All About Nails ~ Praline

Just a quick follow up from Tesco All About Nails purchase back in February.  On my initial post back in February I thought this was called Heather, but it's actually called Praline.  I think I picked the name Heather due to the colour of this polish.  Whoospie!

For 99p it's a lovely polish and I really love it.  Some polishes can cost so much yet this is only 99p. . . Bargain of the century!!!  The colour is a plum brown and it has excellent coverage.  Who would believe this is just one coat??

Have you managed to check these out at all??

Angela xox

Soap and Glory ~ Flake Away

Don’t you find when you read raving reviews on items you’ve never tried you always wonder is it really that good?  When I finally decided to buy a raved about item and found out it really is that good to be raved about.  So I thought I would have a rave too!

Soap and Glory’s Flake Away is that raved item.  I only bought this about a week ago at lunch time as I was on a lunch time emergency gym bag essentials mission at Boots.  I was about to pay for my hair bands and my bottle of water when in typical Angela style, I got distracted by the little tempt you to buy baskets - you know the ones by the tills.  Tempted I was, and I’m glad I was.

This is the mini 50ml travel size version which costs £2.50, not the full sized 300ml pot which is £7.00.  I like that some companies offer mini versions of the best selling items, it's so cute and handy for travelling.  It's also great if you're one of those buyers who has a tendency to not finish the big pots.

So the product itself is sooooo yummy.  I sniffed this in line at the tills and that's what swayed me to pop it in my basket.  It smells delicious, you just want to dip your spoon into it like a scrumptious dessert.

Applying this to dry skin and in circular motions the peach seeds gently exfoliate the skin whilst the shea butter and the almond oil soften and moisturise.  Once the skin is rinsed and dried you can really feel the results of this beauty. . . the words wow and O.M.G come to mind.  You’ll be left with the lingering trade mark Soap and Glory smell and the smoothest skin - the words baby soft need a honourable mention here.

I have the tendency to have sensitive skin sometimes and it can become blotchy if it does not like a product.  Thankfully I've not had this happen with this, so Flake Away has definitely passed the sensitive skin test.

To sum up I’m so glad I spotted this when I was in the line, when I’ve finished the small pot I will be purchasing myself a full size pot.  I will keep the small pot so I can decant some into the small pot so I have some for the gym as it seems to be my third home!

Have you tried this yet?  What's your favourite Soap and Glory items?

Angela xox

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Glisten

Back in May I blogged saying I wish I were an American because you guys got Sephora by OPI.  Jealous!! Well yet again, I wish I was American because you guys get Tarte.  I'm turning a dark shade of green as I write this.  You don't get just any Tarte. . . you get the 24 Hour Amazonian Clay Tarte Blushes.  Us little British girls do not . . . sigh!

Back in Chicago I picked this up in their Ulta they have downtown.  I first heard of these before I went to the US on Alison's aka Amarixe blog.  She always spoke so highly of them and when I eventually made it to US soil they were on my 'to be checked out list'.

None of the blushes by Tarte are a disappointment when i was swatching them in Ulta, I found it difficult to pick just one.  In the end I opted for Glisten, the pinky-peach of the clan.  It is a warm colour and gives you a glow,  it isn't one of those colours that is too cold on the cheeks.

The colour has a similar resembles NARS Orgasm which I don't have - fortunately.  The blush itself has a hint of golden shimmer running through it.  Nothing too disco-bally - just enough to give you a natural healthy glow.

Swatch in natural lighting

What I love most about the Amazonian Clays is the pigment.  The colour pay off is just amazing and lasts a long while.  Not sure of the 24 hour longevity, as I don't wear my makeup that long, but it certainly last throughout the working day.  As the colour pay off is so good you can start off quite light with this and build it up to your desired look.

The packaging gets a thumbs up as I like the compact design with the mirror.  Very handy for your makeup bag.  Also the colour of the packaging is the same as the product inside, so if you have more than one blush in your collection you can just see the colour and you'll know which one your looking for.  I think it's a good idea, saves looking at the names like you have to do with most other brands.

My only annoyance is you cannot get it in the UK. Sad face!  I would glady buy more of these blushes, but for $25.00 I would prefer to see them in person before buying over the Internet.  Or I'll just have to wait until I go to the US next year. But for now I am happy to love my one and only Glisten.

Do have a favourite blush?  Do you own any of the Amazonian Clays?  Do you have any recommendations that I should try?

Angela xox

Essie ~ Fiji

There is another new Essie polish on the block.  You can tell I’m loving my Essie, I’m so thankful they have been released in the UK.  I found out this weekend that my local Boots are now stocking them . . . Hallelujah!!

My new Essie love is none other the Fiji, I’d seen few gurus wearing this I thought it looked amazing on their nails.  When I found out what they were wearing, I knew it would make the Essie shopping list.

I'm completely smitten with this polish, it just has this wow factor about it but I just can't figure out why.  I've never liked white nails, but this is a white with a hint of baby pink.  It is a more natural looking colour - not so harsh as a plain white.

With a base and top coat the longevity is excellent as always with Essie polishes.  You can get around 5 days wear before it starts to look a little tired around the edges.  To achieve the perfect nail look, I did two to three coats.  You can get away with two but it'll have a little streaky patch here and there so three coats gives you the flawless coverage you're looking for.

Are you loving Essie just as much as me?!

Angela x

Haul Time . . Again!

Yes yes I know I have been spending money again!  Will I ever stop??  So obviously I just had to film a haul video.  It is a little long, but I hope you enjoy.

Also, something that'd be a big help is - I'd be really grateful if you could have a peek at it and let me know your thoughts.  I especially would like to know your thoughts about the video quality.  I've been having some issues, so would love to know if you can see and hear my videos clearly.

Much appreciated :-D  It'd be a big help!!!

THANK YOU!!!

Sleep tight,

Angela xox

Garnier Skin Renew B.B. Cream

With BB creams taking the makeup world by storm in recent months it was silly of me not to pick one up.  The Garneir BB Cream was something I picked up what feels like years ago in Chicago back in February.

I have the shade light/medium which at present feel slightly too dark for me.  It looks like it’s more aimed at skins colours which are slightly on the medium/tanned side.  Sadly I do look like I’m wearing a mask when I wear this . . .not the look I’m looking for Garnier!  I think while I'm away on holiday and hitting the beach I'll be using this.

The good points is this does do what it says on the tin. It is light to medium coverage depending on how much you apply.  If you’re thinking this is foundation material then you are mistaken. It gives more of the tinted moisturiser effect. When it comes to the product the consistency it is nice, a thick-ish cream.

I feel like it does even out my skin and you don't see so much of the redness of my skin.  If you see my before and after pictures you can see a small blemish (under the scar) in the before doesn't show in the after application picture.

Before application

The bad points are or the not so good points are for me is the shine. Yes it gives you a dewy complexion, but I have oily skin already and I don’t want to enhance it with an oily looking face product. Bad times. The size of the tube not necessarily a bad thing but if you can’t see yourself using this lots then it might go to waste, because the tube is big.

After application

I do like this – it’s not all bad.  If i was merely looking for a product to whip out and apply to myself if i was popping to Tesco or just wanted to feel more made up at home then this would be it.  But if you want long lasting flawless complexion then you won’t get it with this product.  As generally that's not what a BB is all about.

Do you wear BB creams, what do you wear?

Angela  xox

My New Bobbi Brown Goodies

If you saw my recent YouTube video, you'd know I paid a visit to Bobbi Brown.  Oh I do love a bit of Ms Brown.  They have recently launched the pencil form of my favourite long wear gel eyeliner. Ye-haaa!  Knowing this I hop footed it to my local BB counter in hot pursuit of the new launch.

In my shopping basket I picked up Mahogany Long Wear Eye Pencil.  I also picked up a shimmer wash eyeshadow in Rose Gold, they just so happened to be on display next to one another. Temptation!!!!

Firstly the shadow, a stunning Rose Gold Shimmer Wash.  The rose gold colour is very popular shade in the jewellery and fashion world, but you don't see many eyeshadows in this shade. As the name suggests it's a golden colour with a pink undertone.  You can pick up the eye shadow here on the Bobbi Brown site.  You can also go to counters and try to get this, but the Bobbi Brown assistant said they were flying off the shelves when I picked up mine.

Natural and Flash Photography

The eyeliner is everything I expected.  Long lasting, great colour and pigmentation.  It does take a while to set so it can be smudged for a smoky look.  It is soft, creamy and glides on effortlessly.  I hate liners which are difficult to use and you have to press them on the lids quite hard.  With this you don't.  I have used this on the water lines and it stays for ages.  I do recommend using a little powder to set if you have oily skin like me though.

What I also like with these pencil eyeliners is they come with a sharpener.  I think it's great to include them in the box, you'll always end up using the liner as the pencil will never go blunt!

Have you checked these out?  Are you a Bobbi fan?

Angela xox

Tangle Teezer Review

I have a new toy, thanks to my Mum.  Long story short, we were in Boots waiting for prescriptions from the pharmacy.  They usually tell you to make yourself busy for 10 minutes while they prepare it, so my Mum and I browsed the beauty aisles.

We were in the hair accessories section when Mum spotted the Tangle Teezer.  I explained to her what it was as she'd never seen one before.  Cutting the story short, my lovely Mum bought this while my back was turned then gave it to me later on as a 'I love my daughter' gift.  Sigh! I love my Mum for things like that.  Mums are the best!

So whilst the sun has been out shining today I thought I'd take a few pictures on the green grass of my new hair gadget.  I've seen so many posts about the Tangle Teezer and often wondered what the fuss was about when it came to the fancy looking space age hairbrush.

Now if you don't know what the Tangle Teezer is, it is a unique brush invented by Shaun P.  He has around 30 years experience of dealing with manes of all shapes and sizes.  After lots of research and development he invented the Tangle Teezer as the ultimate detangler.

With the bristles or teeth at various different heights this is meant to brush through your hair with ease.  No pulling and tugging, there is not knotty mane this cannot handle . . . apparently.  It can be used on wet or dry hair.  As I've only had this a day, I have just used it on my dry hair and so far I would say I'm quite liking this.  I have thick hair and it can get tangled very easily.  I've handle no problems so far and it goes through smoothly.

When it comes to the shape and design I'll be honest, when I was a little girl I used to ride horses and groom them at the weekends.  This little gizmo could quite happily be amongst my tack box brushes for the horses. The whole hand held design is very similar to a horse brush.  It is very light and isn't difficult to use but I think this is a stay at home hairbrush.  I wouldn't want to take this out and about in my bag.  It's just a bit chunky.  the biggest plus is . . . it's pink! 

Two let downs however is it states on the packaging is you cannot use it with heat.  So obviously blow drying and straightening is a no no whilst using this.  You don't want it to melt now do you?  The other let down is the price.  At about £10 a pop it isn't cheap.  Perhaps shop around online if you can find it cheaper?  Besides the price though I would recommend it completely.

Have you ever tried the Tangle Teezer?

Angela xox

Benefit ~ Hervana

Whenever Benefit releases a new blush/face powder I always feel myself being pulled towards it. It’s almost like it has its very own gravitational pull. They always look amazing, have excellent pigmentation and are long lasting. But they always come with a gut wrenching price tag. Gulp!


Realistically however, when you think about how long these little boxes last, they are worth the money in the long run. It’s an investment I like to think.

I admit when Benefits Hervana was first released I tried to steer clear, but not because I hated it.  I already have enough blush lurking around my makeup collection.  But me being me couldn’t quite resist.  Ultimate fail!

Instead of just being one shade - Hervana has a quartet of colours from a berry, a rosy pink, a apricot peach and a highlighting shell colour. Swirled together you are presented with a subtle and unique blush shade. What is interesting with Benefit’s latest edition is that it comes across quite matte. No shimmer and sparkles here. It’s a very natural looking blush.

Have you swatched this at all? Are you tempted or have you failed already like me and already picked this up?


Angela

Essie ~ Tea and Crumpets

Being English I was immediately attracted to this polish because of the name.  Nothing is quite English like tea and crumpets.

For me to describe this colour is a bit of a mouthful.  I describe this as a frosted skin toned nude beige.  A subtle colour which a pearly looking.  This is one of those shades that looks good whether you apply one, two or three coats.

This is definitely going to be a favourite.  Have you ever tried Tea and Crumpets?

Angela xox

Hand Cream Love

A little quick post today, talking about my favourite hand cream.  This has been my favourite for a good long time now and I can’t see my opinion of how much I love this changing anytime soon.  I’m nearing to the end of the tube and I already have a new one waiting in the wings ready to be loved like its predecessor.

I love the L’Occitane - Fleurs Se Cerisier Crème Mains or if you prefer the English name Cherry Blossom Hand Cream.  I love it for a few reasons.

One . . .  it smells divine with its light floral scent.  It leaves your hands with a lingering fragrance which is just about right, it’s not too over powering or sickly.

Two . . . it leaves your hands so soft . . like a baby's bottom.  We’re forever using our hands and they sometimes need some good TLC, which I think this gives them.

Three . . . It doesn’t leave you greasy or oily.  With some hand creams it takes a while for the skin to absorb the product but this is so light it takes no time at all.  If you’re constantly on the go, it’s great to have product that doesn’t take forever to sink in.

And finally . . .

Four . . . a tube lasts a long time as you don’t need a huge amount.  My 30ml tube has stood the test of time.  Oh and one more like is the fact this an ‘aeroplane safe’ size of 30mls, so it can be carried in your hand luggage.  And if you carry this in your every day handbag it’s small and light so no shoulder ache. Whoop!

Now for my only bad point . . . the cap.  It has a screw cap which easily just unscrews itself  in my bag.  Luckily I have caught it in time to have no major spillages.  That’s my only hate, if they could re-design the cap then I’d be 110% happy with this product.  But I suppose I cannot complain about being 99.999999% happy.

Have you got a favourite hand cream?  Have you ever picked up anything nice from L’Occitane?

And a little off subject . . sorry I’m lacking in the posts at the moment.  Just not had the blogging thinking cap on and my little old life has been a bit hectic.  I promise more posts are in the pipe line!!!

Angela xox

Topshop Makeup Look! #FOTD

Well if you noticed my last post, you'd know I'd done some shopping in Topshop and got some bits from their makeup collection.

So I thought I'd throw together a quick look for you.  Ta-da!

Excuse the under dressed eyebrows.  Bad me!

This is obviously a smoky look with a twist, this twist being the gold.  You'd think this look would take a while but honestly five minutes and I was done.  Five minutes per eye I mean :-)

To finish the look, I popped on my new lipstick in Rumour Has It....totally digging this colour.  I love how natural it looks.

Finally a quick mug shot of ones self.  Sorry for the dazed looking expression, I was just snapping away and thought this one looked the best.   Would you be interested in me making a video for this look?  Let me know :-D

Angela xox

Topshop Makeup Haul

Most people on Friday nights are out on the town after work.  Me on the other hand headed to the gym for a hard core workout.  However not before nipping in to my local Topshop for a look at their makeup collection. Here's what I treated myself to.

There were so many things I could of bought, but I held back.  Don't you just love the packaging?

Eye Crayon in shades Sun Shower and Bramble

There were about 5 different shades in the Topshop store at the New Change, Cheapside to choose from.  I opted for the bronzed-golden look and chose Sun Shower and Bramble.  When I did the obligatory swatch in store I was completed shocked when it came to the colour pay off with these two.  They stuck like glue and didn't move, I knew I had to get these home at once.

At £7.50 each and pretty much resembling a MAC Shadestick, apart from the more expensive price tag.  Topshops cheaper alternatives are much more attractive. these long lasting metallic crayons are creamy and apply like a dream.  But the truly amazing thing is they last a long time and don't budge.  After the swatching on the hand I literally had to scrub my hand to remove it.

Here's swatches of the crayons and the lipstick.

  Rumour Has It . . . Sun Shower . . . Bramble

Lipstick in Rumour Has It

When I think of this lipstick I just want to start singing Adele . . . a dusty rose brown wouldn't be my typical choice of colour.  But this is actually really nice, kind of a slightly darker version of my own lip colour.  Very natural looking.

When you apply to the lips it's feels silky and has quite a creamy velvet finish.  It just looks eye catching instead of a boring dusky rose brown, it catches the light.  What I love the most is it lasts for ages.  This is my very first lipstick from Topshop and I'm super impressed with it's performance and look!!

Nail Polish in Geography Teacher

There's something strangely nice about this £5 camel brown polish.  Two coats and no top coat and the glossiness is just perfect.  Oddly though, I think the name suits this well in a weird way.  My collection of Topshop polishes is slowly building, they have a excellent colour selection . . . what to buy next?

Have you ever picked up any of these?  Do you have any recommendations?

Angela xox

So long, farewell - Empties #2

For the last couple of weeks I’ve been working hard to use up half finished products.  A lot of my things be it bathroom or makeup products get used to a point then I have a tendency to move on to something else without finishing.  So its been a project called ‘sort it out Angela and de-clutter’.  So I thought I’d show you my recent empties as opposed to my monthly favourites . . .

 
I’ve managed to finished two of my favourite foundations,  there is no doubt in my mind that I will be repurchasing these two at some stage.  I think these are both great foundations especially my Bobbi Brown - Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation.  I wore this foundation for my wedding back in 2010 -  this is how much faith I have in this product.   This gives a medium to full coverage, lasts all day and is oil free with an SPF25.  This is the second bottle of this and I do love it.  I will repurchase this as I think it's fabulously long lasting foundation.


The NARS Sheer Glow is favourite again, it suits my skin perfect when it comes to the colour.  It gives you this dewy 'glow' which makes you look healthy.  My only annoyance with this is the lack of a pump.  Is it really that difficult to provide a pump?

This little pot is my Corrector from Bobbi Brown.  Who knew such a small product could make such a difference and save me from my under eye circles (I have a under eye video here if you wish to see how I apply it)  If you have trouble with dark circles I urge you to pop to a Bobbi Brown counter asap to get a colour match.  In reality the Bobbi Brown corrector is a relativity new investment for me and I only started using in 2010.  Wedding day again.  I do think to myself how did I live without you??  Would I repurchase?  I already have! Hehe

Before I ever discovered Estee Lauder Double Wear eyeliners, this Dior Waterproof Eyeliner in the shade Trinidad Black was my go to liner.  Lasts really well and is great on my upper water line.  Would I repurchase it?  Probably no, but if ever Estee Lauder were to discontinue their eyeliners I would then consider repurchasing.

I am a fan of Liz Earle when it comes to the award winning cleanse and polish.  But sadly when I comes to Gentle Face Exfoliator this doesn’t float my boat.  Don’t get me wrong I like this but I’m not in LOVE.  I feel like it only scratches the surface,  it doesn’t give me a deep enough exfoliation.  I just need something more abrasive.  Now if you have sensitive or delicate skin then I would recommend this as it is gentle enough.  Would I repurchase?  Sorry but no.

And finally my bubble bath/shower gel from The Body Shop in the scent Japanese Cherry Blossom.  I'm a big  floral fan and I bought this along with the fragrance and the body puree.  It turns out in my house hold I'm not the only floral lover . . . it turns out the hubby likes floral fragrances too!!  It’s a nice product but I much prefer the Rituals shower gel.  A no to repurchasing :-(

Hope you enjoyed, night night everyone!

Angela xox

Bobbi Brown | Vitamin Enriched Face Base

Bobbi Brown's Vitamin Enriched Face Base is my primer of choice.  My love affair with my 'face base' as I like to call it, started in 2010.  I'd never used a primer before then, but a small event such as my wedding day made me call on the beauty gurus of Bobbi Brown.  It was not until I attended one of their wedding makeup session did I truly learn about all the steps of creating the perfect look.

As the name suggests this is enriched with vitamins and feels very luxurious when you apply to the skin.  The consistency is quite thick and you don't need to much product.   Some primers can be watery but this feels more like a rich evening face cream.

It just feels good for your skin with its added shea butter to nourish and hydrate.  It's oil free and doesn't give a greasy finish once applied. Packed full with vitamins: A to help minimise wrinkles and fine lines and  C and E to help with environmental damage . . .i.e. sun  damage - this is a great skin primer.  Oh and one more thing. . .it smells yummy with it's light grapefruit and geranium scent.

I think this is a primer for keeps from now on!  What primer do you use?

Angela xox

Botanics Facial Brush

I do love a cool beauty accessory.  The Botanics Facial Brush is basically a manual Clarisonic . . . no batteries included. . . . plus a different price tag.  Nice!

In my quest for beautiful skin I've used many different tools from muslin cloths to exfoliating sponges. From facial loofahs to face mitts to even a electric tooth brush . . . yes really!  So I thought I'd go back to basics and try the Botanics Facial Brush which is available at Boots for under a tenner.

A wooden handled 'tooth brush' for the face which I'm going to use this along side my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish.  I will still use the muslin cloths, but I will use this also for more of a deep cleanse.  I do have some problem areas on my cheeks and nose, so hopefully the bristles will scrub away my flaws!  All will be revealed in a few weeks when I review the brush.

What tools do you like to use to help get better skin?

Angela xox

Essie - Aruba Blue

If you cannot go to the Caribbean then bring the tropics home with you.  Aruba Blue by Essie is a deep sapphire blue which reminds me of the tropical deep seas of the Caribbean.  Luscious!

What I love about this shade is the versatility.  It will look fabulous in the winter months but also in the spring and summer.  It will be a stunner come rain or shine!

Two coats is perfect to achieve this look.  I also haven't used a top coat and it's soooo shiny.  This without a top coat this lasted around four days.

I'm really loving my Essies polishes right now.  I think they are the polish of choice.  What's your favourites?

Angela xox

Happy Jubilee + a Haul

Happy Jubilee everyone!  Hope you're having fun no matter what you are up to.  Shame about the weather but it wouldn't be England without some rain.

Anyways I thought I'd start of my June blogging with a haul for you, which I have posted to my YouTube channel.  You can subscribe to me here if you wish and you can also see any other videos I have made!

Brands mentioned are Bobbi Brown, nail polishes from Essie, Collection 200 and Miss Sporty and some random bits and bobs from Superdrug.

Hope you enjoy!

Angel xox