Review : Stila Kajal Eyeliner in Topaz

Review : Stila Kajal Eyeliner in Topaz

I purchased this eyeliner a few weeks ago and Ive given it a good few wears..  I have to say, I don't like it!

After all the videos, reviews and recommendations I believed I would love it, but somehow it just didn't live up to expectations.  I took it out is little grey box with excitement, swatched it and just thought 'what was all the hype about?'.



I purchased it from Amazon for £3.62 + £1.95 P&P (dispatched from Cheapsmells)

I could be a little biased here as I realise after using this that I'm not a fan of a white or nude waterline, its just not a good look on me.  I didn't realise until I tried it out that its probably been a good 2 or 3 years since I last applied my makeup without using a black, grey or brown liner on my waterline..  So either it will take some getting used to, or I have to face up and admit I look awful with the no makeup look!

Stila Topaz is a nice colour, it is flesh toned and you only need one line of it, should you go over the line again you'd probably risk it turning a weird orange-y tone.  I made the mistake of applying it twice - I think I was desperate for this 'pop' of colour or just any effect to back up all the rave reviews.. but nope, it just turned a horrible orange.  So definitely less is more with this!

In the past Ive used:
Rimmel Kohl pencil, just a plain white one.. Which I just realise Ive lost so I cant swatch it for you :-/
Bourjois Kohl & Contour #17 Blanc Givre (£4.29)
Barry M Shimmering eye and Lip Crayon.

I swatched (top to bottom) the Stila Topaz, The Bourjois Kohl & Contour and the Barry M.  The Bourjois almost blends into the Barry M as theyre so similar.  I drew one single line with all 3.

The Rimmel wasn't any different to most other brands of white eyeliner.  The Bourjois one is a white shimmer pencil with a hint of pink.  The Barry M one I have probably isn't intended for the waterline as its quite fat and a bit too creamy!  But Ive used it there occasionally, it is good for using in the corners of your eye as a highlighter just to give your eyes that wide eyed look though.  The Barry M is pretty similar to the Bourjois one but its a shade darker I think.

All in all I would probably go back to the Bourjois if I wanted a nude look on my waterline as I find the colour more uplifting, of course its not a natural look like the Stila, but I think on me it works better.  Added to this I think the shimmer looks prettier than the matte effect of the Stila Topaz.

If you like wearing no dark colours on your waterline and you want a more natural, wide eyed look then do give this a try, you might just love it as much as other people do!

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Review: MAC Select Moisturecover concealer

Review: MAC Select Moisturecover concealer

I purchased this recently as a replacement to the concealer I was using.  I was using Benefit Boi-ing concealer for the best part of a year without fail.  I believe I have the older formulation thats packaged with a mirror in the lid..  Apparently the newer formulation is a bit drying?

When I first used Boi-ing early last year I loved it, I'd never found a concealer that covered so well, lasted and actually did what it was supposed to do - conceal!  Everything else I tried either didn't last, or just didn't conceal anything!  I have Boi-ing in #1 for Winter and #2 for Summer, I'm doubtful I will ever have enough of a tan for #2 to work properly on me, but 1 and 2 mixed together are a lovely colour for when I have a tan (ie when I apply some Lancome Flash Bronzer to my face!).

Boi-ing is more of a cream and takes some warming between your fingers (and also a fair bit of work) to get it to blend, this isn't something the Moisturecover needs at all as its a liquid.  I find 4 small, lightly applied dots of the MAC S.M is all thats needed, and as I only apply it to my eye area I apply it directly from the wand.  It covers really really well, it also lasts pretty well too.  I find it is buildable, but its also easy to apply too much, then it just looks slightly cakey, but I guess thats possible with most concealers/products.

I basically went shopping for a new concealer as I began to find the Boi-ng a bit drying, it began to accentuate my fine lines, it settled inside them and by the end of the day my undereyes looked dry and slightly grey looking - not a good look!  However with the MAC S.M the finish is much softer and it does look more moisturised.

Be aware, as with most concealers to blend blend blend if you know you're having your picture taken!  I took some pictures whilst wearing this concealer and it was highly visible and I ended up with white looking patches under my eyes!


MAC S.M is £12.50 and as I bought mine online I had to pay £2.85 P&P on top.  I purchased it in NW15 - the warmer toned one as the pinkness counteracts the blue of my dark circles.  For reference I used to wear MAC Studio Fix in NC20. I also have oily skin, but the skin around my eye area is pretty dry :)

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What I'm using right now..

What I'm using right now..

I've seen lots and lots of beauty bloggers do this, so I decided to pinch the idea and do my first one!  I hope no one minds!? :0?


Shampoo: Herbal Essences (the old, better(!) version) - fruit essences

Conditioner: A Nice and Easy conditioner lately.  I'm trying to use up all the odd old hair conditioners that came with the hair dye's!  I'm also using an Aussie leave in conditioner for coloured hair.

Shower gel: I'm using a T-Zone foaming face wash!  Its useless on my face so I figured I use it as a body wash, rather than throw it away. 

....Can you tell I'm trying to get through the mountains of old products I have in that ginormous cupboard of mine!!

Styling products: Vo5 thickening spray, Pantene volumising hairspray

Body moisturiser: Nivea cream or Vaseline nighttime body lotion.. When I remember that is!

Deodorant: Right guard - a men's one, I prefer the scent!

Fake Tan: None (right now)!  I'm trying to embrace my Winter paleness.. So far I'm not doing too badly!

Foundation: L'Oreal True Match Mineral powder in W1 ivory.

Powder: None.  I only usually bother with this unless its during the Summer.

Concealer: MAC select moisturecover.  I only bought it this week, so far I'm enjoying it.

Blush: Smashbox Lights Up blush trio.

Bronzer: None at the moment (although there is one included in above trio)

Highlighter: Barry M shimmering eye and lip crayon No5, a pinky colour

Eyeshadows: Ariane Poole Luxe eyeshadow, a lovely neutral.

Mascara: The remainder of a Rimmel volume flash mousse!

Eyeliner: L'Oreal Le Kohl Pencil - Black sable

Lipliner: Rimmel 1000 Kisses - cappuccino

Lipstick: Maybelline Nudes - Pinky beige & Rimmel moisture renew - vintage pink.

Lipgloss: None at the moment as I'm rediscovering lipsticks again!

Nail colour: None as I'm still trialling the Nail Envy VS Nail Magic!

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Witch hazel update.

Witch hazel update.

So I posted a few days ago about how fantasic the witch hazel was at keeping my skin shine free for much longer and that in turn my foundation was looking fresher for longer..


However, now I have quite a few big spots on my face - not good!



When I got that big red spot on my cheek the other day I stopped the applications of castor oil on my lashes incase that was somehow the cause, I changed my pillowcases and sheets incase some of the oil etc was on there and touching my face at night, I stayed true to the L'oreal True Match Minerals and kept everything else as it was too.. The only small change was that I was applying my clean and clear moisturiser each night instead of 2-3 times a week as my skin was getting a little dry.  Normally though I don't have any problems with the Clean & Clear moisturiser.


The angry spots I have are on my cheeks, jawline and some smaller ones on my forehead.


So my conclusion is that the culprit is that fantastic witch hazel I was raving about!!

Lesson number 1 learnt: Hold off on the excitement in future!

So in future, when I think something is fantastic I think I should give it more 
than a week before telling everyone how wonderful it is!

I would say, if you have oily skin and you're thinking about trying it - still do. It could work wonders for you, and in the video I mentioned it was certainly 
working for her and many others, what doesn't work for me might do your skin the world of good.

Will I be ditching it completely? No. Once my skin has calmed down I may well give it another go, I also think I will use it again before a special occasion as it does work at holding that oily shine 
at bay for some time.

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Free delivery @ MAC untill Saturday 23rd January.

Free delivery @ MAC untill Saturday 23rd January.

Just as it says..

Just enter code SHIPJAN at the checkout!

(..Typical though really, seeing as I placed an order with them just last week... Grrrr lol)

MAC

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Tweezerman zebra tweezers (and Tweezerman skincare tool)..

Tweezerman zebra tweezers (and Tweezerman skincare tool)..

My order arrived from Amazon today.  I have to say, Im pretty disappointed.

I ordered the Tweezerman Zebra print tweezers in a mirrored case, and also the Tweezerman skincare tool.

I have no idea what the skincare tool is like.  I have make up on so I won't be able to use it until a later time when Im makeup free, so a review later on is inevitable!

My disappointment lays with the tweezers.

I bought them from Amazon knowing I could get them cheaper elsewhere, but as they would come in a mirrored case I went with Amazon.
I have the petite tweezers which are in a pink metal case, so I don't have to have that horrible plastic casing/packaging with me everywhere I go.  But I find that the petite pair don't seem to work as well as the Daddy ones I have!  The bright pink Daddy tweezers were about 4 years old before they needed sharpening, infact I think they were older than that, but the petite pair are less than 2 years old and already need sending away to be sharpened.  Ideally I should have sent them away 6-8 months ago when they were going blunt, but life gets in the way and you forget.. Until the time comes to use them again and you feel like throwing them out the window from sheer frustration!

I initially purchased the petite pair as a backup because my pink ones had made several disappearances!  Where are they now?  Who knows, they've done another disappearing act!  So I decided to buy a backup backup!

Anyway, back to my disappointment..  Its not with the tweezers themselves, they the usual great quality, but its this horrible black mirrored case that cheapens them immensely.  I know the zebra print wont be for everyone, but I thought they were funky and pretty, but to look at them inside the cheap, badly made case is just, well, urgh!

This is how they arrived, in a black matte box (the skincare tool below them)

This is the case, yeah, it looks ok.. until you open it up..

Urgh!  I dont know if the picture has picked up how awful the case is, but I can assure you its cheap, nasty, and really poorly made!






So I know its not a massive deal, its certainly not something I will loose sleep over!  But I'm just disappointed as I expected the quality of the case to match the tweezers, but as it is its just really naff!  the stitching is poor, it looks like its already in need of gluing (namely the material surrounding the mirror), it won't offer any protection against them being dropped, its flimsy - obviously because its just some leatherette material covering a bit of cardboard, the mirror on the top is of no use, it also is cheap, bendable and already scratched.. Need I go on!  Its my fault I know, Ive bought something I couldn't view properly, google only does so much.. But I thought the 'case' would be of use, instead its just a crappy box that doesn't really do anything worthwhile!

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Don't you hate it when..

Don't you hate it when..

You get a reaction to something but you don't know what!

I have a big, angry, sore, glowing spot on my cheek.  Its not that far from my eye area, so it could be:

The olive oil I used to take off my eye make up 2 nights ago.  This was the first time I'd used this.  My L'oreal eye makeup remover was coming to an end so I gave the olive oil a go.  I figured if it worked well it would save me a little on remover, but mainly I wanted to use it for its conditioning benefits, esp as Im trying out the castor oil on my lashes.

As you may know this last week (ish) I've been giving the witch hazel a go instead of my usual toner.  Again, Id heard good things, it would save me money and I thought it would be better for my skin etc.  So far the results are good, esp as far as oil reduction anyway.

At the weekend I gave Maybelline mineral (liquid) a go.  I wanted to see how my skin was in comparison to the Loreal True Match Minerals.. was it still less oily, did the result last etc..

So it could be any of the above!  I've made several changes to my routine so it could be any of those.  It could also be the castor oil Ive been using on my lashes, I know a few times Ive rubbed my eye so maybe I rubbed it on my face in the process!

Arggh!

And Ive not had a massive spot like this for about 10 years!!  Maybe you can see it from where you are!

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The best things in life are free (ish!)

The best things in life are free (ish!)

Ok, so in one of my earlier posts I mentioned how unhappy I was with my oily skin and that my make up was kinda melting by 11am (yeah, nice I know!).. So later that night I turned to Youtube and typed in the search box 'Oily skincare routine' and I also did a search to see if anything else backed up the MoM acting as a good primer .  One of the videos that came up was from beautybargainhunter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fch8q5uqqog this covered all bases.

She was really really informative and I found her video really interesting.  One of the things she mentioned was witch hazel, now I bought some of this in the Summer of 2009, I think at that time I was well into my Clearasil routine, it was clearing up my skin and I was seeing great results so I brushed off the Witch Hazel and sent it to a dark corner of the cupboard (yes, the same cupboard as the thousands of shampoo's!)!   I felt, at the time, that it wasn't getting my skin as clean as the Clearasil Treatment Lotion, it didn't seem to take off the remainder of my make up like the Clearasil did, I also didn't see any self tanner come off either, which kind of confirmed to me that it wasn't working as well..

But, after watching that video the other day I wanted to give it another try.. and now..

Im in love with it!

I know I might be being a bit premature, after all its only been what, 4 days of use (I think)?  But during this time the oil production on my face has been significantly less, my make up has been lasting and my skin seems as clear as it was with the Clearasil.  Result!
She also mentions in the video to take a look at your skin in the morning after using your toner with alcohol in, then take a look at your skin in the morning after using the witch hazel.. She was so right, my skin after using the W.H was much much less shinier, with the Clearasil its pretty gross in the morning as it would be incredibly shiny!
The downsides could be that A) Ive not given it enough time to get the full picture, but hey, I can't help my excitement! and B) My skin will become used to it like it normally does with prolonged use of any product!

The upsides, the main one has to be the fact a 200ml bottle (the same amount as the Clearasil) costs £1.25 VS the £4.75 I was paying for the Clearasil Deep Pore Treatment Lotion!  I do have to admit though, that I despise the smell of the witch hazel, it is just vile!
In with the witch hazel I dropped in some tea tree oil, I dropped in 5 drops, then 10, then I actually ended up dropping in 20 in the hopes it would get rid of the smell!  In reality you'd probably only need 5 to see some benefit from the tea tree oil, but I just wanted to get rid of the smell so I went overboard!

I won't be turning my back on the Clearasil, its been my good friend and my ticket to clearer skin and I also find my skin looks a little more clarified with the use of Clearasil, but for the time being it will have to take a back seat while I stick with my £1.25 bargain..  I suspect I will be pulling out the clearasil again when my hormonal skin makes a visit, or perhaps during the Summer months when I need something stronger.

So thanks beautybargainhunter for giving me the push to try witch hazel again!

In

Out (for now anyway!)

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Tara Smith is A Go!

Tara Smith is A Go!

So I've made my decision and I'm giving the Tara Smith (celebrity hairdresser of the year 2009) range of haircare the go ahead, such big and important decisions I make, I know :0P

I wasn't going to buy anymore shampoo, conditioners or anything else until I have got my collection down by half.  I should insert a picture here to give you an idea of what Im talking about, but if I did I think I would have people trying to get me committed, seriously, if you looked in my cupboard you would think I have problems..

I know I have about 6 bottles of Herbal Essences Shampoo, and about 6 conditioners to go with.  In my defense I purchased these when I spotted them in Lidl of all places, I went mad and got a basket full because I know they were discontinued and at the time that shampoo was a miracle worker for me.  I bought it after my (then) hairdresser commented on the condition of my hair, she couldnt believe I had just shampooed it.. L'Oreal Elvive was doing me no favours and my hair was lank and greasy all the time.

I have 3 Toni and Guy coloured shampoos in red, because I went through a red phase, in brown, and also in black..  I hate the formulation of these if Im honest, so they just sit there as I feel its a waste to throw them away, yet I hate using them!
I have the odd Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner, infact I recently bought 2 new Timotei Highlights shampoo in the hope it might lighten my hair without me having to use a harsh dye.. its just sitting in my cupboard.
Then theres a whole bunch of hair styling products in there too.

In the shower cubicle theres a shampoo and conditioner from: John Freida - Frizz Ease, John Frieda Brilliant Brunette, Herbal Essences and also Tresseme 24 hr body, also inside there is a Tresseme intensive conditioner..  They pretty much are in there for whatever my hair needs in that moment.  Oh, and I also have an Aussie Haircare shampoo and conditioner for dry hair, inc the 3 minute miracle, sitting outside the cupboard (as a reminder to get the last of it used up!)

So I probably do have problems!

But I read about who's tried what, what great results they get and then I instantly want to try it myself.. so I buy new products and either hate them, or just have something else that works better, so they sit there for ages.  I'm actually quite ashamed at the amount of products I have in my cupboard  to be honest, it can actually get me down at times!!

But... (Oh dear) I really want to try the Tara Smith range.  I came to my decision after seeing my hair this morning.
I normally shower in the evening, put a some leave in conditioner on, a little volumising spray or mousse, then I put 2 velco rollers in at the top of my hair for lift, them make a bun with the remainder, I sometimes even do this in the dark as Im so used to doing it, so in actual fact I rarely see my hair as it should be/in its natural state!
But today I had a shower, used the Herbal Essenses shampoo and some of the Nice & Easy intense conditioner that I had left, I let it dry off naturally and then went to style the roots to get a bit of lift.. but I just caught sight of the mid-lengths to ends of my hair and was quite shocked.  Now I am guilty of not drinking enough water, so my hair looks a bit parched as it is, obviously the 15 years of home dye hasn't helped matters(!), but Im curious as to whether the shampoo and conditioner (the H.E ones mainly, although the 24Hr body might not be conditioning enough for my colour-treated/dry hair, not on a daily basis anyway) is drying my hair out.  I wondered this a while ago but just ended up chopping of a good 3 inches off 2 months ago and I then forgot about it (so the ends probably need a trim too now I think about it!).. but with no dye being done, no heat used on my hair (bar once), my hair shouldn't be in such a state.

In Tara Smiths range there are no nasty ingredients like parabens, sodium laureth sulphates, artificial colours or fragrances or any of the other nasty stuff.

They're currently on sale in Tescos, Amazon and Asda.. and probably other places too but those are the places I've spotted them at.  The price is around £2.25-£5 a bottle so a great price considering.

Im going for Feed the Root shampoo and conditioner £2.25 for 100ml each, and Basecoat Serum £4.99 50ml.

(pictures taken from Tara Smith.com)


So I will give it a go once it arrives, and hope that my hair will appreciate the organic goodness and won't look quite so dry!  As always I will update later on :)es

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Me and my skin

Me and my skin

We're about to fall out!!

I wear the same thing virtually everyday.   I wear some Panoxyl 5 as a barrier (I used to buy Clinique's proper version of a barrier, but it was just too expensive), then I apply a small amount of Boots No7 Matte Base and a light dusting of my L'oreal True Match Minerals.. (I apply this about 8am)

Then comes 11am my face is really shiny, my pores look super big (I can literally see them in a mirror even from a distance), and on my chin esp it's like my foundation is sitting on top of my skin in a weird way, like its on a layer of oil, which is what it really is I guess!  On my chin it is especially horrible, the oil seems to soak into the foundation leaving little dots that only enhance my pores.

Now I love True Match Minerals, my problem doesn't lay with that (at least I don't think it does) as its the same with me with every single foundation, the only one that I've found in all these years that actually stayed put was Studio Fix.  That stuff was amazing, on a hot Summers day I applied it mid morning and I didnt touch it all day long, it still looked perfect in the evening and on the whole made my skin look amazing.. 2 days later then came the spots.. then the bin!
I have Studio Fix powder, but that doesn't really compare with the fluid version, not on me anyway.

And Revlon Colourstay just looks chalky on me as their colours aren't yellow based enough for me.

I really don't want to go back to liquid foundation as I love the feeling of my skin being able to breathe with the mineral powder and on the whole I prefer the look of it..  But I'm wondering if I have to compromise on staying power?
The solution could be with a higher end mineral make up, maybe the Origins Multigrain one is the way to go but I don't know if it will be any better with a different brand, and sadly at the moment I just don't have the money, maybe next month.

I can't believe Im actually going to try this, but Ive read lots of reviews on Makeup Alley and I watched a vid on Youtube today (Sorry, I forget who from) about MoM.  Apparently this is a great primer for those of us with oily skins!  Yeah, that stuff you take for an upset stomach, well its supposed to be great at keeping oil at bay!  Fingers crossed it doesn't give me spots (which is what normally happens with me, and has been reported in some of the reviews).
We shall see!  I'll post an update on that one shortly!

The skin around my eyes, thats a completely different story!  It's pretty dry, my first wrinkles are making their appearance and my dark circles are ever present as always!

Around my eyes Ive been using a Garnier Vita Lift cream, I started playing about with an Oilatum cream, something richer really, I did this after reading about eye creams being virtually no different to a usual face cream, apparently anything that your face could tolerate would be alright for around the eyes too..  I'm fine with the Oilatum, it doesn't irritate at all, its a hell of a lot cheaper for one, it does hydrate a bit but has no effect on the dark circles or wrinkles.. So then I swayed back to the Garnier in order to use the last of it up, then I realised my skin did look softer, but for me it still doesn't cut it on hydration, I need something even more moisturizing.

As a concealer I started using Benefit Bo-ing last year, that was a great find as it really did cover my dark circles, but lately my opinion has changed.  I find that again, by 11am my eyes look dry, the concealer has settled into the wrinkles under my eyes and in the crease of my lid..  Not a good look so I think the Bo-ing for around the eyes is a definate no no from now on!

I wish I knew what to try next!

So come on skin, sort it out otherwise I'll have to have words!

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Favorites of 2009!

Favorites of 2009!

Okay, so I may be a bit behind with this one as we're already well into January, but hey-ho!

In 2009 I discovered mineral make-up.. and I loved it!

I've spent quite a few lonely hours watching QVC, be it when I couldn't sleep, when my fiance was getting dirty in his garage, or just out of sheer desperation(!), so I've caught a few demos of the Bare Mineral makeup.  I admit they did sell it to me (but then they could probably sell ice to an eskimo) but the thing that always put me off was the price, it just seemed like far too much money for a foundation.
Then I stumbled upon the Maybelline mineral powder around the end of the Summer, I tried that one and I really enjoyed wearing it but I struggled to find a colour that matched well, Ive bought 3 colours (one of which being fine when I have a tan) but I find they can look a little ashy and not yellow toned enough..  So on I went in my quest and purchased the Loreal True Minerals and fell in love!  I actually have that in W5 (which I used during the Summer), W1 for Winter and W3 for inbetween!  My only gripe is that W1 isnt quite light enough, and if you're porcelain you can just forget it!
I also have Revlon Mineral foundation, but the jury is still out on that one.. Just don't get me started on the really poor packaging and that sad sorry looking brush!!
Mineral make up rules for me, I just find its a lighter more natural coverage but best of all it doesn't make me really spotty like with other liquid foundations.
..I do admit that Im lusting after the Origins Multigrain though, maybe one day!


Another love is the Clearasil Ultra range.

Ive never had nice skin, don't get me wrong it still leaves a lot to be desired (esp my pores, you could probably park a HGV in those!), but since I've been using this range my skin is just so much clearer and nicer in general.  I've had oily/spot prone skin since I was about 13 but luckily thats changed now, so Clearasil is a big winner for me!
I use the gel wash, the toner, sometimes the pads when Im feeling to lazy to moisten cotton wool (yes, I am that lazy), and the treatment cream when my skin is feeling hormonal!

I also rediscovered lipsticks!
Maybelline's Nude range mostly.. I've seen lots of nude lips and they always look lovely, Laura sports this look really well, but on me its just yucky!  Ive even gave Barry M's Marshmellow and Lavender a try after seeing so many people rave about them.. boy was that a disaster!  I just dont carry off that look at all well.. But bring on Maybelline's Pinky Beige and its a different story!  Ok, so it may not be a true nude, but for me its a very wearable nude that does suit (and I think it would suit most people), so yey for Maybelline and making it possible for me to get somewhere close to a nude-y lip!

L'oreal excell 10 is also a winner!  Sadly Im going pretty grey (I'm 30 this year eekkk), but this dye actually does cover greys unlike the rest that claim to but dont actually live up!   I will agree with others that it does come out much darker than the guides or what could initially be expected, so def go a shade lighter with this one.

Tresseme 24HR body range was also a winner with me.  I bought their huge bottle and I still have over half left, its probably lasted about 6 months so far?  I just find the shampoo and conditioner really good for giving volume and body, the only downside is that I tend to have to switch it up with something richer/more conditioning as it can be slightly drying with my hair.

One of the best discoveries has to be St Moriz!
I LOVE this stuff!  I used to buy St Tropez when I worked in a dept store and could get discount, I found that was the only way I could justify it (at the time I hadn't discovered the mousse, so I was going through the original version like no tomorrow!).  I love the colour St Tropez gives as it is a more true brown tan, not at all Oompa Loompa-ry!  St Moriz is a really, really good dupe though and at £2.99 who can complain!!  I hope this stuff sticks around forever!

Im sure theres more, but I'll leave it there for today!

xx.

[ ... ]

Castor Oil and eyelash growth..

Castor Oil and eyelash growth..

Experiment number 2 is underway!

I've read various posts and articles on Lilash, theres also photos (un-photoshopped!) to back up the fact it actually works (for the majority of people anyway).  But I for one don't have around £60 for a tube of eyelash growth stimulator!  I have to admit I've found some of the photos a bit disturbing too.. for some women the growth has been really, well, odd looking, it's looked like they have a mini head of hair growing..  For others the growth has been uneven and the lashes seemed to separate, but again, for others the growth has been pretty good IMO.

So, I'm trying out my own!

I was going to mix up a recipe of castor oil, aloe vera, almond oil and some petroleum free jelly (purely to thicken it to a gel), but I've decided to go with plain castor oil for 8 weeks and then see about adding further ingredients.

I've attached some (scary) pictures of how my eyelashes look now, the first 3 without mascara, the last 3 with.. and yes, Im aware I'm in need of buying a new mascara (the current one, Maybelline collosal doesn't seem to have lasted long at all, 3 weeks maybe!?).   You might want to skip the first 2 pictures if you're not a fan of blood-shot eyeballs!!

So there you are.  I'll update in about 2 months time, fingers crossed for a positive result, however small!

[ ... ]

Nail Magic VS OPI Nail Envy!

Nail Magic VS OPI Nail Envy!

A few highly scientific experiments beginning today!


One of which (details of the rest to follow) being nail growth treatments!

I've been wanting to grow my nails  for the longest time (who doesn't), but to be honest Id be happy with a bit of length as long as they stop peeling and looking so dry!

I've been using OPI Nail Envy for about 5 years, it could be more.  Now I have to admit Im not great at applying it, I know it takes a few minutes every other day (after the initial application), but somehow I always manage to forget!

But without the Nail Envy my nails break easily as they always peel.. and then I pick at the peeling bits, yeah I know, bad!  I have quite dry hands as I always seem to be washing them, I can be a bit OCD about it at times!  My cuticles always seem to look a bit raggedy and my nails just don't look all that well groomed in general.  I guess I'm a bit lazy about it, so I shouldn't be that surprised I don't have perfect nails! 

But Ive recently heard about Nail Magic and I wanted to give that a go.

This is what Nail Magic say:

Nail Magic is a unique combination of ingredients which stimulates healthy and beautiful nail growth while strengthening and conditioning weak or damaged nail tissue. The formula was perfected in 1960 by Martha Peterson, of Portland Oregon, a professional manicurist for over 40 years. Nail Magic was used in beauty salons throughout the country for many years before being made available to the public. Nail Magic can be used as a base coat, top coat or clear enamel polish. Application is simple, usually requiring less than three minutes twice a week.

Sooo, Im going to see how it compares to Nail Envy!

I will be using Nail Envy on one hand, Nail Magic on the other!  

On both hands I will be using the following: 

For filing - a Nails Inc glass file I recently invested in!

On my cuticles - plain old vitamin E capsules (I'm far too tight to be buying the vitamin E pen from Nails Inc or any other expensive cuticle oil.. Although I'm lusting after some Solar Oil!

Hand cream - vaseline hand and nail cream (and probably something a bit richer in the evenings as my hands are quite dry, so either a richer and thicker cream, or something basic like olive oil as a treatment.

Nail polish remover - Sally Hanson acetone free (I'm not that big a fan for some reason, I just want to use it up!)

I'm going to give both hands a fair start by filing all nails pretty short.  They were growing quite well but I had a bad break on one, so they will all have to go quite short if I'm going to me making fair comparisons!


Some before pictures (and I'm sorry my hands aren't the prettiest!):

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