'Welcome to my Blog' Giveaway!

Ok, I'm going to let you all know about one of my favourite cosmetics brands, a hidden gem if you like!

Nouba is an Italian cosmetics brand who produce sleek, high quality, well pigmented colours that aren't tested on animals.  I have not been disappointed with any of the products I have, from eye shadows to lip glosses to liners.  The one thing they all have in common is their longevity, I have never had a lip gloss outside of the Nouba range that is still present after 6 hours!

I've built up quite a collection over the past couple of years after a friend recommended the brand to me but it's something that I rarely hear about on beauty blogs.

I love the Quads - quite Chanel-esque don't you think?

I've bought Nouba from Be Beautiful Boutique and there are often some good deals to be had from Amazon

Onto the giveaway...

I thought long and hard when placing an order for the products I am offering.  I've taken account of the specific products I love and also the fact that we are moving into Autumn when making the colour choices.

Here's what you could win: (please excuse the shoddy photos)

• Lipstick Classic in #55 - I'd describe this as russet.  Not too overpowering but a great, easy to wear shade that's just a bit more interesting than a neutral lip
• Single Eyeshadow in #30 - Taupe shimmer.  Blends well and lasts for ages!
• Single Eyeshadow in #18 - Rust shimmer
• Rainbow Eyeliner in #11 - Chocolate brown.  Quite precise, easy to apply and with all Nouba products - will last the day!
• Rainbow Eyeliner in #56 - Bronze glitter.  Gives a solid line with a bit of sparkle.  I have loads of these eyeliners and they're great for adding a bit of glitter to an eye without going overboard and looking like a Christmas tree!

The rules...

• The giveaway is open to anyone, worldwide but you must be a follower.
• For 1 entry, please comment on this post and offer me some feedback on my blog.  It's early days but I'd like to know what you want to see more of / less of or if you have any tips about how I can improve as I'm still very much a beginner!
• For an additional entry, post about this giveaway on your blog or add me to your blog roll and post a link to show me.
• The giveaway will close at 11pm (GMT) on Saturday 9th October so 10 whole days to post your comments :)
• The winner will be contacted by email on Sunday 10th October so please ensure you include your email address.
• If I have no response to the email within 3 days, I will offer the prize to someone else.
• The winner will be drawn at random.
• All products are new and unused and have been purchased by me specifically for this blog giveaway.

I hope you like my choices!  I love these kind of colours in Autumn, specifically this season when camel and khaki are everywhere, fashion-wise.  Hopefully, the winner will also become a Nouba fan, just like me :)

E.L.F Giveaway at Chrystal's Beauty Blog

Hi guys

Chrystal is having a fab E.L.F giveaway over at Chrystal's Beauty Blog!



Well done on your increased followship, Chrystal!

NOTD - OPI Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow

We had a fantastic, but exhausting day yesterday at Drayton Manor.  My train-obsessed little boy was in heaven in Thomas Land.  We will definitely go again - they're building a Drayton Manor hotel which will be complete by Summer 2011 so that will be an option for us next year as it was a good 1.5 hrs each way in the car for us from Doncaster.

So, a quick NOTD post from me today.  OPI Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow.

HTAT is a blackened forest green.  Here is 3 coats which I felt it needed; this made the result almost black with only a hint of green showing through in direct sunlight.  2 coats was much more green, but quite streaky.

It's very glossy though, no topcoat here!  This one has been languishing in the bottom of my stash for a long time, I've used it maybe once only prior to this application but I do think it will make more of a regular appearance as I have enjoyed wearing it :)

REVIEW: Lush Charlotte Island body tint

What they say:

Get bronzed and gorgeous without ever having to leave the country for warmer climes.  Smooth on our light and fruity body tint for a tropical glow all year round.

What I say:

I'm not normally a fan of the instant tanning options, much preferring the longevity and depth of colour of developing tans (normally St Tropez mousse) however I was drawn to this product a few weeks ago in the Leeds Lush store.  It cost £4.95 for 100g so I thought I'd give it a go.

I've used it a couple of times since then and I'm sitting on the fence.  Reading the description, one would anticipate the scent taking you away to a balmy island with palm trees and pina coladas however, instead it takes my back to clay modelling during my school days!

It took me a while to pin down the scent - dusty? organic? powdery?  CLAY!  Certainly not fruity as Lush advertise and not chocolatey as appearances may suggest.

Results-wise - it does give a nice warm bronzey colour instantly however I would recommend a good exfoliate and moisturise prior to application as otherwise I have found I get a bit of 'drag'



Before application





Immediately after application



Definitely more warmth, no?

I have to say, I'm not converted to instant tanners and will stick to my St Tropez however I can see the benefit of having a bottle of this stashed to top up fading fake tans before a night out, or maybe to even give an added glow to a natural tan on holiday.

I've had no transference onto clothes (though have only worn dark colours I must admit) and today, the colour lasted on me for 6 hours or so.  The scent is still lingering - it's not unpleasant just not what I had hoped for, especially from a Lush product!  Then again, I have never come across a pleasantly scented fake tan product so I can't mark it down too much for that!

Would I re-purchase?

Yes, I think so however it would never be my go-to bronzing product - merely just something useful to have around to give my existing tan (fake or natural) a boost.

P.S. Giveaway heads up!  I'm planning to host a mini 'welcome to my blog' giveaway next week which will be open to my followers so check back soon.  There aren't many of you yet so you will all stand a good chance of winning!  I'll keep you waiting to find out what I'm offering other than to say that I'll be spreading the love with some of my holy grail products :)

NOTD - OPI Blue Moon Lagoon

Blue Moon Lagoon is from the Summer for Shore collection which was released a few years ago.  One of the prettiest collections OPI has ever done in my opinion!  Alas, the polishes are now quite hard to find, and when they do pop up, they're often quite pricey.

I purchased this bottle from Ebay for about £10.

Blue Moon Lagoon is a subtle aqua holo.  It's quite sheer and the pictures here are 3 coats although there is still a hint of VNL under some lights.  It's quite thin in consistency and applied very easily.  My photography skills are rubbish however the holo you can see in the bottle pic is there on the nail too but only in direct sunlight.

I like these kind of polishes, they're quite mysterious as it's almost like a little secret between you and your nails.  From afar, Blue Moon Lagoon looks like a pale aqua with a hint of shimmer however go outside and see them sparkle!

Beautiful Blogger Award

Stina at Cheeky Beauty sent me this Beautiful Blogger Award which made me smile today!

The rules of this award is that I have to write 7 UN-known things about myself, and then pass the award onto 5 other bloggers.

1. 
   
   At school, I was a keen linguist and achieved A* grades in French, German and Spanish coming top of my year in each subject
2. 
   
   Same as Stina, I love gory, horror films.  Can't wait for Saw 3D to be released in October!
3. 
   
   I love, love, love butterflies!  I have 2 butterfly tattoos, butterfly wallpaper, clothes, jewellery - everything.  They were even the theme at my wedding!
4. 
   
   I am addicted to Diet Coke.  I have to limit myself to 2 cans a day and get withdrawal symptoms and cravings if I haven't had one.  I did try and give up when attempting the Pig 2 Twig diet last year and it was so hard.  NOT GOOD!
5. 
   
   I have had Botox.  But not on my face.
6. 
   
   My ultimate dream job as a kid was to be a holiday rep.  I used to tag along with them on holidays, they were my heros!  My language teachers always used to try and dissuade me, suggesting I become a translator or something which utilised my language skills.  I did to Travel & Tourism at A Level but thankfully, the holiday rep dream never became a reality and I am currently an IT Tutor / Assessor
7. 
   
   I got married at 21 and my husband is 13 years older than me!  (But we look about the same age!)

I hope you found that interesting!  I'm not going to tag in anyone specifically, but if there are any new bloggers like myself reading then please feel free to accept the award and let me know once you've posted so I can have a nosey!



REVIEW: Charles Worthington Balancing Act Dry Shampoo

What they say:

Instantly revive and freshen hair with salon shine results dry shampoo.  It's unique 'bounce back formula' means this multi tasking wonder helps to:

• 
  
  Absorb grease and liven up limp locks
• 
  
  Boost volume and create texture
• 
  
  Freshen hair between washes and 'on the go'

What I say:

I'm normally a Batiste girl, occasionally Osis Dust It but when I sent DH to Sainsbury's for dry shampoo, he came back with this.  Priced at £4.99, a good few quid extra than it's Batiste counterpart, I had high hopes.

First impressions were good; I followed the instructions and shook the can before spraying through my hair, paying particular attention to the roots.  My hair definitely felt more bouncy and the limpness was reduced.  There was no visible signs of powder on my blonde hair which can be an issue with other dry shampoos.  The scent is sweet with subtle floral undertones, definitely quite a clean, pleasant scent.

A couple of hours later however, my head felt decidedly itchy!  I've used it a couple of times since and it's almost like you can feel the shampoo's presence on your scalp!  Not good.  I wonder if anyone else has felt like this, or whether I don't agree with a particular ingredient?  I have never had similar issues with other dry shampoo products though.

Would I re-purchase?

Afraid not.  Particularly when my local Superdrug is currently selling Batiste at 99p!

Spontaneity rocks!

Eurgh... had one too many gin and slims last night so forgive me if this post is more incoherent than usual...

So with hubby out at football, and Fin out at grandparents, when a friend suggested we get together I couldn't refuse.  We decided to just go into the village to a couple of pubs for a drink and a chat, sounded good!  2 hours was plenty of time to get home from work and get ready, wasn't it?

However, I had the age-old panic nothing to wear!

The town I work in has very little to offer by way of clothes outlets, BHS is about as edgy as it gets... seriously, however there is a little retail park with a TK Maxx and a Next.  The Maxx had a multitude of viscose, fake fur and studs but that wasn't really the look I was hoping for.

So into Next I go...  I don't mind Next, although I know a lot of people don't rate it.  I do feel they have upped their game over the past few years and managed to move away somewhat from the combat trousers / embroidered t-shirt ensembles that used to feature so heavily. 

I bought:

Cream lace dress which I linked to on the wishlist post a few days ago.  Love it!  (Though I may have to return and swap for a size 10 as it comes up on the generous side.)  Plan to wear with black opaques, black tassel platform shoots and pearls for an upcoming night out... might try and fashion some kind of nude coloured flower in my hair.

Then, to wear last night, I purchased:

I'm a sucker for anything butterfly although I wasn't sure of this on the hanger.  It could have quite easily looked frumpy, however I'm hoping it didn't (I did try to take a pic but I was home alone and they kept coming out too dark.)  It's not as floaty looking as it is in the pic and I wore with very skinny jeans from Gap, black tassel platform shoots and some cream chandelier earrings.

So impromptu night out, impromptu new top and then impromptu nails:

Wish I'd had more time to spend on clean up - this is far from my neatest application ever!  But time was limited.  It's OPI Shorts Story which is a barbie pink cream.  About 95% opaque in 2 coats.

So, 6 impromptu gins = impromptu hangover - yuk!  Worth it though.  Plans made in haste are often the best I find.  My friend and I had such a giggle and my lovely hubby came to pick me up when he got in from the footy, so no taxi fares.  Yay!

FOTD 17/09/2010

Not really up to much today, general housework but treating my little boy to a Happy Meal shortly so quite a fuss-free Face of the Day.  Days like this are when the UD Naked palette really comes into its own.  Eye make up that you don't have to think about - love it!

How hard is it to take a picture of yourself with your eyes closed?!



Today's make up:

• MAC Mineralize Satin Finish in NW20
• Dior Skinflash in Candlelight around the eye area
• Dusting of Benefit Hoola
• Benefit Coralista on the cheeks
• UDPP
• UD Sin all over lids up to brow bone
• UD Naked on outer sockets to blend away some of the shimmer
• Clarins liquid eyeliner pen in Noir
• YSL Faux Cils mascara
• No 7 lipliner in Nude
• Mac lipstick in Peachstock



NOTD - OPI DS Illuminate

I'm having an indulgent morning; no work today and my son Fin is at his grandparent's.  My husband left strict instructions for me to stay in bed as long as possible and then do very little when I wake up... aah how lucky am I?! 

I've been having an uncertain time at work where things are changing and I'm unsure of my place and last week I put my back out which was very, very painful.  A long lay in was just what the doctor ordered!

So, making the most of my 'lazy morning', changing my nail polish with no interruptions of 'can you get me a drink?' or 'can you take me to the toilet?' (From my son, not my husband.  In case you were wondering) has been a rare treat.

Today I went for OPI DS Illuminate with is a tan holo with green flash

This is definitely one of my 'go to' shades.  Applies so smoothly (2 coats here), subtle enough to wear for work yet the holo and green flash adds a little more interest when you look more closely.  Quite autumnal, don't you think?

 I love this ring; it gets so many comments when I wear it.  And the best bit - £2.50 from Primark!

I've never been disappointed with any of the OPI Designer Series.  I find the application effortless and the results, stunning.  Well worth the couple of quid extra! 

I will swatch some more of my DS shades in the future but for now, lunch in solitude... bliss!

Wishlist!

I love looking at other peoples' wishlists for inspiration so here's mine.  Some of these are more within reach than others whilst some are and always will be pipe dreams!

• 
  
  Nude Topshop pumps

• 
  
  Topshop mirror earrings

• 
  
  Essie Sew Psyched and Sexy Divde (Thanks to LeanneOCD for the rec!)

• 
  
  Next cream lace dress

• Mulberry Sparkle Tweed Alex (definite pipe dream!)

• Whimsical Wren Moon Fairy necklace

Nouba Lipstick in no.12

• French Connection Voulez Vous skirt

Phew!

Hopefully, at least a couple of these will become a reality once payday arrives.

Thanks for looking x

New perfume plus my first FOTD / NOTD

If there's one thing that excites me on a similar kind of level to nail polish, it's perfume.

I feel naked if I'm not wearing it and could easily waste an hour in Boots oohing and aahing over the latest releases.

I don't have a 'type' but tend to go for pretty bottles or perfumes that have had a lot of hype (yes I am a sheep, baa!)  Marc Jacobs' Lola fits both of those criteria perfectly, however my latest perfume doesn't.

It's this:

There was a sample towelette in this month's glamour and I was instantly hooked.  I'm rubbish at explaining scents so I'll leave it to the experts:

Calvin Klein Beauty evokes the ultimate power of femininity and sophistication, while capturing the spirit of a woman who is beautiful from the inside out, with an aura that radiates

The feminine, sophisticated fragrance opens with top notes of Ambrette Seeds, middle notes of Jasmine and dries down to base notes of Cedarwood.

For me, CK beauty bridges the gap effortlessly between contemporary and sophisticated.  It's potent without being headache-inducing and longevity is good.  There's a hint of floral and an underlying burst of freshness.  However... the bottle!  Thank you to Glamour for introducing this fragrance to me as I can honestly imagine me re-purchasing this over a long period of time, but had I have been browsing the perfume aisles, I would have skipped straight past it.  I want a bottle of perfume to look good on my dressing table, like MJ Lola where the packaging has proven to be equally as exciting as the scent. 

Aesthetically,  CK Beauty is snoresville! 

Thankfully, the scent more than makes up for it and I imagine it will be a favourite for a long time to come.  I got mine from Boots for £34 for 30ml.

Anyhoo, here's my first FOTD.

The lips were doing the talking today!

• 
  
  MAC Mineralize Satinfinish foundation in NW20
• 
  
  Benefit Bluffdust
• 
  
  Benefit Hoola
• 
  
  MAC Powder Blush in Dame
• 
  
  Urban Decay Primer Potion
• 
  
  UD e/s in Virgin on the brow bone
• 
  
  UD e/s in Naked all over the lid
• 
  
  UD e/s in Toasted on the inner socket and blended outwards
• 
  
  UD 24/7 eyeliner in Whiskey on the upper lid and waterline
• 
  
  YSL Faux Cills Mascara
• 
  
  No 7 Lipliner in Nude
• 
  
  Nouba Lipstick in 183
• 
  
  Chanel Briliant Levres Lip Gloss in 68 

And NOTD: OPI - Meet me on the Starferry

Thanks for reading!

My name is Chicky, and I am an addict...

...to nail polish that is.

In particular, to OPI nail polish. 

I can't remember when my addiction began, or why, but it's been on-going for a few years now.  I buy a couple of new ones each month (this is a limit I have had to set myself as for a while, it was more like 6.  Eek!)

I must have about 80 in my collection now, and one day I will count them all and create a more organised and efficient storage system as currently they are kept like this:

It might not look much in the pic, but that is a Soap & Glory Hat Box from last Christmas and it's pretty huge!

I started off with pinks and purples but now I will consider anything.  I love brights and glitters (both alone and together!)

This is blurry on purpose to show the different colours of the glitter.  True to it's name 'Golden Rainbow' is very special, and quite hard to find nowadays.  This is definitely a layering polish and looks good over almost anything from black, to purple to orange.  It came from the Reflection Glitters collection a few years ago.  When I first started getting into nail polish, I never envisaged myself buying or wearing anything as 'out there' as Golden Rainbow however this is quite tame for me now.  Like I said above, anything goes! 

I'll start doing proper swatches of my collection as my blog progresses but I just wanted to give you an introduction into my love for OPI.  For now though, here's a pic of me wearing 'Give Me a Coral Sometime'

Considering that I've started getting the knitwear out already, I'm going to have to put my brights into hibernation and dig out the old faithful Black Cherry Chutney, Over the Taupe and Baby it's Coal Outside which tend to be my winter staples. 

Given that all my polishes are OPI, I'm quite insular when it comes to other brands.  I've said many times that I'm going to try Essie, or China Glaze but the pull towards OPI is just too strong!  I would love for someone to recommend to me their must have shade from another brand - sell it to me!  Make me feel like I can't live without it!  Or is my love affair with OPI destined to last forever?

Recent new additions to my wardrobe

Buying clothes makes me feel good.  Particularly since I've lost a bit of weight over the past year or so.  I'd say I'm a relatively 'safe' dresser, I like girly details such as bows or butterflies and I know (in the main) almost without thinking, what styles and shapes suit me best.  So without further ado, here are the things I've bought over the past couple of weeks:

Topshop Dusky Pink Lace Sweater

Topshop High Waist Ponte Leggings

Cream Bow Jumper - Dorothy Perkins

 

Love Label Clog Boots



So Autumn is fast approaching and I'm excited.  I love the changing of the seasons, particularly when it comes to what I'm wearing.  Chunky scarves and slouchy knits - welcome back!  I sized up on the two jumpers as I plan to wear with skinny jeans and boots so wanted a more balanced silhouette.  Before I lost weight, I'd always go fitted at the top and loose on the bottom however I'm finding myself drawn to just the opposite of that now. 

As an aside, I apologise for my poor blogging skills.  I know the layout is inconsistent; I'm hoping that practice makes perfect (or at least acceptable!)

Me!

Ok so I have finally succumbed and here is my shiny, new blog!

As to what it may contain is anyone's guess for now.  I love fashion and beauty, so a lot of my posts will be based on this theme but I'm sure the innocuous ramblings of my day-to-day, hectic life will also feature heavily.

To give you an idea of who I am... someone very recently said (whilst on a hen do in the South of France, I might add!) that I managed the balance between a twenty-something, cocktail-loving girly girl, ambitious career-woman and sensible, serious wife and mum-of-one very well.  There are many facets to who I am which sometimes baffles my own poor brain.  Hopefully, this blog will be a light-hearted outlet for some of the more fun and frivolous aspects of my life.  Fingers crossed.

Obligatory pic of me!