February Love

How quickly has February gone?! I've only got one more month left of being 24 - GUTTED!!!! :(

Anyway, before I go and cry in a corner somewhere here's what's been rocking my world for the last 28 days,

These shoes were a Christmas gift from my friend Jade, seriously, what's not to love here? Massive heel (check) gorgeous girly colour (check) and an abundance of studs (check) and surprisingly, they're really comfy :D

 

Crest 3D White Strips:

 

I'm permanently on a quest for white, bright teeth, I just think it makes you look a hundred times better when you've got a lovely pair of pearly whites!

 

I bought a 2 week supply of these off eBay for just under £20.00 (and free delivery) I'm half way through the second week and they've definitely made a big difference and its a hell of a lot cheaper than the teeth whitening treatments my dentist offers.

 

For some reason you can't get Crest White Strips over here and I really can't see why, these are amazing!

 

 

 

Vivienne Westwood Squiggle Logomania Purse:

 

I've been after a new purse for a while so you can imagine my surprise when I found this on Garment Quarter for the bargain price of £45!!!

 

It was originally over £100 but it had been reduced in the sale.

 

 

 

How adorable is my new phone case? I love lace and I love pearls so this appeals to my girly side! It was also a bargain £1.99 of eBay!

 

 

 

MeMeMeMe Poppy Tint Cheek Stain:

 

This has taken up residency in my make-up bag this month and I'm a bit in love with this Benefit Posietint dupe, check out my review on it here.

 

 

 

 

Jean Paul Gaultier Madame Perfume:

 

I love this perfume! Its a great summery scent and this is currently on offer in Superdrug - £22.00 for a 50ml bottle! Get it while you can!

 

 

Image courtesy of ITV2



The Vampire Diaries:

My favourite show returned to ITV2 last week, and I know this sounds really sad but I'm so glad its back, I'm well and truly addicted!

Rihanna: Stay


I'm a Rihanna fan anyway but I LOVE this song!!
I don't think its a typical Rihanna song but I just can't get enough of it, I've actually lost count of how many times I've had this on repeat in the last month.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers:

Right, this is a bit off topic and I'm probably a bit late jumping on this bandwagon, he happened to pop up in a film I was watching a couple of weeks ago and I literally couldn't stop staring at him, so let's just take a minuet here to appreciate his beauty!!

After doing a bit of research *cough - google stalking - cough* I discovered that he's Irish and he's also playing Dracula in a tv show for Sky Living later on this year, 2 of my favourite things combined! :D


Enjoy the rest of your day lovelies!

 

 

 

 

//~//February Nails//~//

I think these are by far my favourite nails this month!

I have a bit of a stud obsession at the minuet so what better way to indulge my passion with a bit of studded nail art?

I used Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Caramel Cupcake, I bought this shade last Autumn and I love the pinky-nude colour, I was a bit bored of wearing my customary Winter shades so this made a welcome change.

The studs I bought for the bargain price of £1.00 on eBay.

You can use nail glue to stick on your studs but I just used a couple of coats of clear nail varnish.

These were my Valentine's Day nails, I'd been toying with the idea of doing a reverse mani for a while and finally bit the bullet!

 I used some nail tip stickers for the black line, but if I'm entirely honest, I didn't like the finished result, I thought it made the lines too thick, I was after a thinner line and I personally think I would have achieved a better result by just painting the tips on by hand, at least I know for next time eh?

 

 

 

The nail varnishes I used to create this look were Barry M's Bright Red and Black Multi Glitter.

 

I love the red, its such a classic pillar box shade and I love the multi glitter too.

 

 

 

 

 

Last up we have my current nails, I've had to cut them down a bit, I broke one of them at work last week attempting to open a cardboard box - GUTTED!!! :'(

 

The colour I'm wearing here is Barry M Dusky Mauve, I actually forgot that I even owned this nail polish, but I've enjoyed rediscovering it again!

 

This is a pretty versatile shade to wear and depending on what light you're in it can either look like a dark purple or a dark grey.

 

 

Hope you've enjoyed this months nails!

 

 

 

 

 

**Benefit//Finding Mr Bright**

This was a Christmas gift from my friend Laura, not only does it appeal to my love of all things Benefit it's also a bit of a tongue in cheek joke because I'm also on the lookout for Mr Right!

I love these little gift sets Benefit do, you get to try mini versions of a product without committing to a hefty price tag and they're brilliant for travelling.

This offering is billed as a 'brightening makeup MANual' (see what they did there?) and contains mini versions of Girl Meets Pearl, Posietint, High Beam and Erase Paste.

I've already used Posietint but I hadn't used any of the other products before, I'd heard good things about Erase Paste so I was excited to give this one a try.

Girl Meets Pearl: 'For an all over lit-from-within glow, lightly blend this golden pink liquid pearl accent on top of makeup ... or wear it alone, anytime you want his gaze to linger'.

 

 

I found this quite runny, I only gently squeezed the bottle and a great blob appeared on my hand! Its pale pink in colour and does have quite a bit of shimmer to it, it reminds me of a Palmers Body Shimmer I used to use.

 

 

This is how Girl Meets Pearl looks once it's been blended.

It looks quite glowy and there is some definite sparkle when the light hits it, I personally think that this is a little bit too shimmery for everyday use but I would happily use this for a night out or when I've got a big of a tan and don't want make-up on.

 

 

 

 

 

Posietint: 'Get a natural, poppy-pink flush to rival the girl next door ... apply 3 small strokes of this long-wearing tint onto the apples of your cheeks and blend'

I love Posietint, I'm a big fan of subtle, natural looking make-up and I think this suits my fair complexion perfectly.

I recently did a comparison of this with MeMeMe's Poppy Tint so if you're interested in seeing swatches please click here.

 

 

High Beam: 'Irresistable to any man, I'm a guaranteed pick-me-up ... wear as a liquid spotlight for your cheekbones, brow bones & bridge of your nose. The effect is dreamy'

 

 



This is a gold tinted liquid highlighter. I'm a big fan of liquid highlighters as I find them much easier to work with than their powder counterparts.

Although I wear minimal make-up I do like to pop a bit of highlighter along my cheekbones and brow bones to give my complexion a pop.

 

 

This gives a lovely subtle shimmer to the skin but its not too OTT for everyday wear, I wouldn't recommend wearing this in conjunction with Girl Meets Pearl though unless you want to look like you've been let loose in a glitter factory!

 

 

 

Erase Paste: 'What he can't see won't hurt him! Erase the look of flaws in a flash with this creamy, industrial-strength concealer ... dab a dot on imperfections or swipe it under your eyes to help reduce the appearance of dark circles & discolouration'

 

 

 

 

 

Out of all the mini's in the kit, this was the one I was most excited to try.

One of my friends raved about this for months after having a make-over at a Benefit counter.

I suffer from quite bad under eye circles - damn you genetics!!! So anything that promises to cover them will get me hook, line and sinker.

 

 

 

 

 



This came in the 'medium' shade which worried me at first given how much paler my skin tone is (as you'll no doubt see in the above picture!) but I think it actually helps to cover imperfections better - especially dark circles - when you use a slightly darker shade.

 

 

 

See, all blended without leaving any tell tale marks!

 

I've been using this everyday since the beginning of January and I've still got quite a bit left in the pot, a little really does go a long way with this product!

 

Although it is good at covering blemishes and imperfections I do still need to use an illuminating concealer to banish my dark circles, but bar a miracle happening, I don't think anything will ever completely get rid of them!

 

 

 

I will definitely consider purchasing full sized versions of Erase Paste and High Beam for day to day use!

 

 

 

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 



All Things Bras ....

Okay, so this is a bit of a weird to blog about on a Sunday morning but I wanted to share something with you that has been a MASSIVE help to me!


Studies show that around 80% of women wear the wrong bra size, now maths isn't my strongest point but even I know that's a hell of a lot!

The general advice given by bra companies is that women should go for a fitting at least once a year due to changes in hormones, pregnancy, and even weight loss.

I'm a 32DD and had been since I was a teenager but lately, I started to notice that even with brand new bras, the band seemed far too big for my back, even when I was putting it on the tightest setting, so I figured it was time for a fitting!

Now, working full time and trying to set up your own business doesn't leave many spare hours to nip off for a bra fitting so imagine my sheer delight when I found a bra size calculator on line courtesy of Butterfly Collection. Yes, it does say Canada, but they use UK sizes!

I nabbed my Dad's tape measure, measured my rib case and over bust measurement and received my calculation.

Get ready for it . . . .  I'm a 28E!!!

I have got a small back and shoulders so I'm not really surprised that I'm an 28 (I remember being a bridesmaid a couple of years ago and my dress had to be altered more than anyone elses!) but I was concerned whether I was going to be able to get my hands on this size?!

Up until a few years ago it was a struggle to get 32s on the high street!

I did a Google search and although there are bras in this size they did seem to be few and far between.

Great, my bra size is practically non-existent, just my luck eh?

But, low and behold I stumbled across a bra conversion type thing on Large Cup Lingerie in hindsight it seems pretty obvious but they advise for you to go down to the lower size so for example, because I was wearing a 32DD, their guide advised that I should try a 30E.

I did another quick Google search and found quite a few of these for pretty reasonable prices! I ordered a few 30E bras and what do you know, they fit like a dream!

If you get chance, have a look at these, don't be one of the 80% wearing the wrong size bra!

February Wish List

Image from Google

Happy Saturday fellow bloggers!!!

I'm in an incredibly good mood this morning because I've managed to get hold of some Beyonce tickets :D

This morning's post is something new for me,

I've seen a few people I follow on here do a weekly/monthly wish list for certain things they are after, make-up, clothes, hair stuff etc.

I must admit that this is a bit of a foreign concept to me as I tend to go out and buy something if I want it so I've decided to throw together a selection of items that I would love to get my hands on!


I also thought it would be a good way to use Pinterest a bit more (is it only me that finds it a bit confusing?)


So here is my wish list ...





From left to right we have:

• Vivienne Westwood Sacred Heart Bag - its no secret that I love a bit of Viv and this is no exception, I love the colours and think that it would be a great Spring/Summer accessory.
• Alexander McQueen Studded Pumps in Cherry - These are literally to die for! I'm obsessed with studs at the moment, these are currently retailing for £94 on Garment Quarter but I'm hoping they'll keep dropping in price. 
• Snow White Ipad Decal - How adorable is this? My friend has just bought a bigger version for her Mac and I need it in my life, of course I need an Ipad to go with it first!!
• Miss Dior perfume by Christian Dior - A girl can never have too many perfumes right? I sprayed this on myself in Boots a couple of weeks ago and it was love at first spray, its a floriental scent (which I adore) and it has great longevity! I'm currently storing up my Boots points for this little beauty.
• Benefit Most Glamorous Nudes Ever - This is a brand new product from Benefit, I received an email about it a couple of days ago and this is certainly joining my make up bag once I've used up my current eyeshadow kit! It's a mixture of brown shades which are my staple eye make-up colours.
• Ted Baker Ipad Case - Although I love the Snow White Decal I'd need a cute little case to protect an Ipad. I love this ultra girly Ted Baker version.
• White Ipad Mini - I really REALLY want an Ipad in my life!! Although I've already got an Iphone I'm trying to justify the fact that I could use this for business purposes when I'm out and about so I've not got to lug my laptop around with me (and of course it will come in handy for personal reasons too)

So there you have it, my wish list for February, I guess I better start saving!

With Love x

Olay Essentials//Complete Care//Day Fluid

An early finish on a Friday afternoon, what could be a better excuse for a blog post?


I mentioned this particular product in my January Love post so I thought it was only fair to give it a thorough review.

I'm a fan of Olay anyway as I've been using their Beauty Fluid since my early teens. my current bottle was getting dangerously low so when I went to stock up I decided to give this one a go instead.

Anyone who suffers with combination skin knows what a chore it can be to find an affordable moisturiser that will keep oiliness at bay while moisturising dry areas so it can be a bit like a game of Russian Roulette when you plump for a new moisturiser, but I was pretty confident that Olay wouldn't let me down.

 

 

For £5.10 you get 100ml worth of fluid which I thought was pretty good, colour wise and design wise its pretty simple but effective.

 

The bottle itself is a different shape to the Beauty Fluid but I think I actually prefer this bottle, there's  a touch of vintage about it and it reminds me a bit of old school perfume bottles.

I picked up the normal/oily version as this is what I normally use within the Olay range, this one has the added benefit of SPF 15 too.

 

 

 

 

According to the packaging, Olay Essentials Complete Care Day Fluid 'has been specially designed to give your skin everything it needs most to help maintain and improve the healthy look of your skin.'

 

It also promises to offer:

*24 hours moisturisation for long lasting hydration
*SPF15 broad spectrum to help protect your skin from daily incidental sun exposure
*Skin pampering formula with vitamins B3 & E and Pro-Vitamin B5

 

 

 

 

The moisturiser itself is thicker than I expected a 'fluid' to be but I think that this is due to the added SPF, as I know that this generally tends to produce a thicker consistency.

 

It applies easily and soaks into skin quickly, doesn't leave a residue and does leave my skin feeling soft and smooth.

 

While I know that SPF is ideal for everyday use to protect skin and prevent premature ageing I was concerned that this addition would leave my skin feeling greasy and I'm pleased to say that it doesn't.

 

What more could you possibly want for a moisturiser that's only just slightly over £5?

 

I will definitely be repurchasing and would happily recommend to anyone.

 

I bought mine from Sainsburys but you can also find it in Boots, Superdrug, Tesco etc.

 

 

With Love,

 

Kimberley x

MeMeMe/Poppy Tint/Cheek Tint

I've actually had this make-up for a while but I've only just got round to using it after using up the last of my current blusher.

 

 

 

This is actually the first time I've used anything from MeMeMe Cosmetics, what initially attracted me to this was the fact that it looked (and sounded) like a dead ringer for my beloved Benefit Posietint!

 

At a bargainous £5.50 its also a fraction of the price, but does it cut the mustard?

 

In short, yes, it does and as far as dupes go it's a pretty good one!

 

Before I go off on a tangent, its probably worth explaining that I'm not a fan of powder blush and I prefer to use cream or gel versions.

 

I used to use a Ruby & Millie one before swapping to Benefit a few years ago, generally I find cream or gel blusher easier to apply and blend and I personally think that it looks a lot more natural, but this is just my humble opinion of course.

 

 

Anyway, back to Poppy Tint . . .

 

Like the Benefit Posietint, this 'stain' can be used on cheeks and lips, I've only ever used it on my cheeks so unfortunately I can't comment on how effective it is as a lip stain.

 

 

 

 

 

The blush is easily applied using the brush applicator and the product itself is what I'd call a 'medium' consistency, not too runny that its any danger of slipping off (yes, I'm looking at you Benetint!) and not to thick that it's impossible to rub in.

 

This is supposed to be 'petal pink' coloured and it reminds me a bit of dark pink rose petals.

 

 

For emphasis this is a swatch of Poppy Tint against Posietint ...

 

 

Top: Benefit Posietint

Bottom: MeMeMe Poppy Tint

 

 

 

As you can see from the image above, Poppy Tint is slightly darker than Posietint, its more of a fuchsia shade but this doesn't bother me too much and I certainly don't think it looks any darker on my skin either.

 

 

 

 



Please don't be alarmed, you won't end up with a big pink splodge on your face, this is what you get when you're trying to multi-task in a morning!

 

Usually I'd rub in straight away but it stayed on my skin for a few minuets while I was faffing with my phone, the sheer, shimmery effect is the final result you get.

 

See, that's quite a nice, natural blush that leaves you with a nice little glow :)

 

 

All in all I would definitely repurchase this, I also noticed that they had a few liquid highlighters for sale in the style of Sunbeam and High Beam so I'd be keen to give these a try too!

 

You can purchase this from Superdrug or online at www.mememecosmetics.co.uk

 

***FYI: It looks as though they've re branded since I purchased mine and Poppy Tint is now called Cupid's Kiss, which I actually think is a much nicer name!***

 

 

Much Love x

 



Umberto Giannini/Painted Lady/Glam Inks

****Warning: Photo heavy post!!!****

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you've happened to stumble across my blog posts before you will have noticed that I have a slight obsession with nail varnishes which is why today's post will be looking at this lovely set from Umberto Giannini.

 

 

My lovely friend Danielle bought me this as a Christmas present (seriously, what else could you buy a hardcore nail polish enthusiast?!) you get 6 10ml bottles in a wide spectrum of colours ranging from an almost nude pink to a metallic black shade.

 

From L - R: Lady Violetta, Lady Cloudia, Lady Love, Lady Luscious, Lady Stellar & Lady Gilt



 

The blurb on the back of the packaging brands the set as '6 darkly glamorous shades for ladylike nail coture'

 

4 of the 6 shades are definitely what I'd class as 'darkly glamorous shades' the remaining 2 colours are more Spring/Summer colours in my opinion (and the only 2 that I haven't used yet) but these will be perfect for the nude nail trend.

 

 

 

First up is Lady Cloudia, a glossy grey shade, I've previously used Barry M Grey and I'd say that this is probably a shade darker than that, this is quite a nice neutral colour and it makes a welcome change from black which I think can sometimes be a little bit harsh during Winter months.

 

 

 

Next up is Lady Violetta, this is another glossy finish polish in a dark purple shade.

Purple is one of my all time favourite colours so I absolutely love this one! I also think it gives a nice pop of colour during these dark, drab months without being too OTT.

 

 

Base Coat: Lady Cloudia
Tips: Lady Violetta

 

I was desperate to use my new nail tip guides so I decided to do a colour mani, I think the colour works well together (despite the fact that I'm wearing a green jumper in the pic, colour clash or what?) and I'm looking forward to wearing both colours separately in the near future.

 

 

 

 

This is Lady Love, which I haven't actually used yet, this is quite a hard colour to describe, its a matte pale pink - nude - milky kind of colour in the bottle but it looks different out of the bottle (see pic below)

 

 

 

And here is Lady Luscious a pink-silver glitter shade, it reminded me a little bit of Barry M's Rose Quartz.

 

 

Top: Lady Love
Bottom: Lady Luscious





 

Although I haven't used either of these shades I thought it was only fair to provide a swatch to see what they actually look like, and I'm really glad I did as they both look completely different out of the bottle!

 

Lady Love (the top shade) looks more of a pale pink than it did in the bottle whereas Lady Luscious (the bottom shade) is more of a pink/gold glitter hybrid.

 

I think both shades are very pretty and girly but I don't think these particularly tie in with the 'dark glamorous shades' promised on the box.

 

Saying that though I can't wait to use both shades once Spring is here :)

 

 

 

Next up is Lady Stellar a lovely glittery black shade which I'd say is my favourite of the bunch.

 

You'll notice that earlier on in my post I mentioned that I find full on black nail polishes can be a bit harsh, but, I think that because this one is infused with silver glitter particles it sets the colour off, its twinkly and pretty and I think it's a great colour for the party season!

 

 

 

 

And last but not least, we have Lady Gilt, in the bottle this looks like a gold glitter shade ....

 

 

 

 

 

But as you can see in the above picture its actually more of a bronze/copper colour, normally this wouldn't be a shade I'd choose but I actually really liked the colour and I think it makes a great alternative to wearing silver or gold glitter.

 

 

I did notice that the glitter shades are slightly thinner than the glossy shades but as you can see you get a good even coverage when two coats are applied.

 

You'll also be pleased to know that the glitter polishes are dead easy to remove!

 

 

 

In case you're not familiar with the name, Umberto Giannini is a hairdresser with a product and styling range so I'm not sure whether this is an extension to the range or just a one of for Christmas gifts, but saying that, I've been impressed with this range and I would recommend it to anyone!

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your day x