NOTD–Kiko Nail Lacquer 343

Hi guys! I hope you have had a good week? So excited for the weekend, off to Bicester Village which I haven’t been to in a while so I’m excited! Also my dad has until Sunday to use his train ticket so if any of my friends are about I may pop to London! Bit of excitement!

Anyway a few weeks back my parents brought me some stuff back from their trip to Rome from Kiko. There were a few polishes in the stash. I have used all of them now and this was the first. I know it’s a little late now but this was around St Patrick’s Day. I didn’t wear it just because of that, green is also my favourite colour!

I should say that though this colour is gorgeous, this is not it. My camera refuses to photograph greens and neons. This is way more green, a bright kelly/jade green.

Though this photo is hideous it does show the true colour more. No amount of colour correcting showed it accurately, the actual shade is somewhere inbetween. It isn’t neon either like the above picture looks! Gah!

So I haven’t shown you an accurate picture. I know. I even tried to search for a Pantone colour so at least you had an idea but I can’t find one as vibrant. Bah, better luck next time. I will try again as it is such a gorgeous colour and those who baulk at green may change their minds!

Does anyone have any tips for photographing green? I tried on a few cameras, none are a DSLR, would it work on that? If so I’ll get my boyfriend to help next time I see him!

Empty–TIGI Bedhead Dumb Blonde Reconstructor

Hi guys – just a quickie! I’m still at the boyfs and not home till tomorrow so this is just to get by on until I can get back to my stuff!

I have had this a while – probably since September time. I got it from TJ Hughes and I think it was around £5 for the tube. I also got the shampoo at the same time which is almost finished but it has about 2 weeks life left in it.

This isn’t the dirty great big pump bottle, just a 200ml tube.

I wasn’t really sure how to compare this to other hair masks used recently – L’Oreal Elvive and Pantene. This retails at £12.24 on lookfantastic. The Elvive one is around £5 and the Pantene is under £3.

They all basically do the same job. They condition my hair and get rid of knots (of which I have plenty) and leave my hair feeling soft, easy to comb and weighty, without being weighed down if you get me? The only difference I really see is that this one penetrates (eek! Hate that!) my hair better leaving a longer lasting effect. I can get away with using this once a week whereas with the others I feel I need to use it twice weekly to get tangle free non strawy hair. However this is over double the RRP of the L’Oreal masque and quadruple the Pantene! I go through this like nobody’s business too, my hair drinks it up.

Look at that colour though, I will give it that. Yellow conditioner cheers me up!

One thing I will say is while reading reviews on MakeupAlley some posters said that using it too regularly could cause your hair to break due to the pH or something? It was on one of the pages and I didn’t follow up on it as I only use it weekly anyway and it was referring to using it daily. There is nothing to say ration use on the packaging though so I don’t know if this is true, it is just to let you know.

Is it an item worth repurchasing? Maybe. If I saw it at £5 again then I would probably pick it up. I’m out of hair mask now so I will need to pick something up this week, if anyone has any recommendations for a cheap good hair mask for dry coloured hair let me know!

I Heart Shopping!

I absolutely love shopping. I could definitely 'shop til I drop'! So being as I am a student without much income I really have to rein it in! I did however pick up a few bits this weekend in York and Hull so I thought I'd show you.
I know some people don't like 'haul' posts but I find it interesting to see what people actually spend their money on, beauty bloggers are supposedly 'in the know' about products and some do get sent bits so I think it's useful to see what stuff is worth parting with cash for. Plus I'm a nosy bitch (inherited from my Grandma).

L-R Clockwise from top - Boots Sparkling Eye Drops, No7 Poppy King Lipgloss in Glamour, No7 Poppy King Lipstick in Allure, Sleek Pan Tao blusher, MUA Lipstick in Shade 3 and got2b Powder'ful

Boots Sparkling Eye Drops have been a regular purchase for a few years now. When I am tired my eyes are hideous! Bloodshot and dull eyes combined with hereditary dark circles = being mistaken for a crackhead. So I always carry eye drops around with me. These were the first ones I tried and did repurchase a few times before branching out to other brands. The Sainsbury's ones are quite good too but these are my favourite. As well as brightening they feel refreshing and don't sting which happens with some other brands. I will show before and after photos another time!

No7 Poppy King goodies I had held out more hope for this collection really. I had 4 No7 vouchers that I hadn't earmarked for anything in particular so decided to hold out for this. Allure and Glamour both sounded like the most 'me' colours and I had decided to get the lipstick from both of these with maybe a gloss or two. When swatching though my boyfriend helpfully pointed out that the Glamour lipstick looked like something I already own four times over. For once I kind of took his point and got the gloss instead, I don't have anything like this in my collection, most of my glosses are glittery or shimmery.

Sleek Pan Tao Blusher Bah. I loved the swatch when I saw it instore the day I picked up the palette and Pout Polish. The girl in Superdrug said the blusher would be in the next day but after checking like 3 days on the trot I decided it was not to be and besides, being the pale nightcrawler* lady that I am would a luminous orange/peach be right for me? When I saw it in Hull I thought sod it, and now it is mine!

MUA Lipstick Shade 3 has been compared to a MAC lipstick that I want but can't remember the name of. How bad is that! Maybe Impassioned? Or did I just make that name up? Anyway, it's a quid. I have a few of these aready and they are pretty good, spectacular considering it is the same price as a packet of Disco's at a motorway services. I'm still seething about that.

got2b Powder'ful I have wanted a hair powder for ages but the Lee Stafford and Osis ones are a bit out of my price range. Well, they wouldn't be if I had a proper job right now and didn't spend my money on lipsticks and Wotsits. People have been raving about this and I swooped (literally, ask the boyf) on the last one in York! Yay!

Now some more pictures!

As I’m at the boys I don’t have my other Sleek blushes to compare this to so I just did it with the ones I brought with me. Which is more than necessary but hey.

You can see it is hella BRIGHT!!! I sure as hell have nothing like this in my collection! I will wear a few days and take some pics to see how it is on the skin. Also, hello goosebumps! Chilly in Yorkshire today!

No 7 Lipgloss and Lipstick

MUA Shade 3

So this is a quick look rather than a review but I am pleased with my purchases at the moment, there isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking that could be a disappointment other than the hair stuff.

The eggs are from my boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend’s birthday party! Ha what a mouthful! We did a little easter egg hunt around their little hamlet, it was great fun!

Have you made any No7/Poppy King purchases? Or any other goodies lately?

*Nightcrawler is the name we gave to my boyfriends ex flatmate. He was nocturnal and sooooo pasty it was horrendous! Serious vitamin D deficiency I swear. That is how I feel now, though I have gained a few freckles after the 3 days of sun this week! I even cracked my pins out prematurely, definitely regretted that!

NOTD–Models Own Gold Rush

Ahhh the finale in my Models Own trilogy. This will only be a quickie as you all know about Models Own I’m sure yada yada yada.

This is Gold Rush, a metallic warm gold. It looks kinda yellowy in some lights but not so much here. I love metallic colours and the Models Own ones I have tried are pretty good, this was 2 coats, 3 on some nails.

I took a few pictures as it looks different in almost every light.

It looks a little odd on me, maybe with a tan (I think everything would look better with a tan, if I try this in the summer and it still looks shit I will be annoyed!) or a darker skin tone than mine, which isn’t difficult.

I got 3 days wear with minimal tip wear/chipping which is good for me. This was £5 from Boots and is also available on the Models Own website.

Meh.

Hi ladies, I hope you are well. Have you had a good week?

I had a hideous exam on Tuesday so now I’ve got that out the way I’ve got time to blog about bits that aren’t just nails!

I thought I’d show a few bits that I actually use regularly. It’s all well and good reviewing stuff that’s been sent or you’ve bought and it is useful but I kind of think its more useful to see stuff that actually gets used daily you know? That’s the stuff thats worth purchasing.

I try and keep my skincare pretty simple, there are a few things I’d like to change about it, a few things I’d like to find an alternative for but until I use those up I won’t repurchase. Not spectacular but not bad if you get me?

This is one of those products.

This is Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleansing Milk. The pictures a bit crap as it’s so bright (for once!!! Yayyyyy!!!) but it’s in a pretty purple bottle with a pump. I approve of this, there isn’t a lid but you can twist the pump to stop it for travel etc, not as secure as a lid I feel but in reality when bumping around in your bag they are probably equally as likely to squirt all over your belongings…

It is milky, not literally like milk but more watery than a lotion. It was trying to escape off my hand here.

I like cleansing ‘milks’, I have tried a few and they seem not to try my cheeks but not over-oil my nose and chin.

However this one is a bit of a dud. I use it twice a day, two pumps in the morning to remove my night cream and around six in the evening to remove my makeup. I wouldn’t try and take eye makeup off with it though, I remove that separately.

I use this in conjunction with my Botanics Face Brush and it gets my makeup off. Just. And bear in mind that aside from the occasional powder touch up I am normally still wearing the makeup I applied that morning. I do use a primer but I rarely have much left on my face regardless when I take it off at around 10-11 pm. If I am less than vigorous with my face brush I am still taking foundation off with my toner. Don’t even think about using this with your hands, it will do sweet f**k all.

I do double cleanse using Cetaphil to ‘loosen’ my makeup but I don’t like this one half as much as the one for oily skin that I got in NY. When that ran out I had to get the regular and I’m not as impressed, another I won’t repurchase.

So as to the title of this post. Meh. That is exactly how I feel when I think of this product. It doesn’t really take makeup off but it doesn’t make my skin feel tight. Just meh.

This was a gift but this is £16.50 for 200ml from Boots.

That is it for me, I’m done with Clinique skincare. I have the Moisture Surge moisturiser that was a GWP that I like on the occasion I do have dry skin but aside from that they’ve all been total duds! I have the eye cream from Glamour to use when I finish my other one, holding out hope for that.

Bah! What do you think? Have you used this? Or any other Clinique skincare? Do you have any recommendations for cleansers? I have no idea where to start looking for another when this one runs out!

Nail Fail Numero Dos

Just a quickie…

I got a cheap nail stamping set from Born Pretty (great service by the way, great communication which was nice) and after a few attempts with colours that didn’t show up or looked crap, this is my first all out go.

Nails Inc Warwick Avenue stamped with Nails Inc Shoreditch. To say I need to work on my placement is an understatement! The only nail that looked ok was my index and I chipped that on my car boot the morning after I did it! I could of wept.

Any tips for stamping? Also can you recommend any polishes? I can’t afford the Konad ones especially not when I have so many polishes already!

Trout Pout? Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker

I love the name of this! It’s brilliant!

I’ve had this for a while now, lost it (sister), rediscovered it and there is now little left (sister) so it is due to end soon as part of my Project 10! Also as I got another plumping lipgloss by 17 the other week I thought I’d do a comparison. I have this in the shade Candy Gloss, a pinky glittery shade, very beautiful.

Mine is maybe a year old now so it may be different to ones that are out now.

It has a brush applicator that I’m not sure they do nowadays. I generally prefer brush applicators, I don’t know maybe because all drugstore ones used to be doe foot it seems more luxurious to me? I don’t know, I find most glosses apply fine either way.

How did it shape up as far as plumping trouting pouting action?

After application

After 5 minutes

After 30 minutes

Recap – this is after application

I think my lips are a bit plumper. Not a whole lot noticeable though but this may be because I have full lips already. I apologise for the spotty chin, I have been having a few crop up lately and I’m trying not to put stuff on them so they will eff off quietly. Regardless of if I pick or not I end up with scarring so I’m trying to leave well alone and see if it makes a difference. Meh.

This started to tingle after 2 minutes and maybe stuck around until the 10-15 minute mark, it isn’t uncomfortable though or burning, just a bit strange.

If you have thinner lips than me, or even if you don’t but want an even bigger pout then give this ago. This shade Candy Gloss is showing on the Boots website for £8.43.

Have you tried this? It’s been showing on a few blogs but I thought I’d put it to the test. Next week I’ll do the same with the 17 Va Va Voom one.

NOTD–Models Own Golden Peach

If you haven’t already seen this going around the block I’d expect to as it approaches summertime!

I got this beauty in my mini Models Own binge the other week after seeing it on a few blogs. I own nowhere near as much makeup/nail polish as some but even so I am trying to branch out and try new things. I never used to wear peach as I wasn’t sure if it would suit my skintone. Now I am more inclined to think ‘sod that, that’s a pretty colour and I’d like to be able to stare at it all day’. Hence this purchase.

The bottom one is blurry to show the golden sheen this gives off. As per usual almost anything looks better with a tan, including this polish. However I still couldn’t stop staring at my hands with this on. Tre bien!

I have a chip on my third finger and ripped off along almost the whole ring finger nail. Believe it or not my rabbit was pestering me for some treats and as I was carrying my lunch at the time and trying to balance on one leg I grabbed hold of the cupboard and broke it. Based on my furry fecker I would say rabbit based accidents are fairly common. He certainly tries his best to trip me up at every opportunity.

Anyway what I was getting at was that I only wore this for 2 days as rabbitgate made me want to change the polish to the last one from my recent Models Own purchases. Stay tuned for that un…

This polish was £5 from Boots and was on 3 for 2 offer at time of purchase.

Gifts From Far Away Lands…

Bonjourno! As you may or may not know my parents went away to Rome last weekend and, ever prepared and knowing I was looking after/being taxi driver for my sister, I had a list. A list you say? A list of cosmetics.

A quick google of Italian makeup showed Kiko as the most prevalent from what I could tell so I had a look at their website (very nice and easy to use) and noted down a few bits that appealed to me. Then promptly lost the list and had to try and remember it when my Mum rang me from the shop.

Onwards and upwards…

L-R Eyebrow Marker, Shiny Pearl Lipstick, Water Blush, Skin Evolution Foundation, Nail Lacquers

This is just a quick look and swatches, I haven’t used the foundation yet as I’m waiting until Bobbi Brown finally dies and I’ve only tried one polish.

This is the Eyebrow Marker in 02, the middle shade of three I think. The nib is pretty firm and it isn’t that pigmented making it great for brows. I’ve used this once and it gave a natural finish, I think you’d struggle to go overboard with this unlike my Urban Decay Brow Box. This was €5.90

Shiny Pearl Lipstick in 190 Baby Pink. This is very subtle, just a tint of colour and glitter/shimmer. It’s very pretty and natural, nice for days when I want a bright blush. It does leave a little bit of glitter behind but nothing that a bit of balm won’t dispense of and it feels nice on, not drying. This was €5.90

Water Blush cheek stain in 02 Mandarin Fizz. This is again very subtle at first but buildable and it blends well. This is a goodie for days when I want bright lips like Vegas Volt. This was €6.90

As I said I haven’t tried this yet but the colour match looks promising which is a great start for me! The packaging is nice and the foundation colour matches the top of the packaging, though I haven’t seen the other colours to know if it matches to all or if it is standard. This was €12.90

Couldn’t miss out on any exotic polishes could I? This is L-R 335, 343 and 267. I have 323 on now so look out for that, 2 days wear and no chipping is promising and two coats to opaque! These were €3.90 each.

I also had a lipgloss on my list that wasn’t in stock but all in all I’m happy with these from my experiences so far.

No Flash

Flash

Brow Marker, Shiny Pearl Lipstick, Water Blush and Skin Evolution Foundation.

I haven’t properly compared my products to the swatches on the website but they are what I expected so they can’t have been that awful. I did think Nail Lacquer 267 would be lighter but I am still delighted with the colour so don’t care that much.

I included prices as they aren’t shown on the website so although I was expecting similar prices to Boots I couldn’t be sure. I think they are pretty much on a par with chemist prices these days, I thought €12.90 for the foundation was a bit steep at first but they are coming up £13 in Boots and Superdrug these days aren’t they?

Anyway I will report in a few weeks how I get on, if it’s good I’ve already checked that there’s a store in Paris for my holiday in the summer!

What do you think? Have you tried many foreign cosmetics? Any that you’d recommend? I’m off to France, the Netherlands and Germany this summer so and only know of Essence and ArtDeco, is there any others you know that I can try? I can’t wait for a Sephora!!!!!!

Nail Fail Numero Uno

Oh dear oh dear.

You know sometimes you get ideas in your head and they seem like an awesome idea yada yada yada…..

Behold.

My piss poor attempt at a gradient manicure. I’m almost ashamed to post this. In my head it looked so good!

This is Barry M’s Nail Paint in 279 Bright Pink with OPI’s The Show Must Go On from the Burlesque collection sponged onto the tips. Now my nails are getting a bit longer thanks in no small part to Nail Envy I thought I could experiment. Alas.

I’m going to attempt this again another day with different colours but until I get it right I will not be showing any more gradient nails on here! Patchy nightmare! You should see the other hand…words cannot describe.

NOTD–Models Own Coral Reef

Bah. This whole not buying make up lark clearly doesn’t extend to nails in my head. I went into my local ‘big’ Boots in the Mall to check if they had the Orly minis. I think £5 is extortionate for such a small amount of polish but I’ve got some points on my card so if a shade caught my eye I could get it minus spending the outrageous amount of £££.

However now that Cabot Circus has opened the Mall has given up the ghost as is refusing to stock anything that is of interest to me which is annoying given it is half the distance away with free parking and most of the same shops.

Anyway. To console myself I ended up with three Models Own polishes. They were on 3 for 2 but I still managed to defy the point of not spending money without even thinking about it. Meh.

I got 17 Lasting Fix in Mini Skirt too which is a pearly white. I don’t have a white polish and I’m trying to get more adventurous with my nails, though a shaky hand and clumsiness generally=crap nail art. I just wanted something quick and simple here so I did a heart on each nail with some cheap paint brushes I got in Tesco.

Coral Reef is one of those colours that I wasn’t sure if it would suit me at first but when it was on I kept looking at my fingers. It’s the closest to red I feel comfortable with.

This was three coats and on some nails I could see my white tips through. Still it dried quickly so wasn’t that much of a pain in the arse and I can see this getting a lot of wear, especially now summer is approaching!

So my local Boots has quite a small section for Models Own, I’ve been thinking about doing an online order for a while as I was going to get one or both of the nail art pens as well. Talking of the nail art pens, weren’t they supposed to be coming out in every colour? I was really excited for that and holding out for their appearance but they still haven’t arrived and the black and white ones came out in around November time! Have they just given up on the idea?

Do you have any recommendations for Models Own colours? I like the look of some of their Pro colours due out soon too!