Going for gold

The latest shiny-new offering from Sleek Makeup is this rather dinky compact pertaining two magically metallic cream eyeshadows. Molten Metal offers us a highly-pigmented cream that can be utilised in many a way. Eyes, lips and cheekbones can be highlighted and given the Midas touch, glowing with gold and shimmering with silver hues.

From left to right:

Pewter and Gold Leaf


The pigmentation is definitely very rich and the consistency of these cream shadows is luxurious and glides on like a dream. I really enjoyed using them to create the below look. I used Pewter all over the lid, gently applied with a standard eyeshadow brush and then I lined by bottom lashes and the inner corners with Gold Leaf.
The wearability is average to good. It did crease a little after a laborious day but for £6.99, I think these shadows are not only a wonderful colour payoff and finish, but a simple way to add some glitz and glam to your eye makeup. 

Molten Metal (£6.99) is out today as a permanent addition to Sleek's makeup line. 
You can purchase it from Superdrug or Sleek online.


Shall you be going for gold this season?

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tangled in tassels

This was my outfit from Saturday night. A rather baron, short-lived Saturday night at that! It transpires no one goes out on New Year's Day where I live, and bars call last orders and turf you out onto the streets at 10.30pm. I think because I hadn't done anything supposedly epic for New Year's Eve, I had an irrepressible urge to go out the following night, only for that desire to be cruelly quashed.

My tunic/dress is from River Island. I purchased this maybe a year ago and was part of the Pixie Lott range that was launched. I love the shoulder studded detail and the web of tassels. I just wore it with tights (evidently) and my Topshop biker boots.

I wish I could detail where my earrings came from, but they were gifted to me by 'Secret Santa' two years ago. I liked the injection of colour they added to an otherwise rather sombre outfit.

In regards to my makeup, I am wearing, and particularly loving, my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation which fortunately doesn't make me look like a ghost when photographed, as rumour did suggest. On my lips I opted for MAC's Violetta which I obtained from the Venomous Villains collection. It is such a bright, vivid violet shade. It does, however, linger on your lips a little longer than you may wish. The next day you are stained with the suspicion of some secret berry eating!


Let me know what you think?
I hope you have all had a lovely, restful Bank Holiday today (if applicable!)
Back to work tomorrow...le sigh.

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to infinity and beyond!

Beam me up Scotty, check out these galactic gems!

I shall be honest, this is a very tricky nail varnish to work with...it took 3 coats to achieve the effectiveness you see above, and it is very easy to become disheartened after 2 very streaky applications. You don't start to see the holographic mirage until the polish dries so be patient and your perseverance will prevail.

GOSH - Holographic no.549.

I picked this up from Superdrug probably about 6 months ago, but this was the first time I embarked on my space-age mission. I really love the effect, I wore it out last night with a very simple black tunic (outfit post to follow shortly) and it just added a bit of fun and frivolity to the look.
I am however dreading the removal of this nail polish...


Have you tried this nail polish? What are your thoughts?

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hello 2011

Happy New Year to all my readers.
I sincerely hope 2011 brings you all happiness, health, smiles and memories.
I am not one to make resolutions as such...I believe that if you want to do something, change a trait or journey on a new path, you should just do it, there and then. No time like the present. But for all those who have made resolutions; I hope you achieve your dreams.


However, I would like this year to see me achieve some of my personal goals in life, which will ultimately lead to a brighter future, and if all this fails, I will ensure guaranteed happiness by getting a pug!

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Photoshopping about

Evidence that cabin-fever has struck.

Christmas time, family obligations paired with illness has meant that I have rather more time on my hands than expected. So apparently, when this occurs, I set out and try to acquire a new skill. I have had Photoshop loaded on my mac for ages, but really don't use it to its greatest capacity. Cropping and merging outfit photos pretty much represents my technical knowledge of the program, so recently I have been trying to broaden my understanding and experiment with some more techniques.
There are loads of tutorials on the tintaweb and I literally found out how to do the above by googling. I am still very much a novice but it is one of my new year's resolutions to become more competent with Photoshop and fashion some jazzy images. 


In other news, I am back to work tomorrow and am strangely relishing the thought of embracing a routine again. Late nights, even later mornings and eating food at anytime o'clock is all very well, but I am quite looking forward to regaining a sense of regularity again. This odd time in between Christmas and New Year feels like a week of Sundays and I am a habitual soul.

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Motto Monday

This photo is particularly poignant for several reasons. The mug was a Christmas present which I absolutely love. Mugs and mottos, two of my favourite things combined together in sweet, tea-beholding harmony. 

Secondly, today has been the first day since last Tuesday that I have been actually able to appreciate any of the above. All sensory pleasures have been severely lost over the past week due to a heady flu-like cold that has seriously made my Christmas rather dismal. Today is the first day that I have vaguely felt human again, and have been able to enjoy a belated festive feast. I don't wish to sound ungrateful, Christmas has still been wonderful for me as I have had family, warmth and lovely gifts to contend with, but I do feel sad that I had to spend Christmas eve in bed with a box of tissues and some VapoRub for company whilst all the seasonal jovialities could be heard beneath me. 


Whilst in a semi-comatosed state on the sofa, I have been watching the news and have been left dumb-founded at the scenes on Oxford Street and various shopping centres across the country, with the hoards of shoppers bracing themselves for the Boxing Day sales. I don't know if it is just me, but sales shopping does not instil an inch of excitement within me, more fear and trepidation if I am honest. I cannot think of anything I would want that much to pull me from the welcoming wonder of my house and make me trudge in the cold to queue and be barged left, right and centre just to save myself x amount on some more clutter I really don't need.


I am hoping to feel a lot cheerier tomorrow and plan to venture to my boyfriend's family for a Christmas gathering of sorts. I have hardly seem him over the Christmas break due to the heinous way I have been feeling, so it will be nice to take a drive over there, and go for a walk with the dogs and get some fresh air. His family have a lovely, yet mischievous dog called Milly which causes the utmost chaos whenever myself and said dog occupy the same place, as I never know whether it is me or the dog that is being instructed to sit down or stop barking!

I hope you have all had a glorious Christmas. 
A few to follow: Natalie, Kim and Lucy.

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twas the night before Christmas . . .

...when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

Dear All

I would just like to wish you, all my readers, a very special Christmas time. Whatever festival or celebration you may be observing, I truly hope it is filled with merriment, peace and happiness. I hope, in the midst of this frantic snow flurry we have experienced here in England, everyone has managed to get home for Christmas and can enjoy all the delights that the Yuletide brings...family, mince pies and the obligatory game of Charades. 

Thank you for all your support, kindness and forever sweet comments. You have made my first blogging year a joyful experience, and I wish you all the best of Christmas fun and fare.

So...there is nothing else really left to say, other than...


He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

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