Nail Foils - The Cost Effective Way! Tutorial and Review

 

So I was liking the Nail Foils that are doing the rounds at the moment and Ciates little kit costing around the £18 mark per kit wasn't too bad I thought but after a little research I managed to do it for less than half AND have enough stuff to last a lifetime!!

 

The Ciate kit contains 30 assorted foil sheets , a foil fix glue, a paint pot polish and nail wheel for practicing. They have different kits with different colour choices.

 

 Kudos on the nail wheel there, always a good idea to have a practice run...!

 

I bought 5 nail foils (1.5m per foil) in a variety of colours from eBay, (of which there are THOUSANDS to pick from I swear) they come in handy tubs all wrapped up, nail foil glue, nail wheels (I already had these though) for a minuscule £9+postage.

 

 

 

Practising on my wheels I found the look very easy to recreate.

 

Simply apply a base coat of polish of your choice - I went with China Glaze in Flying Dragon and Turned Up Turquoise and Ciate Power Dressing which is a navy blue to try with the different coloured foils.

 

Cut the foils to the right size so you don't get in a tizz, this would be about the size of your nail I'd say, makes it all a lot more manageable

 

When the polish is dry, apply the nail foil glue as you want. You could go all over, or dab it in spots - whatever tickles your fancy!

now wait....

and wait

and be patient and wait a bit more.

 

The glue needs to have gone clear and tacky at least or you'll be wasting your time.

 

Apply the foil, shiny side up in this case (yes I did try the wrong way for a while...) and smooth down with a finger.

Pull off the paper et VOILA!

 

You can add more to get the desired effect you like, change up with different colours and just have fun with it. When your happy, apply a top coat to seal the deal.

 

I went with gold foil over the purple, rose pink over the green and a silver/rippled colour over the navy.

 

Who needs OPI MWTGG when you have that gold ey!!!

I'm pretty happy, and it was a lot easier than those bloody caviar beads!

 

I think I'll try an all over foil next time....

 

What do you think??  Do you even like the foiled looks??

 

GlossyBox March 2013

I may have accidentally let my Glossy sub continue this month...oops. And well, I cant say I mind too much.

 

Here we have the March edition.... 'City Chic' being the theme this month, well I guess that's fitting with the contents...

 

Treseme Hairspray

Nails Inc mini in James St

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour Cream

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush in a pink

and

Juicy Couture Perfume in Couture La La.

 

I quite like the lip blush I have to admit, its a nice pink shade for me and balmy with a sheen to it. Jelly Pong Pong have been seen in the boxes before though, so not new and exciting much. Some others have seemed less impressed, even with the red.

 

Treseme Hairspray - whilst this is good timing for me and my need of a replacement, wow glossybox. This shiz is exciting....not. HOWEVER, I suppose on the 'City Chic' girl on the go kinda box, this works.

 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. A skin protectant balm, this is much hyped product and on first glance its nice enough. May feel like your smearing Vaseline over your face BUT it does soak in nicely and isn't greasy. Will need further investigation I think.

 

Juicy Couture Perfume sample. I don't mind a perfume sample in a box, its nice, but on the whole, in comparison to a L'occitaine hand cream some got, not the same. Juicy Couture is a brand on the whole I'd avoid. It screams chav, fake handbags, and dog coats. No thank you please.

 

Nails Inc in St James, I like polish, I like Nails inc. I'm happy. Dunno why mine says Jermyn St though! Jermyn St being a beige/nude and this a red red red!!!

 

People get hung up I think on their box worth per item. Are you getting your £10+pnp's worth?? I believe the box will always be what you think its worth. And to me, I'll get the use out of everything here so overall I'm happy enough.

Brand wise its up there (no 99p eyeshadow palettes!!) but its not massively exciting and full of new brands. Cant nblame them with the mass saturation of beauty boxes/sample senders though I suppose!

 

Now I need to decide if Im goint to 'forget' about it again!

 

What did you think of Glossy this month?

 

Max Factor Face Finity Review

 

So, another day, another foundation....!

 

Here we have the Max Factor Face Finity - my attention was drawn to this by a fellow blogger and BBB member Emma see her bloggeroonie here. As an alternative to her favourite Estee Lauder Double Wear.

I didn't get on with DW so a cheaper alternative with the same results definately rang bells with me for the days I'm after more full coverage and she really raved about it. So, what the hell - lets have a go - if its pants, I'll add it to the 120 others I have 'just in case'.

 

First impressions - very good!!!
Definately a full coverage product, but not cakey or too heavy.

Throughout the day I didnt feel I needed to touch up, I didnt have it create those hiddeous lines you get with a heavier foundation either.

 

 

It boasts being a 3 in 1, containing a cocktail of primer, concealer and foundation to finish. Im a 'Warm Almond' this time around which sounds a lot nicer than the 'porcelains' or 'alabasters' Im usually under!

 

At around the £12 mark, what a saving from DW.

 

 

In action!

No primer or concealer used - just a touch of blush, gloss and mascara! Over all I am super chuffed with this foundation. Applied, as ever, with my stipling brush and a wee buff in at the end.

 

Thanks Emma! Very happy!

 

 

Philosophy Divine Illuminator Eyeshadow and Lip Gloss

 

Perusing the aisles of the local TK Maxx and came across these goodies!

 

Philosophy Divine Illuminator Lip Gloss and Eye Colour.

 

 

A lot of people rave on Philopshy, and whilst I haven't tried a lot of their things, I thought I'd give these a go!

Really like the packaging, the boxes are lovely and textured with embossed writing, with divine in raised cream (which you cant see in the photo sorry!)

 

In my ickle bundle I had two lip glosses in Lilac Rose and Golden Rose, and a cream shadow in Golden Stardust.

 

 

Natural Light vs Inside Lighting

 

VERY pretty indeed. I have become a fan of the eye colour very quick. So subtle and warm, a great quick shadow and also a great base, and probably a great highlighter thinking of it!

Ive used it twice in my everyday make up and no creasing which was fab - I usually have this issue with cream shadows,

 

The lip glosses are  also very very pretty. I will have to do a pic later to show them. Lilac rose is a 'lips' kinda colour, golden rose is a pinkie shimmer (not my usual but very pretty for spring).

 

Now - I am struggling to find info on these on t'interweb, rubbish...so if anyone has any pointers- help! The original label stated rrp £32 for two and I got them for £10 so, not complaining either way!

 Most I can find is the American Amazon selling them at $12 each! Bargain anywho!

Have you tried any Philosophy goodies recently?

 



My Make Up Storage - Photo Heavy!!

 

I always like seeing how other people store their make up.

Im a naturally messy person (shock horror) but still enjoy seeing all the bits in the right places!

 

My mother dear bought me my first storage solution for my make up - god knows how long ago - and now I see how incredibly popular it is amongst the blogosphere!! *check her blog here!!* Ive added to it over the years as my collection has grown and no doubt shall again!

 

I love my acrylic storage, its tidied away but I can still see where everything it too :)

 

TADA!

On the right, three slimmer drawers with all brushes and most pencils/liners and pens in the holder on the top plus the odd bits I use regularly...

These drawers contain some of my many lippies, as well as single eyeshadows and pigments...

The majority of my brushes and pencils and liners all just about squish in the top holder...I actually found this in TK Maxx for £3 - bargain! And yes - my brushes need a good clean!!

On top of the taller set I have more lippies, more foundation and some pefumes....these are the quick access grab items for work days - the femail equivalent of the splash and dash...!?

 

 These drawers are the wide drawers from Muji. I think they are a bargain at £12 ish. I have 3 stacked on each other, they have grooves on them so they dont slide off...very clever right!

 

Top drawes contain palletes - the infamous Urban Decay Naked - an absolute treasure,as well as the ELF warm palette, loads of colours - little expenditure! Plus as sneaky Sleek palette....

 

 

Yet more palettes - at least their easily stackable! Three from Urban Decay (the top white.cartoon one is an absolute vintage  - NO IDEA where it came from, what its called, fab colours though- eyeshadows, lip glosses and a blush in that little treasure...!) Dangerous Palette with eyeshadow primer - new in box - clearly a sign I have too much!

 Naked Basics - matte shadows - amazing and my go to when I cant be arsed with colour...

I also have the clinique quad as acquired from a lovely lady from BBB and my elf brow kit just hidden on the right.

 

A few more palettes *shocker* including the illamasqua sirens, topshop smokey eye palette and a laura mercier trio.

MAC LE blush with an amazing packaging design!

 

Just a few more single eyeshadows from Illa, plus my fave blushers, illamasqua katie (powder) and devour (cream).

 

A few more shadows in the shape of MAC paintpots (essentials!), pigments and some other eye products.

 

Pigments and more pigments! The right ones are inherited from my mother, vintage colours which are AMAZING...must remember to swatch/post these...I have very little details on this so would love to share and see if anyone could enlighten me!! Mary Quant I believe they are.

 

All the ones on the right are from a wonderful lady from BBB who sent me MAC pigments! EEP soooooo pretty!!!! I believe I may have blogged already...here

 

Lotions and potions. Im reusing glass jars to hold my cotton pads and excess brushes....and just a big  box at the mo for all the rest of my bits!

 

 

Tip of the iceberg anyone....!!

 

Very much a work in progress but Im pretty happy! Hoping to get my mits on a nice dressing table to use in the future as the poor drawers I have are knackered!!!

 

 

How do you store your make up???



 

 

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation Review

Foundation, I bloody hate buying it. I usually would just pick up the same as I normally use, but unfortunately, preggo skin mixed with curiosity and the vast number of new products out there made me try and venture out a little.

 

My usual wear would be the Revlon Photo Ready foundation or a Boujois one, this would depend on the time of the year or how much coverage I'm after.

 

I had a sample of the YSL Touch Eclat which I am a big fan of, but at close to £30 and a baby on the way (I cant foresee me me wearing a full face of make up much) I didn't feel the investment worth it.

 

I tried (and failed at liking) the infamous Estee Lauder Double Wear - it just made my face cakey.

So after becoming VERY bored at swatching different pink and yellow toned foundations I picked up the newest foundation from Revlon - Nearly Naked.

 

So much nudity involved in make up names these days thanks to UD....

 

The good thing is I already like Revlon, plus the idea of this being a lighter foundation coming into springtime and not wanting a heavy wintry coverage - this boasted to be light and barely there..... worth a shot ey.

 

I picked up shell - same as the photo ready range I have....

Packaging wise - meh. Naked I'd say!

 

BIG ISSUE - NO PUMP!

Why???????

Ridic. Seriously. I appreciate there is wastage issues with foundations/other products with pumps and you cant then get into the bottle after for those pesky last bits you don't want to bin, but to take the pump away all together is a pain.

I used the end of another brush to take the liquid out and then apply as needed....

 

Here's my mug for you....

I'm very pasty, and its very easy for me to go 'oompa loompa'. I think this has some definite yellow tones to it, pretty good though.

 

 

Coverage wise - did the job, blended well with my RT stippling brush and really doesn't feel like its there which is nice. Definitely a lighter/summer coverage foundation - if you like to feel covered this wont be for you. Maybe not so good with a bad skin day either.

 

 

 As I went through the day - I didn't feel it lasted brilliantly. Definitely looked a lot more tired than when I started out. But that's to be expected with such a light finish I suppose. I paid £7 for this on offer (usually £9 I believe). I'm happy enough will be good for summer for sure, but glad I picked up a second foundation - watch this space for review....!

 

Over 7.5/10

 

Do you change your foundation in the warmer months? Do you prefer a heavy or lighter product??

Illamasqua Brow Cake and Cream Blush Multi-Uses!!

We all know I am a sucker for Illamasqua, and well, this doesnt disappoint either!

 

Once again, pigmentation is second to none, for a powder brow product this is fab. Blendable and easy to use and also mixed with my Inglot duraline you can create superb bold lines lasting longer than you will throughout the day. Not chalky or drying.

 

You dont get a brush/applictaor with it, but the product size is HUGE for what it is, so I dont care. And I already have all the tools I need. At £14.50 a pop these are an investment....but worth it. I cant see me hitting the pan any time soon.

 

The colour is a warm chocolate, which is probably too light for me, but over the warmer summer months, this will be a nice softener to my brows I think.

 

 

The other thing to remember is that you dont need to limit this, or any other product to what its 'designated name' is. I'd use this a an eyeliner or shadow any day.

 

And I am a big fan of mixing things up at the moment....another love is the Illamasqua Cream Blush in Devour (shocking bright red - yum) is great on the lips....and super fast when applied with a finger, making it a lot softer. On the cheeks, super warm rosy apple glow. Very Snow White...!

 

Again, an investment at £18, but after your third order you get 10% off, or you could wait for a sale definately worth it when you think of the application prosepcts though!!

 

 

 

Im always so happy with their products....nothings disappointed me yet...go Illamasqua I dares ya!!!