MINK & STONE DARK BEAUTY BRACELET - MY DESIGN

Hey wonderful people. How are you all? I am very excited to share with you a piece of jewellery I was given the opportunity to design. 

I met the lovely Miisa from MINK & STONE at #BLFW. Miisa showed me just how easy it is to create a piece of jewellery on the Mink & Stone website. There are a choice of 7 necklace styles in varying lengths or a bracelet if that's your preference with either silver or gold metal.

You can make up a personalised tray of goodies to play with and have fun creating your own design. There are easy search options under colour, use, material, collection or size group.

Each bead is priced so if you have a budget it makes it a bit easier to select choices within that frame. I had been gifted with £15 credit. My bracelet came to just a little over that and I think was totally worth it.

DARK BEAUTY - A FEMININE CREATION OF LOVE AND DESIRE

As you can see you can name your piece adding a short description of the inspiration behind it. Mine is featured on the inspiration page which you are given the option to do if you wish. It can then be shared on various social media. The more people that 'like' your design the higher up the inspiration page it will sit. It's a great idea as others can not only view the materials used and be inspired by your design, but they also have the option to purchase your piece. If they do you can then earn credit to put towards future designs.

Your design will be custom made and shipped to you within 2 weeks. There was a delay in receiving my bracelet as the black crystal hearts proved to be very popular so mine came in less then 3 weeks.

As you can see my design only uses 4 bead styles, yet I think looks beautiful (pats self on back). It was very satisfying hearing the clink of the beads tap together as they slid down the chain landing next to each other. Seeing my design develop before my eyes was very exciting and addictive.  

So why not get creative and have fun designing a piece for yourself or even as a gift. It can be sent to the recipients address with a note saying "designed for you".

Let me know if you design any pieces in the comments below so that others can view them too.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

BLOGLOVIN' | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TBP

VITA LIBERATA NKD SKN MEDIUM TINTED TAN MOUSSE

Hi beauties. I hope you are all having a great week. Today I have a review for you of a tanning product that was sent to me a while ago from the very popular tanning brand VITA LIBERATA. 

I was so excited to try it out, but due to skin/medical issues that may affect the result of the tan and not wanting you to wait any longer for a review my friend very kindly tried out the tan for me and answered some questions about it so that I can still review it for you.

NKD SKN MEDIUM TINTED TAN MOUSSE

The claims:

A lightweight tinted mousse formula in a medium shade. 

Glides on like velvet over the skin. 

A gorgeous bronze tan that is odourless and fades without patching. 

Leaves skin super soft and lasts up to 7 days.

Foolproof application that dries instantly so that you can get dressed straight away.

TANNING MITT

An extra soft flock application mitt that gives a streak free result.

So what were the results?

Q. Did the tan feel light and airy on the skin?

A. Yes very! It didn't feel like I was wearing fake tan at all :)

Q. Did it apply easily?

A. Yes it gave an instant colour so you could see where you had applied it so no body parts were missed. A great streak free finish! The mitt was fab and made the application so easy.

Q. Was it odourless?

A. There was a very slight biscuit smell that was hardly noticeable. My boyfriend didn't complain so that says something.

Q. Did it fade without any patching?

A. Yes! It faded very naturally. I exfoliated on day 3 and it stayed a very even colour.

Q. Did it dry instantly?

A. Yes. There was a slight tacky feeling for about 5 minutes after applying it, but then that feeling went away.

Q. Did your skin feel soft with it on?

A. Yes it left my skin feeling soft.

Q. How long did it last?

A. 1 week!

Q. Was there any transfer onto bedsheets or clothing while wearing the tan?

A. No. I applied it at night and showered the next morning. I was left with a lovely deep colour. There were no stains on my bedsheets or clothing the whole week.

Q. What type of shade does the tan give?

A. I usually go for light/medium tinted tans, but this medium shade was a little darker. It was a lovely golden bronze that didn't look muddy or orange in tone at all. It was a very wearable shade and didn't look too dark. A very natural bronzed shade.

Q. Would you purchase the tan and mitt yourself?

A. Definitely 100%. It was so easy to apply and gave and beautiful golden bronze shade that was not too light or too dark. It didn't go patchy either. I loved it and would buy it myself in the future.

My friend is obviously a big fan of VITA LIBERATA now and who can blame her with these results.

For more information on the NKD SKN Luxe Tanning collection check out this post here!

Do you already have any favourites from the NKD SKN Luxe Tanning collection? Let me know which products with reasons why in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

BLOGLOVIN' | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TBP

ICONIC HOLLYWOOD EDITION GLOSSYBOX

Hi Everyone and Happy Friday! In today's post I want to share with you my initial impressions on the Iconic Hollywood Edition GlossyBox.

LORD & BERRY LIPSTICK IN KISS

A classic iconic red that Marilyn herself would no doubt love. Available in matt and shine finishes.

I am not usually a fan of lip crayons as I find that the caps tend to come off all the time in my handbag. Very annoying! I made the decision quite some time ago not to buy more for this reason. 

This lipstick crayon however that I have just applied I have instantly fallen in love with. Most products of this type tend to be glossy, but mine is matt and I have to say wow it looks good. All I need is winged eyeliner, a slinky dress and somewhere glam to be.

The colour is a very bold starlet red with an orange undertone which always makes my blue eyes pop. My lips get very dry very easily so matt formula's I tend to avoid. This product however feels velvety on my lips and applied so smoothly. I am so impressed by the formula and the pigment. My lips are not drying out at all.

I am new to Lord & Berry as a brand, but I certainly want to check out more of their products.

POP BEAUTY KAJAL EYELINER PEN IN SOOTY BLACK

This product claims to be very easy to use as with one swipe you can create a winged line or blend for a smokey effect.

I love the name sooty black, but I would say that's my favourite thing about this liner. The pigment is black, but not the darkest black I have ever tried. I lined my upper lid and winged it out. I found it took quite a few strokes even after warming up the pencil on the back of my hand. You will not be able to create a precise line with this pencil easily. I also applied it under my eyes and tried smoking it out with the smudger. To be honest I think it just removed some of the product.

Pop Beauty are also new to me and have other products I would be interested in trying, but this one just didn't do it for me.

DARPHIN EXQUISAGE BEAUTY REVEALING CREAM

A moisturising and protective formula providing elasticity to the skin for a firmer look and feel while softening lines and wrinkles. It also gives skin a radiating glow.

It smells lovely and will hopefully be a great moisturising cream. It does have a more hefty price tag than I would usually pay, but it says to use only a pearl-sized amount morning and night.

Daprhin are also a brand I haven't tried before so it will be great to see how the quality of this product fairs.

COLOR CLUB BARELY THERE NAIL POLISH

This nude shade is great for any skin tone and is said to have a high shine finish.

I don't think nude nails will ever go out of fashion. They go with everything and are very wearable for all ages.

NOUGAT NURTURING HAND CREAM TUBEROSE & JASMINE

• Top Notes: Hot Milk & White Peach.
• Middle Notes: Jasmine & Tuberose.
• Base Notes: Sandalwood, Cedar Wood, Vanilla & Musk.

A softening and protective formula for your hands that will also strengthen the nails. This product is not tested on animals.

The tube is sealed, but I can already smell the vintage floral scent before taking it out of the box. I love the packaging, but I am a not sure if the scent appeals to me so far as I am not a big fan of vanilla and floral vintage scents.

I am still using other hand creams so I will review this product as soon as I can.

I am very happy with the Lord & Berry lip product in this box. The eyeliner was a bit disappointing and everything else is just wait and see for now.

I am so glad there is no spoiler card in this box for the next one. I like to have everything in each box be a surprise every month which was what initially enticed me to subscribe.

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

Love to you all

Vicky xx

BLOGLOVIN' | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TBP

#LIPGLAM

Hello lovely people. Today I have a review for you of a multitasking balm that was gifted to me at #BLFW.

#LIPGLAM

This balm appears to be just a lip balm, but no this product claims to do much more than that.

LANOLIN LIPBALM

CUTICLE OINTMENT

SPLIT END SOOTHER

LIP & MASCARA PRIMER

EYEBROW BALM

SOOTHES CHAFING & RASHES

DRY SKIN RELIEF

Extracted from sheep's wool this 100% natural emollient offers an instant moisture hit.

So does it work?

As a lip balm it's very satisfying. It leaves a layer of moisture which lasts up to 8 hours. It's very glossy so your lips will look more plumped, but it isn't a lip plumper with that tingling zingy feeling. My lips did feel very moisturised and soft. I suffered a lot less peeling than usual.

As a cuticle ointment it sinks in nicely and feels nourishing. I like to smooth the excess over my nail too for a subtle sheen.

I don't tend to suffer with split ends as I get my hair cut so regularly so I am not sure how it works for those who suffer them.

I tried it on my lashes as a primer, but I found that my mascara didn't apply as full and separated as usual. Because of the consistency my lashes clumped just a little and the mascara was unable to lengthen my lashes as well. However as a conditioning treatment I think it would be fine to use at night on the lashes. I'm not saying it will make them grow, but just keep them smooth as they are hair.

I tend to have a fringe and if I apply eyebrow mascara to my brows I don't really need anything else to keep them in place so I didn't test it out for that.

As a general balm for chafing and dry skin relief I think it would be a great moisturising staple product not just for us ladies, but the whole family.

My only frustration is how messy the tube gets at the opening. I use this mainly as a lip balm and I have always found with these type of tubes for lip treatments they do get messy. Perhaps a doe foot applicator like a lipgloss or a twist up stick would be nice options for those just wanting to use it as a lip balm? I am not sure if this formula could be made like that, but I would be more likely to purchase it myself in the future if that was the case. 

Would you try this product and for what purpose? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

BLOGLOVIN' | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TBP

#BLFW JEWELLERY

Hey there beauties. You may or may not remember me attending BLOGGERS LOVE FASHION WEEK DAY 1. I met lots of great brands and was so kindly gifted with lots of exciting things including items from these brands who you can learn more about in the link above.

IRIDESCENCE

This diamante and gold vintage inspired necklace is the perfect way to add interest to an outfit. It would look great with an open neck, something off the shoulder or strapless. Likewise it's ideal to wear under the collar of a shirt.

NORENZO

This beautiful colour petal layer ring is so different from other jewellery I have seen. This is a real statement piece perfect for the spring/summer season with it's handmade floral diamante design. Sabreena is very talented at creating so many wonderful pieces available at Norenzo. If you love floral accessories that I believe have a very modern take on traditional vintage items check out her line now.

JUST TRADE

These handmade triangle studs will never date with their geometric design. Great for everyday wear as a simple statement. The Aztec and tribal trends seem to always pop up at this time of year so they will fit in perfectly with those too.

JOE BROWNS

I love this peace and love style beaded bracelet. It's quite neutral in tone with just a pop of green so great for mixing and matching with various outfits. Joe Browns are anything but a boring brand. They have such a variety of clothing and accessory pieces for men and women. Once you start looking through their site you will be on there a while.

I also have another piece of jewellery from a brand that I met that night, but I designed it myself so expect that post soon.

Let me know which of these brands excites you and any favourite pieces in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

BLOGLOVIN' | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TBP

DHC FACE WASH POWDER

Hey gorgeous people. I have been asked to try out and review for you a product from one of my favourite skincare brands DHC.

DHC FACE WASH POWDER

Although I have never tried this product before I wanted to let you know that it has been repackaged and reformulated. This is an extremely mild cleansing exfoliator that feels so gentle on the skin. It's very creamy and lathers well. Simply flip open the lid, shake the powder into the palm of your hand and mix with a little water. It deeply cleanses the skin without stripping the skins natural pH. The formula dissolves surface dead skin cells while softening and moisturising the skin. Suitable for all skin types.

I have thoroughly enjoyed using this product. While in the shower I massage it in daily. I do not remove my make-up beforehand so I do end up looking like the crow. Then I wipe away the eye make-up from under my eyes. Usually the next morning I end up resembling a panda where other products have failed to remove all traces of make-up, but this product removes it all 100%.

For sensitive skin types I would suggest giving this a try as it's so mild, although it does contain alcohol.

Let me know your faves from the DHC line in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

BLOGLOVIN' | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TBP