Topshop: Nail Art - Gems, studs & beads

Hello,

I make no bones about my love of the colour black, I wear it most days on my clothes, shoes, nails and any excuse for a black smokey eye is fine by me!
   I also love this time of the year because fashion trends tend to head to the darker side of the spectrum and this season has been no different, with the added bonus of the grunge studs and spikes thrown in for good measure I couldn't be happier!
   Topshop are one of my favourite high-street stores for keeping on top of the latest trends and always find new ways to explore them.  So when I spotted this Nail Art Kit in my local store I had to have it!

 

MAC Holiday Collection 2012: Guilty Passions - Brilliantly Cool

Hey everyone, 

So after being MIA for almost 10 months I am finally back at my laptop ready to review the gorgeous make-up, nail polish and beauty products that have been gracing my cupboards and drawers along with taking a look at all the amazing new products that are on the way. And to be quite frank I could not be more excited! While the time I have taken off was definitely needed and this is not to say that there will not be times in the future where I will need to take a little more time off, it has felt like I am missing a leg or somthing not being able to write for you guys. 

So without further a due lets get started with a product that I managed to get my hands on almost a year ago and have been dying to show you...

A little update...

Hi everyone,

Now I know its been a long while (9 months to be precise) since I last posted anything, so I just wanted to let you all know what is going on, and why I've been away for so long.

Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has still be visiting my little part of the big old thing we call the internet, despite my loss of communications and also to say I am still alive and well and desperate to get back to reviewing and trying out all the gorgeous new products I have been seeing come out while I've been unable to write!

The second thing to tell you is that I am very keen to get back to blogging but finding the time is proving slightly difficult. My degree work and my job have taken over my life for the last few months and while my blog is very dear to me and a big part of my life, getting my degree and being one of the first in my family to actually graduate from university is a very big thing for me and so my time has to be dedicated there.

Lastly I want you to know I am going to try my best to get things up and running as soon as I can, and that I plan to give my whole blog a bit of revamp so that it reflects a little more of my personality and style. 

I have so much to talk to you all about and I can't wait to tell you all but until then, keep reading  and enjoying my previous blog posts and don't forget to leave comments too! I love reading them and will try to reply if I can.

I promise you there will be more soon and it will be worth waiting for!!

Speak to you all soon

Love

Jude x x x

My First Give-away!

So...

A couple of weeks ago, I tweeted that if I got to 10 followers on my blog I would do my first give away and within about 2 days of saying that I reached this first milestone. Now I know loads of people will say that 10 followers is not a lot, I am well aware that there are bloggers out there with hundreds of thousands of followers, but to me it 10 is a huge number and means a great deal to me.

So in order to say thank you to you all I went to Superdrug and did what I do best... SHOP! I picked up a couple of things from some of my favourite drug store brands, so that you can fall in love with them too.

I decided to choose spring colours to help cheer everyone up during this dreadful weather we have been having in the UK. Below are some more shots so you can see the products in detail:

MUA Eyeshadow Palette in "Poptastic"
It features some gorgeous colours to really get you in the Spring mood

Rimmel - Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl in 005 Nude &
Barry M - Super Soft Eye Crayon in "Matt Shade 8"

Barry M - Nail Polish in "Mint Green" & "Blueberry Icecream"
Complete your spring look with pastel nails

Collection 2000 - Lasting Colour Gel Eyeliner in "Teal"
A vibrant alternative to black and brown

Collection 2000 - Volume Sensation Lipstick in "13 Satin Bow"
A sexy nude to balance out your bright spring eyes

The rules for this giveaway are very simple:

• Just leave a comment on this post, telling me:
  "What your favourite drug store brand is and Why?"
  
• In your comment you must leave your name, email address and a link to your blog.
  
• You can only enter once, unless you are a follower of my blog then you can leave a second comment, doubling your chances of winning these beautiful products.
  
• The giveaway will be open until 11:59pm GMT on Sunday 10th February, which gives you a whole week to enter.
  
• The winner will be chosen at random and announced on my Facebook page on
  Monday 11th February.
  
• I am unable to ship internationally I'm afraid, so UK entries only please.

Good Luck everyone

Love Jude xxx

Review: Sleek - Limited Edition Sparkle 2 Palette

Hi 

I've been posting a lot about lip sticks and nail polishes recently so I thought I would switch it up and show you a eye shadow palette I got just before Christmas:

Now I am a massive fan of Sleek as a cosmetics brand and have several of their other eye shadow palettes simply because the colours are so gorgeous and the pigmentation is amazing. So I was hoping that this new palette would be the same.

The outer packaging is a bit different to their usual plain black box, and I have noticed this more and more with the newer sleep palettes. The seem to decorate their boxes a lot more and I'm so pleased. It may just be me being nerdy but I like to keep my palettes in their boxes to keep them clean, and I was getting a bit fed up of looking at the same black box all the time. This time the box looks very festive with twinkly lights out of focus.

The inner box is very simple but keeps with the look of all their other products. Although yet again the matte finish means every little bit of dirt or make-up sticks to this palette like glue!

Inside the palette is beautiful array of glittery colour eye shadows ranging from dark and sultry to bright and colourful. A large mirror accompanies the eye shadows, which is so handy because it makes it perfect for travelling or a night out. 

On top of the eye shadows (not pictured) is a sheet of acetate inscribed with the names of the colours. This was obviously meant as a Christmas palette due to the names "Mistletoe", "Festive" and "Tinsel" but don't let that put you off. These colours are going to be perfect for any party or night out.

Top row L-R: Chocolate penny, Blue Spruce
Bottom row: L-R: Festive, Gold Ribbon

Without primer. L-R: Chocolate Penny, Festive, Blue Spruce & Gold Ribbon

Chocolate penny is the first colour I came to and isn't actually a glitter shadow as such. But it is super shimmery, and pearlescent. As the name suggests it is a milk chocolate colour with a slight bronze tint

Festive is a bright aubergine purple packed full of silver micro glitter. This will make a beautiful smokey eye or add a hint of sparkle to a more simple look.

Blue Spruce is a bright but deep turquoise/teal. I'd say this more green teal than a blue teal, but never the less a beautiful colour sprinkled with lots of light blue/possibly silver micro glitter

Gold Ribbon is like Chocolate penny in that it is not a glitter but a shimmery pearl shadow. It is a bright yellow gold, like the star at the top of a Christmas tree. Unlike some bright golds which can go quite sheer the pigmentation in this is so high it stands out really well.

Top Row: Mulled Wine, Truffle
Bottom Row: Glitz & Glamour, Tinsel

Without Primer: L-R: Mulled Wine, Glitz & Glamour, Truffle & Tinsel

Mulled Wine is a deep burgundy red with lots of warm gold micro glitter running through it. The name is very apt as the shade of red is definitely the colour of Mulled wine, mmmm I can just smell it now!

Glitz & Glamour is not quite what I would call a grey but it is definitely not a black either, its a smokey/ash colour strewn with silver micro glitter. If a black smokey eye is too intense for you, maybe this colour with offer you a lighter alternative.

Truffle is another of Pearl/Shimmer colours in this palette and is the darker, warmer older brother of Chocolate Penny, and I think the two colours will work really well blended together.

Tinsel is the forth and final pearl/shimmer of the palette and it is a bright, silver. It is at the lightest end of the silver spectrum, almost a white but not quite. 

Top Row: Mistletoe, Illusion
Bottom Row: Twinkle, Starry Night

Without Primer: L-R: Mistletoe, Illusion, Twinkle & Starry Night

Mistletoe is a pine green with bright apple green micro glitter spread through it. Again this will make a great alternative smokey eye.

Illusion is what I would call a dusky purple, and is a lot less bright compared to Festive. This is filled with silver micro glitter which really brings this colour to life.

Twinkle is a true navy blue, with silver micro glitter. Blended into Tinsel this colour will look gorgeous.

Starry Night is a traditional dark black eye shadow but with the added twist of lots of silver micro glitter. The name is very appropriate as when applied it looks like stars shining in the sky.

As you can see from my swatches these eye shadows didn't disappoint  as they are highly pigmented and stand out beautifully on the skin. This palette along with all the others they make are available at Sleek's website and at only £7.99 are a definite bargain not to be missed!

Have you tried any of the Sleek eye shadow palettes yet? 

Love Jude xxx

The Liebster Blog Award

Hi everyone,

Now most of you will notice that I haven't been blogging for very long, so when Steff of Ch3rryBomb nominated me for a Liebster Blog Award I was really surprised and ecstatic that she had taken the time to add me to her list, so do me a favour and go check out her blog here.

Right now as far as I can grasp the rules to the Liebster award are as follows:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you by mentioning them
  and link it back to their blog on your post!
• List 11 Facts about yourself. 
• Answer 11 questions which are given to you by you Nominator.
• Ask 11 Questions for all the bloggers you nominate for the award.
• Nominate 9 Bloggers pages which have less than 200 followers. 
• Go to their blog and tell them about their Nomination.

Review: Rimmel Apocalips: Lip Lacquer

Hi everyone,

Well they are finally here, after what seams like an age of Rimmel posting, tweeting and Facebooking about their new Apocalips Lip Lacquers, they are now available in stores. 

If your like me and thought they looked amazing but not quite sure what they are, then let me explain. Hidden inside a edgy, sexy shiny black tube is a product which contains the pigmentation and opacity of a lipstick and the high-shine impact of a gloss. 

Now at £5.99 sadly my purse wouldn't let me buy more than a couple but out of the colours I think I chose the ones I will use the most. A hot red called "Big Bang" and a pink nude called "Celestial" 

The packaging is futuristic, and edgy which I like. The way the black blends into the colour also gives a modern feel 

The brush is very similar to a traditional lip gloss wand but with an whole in the middle, which seems to make it hold onto more product than a usual wand.

The colour is so gorgeous and bright. It applies smooth and streak free without feeling sticky and also feels very light on the lips. The colour is what I would call tomato red, its slightly blue but also very bright.

The second colour I chose is called Celestial

Its a dusky pink on the side of nude and I think it will go with a lot, and be a good everyday colour.

I love the colour its such a pretty shade of pink and its so pigmented. The high-shine finish makes these so sophisticated that these are going to a must-have for night out.

My only negative is the fact that these lacquers bleed quite easily and stain your lips quite a lot, especially Big Bang which left a stain on my hand after swatching. I'm not sure if this will put me off buying any more shades because the finish is so gorgeous. I might need to try some more colours before I make a final descion hehe!

Have you tried out any of these Apocalips Lip Lacquers yet? Let me know in the comments below

Love Jude xxxx