Go Bananas for The Body Shop!

Now that Summer has officially arrived, it's time to get TROPICAL with this 100% Vegan Special Edition Banana Bath & Body Collection by The Body Shop

Not so long ago I posted about the launch of The Body Shop's new range of 100% vegan body yogurts. Well, now they've gone bananas (apologies in advance, the banana wordplay in this post is going to be plentiful) and released a complete fruity Banana collection that is entirely free from animal ingredients. My customers have also fallen in love with this range, and I just had to share my thoughts with you as soon as my delivery arrived...

So, what is it?

- Banana Shower Cream

- Banana Body Butter

-Banana Body Yogurt

- PLUS a range of cute banana gift sets, complete with their own banana washbag

What's in it? 

As part of their Community Trade initiative, The Body Shop sources its organic banana puree from local growers in Ecuador. These farmers are paid a fair price for their harvest, which helps to sustain communities, and provide opportunities and valuable income for local workers. The Body Shop's partner farms are also committed to providing opportunities for more women in the region. Girl Power!!

What appeals to me even more is that The Body Shop always request the 'wonky' bananas, that aren't pretty enough to be shipped out to supermarkets, making this partnership a zero-waste win into the bargain! As well as these gorgeous organic bananas, these products have also been formulated with coconut oils, for even greater hydration and long-lasting moisturisation. 

Is it any good?

Abso-flippin-lutely!!! 

I'm a lifelong fan of The Body Shop Body Butters, and I was so excited when the Body Yogurts were released, as I now have loads more vegan product options to choose from. As I mentioned in my previous post, the Body Yogurts are a very worthy successor for the Body Butters, with a much lighter glide-on formula that absorbs in just 15 seconds and leaves zero residue on the skin. Amazing for anyone in a hurry! With almond milk and hyaluronic acid, the yogurts absorb moisture into the skin like a sponge, and lock it in for up to 48hrs.

I also mentioned further up the post, the Body Butter and Shower Cream in this new collection are also completely vegan-friendly, which is amazing news, as the vegan body butter options in The Body Shop's other core ranges are few - Fuji Green Tea and British Rose. That's about it. The culprit is usually bee byproducts such as honey and beeswax, but there's no trace of either in this new range, with no compromise to the quality and effectiveness of the formula. I've had the Body Butter on my arms all day and I feel super smooth and hydrated and I smell DE-LISH!

If you want more information on this, or any other product range from The Body Shop (vegan or otherwise) UK readers are very welcome to join my Body Shop at Home Group on Facebook. I regularly post exclusive promotions, giveaways and discounts on many of The Body Shop's best-loved ranges and can ship anywhere in the UK. There are a whole host of new product lines just launched for high summer, so there's plenty more to discover! 

Of course you don't have to order through me at all. You can also browse all of the latest product releases over at www.thebodyshop.com

Will you be going bananas for this new collection? What are your favourite vegan and cruelty-free products for smooth summer skin?

Summer of TVK | 3 Box Bonanza!

Well HELLO there! Once again, I'm going to kick off another post by apologising for how awful I've been with this blog. In my defense, I am on a mission at the moment to figure out a way to generate my own personal blog content more efficiently alongside the content I create for clients as part of my paid job. I hope this post goes some way to making up for it, because I've got a bumper summer crop of The Vegan Kind* for you today. 3 whole months' worth of wholesome, cruelty-free, vegan food and lifestyle goodness! 

The Vegan Kind TVK 32 - June 2016

The TVK box for June threw me right into the mood for summer. I guess they were as excited as I was, because the stars of this box were the Green People Edelweiss Sun Lotion and natural tan accelerator, and the Smooze coconut and mango fruit lollies. The only thing that could have made this box better would be a plane ticket, a palm tree, and a good book (fat chance of that for me at the moment though - busy busy busy - maybe next year). 

Also tucked away in this box was a glorious Chocolate and Raspberry Cookie from The Foods of Athenry. I'm a huge fan of their baked goods after discovering their gluten-free mince pies last christmas and they're a regular with TVK. The Good Full Stop cocoa orange bar was a refreshing change for me from the Nakd version, and I'd not got round to trying the Granovita Vegetable Pate, despite seeing it around multiple times. Also... cheese and onion Hoots! Enough said. 10/10 TVK!

The Vegan Kind TVK33 - July 2016

I have another apology to make (that makes 2 so far this post, I'm going for a record) and that apology is to Angelic Gluten Free, whose chocolate, coconut and oat slices were too delicious and were the only item out of all 3 boxes not to survive to the photography stage of this post (although, the Yushoi Snapea Soy and Balsamic Vinegar rice sticks bag also looks mysteriously empty... my bad). Believe me when I say that you need them in your belly. I thought I could just pinch one and photograph the rest. How wrong I was. I will make it up to them by annihilating their stock at Vegfest London in October. 

Massive shoutout once again to Harper's Bizarre for another TVK exclusive candle. I'm lucky enough to call Victoria Harper a friend and her candles are always welcome in my house. Particularly her raspberry and rose, so The Raspberry Kind was very well received. 

This was a very sweet box, with Goody Good Stuff cola bottles, a Conscious Chocolate Goji and Coconut mini-bar, and a delightfully refreshing Virtue Lemon Iced Tea in addition to the Angelic cakey goodness, but I also o-loved (see what I did there) the Oloves chilli and garlic olives.

The Vegan Kind TVK34 - August 2016

Hard to choose a best out of all 3 summer boxes, but... I think this one just takes the trophy, purely for the Follow Your Heart Veganegg. Prior to becoming vegan, I remember citing eggs as something I could never give up. I was extremely 'meh' about cheese and I've never been able to stand the smell of bacon, but eggs were my bae (if I were the sort of person to use the word 'bae' *shudder*). I think I'm going to save my thoughts on this product for a full review and maybe even a taste test video. 

Elsewhere in the box, I've thoroughly enjoyed munching my way through the Hippeas Far out Fajita chickpea puffs, the Landgarten crunchy choco balls, and the Squirrel Sisters Coconut and Cashew energy bar over the last few days. We had my brother's 6 year old step-daughter staying over on Thursday night and she was only too happy to share the Candy Kittens Sweet Pineapple candies with me (in fact, she rather liked them - see below).

I shared the @candykittens_uk from my @thevegankind box with my brother's 6yr old step-daughter (yes, I do occasionally share food - shocking, I know)... I think she liked them! 💚💚💚 #aww #vegan #vegansofig #vegansweets #cute #thevegankind #tvk34 #candy #sharingiscaring

A photo posted by Lisa Clare 🇬🇧 (@thatlisaclare) on Aug 19, 2016 at 9:01am PDT

And, finally, there was the Native Unearthed Volcanic Crystals and Aloe deodorant, which I haven't got round to testing out yet, but that I have high hopes for. I was also lucky enough to get a £5 John Lewis/Waitrose gift card with my box, which I donated to my preggers sister-in-law towards baby clothes as my first duty as an Auntie-to-be. 

I know I say this every time I review a TVK box, but I've been getting these boxes (initially as a paying customer and now as a blogger) for well over a year now, and I can honestly say they never send out a bad box. They are amazing value for money and there's always something new to try with TVK. It's never the 'same old stuff' with them. I've never felt tempted to order from any of the other vegan subscription box services that have sprung up in the UK (TVK were the first). 

For more information and to subscribe to The Vegan Kind Lifestyle Box visit www.thevegankind.com

Dermalogica Team with Sodastream for Sparkling Skin

Greetings Earthlings! Guess I should say Happy New Year, really... I haven't been able to update this blog since before Christmas due to an unfathomable level of final year University stress. I'm now happy to inform you that I'm DONE and free to chatter about all things beauty with you once again. It feels so good! I'm here today to tell you all about an exciting new brand collaboration between skincare gurus Dermalogica and retro drinks experts SodaStream. With summer fast approaching, the new skincare buzzword is hydration and Dermalogica want to spread the message that hydrating your body also works wonders for your skin. 

This week I popped along to see both brands at the One New Change shopping centre near St Paul's for a spot of face-mapping and to learn the importance of hydration from both inside and out. Research has shown that we Brits aren't the best at getting our recommended daily dose of H2O, yet we spend hundreds on skincare products. Dermalogica believe that great skincare products can be even greater and more effective when teamed with optimum hydration, and so an alliance was made and SodaStream stepped up to help educate the nation on the importance of hydration, regardless of your skin type.

The brands have put their heads together and come up with the ultimate Sparkling Skin Package, which includes:

- SodaStream Source sparkling water maker
- MultiActive Toner
- Skin Hydrating Booster
- Intensive eye Repair
- Skin Hydrating Masque

On top of this they recommend at least 2 litres of water a day and, thanks to SodaStream, getting that amount needn't feel like a chore. At the event I sipped on refreshing sparking water with a good squeeze of lime and other delicious fruits. I could get used to that! My face-mapping session with a Dermalogica specialist proved that I definitely have areas which could use some extra hydration. I now have all the products I need so expect some reviews coming up on this blog in the very near future. I'm already incorporating the products into my daily routine.

The Sparkling Skin package will be available from sodastream.co.uk from June 2015 and will retail at £89.

It's a great opportunity to sample some amazing products whilst also having great fun with water. Here's to a summer of Sparkling Skin! 

Summer of Skincare

This post was supposed to be a July Favourites... but when I got to picking out the products, they turned out to ALL be skincare. So now it has evolved into yet another summer skincare round-up. I posted a summer skincare post a little while ago with a few new products I'd acquired, but my skin is being so evil just lately that I seem to have switched everything up again. I've discovered even more new products and repurchased a couple of older favourites. I think I'm finally onto something here as my skin is finally starting to behave itself again! 

Amie Skincare 'Morning Light' Hydrating Moisturiser

Whenever Amie bring out a new moisturiser I just have to have it and, as this one is a hydrating day cream, I knew I had to give it a whirl. I'm a huge fan of their mattifying moisturiser as well as their Skin Shield. This one doesn't have the SPF that Skin Shield has but my skin has been so smooth and touchable (without getting greasy) when I've used it, that I can forgive it. Amie products are affordable, cruelty free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Full review coming soon!

Superdrug 5-in-1 Skin Perfecting BB Cream - Medium

If you're a long time reader of this blog you'll know that I go bonkers for BB creams during the summer months when I can't be doing with a heavy foundation that's going to melt off my face as soon as the weather heats up. This Superdrug budget version is fantastic and contains vitamin c, hyaluronic acid and caffeine with mineral pigments and SPF15. There is also an Anti-Age SPF30 version in the range. 

Indeed Labs Hydraluron

You have my permission to scold me. I've only just got around to discovering the magic of Hydraluron. What kind of a blogger am I?? Hydration is a huge issue for me, even though I have combination skin, and I need products that will quench my thirsty face without turning my t-zone into an oil slick. This product acts as a supercharger for any moisturiser you team it with, allowing the skin to retain the moisture more effectively. I NEED to get my hands on their new Moisture Jelly to go along with it because it's LOVE! This product is currently a third off at Boots.

Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner

I posted about this product and the Lime Blossom cleanser that goes along with it quite a while ago now. I can't believe I've only just got around to repurchasing it! It's been a godsend while the weather has been warmer. I've been keeping it in the fridge and spritzing my face with it and it feels soooooo good!! The lavender fragrance won't be for everyone but I particularly enjoy it at the end of the day, after removing my makeup just to freshen my skin up and prep my skin for moisturiser. It's very soothing.

Una Brennan Superfacialist Neroli Brightening Cleanser

This popped up in my last skincare post as another product that I'd forgotten I loved and I'm loving it again for very similar reasons to the Elemis toner. It's just wonderfully freshening with a floral scent and leaves my skin feeling firmed up and smooth. I mainly use this product in the morning before I've put on any makeup to wake my skin up. 

White Rabbit Skincare Lime and Coconut Cleansing Water

I received this product in my The Vegan Kind Beauty Box last month and it was instant love. This product is completely handmade using spring water, orange blossom water, coconut oil and lime essential oil. The scent is out of this world! It's milkier in texture than your usual micellar-type cleansing waters, and I'd go easy around the eyes with this one (lime oil - yikes) but it does an amazing job of removing makeup whilst cleansing the skin. The lime and orange blossom are also great antibacterial ingredients and the coconut oil helps to smooth. 

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins

Last but not least... I loved this product to death in the new year and the latter half of Winter, but my skin seemed to get sick of it after a while so it has been sat in my stash waiting for another chance to shine. It got that chance a couple of weeks ago after I felt that the Superdrug cream I'd been using was starting to leave me a little oily. Sure enough my skin welcomed it back with open arms and they are friends once more. Read my original review here.

*****

Those were my current summer skincare crushes. I'm hoping this love affair will carry on into Autumn/Winter as the harsh elements seem to take it out of my skin every bit as much as the summer sun. I haven't felt great about my skincare routine for a little while now so it's great to finally have a winning set of products... until the next time my face gets bored and demands something else. I guess we shall see. 

What are your skincare must haves?? Is hydration an issue for you?? What products can't you live without during the summer months??

Holiday Beauty Favourites: June 2014

I'm completely failing as a blogger just lately aren't I...

I guess there isn't a simple explanation for my absence. I'm spending so much time on blogging and social media for work that I've let myself slip a little. Being painfully skint really doesn't help matters either but I'm doing my best! Hopefully I can get back to a more regular posting shedule once my internship is over and I can focus more on personal projects. 

I've spent the last 10 days, however, taking a well deserved break in the Peak District with my family. I suppose my parents' house isn't really the most exotic and exciting of destinations but to me it was definitely a holiday. I spent a lot of time out in the sunshine, strolling along the river and eating ALL of the food (for a taste of my holiday food diary see my other blog). I thought I'd pop this post up today in honour of a few lovely products that I've really enjoyed while I've been away.

Una Brennan Super Facialist: Neroli Firming Cleanser

I've been using this product on and off for a little while and this is my second tube. If I'm honest its never been my No1 go-to cleanser and I've tended to favour Elemis and my Micellar waters over it in the past but, for some reason, it's been a hero product this last week and a half. It smells so fresh, gets rid of makeup and leaves my skin feeling really clean and supple. I think a full review will be on the cards soon. 

GOSH  Pressed Powder in Warm Sand

My other powder compact managed to get smashed during the journey to Derbyshire so this was an emergency Superdrug purchase on arrival, but one I've been very impressed with. I don't usually rave too much about powders as I don't always use them and find them a bit unremarkable but this one has a lovely, soft finish and sets my foundation really well. 

Sleek Powder Blush in Life's a Peach

This blush is well established on this blog but, for some reason, it got a bit lost during my last house move and I only found it again recently so thought I'd take it away with me. It gives the most gorgeous, warm, peachy glow which is perfect for sunshiny days. 

MUA Velvet Touch Lip Lacquer in Halcyon

I'm loving the recent trend for matte lip colours and you really can't go wrong with the MUA offering at £3! I actually have ALL of the shades (which will be coming to you in a swatchfest post very soon). I find this particular shade extremely versatile and a great day-to-night colour. 

Lavera Cosmetics Quattro Eyeshadow in 01 Oriental Brown

I only discovered that Lavera did cosmetics very recently. I'd seen their skincare in Holland & Barrett but wasn't aware of them other than that. Their range is organic and gluten-free. This palette is a great combo to take away on holiday as you can go as subtle or as smokey as you like. I especially love the deep green shade. 

Superdrug Solait Wear Off Bronzing Mousse (Medium/Dark)

Couldn't not include a couple of Superdrug staples, could I. I love their Solait tanning lotion so I grabbed this mousse version to take away with me as it said it was longer lasting. I only had to apply it twice over the course of the week and it dried really evenly. Great colour pay-off too so I'd definitely recommend this as an affordable product to top up your holiday tan. 

Superdrug Caring Coconut and Sweet Almond Shampoo/Conditioner (Dry Hair)

I hate coconutty scented things as a rule. Hate hate HATE! My heart sank when I found that Superdrug's offering for dry hair was a coconut scent but.... guess what.... It's really not all that bad! The almond seems to bring it down a bit. This was another emergency purchase as I arrived at my parents' to find that I didn't have any shampoo there (I usually leave some there so I don't have to cart it around in my suitcase). It did leave my hair lovely and soft with a shine to it. 

*****

Those were a handful of products that I've loved while I've been away. It's nice to be able to mix old favourites with new finds and rediscover products that I hadn't appreciated fully until now. 

What are your holiday beauty staples?? 

A Few Recent Summer Skincare Changes

Its that time of year again when my skin begins to completely reject my Winter skin routine and demands a fresh start for Summer. Not to mention the fact that Summer skincare is an entirely different kettle of fish to Winter with a whole different set of considerations. Add to that my 2014 switch to Veganism and a commitment to cruelty free products and you get a serious 'Alice in Wonderland' type of scenario. I thought I'd post a few of my recent skincare changes to prep my skin for the warmer months ahead. My skin has been a little unruly of late and can't seem to decide whether it wants to break out or shrivel up so I doubt these will be my only purchases this Summer, but here's the story so far...

Oqibo Purifying Cleanser and Toner* - oqibo.co.uk 

A completely new brand to me, Oqibo were kind enough to send me a huge bottle of their Purifying Cleanser and Toner earlier in the year. I was promised cruelty free and no animal ingredients so I can use this product with absolute confidence. I'll probably do a more in-depth review after I've been using it for a little while longer but this is a lovely, freshening product and does a great job of getting rid of dirt and oil. It's designed to regulate and balance the skin, which is great news for combination girlies like me. It has quite a strong scent of mint and leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed. 

DHC Pore Lotion - dhcuk.co.uk

I'm a huge fan of DHC. I emailed the Japanese-based brand to confirm a few ingredients with them recently and was delighted to discover that none of their ingredients are animal derived so now I adore them even more! I've been particularly enjoying their pore range of products lately as they're really gentle, alcohol free  and are really good for clarifying and minimising pores and creating a smooth canvas for makeup. I use this as I would a toner in between cleansing and moisturising (I also have their Pore Milk which is a lovely, light moisturiser for daytime). 

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Renewing Night Cream - superdrug.com

It seems that even my beloved Origins Night-a-Mins isn't good enough for my face lately so I'm having a rest from it. I was scratching my head trying to find an affordable, cruelty free substitute (I'm truly skint) and I spotted this in Superdrug and thought it would be well worth a try for £5.99. This cream smells so good! I can't stop sniffing it. It is infused with extracts of kiwi and mulberry with sugar beet and other fruit acids to nourish and resurface skin overnight. For the price I've been very impressed. My skin definitely feels smoother and softer upon waking. 

Organic Surge Blissful Daily Moisturiser - organicsurge.com

I've been using this for a little while as a light daytime moisturiser for my combination skin. I suspect I will need something more intensive with SPF as we continue on into Summer but this really has been lovely. Extremely gentle and perfect for normal/combination skin types. It keeps my skin hydrated whilst also keeping oilier areas at bay and sits well under makeup. I also love how it absorbs so quickly. Organic Surge, like Superdrug, are 100% committed to no animal testing and no animal ingredients.

Amie Pure & Natural Beauty 'Spring Clean' Clay Mask - amieskincare.com

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Amie Skincare products!! They've been a favourite for a couple of years now and I've tried most of their products. What I particularly love about them are their natural ingredients and Leaping Bunny certification which means no animal testing and virtually no animal ingredients (except beeswax, which it turns out this product does actually contain - serves me right for assuming - but most of their products are 100% Vegan friendly). This is an old favourite of mine from way back and I've started using it again once a week to purge my skin of any excess oiliness for a really deep clean. It has an gorgeous fresh lime/mint scent and an added bonus of making me closely resemble a White Walker for 10mins a week... HA!!

Those are a handful of my recent skincare switch ups. It's felt a little like I'm fighting a losing battle with my skin recently as it's been so unpredictable. I thought vegans were supposed to have perfect skin?!?! To be fair I was a little neglectful with my skincare routine whilst I was battling my way through exams so that might have something to do with it. Time to get back on it and treat my face right! 

What are your skin saviours?? Do you switch up your routine when the weather gets warmer?? What are your recommendations for Summer skincare??

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??

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??

My Top 5: Summer Nail Colours

 God I've missed you lot! I vowed that I would not complain about this GLORIOUS hot weather we're having lately but MAN does this sticky kind of heat zap my brain! As an ME sufferer my body and brain become so sluggish when the weather gets like this and I just haven't managed to get my brain in gear to write anything for the last week and a half . Seems every blog post I write recently has begun with an excuse for my absence. Not good at all. However, I am here TODAY to show you a handful of nail polishes that I have been loving the most so far this Summer. I've been wearing all kinds of colours recently but these 5 seem to be my most loved of the season so I thought I'd tell you WHY I love each one. Featured in no particular order....

 I just seem to have developed a thing for blue nails this season. It's odd because, of all the colours, blue has always tended to be my least favourite. I suspect it may be the influence of a certain Mrs Kidston and her pastels that inspired this particular purchase. I've been looking for the perfect pastel blue shade and I think this Bourjois offering might just be it. It's just the loveliest powdery baby blue. The So Laque Glossy formula is a pleasure to apply and lasts really well with a good dollop of Seche Vite on top. I need a durable polish in my line of work and this polish takes my bar cleaning duties in its stride!

Had to get a bright one in there!! Nails Inc are my Holy Grail of polish brands and I have a major sweet spot for their products. I just really really respect their constant ability to innovate and be ahead of the game, coming out with new and different shades and textures with every passing season. Their Neons range (out of which I also own Kensington Park Road) had me suckered in immediately for the Summer months and Notting Hill Gate has quickly become my go-to Summer pink. It's like a bright, neon raspberry shade that sets off a tan perfectly. 

I couldn't not feature the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine range in this post because I'm really LOVING them lately. I own 4 of the shades but I think Greenberry is most definitely my favourite out of the bunch. I own quite a few minty green/blue shades but this one just POPS out that little bit more and is much more fun for sunshiney days. I'm not always a fan of Barry M polishes and have had hits and misses with them over the years but the formula of the Gelly polishes really is fantastic and gives an opaque glossy finish even after just one coat. They also last longer than the regular Barry M Nail Paint which is a big bonus for me. 

OPI, for me, has taken a major back seat since I discovered my infatuation with Nails Inc, but there are a couple of their shades that my collection would be nothing without. One of those shades is Steady as She Rose from their Pirates of the Caribbean collection a couple of years back. I just think it's a really unique kind of pale, dusky pink/grey. The only other polish I have that is similar is Essie Fiji (which nearly made the cut for this post) but I love that it's so cool in tone and can look really rosy in some lights and more muted and grey in others. Plus anything with a pirate theme is a winner in my book!

I'm actually a little surprised that this polish has made it into my Top 5! I remember stating implicitly that I preferred the Nails Inc Concrete effect polishes to the Barry M Texture range. However, I find myself reaching for this way more often than I thought I would. I have other peachy polishes in my collection but I like this one for the gritty, matte finish and BOY does it last ages!! Peach shades are my ultimate Summer shades (same with my blush and lipstick choices) and I find they really compliment my skin tone. They also really bring out a tan. 

So those are my Top 5 Summer nail shades. These are not the ONLY polishes I will be reaching for this Summer by any means. I've also been LOVING the Mavala Chilli and Spice Collection (Blog post Here) and my Nails Inc Feather polishes (Blog post Here). I just thought I'd chatter on a bit about why I choose the shades I do when the sun comes out to play and what works best for me. 

Hope you're all enjoying the Sunshine!!

What are your favourite Summer shades?? Do you favour a particular brand of polish??

BeneFit NEW Ultra Plush LipGloss: Kiss You

Good afternoon Beauty Seekers!!

Isn't it GLORIOUS?! Its about time we had a few days of proper Summer Sunshine. Before I go and plant myself out on the patio with the ipad and several bottles of Bulmers, I'd like to talk a little about lipgloss with you. Namely, the new BeneFit Ultra Plush LipGloss in the shade 'Kiss You'*. Regular readers will know that I am not a glossy kinda girl and have had more misses than hits with them over the years, but I was keen to try these newly released products and I was also lucky enough to win one in a quiz at their recent event...

I love the Art Deco feel of the packaging for this product! Even the gloss tube itself has that little finishing touch. The colour of this lipgloss got me really excited when I first pulled it out of the box. I've been searching high and low for lip shades just like this. BeneFit describe it as a 'Clear Fuchsia', which did make my heart sink a little. I'm no fan of a sheer lip product, let me tell you. I'm not one to judge a book by it's cover though so I swatched on regardless!

To be completely honest here... I was disappointed that this shade wasn't more opaque. I had to apply it thicker than I would usually to get the colour for this photo. However, it is still a very pretty, subtle shade for Summer wear and I can imagine it being very handy to add a glossy shine to any matte pink or lilac lipstick. The formula isn't sticky or waxy, which is my major bugbear with glosses. It applies directly from the tube as well so no frantically trying to scrape the product out with a wand when it starts to run low.

Looking at the full range online, it seems that not all of the shades are as sheer as the one I have (just my luck). As well as my Clear Fuchsia, they have a completely clear version, then the rest of the shades seem to have more of a WOW factor to them and include a hot pink, a bubblegum pink and soft berry shades, amongst others. 

Check them all out here at benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Are you a Gloss lover?? Do you prefer a sheer wash of colour or something with more DRAMA?? Do you rate BeneFit lip products??