MAC To The Beach and More Haul

OK I was going to start posting the bits I got yesterday but then my MAC order came and the general consensus of opinion was that's what you would like to see first :)
This month saw the release of a couple of new collections from MAC including the much anticipated summer collection To The Beach. I have to admit on first glance it didn't really appeal to me but the more I looked at it the more I actually wanted :)

The one thing I originally wanted from the collection was one of the kohl pencils in Rosemary and Thyme -a gorgeous olive green - I really like the packaging of these pencils a creamy white with a seaweed design in the colour of the pencil :)


Given my recent love of pale pink lipsticks after looking at the collection pics I also made another two purchases first of all I picked up Lazy Days lipstick.

A gorgeous pale pink in the lustre formulation this comes packaged in a dark orange bullet with a seashell design - I really like this actually and the orange packaging isn't as bad as I'd thought it would have been unlike Neo Sci Fi - it's actually a much darker orange


I also picked a lipglass for the collection - again a lovely pale pink - Easy Lounger


Pret a Papier also launched in the UK this month and on the whole I was a bit disappointed with this collection the lipsticks were particularly disappointing but I still picked up one item - the eyeshadow in tissueweight

This will make a lovely highlight colour - a shimmery cream /peach

Over the last month I've seen lots of praise given to the MAC greasepaint sticks from the Art Supplies collection - they were still on the site so I thought I'd try one and ordered Dirty - a blackened taupe -it feels really creamy and will be great for a smokey eye


I also ordered a few permanent things - cream colour base in Shell :)

and eyeshadows in Patina

and Black Tied

So they you have it a lovely MAC haul, I have to admit I have ordered another few bits because my nearest MAC counter didn't have To The Beach out yet - whoops! I have another couple of hauls to come so bleurgh to haul haters lol My first one will be my Top Shop Make Up haul, then maybe my Metro Centre haul, and then a blog sale haul:) Any questions on anything I bought please let me know x

Goods and Bads

A bit late this week but never mind - I'll start with the goods for a change :)

Goods

* I am going shopping with my godmother tomorrow for some of my birthday pressie :) and I have some money to spend too am fancying a few Body Shop things, a Sleek Kajal and who knows what else :)
* Placed an order for some Top Shop make up and some bits from MAC this week can't wait till they come :)
* I have nearly finished sorting out my wardrobes so far I have 3 bin bags for ebay and 4 for charity - I'll post a link to my ebay listings when I start the mammoth lists lol

Bads

* One big one today it seems a bit insignificant to post anything else really - Just found out today that somebody who lives near me and went to my school died in Afghanistan this week. I didn't know him personally (he was 4 years younger than me) but we had mutual friends and acquaintances. It's absolutely heartbreaking news and my deepest sympathy goes out to his family - RIP Daryn I never knew you but like many I feel your loss x

Mavala Scientifique and Nail Shield - My Routine and Reviews

As I've just mentioned for the last four weeks I have been using products from the Mavala range for operation nail growth. Founded in Switzerland Mavala is probably most famous for its nail care products. It is a brand I dabbled with in my much younger days due to recommendations from my mum but it's one that had gradually fell by the wayside, until recently that is. The product I used in the distant past was Mavala's oldest (released to the market in 1959) and possibly best known product "Scientifique"

I bought this at the same time as my Urban Decay Alice palette but I didn't start using it till the beginning of April. Scientifique is in its simplest form a nail hardener - it hardens the nail "joining the nail layers together to enable them to grow normally"

The product comes in a tiny 5ml bottle - it's a penetrating hardener like the pro strong one I used earlier in this experiment, so it absorbs into the nail. You apply a tiny bit of the turquoise coloured liquid to the tips of your nails then tip your hands downwards to allow the product to drip down your whole nail. I did this on average twice a week :)

As you can see it absorbs quickly into the nails and the small sized bottle is justified because you honestly don't need much. It has quite a strange smell quite herbal - not surprising really as some of the ingredients are garlic, lemon, eucalyptus, and chamomile! My one complaint with this product though is the large amount of formaldehyde it contains - this is an incredibly drying ingredient and Mavala recommend you protect your cuticles whilst your using it - whatever you do don't get this on your skin if you can help it, it is super dooper drying and it stings like hell if you get it in to cuts etc - having said that though it certainly seems to make your nails stronger all most instantly:)
I was more than happy to try the Scientifique on it's own but I was contacted by a PR company who kindly offered me the chance to try another product in Mavala's nail treatment line. I eagerly took them upon their offer and was sent their two phase Nail Shield System

Designed to "reinforce and protect nails" this is a two bottle two phase system to help nails "resist breakage" and protect them whilst they grow long. Bring it on it what I say ;) After I had applied my Scientifique and waited for it to absorb I applied Phase 1 to my nails

Nail Shield Phase 1 on first glance is an opaque white liquid but as it dries you can actually see that your nails are covered in tiny nylon fibres that provide support and strength to you nails, a bit like a trellis does for plants - if you look carefully you can see the fibres on my nails.

Obviously the presence of the fibres leaves a rough surface to the nails so then you apply Phase 2 - a pinkish / nude filler/sealer coat which evens out the surface of your nails ready for your polish

I usually found I need two coats to create a completely smooth surface - I think the idea is you could just leave your nails like this but I personally wasn't too keen on the colour and it felt a little yellow toned to me, so I tended to use it pretty successfully as a base coat, applying it about twice a week - hence all the nailsof the day posts lately :)

I didn't have too many issues with the Nail Shield system - the treatments dried pretty quickly, and applied pretty evenly but my one gripe was with the smell - they were really strong smelling - if your adverse to strong nail polish smells this system isn't for you. Having said that as I said previously I have been pretty happy with how both of these treatments have performed - they have their drawbacks but my nails certainly feel a lot stronger and more resilient than what they did before using them and I will definitely consider using Mavala products again in the future.
Mavala Scientifique retails for around £11.50 for 5ml bottle and the Nail Shield Duo retails for around £8.50 for the 2 x 5ml bottles. For more information and stockists please check out the Mavala website for more details and stockist information x

(I purchased the Mavala Scientifique myself from Debenhams, the Nail Shield System was kindly provided by a PR Company for review purposes. This has in no way influenced my review - all results and opinions are mine and mine alone)

Operation Nail Growth - One Month Results - Mavala

Well it's that time again -time to show you the results of another months worth of nail products. As you know this month I have been using two Mavala treatments, Scientifique and Nail Shield. I am going to do a separate post describing my routine and reviewing the products but I thought I'd show you my results first :) Well I have to say I'm impressed my nails have definitely grown (when compared to 2 weeks ago, and compared to last month) and they certainly feel stronger



I have had a little bit of snapping on my little finger and my ring finger but at least there were nails to snap lol.
I haven't showed you any pics of my right hand before now but I thought it was important to show you how good the growth has been without any snapping

Overall I have been impressed with the regime but as you'll see in my review later I have found it to be a little drying so I have been supplementing these products with some cuticle and hand care items from Jessica - full reviews to come soon. Of all the items I've used so far I've probably seen the best results with these ones. I will definitely continue using them until the bottom of the bottles at least and of course I'll be giving you regular updates via my NOTD posts x

Elemis Prizes From Lauren

This week I was lucky to win a runners up prize in the lovely Lauren's Elemis blog giveaway. Well it came yesterday and I have to say I'm super happy. I am a huge lover of Elemis products and I was delighted to win some items I'd never used before. The package contained a full sized Elemis Maximum Moisture Day Cream and a full sized Elemis Maximum Replenish Night Cream and also a sample of the Pro Radiance Cream Cleanser. I am super excited to try these :) Huge thanks to Lauren and Elemis for hosting the giveaway and congratulations to the other winners too xx

(Oh just in case you haven't noticed ;) I've changed my blog layout a little bit to three columns - I hope you can still find your way around any questions tho give me a yell)

Adios To April

Well would you believe 4 months of the year gone already eek doesn't time fly. Anyway what sort of month was April well it's been pretty up and down I haven't felt great for a lot of this month - ME symptoms, more home stresses, eek but never mind. I've gone over my spending diet for this month but on the whole it's been a much better month than the last two - my downfall this month has been you lot lol - most of my spending this month has gone on blog sales eek - never mind I've got some lovely things and I've helped you lot out a bit :)

YSL Lipstick,MAC Paints -Cosmetics Candys Blog Sale - £15.50
MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot - Marcia's Blog Sale - £8.00
MUA Haul - £8.00
Lush Space Girl Ballistic - £1.85
Lush Tea Tree Water - £6.35
Accessorize Statue of Liberty Necklace - £.6.00
Collection 2000 Big Fake Mascara - £4.99
Physicians Formula Baked Eyeshadow Trio - Baked Oatmeal - Holly's Blog Sale - £3.00
OPI Cozu Melted In The Sun - Helen's Blog Sale - £7.00
Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish - 640 Twinkle - £3.49
Total -£64.18

Never mind I won't be counting my spends for May because it's my birthday month :) hurray cue hopefully a bit of birthday money and the urge to treat myself I mean I'll be 32 does that not deserve a treat lol

Anyways this month I have probably had one of my best months so far with trimming my stash - 22 items all loving photographed for you (I think I've got them all bar the hair removal cream - my mum threw it out before I took a pic but I don't think I've missed anything else)



Benefit Bathina Enchanting Beauty Bubbles 240g
Clinique Smooth Delivery Body Treatment 30ml
Lacura Face Care Balancing Day Cream 50ml
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic 200ml
The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion 250ml
Lush Marilyn Hair Moisturiser 225g
Clynol Repair Revive Repair Shampoo 300ml
Veet Normal Skin In Shower Hair Removal Cream150ml
Philosophy The Gingerbread Man Foaming Bubble Bath and Shower Gel 473.1ml
Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover 150ml
Collection 2000 Collagen Curl Mascara - 17 Ultra Black
Avon Blueberry Bubble Bath 1000ml
The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner 200ml
Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Body Lotion 295ml
Models Prefer Neutralizing Yellow Powder - Loose
Evian Brumisateur 50ml
Lacura 3 in 1 Facial Cleansing Wipes -25 Wipes
Lush Cupcake 75g
Beautilicious Candy Apple Body Scrub 100ml
No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Body Exfoliator 40ml
Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick - 720 Drive Me Nuts
id Bare Minerals Foundation - Medium 2g
Total - 22 Items



I was initially going to keep all my packaging till the end and do one big pic but there was way too much of it lol - I don't think I am going to finish anywhere near this many next month tho lol How did your April go? Do you have any goals for May?

It's Supposed To Be Summer Well Spring At Least

Just a little bit of video I filmed this afternoon of a very noisy hail storm !- excuse the random ramblings of Mummy LouLou in the background

FOTD + MUA Blush Review

I've learnt a few lessons make up wise today first of all why haven't I used a duo fibre / stipple brush to apply my foundation before, secondly why are duo fibre brushes so hard to clean and thirdly I am cack handed when it comes to applying eyeliner lol Hmm in the process of learning these lessons I created this make up look, thick lined olive green eyes, pink blush and pink lipstick :) It took my about 20 pictures to get my full face of the day pic today - I was having one of those days, the lighting was woeful - too dark or too bright, and my facial palsy was really playing me up - still I hope you get the idea







Poker Faced Lips :)


Trying to get a close up of my blush


Today I Wore

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation - 003 Shell
MAC Prep + Prime Eye - Light
Lancome Palette Mix Complexion Kit - 1 (Lightest Shade Only)
Boots No7 Translucent Loose Powder
MAC MSF Lightscapade
MUA Blusher Shade 1
MAC Paint Chartru
FirstLight Mineral Eyeshadow - Bali Sunset
GOSH Show Me Volume Mascara - Black *
Avon Daring Definition Cream Eyeliner - Black
MAC Viva Glam Gaga

(*provided by pr)

MUA Blusher - Shade 1 Review

I've had a few requests do a review of this so here you go x As you know I got this blusher in my recent MUA haul. My first impressions of the this blush were good - I loved the smooth texture and the pigmentation was really good for the price

A super bubblegum pink shade (the ideal match for gaga) this blush has a pretty strong colour on application but it blends down nicely to create a pretty pink look (which you can hopefully see above). One of the major questions I've had on this it is about it's longevity - I have to say on my skin (combination) it actually lasts pretty well -as I say it is pretty pigmented which helps it to last

I only have a couple of complaints about this first of all it is a bit powdery when you dip your brush on to it you do pick up a lot of powder so you need to tap it otherwise you'll end up with clown cheeks and lots of fallout lol, and because it's so powdery you do tend to lose a bit in the compact. Something I've also noticed when I've started using it is that it does have quite a noticeable smell - it's not horrible by any means more a sort of granny floral. All in all I am pretty impressed with this blusher for only £1 you really can't argue it has its issues but the pigmentation more than makes up for it. MUA products are available from selected Superdrug stores and online for £1 an item.

More Blog Sale Hauling

Well I said I had gone over on my spending diet this month but that's only because so many of you lovely girls have had ultra tempting blog sales this month - my final purchases for April came from the lovely Cosmetic Candy and her spectacular blog sale number 4 :)

I picked up a few lovely things including two MAC paints in Chartru and Bamboom and a gorgeous YSL Rouge Pur Lipstick in 142 Honey Beige - OMG waiting for the alcohol to dry off after sanitising it took for ever (well not really :)- I just wanted to put it on lol




Gorgeous - I am sooo pleased with this and the paints too - she was also kind enough to throw in a lovely set of false lashes and some sweeties (all gone I'm afraid it's been years since I had wham bars lol) - Thanks Rowena xx

Blog Sale Hauling

Well I mentioned in a previous post that I had done some more blog sale hauling - well my first parcel came yesterday from the lovely Marcia at Let There Be Shopping! - MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque - This has been on my wishlist for ages and I love it - thanks honey and thanks for the extras too ;)