Valentine's Day Nail Art!

Eeeeeevening!

This is a kind of improvised manicure - I wanted to do a "love letter" style design, with a cream and pink heart background and newspaper print over the top. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the STUUUPOIIDIDIDD newspaper to transfer with vodka, so I've ordered some surgical spirit to try instead! I was very frustrated. Bundlemonster to the rescue, I decided to use plate BM09 and stamp the "love" image repeatedly, so it looks almost like a love letter (or weird love graffiti).

I started out with a base of 3 coats of Bloom Nicole and then stamped the swirly heart image from Bundle Monster BM02 using Konad Special White Polish mixed with bright pink. I then used Rimmel Urban Princess to stamp three little love-hearts from BM03 in the gaps.

After a coat of Seche Vite, I used Konad Black Special Polish to stamp the Love image from BM09 repeatedly over the whole nail. This was tricky to get straight! The beauty of adding a coat of topcoat before stamping, is that if you make a mistake you can take it off with nail varnish remover without destroying your previous stamping.

Don't forget you can click to enlarge!! A little bit different from my Anti-Valentines Day manicure...but I can get into the spirit of things!

I hope everyone had a lovely V-Day, single or not! Let me know what you think on the comments :D

xxx

Anti-Valentines Day Nails with Nails Inc!

Now, I'm not a bitter old hag but mushy just aint my style. I'm also going to be single this year and so wanted to do a manicure for the singletons that wasn't covered in hearts and bows and glitter and feeeeelings.

I started out with a base of Nails Inc Tate, which came free with a British Magazine (I forget which - Glamour?!) and is a gorgeous shade of deep red. For the accent nail the base is Colour Club white with a Tate heart - I drew this using a dotting tool. The rest of the details were added with Claire's Black Nail Art Pen:

I would also like to add that I am not a narcissist, I just thought it was funny hahah.

Whatever you're doing on V-Day, I hope you have fun! I will be watching Bridget Jones, painting my nails and enjoying the freedom to belch whenever I like. I'm allergic to roses anyway.



xxx

GlossyBox January 2012 Review

Ok, so I might be a little behind here, but I've done a GB review EVERY MONTH since I got their very first box, so I'm not about to stop now! I really like this months box, there was a definite mix of products and they're all really usable. It is a Valentine's themed box this month and I was terrified that it would be all soppy and couple-y and I would have to vomit in it and send it back. I was pleasantly surprised, however - I will use all the products, with all retching kept at bay, for now.

Products contained:

Authentic Cleansing Nectar

Authentic Moisturising Balm

First Aid Beauty Body Wash

Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer

First up is the Authentic Cleansing Nectar -

Body washes don't really excite me, I have to admit, so was a little disappointed to find two in this month's GB. This is very floral smelling, and the smell does stay with you for a while, not unpleasant if that's your cup of tea! I didn't try is on the hair, but it lathers really nicely so I can imagine it's lovely! It has the same scent as the Authentic Moisturising Balm:

This was my favourite product in the box - it's a multipurpose, moisturising balm, but I've been using it mainly on the ends of my hair, as a mask! Hair has taken a bit of a battering lately and was feeling rather dry, but this has made the lengths feel much silkier.  You can also use it as a moisturising wash and balm for basically anywhere on your body! Cool!

It's a light but creamy consistency - not too heavy or oily.

The First Aid Kit Gentle Body Wash is very nice again, but just not all that exciting. it is soft on the skin but doesn't lather terribly well - though this is good for sensitive skin. It is fragrance free as well which is brilliant for dry skin, in this cold weather.

Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner up next - the colour I got was black. May sound a little boring to you, but I would've been mighty disappointed if I had received the powder pink one, for example. At least this shade I can wear on a daily basis and get my wear out of! It's a nice soft liner, though I do find it smudges and smears throughout the day, not staying put very well.

Nicely pigmented!

The last item is a Murad Skin Perfecting Primer - GB have had Murad in their boxes before in the form of an acne-clearing cleanser and I hoped to see them again. I find this more of a tinted moisturiser, as I don't think it leaves that velvety finish on the skin that really good primers can. Skin did feel perfected, though, and I will use this under my makeup. Murad is renowned for high quality so I think this will be better for my skin than other perfecters!

Let's not forget Glossy Box's little V-Day gift to me:

Glossy Box, baby, you know how to make a girl feel special. It tasted looovely thank you!

All in all, it was a very nice box, not necessarily the most exciting, but everything in it is so usable. I can say for certain that I will use every single thing I have received! Thanks Glossy Box!

xxx





Avon Shine Attract Lipstick Review

Goood evening everyone, we've had some cracking snow in the UK over the weekend, it is sadly melting away now just in time for the working week to start. DAMN.
I have three lippies to show you today that are probably rather different to any other lipsticks you may have seen before - I was so surprised when I took the packaging off! Avon Shine Attract Lipsticks have a coloured core, with a high-shine, gel outer 'layer' - which looks really cool!

See what I mean?! This has the benefit of adding a high gloss to your lips, as well as pigmented colour - a 2 in 1 product, if you like. These apply almost like a tinted lipbalm, the colour is subtle but buildable, if you want a really pigmented effect. The gel is lovely and moisturising, too, so won't dry your lips out - a hazard with some lipsticks.

Top - Guava
Middle - Copper Connection
Bottom - Happy Pink

You can really see the shine on the outside of the swatches on my hand. This does outline the only issue I have with these lipsticks - they are rather imprecise when it comes to application. In order to get the coloured core up to the edge of your lip, for definition, you end up with the clear gel outside the lip line - not ideal. I found it best to apply buy moving in small circles and smacking the lips together regularly. If you like a strong, crisp line in your lippy application, you will probably struggle with these. I don't really mind as I think they are designed as a natural looking product, with soft application.

Avon Shine Attract Lipstick - Happy Pink

Happy Pink was the most pigmented of the three and really is a light, uplifting shade of fuchsia. I don't tend to wear a pink lip, gravitating more towards a coral or nude tone, but this is lovely and makes me think I should wear it more often! It did sink slightly into the creases of the lip, however.



Avon Shine Attract Lipstick - Copper Connection

Copper Connection was my least favourite, but only because it simply didn't suit me. It is rather dark and doesn't really compliment my skin tone. It has a lovely shimmer though and applied very well - on the perfect skin tone it could look incredible.

Avon Shine Attract Lipstick - Guava

Saving the best until last, Guava was the most wearable shade and looked lovely. It is a really warm toned, orangey nude and looks really natural and fresh - I am wearing it most days at the moment! I wish it would last longer on the lips, however, as an hour later I have to apply more. A slick of Lipcote should remedy this, however :)

For a girl who doesn't really wear lipsticks, I am definitely becoming a convert. These Shine Attract lippies, with the coloured core and gel outer layer, are perfect if you don't want to over do it, or are new to wearing a lipstick - they look natural, the colour is really buildable, the gel layer being moisturising with an SPF 15. You can apply a quick slick for a hint of colour, or really build up the colour for more of a statement.They also smell LUSH, a really fruity, fresh smell!

I would definitely buy another shade of Avon Shine Attract Lipsticks, and Guava especially is a hit! 

Have a great week, I'll post again very soon :D

*Products were supplied for Avon for review, but all opinions are 100% honest, my own and uninfluenced in any way. I was not compensated in any way for this post, besides the supply of the product. For more info visit my disclosure page! :)