NOTD & Maxfactor Nailfinity nail varnishes

Maxfactor Nailfinity in 'Midnight Bronze'

I start my new job tomorrow (I say new, though I have previously worked there around 3-4 years ago!), so needed a neutral-ish shade that I could get away with. I opted for this golden shade today, rather than pink. I always prefer golds/browns. 

This is my selection of Maxfactor Nailfinity varnishes - though sadly I won't be purchasing any more. I'm not a fan of it's consistency, and the lighter shades seem to be really gloopy, take forever to dry, and need around 3 coats just to show up how the colour appears in the bottle. Most of these varnishes I've gathered through 'Gift with Purchase' sets, or I picked up on impulse because I liked the colour. 

Saying all this though, the brush application is actually okay, compared to that of Nails Inc (which I find too thick, and as a result, chips away quicker).

I do love a good bargain...

Yesterday some family & I took a trip to Cribbs Causeway (Bristol). I popped into their TK Maxx (swear I'm getting obsessed with that shop) & couldn't resist purchasing a few goodies (my excuse - they were cheap & I'm not likely to find them that price elsewhere) :

 L-R: Trevor Sorbie Gentle Conditioner (£2), Spa Paradisa Exfoliating Shower Wash (£3.49), Spa Paradisa Hand & Nail Cream (£3.49), Benefit Her Glossiness lip gloss in 'Didn't Hear it From Me' (£5.99)

Quick summary of the products:-

Trevor Sorbie Gentle Conditioner ~ Haven't used this yet, but I actually regret buying this as I just sniffed it and it smells like Playdoh. Gross. 

Spa Paradisa Exfoliating Shower Wash ~ Love this stuff, I first tried this product out when I won a Cosmopolitan Goodie Bag once (30 Days of Fashion & Beauty comp last year I think? Was so shocked that I won a random competition online for once hahah). It exfoliates really well without being harsh on the skin. 

Spa Paradisa Hand & Nail Cream ~ Really moisturising. Not sure I'm a fan of the smell? The shea butter aroma is pretty strong & lingers for a while, but it's okay :-)

Benefit Her Glossiness lip gloss ~ I was surprised at how moisturising this was. I've only ever tried a Benefit lipgloss once before - and that was a sheer 'Her Glossiness' lipgloss free from a Glamour magazine. I instantly loved this colour. Downside is the smell!! Or should I say taste?! Either way, wouldn't put me off using it everyday.  

Photo:

Also popped to the Clothes Horse so my sister could try on her wedding dress again - it's beautiful! Was lovely to spend the day with my Niece again too.

NOTD - Essie 'Rock Candy'

This was free in an issue of Tatler magazine a while back - excuse the oily looking fingers, I'd used cuticle oil in a hurry beforehand haha. This needs at least 2/3 coats.

Looked after my Niece this morning - consisted of Hello Kitty dvds and Dora the Explorer books! Love her so much :-)

Recent mini-hauls

It's 3 for 2 across all make-up in Boots at the moment - So I picked up a 17 Eye-Shadow palette, Maxfactor Nailfinity varnish in 'Pearly Pink' and my everyday Maxfactor Under-Eye Concealer pen (not pictured). I also had a voucher from Cosmopolitan for £2 off an O.P.I nail lacquer from Sally's, so I bought 'Chicago Champagne Toast' - which at first glance is a shimmery brown shade, but once dry on the nails is more of a dark pink.

On a recent trip to Bristol I FINALLY bought a Laura Mercier foundation. Doing some research prior, I found that many reviews claimed Laura's was a better mineral foundation than BareMinerals, (more finely milled etc) so I've given it a go. The man who served me was really helpful, bar the obligatory efforts of selling accompanying products ;) (that aren't really necessary - I already have plenty of concealers, and my skin just doesn't react well to primers). Whilst talking to me about Laura's 'Secret Camouflage' concealer, he went on to tell me he's served Sarah Harding & Nicola from Girls Aloud and that they swear by it apparently. 

So anyway I've used this mineral foundation a couple of times, & I'm pleased :-) I'm definitely a mineral foundation convert ;)

  

Laura Mercier Mineral Foundation

 

Pros -

~ It feels extremely light upon the face, unlike liquid foundations

~ It's MUCH better for the skin, especially spot-prone types

~ It gives you a healthy 'glow'

~ It's neater to use than most minerals

~ Finely milled, great quality.

Cons -

~ The price. At £30 a pot, I'm sure as hell hoping it lasts a long time.

~ The packaging. As a high-end product, I think it could be improved a little. I do like it's simpleness in a way, and the brand font, but it's not as appealing as say, NARS or Estee Lauder.

To apply this product, I use a biiig brush (Model Co blush brush), and swirl it into the face from the outsides in. I've been advised it's best to apply concealer AFTER, but I've personally found it best to apply my concealer first, and smooth everything over with foundation to finish. 

I also picked up an Elizabeth Arden 'Deep Cleansing Mask' from TK Maxx, selling at around £8! It's a discontinued product, which is a shame as I've used it once so far & I LOVE it. It makes my skin feel so refreshed and clean. It's to be left on for 10 minutes, and rubbed off with a muslin cloth.

J BRAND

 

I don't normally 'swoon' after Cheryl Cole's style/clothes but I DO love these items -

the Milly Navy Double-Breasted Jacket, black skinny cropped jeans by J Brand and black lace up booties by Elizabeth and James.

 

J Brand 912 pencil leg jeans in Taupe

Glamour magazine - Free NAILS INC polishes

 

 Glamour magazine are giving away a choice of 4 Nails Inc nail varnishes (worth around £11 each) in pale pink (Warwick Avenue), brown (Jermyn Street), dark red (Hampstead Heath) and deep plum (Savile Row). I was lucky enough to see 3 separate shades all in one shop (Boots) and was quickly asked by the cashier "are you buying all these for the nail varnishes?!" And she was right...though I'd pretty much lost my voice at the time so had to croak back "yeah you don't usually find all the colours!" haha. This is me wearing Jermyn Street:

 Great offer - a bargain £8 for what would be around £44 if you were to buy the nail varnishes from the shop.

Edit: I recently purchased 'Savile Row' aswell ;)

John Paul Thurlow - COVERS

Can't get enough of John Paul Thurlow's blog at the moment, full of his artwork and illustrations for his 'COVERS' exhibition - recreating 100 drawings reinterpreting classic and obscure magazine covers, from ELLE to DAZED.

 

 

 

 image credit: johnpaulthurlow.blogspot.com + vectroave.com

As someone who is passionate about portraiture and has always seen it as the main focus of my own artwork - I am truly inspired by his sketches, and relieved to see it's not all about work generated from a Mac these days! (Though don't get me wrong...I hope to experiment further with the likes of Photoshop & InDesign in the future!) Ever since I can remember, I've spent my money on fashion magazines for their covers and photography - the stacks are beginning to take over my room! Favourites include: NYLON, ELLE, & I.D

 An interview with John Paul Thurlow can be found - here -

LUCYANDBART

:: Exploded View Part Two ::

LucyandBart is a collaboration between Lucy McRae and Bart Hess described as an instinctual stalking of fashion, architecture, performance and the body. They share a fascination with genetic manipulation and beauty expression. Unconsciously their work touches upon these themes, however it is not their intention to communicate this. They work in a primitive and limitless way creating future human shapes, blindly discovering low – tech prosthetic ways for human enhancement.

 

A little catch-up..

[Eyeshadows used - Urban Decay's NAKED Palette, Liquid Eyeliner - L'Oreal Carbon Gloss, Mascara - Rimmel Lash Accelerator, Foundation - Clinique Even Better, Lipstick - Estée Lauder 'Pink Sand']

It's been a while...and I don't really have any good news to report back with! Spent last weekend in London where I seemed to develop the onset of tonsillitis - fast forward a week and a visit to the doctor's and I'm now in the middle of my course of taking Penicillin. It's 8 pills a day, they make you constantly nauseous and they're tricky to calculate your eating around, but god they're effective - within 2 days of the course I could start to drink, eat, move my neck and taste my food - without absolute agony.

Lots of things seem to have gone down-hill lately.. :(