before I do my make up to go out in the evening to really prep my skin.

Make Up

As with skincare my make up routine has had a massive re vamp, priming my skin? Applying foundation with a brush? Thank goodness I found the light.

MUA Undressed Palette. An amazing alternative to the Urban Decay Naked palette. MUA eyeshadows really are among the best out there, they are so pigmented and easy to blend, I cant actually remember when I reached for another Palette.

MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Facebase. I have tried a few different high street primers but this little pot of loveliness wins hands down. It smells delicious and holds my make up in place for the majority of my day

Max Factor Eye Brigtening Mascara. I do love a mascara and has to be my favourite of the year. Its fantastic at creating volume and length but doesn't clump, leaving you with lovely luscious lashes.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush. This has probably been the most significant change in my make up routine. I use this brush to apply my foundation and it gives a completely flawless finish. I could never go back to just applying with my fingers and if you don't own this brush, why not!!

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer. This will cover your blemishes. Fact. For £4.19 its a wonderful product that I can't live without.

Hopefully while you are reading this I am in a Country pub, snuggled up by a log fire with a glass of mulled wine. I hope you had a great Christmas and got lots of new beauty products you cant wait to post about!
 

Christmas Nails

No7 Damson Dream and Ciate Ladylike Luxe

Hi Ladies! I'm in such a good mood as it's my last day of work until the second of January! My presents are wrapped, cards are wrote and I have a stash of mince pies to last me until next year. I am fully prepared for Christmas.

Damson Dream is a colour has frequented my nails this fall season and I'm still not tired of it. I thought this would be the perfect shade for my Christmas party but I felt it just needed that extra bit of oompf to make it extra special.

My sister has splurged on the Ciate Advent calendar so I took full advantage to borrow Ladylike Luxe to create my festive nails, what are sisters for right?

After asking on Twitter weather I should do a gold or red accent nail the general feedback was that the gold would look better as an accent nails and I have to agree I think all gold may have looked a bit tacky.

I must say I have really been impressed with the quality of the Ciate polish, while my Damson Dream is chipping away my Gold Ladylike Luxe finger is still going strong and I only used one coat, so maybe the saying you get what you pay for is applicable here.

What do you think? What colour will your nails be this Christmas?

Have you got much time off over Christmas?

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser

Being a skincare junkie I am constantly browsing for new cleansers so when those glorious No7 Vouchers were around I snapped up the No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser . 

Since my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish ran out I have been using this every night to remove my make up and I have to say I'm very impressed. 

Like most hot cloth cleansers this one’s comes with a muslin cloth, you apply the product to dry skin to melt away your days make up, then run the cloth under had hot water to remove it. I find one pump is more than enough; the creamy formula is very gentle but still very effective and will even remove your eye makeup. I tend to remove most of my eye makeup before I use this though just to stop the cloth getting to grubby.

I love how this leaves my skin feeling so clean, the thought of going to sleep with my make up on now is horrifying, and then I would wondered why I get spots? Seriously, this takes about 2 minutes and is totally worth it.

The product retails at £9.95 comes in a 200ml tube making it excellent value for money, even better if you can get your hands on a £5 off voucher, I think I made mine last about 3 months or so. If you’re looking for a purse friendly cleanser that works just as well as the high end versions then I cannot recommend this bad boy enough.

What’s your favourite cleanser? 

Why does the weekend go so fast? Had such a mad one, I went out with the girls on Friday night which was so much fun, then yesterday my boyfriend and I travelled the 2 1/2 hour journey down to see his parents for our first Christmas get together. So much food and wine and a nice catch up with people we haven't seen for a while. Its really got me in the Christmas Spirit and I Can't wait for the big day to come! What have you been up to this weekend?

No7 Fanomenal Lashes

Fanomenal Lashes

I picked up No7 Fanomenal Lashes mascara from boots back when the £5 vouchers were floating about and the sales assistant actually managed to convince me that I needed this mascara in my life. As a mascara addict I was quite easily swayed, it also helped that it came with a free eye shadow palette and I'm a sucker for a deal!

At first glance at the brush I was a bit underwhelmed, the bristles are very tiny and I didn’t think they would be able to do anything for my lashes. If you have a closer look at the brush there are a couple of longer bristles that spiral up the length of the brush, I struggled to get a photograph of this due to the mascara on it but if you have a chance to look while in the shop you will see what I mean.Boots refer to this as the 'Star' brush.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the results, The bristles managed to get in-between each of my lashes creating great length and volume, which is essentially what you want from a mascara without making your lashes look like spiders!

I do like this mascara but i'm afraid it will not replace my current love affair with the Max Factor Eye Brightening Mascara.

You can pick up No7 Fanomenal Lashes Mascara from Boots for £12.95.

**Please excuse my eyebrows, I am booked in for a wax, honest.

Nails: No7 Blackberry

Blackberry

Blackberry is another gorgeous shade by No7 which is absolutely perfect for this time of year, a deep plum colour with gold shimmer running through it. The polish has a lovely shine to it but gold shimmer is very subtle and doesn't show up as much as I would like on the nails.

I'm obsessed with burgundy colours at the moment, I posted about another a little while a go Damson Dream, which is very similar but you can never have too many nail polishes, right?

As with all No7 polishes its easy to apply and is pretty much opaque in one coat but I like to do 2 just to be on the safe side, it usually lasts for about 2 days until chipping starts.

No7 Nail polishes are available from Boots.

No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick: Cameo

Cameo

Another Pink in my lipstick series today, this time it's my first lipstick by No7 Cameo. Everytime I say the word 'Cameo' it makes me think of the song 'Word up' by the band Cameo, it's a classic 80's tune that my friends and I find hilarious and sing along to it all the time. That might also be the reason that I picked this particular lipstick!

No7 skincare has really impressed me lately so I was interested in branching out into their make up line. Cameo is a gorgeous pink with lilac/silver undertones and has a lovely satin finish. Application is very easy and glides across your lips, the formula is very creamy and quite moisturising which is what I look for in an everyday lip product. The colour Is a bit brighter than I would usually go for everyday so I apply it quite lightly, I love it for a night out though.

 I'm looking to find next a deep autumn colour or a red, I don't really know if it will suit me but I'm gonna give it a go!

No7 Moisture Drench Lipsticks retail for £9 in Boots which I think is a reasonable price for the quality, I will definitely be repurchasing another shade. Where are those £5 vouchers when you want them!?

Nails: Betty Blues

No7 Betty Blues

This week I've been feeling a bit down, there's couple of different things going on in my life at the minute that have left me feeling a bit blue, and my nails reflect that.

However, I don't want my slump to take anything away from this gorgeous colour. Betty Blues by No7 a very dark navy with some brighter blue shimmers. Its a great colour as we are going into autumn / winter and one that I know I will be wearing a lot.

The polish applies very easily and was opaque in one coat, I did apply two though to be safe.

I think No7 polishes are great quality and if you can get your hands on them while the vouchers are around they are only £2!

What's your favourite No7 polish? Do you paint your nails according to your mood?

Holiday Heroes: Egypt

Hi ladies, today's post is dedicated to my Egypt holiday heroes. It was about 36 degrees everyday while i was there and I would not have survived without these products, well that might be a bit of an exaggeration but I certainly would be burned to a crisp and lobster red without them!

♥ Calypso Deep Tan. I got this bad boy for about £3 from body care and I used this everyday when I felt I needed to top up my SPF or if I felt I was burning. It's also supposed to help enhance your tan and I have returned pretty bronzed so I am happy.

♥ No7 Triple Protection Moisturiser. This featured in my Italy Holiday Saviours post so I knew I needed this with me. I didn't really wear make up while I was there, but this is great for a bit of extra face protection and to cover my blemishes.

♥ Caudalie Beauty Elixr. I was unsure weather to take this with me or not but I'm so glad I did, It was so refreshing to spritz onto my skin. I also used it at night after cleansing and it made my skin feel clean and like I really had got rid of all  the sun cream and salt water that had made my skin feel dry.

♥ Palmers Moisturising Lip Balm. Love this stuff. My lips usually get quite dry when there is an extreme change in temperature and this helped keep them moisturised. It also has SPF 15 which is a bonus.

♥ Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder. I used this at night time when we went out and it just helped reduce the amount of shine on my face, can't go wrong.

♥ Riemans P20. This also featured in my Italy Post and I would never go on holiday without this. It is so amazing at protecting my skin from the sun, you apply it once in the morning and it protects you all day even in water, a must for any hot holiday.

Nails: Razzle Dazzle Dream

Damson Dream and Razzle Dazzle

Ok it is now autumn, I have been trying to keep the summer dream alive but it is time I admit defeat. So here are my first autumn nails. I picked up Damson Dream by No7 after searching for a gorgeous deep red colour, it wasn’t until I got home that my house mate told me she thought I already had a very similar glittery colour. She was right! How could I forget ‘Razzle Dazzle’ by Deborah Lippman which I got in a Glossy Box. So instead of layering on coats on the glitter polish I used Damson dream as a base with Razzle dazzle on top, perfect. I do feel my nails look rather Christmassy now so this combo will definitely be making an appearance this Christmas.

What do you think?

Damson Dream is available at Boots for £7.