ETC LLYMLRS UK Beauty Blog: Makeup Reviews Beauty Tips

nars deep throat blush

2013-05-24T12:00:00.000+01:00

nars deep throat blush: £21.50

Let's get the school girl titters over the name of this blush out in 3... 2... 1... Now we're done! I decided to pick up Nars Deep Throat. I've never really looked at it much but I saw someone use it in a Youtube video use it and I decided I needed it in my life. Nars Deep Throat is a warm coral with a hint of pink and golden shimmer. It's very similar to theBALM Fray boy which is the only pinky blush i wear on a regular basis. it's not as shiummery as Nars Orgasm and a little more sheeny than shimmery. It's very warming on the face which I found odd because pinks tend to look overly cool on my skintone. I like to use it as a soft barely there type glow rather than packing it on. Like all Nars blushes it's smooth and soft and applies like a dream.

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clinique bottom lash mascara

2013-05-23T12:00:00.000+01:00

clinique bottom lash mascara: £11

I've had this little teeny tiny bottom lash mascara for a long time now but I cant believe I've only just got around to reviewing it. Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is literally the smallest little wand I've ever used. Designed to be exclusively used on the bottom lashes exclusively the wand coats each and every small bottom lash from root to tip. Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is a waterproof mascara that doesn't really do much in the lengthen, thicken, or curl your lashes departments. However I think the small brush is appealing because it's an easy to apply mascara that won't smudge or flake. It lasts all day on my bottom lashes and simply darkens and separates the lower lashes with no clump, and it never flakes off.

While it might be a bit of a faff having a bottom lash mascara, I've loved this and I cant believe I forgot about it for so long. Defintely going back into my daily makeup routine! By no means is this product something you NEED in your routine. If your a mascara loser like me then it's very easy to apply and adds a lot of definition.

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wildcard: illamasqua esp

2013-05-22T12:00:00.000+01:00

illamasqua esp lipstick: £16.50*

I bet you'd never thought you'd see me rocking a vivid purple lip? Not exactly a LLYMLRS trademark now is it! But for some reason I've been looking at it longingly all week and thought I might as well at least give it a wear. Thus a new category on my blog has been born. Wildcard. I tend to play it safe with the things I try out on this blog because I know what I like at the end of the day. I turn down things I know I personally won't like because I don't like to waste products. But I've decided it's time to give things a go that are a bit out of my comfort zone! Let's see how it all pans out!

Illamasqua ESP is a bright matte violet lipstick which is unlike anything I've ever seen before. Zoe always tells me about how much she loves Illamasqua Kontrol and how awesome purple lips are but lets face it. I'm hellla girly when it comes to makeup. I'm all about the natural eyes, slick flick of liner and a peachy pink lip. But all in the name of giving it a go, here is me in a purple lip. Makeup is all about experimentation right?

The colour itself is absolutely stunning, a bright purple. The formula is a very old fashioned chalky matte, very similar to another Illamasqua lipstick I recently reviewed. It's quite stiff if I'm being honest but I quite like matte formulas like this. You could probably get away with just patting it on rather than applying straight from the bullet. A gloss on top would also probably make this a little bit easier to wear too. I like the colour on my skintone and it does contrast well with my eyes. While I think it's something I could probably pull off in theory, I cant see it being something I'll be wearing all that often. In a strange way Illamasqua ESP is werable but I can tell you now that it's not going to be it be something that everyone is going to love. Hats off to Illamasqua for always being creative and innovative with their collections. Illamasqua Paranormal is on counters now.

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boss orange woman edp

2013-05-21T10:44:00.002+01:00

Boss Orange Woman Eau De Parfum: £45*

The fragrance opens with notes of apple and then the heart notes are described as fruity and floral with notes of white and orange flowers. The base has notes notes of creme brûlée, vanilla and sandalwood. I find the scent quite sweet but not too synthetic. Ive not tried the EDT version of this but the scent is very strong and pure, maybe a little heavier than some perfumes I've tried before. It's fairly creamy and uplifting and in line with it's blurb claiming to capture "A woman of youthful spirit, characterised by charm and passion". To me feel it's a little bit glamorous than youthful, with a bit of a vintage feel to it. I feel would be the kind of scent that would be perfect for spring. Personally I feel it's a bit too floral for summer for my personal tastes, we all know I love Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess! I like the notes of sandalwood and vanilla but I personally don't get many notes of orange or fruitiness. Which I felt were disappointing as I imagined it to be slightly more fruity and less floral. Maybe I shouldn't have read so much into the name. Also I feel like sometimes it can smell just a bit TOO sweet which I didn't like. The packaging is quite nice, it's rose gold which looks very pretty on my desk top (not that that should sway a perfume purchase!) In all I think this might be a bit too heavy for my taste, so I only apply very sparingly. I think that could be because it's an EDP rather than a EDT. While I do like it I have to use it quite sparingly and only one or two spritz's max!

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mavala chilli and spice

2013-05-20T13:22:00.001+01:00

Mavala Bamako, Jaipur, Trinidad, Bali, Samarkand & Cuzco: £4.50*

I've not really tried much from Mavala before but they stock loads of shades in their collection which are forever growing. I've looked at the polishes before so I was pretty excited to acquire some of the Chilli and Spice Collection. Inspired by travels in "far off lands" forming a collection of vibrant hues which will be perfect for the summer. Mavala nail polishes come in half the size of most typical nail polish sizes at just 5ml. However I quite like this. I know I'll rarely go through a whole nail polish (although I have on Models Own Utopia!) there really is no need for such large polishes. The bottles are quite small but I found the brushes easy to hold and the brush applies the product evenly.

Mavala Bamako is my personal favourite from the bunch and I've actually painted my nails twice in this shade since I got these last week. It's a pretty emerald green with nods to turquoise and blue going through it. Surprisingly I didn't own anything similar to this shade so I was very impressed with it. Mavala Jaipur is a typical bright orange with a creme finish. Mavala Trinidad is a strange shade for a summer collection as it's a darkened muted blue navy shade. It fits well with the overall collection but I'd probably expect something a littler brighter for summer. It is very nautical though so I suppose it fits. Mavala Bali is a bright pink, again kinda stereotypical for a summer collection but it is a lovely shade. Mavala Samarkand is a really lovely purple shade. I've never really got into darker purples as I tend to go for lilacs but there is something about Samarkand that makes me think it would be perfect for a holiday. Finally Malvava Cuzco which is a really nice apple red.

In all I love a few of the shades and like the rest. I think Bamako, Cuzco and Samarkand are my personal stand out shades while the other three in the collection are fairly forgettable. Bamako will definitely be gracing my nails over the next few months as it is a unique and wonderful shade. While you are getting less product than other nail polish brands for the same sort of price I feel it's less wasteful and you are more likely to use a bottle up. You can purchase them from Boots, Debenhams or John Lewis or online and retail for around £4.50.

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this or that: radiance primers

2013-05-17T15:23:00.003+01:00

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance: £28.00* (mini size shown)

Makeup Atelier Paris Eclat Makeup Base: £18.50*

I've been quite into a bit of radiance at the moment. I'm very much into that glow from within look so in comes the radiance primer. I've been testing a few and I've come across two that I thought were very similar so I'd do a "This or That" post on the two. A bit about my skin is quite odd, I have a very olive skin tone but because I'm fairly pale it can often look sallow or lack brightness. Primers often give that soft focus, blurred out look at the skin which really makes a huge difference to the way the skin looks.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance is a a very pretty glowing primer that smooths out the face and provides a flawless base. It has a slight tint to it and provides a natural sheer dewy finish. It clocks in at a whopping £28 for 30 ml so it is on the pricer side. I prefer to use this with alongside a smoothing primer (such as the Clarins Instant Smooth) as I feel it doesn't smooth as much as I like. It's slightly on the watery side I feel which feels nice on the skin but prefer something a little thicker. It does bring a lovely amount of glow to the face and enhances the complexion. It blends seamlessly into the skin and gives a non-glittery, radiant base. I like to mix this with my Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation as well because it blends so well.

Makeup Atelier Paris Eclat Makeup Base is a new brand to me so I've been trailing a fair few of their products out. Make-Up Atelier Paris is a a professional makeup brand. The products are exported globally from France and used by professional make-up artists and consumers all over the world. It's packed full of light enhancing and reflecting pigments to reflect light off the surface of the skin. The Eclat base is very similar in colour to the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer but with more of a pinky, lighter base compared to the peachier Laura Mercier one. It's a little thicker too and less fluid on the face which in turn smoothes out the skin a little more. It can be used before or after makeup to create a radiant, glowy base.

I think they look very similar when used on the face and do a great job of adding radiance and brightness to sallower skin tones. I think i slightly prefer the Makeup Atelier one if I'm being honest because it smooth out the skin a little more than the Laura Mercier. Also the price of the Laura Mercier one is about £10 more than the Makeup Atelier one for the same product!

Which would you choose? Makeup Atelier Paris Eclat Makeup Base or Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance

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everyday makeup #27

2013-05-16T14:35:00.003+01:00

Face: Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning Primer*, Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance*, Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, Makeup Ateiler Paris Waterproof Liquid Concealer*, Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer 03 Naturals Brunettes*, Nars Gina Eyes: Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer 03 Naturals Brunettes*, Revlon Eyeliner*, Seventeen Back Lash* Lips: Bourjois Rouge Edition in 03

PS: Excuse my overgrown eyebrows, there is method in my madness so if I leave it another week to get threaded then they'll need to be threaded again the day before I go on holiday so they are perfect. LILY MELROSE PROBLEMS.

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no7 stay precise felt tip liner

2013-05-15T11:04:00.000+01:00

no7 stay precise felt tip liner: £8*

We all know I love a good cat eye and I'm always on the hunt for the holy grail. So far I've got as far as the Pixi Lash Line ink being my absolute favourite eyeliner pen. But I like to give new things a fair chance so decided to give the No7 Stay Precise Felt Tip Liner pen a whirl. These days i can do a flick with almost minimal effort, but there was days when I couldnt for the life of me get a even line if I sat down and spent a good 10 minuites on it. Pen eyeliners are best for beginners and then try slowy graduating towards liquid and gel.

It's packaged in a slick felt tip pen format with a thin, stiff nib. I felt the application was absolutely effortless. As the pen is quite hard it makes it very simple to use. If you're an eyeliner n00b, it's easy to draw the corner "triangle" on and then fill the shape in. As it's so fine you can get right into the lash-line to really widen and brighten the eyes. Sadly the formula just isnt up to scratch for me. When applied it look's jet black and lasts a few hours. However I find after about 4-5 hours it faded to grey-black. It's not waterproof either so as soon as water gets near my eyes it starts to migrate and irritate my eyes.

In all, I really like the initial application and how easy to use the eyeliner pen is. It just fades too much on me and as soon as moisture hits my eyes are a smudged mess. I personally need something with a little bit more waterproof-ness or it just doesn't work. Overall I'd give it a A* for application and more like a C for formula. It's a shame it doesn't last longer on me as the pen itself is wonderful!

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illamasqua obey lipstick

2013-05-14T14:23:00.003+01:00

Illamasqua Obey: £16.50 *

Illamasqua Obey is a bright matte p[eachy pink lipstick. AKA. the best lipstick colour ever. I recently went for breakfast with Illamasqua and they introduced me to some of their colour cosmetics which I wasnt familiar with. I've got plenty of new Illamasqua bits to show off so I'm sure they'll be getting a bit of coverage over the next few weeks. I was instantly drawn to Illamasqua Obey because of the colour and the matte finish. My love affair with peachy-pinks will be going on forever I think!

Illamasqua Obey is similar in colour my favourite lip product from them their Androgen pigment. It's slightly more peachy. The texture is very dry and what i'd call a "old fashioned matte". Slightly chalky and a bit drying. I persopnally love that kind of finish but i will say it wont be to everyones taste. Maybe topped with a gloss might make it more wearable. But i have to stress that in general lighter opaque matte shades tend to be on the chalky side.

Formula issues aside, the colour is beautiful. A perfect brightening peach with a white base which makes the lipstick really pop on the lips. It has that really retro 60's look to it which I simply adore. I will say go and swatch this before buying, it might not be for you because of the formula. I can see this being a huge dissapointment for some people so I really will stress that you should test it before investing. It does tug, it is drying and it is very matte. I have been taking good care of my lips recently (post coming soon!) so this doesn't wear too badly on me. But like I said, it's a toughie. Do I recommend it? Hmm, yes and no. I personally like it, but I can see some people saying the exact opposite. Dupes and similar shades include: Illamasqua Androgen Pigment which is similar and the formula is smoother, Barry M 147 is incredibly similar but not quite as drying and Nars Bolero is similar but a little more satin-y in it's finish.

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beauty confessions 2

2013-05-11T19:30:00.000+01:00

Mascara Blobs: I cant apply Mascara, I never have been able to do it properly. I literally blob it on no matter what mascara I use high end to low end. I don't often review Mascaras on the blog because of this and when I do I generally get crappy comments about the state of my lashes anyway! I think in the life of this blog I've probably reviewed and shown mascara on my eyes about three times! It's also worth noting you'll probably notice now that in most of my photos of my eye's close up they'll always be dots or bits missing. I just haven't mastered the art of doing it, I don't know what I'm doing wrong or why I cant handle the most basic of beauty task's I just struggle! As my eyes are also super sensitive and I find that I'll often pick mascara off or it wear's off on the outer corners as that tends to get irritated very quickly!

Daily Face: I wear makeup everyday, I hate that I have to apologise or to be made to feel bad about myself because I do. I don't hate the way I look without makeup, I don't use it as a mask but I don't feel like me without my slick of liner and a little bit of a filled in brow. I will leave the house and pop to the shop makeup less, I don't feel ashamed of my naked face. I just prefer the way I look with it. I wrote a post a while ago on why I wear makeup and I think I put it a lot more eloquently than I'm writing here! But I will wear makeup almost 7/7 days a week. I generally apply in the morning and have it removed by 7pm with my skincare routine (which I've worked on since I made my last Beauty Confessions post!) getting started!

Allergies: I'm allergic to SOMETHING in some foundations and I cant for the life of me work out what it is. It's got to the point now where I actually don't use anything different because I don't want to break out. I do think that it is probably silicones. I went through a period of trying literally so many foundations and all were breaking me out. I then bought Laura Mercier Silk Creme and have been loyal to it ever since, although I do flutter with the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint. The foundation that broke me out the most ever was the YSL Touché Elate Foundation. I really wanted to love it and I did love it, I even bought a full size of it. However as soon as I realised that it was foundations what was breaking me out I stopped using it. I had terrible cystic acne and my skin was just so sore and red. I wish I could pinpoint exactly what ingredient it is so I can avoid it in the future!

Embrace Messy Hair: I hate flat my hair, I know this is completely obvious to some because again like mascara it's one of those things people complain about. The idea of having my hair flat to my head actually makes me cringe. Personally I think that looks super smooth straight hair awful and just so… weird? This is my personal opinion so please don't get offended by it! I don't know if it's a cultural thing but I'm always told my hair looks dirty, when it's not dirty at all I just used stuff in it to make it look like it is! Personally I'm just not into the sleek, perfect kinda hair do's! I'm all for a bit of bedhead, roughed up, rock n' roll style look! I tend to only really brush my hair after I've washed it to get all the knots out with my Michel Mercier Detangling brush and then leave it the next day and brush it again when I was my hair next (I wash my hair every other day!)

Nail Polish Addict: I think I probably have around 300+ nail polishes in my current collection. I'm actually starting to feel a bit guilty about them every single time I buy a new one. I probably have dupes for all the polishes and even when I think I have found a new unique one I probably own something so similar already! At the moment I'm especially in love with glitter nail polishes, I think I have around 70 of them currently with my favourites being OPI Rainbow Connection, NYC Lights Camera Action and Models Own Ibiza Mix. I'm getting more and more into indie nail polish brands at the moment as they are filling my need for unique and different glitters that just aren't on the mainstream market!

Humble Beginnings: I wasn't very interested in beauty until I started reading blogs in around 2006. I liked makeup and wore it a lot, but I tended to buy whatever I thought looked good or what I'd seen in magazines. I remember I started watching videos on Youtube including xSparkage and Petrilude. I proceeded to go on a spending binge on makeup. I remember placing my first MAC order and getting the 187 stippling brush and I think I also ordered some primer too. I remember buying the Chanel Mat Lumiere based off Pixiwoo's first videos and falling in love with it. Since then it's just escalated. I cant even begin to imagine how much I've spent on beauty and makeup products I've purchased after seeing online recommendations for it. I'm very very VERY easily influenced by other bloggers and what other people talk about. Most of the time I'm in a shop or at a counter I go "oh, I saw so and so talk about this" "I think this is what so and so uses"! It's addictive this online beauty review thing!

Check my other beauty confessions here

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nail polish finishes

2013-05-10T13:25:00.000+01:00

Excuse the fact the colours in my swatches do not go togehter at all but I thought today I'd talk about some common nail polish finishes. I've become somewhat of a crazy nail polish lady over the past few weeks and I thought I'd talk through some of the meanings behind some of the phrases used to describe nail polish finishes. I don't know how useful this is to anyone but I thought it'd make a decent post for those not so clued up on nail polish finishes! There are so many more than the ones I've listed below so I'll probably do a follow up with some more if anyone is actually intrested!

Creme finish nail polish is the most widely used nail polish finish. It's typically a solid colour with no shimmer, glitter added to the base. The finish is glossy and super smooth. The majority of polishes I've come across have this finish and it is very common. Example Polish- 2 True Shade 14*

Gel effect nail polishes are designed to mimic the high shine finish of professional manicures. Often these claim to last up to a week. Gel effect topcoats have also recently been launched to give regular polish a gel like finish. Example Polish- Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Guava*

Sheer nail polishes are generally used in french manicures to show off white tips. These generally come in pink, nude or salmon as they are designed to show through base colours. Often take up to three coats to be opaque if so desired. Example Polish- Revlon Pink Nude*

Matte polishes have no shine what so ever. They tend to dry quicker than most other polishes and can apply slightly streaky if you don't work quickly and evenly. Neon polishes tend to dry matte because of the pigmentation levels. You can get topcoats to mimic the matte nail effect on regular polishes. Example Polish- Models Own Hedonist*

Shimmer finish nail polishes are generally a solid coloured based with fine, iridescent shimmer added to it. The shimmer is very finely milled and tend to be of a smooth texture rather than having any noticeably chunky glitter. Example Polish- Butter London Champers*

Duo-chrome nail polish changes colour depending on the reflection of light often showing two or more colours within one nail polish. Like shimmer finish polishes the particles are very finely milled so the nail polish applies smoothly and evenly. Example Polish- ORLY High on Hope*

Concrete finish nail polishes are a new trend in nail polish finishes. They have a rough, sand like gritty finish to them. Almost like sand or sugar particles have been suspended within the nail polish base, These are not smooth, tend to be fairly matte and have no shine. Example Polish- Seventeen Rock Hard Nail Effects in Black*

Feather finish nail polish are another new nail trend that has become more popular over the last year. These are either referred to as feather or confetti finishes. These polishes have small strands of two or more shades suspended in a clear base to give a feathered, textured effect. Often they need a fair few layers of the polish to build up a solid shade. Example Polish- Barry M Confetti Nails in Liqourice*

What's your favourite nail polish finish?

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guerlain terracotta 4 seasons 03 natural- brunettes

2013-05-09T13:46:00.000+01:00

guerlain terracotta 4 seasons 03 natural- brunettes: £46.50*

The Terracotta Four Seasons bronzer range contain four matte shades with blend together to match every skintones for a authentic looking tan. It comes in 6 different shades, but I have the shade 03 Natural Brunettes The powder bronzer is velvety smooth and very, very finely milled. I find it almost feels creamy? Which is odd considering it is very much a powder, but it has such a buttery soft feel to it! It blends like an absolute dream into the skin to give a soft luminous matte glow. The colour pay off is very true to pan and compliments my skin-tone wonderfully. I use a angled brush to sculpt my cheekbones and add subtle definition to the face around the temples. I adore the way it looks on my skin, it adds the perfect amount of contour and definition that I've always dreamed on without being too muddy, too dark or too orange. Just the perfect brown natural shade. I've slapped it on slightly heavier than I'd normally go to show how it looks on but it really is a beautiful shade. The packaging is strong and sturdy and actually quite weighty, It's absolutely beautiful and what I would expect from a brand like Guerlain.

Now I'm sure you are all gasping when I point out that these retail for an almost eye watering £46.50 a compact. Yeap. Almost fifty-english-pounds for a bronzer. Wow, possibly one of the most expensive beauty product I've personally ever tried. While I didn't buy this I reckon I'd be hesitant about buying it for myself. While I like expensive makeup, this is just next level. I can see why I put off getting a Gueralin Bronzer for so long.

It's safe to say I love this Bronzer and I regret not getting into Guerlain Bronzer's sooner, but also see why I didnt invest. Guerlain Bronzers are a absolute cult product and I think I remember reading somewhere one is sold every 20 seconds. Would I go as far as saying it's the best bronzer I've ever tried... Oh go on then. Yes it's the best bronzer I've ever used and we are now in love. 03 Natural Brunettes is the perfect matte bronzer for olive skin tones for contouring, adding colour to the face and sculpting. In all while the Guerlain Terracotta 03 Natural Brunettes is expensive but I think it's worth every single penny and I wholeheartedly recommend it. One massive (expensive!) thumbs up from me!

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topshop lip bullet covet & heartbeat

2013-05-08T12:02:00.002+01:00

Topshop Lip Bullet in Covet: £8

Topshop Lip Bullet in Heartbeat: £8

As always, as Topshop release a new lip product I jump all over it. Last week I went into Topshop and saw these recently launched Lip Bullets and decided to give them a whir. I gave them a swatch on the back of my hand and was suitably impressed enough to march over to the till and purchase two. I hadn't really read about these or even heard of them until after I bought them, but I'm a sucker for anything Topshop Makeup!

Covet is a pretty pink nude which is very flattering on my skin-tone and is a good nude for anyone with light olive toned skin as it's not too cool. Heartbeat is my favourite of the two as it's a really juicy apple red shade with hints of coral and gives a lovely pout. I don't often like red lips but this one has really stood out to me. There is also three other shades in the Lip Bullet collection which are Rockabilly (a dark red), Joyride (a true red) and There She Goes (a pearly light pink).

They are described as having a dewy finish which I agree with, very soft and sort of glossy on the lips compared to the formula of Topshop Lips or their Topshop Lipsticks. The colour is very buildable and you can apply lightly for a sheer wash of colour or build it up to create full coverage. They feel very light and nourishing on the lips and dont dry them out in the slightest. The wear is very balmy and soft. While I do like the formula of these Topshop Lip Bullets I do feel that they are slightly too creamy and the lighter shade Covet, sinks a little into my lip lines and enhances dryness.

In all I like these but don't love them, The finish is a little too creamy for my personal taste as I do prefer matte lipsticks. However these are a nice addition to the Topshop Lip range and are a good medium between the satin finish of the lipsticks and the chalky matte-ness of the lip sticks. I like the twist up packaging as it cuts down product wastage and makes application effortless. At £8 they aren't the cheapest of high street products but these are worth a try!

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notd: models own indian ocean & orly boho bonnet

2013-05-07T13:14:00.000+01:00

Models Own Indian Ocean: £5*

Orly Boho Bonnet: £10.25*

I think Models Own Indian Ocean is a really underrated nail polish from Models Own. It's a a pink to peach to violet duo-chrome in a very sheer light blue base. I seem to recall it came out with the Beetlejuice Collection a few years ago.Alone it doesn't wow me purely because it's so sheer. I don't like to waste time with sheer nail polish as I hate waiting for things to dry! So Indian Ocean actually sat unloved in my nail polish collection for a very long time before one day I decided to give it a go. I saw my flatmate pop it over a colour and WOW! I was sold almost immediately!

For my nails today I decided to layer up with a darker base that I'd normally opt for when worn with Indian Ocean and opted for ORLY Boho Bonnet from their Spring Collection. ORLY Boho Bonnet is a dusty light blue creme. Apparently it's inspired by the Californian sky but I feel it's slightly more subdued that I'd expect. Although it could be a rainy day in California i suppose! I personally think its a bit of a hard shade to wear as it's just so murky and dark. It doesn't suit my skintone when worn alone and brings out tones in my hands that make it look very blah. An odd pick for a spring collection if you ask me! Other polishes it layers well with include Maybelline Ceramic Blue, Models Own Utopia and Models Own Jade Stone.

Generally I tend stick to creme finishes because I find duo-chomes hard to wear but I think this combination is absolutely beautiful. The finish reminds me of sun hitting the sea and that beautiful reflections and colours you see. Different colours come out as the sunlight hits your nails and it just looks really elegant and summery. It's rare for me to like a polish like this but i think it's absolutely lovely and defintely going to be gracing my nails over the summer months.

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summer bases

2013-05-06T17:14:00.003+01:00

Origins Perfect World SPF 35, Laura Mericer Radiance Primer, Wild About Beauty Rose Water Illuminating Serum, The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Gel, Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning Primer, Bourjois Bronzing Primer

Summer is quickly approaching so i thought i'd talk few some products that are perfect additions to your summer makeup and make the perfect base. In the summer I'm all about glowy, naturally bronzed, illuminated skin and one of the keys to this is getting your primer or base right.

SPF is key in the summer, and while you could opt for a regular sunscreen I tend to reach for Origins Perfect World SPF 35. It is a UV face protector enriched with White Tea which protects against environmental damaging while also preventing ageing. I like this as it doesn't break me out or feel to greasy on my skin. I find suncream designed for the body generally breaks me out and then I feel more insecure about my no-makeup face in the sun! This one has skincare benefits while also protecting my face from the sun. I personally find SPF 35 is enough for my face (my skin rarely burns) but it might be worth looking into a higher factor if you're fairer.

Laura Mercier Radiance Primer is a lovely product that really brightens and smooths out the complexion. It looks quite shimmery or glittery when applied but after adding a foundation you can see how much it brightens the face. Another great illuminating prep product is the Wild About Beauty Rose Water Illuminating Serum. It's a hydrating skin treatment designed to boost radiance before applying makeup. It contains rose water which is rich in anti-aging and regenerates the skin.

My face always stays white no matter how much my body tans so primers with a coloured boost are always worth checking out. I've been recently giving The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Gel for Face a while and so far so good. It's quite dark so you do only need a small amount but it adds a nice warm tint to the skin. One of my favourite products to use as a base is the Clarin's Instant Smooth Self Tanning Primer. Its the same formulation as the Clarin's Instant Smooth primer but with added tanning benefits. It gives the skin a subtle bit of colour while also smoothing out fine lines, pores and evening out the face. The scent reminds me a little of Bake-well tarts which I adore! Lastly the Bourjois Bronzing Primer, more of a whipped mousee-y consistency compared to the Clarin's one but still similar in function. It smooths, evens and tints the skin slightly to give a bronzy glow.

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barry m sequin nail paints

2013-05-05T18:52:00.000+01:00

Barry M Sequin Effect Nail Paints: £3.99*

I am sorry if you are sick of me harping on about the new shades from Barry M but I thought I'd share my thoughts on another of their new ones the Sequin Nail Effects. Now I'm normally all for new nail trends, and when I read the press release for these I thought they'd be more like glitter polishes. I thought that the mainstream nail brands were finally taking something from indie brands and creating some polishes with unique glitter combinations. When in fact the Barry M Sequin Effect Nails are actually textured (concrete) style polishes with glitter suspended in the mixture to give it a sequin effect, While there is no denying it gives a sequinned look on the nail the texture is horrible and really gritty. Where I was expecting smooth, milky polishes with multicoloured glitter, we get liquid sand polishes with some glitter chucked in. While I haven't painted my nails with these I can only imagine how rough and scratchy they'd be if you caught them on your skin. They feel very rough and not very neat, just a bit blah if you ask me. As you can see from my close up's they just look a bit patchy and quite frankly really odd.

In all, I'd pass on these. They aren't that good and the results aren't all that pretty in my personal opinion. But if you love nail trends and want something to try then go ahead. I'm overall pretty disappointed with these but as the saying goes one persons trash is another's treasure! I think if they were regular polishes I'd be all over them but unfortunately they really don't float by boat! I cant see this being a very popular launch, but If you do like these, then they launch on May 8th and retail for £3.99.

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april favourites

2013-05-05T12:00:00.001+01:00

I posted this ages ago but I still haven't got around to popping it on here! Oops! This is why it's good to keep subscribed to my channel because I literally am the most scatterbrained person at the moment. Anywya, the usual drill. Some of my favourite products for the month of April. Some are completely obvious and I've featured them before in other favourites videos! Hope you enjoy!

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summer bronze makeup look

2013-05-04T14:13:00.001+01:00

Face: Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning Primer*, The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Gel for Face*, Revlon Photoready BB Cream*, By Terry Touche Veloutte, Bourjois Delight Maxi Bronzer, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon, Nars Albatross Eyes: Estee Lauder Pure Colour Shadow Paint in Chained*, Too Faced Natural Eye Palette, My Face Slinky Matte Eyeliner*, Clinique High Impact Mascara Lips: GOSH Mandarina Lipstick*

Today I thought I'd give a bronzey summer look a quick whirl using some nice summer ready products. It looks like it's just about to rain so probably not the most weather appropriate makeup look but I thought I'd give you a quick talk through of the products and how I got on with them.

For a base I decided to use the Clarin's Instant Smooth Self Tanning Primer, very similar to my favourite Clarins primer but with a added tanning boost. I personally dont think it gives a whole lot of colour but does give a nice smoothed out base. I then decided to pop on a layer of a product that I only received yesterdays The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Gel for Face. It's a moisturising, honey-enriched gel gives skin an instant bronze glow. The formula is very light and it blends effortlessly into the skin. It gave quite a bit of colour so make sure to use it sparingly and add more as you need it. I've never actually used a BB Cream that I like but I always try and give them a go, so I popped on the Revlon Photoready BB Cream I found the formula to be less greasy and tacky compared to other BB creams. It was quite thick but didn't feel too heavy. I don't know to be honest, I'm still undecided on if I like it or not! I touched up my under eye areas with the By Terry Touche Veloutte.

I then went over my face with a large duo fibre brush and the Bourjois Maxi Delight Bronzer, a beautiful bronzer perfect for olive skintones. This adds a really nice warm glow to my skin and I simply adore the finish. I popped the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon on my apples to add a touch of colour but not too much as I wanted it to be a very bronzer focused look. I ran my favourite highlighter over the tops of my cheeks- Nars Albatross.

For the eyes I went with a base of the Estee Lauder Stay On Shadow Paint in Chained. I'll have to admit I'm not a huge fan of these Shadow paints worn alone but they do make great bases for shadows. To make it even more shimmery and enhance the colour, I popped Push Up and Nude Beach from the Too Faced Natural Eye Palette. I then added a slick of eyeliner which was the My Face Cosmetics Slinky Matte Eyeliner. I've been really enjoying testing this out recently, it's a pigmented super black matte eyeliner which gives a really retro styled flick. Full review coming soon! I then finished my eyes with a few coats of my favourite mascara Clinique High Impact and then slicked on GOSH Lipstick in Mandarina to finish it all off!

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simple daisy nail art

2013-05-03T14:35:00.002+01:00

Barry M Hi Shine in Guava

Ciate Mini in Big Yellow Taxi

La Colors Energy Source

Nail Dotting Tools

I couldn't resist popping on one of the new Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail polishes after I posted and swatched them yesterday! I settled on Guava which is a odd name for a blue polish but I'll roll with it. Barry m Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish in Guava is a pretty summery lagoon blue with a slight murky green tone to it. I absolutely adore it, it reminds me of the summer and laying by the beach. I popped it on then decided to get a arty with my nail dotting tool's.

I decided on this really simple daisy design. All I did was use a large dotting tool and LA Colors Energy Source to create 3-4 little blobbed "flower" shapes all over the nail and then went in with Ciate Big Yellow taxi on a smaller nibbed dotting to create the centres. This is possibly one of the easiest nail art things I've ever attempted because it is literally all joined up dots. I was even able to do my left hand with relative ease! I picked by dotting tools up for less than a pound on ebay, while they did take a while to come they were only £1! You can't complain when something was that cheap including shipping. Surely they can't be making money on that!

Anyway, this is a great little nail art for someone who's advanced or a beginner. It's much more simple than it looks and the results are really effective and super cute! Perfect for this summery weather we are having in the UK at the moment!

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barry m gelly hi-shine nail polish summer 2013

2013-05-02T12:30:00.003+01:00

Barry M Gelly High Shine Nail Polish in Passionfruit, Barry M Gelly High Shine Nail Polish in Guava, Barry M Gelly High Shine Nail Polish in Mango, Barry M Gelly High Shine Nail Polish in Blue Grape, Barry M Gelly High Shine Nail Polish in Key Lime

These polishes literally came throught my post box about two hours ago, but as soon as I ripped the packaging open I had to blog about them. Today I'll be sharing the newest summer 2013 launches from the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Range. The Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine range is possibly my favourite drugstore nail polish range and has really put Barry M back at the top of the drugstore nail game. The Gelly Hi-Shine range is long lasting, super shiney and really easy to apply, I've swatched and reviewed them before on the blog (reviews here & here) and thought I'd share the new launches ASAP. For summer they have expanded the super popular line with a launch inspired by summer fruits! A range of perfect summer and beach ready shades perfect for holidays.

Passionfruit is a beautiful bright suped up coral red. Guava is a beautiful lagoon turquoise blue shade. It reminds me of the sea in the hot weather and definitely a perfect holiday ready shade. Mango is a bright orange.. Blue Grape is a bright combat blue which looks very similar to Nails Inc Baker Street (One of Beyonce's faves apparently!) Key Lime is a slightly subdued bright mustardy-green, its not as bright as other shades in this range but it's a very pretty creamy lime-yellow. It's very similar to Estee Lauder Absinthe but with a much more reasonable price tag.

I find the Barry M Gelly polishes to apply easily and most are opaque in just one coat. All the ones swatched above are opaque in one coat apart from Mango which needs a extra one. Yellow's and Oranges always tend to be a bit streaky in my experience! They have a very high shine gel inspired finished and lasts a good 5 days on my nails before noticably chippig. At £3.99 each and launching in Superdrug June 5th & Boots June 12th these are absolute summer must haves. My personal favourites are Guava and Blue Grape as I think both would look absolutely stunning with a tan.

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bourjois maxi delight bronzer

2013-05-01T10:31:00.001+01:00

bourjois maxi delight bronzer: £8.99*

Summer is getting closer and closer and I've decided its about time I bronze up. Today I decided to give the Bourjois Maxi Delight Bronzer a whirl all in the name of summer glow. It's an absolutely gorgeous bronzer, it really warms up the face. It's suitable for an all over glow and suitable for a subtle contour along the cheekbones. It's very pigmented but if you use a light hand and build up rather than apply too heavily it looks natural and glowy.

I have the shade 02 which is perfect for olive and tanned skin, it gives the right tones on my skin to flatter rather than look muddy or dull. It's a nice quite orange toned bronzer with a noticeable shimmer and glitter going through it. When swatched I found the glitter to be very noticeable but once blended onto the face it is barely visible. The orange tones wont suit all skintones but its very flattering on my currently pale olive toned skin. While I don't like scented products the compact has a subtle scent to it which reminds me of sun tan lotion or coconuts. I can't quite put my finger on it though!

At £8.99 it's a great deal for such a large compact and I'd highly recommend getting your hands on it once it launches in July 2013. I reckon it's going to come in other tones so there might be a more suitable one for lighter skintones. This one really wouldnt be suitable for pinker toned skin or pale ones as it is on the darker side. However if you're olive toned like me and need something to add some warmth to the face, this one if for you. I cant fault it! I've been let down by Bourjois Bronzers before, I'm looking at you infamous "chocolate bronzer", which I found to be so dry I could barely use it! The Bourjois Maxi Delight Bronzer is a really lovely drugstore bronzer and a perfect budget summer buy.

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2 true nail polish shade

2013-04-30T13:48:00.001+01:00

2 True Nail Polishes: £1.99*

I recently got my hands on some polishes from the Superdrug budget range of 2 True. 2 True is a cheap brand where everything is priced around the £1.99 mark and are 3 for £5. I've never really paid much attention to the brand before but I have to admit I've been very impressed with the 2 True Nail polishes I was recently sent. Shade 16 is a pretty bright pink, perfect sort of "Barbie Nails" type of shade. Shade 18 is a bright bluey green shade which is very opaque and reminds me of the sea. Shade 19 is a bright plummy mix of purple and pink. Shade 14 is a lovely pale purple which is very similar to Models own Utopia. Shade 17 is a pastel but still bright coral nail polish. Shade 20 is a pretty periwinkle blue, its one of the most opaque shades of the range and you can get away with one coat. Shade 15 is a soft, light pale blue with a hint of cool grey.

At a mere £1.99 these are definitely worth giving a go. They have a nice wide flat brush which makes application effortless and they dry down very quickly. Most of the shades are two coats opaque with a few of the darker colours being opaque in just one coat. I highly recommend the shades of 15, 14 and 17, especially for spring as they are really lovely shades.

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estee lauder bronze goddess 2013

2013-04-26T13:37:00.000+01:00

estee lauder bronze goddess: £45

"SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY", well those were the words that ran though my head when I popped into Boots the other day to enquire about my favourite perfume of all time - Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess. The woman told me it wasn't officially on sale until the 1st May but she'd sell it me on the basis I didn't tell anyone... Of course I agreed. Psh, then I go tell all my instagram followers, twitter followers, blog followers, text my friends, tell random people on the tube... Yeah sorry sneaky sales assistant! I just couldn't contain my excitement.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess is a beautiful blend of creamy coconut, vanilla, mandarin, amber, lemons and tropical flowers. It's just exquisite. Bronze Goddess reminds me of hot beaches, summer nights, luxury vacations and cocktails. Glamorous and exotic and packed full of excitement. Comforting, energising, uplifting and as I described it last year, Holiday in a bottle. I personally think it smells a little different than last year's version. More creamy and soft, the coconutty notes are a little more subdued bu. The packaging this year has gone full of gold, which although I don't personally love it's not horrible. Last year's ombre effect and glitter bottle and orange tones made it much easier on the eye! I think the fully gold looks a little cheap, even for Estee Lauder.

I've honestly been waiting a whole year to get my hands on this perfume again and I cant be more smug/satisfied that I have it again. It's my favourite perfume of all time. I highly recommend going to and Estee Lauder counter to check it out. Now this launches officially on May 1st on Estee Lauder counters... I'll take 10. I'm honestly going to buy at the very least two more because I love it that much!

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barry m confetti nails

2013-04-25T16:00:00.000+01:00

Barry M Confetti Nails in Dolly Mixture: £3.99*

Barry M Confetti Nails in Liquorice: £3.99*

Barry M Confetti Nails in Marshmallow: £3.99*

Coming soon to a Barry M counter near you are the new Barry M Confetti Nail Polishes! These are very similar to the Nails Inc Feather polishes in which are basically strands suspended in a clear base. All of the colours in this post are three coats without a base. I would recommend using a colour base though! Barry M Confetti Nails in Dolly Mixture is a multicoloured strand polish in yellow, orange, pale blue and white. It looks very much like sweets. Barry M Confetti Nails in Liquorice is a black and white stranded polish which I personally really like. I think the feather or confetti nails effect works well in monochrome. Barry M Confetti Nails in Marshmallow is a soft pink which looks really cute and girly.

I have to admit although I like the effect, I think they are so hard to get off it's not even worth it. It would probably be worth applying a peel-able base to the nail like the Essence Peel Of Base or even PVA Glue. It took me a good hour with scrubbing to remove all the polish from the nails when I used the Nails Inc ones so I presume it's similar. The finish is slightly rough so I'd recommend using a topcoat to seal everything in. In all it's a nice high street dupe to the more expensive Nails Inc polishes, but I cant see them catching on unfortunately! At £3.99 a pop they aren't going to break the bank and really do add a unique, funky texture to the nails!

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dry texturising sprays

2013-04-24T16:06:00.001+01:00

VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray: £3.49*

Oribe Dry Texturising Spray: £38.00 (shown is travel size)

TRESemme Texture Style Devine Definition Spray: £5.50*

I'm a huge fan of dry texturising sprays, they are great to get those messy, bed head styles espeically on freshly washed hair styles. These dry shampoo/hairspray hybrids are among my favourite hair products. A life saver for people like me who have pretty limp lifeless flat hair after washing and need something to give it a bit of roughness during styling. It's great for enhancing curled or wavy hair and adding a bit of body into the lengths.

Oribe Dry Texturising Spray is the most expensive item of the bunch. At a whopping 10x more expensive for full size than the VO5 version. It's nice, but not that nice. Definitely not worth it in my opinion. While the hold and the separation are there, and its so light on the hair with no residue. I just don't think there is anything special about this that can justify the huge price tag. Compared to the other dry texturising sprays this does actually last a fairly decent amount of time. VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray is pretty cheap and does a good job of mattifying the hair and adding oomph. Sprayed at the base of the roots and then ruffled out it gives loads of volume and . It doesn't last all that long though and the can even suggests setting the hair with a hairspray to keep the volume. I think the TRESemme Texture Style Devine Definition Spray is also very similar to the VO5 version, I feel they both are the same kind of formula and hold but it's a touch lighter on the hair compared to the VO5 as it leaves a bit less residue.

I do think spending £38 on a full size bottle of texturising spray is a bit loopy, and I dont think I'd reccomend it purely for that reason. I got the travel size which is a slightly more managable £18. While I see why people rave about it I just cant mentally justify something like that for my hair. Go with the lower priced ones but they dont last as long and do need a quick top up and refresh as you go along!

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