#NOTD Essie Ballet Slippers with Models Own Pink Paradise and Essie Matte About You Topcoat

Today's #NOTD is Essie Ballet Slippers (reviewed here) - it's a bit whiter than I'd like so I added Models Own Pink Paradise, a pink toned flakie polish (also reviewed here) to pink it up a bit.  I thought it was a bit too girly so I added Essie Matte About You, a matte topcoat to flatten it out.

It looks like icing paste now!  This was one of those polishes that I can't stop looking at on my nails!

Models Own Hed Kandi Beach Party Nail Polish - neon orange!

If you follow me on Twitter (@LucyBATB) you might have already seen a swatch of this polish.  This is one of the polishes I bought in the Models Own 50% off sale.  I'm not going to say much really as I think the pics speak for themselves!  It's a gorgeous neon orange that will look great on tanned feet in summer!

Buy Models Own Hed Kandi Beach Party here.

Models Own HyperGel - is it worth the hype? (Red Lustre swatch)

I went a bit crazy in the Models Own 50% off sale.  One of the polishes I bought was one of Models Own's HyperGel, their new gel effect nail polishes.  I did have several of them in my basket at one point but I did a bit of basket editing bearing in mind I didn't even know if I'd like the HyperGel formula.

I kind of get annoyed by "gel effect" polishes - they're just shiny and most of the time you can just get that effect with a high shine topcoat like Seche Vite*.  I have to say I don't really think this polish is any different - this is 3 coats but I probably could have done with a fourth.  I was a bit worried as the first two coats looked really sheer but it evened out on coat 3.

Overall it's a nice enough polish but I'm not in a big rush to buy the other colours in the range but for £2.50 in the sale I can't complain!

You can find the HyperGel range here, currently 5 for £20.  Look out for more of my Models Own sale haul coming up!

New discoveries...

Over the last month or so I've made some new beauty discoveries that I want to keep in my repertoire:

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Oriental* - I love Batiste and use it a couple of times a week, it's a godsend when I don't always have time to wash my hair in the morning.  I was in Boots stocking up when I spotted they'd brought out some fragrances I haven't seen before.  Oriental is my favourite out of the new ones I've tried though it hasn't quite beat Batiste Wild (the leopard one) as my overall fave.  They're currently on Buy 1 get 2nd half price at Boots*.

Weleda Skin Food* - I tried this as a sample before Christmas (a 10ml sample which I'm only just about to finish as you only need to use a tiny amount) and fell in love.  It's a rich moisturiser that isn't greasy which is perfect for putting on overnight to combat the cold weather which, combined with heating etc, tends to dry out my skin.  I actually thought this would be way more expensive than it is but it's only £9.95 for 75ml and as I said it lasts ages as you only need a tiny amount!

Tresemme Heat Defence Serum* - I've been toying with the idea of going platinum blonde (eek) or at least much lighter and I've been watching loads of YouTube videos about the process of getting your hair platinum and taking care of it.  Anyway, I saw this mentioned in one of the videos I watched and decided to give it a go.  It's a good serum that protects your hair up to 230 degrees without making it greasy at all - important when you consider how hot straighteners go now!

Orly Bonder* - I'm a bit hit and miss when it comes to using a base coat, I sometimes find them a bit of an unnecessary step when I'm in a rush to get my nails dried and out the door.  I got this in my Boots Beauty Advent Calendar as a sample and I've fallen in love.  It seems to reduce chipping and stops any staining.  Plus if you're using a glitter it's way easier to remove it!

Ciate Bada Bloom Flower Manicure

Another nail post!  I was sent this for review and really looked forward to the weekend when I could have a play.  I loved the imagery on the packaging and was intrigued by the idea of putting real dried flowers on my nails - somewhere in the back of my mind, I think I've seen this done on liquid/powder nails but not on DIY nails.

This beautifully packaged set comes with a Ciate mini polish, speed dry topcoat, two pots of dried flowers, tweezers and a file.  The colour I got was Ferris Wheel, a really pale blue which initially I wasn't that into at all (I don't tend to wear blues and greens on my nails) but I absolutely loved the colour once it was on and actually thought about not adding the flowers just yet!  I got purple, blue and red flowers which all worked well the the colour of polish.

Application was really easy, you just apply two coats of polish, leave them to dry and then apply the speed dry topcoat.  You then use the tweezers to apply the flowers (I pressed them down with my other hand too just to fix them in place) and apply another layer of topcoat before gently buffing away any flowers overhanging the free edge of your nail.  Here's what I came up with on my first attempt:

I actually liked them a lot more than I initially thought I would (they're better from a distance than close up though!), I think the index and middle fingers are my faves.  I found the purple flowers a bit more fiddly to apply so I don't know if I'd bother with them next time.  This kit would be great for a more subtle accent nail look too I think.  The flowers actually don't feel too rough or bumpy on the nail either, I prefer this as sometimes I get annoyed with nail art if I'm forever catching it on things!

Overall I enjoyed using this and liked the look quite a lot, it was really easy to use and I'll definitely be rocking the flower manicure again sometime in the near future.  The kit contained everything I needed to pull it off and I've got a polish colour that I wouldn't have chosen myself but now love, result!  The packaging on this is absolutely gorgeous too and would make a great gift for someone who's into their nail art.

Exclusively available from Selfridges*, the flower manicure set costs £18 and comes in two different designs (I love the colour of the polish and flowers in the Strike-A-Posy one too) - check them both out here*.

Models Own 50% off sale could be coming soon...

I'm a huge Models Own fan - I love their range of colours, the fact the prices don't break the bank and that they're really easy to pick up nowadays on the high street - so to hear that they're planning another 50% sale if they hit 250,000 Facebook followers is a little bit exciting to me!

If you're not already a fan, or you've been meaning to try Models Own for a while, now's the time to get involved!  Just head over to http://www.facebook.com/modelsown and like their page.  If they get 250,000 followers by 31st January 2014 then everyone gets 50% off...woo hoo!

Here's a little preview of some of the items I've got my beady little eye on:

I'm sure I'll end up adding more to my basket once there's 50% off going on!

2014 seems to have given me expensive taste...

For some reason, everything I'm really coveting at the moment is around the £200+ mark...which isn't really going to happen so I'm hoping that by blogging about them it'll get that stuff out of my system!

Topshop Boxy Leather Biker Jacket in Blue - I've coveted a blue leather jacket for such a long time and I don't really know why!  I love the colour, style and leather quality on this one...I want it bad but I'm going to wait and see if it gets reduced like the red version.  There's also a pretty gorgeous pink version too that I like nearly as much!  Both are £185.

Cutler & Gross Sunglasses in 0740 - how amazing are these!  After spotting them on a certain Cheryl Cole I totally fell in love with them.  I've sourced what I hope is a good alternative from Ebay for about £5 but I doubt they'll be a patch on the real thing.  Aviators are my favourite sunglasses style, I love mirrored ones and the rainbow effect is just too much!  These are in Dark Turtle and cost £310.

Whistles Spray Print Dress - I think this dress is just the right mix of classic and interesting.  I really want it!  This one's £195.

So there you have it...the best part of £700 mentally dropped on three items.  Just think of all the stuff I could buy from ASOS or River Island with that £700!

House of Holland by Elegant Touch Zig Zag Stardust False Nails

Another nail post!  I bought these during a particularly stressful bout of Christmas shopping and I don't really know what I was thinking...I definitely do love my nail art and neon nails but these are too bright even for me.  I can't ever see myself wearing these out and about.

I kind of wish these were a bit pointier too.  There's also another design with green and yellow neon that wouldn't fit on any of my nails (it was my least favourite one anyway), I probably like the one on my thumb nail and pinkie nails the best.

These don't feel as plasticky as other false nails that I've worn, initially I thought it was just the design that was overlaid on it in paper or something but I think it's just the actual nail, they feel quite thin and papery.  I don't think that's a bad thing in terms of look and they're definitely not flimsy, they're just different.  These come with glue and a nail file, the Elegant Touch glue it comes with is amazing!

Available for £8.99 from Boots.com* - there are loads of other designs on there that they didn't have in my local Boots!

NOTD - Bourjois So Lacque! in Orange Creation

You might have noticed I've had a bit of a break in December!  Things just got really busy with work and Christmas so I gave myself a bit of time off.  Hope you had a great Christmas and Mr Claus was good to you.

Anyway, I got a very random hankering for glossy, bright orange nails so I treated myself to a Bourjois nail varnish.  I don't really buy much from Bourjois, not sure why, it just never appeals to me that much.  So here we have it:

I also used Orly Bonder as a basecoat which I got as part of my Boots Advent Calendar and I really liked it! I topped this with Seche Vite too for a bit of extra shine.

Weleda goes crackers this Christmas!

I was sent this and I just think it's such a fab stocking filler, especially when Skin Food is such a fab winter product!  It comes in gorgeous cracker packaging which you open up to reveal.....

I love Weleda Skin Food, it's so nourishing and moisturising, especially when your skin's suffering from that annoying mix of central heating and cold weather outside!  Available from £3.50 from Weleda , it comes in a range of other products too.

Environ Active Vitamin Facial at Harvey Nichols, Manchester

Last weekend I was lucky enough to visit Harvey Nichols in Manchester for an Environ facial.  Environ is a cosmeceutical company developed by a South African plastic surgeon which fuses traditional beauty therapy and modern medical science.

First of all I had a really in depth consultation to get an idea about my skins condition and what my needs were.  My therapist was called Mary by the way, she was absolutely great, that perfect mix of professional, knowledgeable and friendly.  Another part of the consultation is taking really close up photos in this futuristic looking machine:

The photos are a real eye opener and highlights where there are signs of ageing, bacteria on the skin and areas damage etc.  The biggest shock for me was the one that showed damage under the top layer of skin and also the "fast forward" which showed how my skin will be in 3 years time if it continues on the way it is.  From this, Mary recommended me various products which I'll review later once I've tried them out properly - they include vitamin supplements as well as skincare as the principle behind Environ is to take care of inside and outside.

Back to the facial - this was easily the best, and most interesting, facial I've ever had.  It uses a combination of pulsed electrical currents and low frequency sound waves to boost the penetration of high-dosage anti-ageing and re-hydrating ingredients, including vitamin A and C, into your skin.  It's all pretty high tech and I imagine I looked a bit like a science experiment during my facial!

It starts off as a normal facial where your skin is cleansed etc. and then a metal tool is used on your face (which I believe is the ultrasound/galvanic part) you sort of hear a little electrical sound when this goes near your face but it isn't uncomfortable or disturbing or anything.  After this, a thick, plasticised mask is applied over your entire face including your eyes and mouth - they can leave these parts out if you're claustrophobic - and then you're hooked up to a low electrical field (which you can't feel other than the occassional little twitch).  After which point the mask is peeled off in one go to leave you with dewy, fresh skin.

It doesn't sound relaxing at all but it really is and at one point I definitely fell asleep!  I just sorted of floated away out of the salon - I'd planned to do all sorts in town but I was far too chilled out so I just went home.  My skin felt amazing and looked fantastic, the ultimate evidence of this was that a couple of people at work commented on how good my skin was looking which NEVER happens.

The treatment rooms at Harvey Nichols were really relaxing and kind of high tech too.  As I mentioned, the girl who did my facial was really nice and very professional.  I would fully recommend this and I actually can't wait to book my next appointment, it was the first facial I've had that was relaxing and made a visible difference to my skin.  No wonder it has a celebrity following!

To make an appointment contact the Beyond Beauty counter at Harvey Nichols here.  You can also find Environ products at the counter too.

So, Aldi do beauty products?

Right, as a recent Aldi convert for my weekly shop (exciting insight there!), a few people at work have said they swear by some of Aldi's own beauty products.  As I can be a bit of a beauty snob at times I hadn't tried them until recently when I was sent some items to review.  None of them are branded as "Aldi's own" which I think is a good move as it means people are more likely to have them on display in their bathroom/on their dressing table.  So, on with the review!

The first thing I used was the Miracle Oil with Argan Oil - this is one of the exact products that one of my colleagues swears by - and I'm actually pretty impressed by it.  It's not in a squeeze, pump action or open neck bottle so you only get a tiny amount dispensed which is right and means that you don't add too much oil to your hair.  It doesn't smell really strongly or anything and actually feels really nourishing on you hair.  I'd happily buy this in future as it helps smooth down my damaged ends without totally weighing it down.

The Hand and Nail Cream is pretty good too, very nourishing without being greasy.  It absorbs quickly, comes in a squeeze tube and I think it's ideal for carrying in your bag or keeping in your desk at work.  It's a pretty good budget option.  It's not too heavily scented but I'm not wildly keen on the smell of it, but that's just me.

The Aqua Complete Serum is really light, absorbs well and feels great on the skin.  It's a decent enough everyday moisturiser that I'll happily use.

I've also got a moisturiser that I'm getting my boyfriend to test without revealing that it's an Aldi one (I normally buy him pretty high end moisturisers, bless him) - so far his feedback is that it's his favourite moisturiser and feels really good on his skin, albeit quite rich.  We'll see what his thoughts continue to be!

Winter fashion

There's so much stuff in the shops that I want at the minute, most of it's totally wintery things with fur and in pale colours.

As camouflage is also one of the big trends this winter, I've also been checking out womens military jackets too, I actually used to have a jacket like this from ASOS a few years ago but ended up either throwing it away or Ebaying it (can't remember which) as I never quite felt it was my style as I'm not really into the grunge look usually!  I really regret getting rid of it though because it was so comfy and easy to throw on without being too heavy or hot.  It was also an essential companion when I went to V Fest a few years ago, even though the weather was gorgeous through the day it was freezing at night!

I know loads of people have this jacket (or a variation of it) but I love this one too, think it takes me back to my youth when All Saints were big and everyone had a fancy camo coat:

I've also been looking at cheap skater dresses too - I'm not convinced the dress style actually suits me so I don't want to spend too much money on something I might only wear a couple of times.

What are your winter fashion picks this year?

* Sponsored post

I come with baggage.

I've had my trusty Primark zebra print case for quite a few years now, it's been all around the world with me and to various different places in the UK.  I still hold a soft spot in my heart for it, as it was really cheap, at the time I loved the design plus it's lightweight  but sturdy and carries loads.  Every time I go to the airport I hold my breath while they weigh my case, even if I've already weighed it at home.  Luckily my boyfriend normally packs relatively light for holiday so even if I'm over, he's usually under so it all balances out.

However my trusty zebra case has definitely seen better days and I have this horrible feeling that one day the zip is going to burst or all of a sudden it's going crack open without me realising and I'm going to lose loads of stuff out of it.

So I've been browsing the internet for cheap lightweight suitcases.  I tend to like suitcases that are a bit bright or different so I can easily spot them at check in, I'm rubbish at distinguishing one black suit case from another.  I also want one that's lightweight but sturdy and carries plenty of things like my current one does.

The website I've been looking at even has a Lulu Guinness lips suitcase (or two) which is absolutely gorgeous!

* Sponsored post

Debenhams Christmas Flowers - gorgeous bouquets with a festive feel! Plus exclusive discount code.

I'm sure I've said this before but I absolutely love cut flowers and occasionally treat myself to the odd bouquet or two so I was ridiculously pleased to receive this absolutely gorgeous bunch from Debenhams Flowers.

They're actually kind of different to what I'd choose for myself, I usually prefer brighter, more contemporary flowers but I've actually really surprised myself by actually loving the mix of deep red roses, pink carnations, pink/white lilies, red berries and gold painted leaves.  I think it's really pretty and looks very festive and traditional.  They'd make a totally gorgeous present or a treat for someone and the Debenhams Flowers Christmas shop actually has other gifts too like wine, hampers and personalised items.

The flowers are amazing quality too, they were really fresh on arrival and the lillies were just starting to open, they've fully opened up now and look so pretty.  I love the berries and gold leaves that are in with the flowers, they're what makes it look so Christmassy I think.  They come well packaged in a sturdy box with a water soaked sponge type thing that the flowers are sat in so they don't dry out and of course you can include a personal message in with them.

All in all I think this is a fab gift and I'd be really pleased if someone got me this (hint hint ahem).  You can check out the full range at http://www.debenhamsflowers.com/christmas.  Debenhams Flowers are also offering £5 off all gifts until 21st December 2013 with the code XMASBLOG.

Topshop Lipstick in Wicked Review

I had a craving for something a bit different to my usual light pink lipsticks and I decided that a dark wine coloured lipstick was it.  I had a parcel to pick up from Topshop (the fact that they now do free delivery to stores is possibly the worst thing that has happened for my bank account...postage costs used to discourage me from ordering little bits and pieces here and there.  Not any more!) so I had a little browse of the make up while I was there too in the hope of finding a dark lipstick.

I found wicked, which is exactly the kind of colour I wanted.  I really like it and I don't feel like it's too dark or gothy though it's very definitely a winter lipstick.

However I feel like it looks a bit silly on my lips because they're quite full.  I think it would look better on smaller lips where it isn't such a dramatic look.  I've tried it on a couple of times now for nights out etc and each time I've ended up wiping it off before I leave the house!  I need to be braver!

Having worn it around the house, it lasts quite well and isn't too messy to wear though I'd say you still need to be careful when you're eating or drinking as it may well transfer across your face.  Even when it fades it leaves a little stain behind it which I personally quite like.

Wicked costs £8 from Topshop - God I miss my student discount!

Winter Pointy NOTD

There have been loads of winter nails popping up on Pinterest (you can find my Nails board here) which inspired me to do my own version.

I used my trusty Ebay false nails (review here) and then painted my nails with these polishes in the order pictured:

L-R: Models Own Snow White, Models Own Snowflakes, Darling Diva Polish Snowball (from Etsy), Seche Vite

I'm really pleased with how these turned out.  I think they look really wintery, eyecatching (but not quite too OTT) and actually even better than I thought.  I was actually going to stick some diamantes on to the half moons of my ring fingers (like this) but I liked them too much with just polish so decided not to in the end.

Quickie post about my laser eye surgery

If you've been reading Beauty and the Blogger for the last few months or more, you might have seen that I got my eyes lasered in September.  I haven't updated for a little while but at my one month check up, my eyes were pretty dry.  Apparently 1 in 500 people may experience long term dryness in their eyes after surgery so obviously I was a little bit worried.

At my check up the optician said that it was more likely that it was because it was the time of the year that heating starts going on everywhere, which can cause dry eyes anyway, so mine are no different. I got some different eye drops - more of a cream rather than liquid drops, so a bit more hydrating - and these seem to have worked much better to the point where I only need to put them in once or twice a day.  Phew!

My eyesight is still better than 20/20, I can drive without any lenses/specs, my nighttime vision doesn't have any blurriness or glow around lights, which was something I had with my glasses previously and I've had no pain or real discomfort.  All in all I still think that getting my eyes done has been one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I've recommended my clinic all over the place as people seem really interested once they find out I've had my vision corrected.

For more information about the clinic I visited you can read my previous laser eye surgery posts here or go to http://www.freedom-vision.co.uk/ - the team there are so lovely and will be able to answer any questions you may have.  I don't need to go back until around Christmas time now as they're just keeping an eye (ho, ho) onmy progress to make sure the dryness was a temporary, rather than a permanent, occurrence.

Models Own Flakie Love (Snowflake and Pink Paradise swatches)

As someone who has been into flakie polishes for a long time, I'm delighted that they're so much more easier to get hold of than they once were.  I've not really been keeping that up to date with new nail collection launches because I still have a ridiculous amount of polishes in my spare room (aka my dressing room).

For some reason I've suddently gone all obsessive about flakie polishes again and found the Models Own Splash Box Set.  These are some ridiculously pretty polishes that definitely have bottle appeal.

I refrained from buying the whole set even though I fell in love with the blue, orange and pink polishes because as I mentioned earlier: I have too many polishes.  And also:  for something which is essentially a layering polish and the look will depend on what you layer it over...did I really need to buy five polishes that would all look much of a muchness on the nail.  So I settled on Pink Paradise and then bought another flakie (Snowflake, clear with holographic flakie pieces) and Nude Beige, an old favourite of mine that I'd ran out of as there was a 3 for 2 offer going on at Boots.com*.

There are plenty of holographic pieces in both of these polishes and these lie fairly flat on the nail without feeling too bumpy, especially if you smooth out with a topcoat such as Seche Vite*.  Also, when I said I felt like these polishes would all look the same on the nail as they're for layering, I actually think you could build up a decent enough coverage on the nail with these to look good on their own, though they would still be more of a sheer wash of colour than opaque.  Pink Paradise actually contains really fine pink glitter so I think each one would look slightly different, though probably not to any non-nail-obsessed people.

Looking forward to doing some Christmas/winter themed art with these, especially Snowflake.  I'm actually tempted to go and get the orange and blue from the Splash set too...

Carex Nourish & Protection Antibacterial Hand Cream Review - Vitamin E and Aloe Vera

I start getting really dry skin as the weather turns colder and my hands are no exception.  My palms and cuticles start feeling so dry and can crack if I'm not careful.  Since it's currently absolutely freezing, I decided this was the perfect time to try a new hand cream.

I was sent some Carex Antibacterial Hand Creams for review so decided to give them a shot.  Seeing that this weekend has seen rain, hail and frost if it can help them now, then it can help any time.  These hand creams also protect against bacteria, which isn't something I'm massively concerned about (come on, I wash my hands when I should...) but nevertheless some people will be really into it!

In terms of the packaging, I'd say it's more functional than pretty but I think the fact it's in a squeezy tube's really important.  Who wants to dip their hands into a pot of cream that's meant to be antibacterial!  It's a handy size to carry around in our bag too, I've got one at home and one at work.  Both of these creams smell really fresh and clean without smelling like disinfectant or anything like that.  I very slightly prefer the Vitamin E one but think that's just a personal thing.

Both of these creams are light and not at all greasy, they sink into the skin really quickly so you don't have to sit and avoid touching anything for ages which is a bit of a bonus as sometimes these type of products feel really oily.   They still feel very moisturising and nourishing though, my hands feel so much better after I use these which is the whole point of course.  I don't feel like I need to be putting this on every 5 minutes to feel the benefit of them, every few hours is more than enough.

Carex Antibacterial Hand Creams cost just £2.49 a tube and are available from Sainsbury's and  Superdrug

Lord and Berry 20100 Matte Lipstick Pencil in Allure - plus exclusive Lord and Berry 10% off discount code for Beauty and the Blogger readers!

I was sent this to review and I have to admit it isn't really a colour I'd pick for myself, I tend to prefer pinks and reds to brown and nude colour.  Saying that though I actually kind of liked the colour of the lips but I've yet to wear it outside!

So, colour aside, what did I think of the product?  It actually reminds me a lot of the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil*, which retails at £17.50 both in terms of packaging and the product itself.  It feels gorgeous and creamy on the lips without being too glossy or dragging on application, I don't think I'd call it matte really though.  Applying this product is really simple - just draw it onto your lips, the pencil is nice and chunky and easy to hold.  It isn't the longest lasting of lip products but to be honest it's no different to the majority of lipsticks out there.

I was actually really pleasantly surprised by this product, I haven't tried any Lord and Berry products before but I will definitely be trying more.  This is a really fantastic alternative to more expensive brands - less than half the price of the NARS version - and for me just as effective.

I've also got an exclusive 10% Lord and Berry discount code for readers of Beauty and the Blogger - just enter code BATB10 at  HQhair.com* on any Lord and Berry item.  Happy shopping!

Dresses everywhere

I moaned on Twitter recently that I couldn't find any dresses that I liked in the shops - well, that's all changed now, I don't know if the shops are getting their Christmas stuff in or what but I could literally buy dresses all day long at the minute.

1. ASOS Metal Work Print Bodycon Dress - £40
2. Warehouse Black Chiffon and Leather Dress - £140 (cheaper version from New Look here*)
3. Missguided Bonitta Origami Mini Dress* - £19.99
4. Missguided Maia Chiffon Cross Over Mini Dress In Nude* - £29.99
5. boohoo.com Megan Long Sleeve Wrap Dress* - £20
6. Love Shift Dress with Lace Insert - £34
7. ASOS Metallic Panel Shift Dress - £55
8. Lipsy Long Sleeve Tribal Midi Dress - £50
9. River Island Blue Metal Plate Tunic Dress - £40
10. River Island Pink Embellished Sleeve Bodycon Dress - £40

I think 2, 3 and 7 are my favourites but I really like them all!  Now, I just need to win the lottery or something...

Vita Liberata pHenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Dark Review - does it really last 2-3 weeks?!

I'm sure I've said this before but I love the look of being tanned but I'm so lazy when it comes to a beauty routine that I can't be bothered with the whole fake tanning rigmarole every week or more.  So when I heard about Vita Liberata's pHenomenal tan which promises to last 2-3 weeks a little while ago I was very interested!  I prefer to use up one product before moving on to the next one so I waited until I used up my existing tanning products before splashing out on this.  It isn't cheap at all but if it does actually last two weeks or so then I'm happy to pay that.

This tan was really easy to apply with a tanning mitt, it's a mousse formula which I find the easiest to use anyway, and I actually felt like it was really quick.  Be warned that this also dries very very quickly which is a good thing as it means you're not hanging around for ages but it also means that any mistakes you make will show up so be careful - the guide colour does help with this though!  The tan comes with really comprehensive guide of how to apply it so if you're not confident about tanning then this would probably be helpful.  It smells pretty nice too but has an undertone of tan smell to it.

To extend the length of our tan you need to wash it off 3-24 hours after applying with just water and then reapply the tan, apparently one application will last 5 days, 2 applications will last 7 days and 3 applications will last 10 days approx.  Not sure what I make of this, would this not work if you did it with any tan? In my head - and because I didn't do that much research I just assumed you applied it as normal and it lasted for 2 weeks but never mind!

I have to say, considering I used the dark version, I was surprised at how not dark it was when I washed the first coat off (I feel like a fence) - I'm not into the Ronseal/Oompa Loompah look but this was a nice, natural glow rather than what I'd call a dark tan.  The second coat definitely looked darker but unfortunately was a lot patchier too - I wasn't happy with how the tan looked on the backs of my hands or on my ankles/feet at all.  I don't think it was my application either as I never have these problems with tan ordinarily.  Also, because everything specifically says not to apply moisturiser beforehand I found that it really clung to my knees and elbows.

This tan didn't really last the recommended week for 2 applications (I couldn't be bothered subjecting myself to a third coat), it was kind of patchy and faded by about day 4 or 5.  I wouldn't buy this again but I'll still use it up (one coat only) until it's finished before going back to my usual Xen Tan*.  This didn't really live up to the hype for me, which is a bit disappointing.

If you want to try this out and see if it works for you, it's available from feelunique.com* for £37.

Paul Mitchell Flexible Style Fast Drying Sculpting Spray Review

I'm constantly looking for ways to tame my fairly unruly, damaged hair as it tends to go frizzy easily (especially if there's an millimetre of moisture in the air - when I go on holiday I'm like Monica in Friends in that episode where they go to the Caribbean!) but I don't want it to look like I've got loads of product in, I just want people to think I've got naturally great hair.

Step in Paul Mitchell Flexible Style Fast Drying Sculpting Spray.  It's ridiculously easy to use, you just spray it on to damp hair then blowdry as usual (you can apply it to dry hair too).  I use it most on the roots of my hair underneath to create volume and lift and it really does work for me as well as keeping my style in place and looking shiny.  It smells good too, kind of watermelon-y but not overpoweringly so.  Another good thing is that it has UV sunscreen so I suspect it would be good if you were on holiday to stop your hair getting too damaged.

It really does help to get some shape and hold in my hair without actually making my hair feeling crispy, sticky or full of product.  It feels really weightless and you can still run your fingers through your hair without them getting caught which is nice.  I actually find as well that this works well to refresh my hair too if I don't want to wash it but it's gone a bit fuzzy while I've been asleep.  I just lightly spritz this on and really quickly blowdry my hair with a round brush and it really perks it up as it's reactivated by heat or water.

Paul Mitchell Fast Drying Sculpting Spray is available from wantthelook.com for £11.50

John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo and Conditioner Review

I was getting a bit bored with the shampoo and conditioner that I was using so I was sent these to review at the right time.

These smell lovely, lather really well (so you don't need to use loads) and feel really creamy on the hair.  After using them my hair was really smooth, full and shiny - if you like big, groomed hair then this is probably the shampoo for you.  I hate to say but I didn't have massively high expectations for these but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.  My only criticism was that I didn't really feel like the conditioner smoothed my hair that much at the ends, but that might be because I desperately need it cut and actually it's probably part of making your hair big and full.

The other thing I found is that these products aren't heavy and don't make my hair go greasy quickly at the roots which can sometimes be the case when I try new shampoos.  I've actually managed to leave my hair an extra day without washing it (not out of choice, I just got up late yesterday!) which I couldn't usually do, I needed a tiny spritz of dry shampoo and I was good to go.  I wouldn't normally dare do this, especially not without tying my hair up.  I left it down which was a nice change.

I would definitely buy these again in future, they seem to work well for my dry, damaged hair and are at a price that won't break the bank.  These are currently on offer (2 for £8) on Boots.com* so if you want to give them a go now might be the time!

John Frieda are also giving away hundreds of prizes on their Facebook page, like their page to find out more!

Follow me...

I've taken the plunge into Google+ so just thought I'd remind you of the ways you can follow Beauty and the Blogger:

Google+

Bloglovin'

Twitter

Pinterest

I don't use Instagram, YouTube or Vine (yet) but you'll be the first to know if I do!

I bought hair extensions for £6.99 on Ebay...

Just lately I've really been hankering after getting some proper hair extensions again.  I first had hair extensions in about 10 years ago before they were really popular and readily available everywhere like they are now and they were ridiculously expensive, only one salon in town did them (I had them woven in) and the ones I had weren't overly long.  As a kid I had really thick hair but from using bleach on my hair and quite a bit of heat styling over the years it's got quite a bit thinner which is disappointing, my Mam has got really thick hair still!

I then found another woman who lived near me who would weave extensions in if you provided the hair.  I went a bit ridiculous and wore 24 inch ones for a few years!  It was expensive, time consuming there was a lot of maintenance and I shed more hair than an alsatian.  This is the stuff I tell myself whenever I get the urge to get extensions put in properly.

Following on from that I used to wear clip ins quite a lot, mainly on nights out and for special occasions. I love that extensions are way easier to get hold of now.  I decided that rather than buying some really expensive extensions that I would hardly wear that I would go low budget and if they weren't right I hadn't wasted a lot of money.

So I found these on Ebay, they're synthetic but do a really wide range of colours (important to me as I have so many different blondes in my hair now), come in wavy or straight and are all on one single clip in.  The ones I got were trio blonde/wavy/24 inches which was a bit longer than I wanted as I really only wanted them for volume so I trimmed about 4 inches off the bottom of them.  It made them look a bit better as without the trim they looked a bit straggly and synthetic.

For £6.99 these are actually ok and definitely wearable for the odd night out, they don't look too shiny either and for synthetic extensions the colour is really good - not too Barbie blonde.  They're really easy to put in as well as there's only one row of clips.  They haven't quite got rid of my urges to go and get loads of hair either woven or put in with micro-rings but they've calmed me down for now.

New Jessica Nails Collections

As you will probably know by now, I absolutely love nails and just recently I've been looking at the Jessica range, especially the Effects Glitzy collection and the A Night at the Opera Collection.

The Effects Glitzy collection contains all different types and colours of glitter - really on trend right now!  There's bar glitter, large hexagonal pieces, holo glitter and some normal glitter too.  These would be great as nail art over your normal polish or even on their own I think?  With some of these I think an accent nail would work really well.

The Night at the Opera collection isn't one that I've seen before but I absolutely love the mix of glitter and semi matte finishes, especially in the more muted, wintery colours that mean they don't look too much.  The glitter looks really fine and subtle too.

I definitely want to try these out, I think that some of them would be great for toes.  I might even treat myself to a specialist Jessica pedicure or actually I think that gel nails are a great alternative as they last a bit longer so I might get gel toes put on?  I'm a bit lazy when it comes to painting my toes and tend to only change the colour if I know I'm going to have my toes out in sandals or something.  You can find your nearest gel manicure salon here if you're thinking about something longer lasting.

Have you ever tried Jessica polishes?  What did you think of them?

* Sponsored post