Bright Eyes.

I am not a fan of change, so when I saw that Urban Decay had changed the packaging for their Eyeshadow Potion, I was a little sceptical. I first tried Eyeshadow Potion as a late-teenager, and I owe my more than serious eyeshadow game to it.


I had this old tube for so long that I'm not even sure how long I've actually had it. I know it's probably not good to keep things like make-up for a long time but I'd feel wasteful and there never seemed to be anything wrong with the consistency or anything so I can only assume that it stayed fine for all that time.




Initially, I did think that the wand would be too clunky and be less flexible than just putting a little on my finger and applying it but this is actually much easier.

I'd definitely really recommend the Eyeshadow Potion, even with the new packaging, sometimes I just use it as a highlighter (even if I'm not actually meant to) and when I wear eyeshadow, it lasts the whole day with no problem.



Unfortunately it does look as though the new packaging means they've skimped out on the extra 1ml that the old one had and I don't know whether it will last as long, but to be honest, even if it lasts half as long as its predecessor, I should really be more than happy.

So, I'm completely out of the loop, so this is something that might have changed a while ago and already been talked about, this is just my two cents and in fact, Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Potion is just a product I'd recommend to anyone. I've never bothered to go out my way to find a dupe but if you did happen to know of any, I'd definitely be interested to try.

I picked mine up from Debenhams, but I'm fairly certain it's a really bog-standard Urban Decay product so I think anywhere that stocks Urban Decay should have it.

Have you used Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Potion? I'd really love to hear what you think, maybe I'm wrong in thinking it's such an important product.

Little Hulas.

I've been biting my nails a lot more than usual recently and it's due to this that it's taken me so long to get round to this little review. That and the move, I may have mentioned it?



Little Hulas Mini Nail Lacquers from the Hawaii Collection by O.P.I*
After being sent these so generously, I figured that the least I could do was give them a fair review on fingernails of a decent length, which sounds silly but it's honestly taken me so long to not bite them - not quite as bad as I was but bad enough. I feel like it's something I'm probably always going to have to try and keep at bay, I can't describe it but it's just constantly so tempting.

So, despite the fact that summer doesn't seem to know what the hell it's doing right now, this collection is perfect for summer, as well as, in my opinion, featuring colours that will take you right through to Christmas time if you like.

They're the perfect size to be taken away in hand luggage or popping in your bag but have a decent-sized brush so they're not fiddley or difficult to use, like other similar type of nail varnish minis.

#LushChristmas in Reading.

I was so excited to receive an invite to Lush Reading's 'Lush Christmas' event last Wednesday.




Showcasing a preview of a mixture of both Halloween and Christmas products, it was a kind of surreal evening sat around a table in Lush Reading's party room (which displays some perfect visual merchandising) smelling all the delights that Lush has to offer this season.

Review: Maybelline Baby Skin Primer

I've had this sitting in my drafts for quite a while now. I feel like I'm actually enjoying blogging again and want to make a bit more of an effort to upload slightly more varied things like I used to.

God knows it's been a long time since I talked anything beauty, but truth is, I haven't had the time to faff with this kind of thing. I'm pretty out of touch, I haven't really read any magazines in ages and I don't really read that many beauty blogs anymore either. I don't even really paint my nails that much any more, which has not helped with not biting them. These are all things I'd like to at least change a bit, so here we are.


I picked up this Maybelline Baby Skin Primer as a replacement for my wonderful Collection 2000 Primed & Ready. What can I say? Wokingham Superdrug was out of stock of my usual and this one was on offer, not very brand-loyal. When I initially made plans to write this, it wasn't going to be kind, but we're around a month down the line and I don't hate it. I don't recommend it, but I don't want to completely slate it either.



I had initially found this to be a little greasy, it didn't do all that much priming and my foundation felt slippery. That said, using it now, it's fine, it just works much better if you only use a tiny amount.

For an extra £2 more than Collection 2000's Primed & Ready, I wouldn't say it particularly offers anything different. They are both adequate if you're not willing to fork out for Benefit's Porefessional, from my point of view anyway, and the Baby Skin Primer has lasted well. I don't think I would buy it again, not at full price anyway. It does a good job of blurring pores but I think my BB cream does quite a bit of work to help it out with this too.

From a packaging point of view, I think I was definitely swayed by the pretty colour combination, but when it comes down to copywriting it's not that cool. The fact they've had to put a disclaimer about being 'only for adults' is pretty stupid, why'd you call it 'Baby Skin' then?

I dunno, maybe this is a little negative. For a drugstore product, it's fine, it can be greasy but it can also do its job, just not much better than another primer that costs less. I suppose it depends on whether you're more about brands or saving pennies, I would say when it comes drugstore brands there's not all that much difference that can be made.

Have you given Maybelline's Baby Skin Primer a go? What did you think?

Two-Toner.

When I first got into nail art and painting my nails as a means to quit biting my nails, I used to change my nail varnish on a daily basis, if not more than that. I must say that making my nails pretty really did help to stop attacking them and now, although I do occasionally fall back into it, I am nowhere near to where I was a few years ago, and I'm pretty proud of myself.

I think nail biting is something you just stop when you fancy it, you can't be told to or really make yourself, at least those are two things that never really worked for me.

After cutting my nails really short, it took forever for them to grow, so aside from the tie-dye (perfect for festivals) design I was obsessed with this time last week, it's taken a little while for me to get into nail art again. I picked this design after seeing a similar two-tone design on someone's Twitter at the beginning of the week with a minty green and pastel pink - and I just will always love leopard nails - I think it's really pretty and goes well with this beautiful summery weather we've had for the last few days.


Base: Nail Envy – O.P.I (amazing base coat, particularly good if you're giving your nails a break and need to strengthen them)
Colours: Sweet as Candy – Rimmel / Utopia – Models Own
Design: Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen (it's like an actual pen, couldn't recommend it enough)
Top Coat: Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat (hides a multitude of sins)



I must say that using better base and top coats makes all the difference to how my manicures look and feel, and I've been finding myself a lot more willing to keep the same designs for more than a day. Seche Vite, where have you been all my life?!

Bespeckled.

I guess with Easter approaching it seems only fitting to feature a bit of nail art that mimics Easter eggs, not quite as fun as my efforts last year but still a neat effect and I've definitely found a couple of polishes that will see me well into summer.


Seche Vite Top Coat and Matte Nail Envy Nail Strengthener by OPI are two products I definitely couldn't do my nails without since discovering them, two fantastic finds that I owe to browsing beauty blogs.


I first saw these on Hello Terri Lowe and knew I had to have them right away, the packaging was so different from any other polish I've ever had and they were just so cute. I do like glitter polishes but I'm always put off because I feel like they're hassle to take off, these ones aren't really any different but each layer adds a lovely mixed glitter layer like a sparkly speckled bird's egg, and at just £3.50 they're an affordable dupe of Illamasqua Speckle Polishes.

I picked them up in 'Mintchoco' and 'Strawberry Stars Candy' (because I figured they were most ice creamy and springy) from this seller on eBay as recommended in Terri's post. I think I disagree with her in that it 'doesn't dry hard' as I found it was pretty solid. With 'Strawberry Stars Candy' I found a few coats did do the trick but being a bit of a nitpicker, I ended up doing around 6 or 7 coats just to get the combination that I wanted. I'm yet to try 'Mintchoco' but I must say that it looks like it provides a thicker coverage, either way I think they're a great find and the perfect polishes to perk up my collection which is in need of a good spring clean – if spring ever gets here.


*scuse the poor lighting, I ran out of daylight, I hope you get the idea that this polish is kind of a light milky pink, the photos don't show the tiny flecks of holo glitter that well though, but that's there too!

She Said Beauty November: Useful Enough.

I feel like my harshness towards my first She Said Beauty was a little bit hasty as to be fair to them they seem to have made it up a little bit to me this month. At first glance this box doesn't look particularly exciting or innovative, but saying that, I think I've got some really useful products out of it and have definitely found a couple of things that I would be likely to repeat-buy.

Then again, given the slight delight with this month's box and the disappointment with the last one, I'm incredibly on edge as to how next month's box will turn out. I definitely wouldn't recommend bulk-buying subscription boxes unless you're really certain of what you'll get out of them because, especially with She Said Beauty, I found there's little chance of getting out if you aren't completely satisfied.

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[Yardley: Royal English Daisy Eau de Toilette]

After the praise above, I guess this conflicts it a bit but this perfume was pretty gross. I really don't like this kind of applicator anyway but the perfume itself is not that nice. There's not really a specific smell I feel like I could put to it, but it kind of just smelt like alcohol, and certainly not daisies. At £14.99 for a full-size 125ml bottle, I would hardly say it's luxury and although I don't like it, for that price I would expect a full-sized version that She Said is so well-known for.

[Murray's Manicure: Matchbook Nail Files]

These were a bonus item in this month's box and although my nails are really short at the moment - thanks to being a past-nail biter and having not really gotten the hang of cutting them properly - they're sure to come in really useful once my nails are long again!

[Weleda: Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream]

I got this cream as a sample in a Glossybox when I was still subscribed, and I really liked it then with the only real downside being the price tag. Rose things will never grow on me, but this cream is great, especially as it lasts for ages considering the size of this sample.

[Collection 2000: Primed & Ready Smoothing Make Up Primer]

This is the stand-out product for the whole box for me, I would have shown it on my face but it's been super blotchy lately and although it works really well I don't have enough confidence to show you a before picture. Considering it's a drugstore brand and only £5.99, this is an amazing primer and I'll definitely be getting it again. It's smooth, matt and lightweight and has a similar application to Benefit's Porefessional only with a much more purse-friendly price. It definitely makes a difference to applying my foundation and I'd recommend it to anyone, even over the more expensive Stila One Step Correct that I got last month.

[Redkin: Smooth & Lock Shampoo and Conditioner]

I can let tiny samples slide every time if I never get another sample like this again. These really do demonstrate the poor value for money of beauty boxes sometimes, these could easily have come slipped into a magazine, hardly luxurious, this was good shampoo and conditioner though. My hair was left feeling light but there wasn't much in the packet, only just enough for all my hair, which isn't exactly long at the moment so how it would have worked when it was longer, I don't know.

[MakeBelieve Enhance: Luminize Skin Highlighter]

I don't really use highlighters as a standalone product because I find it easy enough to pick up concealers that double up as highlighter, plus this one was kind of useless, it just sort of blended into nothing, I wasn't a fan and I'm not sure what else I can really say about it.

[So...?: Brit Body Spray]

This is a little nostalgic for me as I remember Impulse being 'the one' when I was 15, and although this is pretty strong, it's quite nice for what it is and useful to pop in my bag if I'm feeling particularly stingy with my perfume.

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So, I suppose I'm still left a little disheartened with this month's She Said box, even with the miracle find of Collection 2000's Primed & Ready, did any of you receive this month's box, I sure hope you had a little more luck than I did.

She Said Beauty October: Fingers Crossed

Under normal 'beauty box' circumstances I would have shown the individual products I received, but given the poor quality of this month's 'She Said Beauty' box, I haven't really bothered. I subscribed to She Said Beauty as an alternative to Glossy Box as I finally had some pennies and really felt like I could afford to have beauty boxes again. I'd also read and heard great things, and in magazines not just on my favourite blogs so I was pretty disappointed. Saying that most reviews I've seen of this months box are hardly shining, here are my thoughts on this months offering:

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Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion - Don't get me wrong, this is a brilliant product and one I've used before, the texture is lovely and it smells great. It's actually great quality for a drugstore product, but that's exactly what it is. The reason I subscribe to beauty boxes is to try new things, and while they wouldn't necessarily know that I've tried it, it's not particularly luxurious, particularly when they could have been a little less stingy and just stuck a full-size bottle in.

Myvitamins Total Acai Berry - Another product I've tried before, it's quite a nice idea to load customers up on vitamins as the nights draw in and the inevitable annual flu bug makes the rounds, but I thought it quite an odd thing to stick in a beauty box despite the antioxidant properties.

B. liv Off With Those Heads - I've done a classic review mistake and haven't actually tried this one yet, I'm very skeptical about it though as the sample is tiny and doesn't seem big enough to do a proper test. Blackheads are something that I have problems with though so it will be interesting to see if it works rather than just stinging like some other products I've tried.

Biao Rejuvenating Night Creme - I actually received two of these in my box. I think the sachet samples cheapen this product slightly though, I don't see why I should be paying what I am to get it when it could easily be picked up as a sample elsewhere - but that's the trick of subscription boxes sometimes, isn't it? I don't actually think this was much nicer than the usual CleanStart night cream I use and was actually quite greasy so I don't think I'll bother with my second packet anyway.

Cellnique Advanced Bio Renewal Masque - This demonstrates the issue I had with Glossbox, it's not really something that's appropriate for my age. Maybe I should start worrying about these kind of things but I'm just not ready to take the plunge. The sample provided was so tiny that I was completely put off even bothering.

Amy Childs Fragrance by Jigsaw ESL - I don't see the stigma of 'celebrity' perfumes as I'm a believer that if it smells nice, it just does. I'm a little irked by this selection though as Amy Childs isn't even close to someone I have the tiniest bit of admiration for. That aside, the perfume has some lovely fresh, citrus tones but is a little stronger than something I would normally go for.

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I didn't want to come across as too negative for my first She Said Beauty review, but I can't help it when I feel so much more disappointed than I ever did when subscribed to Glossybox.I just don't really know where to begin, it doesn't seem as though it was really thought out at all and although the quality of the products is good, over half of them are just so tiny that it's hardly even worth trying them out as they're unlikely to give a fair result.

I feel pretty gutted that I signed up to a three month subscription now but I'm hoping that the next box will really blow me away. You do get quite a lot of products for your money though, I just hope it's bigger and more relevant to me next month.

Stila's One Step Correct.

I've been in need of a new primer for a little while, with the very last dregs of my Benefit Porefessional running out - I never liked it much anyway, good but far too expensive for the size. I was using a great Murad one previously, which I received in a Glossybox ages ago and had bought a couple of times, but I wanted to try something different in a similar price range.

Using the great site, Beauty Bay, it was really easy to find. To be honest I'd only heard about Stila because they were featured in that 'Truth About Poundland' documentary about a month ago, otherwise I was oblivious. I must admit to making a rookie mistake here and buying this solely on packaging. I find this is always a little hit and miss but it turns out that it worked in my favour completely with this product! I'm a sucker for great packaging so it's always a plus to have something that works and is pretty.

Stila's One Step Correct is a primer that promises to colour correct, brighten, prime and nourish your skin, immediately improving your complexion. The green section minimises redness, the lavender counteracts sallow undertones and the peach brightens and illuminates. I thought it was the bottle but it all comes out together in one go!





For me, this primer is pretty much faultless, it's a little odd to look at before you actually put it on, but smooths into an even serum that does just as it boasts to. It goes really well with my Dermablend foundation stick but I feel like it's also good enough to wear on it's own. It smells lovely too, so I can only recommend it if you're looking for a new primer that's decent but won't steal all your pennies.

I also picked up this Black Polka Dot polish by Nubar from Beauty Bay, it's my first Nubar polish and I wish they'd had some of the famous holographic ones in stock. This one is great though and reminds me of eggs, as well as this manicure by Kaylah over at The Dainty Squid. You can see above how I first wore it but I think this will get quite a lot of use and that you'll be seeing a bit more of it.