My Favourite Things In February

Tresemmé Split Remedy Intense Recovery Mask: All the bleaching, blow-drying, straightening and curling is taking its toll on my poor hair. My hair is dry and damaged and I suffer from split ends a lot - I've tried so many different masks and serums in the past but the Tresemmé Split Remedy Mask really does what it says on the tub. It makes my hair shiny and smooth and my ends look a lot healthier already. It also smells lovely and a little goes a long way, so this huge tub will definitely last me ages!
Sleek Face Contour Kit 'Light': I finally found a contour powder which isn't too dark or orange for my pale skin! The contour shade is matte and very natural looking, easy to apply and blend. The highlighter is brilliant too and I've been using the kit every day since I bought it. And it's a steal at £6.50!
Barry M Peach Melba Nail Polish: Peach Melba is such a beautiful pastel peach shade which instantly puts me in a good mood - I've been wearing it quite a lot last month which is why it definitely deserves a place in my February Favourites!
The Body Shop Almond Hand&Nail Cream: I own quite a lot of handcreams but this has quickly become my favourite and is now basically the single one I reach for. It smells amazing, sinks in within seconds and most important, makes my hands super soft and smooth. I simply can't fault it! I've written a full review about it here.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural 'Medium': This product has been on my wishlist for ages but the price always put me off, but luckily Kev got me it as part of my Valentine's presents! After using it for over two weeks I can totally understand what the hype is about! It's sets my foundation perfectly and stays matte all day, feels silky smooth and looks very natural. Thumbs up!
The Body Shop Grapefruit Lip Butter: The lip butters from TBS are my favourite lip balms, I always carry one around with me, there's another one on my bedside table and a few scattered around my flat hah! Grapefruit is my newest one: I love the citrusy scent and, obviously, how brilliant it work - it gives me the softest lips!
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil 'Slate': This works great as a base for dark eyeshadows or even on it's own when I don't have a lot of time to get ready. I simply smudge it around my eyes for quick and subtle smokey eyes. It's blends very easily and stays put all day - and I love the shade! I've already got a few more colours on my wishlist...
MAC Cremesheen Lipstick 'Crosswires': My first ever MAC lippie and I'm so in love with it. Crosswires is a beautiful and wearable shade, it's moisturising and long-lasting - simply a brilliant lipstick! You can find the full review and swatches here.
17 Mirror Shine Lipstick 'Peace': If you've been following my blog for a wee while you might have noticed my love for 17's Mirror Shine lipsticks. They are one of the best sheer lipsticks I have tried and I reach for them a lot as they are so easy to wear. Last month I carried 'Peace' around in my hand bag almost every day.. That says it all, doesn't it? Click here for swatches and a full review.
Catrice Bright Blush 'Tickled Pink': This little beauty got lost somewhere between all my other blushes and I only rediscovered it a few weeks ago. Since then, I've reached for it lots of times, especially when wearing Crosswires on my lips - they're pretty similar which makes them look great together! It's very pigmented but easy to blend and lasts all day.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil 'Slate' / Mac Cremesheen Lipstick 'Crosswires' / 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick 'Peace' / Catrice Bright Blush 'Tickled Pink' / Sleek Face Contout Kit Light

Rose Quartz EOTD

Good morning lovelies! I'm heading out in a few minutes so I'll just quickly show you my eye make up before I go. I bought an eyeshadow from 17 called 'Rose Quartz' quite a while ago and totally forgot about it - today is the first time I used it. It's a subtle, shimmery grey/pink, nicely pigmented and very silky - really easy to work with and brilliant for when you're short on time as it looks lovely on its own. I really enjoy using 17's eyeshadows and I can totally recommend them because of the decent quality and they're also great value for money.
Anyway, here are the products I used:

Eyeshadows: 17 'Rose Quartz' (all over lid), Sleek Bad Girl Palette 'Underground' (crease), Artdeco '27' (highlight)
Eyeliner: Mac Fluidline 'Blacktrack'
Mascara: Maybelline The Falsies

17 Glow Shimmer Brick: Pink Bronze

Hi dolls! Yet another product from 17 I've got to show you - this time it's the new Shimmer Brick in 'Pink Bronze'. I've been looking for a powder highlighter for a while now and I quite liked the look of this, so it went into my shopping basket without giving it a lot of thought. I was a bit worried that it would be too dark for me, as most bronzers make me look either dirty or orange, but I was wrong - it's pretty much only shimmer without a lot of 'colour' to it. As you can see on the swatch below, the only brick with some colour pay-off is the darkest one at the bottom. This might be a reason for some of you not to buy or like this product, but I am actually really happy with it as I was only looking for a nice highlighting powder. The shimmer is very fine and subtle - which is important as you don't want to look like a human discoball right? I simply swirl my brush across all four bricks and apply it lightly onto my cheekbones (on top of my blush) which adds definition to my face and lets my cheekbones stand out a bit more. All in all, I'm really happy with 17's Shimmer Brick and it has already become a staple in my make up routine. Thumbs up! :) xx

Individual bricks swatched, from top to bottom 

 

17 Lasting Fix Lipstick: Autumn Berries

Good morning everybody! Today I am showing you one of my new favourite lipsticks which I already mentioned in my January Favourites post a few days ago. 'Autumn Berries' is part of 17's Lasting Fix Lipstick range which retails at Boots for £4.29. I own another shade from the same range ('Showbiz') and believe me, these lipsticks are simply amazing!
Autumn Berries is a beautiful and very wearable red which will flatter a lot of different skin tones. I am really rubbish at describing shades so I'll just let the pictures do the talking! Anyway, Autumn Berries has a semi-matte finish with great staying power - drinking and eating are not a problem for this little gem, and I only need to touch it up after around four hours. I really like wearing my Lasting Fix lipsticks at work as I don't have to worry about fading and constant touching up (hello, sheer lipsticks!). However, the problem with longlasting lipsticks is that they are often a little drying on the lips but a slick of lipbalm before application keeps my lips feeling hydrated and smooth. Anyway, I've really enjoyed using this lipstick the last few weeks as it's such a beautiful colour (I've had a few compliments on it at work) and great value for money! Do you own any lipsticks from this range? xx

PS: 17 currently have a 3 for 2 offer on all of their products, so if you're interested, head down to Boots soon!

My Favourite Things In January

I can't believe it's February already - crazy how quickly time passes! To be honest, January hasn't been a very exciting month for me, I've just been working a lot and that's it really... However, I did buy quite a lot of new make up over the last few weeks and discovered a few amazing products! And here are my January favourites...

L'Oreal Infallible Foundation 'Porcelain': This is my newest foundation and I have used it almost every day since I bought it at the beginning of the month. I love how light it feels on my skin, it covers blemishes or redness really well and makes my skin look flawless! Love this!

Sleek Bad Girl Eyeshadow Palette: I absolutely adore my Bad Girl palette - every single one of these eyeshadow is highly pigmented, easy to blend and stays put all day (even without a primer). I love wearing dark smokey eyes which means I use this palette almost every day. 

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara: This is a bit of a weird one.. The Falsies used to be my favourite ages ago but I now really dislike the way it makes my lashes look. I have randomly layered it over some other mascaras and boom! It works wonders as a "topcoat" which is why it has to be included in my January favourites!

MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Base: I received this in December's Glossybox but I have only started using it two weeks ago and I am really impressed. First of all, it smells heavenly! It sinks into my skin really quick, tightens my pores and it definitely makes my foundation last longer. Thumbs up!

MUA Blusher 'Shade 1': This is definitely the blush I have reached for the most in the last few weeks. It's the most beautiful pink shade with some gorgeous shimmer, great pigmentation and staying power - and such a steal at £1! 

ELF Cream Eyeliner 'Black': I'm starting to run low on my MAC Fluidline gel eyeliner so I purchased a black cream eyeliner for els's studio range and I've been really enjoying it. It feels a little drier/harder than my MAC gel eyeliner but the staying power is definitely a lot better and application seems a little bit easier too. 

Artdeco Eyeshadow '27': My favourite ever eyeshadow for highlighting the inner corner of my eyes and under my eyebrows. It's a very light, shimmery champagne shade and it's simply amazing - I use it every single day. 

17 Lasting Fix Lipstick 'Autumn Berries': I actually only bought this about a week ago but I have worn it every single day since then, so I think it deserves a place in my January favourites! Autumn Berries is a very wearable red - bright enough to catch some attention without being over the top. The staying power is brilliant too, it lasts for hours and still looks perfect after eating or drinking. A full review is coming very soon!

L'Oreal Infallible Foundation Porcelain / ELF Cream Eyeliner Black / Artdeco Eyeshadow 27 / 17 Lasting Fix Lipstick Autumn Berries / MUA Blush 1

Crackled Sunrise

H&M Mini Nail Polish Summer Sunrise / 17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish Pink Grapefuit / Eyeko Coral Polish / p2 Crackling Topcoat Black Explosion

Gradient Nails

Hi girls! Today I am showing you a manicure I did two nights ago - pink/red gradient nails! I couldn't make up my mind about what colour to paint my nails with, I was in the mood for bright pink but also wanted to try my new ruby red polish... This was when I decided to paint each nail in a different shade, starting with a very light baby pink, then a brighter pink, coral and finishing with dark red. I know it's not perfect, especially between my thumb and index finger, but I like it nonetheless and it actually looks pretty good from far away! It's such an easy and quick manicure to do and there's so many different colour gradients you could create - and the more polishes you own, the easier and prettier it gets! Maybe a reason to go out and buy some more pretty pinks...? ;) xx

And these are the polishes I used, from left to right:
17 Risky Red, Eyeko Coral Polish, Barry M Pink Flamingo, H&M Strawberry Lollipop and Barry M Strawberry Ice Cream

Another reason to love 17

 

Hi lovelies! I hope you are all doing well :) I went to have a look in Boots on my lunch break yesterday, actually without the intention of buying anything. However, I noticed that 17 give you a free bag filled with three nail polishes and a nail file when you buy any two of their products. I also checked out the advantage card extra offer kiosk - and guess what voucher I found? A free 17 Hide&Chic Concealer when you buy any 17 product... Win! I absolutely love 17 for always having some offers on  - I love their products anyway but getting a few freebies makes shopping so much more fun!
The two products I bought were the solo eyeshadow in 'Rose Quartz' (£3.89) and Fast Finish nail polish in 'Pink Lemonade' (£2.99). Rose Quartz is a beautiful shimmery grey/pink shade (I am rubbish at describing colours!) and I cannot wait to use it for the first time. I haven't swatched it yet but 17 eyeshadows are usually very silky and pigmented, so hopefully I won't be disappointed with this one. I wanted to buy Pink Lemonade for ages and I finally got my hands on it yesterday - however I have to say that I am a little disappointed. It is very sheer and after three thick coats my nailline was still shining through. I couldn't be bothered doing a fourth coat and waiting hours for it to dry thorougly, which is why I decided to add some glitter which hides the nailline a little. It's such a beautiful shade but I can't really see myself using it a lot because it takes too many coats to be opaque...
Anyway, these are the free products I received: Hide&Chic Eye Brightening Concealer in 'Light Rose' (worth £4.99) and the Electric Disco Purse filled with Fast Finish Polish 'Nightscape' (£2.99), High Gloss Polish 'Risky Red' (£2.99), Nail Xtras Glitter Top Coat (£2.99?) and a nail file. The glitter topcoat is brilliant and as you know, I am a sucker for everything sparkly and glittery! I'm excited to try out the concealer as I just ran out of my under-eye-concealer (Artdeco Perfect Teint Concealer). Black and red polishes are always a safe option and you can't ever have enough nail polish anyway, right girls? :) xx

17 Mirror Shine Lipsticks Peace&Hollywood

I have always been a huge fan of 17. In my opinion, they offer a great range of very affordable products which never fail to impress me. What I also love about 17 is that there always seems to be some kind of offer on - most of the times it's 3 for 2 across everything or a free gift bag when you buy two or more of their products! Today I am showing you tell you a little about 17's Mirror Shine lipstick range...

Last year I bought three of the Mirror Shine lipsticks as they were part of the 3 for 2 offer, and I simply couldn't make up my mind about what shade to buy - I ended up buying three of them: Hollywood, Peace and Belle. Unfortunately, I lost Belle on a night out (but I will most likely repurchase it) which is why I can only show you swatches of the other two shades. On the left you can see Peace. This colour slightly confused me as the lipstick is bright orange - swatched on my arm and applied to my lips, it's actually a very lovely pink colour though. On the right hand side you can see Hollywood, a classic red which I can recommend for girls who aren't too sure about wearing bright red on their lips yet - this is quite a sheer and glossy lipstick and perfect for warming up to red lips!

The Mirror Shine lipsticks are very sheer and glossy but they can be built up a little. I love the light and glossy formula, they glide on so easily and feel great on my lips! But as a result, you obviously won't get the staying power of a matte lippie - I usually have to reapply after about two hours, which for me is totally fine though. Having worn and loved them for about a year now, I can say that I well and truly love them. For £4.59 they are a brilliant bargain and I would even go as far as comparing them to the Dior Addict lipsticks. I only own one shade (Diorkiss) but it really does look and feel so similar to 17's Mirror Shine lippies... Thumbs up from me!

Pink Glittery Tips

This is a manicure I did about two weeks ago but I loved it so much, so I decided to share it with you. As soon as I have seen Leanne's 'Tips with a twist' post on her blog Do Not Refreeze, I knew I had to recreate it as I fell in love with it right away. My nails didn't turn out as pretty as Leanne's but I still got a lot of compliments on them - such a nice feeling being told that your nails look lovely!

I used Barry M All in One as my basecoat, Boots 17 Lasting Fix in "Pink Grapefruit" for the pink tips, then Essence Nail Art Twins "Glitter Topper" for the pretty sparkles and a coat of Catrice Quick Dry&High Shine to finish it all off and make sure it lasts for a couple of days without chipping.
By the way, 17's Pink Grapefuit is one of my favourite nail polishes ever! I absolutely adore the colour and the formula is top notch - a proper review will follow soon :)

I hope you like it as much as I did.. Such an easy manicure but so pretty! Love, Mona x

Space Nails

Hello lovelies,
here is my attempt at "space nails" which I wore a couple of days ago. After applying a base coat, I painted my nails with two layers of plain black polish which I let dry completely before randomly dabbing on green, blue, pink and yellow polish with a little unused make up sponge. To finish the manicure off, I added some glitter and sparkle to make extra space-y and a thick layer of top coat to make it all smooth and shiny. I am quite happy with the way it turned out but excuse my nails - I seem to break at least one nail a day when I'm working which is really frustrating... I hate having short stumps! Fingers crossed they will grow back quickly though, especially my index finger nail as it ripped very low (so sore!!).

These are the nail polishes I used to create my "space nails". From left to right: Barry M All in One (basecoat, nail hardener and topcoat), p2 Color Victim "Eternal", Eyeko "Vintage Polish", Barry M "Peach Melba", p2 Color Victim "Charming", 17 Lasting Fix "Pink Grapefruit", Essence Special Effect Topper "Circus Confetti", Gosh "Rainbow" and Essence Nail Art Twins Glitter Topper.

Do you like them? Mona xx