kittys claws

Recent Nails

2011-07-28T19:15:00.005+01:00

Once again apologies, I have been super busy at work and that has left me so drained in my free time that I haven't really had the energy to blog, I have missed it and I haven't stopped reading all the wonderful blogs out there (or playing with cosmetics). I have been trying out some fantastic products and some not so fantastic ones so I will be back sharing with you again.

First off I will give you a few of my recent nails

This one is my first little venture into Famous by Sue Moxley, the colour is 20 - Nude and you get a massive 14ml for 4 pounds. The texture is nice and the brush is suprisingly good. It took 3 coats for it to be opague and the colour reads a little darker on the nails than it does in the bottle. It's a pinky beige with a light gold micro shimmer and also dries super fast. Like I said it's a little darker than I like my nudes normally but I will certainly be giving the range another look as the formulation is a corker.

3 coats plus seche vite in the shade

in the most direct sunlight I could get on the day

The next is one of my go to brands and a polish range I have had before. I am always excited when Bourjois bring out new shades and I love how they have gone quite quirky and bold with their latest offerings in the So Laque "Paris Showtime" collections. This is the first that caught my eye and it is T44 Bleu Model and it is a great Tiffany blue type shade, not quite blue not quite green and slightly darker and bluer than China Glazes "For Audrey". The formula is super smooth and when on light a dream and even with the Seche Vite there was no shrinkage and no tip wear and it held fast for a good 4 days and I decided to change it way before I needed to.

in the shade

Direct sunlight - excuse the raggy cuticles

Lastly we have a little bit of fun, I know we are all completely over crackle polishes but when I saw the new MUA Nail Quake ones in Superdrug I couldn't resist. So here we have Shiver which is pink even though it looks a tad more coral in the bottle (I long for a coral shatter) but it's lots of fun and for £2.99 whats not to like. It's a nice rich, bod colour texture and cracks up really evenly. Shown here over two coats of Kylie by Andrea Fullerton.

Direct Sunlight

Shade

couple of FOTDs

2011-05-29T20:55:00.002+01:00

The first look is quickly becoming my go to look. I used to go straight for the pale skin, winged eyeliner and either neutral or red lip. I am getting older now and I am finding that the winged eyeliner does not look as good on me as it used to. I am also a lover of a strong eye and love playing with colour but lately I have been loving the taupe as an easy and quick eye look.

Products used -

Base

Loreal wrinkle filler eye cream

Illamasqua cream pigment in emerge under the eyes

Clinique Super City Block

Stila angel light powder foundation in the lightest shade.

Eyes

UDPP

Boots NO7 simple eyes compact. Lighter shade on the inner third and the taupe blended across the lid and up into the crease.

Eylure eyebrow pencil in Medium/Dark

Chanel platinum rose eyeliner under lash line

Bourjois volume fast and perfect mascara

Cheeks

Illamasqua cream pigment in emerge

Lips

Clinique chubby stick in whoppin watermelon

In the next one I can't remember exactly what products I used but I took the photos because I was trying out a new eye product for me. A friend at work gave me some Gosh products that she wasn't getting the use out of and I was excited to try the eyeshadow base.

It is in a stick form and is a sheer white with a slightly bluish flash it was too pretty to cover up completely so I just blended in a colour from the 17 metallic nudes palette and finished with a little eyeliner under the lashline smoked out with the same shadow.

Recent nail roundup

2011-05-28T16:48:00.003+01:00

He we go with another recent nail round up and I have been really lucky recently with some nice gifts and freebies.

Lets start off with a lovely gift brought back from the states by one of my best friends. I had asked him to pick up the new Hello Kitty palette from Sephora which I will be reviewing soon and he also picked up this cute Hello Kitty polish for me. The shade is called Blueberry and it kind of a periwinkle/forget me not blue and I love it. It is such a sift shade and suits my pale skin very well although I can imagine it wold look awesome with a tan.

The application was good and it was a fairly thick and pigmented polish so 2 coats is more than enough and it was a very easy to control brush.

The next is something I couldn't resist picking up and that is the new pirates of the Caribbean collection from OPI, this is mermaid tears with the silver shatter and the finish is beautiful. They have managed to make the shatter really sparkly so it is quite sheer this allows a lot of the base colour through.

Another freebie and this was part of the recent Nails Inc give away with Instyle. Whilst I love Nails Inc polishes I have only ever parted with cash for one and that was before they started giving them away. I feel the brand would do slightly better if they stopped giving them away and reduced their prices a little (£11 a polish is more expensive than OPI). Their polishes are lovely and their colours are always on trend but I am never compelled to part with my cash for them.

This is Candy Orange.

the last one is a bit of an experiment, it's OPI catch me in your net with the Barry M blue crackle over the top. Not sure I like this one it was very bumpy!

This was my week

2011-05-15T16:38:00.003+01:00

So I have had a fairly alarming week, I was all set to give you a review on the newish Loreal infallible eye shadow in No15 Flashback Silver and then my day took a weird twist. I am was sat at my computer when all of a sudden I was seeing spots (just like someone had taken a flash photo of me). As I tried to concentrate on the screen I became aware that massive chunks of my field of vision were missing. At this point I started to worry and asked my friend and another of the company first aiders for advice. We agreed that I should switch off my monitor and and relax my eyes for a little while but within 5 minutes I had lost sight entirely in my left eye and the pharmacist (I work in a pharmacy) was called.

Long story short I had an Acephalgic Migraine which means you only get the visual symptoms. in the three and a half hours I was at the eye hospital, Western eye hospital are great by the way, my vision was starting to come back and I was sent home.

My lovely husband however did not tell me I had travelled home looking like this!

Massive pupils and eyes stained with fluorescein, the eyeshadow is lovely and did last really well and the colour os more lilac than silver. I will try to give it a full review soon.

Make up looks of the week

2011-05-14T10:59:00.004+01:00

I have been making more of an effort to try a different make up look everyday at the moment. Normally I get in a bit of a rut and tend to stick to the same few things day in day out. The first look is from some of my fav mac makeup at the moment.

Base

Shiseido prefect refining foundation in 100 (this is so good I didn't use any concealer)

Bourjois mineral radiance powder in vanilla

Eyes

UDPP

Mac boy crazy all over the lid and under lash line

Mac aduki bean outer corner and in crease

liner avon supershock gel liner in plumful

mascara collection 2000 big fake in ultra black

eyebrows rimmel dark brown eyebrow pencil

Blush

mac sakura

Lips

Guerlain rouge automatique in cherry blossom

The next look is a bit more of an evening one.

Base

Max factor weightless foundation in 40

Bourjois mineral radiance powder in vanilla

Eyes

UDPP

Accessorize illusion merged eyeshadow in cocoa all over the lid

No7 autumn palette used to blend and highlight

liner avon supershock gel liner in plumful

mascara collection 2000 big fake in ultra black

eyebrows rimmel dark brown eyebrow pencil

Blush

Illamasqua cream pigment in Emerge

NOTD and one of my addictions

2011-04-14T19:43:00.003+01:00

Nails of the day are Models Inc Pro - Black Grape. This looks stunning in the bottle dark purple base with pink purple and blue micro glitter. This is the first time I have used one if their polishes but I had hear good things. This however was a bit meh.

Application was a bit of a nightmare, it bubbled, I haven't had a polish bubble on me in ages. Also it wasn't shiny at all, I put a coat of good old Seche Vitte and that seemed to revive it and you could almost see the shimmer in the right light but when I woke up in the morning the polish had eaten the top coat and the nails were a little dull and rough. Not completely horrible but one of the worst I have tried in a long time. wah wah waaaaahh!

natural light

under a Halogen spot - you can almost see the shimmer.

Next up is my addiction and as you can see it's all things Cherry Blossom. I love them I love the smell, the look, the colour I'm just crazy about them.

Just a few of the Cherry Blossom themed stuff I have.

Top Row - Guerlain eyeshadow palette, Body Shop Body Butter, Guerlain blush.

Bottom Row - OPI D.C Cherry blossom, Mac Sakura blush, Shu Uemuera UV base, L'Occitane Lip Gloss.

A couple of slightly different looks for me

2011-04-13T21:19:00.005+01:00

Ok so I am a creative person and and i'm not afraid of colours but there are certain looks and styles that stray out of my comfort zone. There are few things I avoid because I know they look wrong for me things like tanned skin and liner on the water line. Now there are ladies out there who rock this look effortlessly every day and look like wonderful godesses but on me it just doesn't feel right.

Lets explore shall we.

What started this was a little sample bag from MaxFactor (I think they were given away at christmas) The foundation samples are always in medium or nude which is about 2 shades to dark for me but I was interested to see if the formula for lasting finish was the same as this is what I used all through school and uni and loved it.

Products used

Max Factor lasting finish in 106 natural beige all over the face and jaw line

The I contoured like crazy through the cheekbones, jawline, temples and nose with Illamasqua in hollow (I can't begin to tell you how much I love this product) and then highlighted with a Tokidoki.

I then lined the waterline with a black Maxfactor Khol which I hate doing as it never stays put and I end up with little black globs in the corners of my eyes and them looking red and watery.

Shaded in my brows with my normal Natural collection shadow and put on a coat of Collection 2000 Big Fake.

The gloss was also in the give away bag and it is Vibrant Curve Effect in Majeste, which smells really strongly of Melon but is quite nice not sticky and quite long lasting.

Next up we have a bright lipstick, and I mean really bright which is a long long way from my classic red. I am not one to shy away from a bold lip but this is very different for me so here in all it's glory is Mac Candy Yum Yum and I LOVE it!

Please excuse the goofy face and nerdy specs

FOTD and An Experiment

2011-04-12T19:28:00.004+01:00

So lets start off with a very quick face of the day.

Products used

L'Oreal Collagen Eye Filler

No7 Protect & Perfect Day Cream

Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation in 100 (very light ivory)

Maybelline Pure Cover Mineral Concealer 01 (nude beige)

Bourjois Mineral Radiance Pressed Powder 02 (vanille)

Eyebrows - Natural Collection eyeshadow in Midnight

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Eyeshadow - Boy Crazy all over the lid, Azuki bean in crease and under lower lashes, Moshi Moshi to high light in the centre of the lid.

Cheeks - Mac Sakura Blush

Lips - Poppy King for No7 in Confidence

Mascara - Collection 200 Big Fake in 17 (ultra black)

Now on to the experiment!

I blogged a few days ago about the amazing staying power of the Integrate nail polish I had tried and how I was unsure if it was the polish or the Orly Bonder that cause the phenomenal wear. I decided to set up an experiment I gave myself a new manicure using a cheapy Polish (actually it was free with the big fake mascara) from Collection 2000, it's one of their new "hot looks" and the colour is 43 fruit salad.

The experiment is as follows, the left hand is Orly Bonder and the right hand is OPI Natural Nail Base Coat.

Right Hand - OPI

Left Hand - Orly

Pretty colour huh. Both were topped with my normal Seche Vitte, Let see the damage from Saturday morning to Tuesday night.

Right Hand - OPI

Left Hand - Orly

As you can see the thumb and the index finger on the OPI have chipped a little but but considering I am right handed thats not bad going.

Right thumb

Right index

I am a little bit bummed about this to honest I wanted the exceptional wear to be down to the Orly Bonder (I have decided there was no clear winner they both wore about the same) but it does seem to look like the Integrate is just a really really good polish. Is it crazy that I would consider flying back to Japan just to get my hands on some more bottles of this.

FOTD and things i'm loving/hating right now

2011-04-11T18:35:00.006+01:00

Konichiwa :D

Lets start with things I am love, love, loving right now.

Spring - it's awesome, sunny, warmer and cute baby animals.

Illamasqua Emerge cream pigment as a blush, perfect peaches and cream complexion - so pretty

Cherry Blossom - I'm a little bit obsessed with Sakura and I am finding a new Cherry Blossom tree everyday.

My Hair, growing out the black and going back to red.

Joan Harris - she pretty much rocks and I totally would!

Mac Candy Yum Yum lipstick, where have you been all my life Mwah x

Having some things to look forward to - Mani/Pedi booked, Red Panda feeding and possibly Royal Ascot Woo Hoo.

Things I am Hating (hate is a strong word but they definitely make me a sad panda)

Spring - time to break out the SPF and the Hayfever tablets lol

Cherry Blossom - it's pretty much over and every time I see a tree that was stunning last week with no blossom now it makes me want to cry

Mad Men - I have watched all 4 seasons and now they have put it on hiatus, I need my fix.

Whats happening in Japan - It is one month today since my world shook, luckily I had a home to return to. There is this phrase "your god never gives you more than you can handle" seeing the Japanese people act with such grace, humility and patience I have never felt this more.

So on the the very simple face of the day

This is my daytime work look at the moment

products used

L'Oreal Collagen Eye Filler

No7 Protect & Perfect Day Cream

Shu Uemura UV under base mousse in beige

Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation in 100 (very light ivory)

Maybelline Pure Cover Mineral Concealer 01 (nude beige)

Bourjois Mineral Radiance Pressed Powder 02 (vanille)

Eyebrows - Natural Collection eyeshadow in Midnight

Cheeks - Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Emerge

Lips - Guerlain Rouge Automatique in 161 (cherry blossom)

Mascara - Collection 200 Big Fake in 17 (ultra black)

nail of the day - Integrate RD701

2011-04-10T15:54:00.003+01:00

Integrate is a Japanese brand which comes under the Shiseido umbrella. So no surprise this was part of my mini Japanese haul, I had hoped to haul more but shopping was cancelled due to the abrupt nature of our departure. This was picked up in a 7/11 very late on the night before we left in a last ditch attempt to find some souvenirs. As you can imagine I was not expecting it to be up to much but what an absolute gem this little nail polish is.

The colour can only be described as a warm toned version of Paradoxal by Chanel. It is a slightly pinker beige purple and with a very light champagne flash instead of the lilac of Paradoxal. It is an absolutely beautiful shade, subtle but definitely interesting I am now wishing I had bought a back up.

On a second note this is the first time I had used Orly Bonder as an undercoat so I don't know if the longevity of this polish is down to the polish itself or the base (an experiment to follow) but I painted these on monday night and these photos were taken on Saturday morning. Check out the wear only minimal tip wear and a slight chip about to happen on the index finger. I can't believe how long it lasted and still looked pretty much perfect.

Indirect sunlight

direct sunlight - beautiful shimmer

indirect sunlight again

If anyone know where I can buy back ups of this online please drop me a line and let me know because I can't be without this in my life ;)

Nails of the Week

2011-04-02T14:26:00.003+01:00

Just a short update of the colours I have been wearing this week. Firstly we have the Bourjois So Laque! 37 Bleu asphalte, this is from the pretty ballerina collection which seems to be dusty pinks and greys and it is a nice change from the neon brights and corals which seem to be on offer in most spring collections at the moment.

It is their standard formula so I don't know why I found this a bit of a pain to apply but it just seemed a little bit gloopy. The colour is a bit meh too it is slightly more lilac in the bottle than on the nails and I wasn't expecting it to look quite so dark on me but perhaps that is because I am so pale. It also doesn't play well with the seche vite so there was a tiny amount of shrinkage but no chips.

natural light

artificial light

This is one from my Japanese haul, it's by Majolica Majorca and the colour is RD420. It is a vibrant red in the same vain as Mavala Rococo Red or China Glaze Ruby Deer. It is not creamy or opaque but it is really highly pigmented and it applies beautifully. This is my first Majolica Majorca nail polish and they do seem like pretty good quality. The wear was good also no chips or tip wear and it didn't leave my fingers all stained after removing it which is unusual for me and red.

Japan experience and NOTD

2011-03-27T13:19:00.004+01:00

So i'm back sorry it has been such a long time without a post but there has been a lot of processing I have had to do.

On Thursday 10th of March me and my husband boarded our flight to Tokyo for an 8 day holiday, We love Japan and have been before so were really excited to be going back and although we had no firm plans the possibilities were endless. After a 12 hour flight and 1 hour airport transfer we were at the hotel, they let us check in early and I set about unpacking and settling in for the week. We decided on a short nap then a shower and we were off out for some wonderful Japanese food.

We had been napping for about on hour when the room started to shake, my husband looked at me and said "what was that" "were having and earthquake I joked" but then it didn't stop. It got worse and worse the room shook, swayed, rattled and we dropped from the bed to the floor crawling into the door frame of the bathroom not knowing quite what to do. Finally the juddering stopped and only the swaying remained it was like being on a ship in a storm. We decided we should try and see what to do so we staggered out into the hall where the hotel staff told us we should remain in our room.

We could see people pouring on to streets as the aftershocks rolled through we flicked on the news and as the full horror of what had happened began to sink in we realised things were bad. Needless to stay we had a very different holiday until we were finally ordered home by my husbands company a few days early. My respect for the Japanese nation is immense and if anyone reading this can spare some money for the Japanese red cross please help the people who have lost everything other than their dignity.

Right so that is where I have been now on to the nail of the day! With crackle top coats being the main nail story at the moment so I decided to check out Boots 17 Nail Xtras crackle top and I think you will agree it's a corker. It is a very light gold colour and I think it will compliment a lot of different colours, it looks stunning over blues. You have to be extremely sparing with the application to get the crackling effect but it does crackle very nicely.

I have paired it here with a little nail polish I picked up in a family mart in Tokyo. The brand is MFC and the colour is either RS-3 or 07D but I don't read Japanese so I can't be sure. Anyways it's a nice beige pink colour and applied really well.

Direct sunlight

in the shade

Illamasqua - Toxic Nature

2011-03-06T16:56:00.003+00:00

So you have probably seen this all over the blogosphere already but it is worth sharing. I wasn't lucky enough to make it too the blogger event on thursday night but the lovely team at Illamasqua invited me round to the flag ship store on Saturday for a sneak peak.

The collection is based around what would happen if nature stuck back and was conceived when Alex Box was stuck like lots of others by the ash cloud last year. It set her cogs in motion as to how we really have no power over mother nature and she can wipe the floor with us whenever she wants.

Aren't the promo images just beautiful, so inspiring. The look is all around distorted proportions with large eyes, slim noses and low cheeks. There is a lot of contouring and playing with shapes and I love it.

To me the crux of the collection seem to be the new matt cream pigments

top row - Bedaub(mint green) Delirium(rose taupe) Mould(grape purple) Hollow(toffee beige)

bottom row - Dab (lilac) Emerge (peach)

The standouts for me were Emerge which makes such a beautiful blush on us pale skinned gals. Bedaub which can be blended out as a colour corrector on red patches and Hollow which is an awesome contour colour. The can be used anywhere and I will definitely purchasing a few of these to play with.

But the fun doesn't end there there are also two lipsticks and glosses and 4 nail colours.

This is Divine the fuchsia pink gloss blended over Atomic the fuchsia violet lipstick. Then flare the neon orange lipstick and finally Glister but I will come to that in a bit. There is also Torture which I forgot to swatch but it matches the lipstick perfectly.

There are five polishes

Purity - peach

Bacterium - pearlescent ash ochre

Radium - lime shimmer

Stagnate - grey mauve

Gamma neon - orange

Below is Bacterium which everyone is going nuts for and I can see why, it applies like a dream as with all of the polishes I have tried from them and it is such a unique colour very mother of pearl/oyster it just catches the light so beautifully I can't stop staring at my fingers.

Under room lights

Natural light

The show stopper for me was Glister the Nude Anti-eyeliner eyeliner. It takes a lot to drag me away from my good old black cat eye so I want to give this a proper review o it's own because it is really something quite special.

I had a wonderful time at Illamasqua and they make you feel so welcome, this brand really is going from strength to strength and it because of their dedication to letting their customers express themselves and constantly challenging themselves to push the boundaries.

So get over there now and start pre-ordering!

Red Lipstick Series - Illamasqua Sangers

2011-01-25T20:21:00.002+00:00

Today I'm bringing you a real treat, this is the red lipstick to end all red lipsticks. I have heard that Illamasquas Box lipstick is amazing but report of it being very drying means I just never got round to getting it. When I saw the images for this one (it's part of the valentines collection) I just knew it had to be mine.

On to the review

Colour (5/5)

Sangers is billed as being blood red and it lives up to it, it's gorgeous it can look dark and vampy or vibrant and punchy depending on what light you are in. It is really multi-tonal and I really think this would suit any skin tone. This is so pigmented which means with a quick slick and mushing your lips together you would have full coverage in the blink of an eye.

Application (4/5)

This was quite draggy on the lips when I applied it straight from the bullet but this meant it stayed exactly where you put it. I also allows you to build up just the right amount of product without overloading the lips. Not a matte and not a gloss means it is a very low maintenance application and the square tube give you nice control.

Ronseal Factor (-/5)

For the first time I am not quite sure how to score this. The website sells the product on how it should make you feel emotionally and not the benefits of the formula. It is an interesting concept but nothing you can really test with a pass or fail as it will be individual to the person wearing it. I am giving this one a pass and the score will reflect.

Wear (5/5)

I wore this from 8 this morning until 7 tonight and I touched it up once. The touch up was more for me than the actual fact it needed it. I can't even say it was a stain cause it wipes clean off with a makeup wipe it is just intensely pigmented and stays put, I ate, drank and talked loads and it remained perfect. Best wearing lipstick ever!

Price (4/5)

I have scored this high because I don't think £15.50 for a premium brand is a lot of money compared to the price of some of my recent reviews this wins hands down on the value for money. This is just over what I would consider to be drugstore prices and the quality is impeccable. I might invest in some more of their lipsticks, you will have to let me know which ones you like readers ;)

Packaging (4/5)

This really appeals to me I love the chic lines of the Illamasqua packaging they classic black with the branding is classy and the square shape literally gives it an edge. I love square packaging as you can set it down without it rolling away! Plastic but feels really sturdy.

How it left the lips (5/5)

After reading about box I expected this to be really really drying and I was pleasantly surprised. It does have the texture of a matte but not the feel. It feels strange on your aware you are wearing it but it is neither drying nor moisturising. It wipes away really cleanly which is a massive plus in my book and left my lips feeling fine.

Overall 27 out of 30 is very impressive and I have to say I love the product, Illamasqua is be a brand I will definitely be returning to.

Red Lipstick Series - Daniel Sandler "all for eve"

2011-01-15T20:37:00.003+00:00

Next up in the series we have a bit of a curve ball. I am a sucker for a charity pin badge/cuddly toy/piece of tat, especially if it is a woman related charity and I am always picking things up at the till. So what better to tick all my boxes than this little beauty. This lipstick is called Eve Red and is part of the cosmetics line launched to raise awareness and support for The Eve Appeal which is dedicated to saving lives by research into gynaecological cancers. My mum lost one of her very best friend last year to this devastating illness so any thing that helps is a winner in my book.

So onto the lipstick itself, it's created by Daniel Sandler and it's a corker.

Colour (4/5)

This a very wearable darker almost blood red, very very glossy but not too pigmented which means you can slick it on with ease and would be a great one to wear over a stain.

Application (4/5)

Loved they way this applied it was so effortless, this is one of the very few reds I would feel confident in touching up without a mirror. It's not a harsh shade at all and really melts onto the lips in a very satisfying way. I used the same liner I always use for these reviews in the interests of fairness but to be honest I think I would wear this without a liner.

Ronseal Factor (5/5)

They say - "this lipstick provides long lasting colour. Eve Red is timeless and instills courage and poise" It is true that nothing quite gives me the womanly feeling that a red lip does. This lipstick is long lasting and they give their profits to charity. Full Marks.

Wear (3/5)

This isn't the most pigmented lipstick I have tried but it does have fairly good lasting power it seems to fade from red through pinks to leave you with a just been snogging look which I really like. It's very low maintenance and I love that about it feels far more like a balm than a lipstick and your lips feel amazing while wearing it.

Price (5/5)

This retail and £10 and all profits go to the charity. This is a price comparable with most drug store brands and the quality is comparable with the premium brands. I also actually only paid £6.50 for this in the Fenwicks sale and I can see myself reaching for it a lot.

Packaging (2.5/5)

Bog standard black and silver lipstick case no external markings. They obviously compromised on the packaging to afford a better formula and that is what you are paying for at the end of the day so you can't grumble too much but a logo or something would have been nice.

How it left the lips (5/5)

Like I said more like a balm than a lipstick very glossy and nourishing it feels amazing on and left me lips pillow and soft.

Overall 28.5 out of 35 far more than I expected from this I can tell you If they could improve the packaging then I would bulk buy these incase they ever stopped making them. It has also now inspired me to try out the Nail Polish!

Red Lipstick Series - Chantecaille in Cerise

2011-01-06T22:40:00.009+00:00

So this year I was extremely restraint and did hardly any sale shopping. One of the gems I did pick up though was This lipstick From Space NK. There you have it I am no longer a Space NK virgin and also I own my first Chantecaille (and probably the last judging by the prices), I can;t say its a brand that has called to me but I have heard people rave about it so I thought why not.

Also I am still working out my new Nex-5 camera so excuse the ropey photos.

Colour (3.5/5)

There is no other way to say it, this is a BOLD shade, in the red stakes it is not taking any prisoners. It is extremely pigmented and quite vampy and therefore could be harder to wear for some people and I found it made my skin look a little sallow but i'm never one to shy away from a bright shade and I actually quite like it. I also think it needs to be paired with a lighter lip pencil than the stain pen I am using for these reviews just to lift it a little.

Application (3.5/5)

This does glide on but you have to be careful other wise it will end up everywhere I found it a little bleedy and with this product less is definitely more you hardly need to apply any to get a very vivid colour. Applies really well from the tube and transfers really well when you do that lip smacking thing to even out the colour.

Ronseal factor (4.5/5)

heres what they say on the website

-		Creamy color that’s startlingly intense and incredibly comfortable
-		A special amino acid emollient creates a film impervious to water and oils
-		Enriched with Vitamins A and C plus an SPF 6-8 for extra protection I would have to say I agree with all of that it's amazingly creamy but I haven't tested it enough with foods or water, it did wipe off fairly easily when I removed it. Wear (3.5/5) The wear is really lovely did seem to last fairly well but the one thing I would say is I was very very aware I was wearing it. It has the feel of an old fashioned lipstick and I would be nervous about changing clothes or satining anything whilst I was wearing it. Price (2/5) Again i'm bringing you another astronomically priced lipstick I think these retail at around £26-£27 but of course I got it in the sale for a tenner. Where as I would say the Guerlain redeems itself a little with the actual tube, this is not that special nice, £15 nice perhaps but not £25. Packaging (3.5/5) Quite stylish plain silver tube with rounded edges, it does come with nice little pouch so you can chuck it in your handbag fuss free. I do like the tube and it does feel like quality but there is nothing outstanding about it.

How it left the lips (4/5)

This is very softening, it's a really creamy formula which is very pigmented so there was a little staining left on the lips but it is not drying at all. This would be a great lipstick to use the dabbing on the colour with your fingers technique.

overall 24.5/35 thats not a bad score all considered it is a nice lipstick and really evokes the glamour of a time gone by but I am not sure I would pay full price for it.

Tiffany Keys Manicure

2011-01-05T22:33:00.004+00:00

So for Christmas I was lucky enough to be bought a beautiful Tiffany key by my wonderful husband. like most things Tiffany I adore it and practically haven't taken it off since I got it.

It got me to thinking about the brand and inspired me to paint my nails with china glazes "for Audrey" which is one of the best polishes I own. Then like a sign from above something happened, I was spring cleaning (early I know but as soon as the calendar hits Jan 1st I am always compelled to clear out the clutter and throw loads of stuff away) and I came across some Andrea Fulerton nail sticker and I just had to add them.

Full look

For Audrey

Close up of key and chain detail, seriously how cute are these you can return me to Tiffanys any day :)

Red Lipstick Series - Guerlain Rouge G Jewel Lipstick in 23 Geisha

2010-12-28T09:45:00.003+00:00

Time for another one in this series I think, I still have lots of reds to bring you but today I thought I would share this one. I absolutely love Guerlain makeup and I have a think for their limited edition Eyeshadow quads but they do excellent face powders too. This is my only lipstick from them and of course being a bit obsessed with all things Japan the colour is Geisha.

Colour (4/5)

I really like this red, it's a true red but very very easy to wear. It's not quite a vibrant and in your face as some of the other reds I have tried and therefore gives a slightly more subtle look. It is also quite sheer allowing you to build the colour so you feel comfortable.

Application (4/5)

The application on this one was a dream it is just the right formulation being creamy enough to work with but stays where you put it. After lining my lips I used a brush to fill in and the finished by applying straight from the tube for a pop of colour. It feels super light on the lips and has just the right amount to gloss.

Ronseal Factor (4/5)

This exceptional object boasts a comprehensive, premium formula containing a star ingredient: ruby powder, which acts as an optical whitener to bring out the colour and shine of the shades. The blend of natural active ingredients (Tiger Grass, wild mango butter, Gugul resin, used in Ayurvedic medicine) complete the formula to plump up, smooth and bring moisture and softness to your lips.

Ok so there is a fair amount of blurb about the case as a major selling point but we will come to that, the formula of the lipstick itself is lovely, I would actually agree it smoothed my lips but there was no plumping action and it did moisturise and soften them.

Wear (3/5)

This does not stain the lips at all and it wears off quite quickly but because it feels so nice on the lips t is something you will want to reapply and the case makes that easy. I like the fact it doesn't stain the lips because sometimes I don't want to wear my lipstick all day and like to be able to get rid of it at night.

Price (2/5)

These are extremely expensive around £26 but the packaging is exceptional if you compare it to say the £23 for the Chanel I think the extra money is justified. The formulation is certainly worth it but there is no denying the price is prohibitive,

Packaging (5/5)

This has to be the most beautifully packaged lipstick in the world, heres the blurb.

A jewel lipstick compact with a white gold shimmer designed by Lorenz Bäumer, the young and talented jeweller in Place Vendôme. A horizontal design with feminine curves that houses a secret: a mirror automatically appears when the compact is opened. The lipstick has a pure elegant, contemporary design, and closes magnetically.

Nothing more really needs to be said it is a joy to behold.

How it left the lips (5/5)

This is quite possibly the only lipstick I have tried that left me lips the same if not better than before I applied it, it really does make them feel nice and is so light to wear. It is also really easy to remove which is nice I don't like scrubbing to get my lipstick off.

Overall 27 out of 35, that is the highest score to date with only the price letting it down which shows you get what you pay for with this brand. If you can afford one of these beautiful lipsticks then go for it you on't regret it.

Mammoth Nail Round Up

2010-12-27T19:51:00.008+00:00

So here we are at the end of another year and again I haven't got nearly as much blogging done as I had wanted. So with the purchase of a new camera for Christmas we are going to change it up a gear and there will be more vlogging and hopefully better pictures.

So without further ado heres what I have been sporting recently

I went to Finland at the start of December and picked myself up a few new polishes, this is Orly Ou Of This World (deep purple with a gold shimmer) and it is from their Cosmic FX collection, you have seen this swatched a million times I guess but it is a lovely colour. Application is fairly good, it does not play well with the old Seche though and as you can see I suffered some shrink and horrendous tip wear. It didn't chip though and lasted quite well. The Duo tone wasn't as nice as I expected but hey still love it!

with flash

inside light

Next up is another from the same collection and the formulation is the same this is Lunar Eclipse, Looks more Purple in the bottle but comes out electric blue again the duo tone isn't all the but a nice polish none the less.

no flash

with flash

Nails Inc have been at it again with their free giveaways, this was on the front of some magazine which I can't remember the name of now. The colour is Saville Row deep aubergine purple and not a lot to be said about Nails Inc really. I don't think I have ever had a bad one the polishes are a great formulation and last really really well.

flash

no flash

Up next is Mac from the Venomous Villains and it's Bad Fairy. This was the only unique polish from the collection and it's a beauty, I wasn't sure at first it;s a coppery pink and not really my style but once on it is mesmerising and not as garish as I thought. This seems to be the same formulation as the Orly Cosmic FX (with the other two polishes being direct dupes) so you do get a bit of tip wear.

no flash

flash

Again you have seen this a billion times but it is the Barry M Dusky Mauve which is a direct dupe of the Chanel Paradoxal which was a big hit back in the summer. I have to say I like this more if you remember my review of the Chanel I wasn't all that impressed but the shimmer in this is just a little stronger and the formulation is a little better not to mention the price.

flash

natural light

I can never resist a Mavala release their polishes are always quality and they are trying really hard with the colours even if they are still a heartbeat behind. This is Blue Smoke, smokey blue with blue glitter. I actually liked this more than I thought but I just never seem to feel comfortable with blue polishes.

natural light

This is from the same collection and it is called Rococo Red. I can say hands down this is the best red nail polish I have ever tried the colour is so vibrant and it is a one coater, two if you are a perfectionist like me. It just glides on thin, precise and opaque I love it. I will be buying lots of back ups of this.

flash

indoor light

This was a polish from my New York trip in October It's OPI for Sephora and the colour is 212. I think it is exclusive to online and in the times square store and it is such a hard colour to describe. it's a blackened brown jelly with glitter (gold and holographic) and kind of coppery flakies. Sounds complex, looks stunning!

natural light

The final polish I have for you today is a little gem from Accessorize. They have dabbled in polishes and cosmetics before but their recent major release was a tour de force by them and this duo chrome polish is outstanding.

It's called Aztec and is a passable dupe for Mean and Green from Mac. Having them both I would say the glitter in the Accessorize is chunkier and the duo chrome slightly better, in fact I preferred this one to the Mac I think. Formulation and wear were the same you still need loads of coats but for £4 you can't complain.

natural light

Winner!

2010-12-16T07:21:00.001+00:00

sorry it has taken me so long to post this but the winner picked by random.org was Number 5

JadeyLou

Congrats to you email me your address and I will post off your winnings :)

100th post giveaway

2010-11-30T21:16:00.006+00:00

So here it is readers, I have been blogging for just over a year and this is my 100th post. It has been a rollercoaster year for me and this outlet, reading your comments and all the other blogs out there has really given me some great relief. As promised I have an epic give away for one lucky follower.

the products are

Nails

Incoco - Sinderella

Ciate - Roses nail stickers

17 - Fast finish Grapefruit

Carlo De Roma - Bright Pink

Urban Retreat - Metalic Polish Duo(princess/mysterious)

Barry M - 313 Dusky Mauve

OPI - Nail Envy

Makeup

Bare Minerals - Foundation Sample medium beige with brush

17 - waterproof mascara travel size

17 - Ultimate Volume lip gloss Pink Ice

Carlo De Roma - Diamond Pure lip gloss

Bourgois - Ombre Stretch eye shadow 11 infinite green

N07 - Moisture Drench lipstick 55 pink crush

Urban Decay - 24/7 eye pencil travel size in zero

Darphin - Vitalbalm Lipcare

Bourjois - little round pot 12 Bleu Magnetique

Others

Green People - aloe vera everyday organic condition (normal/dry)

No7 - cleansing sponges

L'Occitane - verbena body salt scrub

Mavala - smoothing foot scrub

phew - all you have to do is follow my blog, leave me a comment saying you want to enter and you email address and the lucky winner will be picked on the 12th of December.

Thank you for a great year and now I have posted this Giveaway I can get back to a normal posting schedule.

Spread the word x

Recent Nails

2010-10-31T15:54:00.006+00:00

I have been really lazy, I have bought loads of stuff and done loads f nails but just not had the time or inclination to take pictures and blog it for you. I have been ill and work had been rough but I am excited to get started again so strap yourselves in because after this post with nails I did manage to take pics of the next post will be my 100th post give away. Then I can get to showing you hauls recent looks and discoveries.

This first colour is Passion from OPI, this is the colour I wore for my wedding and I love the way it makes my nails look. It is almost half way between a jelly and a cream and even with 3/4 coats its still slightly sheer. It just gives your nails that "perfect" false nail look and wears really well (on me it lasts about a week).

with flash

natural light

artificial light

The next is a new discovery for me, this is from the Andrea Fulerton range at Super drug and is in the shade Mischa. She is THE manicurist to the stars and because of this her core range of polishes are all names after celebs, I also picked up Kylie. She also has a great selection of nail effects, glitters, nail art, stickers and layering shades. I was super excited for this range and finally manage to track it down to the Superdrug on the Strand but haven't managed to find it anywhere else. The prices are mid range with normal polishes at £4.99 and effects at about £8. The Mischa shade is a grey jelly base with lilac silver and gold glitter and honestly the photos don't do it justice, it's beautiful. It applies really easily and lasts fairly well.

This you have probably seen swatched a million times across the blogosphere but I just love the colour. This is Diva of Geneva from the Swiss OPI range. I just managed to snap one shot of it before I forgot great colour with only minor tip wear after a few days.

Again another one you have seen a million times but I wanted to share with you my nail disaster. This is of course Chanel Paradoxal 509. I wore this while we were away fro bank holiday weekend at my parent and my mother was admiring my long natural nails which were far longer than I normally have them. Then what do you know the next day I broke one clean off and now I know why I keep them in check, it's funny but I am kinda grossed out looking at how long they are in the pictures even though they didn't seem that long in person. I defiantly prefer them shorter like in the OPI Passion pictures.

A quick word on the shade, I was expecting it me be my hoy grail colour but the "secret shimmer" is so secret you can hardly see it. Can't fault the formulation though it's amazing just glides on exactly where you intend to put it, it's like it's psychic or something :)

gah serves my right

boo hoo

other hand, too long and a bit nasty

secret shimmer?

This is one from Mavala called aquamarine, I love mavala for their quality and affordability. Don't get me wrong they are in no way value for money (per ml they work out quite pricey) but the quality is great, the longevity is great and the colours are good they tend to be a beat behind the big boys rather than a trend setter but they are getting quite fearless with the colours they release.

artificial light

with flash

We are finishing off with another disaster, this is one the Hello Kitty polishes from H&M can't remember what it is called, applied horribly had no shine to it at all even with a coat of Seche, they glitter was lumpy and it was runny and gloopy in equal measures. I guess they can't all be winners.

with flash

natural light

I'm baaaaaccckkkk - recent make up looks

2010-08-22T18:46:00.004+01:00

A.K.A - fun with palettes. I know I have been rubbish, I have been swamped at work and blogging has been the last thing on my mind but I have been reading and buying (new No7 collection). So I am up to date with the news and all that. How excited am I about the new Illamasqua store? Not only is it right across the road from PlayLounge my fav store in the while world but it means I can finally go and check out their makeup without having to brave Selfridges.

So Anyways on to some looks, I am a girl who loves (in a oh my god I have to have it kinda way) a good palette and one of these days I will treat you to a run through of my wildly varied collection but for now I am going to focus on 3 looks I have been rinsing and repeating over the last few weeks.

Look 1

This is the front cover palette in "cool eyes" and I have to say I love these shadows. They are so pigmented and buttery the just glide on and blend really really well. They also have a lovely iridescence to them with them, they are not out and out shimmer but they do catch the light beautifully. They give you a very subtle and wake look which makes then great for the office, the only down side is the brush it picks up colour and blends well but it is a little on the coarse side.

This is glisten all over the lower and upper lid and a little of honey just to define the crease and outer corner. Then butterum underneath the lower lash line.

Look 2

As you know when it comes to shadow palettes my heart lies with Guerlain and I am a complete and utter sucker for their limited editions, the packaging, the colour combinations and even the sponge applicators are a joy to work with. This look is a combination of two palettes Mysterious Butterfly (I wore this on my wedding day) and Cherry Blossom I would say the overall themes are lilac and mauve respectively but in mysterious butterfly you get white, dusky pink, lilac and a plum all in shimmer. In cherry blossom you get the same white, a deep plum satin, true purple matte and a baby pink shimmer.

This is the white along the brow, true purple all over the lid then blended with the baby pink on the inner lid and deep plum on the outer corner and crease. I did use a tiny amount of the lilac as a highlight right in the middle of the lid. Then just some simple black eyeliner, possibly my favourite makeup colours an look on me.

* just as a wee side note check out the old hair and look how long it has got, I got it chopped this week so I will post some new pics.

Look 3

This was a bit of an experiment as I mentioned before I bought some bits from the new collection at boots no7, there is exceptional definition mascara, smokey liner, shadow palette, matte top coat for nails and a couple of lipsticks. As I am all about the eyes you can guess what I went for so here is me wearing the smokey eyeliner which is ridiculosly easy to apply the mascara which is really lovely it has lash conditioners also so lave you lashes beautiful and the orange (is it really orange, copper maybe) and green from the palette. The palette is blue, green, purple a orange is lovely chrome/jewel colours perfect for Autumn.

So that makes us, what, 98 posts now so only 1 away from the big 100th post give away which one lucky reader will win.

recent nail roundup

2010-07-31T09:19:00.005+01:00

Apologies again for the lack of updates, no excuses I have just been tired and lazy. I am back though and we are getting ever closer to the magic 100th post in which I am doing a lovely give away for my subscribers. It has OPI, Urban Decay, Incoco and loads of other stuff.

So lets move on to the recent nails round up, not much to show you really as I have been wearing a lot of old favs recently but hopefully you will like what I do have.

This is the green from the H&M set in the last post, it actually applied really well and lasted not too bad, a bit if tip wear and shrinkage from the Seche Vitte but nothing major. The colour pay off was nice very pigmented and done in 2 coats. It also had a really nice shimmer but is a bit of a nothing green and doesn't really wow me.

Normal light

with flash

Next up is another magazine freebie (I can't tell you how much I love these) This was on the front of Tatler this month and is one of 6 mini Essie polishes they have available. I picked this up in the Tesco at Picadilly Circus and was one of the only magazines left with the polish still left on it, the rest had been ripped open and the polish removed, I mean seriously how lame do you have to be to steal free polish from the front of a magazine but anyways. This is Flower Girl and is a very pale very sheer pink with a green shimmer in it which is impossible to capture with the camera. I am not much for sheers but it is a very pretty shade and easy to wear this was however 4 coats but the application was nice even from such a tiny brush.

with flash close up trying to catch the shimmer.

with flash

natural light

Another from the H&M set this is neon purple (neon? really?) the shade is actually quite muted and a rally nice mid tone dusty purple. Same application and wear as the first one I showed in this post and again a bit of a nothing shade, perhaps I am so lucky to own so many outstanding polished that my expectations are now way too high.

flash

natural light

Now on to my disaster of the week. this is fiesta by accessorize and it is a mess of a nail polish. looks great in the bottle but is extremely un pigmented, very runny and the pigmentation isn't even stable in the polish and tends to pool in to dark and light patches, weird. The wear was also terrible and it started to get tip wear within a matter of hours. Epic Fail! (pretty colour though)

with flash

natural light

H&M - Small nail polish haul

2010-07-18T15:06:00.005+01:00

So in a fit of boredom and frustration on Friday lunchtime I wandered into H&M, I have 2 of their nail polishes already so I am aware the quality is fairly good. I could not believe the price of these polishes in the summer nails sets. £1.99 for 4 polishes!!!!! O.K so each polish is only 3.2ml but at 50p a bottle who can argue (Mavala bottles run at £3.75 for 5ml and the OPI mini sets are 3.75ml for £12.99)

There are 2 sets a normal (white, green, purple and blue) and a neon (yellow, orange, pink and purple) and I look forward to swatching them.

The other one I picked up was another hello kitty branded polish called cool summer and is a pink toned purple with tiny blue and lilac glitter in it, very me so look out for this one coming up too.

kittys claws

Recent Nails

couple of FOTDs

Recent nail roundup

This was my week

Make up looks of the week

NOTD and one of my addictions

A couple of slightly different looks for me

FOTD and An Experiment

FOTD and things i'm loving/hating right now

nail of the day - Integrate RD701

Nails of the Week

Japan experience and NOTD

Illamasqua - Toxic Nature

Red Lipstick Series - Illamasqua Sangers

Red Lipstick Series - Daniel Sandler "all for eve"

Red Lipstick Series - Chantecaille in Cerise

Tiffany Keys Manicure

Red Lipstick Series - Guerlain Rouge G Jewel Lipstick in 23 Geisha

Mammoth Nail Round Up

Winner!

***100th post giveaway***

Recent Nails

I'm baaaaaccckkkk - recent make up looks

recent nail roundup

H&M - Small nail polish haul

100th post giveaway