Latest Purchases #88 – Sephora Haul

Possibly the visit I was most looking forward to making whilst we were in America, I had a list and was a woman on a mission when I went to Sephora in Georgetown, Washington! I am so surprised this store hasn’t made it to the UK but I think that just makes it a little bit more special when you do get to visit one. I picked up a range of make-up and beauty items, some I had been lusting after for a while and others I grabbed on a whim. I also bought two lipsticks which have gone missing since returning home…I’m still hoping they will turn up one day soon!

First up, a little bottle of Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray that I bought as a present for Ian. I don’t use anything like this in my hair but I’m told this stuff is the best so like the good wife that I am, I popped one in my basket.

Next, a bronzer from Sephora’s own make-up range in the shade Aruba. This formula has some serious shimmer so gives a lovely glow when used. It is quite dark but with a light hand, gives a beautiful golden sun-kissed look.

I had to pick up another one of the Instant Nail Polish Removers when I saw it. It is one of the best I have used and my nail varnish was so badly chipped, I used it as soon as we got back to our hotel room! I was toying with this and the ‘white chocolate’ version from Ciate but it was such a tiny pot for the same price, I thought the Sephora one would last a bit longer.

Next, a Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in the shade Trooper. I had been after one of these eyeliners for so long and they are raved about in the beauty world. I have used this a couple of times and am pretty impressed. The staying power is the best I have seen in a liquid eyeliner. My only complaint is that it isn’t as deep a black as I was expecting but you can build up the colour quite easily. The tip is really unique too – very fine but you can get a thick or thin line from it. I now wish I had picked up a couple of other items from her line as the packaging seems just as beautiful as the products.

A bit of a less glamorous purchase now – deodorant! I have read a lot lately about how harmful aerosol deodorants can be so decided to try a more natural version and see how I get on. I had read recommendations for the Pure Vanilla Healthy Deodorant from LaVanila so picked up a stick.

I picked up these Sephora Sleeping Masks for gifts and really wish I had bought myself one too!

Next, a cleansing oil to try out from Boscia (another one recommended by beauty bloggers). I use these type of cleansers every evening and keep finding gems so hopefully this one will prove as good!

One reason I love/ hate Sephora is how easy they make it for you to spend more than you had planned! I wanted to try out the First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads (a favourite of Lily Pebbles) but when I saw this lovely kit with their Face Cleanser and Ultra Repair Cream included, I decided to try out a bit more from the range.

A real treat now from Tarte. Their Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blushers are raved about but quite pricey. After not buying one the last time I was on holiday, I decided to try out the shade Tipsy, a gorgeous bright coral-pink shade. I also love products that are embossed and this pretty jungle path means I will be really reluctant to use it too much!

I have saved the best for last as this was the purchase I was most excited about trying. I love the ‘Sephora Favourites’ boxes where they select the best items from different brands based on a theme such as ‘bronzers’ (which I have bought in the past). I picked up the ‘Time to Prime’ box which contains a variety of amazing primers. Included is a Formula X Base Coat, an Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, an Urban Decay Subversion Lash Primer, a Smashbox 24-Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer, a Bite Beauty Line and Define Lip Primer and a Living Proof Prime Style Extender for Hair. I think you’ll agree, this is a pretty awesome collection!

Latest Purchases #80 – A Stila Haul

I saw another blogger use some Stila product in a recent post and thought I would hop on over to their website to see what goodies they had to offer. Their current range contains some beautiful items and I have always liked this brand so before I knew it an order was on its way to me!

Here’s what I picked up:

First up a set of their Spring Break lip glazes in the shades Pink Ice, Sheen and Sparkle.  I have a lot of these lip products and they are great for a swipe of colour and gloss. They are slightly on the sticky side when first applied so not great for a windy day with long hair but a lovely set of colours.

Another lip product next – an After Glow Lip Colour in the shade  Tangerine Dream. This is a chunky lip crayon that glows under UV lights. Sadly my clubbing days are a rarity now but I had been after a bright orange lip colour for ages and this is a winner for me! The pigmentation is great and the staying power is pretty good too. It is the perfect red/orange shade for my skin tone and a perfect colour for a summery bold lip.

A blush and lip duo next. I picked up the Positively Pink set which has a chunk of the proceeds going towards Breast Cancer Awareness, a cause close to my heart. This duo contains a blusher palette in Positively Pink and a lip glaze in the shade Splendor. The blusher is a pretty pink shade and the two lighter waves of shimmer give a lovely glow and can be used as a highlighter or mixed together on a large brush and used as a glowy blusher.

Finally, my favourite purchase – the Stila Color Outside the Lines eyeliner set. Presented in a cool silver tin, this set contains five waterproof eyeliners in a fabulous range of colours; Stingray (a matte black), Lionfish (a shimmery bronze), Aubergine (a deep purple with a slight shimmer), Navy (a matte grey-blue) and Emerald (an electric, shimmery turquoise).

The formula of these is amazing – they just don’t budge! The fine, wind-up nib means they stay sharp and don’t need to be sharpened and the smooth formula glides on for a perfect line. I used to wear a lot of bright coloured eyeliners when I was younger (does anyone remember the ‘RU’ range at Superdrug?!) but nowadays tend to stick to a good liquid eyeliner in black. These Stila pencils have really changed my mind about coloured eyeliners and I think they are a great way to add a hint of colour, especially with the turquoise shade!

Have you tried any Stila products? x

Latest Purchases #68 – Illamasqua Mystery Selection

This is a box I bought a little while ago but am only just getting around to really using and I am kicking myself for waiting so long!

I don’t have many Illamasqua products but when I saw this box advertised with contents worth around £120, I decided to risk it and try a few out. This is an amazing edgy British make-up brand, renowned for excellent pigmentation and a daring approach to colour.

Here is what I received in my box:

Six make-up products including one of their cult Precision Ink eyeliners and Liquid Metal eyeshadow creams.

I was really happy to see this box included two nail products and luckily I love them both!

Jan is a creamy pinky lilac shade which I love. It claims to be a chip-resistant which I will gladly put to the test.

The other nail varnish is Gamma; a bright orange. It is described online as a neon orange but I see a coral tone to it to. This one will look great with a tan…wishful thinking in January!

Onto the eyeliner now and I received the shade Glister in their Precision Ink pen. This comes with a pointed sponge applicator and is a beautiful nude/pink shade with a hint of fine glitter. I usually go for darker coloured eyeliners but I think this lighter shade will look great on. After a few swatches, I could see why this item has such amazing reviews – the stuff does not budge! I think I may even try it all over the lid too as this is my go-to shade for a nude eye. I was very impressed with this inclusion to the box.

Staying with another product Illamasqua are famous for now, their Liquid Metal cream eyeshadows. I received the shade Electrum, a beautiful rich gold which can be applied with fingertips to create a sheer wash of colour or built up for a more dramatic look. This is not your low-quality cream eyeshadow that will slip and slide on your eyelids and crease within minutes of wearing it. This is very pigmented and will last.

The last two products were normal powder eyeshadows.

Firstly, Control, a matte off-white shade. This is my least favourite item of them all, simply because I’m not too sure how to best wear it! I think it would be OK as a base colour, or maybe a matte highlighter shade but I will have to have a play around first.

The other shade was Flasher, another matte in a deep olive-green with a hint of brown when applied. This is a lovely texture and easy to blend. Actually, all the eye products have a gold/ nude/ bronze element to them which is right up my street.

The only other thing I would mention is how gorgeous the packaging is; very sleek and easy to open and close.

All in all, this box was an excellent purchase and a great way to get to know the brand. Unfortunately it has completely converted me to Illamasqua which is not so good for my bank balance!

Are there any more must-try Illamasqua goodies I need to know about? x

Beauty Review – February Birchbox

Happy Half Term and a belated Happy Valentine’s Day!

Single, married or dating, I hope you had a lovely day. We had a very low-key Valentine’s Day. I treated us to dinner the night before at our favourite Italian restaurant and Ian surprised me with a bunch of my favourite red tulips (I ask for these every year!), some gorgeous midi rings and a lovely new coat.

We also had the classic M&S meal deal which turned out to be delicious…scallops and chorizo to start, sea bass and potato rostis for our mains then the most indulgent chocolate and raspberry pudding, all washed down with a bottle of white wine.

I also inadvertently discovered a delicious new cocktail made with Morgan’s Spiced rum and cream soda…you should try it!

Despite getting slightly soggy sat in my porch, I received February’s Birchbox this week and it’s another good one! This month’s theme is all about your own personal style, linking in well with London Fashion Week.

Here is my first peek in the bag:

First up, another posh shower gel – this time The London Collection by Gilchrist and Soames. This smells amazing but at £13.75, I won’t be buying a full-sized bottle.

I was really pleased to see a nail varnish included in the box, especially a Leighton Denny bottle. I received the shade Purely Plutonic, a lovely metallic grey. These retail for £11 so are a great inclusion! I like this dark colour and can’t wait to try it out.

Next,  a little glass vial of Beauty Protector’s Protect and Oil. I love using these on the tips of my hair to fix those dry ends and this smells like sweet, sugary syrup!

I have tried out various argan oils on both hair and skin and have always been impressed with the results. This little tube from Janjira is for your face and meant to plump and protect. I think I’ll be using this as a night cream this week.

Eyeko are a brand famed for their eyeliners, even more so now that they have Alexa Chung on board. I haven’t tried this brand before but I love the application of the pen and it seems to have amazing staying power! This has already made its way into my make up bag.

Finally, a little treat to nibble on while blogging, a Green and Black’s chocolate bar…suffice to say it didn’t last too long!

After a few hit and miss months, I think Birchbox are on a roll now. I really like this month’s box and they seem to have a really good variety of items, all of which I will use. I’m already looking forward to March’s Birchbox after seeing that they are teaming up with iconic British brand Lulu Guinnes too!

Beauty Review – My Boots Advent Calendar (Days 12 – 24)

Now that Christmas is starting to wind down, I thought I would share the rest of my advent calendar goodies and my overall views on this non-chocolate alternative.

Day 12 – Boots Nail Shine Solution

I get through clear top coats quite quickly given how often I paint my nails so always welcome a new one to try out. This one from Boots’ Salon range contains sea kelp which is meant to nourish the nails whilst finishing to a high-gloss shine.

Day 13 – Vichy Liftactiv Serum for Eyes and Lashes

A brand I love, this Vichy product is unique in that it claims to not only reduce lines and wrinkles around the eyes but also fortify and strengthen lashes. This is a lovely, hydrating serum which is great on the skin around the eyes but I am yet to see a noticeable difference in my eyelashes.

Day 14 – Couture La La Perfume Sample

A pleasant enough scent but as I mentioned in my last review I don’t think these sample are the most interesting inclusion in these calendars!

Day 15 – Seventeen Tattoo Me Semi-Permanent Liquid Eyeliner

Despite claiming to last for 48 hours (who wears makeup for that long?!), I am looking forward to trialling this. I love a sweep of black eyeliner with cute flicks and this product has received rave reviews from beauty bloggers for its longevity and true black colour.

Day 16 – Spotty Nail File

Always handy but I prefer using a glass nail file and I think this was a bit of a crap gift.

Day 17 – Soap and Glory Flake Away Body Scrub

I already own the full-sized version of this and I love it! It smells delicious and is a great exfoliator. I tend to keep a tub of it in the shower and use a handful before fake-tanning or when I feel I need a good scrub!

Day 18 – Ghost Perfume Sample

This is one of my Mum’s favourite scents so I will be passing this sample onto her to use up.

Day 19 – Carmex Lip Balm

A cult lip product and one that I have started using in the last year. I love the medicinal smell of Carmex and the slight tingle you get when you apply it. I stocked up on the cherry version of this whilst we were in San Francisco as I spotted it for 75cents a tube!

Day 20 – Mavala Pure Diamond Nail Varnish

I really like this nail brand and this clear polish is packed full of glitter pieces. At first I thought it was just silver but in the light it has a gorgeous holographic effect and I think it would look great as a topcoat.

Day 21 – Botanics Heat Protection Shine Serum

I don’t actually use any heat products on my hair but this stuff smells so lovely I will still use it up! It contains camomile which is great for blonde hair and after having my hair dyed again recently, I am keen to keep it in good condition.

Day 22 – Nails Inc Porchester Square

I do already have this shade but it is one of my absolute favourites. A beautiful grey-purple colour, I always receive compliments when I wear this and it is no surprise it is one of Nail Inc’s best-selling shades.

Day 23 – Umberto Giannini ‘Backcomb in a Bottle’

This is a good brand and sounds pretty cool but I just know this is something I will never use on my hair type.

Day 24 – Seventeen Blow Out Mascara

Another Seventeen product that has rather OTT claims, this time to volumise your lashes by up to 12 times their normal size! I can never have enough black mascaras and after a quick look online, this too has received rave reviews. I would never think to try this brand, although the packaging seems to appeal to a younger audience, but I am going to give the eyeliner and mascara a week-long trial and will report back!

Phew – that’s all 24 windows opened, plus a Boots voucher towards any of the products in the calendar! Overall, I have loved this calendar. It is great value for money when you consider it was around the £30 with £70 worth of product included. I have definitely discovered some new brands (Seventeen and Balmi) and received some items from brands I already love (Mavala and Vichy) and I have particularly loved the nail items.

I do feel there was a bit of filler, namely the perfume samples and hair products, but I think that just comes down to personal preferences as I know some people love trying out new perfume samples in beauty boxes.

I will definitely be keeping an eye out for another advent calendar like this next year. I would love the Ciate one filled with nail varnishes but I’m sure there will be a whole new range available next year as more brands jump on this bandwagon.

What do you think of beauty advent calendars? x

Beauty Review – March Birchbox

I decided to make the most of my early morning wake-ups by booking in a haircut and colour for 8am today. It’s amazing how much better you feel when you get rid of your roots and split ends!

I had a very special delivery this week…my very first Beauty Box!

In case you are new to this concept, there are a few companies on the market offering this service whereby you get a box delivered each month with 4-6 beauty and make-up products in it to trial before you buy the full-sized product. These products are from a combination of well-known high-end and new, independent companies so you get to try a whole range of brands. Often the contents of the box are worth around the £40-50 mark but each box costs just £10 plus postage.

Now I know these have been around for ages and are by no means a new thing, but I was very excited when this pink box arrived and I couldn’t wait to see what was inside and start testing out the products.

Included in this month’s box was the Birchbox magazine, which gives you more information on each product, tips on how to use them and various interviews and beauty articles. The theme for this month’s box is ‘Role Models’ and here was my first peek at the contents…

Obviously the first thing I spotted was the heart-shaped tin of Lindt chocolates! These are my absolute favourite chocolates and I know I will enjoy them with a cup of tea!

Right, onto the beauty stuff…

Molton Brown perfume sample in ‘Valbonne’:

 

I haven’t tried any perfumes by Molton Brown before but I do like their bath and shower products. I wasn’t overly keen on this product when I first spritzed it on but it was a real grower and after a few minutes it mellowed to a sweet, slightly earthy and rose scent. I’m not great at describing perfumes but to be honest I doubt anyone would purchase a perfume without trying it out themselves first! The full-sized bottle of this retails for £65, which is more than I would usually spend on a perfume, but I may keep my eyes peeled for it in the sale!

Yu-Be Moisturiser:

Next up is a very small tube of this cult Japanese moisturiser. It can be used anywhere on the body to tackle dry skin and I tested it out as a hand cream and a lip balm. The smell is lemony with a slight medicinal edge but this doesn’t linger once applied. When I first put it on my hands it was slightly greasy but it dried smoothly quite quickly and left my hands feeling incredibly soft. On my lips, it was absorbed quickly and they definitely felt softer afterwards too. It’s a shame there wasn’t slightly more of this sample as I would have liked to try it as a body cream after a shower but I have heard it is coming to Boots and is already in SpaceNK so I will look out for it and would definitely buy this again.

Laura Geller Gel Liner in ‘Purple’:

 

The only make-up item in this month’s box was this Inkwell waterproof eye liner by Laura Geller. There is a fine brush concealed in the handle and a little pot of highly pigmented colour, which makes the product compact and great for travelling. I am slightly annoyed as I have only just made an online order for another purple liquid eyeliner but you can never have too many! It is easy to get the colour on the brush and you can create a thick or thin line depending on the look you want.

The product is quite creamy in application but it dries quickly and the pigmentation and staying power is very impressive, although if you aren’t used to the gel eyeliners it may take a bit of practice to get used to applying them. I haven’t tried any Laura Geller products before and this product retails for £24.50 so feels like a real bargain!

La Sultane de Saba Body Lotion with Argan Oil:

I use body lotion once, sometimes twice, a day so I am always on the lookout for a new product to try. I was intrigued by this one containing Argan Oil as I thought this was predominantly in hair products. It has been somewhat of a trendy ingredient in recent months so I wanted to see what it would be like in a body lotion. I have to say I wasn’t blown away by the packaging, considering it is a luxe brand and it was quite difficult to get out of the bottle. There was no real scent to speak of – it actually reminded me of that delicate, powdery smell of baby lotions. Upon application, this product was absorbed into the skin very quickly, leaving behind a fresh, powdery scent. This was a good moisturiser, leaving my skin feeling very soft, and given the handy size I will be packing it for our city break this weekend!

Sanctuary Active Reverse Facial:

I haven’t tried this yet but thought it was only fair to do a quick write-up about it. I am a fan of Sanctuary products and this two-step facial claims to ‘dramatically improve the appearance of your skin’ so I can’t wait to give it a go! There is a serum to apply first then a warming rose clay mask…if it is any good I’ll let you know.

Plump ‘N’ Thick Leave in Thickening Hair Mask by Nick Chavez:

Finally, a hair product to thicken your tresses. I never choose any sort of volumising or uplifting hair treatments so I wasn’t that fussed about this product to be honest. I tried it out on dry hair first and it didn’t really have much of an effect. This spray didn’t really make much difference on my towel-dried hair either. It did smell lovely though and maybe it is a miracle product for the right hair type so this will be passed on as a gift to my Mum!

Overall, I am pleased with my first arrival from Birchbox and I have decided to give this a 3 month trial before renewing or cancelling my subscription. There was a good range of quality products, many of which I may not have come across on my own, and I love the fact that my favourite chocolates were included too!

However, there is an argument that my £10 would be better spent on one decent product that I definitely want and will use so I think I will wait and see what next month’s box holds!

Latest Purchases #11 – My Poundland Haul!

Up until the weather let us down, Ian and I were planning a little Halloween/ Bonfire Night gathering at our house and I wanted a few cheap and cheerful decorations to make our house look a bit more seasonal.

I had a feeling that the rain would end up scuppering our plans (and it did!) and I didn’t want to spend a fortune on decorations that I wouldn’t end up using, so I popped along to a nearby Poundland to get a few basics.

Now, I don’t usually associate Poundland with beauty buys but there are several products that have been mentioned on the beauty blogs that I had to check out whilst I was in there.

Poundland often stock pretty good brands in the beauty and make up section so if you like a bargain then it is worth popping down. Yes, there isn’t an amazing selection and you have to work hard to pick out the decent items, but I found some beauties! 

Let me start by saying that when it comes to make-up and beauty products, I do love my brands! I will quite often save up for make-up that I know deep down may be quite overpriced but I am also not a snob and if I can find a decent product at a low price then I am willing to give it a go. You do have to forsake the pretty packaging that usually comes with the pricier products but I guess it is what the make-up looks like on your face that is important.

I had heard on the beauty blog grapevine that Poundland were actually stocking some items from one of my favourite make up brands, Stila, which is usually sold at posh places like Space. NK. but unfortunately I didn’t find any Stila items this time.

Here’s what I did manage to find:

Juicy Lipstick: this is very similar to the Just Bitten Kissable stick by Revlon and the Chubby Stick by Clinique which are both very popular at the moment. I bought the lipstick shade Peony which is a lovely, natural-looking pale pink. It went on very smoothly and gave a subtle colour whilst feeling like it was moisturising my lips. Quite frankly, for a pound, these are great to have in your handbag and I would purchase more shades in the range.

Sally Hansen Nail Varnish: I thought this was a real bargain as this brand is usually £5+ on the high street. I used her nail products when I was trying to stop biting my nails to strengthen them again and it worked wonders. This nude shade is lovely and it is good quality stuff.

Glitter Nail Varnish: I bought two bottles of this; one in an electric blue and one with multi-coloured glitter. I used the blue glitter on my nails this week and I was really impressed with it. The glitter comes in different sized pieces meaning every nail looks slightly different and this allows you to build up the glitter layers until you achieve the desired effect.

Pale Blue Nail Varnish: I also used this colour on my nails this week and was pleased with the coverage. I had to apply two layers but it hasn’t chipped at all and I love pastel shades. As you can see, the bottle is cheap and cheerful but it does the job!

Gel Eyeliner: this came with a handy little applicator brush. I am a relatively new liquid eyeliner convert and am still trying different brands until I find my favourite one. I thought this would be quite interesting to buy for a quid and if I liked it then I could have a look for a better brand. My friend recommended the gel eyeliner by Clinique and after trying this one I think I would give it a go. This eyeliner was really simple to apply and would be perfect if you are trying to achieve a smoky eye effect rather than a crisp line as it gives quite a soft and smudged look.

Nail Tips – I am yet to try these but will blog about them when I do. I will probably save these for Christmas as I think the white, glittery tips will look snow-kissed!

Cheek Stain: this was one of the products I had my eye on before I went shopping and, as beauty fans will know, it is a version of Benefit’s Benetint which is somewhat of a cult product and one I have used myself for years. I ran out of my Benetint a little while ago and kept meaning to replace it but when I heard about this version I had to give it a try. Now there are those who think that part of Benefit’s charm is the very cool and retro-style packaging (which I LOVE!) and good marketing, both of which bump the price up. Benetint retails for about £25 but does last for ages.

Poundland’s version has very similar packaging and I have to say gives pretty much the same effect and lasts just as long. This is a liquid stain which looks very dark in the bottle but dries much lighter. Simply pop some on your cheeks and blend with your fingertips. You can also use this as a lip stain.

Highlighter: this is another Benefit-inspired product, very similar to their HighBeam, which is meant to subtly accentuate your cheek and brow bones. I also have a bottle of the Benefit stuff and have to say that this version does not quite live up to the original in the same way the cheek stain does. It is slightly lumpy in the bottle and the quality of the brush is poor.

However, when it is on your cheeks it is a good product and provides a lovely sheen. I will use this product and again it is simple to use and can be applied with your fingertips.

And finally, two other random items that don’t quite fit into the beauty part of this post but ones which I wanted to share in case you want a few bargain gift ideas!

My Owl Shopping List: owls are having somewhat of a renaissance at the moment and seem to be everywhere…on jumpers, cushions and jewellery. I couldn’t resist this pad for my fridge; cute and useful!

My Porcelain Measuring Cups: I loved the pale colours of these and knew straight away that they would go with my kitchen as well as being very handy for baking. There are three cups to measure out 50ml, 25ml and 20ml.

Phew…all of this stuff for just £10! You can’t argue with that! x

Review – E.L.F

Apologies if you clicked on this thinking it was a review of a certain Christmas film starring Will Ferrell…it’s a make-up post (sorry boys!)

Any girl can imagine my delight when a box like this arrived with my name on full of goodies!

E.L.F (or Eyes Lips Face) is a beauty brand from the US that is renowned for having a wide range of products at very low prices. They can afford to be so cheap due to focused marketing campaigns and selling online as opposed to on the high street. I have noticed that the website often has sales or offers on, such as ‘free postage if you spend x amount’ or ‘half price on all nail products’ which is when I bought my stuff, making the nail varnishes £1.25 each!

They offer several different ranges from their basic products to mineral make up. All appear to be very reasonably priced and so far I have been pleased with the products I have bought but as with anything, there are certain items that you would rather spend the extra money on for a better quality product (for me, that includes make-up brushes, foundation, bronzer and mascara).

However, there are some things where it is quite good to get a bargain as you may only use the product a few times or buy it in a particular ‘on trend’ colour that means you will only use it for a season. For me, that is nail varnish!

I have struggled all my life trying not to bite my nails and it has been my New Year’s Resolution for as long as I can remember! I have had good nail periods but in times of stress (recently,  this was the SATs exams!) I revert back to it, somewhat subconsciously.

However, I have worked hard to get my long nails back and decided an ELF order was the perfect way to reward myself with some new colours!

I do keep my ear to the ground on each season’s colour trends but I also think there are some classic colours like a good nude, bright red and coral that I will use time and time again on my fingers and toes.

I bought these a few weeks ago and in that time have tried out quite a few of the colours. My favourite nail varnishes are those by MAC and Chanel and it is fair to say that the ELF ones aren’t as good quality, but for about a tenth of the price that was kind of what I was expecting.

Nonetheless, two coats of the ELF shades do give you decent coverage and most of my manicures lasted over a week which included some gardening sessions, papier-mâché with my class and general day-to-day cleaning.

First up I tried Nude. With nude coloured clothes, shoes and nail varnishes, it is important that the shade that you buy matches your skin tone. I think this nail varnish does just that and looks clean and fresh.

Next up in my pampering session was a pedicure and Lilac on my toes. Sorry about these pictures but I don’t have the prettiest feet and it is hard to find a flattering shot of them! This shade has actually lasted for 2 weeks and is still going strong.

A week later and it was time for a change and my new favourite shade, Mint Cream. I received so many compliments wearing this and think it just looks so fresh and summery.

Next was a slightly darker and smokier nude shade called Desert Haze.

I also couldn’t resist buying a clear matt nail varnish which you paint over the top of a coloured nail varnish to get rid of the shininess and have a matt finish. I hope the pictures below capture the difference between my two thumb nails, one with the gloss effect and one with the matt.

Finally, Fire Coral. The red/orange shade is very ‘in’ this summer and I love how bright and vibrant it looks and how it surprisingly goes with a lot of things I wear. It is also very flattering with a tan (something I am still working on!)

I did buy a few other items but some of them are gifts so I won’t show all of them on here! Here are some short reviews of a few other products:

Liquid Eyeliner: this has quite a thin brush but offers good, long-lasting coverage so is fine as long as you have a steady hand when applying it.

Fake Lashes: I have used these before and was very happy with them although I have read mixed reviews on the glue that comes with them. They really fill out your lashes and don’t look ‘fake’…the TOWIE look really isn’t for me! You can wear them as they are or trim them to fit your own lashes. One make-up blog I read recommends cutting off a small amount and applying them to the outer corners of your eyes for a more natural look.

All Over Colour Stick: this is a very handy item to have in your handbag as it can be used as an eyeshadow, blusher and a lipstick. There are several shades available; I went for a warm peachy-pink colour.

Finally, Shine Eraser Sheets because sometimes you just need a little help there!