Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Archive for May, 2012
NOTD: MUA Nail Varnish in ‘Shade 5′
3
6 years
by Naomi in Nails
This afternoon I went to Superdrug to repurchase some essential make up items from MUA, and was pleased to see that Superdrug were running a 3 for 2 offer on all make up! I’m a sucker for nail varnish so of course, as my freebie, I had to add another MUA shade to my collection. The shade I went for is ‘Shade 5′, and it retails for £1.
I usually only wear dark or bright nail colours, but more and more lately I’ve been eyeing up the pastel shades that are popular this season, which is why I went for a pale shade for a change. I’ve been trying to think of a way to describe the colour and I’d say it’s a bluey shade of mint green, yet my mum insists it’s more like jade, so I’ll let you make your own mind up! I guess it depends on how many coats you apply really. Either way, it’s a really pretty colour and perfect for Spring/Summer.
I have reviewed a couple of MUA nail varnishes before and I have always been impressed with the application, but this varnish seemed a lot runnier than the others. After one coat you could hardly tell that I was wearing any nail varnish and it took another two coats (three on some nails) to create a completely opaque look. Also, I know the swatches aren’t the neatest anyway, but there was some bubbling on a couple of my nails under the varnish. I’m not sure whether that’s because I was in a rush when applying the varnish or because of a problem with the varnish itself, but it doesn’t look very good!
At first I thought the nail varnish had dried quite quickly as the initial tackiness didn’t last for very long, but THREE HOURS later the varnish smudged when I moved some boxes. Three hours is a looong time for a varnish to still not be fully dry so I wasn’t very happy about that. I hate having chipped and smudged nails as well so I’m going to have to neaten them up later which is annoying!
Overall, I adore the colour of this varnish so I’ll definitely be using it a lot, but I’m disappointed with the consistency of it and the amount of time it takes to dry. Still, for £1 it’s not breaking the bank so it’s definitely worth the money.
Naomi x
What I Wore to my Step-Brother’s Wedding
10
6 years
by Naomi in Fashion
Hi everyone 
Yesterday I went to my step-brother’s wedding and it was a lovely day full of happiness, great food, perfect weather and nice company – everything you could hope for at a wedding really! Anyway, as promised, I took a few photos of my outfit, jewellery, accessories and make up so that I could show you all what I wore on the day. The colour scheme turned out to be purple so without knowing I really fit in haha.
Firstly, this photo shows my make up. I didn’t get many close ups of my face unfortunately so it’s not the best shot, but you get the idea. I went for a simple, fresh face with bold lips and 50s eyes. You can also see my necklace, corsage and dress detail quite nicely in this one.
The make up I used was…
Avon Colortrend Fresh Face Oil-Free Foundation in ‘Ivory Beige’
Avon Colortrend Perfect and Hide Concealer in ‘Light’
MUA Pressed Powder in ‘Shade 1′
MUA Blusher in ‘Shade 2′
Avon Glimmerstick Eye Liner in ‘Blackest Black’
e.l.f. Cream Eyeliner in ‘Black’
Avon Colortrend Great Lengths Mascara in ‘Black’
MUA Lip Boom in ‘It’s A Situation’
I chose to wear a couple of bold accessories rather than a few delicate ones, so I went for a statement necklace and a fascinator. This is the necklace I wore, which is from the Alchemy Gothic range and is called ‘The Raven’. It is based on the poem of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe It even has a quote from the poem on the back of the gem which I love. The bead on the bottom is a skull but it’s facing the wrong way – oops!
And this is my fascinator, which my mum bought for me on eBay…
And of course, here is my outfit. Again, apologies for the photograph! I didn’t get many pictures where you could see my dress fully, so this will have to suffice… There was a long gap between the ceremony and the meal, and as you can tell, my sister and I got a bit bored so struck a few poses! Haha.
Dress from Collectif
Clutch and Shoes from Peacocks
Naomi xx
Vaseline Feet & Legs Stimulating Lotion
3Ladies, I have great news! I have discovered this year’s must have summer product, and this is it – Vaseline Feet & Legs Stimulating Lotion. Now, first thing’s first, the price. Vaseline products of this size (200ml) usually retail for about £4.00 in Superdrug, which is a great price in itself considering the quality, but I have a heads up for my UK readers as this is currently available in Poundland stores for, you guessed it, £1! Trust me when I say it is worth stocking up on this lotion, and this is why…
Firstly, the lotion smells absolutely gorgeous as it contains menthol and eucalyptus, which are definitely the ‘stimulating’ ingredients in this. When you rub it in, your legs feel instantly cooled and slightly tingly which is really refreshing, especially on hot summery days like today and after warm showers! It’d feel wonderful on your skin after a day in the sun as well, I’d imagine.
Another thing I love about this lotion is that it isn’t thick or greasy. When it’s hot, the last thing you want is moisturiser that won’t rub in and that makes you sweat, but this is lovely and light and massages in like a dream, and very quickly at that. This also means that it’s a quick hit – 30 seconds and your done, no waiting for it to dry before putting your clothes on or anything like that! Having said that, your legs are left with a delicate sheen from the lotion which looks wonderful in the sun.
Last but not least, this makes your legs feel amazingly soft. I accidentally forgot to apply this after my shower one morning, but my legs still felt as smooth as they did after moisturising the morning before, which is great as my skin usually feels quite dry after showering.
If you want cool, soft, sexy looking legs this summer, this is definitely the product for you. Not only does it work (and quickly at that) but it’s cheap, which is always a bonus. I have a lot of lotions, and this is my favourite at the minute and I’ll be using it all summer long.
Naomi x
PS. I’m going to my step-brother’s wedding tomorrow so I won’t be posting, but keep an eye out on Wednesday for a post about the outfits/makeup/jewellery that I’ll be wearing!
Nail Art: Leicester Tigers
5I’m not much of a follower of sport and never have been, but there will always be one team that I will always support, and that is the Leicester Tigers rugby team! I have lived in Leicester for all of my 22 years and I am proud that we have such a successful sports team to call our own. Tomorrow is the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final between Leicester Tigers and Harlequins. My other half is lucky enough to have a ticket to the game, which is taking place at Twickenham Stadium, but the game is now sold out so (for the first time in three years) I’m not going 
Boo! So, instead, I’ve decorated my nails in Leicester Tigers colours and stripes to show my support, ready for when I watch the game on TV tomorrow. And here they are!
To create this look I used:
- MUA Nail Varnish in ‘Shade 13′ (Green).
- Avon Nail Enamel in ‘Real Red’.
- Laval Crystal Finish Nail Polish in ‘White’.
- Avon Peeling & Brittleness Solver (Base Coat).
- Models Own 3 in 1 (Top Coat).
For the stripes I used my new batch of striping tape, which I got from eBay for 99p for 10 rolls (BARGAIN)! I’d never used striping tape before today and it was a lot easier to use than I expected. I will be posting a tutorial on how to use it next week if you’re interested
Naomi x
Sleek Pout Paint in ‘Port’
6
6 years
by Naomi in Lips
For ages I was slightly unimaginative with my choice of lip products. I stuck to the same couple of glosses and lipsticks and didn’t look much further than that. However, highly pigmented lip paints soon came onto my radar and I spent months lusting after Obsessive Compulsive’s Lip Tars. OCC’s range of shades is amazing, but I couldn’t quite justify spending money on a product that I hadn’t swatched, just in case it didn’t suit me or wasn’t that great. That’s when I decided to do some research and I discovered that Sleek have their own range of Pout Paints which, according to reviews, are just as good as OCC’s, but a lot cheaper (£4.99 compared to $14.00). So, I took myself down to Superdrug to sample the different Pout Paints, and I treated myself to this gorgeous colour, ‘Port’. I know I’m a bit slow off the mark with this review as Pout Paint has been around for ages now, but I thought I’d share my thoughts anyway.
Sleek Pout Paints come in diddy little 8ml tubes, but don’t be fooled by their size. At first, I thought they were a bit small, but you really only need a TINY amount to cover both lips. One tube will last you for absolutely ages I’d imagine… years probably! As you can see in the picture, there is no applicator with this so you must must MUST use a lip brush to apply the paint. Remember, a lip paint is NOT a lip gloss – squeeze this on to your lips and it would get messy haha. To apply, I squeezed the smallest blob onto the back of my hand and used a Sally Hansen lip brush to ‘paint’ my lips. Because the paint is so pigmented, you have to make sure you’re careful with the painting. I got a bit on my chin and it took ages and a lot of rubbing to get it off!
‘Port’ is a deep pink with undertones of purple. I was amazed by how bold the colour comes up on your lips from such a small amount of product – it really does ‘pop’ and it is absolutely beautiful. Unlike a lot of staining products, I found the Pout Paint really creamy and moisturising. Even when it dried, it didn’t dry out my lips, but left them smooth and supple and remained shiny in appearance.
One of the best things about Sleek’s Pout Paint is how long it lasts. After applying it, I tried to wash the excess off of my hand and, even though it was still a bit wet, it stained my skin slightly. This may sound like a bad thing, but in my eyes it was a good sign as it suggested it would also last on the lips. And believe me, it does. It stayed on for hours (until I removed it) and looked just as bright and slick – very impressive!
Removing the Pout Paint took me quite a while, I’ll admit. I tried dry tissue and wet tissue at first, but that just smudged it around my face a bit, so I decided to try something a bit stronger. As my regular readers will know, I recently received a packet of Kleenex Eye Make-Up Removal Wipes. I wasn’t that impressed with them at first, but I used one to remove the paint and my opinion has now changed! They removed the paint in a few wipes, and all the smudges, and left my lips clean and soft. I know the wipes are meant for eyes, but they are unscented so don’t taste bad and are actually quite moisturising. I’ll be saving the rest of the wipes purely for removing Sleek Pout Paint.
It is safe to say that I am in love with Sleek Pout Paint. It is the best stain product that I have ever used and I love the idea of mixing shades to create new, stunning colours. I think I’ll have to expand my collection of Pout Paints in the future!
Naomi x
Nail Art: Vintage Roses
9After a week of wearing dark coloured nail varnish, I fancied something slightly more pastel today. I’d been seeing a lot of vintage floral nail art doing the rounds lately, so I thought I’d have a go myself. I used a lovely little flowery tea cup as inspiration, as you can see!
The colours I used for this are:
- Avon Nailwear Pro in ‘Vintage Blue’ (Background)
- Avon Nailwear Pro in ‘Viva Pink’ (Roses)
- Avon Nailwear Pro in ‘Pastel Pink’ (Rose Swirls)
- N.Y.C. Long-Wearing Nail Enamel in green (Leaves)
- Avon Peeling and Brittleness Solver (Base and Top Coat)
What do you think? I think it’s a great look for Spring
Naomi x
Kleenex Eye Make-Up Removal Wipes Sensitive
1
I won these Kleenex Eye Make-Up Removal Wipes in a Facebook giveaway a month or two ago. I’d been desperate to try them out but unfortunately there was a problem with the post office (as usual!), so they only arrived a couple of days ago. But they’re here now and that’s what matters, so here’s my review!
The reason I’d been wanting to try these so much is because of the word SENSITIVE. My whole face is quite prone to being irritated by things like this, and EVERY eye wipe I’ve used in the past has made my eyes red, sore and itchy, which obviously isn’t good! I’d never even thought to look for wipes made especially for sensitive skin like mine, and I’ve always just stuck to Boot’s Eye Make Up Remover Lotion, so when I saw these I was intrigued.
When the wipes first arrived, the packaging immediately stood out. The packet is quite small and compact (the perfect size to just throw in your handbag or suitcase) and I love the simple pink design on the white background. The packet also states that the wipes are made from ‘ecoform natural fibres’ which means they have ‘a lower environmental impact than a standard wipe material’.
The wipes themselves are quite narrow and patterned with polka dots. I’m not sure whether the dots serve any purpose or if they’re just for decoration, but they definitely make the wipes look a lot prettier than the standard plain ones. I also noticed that the wipes don’t really have a scent to them. For some people this might be a little off-putting, but I was quite pleased as scent usually means chemicals, which usually means sore eyes, so lack of scent is a good sign!
The packet says that the wipes are ‘gentle’, which you’d expect from a product for sensitive skin, but I found them to be a bit TOO gentle, to the point that they weren’t gentle at all! Here’s what I mean… After a few wipes, hardly any of my make up had come off. I had to rub quite hard, for quite a long time, before everything came off, and rubbing hard made my eyes sore anyway, which renders the wipes slightly useless and pointless! I highly doubt they’d remove waterproof mascara like the packaging suggests as well. Also, I noticed that after my shower this morning there was still some make up smudged around my eyes, which means it hadn’t all come off when I thought it had… Tut tut, Kleenex! I will give them this though… Usually, eye wipes make my skin feel quite dry and tight after use, but these didn’t. At first my eyes felt a little bit tight, but the moisturising effect kicked in and in the end they were fine, which is great in my opinion.
After a quick Google I found out that Kleenex Eye Make-Up Removal Wipes currently retail for £2.99 in Superdrug. I think this is far too pricey for something that doesn’t do its job properly, especially when you only get 24 wipes. I’d expect at least twice that many for the price.
Overall, I’d say that if you do have really sensitive skin, these could be a God send for you, but if you’re fine with cheaper wipes then don’t waste your money. You’re basically just paying for the branding with these, I’d say. Don’t get me wrong, I do quite like them as they’re free from anything too ridiculously harsh on the skin, but I think I’ll be sticking to my Boot’s lotion!
Naomi x
The Sunshine Award
6
6 years
by Naomi in Blog Awards, General
On Monday I was nominated for The Sunshine Award by the lovely Adelina! Her blog is pretty great and I recommend you give it a read some time
Now I’ll be honest, I’m not really sure what this award is for but I find this kind of thing quite fun, so here are the rules:
° Include the Award’s logo in a post on your blog.
° Answer 10 questions about yourself.
° Nominate 10 other bloggers.
° Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs letting them know they have been nominated.
° Share the love and link the person who nominated you.
So here are my answers to the questions…
1. My favorite color : Purple, but you’ve probably guessed that by now if you read regularly!
2. My favorite animal : I have a few favourite animals, namely bats, cats, owls and donkeys.
3. My favorite number : I like the number 14 as my birthday is on the 14th of February, but I also have a thing about the numbers 17 and 25. I always seem to look at the clock at 17:25!
4. My favorite drink : Boring I know, but I mostly drink water. However, on a hot day I usually crave Coca Cola out of a cold glass bottle… Bliss!! Oh and I’m partial to a cup of tea every morning.
5. Facebook or Twitter : Twitter, definitely.
6. My passion : Literature… Both reading it and writing it
7. Prefer giving or getting presents : I really love putting together thoughtful presents for people, but I also love receiving presents!
8. My favourite pattern : Spirals. I even have one tattooed on the side of my left foot.
9. My favorite day of the week : Other than the obvious weekend days, for some reason I quite like Tuesday.
10. My favorite flower : Roses, seeing as I’m a Valentine baby!
My ten nominees are going to be ten of the blogs that I read and enjoy regularly –
1. Nocturnal Beauty
2. Mo’ Adore
3. Mae’s Beauty Reports
4. nailsNAILED
5. Andrianna Speaks
6. Awkward Celebrity
7. Tilly Glitter
8. Glesni’s Beauty Blog
9. Charles Writes Things
10. Nonfashionista
Thanks for reading!
Naomi x
UPDATE: Amanda over at Mae’s Beauty Reports managed to find out that “The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blog world” – very true for all of my nominees!
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