Polish Post 6 | Pink Ombre and Glitter

Hey Everyone!

I've been painting my nails a lot recently- experimenting with different techniques and colours and I've been happy to discover unlikely combinations of my collection. However, I'm terrible for biting my nails and picking my nail polish off- so much so that I can't keep a colour on my nails for more than a day. I realise that this must be doing my nails a lot of damage, so for the time being, I am going to leave them bare. While I'm doing that though, I'll post recent NOTD's. Though since I'm on this topic- does anyone have any suggestions of what to do to stop biting my nails and to strengthen them?

Anyway, onto the actual post and today's nails consist of 5 shades of pink and my topshop ice crush.

To achieve the ombre (ish) effect on my thumb, I just painted stripes of colour adjacent to each other whilst the last was still wet and they seemed to just sink into each other and dry together. My fingers then correspond in descending order to the colours on my thumb, and I put a topcoat of glitter on every nail.

I am in love with these- they're so pretty and girly! Also, pretty easy to create- no messing about with sponges or anything. 

Do you like them? Would you consider giving nail ombre a go?

FOTD | Minimalist and Liquid Liner

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I thought I would start a little series of FOTD posts as I have been experimenting A LOT lately and they're nice and easy and quick to do! I don't actually switch my make up around that much so if my FOTDs start getting repetitive I'll stop. But anyway, here is my minimalist face with the main focal point being the liquid liner. 

What I'm wearing:

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector All-In-One BB Cream- read my thought here

Bourjois Little Pot Blush in Rose D'Or- reviewed here

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara

No7 Amazing Eyes Liquid Liner- reviewed here 

So since I was having quite a good skin day, I decided to go really natural and I actually liked it very much! 

I've not been doing a lot lately- I'm just about to stop school for summer (yay!) and I'm up to date with Pretty Little Liars (yep, julz has struck again- watching multiple seasons in a matter of weeks) and I'm back to watching YouTube videos and Friends. I'm planning on spending my day packing (Barcelona soo soon!) and doing other productive things! 

Update | My First YouTube Video

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Just a quick post to tell you all that I am now on YouTube! As you probably know, I've been thinking about doing it for a while now and yesterday I had nothing else to do so I just gave it a shot. I hope you'll watch and possibly like or subscribe- I feel like I can count on you guys as support (all 79 of you- woo thanks for hitting that subscribe button!)

So my first video is MUA Best and Worst Products and to be honest I seriously underestimated the length of time the whole process actually takes! I had to get ready, make up done, get set up, film (I cut many many times!) and edit which takes agess!

Here's some snaps I took today:

These are the products I talk about- the bottom ones are worst and top ones are best! Oh except for the primer and lipgloss which I cut out as the video was getting too long. 

This is my little filming set up. I thought a I would add a candle and my make up bag to the background to add a little interest.

So I hope you can take a look at my channel and definitely let me know your thoughts!

Review | MUA Liquid Liner vs No7 Amazing Eyes Liner

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I have been posting quite a few reviews lately so I thought today I would take a bit of a different approach and instead of just reviewing my new No7 liquid liner I would compare it to what I had been using: MUA's liquid liner. 

Each liner is an own brand make- MUA is Superdrug and No7 is Boots.

The MUA liner is £1 and the No7 one is £8.75 (though only £3.75 with the £5 off No7 vouchers which are currently available.)

In terms of packaging, both items are pretty similar. Simple black with metallic coloured lettering. Both look high end and classic. The MUA one is 3.1ml and No7 is 4ml which shows looks can be deceiving as the No7 one looks at least double the size.

 

The applicators of the liners are, in my opinion, quite different. The MUA one is pointed and very firm which means it can be a bit scratchy to apply. On the other hand, the No7 one is like a tiny paintbrush which is soft and has enough flexibility to glide smoothly over the lid but not so floppy that your line will end up at your eyebrow.

Also, the formula of each liner is quite different. I find the No7 one a lot wetter and pigmented, although I think perhaps because I've had the MUA one for quite a while it is beginning to dry up.

The finished results of both liners can be more or less the same, depending on how much effort you put in. Application of the MUA liner takes quite a bit of time, patience and a flexible wrist to reach awkward angles, though if you get enough on the brush the line comes out a pigmented black. Be careful not to let the line dry and then go over it though as it will start peeling. The No7 one, as I mentioned, glides on in one motion and takes about 10 seconds, depending on if your doing a flick or not. It gives a bold black line instantly, and is more glossy than the MUA one.

Wearing MUA liner a few minutes after application.

Wearing No7 liner a few minutes after application.

The most significant difference I have noticed in the liners though is their staying power. By the end of the day, the MUA liner has crumbled and looks really bad. However, the No7 liner is immaculate as if it had just been applied.

Wearing MUA liner after around 7 hours of application.

I would recommend the MUA one to anyone who would just be wearing it for a few hours or for someone brand new to liquid eye liner and who needs to practice (that's how I got the hang of it!) I think that for £1 you may as well give it a go!

My hands-down favourite though, is of course the No7 Amazing Eyes Liner. I wouldn't pay the full £8.75 but I think £3.75 is completely worth it. It is perfect and after using this I doubt I'll be returning to my MUA one.

Which do you prefer? Do you like this type of review post? Feel free to leave any requests for posts in the comments.

Haul | What I Have Bought Recently {H&M, Internacionale, M&S, Primark & Boots}

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This weekend I went on a bit of a spendathon- getting the last bits and bobs for my holiday and some early items for school (I think its better to start school shopping early to avoid the crazy rush in late July early August). Hauls are my favourite type of post to read and write and I love watching them on YouTube too. I am still considering making videos to go alongside my blog though I am a bit apprehensive because I'm a bit self concious about my accent hehe! Let me know your thoughts :P Anyway, onto the haul, and we'll start with H&M:

I have had my eye on this for a while now and I actually thought it had sold out but I discovered a little section of them in my nearest H&M so grabbed it immediately. It was £14.99 and I think the pale pink shade and hearts are very 'me' although the colour washes me out a little. But I'm hoping that when I'm on holiday it'll be fine since I'll have fake tan on. 

I think these basic skirts are great- they're only £3.99 and are perfect for school. I had one last year and it lasted very well. 

This was one of those last minute, picked up while waiting in the que purchases. It was only 99p so I thought hey-ho why not, I don't have any yellow nail polishes and since its summer I thought I ought to try some bright nails. And also the tiny little bottle swayed me because I love minis!

I found this on the sale rail for only £3. I love that its bright and will be lovely on holiday on a shopping day or to the beach. It creases very easily though!

These were also reduced- down to £1.90. Perfect for the beach or at the pool and since they are a pinkish nude, they will go with everything.

Ah this is my favourite item from the whole haul! I absolutely love playsuits right now and I saw this on a you tube haul and thought 'I need that!' The collar tips are so cute-I love them! The playsuit reminds me of something that Caroline Flack would wear which is another reason I love it so much- she is my ultimate style crush.

I bought this blouse purely because of the collar. Its peter pan, lace and has pearls sewn on- what more could I ask? Sadly though, I had to take it back since it was damaged- if I ever see it again I might repurchase though I'm thinking £12 is a bit steep for a Primark top?

These are the shirts I have for school next year. I got an age 15 thinking they would be fine but they're really huge- watch out for M&S sizing! Though I am just going to keep them as I think they'll be ok tucked into my skirt. These were £18 for the set with 20% off.

This is what I used my £5 off no7 voucher to buy so it was only £3.75. Until now I have been using my MUA liner, thinking it was pretty good but now I see what I have been missing- this liner is amazing! So worth £3.75- I definitely recommend spending your voucher on this. Expect a review soon!

This was £10.99 which I do think is a alot but I have seen this recommended so many times and I had been using my Clinique so much that its almost done so I thought it was time for a change. This mascara truly lives up to the hype- it lengthens my lashes amazingly and defines them well too.

So that's what I've bought recently- quite alot, I know. Oh and apologies for neglecting my blog of late, I have been obsessed with Pretty Little Liars and unlike Friends or EastEnders I can't blog and watch that at the same time- it demands my full attention- which most of the time results in me pooping myself at every jumpy part and biting every single one of my nails off! Better get back to it!

Review | The Body Shop Strawberry Collection

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During the reorganisation of my room, I decided that I should group all of my pampering products (eg. shower gel, body lotion and body butter) together so that its easier to rotate them and get through them quickly. I rediscovered my Strawberry Collection from The Body Shop that had lay in my drawer forgotten for a long time and I can't believe I haven't used it in so long!

Out of all the scents The Body Shop has to offer, I think this is my absolute favourite. It is so lovely that I actually want to eat the products sometimes (but don't worry, I don't!) It smells exactly like the strawberry perfume they used to do in Claire's (which I absolutely loved.) The smell lasts for hours on your skin and spreads through the whole room. I like using all the products in conjunction with each other so that I can just be like one big walking strawberry!

The Body Butter is extremely thick and moisturising. I use this in areas like knees and elbows that need real nourishing. This has the strongest strawberry scent of the collection which is lovely though it can verge on overpowering. I find that it doesn't spread too well, which means that I am running out already, within only a few uses. 

This lip balm leaves a slight pink colour on the lips as well as the gorgeous strawberry smell. Its moisturising and non-sticky- a good alternative to my nivea or vaseline.

These are probably my favourite items from the collection. They smell amazing- not overpowering in the slightest. The lotion is the perfect consistency so it spreads easily. The shower gel isn't great for foaming, although I love the smell so much that I can live with that.

I love the packaging of the products- its very simple yet it ties in with the scents. My favourite is the body butters tub as it is a signature body shop design.

I enjoy using this collection very much and I also love the added bonus of having matching shower gel, body lotion, body butter and lip balm. The only downside of these products is that I can see them being used up pretty quickly- I guess I will just need to save them for a treat every now and again.

Have you tried The Body Shop's strawberry collection? Do you recommend any other collections they sell?

FOTD | Minimalist Summer Make Up

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This is a rather optimistic post today: make up for summer when in actual fact all I can see in dreary skies and rain. However, I thought I would do a summery face of the day in the hope of some better weather.

It is very natural- I think in the heat less is definitely more and no one wants to look in the mirror at the end of the day to find their make up smudged or completely gone.

The products I used were:

Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation in shade 52 "Vanille"

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in shade 34 "Rose D'Or"

Clinique High Lengths Mascara  in shade 01 "Black

Avon Translucent Pressed Powder

The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Stain in shade 01.

For me, foundation is the most essential make up product as it evens out skin tone and covers imperfections so well that on days of minimal make up I can go without concealer. I wear the powder to keep the foundation in place as in hot weather it wears away easily. The blush gives a nice, barely-there glow to the cheeks while the mascara opens up eyes without making them look overdone. Finally, I use the lip stain to add a bit of colour that will last the day and doesn't need to be reapplied. 

As I mentioned, this is my bare minimum make up, and is what I would wear to the beach. It strikes the right balance between that no make up 'I've just woke up' look and the over the top caked face look.

I've never done a FOTD before so I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know if you would like to see more. I have been really into Pretty Little Liars lately and I am in love with their make up! I think perhaps later I will search YouTube for some tutorials for their make up, particularly Aria and Hanna and if I find anything good I'll post the results. 

Shopping My Stash | Clinique Finds

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Since I have been on a very tight budget lately, I have been unable to purchase new products as often as I usually do and I have to admit I miss having new things to try. I have therefore been inspired by a few videos I saw on YouTube with the theme of "Shopping Your Stash". Simply put, this means searching through your neglected products to find treasures that are amazing but have been forgotten. I was pretty impressed with the idea and thought I would give it a go with my most neglected make up collection: my Clinique tin.

Most of my Clinique products are samples, my mums cast off's or bonus time gifts. Although I absolutely love getting freebies, I have found that since I did not purchase these myself, I've never felt the need to really get the use out of them, even if they are fantastic products which I would otherwise use to death (or till they run out). So a few nights ago, whilst shopping my stash, I found these gems.

So as you can see, quite a few amazing products have been hiding in my drawer! I have been using the Liquid Facial Soap every night since my simple face wash ran out and although its for combination oily to oily skin and I would describe mine as combination dry, it has worked perfectly and I have noticed somewhat of an improvement. The first few days I used it with my Soap & Glory sponge, but I noticed this was quite drying, so now I'm just using my hands and it works a treat. I'm not saying its a miracle treatment but its all I'm looking for in a face wash.

As for the Rinse Off Foaming Cleanser, I'm not entirely sure how to use it. I'm pretty sure its a makeup remover- but it says avoid contact with eyes. So perhaps you've just to use it to remove foundation and blusher etc and find an alternative method for eye make up? If you can share any knowledge on this let me know in the comments.

Finally, both mini palettes I found I am particularly excited about. I couldn't believe these had been forgotten for so long! The browns and neutrals are exactly the colours I wear and I think the pinky peach shadow would make a lovely highlighter. Also, I think the blush will give a lovely rosy glow for cooler days. (I wasn't sure whether the correct word is blush or blusher, I googled it, said it over and over and I've reached the conclusion that is doesn't matter- though I found that saying it over and over in your head means it doesn't seem like a word any more!)

So there we have it- my stash has successfully been shopped! I absolutely love this concept as it feels like getting new products without spending any money. 

Have you shopped your stash lately? Found any forgotten treasures?

Decor | Cute Up-cycled Glass Jar

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This is a bit of a different post today- decor I was inspired to create by similar ones I saw on pinterest and by my shabby chic obsession.

To make this, all I did was wash out an old glass coffee jar and fill it with a selection of pretty things. You could use anything; from sweets to dried flowers. I chose shells, pearls and sparkly jewellery as I like the contrast between them.

I then covered the lid in a Cath Kidston napkin and secured it with a white elastic band. You might notice that the napkin is the same pattern as my make up bag which I like as they tie in with the pink and green theme of my room.

As I mentioned, although my room is pink and green, I absolutely love shabby chic decor and I am trying to incorporate small hints here and there without changing my room entirely.

I love how simple yet pretty the jar is and how is adds a really interesting touch to an otherwise boring surface.

Would you consider giving it a go? Would you like to see more decor or DIY posts in future?

Polish Post 4

Hey Everyone :)

Well after a fantastic weekend of blogging, shopping, watching many, many youtube vids, joining (and loving) pinterest and generally not studying, it's time to get back to my books because exams are looming! So I've prewritten this post on Sunday's nails.

MissTique nail polish is available as part of the Summer Splash Polish Set on MissGuided for £10 but I got mine in a magazine a while ago.

Colour-This is a gorgeous blue/teal. It's really attention grabbing and out there. I put it on because today has been really dreary weather so I thought it would add a bit of cheer and remind me that summer is on its way (hopefully!)

Consistency- I usually like nail polishes with a thicker consistency but I actually get along really well with this as its midway- not watery but not clumpy. Two coats gives my nails complete cover.

Brush- The brush is round which again, I'm not usually fond of but because it's quite thin its great and picks up just the right amount of polish.

Durability- This lasts a good few days with no chips with no top coat which I think is pretty good.

Rating- 8/10 (Those 2 are dropped simply because it wouldn't go with every outfit eg. a peach chiffon blouse).

Have you got this nail polish? Do you like it?

Nails | Polish Post 5

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I officially have a new favourite nail polish that I have been coating every colour with - Topshop's Ice Crush. I had been eager to try glitter polish for a very long time but was really confused as to which one to get as there are so many available now. I had heard many great things about the Topshop nail polishes, so I decided to give their glitter a go. They have pink, purple and silver, and I opted for the silver as I thought the glitter was more 'chunky' and the clear polish could go over any colour.

As with all of Topshop's make up line, the packaging is super cute. I actually love this so much that for the first few days of having it I used it as decor simple because it was so pretty! It works amazingly with a variety of different colours, and as I mentioned, I love that there is a mixture of large flakes of glitter and small flecks. Another thing which I was really impressed with was the consistency- one coat of this will cover the nail in sparkle.

Apologies for my nails which are possibly in the worst condition in history. Mid years resolution-stop biting them!

Not only does the polish make your nails sparkle, it leaves a lovely shine as a top coat. Also, its holographic properties reflect the colour you're wearing so in a way it adapts to it. Overall, I am super pleased with this polish- its exactly what I was looking for and I am now desperate to try out more glitter nail polishes and more of Topshop's make up line!

Ice Crush is available in Topshop or online.

Do you like glitter polishes? Any recommendations for what I should buy next?

Haul | H&M and Primark

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I've not done a haul in a while so I thought I would show you what I've bought recently! Its safe to say that since my exams finished I went on a bit of a blow out spendathon and now I can't set foot in a shop for weeks as I've spent all my money :( But oh well I am really pleased with my purchases and I can see me getting lots of use out of them- particularly in the coming summer months!

First up is H&M and this is without doubt my favourite shop at the moment. I've always thought of H&M as quite Hit and Miss (aha see what I did there?) but right now it has an amazing collection. 

£12.99

 I am in love with this floral playsuit because it is so versatile and wearable. I wore it to a party with heels but it will also be ideal to wear on holiday with sandals. A definite staple in my summer wardrobe. 

£4.99

I plan to wear this oversized heart top tucked into denim shorts on a summers day or over leggings when its cooler.

£12.99

Another really versatile piece perfect for summer and I love the colour of this against my skin tone, especially with a red lip and red nails!

£14.99

I have been looking for the perfect pair of denim shorts for ages and I've finally found them. These are an all year round piece- can be worn with tights when its cooler or with a tan on holiday. They are one of the most versatile pieces in my wardrobe and I'm so excited so put different outfits together with them. 

I was put off similar shorts in the likes of Primark because of the cheap looking buttons whereas I love the rosy copper buttons on these and I also like the green stitching as its pretty unusual.

And Primark- which, in sprite of my current love affair with H&M, remains one of my favourite shops.

£6

I am still  amazed at the price of this dress. This is the perfect holiday dress- ideal for wearing to the beach over a bikini yet also perfectly acceptable for dinner. Its available in a variety of colours including navy, mustard, white, pink and bright blue. 

£6

I'm not sure if its weird to show you my bikini but ah well I thought I'd share since it was such a bargain! Also available in purple and pink. This year I want to have a variety of swimwear as I think on holiday I'll be at the pool or beach everyday! (Yay I'm so excited!)

So that's my most recent purchases! Have you found any bargains lately? Do you love H&M as much as me?