NOTD- Eyeko coral polish

A beautiful deep coral shade that only needs one coat for a streak free glossy finish. In natural daylight its a reddish coral colour, but depending on the lighting, it can look more red or orange.

I found it easy to apply and it dried reasonably quickly.

Of all the colours I've been sent this is the brightest shade and would look lovely during the summertime or for a night out.

The nail varnish retails for £3.50 and is available here.

Have you tried any Eyeko nail varnishes?

Giveaway winner

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my giveaway, because of the number of entries its taken me a few days to draw winner, but I finally numbered everyone and used random.org to pick a winner....

And the winners are:

1st prize goes to Sugar and Spice

2nd prize goes to Caz

Well done girls, can you please email/DM me your address and I'll get your prizes posted out to you.

Thanks again to everyone who entered, and don't worry if you didn't win this time as I'll be holding another giveaway very soon.

I went shopping at Primark again...

I love reading Primark haul posts and seeing what bargains people have snapped up so I thought I'd show you my new purchases.

Pretty red floral dress (£5)

Grey floral cardi (£11)

I first saw the dress on Sophie's blog where it went straight onto my
wishlist so was really pleased when I found it in store.

Lilac sheer top (£5)
Chiffon blouse (£8)

I thought these would look really nice worn with skinny jeans.

White Paris tshirt (£2.50)
Orange California tshirt (£2.50)

These are a little on the big side, but will be perfect for lazy
days at home or teamed with jeans for a casual outfit.

Overnight bag (£6)

So pretty, and the print is almost identical to my
make up bag (I'm loving all things floral atm!)

Pretty silver necklace (£1.50)
Multi-coloured bracelet (£2)
Pearl necklace (£2)

I think its safe to say I am officially loving Primark again, they have so many nice clothes and accessories in store atm and everything is so cheap, which is perfect as the gorgeous Spring weather seems to have brought out the shopaholic in me!

Have you brought anything from Primark recently? What is your favourite high street store?

Latest offers and competitions

Wahanda £2 spa treatment- Today's deal is £20 worth of spa and beauty treatments for £2, and is valid for London, Birmingham and Manchester (different salons).

New look- Students can get a 20% discount with their student discount, valid until 17th May.

Boots- They are giving away £5 off Ruby and Mille and No 7 vouchers when you spend over £5 in store.


The Body Shop- Body butters and scrubs are currently 2 for £15 (normally £12.50 each) and you can get 50% off the shimmer cubes, which are now £8.

Galaxy style hunt- For a chance to win a trip to New York plsu £5000 spending money simply submit a photo of yourself looking your stylish best.

Echo falls- If you are over 25 and want to star in the sponsorship ad for Come dine with me, click here.

Glamnation- They are on the hunt for the UK's most glamourous girl, with the winner getting the chance to star in a Cosmopolition advert, click here for more info.

Hope this post was helpful.

Fake tanning using He-Shi

I've been quite lazy with fake tanning this year because its been such a cold winter, but with the weather warming up I thought it was about time I did something about my pale legs. I was given these He-shi products to try out:


Exfoliating body wash
This contains AHA's and scrub particles to exfoliate and prepare the skin for fake tanning. It has a nice strawberry scent and the beads were scrubby without being harsh on the skin.

The beads were quite long lasting as well so I was able to take my time and really massage it into the skin. It rinsed off easily and left my skin feeling surprisingly moisturized without leaving a film over the skin.

Express liquid tan
This is a tinted liquid which will get messy if applied with hands but works really well with the mitt. Its a dark brown colour but once applied gave a naturally bronzed tint to my skin. Whilst applying I couldn't smell anything but afterwards there was a definite faint biscuity smell. After showering I was left with a subtle tanned look to my legs. At the moment one layer is enough but during the summer I'll probably apply 2 coats for a more bronzed look.

(Left- after tanning, Right- after washing with soap)

Tanning mitt
I love this mitt! It has a foam like texture with a waterproof barrier on the inside so you don't get any fake tan on the hands and it made the application so quick and easy. It is machine washable but I was worried about the fake tan staining my clothes so I gave it a quick handwash and as you can see it came out looking almost new.

Although I love the bronzed look, I find fake tanning quite a hassle (especially as I often end up streaky), however these products did help to make it quicker and easier. The exfoliator doubles up as a body wash and you don't need to moisturize before applying the fake tan. And most importantly it gave me streak free natural looking tanned legs!

Have you tried any He-Shi products? What are your favourite fake tans?

ELF studio brushes and free delivery code

I'd been eyeing up ELF studio brushes for a while now, but kept putting off ordering as I prefer to see things in person first and there were some mixed reviews for the brushes. However it got to the point where I was so sick of my brushes, so when ELF released a free delivery code I thought I might as well give them a go.

First thing to mention was how quick the brushes were delivered. I ordered it on the Saturday, it was dispached on Monday and arrived at my door on Tuesday, very impressive considering delivery was free!

The brushes came packaged in plastic pockets, with a brush protector pocket for the 2 face brushes. On first impressions, they looked very expensive and were amazingly soft and fluffy, yet firm at the same time. I ordered a powder brush, blush brush and eyeshadow c brush which were £3.50 each.

Powder brush- I had so many recommendations for this brush and I can see why. I've been using it instead of a kabuki for my MSF and it doesn't pick up much powder each time, so its great for a light coverage and since using this I've not had any problems with my powder looking cakey.

Blush brush- This is the perfect width for applying blusher to my cheeks, although its not as fluffy as other blush brushes. It would also be great for contouring and highlighting.

Eyeshadow c brush- This picks up eyeshadow so well. If I use it sideways its a perfect size for my small eyelids and its also really good for blending eyeshadows and eyeliners..

Having tried all the brushes for a fortnight, I am super impressed and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for some reasonably priced good make up brushes.

If you are thinking of ordering some ELF cosmetics, they are offering free delivery this weekend, simply use '39KLIKEELFUK' or '39KLIKEELFEU' on all orders over £10.

Hope this post was helpful.

NOTD- Eyeko lilac polish

I was recently sent a very prettily wrapped package containing some Eyeko nail varnishes and a eyeliner pen.

Pastel nails seem to be the trend for Spring and as I don't own any pastel nail varnishes, I decided to paint my nails using the Lilac polish.

(one coat)

It turned out to be a beautiful Lavender lilac shade with a glossy finish (its a little more vibrant in real life).

I found the brush easy to use and I only got the tinest bit of nail varnish on my fingertips (which is very impressive considering I normally end up with nail varnish on almost every finger!)

I originally did 2 coats but when painting the second hand I realised that as long as I had enough nail varnish on the brush, one coat was all I needed for a streak free even colour.

(two coats)

Two coats gave a slightly deeper, more pigmented colour but I actually prefer it with just one coat. What do you think?

What are your favourite nail varnishes for the Spring time?

Sleek Kajal eyeliner

The latest make up product from Sleek is a kohl eyeliner, inspired by the rich pigment and simplicity of the crayon.

It comes in a plastic tube that twists up to reveal a pointed eyeliner and you can control the thickness of the line depending on the angle you use it at.

I was sent the Nocturnal (black) shade to try out and it applied smoothly and easily to both my upper lash line and the waterline. I found it was nicely pigmented and it lasted fairly well throughout the day.

It was quite hard to get a precise thin line on my upper lash line but it was perfect for creating a smoky eye. As the eyeliner is so pigmented and smudges easily, all I had to do was apply a thick line (no need to be neat) and smoke it out with a brush for a really quick and easy smoky eye. I had no problems drawing a precise line on the waterline, which again, was easily smoked out using a brush.

The eyeliner retails at £3.99 and is also available in Odyssey, a rich metallic purple shade.

Are you a fan of the smoky eye? Will you be buying this when its available in store?

Primark accessories

I actually brought these before the Easter holidays but left them in London so didn't get a chance to post about them before now.

For ages I could never find anything nice in Primark and almost stopped shopping there, but the thought of a cheap bargain was just too good to resist and I'm so glad I started shopping there again because I managed to find some lovely accessories:

Floral sequined make up bag (I love this), £2.50

2 pack of floral earrings, £2
Peach floral ring £2
Pink and gold headband £1.50

I also picked up this skinny belt, £2, which will be
perfect for jazzing up boring outfits.

I've seen some really nice clothes and accessories on blogposts and youtube hauls and I'm hoping I can go tomorrow and buy some more nice stuff for spring.

Have you brought anything nice from Primark recently? What's your favourite store for clothes and accessories?

Korres olive and rye anti-ageing and firming eye cream

After mentioning at a PR event that I was concerned about fine lines around my eyes, I was kindly sent this eye cream to try out.

'The Rye active extract combats skackening and firms the skin, while fighting back wrinkles. Black Wheat extract reduces effectively the under eye puffiness, while Olive replenishes time reduced epidermal lipids, building up the natural defenses of the skin'

The cream comes in a squeezy metal tube, which I liked because you could easily control how much product was dispensed and it was more hygenic.

The actual cream is on the thicker side, but it didn't feel at all greasy and it sunk in quickly without any residue. It left the eye area moisturized and helped to keep puffinesss at bay. I can be prone to milia but despite being a thick cream, I didn't have any problems with this.

I've been using this every night and sometimes in the morning as well. It was a good base for eye make up, as it kept my skin moisturized throughout the day, and helped to prevent my concealer from caking without making the eye area greasy and causing my make up to smudge.

Whilst the effect is quite subtle, the eye cream has helped to plump up the fine lines a little.

Overall I found this a good eye cream and hopefully with time it'll help to minimise my fine lines even more.

What are you favourite anti-wrinkle eye creams?

The wonders of olive oil

I first used olive oil as a teenager to moisturize my cuticles, but since then have discovered and come across a whole range of olive oil based beauty treatments:

Cuticle and nails
Simply use a cotton bud and apply a layer of oil over the cuticle and the whole nail. Leave this on for 5 mins or as long as you want, then wash off for moisturized cuticles and shiny healthy nails.

Oil cleansing method
Rub together some oil in the palm of your hands, massage into the skin, then wipe away using a cloth until all the oil is removed. I did try this for a while, and whilst my skin looked great and the massage was very relaxing, I found repeatedly rinsing it off with a cloth too time consuming, however if you have the patience its a great natural alternative to cleansers.

Body scrub
One of my favourite uses, you simply need to mix some sugar and olive oil in a pot, then rub into the skin and rinse off for super soft moisturized skin. It leaves a moisturizing film afterwards, but if you're not keen on that just use the scrub before showering so you can wash away the film.

Intensive conditioner
Before showering, massage some olive oil to the ends of your hair, then put into a shower cap and leave for as long as you wish to condition the hair. Afterwards shampoo as usual. I've yet to try this but I've heard a lot of good reviews so will definitely be giving it a go.

Moisturizer
Apply a small amount to any area of dry skin to moisturize. You can also add some to your bath for soft and moisturized skin.

I'm sure that there are many more uses, but these are just the ones I've tried.

Are you a fan of homemade natural beauty treatments? What are your favourite beauty uses for olive oil?

Beauty cycle skincare and make up

I was recently invited to the launch of Beautycycle, a range of skincare and makeup products targeted at women between the ages of 20-40 years of age.

Beauty cycle is divided into 5 elements, with 3 elements designed for different skin types and 2 elements that work in conjunction with all the other elements.

Air- Designed for mature skin and contains natural yogurt probiotics to help fight free radicals and the visible signs of ageing.

Water- For normal to dry skin and contains wild pansy extract to help circulate intensive moisture from outside in and inside out.

Earth- For normal to oily skin and contains magnesium, copper, iron and zinc to help balance the skin.

The Air, Water and Earth elements each contain a face wash, toner, day cream and night cream.

Fire- This contains products such as a scrub and a serum which is to be used with the above ranges to promote radiance.

Colour- A full range of make up products (including foundation, concealer, eyeshadow and blusher) for all skin types.

The packaging was quite basic, but on initial impressions I was most impressed with the moisturizers and the lipsticks which were creamy and pigmented.

We also got to meet Emma Willis (Uk spokesperson for the brand) who was lovely and I managed to get her to pose with her favourite products which are the water hydrate replenish day creme, the oil free liquid foundation and the lip gloss.

What are some of your favourite brands for skincare and makeup?

Giveaway reminder

Just a quick reminder that my giveaway ends in just under a week's time on 21st April.

1st prize

2nd prize

To enter click here to go to the original post.

Good luck!

Using eyeshadow as eyeliner

For years I thought eyeliner would make my already small eyes smaller but in the last year or so I've been commpletely converted and now I always line them if I have the time.

I did try pencil eyeliners for the lower lashline but it never looked right so my products of choice are the ELF eyeliner brush and the black eyeshadow from the Drama quad.

I simply dab the eyeliner brush in the black eyeshadow, then line it up with my lower lashline, with the tip of the brush just under the lashes. As you can see from the photo the brush is slightly thicker on one side and I place it so that the thicker end is to the outside of my eyes. I start at the outer corner then work my way in, dabbing as I go along.

The brush picks up enough pigment to do the entire lash line, but the effect is quite subtle so for nights out I normally go back and do it a second time.

One layer of eyeshadow on the bottom lashline, I've also
lined my upper lashline with Maybelline line definer so you can
see the overall effect.

I love that its so easy to do and it really seems to define and open up my eyes, giving a much needed appearance of bigger eyes.

The brush and the eyeshadow quad are only £1.50 each, and I would definitely recommend them, especially if you struggle with pencil eyeliners.

What are your top make up tips for bigger eyes?

Novels

Its been so nice and sunny recently and as a result I've been spending more time sitting by my window or in the back garden catching up on novels, so I thought I'd do a blogpost about some of the books I've really enjoyed reading.

Up all night- Carmen Reid
An easy to read book about Journalist Jo Randal, a newly divorced mother of two, who is currently working on a big health scandal, chasing after a politician for an exclusive interview and trying to deal with her family and a new love interes I found this really interesting and it had me intrigued right to the very end.




The dating detox- Gemma Burgess
A girly novel about Sass who after a series of disasters decides to stop dating for a while, however the gorgeous Jake then appears in her life. Will she stick to her dating detox or is Jake too nice to resist? This book had plenty of drama and humour which kept it very light and entertaining and there were plenty of contemporary references which made it easy to relate to. I was sent this book to review.


Twenties girl- Sophie Kinsella
At her great Aunt Sadie's funeral, Lara is asked by the spirit of Sadie to find her missing necklace. As she goes on the hunt for this necklace, life suddenly becomes more interesting and a deep friendship is forged between the two women. I've always enjoyed Kinsella's novels and this was no exception. I found the first few chapter slow but after that the storyline gathered pace and it gripped my attention right to the very end.


Girl Friday- Jane Green
This novel follows Kit as she settles into post divorce life with the help of her friends and new job. However all is not as it seems. Tracy appears to be hiding a big secret and Charlie's marriage may be in trouble when her husband loses his job. Will their friendship survive all the drama and who is the perfect guy for Kit? All the drama and secrets in this novel made it very interesting and intriguing, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.



Have you read any of these novels? Which books have you been enjoying recently?

My skincare routine

I had quite a few blogposts planned but I'm at home at the moment and a lot of the stuff I want to blog about is in my London flat, so I thought I'd do a post about the skincare products I'm currently using instead.

Morning

*Clinique facial soap mild* Not the best cleanser I've used but it does the job and I'm trying to finish my stash of toiletries.

*L'oreal youth code moisturizer* I got this when my skin was dry and its really helped to rehydrate and keep my skin radiant.

*Natural high eye cream*

*Bio-Oil* Love this product! I originally brought it for a scar but it does wonders for any dry patches of skin as well.

*L'oreal matte fluid protection* This is thinner than a lot of the other sunscreens and helps protect me from UV rays without giving me spots.

*Vaseline* My HG lipbalm, I always apply this for soft smooth lips.

Evening
*No 7 cleanse and care eye make up remover*

*No 7 radiance boosting hot cloth cleanser*

*Aldi nourishing night cream*

*Korres olive and rye eye cream* A lovely eye cream that moisturizes without feeling greasy.

*Bio-oil* See above.

*Vaseline*I normally use the original one but I left my big tub in London, so currently making do with the yellow one.

Click on the links to see a full review of those products. Let me know if you'd like a detailed review of any of the other products.

What are your current skincare favourites? Also are there any eye creams you'd recommend for fine lines?

Artistry lip products

I was kindly sent a lipstick and lipgloss from Artistry to try out. I'd never heard of the brand before but I was immediately impressed with the sleek black and gold packaging of the products.

Lip colour sheer in candy
This applied smoothly to my lips and although named a sheer lipstick I found it almost as pigmented as normal lipsticks. It gave a very natural sheen to the lips and lasted well throughout the day without settling into lines. What I liked most about the product was how non-drying it was on my lips. I prepped my lips with carmex beforehand and even after hours of wear my lips both felt and looked hydrated.

This particular shade was a lovely pink colour that would look great on a night out, although it can also be worn during the day if you like stronger lip colours.

Lip shine in spontaneous
This looks a beautiful (but bright) pink colour in the tube but luckily applies to give a sheer tint of colour to the lips. It comes with a doe foot applicator, and as the lipgloss is on the thicker side it applies easily without sliding around. It gives a lovely glossy look to my lips and didn't feel sticky. It contains concentrated conditioners to hydrate as well as Vitamins A and E which definitely helped to moisturize my lips.

Although I like both of them the lipshine was my favourite as I love lipglosses and the colour was more wearable for the daytime. At £11.45 for the lipstick and £9.55 for the lipgloss they're not cheap but they are good quality and I would happily pay for the lipstick as it is one of the few that doesn't feel drying on my lips.

What are your favourite moisturizing lipsticks?

Make up brushes wishlist

Despite happily paying for high end make up I can rarely bring myself to splash out on a make up brush. However over the last year I've become a lot more interested in make up and my current brushes are no longer good enough for the application I want, in fact its gotten to the point where I've not really been using my collection of make up because I'm so fed up with my useless brushes.

I've been looking at various brands (including Gosh, No 7 and Sigma) to see what they have to offer, I like the look of Sigma brushes but am put off by the high shipping charges, so have narrowed it down to these 2 brands:

Elf studio
This is the cheapest out of the 2 and there have been a lot positive reviews. The general consensus seems to be that this is a decent quality, affordable range of super soft brushes.

MAC
I already own a few brushes from MAC including the 187 brush, which I absoutely love, and I've been really impressed with the other brushes I've tried. However priced at around £20 each they're not cheap!

I would love to get all my brushes from MAC, however because I'm planning on replacing so many of my brushes, I've decided to try some cheaper ELF ones first, and maybe slowly replace them with MAC ones if necessary. Currently on my wishlist are:

ELF powder brush

ELF complexion brush

ELF blush brush

ELF contour brush

Saying that, I am really tempted to splash out on the MAC 116 blush brush:

When I tried it in store it made such a difference to how my blusher looked, and as I wear blusher everyday it would certainly get a lot of use. Carnaby St do a 20% off evening every so often and the next time they run this promotion I'll definitely be queuing up for this brush.

Do you own any of these brushes? What are your favourite make up brushes?