Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Artsy Wednesday - Halloween Nails

I am a big fan of the supernatural genre. TV, movies, books, I love them all. There's a lot of vampire based offerings around at the moment and I've based my Halloween mani on that theme.


Dripping blood, a scary red iris, puncture wounds and a bloody fang.

I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out and I'm keen to give the dripping blood and the eyeball another try in the future.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what awesome manis the other Artsy Wednesday girls came up with. Check them out!

 

 
 

 
 
 
 

October Lunacy

Here are the polishes I acquired this month
 
oops!

BYS:
Glow in the Dark

Chi Chi:
My Bad

China Glaze:
Afterglow
For Audrey
Pelican Gray

Glimmer By Erica:
Punky Patty
Rainbow Star Sprinkles
Satellite Shine
 
Hello Kitty:
Firegirl
Rose Eden

Kleancolor:
Afternoon Picnic
Chunky Holo Black
Sugarcoat
 
Models Own:
Beth's Blue
Edamame
Fuzzy Peach
Ibiza Mix
Jade Stone
Lemon Meringue
Lilac Dream
Pink Blush
Prussian Blue
Thunder and Lightning
 

Loreal:
Magic Croisette
Mystic Blue
 
Rimmel:
Bonzai
 
Sally Hansen:
Sonic Bloom
 

Seche:
Vite
Restore
Soft
 
Ulta 3:
Earl Grey

Saturday, 27 October 2012

Models Own - Beth's Blue and Ibiza Mix

I'm so happy to finally have my hands on my new polishes from Models Own. They'll probably feature quite heavily over the next few weeks!

This is 2 coats of Beth's Blue and 1 coat of Ibiza Mix. I love the different colored and sized glitter in Ibiza Mix. I can see myself using it over many base colours.

Have you used Ibiza Mix? What's you favourite combination?

Friday, 26 October 2012

Models Own Haul

I recently got a bunch of polishes from the Models Own Sale. What a bunch of beautiful shades. I can't wait to try them out!

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

Artsy Wednesday - Cling Wrap Nails

I am very excited to be joining the Artsy Wednesday group this week! I enquired about joining a month or so ago and was put on their waiting list. Last week I got the good news that there's a space available. Yay! I'm very excited to be on board with this great bunch of nail bloggers.

Every week each member of the group posts a manicure based around a set theme. This week we are doing Cling wrap/Saran wrap/plastic wrap manicures. Here is mine.

 
I have never tried this technique before. I spent a bit of time looking at tutorials and discovered that there are a few different methods. I experimented a bit and settled on the following:

1. Apply base colour. I used Chi Chi - Show Me The Money, a dark metallic green.


2. I couldn't help myself and so I added a coat of Kleancolor - Sugarcoat.

3. Allow to dry completely.

4. Scrunch a bit of cling wrap into a loose ball, making sure there are some interesting looking folds.

5. Paint your secondary colour roughly onto a section of the cling wrap. I used Models Own - Golden Green.

6. Splodge it onto a bit of paper to remove excess polish.

7. Splodge artistically onto your nail.

8. Apply topcoat.

9. Admire :)
I love the way the glitter peeks through.
 


Thanks for welcoming me on board ladies!

Check out posts from the other Artsy Wednesday contributors!










Tuesday, 23 October 2012

Lust Have It - October 2012

Ahh, the long awaited LHI box has arrived!

This month I received:

Waxaway:
Ready To Use Strips
Sample. 4 strips and 1 aftercare wipe.
Hypoallergenic, ready to go wax strips. I don't really know what else to say about these.

Elizabeth Arden:
Red Door Aura EDT
5ml mini
Scent is a very personal thing and is difficult to choose for someone else, even if its someone you know well. This fragrance is pleasant enough, but it isn't for me. The description on the card is quite accurate, it is a 'bright floral'. I have had enough of fragrance samples lately. I wish LHI would give them a rest for awhile.


Say It With Scent:
Rose Hand and Body Lotion
30ml mini
I will review this properly as part of my hand cream series. Smells lovely, if you like roses. Lightly moisturizing.

Star & Rose:
Rose Confetti Soap Petals
3 x 4g. Full size.
Lovely rosey scent. I will probably give this to my mum, along with the Red Door.

Montaser:
Renitence Eye Revival Cream
Unknown size mini.
Claims to visibly reduce dark circles, wrinkles and puffiness in 14 days. I don't like the look of this product, but I will try it anyway. The cream is a yellowish brown colour that looks yuk. Like the last eye cream I received in a beauty box, I'll be trying it on one eye only. If it works I will post about it again. The little container it came in is cute, but the labeling could do with a more professional finish.

I also received two promotional cards. I don't really like getting these cards, it seems like a cheat to boost the value of the box. Just my opinion.

I did not receive additional products with my VIP membership this month.

I'm a bit disappointed again this month. When you compare the contents of recent LHI boxes to some of the older ones the quality just isn't the same. The insert this month focused very strongly on the Pink Ribbon Hamper, not the box itself. I wish LHI would focus more on their core business. The Pink Ribbon Hamper was also sold out before any monthly boxes were received.

There is a growing degree of negativity on their Facebook page that I believe LHI needs to address immediately if they want to remain a major player. Bad publicity is bad.

What did you get this month? Did you like your selection? What would you like to see more or less of in your box?

Sunday, 21 October 2012

Bellabox - October 2012

This month is the first birthday of Bellabox! Congratulations ladies, you've made it through your first year.

Of all the beauty subscription services that have come and gone this year it's no surprise to me that Bellabox are still going strong. Their customer service is impeccable, their products are high quality and their team is fantastic. I have never had a negative interaction with this company. I hope they continue to provide a premium service for many years to come. I'd also love to see some more specialized boxes come out like a hand and nail box, hair care boxes where you can specify your hair type, or a dedicated fragrance box.

I've decided to post about boxes a little later this month, once I've had a chance to try all the goodies out properly.

This month I received:

Chocolatier:
Pink Heart Chocolate
This was the first item I tried from this months box. Delicious! It was very good motivation to get the photo done so that I could eat the chocolate ASAP.

Sally Hansen:
Insta-Dri Nail Polish - Sonic Bloom
9ml full size
Nail polish! Woot! I love getting polishes. Sonic Bloom is a BRIGHT neon pink. Good coverage, smooth application. The pic below is two coats.

Carmex:
Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm in Sheer Pink
2g Full size
I'm not usually a big Carmex fan because of its fragrance but this pretty, soft pink balm may just have converted me. It applies smoothly, leaving a hint of gorgeousness and just the right amount of shine. Beautiful.

DKNY:
Fresh Blossom Eau So Intense
1.5ml sample
Floral, citrus and apple blossom notes in this fragrance sample. Whenever I try new scents I tend to find them very strong and this one is no exception. Considering the name it's not really surprising. Having said that, I quite like this fragrance and will definitely use this sample to the end.

E.L.F:
Essential Brightening Eye Colour - Nouveau Neutralis
Full size
A neutral eyeshadow quad. If I hadn't just bought a bunch of NYX eyeshadows (which are amazing!) I'd probably be more impressed with this. The glitter particles in two of the shades are a bit large for my taste and the colours are not quite as highly pigmented as they could be, but at $3.99 you cant expect perfection. The other two shades apply nicely with a brush and are useable daily colours. I think this product is good value and a nice addition to your neutral palette.

Estée Lauder:
Resilience Lift instant Action Lift Treatment
5ml mini
Claims to lift and firm skin, boost collagen production and elastin retention. To be honest, I don't have any areas on my face that need lifting and firming, so I can't really comment on those claims. However, this cream makes my skin feel very smooth, it's not too heavy and it absorbs rapidly. As it isn't really suitable for my skin and the full size product costs is quite expensive I will not be buying this item in the near future.

Clinique:
Turnaround Concentrate Radiance Renewer
7ml mini
I'm excited to see Clinique featured in this months box and I hope to see more samples from them in the near future. After using this product for the past 5 days I think my skin feels softer and smoother. I will probably buy this product next time Clinique have a gift with purchase promo.

Cedel:
Blow Dry Faster Heat Protector
165ml full size
I don't blow dry my hair. I don't even own a blowdryer, so you'll have to look elsewhere for a proper review of this product. The can was also dented, but as I won't be using it I'm not really that fussed.

So many goodies! I am very pleased with this months box.

What did you get this month? Were you pleased with your pack?