Wednesday

NOTD | Primark Angelica Angel Nail Polish Dupe for Model's Own Indian Ocean

Primark Angelica 'Angel' Nail Colour - £2.50

I've lusted after Model's Own Indian Ocean nail polish ever since seeing it on Fleur's blog but it can be a little hard to come by, so when I spotted Angel in Primark for £2.50 I snatched it up as it looked like a great dupe.  

While the colour in the bottle looks very similar to Indian Ocean, it actually goes on very sheer and you would need a minimum of three coats to get any opacity.  It's a cheap thrill but I would warn you that Angelica nail polishes are not the best quality - they are quite streaky and take a lifetime to dry properly. I had my nails done with Angelica polishes at an NBPR press event last night and I still managed to get them smudged even though they went in the UV light contraption and had a decent drying time between coats. 

If you're on a budget and you have the patience to wait a considerable time for nails to dry, then give this one a go, it's undeniably pretty and works well as a shiny coat over other colours.  I wish Primark would bring back the polishes they used to stock, can't remember if they had a specific 'range' name, but they were much better quality and super pretty colours.

Tuesday

Review | Lancome Absolu Voyage Complete Make-Up Palette


Lancome Absolu Voyage Complete Make-Up Palette - Heathrow T5,  - £42.20  

Make up palettes from high end lines have much improved - I remember when they used to be filled with wacky shades and questionable quality products, and while they were neat and cute to look at, I didn't see myself seriously using one.  

Guerlain's Terracotta Make Up Palette which I reviewed here really switched me onto how versatile and practical they can be, as well as beautiful to use.  Once you have your base sorted whether that's tinted moisturiser, BB cream, foundation or just bare skin if you're lucky enough this Lancome palette gives you a fully polished look in a few minutes.  I just can't get over the dinkyness for everything it contains!

It includes:
  • 6 neutral eyeshadows, the strip on the left side are stunning, but there's also a dark purple to take a look into the evening 
  • Concealer
  • Blush
  • Three lipsticks
  • Face powder - this is very dinky to get your whole face covered with the little pad, but it does the job of sorting out oily patches on your T zone.  Of course it's in quite a light shade, so wouldn't be great for deeper skin tones.
  • Mini Lancome Hypnose mascara (a Holy Grail beauty)
  • Black Kohl eyeliner
  • Lip pencil   
The only things you'd miss are a dusting of bronzer and dab of highlighter. 

The brushes and applicators supplied with many compacts are still questionable, but the little brush in this Lancome palette made a valiant effort at applying just the right amount of blush for an understated glow, and wasn't scratchy.  The eyeshadow brush was surprisingly good, as was the lip brush.  The Hypnose Mascara mini is just as amazing as a full size as the brush head is the regular size.

The packaging is very cute and saves space by having a little pull-out drawer.  It comes in a velvet pouch which make it feel that bit more special and also prevents the items tipping out in your bag if the latch become undone.  The mirror in the lid is a great size.  All in all it's the perfect little compact to keep stashed in your desk at work for touch ups or last minute nights out.  I've even brought it on a couple of weekends away as it's such a great space and weight saver.

The bad news is that it seems to only be available at airport duty free shops - so keep a look out next time you're going away.



Monday

Winner Announcement | Amazing All Things Nails Giveaway

I hope you all had a happy weekend? Sorry again my dears for the hiatus on this little giveaway due to my blog hibernation over the summer, and thanks to all of you who took the time to enter.  

I'm delighted to announce that the winner chosen at random is:

Tina:)

Here's her comment:

Congrats! I shall be emailing/tweeting you for your address details to send you this: 


Prize includes:
Nails Inc. Pink Diamond Nail Jewellery in Princess Arcade
Nails Inc. Westbourne Grove
Nails Inc. Portobello
Nails Inc. Notting Hill Gate
Nails Inc. Jermyn St.
Nails Inc. The Thames
Nails Inc. Cadogan Square
Barbara Daly Whimsy 
L'Oreal Colour Riche Magic Croisette
L'Oreal Colour Riche Mythic Carpet
L'Oreal Colour Riche Mystic Blue
Posh Polish Beauty UK - No 1. Silmaril
Pixi Glow polish in Pirouette Pink
Nailease Nail Varish Strips 
NCLA Self Adhesive Designer Nails Wraps 
Kiss Impress press on nails 
Broadway Fashion Diva press on nails - 2 sets

My co-host on this giveaway, Angel Armogida click here to go to her YouTube channel will also be putting up the winner announcement video.

Angel and I are planning a Christmas make up giveaway so check back soon x

Sunday

Do Something Pinteresting Today!

Lots of you lovely ladies have already said 'Hi' over on Pinterest, my current social media obsession.  I signed up way back when you had to be personally invited, but now it's a free for all for anyone to sign up.  I'm not a 'crafty' or scrap-booking kinda gal, I don't spend hours trawling wehearit.com or anything of that sort, but I have truly fallen head over heels for Pinterest and automatically go there when I open a browser rather than Facebook.  One of my favourite boards is my 'Wishlist' as it lets me pin things I am lemming from all over the web, rather than just creating a written list.  I've even printed it off and gone on a shopping spree - it's so much easier to show a shop assistant the exact pair of riding boots you're after rather than trying to ineloquently describe them.  

Pinterest is such a source of inspiration for everything from interior decorating, holiday planning, recipes, healthy living, fashion and beauty.  What's more, I find it the most beautifully positive (if somewhat creepingly commercial) social media site out there.  If you have a blog it's a must have as you can pin your beautiful photography and if people click on the images they automatically link back to your site - oh hai, trafficz!

Check out my Pinterest boards here: http://pinterest.com/clickandmakeup/ 


Friday

Style | Ode To The Studded Heel Boot: Primark + Office


Left to my own devices I would dress like an early '90s Lesbian biker chick every day, however since I have a somewhat sensible job I have to limit my fashion tendencies to a few butch studs here and there and this season has served up a cornucopia of studded items, these pairs of boots being two of my top picks.  

Black faux suede boots with silver heel studs - Primark, £18
These boots also come in camel but I think if your feet are anything over a 5 they're just not flattering.  I take a 6 in these and they come up pretty large as I'm normally a 6.5.  They do feel a little clumpy and do not look great with a skirt (unless you've got super skinny legs and tiny feet) so I wear them with black skinny jeans.  I've walked miles in them and have very sensitive feet, so I am very impressed with the comfort level.  They're an utter bargain for £18 -  would you sit there and apply all those studs for £18? ...yeah I didn't think so! I'm just trying not to think of the sweatshop these were probably manufactured in and if you are as morally bankrupt as me, these boots are a great bargain option for a huge trend this season.  I've seen them on a stack of people, so if you don't mind lemming it, hotfoot it down to Primark pronto as these are dancing out the door sharpish.




Office Neptune Stud Cognac Boots - Link, £70
I'll say straight off that for PU (fake leather!) Office have quite a cheek to slap a £70 ticket on these, but they are pretty gorgeous and a less butch/in your face nod to studding than the Primark boots.  I missed out on the first batch of these which tailed off around early February, but due to popular demand Office ordered a huge new consignment and they're still in shops despite being out for months already.  The 6 is a little tight but loosens up after a few wears.  They also come in black with silver studs, but the Cognac version look more expensive and stylish methinks.  

They're great little boots - why not whack them on your list for Santa!



Thursday

Review | Braun Silk-épil 7 Wet + Dry Cordless Epilator for Legs, Body + Face


Braun Silk-épil 7 Wet + Dry Cordless Epilator for Legs, Body + Face*
Where to buy: Boots £90.99, Currys £139.99 or Amazon £73.51

Epilation is one method of hair removal which never caught on with me.  I owned a Braun epilator about eight years ago, used it a couple of times and then let it retire to the great gadget heaven in the sky.  With that model, the results did not outweigh the pain and effort involved.

This new offering from Braun can be used dry or wet - in the shower or bath.  Using it wet lessens the sting especially if the water is hot as your pores are more open for extracting the hairs.  Epilation is never a pleasant experience - the device is essentially 40 evil little tweezers yanking your hair out from the roots, however this newer model was much more bearable to use than my old one and glided over my contours -  (*cough* knobbly knees *cough*) - with ease thanks to the pivoting head.  

I find it easier to epilate at night with the light on rather than daylight as this is when the light on the device really shows up the little hairs you need to grab. The Close Grip Technology has improved its performance for removing very short hairs, but I'm still to be persuaded that it can remove hairs as short as a grain of sand (0.5mm).  Perhaps if you have very thick hair, but mine is very fine so a good few get left behind.  The result is not as smooth as a shave because very tiny hairs remain, however used regularly over time the results are better than shaving as it takes longer for the hair to regrow from the root.

The Silk-épil 7 comes with an impressive number of interchangeable heads to make it easier to epilate difficult to reach place such as armpits and bikini line (I've been too much of a wimp to go there yet!).  You also get a shaver and trimmer attachments which make the device really versatile.  My old Braun had to be plugged into the mains, so the fact that this one is cordless is fantastic as you really get to those awkward places with ease, plus you can take it on holiday without worrying about leads or power supplies. - a red light flashes when the battery is running low  To plug into the mains however you do need a two pin plug adaptor, but these are very easy and cheap to come by. 

The major drawback for me with epilation, and this isn't a criticism of the device but merely the method of hair removal, is that I am very prone to ingrown hairs.  I haven't included a photo of how some ingrown hairs on my ankles have turned into angry red blotches as it would probably turn your stomach! But be warned, if you have fine hairs - which find it difficult to break through the skin and as a consequence can become 'ingrown' I would caution you from epilating.  I get the same issues with waxing - anything that involves ripping out hairs.

If you are a seasoned epilator and looking to upgrade your kit, this is a fantastic versatile and efficient option.    I've found a wide variety of prices for this model so make sure to shop around.

While I'm not sure if epilating is the hair removal solution for me, let me know in the comments how you find it and what you do to prevent ingrown hairs.


The 40 rotating tweezers in action:

If you're epilating dry, wipe one of these specialist Olay wipes over the area first, then wait 30 seconds before going in!

The skin on my leg right after epilation - all the raised bumps are where hairs have been pulled out - efficient right?  They faded away after about half a day, so it wouldn't be a good idea to epilate right before going out if you are planning on sporting bare legs - plan ahead!

Look away now if you are squeamish!


Wednesday

Review | Guerlain Terracotta Make-Up Palette


I spotted this palette in BA's in-flight shopping catalogue on my way to NYC in March, but only picked it up when I came across it at Heathrow Duty Free a few months later where I could get a closer look at it.  

Guerlain bronzers are renouned for their fabulousness.  It's essentially a matte powder but there are some tiny shimmer particles which add glow rather than shine and make it appropriate to contour with.  The powder is finely milled and the darker strip at the bottom is a nice addition.  The packaging is stunning but they could have invested in a slightly better brush rather than the plastic scratchy offering that comes with this palette.  I really rate this bronzer - and that's coming from someone who's pale and freckly - a skin tone which struggles getting a natural sun-kissed glow.

Underneath the bronzer pan is a selection of four fantastic neutral eyeshadows.  The pigmentation, blendability and durability are excellent and the large mirror in the lid make this compact indispensable if you're travelling light.  

I paid about £34 for this palette - you can pick it up at airport duty free or on some flights, particularly BA.  It's well worth it.




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