NOTD - Models Own HyperGel Coral Glaze

Hello summer nails! Now the sun is shining I'm reaching for brighter colours again and top of the pile is Coral Glaze from Models Own Hypergel Collection.

Coral Glaze is a perfect pink coral - on the pink end of the coral spectrum, it's nice to have a coral which isn’t on the orange end of the spectrum. It’s a really bright coral, almost neon with how bright it is.

Application was a bit of a pain as it tends to bubble, no matter how long I leave it between coats; I need to investigate if it’s the base that is causing the bubbling as it doesn’t bubble when I use it on my toes. Hypergel lasts so well, I nearly got a whole week before I chipped it in the garden. Removal is great, nice and easy with no damage left.

I have been rocking this on my toes for the last couple of weeks; I keep re-applying as it looks great with a tan and sandals.

What do you think of Coral Glaze, let me know xxx

Makeup - This Week #8

I feel like I haven’t done one of these in ages - not because I haven’t been changing my makeup up but more because I've been having some time off blogging - but I think I've got my mojo back, going to build up slowly and just enjoy writing again.

So this week I'm trying to move into my summer make up - a bit more colour, a bit of tan, a lighter base.

For the base I've picked Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream for Oily Skin. This is great as I can throw it on with my fingers or a brush, a quick dust of loose powder and it stays all day. As it’s a BB cream it doesn’t cover fully but it gives enough coverage for everyday. For the rest of my face, I'm using a combination of Benefit Hoola & Benefit Rockateur to add colour and definition. Hoola is a long term favourite, I use it to give a bit of colour to my skin with a light dusting all over or as a contour on my cheeks and then Rockateur to give a bit of a pink & highlight on the apples of my cheeks.

For eyes I'm re-loving Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24 in Eternal Gold. I use this all over the lid before then adding definition with Barry M Dazzle Dust in Tan. I love this combination, it’s nice to use Dazzle Dusts again, I really need to play with them more often. To line I've got Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl in Bronze as it doesn't move as my eyes water a lot in the summer months. To finish it all off, I'm using Benefits They're Real Mascara which I love. This is only the mini one, I do own the full size and love it but I just grabbed the mini. They're Real creates huge lashes which are defined and open, just what I need in the summer.

So there it is - this week in Make Up - what do you think of any of these picks? Let me know! Xx

Review - Origin High Potency Night-a-Mins Oil Free Moisturiser

Boots -£34

Origins, why must you make the names of everything so long!!!Oh well, if the number of words represented the quality of the product then this one is the bees knees! A couple of weeks ago, I popped into John Lewis to pick up a different moisturiser and was offered a free facial - perfect as I wasn’t busy and am not going to say no! After chatting and chilling with the girl on the counter we got talking night time moisturiser. I went in for the Make a Different + moisturiser, but she suggested that it was too heavy for summer skin care and that the High Potency Night-a-mins oil free would be a better fit - I'm a sucker for taking advice and thought I would try it out.

6 weeks later I can happily report that this is a brilliant night moisturiser! This has changed my skin completely. Packed with loads of Vitamins and Minerals, the oil free formula has a soft, gel like texture which glides across the skin without leaving the skin greasy. In the morning my skin is soft and fresh - it’s nice to see that it has improved. As well as this, my skin appears more even and fine lines less obvious and I put it down to this more than anything.

At £34, it’s not the cheapest on the market but it is well worth it!

I adore it, have you tried it before? Xx

Review - Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush

Boots - £5.99

For as long as I can remember I've envied those girls who make a winged liner look so easy - the way in videos they slick it on like its natural to them. So I'm on a mission to learn myself. I've tried liquid and me and that just don't mix, my eyelid are too oily (that's sexy I know!) So I've been using different gel liners and trying to teach myself - it appears I need to work on my technique, starting with the brush.

I picked up the Silicone Liner Brush from Real Techniques after reading a shed load of reviews on line. The silicone tip makes it easy to load up the brush with product as well as removing what you don't need. Application is made easier as the stiffer tip holds its shape rather then splaying out like a tradition brush. 

I use this by sliding the edge along my top lash line. It fits easily against the lash line, leaving a smooth line which I have much more control over. Slowing I can create the line I want, however I haven't progressed to a cat flick yet - baby steps after all!

At £5.99, this is the cheapest of all the brushes from Real Techniques, but it is one of my every day essentials now - over the summer I hope to master the full flick so watch this space!

Have you tried the Silicone Liner Brush? Any tips for mastering the flick as I'm hopeless!! xx

NOTD - Essie Summer Collection Gift Set

Essie Summer 2014 Collection

At last, after weeks of not painting my nails I finally have colour on them - all thanks to the wonderful Essie! I was in Boots picking up bits needed for school and spotted the new collection, lets just say it was love at first sight.

For Summer 2014, Essie brings us a collection of strong colours and fantastic formulas. I picked up the gift set so I've only got 3 of the 6 colours but these are three of the best.

The gift set contains:

roarrrrange - hello, tiger. your fashion instinct is anything but basic in this unstoppable bold orange. meow! - This couldn't be a better description for this shade. Roarrrrange is a deep orange, spot on tiger colour. 

ruffles & feathers - extravagant. effusive. euphoric. have some serious fun in this powerful peacock teal. - A much stronger teal then expected, more of a green then a teal blue but still lovely.

haute in the heat - turn up the chic in this unforgettable hot raspberry. burn, baby, burn - I don't normally do raspberry colours but this is more of a deeper red/pink then a true raspberry.

I used two coats, however the formula of these is good enough that you would only need one. The wide brush covers the nail in a couple of sweeps making application quick and easy.

Overall, this will be a collection to grab this summer -- I think it will be hard for anyone else to beat the colours of this collection. You can pick these up in Boots or Superdrug. 

What do you think of the colours? xx

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strong. intense. polished. inspired by women with instinctive style, these six irresistible shades amplify summer’s sultry mood with bright, sexy color. consolidate your power with gorgeous colors perfect for a cosmopolitan safari or a walk on the wild side. this varied palette gives women a bevy of fashionable options that go perfectly with an unstoppable attitude.

Review - Benefit Big Easy

My love for Benefit make up is not something I hide, I use a lot of their products because I love them! Every new release is carefully tried out in Boots & John Lewis before I take the plunge to buy.  When Benefits Big Easy was released I read a lot of blog posts. You see, I love Hello Flawless foundation, to me it is holy grail material so any new base release needs to compare against that.

Big Easy is the new 'multi balancing complexion perfector' from Benefit that has SPF35 and comes in 6 shades. Looking at other reviews, it appears most people feel it's some what of a foundation/bb cream hybrid - offering build able coverage but letting your skin show through.

I have shade 02 Light. To me, this is almost spot in in terms of colour match, it is slightly yellow toned so it cancels out my natural redness which I love and doesn't leave me looking off colour. I've also picked up shade 03 for when I'm slightly more tanned. 

I tend to use my fingers to apply Big Easy for day to day as it give a nice, natural finish - giving a small amount of coverage and colour correction. I have used a brush with it but I find it can go a bit streaky with a brush. I put a small dot on to each cheek, one in my forehead and a small dot in my chin and blendwith clean   hands. I'm left with a not too matte finish, just natural. Add a touch of concealer and I'm good to go!

Lasting power is pretty good, it's still on my skin 12hrs later, some slight wear around my nose but that's normal for my oily skin. Depending on what moisturiser I've used in the am depends in how shiny I am, a mattifying one leads to slight 'glow' across my cheeks and forehead, a but more heavy duty and I do start to look a tad shiny - nothing a dusting of powder can't sort. 

Another plus is that it is meant to give you SPF35 protection, which is above and beyond any other foundation I've found, perfect now the weather is getting warmer - lord knows I burn the moment the sun starts to think about putting its hat on! 

The only negative I have is how much this clings to my eyebrows, I don't know if I've got very dry eyebrows but it can't get a bit orange under the old brows, no matter how much I brush it out I can still see it! But never mind, its something I've learnt to deal with, avoiding putting this on the brows - I think this would also cling to any dry patches as well.

Overall, for me this is my every day base product, I can't see myself falling out with it any time soon. You can pick it up from Boots for £27.50 or anywhere else you can buy Benefit from. Also, check out http://www.vouchercloud.com/boots-com-vouchers for futher discounts at Boots.

What do you think of Benefit products? Have you tried Big Easy? xx