"Life Is Too Short, Buy All The Nail Polish!"

After hearing so much about all the brands bringing out their new speckled polishes I knew by pay day I had to buy them all!! Unfortunately my local Boots never seem to have fully stocked shelves so some colours I couldn't get my hands on.

Barry M

I knew I wanted to pick up the sequin effects polishes and after seeing some peoples Instagrams I saw that they also had their new colours in their Gelly Hi-Shine range out so with the 3 for 2 offer on in Superdrug I picked up a few. Firstly to make up the 3 for 2 I grabbed the 'Silver Multi-Glitter' which will look lovely for the summer so I can't wait to try this out. Then from the Gelly Hi-Shine range I got 'Blue Grape' and 'Guava'. Blue Grape is a gorgeous royal blue colour and looks very similar to Nails Inc 'Baker Street'. Guava is the nicest turquoise I think I may of come across. The polishes I was really after were the sequin effects and there are 3 shades available. I was going to buy all three but the black based ones didn't seem to have any sequins in them so I just went with the Pink and White. And lastly I hadn't seen this before so picked it up to give it a go. A nail paint corrector pen, and as I always have a shaky hand when it comes to painting my nails this will be well tested. All polishes and the corrector pen available from Boots and Superdrug. Polishes were £2.99 and the corrector pen was £5.99.

Maybelline

These are the other speckled polishes I couldn't wear to get my hands on but unfortunately in both Boots and Superdrug only these two were available so I will keep my eye out for the other. The green shade 'Rainforest Canopy' is a gorgeous sheer jade green colour with black and white hexagonal and small matte glitters. The pink shade 'Speckled Pink' is a milky pink base with again black and white hexagonal and small matte glitters. I can't wait to try both these out. I wonder what they would be like on toes??

Seventeen

This is a polish I came across and wasn't even aware that Seventeen had jumped on the speckled nail bandwagon. This is the only colour they had in stock but there is also a Monochrome version with a black base polish.

Do you own any of these polishes? What are your views on the Speckled polish hype?

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Peanut Butter & Oreo Chocolate Cupcakes

I'm back today with another food post (expect a lot more of these on my blog!) and one that if your a chocolate/peanut butter/oreo lover your in luck. This is another post influenced by the lovely Becky from milk bubble tea and if you have the craving to bake then her blog is a must read as she has lots of lovely recipe ideas.

What you will need is...

- A packet of Oreos

- Peanut Butter

- Chocolate Cake Mix (I chose Betty Crocker because you just can't go wrong!)

- Eggs, Water and Oil (optional depending on the cake mix)

First things first is to stack the oreos. Take one and spread some peanut butter on it. I used smooth but if you want an extra bit of nuttiness go for crunchy. Tower it up with another oreo and again another layer of peanut butter.

Next thing is the tricky part. Once you've whipped up your cake mix, pour it into each cupcake case. Now I found it easier to do with a small teaspoon and pour the mix down the sides first and then cover over the top. Cook in the oven on gas mark 4/5 for about 20 minutes or until the cake is properly cooked. And voila, you could ice them but I couldn't be bothered I wanted to tuck straight into them. But next time I make them I think I'm going to whip up a peanut butter frosting.

Have you made these before?

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Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm Review

I'm not going to lie, when it comes to taking my makeup off I am lazy! Anything that involves more then a simple wipe away was far too much hard work for me until I got to try this little beauty out. I bought the Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner which I will have a review up of soon and as a result received a lovely free gift with a few different products in to try. One of those freebies being the new Cleansing Balm and also the new Illuminating Flash Balm. When you buy the full size which is available from the timetospa website for £39.50 you also get a cleansing cloth which was also included in the free gift.

My initial thought was that I wasn't going to get on with it, use it once and then chuck it in a drawer never to be seen or used again. Oh how I was wrong!! I am now fully converted and can't even think of removing my makeup with anything else. The directions state to scoop a small amount and massage the balm onto dry skin for approximately 5 minutes. Leave for a couple of minutes to dissolve makeup and grime then wet fingertips and continue to massage to turn the balm into a milky texture. Wet the cleansing cloth with warm water and wipe away. I've been recommended to double cleanse so I use a Garnier cream cleanser first then this and its amazing how you think you've removed all your makeup then actually seeing how much muck is still left on your face. I have seen a major difference in my skin from using this and the Elemis Lavender toner. I urge you all to at least try this out and see what you think. It's great for all skin types and doesn't leave a greasy film on your skin at all. Definitely a 10/10 product for me and a holy grail part of my skincare routine.

Have you tried this out yet?

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Homemade Chocolate Candy Bark

On the journey to making my blog more lifestyle I bring you a baking/food post. I love to bake and its something me and my mum do and we kind of bond over it it a nice little way. So I love it even more when I come across blogs with amazing recipes such as Milk Bubble Tea which is where I discovered today's yummy post.

Recently chocolate company Cadburys have released chocolate bars with sweets or cookies inside them so Becky's homemade version of these looked like a winner. With no baking involved and only taking 5-10 minutes and a short time in the fridge to prepare these are definitely a fun thing to do when your bored.

All your need is some chocolate and lots of your favourite sweets. I used smarties, cola bottles, mini marshmallows, teeth and lips and Haribo. All you need to do is melt your chosen chocolate in my case I did one made with milk chocolate and one with white chocolate. Then pour onto a plate, I lined mine with tin foil to make it easy to remove once set. Take your sweets and decorate, be as neat or messy as you like and pop in the fridge to set. After it's set break it up into chunky pieces and enjoy!

These are a tasty treat and perfect for any party or girly night in.

Thanks again to Becky for posting this recipe and introducing me to this amazing treat.

Have you made anything like this before?

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Green People Zap & Clear Serum Review

If you have been reading my blog for a while you know I struggle with my skin. Like I've said before I in no way feel I have the worst skin ever and I am aware there are others out there suffering from Acne but for me personally I'm not happy with my skin. I suffer constantly from breakouts, just when I get rid of one another 3 appear. So when I was contacted by Green People and offered to try out their new spot serum I couldn't say yes quick enough! I didn't know anything about Green People when I first heard from them so after a little bit of research online I was pleased to find out what they were all about. The company was set up by a mother, Charlotte Vøhtz after her daughter was suffering badly from eczema. She went on the search for natural based skin care products but was shocked to find most products that claimed to be 'natural' could contain up to 99.9% synthetic chemicals. She started making her own home made products and was so impressed with them she wanted to share her discoveries with others thus Green People were born.

Green People Zap & Clear Serum* 10ml £9.85 available here.

Firstly the packaging is nice and simple which is something I really love in a product. The next thing that caught my eye was 'organic'. It's always nice when you can find good products from natural sources. This product is 88% Organic Ingredients Certified. The product itself is a thin lightweight gel which has a light citrus scent to it. The key ingredients are Black Willow Bark which has powerful activity against bacteria associated with acne, Organic Aloe Vera which we all know helps to sooth and reduce redness, rosehip, chamomile and tea tree.  The directions tell you to dab gently on affected areas several times a day. I applied this in the morning and by lunch I noticed that the couple of spots I had weren't as red anymore and after a couple of days had dramatically reduced in size. The tube is small and light so perfect to throw in your bag or makeup bag to use on the go.

Overall I am happy with this product and would definitely repurchase it. I am aware that everyone's skin is different so this may not be best for everyone but you don't know until you try and to be honest it's not a bank breaking product to buy.

Have you tried Green People before?

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Introducing Charmnest

I was contacted by the lovely Greta and she informed me that she had started her own jewellery site 'Charmnest' where she was selling cheap but lovely costume jewellery. I love jewellery pieces as a great way to accessorize an outfit so I was excited to check out the site to see what was to offer. I only bought two pieces and wished I had bought more but I was too excited and just wanted to pick something to receive it (looking back at this it sounds so stupid!). But don't fear as when I get paid I will most definitely be ordering some more lovely pieces!

It's an unusual design and it's pink, what is there not to like about this little number! I don't own anything at all like this and don't think I've seen anything similar in any shops as of late. And to top it all of at only £2 you just simply can't say no. This is also available in a almost lime green colour.

This little baby is the hardest thing to photograph to show all it's goodness. I'm afraid my photo doesn't do it any justice but from what you can see of it its a cute little arrow with black gems in it. It just slips on to my wrist but isn't too big that it slips right back off. And again at such a bargain price of £3.50 is amazing!

I thought i'd show you some other bits I hope to order soon...

1. Angel Wings Necklace £6.50 | 2. Chunky Ring £3.50 |

3. Funky Colourful Statement Necklace £6 | 4. V Necklace £4

And as a added bonus until the end of the month (which isn't long!!) Greta is very kindly offering bloggers a 20% discount using the code BLOGGER20.

Has anything caught your eye?

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A New Addition To My Polish Collection...

The last time I bought a product from Models Own was about 2 years ago in one of their amazing sales. I've always wanted to buy polishes since but for some reason I just never have. Also I'm one for quick simple colour, I only wish I was artistic enough to do some amazing designs like some I see on blogs or instagram. But to get me started on my long journey I saw these and thought it was an easy way for a starter to begin.

Models Own chose their 8 bestselling polishes and paired them with their most popular nail effects. The duo polishes consist of a plain coloured polish coveted 'Paint It' and either a glitter polish or another effect named 'Cover It'. The one I purchased was 'Snow Mix' which is made up of 'Snow White' polish and 'Ibiza Mix' glitter polish from the Hed Kandi range. I have yet to try this out but can tell I am going to love it!

Available from Models Own Site | Boots

Do you own any of these yet?

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RiRi ♥ M.A.C Summer 2013 Collection

You will probably see this pop up on about 10,000 beauty blogs at some point this week but as a MASSIVE Rihanna fan I had to mention it on my blog. The images for her Summer portion of her year long collaboration with M.A.C cosmetics have been revealed and I must say I will probably buy all of it!

The first part was her redesigned version of the cult classic Ruby Woo lipstick 'RiRi Woo' which sold out within the first 3 hours of going on sale. This went on sale to coincide with her Stadium Tour on May 5th & 6th. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of these and I refuse to use it until I at least get myself a backup (yes i'm that sad!!)

I admit that the main reason I am attracted to this collection is because it's Rihanna. The past year or so I've found myself not needing to buy from collections much but this one is a certainty.

Lipsticks

RiRi Woo - Matte Cool Red (Retro Matte).

RiRi Boy - Retro Matte Version Of 'Up The Amp'. (Retro Matte).

Heaux - A Deep Berry (Retro Matte).

Blush Duo

Hibiscus Kiss - Cool Coral / Matte Neutral Bronze.

Lustre Drops

Barbados Girl - Light Golden Bronze Shimmer

Out of the whole 5 items the one I could probably do without least is the lustre drops as I've had them before and never found them of much use.

What do you think of the collection? Will you be buying anything from the collection?

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All images taken from Google.

Trevor Sorbie Catwalk To Salon Event

Yesterday after work I got home, touched up my makeup and hair (which was a little bit of a waste of time as it was pouring down with rain and I had no umbrella!) and got picked up by the lovely Laura. Off we went into Brighton to meet up with some other lovely bloggers for an event at the Trevor Sorbie salon.

Me and Laura were a tad early so after a quick look in Boots (The BarryM stand had been stripped so hopefully the new polishes were going in!) we started to make our way down to the salon but as we were still early we sat in Starbucks for a little chat. After a little bit we made our way into the salon and was greeted by Lisa & Clare and were offered a drink. We both went for a cheeky white wine.

Soon enough the rest of the girls turned up and we were treated to two demonstrations of some catwalk hair that both Anna and Fergal had worked on during London and Paris fashion week.

Anna treated us to this 70's inspired look from the Marc Jacobs A/W 2013 London Fashion Week show. She explained that where was a lot of time inspired looks this year but a lot were 80's or 90's and that Marc Jacobs went different with using the 70's. Also a far side parting is going to be all the trend for later in the year so they included this within the look. I loved the look of this but don't know if I would be brave enough to wear it out but Anna did recommend not to tease it as much to make a smaller version better for a night out.

The look Fergal recreated was The Wet Look Sporty Ponytail from the Peter Pilotto A/W 2013 show from London Fashion Week. This look was created with water, mousse and oil to create the wet look. The key to this look was the placement of the ponytail. Too high and it gives off a girly look, too low and it just wouldn't look sporty. The most interesting part of this look was how the ponytail was finished off. Not with just a normal hairband but with a length of elastic, wound round the ponytail to make it stick out of the head. Resembled to an actual pony's tail where it comes away from the head gives it that sporty look. Then the ends are drenched in water and oil to help keep it looking wet throughout the show.

The two finished looks.

After a little chat we were treated to the chance to have our hair done. We were asked if we wanted to bring pictures along of any catwalk hair styles we liked and maybe wanted to recreate. I chose a picture I found of Cara Delevingne with a kind of soft beehive with loose waves.

I had the pleasure of Fergal completing this look on me and boy did he do a good job.

I absolutely love it and only wish I was this creative with my own hair at home although Fergal did talk me through it and give me a few hints and tips so I may try and recreate this at home at some point!

Girlies getting their hair done.

Lauren from BelleDuBrighton having her hair curled.

 Hannah from HVA Beauty and Style getting her hair braided!

I had an amazing night and we were even given a little goody bag on our exit which I'll post about another time as this is already quite a lengthy post! And even more generous we have been offered a free colour, cut and blowdry! I was so shocked when we found out as I am not a natural blonde so am in desperate need to get my roots done!

If you live in or near the Brighton area I definitely recommend popping into the salon. It's such a relaxed environment, that mixed with the amazing friendly staff is sure to make for an enjoyable time at the hairdressers!

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The Speckled Nail Invasion

There's been a new invasion in the nail trend world... Speckled Polish! This hot new trend has been backed by many brands bringing out their own version of the current obsession. Textured nails are quickly becoming a thing of the present including Barry M's summer pastels and Nails Inc Concrete polishes.

I thought I would do a quick roundup post of whats to offer in the land of pretty nails...

Barry M Sequin Nail Effect | £3.99

Available in Pink, White or Black, the Barry M sequin polishes are a textured finished nail paint. The Pink & White have a mixture of multi-coloured sequins within the sheer base polish whereas the Black is plain gold which gives it a very elegant look. If you don't like a textured finish to your nails then these may not be for you. Available from the Barry M website, Boots and Superdrug.

Illamasqua Speckled Polish | £14.50

On the other end of the scale and probably the first raved about speckled polishes are from Illamasqua. Available in 5 different shades; 'Freckle', 'Speckle', 'Mottle', 'Fragile' and 'Scarce'. I have yet to see these in person but can tell my the images that they sure are pretty. They are all sheer colour bases with a mixture of micro black and small glitter. These are probably the least textured out of all of the polishes available out there. These are limited edition so if you haven't picked them up yet what are you waiting for! Available from the Illamasqua website.

Maybelline Color Show Polka Dots | £2.99

The cheapest of the three at just £2.99 a bottle are the Maybelline Color Show Polka Dots. Available in four shades; 'Rainforest Canopy', 'Shooting Stars', 'Speckled Pink' and 'Chalkdust'. They are made up of the four different shades for a base with differently sized hexagonal glitters. I've been told the key to these polishes is the layering, 2-3 coats and you have yourself a pretty, party perfect manicure. So far I have only been able to find these in Superdrug but have seen some people buy them from Boots.

Do you own any of these polishes? Which are your favourite?

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Beauty Haul | May 2013

First let me apologise for the lack of posts lately. I've had a bit of a busy time lately as I had a job interview yesterday which I was so nervous for. But fingers crossed I get it as I hear back in a couple of days. And also I've come to realize that I'm too tired after work to even think about sitting down to write blog posts (that's what getting up at 2:30am does to you!). So this is where I am going to try and be more organised by writing all my blog posts in advance on my days off so they are ready to schedule for the coming week. Anyway with that out the way let's get on to the actual reason I'm sitting here typing, a good old beauty haul! First the boring stuff...

Boots Build Up Removal Expert Shampoo | £3.49
I tried to find this online but it's not actually on their site so i'm guessing it may only be in selected boots stores. I used this a couple of years ago and then for some reason could never find it to repurchase it. Now I know it's because they changed the packaging. I love this product as I use hairspray a lot and although I always use ones that brush out I can always still feel it in my hair. I use this 1-2 times per week depending on what products I've used that week.

Garnier InvisiDry Deodorant | £2.19
Not the most exciting purchase but I do have to be careful with what deodorant I purchase as I have had really bad, painful reactions before to certain brands. I love this one and it just works for me. Plus it's usually on some kind of deal wherever you shop.

BarryM Nail Art Pen 'Black' | £4.99
These nail art pens are all over the blogs at the moment so I thought I'd get in on the action. I have yet to try it out as I always want to use it and come to a blank when I think what designs shall I do. I went for bog standard black to start with but it is also available in white and pink.

Allura Nail Art Decoration Kit | £1
Whenever I'm in town I like to always have a look in Poundland as you can sometimes find some right little gems in there. Can you sense a theme here? (Nail Art Alert!!). I want to jazz up my nails for the summer so I bought this nail art wheel with some pretty gems in a multiple of colours. I know these are available on eBay but I thought for £1 i'll try these out.

MUA Nail Polish 'Frozen Yoghurt' and 'Pistachio Ice Cream' | £1
I know there's been much controversy over MUA and the fact that some of their new products are ripping off other brands. Will this make me stop buying their products?? As much as I am against ripping off other brands isn't that what most of them do? Look at clothes on the high street. You can get something from Primark for £5 which is selling in Topshop for £30! Without blabbering on I saw these two colours and fell in love straight away.

Essie 'Cute As A Button' | £7.99
I have recently become obsessed with Essie polishes! I know what your thinking, where have you been all this time?? But before they became easily available in superdrug and boots I could only find them online and I'm very much a person who likes to see things in person before buying them, especially when it comes to nail polish. I had seen a lot of people going on about 'Cute As A Button' and once I found it knew I had to have it!

Seventeen Rock Hard Nail Effects 'Grey' | £3.99
As you may have noticed the latest nail trends seem to be the gelly polishes, speckled nails and textured nails. I've always steered clear of the textured polishes and I have always love the shiny smooth appearance of a colour. But something came over me on a recent shopping trip and I felt intrigued like I had to at least give them a go so I picked up this polish as when I'm not wearing a bright polish ready for summer I love greys!

Chit Chat Nail Varnish | £1
Another cheapy find in Poundland was this Chit Chat polish. A couple of months ago I found the gold and violet glitter polishes from chit chat and when I saw this rainbow coloured glitter I knew I wanted to try it. These polishes aren't the best but for £1 you can't really complain!

Natural Collection Blush 'Pink Cloud' | £1.99
I don't know about you but Natural Collection always reminds me of when I was at school and just getting into makeup . It was cheap so affordable at a younger age. So I feel sometimes it gets forgotten about among all the bigger brands. Not all their products are for me but I have seen a couple of reviews on their blushers so I thought I would try them out.

Superdrug Coconut & Sweet Almond Intensive Conditioner
I can't remember how much this was and I can't seem to locate this on the Superdrug website so again I guess it's selected stores only. But this is another popular product flying around Twitter and Blogs. I sometimes find the ends of my hair can go quite dry a lot of the time so I'm hoping this will help solve that little problem.

MUA Pro-Base Eye Primer | £2.50
I basically bought this as I've used Urban Decays Primer Potion before and have yet to buy Too Faced Shadow Insurance but wanted to try something new. For a couple of years I was using the MAC Paintpots and kinda just grew bored of them. So I thought I would try this MUA one out.

What beauty items have you bought recently?

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