NYC nail varnish - bubblegum pink

 

 

 

i'm really starting to become quite a fan of NYC nail varnishes. they're really cheap (around £2, and superdrug usually have a 2 for £2.99 offer on too) and there are quite a lot of colours which are bright and fun :) i'm sure i've got plenty of colours just like bubblegum pink (i know i do but i feel bad saying it) but this was too cute to resist!

the wear is quite good - i got a few days out of mine - and coverage is good too. in the pictures i'm wearing two coats. i like the bottles too, similar to M.A.C, no? definitely one of my new favourite cheap treats!

pink ombre nails

 

i did this manicure the other day after my first attempt at ombre nails (see them here) as i wanted something a bit brighter and with more of a faded effect. unfortunately last week was really busy and so i only managed to get a couple of photos whilst i was out and about. hopefully you get the gist though, and like them as much as i do!

i used my go-to base of the moment, ballerina, before sponging on some model's own 'pastel pink' from the top of the nail to about two thirds of the way down. i then waited for this to dry and finally sponged on a layer of O.P.I's 'that's berry daring' from the top to about half way down the nail, blending it in with the pastel pink as much as possible. et voila!

this is a nail art look that i've really enjoyed doing because it's just so easy. no waiting for coats of nail varnish to completely dry and no tricky manoeuvres with sticky tape. and better still, all you need is a (clean!) washing up sponge. yay!

don't forget to do a top coat once you're done to give it a softer edge and to add some shine after all that sponging.

gold by giles lip gloss - berry

 

'gold by giles' is the new make up collaboration of giles deacon and new look. there are 44 products in total and as make up goes it's really cheap. the most expensive item is the nail wraps which are £5.99, and the cheapest is the lip gloss featured which is £1.99. 

this lip gloss is in shade 'berry' and i liked the strong colour in the tube. it has a brush applicator which i quite like and is a really good size, especially for the price. the packaging is a bit dull but i don't think it looks as cheap as some of the other products which is good.

the colour pay off isn't great. i do appreciate that it's a lip gloss and so won't be anywhere near as bright as a lipstick, but i was a bit disappointed that it comes out as just a subtle pink. it also doesn't last long (an hour maybe?) but then again this is lip gloss and longevity of this product is never great.

i wouldn't say i'm disappointed with this purchase but i don't think i'll be collecting all the shades. i did like the look of some of the nail varnishes though so maybe i'll try one of those soon. you can see the full range here.

shiseido: blusher - innocent rose

 

i was given this shiseido blusher quite a while ago and just haven't got round to using it. recently i decided i was in need of a lighter blusher than my current one (the body shop's cheek colour in 'tea rose' for anyone wondering) but decided to check my overflowing make-up storage bags before i went out and bought anything.

i'm glad i looked because this is such a pretty shade of pink. it's a light almost baby pink colour that isn't at all overpowering but can be built up if need be. it also has a hint of shimmer which reflects the light nicely. the powder is easy to apply and not cakey or dull looking as some powder blushers can look.

i love the look of the packaging but i think it's a shame that the blusher itself is in a long thin shape. personally i wouldn't really use the brush as i think something so small makes application a bit too focused and so i feel this is wasted space! instead, i'd rather more of the blush or a smaller compact. the big mirror is a nice addition though, so i'm willing to forgive and forget :)

revlon lip butter - strawberry shortcake

       

left - strawberry shortcake; right - berry smoothie

 

i've been waiting for ages to get my hands on some of the highly anticipated colorburst lip butters by revlon and finally managed to get hold of a couple this week! those of you that regularly read blink.pout.glow will know that slowly but surely i'm persuading myself to jump on the bright lips bandwagon. it's taking longer than anticipated though and revlon's lip butters seemed a perfect way to get involved.

as far as i've read, these are a mix between a balm and a lipstick and, according to revlon they have a 'hydrating mango, shea and coconut butter formula that boosts lip moisture by 156%'. this all sounds promising. it should also be noted that originally 20 colours were released in the U.S.A but only 14 made their way over to the U.K... boo!

firstly, i think i'm the only person that seems to think the packaging is actually a bit - dare i say it - tacky. not overly so, i'm just not a massive fan of the quilted effect although i do think it looks better in person than on any pictures i've seen (including my own!) i am a fan of the colour coordinated lid and the see-through top though, which makes it easier to find the right colour.

applying the lip butter is really easy and the formula is soft like a lip balm. the colours are sheer enough to use on the go aswell without worrying about messy application, although this probably wouldn't apply to more pigmented shades like lollipop. i wouldn't say it had the same moisturising effect as a lip balm but i would consider it less drying than any other lipstick i've tried.

strawberry shortcake is a cute, light pink colour that isn't too sheer or too opaque. this makes it really easy to wear without looking too sickly sweet or childish and most importantly, isn't shimmery or glittery as most colours like this are. hallelujah! i'm considering purchasing a few more lip butters in the current 3 for 2 offer at boots. it'd be rude not to! revlon lip butters retail at £7.99.

revlon lip butter - berry smoothie

    

 

i've been waiting for ages to get my hands on some of the highly anticipated colorburst lip butters by revlon and finally managed to get hold of a couple this week! those of you that regularly read blink.pout.glow will know that slowly but surely i'm persuading myself to jump on the bright lips bandwagon. it's taking longer than anticipated though and revlon's lip butters seemed a perfect way to get involved.

as far as i've read, these are a mix between a balm and a lipstick and, according to revlon they have a 'hydrating mango, shea and coconut butter formula that boosts lip moisture by 156%'. this all sounds promising. it should also be noted that originally 20 colours were released in the U.S.A but only 14 made their way over to the U.K... boo!

firstly, i think i'm the only person that seems to think the packaging is actually a bit - dare i say it - tacky. not overly so, i'm just not a massive fan of the quilted effect although i do think it looks better in person than on any pictures i've seen (including my own!) i am a fan of the colour coordinated lid and the see-through top though, which makes it easier to find the right colour.

applying the lip butter is really easy and the formula is soft like a lip balm. the colours are sheer enough to use on the go aswell without worrying about messy application, although this probably wouldn't apply to more pigmented shades like lollipop. i wouldn't say it had the same moisturising effect as a lip balm but i would consider it less drying than any other lipstick i've tried.

berry smoothie is a pink colour with a cool undertone that isn't too dark and because it's quite sheer is very wearable. i'm looking forward to wearing this out and about and am considering purchasing a few more lip butters in the current 3 for 2 offer at boots. it'd be rude not to! revlon lip butters retail at £7.99.

chanel nail varnish - ballerina

   

 

 

 

ooo chanel!! probably the most luxurious nail varnish around. such a pretty bottle, amazing quality and shine and in the cutest colour ever! 

ballerina is a really light pink, almost off-white nail varnish and is nothing like any of my other nail varnish colours. it's extra shiny even without a top coat and dries in about a minute, even after two coats.

the only problem is the price tag (this was a present... i don't actually have £18 to spend on a nail varnish...) but if you also consider it to be an essential dressing table decoration then maybe you could justify the price. so happy saving people, i know i will be!

MUA lipstick - shade 12

i bought this MUA lipstick as another addition to my slow-growing lipstick collection. as i've mentioned before, i'm not really a lipstick fan but i am trying to branch out! and what better way to do it than with a cute pink lipstick that only cost £1?!

the formula is quite creamy and doesn't feel that different from wearing a lip balm. it was easy to apply but only lasted about an hour and a half before i had to reapply. this is mainly because the colour is so bright (brighter than expected!) and so it didn't take long to dull a bit. for a daytime look though, i actually preferred it after a bit of wear, although constantly having to reapply may be frustrating when out and about. alternatively, i think it would be a good colour to dress up an evening outfit, and the packinging is quite sleek and plain so would fit and look nice in any tiny handbag!

my only problem with shade 12 (other than the boring name!) is the little flecks of glitter throughout the lipstick. initially, i think it looks quite nice and girly, but after a bit of wear glitter lipsticks tend to leave no colour and lots of excess glitter which isn't a great look in my eyes! i still think the purchase was worth it though and i hope to wear shade 12 out soon!
 

models own kaleidoscope collection

whilst i'm on the subject of the models own beetlejuice collection i thought i'd show you their new kaleidoscope collection aswell. 

absolutely love all of these colours and they will make a nice change from the spring pastels that are so popular right now. i've got my eye on 'blooming pink' to wear with a contrasting bright blue dress next weekend. i'll let you know if i give in to temptation...

h&m - hair flowers

thought i'd share these cute little hair clips from h&m. they were a birthday present from a good friend and they've done a nice job of brightening up my boring monday outfit.

i pulled my hair back into a ponytail after backcombing it with a tail comb and secured it with a clear band. after, i put some curls into the ponytail with 1" barrel curling tongs. i then separated out the curls, misted with hairspray and clipped in the flowers at the base of the ponytail. et voilà! happy monday :) xx