Don’t be Blue

Happy Bank Holiday Monday everyone! After last week’s pink post I may have gotten a little carried away and planned a few more themed posts focusing on some different colours! First up are my favourite blue products!

Nivea Lotion

I’ve spoken about this loads on my blog before and it regularly features in empties too but this is my favourite product for a first cleanse and I have been using it for years! It’s so creamy and effective at removing a good chunk of my makeup before I go in with an oil or balm. As it’s so creamy I don’t feel like I am dragging my skin at all with this and it’s so affordable!

Nivea Protect and Care 48 hour Anti-Perspirant*

Deodorant is something I like to have a few different options for and will switch daily as I find my armpits get quite used to products I use long term! Nivea recently released a new deodorant featuring the scent of Nivea crème which you all know I am obsessed with! It promises to be strong on sweat but gentle on skin while providing 48 hour protection. I’ve been using this for about three weeks now and while I haven’t tested the 48 hour claim, it lasts well throughout the day on me and as expected I love the scent, it’s so fresh and clean! It also comes in stick and spray form too and is available from Superdrug, Morrisons, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s!

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum

I talked about this in an empties way back here when I was on my second bottle but didn’t repurchase till recently as I was finishing other serums (practising self-control for once!). I’m so glad to have this back in my routine, there is something about it I love. It’s quite a watery formulation but dries in quickly making my skin feel lovely and soft and hydrated throughout the day! I feel like it’s become a little more scented since I last used it but I could be wrong, it doesn’t affect my skin anyway and I still love it!

La Roche Posay Serozinc

This is my second bottle of this stuff now and another product I’m glad to have back in my skincare routine! I use it after I tone at both night time and in the morning and press in with a cotton pad. I find on me it’s refreshing and helps calm any spots I have! It’s also meant to help with excess oiliness which I didn’t realise until now so I will be looking out for that too!   

  

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentre

I don’t think I’ve ever spoke about this on my blog before but there is something about it I really like. I was enabled by Pixiwoo absolutely ages ago who used it as a primer and I find it really effective! It’s my moisturiser/primer of choice when I take hand luggage as it doubles up as both and saves me a lot of room while nicely moisturising and priming my skin and giving me a good base for my makeup.

Estee Lauder Double Wear

This is without a doubt my favourite foundation and after going on a bit of a mission in the last month or so to find the perfect foundation without SPF, I can confirm that it can’t be done. For my skin anyway! I don’t wear this daily, it’s too expensive for that, but this is the only foundation I trust on a night out/if I have to get a photo taken (yes even with flash because at least I’ll look like a ghost with good skin!). I have combination skin and this mattifies it without clinging to any dry patches I have as well as seemingly looking better the longer I wear it. Not sure what magic it is but it’s one I will continue to repurchase again and again!

Cutex Ultra Cleansing Nail Polish Remover

I have gone through so many bottles of this nail polish remover as it’s so effective! I don’t know if it’s clever marketing calling it “ultra cleansing” but it really does get my nail polish off so quickly and easily!

Revlon Volume + Length Magnified Waterproof Mascara

I picked this up a few weeks ago when it was on offer as curiosity got the better of me (I usually hate Revlon mascaras) but this has been a pleasant surprise! It’s quite a dry formula with a bristled brush and like the packaging says, gives me great volume and length, exactly what I look for in a mascara! I always get the waterproof version and it’s worked perfectly and I haven’t noticed any flaking either! I’m definitely not upset the old Revlon mascaras have been discontinued and want to try out more of the new range soon!

Essie Midnight Cami

This is probably one of my favourite nail shades ever! It’s definitely not the most Spring/Summer appropriate but who cares about that when you see how pretty it is! It’s a deep navy blue with the most gorgeous understated shimmer. I have a whole post on it here with it on my nails too!

  

Essie Find Me an Oasis

A little more light for this time of year, Find Me an Oasis is the prettiest pastel blue I own! Essie really do the best pastel shades in my opinion! I love these mini polishes too that you can get in sets as I very rarely finish a full size nail polish!

So there are my favourite blue products or you know products that come in blue packaging! Have you tried any of them? What did you think?

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own.

Danielle xx

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

Thinking Pink

Hi guys! I have a bit of a themed post today! Taking inspiration from the Pantone Colour of the year (Rose Quartz) and Glossier beauty products pink branding, I have a few of my favourite pink beauty products to share with you and the #glossierpink Pinterest board! 

Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette and Melted Lipstick in Peony

I lusted after this palette so much! I do like it but not as much as I thought I would unfortunately but everything about it is so cute from the packaging to the heart shaped pans inside! I got the Melted Lipstick in a set at Christmas and I’m in love with the formula! So long lasting, not sticky and it’s the perfect shade of pink!

The Balm Down Boy Blush

This is one of my absolute favourite blushes and the one 9 times out of 10 I will take with me when I’m travelling somewhere and don’t have much room for makeup. Its matte, pigmented and long lasting and makes me look healthy and just the right amount of flushed!

Benefit Posie Balm

I got this mini in a duty free haul here and it’s come in so handy! It gives a really light wash of colour on the lips but feels so hydrating and what’s not to love about minis!

l-r: The Balm Down Boy, Benefit Posiebalm, Too Faced Melted Peony

Lush Candy Mountain Bubble Bar

This is a limited edition Christmas bubble bar that like my beloved Snow Fairy, I savour before using up! It smells sweet like vanilla candy, gives the best bubbles and makes my skin feel so soft when I get out of the bath! I usually split it in two because when it’s gone it’s gone!

Soap and Glory Mist you Madly, Original Pink, Hand Maid and Hand Food

Ah how could I not include Soap and Glory in a post about pink! Their products are some of my favourites and you are all probably sick of me bleating on about them! Mist you Madly is probably my favourite scent ever, it’s so musky and long lasting and the bottle is perfect for throwing in your handbag! I also love the Original Pink perfume which is a lot lighter but just as long lasting and has such a pretty bottle! Finally another two handbag essentials for me are the Hand Maid hand sanitizer and Hand Food hand cream! I love popping these out to freshen up and moisturise whenever I want!

Aurelia Miracle Cleanser

This was a welcome addition in a gift with purchase from Cult Beauty as I had wanted to try Aurelia skincare for ages! It’s a cream texture and I love the smell of eucalyptus when I’m massaging it into my face! I then remove it with the muslin cloth that came with it and it does a great job of getting rid of my makeup and making me skin feel super soft!

Finally, I have a few slightly different shades of pink nail polish! First up is the most pink, Nails Inc Gel Effect in Chiltern Street. Then we have the most affordable, Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in Rose Hip. Next we have my favourite formula; OPI Nail Envy in Bubble Bath and finally my favourite shade, Essie Fiji. All look amazing with a tan and I have a feeling these will be on rotation from now till September!

l-r: Nails Inc Chiltern Street, Barry M Rose Hip, OPI Bubble Bath, Essie Fiji

Let me know what your favourite pink products are of if you have tried any of these! I might have also enjoyed doing this theme so much I have a few other colour focus posts coming up! 

Danielle xx

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

A Nail Polish Obsession #2

First off, when did it become Christmas Eve! This month seems to have gone so quickly and I can’t believe its Christmas tomorrow! Anyway, I thought I would put a quick post up today, a little earlier than I usually would, to show you the latest colour I can’t stop repainting my nails with - Essie Midnight Cami. This shade has not been off my nails the past month and it will be on them all over Christmas too!

It's described by Essie as a deep twilight blue with shimmer and I absolutely love it! It’s so dark its almost black but when you catch it in the light you see a gorgeous subtle shimmer that gives it a little extra somethin’ somethin’.

My photo of this shade on my nails (and cuticles - oops) really doesn’t do this nail polish any justice but hopefully you can see the shimmer a little more in the bottle! (Sidenote - photography and editing are two things I really want to work on this year!)

As usual I have been using my trusty OPI Nail Envy as a base coat and Seche Vite as a top coat. I usually find that Essie polishes chip very easily on my but this combo is working really well and its at least three days before I have a few chips at the top of my nails! The Seche Vite also saves me so much drying time! The Essie brush is wide enough that three swipes does my full nail and the colour is opaque in two coats and it the most perfect wintery deep blue!

What do you think of this shade? Can you recommend me any others I might like?

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and get what you wished for and thanks so much for all your comments this year!

Danielle xx

A Nail Polish Obsession #1

Now I’m usually all about the dark vampy reds, purples and navy’s this time of year but this OPI polish has caught my attention and I cannot get enough! This stuff has not left my nails for longer than two days since I got it a month ago and I can’t see that changing anytime soon!

If you have read my Manicure Essentials post you will know that I usually forego coloured nail polish on my fingernails and save it for my toenails. This is because I cannot stand chipped nail polish or more likely, my obsession with then picking the rest of the polish off! This stuff however is on a whole other level and the little nail combination I have been using has ensured this is the longest lasting manicure I’ve ever had, lasting a good four days before chipping which is a lifetime for me!

As usual, I apply my OPI Nail Envy as a base coat, this is the most amazing nail polish ever and I often wear this on its own because it gives the most amazing shine to my nails and really strengthens them. Nail Envy was actually the only OPI nail polish I had tried prior to getting this one but I have a feeling this will change as I love the formulation of the two I have so much!

I first saw OPI My Very First Knockwurst on my friend at works nails about a month ago and had to know what it was! She couldn’t remember and wrote it down for me that evening and I had it ordered before break time at work the next day! It is the most perfect nude-y, pinky, pastely, chic, sophisticated shade of nail polish I have ever owned and I am obsessed with it! I mentioned that I have been so impressed with the wear time which could be down to the top coat I've been using (I haven’t tried it without).

Now I know Seche Vite hasn’t got the best ingredients in it but boy does it dry fast! Gone is the endless flapping of my hands to try and dry my nails quicker only to hit something by accident and smudge my whole nail anyway! Overall, this has become my nail dream team and I can’t stop wearing it!

What nail colours have you been loving recently? Do you like this one or is it too nude for you?

Danielle xx

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Nyx and Wet n Wild Haul

I went a little mad. A lot mad. I had actually only got half of this then went back for more that's why there's a dirty great fingerprint in the bronzer/blushers! A spending ban is long overdue. Anyway here's what I got!

Nyx Bronzer and Blusher combo in BBC02 Ibiza and BBC03 Marbella

In a perfect world I would have bought one with a matte blusher and matte bronzer but they didn’t have one like that hence why I bought two! I’ll use the shimmery blush and bronzer more in the summer but matte shades are my favourite!

Nyx powder blush in PB01 Mocha

I have one of these blushers and I LOVE it, it’s in the shade Dusty Rose which is a bit lighter than this and both are matte! It gives a lovely flush of colour to the face and is pigmented but not too pigmented!

Nyx Round Lipstick in 628 Tea Rose

This is fast becoming my new favourite lipstick; it gives a lovely pink colour to the lips, is nicely pigmented and lasts a decent amount of time without touch ups!

Nyx Eye and Eyebrow Pencil in Black Brown

I haven’t tried this in my brows but it’s nice and soft for using to line my eyes and a nice dark brown colour.

Coloricon Brow and Eye Liner in Bark Brown

Again I haven’t tried this in my brows but it’s pigmented and doesn’t drag when I line my upper eyelid! It also has a long pencil/handle which I find good for controlling where you put the liner!

Wet n Wild MegaLast Lip Colour in Just Peachy, Rose-bud and Mauve Outta Here

I love the colours of these lipsticks and they are so pigmented on the lips too! However they are really drying and even after using a lip scrub they show up any dry skin on the lips! I’ve taken to putting a light layer on then go over this with a clear lip balm like Carmex to give a little extra moisture and gloss!

Wet n Wild Comfort Zone

This palette is so pigmented and so cheap! I hope you can see that from the swatches I’ve done! 

I would have loved for there to be a few matte shades to use through the crease but I can’t complain too much as the quality of the shadows is amazing!

The bottom right shade is so different to anything else I own, it’s quite duo chrome!

MegaLast Salon Nail Colour in Through the Grapevine

Nice bright colour that lasts ages on my toenails and gives a really high shine finish! It’s also opaque in one layer and has a handy wide brush that coats the nails quickly!

I have a few other bits and pieces from both these brands that I’ve had for longer so if you’d like to see what else I have let me know :)

What’s your favourite Nyx or Wet n Wild product or what would you most like to try from the brands? 

The Latest in Beauty Glamour Summer Edit

I don’t subscribe to any beauty boxes because I don’t like surprises; I like to see what I’m getting for my money! The only ones I’ve purchased in the past are the Latest in Beauty offerings and the odd one from Look Fantastic. As soon as I saw the newest Glamour collaboration with Latest in Beauty I didn’t waste any time checking out with it. For £17.99 you get 11 different items all must haves for the summer! Here’s what’s in the box:

Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish (3 variations)

I got the shade Kensington Passage, a bright coral shade that will look amazing with a tan over the summer months!

Vita Liberata Trystal Minerals and Kabuki brush

This is described as a self-tanning bronzer that develops and lasts for up to five days. I’m excited to try it and the kabuki brush that comes with it is so soft!

Pixi Glow Tonic

I already have and love the full size of this so I’m glad I now have a mini for any trips away!

L’Occitane Shampoo and Conditioner

I have never tried anything from L’Occitane but I’ve heard a lot of good things so I can’t wait to see how this shampoo and conditioner fare!

Caudalie Divine Oil

If you saw my last post, I recently bought a few other bits from Caudalie so I’m looking forward to trying this multitasking oil now too!

Bourjois Colour Boost lip crayon (3 variations)

I got the shade Peach on the Beach which unfortunately I already own buuuut my mum also bought one of these boxes so I’m hoping if she receives a different colour she will swap with me :) 

Balance Me Super Toning Body Polish

Again, I haven’t tried anything from Balance Me before but I love scrubs so I have high hopes for this with its promise to tone!

Eucerin Sun Care (4 variations)

I got the SPF 30 Sun Crème for face which I haven’t tried out yet but I’m hoping it won’t be too greasy as I want to put make up over it! SPF is so important all year round but especially now in the Summer so I’m glad I have this!

Seekers of the Sun Luxury Temporary Tattoos

Not going to lie I will never use these haha I will probably give them to a younger cousin who will have a field day with them!

Overall, a great box! Looking closer at the variations available for the Eucerin sun cream I would have preferred the Mattifying Sun Fluid for face as I have quite oily skin but I’m so happy with the contents! If you fancy treating yourself you can get a hold of the Glamour Latest in Beauty Summer Edit here!

What do you think of the products in the box? 

Essie Limited Edition Wedding Collection Trio

This set contains three 5ml Essie nail polishes in the shades Hubby for Dessert, Vanity Fairest and Brides no Grooms.

Hubby for Dessert is described by Essie as a sheer candied lilac and it definitely looks like this in the bottle however on the nails I thought it looked a lot lighter, almost white.

Vanity Fairest is described as a shimmery sheer pastel pink. I didn’t actually notice the shimmer until I put it on my nails but it’s very subtle!

Brides no Grooms is a bright pink perfect coming into summer! I currently have two coats of it on my toenails under a Maybelline Colour Show clear coat and it’s lasting well so far with no chipping!

As with all the lighter colours of Essie I own, 3 thin coats is needed for an even coverage which can be  bit time consuming but definitely worth it!

l-r swatches: Hubby for Dessert (3 coats), Vanity Fairest (3 coats), Brides no Grooms (2 coats)