Polka Dot tips - Barry M Nail Art Pen

As my boyfriend now has GTA 5 I am finding myself having a lot of time to myself in the evenings. I'm not complaining, it means I get time to play about with different nail polishes.

 I got to give my Barry M nail art pen a go too. I'm really impressed with how easy it is to use, it's literally just like a felt tip. I expected it to sort-of dot on drips of nail polish but it's not like that at all. I've only tried dots so far but I'm looking forward to giving some other designs a whirl soon.

So I painted my nails a nude colour 'You're A Peach' by Nails inc which I got free with In Style earlier this year, I love this colour so much! and I painted the tips in navy (Motcomb Street by Nails Inc) and dotted on the white with the nail pen. Very simple and I think it adds a bit of a 50's flare to what would be a classic look.

Have you tried out the Nail art pens? What did you think? 

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No 7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream

After doing a bit of research and paying a bit more attention to the ingredients of products I was using I saw that although my daily moisturiser had  Vitamin E, (excellent for protection against external damage and reducing the appearance of scarring)  it also contained mineral oil which is not advised for people prone to breakouts or oily skin -i.e. me!

It was time for a change...

So armed with a No7 voucher (why do I always end up with so many of these?!) I went down to Boots and had a little look around. I've been impressed by their hot cloth cleanser and microdermabrasion face scrub so naturally No7 was my first port of call -and of course the £5 off was a bonus!

I first saw the Essential Moisture Day Cream. It sounded like what I was after but I had a quick glance at the ingredients and this also contained mineral oil -also called....liquid paraffin and liquid petroleum. I put it back and then my eyes were drawn to The Beautiful Skin range for Normal to Oily skin and the No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream ticked all the boxes.

• a light moisturiser for daily use
• enriched with zinc to balance oil production
•  5 star UVA protection
• ...and no mineral oil!

all contained in an attractive little white and green glass jar...

With my voucher it cost me £7.50 instead of the usual £12.50. It was a little pricier than I'd usually pay for 50ml of product  but it's worth it to make sure I'm putting the right things on my face. I've spent all this money on Hydraluron to make my moisturiser work well so it might as well be a good one that I'm using! There's no point being half hearted about this kind of thing...

I'm really impressed with it. It's a really creamy formula that smooths into the skin well and doesn't leave it feeling oily at all. I dotted it thinly over my face and rubbed it in. It sunk in nicely and didn't leave any residue. I could apply make up almost immediately  afterwards. My make up stayed in place all day and my skin really felt moisturised.

It's not heavily scented, the smell is just really fresh and in no way overpowering at all. It just does it's job.

And the best part is that my skin has been behaving ever since I started using it. I'm tempted to look into purchasing other products from this range.

I've got another £5 off voucher in my purse, I might give the foaming cleanser a go next.

I'm glad I've started looking in to ingredients, it's surprising how you can think something that is so good for you is actually not helping at all.

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Macadamia Healing Oil Review - I was wrong!

So I was quick to judge. A while back I did a post on the Macadmia healing oil Treatment. I wasn't too impressed. It turns out I hadn't given it a chance.

It was only a week ago I was getting my hair cut and my hairdresser commented how much my hair had grown since she last saw me 6 weeks before. I hadn't really noticed as I had been tying it up a lot to keep it in good condition for my friends wedding. So as she was combing it down to give it a trim I noticed it had grown a good inch more than it normally would have! I realised that between me  giving it a break from the straighteners and using the healing oil after washing it had really helped the condition of my hair.

My usual serum had run out so I had been using Macadamia Healing oil on the ends. This meant I was applying it about every other day. When I had tried it the first time round I found it left my hair feeling a bit heavy and it felt a lot greasier and needed washing more often. After a bit of practice I got the quantities about right and it wasn't feeling greasy or weighed down but it was still doing its job. I found separating my hair into two sections by tying the top half up and applying it in two parts made this easier and it distributed better. I love that I only need to use a tiny amount too as I only use it on the ends of my hair. I just tip the bottle while my hand is covering the opening and the amount that it leaves on my hand is perfect for each section. This just means it will last me even longer than I expected so it's well worth the money! The fact that it reduces drying time means you will spend less time using the hairdryer so the hair is not being damaged as much as normal. It's giving you all sorts of goodness! 

I honestly can see the difference this has made on my hair and I will not be so quick to judge products in the future! I love Macadamia Healing Oil and I will definitely be repurchasing when it runs out.

Go and get yourself some from here, you won't be disappointed!

Have you ever judged a product too quickly?

Is there anything to re-tried and loved second time around?

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Eye Candy Lashes | Dramatise 005

These is the second of the Eye Candy lashes I have tried out. These are style 005 from the Dramatise range.  They are long and thick and create a really striking look. I wore these with a slight smokey eye and pale pink lips for a date night with my boyfriend.

I just love these! Just look how long they are! 

I find they look really natural too and as they are made of human hair they are so light weight you barely feel them on.

As I said when I tried the 014 lashes I found the glue a little fiddly and it didn't last as long as I'd hoped. The inner part started to come away after about 4 hours. Next time I'll definitely try with my own lash glue. I rarely use the glue that comes wiht lashes anyway, I love my trusty duo glue!

I think the packaging of these lashes are really cute too, I know the boxes just get thrown away but they definitely catch your eye.

I'm really enjoying this rage, I love a good set of falsies!

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Max Factor Whipped Creme Foundation

I don't know about you but I've always associated Max Factor with an older lady. I think it's because my Mum had a lot of it when I was younger. I always tend to overlook it when browsing the make up isles. But a new foundation caught my eye... maybe I'm getting old!

I always heard good things about the Dream Matt Mousse Foundation that Maybelline released a while back. When I saw that Max factor had given it a go I was keen to try it. I was even more keen when I saw it on offer for £7.99 in Superdrug! 

On closer inspection it was just the packaging that was similar as this was more of a whipped cream consistency (hence the name) rather than a mousse. 

It's packaged in a small glass jar, which is nice an compact but maybe a little heavy. 

Its a nice thick creamy consistency, which worried me that it would be a it heavy but it blends in to feel really light on the skin.

I applied it with my fingers which worked brilliantly  I find some foundations really need a brush to look right but this was fine. 

I'd say it's a medium coverage but can be built up and leaves a lovely matte finish which is a look I'm loving for this season. I never really look right with a dewy complexion.  I've not had the best skin lately but it covered redness and dark circles really well. I needed to add concealer to cover blemishes but If you've got pretty good skin you will honestly look airbrushed with this alone! Paired with a powder I found it lasted longer and barely felt like I had make up on. It really is so lightweight and long lasting. I'm really impressed with this.

50 Natural, Swatched and Blended

Maybe I should try out different brands more often! This is a brilliant find for me!

Max Factor Whipped Creme Foundation is £9.99 but currently on offer for £7.99 in Superdrug 

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Illamasqua Speckle & Fragile

This was another moment when I couldn't quite decide what colour to paint my nails. I'd been given a bottle of Illamsqua in 'Fragile' as part of a thank you for being a bridesmaid.

After removing my lace accent nails from the wedding I decided to alternate my new polish with it's old lilac sister, Speckle.

(L)Speckle,  (R) Fragile

I love these polishes, it's so simple to create such an interesting look, just one bottle is needed. This was just 2 coats and the speckles really distribute on to the nail perfectly. I've always loved my Speckle polish that my boyfriend bought me for Valentines Day and now I have the pale blue to match. I love how they look. They make me want mini eggs!

Eye Candy Lashes

I love false lashes. Even though I’ve been told by a few make up artists that my lashes are so long I don’t need them, I can't resist putting them on every now and then. Sometimes they are just needed to complete a look and make you feel a bit more dressed up.

I was excited to try out a brand I hadn’t seen before, Eye Candy. They are handmade from real human hair so they have a great natural look to them. 

It was my brothers graduation yesterday so I thought this was a perfect excuse to try some out. As it was a daytime affair I didn't want to wear anything too drastic so I tried out the 014 from the Volumise range. They are slightly thicker at the ends to create a bit of a smokey eye look with barely any effort at all.

I never like the glue that lashes come with, when are they going to invent a better way to store it? The bottles are always so fiddly, and applying lashes can be fiddly enough. Most of the time I use my Duo lash glue but I used the glue with the pack to give them the full review they deserved.

I kept my make up natural and decided I'd let the lashes do the talking. I applied the glue to the strip and waited about 20-30 seconds so the lash went tacky enough to apply without going all over the place. I lined them up on my eyelid and held them in place to dry.  

They stayed in place really well and lasted about 5 hours. They weren’t too heavy at all which I often find is the case with cheaper lashes but I barely knew I was wearing them. They are handmade and made with hair of the highest quality  which is a nice change from a lot of brands who use plastic, so naturally these felt way more comfortable to wear! The only down side was I felt the ends start to come away from the inner corner towards the end of the day but I think if I used my Duo glue like I usually would then this would solve that problem.

Removing them was extremely easy, they came off well with my L’oreal Micellar water without any irritation at all. They left no sticky residue from the glue either.

These lashes are great, I look forward to trying out some of the other styles!

You can get these lashes from Boots for £5.99

Lace Accent Nail

I attended a wedding recently. It was a nice little treat to have my nails painted for me for a change. There was a gorgeous lace accent on the ring finger which I thought was a nice touch. I watched how it was done and I think it's pretty simple to do yourself. Basically paint the nail, quickly lay on the lace and cut around it so it fits the nail, then paint over a top coat. Possibly slightly fiddly to do yourself but do-able! If not ask friend to lend a hand. 

I love how it looks. The feel of it took a bit of getting used to but it really added a nice bit of detail to plain nails. The beautiful pink shade that was used is OPI's Selena Gomez collection in 'Selena'.

I'm all for adding some texture to my nails, it's opened my eyes to what else I can try out! Time to get creative!

25 Random Questions

It's been a while since I did one of these. Takes me back to the Myspace days!


1.Do you have any pets? 
No. When we move to a bigger place I plan on getting a dog though. I had German Shepherd when I was younger so I'd love another one. It would be mean to have a dog that size in a place without a large garden so I will have to wait a few years.

2. Name 3 things that are physically close to you.
A cup of tea, Disney Calendar and Notebook.

3. What's the weather like right now?
Bright sunshine! Not a cloud in the sky. Summer isn't ready to leave us quite yet!

4. Do you drive? If so have you crashed? 
Yes. I haven't crashed yet, fingers crossed I never will!

5. What time did you wake up this morning?
About 7.30-8ish

6. When was the last time you showered?
Yesterday. I'm waiting for M to have his morning nap before I shower. I need to start Bridesmaid-prep for Saturday so I've got a big thorough exfoliation session to go through!

7. What was the last movie you saw?
Pitch Perfect. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Fat Amy completely makes the film! But I do now know how to do the cup song thing she does. It's my party trick!

8. What does your last text message say?
It's from my Mum asking me to pick up a Revlon Foundation for her when I'm in town.

9. What's your ringtone?
...Copa Cabana by Barry Manilow (I'm such a loser but very proud of it!)

10. Have you ever been to a different country? 
Yes several. Mexico was my favourite, I can't wait to go back. I don't understand how anyone could stay in the same country and never see anymore of the world.

11. Do you like sushi? 
Not overly, it's ok.

12. Where do you buy your groceries? 
Tesco and Waitrose.

13. Have you ever taken medication to help you fall asleep faster? 
When I take strong painkillers that knocks me out pretty quick. I've never tried sleeping tablets, I think I'm just too scared in case they work too well and I miss a day!

14. How many siblings do you have? 
2 wonderful brothers and a lovely sister. We've always got on really well. It makes it hard for me to understand families that don't like each other.

15. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? 
Desktop. I've never got on with a laptop, I always end up with 'the claw' from using the mouse pad!

16. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 
That would be telling. Older than a Karen but a lot less bitter

17. Do you wear contacts or glasses?
Nope.

18. Do you colour your hair? 
Yes, I have blonde highlights that I'm gradually making darker with each visit.

19. Tell me something you are planning to do today.
Going for a walk in the sun with my little boy, and picking up that make-up for my Mum!

20. When was the last time you cried?
It must have been a long time ago cos I can't really remember. Probably when having one of those down moments a few weeks back where everything felt like it was going wrong. I'm pretty hard on myself when it comes to parenting.

21. What is your perfect pizza topping?
I'm pretty boring. Chicken and Sweetcorn does me fine! Though I loved the Spanish Sizzler that Dominos used to do.

22. Which do you prefer-hamburgers or cheeseburgers? 
Cheeseburgers! Halloumi with peppers if I get the choice!

23. Have you ever had an all-nighter?
Yes. I don't think anyone should get to my age and not have had one!

24. What is your eye colour? 
Blue


25. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? 
Yes. I used to live in a pub so I'm pretty clued up on this stuff. Pepsi is sweeter and tastes more syrupy.

Well that was fun. If you've done this too leave your link! I love being nosey!