BALANCE ME SUPPORTING BREAST CANCER CARE

Hi you beauties. In my final post for today I want to share with you a favourite skincare brand of mine that are doing their bit to support breast cancer care this October.

10% of all sales from the already best-selling ROSE OTTO COLLECTION at BALANCE ME will be going towards the 'Moving Forward' Breast Cancer Care Programme which you can find more information about here.

The direct link to the Breast Cancer Care website is here.

For my thoughts on the ROSE OTTO HAND CREAM click here.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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POP ART GLOSSYBOX

Hi everyone. I received my Pop Art GlossyBox the other day and have not yet properly checked out the products so here are my first impressions :)

To start with I have to talk about the box itself. I love the bold pop art design. It will make a fab storage piece in my make-up collection. So now for the products:

CIATE PAINT POT - TALENT SCOUT

There are 88 paint pots within the Ciate collection. It is recommended to apply two coats of this product. I love the long handle and pretty bow design of these bottles. This is a gorgeous purple shade that I am sure I will enjoy.

NUXE CREME FRAICHE DE BEAUTE MASK

A 24hr moisturising mask to hydrate and soothe the skin. Instantly the product works to reduce discomfort or redness. Skin is left with a radiant and relaxed appearance. Suitable for all skin types.

Apply once or twice a week to the face and eye area for 10 mins. Massage the excess into the skin thereafter. Can be kept in the fridge for a refreshing effect.

Let's hope that this is as moisturising as it promises. With winter coming it could possibly be a saviour for parched skin like mine.

RIMMEL MATTE BB CREAM - LIGHT

A 9-in-1 skin perfecting make-up product with a natural formula for a flawless matte look.

Apply in circular motions with fingers or a foundation brush.

I am sure I have tried a sample of this from a magazine, but I can't remember which shade. I know I didn't dislike the product, but I can't remember exact details so I will try out this mini shade and let you know my thoughts.

YVES ROCHER QUELQUES NOTES D'AMOUR

Encapsulating the feeling of falling in love.

Apply to the wrists and neck.

I like the simplistic bottle design. It's not too overdone and more of a classic. The scent is a little old school for me. It has rose which I am not a massive fan of. It just makes me feel older than I am.

SO SUSAN FLUTTER MASCARA

A carbon-black mascara with hyaluronic spheres to achieve the darkest, curviest lashes possible.

Apply two coats sweeping upwards.

My mascara did have a seal, but there were a few black marks on it as well as a small chip. I am not sure if the black marks were from the print on the tube or another mascara? I do like the gold packaging and the cute bird design. A key point on a flutter mascara, although I think more of butterflies fluttering by. When I try this out I will review it for you.

ETRE BELLE LIPLIFT PEEL

A moisturising exfoliator to replenish and define the lips. Removing dead skin cells for perfectly soft lips.

Massage in circular motions for 1 minute. Remove with a damp cotton pad.

Only recently have I noticed a big change in the condition of my lips as they are extra dry and peeling. This has come at the right time so fingers crossed this works.

I think this month it's a good box. I am not a fan of the perfume as already stated and I do own similar nail shades to this one, but I can't fault GlossyBox for that.

As a side note I do miss the information card in the box. For product information you are now asked to view the GlossyBox website. A card for a sneak peek into next month's box and a competition has been included instead. Perhaps product information could be printed on the inside of the box?

For more information on GlossyBox UK click here and for the US GlossyBox click here.

What did you think of this month's GlossyBox? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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STARGAZER NAIL DECOR

Hello lovelies. I am rather bored at the moment doing washing and general house stuff so I thought a perfect distraction from all the mundane tasks of life would be to blog so here I am with a sparkly post for you :)

STARGAZER NAIL DECOR (L-R: UV PINK, BLACK & GOLD)

I was very kindly sent these beautiful nail art pots to review for you. These glitter flakes can be applied with nail glue or wet nail polish. Feeling in a Gothic mood with Halloween coming up I went for the Black Nail Decor.

I applied a clear coat for a base and used a teaspoon to sprinkle them over the nails when they were still wet. As I wanted to try them with a clear polish I went over them again to seal the top and manoeuvre them into place. They did move about a bit, but once the polish had dried they were set in place. As you can see I applied a generous amount, but you could be more specific in your design if you wanted just a few dotted around and carefully place them onto your nails with tweezers. A big tip would be to put a tissue or towel underneath the pot when opening and also applying these Nail Decor designs as they do like to spread everywhere. My pots were quite overfilled which is great because you get more product, but not so great for stopping it going everywhere.

This shade I would say is more of a dark gunmetal grey than black. It has multi-coloured reflects like you would see in oil when it catches the light. The UV Pink is slightly translucent and very pretty. I think it would work best on white or very bright shades to show off the colour. The Gold Decor is a rich colour which to me looks like it has a green undertone. Think of the type of gold you see on Xmas chains that you hang from the ceiling.

I applied these to two accent nails. While I have been doing chores today the left one has stayed put and the right one came off in one piece. Because nails are curved and I applied a lot of flakes I think that one of the flakes didn't stick down as well as the others causing the design to come away. So one nail lasted a day and the other is still going strong. I am not sure if using something like the Seche Vite Fast Dry Topcoat would help them to last longer, but for this type of nail art when you are doing chores etc I think most designs won't last that long.

So my overall thoughts are that these are best for a night out or event. Especially this festive season. Just make sure that you put your feet up when you have applied them and laze like a sparkly princess until after your nail debut at least :)

The STARGAZER NAIL DECOR flakes also come in a multi-colour shade and there are two sphere designs in black or silver which are the caviar effect nail art.

Let me know your tips for making nail art like this last longer along with your favourite nail art products in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK MAKE-UP

Hi sweeties. In my last post I shared with you a wearable Halloween outfit for day or night. The make-up look from that post is inspired by Alex Vause from Orange Is The New Black so here it is.

Above image from source

Products Used:

BENEFIT POREFESSIONAL

MAX FACTOR SKIN LUMINIZER FOUNDATION 45 WARM ALMOND (PR SAMPLE)

BOOTS NATURAL COLLECTION COVER-UP CREAM FAIR

MUA HIDE & CONCEAL COVER UP STICK FAIR

W7 HONOLULU BRONZER

MILANI GLIMMER STRIPES ALL-OVER COLOUR 05 HONEY GLIMMER

NYX THE CARIBBEAN COLLECTION I DREAM OF ST. KITT PALETTE (THREE LIGHTEST SHADES)

MUA MASCARA SHADE 4 (BROWS)

PRIMARK BEAUTY FELT EYE LINER PEN BLACK

SMOOCH BLACK LASH MASCARA (GIFTED)

99P STORE FATE LIPSTICK (FROM PACK OF THREE)

BARRY M LIP PAINT 54 (OVER FATE LIPSTICK)

I realise that my lips are lighter than the Alex Vause picture, but I wanted a brighter look. To be honest the winged liner is more of what I wanted to bring out in this look.

Let me know what you think of this FOTD/FOTN look in the comments below and don't forget to check out my WEARABLE HALLOWEEN FASHION OUTFIT also.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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OUTFIT : WEARABLE HALLOWEEN FASHION

Hi sweeties. A happy and fabulous Saturday is wished from me to you. With Halloween coming up next week I wanted to create an outfit post for those of you wanting something more wearable for day and night.

VALOUR & VALKYRIE NAVY ARTISAN SWEAT LONG SLEEVE TOP

99P STORE BLACK SLOUCH BEANIE

NEXT SILVER CHAIN NECKLACE (WORN OVER BEANIE)

PRIMARK BLACK SHIRT (WORN UNDERNEATH)

H&M BLACK JERSEY LEGGINGS (CUSTOMISED)

SOLE TRADER BLACK STUDDED WEDGE BOOTS

The Valour & Valkyrie sweat top was very kindly gifted to me after I saw it at the BLOGGERS LOVE GIFTING LOUNGE. The quality of this sweat is great. Very soft and well put together with an exquisite lace, jewelled and beaded design on the shoulders.

I used scissors to customise the basic leggings. Originally the slits were meant for the front, but I reversed them for a more interesting look.

The necklace worn on top of my beanie adds more interest. I pinned it with a safety pin at the back. I would have added more if I were wearing it out as the chain is quite heavy so it would move around.

You can see how I created the make-up in this post inspired by Alex Vause from Orange Is The New Black here.

Let me know if you enjoy my outfit posts and want more in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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POPPY LUX AT SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE WISH LIST

Hi all. I hope you are having a very lovely Saturday. I have been here and there this morning running errands and now I am living the glamorous life that I do by washing our clothes. What exciting things are you up to right now?

After browsing the SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE website I noticed that most of the items I like are from their sister brand POPPY LUX so I thought why not share my favourites with you.

POPPY LUX HATTY SHIRT DRESS

This is a great A/W floral piece that could be worn in many ways. I am imagining long socks, brogues, a satchel bag and a wide brimmed hat. A gem necklace and a cardigan with a skinny belt over the top would complete the look.

POPPY LUX BRONWYN QUILTED SWEATER MINI SKIRT

A great alternative to the skort for those wanting more length in an asymmetric design. A chunky neon knit in yellow or green would be a great colour pop to add with this smart/casual skirt.

POPPY LUX DELAINE PINAFORE DRESS

I like to think of this item as milk maid chic. It would look fab with an off the shoulder bodycon top or a cut out shoulder shirt. Add some chunky ankle boots and you are good to go.

Let me know your favourites from SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE in the comments below.

Images not my own.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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VICHY IDELIA EYES & LIFE SERUM

I'm back again with another review today, but this time skincare. I was asked if I would like to test and review the new VICHY IDELIA EYES and was kindly sent the VICHY IDELIA LIFE SERUM too.

Said to be the perfect partner to the VICHY IDELIA LIFE SERUM which I have previously spoken about in my FACIAL SKINCARE REVIEWS post.

VICHY IDELIA EYES has been formulated to re-awaken tired looking eyes allowing your natural radiance to show through while smoothing and reducing fine lines. The eye contour feels softer, hydrated and more supple. Dark circles are brightened with an illuminating effect. The silicone applicator has been designed for precision in application with the soft touch feel of a brush. A hygienic applicator.

Both products offer a dewy, youthful appearance to the skin. The serum is great for a light reflecting inner glow. It has a fab scent and feels very fresh. Once full make-up is applied however the glow I think is harder to notice.

The eye cream is great for those wanting to give new life to the under eye area. It really does brighten and deflect shadows. No I do not have terrible dark under eye circles, but if I can see a difference then hopefully those who do have them will really benefit from using this product as it really does even out skin tone. My eyes look more wide awake and less dull. 

The caffeine in this product is great also to reduce puffiness with its draining and decongesting effects. The applicator does help to spread the product under the eyes, but I think it could work easily without it as I end up using my fingers to pat it in anyway.

VICHY IDELIA EYES is a real 'eye opener' if you will. Perfect for many reasons.

Please let me know your favourite Vichy products with reasons why in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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L'OREAL PROFESSIONEL PARIS NEXT DAY HAIR & FIX DESIGN

Hi lovelies. Did you get up to much this weekend? I have had a pretty lazy one getting bits and bobs done including renewing my driving licence. I am not driving at the moment, but I am hoping to change that very soon :)

I have two L'oreal Professionel Paris hair products to review that were very kindly gifted to me at the BLOGGERS LOVE LFW GIFTING LOUNGE By RUSH HAIR & BEAUTY.

L'OREAL PROFESSIONEL PARIS WILD STYLERS TECNI.ART NEXT DAY HAIR

A micro-propelled texturizing powder for an instant tousled-dishevelled matte effect without a rough touch. Limitless layering. Shake well between applications spraying onto mid-lengths and ends. Brush out with fingers if desired. 

For a volume boost this is great. It is definitely a matte effect product as the powder adds texture to your hair by literally changing the texture of your hair fibres. The strands cling to each other, but not in a tacky way. The hair still feels lightweight, but with real oomph perfect for adding volume to styles and also next day hair. If too much product is used there is a slight white powder residue so perhaps this product is slightly better for blonde's if layering up applications is required.

L'OREAL PROFESSIONEL PARIS TECNI.ART FIX DESIGN

A strong hold directional fixing spray.

I could not get this to work at first, but following the instructions I ran the pump under hot water and pressed down. It soon came to life and has worked fine since. This is another lightweight product that is a spray rather than a mist as traditional hairsprays are. It does work well enough, but I would say it's better for up do's as the hold doesn't appear as strong as expected. Although you do have to press down on the pump to spray I think this could be a problem if you were to travel with it as there is no cap.

What are your texturising, volumising and dry shampoo recommendations as well as hairsprays? Let me know with reasons why in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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DRESS ME BETTY PANACHE PENDANT

Hi lovelies! If you are in the UK at the moment this weather is crazy right? Rain, wind, sunshine, thunder, lightening, hot, cold. Changing by the minute it's hard to know what to wear. One thing that the weather can never spoil is our choice of fashion jewellery though. 

Today I want to share with you a fabulous piece from DRESS ME BETTY that I met recently at the BLOGGERS LOVE LFW GIFTING LOUNGE.

DRESS ME BETTY PANACHE PENDANT

This pendant comes in a different style of green, yellow or pink. This style however is the multi with a more flared out design. The chain is adjustable in length and is a gunmetal shade. The pendant itself has silver gems with a pale pink stone at its heart. Decorated with coloured accents of salmon pink, sky blue, pistachio green, lilac and bright yellow. This is a gorgeous statement piece that is very lightweight. Perfect to wear under a collar, over a plain tee or with a strapless dress.

DRESS ME BETTY have many fabulous pieces at affordable prices that are great for any time of year, but especially perfect for festive events and as gifts this A/W season.

This was a gift from DRESS ME BETTY that I wanted to share with you.

Let me know your favourites from their collection in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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PRIMARK HAUL BARGAINS

Hey there gorgeous people. I popped into Primark a few days ago as it was payday and I wanted to pick up a new winter coat. I am not fooled by the odd sunny moments we are having in the UK (ha ha). I always have a warm coat with a hoodie for winter as I travel by public transport a lot and hate being cold. As well as picking up a coat I also got some great sale bargains. Yes SALE so read on so that you can run out and get them too :)

YELLOW SKORT

This is my very first skort. I never knew if I would ever pick one of these up, but the neon yellow and floral print of this little number had me hooked. If you are unaware a skort are shorts with a wrap front to make it look like a skirt so that your modesty is in tact. These have a zip back and side pockets. I got them in a size 10 and they are perfect with just a little room so that I don't feel they are riding up. They are quite see through, but I would only wear them over tights or leggings anyway. You will never believe that they were reduced from £7 to just £1.

BLACK & GREY SLEEVE SKIRTS

The sleeve wrap on dresses and skirts is more of an up to date trend that I have been wanting to get on board with. Yes you can just wrap something like a jumper or shirt around your waist, but if you don't want bulk at the back and you want the sleeves to be the same as the skirt you are wearing these are perfect. I got them in a size 10 also. They were reduced from £5 to £2 each.

PINK FLOWER TOP KNOTS (X2)

These pretty neon pink hair accessories are so cute. I am actually going to be styling them in a very different way so let me know if you want to see how in an outfit post? They were £1.50 each. They also came in a peachy shade and a wine red shade.

BLACK V NECK TEE DRESS

This is a great piece to have for days when you just don't know what to wear. The roll up hems on the sleeves are a subtle touch, but something more than just plain sleeves. I got this in a size 6 and on average I am a size 10. There is still plenty of room in this for me so bear that in mind if you do pick this up as I would say it is still a bit oversized. This was reduced from £5 to £2. It did come in white, but it was a bit see through. I wish I had got it now as I would have worn it for bed at least. This is a staple piece that I will wear all year on it's own or over leggings.

NAVY NYLON FUR PARKA

Finally the item that I went shopping for I found. This navy parka has detachable fur on the hood which has a gorgeously soft fleece lining. It has a front zip with poppers and two front pockets that have buttons (sorry not shown as undone). The waist has a drawstring with fasteners to keep it where you want it. I bought this in a size 12 because I wanted to wear extra thick jumpers underneath and I think that would have been a struggle on the arms. I did fit into a size 8 comfortably and as previously mentioned I usually buy a 10. As the waist is adjustable it doesn't look excessively big. The bottom part of this parka does stick out a bit like a tu tu which I would prefer it to lie flatter, but I can live with it. This also came in grey and I think Khaki and black. This parka cost £25.

So that's my haul. I think I got some great finds here which were very affordable. Let me know your Primark bargains in the comments below along with your favourites from my haul.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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MAX FACTOR GEL SHINE LACQUERS

Hi once again today cherubs. I have been testing out for the last few weeks the MAX FACTOR GEL SHINE LACQUERS which were very kindly sent to me to review. I have four of the nine available shades and here they are.

L-R: SPARKLING BERRY (55), GLAZED COBALT (40), SHEEN MERLOT (60) & LACQUERED VIOLET (35)

Stated to be high gloss, high intensity, high impact gel-effect shine finish nail lacquers that last up to 7 days. With a self-levelling formula to minimise streaks and brush marks. A rich, thick consistency that is easy to apply.

So what are my thoughts?

I have never tried gel nails so to have the at home experience was a great way for me to see if I liked the effect on my nails.

The first shade I tried was Sparkling Berry. It was a lovely shade that to me looked more raspberry red than the colour swatch shown on the Max Factor website which shows this as a more purple almost deep taupe based shade. It doesn't appear sparkling as the name suggests either. My nails were glossy and the application was seamless with no streaks or brush marks. I applied two coats over a base coat followed by a nail spray as I wanted the gel-effect to show through and not be masked by a top coat that actually provides the shine. This was a big mistake. The review of that nail spray is here. I did not like the nail spray, but I do not think that my disappointment was all down to the type of nail spray used as my nails chipped about four times within 24 hours. I had to keep reapplying the nail lacquer as I was going to an event, but on the final chip just as I was leaving I had to go and just live with it.

The next shade I tried was Glazed Cobalt. This is a bold mid-toned blue which is gorgeous. I applied a top coat this time which obviously gave me a gloss effect, but kind of made the point of applying a gel-effect nail lacquer a bit pointless. I do however think the formula of these polishes are fantastic. With two coats they are seamless and look very polished indeed. These lasted about four day before any chipping and it wasn't terrible. They chipped more over the following days, but four days wear for a nail lacquer at the price they are is pretty good I think.

Here are the shades Sheen Merlot and Lacquered Violet that I applied today with a top coat. 

Sheen Merlot is a gorgeous colour for winter. It's a deep wine, blood red with a brown base that has a lovely shimmer almost duo-chrome effect that shows up under artificial lights.

Lacquered Violet looks different depending on the lighting. It's a gorgeous shade that sometimes looks more blue or purple.

I would highly recommend these as nail lacquers for the formula alone. The shades I have tried are gorgeous and there are other beautiful ones to check out. If however you are wanting to try these for the gel-effect aspect without a top coat I would say you won't be very happy as the long lasting effect without a top coat for me is not there.

If you have tried at home gel nail lacquers please let me know your experience of them along with the brand. Also please say if you use a top coat or use some sort of drying regime to set the lacquer.

You can pick these up at Boots where they are on 3 for 2 or at Superdrug where they are selling at a reduced price.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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HOUSE OF TRENDELLA WISH LIST

Hey everyone. It's almost the weekend so yay for that. After meeting loads of great brands recently at the BLOGGERS LOVE LFW GIFTING LOUNGE I of course checked them all out and discovered a great site that hosts lots of great brands and pieces all under one fashion roof. Welcome to HOUSE OF TRENDELLA.

HOT BASICS BLACK SWEATSHIRT WITH FLORAL EMBROIDERY PATTERN

Combing warmth and pretty floral features on a black background. A very different way of adding winter florals to your wardrobe with this great transitional piece. It kind of reminds me of the skull candy designs that I love too.

SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE UNICORN SWEATSHIRT

I don't actually own any unicorn items as yet which I am surprised at. I love this grown up take on the trend as most unicorn fashion I have seen is very bright and colourful. The dipped hem gives it that something more too. I would love layering this over a white shirt with jeans.

HOT BASICS GREEN SEQUIN OPEN BACK BODYCON DRESS

I saw this piece at the Bloggers Love event and fell in love with it instantly. The HOT site says it can be worn in many ways. It's great for those who want a 2 in 1 dress as it has a plunging v neck on the back. Shown above it's fab as there is so much sparkle, but for full on glamour I would reverse it adding a statement neck piece that doesn't come lower than the v.

HOT BASICS LOGO GALAXY SWEATSHIRT

One last casual piece for you. White is also a great colour to wear in winter I think as it reminds me of snowy scenes. I again do not own any galaxy print items. Where have I been? This is a nice way to wear the galaxy theme in a more relaxed way while sporting the House Of Trendella brand.

I hope you found at least one item here that you favour as much as I do. Don't forget that there are many other great pieces that you need to check out on HOUSE OF TRENDELLA!

Images not my own.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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