Coleyyyful: A Beauty & Fashion Blog

How to create The Very Hungry Caterpillar Nails!

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 15:21:00 +0000

I recently created The Very Hungry Caterpillar nails and featured them in a NOTD post. A lot of people commented on how lovely they were and a lot of you lovely people said that you'd like me to do a tutorial.

Since it's a very fiddly and detailed design, I thought it would be easier showing you a video tutorial rather than a picture tutorial as a video tutorial will be easier to follow and understand.

I hope you liked this tutorial and if you decide to re-create them yourself, please link me to your picture of them as I'd love to see them!

Many thanks for reading/watching!

NOTD: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Tue, 29 May 2012 20:42:00 +0000

Now this isn't what I'd call one of my typical NOTD posts as I usually just show you all a photograph of a pretty nail varnish on my nails but today I have something a little different to show you.

It's very rare that I wear nail varnish on its own as I've always got something jazzy on my nails, from spots to stripes to penguins in a blizzard. So on the rare occasion when I'm wearing just a pretty coloured nail varnish, I'll do an NOTD post. I think I featured Topshop 'Pool Party' in my most recent NOTD post.

Anyway, let's talk about the fun things...

If you have read my blog from the very beginning or watched my youtube videos then you'll know that I love The Very Hungry Caterpillar. My mamma used to read the story to me during and after pregnancy and ever since being a little girl, I have loved The Very Hungry Caterpillar. And still at nearly 21, I have an obsession with it, I have a Very Hungry Caterpillar mug, blanket and cushions (that's one thing you all now know about me). So since I love The Very Hungry Caterpillar so much, I have spent my afternoon creating The Very Hungry Caterpillar nails. I absolutely adore them and thought I'd do a NOTD post.

I'm considering doing NOTD posts featuring nail art as well as normal nail varnishes so if that's something you'd like to see then please let me know.

If anyone would like me to do a tutorial, please let me know as I don't mind doing one, I'll just be doing it on a nail wheel as I don't want to remove this from my nails (it took a long time to do). I will warn you though, it's a very fiddly and detailed design so it takes a lot of time, patience and effort.

Are any of my lovely readers Very Hungry Caterpillar fans?
:)

Outfit Of The Day: Nautical & Summery

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Mon, 28 May 2012 19:05:00 +0000

I haven't done an Outfit Of The Day (OOTD) post for a while (it was last July to be precise) so since it was a lovely hot day, I thought I'd do an OOTD.

I love the nautical trend and have done for many years, I still have red and navy anchor bracelets that I bought 3 years ago from Accessorize and only recently threw out an anchor tee that I had when I was 16 (making it an impressive 5 years old!).

Blazer: River Island, Tunic: Primark, Leggings: Topshop, Shoes: ASOS, Ring: ASOS,

Brooch: Miss Selfridge, Nail Polish: Orly 'Hotshot'

I love the combination of red, white and navy as those colours compliment each other so well, hence why I paired my navy and white striped blazer with a white tunic and red accessories. If the tunic (meant to be a dress) wasn't so short, I'd have worn it without leggings but since I'm not fond of cheek exposure, I thought I'd pop on a pair of leggings with it.
Red jeans and white converse would also look amazing with this blazer so that's definitely an outfit I plan to wear when the weather is a little cooler. If I'd have worn jeans and converse in 25 degrees of heat, I'd have well and truly melted.

Are any of you still a fan of the nautical trend? And would you like to see more OOTD posts on my blog?

Many thanks for reading!
:)

Yankee Candle Lip Balm in 'Vanilla Cupcake'

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Fri, 25 May 2012 19:02:00 +0000

I recently tweeted saying that I'd purchased something utterly amazing but I wasn't going to tell anyone what it was until it arrived. Anyway, it arrived through my post box this morning so thought I'd share my AMAZING purchase. I'd usually just Instagram something exciting but considering it's THAT good, I thought I'd do a post about it. I also knew that everyone would want one so thought I'd give information about where to buy etc as I knew I'd get a million and one questions about where to buy them from.

So without further ado, here is my utterly amazing purchase, a Yankee Candle lip balm!

I can probably guess that the majority of you said something along the lines of 'OH MY GOD' or 'WOOOOW' when you first clapped eyes on this post as I did the same thing when I discovered them on eBay.

Now I bet you're wondering if the lip balm actually smells like the candle and I must admit, I wondered the same thing, but no word of a lie, the lip balm smells EXACTLY like the candle. It's sweet, scrummy and smells exactly like a vanilla cupcake. I also noticed that the scent lingers which is really pleasant, it makes my nostrils want to dance a little.

The lip balm contains 4g of product which is the same as most 'twisty uppy' lip balms. Lypsyl and Origins lip balm contains 4g of product whereas Burt's Bees lip balm contains an extra 0.25g... OOFT. You also don't need to use a large amount of the Yankee Candle lip balm as it's smooth and creamy meaning it's going to last you a lifetime.

If you're wondering how the lip balm works, then the bottom of the 'jar' twists and as you twist the product lifts up, it's the same as any other 'twisty uppy' lip balm. As you'll see from the photographs above, the 'lid' pops off and the product is displayed.

The Yankee Candle lip balms can be purchased from eBay and if you live in the USA, they can be purchased from Amazon too. I purchased mine from the UK seller 'collectorboyz' and they currently sell the following flavours; 'Vanilla Cupcake', 'Christmas Cookie', 'Vanilla Lime' and 'Sweet Strawberry'. I'm not sure how many of each flavour they have so if you want one, I'd buy one as soon as possible. I also must mention that shipping is excellent, it was shipped on the day that I purchased it and it only took 2 days to arrived and it's FREE delivery... AMAZING.
You can buy the lip balms from other sellers but I noticed they were selling the lip balms for around £7.00 which is really expensive considering they're worth a couple of dollars in the USA. If you're willing to spend £7.00 then you could choose from other flavours like 'Sparkling Cinnamon', 'Sweet Strawberry' and 'Spiced Pumpkin'.
It's also worth mentioning that the seller 'zini84' has a gift pack of the lip balms for approximately £13.00 (the cheapest on eBay), the pack includes 'Christmas Cookie', 'Vanilla Lime', 'Vanilla Cupcake' and 'Sweet Strawberry'. I will warn you that they aren't a UK seller and shipping is free so god knows when you'd end up getting the pack! But if you're interested in the gift pack there's only one left so get buying before it's gone!

I am so thrilled with this lip balm, so thrilled that I actually purchased 2 of the 'Christmas Cookie' lip balms today. I cannot wait for them to arrive and I'm seriously considering building a collection of the Yankee Candle lip balms as I love them that much.

The question is, will you be buying a Yankee Candle lip balm?
:)

Tropical Green Look

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:08:00 +0000

I love green eyeshadow and probably own about 100 green eyeshadows but I have to admit that I've somewhat neglected them over the past few months. Today I decided to use some of my lovely green eyeshadows and create a summery, tropical look.

I decided to wear bold lips as well as bright eyes as I think the two look lovely together. I opted for a pink/coral lipstick as I thought it complimented the green eyeshadow nicely.

Products used to create this look:

Eyes:

MAC Paint Pot in 'Bare Study'
Inglot 'Pearl 412'
Inglot 'D.S 477'
Inglot 'AMC Shine 17'
Sleek Curacao Palette (Eyeshadows Used: 'Screwdriver' and 'Martini' )
L'Oreal Super Liner
Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner Pencil in 'Black'
YSL Shocking Mascara

Face:

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in '06'
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in '01 Fair'
L'Oreal Glam Bronze Duo Powder
Fashionista Blush in 'Juicy Apricot'

Lips:

Figs & Rouge Peppermint Lip Balm
MAC Lipstick in 'Party Parrot'

How to create this look:

1.) Apply 'Bare Study' to the eyelid using your fingers or a flat eyeshadow brush, blend out the edges using a blending brush. Bare Study works as a base for the eyeshadow.

2.) Apply Inglot 'Pearl 412' all over the eyelid using a large eyeshadow brush.

3.) Apply Inglot 'D.S 477' in the outer corner of the eye and blend into the centre of the eye using a blending brush.

4.) Apply Inglot 'AMC Shine 17' into the crease of the eye and blend using a blending brush.

5.) Using a small eyeshadow brush apply 'screwdriver' to the very inner corner of the eye.

5.) Apply 'Martini' to the brow bone using a small eyeshadow brush.

6.) Using the L'Oreal Super Liner, create a winged effect.

7.) Apply a small amount of Inglot 'AMC Shine 17' to the bottom lash line using a smudge brush. Only apply it to the outer part of the bottom lash line.

8.) Apply a small amount of 'screwdriver' to the bottom lash line using a smudge brush. Only apply it to the inner part of the bottom lash line.

9.) Apply the Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner to both the bottom and top waterline.

10.) The final step is to apply the YSL Shocking Mascara to both the bottom and top eyelashes.

I hope you enjoyed this look and if you would like me to do a video tutorial, please let me know!

Many thanks for reading!

Top Ten Eyeshadows (& Cheaper Alternatives)

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:52:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I posted about my Top Ten Lipsticks and I have to say that a lot of my lovely readers enjoyed that post very much, so much so that I was actually requested to do a Top Ten Eyeshadows post.

Today I decided to write a Top Ten Eyeshadows post, like I did in my Top Ten Lipsticks post, I'll be including cheaper alternatives.

From left to right: MAC 'Bare Study', Urban Decay 'Sin', MAC 'Crystal Avalanche', MAC 'Electra', Urban Decay 'Oil Slick', MAC 'Club', MAC 'Mystery', MAC 'Shale', MAC 'Lucky Green' and MAC 'Free To Be'

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1.) MAC 'Bare Study' - £14.50 - Cream Formula

Cheaper Alternative: Fashionista Single Eyeshadow in 'Nude Glimmer' - £4.00

Price Difference: £10.50

Left: MAC 'Bare Study'
Right: Fashionista 'Nude Glimmer'

Bare Study is described as 'soft beige with gold pearl', it has a cream formula and a frost finish. Bare Study isn't technically a powder eyeshadow, it's a paint pot which is a cream eyeshadow. It can be worn alone or can be used as a base for eyeshadows. I absolutely love wearing Bare Study on its own as it gives a nice subtle shimmer but I also like layering neutral eyeshadows over the top of it. Fashionista 'Nude Glimmer' isn't an exact dupe for Bare Study as one, it's a powder eyeshadow and two, it's slightly more peach toned. But if you're looking for a cheaper alternative then 'Nude Glimmer' is the one to go for.

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2.) Urban Decay 'Sin' - £14.00 - Sparkle Finish

Cheaper Alternative: MAC 'Naked Lunch' - £10.00

Price Difference: £4.00

Left: Urban Decay 'Sin'
Right: MAC 'Naked Lunch'

Sin is described as 'champagne'. It's a peachy nude colour with a high amount of shimmer. Sin is such a lovely neutral eyeshadow and I primarily use it in the inner corner of my eye when creating a brown smokey eye.

Naked Lunch isn't as pigmented as Sin but there's no denying that the colour is exactly the same. If Naked Lunch was more pigmented, they'd the twins for sure.

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3.) MAC 'Crystal Avalanche' - £10.00 - Veluxe Pearl Finish

Cheaper Alternative: L'Oreal Colour Infallible in 'Time Resist White' - £6.99

Price Difference: £3.01

Left: MAC 'Crystal Avalanche'
Right: L'Oreal 'Time Resist White'

Crystal Avalanche is described as 'white with reflects'. It's the perfect highlight shade and it's also lovely worn alone as it opens up the eyes.

Time Resist White is a close dupe, it's not an exact dupe as it's slightly more cream toned but due to the finish and the high amount of shimmer, I'd say it was a close enough dupe. I absolutely love Time Resist White and would highly recommend it to anyone that was thinking about buying Crystal Avalanche. Why spend an extra £3.01 when you don't have to.

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4.) MAC 'Electra' - £10.00 - Frost Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Inglot 'Pearl 448' - £4.50

Price Difference: £5.50

Left: MAC 'Electra'
Right: Inglot 'Pearl 448'

Electra is described as 'silver with icy shimmer'. Electra is possibly one of the nicest silver eyeshadows that I own and I think this is due to it's lovely finish and smooth application. It's a lovely silver eyeshadow to use when creating a black smokey eye.

Inglot Pearl 448 is near enough identical to Electra in terms of colour, finish and texture. The only difference is the price tag. I love Inglot eyeshadows and they're possibly the best eyeshadows that I own.

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5.) Urban Decay 'Oil Slick' - £14.00 - Sparkle & Matte Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Inglot 'AMC 65' - £4.50

Price Difference: £9.50

Left: Urban Decay 'Oil Slick'
Right: Inglot 'AMC 65'

Oil Slick is described as 'black with silver micro glitter'. It's a great black eyeshadow and I especially like it because it contains glitter. I primarily use Oil Slick as an eyeliner or when creating a black smokey eye.

Inglot AMC 65 is an excellent dupe for Oil Slick, the only difference is that Oil Slick has chunkier glitter particles. If you're looking for a black sparkly eyeshadow then I'd definitely go for the Inglot AMC 65 as it's much cheaper than Oil Slick.

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6.) MAC 'Club' - £10.00 - Satin Finish

Cheaper Alternative: MUA Trio in 'Innocence' - £2.00

Price Difference: £8.00

Left: MAC 'Club'
Right: MUA 'Innocence'

Club is described as 'red-brown with green pearl'. Club is a beautiful eyeshadow and this is due to it being a duocrome. I love how its a brown eyeshadow with a blue/green undertone, it would look lovely on anyone with green eyes as it would makes eyes appear greener than they are. I'm not going to lie, Club is a nightmare to apply and you do need to use a lot of it but it's such a beautiful colour, you just cannot resist it.

Innocence is an excellent cheaper alternative to Club as it's got the same blue/green undertone. It isn't as dark as Club but who cares when you're saving yourself £8.00.

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7.) MAC 'Mystery' - £10.00 - Satin Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Sleek 'Boxed' (Oh So Special palette) - £6.49

Price Difference: £3.51

Left: MAC 'Mystery'
Right: Sleek 'Boxed'

Mystery is described as 'muted plum brown'. I primarily use Mystery for filling in my eyebrows as I like them to look quite dark. It's a very pigmented eyeshadow so you don't need to use a lot of it. It's a multifunctional brown and I love it to bits and pieces.

Boxed isn't an exact dupe but if you're looking for a dark brown matte then this is the one to go for. It's a lovely rich brown colour with great pigmentation.

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8.) MAC 'Shale' - £10.00 - Satin Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Inglot 'D.S 460' - £4.50

Price Difference: £5.50

Left: MAC 'Shale'
Right: Inglot 'D.S 460'

Shale is described as 'mauve-plum with subtle shimmer'. Shale is a great for using when creating a daytime smokey eye as it's not too dark or harsh looking. I always wear MAC 'Vex' with Shale as they go together like strawberries and cream. Shale does need layering and you do have to use quite a bit but I don't mind as it's such a lovely colour and it looks beautiful on the eyes.

Inglot D.S 460 is a good alternative and I highly recommend checking it out if you were planning on buying Shale.

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9.) MAC 'Lucky Green' - £10.00 - Veluxe Pearl Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Inglot 'Pearl 412' - £4.50

Price Difference: £5.50

Left: MAC 'Lucky Green'
Right: Inglot 'Pearl 412'

Lucky Green is described as 'Frosted Midtone Lime'. This is the BEST green eyeshadow that I own, it has amazing pigmentation and it's such a beautiful colour.

Inglot Pearl 412 is an excellent alternative as it's pretty much identical to Lucky Green.

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10.) MAC 'Free To Be' (LE) - £12.00 - Matte Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Sleek 'Ribbon' (Oh So Special palette) - £6.49

Price Difference: £5.51

Left: MAC 'Free To Be'
Right: Sleek 'Ribbon'

Free To Be is described as 'Bright True Coral'. It's one of the brightest, boldest eyeshadows that I own and I simply adore it. If you follow my blog or watch me on youtube then you'll know that I'm a HUGE coral fan. I love everything coral including eyeshadow, if I could have a coral coloured house I would! Free To Be takes a lot of layering but it's worth it as it's such an intense, eye-catching colour. I usually use Free To Be as an eyeliner.

Ribbon is a brilliant alternative to Free To Be as it's near enough the same colour and it too has a matte finish. The great thing with Ribbon is that you don't have to layer it at all, unlike with Free To Be. Ribbon is intensely pigmented, has a creamy texture and only a small amount is needed.

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I hope you all liked my Top Ten Eyeshadows post and if you have any questions about any of the eyeshadows mentioned, please feel free to comment below.

Many thanks for reading!

How to create Floral Nails!

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:19:00 +0000

I recently posted a photograph of my floral nails on Instagram and I have to say that I got plenty of positive feedback, 162 'loves' to be precise. Many of you also said that you'd like a tutorial so since I love you all so much, I decided to do one. So without further ado, here is my floral nail tutorial.

To create floral nails, you will need the following:

Mint green nail polish - I used Essie 'Mint Candy Apple'
Bright pink nail polish - I used China Glaze 'Shocking Pink'
White nail polish - I used China Glaze 'Snow'
Yellow nail polish - I used Ciate 'Big Yellow Taxi'
Dotting tools - Can be purchased on eBay
Thin nail brush - Can be purchased on eBay

You don't have to use the exact nail polishes that I did, any nail polish will be fine so please don't feel like you have to rush out and buy these certain nail polishes. Also, cocktail sticks work as great nail art tools.

If you would like to create floral nails all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps!

Step One:

Apply two coats of the mint green nail polish to your nails.

Step Two:

It’s time to create the base flowers on your nails. You will create flowers on every nail (except your ring finger nail).

For the base flowers you will need to use the bright pink and white nail polish, as you’ll be mixing the two together, you will also need a dotting tool.

How to create a flower the simple and easy way:

Step Three:

Using the bright pink nail polish and a dotting tool. It’s time to add darkness to the centre of each of the base flowers.

Step Four:

Now it’s time to add a hint of white to one half of each of the flowers. This is done to add dimension to the flowers.

To do this you will need to use the white nail polish and a thin nail brush.

Step Five:

Now it’s time to add a hint of pink to the other half of each of the flowers. Again, this is done to add dimension to the flowers (make them more life like).

To do this you will need to use the bright pink nail polish and a thin nail brush.

Step Six:

You will need to add ‘pollen’ to each of the flowers. To do this you will need to mix both the yellow and white nail polish to create a pastel yellow colour. You will also need to use a thin nail brush.

Step Seven:

To create flower leaves you will need to use green nail polish/paint and a small dotting tool. Simply dot a couple of ‘leaves’ around each of the flowers.

Step Eight:

It’s time to create stripes on your ring finger nail. First, apply three white stripes.

For this you will need to use the white nail polish and a thin nail brush.

Step Nine:

Next apply three pink stripes.

For this you will need to use the bright pink nail polish and a thin nail brush.

And we're done!

Here's another example of floral nails using different colours:

Video Tutorial:

I hope you like my floral nail tutorial and hopefully it was easy to follow.

Many thanks for reading!

Illamasqua Precision Ink in 'Scribe'

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:27:00 +0000

I love Illamasqua products and I have to say that I have accumulated quite a large collection of Illamasqua products over the past few months. I love the Illamasqua blushes and the infamous skin base foundation but what I love the most is the precision ink eyeliners. I already own the shades 'Abyss' and 'Havoc', and I recently bought the shade 'Scribe'. Scribe is basically a pure white liquid eyeliner. It's something I've never seen before, as brands tend to go for the typical black eyeliner, so I was really excited to try Scribe. I felt I needed to blog about it too as it's such a unique eyeliner.

What Illamasqua have to say about their Precision Ink liners...

"Create looks with attitude that no one can ignore. Precision Ink's fine tip allows for defined application. Long-lasting and waterproof it's perfect for use anywhere on the face and body to bring out your bold side. You can even use it as an nail art pen; simply seal with Illamasqua Top Coat."

What are the product claims?

Fine tip allows precise application.
It's long-lasting, it lasts until you remove it.
It's waterproof.
Can be used on both the face and the body.
Can be used for nail art.

How can you use it?

You can create a thin/thick line.
You can create a winged effect.
You can use it on your waterline.
You can use it to create different shapes (in body art).
You can use it as a nail art pen.

Do the Illamasqua Precision Ink eyeliners come in different shades?

Yes they do. There is a total of 5 different shades, these are:

'Scribe' - Pure White
'Alchemy' - Antique Gold
'Glister' - Opalescent Nude
'Havoc' - Aubergine
'Abyss' - Gloss Black

How much do the Precision Ink eyeliners retail at and where are they available?

The precision ink eyeliners retail at £17.00 and can be purchased in-store and online at both Illamasqua and Selfridges. ASOS also stock Illamasqua products too! Handy to know if you're a student as you can get 10% off!

Scribe is also part of the Human Fundamentalism collection and may in fact be limited edition.

What does 'Scribe' look like?

The pointed tip enables you to create a precise line.

Left: One Coat

Right: Two Coats

Here's how I used 'Scribe'...

Here is what is called 'tuxedo' eyeliner. Tuxedo eyeliner is basically creating both a white and black winged effect. I personally like tuxedo eyeliner and I think I might be daring enough to wear it out in public.

Is Scribe suitable for everyone?

Scribe is suitable for absolutely anyone. Obviously if you're sensitive to certain eyeliners I'd suggest to try before you buy as you don't want to waste £17.00 on an eyeliner which isn't suitable.

Scribe is suitable for both light and dark skin tones.

The Good

Application - Scribe is super easy to apply and this is due to the applicator. It has such a fine tip and this enables you to create a very thin, precise line with ease. The main reason why I love Illamasqua precision ink eyeliners is because of the fine tip.
Pigmentation - Scribe is very pigmented which is quite unusual as white eyeliners tend to lack pigmentation. They tend to look quite patchy and streaky but this isn't the case with Scribe at all.
Longevity - Scribe lasts all day without fading, flaking, smudging, running or completely coming off. The only way it will come off is if you remove it yourself. Scribe is a tough cookie, it does not budge at all.
Drying Time - Scribe takes around 5 minutes to completely dry which is a good thing as there's nothing worse than liquid eyeliners that take a million years to dry.
Waterproof - Scribe is 100% waterproof. It doesn't matter if you're caught in a heavy downpour or have been crying for 12 hours, this eyeliner will NOT budge. The only way this eyeliner will budge is if you remove it yourself.
Removal - Scribe is very easy to remove despite it being waterproof. The key is to use an eye-makeup remover that is designed to remove waterproof makeup as well as normal makeup.
Packaging - I love Illamasqua packaging, it's sleek, classy and very expensive looking. I also love the applicator as it's tapered and has a fine point.
Availability - Scribe can be purchased both in-store and online at both Illamasqua and Selfridges. It can also be purchased from ASOS too. If you live internationally you may have an issue hunting it down so it may be worth ordering it from ASOS as they offer free shipping!

The Okay

Opacity - Scribe hasn't got the best opacity but it certainly hasn't got the worst. The trick is to use more than one layer (coat).
Price - £17.00 is a little pricey for an eyeliner, especially for a liquid eyeliner as they don't last as long as pencil or gel eyeliners. Inglot do a white gel eyeliner which is identical to Scribe, the only difference is that Scribe is a liquid eyeliner and retails at £17.00 whereas the Inglot white eyeliner is a gel eyeliner and retails at £10.00. I haven't seen any drugstore white liquid/gel eyeliners on the market so my only cheaper alternative would be the Inglot white gel eyeliner.

The Bad

I have nothing bad to say about Scribe at all. It's a high quality white eyeliner, one of the best I've ever tried.

Overall....

Overall I like the eyeliner, it's got great pigmentation and it lasts all day without fading, flaking or running. Scribe lives up to it's claims as it's long-lasting, 100% waterproof and it has a fabulous fine tip which enables precise application. It's a brilliant eyeliner and I would imagine it would make a great nail art pen too but I cannot comment on it's 'nail pen' abilities as I have never used it for nail art. I love Illamasqua Precision Ink eyeliners and I especially love the shade 'Scribe', it's unique, fun and very different to the norm. I will DEFINITELY re-purchase Scribe and I most definitely will be trying out 'tuxedo' eyeliner again. Overall, a big thumbs up for Scribe.

Would I recommend? Yes, it has excellent quality.

Would I re-purchase? Yes, it's super easy to apply and it gives a precise line.

Rating? 8/10.. opacity could be better and the price could be lowered.

Have you tried Scribe? And are you brave enough to try 'tuxedo' eyeliner?

Shu Uemura Beige UV Under Base Mousse SPF 30

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:18:00 +0000

As you will all know I love under bases (primers) so when I was asked if I would like to review the Shu Uemura Beige UV Under Base Mousse SPF 30, I literally jumped at the chance. I had never really tried Shu Uemura products before, apart from the infamous eyelash curlers and the odd eyeshadow, so I was eager to try one of the Shu Uemura under bases. An under base is in effect a 'primer', you can wear it alone or under any foundation (face product).

Beige UV Under Base Mousse SPF 30: "Our number 1 selling product worldwide, UV under base mousse gives you the perfect base for your make up."

What Shu Uemura have to say about their Beige UV Under Base Mousse ...

"Original beige shade. A weightless mousse make-up base that helps to even out the skin's tone and texture, reduce redness and minimise the appearance of pores. Use before make-up application to prepare the face for flawless makeup."

Directions of use?

Shake well before use.
Make sure the bottle is upright before dispensing the mousse.
Dispense a walnut sized amount of the mousse into the palm of your hand using the pump provided.
Apply the mousse to your face using your fingers. Apply half to the left cheek, half to the right cheek and use the remainder for the forehead and t-zone. Blend in the mousse using a brush or your fingers, whichever you prefer.

What are the product claims?

Evens out skin tone and texture.
Reduces redness.
Minimises the appearance of pores.
Helps to keep makeup on longer.

Are there other types of UV Under Base Mousse available?

Yes, in total there are 4 different types of UV under base mousse available and they each have a different use.

How much does the Beige UV Under Base Mousse retail at and where is it available?

The beige UV under base mousse retails at £29.00, as do the other different under base mousses and it can be purchased online at Shu Uemura or in-store/online at Space NK.

What does the Beige UV Under Base Mousse look like?

Swatches...

Is the Shu Uemura Beige UV Under Base Mousse suitable for everyone?

The under base is suitable for absolutely anybody, no matter if you have dry skin, normal skin, combination skin or oily skin. It's suitable for ALL skin types which is wonderful.

The under base doesn't feel oily at all and it doesn't produce excess oil throughout the day so those of you who have combination/oily skin will love the under base. However, those of you who have dry skin may need to use a moisturiser underneath the under base as it absorbs into the skin really easily.

If you have a fair complexion I would also recommend opting for the pink UV under base mousse as the beige UV under base mousse is a little dark for pale skin.

The Good

Product Claims - Does the under base reduce redness?.. YES, does the under base minimise the appearance of pores?.. YES, does the under base even out skin tone?.. YES, does the under base help to keep makeup on longer?.. MAYBE (I own decent foundations which do not need the help of under bases (primers) so I cannot say if this under base prolonged the life of my foundation). I honestly think that this under base is a wonderful product and it certainly lives up to it's claims. It leaves skin looking absolutely flawless and it does a great job at reducing redness and the size of pores. It's like a pore/line filler and primer in one!
SPF - I LOVE products containing SPF as they do wonders for my pale skin. SPF helps to protect skin from sunlight/UV rays therefore products containing SPF are great for wearing during spring/summer and also on holiday. SPF products are also good for wearing on a daily basis too.
Application - The under base is really easy to apply as you simply have to pump the mousse into your hand and apply using your fingers. Application is the same as any other under base.
Texture - The under base, funnily enough, has a mousse like texture. It's light, fluffy and most importantly, weightless. The texture of the under base is lovely, and I have to say that it has the nicest texture out of all of my other under bases.
Blend-ability - The under base blends into the skin really well and this is probably due to it's 'air-light' texture. I prefer blending it in using my fingers as I think it applies more evenly than with a brush. The under base melts into the skin ease and you're left with super soft, supple skin.
Scent - The under base has a really lovely scent, it smells very fresh and clean and it doesn't smell 'chemically' at all. If I had to say what the exact scent was then it smells of almond milk (or almonds in general).
Packaging - I really like the packaging as it's different to the norm. Other standard under bases (primers) come in a tube or bottle form so I really like how this under base comes in a can. I also like how it comes with a pump as you can easily dispense the mousse. The pump also enables you to dispense the correct (needed) amount of product. I think the packaging is fun, different and it reminds me very much of a hairspray bottle!
Size - The under base contains 64ml of product. Other standard under bases contain 30ml so you're in effect getting double the amount of product.
Availability - The under base can be purchased online at Shu Uemura and Space Nk. It can also be purchased in-store at Space NK, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. The under base is readily available meaning availability is not an issue.

The Okay

Price - £29.00 is a little pricey considering the majority of under bases retail around £15-20. The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer retails at £9.99 and in my opinion, is just as good as the Shu Uemura Beige UV Under Base Mousse. There's no denying that the under base is worth it's price tag but when there's cheaper alternatives available I think it could be priced a little lower. If you're looking for a high end under base then check out the Shu Uemura Beige UV Under Base Mousse but if you're looking for a cheaper under base then check out the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer.
Colour - Once dispensed, the mousse is a beige colour, but once blended, the colour disappears slightly and you're left with a beige tinge to your skin. The beige colour is slightly too dark for my pale skin tone and I would imagine I'd be better suited to the pink UV under base mousse. If the colour was correct, this pointer would be in 'the good' section.

The Bad

I don't have anything bad to say about the under base as it's a wonderful product and it does exactly what it says on the tin. My only criticism is the price but then again, the product is worth the price tag.

Overall...

I have to say that it's possibly the best under base that I've ever tried as it instantly creates a fresh 'blank canvas'. It eliminates all signs of redness and it reduces the size of pores dramatically, it leaves skin looking so flawless it's untrue. I often use this under base alone as it really does cover all of my imperfections, I feel I don't need to use foundation when using the under base as the under base does a good enough job at hiding things on it's own without the aid of foundation/concealer. It's a wonderful product which lives up to it's claims and I would definitely purchase in the future. I don't understand why the under base retails at £29.00 as it is a little pricey but if you compare it to other high end under bases, this one wins by an absolute mile! If you're looking for an under base that actually works then check out this one!

Would I recommend? Yes, it well and truly lives up to it's claims.
Would I buy? Yes, it's the best under base I've ever come across.
Rating? 9/10 (would have been 10/10 if it wasn't so pricey)

*The Shu Uemura Beige UV Under Base Mousse SPF 30 was sent to me for review purposes. This does not affect my thoughts and opinions on the product. As always, my reviews are 100% truthful.

How To: Remove Inglot Eyeshadows

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:34:00 +0000

Magnetised eyeshadow palettes are becoming a lot more popular in the makeup world, they enable you to choose which eyeshadows you like and you can easily swap and change the eyeshadows whenever you like. Handy for when removing a used up eyeshadow or fancying a re-arrange of your eyeshadows.

I'm not going to explain how a magnetic palette works as it's self explanatory, the eyeshadow just clicks into a slot via magnetism.

The only problem with magnetic palettes is that the eyeshadows can be tricky to remove once slotted in the palette as the magnetic force can be quite strong. I own many magnetised eyeshadow palettes, including MAC, Yaby, Make Up For Ever, Fashionista, and Inglot and I have to say that Inglot eyeshadows are the hardest things to remove.

There are lots of different methods about how to remove Inglot eyeshadows including, using the magnets on the lid, using your finger nail, using a long silver pin etc etc.. but I personally find that these methods either don't work, take too long or damage my eyeshadows.

Due to changing my eyeshadow palettes every 5 seconds, I needed to find a quick and easy method that would remove the eyeshadows with ease without damaging them in anyway. I thought of the 'magnet method' and it worked like a treat as you will see if you keep reading.

The palette comes with a magnetic lid. The magnets on the lid can be used to remove the eyeshadows but I personally find that this method doesn't work for me as it's time confusing and fiddly! Using a magnet is much more efficient.

As you can see from this picture, my palette contains many brown eyeshadows but it also contains brown eyeshadows with a purple undertone. This is not how I want my palette to look as I want my purple toned brown eyeshadows in a different palette. If I hadn't of thought of the magnet method, my palette would remain like this but now I can remove the eyeshadows with ease, I can place the purple toned brown eyeshadows into one of my fresh, clean Inglot palettes.

This is the magnet I purchased from Clas Ohlson. It's a 32mm magnet which is plenty big enough, I thought it'd be too small but it's the perfect size. The magnet has a protective layer and I recommend that you keep this layer on whilst using the magnet.

The magnet also retails at £7.29 which does seem a little pricey but a magnet is a lifetime investment and you can use it on any magnetic palette, not just an Inglot palette.

Here is the link to the magnet: Clas Ohlson

When I first used my magnet, I took the protective layer off but I really should have kept it on as I ended up ruining my eyeshadow, as you can see by looking at the photograph above. The force of the magnet was so strong that it dragged out half of the eyeshadow as well as the pan. It's really important that you keep the protective layer on as you could end up doing the same thing to your eyeshadow if you don't.

How to remove the eyeshadow:

Step 1:

Gently the place the magnet over the eyeshadow. You should feel a 'pulling' force and the eyeshadow should stick to the magnet.

Step 2:
Gently lift away from the palette and remove the eyeshadow from the magnet.

As you can see, the eyeshadow isn't harmed in any shape or form.

You're able to read the name of the eyeshadow with ease. This is handy if you're noting down the name for a makeup tutorial or for if you want to recommend the eyeshadow to a family member or friend.

Here's how the palette looks once the eyeshadow has been removed.

It's a quick and simple method that literally takes no more than 10 seconds! Much more simple than faffing around with the lid or a needle!

Video Tutorial:

I hope this post has been helpful to those of you who struggle to remove eyeshadows!

Many thanks for reading!

Glossybox: April Edition - 'The Natural Box'

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:38:00 +0000

I received my first Glossybox last week after a lovely lady called Lily contacted me to ask if I would like to be added to the Glossybox subscription list, I jumped at the chance as I've always been eager to try Glossybox. I was looking forward to receiving my first box and I must admit that I was like a little child when it arrived in the post.

I really like the theme of this months box especially because it's helping the environment. The packaging has be well thought of and the products have been carefully selected. It's a nice box with a nice idea (concept).

Here's what Glossybox have to say about 'The Natural Box'...

"With spring in the air, we are proud to introduce our Natural Beauty Box; five natural beauty products guaranteed to make you feel your best, look gorgeous while at the same time satisfying the green goddess within! After all, green is the new black didn't you know?

Get ready to dazzle this season and spring clean your beauty regime with contents of your latest Glossybox. In a limited edition 100% biodegradable box bursting with ethical goodies, indulge in your beauty needs without battling your inner eco-warrior."

100% biodegradable box meaning it's very earth friendly!

The contents of the box were presented beautifully, I like how they were wrapped in brown tissue paper and tied with a ribbon. The Glossybox sticker was a nice touch too!

There is also a leaflet provided inside the box which indicates which products are inside the box. The leaflet also has discount codes relevant to the products inside the box which is handy if you were to buy a full size of one of the products.

I love how shredded brown paper was included in the box as it fits in well with the 'natural' theme. The packaging has been well thought of as it all looks very 'natural'. And I must admit, I agree with Glossybox when they say the box looks 'rustic'.

Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum

Product:

"The newly-launched ultra-concentrated serum is extremely natural and plant-based, ensuring your skin never lacks moisture."

Price:

Full Size: £29.00 / 30ml (10ml sample is worth £9.66)

Thoughts:

I love the texture of the serum as it's almost water like, it feels lovely on the dry skin as it feels like it's sinking straight into my skin. The only problem is that this feeling doesn't last and my skin ends up feeling dry again after half an hour. I've been using the serum twice a day for just short of a week and I haven't noticed any differences in my skin. It's such a shame that this serum doesn't keep skin hydrated as it feels and smells lovely. Maybe this product is more suited to those who have a combination/normal skin type.

Philip B Drop Dead Straightening Balm

Product:

"Philip B Drop Dead Straightening Balm is a non-greasy, silicone-free water-soluble styling aid that gives curly or wavy hair a straight, tangle-free, and sleek finish."

Price:

Full Size: £17.00 / 178ml (15ml sample is worth £1.43)

Thoughts:
If you read my blog or watch my YouTube videos then you'll know that the one thing I never do is straighten my hair. I love big, thick messy hair and never have it straight, for some reason I think that when I have straight hair, it makes my face look weird. As I couldn't test out the straightening balm myself, I passed it onto my sister and let her try it instead as she's very fond of straight hair. She found that the balm wasn't greasy whatsoever and that it left her hair looking straight, shiny and silky. She also noticed that it left her hair feeling really soft. My sister still has hold of the balm so it must be a winner. One thing is for sure is that it lives up to its claims.

Monu Professional Skincare Enriched Body Cream

Product:

"A rich, indulgent cream to comfort and nourish the skin. Skin feels soft, smooth and nourished."

Price:

Full Size: £23.00 / 200ml (30ml sample is worth £3.45)

Thoughts:

This was my least favourite item in the Glossybox and this is purely because it gave me an allergic reaction. Within 5 minutes of slathering the cream onto my legs, they went hot, bright red and itchy so unfortunately I had to wash it off. It's such a shame that I'm allergic to it as it's such a lovely cream, it smells absolutely divine and has a wonderful texture. It has a nice citrus scent which is perfect for S/S and it melts into the skin with ease, if you don't have sensitive skin and are fine using any body cream then I'd highly recommend checking this beauty out as it's a gorgeous body cream!

Figs & Rouge Lip Balm

Product:

"100% pure, 100% natural & 100% organic multipurpose balm. Excellent for soothing & naturally hydrating lips & skin."

Price:

Full Size: £3.29 / 8ml (full sized product provided in the Glossybox)

Thoughts:

This was my most favourite thing in the Glossybox as I've wanted to try a Figs & Rouge balm for absolutely ages. I have to say that this is possibly the best balm that I have ever tried, and I've tried a few! I have very dry lips so I'm always on the hunt for the perfect lip balm but due to the wondrous Glossybox, I've found the perfect one! The Figs & Rouge balm is so creamy and light and it leaves lips and skin feeling moisturised and hydrated for hours! I applied some of the balm onto the dry bits around my nose and it completely banished the dryness! I cannot praise this balm enough, I'm even considering doing a full review on it!

Inika Cosmetics Certified Organic Eyeliner in '11 Sapphire'

Product:

"A rich and creamy consistency unparalleled in the world of natural liners."

Price:

Full Size: £11.75 / per liner (full sized product provided in the Glossybox)

Thoughts:

I really like this eyeliner and it certainly lives up to it's claims. It's rich, creamy and glides with ease without any dragging/pulling. The eyeliner can be worn as an eyeliner or it can be blended out to create a base for eyeshadow. I also think 'sapphire' is a beautiful colour, I don't own many blue eyeliners as I tend to just go for the typical black eyeliner so it's nice to receive something different to the norm.

Overall...

Overall I loved 'The Natural Box' as it contained many great products, products that I'm eager to try in the future. I love Glossybox as it enables me to try out products that I would never even think about trying.
One thing is for sure is that I'll be buying more of the Figs & Rouge balms! and I'll definitely be checking out Inika cosmetics!

'The Natural Box' was worth £29.58 which is amazing as the Glossybox retails at £12.95 (plus p+p). You're able to try a lot of high quality products for a mere £12.95 per month!

If anyone would like me to review Glossybox as a whole or any of the products mentioned above then please feel free to comment below!

For more information about Glossybox, here is the link: GLOSSYBOX

Many thanks for reading!
:)

*The Glossybox was sent to me for review purposes. This does not affect my thoughts and opinions on the product. As always, my reviews are 100% truthful.

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Sat, 05 May 2012 20:20:00 +0000

After hearing that Bourjois were launching a super duper nail polish remover that was supposedly meant to remove nail polish in a matter of seconds, I was eager to try it. And by the looks of things, the majority of bloggers were eager to try it too.
I usually get quite excited over a new product launch but I was overly excited about this product launch as it's something I know I'd use quite frequently. I don't know if you can tell but I love painting my nails rather a lot! (If this was Twitter I'd be including a hash tag right now '#iliketopaintmynailsamilliontimesaday')

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover: Instantly removes nail polish. 1 second per nail*, without cotton wool!

What Bourjois have to say about their Magic Nail Polish Remover...

"Magic in a pot! Abra-cadabra!!! Nail polish is instantly removed with the touch of a magic wand! For each nail, simply Dip-Twist-Remove in 1 second without any cotton wool.Your nails will be polish-free in just 1 second*! Plus, its red berry and vanilla fragrance leaves nails delicately scented."

What are the product claims?

Instantly removes nail polish, 1 second per nail.
No need for cotton wool or other extras.
Leaves nail smelling nice.

Good things to know?

Acetone-free - great for those who have gel or acrylic nails as well as those who have natural nails.
Enriched with nourishing sweet almond oil.
Paraben-free.
Dermatologically tested

Does it actually take 1 second?

I'm going to be 100% honest, no it doesn't. It might remove one coat of nail polish in 1 second, but it definitely doesn't remove 2 coats of nail polish in 1 second. It also might depend on the nail polish you're using as it may remove lower quality nail polish better than higher quality nail polish.

So how long does it actually take?
One coat - Maybe 1 second?
Two coats - 5 seconds.
Two coats with a top coat on top - 10 seconds.
Two coats with nail art - 10 seconds.
Two coats with a glitter nail polish on top - 30 seconds.

How much does it retail at and where is it available?

The Bourjois magic nail polish remover retails as £4.99 and can be purchased in-store and online at Boots. Boots regularly have a special 3 for 2 offer on all beauty products so it may be worth buying this lovely nail polish remover when Boots have that offer. You could pick up 3 bottles for £9.99, obviously depending on stock levels! I picked up the last bottle in my local Boots!

What does the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover look like?

Instructions are provided on the side of the bottle.

It has a screw top lid. This is great as it prevents mess and unfortunate accidents.

The hole indicates where you place your finger.

Demonstration:

From looking at the demonstration it's clear to see that the Bourjois magic nail polish remover is super simple and easy to use. You can also see that little effort needs to be done, all you have to do is just twist your finger for a few seconds... bob's your uncle and fanny's your aunt!

Is the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover suitable for everyone?

The Bourjois magic nail polish remover is suitable for absolutely anyone. No matter if you have natural nails, gel nails or acrylic nails. The Bourjois magic nail polish remover has an acetone free formula meaning it's perfect for everyone.
Obviously I wouldn't recommend that you let a youngster use it as that could be quite disastrous. The last thing you want is them either drinking it or licking their fingers after having a good dip in it! I would also say that if you're sensitive to scented products or chemicals, you might want to give this a miss just to be on the safe side as it's got an overpowering 'chemically' smell.

The Good

Concept - I absolutely love the concept of the Bourjois magic nail polish remover. A nail polish remover that removes every trace of nail polish in a matter of seconds?...Perfect! I also find that it doesn't leave any form of wetness on the nails too.
Ease of use - The Bourjois magic nail polish remover is super easy to use, you simply pop your finger in the pot and twist! It's as simple and as easy as that! If you don't believe how easy it is to use then watch the demo above!
Price - The Bourjois magic nail polish remover retails at £4.99 and I'd say that was a fair price as it's such a good product. You're in effect paying £4.99 for a good nail polish remover and a cushion pad. It's much more cost efficient as you're not having to buy separate nail polish remover and cotton wool pads.
Packaging - I love the packaging as it's small, pink and and very girly. The bottle is only small meaning it's great for carrying around in your handbag or for storing in your makeup bag. The bottle also has a screw top lid which is great as it prevents spillages from occuring. It's also a tight fastening lid meaning the nail polish remover will not dry up quickly.
Acetone-free - Due to the nail polish remover having an acetone-free formula it means that anyone can use it. It's safe for gel and acrylic nails, and also natural nails.
Paraben-free - As a lot of you will know, parabens are bad little demons which can do harm to the human body. If you're not familiar with what parabens can do then here is a statement I found on thegoodhuman.com 'Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancers.' I think it's great how the nail polish remover is paraben-free and I think other companies should take a leaf out of Bourjois's book.

The Okay

Availability - The Bourjois magic nail polish remover is only available in-store and online at Boots. Some of you may be thinking that this is a good thing but I've heard on the grapevine that this little beauty is like gold dust, it's literally sold out everywhere. Either Bourjois need to supply Boots stores with more stock or it should be sold in Superdrug too. Also, those of you who live internationally may find it hard to hunt it down, if this is the case then I'd suggest looking on eBay.
Size - The Bourjois magic nail polish remover contains 75ml, this can be seen as a good and a bad thing. It's good because it takes such little time to remove your nail polish, so in the long run you're not going to use a lot of product but it's also bad as the standard nail polish remover contains approximately 200ml. For example, Cutex nail polish remover is 200ml and retails at £2.20.

The Bad

Smell - The smell is very overpowering and this is something I really didn't like as strong smells tend to give me headache after a few minutes. As soon as you unscrew the lid, the smell hits your nostrils instantly. The only good thing is that it leaves your nails smelling lovely and this is probably due to the red fruit and vanilla fragrance. If you're sensitive to smells or chemicals then you may want to opt for a different nail polish remover as I would imagine that you'd hate this.

Overall...

This has got to be the best nail polish remover that I've ever tried, it's utter genius! It removes all traces of nail polish in just a few seconds and it leaves nail smelling lovely. It doesn't remove glitter nail polish in a matter of seconds, you do need to leave your finger in the pot a little longer but that really doesn't bother me as it usually takes me around an hour to remove glitter nail polish with standard nail polish remover and cotton pads. I'm so impressed with this nail polish remover and I will definitely buy another bottle in the near future. It's the perfect product for anyone who is in a rush and hasn't got the time to spend ages removing nail polish and it's perfect for those of you, like me, who like to do your nails frequently. I wouldn't say it lived up to the 1 second claim but realistically, what would remove nail polish in 1 second! The only way that would happen is if you chopped your finger off with a chainsaw!

Would I recommend? Yes, it's the jesus of all nail polish removers!
Would I repurchase? Yes I would! I'd repurchase this forever!
Rating? 9/10 (would have been 10/10 if it wasn't for the overpowering scent)

Have any of you tried the Bourjois magic nail polish remover?

How to create Pastel Stripe nails!

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:17:00 +0000

I recently posted about my favourite nail varnishes for spring and a lot of my lovely readers said they'd love to see a tutorial using all of the nail varnishes I featured as the colours complimented each other so well. I was going to create an 'ombre' type look using a sponge but considering it's quite messy, I thought I'd stick with something that was simple yet effective, also something everyone will be able to do.

If you would like to create pastel stripe nails, then keep reading!

To create pastel you will need the following:

White nail varnish (I used 'Snow' by China Glaze)
Baby blue nail varnish (I used 'What's With The Cattitude' by O.P.I)
Mint green nail varnish (I used 'Re-Fresh Mint' by China Glaze)
Yellow nail varnish (I used 'Fiercely Fiona' by O.P.I)
Peach/Orange nail varnish (I used 'Peachy Keen' by China Glaze)
Baby pink nail varnish (I used 'Lovie Dovie' by Essie)
Thin nail art brush

You don't have to use the exact same nail varnishes as I did, you can use whatever nail varnishes you like as it will still give the same multicolour pastel stripe effect. Don't feel that you have to buy a nail art brush too as cocktail sticks work just as well but if you're wanting to buy a thin nail art brush, they can be purchased on eBay for as little as £2.00.

If you want to know how to create pastel stripe nails, all you have to do is follow my nice, simple steps!

1.) Apply two coats of the white nail varnish to your nails. The white nail varnish acts as a base and it also makes colours stand out a lot more.

2.) Using the baby blue nail varnish and a thin nail art brush, draw a stripe at one end of your nails.

3.) Using the mint green nail varnish and a thin nail art brush, apply a stripe directly next to the baby blue stripe.

4.) Using the yellow nail varnish and a thin nail art brush, apply a stripe directly next to the mint green stripe.

5.) Using the peach nail varnish and a thin nail art brush, apply a stripe directly next to the yellow stripe.

6.) Using the baby pink nail varnish and a thin nail art brush, apply a stripe directly next to the peach stripe.

And we're done! It's as simple and as easy as that! Fun, stripey nails in a matter of minutes!

Video Tutorial:

I hope you like my pastel stripe nails, especially those of you who requested a tutorial using the nail varnishes I featured in my Top 5 Nail Polishes For Spring post.

If anyone has an questions or nail tutorial requests, don't hesitate to get in touch!

Many thanks for reading!

Top 5 Nail Polishes For Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:20:00 +0000

I'm currently going through a 'let's buy loads of nail polish' phase and to be honest, I think it's primarily due to my new love for China Glaze nail polishes. I had heard of China Glaze but thought it was only sold in the USA, little did I know that a couple of UK online shops also sell it too. (I will link shops at the end of this post).

Since I've accumulated a fair few nail polishes over the past few months (mainly China Glaze nail polishes), I thought I'd do a 'Top 5 Nail Polishes For Spring' post.

It's quite evident that pastel colours are going to be huge for S/S (spring/summer), everywhere you look there's mint green, coral, pastel pink, yellow, baby blue... and so on and so forth, so I thought I'd include nail polishes that 'fit in' with this pastel trend.

Neons also seem to be an upcoming trend in not only the clothing industry but in nail polish world too so I think I'll include neon shades in my 'Top 5 Nail Polishes For Summer' post as I don't think many people are likely to sport lime green nails in spring.

So without further ado, here are the nail polishes I think are perfect for Spring.

O.P.I 'What's With The Cattitude' - £11.00 - (15ml)

"Soft pastel baby blue"

China Glaze 'Re-Fresh Mint' - £6.75 - (14ml)

'Pastel green creme"

O.P.I 'Fiercely Fiona' - £11.00 - (15ml)

"Soft feminine pastel yellow"

China Glaze 'Peachy Keen' - £6.75 - (14ml)

"True peach creme"

Essie 'Lovie Dovie' - £8.50 - (15ml)

"A perfect true flamingo pink"

From: What's With The Cattitude, Re-Fresh Mint, Fiercely Fiona, Peachy Keen and Lovie Dovie

So there are my top 5 nail polish for spring! I thought I'd include a nice mix of colours as there's no point in me choosing 5 nail polishes with similar shades. I felt I had to include a mint green nail polish as it would be a crime if I didn't. Mint green is possibly one of the nicest and most worn colours, it's just simply amazing.

China Glaze Stockists:

Radiant Babe Beauty - http://radiantbabe-beauty.co.uk/zencart/index.php

Beautifully Gorgeous - http://www.beautifullygorgeous.co.uk/china-glaze.html

So what are your favourite nail polishes for spring?

MUA Lip Boom in 'Cheeky'

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:41:00 +0000

As many of you will already know, MUA have recently launched their latest lip invention, the 'Lip Boom'. The Lip Boom is a multifunctional product, meaning it has different uses. I don't think I've ever seen anything like the Lip Booms so as you can imagine I was VERY excited to try/review them.
The lovely Maggie sent me the shades 'Cheeky', 'Doin Good' and 'Bring It' to review so I thought I'd start by reviewing the shade 'Cheeky' as it's my favourite out of the three.

Lip Boom: "Lipstick and highlighting gloss that creates fuller curvaceous lips for a dramatic illusion of volume."

What MUA have to say about their Lip Boom...

"Created with Alexandra Burke by MUA!! Lipstick and highlighting gloss that creates fuller curvaceous lips for a dramatic illusion of volume. There are 4 amazing ways to transform your lips and give them some Boom! 1. Lipstick alone for a matte look. 2. Lipstick with highlighter applied just to the centre of your lips to create a full volume illusion. 3. Lipstick with highlighter all over for a super-glossy look. 4. Highlighter alone for a sheer pearl finish. There are 8 amazing shades in the range so grab yourself some BOOM!'

What are the different ways of applying the Lip Boom?

The lipstick can be worn alone for a matte look.
Whilst wearing the lipstick, the highlighter can be applied just to the centre of the lips to create a full volume illusion.
The highlighter can be applied directly over the top of the lipstick for a super-glossy look.
The highlighter can be worn alone for a sheer pearl finish.

Where can you buy the Lip Booms and how much do they retail at?

The MUA Lip Booms retail at £3.00 and can be purchased online at MUA. They will also be available in-store and online at Superdrug from the 5th of May. MUA currently have an offer where you receive an Immaculate Palette for free by using the code 'FB20000' so now is the perfect chance to buy one or two of the Lip Booms. The offer ends tonight at midnight night so get buying!

How many shades are there?

There are 8 different shades available, ranging from nude to deep vampy red. All of the shades have a matte finish too.

It's a situation - Berry Red
LMK (Let Me Know) - Deep Red
OK.com - Typical Nude
Vibe - Orange Toned Nude
Cheeky - Baby Pink
Doin Good - Orange Toned Red
OMG - Coral
Bring It - Typical Red

What does the Lip Boom look like?

Lip Boom in 'Cheeky' - Has a highlighter at one end and a lipstick at the other. There's also a small pot at the bottom which is filled with product.

I took this photograph to show you all how big the Lip Boom is, in comparison to my hand.

This is what the Lip Boom looks like separately.

The lipstick:

Has a blue toned pink shade. A typical barbie pink.

Has a matte finish.

Extra Pot:

Filled with a creamy product that has the same shade as the lipstick.

The highlighter:

Has pink/red tone with silver glitter particles.

Has a doe foot applicator.

Swatches

Top: Lipstick - True Barbie Pink

Bottom: Highlighter - Red Toned Pink With Silver Glitter Particles

Top: Lipstick worn alone

Bottom: Lipstick with highlighter in the middle

Top: Lipstick with highlighter all over

Bottom: Highlighter worn alone

Are the Lip Booms suitable for everyone?

Anyone can buy the Lip Booms but I would primarily recommend them to those who have normal lips and not those who suffer with dry or very dry lips as all Lip Booms have a matte finish. If you're a dry lip sufferer, you'll know that matte lipsticks aren't the best as the colour tends to stick to dry patches making the dryness look more obvious. Lipsticks with a creamy finish cover dry patches as opposed to sticking to them.

I'm also not saying that people with dry lips should disregard the Lip Booms as you could always exfoliate your lips or use a lip butter/balm underneath them.

If you have soft, supple lips then you will love the Lip Booms.

The Good

Concept - I love the concept of the Lip Boom as it's something different, a lipstick and highlighter in one. It is argue-able that the Lip Boom has the same concept at the Look Beauty Double Hit Lip but if you think about it, they're both completely different products. The Lip Boom comes with a highlighter and the Double Hit Lip comes with a lipgloss. Out of the two, I prefer the Lip Booms as the highlighter is utterly amazing. I also think it's brilliant how one handy tube enables you to create 4 different looks.
Pigmentation - The pigmentation of both the lipstick and the highlighter is amazing. The lipstick is more pigmented than the highlighter but you would expect that as it's a lipstick, it needs to be pigmented. I would compare the pigmentation of the highlighter to that of a lipgloss, the only differences are the highlighter has slight better colour pay off than a lipgloss and it also has a high amount of glitter particles unlike lipgloss. I really wish MUA sold the highlighters separately as I feel they are MUCH better than lipglosses. You get an intense shine and subtle colour but you don't get that awful sticky feeling.
Longevity - If I had to guess a time frame, I would say that the lipstick would last around 6-8 hours and the highlighter would last around 1-2 hours. If the lipstick and highlighter were worn together I would say 4-6 hours. Both the lipstick and highlighter have good pigmentation meaning they're going to last a while on the lips. The lipstick also has a matte finish and matte lipsticks tend to last a lot longer on the lips than creamy lipsticks.
Packaging - I think the packaging is practical, sleek and it certainly doesn't look cheap or tacky despite the VERY appealing price tag. My only issue is that the pot at the bottom of the Lip Boom comes off easily so a screw fastening would have been more appropriate. I also like how the highlighter comes with a doe foot applicator as I find that you're able to apply the highlighter evenly and precisely.
Price - £3.00 is such an amazing price, especially for a multi-functional product. I would have expected the Lip Booms to cost a lot more than they actually do.
Size - The size of the Lip Boom may be quite hefty and it may be bigger than my hand but it's certainly not so big that it won't fit in your bag or makeup bag. At the end of the day the Lip Boom contains both a highlighter and a lipstick so it's not going to be small. The lipstick also contains a lot of product, more product than most high-end lipsticks! Why pay £17.50 for a minuscule Nars lipstick when you can pay £3.00 for an MUA Lip Boom!
Shade Selection - There is a good selection of shades and I have to say that I'm very impressed that MUA have included deep, dark shades that are appropriate for A/W as well as bright shades that are appropriate for S/S. I'm impressed with the shade 'Cheeky' as it's pink, girly and right up my street. If I had physically bought the Lip Booms myself, I would have definitely picked up 'Cheeky'. I must admit it looks VERY similar to 'Overtime' by MAC so I think I have found myself a potential dupe.

The Okay

Availability - The Lip Booms can be purchased on the MUA online store and will eventually be sold in-store and online at Superdrug. It would be nice if MUA was sold in other stores, for example, Boots but I guess beggars cannot be choosers. Buying MUA products isn't an issue if you live in the UK but I would imagine that it might be a bit of an issue if you live internationally.
Texture - I don't know if it's just the shade 'Cheeky' but the lipstick had a really sturdy texture. I know 'sturdy' isn't the correct word to describe it but the lipstick was really tough. I found it hard to swatch on my hand as I really had to press the lipstick onto my hand and I also had to do the same on my lips. The lipstick doesn't have a smooth texture at all and I think this is primarily due to it having a matte finish. Ideally I'd like the lipstick to have more a smooth texture as it'd be easier to apply. Luckily the highlighter has a nice, non-sticky texture but it does feel very bitty and this is due to the high amount of large glitter particles within the highlighter.
Finish - All the Lip Booms have a matte finish and if truth be told, I do genuinely like a matte finish but at the moment I'm really disliking lip products with a matte finish as they all tend to stick to the dry bits on my lips. The only reason why 'finish' is in the 'okay' section is for the fact that the Lip Booms will not be suitable for the majority of people as a lot of people suffer with dry lips. Some matte lipsticks masque dry skin but this particular Lip Boom does not do this, maybe I will have more luck with the other two shades. The highlighter, however, has a glossy finish which looks lovely on the lips, especially when it's worn alone.

The Bad

Scent - The scent of the highlighter is absolutely horrendous, it's sweet, sickly and generally unpleasant. I personally think it smells of Kellogg's squares bars which some of you may like but I just think it's awful. You cannot smell it once it's on your lips, you can only smell it when applying it which I guess is a bonus. The lipstick also has a scent but I wouldn't necessarily say it was unpleasant or overpowering like the scent of the highlighter.

Overall...

Overall I like the Lip Booms as they're a handy product to chuck in your handbag as you've got a lipstick and highlighter in one and I especially like the shade selection as there's plenty to choose from. The only two things I do not like are the matte finish and the scent of the highlighter. I also feel that the texture of the lipstick could be a little creamier as it's quite stiff meaning it's hard to apply. Other than that, I like the Lip Booms and I'll definitely be purchasing the shade 'OMG' as it looks perfect for S/S. If you're looking for a matte pink lipstick with the added extra of a super sparkly finish, this Lip Boom will be perfect for you!

Would I recommend? Yes but be careful if you have dry lips!

Would I purchase? Yes
Rating? 7/10

Have you tried any of the MUA Lip Booms?

:)

*The MUA Lip Boom in 'Cheeky' was sent to me for review purposes. This does not affect my thoughts and opinions on the product. As always, my reviews are 100% truthful.

How To Style: A Denim Jacket

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:15:00 +0000

I never usually post OOTD videos or How To Style videos on my blog but due to my blog and YouTube channel being linked with one another, I thought I'd start to post my videos on here too.

I know that some people like to see photos rather than videos but I personally think that videos are more handy. You can see what something EXACTLY looks like rather than debating on what something will look like if you get what I mean.

This is my first 'How To Style' video so I hope you enjoy it!

If you'd like to see more 'How To Style' videos, please comment below. If you'd also like to see a photo form of this post rather than a video form, please comment below as I'd like to see what people preferred.

Many thanks for watching!
:)

Happy 1st Birthday Coleyyyful

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:29:00 +0000

I honestly cannot believe that this time last year, I had written my very first blogpost. I would link the post at this point but it's probably very cheesy so I've decided not to link it, obviously. I cannot believe how much my blog has changed and progressed over the year, it's changed so much that it's actually quite astonishing. In the beginning I used to write 5 posts a day but as time went on and uni took hold, the posts lessened. I don't see it as a bad thing as I'd rather write one very informative than 5 mediocre posts. Not only that but I'm pretty sure you'd all get sick to death of my posts.
The content in my blog posts has also changed so much, from photographs, to layout, to punctuation and language. I feel my blog has helped me so much as it's helped me to not only take better photographs, it's also got me into the habit of writing both negatively and positively, something which will come in handy when writing my dissertation.

Blogging has well and truly changed my life and I'm going to stick at it for as long as I can do as I enjoy it so much.
Also, If it wasn't for my lovely followers and readers, I'd be nowhere so I'd like to say a massive thank you to each and every one of you. It really does make me smile when people take the time to comment on one of my posts and it makes me happy to think that someone somewhere thinks my posts are remotely good.

So thank you to all of you have read/followed my blog, it means the world to me. I really cannot thank you enough.
:)

Bourjois Flower Perfection Translucent Smoothing Primer

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:53:00 +0000

I'm always eager to try the 'new thing' so when I saw the new Bourjois Flower Perfection range, I knew I had to try it. I also noticed that Superdrug had a 2 for £13.00 offer so I bought the Bourjois Flower Perfection foundation and primer, how could I resist that gem of an offer. I'm going to be reviewing both products so thought I'd start off by reviewing the primer.

Bourjois Flower Perfection Translucent Smoothing Primer:

"CORRECTING AIRBRUSH ACTION FOR AN INSTANTLY BEAUTIFIED COMPLEXION!"

What are the product claims?

Even's out and refines the skin's texture.
Hides pores, blemishes and fine lines.
Has a soft texture.
Gives skin an airbrush finish.
Leaves skin looking flawless.
Can used alone or before applying foundation for an easier application and a long-lasting hold.

Where can you purchase the primer and how much does it cost?

The primer retails at £10.99 and can be purchased in-store and online at both Boots and Superdrug. The primer contains 7ml of product and is displayed in a circular pot with a screw top lid.

What does the primer look like?

The primer is displayed in a clear pot with a pink screw top lid. The primer has a very light pink colour but it is colourless once applied to the skin.

To avoid getting bacteria into the pot, a spatula could be used to apply the primer onto the skin, this is a handy tip if you're going to use the primer on clients. If the primer is for your own personal use and you're not fussed about bacteria, you could simply use your fingers.

By looking at the first the first photo, you would imagine the primer to have a smooth and creamy consistency but by looking at the second photo, it is clear to see that the primer has a thick and fluffy consistency. It reminds me of cotton wool.

Swatches

The first photo is before the primer has been blended in, the second photo is after the primer has been blended it. By looking at the 'after' photo, it is clear to see that the primer reduced redness, fine lines and pores. It's a magic product with magic powers.

Is the primer suitable for everyone?

The primer is suitable for absolutely anybody no matter if you have dry, normal, combination or oily skin.

The primer is great for those who have oily skin as it doesn't contain oil and it doesn't produce excess oil throughout the day, it purely has an oil-free formula. The primer also doesn't block pores, it hides them instead. Due to the primer having a smooth, easy to blend texture, it sinks into the skin as opposed to sitting on top of it, this is a huge bonus if you have oily skin.

If you have dry skin you will also love this primer as it sinks into the skin straight away. A lot of bloggers have said that this primer isn't ideal for those people who suffer with dry skin as it has a matte finish but I personally do not see the problem with this at all, it doesn't irritate the skin or create extra dryness so I cannot what the issue is. If you have dry skin but don't mind a matte finish then you will like the primer, if you have dry skin and don't like a matte finish then you will hate it.

The Good

Product Performance - What can I say, this is just a genius product. Not only did it reduce the size of pores and fine lines, it also kept my foundation on a lot longer.
Concept - A primer that can reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines and redness as well as increase the longevity of your foundation?.. Genius. It's also great how the primer can be used alone and underneath ANY foundation.
Blend-ability - The primer blends into the skin very well, almost a little too well. It sinks into the skin immediately, I don't find that you have to work the primer into the skin at all as it blends into the skin beautifully. Some primers take a little 'work', a prime example is my Nars multi-protect primer, this takes around 5 minutes to work into the skin and then you have to leave it 5 minutes to dry. The bourjois primer takes no work and it dries instantly.
Finish - The primer has a matte finish. I especially like to wear the primer on it's own due to it's matte finish.
Texture - The primer has a smooth and soft texture which melts into the skin instantly. The primer feels 'fluffy' when you initially touch it and you would presume that it'd have a thick consistency but it doesn't, it feels weightless and instantly blends in.
Packaging - The packaging is lovely, it's cute, girlie and right up my street. I especially like how the primer is in a pot as the majority of primers come in a tube. It's a different way of presenting a primer and it's certainly something I've never seen before. I also like how the primer comes with a screw top lid as this will prevent spillages and mess. The cute flower image and pink lid fits the name of the primer very well, the packaging has been thought through thoroughly.
Price - The primer retails at £10.99 which I'd say is very reasonable. Some people might think £10.99 is a little pricey for a primer but if you think about it, high-end primers retail at around £25-30 so £10.99 really isn't that bad, especially when it's a brilliant primer.

The Okay

Size - I like the size of the pot as it's the perfect size for your handbag and also your makeup bag. The only thing I'm not keen on is the fact that the primer only contains 7ml of product. A standard primer contains 30ml of product so you're getting half the amount, I feel this is very naughty of Bourjois. You also have to use a lot of the primer due so I would imagine that the primer would last around one month if that.
Availability - The primer can be purchased from both Boots and Superdrug which is great if you live in the UK but it may be an issue if you live internationally.

The Bad

Colourless - The primer is colourless once it's applied to the skin so you cannot see where you've applied it. Not only is this annoying, it wastes a lot of product.
Scented - Don't get me wrong I like the floral scent as it very girly and summery but the only issue is that scented products break me out. The first time I used the primer, I developed attractive spots on my chin and cheeks the day after. If this primer wasn't scented then it would tick all the boxes. If scented products break you out, stay away from this primer.

Overall...

I like this primer as it lives up to it's claims. It does reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines and it does reduce redness. Whether it gives skin an airbrushed look is quite debatable as it doesn't completely get rid of imperfections, it just reduces them. I also think it helped to prolong my foundation although this isn't a necessity for me as my foundations tend to last all day anyway. I think it's great how the primer is suitable for all skin types as it means anyone can use it.

Overall it's a lovely primer with lovely packaging and an even lovelier price tag, the only thing that isn't lovely is that it's scented which causes me to break out. If the primer wasn't scented it would be the perfect primer.

Would I recommend? Yes

Would I re-purchase? No, simply due to it being scented.

Have you tried the Bourjois Flower Perfection Primer?

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:29:00 +0000

I recently bought two of the new L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks as I wanted to know what all the hype was about. Not only that but when something new launches I'm eager to try it.

I only bought two of the lipsticks but now wish I'd bought more of them, especially since I could have taken full advantage of the Boots 3 for 2 offer.

I only bought a couple as I didn't want to buy 5 of them just incase I didn't like them, I'm also not a fan of sheer lipsticks as other ones I've tried in the past have been a disappointment.

The shades I purchased were '03 Lovely Rose' and '07 Cheeky Magenta', '03 Lovely Rose' is a lovely pale pink and '07 Cheeky Magenta' is a bright hot pink.

What L'Oreal have to say about the Rouge Caresse lipsticks...

"Don't just stroke your lips, Caresse them. Lips say yes to this Caresse. A flutter of kissably soft light-weight feeling colour. Its delicate texture glides onto lips creating a veil of colour with a lumious shine. Available in 10 bright and eye catching shades."

What are the product claims?

Have a weightless and feather light feel.
Provide lips with a luminous, fresh colour.
Have a melting soft application.

Where can you buy the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks?

The Rouge Caresse lipsticks retail at £7.99 each and can be purchased in-store and online at both Boots and Superdrug. Both stores usually have offers on L'Oreal products so it might be worth picking up a couple of these lipsticks when either store has a 3 for 2 offer.

How many shades are there?

There are 10 different shades available, ranging from pink/purple tones to red/coral tones to nude/brown tones:

01 Fashionista Pink
03 Lovely Rose
06 Aphrodite Scarlet
07 Cheeky Magenta
101 Tempting Lilac
105 Mauve Mesmerising
202 Impulsive Fuchsia
301 Dating Coral
401 Rebel Red
501 Nude Indulgence

What do the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks look like?

03 'Lovely Rose'

07 'Cheeky Magenta'

Are the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks suitable for everyone?

The Rouge Caresse lipsticks are suitable for absolutely anyone, no matter if you have dry or normal lips. If I were to recommend these lipsticks to anyone then I'd suggest them to anyone suffering with dry lips as they're very moisturising so leave lips feeling hydrated. If you're looking for a lipstick with good pigmentation but a moisturising texture then you're going to love these!

The Good

Pigmentation - They have amazing pigmentation considering they're a mix between a lip-balm and a lipstick. I expected them to only have slight pigmentation so when I swatched them I couldn't believe my eyes.
Finish - They have a shiny, glossy finish which leave lips looking lovely and luscious. I also noticed that they made my lips appear fuller, something no lipstick has ever done before.
Build-able - The lipsticks have a build-able colour (coverage), one layer will give a sheen of colour, two layers will give intense colour.
Texture - They have a very moisturising texture, almost a water-like texture. They leave lips feeling soft, supple and hydrated. If you suffer with dry or chapped lips, your lips will love these beauties!
Packaging - I think the packaging is sleek, sophisticated and it's definitely something that I've never seen before. I think it's great how the lipstick is displayed in a clear tube as you're able to select the correct shade with ease. You don't have to faff around checking the bottom of the tube to see which shade it is.
Shade Selection - There are 10 different shades which is brilliant, L'Oreal really have catered for everyone. There is a lovely mix of different shades, from pinks to reds to corals to neutrals to nudes. Due to the wide selection of shades, there's going to be a shade for absolutely anyone. The only thing I will say is that it'd be nice to see a few more shades appropriate for autumn/winter as the shades seem to be very summery. I know you wouldn't necessarily wear these lipsticks in winter as they have a fresh, glossy finish but it's always nice to have to option. Sometimes my lips get really chapped in winter so I feel I cannot wear my vampy matte shades so it'd be nice to have the option of buying a vampy toned Rouge Caresse.
Price - The lipsticks retail at £7.99 which I think is quite reasonable in comparison to most sheer/glossy lipsticks. The Nars sheer lipsticks retail at £17.50 and the MAC glaze lipsticks retail at £13.50, both are a lot more expensive than the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks yet they have the same concept, finish.

The Okay

Longevity - The lipsticks last around 1-2 hours before having to re-apply. I hoped that they'd last a little longer as applying every 2 hours can be quite annoying. Not only that but re-applying frequently means that your lipstick isn't going to last 2 minutes. Realistically, £7.99 could be deemed as quite expensive for a lipstick that doesn't last long. Although the lipsticks don't have amazing longevity, they do somewhat slightly stain (tint) your lips so even when the lipstick has completely faded, you're still left with a pleasant colour.
Availability - The Rouge Caresse lipsticks can be purchased from both Boots and Superdrug which is great if you're based in the UK but it may be a problem if you live internationally.

The Bad

Formula - Due to the lipsticks being so moisturising and water-like, they melt really easy so you HAVE to keep them away from any form of heat. That includes natural sun light, radiators, handbags etc.

Overall...

Out of the two lipsticks I purchased I would recommend '03 Lovely Rose' simply because it's more of an everyday, wearable colour. I also feel it has better pigmentation than '07 Cheeky Magenta' even though '07 Cheeky Magenta' is a bolder and brighter colour.

I think these lipsticks are great for anyone suffering with dry/chapped lips as they have a lovely light, moisturising texture, they leave lips feeling soft and supple but also hydrated. The moisturising texture doesn't fade away throughout the day which is a massive bonus as the majority of lip balms / glossy lipsticks give the lips a quick moisturising fix but then tend to fade quite quickly.

The lipsticks last around 1-2 hours on the lips so I wouldn't necessarily recommend them to anyone wanting a lipstick with immense pigmentation and staying power as they do only last a couple of hours. But if you're not looking for a lipstick thats going to last 12 hours then it's worth giving these a go as they're great for S/S due the vast selection of summer shades and luscious glossy finish.

Would I recommend? Yes

Would I re-purchase? Yes

Have you tried the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks?

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:20:00 +0000

If you follow my blog then you'll know that I was recently sent a lovely box containing 3 products from the L'Oreal 'Lumi Magique' range. I have recently reviewed the Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation and a couple of weeks ago I reviewed the Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer but today I'm going to be reviewing the Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen.

If you don't have a clue about what the Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen is, then it's basically like a YSL Touche Eclat. Except it's half the price.

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen: "Light, luminosity and vitality at the click of a button."

What L'Oreal have to say about the Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen...

"Smooth away the appearance of dark shadows with Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen, a light enhancing concealer pen. In one simple stroke, this brush on perfector helps to brighten the appearance of your eyes with instant light infusing radiance."

How do you use the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen?

Can be used on bare skin or underneath foundation to correct dark circles and imperfections for a naturally refined and even complexion.
Can be used to highlight cheekbones, brow bones and the cupid's bow.
Can be used for touch-ups on the go.

Where can you buy the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen?

The Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen retails at £8.49 and can be purchased in-store and online at both Boots and Superdrug. Both of those stores also have regular offers so you may be able to pick up to whole 'Lumi Maqgique' range on a 3 for 2 offer.

The Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen is available in three different shades; light, medium and dark.

To give you an indication I use the shade 'light' and it's perfect for my ever so pale skin tone. If you use Nars 'Siberia' or are NC15 in MAC then 'light' will be the perfect shade for you.

What does the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen look like?

Shade: 1 Light

(Before Twisting)

(After Twisting)

Swatches

(In Daylight)

(With Flash)

Before (Daylight/Flash)

After (Daylight/Flash)

Is the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen suitable for everyone?

The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen is suitable for absolutely anyone. No matter if you have dry, combination, normal or oily skin, or a light, medium or dark skin tone. This pen is suitable for all skin types, tones and ages but you will not need to use a highlighing pen if you're under the age of 18, you lucky devils.

The Good

Application - The pen is very easy to apply, you just simply twist the bottom of the pen, product will then be dispensed onto the brush tip and then you apply it onto your skin. It's as simple and easy as that.

Coverage - It has a medium to full coverage. If you suffer with minor darkness then you will need to apply one layer but if you suffer with major darkness you will need to apply 2-3 layers, which is the obvious thing to do. It has a good coverage and it conceal darkness very easily.

Longevity - It lasts all day without creasing, sliding of the skin or completely disappearing. I also noticed that it doesn't settle into fine lines or end up looking cakey after a few hours of wear. You don't need to set it with powder and you also do not need to touch up throughout the day. The baby stays put all day but if I were to give a specific time, I'd say it lasts around 8-10 hours, if not more.

Texture - It has a lovely light texture which blends into the skin really easily. I also find that it isn't cakey at all and it doesn't settle into fine lines. You can either use your finger or a brush to blend it in but I find that fingers work best!

Finish - It covers darkness perfectly and leaves eyes looking light and also bright. I used the pen in the inner corner of my eye as well as underneath my eye and I have to say that it instantly made me look wide awake. It left my eyes looking luminous and revitalised.

Price - The pen retails at £8.49 which is absolutely amazing! The majority of high end highlighting pens retail at around £20.00 so £8.49 is great! The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen reminds me very much of the YSL Touche Eclat except the the YSL Touche Eclat is £23.00. You could buy two L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pens for the price of one YSL Touche Eclat.

Packaging - I absolutely adore the packaging, it's sleek, shiny and more importantly ROSE GOLD. The rose gold adds a touch of elegance, class and it looks as if the pen would cost at least £30.00. L'Oreal have got the packaging spot on even if it does resemble that of YSL.

Smell - It isn't scented which is great for me as scented products tend to break me out!

The Okay

Availability - The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen can only be purchased from Boots or Superdrug which might be a bit of a problem if you live internationally.
Shade Selection - There are only three shades available but this is the case with most highlighting pens. The shade selection isn't an issue for me as 'light' is perfect for my skin tone but I can imagine that a lot of people are going to struggle to find the correct shade as they're limited to only three shades.

The Bad

I don't have a bad word to say about this highlighting pen as it's simply amazing. It's a genius product in a tube and I don't know how I've ever lived without it. It instantly makes me look as if I've had 12 hours sleep which is great for on the days when I have to wake up at half past five in the morning.

Overall

Overall I really like this pen, it does a great job of concealing dark circles and it keeps darkness covered all day long meaning you don't have to touch up or fear that the dreaded darkness is going to be revealed half way through the day. I use the pen on bare skin and underneath foundation. I think the pen is very reasonably priced and I find it better than most high end highlighting pens. If you're looking for a good yet inexpensive highlighting pen then this is the one to go for. You won't be disappointed.

Would I recommend this highlighting pen? Yes
Would I buy this highlighting? Yes

Have you tried the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen?
:)

*The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen was sent to me for review purposes. This does not affect my thoughts and opinions on the product. As always, my reviews are 100% truthful.

March Loves, Likes & Loathes

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:15:00 +0000

It's this time of the month where every beauty blogger posts about their monthly favourites. I initially thought of doing a March favourites but I wanted to do something a little different in the form of 'loves, likes & loathes'. Not only can I tell you all about the products I've been loving, I can tell you all about the products I've been hating. I get a lot of people asking me to do posts/videos about products I dislike so I thought it'd be good to do a post that included products I both like and dislike.

I'm only going to include a couple of products into each category because if were to include lots of products into each category, this blog post would take a month to read and I'm pretty sure you've all got more bigger fish to fry.

So let's start off with my March loves...

Loves

Real Techniques Contour Brush

(As part of the 'Core Collection' kit)

£20.00

I use this brush for two things, for contouring and for applying blush. Although it's commonly used for contouring and is branded as a contouring brush, it can be used for other things too. I've washed this brush numerous times and it hasn't lost its shape at all, I don't find that it sheds either. This brush honestly looks the same as it did when I bought it.

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer

£9.99

I recently posted about this primer and I have to say that it's absolutely amazing. Not only does this primer help your foundation to last longer on the skin, it also gives you a lovely radiant glow. I wear this foundation alone and also underneath all of my foundations.
It's a wonderful primer with a wonderful price tag. My Nars multi-protect primer has been well and truly been banished to the back of my draw until this beauty runs out.
For a full review on the primer, here is the link: L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation

£10.99

There's one word to describe this foundation and that's perfection. This foundation is perfect for my dry skin as it covers dry patches as opposed to sticking to them. It has a lovely light weight texture and doesn't feel heavy on the skin at all. It has a build-able coverage which is great for all seasons of the year as you're able to wear a light coverage in summer and a heavier coverage in winter.
For a full review on this foundation, here is the link: L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation

MAC Lipstick in 'Quick Sizzle'

£13.50

This lipstick was recently released in the MAC Shop collection, it's a lovely bright pink colour with a matte finish. As soon as I saw this lipstick I knew I had to have it, it's pink, girlie and right up my street.
What I love most about this lipstick is its pigmentation and longevity. This lipstick is uberly pigmented to the point where you only need one swipe and it also lasts around 12 hours on the lips, if not more. To remove this lipstick you really do have to scrub at your lips for about 15 minutes, and that really isn't an exaggeration. Due to it's amazing 'staining' power, see what I did there, you need to be very careful when applying it as you could get yourself into a tricky situation. I applied this straight from the tube and it ended up all around my mouth which led to having a pink stained face, attractive. So word of advice, use a lip brush!
For a full review on this lipstick, here is the link: MAC Quick Sizzle Lipstick

MAC Paint Pot in 'Bare Study'

£14.50

I have 101 eyeshadows primers and more to the point, 101 paint pots. I recently noticed that my beloved 'Bare Study' has started to dry up so in attempt to save it I've started to use it daily. MAC paint pots work as great eyeshadow bases as they prevent eyeshadow from creasing, fading and more to the point, they help eyeshadow to stay in place all day.
'Bare Study' is a lovely beige/neutral colour with subtle shimmer. I usually wear it alone but I also wear it underneath eyeshadows and I also blend eyeshadows into it, it really is a multi functional paint pot.

Likes

Inglot Blush

£10.00

I have to admit, I wasn't particularly fond of the blush at first but after using it a few times this month, I've started to like it. It applies to the skin very well and it has great pigmentation, one dab will cover both cheeks and more. It's also a great blush to use when wearing bronzer as it just gives the cheeks a subtle colour, it also contains shimmer which is great as it gives the cheeks a nice a glow. I wouldn't wear this blush alone (without bronzer) as the colour is quite flat and it gives a slight 'dead' look to the face. I do like the blush and will definitely use it throughout summer, the only reason why I didn't include the blush in my 'loves' is the fact that I don't reach for it on a daily basis.

Illamasqua Precision Ink in 'Abyss'

£17.00

I love winged eyeliner and I must admit that I'm a bit of a felt tip liner connoisseur. I have tried so many different ones over the years so I know which are good, bad and down right horrendous. The Illamasqua precision ink liners are possibly the best felt tip liners that I've ever tried, they last all day long without running, fading and flaking, the nib is small and fine which enables precise application and pigmentation is absolutely amazing. 'Abyss' is probably the best black felt tip liner I've tried due to its intense blackness, it's most definitely a true black. My only gripe with 'Abyss' is that if you don't apply it precisely, it settles into fine lines and cracks. I notice this happens more when using MAC paint pots and MUFE aqua creams so the trick is to only use this eyeliner when wearing eyeshadow. If this bad boy didn't settle into fine lines, it'd be well and truly in my 'loves'.

Topshop Nail Varnish in 'Pool Party'

£5.00

I bought this not long ago after hunting for a mint green nail varnish. I came across 'Pool Party' on the Topshop website, it looked perfect mint green but how wrong was I because in the flesh it looks more of a turquoise colour. I'm not unhappy with the colour it's just not what I was looking for, I guess it's just another lovely shade I can add to my collection. With regards to the quality of the nail varnish, it couldn't be better, it lasts around 5-6 without chipping and it also dries super fast. I don't have to use a top coat and more to the point, I don't have to wait half an hour for it to dry. Overall I think it's a lovely colour for summer it's just a shame it isn't mint green. Damn Topshop and their deceiving photographs.

Loathes

Estee Lauder BB Cream
£32.00

I couldn't take a photograph of the BB cream as I only got a sample of it so apologies for that.

I cannot stress how awful this BB cream is, it fades and slides off the skin after a couple hours and it also sticks to dry patches of skin. I would never buy this BB cream and it really isn't worth the £32.00 price tag. It's a big fat sham.

Nivea Deodorant

Aprrox. £2.00

3 words. Horrendous, horrendous, horrendous. This has to be the worst deodorant that I've ever tried in my whole entire life. When you spray this underneath your armpits you're left with big balls of deodorant that cling to your clothes, arms and even your hair. The only decent thing about this deodorant is that it has pink on the packaging. Honest to god, if you're not fancying balls on your armpits and clothes, do not buy this deodorant.

Lee Stafford My Big Fat Texturised Hair Super Spray

£9.99

I'm not going to talk about this spray in depth as I reviewed it on my blog not long ago and if I'm being perfectly honest it was a pretty negative review. If you wish to look at the review then here it is: Lee Stafford My Big Fat Texturised Hair Super Spray

This spray claims to give you big hair, a matte finish and it's also meant to give the hold of a hair spray. Does it do any of these?.. no. It' leaves hair looking flat, greasy and dull, the opposite of what it's meant to do. What's worse is that one bottle of 'super' spray will set you back £9.99, not good when it's a shocking product. Please do not buy this product as you'll be well and truly disappointed, you could spend the £9.99 on something a lot better.

I hope you liked my March loves, likes and loathes and I hope that you found it a little different to favourites.

What products have you been loving/hating?
:)

Ciate Caviar Manicure Inspired Nail Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:51:00 +0000

The Ciate Caviar Manicure is possibly one of the most talked topics right now and I can understand why. Everyone seems to be dying to get their mitts on one of the £18.00 kits, so much so that there's a waiting list for each of the kits. I would have placed myself on one of the waiting lists too but if truth be told, £18.00 is ridiculous especially when you're not able to choose the base nail varnish in the kit.
So me being me thought I'd create my own 'caviar' manicure. This post is going to going to be very useful if you're after one of the kits as I will potentially save you a lot of money so if you're thinking of buying a Ciate caviar manicure kit or just like the look of the caviar manicure then please keep on reading.

To give you a little insight, my caviar manicure costs a mere £2.60 whereas the Ciate caviar manicure costs £18.00. That's a difference of £15.40. That £15.00 could buy you 3 Model's Own nail varnishes, 15 MUA nail varnishes or 15 ASDA naan breads.

To create Cole's caviar nails you will need:

You can use any nail varnish and top coat of your choice.

I bought these micro beads on eBay and they only cost £2.60 for 20g. The seller has different colours and different weights too. Here is the link: Micro Beads

Any plastic container will be fine, as long as it's quite deep.

If you would like to create my version of the caviar manicure all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps:

1.) Apply one coat of nail varnish to your nails.

2.) Apply a second coat of nail varnish to your nails, do NOT let the nail varnish dry.

3.) Place your hand into the plastic container and directly sprinkle the beads over your nail. Tap off the excess and press the beads into your nail.

4.) All that's left is to seal the edges of your nails with a top coat and you're done!

Not only is the caviar manicure simple to do, it's also fun and quirky. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it and can sense that 3D nail art is going to be hot hot hot!

The only thing I purchased for my caviar manicure is the beads, and I'm pretty sure that's the only thing anyone will need to buy as the majority of people own a nail varnish and a tub.

So will you be splurging out on the Ciate caviar manicure or are you going to try out my version of the caviar manicure? After all, you are saving yourself £15.40.

Thanks for reading and I hope this tutorial has been helpful!
:)

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 20:06:00 +0000

If you follow my blog then you will know that I was recently sent a lovely box containing three products from the new L'Oreal Lumi Magique range. I previously reviewed the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer but today I'm going to be reviewing the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation.

As I said in my previous post I'm going to be reviewing all three products separately as I can give a full review on each of them.

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation: "An illuminating foundation infused with liquid light technology"

What L'Oreal have to say about the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation...

"Liquid light technology is comprised of lustrous lamellar fillers in geometric shapes, or ultra-shiny mirrors and has excellent reflective qualities. The lamellar fillers are dispersed in transparent oils, which give them optical properties and gives an immediate optical effect. As the product is spread over the skin, the platelets position themselves side by side, creating a smooth surface, while also allowing the skin's own light to shine through. Light reflection is optimized and luminosity intensified."

What are the product claims?

Provides skin with 24 hours of hydration.
14 hours of luminosity.
Adds 30%+ more radiance to the skin.
Oil free and non-comedogenic.
Gives a shine free effect.

Where can you buy the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation?

The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation retails at £10.99 and can be purchased in-store and online at Boots and also Superdrug. The foundation contains 30ml of product which is the standard amount as the majority of foundations contain 30ml of product. 30ml is a lot therefore one bottle of foundation is going to last a while, especially if you use the recommended pea-sized amount.

The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation is available in six different shades:

C1 Rose Pearl, W3 Gold Linen, N4 Pure Beige, C4 Rose Beige, C5 Rose Sand and W5 Gold Sand.

To give you all an indication I use 'Siberia' in NARS and I'm NC15 in MAC. In the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation I use 'C1 Rose Pearl' and it is a little too dark, so if you're uber pale like myself, you may want to mix a paler foundation with this foundation.

What does the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation look like?

Shade: C1 Rose Pearl

Swatches...

Is the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation suitable for everyone?

The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation is suitable for absolutely anyone, it doesn't matter if you have a dry, combination or oily skin type.

I would highly recommend this foundation to anyone who has dry skin as it's very hydrating, it also does a wonderful job of covering up dry patches. I have very dry skin at the moment and find that the majority of my foundations stick to my unpleasant dry patches but I don't find this to be the case with this foundation.
The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation is also suitable for combination and oily skin types as this foundation is oil free, it doesn't produce excess oil throughout the day either. I must admit, it does give the skin a bit of shine but it's not an oily shine if that makes sense. You definitely will not have to use powder or blot paper.
If you own this foundation and find that it sticks to any imperfections then I would suggest using an exfoliator 2-3 times a week as this will get rid of any dead skin cells and imperfections.

The Good

Application - I use a Sigma F80 flat top kabuki brush to apply this foundation and I must admit that when using this brush, it goes on like a dream. The foundation spreads evenly across the face due to its light, air like texture and it sinks into the skin almost instantly.
Coverage - The foundation has a build-able coverage which is great, it's nice having a foundation that has a build-able coverage as you have the option of creating a light, medium or full coverage. Due to it's build-able coverage, it's the perfect foundation for using in A/W and S/S, a medium/full coverage in A/W and a light coverage in S/S. Another great thing about this foundation is that you don't have to use concealer underneath or over the top of it as this foundation will cover any imperfections. If you suffer from darkness underneath your eyes then you may want to use a concealer but other than that, you really do not need to use concealer on scars, blemishes, pigmentation etc.
Longevity - This foundation lasts around 10-12 which is great as some foundations typically last around 8 hours. The foundation doesn't fade, go patchy or slide off the skin, it stays put all day. It does transfer a little but this isn't a huge problem for me. If it transfers onto my iPhone, I'll just wipe it away.
Texture - The foundation has a lovely light texture, it doesn't have a thick consistency and it doesn't feel heavy on the skin, it honestly feels as if you're not wearing any foundation. Skin is left feeling soft and smooth.
Finish - It doesn't have a matte or semi-matte finish, it has a glowy finish. It also doesn't give a horrible, cakey look unlike some foundations. If you want a foundation that makes your skin look radiant, then this is the foundation for you.
Price - £10.99 is an amazing price for a foundation, I usually spend in the region of £30.00 on a foundation so I would say that £10.99 is as cheap as chips. I know some people may think £10.99 is still a little expensive for a foundation but trust me, this foundation is amazing and is definitely worth the £10.99 price tag!
Packaging - I like the packaging as I think the bottle looks somewhat sophisticated and classy. Rose gold is very 'in' at the moment so it's great to see that L'Oreal have included something which is so 'on trend' at the moment. The foundation also comes with a pump too, this means no mess, no fuss and you're able to dispense the correct amount of product.
Size - The foundation contains 30ml which is the standard amount.

The Okay

Shade Selection - There are only six different shades available and this may be a problem if you have a darker skin tone. I personally don't have a problem with the shade selection as the palest shade works for me even if it is a shade darker than I'd like it to be but I know that some people may struggle to find the perfect shade. If you do find that there isn't a shade light or dark enough then you could simply mix the foundation with a lighter or darker foundation that you own.

The Bad

I don't have a bad word to say about this foundation at all as it's amazing. It's a lovely foundation with an even lovelier price and I will definitely purchase another bottle in the future.

Overall...

Overall I think that this is a lovely foundation and I would definitely purchase it in the future. It's leaves my skin looking so airbrushed and flawless despite having a few horrid dry patches. The foundation covers up my dry patches as opposed to sticking to them and it also leaves my skin feeling hydrated, these are 2 massive bonuses for me. The foundation has a build-able coverage and a light texture which I like as it feels like I'm not wearing any foundation at all. The foundation also has great staying power so I don't have to worry that my foundation is going to slide off my face throughout the day, it's a good foundation to use when I know I'm going to be out for hours on end. A brill foundation with an even better price tag.

Would I recommend this foundation? Yes
Would I buy this foundation? Yes

Have you tried the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation?

*The L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation was sent to me for review purposes. This does not affect my thoughts and opinions on the product. As always, my reviews are 100% truthful.

New Stock

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:12:00 +0000

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you will know that I've been making new jewellery today. I never really post about the new jewellery that I make as I tend to just upload them straight to my shop but due to making a few bits today, I thought I'd do a blog post.

Coral Peace Sign Earrings - £2.50

Coral Peace Sign Bracelet - £3.00

Coral Peace Sign Charm Ring - £2.50

Cross Charm Ring - £2.50

Wing Charm Ring - £2.50

Spike Drop Earrings - £2.00

All these lovely items are available in my shop right now and just to let you know, I'm offering a free gift with any order at the moment.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post!

NOTD: Topshop 'Pool Party'

noreply@blogger.com (Coleyyyful) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:59:00 +0000

I recently bought 'Pool Party' after seeing it online, it appeared to be more of a mint green colour on the website but in the flesh it's more of a turquoise colour. I don't mind this as it's a lovely colour for S/S but I was hoping for more of a mint green colour.

I cannot comment on the quality of this nail varnish as I've only had it on for 2 days but so far so good. One thing I will say is that it took little time to dry which is a massive bonus as I'm very impatient.
If anyone would like me to do a review on the Topshop nail varnishes then please let me know.

I love this colour as it's fun and vibrant but I really wish it looked like it did on the website. Clearly Topshop has deceived me.

'Pool Party' retails at £5.00 and can be purchased in-store and online at Topshop.

Do you like 'Pool Party'?
:)