I recently received this in a swap with a lovely MUA . I have never used a NARS polish before and I am very impressed. This is shade Purple Rain, and these pictures and taken after 1 COAT! I was very surprised at the excellent coverage.

It is a deep lush purple with hints of gold glitter (very faint).

I would definitely buy from NARS polishes again! More polish to add to my 'wishlist'!!

Hi everyone, well I got to go on my shopping trip on Monday but it didn't go quite to plan, to cut a long story short I ended up in the pub most of the afternoon and only just got to LUSH before closing ooooppppssss!! I got the things I needed but I can't show you pics yet as I am saving them for Saturday, I am going for a night out for the first time in months, so watch out for pics on Sunday of these special products. I just wanted to show you the best newspaper in the world. The Lush Times. I shouldn't have got this paper as I just want to try EVERYTHING in it!! Lots of new products in here. But after reading through it there is one item I am very excited to try. Buche de noel.

I need a good cleanser so I am going on the Lush website to order some.

I am the only one who gets excited about new products from Lush?

Tomorrow I am going for the first time in AGES!! I have had to buy my beauty products online as I have been working non stop. I love to go into shops and test things though so I am going into Windsor for a little spree. The things on my shopping list are (sorry about the poor quality pics). Lush cupcake fresh face mask. Lush bath bomb - I think it's called Golden Wonder. Now I know it's a little early to be thinking of Christmas but I saw this on another blog and have to have one myself, pictures will be posted on Tuesday, this bath bomb is extremely special!!! My blog is about all things beautiful and usually this consists of beauty products but I really want to find a LBD for nights out, something simple but elegant so I will be shopping the sale rails as I am on a budget!! I am also going to be using my £1.00 off voucher for the garnier B.B cream as I have fallen in love with it!! I am sure I will come back with a lot more but that is what I want/need. I will keep you posted with any offers or freebies I manage to get too.

This is Korres Guava Body Butter, it smells so delicious, I put some of this on the back of my hand when I got it and I could smell it for aagggggeeeeessss and my hand felt so moisturised. The sample I received was a generous 50ml (enough to get me hooked I reckon!). The retail price is £12.50 for 150ml. I am extremely happy with this product it's a full sized Line Styler Pen from StudioMakeup. The tip is like a felt tip and is so precise! My other liquid eyeliner has gone straight in the bin, this product is so easy to apply, my previous liquid eyeliner pen was far to wet and ended up bleeding everywhere and I used to make such a mess and usually gave up, this eyeliner is so dark (black) but isn't wet at all making it easy to use. This retails at £12.00 for the full sized pen 1.1ml. Here I have 2 products from Cetuem, one is an Illuminating Mask which you apply a thin layer avoiding eye area and leave on for 10-15 minutes. I haven't tested this but I will be doing tonight so watch out for updates. The second sample is called Creme De Lite which is a moisturiser which you are meant to use morning and night again I haven't had chance to test this yet. These samples are 5ml each. The full sized retail prices are:

-Illuminating Mask is £25.00 for 50g.

-Creme De Lite £45.00 for 50g.

I think this product is an absolute bargain. Rose&Co Rose Petal Salve is used to smooth chapped lips, dry skin, a glossy top coat over lipstick, use as an eye gloss, on brown bones, tames unruly brows, soften cuticles and conditions and defines lashes...wow that's a lot. Well I am not a massive fan of Rose as a smell but this isn't overpowering and is really soft and long lasting on the lips, I have been wearing it since 1pm today and it is now 6pm and I can still tell I have it on! This is a full sized sample, 20g a lot bigger than any usual lipsalves!!! Which retails at, wait for it, £5.00! Bargain! This is from Lenor Greyl, it is a pre shampoo conditioner that 'will soften and nourish dry and damaged hair'. Well I hope it does, my hair has had years of abuse, I am sat with it on my hair now so we shall see. You are meant to apply a small amount to the lengths and ends of your hair and comb through, leave on for 5 minutes to overnight and then rinse and shampoo as normal. In the bottle it looks like a solid, but when you rub it in between your hands it forms into an oil. I will let you know if it works? This is a 25ml sample. This retails at "24.00 for 95ml. This is Siwa eau de parfum called Les Echappees created by Clara Molloy. I am not keen on the smell, it's very standard, nothing strikes me about it and nothing makes me want to wear it (Sorry Clara). This is a larger than average perfume sample it retails at £69.00 for 30ml and a whopping £105.00 for 75ml!!

I think I got my value for money here once again. All of this for £10.00 FREE P+P!!

It's arrived!! And what an excellent selection we have this month. If you haven't received your box yet and don't want to know what's in it look away now. I am going to give a brief description of the products and this evening I will test them out and give you prices etc. So here's a sneak peak! We have:

1. Korres quince body butter.

2. StudioMakeup liner styler pen.

3. Rose & Co rose petal salve.

4.Cetuem illuminating mask AND a creme de lite.

5. Memo Paris eau de parfum Les Echappees.

I have read a few blogs about the B.B cream and people have mixed reviews. So instead of buying a full sized bottle I requested a sample.

So today my sample arrived.





The little box unfolds and in the centre is your sample and it comes with a £1.00 off voucher when you buy the full sized version. I pulled out my sample from the middle and you don't just get one sachet......



You get three!!

All of the shades are in light this is the only shade they are giving away as samples. I tore one open and applied to the back of my hand, I thought the colour looked quite dark for a light sample (I have very fair skin) but when I applied it to my face it was a perfect match. It smells lovely and blends in evenly for a light coverage which can be built up for more coverage, at first it looked quite dewy, not a look I like personally but after a few minutes it soaked in and it looked really nice, I don't feel like i'm wearing foundation but I have the coverage. So I will definitely be using my £1.00 off voucher to get a full sized version!! It's a thumbs up from me.

I have never used Leighton Denny before, but recently I received a sample of this polish in a swap (MUA) I think this sample was in one of this months beauty boxes?

Well over the past few weeks I have been testing out some of my recent purchases and I thought I would compare expensive vs the cheaper option to see which is best. Surely bigger price tag means better product?

Facial Exfoliator.

Splurge
The Body Shop Seaweed Pore Cleansing Facial Exfoliator (for oily combination skin). 75ml. £8.00. This exfoliator is an 'oil balancing polish to deep cleanse pores and reveal smooth skin' it contains Jojoba oil (yum!) which makes it smell gorgeous but the smell isn't over powering it smells fresh. Now at £8.00 for 75ml it's a little on the steep side but a little goes a long way, I use a pea sized amount each time and that is plenty. It is filled with soft exfoliating beads and makes my skin feel like silk.
I can't believe I have never used this product before. I am hooked, overall I give this product 10/10. Save Simple oil balancing exfoliating wash. 150ml. £4.00. This exfoliator 'contains witch hazel for healthy clear skin is a natural antibacterial and also controls shine'. I don't know about you, but when I think of a good exfoliator I think small soft beads that scrub your face leaving it feeling fresh, here is a sample of the Simple exfoliator. Can you see any beads? No? That is because they are very few and far between, I could hardly feel them at all. I know the Simple range is aimed for sensitive skin but you want to be able to feel some beads even if they were very fine. It foams up nicely and has a fresh smell (no perfume), but I couldn't help but feel this is more like a foaming cleanser than a exfoliator. The price is good but not the product I was expecting. Overall I would give this product 5/10. Splurge wins!

Toner

Splurge Boots No7 Beautifully Balanced Purifying Toner (for oily combination skin). 200ml. £8.00.

This toner 'cools, refreshes and leaves skin shine free'. Well I was dissapointed with this product, I honestly felt like I had got some cotton wool ran it under the tap and wiped my face with it, leaving my skin feeling damp and not really refreshed. When I think of toner I think of exactly what they have described but for me this did not refresh my skin and took quite a while to soak into my skin. My face felt clean after using it and the packaging is nice. Luckily I used one of my Boots No7 £5 off vouchers for this so it only cost me £3.00 I still wouldn't get it again even at that price. Overall I give this product 4/10. Save Tesco Cucumber Toner. 150ml. 75p!!!

I have to say this is an absolute bargain! This toner does everything a toner promises, my skin feels cooled, refreshed and very clean, it also smells gorgeous. Yes the packaging is just standard compared to the long elegant packaging of the No 7 Toner but for 75p who cares! Overall I give this product 9/10!

Save Wins!

I am glad I tested both the more expensive and cheap versions of these products I wouldn't have usually picked up a Tesco toner I am very happy I did as I have now saved myself some money!

Have you found any own store brands that have really impressed you?

Well for those of you who read my blog regularly you will know that I am not to great at nail art, but I love it so much. So I am teaching myself (very slowly) but here is an attempt at simple flowers to brighten up my OPI Uh Oh Roll Down The Window. Please excuse my finger second from the left, I broke it when I was younger and it now has a mind of it's own and bends in a different direction....weird I know! Now I know they aren't perfect but it's a start right? As I said the base colour is OPI Uh Oh Roll Down The Window and this is a lovely shade, for the whites of the flowers I used Sally Hanson Pure which I received in a swap on MUA and I am quite impressed with it, and for the middle of the flowers and the black dots I used some old polish I had from Boots. Considering it was my first attempt I was very impressed but my left hand was a different story by the time I got round to doing my left hand I had had a few glasses of wine and they were not the best so had to be re-done this morning. I am hoping I will get a lot better with time.

I used to be afraid of adding colour to my make up collection but now I am a colour lover. Sometimes I think it's hard to use colour for an 'everyday' look without looking too over the top so here is a little step by step guide for a hint of colour. Excuse the eyebrows they are being waxed tomorrow :)



1. My naked eye....well almost naked, primer (Avon Magix Perfecter) and tinted moisturiser (Laura Mercier).



2. Here I have added a base eyeshadow, I used Boots No7 shade 70 Innocence, this is my base for everything it's great, I take this right up to the brow line. Then I have added a colourful eyeliner by Cargo - Boogie nights. I received this in my last Boudoir Prive box. You could leave it as it is or add a little flick (below).



Next.........................



3. Using a blending brush (I used my models own blending brush) dot on your crease your chosen colour I chose a colour from my Sleek Chaos palette.



4. Blend, blend, blend. Blend the colour above the crease and below.



5. Add mascara (please excuse my slightly clumpy lashes I am testing out a new mascara and it's not great, watch out for a review soon).

A splash of daytime colour.



What do you think?

So I'm hooked, I want more.

I went onto the Debenhams website to see how much a full sized pot would be and it's £38 for 50ml.

Hang on!!

I'm paying £4.95 (this includes delivery) for a 15ml version and a load of other treats in my box (check out Latest in Beauty post to see what else I got). So as it's the run up to (says quietly) Christmas, I want to save money, so I am stocking up on these latest in beauty boxes while I can because for the price of 1 full sized 50ml from the Clarins counter @ £38 I can get 120ml for £40 as well as lots of extra treats through Latest in Beauty!!!

Latest in beauty is abit different to the likes of Boudoir Prive (which I love) and Glossy Box (not tried yet) as with Latest in Beauty you can buy as many boxes as you like, they only change the products every 2 months, also as soon as you order you receive your box 5 days later, there is no subscription.

Money saved.

Do you find little money saving tips just by working out the ml vs price etc?

Have you got any money saving tips to share - I would LOVE to hear them!

Today I got an email telling me how to get hold of a Benefit freebie........

If you can't quite see the small print at the bottom it says 'Choose between deluxe skincare sample of triple performing emulsion or it's potent eye cream while stocks last'

So take your skincare empties to any Boots Benefit counter to claim your freebies before the 18th October.

Sounds good to me!

I have splurged again and got more OPI shades.



Mermaids Tears and Planks Alot.

Surprise surprise, I love them both! They are both pastel shades and definitely need two coats, Mermaids Tears is the turquoise and Planks Alot the purple.



I have promised myself I will not buy another nail polish for at least a month as I have bought too many recently (Oh apart from the one that should be coming in the post this week!)

I have also started my beauty blog sale and will be adding more items this evening. I definitely need to clear out I have so many products that I don't use sitting in a box unloved, so take a look and tell your friends :)

Hope you are all having a fab weekend!

Well leading on from my previous post ( My first ever Boudoir Prive Box!) I have tested the Zoya nail polish in shade Neeka and I am in love. It's a deep and slightly dull purple with hints of silver glitter. In the pics below I have used one coat only and it seems to cover very very well.





I am so happy they sent this shade as I think this could be used day or night!

What do you think? Have you used Zoya before?