Lou Lou Land

Another Beauty From Catherine Arley - Nails Of The Day

2012-02-26T21:34:00.000Z

I know I promised you a review today but I couldn't resist showing you a new nail polish. I mentioned in my recent Catherine Arley NOTD post that I'd already purchased another could from the line well this is it.

Catherine Arley Silky Touch Nail Lacquer 668 is the most beautiful combination of nude, gold, and copper with the most fabulous holographic sparkle. It really reminds me of a created gemstone called goldstone, or gold sandstone. This is three coats but again it applied like a dream, and the finish is super smooth and shiny -time for lots and lots of pictures x

Love, love, love this colour yet another winner from this brand I've already got another couple of Catherine Arley polishes in my sights. What do you think of this colour?

Drumroll It's Blogsale Time Again

2012-02-26T16:00:00.001Z

Hi Guys
I meant to do a couple of posts this weekend but instead I've spent a day and a bit formulating a massive blog sale update - Lots of high end brands are included including MAC, Estee Lauder, Nars, Smashbox, and Laura Geller, as well as lots of drugstore products and a few pieces of fashion jewellery. I would really appreciate it you'd have a little look either by clicking here or via the tabs at the top of the page x Thanks guys and I'll be back with a review post tomorrow xx

Smooth and Sparkly - Nails Of The Day

2012-02-24T11:47:00.000Z

I bought this polish from ebay a few weeks ago, after seeing it on a few blogs, I had high hopes for it and I have to say I wasn't disappointed.

Catherine Arley Silky Touch Nail Lacquer 667 is the most gorgeous silver grey holograph, it applies like a dream, and it leave the smoothest, glass like finish ever. You need at least two coats to see it in it's true glory but this is no hardship when it's as gorgeous as it is - cue lots of pictures :

Gorgeous isn't it definitely one of my new favourite polishes - I can't stop looking at my fingers and looking at all the different flashes of colour - I've already purchased another Catherine Arley polish which I'll show you next week x What do you think of this polish ? Do you love it as much as I do ?

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush - Flush- A Review and A Rave

2012-02-23T18:08:00.001Z

In the middle of last year I made my first purchases from the Daniel Sandler cosmetic line, a Watercolour Blush in Cherub and a Waterbrush (click here to see the post and some swatches). Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blushers are simply amazing, their silicone based, oil free formula, provides a super pigmented but sheer colour that lasts and lasts. I've tried other products by Daniel Sandler since then but my first love was definitely the Watercolour Blushers so in the after Christmas sales I bought another one.

Appearing in my January favourites video the colour I went for this time was Flush, it's a beautiful natural pink shade that gives you the perfect flush (sorry ;) to your cheeks. Admittedly the bottle for these blushers is quite small at 15ml but you really don't need very much product so it's going to last for ages. This is usually the amount I start off with x

As you can see it's super pigmented and that's probably one of the reasons that you don't need very much To use it I usually shake the bottle to combine the ingredients, then I usually put a few dots on my hand and then I blend it into my face using the Waterbrush.

You can use your fingers too but I like the delicate touch of the Waterbrush, as you can see from the swatch on my hand it blends down beautifully, to a gorgeous pale pink shade

What's good about this product though is how easy it is to build up a stronger colour, as I say I normally start off with a few drops, but if you want a stronger look you can always add more to build the colour up. It's pretty hard to capture this on my face but I've given it my best shot here but even here it looks like I've covered my whole face with it - which I haven't lol x

Pretty isn't it and so natural, and the good thing for me is how well it lasts. I was a little nervous of the silicone content as my skin normally looks greasier when I use products containing it, but I didn't even notice it. This blush looked incredibly fresh on my oily / combination skin and I was really impressed with how long it lasted compared to say some cream blushers. These little bottles of magic aren't the cheapest at around £14.50 each but as I say they will last for ages and they give an amazing result. I definitely want to try some more of Daniel Sandler's face products especially the Watercolour Creme Rouges which look equally amazing. Oh and if your an avid stalker of BuyaPowa like me you might be interested to know that there is a Daniel Sander Watercolour Blush and Waterbrush on the coming soon list - I hope it's in a shade I don't have ;). Have you tried Daniel Sandler Water Colour Blushers? and Do you have any Daniel Sandler recommendations?

My Nail Polish Collection - Avon

2012-02-22T16:00:00.000Z

I've been buying Avon products for quite a few years now, and I have to say I've always been pretty impressed with the things that I've purchased. I have to be honest though and say that the nail polishes always seemed to fall under my radar - I picked the odd one up here and then but that was it. Recently though I've fell in love with Avon polishes in a big way, so I thought I'd show you the ones I have in the next instalment of My Nail Polish Collection Series. The majority of the polishes that I own come from the Nailwear Pro line, you get 12ml of product for anywhere between £2.50 - £6.00 depending on the current offers and promotions, I usually find you need two coats for maximum coverage but again it depends on the polish - OK time for pretty colours - again click the names to see a corresponding nails of the day post x

From left to right - Sequined Turquoise and Ruby Slipper

Again from left to right - Blue Escape, Splendid Blue and Blue Shock

The final polish that I own from Avon is from the Matte Nailwear range, as you'd probably expect these are matte polishes - the colour I have is Violetta

Avon do have a habit of discontinuing their polishes, so I'm not sure how many if any of these are still available if any. I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the polishes that I have from Avon and I definitely wouldn't hesitate to buy more, what do you think of Avon polishes and do you have any recommendations?

Happy Shrove Tuesday

2012-02-21T19:15:00.000Z

Hey My Loves - Just though I'd show you a picture of my pancakes - I've assisted but I've never made them on my own before today. The first one was a bit of a disaster, a bit too much pancake mix meant it remained quite soft and collapsed when I took it out of the pan. Never mind I persevered and the rest were cooked to perfection, multiple tosses, the works. Key tips if your going to make pancakes - first of all a non stick pan makes life a lot easier, and secondly don't put too much mix in the pan at once - Voila perfect pancakes which are 100% gluten free and were lovely. I'm a tradtionalist when it comes to pancakes and served mine with a mixture of freshly squeezed lemon, orange and lime juice, and sugar all topped with evaporated milk - yum - Have you had pancakes today and What's you favourite pancake topping?

Midnight Blue - Nails Of The Day

2012-02-20T13:37:00.000Z

I recently rediscovered this polish while sorting out my nail varnish drawers for my nail polish collections posts, and I have to say I love it. It's not that original and I have several similar colours in my collection such as MAC Biker Blue but these beautiful midnight blues with shimmers and glitters have a special place within my nail polish loving heart.

The name Avon Nailwear Pro - Splendid Blue suits this colour perfectly it truly is splendid. As per usual this is two coats but with careful application you could probably get away with one x

Pretty isn't it ? I'm not sure if this colour is still available but if you can track it down it's well worth it. What do you think of Splendid Blue?

From The Catwalk To The High Street With The Body Shop and Vauxhall Fashion Scout

2012-02-19T22:14:00.000Z

Unless you've been living under a rock you'll know that we're slap bang in the middle of London Fashion Week, alas I wasn't lucky enough to receive a coveted invite but I've been getting my fashion week kicks through twitter, emails, and the interweb. Like most bloggers I've received quite a few emails and press releases regarding London Fashion Week but one stood out more than the rest - a British company and a showcase for new talent all in one

As you probably already know I am a huge fan of The Body Shop - a British company born and bred it's no surprise that their presence is strongly felt in the UK's show piece fashion event.

For the second season running The Body Shop will be the official make up sponsor of Vauxhall Fashion Scout, the leading independent event at London Fashion Week. Vauxhall Fashion Scout is famous for showcasing new talent, and over the last few years they have introduced designers such as Peter Pilotto and William Tempest to the wider market. Yes fashion is all about the established designers and the big shows, but it's also about new and upcoming talent and I love that the fact that Vauxhall Fashion Scout provides a platform for new or less established designers to showcase their talent, and make their mark in the cut throat world of fashion.

The partnership between The Body Shop and Vauxhall Fashion Scout, will see The Body Shop's own cruelty free make up range being used over the next few days to produce some of the key make up looks for Autumn / Winter 2012, all created by top make up artist Lan Ngyuen.

I really can't wait to see what looks she creates for this seasons shows, I've seen a few bits floating around on the web up to now, but she has a lot to live up to as some of last seasons looks were simply breathtaking.

One of the key looks the team created for the Spring / Summer 2012 shows and one of my favourites was their Geisha inspired look, flawless yet dewy skin, using Moisture Foundation, Radiance Highlighter, and the Vitamin E Facial Mist, strong lips and cheeks using Lip & Cheek Stain in Rose and Love Gloss 11 Raspberry Pink, and dramatic brows created using the Brow and Liner Kit.

To check out more looks from The Body Shop and Vauxhall Fashion Scout collaboration for Spring Summer 2012 as well as behind the scenes footage and interviews with Lan Ngyuen, I definitely recommend watching this video - even if it's just to marvel at the shoes at 00.41 -wow!!

Whilst some of the make up looks that you see on the catwalk may be a little over the top, the involvement of high street companies like The Body Shop in events such as London Fashion Week means that the key looks and products are available right there at out finger tips. No I wouldn't go out wearing the Geisha style look, but the principles behind it translate easily into everyday life, fresh,dewy, skin, defined brows and a statement red lip is a classic make up look with a twist.

I for one think that the collaboration between Vauxhall Fashion Scout and The Body Shop is a good one. As well as supporting new talent the collaboration also highlights the versatility and adaptability of The Body Shop's make up line, which is at home on the catwalk as it is on the high street. I can't wait to see what looks Lan Nguyen and The Body Shop team create for this weeks Autumn / Winter 2012 shows, and above all I can't wait to see how the looks become translated and adapted for everyday life as the year progresses. - I'll promise I'll keep you posted just as soon as the looks become available x To learn more about Vauxhall Fashion Scout and to see the designers involved please check out their website, and to find out more about the products mentioned in this post please check out The Body Shop website. Have you been following Fashion Week? Let me know in the comments x

(This Post Was Written On Behalf Of The Body Shop / Vauxhall Fashion Scout - I Have Not Been Compensated In Anyway)

Wahanda Winner

2012-02-18T17:45:00.002Z

Hi Guys
Just a quick post to announce the winner of my Wahanda voucher giveaway - I received 10 entries and using random.org I picked the winner which was

xarawood

Congratulations my love, I'll be sending you an email with instructions on how to redeem your voucher xx

I'd like to thank you all for entering and don't worry if you weren't lucky enough to win this time, I have plenty more giveaways planned

More Sparkles? Go On Then - Nails Of The Day x

2012-02-16T15:09:00.002Z

Yes it's time for another sparkly nails of the day post. I don't know why I'm loving sparkly nails so much at the moment, I'm thinking it's because I didn't do any festive nails of the posts because of my silly computer. Never mind though this colour is definitely worth a nails of the day post no matter what time of year it is.

It's a polish of real gorgeousness, Nubar Gem is a beautiful beige / taupe base filled with multitudes of holographic glitter - as per usual this is two coats

Gorgeous isn't it ? definitely one of my new favourite polishes. What do you think of Gem?

A Rave, A Review and A Plea - I Love.....

2012-02-15T19:31:00.000Z

Despite the popularity of I Love products in the blogosphere, I have to say it's a brand that seems to have passed me by. To be honest I have no idea why I've never owned anything from this brand, it's fruity and food fragranced toiletries seem to be right up my street. Recently though I was given the chance to pop my I Love cherry (or maybe that should be blackcurrant) when I was kindly sent a bottle of their new limited edition I Love....Juiced Up Blackcurrant Bubble Bath and Shower Shower Creme.

With a packaging and style similar to high end brand Philosophy, this gorgeous, pearlised purple liquid can be used either in the bath or the shower

Whether you pour it into the bath, or you use it on a sponge or a shower puff, you get a mass of lovely fluffy bubbles....

That smell amazing!!!!!!!!! it smells exactly as you would expect, think Ribena or Blackcurrant squash. It's not as sweet as you would expect, it has a hint of tartness which stops it from being too overpowering or sickly. It smells lovely when you use it in the bath, but when you use it in the shower you get a much stronger hit of fragrance - I was *almost* tempted to lick my arm ;) I love, love, love this product, I love fruity fragrances at the best of times but this one is something special. I only have one problem with this product and you may have already guessed what it is, yes it's Limited Edition once it's gone it's gone and it won't be back - sob :(, please, please change your mind on this one I Love, this product is gorgeous and I need it in my life! Never mind try and grab it while you can I know I'll definitely be stocking up if I can. I Love....Juiced Up Blackcurrant Bubble Bath and Shower Creme retails at a super fabulous £2.05 for 500ml, and is available while stocks last from Superdrug, and hopefully Superdrug online (Although it isn't online yet :( ). For more information on the I Love range please check out their website x Have you tried any I Love products? let me know in the comments x

(I Love....Juiced Up Blackcurrant Bubble Bath and Shower Creme 500ml Was Provided By PR For Review Purposes)

A Tiny Weenie Ebay Haul And A Gift

2012-02-14T14:18:00.001Z

Despite last months complete and utter failure with my spending diet and my promise to do better in February I seem to have started this month in the same vein that I ended January with a few purchases. Yes, ebay that old chestnut - I seem to have got back into buying from ebay again in a big way some many fabulous things to buy at really good prices. First up a ring :)

Allegedly by Betsey Johnson this is very similar to the Disney Couture Cheshire Cat Ring, why am I doubting it's authenticity ? well I only paid £2.99 for it including postage from Hong Kong, I love it but it's a tiny bit small and I can only wear it on my pinkie finger - no matter it was still a bargain :)

I've also made another tiny little ebay purchase - yes, yet more sparkly nail polish

On the left is Nubar - Gem and on the right - OPI My Private Jet x - I've wanted Gem for sometime now, and I saw a presenter on QVC wearing My Private Jet and I knew I needed it - I really am loving sparkly nails at the moment, which also lead to this little purchase...

Yes another nail polish, this one is by Catherine Arley, which I believe is a Turkish brand, this is a Silky Touch Nail Lacquer in 667 which is a gorgeous holographic silver. Again I can't wait to try this properly, I've already had a little play and first impressions are good! In fact I may already have purchased another polish from the brand - whoops!

Finally from ebay I got these, what are they? nail wheels of course I got a pack of 10 from Hong Kong with no postage - I've been humming and haahing between the white and the clear and I've decided to go for the white to give a better idea of what a polish will look like on the actual nail. I'm going to start using these in my nail polish collection posts instead of swatching on white paper

The last thing I want to show you is another nail polish and a lovely, sweet gift from Mummy Lou. I've wanted this shade for some time but Chanel polishes are soooo expensive and unfortunately the quality doesn't always match the price, but this baby popped up on the fabulous BuyaPowa and she kindly offered to buy it for me as a thank you for being a fabulous daughter, chef, nurse, cleaner and physio all in one :)

What colour is it? Chanel 531 Peridot of course, a beautiful gold, green, khaki display of gorgeousness! I still want Look Beauty's Kimono which is supposed to be similar but why oh why is it so hard to get hold of Look Beauty . Not one Superdrug store in the North East stocks the range :( - never mind they are hopefully launching online in the next few weeks, but in the meantime I have my pretty Chanel to play with, I'm really feeling the Chanel love lately I tried a foundation sample the other day and it was love straight away, but at £31 it will have to wait. So that was my little nail polish packed haul, as per usual if you would like any reviews or if you have any questions please leave me a comment, but nails of the days featuring all these shades will be coming soon because I can't wait to try them and get sparkly xx

More Sparkles From Avon - Nails Of The Day

2012-02-13T11:58:00.003Z

I'm going through a bit of a sparkly phase at the moment, I'm really enjoying looking at my finger tips and seeing the flash of sparkle and glitter on a dull day so when I removed the lovely Ruby Slippers polish I wore in my last nails of the day I knew I wanted something equally sparkly.

I decided to go for another Avon Nailwear Pro polish this time in Sequined Turquoise. The name describes it perfectly it's a beautiful dark turquoise with smatterings of pretty sparkle, this is 2 coats x

Unfortunately you can't see the sparkles too well in these pictures so I took a few pictures in different lighting conditions which seem a bit better x

Apologies for all the scratches on my hands too Charlie seemed to think I was a scratching post on Saturday night! hopefully that doesn't detract too much though from what is a really pretty colour and another winner from Avon. What do you think of Sequined Turquoise ?

Stop That Tummy Rumbling With Full Fast?

2012-02-12T13:49:00.004Z

If you follow me on twitter you'll know that like several other bloggers I've started a diet. I'm trying the easy option first and I'm ploughing my way through a couple of Slim Fast shakes everyday and so far so good I've lost 8lbs in just under 4 weeks. No matter what weight loss plan your on though your always going to get hunger pangs and cravings, so when I was offered the chance to try out a product - Full Fast that claims to help you through the sticky patches by reducing the feelings of hunger I couldn't say no.

I'm not going to go to deeply into the science side of it because science and nutrition isn't my speciality, so I'll try to summarise it for you and if you want to read more about the research and so on, you can read the Full Fast website x

Unlike a lot of appetite suppressants Full Fast focuses on your brain instead of your stomach. It contains a combination of 100% natural ingredients including artichoke, centella, Taraxacum ( from the Dandelion family), Guarana (caffeine) and Griffonia. All of these ingredients help to produce Serotonin in the brain which not only produces a feeling of happiness and well being, but it's also been found to reduce hunger pangs and cravings. All you need to do is use 3 sprays, in the mouth up to 5 times a day, before or after meals.

The product comes boxed and in a white pump action dispenser, with a spray nozzle. It's obviously liquid in texture and is brownish in colour. It has a sweetish flavour with a slightly bitter after taste, it reminded me a bit of Calpol.

I've used this consistently for about 4 weeks alongside my diet plan, and I have to say I haven't noticed too much difference. I have felt a little bit bloated and I have noticed that I've needed to use the toilet more often, so I think it's doing something but I didn't think that the spray on it's own has stopped me snacking and cheating on my diet. I think this might be playing a part in my weight loss be it psychologically or physically, but I don't think it's a miracle in a bottle you still need willpower and self restraint in order to lose weight so for that reason I probably wouldn't repurchase it. Full Fast retails at £23.95 for 50ml which is one months supply and it's available from Harvey Nichols, and selected independent pharmacies. For more details on the product, how it works and to purchase online please check out the Full Fast website. Any questions please leave me a comment x

(Full Fast 50ml Was Provided By PR For Review Purposes)

Win With Wahanda - CLOSED

2012-02-11T15:12:00.000Z

I don't know about you but I could definitely do with a bit of pampering, whether it's down to the time of year or the horrible weather I could really do with a bit of TLC, and judging by twitter I'm not alone. That's why I've teamed up with health, beauty and wellness community Wahanda to offer one LouLouLand follower a £50 voucher towards a Wahanda Spa Day

I love the idea of Wahanda, you can find great spa deals and offers from salons and spas all over the country ,simply see what's available in your area, and away you go. From massages, to OPI manicures, and Elemis facials, gourmet meals, mums to be and men's packages and more, the choice is yours. Simply click on Wahanda Spa Days to see what's available near you x

How to Enter

You must be a follower of LouLouLand

The prize is UK only

Please leave a comment saying enter me and please leave an email address so I can send your voucher

The winner will be selected using random.org

The voucher code must be used by 4/3/12

This giveaway will close at 5pm 18/2/12

That's all you need to do, this prize would make an ideal treat for yourself, or even a lovely gift for someone special xx Good Luck xx

There's No Place Like Home - Nails Of The Day

2012-02-10T13:00:00.000Z

I have to say as an adult I love the Wizard of Oz much more than I did when I was younger, it's quite scary for a small child to be honest, what with the flying monkeys and wicked witches. My outstanding memory of the film though was of course Dorothy Gales, beautiful red, sparkly shoes

These iconic shoes, have inspired several nail polishes including China Glaze's Ruby Pumps, and this sparkly specimen from Avon

Avon Nailwear Pro Ruby Slipper is a beautiful red crammed full of red sparkle, like all the other Avon shades I've tried lately it applies like a dream, and with careful application one coat would suffice, as per usual though this is me so this is two coats x

The sparkle isn't that apparent in these pictures but it's much more evident in real life with a super sparkly but not glittery finish. What do you think of Ruby Slippers?

Pop Your Cherry With Batiste

2012-02-09T14:47:00.001Z

Apologies for the slightly crass title, but I guess it's true you may not have experienced it yet but there is a new version of Batiste on the market.

I first heard of Batiste Cherry via twitter and a lovely PR company were kind enough to send me a press pack and a can to try.

The first thing you noticed about Batiste Fruity and Cheeky Cherry to give it it's full name, is the can how cute is it? In a gorgeous mint /aqua shade it's covered in a super sweet cherry design which will look great on the dressing table or on the bathroom shelf.

What about the product inside? well it does everything we've come to expect from a Batiste dry shampoo, it freshens hair, adds volume, and removes odour, but what sets Batiste Cherry apart from the rest of the range? - the smell of course.

I have a love hate relationship with cherry fragrances, cherry blossom I can cope with, cherry almond is a no no, so I was a little bit apprehensive when this came, which camp would it fall into? I needn't have worried Batiste Cherry has an amazing fresh fruity, floral fragrance which I have to say I love. Yes it's even overtaken Batiste Blush in my affections I love, love the smell, and I'd love it in a fragrance, if anyone is listening ;)

The can of Batiste would have been enough but I was also lucky enough to receive a little promotional item too, my press pack came in a huge tube, My mums reaction was what on earth is that ? well it was this

Yes a beautiful Birdcage style umbrella by Cath Kidston at Fulton

How gorgeous is it, in keeping with the cherry theme, it's covered in a gorgeous floral and cherry print, it will definitely come in handy in the UK, the weather at the moment especially is horrid!

I adore Cath Kidston so I was absolutely thrilled to receive this surprise parcel through the post. I'd like to say a huge thank you to all those concerned, Batiste Cherry is definitely something that I will continue to purchase x Batiste Cherry Dry Shampoo Retails at £2.99 For 200ml x Any questions please leave me a comment x

(All Items In This Post Were Provided By PR For Promotional / Review Purposes)

Nails Of The Day - A Perfect 10

2012-02-07T13:32:00.000Z

I recently purchased this Color Club polish as part of an ebay haul. I only have a few Color Club polishes (see my collection here) but it's a brand that I have to say I've been impressed with and this colour is no exception.

927 Perfect Mol-Ten, looks amazing in the bottle but the true finish is really hard to capture on the nails. It's a gorgeous green with silver flashes and full of tiny sparkles, with almost a foiled finish. With this type of finish your always going to get brush strokes but with careful application you could probably get away with one coat but yeah this is me so this is two coats x

What do you think of Perfect Mol-Ten ? and do you have any Color Club recommendations?

New Year Giveaway Winners Revealed

2012-02-06T19:29:00.001Z

Hi Guys
I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone that entered my belated New Year giveaway - I received 36 entries and using random.org I drew two lucky winners.
The winner of the first prize including a Cath Kidston style bag, an MUA Immaculate Collection Palette, MUA, 2True and Maybelline Goodies is

Michelle - Butterfliesandlillies

Congratulations Michelle, and the winner of prize number 2, which includes, an Avon Neutral Eyes Palette, A Panda Hat, A 17 Magnetized Polish and more is

Jessica-May xo

Congratulations ladies if you could please email me your details to pootle28@hotmail.com and I'll get your prizes out to you asap. Don't worry though if you weren't a winner this time I have plenty more giveaways planned including something for my UK followers, that should be up by the weekend ;) Thanks again for entering and subscribing x

ETA: Oh and if you also entered my You Tube giveaway you can check out the winner here x

NYX Champagne and Caviar Palette - Swatches and Mini Review

2012-02-05T10:58:00.000Z

I have to say that this eyeshadow palette was something that I'd wanted for some time, the colours really appealed, and since I already owned another NYX 10 Colour Eyeshadow Palette in The Runway Collection, I knew the quality would be good. I was so lucky that I managed to pick it up in the lovely Stacey's blog sale - if you can find this palette in the UK it retails for about £10.99 which is nearly double the USA price - Rip Off Britain indeed. Champagne and Caviar as you would expect is a palette full of beautiful neutrals and smokes with both matte and shimmer shades.

A few of you lovely people wanted to see some swatches - so before the snow came yesterday I managed to take a couple of pictures

The shadows feel super soft and velvety and as you can see the colours are pigmented, the only colour I had any real problems with was the matte white, you need to apply a lot of product to get any coverage, but to be honest that seems to be a problem with matte shadows in general and it's not something that's exclusive to NYX. Overall I'm pretty pleased with this palette and I'm glad to have it in my neutrals collection. What do you think of Champagne and Caviar?

Nails Of The Day - Glitter Babe!

2012-02-04T10:32:00.000Z

As you've probably gathered from my previous post my hands and nails are taking a bit of battering at the moment. Despite a gorgeous cuticle butter, and a new hand cream and nail strengthener I'm testing out for you, my poor little nails need all the help they can get. What's the best way to protect your nails when your doing chores etc - a nice glittery polish of course.

Product of a recent haul, this beauty Nubar G150 Hologram Glitter, really seems to be doing the job despite the small particles it's a glitter and of course glitters are super hard wearing!

This is 3 coats here, I would have liked it to have had a little more coverage, but it's still gorgeous, tiny particles of silver holographic suspended in a clear basis. I've worn it on its own here but I think it would be great as a layering polish either over a silver for more depth or a coat or so over another colour for a contrast. What do you think of glitter laden nails?

Caring For Poorly Cuticles With Gwdihw - A Review For My Pure

2012-02-03T13:02:00.000Z

Whether it's down to the cold weather, or an increase in housework over the last month my hands and nails have really started to suffer - I've had horrid, sore and bleeding hang nails and cuticles, dry hands and flaking nails. I've got hand and nail growth products to try out which will hopefully make a difference but in the meantime I've been loving a product I've been trying out for My Pure.

Based in Anglesey, North Wales, Gwdihw or in English Goody Hoo, is a fairly new brand to My Pure. Using traditional methods and local ingredients, they produce a range of natural skin balms and soothers which are all made by hand.

I decided to try their Nail Wizard Balm especially for dry flaky nails, and dry cuticles, containing just 6 ingredients including cocoa butter, beeswax, coconut and olive oils

Packaged in a sweet metal tin, the product initially appears to be quite solid, but as soon as it comes into to contact with the skin, it starts to melt - if you house is really cold though I guess you could pop the pot on the radiator for a minute or two, but I didn't have that problem

You only need a tiny little bit on each nail, as a little seems to go a long way

It melts down into almost an oil like texture making it super easy to massage into the nails, it also surprised me by being quite quick to absorb into the skin - so your hands and fingers are never left sticky.

I have to say I've really enjoyed using this product, and I really think it's made a difference to my nails. It smells amazing and has a really fresh lemony citrus smell. You don't need a lot, it absorbs quickly, and it doesn't sting any areas of broken skin - I love it! I was previously devoted to Lush Lemony Flutter but whilst I can get my hands on this product I will never buy it again - for me Gwdihw is the way forward. Any questions please leave me a comment x Gwdihw Goody Hoo Nail Wizard Balm Retails At £4.49 For 25g From My Pure x`

(Gwdihw Goody Hoo Nail Wizard Balm Was Provided By My Pure For Review Purposes)

Nails Of The Day - I'm Just A Jealous Girl!?!

2012-02-02T14:23:00.005Z

Excuse the rubbish title but I love the song Jealous Guy by Roxy Music and I especially love the John Lennon version.

Yeah I have green eyes and I'm a Taurus all signs that I'm supposedly prone to the odd bouts of jealousy. As much as we don't like to admit we have a bit of the green eyed monster in us, it's not a good trait though and it's certainly not something to encourage -we need to go beyond jealousy and envy and get ourselves in a better place. Anyway enough of the philosophical musings and on to the purpose of this post, nail polish! Now safely restored to its rightful place with the rest of my nail polish, this is the aptly named Beyond Jealous by MAC.

It's quite a difficult colour to capture but you only need one coat and careful application to produce a gorgeous gothic nail in blackened teal / green

It's not the girliest colour on the block but this limited edition polish is definitely chic especially on short nails. What do you think of Beyond Jealous?

January You Have To Be Joking?

2012-02-01T12:01:00.000Z

Woah - It's hard to believe that the first month of 2012 is over already where on earth has it gone. I have to say I haven't felt quite with it the whole month, health stresses, and my mums operation has basically meant I've been running on empty, something that I can see continuing in February.Never mind I'm trying to keep blogging on a regular basis but apologies again if I disappear again. It comes to no surprise then that my spending diet was a total fail in January!!

Nail Polishes - Blog Sale - £2.50
NYX Palette - Blog Sale - £6.50
Nubar Nail Polish - ebay - £5.97
Dorothy Perkins Haul £75.00
Peacocks Haul - £16.95
Superdrug Haul - £23.00
Boots Haul - £21.00
Friendship Bracelets - LilyLovesLola - £5.60
Cat Design Top - George at Asda - £9.00
Mustard Skirt - Peacocks - £5.40!!
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Debenhams - £36.00
Total So Far - £206.92 - Oh Hell!!!

Yeah a massive £160 + over - I'm not happy at all with it, but what's done it done, all I can do it try harder in February - I won't be going near any proper spendy shops this month Tesco will be my highlight I just need to reign in my online spending a bit

I was a bit more successful with trimming my stash in January - I finished 11 items all of which you can see here!

The Body Shop Cranberry Shower Gel 250ml
Soap & Glory Heel Genius 125ml
Boots 17 Waterproof Mascara - Black - 4.5ml
John Frieda Frizz-Ease Heat Defeat Protective Styling Spray 150ml
The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner 250ml
No7 Dream Lash Mascara - Black - 4.5ml
Frederic Fekkai Technician Shampoo 60ml
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic 50ml
Acorelle Body Scrub 200ml
Avon Senses Winter Warmth Shower Gel 500ml
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish - 100ml
Total - 11 Items

I'll still be trimming my stash in February and fingers crossed I can do even better - I already have a couple of things just about done so it looks like being a good start to the month. I'll also be continuing my mass sort out this month so you can look forward to some more ebay listings and maybe the resumption of my blog sale page ;)

So that was my January, I hope you had a great month and don't forget to stay tuned to LouLouLand for more exciting posts during February including the drawing of my giveaway, another possible chance to win, and lots of reviews x Thanks for following and a big hello to all my new followers xx

Fresh, Clear Skin With Living Nature - A Review For My Pure

2012-01-31T15:38:00.000Z

I admit it when it comes to certain products I'm a real, well there's no better word for it whore! I chop and change, always eager to try out the newest and best on the market, shampoo, mascara, and face masks, you bring out a new one and I'm there. I love face masks, I have a few that I continuously repurchase, but I'm always keen to try new ones. Despite being in my 30's now I still have combination / oily skin, I have an oily t-zone, and I'm still prone to the odd breakout. I love the occasional brightening or radiance mask but my true love is a nice deep cleansing mask, to make my face feel super clean. So for my December / January My Pure reviews I decided to go for a face mask from a brand I've really grown to like, Living Nature

Living Nature's Deep Cleansing Mask is quite unlike anything I've tried packaging wise. Yes we're all familiar with the single dose mask sachets that you can pick up in the chemists or the supermarket, but with this mask you get a box of 10 sachets. Each sachet contains 5ml which is enough for a single application. I have to say I actually prefer this idea to a conventional tube, the sachet contains just enough for your face and neck , so ultimately your still getting 50ml of product but you getting a lot less wastage.

Containing Manuka Honey, white clay, Macadamia, and Almond oils, grapefruit, and lemon extracts, this mask is designed for all skin types, to deep cleanse the skin and refine the pores.

The mask itself is slightly off white in colour, and has a thick but creamy texture, and a citrus / lemon based smell.

The mask spreads easily onto the skin, and dries hard within 10-15 minutes. It's then rinses away fairly easily with warm water, and either a sponge or a muslin cloth - scary picture time!

This mask says it for all skin types but personally I think it's better suited to a combination, oily skin because of the lemon and citrus ingredients. I have to say it felt really nice on the skin, slightly cool but not at all tingly. After removal my skin was left feeling super clean but not red, sore or dry. I have to say I liked this mask a lot the one thing that puts me off is the price, £17.99 for 50ml of product in total doesn't make this a cheap option, but if you have an oiler skin and you can afford it, I would definitely give it a try. If you have any questions please ask x Living Nature Deep Cleansing Mask Retails At £17.99 for 10 x 5ml Sachets from My Pure.

(Living Nature Deep Cleansing Mask Was Provided By My Pure For Review Purposes)