Archive for August, 2012

Leor Cooling Peppermint Foot Scrub

2
6 years
by Naomi in Body, Skincare

A few weeks ago I was offered the opportunity to review a product from skincare company Leor’s new range, and last weekend I received my item – their Cooling Peppermint Foot Scrub.

Before I tell you about the Foot Scrub, I thought I’d share a little bit about the company…  Leor were originally established in 2011 as FeelGood Box and only sold gift boxes.  Leor have changed a lot since then however, and now sell a variety of full-size pampering bath and body products, as well as their trademark boxes.  If you want to view their range for yourself, you can do so here.

Now, the Foot Scrub.

When I first received my Leor Foot Scrub I was impressed with its simple yet luxurious-looking packaging and branding.  The tub is a nice size, 120ml in fact, and retails for £8.  When I unscrewed the lid I was met with an icy blue, fairly chunky scrub which looks a lot like a Slush Puppie ice drink!  Not entirely appealing, but not off-putting either.

The scrub contains just four ingredients, all sourced in the UK and all natural: Fine grade epsom salts, grapeseed oil, peppermint essential oil and cranberry extract.  There are no parabens or sulphates in the product whatsoever, and it isn’t tested on animals, making it a guilt-free treat which is extremely kind on the skin.  The peppermint oil is what gives the Foot Scrub its lovely scent.  The scent is very strong and hits you as soon as you unscrew the lid, but it’s not overpowering.

On the back of the tub is a brief explanation on how to use the scrub, and it reads ‘Apply scrub to wet feet and massage to exfoliate.  Rinse.’

When applying the scrub to my feet I used a scoop measuring about an inch across on each foot, which was plenty.  The label on the pot states that it should be used to exfoliate dry skin and calm aching feet, so I put it to the test.  When rubbing in the scrub the peppermint oil had a slight cooling effect on my skin, which did feel lovely on my tired feet (I’d just been swimming so needed something to soothe my muscles).  The salt itself wasn’t too harsh and massaged the soles of my feet nicely, softening the dry bits noticeably without any soreness or irritation.  However, I found the scrub to be far too greasy.  It left a thin layer of oil on my hands when I was applying it which was impossible to wash off, and the same happened to my feet – the salt washed off easily but the oil stayed on my skin.  Yes, the oil left my skin feeling soft and moisturised, but it wasn’t necessarily a pleasant feeling when I was walking around.  Luckily, the greasy feeling wore off after a while, and my feet still feel soft.

Overall, Leor’s Cooling Peppermint Foot Scrub is a nice, good quality product and a quick and easy treat for your feet.  It smells divine and does what it says on the tin as it softens and refreshes your feet, it’s just a shame about the grease!

Which Leor pamper product would you like to try?

Naomi x

Cooling Foot Scrub Footscrub Leor Peppermint

How to Find an eBay Bargain

8
6 years
by Naomi in Fashion, Tips and Tutorials

I have been buying things from eBay since I was 13, firstly through my mum’s account, and then when I was old enough to have one, through my own account.  That’s 9 years of bargain hunting, which I think makes me a seasoned eBay user.  Everybody loves finding a hidden gem on eBay, but over the years I have noticed that it has become increasingly difficult to find nice things selling cheap.  I used to be able to nab gorgeous items of clothing for just pennies, but sellers are more savvy now, bidders more abundant, and resultantly prices are on the rise.  Of course, high postage costs don’t help either, and neither does the sheer volume of items you have to sift through!  Despite all the issues that you may come up against on eBay, my hours of browsing have taught me that there are still ways to find a bargain.  As such, I thought I would share with you all my guide on how to find an eBay bargain, so read on if you want to know my tried and tested tips!

1. Shop Abroad

Have you ever seen a quirky piece of costume jewellery or clothing in a fashion boutique or on a trendy market and fallen in love, only to be disappointed that you can’t afford the stupidly high price tag?  Well, chances are you could find those very same items (or at least similar ones) on eBay for just a fraction of the cost.  How?  By shopping abroad!  I have found that there are a lot of sellers on eBay from countries such as Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and China, all selling unusual pieces of costume jewellery and clothing for very low prices, and often with free postage.  They are easy to find too…  With a simple search such as ‘skull necklace’ or ‘flower ring’ you will get hundreds of results from overseas sellers, with bids sometimes starting at just a penny, or ‘Buy It Now’ items for a pound or two.  They might take a bit longer to arrive than if you order something closer to home, but it’s well worth the wait.  I’ve collected lots of amazing necklaces this way, and have never paid more than about £2.50 for an item, and most of them have only cost around £1 each.  This Bird pendant is a recent favourite of mine.

2. Spell Things Wrong

We all make accidental spelling mistakes and typos every now and then, and eBay sellers are no different, which is a good thing to remember when searching eBay for specific items, especially branded ones!  Incorrect spellings mean that items won’t always show up in the right place, which obviously means fewer people will see them.  So, next time you’re searching for something, purposefully spell it wrong – you never know what you might find.  Earlier this year I won a brand new Lipsy dress on eBay for 99p because the seller had spelt it with an added ‘e’, as ‘Lipsey’.  You won’t always find something, but every now and then you will stumble upon something great.

3. Include Postage in the Price

When making a bid on an item always decide how much you would be willing to pay for it, and STICK TO THE PRICE.  Easier said than done I know, but shrewd bidders must have willpower.  Don’t just think about the bid price though, think about the postage too.  Some sellers list their items with low starting bids, but will really sting you on postage.  Second class Royal Mail postage for a standard packet is £2.20 but I’ve seen sellers charging close to £5, which just isn’t on!  So, if you decide you’d be willing to pay £10 in total for an item and postage is £3, only bid up to £7.  If it goes above your upper limit, learn to let it go and move on.

4. Always Make an Offer

Sellers who list items as ‘Buy It Now’ sometimes give you the option to make an offer on their items too.  If a seller allows this, you will see a ‘Make Offer’ button on the item.  Wherever you see this option on an item that you want to buy, use it, as it gives you the opportunity to negotiate a price with the seller.  Often this price is pre-set and your offer will be accepted or rejected straight away, but some sellers consider offers on an individual basis.  Either way, be reasonable with your price as you only have three chances to make an offer on any one item, but buying an item this way will always save you money from the set ‘Buy It Now’ price.

5. Use the ‘Sort By’ Option

eBay automatically organises your searches into what they consider to be the ‘Best Match’ to your search term.  Best matches aren’t necessarily the best items though, as they can already have lots of bids on with several days to go.  To get the best offers, take advantage of the ability to sort the items by using the ‘Sort By’ drop down box, which can be found at the top of your search.  Organising the search items into ‘Time: Ending Soonest’ will bring up everything ending soonest, enabling you to discover items which finish soon which may have slipped through the net with no bids, meaning you can snipe an item last second and win it at a very low price.  Choosing the ‘Price + P&P: Lowest First’ option is another great one, as it shows you the items with the lowest combined prices.

6. Choose your Times Carefully

The best times to browse eBay items which are ‘Ending Soonest’ is at times when more people are likely to have listed items.  This is usually in the evenings, when people are home from work and have had their dinner, or at weekends when they have nothing else to do.  You’re bound to have more to choose from if you browse at busy listing times, as items listed a week earlier will be coming to an end, so you might be able to snipe a cheeky bargain.  Weekends, especially Saturday afternoons, are especially good for finding items ending soon with no bids as this is when most people are out and about doing things, so fewer people are at home, online, browsing eBay!

7. Keep ‘Watching’

Last but not least, keep ‘Watching’!  A lot of high street shops have started selling their stock on eBay, as well as on their own website and in-store.  Their items are mostly sold at full price, but it’s a good idea to ‘Watch’ your favourite items as you may find that they gradually reduce in price, during sales or if they are end of line items.  Off the top of my head, the example I will use is Schuh…  Earlier this year Schuh were selling a pair of Dr Marten boots that I LOVED, but couldn’t afford.  I decided to ‘Watch’ them anyway just in case, and it paid off as after a few weeks I noticed that the price of the boots had been reduced by around £30 because they only had one pair left, and the style had been discontinued.  This is a risky strategy as you could miss out, but if you’re willing to take the risk then it may pay off.  Oh, and it’s not just high street shops that do this, independent sellers will often do it too if they’re struggling to get rid of something, so keep an eye out!

And there you have it, my seven tips for bagging yourself an eBay bargain!  Will you be trying any of these methods yourself, or do you already use them?  Please feel free to share your bargain hunting tips too!

Naomi x

NOTD: MUA Frozen Yoghurt

8
6 years
by Naomi in Nails

Earlier this month MUA released quite a few new make up products, including two nail varnish shades – Frozen Yoghurt and All Nude.  As soon as I saw the swatches of Frozen Yoghurt on MUA’s Facebook page I couldn’t wait to try it, but it didn’t actually appear in my local Superdrug store until late last week!  I must have visited Superdrug about ten times over the last few weeks to see if they had it, so when it was finally in stock I was a very happy bunny indeed.

Frozen Yoghurt and All Nude are the first two basic MUA nail varnishes to have proper names, rather than just being called ‘Shade _’, and like the rest of the range they cost £1 each, which is amazing value.

Frozen Yoghurt has a creamy formula which applies extremely smoothly.  I applied two coats of the varnish which gave completely opaque and even coverage, and it dried impressively quickly too.  I only had to leave a couple of minutes between applying each coat and the top coat, and within ten minutes my nails were dry to the touch.  If you’re a regular Bewitchery reader you will know that I often make the mistake of painting my nails before bed, which usually results in fabric imprints from my sheets on my nails the next morning.  Well, I painted my nails before bed again but, miraculously, I woke up with perfectly smooth nails and no imprints!  That, for me, suggests quality.

Here is what the varnish looks like on, in natural light…

Frozen Yoghurt is a very rich, beautiful shade with a creme finish.  It is a very unusual shade of purple, which has a strong blue tinge to it – I can only describe it as a dark lavender colour.  I think it’s quite feminine and delicate, but at the same time very striking and bold.

My only issue with this nail varnish is that it seemed to chip quite easily at the tips.  Less than a day after applying the varnish there was obvious wear along the tops of my nails, which soon turned into slightly bigger chips.  To be fair, I had been cleaning and mowing the lawn that day, but I’ve done the same whilst wearing other varnishes which have lasted longer.

All in all, I think this varnish is great.  In terms of the formula and shade it is a definite winner in my eyes, it’s just a shame about the chipping!  At £1 you can’t really complain though, and I can’t wait to incorporate this colour into some nail art.

Naomi x

Creme Frozen Yoghurt Indigo

TanOrganic Sunless Tan

16
6 years
by Naomi in Body, Skincare

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a bottle of TanOrganic’s Sunless Tan and a tanning mitt in Storybook Apothecary‘s giveaway (thanks Tianna!).  In all honesty, I have never been a fan of false tanning, or tanning in general, as I have pale white skin which looks absolutely ridiculous in any shade of orange, however, the ‘organic’ nature of this tanner really intrigued me.  The tanner contains no synthetic ingredients, parabens, colours or scents, just natural, organic ingredients, which Tianna assured me made for a natural looking tan, even on pale skin.  I couldn’t wait to try it out for myself so I used it on my legs this weekend after receiving the package on Friday.

My first impressions of TanOrganic were good.  The product comes in a 100ml brown glass bottle with orange and yellow detail, which I think looks a lot classier than the plastic bottles of false tan you usually see on the shelves.  The mitt is a decent size too, not too small, but tight enough to fit snug to your hand so it doesn’t slip around.

The tan itself is applied with a standard pump spray which actually proved to be quite troublesome.  I asked my mum to help me apply the tan (I’m an amateur at self tanning whereas she’s quite experienced) and she had some problems spraying the tan onto the mitt.  She is right-handed, so she used the mitt on her right hand, which meant spraying with her left hand.  The spray nozzle is quite small and difficult to press, and sometimes spins round, so it is quite difficult to press – definitely a feature that could be improved!

The bottle says that you must spray the tan onto the mitt first, and then apply it to your body in a circular motion.  We followed the instructions carefully and the application was easy enough.  It didn’t streak as much as I was expecting it too, but it did smudge here or there (though this is easily fixed if you rub the tan firmly to even it out).  The tanner is also practically scentless.  In the past, I have had the displeasure of sniffing various false tan products and they all, quite frankly, stink, but this one has an extremely delicate scent which is hardly noticeable.  I put that down to the lack of chemicals, which gets it more brownie points from me.

One application to my legs used about a sixth of the bottle.  I have long legs so I don’t really know if that’s a fair amount to use or not, but I imagine you could get three or four full body applications from one bottle.  The bottle says to leave the tan on for six to eight hours before rinsing it off, so after applying the tan I left it to dry and then went about my business for six hours.  When I rinsed the tan off the water went bright yellow, but my legs stayed looking brown as I hoped they would!  As suggested, I washed with body wash and then applied moisturiser to help prolong the tan.

Now, here are the before and after photographs of my legs.  The light looks different in both of them due to the direction of the sun at the time of taking the pictures, but I assure you they give an accurate representation of the differences!

BEFORE

AFTER

As you can see, my legs were very pale before.  Though the tan didn’t give my legs an intense colour, it did make them look nicely, naturally tanned and lightly brown, and I am very pleased with the results.  There are no orange blotches or dirty looking streaks in sight, and my skin tone looks very even and smooth.  The difference is only minor, but it is noticeable, and that is what I wanted so it has done its job well in my opinion.  In fact, I like this delicately tanned look and I’m pleasantly surprised that I do!

The phrase on the front of the bottle, ‘100% Natural Just Like You’, really sums this product up well.  The formula is 100% natural (and registered as cruelty free, vegan and 95% organic), and the resulting tan looks natural – I will definitely be using TanOrganic again, I’m a convert.  If you want to try it, TanOrganic’s Sunless Tan is available to purchase online from TanOrganic’s website, and costs a reasonable €19.99 (around £16, or $25) with a free Tan-Erase, or you can get it for free if you purchase their OilArganic for the same price.  The mitt is sold separately for €4.99/£4/$6.25.

What do you think of the results?

Naomi x

 

Fake Tan Irish Safe Tan Self Tan Sunless Tan Tan TanOrganic

This Week: Collective Haul

21
6 years
by Naomi in Fashion, Hauls

I had a fairly good week for bargains this week and bought quite a few fun things (despite telling myself that I wouldn’t spend anything this week!) so for those of you that like a good haul post, I thought I would share my collective haul with you.

First off, on Monday I nipped into town to buy some new boots to wear in the Autumn.  I knew exactly which pair I wanted so I was in and out of Schuh in just a few minutes, which is quite unheard of!  I went for these Blowfish Ranuku Boots in black which are usually £45, but I got them for £40.50 with a 10% student discount – doing a postgraduate degree does have its benefits!

It’s been quite cold this week so I’ve worn the boots a few times already and they are SO comfortable!  They’re very versatile too, and look great with dresses or skinny jeans.  A very good buy.

On my way to get the bus home I passed through Primark (always a mistake) and spotted this gorgeous owl scarflace.  I have always loved owls, AND scarves, so I just had to have it.  It was supposed to be £4 but the eyes were missing on most of the scarves so it had been reduced to £3.  I can always just stick some beads on myself if I want it to have eyes!

On Tuesday I received my Avon delivery.  In amongst all the items for my customers were a few goodies which I’d ordered for myself, including repurchases of my usual Glimmerstick Eyeliner and Colortrend Concealer, as well as a small bottle of Avon’s new Sparkling Senses Shower Gel (look out for it in Brochure 17).  It smells gorgeous!  I also ordered two nail varnishes from the new Colortrend range in Violet Freeze (which I reviewed here) and Peekaboo, and a lovely little star necklace.

Yesterday I went to see the Paralympic flame pass through Leicester with my mum, and whilst we were in town we also did a bit of shopping.  For the past few weeks I’ve been checking Superdrug every few days for MUA’s new nail varnish shade, Frozen Yoghurt, but to no avail.  However, I managed to pick it up yesterday for £1 (FINALLY), and I also bought an Accessorize Eyeshadow Duo for £2.22.  Isn’t the packaging lovely?

The Accessorize eyeshadow was actually on offer for half price, down from £4.45, as were a lot of their lip glosses, and their nail varnishes were 2 for £5.  I’m not sure when the promotion ends but it’s worth having a look because they have some really pretty stuff!

My last few items are all from Primark.  As I mentioned earlier I love owls, so I couldn’t resist these £2 owly fingerless gloves, ready for Autumn/Winter.  They’re so cute!  And I love that they can be turned into mittens as well.

I spotted this Bambi sweater in Primark a few weeks ago for £10, but I resisted.  I was surprised to see it in the sale yesterday at just £5, and luckily one of the two that I found was in my size, so I caved and bought it.  Bambi used to be my nickname when I was younger so it seems quite fitting, and the soft, suede effect elbow patches are quite a nice touch.

Last but not least, another owl!  This time, a purple owl print t-shirt which only cost £3.  It’s quite a long, fitted tee but it looks great on with skinny jeans.

And that’s it!  What have you been buying this week?  Are you getting ready for Autumn yet, or are you clinging on to the summer for as long as you can?

Naomi x

What To Take On Your Mini Break

10
6 years
by Naomi in Hair, Nails, Skincare, Tips and Tutorials

Summer is slowly coming to an end, but there’s still time to dash off into the sun for a last-minute relaxing mini break.  You’ve got your clothes sorted…  Bikini?  Check.  Sun dresses?  Check.  Something gorgeous for the evening?  Check, and you’re almost good to go, but there’s always the question of what toiletries and cosmetics to take, and what to leave behind.  If you packed all the big bottles and endless tubes of lotions and potions that you usually use then you’d need another suitcase, am I right?  So, in the name of making life easier for us all, I thought I’d take the opportunity to narrow everything down and come up with ten little solutions to this bulky problem, which will leave plenty of room in your case for your beach reads and novelty souvenirs – you can thank me later!

1: Basic Make Up

Vanity cases and make up bags stuffed full of make up are impractical and unnecessary when travelling.  This might sound ridiculous, but all you need to take with you for a fresh-faced summer make up look are five basic items – foundation, eyeliner, mascara, lip gloss and blush.  That’s it!  Don’t believe me?  Check out my Top 5 Summer Make Up Essentials post for proof that that’s all you need.

2: Nail Varnish

If you can’t afford or don’t want an expensive salon manicure before you go away then it’s a good idea to pack a bottle of nail varnish.  You never know when you might be invited out last-minute for a romantic meal or an evening at a bar, so choose a quick drying varnish that you can slick on in seconds before you leave.

I highly recommend Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri Nail Colour in ‘Ruby Rush’.  It’s a deep, classic shade that will go well with any outfit, it has a wide brush for quick, even coverage and it is dry to the touch in just minutes.  It’s wonderfully chip resistant too, and a new favourite of mine.

3: Make Up Remover

If you’re like me, you probably have a bottle of make up remover for your eyes, one for your face, and a big bag of cotton wool balls and cotton buds that you use them with.  That’s a lot of bottles and bags to take on one little trip!  A great substitute to use for the few days you’re away are make up remover wipes, as they save space, are quick to use and can be thrown away once you’re done with them.

Kleenex recently brought out a range of make up remover wipes which are made of natural fibres and are gentle on the skin, yet very effective.  The ones pictured are specifically for eye make up, but they also make facial cleansing wipes.

4: Sun Lotion

Ever noticed that sun lotion tends to come in huge bottles that you’ll never get through during a two-week holiday, let alone whilst on a mini break?  Well, Hawaiian Tropic have solved that problem with their handy 100ml bottles of sun lotion!  They still contain the gorgeously scented, high quality lotion that the big bottles do – they’re just lighter and more compact, and the perfect size to carry in even the smallest of bags.

I’ve been using the Hawaiian Tropic Protective Sun Lotion SPF30 and I adore it.  The lotion not only protects your skin but softens it too, as it contains vitamins C and E, and is gorgeously light and silky.  It’s also ‘very water resistant’, which is great if you fancy a swim in the sea, but it’s still a good idea to apply it regularly to stay as safe as possible.  At £5.49 these mini bottles are a real steal.

5, 6 and 7: Moisturiser, Shampoo and Shower Gel

Now is a good time to raid your old beauty boxes, gift sets and collections of product samples.  All those little bottles and sachets of moisturiser, shampoo and shower gel that you never thought you’d use are actually the perfect size for taking on mini breaks!  Not only do they save space, but you might also discover a hidden gem amongst them which you can repurchase and carry on using when you get home.

8: Deodorant

Rather than packing chunky spray deodorants, why not take a roll-on deodorant instead?  They’re much kinder on the skin, and compact enough to carry with you.

A particular favourite of mine is Vaseline Aloe Fresh 24h Protection Deodorant, as it is long-lasting, the aloe makes it extremely moisturising and refreshing, and it doesn’t leave white marks on your dark clothes!

9: Disposable Razor

You never know when you might need to neaten up whilst on holiday, but taking a bulky epilator or home waxing kit with you is far too much trouble!  The solution?  Take a disposable razor!  Just because it’s disposable doesn’t mean it won’t do a good job, especially if you use Wilkinson Sword Extreme 3 Beauty Razors.  

I’ve been using these myself and they give an amazingly smooth result at a fraction of the usual hair removal cost (you get four for £3.99).  The three blade razor head is flexible so moves with the curves of your body for a close shave, and it even features a moisturising strip of aloe and jojoba to leave your skin feeling soft – not what you’d expect from a disposable razor at all!  They look and feel more like luxury razors, but once you’re done with them you can just throw them away so they’re far more convenient for travelling with.

10: Perfume

A great way to make the transition from a lazy day on the beach to a lively evening at a bar is with a beautiful fragrance, but who wants to be carrying a big glass bottle of perfume around with them?  That’s where Avon’s mini fragrances come in.  Avon now sell miniature versions of their best selling perfumes which are great for top ups throughout the day or, in this case, to take with you on a short trip.  You will find the full range on page 206 of Brochure 16, including 15ml Purse Sprays and 30ml Travel Sprays (how apt!), ranging from £5 to £7.50 each.

Wherever you’re going this summer, I hope these tips will help you know what to pack, and I hope you will Be Spontaneous whilst on your travels!  Why not do something you’ve never done before, and then share it with the Be Spontaneous crew on Facebook?  You could even win some amazing prizes in the process!

Thanks for reading,

Naomi x

*The Hawaiian Tropic Protective Sun Lotion SPF30 and Wilkinson Sword Xtreme3 Beauty Razors featured in the post were given to me by Wilkinson Sword for review purposes.  Everything else was purchased using my own money.  All opinions are honest and my own.  Some affiliate links have been used*

Be Spontaneous Hawaiian Tropic Mini Break Travelling What to Take Wilkinson Sword

Montagne Jeunesse Glacial Clay Spa Fabric Mask

9
6 years
by Naomi in Face, Skincare

You may remember that last month I introduced you all to Montagne Jeunesse’s new range of Clay Spa fabric masks.  I wrote an in-depth review of the wonderful Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask, and today I will share my thoughts on the Glacial Clay Spa mask!  I’d been saving this one to use on a day when I felt I really deserved a treat, so after a feeling stressed and poorly earlier this week I decided to indulge.

Like the Dead Sea Mud mask, the Glacial Clay Spa is a fabric mask, but this one is infused with ‘Real Clay, Arctic Cloudberry & Red Grape’.  The active ingredients are specially chosen for their cleansing and anti-oxidant properties and are all vegetarian and animal friendly (Montagne Jeunesse are approved by PETA, BUAV and the Vegetarian Society).

Out of all the masks I have used, this is the quickest and easiest to use, and probably the most effective.  It comes in one fabric piece, with eye, nose and mouth holes already cut out, so all you have to do is place it on your face, press it down and relax for 15 minutes.  Who knew effective skincare could be so effortless?!

Now, I know you all want to know what it looks like, so I have put my reputation on the line to show you just how silly it makes you look!

Gorgeous, right?  To be honest I find it pretty hilarious (not that it gives you much freedom of movement to laugh haha).  Anyway, onto the important stuff…

The glacial clay that forms the basis of the mask is fantastically cooling and makes your face feel instantly refreshed.  The coolness also tightens your skin and soothes any soreness or redness, which does wonders for your complexion.  My face didn’t feel irritated at all whilst wearing the mask, so I was able to completely relax and enjoy the beautiful scent of the mask (my mum says it smells like summer).  After 15 minutes, I removed the fabric and washed any excess clay from my skin with warm water, massaging in a circular motion as I did so.  I didn’t even need to use any moisturiser after wearing the mask as it didn’t cause any dryness.  Rather, it made my face look visibly rejuvenated.

I can’t recommend these fabric masks highly enough and I’ll definitely be purchasing some more.  If you want to try anything from Montagne Jeunesse’s Clay Spa skin care range, you can purchase individual masks for £1.49 each (BARGAIN) from the Montagne Jeunesse website, or they are now available in Boots.  They’ll also be in ASDA as of September.

Have you tried these masks yet?

Naomi x

*I was sent this Glacial Clay Spa Mask by Montagne Jeunesse for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.  Some affiliate links have been used.

 

The Addictive Blog Award

6
6 years
by Naomi in Blog Awards, General

Yesterday, I was nominated for The Addictive Blog Award by the lovely cowboysandcrossbones.  I’d never been nominated for this award before so I was very happy to receive it – thank you so much for nominating me!  It’s nice to know that my blog is thought of by some as ‘addictive’.

 

 
The rules for this wonderful award are as follows…

1. Thank the person awarding you – Check!  Don’t forget to check out cowboysandcrossbones blog for lots of sparkly fun :)
2. Share a little about why you blog and how the journey started.
3. Paste the blog award on your page.
4. Nominate 10 other bloggers you feel deserve the award.

I started blogging via Bewitchery in February 2012.  I used to have another blog which was more focussed on reviews of films and novels, but I found that every now and then a beauty review would slip in.  Before I knew it, I was starting another blog especially for beauty and fashion posts as I enjoyed writing them so much.  I have always loved writing (after all, I’m studying for a postgraduate degree in Modern Literature), but most of my writing whilst at university has been of the academic variety.  Through blogging, I get to develop a more informal style of writing whilst connecting with lots of lovely people and having fun with new products, which I absolutely love!  It is my readers that keep me going though, as knowing people are reading and enjoying what I’m writing makes me very happy, so thanks for being part of my beauty blog journey.

Now, it will be difficult to nominate just ten people as there are so many blogs that I enjoy reading, but here are my 10:

  1. RaRa Reid
  2. Mo’ Adore
  3. Nocturnal Beauty
  4. Sweetjellybean
  5. Beauty and the Best of the Rest
  6. brownponytail
  7. nonfashionista
  8. The Haute Frugalista
  9. Lipstick and Love
  10. sexnmakeupdiaries

If I nominated you and you like this kind of thing, please feel free to share this award!  If not, then no worries :)

Thanks again for the award, cowboysandcrossbones!

Naomi xx

 

 

Addictive Addictive Blog Addictive Blog Award award Blog Award cowboysandcrossbones nominated Nominations

NOTD: Avon Colortrend Nail Enamel in ‘Violet Freeze’

4
6 years
by Naomi in Nails

I know, I know, this is my second nail post in a row, but I just couldn’t resist sharing this beautiful shade with you all!  I received this Colortrend Nail Enamel in my Avon delivery on Tuesday and as soon as I saw it I thought it was so pretty.

In the brochure and online the varnish is called ‘Violet Freeze’, but for some strange reason it says ‘Very Violet’ on all its packaging.  I’m not entirely sure what its real name is, but I’m going to go with ‘Violet Freeze’ as it is an icy blue shade with a multi-tonal tinge of pinky purple.  It’s by no means a dupe, but think Models Own ‘Aqua Violet’ or ‘Indian Ocean’.  As you would expect of a multi-tonal nail varnish, the colour changes in different lights…  In inside light, the blue is lovely and reminds me of the colour of the Disney Cinderella’s dress, but outside is where you see the full beauty of it.  The violet hues really come through and alter in depth depending on how you look at your nails.  I just can’t put into words how stunning it really is!

The varnish is very sheer – to achieve the coverage seen above I had to apply three coats, and you can still see the white tips of my nails through it.  It was no fuss to apply though…  It covered my nails evenly with no streakiness as the formula is very cooperative, and it dried impressively quickly.  The Colortrend nail enamels have DEFINITELY improved since the range was overhauled!  It hasn’t chipped yet either which is always good.

All of the Colortrend Nail Enamels are currently on offer for £2.50 each in Brochure 16 (page 75 if you’re interested), which is a great price for such a lovely shade.  Even their usual price is a snip at just £3.

What do you think of this shade?  Would you wear it?

Naomi x

£2.50 Brochure 16 Color Me Pretty Dupe Multi-Tonal Very Violet Violet Freeze

NOTD: French Bows

8
6 years
by Naomi in Nail Art, Nails

Today’s Nail of the Day features the Cosmetoo Nail Art Kit that I received in my BeTrousse Summer Break beauty box, which I reviewed earlier today.  The nail art kit contains two sets of nail stickers, a small bag of nail gems and a wooden stick tool, but for the look I’ll be sharing today I only one lot of nail stickers.

As you can see, the stickers I received are bright pink bows.  As they’re so bold, I wanted them to really stand out so I set them against a simple background – a classic French manicure.  The stickers are very, very easy to apply.  Once the white tips and nude nail colour were dry, I followed the instructions on the back of the Cosmetoo packet, which read…

  1. Use tweezers to peel the decal off of its backing.
  2. Position the decal on the nail and press down until it has adhered to the nail.
  3. Apply clear nail polish over the decal.

So that is what I did, and this is how my nails turned out!

I don’t usually go for the French manicured look, but I think the bows add a cute little twist to this nail classic.  The stickers themselves are very good quality…  Once you press them down they are stuck firm and with the clear coat on top they aren’t going anywhere.  I was worried that the pointy edges would peel up, but so far they haven’t.

What do you think of Cosmetoo’s stickers?  I’d like to try some other designs too!

Naomi xx

BeTrousse Cosmetoo French Manicure Nail Stickers Summer Break
Next »
Go to Top
%d bloggers like this: