Milly meets Mally

Ok, hands up nice and high if you have heard of Mally Beauty?

No, me neither. It was an entirely new brand to me, so when I was approach to give two of their eye products a whirl, after some quick snooping on the internet, ensuring they don't test on animals, which they don't, I was keen to see what this brand had to offer.

The two products I was sent were:

Volumizing Mascara £16

Evercolor Shadow Stick in Bronze £20

I used these two products today for a very quick and simple eye makeup look, and was pleasantly surprised and impressed with both the products, the mascara more so than the eyeshadow stick.

I expected quite a lot from the mascara for £16 and I believe it has earned its price tag commendably. The plush brush wand really grabs each lash and the formulation is thick and doesn't dry too quickly. I often find when applying mascara that by the time I have done one coat on each eye, I want to go back and apply a second coat, but the mascara has already dried, so further application just leads to it looking clumpy and brittle.
But this mascara allowed me to go back and apply a second coat to achieve the lashes below. It is a gorgeous darkest of black colours, and gives the over-the-top false lash effect I yearn for! 

The evercolor shadow stick was quite an experiment for me, as I am an eyeshadow phobe. I just don't use eyeshadows, don't like the powdery nature of them on my eyes and haven't got enough skills or patience to achieve some of the amazing eye looks I see on various blogs.
The shadow stick could be likened to MAC's shadesticks, which I haven't tried so cannot pass a comparison, but I do know they retail at £7 cheaper than the Mally shadow stick.
What I really liked about this product was the creamy, rich formulation and the strong colour payoff I could achieve. It left a lovely shimmery, metallic finish to the eyelid. It felt very soft as I was applying it, and I liked the fact you could easily template where you wanted the shadow to go.
The only let down with this shadow stick was where I had been wearing it all day, it began to crease quite a lot and felt rather drying on my eyes. 
I therefore don't think I would wear this during the day as I would feel conscious of it's lasting power, but for a night out, I think it would be ideal, as I do love the bronzy sheen it gives and it may have converted me to being more daring with my eye makeup!

Mally Beauty products is available here on their website and is also sold via the QVC channel and website.
Let me know what you think lovelies.
xxx

And I never rant

This post is rather spontaneous, ill-planned and probably unnecessary, and sits awkwardly in my otherwise rather jovial blog, but I felt compelled to write down a few words on certain events that happened today that have disheartened me.

Firstly, I know am not the first, nor will be the last blogger out there to be on the receiving end of personal, scornful and vindictive attacks from the so-called anonymous commenters, who take it upon themselves to patrol certain blogs, scattering malicious and using misspelt, clumsy comments on certain posts, proclaiming ceaseless, nonsensical crap!

I am not going to lie, having blogged for nearly 5 months at the time, I thought I was on dry land, safe from this harem of haters. I thought wrong and being the delicate flower I am, I was mortified, upset and questioned the motive of these faceless few who have it instilled within them to belittle and barrage certain bloggers. 

However, I got over it, moved on and made the smart move of disallowing anonymous comments.

Well today I was met with a ingenious and commendable effort made by one of these commenters...a new blogger profile aptly named "anonbeauty", allowing them free-reign to continue their fruitless mission of leaving unpleasant comments over certain blogs.

Well, you really have to hand it to them, they certainly don't lack imagination or initiative!

But it all seriousness, why?

I am truly perplexed and disheartened that some people would go to this length in order to start battering me again with hurtful comments. 

I am sure I speak for many other bloggers when I say I blog for my enjoyment and pleasure. It makes me stupidly happy to sit down and construct a new post. I take pride in my blog, and what I have achieved and do not appreciate nor comprehend idiots taking the time to come onto my blog and violate it with unintelligible mutterings.  

I seriously urge whoever is doing this to just reassess what you are trying to achieve here? I really thought I had left this juvenile bitchiness and immaturity in the playground along with kiss-chase and hopscotch, and this isn't what I signed up for when I started blogging.

I find it so hard to comprehend as it is so far away from my nature. I was always taught that if you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I go through life trying to see the best in everyone, but I have racked my brains and cannot conclude what is it that makes you act this way.

There is enough unpleasantry in the world as it is, MY blog is MY space and I do not intend it to be laced with your inarticulacy and spitefulness.

If you dislike my blog, my face, my dancing fairy or my love of cupcakes then please just bunny hop along - click the 'x' and have a pleasant day elsewhere.

And on another note...I would just like to mention that I have be made aware of a few blogs who have mirrored my blog, in regards to the pictures and sidebar titles, to a degree that surpasses coincidence.

I am more than aware that the internet breeds imitation and unoriginality, and also the pictures I gather are from weheartit.com, so hardly an obscure website. BUT when I spy a blog that has 5 of my selected pictures laid out down their sidebar with matching font and headers, I feel a bit disgruntled.

I am flattered to be of some inspiration, but please just ask. Crumbs, I don't want credit, it hardly is an epic or novel notion, but try and maybe put your own spin on it, rather than emulate it.

This post is totally out of character, I will probably regret posting it 30 seconds afterwards and attempt to sugar-coat it with some soppy picture of a kitten or something, but I feel better having shared my feelings on this matter than sit back and let it continue.

Thanks for reading and supporting me. 

xxx

Told you!!

Eyeko - Get in the Pink

Hey gang!

Just a really swift post for you all to quickly showcase the two new limited edition Eyeko polishes to hit the website.

My opinion on these dinky pinks: -

Chi Chi "for girlie nails" looks gorgeous in the bottle. A lovely antiqued dirty-pink glitter polish. Unfortunately, the formulation is slightly watery for me, applied quite sparsely and the picture above required 3 coats. I think the polish would work best when applied over another bright colour, or possibly just used on the tip of the nail to add a bit of sparkle.

Punk "for neon nails" is fab! I adore the bright fluro-pink, and the consistency of this polish is much nicer to apply; the picture above is after 2 layers.  This one definitely gets my thumbs up!

These nail polishes are limited edition, £3.50 and are now available on the Eyeko website.

Are you in the pink??

xxx

Liz Earle Hair Care Launch

So last week, I was invited to skip along to a Liz Earle event, held at their flagship store in Chelsea, London.

I had never been to this store before so was looking forward to having a little nosey, and I can concur that it is a gorgeous store, decked with glazed wooden floorboards, marble top counters and shiny wash basins.

The event was in aid of the launch of Liz Earle’s new (and first) hair care range.

It was an intimate affair, with 10 or so fellow bloggers (and cacti) huddled around the show and tell area, smoothie in hand, listening to the impressive timeline of how these products finally made it through the rigorous testing and were eventually met with the team’s seal of approval...6 years later!

Liz Earle has listened to their customers and developed their carefully edited hair care range - one shampoo to suit all hair types, and three conditioners: dry/damaged, oily and normal. They are described as the "Cleanse & Polish for the hair"

The products are packed with naturally-derived ingredients and promise to be gentle on the most sensitive of scalps and are all colour-safe too. The hair care range boosts to be SLS and SLES free, which are those added chemicals which makes your shampoos and soaps "lather up", foam, and create bubbles. This is usually a rather satisfying and desirable result when using shampoos, but Liz Earle proves you still can still achieve this effect through natural botanical ingredients.

We were treated to a detailed overview of how these products have manifested over 6 years, from a mere seedling in Liz Earle's and the consumers' imagination, to the fully fledged range that will soon be available to the masses.

And then, just as I was merrily sniffing some Yangu seeds, we were graced with the presence of Liz Earle herself. It was rather splendid to meet the lady behind this magic, and I believe she is a great ambassador for this hair care range particularly, as her hair did look rather radiant!! 
After her casual fleeting visit, we all had time to mingle, ask any questions, chat to the ladies and flirt with the products and the fluffy towels over at the basins.

Upon leaving, we were proffered with a goody bag containing the shampoo and our chosen conditioner. I went for the dry/damaged one as this suited my hair type most appropriately after all the colouring it has been battered with of late.

I have used the products for about 3 washes now and I can state that I am enjoying them greatly.  I really like the smell. It is quite earthy and mature, and is reminiscent of log fires in the winter and freshly vanished wood. They purposefully developed the scent to make the products unisex, and I do believe they have achieved that. It makes a pleasant change from many of the hair care ranges that intoxicate you with sickly floral and fruity aromas.
I did feel they made a really difference to the condition of my hair, especially the conditioner. I can pretty much take or leave any shampoo, but for me, it's all about the conditioner, due to the dry, frizzy, thick, unruly nature of my hair. 
It felt like a real treat to my hair, and did leave it feeling nourished and smooth and smelling divine.

The shampoo and conditioners are priced at £7.50 each for 200ml.

They are not currently available but they will be launching online and at the Chelsea and Isle of Wight stores on 2nd September 2010, and then rolling out to John Lewis stores on 6th September 2010.


I'd like to say thank you to Andrea, Laura, Louise and the rest of the Liz Earle team for allowing me the chance to have a sneak peek at this new range, and I have no doubt it will be another huge success!
xxx

Festival Fashion and Fun

Hola lovelies
As many of you may have been aware, this weekend, my fellow groupies and myself descended upon the V music festival which is a mere hop, skip and a jump away from my abode, for a weekend of music-watching, cider-drinking, dad-dancing, fun, mud and noodles!
To say I had fun would be an understatement, it was a fabulous weekend spent with chums.
I took a few snaps, naturally, because I thought it would be nice to compile my festival fashion over the two days and I have also thrown in some other random pics for your amusement.

♥ SATURDAY OOTD ♥

Short cowboy boots - River Island
Lace ankle socks (just seen) - Miss Selfridge
Denim shorts - H&M
Skinny belt - H&M
Lace top - H&M
Bangles - Accessorize
Earrings - Miss Selfridge
Necklace - River Island
Flower headband - Miss Selfridge

Hair - just messily pinned up as per...

Sunnies - Jackie O inspired Ray Bans.
Tipple of the day - Bacardi Breezers - classy!

Geekily excited about the day's festivities!!


♥ SUNDAY OOTD ♥

Boots, shorts, jewellery as before
Denim shirt - Topshop
Vest top - H&M

Headscarf - Accessorize
MAC St Germain lippie...

Claire and I ready to rock! :)

Oh hello MAC tent!! :)


So there we have it lovers, my V weekend in a nutshell. 
It was truly spectacular with some fierce acts performing - my particular favs were:-
Florence, Calvin Harris, Jamie T, Kings of Leon and Prodigy!!


Let me know what you think chicks, and have any of you attended any festivals this year?
xxx

My Friday Festivities

Good morning ladies

Yesterday was Friday, and it was a day filled with frivolities.

This weekend I am rocking up to the V festival which is held very conveniently close by to where I live. 

I have been twice before and it is a fabulous weekend (preferably lavished with sunshine) to spend with your chums listening to live music and slurping a cider or three!

Friday lunchtime I popped out to peruse the shops and witness the hoards of excitable teens and adults alike, clutching their sleeping bags and crates of beverages, heading field-bound for a weekend of festivities.

Here are a few treasures I picked up, not necessarily to adorn myself with at the festival, but maybe possibly, dependant on the weather...

A flower for my hair - Miss Selfridge

Earrings - Miss Selfridge

Lace top (check out them shoulder pads!) - H&M

Floral oversized shirt - H&M

Brown plaited skinny belt - H&M

And then a final detour to pick up a birthday card for the boy and some much needed sugar to propel me through the final hours of a sluggish Friday afternoon in the office.

So as you read this, I am immersed in one of the following scenarios...

a) clutching a cider and dancing in the sunshine with daisies in my hair, feeling a whole lot of love

OR

b) standing in a puddle of mud, cold, wet and fed up, cursing the natural elements, clutching a cider for comfort.

Let's pray for option a!

Right, off to do my sun dance!

Let me know what you think of my purchases and if you are up to anything spectacular this weekend?

xxx

Butterflies and beehives

Hey kids

I hope you are all hunky dory and looking forward to your weekends, whatever you may be getting up to.

I just thought I'd do a quick post before I indulge in a Friday night film-fest.

I went to London yesterday after work to attend an event. It was an ever-so interesting evening, but the particular highlight was meeting up again with some of the darling girls I have met through blogging.

This was my outfit of the day/night as I didn't have time after work to change my attire, due to precious 5 minute slot I had between finishing work and the departure of my train!

♡ 

Harem pants - a boutique near moi

♡ 

White vest - H&M

♡ 

Pumps - Primark

♡ 

Jewellery - Accessorize

My hair was down which is such a rarity for me, but by the time I had mad-dashed it up to the station, humidity and rain was not on my side and I was sporting a rather fetching frizzball. 

So en route I pinned my hair up in my custom twist and go style with a slight beehive "poofy" crown.

This is dead simple to achieve with merely a few kirby grips and nimble fingers, and I am endeavouring to put a tutorial up very soon to demonstrate.

I wore my spangly sequin H&M jacket with this outfit but sadly forgot to feature it.

Thank you as ever for reading, commenting, and following.

Leave me pretty ponderings :)

xxx