Essie Leading Lady

My Essie fetish continues!  I wanted this for ages even though I knew I didn't really need it and that I already had a few similar polishes in my collection (China Glaze Ruby Pumps for one) but I kept lurking by the Essie stand in Boots looking at it every time I went in there, so I ended up buying it.

So yep, I didn't really need it and yep, it's very very similar to Ruby Pumps, though possibly slightly more leaning towards pink than Ruby Pumps (more so in the bottle).  All in all a nice polish with a  good formula and brush, but maybe check your collection first and see if you've already got one like this.

This was a quick and dirty nail paint whilst I was away on hols (in a very cute 1700's stone cottage with a log fire out in the middle of nowhere) by the way!  I had a great time and it always makes me think "hmm, maybe I could live in the countryside, that would be great" until I remember I quite like my home comforts too much - like phone signal, street lights, being able to pop and get my nails done, sushi etc....

Spa Find Renewed Radiance Energizing Night Cream

My skin is getting pretty dry with the combination of cold weather and central heating we've been having lately so being sent this to review was perfect timing!

The packaging is pretty understated and it comes it a tub that you dip your fingers into, this doesn't bother me personally but I know some people prefer a tube so that you don't touch the cream.  It doesn't smell strongly of anything either but does smell nice and fresh.

The cream contrains Harmonised Water which contrains the properties of Dead Sea minerals and organic plant extracts (olive oil and aloe vera).  It also contains 'Mineral-Age Nanoplex' which combines zinc, copper and magnesium to boost skin cell regeneration or collagen production.  I'm not sure I agree with "Energizing" in the name as my skin doesn't feel tingly or fresh or anything when I use it (and that's what I associate with that word, but it might just be my interpretation of it).

The cream feels quite thick and really rich and nourishing without feeling too greasy or heavy - a little goes a long way with this.  It's definitely a night cream though as it feels a bit too much to put on in a morning before make up, though I've worn it in the day when I've been having a rare make up free one and it hasn't made me break out or clogged my skin up or anything which I was pleased with.  As it's aimed at dry, mature and sensitive skin I do think this wouldn't necessarily be right for oily skin, or maybe for use in summer or on holiday (unless you had peeling skin from sunburn maybe).  I'll definitely be continuing to use this as a night cream in future as it seems to be doing the trick without any adverse effects.

Spa Find Renewed Radiance Energizing Night Cream costs £22.15 for 50ml from www.spafindskincare.co.uk

25 things about me!

I've seen this type of post doing the rounds lately, so I thought I'd join in! I'm a bit nosy so I quite like reading these sorts of posts. Here we go:

1. I recently graduated with a degree in Business Studies from the Open University.
2. I used to live in Bulgaria - I lived in Sunny Beach but can only speak a handful of Bulgarian words.
3. I've had pneumonia twice, once as a kid and then again in my early twenties.
4. I have size 7 feet!
5. I passed my driving test when I was 23, second time round after failing my first one on reversing around a corner (and just two other minors...booo!)
6. My favourite food is Italian, followed by Chinese and/or Japanese, can't pick between those two.
7. When I was about 13 I won a Disney Channel competition and a story I wrote was turned into a cartoon by Disney. It was during my awkward teenage phase of desperately wanting to fit in so I was ridiculously embarrassed and it still makes me cringe now even though I know I should be proud of it!
8. I can bend the tips of my index fingers without bending the rest of my fingers...doesn't sound much but try it, you probably can't do it.
9. I have a tattoo of stars on my right foot and I did have my bellybutton pierced but I took it out a few years ago. My tattoo is based on a wrapping paper design (ha!) and I got it done on the spur of the moment when I was 17 after tagging along with my friend who was getting one. She suggested getting it on my foot, it was a few years before foot tattoos were popular and I used to get a lot of comments on it. I regret it now and would never get another.
10. Me and my lovely boyfriend have been together for 4 years this month.
11. I'm really clumsy and spend most of my life oafing around.
12. I hate eggs!  The look of them, having to touch them, the taste of them...I only really eat them in cake and in egg fried rice if the pieces are tiny.  I've tried them in all different ways but I just don't like them and haven't since I was small.  I've gone a bit phobic about those too.
13. I love reading and once I get going can devour a book in a few hours. My favourite books are The Stand by Stephen King and The Beach by Alex Garland.
14. My favourite TV series is/was the Sopranos...closely followed by Breaking Bad.
15. I'm originally from Cumbria but moved to Manchester when I was 21.
16. My birthday is 11th September (I'm a Virgo).
17. I used to go on sunbeds when I was younger and have got damaged skin as a result. Don't do it kids!
18. I talk and move around in my sleep a lot.
19. My favourite colour is probably purple.
20. I am TERRIFIED of spiders. I've never liked them but as I've got older it's developed into a proper phobia.
21. As a kid I used to think Madonna and Kylie Minogue were the same person.  I thought two male celebrities were the same person too but I can't remember who now.
22. I used to live above a pub as my Dad was the landlord.
23. I hate getting my hair cut and avoid it as much as I can, which means I end up having to get more cut off, which then means I hate getting it cut and avoid it...vicious cycle.
24. I have a short attention span.  I usually end up doing 5 things at once because I get bored and wander off from the final 4.  I didn't watch films for years because I couldn't concentrate enough on the whole thing!
25. Whenever I go against my instincts things usually go wrong.  I need to trust my own judgement a bit more!

There's things I want, there's things I think I want...

Bonus points to anyone who recognises the song that that line is from!  As always I have a long lists of bits and pieces I want to purchase, most surprising is that there are not shoes on this but that might be because I've bought loads of shoes at the moment.

Topshop Cerise Bodycon Dress - £28

I think this is priced pretty reasonably and you could wear it anywhere from work to going out for drinks.  As the colour's pretty bright (and not a colour I'd usually wear at all) I'd probably keep any accessories minimal and neutral.

 

Ted Baker purses - various

I've really got my eye on a Ted Baker purse after my friend got a really nice Ted Baker bag for her birthday.  The orange one is my favourite, but they are quite expensive so I need to have more of a think on whether I splash out on one of these.

 

ASOS Heavy Lace Top with Peplum - £38

I love peplums and I love lace so combine the two and I'm happy!  I like lace sleeves in things too (I prefer things with sleeves to sleeveless) so looking forward to trying this one out.  I'm just not sure what to wear underneath...

 

Etsy Tiny Star Ring - £13

I don't really wear a lot of jewellery other than earrings but I'm really getting into dainty little rings and this star one is so cute!  I've actually ordered this so just waiting for it to arrive at the moment.

 

Glamorous Sweat Dress with Cut Out and Contrast Sleeve - £30

I like grey too and I wanted a cutout tshirt from Topshop in summer but it looked a bit sort of unstructured and chilly.  This looks like something you can dress up or down

 

ASOS Jewelled Triangle Stud Earrings - £8

Whether or not these look fab or tacky in real life remains to be seen but I love a good statement earring so we shall see!

 

ASOS Midi Lace Dress with Embellishment - £65

I think this is a bit too "grown up" for me so I'd probably end up wearing this for a wedding (can you wear cream lace to a wedding actually?  Probably not...) or a christening or something like that.  Not that I have any of those coming up in the near future!  The embellishment at the neckline is gorgeous and looks way more expensive than the dress is.

 

And of course, there are a lot of beauty related items I want too, here's a little snapshot of what I'm coveting most at the moment (I generally keep my Beauty Wishlist tab up to date if you're desperate to find out what I'm after at the moment):

 

Too Faced Sweetheart Flush Blush - £24

GlamGlow Super Mud Cleansing Treatment - £45

Xen Tan Moroccan Tan with Argan Oil - £20

YSL Manifesto Eau De Parfum - various



bareMinerals Prime Time Brightening Foundation Primer

I generally only use a primer under my foundation if I'm going on a night out and want my make up to last all night. I've used Smashbox primer for years but acquired this one from my Mam to try out.

The packaging - like most bareMinerals stuff - is pretty minimalistic and functional rather than pretty. The pump dispenser is easy to use and dispenses product evenly, a little goes a long way. Rather than it being clear like my Smashbox primer it's a light shimmery pink, almost like a highlighter. There is definitely a brightening effect to it but in daylight it is quite shimmery/glittery so this is more of a night time product for me, which is fine as that's the only time I wear it!

I do think that this helps keep my foundation in place on a night out so I will be continuing to use this for my night look. I've also got a bareMinerals eyelid primer but as I don't really wear eyeshadow and I've got my lash extensions on I haven't tried this out yet.

Jumping on the bandwagon - Rimmel Apocalips in Nova

As I've gotten older and wiser (ahem), I've learned not to jump all over the latest trend or "must have" product regardless of whether I think it'll suit me or I'll use it. But every now and again I do succumb, and this is one of those times.

I hadn't even seen this in a shop never mind swatched it or tried it out but from seeing them featured on loads of blogs, I wanted to!  I was putting in a Superdrug* order anyway (free delivery until 14th February* and 6.5% cashback through Quidco* - unfortunately you can't use your NUS card online, though you can in store, or I'd have used that too!) so I popped Apocalips in Nova into my basket too, roughly guessing at the kind of colour I liked.

Well, the hype was right, this is a really lovely product!  It applies with a doe foot applicator like a lipgloss but feels smooth and creamy on the lips, a little bit like Collection 2000 Cream Puff but a lot glossier and not dry feeling at all.  On the lips it looks like glossy lipstick, the colour payoff is so good and not wishy-washy like glosses sometimes are.  It also smells like watermelon, but not overpoweringly so, which is a bit of a bonus for me because I love watermelon flavoured things.  It lasts a reasonable amount of time for a lipgloss but if you're planning on wearing it all day or night you'll probably have to reapply it.

The colour range is pretty good too, I've actually been into a shop and seen them all now and I definitely picked the right colour for me in Nova, which is a bubblegum pink that leans slightly towards being cooler toned.  I do fancy one of the coral or other pink ones too even though they're not as much "my" sort of colour.  I'm struggling to find a bad point about these too - they're even fairly reasonably priced at £5.99 too.

 

Nail Blog Sale - Illamasqua, YSL, Essie, Revlon, Max Factor, Topshop, indies

I've had a bit of a sort out and added some nail items for sale on my Blog Sale tab - there's Illamasqua, YSL, indie, Essie, Revlon, Max Factor and Topshop polishes for sale along with some gel manicure bits and pieces.

Check out my items for sale here and if you want to get in touch then please do so by Twitter (@LucyBATB) or email (lucy@beautyandtheblogger.co.uk).  Thanks!