NOTW: Orange and White Floral Nail Art

It's been a while since I've had the time and patience to get myself inspired to do some nail art. But yesterday I decided to crack open my BarryM White Nail Art Pen and give my hot orange nails a pick-me-up. I went for a pretty basic floral design but I'm really pleased with how they turned out. I hope that this might inspire you to spice up your nails for the weekend. 

Lee Stafford Hot Shots Self Warming Ash Shampoo Treatment Review

 

Creating products for every kind of hair issue and style and appearing all over some of my favourite blogs, Lee Stafford's products are quickly becoming a firm favourite of mine among trendy hair products. With the hottest and boldest packaging around, I always manage to find myself drawn to the newest products that sit patiently on the shelf, waiting to be popped into my basket.

 

I have always favoured having blonde hair compared to my much more boring natural hair colour, but continually find it difficult keeping my blonde hair blonde and not the dreaded yellow that I'm sure most bleachers try to avoid. The Lee Stafford Hot Shot Self Warming Ash Shampoo Treatment for bleached hair contains warming ginger and promises to "knock out brassy, canary yellow tones" and leaving more ashy tones in it's place. In the past, I've used my fair share of shampoos and treatments to help combat yellow hair and have always been sceptical about how well they actually work. So when I picked up the Lee Stafford Hot Shots, I was of course unsure if I would see a difference in my hair, and at £7.49 for three small shots of sparkly, purple treatment (which is a little pricey for what you actually get) I figured it must be worth the price.

 

The next morning I decided to crack open and capsule and get started with the treatment. It recommends using it every other wash (I guess to help prevent against over treating and ending with grey-ish, lilac hair), and to shampoo your hair prior to using the treatment. Once I managed to get the treatment out of the capsule, which was annoyingly a lot more difficult than anticipated, I applied it mainly to the upper half of my hair, as that's where most of my yellowy tones were. After 20 seconds or so, I started to feel the "heat" which was actually more like a cool sensation which was more pleasant than I was originally expecting. Once the recommended time of 2 minutes was up, I rinsed out the treatment and applied my usual conditioner.

 

After blow drying my hair, I could see that the results were not mind blowing. I wasn't all of a sudden an ice queen. I did see some difference in the shades of my highlighted hair but there were still elements that were more yellow-toned. After using the remaining Hot Shots over the next four days, it was the same story. But even though the I didn't get the desired effect from the treatment, I had never used a self heating treatment before, so enjoyed trying this product out. I would just like to add, that even though this product didn't work for me, it hasn't deterred me from wanting to try out more of the Lee Stafford hair products as I'm currently using the Lee Stafford Everyday Blonde's Shampoo and loving it.



Review || L'Oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution

For what feels like years I've been seeing nothing but rave reviews of this L'Oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution and how its a great dupe of the even higher rated Bioderma Sensibo H20 Micelle Solution and at a third of the price. So on a spur of the moment trip into my local Boots I decided to bite the bullet and try it out for myself.

Now, I am seriously the worst kind of beauty blogger because I am so lazy when it comes to cleansing my face before bed, and even though 9 out of 10 times I do remove my make up, I remove it with my all time favourite cleansing wipes by Simple, and leave it at that. So the biggest thing that drew me towards trying this new product was that I didn't have to wash it off, I could just apply it to a cotton pad and wipe it over my face.

This Purifying Miceller Solution claims to dissolve make up, unclog pores and remove impurities whilst toning and soothing skin. One of my favourite things about this solution is that it's not packed with loads of perfume's and colours. For me, there is nothing worse than putting something of your face that smells so strong of synthetic smelling perfumes or that smells like your smothering your face in chemicals. My skin is is quite sensitive as well so perfumed products are definitely a no no.

I'm not going to go on and on about this product because I will just end up repeating everything everybody else has said but I will say that I do love this product but I'm not completely converted to using this Purifying Miceller Solution alone. I still use my Simple Cleansing Wipes religiously and then use this product to remove any remaining make up and residue.

Do you love this product or swear by Bioderma?

Review || Jergens Ultra Healing Body Moisturiser

As I'm such a fair skinned person, since coming back from my holiday with a lovely tan, I've been slightly paranoid about loosing it. So a couple of days after getting back home I searched the Boots website to find a body moisturiser with pump-action and at an affordable price. After starring at the Soap&Glory body moisturisers for what felt like hours, but just not getting my head around spending a tenner on a moisturiser, I resorted to buying the Jergens Ultra Healing Body Moisturiser for extra dry skin for £3.99.

Jergens Ultra Healing Body Moisturiser contains good to skin vitamins like vitamin C, E and B5 which results in visibly healthier looking skin. This moisturiser is marketed for people with extra dry skin and even though I don't suffer with extra dry skin, I thought it would do the job of hopefully preventing my skin from peeling and keeping my tan.

I mainly apply this moisturiser all over my body after having a shower and and then apply it to dryer areas before going to bed. So far it's worked really well since coming back from Majorca and it's a really nice moisturiser.

First Impressions || Beauteco Box

Beauty box subscriptions are a great way to try out an array of new products for a reasonable price so I decided to get a Beauteco Box after seeing a few bloggers write about how great the products they offered were. After checking out their website, I discovered that you can actually choose between three boxes which have slightly different products inside. I thought this was a great idea and snapped up a box that best suited my beauty needs. And of course, they try to be a eco-friendly as possible and not just for their own carbon footprint but for the consumers as well as the box and packaging is easily recycled. The packaging itself was ok. I'm not a fan of the colour combinations used in this box but I'm not sure if they use this for all their boxes. It also came with a little booklet that described each products which was a really great touch.

Inside my box, I had three full size product which were the Arran Aromatics Lavender Tea Tree Reviving Toning Facial Gel Wash which is worth £12.95. The Lord & Berry Intensity Lipstick in Peach Gleam which was worth £12. And the Lord & Berry Kissproof Lipliner in Blossom which is worth £7.50. The remaining two products were both sample size and were the Melvita Fresh Moisturising Body Milk and S5 Purity Serum for Blemish Prone Skin. I'm really pleased with the products inside my box and really look forward to using them.

So my first impression of the ideas behind Beauteco Box were great, and my first impressions of the packaging was that they were not really my taste. My first impressions on the items in my box were great, there was a variety of brands and products. My overall first impression is that the concept is genius but I think they should think a bit more about the design of their packaging. Keep it eco-friendly but just make it a bit prettier please.

Suncare: Holiday Edition

For me, living in London, suncare isn't a major part of my life. The weather is usually very bleak all year round and even though you can still catch harmful UV rays through cloudy weather, I tend to only use suncream's in the summer when the sun is out or when I'm on holiday. Prior to my upcoming holiday to Majorca, most of my previous holidays have been with family so getting together all the suncare products was my mums job, but this year I'm going away with just my boyfriend, so it's all up to me.

After doing some research and having previous experience with some suncream's, I pretty much knew what products I wanted to help protect me from the harmful aspects of the sun. First, I got the Garnier Ambre Solaire Protection Spray in High SPF 30. Some of you may think that for a main sun protector SPF 30 is quite low, especially because I'm quite pale, but I assure you that even though I'm quite pale, there is a reason for that. I haven't been on holiday for 2 years so my skin hasn't seem much sun but prior to this 2 year break of bleak UK weather, I was quite tanned. I tan really easily in the sun so don't need a super high SPF. This sun protection boasts of 12 hour moisturisation with advanced UVA and UVB protection with a non-greasy and water resistant formula, but the thing that drew me to buy this sun protector is that its a spray and not a lotion (god, I hate suncream lotions) and not only that but it claims to be sprayable upside down, which is a really cool touch and a slight necessity.

Next up I got the Simple Sun Sensitive Protection Facial Hydrolotion in Medium SPF 25. I got this little beauty back in June and I am so excited to use it. After discovering it whilst looking for a facial suncream for sensitive skin, I knew I had to get it, but being a little broke at the time, I added it to the list of things I wanted for my birthday (not an actual list, more of a mental list). If you've been reading my blog for a while then you will know I am a super fan of Simple products so this won't surprise you. This Simple Facial Hydrolotion is packed full of sunflower goodness which helps fight against premature ageing and contains no perfumes or colours.

For lip protection, I picked up Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Lip Care in SPF 20. This product is mainly for my boyfriend than for me as he suffers with burnt lips that blister very regularly, which can be quite painful.

Next up, I got the Hawaiian Tropics Protective Dry Oil Spray in SPF 8. This stuff smells unbelievably amazing, which says a lot coming from me because I'm not a big fan of coconut. Again, this is a spray which makes applying the oil much easier. I will be using this oil later on in the holiday once my skin has got used to the sun but won't be applying it to my face at all. Nothing worse than extra oils on your face.

For skincare after being in the sun, I have the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun which is a soothing aloe gel. Again, this has a gorgeous scent very similar to the oil which is coconut papaya. This after sun lotion boasts 24 hour moisturisation that helps preserve your tan. I didn't realise until I got it but the bottle is actually transparent and the green and white swirls is actually the gel/cream. I think this will be a great after sun and can't wait to use it.

July Favourites

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Review: Charles Worthington Salon At Home Straight & Smooth Serum

Recently, I've found myself caring a lot more about the state of my hair. I usually don't buy or use a lot of products for my hair other than shampoo and conditioner but I've decided I want to take better care of my hair and take more time styling it.

First things first, the condition of my hair isn't too bad. My hair is quite long and colour treated. I do suffer with occasional outbreaks of split ends (who doesn't, eh?) but I don't think it massively effects the condition or look of my hair, and of course I will chop them off if they do start to effect it. My hair is naturally straight and cut with layers, which can cause my hair to look a bit frizzy after a quick blow dry. I usually run my GHD's through the ends to flatten the frizz. I do find that my hair can be quite knotty but my Tangle Teezer (Review Here) is pretty good at taming the knots but they frequently reform throughout the day. Shamefully, I don't use any heat protection or deep treatments and didn't use any serums until now (I know, what kind of beauty blogger am I?).

First impressions of the Charles Worthington Salon At Home Straight & Smooth Serum is that the tube is pretty small with only 50ml of product inside. The packaging is quite sleek and professional looking, which makes sense as this serum is part of the Charles Worthington Salon At Home range. The paraben free serum is clear and a thick liquid that comes out of a pump at the top of the tube. It's described as a "multi-action serum that tames and protects unruly hair for long lasting control, a glossy finish and a sleek shine. It works to tame flyaways and calm frizz, leaving hair silky and lustrous". I have found that one pump of this serum is enough to apply to the ends of my hair. The texture of this product is thick and sticky at first but after running it through my hands, it turns into more of a silky oil. I quite like the texture and it applies nicely to my hair.

Since using this serum, I have definitely noticed a difference in my hair. It seems to be getting less knotty and holds a nice shine. I agree that it has improved the frizziness of my hair but I still find myself running my GHD's through the ends of my hair, more out of habit I think, but it does keep my hair straighter for longer. I have found that this serum appears to have improved the condition of my hair. It just seems to look healthier. I'm really glad I picked up this serum from Boots for £5.99, which I don't this is a bad price considering the size and how much I like this product. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone with a similar hair type to me.

Have you used any products from the Charles Worthington Salon At Home range? What do you think of them?

Beauty Haul: Victoria Secret, Boots and Selfridges

It's been a while since I've had a proper beauty haul so I think it was about time I updated my collection with some new pieces. I went for a trip up to London and visited some of my favourite stores to pick up some new make up, hair and beauty products.

First, I popped into Victoria Secret, more for a peruse than for anything specific and found these gorgeous body mists from their Pink collection. I bought the Pretty & Pure scent which is jasmine and pink lemonade and is a really fresh scent and great for the summer. I also bought the Sweet & Flirty scent which is sugar berry and pink grapefruit and is a fresh and fruity scent. I can't choose which is my favourite because they both smell amazing. Their scents aren't too strong which is perfect for warmer weather and they are actually quite refreshing when you spritz them onto your skin.

Next, I popped into my favourite shop ... Boots. Here I bought quite a lot of hair care products starting which the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo. I wanted to try this out to see if it would really brighten my hair, as I am blonde already but I would love it if it could help my blonde hair be more blonde. I also picked up the Charles Worthington Style Setter Salt Spray which is part of their Salon At Home range. I decided to get this as I thought it would be great to have with me on my holiday for a more natural styling. I also got the Soap & Glory Shower Puff which I love as it is double the size of my regular shower puff. I can't wait to use this because I think it'll be really foamy and soapy. Also from the Charles Worthing Salon At Home range, I got the Sleek and Smooth Serum as my previous smoothing serum ran out and I thought I would try this one out. I also bought the L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray as I had used up my old can. The last hair care product I got is the Aussie Beach Mate Conditioner which is meant to be a great holiday conditioner as it helps cleanse and protect your hair from the dullness that it can pick up from the sand, sea salt and chlorine. I bought this specifically for my holiday and can't wait to use it.

Also in Boots, I bought a small handful of make up goodies. Starting with the Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in the colours Permanent Taupe, which is a matt taupe colour and Pink Gold which is a pale pink colour with gold shimmer. I also got one of the most raved about make up products the Apocalips Lip Lacquer in the colour Steller which is a hot pink colour. I also got another of the Revlon Lip Butters in Tutti Frutti. I originally wanted the shade juicy papaya but they were all sold out so I got the closest looking shade. I picked up another tube of my most favourite concealer which is the Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer in the shade Fair. You can see a short post where I reviewed this product here. I also picked up the Barry M Limited Edition Nail Paint in a bright yellow colour. I'm a massive fan of the Barry M nail paints so I definitely had to pick up this limited edition colour. Next, is the Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in the colour Peach On The Beach, which as it says in the title is a gorgeous peach colour. I can't wait to try it out because I have heard so many great reviews on these lipsticks!

Next, I popped into Selfridges and picked up my most favourite moisturiser/primer (it isn't advertised as a primer but it might as well be!) the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel which is actually part of one of their 3-step systems. Because of that, I got the Liquid Facial Soap and Clarifying Lotion sample sizes free with my purchase. I don't actually like these two products. I find their toners too high in alcohol and I'm not a fan of their facial soap, so I'm not sure what I'll do with these.

Also in Selfridges, I magically found myself in front of the Nars counter and picked up their blush in the shade Deep Throat, which is a pinky shade with slight shimmer and their lip gloss in Chihuahua which is a gorgeous nudey pink shade. I also picked up two Mac lipsticks. The first is the Amplified Creme Lipstick in Girl About Town which is a deep pink colour with slight hint of purple. The second is a Matt Lipstick in Lady Danger which is a orangey red colour.

And that comes to the end of my beauty haul. I hope you enjoyed seeing everything I bought. There will be A LOT of reviews coming your way soon on most of the products in this haul so keep your eyes peeled.

NOTW: Half Moon Manicure

If you haven't heard of, or even seen a half moon manicure then where the hell have you been?! Half moon manicures have been all the rage for the last six months and seen on celebrities like Rihanna, Beyonce, Dita Von Tease and Lauren Conrad to name a few. The half moon manicure consists of two contrasting colours on one nail. The first colour is the shape of a half moon and usually is on the cuticle end of the nail. The second colour covers the remaining nail.

In my opinion, half moon manicure look best when the half moon is a metallic varnish like sparkly gold and the remaining part of the nail is a pastel colour like a Barry M's Mint Green (pictured above). I really like the look of this manicure as it's simple but looks great. It's actually easier to create than I first thought but you definitely need some patience.

What do you think of the half moon manicure? Have you ever tried it?

My Everyday Makeup

On an everyday basis, I don't like wearing too much makeup. This collection might look like quite a lot but it's a very natural look. I can suffer with quite problematic skin so tend to spend a little more time on my base. I keep my eye makeup very simple with a little mascara and eye liner. My lips again, are kept very simple with a slightly tinted lip balm to keep my lips smooth and soft.

Before applying any makeup, I apply my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel which came as part of a trio with a cleanser and toner. It applies beautifully and allows my makeup to glide on effortlessly. Next, I apply my Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (review here) and my Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat (reviewed here).

Next I apply my foundation which is L'Oreal Infallible Lasting Perfecting Foundation in the shade Porcelain and I apply this with my Real Techniques foundation brush. Next I fill in my eyebrows with Sleek MakeUP's Brow Kit. I then set my base with Rimmel London Clear Complexion Powder and apply my bronzer to my contours using an angled brush. I then apply my new favourite blush, Sleek MakeUP blusher in Rose gold (reviewed here) with my Real Techniques blush brush.

Next, I apply my Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara which is my favourite mascara at the moment. I sweep this across my upper and lower lashes for length and volume. I then apply my Barry M Super Soft Eye Crayon to the outer third of my waterline. Next, I apply Benefits Sun Beam to my cheek and brow bones. I then apply Nivea Soft Rose Lip balm (reviewed here) and away I go.

 

Pearl Drops Hollywood Smile: Update after 3 weeks

Apologies for forgetting to update my blog last week but thankfully I remembered in time to take a quick snap of my teeth so you can all see how Pearl Drops Hollywood Smile is working. Although these pictures aren't the best, I can say that I am definitely seeing a difference in the whiteness and shine of my teeth.

Week 1

Week 2



Week 3

Let me know what you think ...

Pearl Drops Hollywood Smile: Week 1

If you haven't seen last weeks Pearl Drops Hollywood Smile post click here.

After using Pearl Drops Hollywood Smile for one week, I c haven't seen a huge difference but I can see that the whitening toothpaste is starting to work. I'm still happy using the toothpaste as it keeps my mouth clean and minty fresh, but I find that it doesn't froth up very much which I don't know if I like. Below are the before and after pictures. Let me know what you think.

Before

After 1 week of use

(Note: Next time I will try and take better pictures for comparison purposes.)

Tangle Teezer Review

No matter how much conditioner and hair treatments I use when washing my hair, I'm always having to fight with nasty knots afterwards! Originally I put it down to the condition of my hair but after using a really intensive hair mask and still battling with the brush, I knew that it was down to something else. Prior to this I had read a few reviews about how great the Tangle Teezer is. In case you don't know, the Tangle Teezer is a hand held hair brush that "Glides through wet, vulnerable and colour treated hair with no pulling, tugging or yanking." and come in all different styles and colours.

I was a little sceptical about how well the brush would work on my knotty hair but it glided through like a treat. This little beauty did exactly what it said on the tin, it didn't pull, tug or yank at my hair. All it did was leave my hair knot free, looking and feeling great. It reduced my hair regime time by 10 minutes which is really handy on them cold, rainy mornings when all I want is an extra 10 minutes in bed.

I would recommend this cute little thing to anyone that is trying to win the war against knots. It is truly the perfect hair tool! You can pick the Tangle Teezer up from Boots for £10.99, which may sound a little steep for a hair brush but it is absolutely worth it.