I honestly think I need to go to ASOS rehab. Is there such a place? I'd love to know how many hours I've spent browsing this site and how many orders I've ever placed ... for me, it's retail heaven and I can't get enough of it! Here's some of the bits and bobs that have caught my eye this month....
When it comes to me and nail products..... it never really works out overly well! My nails are pretty cr*p and I struggle to find polishes that last more than a day and/or don't make my nails more brittle than they already are! Fast forward to September 2015 and a brand new natural beauty brand that has come into my life and I may have just found something worth shouting about!
Little Ondine are a fairly new brand on the block and after hearing all about their products and being offered to try a couple I thought it sounded like a fab idea. From what I was told these polishes sounded almost too good to be true and I couldn't wait to give them a go. To start they only have 3 ingredients! 3! Water, natural resin and organic colourants. Just 3 little things make up these unique polishes and what's best about that? It means they are odourless - fantastic for when your painting in public especially AND quick drying - something everyone wants in a polish!
The packaging (shown above) is fabulous too, great fold-up cardboard containers which then unfold to reveal all the information you need about the polishes and how to use them #genius! After shaking the bottle well and washing and drying my hands as instructed I sat down ready and raring to transform my short, stumpy boring nails. The consistency of the polishes are fairly 'gloopy' which worried me at first but the style of the brush makes it so easy to sweep the product on. (Even on my tiny little nails!) As promised the product is totally odour free (so no moans from the boyfriend who was sat next to me!) and after a few coats and just a few minutes they were totally opaque and dry - I couldn't believe it. The instructions also mention to keep your hands dry for the first hour after painting.... I can't remember whether I did or not to be honest (I'm a bit of a serial hand washer I'm afraid) but I'm going to remember this for the future.
I couldn't believe how brilliant this polish looked. So even that it looked like it could be shellac or gellish, I was paranoid that I was going to chip it and ruin my fabulous work BUT I have to say this lasted probably ten times longer than any high street polish I've used in the past on my nails. (like I said before I never have much luck, but this really did work!) When you're ready to change these polishes removing it couldn't be easier - you literally just peel it off! No nail polish removers or acetone required! Something else which always makes my nails even worst and with Little Ondine I can avoid it! When I came to take it off I did have a few nails lifting ready to be peeled already so it couldn't have been easier, plus I didn't feel like I was damaging my nails at all. Since using these two shades my nails have grown and actually feel a little stronger, which is something I was not expecting at all! I was surprised by how many shades are in the Little Ondine collection - over 60 (all found here) - there is literally something for everyone, every season and every event! Please let me know if you try them out and what you think - I can't wait to invest in some more shades, at £9.20 each they are a little more expensive than your usual Barry M the for the quality and the fact they are all natural I'll happily pay a little more.
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Over the last year I have tried my fair few palettes from Make-Up Revolution and have always been impressed and satisfied with the quality, especially for their small (and down right crazy) prices! So when this new palette popped through my letterbox I was looking forward to seeing what the gang at MUR had come up with now. With the name "Mermaids Forever" and the shiny blue boxing I expecting some blue, shimmery shades but what I actually got was that and so, so much more!
With 32 shades this palette has ALL your colour needs in one handy place. From light nudes to bright fierce emerald greens - this really has something for everyone which is why I've decided it's got to be my favourite palette from MUR so far. It even has a mirror on the inside, another brilliant extra for the price you pay! I'll admit a few of the lighter shades aren't as pigmented as I would like but the brighter shimmer shades totally make up for this - the quality is insane. The only other thing I would say is that I would love this even more if the palette itself was a gorgeous blue 'sea themed' colour. The box it comes in is a lovely metallic blue but the compact itself is the same as all their other palettes, plain black. This makes it hard to stand out when sat with the rest of them but at the same time it is understandable as the price you are paying isn't alot so I'm sure they'd rather save money on packaging and put more money into the actually products. I've swatched all the colours below - I've done 2 vertical lines at the time.
Nudes & Coppers - Bottom to Top :
Forever | Seashell | Enchant | Future
Bay | Creature | Starfish | Ariel
(you see what I mean about the lighter nudes?)
Pinks & Purples - Bottom To Top :
Myth | Magic | Pretty | Pink Sea
Song | Urchin | Princess | Ocean
I am obsessed with pretty and pink sea, the pigmentation is amazing, this is just after one sweep of colour. These are great colours for if you are trying to venture of of the standard neutral shades but don't want anything too drastic.
Blues & Greens - Bottom to Top :
Mermaids | Sea | Waves | Splash
Fishtail | Land | Turtle | Undersea
Earth & Smokey - Bottom to Top :
Treasure | Kingdom | Mineral | Seabed
Imagine | Harmony | Prince | Whale
These are the sort of colours I'm so used to using and playing around with, I'm looking forward to trying out some of the brighter colours alongside them though - I need to get out of my neutral comfort zone, espically this season.
How adorable are all the names too? I'm so glad that MUR added this feature - there's nothing worst than a beautiful shade with no name, the names almost make them prettier you know?
At only £8 Mermaids Forever is pretty much a no-brainer - 32 amazing shades to keep you going all summer long... you can find it HERE on the official website.
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Another new Rimmel product today! Yes I've done a couple of Rimmel reviews already this past week or two but they have had some fab new releases for Spring so I hope you're not getting too bored!
Highlighters are one of my favourite products ever to use! A natural gorgeous glow is something I am always aiming for day or night and I've probably said that a million times over the years on here.
This new liquid highlight from Rimmel is a total bargain and I've been so excited to share my thoughts with you all.
There aren't a huge amount of liquid highlighters out on the drugstore front, my favourite for a long time now has been Skin WOW! from Seventeen and it's nice to finally be able to try out something new which isn't high end! This lovely pearly formula is full of light reflecting pigments which help create a natural radiant and illuminating glow. It's very much like a mix between Benefit's Highbeam and MakeBelieve's Luminize Skin Highlighter. I've been using this daily alongside my cheekbones, nose and forehead! It blends really easily and is priced at ONLY £4.99 - a total bargain in my opinion.
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Being out of the country last week meant that I had the chance to snoop at a few brands that you can't find on our UK shelves! Although I only picked up one item(I know... total fail - but I was in a make-up store for literally 3 minutes before our tour bus left!) - I love it, so I thought I would share it with you!
NYX are a brand that I've heard so much about, I feel like I've owned some of their products before.... but not recently! There was a whole display of these Butter Glosses and to be completely honest I wish I had picked up more but I was in a major rush so just picked up this pretty shade on a whim, it's called Creme Brulee.
This gloss really does live upto it's buttery name! The product itself is a gorgeous creamy formula which glides on with ease and feels as soft as a lipbalm. It reminds me slightly of Barry M's lipglosses but thicker - soft and smooth without being sticky! The colour is lovely alone or used alongside a lipstick, it's pinky nude totally perfect for Spring/Summer! Plus this stuff smells so so yummy, sugary and sweet - my favourite! Now.... to invest in more? I've found them for £5 online - fabulous!
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Okay, I'm sure by now you have all already seen these exciting new pictures but I just HAD to share them with you all!
If you've read my blog, twitter, facebook page, know me - or just noticed my blog header... then you will probably know how much of a Disney fan I am! And what's more amazing than Disney? Disney themed make-up!
Yes, with Cinderella coming out next month (YAY!) Mac are releasing a beautiful collection dedicated entirely to it!
For once this is a collection that I will happily invest in - and that's not just because it is Disney related!
Alot of the time the limited edition stuff that MAC brings out is very OTT and bold - things that I would love to buy and look at ... but would never actually use! Which really... is a bit pointless considering the prices. (it isn't the cheapest of make-up brands is it?)
But... the Cinderella collection looks so, so wearable - pretty pinks and nudes, subtle pretty colours plus perfect sultry shades too!
I personally love the packaging, the baby blue of Cinderella's dress and the glitz and glam of the gold go perfectly together - super pretty Mac!
I really hope I can get my hands on some of it when it goes on sale (I've heard March) - although I know it's going to be a struggle!
1. Lipstick - Free as a Butterfly
2. Lipstick - Royal Ball
3. Lipglass - Happily Ever After
4. Lipglass - Glass Slipper
5. 6 Shade Eyeshadow Palette - Stroke of Midnight
6. Studio Eye Gloss - Lightly Tauped
7. Studio Eye Gloss - Pearl Varnish
8. Fluidline - Little Black Bow
9. Fluidline - Macroviolet
10. Glitter - Reflects Pearl
11. Pigment - Evil Stepmother
12. Pigment - Pretty It Up
13. Studio Fix Lash - Bold Black
14. Iridescent Pressed Powder - Coupe D'Chic
15. Beauty Powder - Mystery Princess
Top of my wishlist - 2, 5 and 14!
Will you be investing in this new collection?
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Jewellery isn't something that I include alot of here on A Yellow Brick Blog but this week I just HAD to have a certain bracelet as my POTW!
This was sent to me last week from the lovely (and extremely talented) Ellie from Bug Jewellery. She had approached me and asked if I would like to pick one of her pieces from her BuggedUp jewellery range - after taking forever to decide I went with this Make A Wish bracelet (which is also available as a necklace)
This super cute wishbone bracelet is handcrafted from 925 solid silver and finished in brushed matt. I love silver jewelry and the quality of this is beautiful, the fact they are all handmade my Ellie is just incredible! This is perfect for everyday wear and make such gorgeous presents, I showed this too my Mum and she also fell in love! There are so many different designs and nothing like you'd get in your usual highstreet store! I'm in love!
Thank you so much Ellie, I have been wearing this constantly, it's soooo pretty! Hit the link above to find out more about Ellie and her amazing designs!
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I'm definitely more of a CC cream girl than a BB cream girl - I don't think I have actually ever even bought a BB cream! This is mainly because I like more of a full coverage base, but when CC creams came out they intruiged me with the promise of banishing redness aswell as evrything else so I've bought my fair share over the last year to try.
Something I had yet to try until now is 1. a 'one shade fits all' CC cream and 2. a CC cream that is made for both face and body - and that is exactly what this product from Karora is!
Karora is a brand I hadn't really heard of until a couple of months ago where reviews seemed to be popping up everywhere featuring their tans and creams! So when they asked if I wanted to give their CC cream for face and body a go I thought... why not!
I like CC creams for this time of year especially as they do feel a bit lighter on the skin while still giving a fairly good coverage!
Karora Cosmetics Skin Sensation CC Cream For Face & Body*
The bottle is alot bigger than your regular cc cream/foundation - it is 100ml and comes in a lovely purple tube. It's obviously bigger because this stuff is for your face and your body!
The product comes out a slight grey colour but adjusts to a skin tone once it you starts to blend it.
The texture is nice and creamy and with a buffing brush blends in easily. With ingredients such as green tea leaf extract and argan oil this cream provides serious hydration for your skin and leaves it feeling smooth.
I have one slight problem I have with this cream is the scent. It smells a bit funky to me, a bit of a fishy tint - which kind of lets it down for me, especially if you're wearing it on your face (near your nose!)
The colour is slightly too dark for my face at the moment but will be fab once I have a bit of a tan, so I'm sure this will be joining me in Florida!
As for using on your body this stuff is fab for helping to blend in any imperfections or marks on the skin and give you an even complexion, good for things like hyper-pigmentation and age spots.
Karora's Skin Sensation CC Cream is priced at £20.99 and with there not being many products like this around and the size of the bottle you get, for me it is a suitable price range. UPDATE : Since writing this post Karora have approached me and revealed they have produced a new formula for this particular product in which they have improved the smell, so I will hopefully be trying that beauty out soon.... stay tuned.......
Have any of you tried this out yet? I would love to know if you found the smell a bit off too? Or is it just mine?
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Finally I have tried out that new bargain make-up brand on the market - Make-up Revolution! If you haven't heard of them yet then well... where on earth have you been? Gorgeous products for tiny price tags - my sort of thing!
This is the first, of what I think will be many, reviews of one of their best selling products.
I have always been addicted to highlighting products - anything that can give me a healthy glow makes me happy. I've been through so many highlighting products over the last few years I've lost count, powders, creams, liquids - there are so many on the market and I'm a sucker for all of them!
This one from MUR is a lovely pressed powder in a cute little compact and has the teeny price tag of just £3! (Seriously that's like cheaper than a sandwich in some places!) There are 3 shades available in these highlighters, peach lights, pink lights & golden lights. Peach lights is a lovely pinky-white silver colour - does that even make sense? This stuff looks gorgeous both under and over foundation and just a tiny bit gives the skin a super duper sheen and pretty natural glow.
Make-Up Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter*
I am in love with the pattern on the product - for the price you would expect just a plain flat product plonked in a compact - but this has such a pretty style, it reminds me of a pretty seashell.
The size of the product is also amazing for the price, needing just a little sweep of it to create a gorgeous glow this compact will last months and months! I have been using this to highlight my cheek bones and brow bones and it is fab for both an everyday natural wear and any full-face look!
Make-up Revolution have some right bargains(and some amazing dupes.. there I said it!) in their collection and I have been so impressed with the products that I have tried from them so far - so keep your eyes peeled for more reviews on them coming soon!
Have you tried anything from MUR yet? What are your favouite products?
I'm always eyeing up celebs and their style - weather it be a pair of shoes, a jumpsuit or a necklace I always love seeing what their are wearing and how they've put it together and styled it. What I'm going to be talking about today is something I've seen so many of my favourite celebrity's wearing over the years and that is crosses. Weather it be a subtle ring, a necklace or an in-your-face totally over the top cross - I can guarantee at least one of your favourite celebs has been spotted in one! The trend is timeless.
Now I will be the first to hold my hands up and say I'm not a religious person (and this post has zero to do with religion) but I think this is a fabulous trend and this style can be worn by nyone! From our princess Kate to Paris Hilton crosses are worn by so many gorgeous women (and men!) and with so many cool styles and designs to choose from it is no wonder they are so popular!
Here's a few fashion fav crosses that have caught my eye across the web ...
Baring all this is mind and the fact it is only ONE week until Christmas too there is also a fab offer I wanted to let you girls and guys aware of! The lovely people at Gemporia( aka Gems TV on freeview 43 ) have this gorgeous0.25ct sterling silver and diamond cross pendant available to buy NOW.
Oooooo pretty!
I love how simple and glamorous this is, like I said before -totally timeless. Gorgeous for yourself, a best friend, your mum, your auntie, your nan - it is fab! The necklace can be found HERE and is £99BUT with special discount code exclusive for A Yellow Brick Blog readers you can get a whopping 10% off diamond jewellery. (Yup they are that nice!) All you have to do it enter in the discount code 10DIAMOND and the first lucky 1000 customers on the Gemporia site with save 10%!
BUT there is also a live auctionhappening girls and boys which you can check out here at 9pm! That is the stuff that is live on the TV - so head over to freeview channel 43 at 9pm tonight (17th December 2013) and check it out! The auction is a reverse auction so as people buy the product, the price will reduce - so keep your eyes peeled, wtch that £99 decrease and try and grab a bargain before they all go! I just had to share this with you guys, I know it is a little more expensive than stuff I normally talk about but it is Christmas and maybe you are still looking for a nice present for someone! And boys if you're reading.... maybe a lady in your life deserves this? GFC | Bloglovin | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr
Like I said a couple of weeks ago, I want to share with you guys my nail designs everytime I go and get them re-done! I get gel extensions with shellac colours and I love having the done - I feel messy and bare without them and love not having to worry about chipped nail varnish - one of my pet hates on myself! Also where I have tiny child-like hands they make me feel a little more like an adult! I know you may all have seen these already on wither twitter or instagram, as obviously I can't keep off them, but I thought I'd carry on with what I set out to do and share them with you!
This fortnight I went for a really girly and glam look. The ones I had before were quite bold so this time I wanted something really elegant and pretty. I've gone for a gorgeous baby pink which is called Cakepop... which makes me like it even more and some fab silver glitter (who doesn't love glitter, especially at this time of year!). I love having more than one colour on my nails and instead of just the ring finger trend I thought I'd have my thumb a bit different too! If you want to recreate this look at home I'd recommend Barry M's Strawberry Ice Cream polish along side the Limited Edition Christmas glitter polish from Barry M at Boots which I've also done a post about - use it over the top of a silver polish and bob's your uncle, done!
What do you guys think? Do you get your nails done or do you do them yourself? I'm already planning my next set.... Christmas themed I think! GFC | Bloglovin | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr