MUA Cosmetics Spring Break Palette

The irony is not lost on me that I'm writing a blog post about Spring/Summer makeup shades whilst huddled under a blanket listening to the wind howl outside my window but I've been desperate for ages to share this pretty Spring eyeshadow palette by MUA Cosmetics* with you. I've had it for a little while but wanted to wait until I was done with all the stress of my final year of Uni so that I could give it my full attention. So, without further ado, here's my thoughts on the MUA Spring Break Palette....

MUA have delivered us safely away from Winter with this shimmering mix of neutrals, pinks and soft greens. Normally I would be a little wary of an all-shimmer palette (shimmer just isn't my bag for day-to-day wear) but these shades are all extremely wearable. My go-to palette at the moment is MUA's Matte Palette. I absolutely swear by it. However, when the sun finally decides to put it's hat on and keep it on I'm definitely going to incorporate more of these colours. 

As regular readers might have gathered, I'm a sucker for neutral shades so this palette was always going to be a winner for me. In some ways it's not dissimilar from MUA classics such as the Heaven & Earth palette, but the additional pink hues, pastels and purples definitely justify having both. Surprisingly though, it is the golds, pinks and shimmering khakis in this palette that have got me the most excited. Looks like I'm going to be easing out of my comfort zone. I'm definitely going to make the effort to try the pastel green shades in the palette. 

My top 3 shades from the palette are Amber (a shimmering gold/bronze), Posy (a slightly deeper dusky pink with a hint of shimmer) and Gold Khaki (exactly how it sounds). The texture and finish of these shades is exactly what I've come to expect from MUA over the years; soft and easily blended. For a budget palette it really is a pleasure to use. 

Image Credit - MUA Cosmetics

Thought I'd include this new-season 'Barely There' lipstick by MUA for a good measure, although it really was a bit of a disaster on me. I think you'd have to be pretty porcelain-skinned for this to be flattering. It's a shame though as it's so beautiful in the tube. It also contains beeswax, making it a no-no for me, as a vegan. At £1 though, it may be well worth a try for others, especially paler ladies. 

I will probably attempt an eye look post featuring this palette over the Summer, once I'm a bit more tan and can pull off a little extra shimmer. Now that I'm getting myself organised and planning more posts in advance I hope to do a full range of Summer beauty posts over the coming weeks. 

The Spring Break palette retails for £4. 

MUA products are available in Superdrug stores or online at

muastore.co.uk

What are your go-to shades for Spring? 

NEW Models Own Speckled Eggs Collection SS14

How excited am I about this post?!?! I am super super lucky to know a lovely lady called Nara who just happens to work at the Models Own Bottleshop at Westfield White City. Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the last month, you'll probably be aware that the Models Own Speckled Eggs collection went on sale this week. As soon as I spotted them on Instagram I just knew I had to have them and i begged Nara to pick up a set for me. THANK YOU NARA!! I've been playing with them all afternoon and I thought I'd pop up a post IMMEDIATELY and share them with you. 

This collection is made up of 5 adorable pastel polishes containing miniscule black confettis that give the look of a Cadbury Mini Egg when applied. As a Vegan, the chocolate variety is off limits to me so I'm glad I can still appreciate the effect whilst remaining dairy free haha. These polishes are totally animal friendly! 

The Shades are as Follows...

Swan - Dreamy Lilac

Magpie - Mint Green

Goose - Mellow Yellow

Dove - Cheeky Pink

Duck - Cornflower Blue

It's easy to immediately draw a comparison between these and the Illamasqua speckled polishes from their 2013 Im-perfection collection. Yes, the concept is the same, but the Models Own versions are definitely more affordable and the formula really does hold up against its higher end contenders. 

These polishes really were a pleasure to swatch! I'd thought they might be a little bit wishy washy but two coats worked a treat. The speckles are really generously distributed through the polish so I didn't have to fiddle around 'arranging' them like you have to with some confetti/glitter polishes. I'm not the tidiest nail painter by any means but I didn't make much of a mess at all with these. All round thumbs up from me! Favourite shade?? It's a toss up between Swan and Dove at the moment but I also love Duck... and Goose... and Magpie... Oh, okay I can't choose. I love them all!

The Models Own Speckled Egg polishes retail at £5 each for 14ml. They're currently running a 6 for £20 mix'n'match offer online and from the Bottleshops so you can pick up all of these shades and them some! Well worth investing in. These colours really are perfect for Easter and for Spring. 

Shop now at

 modelsownit.com 

Do you love Models Own polishes?? What are your favourite shades?? What nail colours do you love for Easter??

Nail Colours of Spring: Pastel Pink

Seems I've picked the darkest, murkiest day of the last fortnight to come up with this post haha. I'm getting in the mood for SPRING just lately and, having painted my nails this morning in a gorgeous, dusky, nude, pastel pink shade I realised that I have several such shades in my collection. Do I really need all of them? My mum thinks I'm bonkers when I declare that I NEED a certain shade of nail polish and then totally reject 5 or 6 shades fitting the description because they're just not 'right'. So I've decided to pull out my Top 5 of the pale pink shades in my collection and have a little swatch-fest.

Here are the shades under scrutiny today (L-R)

OPI 'Steady as She Rose' 

Nails Inc Gel Effect 'Mayfair Lane'*

Essie 'Fiji'

Nails Inc 'George Street'

and

Look Beauty Nail Pop 'Petticoat'

I wouldn't say that any of these shades are the same. A pink nail polish is rarely just a pink nail polish anymore (especially for a beauty blogger). Some are cool, some are warm, some are nude, some are.. you get the point. And a lot of them look completely different on the nails to how they look in the bottle. 

When you look at the shades side by side on the nail wheel it turns out that this is really a collection within a collection. No doubt I will wear all of these at some point over the coming warmer months. All of these shades are really wearable and look amazing with a bit of a tan. Fiji is the palest of the bunch while George Street is the deepest and also the most opaque. Favourites?? It's got to be a toss up between Steady as She Rose and Mayfair Lane but for completely different reasons. I love the grey tones in Steady as She Rose while Mayfair Lane is the perfect peachy pale pink. The Nude Award of the bunch has to go to Petticoat. This polish works on its own and also as a base for pink glitter polishes. So, basically, there is definite justification for me having all of them... HURRAH! 

I think I might stretch this post out into a series as I also covet mint greens and duck egg blues during the Spring/Summer months and none of the shades I have will be going unloved this year. So expect more swatching in posts to come!

What are your top Spring nail colours?? Must you have ALL OF THE PINKS?? Do you have a favourite shade of pink??

Superdry Pop Eyes Palette

Spring has almost sprung!! We've had some glorious sunshine over the last few says in South East London so I thought I'd bring out this little beauty of an eye palette by Superdry Beauty to get you all into the colourful, Spring-y frame of mind. I've been holding off on this one for obvious reasons... I haven't been able to bring myself to swatch it due to its prettiness and have been using it as an ornament for the last fortnight. Superdry definitely know how to package their cosmetics. 

Superdry Beauty Professional Pop Eyes Palette* - £15 superdry.com

This eye-catching polkadotty palette consists of 9 shades in a combination of shimmer and matte finishes. It is a great selection for Spring with eye catching brights, neutral greys and subtle yellow/gold tones. I haven't reviewed an eye palette in ages. In fact, I haven't worn much eyeshadow at all during the winter months so now is the perfect time to give me a kick up the backside and take me into next season. 

Top Row L-R 

Thistle, Navajo White, Asphalt, Shocking Pink, Product Orange.

Bottom Row L-R

Shallow Teal, Blue Smoke, Sunflower, Somber Grey.

These shadows have a lovely texture! Really buttery and soft, with the exception of Product Orange which I had a bit of a job to build up. The pigmentation is also generally very good. The polkadot detailing doesn't really alter the shades in any way and is gone with the first brush stroke (sad face) but the colours themselves really are beautiful. My initial favourites on first impressions are Thistle, Shallow Teal and Blue Smoke and I'm sure that Navajo White will bring a gorgeous highlight to any look created from these shades. I'm going to try using a pop of colour on my lower lash line whilst keeping the upper lid fairly neutral. I feel a Spring eye makeup post coming on in the near future!

I was pleasantly surprised by the price of this palette. I was expecting it to be more but I think £15 for these 9 shadows is entirely reasonable and I'd be happy to pay that for it. Superdry Beauty packaging is really quirky and different and their products would all make great gifts for anyone who loves 'pink and quirky'. I've been really impressed with all of the Superdry Beauty products I've tried recently (if you missed my previous Valentine's Day makeup post featuring Superdry click Here).

Do you rate Superdry Beauty?? Do you go mad for Spring Brights?? What looks would you create with this palette??

NEW: Nails Inc Gel Effect Shades for SS14

What can I say other than I know.... I'm completely obsessed. Nails Inc are my not-so-guilty pleasure in life. And I'm not sorry at all, I tell you! As a brand, they're also some of the loveliest people ever and I've got some MORE brand new Spring/Summer releases to show you today in the form of their Gel Effect polishes in 5 on-trend seasonal shades. 

Nails Inc Gel Effect Polishes* (L-R)

Mayfair Lane - Dusky Pale Pink

Downtown - Gel Effect Pink

Kensington Passage - Gel Effect Coral

Soho Place - Gel Effect Aqua

Mercer Street - Gel Effect Blue

I recently reviewed Nails Inc's new 'In The Nude' Colour Collection for SS14 (Post Here) and admired it for the soft nudes and pastels. Well, these shades couldn't be more opposite, except for Mayfair Lane which is the most perfect, soft petal pink I've ever seen! These shades are bright, in your face and perfect for Summer. I love the packaging on the Gel polishes as well. A bit different from your regular Nails Inc bottle. These are some seriously posh polishes!

The Nails Inc Gel formula is seriously plump with no UV required. I used only a single coat for these swatches and just look how glossy they are! I'm still trying to figure out my favourites. At the moment it's between Mercer Street and Mayfair Lane but I just know my preferences will change as the weather heats up and I start pulling all my Summer brights out of my wardrobe. Any of these shades could also be used to jazz up a plain black or white outfit. 

All of these shades are available to order NOW from nailsinc.com and cost £14 for 8ml.

Are you a Nails Inc obsessive?? What shades have got you excited for Spring/Summer?? Do you love a Gel formula??

Valentine's Day Makeup with Superdry Beauty

There seems to be a LOT of pink going on on this blog of late. Today's post is no exception. I've got my hands on some gorgeous Valentine's Day themed items by Superdry Beauty and, seen as though I haven't shown my face on the blog in a while, I thought I'd put together a Valentine's makeup look to share with you. I've had so much fun playing with all these amazing products. 

Products I used...

Superdry Beauty Powder Blush - Rapture Pink*

Superdry Beauty Professional Lip Paint - Electric Pink*

Superdry Beauty Professional Volumising Mascara - Jet Black*

I also received the cutest makeup bag I've ever seen in my life (Valentine's themed or otherwise) and a great size kabuki-style face brush. I'm such a fan of the Superdry Beauty packaging and the products are really rather good! Back in September I posted about my Bento Beauty Box by Superdry which was every bit as cute and quirky.

I wanted to create a really simple, soft look for Valentine's Day, but also one that is super wearable for the upcoming Spring season. The blush really is perfect for that as it gives a really subtle pink flush to the cheeks. I had to build it up a little on myself as I'm quite medium-skinned but this would be an ideal shade for fair skins. I love the colour.

Croyde Crew Neck Cable Knit* - £44.99 Superdry (Link)

All emphasis with this look was on the lips. Electric Pink really is the star of the show. As a result I kept my eye makeup almost non existent and opted for just the Superdry Volumising Mascara. It's definitely more of a daytime look but all you'd need would be a slick of eyeliner and a dusting of a neutral eyeshadow to take it into the evening. That pink lippy though.... The shade is gorgeous and extremely wearable. The formula is hydrating and really comfortable to wear.

And, finally, I can't not mention this beautiful cable knit. It's the jewel of my Spring wardrobe so far! Perfect for all this in-betweeny weather we've been having. I'm going to absolutely live in it. I've been wearing it with my acid wash Topshop Joni jeans today but can't wait to dress it up with a black skirt, opaques and Chelsea boots.

You can browse the full range of Superdry Beauty Products at superdry.com.
 They have a fantastic range including makeup, nail polish and a range of mirrors and nail tools to go with them. I'm definitely a fan. I have more Superdry Beauty to share with you in the run up to Spring.

Have you discovered Superdry Beauty yet?? What are your favourite products?? Does Valentine's Day make you think pink??

First Look: Monsoon/Accessorize for SS14

Spring is in the air ladies!! I can almost spot it on the horizon. In January I was lucky enough to be invited along to the Monsoon/Accessorize Spring/Summer Press Day. However, I was UN lucky enough to be struck down with the flu and ended up being unable to attend. Thankfully, being the lovely people that they are, Monsoon/Accessorize were kind enough to send me ALL of the images of the collections showcased at the event to look through so that I wasn't left hanging. I thought I'd do this post to show you all a few my favourite looks and pieces from the collections (but, seriously, this isn't even half of it - so many beautiful things)....

Both brands have gone wild with colour for the upcoming season. Anything from nautical and understated, to pretty pastels to a full on HIT of bright. This really translates throughout the whole collection. Florals, prints and texture feature heavily as well giving everything a slightly ethnic feel, no doubt a big nod to Monsoon's Indian heritage, incorperating delicate embroidery, crochet and cut out detailing. It might be hammering it down with rain outside as I write this but, looking at all these beautiful pieces, I could be transported to a beach in Malibu or soaking up the sun in Marseilles. They've included everything from statement jackets, casual beachwear/kaftans to chic floral day dresses.

 Accessorize have REALLY come up trumps in particular for me this season. Just LOOK at the beautiful bags!!!! (Yes, four exclamation marks there). I must must MUST invest in a pastel satchel for this new University semester. Jewels are generally big, bold and bright, fitting with the floral trend, but also intricate. You can really tell how much attention to detail went into designing the collections. They really have thought of everything, from soft, boho floral crowns to chunky, colourful bangles to eye catching statement necklaces. Thumbs up all round from me!

Find out a bit more about the story behind these collections at monsoon.co.uk and shop for perfect Summer statement accessories at uk.accessorize.com

Are you getting in the mood for Spring yet?? What are your favourite trends once the weather gets warmer?? Which of these Monsoon/Accessorize pieces makes it onto your wishlist??

NEW Nails Inc 'In The Nude' Colour Collection

I'm so excited for this post! Remember how excited I was when posting about the Nails Inc Autumn/Winter 2013 Collection? Well, amplify that by 10 and you get an idea. I first stumbled across the NEW Nails Inc 'In The Nude' Colour Collection at their Spring/Summer'14 preview in December. It was held at the May Fair Hotel and I got to have a good old nosey through all their upcoming new releases for the new year. There are a couple more posts in the pipeline on all of the gorgeousness I witnessed that night but today I want to focus on my favourite of this season's Nails Inc bounty.... 

'In The Nude' Colour Collection RRP £25 - Released January 2014

I was sold on this 4-piece collection the second I clapped eyes on it. It had to be mine. So much so that, as soon as I spotted on their Facebook page that it had been released, I ordered it IMMEDIATELY. This collection consists of two of their current Best Selling shades as well as two brand new neutrals. Colours are as follows...

George Street - Mink Pink

Sheraton Street - Pale Blue

NEW Kensington Gore - Rich Nude

NEW Hyde Park Place - Soft Grey

These shades are seriously creamy and give amazing opacity after even a single coat. The swatches above are two coats with no top coat so you can get an idea of finish (but, seriously, who doesn't use a top coat)? These collections are my favourite way to buy Nails Inc polishes. As a student I can't always afford to by more than one at a time at £11 a bottle but here you are getting four gorgeous, full size, bang on trend for Spring polishes for £25! 

My favourite of this bunch has got to be Sheraton Street. You may have spotted it in yesterday's 'Month in Manicures' post. I'm such a sucker for a pale blue polish and this one is the most perfect I've found. It has a touch of grey about it that makes it the perfect duck-egg shade and it seems to work well on most skin tones. I admired it on my manicurist at the event so much that I asked her to use it on me. 

The only shade that has made it onto my nails so far this year is George Street. If, like me, you liked OPI 'Steady as She Rose' (from the Pirates of the Caribbean Collection) then you'll love this, slightly greyed, dusky rose pink. It's the kind of polish you could wear to any occasion and at any time of the year, as are all of the polishes in this Collection. You'd get plenty of wear out of all four. What's not to love about a good nude, eh? 

You can purchase this collection from Nails Inc Stores, department store concessions/counters and online at 

nailsinc.co.uk

(It's also worth mentioning that George Street and Sheraton Street are also available to buy as individual polishes at £11 each).

Nails Inc are currently offering a new discount code every day for the whole of January so be sure to check out their Twitter and Facebook first should you decide to make a purchase!

What nail colours are catching your eye for 2014?? Do you go for nude shades or do you prefer a bolder, brighter look?? Which new product releases are you most excited about??

GOSH SS13 Ctd... Special Edition Nail Colours

 Hello again my lovelies!

Tonight's post is a continuation of last night's preview of the GOSH Cosmetics SS13 releases, but this time i'm focusing only on the new Special Edition nail polish shades they have come up with. Until this week i was a GOSH polish virgin so have thoroughly enjoyed playing with these shades and thought they deserved their own post so that you can become better aquainted with the shades, names and swatches. I'm really loving these shades. Not all of them are obvious Summer colours but work really well together as well as individual polishes. This will be an EXTREMELY photo-heavy post just because, once i started taking photos, i just couldn't stop! They really are that pretty!!

 The collection includes 6 brand new shades: 4 glossy block colours and 2 stunning glitters. I think the coloured polishes just SCREAM nautical, especially when you combine them (think MAC Hey Sailor collection packaging here). 

Here are the shades and their names....

Venus*

 A Tiffany-esque minty green/blue which is bang on trend. I can't get enough of mint green polishes lately. There are so many out there at the moment and i must own about 7, all very similar yet subtly different. This one is also unique in my collection.

Greed*

A chunky metallic gold glitter with the most beautiful little yellowy sparkles. The glitters are bigger in size than any other glitter polish i own and would work as an accent on top of another polish as well as by layering glitter on glitter to create some seriously bling nails. The glitters are suspended in a clear polish which has a slight golden sheen to it.

HighSchool Flirt*

A creamy, chic pale nude which is glossy and opaque (even after a single coat). It's pretty neutral in tone but looks quite peachy in certain lights. Would look nice both on its own with a tan or as a base colour for a glitter polish.

Girls on Film*

This polish is visually STUNNING! These photos really don't do it justice. The glitters are predominantly a pale pink shade but combined with smaller multicoloured shimmers in a clear polish. I suppose the name is indicative of Hollywood, Diamonds and screen sirens and it definitely makes me think of Monroe in 'Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend'. As with greed, this polish looks beautiful layered over a base colour (such as Highschool Flirt, as you'll see in a second) but for maximum impact it could also be built up.

Tropicana*

It wouldn't be Spring/Summer without a va-va-voom coral shade, would it? Well this is a dramatic orange-toned coral that just screams of the upcoming season. Perfect with bronzed holiday skin! I'll be teaming this with my MAC Vegas Volt lippy once the sun finally decides to put its hat on more permanently.

Tilted Blue*

This is the one which may appear to be a little out of place for Spring/Summer but this was actually the one i just HAD to put on my nails straight away! It's an inky navy blue which fits with my nautical theory perfectly and i think that's why it has a place in a Summer collection. It works particularly well with the nude or coral shades or accented with Greed (i love navy and gold as a combo). 

 

Onto the swatches....

I had to get a bit creative for this combined swatching. what with there being 6 polishes and me only having 5 fingernails... So i doubled up on a couple of the shades to show how the glitters could be used with the other plain shades. Girls on Film looks a little pinker in the flesh but, otherwise, all other shades are quite accurately represented. 

These polishes actually apply VERY well. What really impressed me is that i only needed a single coat to produce the colour payoff pictured above (obviously the glitters count as an extra coat but you get what i mean). I applied this mani last night and it has lasted well through a day behind the bar today with only some minor wear to the very tips of the nails, although i'm sure it would last longer with 2 coats. I just used one in this case to demonstrate the opacity and quality of the polishes. I finished each nail with a coat of Seche Vite, but the polishes on their own are also VERY glossy.

All of these polishes, along with the other products from the GOSH SS13 collection (all detailed in my previous post) will be available in selected Superdrug stores and on Superdrug Online from the 13th March.

What are your ideal Spring/Summer nail colours?? Do you rate GOSH polishes?? What other shades do i need to add to my collection?? 

GOSH Cosmetics SS13 Collection

Good evening beauty seekers!

Tonight i want to share with you some exciting NEW products by drugstore heavyweights GOSH cosmetics. I attended their event this week for the launch of their special releases for Spring/Summer '13, which will be released in stores from 13th March. It was a fab night with food, wine and enough makeup to take a bath in! It was EVERYWHERE! Kid in a candy store or WHAT?! 

 (Check out Grace from allthatslap photobombing me in the mirror!!)

We were basically let loose around the room to check out and play with all the gorgeous makeup! There were all kinds of products on display! There was a fantastic makeup artist on hand as well to make us all look fabulous. It would have been so easy to get carried away with all the shadow palettes, blushes and lipsticks that were scattered around, but what we were REALLY there to celebrate were THESE little beauties....

The GOSH SS13 Collection consists of the following...

6 Special Edition Nail Polish Shades

BB Skin Perfecting Kit

Velvet Touch Eyeliner in 2 New Colours

The Ultimate Eyeliner - With a Twist

and

Growth Mascara and Serum

BB Skin Perfecting Kit* - £9.99

This little compact actually comes in 2 shades: Light and Medium. The one pictured is Medium (my housemate promptly pinched the Light one almost as soon as i got it home so it was not available for photos haha). The palette consists of two shades of creamy concealer and a highlight shade to achieve a flawless face. The lighter concealer is designed to brighten and conceal the under-eye area while the darker is intended to cover up blemishes. The highlighter, which i would apply with my fingers, is great for dabbing over the cheekbones and collarbone or as a brow highlight. Such a handy little compact for carrying around. The mirror is also a great size!

Nail Lacquer - 6 Special Edition Colours* - £4.99 each

I'm a newbie to GOSH nail polishes but, given my recent obsession with my nails, i actually SQUEE'd a little bit when i opened the bag to find these! I'm planning a separate post to follow tomorrow dedicated to these little beauties so i won't say too much here other than the fact that, after an initial play, i am very impressed!!

I'll be comin' at ya with swatches and all the shade names tomorrow...

Growth Mascara* (£8.49) and Serum* (£14.99)

I am MEGA excited about these products! Finally, a drugstore alternative to all those ridiculously pricey lash treatments! Both contain an active growth complex called SymPeptide XLash and promise visible results after just 2 weeks, which is a relatively short time frame for a lash treatment. I've never actually seen a mascara that claims to promote growth so i am very interested to see how the products work together and what results they might produce. I've already started a trial of both products simultaneously so i'll report back in a couple of weeks! 

The Ultimate Eyeliner* - (£5.99)

01 Back in Black

02 Raw Grey

05 Kind of Blue

These 3 brand new shades are reminiscent of the Avon Glimmersticks (which i have always been a fan of) and twist up without the need for sharpening, allowing for precise application. The product itself goes on very smoothly and gives a great colour payoff. The major bonus with these liners is the smudger on the other end of the pencil which can be used to create a soft smokey effect as well as a precise line. It's long wearing and 'Back in Black' lasted all day on me yesterday! Back in Black and Raw Grey are mostly matte, while Kind of Blue has a slight shimmer to it. 

Velvet Touch Eyeliner* - £4.99

020 Fashionista

021 Renaissance Gold

GOSH have also added 2 new shades of their Velvet Touch liners. These give a thicker line than the Ultimate Eyeliner and are sharpened manually, but are still velvety soft and smooth to apply and contain vitamin E and Jojoba oil. They are also waterproof. 'Fashionista' is a pretty deep blue with a hint of sparkle while 'Renaissance Gold' gives a beautiful, almost liquid, metallic gold effect and will be gorgeous with bronzed summer skin

Top Row L-R - Velvet Touch Eyeliner: Renaissance Gold, Fashionista

Bottom Row L-R - Ultimate Eyeliner: Kind of Blue, Raw Grey, Back in Black

I reckon GOSH have played a blinder for the new season and i look forward to wearing all of these shades in the warmer months which i really hope will be coming along very soon and i'm very excited to report back on how the Lash serum performs! I'll see you again tomorrow with more details and swatches for the beautiful nail colours!

These products will be available from 13th March and can be found in selected Superdrug Stores as well as Superdrug online. 

What are your favourite GOSH products?? Will you be rushing out to pick up the new SS13 shades?? Do you fancy the Lash Serum??