on impulse

There I was, just innocently queuing to pay for a basic tee and two pair of leggings in H&M, when this shimmering beacon to the left of me caught my eye. I had never paid much attention to the H&M nail polishes until then, but on impulse, I picked up this intriguing shade and popped it in my basket.

No Mambo Jambo (£2.99) is a gorgeously iridescent polish, which I would describe as peacock-green with blue shimmer. It changes colour in every light and with every movement. I love the chunky, slightly stunted bottle and bold lettering. I wasn't expecting great things from this product but am actually very impressed. Below represents the polish after just two coats.

I only painted my nails last night so cannot comment on its staying power but the consistency of the polish was easy to work with, not too thick and not at all streaky. I would definitely return and pay a little bit more attention to the other colours from their range.

Apologies for the diddy nails on my index fingers - does anyone else have certain nails that just refuse to grow?!


Let me know your thoughts on this colour? Have you tried any of the H&M nail polishes?

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just because...

I have never been a sentimental sort when it comes to jewellery. I have always indulged in fast and cheap 'costume' jewellery but never have treated myself, or been treated to, special jewellery as such. It never really appealed to me, even when I saw my friends receiving special pieces for their 18th or 21st. However, following an impromptu trip to Selfridges with Rob, we ended up perusing the glitzy jewellery counters and he bought me this little sparkler from Thomas Sabo. The reason? Just because.
 I have never been a fan of the Thomas Sabo charm bracelets but have always loved their chunky rings and knew this was a firm favourite the moment I spied it. Luckily they had my size (52 FYI) and it fitted perfectly. After Rob bought it, I had one of those childish moments where I wanted to wear it straight away!

(Nail varnish - Illamasqua's Purity)


I really love this ring and it will be a piece I wear and treasure every day.
Thank you Rob.

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mac lashes .33

Ah, false lashes. 

If only my daily routine allowed more time, I would love to flutter some fake lashes every day, but I tend to just slap on my mascara and scoot out the door. I am not very good at applying falsies under pressure! I do enjoy wearing fake lashes though, and love they way they instantly add so much length and volume; really enhancing your eye look. 

I received these MAC lashes no.33 after attending a recent event and I decided to give them a whirl at the weekend.

I applied the lashes with my trusty duo glue. Once I had lined the edge of the lashes with the glue, I waited 30 seconds or so until the glue had gone tacky. I then manoeuvred the lashes into place with a pair of tweezers and a lot of patience. In hindsight I should have trimmed the length of the lashes as they were a little too long to fit along my lash line, but they looked fine once brushed through with some mascara.

On my lids I decided to use one of The Body Shop's baked-eye-colours in 01. Copper. 
I really love eyeshadows duos - the fact that both your main and crease colours are there in one place really excites me! Its quite a subtle shade but I like the bronzed shimmer it gives to my lids. 

I do really like these lashes although they aren't probably a style I would have chosen. At first inspection they seemed a little 'spiky'. I like lashes to be all uniformed but these ones create a selection of shorter and longer lashes. Once on however, I think they looked quite nice.


What are your thoughts?
Do you enjoy flaunting some falsies?

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to buy and buy again

Yesterday I had a really lovely day in London. Myself and several other bloggers braved the rain and splashed along to the Crazy Bear Club in Covent Garden for a swish luncheon with Herbal Essences to celebrate the launch of their new Smooth and Soft range. It was a great afternoon filled with cocktails (the lychee and blueberry being a particular favourite) plenty of chit chat and a seemingly never-ending supply of delicious food.

After the event I cowered under my umbrella again and headed to Oxford Circus to pay a visit to the MAC store and pick up my ye ol' faithful mineralised skin finish natural. This product is undoubtedly my most repurchased beauty must-have of all time. As you can see, I have already amassed three empties all set to be taken 'back to mac'. This is the only face powder I have gotten along with and I wear it every day without fail. I find it sets my foundation perfectly and leaves my skin looking finished with a natural matte look and a velvety touch. It also works really well on those days when I don't want to wear any foundation, evening out my skin tone with a medium coverage.

I use the shade medium plus which is perfect for my nc25-nc30 skin. I usually use a kabuki brush to apply the powder, gently buffing it in to my skin to create a flawless finish. The luxurious powder is formulated into a dome, and the 10g product (£18.50) lasts me about 6-8 weeks. I don't know if this is particularly good or not, I do seem to be forever buying a new one but this is one product I certainly do not begrudge investing in.


Are you a fellow fan of MAC's MSFN?
Which is your most repurchase product?

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English rose

Dress - In Love With Fashion


A long long time ago, back in those happy days when I had internet, I was kindly sent this gorgeous dress from the online store In Love With Fashion. This brand, as seen in Topshop, is awash with pretty floral dresses, cinched belted waists, pastels and pleats. Due to the delay, I now feel a little bit mean wafting this outfit in front of you as I do believe this actual dress is no longer for sale. In Love With Fashion don't mass produce their clothes, so once they're gone, they're gone! However, they have loads of other prints in this same style as well as having a rather great sale online at the moment. 
It came with the belt included and I was really pleased with the quality and fit of the dress, which is fully lined and available in S/M and M/L. I opted for S/M. The only trouble I did encounter was the top section being a little loose and somewhat revealing, but nothing a sly safety pin didn't sort out. Anyone (everyone) slightly more well-endowed than me probably wouldn't have this issue! I would definitely recommend visiting their site if you are after some pretty new additions to your wardrobe.


I hope you are all ok and had a good weekend. Today marks the day when I am back as a fully functioning blogger with super speedy internet and everything! I feel like I have been reunited with my right arm again!

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a touch of tangerine

With the weather as changeable as ever, here is your chance to bring a little bit of guaranteed sunshine to your makeup bag. Sleek Makeup have launched a limited edition Caribbean collection combining 1970's beauty and bold brights for a paradisiacal palette to encapsulate that holiday feeling! 
The collection follows suit and offers three key products; a palette, a pout polish and a blush.
The Curaçao i-divine palette (£6.49) combines a cocktail of bright pinks, ocean blues and zesty yellows for a really vivid, highly-pigmented eye look.  


Bonaire Pout Polish (£4.29) is a heavenly-scented lip balm enriched with Jojoba, Avocado and Sweet Almond Oil, as well as having SPF 15 protection. I am in love with the fruity smell of this pout polish which whisks you off to a tropical escape, piña colada in hand.

I am not sure I would wear this lip balm on its own as it requires a lot of application to achieve a true tangerine hue. I think it would work best worn over another lipstick, such as MAC's Morange for a more intense, glossy finish. That said, I love the way this pout polish applies, and leaves my lips feeling conditioned and soft.

Aruba Blush (4.29) is certainly a blush for the brave! It offers a rich, unashamed bright orange powder for a tropical touch to your cheeks. Sleek describes Aruba as a cheeky coral...but it is most definitely orange! I know I would be too fearful to wear this shade but I do think it would work well on darker skin tones for a more subtle finish.

The Caribbean collection launched this week, but is only available for a limited time only, from Superdrug stores nationwide and Sleek Makeup online.


This season, are you tantalised by tangerine?

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No.7 Stay Perfect nail colours

The other week I attended a fabulous event hosted by No.7 to mark the launch of their 20 new, fashion-led nail polishes. The new Stay Perfect nail colours range from the punchy to the pastel, flirting with metallic and matte finishes, perfectly capturing the SS11 trends for your talons. The formulation of these nail varnishes has been updated, a welcome discovery as I have previously found No.7 polishes a tad thick and easily chipped. This new formulation however contains Lumiere powder using diamond core technology to lift colour and shine, whilst Okoume extract increases flexibility and prevents nails becoming brittle. I have definitely noticed a difference with the new formula and have enjoyed flaunting a few of their fresh new shades.

During the night, as well as being able to ogle over all the new nail colours, we were treated to the presence of Jamie Nunn, top celebrity nail technician. Jamie is the head of nails on the X-factor as well as transforming the talons of a whole host of women, from models to TV stars. Jamie demonstrated a range of different nail art techniques which we simultaneously were able to recreate on our own nail wheel. My favourite was the antique marble effect which I plan to show you in a separate post. It was really enjoyable and fun to experiment with some new techniques, even if my attempts were a little less than desirable. Practice makes perfect!

Below are a selection of the nail colours that really took my fancy and I was able to take away with me from the night. I have tried to capture the colours best using the flash and then no flash. 

From l-r:
Perky, Stand Back, Hot to Trot, Cheeky Chops

From l-r:

Dollar, Jammy, Disco Nights,  Tangy

The new No.7 Stay Perfect nail colours are out now in Boots and retail at £7.50 (10ml)

Which shade will you be sporting this Spring Summer?

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