Midweek Post: Buy of the week!

Nails Inc Duo, £12 for 2x 8ml bottles. 

I just thought I'd show you what a bargainous deal is in Boots at the moment. For only 12 British Pounds you can get yourself an 8ml bottle of the A&E Basecoat and an 8ml bottle of the Albert Bridge Topcoat. They're not quite full sized, but full sized bottles retail at £11 so to have these two for just a pound more is a worthy spend. 
I love Nails Inc polishes and was a bit sad when my base coat ran out last month, then in the same week I lost my Sally Hansen MegaShine topcoat after using it in the car, I cannot for the life of me find it anywhere! I swear cars are just a blackhole for me, I lost a flip flop in one once while it was ON my foot and we couldn't find it after emptying out the car- twice!! Since that mishap I've been using a base coat from Collection 2000 but I swear it is making my nails dry, flakey and weaker than usual. I haven't worn the A&E basecoat enough to comment on whether it has helped repair my nails but it is really quickdrying and provides a good base and fills in ridges well. The Albert Bridge topcoat is wonderful. It dries in under two minutes to a super glossy wet look finish that seals the colour well. It still doesn't prolong the wear of those darn Essie polishes though, but does anything??

I don't know if these have been available for a long time as I normally buy my Nails Inc from Debenhams, but I know that if I had known this was available I'd have snapped it up sooner!

While I'm on the subject, what are your favourite base and top coats?

P.S. So sorry I have been absent in terms of blogging recently- I will reply to all your comments, check out your blogs and say hello to all of my amazing new followers very soon. I have been juggling three jobs and driving all around the country and I am knackered. I'm not ignoring you!

Rebel, Rebel.

MAC 'Rebel' lipstick, £14 for 3.5g. 

Thanks to the gorgeous Catrine over at Unnaked Nails I finally convinced myself that yes, another MAC lipstick was in order. 'Rebel' dropped on my doorstep earlier this week (well the Yodel man handed my box of goodies over, we're firm friends) and I whipped it on straight away. It is a deep blackberry purple shade and is of 'satin' finish. While I always find the MAC satin lipsticks drying (more so than the other finishes) I can overlook that point because I luuurrrve this shade. It's deep, but sophisticated without being too gothic. Though if you are a goth, this could totally work for you too.
As ever, unless you're going on a big night out or have a fancy do to attend, keep the eye makeup minimal. I used NARS 'Abysinia' as a base with MAC's 'Haux' in the crease and added lashings of mascara. See below for the rest of the products I used.

Please excuse the 'MySpace pose' above.

Face:

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 02

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'Fair'

Bobbi Brown Brightening Face Powder in 'Brightening Nudes'

Illamasqua blusher 'Lover'

Eyes & Brows

Benefit 'Stay Don't Stray' eye primer

NARS 'Abyssinia' eyeshadow

MAC 'Haux' eyeshadow

YSL 'Shocking' mascara

Benefit Brow Pencil 'Medium'

Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner 'Sepia Ink'

Lips:

MAC lipliners in 'Brick' and 'Magenta'

MAC 'Rebel'

Would you dare to wear Rebel?

Midweek Post: Emma Hardie Deluxe Sample.

I applied on WhatsInMyHandbag.com to receive a luxury sample of Emma Hardie's Moringa Cleansing Balm from her Amazing Face skincare range and I was lucky enough to get a lovely package on my doorstep with a generous 15ml sample inside, along with an Emma Hardie facecloth about ten days later. This cleansing balm has been on my wishlist for about 6 months now but I've yet to buy it, so I was over the moon when I unwrapped it. 

In the pot, it is a solid balm that you could liken to a lip balm in terms of it's solid consistency. The citrusy moringa scent is fairly strong, this didn't cause any irritation that I noticed, but it's definitely a smell that lingered for a while after the product has been cleaned off.

It felt so luxurious to use; from the packaging, to the ingredients and consistency. I did find I had to use quite a substancial amount for a night time cleanse, but soon learned the best technique to apply this with minimal product wastage.
The facecloth is wonderful. It is more gentle than muslin cloths I have been using and effective at lifting off the product, leaving the skin refreshed and glowing. I'm really pleased that it came with the sample as it certainly improved my experience with the cleanser.

My skin felt great over the week and a half I was using this. It felt plump and refreshed after every cleanse and I didn't experience any dryness. It's hard to give a full review as it was a sample size, but I suppose it all wittles down to this: Will I buy this product? And the answer is yes, I know that I want to use this again and to have a full sized tub in my possession would make me extremely happy. I would recommend both this cleanser and WhatsInMyHandbag, both have served me well. (Thankyou!)

New Cid I-Gloss in 'Raspberry Kiss'

New CID I-Gloss Light Up Lipgloss in 'Raspberry Kiss', £13.59 from hairtrade.com. 

I was so excited to try this! I've been curious about New CID for a long time and having the chance to trial one of their lipglosses made me feel like a very lucky gal.

I'll start with the packaging. At first glance this lip gloss looks pretty regular- the tube is transparent so that you can see the shade inside, but on closer inspection you soon start noticing the interesting stuff. Not only does the lipgloss have a mirror alongside the tube, which is handy, but as soon as you twist off the applicator this bright white light switches on automatically. These two features make it a very unique lipgloss and the perfect accessory for a night out on the town- you're sure to attract some attention with a lit up lipgloss and it'll save plenty of toilet trips as you'll have your very own mirror and light all in one place to top up. It could also make a great impromptu torch, or glowstick, should a situation where you needed either of these arise!

The shade 'Raspberry Kiss' looks a deep red in the tube but transfers a beautiful sheer berry shade on the lips. The pigment has enough depth to it that it is great worn at this time of year- on it's own during the day or layered on top of a red lippy for night time. There's lots of microglitter scattered through it but this isn't very noticeable when it is on, and the glitter wears off naturally with the gloss throughout the day.

The consistency of the gloss is lovely- it's light and non- sticky. I find it lasts around an hour and a half before it needs topping up, but if you don't have time to do this it does wear down to a subtle berry stain. The only downfall I noticed was that it settled into the lines in my lips however I imagine thise wouldn't be as noticeable with their lighter shades. If it does feather, this could probably be combatted using a lip liner.

All in all, this is a fab product and would make an excellent Christmas gift because it's a conversation starter paired with a good quality product inside. I love the shade because it is so wearable and I imagine it would suit almost everybody, even those who are shy of colour as it isn't 'too much.'
I definitely want to try more shades of these, 'Coral Candy' looks like my perfect summer colour. You can also watch a demonstration of the I-Gloss and other New CID products by clicking here.

This product was sent for me to review. Hairtrade.com is one of the UK's leading online retailers of hair extensions, hair care and beauty products. You can buy this product by clicking here.

Midweek Post: Limited Edition LUSH Shower Gel.

LUSH 'Snow Fairy' Shower Gel, £4.25 for 100ml. (Limited Edition)
LUSH 'Twilight' Shower Gel, £4.25 for 100ml. (Limited Edition)

I popped into LUSH last week to pick up my annual bottle of Snow Fairy. I know it must be a love/hate scent because Snow Fairy is so sugary that it wouldn't appeal to everyone, but I do enjoy it's sickly sweet aroma. I don't however enjoy its sickly sweet aroma for more than 100ml. This gets a bit much and a bit samey very quickly, and while it is a treat to have, I'm always happy to see the back of it. Talk about a fickle relationship, eh?
I was really interested in buying Glogg but apparently missed the boat on that one as it isn't being sold this Christmas (even though it's on the website?) Instead the sales assistant showed me Ponche and Twilight. While I wasn't too fussed on the orange/tequila Ponche I was happily surprised at how much I liked the first whiff of Twilight. Infused with Lavendar and malt it seemed like the perfect night time shower gel. While it has the strong, herby scent of lavendar it doesn't have that nana smell that so many products have, it's got a bit more punch without being overwhelming or intoxicating. I've used it every day since.

I trotted home with my two 100ml shower gels a very happy girl. I am an absolute shower gel addict- I LOVE them! I think I've got 5 or 6 in regular circulation at the moment. The only downside to these two shower gels is that they contain parabens. I think it's a real shame that a company such as LUSH who champion cruelty free and natural ingredients are still including parabens which have such a bad stigma attached to them. If it wasn't for this fact I'd give these products a double thumbs up!

Stocking up on 'Shell.'

Estee Lauder DoubleWear Foundation, £27.50 for 30ml.

When I was told that Estee Lauder were increasing their shade range in Doublewear foundation from 18 to 30 I was really excited. With a foundation shade expansion, I assumed this meant they'd cater for both the pale and deep end of the spectrum comprehensively. 'Shell' was my closest match in Doublewear, the palest with cool undertones, it wasn't a perfect match but good enough as it didn't leave tide lines and blended into my neck well, but was discontinued when the new shades came in last month.

I was disappointed when I swatched the new 'pale' shades which are 'Cool Bone' (supposedly the equivalent to Shell but it is much richer and pinker in colour) and 'Ivory Nude' (far too deep) against it.
Unfortunately these new shades are unwearable for me, they're too deep so I went out and bought the last 'Shell' on counter. While DoubleWear isn't necessarily my favourite foundation- (sometimes I do find it a bit much) it was reliable in terms of it's impeccable staying power and great for bad skin days as it does airbrush the skin out well. Definitely not one I can wear everyday, but one I like in my possession! I'll be rationing my last bottle!

Has your foundation ever been discontinued?

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask.

Origins 'Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask', £20 for 100ml.

It has taken me about 3 months and roughly 12 uses to form an opinion of this, it's only recently I have appreciated what this mask has done/is doing for my skin so I thought I'd pop a quick review up.

I use this mask weekly (every Monday FYI) to help clear my pores after an often naughty and skincare UNfriendly weekend! My pores are most visible on my nose and my cheeks. I've learnt through consistent use for the last few months that the longer this mask remains on your face, the more succesful the results will be. I leave it on for a lot longer than the recommended 10-20 minutes and try to wash it off after about 45 minutes. I find a flannel soaked in warm water is most effective at removing it, the warm water melts it and the flannel exfoliates it off, because it is a clay mask it 'sets' and if you're leaving it on for as long as I do, you'll need that extra help to get it off.

This mask contains Activated Charcoal and White China Clay and is very wet and smooth in it's consistency. After about 10 minutes it will dry completely. I feel a slight tingling sensation throughout the entire time of wearing this mask, though it is heightened at around that 10 minute mark. As it dries it does tighten on the skin and feels quite uncomfortable (and it will crack if you try to talk or smile!) I don't find the process particularly enjoyable but I love the way my skin looks and feels after I remove it.

Once I've washed the mask off my pores appear significantly clearer and and the skin looks more radiant than before. This mask draws out impurities to help the appearance of the skin, and this is what I notice. For about an hour after I've removed this I don't put any other products on my face, it feels so refreshed, clean and 'alive' that I let it breathe, thankfully, and also surprisingly, my skin doesn't feel tight or dry and my skin doesn't go red or react in any way.

After 12 uses (I apply it all over my face, avoiding the eyes) this 100ml tube shows no signs of running out. I definitely think I've noticed the effects of this a lot more recently than I did before, it has become an important staple in my skincare routine and now I always look forward to 'mask mondays'.

Do you use this mask? What product from Origins would you recommend to me?

Counting down to December 1st...

When Ben told me the other day that he had ordered my advent calendar I was baffled and confused. Firstly, why was he ordering my advent calendar? Just go down Tescos, innit. And secondly, why was he ordering it in October?

As soon as a Selfridges box arrived (damn, I love them yellow boxes) I opened it up to discover an advent calendar, but not just any advent calendar, it's one from Ciaté. If you've not heard of Ciaté before, they're a nail polish brand with the cutest packaging- sweet little bows adorn every rectangular bottle and their shade range is to die for, they are also famed as founders of the 'caviar manicure.'
So, each day on the countdown to Christmas I will open a little window to discover a mini nail polish, how cool is that?
I only wish they hadn't included the contents on the back. Despite this I'm really excited to see what colours I'll get each day, bring on December!