My First Try of Mii Cosmetics

I was so excited when the gorgeous lady who does my waxing (who doesn't love the woman who can do that for you?) text me to say she was getting Mii Cosmetics for the salon, and today was the day that I got to play with them!! 


I got to try the Illuminating Face Base SPF 15, and I'm shade 03. It really is a gorgeous lightweight foundation, that gives more long lasting coverage than a tinted moisturiser but it's still really sheer (I could still see my freckles but I felt comfortable in it, which I think is a good sign).  I know it says it's illuminating, and I'm never so sure about those claims because I sometimes look plain old shiny not nice and glowing, but this truly did make me glow, and it's not until you see it in sunlight that you really get the true effect.  In fact I was meeting my dad in town just after I'd had this applied and without knowing I'd had my make up done he told me I was positively sparkling from half way down the street.  I felt sparkly too, all healthy and nice looking!! I was really gutted that they didn't have my shade in, but I am going to make sure I get my hands on some before summer because I think it'll be a summertime essential! 

NOTD: Berry Ice Cream

I adore this Barry M shade (308 Berry I/C).  I think it's a fantastic colour for spring and summer, and it really cheers me up when I look at my nails and I see this shining back at me.  Usually I find this polish glides on like a dream but today it wasn't going my way (I don't know if it was me or the nail varnish...probably me, lets face it) so to get a nice even coverage it took three coats but the finished product is worth the wait in my opinion.  I finished it off with a thick layer of Sally Hansen Mega Shine and now I have super shiny bright mauve/lilac nails - just what I need to make it feel like spring even though the weather has taken a turn for the worse!! 

Product Junkie

I have seriously got to curb my addiction to spending on beauty products, it is getting utterly ridiculous.   I tell myself that because I don't buy clothes (I am repulsed by the sight of myself and changing rooms only reinforce this, so I look like a tramp most of the time) it is totally acceptable to spend elsewhere instead. It isn't, and I'll tell you why - because I don't have any money.  It wouldn't matter if it was clothes, shoes, food or bloody bay leaves I can't afford any of it.  I know this, but when I am around products I literally am like a woman possessed and I simply can't help myself, I just go mad!! 


Here is a nice example of my total inability to control myself... Yesterday I was in boots (to collect a prescription so I needn't have even looked anywhere else for starters) and I decided to see if they had any OPI Nail Envy because I'd been recommended it and I really am trying to look after my nails at the min, see this post They did, they had Sensitive and Peeling from the Nail Envy range so I thought I'd go for it, then, like a mad woman I quickly grabbed OPI Avoplex Nail and Cuticle Replenishing Oil (I already have cuticle oil so definitely don't need it), and I scrabbled around for a few other equally unnecessary products! Today however, I went in to town to have a wax and oh no I couldn't just pay my money for that and leave, I had to buy something (it's like some people 'see red' I just 'see product') so I picked up Jessica Fusion and Jessica Phenomen Oil as well. Now correct me if I am wrong but I do believe they are exactly the same products that I bought yesterday just by a different brand. So why, oh why did I feel the need to purchase them all?!  My beautician even asked me if I was sure (she knows I'm skint) and I still went ahead and did it. What is my problem?! 


I don't know how to make this stop, but it literally happens all the time.  Any suggestions on what to do if you are incapable of controlling your beauty buying would be greatly appreciated! 

xx

Hand Cream, Oh Hand Cream You Wonderful Stuff!!

My hands used to be lovely, they were soft and my nails were strong and I looked after them because they made it worth my while.  But times have changed and my hands and I have been going through a rocky couple of years really, they let me down and went all dry and my nails went all weak and decided it wasn't worth sticking around so the peeled off and split at the earliest opportunity.  As a result and a bit of an 'up yours' to these turn coat hands I decided to stop showering them with love and attention and gave them the equivalent of the silent treatment - rarely painting them, and never moisturising them even if they felt as dry as the Sahara. 

Despite this, I have come to the conclusion that something has got to give.  And it seems increasingly likely that my hands and nails are not going to cooperate of their own accord (I"ve given them a couple of years to change their ways but no, they're stubborn creatures) so it's down to me, and I am going for a military style attack.  If I place enough hand creams in enough easily accessible places then surely I will have to give my poor paws the loving they need to be my silky strong friends again?!

So the plan of attack is going to go something like this...

In My Handbag

Cath Kidston Honeysuckle Hand Cream

At 30ml, this is the perfect size for your handbag.  I got this one for Christmas (they come in a set of three, and were split between three of us as stocking fillers which was a lovely idea) and at first I thought it was going to be a bit too floral for my taste, (I don't think it really smells like honeysuckle, but my sense of smell is a bit sketchy at the best of times) but I actually think it's fine, quite delicate and light. It's quite a thick cream, almost paste like, but it glides on really nicely and soaks in well leaving no greasiness at all, and your hands really do feel soft and lovely after using it (is it wrong to stoke your hands in public coz you like the way they feel?!)

In The Bathroom

Soap and Glory Hand Food

I love the signature Soap And Glory scent so this is a winner for my nose, and luckily it's a winner for my hands as well.  Again it's quite a rich formula so you really feel like you're doing some good when you slather it on.  It claims to be a 'non-greasy hydrating hand cream with shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow' and to be honest I'll roll with that...except the marshmallow bit (can't smell them and thankfully don't have sticky melted marshmallow fingers either!).

On My Desk

Vaseline Healthy Hand & Nail

This was the first ever hand cream I purchased (obviously not this exact one) when I was about 13, and I have loved it ever since.  It has keratin and vitamin E in it, both of which are amazing for skin and nails.  I really do feel like this is doing good when I put it on, no faffing around with fancy smells, just pure goodness for our hard working hands! I like to put a blob on each nail and cuticle and really massage it in and leave it to soak through and then apply a bit more and give it a good rub.  It leaves your hands feeling really smooth (again, stroking my hands just because I love the feel of them). 

In The Kitchen

Cath Kidston Intesive Hand Cream

What this product has to say for itself - 'This specially formulated cream with shea butter, cocoa butter, glycerin and sweet almond oil, will intensively moisturise and protect your hands.  Fragranced with a bouquet of green fruity floral with cherry blossom, honeysuckle and amber wood.'

I only recently got my sense of smell back (after 8 long years without it!) and when I smelt this in the Cath Kidston shop in Cardiff it was love at first sniff.  I literally wouldn't care if it made me feel as if I'd dipped my hands in tar, I'd still slather it on!! It's a really fresh and fruity smell and I simply love it! Thankfully it doesn't feel like tar, quite the opposite in fact.  It takes slightly longer to soak in but then it's and intensive moisturiser so that is to be expected and in no way does it leave your hands feeling greasy once it's been absorbed, just soft and smelling divine (smelling and stroking your hands...much weirder!)

And finally...

By My Bed

The Body Shop Almond Oil Hand Rescue Treatment

I have had this pot of hand cream for years and years but it's still going strong which has got to be a good thing! It's got quite a strong nutty smell, which I like but I guess if nuts aren't your thang you might not be such a fan.  It really is a 'rescue treatment', it's quite a greasy, heavy duty product but it really does work, and seems to penetrate the layers of hideous dryness!! This is why I like to use this at night because to be honest it doesn't really matter how much you've slapped on it's not going to cause you any trouble.  And also, it's not too oily, it does absorb well to leave lovely soft little mitts! 

Blimey, who knew you could waffle on about hand cream for this long?! 

I hope this hasn't been insanely boring, and that some of you made it all the way to the bottom of this post! 

I really hope that with all these hand creams strategically placed about my house I will finally give my hands the care and attention they need and they will show their gratitude by glowing and being the best looking hands out there! 

Here's hoping! 


Also - the gorgeous blanket that these photos were taken on is made by the incredibly talented Gabrielle Vary. Check her out, she truly is amazing. http://www.gabriellevary.co.uk/ or at Not On The Highstreet here.

xxx

NOTD: I Pink I Can

Sally Hansen - Complete Salon Manicure - Shade 510 - I Pink I Can

Top left - With Flash. Top right and bottom - Without flash.

This finished product of this nail varnish looks lovely but I think you have to put a bit of effort in to get it looking like that.  The first coat goes really streaky, and then to be quite honest so does the second (there are definite dark bluish tones in steaks after two coats). So I think a third coat is a bit of a must, and after that it looks lovely with Sally Hansen Mega Shine top coat.  So it's a bit of a long process to get the finished look but I was happy to watch beauty videos on YouTube (as I do for far too long each day) so I wasn't in a hurry.


This colour is very much a Barbie pink, and a little bit too 'little girl pink' for my usual tastes but something came over me in boots and I was drawn to it! And despite me saying it's a little bit too plastic pink for my me my only other nail post has been a bit of a bright girly pink (although I think Pink Flamingo which you can see here is more of a peachy/corally pink) so maybe I'm more into them than I let myself think!


On my toes I've gone for Rimmel Pro Finish 295 Fancy Fucshia.  It really is just a gorgeous deep but vibrant fucshia.  The 'maxi brush' claims to give 'mistake free application', which it probably does on your finger nails (I can't remember) but on your tiny toe nails it just makes it a bit of an ordeal to try and get a good covering without painting half your toe as well!).  I love having bright colours on my toes, in fact I usually only go between two or three nail varnishes for them because I'm just a bit set in my ways.





























I'm not sure that either colour comes out very well in the photos. I'd say that I Pink I Can is actually less of a baby pink and more of a bright, and less of a coral/peach than the pictures show, and I'd say that Fancy Fuchsia is actually deeper than either photo portray.  I realise this isn't very helpful, but I'm afraid there aint a lot I can do about it!