NOTD - Topshop Celestial

Evening lovelies, hope your well, sorry I haven't blogged in a while but report season has taken over at school and so my life has been all about reports and nothing else :( No makeup post today as I haven't had time, plus feeling really rough today :(


So I'm forcing my self to take a break and get caught up with blogging. It feels like ages since I wrote about a polish but that's because this one has been on my nails for nearly two weeks! This is very rare but it means it must be love!


Topshop make up is fast becoming a favourite among the blogging and real world, if a week goes by where I don't see a review of their cream blush or lip colours then I worry. Their nail polish collection is ever expanding, and the core collection changes seasonally.


I've tried a few Topshop polishes in the past and loved some and hated other but this one has to be my all time favourite!

Celestial is a true corn flower blue polish. In some lights it has a hint of lilac but this really is not all the time. It's bright, refreshing a perfectly summary.

Contrast Essie Cute as a Button

It applies really well, this is two coats fully opaque with a base coat and it only started to chip after a very busy weekend of lifting tools and boxes. I've since reapplied this and still love it, plus lots of people have complimented me on it ( and who doesn't love a compliment!) Its not super shiny, nor is it matte finish but it still glows on the nail.


Topshop polish has a squared off brush that distributes polish evenly over the nail, leaving it streak free. Something I will say is that make sure you leave plenty of time between coats as this polish did bubble when I rushed it which was disappointing so it needs time to dry.


For £5, I can see Topshop polishes becoming a bit of an addiction for me, similar to the Models Own ones at the same price. As I said, the collection is ever changing and evolving so if you see a colour, grab it as I don't know how long they will be about for!


What do you think? Are there any other Topshop colours your like, love or loathe?


Xx

This weeks Ups & Downs #20

Evening lovelies, hope your well, watching the football no doubt.

This is my first post for what feels like ages but I'm really struggling with my work life balance at the moment - I'm writing lots but not posting as I don't have time to take pictures :( but a very eventful week:

Ups -

- this weekend my parents came down as the boys mum and stepdad invited them down to meet a bit more of the family. It was a nice weekend full of food, a bit too much wine (dad shared nearly 5 bottles of red with the boys step dad!) and lovely conversation. It was nice having everyone together, it just highlights how luck I am to have such a wonderful family who all get on!

- I'm loving using my iPad to blog at the moment, I just need to get some pictures sorted as I have about 15posts without pictures just waiting!

- only 3 weeks, 4.5 days left until the summer holiday!

Downs -

- School work stress is killing me :( reports to write, tests to mark, work to analyse, plans to plan, children to teacher, books to mark - its a hectic life and the balance between life and work is a bit of a struggle at the moment :( it's hard to laugh and smile at the moment
- this week my work mum also announced that she was retiring. This kills me as we have our suspicions that she is being pushed more then anything but it will break down the links between the school and our parents - I expect fireworks this week :(

- I want more time to blog! :(

- one week until payday, and it can't come sooner at the moment - I have a stash of money for petrol but I hate touching it as I'm saving it for a rainy day. I need to get back to using up samples rather then lusting after lots of items.




So there's my week, it may not seem busy but all I'm doing is work and work and more work :(

How was your week?




From we heart it
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

NOTD - Essie Turquoise & Caicos

Afternoon lovelies, hope your well and this week is isn't treating you too bad, I'm on the count down to summer holidays, they can't come quick enough now, especially after today! 


 Unless you've been living under a rock for the past month then you will know that Essie have released a diffusion line of their main collection with a selection of their most popular colours with a new brush and at a new price. 


I'm ashamed to admit that I have never bought an Essie polish until now because I didn't want to pay the full price, I'm the same with OPI and get them from a supplier on EBay. 


So I went in search of the Essie stand in town a couple of weeks ago, and I found them in Superdrug. Our Superdrug has recently had a mega refit, getting lots of brands that I've missed out on, and they have a really big Essie stand. Obviously I had to take advantage of the 3 for 2 they had on, but choosing was the hardest! 


One colour I knew I wanted was Turquoise and Caicos, a polish I have seen countless times on Blair Fowler in the videos, so I had to pick it up! 

Turquoise and Caicos is named after the colour of the sea around the Turks & Caico islands that are part of a group of islands near the Bahamas. 


The colour is a real blue/green mix that is very fresh. As part of their diffusion line, Essie have given the new bottles a new, wider brush with a rounded tip. The brush is great for doing the whole nail in one or two strokes. I really liked the brush, its wider and stiffer then the OPI brush, but I really like it. 

The formulae was opaque in two coats, leaving a really deep colour that lasted well with a base of OPI's Nail Envy. 


I am really impressed with this polish from Essie, I hope that the other colours live up to this, and I am in love with this polish - summer loving all the way!

So what do you think, a colour that you want or have in your collection? What other colours do you have from Essie? Xx

Shopping my Stash #14

Evening lovelies, how miserable is the weather today, means everyone's gone a bit mad at school, not being able to get outside!


So something to brighten your day, this weeks stash.

Face:

- Murad Skin Perfecting Primer - this appeared many months ago in the January Glossybox, looked at it and put it in my bag of samples and forgot about it, but I'm making myself to use up the products and this one is actually quite a nice product. It applies quite dark on my pale skin but as you blend this disappears and it feels more like a tinted moisturiser.


- 17 Matte foundation - a new product to me, but I've been curious for a while and so picked it up while it was on offer in Boots at the weekend. It claims to leave skin feeling and looks matte for longer - let's see how this copes with my oily skin!


- Benefit Erase Paste - a nice, thick, full coverage concealer for those big bag days, a must after half term!


- Benefit Georgia - I have this just on my forehead as that remain oily no matter what I try, I have this invade the foundation doesn't live up to claims.


- Benefit Dallas blusher box - the sun may not be shining, but this add a warm flush to the skin as though you've been in the sun for weeks. I adore these boxes, and swear by this one for the cooler summer days as its not tan or pink!


Eyes:

- Urban Decay Primer Potion - Another sample, I ignored it as I didn't know if it would replace my beloved Lemon Aid but I fancied a change, and this was the first one I found.


- MUA Immaculate Collection - I love this palette but I really need to become more adventurous with it as intend to be quite safe. So many pigmented colours that I never use, this will be my mission this week!


- Rimmel Scandalous Mascara - another newbie for me, borrowed this from my mum (sorry mum!) as I was curious about it, will it compete with my favourite mascara - Maybelline Falsies?!


- NYX Eyebrow/Liner Pencil in Medium Brown - picked this up a while ago. I like it for brows and eyes for a bit of definition.

- Avon Glimmerstick in Copper - something different for a change.


- Benefit Browzing in Medium - this was my main brow kit for many years but it has become somewhat ignored with the arrival of my HD brow kit but I love the brow wax for keeping my brows defined.


So there you have it, another week and another stash shopping - what products have you chosen this week?


Xx

This Weeks Ups & Downs #20

Evening lovelies, taking some time out from the #bbloggers chat to write this post - I never seem to have enough time to blog at the moment! I didn't get an Up & Down post written last Sunday as I was at my parents having a well earned rest, so I will include everything in this one!

Ups:

- Half Term - this week has been a much needed week off. I've slept, been home, caught up on cleaning and jobs, written plans and reports, slept some more and had a nice week that I really needed. This weekend has gone too fast sadly as it's back to work tomorrow.

- I've done quite a bit of shopping recently, so have lots of lovely new things to show you, as well as some things I've lusted after for a while, including my gorgeous new IPad.

- 5 weeks and 4 days until the summer holidays, bring it on! Really cranking up the exercise now, I'm feeling much better physically, need to increase the amount of cardio and resistance that I do.

Downs:

- Last weekend I was hit with an awful cold - it literally lasted a day but I felt so rough, one of the joys of working with small children all the time.

- Back to school tomorrow, we are still waiting for our HMI visit so still feel very on edge really, hopefully it will be soon and it will go really well.

1. My hair feels amazing, 2. No makeup makeup
3. Look what I got, 4. Think boy Soy Sauce
5. I want this chair, 6. Meatballs at IKEA

7. Yesterday's Face, 8. #photoadayjune day 8 - 6o'clock
9. Totally true, 10. Don't want to use these
11. #photoadayjune day 7 - drink, 12. Posh Tea

13. Current Obsession, 14. Max reading Glamour
15. Andy wearing a crown, 16. IPAD!!!

17. WTF?, 18. At the park
19. Mum didn't want it, 20. Home cooked roast dinner

Sorry my photo's are a bit naff - my photoshop has decided to crash and needs re-installing :( 


How was your week?


xx

Minty Waterfall

Afternoon lovelies,hope your well and the week is going as fast for you as it is for me! I could do with this week to slow down as I have so much to do for school and not enough time! 


It's not often that I do an outfit post, that's more to not yet having a tripod,not yet trained the boyfriend properly yet and I'm not overly keen on how I look in most, if not all pictures, however I liked this outfit and wanted to show you! 


This was something I wore to work ages ago when the weather was awful back in April. 

I really like the skirt as it sits nicely above my knee without being too short, but I still paired it with my black wedge boots as it was cold!


The mint top is something I picked up from Primark a while ago, I love it, but fear that the drop hem makes me look somewhat boob sized, especially from the front. 


The collar necklace is also from Primary but I really like their accessories at the moment so loved it - all the kids at school complimented me on it.


I got the boy to take these photos for me, which was a real struggle but he eventually did them when I got home so I look very tired in these, and not my most put together really. 

So a little outfit post for you, an idea of what I wear at school when I'm having a good body day :) Xx

Project Samples

Does anyone else have a bag of unused samples, you know the bits from beauty boxes, magazines, small sample sized gifts from friends all stuffed into a bag waiting for you to try?


I keep mine in a bag that sits by my bedside table - I always put stuff in and think 'I better keep that, I'll use it soon' and so the bag has grown bigger and bigger until I picked it up and it exploded all over me - sending samples of every possible product flying across my bed.

Thats when I realised I have too many and need to use some up, so here it is. I am going to try and pick 5 samples to use each week - if I use it all up then woohoo, if I don't then it will rollover to the next week. I must check the bag before I shop incase I have something to use up first.

I will try and review each of the samples I use up to let you know what I think! If I like it, I might even buy it!!


I aim to reduce my sample hoarding like this, and maybe discover some new products along the way.


These are my samples for this week -

Anyone else a sample hoarder? Have you used any samples and then rushed out to buy full size? Let me know xx

Shopping my stash #13

Afternoon lovelies, hope your well. I'm taking a short break from report writing today to blog so this is it and then it's back to the grind - I might switch to writing planning soon as I'm bored of reports! 


So this week has been a very delayed week, I've spent time at my parents home which chills me out and I didn't want to come back to reality! But I need to be back into some sort of routine, so I thought I would show you what makeup I'm wearing on my week off. 

Face: 

- Benefit Porefessional - I am officially in love with this, it smooths out my skin, so I use less foundation but I still have enough coverage. I apply this with my Real Techniques Stippling brush to get full coverage and then use the same brush to apply the foundation. 


- Benefit Hello Flawless foundation - This is something I'm loving at the moment. It works really well with the primer, and it leaves my oily skin quite matte for quite a while, and it's doesn't cling to my dry bits.


- Benefit Benetint - I've owned this for a while and I love it on my pale skin all year round. I had forgotten about it until recently but I like to mix it with the Sunbeam to give a sun kissed glow.


- Benefit Sunbeam - This is a really new product, I bought it with visions of playing with it on sun kissed skin now summer is upon us...that plan didn't work out as well as planned, so I've had to rework it with the Benetint. I will write a review of this soon, showing how I use it but so far I like it. 


- Mac Harmony Blush - This is more of a bronze then a blush on me so I use it as a contour shade, warming up. Y snow white skin to bring a healthy summer glow, another product to review at some point. 


Eyes: 

- Urban Decay Naked Palette - Not very original this week but this travels well and gives me all the colours I need. 


- Maybelline Colossal Volume Waterproof Mascara - its that time of year where my eyes start streaming for no apparent reason and I end up looking like a member of KISS so waterproof is a must 


- Inka Mineral Eyeliner - This was in a Glossybox and since I've started using it, I've grown to love it! So I've been using it quite a bit recently as its quite a nice, neutral brown liner.


- Benefit Lemon Aid - A brilliant eyebase that helps keep my eyeshadow in place, or I just wear this alone if I'm in need for an awake look.


So there you have it, half term make up. It's quite a lot but I don't wear it all every day - today for example I'm wearing no make up as I need to give my skin a rest. Also its very Benefit heavy, that is because a lot of my basics are from there as I like the quality and I've had them a very long time! 


Any items you use and love from my stash? Have you shopped your stash this week?




xx