The Best Festive Nail Varnishes

L-R: Barry M 'Starlight', Model's Own 'Jack Frost', China Glaze 'Cleopatra', Models Own 'Dancing Queen' and Nails Inc 'Alexa Sequin'

L-R: O.P.I 'Play the Peonies', Essie 'Carry On', Nails Inc 'Tate', Jessica 'Venus Was Her Name' and Nails Inc 'Motcomb Street'

Now the festive season is in full swing, it is a great excuse to crack out the glitter nail varnishes. I've picked 5 of my favourites perfect for Christmas parties and 5 bases that work really well layered with the glitters or by themselves for a glossy plain manicure. These polishes offer a multitude of combinations, a few of which I have suggested below.

'Tate' is a deep red by Nails Inc which is opaque with two coats and works really well with a new offering from Barry M called 'Starlight'. The packing is super cute but the formula is quite gloopy. However, the thicker nature of the polish is packed with glitter and means the particles stick to your nails more easily. I love the stars included in this polish but you need to make sure to seal them well with a top coat otherwise the points can sticks up and catch. I will definitely be sporting this on Christmas Day.

The next combination is different to the traditional dark shades of this time of year but I think is so pretty and reminds me of fresh snow. The base is 'Play the Peonies' by O.P.I which is a pearlescent white with the tiniest hint of a pink undertone. Applying two thin layers of Model's Own 'Jack Frost' on top, the combination gives a subtle iridescent glow. 'Jack Frost' is again packed with glitter but in comparison the particles are much smaller and have a bluey green tinge to them.

In terms of the darker hues 'Venus Was Her Name' by Jessica is a dark yet vibrant purple, Essie's 'Carry On' is similar but a much deeper rich burgundy and finally 'Motcomb Street' by Nails Inc is a wonderful inky blue. My top picks for glitters which look amazing on top of these include 'Cleopatra' by China Glaze - a thin formula filled with a majority of tiny particles of antique gold and a few flecks of iridescent glitter similar to those featured in 'Jack Frost', another varnish from Model's Own which this time is full of chunky, different shaped glitter with a range of green blue and gold hues running through it. And finally a relatively new release from a collaboration between Nails Inc and Alexa Chung packaged in the new bottles is 'Sequin'* polish - a black base filled with bright gold particles.

What are your favourite festive nail varnish picks? xxx

June Favourites | 2014 |

I normally like to do my monthly round up of beauty favourites in video form as it allows me to ramble on a little bit longer but I just don't have time to film it this month which is a shame. There is lots I've been enjoying though so I knew that a blog post would have to be written to compensate!

001. Essie Peach Daquiri: I'm not sure why but this is a shade of pink that I don't normally pick but it is actually so pretty once on the nails, especially on your toes. The wear of this is amazing too - I know some people find Essie polishes don't tend to last that long but this lasted over a week until any major chipping started. I've now taken it off my fingers but it will definitely be featuring on my toes throughout summer.

002. Stila Kitten: This is a new eye shadow base that has worked its way into my every day make up from the day I bought it. I love cream shadows and this has been on my 'to buy' list for around 2 years or something silly! It is the perfect base for so many different looks, especially for lazy days when you need something easy and quick. A full review of this will be up soon.

003. Stila Convertible blush in 'Gerbera': Another new buy, this multi purpose product was something I was never sure about. A while ago there was a lot of hype around these but I've never been overly enamoured by cream blushes so although I was intrigued it wasn't a must buy for me. However, this is such a pretty natural shade which is perfect for girls who are a bit scared of cream blush as it blends out so nicely and it also lasts the whole day. It is gorgeous on the lips too and I've reached for this more often than my other powder blushes through the month of June. I'm definitely a convert and on the look out for more shades!

004. L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil: This is one of those shower products which is such a treat to use and one that I try and save for special occasions rather than every day. L'Occitane is one of my favourite brands and they have really got it right with their shower oil. The smell is sweet and just strong enough and the oil lathers gently into a nourishing milk which leaves skin feeling moisturised, soft and lightly scented. This is a great product for those of you who have dry skin or if you are a little lazy and can't be bothered with moisturiser. I loved it so much I bought a bottle for my mum!

005. Champneys Spa Indulgence Distant Shores Daily Shower Scrub: Another little luxury is this scrub from Champneys. For some reason I am really getting into their products at the moment. It is more of an every day treat scrub for me as the gel like scrub is not that harsh but the smell is divine (note: I need the bubble bath of this scent!) and the formula is enriched with grapefruit, lemon and orange fruit peels as well as mango and passion fruit extracts, which leaves your skin so smooth and smelling delicious.

006. The Bodyshop Early Harvest Raspberry Body Scrub: It's kind of strange having two favourite scrubs but I love this one for different reasons. This is much more scrubby than the Champneys version but smells amazing too - I think you can tell I have a theme with my shower products! It looks and smells exactly like jam while including just the right amount of scrub so you don't have to use it every day. The Raspberry range from the Body Shop is by far my favourite and I already have back up stocks of the shower gel and body butter.

007. Glossy reds: I'm known for switching up my make up look on a daily basis and rarely reach for the same lip product but this month I've been enjoying bright glossy reds on the lips. I think they go well with all types of bases and eye looks and just look so pretty in the summer time. I quite like a matte lip but since the weather has warmed up I think a glossy shine looks gorgeous. My favourites at the moment are the Bourjois  Colour Boost lipstick stick in 'Red Sunrise' and Revlon's 'Wild Watermelon' lip butter. They are both lightweight, glossy and have great colour pay off and both have surprisingly good lasting power.

008. MAC Snob: I waxed lyrical about Max's creme cup last month which I am still utterly obsessed with but snob has also stolen my heart this month. It is creme cup's pink toned sister and looks amazing with Chanel gloss in '144' too which I will be writing up a post about.

009. The Body Shop Tea Tree BB cream: Yep, I'm pretty much obsessed with the Body Shop at the moment but everything I have been lusting after and finally purchased has lived up to my expectations. This BB cream has surpassed everything and has not only turned into my favourite BB cream but my favourite base! I will be writing a full post with details but basically it is the perfect texture, coverage and formula and is bargainous to boot!

010. Baby B Browne Tanning Lotion*: I've only ever used tanning mousses (my fave being st mortiz) but was thrilled when I got the opportunity to try out this lotion. I am in love with this tan and it has become my favourite very quickly! It gives such a nice deep colour, smells like vanilla (yum!) and lasts ages without going patchy! It has even made me prefer lotions to mousses now. I will be doing a full review of this very soon too.

I know that we are well into July now but I hope you like my picks for July! What have you been loving recently? xxx

NOTD: Essie | 'Bikini So Teeny' & Models Own | 'Sunset Chillout'

Essie | 'Bikini So Teeny' £7.99  - Models Own | 'Sunset Chillout' £5

A NOTD post hasn't made an appearance for such a long time which is silly because I change my nail varnish pretty much every week! This particular combination I've never tried before but I quite like the effect. 

The base colour is Essie's Bikini So Teeny which was from their summer range last year that I rushed out to purchase as soon as it was released. It is supposed to be a bright cornflour blue with a very slight amount of shimmer running through it. I find if you apply more than two coats of this however, the polish takes on a darker and more grey element, which is what happened this time around. This bottle also features the newer brush which is larger than the original, making application a breeze. In terms of chip wear I would say this polish lasted around 3 days, but bearing in mind this has a glitter topcoat which reinforces base shades I don't think that is the best. 

This Model's Own glitter is one of my favourites - I've said it once but I'll say it again, they hands down do the BEST glitters!! The Hed Kandi range in particular is awesome and this mixture of shapes and colours of  this glitter just works so well with loads of different polishes and is a great choice for summer.

Do you have any favourites by Essie or Model's Own? xxx

February Favourites | 2014 |

I know that we are half way through March now but I couldn't resist posting about my favourites from February now I've got some time to concoct more posts. This installment features make up, nail varnish and body care - I hope you enjoy it whether you read or listen about them. I also added a little bit of an update at the beginning of the video too.

1. Revlon Colour Stay Concealer: I've spoken about this at length on my channel and its definitely taken the place as my new favourite concealer. The texture and pigmentation of the formula is amazing, it is easy to blend, long wearing and not at all ashy or orange. It is the better version of Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer in my eyes.

2. Garnier Micellar Water: Finally, I think I've found my holy grail micellar water! I've reviewed quite a few different variations of micellar waters on this blog and always found fault in them but this offering from Garnier is amazing and for a bargain price of under £5. It removes make up well before proper cleansing (even stubborn eye make up) and leaves no greasy residue, just a lovely fresh feeling.

3. Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation: This is actually a surprise favourite. When these first popped up on blogs I was unsure as the name suggests a very sheer and dewy product. However, while the foundation is very viscous like I thought it would be, the pigmentation is very strong so only a little bit is needed to provide coverage for blemishes and pigmentation and therefore still looks very natural. The lasting power is also great and it is much more matte than I thought it would be too. The only downside is the lack of pump.

4. Revlon JBKBS in 'Crush': Full review here. An oldie but a goodie, I wore this a lot in Paris after shopping my stash. Long lasting, great pigmentation and just a beaut colour this is a great all round lip crayon. Also I didn't realise until I compiled my list that all the make up items are Revlon I'm not sponsored by them, promise!

5. Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter: On a daily basis I prefer body lotions to butters as I find they take ages to sink in so leave them for after the bath on an evening. However, the righteous butter is different - it leaves skin deeply hydrated and smooth like you would expect from a butter but only takes a minute or two to sink in which is great on a busy morning. The signature pink scent is also lovely.

6. Barry M Gelly Varnish in 'Lychee', Essie 'Mint Candy Apple' and Illamasqua 'Freckle': These are the 3 polishes that have graced my nails for the month of Feb. Lychee is an understated shade that is super shiny, goes with any look and can be layered with lots of different glitters. Mint Candy Apple is a blogger fave and I can see why as it is such a perfect mint shade. Finally one of the more unusual polishes that I have is Freckle which is a gorgeous light purple with matte different sized glitter particles in which creates a speckled effect on the nails.

7. Victoria Secret Body Sprays in 'Strawberries & Champagne', 'Amber Romance', 'Mango Temptation' and 'Aqua Kiss': I had been waiting to get my paws on these body sprays for ages and was really happy when I popped to the store near Oxford Street as they have a deal where you can get 3 sprays for around £25. I tried to get a mixture of scents including musky, sweet and fresh. I try and use them sparingly but love every scent I picked up.

What is your favourite product of the moment? xxx

NOTD: Essie | Aperitif | + a dupe!

Essie // Aperitif // £7.99 - Barry M // Blood Orange // £3.99

A while ago I went to a fancy dress party as Alice in Wonderland and was in search of the perfect red nail varnish. I knew I had a few different shades at home but at this point I was (and still am) a little obsessed with the Gelly range by Barry M. I picked up their slightly misleadingly named 'Blood Orange' red shade and then realised once I got home and compared it to my other rouge toned varnishes that it was basically exactly the same as one I already had from Essie - doh! 

The main reason I didn't return it however is because of the different formula. While Essie's 'Aperitif' is a classic 3 shades and you're golden job, with the Barry M Gelly range you can get away with a one coat super glossy manicure. In both cases the shade is a slightly orange toned red and that isn't where the similarities end. They also have very similar brushes in width and design, with Essie's being just a little more square.

If you are on a budget or looking for a fuss free and quick mani then go for the dupe. But if you do have those extra pennies and time or are just a bit of a nail varnish snob then the Essie is fabulous too. There is something luxe and special about applying an Essie polish and I'm pleased to have it part of my collection. The formula is a little more easy to control as it is thinner and therefore means you can build up more layers and have in theory a longer lasting paint job. 

Two reds for two different occasions - which would you pick? xxx

NOTD: Essie | Carry On |

At the moment, I am obsessed with all shades of berry, burgundy and deep purples. I know they are a bit of a cliche for this time of year, but for some reason this time around I've been loving these kind of colours. I usually go for bright shades on my nails but 'Carry On' has quickly made it's way into my favourites. This bottle is from the original range, not the drugstore diffusion lines so has a different brush and slightly different design. This shade looked great with just one application, but I chose to do another out of habit and to make sure it was completely opaque. As you can see it's a lovely deep, reddy purple which I think will go with a lot of outfits this season. I also think this is a great colour to layer up different types of glitter to make it more special for the party season and get a lot of different looks out of it.

The wear time on it was pretty impressive too - I had up to 4 days of no tip wear or anything! As the colour is dark I would recommend a good base coat to stop it from staining your nails. I used Essie's protein base coat with a cheap maybelline top coat over the top (note to self: buy Seche Vitte!) It's also a bit tricky to apply dark shades perfectly but I tried my best!

You may have noticed that I havn't put a price or where you can buy this polish like I normally do with products I review, but that is because it wasn't part of the diffusion range which is cheaper (I think) in Boots or Superdrug and I'm not sure if you can get this colour in department stores such as John Lewis which do stock the original Essie. I think it very much depends where you get yours from as to the price (Essie is available online too), but I got mine in a set of 3 at TK Maxx for around £12 which is a barry bargain! 

What do you think of this nail colour? What are your favourite Autumn/Winter nail shades? xxx

Wishlist Wednesday #6

I havn't done this type of post in ages so thought now was a good time to give a little update of what I'm lusting after. I've been updating my wishlist like crazy with all kinds of bits including make up, books, skincare etc in preparation for Christmas :) Even though that sounds ridiculously early (which it probably is) I'm trying to buy presents for my loved ones early so I don't run out of time and money so if they are thinking the same it is nice to have an updated list! Plus I can't get enough of Christmas and have even started burning my first Christmas candle to get me into the spirit! 

Lush Sunnyside Bubble Bar: There is literally nothing to not like about this product! It creates lots of lovely bubbles with a "Sweet Wild Orange" scent, plus turns your bath water gold with lots of glitter! I don't have a bath at uni (sob) so when I go home I like to indulge myself with quite a few soaks in the tub. I'll be sure to stock up in Lush with some of their bombs, melts and bubble bars to give myself a little treat. I think they would make great stocking fillers too :)

Origins Vitazing: This particular product has been on my wishlist a while as I've been developing my collection of bases. It's described as 'a multi-tasking moisturiser', with mangosteen that provides radiance and a sheer tint meaning it can give you a bit of a glow on a 'no makeup' day or provide as a good primer for your base of choice. I'm still loving my light bases so this would be a great addition.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel: After reading a review on the Sunday Girl I knew I needed this in my life! She has the same skin type as me (oily) but still raved about this even though the gel transforms into an oil when washing away your make up. It sounds like an indulgent treat and in the evening I like something to pamper me to make the dull task of taking off make up a little bit more enjoyable.

Fushi Really Good Hair Oil: I've been getting more into my oils, but was left feeling a little let down by some such as the Macadamia Oil. I love the VO5 miracle oil though which is a pre-shampoo treatment and this product is along the same lines. You can leave it as an overnight mask or before shampooing and it is meant to really repair any damage while being 100% natural. 

Essie Topless and Barefoot: This is such a gorgeous sophisticated shade that would go with pretty much any outfit for any occasion. I don't have any other nail varnishes this colour so it would be a lovely addition to my collection.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of this weeks wishlist? xxx

NOTD: Essie | Cocktail Bling |

If you've been reading this blog for a while or know me personally, then upon looking at this picture you would realise this isn't really a 'me' colour. I'm all about the pinks and bright colours, but recently I've been branching out to nail colours I wouldn't normally reach for (see this other Essie shade). However, I spotted this colour along with an Essie nail fortifying base coat I've been hankering after for a while in a pack for £7.99!!! How could I resist two Essie polishes for that price?? So naturally I had to buy them and tried them out as soon as I got home. 

The brush was large and made for easy application, but I had to layer around 3 thin layers for a good opaque finish. Although this isn't a colour I would see and want to pay full price for, I have to say that this colour is really growing on me, and its always nice to have a variety of colours in your stash! I thought the name for the varnish was a bit odd because 'disco bling' to me makes me think of a bright glittery colour and this is clearly not the case! It's much more of a cement grey, so maybe that would have been a bit more apt. It's not much of a summer colour, so I expect that this will get alot of use in the autumn and winter. But as it is summer at the moment I had to use my current obsession of Model's Own Hed Kandi polish for glitter tips to make the colour a bit more 'me' and summery. I've literally used this glittery with every nail colour I've put on since I bought it! It's just sooo pretty :)

What do you think of this Essie shade? xxx

NOTD: Essie | Turquoise & Caicos |

Previous to my little haul I did yesterday, my next nail colour of choice was going to be my new Barry M purple shade. However, considering my first NOTD was Barry M, I chose to go with this new Essie shade I picked up yesterday instead. 'Turquoise & Caicos' is my first ever Essie purchase and to be honest when I first put it on my nails I wasn't sure. This is my only turquoise/green shade I have as I am normally a pinky/purpley kinda girl, but I've been trying to get out of a beauty and fashion rut at the moment so am trying many new things. However, after finishing applying the colour it has really grown on me and its lovely to have something a bit different. The brush was great for application as it was quite big and wide, although I had to apply 3-4 thin coats in order to get a good opaque colour, but the varnish did dry quickly. From most of the reviews I've read, Essie polishes can vary on how good the wear is depending on which colour, so I will be interested to see how long this lasts. One of the plus points of Essie is the simple packaging. I love the clear raised name of the brand on the bottle and the little 'e' on the top of the brush.

I was also desperate to try out my new Models Own nail varnish so painted just my fourth finger on each hand to jazz it up a bit (I'm a sucker for a bit of sparkle!) I really liked this polish too and was so pleased it lived up to the hype! I think it will suit literally every shade of nail varnish there is so it was a good investment :)

What do you think of this shade? And what other Essie polishes do you recommend? xxx

I Just Can't Help Myself...

Another week, another haul...I think I need to place a spending ban on myself! After reading many other blogs/watching youtube videos I couldn't help but purchase some of the stuff they had recommended. Of course more detailed reviews will be made in upcoming posts, but for now I will give you an overview...

Essie Nail Varnish in 39: My first Essie purchase ever! The choice was between this or 'Cute as a Button' but considering I have so many pink shades I decided to buy this one instead :) Really looking forward to trying this out.

Models Own Hed Kandi Nail Varnish in Disco and Ibiza: These were also a first for me as I don't have any other Models Own varnishes. I have wanted the Ibiza shade for sooo long, so was really pfleased when I saw that Boots stocked it! As it was 2 for £8 I also went for a gold glitter shade because I originally went in for the No 7 version with my £5 voucher after seeing Sprinkle of Glitter mention it, however they didn't have it in stock so got the Models Own one instead.

Gold Cuff Necklace: When it comes to fashion, I'm not much of an accessory person but I am trying to rectify this by buying some different kinds of high street jewelry. I only actually own 3 necklaces would you believe, and these are all delicate pieces, so when I saw Shirley wearing it in various posts and videos I thought I would go for it...and I love it! I'm really looking forward to testing it out with various outfits and looks.

Stud and Hoop Earrings: Not much to say about these purchases apart from the fact that I am a sucker for earrings! I don't normally buy much gold so these were good purchases for broadening my jewelry collection.

Lush Each Peach Massage Bar: After seeing Louise's video on her favourite lush products I had to try this out and was the main reason I popped into Lush. I have tried a few products in the past when they were bought as gifts including some bath bombs, the heart shaped chocolate massage bar and the cupcake face mask so thought I would go with something different. This smells lovely and melts really easily into the skin.

Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Facemask: I really like the Lush facemasks although I think the pots are rather small :(! This is a version I havn't tried but suits my skin type. I have been trialing various face masks at the moment to try and find ones that really suit me and address certain issues I have with my skin. I saw this on Sophia's blog and I think also Estee's - as I trust both their opinions I thought this would be a good one to try.

Lush Tea Tree Toner Spray: This was much more of an impulse purchase (woopsie!) but recently I have been thinking about purchasing a new toner as the current one I'm using is feeling a bit too harsh (the fact you need to wear an added SPF with it highlights this!) plus I have been wanting to try out a spray toner since seeing lots of reviews for various brands of them recently. This is formulated for my skin type so am looking forward to trying it out - especially because of the novelty of the spray (I am that easily pleased!)

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of my haul? xxx