Essie - Pret-A-Surfer - Nails Of The Day

I'm back today with another nails of the day post, but unlike today's slightly gloomy weather, this shade is a little bit more Spring like.

As much as I always like to go my own way with nail polish, and I try not to stick to on trend and seasonal colours, I have to admit that I am quite partial to a spring pastel. This isn't a conventional pastel shade I guess but it's still a beautiful one and it falls into one of my favourite shade families, for nail polish, blue and purple.

Essie Pret-A-Surfer is a super pretty shade from their Summer 2015 collection, and it's described by various sources as everything from a blue creme, to an immersive marine blue, but for me it's one of those bluey, lilac, almost periwinkle blue shade.

I do love Essie polishes, but they can vary a lot depending on the shade and the finish. This is a classic cream polish, and this particular one has a fairly wide brush and a fairly viscious formulation. With careful application you could probably get away with just one coat with this one but as per usual I've gone for two coats, for full coverage, and an extra glossy finish.

Unfortunately this wasn't the longest wearing polish that I've ever worn possibly down to the thickness, but a good top coat would probably make a bit of difference when it comes to longevity.

This wasn't the neatest manicure I've ever done I'm afraid but I just hope that I've done this lovely colour justice. Despite the fact that it's a cream polish it does seem to change colour ever so slightly depending on the lighting conditions, but whether it's lighter or darker it still falls into one of my favourite colour families. No matter what the shade you're looking for though, if you're looking for a DBP,  Toluene and Formaldehyde free polish then it's hard to look past Essie, and that's the reason why they are one of my favourite nail polish brands. You can pick up full price Essie polishes in a lot of retailers now such as Superdrug and Boots, but if like me you're a bit of bargain hunter then take a look at local discount stores and stalls such as Beauty Outlet, and websites such as Fragrance Direct to find yourself some bargain Essie polishes for around £2.99. Do you like Essie polishes? Let me know your favourites x

Unboxing The First QVC UK Tili Beauty Box

If you're a regular watcher of my You Tube channel you'll know that I love beauty boxes. I love the element of surprise when you open the box and for me it feels a bit like Christmas - ripping open the packaging to see what goodies lie inside.

I personally love the surprise but unfortunately you do have to be prepared to be disappointed - you're not going to like everything in a box all the time and I know that the surprise element can put some people off. Thankfully though there are now ways that you can embrace the whole beauty box trend, and try new products without that unknown factor.

An increasing number of companies are now releasing boxes where you can either choose your own content, or where you know exactly whats in the box before you place your order. The boxes in these cases or either one offs or the subscriptions are more flexible. That way though you can choose what you want to try and minimise the risks and the disappointment 

If that's the route you want to go down though, then there is a new box in town, and you can buy it exclusively from one of my favourite place to shop QVC UK. Tili stands for one their well used phrases Try It Love It, and that's exactly what their box is all about.

The first addition went on sale just over a week ago, and I ordered mine on launch day. The whole idea of Tili is to give customers, and beauty lovers the chance to try some of QVC's newest and best selling beauty products and brands. The website provides you with a full product listing, so you know exactly what your going to get before you checkout. This is the July box and you can see what was inside and my initial thoughts by watching the video below or if your on a mobile device, via this link

At just £20 and free postage I think this box, is pretty good value. The contents has a retail value of around £55 which seems about right - the Alpha H alone works out at about £15 ish, the Elemis Micellar Water retails at £6.90 direct from Elemis, and the full size Essie polish retails at around £7.99. I can't wait to try out some of the products in this kit and I'll definitely be picking up the next Tili box if I can get my hands on it x 

This box doesn't seem to be a monthly thing, in fact I don't think that the next one is released till October, so you're not tied to anything, just a warning though, it's way to easy to shop with QVC and one purchase will inevitably lead to another!. You can find out more about the Tili box and how to order via this link. What do you think of the Tili box? Do you like the flexibility and the knowledge? or do you like a surprise? Let me know and I'd love to know what subscription boxes you like, so hit me up with your recommendations, oh and of course don't forget to subscribe to my You Tube channel for more unboxings, shopping and beauty content x 

Essie - Braziliant And A Bit Of Halloween Nail Art

Happy Halloween x I hope you've had a thoroughly spooky day whatever you've been doing and I hope that tonight it equally scary - I'm planning to snuggle on the sofa and watch some scary films and eat a lovely bowl of Delia Smith's Pumpkin And Toasted Sweetcorn Soup - Yummy! My pumpkin this year was a bit of a fail - he had a bit of a sunken head but hey at least I tried!

To coincide with the bright orange of Mr Pumpkin Head I decided to match my nails to his bright orange exterior with Essie - Braziliant

This picture is probably one of the best for showing off the real colour -. I've found it nigh on impossible to capture it's true colour but it's a true bright, bright orange shot through with a touch of shimmer, that just seems to be reflecting on my flash and making it look quite a bit redder.

Like a lot of Essie polishes, Braziliant was pretty easy to apply. This one has a wide brush and the formulation is quite thick, so with careful application you could probably get away with one coat but here I've used two.

I love, love, love this shade and whilst it would amazing with a tan or on the beach, I think orange is a real autumnal colour and it looks really nice with some of the browns, tans and rust shades that are around at the moment.

Seeing as it's All Hallows Ever though I decided to give this polish a bit of a Halloween twist. There are so many amazing Halloween nail art tutorials out there but I've gone for the cheats option and used some really easy nail stickers.

This set that I got from Top Shop isn't particularly scary or complicated but black cats are most definitely associated with Halloween. Black cats definitely have a bad rep but I love them and so I thought I'd add some black cat face stickers on to both my thumb and my middle finger to create an accent nail look.


Nail stickers are the easiest was of playing with a bit of nail art and creating an accent nail. I just use a pair of tweezers or a hoof stick to peel the sticker off the sheet, and then you just place it on top of a dry, polished nail, press it down and put on a layer or two of top coat to hold it all in place.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and the lovely bright, cheeriness of Essie - Braziliant on such a dark and spooky night x Happy Halloween x

Trimming My Stash - June 2014 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Hey Guys x I know I say this every month but where on earth is this year going - It's July, we're more than half way through the year arghhhhh. Anyways it's monthly empties time again and yet again I've proved I'm consistent if nothing else!

Rituals Yogi Flow Indian Rose And Sweet Almond Foaming Shower Gel Sensation - 200ml
Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil -15ml
This Works Daily Boost Body Scrub - 50ml
Treacle Moon The Candy Jar Original Toffee Bon Bon Bath And Shower Gel - 500ml
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic - 200ml
Boots The Spa Conditioning Body Moisturiser - 125ml
SBC Arnica Bath Soak - 250ml
Total - 7 Items

6 or 7 items really seems to be the norm for me so far this year and in June I finished 7 items. I didn't manage to finish any make up items in June but I managed to finish quite a few body care items, and one skincare item, so I'm not feeling as despondent as I did last month despite managing to finish only one product more. So what did I think about the products I finished in June, well for once my mini reviews are largely positive with at least 3 potential repurchases.

1. Rituals Yogi Flow Indian Rose And Sweet Almond Foaming Shower Gel Sensation - 200ml

This is the first product from Rituals that I'd ever tried and I'm certain that it won't be the last. This was one of those amazing shaving foam esq shower gel /creams. As you'll see in the next week or so I'm a huge fan of this type of formulation. This product had a gentle fragrance and left this skin feeling super soft and clean - loved it x

2. Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil -15ml

Another one of my obsessions are cuticle oils - I have really dry cuticles and I love using oils and creams to nourish them and keep them smooth. This is one of Essie's best and has a gorgeous fruity, peach / apricot scent. It's not too greasy or oily and it sinks in really quickly. I will definitely consider repurchasing this when I've finished the 3 or so that I have my collection - 2 of which I'll be reviewing for you in the near future.

3. This Works Daily Boost Body Scrub - 50ml

The only mehhhh item on June's list is this body scrub from This Works. This was a magazine freebie from quite a while ago now, hence the small size. This scrub had a nice aromatherapy based scent but for me it just wasn't scrubby enough, the grains were just too small and fine. If you have a more sensitive skin or you like to exfoliate everyday in the shower then this might be for you but it wasn't for me :(

4. Treacle Moon The Candy Jar Original Toffee Bon Bon Bath And Shower Gel - 500ml

This was a product that was sent to me for review purposes, you can read a full review of it here x

5. Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic - 200ml

This is one of my favourite toners of all time. It smells fabulous and it's great on sensitive skin. I particularly use mine at this time of year to cool and refresh my skin, and I tend to use it decanted into a spritzer. I love this toner with a passion but to be honest it's getting more and more expensive so I'm on the look out for something cheaper. If you have any toner recommendation for normal to oily skin please let me know x

6. Boots The Spa Conditioning Body Moisturiser - 125ml

I'm not sure how long it it since Boots have sold this but I found it in a long forgotten toiletry bag. I'm not always the biggest fan of fresh and aquatic aromas but I always loved this range, and I'm kind of gutted after rediscovering this, that it isn't made any more :( I recently review some Palmolive shower gels that smell similar but I think that's as close as I'm going to get.

7. SBC Arnica Bath Soak - 250ml

I'm a huge, huge fan of SBC products. They produce a range of easily absorbed gels, creams and bath and shower product based on natural and herbal ingredients. My CFS / Fibromyalgia causes a lot of muscle pain and stiffness and I'm a huge lover of the SBC Arnica Gel. There is no burning or freezing sensation but it just seems to help ease my poorly muscles. You can read a little review of the gel here x I hope you can excuse the awful pictures but 4 years ago I didn't haven't the best camera :) This however is the bath soak, it produces a gentle foam with a pleasant but not overpowering herbal smell. The packaging is quite utilitarian but the product really makes a difference when used in a warm bath. I already have a one of these in back up and it's something that I will continue to repurchase.

So they were my June empties x I'm hoping to do a little bit better in July and I've already finished two products already - go me! and I've also got two make up items just about done, so I'm pretty hopeful. Do your post your empties on your blog? Leave me a comment and a link and let me know x

Nails Of The Day - Essie - Butler Please

After wearing mannequin hands last week, this week I've returned to a colour that's a lot more me - bright blue!

I love blue nail polish and this recent addition from Essie fits the bill perfectly

I picked up the rather oddly named Butler Please just before Christmas from the discount make up stall near House Of Fraser in the Metro Centre near where I live for a few pounds. It's still part of the regular line so you should still be able to get your hands on it, but I would definitely check out some of the discount make up sites before you consider paying full price for it x

It's a gorgeous bright almost French blue. It's not quite as bright as Nails Inc Baker Street (post coming soon) but it's still pretty vibrant. This is two coats but with careful application you could possible get away with one. The brush was quite thick on this one which made application super quick and easy. I love colours like this - are you a fan too? leave me a comment and let me know x 

January Haul Featuring eBay, Essie, e.l.f. and More

It's the end of the month and what does that mean? haul time of course :) I've already showed you my sale haul (click here to check it out )but I have bought a few other things mainly with Christmas money.

We'll start off with ebay - I've made a few purchases from ebay this month, including a few things for my room, first up this cute wooden door sign :)

This was just £3.22 including postage. It's great quality and I think its really sweet.

I am a huge fan of twitter (you can find me here xx) and recently one of my followers tweeted a picture of a fab piece of jewellery storage. Hers came from QVC, but I couldn't find one on there, so I thought have a look on ebay, and boy am I glad I did.

I managed to get this black dress storage for only £2.97 including postage. Much cheaper than QVC I'm sure. You simply hang it on a coat hanger, and one side contains clear pockets to pop your jewellery or whatever in and the reverse side contains a mixture of fixed loops, and loops with a velcro fastening so you can store bracelets and necklaces.

I'm not a 100% sure what I'm going to use this for at the moment, I do need some more storage for fashion jewellery but at the same time the clear pockets are the perfect size for eyeshadows, I'll have a think about this and let you know what I decide.

I also picked up one jewellery item this month, this super cute flower and gem bracelet which was just 99p including postage.

My final ebay purchase of the month was something that I purchased the day after I finished Project 10 Pan and something from my extensive wishlist.

Milani Illuminating Face Powder in 03 Beauty's Touch is described as a blush, highlighter and bronzer in one, but I would probably described it as a highlight / shimmery blush. It a lovely shimmery peachy, pink shade when all the shades are swirled together.

I'm a sucker for cute packaging and product designs so I've wanted this for ages, and I chuffed that it's actually a really nice product. I paid £9.23 including postage.

Next up Avon, I just got a few bits including the Avon Natural Care And Repair Shampoo With Chamomile And Aloe Vera, I really didn't need another shampoo but this was on special and it smells amazing, so fresh and a tiny bit fruity.

I also got a bottle of the Skin So Soft Silky Moisture Tissue Oil

This is specifically formulated for stretch marks, and since I'm embarking on a weight loss journey I thought that this might be a good investment. I've got a review of a similar but more expensive product to go up in the next few days and I'm definitely going to do a review of this one too, to see how it compares.

My final Avon purchase was this cute silver tone bracelet, I have a similar one in sterling silver  which was a gift from a friend and I wear it lots so I couldn't resist this one with the crystal hearts.

My next two purchase came from blog sales - there seems to be a lot of these around at the moment :) I picked up a full sized new Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon from a blog sale.

You can use this on lips and cheeks for a water resistant colour. This looks pretty bright but it actually blends out to a sheer pink red shade, which tastes exactly like watermelon.

I also got a sample sized tube of the Perricone No Foundation, Foundation from another blog sale. 

This was something that I'd wanted to try for sometime. It looks quite scary initially, but it does seem to blend down and match the skin quite well. I haven't tried it on my face yet but I'll keep you posted x

Almost at the beginning of the month I popped into one of my favourite shops, The Original Factory Shop, I picked up 3 Essie nail polishes for just £3 each - from left to right - 314A Blue Rhapsody, 215A Nothing Else Metals, and 216A Penny Talk.

I have placed a few online orders this month but due to some absolutely hideous weather not much of it has came bar this eyes lips face - e.l.f. order, that took an extra 10 days to come. It only came today so I haven't had a chance to have a proper look at it yet. I'll do a post probably next week for you with some swatches and some first impressions but in the mean time I picked up a Mineral Lipstick in Barely Bitten, an HD Blush in Headliner, a Nail Polish in Golden Goddess and a Studio Small Stipple Brush.

As you can probably gather I've gone way over my monthly limit - here are the figures of shame!!

e.l.f. - £18.91
Flower Bracelet - ebay - 99p
Black Dress Storage - ebay - £2.97
Avon Order - £9.98
Perricone No Foundation Sample - Blog Sale - £2.00
Milani Illuminating Face Powder - 03 Beauty's Touch - ebay - £9.23
Hanging Door Sign - ebay - £3.22
Becca Beach Tint - Blog Sale - £3.50
H&M Haul - £20.99
3 x Essie Nail Polishes - The Original Factoy Shop - £9.00
Next Sale Haul - £21.00
Boots Sale Haul - £51.00
Stila Convertible Color - Lillium - Beauty Bay - £12.80
Total - £165.59
£125.59 Over

Okay that is pretty bad but in fairness I did get a fair bit of Christmas money this year, especially from my fabulous godparents, and I also sold quite a bit on ebay this month..I'm still waiting for a couple of orders from a england, and MUA (rolls eyes!) and I've still got some money and some gift cards from New Look, and Boots to spend, so I can already see myself spending a bit of money in February. Never the less though I am going to try and be good I've opened a new saving account and I'm determined to try and save some money this year, so hauls on this scale are certainly a thing of the past - fingers crossed anyways. Have you bought anything good in January - let me know your best buys in the comments xx

Another Nails Of The Day Post - More Sludge ?

Since I've returned from my holidays I've tried to keep in the holiday spirit with a few bright nails of the day posts but I'm going to have to face facts, it is officially Autumn now. The leaves are falling from the trees, the nights are drawing in, and it's getting colder, it was frosty this morning brrrr. So I guess I should back off the bright colours and try and move with the seasons; nah I don't think so, sometimes a bright nail can really perk you up in the colder and winter months so no I'm certainly not relegating my brights to the back of the drawer but I felt like a return to murky colours today.

Not dissimilar to Essie - Sew Psyched , this is MUA Shade No 23 - One of the newer additions to the MUA basic line this is a lovely sludgy, khaki, moss type shade. It's a little lighter than Sew Psyched but it's near enough and for a £1.00 you certainly can't argue.

This is two coats here but to be honest with better application you could get away with one. Once again another nail polish winner from MUA, what do you think?