Monday 30 September 2013

September Empties


I've finished up a bottle of my beloved Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish which means that I'm now on my very last bottle until I go out and repurchase it with my first pay cheque from my new job. I love how well it cleanses my skin and the scent of it is just so relaxing and calming which makes it perfect for night time use. I've also finished up my Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic* which has lasted me almost five months! I used this every night after using the C+P and I found that the pair combined makes my skin feel so much better. I already miss this! I've used up a tube of Superdrug Hand Therapy 2-in-1 Hand & Nail Cream which is one of my favourite hand creams. It sinks into the skin quickly and leaves my hands feeling moisturised for hours. One product that I didn't quite finish is the OPI Nail Envy as it got quite gloopy and discoloured. I found that whilst it was a good nail base, I don't think it did much to strengthen my nails so I shan't be repurchasing this as I've found a new favourite base coat. I've used up a tub of the Australian Bodycare Argan Cream with Vitamin E which I've been using in the mornings. This makes my skin feel instantly moisturised and I haven't been breaking out quite so much whilst I've been using this.

I've finished up my beloved Neal & Wolf Harmony Intensive Care Treatment which I received in my #NottsBBMeet Goodie Bag. I found that this made my hair feel so healthy after each use and it just made it feel a lot stronger whilst making it smell delicious! I will definitely be repurchasing this soon! Another intensive treatment I've used up is the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor which I took with me on holiday. This made my hair feel not as damaged and just made it feel a lot healthier. I've finished up the Wilko Citrus Instant Hand Sanitiser which I managed to get through quite quickly surprisingly. This smelt really good and I feel like it did the trick. Another hand sanitiser I've used up is The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer which sadly I didn't enjoy quite so much as it just smelt so strongly of alcohol. None the less, it did the job but I doubt I would repurchase. I've used up the Simple Essential Lip Balm which I'm sad to have finished up as I rather enjoyed it. This made my lips feel very moisturised and soft with the added bonus of SPF15. Despite it being such a good lip balm, I think I finished far too quickly which is down to it being rather creamy.

I've used up two packets of the Lacura 3-in-1 Facial Cleansing Wipes which for the record, I do not use for taking off my makeup. I use these for a wide variety of things and will continue to repurchase time and time again. I've used up another essential item in the form of Skin Therapy Large Oval Cotton Wool Pads which are a lot bigger than your average sized cotton wool pad. I find that I only have to use one or two to take off all my make up which means that it's great value for money and I will continue to use. I've used up two packs of the Salon System Individual Lashes Ultra Black in Medium which I've spoken about so many times. These are my go to lashes and I simply couldn't live without. I've used up Wild and Crazy Eyelash Adhesive which is what I used to apply my lashes. This was the perfect glue to apply my lashes with and they lasted for two - three weeks every time. Sadly, I can no longer find these so I think they've been discontinued which is a real shame as I rather liked this glue. The last product I've used up is the Colgate Max White One Toothpaste which made my teeth clean and feel fresh. I don't think it did a lot in terms of making my teeth whiter but it did the trick.

Saturday 28 September 2013

Apivita Suncare Face Cream for Sensitive Skin SPF50+

I know that Summer is well and truly over with for another year atleast and that I shouldn't be harping on about sunscreen esecially when it's been raining and feeling very cold recently. However, we shouldn't stop wearing sunscreen just because the season changes as wearing SPF can protect your skin even from the lowest of sun rays during the winter months.  I received the Apivita Suncare Face Cream for Sensitive Skin SPF50+ back in April in my #NottsBBMeet Goodie Bag and it's taken me a while to make up my mind on this product.

The Apivita Suncare Face Cream for Sensitive Skin SPF50+ has been specially formulated using natural ingredients including sea lavender and algae to be used on the most sensitive of skins to help protect it from the harmful UV rays. It's a light brown cream which feels rather thick when first applied. I find that this takes quite a while to sink into my skin and after a while, it leaves my skin feeling rather sticky and tacky to the touch. I wouldn't say that this is fragrance free at all as I can specifically smell it on my skin although I cannot pinpoint exactly what ingredient/s it is that I'm smelling. I haven't noticed a difference in my skin whilst I've been using this but I'm sure that over time when my skin ages, I will then notice the results. Whilst I haven't noticed any results, I have noticed that it hasn't made my skin break out at all which is a good sign as most facial SPF's can sometimes break out on me.

If you're after a good facial sunscreen and prefer using natural products then this particular product is right up your alley. It's been created with natural and organic filters and the water within the product has been replaced by an infusion of organic green tea. It does not contain alcohol, parabens, silicones, mineral oil, propylene glycol, ethanolamines, pythalates pcm or nm. It is also water resistant which is a bonus too although you would still need to re-apply it after being in the water just to be on the safe side.

You can purchase the Apivita Suncare Face Cream for Sensitive Skin SPF50+ from Apivita Online or Marks & Spencer for £22.50.

Thursday 26 September 2013

The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger Tag

Rules:
1. Thank the tagger and link them in the post.
2. State that this tag was created by The Beau Bow
3. Copy and paste the rules.
4. Tag some more beauty bloggers and link them to the post.
5. Title this The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger Post so bloggers know what the post is about.
6. Have fun! 

1. Name a beauty regime that you rarely do.

- I'm sure that I'm not alone when I say this but moisturising my arms is one beauty regime that I rarely do. I know that I should be doing it on a daily basis but I just can't stand flapping my arms about waiting for the moisturiser to sink in. I moisturise my legs after I'm come out of the bath/shower but I always forget about my arms for some strange reason. Maybe I should invest in the Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser after all as maybe then, my arms will get moisturised even if it is only in the bath/shower.

2. Is washing your make up brushes something you do regularly?

- Damn straight it is! I make sure that I wash all the brushes that I've used during that week every Sunday night. Funnily enough, I rather enjoying washing them as I find it very relaxing which is odd because most beauty bloggers I know can't stand washing their brushes on a weekly basis. I don't see how some people can't wash their brushes on a weekly basis as all that build up of make up is just a breeding ground for bacteria which can cause spots. 

3. How long will you last with chipped nail polish?

- I think the longest I've gone with chipped nail polish is a week as I was on holiday where there were no shops in walking/driving distance that sold nail varnish remover and nail varnishes which really annoyed me! Nowadays, I guess I could last as long as a couple of days before I remove it and start the process all over again.

4. How long do you put off buying/ replacing a beauty or nail polish product, even if you need it? (ie purchasing a new top coat or foundation)

- That's a very tricky question as I tend to have quite a few of the same product in my collection so I don't need to rush out and replace it straight away. Although saying that, I did run out of normal nail varnish remover about three months ago and only got round to replacing it a few weeks ago but to be fair, I very rarily use normail nail varnish remover as I tend to use the Twist & Out Instant Nail Polish Remover which I've always got loads of back ups.

5. What is your worst beauty habit?

- I would say that one of worst beauty habits is buying lipsticks that are basically the same colour i.e. nude. Many people in my family including my boyfriend get annoyed when I come home with yet another nude lipstick as I apparently have too many. How can 19 nude lipsticks be a lot?! Although in my defence, they are all different colours/variations so technically I have 19 lipsticks that are very similar but are yet so different. But it still a very bad beauty habit which I cannot break as I love nude lipsticks.

6. Name something non beauty related that you put off all the time

- Dusting! I absolutely hate it as I find it to take a lot of time to effectively dust everything in my room. When I was younger, I had to dust my room every single week practilly when I was tidying my room and I would just quickly dust the noticeable things just to say that I've done it. These days, I could quite easily go a month or two without dusting before I feel the need to.

7. When going out somewhere do you leave getting ready to last minute or not?

- I make sure that getting ready before going out is priority so I start getting ready roughly a couple of hours before I go out. I love getting ready to go out somewhere as it means I can stick on some music and spend ages getting my make up just right before choosing an outfit or three suitable. I would hate to leave getting ready last minute as you'd always forget something or not know where something that you're planning on wearing is and spend forever finding it, getting more and more worked out over it.      

8. Can you commit to a spending ban?

- Yes and no as it depends what it is that I'm saving up for. When the #NottsBBMeet back in April was getting organised as far back as December, I went on a spending ban and basically managed to save up money for everything I was planning on buying and more. However, if it is for a holiday then it's not so easy as I buy things telling myself that I need this for the holiday and before I know it, I've spent half of the money that I was originally putting towards spending money. If I know that I need to save up X amount of money by a certain time then I guess I can stick to it. I will also be prooving this over the next few months as I need to save up quite a fair bit of money for my trip to America next year..

9. How organised is your make up and nail polish collection?

- I would say that both my make up and nail varnish collection is very organised. In my make up collection, everything has a space and it's all divided up into sections and it just generally looks very neat. My nail varnish collection is basically all on my nail varnish rack that I made up of two spice racks which I've sorted out row by row into brands. I wouldn't say that I'm OCD about having everything organised just I like it to be neat so I know where everything is.

10. What is the longest amount of time you have gone without writing a blog post?

- I would say that the longest time I've gone without writing a blog post is a couple of weeks at most. There was a time when I didn't post for quite a while as I had a serious case of writers block mixed with nothing new to write about. There was also a time when I went away on holiday and hadn't scheduled any posts for two weeks. Nowadays, I have a schedule where I'm posting every other day and I know exactly what posts I'll be doing in next few months too. For example, I wrote up this post on the 12th yet you won't have read it until the 26th as that is when it's being posted.

I would like to thank Jessie from The Bode Boutique for tagging me to do this post as I had great fun writing it! :)

I tag:

Jess - Just Jess
Charlotte - Beauty Within   

Tuesday 24 September 2013

99p Store Haul 001

Many people don't like shopping in the cheapy shops such as Poundland and 99p Stores as they believe that most of their stock is out of date which was the case regarding the whole Stila scandal in Poundland at the beginning of the year. However, most of their stock is simply discontinued/old packaging that the brands don't want selling in big named shops so they sell them onto the cheaper shops to then sell on to the public at a much cheaper price. I personally love shopping in cheapy shops as you can find lots of bargains at low prices and I certainly found quite a few of those in my local 99p Store so I thought I would share what I picked up.

Despite having accumulated quite the stash of shampoo and conditioner recently, I couldn't help but pick up a few more. I've noticed Argan Oil products cropping up here and there on quite a few blogs recently so when I saw their shampoo and conditioner, I made a beeline for them and grabbed one of each. They claim to nourish and rehydrate hair whilst leaving it shiny, smooth and healthy which sounds promising. I'm running low on my Organix Macadamia Oil so I thought that I would also pick up the Argan Oil Intensive Hydrating Hair Treatment which despite being only 50ml, you only need a few drops so hopefully it will last for quite a while.

My hair has often been described as being dry to almost very dry so I thought I better pick up something to help change that in the form of Oz Botanics Major Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. I've never heard of this brand before but it contains extract of tasmanian blue gum which somehow helps to provide some much needed moisture for the hair. This duo claims to help revive the hair and make it softer and shinier after each use.

Sunday 22 September 2013

Samples I've Used Up 003

Macadamia are infamous across bloggers especially for their Healing Oil Treatment and Deep Repair Hair Masque. I received a tiny 10ml sample of their Healing Oil Treatment in my #NottsBBMeet Goody Bag that I've been using before and after I got my hair cut. I found that this transformed my hair in a way that my Organix Macadamia Oil simply doesn't do as it just makes my hair feel and look so healthy despite it being an oil. If money wasn't an issue right now then I definitely buy this in full size but for now, I think I'll stick to my current hair oils.

At the beginning of the year, I received a sample of the Aquafresh Triple Protection Fresh & Minty Toothpaste which I reserved just for travels. I used it when I went to a wedding reception which required an overnight stay as well as when I went for a week away to the Isle Of Wight. It's the classic red, white and blue striped toothpaste which turns purple when you're brushing your teeth. I quite enjoyed using it but it didn't do anything to help my sensitive teeth. I think with this little sample, I got about eight uses out of it which is incredible!

Another sample I received in my #NottsBBMeet Goody Bag is the Lulu & Boo Organics Seaweed Purifying Mask which I managed to get three full face uses out of! This is a detoxyifying and brightening mask which contains organic seaweed, papaya and apple extracts, green clay and extract of propolis. I found that this definitely helped with any blemishes that I had and it helped to get rid of spots way quicker than any other mask I've tried. I thoroughly enjoyed using this tiny sample pot especially when it came to applying it as it just smelt very lemony which is odd as it doesn't contain any lemons. The only negative thing I have to say about this is that it stained my muslin cloth when it came to removing it however I'm sure a little bleach would sort it right out. At £21, it is rather pricey especially for a face mask but I think the positives are worth it.

When I started my work experience placement, wearing a full face of makeup each day resulted in it melting off completely by lunch so I stuck to just using a little concealer and a sample tube of the Benefit That Gal Brightening Face Primer. I absolutely loved using this as it brightened my face up and just made me more awake. I managed to get lots of uses out of this tiny sample and I would definitely buy this in full sized if only they did it in liquid form rather than in a tube.

The last sample I've used up is a satchet of the Clarins Everlasting Foundation in the shade 105 Nude. I actually got matched up to this and the kind sales assistant gave me a few samples of this to try out before I buy it full size. I would say that it's a medium to full coverage foundation that conceals most blemishes which lasts on the skin for roughly 13-ish hours. I've managed to get three full faced applications out of this tiny satchet and I fall in love with it even more with every use. When I first apply it, I find that it is quite pale but it either oxidises/adapts to my skintone within seconds and it just looks perfect. I think I'll get a few more samples before I consider purchasing this in full size as it is rather pricey at £26.

Friday 20 September 2013

Superdrug Haul 002

It seems that I've been doing quite a bit of shopping recently, picking up a few things here and there. I just cannot resist the offers that both Boots and Superdrug have on at the moment which makes me feel a little less guilty when paying for them as I know that I've saved money.

I've really been wanting to try out the Arora Pink Grapefruit Body Butter after reading this review from my close friend Jess from Just Jesss. It doesn't exactly smell like pink grapefruits sadly however it is a lot more creamier than The Body Shop Body Butters which means that a little goes a long way. Seeing as everything was half price across the Arora range, I also picked up another body butter in Sweet Vanilla that smells very strongly of vanilla! These were only £1.97 each instead of being £3 full price which is still a lot more cheaper than The Body Shop Body Butters.

I've recently noticed that I've got sensitive teeth which means that drinking cold drinks has been a pain especially when I can only drink a little at a time. I don't particularly fancy spending £3/£4 on a tube of toothpaste that won't last me long so I've been looking into shops own brand sensitive toothpastes. Superdrug has got quite a variety of their own branded toothpaste at a bargainous price of 60p each so I picked up both the normal sensitive toothpaste and the whitening sensitive toothpaste. I've been using the Whitening Sensitive one for the last two weeks or so and my teeth look whiter and I'm no longer in pain when drinking cold drinks.

My last purchase from Superdrug is the Mitchum Advanced Control Deodrant in Shower Fresh which many people have been raving about recently including my Dads' partner. I haven't actually used this yet as I'm waiting till I finish my current one but I'm sure it will do the trick at keeping my smelling fresh all day.

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Wishlist 001

Beautysets - Wishlist 001 I've been avidly stalking the Sephora website recently, making a list of everything that I want to buy when I'm in America next year and I just can't seem to get the Tarte Matte Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess out of my head. It's described as being the perfect bronzer that doesn't look muddy nor orange on the skin which lasts all day. In recent months, many people have been raving about the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light. They come in six shades and all of them are the perfect finishing powders which recreate flattering light on the skin which in turn makes you appear flawless. Despite it being such a pricey product for essentially a powder, I am determined to get my hands on this at some point in the near future!

I'm due to start work at Boots on Sunday and we're only allowed to wear nude-ish nail varnishes so I'm wanting to add to my nude nail varnishes in the form of Bourjois So Laque Glossy Nail Varnish in B C Beige which reminds me a lot of Models Own Utopia in the bottle. Another nail varnish I'm lusting after is the Butter London Nail Varnish in Molly Coddled which would definitely look a little out of place now that it's Autumn. It's the perfect pastel purple colour which is rather similar to my Barry M Gelly Nail Varnish in Prickly Pear.

My skin hasn't been at it's best recently and my current face wash isn't doing the trick so I'm hoping to invest in the Super Facialist Tea Flower Deep Clean Purifying Cleansing Wash. This helps to detoxify the skin and give it a real deep clean by removing impurities and excess oils which helps make the skin clearer and healthier over time with daily use. Another skincare product that I'm wanting to invest in is the Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil which is infamous across the blogging community for reducing the appearance of scars, stretch marks and fine lines. Whilst I don't have any stretch marks nor fine lines on my face, I do suffer with scars from blemishes which seem to take their time to disappear so I'm hoping that this would speed up the process when I finally do get my mitts on it. Speaking of faces, I've been loving using samples of the Clarins Everlasting Foundation which is a medium to full coverage foundation that covers up almost everything. As I'm due to run out of samples of this, I'm hoping to get the full size as I don't think that I could live without it.

I'm really wanting to grow my hair long in time for America next year but it seems to be stuck at one annoying length so I've been lusting after the Mane 'N Tail Shampoo + Conditioner which is a duo aimed at both horses and humans. The concept behind it is that it helps make hair stronger and healthier which in turn helps hair grow longer. I've been reading mixed reviews about it recently but I'm not letting them put me off as who knows, I might actually like it. I'm getting slightly bored of my Organix Macadamia Oil and after finishing a sample of the Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment, I'm really wanting the full size of it. This helps to nourish and revitalise even the driest of hair making it ultra smooth, shiny and much more manageable.

What products are you lusting after at the moment?

Monday 16 September 2013

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser


For well over a year now, I've been alternating between the Superdrug Naturally Radiant Hot Cloth Cleanser and the Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser but I've mostly been using the Vitamin E version. It's one of those products that is a staple in my skin care routine that I've simply lost track of how many times I've repurchased it.

The Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser is enriched with naturally sourced Vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant that will help to shield the skin against environmental damage and premature skin ageing by combating the harmful effects of free radicals. The rich and creamy formula also contains a skin conditioning multivitamin complex which is made up of vitamins A, B, F and H which when combined with horse chesnut extract, help to care for dry skin.

I use this every morning as my morning cleanser and I can't help but smile at the scent. It's such a gentle yet refreshing scent that makes using it such a delight. I use roughly a 50p sized amount which I massage onto wet skin in circular motions. I spend roughly thirty seconds massaging it in before I wash it off with a hot muslin cloth. I find that this cleanser in particular is very moisturising for my skin due to how creamy it is thus leaving my skin feeling soft. I've noticed that since using this well over a year ago, my skins texture has changed and overall it looks a lot smoother. I'm not sure if it is down to just the cleanser but I'm pretty sure that this combined with my other skin care products has helped. In terms of how long this lasts for, I find that it lasts for roughly two months and that is just with using it in the mornings so it is great value for money.

You can purchase the Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser from your local Superdrug store or online for £5.99.

Saturday 14 September 2013

Head Candy Treat Me Right Shampoo & Conditioner


Many months ago, I went to Home Bargains to purchase the infamous Re-Gen Cream as well as a few other bits and pieces which included the Head Candy Treat Me Right Shampoo & Conditioner which I put straight into a drawer and forget about. It wasn't until I had finished my beloved Organix Macadamia Oil Shampoo & Conditioner that I realised I didn't have any shampoo and conditioner until I remembered about this duo.

The Head Candy Treat Me Right Shampoo & Conditioner is a duo aimed for bleached/colour treated hair to restore the hair back to it's lustrous, healthy state. At the time when I bought this duo, I had blonde hair but seeing as I now have brunette hair again, I thought that I better use these just for the sake of using them. The scent of these remind me a little of Herbal Essences but just a lot more chemically with a cheap scent to mask it.

I personally wouldn't say that this duo is the best out there nor would I say that it is the worse as it does an okay job. They both lather up quite well so I know that whilst I'm massaging each one in that it's doing the trick at keeping my hair clean. I find that if I use a little too much conditioner, it can leave my hair feeling rather dry and stripped of its essential oils which gives that squeaky clean feeling which I don't personally like. However all that can be fixed with a little hair oil.


I don't remember how much I paid for this duo as sadly it was a long time ago and I can't find my receipt. However I do know that it was definitely less than £2 a bottle from Home Bargains. If anybody does know how much these are each, please let me know so that I can update this!

Thursday 12 September 2013

Abahna Frangipana & Orange Blossom Hand Cream

Out of all the many beauty products I own, there are quite a few that I simply couldn't live without and one of those is hand cream. I don't personally suffer from dry hands however I do like keeping them moisturised and hydrated especially through the cold winter months. I've long been a fan of my beloved Superdrug Hand Therapy 2-in-1 Hand & Nail Cream however after finishing up my last tube of it and realising that I didn't have a backup, I dug out the Abahna Frangipani & Orange Blossom Hand Cream which I received in my #NottsBBMeet Goody Bag back in April.

The Abahna Frangipani & Orange Blossom Hand Cream contains a blend of super nourishing organic cocoa butter and organic shea butter which has been combined with sweet almond oil and artemisia oil to help keep the skin moisturised and hydrated. It also contains frangipani and orange blossom which when combined create a rather delicate feminine, soothing scent that is meant to restore inner peace.

I've been using this hand cream whenever I've been sat at my vanity and I've noticed that my hands feel a lot more moisturised especially after I've used this. It's a rather thick yet creamy lotion which sinks into the skin within seconds without leaving your hands feeling sticky. The scent of this is rather overpowering at times yet it relaxes me due to it containing many essential oils which are known to be very relaxing especially at night. In terms of moisturisation, I would say that it keeps my hands moisturised for a few hours but that depends on if I'm washing my hands/doing things in between.

The Abahna Frangipani & Orange Blossom Hand Cream is £8 for a 50ml tube which may seem rather pricey to many however it doesn't contain SLS, SLES, parabens, petrochemicals nor artificial colour. The brand is also against animal testing which makes this hand cream very good value for money as many hand creams out there are tested on animals. You can purchase this from the Abahna website where each order comes with free samples and there is the option to have your order gift wrapped if need be.

Tuesday 10 September 2013

Blogger Inspired Purchases 001

Since I started blogging, I've accumulated lots of products that bloggers in the past have raved about. These aren't necessarily items that I've fallen for due to the blogger hype surrounding that particular item but more like items that I've been inspired to purchase by other bloggers.

I was very late to the party when it came to the Zara Office City Bag as I only bought it towards the end of July after seeing many bloggers raving about it. I wouldn't say I purchased purely because of everybody having it but mainly because I needed a new bag which was suitable for every day use as well as being able to carry my everyday crap. Many people would consider £50 a lot for a bag but after buying quite a few Pauls Boutique bags over the years at £65 a pop, I personally consider this to be a steal. What I like the most about it is that is has three zipped compartments with two 'open' compartments as well with lots of hidden pockets to store change, an iPad and even a phone if you're feeling risky. I've noticed that since swapping over to this bag, I'm no longer having any of those "Oh, I've forgotten X, Y or Z" moments as I know that I have everything I could possibly need with room for more.

When I went to America last year, I used a hell of a lot of make up bags purely to store wash bag products amongst other things which resulted in loosing a lot of space in my suitcase. With that in mind as well as a lot of holidays that I'm hoping to go on, I thought I would finally invest in a Cath Kidston Wash Bag Roll. At the time, all the official sellers of Cath Kidston products were having their annual summer sale which meant that practilly all of the products were out of stock. After looking on eBay, I finally found one in a print I liked and I ended up paying a little over £19 inc P+P for it after a frenzy bidding war. It has four zipped compartments, three are which are see through and the other patterned. I've already put this to the test by using it on my most recent holiday and it almost fit everything in it however it did make it rather bulky. I wouldn't say that this is a necessary for every traveller out there but it does make packing a lot more easier when everything is folded up together in one big wash bag roll.

My most expensive blogger inspired purchase to date is one that I would definitely deem unnecessary and at times a waste of money but has helped to cut down how much make up I pack. The item in question is the Laura Mercier Custom Artist Portfolio which was limited edition and can no longer be bought sadly. I first noticed this whilst browsing the Space NK website but it wasn't until blog posts started cropping up and Fleur De Force did a video on what she got for her birthday that I finally caved in and bought it. For £65, you could get essentialy a organiser for your makeup which contains four magnetic zipped compartments and a double sided brush compartment in the middle. I personally love this as it means that I don't have to take two seperate make up bags as with this, they're all together. Surprinsingly, it does fit quite a fair bit as I've quite easily been able to fit atleast four different bases, different powder products, a gazillion lipsticks as well as most of my brushes. I know that £65 is an awful lot for what is technically a make up but I'm hoping to get my use out of it with all these holidays/short breaks I have planned.

Have you made any blogger inspired purchases recently?

Sunday 8 September 2013

NOTD 006

Products used:
Sally Hansen Insta-Grip Fast Dry Base Coat
Models Own Snow White // one-two coats
Topshop Keepin' It Sweet // two coats
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
Sally Hansen Mega Shine Extended Wear Top Coat

I know that Summer is now practilly over and Autumn is finally here but I've had Topshop Keepin' It Sweet staring at me for absolutely ages that I thought it was about time I tried it. Sophie from Candy Cane Heart actually bought this for me as a birthday present so it's been sitting around unused for a little over three months now.

Keepin' It Sweet is one of those pink shades that just reminds me purely of strawberry milkshake. It's almost a neon pink shade that has faded which makes it look ever so bright on the nails which is down to putting a white nail varnish on before hand. What I like the most about Keepin' It Sweet is that it enhances whatever tan I have left from my holiday to the Isle Of Wight a couple of weeks ago whilst being rather eye catching at the same time. 

I really like the formula of this topshop nail varnish so I'm intrigued to try out more to see if they are exactly the same quality and consistency. I found that with the majority of my nails, I have to use two coats just to make it bright enough and to hide any white nail varnish that was peeping through.