Nude Nails Favourites

Isn't this time of year just awkward? One minute, the suns shining so you break out your floral's and pastel colours, and the next, you're scraping frost off your car and wrapped up in four layers.

Gone are the reds and berry colours we wore on our nails for the festive season, yet I still don't feel it the right weather to be rocking the mint and corals. I've been increasingly drawn to nude nail colours, and I think they're perfect for this time of year. Here are some of my favourites.

The PS Love nail polish in the shade 07 Nude was only 60p from Primark, and it's actually a pretty decent polish. I wore it to my friends wedding.

Formula X is a tad more pricey, and as far as I know, only available in Sephora (who can't ship polishes over to the UK) This shade is Thrilling and I got it as part of the Formula X The System To Go sets, in which you receive a cleanser, base coat and top all clicked together in a set. I'm not sure they do this exact one now, but Thrilling is available on it's own or part of a set with other polishes. On my nails, with the base and top coat, this lasted about five days without chipping.

Cappuccino  by Max Factor is stunning. It's £4.99 which I think is pricey for a mini polish, but I got it as a 3 for 2 offer.

I can't find the shade name for the Kiko polish, which isn't helpful, I know. But I think it cost £2.30 from the store in Bristol. This is a completely unique shade, almost too pink to be a 'nude' but not bright enough to be anything else. I've not yet tried this polish, but I've tried previous from Kiko and like their polishes.

Lastly is Chic and Cheerful from Rimmel. The colour is slightly darker, and slightly greyer than the Max Factor polish. I actually found it in Poundland so it was a complete bargain. I really like this polish, and it was really easy to apply.

Do you have any 'Nude' nail polish suggestions?

LAB2 Brushes// On a Powder Trip Brush Review

I was lucky enough to receive some LAB2 brushes in the Hull Bloggers goody bag. I've already written a review talking about the 'Triple Threat Multi Purpose Brush' which you can find here.

I've been applying my makeup over the last few days using only LAB2 brushes to get a complete first impression. Once again this brush came in a box with a detailed 'How to Use' on the back of it. It is currently £11.99 in Superdrug.

I feel powder brushes are a bit boring to review as they only really have one job. However, there is nothing stopping anyone from taking that powder brush to apply bronzer or blush.

The first thing I noticed about this brush was how soft it was. It is a similar shape to the Smashbox Powder Brush I received in a Xmas set a couple of years ago, minus the hefty price tag.

I love that each LAB2 brush has a description on the handle which makes it perfect for beginners. This brush picks up just enough product to create an even  coverage, whether you apply powder, blush or bronzer.

This is definately becoming a staple in my makeup routine as some of my older powder brushes are now showing their age.

Have you tried any LAB2 brushes before? What did you think?

LAB2 Brushes // 'The Triple Threat Multi Purpose Brush' Review

We were all lucky enough to be gifted with 7 LAB2 brushes (stands for Live and Breathe Beauty) at the Hull Blogger Meet. I adore trying new makeup brushes and I have some from so many different ranges such as Real Techniques, Nanshy, Mac, Smashbox etc, so I was pretty excited to receive these.

Each brush came in a box, with a detailed 'How to Use' on the back of each one which I thought was a really nice touch, especially for someone who is just starting out using makeup. In terms of price range, these are similar to Real Technique brushes with both single face brushes £11.99.

To provide you with a proper first impressions review, I decided to do the majority of my makeup using only these brushes. I am going to spread this review over three posts. This post will focus on the 'Triple Threat Multi Purpose' brush.

The 'Triple Threat Multi Purpose' brush can be used for powder, bronzer and blush as according to the box. The shape is similar to that of a stipling brush, with it being completely flat at the end. Like the Real Techniques Buffing Brush, I believed it would do a good job of working in and blending my foundation. I put it to the test against my Estee Lauder Double Wear as it's the thickest foundation I own and I sometimes have trouble with streakiness.

I give it 10/10 for foundation application. I am seriously impressed with this brush and think it will be a favourite in my makeup routine from now on. I managed to blend the foundation in quickly, leaving a flawless finish on my skin. You could hardly tell I had foundation on at all!

However, as the title of the brush brags 'triple threat' I decided to put it to the test when applying other makeup. I applied concealer under my eye and decided to use the brush to buff this out. This did not work so good. Due to the shape of the brush and perhaps the denseness, it hurt my eyes a little and I could not get into all the little areas I wanted to. I had to stop and finish with my RT Buffing Brush which is a bit more flexible and less irritating for the delicate skin around my eyes.

Next I tried blush; I tried a powdered blush and a cream one. Both worked beautifully with the brush picking up just enough product and blending it out perfectly onto my cheeks. I've always used a similar shaped brush for cream blush, however, this was my first time using a powder one with this shaped blush, but I don't think it will be the last.

This brush also brags that it can be used to contour. I attempted to use this with my Nyx 'Taupe' blush to create a light contour down my cheekbones but it just didn't work. Using the edge picked up hardly any product, although this could be a reflection on the product I used also. I may try again using a dark concealer and see if this brush would buff it out.

Lastly, I used this brush to top my powder. I managed to buff it in fine, but I much prefer a fluffy powder brush to a stiff one. Keep checking back to see my review of the LAB2 Powder brush.

Have you tried these brushes before? What did you think?

NYX Butter Gloss // Review

As someone who isn't a huge fan of lipgloss, I was surprised at how much I liked the NYX Butter Glosses. I'm sure they need no introduction as they're such a hyped product in the beauty world. 

They're currently sold in Boots at only £5 each (I've only ever seen them online and not in local stores though) and there are 22 shades to choose from. 

Like the name suggests, they're extremely buttery which leaves my lips feeling hydrated. You can wear them over lipstick, but I prefer to wear them on their own. Like most glosses, they never apply as dark as they do in the tube, but this is why I like them. Even the most scary shades are wearable for everyday or nights out. 

They smell very sweet and all of the names are some sort of sweet desert, however I could understand why someone would be put off by the sugary scent. 

As you can see by the photos, I own 5 of the 22 scents. 

Peach Cobler is a bright orange and definately my go-to in the spring/ summer. As you can tell by the battered label, it's my favourite shade out of all four and my most worn. 

Angel Food Cake is a perfect nude/ brown shade and I can use this for both work and nights out. 

Raspberry Tart, although looks scary, actually applies lovely and reminds me of a gloss version of MAC's Rebel. 

I've not actually used Strawberry Parfait yet, but I think it will be a perfect summer shade. 

I would like to add Ginersnap, a dark brown, and Red Velvet, a deep red, to my collection. 

Have you tried the Butter Glosses before? What did you think? 

Kat Von D Lolita Everlasting Liquid Lipstick // Review

There's nothing more frustrating than a cult beauty product that isn't available in the UK. Cue Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade 'Lolita.' I've seen this all over instagram and youtube, so I was so excited when my parents brought me a Sephora Favourite's set and this was in it.

What can only be described as a 'muddy red', almost verging on brown, this is perfect a achieve a grunge look.

The packaging is smart and sleek, and the doe foot applicator allows for precision when applying the lipstick.

The formula applies smoothly with no balling, and you can actually build the colour up. I think one swipe of this lipstick would be great for work, whilst another would create a more dramatic look.

The product isn't too drying on the lips; I only feel it after about 4 hours wear. However, with any matte lipstick, I expected that there would be a little. This lasted through food and drink, and only started wearing away because I kept licking my lips.

I think I definitely will be picking up a couple more of these in the future. They're $20 from Sephora. Some people do sell these in the UK, but you're looking at a lot more money.

Have you tried this before? What did you think?

Nanogen Root Boost Hair Thickening Spray // Review

I was lucky enough to receive the Nanogen Root Boost Hair Thickening Spray* in my Hull Bloggers goody bag. I have thick hair anyway, but due to the length of it, the weight drags it down, leaving it flat against my head. I've tried everything to add volume from hair spray, dry shampoo and those gross powder things that you sprinkle at the roots.

Although these do the job, I hate the feeling of that amount of product in my hair and it leaves my hair feeling matted and greasy.

I have never tried a thickening spray before and this is one that can be used on wet and dry hair. I must say, from first use, I fell in love with this product. You can see that I've used almost three quarters of it already!

When I use it, I spray liberally all over my head, scrunching my hair at the roots as I go. It adds volume almost straight away, however it doesn't change the texture of my hair. I especially like that it can be used on dry hair as my hair can look flat after sleeping on it.

At £9.99 from Boots, I find it quite reasonable, as I assumed it would be more expensive because of the packaging. I'd love to try out more products from this brand as I'm really enjoying using this.

Have you tried anything from this brand before?

2015 Review // 2016 Goals.

2015 has been a hectic year. So much has happened to me this year, and I've achieved so many things in the space of twelve months.

In January I graduated. Okay, so I missed my original graduation date in July 2014 as I had booked a holiday before the dates where announced, so it was just a one day event, but an amazing life achievement! University is very stressful, and I'm glad I managed to get through it.

In March, I started my first Graduate job. I can safely say this is nothing like I had ever experienced before. Going from being a Christmas temp at Next on an 8 hour contract, to a full time position in one of the fastest paced environments  I've ever been is, was a challenge, but I loved it. I worked hard and managed to become a team leader in just over three months.

In July, I got married. It still hasn't sunk in yet, although I have started responded by my new last name, and it's weird being called a 'Mrs.' Planning the wedding was one of the hardest things I've ever done, especially in the last three months or so. But the day was amazing, and I wouldn't change any of it.

A few days after we got married, I spent a week in Paris. I don't think I've ever done so much walking in my life, so it definitely wasn't a relaxing honeymoon.

In November, we finally moved out. We actually found our new home in September, however there was a lot of work to be done. We were lucky because as the place was getting redecorated, we got to choose colours and flooring. We've finally got everything in, organised, with pictures and shelves up to make the house more homely. And I finally have a vanity which stores all of my make up!

So what's ahead for 2016? I never stick to resolutions, but I think having goals is important. Here are mine.

- Get healthy. Anyone who lives at home, knows how hard it is to eat healthily, especially when you're not in charge of buying the food. Now I've moved out, I frequently scan the pages of Pinterest looking for healthy meal ideas. I also want to exercise more and drink more water. The goal isn't too lose weight, but to feel better within myself. But if I lose a few pounds along the way, that's okay too.

-Sort my skin out. Okay, so there's nothing really bad with my skin, but lately it has been looking a little dull, and whether that's from stress and tiredness, I don't know. I used to have a skin routine, but lately I've been letting it slide out of pure laziness. It's time to try out some of the products I've hoarded over the past few months and get my skin looking bright again.

- Find time to blog. I'll be the first to admit that my blog has suffered massively this year, and the frustrating thing is that I really enjoy doing it. I want to try and blog at least once a week.

-Read more. I used to read all the time, but in the past year or so, I've not really had the time. When I first moved out, we didn't have internet for the first few weeks, and I managed to read about four books. Perhaps less time on social media and Netflix, and more time with a good book is what's needed. I received loads of books for Christmas, so I'll maybe do a post on which ones I got.

So they're not overly original or ambitious goals, but ones that are definitely achievable. I hope everyone had an amazing 2015. Have you got any goals for the new year? Let me know.