Accessorize Nail Polish-Colorado

Bit unfortunate that I'm reviewing this while the awful widfires are going on in Colarado at the moment I have to say, but that aside I'm really pleased with my latest purchase from Superdrug. I am also displeased though. For I have let myself down. Again. Laura, please tell yourself, I DO NOT NEED MORE NAIL POLISH!!
But at £1.95 how can you go wrong in all honesty?! That's a bargain for such an unusual, versatile shade. Whilst it's toned down enough for work it's not boring at all. At first glance it seems to be a standard grey but on closer inspection it contains a fine pinky gold shimmer, similar to the 'Utah' shade I have previously reviewed. The shimmer is not massively noticeable on the nails, it's very subtle, but adds just enough interest to stop it being flat. When it catches the sunlight it's really lovely. Speaking, or writing, of lighting, in some lights I find it to be more of a dove grey whilst in others it can look more taupey. Again it's a hard shade to describe but one I think I'll get a lot of wear out of.
It took three coats to get the opacity I wanted but each coat dried quickly and to a smooth finish. I did struggle at times with the application as the brush is rather narrow. If I didn't load it up with enough polish to cover the nail quickly in one go then the polish did start to catch as I covered each section. I think this is also down to the quick drying time, as well as my lack of skill! Not a massive problem at all though.

I've tried to show it in different lights - I always think nail polish is hard to capture on camera though. Anyways I'd really recommend getting yourself down to Superdrug and picking up a few of the nail polishes- I've been very impressed with the ones so far. They've also got other offers throughout the Accessorize range. I was temped by a lipgloss but I resisted!

Current weekday staples

Just a quick post to praise a couple of products that I have used a lot during the week to wear to work. Firstly I've been reaching for my MUA blusher in Shade 1 which is a lovely light pink colour with some shimmer. It's a really fresh and easy shade to wear and is perfect for a subtle daytime look. It does kick up a lot of powder when I swirl the brush on it but for a pound I'm not going to complain! It is also pretty highly scented. It doesn't bother me but I know a lot of people are not keen on scented facial products.

I've also taken to wearing my Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Serum foundation. However like all foundations I have to wear a moisturiser underneath to stop it clinging to dry patches (especially on and around my nose-so annoying!) My skin is fairly oily so most times I prefer to use a light moisturiser. This is wear The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream comes in. It makes the ideal base for my makeup as it is quickly absorbed and not heavy in the slightest. It says it's a cream but it is definatily more a gel in texture which I really like. I got this in a travel set along with the matching toner, cleanser and night treatment and whilst I will use the toner and night treatment the cleanser is a tad too drying for frequent use. This however is fantastic and I will consider buying the full size version. I do find it has a bit of a funky smell at times but it quickly dissapears!



Guest Post : My Sister's Makeup Bag

Hello, this is Laura's sister :). I'm nosey. I always like to know what's lurking in other women's makeup bags and what they use on a daily basis. So I though I'd show mine! Nothing fancy, just what I've stuck to for quite some time. No blush or eyeshadows as I don't use them an awful lot...

Here's a little run down of what's what;

I forgot to photograph the actual bag but in case anyone's interested it's a Boots Botanics one that I got in a swap!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light - I don't like wearing foundations as I find them to be more trouble than they're worth. I always end up with a new crop of spots the next day >_< Instead I prefer to use this as it gives a decent amount of coverage considering it's just a powder. It definitely won't cover up blemishes completely but gives a bit more polish to a bare face. No MACne in sight!

e.l.f Complexion Brush - I love this brush! So soft! I use this to apply the MSFN.

Topshop Eyelash Curlers - Not much to say about these other than they do the job!

Sleek Pout Polish in Peach Perfection - The texture of this is lovely. Feels really nice and comfortable on my lips. No stickiness whatsoever. I also like that it has SPF 15. I'm not usually a fan of vanilla scents but this is an exception - not too sickly. I don't get a strong peach colour, more like a subtle peachy sheen.

MUA Lipgloss in Shade 4 - 14ml for a quid is great value! As you can see this is a peach/nude shade with a slight gold shimmer running through it. It's not as smooth as the Sleek Pout Polish but still pretty nontheless.

Models Own Lipgloss in Glossy Pink - They really went to town with that name didn't they? lol. If I remember rightly I only paid 50p for this. I think they were trying to shift the overstock as it was originally part of a deal where if you bought 2 bottles of Diet Coke then you got one of these for free. Unoffensive pink that you can put on and forget about.

Pink Grapefruit Badger Balm - The little picture is sooo cute! It's a badger brandishing a wand hehe. These balms are olive oil based and certified organic. It does a great job in repairing chapped lips.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Brownish Black - This mascara gets a lot of stick but whatever, I really like it and would buy it again in a heartbeat!

No7 Amazing Eyes Pencil in 10 Brown - My absolute favourite eyeliner. Def 'Holy Grail' status.

e.l.f Eyebrow Kit in Ash - This set is an excellent match for my blonde brows. It comes with a wax, a powder and a dual ended applicator (which is actually pretty decent). I love that it doesn't pull red like a lot of other brow colours meant for blondes.

17 Eyebrow Shaper in Natural Brown - Another nice brow shade, just a touch darker for a added definition.

MUA Clear Mascara - For setting my brows. Bog standard.

Then I have my Jemma Kidd tweezers, e.l.f spoolie and a Revlon Vital Radiance brow brush.

Hope you enjoyed! x

BeautyUK lipstick- In the Buff

This lipstick is a strange one, with a name like 'In the Buff' you would think it would be a nudey sort of colour or a browny-pink but it's actually quite a bright rose pink shade. Nonetheless I do think it is a very pretty colour. However I am not completely enamoured with it on- but I think it's coz my lips are in a bit of a bad state at the moment so all lippies are looking kind of shit. It does have a lovely texture though and would go on smoothly if it didn't have to deal with my disgusting flakes! It smells sort of minty but you can't really detect it once it's on.
I really want to like this so I'm going to give my lips a good exfoliate so that I can give it a chance. I'm quite tempted to have a look at the other colours in the range as there seemed to be quite a variety and at £3.49 are very reasonable. Just looked at the website and apparently they come in two finishes 'wet' or 'matte'. Wet... suppose it could be worse, they could have said 'moist', shudder...
This has also reminded me that Top of the Pops magazine (£2.99 and the one with Cher Lloyd on the cover) are giving away a free lip lust when you buy any BeautyUK eye product at Superdrug. Please be under no impression that I actually buy this regularly - it just caught my eye on Facebook! Buut I do think I actually will buy the mag-in fairness I read any old shite so I'd probably enjoy it! Plus I love the lip lust I've already got in Date Night.

Packaging looks similar to the MUA lipsticks

Looks red here but it is definitely a medium pink!

Indoors

Outdoors

Garnier Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 make-up remover

I don't think I've mentioned this before but I absolutely love this and am on my third bottle. It is definitely the best eye make-up remover I have tried- it removes stubborn waterproof mascara no problem but is gentle at the same time, it never stings my eyes. This can be attributed to it containing no perfume or alcohol. The remover is made up of two parts which you need to shake together before use- the blue liquid is the removing oil and the clear liquid is the cleansing water. It is also 'enriched with plant extract and pro-vitamin B5'. I think the plant extract is rose flower water judging by the ingredients list. It says it leaves no residue but I find that it does leave a bit of an oily sheen and so I always use a proper cleanser afterwards. You can use this to remove your face make-up too, in which case I would really recommend going over with another cleanser afterwards-suppose it depends on your skin type though. It could be OK if you have dry skin but I don't think my rather oily skin would appreciate it! Another reason I love it is that it's cheap and easy to find. It's often on offer too in supermarkets and Superdrug and the like. I think I got my current one from Savers for something like £1.99- a great place for bargains!

Some Munch

These are just a few random pics of what I have been stuffing in my face lately.
 On Wednesday me and my sis went to the garden centre for a mosey around and left with not plants or flowers but some sticky toffee pudding! They have a really good section of locally produced food as well as other handmade food stuffs. We could have bought loads but stuck to some Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding which we had read about in a food blog. The packaging says it is homemade and that it has no fake flavours, colours or preservatives. The ingredients list is excellent-no chemicals or junk of any kind just what you would use if you were making it yourself. We had it with some double cream and it was truly delicious! It was pretty expensive at £3.99 for a pud that serves 2 but worth it for a lovely treat.

Last weekend I also bought some sweets from Home Bargains. I love perusing the sweet and chocolate aisle there- you can find all sorts! I was drawn to these Hello Kitty sweets as the box was so cute. I love the winking face when you open it! The actually sweets were ok, nothing special but they were a cheap sugar hit. I'm thinking around 20p but not certain.

I also bought another Hello Kitty egg. Yes I have bought 2 of these before! But again the cuteness factor lures me in! Plus at 50 odd pence it would be rude not too! The eggs come with a little pack of rather standard jelly beans, some stickers and a little item like a stamper, eraser, key ring, badge etc.

Got to love a bit of Chococat and how cute is the rubber?! I believe this cutie is called 'My Melody' Aww.





Mr Pumice

Hello again! I thought I should get another post up again as it's been over a week but in all honesty I just haven't felt up to blogging of late. I've been doing some supply classroom assistant work as well as having some boy trouble so I've been busy, a bit preoccupied and generally down in the dumps.
Anyways tonight I give you Mr Pumice! This isn't actually mine, it's my sister's but I've been using it also. Make of that what you will, I don't think it's particularly gross? Haha we're twins it's fine! She got this off Ebay, I'm not sure how much she paid for it but from what I can gather they're fairly cheap. I wasn't really expecting much as I've used pumices before with little success. They just didn't seem to shift the nasty rough skin on my heels. One heel in particular is rather manky so I need something heavy duty. However Mr Pumice is very impressive in that it really does remove hard skin and improve the softness of my heels with little effort. I think I'm going to get one for myself. If I was being picky I'd say the shape isn't the best-it could be more ergonomically designed but it's really not a big issue.  I'm aware this isn't a very exciting or glamorous post but I'm sure a lot of you can appreciate the need for a decent rough skin remover, especially now that it's supposedly sandal wearing season. Think wellies are more appropriate at the moment though!

 

Body Lishuss! Bargain Body Butter

This was an impulse buy at Poundland- I only got it because I like almond scented products. I definitely do not need any more moisturisers! I already have loads of butters and lotions that I'm just not using. I generally find moisturising a faff, I don't have the patience or time to be applying it all and then letting it sink in. Whilst I rarely do a full body application I have been making a bigger effort to apply it to my legs and arms. My legs can get dry and flaky looking so they do tend to get more attention, especially after shaving.
For a mere pound though I thought this was worth a try at least. Even if it does have a stupid name. I really like the scent though I don't think it will be be to everyone's taste. It smells like playdoh to me, which I love! It also smells cakey which I also love. I do love cake. Hehe reminds me of this amazing song here.
It has a nice thick texture but it could be easier to rub in. Doesn't seem to melt in as smoothly as my Soap & Glory or Body Shop ones, which is to be expected I suppose at such a low price point. I think I'll use this mostly on my feet before bed to help get my hooves softer.
They also do this in other scents-I think I've seen Strawberry, Coconut and Mango but the range seems to change every time I visit.

Book Review: The Nearly-Weds

I finished this book ages ago and meant to get a review up but I completely forgot what with all my recent spending and new beauty bits!  Anyways, I really enjoyed this book and it was a steal at £1.99 from The Works. I find they've got quite a good selection there and they are very reasonably priced. As well priced as they are I am trying to cut back on my spending so will be getting my books from the library for the time being. Back to the book, I thought the plot was well thought out and entertaining and I liked that the chapters were short as it kept the story going at at a good pace. I found it very easy to read being both engaging and witty. It was a bit predictable at times but it didn't really bother me and to be fair most chick lits do have an element of predictability and is perhaps part of their appeal? The characters were convincing but I do wish more time had been spent describing what the main character looked like. I know you are meant to use your imagination but I do like some description to help me along!I will definitely be checking out more of Jane Costello's books- already have my eye on 'My Single Friend'.

Oops I've been spending again...

I am in no position to be wasting my money on more nail polish and makeup yet I can't go into a Superdrug or Boots without the urge to buy something pretty! Need help! But seriously, I am going to be putting myself on a no-buy as I really do have enough makeup and nail gubbins to sink a ship!
Buut yesterday I did give in and buy a few things that were unashamedly flirting with me at Superdrug. In my defence individually they were all cheap items. All adds up though doesn't it at the tills!
Anyways I got two more nail polishes to feed my addiction and two lip glosses. I got some nail polish remover too but that's boring and rather a necessity.

I got a Miss Sporty 'Clubbing Colours' polish in what I thought was Manga but I think is actually Salsa.  Annoyingly they don't have the names on the bottles. It cost £1.99 but I think they had a deal on for two for £2.99. It's a lovely corally red colour that I think will look great on my toes. I also got an Accessorize polish in Utah for a bargainous £1.95. I was reaaaally tempted to get another one at that price but I resisted. For now.. I then checked out the NYC stand and got a Liquid Lipshine lipgloss in Brighton Beach Peach for £2.99. Finally I got a  BeautyUK Lip Vinyl in Pure Pacha as I've wanted it for ages. This was also £2.99. I actually tried this on whilst I was still out in town as I couldn't wait and all I have to say is Wow! It's very very bright. My boyfriend wasn't very keen on it but I don't care I think it's fab!  Here's some swatches of the lip glosses. Tried to do them on my lips but they didn't turn out very well.

Pure Pacha is super super pigmented and smells divine- like sweets. Actually smells a bit like energy drinks. You have to squeeze the product out onto a sponge applicator and it does a good job of applying it evenly and without mess. Brighton Beach Peach is a shimmery goldy peach with no glitter. However it does give quite a pearly finish as I hope the picture shows. Again it smells pleasant. Smells like the tree shaped vanilla car air fresheners you can get. It has a doe foot application but it is longer than usual ones and quite bendy, making application more faster as it covers more lip in one swipe! Not that I find lipgloss application a real time suck. Both feel really smooth on the lips and though I haven't worn either for any length of time I think they would last fairly well for glosses.

I was really intrigued by the colour of the 'Utah' polish and couldn't wait to give it a go. In all honesty it is quite an ugly colour - one of them grungy ones. The shade is a bit hard to describe. It's a pale khaki/brown shot with gold shimmer. In some lights it looks coffee-ish. Hmm the more I look at it the more brown I think it is. Here's some piccies so you can be the judge! In any case application was fine, taking two coats and drying quickly.

BeautyUK Posh Polish Gemstone Collection - Elfstone

I bought this polish on a whim a while back and it's been lurking in my collection ever since waiting to have it's first outing. I was bored last night so thought I'd give it a whirl. I'm not very keen on 'frosty' metallic sort of polishes but I think I quite like this one. It's a silvery pale green, with the colours changing depending on the lighting. Such a hard polish to photograph! It's very pretty and sparkly in the sun though I have to say :)  

 No complaints with the formula - it went on smoothly and was fairly opaque in two coats, which dried pretty fast. I always think these sort of shades are more forgiving so they're perfect when you don't have much time and as a result application is a bit sloppy! Overall, not my favourite shade ever but makes a nice change from my usual choices.

£3.49 from Superdrug or from the BeautyUK website. It also comes in 5 other shades-Amethyst, Sunstone, Topaz, Sunstone and Silmaril.

Excuse the crappy cuticles

Fave Perfumes...and Perfume Firsts!

I'm so picky when it comes to perfumes. I've not bought one myself in ages, least not a 'proper' one. Whenever I go to Debenhams I'll douse myself in them and take home lots of testers but most times none of them will have jumped out at me. Overall I think I like fresh, fruity ones as well as soft snugly powdery ones.
I'd loved Narcisco Rodriquez For Her for ages before I finally got my hands on it. Actually I didn't buy it myself, it was a present off my best friend- was so chuffed with it as it had been a bit out of my price range at £49 for 5ml (Debenhams) I would describe this as being powdery and musky. The Debenhams site says 'Three notes enhance the heart of musk:floral, amber and woody notes.' I find it to be more of an evening scent as it is quite strong and heady. But in a good way. Rather sensual really!  Good for a date night. Not like I'd know what one of them is right now. Hint hint, Kyle. I do feel it is more suited to Autumn/Winter but I wear it whenever I feel like it, as I'm sure most people do! I also really like the smell of Narcisco Rodriquez Essence Eau De Musk. To me it smells sort of like Matey bubble bath! Hmm I think I do have a preference for musky perfumes!
A long time favourite is Moschino I Love Love. I've 'Loved' this since high school as it's so light, cheerful and easy to wear. It is very similar to Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue but I do think it has some subtle differences. It's perfect for Summer as it's really citrussy and fresh. It seems to be quite hard to find in shops. I got this one at Debenhams but last time I was there I couldn't see it and it's not on the website either. Cheap Smells sells it though so I'll buy it there next. I have also pilfered this description from the site. 'Love is in the air with fresh, fruity and floral scents. Featuring top notes of orange, lemon, grapefruit, and red currant. Middle notes of rush, lilly of the valley, tea rose, and cinnamon leaves. Base notes of tanaka wood, musk, and cedar wood.'  50ml costs just £20.15 which is great. The 30ml costs £19.10. 20ml more for just £1.05 extra, who'd buy the 30ml one?!
Finally I  really like 'So...? Kiss Me' which is the cheapest of the bunch. Surprise, surprise. This is currently £5.24 down from £10.49 at Boots, but I'm sure you can get it cheaper at many other places. I like that this is fruity and 'creamy' at the same time. It is particularly nice when it has dried down and the musky base notes come through. I find it a rather comforting, snuggly scent and because it's pretty cheap I don't have to use it with caution. Not like I marinade myself it in but you get my gist! Boots says 'So…? kiss me teases with fresh blackcurrant, pineapple & citron before revealing layers of kissably sweet vanilla and a floral heart rounded by musks and woods.'  Some people may find it a bit naff and 'high schoolish' but whatever, I think it's lovely so ner :P
Just remembering the first perfumes I got when I was younger. Avon 'Butterfly' springs to mind. I do believe I wanted this after reading a review of it in 'Girl Talk' magazine! I also had Natural Collection Dewberry perfume, which I thought was the muts nuts at the time. Oo and I also remember loving 'Mizz' (as in the magazine) bodysprays -the epitome of tweeny sleepovers. Ah, the good old days!
What are your fave perfumes? What was your first perfume?

My Current Hair Care Products...And the Immortal Hair Cream!

Just thought I'd share with you what hair products I'm currently using. My hair is long, colour treated and very thick and I can go quite a few days without the need to wash it. I'll wash it maybe three times a week. Though it depends what I'm doing really and how grub-ish I'm feeling! I go through conditioner faster than shampoo as I absolutely pile on the stuff. My hair can get very dry and it helps with detangling my haystack afterwards.
The shampoo I'm using is Head and Shoulders Hydrating Smooth and Silky. I really like this and have bought it before on a few occasions. It leaves my hair nice and soft and helps with my dry scalp problem. My scalp can also get quite itchy and this seems to soothe it somewhat. I've tried the matching conditioner before too and I recall it working well. Overall I think it's a pretty underrated shampoo.
The conditioner I'm currently using is Boot's Fruit Essence Vibrant Colour Conditioner and is not the best I've ever tried. It's probably not the worst either, but I can't get very excited about it. For one it's SUPER thin and runny. I don't even have to squeeze the bottle for it to come dribbling out. And secondly, because it's so runny, I feel like I'm wasting half of it as it slips through my fingers and down the plughole. Got to work fast and just slap it on my head with this one! I think I only bought it because I got a voucher for it from the Boots Advantage Card machine. I definitely won't be repurchasing it. The matching shampoo I got at the same time is slightly better but not one I'd repurchase either. Makes a good brush cleaner though!
For deep conditioning I'm loving Alberto V05 'Treat Me Right' deep conditioning treatment - Elixir with 5 natural oils. It smells amazing and works really well with the miracle concentrate I mentioned in my favourites. It has a lovely texture and smells amazing. Most importantly it makes me hair feel silky smooth as soon as I've rinsed it out.

As well as the miracle concentrate I also use Tigi Bed Head Headrush shine spray which smells gorgeous and is not heavy in the slightest. The bottle describes it as 'Shine Adrenaline with a Superfine Mist.' I like to spray this onto a hairbrush then brush it through once I've finished drying/straightening it. A fairly recent purchase is Charles Worthington All Over Gloss Spray which I have also been using now and then. I got this from Home Bargains for £1 something-not sure exactly but I know it was cheap! Again this is also light (though not as much as the Tigi one) and leaves my hair looking more glossy. Quite a feat with my dry growing out highlights hair!

And now we have The Immortal Hair Cream! Introducing Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream

Seriously, this stuff has last me ages and ages! I bought this in my 2nd year of uni I think and it's now been a year since I've left. It just doesn't seem to be going down even though I use it nearly every time I wash my hair. It's not to say I don' t like it though. There's nothing wrong with it at all. And should I finish it I probably would buy it again. It smells lovely and fruity and doesn't weigh my hair down. I'm quite generous with it on towel dried hair and I'm not left with lank or greasy looking hair. It says you can use it on dry hair also but I've never used it this way. I do think it has helped with preventing and disguising split ends as I haven't been to the hairdressers in ages and my hair isn't looking too bad. I do need a cut badly and the ends are a little frizzy but it could be worse!





Shopping!

Today I thought I'd have a wander around town and spend some money that I haven't got. I've had such a boring weekend on the whole so just needed to get out of the house! I got a few bits and pieces and didn't actually spend that much. I will do full reviews once I've had the chance to try them out.
Firstly I went into Boots to use my No7 £5 voucher on the Hot Cloth Cleanser. I used this last year and I was very impressed with it. It made my skin soft and the cream feels so luxurious. It lasted a good while too as you get a massive tube of it (200ml). I paid £5 for it with the voucher making it rather bargainous in my view! It also comes with a muslin cloth, which I find is a bit on the thin side, but it does the job ok.

I had a look around Poundland also and got a Heathcote & Ivory bath and body hand cream in the scent blueberry and white tea and a glittery Chit Chat nail polish in 'Rio' which looks a lot like the Technic Carnival one if you are familiar with it- I looked on the bottom and seems they're both made by the same company. It's full of multicoloured glitter- I can see gold, blue, green, pink and silver- and though I haven't tried it yet, I reckon it'll be pretty good. Can't wait to layer it over a bright summery polish! The hand cream comes with a rather strange bobbly bit on the top corner of the tube making it eye catching at least I suppose. The tube states that it contains no sulphates and no parabens which will be important to some people.It also contains shea butter, vitamin E and glycerin and smells very fruity and yummy. I've used, and enjoyed, a Heathcote & Ivory hand cream before so I'm hopeful that I shall like this also.

 

Nice and thick

Before I left I popped into George on the hunt for the new Montagne Jeunesse 2 stage face masks and was pleased to find the one I wanted-the Break-Out mask. It cost £1.15 (I think they were on offer) and I can't wait to try it out, especially as my skin is being really shitty lately! I also got the pomegranate and butter milk shower sorbet by n-spa. I read about this on The Sunday Girl blog and really wanted to try it. This was also on offer and only cost me a pound, so couldn't really say no!

Just what I need right now. My face is erupting all over the place!

May Favourites

This month has flown by, really don't know where the time has gone. I've spent a lot of time this month job hunting and going to interviews so make up wise I've either been sitting indoors glued to the comp wearing nothing (not naked, as my sis Cara thought and lol'd at!) or out babbling and generally getting flustered wearing neutrals. I've not included it here but my go-to lipstick for interviews was my Maybelline Color Sensational one in Pink Brown that I mentioned in my makeup faves post.

I wasn't that keen on the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream when I first got it but I've grown to rather like it. As I've said previously it is perhaps a bit too dark for me but once blended out and finished with powder it looks fine. It gives me a nice glow and goes on smoothly. Most foundations usually cling to dry areas around my nose and the space in between my eyebrows (even though I exfoliate and moisturise well- so annoying) but this one doesn't thankfully. I've actually been reaching for this over my mineral powder lately but I think this may be due to the fact that I'm using the new Collection 2000 mineral powder instead of my usual Loreal one and I'm not loving it as much! 

My favourite blush combo this month is definitely Sleek Suede blush, used as a contour, and Elf Studio blush in Pink Passion. It makes my cheekbones stand out more and it helped me feel more confident on interviews. I have a baby face so I felt it made me look a little older!

My lips feel like they are constantly dry and scaly.So annoying especially when the flakes makes my lipsticks cling. Not good. I used to use Carmex, the one in the tube, and for a while I thought it was working, but it just seemed to lose its effectiveness. I'd put it on a night reapply loads throughout the day, but my lips would still be bone dry for the most part. So I thought I'd get a new one and the one I chose was Burt's Bees. I'd heard good things about it and was hoping it would be more nourishing, which I think it is. I love the mintyness and it has a good texture-more waxy and less slippy than other ones meaning it seems to stay on longer. I think the condition of my lips has improved since using this but it could also be because it's not so cold anymore and my lips aren't suffering in the elements. Either way I reckon I'll be sticking with this for a while. Would love to try the mango one!

Another makeup item that has stood out to me is my little sample sized Clinique High Impact mascara that was a magazine freebie. I love that I can put on multiple layers and it doesn't go clumpy at all. It means I can really take my time to make sure my lashes look how I want them too. It does take a few coats to get the effect I want but because of the easy application it's not an issue. Plus it comes off really easily. Can't be doing with scrubbing at my eyes when all I want is to crash out. I'd consider buying the full size of this.

Hair care wise I've been enjoying using V05 Miracle Concentrate-elixir with argan oil. I'm in dire need of a haircut so until I can get to a hairdressers I've been needing something to make my hair look that little bit healthier. I use quite a few drops as my hair is thick, fairly long and fairly dry! It needs it! It doesn't make it look greasy at all and I do think it makes my hair smoother. Plus the smell is gorgeous, reminds me of Love Heart of Refresher sweets. It's good value for money too as it'll last me for ages.

It's possibly a bit naff but this month I've been using 'Play it Lovely' perfume by Playboy. I got given it at Christmas along with a matching bodyspray. It's not something I would have chosen for myself at all! But I have to admit it smells nice and is light and easy to wear. I can't describe it myself so I've stolen this description from Boots.

Play It Lovely lures with wonderful, innocent notes that emphasize the beauty of every women. Top notes: citrus, blackberries and juicy peaches Heart: Sharry Baby orchid, Belle de Nuit and tuberose Base: amber, patchouli and tonka  

It costs £12. 95 so it's pretty reasonable. I could possibly be tempted to buy it again. Maybe.

And lastly there's Ciate nail polish in Jelly Bean which was a freebie in Marie Claire. I've only worn it once but I was very impressed with the quality and how well it went on (though I do wish the shimmer was more visible). I'm a sucker for bright pink polishes so I think I'll be wearing this a lot over Summer.

Jubilee Nails

Thought I would get all patriotic and have a go at doing Union Jack nails. They're really not the best, I didn't do them quite right, but hey it was just a bit of fun!