Shopping my stash #part2

So I'm at it again, digging out my unloved items and trying to rediscover them.  This time I'm rediscovering my NARS eyeshadow duo in Egae. 

At £24.00 is definitely worth rediscovering.  The reason I never quite took to using this was I never actually wanted it in the first place.  I'd actually asked for another duo called Hula Hula, but the sales lady put this in my bag instead, it wasn't until I got all the way home I found out the mistake.  I kind of swatched it and played with it a few times and got bored soon after. 

So after dusting it off I am actually quite liking the minty-sage shimmer with its soft lilac-silver companion.  I find the finish very similar to a MAC lustre eyeshadow because they are a little on the chunky side.  But the colour pay off is very nice.  They are sheer and very buildable, so I'm pretty glad I hung on to it.

You can buy this shadow online on the NARS website here.  Do you have any favourite NARS eyeshadows?

Angela xox

OPI - Charged Up Cherry

A few weeks ago I got a manicure and this was my choice of colour.  At the time I did tweet this picture but I never blogged about it.  I always find it so hard when you go for a manicure.  When the girl says ' Would you like to pick a colour?' . . . it's always so hard just picking one!

OPI's Charged Up Cherry caught my attention, not just the shocking lovely colour but also the bottle was half empty . . . which in my eyes must be a tell tale sign the people of Essex love this colour.

Unfortunately for me, literally as soon as she was done I stuck my so called 'dry' hand and polished nails into my purse to retrieve my wallet and I chipped it. Doh!

I really loved this colour so I'm thinking a little ebay haul maybe on the cards so I can purchase this.  Woop woop!  What else should I buy??

Angela xox

No7 Stay Perfect Eye Mousse Eyeshadows

I don’t know if it’s old age (is 28 old?!?) but I’ve suddenly in 2012 become very relaxed with my beauty/makeup routines and applications.  Less is more.  More natural beauty rather than caked in layers of products.  More time to live your life rather than staring at a reflection of yourself in the mirror.  Over the top vanity is off the agenda these days.

Anyways, with my eye makeup – gone are the days of highlighting my brows and inner corners, shading my crease everyday.  They are replaced buy simple one shade on the lid.  If I haven’t been using my Maybelline 24 Colour Tattoo’s which I love, I have been using these. . .

The No7 Stay Perfect Eye Mousse Eyeshadows are a creamy mousse that is just so easy to use.  No need for a brush, a small amount on the ring finger and off you go.  Finish the look with liner and mascara then you’re done. Simples!

Here I have Vanilla and Pewter. Left is just spread onto the skin and right is blended in

The No7 mousses come in six different shades.  I have two of them; Vanilla (ivory/cream) and Pewter (soft grey/silver) and they cost £9.00 each or 900 points if you purchase with advantage card points.  Now they may seem expensive for a small 5ml tube, but honestly you don’t need much at all.  Less than a pea size can cover both lids.  The colours are very metallic and illuminating. They glide on effortlessly, you don't need to blend with a brush, your fingers are all you need. 

Staying power is a tricky one.  I've found these last for quite a while on your lids alone.  Apply at 8am there is still a majority of the product there at 5pm, however if you're going out after work you may need a touch up.  As I type this now at 10pm, I still have a creased vanilla on my lids.  So it does last but applied on a eyeshadow base longevity will be so much better.  I have oily skin so unfortunately they do have a tendency to crease on me *doh!*

My suggestion with these are if you're unsure, wait for Boots to do their usual £5.00 off No7 vouchers, so you won't be forking out so much.  I do think they a tad over priced, which is a shame.  Regardless I would however, pay the full price as I think they are that nice.

Have you seen these before?  Sorry for lack of posting.  I have been out and about enjoying the sunshine.

Angela xox

Original Source Vanilla Milk and Raspberry

I thought I'd do a quick little post for something which I picked up in Tesco.  I love random little Tesco hauls, I feel like I'm always there.  It seems silly just to blog about  a shower gel, but when I picked this up in store and flipped the cap to have a sniff I knew I had to buy and tell you all about it.

If you want something that smells absolutely amazing then have a whiff of this.  When you use this (I've used it once so far)  it is like showering in a vanilla-raspberry milkshake smoothie, the smell is out of this world.  It almost feels like a herbal essence moment if you know what I mean ;-)

As for the price £2.20 you can't really go wrong and this also has the vegan stamp of approval.

Have you ever tried any Original Source items?

Angela xox

Barry M | Coral

Finally we have what looks like a summer in the UK.  It's only nearly June, about time I say.  To make myself look and feel a little more summery, I fancied painting my nails with something bright.  Barry M's Coral caught my eye in my collection and here's what it looks like. . .

Now in the picture itself this looks quite red, but in reality it does have the hint of coral to it.  I love Barry M polishes, I think they have great staying power and the colours themselves never seem to disappointment me.  I achieved this look with only two coats of the polish and finished it off with some Sally Hansen top coat to give it some extra shine!

Lets just hope the summer weather is here to stay.  What's your favourite Barry M polish?

Angela xox

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation

There may be a new holy grail foundation on the block.  By now I would of thought you'd know my ultimate favourite is the Make Up For Ever HD foundation, but with limited availability of places in the UK to buy it, I try to not use it so much these days.  Sad times.

So when a Benefit girl grabbed me recently and said if I'd like to try their new foundation, I thought why not.

Shade: Ivory (Believe In Me)

Deep breath. . . Benefits Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation is certainly a mouthful.  Their new foundation comes in 9 colours with a good range of light to dark shades.  With a SPF of 25 this is a good-to-your-skin foundation.  It is also hosts a PA+++ which means this has the highest protection grade of the UVA filters.  So basically a really good foundation that protects against sun damage.  High five!

The foundation has a watery consistency and creates a light to medium coverage, which I love.  It is brightening and moisturising and it makes you look refreshed.  It gives your skin a dewy finish.

It is an oil free foundation which is excellent as I have a tendency to get an oily T-Zone throughout the day.  I will say though from my experiences of wearing this so far, even though this is said to be oil free - I still get an  greasy looking face towards then end of the day . . . but that could just be me *boo!*

. 

As for the packaging, I love the tubes design with its unique air pump that's meant to prevent bacteria build up.  The pump sucks up the foundation and the bottom of the tube moves up so you can see how much you have remaining. . .nothing goes to waste which is great.

Swatch on the skin then blended out

This doesn't cover every imperfection like a Estee Lauder Double Wear or a MAC Studio Finish would, but I like that this isn't a cakey foundation.  It gives a flawless look (hence the name).  To apply this I've been either using my Real Techniques buffing or stippling brush as I have found them the best so far.

Now the important question is would I repurchase this when it runs out?  Hell yeah!  If you're looking for a more a natural looking complexion, then I'd definitely head to a Benefit counter to get a better look.  I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed.  The price isn't too eye watering either at a reasonable £24.50.  But the Make Up For Ever HD is still my favourite, but this is a close second place.

Angela xox

And the winner is...?

So the Random.org gods have spoken and the winner of the Nails Inc Porchester Road polish is . . .drum roll!!!

 Sugarpuffish!!!

Congratulation, sorry to those of you who didn’t win but better luck next time.  I’ve always said when I reach 100 followers I’d have a give away then :-D  I'm slowing getting there!

Sugarpuffish I’ll be sending  you an email and a Tweet shortly. 

 Thanks everyone and have a good day!!!!

Angela xox

Rituals Foaming Shower Gel Sensation

When I first came a cross the Foaming Shower Gel Sensation by Rituals to say it was love is an understatement.  When I got the Yogi Flow in one of my Glossy Boxes, I knew I would repurchase this when I finished my Glossy Box bottle.  I had some vouchers for House of Fraser so I saved them especially for Rituals.

As I loved Yogi Flow so much I knew I'd get another.  Floral rose and nourishing almond oil make having a bath a blissful experience.  The scent is just perfect not too much, flowery but not too lingering.  I thought I'd also try another scent called Fujiyama which is Mandarin and Mint.  Again a strong scent but not too over powering.

Taking a bath or shower with these is like being in a luxury spa, it is like nothing I've ever tried before.  When you first use this product it's kind of like a science experiment.  If you get a little bit of gel then this special reaction happens and it just grows and expands into an explosion of luscious bubbles with the consistency like shaving foam.  If you want to see a video demo of what it looks like, I talk about it in my April Empties video, if you fast forward to 2.30 minutes.

Each can costs £6.50 which you may think is extravagant but a little goes a long way so it will last you a long time.

What you thoughts of Rituals?  Have you tried these?

Angela xox

Shopping my stash #part1

I am currently loving shopping my stash as opposed to hitting the shops.  It is a great money saver firstly and also it makes you rediscover items you have forgotten you owned once upon a time.  So I thought now and again I would shop my stash I show you my finds.

My most recent SMS (cheeky giggle) is the rediscovery of a gorgeous lip product by Bobbi Brown.

Pink Retro is a Creamy Lip Colour Lipstick which gives the perfect tint of pink to your lips.  I really love the formula to this, it so soft and creamy (hence the name) and it glides on with a long lasting glossy finish. 

Now when I say glossy though I don't mean in the sense of 'sticky' glossy, I mean balm-like, which is really nice.  It does contain shea butter and skin conditioners which help moisturise and soften your lips.  I always find my lips are very soft after using this.  You also feel like you're wearing nothing on your lips and it looks very natural and not an overpowering colour.



I love the sleek packaging.  It's different as it actually metal not plastic, which makes it feel more glam.  Bobbi Brown retails this for £18.00 and there are 18 other amazing colours to choose from if Pink Retro doesn't quite float your boat.

Have you tried any Bobbi Borwn lip products?  Have you been shopping your stash at all?


Also apologises for being AWOL for the last couple of days.  I had no pre-written blog posts and I have been a bit busy.  I have also been suffering froma bit of bloggers block in terms of things to write about. . . but I am back!

So for now I bid you night night,
Angela xox

I wish I were American. . .

. . . because you guys get Sephora by OPI.  Boo hiss!!  Jealous!!

(L-R) All About Shimmer and I Gotta A Blush On You

I never intended to buy this pair but when I went to Chicago the sales assistant in Sephora was wearing this combo.  I was left opened mouth saying 'I must have these'.  And that was that, the love story begins.

I Gotta A Blush On You

This stunning opaque ballet pink is beautiful alone without even adding the shimmer top coat.  Three coats and you get the perfect nail colour.  I love it!  Then you get to the shimmer part and the magic really happens.

One coat of All About Shimmer on top of I Gotta A Blush On You

The shimmer is a sheer champagne with micro/small gold shimmery glitter.   This polish is the perfect way to make any look you create become an eye catching manicure.  Like the the nails of the sales assistant in Sephora I was absolutely in love at first sight!  No joke.

These are truly amazing . . . my dream manicure colours.  I wish I could go to America just to pick up a new bottle of each.  Anyone want to be my friend and get these for me :-D

Angela xox

Ecotools verses MAC!

When it comes to my newly pruned eyebrows I am showering them with love.  I have always used my beloved MAC 266 to beautify my brows with either MAC's Smut eyeshadow or the HD Brows palette.  It was the only brush I used. . .until now!

Bamboo Angled Eyeliner Brush

Whilst walking around Boots a few weeks ago I was checking out the beauty accessories.  I have never ever used any Ecotools before, but when I noticed how much their angled eyeliner brush resembled the small angled 266 brush I thought I'd pick it up to see.

Main picture: MAC top and Ecotools bottom Inserted picture (L-R): Ecotools and MAC

MAC 266 Small Angle Brush: At a jaw dropping £16.00 it is a great multi purpose brush at a price.  I initially got this for eyeliner.  Unfortunately I found it a little difficult to work with when creating that fine line.  So instead of liner I opted to try it with my brows and haven't looked back.  The bristle are strong and make applying a powder to the brows so easy. The good thing about MAC is the brushes are made to last a life time if treated with TLC.

Ecotools Angled Liner Brush:  If you're all about the environment and saving the coins then this will be the brush for you.  At a sweet £5.49 (from Boots) you save a mighty £10.51 compared to the MAC.  The brush itself is made from synthetic taklon bristles which are 100% cruelty free. The handle and the furrule are also eco-friendly.  There isn't much difference at all when it comes to performance, they both look and feel the same. 

I'm always going to love my 266 but if you're just starting out with makeup I recommend the Ecotools simply because of the price.  If your obviously going to train to be a makeup artist then it'd be worth investing in brushes by MAC.  But if you're not a professional it might be worth sticking to high street brands like Ecotools and Real Techniques.

Have you ever tried any of these brushes?

Angela xox

April Favourites

I thought I'd never manage to edit and upload this video due to my laptop dying on me.  But hubby to rescue showing his nerd skills, it's all fixed now.  Phew!

So here it is:

Products mentioned are:


Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush
Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude Perfume
Nars Ashes to Ashes Eye-shadow
Maybelline Colour Tattoo Permanent Taupe/Tough as Taupe
Dead Sea Spa Magik Dead Sea Salt Brushing
Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation
Penguin Wafer Bars
Hunger Games Books


Sorry it's so long...too many favourites this month!!!

Angela xox

Zara Black Peony

I remember reading a blog post from yonks ago (I can't remember the name of the blog) about a very very cool dup.  When I read about it I was intrigued indeed.

High street store Zara offer a Eau De Toilette in Black Peony which is a lovely smelling scent.  At a unbelievable cheap of £9.99, the price tag alone is a winner but the fact you get 50ml for the price is even better.

A strong fragrance which smells of vanilla, citrus and floral notes (peony obviously lol) It is strong at first but the smell does fade quickly, it lasts up to 2-3 hours, but it does linger on the skin just not as strongly.

The fact this a uncanny dup for the Viktor & Rolf fragrance Flowerbomb which is one of my all time favourites makes this purchase all the more exciting.  I had used Flowerbomb for several years and I went through about 4 full size bottles.  Then all of a sudden I met Daisy by Marc Jacobs and the love affair with Flowerbomb ended.

So finding a cheaper alternative is something to smile about.  You can buy a 50ml bottle of Viktor & Rolf for  around £65.00, so to save around £50 is not something to ignore.

Have you found any cheaper alternatives to your well loved favourites?

Angela xox

Notting Hill Gate ~ Nails Inc

With spring looming in the air somewhere, there is nothing quite like a pop of colour to brighten up your day.

Nails Inc Notting Hill Gate does just that.  Part of the Neon Collection this certainly gives your nails some va va vroom!  With its bright neon pink colour this is certainly an eye catcher!

The collection is out now on the Nails Inc website here.

Angela xox

A tiny Zara and New Look Haul

Hiya hope you're having a good evening where you are!

So I uploaded a tiny haul video tonight featuring my kitty cat!  Hope you enjoy!!

Night night!!

Angela xox

Holy grail brush...? Yes I think so...

I think I may have found a holy grail brush thanks to Samantha Chapman and the Real Technique people.  Part of the Starter Brush Set the Accent brush is a teeny tiny brush with a whole lot a power.

The real beauty of this brush is the size and density of the bristles.  The brush is smaller than a pea and the bristles are so sturdy yet soft at the same time.  I predominately use this to help create smokey eyes.  It's fantastic for smudging liner on the upper lid from a harsh line to a subtle sexy smokey eye.  It's also excellent for the bottom lash line, due to the size of the brush head as it fits perfectly into the lower lash line area.  The soft synthetic straight edge of the brush with the slightly round of sides makes it comfortable to use on the delicate eye area.

You can also use it for inner corner highlight and precision delighting work.  I recommend the kit for this brush alone but the whole kit is amazing and worth every penny.

I salute you Real Techniques. . .have you tried Real Techniques?  What brushes do you recommend?

Happy May 1st!

Angela xox