Essie Urban Jungle

Essie Urban Jungle

I don’t know if I am unlucky or if its just the brand but I really struggle with Essie formulations. I found that the formula for Urban Jungle was thick and dragged; it left a variety of thicknesses as you pulled the brush across your nail leaving a horrible finish. I used 4 coats to create the final effect shown in the picture, it is such a shame as I love this colour especially in the summer when with a tan it looks lovely. The colour itself is the palest of blush pinks almost white, it’s very similar too ‘Hubby for Dessert’ which is a lilac sheer version. If you are willing to put up with the formula the colour truly is lovely I really enjoy wearing the lighter colours on my nails I just wish I could get a good formulation from Essie. Maybe I am comparing it too much to other brands like Ciaté or Leighton Denny but Essie is at the same price point so should stand up against them yet sadly I feel they do not. I have also included a photo of the difference between ‘Hubby for Dessert’ and ‘Urban Jungle’.

My ring is by Gemporia a company specialising in gemstone jewellery; this ring is peridot (green gemstone) and zircon (zircon is the natural gemstone cubic zirconia is based upon). Life is too short to wear fake gemstones in my opinion. 

Thanks for reading

Nicola

x

Maybelline 24Karat Nudes

Maybelline The 24Karat Nudes

 

I have wanted this eye shadow palette for a long time; the colours looked beautiful and the gold packaging just caught my eye so I had to have it. I got this in a 2 for £10 deal from Superdrug which is a bargain as the palette alone is £11.99 so it is always worth checking out there deals for bargains that you have been eyeing up for a while.

The colours are beautiful and the pigment is great, the bottom row has a stronger pigment when swatched on my arms but the top row is stunning in person and has a subtle sheen. Nearly all the colours are metallic or glitter based which is fine but I personally couldn’t find a crease colour in a mid brown shade; there is a great neutral matte colour that works as an all over base colour and there is a perfect dark brown for shading your outer edge and makes the metallic’s pop. The colours are probably too much for an everyday look but it was so much fun to play with and the metallic green is my favourite colour and I can’t wait to try and create a day look with it, you can easily create layered evening looks with the glitters.

When applying there is a fair amount of fall out on to my face but I personally find that happens a lot with all glitter eye shadows no matter what the brand is. I would definitely purchase another eye shadow palette from Maybelline.

Bye for now

Nicola 

whats in my bag

What’s in my bag?

This is something a bit new from me but I always talk about products that I always use and have on me and I wanted to show you how I store my products in my handbag. Now as most of you know I am a mum; I have a 2 year old little girl and a 5 year old little boy so most of my handbag is over taken with kids stuff. When I say kids stuff there is certain things that are essential to keep on me at all times for instance I have a pouch for nappies and baby wipes, colouring books for both kids just in case we head to a restaurant the kids are entertained also small toys and stickers. I also have 2 bags within bags; the main big pouch has a Harry Potter book, sunglasses, my phone, my purse and a kid’s spoon (you never know when you need a small kid’s spoon) packet of tissues.

The other little pouch is where I keep my essential little things that get lost in my bag normally so I have a small leather pouch that attaches to the outside of my bag which mean I can just pull it and everything is instantly to hand. The things in this bag get changed as and when they run out but are generally the same style of things but I wanted to show you what was currently in there.

First of my essentials is hand sanitizer; when my son was a baby he hated hand dryers in public toilets so hand sanitizer became my best friend. The one currently is Merci Handy black vanilla hand cleansing gel; I got this one in a glossy box and genuinely I love it, it doesn’t have a chemical smell the vanilla is a natural smelling not an overly artificial one. It also does not dry out my hands I highly recommend it. The merci handy hand sanitizer currently retails at £2.90.

Next up is hand cream; I suffer with eczema and having dry split hands is the worst so hand cream is one of those things I use every couple of hours to try and keep on top of it. My current one is by the Body Shop, I love body shop hand creams and have so many in different fragrances that are stored in an empty yankee candle jar on my side so that I don’t lose them or use them all at once, I am being really good at the minute and trying to use only one hand cream at a time. This one is Honey fragranced and it smells amazing, I don’t think it smells specifically of honey but it is definitely a floral/sweet fragrance and I adore it. The body shop hand creams currently retail at £4.

Now lip balms is one of them things that I have so many open at once that I need to have 2 on me at the time as I need to use some up because my jar of lip balms are over flowing. I try to have an SPF lip balm on me so that I can protect mine and the kids lips are protected if the sun decides to make an appearance, my current SPF one is a Malibu watermelon flavour and it is lovely my kids love this one and it is so summery. Next up is a body shop cocoa butter lip care stick, I didn’t like this when I first started using it the fragrance is very odd and I just didn’t like it but the way it made my lips feel was amazing so I persisted and now I love it I don’t think I will repurchase it. The Malibu lip balm I picked up in the pound shop so was £1 bargain in my opinion, they have a lot of different fragrances and I can honestly highly recommend them all. The body shop one was £4.50.

I always have a lipstick on me as I don’t always remember to apply it before I go out so if there is one in my bag it doesn’t matter. The colour I am currently using is by the body shop, it is part of their Colour Crush Shine lipstick collection in a pale pink colour; the colour is lovely but it has a glitter running through it which is fine but when the colour begins to wear off you are left with large glitter particles on your lips. I managed to pick this up in a sale for £2 which is pretty good but if you wanted to it is available on their website for £10 personally I would not pay that for this lipstick.

The last thing that I always have in my little pouch is a carabineer clip full of hair bobbles; putting them on the clip means that they don’t go everywhere in my bag and I can see at a glance how many bobbles I have, I keep normally 3 thick ones, 2 thin ones which I use if I double plait my hair, and 5 or 6 for my little girl who always pulls her bobbles out within 2 minutes of her hair being put up so I always have more for her than me.

I hope you like this post I wanted to share with you my most used items on a day to day basis; it also means as I use things up and add new things I can just link back so you can all see what I am talking about. If you want more pictures of my big bag and the other bits just let me know I just didn't have the time when I started this.

Bye for now

Nicola

W7 Night Glow Highlight and Illuminate

W7 Night Glow highlight and illuminate

I am new to W7 it is one of those brands that I have seen so much of on social media and so many people I love use it but I never got round to buy any so I splurged and brought a haul that I will review as and when  I use and share it with you all.

I have been afraid of highlighters for so long, I am 27 and a mum I do not want to be walking around like a mermaid so have stayed away but I could not resist this colour. If like me you are afraid of highlighters just dive in they are phenomenal but a quick warning do not get this confused with a nail varnish; the bottle and the applicator is exactly the same as a nail varnish applicator so just watch out.

The packaging outside is non offensive the bottle is easy to hold and the applicator I applied on to my hand so I had more control over where I put it on my face if you apply direct on to your face be careful as a little goes a long way. The bottle came in a gold mirrored box with stars which personally I feel isn't needed; the bottle is safe and could be secured with a security tape band. it just feels unnecessary. 

The formula is creamy and in a pastel pink which I think is a safe starter colour that is not too intimidating; it blends out beautifully and does not look to harsh against blushers/ contouring but leaves a beautiful glimmer and sheen on your face. As a first time purchase of W7 I loved it and would definitely recommend this product. I loved it.

Bye for now

Nicola  

Etsy loving

Supporting small businesses

I love Etsy; it allows you to support small businesses and artist’s which is something I personally feel is very important. When you support artists you are supporting someone’s passion, desire, need to create something beautiful. Most artists are doing their art in their spare time around other jobs or education so buying items from them helps them in doing what they love full time. I thought I would share some of the things I have brought from Etsy this month:

The first person I brought from this month was Jemma from Dorkface Shop.

I brought a personalised anchor with mine and my husband’s wedding date on it. I found this piece really significant to me and Rob as we love to travel but I have always said that through the roughest of storms he has been my anchor through it all, so to find Jemma’s print was amazing and it is now sat on my travel shelf.  

 

Custom Couples Anchor A4 Print £4.50

Also this month to go on my travel shelf from Jemma I brought her wander often print, when me and Rob go travelling 9 times out of 10 we get lost so to say we travel is a bit of a lie really we wander, get lost, discover new things then try and work our way back to where we are staying so this print also needed to find itself quickly to my home. 

Jemmas prints are very affordable and arrived quickly I highly recommend her work, she can be found here.

Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DorkfaceShop

Twitter

 https://twitter.com/dorkfaceblog

The next person I brought from will not come as a shock for anyone who follows me on twitter or instagram, it was Lauren at Heartsindisneyart.

I buy a lot from Lauren on regular bases, I adore her style and the work she produces is amazing. I nearly always order custom pieces so there is a short delay in receiving orders but I personally don’t find this an issue as I would always rather Lauren produce a piece she is happy with. I generally order every week with at least 3 or 4 pieces in each order. I received a lot this month so here is a small selection of what I got. 

     

I have wanted the Beauty and the beast stained glass window by Lauren for a long time so I am glad it is finally in my collection, I also received a second Rapunzel which is for niece. I use Laurens work all round my house but you will always find a selection on my kid’s art wall in their bedroom.

Laurens work is so affordable with A4 paintings coming in at £10 and her sketches coming in at 2 for £10 I highly recommend you buying her pieces you will never be disappointed and as of  yet she has managed to paint all the crazy ideas we have given her. You can find her here:

Etsy

 https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/heartsindisneyart

Twitter

 https://twitter.com/heartsindisney

Next up is an item from Lizi at Itslizi

I have brought many things from Lizi in the last couple of months; I have nearly all of her Disney inspired underground station prints as well as a few of her plaques which is what I ordered this time. I ordered the tinker bell plaque this time as that is the nickname of my daughter who when she was born was blond, had big blue eyes and pixie ears. So when I saw the plaque I just had to have it. 

I managed to get this one in the sale at only £3.65 so always check back on people’s Etsy stores to see what bargains you can pick up. Later on in the month I also brought peter pan at the same price, when I saw him I had to have him join our little Tink. Lizi can be found here

Etsy

 https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/itslizi

Twitter

 https://twitter.com/itslizi

My next purchase was from someone I have never brought from before. The artist is called Martyn Rotherham at Square Orange Art.

I am planning on doing my kids art wall in a Harry Potter/ Fantastic Beasts themed for one of our monthly swap around so I am currently collecting art from different sellers in a variety of styles so I can fill both shelves in the theme. When I saw this version of Hagrid I knew I had to have it for the kids, he is one of my favourite characters in the book and films so needed him as part of the collection. He is done in a watercolour/ splat style which is so different from everything else I already have and feel it will make a great addition once I put the collection together. 

Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid A4 limited edition print £5

As a price point I don’t think you can question whether or not you need this print, it is such a bargain for the size. There are lots of other characters on the Etsy store that are well worth looking at. You can find Martyn’s Etsy store here:

Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SquareOrangeArt

To continue with my Harry Potter Wall is a print by Tarnya at Sweet Allure.

I have a love for watercolour paintings/ prints so I have been eyeing up Tarnyas prints for a long time and I am glad to finally own a piece of her work. I went for the A4 size to fit in with my other prints and paintings. This piece cost me £4.50, you can find Tarnyas work here

Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SweetAllureShop

Twitter

https://twitter.com/sweet_allure

I hope you have enjoyed reading about what I have brought this month on etsy, if you feel like supporting other etsy stores my notebooks can be found here.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AnIslandersPrints

Bye for now Nicola 

Essie Parka Perfect

Essie – Parka Perfect

This is the formulation I have been waiting for from Essie, it is truly beautiful. It glided on smoothly leaving behind a trail of perfection; the colour is perfectly described in the name, it is that true parka colour with a grey/green/blue we have all loved in the coat.

I adored this colour so much when it became tatty I removed and re applied for a second week. The first layer goes on very thin but layered lovely; I created this look with 3 layers in total and finished with Leighton Denny Fast Finish top coat.

My ring is from Gemporia and is a simple design which I adore; it is all focused on the one triangle of Madagascan Ruby. I love Gemporia as it only uses natural gemstones and this ruby is the deepest of reds and one of my favourite pieces I own.

Thanks for reading

Nicola

Cheshire Cat look 2 ways

Cheshire Cat inspired nail art

I have created 2 Cheshire cat looks; my first look is using pink and purple stripes with a smiling Cheshire and the second look is simple alternated nail colour and nail transfer.

Striped Cheshire Cat

Step One – Prep work

For this look you will need

• Pink Polish – I used Leighton Denny ‘Pink Promenade’ (review Here)
• Purple Polish – I used Essie Sittin Pretty
• French manicure tip guide stickers
• Top coat
• Nail transfers

Step Two – Base colour

As a base colour I used the pink colour first as it created a cleaner look when the purple was added, when I tried it with the purple first the stripes where less defined and look blurred rather than the crisp look I wanted. I think a bubble gum pink like ‘Pink Promenade’ is the best shade of pink for this look as the original Disney version really pooped.

Paint all your nails with a full coverage to get the solid colour, I used 2 coats. Make sure the pink layers are fully dry before continuing to the next step, I waited a couple of hours before I moved on.

Step Three – Creating the stripes

I wanted a curved stripe rather than a perfect straight edge due to the Cheshire Cat being slightly plump. To get the curved stripes I used French manicure tip guides; I used two tip guides per nail at differently levels.

Step Four – Adding the purple

Once all your nails have their stickers applied you need to add your purple colour; for my purple I chose Essie Sittin Pretty. Carefully apply the colour over your full nail don’t worry about going over the stickers you will pull them off any way.

Step Five – Remove Tip Stickers

This step can be nerve wracking; my advice is go slowly, very slowly. If you feel the pink layer is lifting try removing the sticker from the other side of your nail. If the colour does lift from underneath don’t worry, simply fill back in with the pink nail colour and a small brush.

Step Six – Adding the smile

This step doesn’t need to be added as the stripes look great however I had the perfect nail transfers for the job. I simply added a smiling happy day cat face transfer to my ring finger (nail transfer step by step can be found Here)

Step Seven – Finishing touch

As a final step for this look is to add your top coat, this is important to seal all the colours together and gives a smooth finish.

The second look is very simple; alternate your nail colours between Pink and Purple. This gets the colour ways of the original Disney colours. I added the same nail transfer as the more advanced look on my ring finger.

The ring pictured in this look is a genuine Swiss Blue Topaz ring from Gemporia; this is honour of my fourth wedding anniversary which blue topaz is the anniversary gemstone.  

I hope you like both looks and they have inspired you to try either one.

Thanks for reading

Nicola Malloch