Barry M Instant Nail Effects Foil in Gold

I love nail polish and am all over any new trend that pops up so was super excited to get my hands on this little beauty. I love striking gold nails and have been after the same sort of finish from the Nails Rock wraps that I've tried previously but without the hassle of applying them.

When I caught news of this I ordered one straight away, impressed by the claim that "it is applied like any other Nail Paint but with a luxurious foil finish previously only acheived from a salon manicure" and couldn't wait to try it.

I really like Barry M nail paints and was incredibly impressed when their crackle polish was released last year. They always seem to be on trend and are so affordable with all their nail products under £5 (hooray!)

So here's my verdict on the foil effects:

Barry M say you only need one coat so I thought I would do this post based on that. It was just the same as normal nail polish to apply but dried really quickly (always a bonus as I tend to smudge quite a lot!)

After one coat

One coat without flash

One coat with flash



Overall I was really impressed with the product. It's so easy to use, gives a really good finish and is just £3.99.
Currently it is only available in gold and silver but like the Crackle Effects I imagine Barry M will roll out more colours in time.
My only complaint is the matte finish. Although I like this a lot and really like the effect it creates I would love a super shiny finish - kind of like the other side of foil so here's hoping Barry M have something like that up their sleeve...

Well Hello September

So that's it the summer is over (well what little of a summer we had) and it's now autumn. The X Factor is back on the telly, the maxi dresses and sandals are being stored away and the annual debate over whether it's way too early to turn the heating on has begun.
With the start of the new month and new season  it's that exciting time when the fab new make up and nail colours are launched and you have the perfect excuse to buy a whole new wardrobe.

Personally I am beyond bored of wearing pastels and brights on my nails and long for the gorgeous navys, plums, greys and particulary khakis set to be big this season. I adore pinks, oranges, corals etc but I just want a change.

Another thing I'm excited about are rich, vibrant lip colours. This beauty from Max Factor is at the top of my lust list - it looks so much more opulant than it's £7.99 price tag.

I am also rather excited about the base in the range - a wonderful looking foundation + serum. I have yet to try both items but will post a review once I get my hands on them.

Fashion wise I am determined this year to find the perfect pair of boots - some that are not only stylish but that can cope with the odd bit of rain and snow. This is a mission I set out to succeed in every year but end up with numerous pairs of boots that are incredibly gorgeous but are either too high to walk on ice in, suede that get destroyed by even the slightest shower or are far too boring that I can't bring myself to put them on. I am adamant that this is the year however so the search is well and truly on...

I know I shouldn't really say this but I'm actually quite happy about it now being September. Autumn is a great season; it means new clothes, new beauty trends, my birthday and the run up to Christmas. I know that when I'm knee deep digging my car out of the snow that I'll be willing summer to arrive but at the moment I am really quite excited about the season that lies ahead.

xoxo

Avon Solutions Oil Free Mattifier Review

Ola lovelies

I haven't posted for a while I'm sorry as I've been really really busy - no excuse I know anyway here goes...

I was pleased to get back off my hols to this little beauty from Avon on my doormat.

I was sent this to review by Avon and couldn't wait to try it as it is something I wouldn't ordinarily buy myself. It's full title is Avon Solutions Complete Balance Day Oil-Free Mattifier (phew!) and it claims to reduce shine and give healthy looking skin - all with the added benefit of an SPF 15.

I was really impressed with the texture - it's quite thick yet light feeling and when applied doesn't feel at all like it's clogging up your skin. I have combination skin and suffer from oily and dry patches and this mattified yet moisturised where needed. It soaked in really quickly which was great as I hate having to wait around to start putting on my foundation!

I have used this for a number of days now and am really impressed with the results. My skin stays mostly shine free for the whole day and is really well hydrated. I always fear with mattifying products that all mosture will be zapped from my skin but this really wasn't the case at all.

I can see it fast becoming a must have in my summer skin care routine as my make up stays put, my skin looks great and it has that all important SPF.

I haven't tried any of the other products from the Solutions range but I am itching to try some of the others now.

Jen xoxo

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector - BB Cream

I've heard a lot about BB creams and have been itching to try one. It's been incredibly difficult to get hold of one in the UK so I was overjoyed when I hear that Garnier were to launch one here. Superdrug (is it me or have they really upped their game recently? I have a lot of new found love for the store) were the first to offer it - available online with free delivery, bonus points and for just £9.99! A few days after ordering it I had it in my hands and was very excited to give it a whirl.

It comes in Light and Medium shades. This is Light.

It has a nice texture and is quite sheer.

I like the finish - it glows

Overall I really like the product. It's light, sheer and leaves a really nice glowy finish. It smells quite nice too, a bit like the Ponds Cold Cream my Nana used to use (happy memories).

As I feared it doesn't provide enough coverage for me to wear it alone, it would be perfect for those who wear tinted moisturiser rather than foundation. What was good, however, was that I needed much less foundation than usual and only in the really bad parts of my face - so if anything it's a really great primer. I'm really impressed so far, my skin feels hydrated and I love the glow it's given me. xoxo

Home Straightening Treatment

I have just seen this and found it very exciting indeed...

Charles Worthington is set to launch an at home semi-permanent straightening treatment - CW Salon at Home Straight & Smooth. It is said to last for up to 40 days and to make hair sleeker, smoother and healthier looking and looks to be a snip at just £19.99.

When living in Tokyo I had similar treatments applied at the salon. "Straight perms", as they were known amongst us Westerners, were an absolute lifesaver in the hot, sticky, humid summer months ensuring I looked more like me and less like Diana Ross!
I'm very excited about this new product from the hair genius that is Charles and given the recent bout of humidity in England we've been suffering it would be a very welcome product to have now...

http://www.diarydirectory.com/daily.aspx

Get Hair Like Kate's

Courtesy of Instyle mag here is Richard Ward's (hairdresser to the Duchess of Cambridge) guide to creating that much lust after Chelsea blow dry.
Let me know if you try it yourself and if it works.

http://www.instyle.co.uk/hair/styles/richard-wards-chelsea-blow-dry/richard-wards-chesea-blow-dry-guide-step-1

Cath Kidston Autumn Collection Sneak Peek

It is safe to say that I am more than a little obsessed with all things Cath Kidston - I just adore the pretty, vintage feel of the products. Much of my house has a sprinkling of Cath Kidston or Laura Ashley (much to the boyf's disgruntlement!) and even my desktop on my work computer has an alternating Cath Kidston print. One thing I've never managed to purchase is a Cath Kidston handbag - I have a selection of the shopping bags in an array of prints but have never managed to decide which bag to get. This may change however after seeing the range for the Autumn/Winter 2011 collection.

Here are some of my faves:

Oh and maybe this bath mat will have to find it's way into my bathroom...

Hope you like the post and please let me know if you've succumbed to any of this fabulous new range..

First post

This is my first post so here goes...

After wearing a lot of coral, hot pinks, pastels etc for the summer it'll be quite nice to get some new colours to wear. I'm a big fan of Mavala nail colour and products - I find them to be great value for money and to really work. The range of colours is fabulous and they are constantly updating the collection.

So this is very exciting, the September issue of Elle magazine comes with a freebie bottle of Mavala nail polish. There are three colours available; The Elle Red, The Elle Grey and The Elle Orange. As you can see from the photo below they are all amazing so I guess I'll have to try and get all three...

P.S. absolutely love the nail art by WAH nails xoxo