Ciate Dolls House Nail Polish Set & Swatches

With Spring just around the corner I thought I'd share with you the perfect nail polish set for the new season. 

The Ciate Dolls House contains 5 mini Ciate nail polishes in absolutely adorable packaging that I will be keeping them in. The nail polishes come in a lovely spectrum of pastel shades in a 'porclain' finish perfect for a mix and match manicure.

Doll Face, Paper Doll, Baby Doll, Poppet and Sweet Pea all make up this set of sweet pastel shades. My favourite shades have to be Baby Doll (peach shade) and Sweet Pea (pistachio/mint shade). Though I do love how the set contains 5 polishes so you can paint each nail a different shade.

Above you can see my own manicure which I've finished off with a clear top coat as I wasn't too keen on the porcelain like finish... the silky look does compliment the pastel shades and isn't fully matte however I do prefer a glossy looking manicure. You can see full swatches below of the true finish of the nail polishes without a top coat. 

L-R - Doll Face, Sweet Pea, Poppet, Baby Doll, Paper Doll

The formula is fast drying due to the semi-matte finish and quite opaque as only 2 coats are needed. Application is also nice good, streaky on the first coat then smooth by the 2nd. 

These really are beautiful nail polishes and some of the nicest pastel shades I have come across and that is a bold statement as I've come to love pastel nail polish in the past few years and own so so many. Baby Doll and Sweet Pea will definitely be worn alone as they remind me of the shade of macaroons, just so pretty.

You can find the set on Look Fantastic for £18.00 here or ASOS here.

Fee xo.

Tarte Wishlist

With tarte cosmetics launching in the UK at the end of the month I thought today I would share some of my wish listed products! 

Tarte is a brand I've always wanted to try because of their perfect colours and shades in each range and because of the amazing packaging - I mean mascara that looks like bamboo, what couldn't be better! So here are my top 5 products I'd love to try...

Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow 

When it comes to eyeshadows I'm all about cream shadow bases. They are just so easy to apply, have great staying power and seem to come in some amazing shimmery shades whatever the brand. Looking up swatches is a must for this range of cream eyeshadows if you are a nuetral eyeshadow gal. Slate and Shimmering Bronze just look perfect to me! 

Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara 

Okay, I hold my hands up I may want this for the packaging... but also for the mid-size brush, so it's allowed right? From reviews I have read this is a great mascara that doesn't smudge or flake and nicely lengthens and separates, which is exactly what I love in a mascara. Purchased too many mascaras recently with huge wands and too 'wet' a formula that I just can't get to grips with, so I'm in need of a good everyday staple.

 

Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush 
Tarte's most raved about product! How could I not want to try this... pretty packaging, amazing reviews and a great shade range. I currently have my eye on 'Flush' a lovely light pink shade that I know will go perfectly with my pale skin in spring/summer. 

Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer 
Another product that came to my attention due to it's claims of being waterproof (making it ideal for oily skin and hot weather). I love light matte bronzers for contouring which this looks spot on for but they just never last the day on my skin. Not overly keen on the packaging of this but the light shade and it's claims look like it could be an ideal bronzer for me.  

LipSurgence Lip Tint 
Ahhh lip crayons and lip tints, how I love them so. Tarte have an amazing range of both, but as summer is on it's way lip tints are my preferred lip product. The LipSurgence range consists of both matte and gloss shade in some perfect juicy looking shades that I absolutely love the look of. 

Tarte really have an amazing range of products that I can't wait to try out this summer. Let me know if you will be purchasing anything from the cult U.S beauty brand! 

Fee xo.

NOTD - Tanya Burr Riding Hood

Finally got my hands on a wonderful Tanya Burr nail polish and thought I would show it off as it's such a beauty! 

As most of you will know Tanya Burr (Youtube Channel here if for some reason you have never heard of her) has recently launched her own lip and nail polish collection with Eye Candy. I've tried a few Eye Candy nail polishes and have loved them, so I was hoping the Tanya Burr nail polishes would be just as good. However I was even more impressed as the finish is just ultra glossy... just look at how the light bounces off the nails and that is without a top coat! Also this is with just a single coat!

 

One thing I love about the nail polish range is the shade range from pretty pastels to rich darks... also they come with the cutest names - Little Ducks and Mini Marshmallows to name just a few. Riding Hood is one of the more richer shades from the collection and I can honestly say I don't own a more luxurious looking red than this. 

Riding Hood is the perfect shade to wear both day and night and I just couldn't believe it only needed one coat.. though two coats would give a slightly darker finish. I'm just so pleased with the quality of this nail polish and feel I can really recommend this nail polishes now as to be honest I 'm always a bit wary when celebrities and the like team up with brands. But this nail polish certainly gets the thumbs up from me.

You can find the Tanya Burr nail polish range on Feel Unique here or in select Superdrug stores for £5.99 each. 

Fee xo.

Shopping My Stash - Bodycare

As a beauty blogger I constantly have new products to try out... which is amazing! However shamefully some products just don't get used. So today I thought I would have a good rummage through my hoard of body products and select 10 products that I haven't even got round to trying! 

These will be placed in my bathroom/next to my bed/where ever they need to go so that I will actually use them! Then in a months time I will do speed reviews of all the products. So here is my little stash of shamefully brand new products I have yet to try out... 

Dead Spa Magik Bath Salts 

I've heard good things about Bath Salts and Dead Spa Magik is a brand I really like. However I'm not such a fan of baths... I get bored plus baths without bubbles just seems a bit dull. But I will be trying these and reporting back on the 'magik'. 

Montagne Jeunesse Cream Coconut Mask 
With a stack of face masks I just haven't got around to using this but 'Creamy Coconut' sounds perfect and I'm sure I will love it. I could imagine this being perfect for summer.

Snowberry Soothing Facial Massage Oil 
I purchased this with a Snowberry Day Cream which I love, however this massage oil was left sadly unused. This is quite a high end product packed full of natural ingredients so I'm looking forward to trying this now. 

Lush The God Mother Soap 
Lush Soaps are my favourites! This has been scenting my bathroom cabinet since Christmas and smells amazing... like blackberry sweets! For this reason it didn't feel appropriate for winter but now spring is on it's way I can cut this up into cubes and get using it. 

 Vichy Idealia Cream (sample)
Day Creams are something I have in abundance. I have lots of favourites so new little samples just don't get a look in. But this sample caught my eye when 'shopping my stash' as it claims to be a soothing and illuminating cream. Brightening/illuminating creams are my favourite so I'm looking forward to trying this out.

N-Spa Skin Renewal Gel 
Shockingly not got round to trying this even though I love the sound of it! A gentle gel exfoliator that breaks down dead skin cells with fruit acids. I'm very much into non-abrasive ways of exfoliating, so interested in trying this out and comparing it to my favourites.  

Miss Pattisserie Sherbet Star Bath Cake
This was a cheap impulse purchase in the after Christmas sales due to the cute packaging and look of the bath bomb. The scent of this is so strong and lemon-y. Will be making use of this at the weekend I think.

Rituals Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk Body Cream 
With so many body butters and cream smaller samples just get hidden away in my storage box of lotions and potions. I shamefully haven't even smelt this but the Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk scent sounds like a lovely combination for spring. 

Chapter III Poppy & Wild Cherry Bath Caviar 
This was another impulse purchase in TK Maxx as I'd never come across Bath Caviar/Pearls and loved the look of them! An interesting  product that I'm surprised I haven't got around to trying out!

Fushi Organic Macadamia Nut Oil  
A fairly new addition to my stash here. I love multi purpose oils and Fushi is a great brand for them. Will have to make sure I put it through it's paces and use it on my hair, body and even try it with food! 

So glad to be shopping some of my stash and trying out new products.
I may also have to do this with my makeup! 

A great task to do if you are on a spending ban or saving drive.

Fee xo.

My eBay Collections

As most of you will know I am quite obsessed with eBay. I love searching for hours to find a bargain or creating wish lists here on Makeup Savvy. 

In fact I've always had a love for eBay, it was my first source of 'earnt money' as a teenager as I used to buy and sell things with the help of my dad from the age of 12! As for purchases, I have found so many amazing things through eBay, it's allowed me to develop a passion for Korean makeup without breaking the bank and indulge in my nail polish addiction even more... especially with bargain glitter nail polishes and nail art. Which is why I was thrilled when eBay contacted me asking if I wanted to be a part in their new eBay Collections. 

eBay Collections are a new fun way to 'pin' your favourite items creating almost story boards to share with others on the platform or as a more creative way of personally watching items. My first collections are of course all beauty related, with boards such as Travel Beauty Essentials, Nail Art Craze and On The Dressing Table to name but a few. My own personal favourite collection has to be 'Budget Beauty' as I truly love budget beauty products so the collection is a combination of products I love and also want to try out. I also love my 'On The Dressing Table' collection as I'm currently re-decorating my makeup room so this is a great visual board of interior items I love.

Collections can be created by anyone as long as you have an eBay account, so if you do create any let me know and I will be sure to check them out and follow. 

Hope you find some inspirations through my own collections so far.

Fee xo. 

*Sponsored Content: In partnership with eBay*

My Dream Makeup Room

A true escapism post today! 

Who doesn't love a bit of indulgent daydreaming from time to time, whether it's dreaming of exotic holidays or winning the lottery (even if you don't play it!) - we all partake in this pastime from time to time. 

This post was totally inspired by Briar Rose's 'A Peek Into My Dream House' post here, which you should have a read of or just swoon over all the pretty interiors. Instead of showing you around my dream home I thought I would share with you what my dream makeup room would look like! 

When it comes to having a makeup room I am already lucky enough to have one! It's definitely a work in progress but hopefully by summer I will have it exactly how I want it. As you will be able to see from the images below I love to include elements of fun and colour whilst keeping it chic with subtle parisian pieces. Lots of ideas here I hope to incorporate into my makeup room which I will be sure to show you once it's finished!

Image sources - 1/2/3/4

 The Desk...

In a dream makeup room my makeup desk which would be forever tidy with just a few trinkets, notepads and ornaments adorning it. Stationary would have to be from the Rifle Paper Co as it's just so beautiful and a Kartell Bourgie Ghost Lamp would finally be mine! 

As for the desk itself I would keep it simple in style though from past experience I would have a custom piece of glass over the top to prevent makeup marks and scratches. I also love the positioning of the desk above looking over the room instead of facing the wall! I'd also love to have an eclectic gallery wall of illustrations, vintage magazine adverts and photos in all different frames.

Image source - Wardrobe from Graham & Green

Beauty Storage...

Ahhh makeup storage, this is where I would go a bit crazy and ensure my entire collection was organised into towers of acrylic Muji Storage Drawers by product catagory. I'd also expand my nail polish wall to be able to hold the rest of my collection - though I'd still DIY it!

 As for body care products I love a beautiful mirrored french armoire which would be fitted out with shelves to hold different storage baskets of body and hair care products. Hopefully this would keep me organised but a huge wardrobe like this would be ideal for hiding away my messy stash!

Image sources - 1/2/3/4

Finishing Touches...

Finishes touches are what really make a room personal and interesting. Fun touches would be added with this amazing rabbit chair and multi-coloured tassel bunting hung along a white wall. I'd also have to have a little nook or chaise lounge with quirky cushions from my favourite illustrator - Fiona Hewitt.

For more chic touches beautiful orchids would decorate the windowsills and a large french mirror lent against a wall as a full length outfit mirror and for styling my hair in front of.

 

Other Luxuries... 

Now this is total daydreaming but as this is a dream makeup room it's therefore allowed! My ultimate fantasy makeup room would lead out onto a courtyard through large french doors which would be filled with beautiful climbers and plants like a private secret garden. This would then lead out to a larger area with a heated swimming pool that would be partially covered much like the image above. This probably doesn't work with British weather, but a girl can still dream! 

 Woosh, that was a detailed fantasy room. Hope you enjoyed daydreaming along with me!

Fee xo. 

Models Own New Speckled Egg Collection

Just in time for Easter Models Own have gone and released a wonderful Speckled Egg Nail Collection. This lovely collection consists of 5 speckled pastel shades and has just launched today on the Models Own website (who are currently running a 6 for £20 deal!). You can also find these in Superdrug stores for £5 each as of today also.

Think ornate bird egg speckles on your nails and you are pretty close to the effect these beautiful nail polishes give. The collection consists of - Dove - a lovely dusky pink, Magpie - duck egg blue (seen in this post), Swan - a deep lilac, Goose - a soft mustard yellow and Duck a soft sky blue. Which as you can spot are all bird names... a lovely touch.

 

 I will be making sure to swatch the full collection when the range fully launches into Boots stores next week but for now I thought I would share with you my favourite shade from the collection - Magpie. 

For me this is the one to pick up from the collection as I know most people don't buy up the entire range! Magpie is the most perfect duck egg blue shade that I feel works best with the speckled matte glitter and is a spot on shade for spring/summer. 

The formula of these isn't consistent with Model Own nail polishes, I found them slightly gloopy, however application is still easy and smooth enough, taking two coats for an opaque finish. These are also described as semi-matt but as you can see from my swatches they do have some shine to them but can of course be made extra shiny with a clear top coat - I personally didn't feel that was needed. Next one to try out on my nails will have to be Goose, I can't wait to see how the mustard yellow tone will look.

More swatches to come of this lovely collection! 

Fee xo.

Nail Extras: Collection & Storage

After sharing with you my DIY Nail Polish Wall last week here I promised to show the rest of my stash. Still quite vast but sadly I haven't got the storage full worked out just yet... though my upcoming Ikea trip may solve that! 

Currently with the excess nail polishes that don't fit on my nail polish wall/aren't special enough these are placed in brand order in beauty boxes from pass beauty box subscriptions. Then lined up on the floor under the nail polish shelves so I can see exactly what I have. Tools and duo nail polishes are placed in various pots and nail care and nail art again are placed in beauty boxes and larger gift boxes. 

First up is my most used box,this contains everything I need to prep my nails with for nail polish and removing nail polish. It's slightly hard to see but I have a beauty box placed into a larger Ted Baker gift box just to give different sections. At the left side and bottom of the box I have nail polish removers - Ciate Mint Chocolate Remover and Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover pot as well as my trusty Lanolips Rose Balm for Hands & Nails and a small Paul & Joe makeup bag containing cotton wool pads. 

Next is the left side of the smaller box which holds my favourite nail care products. A handy Multi-Way Buffer from Models Own, Burt's Bees Lemon Cuticle Cream, Stylfile Nail File, Ted Baker Nail Clippers and a mini L'occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream. I also have some cute mini nail files for my handbags as backups and some travel nail polish remover swabs that are ideal for touch ups. Down the centre I have lots of top coats and a few base coats. Top coats from - Seche, NYC, Essie, Ciate and a matte top coat from Models Own. Favourites have to be Seche Vite and NYC Fast Drying one. As for base coats I have a now gloopy Essie base coat and China Glaze Ridge Filler Base Coat that I absolutely love and use before every manicure.

Ahhh my nail art box! This is one of two boxes but I decided not to show the other one as it's much bigger and one you have to dig about in to find what you want! This box contains newer nail art that I want to try out or have to hand. Nail Polish wheels are essential for me for nail swatches, I get these from eBay super cheap. Next to that I have a stash of new nail art pens- I'm forever trying out new ones.

 At the top of the box you can see lots of interesting bottles of glitter which are again from eBay, must show these VERY soon as they were such a bargain. Under that is a large bag of matte gold hexagon glitter pieces that I still haven't got around to trying out... but I really should as I love the look of matte glitter - so chic! At the bottom right of the box I have a few pots of messy loose glitter from Models Own and Avon... the Avon Holographic glitters are amazing!

A box of minis! I love my mini nail polishes - perfect for travelling with and also ideal for trying out more expensive brands such as OPI, Nails Inc & Essie. 

Favourites here have to be my mini Essie nail polishes (note to self - buy more!) and OPI minis... the 4 in the top corner where from the Designer Series which was an amazing holographic collection. Also have so many Ciate minis from the Advent Calender last year, so many perfect colours for spring and a few fun loose sequin, caviar and glitter minis which are quite special! 

 

As I create nail looks for the Avon blog I like to keep all my Avon polishes together and in order of collections if I can. Really love the Speed Dry nail polishes as they come in such vivid summer shades but I'm also loving the new Gel Colours which are hidden away in the boxes! Also have all the Color Trend Glitter nail polishes which are really great. 

You can find all my nail posts on the Avonfabulous Blog here.

 

 Other bits and pieces are placed in various DIY tumblers that I created a DIY post on here. I love how holographic holders look so have 6 of these with various nail polishes and brushes in. In the above pots I have a few duo nail polishes from Model Own, which I love and one from Kiko. In the other pot I have a mixture of nail dotting tools from eBay, Sally Hansen nail art pens plus a few Extra Fine Sharpies, again for nail art. 

For now my nail collection is organised however a larger unit for everything would be ideal. I have my eye on the Ikea Helmer Drawer Unit in white here which is a fairly cheap option.

 I'd love to know how you store the bulk of your nail polishes or makeup for other ideas before my trip to Ikea!

Fee xo.

Beauty Confessions

The internet is an easy place to make your life seem perfect. Casually staged cute items on a pristine desk to no makeup, makeup that actually takes more products than normal makeup! 

But we are all human... so here are a few of my own beauty flaws/confessions that I felt I needed to share :)

I often only paint my nails on one hand for blog photos... then go out like that.

I've never tried Bioderma. Can't say I'm that fussed really... it's only makeup remover after all.

  Even more surprisingly I've never purchased a single MAC eyeshadow.

 Toenail polish stays on for as long as it will last.... so around 5 months! eeep. 

I love Muji acrylic storage but makeup fingerprints are a nightmare and I'm too lazy to empty all the drawers to clean them. 

I still dislike going up to makeup counters because I hate being 'sold' makeup. 

On lazy nights I cleanse with an oil cleanser in bed and remove it with a baby wipe! Oh dear. 

I'm surprised the Stylfile by Apprentice winner Tom Pellereau is such a popular product. Yes, it is a good quality nail file but the S shape is pointless! Sorry Tom.

I'm too lazy for fake tan, false eyelashes or artificial nails, however important the occasion.

I've tasted yummy smelling body products on multiple occasions... I wouldn't advise it. 

 I sometimes get obsessed with the blackheads on my nose and squeeze them out! Never a good idea.

I really think high street makeup is getting too expensive! 

Please, please share your own beauty confessions with me in the comments! I'd love to read them. 

Fee xo.

My ASOS Sale Picks

As ASOS are currently giving an extra 20% off all sale items until Monday (which is amazing?!) I thought I would share with you my own picks that I am so tempted by! 

*All prices below are with the extra 20% off - at the basket you have to enter the promo code '20MORE' to make the discount visible and come off the balance*

Ted Baker 5th Avenue Wash Bag 

Was £25 Now £10.90 here
I've had my eye on Ted Baker makeup bags for such a long time and this is such a low price! I absolutely adore the art deco 20's print... it really has a Great Gatsby vibe about it and just looks so chic. Do I buy this?! I'm very tempted. *Bought*

Me & Zena Star Necklace 

Was £15.00 Now £4.80  here
I'm such a fan of cute little necklaces so this just jumped out at me. I love the cute little face, like a little Milkyway Magic Star. Also I have always been impressed by the jewellery on ASOS so know it will be good quality. *Bought*

Sophia Webster Nail Rock Set 

Was £10 Now £4.00 here 
Pretty nail art nails perfect for Spring! This set is such good value for money, containing a lilac nail polish, caviar beads and 3 different sets of 3D nail art pieces. Very similar to a Ciate set but with a much lower price tag.

Anna Sui Eye Palette 

Was £28 Now £11.20 here 
Oh so tempted by this... though I know I have more than enough eyeshadow palettes. Yet I keep looking at the wearable shades, beautiful cover and slimline packaging that's perfect for travel and telling myself I need it. You can also find the lip palette from the same collection here which have surprisingly good coverage from swatches I have seen online.

Nails Inc Bling It On Glitterball Set 

Was £18.00 Now £5.60 here 
How cheap?! I may just want this for the amazing glitter and glitter handled brush but really at this price who cares! Though I know the full size nail polish in 'Baker Street' which is a bright cobalt blue would be perfect for summer on fingers and toes.

Designsix Lunel Ring 

Was £30.50 Now £2.80 here 
A cute little ring for summer that has been amazingly reduced in price. Just had to pop this in my basket! *Bought*

Rimmel Pro Nail Polish by Kate 

Was £4.49 Now £2.80 here 
If you read my nail polish wall post last week you will probably be thinking I don't need any more nail polish. However this is a range I have yet to try out so therefore it's allowed - thems the rulez you see! The above shades are Hip Hop and Reggae Splash which are ideal spring/summer shades but there is a choice of 9 shades that are all spring/summer appropriate. *Bought*

Off to place a little ASOS order now in time to brighten up my Monday morning!

Fee xo. 

4 Honest Things I Have Learnt in 4 Years of Blogging

Last month I hit 4 years of writing Makeup Savvy which is amazing and also crazy as the time has flown by! 

In those 4 years I have learnt so many things that would take as many blog posts I've already wrote, to explain and share with you what it is I've learnt! So instead here are 4 things that definitely took some time to discover.

1. There is enough space on the internet for everyone 
 For the past 2 years I've had this feeling from the blogging community (more specifically beauty bloggers) that we believe too many people are starting beauty blogs and the market is a bit saturated with them now. Yes, there are a lot of beauty blogs I will agree with that however there are lots of food blogs, lifestyle blogs, fashion blogs etc etc and there really is enough space for everyone! The internet is a huge place and billions of people enjoy reading blogs so there will always be enough readers for everyone. Also I see a lot of people mentioning that they avoid posting a review of a product that everyone else is reviewing at that moment in time. Something to remember is your review will be read much more over time than that specific day or week, plus not all of your readers will be reading/seeing the other reviews from bloggers or may just be interested in reading your review. So if you want to blog about something just do!

2. If pageviews and readers matter - be valuable
Blogs do take some time to get established however once you have been blogging for a while one of the best ways to be noticed and also gain traffic from Google searches is to write informative blog posts from time to time - something that will be of more value than say a product review. Google loves anything with substance so think about something that you have knowledge on and create a blog post around that... it may be how you overcame a skin condition (what you used, tips & tricks etc), you may be good at digital photography or photo editing (an in depth post for bloggers), love organic/natural beauty products? Maybe write a post on how to integrate organic products into your lifestyle and what ingredients to start avoiding. You get the idea! For me my photography posts and posts on using SLS-free products have been some of my most popular/viewed.

3. Better images do make for a better blog 
 When it comes to blogs that include photos (pretty much all blogs then) you can instantly make your blog more appealing by making sure you take clear and bright images. You don't need to spend hundreds on a fancy DSLR camera, you just need a good background (totally white, your makeup desk or even a large sample of fancy wallpaper from a DIY store) and enough light. Also a good free photo editing program to sharpen and brighten your images (I love Photoscape). Though really the basis of any good photo is having enough light on your subject. Also being a bit creative with how you place products can go along way!

4. Blogging can be an amazing hobby but a tough job
 Quite an honest one here but something I thought was worth sharing. I truly believe blogging is an amazing hobby that can be so giving and rewarding in many ways. From friendships you can form and daily interaction with people all over the world, to a creative outlet that is literally your own space. However if you put a little more time and work into it  eventually there is the possibility of PR samples and attending blog events, which are great perks for something you already love to do! But this can lead on to thinking that making money from blogging is just as straight forward. Sadly this isn't the case as blogging full-time generally can't sustain a full income and most bloggers for this reason do outside work separate from their own blog - writing for other blogs, freelance social media, creating an e-book/selling online workshops. This is also why you see a lot of full time bloggers doing Youtube as well. The reason why blogging doesn't earn enough for most is the low-revenue from different platforms such are affaliate programs, Google ad sense and even blog networks (if you are accepted to work with one). Also sponsored content and private ads are never a guarantee. This isn't to say blogging can't be a full-time job but it definitely is tougher than it seems! 

Hope this have been a bit of an insightful post for fellow bloggers! 

Fee xo.

Currently Loving...

As I didn't have many favourites from February I decided to write a 'Currently Loving' post, especially as two of the products I've only been using in the last two weeks though quite religiously. 

I feel my product choices here may look a little bland however these are all things I'm sure I will be still using in 6 months time.

Urban Decay Naked Basic Palette 

£20.00 - Beauty Bay here  
At the end of January I finally caved and purchased the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. I was sure I'd love it due to swatches I'd seen and I knew it would be perfect for travelling with. However I didn't anticipate just how much I'd love it and be using it! Naked 2 has been left redundant for the momeny as the Basics palette has become a day-to-day makeup staple. My daytime eye consists of Venus over the lid, and then Naked 2 and a little amount of Faint (also good for brows) blending into the crease. I also love using Crave on an angled liner brush smoked into the lash line. Just a perfect palette for daytime looks and my favourite of the 3 palette for pale skin so far.  

Organic Surge Orange Flower Toner 

200ml/£6.50 - here 
In the past 2-3 months I have had a total overhaul of my skincare routine and the last product I hadn't got spot on was a toner. So I was pleased when the new Organic Surge Toner dropped though my door as I've always got on well with their products. From first use I could tell I was going to like the toner as it was so fresh and uplifting to the skin - no nasties here! Since mid February I have been using the toner daily even during the day when not wearing makeup just to awaken and hydrate my skin from over using central heating. This isn't a miracle product but a great multi-purpose toner for using after cleansing to make sure all residue is removed and to also freshen the skin in the morning and during the day.
 The smell of this is also great - perfectly light and with a natural uplifting orange flower scent. 

 

Elemis FreshSkin Quenching Lip Balm 

£5.99 - Amazon here
 With a lip balm addiction I'm constantly trying out new lip balms and for the month of February into March this has been my go-to favourite. This zingy peppermint lip balm is more greasy than I'm use to however that is why I love it so much. The applicator and formula just glides over the lips giving them a glossy sheen and non-sticky feel. The lip balm soon gets to work and within minutes my lips feel smooth and soft. 

Lumecare Carbomer Eye Gel 

£2.66 - Amazon here or Boots 
Quite a random favourite here but one I needed to mention as I'd never even heard of such a product before I came across in it Boots looking for new eyedrops. Over the past few years I've developed drier eyes from allergies and wearing contact lenses so before applying makeup in the morning I like to use eye drops, which generally miss and roll down my face or flood my eyes making my vision a bit blurry for a minute or so - I just haven't got use to them. However Lumecare Carmbomer Eye Gel, also known as Long Lasting Tear Gel is just what I needed. Instead of a liquid dropper this is a gel that you drop/place into the bottom lid space meaning no drenched face ever again. On top of this, the eye gel lubricates the eyes so well that you can instantly feel a difference, which lasts pretty much all day. If you suffer from dry, tired or itchy eyes then I couldn't recommend this enough.

Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour in Apples 

£8.16 - Boots here
 A true nourishing lip care product with colour! Lanolips Lip Ointments are genuinely my favourite thing to wear on my lips during the day as the formula is so comfortable and nourishing, plus the shade range is so perfect. 'Apples' is a wonderful pigmented yet sheer red lip colour that is perfect for a fresh look and lasts well on the lips. I've tried nothing similar to this in that way that it's an intensively nourishing lip balm but also a lip colour at the same time. I can see myself buying up the whole shade range!

 If you have a favourite post up for February make sure to leave the link below for me so I can have a read. You can never have enough product recommendations! 

Fee xo. 

Lazy Links #13

 

This week I have been...

Happy it's Pancake Day... Ahhh Pancake Day, how I embrace you like any other 'holiday'! My favourite way to eat pancakes (though they are thin so technically are crepes) is with giant buttons on one side then folded over so that they melt - a-mazing. However Nutella is pretty delicious or just a dusting of caster sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.... no lemon for me! 

Reading lovely blog posts...DIY Sugar Scrub here (Ellalogy), A Peek Into My Dream Home here (Briar Rose), Top 5 Low-End Eyeshadow Singles here (Sleep & Water), Just In: H&M Homeware here (Nouvelle Daily).

Being inspired by American interior design... As it's nearly spring I am thinking of a few new projects to start - creating a large inspiration board above my desk, DIY'ing a large framed wallpaper piece in my dining room and making a nice day bed reading nook. All quite American styles of interior design, which made me realise that due to the internet my interior tastes have changed over the last few years. The first blog I ever wrote was an interior design blog and I'm still obsessed with reading them. The first decor blog I came across was Made By Girl which is just an amazing blog and still my favourite today and then Desire to Inspire which has the best content. New favourite reads in the last year have been The Decorista and Lonny Mag which is actually a free online magazine.

Planning more Muji storage... I have officially decided that I don't have enough makeup storage. I already have a sizeable tower of Muji drawers that I love but I feel 2-4 more drawers would make everything a lot more organised and stored away apposed to being out on my desk. I'm also tempted to get them ASAP as Muji are currently offering 10% off purchases online and in-store until 16th March - you can find the online code and print-out voucher here.

Lusting after...  lots of The Body Shop products. When I buy from The Body Shop it is always online with a good discount code and I buy a lot. I currently have a list of 7 products I want to purchase before spring - Honey Bronzing Powder, Moringa Perfume, Pink Grapefruit Body Mist, Pink Hair Chalk, Rainforest Shampoo, Banana Conditioner and Coconut Natural Roll-on. Bourjois CC Cream and the amazing looking Colour Clash top coats from Seventeen are also at the top of my list of things to buy when I'm out shopping next.

If you 'celebrate' Pancake Day let me know your favourite way of eating pancakes!

Fee xo.

My Nail Polish Wall

Finally I get to share with you my nail polish wall!

This post has been a long time coming as I stalled on painting the shelves and organising all my nail polishes... well I say all, but I could have done with another shelf or two it now seems?! 

I thought I would share with you this part of my makeup room so you can mainly swoon with me at the prettiness! But also to inspire a few of you looking for a good nail polish storage solution. This was a total DIY project that cost only £30 to make and is fairly simple to do. 

However if a DIY project isn't for you but you like the look this gives, you can opt for Ikea Ribba Picture Ledges (£8.25 each here) which are just a little shorter (by 7cm) than my own DIY shelves.

 

To create the shelves you do need some DIY expertise but it definitely is a simple enough project. You will need unpainted wooden batons of your desired length from a hardware/DIY store (the ones I purchased were 122cm and of course deep enough for a nail polish to sit on it), a drill, a spirit level and pencil, long screws, wood filler and satin wood paint.

HOW-TO

To start I would suggest pencilling where you want the shelves to go by using a spirit level and tape measure to make sure the shelves will be straight and evenly apart. This will take some time but you need to get it correct! Next you want to drill the front of the batons to the wall using 3 long screws for each. This is easier to do on a structural wall than a studded wall so you should keep that in mind when deciding where you want the shelves. Once they are up you will need to take some wood filler and fill in the screw holes, using a knife or wallpaper scraper to make it flush with the wood. Then all you have to do is paint them! This makes it sound quite simple but it actually is. You just need to make sure you hold the batons level and to go slow as you are drilling as you will be going against the grain of the wood and don't want to split it.

I'm so pleased with how the shelves turned out and can't believe they hold so many nail polishes! I was tempted to organise them in colour order however for ease I decided to place them on the shelves by brand. 

Another nail storage post to come soon on the rest of my nail polishes and nail art and nail care supplies! 

Fee xo.

Montagne Jeunesse Hot Chocolate Face Mask

For the past two weeks this face mask has been on my to-hunt down list. I finally got my hands on it for the normal price of £1 in Asda and decided to try it out straight away. 

As I'm mentioned in past posts I do like to pick up Montagne Jeunesse Face Masks as a pamper treat than for any real skincare benefits. So even though the Hot Chocolate mask is marketed as a deep pore mask I don't really feel it has much lasting benefit to the skin. For me the scent of the mask is where it's at! I was instantly drawn to this mask like a moth to light as I'm such a fan of yummy face/body products and chocolate orange just sounded perfect. 

 

 And perfect it was! Firstly the mask actually feels like melted chocolate in formula (so a little runny) and the smell.... ahhh, the smell, a perfect blend of rich chocolate and zesty orange that is neither synthetic smelling or overpowering. Just amazing and edible.... well actually not edible, edible smelling (I may have had a small taste... it's a problem I have with yummy scented products eep!)

Also as the name of the mask states this is actually a hot chocolate mask as it is self heating, which though I don't see the point in, is quite comforting if you are pampering yourself at night. Unlike a few other self heating masks I've tried from other brands this doesn't get too warm... though I'm not sure I'd be picking this up to use in summertime. 

As for application you may be able to guess that it's a messy one - so messy! And as for answering the door to anyone... that is out of the question. I'd even suggest being home alone when using this mask, in fact I was worried I'd scare my dog and I'm not even joking! Removal is easier as it is a 'wet' mask that doesn't dry so removing it with a muslin cloth or flannel is pretty easy. After my skin was left a little red (which did go down), super clean and soft feeling. I can't say I noticed a difference in my pores however my skin was definitely mattified and just happier feeling. 

As a little treat this mask was lovely! Next on my list is the Montagne Jeunesse Fudge Sauna mask.

Fee xo.