‘Frosted Purple’ is a simply beautiful colour, and is neutral enough to wear with just about anything.  It’s a dark silver tone with a lilac tinge, and consists of two sizes of glitter – a very fine micro glitter, with larger flecks throughout. The varnish dries matte, which is quite unusual for a glitter varnish in my experience, and is textured like ‘frosted sand’.  It feels slightly rough to the touch, but I’ve used far rougher glitters in the past.

Now, I know this is a bold statement to make, but I think this varnish is the best glitter varnish that I have ever owned/tried. It even beats my trusty favourite brands, Barry M and Models Own.  Most glitters need layers and layers for full coverage, but not this one. My swatches show the coverage after just one coat. That’s right, ONE COAT! And it really doesn’t need any more than that, as it’s completely opaque. The formula is lovely too – very smooth and not at all gloopy, so you can actually brush it on (the brush is nice and wide, yay) rather than dab it on, as is usually required with glitters. It also dries very quickly for a glitter.

In terms of hardiness, I’ve been wearing ‘Frosted Purple’ for three days now, and the tips of my nails are just starting to show signs of wear. There are no chips or anything though.  I can tell it’s going to be a pain to remove as it has the same texture as Models Own ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘Southern Lights’ which are really tough to get off, but it’s a small price to pay for such a high quality glitter.

EDIT: I was wrong!  The varnish was actually really easy to remove with a normal nail varnish remover, and it barely took any soaking or rubbing to get it to budge.  I’m very, very impressed.

I spotted four shades in the ‘Frosted Sand’ range, all of which are Toluene-free and Formaldehyde-free.  ‘Frosted Silver’, ‘Frosted Gold’, ‘Frosted Purple’, and ‘Frosted Plum’, which I think is a new addition, and is next on my nail varnish shopping list!  Will you be trying any?  If so, get on down to Superdrug quick to take advantage of the £1.99 offer!

Naomi x

Fragrance Direct very kindly sent me four Orly shades to review, and after trying all of them out I can now share my thoughts, so here they are…

Velvet Rope / Moonlit Madness / Charged Up / Liquid Vinyl

Despite their different finishes, all four varnishes have a very similar formula.  The consistency is smooth and, even though the brush is narrow, it applies easily, but the first coat always comes out slightly streaky.  No matter how careful I was when swatching these, I couldn’t get the first coat to look right, and it was nowhere near opaque.  Luckily, a slightly thicker second coat solved that issue, and the overall look was good.  They also dry fairly quickly which is always a positive.  They’re not quite 60 second varnishes, but they’re not far off.

When choosing the shades I wanted I struggled slightly as there are so many gorgeous colours in the range, but I’m really happy with the ones I settled for, and here they are…

Velvet Rope

As it’s my favourite colour, my nail varnish collection is overflowing with purples, but Velvet Rope is unlike any other I own.  It’s a lovely violet purple with a shimmer finish, which is studded with particles of silver micro glitter.  The overall effect isn’t quite ‘velvet’, but it’s really pretty, and despite the glitter is still easy to remove.

Moonlit Madness

I’m not always keen on red varnishes as a lot of them have an orange undertone which I really don’t like, but I love Moonlit Madness as it’s a bright cherry red, which I wore a lot over Christmas.  It also gives the classic red nail a bit of a twist with a subtle shimmer finish.

Charged Up

Charged Up is my favourite of all four shades as it’s so beautifully vibrant and eye-catching, and in the right light hints of both pink and blue come through, as seen above.  It also has a lovely creme finish.  This is a great shade for Spring and I know I’ll be getting a lot of wear out of this one in the coming months.

Liquid Vinyl

I currently have three black nail varnishes – one from Primark, one by Barry M and this one, and this is by far the best.  As the name suggests, Orly’s black is gorgeously fluid and looks stunning on.  It has an incredible shine to it as well, and its high quality is just so obvious.

If you want to grab yourself some bargain Orly shades, just visit Fragrance Direct.  Their standard delivery is only £1.99 too!

Naomi x

*These Orly Nail Lacquers were sent to me by Fragrance Direct for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Clockwise from Top Left:

Orly Nail Polish £3.99 from Fragrance Direct / Lacura Aqua Moisture Cream £1.99 from ALDI / SuperDrama Mascara £5.00 (was £10.00) from Avon / Halo Futuristic Nail Glitter £4.50 from ASOS / Denman Small Styling Brush £4.99 from Fragrance Direct / Ginger Sparkle Hand Cream £4.00 from The Body Shop / Momiji Mini Gift Set £5.00 from M&S / 3 in 1 Nail Art Pearl Gem Pen £4.50 from Claire’s / MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer £3.00 from MUA / MUA Luxe Glitter Palette £4.00 from MUA / Montagne Jeunesse Strawberry Souffle Face Mask £0.99 from New Look / Snow Fairy Shower Gel £3.50 for 100g from LUSH / Metal Eyelash Curler £3.25 from John Lewis

I hope you all find this edit helpful!  If you have any £5 or under stocking filler ideas to add, please comment below as I’d love to see what you’ve come across.

Check back soon for my next Christmas post, featuring Spend and Save Christmas Gift ideas.

Happy Shopping!

Naomi x

Imperial Leather Foamburst, reviewed here / Bad Apple Nail Varnish in Anna / Relaxing evening with a good book and a mince pie / Friday night chocolate soufflé treat / Uno, Chocolate Orange and Miggley rat / My dad’s new, beautiful Leopard Gecko – Gex

If you’d like to follow me on Instagram and see more of my photos, my username is bewitchery_.  If you’re on Instagram too, please comment on this post with your username as I’m always looking for new accounts to follow, especially fashion and beauty ones!

Naomi x

I received four Hard Candy items in total; Split Personality Cream Eyeshadow Duo in ‘Psycho’, Just Nails Nail Polish in ‘Mr Right’, Just Nails Matte Top Coat, and World Balmination Tinted Lip Balm in ‘Good Girl’.  I must admit, as a nail polish hoarder I was extremely tempted to only order nail products, but I thought I’d give some of the rest of the range a go too, and I’m pleased I did.

Just Nails Nail Polish in ‘Mr Right’ and Just Nails Matte Top Coat

‘Mr Right’ is a gorgeous deep blue shade with a delicate shimmer finish, that looks really elegant on the nails.  Though the brush is a bit smaller than I’d like, the polish still applies easily and evenly, and gives completely opaque coverage in two coats.  My only real issue with it is that it takes a while to dry, so I managed to smudge it whilst impatiently applying the matte top coat too early, but at least I’ve learnt for next time.  The ring that comes with the polish is a fab little bonus too.  I was half expecting it to be too small for me and not very good quality, but it’s actually nice and chunky and fits well.

I’d been looking for an affordable matte top coat for ages so choosing this one was a no brainer for me.  Unfortunately there’s no ring with it, but the product inside the bottle makes up for that.  It applies smoothly with very little streaking, dries a lot quicker than the polish, and as you’d hope, gives a matte finish.  Luckily, the formula is fairly thin too, so it doesn’t look or feel too thick.  I only applied it on my ring finger as an accent nail so you can see the difference.

At £1.99 each, Hard Candy’s nail products are a real bargain, and I’d definitely recommend them if you’re willing to wait a few extra minutes for your nails to dry!

World Balmination Lip Balm in ‘Good Girl’

Hard Candy’s World Balmination Lip Balm comes packaged in a basic twist up tube, but the packaging is really pretty, so it stands out from the abundance of blacks and silvers in my make up drawer.  I do have one little problem with the packaging, though.  For some reason, quite a lot of the product sticks out over the top of the tube, even before it has been twisted up (as you can see in the picture), so it’s hard to get the lid on without damaging the balm, unless you have a really steady hand.  Not ideal!

The first thing I noticed when I opened the balm was its scent.  It smells like a mixture of vanilla and lemon, and even tastes sweet, so if you’re a fan of scented lip products as I am, then this is definitely for you.  The balm applies nicely, and a has a creamy texture that isn’t greasy, so it feels nice on the lips and has a long-lasting moisturising effect.  I applied it this morning, and even after my Sunday lunch my lips still felt lovely!  It’s also very slightly tinted with a light peachy pink shade, and though it doesn’t add much colour to the lips, it does emphasise your natural lip colour.

At £1.99 it’s a definite thumbs up from me.

Split Personality Cream Eyeshadow Duo in ‘Psycho’

I don’t tend to wear eyeshadow that often (I’m more of a thick black eyeliner kinda girl), but when I spotted this I thought I’d give it a go as one of the shadows in the duo is, you guessed it, black!  The other is white, and both have a bit of shimmer to them.

The duo has a cream eyeshadow at either end of the stick, which sits in the screw lid that covers each applicator.   The applicators themselves are soft and spongy, and seem to be loaded on a spring, so they move and mould to the shape of your eyelid nicely, making application smooth and easy.  The two colours compliment each other well, and make for an impressive smoky eye that’s quick to do.

If these shades aren’t for you, there are plenty of other colours to choose from, and they cost £1.99 each, which is £3.00 cheaper than the RRP.

To view the full range of Hard Candy products that Xtras have to offer, visit their site here.

Naomi x

*These Hard Candy cosmetics were sent to me by Xtras for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

I’m happy to announce that George’s varnish completely lives up to the rave reviews.  The brush is narrow, but it’s fairly long and the decently-sized lid makes it easy to control the application.  The varnish applies smoothly, and gives amazing coverage even in one coat, but as always I applied two coats for a flawless finish.  As you’d expect of a quick dry varnish, it dries incredibly quickly, and a day later it is still free of any smudges, dents, chips or scratches.  It looks like it’s going to last a lot longer, too!

Here’s how it looks on the nails…

‘Boom’ is a gorgeous, bold shade that really catches the eye.  The pigmentation of the varnish is incredible, and the colour has a real depth to it.  I’ve always liked blues, but seem to be lacking in blue varnishes, so this is a great addition to my collection.

For such a budget range the quality of George’s quick dry nail varnish is very high, and if you’re a fan of nail products I recommend you try them if you can, especially as they’re currently only £1.  I’ll definitely be going back to Asda to buy more!  I spotted a lovely pink shade that I’ll be picking up next time.

Have you ever tried any varnishes from this range?  What do you think of them?

Naomi x

Jacava are a 100% British brand who are vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and never test on animals.  They also boast the first 8-free polishes in the world (yes, that’s right, EIGHT-free), as they don’t contain Formaldehyde, Camphor, Toluene, DBP, Cellophane, Phthalates, Parabens or animal ingredients.  So, right from word go, they’re a brand I’m happy to support, and luckily their products match up to their good name!

Top Coat with UV Inhibitors and Blueberry Muffin

Jacava’s packaging is simple but sleek, and the long, slim lids that their polishes come with are easy to grip which makes application effortless.

The polish itself has a silky smooth formula which gives surprisingly opaque coverage in one coat, but I like to apply two coats for a bolder, more intense colour.  Perhaps the most stand-out aspect of Jacava’s polishes for me is how quickly it dries.  It’s literally dry to the touch within a minute, and after five minutes it’s good to go.  I even got my two pet rats out to play just after painting my nails, and they didn’t smudge at all.  Just one word of advice.  In my experience the top coat isn’t suitable as a base coat, and will make the polish peel off extremely easily.  It stays put for a long time without a base coat, though, and looks gorgeously glossy with the top coat for an all round perfect manicure.  Jacava’s website also states that the top coat’s UV Inhibitors keep white nail polish white for longer, which is a nice feature that I’ve never seen before, so worth investing in if you regularly wear pale shades.

Blueberry Muffin has a lovely creme finish, but is more of a pinky purple than a blue purple.  Sort of a soft and dusky dark lilac.  It’s an absolutely beautiful shade which reminds me of spring flowers and lightning skies all at once.  I love it.

Click image for a closer look!

Jacava’s range features eighteen beautiful shades and several different finishes, including creme, metallic, shimmer and glitter.  Every polish contains 22-carat gold for a nourishing, luxurious formula, and they cost just £14.50 each.  I personally have my eye on Blackberry Fool, Marrakesh Nights, Midnight’s Secrets and Chillax!  To view the full Jacava range click here, or find them on Feel Unique.

Which shade do you like best?

Naomi x

*These two nail polishes were sent to me by Jacava London for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Will you be attending your local Pride event this year?

Naomi x

I’ve been having a bit of a clear out lately and have gathered together a few cosmetics and toiletries which I’ve decided to sell, including body lotions, lipstick, nail varnish, aftershave and more.  Almost everything is brand new and unused, and a lot of it is still sealed.  If you’d like to have a look at what I’m selling, click here or visit my ‘Blog Sale’ page via the tab at the top.  All information on postage costs and payment details etc can be found there.

Thanks!

Naomi x

The Ice Neon collection features five shades – Bubblegum, Toxic Apple, Luis Lemon, Pink Punch and, the shade I own, Pukka Purple.  Each shade is intensely fluorescent, and comes packaged in a frosted glass bottle which is intended to be stored in the fridge, in order to preserve the vibrancy of the varnish.

As with every other Models Own varnish that I’ve ever tried, Pukka Purple has a wonderful creamy consistency and applies effortlessly thanks to the easy grip lid and long brush.  The varnish is very opaque, and looks flawless after just one coat, but I still find it necessary to apply two coats in order to intensify the colour.  It also dries impressively quickly – within a few minutes of application I was able to go about my business without any worry of smudges or dents.

All of the Ice Neon varnishes have a matte finish (which may explain why it dries so quickly, as mattes tend to in my experience), but can be made shiny with a gloss top coat.  Unlike some matte varnishes, this one applies well over a base coat, so there’s no need to worry about staining.  Though I love the matte finish of Pukka Purple (which is still a little bit shiny, but not in a glossy way), I did find that it didn’t last too well without a top coat.  Within a day my nails were showing wear at the ends, and after two days the varnish was chipping.  Not ideal, but the amazing colour makes up for the poor lasting power.

Pukka Purple is an absolutely beautiful indigo purple, and is unlike any other purple varnish that I own (and I own a lot!)  I’m not usually a fan of neons as I think they can look quite tacky, but this has the bold brightness of a neon colour but manages to remain classy with its matte finish and blue undertone.  It’s definitely an attention grabber, and has brought me many compliments over the last few days!

Overall, despite its tendency to chip easily, Pukka Purple is a stunningly unusual varnish and boasts Models Own’s characteristic high quality formula.  A definite must if you’re looking for something a little bit different and on trend this season.  All of the Ice Neon collection is available online, individually or in a box set, and can be found in Boots stores around the country.  At £5 each (or £20 for the set) they are kind on the bank account too, and worth every penny.

Check back later this week for my review of Grape Juice from the scented Fruit Pastel collection.

Naomi x