L'Oreal Acid Watermelon Polish Fade

You might remember that just before my holiday, I posted about the awesome Acid Watermelon nail polish from the L’Oreal Color Riche range.

The colour is absolutely stunning and so vibrant that I couldn't wait to show off my neon toes in sunny Portugal! 

By day two of my holiday my toes had admittedly already seen quite a bit of sun and chlorine but I didn't expect the polish to fade quite as much as it did. I’d noticed that my toes had gone from ‘neon pink’ to ‘baby pink’ before my eyes, but when I repainted one foot, I realised the extent of the fade and was shocked!

It’s not a problem to paint your toes on holiday, after all, the polish dries in seconds and sometimes you might just want to paint them a different colour.

I would however strongly recommend that if you want to wear this particular shade from the L’Oreal range for the duration of your holiday, that you make sure to pack the bottle in your case! You’ll need it. I reapplied twice in the first week!

Barry M Nail Art Pen Review

I've seen people using nail art pens for a while and wanted to get one of my own. I thought, as a novice, that I would try one of the Barry M Nail Art Pens, in White, to start off with.  

There are currently four colours in this range; White, Black, Silver and Pink. I was tempted to get all four to be honest, but bought just the white, to see how I get on with it. I got this one from Superdrug for just £4.99. 

As you can see, the nib of the pen is quite fine, which will be great for those thin lines and detail. You need to shake the bottle and then press the nib down a number of times to start the liquid flowing. From there, with it's easy to grip bottle, it's pretty easy to use.

I've only so far ventured into testing that the pen works. I drew a heart on my ring finger first and was really pleased with how easy it was to do. I can't wait to try more designs now!

What do you think of these pens? Have you used one or used others that you think are better? Let me know!

July Wish List

My wish list this month has been building since early June! There are more items than this this month but I thought I'd focus on these, which are my musts for July.

1. NARS Highlighting Powder, Albatross 

Since buying my MUA Shimmer Highlight, which I love, I've been researching to find another highlighting powder that isn't quite as shimmery, that can be worn on a daily basis. I've been recommended the NARS Highlighting Powder in Albatross by Daniella Beauty Junkie and thought it was definitely worth a try. You could buy this from a NARS counter - but unfortunately we don't have one of those in Cornwall, so online it is! I've found it at John Lewis for £21.50.

2. Essie Nail Polish, Cascade Cool

I don't yet own any Essie polishes (chock, horror!) and would really like to get my hands on a couple this month. The first is this sweet dusky pink, Cascade Cool. This is such a pretty colour and could well become a staple for me. I've had a look around online and there are some really great offers on eBay at the moment on Essie nail polishes, with some at just £3.99. Bargain!

3. Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre

This is something I've heard a lot about over the last few months and has apparently been a staple in most makeup artists kit for years - um, where have I been?! I discovered this again on Daniella's blog. This is a perfect base to makeup, as well as being a smooth, delicate cream that nourishes areas of dryness and protects your skin from environmental aggressors. To me, it sounds like the perfect addition to anyone's skincare and makeup routine. You can get this from Cult Beauty, £18.50.

4. Essie Nail Polish, Butler Please

My second Essie nail polish wish this month is Butler Please, this gorgeous bright blue lacquer. I've never worn a blue nail polish of this bright shade before, so really looking forward to trying it. Again this one can be found on eBay for just £3.99.

5. Marc by Marc Jacobs Watch, model no: MBM 3102

I am obsessed. These watches are simply gorgeous and for about three months now I have been obsessing about when I will be able to get my hands on one. So maybe this month ? Maybe. Ladies Marc Jacobs watches are available in various designs and colours, but my favourite is this one, which is rose gold plated, with chronograph, rose dot hour markers and the Marc Jacobs engraved around the face. Available from John Lewis at £259, I think I might have to save a little. Be worth it thought with this beautiful gem on my arm!

6. New Look, Light Blue Washed Effect Denim Jacket

I actually had a cropped denim jacket a number of years ago and took it to a charity shop a little while back. What?! Stupid me because now I want a new one! This one from New Look is really cute and at £17.99 is great value. Perfect to team with a maxi dress and sandals this summer.

Are any of these wishes on your list too? Would love to hear from you! 

L'Oreal Color Riche Neon Acid Watermelon Review

Preparing for my holiday, I thought I'd add a bit of holiday colour to my toe nails and what better range to pick from than the new L'Oreal Color Riche Neons range. 

If you haven't seen them yet, there are eight colours in the range; Flashing Lilac, Acid Watermelon, Wasabi Hint, Banana Pop, Snow in Megeve, Lush Tangerine, Dating Coral and Shocking Pink. 

I chose Acid Watermelon 827, which is a gorgeously bright pink neon; my favourite trend at the moment! I got this in Superdrug for £3.99.

As L'Oreal state, 'Summer 2013 is all about neon' and this range has fused a combination of tropical brights, chic neons and juicy cocktail hues to produce a 'neon popping' collection for both fingertips and toes. Exciting!

The bottles are really cute and slender and feel as luxurious as L'Oreal products ever do, in their gold topped bottles. 

The brush appears to be slightly wider than some nail polish's too, which is great for getting more product onto the nail at one time. I needed to do two coats to ensure an even cover, but am really pleased with the effect. 

They look especially neon in the sunlight and am really excited about seeing them in the Portugal sun and especially dangling them in the pool!

What do you think of this shade? Let me know if you've tried any of the other colours in the L'Oreal Color Riche Neons range?

My Holiday Beauty, Hair, Nails & Makeup Musts; Post 2

This is the second of my two posts showing you some of the beauty, hair, nails and makeup products I will be packing in my suitcase.

This second post will cover makeup, nails and perfume.

Fraulein, Concealer Palette

This is a little gem of a product, especially if your skin is prone to vast colour changes like mine. During the winter I'm quite a light olive and even with sun screen, I can change about 5 shades during the course of the summer, especially when I go on holiday. So this palette is perfect, as it covers a variety of skin shades, plus the must have pink, white, purple and yellow correction concealers. I wouldn't go away without it.

Maybelline, Dream Fresh BB Foundation, Medium

This is a relatively new product for me but I'm finding it gloriously light and definitely makes my skin feel radiant. I'm taking this away with me for those nights on the town, when I'll want to wear more than just a powder foundation but don't want anything too heavy. This also has an SPF of 30, which is great for helping protect your skin on holiday too.

Maybelline, Fit Me Pressed Powder, 220 Natural Beige

I wear two shades of pressed powder, one around the eyes and under the eyes and the second over the face. To minimise the size of my makeup bag however, on holiday I will probably just take this one, which is the darker of the two shades. This powder has a super light feel to it. It doesn't block my pores and it looks really natural.

Benefit, Bronzer, Hooola

I'm taking this sample size Hoola bronzer with me. I don't want to take the full size version, for risk of it getting knocked and breaking. This sample size will be perfect. I love Hoola as it's the only bronzer I know of that doesn't have orange tones in it, so it looks really natural.

Bourjois, Cream Blush, Rose Tender

I'm taking this blush, as it's really compact and unable to get damaged in transit. I also really love this colour, especially for holidays. It's really beautifully pink and girlie. I just love the packaging too. Super cute!

MUA, Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter

This highlighter is perfect across the top of my cheekbones, contouring the shape of my face and gives it that extra shimmer. I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like when my face has seen a little sun!

Barbara Daly, Eyeshadow, Tuffle

Although this is an eyeshadow, I actually use it for my eyebrows, so this is a must have wherever I go! I find the shade is almost perfect (I'm not sure there is a perfect shade) for my eyebrows. It's been kicking about in my makeup bag for a couple of years, so it's an old favourite.

H&M, Glitter Eyeshadow Palette

This is a really great palette to take on holiday and possibly just what it was created for! The pretty blues, pinks, golds and purple shadows are really beautiful on sun kissed skin and I can't wait to give it a try this year and try out some different looks!

Maybelline, Diamond Glow Eyeshadow Palette, Coral Drama

This is another favourite of mine at the moment. Again with the shimmery golds and bronzes, it looks great on sun kissed skin and is super sexy for sizzling summer nights! I can't wait to try this out this year. I really like the way it has a little tutorial on the back of the palette, on the best way to use all four shades too. Cute!

MUA, Undress Me Too Eyeshadow Palette

This is a lovely natural shade eye shadow palette and since buying it just a couple of months ago, I am starting to wear out a couple of the light shades. It's really natural and 'Naked' provides a lovely base to most other shades. I also love using 'Shy' in the corners of my eyes, to make them pop!

Ardell, Fashion Lashes, Demi Wispies

I always like to take a pair of false lashes on holiday, but more often than not, I come home without having used them. But, as always, I will be taking my favourite style with me; Demi Wispies. These are lovely and natural, just adding extra volume, without looking really obvious that you're wearing any!

Revlon, Precision Dark Lash Adhesive

Over the years I have tried various lash adhesives but this one is currently my favourite. With the white ones that dry to clear, you always seem to get the bit of glue that doesn't dry clear and you end up blobbing some eyeliner over the top to colour it in, which can end up looking clumpy. This adhesive in precision dark is black on application, so although it's a little harder to see where you've added it and where you haven't, you do end up with a much more professional finish.

MUA, Pro-Base Eye Primer

This eye primer is going to be a must on holiday, as it will help my eyeshadow to stay put! I haven't tried it in hot weather yet, so I will let you know how I get on!

Benefit, Eye Bright

This is great all year round for helping your eyes to pop, when a little inside the eye. With sun kissed skin, it's especially beautiful and I can't wait to use it.

Maybelline, The Falsies Volume Express Waterproof Mascara

This is a staple on holiday, as I'm one of those people who still likes to wear a little mascara around the pool, sorry! So a good waterproof one is essential and for me, this one is great. I also love the shape of the curved brush, as it helps to coat all the lashes.

Maybelline, Gentle Precision Eyeliner

This again is a staple, as you never know when you might need a touch of eyeliner, whether it's above the eye or inside the eye. This is my favourite eye liner at the moment. It's really soft and glides onto the skin, without dragging.

Benefit, They're Real Mascara

This was a little freebie I received with June's issue of Elle magazine and I'm in love! At the moment, I think as mascaras go, this is my favourite  I especially lover the bristled brush end, as this helps work the product onto even the tiniest of hairs. This is definitely going with me and probably in my hand luggage too, just in case!

MUA, Lipstick, Shade 3

This is a gorgeously pretty shade of pink and I love it. I'm especially looking forward to taking this with me for evening wear. It's so bright and colourful that it will liven up any outfit and what perfect place to wear something bright and cheerful, than on a sunny holiday!

Loreal, Rough Caresse Lipstick, Nude Ingenue 501

This Loreal lipstick is a really nice nudey/brown shade and lovely for everyday wear, so something I'll definitely be packing.

Stila, Lip Glaze, Kaleidoscope & Grapefruit

I'm going to take just two of my Stila lip glazes; Kaleidoscope is perfect for a holiday, with it's shimmery/peach tones and Grapefruit is a really flirty and girlie pink. These make my lips feel really nourished, so I expect I'll be wearing these a lot; even around the pool for that extra little bit of glam! Well, why not!

Quickies, Nail Varnish Removed Pads

Nail varnish remover pads are a must in any suitcase. I can't think of anything worse than a liquid acetone spilling over your maxi dresses and sandals. What a horrible way to start off your holiday! So these pads are super useful. There's 20 in this pack, and they're quite large, so it'll be more than enough.

I'm taking four nail polish colours with me:

Barry M, Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint, Greenberry 332

Loreal, Color Riche, Acid Watermelon 827

Maybelline, Color Show, Coral Craze 342

Barry M, Nail Paint, Shocking Pink 272

Barry M, Nail Art Pen, White

I'm also taking this really cute nail art pen, so that I can add the odd little design to my nails if I wish! Again, this might be a bit frivolous item to take, like the false lashes, but I'm taking it anyway!

Ralph Lauren, Romance

This is my favourite perfume of all time. I bought it for my wedding day and will always remind me of it! So, when I go on holiday or go out for special occasions, this is what I take/wear. So this is definitely coming with me, in my hand luggage!

Perfume Sample Wipes

Recently I have gained a load of lovely perfume wipes, which I'm going to take away with me this year. These two pictured are Givenchy, Very Irresistible and Givenchy, For Her. These are perfect for when you're out and about as they slip in your handbag and you actually get quite a lot of perfume from the one wipe. Sometimes I've slipped the wipe back into the packet after use, so I can use it again later in the day. I'm loving these, so will be sad when they run out!

So, that's about it! Obviously I haven't included shampoo etc, but these are a bit boring!!

Do you use any of these products? Are you going on holiday soon and thinking of trying any of these?

My Holiday Beauty, Hair, Nail & Makeup Musts; Post 1

It's holiday season, so I thought I'd share with you some of the beauty, hair, nails & makeup products I'll be packing in my suitcase this year!

I've collated them into body, skin, hair, face, eyes, lips, perfume, nails and randomly, bra clips! I'm quite a simple traveller and I don't take oodles of products. I try not to wear too much makeup on holiday too. 

I'm going to cover body, skin, hair and random items in this post and makeup, perfume and nails in a second.

Radox, Shower Smoothies, Soul Soother

I love these shower gels, especially on holidays, as the blackcurrant and cranberry seeds in this particular one, help to ex-foliate during each shower and keep my skin super soft. It also smells really yummy! 

Sure, Clear Diamond, Crystal Antiperspirant

I use this particular antiperspirant all the time and find it's brilliant at giving long lasting protection and although it doesn't cut down on all accidental white marks ( I don't know one that does), it is a huge improvement on most.

Nivea Sun, Protect & Bronze, 20 (Medium)

Protecting your skin on holiday is incredibly important and this year I'm actually taking 3 bottles, not all pictured here, in 50 (high), 30 (Medium) and 10 (low). Also, being the first holiday away with our daughter, we're taking A LOT of 50 sunscreen for her, because you can't be too careful. I'm totally paranoid about protecting my skin these days. I didn't used to be so much when I was younger and on some holidays applied just once or twice, all week! Not good. So now, I'm trying to be extra careful and take precautions when I can.

Boots, Soltan After Sun

I also take lots and lots of after sun, to ensure that my skin is highly moisturised. I always take Soltan as it's the only one I have ever found to be successful in protecting from insect bites. The solution in the after sun that helps fend off the buzzy bugs is also odourless, not like some other repellents, so a huge bonus! There's nothing worse than going to bed smelling like chemicals. Yuk.

Body Shop, Body Butter, Satsuma

This is a favourite of mine and has been for years. This is my extra moisturiser for my holiday, that I will be adding on top of my after sun, mainly to my neck, arms and legs, for an extra moisturising treat. I absolutely love the smell of this and use the moisturiser and soap too!

Nivea, Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes

I always take a pack of facial wipes on holiday as I can't be bothered with taking makeup remover, cleanser, toner and moisturiser. Way to much weight and too much fuss when you want to enjoy your holiday and be a little bit frivolous with your skincare routine! These wipes are perfect for removing makeup and helping to cleanse, tone and hydrate my skin. These even remove waterproof mascara, which is a must on holiday!

Simple, Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser

I always take this with me everywhere. It helps to keep my skin feeling clean and clear and I will always use it after a face wipe. It also helps to remove any remainder traces of makeup; just avoid the eyes! Ouch!

Pantene, Hairspray, Volume & Body

I use this hairspray for everything, so it always goes with me on holiday. I go for level 5, Ultra Strong Hold, as my hair is quite fine and needs that extra stability, especially when using it to fix a style or 'up-do'.

Batiste, Dry Shampoo, Lace

This product is a little gem when you don't want to be bothered with washing your hair each morning. A spray of this into your roots adds volume and texture, with a gorgeously clean and fresh feel. This is perfect for mornings when you want to dash out of the door to the beach, or want to go out for lunch when you've just come off the beach. It has many uses and is a suitcase must.

Superdrug, Soft Touch Hair Grips

These are a revelation! My hair is quite fine and slippy, so I always find that hair grips slide out over the course of the day. Not with these! The coating on them has a slightly rubbery feel, which helps to grip to the hair and they are also contoured in their shape, to actually fit to your head more comfortably. Brilliant!

Hair Doughnut

This is essential, so that I can quickly put my hair up into a bun and go! I wear my hair up a lot on holiday, so this is a definite must have.

Hair Bands

I like to take a selection of hair bands to keep my hair off of my face, especially when on the beach and ones like this are my favourites at the moment. They are elasticated to fit any head shape and I love the braiding design. I have about 5 of these, in different colours and braid thickness.

Magic Clip

This little piece conquers one of my most hated things about summer - seeing peoples bra straps! There's no excuse now! I've had these for a few years now, but I'm sure they must still be available. This pack comes with 4 clips, two large and two small, in clear and brown. I don't go anywhere without them. I got these from ASOS.

Do you use any of these when you go on holiday?

Watch out for my next post on makeup, nails and perfume holiday musts!

Maybelline Color Show Coral Craze Review

This is the third of my Maybelline Color Show nail varnish reviews. The first was Lavender Lies, the second Marinho and this one is the striking orange; Coral Craze, 342.

This colour is super summery, which is why I wanted to review this one last; in the hope that summer might finally be here! I love bright coloured nail varnish but have never tried anything with yellow or orange hues, so this is a first!

This colour is exactly how it appears in the bottle, as are all of the Maybelline Color Show varnishes I've tried so far. I love the fact that there are no surprises!

This particular varnish had been sitting on my dressing table for a couple of weeks before I went to apply it and I did notice that some of the orangey/yellow colouring inside the varnish was starting to separate a little, just where it had been sitting stationary for a while. 

You always want to make sure that your colour is perfectly mixed together, so I used a cotton bud to stir the varnish gently and then gave the bottle a good shake as usual. That sorted it!

As you can see, the colour of this varnish is stunning. It's bright, colourful and because my hands have caught a little sun lately, it makes them look super brown!

I can definitely see myself rocking this on the beach in a few weeks time!

What do you think of Coral Craze, Lavender Lies or Marinho? Have you tried any of the Color Show range?

MUA Plum Noir Nail Polish Review

Today was a new toe nail polish day and I decided on MUA' s Plum Noir, which is just £1 and available from Superdrug.

MUA's new nail polish range has new shades, a new bottle, which is cleverly similar to Essie nail polish and a new and improved brush. 

I applied two coats of Plum Noir to my toe nails and was really pleased with the colour and coverage. 

As is quite usual with most nail polish, the colour looks different on the nails, compared to the bottle. The bottle looks like a pink/plum and in reality the colour is more purple/plum, which wasn't a disappointment, as it's just as pretty. 

I think the look of this nail polish is great. It's easy to apply with the new, improved brush, really smooth in application, dries quickly and has a super shine to it. And, it's just £1, which is fantastic value if you're anything like me and like to change your nail polish A LOT!

What do you think? Are there any MUA nail polish colours you've tried? I want to try them all!

Check out my other MUA product reviews.