'Minx' Nail Foils

Yuk - how do you make feet look pretty?!

Just a quick post whilst I take a break from packing as I'm off away tomorrow to Turkey for 11 days. When I say packing I'm mostly being distracted my Celebrity Big Brother - I can't get enough of trash TV!

I thought id just give you a little insight into my trip to the Salon. My Mum kindly booked us in to have 'Minx' nail foils in preparation for the beach! Many salons offer the 'Minx' nail foils now if you have a look around you should be able to find one near you.

How do they apply the 'Minx' foils?

Firstly I started by choosing the foils I wanted and I opted for a gold and black pyramid pattern which I think will look gorgeous with a tan. There weren't too many to choose from from the salon I went to but the choices they did have were great.

The nail technician then heated the foils so they would stick to my nails and filed the foils to fit.

And it's that easy...usually...

However my nails are apparently very tiny so a little glue was needed to secure them!  

How long will they last?

I was assured the foils will last 6 weeks -at least which seems like a long time so we shall see! As I'm off away tomorrow she did suggest to apply a topcoat of varnish to help last on the beach.

How much did they cost?

They cost £24.00.

How long did they take to apply?

They took 20 -30mins to apply but can differ on the Nail Technician.

Overall I was really impressed with the final result and fingers crossed they stand the wear of the beach! (I'll be sure to let you all know how they fared don't worry!)

Have any of you tried the 'Minx' nail foils? How long did they last for you?

- Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - The Body Shop 'Vitamin C Skin Reviver'

First of all let me start by saying i've been having an absolute nightmare over the past week with my posts. It has honestly been driving me insane with frustration. Every time I post anything it fails to show on mine (or anyone else's dashboard) for days or even not at all - urggh. So I wonder if this is even going to publish...hmm fingers crossed.

 

Please excuse my rather well used and loved tube!

What The Body Shop say: "'Our favourite Vitamin C product. Instant smoothing radiance with a silky smooth finish; an ideal skin pick-me-up to enhance your glow. With Amazonian camu camu berry, known to have one of the highest contents of vitamin C in nature, and Community Trade brazil nut oil. For dull skin."

What I say: The saying 'Mums know best' in this case defiantly applies here! I was first introduced to this product around 2 years ago whilst having a snoop through her products and here I am many tubes later having never strayed.

When I first started using the 'Vitamin C Skin Reviver' it was packaged in a quality looking glass bottle yet after a revamp of the Vitamin C products it is now packaged in a slightly less expensive looking plastic tube! However this slightly disappointing looking tube does have its advantages - being changed to plastic makes it a lot more practical when travelling its far lighter in terms of weight and far less likely to be smash or be damaged (which is great for someone as clumsy as myself!) For any of you familiar with the Bourjois 'Healthy Mix' Foundation the tube is very similar to that which as you know is great for getting out every last inch of product (unlike the glass bottle which proved a great struggle towards the end) resulting in more product and better value for money!

The gel formula feels so soft almost like liquid silk and releases a gorgeous orange citrus scent perfect to awaken your senses first thing in the morning. The Body Shop advise you use after your moisturiser which is how I use it and before my foundation offering as they say 'the perfect base for your make up application.' This works perfectly for me as I have dry to normal skin however if you have oily skin I do suggest using instead of a moisturiser and moisturising at night instead. This non greasy gel means my make up glides on effortlessly with no irritation, redness or breakouts.

Most well know for offering tired, dull skin sought after radiance it needs is no exaggeration here.  It leaves your skin bright, refreshed, lifted and illuminated. This is achieved by the gel itself containing small highlighting parts.
If your looking for something to improve the look and feel of your skin, look no further and head to The Body Shop!

Vitamin E Skin Reviver £13.00

The Body Shop do a whole range of Vitamin C products so next time I'm in there I'm going to pick up the 'Daily Moisturiser SPF 30'  have any of you tried any of the Vitamin C range?

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - Nivea 'Tinted moisturising day cream'

 I've always been a foundation kinda girl so my love for this product surprises no one more than myself!

Nivea say: Nivea Visage Daily Essentials Tinted Moisturising Day Cream enriched with Light reflecting pigments and vitamin E, provides the skin with essential intensive moisture and enhances your natural skin tone all day long.

 - With a special blend of light-reflecting and colour pigments this light daily moisturiser brightens up your complexion.

- With UVA/UVB filters and Vitamin E, it helps to protect from environmental influences that result in premature ageing.

I say: I know there are very mixed opinions out there on this product - a Marmite product if ever there was one! You either love it or hate it.  

As I mentioned above I have always been a foundation kinda girl. This time last year I wouldn't have even considered a tinted moisturiser however the older I get the more my confidence seems to grow and I finally feel comfortable enough to wear less coverage. This seems to be the perfect product for me in terms of coverage as it's lighter than a foundation but still overs good build able coverage which disguises redness and pores. It's a thick consistency but still feels very light on my skin and perfectly evens out my complexion.

It comes in two shades 'Natural' and 'Bronze.' I picked up Natural which is still fairly dark so if you are lighter than id say a NC25 I doubt this will match your skin tone - here's hoping they take note and release a lighter shade! I know some people say it leaves them with an orange tinge but I can honestly say it transfers onto my skin without even a tint of orange. Like all Nivea products it smells just like the signature Nivea scent which I don't particularly mind, its not a strong smell but it does last on the skin.

Before applying I usually cleanse and prime my face then apply with my fingers just like I would with a normal moisturiser and then conceal any blemishes and set with a powder. My only slight frustration with the application is it dries very fast so if you don't work quickly with it, it becomes extremely difficult to blend. A quick tip here is to apply it to your face in sections and then you shouldn't come across any problems!

A few of you may know from previous posts I recently returned from my holiday so have a slight tan which this tined moisturiser enhances better than any I have previously tried. I actually find myself looking forward to apply this in the mornings which Ive not experienced before!

For a fraction of the price of a foundation at £4.50 from Boots I urge you to try this before the end of Summer you may just save yourself some money!

Have any of you tried this before? Are you a lover or hater?! 

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - Nivea 'Tinted moisturising day cream'

 

I've always been a foundation kinda girl so my love for this product surprises no one more than myself!

Nivea say: Nivea Visage Daily Essentials Tinted Moisturising Day Cream enriched with Light reflecting pigments and vitamin E, provides the skin with essential intensive moisture and enhances your natural skin tone all day long.

 - With a special blend of light-reflecting and colour pigments this light daily moisturiser brightens up your complexion.

- With UVA/UVB filters and Vitamin E, it helps to protect from environmental influences that result in premature ageing.

I say: I know there are very mixed opinions out there on this product - a Marmite product if ever there was one! You either love it or hate it.  

As I mentioned above I have always been a foundation kinda girl. This time last year I wouldn't have even considered a tinted moisturiser however the older I get the more my confidence seems to grow and I finally feel comfortable enough to wear less coverage. This seems to be the perfect product for me in terms of coverage as it's lighter than a foundation but still overs good build able coverage which disguises redness and pores. It's a thick consistency but still feels very light on my skin and perfectly evens out my complexion.

It comes in two shades 'Natural' and 'Bronze.' I picked up Natural which is still fairly dark so if you are lighter than id say a NC25 I doubt this will match your skin tone - here's hoping they take note and release a lighter shade! I know some people say it leaves them with an orange tinge but I can honestly say it transfers onto my skin without even a tint of orange. Like all Nivea products it smells just like the signature Nivea scent which I don't particularly mind, its not a strong smell but it does last on the skin.

Before applying I usually cleanse and prime my face then apply with my fingers just like I would with a normal moisturiser and then conceal any blemishes and set with a powder. My only slight frustration with the application is it dries very fast so if you don't work quickly with it, it becomes extremely difficult to blend. A quick tip here is to apply it to your face in sections and then you shouldn't come across any problems!

A few of you may know from previous posts I recently returned from my holiday so have a slight tan which this tined moisturiser enhances better than any I have previously tried. I actually find myself looking forward to apply this in the mornings which Ive not experienced before!

For a fraction of the price of a foundation at £4.50 from Boots I urge you to try this before the end of Summer you may just save yourself some money!

Have any of you tried this before? Are you a lover or hater?! 

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - Pearl drops Teeth Whitening

I don't usually tend to venture into Poundland but my brother had asked me to pick him up some blank Cd's so I thought whilst I was in there I would have a little look around as ya do. With prices no more than (as the name suggests!) a pound you can't really go wrong in my opinion.

A couple of items did grab my attention whilst rummaging through, one being the Pearl Drops 'Teeth whitening' products. I'd looked at them before in Sainsburys but the price had always put me off. Although Ive heard good things I tend to be very sceptical about products and must see things for myself before fully believing in a product. I assume this comes from all the rubbish I've tried which doesn't live up to its claims!  At £1 a product with the claim to brighten my teeth I just thought 'why not?' and threw them in my basket. I picked up the 'Party sparkle'  'Daily whitening toothpolish' and the new 'Advanced whitening toothpolish   '.

My thinking behind this is if they work I've saved myself hundreds of pounds on professional teeth whitening and if they don't hopefully ill be able to save you a few pounds on buying this product yourself!

I'll be using these products for the next few weeks and then ill be sure to let you know how I got on.

Have any of you used the Pearl Drops products before? How did you rate them?

- Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - Dove 'Nourishing oil care' Shampoo and Conditioner

I'm slightly too excited to share this post with you I don't even know where to begin!

First things first I should confess to my terrible hair habit...

 I am an obsessive compulsive hair washer! 

There's little I can stand more than my hair being dirty, greasy, oily - whatever you'd like to call it! Even washing it at night doesn't suffice for me I need it clean clean clean!

I've never had a 'go to' shampoo or conditioner. I usually just find myself browsing the aisle of my local Superdrug, Boots or Sainsburys until something grabs my attention and that does until it runs out. My V05 big bottles had just ran out so once again I found myself wandering up and down debating which to buy. To be quite honest with you I can't even remember the reason this stood out to me - most probably it was on offer (and not one to resist an offer!) I thought I'd give it a go.

What Dove say  - "Dove's unique nourishing care system containing weightless natural almond and coconut oils, made of molecules so fine they are rapidly absorbed to deeply nourish and replenish essential nutrients."

What I say - I was skeptical an 'oil care' product may cause my hair to become more oily quicker but it has seemed to have had the opposite effect.
 I've been using the shampoo and conditioner together for 2 weeks now and can go two days without having to wash it! I wake up to clean, fresh hair, ready to be styled (you wouldn't believe how much extra time I seem to have in the mornings!) The main difference I have found from using this is the texture of my hair. I can't state enough just how soft and silky it leaves my hair feeling.
If you have read previous posts of mine you'll know I recently went to Spain where my best friend also nabbed this in the shower and she was just as stunned at the results. There both of us were at dinner constantly running our hands through our hair!
 If your after incredibly soft, frizz free locks then look no further. In my opinion id think it would work best for medium to thick hair. However if it's volume your after - this isn't for you, stick with the original Dove shampoo.
 As far as the packaging goes it's sleek, elegant and classic - a great combination to fit perfectly into any bathroom. It smells clean and fresh which lasts in your hair through out the day -I just have no negatives to say about this product!

I can't state enough how truly soft and silky this makes your hair - even my boyfriend commented how amazing it felt! Go pick this up for an introductory offer of £1.25 at Sainsburys now!

I've also heard they have an 'Express Treatment Conditioner' out which I can't wait to get my hands on and see how it compares to the Aussie '3 Minute miracle.'

Have any of you tried the Dove haircare range?

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

FOTD - Holiday cocktails

My first 'Face of the day' (or night as this was worn for!) 

I teamed the previous outfit post with this make up look on holiday where we went for dinner at a tradional spanish resturant and into the town for late night cocktails!

• Estee Lauder Double wear foundation in no.3 'Ivory Beige'
• Collection 2000 Lasting perfection concelear in Meduim 3
• Bourjois Chocolate bronzer in Dark
• Mac Blusher in 'Pinch me'
• Benefit Highbeam
• Urban decay Primer potion
• Naked palette shades 'Naked' and 'Buck'
• L'oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara in Black
• Bourjois khol eyeliner in Black
• Natural collection lipstick in 'Cranberry'

I'm not usually a red lipstick kinda girl or a bright lipstick one come to think of it. I'm not sure if its my skin tone or just that i'm not used to it but I usually find myself putting it on and taking it straight back off again. However having this new holiday glow (that I have worked very hard for laying aimlessly for hours on a sun lounger) I have been venturing out of my confort zone and trying something more bold. I think it looks a lot better on me with a tan infact I may even go as far as saying I quite like it!

 Unfortunately after having one to many cocktails I lost this lipstick on the beach somewhere so am on the hunt for the perfect red lipstick.

 Do any of you have any recommendations?!

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

OOTD - Holiday cocktails

Top - Topshop

Black body con skirt - New Look

Gladiator sandals - Spanish market

Ring - Thirteen Jewellery

Bracelet - Pandora

Just a quick little snap here of an outfit what I wore in the evening on holiday. I'm not sure you can see from the pictures too well but I was horribly sun burnt on my upper body so needed something loose fitting and simple to ease my pain!

I'm a great lover of this style of top and now I'm sporting a slight glow I feel much more confident wearing it. My arms are defiantly my most insecure feature and I try to cover them up whenever possible so this was certainly brave for me!

Onto the shoes... I spotted these from afar at a Spanish market we visited and almost ran across the street to them! This may come as a miniature surprise for a few of you but these are in fact my first pair of gladiator sandals - yes I am fully aware I am awfully late on the bandwagon here but I just hadn't had a pair jump out at me enough to part with my money before now. They are a gorgeous swede plaited material and are far more expensive looking than the 6Euro price tag I paid!

A 'Face of the night' which I wore to accompany this outfit will be up shortly so keep a look out for that :)

- Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Home sweet home

Hola!

This morning I woke up hoping and praying yesterday had all been a dream and in fact I was still in our beautiful Villa in Spain - alas disappointment soon struck!

My post holiday blues seemed to hit me as soon as I stepped on the plane to return home and are still staying strong! I had such an incredible week relaxing with my family and best friend. We mixed the days up between spending time at our pool and going to the beach then ate out in the evenings followed by many cocktails!

Needless to say even out in Spain I couldn't control my spending habit. The impulse buyer in me defiantly made several appearences last week!

I know in my previous 'How's my hair? 001' post I mentioned I would do a 'Whats in my hand luggage?' type of post buuut as usual I seemed to completely miss judge and under estimate how much time I would need to pack which ended up in me running madly around the house at 2am gathering all I could! So seeing as how I am off away again in a couple of weeks I will make sure to plan my time better and get it up done for you then.

I missed blogging last week and am super excited to get back into the swing of it.

Untill next time...

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX