Hoarding Nail Polish: OPI & Sally Hansen

If there was one part of my cosmetic collection that did not need adding to, it would definitely be my nail polish collection.  Alas...Fragrance Direct was calling and as well as the Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser and Balm that I mentioned in yesterdays post, I also came away with three nail polishes.  I got two OPI nail polishes, and a Sally Hansen one.

From the left is OPI Don't Touch My Tutu from the New York Ballet collection, Sally Hansen Lavender Cloud and OPI Steady As She Rose from The Pirates of the Caribbean collection.  All of these look so similar in colour in the bottle, but I'm so pleased with all of them.  The OPI polishes cost just £3.99 each, and the Sally Hansen was just £1.49!  Bargains.

A white based nail polish is probably one of the few colours that I actually don't own, so that could have justified maybe one of these.  Definitely not all three, but it's best to try I guess.  Now I don't need anymore whites...

Starting at the top of the swatches, we have Don't Touch My Tutu by OPI.  This is a gorgeous, sheer soft white.  It took me three coats of this to get the perfect wash of colour with no streaking, and it lasted a good five days with minimal chipping.  For better swatches of this, definitely check out Duckling To Swans blog, as it was her that convinced me that this was the one for me.  (I actually had to place a second order from Fragrance Direct to get this; I had it in my basket but then decided against it, and then regretted it...)

In the middle, Sally Hansen Lavender Cloud.  This isn't a perfect white, it has a very slight tint of lilac.  Literally, the slightest touch added and I really like it.  It kind of reminds me of a set of nail polishes that I saw on Cult Beauty a while back, and it was a set of maybe ten nail polishes that were all slightly off white inspired by white washing that had been tinted with other clothes.  I got really good wear time from this again, and got four days without a chip.  I used two coats to get the polish an opaque white.

Finally, we have OPI Steady As She Rose.  I really love this one, and I'm pretty sure it's my favourite.  It's a lilac nail polish which I think has a hint of a dusky pink about it.  It's perfect for the Spring season which is all about pastel colours, and I'm very pleased!  Wear time is slightly less than Don't Touch My Tutu by a day, and opacity is at two coats!

Have you tried any of these?  What did you last buy from Fragrance Direct?

Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Cuticle Eraser & Balm

Earlier this month, I had a mini spree at Fragrance Direct and one of the things that I bought was this Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser Balm.  In the past, I've used the Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Balm which was nice, but I never really noticed a huge difference in the look and feel of my cuticles.

This Sally Hansen one is in a screw top pot, with an eye catching white and green swirled pattern.  It is lightly scented with white tea and cucumber which is really nice and refreshing.  It's very faint, and does fade quite quickly though so no worries if you're not a fan of the smell!

I've been using this almost every night since I got it, and I've noticed such a difference in my cuticles.  I didn't think they needed too much care in the first place, but they just seem so much neater and don't need to be pushed back when I'm giving myself a manicure.  They are much more nourished, and feel much softer.

The one small thing that I'm not keen on is the texture.  It's very sticky, kind of feels like a sticky but creamy lip gloss.  Luckily, I use this as I'm going to bed so the sticky feeling isn't too much of an issue and disappears when I apply a hand cream.

A little goes a very long way and I can see this lasting me a long time!  I much prefer this to my Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover Gel, and think this makes a much bigger difference.  At a bargain price of £1.50 too, you can't really go wrong!  I'd definitely buy this again if I ever run out!

Have you tried this Cuticle Eraser & Balm?  What are your top nail care tips?

Wednesday Wishlist #4

Well it has been a while since I last wrote out a Wednesday Wishlist...  I have to admit, I've been pretty naughty lately and anything that I have wanted, I've kind of just bought.  Within reason, of course.  Most of my recent purchases have been bought with Christmas funds and birthday money, but now...well I'm probably scraping the barrel of the birthday bucket.

1/2/3/4/5

My absolute favourite film of all time is The Little Mermaid.  These pyjamas just outright need to be mine.  The shorts are ideal for the warmer months coming in, and it's The Little Mermaid...just end of really.  Mine.

Way back in September, I was lusting after MAC's Lady Danger lipstick in one of my previous Wednesday Wishlists.  Whilst I still like that shade, I think I prefer the application of a lip colour through a lip pencil.  This NARS Velvet Matte lip pencil is the perfect red toned orange and I am dying to try this one out.  I've got a few bits from NARS, mainly skincare and an eyeliner, all of which is untouched until I've finished what I'm using at the moment.  So if I got this, this could be the start of a NARS love affair as I've heard good things about these.

Sticking with the favourites excuse, Gerberas are my absolute favourite flowers.  So these Clinique Cheek Pop blushes are looking pretty amazing to me.  These aren't due for release until March, but I have a gift voucher with these written all over it.  These colours are Berry Pop and Peach Pop.  I don't know why because the weather is bloody awful where I am, dead miserable and gloomy, but I'm really eyeing up my Spring wardrobe and am excited to be cracking out the brighter colours in my make up stash.

Another product preview is this Vivienne Westwood X ASOS clutch bag from the Ethical Africa collection.  I really love the striking pattern on this, and whilst it's probably on the bottom of the list of things that I could actually afford to buy on this wishlist, it's my favourite item and think this would be perfect for everything.  It can be dressed up as an evening bag, as well as cracked out for Summer afternoons in the Pub Garden.  So really...an investment piece for me.  We'll see how that one goes down...this is available on Friday I think!

These boots are from New Look.  I've been constantly stalking the website every day this week for these to come back in stock.  I have a New Look voucher that I've been waiting to spend, and I need these boots!  They're very similar to boots that I already have, but these don't have a cut out meaning I could wear them probably a bit more than I do my cut outs.  I love the chunky heel and biker style.

Has anything caught your eye on this weeks Wednesday Wishlist?

Sunita Mukhi Evil Eye Back Pack

Before Christmas, I had a very nice e-mail from Van Anh Le Thi from Chopstick Panorama letting me know that I had won a Sunita Mukhi bag of my choice!  Well, I've never owned anything designer really or anything particularly expensive so this was an amazing prize.  I wanted to choose something that I could get a lot of use out of, because what's the point in having something if it's going to be hidden away for a special occasion? 

In the end, after careful thought, I opted for this gorgeous back pack which arrived not long after my birthday, so it was very well timed!  Before I go onto the details, let's just take a second to admire the bag...you can have a few extra seconds if you like, but there's a few more photos to go.

Made from Vegan Leather, this back pack has been hand finished.  It is beautifully decorated with turquoise stones, sequins and diamantes, with an onyx centre engraved with Sunita Mukhi's logo.  Sequins aren't something that I would usually opt for, neither are diamantes to be honest, but these are so tightly layered that it gives an amazing textured effect which feels and looks luxurious, and combined with the siren red inner lining, it's definitely an elegant piece.

Evil eyes are a big trend for Spring/Summer 2014, and I think this can easily be used both day and in the evening.  I actual paired this for an evening meal with my new Lavish Alice jumper that I mentioned on my ASOS haul, some leggings and chunky boots.  I might recreate that outfit for another post, but we shall see...

The bright stones combined with the striking eye design make this my statement piece for this season, and is a piece that will never be leaving my side!  This back pack isn't actually available just yet so I'm very lucky, but if you start saving your pennies, I'll definitely let you guys know when it is!  Or if back packs aren't your thing, there are some gorgeous clutch bags in the Evil Eye collection which are available now!

What do you all think?  How would you style this?

Murdock London Black Tea Cologne

I have been saving this post for a special occasion, and with Valentines Day fast approaching, it can often be hard to find nice gifts for men.  Men are notoriously difficult to buy for.  It's funny how they always say that women are, when in actual fact women are probably the easiest.  Sure, we're fussy, but the selection  available is overwhelming.

Liam is just ridiculous to buy for.  He's an impulse buyer, and buys the things he wants as he sees them.  So, before Christmas I took a trip down to Somerset House where I had a very quick browse of The Christmas Arcade.  I was mainly looking for little gifts, and was quickly popping my head through each door down the corridor.  

I came across one room that was gorgeously decorated to look like a ski lodge, but poking my head in, all I saw was mens shaving bits and bobs.  Liam has a bit of stubble, but not enough to need full on beard care so I quickly dismissed this room.  As I was pulling myself away to move onto the next room, I was immediately lured back into the room by the most gorgeous scent in the world.

Short on time, I quickly asked the assistant who said it was their Black Tea Cologne.  Well....long story short, I spritzed some on one of those little fragrance sticks, was sniffing it all day and bought it through their online store as soon as I got home as I was too short on time to buy it there and then at Somerset House.  Never in my life have I spent £70 without a second thought.  It was gone, and I'd one hundred percent do it again.

Murdock London describe the scent as "A masculine cologne with notes of leather and tobacco, let it do the talking from day into evening, evoking a mysterious persona. Blended to perfection by our boutique perfumers, Black Tea leads by the nose into the East, inspired by Britain’s legendary spice and tea routes. The essence of the erstwhile British global traveller, reworked for your modern lifestyle. Black Tea is the wanderlust traveller."

Don't worry - Murdock aren't tight on filling the bottle, this has been used!

I'm no fragrance expert, but this is the sexiest scent I've ever had the pleasure of getting a whiff of.  It has top notes of clove, nutmeg, basil and pepper, middle notes of leather and base notes of musty woods, musk and birchtar.  It's not really a gift for Liam, it was one hundred percent a present for me.  And it even comes as a candle.  That'll be mine soon too.

You can buy Murdock London Black Tea here - it's risky buying a scent without prior sniffing, but just trust me.  You will not regret it.

What are your favourite scents for men?  Any other gift ideas for men?

*Note: I bought this as a gift for my boyfriend...my Mum sniffed it and bought it as a gift for her husband, and he liked it so much, he bought the candle for his son.  This is bloody nice.  I almost don't want to share it...it's gorgeous.

Illamasqua Culminate Sheer Lip Gloss

I'm a funny one with lip gloss.  The bright colours, added sparkle or high shine always attracts my attention, but just as I'm about to reach for one and ram it into my basket, I always remember that I bloody hate lip gloss.  As smooth and as shiny as it looks, all of the lip glosses I've tried in the past have been one big, sticky mess and it's a mess that I can't stand - especially you Soap and Glory with your Sexy Mother Pucker lip glosses!

This Illamasqua lip gloss in Culminate is one that I followed from the initial concept to the finished product.  I'm sure that you will all know that it is part of their Creators collection and was designed by Milly from Pearls and Poodles.  I absolutely loved reading her journey and inspiration for this lip gloss, and was absolutely over the moon when I won this in her blog give away!  Culminate was the only product that I really wanted to try from the collection, and it's lived up to, if not gone beyond my expectations!

Inspired by space, this is described as an "iridescent sheer metallic copper."  Swatching on my hand, I can definitely see the copper, but on my lips, I think it comes out quite peachy with added lilac, copper and silver fine glitter flecks.  Don't be afraid of the glitter; it's a really pretty effect, and really plumps out my lips to give them that fuller look and still feels smooth.

The gloss is applied with a brush, which I personally love because applying light pressure means that the brush fans out across your lip contours.  It's ridiculously easy to apply, and is also easily buildable.  I go for one quick gloss over, and this gives me the perfect amount of coverage and shimmer for my liking.  What's even better is the feeling.  Of course, there is some stickiness, but it's a bearable stick!  I can wear this quite easily without feeling like I need to wipe it straight off again.  It's a lip gloss that is actually enjoyable and comfortable to wear.

I think Culminate will be perfect for Spring/Summer wearing, and if you'd like to try it, I spotted Culminate in the Illamasqua sale for the bargain price of £5, but I'd be fast as it's sure to sell out!  This is a Limited Edition collection, but I really hope that Culminate sticks around!

Have you tried Culminate?  What's your favourite lip gloss?
*Illamasqua Culminate lip gloss was given to me as a prize through a giveaway hosted on Milly's blog, Pearls and Poodles.

Hasslacher's Chocolate and China Clay Face Mask

Liam seriously did well this year with my Christmas presents.  Everything was so thoughtful!  Another one of his gifts was this Hasslacher's Chocolate and China Clay Face Mask.  I've never done a DIY face mask with ingredients in the home, and the only face masks I've tried have been premade in tubs or tubes.  This one is so unusual and is just in the middle of home made and made for you!

I was a bit sceptical at first, because this is literally a kitchen face mask.  Normally, like most people, I put my face masks on in the bathroom.  I had to arm myself with a small mirror, and crack out the cooking pans for this.  Yes, you read that right...pans.

The packet holds enough ingredients to make four face masks.  In this little packet, there is a white powder which is the Cornish Kaolin clay, and in the powder, is a little plastic bag of eight Cacao discs.  You need two of these chocolate discs for each application, and four tablespoons of clay.

It felt pretty unnatural using chocolate in cooking that wasn't meant for eating, but the ingredients in this little pouch are amazing for your skin.  The back of the packet says that the clay is formed from Cornish weathered granite rock which has been geologically extracted and purified.  "Cornish China clay gently draws out impurities from the skin without removing natural oils, simultaneously exfoliating, cleansing and revitalising the complexion."  Sounds good, doesn't it?  Well it doesn't stop there...

The Cacao discs are ground Cacao beans, which still have some cocoa butter remaining.  "Cacao contains high levels of flavonoids, potent antioxidants which help protect the skins structural proteins, collagen and elastin."  Cocoa butter is also soothing and softening on the skin.  Amazing - get on my face.

It didn't take long at all to make the mask - four tablespoons of water, one of clay, two discs and some gentle heating.  You need to apply the mask whilst it's still warm, but be careful getting it from the pan.  I waited a couple of minutes, and it had cooled quite quickly.  I applied it quite thickly to my skin, and still had a little left over.  It says on the packet you can thin this out to your liking by adding a little more water, so I think if you were having a girly pamper evening, you could maybe get two out of the supposed one face mask.

I completely love this face mask.  At £6.99, it's not too pricey and I would definitely buy this again.  It smells amazing, literally like cake mix on my face and I need to eat it - I didn't.  But maybe one day...  My skin was amazingly soft, and kind of glowy afterwards.  My skin looked clear, but not dried up and too deeply cleansed.  I'd definitely recommend you guys giving this a go.  Liam bought mine from Firebox but you can also buy direct from Hasslachers where they have a few more face masks.  I'm eyeing up the Sea and Rock Organic Seaweed face mask!

Have you tried Hasslachers face masks?  What's your favourite face mask?