» ELF Nail Polish. ♥

Another mini review of a ELF product for you all.

This time it comes with a NOTD. I was sent one of the nail polishes from the range and thought I would save it for it's own post.

The shade is 'Smoky Brown' and as soon as I saw it I knew it was very me, it's along the lines of Barry M Mushroom and Eyeko Posh Polish. It is a lovely sophisticated wintery shade.

The application was easy, and it dries in a fairly decent time. I needed two coats to get the bottle colour, which is fine and it's staying power with a top coat is about four days for me, but nail polish never stays on me for long anyway.

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The only minor complaint I have is the brush, it's just a little scratchy .. What I mean by that is it leaves a little bit of a streaky look on the nails after application, So you just need a little more effort to make sure it's nice and smooth. Topcoat sorts that problem out though.

For £1.50 you cannot complain, It is a bargains and with the wide range of shades available I will definitely purchase more. Click here to go to their website.

» Boots No7 Eye Brushes. ♥

I love make up brushes .. probably maybe even a tiny bit more than I love make up, but I dunno .. But really, before make up brushes I don't even really know what I did when I put my old slap on, funny isn't it?!

I remember the first brushes I got, a cheap set in a pleather case, they were quite scratchy and not that good, but I loved them and they transformed the way I did my make up! Then I bought the #224 from M.A.C and I was in blending heaven.

Yeah. You get the idea, don't you?

So now I have about 70 brushes, lots of which do the same thing but I need them, and I can't stop buying more! .. Two recent purchases are these little gems from Boot's No 7 range. I got them when they were giving out the £5 off vouchers, so I only paid £1.50 a brush (RRP £6.50) .. I love them, they are cheap, cheerful and they do the job well.

Meet the eye colour brush. This is an all over eyeshadow kinda of brush with is really great to use with wet eyeshadows and pigments. It has first bristles, but they are soft. This really packs on the colour too, It's great.

Now for the smokey eyeliner brush, I love this brush! .. As soon as I saw it in the shop I was like 'Need It!' and I did, it's just so small and perfect for the upper and lower lashline and for smudging out, I think I've used this almost daily since I got it.

I also have had the blending brush from them for a while, I never included it, but maybe should have. It's pretty much a dupe for the #217 by M.A.C .. So, next time you have some £5 off vouchers, or even if you don't - head down to Boots and grab some of these, They are truly a keeper!

» Girls With Attitude Lashes and a Make up Look!

Recently I received a little package with some Girls With Attitude goodies in. Today I want to talk about the 'Shorties' lashes, and these are called Velvet Passion. They are very thick black lashes that are a natural length that flick out in a cat like shape at the outter edge of the eye.

The lashes are really glam looking, but I like how they are not over the top, or too long! These could definitely be worn during the day with more natural make up, or for an evening out with a bright look, as I have done below :

....I should have curled my lashes .. Oops!

 The lashes come with a small tube of glue, and to my surprise a small brush to help you apply the glue to the lash with.. I got a separate tube of lash glue from this same company (Review soon!), so I never used the little glue or brush that came with the lashes, but let me tell you .. the little brush that comes with the glue is awesome! It is such a fine bristled brush that it is now my new gel eyeliner brush. .

See how thin! .. It is perfect for liner.. I lined my eyes for this look with it..

Some more pictures of the lashes and the look ...

Velvet Passion Lashes are £5.00 and available here. Why not take a look at the whole range of lashes on the website, they have a wide variety!

» NEW Eyeko Fat Balms!

These dropped through my letterbox yesterday, totally unexpectedly. Thanks Eyeko!..

Say hi to the new fatbalms from Eyeko .. Aren't they just lovely!

I was sent 'Minty' and 'Cherry' .. both of which I love already.

Eyeko Says :

"Slicks of juicy colour, infused with light reflecting particles, moisturising Jojoba oil and added SPF15 make for fuller, softer, sexier lips. Add a hint of colour and shine as you protect and hydrate your kisser! Dab on to cheeks to for a touch of blush."

Oh, how I love a muti use product! :) Don't you?

Let's start with Cherry, a gorgeous red stain that gives your lips a lovely red berry stain. This tastes delicious is sooo well pigmented for a lip balm. This makes a really nice blusher shade to, such a nice deep red *Flushed* look!

Cherry

Next up, is Minty. As the name suggests it is a minty flavour, it actually feels soothing and cooling on the lips, like some of those plumpers do. This is a really pretty girlie pink shade which is a sheer shimmer rather than a heavy coverage, on the cheeks it would be the perfect highlighter.. I think I love this one the most.. but I love Cherry too, I can't decide!

Minty

These are really nice and handy and I definitely recommend them. They are both moisturising, contain SPF 15 to protect your pout and they are just too cute, and only £6.00 each! You can buy them online now, right here. They have a whole selection of lovely flavours too! 

Hurry though, they are Limited Edition!

Things I am Love Love Loving! ♥

Models Own 'Juicy Jules' Glitter Polish. This is so holographic glittery gorgeous! ♥

Berehive from No 17.. I know I'm well behind on this bandwagon but I loovvee it! ♥

Sleek Skin Revive Foundation .. LIGHT Coverage! On me, and my bad skin?! Yep - Thanks to the Clarisonic! ♥

Girl About Town Lippie ♥ Love it.. It speaks for itself.

True Blood and in particular, this fella ♥ Stephen Moyer (Aka Bill Compton) God he makes me swoon! ♥

Speaking of my Clarisonic, here is my beloved ♥ I love it. Will review soon on the blog. (Video is up already!)

Inspiring make up, I love this look and plan on recreating it soon. It's gorge! ♥

 

 

 Oh, and I am also loving ..

♥ My new blog layout, waddya think?

♥ The X Factor  (Mary & Matt)

♥ Liz Earle Products

♥ That it's the weekend!

» Rodial Glamtox Night.

This new night cream from Rodial was released recently and I was fortunate enough to have the chance to try it out. It's called 'Glamtox Night' and is a serum that you apply nightly before bed.

This is what Rodial Say ;

The Glamtox Night is a revolutionary night treatment that quickly fades hyperpigmenation, reduces pore size and plumps the skin while you sleep. The ground breaking formulation gives skin a radiant and youthful glow.

 Improvement in overall sun damage and pigmentation
Improvement in crows feet wrinkles and fine lines
Resulting in a clearer complexion and brighter skin tone

They call this an 'Overnight Facelift'! Sounds impressive, huh? .. It contains a gentle Retinol that will resurface the skin and thicken and plump the skin whilst reducing pore size. The skin will gain an energized and radiant glow come morning. glamtox night also works to strip away hyperpigmentation creating a light and bright skin tone.

When I read all of this I was excited, so excited I shared it with my boyfriend who just pulled a face. These are impressive claims though, and I couldn't wait to get using this!

It comes packaged in a lovely silver box, and inside there is the jar (as above) which is also silver and very glam looking. I spent ages trying to get a picture of it, without you seeing me with my camera in the mirrored jar! .. 

Anyway, back on topic,  the jar is really glam looking and it has a pump inside the lid that you press down to dispense the product.. I didn't realise this at first and just whipped the whole lid part off and smeared it all over my fingers. I don't recommend that anyone do this, you don't need much of this to covers your face and neck, and I ended up wasting some. Luckily I figured out the pump thing the next evening.

So anyway, the cream itself is a light serum, pale yellow in colour and slightly floral scented. It soaks into the skin nicely and as I said, you don't need much product to cover your face and neck.

Did I see results? .. Yes and no.. When I wear this to bed I definitely wake up with lovely glowing skin, which feels and looks plump and refreshed. I can't comment on the hyper pigmentation part as I don't really have any. But the main thing I was hoping for was an improvement in my pore size, and I think I have seen a small improvement .. But it is only small, and I have also recently started using a clarisonic when I started using this, so maybe they are working well together to battle this!

All is all this serum is an absolute luxury to use and it really does leave my skin feeling so smooth and lovely, but I'm not sure it lived up to my expectations from what it promises. It does leave my complexion looking bright and healthy but I'm not sure I would pay the £88 price tag just for that.. Not when other, cheaper products can do the job.

You can buy this and other Rodial Products from their website here.

PR Sample.

Laboratoire Remède UV Coat, For a lovely coverage!

I was recently sent Laborotoire Remede's UV coat to try out, This is a lightly tinted moisturiser which gives the perfect amount of colour to hide imperfections and create a healthy glow. It also has an SPF of 30 so your will always know that your skin is safe from harmful rays.

I'll admit, I was sceptical.. This is supposed to give an even coverage , fill in pores and make me glow.. Hmm!

Normally I would turn down trying this kind of thing out because of my skin type, it's oily, blemish and spot prone and I would never dream of wearing anything less that full coverage. But after having used the Clarisonic for a few weeks when I was offered the chance to try this, I jumped at it. My skin has been improving with the Clarisonic, and I finally feel confident enough to wear a tinted moisturiser.

I would normally steer clear of a tinted moisturised because I have oily skin, which doesn't need added moisture! but this stuff is oil free.

So, what did I think? .. Well let me tell you, this stuff has surprised me, it's actually awesome. It's a sheer oil free texture, and it's consistency is very thin and light, almost watery, but a little goes a very long way! I have shade #1 (It's available in 4 shades) and it's perfect for me. It feels so lightweight and just disappears as you blend it in, making my pores less visible and my skin glowy.

My skin feels and looks instantly fresher and more radiant after using this. It evens out the skin tone without giving a horrible heavy coverage, it just looks really natural and healthy. I like to use a little loose powder on top of it (maybe sometimes a dab of concealer), to keep me shine free for the day!

This does last all day too, and it has made me feel so much more confident about my skin. I don't think I have ever used anything so sheer before, for fear of my skin looking bad, but it absolutely doesn't with this. To me it feels and looks amazing, and I love it!

Available Online at Blissworld.

My Skin After Using This ..

Review on some ELF Goodies!

Hey All! .. I have recently been trying out some lovely goodies from ELF and I have to say that I have been so impressed by all of them and I definitely want to try more from them in future!

The first thing I want to mention is the ELF Studio Powder Brush, This is a large flat top brush with synthetic Taklon hairs, It can be used with wet or dry products.

. . .

-Creates a professional sculpted look
-Full coverage color
-Use for powder or blush for perfect contouring

This brush is fantastic! It only costs £3.50 and it is so, so soft! The bristles feel velvety smooth against the skin and I can't believe the quality for the price of it. ELF Say that you can use this for contouring, but I personally find it a little too large for that. I do however love to use it to apply my liquid foundation, It gives an airbrushed flawless finish that is so smooth. It's also really good for buffing in mineral and pressed powders.

Next up is something I had seen many times on various blogs and you tube videos, and it is one of the cream eyeshadow duos, I opted for Black Licorice.

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A lovely black and silver cream eyeshadow which are perfect for using as a base under eyeshadow or for wearing alone. I'm not gonna lie, they do crease, but give me a creamy consistency eyeshadow that doesn't! I love these though, they sit well under a shadow to give that extra depth of colour. I also love the black slicked over the lid on it's own for a glossy smoky eye, it looks fab! The best thing about this is that it's only £1.50 and they are so many colour options!

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Lastly, I tried one of their Therapeutic Conditioning Lip Balm's. I tried the Blackberry flavour and it tastes delicious! This is a really lovely moisturising lip balm that I like to put on before bed, It can feel slightly greasy, but that's because of how hydrating it is. When I go to bed with this on, I can still feel it on my lips in the morning. The scent it lovely, and it adds a nice colourless shine to my lips,. This is only £1.50 too!

Products Mentioned Were PR Samples.

Barry M's Nail Effects! ♥

I know that you have all seen a gajillion posts on this already, but I had to do one too!

Barry M's Latest offering is 'Nail Effects' .. Don't ask me what special magic happens, but when you paint it on top of dried nail polish it cleverly starts to crack and gives a really cool nail art effect.

Look!

Awesomeness, No?! ..

I LOVE how it looks, Here it is painted over the top of Sleek's Turquoise Nail Polish. It's like you have spent ages getting this really groovy effect when you haven't really done anything. You can buy it in Superdrug and Boots, or from the Barry M Website.

Go get it! I think every nail polish fan needs this! :)

» Blink + Go False Eyelashes!

Recently I was sent some lashes (more like a truck load!) to review and today I finally bit the bullet and got them out.

I love false lashes and how they can alter ones appearance and give a really glam look, but to be honest I wasn't that confident with them, I never have been. I can put them on someone else, no worries, but on myself.. different story!

Until today that is.. The application pretty much went like a dream, Yay!.. I think that's because these lashes are quality, and not the 20p a pair ebay cheap acrylic feeling plastic lashes that you can get.. Oh no, these feel natural and soft and lovely and they are flexible and I put them on so easily..

Oh!.. You wanna see more of what they look like?.. Ok!

As you can probably tell, I got a little snap happy, but look at them, they are fabulous! These are 'Heartbreaker #1' Lashes and in the packaging they screamed *Drag Queen* .. But being quite fond of drag queens I kinda gravitated towards these, and they do not disappoint!

I know they're not your every day lash, but they make me feel very glam and I can't wait to don them for a night out soon.. Maybe even at Halloween! :) .. I have lots of other pairs that I will show you as I wear them, some are more natural, and some have pretty sparklies on them too!

All Blink + Go strip lashes are £8.95 per pair and you can find more info about them and how to purchase them on their website. They also have a range of make up too, which I'll have a review of coming very soon.

What do you think of these lashes, Dragtastic, No? ..

« Urban Decay NYC Fotd.

Hey folks, long time no FOTD! .. I slack so badly with these, and they build up in my 'Blog Pics' folderthen I forget what I have used! D'oh!

I did this look using the Urban Decay NYC Palette, which I love, but haven't given anywhere near enough love to yet!

- I used -

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Bordello Eyeshadow (All Over Lid)

Rockstar Eyeshadow (Outer Corner/Crease)

Lastcall Eyeshadow (Outer Corner)

Uzi (Inner Corner Highlight)

Zero Pencil (Waterline)

MAC Fluidline (Upper Lashline)

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara

Laboratoire Remede UV Top Coat #1 (Face) 

Translucent Powder

M.A.C Spaced Out Blusher

« Primark 'do' Urban Decay!

...

Oh Primark, how you love to take an idea from another company and make it your own!.. First with the benefit-esque rip off items, and now these.. (I've actully had these for a few months).. Doesn't the packaging of the above eyeshadow look super similar to THIS? .. Yes! I know! .. That's an Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow..

So, I picked up two of these bad boys from Primark to see how they compared, I didn't ecpect much, they only cost about £2 each.

Jade                                         Sapphire

They are actually not bad! One is better than the other and that's 'Jade' .. It is smooth and buttery, blends really nice and is pigmented. Sapphire on the other hand is a bitty, chunky, powdery mess.. I'm not sure why they're so different, but I love Jade and would like to test out some of the other shades in store to see if they are as nice as Jade.

What are your thoughts on these, have you tried them?

» Gabrielle Faust By Overall Beauty.

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 I've never been that sure about mineral shadows, I don't own many and the ones I do own, I don't reach for often. There is no reason for this really, I just tend to reach for the same thing over and over. This changed recently though, when I received this gorgeous set of Mineral Eye shadows from the 'Gabrielle Faust' Collection at Overall Beauty.

 Overall Beauty Say :

The first collection available created for and inspired by an amazing young lady of many talents.  Is the first of many different product endeavors planned by the gothic fashionista and includes eight sultry shades:

  “Love Lost” (deep rose)Tender and sweet as a lost love's last kiss, this delicately ashen mauve will bring a hint of warmth to your eye as well as your heart.
“Vampire’s Kiss” (sangria red) Spicy and seductive, this deep sangria red is as intoxicating as the most alluring immortal lover.
“Karmic Knight” (dark eggplant purple)Bold and daring, this smoldering shade of the darkest purple challenges the perception of the beholder.
  “Misanthrope” (ashen violet) Delicately complex and deviously unassuming, this lovely violet shade will make the world wonder about the beauty who wears it.
“Indiscretion” (charcoal gray) ,Dark as one's deepest desires, this smoky charcoal shade is exactly what you need to create a perfectly seductive look.
“Aftermath” (burnt umber brown), One can still smell the smoke from the passionately raging fires in this earthen brown hue
“Sanctified Snow” (opalscent white) What dreams are made of, this shimmering opalescent eye shadow is the perfect way to highlight any look.   “Hourglass Sand” (golden cream). A neutral shade that is anything but neutral, this creamy shadow is as timeless as the sands of Arabia.

Overall Beauty is an online store which specializes in unique, mineral-based beauty products, as well as natural and organic skin care lines. They worked with Faust to create this line of shadows, and will be working with her again soon apparently, to create a collection of nail polishes.

Gabrielle Faust is an acclaimed Horror and Sci Fi author amongst other things, She is also a goth fashion icon. You can read more about her on her website.

So, I was really excited to try these out, most of the colours are mattes and very deep vampy shades, mixed with a few lighter shimmer shades. I have created some lovely looks with these recently, and will have some looks coming up soon!

They are all great quality, they all have a smooth velvety texture and are really pigmented and blendable. The shimmer shades have a gorgeous sheen to them, rather than chunky glitter that falls all over the place.

Here are my swatches! The top pictures with the text are without flash, the bottom ones were taken with the flash turned on..

Such a lovely mix of shades there, I'm sure you will agree. Perfect for creating some Dark Vampy Halloween looks too which makes me very happy! :)

These can be purchased individually or as a set here at Overall Beauty.

PR Sample.