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Tuesday 29 October 2013

Candy Nails

I was feeling creative yesterday so decided to think outside the box and paint my nails a bit different. They reminded me of candy floss and I just think they're a nice way to brighten up these rainy days. 



The first thing I did was paint the entire nail with one coat of Fiji by Essie, then apply two more coats to the left side of the nail (or right side, which ever you prefer). The one coat over the entire nail gives a nice base/primer for any other colours I use. 



I then painted the other side of the nail in Sinful Colour's 24/7. 



I finished the nails by putting a stripe of glitter down the centre, I used a H&M polish in Jo Is In The House, and then applied a clear topcoat.
  



I thought they were pretty easy to do, so if you're in a creative mood give this look a go and let me know how yours turned out.

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Sigma Dupes?: Bargain eBay Brushes

I recently bought some new brushes after seeing some YouTubers rave about these particular brushes. They’re meant to be dupes for the Sigma brushes but for a fraction of the price. The set I bought for £10.26, yes £10.26, came with 8 brushes (4 large brushes for the face and 4 small brushes for eyeshadow or contouring). 



 The first thing I want to mention about these brushes is the quality; the bristles are so so soft, they feel much more expensive than they are and the handle is also very sturdy and expensive feeling. I don’t actually own any of the Sigma brushes so can’t compare them but I honestly don’t think they could be much better than these (other than a brand name on the side of the brush). 



These brushes are available in a set of 4 (4 large brushes OR 4 small brushes), a set of 8 (4 large brushes AND 4 small brushes), and a set of 10 (5 large brushes AND 5 small brushes). I just got the set of 8 because I really didn’t think I needed the extra 2 brushes. The one thing I will say about these brushes though is when they got delivered (which was extremely quick from China) there was a strong chemically scent, so definitely give them a wash before using them. 

If your in the market for new brushes I’d highly recommend these brushes for the high quality and bargain price. You can buy them here on eBay and it's free p&p!

Have you tried these brushes? What are your bargain brushes?

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx

Wednesday 16 October 2013

The Versatile Blogger Award



"The Versatile Blogger Award is an award given to you from your blogger peers, for writing quality posts that have somehow touched them, having good quality photographs, and the uniqueness of the subjects covered. The award is to honour the bloggers who bring something special to your life"

I have been nominated by Rachael from All The Little Things x. Thanks so much Rachael, it means so much. Go and check out her blog too!

The Rules:
  • Display the award certificate on your blog
  • Announce your win and thank the blogger who nominated you
  • Present 15 deserving bloggers with the award
  • Link your nominees in this post and let them know of their nomination with a comment
  • Post 7 interesting things about yourself


7 Interesting(ish) Things About Me:
  • I have a Chinese Dwarf Hamster called Dougal; he likes playing with my hair and making LOTS of noise at night.
  • I like some strange foods like OXO and Marmite but I eat them on their own.
  • I talk to myself when cooking or doing my makeup.
  • I really wish I could sing.
  • I love anything to do with Medieval History, I find it so interesting.
  • I hate any kind of insect, be it fly, spider or ladybird.
  • I’ve realised after reading my facts that I am a bit strange! Haha.


My Chosen Bloggers:

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx

Monday 14 October 2013

Nails Of The Day

I've decided to choose a more Autumnal colour today as the weather hasn't been too great the past week and I just wanted to get in the Winter Christmassy mood (October I know, but I'm an early starter).


I'm wearing Sinful Colours (which I've mentioned in a previous post) and this shade is called Dancing Nails. It's a lovely cranberry colour with just enough hint of a sparkle. 

What nail polish have you been loving this week? 

Thanks for reading! (apologises for the quick post, uni is hectic!!)
Michelle xx

Friday 11 October 2013

Top 10 Under £10

These are my top 10 products which are all under £10...


Batiste Dry Shampoo (£2.99 Boots)
This is my favourite of the bunch of dry shampoos available, because it’s cheap at £2.99 and it does a good job at reviving my hair that needs washing. The scent I like is blush, just because I quite like that floral smell.

American Cream Conditioner (£8.95/250g Lush)
I mentioned this product in a recent Lush haul, so if you would like a longer review on this click here. I really like the scent of this conditioner, I also like Lush products because they don’t contain all the nasties that other beauty products contain.  However, I do feel like I have to use a lot of this conditioner to feel the benefit, but the pros for me (e.g. the scent) out weigh the cons. 

17 Miracle Matte Face Powder (£5.49 Boots)
I like this powder as I it keeps my face matte most of the day, not all of the day but I’m quite used to that. I usually have to powder my face once or twice throughout the day. I also like the fact it is an inexpensive product which lasts a long time.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo (£4.99 Boots)
I have two shades in this the pomegranate one and this one which is my favourite; it is the colour ‘on and on bronze’. I usually put this on and then apply a bronze eyeshadow over the top. It keeps my eyeshadow on a lot longer without creasing and really makes the colour pop. I’m nearly all out of this so I will have to buy another very soon!


Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24hr in Black (£7.99 Boots)
I have had this for well over a year and I have still got lots of product left in the jar which hasn't dried up at all. I hear people talk about gel eyeliners and the fact they dry up, but this isn’t something I’ve experienced with this eyeliner, which is great. I use this with a Bobbi Brown eyeliner brush which I wet beforehand (to make the hair strands stick together giving a more precise line).

MUA Trio Pallette in Innocence (£2.50 Superdrug)
This is an eyeshadow I use when I want to do a quick eyeshadow routine. I use the lightest shade on the inner corner of my eye and on my brow bone, the bronze shade all over my lid, and the darkest colour in my crease. I was so impressed when I got this as it was only £2.50, but the pigmentation is brilliant and the colours look so pretty, especially the darkest shade which kind of has a two tone effect.


ELF Powder Brush (£3.75 eyelipsface.co.uk) 
This is just a good brush to apply foundation, face powder or bronzer. The brush is super soft, it’s just a good all-rounder face brush.

Natural Collection Lipstick in Cherry Red (£1.99 Boots)
The colour pay off of this lipstick is excellent considering it is only £1.99, it’s a deep red colour that is perfect for Autumn. The packaging is quite cheap but I couldn’t complain for the price and the product itself is very good.


Collection Concealer in Fair 1 (£3.99 Boots)
I did a whole blog post on my favourite concealers and this was one of them. Its a really good concealer for under the eyes, as it isn’t thick so it won’t crease but it covers my under eye circles. I have repurchased this for about a year now, really good concealer. Click here to read my full review.

Maybelline Rocket Volume Mascara in Black Waterproof (£7.99 Boots)
I have tried loads of mascaras in my make up wearing years and I always think Maybelline do the best. So when I seen this one I thought I’d give it a go. I like the waterproof as it keeps my eyelashes curled all day. I will be doing a post on my mascara routine soon, as I think I have found a good routine finally!


What’s your favourite under £10 product?

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx 




Wednesday 9 October 2013

My New Found Favourite Nail Polish

So last week sometime I put up a Boots haul and one of the products I bought was a nail polish. I had found a brand which sold nail polishes for £1.99 and I bought two of them, a pink one and a cranberry type colour. I wasn't expecting much from them as they were only cheap, but I have since tried the pink which is in the shade 24/7 and I've pictured it below.


The picture actually doesn't show how bright this pink is. It's coming off more baby pink rather than the neon that it is. I was actually so impressed with this that I thought I'd put it in a post.

The colour isn't opaque as I'd like but I found 3 coats of it gave me the opaque effect I wanted. It also dries matte, so if that's a look you like this is a good one for that, if not just a top coat would solve the issue. 

All in all this colour is amazing, its such a nice pop of pink (I know it's more of a summer colour, but hey who cares). If you get chance to look at the Sinful Colours range in Boots definitely do because they have such an array of shades and colours to choose from. Really really love these!

Have you tried any from this brand?

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx

Monday 7 October 2013

Back To University I Go!


I know a lot of people have already gone back to uni (or college) already, but my university is a bit of a late starter anyway and with my going into my 3rd year now I was a week later again.

So, my thoughts about going into 3rd year are something that fills me with dread. I know how tough this year is going to be and for anyone else studying at any level, I feel your pain.

Don't get me wrong, I am excited too to be getting back into learning new things after 4 months off of vegetating, but the workload is going to be pretty full on until I graduate. Because of the additional workload I will be posting every other day depending on how much work I need to do for uni. 

This is just a short post to say good luck to anyone who is starting or going back, make the most of the time whilst you're there.

Thanks for reading! 
Michelle xx

Saturday 5 October 2013

Oily Skin Problems! Review: Dr Hauschka's Normalising Day Oil


For me oily skin is a big problem, I spend every bathroom visit blotting my face and putting on more powder. I really wanted to try a skincare product that really addressed the problem, rather than just masking it. I read a lot of information about oils to use for this; it may sound strange to put oil on an oily face, but the science behind it is to normalise the oil production by essentially ‘kidding’ the skin into thinking it doesn’t need to produce oil = shiny free skin!

I tried Dr Hauschka’s Normalising Day Oil, which is aimed to reduce oil production and refine open pores, it also says you can mix it with your day cream.


I first tried this as the instructions said (of a morning) but when I applied my makeup I just felt it didn't sit right on my skin and within a few hours my face was shiny (defeats the object really!) So I tried using this of a night instead before putting on a moisturiser, 2-3 drops where enough for my t-zone. 
On to what I think of it... It was ok, not bad but not great either. I liked the fact I was giving my face a massage every night with a nice smelling oil, but as far as its claims to reduce oil production, I honestly don’t believe it helped much at all. I will finish using the product just because it wasn’t what I would call ‘cheap’ (£25 for 30ml), but for the amount of oil you use at a time the bottle will last a long time. I’ve had mine for about 7-8 months and I’m only just half way through the bottle. 
After I’ve used this though I will not be repurchasing and will be officially back on the hunt for an oil that really works. If you want to give it a whirl you can purchase it here 

Have you tried any oil repellant products? (Oh yes, I really do want to repel ALL oil ;P)

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx

Friday 4 October 2013

DIY Wallpaper Picture


This is a great little idea for someone who is renting and can’t wallpaper (like me) or just doesn't know how to wallpaper (also like me), this is great DIY inspiration to use on a blank wall.


1. Choose a wallpaper that you like and that will match the colour theme in your room. I choose a lilac shade with a a pretty Toile de Jouy pattern on. I got mine off directwallpaper.co.uk and just bought a ‘mill length’ sample which is a fraction of the price of a full roll (they send you approximately 6 ft of wallpaper).
2. Get some frames. You can choose a few smaller frames or two large ones like I did. It’s completely up to you. Mine are from Ikea and are from the Ribba series.
3. The next step is to cut the wallpaper into the same size and shape as your frame. I used the back of the frame (the bit you take out to put the picture in) as a guide to the right size. Then just cut it out, pop the wallpaper in and hang it as you like. I decided to keep the border that came with the frame in, just because I preferred it.

This is a really quick idea for making a plain wall look nice. I haven’t hung mine yet but I’m planning to hang them above my bed.

Would you try this idea?

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx

Thursday 3 October 2013

Review: St Moriz Fake Tan


Even though summer is coming to an end doesn’t mean you have to blend in with the snow (which we’ll no doubt get in the UK this winter). I do like having a bit of colour, even in Autmn/Winter simply because it makes me feel good, and that’s all that matters I think. 

My absolute favourite fake tanner is by far the St Moriz mousse in medium for an instant tan which lasts the week, so I only have to do it once which is great (I’m lazy). This is a product I tried on a whim really not expecting great things for the cheap price. I used to use the St Tropez mousse all the time, but it wasn’t cheap (I think I used to pay £20), my friend used to use St Moriz and her tan looked exactly like mine and I remember thinking ‘why on earth am i spending £20 a pop on St Tropez?’, so I switched.


I like the mousse formula because I find it a bit lighter and easier to apply and rub in, I think St Moriz also do a cream type formula. I also like the fact the mousse is tinted so I know where it has been applied and for the fact it gives me instant colour. I am quite big on smells and this fake tan does smell, not sure if it’s the usual ‘biscuit smell’ but it does smell. Surprisingly it doesn’t bother me that much and the smell fades over a few hours. 

I usually apply it about an hour after getting out the shower, after shaving my legs and I’ve exfoliated. I just use some rubber gloves to apply it (like doctors gloves, I wouldn’t recommend marigolds). If your someone who likes using a mitt that’s fine to, I’ve tried the mousse with a mitt and it works great. I’d also recommend if your a person who suffers with dry patches I would moisturise those areas too, especially the knees and elbows. 

If your looking for a cheap alternative to the St Tropez tan (I would go as far as saying a dupe), this is well worth a try. You can buy it here, I’ve also seen it in boots.

What’s your favourite fake tanner?

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx

Wednesday 2 October 2013

September Favourites

These are the products I have been using throughout September. Hope you enjoy!

Beauty:



The first two thing are two products from the Loreal's Skin Perfection range. I like all the products but the Micellar Solution and the Correcting Serum are definitely my favourites. I did a blog post on the range, check it out here

I've also been using the Supersoft Repair & Care shampoo and conditioner. I like the coconut scent because it reminds me of holidays. This makes my hair so soft and I feel it detangles my hair which is something I need. This is a really nice one to try if you're on the hunt for a new shampoo and conditioner.

The next product I've been using day in day out is an eyelid primer by MUA, it's called Pro-Base Eye Primer. I recently ran out of my Urban Decay Primer Potion and I didn't want to be splashing out on another as I just couldn't afford to, so I got this instead. This works so so well, it's not as opaque as the Primer potion but it keeps my eyeshadow on without creasing all day. I got this from Superdrug and will definitely be buying this again.

The last beauty favourite is a Rimmel lipstick from their Kate Moss range in the shade 12 which I've swatched below. It isn't one of their matte formulas, I have yet to try them, but just the ones with the black packaging. This is a lovely orangey red colour and I find it looks lovely with a bronze eyeshadow on the eye. I also go this from Boots (can you tell I like Boots).


Non Beauty:


My fashion items this month are this necklace, which I got from H&M, and these blue converse. I've literally been wearing this gold necklace most days in September because it goes with so much and I'm sure I'll be wearing it through Winter too.

My Converse are from Bank and they are the All Star Ox Navy. These have been great over Summer, if I didn't feel like wearing sandals I wore these instead, I wore them with maxi skirts, jeans, leggings, the lot. So yeh I really like these, I'm sure I'll be wearing them through Winter too.

I know this isn't beauty or fashion related but I just have to mention that I watched both series finale's of Dexter and Breaking Bad. I won't be giving anything away incase you haven't watched either of them yet, I'm just so sad they are both over. But I love them so they had to go in my favourites.

What are your September favourites?

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx  

Tuesday 1 October 2013

My Everyday Concealers

There's two concealers that I reach for when I'm doing my every day face, the reason I use two is because they are both slightly different shades, but i'll get on to that.

The first one I use is Collection's Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer in the shade Fair 1. This is one of those concealers that I heard a lot of people on Youtube raving about so I thought I'd best give it a try. That was a year ago and I've not used anything else for my under eye concealer since. I get the lightest shade (which is slightly lighter than my skin tone) and use it under my eyes. I feel this really brightens up the area and covers any dark circles. I find it's not too thick so it wont crease or look cakey, but at the same time it's got a thick enough consistency to cover imperfections.



The second concealer I use is Laura Geller's Real Deal concealer in the shade Light. Although this is light it matches my skin pretty much perfectly, so I use this to conceal any areas on the rest of my face, like blemishes or discolouration. I find this concealer is quite thick and gives good coverage to those problem areas. Not 100% what retailers stock this (please comment below if you know anywhere), but I do know you can buy it online on website like QVC but I actually got mine from a charity shop. I know it sounds strange but they had lots of products that had been donated to them because the packaging was damaged. This was a while ago so I can't remember how much it was, but this just shows the product will last a lifetime. I've still got loads left!


What's your favourite concealer?

Thanks for reading!
Michelle xx