NOTD: Essie Penny Talk

Hey Ladies,

When purchasing nail polish I tend to search swatches online, read reviews etc before making a purchase, I've encountered too many naff polishes in my time, however occasionally I see a nail polish & grab it & run to the check out. Today was one of those days.

This is the most amazing rose gold polish, I've been looking for one for ages and so when I was in Boots this morning browsing and saw this bad boy I snapped it up, came home and then immediately applied it. 

Essie is one of my favourite nail polish brands & their line in Boots with the wide brushes are an excellent representation of the brand, all the shades are wearable and more importantly the formula's are spot on, we all know there are good Essie polishes & not so good ones so to see their best represented is a relief I didn't want the general public to be put off buying more if they had a crappy one. 

Let me say this polish is amazing, the formula is brilliant, one coat is all you need & it gives your nails the rose gold foil effect, obviously I can't tell the lasting power as it's been on my nails for an hour but if it is spectacularly bad I will let you know but the fact you only need one coat says to be it wont be a peeler. I cannot describe how good the wide brushes are, they have made me want to repurchase all my Essie polishes that are available with it because it makes painting your nails frankly a piece of piss!!

If you're near a Boots that carry the Essie line I recommend going and getting it! I can't stop staring at my nails!!

Have you bought any of the new Essie range? I fear for my bank balance every time I step into Boots!

UPDATE: My dull dull life!

Hey Ladies,

Such an enticing title don't ya think? I thought I'd do a little update with a bit of house keeping just because it's my blog & I can!

I FINALLY managed to Ombré my hair, seriously this has been a two year struggle for me every time I attempted it something went wrong (seriously in one head of hair I once had blonde, brown, green & blue hair all at the same time), obviously because it's me & my hair was already light blonde I always attempted to darken just the roots & after failing so many times I just said sod it & coloured the whole lot darker & got a bit bleach happy. And you know what? I bloody love it! (sorry to start a sentence with the word 'and', my English GCSE teacher would be marking her screen in red ink if she was reading this) I constantly swish & I now have my dream hair, yes sad I know!

Illamasqua Freak

This has been the newest addition to my fragrance collection, I have wanted it since I smelt the sample in a Glossybox (the one time I was happy to see a perfume sample) but I rarely remember to spray perfume on myself so couldn't ever justify buying a fragrance for myself. I was seriously restrained, I then felt the need to be all grown up & own a Jo Malone fragrance so went to Selfridges to smell all the different offerings I then discovered they all smell rank so picked this up instead & couldn't be happier.

Described as ; 'A concoction of dangerously exotic unconventional flowers which Illamasqua has unashamedly blended together to celebrate the night'

I wont pretend to know the notes of the perfume or bore you by typing them all out, to me it smells like a deep spicy floral scent which packs a punch, it is very strong & as it's an eau de parfum lasts very well and I love it, it's like nothing I own & lets face it there's a snail on the bottle (I named him Cyril) It's genius.

In other news:

• I saw 'The Five Year Engagement' & thought it was brilliant, I was laughing majorly in parts & got a little bit choked up in others. It's rare that I want to go & see a film again immediately afterwards in the cinema because it cost such a bloody lot to go. (when did it get so expensive, it wasn't even 3D!)
• Speaking of films I am counting down the hours until Magic Mike is released, I have my tent ready for an over night stay outside the cinema (I am joking but wish I wasn't) & despite being an atheist may have said a little prayer to baby Jesus that it is being released in 3D (the fact that it isn't confirms my atheism) 
• I am really putting myself on a clothes shopping ban as I've bought loads recently (will be doing a haul when a few bits arrive) but in the same month I got my dream hair I finally found my dream boots ... exciting!
• I am allowing myself a few makeup / skincare purchases on payday as well as some very boring purchases (read new glasses uck!) so recommend me things to look up, I am currently working on a wish list post!

I think that's all in order now & you've been updated on my extremely dull life of hair & perfume & trip to the cinema! Has anyone else seen 'The five year engagement'? Jason Segal is just my soul mate I swear ... don't tell my other half he may get disheartened! or have you any great product recommendations? I'm after a serum & eye cream, I am getting a new foundation but my mind is pretty much made up (MUFE Matt Velvet Plus). I hope you're all well & tolerating the England match if you're in our neck of the woods ( I understand most females aren't a fan, I personally have been loving football on everyday, I was raised in a house with just a dad & two brothers so can't get enough)

REVIEW: JolieBox June 2012

Hey Ladies,

I know I may not post about beauty boxes that often but I thought I would show you the JolieBox Birthday edition box because well, it's beautiful!

June Jolie Box* 

I mean look at it, it is seriously a work of art, I do re-use my beauty boxes for storage & these two  will take pride of place in my room, I think JolieBox have gotten the designs perfect very Parisian chic with the orange Hermés type shade & a beautiful quirky pattern on the other box.

From what I gather from previous reviews of boxes I have read JolieBox are more skin care focused which I J'adore (... sorry) and this months box has certainly not disappointed on the skin care front.

Just for reference there are two boxes available this month, one for oily/combination skin & one for dry skin, I have the oily skin version.

Elysambre Lipstick Care
I have the clear version of this in my box but it is available in different shades & it is basically a lip balm which is 100% of natural origin, it smells lovely like cocoa butter & is a really good lip balm, the packaging isn't the most glamorous but perfectly practical & does the job.

Institute Esthederm UV inCellium Spray
I am a huge Institute Esthederm fan so was very happy to see this (I have used one of their serum's before & it was amazing) It is a pre-tanning treatment which encourages the skin's natural defences and helps to give a long-lasting tan. Well I am not going on holiday but if the weather improves (drastically) then I will give this a whirl does smell nice as a side note. This is a very expensive brand so great to see in the box for people to try the product before committing to the full size.

L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream 
I am a huge L'Occitane fan and have wanted to try their Angelica range since I heard about it, this is more a night cream for me and it is lovely, very hydrating and has a lovely fresh scent nothing distinguishable and left my skin feeling very soft the next morning, I will definitely look at purchasing this full size.

YON-KA Protective & Vitalizing Cream
First of all, love the word Pamplemousse (totally irrelevant) & have to say LOVE this face cream, it may seem a bit extreme (didn't mean for that to rhyme) to include two face creams in a box but this is your day cream & the L'Occitane is a night cream so that housekeeping has been done onto the cream; it is quite a thick texture but light & absorbs in your skin immediately, I have been really enjoying using the cream this week & it smells amazing, very lemony which at 6am when I apply it is very uplifting and really agreeing with my face so far.

You also get a cute little 'I Love JolieBox' nail file which is useful for my handbag, as you can probably tell I am a fan of the birthday box and hopefully you picked up on the fact all the brands featured are French JolieBox's nod to their French heritage & I certainly love French skincare so totally recommend signing up for this box which you can still do at the JoileBox website.

On a side note I got to meet the JolieBox team last week at an event with RMK & they are so lovely & welcoming, it's always nice to see the faces behind the brand & after a successful first year here's to the next!

Are you subscribed to JolieBox? How have you found it in terms of consistency etc? I know they are always happy to see the feedback!

GIVEAWAY: Revlon Lip Butters

Hey Ladies,

Giveaway time today for you all, the Lovely people at Revlon have given me 5 Lip Butters in the shade Berry Smoothie to give to my lovely readers, as you may know I'm a huge Lip Butter fan & would like to share the Lip Butter love!

Revlon have launched their Sweet Boutique where you can win a different lip butter every weekday until the 26th June and I said / typed before I have 5 of the shade Berry Smoothie to give away, so all you need to do is be a subscriber enter below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Hope you're all having a lovely weekend & the rain has finally stopped wherever you are!

REVIEW: Dr Nick Lowe Dark Circle Correcting Cream

Hey Ladies,

I probably have some of the darkest under eye circles known to man (slight exaggeration perhaps), I have to pile on concealer which although sorts them is sometimes not the look I want, if I want an effortless makeup look I really can't achieve it and pretty much makes me always tied to my makeup bag. Very few products can help as my dark circles aren't from lack of sleep or dehydration just those pesky hereditary ones so I look to eye creams to try & sort them out.

Dr Nick Lowe Dark Circles Correcting Cream *

"A unique anti dark circles fomula from Dr Nick Lowe, proven to help minimise the appearance of dark circles by helping to tighten, firm and tone the delicate eye area."

I have been using this eye cream by Dr Nick Lowe for a few months & I have to say I have really been enjoying it (as much as you can enjoy using an eyecream!) It is very hydrating but easily absorbed into the eye area so very convenient in the morning as fot the firming & tightening claims I can't really comment as i'm 25 & have nothing to tighten. 

As for the dark circle correcting claim I am unsold, like I said mine are very bad & I didn't seem to notice a huge reduction in them however I will say that when I stopped using this for a few nights & used a 'bog standard' eye cream I noticed my dark circles were horrendous so although it certainly hasn't cured mine it does keep them in check.
It is priced at around £15 & easily available from Boots, overall I really do like this eye cream & will definitely repurchase at some point!
Any one found an eye cream which banished their dark circles??

Fitness Fanatic or Reluctant Runner? **

How many of us exercise our bodies simply because we enjoy the feeling that a cardiovascular workout gives us? The sense of healthy achievement and physical fatigue is certainly addictive, and the benefits of our exercise endeavours make us glow, helping to increase our feeling of well-being. But how many of us exercise because we feel we have to make up for our poor eating habits?

Eating certain foods has most likely made us all feel guilty to some extent at some time or another. So it stands to reason that as long as we thoroughly enjoy the food we eat, the blood, sweat and tears – earned in the gym or pounding the paths around our local park – are a lot easier to take.

Food glorious food

Food – don’t we just adore it? A perfect plate of food can be a very personal thing. One person’s Lobster Thermidor is another’s steak and kidney pie. One person’s Salad Niçoise is another’s Tagliatelle Carbonara. And so it goes on.

If two people request the same dish to be cooked and served exactly to their preference, there is every chance that the two plates of food could end up being received differently. One person might prefer their meat to be slightly rarer than the other, their vegetables to have a touch more crunch, their pasta a little more ‘al dente,’ or their sauce just a tad richer or thicker. The dishes might be the same, but there are measured differences, and it’s these differences that can make all the difference.

Control is key

We all love it when something sets our taste buds dancing with joy and our toes curling in flavorous ecstasy. For the most part, we are all aware of the hard work and skill involved in creating such culinary magic. A lot of it, of course, is understanding the ingredients and how best to cook them, but it’s also about the control you have over that cooking. And with a quality appliance, it’s so much easier.

That’s why with a Beko cooker from Littlewoods, you’ll find it a pleasure to create the dishes you want. Their range of gas and electric cookers are both stylish to look at and highly efficient, giving you maximum control over your cooking time and temperature. 

In no time at all, you’ll be thinking up recipes on the treadmill. 

REVIEW: Liz Earle Lash Care & Lash Definition

Hey Ladies,

Apologies for my lack of posting recently life sometimes gets in the way! I'm sure you will have all heard about the additions made to the Liz Earle cosmetics line that they launched recently & the two products I have been trying out are the Lash Care & Lash Definition mascaras, so thought i'd share my thoughts!

Liz Earle Lash Care * & Lash Definition *

Lash Care Intensifying Lash Base £10.50
"Our creamy mascara base is the perfect lash preparation for mascara to make lashes look thicker and longer. Enriched with our own blend of natural source vitamin E and natural oils, specially selected to help condition your lashes"

I have used this base every single day since it arrived and love it, it really does add length & thickness to your lashes without them clumping or being too heavy so your lashes hold their natural curl. The main reason why it has had so much love from me is because it saves me so much time in the morning, usually I have to build up the layers of mascara each morning as it is the only eye makeup I wear but with the base it takes one coat of mascara to make my lashes long & thick without any time or effort! A must if you enjoy that extra 5 minutes in bed!

Lash Definition Smudgeproof Mascara £14.50
"Water-resistant, flake-free and long-lasting, and glides on smoothly to perfectly define each lash. The specially designed brush allows you to make the most of even the shortest lashes, helping to create length and definition."

I haven't used this mascara as often as the base because it has quite a wet formula, which means it will last a while before drying out but the 'real' results are less visible until it has dried out a little, once mine had gotten to that stage I have used it every day, I apply my makeup at 6:15am every morning & at 10pm at night when my makeup is removed this mascara is perfect, it really is smudgeproof & long lasting. The brush is really great at adding length & volume as well as separating the lashes so they don't get clumpy, it is a little scratchy so if you have more sensitive eyes I would take it slow so not to irritate your eyes.

Overall I am more than impressed with these two products from Liz Earle, they are a little on the pricey side but if you're more into natural cosmetics these would be perfect for you. I for one want to try more from the line in particular the coral cream blusher & bronzer.

Have you tried anything from the line?? or anything caught your eyes? I hope you're all having a lovely Jubilee weekend in the UK!