Wishlist: December 2012

I have never written a wishlist post before so I thought I'd have a go at writing one. I've seen so many things I need.. want this month so thought I'd show you what's on my december wishlist.

Where To Buy:

1. Joulis Stud Check Shirt - £24.99 - Missguided

2. Black Studded Chain Denim Shorts - £45.00 - River Island

3. Cream Ears Beanie Hat - £13.00 - River Island

4. Gold Tone Heart Diamante Earring Pack - £7.00 - River Island

5. White Colour Block Bowler Bag - £37.00 - River Island

6. Studded Block Heel Chelsea Boots - £19.99 - eBay

7. Spot Print Playsuit - £39.00 - Miss Selfridge

I know the majority of the things on my wishlist are from River Island so I'm sorry if you're not a fan of that shop but I've been really loving the River Island fashion this season. The clothes and accessories have been bang on trend and so super stylish, I have to say that River Island have done me proud this season and judging from the online preview of the S/S collection, they're going to do me proud next season too. 

One thing on my wishlist that I'm definitely going to be purchasing with my Christmas pennies is the studded shorts because I absolutely LOVE them. I love anything with studded or funky detail so when these popped up in the 'New In' section of River Island this morning, I knew I needed them in my life. They're going to look perfect with a plain t-shirt, a leather jacket and a pair of boots, I just hope they don't sell out because I will actually cry.

Another thing I'll probably end up purchasing is the boots because I've been searching for the perfect pair of studded heeled boots for a while. I wanted a pair that go with pretty much anything and I think these beauties fit the bill. My Missguided studded boots are super nice and I do love them but I find they don't go with everything because there's a lot of detail on them and I find they look odd when paired with certain clothes and patterns. The eBay boots aren't too plain or too detailed so I think they'll be perfect for wearing with anything, from leggings and trousers to dresses and skirts.

I also hope to buy some other things on my wishlist but whether my pennies will stretch that far is another question!

Have you seen anything on my wishlist that catches your eye?

Cole
x

Outfit Of The Day: Studs & Khaki

I was recently sent a Next gift card in order to buy some items to review so thought I'd kill two birds with one stone by showing you what I bought and show you todays outfit. I never really buy clothing or accessories from Next so I found it difficult to find something, in the end I opted for a jazzy top and some fancy light up twigs. 

Jacket: Miss Selfridge, Top: Next, Tunic: Topshop, 

Super Cosy Tights: Primark, Boots: Missguided

Video Version:

I'm first going to talk about my top because I absolutely LOVE it! I like the colour, the style and especially the studded detail, it's a stylish top and fits in well with the A/W trends. I personally think the top looks more expensive than it actually is because it's really well made and there's a lot of detail. The top retails at a mere £20 and is available in 3 different colours; khaki, black and cream. If I hadn't already got a black studded top from Warehouse, I'd have bought this in the black version too. 

I like how the top is opaque at the front and sheer at the back, I also like how the top is longer at the back too because it covers your bum! There's nothing worse than wearing a top that doesn't cover your bum when wearing leggings! 

I also like how you can dress this top up or down, you could wear it during the day or at night, it's such a versatile piece and you can style it many ways. You could wear the top with trousers, jeans or leggings, and you could even tuck the top into shorts or a skirt. You could also wear it with a leather jacket like I did or opt for a denim jacket or blazer instead. 

It's a great piece for autumn/winter and I'll certainly be getting a lot of wear out of it. 

I chose to wear my studded boots today as I thought they went well with the top. I've had these boots for a couple of months but today is the first day I've worn them which I feel pretty ashamed of as they're a beautiful pair of boots. The boots are very trendy and stylish but I must admit that they're not the comfiest for shopping in. 

I had to feature my lovely light up twigs in my outfit photos because if truth be told, I bloody love them and I'm so glad I bought them with the gift voucher. I've recently had my room decorated so I'm on the lookout for funky accessories and lighting, these are perfect because they look pretty and give off a good amount of light. I had to buy two sets of the twigs because one set looked a bit sparse so if you're planning on buying these light up twigs, definitely buy 2 sets! The twigs retail at £12 which I think is pretty amazing!

I also couldn't not show you my nails, I sat there painting these beauties for a good few hours yesterday and I think they look awesome. I would do a tutorial for them but I doubt you'd want to sit through a 12 hour video or read a blog post the length of a toilet roll! 

I hope you liked my outfit of the day and if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below!

Cole

x

Sleek Truly Mattely Deeply Lipgloss in 'Jazz': Review, Photos & Swatches

I was so excited when I found out Sleek were launching the Shangri-La collection because it looked like such a fun and vibrant collection and I knew it was definitely my cup of tea. One thing I was most looking forward to trying was the Truly Mattely Deeply lipgloss in Jazz. 

I loved the colour, I loved the packaging but did I love the product? If you want to know my thoughts on the Truly Mattely Deeply lipgloss in Jazz, keep on reading!

What Sleek have to say about their new Truly Mattely Deeply lipglosses...

"It’s the ultimate collaboration of beauty and fashion: Sleek MakeUP has teamed up with fashion house PPQ to create a limited edition collection based on a mutual love of colour, texture and vibrancy! The result is the Shangri-La collection. Inspired by classic Motown sound, the collection has a retro vibe channeling glamorous 60’s style! Limited edition Truly Mattely Deeply lipglosses provide a matte super long lasting creamy finish that’s smooth to the touch!"

How is 'Jazz' described as on the Sleek website?

"Jazz is a rich retro red, perfect for an instant fix of vintage glamour."

What are the product claims?

• Matte finish
• Long lasting
• Creamy texture 

Directions of use?

As stated on the side of the packaging, it is important that you apply a lipbalm to your lips before applying the Truly Mattely Deeply lipgloss. If you do not apply a lipbalm beforehand, you're going to be in a tricky situation. 

How many different shades do the Truly Mattely Deeply lipglosses come in?

The Truly Mattely Deeply lipglosses come in two different shades; Jazz (bright red) and Soul (baby pink). 

How much do the Truly Mattely Deeply lipglosses retail at? And where can they be purchased from?

The Truly Mattely Deeply lipglosses retail at £4.99 and they can be purchased in-store at Superdrug or online at www.sleekmakeup.com.

What does 'Jazz' look like?

Mmm.. sexy, dry, cracked lips.

Are the Truly Mattely Deeply lipglosses suitable for everyone?

Absolutely not. If you have soft and supple lips then you may like the lipglosses but if you have one ounce of dryness on your lips, you will HATE them. 

The Good

• There is nothing good about this lipgloss, it's absolutely appalling. If I could, I'd take it back and ask for a refund. 

The Okay

• Pigmentation - The lipgloss has good pigmentation and this is probably due to the bright colour of the lipgloss but what I don't understand is that you need to apply several layers of the lipgloss. If it was THAT pigmented, surely you'd only need to apply one layer?

The Bad

• Longevity - The lip gloss lasts around 3 hours providing you do not eat, drink or speak. After one hour of wearing the lipgloss I noticed that a large chunk of it had peeled off my lips which is rather odd as I'm not one for fussing or faffing around with my lips. I cannot imagine that the lipgloss would last through eating and/or drinking, I'd imagine the lipgloss would come off completely, or failing that, your lips would possibly fall off. 
• Texture - I'm not exaggerating when I say this, this is possibly the worst lipgloss I have ever bought in my whole entire life. The lipgloss doesn't feel moisturising whatsoever and I'm seriously questioning if it has any moisture in it. I'm 100% certain there's just dust in the tube as that's what it feels like on your lips... dust. The texture of the lipgloss is so bad that on the side of the packaging they advise you to apply a lipbalm before applying the gloss. What lip product have you ever come across that tells you to apply lipbalm beforehand!?  
• Application - From the product description you'd except the lipgloss to glide on the lips with ease but that's not the case at all. The lipgloss goes on uneven and patchy and it certainly doesn't glide on the lips, if anything it feels like you're applying a pritt stick. Mmm.. nice.  
• Packaging - The packaging is so so, it's not great but it's not bad. The packaging contains a lovely mix of pastel shades and stripes but the lipgloss itself is bright red which doesn't make any sense to me. You'd imagine the packaging to be bold and bright not pastels and girly.
• Applicator - I'm not a fan of doe-foot applicators as they don't give precise lines so the applicator doesn't really do it for me, I also think they're really un-hygenic. You also have to be very careful when applying the lipgloss because if you make one teeny tiny mistake, you're going to look as if you've been munching on a jar of beetroot. A face full of red is not a good look. 
• Price - Usually I'd consider £4.99 to be very reasonable for a lip product but due to the lipgloss being a pile of dog do do, I'd consider it to be a little pricey. I wouldn't pay 49p for it let alone £4.99! So overpriced it's untrue. 
• Availability - You can only buy the lipgloss in-store at Superdrug or online at Sleek. This isn't considered a great thing if your Superdrug isn't well stocked as you'll have to order online at Sleek meaning you're going to be paying a fortune for delivery. 
• Shade Selection - The lipglosses only come in 2 different shades which isn't great if you're not a fan of red or pink. The lipglosses have well and truly been targeted at those who like experimenting with colour or those who like wearing vibrant lipsticks. If you like more neutral shades then you're stumped. 

Overall

I honestly hate these lipglosses with a passion, they're so unbelievably drying that they make you feel like you have chalk lips, they're not long wearing at all and most importantly they look so appalling on the lips that a stranger would think you had some form of mouth disease. I cannot express how bad these lipgosses are and if you were thinking of buying one, I'd save your money, time and energy. 

These HAVE to go down as the worst lip product of 2012. 

Would I recommend? NO!

Would I repurchase? NO!

Rating? 0/10

Thank you for reading and I hope this has saved you from wasting £4.99!

Cole

x

How To Create: Tartan Nails

It seems like forever since I've sat down and written a blog post and that's probably due to the fact I've been busy for 10 weeks solid. If you follow me on Twitter or have watched the videos my Mamma put up on my YouTube channel, you'll know that I have been training to become a Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist. So if you were sat there wondering if I'd been abducted by Aliens, fear not, I was in fact training. 

Now I'm qualified and no longer have to train anymore it means I have lots of time to write posts and make videos meaning you're going to see a lot more of me. 

I thought I'd get back into the blogging business by showing you a funky, on trend nail tutorial. Tartan is huge this A/W so I thought I'd show you all how to create Tartan Nails.

What you will need:

• Taupe Nail Polish
• White Acrylic Paint
• Black Acrylic Paint
• Red Acrylic Paint
• Top Coat
• Thin Paint Brush

Please note that if you do not own acrylic paints you can use nail polish instead. I purely use acrylic paint for nail art as it dries very fast meaning I can complete my designs in no time. If you're wanting to buy acrylic paint, check out your local art shop as they stock acrylic paint sets for as little as £10.

Step By Step:

Step One:

Apply the taupe coloured nail varnish to your nail.

Step Two:

Using the white acrylic paint and a thin paint brush, apply a large white stripe across your nail. Place this more towards the tip of the nail than the root of the nail.

Step Three:

Using the black acrylic paint and a thin paint brush, apply a black line at either side of the white stripe and also in the middle of the white stripe.

Step Four:
Again using the black acrylic paint and a thin paint brush, apply two black lines vertically down your nail.

Step Five:
Using the red acrylic paint and a thin paint brush, apply one red line horizontally across your nail (towards the root) and one red line vertically down your nail.

Step Six: 

Apply a top coat to protect the design and you're done!

I hope you liked this tutorial and if you have any requests please feel free to comment below. 

Thanks for reading,
Cole
x

NOTD: Ombré Cherry Blossom

I'm currently in the process of decorating my new bedroom so as you can imagine I'm spending a lot of time searching for furniture, ornaments and pretty things I can place on the walls etc. One of my ideas is to have cherry blossom on one of my walls so I've been looking high and low for the perfect cherry blossom wall decal. I have an image in my head of what I want but I just cannot seem to find anything that matches the image in my head... frustrating. 

My obsession with cherry blossom is starting to become unhealthy, so much so that I decided to paint cherry blossom on my nails. I decided to do ombré cherry blossom nails for two reasons, one, I like ombré and two, it's on trend. 

Nail Polishes Used:

Essie 'Blanc'

Essie 'Mint Candy Apple'

Orly 'Winter Wonderland'

Brown, White, Red Acrylic Paints

I hope you like my ombré cherry blossom nails as much as I do and if you'd like a tutorial on how to create them, comment below! 

Thank you for reading!

:)

TAG: How Much Is My Face Worth?

This tag has been floating around the bloggersphere for weeks and I can understand why. It's a fun and interesting tag to do as we're able to find out how much we actually spend on our face and most importantly, we're able to see how many products we put on our face daily. 

The lovely Megan from British Beauty Geek tagged me to do this post, if you'd like to see how much Megan's face is worth then check out her post *here*. 

If you'd like to find out how much my face is worth, keep on reading! 

Eyes:

• Nars Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base - £18.00
• MAC Eyeshadow in 'Vex' - £10.00
• MAC Eyeshadow in 'Shale' - £10.00
• MAC Eyeshadow in 'Mystery' - £10.00
• MAC Penultimate Eyeliner - £16.00
• Sleek Eau La La Liner in 'Noir' - £4.99
• MAC Haute & Naughty Lash - £18.00
• MAC Brow Set in 'Clear' (now an attractive swamp colour) - £12.50
• Inglot Rainbow Eyeshadow - £6.00

Face:

• Estee Lauder Day Wear Sheer Tint Release - £34.00
• Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19
• Fashionista Blush in 'Butterscotch' - £4.00
• Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder - £27.00

Lips:

• Palmers Cocoa Lip Butter - £2.75
• MAC Lipstick in 'Please Me' - £14.00

Total:  £191.43

So there we have it, my face is worth a grand total of £191.43 which is really rather appalling, it's a good job I don't wear Tom Ford or Chanel products on a daily basis. I'd also hate to see what my face would be worth if I included skincare, I'd possibly have a mental breakdown. 

Doing this tag has made me realise two things, one, I use a lot of products on my face and two, I spend far too much money on my face. I really want to try and cut down the amount of products I use on my face because lets face it, do I really need to wear bronzer? And do I need to use an eyeshadow base everyday?.. probably not. I'm definitely going to cut down the amount of products I use on my face because it's pretty ridiculous.

Although my face is worth a fair bit of moola, it's not as extreme as some I've seen (we're talking in excess of £300) so I think I can be let off the hook! 

Have you done this tag? and if you have done, link me to it as I'd love to have a read!

:)

Holiday Outfit: Day Five

I'm not going to give this post an introduction as I don't feel there's any need to. Many of you will know that I'm blogging about all of my holiday outfits so I'm just going to crack on and show you what I wore on day five of my jolly holidays. 

Rings: Topshop, Earrings: Topshop, Shoes: River Island, 

Dress: Missguided

I absolutely love this dress and I'm so pleased that I bought it for my jolly holidays. It's a lovely summery dress that can be dressed up or dressed down, no matter if you're going shopping with your friends or going to a big birthday bash, this is the perfect dress for any occasion. I have only worn this dress once which is rather shameful but I'm hoping we get this supposed 'indian summer' as I'd quite like to wear it again! 

There are three things I love about this dress, I love the 'Cath Kidston-esque' floral pattern, the cut-out detail at the waist and the super high neckline. It's a fun, feminine dress and I like it very much.

The dress is also really well-made and made from super sturdy material. I was expecting to hold my dress down every two minutes because of the wind but I can safely say that this baby did not blow up, I didn't have to hold the dress down once. 

I really do like this dress and I'll certainly be wearing it next summer too. Missguided still have this dress in-stock so if it floats your boat, there's still a chance to get your hands on it. The link to the dress is provided above.

I'm not going to say much about my white flatforms but if you've read my previous holiday outfit post you'll know that me and my white flatforms fell out on holiday. All you need to know is that they looked lovely and went perfectly with the dress but they ripped my feet to shreds.. ouch! 

I also think my accessories matched the dress perfectly too with them being pink and mint green. 

I hope you liked my day five holiday outfit, keep a lookout for day six! 

:)

How To Create Purple Gradient Stripe Nails!

A couple of weeks ago WAH nails posted a photograph on Instagram of a set of coral themed nails they did for one of their clients. I noticed that on one of the finger nails they had created a coral gradient striped design. It was cool, funky and I knew I'd be able to do it myself. 

I can paint stripes freehand with my eyes closed but I know that many people struggle to create stripes as they either don't have the patience or just cannot physically do it. Because of this I have written a handy tutorial showing you how to create gradient striped nails the simple and easy way.  

This tutorial will be helpful if you wish to create the WAH inspired gradient stripe nails or if you just want to create stripes in general. 

What you will need to create purple gradient stripe nails:

• White Nail Polish - I used Essie 'Blanc'
• Lilac Nail Polish - I used Illamasqua 'Wink'
• Purple Nail Polish - I used OPI 'Planks A Lot'
• Dark Purple Nail Polish - I used Jessica 'Pretty In Purple'
• Top Coat - I used Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat
• Microporous / Scotch Tape
• Scissors

Please don't feel like you have to use the same nail polishes as I did as any nail polish will be fine. The key thing is that you select a white nail polish, pale nail polish, dark nail polish and very dark nail polish.  You can also pick up microporous tape from your local chemist or supermarket for as little as £2.00. 

If you would like to create purple gradient stripe nails all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps! 

Step One:

Apply two coats of the white nail polish to your nails. It's also important that you let the nail polish fully dry before carrying onto the other steps as you'll end up ripping the nail polish off if you don't let it dry. 

Step Two: 

Cut a piece of tape and apply it to the base of your nail. 

Step Three:
Apply another piece of tape to the centre of your nail. This step determines how wide you want the 3rd stripe to be.

Step Four:
Apply the lilac nail polish to the gap between both pieces of tape. You'll need to use two coats.

Step Five:
Once the lilac nail polish has dried, remove both pieces of tape.

Step Six:
Apply a piece of tape to the tip of your nail. Again, this step determines the width of the 2nd stripe.

Step Seven:
Apply the purple nail polish to the gap between the tape and the lilac nail polish. You'll need to use two coats.

Step Eight:
Once the purple nail polish has dried, remove the tape.

Step Nine:
Apply the dark purple nail polish to the tip of your nail. You'll need to use two coats.
Once dry, apply a top coat!

And we're done!

Video Tutorial:

Obviously you can use any colours, you don't have to limit yourself to purple. I think a coral, black or multicoloured version would look amazing too! 

I hope you liked this tutorial, and most importantly I hope you found it helpful. If you have any nail tutorial requests, please feel free to let me know.

Thank you for reading!

:)

August Glossybox - 'International Superstars'

Here's what Glossybox have to say about their 'International Superstars' box...

"This month, Glossybox goes global with hero products from around the world for you to try. Our beauty team selected from brands that are well-known in the UK, as well as products that have cult status in their native country, which you may never have heard of before. We even have a brand representing Cool Britannia herself."

Lipcote (UK)

Product:

"The original lipstick sealer and secret of long lasting, feather fade and water resistant lipstick."

Price:

£3.99 / 7ml (Full sized product provided in the Glossybox)

Thoughts:

I haven't tried this yet and if truth me told I'm a little scared too as I fear the brush will get dirty very quickly. I'll have to apply it with a lip brush or something so once I've tried that method I shall let you know my thoughts on it. I've wanted to try Lipcote for a long time so I'm hoping it's going to be a brilliant product. 

All For Eve For The Eve Appeal Eve's Balm (UK)

Product:

"Eve's balm is an easily absorbed recovery balm to nourish dry chapped skin."

Price:

£4.95 / 7g (Full sized product provided in the Glossybox)

Thoughts:

You can't really go wrong with a balm. This balm would be a handy little thing to carry around in your handbag as not only is it a balm that can be used anywhere, it also has a mirror in the lid which is handy for checking your appearance throughout the day. I wouldn't say the balm was uber nourishing but it's a nice balm with a nice scent. I also wouldn't pay £4.95, I'd get Carmex for £2.00 (it does a better job). 

Alessandro Pro White (Germany)

Product:

"Optically brightening effect nail polish with anti-yellowing formula for radiant white and gleaming nails."

Price: 

£7.85 / 10ml

Thoughts:

I was really excited to try this as I've needed to buy a product like this for months! As you all know, I'm very fond of nail art and paint my nails on a regular basis but because I paint my nails so frequently, they've become stained and now resemble a lovely yellow shade.. attractive. I didn't know what to expect from the Pro White as I've never tried a whitening product before but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. 

The Pro White did make my nails appear whiter and brighter but it also dyed the base of my nails blue. I wasn't a fan of the blueness but I am thrilled it's reduced the yellowness.

Would I pay £7.85 this product?... Probably not, but that's only because I'd rather buy a pretty coloured nail polish. I think my yellow nails are going to remain with me forever (too much of a polish-a-holic).

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (Japan)

Product:

"This revolutionary water-soluble cleanser is better than any other make-up remover you've ever tried."

Price:

£18.50 / 200ml

Thoughts:

Saying 'this is the best makeup you've ever tried' is a bit of a big statement as they're a million cleansers on the market so nobody can really say that they've found the ultimate cleanser. Not only that but I doubt any cleanser is 100% perfect. 

If truth be told I haven't even used this cleanser and I don't intend to. I'm not a fan of cleansing oils as they tend to irritate my skin/eyes so I was disappointed to find this in my Glossybox. 

The only positive thing I will say about the cleanser is that it's a good sample size and it isn't scented, it's just a shame I won't ever use it. 

Vera Valenti L'Ombre a Paupiére Margarita (Spain)

Product: 

"An eyeshadow palette offering a selection of ten different colours with an applicator included."

Price:

£3.85 (Full sized product provided in the Glossybox)

Thoughts:

I really wanted to love this palette as I'm very fond of eyeshadow, especially neutral and green eyeshadows. Unfortunately I do not like this palette at all, the eyeshadows lack pigmentation, are very chalky and they don't blend well. I think the eyeshadows are set out nicely as they create a lovely flower pattern but that's the only good thing about the palette. The 'applicator' is also a waste of space. 

Glossybox Lipstick in 'Glossy Pink'

Product:

"Professional beauty lipstick for soft and glamorous lips with a luminous, long-lasting colour."

Price:

£9.50 / 4g (Full sized product provided in the Glossybox)

Thoughts:

I would never pay £9.50 for this lipstick and that is because of one reason and one reason only, it's cheap. The packaging looks tacky, the lipstick has an unpleasant smell, the lipstick isn't a nice shade (Glossybox box need to research what 'pink' is) and the longevity of it is appalling. 

Overall...

I didn't dislike this months box but I didn't exactly love it either. I think the 'products from all over the world' concept was a very fun and interesting concept as it was nice to try products that are favoured in other countries but I was disappointed to find the majority weren't my cup of tea. 

The products that stood out to me the most were the Lipcote and the Pro White as these are products I would go out and purchase myself. The only issue is that these are the only 2 products I would buy and when combined they come to a total of £11.84 which is cheaper than the cost of the Glossybox itself. 

So to round this up, I liked trying products from different countries, it's just a shame I didn't particularly like them. 

For more information about Glossybox, please visit: http://www.glossybox.co.uk/

*The Glossybox was sent to me for review purposes. This does not affect my thoughts and opinions on the product. As always, my reviews are 100% truthful.