NAILS: POLISH REMOVAL & SETTING SPRAY

Hi everyone. I know it's Monday, but chin up cherubs. I have two products to talk about today for your nails.

PRIMARK BEAUTY NAIL POLISH REMOVER WIPES

I was given a few pots of these nail polish remover wipes one year at Xmas and I had forgotten I had them. Rediscovering these beauties has made nail polish removal less of a task. They are so quick to use compared to tipping polish remover onto a cotton pad and I do use less pads even with bold reds that I find spread everywhere when removing. These wipes do not stop the polish spreading, but the formula which feels like it has a slightly oil base means this method is easy, quick and almost conditioning. I find the scent of them quite addictive too. The handy pot they come in would be perfect for travel as they are a 2 in 1 compact product with no spillage disasters. I could not tell you if these are still available, but if they are I would definitely recommend.

PRETTY PERFECT NAIL DRYING SPRAY

I usually use the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry Spray if I am not painting on a top coat, but I was in Poundland one day and thought for £1.00 this would be worth a try. First off let me say that although not totally unpleasant the scent of this product is pretty potent. The mist from the spray spreads quite a bit too so either be near a window or go outside to use this. So does it work? My nails are less tacky than before using it, but not completely dry. This spray says it's suitable for most types of nail varnish so I am not sure what types they are? I have used this on many brands, but the result is always the same. Within a day or two the chipping starts. Although generally speaking I think most varnish top coats will make your polish last longer than a nail drying spray, but I definitely would recommend the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry Spray over this. I have reviewed that product here.

If you have any favourite nail polish top coats, bases, setting sprays or anything else then let me know with reasons why in the comments below. Also if you have any tips for yellow stained nails let me know that too as I always wear a base coat or leave my nails without any polish at all for weeks on end and they are still yellow :(

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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GlossyBox: 2 Product Reviews

Hi there sweeties. I hope you all enjoyed the weekend. I know it's Monday, but why not grab a cuppa and have a wee read of my post :) Today I have two products from my GlossyBoxes to review for you and here they are.

Elegant Touch Nail Polish Remover Pads ~ £2.03 for 20 Pads

I received these pads in my November 2013 GlossyBox. I was a little sceptical that these pads would work that well as they are acetone free and I always use nail polish removers with acetone because I hate spending ages with pad after pad rubbing away at my nails trying to remove the polish. I was however very happy too see that these worked so well. They are very moisturising and with much less work than other polish removers these removed the polish perfectly. I would say that on average I used about two pads at a time so that's 10 uses which works out to be about 20p each time. Such a bargain and the baby scent they have is addictive.

Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream

This product I received in my Back To Basics GlossyBox. It can be used pretty much anywhere on the face and body. I used this only for my face and lips as the 2 samples of this in the GlossyBox were quite small. This glycerin moisturiser has a very herbal almost medicated scent that I actually enjoyed. I used this mostly in the evenings as it was quite relaxing. It had a nice plumping glowy effect on my skin.

So that's today's mini GlossyBox reviews. Which nail polish removers and multi-purpose skincare have you been enjoying lately? Let me know with your reasons in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

Favourites: 2013 Skincare & Nail Product

Hi there sweeties and happy Thursday! Today I have the last of my 2013 favourites posts for you. Here are my favourite 2013 skincare products with a nail product included.

I don't have all of the products at the moment so this photo only includes the ones I do. I will however include links to posts where I have previously reviewed and shown the products.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips

I usually prefer twist up tube lip balms as they are easy to use on the go and less messy. This product however was my top 2013 lip saviour. My lips are prone to drying, cracking, peeling, splitting etc. To see my full review check out this link.

RANA Argan Oil

I love using facial oils at night. They really feel like they moisturise and pamper my skin more deeply than most creams, but are too slippery for the day when I apply my make-up. My full review is in this link.

DHC Bio Cellulose Mask

This was the weirdest and funniest mask I have ever used. You can see why in my review here. A great treatment for renewed facial skincare at home.

Poundland Pure Exfoliating Complete Cleansing Wipes

These are so worth the price. Poundland always have these at two packs of 20 wipes for just £1.00. See my full review here.

balance Me. Super Moisturising Hand Cream

A deeply moisturising hand cream with such a therapeutic scent. My full review is in this link.

Crystal Clear Skincare Stay Young Intense Anti-Ageing Serum Moisturiser & Lift Away The Years Wand

This moisturiser combined with the Lift Away The Years magical wand are amazing. If you want more toned, defined and slimmer facial features that lessen the need for make-up contouring check out these products. Available now at Your Beauty M&S. For my Crystal Clear Skincare full reviews check out this post!

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

These two when used together sent me to cleansed heaven. My skin felt so clean as all of the dirt and make-up residue had been completely removed without being harsh on my skin. To see my review of both products check out this link!

99p Store Cussons Shower Creams & Shower Gels

First of all total bargains at 99p for these 500ml bottles. The scents are great, especially the wild fruit burst. I am using that one currently. Check out my review on those here!

Elegant Touch Rapid Dry For Nails

A quick drying spray that you simply mist over your painted nails when you can't be bothered with a top coat or are just in a rush. Perfect when you have applied nail art that you don't want to smudge with a top coat too. See my review here!

In the shower I tend to use exfoliating gloves on my body which I generally pick up in pound shops unless I receive body exfoliating products for Xmas, birthdays or in my GlossyBox.

I have been trying to make myself moisturise my body every day and I haven't done too bad with that. I usually use a spray oil if I really can't be bothered when I am at home as I think they tend to sometimes take longer to sink into the skin and may stain clothes if I am in a rush to get dressed and go out. I have used many body creams and lotions throughout the year though which you can find reviews of on my blog in the tags section.

I hope that this post and all of my other 2013 favourites posts have helped you discover some products that you might enjoy. If you do try them please let me know how they work for you.

Love to you all

November GlossyBox

Hi sweetie pies. Have you got an interesting weekend planned? I have nothing on the agenda today or tomorrow other than blogging and mooching around the house. My GlossyBox products for this month are sat next to me right now so I thought I would share my initial impressions with you. 

Connock London Kukui Eau de Parfum ~ £75.00 for 100ml

This elegant floriental fragrance is built around the Gardenia flower and is complimented by a full bouquet of fresh flowers including Italian Bergamot, Moroccan Rose, White Jasmine and Calla Lily. The scent is further enriched with Sandalwood, Vetiver, White Amber and layers of cashmere and sheer musks, completed with the rich bitter chocolate sweetness of Vanilla Absolute and Tonka Bean.

My Thoughts:

This is a very calming scent. It's quite pure and settling. I imagine this to be a scent for some who always looks presentable even if they are just lounging around their house at the weekend reading a book.

Vichy Idelia Life Serum ~ £29.50 for 30ml at Boots

Instantly, complexion looks radiant and fresh, with a more even tone. Pores appear tightened and skin texture feels refined. Facial features look rested and skin looks younger and healthier. Tested on sensitive skin under dermatological control. Suitable for all skin types. Can be applied before moisturising.

- Hypoallergenic

- With soothing and fortifying Vichy Thermal Spa Water

- Non-comedogenic

- Paraben-free

My thoughts:

There are two samples of this in the GlossyBox. I am not sure why as I think trying three different Vichy products might have been better? Saying that though I have put some on my hand and it appears to give a lovely luminous glow. I am really looking forward to trying this out. I have added a link to Boots above, but this product is also available at other stockists. Please see here.

Vichy Idelia Smoothing and Illuminating Cream for Normal to Combination Skin ~ £22.00 for 50ml at Boots

Idealia cream visibly smoothes the look of wrinkles. The skin texture appears refined. Skin feels softer and more supple. It reawakens skin's natural radiance for a fresh and even complexion. Vichy Idéalia is tested under dermatological control. Apply after cleansing morning and/or evening.

- Hypoallergenic.

- Uses soothing and fortifying Vichy Thermal Spa Water.

- Paraben free.

My thoughts:

Again I have linked to Boots above, but you can also purchase from other stockists. Please see this link. This product also has a slight luminosity to it. I am looking forward to trying it out with the product above. This is also available for dry skin which I am on my GlossyBox profile so I don't know why I keep getting sent products for other skin types? Here is a link to the dry skin formula.

Elegant Touch Nail Polish remover Pads ~ £2.00 for 20 pads at Sainsbury's

Acetone free with vitamin E and moisturisers. 

My thoughts:

I have linked them above at Sainsbury's, but again they are available at many stockists. Please see this link. I will try these out, but usually I use nail polish remover that contains acetone to remove stubborn polish.

Emite Make Up Micronized Eye Shadow (Nect)

Micronized Eye Shadow - NECT is a highly pigmented eyeshadow that is completely nickel-free, paraben and perfume. The pigment is micronized to facilitate the application and to create an even and fine results. An excellent choice for lens wearers or those with sensitive eyes. Not tested on animals.

My thoughts:

I hope that you can see this product well enough in the photo above as I am pretty much as pale as this colour. When I swatched this on my hand I straight away thought of the moonlight. It's not ultra glowy or bright, but a really subtle pale shimmer shade. I think it would be great for the inner corners to brighten and open up the eyes making you look more awake or as an all over lid colour. It would be a good contrast against black liner and as the main lid shade for a smokey crease look. I don't think Emite Make Up is available in the UK at the moment and I am not sure on the price as there was no information card in my GlossyBox this month, sorry.

Yves Rocher France Moisturizing Hand Cream Cocoa & Raspberry ~ £1.95 for 30ml

Irresistible softness and indulgent fragrance to pamper your hands all winter long.

My thoughts:

OMG this really does smell of chocolate raspberries. Instantly I thought of the chocolate raspberry creams that I will be devouring from our Roses tin this Xmas. The smell is quite addictive already. For this price too it's a winner so far. The cream sinks really easily into the hands with no greasy residue.

The products from Vichy, Yves Rocher and Emite Make Up are the most impressive to me at the moment in this box. This GlossyBox did come with a GlossyBox magazine, but no information card? I find that really useful to find more information in the products in the box, prices, website links etc so will we not be getting those anymore?

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

If you received a GlossyBox this month which products did you receive and are you impressed so far? Did you have an information card included in your box? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Love to you all

Mixed Product Reviews #3

Hi there you Beauty Addicts. I hope you are having a fab weekend. I'm feeling all sorry for myself as I am not well :( I have a bad throat and cough and feel like death. Oh well enough of the drama let me get into my post to take my mind off of it. Today I have many mixed product reviews for you.

Left To Right:

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 80 Handy Wipes Orange Scented, £1.00

I picked these up in Poundland. I think they were in the baby section. I always go there now rather than the beauty section as you get 80 wipes for just £1.00 rather than the 20-30 wipes I usually get in the ones aimed at beauty.

This Works Clean Skin Daily Wash

I received this in my January Feelunique Beauty Box. I really enjoyed using this facial cleanser because of the scent. It felt like I was giving myself a relaxing facial each time I used it. It was a pretty good cleanser at removing make-up, but not every last trace. This was £18.00 for 150ml at the time I received it, but I'm not sure if it is still available anymore. I think it may have been discontinued or may now be the Gentle Cleanser?

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist Hydrating Spray, Various prices/sizes

I received this in my July GlossyBox. After cleansing I would spray this on as refreshing pick me up. I used it on sun burnt areas earlier in the year also to cool them down. Check out the link above for this product or alternatively have a look on Ebay or Amazon as I have seen it on those sites for various prices.

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm, £25.50 for 100ml

I received this in my November 2011 Feelunique Beauty Box. This also came with the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Dual Action Professional Cleansing Cloth which I intend to keep and re-use as it can be washed. It looks like a white flannel. This combined with the face wash mentioned above was just a lovely combination. I love the packaging of this product. It looks expensive and classy. This did last me quite a while. The texture is like a smooth balmy paste. It's a lot more pleasant than it sounds. The scent is amazing. I see that on the John Lewis website there is a starter kit for just £32.00 that includes the balm and a cloth as well as 3 other treats. This may be a nice gift for someone this Xmas or even yourself.

Possibility Lemon Cheesecake Ultra Rich Shower Gel, Shampoo & Bubble Bath

At the time this was on offer in Savers for £1.00 so I snapped it up. I managed to snap the lid when I dropped it in the shower, doh! This was okay, but it has a slight medicinal scent to it. I will attempt to make the lemon cheesecake recipe on the front of the bottle and for those of you that want to also here is a close up.

Possibility Peppermint Ice Cream Ultra Rich Shower Gel, Shampoo & Bubble Bath

I bought this at the same time so I got this from Savers for £1.00 also. This one I really liked. It was so refreshing and uplifting. I would definitely pick this one up again. Here is a close up of the recipe on this one.

Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil, £14.28 for 100ml

I received this in my July 2011 GlossyBox. This product did not appeal to me from the start due to it's medicinal appearance. This is something at first glance I would expect to pick up in a pharmacy, not at a beauty counter. After a bath I applied this all over my body and lets just say if you tried to give me a hug you would probably have slipped right off me. This is definitely of an oil consistency. I thought this might sink into my skin after a while, but five hours later it still felt greasy on my skin. I could not do this to myself again so I resorted to using it as a massage oil as I hate wasting products. The scent is okay, but I'm not a massive fan. This ones a miss for me.

Aveeno Skin Relief Shea Butter Moisturising Lotion, £2.99 for 200ml

I think I got this free sample in a magazine. This lotion felt nice to apply and sank into my skin very easily.

Elizabeth's Daughter The Daily Moisturiser For Face and Body SPF15, £17.50 for 100ml

I received this free sample at Glow Bluewater when I attended the Vitality Boutique. This was also a nice cream to use on both my face and body that again sank into my skin nicely.

Alison Claire Remarkable Bio-Natural Beauty Mango Body Butter, £15.00 for 200ml

I received this product in my November GlossyBox. I love, love, love this product. The scent is just adorable. I made my fella smell me whenever I applied this if he was around. I smelt like a sweet and that's a good thing :) I actually got excited to apply this because of the amazing scent. I did go through this rather quickly as I tend to do a full body moisturise twice a day. I love the pump design. I only wish it came with a pump on the full size 200ml version. 

Rose & Co Apothecary Rose Petal Salve, £5.00 for 20g

I received this in my October 2011 Boudoir Prive Box. This tin has lasted me absolutely ages. I have used other lips balms in between, but this I would say I have had around 7-8 months use out of. This always felt nice to apply, but it didn't resolve my dry, flaky lips. Mine are unruly though and nothing seems to work on them. The vintage tin is so cute and has the rose scent to match. I think this could be a sweet stocking filler for crimbo.

Colgate Advanced White Fluoride Toothpaste, £1.27 for 100ml

This toothpaste was fresher and more minty than the standard Colgate that I don't like because I think it lacks that fresh feeling. I did not notice whiter teeth in 14 days.

Oral B 3D White Brilliance Radiant Mint Fluoride Toothpaste, £2.49 for 75ml

This was fine to use, but again no whitening brilliance. I also hate screw top toothpaste as it ends up bouncing around my bathroom because I am forever dropping it.

No7 Lift & Luminate Foundation SPF 15 (Porcelain), £16.50

In the link above is No7's Lift & Luminate Foundation, but the bottle design has changed and I'm not sure if they have changed the formula so I can only tell you my thoughts on the product I have tried. This was a great everyday foundation. It was so easy to apply and gave a light/medium coverage. It did not feel heavy at all on my skin. I could wear this as a tinted moisturiser with one layer or build it up to two layers for a medium foundation coverage. I would not say that my skin felt more lifted as there was no tightening effect for me.

Superdrug Nail Polish Remover Acetone Formula, £1.09 for 250ml

This product is such great value. I prefer acetone polish removers as they can remove stubborn nail polish, especially glitters more easily. There is also a 50ml size for 79p.

Elegant Touch Vitamin E Rapid Dry Nail Spray, £2.79

I have been using this for years and I need to get some more. This is a simple spray that mists over your nails to help them dry quicker. It is said to dry nail polish in 60 seconds and although it dries them very quickly I would still be careful when digging around in your handbag or washing the dishes etc. A great alternative for speed when a top coat is just too much effort. So that I don't worry about smudging my nail art I use this so that no smearing occurs :)

Roger & Gallet Creme Sublime Bois D'Orange SPF 15 Hands & Nails Cream, £7.20 for 75ml

This was given to me for free at a Roger & Gallet PR event, Link. This product has a creamy, citrusy scent to it. This was a nice cream to use. It's weird how the design on the Roger & Gallet logo has gone a bit smudgy though.

So that's everything for these mixed reviews. I hope you found something informative in this post. What products have you been loving or loathing and why? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

 

NOTD: St George's Day Inspired

Hello my Darlings. This week has felt so long yet this month seems to be flying by, so crazy. I can't wait for summertime. It is April so the showers are no surprise I guess. Enough of my rambling. Today I have another St George's Day inspired post with a NOTD.

With this look I firstly applied one coat of my usual Rimmel base coat. I then applied three coats of this E.L.F. Nail Polish in the shade Pearl as this is a very sheer formula. I wanted to make my base colour look a little more glossy and pearlescent then the stark white background of an opaque nail polish.

To do something a little different than the obvious red cross I drew on two lines with slashes to alternate nails so that it made a pattern of linked crosses. It gives a kind of barbed wired or almost dogtooth pattern effect. I used my StarGazer Nail Art Pen in Red for this by sweeping the striper brush across the nails.

Left Hand

Right Hand

After taking these photos I sprayed my nails with my Elegant Touch Rapid Dry Spray.

These are links to the products mentioned:

E.L.F. Nail Polish (Pearl): £1.50 ~ Link :), $2.00 ~ Link :)

StarGazer Nail Art Pen (Red): £3.00 ~ Link :)

Elegant Touch Rapid Dry Spray: £3.05 ~ Link :)

Have you written any posts that are St George's Day inspired? If so link me up in the comments below.

Love to you all

NOTD: Something Floral

Hello Pretties. I had a lovely day with my Mum yesterday as it was her birthday. We had a coffee in Marks & Spencer. I looooooove their coffee and the cups and saucers it comes in. Mum had a pastry and I had a buttered scone. We then did a little shopping and had tuna rolls for lunch followed by chocolate fudge cake. Yum :) After a couple of hours chatting we both had a nap for an hour. In the evening my boyfriend came over. We ordered pizza and played Mexican Train. It's a game that my Mum picked up when she was in America using dominoes. I played it for the first time with Mum and my boyfriend on Xmas Day and lost so badly, but yesterday we had another go and I whooped their butts :) So now if you are still with me I will get on with my NOTD post.

Firstly I applied one coat of my Rimmel base coat. I then applied three coats of my O.P.I. Nail Lacquer Funny Bunny. I applied three coats as this pearlescent white shade can be quite sheer and I wanted more of an opaque blank canvas for my nail art. Here is a link to this shade that retails at £11.00 for 15ml from lenawhite.co.uk

I then drew three petal shapes for each flower design on the nails as shown above. I did the same nails on each hand using my StarGazer UV Nail Art Pen in the shade UV Purple. These retail at £3.00 each for 10ml. Please see the link here to view this product.

I then drew a green flick between each petal using my StarGazer UV Nail Art Pen in the shade UV Green. This product is in the link shown for the previous UV Nail Art Pen at the same price.

Finally I dotted three dots at the centre of each flower using my StarGazer Nail Art Pen in the shade Black. Please find this product in the link here. This product also retails at £3.00 for 10ml. The dots closed in on each other forming hearts which I think looks cute.

I then gave the design a quick coat of my Elegant Touch Rapid Dry Spray which I usually use if I'm in a hurry and don't want to smudge my nail art by applying a top coat. You can buy this product for £3.05 for 125ml. Please see the link here to view this product on boots.com. I like this product because it dries my nails quicker than applying nothing at all, but I do find that small bubbles sometimes appear on my nails which can be annoying as I want them to look smooth and polished.

So that's it. Have you come up with any pretty floral nail designs? Are you a fan of nail art pens? What other nail art do you recommend?

Love to you all