Monday 31 August 2015

Fashion: Celebrity Inspired Ear Cuffs and Ear Crawlers


Cara Delevinge wearing Chanel (Source), Jennifer Lawrence (Getty Images, Source) Lara Bingle (Getty Images Source)

 

Pretty and Elaborate Ear Cuffs


 Top Row

Bottom Row




Diane Kruger (Source) , Emma Watson (Getty Images Source)  Rihanna (Source)

 

Small and Simple Ear cuffs


Top Row
3 Pack Hammered Metal Ear Cuffs, Claires

Bottom Row 



Priyanka Chopra (Source) Miley Cyrus (FayesVision/WENN.com  Source)  Lilly Cole (David Fisher/ Rex Features Source


Ear Cuff with Chains



Top Row

Bottom Row 
 

Sunday 30 August 2015

Ciate Nail polish in Strawberry Milkshake and Topcoat Review

Recently I picked up Marie Claire magazine which had two free Ciate nail polishes. The shade I choose was Strawberry Milkshake along with a clear topcoat. This is my first Ciate product I've tried and I hope it's not representative of their other nail polishes since this one nearly drove me crazy while I was applying it.
 
Firstly the name Strawberry Milkshake is perfect for this shade, in the bottle it's a milky pale pink but on the nails it's a brighter, slightly darker pink if a topcoat isn't applied on the same day (as seen in the photo above far left.) In general I found that Strawberry Milkshake takes a long time to dry properly and set. The first time I wore this I didn't apply the topcoat for three days and by then the nail polish had time to dry and the topcoat didn't fully change the colour. The second time I wore this I applied topcoat about 80-90 mins later and the polish hadn't completely dried and the topcoat made the nail polish look lighter- a milky pale pink shade like you see in the bottle. The polish is opaque in two coats which isn't bad for such a light shade. However you will need three coats to stop it looking streaky. It also goes on unevenly as well. I realise this is mini sized nail polish and so the brush may not be as good as the full sized version, but I have read a few other unfavourable reviews for this particular shade.

The polish had some good points, the finish is very shiny and the second is that it lasts for quite a long while without chipping. The first time I painted my nails I went three days without a top coat, with only minimal wear and no chips  (including typing and washing up dishes without gloves - I really should know better by now!) The Ciate Top Coat dries very quickly, much faster than my usual Butter London P.D. Quick topcoat and sets as hard as a rock. However it doesn't really protect your manicure from surface scratches and marks which was disappointing. My first manicure lasted 6-7 good days wear with less chipping than I normally experience with other polishes. The second time I used this applying the topcoat the same day the manicure lasted around 4 days before chipping.
 
For such a high end brand I expected the application to be much easier and the formula more easy to work with. However the lasting power does make up for this a little. I'm hoping that it might just be that this shade that isn't as good as the others. It hasn't put me off trying Ciate's other nail polish shades.

Let me know what other Ciate nail shades should I try in the comments. 

Monday 24 August 2015

BEAUTY TRENDS- The Bubble Nail - A Do or Don't?

Bubble nails have actually been around since 2009 but it's only recently that bubble nails have become more popular, appearing on Instagram feeds and sent many others copying the trend.
Bubble nails are created by layering lots of layers of acrylic in the middle of the nail to create a 3D dome or bump on the nail. Basically they look like half a marble stuck onto a nail. The difference in nail length separates the two similar styles: when the nail is kept short these are called Bubble nails and when nail tips are longer they're called hump nails. Bright colours, patterns and jewels are then painted on to finish the manicure.

examples of bubble nails from instagram
Top left Enderkate4 Top Right Mermissues Bottom Left Nailedxlucy_  Bottom right- Nails by Ann
Generally both Bubble and Hump nails have to be done at a salon and since bubble nail manicures aren't covered in beauty school, nail technicians have developed their own techniques by trial and error and online tutorials such as those on Youtube. Neither styles are recommended to be worn for too long as the huge amount of acrylic can damage the nail. However celebrity nail artist Pattie Yankee says hump nails are safer for the nail because the ball of acrylic can be balance on the natural stress points. The nail on the bottom left was done by adding false nail to the bubble tip so it curled over.
Examples of hump nails from instagram
Top Right and Bottom Right Nails by Ann. Top left Body Wrap Mona Bottom left Aesthetic beauty Liverpool
To me this fashion trend was made for Lady Gaga and fans, I'm not sure if Kylie Jenner will be joining in and I've yet to see these nails in real life. I would imagine basic everyday tasks like  texting, tying shoe laces and applying makeup and creams would be difficult with bubble or hump manicures! What do you think are they a do or don't?  

Sunday 23 August 2015

Champney's Perfect Pedicure Intensive Foot Butter Review

Foot butter directions
Champey's Perfect Pedicure Intensive Foot Butter swatch
When it comes to summer my dry and rather neglected feet need some pampering to be sandal ready. Champney's Intensive foot butter claims to leave your feet moisturised and soft, just what my feet need and can be used all year round. It usually comes in a 200ml tub but mine is in a tube from a Champney's gift set. It contains shea and olive butter, ingredients known for their moisturising properties, as well as vitamin E, orange and peppermint essential oils. It smells mainly of peppermint comes out as a light blue/green mousse. This foot butter is dermatologically tested and fairly gentle, it did not cause any irritation to my sensitive skin. (I also suffer from eczema too but did not apply it on those parts.) Although it took awhile to absorb into the skin and dry (about 10 minutes) it did leave my feet softer and moisturised. It's not a very heavy cream but left my feet feeling very moisturised, much more than I expected and so I would say it's an 'intensive foot butter' level of treatment. You don't need to use much, the amount of product on my hand in the photo above was enough for both feet.  The peppermint gives a very slight tingly refreshed feeling after applying. If you suffer from hot or swollen feet in the summer this will cool you down and pamper your feet at the same time. In the autumn and winter this can be used as an intensive overnight treatment under socks. It's a cheap but effective at moisturising your feet and leave them feeling soft and one that I would repurchase and recommend to others. Champney's Foot Butter retails for £8 in Boots and Champneys online.
 
 
 
 

Friday 21 August 2015

Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo Mega Instant Review

Dry Shampoo

There are three dry shampoos in Aussie's Miracle range: Aussome Volume for bigger hair, colour mate for dyed hair and finally Mega instant which I'm reviewing today. Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo Mega Instant is for normal or greasy hair and promises to 'ward off' grease and revive your hair.  While the normal Aussie shampoos are priced slightly more expensively than other brands, their dry shampoo range is cheaper. They are all available in two sizes: 65ml for £2.29 and 180ml for £4.71. When I went to buy this the 180ml was the only size in stock but price wise £4.71 is pretty much an average price for a dry shampoo.

Aussie Mega Instant is the first dry shampoo I've tried. As a teenager I developed and still have hair that gets greasy really quickly and dry shampoos would have been a lifesaver back then. My hair tends to get greasy roots and be dry at the ends.  Generally it gets greasy the day after washing my hair on day 2 and 3. I usually wash my hair every other day (day 3). Also I am a dark brunette and wanted to avoid any obvious white powder/spray left in my hair that sometimes happens with dry shampoos.

Aussie's Miracle Dry Shampoo smells gorgeous (sweet and fruity) as all Aussie hair products do, it's kind of their trademark. It contains Jojoba seed extract which has been used for centuries by the indigenous Australians to naturally condition hair. Before you use the shampoo you have to shake the can, spray into roots from about 30cm away, massage in and brush out well. The spray is fine, it's not sticky and is easy to wash out.

The first time I used this was on day 7 hair (7 days after washing my hair) so my hair was extremely greasy. I sprayed a lot into my roots but the dry shampoo did absolutely nothing and I even ended up with white bits like dandruff in my hair. I put it down to my hair being too greasy for it to work and maybe I got carried away with the spraying. The next time I tried this was on day 3 hair when it was due for a wash. I sprayed much less and made sure I was spraying 30cm away. Holding the can 30cm away is much further than I would naturally hold a can of hairspray. While I didn't get the dandruff effect this time, the shampoo still did not soak up any grease or look any different. The spray was initially dry then it became wet as I was massaging in to my hair. The third time I used this I sprayed 8 times. Four at 90 degrees around my head and four over the top and I made sure to hold the can 30cm away.  My hair did not look or feel any better. On the fourth attempt I sprayed 6 times into my roots on day 3 hair. I waited for a minute before I began massaging it into my roots and I waited another minute for the dry shampoo to work to see if this would help before I brushed it out. Unfortunately there was absolutely no difference to the feel or look of my hair.

I have thick hair and although this could work for somebody else (without thick hair), I really wouldn't recommend it at all, it was very disappointing. The good points are the nice fragrance and the fact that it does not leave white dandruff marks in dark hair. But ultimately it comes down to whether the product works and does what it claims to- and unfortunately this does not, so don't waste your money.




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