Enrapture Extremity Heated Rollers

I have naturally thick hair that's (unnaturally) pretty damaged. It's kind of frizzy curly if I leave it alone so I have to style it within an inch of it's life, and that tends to be straight rather than curly.  I tend to backcomb it or use rollers for a night out to add volume.  When I was asked to try Enrapture Extremity Heated Rollers I was VERY enthusiastic.  Heated rollers are something I wanted to try but didn't really know where to start to as as there's a lot out there and they range so much in price.

I didn't want a ringlety or permed look, just a natural volume wave/curl type of hairstyle.  Curling my hair with tongs annoys me and doing it with bendy rollers never ever looks right, nor does drying it with a diffuser.

 

These Enrapture rollers heat up in 2 minutes - they really do get hot - and this is indicated by a handy LED panel on the front of them.  As you can see, there's an on and off switch.  The cord's long enough so you don't have to drag a mirror over by a plug (we've all done it, haven't we?), the casing makes sure you don't end up with rollers everywhere and they fit neatly into their case.  The rollers are in two sizes as well so you can vary the size of the curl a bit or just go for a bit of volume. 

I've used these quite a few times now.  They're really easy to use, even for a hair dunce like my good self.  You just heat them up, then roll sections as you would with a normal set of velcro rollers, then clip using the clips provided (which are actually really helpful, I don't know if I'd have been patient enough to use kirby grips or something).  To do my whole head probably takes 10-15 minutes overall - curling with tongs takes me about 45 and always looks too ringlety for me - so add on 2 minutes for heating up time and you're easily looking at under 20 minutes.  Once they're in, they feel pretty secure and there are more than enough to do my full hair.  I experiemented a bit with section sizes and found I prefer to do larger sections with each roller where I can.  Here I am looking a bit moody in my rollers (I had the larger ones at the roots of my hair, and the smaller ones underneath):

 

I left this in as long as I could, probably about 30 minutes in both instances I've pictured, as I'm always running late, and went about my business with the rollers in.   The clips kept them in during this time, they weren't uncomfortable and they came out of my hair really easily without getting tangled.  The top picture is when I took smaller sections of hair, and the bottom is larger sections...I prefer the larger I think.

Can you tell I hate having my photo taken!! I then give my curls a quick spritz with some hairspray (an Aussie one, I love the smell of it) and I'm good to go.  The curls stay in really well.  I'm ridiculously impressed with these, just wish I'd tried them out sooner as they'd have saved a lot of frustrating time trying to curl my hair for hours and then having to put it up anyway as I hate the way it looks! I think they're well worth £74.99, especially as they come with a 3 year guarantee (I think I'm on my third pair of GHD's now....)

For more information on the Extremity Heated Rollers or any of the other products Enrapture offer, you can visit their website at http://www.enrapturehair.com/

Essie Mint Candy Apple

 

As a rule, I hate green.  There's nothing green in my wardrobe, and actually if I think about it, in my house (not including like DVD's, books etc that you don't buy for their colour).  There are certainly no green nail polishes - the colour doesn't suit me at all, and even less so on my nails.  So why have I lately had a hankering for a mint green nail polish?

After spotting Essie Mint Candy Apple on Mouldy Fruit, and realising that my local Boots has recently started stocking Essie, it was a done deal.  So at the earliest opportunity (my lunch break) off I trotted to Boots and picked this up.

Application was fine on the first coat, I was actually quite impressed, but it went a bit draggy on the second coat but evened out on the third.  All in all I kind of like the colour, which confuses me, but I'm not sure it looks right on my skintone.  It's definitely made me more interested to try out more polishes now that Essie is more readily available though!  This is possibly not a good thing for my bank balance or storage space!

Lee Stafford Treatment for Hair That Never Grows Past A Certain Length

I think every blogger and their dog has reviewed this but never mind!  I'm sure I've tried this before I started blogging but I can't remember liking it as much as I do now?  I bought it again after seeing it on a blog, and realising that I haven't used any intensive conditioning products for ages, which probably explains why my hair is looking a bit frazzled at the moment.

The packaging is typical Lee Stafford, bright pink.  The product is also pink, but much lighter, and smells amazing - as most Lee Stafford stuff does.  It comes it a tub that you scoop the product out of to use it, which is fine but can get a bit awkward in the shower, especially if you're clumsy like I am.

The instructions recommend applying product about "the size of an egg to your hair which seems a lot.  I used this all over my hair from root to tip (normally I just apply conditioner to the ends) and massaged it in.  My hair didn't feel overloaded in any way after use and looked shiny, felt really soft and was actually a bit more manageable.  I felt like it hung better when I straightened it and stayed straight for longer.

This doesn't make my hair feel greasy on the second day (I usually wash my hair every other day) and didn't do anything weird to my light blonde hair.  I'm really pleased with this and will be repurchasing, even though at £7.99 it is a bit pricey for something you buy from Boots, compared to higher end products it's a bargain!

BlanX Intensive Stain Removal Toothpaste and Advanced Whitening Mouthwash

 

You must know by now how mad I am about having white teeth so when I was asked to review these products I was totally up for it!  I've tried these products for 2-3 weeks.

The toothpaste is good, I like the packaging on it (which I stupidly didn't take a photo of), it's one of those bottles that stands upright on its own and has a pump action dispenser.  I prefer this as it looks better and I think it's a bit easier.  The mouthwash comes in a standard bottle.

The toothpaste tastes fine to me and the texture is just normal too - no gritty bits or strange foaming going on.  Even though the mouthwash is alcohol-free, the taste of it reminds me of an aniseed-based shot (like sambuca) which is a bit weird but that might just be my weird sensitivities to taste.

Overall, I liked the toothpaste but probably not the mouthwash, it just wasn't for me.  I can't honestly say that I noticed a huge difference in my tooth colour but I didn't really have any staining on my teeth anyway.  My teeth felt clean after use so I was happy with it in that respect.

I think that for the level of whiteness I want, I'm going to have to get my teeth whitened again.  I've been looking at the Enlighten system, which is the only system in the world to guarantee VITA Shade B1 (the lightest tooth shade on the UK scale...I think the American one goes lighter), has anyone got any experience with this?

BlanX is stocked at ASDA, Boots, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Superdrug, Wilkinson and online, priced at Intensive Stain Removal toothpaste RRP £7.49 and Advanced Whitening mouthwash RRP £5.49

For more information about BlanX, you can find them at http://www.blanxuk.com/, www.facebook.com/BlanXuk or www.twitter.com/BlanXuk 

Primark False Nails

 

My right index finger nail ripped to the point where it was so short it hurt.  I tried in vain to hold it together with polish for about a week or so but it got annoying so I just cut all my nails down.  They're so short, I hate it!  They look really ropey at the minute so I want to cover them up until they've grown a bit more, I can't even paint them without getting polish everywhere at the moment...more ends up on my skin than what nails I have left.  I came across some of my old nail pics and my nails are so much longer than I seem to be able to get them lately...might have to look into gel overlays or Shellac/Gelicure again.

These come in a range of colours and designs, including metallic cheetah, gold, union jack, french and of course, this red and they're only 99p a box, which includes glue and 24 nails.  I always have a stash of these kind of glue on nails at home (just in case), is that really vain?

In terms of sizing they were actually ok for me, I tend to find that with stick on nails anyway. They're mid length and square.  I did have to file these at the top as they were a little bit jagged, which wasn't ideal as it removed a little bit of the colour from the tips but nothing noticeable - at least not to the normal, everyday non-nail-obsessed person (I am not this person).  The glue was your standard nail glue and worked fine, actually I quite liked the glue, it was strong, I had these on from Sunday to Tuesday before I pinged one off and that was doing some particularly strenuous lifting and carrying at work.  The rest of my nails stayed in place until I removed them on Thursday.

All in all, I'd say if you're looking for a set of false nails for a night out, or a few days to tide you over like me then these would be fine but if you want something long lasting or hard wearing, you might be better trying something else.  These would probably be pretty good if you wanted to practice at nail art or something on longer nails or you were doing a fashion show on a bit of a budget too.  For 99p and wearing them to cover up my own shoddy nails I really can't complain.

Models Own Hed Kandi Ibiza Mix Nail Polish

I know these have been around for a little while now but since I'm currently in Ibiza - I've probably just touched down on the White Isle at the time of posting - for a long weekend I thought it'd be appropriate to show you Ibiza Mix.

It's definitely a layering polish for me, but it's a really interesting mix of different colours and sizes of glitter.  For some reason I thought it was black in the bottle - it's not, it's glitter in clear polish.  So, anyway, here's some pictures of a quick and dirty nail look I did with Ibiza Mix over Models Own Snow White.  I love it, it reminds me of those giant gobstoppers you used to (and probably still can) get.

 

People noticed this nail look and commented on them, even my boyfriend who generally remains fairly oblivious to my nails (he's used to it all by now) said that he liked it and it was unusual, in  good way.

I love the different colours and sizes of glitters in this, it makes it just a little bit different to other glitter polishes and topcoats around.  It's a fun polish and looks like confetti.  In terms of application, it was fine, what's in the pictures is just one coat of Ibiza Mix, it's quite runny and if you apply it sort of thickly (compared to a normal application for me anyway) you get a lot of glitter out.  I found that thinner coats didn't really work as glitter was applied quite sparsly so you still ended up layering more on.  I'm impatient, I just want my nails dry once their done.  My Seche Vite has gone all gloopy and strange though so I just had to wait.

I'm pleased I bought this and if you like glitter then I'd say get this as it's another string to your glitter bow, if that makes ANY sense at all.

Stila Love at First Blush Palette

I admit it, I kind of just bought this for the packaging.  Then I realised it's ok as I love pink blushes and I don't think I own any Stila products so it's a good opportunity to try something new.  It's so pretty I almost didn't want to use it and disturb its prettiness!

It's more pigmented than I imagined so I needed to be careful not to go overboard with application, especially with the darkest colour.  It also has a bit of glitter in it, not OTT but it definitely shimmers - if glittery face products aren't for you, then this will probably be too glittery.  With the different pinks and hint of glitter, this actually reminds me of one of my favourite blushers (which I think has been discontinued), so quite glad I bought it and found a replacement.

 

It actually looks a bit more subtle in these photos than I feel it looks on my face.  Please forgive the bumpy skin, I'm trying a new cleanser at the moment and I'm not quite sure if we're friends yet.  I bought this from ASOS for £10 (not including my much-loved NUS discount), which is slightly cheaper than some other websites it's available on.

MAC Mouth Monday - Speak Louder

I wanted this one for a while but haven't been able to pick it up in store and it was actually sold out on the MAC website for a bit.  It's a mid pink that leans towards red which (on me at least) is pretty neutral and easily wearable throughout the day. It's a cremesheen finish which probably accounts for a bit of its neutrality.

All in all I'm happy I bought this as it's quite a wearable everyday shade (and I hate being lipstick free!) though it's not that longlasting or unique.  Unlike some other MAC counterparts, this is a colour that I think you could replicate quite easily in a cheaper brand.

 

So that's in from MAC Mouth Mondays for the time being - I'm sure I'll be purchasing some new MAC lipsticks in the not too distant future.  What's your MAC lipstick favourite or are there any you would like to see swatched/reviewed?

Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo & Conditioner and Damage Reverse Restorative Treatment Plus

 

As a fake blonde with an aversion to haircuts and a love of heat styling, it's safe to say my hair isn't in the best shape and it somewhat damaged.  I haven't had the best experience with Ojon shampoos/conditioners previously, I tried the Ojon Hydrating Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner last year and didn't really like it so when I was asked if I wanted to review some Ojon products I was a little bit hesitant.  I was sent the Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo & Conditioner and Damage Reverse Restorative Treatment to review.

The packaging of the Damage Reverse range is pretty typically Ojon and personally if I saw it on a shelf and didn't know what it was, it wouldn't catch my eye but that's just me, I like bright colours!  They both smell really nice too, kind of a faint hint of citrus and just quite fresh. 
 
The shampoo is really rich and creamy and lathers well, the conditioner just feels like a normal conditioner.  Unlike the last Ojon shampoo/conditioner I tried I could actually get a brush through my hair after use, which is always a bonus - however I will say that when I only applied conditioner to the ends of my hair and not more through my hair it was hard to brush at the roots afterwards.  After using this and drying my hair, my hair does seem to behave and hang better, rather than frizzing out; though in fairness I did just recently get my hair trimmed (for the first time in months) so there's less frizz anyway, and more volume as I had shorter layers cut in.  I found I had to wash my hair a bit more often than before as my roots got greasy more quickly than normal, but it did moisturise my hair well and this was probably why.  The products did rinse properly out of my hair.

I used to use an Ojon treatment similar to this (Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Treatment Plus) regularly a few years ago but I don't any more and I'm not sure why.  As my hair's pretty long now (even with the recent trim), the hair at the ends is old and has a tendency to frizz out so a treatment like this is a pretty good idea once a week.

It's solid in the pot and you take a teaspoon sized amount, warm it in your hands to make it an oil and then apply to your hair, leave for at least 20 minutes (or overnight if your hair's really damaged) and then wash out.  It is a little bit messy and you'll have to wash your hands afterwards, but you'll survive, honest.  I usually just apply it from the middle of my hair down as I don't really like applying moisturising products to my roots in case I end up in grease city, then tie my hair up until I go in the shower.  This has a lighter scent than previous Ojon treatments - thank god, because I never really liked the smell of the older one.

 

Overall I liked these products, would purchase them in future and recommend them if you have damaged hair - I don't think it will repair your hair but will make it look better and appear less fuzzy.  They are expensive but if you're someone who spends on haircare anyway - I tend to kind of flit between buying standard products and higher end stuff, there's everything from Batiste to Kerastase in my collection -  then these are worth a try, available from http://www.ojon.co.uk/.

MAC Mouth Monday - Impassioned

Impassioned is a bright pink that leans towards coral on the lips.  It's an amplified finish so it is actually pretty bright - I would only wear this with a tan.  Again, I think it would really suit a darker skintone than mine.

MAC Penultimate Eyeliner in Rapidblack and Eye Kohl in Smolder

 

The Eye Kohl in Smolder is a repurchase for the one that I stupidly lost.  This is my fave pencil for a smoky eye or a night out as it's pretty dark, really soft and very much blendable/smudgeable.  I really like it and would definitely recommend trying it out - it's lovely and well worth it.  I don't normally wear coloured eyeliners but I'm quite tempted to try it out, though who knows what colour!  I literally haven't even worn eyeshadow since I was about 16 except for about two nights out I can think of.  It lasts well despite its smudginess, even on the waterline (though you need to be careful not to rub your eyes when wearing as it kind of goes everywhere).

Penultimate Eyeliner was a bit of an impulse purchase.  I usually use a Rimmel pen eyeliner - I prefer this type of liner as I think it's easier to get a crisp line, for me anyway, and to apply anywhere - and find that this does the job perfectly fine.  In comparison, this liner is a bit chunkier to hold, blacker and has a "sharper", finer nib so it makes it easy to get a really thin line or apply with precision .  It doesn't really pull and lasts well without smudging.  I'm pretty happy with this and do actually prefer it to the cheaper Bourjois or Rimmel ones I've been using, simply because it's easier to apply really defined or thin (so better for work, for me anyway), so I'd buy it again even though it's around £10 more than the ones I'm currently using.  Unfortunately I might have to buy it again since the lid came off it in my bag and it's totally dried out! 

MAC Mouth Monday - Cockney

Now, I'm slowly getting more into reds as well as my much-loved pinks.  I really couldn't decide between  this, Ruby Woo, Lady Danger, Russian Red or MAC Red but turns out Cockney is what I kept picking up in the shop so here it is.

This is a lustre finish which gives the red a more wearable, jelly-like quality and I think you could quite easily wear this during the day without it looking too much.  I think that because of the finish it would suit a variety of skin tones too.  It's not for you if you want a really classic, sexy red though.

Fancy Whittard of Chelsea Instant Teas - Pink Lemonade, Dreamtime, Mango & Passionfruit

 

Something a little bit different today, mainly because I think they're pretty and I'm a sucker for packaging - instant teas from Whittard!  I tried Dreamtime a while ago and thought it was really yummy, so when I restocked I bought a couple of others too.  As you can see, the tins are really cute.  The teas can be drank hot or cold, it just comes in a powder you can add either hot or cold water to.  They're all pretty sweet so not sure they're actually any better for me than normal tea (I like milk and sugar in my normal cuppa) but they're a nice change.

• Pink Lemonade - not actually pink in colour at all, more a sort of taupe, smells a little bit like Lemsip and tastes quite sweet but with a sharp zing of citrus, like enough to make you smack your lips a bit.  This is really nice hot or cold and I actually imagine it being nice in a cocktail with ice on a sunny day, I haven't tried this though.
• Dreamtime - this is my favourite.  Again it's sweet and has a vaguely fruity/apricot-y taste.  Again, nice hot or cold, I could drink this all the time.
• Mango and Passionfruit - this is my least favourite, but I like the packaging the best.  It tastes more peachy than anything and I'm not as keen because this reminds me a bit of peach schnapps which I'm not a huge fan of.   It's still alright though, but I don't think I'd buy it again.

These aren't that cheap (£5 for each tin) but I don't drink coffee or hot chocolate or anything, just tea, so these are a nice change when I feel like I'm getting bored with normal tea.  I like fruity teabags too but find they often smell nicer than they taste, especially vanilla type ones, bleurgh! So, er there you have it, a round up of teas I like!  Have you tried any of these?  What did you think?

As if all the celebrity endorsements aren't bad enough...

 

Sorry I'm getting a bit on my high horse today!!  Ah, celebrity endorsements.  On the one hand I love you because of some of the amazing promotional images you come up with (Katy Perry for GHD) but on the other hand I sort of feel like if you're paying someone thousands of pounds to say how great something is then is that so great?  Especially when it seems pretty obvious that you probably don't use the product (Liv Tyler for Head and Shoulders, Cheryl Cole pimping out Loreal hair dye).  It's different with blogging, no-one pays me to do it and I'm always honest in my reviews because I can be, if I'm not keen on something then I'll say so.

But that isn't strictly what I'm talking about...I'm talking about the Olympics, and more specifically the use of the Olympics to hawk products.  Now I get it to some extent if you're selling trainers or sportswear (we won't talk about the Adidas ad with Keith Lemon in it) or sports equipment or an energy drink or anything connected to sports but er, anti ageing moisturiser or false lashes or shampoo?  Do these things really link in to the Olympics in any way?

I'm talking about the advert for Olay currently showing in the UK and featuring Jessica Ennis which features a lot of footage of her as an athlete then only really a brief mention of the products at the end, like it was an afterthought.  Sorry the only online link I can find to the ad is here in the Daily Mail, and I can't actually embed it.  The entire article reads like one big ad for Olay, which doesn't surprise me. And the fact I'm linking to it probably means I'm actually serving to promote this video/reach a wider audience, which so isn't the point! If you watch the video, any links to the products and use of are pretty tenuous at best.

Through a bit of research I've now discovered that there are quite a lot of Olympic ladies (including British cyclist Victoria Pendleton) promoting Pantene, synchronised swimmer Jenna Randall promoting the Braun Silk-epil Xpressive Pro Epilator range and swimmer Keri-Anne Payne promoting Max Factor.

I'm not slagging off these girls or the Olympics or anything - they're all gorgeous girls and talented athletes who are probably sponsored by Proctor & Gamble and have been offered a wedge of cash to promote a product, and why shouldn't they make the most of it while they're young?  I just question the relevance of Oil of Olay, Pantene or Max Factor in this context, it is just blatant cashing in but then again, I suppose that's the wonderful world of marketing! 

Does the fact something of this nature is endorsed by an Olympic athlete make you want to buy it? What did you think of the video?  Am I just being a misery?

MAC Mouth Monday - Girl About Town

 

Supposedly beloved by Cheryl Cole and Beyonce, Girl About Town is a much-loved MAC classic.  It's a bright pink that leans towards purple (for some reason my camera really struggled to pick its purple tones up) with an amplified finish.

This is pretty bright and I think I'd personally only wear it on a night out but I bet this would look amazing on darker skin than mine.  Barry M do a fairly good dupe of this, just the finish is slightly different.  I blogged about it when I was first starting out actually so here you go.

Since I'm finding it really tricky to get Deborah Lippmann Sweet Dreams in the UK, here's my version!

 

Sweet Dreams is described as a candied pink (3D holographic) but I don't necessarily agree with this.  It's more a candy pink with flakies in it.  Have a look for swatches, that's exactly how it looks to me.  I'm really struggling to find it in the UK and on Ebay etc it's extortionately expensive.  DL polishes are already expensive so not really wanting to double the price again in shipping.

This is Leighton Denny Madison (one of my favourite - if not my all time favourite - polishes) with GOSH Rainbow over the top.  I love GOSH Rainbow, I've had mine for ages and I wear it with all sorts of different colours.

 

I actually think this is a fairly good replication of Sweet Dreams (obviously I've yet to see Sweet Dreams in person though!), the main difference is that the flakies are only layered on my version and not suspended in the polish but I suppose this is something that I could achieve with a bit of mixing if it was really an issue.  If you've seen Sweet Dreams, what do you think?

MAC Mouth Monday - Pink Nouveau

I recently went a bit mad on the MAC website after every time I went into a certain store they never had the colours I wanted in.  I actually only went looking for the new Nicki Minaj Viva Glam but when I got there I didn't really like it, it's a bit too kind of pastel/chalky looking even though it's a bright pink.  OK, I'm making no sense here so on with MAC Mouth Monday.

 

Pink Nouveau is one of MAC's bestsellers which is why I can probably never find it in an actual store!  It's a bright, light pink that reminds me of a slightly lighter version of MAC Chatterbox (my fave lippie) and is a bit less bright than Chatterbox so is probably a bit more wearable - it's not so light that it looks like concealer lips which isn't personally a look I can pull off.  It's a satin finish, which is my second favourite finish (amplified is first) and why I think it's probably a bit less bright/more wearable.

Needless to say I really really like this - pinks are totally my thing -  and I'm so glad I finally bought it.  Perfect summer lipstick and I'd wear it anywhere, work, a night out, through the day etc.

Smashbox Blush Soft Lights Duo in Passion/Shimmer

I blogged about some Smashbox stuff I got a while ago but I've started using this blush regularly and it's gorgeous, especially when I've got a (fake) tan, it gives a gorgeous sheen look that doesn't look glittery or overshiny.  The pink half of the duo is just the right natural colour for me and the shimmer just adds a bit extra.  It looks so pretty on the skin!

As you can see from the pics above, it's been pretty well used and I'll continue to do so throughout spring and summer.

The manicure that cannot be named (edit!)

In light of this post here about Ciate trademarking the term "Caviar manicure", which I personally think is a joke for the reasons outlined in the post, I've had to change a few things here (this isn't generally something I do ever).

I hit Ebay and got 12 colours of bead for £3.87.  I have enough nail polishes already to match with those!  This is the seller I bought mine from, they're based in Hong Kong so it took a little while for them to arrive but not ages maybe 7-10 days if that.  I loved the description on the side of what they are, he he!

 

 

I applied two coats of polish and waited a bit then I dipped my nail in each pot.  Be warned, this way of doing it is pretty messy and some of the little balls go oddly static in the top of the lid which is a slightly strange sight to see.  I think every nail I did got slightly better.

I think I like it best on the more neutral colours like the silver, black and light pink.  I'm none too keen to try the green one!  If you're just looking to have accent nails or have a little play (like me!) then the kit I've got will be plenty, if you're planning to rock these nails every day then you might run out?  In terms of longevity, well I have no idea, as I removed these straight after putting on as I needed to clean the oven (oh yes, I'm THAT glam).  These types of nails are a bit of a Marmite one - like crackle polishes - you either love 'em or hate 'em.

If you don't like rough finishes on your nail (i.e. glitter and 3D nail art) then this probably isn't for you because it does feel rough.  It's kind of like those licquorice allsorts that are covered in tiny balls.  I like this look but don't think I'd do it on every nail, maybe an accent ring finger or something?  I prefer one solid colour of beads to having a lot of colours mixed together too.

Some more YSL - Rouge Volupte 9 (Pink Caress), La Laque 42 (Ultraviolet) and Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking Mascara

This was a bit of an impulse/emergency purchase.  I got loads of Trafford Centre vouchers as a leaving present when I left my last job, I hardly ever go to the Trafford Centre and on the rare occassion I do, I really struggle to find anything I want (which is always a huge surprise, I can spend money wherever I am usually!).  I'd tried to spend the vouchers on MAC stuff in Selfridges but the colours I wanted were out of stock, heated rollers in Boots but there was a problem with the vouchers at the till, a dress in Dorothy Perkins but they had every size but mine and in a mad panic as it was about to close I hit the YSL counter in John Lewis to repurchase my YSL Rouge Volupte that had ran out. 

Except it turns out I bought the wrong colour!  It's no biggie though as I quite like the colour I bought (Pink Caress), though it is a smidge darker than pinks I'd usually wear and it's definitely different in comparison to my trusty Opera Rose that I normally would buy.

L-R:  Pink Caress, Opera Rose

I also bought Shocking Faux Cils Mascara in black as this is something I've wanted to try for a while since I love the original but never got round, with mascaras I like to only have one on the go at a time so they don't dry up.  I hate wasting things!  The brush on this is pretty big, and like the original Faux Cils this is a really wet mascara.  It's also quite strongly perfumed which I always find weird in a mascara.  I do like it though, it's not that much different to Faux Cils but it does give a bit more oomph, really strong and thick black lashes, it also gives plenty of length too. I think there is the tendency for it to go clumpy but as long as you're careful it shouldn't do.  If I'm totally honest, I don't hate lashes that are a bit clumpy.  Spidery is a no, though.

This purchase came with a free full size nail polish (Ultraviolet), a bright purple that leans towards pink and actually reminds me a bit of OPI Louvre Me Louvre Me Not.  The saleswoman tried to talk down as being good for toes but I actually like and would wear on my hands.

Things I've recently purchased and things I would like to purchase...

Start of the month = buying more stuff

Here's what I've bought already:

Topshop Peplum Scuba Pencil Dress

When I wear this dress I stick to clear liquids (gin and tonic, vodka and lemonade etc.) as I live in fear of ruining it with my clumsy ways.  The material it's made of is like wetsuit material which is a bit weird but good as it holds everything in!  Just noticed they do it in orange too.

Lulu Guinness Gold Lipstick Keyring

I bought a very cheap, secondhand...er...I mean vintage...one off Ebay as I couldn't justify £45 on a keyring.

Here's what I'd like to buy:

Warehouse Bright Bird Print Shell Top
This picture doesn't really do it justice, and Grazia are offering 25% off at Warehouse at the moment

River Island Blue Scarf Print Tapered Trousers
I'm a bit of a scarf print fan and these look fab on the model on ASOS

Topshop Orchid Print Extreme Drop Shirt
I do like this but it isn't very me, I'm thinking it would be nice with my lilac jeans but I'm rubbish at putting outfits together so maybe not!

Dorothy Perkins Lilac Pleated Pocket Dress
This is very glam and grown up, I'm thinking it would take me through work and maybe some things that are a bit more formal too.

Topshop Bright Blossom Dip Hem Dress
This isn't my usual style at all (I normally prefer dresses that are more fitted and have a sleeve!) but I have a wedding to go to later in the year and we've been invited for the church service and night do, which I find SO hard to dress/buy for so I'm keeping my eye out already and favouring dipped hem dresses to take me from day to night.

There's quite a lot of bright prints here isn't there?  It's maybe the nicer weather making me think lovingly of summer and sunshine!