Blue Moon - Nails Of The Day

A couple of weeks ago I showed you a gorgeous nails of the day courtesy of the beautiful Beauty UK Posh Polish in  03 Sunstone. I loved it - a perfect combination of metallics and sparkles. At the same time as I bought that I also bought another polish from the range.

Beauty UK Posh Polish in 05 Moonstone a beautiful silvery, baby blue packed full of sparkle. Like Sunstone it applied really well apart from the inevitable brush strokes and I probably could have gotten away with one coat but as per usual this is two :)

Pretty isn't it? I think all the polishes in this range would look amazing with a tan. Oh and despite the fact that I got my new camera a few weeks ago, this is the first nails of the day post that I've actually photographed with it - I always tend to have a vat of nail posts in draft. These pictures were taken in natural light so I hope the quality is okay. Let me know in the comments and let me know what you think of Moonstone xx

Say Boom Boom Boom With MUA - A Budget Beauty Series Special

OK technically this should have been an Alexandra Burke songs, since she is the face of MUA Lip Booms but  Hallelujah seemed a little presumptuous, so we have the Outhere Brothers "classic" Boom, Boom, Boom instead - you've got love the 90s for gems like this haven't.

Anyways this isn't post on the history of pop music instead its all about the lips. Earlier this year the fabulous people at MUA (Make Up Academy) collaborated  with 2008 X Factor winner Alexandra Burke to produce a new range of pocket friendly lip products - Lip Booms

Lip Booms are a double ended lip product. At one end you get a matte finish lipstick, and at the other end you have a highlighting lipgloss. These really are a multi functional product, you can create four different lip looks with each product, you can wear the lipstick on it own, the gloss on it own, or you can wear the gloss all over the lipstick, or you can just use the gloss in the centre of your lips or on your cupids bow to create a fuller lip look.

I'm a bit of a fan of MUA's lipsticks so I was really interested to try these, and I was lucky enough to receive two of the combinations for my birthday from the lovely Mummy Lou. The colours I received were Cheeky and Doin Good.

Cheeky in my opinion seems to be one of the most popular shades I've probably seen more blog posts on this shade than any of the others .Cheeky comprises of a pale bubblegum pink lipstick, which reminds me a bit of MAC Snob and a more of a dusky pink lipgloss which is crammed full of lots of sparkly glitter.

The lipstick has a slightly coconut / sweet based fragrance and a matte finish, I love the colour but pleased be warned this is one of those colours that will cling to every dry patch and line on your lips

. The highlighting gloss has a similar coconut based scent. It's quite different though colour wise compared to the lipstick, there are definitely more neutral tones in it, and it has warmer feel to it, and obviously it contains oodles of glitter.It is quite a thick gloss and as a result it does feel a bit sticky and gritty on the lips.

When you layer the two products together you get more of a peachy pink shade to the lips, as well as a pretty substantial coating of glitter. You can see some swatches here, the lipstick on it's own is at the bottom, then the gloss on its own, and finally the top swatch is of the gloss over the lipstick.

What about on the lips - well here I've swatched Cheeky using 3 of the 4 possible application techniques

Cheeky Lipstick On Its Own

Cheeky Highlighting Gloss On It Own 

Cheeky Highlighting Gloss All Over Cheeky Lipstick

The other shade I got was Doin Good - Doin Good is a much more dramatic / in your face combination

In the Doin Good combination you get a gorgeous pink /red matte lip colour, and nude pink gloss which is packed full of silver glitter.

Again the lipstick has a coconut type flavour and scent. Despite the matte finish I didn't find this colour as drying as the lipstick in Cheeky, I found this shade a lot more comfortable on the lips.

The highlighting lipgloss in Doin Good again is in a different but contrasting colour. This time the gloss is more of a nude colour packed full of silver glitter.

The two colours together equal a slightly muted but glossier version of the lipstick covered in glitter particles. As before the lipstick is at the bottom, then the gloss, then the two together.

Again on the lips using 3 of the 4 possible application techniques x

Doin Good Lipstick On It's Own

Doin Good Highlighting Lipgloss On It's Own

Doin Good Highlighting Lipgloss Over Doin Good Lipstick

These babies certainly make an impact don't they but I have to say I'm not convinced. The lipsticks on their own are fine and really wearable but I have a major problem with the highlighting lipglosses - They are just too glittery! If you want a real party look yes fair enough but for everyday wear these are just too much. Not only that but the glitter particles especially in Doin Good are just too big, they feel quite gritty on your lips and they have a tendency to move around your face and end up everywhere. Maybe I'm getting old but this much glitter just doesn't appeal anymore which is a shame. If your a real glitter junkie though, MUA Lip Booms might be for you. They come in 8 shades and retail at just £3.00 each so if you feel the same way I do at least you haven't wasted too much money x Have you tried Lip Booms? Am I alone in thinking their too glittertastic? Let me know in the comments x

Get Your Flares On - Nails Of The Day

In last months major nail polish haul one of the colours I picked up was Look Beauty Nail Pop in Shade 3 - Flares.

It's not quite lilac and it's not quite purple it's probably somewhere in the middle of the two. It applied perfectly in two coats, and leaves a super shiny finish

Excuse the weird effect I forgot to save another version of the pic after playing with ipiccy - sorry

Alongside blue, lilacs and purples are probably some of my favourite colours for nail polishes and this one is definitely a goodie. What do you think of Flares?

(Oh just a quickie did you know that if you click my pics you can enlarge them and see them almost like a slideshow - I've only just realised this duh lol x)

Pretty In Pink (Or Purple) - Nails Of The Day

Once in a while you get a colour that you just can't think how to describe, and MUA Shade 3 is one of them.

Is it pink, is it purple? I really can't decide, it looks pink in some lights, purple in others, and more of a raspberry shades in more subdued lighting. I received this as part of a little birthday gift from a fellow blogger and I have to say even though I can't describe the colour I love it. Like the majority of the MUA shades I got perfect application in two coats.

My love for MUA polishes keeps growing and growing with every shade that I try. What do you think of Shade 3?

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow - Tackling The Myths and Minefields Of Haircare

If you've been reading LouLouLand for sometime you'll know that I love my hair products. I've probably reviewed more hair products on my blog than anything else. I love trying out new ingredients, new products and new formulations. Like most of us I just want a good hair day, if our hair looks wrong we feel wrong -fact! In my quest for the hair of my dreams I've tried all sorts of cranky things, rinsing my hair in tea, in lemon juice to add depth and highlights, slapping on mayonnaise and squished up avocado to condition it and of course the obligatory ice cold rinse to add shine. That's not to mention all the dyes, perms, straightening, and chemical based products I've used. Yeah I've done it all I'm actually surprised I have any hair left the punishment I've given it over the years. Haircare is a real minefield though is it best to rely on old wives tales? or should we risk been bamboozled by a dozen chemical ingredients which we don't understand?

Well to help us through the minefield that is haircare, top online beauty site lookfantastic has attempted to find the truth about haircare by tackling 5 of the most common hair care myths.

1) "Switching shampoos can make hair look healthier."


TRUTH: Hair doesn't become resistant to your shampoo if you use it time and time again - it doesn't know what product you are using. That said, if you have an oily hair type or you style it with a product that contains wax, you should try to use a good cleansing shampoo to clarify your hair every few weeks and remove build up.


THE INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR: Limonene and other citric acids are added to shampoos to balance out the pH of alkaline detergents, which are used as solvents. Acetic acid is a mild compound known for its descaling abilities, so it will lift dead skin and dirt from the surface of the scalp, making it appear healthier.

MY EXPERIENCE: I have to be honest here and say I was always brought up to change my shampoos on a regular basis. Mummy Lou was and still is firmly of the belief that your hair gets used to a shampoo if you use it all the time. I don't know whether it's subconsciously but I've taken that theory into adulthood with me, and I'm lucky if I buy the same shampoo twice before moving on to something new. I've had a quick check of the shampoos in my bathroom (3 at the minute eek) and from the cheapest to the most expensive they all contain limonene or citric acid so it must be a pretty common ingredient in shampoo. Does this mean I'll stick to the one shampoo now? no it doesn't - I am still going to change to a more creamier moisturising shampoo when I feel my hair needs it.

2) "You can't make flat, fine hair look full of body."


TRUTH: A combination of products and tools such as rollers can do wonders for lifeless hair; just make sure styling doesn't result in frizz.


THE INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR: Polyquaternium-10 is well-absorbed by hair proteins so it is used in shampoos to increase body. It can also reduce static electricity as well as encouraging softness and shininess.

MY EXPERIENCE: Thankfully I've never had this problem although I have fine hair I have a lot of it and it always looks pretty thick. I have lost a bit of hair due to illness and medication but it's generally not too bad. My mum always says that you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear (where do they get these phrases from?) which basically means you can't be something your not. You can use all the hair products and styling tools you like but it will never change what your hair is really like, yes they can give the appearance of volume and big hair but underneath your hair construction and texture will still be the same. Polyquaternium 10 isn't something I've heard of and I can't find it in any of the numerous hair products I have floating around, but it's supposedly quite a common ingredient in hair products which can help the hair remain smooth and sleek so it's definitely one I need to look out for.

3) "To get really clean hair, you must 'lather, rinse and repeat'."


TRUTH: One thorough rinse with a cleansing shampoo is usually best; using the same shampoo more than once will not achieve anything new with the second wash.


THE INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR: Surfactants - surface-acting agents - combine oil and water, attracting agents to draw oily dirt out of hair and wash it away. Ammonium lauryl sulphate is a high foam surfactant that disrupts hydrogen bonds in water, allowing it to penetrate into the hair for deeper cleaning.

MY EXPERIENCE: I have to be honest and say that I knew this one, I only ever double shampoo if my hair is really dirty or I've been using a lot of products on it, e.g hairspray, styling wax, or mousse.. To be honest I always thought it was a bit of a ruse by manufacturers to make us use more shampoo, but I've noticed an increasing number of bottles that now say "repeat if necessary" -how do we know if it's necessary and how many of us just do it again anyway? probably most of, I'm a bit iffy when if comes to surfactants or foamers, I know a lot of people can experience negative skin reactions to foamers such as sodium lauryl sulfate, so I always try to mention if when I review a product that contains them. I don't personally have a problem with them but I am tending to look towards products with more natural based foaming agents such as cocamide now. Mummy Lou isn't a fan of products that don't produce a head full of foam so more natural products aren't for her - old habits die hard I guess

4) "Rinsing with ice-cold water after a shampoo will give you shinier hair."


TRUTH: An icy cold shower may make you feel alert but it won't enhance the lustre of your locks. Look out for products that will add shine to your hair instead, and blow dry to a smooth finish.


THE INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR: Silicone-based chemical dimethicone can make hair look shinier by closing the hair cuticle; it can also prevent tangles. Behentrimonium chloride, a wax-like compound, is an antistatic used in conditioner. Cetrimonium chloride is a water-soluble quaternary compound used as a conditioning agent that adds shine to the hair.

MY EXPERIENCE: OK admit who hasn't done this? I have to admit I've done this on numerous occasions, and I've probably shocked or frozen myself half to death in the process. This is one of the biggest old wives tales surrounding hair out their, apparently it closes the hair cuticle allowing the hair to lie flatter and look shinier. I've no idea whether there is any truth in that but it's only something to be attempted say in 30 heat. I'm currently testing out a shampoo that promises shinier hair and that contains lots of thing ending in chloride so here's hoping it does what it promises. In the meantime though I'll keep on with the shine sprays and the serums, that help to add gloss and shine to your hair. I have about  6 (I know, I know I'm an addict!) of these products on the go at the moment and yes they all contain silicone based ingredients such as dimethicone. They do indeed add shine to your hair but in my experience they also mean that you hair gets dirtier quicker - a small price to pay methinks.

5) "Split ends can be mended if you just find the right product."


TRUTH: There's no point crying over split ends, but there's no use in trying to fix them either. Masking the issue or dealing with it by heading to the hairdressers are the only things that can be done.


THE INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR: Products that contain silicone and beeswax can help split ends to look temporarily fixed by sealing them together while you plan your visit to the hairdresser to get them snipped off.

MY EXPERIENCE: I can't believe that people still fall for this one. It isn't possible to glue your hair back together, it's dead, it's gone, chop it off. How do I know ? well I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't had my hair cut for over 5 months. As well as starting to look like a unshorn Shetland pony or even Cousin It, my ends shall we say aren't looking their best, and I've even attacked a few with the scissors.Yes some products will add gloss and minimise the dryness and appearance of the split ends but the only way to truly make them go away is to cut them and let them loose, something I will be getting done professionally on Wednesday :)

I don't know about you but I found the piece by lookfantastic pretty helpful. Whilst I don't agree with all of it, it's certainly given me some interesting pointers especially regarding ingredients and what they actually do, and of course it's made me realise that there is no need to pour freezing cold water over my head in the name of beauty hurrah.. You can read more on lookfantastic's beauty myths here x Let me know what you think of this article and let me know what you favourite beauty myths or old wives tales are x

(This Post Was Written In Conjunction With Look Fantastic) 

Spot The Difference - A Budget Beauty Series Special Featuring BD Barbara Daly Make Up

This year is officially the year that I lost my MAC mojo, whether it's down to an overload of make up in general or the fact that it's almost impossible to keep up with the numerous releases, I can count the number of MAC items I've purchased or acquired this year on one hand. A lot of the collections have been very samey, and although I've had to sit on my hands big style to stop myself ordering Light Years MSF from the Heavenly Creatures collection not much has really screamed buy me this year.

However one product I received as a gift earlier this year has already cemented a special place in my heart. MAC Modern Pewter eyeshadow from the Extra Dimension collection.

We'll start off with the appearance - how amazing do these shadows look ?, with the MAC embossing and the wave design, they are almost too pretty to use.

I say almost, but I have to say I have used this at least twice a week since I got it. They have a fabulously almost creamy powdery texture, and they are really pigmented with a lovely metallic finish. The colour I got Modern Pewter, is sort of a dirty gold, green, pewter colour

It so easy to wear on it own, when I'm having a lazy day but want a little bit of an impact. These shadows can be worn dry as I've shown here or they can be used wet for even more of an impact.

I really love this shadow, and I really wish that I'd picked up a few more colours from the collection when it was available but alas at £16.50 each I couldn't really afford it. Imagine my intrigue and delight though when I received a press release regarding a product in the acclaimed BD Barbara Daly Make Up line at Tesco - Spot the difference?


                                          MAC Havana   

                                          BD Gold Dust
                                                     
                                               MAC Lunar

                               BD Navy Reflection 


                                     MAC Warm Thunder 

                                       BD Cinder Shine


OK there not identical but they look pretty similar to me, and guess what the BD Satin Swirls were released at least 6 months before the MAC alternatives. They are available in 10 fabulous shades and promise a silky smooth satin finish and texture.

I was kindly sent one of the BD Barbara Daly Make Up Satin Swirl Eyes in Cinder Shine to try out.

On appearance they do look quite similar, the BD shadows feature an all over 3D swirled design, where as the MAC shadows as well as the swirls features a smooth area with an embossed logo design. The BD Satin Swirl shadow feels very soft but it's perhaps not quite as creamy as the MAC alternative. Never the less it's still very pigmented and it gives super smooth, even coverage on the lids.

Cinder Shine as you would expect is a dark smoky grey shade, it's has a lot of silver in it though and quite a metallic finish.

Whilst I can't compare it directly to the product and shade that it's supposed to dupe,I have to say I really like this product. It may not be quite as smooth and creamy as the MAC alternative but it's still a soft, pigmented, good quality shadow exactly what you would expect from such a great name as Barbara Daly. My one tiny little query is with the price - these shadows retail for £8.00 for 2.5g which I do think is a tiny bit steep for what is in essence a supermarket product. That said though the MAC Extra Dimension shadows were a limited edition and retailed for £16.50 for 2g each so these shadows are a bargain in comparison. Next time I'm at my nearest large Tesco's and I'm not doing project 10 pan I'm definitely going to look out for these especially since the Barbara Daly range is often on 3 for 2 - I'm particularly liking the look of Oyster and Taupe Ripple :) BD Barbara Daly Satin Swirl Eyes come in 10 shades and retail at £8.00 each from larger Tesco stores and online. What do you think of Satin Swirls? Let me know in the comments and keep checking out my blog for more BD Barbara Daly at Tesco reviews x

(BD Barbara Daly Make Up Satin Swirl Eyes- Cinder Shine 2.5g Was Provided By PR For Review Purposes)

June Favourites, Camera Play And An Update

Hi Guys - I've been a little AWOL again at the start of this week so I thought I'd do a quick update post for you. First of all I hope you're all okay, I think I'm coming down with a cold booo I think it's down to this hideous weather - it's like winter outside today cold, freezing, and OMG don't mention the rain - it really is getting beyond a joke now isn't it - I need sunshine!!!

Anyways the slightly less than fabulous weather has meant that I've had major problems taking pictures, it has been so dark, thanks to my new camera though I've managed  to get enough pictures done for a few posts this week, so you can expect to see an eyeshadow comparison post, a post on the MUA Lip Booms, maybe another project 10 pan item post, and a haircare post.

Perhaps the biggest thing I've been working on this week for you though is a massive blog sale update - I mentioned on twitter the other day, that I'm feeling a bit bogged down with my whole make up stash so I've done another huge purge and you guys are going to see the benefit :) It will be live at about 8pm on Saturday nigh and will include goodies from MAC, Illamasqua, OPI, Smashbox, Lancome, Top Shop, NYX and much, much more. I'll stick a reminder or two on twitter nearer the time so you don't miss out xx

Other then taking blog photographs I've also been having a play with some of the other filters and settings on my camera and I've produced a few vintage and funny photos that I thought you might like to see :) -first up Fish Eye effect using me, Mummy Lou and Jake :)

Now a few vintage style photo - featuring  Jake, Jasper, and again the amazing Mummy Lou - a natural poser lol:)

I'm really enjoying having a play and getting used to it - it's just a basic Samsung but I can already say I prefer it to my old Fuji bridge camera and my older Samsung compact. It also films HD video so I've used it to film my June Favourites video - again there are a few settings to try and I think I should have used one to lighten it up but we'll see



Let me know what you think and don't forget to subscribe to my You Tube channel , and don't forget to keep checking my blog out for my new posts x See you soon xx